Analysis of NSD1 gene variant in a child with autism spectrum disorder in conjunct with congenital heart disease / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic basis of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in conjunct with congenital heart disease (CHD).@*METHODS@#A child who was hospitalized at the Third People's Hospital of Chengdu on April 13, 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child were collected. Peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents were collected and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). A GTX genetic analysis system was used to analyze the WES data and screen candidate variants for ASD. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) was carried out to compare the expression of mRNA of the NSD1 gene between this child and 3 healthy controls and 5 other children with ASD.@*RESULTS@#The patient, an 8-year-old male, has manifested with ASD, mental retardation and CHD. WES analysis revealed that he has harbored a heterozygous c.3385+2T>C variant in the NSD1 gene, which may affect the function of its protein product. Sanger sequencing showed that neither of his parent has carried the same variant. By bioinformatic analysis, the variant has not been recorded in the ESP, 1000 Genomes and ExAC databases. Analysis with Mutation Taster online software indicated it to be disease causing. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was predicted to be pathogenic. By qPCR analysis, the expression level of mRNA of the NSD1 gene in this child and 5 other children with ASD was significantly lower than that of the healthy controls (P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#The c.3385+2T>C variant of the NSD1 gene can significantly reduce its expression, which may predispose to ASD. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum the NSD1 gene.

Clinical study of acupuncture combined with medication in the treatment of skin pruritus in maintenance hemodialysis patients / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in the treatment of skin pruritus in maintenance hemodialysis patients.Methods:Eighty patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,with 40 cases in each group.The control group was given loratadine orally,and the observation group was given acupuncture treatment in addition to the treatment used in the control group.The four-item itch questionnaire(FIIQ)score,indicators for skin barrier function,and serum interleukin(IL)-2 and IL-31 levels were compared.The efficacy was judged after the treatment ended.Results:The total effective rate was higher in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).After treatment,the site,frequency,severity of pruritus,sleep impact sub-scores,and FIIQ total score in both groups were reduced compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and all scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The stratum corneum hydration(SCH)and transepidermal water loss(TEWL)in the V-shaped area of the chest,the flexor side of the forearm,and the extensor side of the lower leg were not significantly changed in the control group(P>0.05);the SCH and TEWL in the V-shaped area of the chest,the flexor side of the forearm,and the extensor side of the lower leg in the observation group were improved(P<0.05),and all were better than those in the control group(P<0.05).The serum IL-2 and IL-31 levels in the control group did not change significantly(P>0.05);the serum IL-2 and IL-31 levels in the observation group were both significantly decreased(P<0.05)and were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with loratadine is highly effective in the treatment of pruritus in maintenance hemodialysis patients,and it can relieve pruritus,improve skin barrier function,and reduce serum IL-2 and IL-31 levels.

Relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese adults: a prospective cohort study / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Chinese adults.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 4847 Chinese adults were enrolled in this prospective study. All participants underwent physical examination at one of three hospitals in Nanjing during 2008. According to results from B ultrasound, the participants were grouped according to NAFLD diagnosis, with 1468 in the NAFLD group and 3379 in the control group.Participants were followed up until diagnosis of T2DM or for 4 years. The cumulative incidence rates of T2DM were calculated for and compared between the NAFLD group and the control group. The relationship between NAFLD and risk of T2DM was examined by Cox proportional hazards modeling.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the 4-year follow-up,387 (8.0%) of the patients were diagnosed with T2DM. The cumulative incidence rates of T2DM in the NAFLD group and the control group were 17.2% and 4.0%, respectively. After adjusting for age,sex,body mass index,blood pressure,triglyceride level and alanine aminotransferase level, NAFLD was found to be closely related to the incidence of T2DM (relative risk:3.465,95% confidence interval:2.755-4.358).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NAFLD is associated with elevated risk of T2DM in adult patients in Nanjing,China. The general population of this region may benefit from focused public health intervention and treatment strategies targeting to prevent development of T2DM in conjunction with NAFLD.</p>

Expression of hepatic stellate cells inhibited by receptor for advance glycoxidation end products specific small interfering RNA / 中华消化杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on the production of fibrosis markers (laminin,hyaluronic acid (HA) and N-terminal procollagen Ⅲ propeptide (PⅢ NP) in hepatic fibrosis (HF).Methods The expression vectors of specific siRNA targeting RAGE were constructed.Primary rat hepatic stellar cells (HSC) were isolated and cultured.The primary rat HSC were transfected with the recombinant vector.The blank control group and unspecific siRNA vector pAKD-NC-transfected group were as controls.The expressions of RAGE,laminin,HA and PⅢ NP at mRNA and protein levels were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot,respectively.Least-significant difference (LSD) and Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) were performed to analyze standard normal distribution or homogeneous variance.Non-normal distribution and heterogeneity of variance data were analyzed by non-parametric Wilcoxon test.Results The expressions of RAGE at mRNA and protein levels in pAKD-GR126-transfected primary HSC were (42.32 ± 6.16)％,(43.24±7.50)％,(51.06±13.79)％ and (47.94±5.36)％ in blank control group and pAKDNC group (F=7.791 and 36.513,all P＜0.05).The expressions of laminin at mRNA and protein levels were (41.07±3.13)％,(40.59±5.87)％,(53.89±2.25)％ and (52.46±4.68)％ in blank control group andpAKD-NC group (F=225.111 and 88.039,all P＜0.05).The expressions of HA at mRNA and protein levels were (45.69 ± 0.87) ％,(46.08 ± 2.36) ％,(54.20 ± 0.56) ％ and (52.30±3.42)％ in blank control group and pAKD-NC group (F=178.317 and 180.646,all P＜ 0.05).The expressions of PⅢ NP mRNA at mRNA and protein levels were (56.10±4.18)％,(55.15±2.39)％,(54.40±2.79)％ and (53.58±6.18)％ in blank control group and pAKD-NC group (F=141.633 and 49.670,all P＜0.05).Conclusion RAGE specific siRNA could inhibit the expression of RAGE in primary rat HSC and could significantly lower the expression of fibrosis markers laminin,HA and PⅢ NP at mRNA and protein level.