Cancer persists as a leading global cause of mortality. Within this complex landscape, transcription factors (TFs) are pivotal drivers, orchestrating tumor cell phenotypic plasticity and remodeling the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through downstream gene regulation. Beyond its established roles in embryonic development and angiogenesis, the SOX (SRY-related HMG-box) family member SOX18 has now been implicated as a critical oncogenic player. Mounting evidence reveals SOX18 overexpression across diverse malignancies, where it actively drives key malignant hallmarks including tumor initiation, metastatic progression, and immune evasion. This review synthesizes the latest advances elucidating the multifaceted roles of SOX18 in cancer pathogenesis. Our aim is to highlight SOX18’s potential as a novel therapeutic target and guide the development of innovative intervention strategies to optimize clinical cancer management.

[18F]-Organotrifluoroborate salts are important radioprosthetic groups for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. However, their application is hindered by hydrolytic instability in vivo. Several water-tolerant trifluoroborate scaffolds have been developed, but their multistep syntheses restrict structural diversity. Consequently, access to water-stable organotrifluoroborates with broad structural and physicochemical variation remains a challenge. Herein, a library of water-stable trifluoroborate reagents for PET tracer preparation has been developed. The reagents feature one-step synthesis, structural diversity, and high stability under aqueous conditions. The hydrolysis-resistant feature of the reagents enables the preparation of PET tracer precursors in water. Facile 18F-19F isotope exchange reactions facilitate the preparation of diverse PET tracers with pyridinium [18F]-BF3 prosthetic groups.

Persistent inflammation impedes peripheral nerve regeneration, in which infiltrating macrophages play pivotal roles by regulating the M1/M2 phenotypic balance. M2 macrophages facilitate repair, yet factors driving M1-to-M2 transition remain unclear. Lactate, a key metabolic byproduct in injured tissue, dynamically regulates microenvironmental signaling. Here, we observed a correlation between M2 macrophage accumulation and lactate elevation within 5 days post-sciatic nerve injury. In vitro, both Schwann cells and macrophages were identified as important lactate producers. In vivo, low-dose lactate (10-20 mM) enhanced M2 polarization and accelerated regeneration, whereas high-dose lactate (50 mM) showed no benefit. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 10 mM lactate upregulated M2 markers (arginase 1 (Arg1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-related genes in M1 macrophages. Seahorse analysis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) quantification confirmed lactate-driven OXPHOS activation. Conversely, 50 mM lactate induced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential which may explain its lack of regenerative efficacy. Furthermore, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (Cebpb), a transcription factor can promote Arg1 and VEGF expression in M1 cells under 20 mM lactate. Our findings demonstrate that low-dose lactate promotes M1-to-M2 transition via OXPHOS metabolic reprogramming and Cebpb upregulation, whereas excessive lactate disrupts mitochondrial function. This highlights lactate concentration-dependent modulation of macrophage polarization, a finding that provides insights into metabolic regulation of inflammatory responses during nerve repair. The current data, which focus on macrophage polarization outcomes, support further investigation into whether targeting metabolic rewiring could optimize regenerative microenvironments for functional nerve regeneration.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the metabolic characteristics of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in myeloid leukemia by in vitro culture of myeloid leukemia cells and construction of tumor-bearing nude mouse model. METHODS:U937, THP-1, HL60 and K562 cells were cultured in vitro. The cells in logarithmic growth phase (l×10 5 cells/well) were added with 18F-FDG, and the uptake rate of 18F-FDG was measured at 15, 30, 60 and 120 min after addation, respectively. The four kinds of cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the hind limbs of nude mice to establish a tumor-bearing nude mouse model. When the tumor size was about 500 mm3, 18F-FDG was injected through the tail vein of the mice, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography was performed at 60 min after injection. The morphology of tumor-bearing cells was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining in serial pathological sections. RESULTS:After co-incubation with 18F-FDG, the 18F-FDG uptake rates of U937 cells were significantly higher than THP-1, HL60 and K562 cells at 4 time points (all P <0.05), and THP-1 cells were higher than K562 cells (all P <0.05). The uptake rate of 18F-FDG by leukemia cells was rapid in the first 60 min, then tended to be stable. Pathological analysis showed that subcutaneous inoculation of U937, THP-1, HL60 and K562 cells could successfully establish tumor-bearing nude mouse models of myeloid leukemia. The 18F-FDG uptake value in U937 tumor-bearing nude mice was significantly higher than THP-1, HL60 and K562 tumor-bearing nude mice (all P <0.01). The 18F-FDG uptake values in THP-1 and HL60 tumor-bearing nude mice were significantly higher than that in K562 tumor-bearing nude mice (both P <0.01). CONCLUSION:The tumor-bearing nude mouse model of myeloid leukemia can be successfully constructed by subcutaneous inoculation. The 18F-FDG uptake rate of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells is higher in cells cultured in vitro and tumor-bearing nude mouse model. 18F-FDG may have better clinical application value for AML.

A 64-year-old female presenting with multiple cystic lesions in bilateral parotid glands was clinically considered to be benign. The surgically resected specimen revealed that the lesions met the diagnostic criteria of lymphoepithelial cysts (LECs). What's unique is that Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) were identified in the LECs by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and molecular test. The inconspicuous LCH cells distributed along and mimicked the epithelial lining of cyst walls and were possibly to be missed in diagnosis. To date, there has no documented report of primary LCH originating within LECs. This study presents for the first time of a unique growth pattern. In addition, we reviewed published articles and attempt to make tentative discussion on pathogenesis.

Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) as an effectual therapy can activate the function of exosomes to a certain extent. Here, we attempted to examine the role of CSWT in exosome released from ischemic cardiomyocytes and its function in myocardial ischemia recovery. The exosomes derived from OGD/R-treated H9c2 (H9c2-OGD/R-Exo) and CSWT-treated OGD/R-stimulated H9c2 (CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo) were performed with small RNA sequencing to determine miRNAs that differentially expressed. After miR-98-5p inhibitor transfection, H9c2 were subjected to OGD/R and co-cultured with CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo, the cell viability, LDH and cell apoptosis were assessed. The transfected HUVECs were co-cultured with CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo, then HUVECs viability, angiogenesis, migration and invasion were assessed. The luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to prove the targeting relation between miR-98-5p and FOXN3. miR-98-5p was highly enriched in CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo in compared with H9c2-OGD/R-Exo. CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo could improve cell viability, inhibit LDH and cell apoptosis. And miR-98-5p released by CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo promoted HUVECs viability, angiogenesis, migration and invasion. Further FOXN3 was defined as the downstream target gene of miR-98-5p, and miR-98-5p overexpression decreased FOXN3 expression in HUVECs. Besides, the suppression effects of miR-98-5p inhibitor on HUVECs proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis was partly blunted by FOXN3 silencing. miR-98-5p released from CSWT-H9c2-OGD/R-Exo promoted HUVECs proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis through directly targeting and suppressing FOXN3 expression.

This study aimed to investigate whether human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs)-derived small extracellular vesicles (P-sEVs) can improve the periodontal inflammatory microenvironment and promote periodontal tissue regeneration by regulating macrophage pyroptosis. The expression of the GSDMD and CD68 were examined using HE and IHC in healthy and periodontitis gingival tissues. Pyroptotic levels in macrophages co-cultured with hPDLSCs or P-sEVs were assessed using various methods in vitro. The hydroxybutyl chitosan hydrogel (HBCH)/P-sEVs repair system was implanted into a rat periodontitis bone defect model in vivo. GSDMD and CD68 were significantly elevated in inflamed gingival tissues. Treatment with P. gingivalis-LPS and ATP significantly upregulated the expression of NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and so on at both mRNA and protein levels, and significantly enhancing lactate dehydrogenase release, the percentage of cells with damaged membranes and so on. However, these pathological effects were mitigated by the paracrine effects of hPDLSCs or direct action of P-sEVs. The HBCH/P-sEVs repair system enhanced hPDLSCs proliferation and osteogenesis, while simultaneously reducing pyroptosis and promoting alveolar bone regeneration in rats. P-sEVs significantly reduced macrophages pyroptosis induced by P. gingivalis-LPS/ATP by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD signalling pathway in vitro. Furthermore, P-sEVs could be integrated with temperature-sensitive HBCH to establish a repair and regeneration system with potential clinical applications in the treatment of periodontitis.

Background:Pancreatic lymphoma is a rare pancreatic malignancy that is challenging to differentiate from diseases such as pancreatic cancer (PC). Although pathological examination of specimens obtained through surgery or endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) can aid in diagnosis, factors such as the occasional need for surgery and the variability in specimen quality from EUS-FNA complicate the diagnostic process. Misdiagnosis of pancreatic lymphoma as PC often leads to unnecessary surgery. In addition, surgical intervention may be necessary as a second-line treatment option for pancreatic lymphoma patients presenting with severe gastrointestinal symptoms. However, an optimal postoperative treatment strategy remains undefined, particularly in cases with extensive invasion, thereby impacting long-term survival. This lack of consensus underscores the need for further research to establish evidence-based therapeutic protocols. Case Description:We present the case of a 55-year-old patient (abdominal pain for over one month, intensified for two weeks). Imaging studies suggested a hypodense mass in the tail of the pancreas with ill-defined margins extending to the spleen, as well as a hypodense lesion within the spleen. The patient underwent surgical intervention, and postoperative pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Following surgery, the patient was initially treated with a short-term C2PET oral chemotherapy regimen, which was subsequently transitioned to the R-CHOP regimen. This therapeutic approach resulted in a favorable outcome, with the patient achieving a 5-year survival period. As far as we know, this may be the first reported case of pancreatic lymphoma with such a widespread involvement, in which patient underwent surgery and postoperative chemotherapy and obtained a 5-year survival period. Literature Review:We reviewed previously reported cases of the DLBCL pancreatic lymphoma located in the body and tail of pancreas, and conducted a comparative analysis. Purposes and Clinical Relevance:Our objectives are twofold: first, to highlight the critical role of preoperative EUS-FNA and positron emission tomography-computed tomography in the diagnostic evaluation for patients with pancreatic mass and suspected lesions in immune-associated organs; and second, to propose evidence-based recommendations for postoperative chemotherapy in cases of DLBCL involving the pancreas.

A 43-year-old woman with a history of uterine fibroids, anemia, and deep vein thrombosis presented with a chief symptom of prolapse of tumor from the perineum, complicated by infection. The case was further complicated by bilateral pulmonary multiple embolism, deep vein thrombosis, acute cardiac insufficiency, acute renal insufficiency, and shock. The patient was treated with preoperative placement of an inferior vena cava filter, open hysterectomy, and perioperative anticoagulation with low-molecular-weight heparin. She smoothly navigated the perioperative period and recovered completely.

Understanding the mechanisms of resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to targeted therapies and immune checkpoint blockade is critical for the development of new combination therapies and improving patient survival. Here, we found that in HCC, anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy reduces liver cancer growth, but the tumors eventually become resistant to continued therapy. Experimental analyses shows that the infiltration of pathogenic T helper 17 (pTh17) cells increases in drug-resistant HCC, and pTh17 cells secrete interleukin-17A (IL-17A), which promotes the expression of PD-L1 on the surface of HCC cells and produces resistance to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Anti-IL-17A combined with PD-L1 blockade significantly increased the infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells expressing high levels of interferon-γ and reduced treatment resistance in HCC. These results support the combination of anti-PD-L1 and anti-IL-17A as a novel strategy to induce effective T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses.

Endogenous O 2 can be continuously generated by the catalysis of Ce in the lattice of CeO 2 to enhance 1 O 2 production via a type II PDT (energy transfer), and many other ROS (such as O 2 − and ·OH) can be produced via a type I PDT (electron transfer).

Peripheral nerve injury seriously endangers human life and health, but there is no clinical drug for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury, so it is imperative to develop drugs to promote the repair of peripheral nerve injury. Erythropoietin (EPO) not only has the traditional role of promoting erythropoiesis, but also has a tissue-protective effect. Over the past few decades, researchers have confirmed that EPO has neuroprotective effects. However, side effects caused by long-term use of EPO limited its clinical application. Therefore, EPO derivatives with low side effects have been explored. Among them, ARA290 has shown significant protective effects on the nervous system, but the biggest disadvantage of ARA290, its short half-life, limits its application. To address the short half-life issue, the researchers modified ARA290 with thioether cyclization to generate a thioether cyclized helical B peptide (CHBP). ARA290 and CHBP have promising applications as peptide drugs. The neuroprotective effects they exhibit have attracted continuous exploration of their mechanisms of action. This article will review the research on the role of EPO, ARA290 and CHBP in the nervous system around this developmental process, and provide a certain reference for the subsequent research.

Regulator of ribosome synthesis 1 (RRS1), a crucial regulatory factor in ribosome biogenesis, exerts a remarkable impact on the progression of breast cancer (BC). However, the exact mechanisms and pathways have not yet been fully elucidated. To investigate the impact of RRS1 on BC growth and metastasis, along with its underlying mechanisms. We discovered that RRS1 is overexpressed in BC tissues and cell lines. This study aims to regulate the level of RRS1 through lentiviral transfection technology to explore its potential function in BC cells. Knockdown of RRS1 resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, whereas overexpression had the opposite effects. We firstly identified the interaction between RRS1 and Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78) using Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) combined with mass spectrometry analysis, providing evidences of co-localization and positive regulation between RRS1 and GRP78. We observed that RRS1 inhibited the degradation of GRP78 through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway, resulting in the stabilization of GRP78. In addition, our findings suggested that RRS1 promoted BC progression by activating the GRP78-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. In conclusion, this newly discovered RRS1/GRP78 signaling axis provides a molecular and theoretical basis for further exploring the mechanisms of breast cancer invasion and metastasis.

Objective: Antibiotic utilization stands as the strongest modifiable determinant for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, previous studies have relied on aggregated antibiotic categories, leaving prescribers without detailed comparative risk information for individual antibiotics. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of CDI comprehensively across specific antibiotics. Methods: Two methodologies were integrated to access and rank the risk of CDI associated with individual antibiotics or classes. Initially, a network comparison was conducted by analysing data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Subsequently, a real-world disproportionality analysis using the Food and Drug Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database complemented and enriched the findings from RCTs. Results: The network comparison, encompassing 61 RCTs with 25,931 patients, revealed that exposure to cefepime [odds ratio (OR) 2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-5.44; P = 0.02] and imipenem/cilastatin (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.61-9.29; P = 0.003) exhibited higher frequencies of CDI compared with piperacillin/tazobactam. No significant differences were observed between the carbapenems, albeit a trend indicating higher incidence of CDI with imipenem/cilastatin compared with meropenem (OR 3.89, 95% CI 0.94-16.09). In the FAERS disproportionality analysis, nearly all antibiotics displayed associations with CDI, and CDI risk signals often clustered within the majority of antibiotic classes. Among these, lincomycin demonstrated the strongest association (OR 112.17, 95% CI 51.68-243.43). Additionally, oral third-generation cephalosporins tended to exhibit higher CDI risk signals than other antibiotics. Conclusions: The findings unveiled substantial diversity in the risk of CDI, both within and between antibiotic classes, providing valuable guidance for clinicians in antibiotic prescription decisions and for initiatives aimed at antibiotic stewardship. (c) 2024 Elsevier Ltd and International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The C-X-C chemokine ligand (CXCL) 1 and its receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 2 are widely expressed in the peripheral nervous systems (PNS) and central nervous systems (CNS) and are involved in the development of inflammation and pain after various nerve injuries. Once a nerve is damaged, it affects not only the neuron itself but also lesions elsewhere in its dominant site. After the CXCL1/CXCR2 axis is activated, multiple downstream pathways can be activated, such as c-Raf/MAPK/AP-1, p-PKC-μ/p-ILK/NLRP3, JAK2/STAT3, TAK1/NF-κB, etc. These pathways in turn mediate cellular motility state or cell migration. CXCR2 is expressed on the surface of neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages. These cells can be recruited to the lesion through the CXCL1/CXCR2 axis to participate in the inflammatory response. The expression of CXCR2 in neurons can activate some pathways in neurons through the CXCL1/CXCR2 axis, thereby causing damage to neurons. CXCR2 is also expressed in astrocytes, and when CXCR2 activated, it increases the number of astrocytes but impairs their function. Since inflammation can occur at almost any site of injury, elucidating the mechanism of CXCL1/CXCR2 axis' influence on inflammation may provide a favorable target for clinical treatment. Therefore, this article reviews the research progress of the CXCL1/CXCR2 axis in neurological diseases, aiming to provide a more meaningful theoretical basis for the treatment of neurological diseases.

Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD), consisting of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao (Huangqi, HQ) and Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui, DG), is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula with the function of tonifying Qi and promoting blood. In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to comprehensively identify the chemical constituents in DBD and those entering into the rat serum after gastric perfusion. A combination of the UNIFI platform and Global Natural Product Social molecular networking (GNPS) was used to analyze the chemical composition of DBD. As a result, 207 compounds were unambiguously or tentatively identified including 60 flavonoids, 38 saponins, 35 organic acids, 26 phthalides, 12 phenylpropanoids, 11 amino acids and 25 others. Furthermore, a total of 80 compounds, including 29 prototype components and 51 exogenous metabolites, were detected in the serum of rats. Phase I reactions (oxidation, reduction, and hydration), phase II reactions (methylation, sulfation, and glucuronidation), and their combinations were the main metabolic pathways of DBD. The results provided fundamental information for further studying the pharmacological mechanisms of DBD, as well as its quality control research.

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), passive particle agglutination (PPA), and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in detecting Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children. Serum samples from 165 children with acute community-acquired respiratory tract infections were examined using CLIA, PPA, and IFA, and consistency coefficient, specificity, and sensitivity were analyzed. Compared with the PPA (titer ≥ 1:160), the consistency coefficients of the immunoglobulin(Ig)M-CLIA, immunoglobulin(Ig)G-CLIA and IgM-IFA methods were 93.94%, 75.76%, and 83.64%, respectively. The positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and specificity of IgM-CLIA was 19.40 and 95.49%, respectively. The consistency coefficient of (IgM+IgG)-CLIA and PPA (titer ≥ 1:160) was 89.1%, and the sensitivity and negative predictive value of (IgM+IgG)-CLIA were 96.88% and 98.94%, respectively. CLIA MP-IgM has high concordance with PPA, and its specificity and sensitivity are higher than those of CLIA MP-IgG and IFA MP-IgM, suggesting its better diagnosis of early MP infection. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of CLIA MP (IgM+IgG) were higher than those of PPA or IFA, indicating that it should be considered as a priority in the diagnosis of MP infection.