Prenatally VPA exposure is likely to cause autistic-like behavior in the rats offspring via TREM2 down-regulation to affect the microglial activation and synapse alterations

Microglial dysfunction has been reported in the valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rat models. However, how does prenatal VPA exposure affect microglia remains to be elucidated. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is revealed to be implicated in a range of microglia functions. However, reports on the association between TREM2 and VPA-induced ASD rat models are scarce. Our results showed that prenatal VPA exposure induced autistic-like behaviors, downregulated the levels of TREM2, up-regulated microglial activation, dysregulated microglial polarization, and altered synapse in offspring. TREM2 overexpression partly ameliorated microglia dysfunction and autistic-like behaviors in prenatal VPA-exposed rats. Our findings demonstrated that prenatally VPA exposure is likely to cause autistic-like behavior in the rat offspring via TREM2 down-regulation to affect the microglial activation, microglial polarization and synaptic pruning of microglia for the first time.

Association of feeding patterns in infancy with later autism symptoms and neurodevelopment: a national multicentre survey

BACKGROUND

We aimed to compare differences in infant feeding patterns (breastfeeding and complementary food supplementation) between children with the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children through a multicentre study. The relationship between these patterns and later core symptoms and neurodevelopment in children with ASD was also investigated.

METHODS

We analysed breastfeeding and complementary feeding patterns in 1389 children with ASD and 1190 TD children. The Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016) was used to assess neurodevelopmental levels. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and ASD Warning Behavior Subscale of the CNBS-R2016 were used to assess ASD symptoms.

RESULTS

Children with ASD had a shorter breastfeeding duration in infancy (8 (3-12) months vs. 10 (6-14) months, P < 0.001), later introduction of complementary foods (P < 0.001), and poorer acceptance of complementary foods (P < 0.001) than TD children. Total ABC and CARS scores were lower in the group of children with ASD who had been breastfed for 12 months or more than in the group who had been breastfed for less than 6 months. Children with ASD who were given complementary food after 6 months had lower general quotient (GQ), adaptive ability, fine motor and language scores than those who were given complementary food within 4-6 months. Children with ASD with poor acceptance of complementary foods had higher ABC and SRS scores and lower gross motor scores than those who had good acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with ASD have a shorter duration of breastfeeding, a later introduction of complementary foods, and poorer acceptance of complementary foods than TD children. These feeding patterns may be related to the symptoms and growth of children with ASD. The research suggests that continued breastfeeding for longer than 12 months may be beneficial in reducing ASD symptoms and that infants who have difficulty introducing complementary foods should be followed up for neurodevelopment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The ethics committee of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University approved the study. Approval Number: (2018) IRB (STUDY) NO. 121, and registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000031194, registered on 23/03/2020).

Machine learning based on eye-tracking data to identify Autism Spectrum Disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Machine learning has been widely used to identify Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on eye-tracking, but its accuracy is uncertain. We aimed to summarize the available evidence on the performances of machine learning algorithms in classifying ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals based on eye-tracking data.

METHODS

We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Wan Fang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, from database inception to December 24, 2021. Studies using machine learning methods to classify ASD and TD individuals based on eye-tracking technologies were included. We extracted the data on study population, model performances, algorithms of machine learning, and paradigms of eye-tracking. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022296037.

RESULTS

261 articles were identified, of which 24 studies with sample sizes ranging from 28 to 141 were included (n = 1396 individuals). Machine learning based on eye-tracking yielded the pooled classified accuracy of 81 % (I² = 73 %), specificity of 79 % (I² = 61 %), and sensitivity of 84 % (I² = 61 %) in classifying ASD and TD individuals. In subgroup analysis, the accuracy was 88 % (95 % CI: 85-91 %), 79 % (95 % CI: 72-84 %), 71 % (95 % CI: 59-91 %) for preschool-aged, school-aged, and adolescent-adult group. Eye-tracking stimuli and machine learning algorithms varied widely across studies, with social, static, and active stimuli and Support Vector Machine and Random Forest most commonly reported. Regarding the model performance evaluation, 15 studies reported their final results on validation datasets, four based on testing datasets, and five did not report whether they used validation datasets. Most studies failed to report the information on eye-tracking hardware and the implementation process.

CONCLUSION

Using eye-tracking data, machine learning has shown potential in identifying ASD individuals with high accuracy, especially in preschool-aged children. However, the heterogeneity between studies, the absence of test set-based performance evaluations, the small sample size, and the non-standardized implementation of eye-tracking might deteriorate the reliability of results. Further well-designed and well-executed studies with comprehensive and transparent reporting are needed to determine the optimal eye-tracking paradigms and machine learning algorithms.

Early life exposure to triclosan from antimicrobial daily necessities may increase the potential risk of autism spectrum disorder: A multicenter study in China

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders with unclear etiologies. Our recent work indicated that maternal exposure to triclosan (TCS) significantly increased the autistic-like behavior in rats, possibly through disrupting neuronal retinoic acid signaling. Although environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) have been associated with autism in humans, the relationship between TCS, one of the EEDs found in antibacterial daily necessities, and autism has received little attention.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this multicenter study were to evaluate TCS concentrations in typically developing (TD) children and ASD children, and to determine the relationship between TCS levels and the core symptoms of ASD children.

METHODS

A total of 1345 children with ASD and 1183 TD children were enrolled from 13 cities in China. Ages ranged between 2 and 7 years. A questionnaire was used to investigate the maternal use of antibacterial daily necessities (UADN) during pregnancy. The core symptoms of ASD were evaluated using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Response Scale (SRS), and the Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016). The TCS concentration was measured using LC-MS/MS.

RESULTS

Maternal UADN during pregnancy may be an unrecognized potential environmental risk factor for ASD (OR=1.267, P = 0.023). Maternal UADN during pregnancy strongly correlated with TCS levels in the offspring (Adjusted β = 0.277, P < 0.001). TCS concentration was higher in ASD children (P = 0.005), and positively correlated with ABC (Sensory subscales: P = 0.03; Social self-help subscales: P = 0.011) and SRS scale scores (Social awareness subscales: P = 0.045; Social communication subscales: P = 0.001; Autism behavior mannerisms subscales: P = 0.006; SRS total score: P = 0.003) in ASD children. This association was more pronounced in boys than in girls.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first case-control study to examine the correlation between TCS and ASD. Our results suggest that maternal UADN during pregnancy may be a potential risk of ASD in offspring. Further detection of TCS levels showed that maternal UADN during pregnancy may be associated with excessive TCS exposure. In addition, the level of TCS in children with ASD is higher than TD children. The higher levels of TCS in children with ASD may be significantly associated with more pronounced core symptoms, and this association was more significant in male children with ASD.

Involvement of retinoic acid receptor α in the autistic-like behavior of rats with vitamin A deficiency by regulating neurexin 1 in the visual cortex: a mechanism study

OBJECTIVES

To study the mechanism of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) signal change to regulate neurexin 1 (NRXN1) in the visual cortex and participate in the autistic-like behavior in rats with vitamin A deficiency (VAD).

METHODS

The models of vitamin A normal (VAN) and VAD pregnant rats were established, and some VAD maternal and offspring rats were given vitamin A supplement (VAS) in the early postnatal period. Behavioral tests were performed on 20 offspring rats in each group at the age of 6 weeks. The three-chamber test and the open-field test were used to observe social behavior and repetitive stereotyped behavior. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure the serum level of retinol in the offspring rats in each group. Electrophysiological experiments were used to measure the long-term potentiation (LTP) level of the visual cortex in the offspring rats. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression levels of RARα, NRXN1, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1). Chromatin co-immunoprecipitation was used to measure the enrichment of RARα transcription factor in the promoter region of the NRXN1 gene.

RESULTS

The offspring rats in the VAD group had autistic-like behaviors such as impaired social interactions and repetitive stereotypical behaviors, and VAS started immediately after birth improved most of the behavioral deficits in offspring rats. The offspring rats in the VAD group had a significantly lower serum level of retinol than those in the VAN and VAS groups (P<0.05). Compared with the offspring rats in the VAN and VAS groups, the offspring rats in the VAD group had significant reductions in the mRNA and protein expression levels of NMDAR1, RARα, and NRXN1 and the LTP level of the visual cortex (P<0.05). The offspring rats in the VAD group had a significant reduction in the enrichment of RARα transcription factor in the promoter region of the NRXN1 gene in the visual cortex compared with those in the VAN and VAS groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

RARα affects the synaptic plasticity of the visual cortex in VAD rats by regulating NRXN1, thereby participating in the formation of autistic-like behaviors in VAD rats.

Neurodevelopmental domain characteristics and their association with core symptoms in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder in China: a nationwide multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of clinically heterogenic neurodevelopmental disorders, with intellectual disability being one of its common comorbidities. No large-sample, multicenter study has focused on the neurodevelopmental aspect of preschoolers with ASD. This study investigated the neurodevelopmental characteristics of preschoolers with ASD in China and explored the association between them and the core symptoms.

METHODS

We enrolled 1019 ASD preschoolers aged 2-7 years old from 13 cities around China between May 2018 and December 2019, and used the revised Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale (CNBS-R2016) to assess their neurodevelopment. Their autistic core behaviors were evaluated based on their Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and communication warning behavior (CWB) scores in the CNBS-R2016.

RESULTS

Based on general developmental quotient (GQ) < 70, 68.4% of the preschoolers with ASD had a developmental delay (DD), rated mild in 32.7% of them. The highest DD rate (> 70%) was found in language and personal-social skills, followed by fine motor skills (68.9%). Gross motor skills had the lowest DD rate (34.0%). We found that fine motor, language, and personal-social developmental quotients (DQs) were significantly lower than gross motor skills in no DD (GQ > 70), mild DD (GQ 55-69), and moderate and below DD groups (GQ ≤ 54). Furthermore, the DQs for language and personal-social skills were significantly lower than for gross and fine motor skills in both DD groups. The ABC, SRS, CARS, and CWB scores in the no DD group were the lowest, moderate in the mild DD group, and highest in the moderate and below DD group. Besides, negative correlations were found between the DQs of the four domains and the ABC, SRS, CARS, and CWB scores, of which the language and personal-social skills DQs had the strongest correlations.

CONCLUSIONS

Preschoolers with ASD had unbalanced neurodevelopment domain patterns and their neurodevelopmental levels were negatively correlated with the autism core symptoms. Hence, pediatricians should actively evaluate the neurodevelopment of children with ASD and conduct long-term follow-up during their early childhood to promote early diagnosis and develop personalized intervention plans.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2000031194 , registered on 03/23/2020.

Corpus Callosum Volumes in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Sex-Associated Differences

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sex and corpus callosum (CC) volume in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) aged 2-4 years. This prospective study included 50 children with ASD and 50 typically developing (TD) children aged 2-4 years. Midsagittal slices of the CCs of the participants were divided into five subregions using FreeSurfer software. The PMCC, AMCC and TCC volumes were significantly higher in ASD participants than in TD participants, and results were significant in females with ASD rather than in males with ASD (all P < 0.05). In toddlers with ASD, the CC volumes were increased and more pronounced in females than in males. This could be due to overgrowth of axons or/and axonal pruning disorders.

Age of Diagnosis and Demographic Factors Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Chinese Children: A Multi-Center Survey

PURPOSE

The present study investigated the age of diagnosis, treatment and demographic factors of Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), to provide a scientific basis for the early detection, diagnosis, and intervention of ASD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 1500 ASD children aged 2-7 years old from 13 cities in China were administered questionnaires to examine their diagnosis, treatment, and basic family information. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to measure the symptoms and severity of ASD children, and the Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016) was utilized to measure neurodevelopmental levels of ASD children.

RESULTS

We found that for children with ASD, the median (p25, p75) age for the initial detection of social behavioral developmental delay was 24 (18, 30) months, while the age for the initial diagnosis was 29 (24, 36) months and the age for the beginning of intervention was 33 (27, 42) months. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis suggested that in children with ASD whose parents were divorced, separated, or widowed, or whose mothers were engaged in physical work, the initial detection of social behavioral developmental delay happened later. For the children with ASD who lived in urban areas, had higher levels of ASD symptom severity or whose parents were not divorced or separated, the age for the initial diagnosis was earlier. For the children with ASD who lived in urban areas or whose mothers had received higher level of education, the earlier age for the beginning of intervention was observed, while for those with ASD whose mothers were engaged in physical work, the age for the beginning of training was later.

CONCLUSION

It is recommended to actively carry out health education of ASD and strengthen the support for ASD families to enhance their rehabilitation level.

Retraction notice: Effect of educational interventions on health in childhood: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [Public Health Volume 164, November 2018, Pages 134-147]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). The article is a duplicate of a paper that has already been published in Medicine, 97 (2018) e11849 https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000011849. Redundant publications overweigh the relative importance of published findings and distort the academic record of the authors. One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is therefore that authors declare explicitly that the paper has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. As such this article represents a misuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.

Risk factors and prediction nomogram model for psychosocial and behavioural problems among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national multicentre study: Risk Factors of Childhood Psychosocial Problems

BACKGROUND

We aimed to explore the risk profiles attributable to psychosocial and behavioural problems during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. To this end, we created a risk-prediction nomogram model.

METHODS

A national multicentre study was conducted through an online questionnaire involving 12,186 children (6-11 years old) and adolescents (12-16 years old). Respondents' psychosocial and behavioural functioning were assessed using the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Data were analysed using STATA software and R-language.

RESULTS

The positive detection rate of psychological problems within Wuhan was greater than that outside Wuhan for schizoid (P = 0.005), and depression (P = 0.030) in children, and for somatic complaints (P = 0.048), immaturity (P = 0.023), and delinquent behaviour (P = 0.046) in adolescents. After graded multivariable adjustment, seven factors associated with psychological problems in children and adolescents outside Wuhan were parent-child conflict (odds ratio (OR): 4.94, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 4.27-5.72), sleep problems (OR: 4.05, 95% CI: 3.77-4.36), online study time (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.37-0.47), physical activity time (OR: 0.510, 95% CI: 0.44-0.59), number of close friends (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.44-0.6), time spent playing videogames (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.90-2.69) and eating disorders (OR: 2.71, 95% CI: 2.35-3.11) (all P < 0.001). Contrastingly, within Wuhan, only the first four factors, namely, parent-child conflict (5.95, 2.82-12.57), sleep problems (4.47, 3.06-6.54), online study time (0.37, 0.22-0.64), and physical activity time (0.42, 0.22-0.80) were identified (all P < 0.01). Accordingly, nomogram models were created with significant attributes and had decent prediction performance with C-indexes over 80%.

LIMITATION

A cross-sectional study and self-reported measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Besides the four significant risk factors within and outside Wuhan, the three additional factors outside Wuhan deserve special attention. The prediction nomogram models constructed in this study have important clinical and public health implications for psychosocial and behavioural assessment.

Sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder: a multicenter survey

BACKGROUND

High prevalence of sleep problems have been reported in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study aims to investigate the sleep conditions of ASD children in China, and explore the relationship between the common sleep problems and core symptoms and developmental levels.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, we included 2 to 7-year-old children from 13 cities in China: 1310 with ASD and 1158 with typically-developing (TD) children. The neurodevelopmental level was evaluated with the revised Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale (CNBS-R2016). ASD were diagnosed with DSM-5 and Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS). the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the communication warning behavior sub-scale in CNBS-R2016 valued autism behaviors. The children' s sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ) assessed sleep conditions.

RESULTS

The prevalence of sleep disorders in ASD children was significantly higher than that in TD (67.4% vs. 51%, p < 0.01), and among them the four dimensions with the highest prevalence of sleep problems were bedtime resistance (25.6%), sleep anxiety (22.7%), sleep onset delay (17.9%) and daytime sleepiness (14.7%). ASD children with sleep onset delay or sleep anxiety had higher ABC, SRS scores and higher scores on communication warning behavior with sleep anxiety, with daytime sleepiness had higher ABC, SRS and CARS scores, and with bedtime resistance had higher SRS total scores. Differences in the neurodevelopmental level were not significant.

CONCLUSION

Children with ASD have a higher prevalence of sleep problems. Bedtime resistance, anxiety, sleep onset delay and daytime sleepiness may be related to the core symptoms, but not be related to the developmental level in ASD children. In the clinic, sleep assessment should be included in the routine of ASD visits, and during the intervention, sleep hygiene education is as important as the treatment of biological factors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Approval Number: (2018) IRB (STUDY) NO. 121, and registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000031194 ).

Vitamin a deficiency and sleep disturbances related to autism symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study

Background

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and sleep disturbances have been reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The influence of vitamin A (VA) levels on sleep regulation and sleep disturbances in ASD has garnered concern. The present study aimed to characterize the association of VA levels with sleep disturbances in children with ASD.

Methods

This cross-sectional study compared children with ASD (n = 856) to typically developing children (TDC; n = 316). We used the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire to assess sleep disturbances, Childhood Autism Rating Scale to evaluate the severity of autism symptoms, and Autism Behavior Checklist and Social Responsiveness Scale to assess autism behaviors. Serum VA levels were estimated using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable linear regression and two-way analysis of variance were performed to investigate if VAD was related to sleep disturbances in children with ASD.

Results

Children with ASD had lower serum VA levels and a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances than TDC did. The incidence of VAD in ASD children with sleep disturbances was higher, and the symptoms more severe than those without sleep disturbances and TDC. Interestingly, the interaction between VAD and sleep disturbances was associated with the severity of autism symptoms.

Conclusion

VAD and sleep disturbances are associated with the core symptoms of ASD in children. Regular monitoring of sleep and VA levels may be beneficial for children with ASD.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number: ChiCTR-ROC-14005442, registration date: December 9th 2014.

Vitamin A supplementation ameliorates motor incoordination via modulating RORα in the cerebellum in a valproic acid-treated rat autism model with vitamin A deficiency

Motor dysfunctions are common comorbidities among autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients. Abnormal cerebellar development throughout critical periods may have an effect on motor functions and result in motor impairments. Vitamin A (VA) plays a crucial role in the developing process of the nervous system. The correlation of VA deficiency (VAD) and ASD with motor dysfunctions, however, is not clear. Therefore, we built rat models with different VA levels based on the valproic acid (VPA)-treated autism model. ASD rats with VAD showed aggravated motor coordination abnormalities, Purkinje cell loss and impaired dendritic arborization of Purkinje cells compared to ASD rats with normal VA levels (VA normal, VAN). Additionally, the expression levels of retinoid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) and retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) were lower in the cerebellum of ASD rats with VAD than in those of ASD rats with VAN. VA supplementation (VAS) effectively improved motor coordination and cerebellar Purkinje cell abnormalities in ASD rats with VAD. Furthermore, the results of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays confirmed that the enrichment of RARα was detected on the RORα promoter in the cerebellum and that VAS could upregulate the binding capacity of RARα for RORα promoters. These results showed that VAD in autism might result in cerebellar impairments and be a factor aggravating a subtype of ASD with motor comorbidities. The therapeutic effect of VAS on motor deficits and Purkinje neuron impairments in autism might be due to the regulation of RORα by RARα.

[Association between serum trace elements and core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: a national multicenter survey]

OBJECTIVE

To study the association of serum levels of trace elements with core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHODS

From September 2018 to September 2019, an investigation was performed for 1 020 children with ASD and 1 038 healthy children matched for age and sex in the outpatient service of grade A tertiary hospitals and special education institutions in 13 cities of China. Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were used to assess the core symptoms of the children with ASD. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure serum levels of trace elements magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc.

RESULTS

The children with ASD had significantly lower serum levels of magnesium, copper, and zinc than the healthy children (P < 0.05). The children with severe ASD had significantly lower serum levels of magnesium and zinc than those with mild-to-moderate ASD (P < 0.05). The results of partial correlation analysis showed that serum magnesium level was negatively correlated with the total score of ABC and the score of communication (r=-0.318 and -0.282 respectively; P 0.001), and serum zinc level was negatively correlated with the total score of ABC and the scores of communication and somatic movement (r=-0.221, -0.270, and -0.207 respectively; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The serum levels of magnesium and zinc may be associated with core symptoms in children with ASD, which requires further studies. The nutritional status of trace elements should be monitored for children with ASD in clinical practice.

Maternal vitamin A deficiency impairs cholinergic and nitrergic neurons, leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction in rat offspring via RARβ

AIMS

Many gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are developmental in origin and are caused by abnormal enteric nervous system (ENS) formation. Maternal vitamin A deficiency (VAD) during pregnancy affects multiple central nervous system developmental processes during embryogenesis and fetal life. Here, we evaluated whether maternal diet-induced VAD during pregnancy alone can cause changes in the ENS that lead to GI dysfunction in rat offspring.

MAIN METHODS

Rats were selected to construct animal models of normal VA, VA deficiency and VA supplementation. The fecal water content, total gastrointestinal transmission time and colonic motility were measured to evaluate gastrointestinal function of eight-week-old offspring rats. The expression levels of RARβ, SOX10, cholinergic (ChAT) and nitrergic (nNOS) enteric neurons in colon tissues were detected through western blot and immunofluorescence. Primary enteric neurospheres were treated with retinoic acid (RA), infection with Ad-RARβ and siRARβ adenovirus, respectively.

KEY FINDINGS

Our data revealed marked reductions in the mean densities of cholinergic and nitrergic enteric neurons in the colon and GI dysfunction evidenced by mild intestinal flatulence, increased fecal water content, prolonged total GI transit time and reduced colon motility in adult offspring of the VAD group. Interestingly, maternal VA supplementation (VAS) during pregnancy rescued these changes. In addition, in vitro experiments demonstrated that exposure to appropriate doses of RA promoted enteric neurosphere differentiation into cholinergic and nitrergic neurons, possibly by upregulating RARβ expression, leading to enhanced SOX10 expression.

SIGNIFICANCE

Maternal VAD during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for GI dysfunction in rat offspring.

The Gut Microbiota and Associated Metabolites Are Altered in Sleep Disorder of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a type of neurodevelopmental disease that is frequently accompanied by sleep disorder. Herein, we investigated changes in the gut microbiota and its metabolites correlated with core symptoms and sleep problems in children with ASD.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty children diagnosed with ASD based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria were enrolled in our study. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were used to assess autism symptoms, and the Children Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was employed to evaluate sleep problems in children with ASD. The 120 children were divided into a sleep disorder group (n = 60) and a control group without sleep disorder (n = 60) according to the CSHQ answers. Illumina MiSeq analysis of 16S rRNA genes was used to compare differences in gut microbiota, and metabolomics analysis was employed to asses associated metabolites.

RESULTS

SRS and CARS scores for the sleep disorder group were significantly higher than for the control group (p < 0.05). The abundances of butyrate-producing bacteria Faecalibacterium and Agathobacter were reduced significantly in the sleep disorder group (p < 0.05), and this was negatively correlated with CSHQ score (p = 0.007 and p = 0.014, respectively). The abundance of Agathobacter was also negatively associated with the ABC language score (p = 0.044). Furthermore, levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid and melatonin were significantly lower (p < 0.05) while serotonin levels were higher (p < 0.05) in the sleep disorder group. The 3-hydroxybutyric acid level was positively associated with Faecalibacterium abundance (p = 0.000), and melatonin was positively associated with the abundance of Faecalibacterium (p = 0.036) and Agathobacter (p = 0.041). We also observed negative correlations between 3-hydroxybutyric acid and CSHQ (p = 0.000) and CARS (p = 0.009), between melatonin and CSHQ (p = 0.002) and ABC sensory score (p = 0.021), and a positive correlation between serotonin and CSHQ (p = 0.002) and ABC sensory score (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

ASD children with sleep disorder exhibited declines in the abundance of Faecalibacterium and Agathobacter, decreased levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid and melatonin, and an increase in serotonin. These changes may aggravate sleep problems and core symptoms in children with ASD.

Maternal folic acid and micronutrient supplementation is associated with vitamin levels and symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders

To explore possible associations between maternal use of micronutrient supplements and the subsequent vitamin levels and symptoms in offspring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a total of 416 children with ASD and 201 typically developing (TD) children were enrolled. The children born to mothers without folic acid (FA) and micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy had more severe social cognition impairments, social communication impairments, autism behaviour mannerisms, developmental delays in adaptive and gross motor behaviour and gastrointestinal problems than children born to mothers who used FA and micronutrient supplements (P＜0.05). Interestingly, there was an association between maternal micronutrient supplementation and vitamin A (VA), vitamin D (VD) and folate levels in the ASD children (P<0.05), and levels of these vitamins also were associated with symptoms of ASD. Maternal FA and/or micronutrient supplementation may potentially moderate the symptoms of ASD. Interrupting the chain of micronutrient deficiencies between pregnant mothers and children may be beneficial in improving symptoms of ASD.

Correlation Between Maternal and Fetal Insulin Resistance in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND

Offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are far more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the insulin metabolism of pregnant women with GDM in late pregnancy on the insulin metabolism of the fetuses and their correlation.

METHODS

This study enrolled 55 pregnant women with GDM and 87 control subjects. Fasting venous blood samples and umbilical venous blood samples (reflecting fetal metabolism) were collected from the study subjects. All blood samples were used to evaluate the blood glucose and insulin concentrations. The blood glucose and insulin concentrations were measured using an automatic biochemical analyser and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) was performed to assess the insulin resistance of mother and fetus.

RESULTS

1. The fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR of pregnant women in the late pregnancy GDM group were all significantly higher than those in the control group (fasting blood glucose: 4.70 ± 0.11 vs. 4.11 ± 0.05 mmol/L, p < 0.001; fasting insulin: 44.1 ± 6.76 vs. 25.1 ± 3.58 µU/mL, p = 0.013; HOMA-IR: 8.92 ± 1.25 vs. 5.39 ± 0.83, p = 0.012); 2. The results of logistic regression analyses showed that maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and family history of diabetes were high-risk factors for the development of GDM in pregnant women. 3. The insulin level and HOMA-IR in the umbilical venous blood of the late pregnancy GDM group were both significantly higher than those in the control group (insulin: 10.1 ± 1.41 vs. 6.38 ± 0.49 µU/mL, p = 0.035; HOMA-IR: 1.60 ± 0.22 vs. 1.07 ± 0.08, p = 0.006). 4. The umbilical venous blood HOMA-IR in the GDM group positively correlated with the maternal HOMA-IR and fasting insulin level. The neonatal ponderal index (PI) in the GDM group positively correlated with the umbilical venous blood HOMA-IR and insulin level.

CONCLUSIONS

The HOMA-IR was significantly higher in the late pregnancy GDM women and their fetuses than in the control group. In addition, fetal HOMA-IR positively correlated to maternal HOMA-IR in late pregnancy GDM women.

Improving Magnetofection of Magnetic Polyethylenimine Nanoparticles into MG-63 Osteoblasts Using a Novel Uniform Magnetic Field

This study aimed to improve the magnetofection of MG-63 osteoblasts by integrating the use of a novel uniform magnetic field with low molecular weight polyethylenimine modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (PEI-SPIO-NPs). The excellent characteristics of PEI-SPIO-NPs such as size, zeta potential, the pDNA binding and protective ability were determined to be suitable for gene delivery. The novel uniform magnetic field enabled polyethylenimine-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles/pDNA complexes (PEI-SPIO-NPs/pDNA complexes) to rapidly and uniformly distribute on the surface of MG-63 cells, averting local transfection and decreasing disruption of the membrane caused by the centralization of positively charged PEI-SPIO-NPs, thereby increasing the effective coverage of magnetic gene carriers during transfection, and improving magnetofection efficiency. This innovative uniform magnetic field can be used to determine the optimal amount between PEI-SPIO-NPs and pDNA, as well as screen for the optimal formulation design of magnetic gene carrier under the homogenous conditions. Most importantly, the novel uniform magnetic field facilitates the transfection of PEI-SPIO-NPs/pDNA into osteoblasts, thereby providing a novel approach for the targeted delivery of therapeutic genes to osteosarcoma tissues as well as a reference for the treatment of other tumors.

Corrigendum: Enhanced Topological Network Efficiency in Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00278.].

Comorbidity of Vitamin A and Vitamin D Deficiency Exacerbates the Severity of Atopic Dermatitis in Children

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Several studies have suggested that vitamin D (VD) deficiency (VDD) is associated with atopic dermatitis (AD). However, little is known about the relationship between AD and vitamin A (VA). The interaction between VA and VD on AD requires further study. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> We detected serum levels of VA and VD in children with AD to explore how VA deficiency (VAD) and VDD affect AD severity. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We assessed the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index, total immunoglobin E levels and peripheral blood eosinophil counts. VA and VD levels were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography. Correlations among variables were investigated with Pearson’s correlation analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The VD and VA levels were significantly lower in children with AD than in normal children (p &#x3c; 0.001, p = 0.0423). Both VD and VA levels were negatively correlated with SCORAD scores. The SCORAD scores were significantly higher in AD patients with both VDD and VAD (co-deficiency) than in other AD patients. Significant inverse correlations were observed between peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum VA and VD levels. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> VA and VD co-deficiency may exacerbate AD symptoms in children, but the specific mechanism underlying this relationship requires further study. These findings may indicate the need for studies evaluating the use of VD and VA as potential treatments for AD patients.