Disturbances in Lipid Metabolism Associated with Chylothorax and its Management

Changes in circulating lipid status were studied in a 70-year-old woman during management of chylothorax that included chest drainage, pleuroperitoneal shunting, and a successful thoracic duct ligation. Hypolipidemia with a relative decline in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was apparent at presentation. Following recovery, serum HDL cholesterol rose to the upper limit of normal. Apolipoprotein A-l (Apo A-l) was discordantly raised during the period of pleuroperitoneal shunting. We speculate that diversion of chylomicrons to the liver with subsequent hydrolysis accounted for a release of Apo A-l particles into the circulation at a time when the formation of HDL was compromised by a state of starvation

The Clinical Usefulness of Measuring Apolipoproteins in Diabetic Patients: A Preliminary Report

A commercial assay for apolipoproteins A-1 and B as well as total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was applied to 12-hour fasted serum from 24 insulin-dependent and 19 noninsulin-dependent diabetic persons. Women with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) had the highest levels of total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. Apolipoprotein B values fell within the normal range in all patients except the NIDDM females, where four of the ten (40%) samples were elevated. When apolipoprotein B was elevated, total cholesterol was also elevated, over 220 mg/dL. Apolipoprotein A-1 values fell within or above the normal range in all subjects, and a considerable discordance was observed between apolipoprotein A-1 elevations and HDL cholesterol elevations. The divergence between HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-1 supports the altered composition of HDL in the diabetic persons studied. Further study should elucidate the clinical usefulness of apolipoprotein measurements in diabetic patients

Experience with Biosynthetic Human Insulin in Diabetes

Thirty diabetic patients new to insulin were entered in an open label prospective study of biosynthetic human insulin (BHI). All patients experienced symptomatic control of diabetes attributable to dietary and BHI insulin therapy. Detailed six-month evaluation data were reviewed in 19 patients. A significant drop in fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin was noted at two months, and a further modest decrease occurred at six months. E. coli polypeptide antibodies were unchanged from baseline at six months, indicating that no bacterial protein contamination of BHI occurred. Percent binding of serum antibodies to human insulin measured in 19 patients at baseline and at six months showed a statistically significant increase in mean value without accompanying clinical symptoms. Clinical hypoglycemia did not differ from that seen in patients who received animal insulin. Biosynthetic human insulin appears comparable in clinical efficacy and safety to purified pork insulin. Ongoing studies will be required to determine whether BHI is less immunogenic than purified pork insulin

Differential Roles of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFR) 1, 2 and 3 in the Regulation of S115 Breast Cancer Cell Growth

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) regulate the growth and progression of breast cancer. FGF signaling is transduced through FGF receptors 1-4, which have oncogenic or anti-oncogenic roles depending on the ligand and the cellular context. Our aim was to clarify the roles of FGFR1-3 in breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Pools of S115 mouse breast cancer cells expressing shRNA against FGFR1, 2 and 3 were created by lentiviral gene transfer, resulting in cells with downregulated expression of FGFR1, FGFR2 or FGFR3 (shR1, shR2 and shR3 cells, respectively) and shLacZ controls. FGFR1-silenced shR1 cells formed small, poorly vascularized tumors in nude mice. Silencing of FGFR2 in shR2 cells was associated with strong upregulation of FGFR1 expression and the formation of large, highly vascularized tumors compared to the control tumors. Silencing FGFR3 did not affect cell survival or tumor growth. Overexpressing FGFR2 in control cells did not affect FGFR1 expression, suggesting that high FGFR1 expression in shR2 cells and tumors was associated with FGFR2 silencing by indirect mechanisms. The expression of FGFR1 was, however, increased by the addition of FGF-8 to starved shLacZ or MCF-7 cells and decreased by the FGFR inhibitor PD173074 in shR2 cells with an elevated FGFR1 level. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that FGFR1 is crucial for S115 breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth and angiogenesis, whereas FGFR2 and FGFR3 are less critical for the growth of these cells. The results also suggest that the expression of FGFR1 itself is regulated by FGF-8 and FGF signaling, which may be of importance in breast tumors expressing FGFs at a high level

Distribution of antioxidant components in roots of different red beets (Beta vulgaris L.) cultivars

The beetroot is typically on the table in winter in form of pickles or juice, but for its nutritional values it would deserve more common consumption. Its curative effect in great part is due to the several vitamins, minerals, and compounds with antioxidant activity. But the division of biological active compounds is very different in the parts of the root. Based on our results, we could compare the differences between the morphology and some inner contents (soluble solid content, colour, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and some flavonoids) of two beetroot cultivars. The results of the morphological investigations showed that the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar had more favourable crop parameters than the ‘Alto F1’ cultivar. In the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity were significantly higher than in the ‘Alto F1’ cultivar. By determination of the betanin contents of the investigated beetroots, our results showed both betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were higher in the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar. The chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, the cumaric acid have been identified based on the peaks of HPLC in the studied beetroot cultivars

Gene expression profiles in human HepG2 cells treated with extracts of the Tamarindus indica fruit pulp

Tamarindus indicaL. (T. indica) or locally known as asam jawa belongs to the family of Leguminosae. The fruit pulp had been reported to have antioxidant activities and possess hypolipidaemic effects. In this study, we attempted to investigate the gene expression patterns in human hepatoma HepG2 cell line in response to treatment with low concentration of the fruit pulp extracts. Microarray analysis using Affymetrix Human Genome 1.0 S.T arrays was used in the study. Microarray data were validated using semi-quantitative RT–PCR and real-time RT–PCR. Amongst the significantly up-regulated genes were those that code for the metallothioneins (MT1M, MT1F, MT1X) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTA1, GSTA2, GST02) that are involved in stress response. APOA4, APOA5, ABCG5 and MTTP genes were also significantly regulated that could be linked to hypolipidaemic activities of the T. indica fruit pulp

High catechin concentrations detected in Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) by high performance liquid chromatography analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Withania somnifera </it>is an important medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of many diseases. The present study was carried out to characterize the phenolic acids, flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activities in methanolic extracts of <it>W. somnifera </it>fruits, roots and leaves (WSFEt, WSREt and WSLEt).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>WSFEt, WSREt and WSLEt was prepared by using 80% aqueous methanol and total polyphenols, flavonoids as well as DPPH radical scavenging activities were determined by spectrophotometric methods and phenolic acid profiles were determined by HPLC methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>High concentrations of both phenolics and flavonoids were detected in all parts of the plant with the former ranging between 17.80 ± 5.80 and 32.58 ± 3.16 mg/g (dry weight) and the latter ranging between 15.49 ± 1.02 and 31.58 ± 5.07 mg/g. All of the three different plant parts showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activities (59.16 ± 1.20 to 91.84 ± 0.38%). Eight polyphenols (gallic, syringic, benzoic, p-coumaric and vanillic acids as well as catechin, kaempferol and naringenin) have been identified by HPLC in parts of the plant as well. Among all the polyphenols, catechin was detected in the highest concentration (13.01 ± 8.93 to 30.61 ± 11.41 mg/g).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results indicating that <it>W. somnifera </it>is a plant with strong therapeutic properties thus further supporting its traditional claims. All major parts of <it>W. somnifera </it>such as the roots, fruits and leaves provide potential benefits for human health because of its high content of polyphenols and antioxidant activities with the leaves containing the highest amounts of polyphenols specially catechin with strong antioxidant properties.</p