The ability of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to specialize in neuroepithelial tissue makes them ideal candidates for use in the disease models of neural tube defects. In this study, we cultured hPSCs in suspension with modified neural induction method, and immunostaining was applied to detect important markers associated with cell fate and morphogenesis to verify the establishment of the neural tube model in vitro. We carried out the drug experiments to further investigate the toxicity of valproic acid (VPA) exposure and the potential protective effect of folic acid (FA). The results demonstrated that neural rosette undergoes cell fate speciation and lumen formation accompanied by a spatiotemporal shift in the expression patterns of cadherin, indicating the model was successfully established. The results showed that VPA caused morphogenesis inhibition of lumen formation by altering cytoskeletal function and cell polarization, which could be rescued by FA supplement.

Background Amniotic fluid (AF) provides vital information on fetal development, which is also valuable in identifying fetal abnormalities during pregnancy. However, the relationship between the metabolic profile of AF in the second trimester of a normal pregnancy with several maternal-fetal parameters remains poorly understood, which therefore limits its application in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore the association between the metabolic profile of AF with fetal gender, maternal age, and gestational age using an untargeted metabolomics method. Methods A total of 114 AF samples of normal pregnancy were selected. Clinical data on fetal gender, maternal age, and gestational week of these samples were collected. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Principal component analysis(PCA), orthogonal partial least square discrimination analysis༈OPLS-DA༉or partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) were conducted to compare metabolic profiles, and differential metabolites were obtained by univariate analysis. Results Both PCA and OPLS-DA demonstrated no significant separation trend between the metabolic profiles of male and female fetuses, and there were only 7 differential metabolites. When the association between the maternal age on AF metabolic profile was explored, both PCA and PLS-DA revealed that the maternal age in the range of 21 to 40 years had no significant effect on the metabolic profile of AF, and only four different metabolites were found. There was no significant difference in the metabolic profiles of AF from fetuses of 17–22 weeks, and 23 differential metabolites were found. Conclusions In the scope of our study, there was no significant correlation between the AF metabolic profile and the fetal gender, maternal age and gestational age of a small range. Nevertheless, few metabolites appeared differentially expressed.

Background: Vitamin A supplementation has been advocated as a potential strategy to improve the vitamin A status of lactating mothers and infants. In China, vitamin A supplements are readily available in the form of daily oral low doses. However, the existing clinical trials are limited to single or two high-dose maternal administration.Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of the daily oral low-dose vitamin A supplementation on the retinol levels in serum and breast milk of lactating mothers and the health status of infants in China.Methods: Lactating mothers who met the inclusion criteria and planned to continue exclusive breast-feeding were randomly assigned to receive either daily oral vitamin A and D drops (one soft capsule of 1800IU vitamin A and 600IU vitamin D2), or a matching placebo for 2 months. Before and after the intervention, the dietary intake was investigated by instant photography, and the retinol concentration in maternal serum and breast milk was determined by UPLC. During the trial, the health status of infants was diagnosed by pediatrician or reported by lactating mothers.Results: 245 participants completed the study with 117 in supplementation group and 128 in control group. After the 2-month intervention, maternal serum retinol concentration increased in supplementation group with no change in control group. Although breast milk retinol concentrations decreased significantly in both groups, the decrease in supplementation group was significantly less than that in the control group. However, maternal vitamin A supplementation was not associated with lower risks of infant febrile illness, respiratory tract infection, diarrhea and eczema respectively. Conclusion: Daily oral low-dose vitamin A supplementation is helpful to improve the maternal vitamin A status and can also play a positive role in vitamin A status of infants through breast milk.