1.Exploration and Practice of Safe Access System Construction for Barrier Environment Facilities of Laboratory Animals: A Case Study on Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University
Dongxia HOU ; Zuoxiu TIE ; Yong LU ; Panpan NAN ; Jie BAO
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2025;45(1):96-100
Laboratory animals are essential in scientific research and experimental teaching in colleges and universities. Disciplines such as life sciences, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, and biomedical engineering heavily rely on animal experiments. The standardized barrier environmental facility for laboratory animals provides a fundamental platform for stable, scientific, and reliable animal experiment results. Rigorous access management for such facilities is a vital safeguard for maintaining standardized operations of facilities, controlling the quality and stability of laboratory animals, mitigating pathogen contamination risks among animals and laboratory staff, and preventing biosecurity incidents such as zoonotic disease outbreaks. Taking the small-scale barrier facilities for laboratory rats and mice at Nanjing University's Xianlin Campus, operational since 2019, as an example, this study focuses on the safety access management system of these facilities. Based on five years of operational data and accumulated experience in studying and optimizing the access management system, this study, from the perspectives of management system development and the formulation and implementation of standard operating procedures, reviews five aspects of access management: personnel access, animals access, material access, equipment access, and air circulation control. Furthermore, these aspects are systematically analyzed and summarized to serve as a reference for the construction and management of the laboratory animal facilities in universities, while also contributing to scientific research, public health security, and the well-being of experimental personnel.
2.Construction Strategies and Challenges of Vascularized Brain Organoids
Meng-Meng CHEN ; Nan HU ; Shuang-Qing BAO ; Xiao-Hong LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(7):1757-1770
Brain organoids are three-dimensional (3D) neural cultures that self-organize from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) cultured in vitro. Compared with traditional two-dimensional (2D) neural cell culture systems, brain organoids demonstrate a significantly enhanced capacity to faithfully replicate key aspects of the human brain, including cellular diversity, 3D tissue architecture, and functional neural network activity. Importantly, they also overcome the inherent limitations of animal models, which often differ from human biology in terms of genetic background and brain structure. Owing to these advantages, brain organoids have emerged as a powerful tool for recapitulating human-specific developmental processes, disease mechanisms, and pharmacological responses, thereby providing an indispensable model for advancing our understanding of human brain development and neurological disorders. Despite their considerable potential, conventional brain organoids face a critical limitation: the absence of a functional vascular system. This deficiency results in inadequate oxygen and nutrient delivery to the core regions of the organoid, ultimately constraining long-term viability and functional maturation. Moreover, the lack of early neurovascular interactions prevents these models from fully recapitulating the human brain microenvironment. In recent years, the introduction of vascularization strategies has significantly enhanced the physiological relevance of brain organoid models. Researchers have successfully developed various vascularized brain organoid models through multiple innovative approaches. Biological methods, for example, involve co-culturing brain organoids with endothelial cells to induce the formation of static vascular networks. Alternatively, co-differentiation strategies direct both mesodermal and ectodermal lineages to generate vascularized tissues, while fusion techniques combine pre-formed vascular organoids with brain organoids. Beyond biological approaches, tissue engineering techniques have played a pivotal role in promoting vascularization. Microfluidic systems enable the creation of dynamic, perfusable vascular networks that mimic blood flow, while 3D printing technologies allow for the precise fabrication of artificial vascular scaffolds tailored to the organoid’s architecture. Additionally, in vivo transplantation strategies facilitate the formation of functional, blood-perfused vascular networks through host-derived vascular infiltration. The incorporation of vascularization has yielded multiple benefits for brain organoid models. It alleviates hypoxia within the organoid core, thereby improving cell survival and supporting long-term culture and maturation. Furthermore, vascularized organoids recapitulate critical features of the neurovascular unit, including the early structural and functional characteristics of the blood-brain barrier. These advancements have established vascularized brain organoids as a highly relevant platform for studying neurovascular disorders, drug screening, and other applications. However, achieving sustained, long-term functional perfusion while preserving vascular structural integrity and promoting vascular maturation remains a major challenge in the field. In this review, we systematically outline the key stages of human neurovascular development and provide a comprehensive analysis of the various strategies employed to construct vascularized brain organoids. We further present a detailed comparative assessment of different vascularization techniques, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations. Additionally, we summarize the principal challenges currently faced in brain organoid vascularization and discuss the specific technical obstacles that persist. Finally, in the outlook section, we elaborate on the promising applications of vascularized brain organoids in disease modeling and drug testing, address the main controversies and unresolved questions in the field, and propose potential directions for future research.
3. Resveratrol inhibits autophagy and promotes apoptosis in uveal melanoma cells via miR-512-3P/DUSPl axis
Zheng-Yang SUN ; Nan-Nan LIU ; Xue-Fei FAN ; Su-Huan CHEN ; Xiao-Yu CHEN ; Zheng-Yang SUN ; Wu-Qi CHEN ; Guang-Yi CHEN ; Yu-Bao SHAO ; Xiao-Yu CHEN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(2):292-298
Aim To investigate the regulatory role and mechanism of resveratrol in inhibiting autophagy and promoting apoptosis in choroidal melanoma cells. Methods Choroidal melanoma cells (MUM2B) were divided into control and experimental groups, and treated with different concentrations of resveratrol (0, 10, 20,40,60,80 μmol ·L
4.Advances in Biochemical Sensor Devices Based on Two-dimensional Material Field Effect Transistors
Cui-Yun KOU ; Yi-Yu LUO ; Hai-Guo HU ; Yu BAO ; Zhi-Nan GUO ; Li NIU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2024;52(2):157-165
Field effect transistor(FET)biochemical sensors show great potential in the fields of environmental monitoring,food safety,disease diagnosis and clinical treatment due to their low noise,low power consumption,label-free,easy integration and miniaturization characteristics.Two-dimensional(2D)materials,as a new generation of channel materials for FET biochemical sensors,have atomic-level thickness,high carrier mobility,high specific surface area and tunable bandgap,which can further improve the performance of FET biochemical sensors,extend their application areas,and promote the rapid development of FET biochemical sensors.This review focused on the development and latest progress of 2D material-based FET biochemical sensors,along with the challenges and prospects of 2D material-based FET biochemical sensors,which aimed to provide new device design conceptions and promote the further development of biochemical sensing technology.
5.Phase Separation of Biomacromolecules and Its Important Role in Transcriptional Regulation
Xiang-Dong ZHAO ; Le WANG ; Lu-Jie MA ; De-Bao XIE ; Meng-Di GAO ; Ya-Nan MENG ; Fan-Li ZENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(4):743-753
Cells not only contain membrane-bound organelles (MBOs), but also membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed by condensation of many biomacromolecules. Examples include RNA-protein granules such as nucleoli and PML nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in the nucleus, as well as stress granules and P-bodies in the cytoplasm. Phase separation is the basic organizing principle of the form of the condensates or membraneless organelles (MLOs) of biomacromolecules including proteins and nucleic acids. In particular, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) compartmentalises and concentrates biological macromolecules into liquid condensates. It has been found that phase separation of biomacromolecules requires some typical intrinsic characteristics, such as intrinsically disordered regions, modular domains and multivalent interactions. The phase separation of biomacromolecules plays a key role in many important cell activities. In recent years, the phase separation of biomacromolecules phase has become a focus of research in gene transcriptional regulation. Transcriptional regulatory elements such as RNA polymerases, transcription factors (TFs), and super enhancers (SEs) all play important roles through phase separation. Our group has previously reported for the first time that long-term inactivation or absence of assembly factors leads to the formation of condensates of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) subunits in the cytoplasm, and this process is reversible, suggesting a novel regulatory model of eukaryotic transcription machinery. The phase separation of biomacromolecules provides a biophysical understanding for the rapid transmission of transcriptional signals by a large number of TFs. Moreover, phase separation during transcriptional regulation is closely related to the occurrence of cancer. For example, the activation of oncogenes is usually associated with the formation of phase separation condensates at the SEs. In this review, the intrinsic characteristics of the formation of biomacromolecules phase separation and the important role of phase separation in transcriptional regulation are reviewed, which will provide reference for understanding basic cell activities and gene regulation in cancer.
6.Evaluation of Laboratory Blood Parameters and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Anemia after Advanced Kidney Transplantation Treated by Roxadustat
Pengjie ZHANG ; Xiaoyan WANG ; Kunying WANG ; Tong DING ; Nan BAO
Journal of Modern Laboratory Medicine 2024;39(5):183-188
Objective To evalutate changes in laboratory indicators and clinical efficacy of roxadustat(Rox)in treating anemia patients after advanced kidney transplantation.Methods A retrospective analysis of 101 patients with anemia after kidney transplantation admitted to the Center of Kidney Diseases and Hemodialysis of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from March 2020 to March 2023 was performed.Among them 48 cases were treated with roxadustat(Rox group)and 53 cases were treated with recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO)(rhEPO group).Both groups were treated with polyferose,methycobal and folic acid.The change of red blood cell(RBC),hemoglobin(Hb),erythropoietin(EPO),serum ferrin(SF),transferrin saturation(TSAT),and hepcidin(HePc),tacrolimus trough concentration(Tac CO),cyclosporine A trough concentration(CsA CO),mycophenolic acid area under curve(MPA-AUC),lymphocyte(Lym),T lymphocyte subgroup Th/Ts ratio(Th/Ts),serum creatinine(Scr)and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)were observed in the 1st,3rd and 6th month after treatment respectively.The incidence of side effect induce by medicine during 6 months between the two groups were analysed.Results Before the beginning treatment,there was no significant difference in RBC,Hb,EPO,SF,TSAT,HePc,Tac CO,CsA CO,MPA-AUC,Lym,Th/Ts,Scr and BUN between the two groups and the differences were not statistisally significant(t=-0.319~2.024,all P>0.05).After the 1st,3rd and 6th month of treatment,the RBC,Hb,EPO,SF,TSAT of the two groups of patients were increased compared to before treatment,while HePc was decreased compared to before treatment,and there were significant differences within the groups(F=234.890,219.907;256.171,201.231;138.023,89.247;92.89,215.780;189.198,179.092;112.132,76.127,all P<0.05).The RBC,Hb and SF levels in the Rox group were higher than those in the rhEPO group(F=9.672,8.165,139.360),while EPO and HePc levels were lower than those in the rhEPO group(F=124.437,78.147),and the differences were significant(all P<0.05).There was no significant difference in TSAT between the two groups(F=7.118,P=0.119).Tac CO,CsA CO,MPA-AUC,Lym,Th/Ts showed no significant changes between groups compared to before treatment,the Scr and BUN showed a slight increase compared to before treatment,but there were no statistically significant differences in intra group and between two groups comparisons(F=0.665,1.167,1.097,1.343,5.219,0.696,1.106,all P>0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(x2=0.083,P=0.773).Conclusion Roxadustat has better clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with anemia after kidney transplantation,which can effectively improve anemia and regulate iron metabolism in the body.There is no significant impact on the immune status of the transplant recipients,and the transplanted kidney function is stable and safe.
7.Qiu Fazu's view of medical ethics and its value of the times
Chinese Medical Ethics 2024;37(6):726-731
This paper expounds the medical ethic qualities of Qiu Fazu's putting the patients'interests above all else,including the attitude of treating patients with excellent medical skills and benevolent love,the working style of being highly responsible and careful,the never-ending academic spirit of being rigorous and realistic,the medical concept of strict enthusiasm and sincere care,and the moral quality of indifference to fame and wealth and no partiality.It is indicated that family education environment,excellent traditional Chinese culture,moral models leading are the formation logic of Qiu Fazu's medical ethics.Qiu Fazu's views on medical ethics are of great value to the education of medical ethics in the new era.To improve the level and effectiveness of medical ethics education,it is necessary to strengthen the excellent traditional Chinese culture education,strengthen international exchanges and cooperation,lead the advanced moral examples,and cultivate social practice ability.
8.A two-site combined prediction model based on HOXA9 DNA methylation for early screening of risks of meningioma progression
Ruxue TAN ; Xiaozhang BAO ; Liang HAN ; Zhaohui LI ; Nan TIAN
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(11):2110-2120
Objective To establish a recurrence risk prediction model for meningioma based on HOXA9 DNA methylation.Methods Meningioma-related datasets were downloaded from GEO database for screening homeobox genes(HOXs)with prognostic values using differential methylation and ROC curve analysis and Cox regression analysis.The differentially methylated CpG sites with high predictive efficacy were selected to establish the risk prediction model using Lasso-Cox regression analysis,based on which the patients were divided into high-and low-risk groups by the cutoff value.The methylation levels of CpG sites were verified at the cell and tissue levels using methylation-specific PCR(MS-PCR).Clinical meningioma tissue samples were used to validate the predictive efficacy of the model.Results HOXA9 methylation level was significantly up-regulated in meningiomas(P<0.001)and showed a high diagnostic efficiency(AUC=0.884)as an independent risk factor for overall survival(P<0.01)positively correlated with the degree of malignancy and poor prognosis of meningioma(P<0.05).Risk stratification by HOXA9 methylation was more accurate than WHO grading for predicting recurrence and patient survival time.The AUCs of the sites cg03217995 and cg21001184 were both above 0.8 for meningioma diagnosis and above 0.6 for predicting recurrence.The patients'clinical characteristics differed significantly between the high-and low-risk groups(P<0.001),and the prediction score of the model was an independent prognostic factor for meningioma(P<0.05).MS-PCR results showed that the methylation levels of the two sites increased significantly in meningioma cells.In clinical samples,the combined model showed a high prediction efficiency(AUC=0.857),and the predicted risk of progression was highly consistent with the patients'actual condition.Conclusion High HOXA9 methylation level is a predictor for poor prognosis of meningiomas,and the combined prediction model based on its CpG sites provides a new approach to early screening of meningioma patients at risk of progression.
9.Analysis of Population Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Long-Term Prognosis of Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
En-Jian XIE ; Ying-Jing XU ; Xian LIU ; Yao-Min ZHANG ; Shi-Long LYU ; Ying-Nan YAN ; Xue-Bao ZHENG
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(10):2672-2678
Objective To investigate the population characteristics,distribution of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes and influencing factors of long-term prognosis of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D),and to provide evidence for the formulation of intervention program for IBS-D patients.Methods A total of 124 patients with IBS-D admitted to the medical institutions of the project team members from July 2020 to August 2022 were selected.According to the scoring results of IBS Quality of Life Measure(IBS-QOL),the patients were divided into the good prognosis group(81 cases)and the poor prognosis group(43 cases).The distribution of TCM syndromes in patients with IBS-D was explored,and the difference of IBS-QOL scores of the patients between good prognosis group and poor prognosis group was compared.Univariate logistic regression analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the main risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with IBS-D.Results(1)The analysis of population characteristics showed that there was no significant difference in the proportion of male and female patients with IBS-D.The patients with IBS-D were usually middle-aged,and had a large interval span of the course of disease.The severity of their symptoms was mostly moderate.All of the patients with IBS-D had various degrees of anxiety and depression,and had nutritional imbalance.(2)The distribution of TCM syndromes in the patients with IBS-D were shown as the following:78 cases were identified as liver depression and spleen deficiency type,accounting for 62.90%;26 cases were identified as spleen-qi deficiency type,accounting for 20.97%;20 cases were identified as spleen and kidney yang deficiency type,accounting for 16.13%.(3)Analysis of IBS-QOL score showed that compared with the good prognosis group,the items scores of negative emotion,physical function,behavioral disorder,health status,being fastidious about food,social function,sexual behavior and interpersonal relationship of IBS-QOL in the poor prognosis group were significantly lowered(P<0.01).(4)The univariate analysis showed that the risk of poor prognosis in patients with IBS-D would be increased by the factors of age,education level,course of disease,severity of symptoms,anxiety state,depression state,TCM syndrome types,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scoring system Ⅱ(APACHE 11)score,complication of neurological diseases,hemoglobin level,albumin level and total protein level(P<0.01).(5)The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors for poor prognosis of IBS-D patients involved age,education level below junior high school,the severity of symptoms being severe,Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)score,Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS)score,TCM syndrome being liver depression and spleen deficiency type,hemoglobin level,albumin level and total protein level(P<0.01).Conclusion Most of IBS-D patients exert long-term poor prognosis,and their long-term prognosis is affected by the factors of age,education level,severity of symptoms,anxiety and depression state,nutritional imbalance and TCM syndrome being liver depression and spleen deficiency type.The identification of the risk factors of poor prognosis will provide evidence for the formulation and adjustment of clinical intervention programs.
10.Characteristics and clinical significance of changes in peripheral blood B lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Hai-Yan WANG ; Chun-Mei BAO ; Zhi-Qian FENG ; Jing WANG ; Ya-Qun LI ; Jing LI ; Hong-Min WANG ; Li-Li TANG ; Tao YANG ; Ruo-Nan XU ; Fu-Sheng WANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2024;49(5):511-518
Objective To analyze the changes of B lymphocyte(B cells)subsets in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB)and to explore its clinical significance.Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 37 treatment-na?ve CHB patients who were admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from July 2022 to October 2022,and peripheral blood samples collected from 18 healthy individuals who have received the hepatitis B vaccine as healthy controls(HC).The study subjects'clinical indexes such as age,HBV DNA viral load,HBsAg quantification,HBeAg semi quantification,ALT,AST,and AST/ALT ratio were collected.The change characteristics of the frequency,phenotypic and functional markers of peripheral blood B lymphocytes and their subsets were compared between CHB and HC.Using multi-color flow cytometry,and the correlation between them and clinical indexes was analyzed.Results Frequency analysis of each subset of B cells showed that compared with HC,the frequency of total B cells,transitional B cells and naive B cells was decreased(P<0.05),while the frequency of mature B cells,memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and activated memory B cells was increased in CHB patients(P<0.01).And there was no significant difference in the frequency of resting memory B cells between the two groups(P>0.05).The results of functional analysis showed that compared with HC,the expression levels of CD79b on total B cells,mature B cells,memory B cells,naive B cells,activated memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and resting memory B cells in CHB patients were increased(P<0.05).The expression level of programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)on atypical memory B cells in CHB patients was also higher than that in HC group(P<0.05).The results of correlation analysis showed that the frequency of total B cells in CHB patients was slightly negatively correlated with age(r=-0.39,P<0.05),while the expression of programmed death-1(PD-1)on total B cells,mature B cells,transitional B cells,memory B cells and naive B cells were slightly positively correlated with age(r>0.36,P<0.05).Conclusions Chronic HBV infection leads to depletion of the frequency and function of a portion of B cells in the peripheral blood of CHB patients,and age is a potential risk factor for the decline in humoral immune function in CHB patients.

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