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To assess associations between infants with macrosomia and placental expression levels of lipid activated/transport-related factors and umbilical cord blood lipid concentrations in healthy pregnancy. We conducted a case-control study of 38 macrosomic neonates (MS group) and 39 normal-birth-weight newborns (NC group) in a healthy pregnancy. Cord blood lipid levels were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer, mRNA and protein expression levels of placental lipid activated/transport-related factors were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot, respectively. Compared with NC group, cord blood total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were decreased in the MS group. The mRNA and protein expression levels of placental peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα, PPARγ), plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (FABPpm), and fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) were significantly higher in the MS group than the NC group. And there was a weak positive correlation between the expression of PPARγ, FABP4, and FABP3 mRNA in the placenta and the HDLC (rs = 0.439; P = 0.005), NEFA (rs = 0.342; P = 0.041), and TG (rs = 0.349; P = 0.034) levels in the cord blood in the MS group, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, the logistic regression analysis showed that high placental PPARα (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.022; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.032-8.853) and FAT/CD36 (AOR=2.989; 95%CI 1.029-8.679) and low LDLC concentration in the cord blood (AOR=0.246; 95%CI 0.080-0.759) increased the risk of macrosomia. The increased PPARα and FAT/CD36 expression levels may influence the occurrence of fetal macrosomia through regulating placental lipid transport.

Benzene exposure affects the hematopoietic system and leads to the occurrence of various types of leukemia and hematotoxicity. It has been confirmed that active metabolites of benzene, including 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ), can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in the bone marrow, and recent studies have also suggested that benzene exposure can affect mitochondrial function in both experimental animals and cell lines. However, the potential relationship among ROS production, mitochondrial damages, and subsequent apoptosis following benzene exposure has not been well studied in detail. In the present study, we utilized HL-60 cells, a well-characterized human myeloid cell line, as an in vitro model and examined the effects of 1,4-BQ on intracellular ROS formation, mitochondria damage, and the occurrence of apoptotic events with or without using the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). The results demonstrated that 1,4-BQ could dose-dependently induce production of ROS and mitochondrial damage as characterized by mitochondrial membrane potential disruption, mitochondrial ultrastructure alteration, and induced apoptosis and activated caspase-3 and caspase-9. Preincubation of HL-60 cells with NAC prior to 1,4-BQ treatment could block 1,4-BQ-induced production of ROS and the occurrence of apoptosis. These results demonstrated that 1,4-BQ induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells through a ROS-dependent mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

Background/objective The term macrosomia is used to describe neonates with a birth weight of 4000 g or more. Macrosomia is a potential risk factor for obesity and metabolic syndromes in postnatal and adult life, yet little is known about its associations with metabolic difference in the early age. We performed metabolic profiling of umbilical cord blood to discover differential metabolites of macrosomia. Methods We conducted a case-control study of full-term singletons with normal maternal glucose tolerance [50 cases (macrosomia, birth weight ⩾4000 g); 50 controls (normal weight, birth weight 2500-3999 g)]. Metabolites in umbilical cord blood were detected using an untargeted metabolomic approach based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We performed logistic regression to evaluate the associations between metabolites and macrosomia. We also performed pathway analysis based on KEGG and MBRole. Results Compared with controls, the macrosomia cases had a greater male proportion, gestational age, paternal body mass index (BMI) and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. Forty-two metabolites differed between the cases and controls. After multivariable adjustment, 2-methylfumarate [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.232, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.102-1.376], uracil (AOR=38.494, 95% CI: 5.635-262.951), elaidic acid (AOR=0.834, 95% CI: 0.761-0.915), ribose (AOR=0.089, 95% CI: 0.021-0.378), lactulose (AOR=0.815, 95% CI: 0.743-0.894) and 4-aminobutyric acid (AOR=0.835, 95% CI: 0.764-0.912) remained significantly associated with macrosomia. Pyrimidine metabolism and pentose and glucuronate interconversions were the two top-ranking pathways enriched with those metabolites (-log P-value=3.49 and 2.47, respectively). Conclusion Levels of 2-methylfumarate, uracil, ribose, elaidic acid, lactulose and 4-aminobutyric acid were associated with the incidence of macrosomia. The alteration of pathways involving those factors might be linked with the incidence of macrosomia and relevant metabolic syndromes later in life, and further studies are needed to confirm it and verify the mechanisms.

Macrosomia, a birth weight ≥ 4,000 g, is associated with maternal and infant health problems. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the placenta is associated with adverse birth outcomes, yet whether aberrantly expressed placental miRNAs are associated with macrosomia remains unknown. The aim of the current study was to characterize the expression of three placental miRNAs (miR‑6, ‑21 and ‑143) and evaluate their association with macrosomia. The miRNA expression in placental tissues from 67 macrosomic pregnancies and 64 normal pregnancies were analyzed using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of miR‑21 was observed to be elevated in macrosomic placenta compared with control samples, while miR‑143 expression was significantly lower than in control placenta (P

BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated an association between placental leptin (LEP) methylation levels and macrosomia without gestational diabetes mellitus (non-GDM). This study further explored the association between LEP methylation in cord blood and non-GDM macrosomia. METHOD We carried out a case-control study of 61 newborns with macrosomia (birth weight ≥4000 g) and 69 newborns with normal birth weight (2500-3999 g). Methylation in the LEP promoter region was mapped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS Average cord blood LEP methylation levels were lower in macrosomia newborns than in control newborns (P

The present study examined the placental leptin (LEP) DNA methylation and mRNA levels in macrosomic infants from normal pregnancies. In total, 49 neonates with macrosomia, i.e., high birth weights of ≥ 4,000 g, and 52 neonates with normal birth weights between 2,500 g and 4,000 g were recruited from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Wenzhou, Zhejiang) in China. Placental LEP promoter methylation and LEP transcript levels were determined by Sequenom MassARRAY and quantitative PCR, respectively. LEP promoter methylation and mRNA levels were not significantly different between the individuals with macrosomia and the controls. However, stratification revealed that individual CpG dinucleotides were hypermethylated in macrosomia (P

We previously performed a survey of the sperm characteristics of the partners of pregnant women in four cities in Japan. In the present study, we analyzed the sperm characteristics of these subjects and the correlations between these sperm characteristics and climatic changes or Y chromosome haplogroups. Our results showed that more haplogroup D2a1 males than O2b1 males were born in the first half of the year (January to June), whereas more O2b1 males were born in the last half of the year (July to December) (P

Objective: To explore the relationship between birth weight and fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene expression and promoter methylation status in the Chinese population.Methods: Seventy-five neonates and their mothers were recruited from Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Subjects were divided into three groups by birth weight: low (n = 20), medium (3500–3999 g, n = 30) and high (≥4000 g, n = 25). Placental FTO transcript levels and promoter methylation were determined by quantitative PCR and Sequenom MassARRAY®.Results: Placental FTO mRNA expression was significantly increased in the high- and medium-weight groups compared to the low-weight group (p = 0.023). Methylation rates of CpG11 sites were significantly decreased in high-birth weight newborns (p = 0.018). Multiple linear regressions showed placental FTO mRNA, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and CpG11 methylation rate were independently associated with increased fetal birth weight. Additionally, FTO mRNA expression was negatively associated with CpG6.7.8.9 methylation in mothers that underwent C-section.Conclusions: High placental FTO expression is associated with increased birth weight in Chinese neonates, and FTO promoter methylation level at a specific CpG site is negatively associated with birth weight. Further work is needed to determine the functionality of this CpG site in placentas.

The DAZL (DAZ-like) gene is suggested to be an ancestral gene of the DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) gene on the Y chromosome, which is a strong candidate for the azoospermic factor. Recently, it has been reported that the T54A (Thr54--Ala) polymorphism in exon 3 of the DAZL gene is associated with spermatogenic failure in the Taiwanese population. In this study, to investigate whether this polymorphism is associated with spermatogenic failure in Japanese males, we analysed genomic DNA derived from 234 patients with azoospermia or oligozoospermia and 131 fertile controls. The T54A polymorphism was completely absent in both the patients and the controls. The T12A (Thr12--Ala) polymorphism in exon 2 of the DAZL gene was found at a similar frequency in the patients and controls, 15.4% and 13.7%, respectively (P = 0.67). However, the frequency of T12A was higher for the azoospermic (20.5%) than oligozoospermic (9.6%) individuals in infertile men without DAZ deletions, although statistical difference was not so apparent (chi2 test: P = 0.037, OR = 2.413, 95% CI = 1.035-5.629; Yate's chi2 test: P = 0.058, OR = 2.319, 95% CI = 0.973-6.166). Our results show that the T54A polymorphism in DAZL has no major role in Japanese males with azoospermia or oligozoospermia. The distribution of the T54A polymorphism may be restricted to the narrow area including Taiwan.

Benzene is an important industrial chemical. It is also an environmental pollutant recognized as a human carcinogen. Both prenatal and adult exposures to benzene are associated with the development of leukemia. To understand the mechanism of benzene-induced epigenetic variations, we investigated the expression and methylation patterns of CpG (phosphodiester bond between cytosine and guanine) islands in p15 and p16 promoter regions in 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ)-treated primary cultivated C57BL/6J mouse bone marrow cells in vitro. The cell toxicity of 1,4-BQ was evaluated by cell viability test, real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels, and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) was used to look into the methylation patterns. The cell viability test indicates that 1,4-BQ exhibited a dose-dependent toxicity to mouse bone marrow cells. After a 24-h exposure to 1,4-BQ at final concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μmol/L, the mRNA expression of p15 and p16 decreased with the increase in 1,4-BQ concentration. The BSP results gathered from the exposure and the control groups were the same. In summary, despite the observation that short-term exposure to 1,4-BQ primary cultivated mouse bone marrow cells decreased the p15 and p16 transcripts, with no influence by their gene promoter methylation.

Around 10% of males with idiopathic azoospermia or oligozoospermia, which are important causes of male infertility, have partial deletions on the long arm of the Y chromosome. To develop a rapid and accurate detection system for screening major Y deletions found in infertile men, we developed a multiplex PCR system that can simultaneously amplify five loci on the Y chromosome, SRY, AMELY, DBY, RBMY, DAZ and one locus on the X chromosome, AMELX. The size of the PCR products was designed to increase gradually from the distal Yp to the distal Yq. Our system could detect deletions of three major candidate regions for the azoospermic factor, AZFa, AZFb and AZFc on the Y chromosome together with sex. The gradual increase in the size of the PCR products was convenient for imaging the location of deletions on the Y chromosome. Moreover, the multiplex PCR system was combined with microchip-based electrophoresis, and the PCR products derived from each locus were separated within 4 min. Our system is useful for screening Y chromosomes bearing the structural anomalies including three major AZF deletions found among azoospermic or oligozoospermic males.