Preconceptional and in utero exposure of sheep to a real-life environmental chemical mixture disrupts key markers of energy metabolism in male offspring.

Over recent decades, an extensive array of anthropogenic chemicals have entered the environment and have been implicated in the increased incidence of an array of diseases, including metabolic syndrome. The ubiquitous presence of these environmental chemicals (ECs) necessitates the use of real-life exposure models to the assess cumulative risk burden to metabolic health. Sheep that graze on biosolids-treated pastures are exposed to a real-life mixture of ECs such as phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and metabolites thereof, and this EC exposure can result in metabolic disorders in their offspring. Using this model, we evaluated the effects of gestational exposure to a complex EC mixture on plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations and metabolic and epigenetic regulatory genes in tissues key to energy regulation and storage, including the hypothalamus, liver, and adipose depots of 11-month-old male offspring. Our results demonstrated a binary effect of EC exposure on gene expression particularly in the hypothalamus. Principal component analysis revealed two subsets (B-S1 [n = 6] and B-S2 [n = 4]) within the biosolids group (B, n = 10), relative to the controls (C, n = 11). Changes in body weight, TG levels, and in gene expression in the hypothalamus, and visceral and subcutaneous fat were apparent between biosolid and control and the two subgroups of biosolids animals. These findings demonstrate that gestational exposure to an EC mixture results in differential regulation of metabolic processes in adult male offspring. Binary effects on hypothalamic gene expression and altered expression of lipid metabolism genes in visceral and subcutaneous fat, coupled with phenotypic outcomes, point to differences in individual susceptibility to EC exposure that could predispose vulnerable individuals to later metabolic dysfunction.

Comparative analysis of metabolic indicators in patients with persistent and non-persistent psoriasis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To identify factors influencing the recurrence of psoriasis, and to explore the association between the recurrence of psoriasis and metabolism-related markers.Methods:A retrospective investigation was conducted on the recurrence status of patients with psoriasis vulgaris, who visited the Department of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital from January 2016 to April 2023. Patients with recurrence intervals > 3 months were included in the non-rapid recurrence group (non-persistent psoriasis group), while patients with recurrence intervals ≤ 3 months were included in the rapid recurrence group (persistent psoriasis group). General conditions and relapse triggers were analyzed between the two groups. Metabolism-related laboratory data, as well as detection results of serum fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5 in some patients, were collected, and relationships between these indicators and psoriasis recurrence were analyzed. Comparisons between groups were performed using t test, non-parametric test or chi-square test; linear regression analysis was performed to identify possible factors influencing the FABP levels, and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify relapse triggers. Results:A total of 255 patients were collected, including 194 with non-persistent psoriasis and 61 with persistent psoriasis. There were no significant differences in gender, age (stratified every 30 years), course of psoriasis (stratified every 10 years), family history of psoriasis, and main therapies between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The patients in the non-persistent psoriasis group were more prone to recurrence due to seasonal effects ( χ2 = 18.98, P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with dyslipidemia was significantly higher in the persistent psoriasis group than in the non-persistent psoriasis group ( χ2 = 54.44, P < 0.001). Compared with the non-persistent psoriasis group, the persistent psoriasis group showed significantly increased body mass index and levels of triglycerides, uric acid, and C-reactive protein (all P < 0.05), but significantly decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels ( U = 3 348.00, P < 0.001). The levels of FABP4 and FABP5 were significantly higher in the persistent psoriasis group than in the non-persistent psoriasis group (both P < 0.05). In the linear regression model adjusted for body mass index and dyslipidemia, FABP4 levels were associated with recurrence status of psoriasis ( P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between dyslipidemia and persistent psoriasis ( P < 0.001) . Conclusion:The psoriasis patients with recurrence intervals ≤ 3 months may be more prone to develop metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia, and dyslipidemia and elevated FABP4 levels may be associated with the recurrence of psoriasis.