[Lack of association between renin-angiotensin system [RAS] polymorphisms and hypertension in Tunisian type 2 diabetics]

The genes encoding renin-angiotensin system [RAS] components are potent candidate genes in both hypertension and diabetes namely ACE encoding the angiotensin converting enzyme and AGT encoding angiotensinogen. It has been suggested that the insertion/deletion [I/D] polymorphism in intron 16 of ACE gene is associated with ACE levels, and M235T gene polymorphism is associated with plasma AGT levels. We examined in this report the association between ACE I/D and AGT M235T polymorphisms with hypertension status in Tunisian type 2 diabetic subjects. Thirty nine hypertensive and 22 normotensive type 2 diabetic Tunisian patients were recruited for this study. The I/D polymorphism of ACE gene was analysed with nested PCR in order to avoid mistyping heterozygous individuals and the M235T polymorphism of AGT gene was analysed using PCR and allele specific restriction. The distribution of DD, ID and II genotypes did not significantly differ between type 2 diabetic patients with or without hypertension [DD: 49%; ID: 41%; II: 10% vs DD: 36%; ID: 55%; II: 9%, respectively] [lasmbda[2]= .06, p=0.5 8]. There was also no significant statistical difference between these two groups for the M235T polymorphism [TT: 20%; MT: 54%; MM: 26% vs TT: 27%; MT: 41%; MM: 32%, respectively] lambda[2]=0.95, p=0.62] RAS polymorphisms do not seem to play a role in the development of hypertension in the studied Tunisian type 2 diabetic subjects

[Vitamins A, E and leptin in obese and non insulin dependent diabetes group]

At the obese ones, there is an imbalance between the free defenses antioxydants and radicals from where the installation of an oxydative stress, responsible for the development of non-insulin dependent diabetes. Our objectives was to evaluate the levels of vitamins A, E and of leptin, to search the link witch could exist between vitamins and leptin. We proportioned the rates in vitamins A, E and in leptine at 30 obese subjects diabetic of type 2 including 12 men and 18 women of average age [50,93 +/- 6,13] years not carrying pathologies other than the diabetes and obesity compared to 30 witnesses who theirs are paired according to the age and the sex. Our results chows that levels of antioxidants did not differ between the two groups but we find a non significant decrease in vitamin El [TC +TG] ratio [1,86 +/- 0,38 VS 2,11 +/- 0,74 ; p=0,08] and significant increase of vitamin A level in women obese with non-insulin-diabetes mellitus compared with control group of women [0,69 +/- 0,16 V.S 0,55 +/- 0,15 ; p=0,01]. Moreover a negative and significative correlation between vitamin E and leptin [r=0,452 p=0,01], and a negative and no significative correlation between vitamin A and leptin [2=-0,221 ; p>0,05] were observed. the rate of vitamin A, is different for each sex with share. The vitamin E could have a negative control on the secretion of the leptin

[Food intake and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels changes during ramadan fasting in healthy young subjects]

During the holy month of Ramadan, it is obligatory for all adult healthy Muslims to abstain from food, drink and smo-king each day from dawn to sunset. The aims of our study were to evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and the change of food consumption in healthy subjects. Thirty young healthy and normal weighted adults [9 males and 21 females] were evaluated during three periods: 3 weeks before Ramadan [TO]: the 4th week of Ramadan [T1] and 3 weeks after the end of Ramadan [T2]. Main Clinical and biological parameters investigated were: body weight. blood glucose, plasma triglycerides [TG], plas-ma total cholesterol [TC], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c] and. low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-c] Body weight, and blood glucose were unchanged. There was a significant increase of the mean daily caloric intake, the lipids intake particularly mono-unsaturated and poly-unsatu-rated fatty acids [p < 0,001] and cholesterol intake [p<0.001] during Ramadan with a decrease of the meal frequency. There was also a significant increase of plasma total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. The most striking finding was a significant increase in the HDL-Cholesterol during Ramadan +20% [p<0,02]. This increase was lost after Ramadan. Fasting Ramadan affects beneficially serum lipoprotein metabolism in young adult healthy subjects with an increase of HDL-cho-lesterol