Publications by authors named "Zhenxiong Zhao"

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies globally, with limited therapeutic options. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a diverse population of stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a central role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. However, the specific markers identifying tumor-promoting CAF subsets in GC have yet to be fully characterized.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Brown/beige adipose tissue is known for enhancing metabolism and fighting obesity through a process called non-shivering thermogenesis, which has been the focus of much research.
  • - Recent studies highlight that during critical illness, excessive activation of brown fat or the conversion of white fat to brown fat can lead to harmful effects by worsening hypermetabolism.
  • - This review will explore the implications of fat browning in critical illness, including its potential risks, regulatory mechanisms, and clinical treatment options, aiming to deepen understanding and inspire new treatments for patients in hypermetabolic states.
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Introduction: In recent years, an increasing body of research has illustrated a strong correlation between gut microbiota and depression. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive discussion or summary of the latest advancements and trends in this field.

Methods: We retrieved research articles focused on gut microbiota and depression through the WOS database from 2020 to 2024, using visual text analysis tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer.

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A high purine diet emerges as a significant risk factor for hyperuricemia, and this diet may potentiate hyperuricemia nephropathy. Despite this, the mechanistic underpinnings of kidney damage precipitated by a high purine diet warrant further research. In the current investigation, a hyperuricemia nephropathy rat model was developed through induction via a high purine diet.

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Background: Prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with ovarian metastasis (OM) remains poor. We hereby characterized the role of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and identified potential key regulators in the OM with the aim of understanding its molecular basis to develop novel therapeutic targets.

Methods: Transcriptomic analyses of paired primary and ovarian metastatic lesions of seven GC patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center uncovered and functionally annotated their differentially expressed genes (DEGs).

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Objective: To study whether subcutaneously embedding xenogeneic protein threads or synthetic polymer absorbable threads can improve obesity phenotypes and metabolic conditions, and to further explore its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Thirty-six 8-week-old ob/ob mice were randomly allocated to three groups, respectively, receiving catgut embedding, PGA thread embedding or sham treatment bilaterally to the groin. Individual parameters including weight, food intake, and core temperature are recorded and metabolism assessment, energy expenditure analysis, and PET/CT scanning are also performed at fixed timepoints.

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The morbidity and mortality of lung cancer are still the highest among all malignant tumors. Radiotherapy plays an important role in clinical treatment of lung cancer. However, the effect of radiotherapy is not ideal due to the radiation resistance of tumor tissues.

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leaf is commonly utilized for its beneficial effects in reducing blood pressure, inducing sedation, promoting diuresis, anti-aging, and cardioprotection, which also exhibit positive effects on the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota plays a role as an endocrine organ by producing bioactive metabolites that can directly or indirectly impact host physiology, specifically cardiovascular diseases. In this study, main chemical components of leaf extract (AVLE) were identified by LC-MS, and an orally administered AVLE was employed to treat mice with doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity.

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Constructed wetlands (CWs) were responsible for the in-depth purification of wastewater, providing an ideal environment for the transport, acquisition, and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). A better understanding of influencing factors and risks of ARGs in CWs was deemed indispensable. In this research, the abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was determined to be higher in summer and spring, ranging from 53.

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Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are heterogeneous stromal cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which play a critical role in gastric cancer (GC) progression. Here, we examined a subset of CAFs with high podoplanin (PDPN) expression, which is correlated with tumor metastasis and poor survival in GC patients. Animal models of gastric cancer liver metastasis monitored by micro-PET/CT confirmed that periostin (POSTN) derived from PDPN(+) CAFs regulated CAFs' pro-migratory ability.

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In coastal eco-industrial zones, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and constructed wetlands (CWs) can alleviate the challenge of water shortage and the negative effect of sewage discharge, while the problems of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have not attracted enough attention. In this research, the Wafergen SmartChip system was adopted to investigate the ARG profiles in a coupled system combined WWTPs and CWs in a coastal industrial park. Potential risks of antibiotic resistance in chemical industrial wastewater were confirmed due to the higher abundance of target ARGs (> 10 copies/mL).

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Background: Ovarian metastasis (OM) poses a major threat to the outcome of gastric cancer (GC) patients. Recently, immunotherapy emerged as a novel promising therapeutic strategy to treat late-stage GC, whereas its efficacy is influenced by tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). M2 macrophage, a key subset within TIME, plays dual immunosuppressive and pro-tumorigenic roles in cancer progression and is recognized as a potential therapeutic target.

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Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) is abundantly expressed in various solid tumors. The Her2-specific Affibody (Z) has been clinically tested in patients with Her2-positive breast cancer and is regarded as an ideal drug carrier for tumor diagnosis and targeted treatment. Indocyanine green (ICG) can be used as a photosensitizer for photothermal therapy (PTT), in addition to fluorescent dyes for tumor imaging.

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Purpose: Defining the phenotypic characteristics of CD8 T cell subsets in gastric cancer (GC) can help remodel the immune microenvironment of the tumor, thereby improving patient prognosis. CD226 has recently been shown to regulate the activity of CD8 T cell in several malignancies. However, the clinical relevance of CD226CD8 T cells in GC remains unclear.

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oligosaccharides (MOO) are an oral drug approved in China for the treatment of depression in China. However, MOO is hardly absorbed so that their anti-depressant mechanism has not been elucidated. Here, we show that oral MOO acted on tryptophan → 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) → serotonin (5-HT) metabolic pathway in the gut microbiota.

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Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) derived from the gut microbiota is an atherogenic metabolite. This study investigates whether or not berberine (BBR) could reduce TMAO production in the gut microbiota and treat atherosclerosis. Effects of BBR on TMAO production in the gut microbiota, as well as on plaque development in atherosclerosis were investigated in the culture of animal intestinal bacterial, HFD-fed animals and atherosclerotic patients, respectively.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and its influence on chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer (GC).
  • Analysis showed VDR is primarily found in gastric mucous cells, with low expression in CAFs correlating to worse patient outcomes.
  • Treatment with the VDR ligand calcipotriol reduced CAF-induced oxaliplatin resistance in GC cells by inhibiting IL-8 secretion and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, suggesting vitamin D might improve chemotherapy effectiveness.
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Background: Ovarian metastasis (OM) results in poor survival of gastric cancer (GC) patients. While immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for late-stage GC, validated immune-related prognostic signatures still remain in need. In this study, we constructed an ovarian metastasis- and immune-related prognostic signature (OMIRPS), characterized the molecular and immune features of OMIRPS-categorized subgroups and predicted their potential response to immunotherapy.

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Introduction: The ability of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) to differentiate pancreatic cancer from other benign pancreatic lesions is unsatisfactory. This study explored the diagnostic value of KRAS gene mutations and plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods: The prospective cohort study comprised 149 consecutive patients with solid pancreatic lesions who underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).

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Pleosporales is the largest fungal order with a worldwide distribution in terrestrial and aquatic environments. During investigations of saprobic fungi associated with mango () in Baoshan and Honghe, Yunnan, China, fungal taxa belonging to pleosporales were collected. Morphological examinations and phylogenetic analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU, and - loci were used to identify the fungal taxa.

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The phenylalanine-tyrosine-dopa-dopamine pathway provides dopamine to the brain. In this process, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme that hydroxylates tyrosine and generates levodopa (L-dopa) with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH) as a coenzyme. Here, we show that oral berberine (BBR) might supply H through dihydroberberine (reduced BBR produced by bacterial nitroreductase) and promote the production of BH from dihydrobiopterin; the increased BH enhances TH activity, which accelerates the production of L-dopa by the gut bacteria.

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Background: Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, metastasis, and drug resistance. MSI2 and Notch1 signaling are involved in the maintenance of CSCs. However, it is unknown whether MSI2 and Notch1 are involved in the maintenance of CD44v6+ LCSCs.

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Purpose: Both cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) play an important part in the tumorigenesis, development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, the stem-like properties in HCC cells could be promoted by CAFs. However, the mechanism remains largely unknown.

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Because many hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases develop from fibrotic or cirrhotic livers, fibroblasts are abundant in the microenvironment of HCC. Although the contribution of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to the progression of HCC is well established, the role of fibroblasts has not been comprehensively revealed. The RayBio Human Cytokine Antibody Array was used to elucidate the role of peri-tumor fibroblasts (PTFs) in promoting malignant properties of HCC.

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Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a major group of endogenous metabolites generated by the gut microbiota and have been reported to play an important role in physical health, such as improving energy metabolism. Here, using 2-bromoacetophenone as the derivatization reagent (BP, 10 mg/mL, 40 °C for 20 min), a sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was established for the quantitative determination of seven short-chain fatty acids in plasma and feces. The analyses were performed on a C column in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode.

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