5 research outputs found
INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN MIXED-HANDEDNESS, DIGIT RATIOS AND HAND AND FOOT MINOR ANOMALIES IN PREDICTING SCHIZOPHRENIA
Background: According to the neurodevelopmental theory, brain structuring early markers could be seen in different body parts
as minor physical anomalies. Alongside minor physical anomalies, handedness and index to ring finger ratio are brain development
indicators, specifically brain lateralization. Studies are consentient about the association of these findings with schizophrenia,
though there is inconsistency about individual anatomical regions\u27 contribution. We proposed that handedness in combination with
morphological indicators of early brain development could be sensitive and specific in predicting schizophrenia status.
Subjects and methods: Within the list for the assessment of schizophrenia patients and normal controls of the Caucasian race
were seven categorical minor physical anomalies of hand and feet, handedness, and index to ring finger ratio. In this cross-sectional
study the examinees were recruited from January 2012 to December 2015.
Results: Forced-entry binary logistic regression model correctly classified 86.5% of patients and 99.2% of the comparison
subjects with a 92.8% overall accuracy. Mixed-handedness, hyperconvex fingernails, big gap between 1st and 2nd toe, and partial
syndactyly of 2nd and 3rd toe made a significant independent contribution to the patient-control prediction group status. Furthermore,
these items showed a significant correlation with the predictors of the head from the previous study.
Conclusion: Briefly, the limb components, assessed independently of other body regions, proved to be worthy as schizophrenia
predictors
Lactate Metabolism in Breast Cancer Microenvironment: Contribution Focused on Associated Adipose Tissue and Obesity
Metabolic reprogramming that favors high glycolytic flux with lactate production in normoxia is among cancer hallmarks. Lactate is an essential oncometabolite regulating cellular redox homeostasis, energy substrate partitioning, and intracellular signaling. Moreover, malignant phenotype’s chief characteristics are dependent on the interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironment. In breast cancer, mammary adipocytes represent an essential cellular component of the tumor milieu. We analyzed lactate concentration, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and isozyme pattern, and LDHA/LDHB protein expression and tissue localization in paired biopsies of breast cancer tissue and cancer-associated adipose tissue in normal-weight and overweight/obese premenopausal women, compared to benign breast tumor tissue and adipose tissue in normal-weight and overweight/obese premenopausal women. We show that higher lactate concentration in cancer tissue is concomitant with a shift in isozyme pattern towards the “muscle-type” LDH and corresponding LDHA and LDHB protein expression changes. In contrast, significantly higher LDH activity in cancer-associated adipose tissue seems to be directed towards lactate oxidation. Moreover, localization patterns of LDH isoforms varied substantially across different areas of breast cancer tissue. Invasive front of the tumor showed cell-specific protein localization of LDHA in breast cancer cells and LDHB in cancer-associated adipocytes. The results suggest a specific, lactate-centric relationship between cancer tissue and cancer-associated adipose tissue and indicate how cancer-adipose tissue cross-talk may be influenced by obesity in premenopausal women
Differences in the redox status of human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues - relationships to obesity and metabolic risk
Objective. Metabolic homeostasis depends on adipocyte metabolic
responses/processes, most of which are redox-regulated. Besides,
visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT, respectively)
differ metabolically and in their contribution to metabolic
complications, but their redox characteristics in humans are still
unknown. To understand the molecular mechanisms of metabolic syndrome
development, we analysed the redox characteristics of VAT and SAT in
groups with various body weights and metabolic risks.
Material and Methods. Fifty premenopausal women were classified
according to body mass index into normal-weight and obese groups, and
these groups were further sub-classified into metabolically healthy and
metabolically obese ({''}at risk{''}) based on the homeostasis model
assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index and the triglyceride,
total-, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol levels. Antioxidant components, NADPH
oxidase protein and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels were analysed in VAT
and SAT.
Results. Compared with the SAT, the VAT showed a higher basal level of
glutathione (GSH) and GSH-dependent enzyme activities. Compared with the
metabolically healthy normal-weight controls, the obese groups of women
showed lower GSH levels in both depots. However, in these groups,
additional prooxidative changes (increased NADPH oxidase and 4-HNE and
decreased levels of SOD and/or CAT) were observed only in VAT.
Conclusions. Because of the critical role of thiol-redox homeostasis in
lipogenesis, interdepot-differences in the GSH-dependent antioxidant
part may be connected to the higher metabolic activity found in VAT.
Analogously, the lower GSH levels that occur during obesity and the
corresponding additional redox imbalance may be signs of VAT metabolic
dysfunction that underlie the subsequent metabolic impairment. (C) 2014
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the
Republic of Serbia {[}173054, 173055