Association between maternal gestational diabetes and allergic diseases in offspring:a birth cohort study

Background Previous studies have linked gestational diabetes(GDM)with allergies in offspring.However,the effect of specific glucose metabolism metrics was not well characterized,and the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFAs),a modifier of metabolism and the immune system,was understudied.We aimed to investigate the association between maternal GDM and allergic diseases in children and the interaction between glucose metabolism and PUFAs on allergic outcomes.Methods This prospective cohort study included 706 mother–child dyads from Guangzhou,China.Maternal GDM was diagnosed via a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT),and dietary PUFAs were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire.Allergic disease diagnoses and the age of onset were obtained from medical records of children within three years old.Results Approximately 19.4%of women had GDM,and 51.3%of children had any allergic diseases.GDM was positively associated with any allergic diseases(hazard ratio[HR]1.40;95%confidence interval(CI)1.05–1.88)and eczema(HR 1.44;95%CI 1.02–1.97).A unit increase in OGTT after two hours(OGTT-2 h)glucose was associated with an 11%(95%CI 2%–21%)higher risk of any allergic diseases and a 17%(95%CI 1–36%)higher risk of food allergy.The positive associations between OGTT-2 h glucose and any allergic diseases were strengthened with decreased dietary a-linolenic acid(ALA)and increased n-6 PUFAs,linoleic acid(LA),LA/ALA ratio,and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio.Conclusions Maternal GDM was adversely associated with early-life allergic diseases,especially eczema.We were the first to identify OGTT-2 h glucose to be more sensitive in inducing allergy risk and that dietary PUFAs might modify the associations.

Choline suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by attenuating AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy via choline transporter SLC5A7 activation

Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated death.Emerging evidence suggests that autophagy plays a critical role in HCC tumorigenesis,metastasis,and prognosis.Choline is an essential nutrient related to prolonged survival and reduced risk of HCC.However,it remains unclear whether this phenomenon is mediated by autophagy.Methods:Two HCC cell lines(HUH-7 and Hep3B)were used in the present study.Cell growth was evaluated by cell counting kit 8(CCK-8),colony formation,and in vivo mouse xenografts assays.Cell motility was calculated by wound healing and transwell assays.Autophagosomes were measured by transmission electron microscope(TEM),and autophagy flux was detected by mRFP-GFP-labeled LC3 protein.The mRNA level of genes was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The protein levels were detected by Western blotting(WB).Results:We found that choline inhibited the proliferation,migration,and invasion of HCC cells by downregulating autophagy in vitro and in vivo.Upregulated expression of the solute carrier family 5 member 7(SLC5A7),a specific choline transporter,correlated with better HCC prognosis.We further discovered that choline could promote SLC5A7 expression,upregulate cytoplasm p53 expression to impair the AMPK/mTOR pathway,and attenuate autophagy.Finally,we found that choline acted synergistically with sorafenib to attenuate HCC development in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions:Our findings provide novel insights into choline-mediated autophagy in HCC,providing the foothold for its future application in HCC treatment.