Association between Myeloperoxidase Levels and Risk of Insulin Resistance in Egyptian Obese Women

BACKGROUND: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases.AIM: The current study aimed to investigate serum MPO levels in obese Egyptian women and assess its relation with insulin resistance (IR) and other biochemical risk parameters.METHODS: The study included 80 obese women and 50 age-and-sex-matched healthy controls. Insulin resistance (IR) was evaluated by the Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR).  Serum MPO, fasting glucose, insulin and blood lipids and anthropometry were measured. Obese cases were divided into three groups based on MPO tertiles. ROC analysis was performed to obtain the optimal cut-off values of MPO to predicate IR in obese women.RESULTS: The mean serum MPO was significantly higher in obese cases than controls. Cases in the highest MPO tertile had higher HOMA-IR, blood lipids and pressure levels compared with those in the lower tertile. The cutoff point of MPO was > 87.8 (ng/mL) and area under curves was 0.82 (p < 0.01) for diagnosis of IR. MPO levels were higher in obese Egyptian women than healthy controls.CONCLUSION: Elevation of MPO was associated with abnormal metabolic parameters. MPO might be used as an earlier biomarker for IR and metabolic disturbance in obese women

Serum soluble receptor of advanced glycation end products and risk of metabolic syndrome in Egyptian obese women

Obesity is one of the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome (MS). It is correlated with insulin resistance (IR) and high vascular risk as well. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) play an important role in abnormal metabolic components in obese women. This study aimed to explore the serum levels of sRAGE in Egyptian obese women and compare with healthy non-obese controls and investigate the relationship between serum sRAGE, metabolic parameters, and obesity complications. The soluble form of receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), anthropometry, metabolic and biochemical biomarkers were measured in 100 obese women and 100 age-matched healthy control non-obese women. The homeostasis model assessment estimate of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) has been determined from serum insulin and glucose values. Serum sRAGE levels were significantly lower in obese cases than controls and inversely correlated with obesity and metabolic parameters. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses for determinants of serum sRAGE levels in obese cases showed that parameters statistically and significantly related were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), LDL-C, TG, BP, HOMA-IR, ALT and AST. sRAGE is a novel biomarker for metabolic dysfunction in Egyptian obese women and might predict the future cardio-metabolic events

The Validity of Body Adiposity Indices in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components among Egyptian Women

AIM: To assess the associations between the body adiposity indices and risk of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in Egyptian women and to evaluate their predictive power.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis performed on 180 Egyptian women aged between 25-35 years. They were 90 women with MS diagnosed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and 90 healthy age matched controls. Body adiposity index (BAI), body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated and serum samples were analyzed for metabolic parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) was used to determine the discriminatory capacity of BAI, WHR WHtR and BMI for MS.RESULTS: Area under the curve (AUC) was highest for BIA, followed by WHR, WHtR and then BMI. All adiposity indices were significantly correlated with metabolic components and BAI had the highest correlation coefficients compared to other indices.CONCLUSION: BAI is a practical predictor for MS and has satisfactory diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing MS among Egyptian women and can be used in addition to WHR, WHtR and BMI for identifying MS in the field studies

Oxidative stress status in nutritionally stunted children

Introduction: Oxidative stress is the imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants resulting in irreversible cell damage. Objective: To assess the oxidative stress status in a sample of Egyptian malnourished stunted children and investigate the relations between oxidative stress markers and anthropometric measurements. Patients and methods: This cross sectional descriptive analytical study was carried out on 50 malnourished stunted children (28 males and 22 females), aged from 6–9 years and 50 healthy age and sex-matched controls. Blood oxidative stress biomarkers including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma glutathione (GSH), total plasma proteins, total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and vitamin C were measured in patients and controls. Socio-economic status was assessed for patients. Body weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Patients were classified according to their height for age Z-scores (HAZ) into moderate and severe stunted. Results: Nutritionally stunted children showed significantly lower levels of the blood oxidative stress biomarkers including, CAT, SOD, plasma GSH, total plasma proteins, Cu, Zn and vitamin C and significantly higher levels of MDA compared with controls (p < 0.001). There was significant difference in plasma levels of Vitamin C and Zn between patients with different social levels. No significant relationships were found between the degree of stunting and oxidative markers. Conclusions: Nutritionally stunted children had an increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defense system compared with healthy controls. Oxidative stress, malnutrition and low social level might play an important role in the pathogenesis of stunting

In Silico Study for Similar FDA Approved Drugs as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Spike and the Host Receptor Proteins

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, known as COVID-19, has been hideously increased worldwide. The disease began in Wuhan, China, around December 2019, then spread to most countries. Social distancing is the best procedure to prevent infection. Screening the available database containing millions of drug molecules or phytochemicals has become rapid and straightforward because of the computer-aided drug design (CADD) methods. In the present study, 300 phytochemicals and cellulose ether derivatives are screened through a docking study. Docking analysis showed that only four molecules (a-neohesperidin, quercetin 3-O-glucosylrutinoside, 14-ketostypodiol diacetate, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) were able to interact with the spike protein. However, two among them (quercetin 3-O-glucosylrutinoside and 14-ketostypodiol diacetate) could interact with the host cell receptor (ACE2) of SARS-CoV-2. The binding affinity of the four compounds is high. Still, according to Lipinski's rule of five, only 14-ketostypodiol diacetate was selected as a drug molecule due to its pharmacokinetic and ADMET properties. Screening for drug analogs to the 14-ketostypodiol diacetate detected five approved drugs. Docking analysis of these drugs with the target proteins showed that the five drugs interact with the host receptor protein, and three interact with viral spike protein. Accordingly, we suggest that molecular docking and drug analogs studies could support rapid drug development. In addition, future perspectives on therapeutic applications of 14-ketostypodiol diacetate are required for using it against SARS-CoV-2 infections

Correction: Omar et al. Antifungal Evaluation and Molecular Docking Studies of Olea europaea Leaf Extract, Thymus vulgaris and Boswellia carteri Essential Oil as Prospective Fungal Inhibitor Candidates. Molecules 2021, 26, 6118

The authors of this paper [...

Assessment of vitamin status; A, E and D in Egyptian neonates with IUGR: a cross sectional study

Abstract Background Neonates with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) may present with fatal complications and permanent serious consequences. Vitamin status may influence fetal development. In this study we assessed vitamin A, E and D concentrations in umbilical cord blood in newborns with IUGR. Methods Maternal data were obtained. Neonatal assessment included; age of gestation calculated from last menstrual period, Ultrasound (U/S), new Ballard, Apgar scores and anthropometric measurements including; Head circumference, length and weight. WHO growth percentile curves were used. Vitamin A, E and D in cord blood samples were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ELISA consecutively. Results A total of 86 full term newborns were enrolled in this study, 42 (48.8%) with IUGR with gestational age (33.59 ± 1.20) week by U/S and 44 (51.2%) appropriate for gestational age neonates with gestational age (38.70 ± 1.50). Ballard and Apgar scores (p < 0.05) and Z scores for weight, length and head circumference (p < 0.001) at birth were significantly lower in neonates with Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) than appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates. The levels of Vitamin A, E and D were significantly lower in the IUGR group than the AGA (p < 0.05) for all. Significant positive correlations of weight with vitamin A, and E cord blood levels were found (p < 0.05), while length was significantly positively correlated only with vitamin A (p < 0.05). Head circumference showed significant positive correlations with the three vitamins (p < 0.05) for all. Conclusion Neonates with IUGR had significantly lower levels of Vitamin A, E and D than AGA neonates. Significant positive correlations of weight with vitamin A, and E cord blood levels was detected, while neonatal length was associated only with vitamin A level. The present study highlights the significance of nutritional policies for inhibiting deficiency of these vitamins during pregnancy and childhood

Zonulin and copeptin relation to some metabolic markers in school-aged obese children

Abstract Background Using Zonulin and Copeptin as potential obesity markers in children, hasn’t yet been focused. Aim To evaluate the association between serum levels of both Zonulin and Copeptin with the obesity markers, and to assess their role as metabolic disturbance predictors in obese children. Methods A case-control study comprised 111 Egyptian children (45 males and 66 females); aged 6–10 years to avoid the effect of puberty (prepubertal). They were classified according to their body mass index (BMI) percentiles into: 72 obese (BMI ≥ 95th ), and 39 control ones (BMI > 15th - <85th ), based on the Egyptian Growth Charts for children and adolescents. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured, and body composition analysis, lipid profile, Zonulin, and Copeptin levels were assessed. Results The obese group showed a significantly higher value of Copeptin and a lower value of Zonulin than the control one Also, the obese group showed significant negative correlations between Zonulin and both anthropometric obesity markers and body composition, whereas Copeptin showed significant positive ones. Moreover, significant positive correlations were found between Copeptin and both body weight and fat distribution. Insignificant correlations were observed between both serum Zonulin and Copeptin levels and blood pressure and lipid profile. Conclusion Zonulin and Copeptin cannot be used as metabolic disturbance predictors, among Egyptian children, as they were insignificantly correlated with lipid profile or blood pressure