ting huang

The difference in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-(OH) D3) level between the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and healthy pregnant women was analyzed, to provide the experimental evidence for the vitamin supplement in pregnant women, especially those with GDM.

Pregnant women (n=50) who received prenatal care in the Obstetrical Clinic of Xuzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in summer and winter of 2016 were enrolled. They were assigned to the summer GDM group, winter GDM group, summer control group and winter control group. The level of serum 25-(OH)D3 was determined using immunochromatography.

The mean level of serum 25-(OH)D3 in pregnant women of four groups was lower than normal level. Compared with control group in corresponding season, the winter and summer GDM groups had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the winter and summer control groups (P<0.05). The winter GDM group had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the summer GDM group (P<0.05). The winter control group had significantly lower level of 25-(OH)D3 than the summer control group (P<0.05). The percentage of deficient 25-(OH)D3 level was the highest in winter GDM group. Vitamin D deficiency was severer in pregnant women with GDM than healthy pregnant women. In winter, vitamin D deficiency was severer than that in summer.

Pregnant women, especially those with GDM, should pay more attention to vitamin D supplementation.

Up-regulation of CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells (Tregs) is a new target in the treatment of asthma. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can up-regulate CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells in vitro, meanwhile, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plays an important role in the development and maintenance of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. However the mechanism has not yet been adequately understood. Hence, we wondered what effect of Heme Oxygenase-1 made on regulation of CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells mediated by mesenchymal stem cells.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from asthmatic patients and healthy controls were co-cultured with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells which were pretreated with Hemin (the revulsive of Heme Oxygenase-1), Protoporphyrin Ⅸ zinc (the inhibitor of Heme Oxygenase-1) and saline.The expression of Heme Oxygenase-1 in MSCs was enhanced by Hemin and inhibited by Protoporphyrin zinc in vitro. Overexpression of Heme Oxygenase-1 elevated the proportion of CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells in CD4+ T cells, meanwhile, inhibition of Heme Oxygenase-1 decreased the proportion of CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells in CD4+ T cells as compared with mesenchymal stem cells alone.Taken together, these data demonstrated that Heme Oxygenase-1 contributed to the up-regulation of CD4+CD25+CD127low/- regulatory T cells mediated by mesenchymal stem cells in asthma.