Urinary albumin excretion as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in migraine sufferers: the HUNT study, Norway

Introducing Albumin and Interleukin 6 as Common Critical Dysregulated Proteins Between Migraine and Gliosarcoma

Introduction

It is reported that migraine may be a risk factor for brain cancers. Since one of the best ways to assess this possible relationship is to study the molecular mechanism, here the common central dysregulated proteins between these diseases are investigated via network analysis.

Methods

The dysregulated proteins of migraine and gliosarcoma are extracted from the STRING database and interacted via Cytoscape software, version 3.7.2. to form two separate networks. Central nodes of the networks are compared to find the common central district proteins. First neighbors of the common central proteins are studied.

Results

The number of 11 hub bottlenecks was identified for each of the migraine and gliosarcoma cancer networks. Albumin (ALB) and interleukin 6 (IL6) were introduced as common differentially expressed central proteins. Kininogen 1 (KNG1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), and neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) the first neighbors of ALB-IL6 were connected to the central nodes of networks of the two studied diseases.

Conclusion

ALB and IL6 can be considered molecular links between migraine and brain cancers.

Highlights

Differentially expression of albumin (ALB) and interleukin 6 (IL6) is highlighted as the common key events in migraine and gliosarcoma.Kininogen 1 (KNG1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), and neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) are introduced as possible critical players in migraine and gliosarcoma.Based on four centrality parameters, ALB is characterized with stronger centrality properties relative to IL6.

Plain Language Summary

Migraine is considered as a possible risk factor for brain cancers. Therefor exploring of relationship between brain cancers and migraine is attracted attention of researchers. Understanding of diseases molecular mechanism is an important tool to better diagnosis and therapy of the studied disorders. In the present study, the common features of molecular events in migraine and gliosarcoma are studied based on protein expression changes. Analysis indicates that a few numbers of proteins play critical roles in migraine and gliosarcoma. ALB, IL6, KNG1, VEGFA, and NF1 are highlighted as the key proteins which are dysregulated in the two studied diseases. Prominent role of ALB in development of cancers is pointed out by several researchers. Important role of IL6 in promotion of migraine is disused in the previous documents. Since some diseases are risk factors for the other disorders, understanding the common features of two diseases can provide suitable therapeutic protocol to prevent development of diseases. Our finding can be used to provide suitable procedure to prevent conversion of migraine to brain cancer.

The Role of Endothelial Dysfunction in the Pathophysiology and Cerebrovascular Effects of Migraine: A Narrative Review

Background and Purpose

Migraine is a complex neurovascular disorder whose triggers are not entirely understood. Endothelial dysfunction might play a role in migraine, and there have been numerous reports on endothelium dysfunction and migraine pathophysiology, but their reciprocal cause–effect relationship remains unclear. This review reports the current evidence on endothelium dysfunction, its link with migraine, and its possible consequences for cerebral hemodynamics.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed up to March 2020. We included 115 articles in a narrative review.

Results

Several studies have demonstrated that endothelium dysfunction may play an important role in migraine. Despite the lack of specific biomarkers, there is evidence of oxidative stress and inflammation—two of the primary causes of endothelial damage—in migraine. The main consequences of endothelial dysfunction are increased vascular tone, thrombosis, inflammation, and increased vascular permeability. As a consequence of oxidative stress, the activity of endothelin-1 is not counterbalanced by nitric oxide (NO), whose levels decrease to lead to vasoconstriction and a possible contribution to cortical spreading depression. NO is involved in pain perception via the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway and the induction of calcitonin gene-related peptide. Oxidative stress may induce a hypercoagulable state that mainly affects platelet function through different mechanisms. Endothelial dysfunction seems to be particularly pronounced in migraine with aura (MA). Endothelial dysfunction in migraine particularly involves intracranial vessels, since flow-mediated dilation cannot detect overt peripheral vascular dysfunction.

Conclusions

Endothelial dysfunction is a vascular risk marker. How it impacts migraine, and particularly MA, needs to be understood better by defining its possible role in increasing the stroke risk in migraine patients.

The effect of fenofibrate on early retinal nerve fiber layer loss in type 2 diabetic patients: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggested that use of fenofibrate could significantly reduce the rate of progression into diabetic retinopathy (DR), and that retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss, which has been considered an important indicator for retinal neurodegeneration, might precede microvascular changes. The aim of this study was to assess the effect(s) of fenofibrate on RNFL thickness at early stage of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

In this retrospective matched case-control study we included a cohort of 89 patients with type 2 DM, aged 40 or above, between Jan 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017. Among the subjects, 48 patients received fenofibrate therapy and the other 41 patients did not receive fenofibrate treatment. We defined use of fenofibrate as the presence of any prescription for fenofibrate within 1 year before or any time after the diagnosis of DM, and all the patients had either no DR or non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). The fibrate users were well matched with non-fenofibrate users for gender, age and axial length. The RNFL thickness in all quadrants of both eyes was examined with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of RNFL thickness with potential risk factors of DR other than fenofibrate use.

RESULTS

The non-fenofibrate users had significantly reduced RNFL thickness of the superior quadrant of the right eye compared to the fenofibrate users (t = 2.384, P = 0.019). On the contrary, BMI (p = 0.034) and ACR (p = 0.024) were both negatively correlated to the RNFL thickness of the right eye.

CONCLUSION

Oral administration of fenofibrate was suggestively associated with thicker RNFL in superior quadrant of the right eye of patents with early DR.

Indoor air pollution and its association with poor lung function, microalbuminuria and variations in blood pressure among kitchen workers in India: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The present study is an attempt to explore the association between kitchen indoor air pollutants and physiological profiles in kitchen workers with microalbuminuria (MAU) in north India (Lucknow) and south India (Coimbatore).

METHODS

The subjects comprised 145 control subjects, 233 kitchen workers from north India and 186 kitchen workers from south India. Information related to the personal and occupational history and health of the subjects at both locations were collected using a custom-made questionnaire. Worker lung function was measured using a spirometer. Blood pressure was monitored using a sphygmomanometer. Urinary MAU was measured using a urine analyzer. Indoor air monitoring in kitchens for particulate matter (PM), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) was conducted using indoor air quality monitors. The size and shape of PM in indoor air was assessed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to detect organic or inorganic compounds in the air samples.

RESULTS

Particulate matter concentrations (PM_2.5 and PM₁) were significantly higher in both north and south Indian kitchens than in non-kitchen areas. The concentrations of TVOC, CO and CO₂ were higher in the kitchens of north and south India than in the control locations (non-kitchen areas). Coarse, fine and ultrafine particles and several elements were also detected in kitchens in both locations by SEM and elemental analysis. The FTIR spectra of kitchen indoor air at both locations show the presence of organic chemicals. Significant declines in systolic blood pressure and lung function were observed in the kitchen workers with MAU at both locations compared to those of the control subjects. A higher prevalence of obstruction cases with MAU was observed among the workers in the southern region than in the controls (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Kitchen workers in south India have lower lung capacities and a greater risk of obstructive and restrictive abnormalities than their north Indian counterparts. The study showed that occupational exposure to multiple kitchen indoor air pollutants (ultrafine particles, PM_2.5, PM₁, TVOC, CO, CO₂) and FTIR-derived compounds can be associated with a decline in lung function (restrictive and obstructive patterns) in kitchen workers with microalbuminuria. Further studies in different geographical locations in India among kitchen workers on a wider scale are required to validate the present findings.

Study on the absorbed fingerprint-efficacy of yuanhu zhitong tablet based on chemical analysis, vasorelaxation evaluation and data mining

Yuanhu Zhitong Tablet (YZT) is an example of a typical and relatively simple clinical herb formula that is widely used in clinics. It is generally believed that YZT play a therapeutical effect in vivo by the synergism of multiple constituents. Thus, it is necessary to build the relationship between the absorbed fingerprints and bioactivity so as to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy. In this study, a new combinative method, an intestinal absorption test coupled with a vasorelaxation bioactivity experiment in vitro, was a simple, sensitive, and feasible technique to study on the absorbed fingerprint-efficacy of YZT based on chemical analysis, vasorelaxation evaluation and data mining. As part of this method, an everted intestinal sac method was performed to determine the intestinal absorption of YZT solutions. YZT were dissolved in solution (n = 12), and the portion of the solution that was absorbed into intestinal sacs was analyzed using rapid-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF/MS). Semi-quantitative analysis indicated the presence of 34 compounds. The effect of the intestinally absorbed solution on vasorelaxation of rat aortic rings with endothelium attached was then evaluated in vitro. The results showed that samples grouped by HCA from chemical profiles have similar bioactivity while samples in different groups displayed very different. Moreover, it established a relationship between the absorbed fingerprints and their bioactivity to identify important components by grey relational analysis, which could predict bioactive values based on chemical profiles and provide an evidence for the quantification of multi-constituents.