Circulating adipokines in healthy versus unhealthy overweight and obese subjects

It is now well established that not all obese subjects are at increased risk of cardiometabolic complications; such patients are termed the metabolically healthy obese. Despite their higher-than-normal body fat mass, they are still insulin sensitive, with a favorable inflammatory and lipid profile and no signs of hypertension. It remains unclear which factors determine an individual's metabolic health. Adipose tissue is known to secrete multiple bioactive substances, called adipokines, that can contribute to the development of obesity-associated complications. The goal of this study was to determine whether the circulating adipokine profiles differs between metabolically healthy and metabolically unhealthy overweight and obese subjects, thereby obtaining data that could help to explain the link between obesity and its related cardiometabolic complications. We defined metabolic health in terms of several metabolic and inflammatory risk factors. The serum adiponectin levels were higher in the healthy group and showed a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol levels in the unhealthy group. There were no differences between the two groups in the levels of serum leptin, chemerin and orosomucoid. Accordingly, adiponectin might play a role in protecting against obesity-associated cardiometabolic derangements. More studies are needed to clarify the role of different chemerin isoforms in this system

Circulating Adipokines in Healthy versus Unhealthy Overweight and Obese Subjects

It is now well established that not all obese subjects are at increased risk of cardiometabolic complications; such patients are termed the metabolically healthy obese. Despite their higher-than-normal body fat mass, they are still insulin sensitive, with a favorable inflammatory and lipid profile and no signs of hypertension. It remains unclear which factors determine an individual's metabolic health. Adipose tissue is known to secrete multiple bioactive substances, called adipokines, that can contribute to the development of obesity-associated complications. The goal of this study was to determine whether the circulating adipokine profiles differs between metabolically healthy and metabolically unhealthy overweight and obese subjects, thereby obtaining data that could help to explain the link between obesity and its related cardiometabolic complications. We defined metabolic health in terms of several metabolic and inflammatory risk factors. The serum adiponectin levels were higher in the healthy group and showed a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol levels in the unhealthy group. There were no differences between the two groups in the levels of serum leptin, chemerin and orosomucoid. Accordingly, adiponectin might play a role in protecting against obesity-associated cardiometabolic derangements. More studies are needed to clarify the role of different chemerin isoforms in this system

Proteomic profiling of thyroid tissue in patients with obesity and benign diffuse goiter

Goiter is a term to describe the enlargement of the thyroid gland. The pathophysiology and molecular changes behind development of diffuse benign goiter remains unclear. The present study targeted to identify and describe the alterations in the thyroid tissue proteome from patients (obese euthyroid) with benign diffuse goiter (BDG) using proteomics approach. Thyroid tissue samples, from 7 age and sex matched, patients with BDG and 7 controls were obtained at the time of surgery. An untargeted proteomic analysis of the thyroid tissue was performed out utilizing two-dimensional difference (2D-DIGE) in gel electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for identification of the proteins. Progenesis software was used to identify changes in expression of tissue proteins and found statistically significant differences in abundance in a total of 90 proteins, 46 up and 44 down (1.5-fold change, ANOVA, p ≤ 0.05) in BDG compared to the control group. Bioinformatic analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) identified dysregulation of signalling pathways linked to ERK1/2, Glutathione peroxidase and NADPH oxidase associated to organismal injury and abnormalities, endocrine system disorders and cancer. The thyroid tissue proteome in patients with BDG revealed a significant decrease in thyroglobulin along with dysregulation of glycolysis and an increase in prooxidant peroxidase enzymes. Dysregulation of metabolic pathways related to glycolysis, redox proteins, and the proteins associated with maintaining the cytoskeletal structure of the thyrocytes was also identified

Reactive Oxygen Species in Health and Disease

During the past decades, it became obvious that reactive oxygen species (ROS) exert a multitude of biological effects covering a wide spectrum that ranges from physiological regulatory functions to damaging alterations participating in the pathogenesis of increasing number of diseases. This review summarizes the key roles played by the ROS in both health and disease. ROS are metabolic products arising from various cells; two cellular organelles are intimately involved in their production and metabolism, namely, the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria. Updates on research that tremendously aided in confirming the fundamental roles of both organelles in redox regulation will be discussed as well. Although not comprehensive, this review will provide brief perspective on some of the current research conducted in this area for better understanding of the ROS actions in various conditions of health and disease

Clinical and biochemical characteristics of people experiencing post-coronavirus disease 2019-related symptoms: A prospective follow-up investigation

BackgroundPost-acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome, also known as long COVID, is a prolonged illness after the acute phase of COVID-19. Hospitalized patients were known to have persisting symptoms of fatigue, headache, dyspnea, and anosmia. There is a need to describe the characteristics of individuals with post-COVID-19 symptoms in comparison to the baseline characteristics.PurposeTo investigate the clinical and biochemical characteristics of people who recovered from COVID-19 after 6 months of discharge from the hospital.MethodsThis was a prospective follow-up investigation of hospitalized and discharged COVID-19 patients. Adult patients admitted to King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and discharged were recruited. The baseline demographic information, comorbidities, vital signs and symptoms, laboratory parameters, COVID-19 therapy, and outcomes were collected from the medical records. Blood samples were collected for cytokines estimation. A detailed interview about signs and symptoms was undertaken during the follow-up.ResultsHalf of the followed-up people reported experiencing at least one of the COVID-19-related symptoms. The mean blood pressure was found higher in follow-up. People with the symptoms were characterized by low lymphocyte count, lower serum calcium levels, and hyperglycemia compared to people without any post-COVID-19 symptoms. Cytokines IL-8, VEGF, and MCP-1 were higher in people with the most frequent symptoms.ConclusionPeople with post-COVID-19 symptoms were characterized by lower lymphocyte count, lower serum calcium levels, and hyperglycemia compared to people without symptoms. Individuals with the most frequent post-COVID-19 symptoms had higher baseline pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, and angiogenic cytokines

Serum cortisol as a predictor of major adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19

BackgroundSeveral biomarkers were found to predict the severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection.AimsTo determine the serum cortisol response in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its correlation with disease outcomes.Methods A prospective study among confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 18 years old and above. Morning cortisol levels were measured within 24 hours of admission. Relationship between cortisol levels and outcomes (intensive care unit (ICU) admission, intubation, and death) were analysed.Results A total of 206 patients positive for COVID-19 (mean age of 53.6±15.2 years) were included in the study. Mortality was recorded in 21 (30.4 per cent) patients with cortisol levels of ≥570nmol/L, 6 (8.8 per cent) among patients with 181–569nmol/L cortisol level, and 8 (11.6 per cent) among patients with ≤180nmol/L cortisol. Patients with cortisol levels of ≥570nmol/L were more likely to be admitted to the ICU, be intubated and longer hospital stay. Serum cortisol and ferritin levels were the most significant predictors of mortality. ConclusionOn admission, the morning cortisol level was predictive of mortality, ICU admission, intubation, and length of hospital stay in patients with COVID-19 and may be listed as an independent predictor for worse outcomes of COVID-19 infection

Circulating leukocyte telomere length is highly heritable among families of Arab descent

Background Telomere length, an indicator of ageing and longevity, has been correlated with several biomarkers of cardiometabolic disease in both Arab children and adults. It is not known, however, whether or not telomere length is a highly conserved inheritable trait in this homogeneous cohort, where age-related diseases are highly prevalent. As such, the aim of this study was to address the inheritability of telomere length in Saudi families and the impact of cardiometabolic disease biomarkers on telomere length. Methods A total of 119 randomly selected Saudi families (123 adults and 131 children) were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were obtained and fasting blood samples were taken for routine analyses of fasting glucose and lipid profile. Leukocyte telomere length was determined using quantitative real time PCR. Results Telomere length was highly heritable as assessed by a parent-offspring regression [h2 = 0.64 (p = 0.0006)]. Telomere length was modestly associated with BMI (R2 0.07; p-value 0.0087), total cholesterol (R2 0.08; p-value 0.0033), and LDL-cholesterol (R2 0.15; p-value 3 x 10-5) after adjustments for gender, age and age within generation. Conclusion The high heritability of telomere length in Arab families, and the associations of telomere length with various cardiometabolic parameters suggest heritable genetic fetal and/or epigenetic influences on the early predisposition of Arab children to age-related diseases and accelerated ageing