113 research outputs found
Comparison of endothelial progenitor cell function in type 2 diabetes with good and poor glycemic control
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in vascular repair and a decrease in the number of EPCs is observed in type 2 diabetes. However, there is no report on the change of EPCs after glycemic control. This study therefore aimed to investigate the EPC number and function in patients with good and poor glycemic control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The number of EPCs was studied using flow cytometry by co-expression of CD34 and VEGFR2. The EPCs were cultured and characterized by the expression of UEA-I, CD34, VEGFR2, vWF and Dil-Ac-LDL engulfment, as well as the ability to form capillary-like structures. An <it>in vitro </it>study on the effect of hyperglycemia on the proliferation and viability of the cultured EPCs was also performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The number of EPCs in type 2 diabetes was significantly decreased compared with healthy controls and there was an inverse correlation between the EPC numbers and plasma glucose, as well as HbA1<sub>C</sub>. The number and function of EPCs in patients with good glycemic control were recovered compared with those with poor glycemic control. When glucose was supplemented in the culture <it>in vitro</it>, there was a negative effect on the proliferation and viability of EPCs, in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the enhancement of apoptosis was observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There was EPC dysfunction in type 2 diabetes which might be improved by strict glycemic control. However, the circulating EPC number and proliferative function in patients with good glycemic control did not reach the level in healthy controls.</p
Citrus auraptene suppresses cyclin D1 and significantly delays N-methyl nitrosourea induced mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats
Premature ovarian failure and ovarian autoimmunity
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as a syndrome characterized by
menopause before the age of 40 yr. The patients suffer from anovulation
and hypoestrogenism. Approximately 1% of women will experience menopause
before the age of 40 yr. POF is a heterogeneous disorder with a
multicausal pathogenesis involving chromosomal, genetic, enzymatic,
infectious, and iatrogenic causes. There remains, however, a group of POF
patients without a known etiology, the so-called "idiopathic" form. An
autoimmune etiology is hypothesized for the POF cases with a concomitant
Addison's disease and/or oophoritis. It is concluded in this review that
POF in association with adrenal autoimmunity and/or Addison's disease
(2-10% of the idiopathic POF patients) is indeed an autoimmune disease.
The following evidence warrants this view: 1) The presence of
autoantibodies to steroid-producing cells in these patients; 2) The
characterization of shared autoantigens between adrenal and ovarian
steroid-producing cells; 3) The histological picture of the ovaries of
such cases (lymphoplasmacellular infiltrate around steroid-producing
cells); 4) The existence of various autoimmune animal models for this
syndrome, which underlines the autoimmune nature of the disease. There is
some circumstantial evidence for an autoimmune pathogenesis in idiopathic
POF patients in the absence of adrenal autoimmunity or Addison's disease.
Arguments in support of this are: 1) The presence of cellular immune
abnormalities in this POF patient group reminiscent of endocrine
autoimmune diseases such as IDDM, Graves' disease, and Addison's disease;
2) The more than normal association with IDDM and myasthenia gravis. Data
on the presence of various ovarian autoantibodies and anti-receptor
antibodies in these patients are, however, inconclusive and need further
evaluation. A strong argument against an autoimmune pathogenesis of POF in
these patients is the nearly absent histological confirmation (the
presence of an oophoritis) in these cases (< 3%). However, in animal
models using ZP immunization, similar follicular depletion and fibrosis
(as in the POF women) can be detected. Accepting the concept that POF is a
heterogenous disorder in which some of the idiopathic forms are based on
an abnormal self-recognition by th
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