Yifei Dou, Ying Li, Meng Zhang · 2025 · Wei sheng yan jiu = Journal of hygiene research · added 2026-04-24
To explore the latent classes and their associated factors of sleep quality among police officers, and to analyze the potential heterogeneity in sleep quality within this population. A total of 1162 p Show more
To explore the latent classes and their associated factors of sleep quality among police officers, and to analyze the potential heterogeneity in sleep quality within this population. A total of 1162 police officers were selected using cluster random sampling in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region between September and December 2021. Participants completed a basic information questionnaire and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI). Latent profile analysis(LPA) was employed to examine heterogeneity in sleep quality, and multinomial Logistic regression was used to identify associated factors of the latent profiles. The mean age of participants was(43.08±8.98) years. The sample comprised 920 males(79.2%) and 242 females(20.8%), 987(84.9%) were married and 175(15.1%) were single, 644(55.4%) had a high school education or below, and 518(44.6%) had college education or above. By department, 607(52.2%) worked in grassroots police stations, 200(17.2%) were criminal police, and 355(30.6%) served in other units. Significant heterogeneity in sleep quality was identified, revealing four distinct latent classes: good sleep group(n=821, 70.6%), moderate sleep group(n=46, 4.0%), sleep-disordered group(n=249, 21.4%), and medication-assisted sleep group(n=46, 4.0%). Using the good sleepers as the reference group, multinomial Logistic regression indicated that older age was a significant risk factor for belonging to the medication-assisted sleep group(OR=1.348, 95%CI 1.078-1.822). Higher education level was a protective factor against membership in the moderate sleep group(OR=4.101, 95%CI 1.304-12.893). Serving as a grassroots police station officer or criminal police officer was a significant risk factor for membership in both the moderate sleep group(OR = 3.329, 95%CI 1.338-8.284; OR=4.188, 95%CI 1.415-12.396) and sleep-disordered group(OR=1.701, 95%CI 1.196-2.420; OR=1.587, 95%CI 1.073-2.533). Sleep quality among police officers demonstrates significant heterogeneity. Age, police department assignment, and educational level are key associated factors of distinct latent classes of sleep quality. Show less
no PDFDOI: 10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2025.05.015
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
Posttranslational modification (PTM) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a critical role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence reveals that lactylation modification, as a novel PTM, is Show more
Posttranslational modification (PTM) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a critical role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence reveals that lactylation modification, as a novel PTM, is implicated in the occurrence and development of AD. However, whether and how APP lactylation contributes to both the pathogenesis and cognitive function in AD remains unknown. Here, we observed a reduction in APP lactylation in AD patients and AD model mice and cells. Proteomic mass spectrometry analysis further identified lysine 612 (APP-K612la) as a crucial site for APP lactylation, influencing APP amyloidogenic processing. A lactyl-mimicking mutant (APPK612T) reduced amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) generation and slowed down cognitive deficits in vivo. Mechanistically, APPK612T appeared to facilitate APP trafficking and metabolism. However, lactylated APP entering the endosome inhibited its binding to BACE1, suppressing subsequent cleavage. Instead, it promoted protein interaction between APP and CD2-associated protein (CD2AP), thereby accelerating the endosomal-lysosomal degradation pathway of APP. In the APP23/PS45 double-transgenic mouse model of AD, APP-Kla was susceptible to L-lactate regulation, which reduced Aβ pathology and repaired spatial learning and memory deficits. Thus, these findings suggest that targeting APP lactylation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for AD in humans. Show less
Homologous recombination repair (HRR) is crucial for maintaining genomic stability by repairing DNA damage. Despite its importance, HRR's role in cancer progression is not fully elucidated. Here, this Show more
Homologous recombination repair (HRR) is crucial for maintaining genomic stability by repairing DNA damage. Despite its importance, HRR's role in cancer progression is not fully elucidated. Here, this work shows that nuclear-localized branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) acts as a modulator of HRR, promoting cell resistance against DNA damage-inducing therapy in breast cancer. Mechanistically, this work demonstrates that BCKDK is localized in the nucleus and phosphorylates RNF8 at Ser157, preventing the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of RAD51, thereby facilitating HRR-mediated DNA repair under replication stress. Notably, aberrant expression of the BCKDK/p-RNF8/RAD51 axis correlates with breast cancer progression and poor patient survival. Furthermore, this work identifies a small molecule inhibitor of BCKDK, GSK180736A, that disrupts its HRR function and exhibits strong tumor suppression when combined with DNA damage-inducing drugs. Collectively, this study reveals a new role of BCKDK in regulating HRR, independent of its metabolic function, presenting it as a potential therapeutic target and predictive biomarker in breast cancer. Show less
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal loss, and neuroinflammation. It represen Show more
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal loss, and neuroinflammation. It represents a growing global health crisis. Although astrocytes contribute to neuroinflammatory cascades, their molecular regulators in AD progression remains elusive. Here, through single-cell transcriptomic analysis, we identified SerpinA3N as a disease-progressive modulator upregulated in AD astrocytes, with expression levels correlating with pathological severity. Astrocytic SerpinA3N knockdown in AD mice rescued cognitive deficits across multiple behavioral tests, and concurrently attenuated neuroinflammatory responses, as evidenced by decreased astrocytic/microglial activation and reduced cytotoxic substance release. Moreover, histopathological analyses demonstrated decreased neuronal loss and Aβ deposition following SerpinA3N knockdown. Mechanistically, we elucidated that SerpinA3N cooperated with APOE to exacerbate AD pathology through NFκB signaling activation. Our study uncovers a novel astrocyte-mediated pathogenic cascade driving AD progression and establishes SerpinA3N as a promising therapeutic target for neuroinflammation modulation in AD. Show less
Sepsis is associated with high morbidity and high mortality and has strongly motivated intense studies into its mechanisms. Antibiotics, aimed to eradicate bacteria, have some impact on the immune sys Show more
Sepsis is associated with high morbidity and high mortality and has strongly motivated intense studies into its mechanisms. Antibiotics, aimed to eradicate bacteria, have some impact on the immune system due to anti-inflammatory properties. Tigecycline, an antibiotic of the glycylcycline class, is commonly used for severe infections. This study aimed to investigate tigecycline's mechanism on the inflammatory response of sepsis to find new targets for sepsis treatment. The objective included (i) to observe the changes in inflammatory factors in LPS (lipopolysaccharide) induced septic mice after tigecycline administration, (ii) to detect the effect of tigecycline on macrophages NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) signalling. For LPS-induced sepsis in mice and intervention with tigecycline, mice were first injected with tigecycline (6.5 mg/kg) via tail vein followed by LPS (15 mg/kg). Luminex analysis was performed on 16 mediators. NF-κB signalling pathway antibody chip detected the expression of target sites in macrophages of the LPS group and tigecycline + LPS group. Tigecycline has inhibitory effects on LPS-induced inflammatory response in septic mice, decreasing the concentrations of IL (interleukin)-6, IL-27, TNF-α (tumour necrosis factor-α), TNF RII, IFN-γ (interferon-gamma), CCL5/RANTES (CC Motif Chemokine Ligand) while increasing IL-6Rα, IL-10, and TWEAK (TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis). Tigecycline downregulated phosphorylation levels of key sites JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase)1/2/3, p-p65 (s468) and p-p105/p50 (s907) in NF-κB signalling. Tigecycline may inhibit the excessive immune response induced by LPS in sepsis, which may cause a potential protective effect on the host through immune regulation. Show less
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited targeted therapies and poor clinical outcomes. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, plays a c Show more
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited targeted therapies and poor clinical outcomes. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, plays a crucial role in tumor progression, metabolic reprogramming, and immune modulation. Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulation of ferroptosis contributes to therapeutic resistance and immune escape in various cancers. MYO19, a mitochondrial trafficking protein, has recently been implicated in oxidative stress and metabolic control, but its role in ferroptosis and tumor immunity remains unclear. Meanwhile, microRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as key post-transcriptional regulators in cancer biology. Among them, hsa-miR-520a-3p has been reported to exhibit tumor-suppressive functions in several malignancies. However, the interplay between hsa-miR-520a-3p and MYO19, and their potential involvement in ferroptosis regulation and immune modulation in LUSC, has not been systematically investigated. Data were collected from TCGA, UCSC XENA, ENCORI, HPA, and UALCAN public database. Differential expression, prognostic, correlation analyses and miRNA analyses were performed using bioinformatics tools including TIMER, TISIDB, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and ENCORI. Ferroptosis-related analysis utilized Ze-Xian Liu's dataset. Functional assays, including CCK-8 viability, Transwell migration, and MDA/GSH measurements, were performed in NCI-H226 and NCI-H2170 cells after transfection with miR-520a-3p mimics/inhibitors or MYO19 knockdown/overexpression constructs. Ferroptosis sensitivity was further tested under RSL3 treatment, and ferroptosis protein markers as well as rescue experiments were analyzed by Western blotting. The result revealed that MYO19 was significantly upregulated in multiple tumor types and correlated with unfavorable prognosis. Especially in LUSC, elevated MYO19 expression was associated with advanced stage, reduced immune infiltration, and enrichment of ferroptosis-resistant transcriptional programs, whereas hsa-miR-520a-3p showed opposite patterns. Overexpression of hsa-miR-520a-3p in NCI-H226 and NCI-H2170 cells increased lipid peroxidation (MDA increased), reduced intracellular GSH, and enhanced RSL3-induced cytotoxicity, indicative of ferroptosis activation. Conversely, MYO19 knockdown elevated ACSL4 and reduced SLC7A11, changes that were partially reversed by MYO19 re-expression. These findings suggest that the hsa-miR-520a-3p/MYO19 axis is associated with ferroptosis susceptibility and may influence the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Show less
Intensive aquaculture frequently utilizes high-fat diets (HF) as a cost-effective strategy, yet this practice often induces hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation in carnivorous Show more
Intensive aquaculture frequently utilizes high-fat diets (HF) as a cost-effective strategy, yet this practice often induces hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation in carnivorous fish. Betaine, a natural methyl donor, has shown potential as a functional feed additive, but its comprehensive protective mechanisms under HF stress remain to be fully elucidated. Juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were fed one of four isonitrogenous diets for 8 weeks: a normal-fat control (Control), a high-fat diet (HF), and two high-fat diets supplemented with 0.5% (HFB0.5) or 1.0% (HFB1) betaine. Growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, serum biochemical parameters, hepatic antioxidant capacity, and the expression of genes related to antioxidant defense, lipid metabolism, and inflammation were analyzed. The HF group exhibited significantly impaired growth, digestive function, and antioxidant capacity, along with elevated lipid peroxidation, dyslipidemia, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Betaine supplementation restored growth performance and feed efficiency to control levels, ameliorated digestive enzyme activities (particularly enhancing lipase), and activated the hepatic Nrf2-Keap1 pathway, upregulating antioxidant genes (nrf2, sod1, cat, gpx, ho-1, gr) and enhancing enzyme activities. Betaine also improved serum lipid profiles, upregulated genes related to fatty acid oxidation (pparα, cpt-1) and lipolysis (lpl, hsl), suppressed lipogenic genes (srebp-1, fas), and rebalanced inflammatory cytokines by reducing tnf-α and il-1β while increasing tgf-β1 and il-10. Dietary betaine effectively counteracts HF-induced metabolic stress in M. salmoides through coordinated multi-pathway regulation. It enhances antioxidant defense, reprograms hepatic lipid metabolism toward catabolism, and restores inflammatory homeostasis. These findings underscore betaine's role as a multi-functional feed additive capable of mitigating HF-related metabolic disorders and promoting overall health in carnivorous fish aquaculture. Show less
Asthma severity assessment is essential for asthma management. Transcriptomics contributes substantially to asthma pathogenesis. Then, this study aimed to explore asthma severity-associated transcript Show more
Asthma severity assessment is essential for asthma management. Transcriptomics contributes substantially to asthma pathogenesis. Then, this study aimed to explore asthma severity-associated transcriptomics profile and promising biomarkers for asthma severity prediction. In discovery cohort, induced sputum cells from 3 non-severe and 3 severe asthma patients were collected and analyzed using RNA-seq. Multivariate analysis was performed to explore asthma severity-associated transcriptomics profile and differential expressed genes (DEGs). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) were used for pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, based on the previous study and clinical experience, the mRNA expressions of 6 overlapped asthma severity-associated DEGs and Distinct asthma severity-associated transcriptomics profile was identified in induced sputum cells in discovery cohort. Then, 345 DEGs were found, of which 38 terms and 32 pathways were enriched using GO and KEGG, respectively. In validation cohort, the mRNA expressions of Collectively, this study provides the first identification of the association between induced sputum cells transcriptomics profile and asthma severity, indicating the potential value of transcriptomics for asthma management. The study also reveals the promising value of serum C3 for predicting asthma severity in clinical practice. Show less
Studies using machine learning to identify the target characteristics and develop predictive models for coronary artery disease severity in patients with premature myocardial infarction (PMI) are limi Show more
Studies using machine learning to identify the target characteristics and develop predictive models for coronary artery disease severity in patients with premature myocardial infarction (PMI) are limited. In this observational study, 1111 PMI patients (≤55 years) at Tianjin Chest Hospital from 2017 to 2022 were selected and divided according to their SYNTAX scores into a low-risk group (≤22) and medium-high-risk group (>22). These groups were further randomly assigned to a training or test set in a ratio of 7:3. Lasso-logistic was initially used to screen out target factors. Subsequently, Lasso-logistic, random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were used to establish prediction models based on the training set. After comparing prediction performance, the best model was chosen to build a prediction system for coronary artery severity in PMI patients. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), angina, apolipoprotein B (ApoB), total bile acid (TBA), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), D-dimer, and fibrinogen (Fg) were associated with the severity of lesions. In the test set, the area under the curve (AUC) of Lasso-logistic, RF, KNN, SVM, and XGBoost were 0.792, 0.775, 0.739, 0.656, and 0.800, respectively. XGBoost showed the best prediction performance according to the AUC, accuracy, F1 score, and Brier score. In addition, we used decision curve analysis (DCA) to assess the clinical validity of the XGBoost prediction model. Finally, an online calculator based on the XGBoost was established to measure the severity of coronary artery lesions in PMI patients. In summary, we established a novel and convenient prediction system for the severity of lesions in PMI patients. This system can swiftly identify PMI patients who also have severe coronary artery lesions before the coronary intervention, thus offering valuable guidance for clinical decision-making. Show less
R-loop is a common chromatin feature consisting of a displaced single-stranded DNA and an RNA-DNA hybrid, and dysregulation of R-loop surveillance results in genomic and transcriptomic instability. Al Show more
R-loop is a common chromatin feature consisting of a displaced single-stranded DNA and an RNA-DNA hybrid, and dysregulation of R-loop surveillance results in genomic and transcriptomic instability. Although the RNA moiety of most R-loops originates from linear transcripts, circular RNAs (circRNAs), outputs from back-splicing, can also hybridize with the complementary strand of a DNA duplex. However, how circRNA-associated R-loops (ciR-loops) are monitored remains elusive. Here, we identify the DEAD-box RNA helicase Brr2 as an evolutionarily-conserved ciR-loop repressor with dual roles in inhibiting circRNA generation and resolving harmful ciR-loops. Accumulation of ciR-loops caused by loss-of-function of this dual-action factor induces antisense transcription and premature transcription termination for many genes and generates significant DNA damage, which further leads to a series of defects in DNA replication, cell division and cell proliferation. We propose that functional integration of multilayered regulation by a single protein can be an efficient double protection against genome instability. Show less
Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is the most common metabolic diseases in laying hens during the late-laying period, and it causes a significant economic burden on the poultry industry. The comp Show more
Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is the most common metabolic diseases in laying hens during the late-laying period, and it causes a significant economic burden on the poultry industry. The competing endogenous RNA plays crucial roles in the occurrence and development of fatty liver. Based on the previously constructed lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks, we selected the axis of ENSGALT00000079786-LPL-miR-143-5p for further study to elucidate its mechanistic role in development of fatty liver. In this study, we identified a novel highly conserved lncRNA (ENSGALT00000079786) in poultry, which we designated as lncRNA A2ml2 based on its chromosomal location. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that lncRNA A2ml2 was localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Dual-luciferase reporter assay validated the targeted relationship between lncRNA A2ml2, miR-143-5p, and the LPL gene. To further analyze the lncRNA A2ml2 and miR-143-5p function, lncRNA A2ml2 overexpression vector was successfully constructed and transfected into Leghorn male hepatocellular (LMH) cells, which could remarkably inhibit cellular lipid deposition was detected by oil red staining (P < 0.01), the opposite occurred for miR-143-5p (P < 0.01). qPCR demonstrated an inverse correlation between miR-143-5p expression and lncRNA A2ml2 expression, and confirmed that miR-143-5p directly target lncRNA A2ml2. Similarly, we found an inverse correlation between expression of LPL and the expression of miR-143-5p. To further investigate the interactions among these three factors and their effects on cellular lipid metabolism, we assessed the expression levels of LPL by co-transfecting lncRNA A2ml2 with miR-143-5p mimic and miR-143-5p mimic binding site mutants. Co-transfection experiments showed that miR-143-5p diminished the promoting effect of lncRNA A2ml2 on LPL. Meanwhile, miR-143-5p has the capacity to mitigate the suppressive impact of lncRNA A2ml2 overexpression on lipid accumulation in LMH cells. The results revealed that lncRNA A2ml2 attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation through negatively regulating miR-143-5p and enhancing LPL expression in LMH cells. Our findings offer novel insights into ceRNA-mediated in FLHS and identify a novel lncRNA as a potential molecular biomarker. Show less
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
Twenty types of GABAergic interneurons form intricate networks to fine-tune neural circuits in the brain. Parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) interneurons, which are the two la Show more
Twenty types of GABAergic interneurons form intricate networks to fine-tune neural circuits in the brain. Parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) interneurons, which are the two largest populations of neocortical interneurons, innervate the soma and/or proximal dendrites, and distal dendrites of pyramidal neurons, respectively. Using PV- and SST-specific knockout mouse models, we show that PV+ interneurons require FGFR2, which responds to FGF7, to drive PV+ inhibitory presynaptic maturation on perisomatic regions of Layer V pyramidal neurons. In contrast, SST+ interneurons rely on both FGFR1 and FGFR2, which respond to FGF10 or FGF22, to promote SST+ inhibitory presynaptic maturation on distal dendrites of pyramidal neurons in cortical Layer I. Mechanistically, FGF-FGFR signaling sustains VGAT protein levels in interneurons through PP2A and Akt pathways. Together, these findings demonstrate that distinct FGF ligand-receptor combinations regulate inhibitory presynaptic differentiation by PV+ and SST+ interneurons, contributing to the formation of compartment-specific synaptic patterns. Show less
Despite the well-established association between the apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 (apoB/apoA1) ratio and ischemic stroke, its specific relationship with the underlying vascular pathologies contr Show more
Despite the well-established association between the apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 (apoB/apoA1) ratio and ischemic stroke, its specific relationship with the underlying vascular pathologies contributing to stroke remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the association between the apoB/apoA1 ratio and intracranial or extracranial atherosclerosis. We enrolled 408 patients with acute ischemic stroke who had never been treated with statins or fibrates. Based on the images from computed tomography angiography (CTA), the patients were categorized into four groups: intracranial atherosclerosis stenosis (ICAS, n = 136), extracranial carotid atherosclerosis stenosis (ECAS, n = 45), combined intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis stenosis (COAS, n = 73), and non-cerebral atherosclerosis stenosis (NCAS, n = 154). Demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and serum lipid levels were collected and then compared across groups. The apoB/apoA1 ratio was significantly higher in patients with ICAS, ECAS and COAS compared to those in the NCAS group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was independently associated with ICAS, but not with ECAS. ROC curve analysis showed that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio had a good diagnostic ability for ICAS, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.764, an optimal cut-off value of 0.8122, a sensitivity of 81.3%, and a specificity of 59.8%. An higher apoB/apoA1 ratio is associated with ICAS in ischemic stroke patients. Show less
Excessive inflammation is a capital cause of scar formation and inflammation microenvironment that result in challenge of axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI). Macrophages and astrocytes Show more
Excessive inflammation is a capital cause of scar formation and inflammation microenvironment that result in challenge of axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI). Macrophages and astrocytes play important roles in the inflammatory response. Tip cells, a critical endothelial sub-population, play pivotal roles in post-injury vascular regeneration. Nevertheless, their characteristics in SCI remain poorly documented. This study based on single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and in vitro experiment, investigates the effects of tip cells on astrocytes and macrophages. For astrocytes, tip cells can recruit astrocytes to migrant, contribute to the formation of fence-like structure of astrocytes, finally inhibit the diffusion of inflammation via the Angptl4-Sdc4 ligand-receptor pathway. For macrophages, similarly through the Angptl4-Sdc4 ligand-receptor pathway, tip cells can promote macrophages to polarize more toward the M2 phenotype and inhibit their polarization toward M1 phenotype, thus alleviate the inflammatory response. Tip cells after SCI exhibit conserved ribosomal protein expression, implicating ribosome-dependent signaling in their function. These finding highlight the critical role of tip cells in microenvironment after SCI, offering a potential treatment target for SCI. Show less
Idiopathic frozen shoulder (FS) can lead to difficulties in daily activities and significantly impact the quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment can help alleviate symptoms and restore shoulde Show more
Idiopathic frozen shoulder (FS) can lead to difficulties in daily activities and significantly impact the quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment can help alleviate symptoms and restore shoulder function. Therefore, we aimed to explore the diagnostic biomarkers and potential mechanisms of FS from a transcriptomics perspective. Total RNA was extracted from tissue samples of 15 FS and 11 controls. At the outset, we conducted differential expression analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and utilized the cytoHubba plugin, complemented by two machine learning algorithms, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and expression level evaluation to identify biomarkers for FS. Subsequently, a nomogram was constructed based on the biomarkers. Additionally, we conducted enrichment and immune infiltration analyses to explore the mechanisms associated with these biomarkers. Finally, we confirmed the expression patterns of the biomarkers at the clinical level through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). This study established a link between FS biomarkers that have strong diagnostic potential and specific immune responses, highlighting possible targets for diagnosing and treating FS. Show less
At present, studies on tadpole nutrition and metabolism are scarce. This study aimed at comparing the influence of two protein sources, fishmeal (FM) and dried whole egg powder (DWEP), on tadpoles fro Show more
At present, studies on tadpole nutrition and metabolism are scarce. This study aimed at comparing the influence of two protein sources, fishmeal (FM) and dried whole egg powder (DWEP), on tadpoles from the perspective of growth, the metamorphosis rate, lipid metabolism, antioxidant properties and the intestinal flora. In this experiment, the control diet was set to contain no FM or DWEP. Based on the control diet, 5% and 10% FM or DWEP were included, respectively. The results of the experiment indicated that FM or DWEP inclusion significantly enhanced the growth performance and metamorphosis rate ( Show less
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a group of immune-mediated disorders that often lead to severe disability. The diagnosis and monitoring of NMOSD can be challenging, particularly in s Show more
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a group of immune-mediated disorders that often lead to severe disability. The diagnosis and monitoring of NMOSD can be challenging, particularly in seronegative cases, highlighting the need for reliable biomarkers to enhance clinical management. This study aimed to identify serum lipid biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of NMOSD and to assess their potential to improve clinical decision-making. We conducted a comprehensive serum proteomic analysis in a discovery cohort of NMOSD patients and controls to identify lipid-related proteins associated with NMOSD. Subsequently, we validated the candidate biomarkers in the retrospective cohort and developed diagnostic models using a random forest algorithm. The association between these lipid biomarkers and disease activity was further evaluated in longitudinal analysis. Our analysis identified a panel of serum lipid-related biomarkers that demonstrated significant differences between NMOSD patients and controls. The diagnostic models achieved the impressive accuracy of 72% for the full NMOSD spectrum, 72% for AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD, and 68% for double seronegative NMOSD. Importantly, these biomarkers showed a correlation with disease activity, with levels changing from relapse to remission. Additionally, a combination of these lipid biomarkers was found to predict relapse with the AUC of 0.861. A user-friendly smartphone application was developed to facilitate the straightforward "input-index, output-answer" screening process, enhancing both clinical decision-making and patient care. The diagnostic model based on the serum lipid-related indexes (TC, TG, LDL, HDL, ApoA1, and ApoB) may be the useful tool for NMOSD in diagnosis and monitoring of disease stage, thereby improving the treatment outcome for patients. Future studies should focus on integrating these biomarkers into routine clinical practice to realize their full potential in enhancing NMOSD management. Show less
Hongqin Li, Rong Xu, Liquan Xie+3 more · 2025 · Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research · SAGE Publications · added 2026-04-24
Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture shows potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases, but its mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Using the senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse model, Show more
Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture shows potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases, but its mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Using the senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse model, we assessed cognitive function via the Morris water maze test, hippocampal neuronal apoptosis with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining, and microglial activation through immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6] were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of SIRT2 pathway-related proteins, along with Aβ deposition, was analyzed using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The results demonstrated that Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture improved cognitive function in SAMP8 mice, reducing hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and decreasing serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, it reduced the levels of Aβ42, a more aggregation-prone and toxic Aβ subtype, in both hippocampal tissues and serum, as well as the number of CD68-positive cells in hippocampal tissues, suggesting the inhibition of amyloid pathology and neuroinflammatory. The treatment also downregulated SIRT2, BACE1, and APP-CTF while increasing RTN4B expression. Notably, Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture outperformed non-acupoint acupuncture in enhancing cognitive function and reducing inflammation. Our findings indicate that Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture alleviates cognitive deficits and neuroinflammation by suppressing the SIRT2-mediated RTN4B/BACE1 pathway, highlighting acupuncture as a promising therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Show less
To investigate the impact of obesity on brain structure and cognition using large neuroimaging and genetic data. Associations between body mass index (BMI), gray matter volume (GMV), whiter matter hyp Show more
To investigate the impact of obesity on brain structure and cognition using large neuroimaging and genetic data. Associations between body mass index (BMI), gray matter volume (GMV), whiter matter hyper-intensities (WMH), and fluid intelligence score (FIS) were estimated in 30283 participants from the UK Biobank. Longitudinal data analysis was conducted. Genome-wide association studies were applied to explore the genetic loci associations among BMI, GMV, WMH, and FIS. Mendelian Randomization analyses were applied to further estimate the effects of obesity on changes in the brain and cognition. The observational analysis revealed that BMI was negatively associated with GMV (r = -0.15, p < 1 The phenotypic and genetic association between obesity and aging brain and cognitive decline suggested that weight control could be a promising strategy for slowing the aging brain. Show less
Despite the critical role of e-Health literacy (eHL) in modern healthcare, current research predominantly concentrates on conditions such as cancer and diabetes, as well as outpatient care settings. H Show more
Despite the critical role of e-Health literacy (eHL) in modern healthcare, current research predominantly concentrates on conditions such as cancer and diabetes, as well as outpatient care settings. However, there remains a significant gap in studies specifically addressing the eHL needs of patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). This study aims to explore the latent categories of eHL among MHD patients and its impact on health-promoting lifestyle (HPL). A survey was conducted using a convenience sampling method involving 500 MHD patients from three tertiary hospitals in Baoding. Data were analyzed using latent profile analysis (LPA) and a mixed regression model. This study showed that MHD patients could be classified into low (23.17%), middle (49.78%), and high (27.05%) eHL groups, with the three-class model showing optimal fit (AIC = 2321.213, BIC = 2271.168, entropy = 0.967). MHD Patients in the high literacy group scored significantly higher in all dimensions of e-HL and overall HPL (119.58 ± 13.86) compared to those in the low literacy group (91.82 ± 11.73) (all The findings suggest a heterogeneous stratification of eHL among MHD patients, closely linked to HPL. Stratified intervention strategies should be developed for different patient groups to potentially improve their health behaviors. The study provides evidence-based support for personalized health management. Show less
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a globally recognized chronic metabolic disorder characterized by lipid metabolism abnormalities. Accumulating evidence indicates that exopolysaccha Show more
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a globally recognized chronic metabolic disorder characterized by lipid metabolism abnormalities. Accumulating evidence indicates that exopolysaccharides (EPS) could modulate the gut microbiota structure and function to prevent and treat MAFLD. Herein, a novel EPS designated BVP1 was isolated from Bacillus velezensis CGMCC 24752. Structural analysis revealed that BVP1 is a neutral α-mannan consisting of a backbone of 1,2,6-linked α-D-Manp, with branches composed of T-linked α-D-Manp, 1,2-linked α-D-Manp, and 1,3-linked α-D-Manp. Animal experiments showed that BVP1 significantly alleviated hepatic steatosis, liver injury and inflammation, and enhanced antioxidant activity in MAFLD mice. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing analysis revealed that BVP1 could restore HFD-induced imbalances in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, macrophages and Kupffer cells by upregulating the expression of the lipid degradation gene Cps1 and downregulating the expression of the lipid synthesis gene Acsl1 in these cell subpopulations. Interestingly, BVP1 reshaped the gut microbiota and fecal metabolite profile by enriching beneficial bacteria and associated metabolites including salicylic acid, spermidine, and 4-hydroxyphenyl acetate. Fecal microbiota transplantation experiments verified that the anti-MAFLD effects are mediated by the BVP1-modified gut microbiota. Our findings highlight the potential of BVP1 as a promising therapeutic agent for MAFLD treatment. Show less
To explore the correlation between different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution types and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in patients with hyperuricemia (HUA) and to investigate the relationships Show more
To explore the correlation between different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution types and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in patients with hyperuricemia (HUA) and to investigate the relationships between TCM constitutions, uric acid levels, and various cardiovascular risk factors. A cross-sectional study involving 683 patients diagnosed with HUA was conducted. Patients' TCM constitutions were classified using the standardise "Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution" questionnaire. Serum uric acid (UA), lipid profiles, ApoB, and homocysteine (Hcy) levels were measured. Among 683 HUA patients, phlegm-dampness (22.99% ) and damp-heat constitution (20.06% ) were the most common TCM constitution types. UA, ApoB, and Hcy levels in patients with phlegm-damp constitution were significantly higher than those in other constitutions (P< 0.05). UA levels were negatively correlated with HDL-C (r=-0.472, P= 0.027) and positively correlated with ApoB (r= 0.618, P= 0.012) and Hcy (r= 0.492, P= 0.018). Phlegm-damp and damp-heat constitutions are the most common TCM constitution types in HUA patients and are associated with higher levels of UA, ApoB, and Hcy. These constitutional types are independently associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Show less
Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is a novel enteric coronavirus that causes severe clinical diarrhea and intestinal pathological injury in pigs. Selective autophagy is an important Show more
Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is a novel enteric coronavirus that causes severe clinical diarrhea and intestinal pathological injury in pigs. Selective autophagy is an important mechanism of host defense against virus invasion. However, the mechanism through which SADS-CoV-mediated selective autophagy mediates the innate immune response remains unknown. Here, we report that the host protein PABPC4 can inhibit SADS-CoV replication through targeting and degrading its N protein. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PABPC4 recruits MARCHF8 (an E3 ubiquitin ligase), which ubiquitinates the N protein and is degraded via NDP52/CALCOCO2 (a selective autophagy cargo receptor). Taken together, these findings reveal a new mechanism by which PABPC4 inhibits virus replication, and reveal a new target for antiviral drug development. Show less
Genomic structural variants (SVs) are a major source of genetic diversity in humans. Here, through long-read sequencing of 945 Han Chinese genomes, we identify 111,288 SVs, including 24.56% unreported Show more
Genomic structural variants (SVs) are a major source of genetic diversity in humans. Here, through long-read sequencing of 945 Han Chinese genomes, we identify 111,288 SVs, including 24.56% unreported variants, many with predicted functional importance. By integrating human population-level phenotypic and multi-omics data as well as two humanized mouse models, we demonstrate the causal roles of two SVs: one SV that emerges at the common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans in GSDMD for bone mineral density and one modern-human-specific SV in WWP2 impacting height, weight, fat, craniofacial phenotypes and immunity. Our results suggest that the GSDMD SV could serve as a rapid and cost-effective biomarker for assessing the risk of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. The functional conservation from human to mouse and widespread signals of positive natural selection suggest that both SVs likely influence local adaptation, phenotypic diversity, and disease susceptibility across diverse human populations. Show less
The remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and drug resistance. However, the compositional patterns of ECM in breast cancer and their underlying biologi Show more
The remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and drug resistance. However, the compositional patterns of ECM in breast cancer and their underlying biological functions remain elusive. Transcriptome and genome data of breast cancer patients from TCGA database was downloaded. Patients were classified into different clusters by using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) based on signatures of ECM components and regulators. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify core genes related to ECM clusters. Additional 10 independent public cohorts including Metabric, SCAN_B, GSE12276, GSE16446, GSE19615, GSE20685, GSE21653, GSE58644, GSE58812, and GSE88770 were collected to construct Training or Testing cohort, following machine learning calculating ECM correlated index (ECI) for survival analysis. Pathway enrichment and correlation analysis were used to explore the relationship among ECM clusters, ECI and TME. Single-cell transcriptome data from GSE161529 was processed for uncovering the differences among ECM clusters. Using NMF, we identified three ECM clusters in the TCGA database: C1 (Neuron), C2 (ECM), and C3 (Immune). Subsequently, WGCNA was employed to pinpoint cluster-specific genes and develop a prognostic model. This model demonstrated robust predictive power for breast cancer patient survival in both the Training cohort (n = 5,392, AUC = 0.861) and the Testing cohort (n = 1,344, AUC = 0.711). Upon analyzing the tumor microenvironment (TME), we discovered that fibroblasts and B cell lineage were the core cell types associated with the ECM cluster phenotypes. Single-cell RNA sequencing data further revealed that angiopoietin like 4 (ANGPTL4) We identified distinct ECM clusters in breast cancer patients, irrespective of molecular subtypes. Additionally, we constructed an effective prognostic model based on these ECM clusters and recognized ANGPTL4 Show less