Molecular docking analysis of compounds from Lycopersicon esculentum with the insulin receptor to combat type 2 diabetes

It is known that tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) contains bioactive compounds to combat type-2 diabetes. Therefore, it is of interest to document data from the molecular docking analysis of compounds from Lycopersicon esculentum with the insulin receptors to combat type-2 diabetes. We report the binding features of cinnamic acid, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid & glucoside with insulin receptors for further consideration.     

孕妇肠道微生物组成与孕妇及新生儿糖脂代谢相关性研究

目的研究孕妇肠道微生物组成与孕妇以及新生儿糖脂代谢的相关性。方法选择2017年6月至2018年9月在大连市妇幼保健院定期产检的诊断为妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)的孕妇89例为GDM组,血糖正常孕妇96例为对照组。收集孕妇一般资料,孕妇和新生儿糖脂代谢物、孕妇粪便进行微生物检测。结果 GDM组孕妇空腹血糖、甘油三酯明显高于对照组,高密度脂蛋白水平明显低于对照组(均P<0.05)。GDM新生儿脂联素和血糖明显低于对照组,胰岛素和糖化血红蛋白明显高于对照组(均P<0.05)。对照组孕妇肠道微生物中拟杆菌(Bacteroides)丰富度最高(36.6%),其次是普雷沃菌(Prevotella)(15.3%)、柔嫩梭菌(Faecalibacterium)(10.2%)、考拉杆菌(Phascolarctobacterium)(7.2%)。GDM组孕妇肠道微生物中拟杆菌(Bacteroides)丰富度最高(29.4%),其次是柔嫩梭菌(Faecalibacterium)(19.7%)、普雷沃菌(Prevotella)(11.1%)、考拉杆菌(Phascolarctobacterium)(9.3%)。柔嫩梭菌(Faecalibacterium)与孕妇空腹血糖呈正相关(r=0.377 6,P=0.027 6),拟杆菌(Bacteroides)、埃希菌(Escherichia)与孕妇甘油三酯呈负相关(r=-0.027 5,-0.585 8,P=0.023 7,0.041 3)。柔嫩梭菌(Faecalibacterium)与新生儿空腹血糖呈负相关(r=-0.397 6,P=0.027 6)。结论 GDM孕妇肠道微生物构成与血糖正常孕妇不同,菌群丰富度和多样性较低,并且孕妇肠道菌群与其及新生儿的糖脂代谢相关,调节孕妇肠道菌群或有利于改善其与新生儿的糖脂代谢功能。     

Circulating antioxidant vitamins and copper in Azorean coronary artery disease patients under preventive medication – A case study

Background and aimOxidative stress and inflammation are conditions that are deeply involved in atherosclerosis and consequent coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship among circulating antioxidant vitamins (C, A, E), copper, and other pro- or antioxidant/inflammation markers in patients with and without CAD under preventive medication.Subjects and methods174 Azorean subjects symptomatic for CAD (age 56 ± 9y; 68 % men) submitted to coronary angiography were split into 2 groups: one formed by CAD patients (≥50 % stenosis in at least one major coronary vessel) and the other by non-CAD patients (<50 % stenosis). Both groups were age-, sex- and BMI-matched. Plasma levels of vitamins or copper were measured by HPLC and AAS, respectively.Results and conclusionsLower vitamin C levels were observed in CAD patients (mainly in women, who exhibited a high rate of diabetes mellitus) as compared to the non-CAD ones. Also, CAD patients (mainly men) exhibited significantly higher concentrations of plasma copper than their non-CAD counterparts (1.17 ± 0.3 mg/L vs. 1.09 ± 0.3 mg/L, p = 0.030). In bivariate analysis, plasma copper levels were positively associated with serum LDL-cholesterol (r=0.22; p = 0.004) and chiefly with C-reactive protein (r=0.40; p < 0.001). Furthermore, they were significantly lower in recurrent vs. non recurrent CAD patients (1.07±0.2 vs. 1.24±0.3 mg/L, p = 0.004). ROC analysis showed that plasma copper, whenever >1.06 mg/L, was an independent risk factor for CAD in primary prevention for men, which suggests that its levels can fluctuate with medical therapy (such as anti-inflammatory), thus indicating that copper is not a reliable marker for CAD. Moreover, plasma copper concentration was not associated with CAD severity. Yet, results do suggest that, even within its reference concentration range, it could be useful as an acute inflammation marker in CAD management.     

高通量测序分析妊娠期糖尿病对早产儿肠道菌群的影响

目的通过高通量测序技术探究妊娠期糖尿病对早产儿肠道菌群的影响,并对相关功能及代谢通路进行预测。方法选取符合入组条件的早产儿40例,依据孕母是否患有妊娠期糖尿病分为妊娠期糖尿病组(GDM组)和对照组,各20例,于出生后24 h内收集早产儿胎便进行16S rRNA基因测序,对测序结果进行物种分类学分析及生物信息学分析。结果 GDM组显示出更低的物种丰富度及多样性(P=0.048)。两组物种组成存在显著差异(P=0.048),GDM组厚壁菌门与拟杆菌门比值明显升高,机会致病菌相对丰度增加,同时革兰阴性杆菌比例上升。PICRUSt功能预测分析表明,GDM组在碳水化合物转运及代谢、细胞外结构、环境信息处理代谢通路和免疫性疾病代谢通路的功能丰度增高。结论妊娠期糖尿病可导致早产儿肠道微生态平衡被破坏,肠道菌群失调或为母亲患有GDM的早产儿多种疾病发病率增高的原因之一。     

早产儿肠道微生态变化及其与胎龄、出生体质量的关系

目的探讨早产儿肠道微生态变化及其与胎龄、出生体质量的关系。方法选取2018年5月至2020年5月我院收治的80例早产儿作为早产组,同期收治的80例足月新生儿作为对照组。收集入组新生儿出生后3 d、3周的粪便,比较2组研究对象粪便标本中细菌丰富度和Shannon Wiener指数;根据早产组胎龄和出生体质量不同分组,分析胎龄、出生体质量与肠道微生态变化的关系。结果(1)出生3 d,早产组新生儿粪便标本的DGGE图谱条带数、Shannon Wiener指数均显著低于对照组(t=3.179、3.521,均P<0.05);(2)出生3 d,胎龄34⁺¹~36⁺⁶周组新生儿粪便标本的DGGE图谱条带数、Shannon Wiener指数显著高于28~30周组、30⁺¹~32周组和32⁺¹~34周组(q=9.653、6.476、4.848和8.796、8.008、6.277,均P<0.05);(3)出生3 d,体质量>2 000 g组新生儿粪便标本的的DGGE图谱条带数、Shannon Wiener指数显著高于≤1 500 g组(q=5.601和4.593,均P<0.05);(4)不同出生体质量、胎龄的早产儿,出生3周粪便标本的DGGE图谱条带数、Shannon Wiener指数相比差异无统计学意义(F=1.577和2.326,均P>0.05)。结论与足月新生儿相比,早产儿出生后细菌定植出现延迟且多样性差,胎龄越小、出生体质量越低的早产儿的肠道菌群的多样性更低、定植延迟的可能性更大,出生3周后其肠道微生态逐渐恢复正常。     

Vanadium treatment of type 2 diabetes: A view to the future

3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone and 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone (maltol and ethyl maltol, respectively) have proven especially suitable as ligands for vanadyl ions, in potential insulin enhancing agents for diabetes mellitus. Both bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV), and the ethylmaltol analog, bis(ethylmaltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BEOV), have the desired intermediate stability for pro-drug use, and have undergone extensive pre-clinical testing for safety and efficacy. Pharmacokinetic evaluation indicates a pattern of biodistribution consistent with fairly rapid dissociation and uptake, binding to serum transferrin for systemic circulation and transport to tissues, with preferential uptake in bone. These bis-ligand oxovanadium(IV) (VOL₂) compounds have a clear advantage over inorganic vanadyl sulfate in terms of bioavailability and pharmaceutical efficacy. BEOV has now completed Phase I and has advanced to Phase II clinical trials. In the Phase I trial, a range of doses from 10 mg to 90 mg BEOV, given orally to non-diabetic volunteers, resulted in no adverse effects; all biochemical parameters remained within normal limits. In the Phase IIa trial, BEOV (AKP-020), 20 mg, daily for 28 days, per os, in seven type 2 diabetic subjects, was associated with reductions in fasting blood glucose and %HbA1c; improved responses to oral glucose tolerance testing, versus the observed worsening of diabetic symptoms in the two placebo controls.     

Comparison of Anti-Hyperglycemic Effect of Inorganic Constituents and Organic in Traditional Chinese Medicine,Jinqi Compound Recipe

An attempt has been made to compare the hypoglycemic effect of the organic constituents and the inorganic constituents in traditional Chinese medicine, Jinqi compound recipe. Alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice were used in the study. The body weights, blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin secretion, and glycogen synthesis of the mice were analyzed respectively. After the mice were administered (oral) with organic constituents, the blood glucose and the HbA1c of alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice decreased (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) and the glycogen synthesis of alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice elevated (p < 0.05). Also, the body weight of the alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice was increased gradually. However, the same result did not occur in the inorganic constituent-treated groups. It is noted that neither organic constituents nor inorganic constituents could elevate the level of serum insulin in the alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice significantly. It is implied that the hypoglycemic effect for type 2 diabetes was caused by the organic constituents of Jinqi recipe. The results can be used to set new standards to control the quality of the Jinqi recipe.     

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into insulin-producing cells upon microenvironmental manipulation in vitro

It was recently reported that pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in rodent bone marrow (BM) have the capacity to generate insulin-producing cells (IPCs) in vitro. However, little is known about this capacity in human BM-MSCs. We developed a nongenetic method to induce human BM-MSCs to transdifferentiate into IPCs both phenotypically and functionally. BM-MSCs from 12 human donors were sequentially cultured in specially defined conditions. Their differentiation extent toward β-cell phenotype was evaluated systemically. Specifically, after induction human BM-MSCs formed spheroid islet-like clusters containing IPCs, which was further confirmed by dithizone (DTZ) staining and electron microscopy. These IPCs expressed multiple genes related to the development or function of pancreatic β cells (including NKX6.1, ISL-1, Beta2/Neurod, Glut2, Pax6, nestin, PDX-1, ngn3, insulin and glucagon). The coexpression of insulin and c-peptide was observed in IPCs by immunofluorescence. Moreover, they were able to release insulin in a glucose-dependent manner and ameliorate the diabetic conditions of streptozotocin (STZ)-treated nude mice. These results indicate that human BM-MSCs might be an available candidate to overcome limitations of islet transplantation.     

Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer and surface plasmon resonance-based assays for retinoid and transthyretin binding to retinol-binding protein 4

Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) is an emerging candidate drug target for type 2 diabetes and lipofuscin-mediated macular degeneration. The retinoic acid derivative fenretinide (N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide; HPR) exerts therapeutic effects in mouse models of obesity, diabetes, and Stargardt’s disease by targeting RBP4. Fenretinide competes with retinoids for RBP4 binding, disrupts RBP4-transthyretin (TTR) complexes, and results in urinary secretion of RBP4 and systemic depletion of retinol. To enable the search for nonretinoid molecules with fenretinide-like activities we developed a HTS-compatible homogeneous TR-FRET assay monitoring the displacement of retinoic acid derivatives from RBP4 in high-density 384-well and 1536-well microtiter plate formats. The retinoid displacement assay proved to be highly sensitive and robust after miniaturization with IC₅₀s for fenretinide and retinol ranging around 50 and 100 nM, respectively, and Z′-factors around 0.7. In addition, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based secondary assay was developed to interrogate small molecule RBP4 binders for their ability to modulate the RBP4-TTR interaction. Finally, a 1.6 × 10⁶ compound library was screened against the retinoid displacement assay. Several potent retinoid competitors were identified that also appeared to disrupt RBP4-TTR complexes. Some of these compounds could potentially serve as valuable tools to further probe RBP4 biology in the future.