Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality. The traditional Chinese medicine Qingre Sanjie Formula (QRSJF), composed of Prunellae Spica, Sargassum, Show more
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality. The traditional Chinese medicine Qingre Sanjie Formula (QRSJF), composed of Prunellae Spica, Sargassum, Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, Leonuri Herba, and Forsythiae Fructus, has shown efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases, although its mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of QRSJF against atherosclerosis and the mechanisms involved. The composition of QRSJF was analyzed using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. An 8-week high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerosis model was established in ApoE Both low- and high-dose QRSJF effectively attenuated dyslipidemia and decreased serum inflammatory cytokine levels in HFD-fed ApoE QRSJF improves dyslipidemia and reduces atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE Show less
The natural compound pterostilbene (PTE) has multiple cardiovascular protective effects. However, its effects on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-associated vascular remodeling remain to be eluci Show more
The natural compound pterostilbene (PTE) has multiple cardiovascular protective effects. However, its effects on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-associated vascular remodeling remain to be elucidated. This study investigated the effects of PTE on monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH in rats Experimental PAH was established by subcutaneous injection of MCT (50 mg/kg) in Sprague-Dawley rats, which were then randomly divided into vehicle or PTE (15 mg/kg via gavage) treatment groups. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) was modeled in hPAECs by treating with transforming growth factor-β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β in combination. In rats with MCT-induced PAH, administration of PTE resulted in a reduction in right ventricular systolic pressure, thereby alleviating right ventricular hypertrophy. This was accompanied by mitigation of the remodeling of pulmonary arteries. PTE mitigates MCT-induced PAH and vascular remodeling in rats, at least in part, by inhibiting HMGA-mediated EndMT, suggesting that PTE may be a useful complementary medicine in the treatment of PAH. Show less
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are interrelated conditions that significantly impair quality of life. This study aimed to identify a feasible biomarker for assessing T2D-MCI Show more
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are interrelated conditions that significantly impair quality of life. This study aimed to identify a feasible biomarker for assessing T2D-MCI risk and to evaluate a potential therapeutic strategy. We integrated data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate genetic causal relationships between T2D, MCI, and their shared biomarkers. Transcriptomic analysis identified T2D-associated genes. Clinical trials evaluated the short-term effects of modified fasting therapy (MFT) on glucose regulation and cognitive function. Cellular assays and patient samples were used to validate the regulatory roles of key genes in biochemical markers and downstream signaling pathways. Among 6,356 T2D and 1,138 MCI subjects, vitamin D, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), globulin, and creatinine were associated with both conditions. MR analysis showed that higher HDL-C levels reduced T2D risk (0.9059, 95% CI: 0.8666-0.9470) but increased MCI risk (OR = 1.0482, 95% CI: 1.0216-1.0755). Nuclear factor I A ( HDL-C has divergent genetic effects on T2D and MCI. Show less
Gliomas, particularly glioblastoma, are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis and unmet therapeutic needs. Structural maintenance of chromosomes 4 (SMC4), a core component of the condensin compl Show more
Gliomas, particularly glioblastoma, are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis and unmet therapeutic needs. Structural maintenance of chromosomes 4 (SMC4), a core component of the condensin complex, is dysregulated in multiple cancers, but its role in glioma metabolism and metastasis remains unclear. Using integrated multi-omics analyses of glioma datasets, we assessed SMC4 expression and its correlation with clinical outcomes. Functional studies in U-251MG and LN229 glioma cells including CCK-8, EdU, cell cycle, Transwell, and wound-healing assays were combined with subcutaneous xenograft and tail-vein metastasis mouse models to evaluate SMC4's effects on proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. ECAR/OCR and rescue experiments validated SMC4's role in glycolysis. Luciferase reporter and ChIP assays identified nuclear factor I A (NFIA) as an upstream transcriptional regulator of SMC4. A prognostic model (SRRS) was developed via LASSO regression and validated across cohorts. SMC4 was significantly overexpressed in glioma tissues, with higher expression correlating with advanced tumor grades and poorer patient survival (AUC > 0.82). Mechanistically, SMC4 promoted G1/S cell cycle transition and proliferation SMC4 drives glioma progression through dual mechanisms TGF-β/SMAD-mediated metastasis and LDHA-dependent glycolysis regulated by NFIA. This extends beyond its known role in TGF-β activation by identifying NFIA as an upstream regulator and metabolic reprogramming as a novel function. The SRRS and nomogram provide robust tools for prognosis and personalized therapy, supporting the NFIA/SMC4 axis and downstream effectors as potential therapeutic targets for glioma. Show less
Studying the molecular properties of drugs and their interactions with human targets aids in better understanding the clinical performance of drugs and guides drug development. In computer-aided drug Show more
Studying the molecular properties of drugs and their interactions with human targets aids in better understanding the clinical performance of drugs and guides drug development. In computer-aided drug discovery, it is crucial to utilize effective molecular feature representations for predicting molecular properties and designing ligands with high binding affinity to targets. However, designing an effective multi-task and self-supervised strategy remains a significant challenge for the pretraining framework. In this study, a multi-task self-supervised deep learning framework is proposed, MTSSMol, which utilizes ≈10 million unlabeled drug-like molecules for pretraining to identify potential inhibitors of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1). During the pretraining of MTSSMol, molecular representations are learned through a graph neural networks (GNNs) encoder. A multi-task self-supervised pretraining strategy is proposed to fully capture the structural and chemical knowledge of molecules. Extensive computational tests on 27 datasets demonstrate that MTSSMol exhibits exceptional performance in predicting molecular properties across different domains. Moreover, MTSSMol's capability is validated to identify potential inhibitors of FGFR1 through molecular docking using RoseTTAFold All-Atom (RFAA) and molecular dynamics simulations. Overall, MTSSMol provides an effective algorithmic framework for enhancing molecular representation learning and identifying potential drug candidates, offering a valuable tool to accelerate drug discovery processes. All of the codes are freely available online at https:// github.com/zhaoqi106/MTSSMol. Show less
Liver X receptor α (LXRα) plays an important role in inflammatory immune response induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and acute rejection (AR). Macrophage M1-polarization play an impo Show more
Liver X receptor α (LXRα) plays an important role in inflammatory immune response induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and acute rejection (AR). Macrophage M1-polarization play an important role in the occurrence and development of AR. Although the activation of LXR has anti-inflammatory effects, the role of LXRα in AR after liver transplantation (LT) has not been elucidated. We aimed to investigate LXRα anti-inflammatory and macrophage polarization regulation effects and mechanisms in acute rejection rat models. LXRα anti-inflammatory and liver function protective effects was initially measured in primary Kupffer cells and LT rat models. Subsequently, a flow cytometry assay was used to detect the regulation effect of LXRα in macrophage polarization. HE staining, TUNEL and ELISA were used to evaluate the co-treatment effects of TO901317 and tacrolimus on hepatic apoptosis and liver acute rejection after LT. In this study, we found that LPS can inhibit the expression of LXRα and activate MAPK pathway and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. We also found that LXRα agonist (TO901317) could improve liver function and rat survival after LT by activating the level of ABCA1 and inhibiting MAPK. TO901317 could inhibit macrophage M1-polarization by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway to improve the liver lesion of AR rats after liver transplantation. Additionally, co-treatment with TO901317 and tacrolimus more effectively alleviated the damaging effects of AR following LT than either drug alone. Our results suggest that the activation of LXRα can improve liver function and rat survival after LT by regulate ABCA1/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis in macrophages. Show less
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a core environmental toxin that induces kidney injury by interfering with glomerular filtration, antioxidant defense, and tubular transport functions. Alginate oligosaccharides ( Show more
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a core environmental toxin that induces kidney injury by interfering with glomerular filtration, antioxidant defense, and tubular transport functions. Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), as active substances from marine, carry natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other biological activities. The purpose of this study is to explore the molecular network of AOS against nephrotoxicity caused by OTA. A total of 36 5-week male mice were randomly divided into three groups: the CON group, the OTA group (250 μg/kg B.W. OTA) and the AOS + OTA group (400 mg/kg B.W. AOS +250 μg/kg B.W. OTA). The treatment was continued for 21 d. OTA induced renal injury in mice, manifested by glomerular capsule blurring, lymphocytic infiltration, and mitochondrial damage in tubular epithelial cells. Treatment with AOS significantly alleviated these pathological changes. Multi‑omics analysis revealed that AOS activated the PPAR signaling pathway, upregulating key genes (Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family Member A3 ( This study reveal that AOS antagonizes OTA-induced nephrotoxicity in mice through PPAR signaling axis, thus providing new insight into the renal protection mechanism of marine active substances. Show less
This study aimed to assess the impact of a prolonged photoperiod on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of weaned piglets. Twenty-four piglets weaned at 28 days of age were randomly dichotomiz Show more
This study aimed to assess the impact of a prolonged photoperiod on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of weaned piglets. Twenty-four piglets weaned at 28 days of age were randomly dichotomized into two groups that were alternatively subjected to either long photoperiod (LP) group (16 L:8 D) or short photoperiod (SP) group (10 L:14 D) for 42days. Four replicates of three animals per replicates were used per experimental treatment. Our results demonstrated that prolonged photoperiod increased piglet body weight, average daily weight gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BF), backfat index during the nursery period, and increased ADG, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and decreased the F/G of piglets during the experiment days 29 to 42. Meanwhile, we observed LP piglets' plasma melatonin, growth hormone and serotonin levels were decreased at 14 d and 42 d compared to SP piglets. Moreover, up-regulated mRNA or protein expression of PPARγ and CEBPα, and lower mRNA or protein expression of MTR1, ATGL, HSL, PPARα, and CPT1α, were observed in back subcutaneous fat of LP group compared with that of SP group. Significant increases were observed in the mRNA or protein contents of lipogenic genes, including C/EBPα, SREBP-1c, ACCα, and FAS, in the liver of LP piglets, whereas CPT1α and ACOX1 mRNA levels and PPARα and MTR1 protein expression were significantly downregulated in LP group compared to SP group. Extended photoperiod also increased lipid content in longissimus dorsi muscle that was associated with higher mRNA or protein levels of SREBP-1c, ACCα, FAS, Pref1, and LPL, decreased mRNA or protein contents of LeptinR, MTR1, HSL, and ACOX1. Together, these findings suggest that there is an advantage, in terms of growth performance and fat deposition, in imposing a prolonged light program (16-h light/d) on nursery piglets to alleviate the negative aspects of weaning stress. Show less
Social interaction with others is essential to life. Although social isolation and loneliness have been implicated as increased risks of cardiometabolic and cardiovascular diseases and all-cause morta Show more
Social interaction with others is essential to life. Although social isolation and loneliness have been implicated as increased risks of cardiometabolic and cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality, the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which social connection maintains cardiometabolic and cardiovascular health remain largely unresolved. To investigate how social connection protects against cardiometabolic and cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis-prone, high-fat diet-fed These results identify a novel brain-liver axis that links sociality to hepatic lipid metabolism, thus proposing a potential therapeutic strategy for loneliness-associated atherosclerosis progression. Show less
The interplay between intracellular and intravascular lipolysis is crucial for maintaining circulating lipid levels and systemic energy homeostasis. Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and lipoprotein Show more
The interplay between intracellular and intravascular lipolysis is crucial for maintaining circulating lipid levels and systemic energy homeostasis. Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the primary triglyceride (TG) lipases responsible for these two spatially separate processes, are highly expressed in adipose tissue. Yet the mechanisms underlying their coordinated regulation remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrate that genetic ablation of G0S2, a specific inhibitory protein of ATGL, completely abolished diet-induced hypertriglyceridemia and significantly attenuated atherogenesis in mice. These effects were attributable to enhanced whole-body TG clearance, not altered hepatic TG secretion. Specifically, G0S2 deletion increased circulating LPL concentration and activity, predominantly through LPL production from white adipose tissue (WAT). Strikingly, transplantation of G0S2-deficient WAT normalized plasma TG levels in mice with hypertriglyceridemia. In conjunction with improved insulin sensitivity and decreased ANGPTL4 expression, the absence of G0S2 enhanced the stability of LPL protein in adipocytes, a phenomenon that could be reversed upon ATGL inhibition. Collectively, these findings highlight the pivotal role of adipocyte G0S2 in regulating both intracellular and intravascular lipolysis, and the possibility of targeting G0S2 as a viable pharmacological approach to reducing levels of circulating TGs. Show less
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Identifying patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) at risk of short-term progression to ESRD remains challen Show more
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Identifying patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) at risk of short-term progression to ESRD remains challenging. Accurate prediction can improve advanced care planning and patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model for predicting progression within 25 weeks (approximately six months) of ESRD in patients with stage 4 CKD. Electronic health records (EHRs) of patients with stage 4 CKD were analyzed. Nine ML models including Ridge regression (Ridge), random forest (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were used to predict short-term progression to ESRD within 25 weeks. The models were trained and externally validated using the data of 346 and 105 patients. Of the 451 patients with stage 4 CKD, 219 developed ESRD. Among the evaluated models, XGBoost demonstrated the best overall performance. In the internal validation, it achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93, an accuracy of 0.90, and an F1 score of 0.89. In the external validation, XGBoost maintained the highest AUC (0.85), accuracy (0.79), and F1 score (0.79), along with the highest average precision (0.89) and a low log-loss (0.48), indicating strong discriminative ability and good generalizability. The top predictive features included high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, Alb, Cys C, ApoB, FGB, Bun, Neutrophil, and Total cholesterol. This study demonstrated the feasibility of ML for assessing ESRD prognosis based on easily accessible clinical features. XGBoost demonstrated superior performance in both internal and external validation, suggesting its potential for future patient screening. Show less
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and regulate food intake. Here, we demonstr Show more
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and regulate food intake. Here, we demonstrate that a peptide-antibody conjugate that blocks GIPR while simultaneously activating GLP-1R (GIPR-Ab/GLP-1) requires both CNS GIPR and CNS GLP-1R for maximal weight loss in obese, primarily male, mice. Moreover, dulaglutide produces greater weight loss in CNS GIPR knockout (KO) mice, and the weight loss achieved with dulaglutide + GIPR-Ab is attenuated in CNS GIPR KO mice. Wild-type mice treated with GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 and CNS GIPR KO mice exhibit similar changes in gene expression related to tissue remodelling, lipid metabolism and inflammation in white adipose tissue and liver. Moreover, GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 is detected in circumventricular organs in the brain and activates c-FOS in downstream neural substrates involved in appetite regulation. Hence, both CNS GIPR and GLP-1R signalling are required for the full weight loss effect of a GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 peptide-antibody conjugate. Show less
This study aimed to investigate serum inflammatory factor levels of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female patients with bipolar disorder (BD) to explore the related inflammatory molecular mechani Show more
This study aimed to investigate serum inflammatory factor levels of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female patients with bipolar disorder (BD) to explore the related inflammatory molecular mechanisms preliminarily. The study recruited 72 female drug-naïve patients with BD and 98 female healthy controls (HCs). Demographic information, menstrual cycles, sex hormone levels, and ovarian ultrasound data were collected from them. Additionally, their serum inflammatory factor levels and the proteomics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed. The levels of interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-13 were significantly higher in patients with BD than in HCs (p < 0.05), and the IL-8 level was higher in BD patients with PCOS than in those without (adjusted p = 0.07). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that downregulated genes with significant differences between the two groups were all involved in immune-inflammatory-related pathways, and the expression of downregulated genes BTN3A2, MAP2K5, JCHAIN-B, and DMAP1 showed substantial differences and consistent trends between the two groups. IL-8-related chronic inflammatory response is closely associated with PCOS in BD patients, and genes such as BTN3A2 may mediate this chronic inflammatory response by negatively regulating the abnormal differentiation of T helper 17 cells, serving as one of the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis. Show less
Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a key role in lipoprotein metabolism, and its activity has been linked to the risk of atherosclerosis (AS). CETP inhibitors, such as obicetrapib, repres Show more
Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a key role in lipoprotein metabolism, and its activity has been linked to the risk of atherosclerosis (AS). CETP inhibitors, such as obicetrapib, represent a novel approach in immunotherapy to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) by targeting lipid metabolism. In addition, CETP vaccines are being explored as a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD by inducing the body to produce antibodies against CETP, which is expected to reduce CETP activity, thereby increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDL) levels. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the structure of CETP, the mechanisms of lipid transfer and the progress of immunotherapy in the last decade, which provides possible ideas for future development of novel drugs and optimization of immunization strategies. Show less
The poor prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM) patients is attributed mainly to abundant neovascularization and presence of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs are preferentially localized to the perivascu Show more
The poor prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM) patients is attributed mainly to abundant neovascularization and presence of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs are preferentially localized to the perivascular niche to maintain stemness. However, the effect of abnormal communication between endothelial cells (ECs) and GSCs on GBM progression remains unknown. Here, we reveal that ECs-derived SEMA3G, which is aberrantly expressed in GBM patients, impairs GSCs by inducing c-Myc degradation. SEMA3G activates NRP2/PLXNA1 in a paracrine manner, subsequently inducing the inactivation of Cdc42 and dissociation of Cdc42 and WWP2 in GSCs. Once released, WWP2 interacts with c-Myc and mediates c-Myc degradation via ubiquitination. Genetic deletion of Sema3G in ECs accelerates GBM growth, whereas SEMA3G overexpression or recombinant SEMA3G protein prolongs the survival of GBM bearing mice. These findings illustrate that ECs play an intrinsic inhibitory role in GSCs stemness via the SMEA3G-c-Myc distal regulation paradigm. Targeting SEMA3G signaling may have promising therapeutic benefits for GBM patients. Show less
Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a common complication following thoracic surgery and often leading to poor outcomes. Despite ongoing research, effective treatments for late PND remain l Show more
Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a common complication following thoracic surgery and often leading to poor outcomes. Despite ongoing research, effective treatments for late PND remain limited. Identifying reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis is, therefore, essential. A prospective cohort study was conducted with 60 elderly patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Serum samples were collected within 10 minutes prior to anesthesia and following extubation to measure adiponectin (APN), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Among PND patients, serum APN, PKA, AQP4, and BDNF levels were markedly decreased compared with the normal group. While serum cAMP (HR = 1.087, p = 0.695, 95% CI [0.284-4.166]) and PKA (HR = 0.996, p = 0.09, 95% CI [0.491-0.947]) were not significantly correlated with PND, serum APN (HR = 0.307, 95% CI [0.113-0.835], p = 0.021), AQP4 (HR = 0.204, 95% CI [0.060-0.697], p = 0.011), and BDNF (HR = 0.382, 95% CI [0.177-0.823], p = 0.014) were protective factors against PND. ROC analysis demonstrated that APN (AUC = 0.68, 95% CI [0.51-0.87]), AQP4 (AUC = 0.73, 95% CI [0.59-0.87]), BDNF (AUC = 0.73, 95% CI [0.59-0.87]), and the model of combining those biomarkers (AUC = 0.91, 95% CI [0.83-0.99]) could predict PND. PND patients exhibited a lower protective stress response to surgical trauma. High serum APN, AQP4, and BDNF levels were independent protective factors for PND, and a combined model of these biomarkers showed predictive potential for PND. Show less
Prenatal exposure to bisphenol analogs (BPs) may pose hazards to offspring's health; however, their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. DNA methylation, a major epigenetic mechanism, may be Show more
Prenatal exposure to bisphenol analogs (BPs) may pose hazards to offspring's health; however, their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. DNA methylation, a major epigenetic mechanism, may be involved in early programming following environmental disturbances. In this prospective study, we investigated associations between prenatal BPs exposure and the placental DNA methylation levels of 14 candidate genes in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway among 205 mother-infant pairs and explored the potential mediating role of the DNA methylation in the association of prenatal BPs exposure with anthropometric measurements of infants aged 1 year. We observed a general pattern that prenatal BPs exposure was associated with the DNA hypomethylation of candidate genes, with associations consistently and notably observed for PPAR α (PPARA), retinoid X receptor α (RXRA), acetyl-CoA acyltransferase 1, and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase medium chain (ACADM) in linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression. Both models identified bisphenol F (BPF) as the predominant compound. We found inverse associations between the placental DNA methylation levels of most candidate genes, such as PPARA, RXRA, ACADM, and nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 3 (NR1H3), and the length-for-age z-score, arm circumference-for-age z-score, subscapular skinfold-for-age z-score, and abdominal skinfold thickness of the infants. The DNA methylation levels of RXRA and NR1H3 could mediate the associations between prenatal BPF exposure and increased infant anthropometric measurements, with mediating portions ranging from 23.02% to 30.53%. Our findings shed light on the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of prenatal BPs exposure on infant growth and call for urgent actions for risk assessment and regulation of BPF. Future cohort studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm our findings. Show less
Quinolinic acid (QA) is a metabolite of tryptophan catabolism involved in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). It has been extensively studied in the context of neuropsychiatri Show more
Quinolinic acid (QA) is a metabolite of tryptophan catabolism involved in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). It has been extensively studied in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders in the past decades. Recent studies have also linked high plasma QA levels to obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and diabetes. In the present study, we have explored the impact of long-term oral QA administration on glucose and lipid metabolism in mice. We observed a protective role for QA in preventing hepatic lipid accumulation in high-fat-diet fed mice, whereas oral administration of NAD showed opposite effects. We further demonstrated that QA reduces hepatic lipid uptake by inhibiting the expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid translocase (CD36) in liver, thereby mitigating liver lipid accumulation in the context of a high-fat diet. Our data suggest that QA is an important regulator of lipid homeostasis and has potential as a therapeutic target for MASLD. Show less
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia, with current therapies offering only limited symptomatic relief and lacking disease-modifying ef Show more
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia, with current therapies offering only limited symptomatic relief and lacking disease-modifying efficacy. Addressing this critical therapeutic gap, natural multi-target compounds like mulberroside A (MsA)-a bioactive glycoside from Show less
Maternal circulating lipid concentrations impact the risk of pregnancy complications and infant health outcomes. The associations between physical activity and circulating lipids during pregnancy rema Show more
Maternal circulating lipid concentrations impact the risk of pregnancy complications and infant health outcomes. The associations between physical activity and circulating lipids during pregnancy remain inadequately understood. A study was conducted from July 2024 to March 2025, involving the recruitment of 520 pregnant women in Wuhan, China. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) scores were evaluated in trimesters. Circulating lipid profiles, including total triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) and apolipoprotein B (APOB) concentrations, were assessed at each trimester. The daily energy expenditure of physical activity (EEPA) during the first, second, and third trimesters was recorded as 11.35, 9.07, and 9.48 metabolic equivalents-hour/day (METs-h/d). The EEPA in the first trimester was significantly greater than that in the second ( This study suggests that increased physical activity during pregnancy is associated with lower lipid levels. Moreover, maternal age appears to have a significant impact on physical activity and the metabolism of circulating lipids during pregnancy. Show less
Cisplatin resistance in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) correlates with poor prognosis, where natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a crucial role. This study invest Show more
Cisplatin resistance in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) correlates with poor prognosis, where natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a crucial role. This study investigated the mechanism by which exosomes from cisplatin-resistant TSCC cells suppress NK cell function. We found that exosomal long non-coding RNA SNHG26, highly enriched in cisplatin-resistant TSCC cells and their exosomes, was transferred to NK cells. Within NK cells, SNHG26 acted as a scaffold promoting WWP2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of the transcription factor SOX2, thereby inhibiting HLA-DRA transcription and subsequent IL-2/JAK-STAT5 signaling. Concurrently, SNHG26 competitively bound miR-515-5p, relieving its suppression of TGFB1 mRNA and activating the TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway. These dual mechanisms significantly impaired NK cell proliferation, activation, and cytotoxicity. SNHG26 depletion reversed NK cell suppression and cisplatin resistance in vitro and in vivo. Thus, our study identifies exosomal SNHG26 as a key mediator of cisplatin resistance and NK cell dysfunction in TSCC, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic target. Show less
Xiang Lian, Xiaoyan Li, Kexin Wang+3 more · 2025 · Zhonghua yi xue yi chuan xue za zhi = Zhonghua yixue yichuanxue zazhi = Chinese journal of medical genetics · added 2026-04-24
To investigate the gene detection results of 2 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) caused by complex heterozygous variation, and to clarify the relationship between clinical manifestation Show more
To investigate the gene detection results of 2 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) caused by complex heterozygous variation, and to clarify the relationship between clinical manifestations and gene variation. Two patients (patient 1 and 2) with FH who visited Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University in 2018 were selected as research subjects. A retrospective study method was used to collect clinical and family history data of the two patients. And 2 mL of peripheral venous blood from each of the two patients was collected, and genomic DNA extraction was performed on the blood samples. Sanger sequencing was used to validate the variant sites of the two patients detected by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Pathogenicity of variants was classified based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Standards and Guidelines for the Classification of Genetic Variants (hereinafter referred to as the "ACMG Guidelines"), and the impact of variant was analyzed using multiple bioinformatics tools including SIFT, PolyPhen-2, and SWISS-MODEL. This study has been approved by Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (Ethics No. 2024215X). Patient 1 initially presented with early-onset coronary heart disease, with initial lipid levels of serum total cholesterol (TC) 9.86 mmol/L (normal reference value: 3.10~5.20 mmol/L) and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 8.37 mmol/L (normal reference value: 1.27~3.12 mmol/L) on admission. Patient 1 initially underwent treatment with rosuvastatin combined with ezetimibe for one month, but the lipid-lowering effect was not significant. The lipid-lowering therapy was then adjusted to atorvastatin combined with ezetimibe and probucol. After one year of treatment, the patient developed paroxysmal chest pain symptoms. A follow-up lipid profile showed a serum TC level of 4.50 mmol/L and a LDL-C level of 3.55 mmol/L. The lipid-lowering regimen was continued, and the serum LDL-C levels were maintained between 2.65 and 3.66 mmol/L. Patient 2 was found to have an abnormally high blood lipid level and carotid artery hardening during physical examination, with an initial blood lipid level of serum TC 11.82 mmol/L and serum LDL-C 9.63 mmol/L. After receiving rosuvastatain therapy, the lipid-lowering effect was significant. WES revealed that patient 1 carried the heterozygous variants c.1871₁₈₇₃del(p.Ile624del) and c.1747C>T (p.His583Tyr) in the LDLR gene (NM₀₀₀₅₂₇.4), while patient 2 carried the heterozygous variants c.1747C>T (p.His583Tyr) in the LDLR gene and c.6936₆₉₃₇inv (p.Ile2313Val) in the APOB gene (NM₀₀₀₃₈₄₎. According to the ACMG Guidelines, the LDLR gene c.1747C>T (p.His583Tyr) was classified as a pathogenic variant (PS3+PM1+PM2_supporting+PM5+PP2+PP3), and c.1871₁₈₇₃del (p.Ile624del) was classified as a pathogenic variant (PS3+PS4+PM2_supporting+PM1+PM4); the APOB gene c.6936₆₉₃₇inv (p.Ile2313Val) was classified as a variant of uncertain clinical significance (PM2_supporting BP4). Patients 1 and 2 in this study were patients with complex heterozygous variant FH, and their genotypic differences may be related to the differences in clinical serum LDL-C levels and the efficacy of hypolipidemic agents. Show less
Agonists and antagonists of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) enhance body weight loss induced by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonism. However, while GIPR Show more
Agonists and antagonists of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) enhance body weight loss induced by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonism. However, while GIPR agonism decreases body weight and food intake in a GLP-1R-independent manner via GABAergic GIPR Show less
Glucose homeostasis, essential for metabolic health, requires coordinated insulin and glucagon activity to maintain blood glucose balance. Dysregulation of glucose homeostasis causes hyperglycaemia an Show more
Glucose homeostasis, essential for metabolic health, requires coordinated insulin and glucagon activity to maintain blood glucose balance. Dysregulation of glucose homeostasis causes hyperglycaemia and glucose intolerance, hallmark features of type 2 diabetes. While SEC16 homologue B (SEC16B), an endoplasmic reticulum export factor, has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and lipid metabolism, its role in glucose regulation remains poorly defined. This study aims to investigate SEC16B's contribution to glucose homeostasis by systematically dissecting its conserved physiological mechanisms across species. To interrogate SEC16B's role, we combined Drosophila genetics (RNA interference-mediated dSec16 knockdown) with murine models (Sec16b deletion) under standard or high-fat diet conditions. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests assessed glucose homeostasis. Mechanistic insights into beta cell dysfunction were derived from immunostaining, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assays and RNA-seq profiling of murine pancreatic islets. Both disruption of dSec16 in Drosophila and Sec16b deletion in mice triggered glucose intolerance under standard diet conditions, recapitulating conserved metabolic dysfunction. In addition, Sec16b loss impaired glycaemic control in mice fed a high-fat diet. Mechanistically, Sec16b deficiency impairs insulin secretion by downregulating cholinergic signalling and compromising intracellular Ca Our study reveals SEC16B, a genome-wide association study-identified obesity risk gene, as an evolutionarily conserved regulator of glucose homeostasis. By linking SEC16B to cholinergic-driven insulin secretion and calcium dynamics, we resolve a mechanistic gap in beta cell dysfunction and metabolic disease. This finding provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying glucose homeostasis and may enhance our understanding of potential treatments for metabolic diseases. Show less
Dysregulation of macrophage autophagy plays a critical role in sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI); however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the regula Show more
Dysregulation of macrophage autophagy plays a critical role in sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI); however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the regulatory pathway involving the PIK3C3-MAPK14 signaling axis that drives ALI progression by controlling autophagy and macrophage polarization. Using machine learning transcriptomic analysis, MAPK14 was identified as a core gene associated with ALI, and multi-omics integration confirmed its upregulated expression in ALI tissues. MAPK14 localization to pro-inflammatory macrophages was determined using single-cell sequencing. Furthermore, we observed a significant positive correlation between MAPK14 and autophagy-related genes. Molecular docking and kinetic simulations revealed high-affinity interactions between PIK3C3 and MAPK14 (ΔG-bind = -127.722 ± 33.269 kJ/mol). In vitro experiments followed by Western Blot(WB) and RT-q polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide stimulation upregulated MAPK14 expression through downregulation of PIK3C3 expression, resulting in impaired autophagic flux (LC3-II/Ⅰ↓, TOM20↑, P62↑, HSP60↑). Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed a shift toward pro-inflammatory (M1) macrophage polarization. RNA pull-down assay directly captured the PIK3C3-MAPK14 complex, and functional validation showed that PIK3C3 overexpression significantly inhibited MAPK14 protein expression, whereas PIK3C3 knockdown enhanced it. In conclusion, targeting the PIK3C3-MAPK14 axis is a promising therapeutic strategy for ALI. Show less
To describe the clinical characteristics, natural history, genetic landscape, and phenotypic spectrum of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL)-associated retinal disease. Multicenter retrospective coho Show more
To describe the clinical characteristics, natural history, genetic landscape, and phenotypic spectrum of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL)-associated retinal disease. Multicenter retrospective cohort study complemented by a cross-sectional examination. Twelve pediatric subjects with biallelic variants in 5 NCL-causing genes (CLN3 lysosomal/endosomal transmembrane protein [ Review of clinical notes, retinal imaging, electroretinography (ERG), and molecular genetic testing. Two subjects underwent a cross-sectional examination comprising adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy imaging of the retina and optoretinography (ORG). Clinical/demographic data, multimodal retinal imaging data, electrophysiology parameters, and molecular genetic testing. Our cohort included a diverse set of subjects with Our cohort data demonstrates that the underlying genetic variants drive the phenotypic diversity in different forms of NCL. Genetic testing can provide molecular diagnosis and ensure appropriate disease management and support for children and their families. With intravitreal enzyme replacement therapy on the horizon as a potential treatment option for NCL-associated retinal degeneration, precise structural and functional measures will be required to more accurately monitor disease progression. We show that adaptive optics imaging and ORG can be used as highly sensitive methods to track early retinal changes, which can be used to establish eligibility for future therapies and provide metrics for determining the efficacy of interventions on a cellular scale. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article. Show less
The gut-derived peptide hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) play important physiological roles including glucose homeostasis and appetite su Show more
The gut-derived peptide hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) play important physiological roles including glucose homeostasis and appetite suppression. Stabilized agonists of the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and dual agonists of GLP-1R and GIP receptor (GIPR) for the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity have generated widespread enthusiasm and have become blockbuster drugs. These therapeutics are refractory to the action of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), that catalyzes rapid removal of the two N-terminal residues of the native peptides, in turn severely diminishing their activity profiles. Here we report that a single atom change from carbon to nitrogen in the backbone of the entire peptide makes them refractory to DPP4 action while still retaining full potency and efficacy at their respective receptors. This was accomplished by use of aza-amino acids, that are bioisosteric replacements for α-amino acids that perturb the structural backbone and local side chain conformations. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that aza-amino acid can populate the same conformational space that GLP-1 adopts when bound to the GLP-1R. The insertion of an aza-amino acid at the second position from the N-terminus in semaglutide and in a dual agonist of GLP-1R and GIPR further demonstrates its capability as a viable alternative to current DPP4 resistance strategies while offering additional structural variation that may influence downstream signaling. Show less
Inactivation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is prevalent in human prostate cancer and causes high-grade adenocarcinoma with a long latency. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivota Show more
Inactivation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is prevalent in human prostate cancer and causes high-grade adenocarcinoma with a long latency. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in tumor progression, but it remains elusive whether and how PTEN-deficient prostate cancers reprogram CAFs to overcome the barriers for tumor progression. Here, we report that PTEN deficiency induced Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) acetylation and that interruption of KLF5 acetylation orchestrated intricate interactions between cancer cells and CAFs that enhance FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) signaling and promote tumor growth. Deacetylated KLF5 promoted tumor cells to secrete TNF-α, which stimulated inflammatory CAFs to release FGF9. CX3CR1 inhibition blocked FGFR1 activation triggered by FGF9 and sensitized PTEN-deficient prostate cancer to the AKT inhibitor capivasertib. This study reveals the role of KLF5 acetylation in reprogramming CAFs and provides a rationale for combined therapies using inhibitors of AKT and CX3CR1. Show less