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Biomedical subjects

Yang Xu

Publications and source records attributed to Yang Xu.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Comprehensive Landscape of Post-Translational Modification Alterations in Nephrolithiasis Revealing Activation of Multiple Cell Death Pathways.

Nephrolithiasis is a common urinary disorder characterized by high prevalence and recurrence, but the molecular mechanisms underlying calcium oxalate (CaOx)-crystal-induced renal injury remain incompletely understood. We applied integrated proteomic, phosphoproteomic, acetylomic, and lactylomic analyses to kidney tissues from a mouse model of CaOx nephrolithiasis followed by bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation. We identified 658 differentially expressed proteins, 735 differential phosphorylation sites, 335 differential acetylation sites, and 113 differential lactylation sites. Functional enrichment indicated immune activation, fibrotic remodeling, and alterations in PI3K-Akt, NOD-like receptor, p53, and Toll-like receptor signaling together with changes in fatty acid degradation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and glycolysis. Kinase activity prediction suggested the relative activation of multiple cyclin-dependent kinases. Proteins associated with ferroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, including ACSL4, BNIP3, RIPK3, and GSDMD, showed coordinated abundance and modification changes. Several candidate sites, including MTOR_S1849, GCLM_K94, GCLM_S59, and GSS_K172, were also dysregulated. These data provide a multiomics resource for CaOx nephrolithiasis and identify candidate PTM events and regulatory pathways for future mechanistic validation.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Small GTPase RAN-driven PNET2 oligomerization and phase separation at the nuclear lamina promote nuclear envelope integrity in plants.

The nuclear envelope is a fundamental organizer of eukaryotic cells, yet how plants regulate its architecture and integrity remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified the plant inner nuclear membrane protein PLANT NUCLEAR ENVELOPE TRANSMEMBRANE 2 (PNET2) as a scaffold that maintains nuclear envelope integrity and genome stability. Loss of PNET2 function compromises nuclear membrane structure and sensitizes cells to DNA damage, whereas overexpression drives aberrant nuclear membrane expansion. Biochemically, PNET2 cooperates with the nuclear lamin protein KAKU4 and CROWDED NUCLEI 1 within the nuclear lamina to promote nuclear membrane remodeling, a process driven by biomolecular condensate formation via their intrinsically disordered regions. We further uncovered a direct interaction between PNET2 and the small GTPase RAN. Structural modeling and biochemical analyses revealed that its active GTP-bound form stimulates PNET2 oligomerization, potentially promoting its phase separation to drive membrane expansion. Genetic analyses showed that PNET2 and RAN function in a shared pathway essential for nuclear membrane integrity. Together, our findings define a regulatory module that orchestrates GTPase signaling to sustain nuclear membrane homeostasis in plants, positioning PNET2 as a nexus linking membrane dynamics, nuclear lamina organization, and genome protection.

PNET2↗
PubMed2026

Shared genetic architecture and therapeutic targets across paediatric immune-mediated diseases.

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric-onset immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), including juvenile idiopathic arthritis and related rheumatic diseases, remain genetically undercharacterised. We aimed to define shared and category-specific genetic architecture across paediatric IMIDs, compare signals with adult IMIDs, and identify therapeutic opportunities. METHODS: We analysed 24 paediatric IMIDs classified as autoimmune, polygenic-autoinflammatory, mixed-pattern, or allergic. Genome-wide association analyses included 18,086 cases and 131,019 controls of European ancestry. We estimated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability, genetic correlations, and polygenic overlap; performed subset-based meta-analysis; and conducted functional annotation, gene prioritisation, pathway and protein network analyses, adult-IMID comparison, and drug-target prioritisation. RESULTS: SNP-based heritability ranged from 28.9% for allergic IMIDs to 61.9% for autoimmune IMIDs. Genetic correlation and polygenic modelling supported partial sharing across categories with category-specific components. Meta-analysis identified 39 genome-wide significant loci outside the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region, including 15 previously unreported loci; 19 loci were shared between categories. Gene-prioritisation and protein interaction analyses identified a core MHC-centred antigen-presentation network, with category-enriched modules involving complement, innate/barrier pathways, epithelial biology, and type 2 immunity. Enriched pathways included nuclear factor κB signalling, T helper 17 related pathways, Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription signalling, programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death‑ligand 1, cytotoxic T‑lymphocyte associated protein 4 regulation, and osteoclast differentiation, several of which are relevant to rheumatic diseases. Paediatric IMIDs shared broad polygenic architecture with adult IMIDs, whereas top-ranked genes converged strongly with adult rheumatic diseases. Priority Index analysis identified 178 high-scoring genes, including 43 approved or investigational IMID drug targets. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric-onset IMIDs share core pathways with adult forms but exhibit distinct genetic architecture shaped by age-specific immune and neurodevelopmental biology. These findings provide a genomic framework for paediatric precision medicine, guiding classification, risk prediction, and therapeutic development.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Non-structural maintenance of chromosome condensin I complex subunit H knockdown suppresses malignant progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality, and effective therapeutic targets are still limited. Non-structural maintenance of chromosome condensin I complex subunit H (NCAPH) has been implicated in tumorigenesis; however, its clinical relevance, functional roles, and underlying mechanisms in ESCC are not fully defined. We aimed to characterize the expression pattern, prognostic value, biological functions, and mechanistic basis of NCAPH in ESCC. METHODS: Public datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were analyzed to evaluate NCAPH expression and clinical associations. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data were used to map cell-type-specific distribution of NCAPH in tumor and adjacent tissues. NCAPH was silenced in KYSE150 and KYSE510 cells using lentiviral short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), followed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, wound-healing, and Transwell migration/invasion assays. A nude mouse xenograft model was established to assess the effect of NCAPH knockdown in vivo. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to explore potential mechanisms. RESULTS: NCAPH was consistently upregulated in ESCC across multiple cohorts and was associated with unfavorable clinicopathological features and poorer survival. Functional assays demonstrated that NCAPH knockdown significantly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and clonogenic growth. In vivo, NCAPH silencing suppressed xenograft tumor growth. Mechanistically, transcriptomic profiling and molecular validation indicated attenuation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling following NCAPH depletion, accompanied by reduced β-catenin and downstream targets. CONCLUSIONS: NCAPH promotes malignant progression of ESCC, at least in part through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)↗
PubMed2026

Causal relationships between psoriasis and coronary artery disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Previous studies have revealed a potential association between psoriasis and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the causal relationship between the 2 remains unclear. This study aims to assess the causal link between psoriasis and CAD, which encompasses coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and angina pectoris. After obtaining genome-wide association studies data on psoriasis and CAD, we selected appropriate single nucleotide polymorphisms for Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The inverse-variance weighted method was used as the main analytical method. The inverse-variance weighted method indicated that psoriasis was associated with a higher risk of CAD (odds ratio&#x2005;=&#x2005;11.538, 95% confidence interval&#x2005;=&#x2005;4.498-29.595, P&#x2005;<&#x2005;.001), and coronary heart disease (odds ratio&#x2005;=&#x2005;1.080, 95% confidence interval&#x2005;=&#x2005;1.031-1.132, P&#x2005;=&#x2005;.001). Reverse MR analyses did not show causal effects of CAD on psoriasis. This study shows a significant causal association between psoriasis and incidence of CAD. However, there is no reverse causal association between CAD and psoriasis.

Psoriasis↗
PubMed2025

Effects of nitrogen allocation and photosynthetic proteins response in peanut leaves on photosynthesis under conditions of water scarcity and nitrogen deficiency.

Leaf nitrogen allocation and photosynthetic proteins response can affect net photosynthetic rate (Pn), ultimately influencing crop yield under diverse environmental stresses. However, the internal relationship between Pn with leaf nitrogen allocation and photosynthetic proteins response under nitrogen or water scarcity in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) remains elusive. Here, comprehensive physiological property and proteomic analyses of peanut were conducted, revealing that both nitrogen and water scarcity remarkably impeded leaf growth and reduced Pn. Nitrogen deficiency significantly reduced the total nitrogen content per unit leaf area (Narea), chlorophyll content, and Pn, whereas drought stress caused a greater decline in photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE). The allocation of leaf nitrogen to photosynthetic components, including the carboxylation system and electron transport system in leaves, was significantly reduced when subjected to individual or combined deficiency. Proteomic analyses exhibited that several key photosynthetic proteins underwent a decrease under both single and combined water and nitrogen deficiency conditions. Thereby, Pn may decline due to the disruption of nitrogen allocation and down-regulated expression of photosynthetic proteins under these stress conditions. Our findings establish a benchmark for future research exploring the roles of leaf nitrogen allocation and photosynthetic proteins in the plant's response to nitrogen or water deficiency.

Nitrogen↗
PubMed2021

Dissecting spatial heterogeneity and the immune-evasion mechanism of CTCs by single-cell RNA-seq in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Little is known about the transcriptomic plasticity and adaptive mechanisms of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) during hematogeneous dissemination. Here we interrogate the transcriptome of 113 single CTCs from 4 different vascular sites, including hepatic vein (HV), peripheral artery (PA), peripheral vein (PV) and portal vein (PoV) using single-cell full-length RNA sequencing in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. We reveal that the transcriptional dynamics of CTCs were associated with stress response, cell cycle and immune-evasion signaling during hematogeneous transportation. Besides, we identify chemokine CCL5 as an important mediator for CTC immune evasion. Mechanistically, overexpression of CCL5 in CTCs is transcriptionally regulated by p38-MAX signaling, which recruites regulatory T cells (Tregs) to facilitate immune escape and metastatic seeding of CTCs. Collectively, our results reveal a previously unappreciated spatial heterogeneity and an immune-escape mechanism of CTC, which may aid in designing new anti-metastasis therapeutic strategies in HCC.

Aged↗