Association of the HDL-c Level with HsCRP, IL-6, U-NAG, RBP and Cys-C in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and Chronic Kidney Disease: An Epidemiological Survey

Influence of geographical environment on retinol-binding protein reference values in Chinese men

This study combined geographic factors to predict Chinese healthy male RBP reference values from a geographic perspective, with the aim of exploring the spatial distribution and regional differences in Chinese healthy male Retinol-Binding Protein(RBP) reference values, and then providing a theoretical basis for medical diagnosis of healthy male RBP reference values in different regions of China. Using the actual measured RBP values of 24,502 healthy men in 256 cities in China combined with 16 geographical factors as the base data, the spatial autocorrelation, correlation analysis and support vector machine were used to predict the RBP reference values of healthy men in 2322 cities in China, and to generate a spatial distribution map of the RBP reference values of healthy men in China. It was found that the spatial distribution of healthy male RBP reference values in China showed a trend of gradual increase from the first to the third terrain steps. Combined with the distribution map, it is suggested that the RBP reference values of healthy men in China should be divided into the low value zone of the first-level terrain step (25mg/L~40mg/L), the middle value zone of the second-level terrain step (40mg/L~45mg/L) and the high value zone of the third-level terrain step (45mg/L~52mg/L).

Serum Lipoprotein(a) and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Associate with Diabetic Nephropathy: Evidence from Machine Learning Perspectives

Purpose

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that significantly impacts the quality of life for affected patients. Dyslipidemia is a known risk factor for developing cardiovascular complications in T2DM patients. However, the association between serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) with DN requires further investigation.

Patients and Methods

For this cross-sectional study, we randomly selected T2DM patients with nephropathy (DN, n = 211) and T2DM patients without nephropathy (T2DM, n = 217) from a cohort of 142,611 patients based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We collected clinical data from the patients to identify potential risk factors for DN using binary logistic regression and machine learning. After obtaining the feature importance score of clinical indicators by building a random forest classifier, we examined the correlations between Lp(a), HDL-C and the top 10 indicators. Finally, we trained decision tree models with top 10 features using training data and evaluated their performance with independent testing data.

Results

Compared to the T2DM group, the DN group had significantly higher serum levels of Lp(a) (p < 0.001) and lower levels of HDL-C (p = 0.028). Lp(a) was identified as a risk factor for DN, while HDL-C was found to be protective. We identified the top 10 indicators that were associated with Lp(a) and/or HDL-C, including urinary albumin (uALB), uALB to creatinine ratio (uACR), cystatin C, creatinine, urinary ɑ1-microglobulin, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary β2-microglobulin, urea nitrogen, superoxide dismutase and fibrinogen. The decision tree models trained using the top 10 features and with uALB at a cut-off value of 31.1 mg/L showed an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.874, with an AUC range of 0.870 to 0.890.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that serum Lp(a) and HDL-C are associated with DN and we have provided a decision tree model with uALB as a predictor for DN.

The Link between Magnesium Supplements and Statin Medication in Dyslipidemic Patients

Many investigations have discovered a connection between statins and magnesium supplements. On one hand, increasing research suggests that chronic hypomagnesemia may be an important factor in the etiology of some metabolic illnesses, including obesity and overweight, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, alterations in lipid metabolism, and low-grade inflammation. Chronic metabolic problems seem to be prevented by a high Mg intake combined with diet and/or supplements. On the other hand, it is known that statins lower the frequency of cardiac events, stroke, and mortality, not by lowering LDL-C, but by the capacity to reduce mevalonate formation. That will enhance endothelial function, inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration and encourage macrophages to promote plaque stability and regression while reducing inflammation. Taking these factors into consideration, we did an extensive analysis of the relevant literature, comparing the effects of Mg² and statin medications on lipoproteins and, implicitly, on the key enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism.

Apolipoprotein D modulates lipid mediators and osteopontin in an anti-inflammatory direction

BACKGROUND

HDL has been proposed to possess anti-inflammatory properties; however, the detail mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

We investigated the roles of Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) in the pathogenesis of inflammation in the mouse model of diet-induced obesity and that of lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis and the in vitro experiments. Furthermore, we analyzed serum ApoD levels in human subjects.

RESULTS

The overexpression of human ApoD decreased the plasma IL-6 and TNF-a levels in both mice models. Lipidomics analyses demonstrated association of ApoD with increase of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid, as well as of their metabolites, and of the anti-inflammatory molecule sphingosine 1-phosphate, and decrease of proinflammatory lysophosphatidic acids and lysophosphatidylinositol. ApoD-containing lipoproteins might directly bind eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The modulations of the lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1-phosphate levels resulted from the suppression of autotaxin expression and elevation of apolipoprotein M (ApoM), respectively. Moreover, ApoD negatively regulated osteopontin, a proinflammatory adipokine. The activation of PPARg by ApoD might suppress autotaxin and osteopontin. Serum ApoD levels were negatively correlated with the serum osteopontin and autotaxin levels and, positively with serum ApoM levels.

CONCLUSION

ApoD is an anti-inflammatory apolipoprotein, which modulates lipid mediators and osteopontin in an anti-inflammatory direction.

Lower Plasma Albumin, Higher White Blood Cell Count and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein are Associated with Femoral Artery Intima-Media Thickness Among Newly Diagnosed Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction

Low albumin levels, high levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and high white blood cell count were risk factors for changes in arterial intima-media thickness (IMT). Femoral artery IMT damages were one of the common peripheral artery type 2 diabetes. This study was conducted to determine the association between femoral artery IMT and plasma albumin, hs-CRP levels, and white blood cell count in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (nT2D).

Materials and Methods

From January 2015 to May 2020, 306 patients with nT2D were recruited for this cross-sectional descriptive study at Vietnam’s National Endocrinology Hospital. We measured IMT by Doppler ultrasound.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in albumin, hs-CRP levels, hs-CRP-to-albumin ratio, and white blood cell counts between three different IMT groups namely normal IMT, thick IMT, and atherosclerosis (p = 0.003, p = 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.049, respectively). In the multivariate linear regression analysis, white blood cell count, and hs-CRP levels showed a significantly positive correlation to IMT (standardized B and p of 0.17, 0.015 and 0.163, 0.024, respectively), but albumin levels were a significantly negative correlation to IMT (standardized B = –0.151, p = 0.029). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that albumin (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.65–0.90, p = 0.018), hs-CRP (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.18, p = 0.026), and white blood cell count (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.03–1.81, p = 0.033) had correlation to atherosclerosis of femoral artery.

Conclusion

Reduced plasma albumin, elevated hs-CRP, and white blood cell count associated with IMT increased the odds for atherosclerosis of femoral artery among nT2D.

The Role of Changes in Cumulative Lipid Parameter Burden in the Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cohort Study of People Aged 35-65 Years in Rural China

PURPOSE

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the cumulative exposure of blood lipid parameters on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Another purpose was to explore whether the cumulative burden of blood lipid parameters plays a certain role in the pathogenesis of diet affecting T2DM.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 63 cases of diabetes occurred from 2017 to 2020, with an incidence density of 3.71 person-years. The dietary intake of the residents was obtained by using a dietary frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Cumulative lipid parameter burden was calculated according to the number of years (2016-2020) multiplied by total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride (TG). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the effect of cumulative lipid burden on T2DM. A mediating analysis of accelerated failure time (AFT) was used to investigate the mediating effects of certain foods, the cumulative lipid parameter burden and T2DM.

RESULTS

A higher cumulative TG load corresponded to a higher risk of T2DM onset (P_trend =0.021). After adjusting for covariates, the highest quartile cumulative TG burden had a 3.462 times higher risk of T2DM than that in the lowest quartile (HR=3.462, 95% CI: 1.297-9.243). Moreover, a higher cumulative HDL load corresponded to a lower risk of T2DM onset (P_trend =0.006). After adjusting for covariates, the risk of T2DM was 0.314-fold lower in the highest quartile of cumulative HDL burden than that in the lowest quartile (HR=0.314, 95% CI: 0.131-0.753). Cumulative TG burden partially mediated the association between red meat and T2DM.

CONCLUSION

The increase in cumulative HDL burden and the decrease in cumulative HDL burden are related to the incidence of T2DM. Cumulative TG burden was shown to play a partial mediating role in the pathogenesis of red meat and diabetes.

Perylene diimide-based treatment and diagnosis of diseases

Integrated treatment using imaging technology to monitor biological processes for the precise treatment and diagnosis of diseases to improve treatment outcomes is becoming a hot topic. Accordingly, perylene diimide (PDI) has excellent photothermal conversion and photostability, which can be used as a good material for disease treatment and diagnosis. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the real-time diagnosis of related diseases based on perylene diimide probes in the aspects of bioimaging, detection of biomarkers and determination of the pH in living cells. Furthermore, perylene diimide-based multifunctional nano-delivery systems are particularly emphasized, showing great therapeutic potential in the field of image-guided combination therapy in tumor therapy. Finally, the great opportunities and challenges still faced by perylene diimide before entering the clinic are comprehensively analyzed.

Metabolomics of Artichoke Bud Extract in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Hypertension adversely affects the quality of life in humans across modern society. Studies have attributed increased reactive oxygen species production to the pathophysiology of hypertension. So far, a specific drug to control the disease perfectly has not been developed. However, artichoke, an edible vegetable, plays an essential role in treating many diseases due to its potent antioxidant activities. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of artichoke bud extract (ABE) on heart tissue metabolomics of hypertensive rats. Spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were divided into six groups, then exposed to different doses comprising ABE, Enalapril Maleate, or 1% carboxylmethyl cellulose for 4 weeks. Their blood pressures were recorded at 0, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the start of the test period. Thereafter, all rats were anesthetized, and blood was collected from their cardiac apexes. Then, we measured the levels for 15 kinds of serum biochemical parameters. An established orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis model completed the metabolomic analysis. Hypertensive rats in the ABE group exhibited well-controlled blood pressure, relative to those in the model group. Specifically, artichoke significantly lowered serum levels for total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and uric acid (UA) in the hypertensive rats. This effect involved the action of eight metabolites, including guanine, 1-methylnicotinamide, p-aminobenzoic acid, NAD, NADH, uridine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and methylmalonic acid. Collectively, these findings suggest that ABE may play a role in affecting oxidative stress and purine, nicotinate, and nicotinamide metabolism.