Berberine treats atherosclerosis via a vitamine-like effect down-regulating Choline-TMA-TMAO production pathway in gut microbiota.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) derived from the gut microbiota is an atherogenic metabolite. This study investigates whether or not berberine (BBR) could reduce TMAO production in the gut microbiota and treat atherosclerosis. Effects of BBR on TMAO production in the gut microbiota, as well as on plaque development in atherosclerosis were investigated in the culture of animal intestinal bacterial, HFD-fed animals and atherosclerotic patients, respectively.

Determination and Application of Nineteen Monoamines in the Gut Microbiota Targeting Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, and Glutamic Acid Metabolic Pathways.

It has been reported that monoamine neurotransmitters can be produced by gut microbiota, and that several related metabolites of amino acids in these pathways are associated with nervous system (NVS) diseases. Herein, we focused on three pathways, namely, phenylalanine (Phe), tryptophan (Trp), and glutamic acid (Glu), and established an underivatized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of nineteen monoamine neurotransmitters and related metabolites in the gut microbiota. The neurotransmitters and related metabolites included Phe, tyrosine (Tyr), l-dopa (Dopa), dopamine (DA), 3-methoxytyramine, Trp, hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), kynurenine (KN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), melatonin, tryptamine (TA), indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indolyl-3-propionic acid (IPA), Glu, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and acetylcholine (Ach).

Oral berberine improves brain dopa/dopamine levels to ameliorate Parkinson's disease by regulating gut microbiota.

The phenylalanine-tyrosine-dopa-dopamine pathway provides dopamine to the brain. In this process, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme that hydroxylates tyrosine and generates levodopa (L-dopa) with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH) as a coenzyme. Here, we show that oral berberine (BBR) might supply H through dihydroberberine (reduced BBR produced by bacterial nitroreductase) and promote the production of BH from dihydrobiopterin; the increased BH enhances TH activity, which accelerates the production of L-dopa by the gut bacteria.

Association of trimethylamine -Oxide with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Trimethylamine--Oxide (TMAO) is a proatherogenic and prothrombotic metabolite. Our study examined the association of plasma TMAO level with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Patients who were at least 18 years-old and received HD for at least 6 months were enrolled within 6 months.

Determination of berberine-upregulated endogenous short-chain fatty acids through derivatization by 2-bromoacetophenone.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a major group of endogenous metabolites generated by the gut microbiota and have been reported to play an important role in physical health, such as improving energy metabolism. Here, using 2-bromoacetophenone as the derivatization reagent (BP, 10 mg/mL, 40 °C for 20 min), a sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was established for the quantitative determination of seven short-chain fatty acids in plasma and feces. The analyses were performed on a C column in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode.

Gut-brain axis metabolic pathway regulates antidepressant efficacy of albiflorin.

The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized to influence brain function through the gut-brain axis. Albiflorin, an antidepressant natural drug in China with a good safety profile, is difficult to absorb and cannot be detected in the brain after oral administration. Accordingly, the antidepressant mechanism of albiflorin has not been elucidated clearly.

Identification of two novel mutations in the PHEX gene in Chinese patients with hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia.

Objective: X-linked dominant hypophosphatemia (XLH) is the most prevalent form of inherited rickets/osteomalacia in humans. The aim of this study was to identify PHEX gene mutations and describe the clinical features observed in 6 unrelated Chinese families and 3 sporadic patients with hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia.

Methods: For this study, 45 individuals from 9 unrelated families of Chinese Han ethnicity (including 16 patients and 29 normal phenotype subjects), and 250 healthy donors were recruited.

[Catheter ablation of epicardial accessory pathway associated with coronary sinus musculature].

Objective: To report the single-center clinical experience of catheter ablation of epicardial accessory pathway associated with coronary sinus musculature.

Methods: The data of 721 cases of left sided accessory pathway ablation were retrospectively analyzed. Ablation in the coronary sinus was performed in 17 (2.

[Efficacy of catheter radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmia storm post cardioverter-defibrillators implantation].

Objective: To evaluate the acute and long-term effects of catheter radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmia storm (VAS) post implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) implantation.

Methods: Acute and long-term effects of catheter radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of VAS post ICD implantation were retrospectively assessed in 11 patients from September 2008 to August 2011.

Results: A total of 15 ablation procedures were performed in 11 patients.

Association of ALOX15 gene polymorphisms with obesity-related phenotypes in Chinese nuclear families with male offspring.

Aim: Genetic variation in ALOX12, which encoded human 12-lipoxygenase, was found to be associated with fat mass in young Chinese men. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes in the ALOX15 gene and obesity-related phenotypes in Chinese nuclear families with male offspring.

Methods: We recruited 1,296 subjects from 427 nuclear families with male offspring and genotyped five SNPs (rs9894225, rs748694, rs2619112, rs2619118, and rs916055) in the ALOX15 gene locus.

Association between low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 gene polymorphisms and bone mineral density variation in Chinese population.

Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 gene (LRP2) is located next to the genomic region showing suggestive linkage with both hip and wrist bone mineral density (BMD) phenotypes. LRP2 knockout mice showed severe vitamin D deficiency and bone disease, indicating the involvement of LRP2 in the preservation of vitamin D metabolites and delivery of the precursor to the kidney for the generation of 1α,25(OH)(2)D(3). In order to investigate the contribution of LRP2 gene polymorphisms to the variation of BMD in Chinese population, a total of 330 Chinese female-offspring nuclear families with 1088 individuals and 400 Chinese male-offspring nuclear families with 1215 individuals were genotyped at six tagSNPs of the LRP2 gene (rs2389557, rs2544381, rs7600336, rs10210408, rs2075252 and rs4667591).

[Impact of metoprolol use in the treatment of patients with electrical-storm after cardioverter defibrillators implantation].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of the metoprolol dosage adjustment on reducing the incidence of electrical-storm (ES) in patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs).

Methods: Data from patients with ICD implantation between Jan, 2003 and Jun, 2006 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. ES was defined as either ≥ 3 times of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs) resulting in ICD therapy or VTAs lasting more than 30 s detected by ICD without any therapy within 24 hours.

The identification of novel mutations in COL1A1, COL1A2, and LEPRE1 genes in Chinese patients with osteogenesis imperfecta.

Dominant inheritance of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is caused by mutations in COL1A1 or COL1A2, the genes that encode type I collagen, and CRTAP, LEPRE1, PPIB, FKBP10, SERPINH1, and SP7 mutations were recently detected in a minority of patients with autosomal recessive OI. However, these findings have been mostly restricted to Western populations. The proportion of mutations and the correlations between genotype and phenotype in Chinese patients with OI are completely unknown.

No association between LRP5 gene polymorphisms and bone and obesity phenotypes in Chinese male-offspring nuclear families.

Aim: To investigate the effect of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) gene polymorphisms on bone and obesity phenotypes in young Chinese men.

Methods: A total of 1244 subjects from 411 Chinese nuclear families were genotyped by using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique at the Q89R, N740N, and A1330V sites in the LRP5 gene. Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine and the hip, total fat mass and total lean mass were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Polymorphisms in the HOXD4 gene are not associated with peak bone mineral density in Chinese nuclear families.

Aim: To determine the associations between HOXD4 gene polymorphisms with peak bone mineral density (BMD) throughing measuring three tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs), including rs1867863, rs13418078, and rs4972504, in HOXD4.

Methods: Four hundred Chinese nuclear families with male offspring (1215 subjects) and 401 Chinese nuclear families with female offspring (1260 subjects) were recruited. BMD of the lumbar spine 1-4 (L1-4) and left proximal femur including total hip and femoral neck were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

No association of the polymorphisms of the frizzled-related protein gene with peak bone mineral density in Chinese nuclear families.

Background: The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway plays an important role in skeletal development. Polymorphisms of frizzled-related protein (FRZB), an antagonist of this pathway, may generate variations in bone mineral density (BMD). In this study, we analyzed the association between FRZB genotypes and peak BMD variation in the spines and hips of two relatively large samples of Chinese female-offspring and male-offspring nuclear families.

Association between VDR and ESR1 gene polymorphisms with bone and obesity phenotypes in Chinese male nuclear families.

Aim: The goal of this study was to determine whether polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) genes are associated with variations of peak bone mineral density (BMD) and obesity phenotypes in young Chinese men.

Methods: A total of 1215 subjects from 400 Chinese nuclear families were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele-specific multiple PCR (ASM-PCR) analysis at the ApaI, FokI, and CDX2 sites in the VDR gene and the PvuII and XbaI sites in the ESR1 gene. BMD at the lumbar spine and hip, total fat mass, and total lean mass were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Identification of the CLCN7 gene mutations in two Chinese families with autosomal dominant osteopetrosis (type II).

Here we report the identification of two different mutations in chloride channel 7 gene in two unrelated patients with autosomal dominant osteopetrosis type II. We determined that one patient (a 32-year-old woman) carried a heterozygous gene for a R767W mutation in exon 24, and another patient (a 17-year-old boy) carried a heterozygous gene for a novel frameshift mutation (Glu798FS) in exon 25. Recent studies have reported loss-of-function mutations in the chloride channel 7 (CLCN7) gene as a cause of autosomal dominant osteopetrosis type II (ADO-II).

Hip axis length changes in 10,554 males and females and the association with femoral neck fracture.

Hip axis length (HAL) has been proposed as an independent predictor of hip fracture risk in Caucasian females. There are, however, few data concerning its predictive risk in Chinese. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of HAL in healthy Chinese population and the relationship between HAL and femoral neck fracture.