Gallstone disease is a common pathology of the digestive system with nearly a 10–20% incidence rate among adults. The mainstay of treatment is cholecystectomy, which is commonly associated with physical pain and may also seriously affect a patient’s quality of life. Clinical research suggests that cholelithiasis is closely related to the age, gender, body mass index, and other basic physical characteristics of patients. Clinical research further suggests that the occurrence of cholelithiasis is related to obesity, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and other diseases. For this reason, we reviewed the following: genetic factors; excessive liver cholesterol secretion (causing cholesterol supersaturation in gallbladder bile); accelerated growth of cholesterol crystals and solid cholesterol crystals; gallbladder motility impairment; and cardiovascular factors. Herein, we summarize and analyze the causes and mechanisms of cholelithiasis, discuss its correlation with the pathogenesis of related diseases, and discuss possible mechanisms.

Obesity is a highly prevalent public health concern, attributed to multifactorial causes and limited in treatment options. Several comorbidities are closely associated with obesity such as the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Bariatric surgery, which can be delivered in multiple forms, has been remarked as an effective treatment to decrease the prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities. The different types of bariatric surgery create a variety of new pathways for food to metabolize in the body and truncate the stomach’s caliber. As a result, only a small quantity of food is tolerated, and the body mass index noticeably decreases. This review describes the improvements of obesity and its comorbidities following bariatric surgery and their mechanism of improvement. Additionally, endocrine function improvements after bariatric surgery, which contributes to the patients’ health improvement, are described, including the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), fibroblast growth factors 19 and 21 (FGF-19, FGF-21), and pancreatic peptide YY (PYY). Lastly, some of the complications of bariatric surgery, including osteoporosis, iron deficiency/anemia, and diarrhea, as well as their potential mechanisms, are described.

Enzymatic reaction-mediated microbial transformation has emerged as a promising technology with significant potential in various industries. These technologies offer the ability to produce enzymes on a large scale, optimize their functionality, and enable sustainable production processes. By utilizing microbial hosts and manipulating their genetic makeup, enzymes can be synthesized efficiently and tailored to meet specific industrial requirements. This leads to enhanced enzyme performance and selectivity, facilitating the development of novel processes and the production of valuable compounds. Moreover, microbial transformation and biosynthesis offer sustainable alternatives to traditional chemical methods, reducing environmental impact and promoting greener production practices. Microbial transformations enrich drug candidate diversity and enhance active ingredient potency, benefiting the pharmaceutical industry. Continued advancements in genetic engineering and bioprocess optimization drive further innovation and application development in Enzymatic reaction-mediated microbial transformation. The integration of AI for predicting enzymatic reactions and optimizing pathways marks a promising direction for future research. In summary, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize several industries by providing cost-effective, sustainable solutions.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive system that is highly malignant, difficult to treat, and confers a poor prognosis for patients. BRAF-activated noncoding RNA (BANCR) has been proven to play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. In this study, we focused on BANCR as a potential therapeutic target for human pancreatic cancer. The BANCR level in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells is affected by m6A methylation. Based on this, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a highly potent and selective first-in-class catalytic inhibitor of METTL3 (STM2457) on BANCR m6A methylation and its malignant biological behaviors in pancreatic cancer. The relationship between BANCR expression and BANCR m6A modification was detected with RT-qPCR and MeRIP-PCR. The expression of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), the key enzyme involved in m6A methylation, in pancreatic cancer tissues was detected using a Western blot. STM2457 was used in vitro to investigate its resistance to the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. BANCR was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells, which was associated with poor clinical outcomes and validated in pancreatic cancer cell lines. m6A modification was highly enriched within BANCR and enhanced its expression. Remarkably, STM2457 inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells by down-regulating BANCR m6A modifications. This study demonstrates the promise of BANCR as a new diagnostic and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer and reveals the therapeutic effect that STM2457 exerts on pancreatic cancer by down-regulating BANCR m6A modifications.