Role of soluble P-selectin among type 2 diabetic patients with and without coronary heart disease

Type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] is associated with a marked increase in the risk of coronary heart disease. Platelets play a significant role in coronary artery disease [CAD]. P-selectin is a component of the platelet granule membrane that is expressed on the platelet surface membrane and shed into the plasma as sP-selection on platelet activation. The current study was performed to investigate the association of soluble P-selection with inflammatory marker high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], lipid profile and glycemic control among type 2 diabetic patients with and without coronary heart disease. This study included 31 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease [group I], 29 healthy subjects as control group [group II], and 28 diabetic patients without coronary artery disease [group III]. The age and sex of diabetic groups were matched with normal control group. Glucose, HbAlc, lipid profile, hsCRP and sP-selectin were measured. The levels of glucose, HbAlc, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol. LDL-c, hsCRP and sP-selectin level were significantly higher in the diabetic group with coronary artery disease than in the control group and the diabetic group without coronary artery disease. The level of HDL-c was significantly lower in the diabetic group with coronary artery disease than in the control group and the diabetic group without coronary artery disease. There was a significant positive correlation between level of sP-selectin and duration of CAD diabetic patients with coronary artery disease. Also there was a significant positive correlation between sP-selectin and duration of diabetes mellitus in both diabetic groups with and without coronary artery disease. ROC curve analysis for hsCRP and sP-selectin indicated that, sP-selectin had higher sensitivity and specificity than hsCRP in diabetic patient with coronary artery disease. In conclusion, measurement of soluble P-selectin seems more helpful marker of impending coronary artery insult in diabetic patients and had higher diagnostic value than hsCRP in diabetic patient with coronary artery disease

Effects of L-carnitine on inducible nitric oxide synthase, insulin like growth factor-1 gene expression and insulin receptor substrate-1 in kidney tissues of insulin resistant rats induced by high fructose feeding

Metabolism of high dietary fructose induces insulin resistance and metabolic adaptation including changes in gene expression. The present study was designed to elucidate the effects of L-Carnitine [CA] on the renal alterations as well as gene expression such as inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase [iNOS]. Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 [IGF-1], insulin receptor substrate-1 [IRS-1] in kidney tissues of rats fed on high fructose diet. 24 male Wister rats of body weight 120-160 g were divided into 3 groups of 8 rats each. Group 1 received control diet, while group 2 and 3, rats received high fructose diet [60 g/100 g diet]. Group 3, after 2 weeks of fructose feeding animals were treated with CAR [300 mg/kg body weight/day i.p]. At the end of the experimental period [30 days], serum levels of glucose, insulin, Triacylglycerol [TG] and cholesterol were determined. Renal contents of cholesterol, triacylglycerol, Malondialdehyde [MDA] and nitric oxide products were determined. Gene expressions of iNOS, IGF-1 as well as IRS-1 were also assayed in kidney tissues of the experimental rats feed on high fructose diet. Rats fed on high fructose diet showed disturbance in insulin action and formed an animal model of insulin resistance. Fructose fed rats showed increase in renal gene expression of iNOS and decrease in both IGF-1 mRNA and IRS-1 receptor compared to control rats. The administration of CA to rat model of insulin resistance, mitigated the adverse effects of fructose load. Thus the observed abnormalities in gene expression associated with fructose feeding were brought to near-normal levels as compared with untreated rats. L-carnitine normalized the serum and renal lipid alterations as well as gene expression [iNOS, IGF-1] and IRS-1 in this nutritional experimental model

Biochemical alterations of amino acids, neurotransmitters and hepatic functions after thermal injury in rats

Thermal injury in human and animals models may be complicated by dysfunction to organs distant from the original burn wound. The physiopathological events following thermal injury are not limited to the surface effects of heat but are also related to an acute inflammatory reaction with increased muscle protein breakdown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biochemical alterations of some amino acids, brain neurotransmitters and hepatic functions during postburn stage in scalded rats. Male Wistar rats inflicted by 30% total body surface area [TBSA] were employed as the model and were randomly divided into 5 groups; normal sham control, 1,3,5 and 7 days postburn groups, with 8 rats in each groups. Serum levels of IL-6 was estimated by ELISA method. Serum concentrations of amino acids were determined by amino acid analyzer. Levels of homocystein and glutathione were estimated by HPLC method. At the sametime, brain neurotransmitters, serum ALT, AST, ALP and gamma-GT levels were also assayed. There was a decreasing tendency in varying degrees in serum concentrations of most amino acids at each time points. Serum homocysteine level in all scalding groups were markedly lower than that in sham control group at all postburn time points. GSH concentration was significantly decreased at D5 and D7, however, the concentration of GSSG was increased at D1, D3 and D7 and GSH/GSSG ratio was decreased at D1, D3, D5 and D7 postburn when compared to the sham control. There was increasing tendency in brain concentration of norepinephrine and dopamine, while the level of brain serotonin showed a pronounced decrease after one day following burn injury and 3 and 5 days postburn its levels increased significantly when compared to sham group. At the seventh day following burn, serotonin level was found to be replenished back to that of the sham control group. The serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP and gamma-GT were increased obviously at all postbum time points. In conclusion, we found that, there were significant changes in serum contents of amino acids and brain neurotransmitters during postbum stage in scalded rats, which might be related to the early excessive release of inflammatory mediators, enhanced degradation of skeletal muscle and impairment of hepatic function

Some biochemical changes in postmenopausal women with and without metabolic syndrome

Women with the metabolic syndrome are known to be at especially high risk for cardiovascular disease [CVD]. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases dramatically with menopause and may partially explain the apparent increase CVD after menopause. This study was performed to investigate the relationships between metabolic syndrome [MS] related parameters and the cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi postmenopausal women. Subjects with MS had significantly higher plasma levels of glucose, uric acid, TC, LDL-c, triacylglycerol and atherogenic index, and lower levels of HDL-c and zinc compared to subjects without MS. Also, the subjects with MS had significantly higher levels of plasma ALT, AST, transferrin, TIBC and ferritin in comparison to those without MS. Postmenopausal women with MS had significantly higher levels of plasma iron compared with control group and premenopausal women with MS. Plasma ALT was positively correlated with ferritin level, waist circumference, body mass index, iron, and AST in postmenopausal women with MS. On other hand, ferritin level was associated with the variables of metabolic syndrome [positive correlation with systolic blood pressure, triacylglycerol, LDL-c], and also was positively correlated with iron, and ALT. In conclusion, there is an association between postmenopausal status, MS and cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, levels of plasma ferritin are correlated with the levels of LDL-c, ALT and AST as well as with the components of metabolic syndrome in Saudi postmenopausal women. Because of the severe implications of cardiovascular diseases, counseling programs directed towards high-risk populations should be endorsed