Adiponectin concentrations as a criterion of metabolic control in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus?

Adiponectin (ADP) is an adipocytokin with many antiatherogenic properties; its decreased level is associated with numerous atherogenic diseases and syndromes (e.g. diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and obesity). Decreased ADP values in blood may be an independent risk factor of atherosclerotic (ATS) complications. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1) Do persons with type 2 diabetes have lower ADP values than individuals without DM but with a high risk of ATS complications? 2) Do ADP values differ between persons with well controlled and persons with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes? We examined 109 patients of the Metabolic Center of Hospital Sternberk. Out of them, 58 had type 2 diabetes, others were individuals with variously expressed risk factors of early atherosclerosis (obesity, hypertension, age, family history, smoking, dyslipidemia, etc.). In all persons under this study the following parameters were determined in peripheral venous blood: adiponectin, resistin, leptin, ObRe, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, glucose, HbA1c, creatinine, urea, ALT, AST, CRP, homocysteine, thrombocyte aggregation after CPG induction. The whole group was divided according to the presence of type 2DM into two subgroups; persons with diabetes were divided into the well controlled and uncontrolled subgroups. All data obtained were processed statistically using the software SPSS for Windows and Medcalc. The adiponectin/BMI index correlated negatively with HbA1c value (correlation coefficient -0.37, p = 0.00053), triacylglycerols (-0.4, p = 0.000001), P-glucose (-0.3, p = 0.0017), uricemia (-0.35, p = 0.0007) and positively with HDL-cholesterol value (0.6, p=0.00001). Women had higher adiponectin values than men. Persons with hypertension and with diabetes mellitus, individuals with atherogenic lipotype or persons with inflammation signs had lower values than individuals without these diseases and syndromes. Persons with wellcontrolled diabetes mellitus had higher values than persons with uncontrolled diabetes (medians of the adiponectin/BMI index 9.7 vs. 6.7, p < 0.01). Persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus have lower ADP values than persons with a high ATS risk without diabetes mellitus. Persons with wellcontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) and with satisfactory compensation have significantly higher ADP levels (independently of other metabolic parameters of DM control). ADP may be a new marker of metabolic control in persons with a high risk of atherosclerotic complications.     

Natural phenolics in the prevention of UV-induced skin damage. A review

UV skin exposure induces extensive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These can react with DNA, proteins, fatty acids and saccharides causing oxidative damage. Such injuries result in a number of harmful effects: disturbed cell metabolism, morphological and ultrastructural changes, attack on the regulation pathways and, alterations in the differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis of skin cells. These processes can lead to photoaging and skin cancer development. One approach to protecting human skin against the harmful effects of UV irradiation is to use antioxidants as photoprotectives. In recent years naturally occurring herbal compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and high molecular weight polyphenols have gained considerable attention as beneficial protective agents. In this review, we strive to summarize the findings of studies performed to date, regarding the photoprotective effects of plant phenolics on the skin damage induced by UV radiation.     

Molecular modeling of glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of blood group A,blood group B,Forssman, and iGb3 antigens and their interaction with substrates

A terminal alpha1-3 linked Gal or GalNAc sugar residue is the common structure found in several oligosaccharide antigens, such as blood groups A and B, the xeno-antigen, the Forssman antigen, and the isogloboside 3 (iGb3) glycolipid. The enzymes involved in the addition of this residue display strong amino acid sequence similarities, suggesting a common fold. From a recently solved crystal structure of the bovine alpha3-galactosyltransferase complexed with UDP, homology modeling methods were used to build the four other enzymes of this family in their locked conformation. Nucleotide-sugars, the Mn2+ ion, and oligosaccharide acceptors were docked in the models. Nine different amino acid regions are involved in the substrate binding sites. After geometry optimization of the complexes and analysis of the predicted structures, the basis of the specificities can be rationalized. In the nucleotide-sugar binding site, the specificity between Gal or GalNAc transferase activity is due to the relative size of two clue amino acids. In the acceptor site, the presence of up to three tryptophan residues define the complexity of the oligosaccharide that can be specifically recognized. The modeling study helps in rationalizing the crystallographic data obtained in this family and provides insights on the basis of substrate and donor recognition.     

In-Depth Characterization of Live Vaccines Used in Europe for Oral Rabies Vaccination of Wildlife

Although rabies incidence has fallen sharply over the past decades in Europe, the disease is still present in Eastern Europe. Oral rabies immunization of wild animal rabies has been shown to be the most effective method for the control and elimination of rabies. All rabies vaccines used in Europe are modified live virus vaccines based on the Street Alabama Dufferin (SAD) strain isolated from a naturally-infected dog in 1935. Because of the potential safety risk of a live virus which could revert to virulence, the genetic composition of three commercial attenuated live rabies vaccines was investigated in two independent laboratories using next genome sequencing. This study is the first one reporting on the diversity of variants in oral rabies vaccines as well as the presence of a mix of at least two different variants in all tested batches. The results demonstrate the need for vaccine producers to use new robust methodologies in the context of their routine vaccine quality controls prior to market release.     

2D-HPLC and MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis of barley proteins glycated during brewing

The barley proteins have been the subject of interests of many research groups dealing with barley grains, malt and beer. The proteins which remain intact after harsh malting conditions influence the quality and flavor of beer. The characteristic feature of the proteins present in malt and beer is their extensive modification with carbohydrates, mainly glucose that comes from the starch degradation during technological processes. The degree of the protein glycation has an effect on the quality of malt and beer and on the properties of the beer foam. A combination of two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) was used for the analysis of the protein extracts that were reduced, alkylated, and degraded enzymatically without prior protein separation. This so-called "shot-gun" approach enabled us to determine glycation sites in one third of the proteins identified in the study and to propose potential glycation markers for fast and efficient monitoring during malting.     

4Pi microscopy reveals an impaired three-dimensional mitochondrial network of pancreatic islet β-cells,an experimental model of type-2 diabetes

Insulin production in pancreatic β-cells is critically linked to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Increased ATP production triggered by blood glucose represents the β-cells' glucose sensor. Type-2 diabetes mellitus results from insulin resistance in peripheral tissues and impaired insulin secretion. Pathology of diabetic β-cells might be reflected by the altered morphology of mitochondrial network. Its characterization is however hampered by the complexity and density of the three-dimensional (3D) mitochondrial tubular networks in these cell types. Conventional confocal microscopy does not provide sufficient axial resolution to reveal the required details; electron tomography reconstruction of these dense networks is still difficult and time consuming. However, mitochondrial network morphology in fixed cells can also be studied by 4Pi microscopy, a laser scanning microscopy technique which provides an ～ 7-fold improved axial resolution (～ 100 nm) over conventional confocal microscopy. Here we present a quantitative study of these networks in insulinoma INS-1E cells and primary β-cells in Langerhans islets. The former were a stably-transfected cell line while the latter were transfected with lentivirus, both expressing mitochondrial matrix targeted redox-sensitive GFP. The mitochondrial networks and their partial disintegration and fragmentation are revealed by carefully created iso-surface plots and their quantitative analysis. We demonstrate that β-cells within the Langerhans islets from diabetic Goto Kakizaki rats exhibited a more disintegrated mitochondrial network compared to those from control Wistar rats and model insulinoma INS-1E cells. Standardization of these patterns may lead to development of morphological diagnostics for Langerhans islets, for the assessment of β-cell condition, before their transplantations.     

Dioecious <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silene latifolia</Emphasis> plants show sexual dimorphism in the vegetative stage

Background  

Prior to this study, no differences in gene expression between male and female dioecious plants in the vegetative state had been detected. Among dioecious plants displaying sexual dimorphism, Silene latifolia is one of the most studied species. Although many sexually dimorphic traits have been described in S. latifolia, all of them are quantitative, and they usually become apparent only after the initiation of flowering.