1.Uncontrolled preliminary study on the clinical efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in irritable bowel syndrome and its influence on gut microbiota
Diwen SHOU ; Haoming XU ; Hongli HUANG ; Bailing LIU ; Wenjuan TANG ; Huiting CHEN ; Youlian ZHOU ; Yongqiang LI ; Qingling LUO ; Jie HE ; Yuqiang NIE ; Yongjian ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Digestion 2021;41(1):23-28
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and to explore the effects of FMT on the gut microbiota of IBS patients.Methods:From September 2016 to August 2017, at Guangzhou First People′s Hospital, 28 hospitalized IBS patients who underwent FMT treatment were enrolled. Before FMT, four and 12 weeks after FMT, all the IBS patients completed the irritable bowel syndrome quality of life scale (IBS-QOL), irritable bowel syndrome severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) and gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS). 16S rDNA sequencing was performed before FMT and four weeks after FMT. The effects of FMT on gut microbiota diversity and microbiota structure of IBS patients were analyzed respectively from the level of phylum, family and genus, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was further used to screen the different bacteria. Paired t test and paired rank sum test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Twelve weeks after FMT, the scores of the six dimensions of IBS-QOL including dysthymia, behavioral disorder, auto imagery, health concerns, eating avoidance, and relationship expansion were all lower than those before FMT (43.750, 22.656 to 56.250 vs. 48.438, 32.031 to 60.938; 37.500, 18.750 to 56.250 vs. 46.429, 21.429 to 62.500; 31.250, 14.063 to 42.188 vs. 31.250, 18.750 to 50.000; 41.667, 27.083 to 56.250 vs. 50.000, 41.667 to 66.667; 54.167, 43.750 to 72.917 vs. 66.667, 58.333 to 83.333; 8.333, 0.000 to 33.333 vs. 16.667, 8.333 to 33.333, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.157, -3.429, -2.274, -3.197, -3.042 and -2.329, all P<0.05). Twelve weeks after FMT, the scores of the two dimensions of IBS-QOL including behavioral disorder and relationship expansion were both lower than those of four weeks after FMT (37.500, 18.750 to 56.250 vs. 39.286, 19.643 to 62.500 and 8.333, 0.000 to 33.333 vs. 16.670, 2.083 to 41.667, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-1.998 and -2.110, both P<0.05). Four and 12 weeks after FMT, the scores of IBS-SSS and GSRS were both lower than those before FMT ((190.32±106.51), (201.43±102.48) vs. (245.93±86.10) and 5.50, 4.00 to 9.00 and 5.50, 4.00 to 8.75 vs. 7.00, 6.00 to 9.75), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=4.402 and 3.848, Z=-3.081 and -3.609; all P<0.01). No serious adverse reactions occurred in the patients after FMT. At the phylum level, after FMT the abundance of Verrucomicrobia in the feces of IBS patients was richer than that before FMT (6.74% vs. 0.37%); at the family level, after FMT the abundance of Verrucomicrobiaceae in the feces of IBS patients was richer than that before FMT (6.74% vs. 0.37%); at the genus level, after FMT the abundance of Akkermansia was richer than that before FMT (6.74% vs. 0.37%); and the differences were statistically significant (all Z=-2.589, all P=0.010). The results of LEfSe method indicated that four weeks after FMT the abundance of Akkermansia in the gut microbiota of IBS patients was richer than that before FMT (6.74% vs. 0.37%), and the difference was statistically significant (linear discriminant analysis value=4.5, P=0.049). Conclusions:FMT is safe and effective in the treatment of IBS. The mechanism may be through upregulating the diversity of gut microbiota and changing the structure of gut microbiota of IBS patients.
2.Retrospective analysis for cancer screening among 898 elderly male patients
Xin NIE ; Ping ZHANG ; Yongqiang ZHANG ; Hong SHI ; Lin LI
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2019;38(4):409-411
Objective To investigate the distribution,treatment and prognosis of cancer among elderly male patients.Methods Clinical data of 898 male subjects aged 60-105 years with a median age of 82 years who participated in cancer screening in gerontology center of Beijing Hospital from January 1995 to January 2015 were collected in this retrospective study.Low-dose computed tomography,gastroenterological endoscope,alpha fetoprotein plus abdominal ultrasonography,and prostate specific antigen were used to screen lung cancer,gastroenteric cancer,liver cancer,and prostate cancer respectively.The incidences of malignant tumors,treatments and efficacies were collected during the study period.Results The 136 cases(85.0%)were diagnosed as malignant tumors by screening and 24 cases(15.0 %)by clinical symptoms.Three of the most common cancers were lung cancer(46 cases,28.8 %),prostate cancer(33 cases,20.6 %),and colorectal cancer(15 cases,9.4 %).The median age of cancer diagnosis was 73 years.The prevalence of cancer was higher in males aged over 70 years than in males aged under 70 years(18.1% or 112/620 vs.7.2%,20/278,P < 0.01).The median survival time after cancer diagnosis was 5 years (range of 1-20 years).Compared with patients diagnosed by clinical symptoms,patients diagnosed by screening had higher early detection rate of cancer(97.8% or 133/136 vs.54.2% or 13/24,P <0.01),higher definitive therapy rate(79.4% or 108/136 vs.58.3% or 14/24,P<0.05),and lower recurrence rate(6.5% or 7/108 vs.28.6% or 4/14,P<0.01).Conclusions The positive rate of cancer screening is high in males over 70 years old.Elderly males could benefit from early diagnosis and treatment by cancer screening.
3.Rescue Technology and Its Application of Endangered Gene-Edited Mice
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2023;43(6):636-640
Gene-edited mice are the most ideal laboratory animals for studying human gene functions, exploring disease mechanisms, and developing new drugs. Strain resulting from low fertility, aging, illness, etc. can cause irreversible losses to scientific research, so strain rescues of genetically engineering mice require different measures accordingly. Meanwhile, cost control is another key point when a specific technology is applied. First of all, when the only remaining gene-edited mouse in reproductive age suddenly dies, the dead male mouse can be rescued by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), while the female mouse can be saved by ovarian transplantation, etc. Secondly, due to aging or diseases, mice can be saved through IVF-embryo transfer (ET) and unilateral epididymal tail assisted reproduction. Thirdly, round sperm injection (ROSI) and ovarian transplantation can be used to save endangered mice before sexual maturity with poor life status. This paper reviews rescue techniques of common endangered mice and their applications, which provides a reference for relevant practitioners to better maintain gene-edited mouse strains.