Serum Low-density Lipoprotein Levels Research Articles

The Association Between Depression, Impulsive Behaviors and Suicidal Ideation with Serum Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Level in Patients with Morbid Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to compare the severity of depression, impulsive behaviors and suicidal ideation in patients with obesity with Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) below 100 or above 100 mg/dl. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The study population included patients with obesity referred to the obesity clinic of Rasool-e-Akram Hospital affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Patients were divided into two groups with LDL below and above 100 mg/dl. The Beck scale for suicidal ideation and Depression and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale questionnaires were filled. Finally, the score of questionnaires and demographic variables were compared between the two groups. P-values below 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: 300 patients entered the study. There was a statistically significant difference regarding the severity of depression betweeen the two groups, as in patients with LDL over 100 mg/dl, depression was more severe (p-value = 0.02). Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference regarding the impulsivity score and its subgroups or the suicidal ideation between the two groups (higher in patients with LDL) above 100 mg/dl, p-values <0.05). Conclusion: Elevated serum LDL levels could be associated with psychological factors such as depression or suicidal ideation and motor, cognition and unplanned impulsivity in patients with morbid obesity. This might be justified by an increase in BMI. Further clinical trials are required to assess these findings.

Dietary Interventions of Salmon and Silver Carp Phospholipids on Mice with Metabolic Syndrome Based on Lipidomics.

The number of metabolic syndromes (MetS) is increasing, and a fish phospholipid diet can reduce the risk of MetS. In this study, the changes in lipid metabolism of colon contents were analyzed by extensive lipidomics in mice with metabolic syndrome by fish phospholipid diet, and mice were randomly divided into experimental groups with different diet types by establishing a MetS model. After 14 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and the serum and colon contents were collected. Ultra-high liquid phase tandem mass spectrometry was used for broadly targeted lipidomic analysis, and the qualitative and quantitative detection of lipid metabolism changes in the colonic contents of mice. Under the intervention of fish phospholipids, MetS mice were significantly inhibited, serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) decreased, serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels were improved, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels decreased, and inflammatory factors decreased. Through screening, it was found that thirty-three lipid metabolites may be key metabolites and five have significantly changed metabolic pathways. Modularizing lipid metabolites, it is possible to understand the extent to which different types and concentrations of fish phospholipids affect metabolic syndrome. Therefore, our study may provide new therapeutic clues for improving MetS.

Effect of Allium sativum and Olea europaea on serum lipids in patients with diabetes mellitus

ObjectiveThis study was designed to assess the effects of a combination of Allium sativum and Olea europaea oil on disturbed lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MethodsThis randomized control trial (RCT) involved 160 patients of either sex (aged 40–60 years) with T2DM and dyslipidemia, and were equally divided into two groups. Group A patients received hypoglycemic and lipid lowering agents (Tab glimepiride 2 mg + metformin HCl 500 mg and Tab rosuvastatin 10 mg once a day orally). Patients in group B were given the same allopathic drugs as group A, in combination with A. sativum and O. europaea oil over a period of 6 months. Blood samples were taken at three stages of the study to allow the analysis of lipid profiles. ResultsAnalysis showed that after 3 and 6 months of treatment, the mean levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were reduced in both groups and that there was a highly significant (P < 0.001) decline in group B when compared to group A. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels increased in both groups but there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the group B when compared to group A. The percentage reduction was highest at 6 months of treatment for cholesterol, TGs, LDL and HDL in group B (41.5%, 45.9%, 60.4% and 58.1%, respectively). ConclusionThe antihyperlipidemic activity observed may be due to the presence of antioxidants in the test substances. Further studies should be conducted with a larger sample size in order to further evaluate the role of A. sativum powder and O. europaea oil in patients with T2DM with dyslipidemia.

The clinical significance of preoperative serum triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein levels in lung squamous cell carcinoma

To evaluate the prognostic role of the preoperative plasma lipid profile, including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) who underwent complete resection. Clinical data, including preoperative plasma profile levels, were retrospectively collected and reviewed in 300 patients with LUSC who underwent radical lung resection between 2016 and 2017. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. TG ≤ 1.35, HDL-C ≤ 1.17, and LDL-C ≤ 2.32 were deemed as independent preoperative risk factors for OS, and HDL-C ≤ 1.17 was an independent preoperative risk factor for DFS. In the multivariate analyses involving OS and DFS, a decreased HDL-C level was significantly associated with worse OS (HR, 0.546; 95% CI, 0.380–0.784, P = 0.001) and DFS (HR, 0.644; 95% CI, 0.422–0.981, P = 0.041). Additionally, an increased TG (HR, 0.546; 95% CI, 0.366–0.814, P = 0.003) or LDL-C (HR, 0.652; 95% CI, 0.456–0.933, P = 0.019) level was significantly associated with better OS. In patients with LUSC, decreased levels of HDL-C may predict worse outcomes for both DFS and OS, while increased TG or LDL-C levels may predict better OS.

Efficacy evaluation of probiotics combined with prebiotics in patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth during the second trimester of pregnancy.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of probiotics combined with prebiotics on clinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy combined with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.Methods(1) In total, 441 pregnant women were included in this study. A total of 231 patients with clinical hypothyroidism during the second trimester of pregnancy and 210 normal pregnant women were enrolled in the lactulose methane-hydrogen breath test. The positive rate of intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gastrointestinal symptoms, thyroid function and inflammatory factors were compared between the two groups by chi-square test and two independent sample t-test. (2) SIBO-positive patients in the clinical hypothyroidism group during pregnancy (n=112) were treated with probiotics combined with prebiotics based on conventional levothyroxine sodium tablets treatment. The changes in the methane-hydrogen breath test, gastrointestinal symptoms, thyroid function and inflammatory factors were compared before treatment (G0) and 21 days after treatment (G21) by chi-square test and paired sample t test.Results(1) The positive rates of SIBO in pregnant women in the clinical hypothyroidism group and control group were 48.5% and 24.8%, respectively. (2) The incidence of abdominal distention and constipation in the clinical hypothyroidism group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the risk of abdominal distention and constipation in SIBO-positive pregnant women was higher than that in SIBO-negative pregnant women. (3) The serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acids (FFAs) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in the hypothyroidism group during pregnancy were higher than those in the control group. (4) After 21 days of probiotics combined with prebiotics, the incidence of pure methane positivity in the methane-hydrogen breath test in the G21 group was significantly reduced, and the average abundance of hydrogen and methane at each time point in the G21 group was lower than that in the G0 group. (5) The incidence of constipation in the G21 group was significantly lower than before treatment. (6) The levels of serum TSH, hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α, TC and LDL in pregnant women after probiotics combined with prebiotics were lower than those before treatment.ConclusionProbiotics combined with prebiotics are effective in the treatment of pregnant patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with SIBO, providing a new idea to treat pregnant patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with SIBO.

Black ginseng protects against Western diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in mice.

Black ginseng (BG) shows beneficial effects on liver injury, but the related mechanism has not been fully revealed. This study attempted to investigate the protective effects and associated mechanisms of BG against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Twelve ginsenosides in BG were annotated by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The Western diet (WD) together with the low-dose CCl4 was given to mice to create the NASH model. Histopathological examination and liver/serum biochemical analysis revealed that the NASH mice displayed severe steatosis and liver damage compared with control mice. After BG administration, the serum and liver triglycerides (TG) concentrations and the serum level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were dramatically reduced. Besides, the BG treatment greatly decreased the serum values of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and the hepatic expression of fibrotic-related genes, such as alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I alpha 1 (Col1α1). We further discovered that BG administration could block the protein expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65), indicating that BG exerted a liver protective effect via regulating the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. This study demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy and the associated mechanism of BG in the treatment of NASH, giving evidence for BG as a potential functional food to prevent NASH. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: BG is a type of processed ginseng product that has been used as diet supplementation and has shown favorable effects on liver injury. However, the pharmacological impact of BG on NASH has not been studied in depth. The present study showed that BG could effectively reduce WD-induced liver fibrosis and inflammation through the TLR4/NF-κB axis, which indicated that BG has the potential to be utilized as a functional herb to attenuate liver injury.

Cepharanthine action in preventing obesity and hyperlipidemia in rats on a high-fat high sucrose diet

BackgroundIt was demonstrated that cepharanthine (CEP), derived from Stephania cepharantha hayata, is a potent inhibitor of the ABCC10 transmembrane protein. It is approved to be a natural product or remedy. The present study focuses on investigating whether cepharanthine effectively reduces hyperlipidemia and obesity in an experimental hyperlipidemic rat model. MethodFour groups of Wistar rats were assigned randomly to the following groups: a high-fat high sucrose diet (HFHS), normal-fat diet (NFD), HFHS plus cepraranthine (10 mg/kg) (HFHS-C), and a HFHS diet with atorvastatin (HFHS-A). The responses of rats were observed on the basis of serum and hepatic biochemical parameters, food intake, and body weight after CEP treatment, and assessing the histopathological modifications by the optical microscope in the liver and its cells. ResultsSignificant improvement in the serum total cholesterol (TC), serum triglycerides (TG), and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were observed following CEP treatment. We have also observed significant improvement in the structure of liver tissue and reduced-fat droplets in the cytoplasm. Moreover, CEP had a significant effect in preventing the gain in body weight of animals, and food intake was not significantly affected. ConclusionOur research results revealed that CEP significantly improved dyslipidemia and prevented the accumulation of fatty deposits in the rats' liver tissue fed an HFHS diet. In addition, CEP exerted an anti-obesity effect.

Nanocurcumin Improves Lipid Status, Oxidative Stress, and Function of the Liver in Aluminium Phosphide-Induced Toxicity: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms

Background The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of nanocurcumin and curcumin on liver transaminases, lipid profile, oxidant and antioxidant system, and pathophysiological changes in aluminium phosphide (ALP) induced hepatoxicity. Material and Methods. In this experimental study, thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups curcumin (Cur), nanocurcumin (Nanocur), ALP, ALP+Cur, and ALP+Nanocur. All treatments were performed by oral gavage for seven days. After treatment, animals were sacrificed, and liver and blood samples were taken. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were measured by photometric methods. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as parameters of oxidative stress and mRNA expression of the nonenzyme protein including Sirtuin 1 (STR1), Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) and protein O3 (FOXO3), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) as the enzyme protein in homogenized tissues have been investigated. A histologist analyzed liver tissue sections after staining with hematoxylin-eosin. Results In the aluminium phosphide group, there was a significant increase in MDA, ALT, AST, and AP and total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and VLDL; AST, ALT, total bilirubin, LDL, VLDL, cholesterol, and MDA were significantly decreased; and HDL and TAC were significantly increased compared to ALP (P < 0.05). In the ALP+Nanocur group, ALT, AST, ALP, total bilirubin, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglyceride, and MDA were significantly decreased and HDL and TAC were increased significantly (P < 0.05). The effect of nanocurcumin on controlling serum levels of LDL, VLDL, triglyceride, and MDA in ALP-poisoned rats was significantly more than curcumin (P < 0.05). The ALP group had significant changes in genes SIRT1, FOXO1a, FOXO3a, CAT, and GPX compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). Nanocurcumin mice expressed more SIRT1, FOXO1a, CAT, and GPX genes than controls, and curcumin-treated mice expressed more SIRT1 and FOXO1a genes (P < 0.05). Histopathological findings also indicated a more significant protective effect of nanocurcumin relative to curcumin against ALP-induced hepatotoxicity. Conclusion Nanocurcumin significantly protects the liver against aluminum phosphide toxicity. It is suggested that nanocurcumin-based drugs be developed to reduce the toxic effects of ALP in poisoned patients.

The relationship between acute cardiac attack and LDL-C serum levels in cardiac and CCU inpatients in Hajar hospital: Replying to a paradox

Background and aims: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most prevalent heart diseases across the world, including in Iran. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between acute MI and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in patients with acute MI. Methods: In this descriptive-inferential study, 1274 MI patients hospitalized in Shahrekord Hajar Hospital were selected using the census method. The required information was drawn from the patient’s medical records according to inclusion criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square test to examine the relationship between the LDL level and awareness in patients. Results: In this study, the average age of patients with acute heart attack was 13.79±63.18 years. Of the 1274 studied patients, 78% (999 people) were men and the rest were women. In both male and female genders, most patients had LDL levels between 70 and 129 mg/dL. Regarding statin use, 757, 287, and 162 people had a history of statin use, hypertension (HTN), and cardiovascular disease, respectively. In addition, 150 and 152 people had diabetes and a history of smoking, respectively. In this study, a significant relationship was found between the history of statin use (P&lt;0.0001) and the frequency of MI (P=0.049) in LDL groups. Conclusion: The results of this research revealed a significant relationship between LDL groups and the number of times acute heart attack occurs as a long-term complication in people who have had one.

A multi-strain probiotic blend reshaped obesity-related gut dysbiosis and improved lipid metabolism in obese children.

Background and aimsObese children are more prone to becoming obese adults, and excess adiposity consequently increases the risk of many complications, such as metabolic syndromes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, etc. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of multi-strain probiotics on the gut microbiota and weight control in obese children.MethodsA double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out on overweight and obese children. Subjects received 12 weeks of treatment with supplementary probiotics that contained three strains: Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32, L. rhamnosus bv-77, and Bifidobacterium animalis CP-9, plus diet and exercise guidance. A total of 82 children were enrolled, and 53 children completed the study.ResultsThe supplementation of multi-strain probiotics resulted in a significant effect demonstrating high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and adiponectin elevation. At the same time, body mass index (BMI) and serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), leptin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were reduced. Lactobacillus spp. and B. animalis were particularly increased in subjects who received probiotic supplements. The abundance of Lactobacillus spp. was inversely correlated with the ether lipid metabolism pathway, while that of B. animalis was positively correlated with serum adiponectin levels.ConclusionOur results show that obesity-related gut dysbiosis can be reshaped by the supplementation of a multi-strain probiotic to improve lipid metabolism. The regular administration of a multi-strain probiotic supplement may be helpful for weight control and health management in overweight and obese children.

Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation alleviated atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus through reducing MDSCs

ObjectiveThe mechanism by which mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation alleviates atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains elusive. In this study, we aim to explore the efficacy and mechanism of MSC in ameliorating atherosclerosis in SLE.MethodsApoE−/− and Fas−/− mice on the B6 background were cross-bred to generate SLE mice with atherosclerosis. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) were sorted and quantified. The apoE−/−Fas−/− mice were either treated with anti-Gr antibody or injected with MDSCs. The lupus-like autoimmunity and atherosclerotic lesions were evaluated. Furthermore, the apoE−/−Fas−/− mice were transplanted with MSCs and lupus-like autoimmunity and atherosclerotic lesions were assessed.ResultsMDSCs in peripheral blood, spleen, draining lymph nodes increased in apoE−/−Fas−/− mice compared with B6 mice. Moreover, the adoptive transfer of MDSCs aggravated both atherosclerosis and SLE pathologies, whereas depleting MDSCs ameliorated those pathologies in apoE−/−Fas−/− mice. MSC transplantation in apoE−/−Fas−/− mice decreased the percentage of MDSCs, alleviated the typical atherosclerotic lesions, including atherosclerotic lesions in aortae and liver, and reduced serum cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein levels. MSC transplantation also reduced SLE pathologies, including splenomegaly, glomerular lesions, anti-dsDNA antibody in serum, urine protein and serum creatinine. Moreover, MSC transplantation regulated the generation and function of MDSCs through secreting prostaglandin E 2 (PGE2).ConclusionTaken together, these results indicated that the increased MDSCs contributed to atherosclerosis in SLE. MSC transplantation ameliorated the atherosclerosis and SLE through reducing MDSCs by secreting PGE2.Graphical

The combined anti-osteoporotic effects of simvastatin and exercise in ovariectomized mice fed a high-fat diet.

To evaluate and compare the effects of the combined intervention of simvastatin and exercise on the bone degeneration in a mice model of osteoporosis (OP) induced by obesity and estrogen deficiency. 56 female 3-month-old C57BL/6 mice were given a standard diet or a high-fat diet after ovariectomy (OVX) or sham surgery. Drug administration and exercise training were initiated 72h after surgical operation, which were treated with simvastatin (10mg/kg/day) or exercise (15m/min for 30min/day) or combined with simvastatin and exercise at 72h for 8weeks. The pathology of OP was assessed by histomorphology analyses, immunohistochemistry (IHC), micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and cell culture. The coexistence of obesity and estrogen deficiency significantly further exacerbated OP pathology, and combined intervention showed a better significant anti-osteoporosis effect than monotherapy. In details, simvastatin combined with exercise ameliorated the abnormal bone mass, microstructure and bone marrow adipocyte differentiation, significantly increased osteoprotegerin (OPG), type 1 collagen (Col-I), RUNX2 and osteocalcin (OCN) expression, decreased the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Furthermore, combined intervention markedly improved abnormal metabolic status, reduced the levels of serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), leptin, CTX-1 and IL-1β, and increased the level of OCN. The coexistence of obesity and estrogen deficiency further aggravates bone tissue degeneration and abnormal metabolic pathology, which could be better inhibited by the combination with simvastatin and exercise instead of single intervention, suggesting that combined intervention may be a potential candidate for amelioration of the progression of OP.

Comparative evaluation of serum high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein levels and glycated hemoglobin levels and periodontal status in type 2 diabetic patients: A pilot project.

High levels of cholesterol in the body can be alarming and point toward a possible cardiac or diabetic problem. Current evidence reveals that the harmful low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol tend to increase in poorly controlled diabetes, whereas the useful high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, known for its protective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, is decreased. With a positive evidence of periodontal disease being implicated in diabetes, it was decided to investigate whether there was any association between serum HDL, LDL, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and periodontal status with Type II diabetes mellitus patients. A total of 500 nonsmoking patients (males and females) aged between 35 and 55 years with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and no other systemic disease were selected from the diabetic center, Diacon hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Periodontal examination consisted of the clinical parameters, namely, attachment loss, gingival index (GI) and plaque index based on which the patients were divided into periodontally healthy and diseased groups. Blood samples were collected from each patient to evaluate the serum levels of HDL, LDL and HbA1c. No significant differences were observed between the HDL, LDL and HbA1c levels in both the periodontal groups (P > 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed significant positive correlations of clinical attachment level with LDL and negative correlation with HbA1c, whereas GI has a positive correlation with LDL and negatively with HDL and Hba1c levels (P < 0.05). Varied associations were found between dyslipidemia, glycemic control and periodontal inflammation. Further longitudinal as well as interventional studies may be beneficial to ascertain the causal relationship between cholesterol levels, periodontal status and diabetes mellitus.

Acute Effects of White Button and Shiitake Mushroom Powder Supplementation on Postprandial Lipemia and Glycemia Following a High-Fat Meal

ObjectivesTo determine the acute effects on postprandial lipemia (PPL) and glycemia (PPG) by supplementing a high-fat meal with either White Button (WB) or Shiitake (SH) mushroom powder. MethodsNine healthy participants (5 female and 4 male, 23.3 ± 1.3 yr, 17.8 ± 6% body fat, 56.2 ± 11.4 kg fat free mass) were randomized to receive three different meals in a double-blind fashion. Each meal consisted of an 8 oz. cooked beef patty and a bun (883 kcal, 47 g fat, 37.5 g carbohydrate, 73.2 g protein). The control meal was not supplemented with any mushroom powder. The other two meals had 14 g of either WB or SH dried mushroom powder incorporated into the beef patty prior to cooking. Participants fasted for 12 hours and avoided vigorous exercise the day prior to eating a treatment or control meal. Blood was drawn before meal consumption (Time = 0 hours) and every two hours after consumption for a total of six hours (Time = 2, 4, 6 hours). Lipid and glucose panels were performed following meal consumption. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models on the outcomes triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and glucose. Fixed effects were gender, meal type, time, and meal type by time interaction, while a random intercept accounted for the variability in the outcomes among the participants. ResultsLDL levels were significantly lower for both SH and WB meals compared to the control meal (p = 0.0007) over the course of six hours. Meal type did not affect triglyceride, HDL, and glucose levels. Gender affected triglyceride and HDL levels over the treatment course. Triglyceride levels were significantly higher in males (p = 0.0084) and HDL levels were significantly lower in females (p = 0.0005). Triglyceride and glucose levels were significantly higher, (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001 respectively), during the postprandial time course (Time = 0, 2, 4, 6 hours). ConclusionsBoth SH and WB mushrooms may be important to supplement in the diet to lower serum LDL levels. Future studies are needed to evaluate which of the two treatments is the more potent. Funding SourcesDedicated to Matthew J Morris, deceased, whose contributions were crucial to this work.

Pharmacological effects of Artocarpus lakoocha methanol extract on inhibition of squalene synthase and other downstream enzymes of the cholesterol synthesis pathway

Context Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. (Moraceae) is reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-skin ageing agents. Objective This study evaluates the pharmacological effects of A. lakoocha leaves methanol extract on enzymes involved in the cholesterol synthesis pathway in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Materials and methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats, weighing approximately 180–220 g, were divided into four groups: control, diseased (hyperlipidemic), A. lakoocha leaves extract treated, and simvastatin treated. The rats were fed with high-fat diet for 2 months to induce hyperlipidaemia, afterward, experimental groups received A. lakoocha leaves methanol extract (250 mg/kg) and simvastatin (10 mg/kg) orally until the 89th day of the experiment, while the diseased group continued to receive high-fat diet along with normal saline. Results It was found that A. lakoocha extract significantly lowered the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, while effectively increasing serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels as compared to the diseased group (p ≤ 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of squalene synthase and HMG-CoA reductase were found to be effectively down-regulated after the treatment with A. lakoocha leaves extract (17.45 ± 2.48 vs. 31.91 ± 5.292 and 5.85 ± 3.164 vs. 37.37 ± 6.492) and simvastatin (7.148 ± 0.76 vs. 31.91 ± 5.292, and 3.098 ± 2.09 vs. 37.37 ± 6.492) as compared to the diseased group. Discussion and Conclusions The results suggested that A. lakoocha leaves extract have observable beneficial effects on inhibition of enzymes involved in cholesterol synthesis pathway and improve lipid profile analogous to simvastatin.

Effects of Dietary Taurine on Growth, Body Composition, Blood Parameters, and Enzyme Activities of Juvenile Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus)

To evaluate the effects of dietary taurine on Acipenser ruthenus, a total of 180 fish with an initial weight of 14.13 ± 0.10 g, were stocked into 15 (300 liters) tanks (12 fish/replicate) for 70 days. Five experimental diets (38.60% crude protein and 18.78% crude lipid) supplemented with 0 (T0), 5 (T5), 15 (T15), 30 (T30), and 50 (T50) g/kg taurine were used. The experimental fish were fed to visual satiation four times daily. At the end of the experimental period, weight gain, thermal growth coefficient, and survival in fish fed T30 diet was higher ( P &lt; 0.05 ) than other experimental fish. Food conversion ratio in all treatments containing taurine was significantly lower than T0 treatment ( P &lt; 0.05 ). The highest and the lowest total essential amino acids of muscle were found in T50 and T0 treatments, respectively. The highest serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels were observed in the T30 treatment ( P &lt; 0.05 ). An increasing trend was observed in the values of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities of serum from T0 to T30 treatments and the highest level was recorded in T30 ( P &lt; 0.05 ). The highest lysozyme, trypsin, chymotrypsin, alkaline phosphatase, lipase, and amylase activities were also observed in T30. Catalase activity in T15 was higher than other treatments ( P &lt; 0.05 ). Malondialdehyde activity in T0 was significantly higher than other experimental treatments ( P &lt; 0.05 ). The highest total numbers of bacteria and lactic acid bacteria of the gut was recorded in T30 and T5, respectively. The overall results indicate that the T30 experimental diet induced the improvement of growth performance, hepatic, digestive, and antioxidant enzyme activities in A. ruthenus.

Higher Genetically Predicted Triglycerides, LDL, and HDL Increase the Vitamin D Deficiency: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

IntroductionIt has been proven that high body mass index (BMI) levels can cause vitamin D deficiency, but the mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, this study attempts to explain this phenomenon from the perspective of blood lipid by using mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary datasets for serum lipids were obtained from the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium (GLGC). Vitamin D deficiency outcome data were acquired from the UK Biobank samples. Single-variable MR (SVMR) and multi-variable MR (MVMR) analyses were conducted using the TwoSampleMR package based on R 4.0.3. The four main methods were the random-effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted-median method, and weighted mode.ResultsIn the SVMR of serum lipid/apolipoprotein levels on serum vitamin D level, it was found that elevated serum triacylglycerol (IVW, OR = 0.85, 95%CI:0.81–0.89, P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (IVW, OR = 0.93, 95%CI:0.90–0.95, P < 0.001), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (IVW, OR = 0.95, 95%CI:0.91–0.98, P < 0.001) levels all had a causal relationship with vitamin D deficiency, but significant pleiotropy was detected in the triacylglycerol (P = 0.001) and HDL (P = 0.003) analysis. MVMR analysis results were consistent with SVMR.ConclusionBy using single-variable mendelian randomization and multi-variable mendelian randomization methods, we identified that the elevated serum triacylglycerol, LDL, and HDL levels all had a causal relationship with vitamin D deficiency. Taking into account the significant pleiotropy demonstrated in this study, the conclusions of this study should be treated with caution.

Higher genetically predicted low-density lipoprotein levels increase the renal cancer risk independent of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein levels: A Mendelian randomization study.

The causation between lipids and renal cancer remains inconclusive. Our purpose is to explore the causal relationships between the three primary lipid metabolism-related substances, namely triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) with the risk of renal cancer using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. Genetic instruments for lipids were acquired from the UK Biobank. Outcome data were from the FinnGen study (1397 renal cancer cases and 204 070). Single-variable MR (SVMR) and multi-variable MR (MVMR) analyses were conducted with TwoSampleMR package based on R 4.0.3. The random-effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted-median method, and weighted mode were the four main computing methods. We found that per 1 SD elevated LDL level was causally associated with renal cancer occurrence based on SVMR (OR, 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05-1.64, P= .016). Similar significant associations were found in other methods. However, the results of SVMR did not support significant associations between TG, and HDL with renal cancer risk in all methods. The association between LDL and renal cancer was still significant in MVMR analysis (OR for IVW method: 1.22 per 1 SD higher trait (SD, 95% CI: 1.11-1.34, P< .001; OR for MR-Egger: 1.22 per 1 SD higher trait, 95% CI: 1.01-1.47, P= .042) when taking TG and HDL into consideration. Our study supported that elevated serum LDL levels is causally associated with an increased risk of renal cancer independent of TG and HDL.

Serum Intestinal Metabolites are Raised in Patients with Psoriasis and Metabolic Syndrome.

PurposePsoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and insulin resistance (IR). Increasing evidence indicates that psoriasis is associated with MetS. This study aimed to explore some metabolite indexes which could evaluate the severity or predict the risk of psoriasis patients associated with MetS.Patients and methodsIt was a case-control study conducted in Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Sixty healthy volunteers (HC), 100 patients with psoriasis (Ps), 100 patients with MetS (MetS) and 80 patients with both psoriasis and MetS (Ps+MetS) were entered between January 2016 and December 2018. Blood samples were taken after at least 12 hours fasting and the contents of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), carnitine, choline and betaine in serum were measured by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Besides, the serum levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), blood glucose (BG), creatinine (Cr), urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA) were determined.ResultsThe non-healthy groups had different degrees of dyslipidemia, Ps-MetS> Ps >MetS. Compared with HC, the Ps had a higher level of TG; The MetS had the lowest level of HDL; The Ps+Mets had the highest level of TG and CHO. The Ps and Ps+MetS both had high level of UA, but there was no difference between the two groups. As for intestinal metabolites, the Ps had significant differences in TMAO, carnitine, and betaine in comparison with HC. The MetS had the highest level of TMAO. There was positive correlation between PASI and TMAO and betaine.ConclusionsTMAO and betaine could serve as indexes reflecting the severity of psoriasis. TG, CHO, LDL and UA could serve as risk factors of MetS in psoriatic patients.

Efficacy of enhanced external counter pulsation in improving six minutes’ walk test in heart failure patients

Introduction and Aim: Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is an outpatient treatment to improve myocardial perfusion in chronic stable angina patients. We studied the clinical response of heart failure patients' improvement in the functional class and exercise tolerance with EECP. Materials and Methods: We prospectively evaluated twenty-six patients, who had completed a course of EECP with pre and post six minutes’ walk test, functional ability assessed by the New York heart association (NYHA) classification, renal parameters, lipid profile, and diastole to systole(d/s) ratio in terms of Peak amplitude (P) and Area (A) under the curve value. Results: The study group's mean age is of 56 years. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is 31.44± 5.5%. Patients' demography includes 81% were male, 30% with hypertension (HT),50% with diabetes mellitus (DM), 30%chronic smokers, 61% of them had triple vessel disease (TVD). All the patients improved by a minimum of one NYHA class improvement, Serum urea reduced from 34.37 ± 20.28 to 27.24 ± 18.73 mg/dL (P = 0.002), C-Reactive protein (CRP) reduced from 4.6± 8.0 to 3.76 ± 5.1 mg/dL (P = 0.62). In the measured lipid panel test, only low-density lipoprotein (LDL) reduction from 94.41 ± 38.66 to 80.51 ± 35.09 mg/dL was statistically significant (P =0.03). The six-minute walk test, post-EECP, improved significantly from 340.14 ± 68.5 to 385.5 ± 73.9 meters (P =0.0004). The LVEF increased from 31.44 ± 5.5 to 38.38 ± 8.69 % (P=0.001). Conclusion: EECP treatment significantly improves shortness of breath, six minutes walking distance, and ejection fraction in heart failure patients. The treatment significantly reduces serum urea and LDL level. These positive changes may be due to a sudden increase in cardiac output and hyperdynamic circulation during the treatment.