Metabolic age correlates better than chronological age with waist-to-height ratio, a cardiovascular risk index / La edad metabólica se correlaciona mejor que la edad cronológica con la relación cintura-altura, un índice de riesgo cardiovascular

Objectives: Chronological age confers an increased risk for cardiovascular disease; however, chronological age does not reflect the subject's current health status. Therefore, we assessed whether Metabolic age (Met-age), based on free fat mass, is a predictor of cardiovascular risk (CVR).MethodsSubjects attending either IMSS UMF-2 or CUSC-1 were asked to participate. CVR was assessed using the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), whereas Met-age was determined using the TANITA bio-analyser (model: BC-545F Fitscan). The strengthen of association was determined by calculating Pearson's r and predictability was determined by the area-under-a-receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC).Results284 subjects participated in this study, of which 61.6% had increased CVR. As expected, the chronological age was significantly higher in the CVR(+) group than the CVR(−) group (47.3±14.4 v. 35.2±12.7, respectively, p<.001) as well as Met-age (59.3±15.5 v. 34.3±14.3, respectively, p<.001). There was a strong association between WHtR and Met-age (r=.720, p<.001) and a moderate association for chronological age (r=.407 p<.001); however, the correlation between WHtR and Met-age was significantly better than chronological age (Z=−5.91, p<.01). Met-age was a good predictor of CVR (AUC=.88, 95%CI: .83–.92, p<.001), whereas chronological age was a fair predictor (AUC=.72, 95%CI: .66–.78, p<.001). However, Met-age showed a higher discriminatory capacity for CVR than chronological age (z=−4.597, p<.001).ConclusionsHere, we determined that Met-age correlated with a CVR index, WHtR, and was able to predict subjects with increased CVR better than chronological age. (AU)

Objetivos: La edad cronológica confiere un mayor riesgo a la enfermedad cardiovascular; sin embargo, la edad cronológica no refleja el estado de salud actual del individuo. Por lo tanto, evaluamos si la edad metabólica (Met-age), basada en masa de grasa libre, es un factor predictivo del riesgo cardiovascular (RCV).MétodosSe solicitó su participación a individuos que asistían a IMSS UMF-2 o CUSC-1. Se evaluó el RCV utilizando el índice cintura-altura (ICA), mientras que Met-age se determinó utilizando el bioanalizador TANITA (modelo: Bc-545F Fitscan). La fuerza de asociación se determinó calculando la r de Pearson, y la predictibilidad se determinó mediante el índice de área bajo la curva (AUC).ResultadosDoscientos ochenta y cuatro sujetos participaron en este estudio, de los cuales el 61,6% reflejó un aumento del RCV. Como se esperaba, la edad cronológica fue significativamente mayor en el grupo del RCV+ que en el grupo del RCV− (47,3±14,4 vs. 35,2±12,7, respectivamente; p<0,001), así como en Met-age (59,3±15,5 vs. 34,3±14,3, respectivamente; p <0,001). Se produjo una fuerte asociación entre el ICA y la Met-age (r=0,720; p<0,001) y una asociación moderada con la edad cronológica (r=0,407; p<0,001); sin embargo, la correlación entre el ICA y la Met-age fue significativamente mejor que la edad cronológica (Z=−5,91; p<0,01). La Met-age fue un buen predictor del RCV (AUC=0,88, IC 95%: 0,83-0,92; p<0,001), mientras que la edad cronológica fue un factor predictivo moderado (AUC=0,72; IC 95%: 0,66-0,78; p<0,001). Sin embargo, la Met-age mostró una mayor capacidad discriminatoria para identificar el RCV que la edad cronológica (z=−4,597; p<0,001).ConclusionesEn este estudio determinamos que la Met-age se correlacionó con el índice ICA del RCV, y fue capaz de predecir sujetos con RCV mejor que la edad cronológica. (AU)

Glutamate-dependent phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in Bergmann glial cells.

Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, plays an important role in neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. It activates a variety of signaling pathways that regulate gene expression at the transcriptional and translational levels. Within glial cells, besides transcription, glutamate also regulates translation initiation and elongation. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key participant in the translation process, represents an important regulatory locus for translational control. Therefore, in the present communication we sought to characterize the mTOR phosphorylation pattern after glutamate treatment in chick cerebellar Bergmann glia primary cultures. A time- and dose-dependent increase in mTOR Ser 2448 phosphorylation was found. Pharmacological tools established that the glutamate effect is mediated through ionotropic and metabotropic receptors and interestingly, the glutamate transporter system is also involved. The signaling cascade triggered by glutamate includes an increase in intracellular Ca2+ levels, and the activation of the p60(Src)/PI-3K/PKB pathway. These results suggest that glia cells participate in the activity-dependent change in the brain protein repertoire.