Assessment of serum adiponectin and leptin levels in lean and overweight type 2 diabetes mellitus and their relation to insulin level

The purpose of this study was to assess the serum adiponectin and leptin levels in type 2 diabetic and to clarify the degree of association of adiponectin with insulin levels and diabetes mellitus independent of its association to obesity. A total of 169 type 2 diabetics [103 females and 66 males, mean age 51 +/- 10 years] and 85 healthy adults matching the same age with the patient group [43 females and 42 males, mean age 48 +/- 6.7 years] were enrolled in the study. The studied subjects were classified according to their BMI into; lean [BMI < 25 kg/m[2]] and overweight-obese group [BMI > 25 Kg/m[2]]. Accordingly, there were 4 groups group 1; lean diabetic [67 subjects], group 2; overweight-obese diabetic [102 subject], group 3; lean non-diabetic [36 subjects], group 4; overweight-obese non-diabetic [49 subjects]. Fasting insulin was assayed using RIA technique of DPC Diagnostics. Fasting serum leptin was measured by RIA using Kits purchased from Linco Research. Adiponectin was assayed using Elisa kit purchased from Quantikine [Catalog Number DRP300]. Adiponectin concentrations were lower in the overweight-obese non diabetic group compared to the lean non diabetic group [p value < 0.05], and the diabetic group compared to the non-diabetic group [p value < 0.001]. The same pattern was observed when we compared obese diabetics to obese non-diabetic groups [p value < 0.05], and lean diabetic and lean non-diabetic groups [p value < 0.001]. There was no significant difference of adiponectin levels between overweight-obese and lean diabetic groups [p value > 0.05]. Adiponectin was found to be positively correlated to FBS, PPS, and HDL and negatively correlated to BMI, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, fasting insulin and leptin concentrations. Serum leptin concentrations are higher in both obese diabetic and non-diabetic groups compared to lean diabetic and non-diabetic groups [p value < 0.05, and < 0.05 respectively]. Leptin was positively correlated to BMI [p value < 0.001] and fasting insulin concentrations [p value < 0.001], and negatively correlated to adiponectin concentrations [p value < 0.01]. Serum adiponectin level is low in obese subjects and is consistently lower in diabetic patients in comparison to non diabetic subjects independent to BMI. The data suggest that serum adiponectin level is more related to insulin level than to the body weight

Vitamin D receptor [VDR] gene polymorphism and risk of osteoporosis in Egyptian post menopausal women

Identifying people at risk of osteoporosis is very important, as prevention is possible. Because genetic factors were shown to have a great influence on osteoporosis susceptibility, their study may be of great help in targeting high-risk individuals. In this work, we studied the association between VDR gene polymorphism and bone mineral density in postmenopausal Egyptian females. 45 Egyptian postmenopausal women [57 +/- 4.6 years] were studied. Bone mineral density was measured at the lumbar spines, the hip, and the lower radius using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Ten of the studied patients [22%] had osteoporosis [T or z scores < -2.5]; 21 [47%] had osteopenia [T or z scores -1 to -2.5]; and 14[31%] were normal [T or z scores > -1]. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the VDR gene were assessed by PCR amplification and digestion with restriction enzymes FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI recognizing polymorphic sites in these four VDR gene loci. The BsmI Bb genotype distribution was significantly higher in the normal postmenopausal women [42.9%] than osteopenic women [4.8%] [p value < 0.002]. The TaqI [T] allele was significantly higher in the normal group [68.0%] than the osteopenic group [45.0%] and TaqI [t] which was significantly higher in the osteopenic group [55.0%] than the normal group [32.0%] [p=0.031 for both], otherwise, there was no significant difference in the distribution of other VDR genotypes in relation to bone density measurement. The higher distribution of the VDR BsmI Bb and TaqI T genotype in the normal postmenopausal than osteopenic women may reflect a protective role, on the other hand, TaqI t allele may be associated with lower bone mineral density in postmenopausal Egyptian females