Visfatin in juvenile obesity - the effect of obesity intervention and sex

Background The association of visfatin, an adipocytokine relevant to the development of inflammation and metabolic disorders, with juvenile obesity needs to be re-established as previously used tests occurred to be nonspecific. Objective To evaluate visfatin association with a metabolic profile of 88 overweight / obese and 26 lean children / adolescents as well as changes in its levels following weight reduction programme (diet + enhanced physical activity +/- metformin). Design A case-control and cohort study. Results Visfatin was higher in obese than lean and overweight individuals (2 07 vs. 1 53 and 1 47 ng mL) 1, P = 0 034). Of metabolic syndrome components, central obesity combined with either insulin resistance (IR) or hyperinsulinemia (HI) was associated with increases in circulating visfatin. In girls, visfatin correlated with leptin (r = 0 40, P = 0 009) and thiols (r =) 0 36, P = 0 009), which explained 24% in visfatin variability. In boys, visfatin correlated with waist circumference (r = 0 36, P = 0 036), BMI% (r = 0 38, P = 0 025), whole body insulin sensitivity index (r =) 0 36, P = 0 036), IL-6 (r = 0 38, P = 0 024) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (r = 0 52, P = 0 001), of which IL-6 and TBARS were independent predictors of visfatin elevation, explaining 42% in data variability. Visfatin was significantly lower following weight reduction programme than at baseline (1 43 vs. 1 83 ng mL) 1, P = 0 033). Visfatin reduction correlated neither with changes in metabolic parameters nor was it affected by metformin. DVisfatin correlated exclusively with baseline visfatin (r = 0 612, P <0 0001), which explained 38% in data variability. Conclusions Central obesity combined with HI / IR contributes to visfatin elevation. Visfatin association with metabolic / biochemical variables is gender dependent. Diet + enhanced physical activity are effective in visfatin reduction, the degree of which depends on baseline visfati

Paraoxonase (PON)-1 activity in overweight and obese children and adolescents: association with obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a HDL-attached extracellular esterase which is believed to contribute to the anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of HDL. A decrease in PON1 is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has recently been found to be associated with juvenile obesity. The issue of a possible association between enzyme activity and/or its phenotype distribution and obesity-related metabolic abnormalities, inflammation, and oxidative stress has not been addressed yet. To evaluate PON1 activity and phenotype distribution with respect to obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders, inflammation and oxidative stress in children and adolescents. PON1 arylesterase activity was measured spectrophotometrically in 156 children and adolescents (47 lean, 27 overweight and 82 obese). Enzyme phenotype was determined using dual substrate (phenyl acetate/paraoxon) method. PON1 activity and phenotype distribution were related to the presence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, high blood pressure, low HDL level, impaired fasting glucose and/or glucose tolerance as well as inflammatory and oxidative stress indices. PON1 arylesterase activity decreased in general and central obesity, high blood pressure, and hyperinsulinemia conditions and correlated with BMI, CRP, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, free thiols, and HOMA in a gender-dependent manner. PON1 decreases were independently associated with central obesity in girls, explaining 17% in PON1 variability, and with elevated CRP in boys, explaining 12% in its variability. PON1 phenotype was not associated with frequency of metabolic abnormalities. PON1 decreases in central obesity, exacerbating obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress. The enzyme associations are gender-dependent: obesity and oxidative stress affects PON1 in girls whereas inflammation in boy

Nanoparticles of carbon allotropes inhibit glioblastoma multiforme angiogenesis in ovo

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of carbon nanoparticles produced by different methods on the growth of brain tumor and the development of blood vessels. Glioblastoma multiforme cells were cultured on the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryo and after 7 days of incubation, were treated with carbon nanoparticles administered in ovo to the tumor. Both types of nanoparticles significantly decreased tumor mass and volume, and vessel area. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed downregulated fibroblast growth factor-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression at the messenger ribonucleic acid level. The present results demonstrate antiangiogenic activity of carbon nanoparticles, making them potential factors for anticancer therapy