Association between urban garbage exposure and allergic diseases among sanitation practitioners: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased significantly in China over the last few decades, and there have been very few reports of allergic diseases in certain occupational specialties, with almost no reports among sanitation workers. Objective: Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of allergic diseases and the prevalence of common allergen sensitization in the population engaged in sanitation, and to try to answer the connection between urban garbage waste exposure and the development of allergic diseases. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of people working in sanitation-related jobs in Liwan District, Guangzhou, China. A total of 893 people completed the questionnaire for this study, and 500 of them were further screened and tested for allergens specific IgE and IgG4. Combining the questionnaire and test results, we investigated the incidence of allergy disorders and patterns of sensitization to allergens in this community, and evaluated the presence of occupational-related risk factors in this particular population. Results: Of the 893 sanitation workers, 166 (18.59%) self-reported allergic diseases, predominantly suffering from allergic rhinitis (AR) (n = 98, 10.97%), followed by drug allergy (n = 31, 3.47%), atopic dermatitis (n = 27, 3.02%), food allergy (n = 21, 2.35%), and asthma (n = 9, 1.00%), in that order. In addition to dust mites (32.20%), which had the highest sensitization rate, the subject population had relatively high sensitization rates to ragweed (7.00%) and moulds mixture (8.20%) when compared with the rates of sensitization to moulds and ragweed in the general population; the top 3 sIgG4 positivity rates were egg (50.00%), milk (10.20%), and soybean (9.40%). The prevalence of self-reported AR was higher in office managers (the control group) than in cleaning staff (the exposed group), but there was no difference in sIgE positivity for serum allergens between the 2 groups. The chance of having AR may increase with management positions (crude OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.38-3.50), P = 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the prevalence of allergy illnesses in the sanitation workforce in mainland China. We identified a community of real sanitation workers with high ragweed and mycobacterial sensitization rates. Urban cleaning may be protective factor against AR at the symptom level, but the serological results did not show this to be the case.

Component-Resolved Analyses for Diagnosis of Food Allergies in Infants and Young Children in Southern China.

INTRODUCTION: Chicken eggs and cow's milk are two of the most common foods that cause allergic reactions in infants and young children, and there is a lack of precise diagnostic methods to identify the allergic state of these patients. The recently developed food allergen component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) may be a more accurate diagnosis method for food allergies. METHODS: One hundred children sensitized to egg white and milk crude extracts and diagnosed with or suspected allergic disease were included. The specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) (s) of animal food allergen crude extracts (egg yolk, milk, shrimp, crab, cod, beef) and the main components of egg white and milk were tested. The sensitization characteristics, cross-reactivity, and clinical relevance were analyzed. RESULTS: The results of egg white-sensitized patients showed that ovalbumin (Gal d 2) had the highest positive rate of 100%. Compared with other pairwise combinations of egg allergens, the combination of egg white and Gal d 2 had higher diagnostic accuracy, with an AUC of 0.876 (95% CI: 0.801-0.951), a sensitivity of 88.9%, and a specificity of 75.9%. The positive rates of beta-lactoglobulin (Bos d 5) and alpha-lactoglobulin (Bos d 4) in the milk-sensitized children were comparable, 92% and 91%, respectively. The combination of crude milk extract and Bos d 4 had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an AUC of 0.969 (95% CI: 0.938-0.999), a sensitivity of 100%, and a specificity of 82.7%. CONCLUSION: Among these subjects, our study found the main allergenic component of egg white was Gal d 2, and the main allergenic components of milk were Bos d 4 and Bos d 5. CRD may help identify egg/milk allergies and non-allergies.

Sensitization to Furry Animals in Patients with Suspected Allergic Disease in China: A Multicenter Study.

Purpose: An objective of this study was to investigate the allergen sensitization characteristics of cat, dog and horse dander in patients with suspected allergic diseases in different geographical regions of Chinese mainland. Patients and Methods: We invited 2377 patients aged 0-86 years with suspected allergic diseases to participate in a cross-sectional survey in 11 provinces in China. Combined with the questionnaires and animal-specific IgE levels, we analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of furry animal sensitization in different regions and populations of Chinese Mainland. Results: Among the 2377 patients with suspected allergic diseases, 14.9% were sensitized to cat dander, 9.3% to dog dander and 5.5% to horse dander. Animal allergens mainly cause low-level sensitization (class 1-3). There was a significant correlation between cat, dog and horse dander allergen sIgE, with correlation coefficients (rs) all greater than 0.750. The majority (46.5%) of sIgE-positive patients were sensitized to at least two animal allergens simultaneously. The prevalence of these animals all showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with age, and all reached the peak in young adolescence. As for the geographical factors, the sensitization rate of cats and dogs in Western was significantly higher than that in Eastern (cat: 18.4% vs 9.2%, dog: 11.6% vs 5.5%, all P < 0.001), however, no significant differences were found in horses. Aged ≤6 years, living in Western, and high animal allergen exposure elevated the risk of cat or dog sensitization. Living on a lower floor (aOR: 0.56) was a protective factor for horse sensitization. Conclusion: In this representative sample of Chinese patients with suspected allergic diseases, there was an apparent geographic variation in sensitization to cats and dogs. Age factor and living in Western also had a significant impact on animal allergen sensitization rate.

Clinical and immunological characteristics of Aspergillus fumigatus-sensitized asthma and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

Background: Aspergillus fumigatus (A.f) is a common airborne allergen that contributes to allergic asthma. In some patients, A.f can colonize in the airway and lead to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). However, our understanding of the pathogenesis of A.f-sensitized asthma and ABPA remains inadequate. Objective: We aimed to investigate the clinical and immunological characteristics of A.f-sensitized asthma and ABPA. Methods: A total of 64 ABPA and 57 A.f-sensitized asthma patients were enrolled in the study, and 33 non-A.f-sensitized asthma patients served as the control group. The clinical and immunological parameters included lung function, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), induced sputum and blood cell analysis, specific IgE/IgG/IgA of A.f and its components, cytokines (IL-33, IL-25, and TSLP) and CD4+T cell subsets. Results: The eosinophils in blood, induced sputum, and FeNO were significantly higher in ABPA patients compared to that in A.f-sensitized patients. The combination of FeNO and eosinophils (EO) parameters presented good diagnostic efficiency in differentiating A.f (+) asthma from ABPA, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 100%. Specific IgE, IgG, and IgA against A.f also increased in ABPA patients. However, serum IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP showed no significant differences between the two groups. Cell analysis showed an increase in IFN-γ+Th1 cells in the ABPA patients. FlowSOM analysis further confirmed that the frequency of CD3+CD4+PD-1+CD127+IFN-γ+T cells was higher in ABPA patients. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the distinct humoral and cell immunological responses in A.f-sensitized asthma and ABPA patients. ABPA patients have more severe eosinophilic inflammation and enhanced Th1 responses compared with A.f-sensitized asthma patients.

Serum Albumin as a Cross-Reactive Component in Furry Animals May Be Related to the Allergic Symptoms of Patients with Rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergies has increased significantly in the past decade. Further research on allergic diseases caused by furry animals is of great importance for the clinical prevention, diagnosis and treatment of allergies. OBJECTIVE: To identify the sensitization profile and clinical association of various furry animal crude extracts and components based on component resolved diagnosis (CRD). METHODS: A total of 211 patients with allergic rhinitis with sensitivities to cats and/or dogs were recruited, and the specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) against various furry animals (such as dog/cat extracts and their components, pigeon, parrot, duck, chicken, sheep, rat, mouse, goose, cow and horse extracts) were measured to analyze the sensitization profiles, cross-reactivity and clinical relevance with regards to allergies. RESULTS: A total of 91.67% of cat-sensitized patients were sensitive to Fel d 1, while only 16.03% of cat-sensitized patients responded to Fel d 2. Can f 1 and Can f 5 were the major components of dogs, and the positive rates were 23.53% and 16.18%, respectively. Twenty percent of patients were sensitized to 10 other furry animals, and the positive rate was between 0% and 19.12%. There was a significant correlation between components (Can f 1-5 and Fel d 2) and 5 furry animals (mouse, sheep, Horse, rat, cow), especially between serum albumin (SA) (Can f 3, Fel d 2) and furry animals. Most of the animal crude extracts and components sensitization rates in patients who were SA-positive were significantly higher than that of patients who were SA-negative. In particular, for sensitization to mice, sheep, horses, rats and cows, more than 10-fold higher in patients who were SA-positive than in patients who were SA-negative. The VAS of symptoms and life of quality (LoQ) in the SA-sensitized patients was higher than that in unsensitized patients, and the patients with lipocalin sensitivities had a worse LoQ. CONCLUSION: Serum albumin Fel d 2 and Can f 3, as minor allergens in cats and dogs, but not lipocalin or prostatic kallikrein, is associated with other furry animals presumably due to serum albumin cross-reactivity. Patients sensitized with serum albumin had a significantly higher risk of sensitization to other animals and had a higher rhinitis VAS score.

Sensitisation of severe asthma in different occupations: A multicentre study in China.

OBJECTIVE: This was the first multicentre study assessing the sensitisation patterns in patients with severe asthma by different occupations as well as different regions of China, and aimed to provide evidence for the prevention of sensitised patients with severe asthma. METHODS: A total of 676 adults were included and assigned to three cohorts. Cohort A was comprised of severe asthma patients without smoking (n = 454), cohort B comprised severe asthmatic patients who were ex-smokers (n = 149), and cohort C comprised non-asthma individuals (n = 73). All study subjects underwent testing of serum sIgE level of house dusts mix (hx2), foods mix (fx5), moulds mix (mx2), tree pollen mix (tx4) and weed pollen mix (wx5) simultaneously. RESULTS: Overall, the positive rates of hx2, fx5, mx2, tx4 and wx5 were 37.6%, 11.9%, 16.6%, 9.0% and 9.5% in severe asthmatic patients, respectively. Comparing cohort A with cohort B, the hx2 positive rates in cohort A were higher in fulltime homemaker (30.0% vs. 0.0%) and medical staff (40.0% vs. 0.0%, P < 0.05). However, the mx2 positive rates in cohort B were higher in businessman (30.0% vs. 7.0%) and the tx4 positive rates in cohort B were higher in drivers (35.7% vs. 0.0%, P < 0.05). The optimal scale analysis showed that severe asthmatic patients who work indoor were more prone to be allergic to house dusts (Cronbach's alpha = 76.4%). CONCLUSION: Patients with severe asthma in different occupations exhibited different sensitisation patterns. Avoid being contact with house dust and application of indoor air purifier should be considered for severe asthma patients.

Differential microRNA expression profiles in tamoxifen-resistant human breast cancer cell lines induced by two methods.

Tamoxifen (TAM) resistance has become a severe problem for endocrine therapy of breast cancer. The present study investigated the association between microRNA (miRNA) expression and TAM resistance in breast cancer. The TAM-resistant breast cancer MCF-7C and MCF-7T cell lines were established using the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 as the parental cell line and 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) as the screening drug in vitro. The MCF-7C cell line was established by dose stepwise induction beginning with a low concentration of OHT; the MCF-7T cell line was established by temporal stepwise induction beginning with a high concentration of OHT. Differential miRNA expression profiles between TAM-sensitive (MCF-7) and TAM-resistant (MCF-7C and MCF-7T) breast cancer cell lines were detected and analyzed using RNA sequencing technology. The results of western blot analysis indicated that the level of ERα protein expression in drug-resistant cells was significantly increased. A total of 1,646 miRNAs were detected in all samples, including 1,376 known miRNAs and 270 predicted miRNAs. There were 118 miRNAs expressed at significantly different levels between MCF-7C and MCF-7 cells (P<0.05); among them, 67 miRNAs were upregulated (P<0.05) and 51 miRNA were downregulated (P<0.05). There were 42 miRNAs expressed at significantly different levels between MCF-7T and MCF-7 (P<0.05); among them, 23 miRNAs were upregulated (P<0.05) and 19 miRNAs were downregulated (P<0.05). There were 126 miRNAs with significant differences between MCF-7C and MCF-7T (P<0.05); among them, 76 miRNAs were upregulated (P<0.05) and 50 miRNAs were downregulated. On the basis of the results of the present study, we hypothesize that miR-21, miR-146a, miR-148a, miR-34a and miR-27a may serve important roles in mediating TAM resistance in breast cancer, and have potential as therapeutic targets for TAM-resistant breast cancer.

miR-145 overexpression triggers alteration of the whole transcriptome and inhibits breast cancer development.

Cumulative evidence has associated microRNA (miRNA) with cancer development, and among those miRNAs, miR-145 has been identified as an anti-oncomiRNA. However, the comprehensive mechanisms of action of miR-145 in breast cancer development have not yet been fully elucidated. Herein, we performed next-generation sequencing to detect the expression profiles of the transcriptome and conducted cellular function experiments after miR-145 overexpression. The results verified the inhibitory effects of miR-145 on breast cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion. Sequencing data revealed that miR-145 triggered the alteration of the whole transcriptome and further led to regulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Our study also identified a list of 49 target mRNAs of miR-145 and specific non-coding RNAs, which could be utilized as potential breast cancer biomarkers. This study might serve as a significant platform for further research on miR-145 along with the ceRNA network in breast cancer.

Association Between MGMT Promoter Methylation and Breast Cancer: a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Numerous studies have suggested that the promoter methylation status of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is significantly associated with breast cancer. However, these studies have not demonstrated consistent results. METHODS: To obtain more accurate results for this possible association, we performed a meta-analysis-based study using the relevant data. A total of 14 articles were included in this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Our study showed that the frequency of MGMT promoter methylation was significantly higher in patients with breast cancer than non-breast cancer subjects with an Odds Ratio (OR) of 4.47, a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) ranging between 1.95 - 10.25 and a P value of 0.0004. Moreover, MGMT methylation was significantly associated with the negative expression of the MGMT protein (OR = 4.65, 95%CI = 2.66 - 8.12, P < 0.00001), Oestrogen Receptor (ER)-negative tumours (OR = 1.79, 95%CI = 1.09 - 2.93, P = 0.02), postmenopausal status (OR =1.84, 95%CI = 1.18 - 2.87, P = 0.007) and histological grade III tumours (OR = 2.49, 95%CI = 1.53 - 4.07, P = 0.0003) in breast cancer patients. However, breast cancer was not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.19, 95%CI = 0.83 - 1.70, P = 0.35), Progesterone Receptor (PR) status (OR = 1.08, 95%CI = 0.58 - 2.00, P = 0.81), Human epidermal growth factor receptor - 2（HER-2/neu）status (OR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.65 - 1.57, P = 0.97), P53 mutation (OR = 1.30, 95%CI = 0.76 - 2.21, P = 0.34) and age > 50 (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 0.46 - 2.51, P = 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that MGMT promoter methylation may be an early biomarker for the diagnosis of breast cancer.