Association Between VEGF + 936 C> T Gene Polymorphism with Degrees of Neutrophils and Lymphocytes Infiltration in Gastritis

@#INTRODUCTION: Activation of angiogenesis stimulated by Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in host cells play a role in response to damaged gastric mucosal in gastritis patient with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The study showed that presence of polymorphisms in VEGF gene is associated with an increased risk of several disorders like gastric cancer. Infiltration of neutrophils in the gastric mucosa characterized acute gastritis. It can become chronic inflammation characterized by lymphocyte infiltration. This condition will complicate glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in the gastric mucosal epithelium and subsequently cause gastric malignancy. The aim of this study to analyze association between VEGF +936 C>T polymorphism gene with degree of neutrophils and lymphocytes infiltration in gastritis patients with H. pylori. METHODS: Samples were obtained through consecutive sampling in April-August 2019. Gastritis was ensured by endoscopy while histological feature was defined by Sydney system. H. pylori was examined by Campylobacter Like Organism test (CLO) and VEGF + 936 C> T gene polymorphism was ensured using PCR TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay rs2010963. Chi-square analysis was used in this study to determine the association between VEGF + 936 C>T gene polymorphism with degree of neutrophils and lymphocytes infiltration. RESULTS: Of 60 gastritis patients, there were CT genotype (37.5%), followed by CC genotypes (36.7%), and TT genotypes (35%). Patients with CC genotype increased the risk of 18 times moderate and severe neutrophil infiltration compared to CT+TT genotypes (p=0.001). There was no relationship between VEGF + 936 C>T polymorphism and the degree of lymphocytes infiltration (p=0.293) CONCLUSION: There was a significant association between VEGF + 936 C>T polymorphism and the degree of neutrophil infiltration but there was no association between VEGF + 936 C>T polymorphism and the degree of neutrophil infiltration.

Effect of lifestyle modification and metformin on Fetuin-A in Metabolic Syndrome / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

Objective@#To evaluate the effects of lifestyle modification and metformin on fetuin-A in metabolic syndrome (MetS) as defined in 2006 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). @*Methodology@#Forty MetS subjects were randomly assigned to treatment with placebo (n=20) or metformin (n=20) in addition to lifestyle modification for 12 weeks. @*Results@#All 40 participants completed the study. After 12 weeks, both groups had significant reductions in weight (p<0.001), body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001), waist circumference (WC) (p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p<0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p<0.001). The placebo group also had significant improvement in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (p<0.001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (<0.05). Weight, BMI, WC, FPG, 2-hour postprandial glucose (2h-PPG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and fetuin-A in the metformin group decreased significantly compared to the placebo group. Reduction of plasma fetuin-A was significantly associated with TG in the metformin group. @*Conclusion@#Lifestyle modification and treatment with metformin for 12 weeks improved cardio-metabolic risk factors in MetS and reduced fetuin-A levels. Further investigations are required to confirm the effects of lifestyle modification and metformin after an extended follow-up period.