Analysis of gut microbiotal diversity in healthy young adults in Sunan County, Gansu Province, China.

Objective: To examine gut microbiotal diversity in the Han Chinese and Yugur populations of Sunan County, Gansu Province, living in the same environmental conditions, and to analyze possible causes of differences in diversity. Methods: We selected 28 people, ages 18-45 years old, all of whom were third-generation pure Yugur or Han Chinese from Sunan County. Fresh fecal samples were collected, and total bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted. We performed 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and bioinformatics to study the relationships among between gut microbiota structure, genetics, and dietary habits in Yugur and Han Chinese subjects. Results: We found 350 differential operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in Han Chinese and Yugur gut microbiota, proving that gut microbiota differed between the two populations. That were less abundant among Yugurs than Han Chinese were Prevotella_9 and Alloprevotella. That were more abundant among Yugurs than Han Chinese were Anaerostipes and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group. And they were significantly associated with a high-calorie diet In addition. we found differences in predicted gut microbiota structural functions (The main functions were metabolic and genetic information) between the two populations. Conclusion: Yugur subjects demonstrated differences in gut microbiotal structure from Han Chinese subjects, and this difference influenced by dietary and may be influenced by genetic influences. This finding will provide a fundamental basis for further study of the relationships among gut microbiota, dietary factors, and disease in Sunan County.

High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol as a Potential Medium between Depletion of Lachnospiraceae Genera and Hypertension under a High-Calorie Diet.

Gut microbial dysbiosis has been associated with hypertension. An extremely high incidence of essential hypertension was found in the Han and the Yugur people who resided in Sunan County in China's nomadic steppes, with little population movement. To investigate gut microbial contributions to this high incidence of hypertension, we recruited a total of 1, 242 Yugur and Han people, who had resided in Sunan County for more than 15 years and accounted for 3% of the local population. The epidemiological survey of 1,089 individuals indicated their nearly 1.8-times-higher prevalence of hypertension (38.2 to 43.3%) than the average in China (23.2%), under a special high-calorie diet based on wheat, cattle, mutton, and animal offal. Investigations of the fecal microbiota of another cohort of 153 individuals revealed that certain Lachnospiraceae genera were positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) but negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). HDL-C was negatively correlated with SBP and DBP. We further observed that the serum butyrate content was lower in both Han and Yugur people with hypertension than in those without hypertension. This study gives novel insight into the role of gut microbial dysbiosis in hypertension modulation under a high-calorie diet, where the notable depletion of Lachnospiraceae genera might lead to less production of butyrate, contributing to the lower level of HDL-C and elevating blood pressure in hypertension. IMPORTANCE Dietary nutrients can be converted by the gut microbiota into metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, which may serve as disease-preventing agents in hypertension. Due to the limited population mobility and unique high-calorie dietary habits, the cohort of this study can serve as a representative cohort for elucidating the associations between the gut microbiota and hypertension under a high-calorie diet. Moreover, low levels of HDL-C have previously been associated with an increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Our findings provide new insight showing that low levels of HDL-C may be a potential medium between the depletion of Lachnospiraceae genera and hypertension under a high-calorie diet, which might also be a potential candidate for other CVDs.

Study on the Characteristics of Intestinal Flora Composition in Gastric Cancer Patients and Healthy People in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The aim of this study is to compare and analyze the structure and diversity of intestinal flora between gastric cancer patients and healthy people in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and to explore the characteristics of the intestinal flora composition in gastric cancer patients in the plateau area, and to determine the possible correlation between the intestinal flora and gastric cancer. Fresh feces from 22 cases of gastric cancer patients diagnosed in a tertiary hospital in Qinghai Province and 30 cases of healthy people during the same period were collected. The 52 subjects were undergone for 16S rDNA gene sequencing of intestinal bacteria to analyze and compare the diversity and compositional characteristics of intestinal flora. Analysis of the diversity of intestinal flora between the gastric cancer group and the healthy group was based on the Chao1 index of species richness, Shannon diversity index, and Simpson index. It showed that the gastric cancer group had no statistically difference from the healthy group (P > 0.05). In the Venn diagram, the number of OTU units shared by the gastric cancer group and the healthy group is 6997, and the number of unique OTU units in the healthy group is 2282, while the number of OTU units in the gastric cancer group is 896 and the difference is statistically significant (χ2 = 495.829), P < 0.000). Analysis of the composition and abundance distribution of intestinal flora showed that at the phylum level, there is no significant deference in abundance between the healthy group of Bacteroides and Firmicutes compared with the gastric cancer group (P > 0.05). However, there is a statistically significant difference in abundance between the healthy groups of Proteobacteria compared with the gastric cancer group (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the gastric cancer group of Prevotella_9 is significantly different from the healthy group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the gastric cancer group of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus are significantly different from the healthy group (P < 0.001). There are differences in the composition and abundance of intestinal flora between patients with gastric cancer and healthy people in plateau areas, suggesting that Proteobacteria, Prevotella_9, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus have increased in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and becoming one of the factors related to the incidence of gastric cancer in the region.

[The Role of PPE25 in Mycobacterial Infections of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of PPE25 in the infection of M. smegmatis (MS) in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). METHODS: In MS-ppe25 group, PPE25 was expressed in non-pathogenic fast-growing M. tuberculosis (Mtb) that infected PMNs. The empty vector MS (MS-vec group) was served as control. Their colony formation was observed, including the size and growth curves of single colonies. The colony forming unit (CFU) indicated bacterial vitality. The percentage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release measured PMN death. The role of PPE25 protein in MS infections was analyzed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) detected by flow cytometry, nitric oxide (NO) level detected by nitrate reductase, cytokine interleukin (IL) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) detected by ELISA. RESULTS: PPE25 protein had no effect on MS growth, colony formation and the size of single colonies. MS-infected PMN had higher percentages of CFU and LDH release 2, 6, and 12 h after infections compared with the MS-vec group (P<0.05). MS-infected PMN also had lower levels of ROS and NO levels 2 h after infections (P<0.01), consistently higher levels of TNF-α (P<0.01), and higher levels of IL-1ß infusion 6 h after MS infections (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PPE25 protein increases the survival of MS in PMN, induces cell necrosis, inhibits the expressions of ROS and NO, and changes the secretion of cytokines, which helps spread of the pathogen by evading host immunity.

[The clinical significance of S100ß protein in cerebrospinal fluid and serum from the patients with cerebral hemorrhage].

AIM: To observe the change and the clinical significance of S100ß protein level in cerebrospinal fluid and serum from the patients with cerebral hemorrhage (CH). METHODS: ELISA was used to detect the expression of S100ß protein in CSF and serum from CH patients control with Inguinal Hernia or great saphenous varix patients. Meanwhile, rabbit CH model at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h . RESULTS: The levels of CSF S100ß protein at acute stage of CH patients increased significantly compared with those at recovery stage of CH patients and control group(P<0.01). The levels of S100ß protein in CSF from CH patients increased significantly compared with those in serum (P<0.01).The levels of S100ß protein in CSF of rabbit experimental group increased significantly compared with those of sham operation group at different time points(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The level of S100ß protein in CSF from CH patients increases. It may be a biomarker as reflecting degree of pathogenetic and predicting outcome in the CH patients.