Composition characteristics of the gut microbiota in infants and young children of under 6 years old between Beijing and Japan.

BACKGROUND: The composition of intestinal flora in Chinese and Japanese has been reported in many studies but that in infants aged 0-6 years old has not been studied yet. METHODS: The distribution characteristics of the fecal flora of infants in Beijing (n=84) and Japan (n=53) were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. RESULTS: This study showed the higher relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae_ UCG-003 and Anaerostipes in male group that of Ruminiclostridium, Eubacterium, Senegalimassilia and Senegalimassilia in female group, especially Senegalimassilia, which was not detected in male group. Defecation trait groups indicated significantly higher relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in abnormal bowel trait group than that in the normal group (P<0.05). The feeding groups' analysis showed significantly higher relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus and lower abundance of Bacteroides and Lacetospirillaceae in the breast-feeding group than that in the formula feeding and mixed-feeding groups. The relative abundance of Parasutterella and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-003 in the halitosis group was significantly higher than that in the normal group. The comparison of cold and fever group and normal group indicated significantly higher relative abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium and lower relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae _UCG-001 in the fever and cold group than that in the normal group (P<0.05). The regional comparison of intestinal flora of Beijing and Japan showed significant increase in the relative abundance of Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, megamonas and Veillonella in the intestinal flora of 0-6 years old infants in Beijing. CONCLUSIONS: These findings improve the understanding of intestinal bacterial and viral communities of infants from the two Asian countries.

Association of VEGF and VDR gene- gene and gene- smoking interaction on risk of multiple myeloma in Chinese Han population.

AIMS: To investigate the association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and additional gene- gene and gene- smoking interaction with multiple myeloma (MM) risk in Chinese population. METHODS: Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) was used to screen the best interaction combination among SNPs and smoking. Logistic regression was performed to investigate association between 6 SNPs within VEGF and VDR gene, additional gene- gene and gene- smoking interaction on MM risk. RESULTS: MM risk is significantly higher in carriers with the rs699947- A allele within VEGF gene than those with CC genotype (CA+ AA versus CC), adjusted OR (95%CI) =1.72 (1.19-2.33), and higher in carriers with rs2228570- T allele within VDR gene than those with CC genotype (CT+ TT versus CC), adjusted OR (95%CI) = 1.68 (1.26-2.17). We also found a significant two-locus model (p=0.0010) involving rs699947 and rs2228570, and a significant two-locus model (p=0.0107) involving rs2228570 andsmoking. Participants with rs699947- CA+AA and rs2228570- CT+TT genotype had the highest MM risk, compared to participants with rs699947- CC and rs2228570- CC genotype, OR (95%CI) = 3.12 (1.82 -4.61). Smokers with rs2228570- CT+TT genotype had the highest MM risk, compared to never- smokers with rs2228570- CC genotype, OR (95%CI) = 3.27 (1.74-4.86). CONCLUSIONS: We found that the A allele of rs699947 within VEGF and T allele of rs2228570 within VDR gene, interaction between rs699947 and rs2228570, rs2228570 andsmoking were all associated with increased MM risk.

[Safety and effectiveness of tumor-ablative chemotherapy combined with low intensity modified conditioning regimen for 30 patients with hematologic malignancies receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

This study was aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of tumor-ablative Chemotherapy combined with low intensity conditioning regiment BUCy/TBICy for patients with hematologic malignancies receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The clinical data of 30 patients with hematologic malignancies received above-mentioned therapeutic method from January 2012 to January 2013 was analyzed retrospectively, and the engraftment, GVHD, infection, conditioning-related toxicity, relapse and survival rates were evaluated. All the patients signed the informed consent before transplantation. The median follow-up duration was 20.5 (16.3-27.3) months. The results indicated that all the patients had been engrafted successfully. One year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 93.3% and 83.3% respectively. No conditioning-related toxicity occurred. The incidences of II-IV grade aGVHD was 37.9%, among which incidence of III-IV grade aGVHD was 3.4%; incidence of extensive cGVHD was 13.8%. So far, 1 case relapsed, 1 case displayed graft rejection, and poor function of graft occurred in 1 case, death occurred in 2 cases(6.7%). It is concluded that tumor-ablative chemotherapy combined with low intensity-modified BUCy/TBICy is safe and effective in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies, and it is useful to reduce relapse of hematologic malignancies after transplantation.

[Clinical and molecular genetic analysis for a patient with glycogen storage disease â a].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mutation of glucose-6-phosphatase gene (G6PC gene) in a patient with glycogen storage disease Ⅰa. METHODS: PCR was used to amplify all five exons of G6PC gene. The PCR products were directly sequenced to detect the mutations. RESULTS: A heterozygous 743G>A mutation was found in the patient and his mother, resulting in the substitution of glycine (G) by arginine (R) in codon 222(G222R) in the putative membrane-spanning domain in human G6Pase, but not in his father and his sister. CONCLUSIONS: G222R mutation in G6PC gene was first identified in a patient with glycogen storage disease Ⅰa in mainland China.

[Conditioning regimen containing fludarabine instead of cyclophosphamide for haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility and safety of conditioning regimen containing fludarabine (Flud) for haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: Preparative regimen containing Flud 40 mgxm(-2)xd(-1) on day -7 to -3 in place of cyclophosphamide (CTX) for haploidentical HSCT was given to 35 patients with hematologic malignancies (4 standard risk, 16 high risk, 15 relapse with no remission). All donors received rhG-CSF followed by HSC harvest. One patient received peripheral blood HSCT (PBSCT), one bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and the others BM combination with PBSCT. The regimen-associated side effect, engraftment, incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and disease-free survival (DFS) probabilities were observed. RESULTS: All patients achieved sustained, full donor-type engraftment. Thirty-four patients obtained primary durable engraftment, and 1 who rejected graft from his mother obtained successful durable engraftment after the second graft from his father. The cumulative incidence of grade III-IV acute GVHD and chronic GVHD was 12.1% and 31.7%, respectively. With a follow-up duration of 8-25 months, 6 patients were dead, in which 3 died of relapse, 2 of acute GVHD, 1 of fungal infection, none died of regimen-associated side effect. The other 29 patients remained alive and DFS probability was 79.7%. CONCLUSION: Flud based conditioning regimens for haploidentical HSCT is safe and feasible, which reduces regimen-associated side effect, with no increasing the rate of relapse and infection, and decreases the incidence of aGVHD.

Antiviral treatment of hepatitis B virus-transgenic mice by a marine organism, Styela plicata.

AIM: To evaluate the antiviral effect of the effective ingredient of Styela plicata in a murine model of hepatitis B virus carrier. METHODS: HBV-transgenic mice were divided into 3 groups (control group, lamivudine treatment group and the effective ingredient of Styela plicata treatment group) and assigned to receive normal diet, lamivudine or the effective ingredient of Styela plicata for consecutive weeks. Serum hepatitis B surface antigen was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Serum HBV DNA was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Serum T helper (h) 1 cytokine interleukin (IL)-2 and Th2 cytokine IL-6 were detected by the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Another group of HBV-transgenic mice was assigned to receive the effective ingredient of Styela plicata for consecutive weeks. The histology of liver tissue was evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: Twelve weeks after starting the therapy, serum hepatitis B surface antigen was significantly lowered in Styela plicata -treated mice and lamivudine-treated mice compared with the mice receiving normal diet (F(12wk) = 88.81, P(12wk) = 0.000<0.01). Serum HBV DNA was significantly lowered in Styela plicata -treated mice and lamivudine-treated mice compared with the mice receiving normal diet (F(12wk) = 20.71, P(12wk) = 0.000<0.01). However, like lamivudine, the effective ingredient of Styela plicata could not inhibit the replication of HBV completely. A rebound phenomenon of hepatitis B surface antigen and HBV DNA in sera could be found 4 wk after withdrawal of medication. Eight weeks after starting the therapy, serum levels before and after Styela plicata treatment of IL-2 were 2.41 +/- 0.38 and 10.56 +/- 0.78 ng/L, respectively (t(8wk) = -16.51, P(8wk) = 0.000<0.01). Compared with the serum levels of IL-2 in the normal diet-treated mice (2.48+/-0.17 ng/L; t(8wk) = 13.23, P(8wk) = 0.000<0.01). Serum levels before and after Styela plicata treatment of IL-6 were 63.62 +/- 6.31 and 54.52 +/- 6.22 ng/L, respectively, compared with the serum levels of IL-6 in the normal diet-treated mice (60.84 +/- 4.21 ng/L). Histological analysis of liver from Styela plicata-treated HBV-transgenic mice also showed catabatic status in inflammation and hepatitis B surface antigen. CONCLUSION: Styela plicata may be an effective antiviral medicine in treating chronic hepatitis B.