Decreased S1P and SPHK2 are involved in pancreatic acinar cell injury

Aim: The roles of S1P in acute pancreatitis (AP) or non-AP patients with pancreatic acinar cell injury (PACI) are not well understood. Materials & methods: Serum S1P, in 40 healthy individuals and 99 patients with PACI, was retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, we detected and analyzed S1P in AP mice and the AR42J acinar cell line. Results: Serum S1P was significantly decreased in PACI patients, compared with that of healthy controls. Patients with gall stones, normal serum calcium or normal blood lipids showed relative higher levels of serum S1P. Interestingly, in patients with gall or liver disease, serum S1P was positively associated with γ-GT and ALT. Additionally, S1P and SPHK2 were decreased in AP mice and AR42J cells, relative to the levels of corresponding controls. Conclusion: Serum S1P is decreased in PACI, which may be partly due to downregulation of pancreatic SPHK2.

Serum γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and oxidative stress in subjectively healthy women: an association with menopausal stages

BACKGROUND

Gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) is used as a marker of alcohol-related pathology, while γ-GT is recently considered to be an oxidative stress marker.

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the oxidative status and γ-GT levels, in association with menopausal stages.

METHODS

In total, 252 women, who were subjectively healthy, were divided into three groups: premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. The circulating oxidative status was evaluated by the diacron-reactive oxygen metabolite (d-ROM) test. In addition to serum γ-GT, routine blood investigations, including lipid, glucose, and inflammatory parameters, were performed.

RESULTS

The median γ-GT level was 17 U/L and the mean d-ROM level was 335 Carr U in all subjects. On multiple regression analysis, independent significant positive correlations were observed between d-ROM and high-sensitivity CRP levels in three groups, while there was a significant positive correlation between d-ROM and γ-GT levels only in the premenopausal group but not in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal groups.

DISCUSSION

The significant relationship between d-ROM and γ-GT at active estrogen stage may indicate a different oxidative stress condition by memopausal stage. The reasons of this relationship should be further explored.

CONCLUSION

A positive relationship between d-ROM and γ-GT levels, both as known as oxidative stress-related markers, could exist in premenopausal women.

GGsTop, a novel and specific γ-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitor, protects hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a major clinical problem and is associated with numerous adverse effects. GGsTop [2-amino-4{[3-(carboxymethyl)phenyl](methyl)phosphono}butanoic acid] is a highly specific and irreversible γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) inhibitor. We studied the protective effects of GGsTop on IR-induced hepatic injury in rats. Ischemia was induced by clamping the portal vein and hepatic artery of left lateral and median lobes of the liver. Before clamping, saline (IR group) or saline containing 1 mg/kg body wt of GGsTop (IR-GGsTop group) was injected into the liver through the inferior vena cava. At 90 min of ischemia, blood flow was restored. Blood was collected before induction of ischemia and prior to restoration of blood flow and at 12, 24, and 48 h after reperfusion. All the animals were euthanized at 48 h after reperfusion and the livers were harvested. Serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and γ-GT were significantly lower after reperfusion in the IR-GGsTop group compared with the IR group. Massive hepatic necrosis was present in the IR group, while only few necroses were present in the IR-GGsTop group. Treatment with GGsTop increased hepatic GSH content, which was significantly reduced in the IR group. Furthermore, GGsTop prevented increase of hepatic γ-GT, malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, and TNF-α while all these molecules significantly increased in the IR group. In conclusion, treatment with GGsTop increased glutathione levels and prevented formation of free radicals in the hepatic tissue that led to decreased IR-induced liver injury. GGsTop could be used as a pharmacological agent to prevent IR-induced liver injury and the related adverse events.

Bariatric surgery in severely obese adolescents improves major comorbidities including hyperuricemia

OBJECTIVE

Serum uric acid (sUA) is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic comorbidities like hypertension, insulin-resistance (IR) and endothelial dysfunction (EDF) in obese children. The present pilot study investigated the association between sUA concentrations and loss of body weight following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB) in severely obese adolescents.

MATERIALS/METHODS

10 severely obese adolescents underwent either LSG (n=5) or RYGB (n=5). 17 normal weight, healthy, age- and gender-matched adolescents served as a normal weight peer group (NWPG). Pre- and 12 months postoperatively, sUA and relevant metabolic parameters (glucose homeostasis, transaminases, lipids) were compared.

RESULTS

Preoperatively, sUA was significantly elevated in patients with severe obesity compared to NWPG. Twelve months after LSG and RYGB, a significant decrease in sUA, BMI, CVD risk factors, hepatic transaminases, and HOMA-IR was observed. Reduction in SDS-BMI significantly correlated with changes in sUA.

CONCLUSIONS

sUA levels and metabolic comorbidities improved following bariatric surgery in severely obese adolescents. The impact of changes in sUA on long-term clinical complications of childhood obesity deserves further study.

Endoscopic duodenal-jejunal bypass liner rapidly improves plasma parameters of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Bariatric surgery reduces nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the effects of duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL), nonsurgical bariatric device, on plasma parameters of NAFLD. Seventeen obese subjects with type 2 diabetes received the DJBL for 24 weeks. Before, during, and after DJBL implantation, we determined plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), albumin, caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP). At baseline, subjects had increased levels of AST (35 ± 4 IU/L), ALT (54 ± 5 IU/L), and γ-GT (66 ± 14 IU/L), compared with healthy individuals; subjects' mean concentrations of caspase-cleaved CK-18 and L-FABP were 214.4 ± 35.6 U/L and 29.3 ± 2.6 ng/mL, respectively. Three months after implantation of DJBL, all NAFLD-related parameters had decreased from baseline (AST, 28 ± 3 IU/L; ALT, 32 ± 2 IU/L; γ-GT, 44 ±7 IU/L; caspase-cleaved CK-18, 140.6 ± 16.3U/L; and L-FABP, 18.2 ± 1.5 ng/mL; all P < .05). After 6 months, levels of ALT and γ-GT had further decreased (ALT, 28 ± 2 IU/L and γ-GT, 35 ± 5 IU/L), whereas levels of AST, caspase-cleaved CK-18, and L-FABP had stabilized (P = not significant). Six months after DJBLs were removed, levels of ALT (37 ± 3 IU/L), γ-GT (42 ± 5 IU/L), and caspase-cleaved CK-18 (124.5 ± 12.5U/L) were still reduced (P < .05), whereas AST and L-FABP had returned to near baseline levels (P = not significant). Therefore, in obese subjects, DJBL reduces plasma parameters of NAFLD. ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT00985114.

Association between resistin +299A/A genotype and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between the resistin intronic +299G/A polymorphism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

We selected 738 T2DM patients, including 395 with NAFLD and 343 without fatty liver disease, as well as 279 healthy control individuals, and analyzed their resistin +299G/A polymorphism genotype by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

RESULTS

Plasma resistin levels in T2DM patients with NAFLD were at the highest (P<0.05). The frequency of AA genotype at the +299 site of the resistin gene in patients with concurrent T2DM combined with NAFLD was significantly different from that in the control (P<0.05). The AA genotype was found to be associated with a 1.80-fold increased risk for T2DM combined with NAFLD, 2.05-fold increased risk for obesity and 2.37-fold increased risk for obesity of abdominal type compared to the GG (P<0.05, respectively). The multivariate non-conditional logistic regression model analysis further shows that the AA genotype is a risk factor for the development of NAFLD in T2DM patients (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.05-4.68; P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The resistin +299AA genotype may be associated with increases in the risk of the NAFLD development in T2DM patients.