Role of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic, in the regulation of gene expression during the development of obesity: a systematic review

Introduction

There exists a correlation between obesity and the consumption of an excessive amount of calories, with a particular association between the intake of saturated and trans fats and an elevated body mass index. Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, have been identified as potential preventive nutrients against the cardiometabolic hazards that are commonly associated with obesity. The objective of this comprehensive review was to elucidate the involvement of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, in the modulation of gene expression during the progression of obesity.

Methods

The present analysis focused on primary studies that investigated the association between long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, gene expression, and obesity in individuals aged 18 to 65 years. Furthermore, a comprehensive search was conducted on many databases until August 2023 to identify English-language scholarly articles utilizing MeSH terms and textual content pertaining to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, gene expression, obesity, and omega-3. The protocol has been registered on PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42022298395. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on a total of nine primary research articles. All research collected and presented quantitative data.

Results and Discussion

The findings of our study indicate that the incorporation of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid may have potential advantages and efficacy in addressing noncommunicable diseases, including obesity. This can be attributed to their anti-inflammatory properties and their ability to regulate genes associated with obesity, such as PPARγ and those within the ALOX family.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022298395, CRD42022298395.

β-Carotene Increases Activity of Cytochrome P450 2E1 during Ethanol Consumption

One of the key routes through which ethanol induces oxidative stress appears to be the activation of cytochrome P450 2E1 at different levels of ethanol intake. Our aim was to determine if oral β-carotene intake had an antioxidant effect on CYP2E1 gene expression in mice that had previously consumed ethanol. C57BL/6 mice were used and distributed into: control (C), low-dose alcohol (LA), moderate-dose alcohol (MA), β-carotene (B), low-dose alcohol+β-carotene (LA + B), and moderate-dose alcohol+β-carotene (MA + B). Animals were euthanized at the end of the experiment, and liver tissue was taken from each one. CYP2E1 was measured using qPCR to detect liver damage. The relative expression level of each RNA was estimated using the comparative threshold cycle (Ct) technique (2^−ΔΔCT method) by averaging the Ct values from three replicates. The LA+B (2267 ± 0.707) and MA+B (2.307 ± 0.384) groups had the highest CYP2E1 fold change values. On the other hand, the C (1.053 ± 0.292) and LA (1.240 ± 0.163) groups had the lowest levels. These results suggest that ethanol feeding produced a fold increase in CYP2E1 protein in mice as compared to the control group. Increased CYP2E1 activity was found to support the hypothesis that β-carotene might be dangerous during ethanol exposure in animal models. Our findings imply that β-carotene can increase the hepatic damage caused by low and high doses of alcohol. Therefore, the quantity of alcohol ingested, the exposure period, the regulatory mechanisms of alcoholic liver damage, and the signaling pathways involved in the consumption of both alcohol and antioxidant must all be considered.

Long-term inyectable antipsychotics in adolescents. A case report

Introduction

Actually psychiatrists around the world are treating children and adolescents (despite limited medical indications in this age group) with atypical antipsychotics at increasing rates for a range of psychiatric illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, behavioral changes…). Over the last few years, a number of new long-term injectable treatments (ILD) have emerged, the advantages of which are found in adult (adherence, functionality, consistent blood level without daily peaks…) but we do not have enough data in minors.

Objectives

Discuss utility of ILD in adolescents.

Methods

We expose a case report about a 17-year-old man, when he was a child he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and autism spectrum disorder and also he had a story of disrupted behavioural and aggressively. After been hospitalized in our hospital we remake his clinic history and he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Before the injectable treatment (ABILIFY MAINTENA®) this patient tried various treatments (mood stabilizers, antidepressants…) and many hospitalizations.

Results

After the ILD, our patient has good functionality, he is now living with his parents and studying in the high school. He has not needed another hospitalization after the last one.

Conclusions

The ILD in adolescents must be a therapeutic option in mental disease, in this group is very difficult the complementation of the treatment, it's frequent the comorbid use of substances, this population are not used to take medications… so every treatment that facility this kind of problems must be a perfect weapon to improve their mental health and to prevent relapse and hospitalization.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

How Dissociation, Temperament and Character Influence at the Eating Disorders

Objectives

Dissociation has been related to emotional dysregulation and eating psychopathology. Dissociation may interfere with the learning process, affecting at the therapy negatively. The aim of the study is to analyse if at the eating disorders (ED), dissociation is linked to temperamental traits or also to character traits, which are susceptible to be modulated during the therapeutic process.

Methods

We studied 119 females that started an outpatient program for their ED. We used the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). We used multiple regression analysis.

Results

Dissociation was associated with high scores on the EAT-40, even controlling the effect of anxiety traits, which also was related to dissociation. The temperament dimension “searching for novelty”, has been related in an opposite way to the DES. Also, the “dimension of transcendence “character and “self determination” influenced on the DES.

Conclusions

This study confirms the importance of improving Self Determination levels at ED therapy, which influence on a lot of prognostic aspects, such as protecting from dissociation, which is related to anxiety and alimentary psychopathology and can interfere with the therapeutic progress.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

[Prostitutes of the east sector of Santiago: characteristics and pathology of sexual transmission]

We studied the frequency of venereal disease in 329 prostitutes working at massage parlours in Santiago. The mean age was 24 years and half of them had high school or university studies. In spite of frequent sexual contacts averaging 2.8 per day, the prevalence of significant venereal disease was not high in this group. Notably, AIDS infection was not detected. Vaginitis due to Trichomonas or Candida infection was the commonest problem and this was half as frequent among gum preservative users. Marital condition, age, obstetrical history and other variables were not related to genital infection.

Outbreak of persistent, unexplained, generalized lymphadenopathy with immunological abnormalities in drug addicts in Milan

Persistent unexplained lymphadenopathy (LAS) with intermittent fever, weight loss, night sweats and malaise was observed from March to October 1983 in 16 of 133 intravenous drug addicts who had been followed for at least two years in a Center for Drug Addicts Assistance in Milan, Italy. All the subjects lived in a restricted suburban area and indulged in frequent toxicomanic practices and mutual sexual intercourse. The subjects showed immunological alterations such as lymphopenia (50%), decreased T helper/T suppressor ratio (93%), both these abnormalities (43%), decreased T helper cells (75%), increased T suppressor cytotoxic cells (81%), decreased natural killer (NK) activity (77%), anergy (50%) or hypoergy (43%) to recall skin testing and elevated levels of IgG (87%). Anti-HTLV III antibodies were found in 14 of 16 (87%) patients with LAS and in 3 of 11 (27%) symptom-free drug addicts belonging to the same group. It will be important to assess in the future whether this clinical and immunological picture results in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in an area so far untouched by this disease.

Immunological status in heroin addicts: effects of methadone maintenance treatment

In opiate addicts specific and unspecific immune responses were examined, before and after methadone treatment. Anomalous immune responses were characterized by compromised cellular immunity (functional deficits of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and T-lymphocytes) in association with efficient production of antibodies. After methadone treatment an elevation of leukocyte functions was noted. The presence of elevated titres of circulating immune complexes observed in all the patients tested could bring about a functional exhaustion of neutrophils. The defects of cellular immunity can be considered important risk factors in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases in addicts.