Distribution of serum transferrin, and its associations with metabolic disorders among Chinese: A nation-wide, health and nutrition survey.

SCOPE: This study examined the associations of serum transferrin and metabolic disorders among Chinese population. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study is based on nation-wide, population-based China Health and Nutrition survey including 8564 men and women aged 18 years or older. Anthropometric and fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, and transferrin data were collected. Elevated transferrin concentrations associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, lipids, insulin, glucose (all p < 0.0001). Serum transferrin concentrations increased gradually with increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components among men and women (p = 0.0003). Elevated concentrations of transferrin were significantly related with higher risk of MetS (p = 0.0006), obesity (p = 0.0089), overweight (p < 0.0001). No associations between transferrin concentrations and risk of diabetes and high blood pressure were observed in both men and women. CONCLUSION: Elevated transferrin concentrations were positively associated with risk of MetS and obesity, but not with risk of diabetes among Chinese.

Cell apoptosis induced by delta-elemene in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

The chemical compound delta-elemene, isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine plant Curcuma Wenyujin, has been known to exert antitumor activity. In this study we demonstrated that apoptotic cell death induced by delta-elemene in DLD-1 cells was concentration-and time-dependent, and had little inhibition of the normal human liver cell line WRL-68. Apoptosis was further confirmed and quantified by DNA fragmentation ELISA, Annexin V (AnV) binding of externalized phosphatidylserine and the mitochondrial probe JC-1 using flow cytometry. The rapid increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels was involved in the mechanism of cell death. Western blot analysis demonstrated that delta-elemene activated the caspase-signaling pathway, leading to the proteolysis conversion of pro-caspase-3 to activate caspase-3, and the subsequent cleavage of the caspase substrate PARP. In the process of the induction of apoptotic cell death, Bax translocated into mitochondria, a reduction in Deltapsim was observed and a release of cytochrome c and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria into the cytosol occurred, indicating that cell death induced by delta-elemene was through a mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

Effect of delta-elemene on Hela cell lines by apoptosis induction.

This study was designed to investigate the apoptosis-inducing activity of delta-elemene on Hela cells in vitro. MTT assay and Hoechst 33258/PI fluorescence microscopy were used for this investigation. Apoptosis was further confirmed and quantified by DNA fragmentation ELISA, Annexin V (AnV) binding of externalized phosphatidylserine and the mitochondrial probe JC-1 using flow cytometry. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected using CM-H2DCFDA. Western blots analysis was performed using antibodies against the pro-caspase-3, or PRAP (Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase). The results showed that delta-elemene exhibited a marked antiproliferative effect on Hela cells in dose- and time-dependent manners, and had little inhibition to normal human liver cell line WRL-68. It was demonstrated that delta-elemene was capable of inducing DNA fragmentation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. AnV positivity and the disturbance of the polarized mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsim) suggested that delta-elemene induced apoptotic death of Hela cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that delta-elemene activated the caspase-signaling pathway, leading to the proteolysis conversion of pro-caspase-3 to activate caspase-3, and the subsequent cleavage of the caspase substrate PARP. Further, it was noted that the apoptotic effect of delta-elemene could be attenuated by L-Glutathione (GSH) or z-DEVD-fmk. It suggested that the increase in ROS generation might be involved in the mechanism of delta-elemene induced cell apoptosis.