Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Egg Consumption and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults ≥ 40 Years Old: The Yangpyeong Cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES_Yangpyeong)

Since the 1970s, the public has been advised to limit egg consumption even though there is little evidence of any harmful effect of eggs on blood cholesterol. The purpose of this cross-sectional and prospective study was to evaluate the potential association between egg consumption and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and MetS components in adults ≥ 40 years in KoGES_Yangpyeong. Yangpyeong is a rural area in South Korea. A total of 2,887 subjects (men 1,115, women 1,772) were recruited from 2005 to 2009, based on a physical examination and questionnaires administered using standardized protocol. After excluding subjects who had MetS at baseline, 1,663 subjects (675 men, 958 women) were followed for 3.20 years (range: 0.34–8.70). During the follow-up period, MetS occurred in 289 subjects. More than 3 eggs per week was significantly associated with decreased risk of MetS in both men (RR = 0.46, 95% CI, 0.26–0.82, P for trend = 0.1093) and women (RR = 0.54, 95% CI, 0.31–0.93, P for trend 0.0325) compared to non-users. There was a cross-sectional inverse relationship between egg consumption and abdominal obesity in men and women. Also, prospectively, higher egg consumption in men was associated with a decreased risk of high fasting blood glucose (RR = 0.39, 95% CI, 0.22–0.67, P for trend = 0.0042) and high triglycerides (RR = 0.42, 95% CI, 0.22–0.80, P for trend = 0.1080). In conclusion, our findings suggest that higher egg consumption may reduce the risk of MetS both in men and women, and the risk of high fasting blood glucose and high triglycerides in men. Current guidelines regarding egg consumption may need to be re-visited for healthy middle-aged and elderly people.     

Hot weather warning might help to reduce elderly mortality in Hong Kong

While there was evidence on the relationship between extreme hot weather and the increase in mortality, particularly from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease (stroke), some researchers suggested that early warning systems might reduce mortality. In this study, the relationship between Very Hot Weather Warning (VHWW) and mortality was examined in the context of Hong Kong, which has a sub-tropical climate. An observational study was conducted on the daily number of deaths due to IHD and stroke in the Hong Kong elderly population (aged 65 or above) during summer (May–September) in 1997–2005. Totals of 4,281 deaths from IHD and 4,764 deaths from stroke occurred on days with maximum temperature reaching/exceeding 30.4°C. Multiple linear regression models were used to study the association between VHWW and the daily mortality rates from IHD and from stroke, respectively. Results showed that absence of VHWW was associated with an increase of about 1.23 (95% CI: 0.32, 2.14) deaths from IHD and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.02, 1.92) deaths from stroke among the elderly per day. Public education is required to inform the elderly to take appropriate preventive measures and to remind the public to pay more care and attention to the elderly on days which are not considered to be stressful to the general public. Warning systems tailored for the elderly could also be considered.     

Structure of human BCCIP and implications for binding and modification of partner proteins

BCCIP was isolated based on its interactions with tumor suppressors BRCA2 and p21. Knockdown or knockout of BCCIP causes embryonic lethality in mice. BCCIP deficient cells exhibit impaired cell proliferation and chromosome instability. BCCIP also plays a key role in biogenesis of ribosome 60S subunits. BCCIP is conserved from yeast to humans, but it has no discernible sequence similarity to proteins of known structures. Here we report two crystal structures of an N‐terminal truncated human BCCIPβ, consisting of residues 61–314. Structurally BCCIP is similar to GCN5‐related acetyltransferases (GNATs) but contains different sequence motifs. Moreover, both acetyl‐CoA and substrate‐binding grooves are altered in BCCIP. A large 19‐residue flap over the putative CoA binding site adopts either an open or closed conformation in BCCIP. The substrate binding groove is significantly reduced in size and is positively charged despite the acidic isoelectric point of BCCIP. BCCIP has potential binding sites for partner proteins and may have enzymatic activity.     

Antagonizing Effects and Mechanisms of Afzelin against UVB-Induced Cell Damage

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory processes in human keratinocytes, resulting in skin inflammation, photoaging, and photocarcinogenesis. Adequate protection of skin against the harmful effects of UV irradiation is essential. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the protective effects of afzelin, one of the flavonoids, against UV irradiation in human keratinocytes and epidermal equivalent models. Spectrophotometric measurements revealed that the afzelin extinction maxima were in the UVB and UVA range, and UV transmission below 376 nm was <10%, indicating UV-absorbing activity of afzelin. In the phototoxicity assay using the 3T3 NRU phototoxicity test (3T3-NRU-PT), afzelin presented a tendency to no phototoxic potential. In addition, in order to investigate cellular functions of afzelin itself, cells were treated with afzelin after UVB irradiation. In human keratinocyte, afzelin effectively inhibited the UVB-mediated increase in lipid peroxidation and the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. Afzelin also inhibited UVB-induced cell death in human keratinocytes by inhibiting intrinsic apoptotic signaling. Furthermore, afzelin showed inhibitory effects on UVB-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and prostaglandin-E₂ in human keratinocytes by interfering with the p38 kinase pathway. Using an epidermal equivalent model exposed to UVB radiation, anti-apoptotic activity of afzelin was also confirmed together with a photoprotective effect at the morphological level. Taken together, our results suggest that afzelin has several cellular activities such as DNA-protective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory as well as UV-absorbing activity and may protect human skin from UVB-induced damage by a combination of UV-absorbing and cellular activities.     

Experimental Adaptation of Wild-Type Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) to the Human Entry Receptor CD150

Canine distemper virus (CDV), a close relative of measles virus (MV), is widespread and well known for its broad host range. When the goal of measles eradication may be achieved, and when measles vaccination will be stopped, CDV might eventually cross the species barrier to humans and emerge as a new human pathogen. In order to get an impression how fast such alterations may occur, we characterized required adaptive mutations to the human entry receptors CD150 (SLAM) and nectin-4 as first step to infect human target cells. Recombinant wild-type CDV-A75/17^red adapted quickly to growth in human H358 epithelial cells expressing human nectin-4. Sequencing of the viral attachment proteins (hemagglutinin, H, and fusion protein, F) genes revealed that no adaptive alteration was required to utilize human nectin-4. In contrast, the virus replicated only to low titres (10² pfu/ml) in Vero cells expressing human CD150 (Vero-hSLAM). After three passages using these cells virus was adapted to human CD150 and replicated to high titres (10⁵ pfu/ml). Sequence analyses revealed that only one amino acid exchange in the H-protein at position 540 Asp→Gly (D540G) was required for functional adaptation to human CD150. Structural modelling suggests that the adaptive mutation D540G in H reflects the sequence alteration from canine to human CD150 at position 70 and 71 from Pro to Leu (P70L) and Gly to Glu (G71E), and compensates for the gain of a negative charge in the human CD150 molecule. Using this model system our data indicate that only a minimal alteration, in this case one adaptive mutation, is required for adaptation of CDV to the human entry receptors, and help to understand the molecular basis why this adaptive mutation occurs.     

Extensive restriction site polymorphism at the human phenylalanine hydroxylase locus and application in prenatal diagnosis of phenylketonuria.

A total of 10 restriction site polymorphisms have been identified at the human phenylalanine hydroxylase locus using a full-length human phenylalanine hydroxylase cDNA clone as a hybridization probe to analyze human genomic DNA. These polymorphic patterns segregate in a Mendelian fashion and concordantly with the disease state in various PKU kindreds. The frequencies of the restriction site polymorphisms at the human phenylalanine hydroxylase locus among Caucasians are such that the observed heterozygosity in the population is 87.5%. Thus, most families with a history of classical phenylketonuria can take advantage of the genetic analysis for prenatal diagnosis and carrier detection of the hereditary disorder.