Association of vitamin D-binding protein and vitamin D3 with insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) in overweight and obese females

Objective: Equivocal association the contribution of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and the well-accepted role of vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) on bioavailability of 25(OH)D or its independent roles, has led to possible association of the VDBP in glucose metabolism. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationships among 25(OH)D, VDBP, glucose/insulin metabolism and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). Blood samples were collected from 236 obese and overweight women. VDBP and 25(OH)D levels, and biochemical parameters were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An impedance fat analyzer was utilized to acquire the body composition. Results: Using the multivariate linear regression, a reverse relationship was observed between VDBP and (HOMA-IR), such that women with higher VDBP displayed lower insulin resistance. The relationship was independent of age, body mass index, standardized energy intake and physical activity (p = 0.00). No significant relationship between 25(OH)D levels, FBS, body composition or insulin resistance were observed (p > 0.2). Current study observed that higher level of VDBP may be associated with lower levels of insulin and HOMA-IR, thus the evaluation of VDBP in diverse population groups seems to have significant clinical value in evaluating the prevalence of DM or early stage of glucose intolerance

miR-342-5p Expression Levels in Coronary Artery Disease Patients and its Association with Inflammatory Cytokines

Background: Atherosclerosis is a progressive inflammatory disease and is the main underlying mechanism of coronary artery disease (CAD). Immune system cells and cytokines play pivotal roles in the development of atherosclerosis. Several studies have shown the role of microRNA in the inflammatory processes of atherosclerosis, and miR-342-5p has been shown to be involved in macrophage activation during atherosclerosis and cytokine secretion. But until now, there has been no data regarding the association of miR-342-5p with CAD and inflammatory cytokines. Methods: This case control study was conducted on 82 CAD patients and 80 controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) miR-342-5p expression and gene expression of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were evaluated using real time-PCR. Also, the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured using ELISA kits. Results: The results demonstrated a higher expression of miR-342-5p in CAD patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). Moreover, logistic regression revealed an increased risk of CAD according to the expression of miR342-5p after adjusting for CAD risk factors (OR [CI] =6.1 [1.0 - 37.2], p = 0.048). Also, serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha showed higher levels in CAD patients (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004, respectively). Furthermore, there were positive correlations of miR-342-5p with gene expressions and serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated higher levels of miR-342-5p in CAD patients and showed positive correlation with inflammatory cytokines. This result is in accordance with a previous study, and suggested a regulatory role for miR-342-5p in atherosclerosis and cytokine secretion, although more studies are required in this direction

Serum levels of IL-32 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relationship with TNF-α and IL-6

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an important public health worldwide. The main underlying mechanism of T2DM is insulin resistance which is associated with chronic inflammation. Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which has been implicated in pro-inflammatory responses of several human diseases. Previous studies have reported higher levels of IL-32 in inflammatory disease and obesity. The present study aimed to evaluate the serum concentrations of IL-32 in patients with T2DM and its association with cardio-metabolic parameters. This study was undertaken on 93 patients with TDM and 74 healthy controls. T2DM was diagnosed based on ADA criteria. Serum levels of IL-32, adiponectin, TNF-α, and IL-6 were measured by ELISA technique. Our findings revealed independent elevated levels of IL-32 in T2DM group (1061 (841.9–1601) pg/mL) compared to the control (630.4 (331.1–830.9) pg/mL). Furthermore, it was associated with increased risk of T2DM incidence. IL-32 indicated a positive correlation with body mass index, fasting blood glucose, TNF-α, and IL-6 in patients with T2DM. Furthermore, linear regression showed independent association between IL-32 and IL-6 plus TNF-α in patients’ group. The results of the present study revealed higher levels of IL-32 in T2DM patients which have been associated with inflammatory markers. These results suggest the possible role of IL-32 in chronic inflammation in patients wit

Circulating and Endometrial Profiles of miR-145, miR-155-5p, miR-224, MPP-5, and PECAM-1 Expression in Patients with Repeated Implantation Failure: A Case Control Study

Objective: An association between microRNAs (miRNAs) and adhesion proteins expression with repeated implantationfailure (RIF) has been recently reported; however, these findings are controversial. This study aims to evaluatethe endometrial and circulating expressions of miR-145, miR-155-5p, and miR-224 in addition to the endometrialexpressions of membrane protein palmitoylated-5 (MPP-5) and endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) inpatients with RIF compared to control subjects.Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out between June 2021-July 2022. Subjects included 17patients with RIF and 17 control subjects, who had previous spontaneous term pregnancy with a live birth, who referredto the Medical Centre of Arash Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Endometrial tissue samples were obtained via hysteroscopyand Pipelle catheter in the RIF and control subjects, respectively. Plasma samples were collected after ovulationin all subjects. The expression levels of MPP5, PECAM-1, miR-224, miR-145, and miR-155-5p were evaluated byquantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The student’s t test, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, andanalysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used for data analyses.Results: RIF patients had less endometrial miR-155-5p expression, and higher endometrial and circulating expressions ofmiR-145 and miR-224 compared to control subjects. Endometrial PECAM-1 and MPP5 expression significantly decreased inpatients with RIF compared to the control group. There was a positive correlation between circulating miR-224 and endometrialmiR-155-5p, and between circulating miR-155-5p and endometrial PECAM-1 expression levels in patients with RIF.Conclusion: The present study suggests that circulating miR-224, endometrial miR-145, and PECAM-1 can bereliable, novel biomarkers for diagnosis of RIF

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Forouzanfar MH, Afshin A, Alexander LT, et al. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. LANCET. 2016;388(10053):1659-1724.Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors-the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57.8% (95% CI 56.6-58.8) of global deaths and 41.2% (39.8-42.8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211.8 million [192.7 million to 231.1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148.6 million [134.2 million to 163.1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143.1 million [125.1 million to 163.5 million]), high BMI (120.1 million [83.8 million to 158.4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113.3 million [103.9 million to 123.4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103.1 million [90.8 million to 115.1 million]), high total cholesterol (88.7 million [74.6 million to 105.7 million]), household air pollution (85.6 million [66.7 million to 106.1 million]), alcohol use (85.0 million [77.2 million to 93.0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83.0 million [49.3 million to 127.5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Copyright (C) The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Lower circulating levels of CTRP12 and CTRP13 in polycystic ovarian syndrome: Irrespective of obesity.

Altered production of adipokines is suggested to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). C1q/TNF-related proteins (CTRPs) play diverse roles in regulation of metabolism in physiologic and pathologic conditions. In the present study, we assessed serum concentrations of adiponectin, CTRP12, and CTRP13 in individuals with PCOS and those without PCOS. We also evaluated the possible association of these adipokines with metabolic and hormonal variables. A total of 171 premenopausal women (86 with PCOS and 85 without PCOS) enrolled in this study. Serum levels of adiponectin, CTRP12, and CTRP13 were measured. The results showed significantly lower serum concentrations of adiponectin, CTRP12, and CTRP13 in PCOS women compared to non-PCOS women. This difference remained significant after controlling for age, body mass index (BMI), and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). However, we did not observe any significant differences in serum levels of adiponectin, CTRP12, and CTRP13 between the overweight/obese and normal weight subgroups in PCOS and non-PCOS women. Multiple linear regression analysis showed associations of CTRP12 with adiponectin and BMI with CTRP13 in both the PCOS and non-PCOS groups. CTRP12 was significantly associated with BMI and adiponectin in the non-PCOS group, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) and CTRP13 in the PCOS group. Our results indicated that decreased adiponectin, CTRP12, and CTRP13 levels, regardless of obesity, could independently predict PCOS. This finding suggested a novel link between adipokines and PCOS

Genetic predisposition to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: insights from ANGPTL8 gene variants in Iranian adults

Abstract Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disease with a global prevalence, and modulation of ANGPTL8 expression has emerged as a promising predictor of NAFLD susceptibility. This research was conducted to scrutinize ANGPTL8 protein expression in NAFLD patients and elucidate the interplay between ANGPTL8 gene polymorphisms and their lipid profiles, thus shedding new light on the pathophysiology of this complex disease. The study comprised 423 unrelated participants, including 222 healthy controls and 201 individuals with NAFLD, screened using FibroScan/ultrasonography and laboratory tests. The main goal focused on the genotype and allele frequency distribution in the ANGPTL8 gene, specifically analyzing two genetic variations: rs737337 (T/C) and rs2278426 (C/T). The participants diagnosed with NAFLD were slightly younger (P ≥ 0.05) and had a higher body mass index (BMI) than the individuals in the control group. Notably, there was a significant difference in the occurrence of the rs737337 polymorphism between the NAFLD and control groups, with a lower frequency observed in the NAFLD group. Our results indicated that individuals with the TC + CC genotype and C allele of rs737337 (T/C) had a decreased risk of higher levels of ALT and AST. Conversely, those with the CT, CT + TT genotype, and T allele of rs2278426 (C/T) exhibited an increased risk of higher levels of ALT and AST. The results imply that the rs2278426 (C/T) variant of the ANGPTL8 gene is more strongly linked to an increased risk of NAFLD compared to the rs737337 polymorphism. However, additional research is needed to understand the specific molecular mechanisms responsible for the upregulation of ANGPTL8 in individuals with NAFLD

The impact of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on circulating levels of malondialdehyde: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent sleep disorder which associated with increased oxidative stress and cardiovascular diseases. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a reliable marker of lipid peroxidation and is elevated in patients with OSA. Studies reported inconsistent findings on the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on MDA levels. As the study power maybe a reason for the inconsistent findings, we aimed to use meta-analysis to assess effect of CPAP therapy on MDA in patients with OSA. Method: Electronic search was performed to find out studies on the effect of CAPA on MDA levels in OSA patients. Search carried out in databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane library and web of science. Results: Search resulted in 161 records of which 83 remained after removing duplicated records. Further, 51 articles were removed by title and abstract and 22 records evaluated by full text. Finally 13 articles were included in the intended meta-analysis. Pooled analysis demonstrated that CPAP therapy reduced MDA levels significantly [SMD (-1.51) (95% CI, -2.06 to −0.97) p 50 years), BMI (≤30 and > 30 kg/m2) and therapy duration (≤12 week and >12 week). Conclusion: the results of the present study demonstrated considerable effect of CPAP therapy on MDA as independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and robust marker of lipid peroxidation