Age-related changes on glucose transport and utilization of human erythrocytes: Effect of oxidative stress

Background: Normal aging is associated with an impairment in glucose homeostasis, Methods: In order to investigate the effect of aging on glucose transport and utilization in erythrocytes, the transport and utilization of glucose were measured in erythrocytes from 10 young (mean age 26 +/- 3 years) and 10 elderly (mean age 70 +/- 7 years) healthy individuals. In addition, the glucose transport and utilization were also measured in the presence of cumene hydroperoxide (CumOOH), a toxic organic hydroperoxide that is known to induce oxidative stress. Results: The levels of glucose transport and utilization were significantly lower in the elderly group than the young group (p < 0.05). The glucose transport and utilization were not altered by CumOOH treatment in either young or elderly individuals. Conclusion: These results indicate an age-related decrease in the both glucose transport and utilization in erythrocytes

The modulation of glucocorticoid receptor content by 3-O-methyl-D-glucose transport in human mononuclear leukocyte in obesity

Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and 3-O-methyl-D glucose (3-O-MG) transport were determined in mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) from 11 abdominal obese subjects, 10 pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome (Cushing's disease) and 10 healthy controls. Using a whole-cell competitive binding assay and H-3-dexamethasone as tracer, MNL of abdominal obese subjects were found to have 4855+/-1389 sites/cell which was significantly lower (p0.05). These results indicated that, in abdominal obesity, the GR binding capacity in MNL is influenced by the changes in glucose transport. (J. Endocrinol. Invest. 21: 656-661, 1998) (C)1998, Editrice Kurtis

Effects of Lucilia sericata on wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and analysis of its secretome at the proteome level

The use of Lucilia sericata larvae on the healing of wounds in diabetics has been reported. However, the role of the excretion/secretion (ES) products of the larvae in treatment of diabetic wounds remains unknown. This study investigated whether application of the ES products of L. sericata on the wound surface could improve the impaired wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Additional analysis was performed to understand proteome content of L. sericata secretome to understand ES contribution at the molecular level. For this purpose, full-thickness skin wounds were created on the backs of diabetic and control rats. A study was conducted to assess the levels of the ES-induced collagen I/III expression and to assay nuclear factor B (NF-B) (p65) activity in wound biopsies and ES-treated wounds of diabetic rat skin in comparison to the controls. The expression levels of collagen I/III and NF-B (p65) activity were determined at days 3, 7, and 14 after wounding using immunohistological analyses and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results indicated that treatment with the ES extract increased collagen I expressions of the wound control and diabetic tissue. But the increase in collagen I expression in the controls was higher than the one in the diabetics. NF-B (p65) activity was also increased in diabetic wounds compared to the controls, whereas it was decreased in third and seventh days upon ES treatment. The results indicated that ES products of L. sericata may enhance the process of wound healing by influencing phases such as inflammation, NF-B (p65) activity, collagen synthesis, and wound contraction. These findings may provide new insights into understanding of therapeutic potential of ES in wound healing in diabetics

The Correlation of Increased CRP Levels with NFKB1 and TLR2 Polymorphisms in the Case of Morbid Obesity

Morbid obesity (MO) is associated with an increase in circulating levels of systemic acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein (CRP). Toll-like receptor is possible candidate for inflammatory responses which is mainly mediated by NFKB1. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between NFKB1 and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 polymorphisms and the risk of MO in a Turkish population in the context of CRP serum levels which may contribute to susceptibility to the disease. We analysed the distribution of NFKB1-94 ins/del ATTG rs28362491 and TLR2 Arg753Gln rs5743708 polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP method and CRP serum levels using ELISA method in 213 MO and 200 healthy controls. The frequency of the ins/ins genotype and ins allele of rs28362491 was significantly higher in the patients compared to control group (P: 0.0309; P: 0.0421, respectively). Additionally, the frequency of GG genotype and G allele of rs5743708 was found to be statistically higher in the patient group (P: 0.0421; P20mg/l) in MO patients with ins/ins genotype were significantly higher than in patients with del/ins genotype (P: 0.0309). Serum CRP levels were also higher in MO patients with GG genotype and G allele (P: 0.0001). According to combined analysis, the wild type of rs28362491 and rs5743708 polymorphisms (ins/ins/GG genotype) was also significantly higher in the patient group versus the control group when compared with the combined ins/ins/GA and del/ins/GA genotype (P<0.0001). Therefore, our findings suggest that rs28362491 and rs5743708 polymorphisms were significantly associated with MO disease through acting by modulating serum CRP levels