Researchers from the First Affiliated Hospital (FAH) of Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) aimed at frontier issues in major medical fields, and published multiple papers in top-notched international journals during 2024 Spring Festival, such as affiliated journals of Cell and Nature, and prestigious journals in the fields of liver and surgery.
The teams of Professor Lyu Yi and Professor Zhang Xufeng published an original research paper entitled "Sex-determining region Y gene promotes liver fibrosis and accounts for sexual dimorphism in its pathophysiology" in Journal of Hepatology (IF=26), extending the team’s research on the mechanism of gender differences in liver diseases, and revealing for the first time that Y chromosome and its coding gene are the key genetic factors leading to higher incidence and faster progression of liver fibrosis in men than in women. Sexual dimorphism plays an important role in the pathophysiological process of liver diseases. This study was completed by National and Local Joint Engineering Center of Precision Surgery and Regenerative Medicine of FAH. Professor Lyu Yi and Professor Zhang Xufeng from FAH are co-corresponding authors. Wu Xiaoning, a doctoral student majoring in Surgery from XJTU, is the first author.
The teams of Professor Yuan Zuyi and Professor Wu Yue collaborated with Professor Yu Jun’s team from the Chinese University of Hong Kong to publish an original paper in Cell Metabolism (IF=29), which revealed the mechanism of new-onset diabetes mellitus induced by statins through the gut microbiota-bile acid axis. Combined treatment of statins and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) can improve glucose homeostasis without impairing the lipid-lowering effect. The findings in this study not only unravel the mechanism underlying the effect of statins upon gut microbiota, but also develop a novel adjuvant therapy of UDCA for lowering lipid level in the future.
The results of multi-center clinical research on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by Professor Lyu Yi and Professor Zhang Xufeng cooperating with 13 prestigious international centers were published in Annals of Surgery (IF=10.1). Based on the impact of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury caused by routine operations, such as hepatic portal occlusion and controlled hypotension during liver resection, on postoperative serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) levels , this study for the first time constructed the mathematical relationship and prediction model between the changes of AST and ALT levels before and after liver resection and the incidence of postoperative complications, offering a new direction for patient management and prognostic evaluation after HCC surgery.
Aspirin can modulate the gut microbiota and associated metabolites, such as bile acid (BAs), but how this impacts intestinal homeostasis remains unclear. The teams of Professor Yuan Zuyi, Professor Wu Yue and Frank J. Gonzalez from Center for Cancer Research of National Institutes of Health, as co-corresponding authors, jointly published a research paper entitled "A gut microbiota-bile acid axis promotes intentional homeostasis upon aspirin-mediated damage" in Cell Host & Microbe (IF=30.3), revealing that the gut microbiota-bile acid axis promotes intentional homeostasis upon aspirin-mediated damage.
Professor She Junjun's team and Professor Yu Jun's team from the Chinese University of Hong Kong defined the biogeographical map of microbiome in human surface organs (inner surface-total digestive tract; outer surface-skin). The findings in this study provide an encyclopedic basic reference for the study of human microecosystem, and offer a theoretical basis for further understanding the function of microbial community across organs and developing interventional measures for human microecosystem. Relevant research results were published in Nature Communications (IF=16.6).
Professor Mu Jianjun's team published the latest original results as an Article in eClinicalMedicine (IF=15.1), an affiliated journal of Lancet. Professor Mu Jianjun and Professor Wang Duolao are co-corresponding authors, and Guo Tongshuai is the first author. This study for the first time revealed that early BMI trajectory and its variability can effectively predict the risk of MetS (metabolic syndrome) in middle age. These findings emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring of children's BMI. As one of the key strategies for early identification of individuals with high-risk cardiovascular disease, it is of significance for early prevention and control of cardiovascular disease risk in this population.
