The potential of mesenchymal stem cells in diabetes mellitus

While exogenous insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents are helpful in controlling the blood glucose level in diabetic patients, these agents are occasionally resulted in hypoglycemic coma. Considering the epidemiology of the diabetic population in the world, we require a better therapeutic strategy like expanding the existing beta- cells within the body or by supplying exogenous insulin-producing stem cells. A variety of stem cells have been tested for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and among them, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used because of their immunomodulatory and low-immunogenic characteristics. So far, eight clinical trials have been completed using MSCs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Although the results of the currently available clinical trials are encouraging, i.e.  in improving function of the pancreatic beta cells and in controlling the complications associated with diabetes, we require larger, randomized, and double-blinded studies, with a longer duration of follow-up, to validate the findings obtained

Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Future Option for Intervening Disease Management

Regeneration, revitalizing and reversal (RRR) are the primordial functions of the stem cells in the field of regenerative medicine. Though there are several cases of successful stem cell transplantation the reversal of metabolic diseases and the acquired secondary complications like chronic renal failure, neuropathy, stroke or vascular diseases are not well studied. The transplanted cells in many cases failed to home or graft in the host with no reason to attribute for such failures. Therefore, it becomes necessary to address these secondary complications with cellular therapy. The oxidative stress of the cells and tissues are attributed to the hostile microenvironment, not suitable for the survival of newly recruited cells. From our few animal studies and published literatures sources elsewhere, we foresee a huge potential for using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to initially combat the secondary cardiovascular and neuronal complications in the management of the metabolic diseases. However, not all the stem cells have been tested in these lines, and further we do not know, whether all the progenitor cells from various sources and origin will behave like MSCs, which needs to be studied extensively

The enigma of uric acid in metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors including an increased level of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure or waist circumference, and or a decreased level of HDL cholesterol. The level of uric acid in the blood has been associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, which can aggravate the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and stroke. On the interest to identify the early biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, Popovic et al involved 1333 patients and showed using logistic regression that a significant association between the blood levels of uric acid in the subjects diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and in the group of obese patients, who had the body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2. This study shed some light in identifying a metabolically unhealthy phenotype

Original Contribution Expression of the longevity proteins by both red and white wines and their cardioprotective components, resveratrol, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol

Resveratrol increases longevity through SirT1, which is activated with NAD + supplied by an anti-aging enzyme PBEF. SirT1 interacts with an anti-aging transcription factor, FoxO1, which is negatively regulated by Akt. Since white wine could have similar health benefits as red wine, we determined if white wine and its cardioprotective components possess anti-aging properties by feeding rats with these compounds. The hearts expressed SirT, FoxO, and PBEF in the order of white wine N resveratrol N tyrosol N hydroxytyrosol N red wine, while cardioprotection shown by reduction of infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis followed a different pattern: resveratrol N red wine N hydroxytyrosol N white wine N tyrosol, suggesting the existence of different signaling mechanisms for the induction of longevity and survival. Published by Elsevier Inc

Complications of diabetes: an unsolicited epigenetic memory

Diabetes is a multifactorial disease, characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Diabetic microvascular end points such as retinopathy, cardiomyopathy and nephropathy; and macrovascular complications such as myocardial infarction and strokes, causing premature death in diabetic populations. Despite strong familial clustering is associated with diabetes, the essential role of epigenetic component in the development of diabetes and its complications is inevitable. Several clinical trials and experimental animal studies show the persistence of diabetic vascular complications even after the normalization of glucose in diabetic patients, indicating the role of epigenetic or metabolic memory. Although previous researches on diabetes implicated the role of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis and development of diabetic complications, lifestyle factors including diet and exercise and environmental factors are strongly associated in inducing epigenetic changes related to diabetic risk