Intestinal persistence of Bifidobacterium infantis is determined by interaction of host genetics and antibiotic exposure.

Probiotics have gained significant attention as a potential strategy to improve health by modulating host-microbe interactions, particularly in situations where the normal microbiota has been disrupted. However, evidence regarding their efficacy has been inconsistent, with considerable interindividual variability in response. We aimed to explore whether a common genetic variant that affects the production of mucosal α(1,2)-fucosylated glycans, present in around 20% of the population, could explain the observed interpersonal differences in the persistence of commonly used probiotics. Using a mouse model with varying α(1,2)-fucosylated glycans secretion (Fut2WT or Fut2KO), we examined the abundance and persistence of Bifidobacterium strains (infantis, breve, and bifidum). We observed significant differences in baseline gut microbiota characteristics between Fut2WT and Fut2KO littermates, with Fut2WT mice exhibiting enrichment of species able to utilize α(1,2)-fucosylated glycans. Following antibiotic exposure, only Fut2WT animals showed persistent engraftment of Bifidobacterium infantis, a strain able to internalize α(1,2)-fucosylated glycans, whereas B. breve and B. bifidum, which cannot internalize α(1,2)-fucosylated glycans, did not exhibit this difference. In mice with an intact commensal microbiota, the relationship between secretor status and B. infantis persistence was reversed, with Fut2KO animals showing greater persistence compared to Fut2WT. Our findings suggest that the interplay between a common genetic variation and antibiotic exposure plays a crucial role in determining the dynamics of B. infantis in the recipient gut, which could potentially contribute to the observed variation in response to this commonly used probiotic species.

Patterns of Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Mature Milk Are Associated with Certain Gut Microbiota in Infants.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complexes that play a crucial role in shaping the early-life gut microbiota. This study intends to explore whether HMO patterns are associated with the gut microbiota of infants. We included 96 Chinese breastfeeding mother-infant dyads. Breast milk and infant faecal samples were collected and tested. With milk 2'-fucosyllactose, difucosyllactose, and lacto-N-fucopentaose-I as biomarkers, we divided the mothers into secretor and non-secretor groups. HMO patterns were extracted using principal component analysis. The majority (70.7%) of mothers were categorised as secretor and five different HMO patterns were identified. After adjustment, the infants of secretor mothers exhibited a lower relative abundance of Bifidobacterium bifidum (ß = -0.245, 95%CI: -0.465~-0.025). An HMO pattern characterised by high levels of 3-fucosyllactose, lacto-N-fucopentaose-III, and lacto-N-neodifucohexaose-II was positively associated with the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium breve (p = 0.014), while the pattern characterised by lacto-N-neotetraose, 6'-sialyllactose, and sialyllacto-N-tetraose-b was negatively associated with Bifidobacterium breve (p = 0.027). The pattern characterised by high levels of monofucosyl-lacto-N-hexaose-III and monofucosyl-lacto-N-neohexaose was positively associated with Bifidobacterium dentium (p = 0.025) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (p < 0.001), respectively. This study suggests that HMO patterns from mature breast milk were associated with certain gut microbiota of breastfed infants.

Evaluation of Prebiotic Glycan Composition in Human Milk and Infant Formula: Profile of Galacto-Oligosaccharides and Absolute Quantification of Major Milk Oligosaccharides by UPLC-Cyclic IM-MS and UPLC-MS/MS.

Prebiotic oligosaccharides have attracted immense interest in the infant formula (IF) industry due to their unique health benefits for infants. There is a need for the reasonable supplementation of prebiotics in premium IF products. Herein, we characterized the profile of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in human milk (HM) and IF using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-cyclic ion mobility-mass spectrometry (UPLC-cIM-MS) technique. Additionally, we further performed a targeted quantitative analysis of five essential HM oligosaccharides (HMOs) in HM (n = 196), IF (n = 50), and raw milk of IF (n = 10) by the high-sensitivity UPLC-MS/MS method. HM exhibited a more abundant and variable HMO composition (1183.19 to 2892.91 mg/L) than IF (32.91 to 56.31 mg/L), whereas IF contained extra GOS species and non-negligible endogenous 3'-sialyllactose. This also facilitated the discovery of secretor features within the Chinese population. Our study illustrated the real disparity in the prebiotic glycome between HM and IF and provided crucial reference for formula improvement.

Investigating ABO Blood Groups and Secretor Status in Relation to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Severity.

The ABO blood groups, Lewis antigens, and secretor systems are important components of transfusion medicine. These interconnected systems have been also shown to be associated with differing susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, likely as the result of selection over the course of evolution and the constant tug of war between humans and infectious microbes. This comprehensive narrative review aimed to explore the literature and to present the current state of knowledge on reported associations of the ABO, Lewis, and secretor blood groups with SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Our main finding was that the A blood group may be associated with increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and possibly also with increased disease severity and overall mortality. The proposed pathophysiological pathways explaining this potential association include antibody-mediated mechanisms and increased thrombotic risk amongst blood group A individuals, in addition to altered inflammatory cytokine expression profiles. Preliminary evidence does not support the association between ABO blood groups and COVID-19 vaccine response, or the risk of developing long COVID. Even though the emergency state of the pandemic is over, further research is needed especially in this area since tens of millions of people worldwide suffer from lingering COVID-19 symptoms.

The Role of Maternal Secretor Status and Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Breast milk is the gold standard of infant nutrition, delivering nutrients and bioactive molecules as needed to support optimal infant growth and cognitive development. Increasing evidence links human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to these early childhood development milestones. Aims: To summarize and synthesize the evidence relating to HMOs and infant brain development, physical growth, and cognitive development. In addition, HMO concentrations in secretor and nonsecretor mothers were compared via a meta-analysis. Study Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out in accordance with the PRISMA statement. This review used three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and was limited to English-language articles published between 2000 and June 30, 2023. Results: The initial searches yielded 245 articles, 27 of which were included in the systematic review and 12 in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a substantial between-study heterogeneity, I2 = 97.3%. The pooled effect was 0.21 (95% CI: -0.41 to 0.83; p = 0.484), indicating that secretors had higher HMO concentrations, although this difference was not statistically significant. At one month of age, 2'FL, 3FL, and 3'SL play an important role in brain maturation and thus play a critical role in cognitive development. Secretors produce higher concentrations of 2'FL and 3'SL, explaining the benefits to infants of secretor mothers. Growth velocity was correlated to fucosylated and sialylated HMO concentrations, with lower concentrations linked to stunting. Conclusions: According to evidence from the systematically reviewed articles, HMOs are essential for a child's early development, but the extent to which they have an impact depends on maternal secretor status.

Infant Non-Secretor Histoblood Group Antigen Phenotype Reduces Susceptibility to Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Rotavirus Infection.

The infant non-secretor histoblood group antigen phenotype is associated with reduced risk of symptomatic rotavirus diarrhea, one of the leading global causes of severe pediatric diarrheal disease and mortality. However, little is known regarding the role of secretor status in asymptomatic rotavirus infections. Therefore, we performed a nested case-control study within a birth cohort study previously conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to determine the association between infant secretor phenotype and the odds of asymptomatic rotavirus infection, in addition to the risk of rotavirus diarrhea, in unvaccinated infants. In the parent cohort, infants were enrolled in the first week of life and followed through the first two years of life with multiple clinic visits and active surveillance for diarrheal illness. Secretor phenotyping was performed on saliva. Eleven surveillance stools collected over the first year of life were tested for rotavirus by real-time RT-PCR, followed by conventional PCR and amplicon sequencing to identify the infecting P-type of positive specimens. Similar to findings for symptomatic diarrhea, infant non-secretors experienced significantly fewer primary episodes of asymptomatic rotavirus infection through the first year of life in a likely rotavirus P-genotype-dependent manner. These data suggest that non-secretors experienced reduced risk from rotavirus due to decreased susceptibility to infection rather than reduced infection severity.

Microbiota from human infants consuming secretors or non-secretors mothers' milk impacts the gut and immune system in mice.

Maternal secretor status is one of the determinants of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) composition, which, in turn, influences the gut microbiota composition of infants. To understand if this change in gut microbiota impacts immune cell composition, intestinal morphology, and gene expression, 21-day-old germ-free C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with fecal microbiota from infants whose mothers were either secretors (SMM) or non-secretors (NSM) or from infants consuming dairy-based formula (MFM). For each group, one set of mice was supplemented with HMOs. HMO supplementation did not significantly impact the microbiota diversity; however, SMM mice had a higher abundance of genus Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Blautia, whereas, in the NSM group, there was a higher abundance of Akkermansia, Enterocloster, and Klebsiella. In MFM, gut microbiota was represented mainly by Parabacteroides, Ruminococcaceae_unclassified, and Clostrodium_sensu_stricto. In mesenteric lymph node, Foxp3+ T cells and innate lymphoid cells type 2 were increased in MFM mice supplemented with HMOs, while in the spleen, they were increased in SMM + HMOs mice. Similarly, serum immunoglobulin A was also elevated in MFM + HMOs group. Distinct global gene expression of the gut was observed in each microbiota group, which was enhanced with HMOs supplementation. Overall, our data show that distinct infant gut microbiota due to maternal secretor status or consumption of dairy-based formula and HMO supplementation impacts immune cell composition, antibody response, and intestinal gene expression in a mouse model. IMPORTANCE: Early life factors like neonatal diet modulate gut microbiota, which is important for the optimal gut and immune function. One such factor, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), the composition of which is determined by maternal secretor status, has a profound effect on infant gut microbiota. However, how the infant gut microbiota composition determined by maternal secretor status or consumption of infant formula devoid of HMOs impacts infant intestinal ammorphology, gene expression, and immune signature is not well explored. This study provides insights into the differential establishment of infant microbiota derived from infants fed by secretor or non-secretor mothers milk or those consuming infant formula and demonstrates that the secretor status of mothers promotes Bifidobacteria and Bacteroides sps. establishment. This study also shows that supplementation of pooled HMOs in mice changed immune cell composition in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes and immunoglobulins in circulation. Hence, this study highlights that maternal secretor status has a role in infant gut microbiota composition, and this, in turn, can impact host gut and immune system.

Label-Free Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Quantitation of Relative N- and O-Glycan Concentrations in Human Milk in Japan.

Human milk is abundant in carbohydrates and includes human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and N/O-glycans conjugated to proteins. HMO compositions and concentrations vary in individuals according to the maternal secretor status based on the fucosyltransferase 2 genotype; however, the profile of N/O-glycans remains uninvestigated because of the analytical complexity. Herein, we applied a label-free chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique to elucidate the variation in the composition and concentration of N/O-glycans in human milk. We used label-free LC-MS to relatively quantify 16 N-glycans and 12 O-glycans in 200 samples of Japanese human milk (1-2 months postpartum) and applied high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection to absolutely quantify the concentrations of 11 representative HMOs. Cluster analysis of the quantitative data revealed that O-glycans and several HMOs were classified according to the presence or absence of fucose linked to galactose while N-glycans were classified into a different group from O-glycans and HMOs. O-glycans and HMOs with fucose linked to galactose were more abundant in human milk from secretor mothers than from nonsecretor mothers. Thus, secretor status influenced the composition and concentration of HMOs and O-glycans but not those of N-glycans in human milk.

The secretor status of blood group antigens in the saliva in people with oral cancers: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Human ABO blood group type and the antigenic secretor status are hypothesized to associate with oral diseases including oral cancer. Secretor status is the ability of individuals to secrete blood group antigens into body fluids. This study aimed to evaluate the secretor status of ABO antigens of saliva in patients with oral cancers or oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) relative to healthy adults. METHODS: A systematic and comprehensive online search from inception to April 28, 2022, was carried out in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, and Emcare. The language was limited to English. Yielded records were screened by two independent reviewers at the title and abstract phase and at full-text screening. Studies investigating adults (≥ 18 years) with oral cancers or oral potentially malignant disorders compared to adults free of oral cancer were included in this study. Data were extracted according to the planned objectives. Methodological quality was assessed, and the findings were analyzed narratively. Meta-analyses were conducted to pool the odds of the non-secretor status of oral cancers and OPMDs compared to healthy adults. RESULTS: The search included a total of 34 studies from three databases. Nine duplicates were removed. During the title and abstract screening, 11 irrelevant studies were excluded. Twelve studies were screened during the full-text screening, and eight articles were eligible to be included in the final analysis. A pooled odds ratio (OR) of 3.80 (95%CI, 1.53-9.44) was estimated when pooled 1254 oral cancers and oral potentially malignant disorders patients compared to 666 healthy adults. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The odds of being a non-secretor appear to be approximately 3.8 times higher in patients with oral cancers and oral potentially malignant disorders compared to healthy adults. The lack of ABO blood group antigens in body fluids of non-secretors is more exposed to exogenous antigens than secretors. The host-parasite interactions of secretors and non-secretors underlying oral cancer and other diseases may be evidence to support or refuse them. Clinicians may use the secretor status as a detection test during their regular oral check-ups for high-risk populations for oral cancers. Non-secretors can be given more attention considering them as high-risk groups, and in terms of prognosis, differences between these two groups may be expected.

The protective associations of breastfeeding with infant overweight and asthma are not dependent on maternal FUT2 secretor status.

Breastfeeding supplies infant gut bacteria with human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) as a nutrient source. HMO profiles are influenced by the FUT2 gene, which encodes an enzyme affecting the fucosylation of milk sugars. 20 to 40% of individuals have a "non-secretor" polymorphism that inactivates the FUT2 gene, resulting in variable HMO proportions in milk. This has engendered a concerning, yet unfounded, perception that non-secretor milk is "inferior." To address this untested hypothesis, we re-analyzed two datasets in which we previously showed that breastfeeding was protective against early life asthma and excessive infant weight gain in the Canadian CHILD Cohort Study. Using stratified regression models, we found that the protective association of exclusive breastfeeding and infant asthma was not modified by maternal secretor status (secretors aOR: 0.53, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.92; non-secretors aOR: 0.36, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.04; p for interaction = 0.50, N = 2086 children). Similarly, the association of breastfeeding with lower infant BMI and weight gain velocity did not vary by maternal secretor status (infant BMI: secretors aß -0.47, 95% CI -0.66 to -0.29; non-secretors aß -0.46, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.13; p for interaction = 0.60; N = 1971 infants). Our results indicate that secretor and non-secretor mothers can equally promote infant growth and respiratory health through breastfeeding. These findings run contrary to the idea that non-secretor milk is an inferior food source, and instead reify the importance of breastfeeding for all infants. The results of this study can inform feeding recommendations that are applicable to all infants, regardless of maternal secretor status.

Comparative Analysis of Human Milk Glycosphingolipids from Different Secretor Mothers Using HILIC-MS/MS.

Glycosphingolipids participate in brain development, intestinal tract maturation, and defense against gut pathogens. Here, we performed a qualitative and quantitative comparison of milk glycosphingolipids from secretors and nonsecretors. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was employed, along with an internal standard, to resolve the complications presented by the fact that glycosphingolipids are structurally diverse, varying in glycan composition and ceramide. In total, 101 glycosphingolipids were detected, of which 76 were reported for the first time, including fucose-modified neutral glycosphingolipids. Seventy-eight glycosphingolipids differed significantly between secretor and nonsecretor milk (p < 0.05), resulting in higher levels of certain neutral species (p < 0.001) but lower levels of fucose-modified monosialylated and disialylated species in secretor mothers (p < 0.01). In both milk types, the most abundant glycosphingolipids were of the monosialylated type, followed by disialylated, neutral, and trisialylated ones. Notably, fucose-modified monosialylated glycosphingolipids accounted for the highest proportion.

Genetic prediction of 33 blood group phenotypes using an existing genotype dataset.

BACKGROUND: Accurate blood type data are essential for blood bank management, but due to costs, few of 43 blood group systems are routinely determined in Danish blood banks. However, a more comprehensive dataset of blood types is useful in scenarios such as rare blood type allocation. We aimed to investigate the viability and accuracy of predicting blood types by leveraging an existing dataset of imputed genotypes for two cohorts of approximately 90,000 each (Danish Blood Donor Study and Copenhagen Biobank) and present a more comprehensive overview of blood types for our Danish donor cohort. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood types were predicted from genome array data using known variant determinants. Prediction accuracy was confirmed by comparing with preexisting serological blood types. The Vel blood group was used to test the viability of using genetic prediction to narrow down the list of candidate donors with rare blood types. RESULTS: Predicted phenotypes showed a high balanced accuracy >99.5% in most cases: A, B, C/c, Coa /Cob , Doa /Dob , E/e, Jka /Jkb , Kna /Knb , Kpa /Kpb , M/N, S/s, Sda , Se, and Yta /Ytb , while some performed slightly worse: Fya /Fyb , K/k, Lua /Lub , and Vel ~99%-98% and CW and P1 ~96%. Genetic prediction identified 70 potential Vel negatives in our cohort, 64 of whom were confirmed correct using polymerase chain reaction (negative predictive value: 91.5%). DISCUSSION: High genetic prediction accuracy in most blood groups demonstrated the viability of generating blood types using preexisting genotype data at no cost and successfully narrowed the pool of potential individuals with the rare Vel-negative phenotype from 180,000 to 70.

Impact of milk secretor status on the fecal metabolome and microbiota of breastfed infants.

Maternal secretor status has been shown to be associated with the presence of specific fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and the impact of maternal secretor status on infant gut microbiota measured through 16s sequencing has previously been reported. None of those studies have confirmed exclusive breastfeeding nor investigated the impact of maternal secretor status on gut microbial fermentation products. The present study focused on exclusively breastfed (EBF) Indonesian infants, with exclusive breastfeeding validated through the stable isotope deuterium oxide dose-to-mother (DTM) technique, and the impact of maternal secretor status on the infant fecal microbiome and metabolome. Maternal secretor status did not alter the within-community (alpha) diversity, between-community (beta) diversity, or the relative abundance of bacterial taxa at the genus level. However, infants fed milk from secretor (Se+) mothers exhibited a lower level of fecal succinate, amino acids and their derivatives, and a higher level of 1,2-propanediol when compared to infants fed milk from non-secretor (Se-) mothers. Interestingly, for infants consuming milk from Se+ mothers, there was a correlation between the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus, and between each of these genera and fecal metabolites that was not observed in infants receiving milk from Se- mothers. Our findings indicate that the secretor status of the mother impacts the gut microbiome of the exclusively breastfed infant.

Las células senescentes como factores patogénicos y posibles dianas terapéuticas en osteoporosis / Cellular senescence as a pathogenic factor and potential therapeutic target in osteoporosis

La senescencia celular es un proceso inducido por varios tipos de estrés que causan una detención irreversible del ciclo celular y un cambio en las características y la funcionalidad de las células, además de la adquisición de un fenotipo secretor que genera un ambiente proinflamatorio. Si bien en determinados contextos es beneficiosa para los tejidos y promueve el desarrollo del organismo, la senescencia es un destino celular implicado en el proceso de envejecimiento y en las patologías degenerativas relacionadas con la edad. Los senolíticos son fármacos que eliminan específicamente a las células senescentes y los senomórficos son fármacos que suprimen su fenotipo secretor asociado a senescencia (SASP) sin inducir la muerte celular. Así, las estrategias terapéuticas enfocadas en las células senescentes (senolíticos y senomórficos) como mecanismo subyacente al envejecimiento, se erigen en una alternativa con gran potencial para luchar contra las enfermedades relacionadas con la edad en su conjunto, y no de forma individual. Una de estas patologías es la osteoporosis, donde además se han descrito, a nivel experimental, que fármacos como el ácido zoledrónico tiene efecto sobre los preosteoblastos y actúa sobre las células senescentes, prolongando la supervivencia y abriendo la puerta a la posibilidad de tratar las enfermedades relacionadas con la edad con fármacos que ya se empleen en la práctica, y que puedan tener un efecto más allá del propio hueso y aumentar la supervivencia. En este trabajo se va a realizar una revisión en este campo de vertiginoso crecimiento en los últimos años y con indudable interés traslacional.(AU)

Cellular senescence is a process induced by various types of stress that irreversibly cause cell cycle arrest and changes tothe characteristics and functionality of cells, as well as the acquisition of a secretory phenotype that generates a pro-in-flammatory environment. While, in certain contexts, it is beneficial for tissues and promotes organism development, senes-cence is a cellular fate implicated in the process of aging and age-related degenerative conditions. Senolytics are drugs thatspecifically eliminate senescent cells, and senomorphics are drugs that suppress their senescence-associated secretoryphenotype (SASP) without inducing cell death. Therefore, therapeutic strategies targeting senescent cells (senolytics andsenomorphics) as an underlying mechanism of aging emerge as an alternative with great potential to fight age-relateddiseases as a whole rather than individually. One of these conditions is osteoporosis where it has been experimentallydescribed that drugs such as zoledronic acid have effects on preosteoblasts and act on senescent cells extending survivaland opening up the possibility of treating age-related diseases with drugs already used in practice, which may have effectsbeyond the bone itself and increase overall survival. In this study, a review will be conducted in this rapidly growing fieldin recent years of undeniable translational interest.(AU)

Association of mannose binding lectin with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease susceptibility and its clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The physiological interactions of MBL suggest its contribution towards the pathogenesis of COPD. OBJECTIVE: The present case-control study was undertaken to elucidate the role of MBL with COPD risk and clinical outcomes in north Indian cohort. METHODS: Patients were enrolled as per GOLD criteria. MBL2 variants were selected based on the literature and their putative functional significance. Genotyping of six single nucleotide polymorphisms of MBL2 comprising of two coding (rs1800450, rs1800451) and four non-coding variants (rs11003125, rs7096206, rs11003123 and rs7095891) was done by using PCR-RFLP and ARMS-PCR. Serum MBL levels were analysed by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Overall findings of the molecular genetic analysis of MBL2 indicated significant difference in frequency of three of the six studied variants, between patients and controls or among different disease severity stages. Heterozygous genotype of rs7095891 showed significant protective association towards severity of disease. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated a strong LD between rs1800450 and rs7095891 while intermediate LD was observed for rs11003123/rs11003125 and rs7096206/rs11003125. Haplotype analysis revealed 17.14-fold risk of developing exacerbations conferred by GGGTGG haplotype. Significantly low serum MBL levels observed in COPD patients as compared to controls. Significant difference in MBL deficiency levels were also observed for homozygous wild and variant genotypes of rs11003125 and rs7096206 respectively, as well as for all genotypes of rs11003123 than respective controls. CONCLUSION: The present study reinforces the role played by MBL in the susceptibility, protection and clinical outcomes of COPD. Therefore, including the reported associations at diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic interventions may prove helpful.

ABO, Lewis blood group systems and secretory status with H.pylori infection in yemeni dyspeptic patients: a cross- sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The ABO and Lewis blood group antigens are potential factors in susceptibility to H. pylori infection. This research aimed to examine the prevalence of Helicobater pylori (H.pylori) infection and its association with ABO, Lewis blood group systems, and secretory status in Yemeni symptomatic patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 103 patients referred for endoscopy due to dyspepsia were included. H pylori infection was assessed using stool antigen and serum antibody rapid tests. ABO and Lewis blood group systems were examined using hemagglutination assay. Saliva samples were investigated for identification of the secretory phenotype using hemagglutination inhibition test. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was (80.6%), with a higher rate of infection in females than males. The ABO blood groups were found to be significantly different between males and females (p = 0.047). The O blood group was prevalent among H. pylori patients, especially secretors. There was a significant association between ABO blood groups and H. pylori infection (p = 0.001). The Le (a + b+) phenotype was the most common, followed by Le (a + b-), Le (a-b+), and Le (a-b-). Lewis blood group systems and secretory status of symptomatic patients were not associated with H. pylori infection. The results showed that serum Ab test for H. pylori achieved poor sensitivity (68%), specificity of 55%; positive predictive value (PPV) 86%, negative predictive value (NPV) 29% and accuracy 65.1%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was high in Yemeni patients. This infection was linked to the O and Le (a + b+) secretor phenotype. The H. pylori stool Ag test is the most reliable noninvasive diagnostic method for detecting H. pylori infection.

A rare report of H-partially deficient, non-secretor phenotype from India. An Ah like the rèunion and unlike a Para Bombay-Clarifying misinterpretations.

BACKGROUND: H-deficient phenotypes are classified as H-deficient non- secretors (Bombay Oh), H-deficient secretors (Para Bombay), and H-partially deficient non-secretors (O h reunion, Ah and Bh, ABh). REPORT: We report the first case of H-partially deficient non-secretor- the Ah phenotype from India. What makes this report interesting is that they do not fit into the Bombay, or the Para Bombay series of H-deficient phenotypes and these partially deficient non-secretors were exclusively found on Réunion Island, off the East Coast of Africa in 1982. These reunion type phenotypes have not been reported since then and may lead to misinterpretations and confusions when encountered in the current existing laboratory settings especially in the low income (LIC's) and low middle income (LMIC's) countries like our own. Moreover, literature from LMIC and LIC incorrectly uses Ah/Bh for parabombay phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: H-deficient phenotypes are rare, challenging to identify and assign correct notations. Hence, we have highlighted characteristic differences between H-deficient phenotypes and illustrated a diagnostic laboratory approach to correctly identify and assign notations to them especially in the resource constrained settings.

Maternal Breast Milk Secretor Phenotype Does Not Affect Infant Susceptibility to Rotavirus Diarrhea.

Breast milk secretor status is associated with antibody seroconversion to oral rotavirus vaccination. Here, we were unable to detect a similar impact on risk of infant rotavirus diarrhea or vaccine efficacy through 2 years of life, underscoring limitations of immunogenicity assessment alone in evaluation of oral rotavirus vaccine response.

Online PGC-LC-ESI-MS/MS comparative analysis of variations in human milk O-glycopatterns from different secretor status.

O-glycome is one of the important components of glycoconjugates in human milk which is speculated to provide protective features similar to those observed in free oligosaccharides. The effects of maternal secretor status on free oligosaccharides and N-glycome in milk have been well researched and documented. Currently, milk O-glycome of secretors (Se+) and nonsecretors (Se-) was investigated through reductive ß-elimination combined with porous graphitized carbon-liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 70 presumptive O-glycan structures were identified, of which 25 O-glycans (including 14 sulfated O-glycans) were reported for the first time. Notably, 23 O-glycans exhibited significant differences between Se+ and Se- samples (p < 0.05). Compared to Se- group, the O-glycans of the Se+ group was two times more abundant in the total glycosylation, sialylation, fucosylation, and sulfation (p < 0.01). In conclusion, approximately one-third of the milk O-glycosylation was influenced by maternal FUT2-related secretor status. Our data will lay a foundation for the study of O-glycans structure-function relationship.

A case report on para-Bombay blood group.

Rare blood group detection is important as the incidence of these blood groups is very low. These rare blood groups need a transfusion of blood from the same group of people; sometimes, it is not available in blood banks. It is important to detect them in the field of transfusion medicine so that the right transfusion at the right time and for the right patient is ensured. We had one patient who was identified as blood group O in a private laboratory and the patient came to our hospital for anemia during the second trimester of pregnancy whose forward grouping showed no agglutination in the anti-a and anti-b and also no agglutination in the anti-H so we thought it to be Bombay blood group. We performed the reverse grouping and we found agglutination with pooled A cells and pooled B cells but no agglutination in the pooled O cells. We found forward and reverse grouping were discordant so we concluded that the patient had Bombay variant blood group, the secretor status of the patient was done in saliva using hemagglutination inhibition test and we found that the patient had secretion of H substance in the saliva. Rh typing: it was found that the patient had positive in Rh typing. Family members were screened and they all were O positive. Forward and reverse grouping along with the secretor status detection helped to detect the case. This case report highlights the importance of blood grouping forward and reverse and also using Anti-H reagent for blood grouping and also the use of secretor status in the detection of proper blood grouping of the patient.