Exploration of circulating metabolic signature of erythrodermic psoriasis based on LC-MS metabolomics.

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a rare and life-threatening disease, the pathogenesis of which remains to be largely unknown. Metabolomics analysis can provide global information on disease pathophysiology, candidate biomarkers, and potential intervention strategies. To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of EP and explore the serum metabolic signature of EP, we conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis from 20 EP patients and 20 healthy controls. Furthermore, targeted metabolomics for focused metabolites were identified in the serum samples of 30 EP patients and 30 psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) patients. In the untargeted analysis, a total of 2992 molecular features were extracted from each sample, and the peak intensity of each feature was obtained. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed significant difference between groups. After screening, 98 metabolites were found to be significantly dysregulated in EP, including 67 down-regulated and 31 up-regulated. EP patients had lower levels of L-tryptophan, L-isoleucine, retinol, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and higher levels of betaine and uric acid. KEGG analysis showed differential metabolites were enriched in amino acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. The targeted metabolomics showed lower L-tryptophan in EP than PsV with significant difference and L-tryptophan levels were negatively correlated with the PASI scores. The serum metabolic signature of EP was discovered. Amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism were dysregulated in EP. The metabolite differences provide clues for pathogenesis of EP and they may provide insights for therapeutic interventions.

Evaluation of hematological inflammatory parameters in patients with palmoplantar pustulosis.

BACKGROUND: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of ill-defined etiopathology. Recent studies have proposed complete blood count-based hematological parameters, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as biomarkers to monitor disease status in many inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to analyze for the first time the clinical significance of hematological parameters, including NLR, monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), PLR, mean platelet volume (MPV), plateletcrit (PCT), and pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) in PPP patients. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinical and laboratory data of 237 patients with PPP and 250 sex-age-matched healthy controls (HCs). Hematological parameters were compared between patients with PPP and HCs. The correlations between these parameters and disease severity, as well as treatment response, were analyzed. RESULTS: NLR, MLR, MPV, PCT, and PIV values were significantly higher in PPP patients than in HCs. But in receiver-operating characteristic analyses, only monocyte count (Youden Index = 0.53), PCT (Youden Index = 0.65), and PIV (Youden Index = 0.52) performed relatively accurate distinguishment between moderate-to-severe cases and mild cases. PCT and PIV values were significantly correlated with disease severity. After treatment, both PIV and PCT values decreased significantly in the responder group but not in the non-responder group. CONCLUSIONS: Hematological parameters altered significantly in PPP patients. PCT and PIV can be used as simple and inexpensive biomarkers for systemic inflammation in PPP patients.

Interleukin-17A Inhibitors in Patients with Psoriasis and Tuberculosis Infection: A 2-Year Prospective Study on Safety Without Preventive Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The necessity for tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) and routine T-SPOT.TB monitoring in patients with psoriasis and tuberculosis infection (TBI) undergoing interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor therapy remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the long-term safety of IL-17A inhibitors administered without TPT and analyze changes in T-SPOT.TB among these patients. It also identifies risk factors for TBI in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: This single-center prospective study enrolled adult patients with plaque psoriasis and TBI receiving IL-17A inhibitors. TBI was defined as positive T-SPOT.TB results (≥ 6 spots) without symptoms or evidence of active tuberculosis (ATB). TPT administration was based on contraindications, tuberculosis risk factors, and patient preferences. The primary endpoint was the incidence of ATB over 2 years. Secondary outcomes included T-SPOT.TB changes and TBI risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 129 patients with psoriasis and TBI enrolled in the study, 97 (75.2%) did not receive TPT, while 32 (24.8%) did. Among them, 109 patients (84.5%) completed the 2-year follow-up. During the 235 person-years of observation, no ATB cases were identified. Median T-SPOT.TB values showed no significant changes from baseline to year 2 in both the non-TPT (20 vs. 17 spots, p = 0.975) and TPT groups (55 vs. 58 spots, p = 0.830). T-SPOT.TB reversed in 14 patients (12.8%), mostly in the non-TPT group. Moreover, for TBI risk factor analysis, a cohort of 212 patients with psoriasis with negative baseline T-SPOT.TB was evaluated, revealing a TBI prevalence of 37.8%. Logistic regression analysis highlighted age ≥ 45 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-3.99, p < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) < 24.0 kg/m2 (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.27-3.54, p = 0.004) as independent risk factors for TBI. CONCLUSION: IL-17A inhibitors do not appear to reactivate tuberculosis in patients with psoriasis and TBI, potentially reducing the need for routine TBI screening and preventive treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100045823.

Comparison of post-resection survival between hepatocellular carcinoma patients in BCLC stage A or B who experience tumor rupture and patients in BCLC stage C who do not.

Background and aim: Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a life-threatening complication, and patients who experience it are formally assigned to stage T4 in the TNM system, while many clinicians informally assign them to stage C in the more widely used Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system. The present study explored whether these re-staging practices are appropriate for HCC patients who suffer tumor rupture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 1952 HCC patients who underwent hepatic resection at our hospital between January 2017 and June 2021. We compared recurrence-free and overall survival between 143 patients who had BCLC stage A or B disease at the time of spontaneous rupture and 449 patients who had BCLC stage C disease without rupture. Results: Overall survival rate was significantly higher among the 143 patients (1, 3, 5-year survival rate was 80.3%, 60.4%, 51.4%) with rupture than among the 449 (1, 3, 5-year survival rate was 69.5%, 41.5%, 32.4%) with BCLC stage C disease (hazard ratio 1.65, 95% confidence interval 1.29 to 2.12). The two groups had similar recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 0.92 to 1.53), but most patients with rupture were able to receive interventional and potentially curative treatments after recurrence, whereas most patients in BCLC stage C received interventional or supportive care. Similar results were obtained after propensity score matching. Conclusion: HCC patients who experience spontaneous rupture tumor while in BCLC stage A or B have better prognosis than patients in BCLC stage C without rupture. Our results suggest that HCC patients who suffer rupture in BCLC stage A or B should not be assigned to BCLC stage C.

N-Containing Na2 VTi(PO4 )3 /C for Aqueous Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Phosphates featuring a 3D framework offer a promising alternative to aqueous sodium-ion batteries, known for their safety, cost-effectiveness, scalability, high power density, and tolerance to mishandling. Nevertheless, they often suffer from poor reversible capacity stemming from limited redox couples. Herein, N-containing Na2 VTi(PO4 )3 is synthesized for aqueous sodium-ion storage through multi-electron redox reactions. It demonstrates a capacity of 155.2 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 (≈ 5.3 C) and delivers an ultrahigh specific energy of 55.9 Wh kg-1 in a symmetric aqueous sodium-ion battery. The results from in situ X-ray diffraction analysis, ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and first-principle calculations provide insights into the local chemical environment of sodium ions, the mechanisms underlying capacity decay during cycling, and the dynamics of ion and electron transfer at various states of charge. This understanding will contribute to the advancement of electrode materials for aqueous sodium-ion batteries.

Stress Monitoring of Segment Structure during the Construction of the Small-Diameter Shield Tunnel.

Segmental stress during the construction process plays a pivotal role in assessing the safety and quality of shield tunnels. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technology has been proposed for tunnel segment stress monitoring. A laboratory test was conducted to validate the reliable strain measurement of FBG sensors. The field in situ monitoring of a sewerage shield tunnel was carried out to examine the longitudinal and circumferential stresses experienced by the segments throughout the construction phase. The cyclic fluctuations in stress were found to be synchronized with the variations in shield thrust. A comparison was made between the longitudinal and circumferential stress variations observed during the shield-driving and segment-assembly processes. Additionally, the time required for the grouting to reach its full curing strength was estimated, revealing its impact on the stress levels and range of the pipe segment. The findings of this study offer an enhanced understanding of the stress state and health condition of small-diameter shield tunnels, which can help in optimizing the design and construction process of tunnel segments, as well.

[Differences and mechanisms on water use of Pinus sylvestris var mongolica forests with different origins]. / 不同起源樟子松林水分利用的差异及机制.

Determining the differences of water use characteristics of a tree species with different origins (natural forests and introduced plantations) is significantly important for forest sustainable management. Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica is an important tree species of afforestation in the 'Three North' project in China. In this study, with Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica from two origins, we monitored the sap flow velocity of sapwood (Js) of trees by thermal dissipation sap flow probes, and analyzed the relationship between water transportation and the environmental factors during the growing season. The results showed that under the typical sunny day, daily sap flow velocity (Js-daily) of trees from plantations was significantly higher than that from natural forests. The mean value of Js-daily was 132.98 and 114.86 cm·d-1 for the two origins, respectively. Trees from plantations showed higher water transportation potential than natural forests. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) mainly showed the driving effect on the water use process of trees from natural forests. In the plantations, there was an obvious threshold effect, and the inflection point of VPD was about 1.91 kPa, with the boundary function of Js-hour increased to the maximum of 17.88 cm·h-1. Atmospheric driven transpiration potential (Js-hour/VPD) of P. sylvestris var. mongolica trees with two origins decreased with the aggravation of soil drought, but sensitivity to drought was higher in the plantations than in the natural forests, suggesting the strong ability of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica to regulate water use process.

[Advances in the Role of Low-Dose Interleukin-2 in Immune-Mediated Dermatosis].

Immune-mediated dermatoses are the skin diseases caused by the breakdown of immune tolerance,including lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis.The imbalance between regulatory T cells (Tregs) and effector T cells (Teffs) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.Low-dose interleukin-2 can preferentially activate Tregs and reverse the imbalance between Tregs and Teffs to recover the immune tolerance,which has attracted attention in the treatment of immune-mediated dermatoses.This review summarizes the research progress in the immunomodulatory mechanism and clinical application of low-dose interleukin-2 in immune-mediated dermatoses,providing a new idea for the clinical treatment of these diseases.

Characteristics and Burdens of Disease in Patients from Beijing with Generalized Pustular Psoriasis and Palmoplantar Pustulosis: Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study Using a Regional Database.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pustular psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent autoimmune disease, although little is known about the disease burden of pustular psoriasis in China. We analyzed the characteristics and disease burdens of patients from Beijing who had generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) or palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study used a regional electronic health database that covered 30 public hospitals in Beijing. From June 2016 to June 2021, all patients with a diagnosis of GPP, PPP, or psoriasis vulgaris (PV) were identified by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision codes. The GPP and PPP cohorts were separately matched with patients with PV in a 3:1 ratio for comparisons. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, and costs were collected. Descriptive and comparative analyses were used to compare the cohorts. RESULTS: There were 744 patients with GPP (46.8% men; age 42.14 ± 21.47 years) and 4808 patients with PPP (35.5% men; age 51.65 ± 16.12 years); 14.5% of patients with GPP had concomitant PV and 7.5% of patients with PPP had concomitant PV. Relative to matched patients with PV, patients with GPP had a higher prevalence of erythrodermic psoriasis (5.9% vs 0.4%, p < 0.0001), psoriatic arthritis (3.1% vs 1.5%, p = 0.007), and organ failure (1.1% vs 0.2%, p = 0.002). Relative to matched patients with PV, patients with PPP had a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular disease (4.7% vs 1.2%, p < 0.0001), thyroid dysfunction (3.9% vs 3.3%, p = 0.035), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (6.8% vs 5.9%, p = 0.030). More patients with GPP than patients with PV received systemic non-biological agents (27.9% vs 3.3%, p < 0.0001) and biologic agents (4.8% vs 2.0%, p = 0.010). More patients with PPP than patients with PV received topical agents (50.9% vs 34.7%, p < 0.0001) and systemic non-biological agents (17.8% vs 2.7%, p < 0.0001). More patients with GPP than patients with PV required inpatient hospitalization (22.0% vs 7.8%, p < 0.0001). Hospitalization stay was longer in patients with GPP than patients with PV (11.72 ± 0.45 vs 10.38 ± 0.45 days, p = 0.022). More patients with PPP than patients with PV had emergency visits (16.3% vs 12.8%, p < 0.0001). The GPP and PPP cohorts and their matched PV cohorts had no significant differences in costs. However, patients with PPP had lower outpatient costs than patients with PV (368.20 ± 8.19 vs 445.38 ± 5.90 Chinese Yuan per patient per month, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients from Beijing with GPP and PPP had higher disease burdens than matched PV cohorts, including the prevalence of comorbidities, healthcare resource utilization, and medication burden. However, the economic burden of pustular psoriasis was similar to that of PV. Practical and specific therapies are needed to reduce the burdens of pustular psoriasis.

A fuzzy rough copula Bayesian network model for solving complex hospital service quality assessment.

Healthcare tends to be one of the most complicated sectors, and hospitals exist at the core of healthcare activities. One of the most significant elements in hospitals is service quality level. Moreover, the dependency between factors, dynamic features, as well as objective and subjective uncertainties involved endure challenges to modern decision-making problems. Thus, in this paper, a decision-making approach is developed for hospital service quality assessment, using a Bayesian copula network based on a fuzzy rough set within neighborhood operators as a basis of that to deal with dynamic features as well as objective uncertainties. In the copula Bayesian network model, the Bayesian Network is utilized to illustrate the interrelationships between different factors graphically, while Copula is engaged in obtaining the joint probability distribution. Fuzzy rough set theory within neighborhood operators is employed for the subjective treatment of evidence from decision makers. The efficiency and practicality of the designed method are validated by an analysis of real hospital service quality in Iran. A novel framework for ranking a group of alternatives with consideration of different criteria is proposed by the combination of the Copula Bayesian Network and the extended fuzzy rough set technique. The subjective uncertainty of decision makers' opinions is dealt with in a novel extension of fuzzy Rough set theory. The results highlighted that the proposed method has merits in reducing uncertainty and assessing the dependency between factors of complicated decision-making problems.

An update on therapeutic options for palmoplantar pustulosis: a narrative review and expert recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease belonging to the localized form of pustular psoriasis. It is characterized by sterile pustule formation in palms and soles and a recurrent disease course. Although we have many treatments for PPP, there is no authoritative guidance. AREAS COVERED: A thorough search of PubMed was conducted to identify studies in PPP from 1973 onwards, with additional references to specific articles. Any treatment methods were outcomes of interest, including topical treatment, systemic treatment, biologics, other targeted treatments, phototherapy, and tonsillectomy. EXPERT OPINION: Topical corticosteroids are suggested as first-line therapy. Oral acitretin has become the most applied systemic retinoid recommended in PPP without joint involvement. For patients with arthritis, immunosuppressants like cyclosporin A and methotrexate are more recommended. UVA1, NB-UVB, and 308-nm excimer laser are effective phototherapy options. The combinations of topical or systemic agents and phototherapy may enhance the efficacy, particularly in recalcitrant cases. Secukinumab, ustekinumab, and apremilast are the most investigated targeted therapies. However, heterogeneous reported outcomes in clinical trials provided low-to-moderate quality evidence of their efficacy. Future studies are required to address these evidence gaps. We suggest managing PPP based on the acute phase, maintenance phase, and comorbidities.

Unraveling the Variation Pattern of Oncomelania hupensis in the Yangtze River Economic Belt Based on Spatiotemporal Analysis.

The construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) is a great national economic development strategy in China. As the YEB covers most endemic provinces of schistosomiasis japonica featured by low endemicity, this study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis), which serves as the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum in the YEB. Annual data reflecting the distribution of O. hupensis from 2015 to 2021 were collected from the National Institute of Parasitic Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Spatial autocorrelation analysis, hotspot analysis and space-time scan analysis were performed to explore the aggregation features and spatiotemporal dynamics of the snail distribution. The distribution of both total snail habitats (during 2015-2021) and emerging snail habitats (in 2016, 2018 and 2020) showed spatial autocorrelation (Z = 15.8~16.1, p < 0.05; Z = 2.3~7.5, p < 0.05). Hotspot (high-value areas in space) counties were mainly clustered in the alluvial plain of the middle and lower reaches of the YEB. Eight spatial and temporal clusters of snail habitats were scanned and were mainly concentrated in the counties of Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangsu provinces along the Yangtze River. The YEB carries a tremendous burden of O. hupensis. Surveillance and risk identification based on the snail presence should be strengthened to provide reference for protecting humans and public health security in the YEB.

[Visual trephine arthroplasty assisted percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between visual trephine arthroplasty assisted percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (VPTED) and traditional percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy(PTED) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: The clinical data of 60 patients with lumbar disc herniation admitted from June 2019 to December, 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 38 males and 22 females, aged from 26 to 58 years old with an average of (43.63±8.48) years, 47 cases were on L4,5 segment and 13 cases were on L5S1 segment. Among them, 32 were treated with VPTED (group A) and 28 were treated with traditional PTED (group B). The general conditions of all the patients were recorded, including intraoperative fluoroscopy times, operation time, hospital stay and surgical complications during follow-up. The arthroplasty area ratio was observed by sagittal CT at the middle level of the intervertebral foramen. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score of low back pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy between two groups. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 9 to 15 months with an average of (12.10±1.16) months. There was no statistical difference of preoperative general data between two groups. The operation time, fluoroscopy times and hospital stay were (70.47±5.87) min, (13.66±1.34) times and (6.31±0.69) d in group A, and (90.71±7.66) min, (22.82±2.48) times and (6.54±0.92) d in group B. The operation time and intraoperative fluoroscopy times in group A were lower than those in group B(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in hospital stay between two groups (P>0.05). No obvious surgical complications were found during the follow-up in both groups. The arthroplasty area ratio in group A was (29.72±2.84)% and (29.57±2.20)% in group B, respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS, ODI and JOA score between two groups before operation and at the final follow-up(P>0.05), but the final follow-up was significantly improved(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The two surgical methods have definite clinical efficacy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Visual trephine arthroplasty assisted percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy has the advantages of high efficiency and rapidity when establishing the channel, and can significantly reduce the operation time and intraoperative fluoroscopy times.

A Nomogram for Predicting Prognosis of Advanced Schistosomiasis japonica in Dongzhi County-A Case Study.

BACKGROUNDS: Advanced schistosomiasis is the late stage of schistosomiasis, seriously jeopardizing the quality of life or lifetime of infected people. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for predicting mortality of patients with advanced schistosomiasis japonica, taking Dongzhi County of China as a case study. METHOD: Data of patients with advanced schistosomiasis japonica were collected from Dongzhi Schistosomiasis Hospital from January 2019 to July 2022. Data of patients were randomly divided into a training set and validation set with a ratio of 7:3. Candidate variables, including survival outcomes, demographics, clinical features, laboratory examinations, and ultrasound examinations, were analyzed and selected by LASSO logistic regression for the nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by concordance index (C-index), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). The calibration of the nomogram was evaluated by the calibration plots, while clinical benefit was evaluated by decision curve and clinical impact curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 628 patients were included in the final analysis. Atrophy of the right liver, creatinine, ascites level III, N-terminal procollagen III peptide, and high-density lipoprotein were selected as parameters for the nomogram model. The C-index, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the nomogram were 0.97 (95% [CI]: [0.95-0.99]), 0.78 (95% [CI]: [0.64-0.87]), 0.97 (95% [CI]: [0.94-0.98]), 0.78 (95% [CI]: [0.64-0.87]), 0.97 (95% [CI]: [0.94-0.98]) in the training set; and 0.98 (95% [CI]: [0.94-0.99]), 0.86 (95% [CI]: [0.64-0.96]), 0.97 (95% [CI]: [0.93-0.99]), 0.79 (95% [CI]: [0.57-0.92]), 0.98 (95% [CI]: [0.94-0.99]) in the validation set, respectively. The calibration curves showed that the model fitted well between the prediction and actual observation in both the training set and validation set. The decision and the clinical impact curves showed that the nomogram had good clinical use for discriminating patients with high risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: A nomogram was developed to predict prognosis of advanced schistosomiasis. It could guide clinical staff or policy makers to formulate intervention strategies or efficiently allocate resources against advanced schistosomiasis.

Biologics in pediatric psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a chronic relapsing course. Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of adult psoriasis with higher efficacy and favorable safety profile. Recently, more studies have focused on the use of biologics in pediatric psoriasis, and several biologics have been approved for use therein. This review is divided into two sections: the first part focuses on real-world studies on the use of biologics in pediatric psoriasis and the second part summarizes the findings of other clinical trials related to biologics in pediatric psoriasis. Case reports have been excluded from this review. Several biologics were used for treating pediatric psoriasis and the efficacy is encouraging. According to the studies included in this review, anti-IL-12/23 and anti-IL-17A for treating pediatric psoriasis might have a better efficacy than anti-TNF-α, but more data are needed.

Advances in the Role of Low-Dose Interleukin-2 in Immune-Mediated Dermatosis / 中国医学科学院学报

Immune-mediated dermatoses are the skin diseases caused by the breakdown of immune tolerance,including lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis.The imbalance between regulatory T cells (Tregs) and effector T cells (Teffs) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.Low-dose interleukin-2 can preferentially activate Tregs and reverse the imbalance between Tregs and Teffs to recover the immune tolerance,which has attracted attention in the treatment of immune-mediated dermatoses.This review summarizes the research progress in the immunomodulatory mechanism and clinical application of low-dose interleukin-2 in immune-mediated dermatoses,providing a new idea for the clinical treatment of these diseases.

Changes in metabolic capacity and gene expression of brown adipose tissue in the first and third trimester of pregnancy / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To explore gene expression and metabolic capacity changes of brown adipose tissue(BAT)during different gestation periods.Methods:A normal pregnancy model was established using C57BL/6J mice, while infertile mice of the same age were served as the control group. The morphological alteration of BAT during pregnancy as well as the gene expression of uncoupling protein 1(UCP1) and other fat browning and mitochondrial marker genes were detected. Moreover, BATs from early and late gestation were selected to screen differentially expressed genes in relation to pregnancy progressing by RNA sequencing(RNA-seq), and gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto gene and gene sequencing(KEGG)were performed.Results:With pregnancy progressing, the size of BAT lipid droplets was substantially enlarged, UCP1 protein expression was decreased( P<0.01), and the fat browning marker genes(Ucp1, Dio2, and Pgc1α)and the mitochondrial marker gene CytC were downregulated( P<0.001). Additionally, a total of 1 298 distinct genes were identified by RNA-seq, 906 of which were upregulated and 392 were downregulated at later stage of pregnancy. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in bioregulatory functional pathways such as lipid metabolism, sex steroid hormones, and inflammatory factors. Conclusion:BAT in mice showed larger lipid droplets and reduced thermogenic and metabolic capacity during late gestation, and BAT gene expression was significantly different in different periods of gestation, so reduced metabolic capacity of BAT may contribute to metabolic abnormality during pregnancy.