Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) gene polymorphisms and five related serum molecular levels in 2587 patients: Associated differentially with adverse pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) polymorphisms, 5 serum related molecular levels and the risk of adverse pregnancies in different genders. METHODS: Patients aged from 22 to 38 with a history of adverse pregnancy treated in our genetic eugenics clinic of Henan Provincial People's Hospital are selected. The controls aged from 20 to 34 undergoing eugenics examinations in our genetic eugenics clinic that had no history of adverse pregnancy and at least one healthy child are selected. Sanger sequencing and Chemiluminescence Microparticle Immuno Assay (CMIA) are used for detecting the mutations of MTHFR and MTRR and the 5 serum molecular serum levels. RESULTS: In the female group, MTHFR 677 C > T is associated with Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) (P = 0.0017), Chromosomal abnormality (CA) (P = 0.0053), Cleft lip and palate (CLP) (P = 0.0326) and Brain dysplasia (BD) (P = 0.0072); MTHFR 1298 A > C is associated with Infertility (P = 0.0026) and BD (P = 0.0382); MTRR 66 A > G is associated with CLP (P = 0.0131). In the male group, MTHFR 677 C > T is associated with RSA (P = 0.0003), Infertility (P = 0.0013), CA (P = 0.0027) and BD (P = 0.0293). In the female group, the genotype of MTHFR 677 C > T is associated with RSA (P = 0.0017), CA (P = 0.0014) and BD (P = 0.0021); MTHFR 1298 A > C is associated with Infertility (P = 0.0081) and MTRR 66 A > G is associated with Infertility (P = 0.0309). In the male group, the genotype of MTHFR 677 C > T is associated with RSA (P = 0.0008), Infertility (P = 0.0096) and CA (P = 0.0165) and MTRR 66 A > G is associated with Infertility (P = 0.0158) and congenital heart disease (CHD) (P = 0.0218). In the male group, there is statistically significant difference of the serum Homocysteine (Hcy) levels (P < 0.0001) between adverse pregnancy group and controls. In the female group, there is statistically significant difference of the serum vitamin D levels (P = 0.0015) between adverse pregnancy group and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Polymorphic variants in MTHFR and MTRR, serum Folic acid (FA), Hcy and B12 levels in the male group and vitamin D levels in the female group are associated differentially with adverse pregnancy.

Youthful small extracellular vesicles restore the function and reparative capacity of inflammatory-impaired periodontal ligament stem cells via delivering protein biglycan for bone regeneration.

Regenerating inflamed bone defects represents a severe clinical challenge due to the undesirable inflammatory microenvironment. The inflammatory stimulus poses a weighty threat to the regenerative capacity of endogenously derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are mainly responsible for osteogenic differentiation, thereby resulting in compromised endogenous bone formation. Consequently, alleviating the biological characteristics of inflammatory-impaired MSCs is crucial for promoting inflamed bone regeneration. Nano-sized small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have emerged as promising therapeutic tools to orchestrate MSCs fate due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and encapsulated bioactive contents. In the present study, we extracted sEVs from youthful and adult dental pulp MSCs and explored their ability to recover inflammation-compromised periodontal ligament stem cells (IPDLSCs). The results indicated that both types of sEVs were capable of facilitating IPDLSCs osteogenesis. However, young sEVs exhibited a more robust potential at a lower concentration compared to adult sEVs. Mechanically, young sEVs enhanced the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) via delivering the protein Biglycan, which correspondingly promoted the osteogenic capability of IPDLSCs. Collectively, our findings emphasized that young sEVs hold enormous potential to rescue the inherent function and regenerative competence of inflammation-impaired MSCs, shedding light on their promising therapeutic prospects for infected bone regeneration.

Periodontal ligament cells derived small extracellular vesicles are involved in orthodontic tooth movement.

OBJECTIVES: Small extracellular vesicles (EVs) from human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) are closely associated with periodontal homeostasis. Far less is known about EVs association with orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). This study aimed to explore the role of small EVs originated from hPDLCs during OTM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult C57BL/6 mice were used. Springs were bonded to the upper first molars of mice for 7 days to induce OTM in vivo. To block small EVs release, GW4869 was intraperitoneally injected and the efficacy of small EVs inhibition in periodontal ligament was verified by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Tooth movement distance and osteoclastic activity were studied. In vitro, hPDLCs were isolated and administered compressive force in the EV-free culture media. The cell morphologies and CD63 expression of hPDLCs were studied. Small EVs were purified and characterized using a scanning electron microscope, TEM, western blot, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. The expression of proteins in the small EVs was further processed and validated using a human immuno-regulated cytokines array and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The small EV depletion significantly decreased the distance and osteoclastic activity of OTM in the mice. The hPDLCs displayed different morphologies under force compression and CD63 expression level decreased verified by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Small EVs purified from supernatants of the hPDLCs showed features with <200 nm diameter, the positive EVs marker CD63, and the negative Golgi body marker GM130. The number of small EVs particles increased in hPDLCs suffering force stimuli. According to the proteome array, the level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) displayed the most significant fold change in small EVs under compressive force and this was further confirmed using an ELISA. LIMITATIONS: Further mechanism studies are warranted to validate the hPDLC-originated small EVs function in OTM through proteins delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The notable decrease in the OTM distance after small EV blocking and the significant alteration of the sICAM-1 level in the hPDLC-originated small EVs under compression provide a new vista into small EV-related OTM biology.

[Cytogenetic and molecular analysis of a case of Prader-Willi syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of cytogenetic and molecular genetic diagnosis of a special type of secondary sexual dysplasia and the applicability of various methods for its detection. METHODS: Using karyotype analysis, array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR), we diagnosed and differentially diagnosed a case of secondary sexual dysplasia. RESULTS: Abnormalities were not found in the karyotype analysis or the SRY and AZF gene detection, nor chromosomal duplication and deletion in the initial SurePrint G3 Human CGH Array Kit8×60K.SurePrint G3 unrestricteda CGH ISCA v2,88×60K, however, identified a 68.9 kb deletion of chromosome 15 (hg19:25190737-25259677). MLPA revealed the deletion of exon 3 of the SNRPN gene. MS-PCR showed a significant decrease in the paternal fragment signals, but no difference in the maternal fragment signals between the sample from the patient and that from the control. CONCLUSIONS: The patient was confirmed with Prader-Willi syndrome by various methods of detection.

[Analysis of ELN gene mutation in a pedigree affected with cutis laxa].

OBJECTIVE: To carry out genetic diagnosis for a pedigree affected with cutis laxa. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from members of the pedigree and 50 unrelated healthy controls. Potential mutation was screened by next-generation sequencing and verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: A heterozygous c.1985delG mutation was identified in the ELN gene among all patients from this pedigree. The same mutation was not found among unaffected family members and 50 healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The genetic etiology for the pedigree has been elucidated, which has enabled genetic counseling and guidance for reproduction.

State-Space Formulation for Buckling and Free Vibration of Axially Functionally Graded Graphene Reinforced Nanocomposite Microbeam under Axially Varying Loads.

This paper focuses on the size-dependent free vibration and buckling behaviors of the axially functionally graded (AFG) graphene platelets (GPLs) reinforced nanocomposite microbeams subjected to axially varying loads (AVLs). With various axial grading patterns, the GPL nano-reinforcements are distributed throughout the polymer matrix against microbeam length, and the improved Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model and the rule of mixture are adopted to evaluate the effective material properties. Eigenvalue equations of the microbeams governing the static stability and vibration are derived based on the modified couple stress Euler-Bernoulli beam theory via the state-space method, and are analytically solved with the discrete equilong segment model. The effects of axial distribution patterns, weight fraction, and geometric parameters of GPLs, as well as different types of AVLs, on the size-dependent buckling load and natural frequency are scrutinized in detail. The results show that the synchronized axial distributions of GPLs and AVLs could improve the buckling resistance and natural frequency more powerfully.

Construction and evaluation of a novel set of 90 microhaplotypes for forensic applications using NGS technology.

Microhaplotypes (MHs), small sets of linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are becoming a valuable tool for paternity testing, personal identification and other different forensic purposes due to their advantages of both short tandem repeats (STRs) and SNPs. However, only a small part of MHs with small segments have been developed and reported so far. And the current population genetic data of MHs are still insufficient. MHs with small segments possess unique advantages in mixture deconvolution, degradation material identification, noninvasive prenatal paternity testing and even medical tumor diagnostic applications. In the present study, a set of 90 autosomal MHs whose PCR amplicon lengths are from 90-150 bp, of which 58 MHs are less than or equal to 100 bp are selected, and assembled into an amplification multiplex system optimized for Ion S5™ System for forensic application. Genetic diversity study of 90 MHs in the populations from different intercontinental regions shows that the polymorphism information content (PIC) values of 83 MHs are greater than 0.4 in populations from East Asia (EAS), and the average PIC value of 90 MHs is greater than 0.5. A total of EAS populations shows the highest cumulative match probability (CMP) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) values in five intercontinental populations. The CMP and CPE values of 90 MHs in EAS are 1.1688 × 10-54 and 0.999999999998954. The informativeness for assignment (In) values of the 90 MHs are calculated based on data from five intercontinental populations, and the In values of 20 MHs have greater than 0.1, indicating that the 20 MHs are high effectiveness in distinguishing different intercontinental populations, which can be used as candidate ancestry informative markers. Further, we have studied the polymorphisms of the 90 MHs based on 224 unrelated individuals of Henan Han population, China, and obtained the frequency data of the 90 MHs. In the Henan Han population, the effective number of alleles (Ae) of the 90 MHs ranges from 1.7649 (MH45) to 3.9792 (MH50), and the Ae values of 10 MHs reach to 3.0; the Ae values of 80 MHs are greater than 2, and the average Ae value for these MHs is 2.422. The average expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, PIC, matching probability, discrimination power and probability of exclusion values of 90 MHs in the Henan Han population are 0.5788, 0.5851, 0.5039, 0.2608, 0.7392 and 0.2806, respectively. The CMP value of 90 MHs in the study population is less than 10-54, and their CPE value reaches 0.999999999999999923. Moreover, the results of the depth of coverage, allele coverage ratio and noise level indicate that the 90 MH amplification system has well sequencing performance, and the sequencing results are reliable. The results indicate the 90 MHs show higher polymorphisms in the study population. The present panel can be well used in paternity testing and individual identification in the study population and even the populations from EAS.

Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth and their Derivatives in Inflammatory Diseases Therapy.

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from postnatal orofacial tissues can be readily isolated and possess diverse origins, for example, from surgically removed teeth or gingiva. These cells exhibit stem cell properties, strong potential for self-renewal, and show multi-lineage differentiation, and they have therefore been widely employed in stem cell therapy, tissue regeneration, and inflammatory diseases. Among them, stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth [SHED] and their derivatives have manifested wide application in the treatment of diseases because of their outstanding advantages- including convenient access, easy storage, and less immune rejection. Numerous studies have shown that most diseases are closely associated with inflammation and that inflammatory diseases are extremely destructive, can lead to necrosis of organ parenchymal cells, and can deposit excessive extracellular matrix in the tissues. Inflammatory diseases are thus the principal causes of disability and death from many diseases worldwide. SHED and their derivatives not only exhibit the basic characteristics of stem cells but also exhibit some special properties of their own, particularly with regard to their great potential in inhibiting inflammation and tissue regeneration. SHED therapy may provide a new direction for the treatment of inflammation and corresponding tissue defects. In this review, we critically analyze and summarize the latest findings on the behaviors and functions of SHED, serum free conditioned medium from SHED [SHED-CM], and extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, from SHED [SHED-Exos], and discuss their roles and underlying mechanisms in the control of inflammatory diseases, thus further highlighting additional functions for SHED and their derivatives in future therapies.

Recent Advances in Three-Dimensional Stem Cell Culture Systems and Applications.

Cell culture is one of the most core and fundamental techniques employed in the fields of biology and medicine. At present, although the two-dimensional cell culture method is commonly used in vitro, it is quite different from the cell growth microenvironment in vivo. In recent years, the limitations of two-dimensional culture and the advantages of three-dimensional culture have increasingly attracted more and more attentions. Compared to two-dimensional culture, three-dimensional culture system is better to realistically simulate the local microenvironment of cells, promote the exchange of information among cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), and retain the original biological characteristics of stem cells. In this review, we first present three-dimensional cell culture methods from two aspects: a scaffold-free culture system and a scaffold-based culture system. The culture method and cell characterizations will be summarized. Then the application of three-dimensional cell culture system is further explored, such as in the fields of drug screening, organoids and assembloids. Finally, the directions for future research of three-dimensional cell culture are stated briefly.

Force-Induced Autophagy in Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells Modulates M1 Macrophage Polarization via AKT Signaling.

Autophagy, a lysosomal degradation pathway, serves as a protective cellular mechanism in maintaining cell and tissue homeostasis under mechanical stimulation. As the mechanosensitive cells, periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) play an important role in the force-induced inflammatory bone remodeling and tooth movement process. However, whether and how autophagy in PDLSCs influences the inflammatory bone remodeling process under mechanical force stimuli is still unknown. In this study, we found that mechanical force stimuli increased the expression of the autophagy protein LC3, the number of M1 macrophages and osteoclasts, as well as the ratio of M1/M2 macrophages in the compression side of the periodontal ligament in vivo. These biological changes induced by mechanical force were repressed by the application of an autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. Moreover, autophagy was activated in the force-loaded PDLSCs, and force-stimulated PDLSC autophagy further induced M1 macrophage polarization in vitro. The macrophage polarization could be partially blocked by the administration of autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine or enhanced by the administration of autophagy activator rapamycin in PDLSCs. Mechanistically, force-induced PDLSC autophagy promoted M1 macrophage polarization via the inhibition of the AKT signaling pathway. These data suggest a novel mechanism that force-stimulated PDLSC autophagy steers macrophages into the M1 phenotype via the AKT signaling pathway, which contributes to the inflammatory bone remodeling and tooth movement process.

Diversities of HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 loci in Chinese Kazak population and its genetic relatedness dissection with multiple populations: a comparative study.

Studying the allele and haplotype distributions of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci at 2nd-field level in different populations was important. Allele and haplotype frequencies of HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 loci in 110 unrelated healthy Kazak individuals living in Xinjiang (China) were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction sequence based typing. Thirty HLA-A, 48 HLA-B, 24 HLA-C, 34 HLA-DRB1 and 18 HLA-DQB1 alleles were detected at the 2nd-field level in the Kazak population. Frequencies of HLA alleles, genotypes, and haplotypes were calculated, and some exhibited significantly different distributions among different populations. A neighbor-joining (NJ) tree, heatmap, multidimensional scaling (MDS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to explore the genetic relationships between the Kazak population and 32 reference populations distributed in Asia, Africa, America and Europe using frequency data of HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1 loci. The NJ tree, heatmap, and MDS of the 33 populations were constructed based on pairwise DA values of populations obtained by the HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1 allele frequencies. Different PCA plots were constructed based on the allele frequencies of HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1 or estimated haplotypic frequencies of HLA-A, -B, -C loci. The data obtained in the present research can be used for research on HLA-related diseases or paternity relationships, and aid to finding the best matched donors in stem cell transplantation for Kazak individuals.

YLZ-F5, a novel polo-like kinase 4 inhibitor, inhibits human ovarian cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis and mitotic defects.

PURPOSE: Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4), a member of the polo-like kinase family, plays several important roles in mitotic regulation, including centrosome duplication, spindle formation, and cytokinesis. PLK4 overexpression is frequently detected in many human cancers, including ovarian cancer, and the inhibition of PLK4 activity results in cancer cell mitotic arrest and apoptosis. Therefore, PLK4 might be a valid therapeutic target for antitumor therapy. In the present study, we aimed to determine if YLZ-F5, a potent small-molecule inhibitor of PLK4, inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth. METHODS AND RESULTS: MTT assay showed that YLZ-F5 inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The results of colony formation assays were consistent with those of the MTT assay results. In addition, YLZ-F5 induced ovarian cancer cell apoptosis that was associated with activation of caspase-3/caspase-9. Moreover, YLZ-F5 caused aberrant in centriole duplication that was associated with the inhibition of PLK4 phosphorylation. Notably, we showed that YLZ-F5 promoted the accumulation of ovarian cancer cells with mitotic defects (> 4 N DNA content) in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, YLZ-F5 markedly inhibited the migration of A2780 cells. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings suggest that YLZ-F5 is a potential drug candidate for human ovarian cancer.