Evaluation of serum cathepsin D concentrations in coronary artery disease

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) cannot be sufficiently explained by the presence of traditional risk factors. Cathepsin D has been proposed to serve as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis but its alterations in CAD patients have not been studied. Objective To evaluate serum cathepsin D concentrations in relation to the presence and severity of CAD. Materials and methods A total of 104 subjects were recruited; 71 patients with suspected CAD and 33 healthy subjects. Thirty-four patients had >50% coronary stenosis of at least one artery (CAD+); the remaining 37 patients had <50% stenosis (CAD−) based on angiography. CAD+ patients were sub-divided into three sub-groups with single (SVD; n = 15), double (2VD; n = 9), and triple vessel (3VD; n = 10) disease. Serum soluble cathepsin D concentrations were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Serum cathepsin D concentrations were significantly higher in the CAD+ compared with healthy control (p = 0.016) but not CAD− group (p = 0.098). Within the CAD+ group, patients with 3VD had significantly higher serum cathepsin D concentrations compared with the SVD group (p = 0.025), and also compared with the CAD− (p = 0.011) and SVD (p = 0.001) groups. No significant associations were found between serum cathepsin D concentrations and potential confounders including age, sex, blood pressure, smoking history and dyslipidemia. Conclusion Serum cathepsin D concentrations may be associated with the presence of CAD.

Investigation of antioxidant and anti-glycation properties of essential oils from fruits and branchlets of Juniperus oblonga

Plants represent the best and most extensively studied source of natural antioxidants. The present study investigated the antioxidant and anti-glycation properties of different concentrations of essential oils obtained from fruits and branchlets of Juniperus oblonga M. Bieb., Cupressaceae, using different assays. The essential oils were obtained by steam distillation of the branchlets of male tree (BMT), branchlets of female tree (BFT) and fruits of J. oblonga. Compositional analysis of oils was performed using a gas chromatography-mass method. Antioxidant activity was assessed using linoleic acid peroxidation, peroxyl radical mediated hemolysis of red blood cells (RBC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation assays. Anti-glycation properties of oils were evaluated using hemoglobin and insulin glycation assays. Seventeen, eighteen and fifteen compounds were identified in the BMT, BFT and fruit oil, which represented 82.51, 55.69 and 96.89% of the total oils, respectively. α-Pinene was the major component of all three oils. All three oils possessed antioxidant effects against LDL oxidation, linoleic acid peroxidation and peroxyl radical mediated RBC hemolysis. Anti-glycation activities against hemoglobin and insulin glycation were also observed from all tested oils. Overall, there was no unique pattern of dose-dependence for the antioxidant properties of oils in different employed systems. The findings of this study suggest that essential oils from fruits and branchlets of J. oblonga possess antioxidant and anti-glycation properties. Therefore, these oils might be of therapeutic efficacy against diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Glucokinase gene promoter -30G>A polymorphism: a cross-sectional association study with obesity, diabetes Mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and metabolic syndrome in an Iranian hospital / Polimorfismo -30G

OBJECTIVE: A -30G>A single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the glucokinase gene has been previously associated with obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. The present study aimed to evaluate the association of this polymorphism with obesity and its comorbidities in a population from Northeast Iran. METHODS: Five hundred and forty-two subjects aged 18 to 65 years were included in the study and divided into normal (BMI<25, n=220), overweight (2530, n=187) groups. All subjects were genotyped for the -30G>A polymorphism using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. RESULTS: The genotypes and allele frequencies of the three groups did not differ significantly (p>0.05). When the study population was categorized according to diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and metabolic syndrome status, no significant difference in -30G>A genotypes and alleles was found between the subgroups with and without these disorders (p>0.05), apart from a significantly higher frequency of the G allele in the hyperlipidemic vs. non-hyperlipidemic subgroup (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study do not support an association between the -30G>A polymorphism and high body mass index in the Iranian population.

OBJETIVO: O polimorfismo de nucleotídeo único -30G>A, na região promotora do gene da glucoquinase, já foi associado à obesidade, resistência insulínica e diabete. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a associação deste polimorfismo com a obesidade e suas comorbidades em uma população do nordeste iraniano. MÉTODOS: Quinhentos e quarenta e dois indivíduos com idades entre 18 e 65 anos foram divididos em três grupos: normal (BMI<25, n=220), sobrepeso (2530, n=187). Todos os indivíduos foram genotipados para o polimorfismo -30G>A através da técnica da reação em cadeia da polimerase - polimorfismo do comprimento do fragmento de restrição. RESULTADOS: As frequências dos genótipos e alelos dos 3 grupos não diferiram entre si (p>0,05). Quando a população de estudo foi categorizada de acordo com a presença de diabete, hiperlipidemia, hipertensão arterial e síndrome metabólica, os genótipos e alelos -30G>A dos subgrupos com e sem essas doenças não diferiram entre si (p>0,05), exceto por uma frequência maior do alelo G no grupo de hiperlipidêmicos quando comparados aos não hiperlipidêmicos (p<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: Os achados do presente estudo não confirmam uma associação entre o polimorfismo -30G>A e excesso de peso na população iraniana.

Investigation of the effect of high dairy diet on body mass index and body fat in overweight and obese children.

Objective. To investigate whether an increase in dairy food consumption improves the changes in BMI and adiposity in children on an energy restricted diet. Methods. Overweight and obese children (n = 120, age: 12-18 Yr, BMI: 27-40 kg/m2) were randomized to receive a calorie restricted diet providing a 500 kcal/d deficit from total energy expenditure and two (n = 40), three (n = 40) or four (n = 40) servings of dairy products/day. Anthropometric measurements in addition to serum hs-CRP and lipid profile were measured at baseline and after 12 wk. Results. Among the 96 children who completed the study, significant reductions in overall BMI, BMI z-score, weight, total body fat percentage and total body fat mass were observed (p < 0.001) but these reductions were not significantly affected by increasing dairy intake (p > 0.05). Overall waist/hip ratio, Serum vitamin D and lipid profile did not change significantly (p > 0.05) apart from a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001) which was independent of dairy intake (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Increased intake of dairy products does not lead to an augmented change in BMI, weight and body fat in overweight and obese children beyond what is achieved by calorie restriction.