Dong Cao

CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. is considering further sales of telecommunication assets following the $5.8 billion disposal of its UK mobile business, as it seeks to exit a sector that’s become increasingly competitive and expensive, according to people familiar with the matter.

A unit of Jardine Matheson Group is considering selling its car dealership in Malaysia and Singapore, people familiar with the matter said.

Cognitive deficits associated with chronic pain pose a significant burden on a patient's quality of life. Emerging evidence indicates that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a pattern recognition receptor implicated in neuroinflammatory signaling that can disrupt synaptic plasticity and memory processes. However, the specific involvement of TLR4 in the development of neuropathic pain-related cognitive deficits has not been fully elucidated. In this investigation, we observed an upregulation of TLR4 expression within hippocampal neurons in male mice subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) relative to sham group. Notably, in separate experimental cohorts, TLR4-knockout and neuron-specific TLR4-knockdown mice exhibited improved cognitive function compared to wild-type controls, alongside attenuated neuroinflammatory responses, reduced neuronal apoptosis, and enhanced preservation of hippocampal neuroplasticity. Concurrently, elevated concentrations of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule, were detected in the sciatic nerve, serum, and hippocampal tissues following CCI. Furthermore, increased co-localization of HMGB1 with TLR4 was evident in the hippocampus. Exogenous administration of HMGB1 augmented HMGB1 and TLR4 levels in the hippocampus and worsened memory functions that depend on hippocampal integrity. Conversely, inhibition of HMGB1 with glycyrrhizin, which subsequently attenuates TLR4 activation, ameliorated cognitive impairments induced by CCI. Collectively, these results support a model in which HMGB1, elevated during chronic neuropathic pain, contributes to cognitive deficits via a TLR4-dependent mechanism, triggering downstream inflammatory and apoptotic cascades and impairing synaptic plasticity.

Shenzhen Adtek Technology Co. has filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong, adding to a wave of listings by Chinese companies related to data centers and artificial intelligence.

Fosun International Ltd. has picked banks for a planned Hong Kong initial public offering of holiday resort operator Club Med SAS, according to people familiar with the matter.

Global Healthcare Opportunities and CBC Group have agreed to combine to create a healthcare investment firm with more than $21 billion of assets under management, according to a statement Wednesday.

FountainVest is considering selling Small Precision Tools, a Swiss manufacturer of high-precision components and tools, according to people familiar with the situation.

HSG has emerged as the leading bidder for a stake in German high-end camera maker Leica Camera AG, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bizlink Holding Inc. is nearing a deal to buy the information and communications technology unit of Blackstone Inc.’s Interplex, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ant Group Co.’s international business is considering raising about $1 billion to accelerate growth, according to people familiar with the situation.