Biomedical subjects

Jing Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Jing Yang.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

A horizontally transferred bacterial gene for pantothenic acid biosynthesis regulates diapause and reproduction in the spider mite Amphitetranychus viennensis.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has contributed substantially to the evolution of arthropod genomes, yet the functional significance of many horizontally acquired genes remains poorly understood. The hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis, is a devastating agricultural pest whose high fecundity and overwintering diapause afford its exceptional ecological resilience. Through a genome-wide screen, we identified 37 high-confidence horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) in A. viennensis. Among these candidates, we prioritized AvPBL, a gene encoding pantothenate-β-alanine ligase, for functional characterization because it controls the rate-limiting step of a distinctly non-metazoan pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) biosynthesis pathway. RNAi-mediated suppression of AvPBL significantly reduced transcript abundance and endogenous pantothenic acid levels, triggering a 23.7% reduction in cumulative fecundity and severely compromising the mites' ability to enter winter diapause. Importantly, exogenous pantothenic acid supplementation rescued these reproductive and diapause defects, directly linking the observed phenotypes to the disruption of pantothenic acid biosynthesis. Our results demonstrate that the horizontally transferred bacterial gene AvPBL has been functionally integrated into the endogenous metabolic network of A. viennensis, playing a critical role in vitamin B5 biosynthesis, reproduction, and diapause regulation. These findings provide direct evidence that horizontally acquired metabolic genes can shape key life-history traits and drive adaptive evolution in arthropods.

Amphitetranychus viennensis↗

PubMed2026

Understanding tumor adaptations and resistance to MET inhibitors in MET-altered non-small cell lung cancer.

AIM: Type Ib MET inhibitors are clinically active in selected MET-altered non-small cell lung cancer, particularly tumors with MET exon 14 skipping or MET amplification, but acquired resistance remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigated resistance across biologically distinct MET-altered contexts, including MET exon 14 skipping, MET amplification, and MET overexpression. METHODS: Paired baseline and progression samples from seven patients treated with tepotinib or capmatinib were analyzed using spatial transcriptomics, whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, CRISPR screening, and drug-combination assays. Patient-derived cultures and resistant cell-line models were used to explore resistance-associated changes. RESULTS: MET inhibitor resistance was heterogeneous, with persistence of the initial MET alteration in most evaluable cases and emergence of patient-specific genomic events. Three main resistance-associated, often overlapping, routes were identified: on-target MET evolution through kinase-domain alterations; extracellular matrix and tumor-microenvironment remodeling, including collagen and fibronectin upregulation, complement-related signaling, and partial EMT-associated programs; and bypass signaling involving EGFR/HER, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt pathways. In vitro models reproduced several tumor-cell-intrinsic features but only partially captured microenvironment-associated changes. CONCLUSIONS: MET inhibitor resistance in this cohort involved overlapping, context-dependent genomic, phenotypic, and signaling adaptations, supporting combination strategies for MET-altered lung cancer.

CRISPR screen↗

PubMed2026

Genome-Wide Characterization of the ZIP Transporter Family in Sea Island Cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) and Expression Profiling Under Heavy Metal and Pathogen Stresses.

G. barbadense represents an indispensable germplasm resource for high-quality textile fiber and disease resistance; nevertheless, systematic information regarding its ZRT/IRT-like protein (ZIP) gene family remains limited. Here, a total of 46 GbZIP genes were identified across the G. barbadense genome. Comprehensive bioinformatic investigations revealed uneven chromosomal distribution and confirmed that segmental/whole-genome duplications, supplemented by localized tandem duplications, drove family expansion. Members clustered within the same phylogenetic clades shared conserved motif organization and gene architecture, while promoter regions harbored abundant cis-acting elements associated with phytohormone and stress signaling. Transcriptome profiling indicated distinct expression patterns across vegetative/reproductive tissues, fiber and ovule developmental stages, and diverse abiotic stress conditions (cold, hot, drought, and salt). Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) further validated that several GbZIP candidates exhibited temporal expression variations upon exposure to cadmium toxicity, V. dahliae infection, and combined Cd-V. dahliae stress. Specifically, GbZIP13, GbZIP18, GbZIP27, and GbZIP36 displayed prominent broad-spectrum responses to all three stress conditions, whereas GbZIP16, GbZIP29, and GbZIP30 showed stress-specific regulatory divergence. Overall, this study aims to systematically analyze the evolutionary characteristics and expression patterns of the GbZIP family, and to specifically evaluate the response differences under Cd stress, V. dahliae stress, and combined stress, in order to identify potential key candidate genes.

Gossypium barbadense↗

PubMed2026

Population proteomics for equitable precision medicine.

Population proteomics is emerging as a new framework for equitable precision medicine. By studying protein variation across populations, this field bridges population genomics and conventional proteomics to capture the functional molecular states through which genetic ancestry, environmental exposures and other contextual factors shape human health. Here, we discuss how recent advances are moving population proteomics beyond biomarker discovery toward equitable clinical translation through cross-population validation, mechanistic multiomics and global research infrastructures. Its ultimate promise is not to classify populations as fixed biological categories, but to make human diversity measurable, interpretable and clinically actionable for equitable precision medicine.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

CEBPG demonstrates oncogene functions and modulates the expression of genes involved in cervical cancer related pathways.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a major cause of female cancer incidence and mortality globally. Targeted therapy shows promise with higher efficacy and fewer side effects, yet effective biomarkers are needed. CEBPG, a bZIP transcription factor, has attracted attention as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target. It promotes tumor growth in various cancers, but its role in cervical cancer is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression, biological function, and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of CEBPG in cervical cancer. METHODS: This study analyzed CEBPG expression in cervical cancer using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, overexpressed it in HeLa cells, and conducted proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion experiments. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed CEBPG's transcriptional regulatory network. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that CEBPG expression was significantly higher in cervical cancer than in normal tissues. Overexpression of CEBPG in HeLa cells significantly enhanced proliferation, migration, and invasion while repressing apoptosis. RNA-seq analysis identified numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) enriched in pathways critical for tumorigenesis and progression, such as angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and migration. Bioinformatics analysis identified 27 potential transcriptional targets of CEBPG, several of which were associated with poor prognosis and higher expression in cervical cancer tissues. CONCLUSIONS: CEBPG may contribute to malignant phenotypes in cervical cancer, potentially through the transcriptional regulation of specific target genes. The high expression of CEBPG in cervical cancer and its demonstrated role in promoting malignancy through transcriptional regulation provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of cervical carcinogenesis and progression. This offers directions for further exploration of CEBPG as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker.

CEBPG↗

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

Non-telomeric function deficiency of TERT enhances pressure overload-induced mouse cardiac remodeling by activation of CNBP-mediated THBS3/ITGB1 pathway.

Recent studies show that telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) possesses important new biological functions in gene transcription regulation, signal transduction, tumorigenesis, vascular development and mitochondrial DNA protection independent of the maintenance of telomere length. In this study we investigated the role and mechanisms of TERT in regulating the gene expression and signal transduction during pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling. The first-generation TERT knockout (Tert-/-) and wild-type littermate control (Tert+/+) male mice were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery to establish a pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling model. We showed that pressure overload significantly increased TERT expression in the hearts at 8 weeks after TAC, whereas TERT deficiency remarkably exacerbated pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, and reduced the survival rate of the mice. In contrast, TERT overexpression reversed phenylephrine (PE)-stimulated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Ttranscriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction was a key Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway regulated by TERT in hemodynamic overload-induced cardiac remodeling. TERT knockdown greatly enhanced, while TERT overexpression inhibited the activation of the THBS3/ITGB1 signaling pathway, in which transcription factor cellular nucleic acid-binding protein (CNBP) played a pivotal mediating role by interacting with TERT. In conclusion, the non-telomeric function of TERT in gene transcription regulation and signaling transduction plays an important role during pressure overload-induced myocardial remodeling via modulating CNBP-mediated THBS3/ITGB1 signaling pathway, which provides new targets and strategies for the prevention and treatment of pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Artificial intelligence-assisted histopathological diagnosis of endocervical gastric-type adenocarcinoma: a multicenter model development and validation study.

Endocervical gastric-type adenocarcinoma (GAS) is one of the most aggressive subtypes of cervical cancer and is frequently underdiagnosed due to morphological ambiguity, leading to delayed diagnosis. Despite the availability of molecular and genomic assays, their high cost, complexity, and limited reproducibility restrict clinical use. This study therefore proposes a highly sensitive artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic system for GAS based exclusively on H&E-stained histopathological images. We included 309 slides from 96 GAS cases collected at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2018 to January 2025, representing the largest GAS cohort reported to date for AI research. In addition, we incorporated other morphologically analogous diseases, encompassing a total of 1,320 slides sourced from four categories: normal cervical mucosa (NORM), benign endocervical lesion entities (BELE), HPV-associated adenocarcinoma (HPVA), and endometrioid carcinoma with mucinous differentiation (ECMD). We developed GASPath, based on a novel multiple instance learning framework that efficiently captures fine-grained morphological variations from H&E-stained images. Beyond internal validation, GASPath was evaluated across 12 independent retrospective cohorts and further subjected to large-scale real-world validation on more than 7,000 samples from March 2024 to April 2025. Across three stages, GASPath demonstrated high performance. In internal validation (Stage I), it achieved an accuracy of 0.980 (95% CI 0.977-0.983) and an ROC-AUC of 0.995 (95% CI 0.994-0.997). In external validation (Stage II), the sensitivity reached 0.902 and improved to 0.968 with proposed strategies. For biopsy samples, GASPath achieved an ROC-AUC of 0.990 (95% CI 0.984-0.997). In large-scale real-world deployment (Stage III, n = 7,056), GASPath achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.953, with 100% sensitivity for GAS (45/45 cases correctly identified). The heatmaps highlight morphological features of GAS that are easily underestimated, such as irregular, angulated glands, subtle loss of nuclear polarity, and mild cytologic atypia, which show substantial morphological overlap with other diagnostic categories. GASPath enables high-sensitivity detection of GAS in routine H&E-stained slides, obviating the need for extensive auxiliary testing while preventing underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. This advancement addresses a critical gap by streamlining diagnostic workflows without compromising accuracy. Its implementation could enable cost-effective, scalable AI-assisted diagnostics, potentially transforming the early detection and management of this aggressive cancer subtype.

Female↗

PubMed2025

Microbial signals in primary and metastatic brain tumors.

Gliomas and brain metastases are associated with poor prognosis, necessitating a deeper understanding of brain tumor biology and the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Although our group and others have demonstrated microbial presence in various tumors, recent controversies regarding cancer-type-specific intratumoral microbiota emphasize the importance of rigorous, orthogonal validation. This prospective, multi-institutional study included a total of 243 samples from 221 patients, comprising 168 glioma and brain metastases samples and 75 non-cancerous or tumor-adjacent tissues. Using stringent fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and high-resolution spatial imaging, we detected intracellular bacterial 16S rRNA and lipopolysaccharides in both glioma and brain metastases samples, localized to tumor, immune and stromal cells. Custom 16S and metagenomic sequencing workflows identified taxa associated with intratumoral bacterial signals in the tumor microenvironment; however, standard culture methods did not yield readily cultivable microbiota. Spatial analyses revealed significant correlations between bacterial 16S signals and antimicrobial and immunometabolic signatures at regional, neighborhood and cellular levels. Furthermore, intratumoral 16S bacterial signals showed sequence overlap with matched oral and gut microbiota, suggesting a possible connection with distant communities. Together, these findings introduce microbial elements as a component of the brain tumor microenvironment and lay the foundation for future mechanistic and translational studies.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Phenotypic and genotypic profiles of clinical isolates of various Nocardia species to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones.

OBJECTIVES: To establish patterns of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia species to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones and analysis of phenotypic-genotypic correlations. METHODS: Isolates were identified to the species using 16S rRNA, secA1, or rpoB gene sequencing analysis. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method, and WGS was employed to analyse the presence of resistance genes and/or mutations of Nocardia species against carbapenems and fluoroquinolones. RESULTS: Among 143 Nocardia isolates, N. farcinica (27.27%, 39/143) and N. cyriacigeorgica (25.17%, 36/143) were the most common species, followed by N. abscessus Complex (18.88%, 27/143). The MIC90s of the seven carbapenems were 8 mg/L for doripenem, 8 mg/L for meropenem, 16 mg/L for ertapenem, 16 mg/L for biapenem, 64 mg/L for imipenem, 64 mg/L for faropenem and 128 mg/L for tebipenem, respectively. The susceptibility rates to imipenem were 76.9% and 88.9% for N. farcinica and N. cyriacigeorgica, respectively, but only 14.3% and 0% for N. otitidiscavarium and N. brasiliensis, respectively. Further, 90% of N. brasiliensis and 50% of N. otitidiscaviarum isolates were susceptible and intermediate to meropenem. WGS identified blaFAR-1 gene in N. farcinica and blaAST-1 gene in N. cyriacigeorgica, respectively. The MIC90s of the four fluoroquinolones were 1 mg/L for sitafloxacin, 4 mg/L for nemonoxacin, 4 mg/L for moxifloxacin and 16 mg/L for ciprofloxacin, respectively. The susceptibility rate of Nocardia species to ciprofloxacin was low except for N. farcinica. The resistance to fluoroquinolones arise from mutations in the gyrA gene. CONCLUSIONS: Nocardia spp. exhibited varying patterns of susceptibility to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones respectively. Importantly, different Nocardia spp. exhibited different patterns of susceptibility to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones, respectively.

Nocardia↗

PubMed2025

Chromosome-level genome assembly of hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis (Acari: Tetranychidae).

The hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis, is a major pest of orchards and ornamentals in the Palaearctic region, with adaptability and acaricide resistance. The lack of high-quality genomic resources limits understanding of its detoxification mechanisms and the development of RNAi-based pest control strategies. In this study, we utilized Illumina, Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), and Hi-C sequencing technologies to assemble a chromosome-level reference genome of A. viennensis. The assembled genome spans 141.96 Mb, with a contig N50 of 1.35 Mb. BUSCO analysis confirmed a high level of completeness, covering 91.6% of annotated genes. The assembly includes 50.97 Mb of repetitive sequences, representing 35.93% of the genome, and annotates 13,968 protein-coding genes. Using Hi-C sequencing, we anchored 47 contigs to three chromosomes, accounting for 97.27% of the estimated nuclear genome and achieving a contig N50 of 45.83 Mb. This high-quality genome assembly provides a valuable foundation for evolutionary and genomic research on spider mites, while also serving as a genetic resource to inform molecular control strategies and support sustainable pest management.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

GT1 regulates maize sex determination by affecting the jasmonate pathway.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a monoecious plant with male and female flowers physically separated on different inflorescences-the tassel and the ear. Maize sex determination is controlled by a series of complicated developmental signals. Here, we characterized an EMS-induced maize feminized tassel mutant,tasselsilk1 (tsk1), and identified GRASSY TILLERS1 (GT1) as the causative gene. Phenotypic analysis of tsk1 mutants revealed that pistils fail to abort in both the tassel and ear, resulting in long sterile silks in the tassel and the development of an extra small kernel from the lower floret in the ear. RNA-seq and CUT&Tag analysis indicated that GT1 functioned as a repressor for flower organ development by regulating the JA biosynthesis and signaling pathways, specifically by directly promoting the expression of TASSELSEED1 (TS1), ZmMYC2A, ZmMYC2B. Together, we identified a new allele of GT1 and proposed that GT1 functions through JA biosynthesis and signaling pathways to regulate sex determination in maize.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2024

Angiopoietin-like protein 8 directs DNA damage responses towards apoptosis by stabilizing PARP1-DNA condensates.

Upon genotoxic stresses, cells employ various DNA damage responses (DDRs), including DNA damage repair or apoptosis, to safeguard genome integrity. However, the determinants among different DDRs choices are largely unknown. Here, we report angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8), a secreted regulator of lipid metabolism, localizes to the nucleus and acts as a dynamic switch that directs DDRs towards apoptosis rather than DNA repair after genotoxin exposure. ANGPTL8 deficiency alleviates DNA damage and apoptosis in cells exposed to genotoxins, as well as in the liver or kidney of mice injured by hepatic ischemia/reperfusion or cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, ANGPTL8 physically interacts with Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), in a PARylation-independent manner, and reduces the fluidity of PARP1-DNA condensates, thereby enhancing the pro-apoptotic accumulation of PARP1 and PAR chains on DNA lesions. However, the transcription of ANGPTL8 is gradually decreased following genotoxin treatment, partly due to downregulation of CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBPA), presumably to avoid further cytotoxicity. Together, we provide new insights by which genotoxic stress induced DDRs are channeled to suicidal apoptosis to safeguard genome integrity.

Animals↗