Healthy eating index (HEI) as the predictor of asthma: Findings from NHANES.

BACKGROUND&AIMS: Previous studies have shown that the formation and development of asthma are closely related to diet. A proper diet can control asthma onset although the precise dietary components involved in preventing or delaying the onset of asthma remain unclear. The healthy eating index (HEI-2015) is a dietary score that measures the overall diet quality as well as the quality of several dietary components. We aimed to explore the relationship between HEI and asthma. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that used data from the 2005 to 2018 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) in adults (n = 26,567). Our inclusion criteria were adults ≥18 years, completion of asthma-related questionnaires and availability of HEI data. Weighted logistic regression was performed to assess the association between asthma and HEI after adjusting for several covariates. RESULTS: Patients with asthma were more likely to be female, come from a poorer background, have a raised body mass index (BMI) and a lower HEI total score. Higher HEI total scores were associated with a lower risk of asthma in adults. In addition, eating more whole fruits, more greens and beans, more total protein foods, more seafood and plant proteins, and having a reduced dietary intake of added sugars reduces the risk of asthma. In asthmatic populations, higher HEI scores are associated with older age at onset of asthma. CONCLUSION: There is an inverse association between the HEI and asthma. This underlines the importance of improving adherence to healthy dietary patterns in the prevention of asthma.

Langerin-expressing dendritic cells in pulmonary immune-related diseases.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are "frontline" immune cells dedicated to antigen presentation. They serve as an important bridge connecting innate and adaptive immunity, and express various receptors for antigen capture. DCs are divided into various subclasses according to their differential expression of cell surface receptors and different subclasses of DCs exhibit specific immunological characteristics. Exploring the common features of each sub-category has became the focus of many studies. There are certain amounts of DCs expressing langerin in airways and peripheral lungs while the precise mechanism by which langerin+ DCs drive pulmonary disease is unclear. Langerin-expressing DCs can be further subdivided into numerous subtypes based on the co-expressed receptors, but here, we identify commonalities across these subtypes that point to the major role of langerin. Better understanding is required to clarify key disease pathways and determine potential new therapeutic approaches.

Rapamycin-mediated mTOR inhibition impairs silencing of sex chromosomes and the pachytene piRNA pathway in the mouse testis.

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) controls cell growth and metabolism in response to environmental and metabolic signals. Rapamycin robustly extends the lifespan in mammals and has clinical relevance in organ transplantation and cancer therapy but side effects include male infertility. Here, we report that chronic rapamycin treatment causes spermatogenic arrest in adult male mice due to defects in sex body formation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). Many sex chromosome-linked genes were up-regulated in isolated pachytene spermatocytes from rapamycin-treated mice. RNA-Seq analysis also identified mRNAs encoding the core piRNA pathway components were decreased. Furthermore, rapamycin treatment was associated with a drastic reduction in pachytene piRNA populations. The inhibitory effects of rapamycin on spermatogenesis were partially reversible, with restoration of testis mass and sperm motility within 2 months of treatment cessation. Collectively, we have defined an essential role of mTOR in MSCI and identified a novel function as a regulator of small RNA homeostasis in male germ cells.