Associations among global long interspersed nuclear element-1 DNA methylation, metal exposure, and chronic kidney disease.

Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) methylation serves as an indicator of global DNA methylation. This study explored the correlation between LINE-1 methylation and chronic kidney disease (CKD). We also evaluated whether LINE-1 methylation could modify the association between CKD and metal exposure. A total of 213 patients with clinically defined CKD, without hemodialysis and 416 age and sex matched controls were recruited. Levels of LINE-1 methylation, total urinary arsenic, blood lead, blood cadmium, and plasma selenium were assessed. The results reveal a positive association between LINE-1 methylation and CKD, with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.30 (95% confidence interval: 2.81 to 9.99). Total urinary arsenic and blood cadmium concentrations were positively related with LINE-1 methylation. This study was the first to observe that low plasma selenium, high blood cadmium, and high blood lead levels significantly and additively interact with increased LINE-1 methylation to increase the OR of CKD. Additionally, high LINE-1 methylation interacted multiplicatively with low plasma selenium to increase the OR of CKD (p < 0.001). This study highlighted the significant association between LINE-1 hypermethylation and CKD. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that LINE-1 methylation can interact with high blood cadmium or low plasma selenium to affect CKD risk.

Influence of Symbiotic Fermentation Broth on Regulating Metabolism with Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Profiles Is Estimated Using a Third-Generation Sequencing Platform.

Overnutrition with a high-fat or high-sugar diet is widely considered to be the risk factor for various metabolic, chronic, or malignant diseases that are accompanied by alterations in gut microbiota, metabolites, and downstream pathways. In this study, we investigated supplementation with soybean fermentation broth containing saponin (SFBS, also called SAPOZYME) in male C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat-fructose diet or normal chaw. In addition to the lessening of weight gain, the influence of SFBS on reducing hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia associated with a high-fat-fructose diet was estimated using the results of related biological tests. The results of gut microbial profiling indicated that the high-fat-fructose diet mediated increases in opportunistic pathogens. In contrast, SFBS supplementation reprogrammed the high-fat-fructose diet-related microbial community with a relatively high abundance of potential probiotics, including Akkermansia and Lactobacillus genera. The metagenomic functions of differential microbial composition in a mouse model and enrolled participants were assessed using the PICRUSt2 algorithm coupled with the MetaCyc and the KEGG Orthology databases. SFBS supplementation exerted a similar influence on an increase in the level of 4-aminobutanoate (also called GABA) through the L-glutamate degradation pathway in the mouse model and the enrolled healthy population. These results suggest the beneficial influence of SFBS supplementation on metabolic disorders associated with a high-fat-fructose diet, and SFBS may function as a nutritional supplement for people with diverse requirements.

Chronic Kidney Disease: Interaction of Adiponectin Gene Polymorphisms and Diabetes.

Adiponectin is an adipokine multipeptide hormone with insulin-sensitizing; anti-atherosclerotic; and anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be associated with low adiponectin. The adiponectin gene ADIPOQ is thought to be the only major gene responsible for plasma adiponectin levels; which are associated with diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between ADIPOQ polymorphism and CKD. In addition; the combined effects of ADIPOQ polymorphism and diabetes and levels of total urinary arsenic and blood cadmium on CKD were also explored. This study included 215 CKD patients and 423 age-sex matched controls. The ADIPOQ polymorphisms were determined using the Agena Bioscience Mass ARRAY System. The levels of blood cadmium and urinary arsenic species were measured. The ADIPOQ rs182052 GA/AA genotype had a marginally lower odds ratio (OR) for CKD than the GG genotype. The OR (95% confidence interval; CI) was 16.33 (5.72-46.66) of CKD in subjects carrying the ADIPOQ rs182052 GG genotype and diabetes compared to non-diabetes subjects carrying the ADIPOQ rs182052 GA/AA genotype; the interaction term had p = 0.015; and the synergy index was 6.64 (1.81-24.36) after multivariate adjustment. A significant interaction of diabetes and ADIPOQ rs1501299 risk genotype increased the OR of CKD after multivariate adjustment with a synergy index of 0.31 (0.11-0.86) and a multiplicative interaction with p = 0.001. These results suggest that ADIPOQ rs182052 and rs1501299 risk genotypes may significantly modify the association between diabetes and CKD but not the association between total urinary arsenic and blood cadmium and CKD.

Using anti-malondialdehyde-modified peptide adduct autoantibodies in serum of taiwanese women to diagnose primary Sjogren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease featured with a dry mouth and dry eyes. Several autoantibodies, including anti-SSA, anti-SSB, antinuclear antibodies can be detected in patients with SS. Oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs) can be formed from malondialdehyde (MDA)-modified protein adducts and trigger chronic inflammation. In this study, our purposes were used serum levels of anti-MDA-modified peptide adducts autoantibodies to evaluate predictive performance by machine learning algorithms in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and assess the association between pSS and healthy controls. METHODS: Three novel MDA-modified peptide adducts, including immunoglobulin (Ig) gamma heavy chain 1 (IGHG1)102-131, complement factor H (CFAH)1045-1062, and Ig heavy constant alpha 1 (IGHA1)307-327 were identified and validated. Serum levels of protein, MDA-modified protein adducts, MDA, and autoantibodies recognizing unmodified peptides and MDA-modified peptide adducts were measured. Statistically significance in correlations and odds ratios (ORs) were estimated. RESULTS: The random forest classifier utilized autoantibodies combination composed of IgM anti-IGHG1102-131, IgM anti-IGHG1102-131 MDA and IgM anti-IGHA1307-327 achieved predictive performance as an accuracy of 88.0%, a sensitivity of 93.7%, and a specificity of 84.4% which may be as potential diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate patients with pSS from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and secondary SS in RA and HCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that low levels of IgA anti-IGHG1102-131 MDA (OR = 2.646), IgA anti-IGHG1102-131 (OR = 2.408), IgA anti-CFAH1045-1062 (OR = 2.571), and IgA anti-IGHA1307-327 (OR = 2.905) may denote developing risks of pSS, respectively.

Sex and Age Differences Modulate Association of Vitamin D with Serum Triglyceride Levels.

The sex and age differences in the relationship between vitamin D and lipid levels remain unclear. This retrospective study investigated the correlations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and various biomarkers, along with the sex and age differences in these associations, among 573 men and 436 women during physical check-ups. The mean age of the study population was 51.4 years, and 66% of people had serum 25(OH)D levels below 30 ng/mL. People aged over 65 years had higher 25(OH)D levels than those younger than 65 years, and women had lower 25(OH)D levels than men. Younger age (odds ratio (OR) per year = 1.044, 95% CI, 1.029−1.059, p < 0.0001), female sex (OR = 1.779, 95% CI, 1.149−2.755, p = 0.0097), and elevated serum triglyceride (TG) levels (OR per 1 mg/dL = 1.005, 95% CI, 1.002−1.007, p = 0.0002) were all independent risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with TG levels. The positive association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertriglyceridemia was significant in men (not in women) and in those aged between 50 and 65 years. In conclusion, younger individuals, women, and middle-aged men with hypertriglyceridemia are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Direct and Label-Free Determination of Human Glycated Hemoglobin Levels Using Bacteriorhodopsin as the Biosensor Transducer.

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels are an important index for the diagnosis and long-term control of diabetes. This study is the first to use a direct and label-free photoelectric biosensor to determine HbA1c using bacteriorhodopsin-embedded purple membranes (PM) as a transducer. A biotinylated PM (b-PM) coated electrode that is layered with protein A-oriented antibodies against hemoglobin (Hb) readily captures non-glycated Hb (HbA0) and generates less photocurrent. The spectra of bacteriorhodopsin and Hb overlap so the photocurrent is reduced because of the partial absorption of the incident light by the captured Hb molecules. Two HbA0 and HbA1c aptasensors that are prepared by conjugating specific aptamers on b-PM coated electrodes single-step detect HbA0 and HbA1c in 15 min, without cross reactivity, with detection limits of ≤0.1 µg/mL and a dynamic range of 0.1-100 µg/mL. Both aptasensors exhibit high selectivity and long-term stability. For the clinical samples, HbA0 concentrations and HbA1c levels that are measured with aptasensors correlate well with total Hb concentrations and the HbA1c levels that are determined using standard methods (correlation gradient = 0.915 ± 0.004 and 0.981 ± 0.001, respectively). The use of these aptasensors for diabetes care is demonstrated.

Efficacy of Pulsed Radiofrequency in Herpetic Neuralgia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) are often refractory to current standard treatments and can reduce patients' quality of life (QoL). Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) effectively controls intractable neurological pain. The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of PRF in PHN management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to October 2019. The primary outcomes were pain levels and rescue analgesia at different postintervention time intervals. The secondary outcomes were QoL and sleep quality. RESULTS: We reviewed 6 RCTs involving 420 patients. The meta-analysis revealed that the PRF group exhibited significantly lower pain scores in PHN than did the control group at 2 to 3 days (weighted mean differences [WMD]=-2.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -5.08 to -0.55), 1 week (WMD=-2.95; 95% CI: -4.53 to -1.37), 2 weeks (WMD=-3.17; 95% CI: -4.11 to -2.23), 4 weeks (WMD=-2.59; 95% CI: -3.40 to -1.79), 8 weeks (WMD=-3.02; 95% CI: -4.17 to -1.88), and 6 months (WMD=-1.94; 95% CI: -2.85 to -1.03). After intervention, QoL was significantly higher in the PRF group than in the control group. No major complications were reported. DISCUSSION: PRF safely and effectively reduced pain scores and improved QoL in patients with herpes zoster in the cervical to lumbosacral areas. PRF could be considered during refractory PHN treatment. Future studies require standardized PRF settings and outcome assessment tools, including physical and emotional function assessments.

The association between plasma selenium and chronic kidney disease related to lead, cadmium and arsenic exposure in a Taiwanese population.

This study aimed to determine the interaction of red blood cell cadmium and lead, total urinary arsenic, and plasma selenium in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We recruited 220 CKD patients as well as 438 gender- and age-matched controls, and we defined CKD as <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for three or more consecutive months. Plasma selenium and red blood cell cadmium and lead concentrations were measured by ICP-MS. Urinary arsenic species were determined via HPLC-HG-AAS and were summed to determine the total urinary arsenic concentration. Plasma selenium was positively correlated to eGFR, and subjects with high plasma selenium levels (>243.90 µg/L) had a significantly lower odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.23, 0.13-0.42) for CKD compared to those with low plasma selenium levels (≤ 196.70 µg/L). High plasma selenium and low red blood cell cadmium or lead concentrations interacted to decrease the OR and 95% CI for CKD (0.12, 0.06-0.26; 0.09, 0.04-0.19). High plasma selenium and low red blood cell lead levels also interacted to increase the eGFR (20.70, 15.56-26.01 mL/min/1.73 m2). This study is the first to suggest that selenium modifies the eGFR and OR in CKD induced by environmental toxicants.