Xiangnan University

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) among young adults and students, a key subgroup of the general population, in Southern China.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between February 6 and March 5, 2025, targeting individuals from the general population in southern China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was employed to examine the direct and indirect relationships among KAP dimensions.ResultsA total of 664 valid questionnaires were obtained. Among the respondents, 421 (63.4%) were female, and 335 (50.5%) identified as students. The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 7.99 ± 3.80 (possible range: 0–15), 34.45 ± 4.85 (possible range: 8–40), and 43.88 ± 7.30 (possible range: 10–50), respectively. SEM analysis demonstrated that knowledge had a significant direct effect on attitude (β = 0.329, P < 0.001), while attitude had a strong direct effect on practice (β = 0.866, P < 0.001). Although the direct effect of knowledge on practice was not statistically significant (β = 0.013, P = 0.641), an indirect effect of knowledge on practice through attitude was observed (β = 0.285, P < 0.001).ConclusionYoung adults and students in Southern China exhibit low knowledge of NPC but demonstrates positive attitudes and practices. Future targeted health education interventions could enhance public knowledge, thereby further strengthening positive attitudes and promoting more effective preventive behaviors in clinical and community settings.

Influenza's pandemic threat is driven by antigenic drift, which limits the efficacy of conventional vaccines. To address this challenge, we established a clinical serum-anchored computational design pipeline for a broad-spectrum multi-epitope mRNA vaccine (MEMV), bridging the gap between pure in silico design and clinical applicability. Using 36 longitudinal sera (d0/d28/d365) from 12 well-characterized human cohorts (6 vaccine recipients and 6 influenza patients) and high-density antibody-peptide microarrays, we empirically identified 12 immunodominant B-cell linear epitopes from the nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A (H1N1/H3N2) and B viruses. These experimentally validated epitopes were combined with in silico-predicted conserved helper T-lymphocyte (HTL)/cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes (from NP/HA/NA) to construct MEMVs candidates, ensuring high antigenicity, non-toxicity, and 95.63% global HLA coverage. Molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed favorable conformational compatibility between MEMVs and Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in silico immunization via C-ImmSim predicted robust B/T-cell responses and protective cytokine (IFN-γ/IL-10) production. Collectively, this pipeline shortens the preliminary design cycle for influenza vaccines, provides a standard epitope-combination strategy, and offers direct targets for follow-up in vitro/in vivo experiments.

Sepsis-induced immunosuppression, characterized by dendritic cell (DC) depletion, correlates with poor outcomes. The glycoprotein FSTL1 is elevated in sepsis, but its contribution to DC pyroptosis and subsequent immune dysfunction remains unknown. We utilized in vitro models with splenic DCs and mouse dendritic cell line DC2.4, alongside a murine cecal ligation and puncture (cecal ligation and puncture) sepsis model. The roles of STING and autophagy were probed using specific modulators (STING agonist DMXAA; STING specific inhibitor C-176; autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine). Pyroptosis was assessed by quantifying cleaved CASP1 and GSDMD-N via Western blotting and flow cytometry. STING pathway activation and autophagic flux were evaluated by detecting protein phosphorylation (p-STING, p-TBK1) and key markers (LC3B, P62) through Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation. DC-mediated T-cell responses were determined by proliferation assays and cytokine secretion analysis. FSTL1 was found elevated and correlated withDC pyroptosis in vitro and in septic mice. Mechanistically, FSTL1 inhibited the autophagic degradation of STING, leading to its accumulation and subsequent activation. Consequently, this impaired T-cell priming capacity and resulted in immunosuppression in vivo. Inhibition of STING attenuated FSTL1-induced pyroptosis, restored DC-mediated T-cell activation, and ameliorated immunosuppression. In murine septic models, FSTL1 exacerbated multiple organ injury and increased mortality, effects that were reversed by STING inhibition. Our findings demonstrate that FSTL1 correlates with impaired STING autophagic degradation and DC pyroptosis, suggesting a potential pathway contributing to septic immune dysfunction.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with limited treatment options for advanced stages. This study systematically investigated the molecular mechanisms of quercetin, an active compound from Epimedium, against GC using network pharmacology and experimental validation. Methods: Active compounds were screened from Epimedium. GC targets from GeneCards and Epimedium targets were analyzed for overlap. Molecular docking was conducted using AlphaFold-predicted structures. Serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1) expression, prognostic value, and immune correlations were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas data. In vitro assays were performed to evaluate quercetin's effects on AGS/MGC803 cells. BALB/c xenograft models were used to assess in vivo efficacy. Results: We identified 137 shared targets, with SERPINE1 as the core target. SERPINE1 was overexpressed in GC and correlated with poor prognosis and M2 macrophage infiltration. In vitro, quercetin dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation, suppressed migration, and induced apoptosis through increasing Bax while decreasing Bcl-2 expression. It also inhibited AKT/MAPK signaling and reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition by upregulating E-cadherin and downregulating N-cadherin. In vivo, quercetin treatment led to a 78.4% reduction in tumor volume without causing systemic toxicity. Conclusion: This study elucidated the multifaceted antitumor mechanisms of Epimedium-derived quercetin, which orchestrates dual suppression of tumor proliferation and immune microenvironment regulation through precise targeting of SERPINE1, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.

The clinical management of depression presents significant challenges. While acupuncture has shown efficacy in alleviating depressive symptoms, the underlying mechanisms through which it exerts its antidepressant effects remain incompletely understood. Recent research has underscored the crucial role of glial cells in the pathophysiology of depression. This discovery opens a novel and promising avenue for investigating the mechanisms underlying acupuncture's antidepressant actions. Based on clinical evidence supporting the use of acupuncture in treating depression, this article reviews recent studies on how acupuncture influences the glial cell network. This is the first review of studies examining the effects of acupuncture on glial cells in depression. The review encompasses several key aspects, including microglial polarization and associated inflammatory signaling pathways, the role of astrocytes in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, the processes of oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin repair, as well as the intricate interactions among these three types of glial cells. However, this paper also has certain limitations, such as the majority of mechanistic evidence deriving from animal models, and due to the heterogeneity of acupuncture protocols and the lack of human causal data.