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Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contributes to the incidence and prognosis of lung cancer. The presence of COPD significantly increases the risk of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). COPD may promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment in LSCC by regulating the expression of immune-inhibitory factors in T cells, although the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to decipher the tumour microenvironment signature for LSCC with COPD at a single-cell level., Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on tumour tissues from LSCC with or without COPD, then investigated the features of the immune and tumour cells. We employed multiple techniques, including multispectral imaging, flow cytometry, tissue microarray analysis, survival analysis, co-culture systems and in vitro and in vivo treatment experiments, to validate the findings obtained from single-cell analyses., Results: LSCC with COPD showed increased proportions of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) and higher levels of CD8 + T cell exhaustion molecules, which contributed to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Further analysis revealed a critical cluster of CD74 + tumour cells that expressed both epithelial and immune cell signatures, exhibited a stronger capacity for tumorigenesis and predicted worse overall survival. Notably, migration inhibitory factor (MIF) secreted by TAMs from LSCC with COPD may promote the activation of CD74. MIF-CD74 may interact with CD8 + T cells and impair their anti-tumour activity by regulating the PI3K-STAT3-programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 signalling pathway, facilitating tumour proliferation and immune evasion., Conclusions: Our comprehensive picture of the tumour ecosystem in LSCC with COPD provides deeper insights into relevant immune evasion mechanisms and potential targets for immunotherapy., Highlight: Our results demonstrated higher proportions of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) and higher levels of exhaustion molecules in CD8 + T cells in the microenvironment of LSCC with COPD. CD74 + tumour cells were associated with poor disease prognosis. Migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-CD74 may interact with CD8 + T cells and impair their anti-tumour activity by regulating the PI3K-STAT3-PD-L1 signalling pathway, facilitating immune evasion., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical and Translational Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics.)

Although significant progress has been made in early lung cancer screening over the past decade, it remains one of the most prevalent and deadliest forms of cancer worldwide. Exosomal proteomics has emerged as a transformative field in lung cancer research, with the potential to redefine diagnostics, prognostic assessments, and therapeutic strategies through the lens of precision medicine. This review discusses recent advances in exosome-related proteomic and glycoproteomic technologies, highlighting their potential to revolutionise lung cancer treatment by addressing issues of heterogeneity, integrating multiomics data, and utilising advanced analytical methods. While these technologies show promise, there are obstacles to overcome before they can be widely implemented, such as the need for standardization, gaps in clinical application, and the importance of dynamic monitoring. Future directions should aim to overcome the challenges to fully utilize the potential of exosomal proteomics in lung cancer. This promises a new era of personalized medicine that leverages the molecular complexity of exosomes for groundbreaking advancements in detection, prognosis, and treatment.

Metabolic reprogramming plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. The metabolism and the proliferation of tumors are regulated by both intrinsic factors within the tumor and the availability of metabolites in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The metabolic niche within the TME is primarily orchestrated at 3 levels: 1) the regulation of tumor metabolism by factors intrinsic to the tumors, 2) the interaction between tumor cells and T cells, macrophages, and stromal cells, and 3) the metabolic heterogeneity of tumor cells within the tissue space. Herein, we provided a concise overview of the various metabolic regulatory modes observed in tumor cells. Additionally, we extensively analyzed the interaction between tumor cells and other cells within the TME, as well as the metabolic characteristics and functions of different types of cells. Ultimately, this review provides a theoretical basis and novel insights for the precision treatment of tumors., Competing Interests: 利益冲突　所有作者均声明不存在利益冲突, (© 2024《四川大学学报（医学版）》编辑部 版权所有Copyright ©2024 Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

Background and Objectives: Disease severity and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease with other viral infections can be affected by the oropharyngeal microbiome. However, limited research had been carried out to uncover how these diseases are differentially affected by the oropharyngeal microbiome of the patient. Here, we aimed to explore the characteristics of the oropharyngeal microbiota of COVID-19 patients and compare them with those of patients with similar symptoms., Methods: COVID-19 was diagnosed in patients through the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Characterization of the oropharyngeal microbiome was performed by metatranscriptomic sequencing analyses of oropharyngeal swab specimens from 144 COVID-19 patients, 100 patients infected with other viruses, and 40 healthy volunteers., Results: The oropharyngeal microbiome diversity in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection was different from that of patients with other infections. Prevotella and Aspergillus could play a role in the differentiation between patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and patients with other infections. Prevotella could also influence the prognosis of COVID-19 through a mechanism that potentially involved the sphingolipid metabolism regulation pathway., Conclusion: The oropharyngeal microbiome characterization was different between SARS-CoV-2 infection and infections caused by other viruses. Prevotella could act as a biomarker for COVID-19 diagnosis and of host immune response evaluation in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, the cross-talk among Prevotella , SARS-CoV-2, and sphingolipid metabolism pathways could provide a basis for the precise diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment of COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lu, Zhou, Hu, Wang, Li, Lin, Wang, Xian, Zhao, Ma, Zhu, Yang, Meng, Kang, Chen and Li.)

Objective: To explore the efficacy of hemodialysis and hemofiltration in the management of uremia complicated with refractory hypertension (RH)., Methods: In this retrospective study, 80 patients with uremia complicated with RH who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Huoqiu County from March 2019 to March 2022 were included. Patients who received routine hemodialysis were assigned to the control group (C group, n=40), whereas patients received routine hemodialysis and hemofiltration were assigned to the observational group (R group, n=40). The clinical indexes of the two groups were recorded and compared. Differences in diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, mean pulsating blood pressure, urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urinary microalbumin, cardiac function parameters and plasma toxic metabolites were observed after one month of treatment., Results: The effective rate of the treatment in the observation group was 97.50%, whereas that for the control group was 75.00%. The observation group showed significantly better improvement of diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The levels of urinary microalbumin were lower after treatment than those before treatment. The levels of urinary protein and BUN were higher in the observation group than those in the control group; and the levels of urinary microalbumin were significantly lower in the observation group compared with the levels in the control group (all P<0.05). The cardiac parameters of the study cohort were significantly lower after treatment. The levels of plasma toxic metabolites in the observation group were significantly lower after the 12-week treatment., Conclusion: Hemodialysis combined with hemofiltration is effective in the management of uremic patients with refractory hypertension. This treatment strategy effectively reduces blood pressure and average pulsation, improves cardiac function, and promotes the clearance of toxic metabolites. The method is associated with fewer adverse reactions and is safe for clinical applications., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2023.)