The relationship between vitamin D receptor gene and TREM-1 gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility and prognosis of neonatal sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this was to study the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and neonatal sepsis susceptibility and prognosis. METHODS: The blood of 150 neonatal sepsis patients and 150 normal neonates was collected, and genomic DNA was extracted. Sanger sequencing was used to analyze the genotypes of VDR rs739837 and TREM-1 rs2234246. RESULTS: Vitamin D receptor rs739837 locus GT, TT genotype, dominant model, and recessive model were all protective factors for sepsis (0 < OR < 1, p < 0.05). The risk of sepsis in carriers of the rs739837 G allele was 0.65 times that of the rs739837 T allele (95% CI: 0.50-0.83, p < 0.001), CT, TT, dominant model, and recessive model at rs2234246 were risk factors for sepsis (OR > 1, p < 0.05). The risk of sepsis in carriers of the rs739837 T allele was 1.38 times that of carriers of the C allele (95% CI: 1.16-1.61, p < 0.001). The polymorphisms of VDR gene rs739837 and TREM-1 gene rs2234246 were not significantly correlated with the survival of patients with neonatal sepsis (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D receptor gene rs739837 locus G>T is associated with a reduction in the risk of neonatal sepsis, TREM-1 rs2234246 C>T is associated with the increased risk of neonatal sepsis, but none of them was significantly associated with the prognosis of neonatal sepsis.

Delivery room resuscitation and short-term outcomes of extremely preterm and extremely low birth weight infants: a multicenter survey in North China.

BACKGROUND: Delivery room resuscitation assists preterm infants, especially extremely preterm infants (EPI) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI), in breathing support, while it potentially exerts a negative impact on the lungs and outcomes of preterm infants. This study aimed to assess delivery room resuscitation and discharge outcomes of EPI and ELBWI in China. METHODS: The clinical data of EPI (gestational age [GA] <28 weeks) and ELBWI (birth weight [BW] <1000 g), admitted within 72 h of birth in 33 neonatal intensive care units from five provinces and cities in North China between 2017 and 2018, were analyzed. The primary outcomes were delivery room resuscitation and risk factors for delivery room intubation (DRI). The secondary outcomes were survival rates, incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and risk factors for BPD. RESULTS: A cohort of 952 preterm infants were enrolled. The incidence of DRI, chest compressions, and administration of epinephrine was 55.9% (532/952), 12.5% (119/952), and 7.0% (67/952), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk factors for DRI were GA <28 weeks (odds ratio [OR], 3.147; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.082-4.755), BW <1000 g (OR, 2.240; 95% CI, 1.606-3.125), and antepartum infection (OR, 1.429; 95% CI, 1.044-1.956). The survival rate was 65.9% (627/952) and was dependent on GA. The rate of BPD was 29.3% (181/627). Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for BPD were male (OR, 1.603; 95% CI, 1.061-2.424), DRI (OR, 2.094; 95% CI, 1.328-3.303), respiratory distress syndrome exposed to ≥2 doses of pulmonary surfactants (PS; OR, 2.700; 95% CI, 1.679-4.343), and mechanical ventilation ≥7 days (OR, 4.358; 95% CI, 2.777-6.837). However, a larger BW (OR, 0.998; 95% CI, 0.996-0.999), antenatal steroid (OR, 0.577; 95% CI, 0.379-0.880), and PS use in the delivery room (OR, 0.273; 95% CI, 0.160-0.467) were preventive factors for BPD (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Improving delivery room resuscitation and management of respiratory complications are imperative during early management of the health of EPI and ELBWI.

Prepregnancy maternal diabetes combined with obesity impairs placental mitochondrial function involving Nrf2/ARE pathway and detrimentally alters metabolism of offspring.

Metabolic disorders usually increase the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damage mitochondrial function. The placenta supplies nutrients and hormonal signals to the fetus for regulating fetal metabolism, and is also prone to injury by oxidants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pre-existing maternal type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) combined with obesity on placental mitochondrial function and metabolism disorders of offspring. The study included 96 pregnant women. The women were put into the following groups: healthy women (control, n=24), women with DM (DM, n=24), women with obesity (OB, n=24) and women with both DM and obesity (DM+OB, n=24). The ROS level, mitochondrial content, and the mitochondrial respiratory complex activities of the placenta were measured in the four groups. The expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was detected by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting. In addition, serum levels of insulin, glucose, leptin, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), adiponectin and triglycerides of their offspring were also measured. Maternal DM combined with obesity markedly increased ROS level, reduced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and mitochondrial respiratory complex I, II-III activities in placenta compared to the placenta from the control group and the DM group. Maternal DM combined with obesity significantly decreased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression. Furthermore, maternal DM combined with obesity influenced the glucose and lipid metabolism in their offspring. In conclusion, women with both DM and obesity detrimentally alter placenta function in oxidative stress regulation, and the Nrf2/ARE (antioxidant responsive element) pathway is involved. This may increase metabolic disturbance susceptibility in their offspring.

LncRNA RSU1P2 contributes to tumorigenesis by acting as a ceRNA against let-7a in cervical cancer cells.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate gene expression at different levels and are widely participate in various physiological and pathological processes. Emerging evidences suggests that a number of differentially expressed lncRNAs are involved in tumorigenesis. However, the function and expression regulation of a vast majority of these unique RNAs is little known. Here, we found that the lncRNA Ras suppressor protein 1 pseudogene 2 (RSU1P2) is upregulateded in cervical cancer tissues and has a tumour-promoting role. We revealed that RSU1P2 acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) through regulating the expression of IGF1R, N-myc and EphA4. The mechanism of this regulation is via competition for the shared microRNA let-7a. This competition promotes the malignant phenotype of cervical carcinoma cells. The transcription factor N-myc forms a positive feedback loop with RSU1P2 by in turn activating its expression, thereby enhancing its oncogenic capacity. Hence, cancer-selective targeting of RSU1P2 could have strong benefits.

Prognosis of psychomotor and mental development in premature infants by early cranial ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: It is of high incidence of brain injuries in premature infants, so it is necessary to diagnose and treat the brain injury early for neonatal clinical practice. We are aimed to investigate the relationship between early postnatal cranial ultrasonography and psychomotor and mental development in prematrue infants at the age of 12 months. METHODS: Two-hundred and eight premature infants were selected and underwent follow-up from January, 2007 to November, 2012. Cranial ultrasonography was performed on them. The developmental outcomes of these premature infants at the age of 12 months were assessed by the psychomotor developmental index (PDI) scale and mental development index (MDI). The relationship between ultrasonic gray-scale value and PDI and MDI was analyzed. RESULTS: The worse prognosis for psychomotor and mental development was associated with the gestational age, Apgar score(1 min), gender, chorioamnionitis, duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of mechanic ventilation. The differences between the prognosis of psychomotor and mental development, and peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) and periventricular white matter damage (PWMD), were statistically significant (P<0.05). There were also significant differences between the early postnatal ultrasonic gray-scale value and prognoses of both psychomotor development and mental development (P<0.05). There were negative correlations between ultrasonic gray-scale and both PDI and MDI (r=-0.753, P<0.05; r=-0.764, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The early postnatal cranial ultrasonography can assist to predict the prognosis of psychomotor and mental development for premature infants. The higher grade of PIVH and PWMD was associated with the worse prognosis of psychomotor and mental development.