Lack of association between UCP2 gene polymorphisms and obesity phenotype in Italian Caucasians

The importance of the genetic component on adipose tissue accumulation has been clearly demonstrated. Among the candidate genes investigated, there are those that regulate thermogenesis and, thus, can affect energy expenditure. The uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are a family of proteins that uncouple respiration leading to generation of heat and increased energy expenditure. Contradictory data indicate that allelic variants in their coding genes might be associated with obesity. In this study we evaluated the role of two allelic variants of the UCP2 gene in obesity and the association with its sub-phenotypic characteristics. To this aim, 360 morbidly obese patients [age: 45 +/- 15 yr, body mass index (BMI): 46 +/- 7 kg/m2] and 103 normal weight subjects (BMI < 24 kg/m2) were genotyped for the 45 bais-pair (bp) insertion/deletion (I/D) in the 3'-untraslated region of exon 8 of the UCP2 gene while the presence of an Ala/Val substitution at codon 55 (Ala55Val) of the same gene was studied in 104 obese and 50 lean subjects. Patients also underwent a study protocol including measurements of BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), resting energy expenditure (REE), energy intake, fat mass (FM) and free fat mass (FFM), total cholesterol (TCH), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triacylglyceroles (TG), leptin levels, basal glucose, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin sensitivity and thyroid hormones. No significant association between the two polymorphisms studied and the clinical, metabolic and anthropometric parameters characteristic of the obese phenotype was found. These results, in accordance with similar findings previously obtained in other ethnic groups, suggest that these two UCP2 allelic variants may not have a direct role in the pathogenesis and development of obesity.

IGF-I mRNA and signaling in the diabetic retina

IGF-I promotes the survival of multiple cell types by activating the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), which signals downstream to a serine/threonine kinase termed Akt. Because in diabetes vascular and neural cells of the retina undergo accelerated apoptosis, we examined IGF-I synthesis and signaling in the human and rat diabetic retina. In retinas obtained postmortem from six donors aged 64 +/- 8 years with a diabetes duration of 7 +/- 5 years, IGF-I mRNA levels were threefold lower than in the retinas of six age-matched nondiabetic donors (P = 0.005). In the retinas of rats with 2 months' duration of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, IGF-I mRNA levels were similar to those of control rats, but after 5 months of diabetes they failed to increase to the levels recorded in age-matched controls (P < 0.02). Retinal IGF-I expression was not altered by hypophysectomy, proving to be growth-hormone independent. IGF-IR levels were modestly increased in the human diabetic retinas (P = 0.02 vs. nondiabetic retinas) and were unchanged in the diabetic rats. Phosphorylation of the IGF-IR could be measured only in the rat retina, and was not decreased in the diabetic rats (94 +/- 18% of control values). In the same diabetic rats, phosphorylation of Akt was 123 +/- 21% of control values. There was not yet evidence of increased apoptosis of retinal microvascular cells after 5 months of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Hence, in the retina of diabetic rats, as in the retina of diabetic human donors, IGF-I mRNA levels are substantially lower than in age-matched nondiabetic controls, whereas IGF-IR activation and signaling are not affected, at least for some time. This finding suggests that in the diabetic retina, the activation of the IGF-IR is modulated by influences that compensate for, or are compensated by, decreased IGF-I synthesis.

Bax is increased in the retina of diabetic subjects and is associated with pericyte apoptosis in vivo and in vitro

Diabetes of even short duration accelerates the death of capillary cells and neurons in the inner retina by a process consistent with apoptosis. We examined whether the process is accompanied by changes in the expression of endogenous regulators of apoptosis. In postmortem retinas of 18 diabetic donors (age 67 +/- 6 years, diabetes duration 9 +/- 4 years) the levels of pro-apoptotic Bax were slightly, but significantly, increased when compared with levels in 20 age-matched nondiabetic donors (P = 0.04). In both groups, Bax localized to vascular and neural cells of the inner retina. Neither pro-apoptotic Bcl-X(S), nor pro-survival Bcl-X(L) appeared affected by diabetes. The levels of these molecules could not be accurately quantitated in lysates of retinal vessels because of variable degrees of glial contamination. However, studies in situ showed in several pericytes, the outer cells of retinal capillaries, intense Bax staining often in conjunction with DNA fragmentation. Bovine retinal pericytes exposed in vitro to high glucose levels for 5 weeks showed elevated levels of Bax (P = 0.03) and increased frequency of annexin V binding, indicative of early apoptosis. Hence, human diabetes selectively alters the expression of Bax in the retina and retinal vascular pericytes at the same time as it causes increased rates of apoptosis. The identical program induced by high glucose in vitro implicates hyperglycemia as a causative factor in vivo, and provides a model for establishing the role of Bax in the accelerated death of retinal cells induced by diabetes.

Moderate maternal drinking and outcome of pregnancy

The adverse effect of light or moderate maternal drinking during pregnancy on the well being of the newborn has been investigated. The study group included 2145 live births in the obstetric units of 11 Italian cities between February 1989 and July 1990. A detailed life style questionnaire was administered to the mothers. Information on the newborn was collected from clinical records as well as from a clinical examination. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were suggestive of a decrease in mean birth weight associated with maternal drinking pregnancy, especially in women who also smoked during pregnancy. This effect was higher in male newborns. The occurrence of low birth weight (< 2500 g.) was more frequent in women drinking during pregnancy in both smokers and non-smokers (for this latter group an effect is suggested only for a daily consumption of more than 10 grams of absolute alcohol). Maternal alcohol drinking of more than 20 grams of absolute alcohol per day also increased the risk of preterm delivery (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: .98-5.59). Finally, an increase in the rate of early jaundice was found, also associated with maternal drinking (OR = 3.30; 95% CI: 1.03-10.54).

[Scoliosis: ten years' experience of screening]

Scoliosis is a permanent lateral deflection of backbone, associated to a vertebra's rotation and twisting on their vertical axle, and it is one of more common diseases of pediatric age. It exist a great difference between the structural conformations, that are true pathologies, and the functional ones or paramorphisms, without bony alterations. Since about 80% of real scoliosis is idiopathic. The pediatrician's task is of precociously identify the appearance of a scoliotic bend and differentiate the structural and evolutive shapes from simple scoliotic posture. Therefore for ten years, in the preventive medicine programme of school age, we affected a scoliosis research in the secondary school using as clinical method the "bending test" that appraises three essential parameters: size's triangle, gibbus and limbs' asymmetry. Before examination an anamnestic form is compiled and the sexual maturity's degree is appraised. The subjects with suspect of scoliosis are asked to a subsequential control performed in our department's ambulatory service by a doctor of Scoliosis's Center of Pozzolatico (Florence), in order to decide whether to take radiographs and to define, if necessary, treatment. We verified 4453 pupils and of these the 8.9% has been asked to the specialist's control. Of these 106, namely the 2.8% of total pattern, have been X-rayed and 46, namely the 0.9% of total pattern, have been orthopaedically treated because affected by evolutive scoliosis. If we consider the last quinquennium's statistics, we remark that treatment's incidence is lower to 0.4% conforming to literature's data. We never observed false negatives whereas false positive have been only 0.8% of total pattern.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Evaluation in experimental animals of a mathematical model of foreseeing variations in values of stable glycosylated hemoglobin]

Assay of glycosylated hemoglobin provides reliable information on metabolic control in diabetes mellitus over a period of about 90 days. This is why it is currently used as a parameter of blood glucose control in diabetic patients. However, at present little is known about the kinetics of stable glycosylated hemoglobin variations as a result of circadian changes in blood glucose level. The authors describe a mathematical model which allows to foresee glycosylated hemoglobin variability as a result of alterations of blood glucose equilibrium.

[A multicenter study of the biometric parameters of Tuscan newborns]

We combined data concerning weight, length, chest's perimeter and head's circumference of newborns of 16 Tuscan hospitals on 1985, with sample of 4,215 boys and 4,119 girls, from 33.th to 42.th gestational week. These data have been statistically elaborated to obtain values of the four considered parameters and the respective standard deviation. For the distribution of the 16 hospital in the region, we think that these data are representatives of Tuscan newborn's reality. We have moreover considered whether data of Tuscan newborns, with parents proceeding from different regions, were dissimilar from those with autochthonous parents. The statistical comparison of the two reality, with "T-Student's test', is resulted not significant. We calculated then values of the four parameters with their standard deviation, for each hospital participating to the research, excluding groups with to small numerousness, i.e. 33rd, 34th, 35th and 42nd gestational week. Besides, we valued if data of each Hospital were statistically different from those related to the whole Tuscan sample. The results of this testing, performed with "T-Student's test", are illustrated in the schedules. The differences seem to be referred to local conditions, that will be object of new researches. At present, we can only emphasize that the chest's perimeter is the parameter with the larger variability, so that we will exclude this size from the next research.