Pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in steatohepatitis: what profile in moderate obesity with diabetes?

INTRODUÇÃO: A Doença Hepática Gordurosa Não Alcoólica (DHGNA) é atualmente a forma mais comum de doença hepática. Sem fisiopatologia totalmente esclarecida, apresenta-se na forma de esteatose, até formas mais avançadas denominadas Esteatohepatite não alcoólica (EHNA). Citocinas como TNF-, são frequentemente mensuradas em EHNA, diferente da IL-6 e IL-10. MÉTODOS: Pacientes moderadamente obesos (n=80) com histologia apresentando esteatose (n=29) e EHNA (N=51). Níveis de citocinas séricas foram dosadas. O objetivo foi correlacionar a correlação das citocinas com esta população. RESULTADOS: Pacientes diabéticos tendem a ser mais associados com EHNA (52.5% vs 41.4%, P=0.015), sem diferença na idade, gênero ou IMC considerando esteatose. Para a população total, não houve diferenças significantes entre as citocinas, incluindo TNF- e IL-6. Em paciente diabéticos, todas as citocinas tenderam à diminuir na EHNA, especialmente IL-10(P= 0.000). A citocina IL-10 correlacionou-se com o índice HOMA (P=0.000) e outras variáveis de homeostase no diabetes, representando assim, um marcador importante nesta doença. CONCLUSÕES: 1) Em geral, ocorrem mudanças inconsistentes nas citocinas quando comparados os pacientes com esteatose.2) Em contraste, baixa regulação da IL-6 e IL- 10 foram persistentes em pacientes diabéticos com NASH. 3) Hipertensão Arterial não apresentou alteração nessas circunstâncias.4) IL-10 manteve forte correlação com os índices de metabolismo glicêmico. 5) TNF- não pode ser responsabilizado pelo dano hepático progressivo, pois seus valores não aumentaram na EHNA.6) Investigação da IL-10 e outras citocinas contra reguladoras são necessárias neste contexto e merecem mais estudos.Background: Fatty liver disease is a problem of obesity in the morbid modality and even more so in nonbariatric candidates, who rely on clinical treatment only. TNF- has been frequently measured in steatohepatitis (NASH) with or without diabetes, but less in known about IL-6 and IL-10. Methods: Moderately obese patients (n=80) with histologically proven Steatosis (n=29) and NASH (n=51) were recruited. Serum levels of cytokines were documented along with clinical information. The aim was to identify the correlates of such biomolecules in a stable population.Results: Diabetes tended to be more associated with NASH (52.5% vs 41.4%, P=0.015), with no difference of age, gender or BMI regarding steatosis . For the entire population cytokine changes were not significant., including TNF- and IL-6. In diabetics only, all markers tended to diminish with NASH, especially IL-10 (P= 0.000). IL-10 correlated with HOMA index (P=0.000) and other variables of glucose homeostasis in diabetes, thus representing a major marker of the disease.Conclusions: 1)Generally inconsistent changes in pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines occurred when NASH was globally compared to steatosis. 2) In contrast, downregulation of IL-6 and IL-10 was perceived in diabetics with NASH. 3) Arterial hypertension did not play a role in these circumstances. 4) IL-10 maintained strong correlations with glucose metabolism indices. 5) TNF- could not be incriminated for progressive liver damage, as values failed to increase in NASH. 6) Investigations of IL-10 and other counterregulatory cytokines are lacking in this context and deserve further studies

Índices glicolipídicos no hipotireoidismo tratado associado à doença hepática gordurosa não-alcoólica

CONTEXT: Thyroid hormones may interfere with regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism as well as with severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), however results are still debated. OBJECTIVES: Retrospective evaluation of clinical and metabolic correlations between hypothyroidism and NAFLD was the target. METHODS: Clinical, biochemical and histological investigation of 103 NAFLD patients exhibiting drug-treated hypothyroidism was conducted. RESULTS: Steatosis was present in 32.0% of the population and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in 68.0%. Females were the majority in both groups, with age of 50.0 ± 1.5 and 56.0 ± 1.1 years, respectively. Hypothyroidism was not rare (15.5%), and multivariate analysis confirmed positive correlation with this disease for insulin (r = 0.213, P = 0.03), glucose homeostasis index "HOMA" (r = 0.221, P = 0.02), aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.234, P = 0.01) and triglycerides above 150 mg/dL (r = 0.233, P = 0.01). No association between hypothyroidism and steatohepatitis could be established. CONCLUSION: A link could be identified between hypothyroidism and markers of glucose and lipid homeostasis, but not with severity of NAFLD. The lack of correlation with liver biopsy requires further studies.CONTEXTO: Os hormônios tireoidianos podem interferir na regulação do metabolismo de lipídios e carboidratos e também na gravidade da doença hepática gordurosa não-alcoólica (DHGNA), porém os resultados ainda são debatidos. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar retrospectivamente correlações clínicas e metabólicas entre hipotireoidismo e DHGNA. MÉTODOS: Em 103 pacientes com DHGNA confirmada por biopsia e também hipotireoidismo recebendo tratamento, procedeu-se à investigação clínica, bioquímica e histológica. RESULTADOS: A esteatose foi observada em 32,0% e a esteatohepatite não-alcoólica em 68,0% da população. O sexo feminino foi mais frequente nas duas circunstâncias, com idade média de 50,0 ± 1,5 e 56,0 ± 1,1 anos, respectivamente. O hipotireoidismo não foi raro (15,5%), sendo que na análise multivariada insulina (r = 0,213, P = 0,03), índice de homeostase glicídica HOMA (r = 0,221, P = 0,02), aspartato aminotransferase (r = 0,234, P = 0,01) e triglicerídeos acima de 150 mg/dL (r = 0,233, P = 0,01) foram correlacionados positivamente com hipotireoidismo. A associação entre hipotireoidismo e esteatohepatite não pôde ser estabelecida neste estudo. CONCLUSÃO: O hipotireoidismo vinculou-se à piora de alguns marcadores do metabolismo glicolipídico, porém não a lesões histológicas mais avançadas. A falta de correlação com a biopsia do fígado requer maiores estudos

Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Cytokines in Steatosis and Steatohepatitis

Fatty liver disease is a problem in both bariatric patients and in patients with moderate obesity. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha has been frequently measured in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with or without diabetes, but less is known about interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. Moderately obese patients (n = 80) with histologically proven steatosis (n = 29) and NASH (n = 51) were recruited. Serum levels of cytokines were documented along with clinical information. The aim was to identify the correlates of such biomolecules in a stable population. Diabetes tended to be more associated with NASH (52.5% instead of 41.4%, P = 0.015), with no difference of age, gender, or body mass index regarding steatosis. For the entire population, cytokine changes were not significant, including TNF-alpha and IL-6. In diabetics only, all markers tended to diminish with NASH, especially IL-10 (P = 0.000). IL-10 correlated with homeostatic model assessment index (P = 0.000) and other variables of glucose homeostasis in diabetes, thus representing a major marker of the disease. (1) Generally inconsistent changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines occurred when NASH was globally compared to steatosis. (2) In contrast, downregulation of IL-6 and IL-10 was perceived in diabetics with NASH. (3) Arterial hypertension did not play a role in these circumstances. (4) IL-10 maintained strong correlations with glucose metabolism indices. (5) TNF-alpha could not be incriminated for progressive liver damage, as values failed to increase in NASH. (6) Investigations of IL-10 and other counterregulatory cytokines are lacking in this context and deserve further studies

Circulating levels of citrullinated and MMP-degraded vimentin (VICM) in liver fibrosis related pathology

Aim: To investigate whether increased levels of vimentin citrullinated peptides identified by MS in articular cartilage can be measured in pathologies other than rheumatoid arthritis and be utilised for diagnostic purposes. Methods: A monoclonal antibody against the sequence RLRSSVPGV-citrulline (VICM) was developed and evaluated in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) (n=52 + 28 controls) rat model of liver fibrosis and two clinical cohorts of adult patients with hepatitis C (HCV) (n=92) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (n=62), and compared to healthy controls. Results: In CCl(4)-treated rats, mean systemic VICM levels increased 31% at week 12 (176 ng/mL, P<0.001), 41.7% at weeks 16 (190 ng/mL, P<0.001), 49.2% at weeks 20 (200 ng/ml, P<0.001), compared to controls (134 ng/mL). VICM levels correlated with total hepatic collagen determined by Sirius red staining of rat livers (r=0.75, P<0.05). In the HCV cohort, when stratified according to the METAVIR F score, VICM levels were 63% higher in F0 (632 ng/mL ±75, p<0.05), 54% in F1 (597 ng/mL ±41.3, p<0.05) and 62% in F2 (628 ng/mL ±59, p<0.05) all compared to controls. In the NAFLD cohort, VICM levels were 20.6% higher in F0 (339 ±12 ng/mL, P<0.05), 23.8% in F1 (348 ±12 ng/mL, P<0.05) and 28.8% in F2 (362 ±25 P<0.05). Conclusion: We demonstrated increased serological levels of citrullinated and MMP degraded vimentin in an animal model of liver fibrosis and in early fibrosis associated with HCV and NAFLD patients. These data suggest that citrullinated and MMP degraded proteins are also present in liver fibrosis

Combination of N-acetylcysteine and metformin improves histological steatosis and fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Aim: There is no proven medical therapy for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are the mechanisms that seem to be mostly involved in its pathogenesis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in combination with metformin (MTF) in improving the aminotransferases and histological parameters (steatosis, inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis) after 12 months of treatment. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients (mean age 53 +/- 2 years [36-68] and body mass index [BMI] 29 [25-35]) with biopsy-proven NASH were enrolled in the study. NAC (1.2 g/day) and MTF (850-1000 mg/day) were given orally for 12 months. All patients underwent evaluation of serum aminotransferases, fasting lipid profile and serum glucose, anthropometric parameters, and nutritional status at 0 and 12 months. A low calorie diet was prescribed for all patients. Results: Serum alanine aminotransferase, high-density lipoprotein, insulin, and glucose concentrations and thehomeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were reduced significantly at the end of study (P < 0.05). The BMI declined, but without statistical significance. Aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels were not altered with the treatment. Liver steatosis and fibrosis decreased (P < 0.05), but no improvement was noted in lobular inflammation or hepatocellular ballooning. The NASH activity score was significantly improved after treatment. Conclusion: Based on the biochemical and histological evidence in this pilot study, NAC in combination with MTF appears to ameliorate several aspects of NASH, including fibrosis. Further studies of this form of combination therapy are warranted to assess its potential efficacy

Nivelación de Lenguaje - HU24 - 201702

Descripción: Nivelación de Lenguaje es un curso de formación general, de carácter práctico, dirigido a estudiantes de primeros ciclos. Esta asignatura busca desarrollar habilidades de redacción prácticas, aterrizadas en un correlato real de escritura determinado: un correo electrónico, una publicación de Facebook, etc. Para ello, el curso se orienta a afianzar las habilidades relacionadas con la organización del texto, así como los conocimientos básicos sobre la normativa de la lengua española. Lo aprendido en esta asignatura ofrecerá al estudiante las herramientas lingüísticas básicas idóneas para desarrollarse con suficiencia en una redacción cotidiana, en un comentario en sus redes sociales o en un examen de algún curso. Propósito: El curso desarrolla la competencia de Comunicación Escrita, en el nivel 1; es decir, el estudiante es capaz de construir mensajes coherentes y sólidos que se adecúan a la situación y propósito comunicativo. Este desarrollo le permite la generación y construcción de nuevas ideas, lo cual es relevante para su vida académica y profesional. La actual sociedad de la información y el conocimiento, caracterizada por la disrupción, la innovación y la complejidad en las formas de comunicación mediadas por la tecnología, enfrenta al estudiante y al profesional a nuevos retos en las maneras de comunicar aquello que conoce y que construye. En este escenario, la competencia comunicativa escrita adquiere protagonismo como herramienta para transmitir el conocimiento creado. El curso se alinea con esta exigencia, pues contribuye a que el estudiante responda exitosamente a las demandas comunicativas del contexto académico, y a que el egresado pueda desenvolverse idóneamente en el campo profesional y laboral