Melatonin prevents early pituitary dysfunction induced by sucrose-rich diets.

While physiological levels of glucocorticoids are required to ensure proper functions of the body, consistently high levels may engender several deleterious consequences. We have previously shown an increase in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in rats fed sucrose-rich diets (SRD). The main goal of this study was to analyze the processes involved in the modulation of the pituitary production of ACTH by SRD, and to test melatonin as a possible therapeutic agent for the prevention of the HPA axis dysfunction. Male Wistar rats were fed standard chow and either SRD (30% sucrose in the drinking water) or plain water for three weeks. Melatonin was administered as subcutaneous pellets. Results showed that SRD treatment induced an increase in systemic ACTH and corticosterone levels and a decrease in melatonin levels. In the pituitary gland, we also detected an increase in the expression levels of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) that was accompanied by increased levels of: lipoperoxides, nitro-tyrosine modified proteins, catalase, heme oxygenase-1, interleukin-1ß mRNA, and by an increase in the tissue number of inflammatory cells (F4/80 and Iba-1 positive cells). Melatonin treatment prevented all these systemic and pituitary changes as well as the increase in POMC expression induced by incubation of AtT-20 corticotrophs with conditioned media obtained from stimulated macrophages. In conclusion, stimulation of POMC/ACTH production in rats fed a SRD could involve the generation of oxidative stress and inflammation in the pituitary gland. Melatonin treatment prevented these effects and normalized the activity of the HPA axis.

Efecto de un herbicida a base de glifosato sobre la generación de alteraciones metabólicas sistémicas y cambios histológicos hepáticos en un modelo animal de insulinorresistencia / Effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on systemic metabolic alterations and histologic hepatic changes present in an animal model of insulin resistance

Introducción: el estrés oxidativo y la inflamación asociados a la insulinorresistencia (IR) contribuyen a generar esteatohepatitis no alcohólica. También la exposición al glifosato, un herbicida ampliamente utilizado, incrementa la peroxidación lipídica hepática con aumento de radicales libres de O2. Objetivos: evaluar los efectos de la administración prolongada de un herbicida a base de glifosato sobre la generación de IR, estrés oxidativo y cambios histológicos hepáticos en animales tratados con una dieta rica en sacarosa (DRS). Metodología: ratas Wistar macho (~300 g) recibieron Credit® por vía intraperitoneal (~50 mg/kg de glifosato tres veces por semana; grupo G, n=6), sacarosa al 30% en el agua de bebida (grupo S, n=6), ambos tratamientos (grupo G+S, n=8), o ninguno de ellos (grupo C, n=7). Tras una exposición de 8-10 semanas se midieron glucemia e insulinemia basales y tras una carga de glucosa intraperitoneal. En la semana 13, tras la eutanasia, se extrajo el hígado (tinciones con hematoxilina-eosina y tricrómica de Masson, TBARS). Resultados: no hubo diferencias significativas en los niveles glucémicos basales o postcarga. Los tratamientos con G o S generaron incrementos leves de la IR evidenciados por el índice HOMA-IR, mientras que la combinación de G+S llevó a un aumento altamente significativo de este parámetro. También fue más marcado, en estos animales, el grado de lipoperoxidación (TBARS) medido en homogenatos hepáticos. La evaluación histológica mostró signos de esteatosis y fibrosis en los grupos G y G+S, e infiltrados inflamatorios en todos los grupos tratados. Conclusiones: aislado o en combinación con sacarosa, el herbicida a base de glifosato aumentó el grado de esteatosis y fibrosis a nivel hepático. Por otro lado, la administración del herbicida incrementó la magnitud de la insulinorresistencia inducida por la DRS generando un mayor estrés oxidativo a nivel hepático

Increased MMP-2 in healthy postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteases 2 (MMP-2) and 9 (MMP-9) are involved in the atherosclerosis process. The objective of the study was to evaluate MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities and other circulating inflammatory factors in healthy postmenopausal women (PMW) as a model of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS: Twenty-three PMW and 13 premenopausal women (PreMW) were selected following established criteria. The main measurements in plasma samples were: lipid-lipoprotein profile, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (immunoturbidimetry), soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and MMP activity by zymography. RESULTS: The relative areas of MMP-2 were increased in PMW: 1.1 (0.1) versus 0.6 (0.05), P < 0.02. MMP-9 was only detected in three PMW and one PreMW. MMP-2 correlated with HDL-cholesterol (r = -0.51), triglycerides (r = 0.67), apolipoprotein B (r = 0.47), hs-CRP (r = 0.42), homeostasis model assessment (r = 0.53) and waist circumference (r = 0.40), at least P < 0.02. sVCAM-1 showed no difference between groups: 28.7 (5.5) versus 35.5 (20) ng/mL, but correlated with MMP-2 and hs-CRP (r = 0.46 and r = 0.48 respectively, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In postmenopause, the increase in MMP-2 reflects the systemic specific inflammatory process that accompanies atherogenesis.

Metalloproteases 2 and 9, Lp-PLA(2) and lipoprotein profile in coronary patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Many studies suggest that the different steps of the atherosclerotic process may be mediated by metalloproteases (MMPs). MMP-9 and MMP-2, which are highly expressed in the vulnerable regions of the atherosclerotic plaques, have been suggested to be causally involved in plaque rupture. In another manner linked with LDL, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) hydrolyzes phospholipids generating proinflammatory and proatherogenic products. Our aim was to evaluate plasma activity of MMP-2 and 9, as well as Lp-PLA(2), in subjects with coronary artery stenosis in comparison with controls and to correlate these activities with lipoprotein profile and general biomarkers of inflammation. METHODS: Forty two subjects who had undergone coronary angiography were divided into two groups: patients with coronary vessels with at least 45% stenosis (CAD [coronary artery disease], n = 24) and patients without angiographically detectable coronary artery disease (controls, n = 18). Plasma activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured and correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (hs-CRP), subendothelial inflammation (Lp-PLA(2)) and lipoprotein profile. RESULTS: Plasma activity of both MMPs was consistently higher in patients than in controls (p <0.01). Pro-MMP-2 (r = 0.34, p <0.01) and MMP-9 (r = 0.51, p <0.02) activities correlated with apoprotein B. Pro-MMP-2 correlated with hs-CRP (r = 0.47, p <0.01) and inversely with HDL cholesterol (r = -0.35, p <0.02). No differences were observed in Lp-PLA(2) between patients and controls (15.2 +/- 4.0 vs. 15.4 +/- 4.5 micromol/mL/h, p = NS, respectively), and no correlation was observed with MMPs. CONCLUSIONS: MMP activity was higher in CAD than in controls. The correlation observed between pro-MMP-2 and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) may be due to specific systemic inflammatory processes. No correlation was observed between Lp-PLA(2) and MMPs.