Metabolic syndrome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is considered as a systemic disease due to associated systemic inflammation which can manifest as metabolic syndrome or its component illnesses. This study was undertaken to determine the proportion of metabolic syndrome in patients with COPD.Methods: 51 patients with COPD were compared with equal number of age and gender matched controls. GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) criteria were used for diagnosing COPD. Metabolic Syndrome (MS) was diagnosed based on modified NCEP:ATP III criteria (National cholesterol education Program Adult Treatment Panel III). Subjects were evaluated for hypertension, WC, FBS, and serum triglycerides and serum HDL (High-density lipoprotein) to diagnose MS.Results: Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 16 (31.4%) patients with COPD and in 8 (15.7%) controls. The proportion of individual parameters of MS in cases and controls was as follows: DM in 19 (37.3%) cases and 13 (25.5%) controls, hypertension in 21(41.2%) cases and 9 (17.6%) controls, low serum HDL in 31 (60.7%) cases and 22 (43.1%) controls increased WC in 14 (27.5%) cases and 7 (13.7%) controls and elevated serum TG in 12 (23.5%) cases and an equal number of controls.Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome and its parameters are more prevalent in COPD patients. Early detection and treatment of MS in COPD patients can prevent development of complications due to the combined effects of both diseases

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta agonist attenuates hepatic steatosis by anti-inflammatory mechanism

Although peroxisome proliferator receptor (PPAR)-alpha and PPAR-gamma agonist have been developed as chemical tools to uncover biological roles for the PPARs such as lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, PPAR-delta has not been fully investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of the PPAR-delta agonist GW0742 on fatty liver changes and inflammatory markers. We investigated the effects of PPAR-delta agonist GW0742 on fatty liver changes in OLETF rats. Intrahepatic triglyceride contents and expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and also, PPAR-gamma coactivator (PGC)-1alpha gene were evaluated in liver tissues of OLETF rats and HepG2 cells after GW0742 treatment. The level of TNF-alpha and MCP-1 was also examined in supernatant of Raw264. 7 cell culture. To address the effects of GW0742 on insulin signaling, we performed in vitro study with AML12 mouse hepatocytes. Rats treated with GW0742 (10 mg/kg/day) from 26 to 36 weeks showed improvement in fatty infiltration of the liver. In liver tissues, mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha, MCP-1, and PGC-1alpha were significantly decreased in diabetic rats treated with GW0742 compared to diabetic control rats. We also observed that GW0742 had inhibitory effects on palmitic acid-induced fatty accumulation and inflammatory markers in HepG2 and Raw264.7 cells. The expression level of Akt and IRS-1 was significantly increased by treatment with GW0742. The PPAR-delta agonist may attenuate hepatic fat accumulation through anti-inflammatory mechanism, reducing hepatic PGC-1alpha gene expression, and improvement of insulin signaling.

The role of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/JE in the pathogenesis of early acute pancreatitis / 中华消化杂志

Objective To explore the potential role of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/JE (MCP-1/JE) in the pathogenesis of early acute pancreatitis(AP). Methods Acute edematous pancreatitis(AEP) and acute necrotizing pancreatitis(ANP) were induced by retrograde infusion of 0.5% or 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary pancreatic duct. The activity of serum amylase and the level of serum calcium were studied, wet to weight ratio,the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and pathological changes of pancreas were observed. The expression of gene and protein of CINC and MCP-1/JE in pancreatic constitution were detected. Results Compared with that in controls,pancreatic acinar cells were found to express CINC and MCP-1/JE protein in certain intensity. With the induction and the progress of AP,the expression of the activity of MPO,CINC and MCP-1/JE gene in pancreatic parenchyma were all significantly increased ( P