Search

The hepatopancreas is an important tissue involved in various biological metabolism for molluscs, but its responses to salinity have not been well evaluated. In this study, the dynamic changes of antioxidant, immune function, and apoptosis in the hepatopancreas of Hong Kong oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis) under high salinity (30 and 35) stress within a 7-day period were analyzed. The data showed that high salinity stress could lead to DNA damage in Hong Kong oyster hemocytes, resulting in an initial up-regulation followed by a decrease in the expression of enzyme-related genes (SOD, GPX) and immune-related genes (SABL, galectin, C3) in the hepatopancreas. Meanwhile, some apoptosis-related genes (Casp-2, P53), heat shock protein-related genes (HSP90), and osmotic pressure-related genes (NaK, CLC7) maintain high expression levels. Correlation analysis indicated that DNA damage showed a negative correlation with the mRNA expression of Casp-3, Casp-2, Casp-8, P53, SABL, galectin, C3, HSP90, HSP70, Na/K, and CLC7, with the negative correlation being particularly strong for the mRNA expression of HSP90 and Na/K. The results enhance the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of salinity stress responses in Hong Kong oyster. KEY WORDS: Crassostrea hongkongensis, salinity, hepatopancreas, apoptosis, immune function, INTRODUCTION The Hong Kong oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis), a commercially valuable aquaculture species, is mainly distributed along the northern coast of the South China Sea, yielding up to 130 metric tons [...]

The 3D human pituitary organoid represents a promising laboratory model for investigating human pituitary diseases. Nonetheless, this technology is still in its nascent stage, with uncertainties regarding the cellular composition, intercellular interactions, and spatial distribution of the human pituitary organoids. To address these gaps, the culture conditions are systematically adjusted and the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cells' (iPSCs') differentiation into pituitary organoids is successfully improved, achieving results comparable to or exceeding those of previous studies. Additionally, single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and stereomics sequencing (Stereo-seq) are performed on the pituitary organoids for the first time, and unveil the diverse cell clusters, intricate intercellular interactions, and spatial information within the organoids. Furthermore, the SOX3 gene interference impedes the iPSCs' differentiation into pituitary organoids, thereby highlighting the potential of pituitary organoids as an ideal experimental model. Altogether, the research provides an optimized protocol for the human pituitary organoid culture and a valuable transcriptomic dataset for future explorations, laying the foundation for subsequent research in the field of pituitary organoids or pituitary diseases., (© 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study elucidated the time- and concentration-dependent effects of Cd exposure on adult Haliotis diversicolor through an integrated analysis of survival, physiological indices, and metabolomic profiles. Abalones were subjected to varying Cd concentrations for one and two months. While one-month exposure yielded no significant mortality, prolonged exposure to high Cd concentrations for two months substantially elevated mortality risk (hazard ratio = 3.359). Integrated biomarker response values exhibited progressive elevation with both concentration and exposure duration, indicating cumulative perturbation of antioxidant defense and metabolic enzyme systems. Metabolomic analysis revealed distinct temporal and concentration-dependent responses. After one month of exposure, medium concentrations predominantly affected energy and amino acid metabolism with a shift toward anaerobic pathways, while high concentrations activated additional detoxification and stress response mechanisms; after two months of exposure, divergent metabolic strategies emerged, where low concentrations induced lipid remodeling, medium concentrations maintained basic metabolic adjustments, while high concentrations precipitated comprehensive cellular dysfunction. Notably, the observed metabolic focusing at two months represented a forced trade-off under allostatic overload rather than successful adaptation, particularly in high-concentration groups. Combined analysis demonstrated fundamental reorganization of cellular metabolism under prolonged exposure. These findings emphasize the importance of long-term, multi-parameter assessments in evaluating marine ecotoxicological impacts of metal pollution., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)