Fetal lung and placental methylation is associated with in utero nicotine exposure

In utero smoke exposure has been shown to have detrimental effects on lung function and to be associated with persistent wheezing and asthma in children. One potential mechanism of IUS effects could be alterations in DNA methylation, which may have life-long implications. The goal of this study was to examine the association between DNA methylation and nicotine exposure in fetal lung and placental tissue in early development; nicotine exposure in this analysis represents a likely surrogate for in-utero smoke. We performed an epigenome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in fetal lung tissue (n = 85, 41 smoke exposed (48%), 44 controls) and the corresponding placental tissue samples (n = 80, 39 smoke exposed (49%), 41 controls) using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Differential methylation analyses were conducted to evaluate the variation associated with nicotine exposure. The most significant CpG sites in the fetal lung analysis mapped to the PKP3 (P = 2.94 × 10^?03), ANKRD33B (P = 3.12 × 10^?03), CNTD2 (P = 4.9 × 10^?03) and DPP10 (P = 5.43 × 10^?03) genes. In the placental methylome, the most significant CpG sites mapped to the GTF2H2C and GTF2H2D genes (P = 2.87 × 10^?06 ? 3.48 × 10^?05). One hundred and one unique CpG sites with P-values < 0.05 were concordant between lung and placental tissue analyses. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis demonstrated enrichment of specific disorders, such as asthma and immune disorders. Our findings demonstrate an association between in utero nicotine exposure and variable DNA methylation in fetal lung and placental tissues, suggesting a role for DNA methylation variation in the fetal origins of chronic diseases.     

ALTERATIONS WITH AGING OF THE ENDOCRINE AND NEUROENDOCRINE CIRCADIAN SYSTEM IN HUMANS

This was an open-label study in 19 children aged 9–13 years, weighing 27–44 kg, with bronchial asthma. Twenty-four-hour steady-state concentrations of theophylline and its metabolites 1,3-dimethyl uric acid, 3-methyl xanthine and 1-methyl uric acid were assessed after daily dosing of 600 mg (ca18 mg/kg/day) of the sustainedrelease theophylline micro-pellet sprinkle system BY158K, for 4 days. The dosing regimen used was an unequal twice-daily dose of 200 mg in the morning after breakfast and 400 mg in the evening after dinner. Twenty-four-hour peak expiratory flow (PEF) profiles were compared before treatment and at steady-state, along with lung function parameters after bronchial provocation. Mean values±SD (n=16) of the steady-state characteristics were C_min6.8±2.1 mg/1, C_max14.5±4.8 mg/1 and C_av10.S±2.9 mg/1, the plateau time was 11.7±4.8 hr and peak-trough fluctuation and swing were 72±21 and 118±52%, respectively. There was an excellent reproducibility of theophylline pre-dose levels at corresponding time points of the 24-hr sampling period [r=0.864 (p< 0.001)]. Mean values±SD of the 24 hr average serum metabolite levels were 0.9±0.2 mg/1 for 1, 3-dimethyl uric acid, 0.6±0.1 mg/1 for 3-methyl xanthine and 0.4±0.1 mg/1 for 1-methyl uric acid. Lung function (n=17) following bronchial provocation, improved in 10 children after theophylline treatment of 4 days, remained stable in 2 patients and deteriorated in 5 patients. Serum theophylline profiles and PEF profiles ran largely in parallel over the 24-hr period. Six children exhibited typical theophylline induced side-effects, headache (n=3), nausea (n=4), dizziness (n=l), vomiting (n=4), sleep disturbances (n=1), pallor (n=1) and tremor(n=1), necessitating in 3 children one dose omission/reduction (n=2) or subsequent dose reduction (n=1). It has been shown that a twice daily dosing regimen with unequal doses of anhydrous theophylline (BY158K) is well suited to this population of fast metabolisers. The patients were well protected throughout the day, including the critical early morning hours.     

Alteration of the Circadian Rhythm in Peak Expiratory Flow of Nocturnal Asthma Following Nighttime Transdermal β2‐adrenoceptor Agonist Tulobuterol Chronotherapy

We investigated the efficacy of nighttime transdermal tulobuterol (β₂‐adrenoceptor agonist) chronotherapy for nocturnal asthma by assessing changes both in the frequency of symptoms and features of the circadian rhythm in peak expiratory flow (PEF), a measure of airway caliber. Thirteen patients with nocturnal asthma were evaluated before and during tulobuterol patch chronotherapy, applied once daily in the evening for 6 consecutive days. Patients were asked to record their PEF every 4 h between 03:00 and 23:00 h for one day. Circadian rhythms in PEF were examined by group‐mean cosinor analysis. The group average PEF at 03:00 h, the time during the 24 h when PEF is generally the poorest, before the application of the chronotherapy, when asthma was unstable and nocturnal symptoms frequent, was 276±45 L/min. Application of the tulobuterol patch at nighttime significantly increased (p<0.001) the 03:00 h group average PEF to 363±67 L/min. Significant circadian rhythms in PEF were observed during the span of study when nocturnal symptoms were frequent as well as with the use of the tulobuterol patch. Before the initiation of tulobuterol chronotherapy, the bathyphase (trough time of the circadian rhythm) in PEF narrowed to around 04:00 h, and the group circadian amplitude was 28.8 L/min. In contrast, the group circadian amplitude significantly (p<0.01) decreased to 10.4 L/min, and the 24 h mean PEF increased significantly with tulobuterol patch chronotherapy. These changes indicate that tulobuterol chronotherapy significantly increased both the level and stability of airway function over the 24 h. The circadian rhythm in PEF varied with the severity and frequency of asthmatic symptoms with and without the nighttime application of the tulobuterol patch medication. We conclude that the parameters of the circadian rhythm of PEF proved useful both in determining the need for and effectiveness of tulobuterol chronotherapy for nocturnal asthma.     

Corticosteroids and Leukotrienes: Chronobiology and Chronotherapy

Corticosteroids and leukotrienes play opposite roles in asthma. Corticosteroids, both endogenously secreted and exogenously administered, are antiinflammatory and are very effective in the treatment of asthma. They have also been evaluated chronotherapeutically and have been found to be very effective in reducing the enhanced airway inflammation and decrement in lung function associated with nocturnal worsening of asthma. Leukotrienes are potent proinflammatory and spasmogenic mediators that have been shown to be increased at night in patients with nocturnal asthma (NA). Leu-kotriene modifiers, a new class of medications to treat asthma, improve, but do not abolish, the symptoms and decrement in lung function associated with nocturnal asthma. However, they have not been evaluated chronotherapeutically. This article addresses the roles of corticosteroids and leukotrienes in nocturnal asthma and their position as therapeutic agents or targets for therapy.     

Treatment with β2‐Adrenoceptor Agonist in Vivo Induces Human Clock Gene,Per1, mRNA Expression in Peripheral Blood

This study examined whether in vivo exposure to a β₂‐adrenoceptor agonist, tulobuterol, induces human Period1 (hPer1) mRNA expression in cells from peripheral whole blood. In one experiment, oral tulobuterol was administered to five healthy volunteers at 22:00 h, while in another, a transdermally tulobuterol patch was applied to the same five subjects at 20:00 h. In each experiment, serum tulobuterol concentrations were measured at four time points, and total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood cells for determinations of hPer1 mRNA expression by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Both the tulobuterol tablet and the transdermal patch increased hPer1 mRNA expression, suggesting that analyses of human peripheral blood cells could reliably represent peripheral clock gene mRNA expression in vivo.     

Considerations in the grouping of plant and fungal taxa for an epidemiologic study

Although exposure to airborne pollen grains and fungal spores has been implicated as a causative factor for acute exacerbation of asthma, the few epidemiologic studies that have attempted to evaluate the relationship between these bioaerosols and asthma have used only total counts (ignoring the relative importance of different taxa) or a few predominant pollen or spore types (ignoring less abundant but potentially relevant groups). This paper reports the development of hypothesis‐driven exposure metrics (based on known aeroallergen associations with allergic asthma and other hypersensitivity diseases, pollen allergen cross‐reactivity, and the presence of local sources in the city of Fresno, California, USA) for a 3.5 year epidemiologic study of childhood asthma. Outdoor regional and neighborhood concentrations of pollen and spores were measured using Hirst‐type, 7‐day samplers. Indoor and outdoor residential concentrations were measured at 84 selected homes with similar 24‐hour slit impactors. All pollen and spore concentrations were recorded in 2‐hour intervals to assist in understanding diurnal fluctuations in aeroallergen concentrations, identify exposures during the time periods that children are outdoors, and study interaction between aeroallergens and other air contaminants, which were the primary focus of the study. The 124 pollen taxa that were observed were reduced to 15 categories and the 66 fungal and algal taxa were reduced to five categories that will be used in microenvironmental models to generate individual daily exposure estimates for each of the 315 children. These new exposure metrics will allow examination of health effects for taxa traditionally associated with allergy and those with locally elevated concentrations in combination with exposures to other indoor and outdoor air contaminants.     

Studies on Metabolism of Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid in Bacteria

l-Glutamic acid was formed from d-, l-, and dl-PCA with cell-free extract of Pseudomonas alcaligenes ATCC-12815 grown in the medium containing dl-PCA as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The enzyme(s) involved in this conversion reaction was distributed in the soluble fraction within the cell and in 0.5 saturated fraction at the fractionation procedure with the saturation of ammonium sulfate. Optimum pH of this enzyme(s) lied at pH 8.5 and optimum temperature was 30°C. Cu (5 × 10^?3 m) inhibited the reaction considerably while Ca or Fe accelerated it. PALP (1×10^?3 m) also gave an enhanced activity to some extent. The enzyme preparation converted dextro-rotatory enan-thiomorph of PCA to its laevo-rotatory one which in turn was not converted to the opposite rotation direction by this enzyme. Furthermore, the preparation did not, if any, show d-glutamic acid racemase activity. Isotopic experiments with using dl-PCA-1-¹⁴C revealed that l-glutamic acid-1-¹⁴C was formed by the cleavage of –CO–NH– bond of pyrrolidone ring of PCA. It was concluded that dl-PCA when assimilated by the present bacterium is at first transformed to l-PCA by the optically isomerizing enzyme and subsequently is cleaved to l-glutamic acid probably by the PCA hydrolysing enzyme.     

肺炎支原体抗体阳性对咳嗽变异性哮喘患儿肺功能的影响研究

目的:通过探讨肺炎支原体(MP)抗体阳性感染对咳嗽变异性哮喘(CVA)患儿肺功能的影响,为临床治疗提供依据。方法:选择2012年6月~2014年6月本院收治的CVA患儿共60例,依据支原体抗体检查和肺功能检测结果,分为CVA合并MP组(合并组)和CVA组,检测两组患儿初诊时肺通气功能、支气管激发试验阳性率,分析初诊时、治疗1、3个月后MP抗体对肺功能第一秒用力呼吸容积/用力肺活量(FEV1%)的影响。结果:初诊时两组患儿肺活量(FVC)、最大呼气峰流速(PEF)、FEV1%、最大中段呼气流速(MMEF75/25)实测值均低于预测值(P0.05),合并组MMEF75/25预测值/实测值的比值较CVA组高(P0.05)。支气管激发试验阳性患儿中,合并组以轻度和极轻度为主,CVA组以重度和中度为主(P0.05)。MP抗体滴度持续阳性和阴性患儿FEV1%无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:合并MP抗体阳性CVA患儿气道高反应性程度较低,小气道阻塞加重,对肺通气功能无影响。     

P2Y12 antagonist attenuates eosinophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in a mouse model of asthma

Leukotriene E4 (LTE4) that plays a key role in airway inflammation is expressed on platelets and eosinophils. We investigated whether blocking of the P2Y12 receptor can suppress eosinophilic inflammation in a mouse model of asthma because platelets and eosinophils share this receptor to be activated. BALB/c mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA), followed by OVA nebulization. On each challenge day, clopidogrel, a P2Y12 antagonist was administered 30 min. before each challenge. Forty‐eight hours after the last OVA challenge, mice were assessed for airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), cell composition and cytokine levels, including chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. EOL cells were treated with LTE4, with or without clopidogrel treatment, and intracellular and extracellular eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) expressions were measured to find the inhibiting function of P2Y12 antagonist on eosinophilic activation. The levels of P2Y12 expression were increased markedly in the lung homogenates of OVA‐sensitized and ‐challenged mice after platelet depletion. Administration of clopidogrel decreased AHR and the number of airway inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, in BAL fluid following OVA challenge. These results were associated with decreased levels of Th2 cytokines and CCL5. Histological examination showed that inflammatory cells as well as mucus‐containing goblet cells were reduced in clopidogrel‐administered mice compared to vehicle‐treated mice. Clopidogrel inhibited extracellular ECP secretion after LTE4 stimulation in EOL‐1 cells. Clopidogrel could prevent development of AHR and airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. P2Y12 can be a novel therapeutic target to the suppression of eosinophils in asthma.     

基于分子对接和系统药理学小青龙汤治疗哮喘的作用机制

为从分子层面阐述小青龙汤治疗哮喘的作用机制,探索小青龙汤的潜在靶标,本研究检索中药系统药理学数据库及分析平台(TCMSP)并根据口服生物利用度(oralbioavailability,OB)、药物相似性(drug-likeness,DL)筛选出小青龙汤的活性成分,利用Pharmmapper数据库筛选小青龙汤潜在作用靶点,挖掘CTD、Genecards数据库以筛选与哮喘相关的作用靶点,利用Cytoscape 3.6.1软件构建小青龙汤的蛋白互作网络图、化合物靶点图,并通过计算拓扑学参数找到小青龙汤中关键的作用靶点和化合物。对小青龙汤对哮喘的作用靶点进行GO分析和KEGG分析。利用iGEMDOCK软件进行分子对接,预测作用靶点和主要化合物的结合度。通过筛选得到小青龙汤活性成分、潜在作用靶点;GO分析得到43个生物学过程、11个细胞组成和9个分子功能;KEGG分析包括PI3K-Akt信号通路、HIF-1信号通路、Wnt信号通路等。初步验证和预测了小青龙汤对治疗哮喘的作用机制,并为进一步深入揭示其作用机制提供参考。