Efficacy of Bifidobacterium breve CECT7263 for infantile colic treatment: an open-label, parallel, randomised, controlled trial.

Infantile colic is a prevalent condition characterised by excessive crying with no effective treatment available. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Bifidobacterium breve CECT7263 and a combination of this and Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 versus simethicone in reducing the daily time spent crying in colicky infants. A multicentre randomised, open-label, parallel, controlled trial of 28 days was performed in 150 infants who were diagnosed with colic according to the Rome III criteria and who randomly received simethicone (80 mg/day; Simethicone group), B. breve CECT7263 (2×108 cfu/day, Bb group), or a combination of L. fermentum CECT5716 and B. breve CECT7263 (1×108 cfu/day per strain, Bb+Lf group). The main outcomes were minutes of crying per day and the percentage of reduction in daily crying from baseline. Data were analysed per intention to treat. All treatments significantly decreased the daily crying time at the end of the intervention (P-time <0.001). However, the infants in the Bb group had significantly decreased crying time from the first week of the study (P<0.05), whereas the Bb+Lf group and the simethicone group had significantly decreased crying time from the second week (P<0.05). The percentage of reduction in the minutes of crying from baseline in the Bb group was significantly higher than that in the Simethicone group every week of the intervention (-40.3 vs -27.6% at 1-week; -59.2 vs -43.2% at 2-weeks; -64.5 vs -53.5% at 3-week and -68.5 vs -59.5% at 4-weeks, P<0.05). Additionally, in the Bb group, infants had better night sleep, and parents reported a more positive mood at the end of the intervention. All the products used in the study were safe and well tolerated. In conclusion, the breastmilk-isolated probiotic strain B. breve CECT7263 is a safe and effective treatment for infantile colic, presenting an earlier and more robust effect than the reference prescribed drug, simethicone.

Vitamin B12 and folate levels increase during treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in young adult woman.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between iron deficiency and vitamin B12 and folate was recognized several decades ago. Combined deficiency is important in clinical practice owing to its relationship with malabsorption syndromes. By contrast, iron deficiency and low levels of serum vitamin B12 with normal metabolic markers were often found mostly in young adults. In this work, vitamin B12/folate changes were investigated during treatment of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) with pharmacological iron in young adult women. METHODS: A cohort of 35 young adult women with IDA was treated with oral iron. An haematological response was obtained in 97.2% at 4-month follow-up. Changes in serum vitamin B12, serum folate and other biochemical parameters were monitored. RESULTS: Treatment with iron increased significantly serum folate and vitamin B12 from baseline. This increase was also observed in vitamin B12 levels ≤200 pmol/L (six patients, 17.1%), in whom serum vitamin B12 was above 200 pmol/L at the end of the study in all cases. Other biochemical parameters also changed. Significant increases were seen for glucose (P = 0.012), uric acid (P < 0.001), total cholesterol (P = 0.023), HDL cholesterol (P = 0.026) and bilirubin (P < 0.001). Urea decreased significantly (P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Data from our work suggest that iron deficiency could affect many metabolic pathways, including vitamin B12, folate and lipids. These changes normalize after iron therapy, even in women with baseline low levels of serum vitamin B12. Healthcare practitioners should be aware of these changes in IDA management. The mechanisms controlling these changes remain to be explained, but they are probably related to the control of iron homeostasis (iron deficiency mediated stimuli).

Intronic SNP rs3811647 of the human transferrin gene modulates its expression in hepatoma cells / El SNP intrónico rs3811647 del gen de la transferrina humano, modula su expresión en células hepáticas

Introduction: Transferrin (Tf) exerts a crucial function in the maintenance of systemic iron homeostasis. The expression of the Tf gene is controlled by transcriptional mechanism, although little is known about genetic factors influence. Objective: To study the role of rs3811647 in Tf expression using an in-vitro assay on hepatoma cells. Design and Methods: Hep3B cells were co-transfected with constructs containing A (VarA-Tf-luc) and G (VarG-Tf-luc) variants of rs3811647, using luciferase as a surrogate reporter of Tf expression. Results: Luciferase assays showed a higher intrinsic enhancer activity (p < 0.05) in the A compared with the G variant. In silico analysis of SNP rs3811647 showed that the A allele might constitute a binding site for the transcription factor glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Conclusion: The A allele of SNP rs3811647 increases Tf expression in a manner that might underlie inter-individual variation in serum transferrin levels observed in different population groups (AU)

Introducción: La transferrina (Tf) ejerce una función crucial en el mantenimiento de la homeostasis sistémica del hierro. La expresión del gen de la transferrina es controlada a nivel transcripcional, aunque la posible influencia de factores genéticos todavía se desconoce. Objetivo: Estudiar el papel del rs3811647 en la expresión de la transferrina mediante un ensayo in-vitro en células de hepatoma. Diseño y métodos: Células Hep3B fueron co-transfectadas con vectores que contenían las variantes A (VarA-Tf-luc) y G (VarG-Tf-luc) del rs3811647, utilizándose la luciferasa como marcador de la expresión del gen Tf. Resultados: Los ensayos con la luciferasa mostraron un mayor aumento de la expresión del gen Tf en presencia de la variante A comparada con la G (p < 0,05). El análisis in silico del SNP rs3811647 mostró que la presencia del alelo A puede constituir un sitio de unión del receptor de glucocorticoides (GR). Conclusión: El alelo A del SNP rs3811647 incrementa la expresión del gen Tf de modo que podría modular la variación interindividual en los niveles de transferrina sérica observados en diferentes poblaciones (AU)

Intronic SNP rs3811647 of the human transferrin gene modulates its expression in hepatoma cells.

INTRODUCTION: Transferrin (Tf) exerts a crucial function in the maintenance of systemic iron homeostasis. The expression of the Tf gene is controlled by transcriptional mechanism, although little is known about genetic factors influence. OBJECTIVE: To study the role of rs3811647 in Tf expression using an in-vitro assay on hepatoma cells. DESIGN AND METHODS: Hep3B cells were co-transfected with constructs containing A (VarA-Tf-luc) and G (VarG-Tf-luc) variants of rs3811647, using luciferase as a surrogate reporter of Tf expression. RESULTS: Luciferase assays showed a higher intrinsic enhancer activity (p < 0.05) in the A compared with the G variant. In silico analysis of SNP rs3811647 showed that the A allele might constitute a binding site for the transcription factor glucocorticoid receptor (GR). CONCLUSION: The A allele of SNP rs3811647 increases Tf expression in a manner that might underlie inter-individual variation in serum transferrin levels observed in different population groups.