Objective To construct a folic acid deficient model in zebrafish and to observe the axial development in folic acid deficient embryos, so as to probe the mechanism by which folic acid deficiency induces abnormal development of axis. Methods We constructed the folic acid deficient zebrafish model by both using the antagonism of dihydrofolate reductase (MTX) and knocking-down dihydrofolate reductase gene. Then we observed the axial excursion of folic acid deficient embryos at 17 hpf under microscope. We labeled and observed the positions of liver, spleen and heart by using whole-mount in situ hybridization with specific antisense RNA probes. The expressions of some genes, which are down stream factors of Nodal signal pathway and important for axial development, were detected by whole-mount in situ hybridization and Real-time PCR. Results Parts of folic acid deficient embryos had axial excursion and abnormal positions of liver, spleen and heart. The expressing intensities of ntl and gsc appeared normal in folic acid deficient embryos, but the expressing spatial patterns were abnormal, which revealed the malformation of axial mesoderm. Conclusions Folic acid deficiency induced the abnormal development of axis and the malformation of axial mesoderm. Folic acid deficiency had no obviouse effect on Nodal pathway.

Objective To determine alkylglycerol (AKG) contents and variation in breast-milk of lactating women. Methods Five cases of healthy lactating women with term delivery were selected from June 2011 to June 2012. Breast-milk samples were collected at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks postpartum. Breast milk samples were extracted, saponificated and derivatized. AKGs composition in breast-milk was quantitatively analyzed by GC chromatography. Results Mean 16C:0 AKG content in breast-milk decreased from(17.31 ± 3.59)× 10-3g/L to(11.14 ± 1.83)× 10-3g/L. Mean 18C:0 AKG content de-creased from(14.95±6.00)×10-3g/L to(9.68±2.51)×10-3g/L. Mean 18C:1 AKG content fluctuated between(4.64±0.91)×10-3g/L and(3.95±0.68)×10-3g/L. Conclusions 16C:0, 18C:0 and 18C:1 AKG contents exist in Chinese breast-milk through determina-tion by GC chromatography, and the concentrations vary among different stages of lactation.

Objective To study the putative mechanisms underlying fetal alcohol syndrome by comparative protein-profile analysis between normal and ethanol-treated zebrafish embryo with twodimensional electrophoresis (2-DE).Methods Zebrafish embryos were exposed in 400 mmol/L ethanol at dome stage for 3 hours,and then ethanol-induced abnormalities were observed.Proteomes of zebrafish embryos at early stages including zygote stage,dome stage,shield stage and 5-somite stage,were separated by 2-DE.The subtraction analysis method was applied to eliminate the interference from maternal derived proteins.The ethanol-treated embryos at 5-somite stage was analyzed by 2-DE,and the protein profile was compared with that generated from control embryos at the same stage.The data obtained from 2-DE analysis were verified by in-situ hybridization.Results 400 mmol/L ethanol treatment caused axial malformation (62%) and cyclopia (60%) in zebrafish embryos.The 2-DE analysis showed that the expression of Collagen2al (Col2a1) and TAR DNA binding protein (TDP) was decreased in 12 hours post fertilization (12 hpf) ethanol-treated embryos by 81% and 73%,respectively.The in-situ hybridization also demonstrated that the expression of Col2al in axial mesoderm was reduced by ethanol treatment at the same stage.But for 24 hpf ethanoltreated embryos,the expression of Col2al in axis recovered to a comparable level to that in control embryos,while the structure of neural tube was disrupted severely by ethanol exposure.Conclusions It is suggested that the expressions of Col2al and TDP were disrupted by ethanol during early stage,which might induce the zebrafish developmental abnormalities.The ethanol interference on early expression of Col2al is supposed to be one of the major reasons leading to later abnormalities of axis and neutral tube.