Gut microbiota and differential genes-maintained homeostasis is key to maintaining health of individuals with Yang-deficiency constitution.

OBJECTIVE: Yang-deficiency constitution (YADC) is a common unbalanced constitution that predisposes individuals to certain diseases. However, not all people with YADC manifest develop diseases. This calls for delineation of the underlying molecular mechanisms. Previous studies suggested that the gut microbiota and gene differential expression should be considered. METHODS: In the present study, we compared profiles of gut microbiota between four healthy YADC individuals and those of five healthy balanced constitution (BC) counterparts, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Furthermore, YADC relevant genes identified by comparing 62 healthy YADC and 58 healthy BC individuals in total to perform intersection analysis, functional clustering and pathway enrichment analyses. RESULTS: The levels of harmful gut microbiota (Prevotellaceae, LDA score > 4.0, P = 0.0141) and beneficial gut microbiota (Ruminococcaceae, LDA score > 4.0, P = 0.0025, Faecalibacterium, LDA score > 4.0, P = 0.0484) were both elevated in healthy YADC individuals. Also, we found that the specific metabolic pathway with 2, 6-Dichloro-p-hydroquinone 1, 2-Dioxygenase (PcpA) as the core in gut microbiota and the glutathione transferase activity has been enriched by YADC relevant genes in healthy YADC individuals were both responsible for the detoxification of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon substances. CONCLUSIONS: Both beneficial and harmful factors had been detected in healthy YADC individuals, functionally, they may have triggered homeostasis to maintain the health of individuals with YADC. The homeostasis may be maintained by beneficial and harmful factors from gut flora and genes. Future studies are expected to focus on halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and their detoxification processes.

[Analysis of PM(2.5) main pollutant components and sources in two cities in north and south of China].

Objective: To analyze the pollution characteristics and source of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) in Shenzhen and Taiyuan, two cities in the north and south of China. Methods: PM(2.5) samples were collected from the year of 2017 to 2018. The levels of 10 heavy metal elements (Pb, Al, As, etc.) , 10 water soluble ions (F(-), Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), etc.) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Nap, Acy, Ace, etc.) in PM(2.5) were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) , ion Chromatography and high Performance Liquid Chromatography respectively. USA commercial carbon analysis was applied to detect organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) . Source of PM(2.5) was analyzed by Factor analysis method. Results: The concentrations of Pb, Mn, As, Ni, F(-), OC and EC in PM(2.5) of Taiyuan city were significantly higher than those of Shenzhen City, and the concentrations of Na(+), Cl(-), and PO(4)(3-) were lower than those of Shenzhen City (P<0.05) . Except naphthalene, the concentrations of PAHs in PM(2.5) of Taiyuan city were higher than those of Shenzhen City (P<0.05) . The main sources of metal elements and water soluble ions in PM(2.5) in Shenzhen included: industry/vehicle exhaust factor (42.64%) , construction/soil factor (34.22%) and ocean factor (17.93%) . PAHs in PM(2.5) in Shenzhen mostly came from fuel oil/vehicle exhaust factor (38.58%) , coal combustion factor (30.78%) and biomass combustion factor (24.38%) . Differently, the main sources of metal elements and water soluble ions in PM(2.5) in Taiyuan included: construction factor (30.26%) , fuel oil and coal combustion factor (24.58%) , secondary particles/soil factor (22.03%) and industry factor (18.89%) . PAHs in PM(2.5) were from fuel oil/vehicle exhaust factor (54.71%) and coal combustion factor (43.54%) in Taiyuan. Conclusion: The sources of PM(2.5) pollution are different between Shenzhen and Taiyuan, the occupational health management must be continuously strengthened, measures should be strengthened contrapuntally on the basis of different pollution sources.

[Study on the relationship between urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites and pulmonary function in community population].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) metabolites and pulmonary function in community population. Methods: A total of 4 812 participants were recruited from two communities in Wuhan city from April to May 2011 and two communities in Zhuhai city in May 2012. Information of demographic characteristics and life style was collected by semi-structural questionnaire. Physical examination was performed and pulmonary function was measured. Morning urine was also collected. The concentration of 12 urinary PAHs metabolites was tested and classified into four types by chemical structure, including hydroxynaphthalene, hydroxyfluorene, hydroxyphenanthrene and hydroxypyrene. The level of pulmonary function in different group of urinary PAHs metabolites was compared by using covariance analysis. The association of the urinary PAHs metabolites and pulmonary function was analyzed by using generalized linear model, and the interaction of different population characteristics and life style on the association was analyzed. Results: The age of participants was(51.99±13.64) years old, and 67.66% (n=2 565) of the population were women. The M (P(25), P(75)) of concentration of total urinary PAHs metabolites was 5.72 (3.91,8.72) µg/mmol Cr. After controlling for variables including age, gender, city, Waist-to-Hip Ratio, smoking status, drinking situation, physical activity, cooking meals at home or not, kitchen ventilation and exposure to dust as confounding factors, generalized linear model showed that each 1-unit increase in log-transformed levels of hydroxynaphthalene, hydroxyfluorene, hydroxyphenanthrene, hydroxypyrene and total PAHs was associated with 26.83 (95%CI: -48.18, -5.48) , 21.86 (95%CI: -40.49, -3.23), 26.18(95%CI: -48.27, -4.09), 34.95 (95%CI: -55.95, -13.94), and 35.23 (95%CI: -58.93, -11.54) ml reduction of FVC and 29.36 (95%CI: -47.23, -11.48), 20.79 (95%CI: -36.39, -5.19), 22.65 (95%CI: -41.15, -4.15), 31.44(95%CI: -49.03, -13.85), and 33.20 (95%CI: -53.04, -13.36) ml reduction of FEV(1) respectively (all P values<0.05). Compared to non-alcohol users and participants with home cooking, the association was more evident in alcohol users and participants without home cooking(P for interaction<0.05). Conclusion: The exposure to PAHs was associated with decreased pulmonary function, and the association was more evident in alcohol users and participants without home cooking.

Association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and rheumatoid arthritis / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To analyze the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)exposure and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)based on large sample data.Methods The RA patients(RA group)and non-RA patients(non-RA group)with complete data were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Survey Database in the United States(NHANES)(2005-2014).The logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between 8 monohydroxylated(OH-)PAH metabolites in the urine and RA.Results A total of 357 RA patients and 5,256 non-RA participants were included.After adjusting the confounding factors by logistic analysis,the level of OH-PAHs mixture at the highest quartile(Q4)was associated with increased risk of RA compared with that at the lowest quartile(Q1) (OR =1.60,95 ％ CI:1.16 2.23).For a single kind of OH-PAHs,the Q4 levels of 1-hydroxynaphthalene (OR =1.59,95 ％ CI.1.14-2.23),2-hydroxynaphthalene (OR =1.66,95 ％ CI:1.19-2.32),2-hydroxyfluorene(OR =1.61,95 ％ CI:1.17-2.22),3-hydroxyfluorene(OR =1.64,95％ CI:1.18-2.27) and 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (OR =1.38,95 ％ CI:1.00-1.94) were all associated with significantly increased risk of RA compared with the Q1 level(all P＜0.05).However,the Q2 level of 1-hydroxypyrene(OR =0.60,95％ CI:0.43-0.83) was related to a decreased incidence of RA (P＜0.01).Conclusions OH-PAHs mixed exposure is a risk factor for RA.The association between the level of individual OH-PAH and the rate of RA is bidirectional and is depended on the type and concentration of OH-PAHs.

Association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and rheumatoid arthritis / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective@#To analyze the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)exposure and rheumatoid arthritis(RA)based on large sample data.@*Methods@#The RA patients(RA group)and non-RA patients(non-RA group)with complete data were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Survey Database in the United States(NHANES)(2005—2014). The logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between 8 monohydroxylated(OH-)PAH metabolites in the urine and RA.@*Results@#A total of 357 RA patients and 5, 256 non-RA participants were included.After adjusting the confounding factors by logistic analysis, the level of OH-PAHs mixture at the highest quartile(Q4)was associated with increased risk of RA compared with that at the lowest quartile(Q1)(OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.16-2.23). For a single kind of OH-PAHs, the Q4 levels of 1-hydroxynaphthalene(OR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.14-2.23), 2-hydroxynaphthalene(OR=1.66, 95%CI: 1.19-2.32), 2-hydroxyfluorene(OR=1.61, 95%CI: 1.17-2.22), 3-hydroxyfluorene(OR=1.64, 95%CI: 1.18-2.27)and 1-hydroxyphenanthrene(OR=1.38, 95%CI: 1.00-1.94)were all associated with significantly increased risk of RA compared with the Q1 level(all P<0.05). However, the Q2 level of 1-hydroxypyrene(OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.43-0.83)was related to a decreased incidence of RA(P<0.01).@*Conclusions@#OH-PAHs mixed exposure is a risk factor for RA.The association between the level of individual OH-PAH and the rate of RA is bidirectional and is depended on the type and concentration of OH-PAHs.

Expression and clinical significance of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in peripheral blood and skin lesions of patients with atopic dermatitis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective To detect levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and its downstream molecules in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and sera from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD),and to analyze the correlation of their expression with serum cytokines and the severity of AD.Methods Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) was performed to analyze mRNA expression of AhR,cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A1),AhR repressor (AHRR),AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) in PBMCs from 29 AD patients and 17 healthy controls,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β,IL-6,tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,IL-4,IL-22 and AhR in the AD patients,and immunohistochemical study to determine AhR expression in skin lesions of the AD patients and normal skin tissues of 21 patients with pigmented nevus.Measurement data were compared by using unpaired Student's t test,enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test,and correlations between indices were analyzed by using Pearson correlation analysis.Results The serum level of AhR was significantly higher in the AD group (41.26 ± 4.52 pmol/L) than in the healthy control group (33.73 ± 2.49 pmol/L,t =6.507,P ＜ 0.001).Compared with the healthy control group,the AD group showed significantly increased mRNA expression ofAhR (1.572 ± 0.392 vs.1.000 ± 0.173,t =6.819,P =0.007),AHRR (2.402 ±1.716 vs.1.000 ± 0.788,t =3.722,P =0.039),CYP1A1 (2.258 ± 1.598 vs.1.000 ± 0.796,t =3.400,P =0.002) and ARNT (1.383 ± 0.842 vs.1.000 ± 0.586,t =1.653,P =0.105) in PBMCs.The AhR expression in skin lesions in the AD group was significantly higher than that in normal skin tissues in the control group (0.191 ± 0.041 vs.0.087 ± 0.017,t =10.036,P ＜ 0.001).In the AD group,the mRNA expression of AhR in PBMCs was positively correlated with eczema area and severity index score (r =0.448,P =0.019) and the serum IL-6 level (r =0.377,P =0.046),and the AHRR mRNA expression was positively correlated with the serum IL-1β level (r =0.467,P =0.021).Conclusion AhR and its downstream molecules were highly expressed in the AD patients compared with healthy controls,and the AhR expression was positively correlated with the serum IL-6 level and AD severity in AD patients,suggesting that the AhR signaling pathway may play a certain role in pathogenesis of AD and AhR may serve as an efficient index for evaluating AD severitv.

Study on Mutagenic Effect of Reclaimed Water in Tianjin / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To study the mutagenic effect of reclaimed water in Tianjin. Methods Reverse phase C-18 solid-phase extraction (RP-C18SPE) was used for the extraction of target compounds from water samples. Ames test was used to detect mutation. Results PAHs were detected in both low-water and high-water period,including fluorene,phenanthrene,naphthalene,acenaphthylene and acenaphthene. In the high-water period, the total concentration of 16 kinds of PAHs was 1 777.9 ng/L and 1 380.1 ng/L in untreated reclaimed water and treated reclaimed water respectively, in the low-water period,it was 2 225.1 ng/L and 1 827.1 ng/L respectively. Ames test showed that both untreated reclaimed water and treated reclaimed water could induce mutation of TA98 and TA100 strains with a dose-response relationship. Conclusion The reclaimed water used in Tianjin still contains PAHs of a certain level, which have mutagenic effect.