The interplay between host genetics and the gut microbiome reveals common and distinct microbiome features for complex human diseases.

BACKGROUND: Interest in the interplay between host genetics and the gut microbiome in complex human diseases is increasing, with prior evidence mainly being derived from animal models. In addition, the shared and distinct microbiome features among complex human diseases remain largely unclear. RESULTS: This analysis was based on a Chinese population with 1475 participants. We estimated the SNP-based heritability, which suggested that Desulfovibrionaceae and Odoribacter had significant heritability estimates (0.456 and 0.476, respectively). We performed a microbiome genome-wide association study to identify host genetic variants associated with the gut microbiome. We then conducted bidirectional Mendelian randomization analyses to examine the potential causal associations between the gut microbiome and complex human diseases. We found that Saccharibacteria could potentially decrease the concentration of serum creatinine and increase the estimated glomerular filtration rate. On the other hand, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease and prostate cancer, as predicted by host genetics, had potential causal effects on the abundance of some specific gut microbiota. For example, atrial fibrillation increased the abundance of Burkholderiales and Alcaligenaceae and decreased the abundance of Lachnobacterium, Bacteroides coprophilus, Barnesiellaceae, an undefined genus in the family Veillonellaceae and Mitsuokella. Further disease-microbiome feature analysis suggested that systemic lupus erythematosus and chronic myeloid leukaemia shared common gut microbiome features. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that different complex human diseases share common and distinct gut microbiome features, which may help reshape our understanding of disease aetiology in humans. Video Abstract

Seizing the window of opportunity to mitigate the impact of climate change on the health of Chinese residents

The health threats posed by climate change in China are increasing rapidly. Each province faces different health risks. Without a timely and adequate response, climate change will impact lives and livelihoods at an accelerated rate and even prevent the achievement of the Healthy and Beautiful China initiatives. The 2021 China Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is the first annual update of China’s Report of the Lancet Countdown. It comprehensively assesses the impact of climate change on the health of Chinese households and the measures China has taken. Invited by the Lancet committee, Tsinghua University led the writing of the report and cooperated with 25 relevant institutions in and outside of China. The report includes 25 indicators within five major areas (climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement) and a policy brief. This 2021 China policy brief contains the most urgent and relevant indicators focusing on provincial data: The increasing health risks of climate change in China; mixed progress in responding to climate change. In 2020, the heatwave exposures per person in China increased by 4.51 d compared with the 1986–2005 average, resulting in an estimated 92% increase in heatwave-related deaths. The resulting economic cost of the estimated 14500 heatwave-related deaths in 2020 is US$176 million. Increased temperatures also caused a potential 31.5 billion h in lost work time in 2020, which is equivalent to 1.3% of the work hours of the total national workforce, with resulting economic losses estimated at 1.4% of China’s annual gross domestic product. For adaptation efforts, there has been steady progress in local adaptation planning and assessment in 2020, urban green space growth in 2020, and health emergency management in 2019. 12 of 30 provinces reported that they have completed, or were developing, provincial health adaptation plans. Urban green space, which is an important heat adaptation measure, has increased in 18 of 31 provinces in the past decade, and the capacity of China’s health emergency management increased in almost all provinces from 2018 to 2019. As a result of China’s persistent efforts to clean its energy structure and control air pollution, the premature deaths due to exposure to ambient particulate matter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) and the resulting costs continue to decline. However, 98% of China’s cities still have annual average PM2.5 concentrations that are more than the WHO guideline standard of 10 μg/m3. It provides policymakers and the public with up-to-date information on China’s response to climate change and improvements in health outcomes and makes the following policy recommendations. (1) Promote systematic thinking in the related departments and strengthen multi-departmental cooperation. Sectors related to climate and development in China should incorporate health perspectives into their policymaking and actions, demonstrating WHO’s and President Xi Jinping’s so-called health-in-all-policies principle. (2) Include clear goals and timelines for climate-related health impact assessments and health adaptation plans at both the national and the regional levels in the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for 2035. (3) Strengthen China’s climate mitigation actions and ensure that health is included in China’s pathway to carbon neutrality. By promoting investments in zero-carbon technologies and reducing fossil fuel subsidies, the current rebounding trend in carbon emissions will be reversed and lead to a healthy, low-carbon future. (4) Increase awareness of the linkages between climate change and health at all levels. Health professionals, the academic community, and traditional and new media should raise the awareness of the public and policymakers on the important linkages between climate change and health.</p

The association of serum Klotho concentrations with hyperlipidemia prevalence and lipid levels among US adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Klotho has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. However, little is known about whether high Klotho concentrations were associated with reduced hyperlipidemia risk and improved plasma lipid levels. Methods Participants with complete data on serum Klotho and plasma lipid concentrations from the 2007–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Weighted regression models were fitted to explore the association of Klotho concentrations with hyperlipidemia risk and plasma lipid levels while restricted cubic spline models were applied to explore the dose–response relationship. Additionally, we assessed the mediating effects of C-reaction protein (CRP) on the foregoing association. Results Individuals in the fourth and fifth quintile of serum Klotho had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.77 (95%CI: 0.65, 0.93) and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.65, 0.93) for hyperlipidemia. Doubling of serum Klotho concentrations was associated with decreased hyperlipidemia risk (OR = 0.81; 95%CI: 0.68, 0.95) and triglyceride levels (13.25 mg/dL; 95%CI: 4.02, 22.47), with a monotonic dose–response relationship. Individuals in the fourth and fifth quintile of serum Klotho had a 0.07 (95%CI: 0.002, 0.13), 0.08 (95%CI: 0.02, 0.15) and 0.05 (95%CI: –0.03, 0.12) mg/dL decreased CRP levels, with a marginally significant trend (P trend = 0.05). Conclusions Higher Klotho concentrations were associated with reduced hyperlipidemia risk and triglyceride levels. Klotho supplementation maybe a promising method to intervene and prevent hyperlipidemia, but the underlying mechanism should be further explored

Bisphenol A and its alternatives bisphenol S and F exposure with serum uric acid levels, hyperuricemia, and gout prevalence among US adults: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Recent studies suggested inconclusive associations between bisphenols exposure and hyperuricemia risk. Our objective was to assess the potential association of bisphenol A (BPA) and its substitutes bisphenol S and F (BPS and BPF) exposure with serum uric acid (SUA) levels, hyperuricemia, and gout prevalence among US adults within the NHANES 2013-2016 datasets. Methods Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to explore the associations of urinary bisphenols concentrations with SUA levels, hyperuricemia, and gout prevalence, in total population and different sex groups. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) model was used to explore the dose-response relationship. Results In total population, doubling of urinary BPS and ∑BPs concentrations showed associations with an increase of 2.64 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.54, 4.74) and 3.29 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.59, 5.99) in SUA levels, respectively. The RCS model indicated a significantly “J”-shaped dose-response relationship between BPS exposure and SUA levels. Compared to the reference group of urinary BPS, males in the highest quartile displayed a 13.06 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.75, 25.37) rise in SUA levels. For females, doubling of urinary BPS concentrations was associated with a 3.30 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.53, 6.07) increase in SUA levels, with a significant linear dose-response relationship. In total population, doubling of urinary BPA concentrations showed a 1.05-fold (95% CI: 0.97, 1.14) adjusted risk of having hyperuricemia, with an inverted “U” curve. Doubling of urinary ∑BPs concentrations was associated with a 1.05-fold (95% CI: 0.96, 1.14) adjusted risk of hyperuricemia in total population, with a significant monotonic dose-response relationship. In females, doubling of urinary BPS concentrations was associated with a 1.45-fold (95% CI: 1.01, 2.08) adjusted increased risk of having gout, with a “J” shaped relationship. Conclusions BPA and BPS exposure to some extent were associated with elevated SUA levels and increased risk of hyperuricemia, with different dose-response relationships and sex differences

Real-time and noninvasive tracking of injectable hydrogel degradation using functionalized AIE nanoparticles

Visually monitoring of the residual morphology and quantitatively determining the degradation degree of hydrogels applied in tissue repair therapy in a real-time and noninvasive manner were a crucial technological mean. Despite conventional organic fluorescent molecules commonly used as probe to capture the real-time clues of the labeled hydrogels, they still encounter obstacles, including intrinsic photobleaching, cytotoxicity, and unknown interference factor of degradation caused by the change from polymer structure of hydrogels, thus making it difficult to accurately obtain the information of the hydrogels in vivo. To address the hard nut, we designed the multifunctional hydrogel system with a real-time quantitative aggregation-induced emission fluorescent detection and photoacoustic imaging tracking based on tetraphenylethene (TPE) that possesses the trait of aggregation-induced emission and low photobleaching, bound on the surface of mesoporous dopamine microspheres (MPDAs), and subsequently loaded into the photo-crosslinked injectable hydrogels. In vitro results showed that MPDA-TPE had good compatibility, emitted strong fluorescence when embedded in hydrogels, and maintained stable fluorescence property unless the hydrogels were degraded. Meanwhile, a mathematical formula for the kinetic degradation of hydrogels was established between gravitational and visual degradation in vitro, which can be used to predict in vivo degradation. Furthermore, MPDA possessed the clear photoacoustic imaging effect to provide more accurate clues. The designed hydrogel system holds a potential role in prediction of the in vivo degradation of implanted materials in an accurate, convenient, and real-time noninvasive manner and is a meaningful treatment aid in tissue engineering

Distributions of snail habitats and the validation points.

<p>The regions depicted as green are the snail habitats identified by our approach. The small circles in gray indicate the environments without snails and the stars in gray represents the habitats with live snail.</p