Unveiling the role of gut microbiota in curcumin metabolism using antibiotic-treated mice.

Curcumin might exert its therapeutic effects by interacting with gut microbiota. However, the role of gut microbiota in curcumin metabolism in vivo remains poorly understood. To address this, we used antibiotics to deplete gut microbiota and compared curcumin metabolism in control and antibiotic-treated mice. Using Q-TOF and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, we identified and quantified curcumin metabolites, revealing distinct metabolic pathways in these two mice groups. The novel metabolites, hexahydro-dimethyl-curcumin and hexahydro-didemethyl-curcumin were exclusively derived from gut microbiota. Additionally, gut bacteria deconjugated curcumin metabolites back into their bioactive forms. Moreover, control mice exhibited significantly lower curcumin degradation, suggesting a protective role of gut microbiota against degradation. In conclusion, our results indicated that gut microbiota might enhance the effectiveness of curcumin by deconjugation, production of active metabolites, and protection against degradation in the large intestine. This study enhances our understanding of the interactions between curcumin and gut microbiota.

Hierarchical Porous Reduced Graphene Oxide/Poly(l-lactic acid) Fiber Films: The Influence of Recrystallization on Strength.

Electrospinning technology for fabricating nanofiber films and the Hummer method for synthesizing graphene oxide (GO), along with subsequent reduction, have been significantly advanced, demonstrating immense potential for large-scale industrial applications. Nanofibrous films loaded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been widely explored for their applications in electromagnetic shielding, the biomedical fields, and pollutant adsorption. However, fragile mechanical performance of electrospun fibers with limited surface post-treatment methods has somewhat hindered their further industrial development. In response to this challenge, we propose a dual-regulation strategy involving post-treatment to form porous nanofiber films and the controlled flake size of rGO for surface coating during preparation. This approach aims to achieve poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA)/rGO electrospun fibrous films with enhanced mechanical properties. It offers a roadmap for the continued application and standardized production of fibrous films loaded with rGO.

Systemic immune-inflammation index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with type 2 diabetes at different stages of diabetic retinopathy.

AIM: To investigate systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes at different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR). METHODS: This retrospective study included 141 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM): 45 without diabetic retinopathy (NDR), 47 with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and 49 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Complete blood counts were obtained, and NLR, PLR, and SII were calculated. The study analysed the ability of inflammatory markers to predict DR using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The relationships between DR stages and SII, PLR, and NLP were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The average NLR, PLR, and SII were higher in the PDR group than in the NPDR group (P=0.011, 0.043, 0.009, respectively); higher in the NPDR group than in the NDR group (P<0.001 for all); and higher in the PDR group than in the NDR group (P<0.001 for all). In the ROC curve analysis, the NLR, PLR, and SII were significant predictors of DR (P<0.001 for all). The highest area under the curve (AUC) was for the PLR (0.929 for PLR, 0.925 for SII, and 0.821 for NLR). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that NLR, PLR, and SII were statistically significantly positive and independent predictors for the DR stages in patients with DM [odds ratio (OR)=1.122, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.200-2.043, P<0.05; OR=0.038, 95%CI: 0.018-0.058, P<0.05; OR=0.007, 95%CI: 0.001-0.01, P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: The NLR, PLR, and SII may be used as predictors of DR.

Relationship between lymphocytes and idiopathic macular hole.

BACKGROUND: An idiopathic macular hole (IMH) is a full-thickness anatomic defect extending from the internal limiting membrane to the photoreceptor layer of the macula without any known cause. Recently, clinical laboratory markers of systemic inflammatory status derived from complete blood counts have been evaluated in ocular diseases. This study aimed to explore whether they could predict the development and progression of IMHs. METHODS: A retrospective review of 36 patients with IMH and 36 sex-and-age-matched patients with cataracts was conducted. We collected complete blood counts of all participating individuals and calculated systemic immunoinflammatory indicators. The maximum base diameter of the IMH (BD), minimum diameter of the IMH (MIN), height of the IMH (H), area of the intraretinal cyst (IRC), and curve lengths of the detached photoreceptor arms were measured on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. We used these values to calculate the macular hole index (MHI), tractional hole index (THI), diameter hole index (DHI), hole form factor (HFF), and macular hole closure index (MHCI). We performed a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of 30 patients with IMH who were followed up 1 month after surgery. RESULTS: Lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the IMH group. No other significant differences were observed between the IMH and control groups. Lymphocyte counts in the IMH group were significantly negatively correlated with MIN and BD and were significantly positively correlated with MHI, THI, and MHCI. However, lymphocyte counts were not significantly correlated with H, IRC, DHI, and HFF. In the ROC analysis, BD, MIN, MHI, THI, and MHCI were significant predictors of anatomical outcomes. According to the cut-off points of the ROC analysis, lymphocyte counts were compared between the above-cut-off and below-cut-off groups. Lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the MIN ≤ 499.61 µm, MHI ≥ 0.47, THI ≥ 1.2, and MHCI ≥ 0.81 groups. There were no significant differences between the above-cut-off and below-cut-off BD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although inflammation may not be an initiating factor, it may be involved in IMH formation. Lymphocytes may play a relatively important role in tissue repair during the developmental and postoperative recovery phases of IMH.

Dietary tangeretin improved antibiotic-associated diarrhea in mice by enhancing the intestinal barrier function, regulating the gut microbiota, and metabolic homeostasis.

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mediated by antibiotic treatment and is usually caused by the disruption of the intestinal barrier, gut microbiota, and metabolic balance. To identify a dietary strategy that can mitigate the side effects of antibiotics, this study investigated the effect of tangeretin on antibiotic-associated diarrhea in C57BL/6 mice. The results revealed that dietary tangeretin significantly ameliorated symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, as evidenced by the decreased diarrhea status scores, the reduced fecal water content, the decreased caecum/body weight ratio, and the alleviated colonic tissue damage. Dietary tangeretin also exhibited a protective effect on the intestinal barrier function by upregulating the mRNA and protein expression of claudin-1 and ZO-1. Furthermore, analysis of the gut microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that dietary tangeretin modulated the gut microbiota of mice with antibiotic-associated diarrhea via increasing the gut microbiota diversity and the abundance of beneficial bacteria, e.g., Lactobacillaceae and Ruminococcaceae, and decreasing the abundance of harmful bacteria, e.g., Enterococcus and Terrisporobacter. Additionally, dietary tangeretin restored the levels of short-chain fatty acids and modulated metabolic pathways by enriching purine metabolism, bile acid metabolism, ABC transporters, and choline metabolism in cancer. Collectively, these findings provide a solid scientific basis for the rational use of tangeretin as a preventive and therapeutic agent for antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Detection and identification of imperatorin metabolites in rat, dog, monkey, and human liver microsomes by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry and Compound Discoverer software.

Imperatorin, a furanocoumarin that widely exists in many umbelliferous herbs, has been demonstrated to have a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiosteoporosis, and antitumor activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the metabolism of imperatorin using liver microsomes. The metabolites were generated by individually incubating imperatorin with rat, dog, monkey, and human liver microsomes. To trap the reactive metabolites during microsomal metabolism, glutathione (GSH) was included in the incubation. A LC technique coupled with benchtop orbitrap MS with full mass/data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry acquisition mode was used to detect and identify the generated metabolites. The possible structures of the metabolites were characterized according to their accurate masses and fragment ions. Under the current conditions, a total of 10 metabolites, including four GSH adducts, were identified. The results indicated that imperatorin underwent extensive metabolic reactions including hydroxylation, oxidation, glucuronidation, and GSH conjugation. This study provides essential data on the metabolism of imperatorin, which will be helpful for us to understand the safety and efficacy of this bioactive compound.

Review of recent advances on health benefits, microbial transformations, and authenticity identification of Citri reticulatae Pericarpium bioactive compounds.

The extensive health-promoting effects of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) have attracted researchers' interest. The difference in storage time, varieties and origin of CRP are closely related to the content of bioactive compounds they contain. The consitituent transformation mediated by environmental microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and the production of new bioactive components during the storage process may be the main reason for 'the older, the better' of CRP. In addition, the gap in price between different varieties can be as large as 8 times, while the difference due to age can even reach 20 times, making the 'marketing young-CRP as old-CRP and counterfeiting origin' flood the entire market, seriously harming consumers' interests. However, so far, the research on CRP is relatively decentralized. In particular, a summary of the microbial transformation and authenticity identification of CRP has not been reported. Therefore, this review systematically summarized the recent advances on the main bioactive compounds, the major biological activities, the microbial transformation process, the structure, and content changes of the active substances during the transformation process, and authenticity identification of CRP. Furthermore, challenges and perspectives concerning the future research on CRP were proposed.

Production Technology and Functionality of Bioactive Peptides.

Bioactive peptides are specific protein fragments that prove health-promoting potential for humans. The bioactivities include antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulatory activities, etc. Hence, bioactive peptides' production technology and processes have attracted excessive attention, especially concerning peptides' synthesis, separation, identification, and functionality. This review summarizes the relevant investigations from the above four aspects. Among the production technology of bioactive peptides, biosynthesis, chemosynthesis, technology for separation and purification, and the interactions responsible for peptide-based nanostructures are emphasized. Here, the biosynthesis of peptides includes enzymatic hydrolysis, microbial fermentation, and recombinant DNA technology, and chemosynthesis consists of solution-phase peptide synthesis and solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The commonly used enzymes in enzymatic hydrolysis are investigated, including pepsin, trypsin, and alcalase. The commonly used microorganisms, typical processes, protein sources, and advantages of microbial fermentation are analyzed. Membrane separation (including ultrafiltration and nanofiltration), chromatography technology (including ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, affinity chromatography, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC)), and electrophoresis technology are detailed for the purification technology. Mass spectrometry (MS), its combination with the high-performance separation method, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are elucidated for the identification technology. The non-covalent interactions responsible for peptide-based nanostructures involve electrostatic force, hydrogen bonds, π-π stacking, hydrophobic interaction, and van der Waals force. Afterward, we detail the peptides' antihypertensive, antithrombotic, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. The activity analysis mainly involves peptides' sources, structural features, mechanisms of action, and influencing factors. Based on the production and functionality elucidation, potential challenges for peptide application in biomedicine are given. The challenge is analyzed from the aspects of purification and identification technologies and influencing factors of peptides' bioactivities. Our work will elaborate on advances in the production technology of peptides and their bioactivities, which could promote and expand their industrial applications.

Can SpRY recognize any PAM in human cells?

The application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) can be limited due to a lack of compatible protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequences in the DNA regions of interest. Recently, SpRY, a variant of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), was reported, which nearly completely fulfils the PAM requirement. Meanwhile, PAMs for SpRY have not been well addressed. In our previous study, we developed the PAM Definition by Observable Sequence Excision (PAM-DOSE) and green fluorescent protein (GFP)|-reporter systems to study PAMs in human cells. Herein, we endeavored to identify the PAMs of SpRY with these two methods. The results indicated that 5'-NRN-3', 5'-NTA-3', and 5'-NCK-3' could be considered as canonical PAMs. 5'-NCA-3' and 5'-NTK-3' may serve as non-priority PAMs. At the same time, PAM of 5'-NYC-3' is not recommended for human cells. These findings provide further insights into the application of SpRY for human genome editing.

Structure and Properties of Organogels Prepared from Rapeseed Oil with Stigmasterol.

This work used the natural ingredient stigmasterol as an oleogelator to explore the effect of concentration on the properties of organogels. Organogels based on rapeseed oil were investigated using various techniques (oil binding capacity, rheology, polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to better understand their physical and microscopic properties. Results showed that stigmasterol was an efficient and thermoreversible oleogelator, capable of structuring rapeseed oil at a stigmasterol concentration as low as 2% with a gelation temperature of 5 °C. The oil binding capacity values of organogels increased to 99.74% as the concentration of stigmasterol was increased to 6%. The rheological properties revealed that organogels prepared with stigmasterol were a pseudoplastic fluid with non-covalent physical crosslinking, and the G' of the organogels did not change with the frequency of scanning increased, showing the characteristics of strong gel. The microscopic properties and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that stigmasterol formed rod-like crystals through the self-assembly of intermolecular hydrogen bonds, fixing rapeseed oil in its three-dimensional structure to form organogels. Therefore, stigmasterol can be considered as a good organogelator. It is expected to be widely used in food, medicine, and other biological-related fields.

Prediction of Tacrolimus Dose/Weight-Adjusted Trough Concentration in Pediatric Refractory Nephrotic Syndrome: A Machine Learning Approach.

PURPOSE: Tacrolimus (TAC) is a first-line immunosuppressant for patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, there is a high inter-patient variability of TAC pharmacokinetics, thus therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is required. In this study, we aimed to employ machine learning algorithms to investigate the impact of clinical and genetic variables on the TAC dose/weight-adjusted trough concentration (C0/D) in Chinese children with refractory NS, and then develop and validate the TAC C0/D prediction models. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The association of 82 clinical variables and 244 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with TAC C0/D in the third month since TAC treatment was examined in 171 children with refractory NS. Extremely randomized trees (ET), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and Lasso regression were carried out to establish and validate prediction models, respectively. The best prediction models were validated on a cohort of 30 refractory NS patients. RESULTS: GBDT algorithm performed best in the whole group (R2=0.444, MSE=591.032, MAE=20.782, MedAE=18.980) and CYP3A5 nonexpresser group (R2=0.264, MSE=477.948, MAE=18.119, MedAE=18.771), while ET algorithm performed best in the CYP3A5 expresser group (R2=0.380, MSE=1839.459, MAE=31.257, MedAE=19.399). These prediction models included 3 clinical variables (ALB0, AGE0, and gender) and 10 SNPs (ACTN4 rs3745859, ACTN4 rs56113315, ACTN4 rs62121818, CTLA4 rs4553808, CYP3A5 rs776746, IL2RA rs12722489, INF2 rs1128880, MAP3K11 rs7946115, MYH9 rs2239781, and MYH9 rs4821478). CONCLUSION: The association between the clinical and genetic variables and TAC C0/D was described, and three TAC C0/D prediction models integrating clinical and genetic variables were developed and validated using machine learning, which may support individualized TAC dosing.

A patient with severe congenital neutropenia harbors a missense ELANE mutation due to paternal germline mosaicism.

BACKGROUND: Clinical and genetic characteristics of ELANE mutation of a 3-year-old male who had a severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) were examined. We then investigated whether CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing could correct the mutation. PROCEDURE: The proband underwent extensive clinical assessments, such as exome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, so that pathogenic genes could be identified. Sanger sequencing was also utilized for confirmation. The cell line, 293-ELANE, harboring ELANE mutation was generated, and the mutation was then corrected by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair (HDR). RESULTS: The ELANE gene test in the proband unveiled a heterozygous de novo missense mutation: c. 248T > A (p.V83D), which was not detected in his asymptomatic parents who had provided peripheral blood samples. We found that 46.01% of his father's sperm cells had the same mutation. These results demonstrate that the proband inherited the ELANE mutation from his father, who had an average neutrophil count but had a germline mosaicism. The highest repair efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR for 293-ELANE is 4.43%. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a missense mutation (p.V83D) in ELANE that causes SCN. This is the first report on paternal semen mosaicism of an ELANE mutation. Our study paves the way for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) based on ELANE mutation prevention and clinical treatment of congenital disabilities.

Early Prediction of Tacrolimus-Induced Tubular Toxicity in Pediatric Refractory Nephrotic Syndrome Using Machine Learning.

Background and Aims: Tacrolimus(TAC)-induced nephrotoxicity, which has a large individual variation, may lead to treatment failure or even the end-stage renal disease. However, there is still a lack of effective models for the early prediction of TAC-induced nephrotoxicity, especially in nephrotic syndrome(NS). We aimed to develop and validate a predictive model of TAC-induced tubular toxicity in children with NS using machine learning based on comprehensive clinical and genetic variables. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort of 218 children with NS admitted between June 2013 and December 2018 was used to establish the models, and 11 children were prospectively enrolled for external validation. We screened 47 clinical features and 244 genetic variables. The changes in urine N- acetyl- ß-D- glucosaminidase(NAG) levels before and after administration was used as an indicator of renal tubular toxicity. Results: Five machine learning algorithms, including extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), extremely random trees (ET), random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR) were used for model generation and validation. Four genetic variables, including TRPC6 rs3824934_GG, HSD11B1 rs846910_AG, MAP2K6 rs17823202_GG, and SCARB2 rs6823680_CC were incorporated into the final model. The XGBoost model has the best performance: sensitivity 75%, specificity 77.8%, accuracy 77.3%, and AUC 78.9%. Conclusion: A pre-administration model with good performance for predicting TAC-induced nephrotoxicity in NS was developed and validated using machine learning based on genetic factors. Physicians can estimate the possibility of nephrotoxicity in NS patients using this simple and accurate model to optimize treatment regimen before administration or to intervene in time after administration to avoid kidney damage.

Simultaneous determination of erythrocyte methotrexate polyglutamates by a novel and simple HPLC-MS/MS method with stable isotope-labeled internal standards.

Low-dose methotrexate is the first-line therapy for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In vivo, methotrexate is converted into a series of methotrexate polyglutamates whose intracellular levels contribute significantly to its efficacy and toxicity. In this study, a novel high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to simultaneously determine erythrocyte methotrexate polyglutamates using stable isotope-labeled internal standards. Erythrocyte samples were precipitated by perchloric acid and then determined on an XBridge BEH C18 column with an XP vanguard precolumn in 12 min. The mobile phase consisted of 10 nM ammonium acetate (pH 10) and methanol under gradient elution. The detection was carried out in multiple reaction monitoring mode via an electrospray ionization source in positive ionization mode. The calibration curve for each metabolite was linear from 2.0 to 500.0 nmol/L (r2  > 0.99). The intraday and interday accuracies were between 93.0 and 107.0%, and the corresponding precisions were between 0.8 and 5.2%. The relative recovery ranged from 82.7 to 105.1%, and the relative matrix effect varied from 96.5 to 104.4%. The erythrocyte metabolites were stable for 30 days at -80°C. This simple and accurate method is applicable to routine monitoring of the concentration of erythrocyte methotrexate polyglutamates in patients to achieve individualized treatment.

Comparison of Pregnancy Outcomes Between Single-Morula Embryo Transfer and Single-Blastocyst Transfer in Fresh IVF/ICSI Cycles.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the effectiveness and feasibility of day 4 (D4) morula embryo transfer (ET) in comparison with day 5 (D5) blastocyst ET, with regards to their clinical data, laboratory test results, and pregnancy outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective cohort study enrolled 1070 patients, including 178 cases in group D4 and 892 cases in group D5. The endpoint was live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer. Furthermore, the clinical outcomes of D4 embryos with different morphology were compared and assigned to 3 groups: in group 1 (n=66) the embryos were compacted but not expanded, in group 2 (n=102) the embryos were compacted and expanded (early blastocyst), and in group 3 (n=10) the embryos were not compacted. RESULTS Groups D4 and D5 had comparable clinical pregnancy rates (53.37% vs. 59.97%) and live birth rates (43.25% vs 50.89%), and there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. In group 3, there was only 1 clinical pregnancy and no live birth. In comparison between group 1 and group 2, the clinical pregnancy rate of group 2 showed an upward trend (48.48% vs 60.78%), but there was no significant difference. There was also no statistically significant difference in the live birth rate between the 2 groups (42.42% vs 49.01%). CONCLUSIONS Transferring of compacted embryos or early blastocysts can result in high clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates. In addition to the cleavage and blastocyst ET, morula ET may serve as an alternative option for the clinician.

Early Prediction of Clinical Response to Etanercept Treatment in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Using Machine Learning.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: At present, there is a lack of simple and reliable model for early prediction of the efficacy of etanercept in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This study aimed to generate and validate prediction models of etanercept efficacy in patients with JIA before administration using machine learning algorithms based on electronic medical record (EMR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: EMR data of 87 JIA patients treated with etanercept between January 2011 and December 2018 were collected retrospectively. The response of etanercept was evaluated by using DAS44/ESR-3 simplified standard. The stepwise forward and backward method based on information gain was applied to select features. Five machine learning algorithms, including Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), Extremely Random Trees (ET) and Logistic Regression (LR) were used for model generation and validation with fifty-fold stratified cross-validation. EMR data of additional 14 patients were collected for external validation of the model. RESULTS: Tender joint count (TJC), Time interval, Lymphocyte percentage (LYM), and Weight were screened out and included in the final model. The model generated by the XGBoost algorithm based on the above 4 features had the best predictive performance: sensitivity 75%, specificity 66.67%, accuracy 72.22%, AUC 79.17%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A pre-administration model with good prediction performance for etanercept response in JIA was developed using advanced machine learning algorithms. Clinicians and pharmacists can use this simple and accurate model to predict etanercept response of JIA early and avoid treatment failure or adverse effects.

Effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels on sperm quality and assisted reproductive technology outcomes for men of infertile Chinese couples.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is highly prevalent in China, but its effect on sperm quality and outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in men from infertile couples is not clear. This study aimed to explore the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels and semen parameters, as well as ART outcomes for men from infertile couples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study recruited 1308 men from infertile couples who attended the Reproductive Medicine Center of Peking University Third Hospital for first time from February to August 2019 (NCT03804294). Reproductive hormones levels, semen parameters, and clinical outcomes of ART were compared between vitamin D-deficient group (serum 25OHD ≤ 10 ng/mL), insufficient group (serum 25OHD 10-20 ng/mL), and sufficient group (serum 25OHD ≥ 20 ng/mL). RESULTS: We found 27.7% of participants were vitamin D sufficient, suggesting high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in China. Reproductive hormone levels were similar between the three groups. The total number of morphologically normal spermatozoa was significantly different between the three groups in all participants, impaired semen quality subgroup, and normozoospermia subgroup (P < .05) with the adjustment of confounders (age, BMI, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and physical exercise). The percentage of normal sperm morphology significantly increased with elevated serum 25OHD levels in all participants and the participants with impaired semen quality (P < .05), and the total sperm count showed significant difference in participants with impaired semen quality (P = .026). For routine in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles, there were no differences in fertilization rate, top-quality embryo rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, and clinical pregnancy rate between serum 25OHD < 20 ng/mL and serum 25OHD ≥ 20 ng/mL groups. CONCLUSIONS: Males of infertile couples with higher serum 25OHD levels exhibit better results in sperm morphology, and serum 25OHD levels may contribute to total sperm number in participants with impaired semen quality, but show no effects on the ART outcomes.

Gestational Perfluorooctanoic Acid Exposure Inhibits Placental Development by Dysregulation of Labyrinth Vessels and uNK Cells and Apoptosis in Mice.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a widely used perfluorinated compound and known to cause developmental toxicity which includes the increase of resorbed embryo, decrease of fetal survival, and fetal growth retardation. Nevertheless, whether it is associated with alteration of placental development remains unknown. Pregnant mice were gavaged with 0, 2.5, 5, 10 mg PFOA /kg/day from pregnancy day (PD) 1 to PD 13. Results showed that PFOA exposure markedly decreased the placental weight and caused interstitial edema of placenta. Laminin staining indicated that blood sinusoids area was shrunken in placenta of PFOA-exposed mice. Furthermore, PFOA treatment significantly reduced numbers of uNK cells. Western blot analysis revealed that levels of Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 proteins were markedly up-regulated in PFOA-treated groups. In addition, TEM examination showed that PFOA treatment caused rupture of nuclear membrane and nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation. Thus, our results suggested that gestational PFOA exposure significantly inhibited development of early placenta through shrinkage of labyrinth vessels and downregulation of uNK cells and apoptosis induction, which may result in adverse gestational outcomes.

Roles of Vitamin D in Reproductive Systems and Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Vitamin D, an essential steroid hormone in the human body, plays an important role in not only the regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, but also in various physiological processes, such as cell differentiation and apoptosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Vitamin D receptors are widely distributed in male and female reproductive systems, suggesting that vitamin D is essential for fertility. Because vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent around the world, this review aims to discuss the potential functions of vitamin D in male and female reproductive systems and the associations between vitamin D and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. Vitamin D is involved in many physiological reproductive processes, including steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, and acrosome reaction. It is correlated with sperm quality, ovarian reserve, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and endometriosis, among others. Controversial clinical findings on vitamin D levels and ART outcomes were revealed in this review, and demonstrations of efficacy for human fertility in randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation are notably lacking. Thus, further studies are highly required involving molecular mechanisms among different species and human populations, as well as randomized controlled trials.

Kidney podocyte-associated gene polymorphisms affect tacrolimus concentration in pediatric patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome.

Few studies have investigated the correlation between pharmacogenomics and tacrolimus pharmacokinetics in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS). This study evaluated the influences of genetic polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes, transporters, and podocyte-associated proteins on tacrolimus concentration in Chinese pediatric patients with refractory NS. A total of 167 pediatric patients with refractory NS were included from July 2013 to December 2017. Age of onset was restricted to <14 years of age. Dose-adjusted tacrolimus trough concentration (C0/D) on the third month was calculated, and 20 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in sixteen genes were genotyped. Age was correlated with tacrolimus C0/D (p = 0.006, r = 0.213). Tacrolimus C0/D was higher in CYP3A5 nonexpressers than in CYP3A5 expressers (p = 0.003). ACTN4 rs62121818, MYH9 rs2239781, CYP3A5*3, and age explained 20.5% interindividual variability of tacrolimus concentration in the total cohort. In CYP3A5 nonexpressers, ACTN4 rs62121818 and MYH9 rs2239781 together explained 14.6% variation of tacrolimus C0/D. MYH9 rs2239781, LAMB2 rs62119873 and age together explained 22.3% variability of tacrolimus level in CYP3A5 expressers. CYP3A5*3 was still an important factor affecting tacrolimus concentration in patients with NS. Podocyte-associated gene polymorphisms, especially ACTN4 rs62121818 and MYH9 rs2239781, were the other most important biomarkers for tacrolimus whole blood levels. Genotyping of CYP3A5, ACTN4, and MYH9 polymorphisms may be helpful for better guiding tacrolimus dosing in pediatric patients with refractory NS.