The relations - ethyl alcohol and digestive system

Przewlekłe spożywanie alkoholu etylowego wpływa niekorzystnie na fizjologię i biochemię układu pokarmowego. Skutkami tych dysfunkcji są uszkodzenia jego tkanek i zaburzenia funkcji m.in. wątroby i trzustki. Metabolit etanolu - aldehyd octowy wywołuje reakcje zapalne w wątrobie, prowadzi do jej stłuszczenia, zwłóknienia i marskości. Chroniczne przyjmowanie etanolu doprowadza do zapaleń trzustki, zaburzenia motoryki przewodu pokarmowego i nieprawidłowego wchłaniania tłuszczów. Zostały poddane analizie mechanizmy poalkoholowych uszkodzeń przewodu pokarmowego.The prolonged consumption of ethanol influences disadvantageously physiology and biochemistry of digestive system. In effect, structural and functional damages appear in this system, mainly in liver and pancreas. The ethanol metabolites, acetic aldehyde particularly, causes in the liver inflammatory reactions leading to its fatty degeneration, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Chronic drinking of ethanol reveals inflammation of the pancreas, troubles of the digestive system motor activity and abnormal fat absorption. In the article, mechanisms connected with past alcoholic damages of digestive system are reviewed

Genetic aspects of male infertility

Currently, infertility affects up to 140 million people worldwide. It is considered that the male factor is responsible for nearly a half of problems in obtaining pregnancy. Increasingly, infertility treatment clinics, as well as standard examinations, also offer genetic tests in the diagnostics of the male infertility factor, such as: karyotype analysis, detection of Y chromosome microdeletions, and examination of the chromosome composition of sperm by the fluorescent in situ hybridisation method (FISH). Genetic factors, defined to date, which cover both chromosomal aberrations and monogenic disorders, are responsible for approximately 10–15% of cases of male infertility. Usually, their phenotypic manifestations are disorders in spermatogenesis, structural changes in the genital organs (e.g. reduced size of the testicles), or sperm dysfunction. Molecular studies intensively carried out in the area of diagnostics and treatment of infertility indicate an increasingly large number of relationships between genetic factors and fertility; however, many genes related with human fertility still remain unidentified

Glutathione S-Transferase P1 Genetic Variant’s Influence on the HbA1c Level in Type Two Diabetic Patients

GST (glutathione S-transferases) are capable of influencing glucose homeostasis, probably through regulation of the response to oxidant stress. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between GSTP1 gene polymorphism and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in type two diabetic (T2D) patients. A total of 307 T2D patients were included. Analysis of the GSTP1 gene polymorphism (rs1695) was conducted using the TaqMan qPCR method endpoint genotyping. HbA1c was determined using a COBAS 6000 autoanalyzer. A univariable linear regression and multivariable linear regression model were used to investigate the association between mean HbA1c level and GSTP1 gene polymorphism, age at T2D diagnosis, T2D duration, therapy with insulin, gender, BMI, smoking status. GSTP1 Val/Val genotype, age at T2D diagnosis, T2D duration and therapy with insulin were statistically significant contributors to HbA1c levels (p p = 0.024). The results suggest that GSTP polymorphism may be one of the risk factors for higher HbA1c in T2D patients. Our study is limited by the relatively small sample size, cross-sectional design, and lack of inclusion of other oxidative stress-related genetic variants

The Influence of Red Meat on Colorectal Cancer Occurrence Is Dependent on the Genetic Polymorphisms of S-Glutathione Transferase Genes

Background: It is postulated that both individual genotype and environmental factors such as diet may modify the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The influences of GST gene polymorphism and red meat intake on CRC occurrence in the Polish population were analyzed in this study. Methods: Genotyping was performed with the qPCR method. Results: A high frequency of meat consumption was associated with an over 2-fold increase in the risk of colorectal cancer odds ratio (OR) adjusted for sex and age = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.3–4.4). However, after analyzing the genetic profiles, in the absence of polymorphisms of all three analyzed genes, there was no association between a high frequency of meat consumption and the occurrence of CRC. In the case of GSTM1 gene polymorphism, the high frequency of meat consumption increased the risk of CRC by almost more than 4 times (OR adjusted for sex and age = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.6–9.1). For GSTP1 gene polymorphism, a 3-fold increase in CRC risk was observed with a high frequency of meat consumption (OR adjusted for sex and age = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.4–8.1). In the case of GSTT1 gene polymorphism, the increase in risk of CRC was not statistically significant (OR adjusted for sex and age = 1.9, 95% CI: 0.4–8.5). Conclusions: The frequency of red meat intake in non-smokers increases the risk of colon cancer in the case of GST gene polymorphisms

Influence of Algae Supplementation on the Concentration of Glutathione and the Activity of Glutathione Enzymes in the Mice Liver and Kidney

Algae are potential and natural source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The diatom Pinnularia borealis accumulates high levels of EPA and may be considered as a source for commercial production of dietary supplements. In this study we asked the question whether diet supplementation with P. borealis may augment antioxidant defense and ameliorate risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. We fed mice (Mus musculus) with lyophilized diatom solutions of different concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) for 7 days. Then we measured glutathione content and the activity of glutathione redox system enzymes, total cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations, and malondialdehyde concentration in the liver and kidney. We found that cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations in the liver and kidneys were the lowest in mice who were fed with the highest concentration of Pinnularia borealis, suggesting protective properties of algae. Additionally, the lowest concentration of Pinnularia borealis was sufficient to improve antioxidant capacity. Our results suggest that P. borealis may be used as a source for dietary supplements rich in EPA, but the amount supplied to the organism should be limited