The Cytokine response of rat macrophages to lipopolysaccharide is modulated by adrenomedullin

published_or_final_versio

FTO gene polymorphisms and obesity risk: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pathogenesis of obesity is reportedly related to variations in the fat mass and an obesity-associated gene (<it>FTO</it>); however, as the number of reports increases, particularly with respect to varying ethnicities, there is a need to determine more precisely the effect sizes in each ethnic group. In addition, some reports have claimed ethnic-specific associations with alternative SNPs, and to that end there has been a degree of confusion.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and BIOSIS Preview to identify studies investigating the associations between the five polymorphisms and obesity risk. Individual study odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using per-allele comparison. Summary ORs were estimated using a random effects model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified 59 eligible case-control studies in 27 articles, investigating 41,734 obesity cases and 69,837 healthy controls. Significant associations were detected between obesity risk and the five polymorphisms: rs9939609 (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.36), rs1421085 (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.33 to 1.53), rs8050136 (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.38), rs17817449 (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.68), and rs1121980 (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.62). Begg's and Egger's tests provided no evidence of publication bias for the polymorphisms except rs1121980. There is evidence of higher heterogeneity, with <it>I</it>²test values ranging from 38.1% to 84.5%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This meta-analysis suggests that <it>FTO </it>may represent a low-penetrance susceptible gene for obesity risk. Individual studies with large sample size are needed to further evaluate the associations between the polymorphisms and obesity risk in various ethnic populations.</p

Adrenomedullin: Its role in the cardiovascular system

Adrenomedullin is a 52-amino acid peptide that was first isolated from human pheochromocytoma. Subsequently, it was found to be distributed widely in the body, including throughout the cardiovascular system. It belongs to a family of peptides that include calcitonin gene-related peptide and amylin. Adrenomedullin causes vasorelaxation and influences vascular proliferation and interacts closely with nitric oxide, and it may have a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and cardiac and renal failure. Nonpeptide agonists or antagonists of adrenomedullin may have potential therapeutic application. The role of adrenomedullin in septicemic shock also merits further investigation.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The role of adrenomedullin in the cardiovascular system

Sin resume

Adrenomedullin expression and its effects on cytokine response of rat macrophages to lipopolysaccharide

BACKGROUND: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasorelaxant peptide that plays important roles in inflammation. AM derived from circulating immune cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, is one of the largest sources of AM which arises in the inflammatory process. To assess the functions of AM in inflammation, we studied the temporal changes in AM production and its effect on cytokine response of rat macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHOD: Rat macrophages (NR8383) were activated by LPS in the absence and presence of AM at 1 ng/ml to 1 mg/ml. Concentrations of AM, proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6), and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the culture media were measured at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after LPS/AM stimulation. Total RNA was extracted from the cells and mRNA expression was quantified by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Stimulation of LPS increased AM secretion and AM mRNA expression of the macrophages by 4- to 15-fold at 3–24 h after LPS-stimulation. AM at 1 mg/ml markedly increased IL-6 secretion from both non-stimulated and LPS-stimulated macrophages at 6–24 h, by 1- to 10-fold. AM also increased initial secretion of IL-1b and MIF from both non-stimulated and LPS-stimulated cells at 1–6 h, but it reduced the subsequent production of IL-1b and MIF from LPS-stimulated cells by 10% and 22%, respectively, at 24 h. However, AM reduced production of TNF-a from LPS-stimulated cells at 1–24 h by 35–66%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that AM modulates cytokine production and MIF secretion from rat macrophages and its role in the inflammatory process changes with time after onset of the inflammatory challenge

EEG-based vibrotactile evoked brain-computer interfaces system : a systematic review

202308 bcchVersion of RecordRGCPublishe

Neural correlates of Traditional Chinese Medicine induced advantageous risk-taking decision making

This fMRI study examined the neural correlates of the observed improvement in advantageous risk-taking behavior, as measured by the number of adjusted pumps in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), following a 60-day course of a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recipe, specifically designed to regulate impulsiveness in order to modulate risk-taking behavior. The 14 participants recruited for this study were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups and the TCM recipe (Panax, 520 mg; Astragalus membranaceous Bunge, 520 mg; Masnetitum, 840 mg; Ostrea gigas Thumb, 470 mg; Thinleaf Milkwort Root Radix Polygalae, 450 mg; and Os Draconis, 470 mg) was administered, as a diet supplement, to the seven participants in the experimental group. The neural activity of the two groups was monitored by a 3T MRI scanner, before and after the 60-day treatment. Associated with the improved advantageous risk-taking behavior seen in the experimental group, significantly stronger blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) responses were observed in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), left putamen, left thalamus, right insula, and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), regions which have previously been reported as being involved in risk-taking decision making. The effect of the TCM in improving advantageous risk-taking decision making appears to have been related to the enhanced efficiency of the cognitive affective system, the PFC-ACC-insula-striatum network, which functions to inhibit impulsiveness, to sensitize reward-related information, and to allow the opportunity, during risk estimation, to evaluate potential gains and losses. The findings of this study suggest that interventions acting on factors modulating risk-taking decision making could have a beneficial effect in terms of optimizing risk-taking behavior. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex