Aerobic exercise reduces triglycerides by targeting apolipoprotein C3 in patients with coronary heart disease

Adipose tissue inflammation linked to obesity: A review of current understanding, therapies and relevance of phyto-therapeutics

Obesity is a current global challenge affecting all ages and is characterized by the up-regulated secretion of bioactive factors/pathways which result in adipose tissue inflammation (ATI). Current obesity therapies are mainly focused on lifestyle (diet/nutrition) changes. This is because many chemosynthetic anti-obesogenic medications cause adverse effects like diarrhoea, dyspepsia, and faecal incontinence, among others. As such, it is necessary to appraise the efficacies and mechanisms of action of safer, natural alternatives like plant-sourced compounds, extracts [extractable phenol (EP) and macromolecular antioxidant (MA) extracts], and anti-inflammatory peptides, among others, with a view to providing a unique approach to obesity care. These natural alternatives may constitute potent therapies for ATI linked to obesity. The potential of MA compounds (analysed for the first time in this review) and extracts in ATI and obesity management is elucidated upon, while also highlighting research gaps and future prospects. Furthermore, immune cells, signalling pathways, genes, and adipocyte cytokines play key roles in ATI responses and are targeted in certain therapies. As a result, this review gives an in-depth appraisal of ATI linked to obesity, its causes, mechanisms, and effects of past, present, and future therapies for reversal and alleviation of ATI. Achieving a significant decrease in morbidity and mortality rates attributed to ATI linked to obesity and related comorbidities is possible as research improves our understanding over time.

Therapeutic mechanisms of ginseng in coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease. It is characterized by myocardial ischemia, which is caused by coronary atherosclerosis. CHD is a significant global health problem with increasing prevalence every year because of significant changes in the lifestyles and diets. Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been used in food preparations and traditional medicine for several centuries. Several studies have demonstrated that ginseng improved cardiac function by normalizing blood glucose levels and decreasing blood pressure, oxidative stress, platelet aggregation, and lipid dysregulation in vivo. This review describes the current understanding of the mechanisms by which ginseng alleviates CHD, and provides a reference for the clinical development and application of ginseng as an alternative therapy for CHD.

The Physiological and Molecular Links Between Physical Activity and Brain Health: A Review

There is currently an epidemic of sedentary behavior throughout the world, leading to negative impacts on physical health and contributing to both mortality and burden of disease. The consequences of this also impact the brain, where increased levels of cognitive decline are observed in individuals who are more sedentary. This review explores the physiological and molecular responses to our sedentary propensity, its contribution to several medical conditions and cognitive deficits, and the benefits of moderate levels of physical activity and exercise. Also presented is the recommended level of activity for overall physical health improvement.

Moderate-Intensity Exercise Improves Mesenteric Arterial Function in Male UC Davis Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (UCD-T2DM) Rats: A Shift in the Relative Importance of Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factors (EDRF)

The beneficial cardiovascular effects of exercise are well documented, however the mechanisms by which exercise improves vascular function in diabetes are not fully understood. This study investigates whether there are (1) improvements in blood pressure and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation (EDV) and (2) alterations in the relative contribution of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF) in modulating mesenteric arterial reactivity in male UC Davis type-2 diabetes mellitus (UCD-T2DM) rats, following an 8-week moderate-intensity exercise (MIE) intervention. EDV to acetylcholine (ACh) was measured before and after exposure to pharmacological inhibitors. Contractile responses to phenylephrine and myogenic tone were determined. The arterial expressions of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX), and calcium-activated potassium channel (K_Ca) channels were also measured. T2DM significantly impaired EDV, increased contractile responses and myogenic tone. The impairment of EDV was accompanied by elevated NO and COX importance, whereas the contribution of prostanoid- and NO-independent (endothelium-derived hyperpolarization, EDH) relaxation was not apparent compared to controls. MIE 1) enhanced EDV, while it reduced contractile responses, myogenic tone and systolic blood pressure (SBP), and 2) caused a shift away from a reliance on COX toward a greater reliance on EDH in diabetic arteries. We provide the first evidence of the beneficial effects of MIE via the altered importance of EDRF in mesenteric arterial relaxation in male UCD-T2DM rats.

Moderate-intensity continuous training has time-specific effects on the lipid metabolism of adolescents

Background and Objectives

Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) is used to observe lipidomic effects in adults. However, the efects of MICT on lipid metabolism in adolescents remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to longitudinally characterize the lipid profile in adolescents during different periods of 6-week MICT.

Methods

Fifteen adolescents undertook bicycle training at 65% of maximal oxygen consumption. Plasma samples were collected at four time points (T0, T1, T2, and T3). Targeted lipidomics was assessed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to characterize the plasma lipid profiles of the participants to identify the lipids present at differing concentrations and changes in lipid species with time.

Results

MICT afected the plasma lipid profiles of the adolescents. The concentrations of diglycerides, phosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine were increased at T1, decreased at T2, and increased again at T3. Fatty acids (FAs) showed an opposite trend. Ether-linked alkylphosphatidylcholine and triglycerides were significantly increased and remained high. Sphingolipid concentrations initially decreased and then remained low. Therefore, a single bout of exercise had substantial efects on lipid metabolism, but by T3, fewer lipid species were present at significantly diferent concentrations and the magnitudes of the remaining diferences were smaller than those at earlier times. Among all the changed lipids, only DG(14:1/18:1), HexCer(d18:1/22:1) and FA(22:0) showed no significant correlations with any other 51 lipids (P < 0.05). Glycerides and phospholipids showed positive correlations with each other (P < 0.05), but FAs were significantly negatively correlated with glycerides and phospholipids while positively with other FAs (P < 0.05). Pathway enrichment analysis showed that 50% of the metabolic pathways represented were related to lipid metabolism and lipid biosynthesis.

Conclusion

MICT increases ether-linked alkylphosphatidylcholine and triglyceride concentrations. Diglyceride, phosphatidylinositol, and lysophosphatidylcholine concentrations initially rise and then decrease 6 weeks after MICT, but FA concentrations show an opposite trend. These changes might correlate with lipid metabolism or biosynthesis pathways.

Exercise training modifies the whole blood DNA methylation profile in middle-aged and older women

This is a longitudinal single-arm clinical trial aimed to investigate whether exercise training would modify the whole blood methylation profile in healthy women. A total of 45 subjects were engaged in an exercise training protocol during a 14-wk follow up, consisting of aerobic cardiorespiratory and muscle strength exercises. Subjects were evaluated at baseline (PRE), after 7 wk of exercise training (POST 7), and after 14 wk of exercise training (POST 14). Functional primary outcomes included anthropometric, blood pressure, biochemical measurements, physical tests, and global health assessments. Blood samples were collected at each time point to determine the methylation profile using a DNA methylation array technique screening up to 850k different sites. Exercise training decreased blood pressure and triglyceride levels and enhanced physical performance, including upper- and lower-body maximum strength. Moreover, exercise training improved markers of quality of life. In the array analysis, 14 wk of exercise training changed the methylation of more than 800 sites. Across these differentially methylated sites, we found that differentially methylated sites in the promoter region were more hypermethylated after exercise training, suggesting that this hypermethylation process may affect the transcription process. When inputting the differentially methylated sites in pathway analysis, we found several metabolic pathways, including AMPK signaling, TGF-β signaling, and insulin signaling. This study demonstrates that exercise training promotes a robust change in the whole blood methylation profile and provides new insights into the key regulators of exercise-induced benefits.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We have shown that exercise training lowers blood pressure and triglyceride levels, improves physical performance, and improves quality of life in middle-aged and elderly women. Regarding epigenetic data, we noticed that more than 800 sites are differentially methylated in whole blood after physical training. We emphasize that the differentially methylated sites in the promoter region are more hypermethylated after physical training. In addition, this study shows that key members of metabolic pathways, including AMPK signaling, TGF-β signaling, and insulin signaling, are among the genes hypermethylated after physical exercise in older women.

Targeted Lipidomics and Inflammation Response to Six Weeks of Sprint Interval Training in Male Adolescents

Lipids play an important role in coordinating and regulating metabolic and inflammatory processes. Sprint interval training (SIT) is widely used to improve sports performance and health outcomes, but the current understanding of SIT-induced lipid metabolism and the corresponding systemic inflammatory status modification remains controversial and limited, especially in male adolescents. To answer these questions, twelve untrained male adolescents were recruited and underwent 6 weeks of SIT. The pre- and post-training testing included analyses of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), biometric data (weight and body composition), serum biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, testosterone, and cortisol), inflammatory markers, and targeted lipidomics. After the 6-week SIT, the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β significantly decreased (p < 0.05), whereas IL-6 and IL-10/TNF-α significantly increased (p < 0.05). In addition, the targeted lipidomics revealed changes in 296 lipids, of which 33 changed significantly (p < 0.05, fold change > 1.2 or <1/1.2). The correlation analysis revealed that the changes in the inflammatory markers were closely correlated with the changes in some of the lipids, such as LPC, HexCer, and FFA. In conclusion, the 6-week SIT induced significant changes in the inflammatory markers and circulating lipid composition, offering health benefits to the population.

Xylooligosaccharides and aerobic training regulate metabolism and behavior in rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized with decreased microbial diversity. Gut microbiota is essential for the normal physiological functioning of many organs, especially the brain. Prebiotics are selectively fermentable oligosaccharides [xylooligosaccharides (XOS), galactooligosaccharides, etc.] that promote the growth and activity of gut microbes and influence the gut-brain axis. Aerobic exercise is a non-pharmacological approach for the control of diabetes and could improve cognitive functions. The potential beneficial effect of XOS and/or aerobic training on cognition, the lipid profile and oxidative stress markers of experimental rats were evaluated in this study. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three streptozotocin-induced diabetic groups and a control group. Some of the rats, either on a XOS treatment or a standard diet, underwent aerobic training. The results showed that the aerobic training independently lowered the total cholesterol levels compared to the sedentary diabetic rats (p = 0.032), while XOS lowers the malondialdehyde levels in the trained diabetic rats (p = 0.034). What is more the exercise, independently or in combination with XOS beneficially affected all parameters of the behavioral tests. We conclude that aerobic exercises alone or in a combination with the prebiotic XOS could ameliorate the dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and cognitive abilities in experimental type 1 diabetic animals.

Hypertriglyceridemia in young adults with a 22q11.2 microdeletion

OBJECTIVE

Mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia is a condition often associated with obesity and diabetes, with as yet incomplete knowledge of underlying genetic architecture. The 22q11.2 microdeletion is associated with multimorbidity, including increased risk of obesity and diabetes. In this study, we sought to investigate whether the 22q11.2 microdeletion was associated with mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia (1.7-10 mmol/L).

DESIGN

This was a cohort study comparing 6793 population-based adults and 267 with a 22q11.2 microdeletion aged 17-69 years, excluding those with diabetes or on statins.

METHODS

We used binomial logistic regression modeling to identify predictors of hypertriglyceridemia, accounting for the 22q11.2 microdeletion, male sex, BMI, ethnicity, age, and antipsychotic medications.

RESULTS

The 22q11.2 microdeletion was a significant independent predictor of mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia (odds ratio (OR): 2.35, 95% CI: 1.70-3.26). All other factors examined were also significant predictors (OR: 1.23-2.10), except for antipsychotic medication use. Within the 22q11.2 microdeletion subgroup, only male sex (OR: 3.10, 95% CI: 1.77-5.44) and BMI (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.14-1.98) were significant predictors of hypertriglyceridemia, evident at mean age 31.2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The 22q11.2 microdeletion is associated with hypertriglyceridemia even when accounting for other known risk factors for elevated triglycerides. This effect is seen in young adulthood (76.6% were <40 years), in the absence of diabetes, and irrespective of antipsychotics, suggesting that the 22q11.2 microdeletion may represent an unrecognized genetic risk factor for hypertriglyceridemia, providing novel opportunities for animal and cellular models. Early dyslipidemia screening and management strategies would appear prudent for individuals with 22q11.2 microdeletions.

Application Value of Health Education Combined with Aerobic Exercise in Nursing of Patients with Mastitis Found in Physical Examination

Objective

To explore the application value of health education combined with aerobic exercise in patients with mastitis found in physical examination.

Methods

The clinical data of 100 patients with mastitis who underwent physical examination in the physical examination center of our hospital from October 2020 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the order of physical examination, they were equally split into experimental group and control group. The control group received the routine clinical intervention, while the experimental group received health education combined with aerobic exercise to evaluate the clinical effects of different intervention modes on patients with mastitis.

Results

Compared with the control group, the experimental group after intervention achieved notably higher scores of CD-RISC, self-management ability, and mastitis-related knowledge (P < 0.001), lower scores of breast pain, skin color, and local mass diameter (P < 0.001), and a higher SF-36 score (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The clinical intervention combining health education with aerobic exercise in patients with mastitis found in the physical examination is an effective method to improve their mood state and self-management ability, and further research will help provide a good solution for such patients.

Triglycerides: How to Manage Patients with Elevated Triglycerides and When to Refer?

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is among the most common dyslipidemias seen in clinical practice. Studies in recent years have demonstrated a causal relationship between triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is primarily due to enhanced atherogenicity of cholesterol-enriched remnants, the metabolic byproducts of TRLs. Other factors influencing atherogenicity of TRLs include apolipoprotein CIII-directed proinflammatory signaling pathways and triglyceride enrichment of low-density lipoprotein that results in overabundance of small dense atherogenic particles within a prooxidative milieu that serves as the gateway for unregulated incorporation by vascular wall macrophages. HTG is caused by familial and metabolic disorders as well as selected medications that impair TRL hydrolysis.

Hypertriglyceridaemia: contemporary management of a neglected cardiovascular risk factor

Hypertriglyceridaemia represents one of the most prevalent lipid abnormalities, however it is often eclipsed by focus on LDL cholesterol and is frequently overlooked by clinicians, despite it being an important cardiovascular risk factor. For most patients, hypertriglyceridaemia arises from a combination of environmental factors and multiple genetic variations with small effects. Even in cases with apparent familial clustering of hypertriglyceridaemia, a monogenetic cause is rarely identified. Common secondary causes include obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, alcohol, and various commonly used drugs. Correction of these factors, along with lifestyle optimisation, should be prioritised prior to commencing medication. The goal of drug treatment is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in those with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia and the risk of pancreatitis in those with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. Recent and ongoing trials demonstrate the important role of triglycerides (TG) in determining residual risk in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) already established on statin therapy. Novel and emerging data on omega-3 fatty acids (high-dose icosapent ethyl) and the selective PPAR modulator pemafibrate are eagerly awaited and may provide further clarity for clinicians in determining which patients will benefit from TG lowering and help inform clinical guidelines. There are numerous novel therapies on the horizon that reduce TG by decreasing the activity of proteins that inhibit lipoprotein lipase such as apolipoprotein C-III (including Volanesorsen which was recently approved in Germany) and ANGPTL 3/4 which may offer promise for the future.

Cardiovascular Drugs and Osteoarthritis: Effects of Targeting Ion Channels

Osteoarthritis (OA) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) share many similar features, including similar risk factors and molecular mechanisms. A great number of cardiovascular drugs act via different ion channels and change ion balance, thus modulating cell metabolism, osmotic responses, turnover of cartilage extracellular matrix and inflammation. These drugs are consumed by patients with CVD for many years; however, information about their effects on the joint tissues has not been fully clarified. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly likely that different cardiovascular drugs may have an impact on articular tissues in OA. Here, we discuss the potential effects of direct and indirect ion channel modulating drugs, including inhibitors of voltage gated calcium and sodium channels, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, β-adrenoreceptor inhibitors and angiotensin-aldosterone system affecting drugs. The aim of this review was to summarize the information about activities of cardiovascular drugs on cartilage and subchondral bone and to discuss their possible consequences on the progression of OA, focusing on the modulation of ion channels in chondrocytes and other joint cells, pain control and regulation of inflammation. The implication of cardiovascular drug consumption in aetiopathogenesis of OA should be considered when prescribing ion channel modulators, particularly in long-term therapy protocols.

The Importance of Lipidomic Approach for Mapping and Exploring the Molecular Networks Underlying Physical Exercise: A Systematic Review

Maintaining appropriate levels of physical exercise is an optimal way for keeping a good state of health. At the same time, optimal exercise performance necessitates an integrated organ system response. In this respect, physical exercise has numerous repercussions on metabolism and function of different organs and tissues by enhancing whole-body metabolic homeostasis in response to different exercise-related adaptations. Specifically, both prolonged and intensive physical exercise produce vast changes in multiple and different lipid-related metabolites. Lipidomic technologies allow these changes and adaptations to be clarified, by using a biological system approach they provide scientific understanding of the effect of physical exercise on lipid trajectories. Therefore, this systematic review aims to indicate and clarify the identifying biology of the individual response to different exercise workloads, as well as provide direction for future studies focused on the body’s metabolome exercise-related adaptations. It was performed using five databases (Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library). Two author teams reviewed 105 abstracts for inclusion and at the end of the screening process 50 full texts were analyzed. Lastly, 14 research articles specifically focusing on metabolic responses to exercise in healthy subjects were included. The Oxford quality scoring system scale was used as a quality measure of the reviews. Information was extracted using the participants, intervention, comparison, outcomes (PICOS) format. Despite that fact that it is well-known that lipids are involved in different sport-related changes, it is unclear what types of lipids are involved. Therefore, we analyzed the characteristic lipid species in blood and skeletal muscle, as well as their alterations in response to chronic and acute exercise. Lipidomics analyses of the studies examined revealed medium- and long-chain fatty acids, fatty acid oxidation products, and phospholipids qualitative changes. The main cumulative evidence indicates that both chronic and acute bouts of exercise determine significant changes in lipidomic profiles, but they manifested in very different ways depending on the type of tissue examined. Therefore, this systematic review may offer the possibility to fully understand the individual lipidomics exercise-related response and could be especially important to improve athletic performance and human health.

The effects of exercise training on lipid profile in patients with sarcoidosis

This study aimed to determine the use of lipid profiling to assess the effects of moderate intensity exercise training (ET) on patients with sarcoidosis. Fourteen patients with sarcoidosis (mean age, 46.0 ± 9.6 years) were examined before and after 3-week of ET programme in hospital settings. Symptoms (fatigue: FAS, dyspnoea: MRC), lung function tests and physical function tests (6 MWT, muscle force) were measured before and after ET. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy combined with orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to determine lipid profile before and after ET. Twenty-five NMR signals from lipid compounds were selected for further analysis as well as serum lipid and inflammatory markers. Three weeks of ET results in improvement of symptoms (FAS: 27.5 vs. 21.0; p < 0.001, MRC: 0.86 vs. 0.14; p = 0.002) and physical function (6MWT: 508.43 vs. 547.29; p = 0.039). OPLS-DA analysis of the lipid profiles of patients with sarcoidosis revealed differences among the samples before and after ET, including decreases in fatty acids (p < 0.017), triglycerides (p < 0.022) and total cholesterol (p < 0.020). Other changes included shifts in fatty acids oxidation products and triacylglycerol esters. A short-time, in-hospital exercise training benefits patients with sarcoidosis by enhancing their physical function. Additionally, positive effect on lipid profile was observed also in this study. It is suggested that lipid profiling could become a new prognostic method to assess effects of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with sarcoidosis.

ANGPTL3 and Apolipoprotein C-III as Novel Lipid-Lowering Targets

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Despite significant progress in plasma lipid lowering strategies, recent clinical trials highlight the existence of residual cardiovascular risk. Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) and apolipoprotein C-III (Apo C-III) have been identified as novel lipid-lowering targets.

RECENT FINDINGS

Apo C-III and ANGPTL3 have emerged as novel regulators of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. ANGPTL3 is an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), reducing lipolysis of Apo B-containing lipoproteins. Loss-of-function ANGPLT3 mutations are associated with reduced plasma cholesterol and TG, while novel ANGPLT3 inhibition strategies, including monoclonal antibodies (evinacumab), ANGPLT3 antisense oligonucleotides (IONIS-ANGPTL3-L_Rx), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing techniques (ARO-ANG3), result in increased lipolysis and significant reductions of LDL-C and TG levels in phase I and II clinical trials. Similarly, Apo C-III inhibits LPL while promoting the hepatic secretion of TG-rich lipoproteins and preventing their clearance. Loss-of-function APOC3 mutations have been associated with reduced TG levels. Targeting of Apo C-III with volanesorsen, an APOC3 siRNA, results in significant reduction in plasma TG levels but possibly also increased risk for thrombocytopenia, as recently demonstrated in phase I, II, and III clinical trials. ARO-APOC3 is a novel siRNA-based agent targeting Apo C-III which is currently under investigation with regard to its lipid-lowering efficiency. ANGPTL3 and Apo C-III targeting agents have demonstrated striking lipid-lowering effects in recent clinical trials; however, more thorough safety and efficacy data are required. Here, we evaluate the role of ANGPLT3 and Apo C-III in lipid metabolism, present the latest clinical advances targeting those molecules, and outline the remaining scientific challenges on residual lipid-associated cardiovascular risk.

Mitochondrial impairments in aetiopathology of multifactorial diseases: common origin but individual outcomes in context of 3P medicine

Mitochondrial injury plays a key role in the aetiopathology of multifactorial diseases exhibiting a "vicious circle" characteristic for pathomechanisms of the mitochondrial and multi-organ damage frequently developed in a reciprocal manner. Although the origin of the damage is common (uncontrolled ROS release, diminished energy production and extensive oxidative stress to life-important biomolecules such as mtDNA and chrDNA), individual outcomes differ significantly representing a spectrum of associated pathologies including but not restricted to neurodegeneration, cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Contextually, the role of predictive, preventive and personalised (PPPM/3P) medicine is to introduce predictive analytical approaches which allow for distinguishing between individual outcomes under circumstance of mitochondrial impairments followed by cost-effective targeted prevention and personalisation of medical services. Current article considers innovative concepts and analytical instruments to advance management of mitochondriopathies and associated pathologies.

Management of hypertriglyceridemia

Hypertriglyceridemia is one of the most common lipid abnormalities encountered in clinical practice. Many monogenic disorders causing severe hypertriglyceridemia have been identified, but in most patients triglyceride elevations result from a combination of multiple genetic variations with small effects and environmental factors. Common secondary causes include obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, alcohol misuse, and various commonly used drugs. Correcting these factors and optimizing lifestyle choices, including dietary modification, is important before starting drug treatment. The goal of drug treatment is to reduce the risk of pancreatitis in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and cardiovascular disease in those with moderate hypertriglyceridemia. This review discusses the various genetic and acquired causes of hypertriglyceridemia, as well as current management strategies. Evidence supporting the different drug and non-drug approaches to treating hypertriglyceridemia is examined, and an easy to adopt step-by-step management strategy is presented.

Serum apolipoprotein C3 levels are negatively associated with hepatitis B virus DNA in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global health issue associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Serum apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) and apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) levels were decreased in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, however the relationship between ApoC3 or ApoA5 and HBV DNA load remains elusive.

Methods

A total of 384 CHB patients including 194 HBsAg(+) HBeAg(−) and 190 HBsAg(+) HBeAg(+) and 154 healthy individuals were recruited in our study. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (Chol), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) and lipoprotein a (Lpa) were examined in an automatic biochemical analyzer. Apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) and apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) were detected via ELISA.

Results

Serum ApoA1, ApoB, ApoC3 and ApoA5 levels were reduced in CHB patients. In HBeAg(−) CHB patients, plasma ApoC3 levels were negatively associated with HBV DNA load (r = 0.219, P < 0.001). But no correlation between ApoA5 and HBV DNA load was observed in CHB patients.

Conclusions

These data showed that HBV infection inhibits lipid metabolism and ApoC3 is negatively associated with HBV DNA load in HBeAg (−) CHB patients. These findings provided new evidence about the link between ApoC3-related lipid metabolism and immune response.

Aerobic exercise reduces triglycerides by targeting apolipoprotein C3 in patients with coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

Aerobic exercise, which has been shown to have beneficial effects on plasma lipids, has been recommended as an effective measure to improve the prognosis of individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD). Apolipoprotein C3 (apoC3) is associated with hypertriglyceridemia and is therefore closely related to CHD.

HYPOTHESIS

We measured apoC3 concentration change in patients with CHD before and after long-term aerobic exercise.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients with coronary heart disease were randomly assigned to a non-exercise group (19 patients) or exercise group (19 patients). Both groups received essential drugs for CHD. The non-exercise group was kept sedentary while the exercise group performed moderate-intensive aerobic exercise for 8 weeks. Lipid levels and apoC3 levels were measured on the first day and 8 weeks later.

RESULTS

Exercise for 8 weeks led to a significant decrease in concentration of triglyceride and apoC3 compared with the baseline. Triglyceride concentration changes were positively associated with apoC3 level changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Aerobic exercise can improve the lipid profile. It is effective in decreasing triglycerides by targeting apoC3 levels in patients with coronary heart disease.