Potential Associations Between Vitamin Intake and Leukemia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The present study assessed potential associations between vitamin intake and leukemia in a national sample of adults in the United States. A total of 5520 participants were included in this cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between vitamin intake (including vitamins A, C, D, and E) and leukemia. Results revealed negative associations between vitamin C and E intake and leukemia, whereas associations between vitamin A and D and leukemia were not statistically significant. For vitamin C, compared with the first tertile, the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidential interval (CI) was 0.90 (0.75-0.95) for the second tertile and 0.82 (0.61-0.90) for the third tertile (p < 0.01). For vitamin E, compared with the first tertile, the OR and 95% CI was 0.92 (0.80-0.96) for the second tertile and 0.86 (0.71-0.92) for the third tertile (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the inverse relationship between intake of vitamins C and E and leukemia were more evident for individuals ≥60 years of age and those with a body mass index >30 kg/m2. Results of this study provide evidence suggesting that intake of vitamin C and E intake may decrease the prevalence of leukemia; however, further large-scale prospective cohort studies are needed to verify these findings.

[Dynamic changes of proliferation, subsets and apoptosis of splenocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant Bb(pGEX-Sj26GST-Sj32) vaccine against Schistosoma japonicum].

OBJECTIVE: To study the dynamic change of proliferation, subsets and apoptosis of splenocytes of BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant Bb(pGEX-Sj26GST-Sj32) vaccine of Schistosoma japonicum. METHODS: A total of 96 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=48 per group) and immunized with the recombinant vaccine orally (PO group) and intranasally (IN group) respectively. Then autopsies were made in 4 mice of each group 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 weeks after immunization to separate splenocytes. After being cultured under the activation of SjAWA, the splenocytes were observed in the proliferative response using the MTT assay. The stock (non-stimulation) and concanavalin A (ConA) activation were used as controls; The proportions of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were determined by flow cytometry (FCM); Splenocytes cultured under the activation of ConA were collected to detect the apoptotic rates of splenocytes by FCM, with the stock group as a control. RESULTS: The level of splenocyte proliferation in PO group peaked on week 4 after immunization, while the level in IN group did so on week 12. The level of CD4(+) T cell subsets in PO group reached the highest on week 4 after immunization, while the level in IN group did so on week 12. The level of CD8(+) T cell subsets in PO group rose to the top on week 10 after immunization, while the level in IN group did so on week 6. The apoptotic rate of splenocytes in PO group was the highest on week 6 after immunization, while the rate in IN group did so on week 12. CONCLUSION: The recombinant Bb(pGEX- Sj26GST-Sj32) vaccine could cause proliferation of splenocytes, induce immune protection to the host by up-regulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and inhibit the apoptosis of splenocytes from mice.

[Dynamic changes of immune responses in BALB/c mice immunized with a recombinant Bb(pGEX-Sj14-3-3) vaccine of Schistosoma japonicum].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic changes of the immune responses in mice immunized with a recombinant (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bb) (pGEX-Sj14-3-3) vaccine of Schistosoma japonicum. METHODS: BALB/c mice were immunized orally or intranasally by the vaccine. At the interval of every two weeks up to the 22nd week of post-vaccination, the levels of serum IgG, IgG subclass, IgE and IgA were determined by ELISA. Proliferation of splenocytes was observed with MTT assay. The percentage of T-lymphocyte subsets and the rate of apoptotic splenocytes were determined by flow cytometry. The production of IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α and IL-10 were quantified by ABC-ELISA in the supernatant of cultured splenocytes. RESULTS: The orally immunized mice achieved the peaks of IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, IgE and IgA at 8, 6, 6, 4, 8, 10 and 6 weeks, respectively. The proliferation and the apoptosis rates of splenocytes came to peaks at 4 week, so did the intranasally immunized group. The percentages of CD4(+);T cells and CD8(+);T cells peaked at 8 and 14 weeks, respectively. IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α and IL-10 reached the highest levels at 8, 8, 6 and 4 weeks, respectively. The intranasally immunized group reached to the peaks of IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, IgE and IgA at 4, 6, 4, 4, 8, 10 and 8 weeks, respectively. The proportion of CD4(+);T cells peaked at 8 weeks, while CD8(+);T cells at 4 weeks. IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α and IL-10 achieved the highest values respectively at 2, 2, 4 and 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: The recombinant Bb(pGEX-Sj14-3-3) vaccine could induce effective immune responses in mice by either oral vaccination or intranasal inoculation. The better immunogenicity of intranasal vaccination is proved.