Background:Although Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a major bacterium in the intestine of adults, which is known to have anti-inflammatory effects, the development in infants or the response to prebiotics remains unclear.Methods:The counts of F. prausnitzii in the feces were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fecal samples were obtained from 65 atopic dermatitis (AD) infants who participated in a randomized controlled clinical trial to investigate the therapeutic effect of kestose, the smallest fructooligosaccharide.Results:Although the F. prausnitzii count was undetectable level in most 0- to 1-y-old infants, the count reached a level comparable to that in adults in 2- to 5-y-old infants. The bacterial number increased about 10-fold by oral administration of kestose every day for 12 wk in the younger infants, but not so much in the older infants. This bacterial increase was significantly correlated with an improvement in the AD symptoms in the older infants.Conclusion:The F. prausnitzii population in the intestine reaches a level comparable to that in adult at approximately 2 y of age. Kestose efficiently stimulates the growth of this bacterium in the intestine, which might lead to an improvement in AD symptoms in infants.

Nucleosomal histones are covalently modified at specific amino acid residues. In the case of histone H4, four lysines (K5, K8, K12, and K16) are acetylated. In the current studies, we examined the dynamics of histone H4 acetylation at K8 and K12 in mitotic barley cells using a three-dimensional immunofluorescent method. Based on the results and previous studies on the dynamics of K5 and K16 acetylation, we provide a comprehensive view of the dynamics of H4 acetylation. Interphase nuclei exhibit strong acetylation in the centromeric region at K5, K8 and K12. In the case of K12, strong acetylation at nucleolar organizing regions was observed from prophase to anaphase. The dynamics of K12 were closely related to those of K5. On the other hand, K8 exhibited a pattern of almost uniform acetylation from prophase to telophase and strong acetylation in distal regions of chromosomes at both metaphase and anaphase, which is very similar to the dynamics of K16 acetylation. Thus, it appears that there is pair-wise acetylation of K12 and K5 in the nucleolar organizing regions and of K8 and K16 in the gene-rich regions. Together, these results suggest that pair-wise dynamics of H4 acetylation regulate chromosomal structure and function during the cell cycle.

No abstract

RATIONALE: Air pollution has been associated with asthma development and morbidity. We aimed to determine the effect of indoor classroom Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) on the lung function of inner city schoolchildren with asthma. METHODS: Children enrolled in the School Inner City Asthma Study were followed for one academic year. At baseline, subjects underwent phenotypic characterization, allergy testing, fractional exhalation of nitric oxide (FeNO) and spirometry. Spirometry and FeNO were repeated twice during the school year. Classroom NO 2 was collected by passive sampling technique for 1 week periods, twice per year. Generalized estimating equation models assessed lung function parameters (FEV 1 /FVC, FEV 1 % predicted, and FEF 25-75 % predicted) with the classroom NO 2 level temporally closest to the outcome assessment. The primary outcome was FEV1/FVC ratio as the most sensitive measure of airflow obstruction in children. RESULTS: In total, complete exposure and outcome data was available for 188 subjects from 135 classrooms across 29 schools. After adjusting for race and season (spirometry reference values standardized by age, height and gender), NO 2 was highly associated with increased airflow obstruction such that each 10ppb rise in NO 2 exposure was associated with a 3% decline in FEV 1 /FVC (b:-0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.05,-0.00], p50.03). FEF 25-75 % predicted was also lower with higher NO 2 exposure (b:-14.1, 95%CI [-25.1,-3.0], p50.01). There was no association of NO 2 with FEV 1 % predicted (b:-1.6, 95%CI [-6.7, 3.5], p50.5) or FeNO (b:-2.9, 95%CI [-14.1, 8.4], p50.6). CONCLUSIONS: In children with asthma, indoor classroom NO 2 may be associated with increase airflow obstruction.

No abstract

Perinatal to BPA have been associated with an increase in the prevalence of asthma, including in childhood. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that fetal exposure of immune cells to environmental estrogens (EEs) enhances the allergic sensitization, that underlies childhood asthma, by initiating signaling in these cells. Further, these immune alterations may be perpetuated epigenetic alterations of these cells, resulting in multigenerational effect. METHODS: T cell lines (TIB-152 and CCL-119) were exposed to varying concentrations (10-12-10-6 M) of estradiol (E 2), BPA, Bisphenol S (BPS) or BPA combined with 10-9 M E 2 for 120 min in vitro. The phosphorylation of Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (pEZH2) and trimethylation of histone H3K27 (H3K27me3) were assessed by Western blotting. RESULTS: We found that there was no effect on pEZH2 exposed to various concentrations of E 2 , BPA or BPS. However, the combination of BPA and E 2 enhanced phosphorylation. H3K27me3 was decreased in cells exposed to E 2 but not BPA or PBS alone. However, exposure to BPA combined with E 2 was decreased H3K27me3 at 10-12-10-10 M. There is a tendency of decrease in low (10-12 M), but increase in high concentration (10-7 M). CONCLUSIONS: While there was no significant effect of BPA or its substitute BPS alone, a combination of BPA with E 2 at physiologic concentration decrease H3K27me3. The mechanism by which exposure to EEs increases to prevalence of asthma is unknown. However, an effect of BPA exposure on immune cells is likely.

No abstract

No abstract