Biomedical Journal最新文献

{"title":"A newly designed Flexible Hydrated-Hardening Bone Graft (FHBG) promotes bone regeneration and in vivo calvarial repair.","authors":"Wei-Ting Wang, Chun-Chieh Tseng, Huan-Chieh Cho, Kuan-Yu Chiu, Li-Wen Weng, Yen-Hao Chang, Rong-Fu Chen, Su-Shin Lee, Yi-Chia Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100836","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100836","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Autologous bone remains the gold standard for surgical bone reconstruction but presents clinical challenges like donor site complications and operational difficulties.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We investigate the osteogenic effects of a newly designed, ceramic and collagen-based, submicron-processed Flexible Hydrated-Hardening Bone Graft (FHBG), using both murine and human mesenchymal stem cells. We also compare the efficacy and safety of FHBG with a commercially available (CA) graft in New Zealand white rabbits with cranial bone defects. Rabbits were divided into three groups: no graft, CA, and FHBG, and evaluated using Micro-CT and histological analysis at three and six weeks post-surgery. Safety was assessed through blood samples.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In vitro, FHBG promoted osteogenesis and upregulated osteogenic-associated genes in mesenchymal stem cells. In vivo, FHBG significantly enhanced bone regeneration, showing approximately 25% and 30% more improvement than the control at three and six weeks post-surgery. FHBG also had about half the residual content compared to the CA group. Blood analysis showed no hepatotoxicity or nephrotoxicity associated with the graft.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>FHBG significantly promotes bone regeneration both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, FHBG has been demonstrated to be safe, with fewer residuals remaining in the body compared to currently in-use clinical bone grafts. This study validates the ability of the newly designed FHBG to facilitate osteogenesis in vitro and demonstrates its efficacy and safety in new bone formation in vivo. The lower residual material further suggests a reduced long-term impact and associated risk with the graft.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100836"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143482138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased risk of incident alopecia areata among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A multicenter cohort study in the United States.","authors":"Shuo-Yan Gau, Chih-Wei Chen, Yu-Hsun Wang, Ching-Chi Chi, James Cheng-Chung Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100837","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and alopecia areata (AA) share similar inflammatory pathway and pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the association between HS and AA was unclear. We aimed to evaluate the risk of incident AA among patients with HS.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>We performed a multicenter cohort study by using the US Collaborative Network in the TriNetX Research Network. Patients with HS diagnosis were recruited and 1:1 propensity score matching was performed to identify the non-HS control group. Hazard ratio (HR) of AA in different sensitivity models were calculated within the follow-up periods.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Comparing with non-HS controls, the risk of incident AA in HS patients was 1.79-fold higher (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-2.44) within 15-year follow up. Similar trends were observed in 3-year and 8-year follow up. For female HS patients, the risk of incident AA was 1.75-fold higher than non-HS female (95% CI 1.23-2.48). However, the trend was not observed in male HS patients (HR 1.52; 95% CI 0.79-2.94).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients with HS were associated with increased risk of incident AA. Clinicians should be aware of the observed association and the actual immunological interplay between the two diseases should be clarified in future lab-based studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100837"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunogenicity of second booster-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccine among older adults in Taiwan.","authors":"Hao-Yuan Lee, Chih-Hsien Chuang, Chung-Guei Huang, Tzu-Chun Chuang, Yu-An Kung, Cheng-Hsun Chiu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100834","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100834","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Limited research has explored the immunological effects of a second COVID-19 vaccine booster in older adults within Western Pacific countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study involved healthcare workers aged ≥65 years who received two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (A), mRNA-1273 (M), or MVC-COV1901 (Mc), followed by a booster dose of mRNA-1273. Younger adults served as controls. Humoral and cellular immune responses were measured before and after the vaccination.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Younger adults exhibited the highest fold-rise in anti-spike IgG levels (13.20, p < 0.001), followed by the AAMM (9.93, p < 0.001), McMcMM (6.97), and MMMM (4.9, p < 0.05) groups. Cellular response increased most in the McMcMM group (3.77), followed by AAMM (3.04, p < 0.001), MMMM (2.24), and the younger group (1.08). Neutralizing activity against the D614G variant was highest in younger adults (7.77, p < 0.001), followed by AAMM (4.07, p < 0.001), MMMM (2.89, p < 0.05), and McMcMM (2.76). Against the XBB.1.16 variant, titers were significantly lower (17.33-29.08 times less than wild type). The highest fold-rise was observed in the McMcMM group (8.59), followed by AAMM (7.66, p < 0.001), MMMM (4.16), and younger adults (2.26).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A second mRNA COVID-19 booster increased neutralizing antibodies and enhanced T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants. Adapted vaccines targeting new subvariants are critical to strengthen immunity, particularly for older adults facing vaccine-resistant strains.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100834"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking the Potential of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Enhance Motor Function in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Comprehensive Review.","authors":"Chia-Ling Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100835","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cerebral Palsy (CP) poses a substantial challenge to pediatric motor function, necessitating effective rehabilitative interventions. This review focuses on the potential of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a therapeutic approach for pediatric CP. The context and purpose are framed within the need for novel strategies to enhance motor function in affected children.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>The study scrutinizes existing literature to assess the efficacy of rTMS in pediatric CP. Methodological details, including stimulation protocols, are explored. Statistical tests employed in the reviewed studies are outlined, providing insight into the scientific rigor applied in evaluating rTMS outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The main findings from the literature review highlight the positive impact of rTMS on motor function and spasticity reduction in children with CP. The synergistic effects observed when combining rTMS with conventional therapies such as physical or occupational therapy and constraint-induced movement therapy are emphasized.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Evidences from literature review affirm that rTMS yields constructive outcomes, encompassing enhanced motor function and diminished spasticity, especially when combined with therapies like physical or occupational therapy, and constraint-induced movement therapy. Nevertheless, optimizing rTMS necessitates further fine-tuning of stimulation parameters. Ethical considerations and adherence to safety guidelines are crucial in pediatric settings, despite rare and typically benign side effects. Future research should focus on larger samples, stringent research designs, and long-term follow-ups to rTMS as an effective therapy for managing motor impediments in children with CP.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100835"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143432308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A long term bone and renal safety of TAF treatment on renal transplant recipients.","authors":"Desmond Y H Yap, Cheng-Kun Wu, Colin Tang, Kuo-Chin Chang, Wen-Chin Lee, David T W Lui, Maggie K M Ma, Tsung-Hui Hu, Tak Mao Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100833","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100833","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Rationale & objective: </strong>The data on tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is limited.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Retrospective cohort study SETTING & STUDY POPULATIONS: HBsAg-positive KTRs who received TAF between 2019 and 2022 were included in the analysis, categorized into treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced groups. Additionally, a subgroup of patients receiving ETV was analyzed for comparison.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four treatment-naïve (Group I) and 35 treatment-experienced (Group II) patients received TAF for 26.4±11.3 and 43.7±19.0 months, respectively. Both groups showed significant HBV DNA reduction, but Group I achieved higher rates of undetectable HBV DNA (50%, 75%, 75%, 100% at 6, 12, 24, 30 months, compared with 16.7%, 25.3%, 31.4%, 34.7% in Group II, p=0.018). Renal allograft function remained stable during follow-up, and bone toxicity was minimal. For ETV, 10 patients demonstrated excellent viral suppression (HBV DNA undetectable in 70% at 48 weeks and 100% at 96 weeks) with stable renal function over a median of 5.2 years.</p><p><strong>Limitations: </strong>Retrospective study with a lack of prospective comparison of TAF and ETV.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results suggest that TAF provides favorable efficacy, renal safety, and tolerability in KTRs. ETV also provided effective and sustainable viral suppression. TAF may offer additional advantages such as no concern of viral resistance and dose adjustment by eGFR levels for long-term management of HBsAg-positive KTRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100833"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143432305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Olesoxime protects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury by attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction","authors":"Peipei Wang ,&nbsp;Jing Ouyang ,&nbsp;Kaiqian Zhou ,&nbsp;Dandan Hu ,&nbsp;Shengnan Zhang ,&nbsp;Aihua Zhang ,&nbsp;Yunwen Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI). Agents that ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunction hold potential for AKI treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of olesoxime, a novel mitochondrial-targeted agent, on cisplatin-induced AKI.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In vivo, a cisplatin-induced AKI mouse model was established by administering a single intraperitoneal dose of cisplatin (25 mg/kg) to male C57BL/6 mice for 72 hours, followed by gavage of either olesoxime or a control solution. In vitro, human proximal tubular HK2 cells were cultured and subjected to treatments with cisplatin, either in the presence or absence of olesoxime.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In vivo, our findings demonstrated that olesoxime administration significantly mitigated the nephrotoxic effects of cisplatin in mice, as evidenced by reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) levels, improved renal histopathology, and decreased expression of renal tubular injury markers such as kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). Furthermore, olesoxime administration markedly reduced cisplatin-induced apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the kidneys of AKI mice. Additionally, olesoxime treatment effectively restored mitochondrial function in the kidneys of AKI mice. I<em>n vitro</em>, our results indicated that olesoxime treatment protected against cisplatin-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in cultured HK2 cells. Notably, cisplatin's anticancer effects were unaffected by olesoxime treatment in human cancer cells.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The results of this study suggest that olesoxime is a viable and efficient therapeutic agent in the treatment of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury presumably by alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 1","pages":"Article 100730"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140775899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Ex vivo cultivation model for circulating tumor cells: The success rate and correlations with cancer response to therapy","authors":"I-Hsuan Chiang ,&nbsp;Hsuan-Chih Kuo ,&nbsp;Chun-Ta Liao ,&nbsp;Yung-Chia Kuo ,&nbsp;Shao-Ming Yu ,&nbsp;Hung-Ming Wang ,&nbsp;Yi-Hui Huang ,&nbsp;Kim Anh Nguyen Thi ,&nbsp;Min-Hsien Wu ,&nbsp;Jason Chia-Hsun Hsieh","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cancer mortality is closely linked to recurrence and distant metastasis, posing challenges in real-time tracking due to the invasiveness of current methods. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) show promise as potential tools; however, their scarcity remains a significant obstacle.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>In this prospective study, we validated a simple culture protocol and investigated the correlation between clinical response and CTC growth status. Following negative selection, the isolated cells <em>were subjected to ex vivo</em> cultivation in a two-dimensional environment supplemented with cytokines for up to 21 days, followed by immunofluorescence staining for analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 37 participants with solid tumors and distant metastasis (34.8% head and neck cancer), 47 samples were collected, from which CTCs were detected. The percentages of CTCs, atypical CTCs, and white blood cells during cultivation from days 7–21 were significantly different (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, and <em>p</em> = 0.330, respectively). Patients were further categorized into progressive disease (PD) and non-PD groups based on disease status, revealing significant differences in CTC growth rates, which increases from Days 7–21 between groups (5.5x vs. 2.8x growth, respectively; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>With the proposed protocols, we cultured CTCs from patients with various cancers for 21 days and identified a tool for predicting cancer response. The actual cancer status (PD or non-PD) at CTC isolation correlates to CTC growth rate, guiding the required observation time and parameters for culture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 1","pages":"Article 100819"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11743102/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142765747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-throughput proteomics-guided biomarker discovery of hepatocellular carcinoma","authors":"Dongyoon Shin ,&nbsp;Yeongshin Kim ,&nbsp;Junho Park ,&nbsp;Youngsoo Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100752","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100752","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Liver cancer stands as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprises approximately 85%–90% of all primary liver malignancies. However, only 20–30% of HCC patients qualify for curative therapy, primarily due to the absence of reliable tools for early detection and prognosis of HCC. This underscores the critical need for molecular biomarkers for HCC management. Since proteins reflect disease status directly, proteomics has been utilized in biomarker developments for HCC. In particular, proteomics coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) methods facilitate the process of discovering biomarker candidates for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies.</div><div>In this work, we investigated LC-MS-based proteomics methods through recent reference reviews, with a particular focus on sample preparation and LC-MS methods appropriate for the discovery of HCC biomarkers and their clinical applications.</div><div>We classified proteomics studies of HCC according to sample types, and we examined the coverage of protein biomarker candidates based on LC-MS methods in relation to study scales and goals. Comprehensively, we proposed protein biomarker candidates categorized by sample types and biomarker types for appropriate clinical use.</div><div>In this review, we summarized recent LC-MS-based proteomics studies on HCC and proposed potential protein biomarkers. Our findings are expected to expand the understanding of HCC pathogenesis and enhance the efficiency of HCC diagnosis and prognosis, thereby contributing to improved patient outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 1","pages":"Article 100752"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11743302/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141431303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect and mechanism of astragalus polysaccharides on T cells and macrophages in inhibiting prostate cancer","authors":"Ching-Yuan Wu ,&nbsp;Yao-Hsu Yang ,&nbsp;Yu-Shih Lin ,&nbsp;Li-Hsin Shu ,&nbsp;Hung-Te Liu ,&nbsp;Chung-Kuang Lu ,&nbsp;Yu-Huei Wu ,&nbsp;Yu-Heng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The impact and underlying mechanisms of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on prostate cancer, particularly its role in immunomodulation, remain inadequately elucidated.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study employed the XTT assay for assessing proliferation in prostate cancer cells and macrophages. T cell proliferation was determined using the Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester labeling assay. APS’s effect on T cells and macrophages was scrutinized via flow cytometry, Western blot analysis, ELISA, quantitative PCR and cytokine membrane arrays. The effect of APS on interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 was investigated by the PD-L1/PD-1 homogeneous assay. Additionally, the impact of conditioned medium from T cells and macrophages on PC-3 cell migration was explored through migration assays.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>It was observed that APS at concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/mL enhanced the proliferation of CD8⁺ T cells. At a concentration of 5 mg/mL, APS activated both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, attenuated PD-L1 expression in prostate cancer cells stimulated with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) or oxaliplatin, and moderately decreased the population of PD-1+ CD4⁺ and PD-1+ CD8⁺ T cells. Furthermore, APS at this concentration impeded the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1, inhibited the promotion of prostate cancer migration mediated by RAW 264.7 cells, THP-1 cells, CD4⁺ T cells, and CD8⁺ T cells, and initiated apoptosis in prostate cancer cells treated with conditioned medium from APS (5 mg/mL)-treated CD8⁺ T cells, RAW 264.7 cells, or THP-1 cells.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings indicate a potential role of 5 mg/mL APS in modulating the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and influencing the immune response, encompassing T cells and macrophages. Consequently, further in vivo research is recommended to assess the efficacy of APS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 1","pages":"Article 100741"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11773229/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140856037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 located in different developmental stages of Schistosoma japonicum and involved in important metabolic pathways","authors":"Kaijuan Wu ,&nbsp;Shuaiqin Huang ,&nbsp;Yiming Zhao ,&nbsp;Abdulrahim Umar ,&nbsp;Hao Chen ,&nbsp;Zheng Yu ,&nbsp;Jing Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Nuclear receptors (NRs) are vital for regulating gene expression in organisms. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4), a class of NRs, participates in blood feeding and intestinal maintenance in schistosomes. However, there are limited researches on the molecular and functional characterization of HNF4 in Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Highly specific polyclonal antibodies were generated to analyze the expression and tissue localization of S. japonicum HNF4 (SjHNF4). The potential biological functions of SjHNF4 were characterized by transcriptome and pull-down analyses. Subsequently, enrichment analysis was performed to identify the specific signaling pathways linked to SjHNF4.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The SjHNF4 protein was expressed heterologously and purified successfully. High purity and high potency polyclonal antibodies were further prepared. The expression of SjHNF4 was higher in female compared to male worms at both transcriptional and protein levels. Female worms expressed SjHNF4 in their perithecium, reproductive system, and certain parts of the intestinal tissues. SjHNF4 was also detected in the perithecium of male worms, as well as in the head, body of cercariae, and eggs. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the potential role of SjHNF4 in blood feeding and its interaction with crucial pathways such as glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study shed light on the localization of SjHNF4 in different life stages of S. japonicum, particularly associated with the female schistosomes. A strong correlation was observed between SjHNF4 and essential metabolic pathways. These findings laid a solid groundwork for the research on the relationship between NRs and schistosomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 1","pages":"Article 100726"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140770088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}