HIV-1 remission and possible cure in a woman after haplo-cord blood transplant.

Previously, two men were cured of HIV-1 through CCR5Δ32 homozygous (CCR5Δ32/Δ32) allogeneic adult stem cell transplant. We report the first remission and possible HIV-1 cure in a mixed-race woman who received a CCR5Δ32/Δ32 haplo-cord transplant (cord blood cells combined with haploidentical stem cells from an adult) to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Peripheral blood chimerism was 100% CCR5Δ32/Δ32 cord blood by week 14 post-transplant and persisted through 4.8 years of follow-up. Immune reconstitution was associated with (1) loss of detectable replication-competent HIV-1 reservoirs, (2) loss of HIV-1-specific immune responses, (3) in vitro resistance to X4 and R5 laboratory variants, including pre-transplant autologous latent reservoir isolates, and (4) 18 months of HIV-1 control with aviremia, off antiretroviral therapy, starting at 37 months post-transplant. CCR5Δ32/Δ32 haplo-cord transplant achieved remission and a possible HIV-1 cure for a person of diverse ancestry, living with HIV-1, who required a stem cell transplant for acute leukemia.

Hesperetin Induces Autophagy and Delayed Apoptosis by Modulating the AMPK/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Human Leukemia Cells In Vitro.

BACKGROUND: Hesperetin has been reported to have anticancer properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its action on leukemia cells remain unclear. This in vitro study evaluated the possible mechanisms of hesperetin in leukemia cells (HL-60 and U937). METHODS: Cell viability was evaluated using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Apoptosis and autophagy assays were conducted through annexin V/PI staining and acidic vesicular organelle (AVO) staining. Cell cycle analysis was conducted through propidium iodide (PI) and flow cytometry. The expression of proteins related to apoptosis and autophagy, including cleaved-PARP-1, Bcl-2, Bax, LC3-I/II, Beclin-1, Atg5, p62, phospho-AMPK, AMPK, phospho-mTOR, mTOR, phospho-Akt, and Akt, in human leukemia cells were evaluated using Western blotting. RESULTS: Hesperetin dose-dependently inhibited leukemia cell viability. However, we found a low degree of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by hesperetin in U937 cells. These findings imply the presence of additional mechanisms modulating hesperetin-induced cell death. Next, we evaluated autophagy, the possible mechanism modulating cell death or survival, to clarify the underlying mechanism of hesperetin-induced cell death. Hesperetin also dose-dependently increased the ratio of LC3II/I, Atg5, and Beclin 1 and decreased p62. Moreover, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and bafilomycin A1 (Baf-A1) inhibited hesperetin-induced autophagy. We suggest that hesperetin can protect cancer cells during the transient period and may extend survival. Furthermore, a decrease in p-mTOR and p-Akt expression and an increase in p-AMPK expression were observed. Collectively, these findings suggest that hesperetin induces autophagy by modulating the AMPK/Akt/mTOR pathway. CONCLUSION: Hesperetin promoted cell death in the human leukemic cell line U937 by inducing a low degree of slight apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and autophagy. It is therefore a potential adjuvant to antileukemia therapy and may be combined with other chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce chemoresistance and side effects.

Research Progress of MicroRNAs in Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury is a serious and devastating condition. Recently, research into microRNAs (miRNAs) has become increasingly exhaustive and it has been determined that they are closely related to the pathophysiological processes of spinal cord injury. They participate in the regulation of the inflammatory response of spinal cord injury, the death of neuronal cells, and the repair of neural functions, which are related to the recovery of spinal cord injury. This review focuses on the relationship between miRNA and spinal cord injury, lists miRNA-324-5p, miRNA-221 and miRNA-124, which are helpful for the repair of spinal cord injury, and finally summarizes the current research progress of miRNA-based therapies, so as to provide a foundational reference for clinical and scientific researchers.

Hepatitis B virus X gene impacts on the innate immunity and immune-tolerant phase in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The immunologic features involved in the immune-tolerant phase of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus (HBV) infection are unclear. The hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein disrupts IFN-ß induction by downregulating MAVS and may destroy subsequent HBV-specific adaptive immunity. We aimed to analyse the impacts of genetic variability of HBx in CHB patients on the immune-tolerant phase during long-term follow-up. METHODS: Children with CHB in the immune-tolerant phase were recruited and followed longitudinally. HBx gene sequencing of infecting HBV strains was performed, and the effects of HBx mutations on the immune-tolerant phase were assessed. Restoration of the host immune response to end the immune-tolerant phase was investigated by immunoblotting, immunostaining, ELISA and reporter assays of MAVS/IFN-ß signalling in liver cell lines, patient liver tissues and the HBV plasmid replication system. RESULTS: A total of 173 children (median age, 6.92 years) were recruited. Patients carrying HBx R87G, I127V and R87G + I127V double mutations exhibited higher cumulative incidences of immune-tolerant phase breakthrough (p = .011, p = .006 and p = .017 respectively). Cells transfected with HBx R87G and I127V mutants and pHBV1.3-B6.3 replicons containing the HBx R87G and I127V mutations exhibited statistically increased levels of IFN-ß, especially under poly(I:C) stimulation or Flag-MAVS cotransfection. HA-HBx wild-type interacted with Flag-MAVS and enhanced its ubiquitination, but this ability was diminished in the R87G and I127V mutants. CONCLUSIONS: HBx suppresses IFN-ß induction. R87G and I127V mutation restored IFN-ß production by preventing MAVS degradation, contributing to curtailing the HBV immune-tolerant phase in CHB patients.

Omics and Transgenic Analyses Reveal that Salvianolic Acid B Exhibits its Anti-Inflammatory Effects through Inhibiting the Mincle-Syk-Related Pathway in Macrophages.

Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), the main water-soluble compound in Salvia miltiorrhiza, is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity, however, the underlying mechanism(s) is not completely uncovered. In this study, Sal B inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced M1 activation and promoted the transformation of macrophages from M1- to M2-type polarization. The altered lipid profiles of LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages were partly restored by Sal B treatment. At the proteomic level, a total of 5612 proteins were identified and 432 were significantly changed in macrophages under LPS treatment. The differential proteins were classified into four clusters according to their expression level in blank, LPS, and Sal B groups. LPS-induced proteins in Cluster IV including Kif14, Mincle, and Sec62 were significantly recovered to almost normal levels by Sal B treatment. Use of knockdown Mincle or picetannol (inhibitor of Syk) led to significant reductions in the gene expressions of IL-1ß, iNOS, and IL-12 and the release of NO. The converse was, however, observed for overexpressed Mincle. In addition, LPS- or trehalose-6,6-dibehenate-induced phosphorylation of Syk and PKCδ was decreased by Sal B treatment. These results suggest that Sal B inhibition of LPS-induced inflammation might be through inhibition of the Mincle-Syk-PKCδ signaling pathway.

The ESCRT-III molecules regulate the apical targeting of bile salt export pump.

BACKGROUND: The bile salt export pump (BSEP) is a pivotal apical/canalicular bile salt transporter in hepatocytes that drives the bile flow. Defects in BSEP function and canalicular expression could lead to a spectrum of cholestatic liver diseases. One prominent manifestation of BSEP-associated cholestasis is the defective canalicular localization and cytoplasmic retention of BSEP. However, the etiology of impaired BSEP targeting to the canalicular membrane is not fully understood. Our goal was to discover what molecule could interact with BSEP and affect its post-Golgi sorting. METHODS: The human BSEP amino acids (a.a.) 491-630 was used as bait to screen a human fetal liver cDNA library through yeast two-hybrid system. We identified a BSEP-interacting candidate and showed the interaction and colocalization in the co-immunoprecipitation in hepatoma cell lines and histological staining in human liver samples. Temperature shift assays were used to study the post-Golgi trafficking of BSEP. We further determine the functional impacts of the BSEP-interacting candidate on BSEP in vitro. A hydrodynamically injected mouse model was established for in vivo characterizing the long-term impacts on BSEP. RESULTS: We identified that charged multivesicular body protein 5 (CHMP5), a molecule of the endosomal protein complex required for transport subcomplex-III (ESCRT-III), interacted and co-localized with BSEP in the subapical compartments (SACs) in developing human livers. Cholestatic BSEP mutations in the CHMP5-interaction region have defects in canalicular targeting and aberrant retention at the SACs. Post-Golgi delivery of BSEP and bile acid secretion were impaired in ESCRT-III perturbation or CHMP5-knockdown hepatic cellular and mouse models. This ESCRT-III-mediated BSEP sorting preceded Rab11A-regulated apical cycling of BSEP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed the first example that ESCRT-III is essential for canalicular trafficking of apical membrane proteins, and provide new targets for therapeutic approaches in BSEP associated cholestasis.

Pitavastatin and metformin synergistically activate apoptosis and autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Metformin is the standard first-line of treatment for hyperglycemia in Type 2 diabetes, whereas pitavastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug used to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Both these agents evidently exert anticancer effects on pancreatic cancer; however, it remains unclear whether cotreatment using them has additive or synergistic anticancer effects on pancreatic cancer. Thus, we herein used the ASPC-1 and PANC-1 cells and treated them with metformin and/or pitavastatin. We performed the cell viability assay, transwell migration assay, and cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to determine protein levels. We found that cotreatment with metformin (30 mM) and pitavastatin (10 µM) significantly reduced cell viability; caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest; upregulated the expression levels of Bax, PCNA, cleaved PARP-1, cleaved caspase-3, LC3 II, and p27 Kip1 /p21Cip1 ; and inhibited cell migration. The combination index value for cell viability indicated a synergistic interaction between metformin and pitavastatin. Moreover, cotreating the cells with metformin (30 mM) and pitavastatin (10 µM) could preserve mitochondrial function, activate AMPK, and inhibit PI3K/mTOR than treatment with metformin or pitavastatin alone. These findings clearly indicated that metformin plus pitavastatin had a synergistic anticancer effect on pancreatic cancer cells, potentially caused due to the activation of AMPK and inhibition of PI3K/mTOR signaling. Altogether, our results provide that use of metformin plus pitavastatin maybe serve as a chemotherapeutic agent for human pancreatic cancer in future.

Applying Skin Barrier Film for Skin Tear Management in Patients with Central Venous Catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: To examine and compare different methods of dressing change on skin tears at the periductal wound for ICU patients with central venous catheterization (CVC). METHODS: This research used a quasi-experimental design. Participants included 98 patients from the ICU of a medical center in Taiwan using a convenience sampling technique from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018. RESULTS: Applying skin barrier film at the CVC insertion site effectively protected the skin and significantly reduced the risk of skin tears among ICU patients (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that use of skin barrier film at the site of CVC insertion can increase skin strength, maintain skin integrity, and decrease the incidence of skin tears. Skin barrier film is thus recommended for routine use in peripheral skin care for patients receiving CVC.

The Latent Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Reservoir Resides Primarily in CD32-CD4+ T Cells in Perinatally HIV-Infected Adolescents With Long-Term Virologic Suppression.

Background: High-level expression of the Fcγ receptor, CD32hi, on CD4+ T cells was associated with enhanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of the latent reservoir in a study of adults receiving antiretroviral therapy. We tested the hypothesis that CD32 was the preferential marker of the latent HIV reservoir in virally suppressed, perinatally HIV-infected adolescents. Methods: The frequency of CD32hiCD4+ T cells was determined by flow cytometry (N = 5) and the inducible HIV reservoir in both CD32hi and CD32-CD4+ T cells was quantified (N = 4) with a quantitative viral outgrowth assay. Viral outgrowth was measured by the standard p24 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an ultrasensitive p24 assay (Simoa; Quanterix) with lower limits of quantitation. Results: We found a 59.55-fold enrichment in the absolute number of infectious cells in the CD32- population compared with CD32hi cells. Exponential HIV replication occurred exclusively in CD32-CD4+ T cells (mean change, 17.46 pg/mL; P = .04). Induced provirus in CD32hiCD4+ T cells replicated to substantially lower levels, which did not increase significantly over time (mean change, 0.026 pg/mL; P = .23) and were detected only with the Simoa assay. Conclusions: Our data suggests that the latent HIV reservoir resides mainly in CD32-CD4+ T cells in virally suppressed, perinatally HIV-infected adolescents, which has implications for reservoir elimination strategies.

Cilostazol ameliorates diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting highglucose- induced apoptosis.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a hyperglycemia-induced progressive development of renal insufficiency. Excessive glucose can increase mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce cell damage, causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Our previous study indicated that cilostazol (CTZ) can reduce ROS levels and decelerate DN progression in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes. This study investigated the potential mechanisms of CTZ in rats with DN and in high glucose-treated mesangial cells. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 5 mg/kg/day of CTZ after developing STZ-induced diabetes mellitus. Electron microscopy revealed that CTZ reduced the thickness of the glomerular basement membrane and improved mitochondrial morphology in mesangial cells of diabetic kidney. CTZ treatment reduced excessive kidney mitochondrial DNA copy numbers induced by hyperglycemia and interacted with the intrinsic pathway for regulating cell apoptosis as an antiapoptotic mechanism. In high-glucose-treated mesangial cells, CTZ reduced ROS production, altered the apoptotic status, and down-regulated transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) and nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Base on the results of our previous and current studies, CTZ deceleration of hyperglycemia-induced DN is attributable to ROS reduction and thereby maintenance of the mitochondrial function and reduction in TGF-ß and NF-κB levels.

Cells responsible for liver mass regeneration in rats with 2-acetylaminofluorene/partial hepatectomy injury.

BACKGROUND: Whether hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs)/oval cells regenerate liver mass upon chronic liver injury is controversial in mice and has not been conclusively proven in humans and rats. In this study, we examined which cell type-hepatocytes or oval cells-mediates liver regeneration in the classic rat 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)/partial hepatectomy (PH) injury where AAF reversibly blocks hepatocyte proliferation, thereby inducing oval cell expansion after the regenerative stimulus of PH. METHODS: We employed lineage tracing of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV, a hepatocyte canalicular enzyme)-positive hepatocytes by subjecting rats with DPPIV-chimeric livers to AAF/PH, AAF/PH/AAF (continuous AAF after AAF/PH to nonselectively inhibit regenerating hepatocytes), or AAF/PH/retrorsine injury (2-dose retrorsine after AAF/PH to specifically and irreversibly block existing hepatocytes); through these methods, we determined hepatocyte contribution to liver regeneration. To determine the oval cell contribution to hepatocyte regeneration, we performed DPPIV(+) oval cell transplantation combined with AAF/PH injury or AAF/PH/retrorsine injury in DPPIV-deficient rats to track the fate of DPPIV(+) oval cells. RESULTS: DPPIV-chimeric livers demonstrated typical oval cell activation upon AAF/PH injury. After cessation of AAF, DPPIV(+) hepatocytes underwent extensive proliferation to regenerate the liver mass, whereas oval cells underwent hepatocyte differentiation. Upon AAF/PH/AAF injury where hepatocyte proliferation was inhibited by continuous AAF treatment following AAF/PH, oval cells extensively expanded in an undifferentiated state but did not produce hepatocytes. By substituting retrorsine for AAF administration following AAF/PH (AAF/PH/retrorsine), oval cells regenerated large-scale hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatocyte self-replication provides the majority of hepatocyte regeneration, with supplementary contribution from oval cells in rats under AAF/PH injury. Oval cells expand and maintain in an undifferentiated state upon continuously nonselective liver injury, whereas they can significantly regenerate hepatocytes in a noncompetitive environment.

[Research progress of Gastrodiae Rhizoma machining processing, composition analysis and in vivo metabolism].

Steaming method is a traditional processing method for Gastrodiae Rhizoma(GR). The current studies on the steaming method's mechanism of GR are mainly focused on facilitating softening slice, destroying the ß-glycosidic bond enzymes to reduce the decomposition of gastrodia glycosides (killing enzyme and protecting glycosides). The researches on the processing mechanism are still incomplete, while revealing and analyzing the active components in the body's metabolic process are important channels and new models to clarify the mechanism of traditional medicine processing. In order to provides a reference for the in-depth study of the processing mechanism of GR, we have reviewed the relevant literature at home and abroad in recent years and briefly summarized the processing, composition analysis and in vivo metabolism of GR in this study.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 DNA Decay Dynamics With Early, Long-term Virologic Control of Perinatal Infection.

BACKGROUND.: Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) limits proviral reservoirs, a goal for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remission strategies. Whether this is an immediate or long-term effect of virologic suppression (VS) in perinatal infection is unknown. METHODS.: We quantified HIV-1 DNA longitudinally for up to 14 years in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) among 61 perinatally HIV-1-infected youths in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study who achieved VS at different ages. Participants in group 1 (n = 13) were <1 year of age and in group 2 (n = 48) from 1 through 5 years of age at VS. Piecewise linear mixed-effects regression models assessed the effect of age at VS on HIV-1 DNA trajectories during VS. RESULTS.: In the first 2 years following VS, HIV-1 DNA levels decreased by -0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], -.36 to -.13) log10 copies/million PBMCs per year and was faster with early VS by age 1 year compared with after age 1 (-0.50 and -0.15 log10 copies/million PBMCs per year, respectively). Between years 2 and 14 from VS, HIV-1 DNA decayed by -0.05 (95% CI, -.06 to -.03) log10 copies/million PBMCs per year and was no longer significantly different between groups. The estimated mean half-life of HIV-1 DNA from VS was 15.9 years and was shorter for group 1 compared to group 2 at 5.9 years and 18.8 years, respectively (P = .09). Adjusting for CD4 cell counts had no effect on decay estimates. CONCLUSIONS.: Early effective, long-term ART initiated from infancy leads to decay of HIV-1-infected cells to exceedingly low concentrations desired for HIV-1 remission strategies.

Absence of detectable HIV-1 viremia after treatment cessation in an infant.

An infant born to a woman with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection began receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) 30 hours after birth owing to high-risk exposure. ART was continued when detection of HIV-1 DNA and RNA on repeat testing met the standard diagnostic criteria for infection. After therapy was discontinued (when the child was 18 months of age), levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA, proviral DNA in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells, and HIV-1 antibodies, as assessed by means of clinical assays, remained undetectable in the child through 30 months of age. This case suggests that very early ART in infants may alter the establishment and long-term persistence of HIV-1 infection.

RBMY, a novel inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß, increases tumor stemness and predicts poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: Male predominance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs particularly among young children aged 6-9 years, indicative of a possible role of the Y chromosome-encoded oncogene in addition to an androgenic effect. The discovery of oncogenic activation of RBMY (RNA-binding motif on Y chromosome), which is absent in normal hepatocytes but present in male HCC tissues, sheds light on this issue. Herein, we report on a critical hepatocarcinogenic role of RBMY and its ontogenic origin. During liver development, the Ser/Thr phosphorylated RBMY is expressed in the cytoplasm of human and rodent fetal livers. It is then silenced in mature hepatocytes and restricted to scarce expression in the bile ductular cells. Upon hepatocarcinogenesis, a noteworthy increase of cytoplasmic and nuclear RBMY is observed in HCC tissues; however, only the former is expressed dominantly in hepatic cancer stem cells and correlates significantly to a poor prognosis and decreased survival rate in HCC patients. Cytoplasmic expression of RBMY, which is mediated by binding to nuclear exporter chromosome region maintenance 1 and further enriched upon Wnt-3a stimulation, confers upon tumor cells the traits of cancer stem cell by augmenting self-renewal, chemoresistance, cell-cycle progression, proliferation, and xenograft tumor growth. This is achieved mechanistically through increasing Ser9 phosphorylation-inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß by RBMY, thereby impeding the glycogen synthase kinase 3ß-dependent degradation of ß-catenin and eventually inducing the nuclear entry of ß-catenin for the transcription of downstream oncogenes. CONCLUSION: RBMY is a novel oncofetal protein that plays a key role in attenuating glycogen synthase kinase 3ß activity, leading to aberrant activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, which facilitates malignant hepatic stemness; because of its absence from normal human tissues except the testis, RBMY represents a feasible therapeutic target for the selective eradication of HCC cells in male patients.

Heat-killed Lactobacillus Reuteri GMNL-263 Prevents Epididymal Fat Accumulation and Cardiac Injury in High-Calorie Diet-Fed Rats.

High-calorie diet-induced obesity leads to cardiomyocyte dysfunction and apoptosis. Impaired regulation of epididymal fat content in obese patients has been known to increase the risk of cardiac injury. In our study, a lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263, was evaluated for its potential to reduce body weight and body fat ratio and to prevent heart injury in rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity. Lactic acid bacteria supplementation restored the cardiac function and decreased the physiological changes in the heart of the obese rats. In addition, the Fas/Fas-associated protein pathway-induced caspase 3/e Poly polymerase mediated apoptosis in the cardiomyocytes of the obese rats was reversed in the Lr263-treated rats. These results reveal that fed with Lr-263 reduces body fat ratio, inhibits caspase 3-mediated apoptosis and restores cardiac function in obese rats through recovery of ejection fraction and fractional shortening. Our results indicated that the administration of Lr263 lactic acid bacteria can significantly down-regulate body fat and prevent cardiomyocyte injury in obese rats.

Transplantation speed offers early hepatocyte engraftment in acute liver injured rats: A translational study with clinical implications.

The impact of the rate of intraportal hepatocyte transplantation on early engraftment and repopulation is unclear. The aim of this study was to address this and to improve the engraftment and repopulation efficiencies of hepatocyte transplantation for the treatment of a rat model of acute liver failure in a clinically useful way without preconditioning. Acute hepatic injury was induced into Sprague-Dawley rats with D-galactosamine. Hepatocytes were infused intraportally over a period of 30, 70, or 100 seconds to study early engraftment (2 days) and repopulation (7 days). Three groups had significant differences in hepatocyte engraftment (P = 0.018) and repopulation efficiencies (P = 0.037), and an infusion over a period of 70 seconds produced superior outcomes. After the 70-second infusion, the transplanted cells immediately transmigrated the sinusoidal endothelial layer and rarely accumulated in the portal venules, with liver function improving significantly. The mean first peak pressures, without significant differences, were 14.8 ± 6.5, 17.7 ± 3.7, and 13.6 ± 3.0 mm Hg in the 30-, 70-, and 100-second groups, respectively. Differential hepatocyte transfusion rates contributed to accelerated early engraftment and repopulation in rats with acute liver injury. These proof-of-concept findings are of clinical significance because they are easy to translate into practice.

Supplementary heat-killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 ameliorates hyperlipidaemic and cardiac apoptosis in high-fat diet-fed hamsters to maintain cardiovascular function.

Obesity and hyperlipidaemia increase the risk of CVD. Some strains of probiotics have been suggested to have potential applications in cardiovascular health by lowering serum LDL-cholesterol. In this work, high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidaemia in hamsters was treated with different doses (5×108 and 2·5×109 cells/kg per d) of heat-killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 (Lr263) by oral gavage for 8 weeks. The serum lipid profile analysis showed that LDL-cholesterol and plasma malondialdehyde (P-MDA) were reduced in the GMNL-263 5×108 cells/kg per d treatment group. Total cholesterol and P-MDA were reduced in the GMNL-263 2·5×109 cells/kg per d treatment group. In terms of heart function, the GMNL-263 2·5×109 cells/kg per d treatments improved the ejection fraction from 85·71 to 91·81 % and fractional shortening from 46·93 to 57·92 % in the high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts. Moreover, the GMNL-263-treated, high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts exhibited reduced Fas-induced myocardial apoptosis and a reactivated IGF1R/PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway. Interestingly, the GMNL-263 treatments also enhanced the heat-shock protein 27 expression in a dose-dependent manner, but the mechanism for this increase remains unclear. In conclusion, supplementary heat-killed L. reuteri GMNL-263 can slightly reduce serum cholesterol. The anti-hyperlipidaemia effects of GMNL-263 may reactivate the IGF1R/PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway and reduce Fas-induced myocardial apoptosis in high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts.

Relationship between exposure to fine particulates and ozone and reduced lung function in children.

BACKGROUND: A limited number of studies have reported an association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and lung function growth among children, with inconclusive results. OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between air pollutant exposure and lung function growth, and to examine potential sex differences in the susceptibility of lung function growth to air pollution. METHODS: We conducted a two-year prospective cohort study of Taiwanese children aged 12 at baseline who were followed from October 1, 2007 to November 31, 2009. The study population comprised 2941 non-smoking children who completed pulmonary function tests at both baseline and follow-up surveys. We applied spatial modeling for individual-level exposure assessment to capture relevant exposures and also attempted to eliminate potential community-level confounding. The exposure parameters were annual averages and values calculated from 24-hourly PM2.5 and 8-hourly ozone (O3) concentrations, corresponding to the residential addresses over the study period. The effect estimates were presented as lung function growth deficits per interquartile range (IQR) for PM2.5 and O3. RESULTS: In a multiple linear mixed effect model, adjusted for confounding, growth deficits in the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiration volume in 1s (FEV1), and forced expiratory flow between the 25th and 75th percentiles of the FVC were associated with increased exposure to PM2.5 and O3. For example, greater exposure to PM2.5 (IQR, 17.92µg/m(3)) was associated with an annual deficit in FVC growth of 75mL in boys and 61mL in girls (p for interaction <0.05). Similar associations were found for O3. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that long-term exposure to PM2.5 and O3 may have a detrimental effect on the development of lung function in children. The estimated deficits were generally larger in boys, compared to girls.

Heat Killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 Reduces Fibrosis Effects on the Liver and Heart in High Fat Diet-Hamsters via TGF-ß Suppression.

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and NAFLD is highly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Scholars have suggested that certain probiotics may significantly impact cardiovascular health, particularly certain Lactobacillus species, such as Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 (Lr263) probiotics, which have been shown to reduce obesity and arteriosclerosis in vivo. In the present study, we examined the potential of heat-killed bacteria to attenuate high fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic and cardiac damages and the possible underlying mechanism of the positive effects of heat-killed Lr263 oral supplements. Heat-killed Lr263 treatments (625 and 3125 mg/kg-hamster/day) were provided as a daily supplement by oral gavage to HFD-fed hamsters for eight weeks. The results show that heat-killed Lr263 treatments reduce fatty liver syndrome. Moreover, heat-killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 supplementation in HFD hamsters also reduced fibrosis in the liver and heart by reducing transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) expression levels. In conclusion, heat-killed Lr263 can reduce lipid metabolic stress in HFD hamsters and decrease the risk of fatty liver and cardiovascular disease.