Relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and insulin resistance in excess-weight Latin children.

BACKGROUND: Excess weight, inflammation, and insulin resistance (IR) are associated, but the prevalence of and biomarkers for IR in Latin children are unknown. PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IR in prepubertal and pubertal Latin children with excess weight and explore the usefulness of different biomarkers of low-grade inflammation for identifying IR status. METHODS: Sixty-eight children (31 boys, 37 girls; approximately 11 years of age) with excess weight (overweight and obese) and 20 healthy normal-weight children (12 boys, 8 girls; approximately 12 years of age) were included. Anthropometric parameters, insulin, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and myeloperoxidase were assessed and IR was determined by homeostasis model assessment index (cutoff points: 2.67 and 2.22 in prepubertal boys and girls and 5.55 and 3.82 in pubertal boys and girls, respectively). Intergroup differences were compared, correlations were investigated using Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were performed to estimate the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and IR. RESULTS: The prevalence of IR among overweight children was 62%. IL-6 levels differed between overweight and obese boys, while erythrocyte sedimentation rate, MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-6, hs-CRP, and sCD40L differed between obese and normal-weight boys. In contrast, sCD40L levels were increased in overweight versus normal-weight girls, while MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and sCD40L differed between obese and normal-weight girls. Furthermore, MCP-1 and sCD40L levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were positively correlated with IR; however, a stepwise regression analysis that adjusted for the body mass index (BMI) z score, sex, and age showed that none were good predictors of IR status. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IR is high among Latin children with excess weight. Although some inflammatory biomarkers differed among groups, none robustly predicted IR.

Vitamin D levels in a population from Argentina with metabolic disorders.

Metabolic disorders are a public health problem worldwide. The vitamin D status in patients with metabolic diseases is not a routine procedure. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and examine the correlation between vitamin D status and cardiometabolic parameters in Latin American population with metabolic disorders. Methods: This observational study with a cross-sectional design included 151 patients with metabolic disorders (type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes with hypothyroidism, and excess weight). A fasting blood sample was collected and analyzed to determine the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free thyroxine. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were also performed. Results: According to vitamin D values established by the Institute of Medicine, subjects with metabolic disorders group showed: 23% risk to bone health (9.42 ±3.O4ng/mL), 45% risk of insufficiency/deficiency (17.05 ±2.12ng/mL), and 32% had sufficient levels (26.34±6.74ng/mL), whereas healthy subjects group showed significantly higher values than metabolic diseases group (37.25± 7.72). In addition, vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with elevated body mass index (29.13±5.15kg/m2), systolic blood pressure (126.50± 15.60 mm Hg), fast blood glucose (106.29±33.80 mg/dL), and hemoglobin A1c (6.40% ± 1.38%) values. Conclusion: Subjects with metabolic disorders and with adequate nutritional intake of vitamin D-rich foods and frequent exposure to sunlight have low serum vitamin D concentrations compared to the general population and vitamin D status should be assessed in these patients.

Evaluation of salivary protein patterns among a rural population exposed and non-exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water in areas of Tucumán (Argentina): a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Arsenic contamination in the environment and groundwater is a major global public health problem. Several researchers suggest that the toxicity of arsenic could be related to oral cancer development, usually resulting from potentially malignant lesions. During pathological processes, salivary proteins suffer modifications, which could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the protein profile in human saliva samples from a rural population exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water and its association with potentially malignant lesions. METHODOLOGY: This observational, analytic and cross-sectional design included 121 patients from the state of Graneros (Tucumán, Argentina). Arsenic concentration in drinking water was determined and, according to the values obtained, individuals were divided into 2 groups: exposed group and non-exposed group. Saliva samples were obtained, and total protein concentration was measured by Bradford method. Finally, Laemmli SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was conducted to obtain the protein profile. RESULTS: Total protein concentration in saliva was lower in the exposed group than in the non-exposed group. Average areas of 20 and 42 KDa bands were significantly lower in exposed group than non-exposed group. CONCLUSION: Chronic intake of high arsenic concentrations in drinking water produces changes in the salivary protein profile, which is associated with the presence of potentially malignant lesions.

Hemostatic state of children with type 1 diabetes.

PURPOSE: Hyperglycemia is one of the factors responsible for the molecular alterations that modify hemostasis. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of circulating molecules that have a prothrombotic impact on the child and adolescent population with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: There were 35 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (11.0±2.5 years of age and a median 3.7±2.0 years of the disease) with no vascular complications and 20 healthy controls with similar age, sex, and body mass index included in the study. The evaluated parameters were fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI1), von Willebrand factor antigen, and standard coagulation tests (platelet count, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time). Glycemic control was evaluated by hemoglobin A1c and fasting blood glucose tests, and the presence of retinopathy and nephropathy was ruled out. The data obtained were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 20.0 and expressed as mean±standard deviation. The Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to investigate correlations between variables. RESULTS: Diabetic patients showed significantly higher levels of fibrinogen (308±66 mg/dL vs. 246±18 mg/dL, P=0.0001), PAI-1 (41.6±12 ng/mL vs. 11.7±1.0 ng/mL, P=0.0001), and von Willebrand factor antigen (284%±55% vs. 121%±19%, P=0.0001). However, standard coagulation tests did not show differences between the 2 groups. PAI-1 was correlated with glycemia, hemoglobin A1c, fibrinogen, and von Willebrand factor antigen. CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of fibrinogen, PAI-1, and von Willebrand factor antigen were found in the pediatric and adolescent population with type 1 diabetes mellitus, which suggests a prothrombotic state.

Lemon Oils Attenuate the Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Quorum Sensing Inhibition.

The chemical composition of three Citrus limon oils: lemon essential oil (LEO), lemon terpenes (LT) and lemon essence (LE), and their influence in the virulence factors production and motility (swarming and swimming) of two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (ATCC 27853 and a multidrug-resistant HT5) were investigated. The main compound, limonene, was also tested in biological assays. Eighty-four compounds, accounting for a relative peak area of 99.23%, 98.58% and 99.64%, were identified by GC/MS. Limonene (59-60%), γ-terpinene (10-11%) and ß-pinene (7-15%) were the main compounds. All lemon oils inhibited specific biofilm production and bacterial metabolic activities into biofilm in a dose-dependent manner (20-65%, in the range of 0.1-4 mg mL-1) of both strains. Besides, all samples inhibited about 50% of the elastase activity at 0.1 mg mL-1. Pyocyanin biosynthesis decreases until 64% (0.1-4 mg mL-1) for both strains. Swarming motility of P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was completely inhibited by 2 mg mL-1 of lemon oils. Furthermore, a decrease (29-55%, 0.1-4 mg mL-1) in the synthesis of Quorum sensing (QS) signals was observed. The oils showed higher biological activities than limonene. Hence, their ability to control the biofilm of P. aeruginosa and reduce the production of virulence factors regulated by QS makes lemon oils good candidates to be applied as preservatives in the food processing industry.

Evaluation of salivary protein patterns among a rural population exposed and non-exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water in areas of Tucumán (Argentina): a pilot study

Abstract Arsenic contamination in the environment and groundwater is a major global public health problem. Several researchers suggest that the toxicity of arsenic could be related to oral cancer development, usually resulting from potentially malignant lesions. During pathological processes, salivary proteins suffer modifications, which could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers. Objective To analyze the protein profile in human saliva samples from a rural population exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water and its association with potentially malignant lesions. Methodology This observational, analytic and cross-sectional design included 121 patients from the state of Graneros (Tucumán, Argentina). Arsenic concentration in drinking water was determined and, according to the values obtained, individuals were divided into 2 groups: exposed group and non-exposed group. Saliva samples were obtained, and total protein concentration was measured by Bradford method. Finally, Laemmli SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was conducted to obtain the protein profile. Results Total protein concentration in saliva was lower in the exposed group than in the non-exposed group. Average areas of 20 and 42 KDa bands were significantly lower in exposed group than non-exposed group. Conclusion Chronic intake of high arsenic concentrations in drinking water produces changes in the salivary protein profile, which is associated with the presence of potentially malignant lesions.

Móleculas protrombóticas en niños con Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 / Study of prothrombotic molecules in type 1 diabetes mellitus children

Introducción: la hiperglucemia contribuye a cambios moleculares que alteran la hemostasia. Objetivos: determinar moléculas circulantes que indiquen la presencia de un estado protrombótico en una población infanto juvenil con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1), sin manifestación clínica de enfermedad vascular, y compararla con una población control. Pacientes y métodos: se estudiaron 35 pacientes con DM1, de 11,0±2,5 años de edad y 3,7±2,0 años de evolución de la enfermedad, sin complicaciones vasculares y 20 controles sanos de edad, sexo e IMC semejantes. Se determinaron: fibrinógeno (Fg), inhibidor del activador del plasminógeno 1 (PAI-1), antígeno del factor von Willebrand (FvW:Ag), ligando CD40 soluble (sCD40L) y pruebas globales de coagulación como recuento de plaquetas, tiempo de protrombina (TP) y tiempo de tromboplastina parcial activado (APTT). El control glucémico se evaluó mediante glucemia en ayunas y A1c, y se descartó la presencia de retinopatía y nefropatía. Los datos se analizaron con el programa SPSS 20 para Windows y se expresaron como media±DE. El coeficiente de Pearson se usó para investigar las correlaciones entre las variables estudiadas. Resultados: los pacientes con DM1 presentaron valores significativamente mayores de Fg (308±66 vs 246±18 mg/dL, p=0,0001), PAI-1 (41,6±12 vs 11,7±1,0 ng/mL, p=0,0001), FvW:Ag (284±55 vs 121±19 %, p=0,0001) y sCD40L (1608±109 vs 149±17 pg/mL, p=0,0001). Sin embargo las pruebas globales de hemostasia no mostraron diferencias entre ambos grupos. El PAI-1 y sCD40L se correlacionaron con glucemia, A1c, Fg y FvW:Ag. Conclusiones: los niveles elevados de Fg, PAI-1, FvW:Ag y sCD40L sugieren la presencia de un estado protrombótico en la población infanto juvenil con DM1

Introduction: hyperglycemia contributes to molecular changes that alter hemostasis. Objectives: to determine molecules of a prothrombotic state in a child-juvenile population with type 1 diabetes (T1D), without clinical manifestation of vascular disease, and compare it with a control population. Patients and methods: thirty-five patients with T1D (11.0±2.5 years and 3.7±2.0 years of disease duration), without vascular complications and 20 healthy controls were studied. Plasma fibrinogen (Pf), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), von Willebrand factor antigen vWF:Ag and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and coagulation global tests such as platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were determined. The data obtained were analized by Statistics SPSS 20 software and were expressed as the mean±standard desviation. Pearson coefficient was used to investigate correlations between variables. Results: diabetic patients presented significantly higher values of glycaemia, A1c, Fg (308± 66 vs 246±18 mg/dL, p=0.0001), PAI-1 (41.6±12 vs 11.7±1, 0 ng/mL, p=0.0001), vWF:Ag (284±55 vs 121±19%, p= 0.0001) and sCD40L (1608±109 vs 149±17 pg/mL, p=0.0001). However, overall hemostasis tests showed no differences between both groups, PAI-1 and sCD40L correlated with glycemia, A1c, Fg and vWF:Ag. Conclusions: high levels of Fg, PAI-1, vWF:Ag and sCD40L suggest the presence of a prothrombotic state in the infant population juvenil with DT1