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Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental disorder with limited treatment options. Curcumin, a natural compound with neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, has shown potential antidepressant effects, though the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of curcumin in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced rat model of depression. Behavioral assessments, including the sucrose preference test, forced swim test, and open field test, demonstrated that curcumin (50 and 100 mg/kg, orally administered for 21 days) alleviated CUMS-induced anhedonia, behavioral despair, and anxiety-like behaviors, in a dose-dependent manner, with the 100 mg/kg dose exhibiting superior efficacy. Metabolomic profiling of the prefrontal cortex revealed significant metabolic disturbances in CUMS rats, particularly in starch and sucrose metabolism, which were progressively restored by curcumin. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted modulation of neuroinflammation, bioenergetic homeostasis, and signal transduction pathways as key biological processes associated with curcumin's effects. Integrated multi-omics and machine learning approaches identified the MAPK signaling pathway as a central regulatory node. qPCR validation confirmed that curcumin normalized the expression of key MAPK-related genes, including BDNF, EGFR, ERK2, JUN, RAF1, and TNF, with high-dose curcumin consistently showing the most pronounced therapeutic effects. Our findings demonstrate that curcumin exerts potent antidepressant effects through multi-target mechanisms involving metabolic reprogramming and coordinated regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway. This study provides novel mechanistic insights into curcumin's polypharmacological actions, supporting its potential as a multi-modal therapeutic agent for depression by simultaneously modulating neurotrophic support, inflammatory responses, and intracellular signaling cascades. Show less

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a disorder of dysregulated neuroimmune connectivity rather than isolated proteinopathy. The immuno-glial connectome, the dynamic interplay between microglia, astrocytes, and peripheral immune systems, constitutes a central driver of disease initiation and progression. Emerging single-cell and spatial transcriptomic studies reveal heterogeneous glial subpopulations with context-dependent transcriptional programs governed by TREM2–APOE, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. These networks converge to sustain chronic inflammation, impair amyloid-β clearance, and accelerate tau pathology. Complement dysregulation (C1q–C3 axis) further promotes aberrant synaptic pruning, while cytokine feedback loops involving IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ amplify neurotoxicity. Beyond the brain, peripheral immune cells, monocytes, macrophages, T and B lymphocytes, and neutrophils breach the compromised blood–brain barrier (BBB), perpetuating inflammatory cascades. Parallelly, gut dysbiosis and microbial metabolites modulate microglial reactivity via the gut–brain axis (GBA), linking systemic inflammation to central immune activation. Recent advances in plasma and cerebrospinal biomarkers (GFAP, sTREM2, YKL-40, and neurofilament light chain) enable in vivo tracking of neuroinflammatory dynamics, bridging mechanistic research with clinical translation. Therapeutic strategies targeting the immuno-glial interface, including selective NLRP3 inhibitors, TREM2 agonists, anti-cytokine biologics, and microbiome modulation, are reshaping the therapeutic landscape. Framed through the concept of an immune–glial connectome, this review synthesizes how coordinated interactions among microglia, astrocytes, and peripheral immune cells converge to drive synaptic dysfunction, circuit-level disintegration, and cognitive decline in neurodegenerative disease, particularly in AD. An immuno-glial network in AD, where central glia, peripheral immune cells, and the gut–brain axis interact through cytokines, oxidative stress, and barrier dysfunction. These interrelated pathways amplify inflammation via NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and NLRP3 signaling, linking immune dysregulation to neurodegeneration. [Image: see text] Show less

Thyroid hormones (THs) and estrogen (E2) play essential roles in neuronal differentiation and plasticity during brain development. S-equol, a plant-derived isoflavone metabolite, is a selective E2 receptor (ER) ligand that exhibits neurotrophic effects; however, its interaction with TH receptor (TR) signaling remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of S-equol on TR Show less

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is more prevalent in women, with a female-to-male ratio of 3:1. The molecular mechanisms driving this sex difference are still mostly unknown. MS results from immune dysfunction, with an imbalance in effector and regulatory T cells. Among the latter, Type I regulatory T cells (Tr1) are dysfunctional in people with MS (pwMS), secreting less IL-10, a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, than in healthy donors. Our objectives were to explore the effect of biological sex on Tr1 cell differentiation in healthy donors and pwMS. CD4 We found that healthy female Tr1 cells produce less IL-10 than male cells (16 women and 16 men, 18-45 years old, We demonstrate that sex influences IL-10 production by Tr1 cells via the PI3K pathway, potentially contributing to the greater susceptibility of women to MS. Furthermore, our data suggest that targeting PI3Kδ may represent a novel therapeutic strategy to boost IL-10 production in female pwMS. Show less

Facial nerve injury (FNI) is a common peripheral neuropathy that severely impairs facial function and quality of life. Qianzheng Powder (QZP) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula used to treat facial paralysis clinically, yet its neuroprotective mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of QZP on FNI and potential underlying mechanisms. A FNI model was established in male C57BL/6 mice by performing facial nerve crush surgery. QZP (3.51 g/kg) was administered orally once daily for 14 days post-surgery. Facial function was assessed behaviorally. Tissue samples were collected on day 21 for histological evaluation, qPCR and Western blotting. Liver and kidney safety were also assessed via H&E staining and serum biochemical markers. QZP significantly improved facial motor function from day 7 post-injury. Additionally, QZP treatment mitigated neuronal loss in the facial motor nucleus, attenuated buccinator muscle atrophy, and enhanced myelin regeneration, as evidenced by increased MPZ and MBP expression. These were consistent with the increace of the BDNF, TrkB, and QZP promotes structural and functional recovery of facial nerve following injury, likely through activation of the BDNF/TrkB/CREB axis, and demonstrates a favorable safety profile. These findings support its potential as a therapeutic adjunct in peripheral nerve repair. Show less

Given the complexity of dementia, the inconsistent evidence on statins and dementia highlights the need for robust methods to assess heterogeneous treatment effects (HTEs). We emulated a target trial using UK Biobank comparing statin initiators and non-initiators aged ≥55 years. Marginal structural models were fitted to estimate 5-year adjusted risk difference (aRD). We used iterative causal forest, a causal machine learning subgrouping algorithm, to identify subgroups with HTEs. Among 18,366 participants, the overall aRD for all-cause dementia was -1.0‰ (95% CI: -4.2‰ to 2.3‰). We identified subgroups by polygenic risk score for Alzheimer's disease (AD) excluding apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype ("non-APOE PRS"). Participants with high non-APOE PRS showed cognitive benefit (all-cause dementia: aRD -5.9‰, 95% CI: -8.1‰ to 1.2‰; AD: aRD -5.0‰, 95% CI: -8.2‰ to -0.2‰). Participants with high non-APOE PRS may benefit from statins, suggesting genetic susceptibility beyond APOE could modify statins' cognitive effects. Show less

Early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in cognitively unimpaired individuals is critical for preclinical intervention. Plasma biomarkers, especially phosphorylated tau217 (p-tau217), are promising predictors of amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation. In this cohort study, we analyzed data from cognitively unimpaired older adults in the A4 and LEARN studies (n=1,407), comprising 452 participants with Aβ positron emission tomography (PET)-negative status and 955 participants with Aβ PET-positive status. We evaluated the accuracy of plasma biomarkers (p-tau217, p-tau181, Aβ42/40 ratio, and others) in predicting Aβ PET positivity using receiver operating characteristic analysis, comparing models with biomarkers alone versus those combined with covariates (age, sex, apolipoprotein E [APOE] ε4 genotype). Plasma p-tau217 showed the strongest individual association with Aβ PET status (area under the curve [AUC] 0.85). A combined model integrating p-tau217, p-tau181, Aβ42, age, sex, and APOE ε4 achieved the highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.87), significantly outperforming individual biomarkers. Plasma p-tau217, particularly when combined with other biomarkers and clinical covariates, provides a robust method for predicting Aβ PET positivity in cognitively unimpaired older adults. This biomarker profile could enhance preclinical trial screening by identifying individuals likely to harbor Aβ pathology, potentially reducing the need for confirmatory PET scans. Show less

Most cancer cells rely on aerobic glycolysis to support uncontrolled proliferation and evade apoptosis and switch to glutamine metabolism to survive under hypoxic conditions. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the Wnt/β-catenin pathway acts as a critical driver of metabolic reprogramming and stemness, primarily by enhancing aerobic glycolysis and altering the tumour microenvironment. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway induces activation of enzymes required for glucose metabolism and regulates the expression of glutamate transporter and glutamine synthetase. The objective of this study is to examine the mechanism by which riluzole inhibits HCC growth and induces autophagy. The results indicate that riluzole inhibits cell viability and colony formation of HCC cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs) and induces apoptosis, while sparing human normal hepatocytes. Riluzole induces autophagic cell death by inducing Beclin1 and Atg5. Riluzole inhibits β-catenin, Wnt3a, Wnt5a, Axin1, TCF, LEF and GSK3β expression, and TCF/LEF activity in HCC cells. Inhibition of the Wnt-β-catenin/TCF-LEF pathway by riluzole suppresses the expression of Cyclin D1, Axin2, cMyc, MCT1 and DNMT1. Riluzole inhibits the expression of Glut1 and Glut3, PDK1, LDHA and PKM2, glucose uptake and NAD+ levels. Furthermore, riluzole inhibits glutamate release, which reduces the antioxidant glutathione, leading to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). Riluzole disrupts mitochondrial homeostasis by increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, resulting in a drop of mitochondrial membrane potential. In conclusion, riluzole inhibits HCC growth by regulating glucose and glutamine metabolism and inducing autophagic cell death, thereby highlighting its therapeutic potential for HCC treatment. Show less

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) due to recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is a common cause of dysphonia. No biotherapeutic injectable exists that directs laryngeal reinnervation after RLN injury. Placental-derived connective tissue matrix (pd-CTM) could fill this need, as it contains a plethora of cytokines with potential UVFP therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to identify and quantify the factors in a commercially available pd-CTM (CTM Flow, CTM Biomedical, Lake Worth, Florida) and to study the effects of pd-CTM on vocal fold microenvironment and glottic function in a mouse model of unilateral RLN injury. Cytokine expression (ng/mL) in pd-CTM was characterized using a cytokine array and ELISA. In a separate experiment, C57/BL6 mice were divided into three groups: uninjured negative controls (n = 12), RLN transection with ipsilateral saline thyroarytenoid (TA) injection (n = 16), and RLN transection with ipsilateral pd-CTM TA injection. Outcomes included laryngeal electromyography (L-EMG) and video laryngoscopy after 7 and 28 days, with larynges then harvested and analyzed via immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qPCR. pd-CTM characterization showed moderate-to-high levels of neurotrophic (BDNF, CNTF, GDNF, NTF-3), angiogenic (Angiogenin, VEGF-D), tissue remodeling (bFGF, IGF-1, HGF, TGF-β3), and anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10, IL-1Rα). L-EMG demonstrated increased mean normalized area under the curve ratio in pd-CTM treated mice compared to saline treated mice at the 28-day time point indicating reinnervation (p < 0.001). IHC detected innervated neuromuscular junctions 28 days after pd-CTM treatment. pd-CTM may be a novel treatment option for patients with UVFP based on the neurotrophic, angiogenic, tissue remodeling, and anti-inflammatory factors present. NA. Show less

Vascular calcification represents a significant clinical challenge, leading to cardiovascular disease, though its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent studies indicate that Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a key element of innate immunity, plays a pathogenic role in vascular inflammation and atherogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that TLR9 signaling promotes vascular chondrogenesis and calcification. We compared apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE Show less

Early diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is crucial to improve long-term outcomes. FH diagnosis relies on elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, familial clinical characteristics, and identification of pathogenic variants in FH-related genes. Secondary factors, such as overweight and obesity, are known to influence lipid profiles in the general population. More recently, polygenic risk scores based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been proposed as additional determinants of LDL-C levels. We enrolled 214 pediatric subjects with LDL-C levels ≥95th percentile (after 6 months of dietary intervention) and with at least one parent with LDL-C levels ≥ 95th percentile. All participants underwent biochemical and auxological assessment and genetic testing for FH. In a subgroup of 60 subjects, LDL-C polygenic scores based on 6- and 12-SNPs were calculated. Pathogenic variants confirming heterozygous FH were identified in 190 subjects (variant-positive, V+); 17 were variant-negative (V-), yielding a mutation detection rate of 91.8%. An additional seven patients carrying variants of uncertain significance were excluded from the primary analysis. LDL-C was modestly higher in V+ than V- subjects using both Friedewald (212 vs. 188 mg/dL; In children selected by LDL-C ≥ 95th percentile, together with autosomal dominant familial hypercholesterolemia, genetic confirmation of FH is achieved in the vast majority of cases. Variant type (null vs. defective), BMI, and polygenic background contribute to phenotypic heterogeneity, supporting the need to address other factors alongside genetic diagnosis. Further validation is needed before polygenic scores can be implemented in routine clinical practice. Show less

Early and accurate detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential for timely intervention and development of disease-modifying treatments. The DZNE-Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study (DELCODE) provides a deeply phenotyped cohort covering preclinical and early clinical stages, including subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Astrocyte reactivity and its biomarkers, particularly glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), have gained increasing attention in AD research; however, the relationship between GFAP and amyloid in early disease, as well as its potential prognostic value beyond its association with amyloid status, remains insufficiently understood. To evaluate the performance of CSF and plasma GFAP across early disease stages, compare these measures according to amyloid status, and assess the prognostic value of GFAP for clinical progression across diagnostic stages during longitudinal follow-up. This study used data from the multicenter DELCODE cohort in Germany, including participants with available plasma and/or CSF samples and standardized clinical, cognitive, imaging, and biomarker assessments. GFAP concentrations in plasma and CSF were quantified using validated immunoassay platforms. Standard CSF AD biomarkers and ApoE genotype were measured using established assays. Amyloid status was defined by the CSF Aβ42/40 ratio. Longitudinal follow-up occurred annually for up to ∼10 years, with clinical conversion determined according to NIA-AA criteria. Plasma and CSF GFAP increased across the AD continuum, with higher levels in MCI and AD (p < 0.001). Plasma GFAP showed a stronger association with amyloid status than CSF GFAP across all groups. In MCI, plasma GFAP combined with age and ApoE4 yielded an AUC of 0.87. Elevated plasma GFAP predicted increased risk of conversion to MCI (HR = 2.19, p < 0.001; adjusted HR = 1.70, p = 0.0056) and AD dementia (HR = 3.5; adjusted HR = 2.49 both p < 0.001). Plasma GFAP is a sensitive, minimally invasive biomarker with diagnostic relevance for amyloid detection and prognostic relevance for clinical progression in early AD. Show less

Apolipoproteins (APOs) are essentially structural and functional components of lipoproteins, which are composed of 22 members and their effects on certain types of cancer have been studied. However, their roles in endometrial cancer (EC), which is one of the most common malignant tumors in gynecology were unclear and rarely investigated. We investigated the expression levels of APOs genes in EC. Furthermore, we explored the roles of APOs in prognostic value, and immune infiltrates in EC patients by using different bioinformatics databases. Nine APO genes (APOC1, APOC2, APOC4, APOD, APOE, APOL3, APOL4, APOLD1, and APOO) were found differently expressed between EC and control tissues by the GEPIA2. However, APOC4 was not included in the subsequent analysis due to its low expression in EC tissues. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of APOs were found correlated with the clinicopathological characteristics of EC, including stage, grade, molecular subgroups, p53 mutant conditions, PTEN mutant conditions, and expression levels of ESR1 and ESR2. Meanwhile higher expression levels of APOs were significantly correlated with better (APOD, APOL3) or poorer (APOC1, APOE, APOLD1) OS. ssGSEA showed 7 TILs in EC which differed significantly from those in adjacent noncancerous tissues were correlated with prognosis of EC patients. The expression levels of both APOD and APOE were positively correlated with all 7 TILs. Finally, western blotting showed that 17β-estradiol (E2) increased APOE protein expression level and reduced APOD protein expression level. Furthermore, APOE was identified to promote the cell migration by scratch assay. The expression of APOs may be a promising prognostic biomarker and is associated with immune invasion as a potential target for endometrial cancer. Show less

Affective disorders, such as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, represent a major global health burden, with current treatments proving inadequate for a substantial proportion of patients. Emerging research highlights the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis as a crucial bidirectional communication system influencing brain function and neuroplasticity through neural, endocrine, immune, and metabolic pathways. This narrative review examines probiotics-live beneficial microorganisms-as modulators of adult neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, two processes fundamentally implicated in the pathophysiology of affective disorders. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that specific strains, particularly from the Show less

The genetic influences on normal aortic valve function and their impact on aortic stenosis risk are of substantial interest. We used deep learning to measure peak velocity, mean gradient and aortic valve area from magnetic resonance imaging and conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 59,571 participants in the UK Biobank. Incorporating the aortic valve measurement GWAS with aortic stenosis GWAS using multitrait analysis of GWAS (MTAG), we identified 166 distinct loci (134 with aortic valve traits, 134 with aortic stenosis and 166 unique loci across all GWAS), including PCSK9 and LDLR. The MTAG aortic stenosis PGS was associated with aortic stenosis in All of Us (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.32 for top 5% versus all others, P = 8.8 × 10 Show less

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder with a high incidence of anxiety and depression. However, the underlying mechanisms of these symptoms remain to be fully elucidated. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of a 20% ethanolic extract of Show less

Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology may begin decades before symptoms. Genetic factors, such as APOE ε4 carrier status and polygenic risk scores (PRS), influence AD risk, but their roles in cognitive decline among Asian populations remain unclear. To evaluate whether APOE ε4 carrier status and a non-APOE polygenic risk score (PRS_ADnapoe) are associated with age-related cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. This prospective cohort study used data from 2 assessment waves of the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan, spanning 2009 to 2019. Participants were aged 55 years and older and had both genetic data and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Data analyses were conducted from August to December 2025. APOE ε4 carrier status (noncarrier, heterozygote, homozygote) and PRS_ADnapoe score, derived from genome-wide association summary statistics excluding APOE variants. The primary outcome was change in MMSE scores, which were assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally, modeled with mixed-effects regression accounting for age-related effects and covariates including sex, education, smoking, and population structure. Among 4392 participants (mean [SD] age, 68.2 [7.8] years; 2359 [53.7%] women), 723 (16.5%) were APOE ε4 heterozygotes and 33 (0.8%) were APOE ε4 homozygotes. Over a mean (SD) follow-up of 6.3 (0.9) years, the mean (SD) annual MMSE decline was -0.2 (0.5). APOE ε4 carriage was associated with a significantly steeper quadratic age-associated decline in MMSE scores compared with noncarriers (estimate, -0.005; SE, 0.001; P = .001). This association was strongest among homozygotes (estimate, -0.017; SE, 0.008; P = .03), with MMSE trajectories diverging after approximately age 70 years. In contrast, PRS_ADnapoe scores were not associated with MMSE decline. Sensitivity analyses restricted to participants with 2-wave data and adjusted with inverse probability of censoring weighting confirmed these findings. In this cohort study of middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan, APOE ε4 carriage, particularly homozygosity, was associated with accelerated age-related cognitive decline detectable after age 70 years, whereas non-APOE polygenic risk was not associated with cognitive decline over the current follow-up. These results highlight the potential utility of early genetic risk awareness and support consideration of targeted preventive strategies for APOE ε4 carriers. Show less

Scientific evidence supports the role of the autotaxin-lysophosphatidic acid (ATX-LPA) pathway in obesity and liver damage. The present study aim is to investigate variations in serum ATX and LPA levels across different BMI categories in a subcohort of subjects with MASLD. The study sample comprises 199 patients with liver steatosis from the most recent follow-up of the MICOL study, a prospective cohort study established in 1985, based on a random sample of the population of Castellana Grotte. In adjusted model, a positive association of BMI with ATX was observed when modeled as both a continuous (β = 0.018, Show less

BackgroundFunctional independence is crucial for healthy aging, and its loss is a diagnostic criterion for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, functional impairment (FI) can emerge before dementia diagnosis. Early and accurate characterization of FI may help identify individuals at elevated risk of cognitive decline and dementia.ObjectiveExploring the utility of capturing persistent versus impersistent FI, to identify a higher-risk group for incident cognitive decline and dementia.MethodData from 11,793 cognitively normal (CN) older adults from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis identified four Functional Activities Questionnaire items-preparing hot drinks, preparing balanced meals, shopping, and traveling-representing primarily functional abilities. An FI composite score was calculated as the sum of these items. Persistent FI was operationalized as FI present (composite score ≥ 2) at more than two-thirds of all visits prior to cognitive decline and dementia. Comparator groups were impersistent/transient FI and no FI. Time-dependent covariate Cox models compared incidence of cognitive decline and dementia across time-dependent FI groups, adjusted for demographics, Show less

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease driven significantly by metabolic reprogramming (MR). However, the core MR-related genes and their specific functions in AS remain incompletely understood, thus creating an urgent need for reliable diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers. Two AS-related microarray datasets (GSE100927 and GSE28829) were integrated and normalized. Differential expression analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were intersected with an MR-related gene set to obtain MR-related DEGs (MRDEGs). Functional enrichment analyses-including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses-were conducted. Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was combined with multiple machine learning algorithms to screen for hub genes. These candidate genes were further validated using an external dataset (GSE43292) and evaluated via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Additionally, a multi-gene diagnostic model was constructed and assessed using both nomogram and SHAP analysis. Single-gene Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) elucidated the biological functions of core genes. Immune infiltration and single-cell analyses investigated microenvironment remodeling. Moreover, transcription factor (TF) prediction via hTFtarget, integrated with transcriptome sequencing of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), identify upstream regulators. Finally, Experimental validation was performed in ApoE We identified 57 MRDEGs and selected four core genes-LYN, FABP5, MMP9, and ANPEP-which demonstrated high diagnostic value. The multi-gene model showed strong clinical predictive performance. GSEA further revealed significant involvement of these genes in immune-inflammatory pathways. Immune infiltration and single-cell analyses confirmed substantial immune microenvironment remodeling and altered cell-cell communication. EGR1 was identified as a key upstream transcription factor. Ultimately, Experimental validation in ApoE This study identifies LYN, FABP5, MMP9, and ANPEP as core MR-related genes in AS, clarifies their roles in immune microenvironment regulation, and confirms their value as diagnostic biomarkers, thereby providing new insights for precise diagnosis and targeted therapy of AS. Show less

Non-fasting blood lipid indexes and Cystatin C (CysC) are related to coronary artery stenosis, while the predictive value of their combination is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the ability of their combination to predict the degree of coronary artery stenosis. Totally, 194 patients who underwent coronary angiography were included. Data on non-fasting blood lipid indexes, including triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1), and ApoB/ApoA1, as well as CysC were collected. A degree of coronary artery stenosis ≥ 70% was considered as severe coronary artery stenosis. There were 101 (52.1%) patients with severe coronary artery stenosis. HDL-C ( Non-fasting blood lipid indexes and CysC are associated with severe coronary artery stenosis in patients who undergo coronary angiography, and the combination of ApoB/ApoA1 and CysC is enough to show a promising predictive value for predicting severe coronary artery stenosis. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13019-026-03855-x. Show less

Pathogenic variants in five established leptin-melanocortin pathway genes (LEP, LEPR, MC4R, PCSK1, POMC) are associated with severe early-onset obesity and are targets for emerging treatments. However, these variants are rare in these patients, suggesting the involvement of additional genes interacting with this pathway. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis was performed in 395 patients with severe obesity, including 213 children (mean BMI: 56.3 kg/m Pathogenic heterozygous variants were identified in 34 patients (8.6%), 18 of them harboring pathogenic variants in the 15 additional genes. In adults, early-onset obesity was more frequent in potentially pathogenic variants carriers than in non-carriers (83.3% vs. 55.0%, p = 0.04). No differences were observed in the other phenotypic characteristics. This supports the relevance of expanded genetic testing in severe obesity. Early-onset obesity remains a key clinical feature to guide genetic investigation and identify patients who may benefit from early personalized care and targeted treatments. Show less