γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in men and alanine aminotransferase in women are the most suitable parameters among liver function tests for the prediction of metabolic syndrome in nonviral hepatitis and nonfatty liver in the elderly

Flavonoids from Rosa davurica Pall. fruits prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity and liver injury via modulation of the gut microbiota in mice

Rosa davurica Pall. (RDP) fruits are popularly consumed as beverages and healthy food in China because of their various beneficial activities. In particular, flavonoids are one of the major active ingredients of RDP fruits with predominant pharmacological effects. However, the anti-obesity activities of flavonoids from RDP fruits and their regulation effect on the gut microbiota have not been determined. In the present study, the flavonoid-rich extracts (RDPF) were isolated from RDP fruits and their anti-obesity effects were investigated using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. The results showed that RDPF intervention significantly inhibited the body weight, liver weight, kidney weight and epididymal adipose tissue weight of HFD-fed mice without affecting the calorie intake. Plasma lipid levels were also significantly lowered by RDPF treatment. Histological examination showed that RDPF supplementation partially recovered HFD-induced hepatic steatosis in the liver. RDPF also prevented oxidative injury of the liver, as evidenced by the altered superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The expression levels of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1C (SREBP-1C), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARα) and CAT mRNA in the livers of mice were also regulated by RDPF administration. 16S rRNA gene sequence data further indicated that RDPF addition increased the microbial diversity and reshaped the community composition. Intriguingly, RDPF intervention did not exhibit inhibitory tendency toward the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, but markedly decreased the relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae. This study provided novel insights into the application of RDPF in the food industry.

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase elevation is associated with metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A community-based cross-sectional study

This study aimed to analyze the association between elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). From August 2013 to August 2018, a community-based study was conducted in the northeastern part of Taiwan. Patients who underwent abdominal ultrasonography (US) and had no history of alcoholic liver disease were included. According to a US examination showing fatty liver degree, 1566 patients with NAFLD were divided into four groups: normal GGT, isolated GGT elevation, isolated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation, and both GGT and ALT elevation groups. Further 1147 participants with normal serum ALT, GGT, and the abdominal US were included as the control group. GGT levels were associated with high sensitivity C-reactive protein, lower adiponectin, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. A stepwise increase in odds ratio (OR) for MetS was found in the normal GGT group (OR = 1.71), isolated GGT elevation group (OR = 3.06), isolated ALT elevation (OR = 4.00), and both GGT + ALT elevation group (OR = 4.17) than the control group. Linear regression analysis revealed a positive association between GGT/ALT value and hepatic steatosis degree, GGT value, and degree of hepatic fibrosis. Hence, GGT elevation is associated with MetS, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

Association of total bilirubin and indirect bilirubin content with metabolic syndrome among Kazakhs in Xinjiang

BACKGROUND

Some studies have shown that a high level of bilirubin is a protective factor against metabolic syndrome (MS), while a high level of transaminase is a risk factor for MS. However, the existing results are inconsistent and few cohort studies have been published.

METHODS

Using an ambispective cohort study, 565 Kazakhs from Xinjiang, China were selected as the study subjects. The baseline serum bilirubin and transaminase levels of the subjects were divided into quartiles and the relationship between these values and the incidence of MS was analyzed. The definition of MS was based on the Joint Interim Statement (JIS) diagnostic criteria.

RESULTS

The average follow-up time for the subjects was 5.72 years. The cumulative incidence of MS was 36.11% (204 of the 565 subjects), and the incidence density was 63.10/1000 person-years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the levels of total bilirubin (TBIL) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were negatively correlated with the occurrence of MS, Compared to the lowest quartile level (Q1), the hazard ratios of MS the TBIL levels at the Q2-Q4 quartiles were: 0.47 (0.31-0.71), 0.53 (0.35-0.79), and 0.48 (0.32-0.72), respectively, while IBIL levels at the Q2-Q4 quartiles showed an MS hazard ratio of 0.48 (0.32-0.72), 0.54(0.36-0.81), and 0.52 (0.35-0.77), respectively, all at a 95% confidence level. However, no relationship was found between transaminase levels and the incidence of MS.

CONCLUSION

Serum TBIL and IBIL levels were negatively correlated with the incidence of MS in a Kazakh population in China.

High-throughput system metabolomics method reveals new mechanistic insights of chlorogenic acid by using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry

It has increasingly been recognized that metabolism is highly interconnected with disease, and system metabolomics studies have aimed to discover metabolic biomarkers and analyze the pathways of metabolome phenotypes. To better understand the metabolic alteration related with disease, a urine metabolic profile using a high-throughput system metabolomics technology approach was applied to probe the underlying molecular mechanisms of alcohol-induced liver injury and the therapeutic effects of chlorogenic acid (CA). In this study, endogenous low-molecular-weight metabolites were characterized using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The acquired data was parsed by principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to identify potential biomarkers. A total of 19 biomarkers were identified in a model of alcohol-induced liver injury rats, and it was found that chlorogenic acid had a regulatory effect on 14 of them, associated with multiple metabolic pathways. Comprehensive pathway analysis suggests that CA has the ability to regulate abnormal metabolic states. In addition, accessory examinations such as biochemical analysis and histopathological observations were also performed that showed similar results. As a natural product agent against ethanol-induced liver injury, CA was validated in the rebalancing of a wide range of metabolic disorders. High-throughput system metabolomics represents a powerful approach for revealing new mechanistic insights of natural products.

It has increasingly been recognized that metabolism is highly interconnected with disease, and system metabolomics studies have aimed to discover metabolic biomarkers and analyze the pathways of metabolome phenotypes.

Alanine Aminotransferase and Total Bilirubin Are Synergistically Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Among Middle-Aged and Elderly Japanese Women

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at high levels and total bilirubin (T-BiL) at low levels were oxidative potentials, but it was uncertain whether ALT and T-BiL had an additive interaction for the risk of MetS.

METHODS

From a single community, we recruited 864 women (70 ± 8 years) during their annual health examination. We cross-sectionally investigated whether ALT and T-BiL are associated with MetS and its components based on the modified criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III report.

RESULTS

Of these subjects, 415 women (48.0%) had MetS. Participants with MetS had a higher ALT and lower T-BiL level than those without MetS. The adjusted-odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) for MetS across tertiles of ALT and T-BiL were 1.00, 1.19 (0.78-1.81), and 1.86 (1.24-2.80) and 1.00, 0.96 (0.65-1.43), and 0.54 (0.36-0.81), respectively. When ALT and T-BiL were categorized into three binary characteristics by tertiles of ALT and T-BiL, high T-BiL was associated with decreased risk for MetS in a multivariable model (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.37-0.82), especially among those with 1st tertile ALT. Similarly, high ALT was also associated with increased risk for MetS in a multivariate model (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.20-2.71), especially among those with 2nd & 3rd tertiles of T-BiL. In the formal testing of addictive interaction between ALT and T-BiL for MetS, presence of T-BiL <0.72 mg/dL (1st and 2nd tertile) alone was not associated with increased risk of MetS in a multivariate analysis, and presence of ALT ≥16 IU/L (2nd and 3rd tertile) alone was not associated with increased risk of MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that higher ALT and lower T-BiL levels were synergistically associated with MetS, independent of other confounding factors among Japanese women.

Correlation of the leucocyte count with traditional and non-traditional components of metabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To investigate correlation of the white blood cell (WBC) and its subtype count with the traditional and non-traditional components of the metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

Between January 2012 and December 2013, 18,222 people were enrolled in this study. The height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were measured, and blood samples were tested for all subjects after an overnight fast. The count of WBC and its subtypes, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein, aminotransferases, fibrinogen, uric acid, and fasting blood glucose were all assessed.

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome was found in 2502 of 18,222 healthy Chinese people (16.41%). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 22.61% for men significantly (P < 0.05) greater than for women (6.83%). The prevalence of obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in people with than without metabolic syndrome. With increase of the WBC count, BMI, systolic and diastolic pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamyltranspetidase, blood urea nitrogen fibrinogen and uric acid all went up significantly (P < 0.001) while HDL decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The creatinine remained relatively sTable After adjustment of age, sex, alcoholic drinking and education, the metabolic components of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia rose significantly (P < 0.05) positively with increased counts of the total WBC, neutrophil and lymphocyte, and the WBC and its subtypes were an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome.

CONCLUSION

Aminotransferases, fibrinogen and uric acid all significantly increase with increased WBC count in a dose-dependent manner. Increased counts of the total WBC and its subtypes are positively associated with presence of metabolic syndrome.