C-reactive protein inhibits high-molecular-weight adiponectin expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes via PI3K/Akt pathway

The causality between C-reactive protein and asthma: a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis

PURPOSE

This study sought to investigate the causal effects of circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) level on risk of asthma and its subtypes by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

We utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with both CRP and outcomes of asthma, allergic asthma, and obesity-related asthma as genetic variables via a genome-wide summary association study (GWAS). MR analysis mainly based on the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was performed to infer the causal relationship between exposure and outcomes. Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger regression analysis were performed to determine respectively the heterogeneity and pleiotropy among instrumental variables (IVs), and leave-one-out analysis was conducted to determine the stability of the MR results.

RESULTS

In our study, 42 SNPs were identified as IVs for MR analyses. According to the primary inference results by IVW methods, circulating CRP was demonstrated to be significantly associated with risk of asthma [odds ratio (OR): 1.046; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.004-1.090; P = .030] and obesity-related asthma (OR: 1.072; 95% CI: 1.009-1.138; P = 0.025), whereas no distinct causality with allergic asthma was found (OR: 1.051; 95% CI: 0.994-1.112; P = .081). Sensitivity analyses indicated that there was no horizontal pleiotropy among IVs, and the MR results were proved to be robust by leave-one-out sensitivity analysis, despite the presence of heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggested that higher CRP might genetically predict an increased risk of developing asthma and obesity-related asthma, without causality with allergic asthma.

Chinese herbal compound Huangqin Qingrechubi capsule reduces lipid metabolism disorder and inflammatory response in gouty arthritis via the LncRNA H19/APN/PI3K/AKT cascade

CONTEXT

Gouty arthritis (GA) is a characteristically inflammatory disease often associated with lipid metabolism disorder. Huangqin Qingrechubi capsule (HQC) has been used for the treatment of GA.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the mechanism of HQC in the treatment of GA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 30 GA patients (GA group) and 30 healthy subjects [normal control (NC) group] were recruited. The GA group was treated with HQC (3.6 g/d) for 10 days. Lipid metabolism and inflammation indexes were detected. Five herbal names of HQC, or 'gouty arthritis', 'hyperlipidemia' and 'inflammation' were used as key words to search related databases for network pharmacological analysis. Subsequently, GA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) were stimulated with GA-peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (3:1) and treated with HQC drug-containing serum (20%). RT-qPCR, Western blot, and ELISA were conducted to further explore the mechanism of HQC in improving GA.

RESULTS

In clinical observation, HQC decreased the expression of lncRNA H19 and IL-1β, and increased the expression of adiponectin (APN) and IL-4 in the GA group (about half). Through network pharmacology, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was identified. Cell experiments showed that HQC treatment reduced the viability of GA-FLSs (49.61%), up-regulated the expression of IL-4 (155.18%), IL-10 (165.13%), and APN (31.24%), and down-regulated the expression of lncRNA H19 (33.70%), IL-1β (64.70%), TNF-α (78.32%), p-PI3K (48.80%), and p-AKT (53.48%).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

HQC improved lipid metabolism disorder and inflammatory response of GA by regulating the lncRNA H19/APN/PI3K/AKT. Maintaining the stability of lipid metabolism may be an effective way to alleviate GA.

Infections and immunity: associations with obesity and related metabolic disorders

About one-fourth of the global population is either overweight or obese, both of which increase the risk of insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, and infections. In obesity, both immune cells and adipocytes produce an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines that may play a significant role in disease progression. In the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, important pathological characteristics such as involvement of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, endothelial injury, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release have been shown to be connected with obesity and associated sequelae such as insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes and hypertension. This pathological connection may explain the severity of COVID-19 in patients with metabolic disorders. Many studies have also reported an association between type 2 diabetes and persistent viral infections. Similarly, diabetes favors the growth of various microorganisms including protozoal pathogens as well as opportunistic bacteria and fungi. Furthermore, diabetes is a risk factor for a number of prion-like diseases. There is also an interesting relationship between helminths and type 2 diabetes; helminthiasis may reduce the pro-inflammatory state, but is also associated with type 2 diabetes or even neoplastic processes. Several studies have also documented altered circulating levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes in obesity, which likely modifies vaccine effectiveness. Timely monitoring of inflammatory markers (e.g., C-reactive protein) and energy homeostasis markers (e.g., leptin) could be helpful in preventing many obesity-related diseases.

Obesity is a significant susceptibility factor for idiopathic AA amyloidosis

BACKGROUND

To investigate obesity as susceptibility factor in patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis.

METHODS

Clinical, biochemical and genetic data were obtained from 146 patients with AA amyloidosis. Control groups comprised 40 patients with long-standing inflammatory diseases without AA amyloidosis and 56 controls without any inflammatory disease.

FINDINGS

Patients with AA amyloidosis had either familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) or long-standing rheumatic diseases as underlying inflammatory disease (n = 111, median age 46 years). However, in a significant proportion of patients with AA amyloidosis no primary disease was identified (idiopathic AA; n = 37, median age 60 years). Patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis were more obese and older than patients with AA amyloidosis secondary to FMF or rheumatic diseases. Serum leptin levels correlated with the body mass index (BMI) in all types of AA amyloidosis. Elevated leptin levels of more than 30 µg/l were detected in 18% of FMF/rheumatic + AA amyloidosis and in 40% of patients with idiopathic AA amyloidosis (p = .018). Finally, the SAA1 polymorphism was confirmed as a susceptibility factor for AA amyloidosis irrespective of the type of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity, age and the SAA1 polymorphism are susceptibility factors for idiopathic AA amyloidosis. Recent advances in treatment of FMF and rheumatic disorders will decrease the incidence of AA amyloidosis due to these diseases. Idiopathic AA, however, might be an emerging problem in the ageing and increasingly obese population.