Publications by authors named "Zhenxin Fan"

Although gut microbiota and lipid metabolites have been suggested to be closely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the interactions between gut microbiota, lipid metabolites, and the host in T2DM development remains unclear. Rhesus macaques may be the best animal model to investigate these relationships given their spontaneous development of T2DM. We identified eight spontaneous T2DM macaques and conducted a comprehensive study investigating the relationships using multi-omics sequencing technology.

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Subterranean mammals exhibit diverse traits for underground life, making them ideal models for studying molecular mechanisms of adaptation and convergence in extreme environments. To investigate these processes at both the genomic and gut microbiome levels, we assemble a chromosome-level genome of the Chinese bamboo rat (Rhizomys sinensis) and identify an expansion of the Hsp90 gene family, potentially associated with hypoxia adaptation. Transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression changes related to tooth development and visual perception in the Chinese bamboo rat.

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Introduction: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and membranous nephropathy (MN) are among the most common forms of primary glomerular diseases, with a rising global incidence. Despite their clinical importance, the underlying pathogenesis of these diseases and the development of reliable non-invasive diagnostic tools remain inadequately understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that gut microbiota and its associated metabolites may play a crucial role in the development of kidney diseases via the gut-kidney axis.

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Background: To further explore the disease heterogeneity of different subtypes of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and analyze their pathogenesis mechanisms.

Method: The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was carried out to investigate the disease heterogeneity and molecular mechanisms of immune responses in immune cells in JIA.

Result: In our study, we provided a immunological landscape of HLA-B27-positive JIA and HLA-B27-negative JIA immune cells at single cell RNA-Seq resolution.

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Amphibians are extremely sensitive to environmental changes, and their gut microbiome may have different responses to environmental changes. Here, metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the intestinal microbiota of the Asiatic toad () from three different habitats (city areas, transition areas, and wild areas) of Sichuan Province, China. The results showed that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Fusobacteria were the main bacteria in the gut of .

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Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) primarily affects children as an acute systemic vasculitis. Numerous studies indicated an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease due to metabolic disturbances. Despite this knowledge, the specific metabolic modes involved in KD remain unclear.

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Gut microbiota affects host health and disease. Large-scale cohorts have explored the interactions between the microbiota, host, and environment to reveal the disease-associated microbiota variation. A population-level gut metagenomic cohort is still rare in China.

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Recent evidence challenging the notion of a sterile intrauterine environment has sparked research into the origins and effects of fetal microbiota on immunity development during gestation. Rhesus macaques (RMs) serve as valuable nonhuman primate models due to their similarities to humans in development, placental structure, and immune response. In this study, metagenomic analysis was applied to the placenta, umbilical cord, spleen, gastrointestinal tissues of an unborn RM fetus, and the maternal intestine, revealing the diversity and functionality of microbes in these tissues.

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The gut microbiota contributes to host health by facilitating nutrient uptake, digestion, energy metabolism, intestinal development, vitamin synthesis, and immunomodulation, and plays an important role in the growth and reproduction of the animal itself. Considering the paucity of research on the gut microbiota of wild snakes, this study focused on bamboo pitviper () populations from Anhui, Guizhou, and Hunan, with multiple fecal samples collected from each population (six, five, and three, respectively). Total microbial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples using metagenomic next-generation sequencing and differences in gut microbial composition, abundance, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were analyzed and compared among the three populations.

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Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is one of the most common diseases in the neonatal intensive care unit which severely affects neonatal survival. Gut microbes play an increasingly important role in human health, but there are rarely reported how gut microbiota contribute to PPHN. In our study, the metagenomic sequencing of feces from 12 PPHN's neonates and 8 controls were performed to expose the relation between neonatal gut microbes and PPHN disease.

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Article Synopsis
  • Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (SCNECC) is a rare tumor, and this study utilized single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-Seq) to investigate its molecular features and clinical implications for the first time.
  • The research identified two main cell populations within the tumor, malignant stem cells and carcinoma cells, highlighting their role in tumor progression and how they impact the tumor microenvironment and immune response.
  • Key findings included the upregulation of genes like ERBB4 and NRG1, related to the mTOR signaling pathway, suggesting new potential avenues for targeted therapies in treating SCNECC.
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Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) has been considered as the most common required pediatric cardiovascular diseases among the world. However, the molecular mechanisms of KD were not fully underlined, leading to a confused situation in disease management and providing precious prognosis prediction. The disorders of gut microbiome had been identified among several cardiovascular diseases and inflammation conditions.

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The genus Macaca is widely distributed, occupies a variety of habitats, shows diverse phenotypic characteristics, and is one of the best-studied genera of nonhuman primates. Here, we reported five re-sequencing Macaca genomes, including one M. cyclopis, one M.

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The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a distinctive mammal known for its reliance on a diet primarily consisting of bamboo. The gut microbiota and overall health of animals are strongly influenced by diets and environments. Therefore, conducting research to explore the taxonomical and functional variances within the gut microbiota of red pandas exposed to various dietary and environmental conditions could shed light on the dynamic complexities of their microbial communities.

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This study aims to deepen our understanding of the drug resistance and virulence characterization among gut bacteria in asymptomatic and diarrheal captive rhesus macaques (RMs). A total of 31 samples, including 8 asymptomatic RMs, 10 diarrheal RMs, and 1 dead RM, were collected from a breeding base in Sichuan, China, for bacterial isolation. As a result, Escherichia coli (n = 23), Klebsiella (n = 22), Proteus mirabilis (n = 10), Enterococcus (n = 10), Salmonella (n = 2), and Staphylococcus (n = 2) were isolated.

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Unlabelled: Although vaginitis is closely related to vaginal microecology in females, the precise composition and functional potential of different types of vaginitis remain unclear. Here, metagenomic sequencing was applied to analyze the vaginal flora in patients with various forms of vaginitis, including cases with a clue cell proportion ranging from 1% to 20% (Clue1_20), bacterial vaginitis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and BV combined with VVC (VVC_BV). Our results identified as an important biomarker between BV and Clue1_20.

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Macaques (genus ) are the most widely distributed non-human primates, and their evolutionary history, gene expression profiles, and genetic differences have been extensively studied. However, the DNA methylomes of macaque species are not available in public databases, which hampers understanding of epigenetic differences among macaque species. Epigenetic modifications can potentially affect development, physiology, behavior, and evolution.

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Background: Vulvar and vaginal melanoma (VuM & VaM) is a rare gynecologic malignancy with high mortality but low effectiveness to checkpoint immunotherapy compared to cutaneous melanoma. This article aims to elucidate the role of the disordered immune microenvironment in cancer progression in VuM.

Methods: At first, this article applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to the VuM obtained from a 68-year-old female patient, and constructed a single-cell atlas of VuM consist of 12,243 single cells.

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Background: Up the reproductive tract, there are large differences in the composition of vaginal microbes. Throughout the menstrual cycle, the structure of the vaginal microbiome shifts. Few studies have examined both in combination.

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Background: The prevalence of obese children in China is increasing, which poses a great challenge to public health. Gut microbes play an important role in human gut health, and changes in gut status are closely related to obesity. However, how gut microbes contribute to obesity in children remains unclear.

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Introduction: This prospective study analyzed changes in the oral and intestinal microbiomes in patients before and after fixed orthodontic treatment, elucidating the impacts of fixed orthodontic treatment on patient health and metabolism.

Methods: Metagenomic analysis was conducted on stool, dental plaque, and saliva samples from 10 fixed orthodontic patients. All the samples were sequenced with Illumina NovaSeq 6000 with a paired-end sequencing length of 150 bp.

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At present, many infectious pathogens, especially emerging/re-emerging pathogens, exist in the blood of voluntary blood donors and may be transmitted through blood transfusions. However, most of Chinese blood centers only routinely screen for HBV, HCV, HIV, and syphilis. We employed metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to investigate the microbiome in healthy voluntary blood donors to help assess blood safety in China by identifying infectious pathogens presented in donations that could lead to transfusion-acquired infections.

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Background: The impact of COVID-19 on the world is still ongoing, and it is currently under regular management. Although most infected people have flu-like symptoms and can cure themselves, coexisting pathogens in COVID-19 patients should not be taken lightly. The present study sought to investigate the coexisting pathogens in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and identify the variety and abundance of dangerous microbes to guide treatment strategies with a better understanding of the untested factors.

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Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, RMs) are widely used in sexual maturation studies due to their high genetic and physiological similarity to humans. However, judging sexual maturity in captive RMs based on blood physiological indicators, female menstruation, and male ejaculation behavior can be inaccurate. Here, we explored changes in RMs before and after sexual maturation based on multi-omics analysis and identified markers for determining sexual maturity.

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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic provide the opportunities to explore the numerous similarities in clinical symptoms with Kawasaki disease (KD), including severe vasculitis. Despite this, the underlying mechanisms of vascular injury in both KD and COVID-19 remain elusive. To identify these mechanisms, this study employs single-cell RNA sequencing to explore the molecular mechanisms of immune responses in vasculitis, and validate the results through in vitro experiments.

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