The diagnostic value of cytokines for the discrimination of vertebral osteomyelitis and degenerative diseases of the spine.

Vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) is a primary infection of the endplates of the vertebral bodies with secondary infection of the adjacent intervertebral discs. Diagnosis is often delayed due to unspecific symptoms and a lack of specific infection markers. In this prospective study, we determined the suitability of 27 cytokines for the discrimination of VO and degenerative diseases of the spine and compared its diagnostic potential in relation to the C-reactive protein (CRP), which is widely used as a non-specific inflammation marker in clinical diagnostics. The patients included in this study underwent surgical stabilization of the lumbar and/or thoracic spine with removal of 1 or more affected intervertebral discs, as therapy for VO (n = 16) or for erosive osteochondrosis (EO, control group, n = 20). We evaluated the cytokine and CRP concentrations before (pre-OP = -20-0d where 0 means the day of surgery) and after surgery (post-OP) on days 3-5, 6-11, 40-56, and 63-142. Compared to the control patients pre-OP, a significantly higher elevation of the 4 cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 (p70), and VEGF as well as CRP were found in the VO patients, showing an area under the curve > 0.80 pre-OP. No significant differences were observed between VO patients with high and low virulent bacteria with respect to all 5 elevated biomarkers. This is the first prospective study in which a broad spectrum of 27 cytokines was analysed via multiplex assay using sera from patients with and without VO. Our results show that, in addition to CRP, 4 different cytokines were significantly altered in VO but not control patients. The results implicate that these candidate cytokines may be used in a multiplex assay for discrimination between VO and degenerative diseases of the spine.

Local VEGF-A blockade modulates the microenvironment of the corneal graft bed.

The microenvironment plays an important role in several immunological processes. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) not only regulates angiogenesis, but is known as a modulator of the immune microenvironment. Modulating the site of transplantation might be beneficial for subsequent transplant survival. In this study, we therefore analyzed the effect that a local blockade of VEGF-A in the inflamed cornea as the graft receiving tissue has on the immune system. We used the murine model of suture-induced neovascularization and subsequent high-risk corneal transplantation, which is an optimal model for local drug application. Mice were treated with VEGFR1/R2 trap prior to transplantation. We analyzed corneal gene expression, as well as protein levels in the cornea and serum on the day of transplantation, 2 and 8 weeks later. Local VEGF depletion prior to transplantation increases the expression of pro-inflammatory as well as immune regulatory cytokines only in the corneal microenvironment, but not in the serum. Furthermore, local VEGFR1/R2 trap treatment significantly inhibits the infiltration of CD11c+ dendritic cells into the cornea. Subsequent increased corneal transplantation success was accompanied by a local upregulation of Foxp3 gene expression. This study demonstrates that locally restricted VEGF depletion increases transplantation success by modulating the receiving corneal microenvironment and inducing tolerogenic mechanisms.

Suitability of serum cytokine profiling for early diagnosis of implant-associated infections after orthopaedic surgery: A preliminary prospective study.

The C-reactive protein (CRP) is still the conventional marker used to diagnose implant-associated infections (IAI) after orthopaedic surgery. However, the CRP level can lead to misdiagnosis since it is up-regulated not only during bacterial infection. In this prospective study, we evaluated the serum cytokine profile before (pre-OP) and after orthopaedic surgery (post-OP) as well as after confirmation of a developed infection (COI) to identify candidate biomarkers for diagnosis of IAI. Sera from 10 controls 7 to 1 days pre-OP and 0 to 22 days post-OP as well as from 5 patients who developed IAI 5 to 1 days pre-OP, 0 to 197 days post-OP and after COI were analyzed for 27 different cytokines using a multiplex cytokine assay. In addition to CRP, 14 cytokines IL-1ra, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-17, eotaxin, G-CSF, IFN-γ, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1ß were significantly altered (P ≤ 0.05) during the study although some differences were low-fold elevations compared to the pre-OP levels. IL-6 as well as IL-12(p70) were consistently elevated in infected patients. Surgery influenced cytokine production with some overlap of cytokines in both groups, implying that the use of cytokines is maximized when the cytokines are not or no longer affected by surgical trauma. To lend more robustness to the selection of candidate cytokines, in addition to the statistical differences, we applied a threshold cut-off of approximately 2-fold elevations when comparisons were made. This resulted in the selection of 8 cytokines, namely IL-6, IL-1ra, IL-8, IL-12(p70), eotaxin, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1ß, which may be used in a multiplex assay for detection of IAI after surgery. Furthermore, IL-1ra and IL-8 may be used as prognostic cytokines prior to surgery. The present results imply that the use of cytokines may be a suitable alternative to CRP for IAI diagnosis.

Evaluation of small intestinal damage in a rat model of 6 Minutes cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Contribution of the small intestine to systemic inflammation after cardiac arrest (CA) is poorly understood. The objective was to evaluate whether an in vivo rat model of 6 min CA is suitable to initiate intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion-injury and to evaluate histomorphological changes and inflammatory processes in the small intestinal mucosa resp. in sera. METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to CA followed by cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Proximal jejunum and serum was collected at 6 h, 24 h, 72 h and 7 d post return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and from a control group. The small intestine was evaluated histomorphologically. Cytokine concentrations were measured in jejunum lysates and sera. RESULTS: Histomorphological evaluation revealed a significant increase in mucosal damage in the jejunum at all timepoints compared to controls (p < 0.0001). In jejunal tissues, concentrations of IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-10, and TNF-α showed significant peaks at 24 h and were 1.5- to 5.7-fold higher than concentrations at 6 h and in the controls (p < 0.05). In serum, a significant higher amount of cytokine was detected only for IL-1ß at 24 h post-ROSC compared to controls (15.78 vs. 9.76 pg/ml). CONCLUSION: CA resulted in mild small intestinal tissue damage but not in systemic inflammation. A rat model of 6 min CA is not capable to comprehensively mimic a post cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS). Whether there is a vital influence of the intestine on the PCAS still remains unclear.

Effect of Lifestyle Interventions during Pregnancy on Maternal Leptin, Resistin and Offspring Weight at Birth and One Year of Life.

Lifestyle during pregnancy impacts the health of the mother and child. However, the extent to which physical activity affects maternal biomarkers and factors that might influence birth weight remains unclear. We analysed data from two lifestyle interventions in which the effects of an exercise programme (2x/week, 60-90 min) on the course of pregnancy with regard to adipokines and offspring were evaluated. A total of 70 women participated in this study (45, intervention group; 25, control group). Anthropometric data and maternal fasting serum leptin and resistin levels were measured at three time points (approximately 14th (T1), 24th (T2), and 36th (T3) weeks of gestation). Neonatal/child data were retrieved from screening examinations. Independent of the intervention, we found a positive correlation between the fat mass at T1 and both leptin and resistin levels at all time points. Leptin level was significantly higher in the control group at T3; however, no differences between the groups were found for resistin. The birth weight was influenced by the birth length, fat mass at T1/T3, and resistin level at T2. The BMI-SDS at one year of age was influenced by maternal fat-free mass at T3 and resistin at T1/T2. Even if these results can only be interpreted cautiously, lifestyle interventions during pregnancy are important in promoting maternal and child health. Further randomised controlled trials and translational studies are warranted to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study.

The benefits of maternal physical activity during pregnancy are well documented, but long-term effects on the child have been less studied. Therefore, we conducted a pilot follow-up study of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy that aimed to investigate whether exercise (endurance and strength training) during pregnancy affects motor performance and body composition of children up to 9 years of age, as well as possible influencing factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and lifestyle. Eleven mother-child pairs from the intervention and eight mother-child pairs from the control group were included. From birth up to 9 years of age, no differences in body mass index (BMI) or body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) were found between the groups. Lifestyle intervention was one of the influencing factors for children's cardiorespiratory endurance capacity and coordination. Moreover, maternal BDNF in the last trimester was significantly associated with running performance, which may be due to better neuronal development. This is the first study evaluating the effects of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy on the motor performance 9 years after birth. Children's participation in exercise programs over the past 9 years was not continuously recorded and therefore not included in the analysis. Even a cautious interpretation of these results indicates that a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is essential in promoting child health. Larger studies and randomized control trials are necessary to confirm our results, especially those pertaining to the role of BDNF.

Oral D-Aspartate Treatment Improves Sperm Fertility in Both Young and Adult B6N Mice.

D-Aspartate (D-Asp) treatment improved the fertility of young male C57BL/6N mice in vivo revealing a direct role on capacitation, acrosome reaction, and fertility in vitro in young males only. We investigated whether the positive effect of D-Asp on fertility could be extended to adult males and evaluated the efficacy of a 2- or 4-week-treatment in vivo. Therefore, 20 mM sodium D-Asp was supplied in drinking water to males of different ages so that they were 9 or 16 weeks old at the end of the experiments. After sperm freezing, the in vitro fertilization (IVF) rate, the birth rate, hormone levels (luteinizing hormone (LH), epitestosterone, and testosterone), the sperm quality (morphology, abnormalities, motility, and velocity), the capacitation rate, and the acrosome reaction were investigated. Oral D-Asp treatment improves the fertilizing capability in mice regardless of the age of the animals. Importantly, a short D-Asp treatment of 2 weeks in young males elevates sperm parameters to the levels of untreated adult animals. In vivo, D-Asp treatment highly improves sperm quality but not sperm concentration. Therefore, D-Asp plays a beneficial role in mouse male fertility and may be highly relevant for cryorepositories to improve mouse sperm biobanking.

HOMA Index, Vitamin D Levels, Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Juvenile Obesity: Data from the CHILT III Programme, Cologne.

Juvenile obesity is associated with insulin resistance, among other comorbidities. In the pathogenesis of insulin-resistance-related diseases, including obesity and diabetes, Vitamin D deficiency is very common. Therefore, the relationship between insulin resistance, body composition, vitamin D level, and cardiorespiratory fitness in obese children and youth were analyzed based on the Children's Health InterventionaL Trial III project, Germany. Data on vitamin D levels and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) indices were available from 147 participants (52.4% female; 90.5% obese; 12.3 ± 2.3 years, BMI: 30.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2, BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS): 2.52 ± 0.46). Vitamin D levels correlated negatively with the HOMA index, BMI, BMI-SDS, abdominal circumference, and body fat percentage but positively with relative cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.05 in each case). In the backward stepwise linear regression analysis, body fat (in kg; ß = 0.403) and vitamin D levels (ß = -0.154) explained 21.0% of the variance in the HOMA index. In summary, increased body fat and lower vitamin D levels are associated with increased HOMA indices in overweight and obese children and adolescents. In order to prevent potential negative consequences, including the development of manifest Type 2 diabetes, a healthy lifestyle with a vitamin-D-enriched diet and more time spent outdoors should be promoted.

Autophagy-Related Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells Reduces Cellular miR-29a by Promoting Its Vesicular Secretion.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Liver fibrosis arises from long-term chronic liver injury, accompanied by an accelerated wound healing response with interstitial accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the main source for ECM production. MicroRNA29a (miR-29a) is a crucial antifibrotic miRNA that is repressed during fibrosis, resulting in up-regulation of collagen synthesis. METHODS: Intracellular and extracellular miRNA levels of primary and immortalized myofibroblastic HSC in response to profibrogenic stimulation by transforming growth factor ß (TGFß) or platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) or upon inhibition of vesicular transport and autophagy processes were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Autophagy flux was studied by electron microscopy, flow cytometry, immunoblotting, and immunocytochemistry. Hepatic and serum miR-29a levels were quantified by using both liver tissue and serum samples from a cohort of chronic hepatitis C virus patients and a murine CCl4 induced liver fibrosis model. RESULTS: In our study, we show that TGFß and PDGF-BB resulted in decrease of intracellular miR-29a and a pronounced increase of vesicular miR-29a release into the supernatant. Strikingly, miR-29a vesicular release was accompanied by enhanced autophagic activity and up-regulation of the autophagy marker protein LC3. Moreover, autophagy inhibition strongly prevented miR-29a secretion and repressed its targets' expression such as Col1A1. Consistently, hepatic miR-29a loss and increased LC3 expression in myofibroblastic HSC were associated with increased serum miR-29a levels in CCl4-treated murine liver fibrosis and specimens of hepatitis C virus patients with chronic liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence that activation-associated autophagy in HSC induces release of miR-29a, whereas inhibition of autophagy represses fibrogenic gene expression in part through attenuated miR-29a secretion.

Maternal and perinatal obesity induce bronchial obstruction and pulmonary hypertension via IL-6-FoxO1-axis in later life.

Obesity is a pre-disposing condition for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Accumulating evidence suggests that metabolic influences during development can determine chronic lung diseases (CLD). We demonstrate that maternal obesity causes early metabolic disorder in the offspring. Here, interleukin-6 induced bronchial and microvascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) hyperproliferation and increased airway and pulmonary vascular resistance. The key anti-proliferative transcription factor FoxO1 was inactivated via nuclear exclusion. These findings were confirmed using primary SMC treated with interleukin-6 and pharmacological FoxO1 inhibition as well as genetic FoxO1 ablation and constitutive activation. In vivo, we reproduced the structural and functional alterations in offspring of obese dams via the SMC-specific ablation of FoxO1. The reconstitution of FoxO1 using IL-6-deficient mice and pharmacological treatment did not protect against metabolic disorder but prevented SMC hyperproliferation. In human observational studies, childhood obesity was associated with reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio Z-score (used as proxy for lung function) and asthma. We conclude that the interleukin-6-FoxO1 pathway in SMC is a molecular mechanism by which perinatal obesity programs the bronchial and vascular structure and function, thereby driving CLD development. Thus, FoxO1 reconstitution provides a potential therapeutic option for preventing this metabolic programming of CLD.

Small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus reveal distinct protein profiles.

Small-colony variants (SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus represent a slow-growing subpopulation causing chronic and relapsing infections due to their physiological adaptation on an intracellular lifestyle. In this first proteomic study on physiological changes associated with a natural, clinically derived SCV, its proteomic profile was investigated in comparison to corresponding isogenic strains displaying normal (clinical wild-type strain, complemented hemB mutant and spontaneous revertant of the clinical SCV) and SCV phenotypes (hemB mutant and gentamicin-induced SCV). Applying an ultra-high resolution chromatography and high mass accuracy MS(E) -based label-free relative and absolute protein quantification approach, the whole cytoplasmic proteome of this strain sextet was investigated in a growth phase-controlled manner covering early-exponential, late-exponential and stationary phases. Of 1019 cytoplasmic proteins identified, 154 were found to be differently regulated between strains. All SCV phenotypes showed down-regulation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-related proteins and of a protein cluster involved in purine/pyrimidine and folate metabolism. In contrast to hemB mutant and gentamicin-induced SCVs, the clinically derived SCVs showed no prominent up-regulation of glycolytic proteins. The spontaneous switch into the normal phenotype resulted in up-regulation of TCA cycle-related parts, while oxidative stress-related proteins were down-regulated. However, the natural revertant from the clinical SCV retained also dominant protein features of the clinical SCV phenotype. In conclusion, physiological changes between normal and SCV S. aureus phenotypes are more complex than reflected by defined electron transport chain-interrupting mutants and their complemented counterparts.

The chromatin, topological and regulatory properties of pluripotency-associated poised enhancers are conserved in vivo.

Poised enhancers (PEs) represent a genetically distinct set of distal regulatory elements that control the expression of major developmental genes. Before becoming activated in differentiating cells, PEs are already bookmarked in pluripotent cells with unique chromatin and topological features that could contribute to their privileged regulatory properties. However, since PEs were originally characterized in embryonic stem cells (ESC), it is currently unknown whether PEs are functionally conserved in vivo. Here, we show that the chromatin and 3D structural features of PEs are conserved among mouse pluripotent cells both in vitro and in vivo. We also uncovered that the interactions between PEs and their target genes are globally controlled by the combined action of Polycomb, Trithorax and architectural proteins. Moreover, distal regulatory sequences located close to developmental genes and displaying the typical genetic (i.e. CpG islands) and chromatin (i.e. high accessibility and H3K27me3 levels) features of PEs are commonly found across vertebrates. These putative PEs show high sequence conservation within specific vertebrate clades, with only a few being evolutionary conserved across all vertebrates. Lastly, by genetically disrupting PEs in mouse and chicken embryos, we demonstrate that these regulatory elements play essential roles during the induction of major developmental genes in vivo.

Maternal Exercise Mediates Hepatic Metabolic Programming via Activation of AMPK-PGC1α Axis in the Offspring of Obese Mothers.

Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of hepatic metabolic dysfunction for both mother and offspring and targeted interventions to address this growing metabolic disease burden are urgently needed. This study investigates whether maternal exercise (ME) could reverse the detrimental effects of hepatic metabolic dysfunction in obese dams and their offspring while focusing on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), representing a key regulator of hepatic metabolism. In a mouse model of maternal western-style-diet (WSD)-induced obesity, we established an exercise intervention of voluntary wheel-running before and during pregnancy and analyzed its effects on hepatic energy metabolism during developmental organ programming. ME prevented WSD-induced hepatic steatosis in obese dams by alterations of key hepatic metabolic processes, including activation of hepatic ß-oxidation and inhibition of lipogenesis following increased AMPK and peroxisome-proliferator-activated-receptor-γ-coactivator-1α (PGC-1α)-signaling. Offspring of exercised dams exhibited a comparable hepatic metabolic signature to their mothers with increased AMPK-PGC1α-activity and beneficial changes in hepatic lipid metabolism and were protected from WSD-induced adipose tissue accumulation and hepatic steatosis in later life. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ME provides a promising strategy to improve the metabolic health of both obese mothers and their offspring and highlights AMPK as a potential metabolic target for therapeutic interventions.

Brain-Restricted Inhibition of IL-6 Trans-Signaling Mildly Affects Metabolic Consequences of Maternal Obesity in Male Offspring.

Maternal obesity greatly affects next generations, elevating obesity risk in the offspring through perinatal programming and flawed maternal and newborn nutrition. The exact underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mediates its effects through a membrane-bound receptor or by trans-signaling (tS), which can be inhibited by the soluble form of the co-receptor gp130 (sgp130). As IL-6 tS mediates western-style diet (WSD) effects via chronic low-grade inflammation (LGI) and LGI is an important mediator in brain-adipose tissue communication, this study aims at determining the effects of maternal obesity in a transgenic mouse model of brain-restricted IL-6tS inhibition (GFAPsgp130) on offspring's short- and long-term body composition and epigonadal white adipose tissue (egWAT) metabolism. Female wild type (WT) or transgenic mice were fed either standard diet (SD) or WSD pregestationally, during gestation, and lactation. Male offspring received SD from postnatal day (P)21 to P56 and were metabolically challenged with WSD from P56 to P120. At P21, offspring from WT and transgenic dams that were fed WSD displayed increased body weight and egWAT mass, while glucose tolerance testing showed the strongest impairment in GFAPsgp130WSD offspring. Simultaneously, egWAT proteome reveals a characteristic egWAT expression pattern in offspring as a result of maternal conditions. IL-6tS inhibition in transgenic mice was in tendency associated with lower body weight in dams on SD and their respective offspring but blunted by the WSD. In conclusion, maternal nutrition affects offspring's body weight and egWAT metabolism predominantly independent of IL-6tS inhibition, emphasizing the importance of maternal and newborn nutrition for long-term offspring health.

d-aspartate treatment in vitro improves mouse sperm fertility in young B6N mice.

We previously reported that the administration of d-aspartate (D-Asp) in drinking water over a 2-4-week period to 7-week-old mice resulted in higher sperm quality and increased in vitro fertilisation (IVF) rates associated with a systemic increase of luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels in the serum. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of in vitro treatment with D-Asp on the IVF rate, embryo transfer, and sperm parameters of cryopreserved-thawed C57BL/6NTacCnrm (B6N) spermatozoa derived from young and adult mice. In this study, cryopreserved-thawed B6N spermatozoa from males aging 9, 11, 13, and 16 weeks were treated for 1 h with 4 mM D-Asp during capacitation. Thereafter, the in vitro fertilisation ability and the embryo transfer efficiency were analysed. Also, the kinetic activity of the treated spermatozoa and the acrosome reaction were measured after 1 h, 2 h, and 5 h of incubation. The capacitation rate of spermatozoa was determined after 1 h of pre-incubation. Spermatozoa from 9- and 11-week-old mice, which were treated with D-Asp, led to significantly increased IVF rates. However, spermatozoa derived from 13- and 16-week-old mice did not lead to a significant improvement in the fertilisation rate. At all ages examined, no differences were observed in the birth rate and sperm kinetic parameters. After 1 h incubation under the same conditions as the IVF was performed, the capacitation rate and the acrosome reaction were significantly higher with the D-Asp-treated spermatozoa from 9-week-old (67.5% vs. 41% and 14.5% vs. 10.5%, respectively) and 11-week-old mice (78.5% vs. 41.1% and 21.0% vs. 3.8%, respectively), corresponding to the improved IVF results. Therefore, the present results demonstrate, for the first time, a direct role of D-Asp in the capacitation process and acrosome reaction.

Of Mice and Men: The Coronavirus MHV and Mouse Models as a Translational Approach to Understand SARS-CoV-2.

The fatal acute respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, infection and mortality rates have been rising steadily worldwide. The lack of a vaccine, as well as preventive and therapeutic strategies, emphasize the need to develop new strategies to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission and pathogenesis. Since mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2 share a common genus, lessons learnt from MHV and SARS-CoV could offer mechanistic insights into SARS-CoV-2. This review provides a comprehensive review of MHV in mice and SARS-CoV-2 in humans, thereby highlighting further translational avenues in the development of innovative strategies in controlling the detrimental course of SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, we have focused on various aspects, including host species, organotropism, transmission, clinical disease, pathogenesis, control and therapy, MHV as a model for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 as well as mouse models for infection with SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. While MHV in mice and SARS-CoV-2 in humans share various similarities, there are also differences that need to be addressed when studying murine models. Translational approaches, such as humanized mouse models are pivotal in studying the clinical course and pathology observed in COVID-19 patients. Lessons from prior murine studies on coronavirus, coupled with novel murine models could offer new promising avenues for treatment of COVID-19.

A lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to reduce obesity in early childhood: the study protocol of ADEBAR - a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity in childhood is increasing worldwide and may be affected by genetic factors and the lifestyle (exercise, nutrition behavior) of expectant parents. Lifestyle factors affect adipokines, namely leptin, resistin, and adiponectin as well as cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are involved in the regulation of maternal metabolic homeostasis, glucose metabolism, and the development of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, gestational diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. However, studies focusing on the effect of exercise or a combination of parental exercise and nutrition on the above-mentioned markers in newborns (venous cord blood) and especially on the long-term development of infants' weight gain are lacking. The study will investigate the effects of a multimodal intervention (regular exercise, diet) on parental and childhood adipocytokines (leptin, resistin, adiponectin, TNF-α, IL-6, BDNF). The effect of a lifestyle-related change in "fetal environmental conditions" on the long-term weight development of the child up to the age of two will also be assessed. METHODS/DESIGN: A randomized multi-center controlled trial will be conducted in Germany, comparing supervised aerobic and resistance training 2x/week (13th to 36th weeks of gestation) and nutritional counseling (6th to 36th weeks of gestation) during pregnancy with usual care. Thirty women (pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2, 6th-10th week of gestation) will be included in each group. Maternal anthropometric and physical measurements as well as blood sampling will occur at the 6th-10th, 13th-14th, 21st-24th, and 36th week of gestation, at delivery as well as 8 weeks and 24 months postpartum. Neonatal measurements and umbilical blood sampling will be performed at birth. Maternal and infants' weight development will be assessed every 6 months till 24 months postpartum. A difference in childhood BMI of 1 kg/m2 at the age of two years between both groups will be assumed. A power size of 80% using a significance level of 0.05 and an effect size of 1.0 is presumed. DISCUSSION: A better understanding of how lifestyle-related changes in the fetal environment might influence infants' outcome after two years of life could have a profound impact on the prevention and development of infants' obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00007702); Registered on 10th of August 2016; retrospectively registered https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00007702.

Effect of Ground Transportation on Adrenocortical Activity in Prepuberal Female Mice from Five Different Genetic Backgrounds.

Specific experimental protocols necessitate transportation, a potentially stressful event that could confound results. We determined adrenocortical activity by measuring fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs), as a stress marker, in prepuberal (three-week old) female C57BL/6J, C57BL/6NCrl, FVB/NCrl, Crl:CD1(ICR), and BALB/cAnCrl mice. On each transport day, five female cage mates per genetic background were weaned and transported in stable groups via truck from the breeding to the research facility. Fecal pellets were collected on Days 0, 1, and 4. Mice were superovulated for embryo production to determine if repeated fecal collection impacts this procedure. The average duration of transportation over 600 km and from packing to unpacking of mice was 7.24 and 22.62 h, respectively. FCM levels increased from Day 0 to Day 1 and decreased on Day 4 in all genetic backgrounds except in FVB/NCrl, but only B6N showed significantly higher FCM levels on Day 1. Furthermore, embryo production was not affected by repeated feces collection. The results show that weaning and immediate transport of prepuberal mice from the breeding to the research facility led to temporal and genetic background-dependent increases of adrenocortical activity in four of the five genetic backgrounds investigated, which returned to baseline levels within four days.

Comparison of two prevalent individually ventilated caging systems for detection of murine infectious agents via exhaust air particles.

We compared the efficacies of two different individually ventilated cage systems (Allentown and Tecniplast) for health monitoring (HM) of murine infectious agents using exhaust air particle (EAP) capture and real-time PCR. After three months of monitoring, both EAP capture media allowed detection of Helicobacter, Pasteurella and Entamoeba. Use of the EAP real-time PCR for HM reduces the number of mice used.

Impact of endurance exercise and probiotic supplementation on the intestinal microbiota: a cross-over pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The human microbiota has a broad range of functions contributing to metabolic processes and the activities of our immune system. Its influence on health, well-being and chronic diseases are discussed in various studies. The intestinal microbiota and the mucosal integrity are influenced by diet, environment and other lifestyle factors, including physical activity. There are correlations between cardiorespiratory fitness and important markers of intestinal health. However, data linking endurance exercise to microbiota composition are sparse. Many endurance athletes take probiotics to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms linked to exercise or immunosuppression, but the longitudinal data is insufficient.This randomised, controlled cross-over pilot study will examine the impact of specific endurance training and probiotic supplementation on the intestinal microbiota and mucosa in healthy, athletic students. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study is to elucidate the impact of physical activity on the intestinal microbiota and mucosa with regard to the effects of a probiotic supplementation. METHODS: In this pilot study, thirty non-specifically trained student athletes will participate in an intervention consisting of a two-week rest (baseline) period, a four-week exercise programme and a four-week probiotic intervention using SymbioLactComp®. The exercise programme consists of three 60-min running workouts per week at 70-85% of the peak heart rate (HRpeak). Primary endpoint of this pilot study is the feasibility and practicality of the intervention as well as a sample size estimation. Furthermore, anthropometric measurements and information on nutrition and lifestyle will be obtained. The peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and peak heart rate (HRpeak) (determined during a shuttle run test) as well as selected blood and saliva parameters (haemogram, cytokines) will be evaluated. Changes to the intestinal microbiota will be analysed by stool diagnostics (KyberKompaktPRO®, KyberPlus®). The potential changes may include microbiota composition, bacterial metabolites and mucosa- and immune markers. CONCLUSION: Results will be used for the design of a main randomised controlled trial with a larger collective based on feasibility, validity and sample size estimation as well as the potential effects of endurance exercise on intestinal microbiota and mucosa. Evidence-based information of an exercise-altered microbiota could be of importance for the prevention and therapy of intestinal or immune disorders. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00011108. Retrospectively registered on 28 November 2016.