Polymorphisms of the Vitamin D Receptor Gene and Sex-Differential Associations with Lipid Profiles in Chinese Han Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the vitamin D receptor gene ( VDR) with circulating lipids considering gender differences. METHODS: Of the Han Chinese adults recruited from a health examination center for inclusion in the study, the circulating lipids, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and other parameters were measured. The VDR SNPs of Cdx2 (rs11568820), Fok1 (rs2228570), Apa1 (rs7975232), and Taq1 (rs731236) were genotyped with a qPCR test using blood DNA samples, and their associations with lipids were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: In the female participants ( n = 236 with dyslipidemia and 888 without dyslipidemia), multiple genotype models of Fok1 indicated a positive correlation of B (not A) alleles with LDLC level ( P < 0.05). In the male participants ( n = 299 with dyslipidemia and 564 without dyslipidemia), the recessive model of Cdx2 and the additive and recessive models of Fok1 differed ( P < 0.05) between the HDLC-classified subgroups, respectively, and Fok1 BB and Cdx2 TT presented interactions with 25OHD in the negative associations with HDLC ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the Chinese Han adults included in the study, the Fok1 B-allele of VDR was associated with higher LDLC in females, and the Fok1 B-allele and the Cdx2 T-allele of VDR were associated with lower HDLC in males. The interaction of VD and Fok1 BB or Cdx2 TT in males synergistically decreased HDLC levels.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of potential infectious bursal disease virus VP3-interacting proteins in chicken embryo fibroblasts cells.

The structural protein VP3 of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) plays a critical role in viral assembly, replication, immune escape, and anti-apoptosis. Interaction between VP3 and host protein factors can affect stages in the viral replication cycle. In this study, 137 host proteins interacting with VP3 protein were screened through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomics approach. The functions and relevance of the proteins were obtained through bioinformatics analysis. Most VP3-interacting proteins were linked to binding, catalytic activity, and structural molecular activity, and performed functions in cell parts and cells. Biological functions of VP3-interacting proteins were mainly relevant to "Cytoskeleton", "Translation", and "Signal transduction mechanisms", involving ribosomes, "Tight junction", regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and other pathways. Six potential VP3-interacting proteins in host cells were knocked down, and vimentin, myosin-9, and annexin A2 were found to be related to IBDV replication. This study would help explore regulatory pathways and cellular mechanisms in IBDV-infected cells, and also provided clues for the in-depth study of VP3 biological functions and IBDV replication or pathogenesis.

gga-miR-142-5p attenuates IRF7 signaling and promotes replication of IBDV by directly targeting the chMDA5's 3' untranslated region.

Chicken melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (chMDA5) is a key pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that recognizes RNA viral infections and initiates an antiviral innate immune response in chickens. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of chMDA5 to sense RNA virus infection, but how it exerts antiviral activity against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) infection and regulates chMDA5 in chicken cells is unclear. Thus, we measured the expression of chMDA5 in IBDV-infected DT40 cells and found it significantly increased. Overexpression of chMDA5 activated the IFN-ß and Mx promoters via IRF7-dependent pathways and inhibited replication of IBDV in DT40 cells. The opposite effect occurred after chMDA5 knockdown using siRNA. Also, gga-miR-142-5p regulated chMDA5 according to bioinformatic analysis and data from a dual-luciferase reporter system. Overexpression of gga-miR-142-5p reduced the expression of the chMDA5 protein, promoting IBDV replication, and decreased the activity of the IFN-ß and Mx promoters via an IRF7-dependent pathway; however, it had no effect on the NF-κB-dependent pathway in DT40 cells. Thus, gga-miR-142-5p is a negative regulator of chMDA5 and promotes IBDV replication in DT40 cells through an IRF7-dependent pathway.

gga-miR-2127 downregulates the translation of chicken p53 and attenuates chp53-mediated innate immune response against IBDV infection.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is characterized by the immune suppression of infected birds. The molecular mechanism by which IBD virus (IBDV) suppresses the host immune system remains to be elucidated. The tumor suppressor protein p53 can inhibit the replication of various viruses, but its effect on IBDV remains unknown. This study established an in vitro infection model based on DF-1 cells (chicken embryo fibroblast cell line) to investigate the antiviral effects of chicken p53 (chp53) on IBDV infection. The expression level and activity of chp53 remarkably increased in IBDV-infected DF-1 cells. The overexpression of chp53 inhibited IBDV replication and upregulated the expression of multiple chicken antiviral innate immunity genes (IPS-1, IRF3, PKR, OAS, and Mx), whereas the suppression of chp53 led to the opposite effect. This result indicates that chp53 activates the antiviral innate immune response of chickens to IBDV infection. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that gga-miR-2127 targeted the 3'UTR of chp53. qRT-PCR and western blot revealed that gga-miR-2127 overexpression in DF-1 cells not only downregulated the expression levels of chp53 and of the antiviral innate immunity genes in chickens but also promoted IBDV replication. Our results suggest that gga-miR-2127 downregulates chp53 mRNA translation by targeting its 3'UTR and attenuates chp53-mediated antiviral innate immune response against IBDV.

Oral vitamin D supplementation has a lower bioavailability and reduces hypersecretion of parathyroid hormone and insulin resistance in obese Chinese males.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the vitamin D status, SNP of the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) and the effects of vitamin D supplementation on parathyroid hormone and insulin secretion in adult males with obesity or normal weight in a subtropical Chinese city. DESIGN: An intervention trial. SETTING: Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China. SUBJECTS: From a cross-sectional survey conducted from June to July, eighty-two normal-weight and ninety-nine obese males (18-69 years) were screened to analyse their vitamin D status and for five SNP of VDR. From these individuals, in the same season of a different year, obese and normal-weight male volunteers (twenty-one per group) were included for an intervention trial with oral vitamin D supplementation at 1250 µg/week for 8 weeks. RESULTS: For the survey, there was no significant difference (P>0·05) in baseline circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations or in the percentages of participants in different categories of vitamin D status between the two groups. The VDR SNP, rs3782905, was significantly associated with obesity (P=0·043), but none of the examined SNP were correlated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D when adjusted for age, BMI and study group. After vitamin D supplementation, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, hypersecretions of parathyroid hormone and insulin, and insulin resistance in the obese were changed beneficially (P<0·05); however, the increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was less than that of the normal-weight men. CONCLUSIONS: For obese and normal-weight men of subtropical China, the summer baseline vitamin D status was similar. However, oral vitamin D supplementation revealed a decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obese men and ameliorated their hypersecretion of parathyroid hormone and insulin resistance.

Serum 25(OH)D and lipid levels in Chinese obese and normal weight males before and after oral vitamin D supplementation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of oral vitamin D (VD) supplementation on VD status and serum lipid in Chinese obese and healthy normal-weight men. METHODS: Twenty-one obese men with their body mass index (BMI)>28 kg/m(2) served as an obese group and 22 healthy normal-weight men with their BMI<24 kg/m(2) served as a control group in this study. After they were given 50 000 IU of oral VD, once a week for 8 weeks, the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration was measured with an enzyme-immunoassay kit. RESULTS: After oral VD supplementation, the serum 25(OH)D concentration significantly increased from 46.1±9.1 nmol/L to 116.7±20.3 nmol/L in the obese subjects (P<0.01) and from 52.8±17.8 nmol/L to 181.3±30.2 nmol/L in the control ones (P=0.13). The serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was reduced within the normal reference range in the obese group. However, no significant change was observed in the level of other serum lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) in either of the two groups. CONCLUSION: The effect of high-dose oral VD supplementation is weaker on VD status in the obese group than in the control group. High-dose oral VD supplementation has no side effect on serum lipid level in obese and control groups.

[Nutrients in atmospheric wet deposition in the East China Sea].

92 rainwater samples were collected at Shengsi Archipelago from January 2008 to December 2009. The pH and the concentrations of nutrients (NH4(+), NO3(-) + NO2(-), PO4(3-), SiO3(2-)) were analyzed using spectrophotometry to understand the impacts of the atmospheric wet deposition on the ecosystem of the East China Sea. The results showed that the pH of 85% samples were less than 5.0, and had significant effect on the environment. There were significant differences among monthly average concentrations of nutrients and rainfall and seasonal average wet deposition of nutrients in investigation periods. The annual average wet deposition flux was 52.05 mmol x (m2 x a) (-1) for DIN, 0.08 mmol x (m2 x a) (-1) for PO4(3-), 2.05 mmol x (m2 x a) (-1) for SiO3(2-). The average molar ratios of NO3(-)/NH4(+) is 0.73, N: P ratio is 684: 1, indicating that nutrients composition in rainwater was different from seawater of the East China Sea Shelf (10-150). The wet deposition may change the nutrients structure, pH and lead to change the phytoplankton production in the surface seawater of the East China Sea, even lead to the red tide.

[Application study on multicolor combinational probe coding real-time PCR in detection of foodborne pathogens].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the detection limit of multicolor combinational probe coding real-time PCR (MCPC-PCR) in detection of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus suspended in the food samples, and to apply MCPC-PCR to detect the samples of food poisoning. METHODS: Series concentration of bacterium suspension (10(1) - 10(9) CFU/ml) was prepared by using 22 simulated samples including fresh meat and cakes and then MCPC-PCR was applied to detect Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in 22 samples. Enrichment broth of 101 frozen samples and 5 early patients' anal swabs in food poisoning cases were detected after the DNA samples were extracted. RESULTS: The limits of MCPC-PCR assay in detecting Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus were about 10(2) copies/test; 101 frozen enrichment broth of samples in food poisoning cases were detected by MCPC-PCR assay, of 23 positive samples, 18 were confirmed by bacteriology techniques; 96 samples detected by MCPC-PCR and bacteriology techniques had the same results, and the coincidence rate was 95.05%. Anal swabs, collected from 5 of early patients in a food poisoning case gave a clue to be Vibrio parahaemolyticus by MCPC-PCR assay and then were perfectly consistent with bacteriology assay. CONCLUSION: As a method of high sensitivity and good specificity, MCPC-PCR assay can quickly and conveniently detect multiple pathogens existing in food samples, therefore we recommend it to be used in rapidly screening or simultaneous detection of food-borne diseases.