👤 Xiuxin Zhao

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exhibits high recurrence rates and limited therapeutic options. Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) and angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) are implicated in tumor progression, yet their synergistic role in HCC lipid metabolism and angiogenesis remains unexplored. We integrated multi-omics approaches, including RNA sequencing, metabolomics, and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, in HCC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. Key experiments involved Co-IP, Western blotting, tube formation assays, and clinical tissue microarray analysis to validate the ESM1-ANGPTL4-FASN-trioleate axis. ESM1 and ANGPTL4 formed a positive feedback loop, stabilizing fatty acid synthase (FASN) to promote trioleate synthesis. Trioleate activated the NF-κB/IL-17 pathway in HCC cells and upregulated CD99 in endothelial cells, driving angiogenesis. In vivo, ESM1/ANGPTL4 knockdown suppressed tumor growth, which was rescued by trioleate supplementation. Clinical data revealed elevated ESM1/ANGPTL4 expression in bevacizumab-resistant HCC, correlating with poor prognosis. The ESM1-ANGPTL4-FASN-trioleate axis orchestrates metabolic reprogramming and endothelial activation, representing a promising therapeutic target. Future studies should explore combination therapies targeting this axis and overcoming bevacizumab resistance in HCC. Show less

Atherosclerosis is the pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases. Dingxin Recipe III (DXRIII), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has shown therapeutic effect for atherosclerosis, though its mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects and molecular mechanisms of DXRIII on atherosclerosis progression. Male ApoE DXRIII significantly reduced aortic plaque areas, improved lipid profiles (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-C), and alleviated hepatic steatosis. Integrated multi-omics revealed modulation of lipid metabolism pathways, including steroid hormone biosynthesis and arachidonic acid metabolism pathways. Steroidogenic acute regulatory-related lipid transfer protein 4 (Stard4) was identified as a key target, with expression positively correlated with gamma-linolenic acid and negatively correlated with corticosterone. Direct binding between DXRIII components and Stard4 was observed. Stard4 overexpression reduced lipid accumulation, while knockdown aggravated lipid deposition and negated the effect of DXRIII. Hepatic Stard4 knockdown aggravated atherosclerosis and lipid-related genes expression (Angptl4, Apob, Soat2, Scarb1, Lepr). DXRIII attenuates atherosclerosis by upregulating hepatic Stard4 expression to restore lipid homeostasis and reduce lipid accumulation. Show less

Pulmonary vascular development is essential for alveolarization, and disruption of this process contributes to pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Proper vascular development requires an orchestration of many cell types within the lung. However, the transcriptional mechanisms by which pericytes support the endothelium in the postnatal lung remain poorly understood. Herein, we identify FOXF2 as a critical transcription factor that governs pericyte maturation and function during postnatal lung development and regeneration. FOXF2 expression in pericytes increases postnatally and is selectively downregulated after neonatal hyperoxic injury. Pdgfrb-CreER mediated Foxf2 deletion in pericytes leads to pericyte hyperplasia, impaired migration, and reduced expression of angiogenic factors such as ANGPTL4. Transcriptomic and genomic studies demonstrate that FOXF2 maintains chromatin accessibility at pro-angiogenic loci and modulates paracrine signaling essential for endothelial regeneration. Loss of FOXF2 disrupts pericyte-endothelial crosstalk, leading to impaired angiogenesis and alveolarization as well as increased vascular permeability after neonatal lung injury. Altogether, FOXF2 acts as a key transcriptional regulator of the pericyte-driven vascular niche in the neonatal lung, highlighting the pathogenic role of pericyte dysfunction in BPD. Show less

The rising demand for high-quality pork among consumers has driven interest in genetic improvement strategies. Crossbreeding is well known to influence carcass performance and meat quality; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are still poorly understood. In this study, the F1 generation of the Songlei Crossbred Pig (SL) was developed through crossing the Songliao Black Pig (male) (SS) and the Leixiang Pig (female) (LL). We integrated the transcriptomes and metabolomes of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of SS and SL under identical conditions to identify key mechanisms regulating the quality of crossbred meat. Compared with those of SS, the slaughter weight, carcass weight, and dressing percentage of SL were significantly lower, but the backfat thickness was greater; however, meat quality traits, including intramuscular fat (IMF), colour, and pH The meat quality of SL was better than that of their male parents, but not the carcass traits were not. Additionally, several critical genes and pathways related to lipid metabolism were identified. These findings provide new insights into how meat quality can be improved by hybridization. Show less

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer, with metastasis accounting for the majority of cancer-related deaths. The mechanisms of early-stage breast cancer metastasis to regional immune sites like lymph nodes remain elusive. Here, we performed an in-depth proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of a substantial series of breast cancer samples, alongside genomic and transcriptomic evaluations. This cohort encompasses 195 specimens: 65 primary breast tumors, their corresponding normal tissues, and metastatic axillary lymph nodes. We offer an overview of the molecular alterations at the transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic levels during lymph node metastasis. Notably, the findings indicate that regional lymph node metastasis is primarily influenced by proteomic and phosphoproteomic alterations, rather than genomic or transcriptomic changes. We found the ANGPTL4 and HMGB1 could serve as the biomarker of lymph node metastasis. Data analysis and cell experiments involving silencing of the alternative splicing factor HNRNPU demonstrated that alternative splicing plays a significant role in modulating protein expression, phosphorylation profiles and cell proliferation. The key phosphorylation sites, including MARCKSL1-S104 and FKBP15-S320, as well as the upstream kinase PRKCB, were identified as playing crucial roles in breast cancer lymph node metastasis. Targeted intervention of the kinase PRKCB resulted in effectively suppressing the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer tumor cells. Immune profiling analysis and experimental validation of breast cancer cell cocultured with CD8+ T cell reveals correlations between phosphorylation of MARCKSL1-S104 and FKBP15-S320 with immune checkpoint PD-L1 expression, and their impact on tumor cell apoptosis, suggesting a potential mechanism of immune evasion in metastasis. This study systematically characterizes the molecular landscape and features of primary breast tumors and their matched metastatic lymph nodes. These insights enhance our understanding of early-stage breast cancer metastasis and may pave the way for improved diagnostic tools and targeted therapeutic strategies. Show less

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) displays significant biological heterogeneity, with matrisome-related genes (MRGs) playing key roles in tumor progression and immune regulation. Understanding the interplay between MRGs, the tumor microenvironment, and host immunity is critical for mechanistic insights. LUAD transcriptomic and clinical data were sourced from TCGA, GEO (GSE31210), and single-cell data (GSE189357). MRGs were analyzed Show less

Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a hepatokine involved in metabolism and inflammation and has been implicated in oncogenesis, yet its relationship with cancer risk in humans remains unclear. We analyzed 35,716 cancer-free UK Biobank participants with baseline plasma ANGPTL4. Multivariable Cox models and restricted cubic splines assessed associations with 24 site-specific incident cancers; bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) evaluated causality. During a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 9304 incident cancer cases occurred. Compared with the lowest quartile (Q1), the higher quartiles (Q2, Q3, and Q4) of ANGPTL4 levels were significantly associated with the risks of ten cancers, including cancers of the bladder, breast, cervix uteri, colorectum/anus, esophagus, kidney, liver, mesothelial/soft tissues, multiple myeloma, and ovary (hazard ratios ranging from 1.02 to 3.98). Risks generally increased across ANGPTL4 quartiles, and spline analyses supported approximately linear dose-response patterns. Adding ANGPTL4 to an age-sex model improved discrimination across several sites (ΔC-index 0-0.071), with statistical significance observed only for breast cancer. Associations were directionally consistent but heterogeneous by age, sex, and BMI. Forward MR provided no evidence that genetically proxied ANGPTL4 causally increases cancer risk. In reverse MR, genetic liability to liver cancer showed a nominal positive association with circulating ANGPTL4, suggesting ANGPTL4 may be elevated as part of tumor-related biology. Higher circulating ANGPTL4 is associated with increased risk of multiple cancers, with sex-and tissue-specific heterogeneity. Although MR does not support a universal causal role, ANGPTL4 remains a promising pan-cancer biomarker for risk stratification and early prevention. Show less

Modifying nanomedicines with targeting ligands represents an encouraging strategy for active tumor targeting, but its clinical failure underscores ongoing challenges. Herein, a series of liposomes with different targeting ligands (e.g., PEGylation, folic acid, mannose, RGD peptide, and melittin) were rationally designed to investigate the principles and mechanisms governing tumor targeting and penetration profiles. In primary and lung metastatic breast cancer models, these liposomes exhibited a systematic tendency of intratumor distribution, with melittin-modified liposomes showing optimal tumor targeting and therapeutic performance. Further studies revealed that the ligand modifications in liposomes could modulate the composition of their protein corona, particularly the level of Apolipoprotein A4 (ApoA4), which, in turn, influenced tumor targeting and intratumor distribution, ultimately affecting the therapeutic outcome of tumor inhibition and survival prolongation. This research provided a distinct correlation between ligand modification of liposomes and their Show less

Xinjiang Brown cattle are an important beef breed in Northwest China. Although multigenerational selective breeding has improved their growth performance, the accompanying molecular adaptations and potential physiological trade- ofs remain insufficiently elucidated at the systemic level. This study aimed to decipher the dynamic serum proteomic profiles shaped by both ontogeny and generational selection in Xinjiang Brown cattle, and to identify the associated key proteins and pathways. Serum samples from 18 bulls across three genera- tions (A, B, C) at 3 and 9 months of age were analyzed using Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics. Under stringent quality control (FDR < 1%), 583 high-confidence proteins were identified. Diferentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were screened using thresholds of |fold change| ≥ 1.2 and This study reveals that the breeding strategy for Xinjiang Brown cattle prioritizes shaping a proteomic landscape that promotes growth and metabolism, potentially at the cost of atten- uated immune-vascular reactivity. The identified panel of candidate proteins pro- vides a molecular framework for evaluating breeding outcomes and designing balanced selection strategies. Follow-up research should further investigate the functions of these candidate proteins and validate their predictive value for health and production performance in independent herds. Show less

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of lung cancer and is difficult to distinguish from benign pulmonary nodules (BPNs), particularly at early stages. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a promising source of biomarkers for the diagnosis of malignant pulmonary nodules. This study aimed to identify robust and clinically relevant EV-based protein biomarkers via isolation with EXODUS, a system that enables efficient direct capture of plasma EVs, followed by data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) for in-depth proteomic profiling. A total of 1383 proteins were identified from the plasma EVs obtained from 25 individuals (10 BPN and 15 early stage LUAD), while dysregulated protein signatures were revealed through differential expression analysis. Machine learning algorithms incorporating demographic variables, imaging features, EV protein profiles, and conventional tumor markers were applied to select diagnostic candidates. Random forest analysis revealed two upregulated proteins, NTN3 and APOA4, as promising biomarkers. Subsequently, their diagnostic performance and net clinical benefits were validated in an independent EV cohort (6 LUAD and 6 BPN) using ELISAs and decision curve analysis. In summary, we present an integrated pipeline that combines EXODUS-based isolation, DIA-MS, and machine learning to detect markers from plasma EVs for distinguishing early stage lung cancer from benign nodules. Show less

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder. Notably, the differences in lipid metabolism between bulbar- and limb-onset subtypes of ALS remain unclear, particularly in non-Western populations. The present study investigated serum lipid profiles in a Chinese cohort of patients with ALS to explore their associations with disease severity and clinical subtypes. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 158 patients with ALS and 62 matched healthy controls. Serum lipid parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-c), apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and the TG/HDL ratio, were compared between the groups. Correlation analyses and multivariable linear regression models incorporating phenotype x lipid interaction terms were conducted after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and disease duration. Patients with ALS exhibited significantly higher TC, TG, LDL, sdLDL-c, ApoA1, ApoB and TG/HDL ratios than controls. Subtype-specific analyses revealed different associations; in bulbar-onset ALS, higher sdLDL-c and TG/HDL ratios were associated with better functional status, whereas higher HDL and ApoA1 levels were negatively correlated with functional status. By contrast, in limb-onset ALS, higher sdLDL-c and ApoB levels were associated with worse function. Interaction analyses confirmed significant phenotype modification for sdLDL-c, TG/HDL ratio, HDL and ApoA1. These results suggest that lipid-severity relationships in ALS vary by subtype, indicating metabolic heterogeneity across phenotypes and supporting the potential of specific lipid parameters as exploratory markers for disease monitoring. Show less

This study aims to evaluate the association between multiple lipid indices and coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients diagnosed with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This was a cross-sectional retrospective study involving 421 patients with STEMI who underwent coronary angiography between January 2022 and December 2024. Participants were categorized into a poor CCC group (Rentrop grade 0-1) and a good CCC group (Rentrop grade 2-3) according to Rentrop grading criteria. The following lipid parameters were evaluated as both continuous and categorical variables: total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), non-HDL-C/HDL-C, ApoB/ApoA-I, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), and lipoprotein composite index (LCI). The associations between these lipid indices and CCC status were assessed using multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that higher HDL-C quartiles were significantly associated with reduced odds of poor CCC (odds ratio [OR]: 0.544, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.351-0.771, P < 0.05), whereas elevated LDL-C (OR: 29.299, 95% CI: 3.562-240.976, P < 0.05), non-HDL-C (OR: 50.140, 95% CI: 5.408-464.834, P < 0.01), and non-HDL-C/HDL-C (OR: 4.510, 95% CI: 1.186-25.368, P < 0.05) quartiles were significantly associated with increased odds of poor CCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that LDL-C (cutoff: 3.265, AUC: 0.647, 95% CI: 0.573-0.721, P < 0.001), non-HDL-C (cutoff: 2.735, AUC: 0.752, 95% CI: 0.688-0.816, P < 0.001), and non-HDL-C/HDL-C (cutoff: 2.393, AUC: 0.686, 95% CI: 0.611-0.761, P < 0.001) exhibited favorable predictive performance for poor CCC. Stratification analysis showed that the highest prevalence of poor CCC was observed in patients with concurrently elevated levels of LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and non-HDL-C/HDL-C. Several lipid indices-including LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio-are significantly associated with impaired CCC in patients with STEMI. Notably, non-HDL-C exhibits the strongest association with CCC dyscrasia and therefore warrants early clinical attention. Show less

Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a genetically determined and independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) that is largely resistant to conventional lipid-lowering therapies. Novel Lp(a)-targeted agents, including small interfering RNA (siRNA), antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), and the oral small-molecule inhibitor muvalaplin, have shown potent efficacy in early trials. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to comprehensively compare their efficacy and safety. A total of 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 7715 participants were included, evaluating six siRNA agents, four ASO agents, and one small-molecule inhibitor. The primary outcome was percentage change from baseline in Lp(a). Secondary outcomes included absolute change in Lp(a), percentage changes in apolipoprotein B (apoB) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and adverse events. SiRNA therapies achieved the greatest Lp(a) reductions (olpasiran: mean difference [MD] -92.1%, 95% CI -100.1 to -84.0%; zerlasiran: -80.6%, 95% CI -87.7 to -73.5%), followed by muvalaplin (-76.8%, 95% CI -90.3 to -63.2%) and ASO therapy (pelacarsen: -54.2%, 95% CI -72.2 to -36.2%; all P < 0.001). Most agents achieved absolute Lp(a) reductions exceeding 105 nmol/L, suggesting clinically meaningful benefit. Baseline Lp(a) levels significantly modified treatment response (P < 0.001), and concomitant proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor use further enhanced LDL-C reduction (P = 0.024). All therapies were well tolerated, with injection-site reactions most frequent for injectables, while muvalaplin was well tolerated. These findings indicate that targeted Lp(a)-lowering therapies substantially reduce circulating Lp(a), with siRNA showing the greatest potency and muvalaplin offering a convenient oral alternative for personalized ASCVD risk reduction. Show less

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most common form of spinal deformity among adolescents. To explore its etiology of progression and scoliosis-modifying drugs, chondrocytic senescence was confirmed in AIS facet joint cartilage by analyzing clinical specimen. Furthermore, through 4D/480 label-free proteomics analysis, we identified an exosome-mediated positive feedback loop during scoliosis progression, which driving the elevation of cholesterol flow between spinal cartilage and vertebra. To further investigate the pathological significance of the loop in vivo, high-cholesterol flow was reconstructed in C57BL/6 J mice by injecting with recombinant adeno-associated virus rAAV9-Runx2-HMGCR. Our results confirmed the important role of the positive feedback loop in the development of scoliosis. Meanwhile, Avasimibe or/and Corylin were used to delay the scoliosis progression by targeting the key exosomal proteins APOB (Apolipoprotein B-100) or/and HSP90β (Heat Shock Protein 90-beta). This research extends the etiology of scoliosis progression and provides an alternative perspective for scoliosis non-surgical treatment. Show less

Cardiovascular and renal diseases exhibit a close bidirectional interaction, which often leads to the development of cardio-renal syndrome (CRS)-a clinical condition in which cardiac dysfunction further aggravates renal injury. Type I CRS is characterized by acute kidney injury secondary to acute heart failure, and this sub-type is closely related to elevated morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite the availability of traditional biomarkers, there is an unmet need for more sensitive indicators to identify high-risk patients for Type I CRS in CAD patients. The apolipoprotein B (ApoB)/apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) ratio has emerged as a promising predictor of cardiovascular risk, yet its role in CRS remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and Type I CRS in patients with CAD, and to assess its value as a biomarker for identifying high-risk patients. A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 269 CAD patients complicated with heart failure who were hospitalized in our hospital from 2022 to 2024. According to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) results, the enrolled patients were divided into two subgroups: the simple heart failure (SHF) group and the type I CRS group. Data on demographics, clinical history, biochemical measurements, echocardiographic and coronary angiography assessments, and renal function were collected. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CRS, adjusting for potential confounders. Correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationships between key variables and the occurrence of type I CRS. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CRS. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio for type I CRS. A total of 269 patients were enrolled. Significant differences were observed between the simple heart failure (SHF) group and the CRS group in terms of age, history of diabetes mellitus, levels of triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein A1 (apo-A1), apolipoprotein B (apo-B), ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, and serum creatinine (Scr). Patients in the CRS group were older, had a higher proportion of diabetes mellitus, higher levels of TG, apo-B, and Scr, a higher ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, but lower levels of apo-A1 compared to the SHF group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified age and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio as independent risk factors for CRS. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio had a moderate level of predictive accuracy for Type I CRS, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.782. The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio is moderately associated with the risk of developing Type I CRS in patients with CAD. This ratio could serve as a clinically relevant biomarker for early identification of in-hospital Type I CRS risk in CAD patients with acute heart failure, potentially aiding in the implementation of early and targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes. Show less

Acute alcohol consumption is known to exert widespread physiological effects, yet the immediate impacts on metabolic biomarkers remain incompletely understood. The present randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the acute effects of a single episode of alcohol ingestion on various biomarkers in healthy individuals. A total of 45 male participants were recruited and randomized into an alcohol group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 5) at an 8:1 ratio. Volunteers in the alcohol group ingested 40% Absolut vodka within 15 min. Blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation were measured at 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 5 h, 12 h, and 24 h. Venous blood samples were drawn at 0 h, 1 h, 5 h, 12 h, and 24 h after alcohol intake. Our results showed that levels of liver function markers, including α-fucosidase (AFU), albumin (ALB), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were significantly increased in the alcohol group compared to the control group. The 24-h area under curve (AUC) of AFU, ALB, and ALP were significantly higher in the alcohol group. The liver fibrosis maker collagen type Ⅳ (Ⅳ-C) tended to be higher at 1 h and 12 h in the alcohol group compared to the control group. Lipid levels, including triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1), and the APOA1/APOB, were significantly elevated after alcohol ingestion, particularly at 5 h and 12 h. The 24 h-AUC of TG, APOA1, and APOA1/APOB were higher in the alcohol group than in the control group. Additionally, cardiac function indicators, including heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), were significantly elevated in the alcohol group. SBP and DBP remained higher 24 h after alcohol ingestion compared to the control group. This study demonstrated that even a single episode of binge drinking could induce significant alterations of biomarkers related to liver function, cardiac function, and lipid profiles. These findings provided valuable insights into the short-term impact of alcohol on health and highlighted the importance of further research to explore the long-term implications of repeated acute alcohol exposure. Given the very small control group, these results should be interpreted as preliminary and confirmed in larger, more balanced randomized trials. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-40028-1. Show less

Coronary heart disease (CHD) burden is increasing, and traditional obesity measures inadequately capture fat distribution and associated CHD risk. A body shape index (ABSI) is an emerging anthropometric metric of fat distribution, but evidence linking ABSI to CHD is limited, particularly in the Chinese population. This case-control study in southern China investigated the association of ABSI and related factors with CHD risk, aiming to facilitate early identification of high-risk individuals. We retrospectively studied 996 patients who underwent coronary angiography in a southern Chinese hospital. After strict screening and propensity score matching (PSM), 125 patients with CHD (>50% coronary stenosis) and 125 controls (<50% stenosis) were selected. Key CHD risk predictors were identified using feature-selection techniques (LASSO regression, recursive feature elimination, random forest importance). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were constructed for CHD prediction. Model performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and compared to individual predictors using the DeLong test. A nomogram was developed for individualized risk estimation. Baseline characteristics were well matched between CHD and control groups after PSM. Across feature-selection methods, the most influential predictors for CHD included ABSI, prealbumin (PA), direct-to-total bilirubin ratio (DB/TB), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), globulin (GLO), apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and essential hypertension (EH). Each of these factors showed a significant univariate association with CHD ( This study identifies ABSI as a potential predictor of CHD risk among southern Chinese populations. Integrating ABSI with other candidate predictors improves the model's predictive performance. A multifactorial approach may better characterize CHD risk in this population and could inform prevention strategies. Show less

To develop and validate a prediction model for in-hospital cardiogenic shock (CS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) based on machine learning (ML) algorithms. A total of 1608 AMI patients admitted to the First Hospital of Lanzhou University during 2023 and 2024 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The 851 patients from 2023 were randomly divided into a training set ( LASSO regression initially identified 13 candidate features, while the random forest (RF) model demonstrated the best predictive performance in the training set. Following Boruta refinement, seven key features were retained, leading to the construction of an updated RF model. This model achieved an AUROC of 0.906, an accuracy of 0.977, a precision of 0.900, a sensitivity of 0.643, a specificity of 0.996, and a F1 score of 0.750 on the internal validation set. Temporal external validation at the same center showed an AUROC of 0.988, an accuracy of 0.967, a precision of 0.701, a sensitivity of 0.904, a specificity of 0.972, and a F1 score of 0.790. Furthermore, the model demonstrated excellent calibration, with a Brier score of 0.023 and 0.027. The SHAP analysis ranked feature importance as Killip class, D-dimer (DD), creatinine (Crea), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), apolipoprotein B/A (APOB/A), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and lactate (Lac). We developed and validated a RF model based on seven key variables—Killip class, DD, Crea, ALT, APOB/A, DBP and Lac—that serves as a predictive tool for identifying the risk of in-hospital CS in AMI patients post-PCI. Additionally, we created an online prediction application using Streamlit, which facilitates the implementation of this model into clinical practice. Show less

Lanthanum (La), the second most produced rare earth element, is detected in various environmental and human samples. Epidemiological studies have reported a strong association between La exposure and liver injury. However, the effects of early La exposure on liver development and underlying mechanisms remain limited. Here, we evaluate the hepatotoxicity of LaCl Show less

Patients on dialysis often suffer from carnitine deficiency due to reduced intake, reduced synthesis in the kidneys, and clearing through dialysis. Carnitine deficiency may lead to anemia, cardiomyopathy, hypotension, and so on. Several studies have shown that supplementing with L-carnitine can diminish the above symptoms in adult dialysis patients, but whether children can benefit from L-carnitine remains unclear. This study was performed to investigate the effect of L-carnitine in children with kidney failure undergoing dialysis. PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Data, and VIP database were electronically searched from database inception to December 2023.  STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-section studies, and case series studies that evaluated the impact of L-carnitine on children. Patients aged less than 18 years with kidney failure undergoing dialysis.  STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: We assessed the quality of studies using the RoB2 tool recommended by the Cochrane Handbook, the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS), the checklist recommended by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the quality evaluation tool recommended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We conducted only descriptive analyses and did not perform meta-analysis due to significant differences in study types and limited data. A total of 194 patients were included in 9 studies, of which 3 were RCT studies; 2 were cohort studies, and 4 were case series studies. Due to limited data, we only conducted descriptive analysis rather than meta-analysis. For children undergoing hemodialysis, cohort study of high-quality showed that L-carnitine significantly improved hemoglobin (Hb) and reduced the required erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) dose; RCT study of moderate-quality indicated that L-carnitine did not influence serum lipid profiles except for reducing apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Cohort study of moderate-quality showed that L-carnitine improved cardiac function; RCT study of moderate-quality indicated that L-carnitine did not influence albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and quality of life. For children undergoing peritoneal dialysis, only serum lipid profiles were analyzed. RCT and case series studies of moderate-quality indicated that L-carnitine did not influence serum lipid profiles except for reducing ApoB. The number of studies enrolled was limited, and their quality was not high. Our study found that children with kidney failure requiring dialysis could partially benefit from L-carnitine, including increased Hb, decreased ESA requirement, reduced ApoB, and improved cardiac function. Further RCTs of high quality are still needed to clarify this issue. This study provided more comprehensive and credible evidence for clinical use of L-carnitine in children. PROSPERO registration number CRD420250649553. Show less

Ischemic heart failure (IHF) is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Plasma apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) levels are significantly elevated in patients with heart failure and positively associated with the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, the causal association between ApoC3 and IHD development is unclear. ApoC3 expression changes were assessed in plasma from IHF patients/healthy donors and cardiac tissue from rodent models. 10-week-old male human ApoC3 transgenic (ApoC3 Overexpression of human ApoC3 in ApoC3 ApoC3 overexpression could activate cardiac TLR2/NF-κB to trigger the inflammation, oxidation, and apoptosis pathways, finally aggravating IHF in mice. Inactivation of ApoC3 could significantly alleviate IHF in hamsters. Show less

Schizophrenia is frequently comorbid with dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia. However, whether metabolic-modifying agents aggravate schizophrenia progression remains unclear. We perform a drug-target genetic association study in two independent Han Chinese schizophrenia cohorts (N = 2,111/292 for discovery/validation). Leveraging metabolic genome-wide association studies, we generate genetic risk scores (GRSs) for lipid-modifying and hypoglycemic targets. Those with higher APOC3 (inhibited by volanesorsen/olezarsen) GRS exhibit attenuated triglycerides and improvement in negative symptoms assessed by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) (β = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.30-2.16). Higher GCK (activated by dorzagliatin) GRS is associated with decreased glucose and less improvement across PANSS total (β = -1.70, 95% CI: -2.91-0.50), positive, negative, general subscales. Causal associations of GCK are replicated in independent validation. The effects of APOC3 and GCK on negative symptom recovery are robust in hyperlipidemic/diabetic subgroups. Genetically proxied proteomics analysis provides further functional validation for the identified target-outcome associations. Our findings suggest volanesorsen/olezarsen as potential adjunctive candidates; dorzagliatin warrants prudence in schizophrenia with metabolic disturbance. Show less

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a fatal disease characterized by vascular wall inflammation and matrix remodeling. The inflammatory phenotypic transformation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) holds a pivotal role in AAA pathogenesis. As an inflammatory regulator, whether FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene B (Fosb) participates in AAA progression by driving SMC phenotypic switching remains unclear. Using the scRNA-seq data from AAA patients, we identified Fosb as a key driver of SMC phenotypic switching through cell clustering annotation, differential gene screening, functional enrichment, and pseudo-time trajectory analysis. An in vitro AAA cell model was established using Ang-II-stimulated T/G HA-VSMC cells. Fosb expression was assessed by qRT-PCR and western blot (WB). AAA cell models with Fosb knockdown or overexpression were constructed to investigate the effects of Fosb on T/G HA-VSMC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, contractile marker protein expression, and inflammatory cytokine secretion via WB, CCK8, Transwell, flow cytometry, and ELISA. Furthermore, WB was applied in detecting ferroptosis and NF-κB signaling pathway protein expression. Kits were employed for the determination of MDA, GSH, and Fe Fosb Fosb drives SMC ferroptosis and inflammatory phenotypic switching, via NF-κB pathway activation, thereby reinforcing AAA progression. Targeting Fosb or the ferroptosis pathway may provide new therapeutic strategies for AAA treatment. Show less

This study aimed to investigate the potential health hazards and molecular mechanisms of nanoplastic (NP) pollutants. Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs), which are prevalent in the environment and can enter the human body, have been closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, yet their impact on cholesterol metabolism remains unclear. In this study, proteomic analysis revealed that PS-NPs specifically adsorbed 1 676 proteins following their interaction with macrophages. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that these adsorbed proteins were significantly enriched in the cholesterol metabolism pathway, with apolipoprotein E (APOE) being the most prominently adsorbed. Further molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that polystyrene molecules could inhibit the interaction between APOE and cholesterol by competitively binding to key amino acid residues (e.g., LEU-202 and TRP-228) of APOE. Cell experiments confirmed that exposure to 100 μg/mL PS-NPs for 24 h significantly induced lipid accumulation in macrophages. This study reveals, from a molecular interaction perspective, a novel mechanism by which PS-NPs disrupt lipid metabolism by interfering with APOE function. It provides key evidence for elucidating the toxicological mechanism through which PS-NPs promote atherosclerosis and holds significant scientific importance for assessing their health risks. Show less

Brusatol (BRU), a major bioactive quassinoid isolated from Brucea javanica, has shown potential in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. As mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in chronic inflammatory disorders, modulation of mitochondrial homeostasis may offer a potential approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and atherosclerosis (AS). To develop a novel BRU derivative through rational modification at the C11‑hydroxyl group and to compare the therapeutic effects of BRU and its derivative BRUD in experimental models of RA and AS, with particular focus on mitochondrial regulation and Drp1-associated signaling. This study combined in vivo and in vitro experiments to evaluate the pharmacological effects of BRU and BRUD and investigate the underlying mechanisms. The chemical constituents of BRU and BRUD were confirmed by HPLC and NMR spectroscopy ( In vivo studies demonstrated that both compounds ameliorated joint damage in CIA rats and reduced atherosclerotic lesion burden in ApoE These findings suggest that BRUD exhibits improved activity compared with BRU in RA and AS models, with protective effects associated with modulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, supporting its further evaluation as a lead compound. Show less

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic condition with comorbidities beyond the lung (eg, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders), and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are also common. The shared genetic basis of COPD-GI comorbidity and its mediating factors remain unclear. We hypothesized that COPD and GI diseases share pleiotropic genetic architecture implicating lipid-metabolic pathways, with smoking mediating part of the association. We analyzed publicly available European-ancestry GWAS summary statistics for COPD (Global Biobank Meta-analysis Initiative), 15 GI diseases (FinnGen), and smoking phenotypes (UK Biobank). Genetic correlation was estimated using linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) and high-definition likelihood (HDL). Multi-trait analysis of GWAS (MTAG) boosted COPD discovery by leveraging genetically correlated GI traits. We integrated locus-to-gene mapping with multi-tissue expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and plasma protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) evidence to prioritize shared loci, genes, and proteins. Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) tested causal directions, and two-step mediation MR evaluated smoking. COPD showed significant genetic correlation with nine GI diseases. We identified six comorbidity-associated loci (three with CADD > 12.37) and 13 unique candidate pleiotropic genes; APOE was supported by proteomic evidence. Enrichment analyses highlighted lipid-metabolism pathways. MR suggested COPD increases risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acute appendicitis, and gastric ulcer, while diverticular disease showed reverse causality toward COPD. Smoking partially mediated the COPD effect on GERD, acute appendicitis, and gastric ulcer. COPD and multiple GI disorders share a distributed pleiotropic genetic basis within the broader systemic comorbidity spectrum of COPD. Multi-omics evidence supports a genomic pulmonary-intestinal axis in which lipid metabolism and smoking-related mechanisms contribute to COPD and GI comorbidity, providing targets for risk stratification and potential intervention. Show less

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most pressing public health challenges in an aging world. However, effective therapeutic strategies are still lacking. Imbalance in lipid homeostasis is a key driver of AD. Given the established link between dysregulated lipid metabolism and amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation, we investigated whether chicoric acid (CA), a dietary polyphenol with reported lipid-modulating properties, could mitigate Aβ pathology by modulating lipid metabolism in 5xFAD transgenic mice. In the brain, we found that CA upregulated the expression of liver X receptor Beta (LXR-β) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in 5xFAD mice. Through this pathway, it promoted apolipoprotein E (ApoE) lipidation and enhanced the expression of Aβ-clearance proteins (IDE and LRP1). Notably, in the periphery, CA reshaped the gut microbiota in 5xFAD mice, which reduced serum neurotoxic bile acid levels and preserved the integrity of the peripheral Aβ clearance system. Together, our study first demonstrated that CA globally regulated lipid homeostasis to alleviate Aβ pathology by coordinating cerebral cholesterol efflux with peripheral bile acid metabolism. The findings facilitated exploring active compounds from traditional Chinese medicine that may reduce Aβ deposition by targeting lipid metabolism pathways. Show less

The rupture of vulnerable plaques (VPs) serves as the pathophysiological foundation for the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is pivotal in the formation and even rupture of VPs. Although previous studies have demonstrated that Sirt2 contributes to the attenuation of vascular aging, its specific mechanisms in VSMC senescence and vulnerable plaque formation remain poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of Sirt2 in the formation of vulnerable plaques. Male ApoE Show less