Objective. The metabolism of three major nutrients (sugar, lipid, and protein) will change during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester. The present study is aimed at evaluating carnitine alteration in fatty acid metabolism in the second trimester of pregnancy and the correlation between carnitine and GDM. Methods. 450 pregnant women were recruited in the present prospective study. Metabolic profiling of 31 carnitines was detected by LC-MS/MS in these women. Correlation between carnitine metabolism and maternal and neonatal complication with GDM was analyzed. Results. We found the levels of 7 carnitines increased in age>35, BMI≥30, weight gain>20 kg, and ART pregnant groups, but the level of free carnitine (C0) decreased. Nine carnitines were specific metabolites of GDM. Prepregnancy BMI, weight gain, and carnitines (C0, C3, and C16) were independent risk factors associated with GDM and related macrosomia. C0 was negatively correlated with FBG, LDL, TG, and TC. A nomogram was developed for predicting macrosomia in GDM based on carnitine-related metabolic variables. Conclusion. The carnitine metabolism in the second trimester is abnormal in GDM women. The dysfunction of carnitine metabolism is closely related to the abnormality of blood lipid and glucose in GDM. Carnitine metabolism abnormality could predict macrosomia complicated with GDM.

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Cardiovascular dysfunction in children born after in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been of great concern, the potential molecular mechanisms for such long-term outcomes are still unknown. Here, we found that systolic blood pressure was a little higher in IVF born offspring at 2 years old compared to those born after being naturally conceived. Besides, the expression level of maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) was higher in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from IVF offspring than that in spontaneously born offspring. Pearson correlation test showed that MEG3 relative expression is significantly related to the children's blood pressure (Coefficient = 0.429, P = 0.0262). Furthermore, we found decreased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) along with elevated expression of endothelial-1(ET1) in HUVECs from IVF offspring, accompanied by lower secretion of nitrite, VEGF, and higher secretion of ET1 in the umbilical cord serum of IVF offspring. Correlation analysis showed MEG3 expression highly correlated with ET1 and Nitrate concentration. With pyrosequencing technology, we found that elevated expression of MEG3 was the result of hypomethylation of the MEG3 promoter. Therefore, our results provide a potential mechanism addressing the high-risk of hypertension in IVF offspring via MEG3 epigenetic regulation.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) are pathogenesis-related proteins with pivotal roles in plant defense mechanisms. In this study, various bioinformatics and RNA-seq methods were used to analyze the biotic and abiotic stress responses of the TLP family in Phyllostachys edulis. Overall, 81 TLP genes were identified in P. edulis; 166 TLPs from four plant species were divided into three groups and ten subclasses, with genetic covariance observed between these species. Subcellular localization in silico studies indicated that TLPs were primarily distributed in the extracellular. Analysis of the upstream sequences of TLPs demonstrated the presence of cis-acting elements related to disease defense, environmental stress, and hormonal responses. Multiple sequence alignment demonstrated that most TLPs possessed five conserved REDDD amino acid sequences with only a few amino acid residue differences. RNA-seq analysis of P. edulis responses to Aciculosporium take, the pathogenic fungus that causes witches’ broom disease, showed that P. edulis TLPs (PeTLPs) were expressed in different organs, with the highest expression in buds. PeTLPs responded to both abscisic acid and salicylic acid stress. These PeTLP expression patterns were consistent with their gene and protein structures. Collectively, our findings provide a basis for further comprehensive analyses of the genes related to witches’ broom in P. edulis.

Background: The cardiovascular dysfunction in children born after in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been of great concern, in our study, we aim to explore potential molecular mechanism for such long-term outcomes. Methods：Real-time qPCR was used to test long non-coding RNA MEG3 and endothelium-derived factors, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), endothelin-1(ET1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Primary HUVEC after caesarean section was treated with different estradiol concentrations in vitro. Besides, knockdown of MEG3 on HUVEC provided further evidence between MEG3 expression and alteration of NO, ET1, VEGF. Then, by using pyrosequencing, we detected MEG3 promoter methylation status.Results: We found that the expression level of MEG3 was higher in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) of IVF offspring than that in spontaneously born offspring. Furthermore, we found decreased expression of eNOS, VEGF, elevated expression of ET1 in HUVECs from IVF offspring compared to spontaneously born offspring. We further confirmed the results from in-vivo experiments by demonstrating that high-estradiol intrauterine environments lead to abnormal expression of MEG3 and endothelium-derived factors. Meanwhile, silencing MEG3 expression decreased ET1 expression, and increased nitrite, nitrate, VEGF secretion, which could correct the effect we observed in-vivo. With pyrosequencing technology, we found that elevated expression of MEG3 in IVF offspring derived HUVECs was the result of hypomethylation of the MEG3 promoter. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that higher expression of MEG3 in IVF-born HUVECs, accompanied by lower secretion of eNOS, VEGF, and higher secretion of ET1, which is closely related with endothelial dysfunction, which together provide a potential mechanism addressing high-risk of hypertension in IVF offspring.