Biomarkers of stress-mediated metabolic deregulation in diabetes mellitus

The Regulation of Selenoproteins in Diabetes: A New Way to Treat Diabetes

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required for the synthesis and function of selenoproteins, most of which are enzymes involved in maintaining oxidative balance in the body. Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood glucose levels over a prolonged period of time. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of diabetes research with an emphasis on the roles of selenoproteins on metabolic disturbance in diabetes. We also discuss the interaction between selenoproteins and glucose and lipid metabolism to provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

PPARβ down-regulation is involved in high glucose-induced endothelial injury via acceleration of nitrative stress

Endothelial injury plays a vital role in vascular lesions from diabetes mellitus (DM). Therapeutic targets against endothelial damage may provide critical venues for the treatment of diabetic vascular diseases. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β (PPARβ) is a crucial regulator in DM and its complications. However, the molecular signal mediating the roles of PPARβ in DM-induced endothelial dysfunction is not fully understood. The impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation and destruction of the endothelium structures appeared in high glucose incubated rat aortic rings. A high glucose level significantly decreased the expression of PPARβ and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at the mRNA and protein levels, and reduced the concentration of nitric oxide (NO), which occurred in parallel with an increase in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and 3-nitrotyrosine. The effect of high glucose was inhibited by GW0742, a PPARβ agonist. Both GSK0660 (PPARβ antagonist) and NG-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (NOS inhibitor) could reverse the protective effects of GW0742. These results suggest that the activation of nitrative stress may, at least in part, mediate the down-regulation of PPARβ in high glucose-impaired endothelial function in rat aorta. PPARβ-nitrative stress may hold potential in treating vascular complications from DM.

Protein networks linking Warburg and reverse Warburg effects to cancer cell metabolism

It was 80 years after the Otto Warburg discovery of aerobic glycolysis, a major hallmark in the understanding of cancer. The Warburg effect is the preference of cancer cell for glycolysis that produces lactate even when sufficient oxygen is provided. "reverse Warburg effect" refers to the interstitial tissue communications with adjacent epithelium, that in the process of carcinogenesis, is needed to be explored. Among these cell-cell communications, the contact between epithelial cells; between epithelial cells and matrix; and between fibroblasts and inflammatory cells in the underlying matrix. Cancer involves dysregulation of Warburg and reverse Warburg cellular metabolic pathways. How these gene and protein-based regulatory mechanisms have functioned has been the basis for this review. The importance of the Warburg in oxidative phosphorylation suppression, with increased glycolysis in cancer growth and proliferation is emphasized. Studies that are directed at pathways that would be expected to shift cell metabolism to an increased oxidation and to a decrease in glycolysis are emphasized. Key enzymes required for oxidative phosphorylation, and affect the inhibition of fatty acid metabolism and glutamine dependence are conferred. The findings are of special interest to cancer pharmacotherapy. Studies described in this review are concerned with the effects of therapeutic modalities that are intimately related to the Warburg effect. These interactions described may be helpful as adjuvant therapy in controlling the process of proliferation and metastasis.

2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside induces autophagy of liver by activating PI3K/Akt and Erk pathway in prediabetic rats

BACKGROUND

2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (TSG) is an active compound derived from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., a Chinese Taoist herbal medicine, which exerts lipid lowering, anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. However, its role in protecting hepatocytes under pre-diabetic condition remains unclear.

METHODS

In this study, we developed prediabetic SD rats by feeding high-fat and high-sugar diet. The body weight, blood lipid, blood glucose, and fasting insulin (FINS) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were detected and calculated to assess the potential risk of prediabetes. HE and Oil Red O staining was used, and blood level of biochemical index was detected to observe the liver injury. The autophagic cell death-associated signaling proteins, and the potential signaling factors p-Akt/Akt and p-Erk/Erk were detected using western blot to explore the potential effects of TSG on pre-diabetic liver and the underlying mechanisms.

RESULTS

The results showed that the body weight in TSG-treated group was significantly decreased vs. the model group. The blood glucose, the level of FINS and HOMA-IR, TC and TG were decreased in TSG-treated group as well. Furthermore, TSG treatment significantly ameliorated lipid droplet accumulation, enhanced liver anti-oxidative response which may be associated with an increased activity of SOD and GSH-Px, and a decrease of LDLC and MDA. The autophagic cell death-associated proteins, p-AMPK, ATG12, LC3 II, and Beclin 1 were up-regulated in the TSG-treated group, while the upstream signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt and Erk, were activated.

CONCLUSIONS

TSG induced liver autophagic cell death to protect liver from prediabetic injury by activating PI3K/Akt and Erk.

Renoprotective and neuroprotective effects of enteric hydrogen generation from Si-based agent

We have developed Si-based agent which can generate a large amount of hydrogen. Si-based agent continues generating hydrogen for more than 24 h by the reaction with water under conditions similar to those in bowels, i.e., pH8.3 and 36 °C, and generates ~400 mL hydrogen. To investigate beneficial effects for diseases associated with oxidative stress, Si-based agent is administered to remnant kidney rats and Parkinson's disease mice. Rats are fed with control or Si-based agent-containing diet for 8 weeks. Si-based agent is found to greatly suppress the development of renal failure and the parameters of oxidative stress. Treatment with Si-based agent in a mouse model of hemi-Parkinson's disease induced by 6-hydroxydopamine attenuated degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and prevented impairment of motor balance and coordination. These findings indicate that the Si-based agent shows renoprotective and neuroprotective effects presumably via suppression of oxidative stress by generation of hydrogen.

Biomarkers in Stress Related Diseases/Disorders: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Values

Various internal and external factors negatively affect the homeostatic equilibrium of organisms at the molecular to the whole-body level, inducing the so-called state of stress. Stress affects an organism's welfare status and induces energy-consuming mechanisms to combat the subsequent ill effects; thus, the individual may be immunocompromised, making them vulnerable to pathogens. The information presented here has been extensively reviewed, compiled, and analyzed from authenticated published resources available on Medline, PubMed, PubMed Central, Science Direct, and other scientific databases. Stress levels can be monitored by the quantitative and qualitative measurement of biomarkers. Potential markers of stress include thermal stress markers, such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), innate immune markers, such as Acute Phase Proteins (APPs), oxidative stress markers, and chemical secretions in the saliva and urine. In addition, stress biomarkers also play critical roles in the prognosis of stress-related diseases and disorders, and therapy guidance. Moreover, different components have been identified as potent mediators of cardiovascular, central nervous system, hepatic, and nephrological disorders, which can also be employed to evaluate these conditions precisely, but with stringent validation and specificity. Considerable scientific advances have been made in the detection, quantitation, and application of these biomarkers. The present review describes the current progress of identifying biomarkers, their prognostic, and therapeutic values.

Biomarkers in Stress Related Diseases/Disorders: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Values

Various internal and external factors negatively affect the homeostatic equilibrium of organisms at the molecular to the whole-body level, inducing the so-called state of stress. Stress affects an organism's welfare status and induces energy-consuming mechanisms to combat the subsequent ill effects; thus, the individual may be immunocompromised, making them vulnerable to pathogens. The information presented here has been extensively reviewed, compiled, and analyzed from authenticated published resources available on Medline, PubMed, PubMed Central, Science Direct, and other scientific databases. Stress levels can be monitored by the quantitative and qualitative measurement of biomarkers. Potential markers of stress include thermal stress markers, such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), innate immune markers, such as Acute Phase Proteins (APPs), oxidative stress markers, and chemical secretions in the saliva and urine. In addition, stress biomarkers also play critical roles in the prognosis of stress-related diseases and disorders, and therapy guidance. Moreover, different components have been identified as potent mediators of cardiovascular, central nervous system, hepatic, and nephrological disorders, which can also be employed to evaluate these conditions precisely, but with stringent validation and specificity. Considerable scientific advances have been made in the detection, quantitation, and application of these biomarkers. The present review describes the current progress of identifying biomarkers, their prognostic, and therapeutic values.

Kidney Disease in Diabetes Mellitus: Cross-Linking between Hyperglycemia, Redox Imbalance and Inflammation

Chronic hyperglycemia is the key point of macro- and microvascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus. Excess glucose is responsible for inducing redox imbalance and both systemic and intrarenal inflammation, playing a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease, which is currently the leading cause of dialysis in the world. The pathogenesis of the disease is complex, multifactorial and not fully elucidated; many factors and mechanisms are involved in the development, progression and clinical outcomes of the disease. Despite the disparate mechanisms involved in renal damage related to diabetes mellitus, the metabolic mechanisms involving oxidative/inflammatory pathways are widely accepted. The is clear evidence that a chronic hyperglycemic state triggers oxidative stress and inflammation mediated by altered metabolic pathways in a self-perpetuating cycle, promoting progression of cell injury and of end-stage renal disease. The present study presents an update on metabolic pathways that involve redox imbalance and inflammation induced by chronic exposure to hyperglycemia in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease.

Effects of recombinant human growth hormone on protein malnutrition and IGF-1 and IL-2 gene expression levels in chronic nephrotic syndrome

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on protein malnutrition and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene expressions in chronic nephrotic syndrome. Eighty patients with chronic nephrotic syndrome were admitted to our hospital. The patients were included in the study period from January 2015 to December 2016 and were divided into two groups (40 cases in each group) according to the random number method. All the patients enrolled received symptomatic and supportive treatment. The observation group was injected subcutaneously with recombinant human growth hormone, while the control group was treated with Shenyankangfu tablets. The recovery time of the clinical symptoms, change in serum protein, caloric intake and protein metabolism after intervention were compared between the two groups. Changes in serum cystatin C, IGF-1 and IL-2 before intervention, and at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after intervention were detected, and the adverse reactions in the two groups were observed during the treatment. After intervention, the improvement time of proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, edema and hyperlipidemia in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of transferrin, pre-albumin, albumin and total protein in the observation group was significantly superior increased compared to those in the observation group prior to intervention and the control group after intervention (P<0.05). In addition the caloric intake, protein intake and urea nitrogen survival rate in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the observation group prior to intervention and the control group after intervention (P<0.05). At 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after intervention, the levels of serum cystatin C, IGF-1 and IL-2 in the observation group were markedly obviously lower than those in the control group during the same period (P<0.05). The total proportion of allergy, systemic pruritus, nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension and abdominal pain in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the traditional Chinese medicine Shenyankangfu tablets applied in the control group, the recombinant human growth hormone used for patients with chronic nephrotic syndrome can improve the clinical symptoms more quickly, regulate the protein metabolism and reduce the inflammatory response in the body, which also has fewer adverse reactions and higher safety.