Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Serum HSP70 Concentrations in Relation to Insulin Resistance and Lipid Profile in Lean and Overweight Young Men.

Oxidants are generated by all cells during normal oxidative respiration, and as long as they are under the control of appropriate mechanisms, they act as intracellular signaling molecules participating in complex functions. Oxidative stress can also affect insulin levels in the body. The production of reactive oxygen species by-products can lead to insulin resistance. Heat shock proteins (70 kDa) protect cells from the damaging effects of heat shock but also oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to investigate the serum concentration of HSP70 in young, non-obese but overweight men (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2) and to assess its association with the insulin resistance, lipid profile and antioxidant system of red blood cells. Fifty-seven young men were examined and divided into two groups: lean men (n = 30) and men overweight (n = 27). A statistically significant difference was observed in the BMI (p < 0.007), HSP70 concentration (p < 0.000), serum insulin concentration (p < 0.000), HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), superoxide dismutase (p < 0.02) and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05) between the studied groups. There was a negative correlation between the concentration of HSP70 with the insulin level (r = -0.50; p < 0.0004) and with the HOMA-IR (r = -0.50; p < 0.0004). These changes were associated with an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Our findings suggest that measuring the extracellular concentration of HSP70 can be an important indicator in disorders of glucose homeostasis.

Metabolic Obesity in People with Normal Body Weight (MONW)-Review of Diagnostic Criteria.

Disorders of metabolic obesity with normal body weight (MONW) are widely recognized risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Despite this, MONW is not diagnosed in clinical practice. There is no consensus on the definition of MONW, and measuring the degree of insulin resistance or obesity among apparently healthy, non-obese patients is not widely applicable. The awareness of the relationship between metabolic disorders such as MONW and a higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular causes and other related diseases prompts the need for action to be taken aimed at creating appropriate diagnostic models that will allow for the effective detection of those with metabolic abnormalities among people with normal body weight. Such actions are decisive in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the MONW diagnostic criteria used over the years.

Role of Heat Shock Proteins (HSP70 and HSP90) in Viral Infection.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a large group of chaperones found in most eukaryotes and bacteria. They are responsible for the correct protein folding, protection of the cell against stressors, presenting immune and inflammatory cytokines; furthermore, they are important factors in regulating cell differentiation, survival and death. Although the biological function of HSPs is to maintain cell homeostasis, some of them can be used by viruses both to fold their proteins and increase the chances of survival in unfavorable host conditions. Folding viral proteins as well as replicating many different viruses are carried out by, among others, proteins from the HSP70 and HSP90 families. In some cases, the HSP70 family proteins directly interact with viral polymerase to enhance viral replication or they can facilitate the formation of a viral replication complex and/or maintain the stability of complex proteins. It is known that HSP90 is important for the expression of viral genes at both the transcriptional and the translational levels. Both of these HSPs can form a complex with HSP90 and, consequently, facilitate the entry of the virus into the cell. Current studies have shown the biological significance of HSPs in the course of infection SARS-CoV-2. A comprehensive understanding of chaperone use during viral infection will provide new insight into viral replication mechanisms and therapeutic potential. The aim of this study is to describe the molecular basis of HSP70 and HSP90 participation in some viral infections and the potential use of these proteins in antiviral therapy.

Assessment of the Dynamics of Temperature Changes in the Knee Joint Area in Response to Selected Cooling Agents in Thermographic Tests.

Although local cryotherapy (LC) is performed with various cooling agents (CAg) such as ice, water, and gasses, in clinical practice, it is mostly performed with cooling gasses. Presently, LC with cooling gasses is very popular but the inference about the thermal (stimulus) effect on the tissues is mainly based on research carried out using ice packs. The proposed objective of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of temperature changes in the knee joint area in response to a 3-min exposure to liquid nitrogen vapors (LNVs), cold air (CA) and ice bag (IB). The study group included 23 healthy volunteers with an average age of 26.67 ± 4.56. The exposed (ROIE) and contralateral (ROINE) areas of the knee joint after exposure to CAg were observed. Immediately after 3 min of LC, the ROIE temperature dropped by 10.11 ± 0.91 °C after LNV, 7.59 ± 0.14 °C after IB and 6.76 ± 1.3 °C after CA. Significant tissue cooling was maintained up to 15 min after LNV (p < 0.01), 10 min after IB (p < 0.05) and 5 min after CA (p < 0.05). LC causes significant temperature changes both in ROIE and ROINE. The greatest cooling potential was demonstrated for LNV and the lowest for CA.