FABP-2 and PPAR-γ Haplotype as Risk Factors for Dyslipidemia in a Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Population of Santa Rosa del Conlara, San Luis, Argentina

Introduction: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a complex disorder caused by the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Genetics plays an important role on lipid homeostasis. Many genes are involved in the lipid metabolism, such as FABP-2 and PPAR-γ. Aim: To evaluate the association between specific SNPs and haplotypes of the FABP-2 and PPAR-γ genes with T2DM and lipid profile in an Argentinean population. Methods: The FABP-2 (rs1799883) and PPAR-γ (rs1801282) polymorphisms were genotyped and analyzed in association with lipid profile and T2DM, separately and also combined in haplotypes. Results: The frequency of the rare Thr54 allele of the FABP-2 polymorphism in control (0.33) was not different from the frequency in T2DM (0.27), whereas the frequency of the rare Ala12 allele of the PPAR-γ polymorphism in control was different from the frequency in T2DM (0.26 and 0.14, respectively; p = 0.0031). Frequencies of haplotypes for these two single-nucleotide polymorphisms differed significantly in control and T2DM. Haplotype association analysis showed the associations between ThrPro haplotype and TG levels (OR = 2.520; 95% CI = 1.139 - 5.575; p = 0.027) and between ThrPro haplotype and TC and LDL-c levels when compared to AlaPro haplotype (difference = 0.175, 95% CI = 0068 - 0.499, p < 0.0001; difference = 0.052, 95% CI = 0.017 - 0.158, p < 0.0001, respectively). Conclusions: These results from a haplotype analysis show for the first time that genetic combinations of alleles of the FABP-2 and PPAR-γ gene could play a role in the susceptibility to develop dyslipemia in T2DM.Fil: Siewert, Susana Elfrida. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Diabetes; ArgentinaFil: Olmos Nicotra, Maria Florencia. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Diabetes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Irma Ines. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Diabetes; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Diabetes; ArgentinaFil: Ojeda, Marta Susana. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Laboratorio de Diabetes; Argentin

Progesterone for the treatment of central nervous system disorders: the many signaling roads for a single molecule

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries and neurodegenerative diseases show a broad spectrum of common pathophysiological processes, including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, demyelination and neurotransmission dysfunctions. Over the past decades, valuable experimental investigations have helped to clarify the role and timing of these multiple molecular and cellular mechanisms in each of these particular disorders, which usually overlap and critically contribute to long-term disability. However, up to now, no definite cures or effective disease-modifying therapies are available for any of these conditions. This has led to an active search of novel therapeutic approaches, including the repositioning of existing drugs for new indications, as a valid approach to promptly move candidate molecules to clinical trials. Progesterone, a steroid with a crucial role in the reproductive function in mammals, stands as one of these promising repositioning molecules to modulate the complex array of cellular and molecular events observed in several of these central nervous system diseases (Stein and Sayeed, 2019). Indeed, a great number of preclinical studies have provided solid basis for supporting a protective effect of progesterone in stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord trauma, central and peripheral neuropathies, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (González et al., 2019, 2020). Notwithstanding this remarkable number of studies exploring the beneficial effects of progesterone in CNS disorders, few of them offer a deeper look at the different receptors and complex signaling cascades involved. This perspective aims at expanding our view on the variety of receptors and signaling pathways that might be involved in progesterone-mediated actions in the nervous system as part of a rational strategy to promote a successful translation of steroid-based therapies for the treatment of neurological diseases.Fil: Gonzalez, Susana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Bioquímica Humana; Argentin

Morphometric analyses and new taxonomic circumscription of South American species of Flourensia (Asteraceae, Heliantheae, Enceliinae)

Flourensia (Asteraceae, Heliantheae, Enceliinae) is an amphitropical genus of resinous subshrubs, shrubs and small trees with 13 North American and 20 South American species among which disagreement on the species limits of some members still exists. To resolve the taxonomy of the South American taxa, we carried out a combination of clustering (Ward's method with Gower distance coefficient) and ordination analyses (Principal Coordinate Analyses) based on 34 vegetative and reproductive characters scored from herbarium material, including types. Based on the results, we recognize 12 South American species: F. angustifolia, F. cajabambensis, F. fiebrigii, F. heterolepis, F. hirtissima, F. macrophylla, F. niederleinii; F. peruviana, F. polycephala, F. thurifera, F. tortuosa and F. suffrutescens. A number of species are placed in synonymy: Flourensia blakeana and F. hirta are synonymized under the name F. fiebrigii; Flourensia campestris, F. leptopoda, F. oolepis and F. riparia are synonymized under F. thurifera; Flourensia macroligulata is synonymized under F. tortuosa, and Flourensia polyclada is synonymized under F. suffrutescens. A taxonomic treatment of four redefined species as well as a key and distribution maps to all South American Flourensia species are provided.Fil: Ospina Gonzalez, Juan Camilo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; ArgentinaFil: Aagesen, Lone. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; ArgentinaFil: Ariza Espinar, Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Freire, Susana Edith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; Argentin

A Rapid and Efficient Method for Purifying High Quality Total RNA from Peaches (Prunus persica) for Functional Genomics Analyses

http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-97602005000100010&lng=es&nrm=isoPrunus persica has been proposed as a genomic model for deciduous trees and the Rosaceae family. Optimized protocols for RNA isolation are necessary to further advance studies in this model species such that functional genomics analyses may be performed. Here we present an optimized protocol to rapidly and efficiently purify high quality total RNA from peach fruits (Prunus persica). Isolating high-quality RNA from fruit tissue is often difficult due to large quantities of polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds that accumulate in this tissue and co-purify with the RNA. Here we demonstrate that a modified version of the method used to isolate RNA from pine trees and the woody plant Cinnamomun tenuipilum is ideal for isolating high quality RNA from the fruits of Prunus persica. This RNA may be used for many functional genomic based experiments such as RT-PCR and the construction of large-insert cDNA libraries

On the mass assembly of low-mass galaxies in hydrodynamical simulations of structure formation

Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations are studied in order to analyse generic trends for the stellar, baryonic and halo mass assembly of low-mass galaxies (M_* < 3 x 10^10 M_sun) as a function of their present halo mass, in the context of the Lambda-CDM scenario and common subgrid physics schemes. We obtain that smaller galaxies exhibit higher specific star formation rates and higher gas fractions. Although these trends are in rough agreement with observations, the absolute values of these quantities tend to be lower than observed ones since z~2. The simulated galaxy stellar mass fraction increases with halo mass, consistently with semi-empirical inferences. However, the predicted correlation between them shows negligible variations up to high z, while these inferences seem to indicate some evolution. The hot gas mass in z=0 halos is higher than the central galaxy mass by a factor of ~1-1.5 and this factor increases up to ~5-7 at z~2 for the smallest galaxies. The stellar, baryonic and halo evolutionary tracks of simulated galaxies show that smaller galaxies tend to delay their baryonic and stellar mass assembly with respect to the halo one. The Supernova feedback treatment included in this model plays a key role on this behaviour albeit the trend is still weaker than the one inferred from observations. At z>2, the overall properties of simulated galaxies are not in large disagreement with those derived from observations.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS: 6th August 2013. First submitted: 7th July 201

Effects of human recombinant growth hormone on exercise capacity, cardiac structure, and cardiac function in patients with adult-onset growth hormone deficiency

Objective Epidemiological studies suggest that adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) might increase the risk of death from cardiovascular causes. Methods This was a 6-month double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, cross-over trial followed by a 6-month open-label phase. Seventeen patients with AGHD received either recombinant human growth hormone (rGH) (0.4 mg injection daily) or placebo for 12 weeks, underwent washout for 2 weeks, and were then crossed over to the alternative treatment for a further 12 weeks. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed at baseline, 12 weeks, 26 weeks, and the end of the open phase (12 months). The results were compared with those of 16 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Results At baseline, patients with AGHD had a significantly higher systolic blood pressure, ejection fraction, and left ventricular mass than the control group, even when corrected for body surface area. Treatment with rGH normalised the insulin-like growth factor 1 concentration without an effect on exercise capacity, cardiac structure, or cardiac function. Conclusion Administration of rGH therapy for 6 to 9 months failed to normalise the functional and structural cardiac differences observed in patients with AGHD when compared with a control group

Finanzas corporativas: Rentabilidad financiera de la Asociación en Pro de la Salud (PROSALUD) correspondiente al periodo 2012-2013

Determinar la Rentabilidad Financiera de una empresa, nos permitirá conocer la relación entre los ingresos y costos generados por el uso de los activos de la empresa, con un objetivo económico a corto plazo que las empresas deben alcanzar, es por tal razón, que hemos aplicado las herramientas y técnicas necesaria en los Estados Financieros de la Asociación en Pro de la Salud, correspondido al periodo 2012 – 2013, para determinar el crecimiento, la estabilidad de la Asociación y poder tener una visión amplia y precisa de los resultados de las inversiones que se realizaron en su momento y ver con exactitud si la decisión que tomo el director financiero en un momento determinado contribuyo de manera efectiva al crecimiento de la Asociación. En esta investigación se conocerá la importancia de las Finanzas Corporativas en la toma de decisión financiera de la Asociación en Pro de la Salud, se analizaran una serie de herramientas financieras que nos mostraran directamente como se encuentra la Asociación haciendo comparaciones de años anteriores, con el fin de expresar la obtención y el uso de los fondos encontramos en los activos del Balance General y en los Estados Resultados los ingresos, gastos y utilidades resultantes y el manejo de los fondos en las diversas operaciones de la Asociación, a su vez se realizara un informe financiero de las herramientas aplicas en los estados financieros. En el análisis realizado en los estados financieros, pudimos observar que la asociación no es auto sostenible, ya que la mayor parte de sus ingresos provienen de donaciones tanto internas como externas, lo que hace que su rentabilidad sea negativa, ya que su giro no es productivo, lo que bien podrían cambiar, si tomaran la decisión de aumentar la tarifa de servicios ofrecidos o bien diversificar el giro de la asociación, con el objetivo de cambiar su estatus negativo a un estatus de liquidez en donde su flujo de efectivo le permita crecer y ser una Asociación auto sostenible, que le permita ser menos dependiente y mas productiva

Specific immune response induced by a lactobacillus associated with a pneumococcal antigen in an "in vitro" human cells model

In this work we assessed the immune response induced by combinations of live (LcV) and heat-killed (LcM)Lactobacillus casei CRL 431 as adjuvants associated with pneumococcal protective A protein (PppA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). LcV, LcM and their combinations with PppA stimulated T, B and NK cells. Thus, all stimuli increased CD25 expression in T CD3 lymphocytes, highest activation being reached with the combinations of LcV or LcM with an antigen (PppA+LcV, PppA+LcM). Expression of CD19 B cells marker was significantly increased in almost all treatments compared with non-stimulated PBMCs, except for PppA. All treatments increased CD86 expression in the LT population, while in B cells only LPS, PppA+LcV and PppA+LcM increased it. NK cells were significantly increased by LPS (P<0.05), PppA+LcM (P<0.01) and PppA+LcV (P<0.01) compared to non-stimulated PBMCs. PppA+LcV and PppA+LcM increased CD56 expression in both NKT and NK cells, while LcM expanded NKT population. Cytokine pattern analysis showed that LcV and LcM stimulated Th, Th2 and Th17 cytokines and exerted an important adjuvant effect when associated with PppA. Correlation with previous results obtained in animal models when the same experimental vaccine was nasally administered is discussed. Human PBMCs would be useful to evaluate the immune response of mucosal vaccines containing lactic acid bacteria associated with a specific antigen.Fil: Vintiñi, Elisa Ofelia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Medina, Marcela Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentin

Regulating the levels of key factors in cell cycle and DNA repair: New pathways revealed by lamins

Spatial and temporal organization of the genome represents an additional step in the regulation of nuclear functions. The nuclear lamina, a polymeric meshwork formed by lamins (A/C and B type) and lamin-associated proteins, plays a key role in the maintenance of genome localization, structure and function. Specifically, mutations in the LMNA gene encoding lamins A/C or changes in its expression, either upregulation or silencing, are associated with defects in DNA replication, transcription and repair, as well as alterations in epigenetic modifications of chromatin. These data, together with the fact that defects in A-type lamins are associated with a whole variety of degenerative disorders, premature aging syndromes and cancer, support the notion that these proteins operate as caretakers of the genome. However, our understanding of their functions is limited due to the lack of well-defined mechanisms behind the genomic instability observed in lamin-related diseases. Here, we summarize our recent discovery of new pathways that are affected by the loss of A-type lamins. In particular, we found that A-type lamins control transcription and degradation of proteins with key roles in cell cycle regulation and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) repair by nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous-recombination (HR). Importantly, the proteins regulated by A-type lamins—Rb family members, 53BP1, BRCA1 and RAD51— exert tumor suppressor functions, with their loss being associated with cancer susceptibility. Moreover, our studies revealed novel pathways that contribute to genomic instability and that can be activated in disease states independent of the status of A-type lamins