{"title":"Construction of synthetic constitutive promoters and evaluation of their expression strengths in Sf9, HEK293T, and BmN cells.","authors":"Yonghong Zhang, Jiafu Luo, Yulan Shao, Zhengqin Wang, Hongrui Zhang","doi":"10.1177/00368504251347466","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251347466","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectivesConstitutive promoters have been widely studied and utilized in silkworm resistance breeding and expression of beneficial proteins, but there is limited research comparing the activities of different promoters across various source cell.MethodsThis study screened three promoters, namely, the <i>ie1</i> gene promoter (<i>ie1</i>p) of <i>Bombyx mori</i> nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), the cytoplasmic actin 3 promoter (<i>A3</i>p) and the cytoplasmic actin 4 promoter (<i>A4</i>p). Enhancer fragments hr3 and hr5 were combined with the three promoters to driving the expression of luciferase (<i>luc</i><sup>+</sup>) and vacuolar-type ATPase c (<i>Vac</i>). The constructed plasmids were transfected into Sf9, 293 T and BmN cells, and the transient expression of target genes were assessed.ResultsThe <i>luc</i><sup>+</sup> activity assays revealed that the enhancer effects of hr3 and hr5 fragments followed a similar trend in both Sf9 and 293 T cell lines. Specifically, hr3 significantly enhanced the <i>ie1</i>p promoter, increasing its activity by 2.44-fold and 2.90-fold, respectively. Similarly, hr5 markedly boosted the <i>A4</i>p promoter, with enhancements of 2.45-fold and 3.00-folds, respectively. There were differences in the relative highest expression levels of <i>Vac</i> gene among the three cell lines, hr5 had a significant effect on all three promoters in Sf9 cells.ConclusionThis research aims to identify highly active promoters in silkworm cells, refine transgenic methodologies and strategies, and lay the experimental groundwork for developing a transgenic silkworm technology platform.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251347466"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12268146/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144644249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Serum DLL1 and CRP dual-marker model for bacterial infection detection in patients with decompensated cirrhosis: A dual-cohort diagnostic study.","authors":"Juanjun Huang, Luhu Yu, Debin Zeng, Yulin Wang, Zhi Wang, Jian Chen, Wei Zhu","doi":"10.1177/00368504251358310","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251358310","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveBacterial infections (BIs) in decompensated cirrhosis are associated with high morbidity and mortality but remain diagnostically challenging due to limited conventional biomarker accuracy. We aim to evaluate the utility of serum Delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1) for BI detection in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.MethodsIn this dual-cohort prospective study, 320 hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis were consecutively enrolled and stratified into derivation (n = 224) and independent validation (n = 96) cohorts. Serum DLL1 levels were quantified at admission with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Diagnostic performance was assessed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and multivariable logistic regression.ResultsCompared with their noninfected counterparts, patients with decompensated cirrhosis and BI had elevated serum DLL1 levels (P < 0.001). DLL1 was an independent predictor of BIs (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 5.495, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.022-9.992) in multivariate analysis. DLL1 demonstrated robust diagnostic performance (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.863, 95% CI: 0.814-0.911), which was further improved when combined with C-reactive protein (CRP) in a dual-marker model (AUC = 0.918, P < 0.001) and validated in an independent cohort (AUC = 0.925). Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of this combination across threshold probabilities of 10% to 80%. Notably, DLL1 levels were weakly correlated with total bilirubin levels (Spearman's ρ=0.24, P < 0.001), suggesting limited confounding effects from hepatic inflammation.ConclusionSerum DLL1 was a clinically viable diagnostic biomarker for BIs in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and demonstrated weak confounding effects from hepatic dysfunction. The CRP-DLL1 combined model achieved superior diagnostic accuracy with cross-cohort validation robustness.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251358310"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12254561/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144592941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-07-09DOI: 10.1177/00368504251349392
Zubair Shahid, Gi Eun Kim, Tariq Mousa, Ziad AlSehli, Awad Al-Qahtani
{"title":"Clomiphene-induced myocardial infarction in a young male: A case report of a rare cardiovascular complication.","authors":"Zubair Shahid, Gi Eun Kim, Tariq Mousa, Ziad AlSehli, Awad Al-Qahtani","doi":"10.1177/00368504251349392","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251349392","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Clomiphene citrate is commonly prescribed to treat male hypogonadism due to its ability to increase endogenous testosterone levels while preserving fertility. Although it is generally considered safe, and rare serious cardiovascular events have been reported. We present the case of a male in his early 30s with no known cardiovascular risk factors who developed an acute inferior-posterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction while taking clomiphene for infertility. Coronary angiography revealed complete occlusion of the distal right coronary artery due to a heavy thrombus burden, with no underlying atherosclerotic disease. The patient was successfully treated with aspiration thrombectomy and conservative medical management. This case underscores a potential, albeit rare, association between clomiphene use and myocardial infarction, warranting caution in its use-even among individuals without traditional cardiovascular risk factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251349392"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12254556/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144592942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-07-17DOI: 10.1177/00368504251352079
Barbara Réger, Margit Solymár, Sándor Pál, Viktória Temesfői, Attila Miseta, Zsuzsanna Faust
{"title":"Increased platelet-neutrophil aggregate ratio after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination and severe infection.","authors":"Barbara Réger, Margit Solymár, Sándor Pál, Viktória Temesfői, Attila Miseta, Zsuzsanna Faust","doi":"10.1177/00368504251352079","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251352079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectivesPlatelet-neutrophil aggregates (PNA) bridge inflammatory processes with the hemostatic system. The goal of this study was the comparative evaluation of PNAs in healthy individuals vaccinated against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), septic patients, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and a pre-pandemic control group from 2019.MethodsThis observational study involved prospective blood sample collection from vaccinated individuals at separate times after immunization with Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, together with the retrospective analysis of laboratory data from COVID-19, sepsis, and control subjects. PNA ratios and anti-S-protein antibody levels were also measured.ResultsFollowing primary SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, PNA levels increased significantly, showing a gradual decline over six months while remaining elevated. Booster vaccinations did not elevate PNA levels. In COVID-19 patients PNA ratios were the highest, while in the patients with sepsis remained comparable to those of the control group. A moderate correlation was found between PNA and anti-S-protein levels after primary immunization (rho = 0.31, <i>p</i> = 0.0071), but no correlation was observed post-booster. Strong associations between PNA and platelet counts occurred in COVID-19 and sepsis groups, while leukocyte and neutrophil counts showed no significant correlations with PNA.ConclusionsThe results of this study may support the possibility of using PNA ratio assessment for the evaluation of the immune response.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251352079"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12276486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144651233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-08-19DOI: 10.1177/00368504251370990
Xingpeng Yang, Yuhui Pan, Pengyue Zhao, Ning Chen, Yizhao Ma, Yichen Bao, Lin Qi, Xiaohui Du
{"title":"Prognostic value of red cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio in septic patients with malignancies: A retrospective cohort study based on the MIMIC-IV database.","authors":"Xingpeng Yang, Yuhui Pan, Pengyue Zhao, Ning Chen, Yizhao Ma, Yichen Bao, Lin Qi, Xiaohui Du","doi":"10.1177/00368504251370990","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251370990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveTo investigate the prognostic value of red cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio (RAR) in sepsis patients with malignancies and evaluate its association with in-hospital mortality.MethodsThe retrospective cohort study was conducted using data extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Participants were stratified into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on RAR levels measured within 24 hours of intensive care unit admission. The primary outcome was 28-day in-hospital all-cause mortality. Associations between RAR and clinical outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling. Predictive performance was further evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsA total of 1686 eligible patients were included. Multivariate Cox regression revealed a significant positive association between RAR and 28-day in-hospital mortality (adjusted model 3 HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.08-1.16, <i>P</i> < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a stepwise decline in survival with increasing RAR levels (28-day survival rate of 75.26% in Q1 vs. 49.88% in Q4, <i>P</i> < 0.001). RCS analysis identified a linear relationship between RAR and the hazard ratios for 28-day in-hospital mortality (<i>P</i> for nonlinearity > 0.05). ROC analysis showed that RAR (area under the curve = 0.624) yielded better prognostic utility than red blood cell distribution width and sequential organ failure assessment, with significant differences confirmed by DeLong's test. RAR also exhibited the best calibration (slope = 1.0109; Brier score = 0.2166) and the highest net clinical benefit in DCA (22%-95%; maximum = 0.162). Subgroup analysis showed consistent results across all groups (<i>P</i> for interaction > 0.05).ConclusionsRAR may serve as an independent prognostic indicator in septic patients with malignancies. Its elevation is significantly associated with increased mortality risk and may aid in the early identification of high-risk individuals and the implementation of targeted interventions. Further prospective, multicenter studies are warranted to validate its clinical applicability and dynamic monitoring potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251370990"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365464/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144876967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-08-25DOI: 10.1177/00368504251370694
Salem Alwadani, Ahmad Alrukban, Farhan Zayed Alenezi, Mohamad-Hani Temsah, Hani Tamim, Musharaf Sadat, Felwa Bin Humaid, Amal Almatroud, Mona Aldawsari, Yasir Adnan Alzoubi, Yadullah Syed, Yaseen M Arabi
{"title":"Prevalence and outcomes of acute kidney injury in cirrhotic patients admitted to the intensive care unit: A 16-year retrospective cohort study in Saudi Arabia.","authors":"Salem Alwadani, Ahmad Alrukban, Farhan Zayed Alenezi, Mohamad-Hani Temsah, Hani Tamim, Musharaf Sadat, Felwa Bin Humaid, Amal Almatroud, Mona Aldawsari, Yasir Adnan Alzoubi, Yadullah Syed, Yaseen M Arabi","doi":"10.1177/00368504251370694","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504251370694","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveAcute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with cirrhosis is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. There is a considerable variation in the reported prevalence of AKI across studies. We provide a unique regional analysis, addressing gaps in AKI data in critically ill cirrhotic patients from the Middle East.MethodsIn this single-center, retrospective cohort study, we included all patients known to have liver cirrhosis admitted to our tertiary care center over 16 years. Data was extracted from the existing database in the intensive care unit (ICU) department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Subjects were categorized into four groups using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We evaluated the prevalence of AKI and its association on the in-hospital mortality.ResultsFrom 2002 to 2017, 1197 cirrhotic patients were admitted to our ICU. Among them, 68 (5.7%) had stage 1 AKI, 193 (16.1%) had stage 2 AKI, 475 (39.8%) had stage 3 AKI. Overall, in-hospital mortality was progressively higher with worsening severity of AKI, from non-AKI (42.0%) to stage 3 AKI (72.2%), <i>p</i>-value <0.0001. In addition, ICU mortality, hospital and ICU lengths of stay, use of vasopressors and renal replacement therapy were found to increase with worsening severity of AKI. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the following predictors of hospital mortality, the presence of AKI, age, female sex, vasopressor use, increasing bilirubin and lactic acid, and decreasing Glasgow coma scale and PaO2/FiO2 ratio.ConclusionsThe prevalence of AKI in cirrhotic patients is high and associated with high mortality. Further research is warranted to develop strategies for early detection and management of AKI in this vulnerable population. Future studies integrating national and international data registries could enhance predictive modeling and tailored management for AKI in cirrhotic patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251370694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12378538/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144979850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1177/00368504251366852
Chase Wu, Celimuge Wu, Kihyeon Kwon, Yangjian Ji, Songlin He
{"title":"Editorial for the special collection on computational intelligence for industrial automation and optimization.","authors":"Chase Wu, Celimuge Wu, Kihyeon Kwon, Yangjian Ji, Songlin He","doi":"10.1177/00368504251366852","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251366852","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251366852"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12402546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-08-12DOI: 10.1177/00368504251366369
Zhetao Li, Kuo Wang, Ziliang Li, Yifan Chi
{"title":"Silencing MMP2-AS1 inhibits the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells via YB-1.","authors":"Zhetao Li, Kuo Wang, Ziliang Li, Yifan Chi","doi":"10.1177/00368504251366369","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251366369","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> The processes of proliferation and migration in endothelial cells are fundamental to the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies underscore the critical involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in atherosclerosis by influencing the proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Nonetheless, the precise molecular mechanism of lncRNA matrix metalloproteinase 2 antisense RNA 1 (MMP2-AS1) remains inadequately characterized. <b>Methods:</b> To investigate this, we established a HUVEC model subjected to transforming growth factor-β1, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and hypoxia, which resulted in the upregulation of lncRNA MMP2-AS1 expression. Further experimentation demonstrated that knockdown of MMP2-AS1 effectively mitigates the YB-1-mediated enhancement of HUVEC proliferation and migration. <b>Results:</b> Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to explore the role of the MMP2-AS1/YB-1 signaling pathway in atherosclerosis. The findings indicate that MMP2-AS1 regulates HUVEC proliferation and migration through YB-1 targeting. <b>Conclusions:</b> These results suggest that the MMP2-AS1/YB-1 axis holds potential as a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251366369"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344352/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144823276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-08-12DOI: 10.1177/00368504251369587
Oya Nermin Sivrikoz, Tuğba Han Yılmaz, İncila Öztop, Salahattin M Sanal
{"title":"Relationship between androgen receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor determines aggressive behavior of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma.","authors":"Oya Nermin Sivrikoz, Tuğba Han Yılmaz, İncila Öztop, Salahattin M Sanal","doi":"10.1177/00368504251369587","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251369587","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveCutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC) exhibits numerous variants, ranging from non-aggressive to aggressive behavior. Androgen receptor (AR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are both expressed by BCC. This study aims to analyze the differences between aggressive and non-aggressive variants concerning AR and EGFR expression, as well as their relationship with each other.MethodsBetween 2019 and 2024, we analyzed all archival tissue blocks of patients with a diagnosis of BCC who underwent excision. Fifty-three cases with a diagnosis of superficial, nodular, infiltrative, and micronodular BCC were included in the study. Histologically, the infiltrative and micronodular variants were classified as highly aggressive; nodular and superficial variants less aggressive. These characteristics were compared with other features with respect to their statistical significance.ResultWe found a statistically significant relationship between AR, EGFR expression, and tumor variants. While the AR expression was high in superficial and nodular variants, it was weak in the infiltrative type. Whereas the EGFR expression, contrary to AR, was strong in infiltrative and micronodular variants, it was weak in nodular and superficial variants. There was a statistically significant reverse correlation between AR and EGFR (p = 0.005).ConclusionsThe AR expression in BCC is consistent with low-degree malignancy; conversely, EGFR expression is consistent with aggressiveness. We hope our findings lead to further discoveries in employing topical agents that activate AR, next to anti-EGFR agents. Our study is the first and only one that investigated BCC concerning morphological variants and their relationship with AR and EGFR.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251369587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344345/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144823299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Science ProgressPub Date : 2025-07-01Epub Date: 2025-09-15DOI: 10.1177/00368504251378619
Wu Yan, Wang Jianhong, Gan Ping, Zhang Linming
{"title":"Inflammation-metabolite crosstalk in multiple sclerosis: A mediation Mendelian randomization study of plasma inflammatory proteins, iron, and serum/cerebrospinal fluid metabolites.","authors":"Wu Yan, Wang Jianhong, Gan Ping, Zhang Linming","doi":"10.1177/00368504251378619","DOIUrl":"10.1177/00368504251378619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveTo investigate the causal relationships between inflammatory proteins, iron metabolism, blood/CSF metabolites, and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk using genetic evidence.MethodsWe performed a two-sample, two-step Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using European-ancestry genome-wide association study data. The exposures comprised 91 inflammatory proteins, while potential mediators included 1091 blood metabolites, 309 metabolite ratios, 233 circulating metabolic traits, and 338 cerebrospinal fluid metabolites. For the outcome, we assessed MS risk using two independent datasets: International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) and UK Biobank. Our primary analysis utilized inverse-variance weighted regression. To ensure robust results, we conducted comprehensive sensitivity analyses including MR-Egger, weighted median, MR-PRESSO, and Bayesian Weighted MR approaches to evaluate potential pleiotropy and strengthen causal inference.ResultsWe observed a statistically significant but modest elevation in MS risk associated with interleukin-7 (IL-7; OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.07-1.83, <i>p</i> = 0.016) in the IMSGC cohort, with a weaker effect in the UK Biobank (OR = 1.001, 95% CI: 1.000-1.002, <i>p</i> = 0.047). The IL-7 was causally linked to six blood metabolic traits (taurocholenate sulfate, anthranilate, taurodeoxycholate, albumin, sphingomyelin (d18:1/24:1, d18:2/24:0), leucine-to-phosphate ratio), all influencing MS risk. No significant interactions between iron metabolism and inflammatory proteins were found.ConclusionsThis MR study establishes IL-7 as a potential causal risk factor for MS, partially mediated by blood metabolites. The findings prioritize IL-7 and associated metabolic pathways (bile acids/kynurenine) for therapeutic targeting.</p>","PeriodicalId":56061,"journal":{"name":"Science Progress","volume":"108 3","pages":"368504251378619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12437195/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145071378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}