Associations of somatic depressive symptoms with body mass index, systemic inflammation, and insulin resistance in primary care patients with depression.

The somatic depressive symptom cluster (including appetite and sleep disturbances) is more strongly associated with insulin resistance (a diabetes risk marker) than other depressive symptom clusters. Utilizing baseline data from 129 primary care patients with depression but no diabetes in the eIMPACT trial (M= 59 years, 78% female, 50% Black), we examined associations of somatic depressive symptoms with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body mass index (BMI), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). We tested BMI and hsCRP as mediators and race as a moderator of these relationships.

Saturated fat ingestion stimulates proatherogenic inflammation in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Inflammation and dyslipidemia are often present in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We determined the effect of saturated fat ingestion on circulating heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) and mononuclear cell (MNC) toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) gene expression, activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation, and matrix matalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) protein in women with PCOS. Twenty reproductive-age women with PCOS (10 lean, 10 with obesity) and 20 ovulatory controls (10 lean, 10 with obesity) participated in the study.

Inflammation Triggered by Saturated Fat Ingestion Is Linked to Insulin Resistance and Hyperandrogenism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Context: Inflammation and insulin resistance are often present in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Objective: We determined the effect of saturated fat ingestion on mononuclear cell (MNC) nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) activation; NFκB, inhibitory-κBα (IκBα), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) gene expression; and circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) in women with PCOS.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Oxidative Stress in Response to Saturated Fat Ingestion Is Linked to Insulin Resistance and Hyperandrogenism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Context: Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are often present in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Objective: We determined the effect of saturated fat ingestion on leukocytic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, p47phox expression, and circulating thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in women with PCOS.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Saturated Fat Ingestion Promotes Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Context: Inflammation and insulin resistance (IR) are often present in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Objective: We determined the effect of saturated fat ingestion on circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and mononuclear cell (MNC) toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3) in women with PCOS.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

In situ type I oligomeric collagen macroencapsulation promotes islet longevity and function in vitro and in vivo.

Widespread use of pancreatic islet transplantation for treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is currently limited by requirements for long-term immunosuppression, limited donor supply, and poor long-term engraftment and function. Upon isolation from their native microenvironment, islets undergo rapid apoptosis, which is further exacerbated by poor oxygen and nutrient supply following infusion into the portal vein. Identifying alternative strategies to restore critical microenvironmental cues, while maximizing islet health and function, is needed to advance this cellular therapy.

Metabolic improvements following Roux-en-Y surgery assessed by solid meal test in subjects with short duration type 2 diabetes.

Background: Glucose homeostasis improves within days following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. The dynamic metabolic response to caloric intake following RYGB has been assessed using liquid mixed meal tolerance tests (MMTT). Few studies have evaluated the glycemic and hormonal response to a solid mixed meal in subjects with diabetes prior to, and within the first month following RYGB.

Effect of Systemic Iron Overload and a Chelation Therapy in a Mouse Model of the Neurodegenerative Disease Hereditary Ferritinopathy.

Mutations in the ferritin light chain (FTL) gene cause the neurodegenerative disease neuroferritinopathy or hereditary ferritinopathy (HF). HF is characterized by a severe movement disorder and by the presence of nuclear and cytoplasmic iron-containing ferritin inclusion bodies (IBs) in glia and neurons throughout the central nervous system (CNS) and in tissues of multiple organ systems. Herein, using primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts from a mouse model of HF, we show significant intracellular accumulation of ferritin and an increase in susceptibility to oxidative damage when cells are exposed to iron.

Serum fibroblast growth factor 23, serum iron and bone mineral density in premenopausal women.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) circulates as active protein and inactive fragments. Low iron status increases FGF23 gene expression, and iron deficiency is common. We hypothesized that in healthy premenopausal women, serum iron influences C-terminal and intact FGF23 concentrations, and that iron and FGF23 associate with bone mineral density (BMD).

The apéritif effect: Alcohol's effects on the brain's response to food aromas in women.

Objective: Consuming alcohol prior to a meal (an apéritif) increases food consumption. This greater food consumption may result from increased activity in brain regions that mediate reward and regulate feeding behavior. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we evaluated the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response to the food aromas of either roast beef or Italian meat sauce following pharmacokinetically controlled intravenous infusion of alcohol.

Role of sox9 in growth factor regulation of articular chondrocytes.

Chondrogenic polypeptide growth factors influence articular chondrocyte functions that are required for articular cartilage repair. Sox9 is a transcription factor that regulates chondrogenesis, but its role in the growth factor regulation of chondrocyte proliferation and matrix synthesis is poorly understood. We tested the hypotheses that selected chondrogenic growth factors regulate sox9 gene expression and protein production by adult articular chondrocytes and that sox9 modulates the actions of these growth factors.

Systemic and cerebral iron homeostasis in ferritin knock-out mice.

Ferritin, a 24-mer heteropolymer of heavy (H) and light (L) subunits, is the main cellular iron storage protein and plays a pivotal role in iron homeostasis by modulating free iron levels thus reducing radical-mediated damage. The H subunit has ferroxidase activity (converting Fe(II) to Fe(III)), while the L subunit promotes iron nucleation and increases ferritin stability. Previous studies on the H gene (Fth) in mice have shown that complete inactivation of Fth is lethal during embryonic development, without ability to compensate by the L subunit.

Genetic and environmental influences on the prospective correlation between systemic inflammation and coronary heart disease death in male twins.

Objective: Because of lack of evidence, we aimed to examine to what degree low-grade systemic inflammation and coronary heart disease (CHD) death shared common genetic and environmental substrates.

Approach And Results: From the 41-year prospective National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study, we included 950 middle-aged male twins at baseline (1969-1973). Low-grade systemic inflammation was measured with plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein.

Hepatocyte growth factor regulates neovascularization in developing fat pads.

In this study, we used lentiviral-delivered shRNA to generate a clonal line of 3T3-F442A preadipocytes with stable silencing of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression and examined the long-term consequence of this modification on fat pad development. HGF mRNA expression was reduced 94%, and HGF secretion 79% (P < 0.01), compared with preadipocytes treated with nontargeting shRNA.

Bone turnover is not influenced by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in pubertal healthy black and white children.

Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] is common in healthy children particularly in blacks. However, serum 25 (OH) D concentrations for optimal bone turnover in children is unknown and few data exist that describe effects of increasing serum 25 (OH) D on bone turnover markers during puberty. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between serum 25 (OH) D and changes in serum 25 (OH) D and bone turnover in white and black pubertal adolescents.

The angiogenic inhibitor TNP-470 decreases caloric intake and weight gain in high-fat fed mice.

The angiogenic inhibitor TNP-470 attenuates high-fat diet-induced obesity; however, it is not clear how the compound alters energy balance to prevent weight gain. Five-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed high-fat diet (45% energy from fat) for 6.5 weeks and treated with TNP-470 (20 mg/kg body weight; n = 7) or vehicle (saline; n = 7).

Serum leptin, parathyroid hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, fibroblast growth factor 23, bone alkaline phosphatase, and sclerostin relationships in obesity.

Background: Obesity is associated with hyperparathyroidism and increased bone mass and turnover, but their pathogeneses are unclear.

Aims: Our aim was to determine in obesity interrelationships among serum levels of leptin, the mineral-regulating hormones, bone turnover markers, and sclerostin.

Methods: This case-control study was performed in 20 women having bariatric surgery and 20 control women matched for race and age.

An examination of non-formalin-based fixation methods for Xenopus embryos.

Despite the growing availability of non-formalin-based fixatives, the vast majority of researchers in developmental biology continue to fix embryos and tissue in 4% paraformaldehyde. This fixation method has proven useful for both immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, yet working with paraformaldehyde has distinct disadvantages in its toxicity and the short shelf life of prepared solutions. In a search for viable alternative fixatives, we have evaluated two non-formalin-based commercial products, FineFIX (Milestone Microwave Laboratory System) and NOTOXhisto (Scientific Device Laboratory).