A comparative study of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels in the saliva of diabetic and normal patients

Antimicrobial peptide AP2 ameliorates Salmonella Typhimurium infection by modulating gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Endogenous antimicrobial peptides and proteins are essential for shaping and maintaining a healthy gut microbiota, contributing to anti-inflammatory responses and resistance to pathogen colonization. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) infection is one of the most frequently reported bacterial diseases worldwide. Manipulation of the gut microbiota through exogenous antimicrobial peptides may protect against ST colonization and improve clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated that oral administration of the antimicrobial peptide AP2 (2 µg /mouse), an optimized version of native apidaecin IB (AP IB), provided protective effects against ST infection in mice. These effects were evidenced by reduced ST-induced body weight loss and lower levels of serum inflammatory cytokines. A 16 S rRNA-based analysis of the cecal microbiota revealed that AP2 significantly modulated the gut microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium while decreasing that of Akkermansia at the genus level. Furthermore, the transplantation of fecal microbiota from AP2-treated donor mice, rather than from Control mice, significantly reduced cecal damage caused by ST and decreased the concentration of ST by one order of magnitude after infection.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which exogenous antimicrobial peptides mitigate Salmonella Typhimurium infection through the modulation of gut microbiota.

Salivary Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alanine Aminotransferase and IgA as biomarkers for Type I Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

Introduction:

Type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by absolute insulin deficiency, which is caused by progressive destruction of the β-islet cells of the pancreas. Aminotransferases participate in the interconversion of amino acids and oxalic acids by transfer of amino groups. Organ damage leads to leakage of transaminases into the blood. IgA is the only immunoglobulin that is found in saliva and forms the first line of defense. Alteration in the levels of secretory IgA often indicates a local or systemic disease. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of salivary aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and IgA as biomarkers for T1DM patients.

Materials and Methods:

An electronic literature search was conducted by two independent reviewers using PubMed, Medline and Google scholar without any date filter. The inclusion criteria included case control and cross-sectional studies. Publications in languages other than English, review articles, letters to the editor, and studies done on animal models were excluded from the review. The difference in the levels of salivary AST, ALT, or IgA in T1DM patients and in healthy individuals were compared. Risk of bias assessment was done using the ROBINS-I tool.

Results:

A total of eight relevant articles were assessed, out of which three studies showed elevated salivary AST and ALT levels and five studies showed elevated salivary IgA levels in patients with T1DM.

Conclusion:

Our review reflected that salivary AST, ALT, and IgA were elevated in T1DM patients, and they can be used for monitoring these patients. Further studies are needed to establish the diagnostic accuracy of these parameters for clinical application.

Assessment of Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels Among Diabetic Patients Treated in the Outpatient Clinics at King Hussein Medical Center, Royal Medical Services, Jordan

Introduction

Diabetes is a chronic disease and usually is associated with inflammatory conditions. Although assessment of inflammatory markers such lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is not likely to be conducted in routine practice, it can help in monitoring disease progress.

Aim

The main objectives of the present study are to assess the levels of LDH among diabetic patients treated in the outpatient clinics at King Hussein Medical Center, and to investigate the relationships between the levels of LDH and other variables such as age, gender, BMI, and glucose levels.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted to collect data from files of diabetic patients. A total of 62 files were selected. Files of diabetic patients were included if complete information including LDH are included. An excel sheet was used to enter the raw data for all patients. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Data were presented as means, standard deviations, frequencies and percentages. The relationships between variables were computed using T test, and Chi-square. The significance will be considered at p ≤ 0.05.

Results

The mean age was 75±12 years. About 53% of participants were males. The mean of BMI was 31.47±20.90 kg/m2. The mean glucose level was 239±85 mg/dl. The mean level of LDH was 328.34±78 U/L. There was a significant association between the level of LDH and study variables. Gender had no significant impacts on the levels of LH and other study variables.

Conclusion

Determination of the level of LDH helps in assessment of progression of diabetes and it is recommended to be performed clinically in routine practice.

Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis presenting as palatal ulcer: A case report with comprehensive pathophysiology

Mucormycosis is an emerging fungal infection which has exceptionally high mortality rates in immunocompromised patients and remains a life-threatening infection in uncontrolled diabetics. The reported cases in literature may be less in number due to its frequent misdiagnosis. Imaging techniques in the early stages are usually nondiagnostic and cytological smears are not very reliable, thus, the gold standard for definitive diagnosis remains with the histopathological examination. A thorough understanding of the pathogenesis and host fungus interaction aids in the histopathological evaluation and clinical management. Despite of surgical and medical management, the overall mortality rate remains high in persistently immunocompromised individuals. We present a case report of a 58-year-old female patient with rhinomaxillary mucormycosis with a history of uncontrolled diabetes.

The effects of storage time and temperature on the stability of salivary phosphatases, transaminases and dehydrogenase

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the influence of temperature and storage time on salivary acid phosphatase (ACP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

DESIGN

Unstimulated whole expectorated saliva was collected from healthy men and women subjects (n=26) between 8 and 10a.m. The saliva samples were centrifuged, and the supernatants were measured for ACP, TRAP, ALP, AST, ALT and LDH activities immediately (without freezing) [baseline values] and after time intervals of 3, 7, 14 and 28days (d) of storage at -20°C and -80°C using spectrophotometric methods The influence of storage time was analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by the Dunnett post-test, while the paired Student's-t-test was used to compare the differences between the temperature (p<0.05).

RESULTS

There was significant decline in the activities of all enzymes at -20°C with increasing storage time. This decrease was relevant from day 14 onward for the majority of the enzymes, with the exception of AST. After day 28, the more sensitive enzymes were ALP and LDH, which showed residual activity of 39% and 16%, respectively, compared with baseline values. There were considerable, but insignificant changes, in the activities of all enzymes after storage at -80°C for 28days.

CONCLUSIONS

Frozen samples should be kept at -80°C to preserve these activities, but there are restrictions for the enzymes ALP, ALT and LDH. Storage of samples at -20°C could introduce high error variance in measured activities.

Integrating genomic data from high-throughput studies with computational modeling reveals differences in the molecular basis of hyposalivation between type 1 and type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVES

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are accompanied by a high prevalence of hyposalivation (decreased salivary secretion), resulting in oral tissue damage. However, the molecular basis for the hyposalivation is yet unknown. Identifying genes and proteins that account for diabetes-related hyposalivation will help understanding the basis for this condition and identifying disease biomarkers in saliva.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We integrated genomic data from 110 high-throughput studies with computational modeling, to explore the relationship between diabetes and salivary glands on a genomic scale.

RESULTS

A significant overlap exists between genes that are altered in both types of diabetes and genes that are expressed in salivary glands; 87 type 1 diabetes and 34 type 2 diabetes associated genes are also common to salivary glands. However, the overlap between these genes is not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes associated genes are involved in the salivary secretion process, but mostly at different parts of it. This suggests that type 1 and type 2 diabetes impair salivary secretion by affecting different processes in the salivary tissue.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The genomic characteristics of Type 1 and type 2 diabetes may explain differences in salivary gland tissues morphology and saliva composition in people with diabetes, and suggest candidate proteins for diabetes salivary biomarkers.

Salivary lactate dehydrogenase and aminotransferases in diabetic patients

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases resulting from impaired insulin secretion and/or action. DM is characterized by hyperglycemia that can lead to the dysfunction or damage of organs, including the salivary glands.The aim of this study was to compare the levels of salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in diabetic patients.The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of Wroclaw Medical University (Poland). The study comprised 90 adults of both sexes, aged 21 to 57 years. The patients were divided into 3 groups: type 1 diabetics (D1), type 2 diabetics (D2), and a healthy control group (C). Each group consisted of 30 age- and sex-matched subjects. Total protein (P, by Lowry method), LDH, AST, ALT (with Alpha Diagnostics kits), and salivary flow rate were measured in unstimulated mixed saliva. The level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured with DCA 2000 Reagent Kit. The obtained data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman rank at a significance level of P < 0.05 with the use of STATISTICA 9.0 software.In comparison with C, D1 presented a significantly higher activity of LDH (P < 0.001), AST (P < 0.001), and ALT (P < 0.01), whereas D2 indicated higher levels of LDH (P < 0.001) and ALT (P < 0.05) compared with C. Comparing D1 to D2, approximately 3-fold higher activity of AST (P < 0.01) and approximately 4.5-fold higher activity of ALT (P < 0.01) was observed.Higher levels of salivary LDH, AST, and ALT in D1 compared with D2 and C confirm that salivary glands of D1 might be attributed to autoimmunological damage associated with the pathomechanism of DM.

A simple and sensitive detection of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity based on fluorescence quenching of bovine serum albumin

It is well known that Cu(ii) can coordinate withl-alanine (Cu–Ala), which can be destroyed through the addition of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) since GPT can effectively catalyze the conversion ofl-alanine into keto-acetic acid.