Can Adipokine FAM19A5 Be a Biomarker of Metabolic Disorders?

Agnieszka Wesołek-Leszczyńska,1,2 Katarzyna Pastusiak,1 Paweł Bogdański,1,* Monika Szulińska1,* 1Department of Treatment of Obesity, Metabolic Disorders and Clinical Dietetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland; 2Doctoral School, Poznan University Of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Agnieszka Wesołek-Leszczyńska, Department of Treatment of Obesity, Metabolic Disorders and Clinical Dietetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 82/84 Szamarzewskiego Street, Poznań, 60-569, Poland, Tel +48  721  947 738, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: One of the most critical functions of adipose tissue is the production of adipokines, ie, numerous active substances that regulate metabolism. One is the newly discovered FAM19A5, whose older name is TAFA-5.Purpose: The study aimed to review the literature on the FAM19A5 protein.Methods: The review was conducted in December 2023 using the PubMed (Medline) search engine. Sixty-four papers were included in the review.Results: This protein exhibits the characteristics of an adipokine with positive features for maintaining homeostasis. The results showed that FAM19A5 was highly expressed in adipose tissue, with mild to moderate expression in the brain and ovary. FAM19A5 may also inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration through the perivascular adipose tissue paracrine pathway. Serum levels of FAM19A5 were decreased in obese children compared with healthy controls. There are negative correlations between FAM19A5, body mass index, and fasting insulin. Serum FAM19A5 level is correlated with type 2 diabetes, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, glutamic pyruvic transferase, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, and mean shoulder pulse wave velocity. FAM19A5 expression was reduced in mice with obesity. However, the data available needs to be clarified or contradictory.Conclusion: Considering today’s knowledge about FAM19A5, we cannot consider this protein as a biomarker of the metabolic syndrome. According to current knowledge, FAM19A5 cannot be considered a marker of metabolic disorders because the results of studies conducted in this area are unclear.Keywords: fat tissue, metabolic syndrome, adipokines, adipocytes, obesit

Evaluation of osteoprotegerin level and selected inflammatory markers in patients with essential hypertension

Wstęp W ostatnich badaniach wykazano, że stężenie osteoprotegryny (OPG) w surowicy wzrasta w związku z postępem zmian miażdzycowych tętnic wieńcowych, chorobą wieńcową, zawałem serca i przyszłymi chorobami układu sercowo-naczyniowego. Celem pracy było oznaczenie stężenia OPG i poszukiwanie związku między OPG i wybranymi markerami zapalnymi u pacjentów z nadciśnieniem tętniczym. Materiał i metody Do badania włączono 30 pacjentów z samoistnym nadciśnieniem tętniczym. Grupę kontrolną stanowiło 10 zdrowych osób. Przeprowadzono pełne badanie kliniczne. U wszystkich uczestników badania oznaczono stężenie OPG w surowicy metodą immunoenzymatyczną, stężenie w surowicy wysokoczułego białka C-reaktywnego (hsCRP) - metodą turbidymetrii i czynnika martwicy nowotworów &#945; (TNF-&#945;) - metodą radioimunnometryczną. Wyniki U pacjentów z samoistnym nadciśnieniem tętniczym stężenia OPG, hsCRP oraz TNF-&#945; w surowicy krwi znamiennie statystycznie przewyższały wartości obserwowane u osób z grupy kontrolnej (p < 0,05). Stwierdzono również dodatnią korelację między stężeniami OPG i TNF-&#945; (p < 0,05). Wnioski Nadciśnienie tętnicze cechuje nasilony proces zapalny. Wzajemna relacja stężenia OPG i stężenia TNF-&#945; może stanowić wyjaśnienie współwystępowania kalcyfikacji tętnic wieńcowych i progresji miażdżycy ze stanem zapalnym w tej grupie pacjentów. Nadciśnienie Tętnicze 2010, tom 14, nr 5, strony 375-380.Background Recent studies suggest that serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels increase in association with coronary artery calcification, coronary artery disease, stroke and future cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to determine serum OPG levels and to investigate the relationship between OPG and selected inflammatory markers in hypertensive patients. Material and methods Thirty patients with hypertension were studied. As a control 10 healthy volunteers were used. Physical examination was performed. Plasma OPG concentrations (OPG, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, turbidimetry method) and tumor necrosis factor &#945; (TNF-&#945;, radioimmunoassay) were determined. Results The levels of plasma OPG, hsCRP and TNF-&#945; significantly exceeded those observed in the control group (p < 0.05). Positive correlation between OPG and TNF-&#945; (p < 0.05) was found. Conclusions Hypertension is characterized by increased inflammatory process. The association of elevated OPG with TNF-&#945; may provide a mechanistic link between coronary artery calcification, atherosclerosis progression and inflammation in this group of patients. Arterial Hypertension 2010, vol. 14, no 5, pages 375-380

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha G308α Gene Polymorphism and Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis Involving 2244 Participants

BACKGROUND: The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) G308A gene polymorphism has been implicated in susceptibility to essential hypertension (EH), but study results are still controversial. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The present meta-analysis is performed to investigate the relationship between the TNFα G308A gene polymorphism and EH. Electronic databases were searched and seven separate studies on the association of the TNF α G308A gene polymorphism with EH were analyzed. The meta-analysis involved 1092 EH patients and 1152 controls. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by a fixed or random effect model. RESULTS: A significant relationship between the TNFα G308A gene polymorphism and EH was found in an allelic genetic model (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.80, P = 0.0008), a recessive genetic model (OR: 3.181, 95% CI: 1.204 to 8.408, P = 0.02), and a homozygote model (OR: 3.454, 95% CI: 1.286 to 9.278, P = 0.014). No significant association between them was detected in both a dominant genetic model (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 0.99 to 2.42, P = 0.06) or a heterozygote genetic model (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.90 to 2.33, P = 0.13). CONCLUSION: The TNFα G308A gene polymorphism is associated with EH susceptibility

Tribological characterizations of chromized carbide layers produced by the pack powder method at low pressure

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczących chromowania dyfuzyjnego stali narzędziowej metodą proszkową zmodyfikowaną przez zastosowanie obniżonego ciśnienia podczas procesu dla uniknięcia utleniania wsadu. Procesy chromowania prowadzono w atmosferze chlorków chromu, przy obniżonym ciśnieniu w zakresie od 1 do 800 hPa, w temperaturze 830°C. Przeprowadzono badania budowy warstw, ich składu fazowego, profilów stężenia pierwiastków w strefie dyfuzyjnej warstw chromowanych oraz ich właściwości tribologicznych. Przeprowadzono porównanie pomiędzy grubością warstw wytwarzanych na stalach narzędziowych metodą próżniową oraz tradycyjną metodą proszkową. Wykazano, że metodą próżniową można wytwarzać warstwy przy znacznie niższych temperaturach, niż jest to możliwe za pomocą tradycyjnej metody proszkowej, co ma istotne znaczenie z punktu widzenia właściwości mechanicznych podłoża stali. Wykazano dużą odporność na zużycie przez tarcie węglikowych warstw chromowanych wytwarzanych metodą próżniową.Diffusion chromizing of tool steel was investigated using a powder method modified by the use of low pressure during the process for the avoidance of the oxidation of the batch. The processes were performed in a chromium chloride atmosphere at a low-pressure range from 1 to 800 hPa, and the treatment temperature was 830°C. Studies of layers structure, its phase composition, concentration depth profiles of elements in the diffusion zone of chromized layer and their tribological properties were conducted. A comparison was made between the layer thickness produced on the tool steel surface using the novel vacuum method and a traditional pack powder method. It proved that, with the novel vacuum method, one could produce layers at lower temperatures than is possible by means of the traditional pack powder method, which has an essential meaning from the point of view of mechanical proprieties of steel core. The high wear resistance of chromized carbide layers produced by the vacuum method verified

Tribological properties of hybrid layers produced in combining the diffusion chromizing process and PVD treatment

W pracy omówiono wyniki badań dotyczących budowy i właściwości tribologicznych warstw hybrydowych typu CrC+CrN wytwarzanych na powierzchni stali X210Cr12 w procesach chromowania dyfuzyjnego, wykonywanego metodą proszkową, połączonych z obróbką PVD. Przeprowadzono porównanie warstw hybrydowych typu CrC+CrN z pojedynczymi warstwami węglikowymi typu CrC, wytwarzanymi na powierzchni stali, bez powłoki CrN. Właściwości tribologiczne (zużycie liniowe) otrzymanych warstw oceniano przy wykorzystaniu metody trzy wałeczki-stożek. Wykazano, że odporność na zużycie przez tarcie warstw hybrydowych typu CrC+CrN jest prawie dwa razy większa od odporności pojedynczych warstw węglikowych typu CrC.Tribological properties of the CrC+CrN type hybrid layers, produced on X210Cr12 steel in chromizing process by the pack powder method combined with arc evaporation PVD treatment, have been investigated. A comparison of the CrC+CrN type hybrid layers with the CrC single carbide layers, produced on steel surface without CrN coating, has been performed. Tribological properties of the layers were performed by means of taper-three rolls test. It has been proved that the resistance to abrasive wear of hybrid CrC+CrN type layers is almost two times higher than that for the single CrC carbide layers

The effect of: Plantago major supplementation on leptin and VEGF-A serum levels, endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis in obese women-a randomised trial

Obesity is associated with increased serum leptin level, endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis. In vitro studies have shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) synthesis is increased by leptin. Animal studies revealed the effectiveness of Plantago supplementation treatment of obesity. The study aim was to evaluate the effect of Plantago major supplementation on serum leptin and VEGF blood concentration, endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis in obese women. Seventy-two obese women received oral Plantago major supplement (Plantago group, n = 35) or placebo (placebo group, n = 37) for 12 weeks. At baseline and after completion, anthropometric and body composition measurements were performed, and blood samples were collected. Serum concentrations of leptin, VEGF-A, adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor α and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule have been determined. At completion, the leptin level was higher in the Plantago group (39781.55 ± 20360.73 pg ml-1) compared to both the baseline (36138.71 ± 25401.51 pg ml-1) and placebo group (30502.81 ± 19003.18 pg ml-1). Also, leptin concentration in the Plantago group at completion correlated positively with an increase in VEGF-A level (R = 0.45), and baseline VEGF-A level correlated negatively with the increase in leptin concentration (R =-0.47). Plantago major supplementation increases leptin serum level, enhances leptin influence on VEGF-A serum level increase and by this mechanism may intensify endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis in obese women. © 2021 The Royal Society of Chemistry