GJB3: a comprehensive biomarker in pan-cancer prognosis and immunotherapy prediction.

BACKGROUND: A wide range of connexins are situated between normal-normal cells, cancer-cancer cells, and cancer-normal cells. Abnormalities in connexin expression are typically accompanied by cancer development; however, no systematic studies have examined the role of Gap Junction Protein Beta 3 (GJB3) in the context of tumor progression and immunity, especially when considering a broad range of cancer types. METHODS: In this study, data on GJB3 expression were gathered from Genotype-Tissue Expression, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. Then, we analyzed the relationship between GJB3 expression and tumor characteristics. In vitro experiments using colony formation, EdU, CCK8, transwell migration assays, immunohistochemistry and western blot were performed to investigate the function of GJB3 in tumor progression of various cell lines. A drug sensitivity analysis of GJB3 was performed using the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database. RESULT: Our findings demonstrate that GJB3 is widely expressed in various cancers and correlates significantly with disease stages, patient survival, immunotherapy response, and pharmaceutical guidance. Additionally, GJB3 plays a role in different cancer pathways, as well as in different immune and molecular subtypes of cancer. Co-expression of GJB3 with immune checkpoint genes was observed. Further experiments showed that knockdown of GJB3 inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway and resulted in reduced proliferation, migration, and viability of different cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Overall, GJB3 shows potential as a molecular biomarker and therapeutic target for various cancers, particularly lung adenocarcinomas, mesothelioma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Thus, GJB3 may represent a new therapeutic target for a wide range of cancers.

Proteo-transcriptomic profiles reveal key regulatory pathways and functions of LDHA in the ovulation of domestic chickens (Gallus gallus).

BACKGROUND: In poultry, the smooth transition of follicles from the preovulatory-to-postovulatory phase impacts egg production in hens and can benefit the poultry industry. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying follicular ovulation in avians is a complex biological process that remains unclear. RESULTS: Critical biochemical events involved in ovulation in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus) were evaluated by transcriptomics, proteomics, and in vitro assays. Comparative transcriptome analyses of the largest preovulatory follicle (F1) and postovulatory follicle (POF1) in continuous laying (CL) and intermittent laying (IL) chickens indicated the greatest difference between CL_F1 and IL_F1, with 950 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and the smallest difference between CL_POF1 and IL_POF1, with 14 DEGs. Additionally, data-independent acquisition proteomics revealed 252 differentially abundant proteins between CL_F1 and IL_F1. Perivitelline membrane synthesis, steroid biosynthesis, lysosomes, and oxidative phosphorylation were identified as pivotal pathways contributing to ovulation regulation. In particular, the regulation of zona pellucida sperm-binding protein 3, plasminogen activator, cathepsin A, and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) was shown to be essential for ovulation. Furthermore, the inhibition of LDHA decreased cell viability and promoted apoptosis of ovarian follicles in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals several important biochemical events involved in the process of ovulation, as well as crucial role of LDHA. These findings improve our understanding of ovulation and its regulatory mechanisms in avian species.

Functional and Genetic Analyses Unveil the Implication of CDC27 in Hemifacial Microsomia.

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is a rare congenital genetic syndrome primarily affecting the first and second pharyngeal arches, leading to defects in the mandible, external ear, and middle ear. The pathogenic genes remain largely unidentified. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was conducted on 12 HFM probands and their unaffected biological parents. Predictive structural analysis of the target gene was conducted using PSIPRED (v3.3) and SWISS-MODEL, while STRING facilitated protein-to-protein interaction predictions. CRISPR/Cas9 was applied for gene knockout in zebrafish. In situ hybridization (ISH) was employed to examine the spatiotemporal expression of the target gene and neural crest cell (NCC) markers. Immunofluorescence with PH3 and TUNEL assays were used to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis. RNA sequencing was performed on mutant and control embryos, with rescue experiments involving target mRNA injections and specific gene knockouts. CDC27 was identified as a novel candidate gene for HFM, with four nonsynonymous de novo variants detected in three unrelated probands. Structural predictions indicated significant alterations in the secondary and tertiary structures of CDC27. cdc27 knockout in zebrafish resulted in craniofacial malformation, spine deformity, and cardiac edema, mirroring typical HFM phenotypes. Abnormalities in somatic cell apoptosis, reduced NCC proliferation in pharyngeal arches, and chondrocyte differentiation issues were observed in cdc27-/- mutants. cdc27 mRNA injections and cdkn1a or tp53 knockout significantly rescued pharyngeal arch cartilage dysplasia, while sox9a mRNA administration partially restored the defective phenotypes. Our findings suggest a functional link between CDC27 and HFM, primarily through the inhibition of CNCC proliferation and disruption of pharyngeal chondrocyte differentiation.

A review of distribution and functions of extracellular DNA in the environment and wastewater treatment systems.

Extracellular DNA referred to DNA fragments existing outside the cell, originating from various cell release mechanisms, including active secretion, cell lysis, and phage-mediated processes. Extracellular DNA serves as a vital environmental biomarker, playing crucial ecological and environmental roles in water bodies. This review is summarized the mechanisms of extracellular DNA release, including pathways involving cell lysis, extracellular vesicles, and type IV secretion systems. Then, the extraction and detection methods of extracellular DNA from water, soil, and biofilm are described and analyzed. Finally, we emphasize the role of extracellular DNA in microbial community systems, including its significant contributions to biofilm formation, biodiversity through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and electron transfer processes. This review offers a comprehensive insight into the sources, distribution, functions, and impacts of extracellular DNA within aquatic environments, aiming to foster further exploration and understanding of extracellular DNA dynamics in aquatic environments as well as other environments.

Single-cell Transcriptomics Reveals the Aggressive Landscape of High-Grade Serous Carcinoma and Therapeutic Targets in Tumor Microenvironment.

High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is characterized by early abdominal metastasis, leading to a dismal prognosis. In this study, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing on 109,573 cells from 34 tumor samples of 18 HGSC patients, including both primary tumors and their metastatic sites. Our analysis revealed a distinct S100A9+ tumor cell subtype present in both primary and metastatic sites, strongly associated with poor overall survival. This subtype exhibited high expression of S100A8, S100A9, ADGRF1, CEACAM6, CST6, NDRG2, MUC4, PI3, SDC1, and C15orf48. Individual knockdown of these ten marker genes, validated through in vitro and in vivo models, significantly inhibited ovarian cancer growth and invasion. Around S100A9+ tumor cells, a population of HK2+_CAF was identified, characterized by activated glycolysis metabolism, correlating with shorter overall survival in patients. Notably, similar to CAFs, immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) subtypes underwent glycolipid metabolism reprogramming via PPARgamma regulation, promoting tumor metastasis. These findings shed light on the mechanisms driving the aggressiveness of HGSC, offering crucial insights for the development of novel therapeutic targets against this formidable cancer.

Evidence quality assessment of acupuncture intervention for stroke hemiplegia: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Objective: Summarize the conclusions of the systematic review/meta-analysis of the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for stroke hemiplegia, and evaluate its methodological quality and the quality of evidence. Methods: Two researchers searched and extracted 8 databases for systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs), and independently assessed the methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and quality of evidence of SRs/MAs included in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Tools used included the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Risk of Bias in Systematic (ROBIS) scale, the list of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The search time is from database building to July 2023. Results: A total of 11 SRs/MAs were included, including 2 English literature and 9 Chinese literature, with all study sites in China. AMSTAR-2 evaluation results showed that the methodological quality of 11 articles was rated as very low quality; Based on the ROBIS evaluation results, the SRs/MAs was assessed as a high risk of bias; According to the results of the PRISMA checklist evaluation, most of the SRs/MAs reports are relatively complete; according to GRADE system, 42 outcomes were extracted from the included SRs/MAs for evaluation, of which 1 was rated as high-quality evidence, 14 as moderate-quality evidence, 14 as low-quality evidence, and 13 as very low-quality evidence. Conclusion: The available evidence indicates that acupuncture has certain clinical efficacy in the treatment of stroke hemiplegia. However, there are still some limitations to this study, such as the lower quality of SRs/MAs methodologies and evidence included, and more high-quality studies are needed to verify them.

25(OH)D level and vascular lesion scores in kidney histopathology as risk-stratification tool for predicting renal progression in people with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: To evaluate the potential of the combined individual vascular histopathological lesion and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level as predictors of outcomes in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. METHODS: A total of 190 patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease stages 1-4 were retrospectively included. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were performed to assess renal survival differences. And the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to characterize the predictive accuracy. Hazard ratios for vascular lesion scores and 25(OH)D levels with renal outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models with follow-up time. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 23.78 (12.61, 37.14) months, 71 patients (37.4 %) experienced the renal outcomes. Enrolled patients with more severe vascular lesions had worse kidney function, heavier proteinuria, lower serum 25(OH)D levels, and higher prevalence of composite kidney outcomes. Baseline serum 25(OH)D was a significant independent risk factor for vascular lesion scores. The effect of serum 25(OH)D level on kidney prognosis was more pronounced in males and those with more exacerbated vascular lesions (score 2). The severity of vascular lesions and serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with unfavorable kidney outcomes. Accordingly, further time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that combined 25(OH)D level and vascular lesion score had a stable and reliable performance in renal outcomes prediction at short and long-term follow-up times. CONCLUSIONS: 25(OH)D level and vascular lesion scores in kidney histopathology could serve as a useful risk-stratification tool for predicting renal progression in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Computer-aided diagnosis system for optical diagnosis of colorectal polyps under white light imaging.

OBJECTIVES: This study presents a novel computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) designed for optically diagnosing colorectal polyps using white light imaging (WLI).We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the CADx and its auxiliary role among endoscopists with different levels of expertise. METHODS: We collected 2,324 neoplastic and 3,735 nonneoplastic polyp WLI images for model training, and 838 colorectal polyp images from 740 patients for model validation. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of the CADx with that of 15 endoscopists under WLI and narrow band imaging (NBI). The auxiliary benefits of CADx for endoscopists of different experience levels and for identifying different types of colorectal polyps was also evaluated. RESULTS: The CADx demonstrated an optical diagnostic accuracy of 84.49%, showing considerable superiority over all endoscopists, irrespective of whether WLI or NBI was used (P < 0.001). Assistance from the CADx significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of the endoscopists from 68.84% to 77.49% (P = 0.001), with the most significant impact observed among novice endoscopists. Notably, novices using CADx-assisted WLI outperform junior and expert endoscopists without such assistance. CONCLUSIONS: The CADx demonstrated a crucial role in substantially enhancing the precision of optical diagnosis for colorectal polyps under WLI and showed the greatest auxiliary benefits for novice endoscopists.

OpenFold: retraining AlphaFold2 yields new insights into its learning mechanisms and capacity for generalization.

AlphaFold2 revolutionized structural biology with the ability to predict protein structures with exceptionally high accuracy. Its implementation, however, lacks the code and data required to train new models. These are necessary to (1) tackle new tasks, like protein-ligand complex structure prediction, (2) investigate the process by which the model learns and (3) assess the model's capacity to generalize to unseen regions of fold space. Here we report OpenFold, a fast, memory efficient and trainable implementation of AlphaFold2. We train OpenFold from scratch, matching the accuracy of AlphaFold2. Having established parity, we find that OpenFold is remarkably robust at generalizing even when the size and diversity of its training set is deliberately limited, including near-complete elisions of classes of secondary structure elements. By analyzing intermediate structures produced during training, we also gain insights into the hierarchical manner in which OpenFold learns to fold. In sum, our studies demonstrate the power and utility of OpenFold, which we believe will prove to be a crucial resource for the protein modeling community.

Tailor-Made α-Glucans by Engineering the Processivity of α-Glucanotransferases via Tunnel-Cleft Active Center Interconversions.

The function of polysaccharides is intimately associated with their size, which is largely determined by the processivity of transferases responsible for their synthesis. A tunnel active center architecture has been recognized as a key factor that governs processivity of several glycoside hydrolases (GHs), e.g., cellulases and chitinases. Similar tunnel architecture is also observed in the Limosilactobacillus reuteri 121 GtfB (Lr121 GtfB) α-glucanotransferase from the GH70 family. The molecular element underpinning processivity of these transglucosylases remains underexplored. Here, we report the synthesis of the smallest (α1 → 4)-α-glucan interspersed with linear and branched (α1 → 6) linkages by a novel 4,6-α-glucanotransferase from L. reuteri N1 (LrN1 GtfB) with an open-clefted active center instead of the tunnel structure. Notably, the loop swapping engineering of LrN1 GtfB and Lr121 GtfB based on their crystal structures clarified the impact of the loop-mediated tunnel/cleft structure at the donor subsites -2 to -3 on processivity of these α-glucanotransferases, enabling the tailoring of both product sizes and substrate preferences. This study provides unprecedented insights into the processivity determinants and evolutionary diversification of GH70 α-glucanotransferases and offers a simple route for engineering starch-converting α-glucanotransferases to generate diverse α-glucans for different biotechnological applications.

Discovery of potent small molecule ubiquitin-specific protease 10 inhibitors with anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity through regulating YAP expression.

High expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10) promote the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), thus the development of USP10 inhibitors holds promise as a novel therapeutic approach for HCC treatment. However, the development of selective USP10 inhibitor is still limited. In this study, we developed a novel USP10 inhibitor for investigating the feasibility of targeting USP10 for the treatment of HCC. Due to high USP10 inhibition potency and prominent selectivity, compound D1 bearing quinolin-4(1H)-one scaffold was identified as a lead compound. Subsequent research revealed that D1 significantly inhibits cell proliferation and clone formation in HCC cells. Mechanistic insights indicated that D1 targets the ubiquitin pathway, facilitating the degradation of YAP (Yes-associated protein), thereby triggering the downregulation of p53 and its downstream protein p21. Ultimately, this cascade leads to S-phase arrest in HCC cells, followed by cell apoptosis. Collectively, our findings highlight D1 as a promising starting point for USP10-positive HCC treatment, underscoring its potential as a vital tool for unraveling the functional intricacies of USP10.

Competitive relationships due to similar nutrient preferences reshape soil bacterial metacommunities.

Paddy soil, as an ecosystem with alternating drained and flooded conditions, microorganisms in it can maintain the stability of the ecosystem by regulating the composition and diversity of its species when disturbed by external biotic or abiotic factors, and the regulatory mechanism in this process is a controversial topic in ecological research. In this study, we investigate the effects of pigeon feces addition on bacterial communities in three textured soils, two conditions (drained and flooded) based on microcosm experiment using high-throughput sequencing techniques. Our results show that pigeon feces addition reduced environmental heterogeneity and community diversity, both under flooded and drained conditions and in all textured soils, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of environmental selection and increasing diffusion limitations among bacterial communities. Bacterial communities are altered by environmental factors including total organic carbon, available nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus and available potassium, resulting in the formation of new community structures and dominant genera. Bacteria from pigeon feces did not colonize the original soil in large numbers, and the soil bacterial community structure changed, with some species replaced the indigenous ones as new dominant genera. As nutrient diffusion increases the nutrient content of the soil, this does not lead to species extinction; however, nutrient diffusion creates new nutrient preferences of the bacterial community, which causes direct competition between species, and contributes to the extinction and immigration species. Our results suggest that species replacement is an adaptive strategy of soil bacterial community in response to dispersal of pigeon feces, and that bacterial community regulate diversity and abundance of the community by enhancing species extinction and immigration, thereby preventing bacteria in pigeon feces from colonizing paddy soils and maintaining ecosystem stability.

How do probiotics alleviate constipation? A narrative review of mechanisms.

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal condition, which may occur at any age and affects countless people. The search for new treatments for constipation is ongoing as current drug treatments fail to provide fully satisfactory results. In recent years, probiotics have attracted much attention because of their demonstrated therapeutic efficacy and fewer side effects than pharmaceutical products. Many studies attempted to answer the question of how probiotics can alleviate constipation. It has been shown that different probiotic strains can alleviate constipation by different mechanisms. The mechanisms on probiotics in relieving constipation were associated with various aspects, including regulation of the gut microbiota composition, the level of short-chain fatty acids, aquaporin expression levels, neurotransmitters and hormone levels, inflammation, the intestinal environmental metabolic status, neurotrophic factor levels and the body's antioxidant levels. This paper summarizes the perception of the mechanisms on probiotics in relieving constipation and provides some suggestions on new research directions.

Deciphering the structure and potassium-ion transport mechanism of potassium borate glass.

Potassium borate glass has great potential as an ion transport material. The ion transport rate is closely related to the microstructure of the glass. However, the disorder and variations in boron and oxygen atom types in the glass structure pose challenges in the analysis of this complex glass structure. In this work, the structure of potassium borate glass was unveiled through the neutron diffraction method and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. The B-O, K-O, and O-O atomic interactions, bond lengths, coordination numbers, cavity distribution, ring structure distributions and other detailed information in the microstructure of potassium borate glass were obtained. By comparing the structure and properties of potassium borate glass with those of crystals of similar components, it is found that the bond lengths of 3B-BO (BO, bridging oxygen), 4B-BO and 3B-NBO (NBO, non-bridging oxygen) are longer than those of corresponding crystals, so the structure of the boron-oxygen network is looser and the density is smaller than that of similar crystals. Moreover, we found a rule that in both borate glass and crystal, the increase of NBO shortened the length of the B-O bond, and the increase of 4B increased the length of the B-O bond. The key structures affecting the transport rate of K+ were NBO, chain structure units and cavities. This work will provide reference data for designing and developing electrically conductive amorphous materials with faster potassium-ion transport rates.

Regorafenib with immunotherapy versus regorafenib alone as second-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter real-world study.

INTRODUCTION: Regorafenib remains the standard and widely used second-line strategy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is still a lack of large-scale multicenter real-world evidence concerning the concurrent use of regorafenib with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). This study aims to evaluate whether combining regorafenib with ICI provides greater clinical benefit than regorafenib monotherapy as second-line therapy for advanced HCC under real-world circumstances. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 208 patients from five medical facilities. One hundred forty-three patients received regorafenib plus ICI combination therapy, while 65 patients received regorafenib monotherapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was employed. RESULTS: The regorafenib plus ICI group demonstrated significantly higher objective response rate (24.3% vs. 10.3%, after PSM, p = 0.030) and disease control rate (79.4% vs. 50.0%, after PSM, p < 0.001) compared to the regorafenib monotherapy group based on mRECIST criteria. Median progression-free survival (7.9 vs. 3.2 months, after PSM, p < 0.001) and overall survival (25.6 vs. 16.4 months, p = 0.010, after PSM) were also considerably longer in the regorafenib plus ICI group. The incidence of Grades 3-4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was marginally greater in the regorafenib plus ICI group than in the regorafenib group (23.8% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.546). Notably, there were no instances of treatment-related mortality or emergence of new TRAEs in any treatment group. CONCLUSION: The combination of regorafenib and ICI shows potential as a viable second-line treatment for advanced HCC, exhibiting favorable efficacy while maintaining a tolerable safety profile in contrast to regorafenib monotherapy.

Soil column-experimental research on the migration pattern of petroleum pollutant in the soil.

In the process of oilfield exploitation and production, harmful pollutants, such as Crude oil that falls to the ground (generally refers to crude oil that leaks to the ground during oil production or transportation), production wastewater and oil-bearing mud are produced. In this contribution, the soil and crude oil from Daqing area are adopted as experimental materials to make a soil column-experimental device. The results show that the maximum migration depth of petroleum pollutants is 25 cm, most of the pollutants exist above 10 cm. The components of pollutants in disturbed soil column are complex, and the peak area of each component is large, mainly distributed in C12-C28, while in undisturbed soil column, the content of pollutants is small, and the peak area of each component is also small, mainly distributed in C12-C22. With the increase of depth, the relative content of aromatic hydrocarbons increases. The migration ability of low carbon component is weaker than the other components in crude oil. The components with high carbon number are significantly higher in shallow part. The relative contents of each component from high to low are saturates, aromatic hydrocarbons, resin and asphaltene in the soil. Compared with disturbed soil columns, the structure of undisturbed soil is complex, and the migration rate of pollutants in undisturbed soil is slower than that in disturbed soil. With the increase of depth, the light components of disturbed soil columns gradually decrease, and the relative content of heavy components changes little. The light components of the undisturbed soil column also gradually decreased, and the heavy components greater than C22 did not migrate to the depth of the soil column.

DenseNet model incorporating hybrid attention mechanisms and clinical features for pancreatic cystic tumor classification.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to develop a deep learning model capable of discriminating between pancreatic plasma cystic neoplasms (SCN) and mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) by leveraging patient-specific clinical features and imaging outcomes. The intent is to offer valuable diagnostic support to clinicians in their clinical decision-making processes. METHODS: The construction of the deep learning model involved utilizing a dataset comprising abdominal magnetic resonance T2-weighted images obtained from patients diagnosed with pancreatic cystic tumors at Changhai Hospital. The dataset comprised 207 patients with SCN and 93 patients with MCN, encompassing a total of 1761 images. The foundational architecture employed was DenseNet-161, augmented with a hybrid attention mechanism module. This integration aimed to enhance the network's attentiveness toward channel and spatial features, thereby amplifying its performance. Additionally, clinical features were incorporated prior to the fully connected layer of the network to actively contribute to subsequent decision-making processes, thereby significantly augmenting the model's classification accuracy. The final patient classification outcomes were derived using a joint voting methodology, and the model underwent comprehensive evaluation. RESULTS: Using the five-fold cross validation, the accuracy of the classification model in this paper was 92.44%, with an AUC value of 0.971, a precision rate of 0.956, a recall rate of 0.919, a specificity of 0.933, and an F1-score of 0.936. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the DenseNet model, which incorporates hybrid attention mechanisms and clinical features, is effective for distinguishing between SCN and MCN, and has potential application for the diagnosis of pancreatic cystic tumors in clinical practice.

Uneven Corneal Epithelial Redistribution After Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Lenticule Intrastromal Keratoplasty in Correcting Moderate-to-High Hyperopia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the characteristic of corrective epithelial thickness after femtosecond laser-assisted lenticule intrastromal keratoplasty (LIKE) to correct moderate-to-high hyperopia. METHODS: The prospective case series study of the LIKE procedure was performed to correct moderate-to-high hyperopia. The epithelial thickness map was generated by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in the corneal central 9-mm zone. Keratometry and corneal higher order aberrations were analyzed by Pentacam (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: In the 26 eyes of 13 participants who underwent the LIKE procedure for moderate-to-high hyperopia, the attempted spherical equivalence (SEQ) was +6.50 ± 1.09 diopters (D). Compared to the preoperative epithelial thickness maps, the postoperative epithelial thickness had become significantly thinner in the central 5-mm zone; the difference was 6 to 7 µm. The paracentral epithelium performed nonuniform remodeling; the thinnest epithelial thickness was located in the inferotemporal section, which has the greatest difference from the superonasal; the difference between these two was approximately 3 µm. Through correlation analysis, it was found that the sections with thinner epithelium were significantly related to corneal curvature and corneal vertical coma. CONCLUSIONS: The LIKE procedure can be used to correct moderate-to-high hyperopia. This study further indicated the epithelial remodeling characteristic after the LIKE procedure: the central and paracentral corneal epithelial thickness becomes thinner, and the epithelial thickness distributes non-uniformly, which may be the important factor of the postoperative curvature asymmetric distribution and induction of corneal vertical coma. [J Refract Surg. 2024;40(5):e321-e327.].