Study of paraoxonasel activity and lipid peroxidation in selected male patients with the metabolic syndrome

Today, the metabolic syndrome is one of the major public health concerns as its prevalence increases worldwide with a subsequent predisposition to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and even mortality. Paraoxonasel [PONI] is a high-density lipoprotein HDL]-associated enzyme capable of hydrolyzing diverse substrates including oxidized phospholipids. The reactive oxygen species induced oxidative stress may play a role in the development of insulin resistance. The oxidative stress causes increased tissue/cellular damage manifested by lipid peroxidation. Was to study PNO1 activity and lipid peroxidation in male patients with the metabolic syndrome. The patients were neither diabetic nor hypertensive apart from mild to moderate hypertension. They were also free from coronary artery disease. 45 male patients the criteria of the metabolic syndrome according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III [NCEP] were chosen in the study. They were chosen also to be nondiabetic, nonsmoker, non hypertensive or with mild to moderate degree of hypertension and not suffering coronary artery disease. 15 apparently healthy male, not fulfilling the criteria of the metabolic syndrome and age and culture matched, constituted the control group. All the chosen subjects underwent thorough clinical examination specially measuring waist circumference and the blood pressure. Fasting and postprandial serum glucose. high and low density lipoproteins, serum triglycerides, paraoxonasel activity and malonaldehyde were assayed. Compared with the controls, the patients bad significantly higher level of serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C], fasting and postprandial glucose and fasting insulin. There were also significant higher measurements of waist circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However the patients had lower high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C]. They were more insulin resistant as measured by HOMA index. Patients had higher serum malondialdhyde level and lower serum paraoxonasel [PNOl] activity when compared with the controls. There were positive correlations between HOMA index and waist circumference, fasting and postprandial serum glucose, serum triglycerides, serum malondialdhyde level. HOMA index was negatively correlated with HDL-C and PONT activity. There were positive correlations of PONT activity with HDL-C and serum triglycerides and no correlation waist circumference, while there were negative correlation of PONI activity with blood pressure and serum glucose levels. There were negative correlations of PONT activity with HOMA index and serum malondialdhyde level. Serum malondialdhyde level showed positive correlation with waist circumference, blood pressure levels, serum glucose levels, serum triglycerides. Serum malondialdhyde level showed negative correlation with PONT activity and HOMA index. It showed no correlation with HDL-C. Male patients with MetS, who were normotensive or not severely hypertensive and not yet developed DM or cardiovascular complications of MetS, had diminished serum paraoxonasel activity and increased lipid peroxidation. These were correlated with the degree of insulin resistance. These results pointed strongly to increased oxidative stress, The increased oxidative stress along with their atherogenig lipid profile indicated a proatherogenic state. We recommend that clinicians should deal with these hidden factors aiming to avoid MetS complications

role of insulin and insulin like growth factor I [IGF-1] in Egyptian Neonates

Many growth factors have been shown to be included during fetal life. Insulin and insulin-like Growth factor-I [IGF-I] are important factors, that have major influence on fetal weighl gain and post-natal growth. In this study, we detennined the levels of cord blood insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I, in 40 healthy full term neonates, with its effect on their anthropometric measurements [head circumference, length, body weight] and gestational age. The studied neonates were delivered in Bab EI-Sharia Hospital, AI-Azhar university either by NVD [n=22] or by C.S [n= 18]. They were 24 males and 16 females. They delivered to healthy mothers [without D.M or any medical problems]. The neonates were classified according to their birth weight, maturity, and appropriance for gestational age into: 15 large for gestational age [LGA], 15 small for gestational age [SGA] and 10 appropriate for gestational age [AGA] as control group. Data concerning all neonates were recorded including: Mode of delivery and APGAR score. Meticulous clinical examinations to all body systems to exclude any abnormality if present Birth measurements were taken and recorded [birth weight, head circumference length and ponderal index] nsulin was measured by immunoradiometric assay and IGF-1 by radioimmuno-assay [R1A] techniques. Also, cord blood glucose was measured in all studied cases and controls. There were highly significant differences between LGA, SGA groups and AGA control group as regard birth weight, length, H, C and gestational age [p<0.01]. Also, there was significant increase in cord bl. IGF-I in LGA group as compared to AGA group [p<0.01], but no significant difference between cord bl. glucose, and cord. bl. insulin in either LGA group or SGA group compared to AGA group [p>0.05]. There were positive correlations between IGF-I and body weight, H.C and length. p<0.001 There was a positive correlation between cord bl. IGF.I and cord. bl. insulin [p<0.01]. But a negative correlation was found between cord bl. IGF-I and cord. bl. glucose [r=-0.416] [p<0.01]. There were no significant difference between LGA, SGA and control group [AGA] as regard APGAR .score, cord bl. glucose or cord bl. insulin [p>0.05]. As. regard gender discrimenation and mode of delivery, there were no correlations or significant difference in either cord blood IGF-I nor cord bl. insulin

Study of endothelin-1 levels in type I diabetic patients with nephropathy

Diabetic Nephropathy is a leading cause of disability in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus [T1DM]. Recently discovered vasoconstrictors regulators, such as endothelin [ET] have been shown to have possible pathogenic roles in diabetic vascular complications. In type 1 diabetic patients will different stages of nephropathy, we investigated plasma endolhelin-1 [ET-1] levels and urinary albumin excretion to study the relationship between ET-1 and diabetic nephropathy, in addition to the effect of glycemic control on ET-1 urinary albumin excretion. Sixty patients with T1DM [38 males and 22 females] aged [20.0 +/- 4.9 years] with different stages of nephropathy were selected without renal impairment, or edema 17 patients with normal urinary albumin excretion Igp, 1 normal UAE, 21 patients with microalbuminuria [gp. 2 MAU] and 22 patients with proteinurea >lgm/day [gp. 3 PU]. In addition to 15 healthy subjects matched for sex and age acting as a control group. Plasma ET-1 levels, urinary albumin excretion, and glycosilated hemoglobin [HbAlc] were determined in all subjects. There were significant increases of ET-1 in all the diabetic groups as well as urinary albumin excretion, the highest values was found in the pro-leinuric group. Also ET-1 showed positive correlation with the severity of the renal disease as indicated by urinary albumin excretion [r=0.55 p>0.05], such results point to the possibility that ET-1 is involved in diabetic nephropathy. The normoal-buminuric group showed significant increase of ET-1 compared lo controls, this may indicate that ET-1 level may be an earlier marker of diabetic nephropathy than microalbuminuria. Classifying each group according to glycemic control of diabetes [cut point of HbAlc 7%] The subgroups of each group showed non significant change, concerning ET-1 or urinary albumin excretion, this may be due to the fact that the cut point was 7% which is initially lower than other investigators whose ail point was much higher [8.5%], they showed in contrast to that the better the control the better the effect on diabetic nephropathy. Mreviations: Finally it can be concluded that ET-1 appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. It may be a marker of the early stage of diabetic nephropathy as microalbminruia or may be an earlier marker than microalbuminuria that may appear in the normoproteinuric stage. Also the degree of glycemic control does not affect the ET-1 level or degree of albumin exertion in the same stage of diabetic nephropathy.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-I and insulin resistance in coronary heart disease male patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus

Features and prognosis of coronary heart disease [CHD] differ between diabetics and nondiabetics. This work aimed to study plasminogen activator inhibitor-l [PAl-1] antigen as a fibrinolytic marker, insulin resistance and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic male patients with CHD, in an attempt to find an explanation-in part-why type 2 diabetics have a less favorable prognosis than the nondiabetics as regard CHD. Sixty male patients with CHD were selected; their age range was 50-60 years. 30 patients were with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] [group I] and 30 patients were non-diabetics [group II]. In addition to 15 matched healthy volunteers [control group]. Compared with the controls, diabetic group showed significant higher fasting glucose and insulin levels, insulin resistance [by homeostatic model assessment HOMA], systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C] and PAI-1; this is in addition to significant lower level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C]. On comparing the nondiabetic group with the controls, there were similar pattern of changes. On comparing the diabetic and the nondiabetic groups, there were significant increases of systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides;LDL-C, PAl-1, and HOMA index. Both diastolic blood pressure and HDL-C showed non-significant changes. In both the diabetic and nondiabetic groups, PAI-1 showed positive correlations with systolic and diastolic blood pressures, HOMA index, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C; while HDL-C showed negative correlation. In both the diabetic and nondiabetic groups, HOMA showed positive correlations with total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C and PAI-1; while it was negatively correlated with HDL-C. It was noted that CHD male patients whether with or without type 2 DM were dyslipidemic, with high readings of blood pressure, insulin resistant and had high level of PAl-1. However, CHD patients with type 2 DM had higher degree of disturbances of these coronary risk factors than the nondiabetic patients with CHD. Insulin resistance appeared to be important in such disturbances. In addition, there were complex relationships among the few studied CHD risk factors. This was noted in both studied groups. Finally, it can be concluded from this study that the less favorable prognosis of male patients with type 2 DM and CHD appeared to be -in part-to the heavier burden of the atherothrombotic risk factors of higher blood pressure, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and abnormal fibrinolysis than the nondiabetic patients. We recommend reduction of insulin resistance in the male diabetic and nondiabetic patients with CHD to reduce the tendency to develop thromboses, hence reducing risk of CHD events

Effect of maternal active and passive smoking during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal thyroid function

The influence of maternal active and passive smoking on the maternal and neonatal thyroid function was evaluated in 45 mother-neonate pairs. The sample was divided into three groups: Active smokers [n = 16], passive smokers [n = 17] and nonsmokers as a control group [n = 12]. Sera from mothers and umbilical cord of their neonates were analyzed for nicotine metabolite, free thyroxin [free T4] and thyrotropin [TSH] using IMMIULITE immunoassay method. The study concluded that smoking during pregnancy whether active or passive may be responsible for maternal and neonatal thyroid hyperfunction. Other mechanisms than fetal thyroid hyperfunction are responsible for the retarded growth observed in these infants

Maternal and fetal prolactin levels in relation to maternal smoking during pregnancy

In this study, the maternal and serum cord prolactin and nicotine metabolite levels were measured at birth using the IMMULITE immunoassay method in 40 apparently healthy mother-neonate pairs. In 20 of them, the mothers were smokers during pregnancy and the remaining 20 were nonsmokers and not exposed to passive smoking from a household smoker and with no chronic disease prior to pregnancy, drug- induced pregnancy, ingestion of drugs known to alter prolactin secretion, twin gestations, prematurity, malformations, complications during pregnancy or labor. The findings indicated that maternal smoking during pregnancy lower the serum prolactin level in mothers at delivery with the expected short period of breast feeding, which makes their infants susceptible to the drawbacks of artificial feeding, in addition to the disturbance of the endocrine status of the fetus as shown by the lower fetal prolactin level

Effect of subcutaneous injection of mono-sodium glutamate on some nutritional and biochemical traits in albino rats

Mono-sodium glutamate [MSG] was administered sub-cutaneously to female rats 113.4 +/- 1.97 g body weight, as a food flavors at doses of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 mg per g body weight for 6-week period. MSG were significantly decreased body weight [26.5, 31.04 and 31.61%] and significantly increased feed consumption [22.92, 32.18 and 32.61%] and efficiency of feed utilization [60.44, 70.25 and 73.2%] for treated groups, respectively. No significant changes in weight of ovaries and spleen were shown. On the other h and, adrenal glands were significantly decreased, but weight of brain, heart, uterus, kidney, and liver were significantly increased in rats treated with MSG. Levels of blood glucose, urea, ceratinine, cholesterol, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, AST, and ALT were significantly increased in rat groups received MSG, while serum albumin was increased [nonsignificantly]. In conclusion, MSG may have a direct effect on functions of kidneys, liver and may inter adversely in carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins metabolism