Microbiome, inflammation, epigenetic alterations, and mental diseases

The Efficacy of Fecal Transplantation and Bifidobacterium Supplementation in Ameliorating Propionic Acid-Induced Behavioral and Biochemical Autistic Features in Juvenile Male Rats

Gut microbiota plays a major role in neurological disorders, including autism. Modulation of the gut microbiota through fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) or probiotic administration, such as Bifidobacteria, is suggested to alleviate autistic symptoms; however, their effects on the brain are not fully examined. We tested both approaches in a propionic acid (PPA) rodent model of autism as treatment strategies. Autism was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by administering PPA orally (250 mg/kg) for 3 days. Animals were later treated with either saline, FMT, or Bifidobacteria for 22 days. Control animals were treated with saline throughout the study. Social behavior and selected brain biochemical markers related to stress hormones, inflammation, and oxidative stress were assessed. PPA treatment induced social impairments, which was rescued by the treatments. In the brain, Bifidobacteria treatment increased oxytocin relative to control and PPA groups. Moreover, Bifidobacteria treatment rescued the PPA-induced increase in IFN-γ levels. Both treatments increased GST levels, which was diminished by the PPA treatment. These findings indicate the potential of gut microbiota-targeted therapeutics in ameliorating behavioral deficit and underlying neural biochemistry.

Processing body (P-body) and its mediators in cancer

In recent years, processing bodies (P-bodies) formed by liquid-liquid phase separation, have attracted growing scientific attention due to their involvement in numerous cellular activities, including the regulation of mRNAs decay or storage. These cytoplasmic dynamic membraneless granules contain mRNA storage and decay components such as deadenylase and decapping factors. In addition, different mRNA metabolic regulators, including m⁶A readers and gene-mediated miRNA-silencing, are also associated with such P-bodies. Cancerous cells may profit from these mRNA decay shredders by up-regulating the expression level of oncogenes and down-regulating tumor suppressor genes. The main challenges of cancer treatment are drug resistance, metastasis, and cancer relapse likely associated with cancer stem cells, heterogeneity, and plasticity features of different tumors. The mRNA metabolic regulators based on P-bodies play a great role in cancer development and progression. The dysregulation of P-bodies mediators affects mRNA metabolism. However, less is known about the relationship between P-bodies mediators and cancerous behavior. The current review summarizes the recent studies on P-bodies mediators, their contribution to tumor development, and their potential in the clinical setting, particularly highlighting the P-bodies as potential drug-carriers such as exosomes to anticancer in the future.

High Expression of JMJD4 Is a Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Histone demethylase JMJD4 is a burgeoning tumor marker, which has been proven to be associated with colon cancer, but the role it plays in kidney cancer has not yet been investigated. In the present study, we evaluated whether JMJD4 can be a prognostic marker of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) using data from public platform and in vitro experiments. Our results revealed that the expression of JMJD4 is higher in cancerous tissue than in normal tissues (p < 0.001). High expression of JMJD4 is associated with a poor overall survival (OS) of ccRCC as compared with low expression of JMJD4 (p = 0.015). JMJD4 showed significant relevance with M stage (p = 0.016), gender (p = 0.003), OS (0.018), disease-specific survival (DSS) (0.007), and percussion free interval (PFI) (0.041). Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses demonstrated that high JMJD4 expression had independent predictive value for OS in ccRCC patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.563, 95%confidence interval (CI) = 1.055‐2.316, and p = 0.026). Besides, in vitro experiments confirmed that high expression of JMJD4 can significantly promote the invasion ability (p < 0.001), cloning ability (p < 0.001), and proliferation (p < 0.001) of renal cell carcinoma. In summary, high JMJD4 expression may be a prognostic marker in patients with kidney cancer.

Epigenetic Basis of Psychiatric Disorders: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric disorders are complex, multifactorial illnesses with a demonstrated biological component in their etiopathogenesis. Epigenetic modifications, through the modulation of DNA methylation, histone modifications and RNA interference, tune tissue-specific gene expression patterns and play a relevant role in the etiology of psychiatric illnesses.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to discuss the epigenetic mechanisms involved in psychiatric disorders, their modulation by environmental factors and their interactions with genetic variants, in order to provide a comprehensive picture of their mutual crosstalk.

METHODS

In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches of Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were conducted.

RESULTS

Exposure to environmental factors, such as poor socio-economic status, obstetric complications, migration, and early life stressors, may lead to stable changes in gene expression and neural circuit function, playing a role in the risk of psychiatric diseases. The most replicated genes involved by studies using different techniques are discussed. Increasing evidence indicates that these sustained abnormalities are maintained by epigenetic modifications in specific brain regions and they interact with genetic variants in determining the risk of psychiatric disorders.

CONCLUSION

An increasing amount of evidence suggests that epigenetics plays a pivotal role in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. New therapeutic approaches may work by reversing detrimental epigenetic changes that occurred during the lifespan.

The schizophrenia and gut microbiota: A bibliometric and visual analysis

BACKGROUND

Many studies have explored the link between the gut microbiota and schizophrenia. To date, there have been no bibliometric analyses to summarize the association between the gut microbiota and schizophrenia. We aimed to conduct a bibliometric study of this association to determine the current status and areas for advancement in this field.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Publications related to the gut microbiota and schizophrenia were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The WoSCC literature analysis wire and VOSviewer 1.6.16 were used to conduct the analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 162 publications were included in our study. The publications generally showed an upward trend from 2014. A total of 873 authors from 355 organizations and 40 countries/regions contributed to this field. The leading authors were Timothy Dinan, John F Cryan, and Emily Severance. The leading institutions were Johns Hopkins University, the University College Cork, and the University of Toronto. The most productive countries were the United States (US), China, and Canada. In total, 95 journals contributed to this field. Among them, the top three productive journals were Schizophrenia Research, Progress in Neuro Psychopharmacology Biological Psychiatry, and Frontiers in Psychiatry. The important keywords in the clusters were gut microbiome, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, antipsychotics, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, gut-brain axis, autism, depression, inflammation, and brain.

CONCLUSION

The main research hotspots involving the connection between schizophrenia and the gut microbiota were the characteristics of the microbiota composition in schizophrenia patients, the gut-brain axis, and microbial-based interventions for schizophrenia. The studies about the association between gut microbiota and schizophrenia are limited, and more studies are needed to provide new insights into the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia.

An Epigenetic Perspective on Lifestyle Medicine for Depression: Implications for Primary Care Practice

Depression is the most common presenting mental health disorder in primary care. It is also a major contributor to somatic complaints, worsening of chronic medical conditions, poor quality of life, and suicide. Current pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches avert less than half of depression's cumulative burden on society. However, there is a growing body of research describing both how maladaptive lifestyle choices contribute to the development and worsening of depression and how lifestyle-oriented medical interventions can reduce the incidence and severity of depression. This research, largely derived from an emerging field called epigenetics, elucidates the interactions between our lifestyle choices and those epigenetic factors which mediate our tendencies toward either health, or the onset, if not worsening of disease. The present review highlights how lifestyle choices involving diet, physical activity, sleep, social relationships, and stress influence epigenetic processes positively or negatively, and thereby play a significant role in determining whether one does or does not suffer from depression. The authors propose that medical training programs consider and adopt lifestyle medicine oriented instructional initiatives that will enable tomorrow's primary care providers to more effectively identify and therapeutically intervene in the maladaptive choices contributing to their patients' depression.

Intersection of Epigenetic and Immune Alterations: Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health

Prenatal alcohol exposure can impact virtually all body systems, resulting in a host of structural, neurocognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. Among the adverse impacts associated with prenatal alcohol exposure are alterations in immune function, including an increased incidence of infections and alterations in immune/neuroimmune parameters that last throughout the life-course. Epigenetic patterns are also highly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure, with widespread alcohol-related alterations to epigenetic profiles, including changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNA expression. Importantly, epigenetic programs are crucial for immune system development, impacting key processes such as immune cell fate, differentiation, and activation. In addition to their role in development, epigenetic mechanisms are emerging as attractive candidates for the biological embedding of environmental factors on immune function and as mediators between early-life exposures and long-term health. Here, following an overview of the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on immune function and epigenetic patterns, we discuss the potential role for epigenetic mechanisms in reprogramming of immune function and the consequences for health and development. We highlight a range of both clinical and animal studies to provide insights into the array of immune genes impacted by alcohol-related epigenetic reprogramming. Finally, we discuss potential consequences of alcohol-related reprogramming of immune/neuroimmune functions and their effects on the increased susceptibility to mental health disorders. Overall, the collective findings from animal models and clinical studies highlight a compelling relationship between the immune system and epigenetic pathways. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the long-term and multisystem effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, laying the groundwork for possible novel interventions and therapeutic strategies to treat individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Nutrition and cognition across the lifetime: an overview on epigenetic mechanisms

The functioning of our brain depends on both genes and their interactions with environmental factors. The close link between genetics and environmental factors produces structural and functional cerebral changes early on in life. Understanding the weight of environmental factors in modulating neuroplasticity phenomena and cognitive functioning is relevant for potential interventions. Among these, nutrition plays a key role. In fact, the link between gut and brain (the gut-brain axis) is very close and begins in utero, since the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) originate from the same germ layer during the embryogenesis. Here, we investigate the epigenetic mechanisms induced by some nutrients on the cognitive functioning, which affect the cellular and molecular processes governing our cognitive functions. Furthermore, epigenetic phenomena can be positively affected by specific healthy nutrients from diet, with the possibility of preventing or modulating cognitive impairments. Specifically, we described the effects of several nutrients on diet-dependent epigenetic processes, in particular DNA methylation and histones post-translational modifications, and their potential role as therapeutic target, to describe how some forms of cognitive decline could be prevented or modulated from the early stages of life.

Mechanism of DNA methylation-mediated downregulation of O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in cartilage injury of Kashin-Beck Disease

OBJECTIVE

Kashin-Beck Disease (KBD) is an endemic osteoarthropathy, in which excessive apoptosis of chondrocytes occurs. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA damage repair gene, plays an important role in apoptosis but the mechanism is unclear in KBD cartilage injury. This study was to investigate the expression and promoter methylation of MGMT in KBD patients and its role in DNA damage and apoptosis of chondrocytes.

METHODS

MGMT mRNA and protein level were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Demethylation of MGMT was carried out using 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, and the methylation level of MGMT promoter was measured by quantitative methylation specific PCR. Next, shRNA was used to knockdown the expression of MGMT. Cell viability, apoptosis and DNA damage were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33342 staining and alkaline comet assay following T-2 toxin and selenium treatment.

RESULTS

MGMT protein expression and mRNA levels were decreased (p = 0.02, p = 0.007) and promoter methylation was increased (p = 0.008) in KBD patients. Meanwhile, MGMT level was upregulated by 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine in chondrocytes (p = 0.0002). DNA damage and apoptosis rates were increased in MGMT-silenced chondrocytes (all p < 0.0001). Furthermore, DNA damage and apoptosis were increseaed in chondrocytes treated with T-2 toxin (all p < 0.0001), but were decreased after selenium treatment (p < 0.0001, p = 0.01). Decreased mRNA level and increased methylation of MGMT were found in T-2 toxin group (p = 0.005, p = 0.002), while selenium reversed it (p = 0.02, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

MGMT might play a crucial part in the pathogenesis of KBD cartilage injury, which providing a therapeutic target for KBD.

An integrated perspective on transmutation of acute inflammation into chronic and the role of the microbiome

The Continuum theory and the Levels of Health theory were separately proposed to explain the myriad responses to treatment and understand the process of health and disease in an individual. In light of accumulating evidence on the intricate relationship between the human immune system and microbiome, an attempt is made in this article to connect these two theories to explain the transmutation of the efficiently responding immune system (through the acute inflammatory response and high fever) to one involved in a low-grade chronic inflammatory process (resulting in chronic disease). There is already enough evidence to demonstrate the role of the microbiome in all chronic inflammatory diseases. In this article, we discuss the mechanism by which subjecting a healthy person to continuous drug treatment for acute inflammatory conditions (at a certain time) leads to transmutation to chronic disease. Although this hypothesis requires further experimental evidence, it calls for a reconsideration of the manner in which we treat acute infectious diseases in the population.

Oxidative stress and schizophrenia: A comparative cross-sectional study of multiple oxidative markers in patients and their first-degree relatives

OBJECTIVE

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a chronic, disruptive mental disorder with unknown pathogenic mechanisms. Several studies evidenced that oxidative stress (OS) may be one of the causal factors to play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Our study aims to contribute to the SCZ research by investigating a possible relationship between the severity of illness (scored with "The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]") and OS biomarkers in patients. We additionally assess the "first-degree-relatives (FDRs)" oxidative status with multiple parameters to test the idea of oxidative imbalance leads to disease progression as a genetical susceptibility factor.

METHODS

This study included: 50 adult patients with SCZ, 50 unaffected FDRs, and 50 controls. OS biomarkers included myeloperoxidase (MPO), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), total thiol (TT), native thiol (NT). Photometric methods were used to measure the parameters in the peripheral blood samples of participants. Disulphide (DS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) parameters were calculated.

RESULTS

TOS, DS, OSI levels were significantly higher, and TAS, TT, NT levels were significantly lower in both SCZ and FDRs than controls. In the SCZ group, MPO activity was significantly higher compared with other groups. Results in this study did not provide a strong correlation between the PANSS and selected biomarkers. There was a slightly negative correlation between TT and PANSS in the SCZ group (P = .041, r = -.297).

CONCLUSION

OS biomarkers increased significantly in the peripheral blood of SCZ patients compared with other groups indicates the presence of OS in the aetiology of the disease. Mid-levels of oxidative markers found in FDRs imply that unaffected first-degree relatives have an increased risk for turning up to the clinical presentation stage.

Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

INTRODUCTION

The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.

METHODS

In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.

RESULTS

Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.

DISCUSSION

Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.

[The Gut Microbiome and Its Clinical Implications in Anorexia Nervosa]

The Gut Microbiome and Its Clinical Implications in Anorexia Nervosa Abstract. The diverse interactions of the gut microbiome with the metabolism, the immune system, and the brain of the host are increasingly becoming to the forefront of relevant research. Studies suggest a connection between an altered intestinal microbiome and somatic diseases, such as colitis ulcerosa, Crohn's disease, and diabetes, as well as mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) also show significant changes in their gut microbiome which seem to be associated, among other things, with a different energy uptake from food, immunological and inflammatory processes, genetic predisposition, hormonal changes, and possibly increased intestinal permeability. In rats, stool transplantation from patients with AN resulted in decreased appetite and weight as well as anxious and compulsive behavior. In this review, we summarize the possible mechanisms of interaction between the microbiome and the host, and present initial findings on the microbiome in AN. Research on nutritional interventions, for example, with prebiotics and probiotics or nutritional supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, which aim to positively influence the intestinal microbiome, could lead to additional treatment options in the therapy of patients with AN.

Microbiome-Specific Statistical Modeling Identifies Interplay Between Gastrointestinal Microbiome and Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Patients With Autism: A Case Control Study

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unclear mechanisms of pathogenesis. Gastrointestinal microbiome alterations were found to correlate with ASD core symptoms, but its specific role in ASD pathogenesis has not been determined. In this study, we used a case-control strategy that simultaneously compared the ASD gastrointestinal microbiome with that from age-sex matched controls and first-degree relative controls, using a statistical framework accounting for confounders such as age. Enterobacteriaceae (including Escherichia/Shigella) and Phyllobacterium were significantly enriched in the ASD group, with their relative abundances all following a pattern of ASD > first degree relative control > healthy control, consistent with our hypothesis of living environment and shared microbial and immunological exposures as key drivers of ASD gastrointestinal microbiome dysbiosis. Using multivariable omnibus testing, we identified clinical factors including ADOS scores, dietary habits, and gastrointestinal symptoms that covary with overall microbiome structure within the ASD cohort. A microbiome-specific multivariate modeling approach (MaAsLin2) demonstrated microbial taxa, such as Lachnoclostridium and Tyzzerella, are significantly associated with ASD core symptoms measured by ADOS. Finally, we identified alterations in predicted biological functions, including tryptophan and tyrosine biosynthesis/metabolism potentially relevant to the pathophysiology of the gut-brain-axis. Overall, our results identified gastrointestinal microbiome signature changes in patients with ASD, highlighted associations between gastrointestinal microbiome and clinical characteristics related to the gut-brain axis and identified contributors to the heterogeneity of gastrointestinal microbiome within the ASD population.

Potential Biomarkers, Risk Factors and their Associations with IgE-mediated Food Allergy in Early Life: A Narrative Review

Food allergy affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide and presents a significant psychological and financial burden for both national and international public health. In the past few decades, the prevalence of allergic disease has been on the rise worldwide. Identified risk factors for food allergy include family history, mode of delivery, variations in infant feeding practices, prior diagnosis of other atopic diseases such as eczema, and social economic status. Identifying reliable biomarkers which predict the risk of developing food allergy in early life would be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making current interventions available at the earliest opportunity. There is also the potential to identify new therapeutic targets. This narrative review provides details on the genetic, epigenetic, dietary and microbiome influences upon the development of food allergy and synthesizes the currently available data indicating potential biomarkers. While there is a large body of research evidence available within each field of potential risk factors, there are very limited number of studies which span multiple methodological fields, for example including immunology, microbiome, genetic/epigenetic factors and dietary assessment. We recommend that further collaborative research with detailed cohort phenotyping is required to identify biomarkers, and whether these vary between at-risk populations and the wider population. The low incidence of oral food challenge confirmed food allergy in the general population, and the complexities of designing nutritional intervention studies will provide challenges for researchers to address in generating high quality, reliable and reproducible research findings.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Food allergy affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide and presents a significant psychological and financial burden for both national and international public health. Identifying reliable biomarkers which predict the risk of developing food allergy would be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making current interventions available at the earliest opportunity. This review provides details on the genetic, epigenetic, dietary and microbiome influences upon the development of food allergy. This helps in identifying reliable biomarkers to predict the risk of developing food allergy, which could be valuable in both preventing morbidity and mortality and by making interventions available at the earliest opportunity.

Gut dysbiosis, defective autophagy and altered immune responses in neurodegenerative diseases: Tales of a vicious cycle

The human microbiota comprises trillions of symbiotic microorganisms and is involved in regulating gastrointestinal (GI), immune, nervous system and metabolic homeostasis. Recent observations suggest a bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain via immune, circulatory and neural pathways, termed the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). Alterations in gut microbiota composition, such as seen with an increased number of pathobionts and a decreased number of symbionts, termed gut dysbiosis or microbial intestinal dysbiosis, plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of central nervous system (CNS)-related disorders. Clinical reports confirm that GI symptoms often precede neurological symptoms several years before the development of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Pathologically, gut dysbiosis disrupts the integrity of the intestinal barrier leading to ingress of pathobionts and toxic metabolites into the systemic circulation causing GBA dysregulation. Subsequently, chronic neuroinflammation via dysregulated immune activation triggers the accumulation of neurotoxic misfolded proteins in and around CNS cells resulting in neuronal death. Emerging evidence links gut dysbiosis to the aggravation and/or spread of proteinopathies from the peripheral nervous system to the CNS and defective autophagy-mediated proteinopathies. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of gut microbiota in NDDs, and highlights a vicious cycle of gut dysbiosis, immune-mediated chronic neuroinflammation, impaired autophagy and proteinopathies, which contributes to the development of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. We also discuss novel therapeutic strategies targeting the modulation of gut dysbiosis through prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics or dietary interventions, and faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) in the management of NDDs.

Epigenetic Regulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Switching in Atherosclerotic Artery Remodeling: A Mini-Review

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by extensive remodeling of medium and large-sized arteries. Inward remodeling (=lumen shrinkage) of the vascular walls is the underlying cause for ischemia in target organs. Therefore, inward remodeling can be considered the predominant feature of atherosclerotic pathology. Outward remodeling (=lumen enlargement) is a physiological response compensating for lumen shrinkage caused by neointimal hyperplasia, but as a pathological response to changes in blood flow, outward remodeling leads to substantial arterial wall thinning. Thinned vascular walls are prone to rupture, and subsequent thrombus formation accounts for the majority of acute cardiovascular events. Pathological remodeling is driven by inflammatory cells which induce vascular smooth muscle cells to switch from quiescent to a proliferative and migratory phenotype. After decades of intensive research, the molecular mechanisms of arterial remodeling are starting to unfold. In this mini-review, we summarize the current knowledge of the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching from the contractile to the synthetic phenotype involved in arterial remodeling and discuss potential therapeutic options.

Folic Acid and Autism: A Systematic Review of the Current State of Knowledge

Folic acid has been identified to be integral in rapid tissue growth and cell division during fetal development. Different studies indicate folic acid’s importance in improving childhood behavioral outcomes and underline its role as a modifiable risk factor for autism spectrum disorders. The aim of this systematic review is to both elucidate the potential role of folic acid in autism spectrum disorders and to investigate the mechanisms involved. Studies have pointed out a potential beneficial effect of prenatal folic acid maternal supplementation (600 µg) on the risk of autism spectrum disorder onset, but opposite results have been reported as well. Folic acid and/or folinic acid supplementation in autism spectrum disorder diagnosed children has led to improvements, both in some neurologic and behavioral symptoms and in the concentration of one-carbon metabolites. Several authors report an increased frequency of serum auto-antibodies against folate receptor alpha (FRAA) in autism spectrum disorder children. Furthermore, methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms showed a significant influence on ASD risk. More clinical trials, with a clear study design, with larger sample sizes and longer observation periods are necessary to be carried out to better evaluate the potential protective role of folic acid in autism spectrum disorder risk.

Cataloging recent advances in epigenetic alterations in major mental disorders and autism

During the last two decades, diverse epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone modifications, RNA editing and miRNA dysregulation have been associated with psychiatric disorders. A few years ago, in a review we outlined the most common epigenetic alterations in major psychiatric disorders (e.g., aberrant DNA methylation of DTNBP1, HTR2A, RELN, MB-COMT and PPP3CC, and increased expression of miR-34a and miR-181b). Recent follow-up studies have uncovered other DNA methylation aberrations affecting several genes in mental disorders, in addition to dysregulation of many miRNAs. Here, we provide an update on new epigenetic findings and highlight potential origin of the diversity and inconsistencies, focusing on drug effects, tissue/cell specificity of epigenetic landscape and discuss shortcomings of the current diagnostic criteria in mental disorders.

Effect of Niacin on Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, Mucosal Immunity and Microbiota Composition in Weaned Piglets

Simple Summary

The protective effect of niacin on growth performance and gut health of weaned piglets and the underlying mechanism remains unclear despite it being a common additive in pig diets. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of niacin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal immunity, and colonic microbiota in weaned piglets. Our results show that niacin supplementation significantly improved the growth performance in piglets as compared with those given a niacin receptor antagonist. Niacin also significantly improved the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the colon and alleviate the inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa as compared with control piglets and those given a niacin receptor antagonist. These results provide new insight into the beneficial effects of niacin on growth performance and gut health in weaned piglets.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of niacin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal immunity, and colonic microbiota in weaned piglets. A total of 96 weaned piglets (Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), 21-d old, 6.65 ± 0.02 kg body weight (BW)) were randomly allocated into 3 treatment groups (8 replicate pens per treatment, each pen containing 4 males; n = 32/treatment) for 14 d. Piglets were fed a control diet (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with 20.4 mg/kg niacin (NA) or an antagonist for the niacin receptor GPR109A (MPN). The results showed that NA or MPN had no effect on ADG, ADFI, G/F or diarrhea incidence compared with the CON diet. However, compared with piglets in the NA group, piglets in the MPN group had lower ADG (p = 0.042) and G/F (p = 0.055). In comparison with the control and MPN group, niacin supplementation increased the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05), while decreasing the crypt depth in the duodenum (p < 0.05). Proteomics analysis of cytokines showed that niacin supplementation increased the expression of duodenal transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), jejunal interleukin-10 (IL-10) and ileal interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p < 0.05), and reduced the expression of ileal interleukin-8 (IL-8) (p < 0.05) compared with the control diet. Piglets in the MPN group had significantly increased expression of ileal IL-6, and jejunal IL-8 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p < 0.05) compared with those in the control group. Piglets in the MPN group had lower jejunal IL-10 level and higher jejunal IL-8 level than those in the NA group (p < 0.05). The mRNA abundance of duodenal IL-8 and ileal granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) genes were increased (p < 0.05), and that of ileal IL-10 transcript was decreased (p < 0.05) in the MPN group compared with both the control and NA groups. Additionally, niacin increased the relative abundance of Dorea in the colon as compared with the control and MPN group (p < 0.05), while decreasing that of Peptococcus compared with the control group (p < 0.05) and increasing that of Lactobacillus compared with MPN supplementation (p < 0.05). Collectively, the results indicated that niacin supplementation efficiently ensured intestinal morphology and attenuated intestinal inflammation of weaned piglets. The protective effects of niacin on gut health may be associated with increased Lactobacillus and Dorea abundance and butyrate content and decreased abundances of Peptococcus.

Novel approaches in schizophrenia-from risk factors and hypotheses to novel drug targets

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by emotional, behavioral and cognitive disturbances, and the treatment of schizophrenia is often complicated by noncompliance and pharmacoresistance. The search for the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia has resulted in the proposal of several hypotheses to explain the impacts of environmental, genetic, neurodevelopmental, immune and inflammatory factors on disease onset and progression. This review discusses the newest insights into the pathophysiology of and risk factors for schizophrenia and notes novel approaches in antipsychotic treatment and potential diagnostic and theranostic biomarkers. The current hypotheses focusing on neuromediators (dopamine, glutamate, and serotonin), neuroinflammation, the cannabinoid hypothesis, the gut-brain axis model, and oxidative stress are summarized. Key genetic features, including small nucleotide polymorphisms, copy number variations, microdeletions, mutations and epigenetic changes, are highlighted. Current pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia relies mostly on dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonists/partial agonists, but new findings in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia have allowed the expansion of novel approaches in pharmacotherapy and the establishment of more reliable biomarkers. Substances with promising results in preclinical and clinical studies include lumateperone, pimavanserin, xanomeline, roluperidone, agonists of trace amine-associated receptor 1, inhibitors of glycine transporters, AMPA allosteric modulators, mGLUR_2-3 agonists, D-amino acid oxidase inhibitors and cannabidiol. The use of anti-inflammatory agents as an add-on therapy is mentioned.

Low dose antibiotic ingestion potentiates systemic and microbiome changes induced by silver nanoparticles

Changes in the mammalian gut microbiome are linked to the impairment of immunological function and numerous other pathologies. Antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated into numerous consumer products (e.g., clothing, cosmetics, food packaging), which may directly impact the gut microbiome through ingestion. The human health impact of chronic AgNP ingestion is still uncertain, but evidence from exposure to other antimicrobials provides a strong rationale to assess AgNP effects on organ function, immunity, metabolism, and gut-associated microbiota. To investigate this, mice were gavaged daily for 5 weeks with saline, AgNPs, antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and metronidazole), or AgNPs combined with antibiotics. Animals were weighed daily, assessed for glucose tolerance, organ function, tissue and blood cytokine and leukocyte levels. At the end of the study, we used 16S rDNA amplicon and whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing to assess changes in the gut microbiome. In mice exposed to both AgNPs and antibiotics, silver was found in the stomach, and small and large intestines, but negligible amounts were present in other organs examined. Mice exposed to AgNPs alone showed minimal tissue silver levels. Antibiotics, but not AgNPs, altered glucose metabolism. Mice given AgNPs and antibiotics together demonstrated slower weight gain, reduced peripheral lymphocytes, and elevated splenic, but not circulatory markers of inflammation. 16S rDNA profiling of cecum and feces and metagenomic sequencing of fecal DNA demonstrated that combined AgNP-antibiotic treatment also significantly altered the structure and function of the gut microbiota, including depletion of the indicator species Akkermansia muciniphila. This study provides evidence for possible biological effects from repeated ingestion of AgNP-containing consumer products when antibiotics are also being used and raises concern that an impaired gut microbiome (e.g., through antibiotic use) can potentiate the harm from chemical exposures such as AgNPs.

Role of microbes in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders

Microbes inhabit different anatomical sites of the human body including oral cavity, gut, and skin. A growing literature highlights how microbiome variation is associated with human health and disease. There is strong evidence of bidirectional communication between gut and brain mediated by neurotransmitters and microbial metabolites. Here, we review the potential involvement of microbes residing in the gut and in other body sites in the pathogenesis of eight neuropsychiatric disorders, discussing findings from animal and human studies. The data reported provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the microbiome research in neuropsychiatry, including hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying the associations reported and the translational potential of probiotics and prebiotics.

Does the application of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease lead to depression?

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease and depression are health conditions affecting millions of people around the world. Both are strongly related to the level of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Since cholinergic deficit is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are applied as relevant drugs for the treatment of this disease, elevating the level of acetylcholine. On the other hand, a high level of acetylcholine is found to be associated with the symptoms of clinical depression.Areas covered: This article aims to discuss if acetylcholinesterase inhibitors used as anti-Alzheimer's drugs could be the cause of the symptoms of clinical depression often linked to this neurological disorder. Emphasis will be put on drugs currently in use and on newly investigated natural products, which can inhibit AChE activity.Expert opinion: Currently, it is not proven that the patient treated for Alzheimer's disease is prone to increased risk for depression due to the acetylcholinesterase inhibition, but there are strong indications. The level of acetylcholine is not the only factor in highly complicated diseases like AD and depression. Still, it needs to be considered isolated, keeping in mind the nature of presently available therapy, especially during a rational drug design process.

Role of Atypical Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors Pathways in the Pathogenesis of COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) represents a heightened inflammatory response in the lung generally resulting from tobacco smoking-induced recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells and/or activation of lower airway structural cells. Several mediators can modulate activation and recruitment of these cells, particularly those belonging to the chemokines (conventional and atypical) family. There is emerging evidence for complex roles of atypical chemokines and their receptors (such as high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), antimicrobial peptides, receptor for advanced glycosylation end products (RAGE) or toll-like receptors (TLRs)) in the pathogenesis of COPD, both in the stable disease and during exacerbations. Modulators of these pathways represent potential novel therapies for COPD and many are now in preclinical development. Inhibition of only a single atypical chemokine or receptor may not block inflammatory processes because there is redundancy in this network. However, there are many animal studies that encourage studies for modulating the atypical chemokine network in COPD. Thus, few pharmaceutical companies maintain a significant interest in developing agents that target these molecules as potential antiinflammatory drugs. Antibody-based (biological) and small molecule drug (SMD)-based therapies targeting atypical chemokines and/or their receptors are mostly at the preclinical stage and their progression to clinical trials is eagerly awaited. These agents will most likely enhance our knowledge about the role of atypical chemokines in COPD pathophysiology and thereby improve COPD management.

Molecular signature of extracellular matrix pathology in schizophrenia

Growing evidence points to a critical involvement of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (SZ). Decreases of perineuronal nets (PNNs) and altered expression of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) in glial cells have been identified in several brain regions. GWAS data have identified several SZ vulnerability variants of genes encoding for ECM molecules. Given the potential relevance of ECM functions to the pathophysiology of this disorder, it is necessary to understand the extent of ECM changes across brain regions, their region- and sex-specificity and which ECM components contribute to these changes. We tested the hypothesis that the expression of genes encoding for ECM molecules may be broadly disrupted in SZ across several cortical and subcortical brain regions and include key ECM components as well as factors such as ECM posttranslational modifications and regulator factors. Gene expression profiling of 14 neocortical brain regions, caudate, putamen and hippocampus from control subjects (n = 14/region) and subjects with SZ (n = 16/region) was conducted using Affymetrix microarray analysis. Analysis across brain regions revealed widespread dysregulation of ECM gene expression in cortical and subcortical brain regions in SZ, impacting several ECM functional key components. SRGN, CD44, ADAMTS1, ADAM10, BCAN, NCAN and SEMA4G showed some of the most robust changes. Region-, sex- and age-specific gene expression patterns and correlation with cognitive scores were also detected. Taken together, these findings contribute to emerging evidence for large-scale ECM dysregulation in SZ and point to molecular pathways involved in PNN decreases, glial cell dysfunction and cognitive impairment in SZ.

Exploring the Role and Potential of Probiotics in the Field of Mental Health: Major Depressive Disorder

The field of probiotic has been exponentially expanding over the recent decades with a more therapeutic-centered research. Probiotics mediated microbiota modulation within the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) have been proven to be beneficial in various health domains through pre-clinical and clinical studies. In the context of mental health, although probiotic research is still in its infancy stage, the promising role and potential of probiotics in various mental disorders demonstrated via in-vivo and in-vitro studies have laid a strong foundation for translating preclinical models to humans. The exploration of the therapeutic role and potential of probiotics in major depressive disorder (MDD) is an extremely noteworthy field of research. The possible etio-pathological mechanisms of depression involving inflammation, neurotransmitters, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and epigenetic mechanisms potentially benefit from probiotic intervention. Probiotics, both as an adjunct to antidepressants or a stand-alone intervention, have a beneficial role and potential in mitigating anti-depressive effects, and confers some advantages compared to conventional treatments of depression using anti-depressants.

Some Candidate Drugs for Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD; progressive neurodegenerative disorder) is associated with cognitive and functional impairment with accompanying neuropsychiatric symptoms. The available pharmacological treatment is of a symptomatic nature and, as such, it does not modify the cause of AD. The currently used drugs to enhance cognition include an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist (memantine) and cholinesterase inhibitors. The PUBMED, Medical Subject Heading and Clinical Trials databases were used for searching relevant data. Novel treatments are focused on already approved drugs for other conditions and also searching for innovative drugs encompassing investigational compounds. Among the approved drugs, we investigated, are intranasal insulin (and other antidiabetic drugs: liraglitude, pioglitazone and metformin), bexarotene (an anti-cancer drug and a retinoid X receptor agonist) or antidepressant drugs (citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, mirtazapine). The latter, especially when combined with antipsychotics (for instance quetiapine or risperidone), were shown to reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD patients. The former enhanced cognition. Procognitive effects may be also expected with dietary antioxidative and anti-inflammatory supplements—curcumin, myricetin, and resveratrol. Considering a close relationship between brain ischemia and AD, they may also reduce post-brain ischemia neurodegeneration. An investigational compound, CN-105 (a lipoprotein E agonist), has a very good profile in AD preclinical studies, and its clinical trial for postoperative dementia is starting soon.

Probiotic and Oxytocin Combination Therapy in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a rapidly growing neurodevelopmental disorder. Both probiotics and oxytocin were reported to have therapeutic potential; however, the combination therapy has not yet been studied. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 2-stage pilot trial in 35 individuals with ASD aged 3-20 years (median = 10.30 years). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive daily Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 probiotic (6 × 1010 CFUs) or a placebo for 28 weeks; starting on week 16, both groups received oxytocin. The primary outcomes measure socio-behavioral severity using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). The secondary outcomes include measures of the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, fecal microbiome, blood serum inflammatory markers, and oxytocin. All outcomes were compared between the two groups at baseline, 16 weeks, and 28 weeks into treatment. We observed improvements in ABC and SRS scores and significant improvements in CGI-improvement between those receiving probiotics and oxytocin combination therapy compared to those receiving placebo (p < 0.05). A significant number of favorable gut microbiome network hubs were also identified after combination therapy (p < 0.05). The favorable social cognition response of the combination regimen is highly correlated with the abundance of the Eubacterium hallii group. Our findings suggest synergic effects between probiotics PS128 and oxytocin in ASD patients, although further investigation is warranted.

Evolutionary concepts in the functional biotics arena: a mini-review

Over the years, the attempts to elucidate the role of beneficial microorganisms in shaping human health are becoming fairly apparent. The functional impact conferred by such microbes is not only transmitted by viable cells or their metabolites but also through non-viable cells. Extensive research to unveil the protective action of such wonder bugs has resulted in categorizing the beneficial microflora and their bioactive metabolites into a variety of functional biotic concepts based on their intended applications in various forms. In the modern era, these are often termed as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, next-generation probiotics, psychobiotics, oncobiotics, pharmabiotics, and metabiotics. Currently, the concept of traditional probiotics is being widened to include microbes beyond lactic acid bacteria. Indeed, this diversification has broadened the functional food portfolio from food to pharmaceuticals. In this context, the present review aims to summarize the existing biotic concepts and their differences thereof.

Evidence for Modulation of Substance Use Disorders by the Gut Microbiome: Hidden in Plain Sight

The gut microbiome modulates neurochemical function and behavior and has been implicated in numerous central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including developmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a serious threat to the public well-being, yet gut microbiome involvement in drug abuse has received very little attention. Studies of the mechanisms underlying SUDs have naturally focused on CNS reward circuits. However, a significant body of research has accumulated over the past decade that has unwittingly provided strong support for gut microbiome participation in drug reward. β-Lactam antibiotics have been employed to increase glutamate transporter expression to reverse relapse-induced release of glutamate. Sodium butyrate has been used as a histone deacetylase inhibitor to prevent drug-induced epigenetic alterations. High-fat diets have been used to alter drug reward because of the extensive overlap of the circuitry mediating them. This review article casts these approaches in a different light and makes a compelling case for gut microbiome modulation of SUDs. Few factors alter the structure and composition of the gut microbiome more than antibiotics and a high-fat diet, and butyrate is an endogenous product of bacterial fermentation. Drugs such as cocaine, alcohol, opiates, and psychostimulants also modify the gut microbiome. Therefore, their effects must be viewed on a complex background of cotreatment-induced dysbiosis. Consideration of the gut microbiome in SUDs should have the beneficial effects of expanding the understanding of SUDs and aiding in the design of new therapies based on opposing the effects of abused drugs on the host's commensal bacterial community. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Proposed mechanisms underlying substance use disorders fail to acknowledge the impact of drugs of abuse on the gut microbiome. β-Lactam antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and high-fat diets are used to modify drug seeking and reward, overlooking the notable capacity of these treatments to alter the gut microbiome. This review aims to stimulate research on substance abuse-gut microbiome interactions by illustrating how drugs of abuse share with antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and fat-laden diets the ability to modify the host microbial community.

Understanding the role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder with marked symptoms of hallucination, delusion, and impaired cognitive behaviors. Although multidimensional factors have been associated with the development of schizophrenia, the principal cause of the disorder remains debatable. Microbiome involvement in the etiology of schizophrenia has been widely researched due to the advancement in sequencing technologies. This review describes the contribution of the gut microbiome in the development of schizophrenia that is facilitated by the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiota is connected to the gut-brain axis via several pathways and mechanisms, that are discussed in this review. The role of the oral microbiota, probiotics and prebiotics in shaping the gut microbiota are also highlighted. Lastly, future perspectives for microbiome research in schizophrenia are addressed.

Cancer Care of Children, Adolescents and Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Key Information and Strategies for Oncology Teams

Delivering optimal cancer care to children, adolescents and adults with ASD has recently become a healthcare priority and represents a major challenge for all providers involved. In this review, and after consideration of the available evidence, we concisely deliver key information on this heterogenous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as recommendations and concrete tools for the enhanced oncological care of this vulnerable population of patients.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms in 2- to 5-Year-Old Children in the Study to Explore Early Development

Gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) are commonly reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This multi-site study evaluated the prevalence of GIS in preschool-aged children with ASD/(n = 672), with other developmental delays (DD)/(n = 938), and children in the general population (POP)/(n = 851). After adjusting for covariates, children in the ASD group were over 3 times more likely to have parent-reported GIS than the POP group, and almost 2 times more likely than the DD group. Children with GIS from all groups had more behavioral and sleep problems. Within the ASD group, children with developmental regression had more GIS than those without; however, there were no differences in autism severity scores between children with and without GIS. These findings have implications for clinical management.

O eixo intestino-cérebro e sintomas depressivos: uma revisão sistemática dos ensaios clínicos randomizados com probióticos

RESUMO Objetivo: Reconhece-se atualmente a relevância do eixo intestino-cérebro para a compreensão de comportamentos e doenças mentais ou psiquiátricas. O presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar os efeitos do consumo de probióticos sobre sintomas depressivos e depressão maior. Métodos: O presente estudo constitui uma revisão de ensaios clínicos randomizados duplos-cegos ou triplos-cegos, placebo-controlados, publicados entre 2010 e 2020. Foi realizada busca por artigos nas bases de dados PubMed, ScienceDirect e Google Scholar. Resultados: Oito artigos compuseram a amostra do presente estudo. Os resultados entre estudos são controversos e indicam que a relação de causalidade entre o consumo de probióticos e o alívio de sintomas depressivos ainda não foi estabelecida. Conclusões: Mais ensaios clínicos randomizados duplos-cegos ou triplos-cegos, placebo-controlados, que controlem potenciais fatores de confusão (p. ex.: dieta, uso de antibióticos), são necessários para verificar consistentemente a relação causal entre o consumo de probióticos e o alívio de sintomas depressivos.

Probiotic Treatment in Individuals with Euthymic Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot-Study on Clinical Changes and Compliance

The importance of the microbiome for psychological well-being has gained rising interest in the last decade. A strategy to examine the role of the microbiome in different diseases is the intake of supplements that modulate the gut microbiome. Despite promising results in animal studies, research in humans is sparse to date and especially in individuals with psychiatric disorders almost missing. The current report of the ProbioBIP-one pilot study aims at describing general effects of the intake of the probiotic OMNi-BiOTiC Stress repair® on psychological parameters as well as gastrointestinal symptoms and general compliance in a cohort of euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), receiving daily probiotic treatment over a time period of 3 months. Twenty-seven individuals with BD took part in the present study (mean age = 50.7 years, SD = 12.2; females 40.7%). In sum, there was a high compliance rate with 81.5% of the study participants completing all 3 study visits and 85% of planned probiotic ingestions taken. Gastrointestinal problems were prevalent in more than half of the patients at the time of inclusion (t1). Expectedly, in the whole cohort, a high proportion of study participants experienced changes concerning digestion during probiotic treatment, around one third reported positive changes (reduced flatulence and easier and more frequent bowel movements) after 1 month (t2) and further after 3 months (t3). In contrast, a smaller part of study participants reported gastrointestinal discomfort after 1 and after 3 months (mainly flatulence and obstipation). We found a significantly reduced cognitive reactivity to sad mood between t2 and t3 indicating that participants under probiotic supplementation perceived themselves to be less distracted by ruminative thoughts. Further changes in psychiatric symptoms were small due to the euthymic state and already low scoring at the time of inclusion. Nevertheless, we found a significant symptom reduction in the rating scales measuring manic symptoms. From a clinical point of view, probiotic supplementation might provide a well-tolerated tool to positively influence gastrointestinal quality of life as well as mental and somatic health, cognition and immune response and potentially have effects on psychiatric symptoms.

PROVIT: Supplementary Probiotic Treatment and Vitamin B7 in Depression-A Randomized Controlled Trial

Gut microbiota are suspected to affect brain functions and behavior as well as lowering inflammation status. Therefore, an effect on depression has already been suggested by recent research. The aim of this randomized double-blind controlled trial was to evaluate the effect of probiotic treatment in depressed individuals. Within inpatient care, 82 currently depressed individuals were randomly assigned to either receive a multistrain probiotic plus biotin treatment or biotin plus placebo for 28 days. Clinical symptoms as well as gut microbiome were analyzed at the begin of the study, after one and after four weeks. After 16S rRNA analysis, microbiome samples were bioinformatically explored using QIIME, SPSS, R and Piphillin. Both groups improved significantly regarding psychiatric symptoms. Ruminococcus gauvreauii and Coprococcus 3 were more abundant and β-diversity was higher in the probiotics group after 28 days. KEGG-analysis showed elevated inflammation-regulatory and metabolic pathways in the intervention group. The elevated abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria after probiotic treatment allows speculations on the functionality of probiotic treatment in depressed individuals. Furthermore, the finding of upregulated vitamin B6 and B7 synthesis underlines the connection between the quality of diet, gut microbiota and mental health through the regulation of metabolic functions, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. Concluding, four-week probiotic plus biotin supplementation, in inpatient individuals with a major depressive disorder diagnosis, showed an overall beneficial effect of clinical treatment. However, probiotic intervention compared to placebo only differed in microbial diversity profile, not in clinical outcome measures.

Roles of ten-eleven translocation family proteins and their O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminylated forms in cancer development

Members of the ten-eleven translocation (TET) protein family of which three mammalian TET proteins have been discovered so far, catalyze the sequential oxidation of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine which serve an important role in embryonic development and tumor progression. O-GlcNAcylation (O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminylation) is a reversible post-translational modification known to serve important roles in tumorigenesis and metastasis especially in hematopoietic malignancies such as myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. O-GlcNAcylation activity requires only two enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). OGT catalyzes attachment of GlcNAc sugar to serine, threonine and cytosine residues in proteins, while OGA hydrolyzes O-GlcNAc attached to proteins. Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that TETs can be O-GlcNAcylated by OGT, with consequent alteration of TET activity and stability. The present review focuses on the cellular, biological and biochemical functions of TET and its O-GlcNAcylated form and proposes a model of the role of TET/OGT complex in regulation of target proteins during cancer development. In addition, the present review provides directions for future research in this area.

Inhibition of EZH2 (Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2) Attenuates Neuroinflammation via H3k27me3/SOCS3/TRAF6/NF-κB (Trimethylation of Histone 3 Lysine 27/Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3/Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Family 6/Nuclear Factor-κB) in a Rat Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Neuroinflammation has been proven to play an important role in the pathogenesis of early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2)-mediated H3K27Me3 (trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 27) has been recognized to play a critical role in multiple inflammatory diseases. However, there is still a lack of evidence to address the effect of EZH2 on the immune response of SAH. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the role of EZH2 in SAH-induced neuroinflammation and explore the effect of EZH2 inhibition with its specific inhibitor EPZ6438.

METHODS

The endovascular perforation method was performed on rats to induce subarachnoid hemorrhage. EPZ6438, a specific EZH2 inhibitor, was administered intraperitoneally at 1 hour after SAH. SOCS3 (Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3) siRNA and H3K27me3 CRISPR were administered intracerebroventricularly at 48 hours before SAH to explore potential mechanisms. The SAH grade, short-term and long-term neurobehavioral tests, immunofluorescence staining, and western blots were performed after SAH.

RESULTS

The expression of EZH2 and H3K27me3 peaked at 24 hours after SAH. In addition, inhibition of EZH2 with EPZ6438 significantly improved neurological deficits both in short-term and long-term outcome studies. Moreover, EPZ6438 treatment significantly decreased the levels of EZH2, H3K27Me3, pathway-related proteins TRAF6 (TNF [tumor necrosis factor] receptor family 6), NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) p65, proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL (interleukin)-6, IL-1β, but increased the expression levels of SOCS3 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, administration of SOCS3 siRNA and H3k27me3-activating CRISPR partly abolished the neuroprotective effect of EPZ6438, which indicated that the neuroprotective effect of EPZ6438 acted, at least partly, through activation of SOCS3.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the inhibition of EZH2 by EPZ6438 attenuated neuroinflammation via H3K27me3/SOCS3/TRAF6/NF-κB signaling pathway after SAH in rats. By targeting EZH2, this study may provide an innovative method to ameliorate early brain injury after SAH.

Preservation of the fecal samples at ambient temperature for microbiota analysis with a cost-effective and reliable stabilizer EffcGut

With the increasing researches on the role of gut microbiota in human health and disease, appropriate storage method of fecal samples at ambient temperature would conveniently guarantee the precise and reliable microbiota results. Nevertheless, less choice of stabilizer that is cost-efficient and feasible to be used in longer preservation period obstructed the large-scale metagenomics studies. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a guanidine isothiocyanate-based reagent method EffcGut and compared it with the other already used storage method by means of 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. We found that guanidine isothiocyanate-based reagent method at ambient temperature was not inferior to OMNIgene·GUT OM-200 and it could retain the similar bacterial community as that of -80 °C within 24 weeks. Furthermore, bacterial diversity and community structure difference were compared among different sample fraction (supernatant, suspension and precipitate) preserved in EffcGut and -80 °C. We found that supernatant under the preservation of EffcGut retained the similar community structure and composition as that of the low temperature preservation method.

Real time quantitative methylation detection of PAX1 gene in cervical cancer screening

INTRODUCTION

DNA methylation is currently found to be associated with the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and the development of cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of real time quantitative methylation detection of the PAX1 gene in cervical cancer screening.

METHODS

All eligible patients who underwent multiple detections for cervical cancer were assigned to the normal cervical group (n=21), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I group (n=7), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II+III group (n=12), or invasive cervical cancer group (n=14) based on pathological gradings. The methylation level of the PAX1 gene was detected using the real time quantitative methylation specific polymerase chain reaction assay and assessed by △Cp value. The diagnostic performance of PAX1 methylation detection was compared with folic acid receptor mediated diagnosis, the Thinprep cytology test, and human papilloma virus (HPV) testing.

RESULTS

The △Cp value in the invasive cervical cancer group was (6.15±4.07), significantly lower than that in the other groups (F=26.45, p<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of PAX1 methylation detection was 0.902 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.817-0.986; p<0.001), and sensitivity and specificity were 92.30% and 78.60% when the cut-off value of △Cp was 13.28. The AUC of PAX1 methylation detection was notably larger compared with 0.709 for folic acid receptor mediated diagnosis (95% CI 0.568-0.849, p=0.009), 0.702 for the Thinprep cytology test (95% CI 0.559-0.844, p=0.015), and 0.655 for HPV testing (95% CI 0.508-0.802, p=0.014).

CONCLUSION

Through quantitative methylation specific polymerase chain reaction assay characterized by rapid screening and simple operation, the methylation detection of the PAX1 gene exhibited a higher diagnostic performance and may be a promising method for cervical cancer screening.

The relationship between epigenetics and microbiota in neuropsychiatric diseases

Microbiota might be considered as a pool for environmental epigenetic factors. Evidence is accumulating that environmental exposures - including microbes, diet, drugs - play a role in the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Underlying mechanisms are complex, involving the sensitive interplay of genetics with epigenetics, neuroinflammation and the innate immune system. Modifications of microbiota affect neurogenesis and the maturation of microglia, influencing social behavior, stress-related responses and fear learning mechanisms. The excitatory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex appear to play a key role. The mechanisms through which antibiotics administration may modulate microbiota and, therefore, behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders, may be influenced by several variables such as pre-existing gastrointestinal inflammation, the baseline microbiota composition, diet and stress perception. Probiotics, individualized diet, antibiotics and fecal transplantation could positively modulate the effects of epigenetic factors on neuropsychiatric disorders.

Gut microbiota on gender bias in autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. Its three core symptoms are social communication disorder, communication disorder, narrow interest and stereotyped repetitive behavior. The proportion of male and female autistic patients is 4:1. Many researchers have studied this phenomenon, but the mechanism is still unclear. This review mainly discusses the related mechanism from the perspective of gut microbiota and introduces the influence of gut microbiota on the difference of ASD between men and women, as well as how gut microbiota may affect the gender dimorphism of ASD through metabolite of microbiota, immunity, and genetics, which provide some useful information for those who are interested in this research and find more gender-specific treatment for autistic men and women.

Role of epigenetic regulatory enzymes in animal models of mania induced by amphetamine and paradoxical sleep deprivation

It is known that bipolar disorder has a multifactorial aetiology where the interaction between genetic and environmental factors is responsible for its development. Because of this, epigenetics has been largely studied in psychiatric disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors on epigenetic enzyme alterations in rats or mice submitted to animal models of mania induced by dextro-amphetamine or sleep deprivation, respectively. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to 14 days of dextro-amphetamine administration, and from the eighth to the fourteenth day, the animals were treated with valproate and sodium butyrate in addition to dextro-amphetamine injections. Adult C57BL/6 mice received 7 days of valproate or sodium butyrate administration, being sleep deprived at the last 36 hr of the protocol. Locomotor and exploratory activities of rats and mice were evaluated in the open-field test, and histone deacetylase, DNA methyltransferase, and histone acetyltransferase activities were assessed in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Dextro-amphetamine and sleep deprivation induced hyperactivity and increased histone deacetylase and DNA methyltransferase activities in the animal's brain. Valproate and sodium butyrate were able to reverse hyperlocomotion induced by both animal models, as well as the alterations on histone deacetylase and DNA methyltransferase activities. There was a positive correlation between enzyme activities and number of crossings for both models. Histone deacetylase and DNA methyltransferase activities also presented a positive correlation between theirselves. These results suggest that epigenetics can play an important role in BD pathophysiology as well as in its treatment.

Maternal depression and inflammation during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Maternal depression during pregnancy increases the risk for adverse developmental outcomes in children. However, the underpinning biological mechanisms remain unknown. We tested whether depression was associated with levels of and change in the inflammatory state during pregnancy, if early pregnancy overweight/obesity or diabetes/hypertensive pregnancy disorders accounted for/mediated these effects, and if depression added to the inflammation that typically accompanies these conditions.

METHODS

We analyzed plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls at three consecutive stages during pregnancy, derived history of depression diagnoses before pregnancy from Care Register for Healthcare (HILMO) (N = 375) and self-reports (N = 347) and depressive symptoms during pregnancy using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale completed concurrently to blood samplings (N = 295). Data on early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and diabetes/hypertensive pregnancy disorders came from medical records.

RESULTS

Higher overall hsCRP levels, but not change, during pregnancy were predicted by history of depression diagnosis before pregnancy [HILMO: mean difference (MD) = 0.69 standard deviation (s.d.) units; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26-1.11, self-report: MD = 0.56 s.d.; 95% CI 0.17-0.94] and higher depressive symptoms during pregnancy (0.06 s.d. per s.d. increase; 95% CI 0.00-0.13). History of depression diagnosis before pregnancy also predicted higher overall glycoprotein acetyls (HILMO: MD = 0.52 s.d.; 95% CI 0.12-0.93). These associations were not explained by diabetes/hypertensive disorders, but were accounted for and mediated by early pregnancy BMI. Furthermore, in obese women, overall hsCRP levels increased as depressive symptoms during pregnancy increased (p = 0.006 for interaction).

CONCLUSIONS

Depression is associated with a proinflammatory state during pregnancy. These associations are mediated by early pregnancy BMI, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy aggravate the inflammation related to obesity.

Epigenetic Changes Associated With Interleukin-10

IL-10 is a regulator of inflammation and immunosuppression. IL-10 regulates a variety of immune cells to limit and stop the inflammatory response, and thus plays an important role in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and cancer. IL-10 is closely related to epigenetic modification, in which changes in DNA methylation of IL-10 gene can affect mRNA and protein levels of IL-10. In addition, changes in histone modifications, especially histone acetylation, can also lead to abnormal expression of IL-10 mRNA. At the same time, a handful of IL-10 related microRNAs (miRNAs) are found to be aberrantly expressed in multiple diseases. Besides, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest specific transcript 5 (GAS5) also inhibits IL-10 expression. Here, we reviewed the epigenetic changes related to IL-10 in various diseases, as well as the regulation of IL-10 gene expression in various diseases by epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modification, miRNA, and lncRNA.

Assessment of haptoglobin alleles in autism spectrum disorders

Gene-environment interactions, by means of abnormal macromolecular intestinal adsorption, is one of the possible causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) predominantly in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. Pre-haptoglobin-2 (zonulin), encoded by the Haptoglobin (HP) allele-2 gene, enhances the intestinal permeability by modulation of intercellular tight junctions. The two alleles of HP, HP1 and HP2, differ for 2 extra exons in HP2 that result in exon duplication undetectable by classic genome-wide association studies. To evaluate the role of HP2 in ASD pathogenesis and to set up a method to discriminate HP alleles, Italian subjects with ASD (n = 398) and healthy controls (n = 379) were genotyped by PCR analysis; subsequently, the PCR results were integrated with microarray genotypes (Illumina Human Omni 1S-8), obtained using a subset from the same subjects, and then we developed a computational method to predict HP alleles. On the contrary to our expectations, there was no association between HP2 and ASD (P > 0.05), and there was no significant allele association in subjects with ASD with or without gastrointestinal disorders (P > 0.05). With the aid of bioinformatics analysis, from a window frame of ~2 Mb containing 314 SNPs, we obtain imputation accuracy (r²) between 0.4 and 0.9 (median 0.7) and correct predictions were between 70% and 100% (median 90%). The conclusions endorse that enhanced intestinal permeability in subjects with ASD should not be imputed to HP2 but to other members of the zonulin family and/or to environmental factors.