Zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750) has been identified as a potential tumor suppressor across multiple malignancies. Nevertheless, the specific involvement of ZNF750 in the regulation of mesenchymal cel Show more
Zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750) has been identified as a potential tumor suppressor across multiple malignancies. Nevertheless, the specific involvement of ZNF750 in the regulation of mesenchymal cell differentiation and bone homeostasis has yet to be elucidated. In the current study, we observed a substantial presence of ZNF750 in bone tissue and noted alterations in its expression during osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells. Functional experiments indicated that ZNF750 promoted osteogenic differentiation while impeding adipogenic differentiation from mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that ZNF750 transcriptionally suppressed the expression of Snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAI1) by binding to the proximal promoter region of Snai1 gene, thereby activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. SNAI1 exerted opposing effects on cell differentiation towards osteoblasts and adipocytes in comparison to ZNF750. The overexpression of SNAI1 counteracted the dysregulated osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation induced by ZNF750. Furthermore, the transplantation of Znf750-silenced bone marrow stromal cells into the marrow of wild-type mice resulted in a reduction in cancellous and cortical bone mass, alongside a decrease in osteoblasts and an increase in marrow adipocytes, while the number of osteoclasts remained unchanged. This study presents the first demonstration that ZNF750 regulates the differentiation of osteoblasts and adipocytes from mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells by transcriptionally deactivating SNAI1 signaling, thereby contributing to the maintenance of bone homeostasis. It suggests that ZNF750 may represent a promising therapeutic target for metabolic bone disorders such as osteoporosis. Show less
Postnatal cardiac function in mammals is closely associated with cardiomyocyte proliferation and hypertrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation and hypertrophy h Show more
Postnatal cardiac function in mammals is closely associated with cardiomyocyte proliferation and hypertrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation and hypertrophy have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, phenotypic measurements and transcriptomic sequencing were performed on myocardial tissues from 7-day-old (P7) and 3-month-old (3m) female C57BL/6 mice to investigate changes in cardiomyocytes during growth and development and to identify key genes regulating myocardial growth and development. In comparison to 7-day-old mice, 3-month-old mice exhibited a significant increase in heart weight ( Show less
To clarify the possible mechanism of leptin and α-MSH on the onset of puberty in female offspring rats after prenatal androgen exposure. Sixteen 8-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) healthy Sprague Show more
To clarify the possible mechanism of leptin and α-MSH on the onset of puberty in female offspring rats after prenatal androgen exposure. Sixteen 8-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) pregnant rats were randomly divided into the testosterone-treated group (TG, female offspring termed PNA group) or the olive oil control group (OOG, female offspring termed VEH group). The female offspring rats of two groups were raised to 21 days (PND21) and weaned. Six female offspring rats at PND21 (VEH:PNA = 3:3) were randomly selected for transcriptome sequencing. Twenty-seven offspring female rats were randomly divided into three groups (VEHI:VEHII:PNA = 9:9:9). VEHI group was observed until the onset of puberty, VEHII and PNA groups were observed until the 8th week. Compared with VEH group, onset of puberty was not observed in PNA group, and hypothalamic Pomc gene expression at PND21 was lower. Compared with the VEHI group, the body weight, abdominal fat, serum testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and leptin (LEP) levels were upregulated in the PNA group, while serum gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), mRNA of hypothalamic estrogen receptor α (ERα), α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), melanocortin receptor-4 (MC4R), GnRH and adipose AR, and the protein of androgen receptor (AR) and leptin receptor (LEPR) in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) were decreased. In the PNA group, there were positive correlations between serum DHEA and mRNA of hypothalamic ERα, MC4R and AR, negative correlations between mRNA of adipose AR and serum T and free testosterone (FT). Prenatal androgen exposure delayed the onset of puberty in female offspring, the possible mechanism of which is that prenatal androgen exposure may increase the levels of androgen and LEP, decreases their sensitivity and the expression of AR, LEPR, and MC4R, reducing GnRH secretion. Show less
Here, we identified a type of hypothetical T7SS effector in This alternative strategy facilitates effectors' delivery, even for fragmented substrates, highlighting its importance in ensuring the funct Show more
Here, we identified a type of hypothetical T7SS effector in This alternative strategy facilitates effectors' delivery, even for fragmented substrates, highlighting its importance in ensuring the functionality of T7SS. Show less
By integrating single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data for esophageal cancer (ESCA), we developed and validated a seven-macrophage-gene prognostic signature (FCN1, SCARB2, ATF5, PHLDA2, GLIPR1, CHORD Show more
By integrating single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data for esophageal cancer (ESCA), we developed and validated a seven-macrophage-gene prognostic signature (FCN1, SCARB2, ATF5, PHLDA2, GLIPR1, CHORDC1, and BCKDK). This signature effectively stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups with significantly different overall survival, achieving area under the curve (AUC) values greater than 0.7 for 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival prediction. A high-risk status correlated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, characterized by lower infiltration of B cells and CD8 + T cells, and was associated with reduced sensitivity to multiple chemotherapeutic agents, including Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil. Conversely, a low-risk status was linked to greater immune cell infiltration and higher predicted chemosensitivity. At the single-cell level, pseudotime analysis revealed that macrophage maturation significantly correlated with a decreasing risk score, suggesting that mature macrophages may contribute to a favorable prognosis. Furthermore, cell communication analysis identified high-risk macrophages as dominant drivers of a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment via signaling pathways, such as SPP1 and complement. In conclusion, this seven-gene signature is a robust prognostic biomarker that offers a new strategy for personalized risk assessment and treatment selection in ESCA. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04452-w. Show less
Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are resident stem cells within hair follicles (HFs) that possess self-renewal and differentiation capacities, serving as a critical model for regenerative medicine res Show more
Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are resident stem cells within hair follicles (HFs) that possess self-renewal and differentiation capacities, serving as a critical model for regenerative medicine research. Their dynamic interaction with dermal papilla cells (DPCs) plays a decisive role in HF development and cycling. Show less
Metabolism alteration is a common complication of rheumatic arthritis (RA). This work investigated the reason behind RA-caused triglyceride (TG) changes. Fresh RA patients' whole blood was transfused Show more
Metabolism alteration is a common complication of rheumatic arthritis (RA). This work investigated the reason behind RA-caused triglyceride (TG) changes. Fresh RA patients' whole blood was transfused into NOD-SCID mice. Metabolism-regulatory tissues were examined after sacrifice. To verify the findings, tissues of the rats with long-lasting adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) were analyzed. Some rats were injected with human plasma and GPIHBP1, and their blood TG was monitored. Various cells were stimulated by cytokines or rheumatic subjects' serum. Some pre-adipocytes were cultured by human serum or in the presence of HUVEC cells and GPIHBP1. TG decrease occurred in blood and white adipose tissues (WAT) of the RA blood-transfused NOD-SCID mice and chronic AIA rats. Fatty acids (FA) oxidation in muscles was accelerated a bit, while TG catabolism status in their livers was varied. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and RA/AIA serum promoted expression of TG utilization-related enzymes and FA uptake transporters in pre-adipocytes, but barely affected LPL. Mild IL-6 stimulus promoted GPIHBP1 release of HUVEC cells. GPIHBP1 was increased in RA serum. This change can decrease blood TG in rats, which was overshadowed by an injection of excessive GPIHBP1. RA serum slightly inhibited LPL secretion in pre-adipocytes. Both HUVEC cells co-culture and GPIHBP1 supplement reduced LPL distribution on pre-adipocytes, and eliminated LPL activity difference between normal and RA serum-treated cells. No TG uptake difference was observed in these circumstances. RA-associated inflammation induces GPIHBP1 secretion of endothelial cells, which facilitates blood TG hydrolysis and uptake to compensate the loss in WAT. Show less
Obesity is a major public health crisis associated with high mortality rates. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigating body mass index (BMI) have largely relied on imputed data fr Show more
Obesity is a major public health crisis associated with high mortality rates. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigating body mass index (BMI) have largely relied on imputed data from European individuals. This study leveraged whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 88,873 participants from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program, of which 51% were of non-European population groups. We discovered 18 BMI-associated signals (P < 5 × 10 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
Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, is driven by a complex interplay of dyslipidemia, inflammation, and arterial plaque formation and progression. Animal models are indispensab Show more
Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, is driven by a complex interplay of dyslipidemia, inflammation, and arterial plaque formation and progression. Animal models are indispensable to elucidate the pathogenesis and develop novel therapies. Rodent models are widely utilized due to their cost-effectiveness, reproducibility, and rapid disease progression. However, notable species differences exist in lipoprotein composition and lipid metabolism pathways. Mice and rats exhibit an HDL-dominant profile, whereas Syrian golden hamsters express cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and display a higher LDL fraction, but lower than that of humans, offering a model closer to human metabolically. Divergent CETP activity across species further complicates the translational relevance of the findings from these models for atherosclerosis and related metabolic disorders. This review systematically examines the key factors in rodent model selection and optimization, with consideration on the roles of sex and age. We focus on three commonly used and well-characterized rodent strains prone to atherosclerosis: C57BL/6J mice, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, Wistar rats, and golden hamsters. On Show less
Family caregivers ('carers') bear the highest care burden during the postoperative survivorship period of pancreatic cancer, given its poor prognosis. Most carers report unmet needs when taking on car Show more
Family caregivers ('carers') bear the highest care burden during the postoperative survivorship period of pancreatic cancer, given its poor prognosis. Most carers report unmet needs when taking on caregiving responsibilities during this period. Thoroughly investigating carers' needs is essential for helping families address practical care challenges. However, this important topic remains underexplored. To assess the need levels and identify need subgroups among carers of patients with pancreatic cancer 6 months after surgery and demographic predictors contributing to heterogeneity. Cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited from the pancreas centres of four tertiary A-level comprehensive hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. 240 patients with pancreatic cancer and their carers ('dyads') participated in the survey. Carers completed the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in Cancer for Carers, the Activities of Daily Living Scale for patients, and the General Demographic Information Questionnaire for dyads. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to categorise carers' needs. Non-parametric and chi-square tests were used to examine differences in need scores and sociodemographic characteristics among subgroups. Multiple logistic regression (MLR) was used to analyse sociodemographic impacts. Six months post-surgery, the total carers' need score was 41.83 ± 22.65 points, indicating a moderate level, with the highest needs reported for healthcare personnel, information and knowledge, and facilities and services. The LPA results revealed that carers were divided into five distinct subgroups based on differing levels of need across the domains assessed by the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in Cancer for Carers, with proportions of 8.8 %, 22.5 %, 8.3 %, 55 %, and 5.4 %. Subgroup membership was predicted by four factors: carers' sex (odds ratio [OR]: 11.08, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.64, 74.99, We have highlighted the complex individualised needs of carers of patients with pancreatic cancer. Through LPA and MLR, we identified distinct need subgroups and their predictors. Healthcare professionals may be able to improve dyads' health by tailoring support to each subgroup's specific needs and issues. Registration number: ChiCTR2400079415, registered 03/01/2024, first recruitment 04/02/2024. Show less
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases, with a range of manifestations, such as hepatic steatosis. Our previous study showed that Kaili Sour Soup Show more
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases, with a range of manifestations, such as hepatic steatosis. Our previous study showed that Kaili Sour Soup (KSS) significantly attenuated hepatic steatosis in rats. This study explored the main components of KSS and the mechanisms by which it exerts its protective effects against NAFLD. Twenty-four 6-week-old male Sprague-Dowley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to three treatments: feeding a normal standard diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet plus gavage KSS. The effects of KSS treatment on hepatic lipid accumulation were assessed using biochemical, histological, and molecular experiments. The amounts of KSS ingredients were measured using biochemical assays. Network pharmacology analyses were performed to identify the hub genes of KSS targets and enriched pathways. CCK-8 assay was used to determine the effect of free fatty acids (FFA), lycopene, and estrogen on HepG2 viability. Quantitative Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays were performed to determine the effect of KSS or lycopene on estrogen signaling and expression of lipid metabolism-related molecules. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism and SPSS. KSS alleviated fat deposition in rat liver tissue and affected the expression of hepatic lipid synthesis, catabolism, and oxidative molecules. Lycopene was identified as the ingredient with the highest amount in KSS. Network pharmacology analyses showed that the hub genes were enriched in the estrogen signaling pathway. Cellular experiments showed that lycopene increased the expression of Estrogen Receptor α (ERα), Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 A ( KSS ameliorated abnormal lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD. Lycopene was the major component of KSS, and it affected estrogen signaling and the expression of lipid metabolism molecules. In short, both KSS and LYC could change lipid metabolism by lowering lipid accumulation and raising lipolysis. Show less
Heart failure (HF) is a serious cardiovascular condition resulting from abnormalities in multiple biological processes, affecting over 64 million people worldwide. We sought to expand our understandin Show more
Heart failure (HF) is a serious cardiovascular condition resulting from abnormalities in multiple biological processes, affecting over 64 million people worldwide. We sought to expand our understanding of the genetic basis of HF and more specific NICM subtype in the East Asian populations and evaluate the biological pathways underlying subclinical left ventricular dysfunction. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for all-cause HF in the East Asian populations (N cases ~ 13,385) and a more precise definition of nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) subtype in multi-ancestry populations (N cases~3,603). We identified a low-frequency East-Asian enriched coding variant near MYBPC3 and a NICM specific locus. Follow up analyses demonstrated male-specific HF association at the MYBPC3 locus, and highlighted SVIL as a candidate causal gene for NICM. Moreover, we demonstrated that SVIL deficiency aggravated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis and impaired cell viability in phenylephrine (PE)-treated H9C2 cells. In addition, the gene expression level of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) which was deemed as a hallmark for HF was further elevated by SVIL silencing in PE-stimulated H9C2 cells. RNA-sequencing analysis of H9C2 cells revealed that the function of SVIL might be mediated through pathways relevant to regulation and differentiation of heart muscle. These results enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture of HF in the East Asian populations, and provide important insight into the biological pathways underlying NICM and sex-specific relevance of the MYBPC3 locus that warrants further replication in another datasets. Show less
Calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) is frequently accompanied by systemic comorbidities, but their causal relationships and shared genetic architecture remain poorly defined. We aimed to map the multisyste Show more
Calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) is frequently accompanied by systemic comorbidities, but their causal relationships and shared genetic architecture remain poorly defined. We aimed to map the multisystem comorbidity network of CAS and clarify underlying genetic mechanisms. In 467 484 participants from the UK Biobank, observational and polygenic phenome-wide association studies evaluated associations between CAS and 1571 phenotypes, integrating disease-trajectory analyses to visualise temporal patterns. Associations replicated across observational and polygenic analyses were tested using two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) based on 22 CAS-related variants from FinnGen. Polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses excluding specific genes assessed their contributions, particularly LPA and plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels. CAS was associated with higher risks of 42 cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular conditions, most prominently metabolic, endocrine, haematological and respiratory disorders. Temporal analyses showed that circulatory and metabolic diseases typically precede other comorbidities in CAS trajectories. MR findings were consistent with causal effects of CAS on multiple cardiovascular diseases, iron-deficiency anaemia, mental disorders and pleural effusion. When LPA variants were removed from the CAS PRS or plasma Lp(a) concentration was adjusted for, most associations lost significance, indicating a shared LPA/Lp(a)-mediated genetic pathway. CAS is embedded within a broad multisystem comorbidity network, driven largely by genetic variation at LPA and elevated Lp(a). These findings highlight pleiotropic mechanisms linking valvular calcification with systemic disease and support LPA-targeted therapies as a promising avenue for reducing the multisystem burden of CAS. Show less
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including valine, leucine and isoleucine, are essential nutrient signals that influence mammalian animal metabolism. Many enzymes are involved in the metabolism of Show more
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including valine, leucine and isoleucine, are essential nutrient signals that influence mammalian animal metabolism. Many enzymes are involved in the metabolism of BCAAs, such as branched-chain amino acid transaminases (BCATs), branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH), and BCKDH kinase (BCKDK). The aberrant expression of enzymes involved in BCAA metabolism and an imbalance in BCAA amino acid intake can lead to disordered metabolism. Aberrant BCAA metabolism can lead to several diseases, such as human ovarian disease, including ovarian cancer (OC), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and premature ovarian failure (POF), which are common gynaecological diseases. The overexpression of BCATs is found in OC, which promotes BCAA catalysis to provide a large amount of energy for tumorigenesis. However, BCKDK is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), which promotes proliferation and migration via MEK-ERK. In addition, several studies have reported that high levels of BCAAs are increased in the plasma of PCOS and POF patients. This review focuses on the role of BCAA metabolism and potential management methods for OC, PCOS and POF. Show less
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with impairments in memory and executive functions. Despite significant advancements in identifying genetic risk factors Show more
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with impairments in memory and executive functions. Despite significant advancements in identifying genetic risk factors, the high cost and limited accessibility of genetic testing remain major barriers. In this work, we propose a cost-effective screening approach that leverages EEG recordings and psychometric test scores to predict an individual's genetic risk for AD. Our Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model shows promising performance: it achieved an F1 score of 72.21% in distinguishing APOE-ϵ4/PICALM GG non-carriers (N) from APOE-ϵ4 carriers with the risky PICALM GG alleles (A+P+). It reached an F1 score of 60.78% for differentiating non-carriers (N) from APOE-ϵ4 carriers without the risky alleles (A+P-), and 65.12% when separating A+P- from A+P+. To enhance interpretability, we employ Grad-CAM, which reveals that EEG features contribute more significantly to gene prediction than psychometric measures. Notably, our model also identifies three key psychometric tests, MINI COPE (which assesses emotional coping skills), the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), and NEO Neuroticism, as associated with higher AD risk, consistent with prior research. Moreover, our results align with earlier findings reporting increased theta-band power among high-risk individuals. Finally, Higuchi Fractal Dimension (HFD) features drove most of the EEG-based prediction capability, as shown through our ablation study. This study highlights the potential of integrating neurophysiological and cognitive assessments to develop accessible and reliable screening tools for AD genetic risk, enabling earlier diagnoses. The code has been released at https://github.com/ Shyamal-Dharia/EEG-Psycho-Genes-AD. Show less
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a particularly aggressive form of cancer, characterized by its rapid progression and a complex interplay with the surrounding immune cellular environment. The Show more
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a particularly aggressive form of cancer, characterized by its rapid progression and a complex interplay with the surrounding immune cellular environment. The primary objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate the role of ANGPTL4 in the context of HCC, utilizing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) techniques to explore its impact on the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and to uncover potential mechanisms driving HCC progression. To achieve this, we performed a transcriptome analysis of HCC cell lines, alongside cells obtained after co-culturing these lines with macrophages. By comparing gene expression profiles between the experimental groups exposed to ANGPTL4 and control groups, we aimed to identify specific molecular pathways associated with ANGPTL4's function. In addition to gene expression analysis, we employed flow cytometry to assess the polarization status of TAM. Furthermore, we utilized immunohistochemistry to evaluate the distribution of macrophages within HCC tissues and to quantify the expression levels of M2 macrophage markers. The results derived from RNA-seq analysis were particularly revealing; treatment with ANGPTL4 led to a significant upregulation of genes linked to M2 polarization, notably including CD206 and Arg1. In subsequent experimental observations, it became evident that ANGPTL4 not only facilitated the M2 polarization of macrophages but also enhanced the proliferation and migratory capacity of HCC cells through the upregulation of these same cytokines. Show less
Aging-related lipid metabolic disorder is related to oxidative stress. Selenium (Se)-enriched Cardamine violifolia (SEC) is known for its excellent antioxidant function. The objective of this study wa Show more
Aging-related lipid metabolic disorder is related to oxidative stress. Selenium (Se)-enriched Cardamine violifolia (SEC) is known for its excellent antioxidant function. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of SEC on antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in the liver of aged laying hens. A total of 450 sixty-five-wk-old Roman laying hens were randomly divided into 5 treatments: a basal diet (without Se supplementation, CON) and basal diets supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg Se from sodium selenite (SS), 0.3 mg/kg Se from Se-enriched yeast (SEY), 0.3 mg/kg Se from SEC (SEC), or 0.3 mg/kg Se from SEC and 0.3 mg/kg Se from SEY (SEC + SEY). The experiment lasted for 8 wk. The results showed that dietary SEC + SEY supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) triglyceride (in the plasma and liver) and total cholesterol levels (in the plasma), and increased (P < 0.05) HDL-C concentration in plasma compared to CON diet. Compared with CON diet, SEC and/or SEY supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of hepatic ACC, FAS and HMGCR, and increased (P < 0.05) PPARα, VTG-II, Apo-VLDL II and ApoB expression. Dietary SEC + SEY and SEY supplementation increased (P < 0.05) Se content in egg yolk and breast muscle compared to CON diet. Dietary SEC, SEY or SEC + SEY supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the activity of antioxidant enzymes (GSH-PX, T-AOC and T-SOD) in the plasma and liver and decreased (P < 0.05) MDA content in the plasma compared to CON diet. Dietary Se supplementation promoted (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of Nrf2 in the liver. In contrast, dietary SEY and SEC supplementation resulted in a decrease (P < 0.05) of hepatic Keap1 mRNA expression compared to CON diet. Dietary SEC + SEY and/or SEC supplementation increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of Selenof, GPX1 and GPX4 in the liver compared with CON diet. In conclusion, dietary SEC (0.3 mg/kg Se) or SEC (0.3 mg/kg Se) + SEY (0.3 mg/kg Se) improved the antioxidant capacity and the lipid metabolism in the liver of aged laying hens, which might be associated with regulating Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. Show less
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are crucial for the symptomatic management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with natural products-particularly botanical sources like Yellow Gastrodia elata (YGE)-se Show more
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are crucial for the symptomatic management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with natural products-particularly botanical sources like Yellow Gastrodia elata (YGE)-serving as promising reservoirs of such inhibitors. Nevertheless, comprehensive screening and mechanistic characterization of their inhibitory potential remain limited. This study sought to identify potent AChE inhibitors from YGE, investigate their mechanisms of action, and assess their therapeutic prospects for AD. Methodologically, an integrated approach was employed, combining ultrafiltration-liquid chromatography (UF-LC) for rapid inhibitor screening, molecular docking and dynamics simulations for mechanistic insight, two-stage high-speed countercurrent chromatography for compound isolation, enzyme kinetics to delineate inhibition modalities, and network pharmacology to uncover relevant AD-related targets. The findings identified seven active constituents with notable AChE inhibition, among which parishins A and G were obtained at high purity (98.26% and 97.26%, respectively) and exhibited mixed-type inhibition with low IC Show less
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality while diabetes is a recognized risk factor for CRC. Here we report that tirzepatide (TZP), a novel polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide 1 re Show more
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality while diabetes is a recognized risk factor for CRC. Here we report that tirzepatide (TZP), a novel polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GIPR/GLP-1R) agonist for the treatment of diabetes, has a role in attenuating CRC growth. TZP significantly inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation promoted apoptosis in vitro and induced durable tumor regression in vivo under hyperglycemic and nonhyperglycemic conditions across multiple murine cancer models. As glucose metabolism is known to critically regulate colon cancer progression, spatial metabolomics results revealed that glucose metabolites are robustly reduced in the colon cancer regions of the TZP-treated mice. TZP inhibited glucose uptake and destabilized hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) with reduced expression and activity of the rate-limiting enzymes 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) and phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK-1). These effects contributed to the downregulation of glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. TZP also delayed tumor development in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model accompanied by HIF-1α mediated PFKFB3-PFK-1 inhibition. Therefore, the study provides strong evidence that glycolysis-blocking TZP, besides its application in treating type 2 diabetes, has the potential for preclinical studies as a therapy for colorectal cancer used either as monotherapy or in combination with other anticancer therapies. Show less
Small and dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) have important roles in promoting the development of atherosclerosis and are highly correlated with the degree of atherosclerosis. Show more
Small and dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) have important roles in promoting the development of atherosclerosis and are highly correlated with the degree of atherosclerosis. Several studies have found differences in anterior and posterior circulation strokes and in the mechanisms of their atherosclerosis, but little research has been done on the relationship of sdLDL-C and ApoB to atherosclerotic stenosis in anterior and posterior circulation strokes. We analyzed the correlation between sdLDL-C and ApoB and the degree of arterial stenosis in patients with posterior circulation stroke. We included 230 anterior circulation stroke (ACS) patients and 170 posterior circulation stroke (PCS) patients. Blood specimens were collected at admission, serum ApoB and sdLDL-C concentrations were measured, and the degree of arterial stenosis was determined on the basis of vascular imaging. We analyzed the predictive value of ApoB and sdLDL-C for the degree of cerebral artery stenosis in patients with PCS. For patients with nonmild stenosis, sdLDL-C and ApoB levels were higher in the PCS group than in the ACS group (P < 0.05). SdLDL-C (P < 0.001) and ApoB (P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for increased intracranial artery stenosis in the posterior circulation group. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that sdLDL-C (P < 0.05) and ApoB (P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for non-mild stenosis of the intracranial arteries in patients with PCS after correction for confounders. In the posterior circulation group, there was an interaction between the effects of sdLDL and ApoB on intracranial artery stenosis, P < 0.05. Plotting the ROC curve showed that the AUC of the combined detection of sdLDL-C and ApoB was 0.791, which was better than that of the single index. We built nomogram model, the DCA curves, calibration curves, NRI index, and IDI index of both the modeling and validation groups indicated that the diagnostic efficacy and clinical benefit of the combined sdLDL-C and ApoB assay were greater than those of single-indicator assays for cerebral artery stenosis in posterior circulation stroke. Risk factors contributing to the increased degree of intracranial arterial stenosis in ACS and PCS vary somewhat. SdLDL-C and ApoB may be of value in clinical decision making as predictors of cerebral arterial stenosis in patients with PCS. Show less
Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI), manifesting in its initial phase as radiation pneumonitis (RP) and progressing over time to radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF), represents a significant Show more
Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI), manifesting in its initial phase as radiation pneumonitis (RP) and progressing over time to radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF), represents a significant adverse consequence associated with thoracic radiation therapy. Currently, there are limited therapeutic options for RILI. Anlotinib was confirmed the efficacy of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, anlotinib has the potential to treat RILI. To investigate the therapeutic role of anlotinib in RILI. RILI model in mice was successfully developed for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of anlotinib. We used network pharmacology to find six target genes and analysed the correlation between these genes and RILI-related cytokines. Molecular docking further validates the binding ability of these target genes and anlotinib. We found the importance of TGF-β in anlotinib treatment of RILI by the results of network pharmacology and correlation analysis. We then used immunohistochemistry to demonstrate that anlotinib treats RILI by lowering TGF-β. Through enrichment analysis, we obtained potential therapeutic pathways and validated them with WB. In vivo investigations demonstrated that anlotinib is able to treat RILI: Inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis are reduced. This result is likely to be related to the reduction of TGF-β: The therapeutic mechanism potentially involves six genes, namely, FLT1, AKT1, KDR, TGFB2, PDGFRB1, and FGFR1; these targets bind well to anlotinib; we found that the expression of most of cytokines affecting the particular processes of RILI was closely associated with the six genes, in particular TGF-β1-3; immunohistochemistry further demonstrates that anlotinib treats RILI by lowering TGF-β1-3. In addition, KEGG enrichment analysis reveals possible pathways involving in therapeutic effects, including the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, Rap1, and Ras pathway. WB showed that anlotinib treatment significantly inhibited the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Therefore, anlotinib has the potential for treating RILI. Our results indicated the potential targets and molecular mechanism of anlotinib against RILI. Show less
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary fatty acids (FA) saturation and lysophospholipids supplementation on growth, meat quality, oxidative stability, FA profiles, and lipi Show more
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary fatty acids (FA) saturation and lysophospholipids supplementation on growth, meat quality, oxidative stability, FA profiles, and lipid metabolism of finishing beef bulls. Thirty-two Angus bulls (initial body weight: 623 ± 22.6 kg; 21 ± 0.5 months of age) were used. The experiment was a completely randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments: 2 diets with FA of different degree of unsaturation [high saturated FA diet (HSFA) vs. high unsaturated FA diet (HUFA)] combined with (0.075%, dry matter basis) and without lysophospholipids supplementation. The bulls were fed a high-concentrate diet (forage to concentrate, 15:85) for 104 d including a 14-d adaptation period and a 90-d data and sample collection period. No interactions were observed between dietary FA and lysophospholipids supplementation for growth and meat quality parameters. A greater dietary ratio of unsaturated FA (UFA) to saturated FA (SFA) from 1:2 to 1:1 led to lower DM intake and backfat thickness, but did not affect growth performance and other carcass traits. Compared with HSFA, bulls fed HUFA had greater shear force in Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle, but had lower intramuscular fat (IMF) content and SOD content in LT muscle. Compared with HUFA, feeding the HSFA diet up-regulated expression of ACC, FAS, PPARγ, and SCD1, but down-regulated expression of CPT1B. Compared with feeding HSFA, the HUFA diet led to greater concentrations of c9-C18:1 and other monounsaturated FA in LT muscle. Feeding HUFA also led to lower plasma concentrations of cholesterol, but there were no interactions between FA and lysophospholipids detected. Feeding lysophospholipids improved growth and feed conversion ratio and altered meat quality by increasing muscle pH Results indicated that supplementing a high-concentrate diet with lysophospholipids to beef bulls can enhance growth rate, feed efficiency, meat quality, and beneficial FA. Increasing the dietary ratio of UFA to SFA reduced DM intake and backfat thickness without compromising growth, suggesting potential improvements in feed efficiency. Show less
Cognitive impairments in major depressive disorder (MDD) affect patients' social functioning, with underlying mechanisms involving gut microbiota and inflammatory factors remaining unclear. The study Show more
Cognitive impairments in major depressive disorder (MDD) affect patients' social functioning, with underlying mechanisms involving gut microbiota and inflammatory factors remaining unclear. The study analyzed cognitive function, gut microbiota changes, and inflammatory factor levels in 39 unmedicated MDD patients and 41 healthy controls, employing correlation and moderation effect analysis. MDD patients scored lower than controls in cognitive functions like information processing speed, attention/vigilance, verbal learning, visual learning and social cognition. They showed reduced gut microbiota diversity and increased levels of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-17, IL-27, IL-33). Sellimonas abundance correlated negatively with attention/vigilance, moderated by TNF-α, IL-27, and IL-33. This relationship was stronger at lower inflammation levels. MDD patients exhibit multi-domain cognitive dysfunction alongside pro-inflammatory states and disrupted gut microbiota. The abundance of Sellimonas significantly predicts attention/vigilance deficits. Inflammatory factors modulate the impact of gut microbiota on cognitive function, suggesting chronic low-grade inflammation as a key risk factor for cognitive impairment in MDD. 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
Vascular calcification (VC) significantly increases the incidence and mortality of many diseases. The causal relationships of dyslipidaemia and lipid-lowering drug use with VC severity remain unclear. Show more
Vascular calcification (VC) significantly increases the incidence and mortality of many diseases. The causal relationships of dyslipidaemia and lipid-lowering drug use with VC severity remain unclear. This study explores the genetic causal associations of different circulating lipids and lipid-lowering drug targets with coronary artery calcification (CAC) and abdominal aortic artery calcification (AAC). We obtained single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with seven circulating lipids and 13 lipid-lowering drug targets from publicly available genome-wide association studies and eQTL databases. Causal associations were investigated by univariable, multivariable, drug-target, and summary data-based Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Potential mediation effects of metabolic risk factors were evaluated. MR analysis revealed that genetic proxies for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TC) and Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) were causally associated with CAC severity, and apolipoprotein B (apoB) level was causally associated with AAC severity. A significant association was detected between hepatic Lipoprotein(A) (LPA) gene expression and CAC severity. Colocalisation analysis supported the hypothesis that the association between LPA expression and CAC quantity is driven by different causal variant sites within the ±1 Mb flanking region of LPA. Serum calcium and phosphorus had causal associations with CAC severity. Inhibitors targeting LPA might represent CAC drug candidates. Moreover, T2DM, hypercalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia are positively causally associated with CAC severity, while chronic kidney disease and estimated glomerular filtration rate are not. Show less
Selenium (Se) foliar fertilizers enhance crop nutrition and address human selenium deficiency, while improper application may lead to excessive intake and residue accumulation. Our study comprehensive Show more
Selenium (Se) foliar fertilizers enhance crop nutrition and address human selenium deficiency, while improper application may lead to excessive intake and residue accumulation. Our study comprehensively assessed the toxicity and function of novel selenium nanoparticles and traditional sodium selenite fertilizers across cell, zebrafish, and murine models. Both fertilizers enhanced antioxidant pathways at low doses, but selenium nanoparticles exhibited stronger antioxidant and ferroptosis-modulating effects with lower toxicity at a high dose. Sodium selenite increased total and lipid ROS production, leading to decreased viability of cells and increased distortion and mortality of zebrafish. In mice, sodium selenite induced hepatic toxicity and decreased GPX4. Transcriptome analysis revealed that sodium selenite downregulated c-JUN and APOA4, weakening the antioxidant defense, whereas selenium nanoparticles promoted ferroptosis resistance through FGF21. These findings suggest selenium nanoparticles as a safer alternative for Se biofortification, mitigating health risks while supporting food security and environmental sustainability. Show less
As the most common primary malignant bone tumor, further investigation into risk stratification for osteosarcoma (OS) prognosis is of significant clinical importance. Copper is essential for bone meta Show more
As the most common primary malignant bone tumor, further investigation into risk stratification for osteosarcoma (OS) prognosis is of significant clinical importance. Copper is essential for bone metabolism; however, its specific role in OS remains unclear. The expression characteristics of copper metabolism related genes (CORGs) in OS were revealed by single cell sequencing. Prognosis-associated CORGs were identified, and a CORG-related scoring system and risk model were established using bioinformatics approaches, including univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and LASSO analysis. We further analyzed immune microenvironment infiltration, molecular subtypes and clinicopathological characteristics. The impact of selected CORG with high-risk coefficient on OS cells was tested by qRT-PCR, western blot, siRNA, colony formation analysis and Transwell in vitro. We successfully developed an OS scoring system related to copper metabolism and validated its independent prognostic value in patients with OS. The potential clinical value of CORG scoring system was analyzed. APOA4 was selected for in vitro experiments and its effect on the proliferation and invasion ability of OS cells was verified. We established a copper metabolism-related scoring system to effectively stratify the risk of OS patients. Our results provide a new basis for the role of copper metabolism in OS and provide new potential targets for the treatment of OS. Show less
Obesity is a global health challenge marked by substantial inter-individual differences in responses to dietary and lifestyle interventions. Traditional weight loss strategies often overlook critical Show more
Obesity is a global health challenge marked by substantial inter-individual differences in responses to dietary and lifestyle interventions. Traditional weight loss strategies often overlook critical biological variations in genetics, metabolic profiles, and gut microbiota composition, contributing to poor adherence and variable outcomes. Our primary aim is to identify key biological and behavioral effectors relevant to precision medicine for weight control, with a particular focus on nutrition, while also discussing their current and potential integration into digital health platforms. Thus, this review aligns more closely with the identification of influential factors within precision medicine (e.g., genetic, metabolic, and microbiome factors) but also explores how these factors are currently integrated into digital health tools. We synthesize recent advances in nutrigenomics, nutritional metabolomics, and microbiome-informed nutrition, highlighting how tailored dietary strategies-such as high-protein, low-glycemic, polyphenol-enriched, and fiber-based diets-can be aligned with specific genetic variants (e.g., FTO and MC4R), metabolic phenotypes (e.g., insulin resistance), and gut microbiota profiles (e.g., Show less