Metabolomic signature between diabetic and non-diabetic obese patients: A protocol for systematic review

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic and progressive condition defined by hyperglycemia caused by abnormalities in insulin production, insulin receptor sensitivity, or both. Several studies have revealed that higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with increasing risk of developing diabetes. In this study, we perform a protocol for systematic review to explore metabolite biomarkers that could be used to identify T2DM in obese subjects.

METHODS

The protocol of this review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023405518). Three databases, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science were selected to collect potential literature from their inceptions to July December 2023. Data for collection will include title, authors, study subjects, publication date, sample size, detection and analytical platforms, participant characteristics, biological samples, confounding factors, methods of statistical analysis, the frequency and directions of changes in potential metabolic biomarkers, and major findings. Pathway analysis of differential metabolites will be performed with MetaboAnalyst 5.0 based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and the Human Metabolome Database.

RESULTS

The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review will summarize the potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways to provide a new reference for the prevention and treatment of T2DM in obese subjects.

Visual analysis of obesity and hypothyroidism: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity is gradually increasing and is closely associated with hypothyroidism. It is of research interest to explore the association between obesity and hypothyroidism and the current status of research.

METHODS

We chose the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database as the data source and searched to obtain relevant literature on obesity and hypothyroidism. And we used CiteSpace and VOSviewer to analyze the related literature.

RESULTS

A total of 508 articles were included in the literature, with an overall increasing trend in the number of publications. There were 170 relevant countries or organizations, and the United States was the country with the most publications. There were 1742 related organizations, and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) was the organization with the most publications. There are 3015 authors involved, and there is a clear collaboration between authors. There are 227 related journals and J CLIN ENDOCR METAB is the most cited journal. The most frequently occurring keywords were obesity and hypothyroidism, but also other related topics such as bariatric surgery, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, body mass index, and leptin.

CONCLUSION

The research related to obesity and hypothyroidism is gradually gaining attention, and the research direction is gradually expanding to metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, leptin, and other related topics.

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with hot compress in the treatment of obese adolescents with insulin resistance: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the incidence of obesity patients has become younger and younger, and adolescents are gradually becoming one of the groups with a high incidence of obesity. Although several systematic reviews and clinical trials suggest that acupuncture and warm compresses may be effective in the treatment of obesity, the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with warm compresses in the treatment of obesity insulin resistance (IR) in adolescents have not been systematically reviewed.

METHODS

The search language of this study is Chinese and English, and the data of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Web of Science, China Biomedical Literature Database, Central Controlled Trial Registration Center, and China Scientific Journal Database were searched for this study respectively, from the date of creation of the above data to December 2022. Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture combined with warm compresses in adolescents with obese IR were included in this review. Main outcome measures were body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, IR index, body fat content, blood lipid level and blood pressure, etc. In addition, we manually retrieved other resources, including reference lists of identified publications, conference articles and gray literature.

RESULTS

This study will provide more clinical treatment ideas and options for adolescent obese IR patients.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study is to summarize and evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with hot compress in treating obesity IR in adolescents from clinical trials.

Effectiveness and safety of different academic schools of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of obesity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a global epidemic. Since 1975, the global obesity rate has almost tripled. Although many systematic reviews and clinical trials have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can effectively treat obesity, the effectiveness and safety of different academic schools of TCM in treating obesity have not been systematically evaluated.

METHODS

The retrieval language of this study was Chinese and English. From the date of creation of the following data to June 2023, the data of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Science Network, China Biomedical Literature Database, Central Controlled Trial Registration Center, and China Science Journal Database were retrieved, respectively. This study included clinical randomized controlled trials related to the treatment of obesity by different academic schools of TCM. The main outcome measures were body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist hip ratio, body fat content, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and blood lipid level. In addition, we manually searched other resources, including reference lists of identified publications, conference articles, and gray literature.

RESULTS

This study will provide a more diverse choice of treatment options.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study is to summarize and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different academic schools of TCM in improving and treating obese patients from clinical trials, so as to provide more options for obesity treatment.

Identification of hub genes and candidate herbal treatment in obesity through integrated bioinformatic analysis and reverse network pharmacology

Obesity is a global epidemic elevating the risk of various metabolic disorders. As there is a lack of effective drugs to treat obesity, we combined bioinformatics and reverse network pharmacology in this study to identify effective herbs to treat obesity. We identified 1011 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of adipose tissue after weight loss by analyzing five expression profiles (GSE103766, GSE35411, GSE112307, GSE43471, and GSE35710) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We identified 27 hub genes from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network by performing MCODE using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses revealed that these hub genes have roles in the extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, cholesterol metabolism, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. Ten herbs (Aloe, Portulacae Herba, Mori Follum, Silybum Marianum, Phyllanthi Fructus, Pollen Typhae, Ginkgo Semen, Leonuri Herba, Eriobotryae Folium, and Litseae Fructus) targeting the nine hub genes (COL1A1, MMP2, MMP9, SPP1, DNMT3B, MMP7, CETP, COL1A2, and MUC1) using six ingredients were identified as the key herbs. Quercetin and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate were determined to be the key ingredients. Lastly, Ingredients-Targets, Herbs-Ingredients-Targets, and Herbs-Taste-Meridian Tropism networks were constructed using Cytoscape to elucidate this complex relationship. This study could help identify promising therapeutic targets and drugs to treat obesity.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of foot drop in post-stroke: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Foot drop is a common complication in post-stroke. Patients with foot drop are at high risk for falls and fall-related injuries. Accordingly, it can reduce independence and quality of life in patients. Clinical studies have confirmed that acupuncture is effective in treating foot drop in post-stroke. However, there is a lack of systematic review exploring the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of foot drop in poststroke from the results of randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

We will search articles in 8 electronic databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang Data Database, and the Chinese Scientific Journal Database for RCTs of acupuncture treated foot drop in post-stroke from their inception to 10 August 2022. We will analyze the data meeting the inclusion criteria with the RevMan V.5.4 software. Two authors will assess the quality of the study with the Cochrane collaborative risk bias tool. We will evaluate the certainty of the estimated evidence with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. Data analysis will be performed using STATA 16.0.

RESULTS

This study will review and evaluate the available evidence for the treatment of foot drop in post-stroke using acupuncture.

CONCLUSION SUBSECTIONS

This study will determine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture applied to post-stroke individuals with foot drop.

Effect of electroacupuncture on glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global pandemic with a significant negative impact on health-related quality of life. Worldwide, the prevalence of T2DM has almost doubled since 1980. Although multiple systematic reviews and clinical trials have suggested that electroacupuncture could be effective for T2DM treatment, whether it can improve glucose and lipid metabolism has not been systematically reviewed.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan-Fang Database from the date of creation to December 2022. Language is limited to both Chinese and English languages. Clinical randomized controlled trials related to acupuncture for T2DM were included in this study. Fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, lipid profile, and glycated hemoglobin levels were the primary outcomes. In addition, we manually retrieved other resources, including reference lists of identified publications, conference articles, and gray literature. Research selection, data extraction, and research quality assessments were independently completed by 2 researchers.

RESULTS

This study provides more options for clinicians and patients to treat obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we aimed to summarize and assess the effectiveness and safety of EA as a supplemental method to treat T2DM patients from clinical trials and provide more options for clinicians and patients to treat T2DM.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered at INPLASY with registration number INPLASY202180008 (https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2021-8-0008/).

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

INPLASY202180008.

Comparison of overfeeding effects on gut physiology and microbiota in two goose breeds

To have a better understanding of how the “gut–liver axis” mediates the lipid deposition in the liver, a comparison of overfeeding influence on intestine physiology and microbiota between Gang Goose and Tianfu Meat Goose was performed in this study. After force-feeding, compared with Gang Goose, Tianfu Meat Goose had better fat storage capacity in liver (397.94 vs. 166.54 for foie gras weight (g), P < 0.05; 6.37 vs. 2.92% for the ratio of liver to body, P < 0.05; 60.01 vs. 46.64% for fat content, P < 0.05) and the less subcutaneous adipose tissue weight (1240.96 g vs. 1440.46 g, P < 0.05). After force-feeding, the digestion–absorption capacity of Tianfu Meat Goose was higher than that of Gang Goose (5.56 vs. 3.64 and 4.63 vs. 3.68 for the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in duodenum and ileum, respectively, P < 0.05; 1394.96 vs. 782.59 and 1314.76 vs. 766.17 for the invertase activity (U/mg-prot), in duodenum and ileum, respectively, P < 0.05; 6038.36 vs. 3088.29 and 4645.29 vs. 3927.61 for the activity of maltase (U/mg-prot), in duodenum and ileum, respectively, P < 0.05). Force-feeding decreased the gene expression of Escherichia coli in the ileum of Tianfu Meat Goose; force-feeding increased the number of gut microbiota Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus-Polymerase Chain Reaction band in Tianfu Meat Goose and decreased the number in Gang Goose. In conclusion, compared with Gang Goose, the lipid deposition in the liver and the intestine digestion–absorption capacity and stability were higher in Tianfu Meat Goose. Thereby, Tianfu Meat Goose is the better breed for foie gras production for prolonged force-feeding; Gang Goose possesses better fat storage capacity in subcutaneous adipose tissue. However, Gang Goose has lower gut stability responding to force-feeding, so Gang Goose is suited to force-feeding in a short time to gain the body weight and subcutaneous fat as an overfed duck for roast duck.

An extensive study of the mechanism of prostate cancer metastasis

The study aimed to identify the pivotal genes and pathways involved in prostate cancer metastasis. Using the expression profile dataset GSE7930, downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary and highly metastatic prostate cell samples were screened, followed by functional analysis and tumor associated genes (TAG) screening. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed and module analysis was performed. The expression of DEGs and pathway related genes were evaluated by PCR analysis and the migra- tion ability of prostate tumor cells was observed after FABP4-siRNA blocking. Upregulated FABP4 and GK were signifi- cantly enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway, whereas downregulated IGFBP3 and THBS1 were involved in p53 signaling pathway. Among the identified DEGs, 4 downregulated genes (IGFBP3, NPP4B, THBS1, and PCDH1) and 2 upregulated genes (GJA1 and TUSC3) were TAGs. The module was associated with focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, p53 signaling, and gap junction pathways with the hub node GJA1. After FABP4 silencing by siRNAs in LNcap and metastatic DU-145 cells, the numbers of migrated cells were all significantly declined. The expressions of IGFBP3, TP53 and PPAR were significantly lower in DU-145 cells than in LNcap cells. In conclusion, FABP4, IGFBP3, THBS1, and GJA1 were determined to be potential markers of prostate cancer cell metastasis, and P53, PPAR and gap junction pathways were found to play important roles in prostate cancer cell metastasis. This study may provide helpful guidelines for clinical management.

Treatment effect of CDKN1A on rheumatoid arthritis by mediating proliferation and invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes cells

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the role of CDKN1A in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Related gene expression data screened from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were processed with network analysis. Protein-protein interaction was analysed through string database. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure mRNA and microRNA expression. Cell proliferation and cell cycle were tested by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Transwell migration and invasion assay was used to test cell migration and invasion. CDKN1A screened by bioinformatics methods showed differential expression in RA cells compared with healthy controls (HC), and was at an important position in the protein-protein interaction network of RA. Compared with the HC group, CDKN1A was down-regulated in human RA synovium tissues and human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLS). Contrary to CDKN1A silencing, CDKN1A over-expression significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HFLS-RA, arrested HFLS-RA in G0/G1 phase and down-regulated the expressions of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, while it up-regulated the expression of IL-10. CDKN1A over-expression could also suppress phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (pSTAT-1) expression. MiR-146a, highly expressed in RA tissues, could regulate CDKN1A negatively. Anti-146a suppressed cell proliferation and invasion, and at the same time enhanced IL-10 expression but inhibited IL-6, TNF-α and pSTAT-1 expression. The results indicated that CDKN1A over-expression, which could be enhanced by miR-146a suppression, inhibited the proliferation of invasion in HFLS-RA. This was probably a result of suppressed pSTAT-1, IL-6 and TNF-α expression and enhanced IL-10 expression.

Obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus affect complication rate of different nephrectomy techniques

INTRODUCTION

To investigate whether obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) would increase post-nephrectomy complication rates using standardized classification method.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 843 patients from March 2006 to November 2012, of whom 613 underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) and 229 had partial nephrectomy (PN). Modified Clavien classification system was applied to quantify complication severity of nephrectomy. Fisher's exact or chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between complication rates and obesity, hypertension, as well as DM.

RESULTS

The prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and DM was 11.51%, 30.84%, 8.78%, respectively. The overall complication rate was 19.31%, 30.04%, 35.71% and 36.36% for laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN), open-RN, LPN and open-PN respectively. An increasing trend of low grade complication rate as BMI increased was observed in LRN (P=.027) and open-RN (P<.001). Obese patients had greater chance to have low grade complications in LRN (OR=4.471; 95% CI: 1.290-17.422; P=0.031) and open-RN (OR=2.448; 95% CI: 1.703-3.518; P<.001). Patients with hypertension were more likely to have low grade complications, especially grade ii complications in open-RN (OR=1.526; 95% CI: 1.055-2.206; P=.026) and open PN (OR=2.032; 95% CI: 1.199-3.443; P=.009). DM was also associated with higher grade i complication rate in open-RN (OR=2.490; 95% CI: 331-4.657; P=.016) and open-PN (OR=4.425; 95% CI: 1.815-10.791; P=.013). High grade complication rates were similar in comparison.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity, hypertension, and DM were closely associated with increased post-nephrectomy complication rates, mainly low grade complications.

CPEB1, a histone-modified hypomethylated gene, is regulated by miR-101 and involved in cell senescence in glioma

Epigenetic mechanisms have important roles in carcinogenesis. We certified that the mRNA translation-related gene cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 1 (CPEB1) is hypomethylated and overexpressed in glioma cells and tissues. The knockdown of CPEB1 reduced cell senescence by regulating the expression or distribution of p53 in glioma cells. CPEB1 is also regulated directly by the tumor suppressor miR-101, a potential marker of glioma. It is known that the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and embryonic ectoderm development (EED) are direct targets of miR-101. We demonstrated that miR-101 downregulated the expression of CPEB1 through reversing the methylation status of the CPEB1 promoter by regulating the presence on the promoter of the methylation-related histones H3K4me2, H3K27me3, H3K9me3 and H4K20me3. The epigenetic regulation of H3K27me3 on CPEB1 promoter is mediated by EZH2 and EED. EZH2 has a role in the regulation of H3K4me2. Furthermore, the downregulation of CPEB1 induced senescence in a p53-dependent manner.

Biotechnological implications from abscisic acid (ABA) roles in cold stress and leaf senescence as an important signal for improving plant sustainable survival under abiotic-stressed conditions

In the past few years, the signal transduction of the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) has been studied extensively and has revealed an unanticipated complex. ABA, characterized as an intracellular messenger, has been proven to act a critical function at the heart of a signaling network operation. It has been found that ABA plays an important role in improving plant tolerance to cold, as well as triggering leaf senescence for years. In addition, there have been many reports suggesting that the signaling pathways for leaf senescence and plant defense responses may overlap. Therefore, the objective was to review what is known about the involvement of ABA signaling in plant responses to cold stress and regulation of leaf senescence. An overview about how ABA is integrated into sugars and reactive oxygen species signaling pathways, to regulate plant cold tolerance and leaf senescence, is provided. These roles can provide important implications for biotechnologically improving plant cold tolerance.

Reduced urinary excretion of intact osteopontin in patients with IgA nephropathy

Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphoprotein secreted by many cells of epithelial, mesenchymal, and hematopoietic origin. In the kidney, OPN is expressed in the renal tubules and collecting ducts and is excreted into the urine. A pathophysiologic role for urinary OPN has not been established. In this study, urinary excretion of OPN was analyzed in patients with primary glomerular diseases, including immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN; n = 32), minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS; n = 16), and membranous nephropathy (MN; n = 18). Compared with normal controls (n = 20), mean +/- SD of urinary OPN in IgAN patients was decreased significantly (21.4 +/- 6.2 versus 11.6 +/- 9.6 mg/g creatinine, P: < 0.001). In contrast, the levels of urinary OPN in patients with MCNS or MN did not differ significantly from normal values. Immunoblot analysis showed that OPN is present as a 55- to 60-kd molecule in normal urine. A 34-kd fragment of OPN was the major immunoreactive band in samples from IgAN patients. This fragment also was detectable in the urine from some patients with MCNS or MN but was absent in normal subjects. OPN has a thrombin-cleavage site near its central portion. Thrombin treatment of the urine from normal controls could result in 34-kd OPN fragments. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined, these data provide evidence that secretion or processing (or both) of urinary OPN is altered in patients with IgAN.