Transgenerational Susceptibility to Food Addiction-Like Behavior in Rats Associates to a Decrease of the Anti-Inflammatory IL-10 in Plasma.

Maternal nutritional programming by energy-dense foods leads to the transgenerational heritance of addiction-like behavior. Exposure to energy-dense foods also activates systemic and central inflammation in the offspring. This study aimed to characterize pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles in blood and their correlation to the transgenerational heritance of the addiction-like behavior in rats. F1 offspring of male Wistar diagnosed with addiction-like behavior were mated with virgin females to generate the F2 and the F3 offspring, respectively. Diagnosis of addiction-like behavior was performed by the operant training schedule (FR1, FR5 and PR) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles in blood were measured by multiplex platform. Multiple linear models between behavior, fetal programming by diet and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles were performed. We found that the addiction-like behavior found in the F1 male offspring exposed to energy-dense food (cafeteria, CAF) diet during fetal programing is transgenerational inherited to the F2 and F3 generations. Blood from addiction-like behavior subjects of F2 and F3 generations exposed to CAF diet during maternal programming showed decrease in the anti-inflammatory IL-10 in the plasma. Conversely, decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory MCP-1 was identified in non-addiction-like subjects. No changes were found in plasmatic TNF-α levels in the F2 and F3 offspring of non-addiction-like and addiction-like subjects. Finally, biological modeling between IL-10 or MCP-1 plasma levels and prenatal diet exposure on operant training responses confirmed an association of decreased IL-10 levels on addiction-like behavior in the F2 and F3 generations. Globally, we identified decreased anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokine in the blood of F2 and F3 offspring subjects diagnosed with addiction-like behavior for food rewards.

Metabolic Flexibility Assists Reprograming of Central and Peripheral Innate Immunity During Neurodevelopment.

Central innate immunity assists time-dependent neurodevelopment by recruiting and interacting with peripheral immune cells. Microglia are the major player of central innate immunity integrating peripheral signals arising from the circumventricular regions lacking the blood-brain barrier (BBB), via neural afferent pathways such as the vagal nerve and also by choroid plexus into the brain ventricles. Defective and/or unrestrained activation of central and peripheral immunity during embryonic development might set an aberrant connectome establishment and brain function, leading to major psychiatric disorders in postnatal stages. Molecular candidates leading to central and peripheral innate immune overactivation identified metabolic substrates and lipid species as major contributors of immunological priming, supporting the role of a metabolic flexibility node during trained immunity. Mechanistically, trained immunity is established by an epigenetic program including DNA methylation and histone acetylation, as the major molecular epigenetic signatures to set immune phenotypes. By definition, immunological training sets reprogramming of innate immune cells, enhancing or repressing immune responses towards a second challenge which potentially might contribute to neurodevelopment disorders. Notably, the innate immune training might be set during pregnancy by maternal immune activation stimuli. In this review, we integrate the most valuable scientific evidence supporting the role of metabolic cues assisting metabolic flexibility, leading to innate immune training during development and its effects on aberrant neurological phenotypes in the offspring. We also add reports supporting the role of methylation and histone acetylation signatures as a major epigenetic mechanism regulating immune training.

Digenetic inheritance of SLC12A3 and CLCNKB genes in a Chinese girl with Gitelman syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Gitelman syndrome (GS) is an autosomal recessive disorder and mild variant of classic Bartter syndrome. The latter is caused by defects in the genes CLCNKB and/or CLCNKA (chloride voltage-gated channel Ka and Kb). Patients with GS usually have loss-of-function mutations in SLC12A3. No patient has been reported with compound heterozygous mutations in these genes. We report a girl with GS with a paternally inherited heterozygous mutation in SLC12A3, and maternally inherited heterozygous variants in both CLCNKB and CLCNKA. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we reported a female patient (8 y and 10 mo) who had growth retardation (111.8 cm, - 1.62 standard deviation height for age) and normal blood pressure, with persistent hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria, hypochloremic alkalosis, and elevated levels of plasma renin and aldosterone. Her younger brother, father, and paternal grandmother all had histories of mild low levels of plasma potassium (3.0-3.5 mmol/L), which were rectified by potassium-rich foods. The genomic DNA of the patient, younger brother, parents, and grandparents were screened for gene variations and pedigree analysis using trio whole exome sequencing (WES). The candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. Protein-protein interaction analysis utilized the following databases: Biogrid, MINT, HPRD, STRING, IntAct, iRefIndex, and ppiTrim. The trio WES screening showed that the patient has paternally inherited SLC12A3 p.N359K, and maternally inherited CLCNKB p.L94I. The paternal grandmother and younger brother are both carriers of SLC12A3 p.N359K. According to the STRING database, SLC12A3 and CLCNKB proteins may interact or coexpress with proteins associated with GS. CONCLUSIONS: Based on clinical phenotypes, genetic evidence of the pedigree, and previous reported studies, this case of GS indicates a digenetic inheritance of SLC12A3 and CLCNKB that resulted in renal tubular dysfunction perhaps, due to a genetic double-hit mechanism. The putative pathogenicity of the CLCNKB p.L94I variant requires confirmation.

Decrease in male mouse fertility by hydrogen sulfide and/or ammonia can Be inheritable.

Numerous epidemiological studies suggest that air pollutants cause a decline in the quality of human spermatozoa and thus a reduction in fertility. However, the exact cause of infertility remains unknown. Air pollution gases, such as NH3 and H2S are either free or bound to airborne particular materials (PM) and are abundant and reactive. The aim of this current investigation was to explore the impacts of NH3 and/or H2S on male fertility and the underlying mechanisms. Male mouse exposed to H2S and/or NH3 and after two generations were used to evaluate the impacts on fertility. The fertility, and spermatozoa quality parameters and proteins involved in spermatogenesis were investigated. Our current investigation demonstrates: i) H2S and/or NH3 decrease male fertility by 20-30%, reduce the spermatozoa concentration about 20-40%, decrease 10-20%, increase around 30%; ii) the reduction in male fertility by H2S and/or NH3 can be inheritable; iii) H2S and/or NH3 can diminish male fertility through the disruption of spermatogenesis without affecting other body parameters such as body weight and organ index. One component of air pollutants, for example NH3, does not have a severe impact; however, two or more pollutants such as H2S and NH3 combined can cause serious health problems, especially with regard to male fertility. We suggest that greater attention should be paid to these air pollutants to improve human health and fertility.

Pedigree and clinical characteristics in a Chinese family with lattice corneal dystrophy / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background Lattice corneal dystrophy (LCD) is a progressive disease,whose clinical features are varied in different stages.It is rarely be reported that clinical findings of different stages and factors of promoting the occurrence and development on LCD in a family.Objective The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of the pedigree and clinical features of different stages in a LCD family,and further to discuss its influence factors.Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in this study.A Chinese family with LCD was enrolled in Shenzhen Eye Hospital from 2015 to 2016.Questionnaires for disease-related history,visual acuity measurement,ocular anterior segment examination and color photography were carried out for all the members of the family.In addition,anterior segment OCT (AS-OCT),laser scanning confocal microscope and corneal endothelium microscope were used to observe the morphology of corneal stroma and changes of corneal endothelial cells.The pedigree chart was drawn by Cyrillic2.1 software and analyzed based on Mendel law.Results This family included 5 generations of 73 members.Patients with LCD were found in each generation with similar morbidity in different gender,which followed the law of autosomal dominant inheritance.Eleven patients were found in 49 members related with Ⅲ1 of this family with the prevalence rate of 22.45％ and onset age at 21-50 years old,and the course of disease was 3-34 years.All of the members had no systemic disease except for two patients (Ⅲ 1 and Ⅲ 5) with hypertension.In the early stage of LCD,some bifurcate striolae appeared in the patients' corneal stroma without symptoms for many years.In the progressive stage,there was corneal irritation symptom accompanying with vision's decrease in the eyes with LCD.The bifurcate striolae were increased,widened and interwoven into lattice lines that the boundaries gradually became fuzzy,then corneal macula was formed because of recurrent corneal infiltration,and eventually resulted in corneal leucoma.High reflection corresponding to the pathologic region was showed by laser scanning confocal microscope and AS-OCT.No significant differences were found in corneal endothelial cell density and the percentage of hexagonal cells between LCD patients and normal phenotype families (t =1.887,P=0.075;t=-0.719,P =0.481).Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in a patient with corneal opacity and serious corneal opacity occurred near the surgical incision one year after the surgery.One patient was diagnosed as LCD 2 years after laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis.One patient was a welder.Conclusions LCD is autosomal dominant inheritance in the family.The clinical manifestations of LCD in the early,progressive and late stage can be seen in the pedigree,which offers a reference for ophthahnologists.Corneal surgery and lesion may induce the onset or aggravation of LCD.

Síndrome de Coffin-Siris / Coffin­Siris syndrome

El presente estudio describe un caso de un niño de 6 años 9 meses de edad, atendido en el Centro de De-sarrollo Infantil de la Universidad de Cuenca (CEDIUC), con las características del Síndrome de Coffin ­Siris. El cariotipo 46xy, inv9 (p12q13), determinó por rasgos clíni-cos, el diagnóstico de Síndrome de Coffin ­Siris.Niño producto de cuarta gesta; antecedentes prena-tales: amenaza de aborto; antecedentes natales: nace a las 38.4 semanas de gestación con un diagnóstico de distrés respiratorio, por lo cual estuvo internado durante 15 días en la Unidad de Cuidados intensivos de la clínica Humanitaria; antecedentes post-natales: presentó retraso global en el desarrollo, además de otras afec-taciones como cardiopatía congénita, comunicación interventricular. Recibe tratamiento en varios Centros.El síndrome de Coffin-Siris es una enfermedad genética rara, con baja incidencia por lo que es poco estudiada, caracterizada por retardo mental, retraso en el desarro-llo psicomotor, facies toscas, pelo ralo e hipoplasia de la uña del quinto dedo.Se realizó una exhaustiva revisión bibliográfica, encon-trándose que el síndrome de Coffin-Siris es una enfer-medad genética poco frecuente; existen alrededor de 10 casos publicados en Latinoamérica; la etiología aún está en controversia, no ha podido definirse su localización cromosómica, pero algunos autores han plantea-do una posible herencia autosómica recesiva.

This study describes a case of a 6-years and 9-months-old child, who was attended at the Child Develop-ment Center of the University of Cuenca (CEDIUC), with the characteristics of the Coffin-Syndrome. The karyoty-pe 46xy, inv9 (p12q13), determined by clinical features the diagnosis of Coffin-Syndrome.Child product of the fourth pregnancy, prenatal history: threatened abortion; natal history: he born at 38.4 wee-ks of gestation with a diagnosis of respiratory distress, for this reason he was hospitalized for 15 days in the In-tensive Care unit of the Humanitarian clinic; post-natal history: he presented global developmental delay, in addition to other affections such as congenital heart di-sease and ventricular septal defect. He receives treat-ment in several centers.The Coffin-Siris syndrome is a rare genetic disease, with a low incidence and for this reason it is not studied enou-gh, it is characterized by mental retardation, delayed psychomotor development, coarse facies, thinning hair and hypoplasia of the fifth finger nail.A comprehensive bibliographic review was performed, and Coffin-Siris syndrome is a rare genetic disease with about 10 cases published in Latin America; the etiolo-gy is still controversial, its chromosomal location has not been defined, but some authors have raised a possible autosomal recessive inheritance.

Study on Zhang Taiyan’s Prentice of Medicine / 浙江中医药大学学报

[Objective] To search Zhang Taiyan’s prentice of medicine,study his effect of academic thought and academic method. [Method] Complete collection of periodicals in the Republic of China, with the research methods of philology, based on the academic history.[Result]Many famous disciples of Zhang Taiyan are from Jiangsu and Zhejiang,such as Lu Yuanlei,Xu Hengzhi,Zhang Cigong,Chen Cunren,Zhang Polang,Yu Yunxiu,Sun Shiyang. They inherited Zhang Taiyan’s effect of academic thought and academic method,such as widely collecting prescriptions and verifying,canoniz Changsha school,referring Chinese medicine in Japan,paying attention to the textual research.[Conclusion]Zhang Taiyan’s prentice of medicine made outstanding contributions to Chinese medicine. To search Zhang Taiyan and his prentice of medicine is helpful to study the medicine history of Wu and Yue area.

INVESTIGATION OF A HUGE FAMILY WITH AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT HEREDITARY NON-SYNDROMIC HEARING LOSS / 解放军医学杂志

To investigate a huge family with autosomal dominant hereditary non syndromic hearing loss. In this family, sixty six of 113 family members and 8 spouses have been conducted physical examination, pure tone audiometry, immittance testing and auditory brainstem response testing (ABR). The results indicated that 37 of 66 tested family members have sensorineural hearing loss in various degrees. No associated visible abnormalities in other systems were found in this family. The mode of inheritance of this family should be autosomal dominant according to its pedigree. The full collections of both blood samples and physiological hearing assessments of this family have provided the solid basis for future study on identifying disease causing gene.