Publications by authors named "Irina Al-Khairi"

Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (Angptl8), expressed in the liver and adipocytes, forms a complex with Angptl3 or Angptl4, which regulates lipoprotein lipase and triglyceride metabolism. However, the precise functions of adipocyte Angptl8 remain elusive. Here we report that adipocyte-specific inducible Angptl8-knockout (AT-A8-KO) male mice on normal diet showed minor phenotypic changes, but after a high-fat high fructose (HFHF) diet, exhibited decreased body weight gain and glycemia, elevated rectal temperature and early dark phase energy expenditure compared to the Cre controls.

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Article Synopsis
  • COVID-19 poses a higher mortality risk for individuals with diabetes, severe obesity, and cardiovascular disease, potentially due to chronic inflammation linked to type 2 diabetes.
  • This study involved 350 patients with type 2 diabetes hospitalized for moderate-severe COVID-19, comparing the effects of pioglitazone against a placebo over 28 days, focusing on severe clinical outcomes and inflammation levels.
  • Although pioglitazone reduced certain inflammatory markers, it did not significantly improve outcomes, as more patients treated with it required ICU care and showed no notable difference in CRP reduction compared to those on placebo.
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Objectives: Bariatric surgery is a well-established treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide, a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, has emerged as a promising therapy for type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to compare the effects of bariatric surgery, semaglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist), and tirzepatide in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet.

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Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) represents a major chronic kidney disorder and a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Small RNAs have been showing great promise as diagnostic markers as well as drug targets. Identifying dysregulated micro RNAs (miRNAs) could help in identifying disease biomarkers and investigation of downstream interactions, shedding light on the molecular pathophysiology of DN.

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The global incidence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is on the rise, fueled by factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles, socio-economic factors, and ethnic backgrounds. T2D is a multifaceted condition often associated with various health complications, including adverse effects on bone health. This study aims to assess key biomarkers linked to bone health and remodeling-Osteoprotegerin (OPG), Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa-Β Ligand (RANKL), and Glycoprotein Non-Metastatic Melanoma Protein B (GPNMB)-among individuals with diabetes while exploring the impact of ethnicity on these biomarkers.

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Angiopoietins are crucial growth factors for maintaining a healthy, functional endothelium. Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) exhibit significant levels of angiogenic markers, particularly Angiopoietin-2, which compromises endothelial integrity and is connected to symptoms of endothelial injury and failure. This report examines the levels of circulating angiopoietins in people with T2D and diabetic nephropathy (DN) and explores its link with ANGPTL proteins.

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Adipocyte P2 (aP2), also known as FABP4, is an adipokine that adipose tissue produces and expresses in macrophages. Its primary role is to facilitate the transportation of fatty acids across cell membranes. Numerous studies have reported associations between FABP4 and the development of metabolic disorders.

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Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are intricate metabolic disorders with a multifactorial etiology, often leading to a spectrum of complications. Recent research has highlighted the impact of these conditions on bone health, with a particular focus on the role of sclerostin (SOST), a protein molecule integral to bone metabolism. Elevated circulating levels of SOST have been observed in patients with T2DM compared to healthy individuals.

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ANGPTL8, expressed mainly in the liver and adipose tissue, regulates the activity of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) present in the extracellular space and triglyceride (TG) metabolism through its interaction with ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL4. Whether intracellular ANGPTL8 can also exert effects in tissues where it is expressed is uncertain. ANGPTL8 expression was low in preadipocytes and much increased during differentiation.

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Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) mediate many metabolic functions. We had recently reported increased plasma levels of ANGPTL8 in obese adults of Arab ethnicity. However, data on ANGPTL8 levels in adolescent obesity is lacking.

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Type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence has increased globally over the last decades, alongside other autoimmune diseases. Early screening of individuals at risk of developing T1D is vital to facilitate appropriate interventions and improve patient outcomes. This is particularly important to avoid life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis and hospitalization associated with T1D diagnosis.

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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a complicated condition related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). ANGPTL8 is a hepatic protein highlighted as a risk factor for DN in patients with T2D; additionally, recent evidence from DN studies supports the involvement of growth hormone/IGF/IGF-binding protein axis constituents. The potential link between ANGPTL8 and IGFBPs in DN has not been explored before.

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Objective: Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for obesity, and procedures such as Roux-en Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) also result in rapid improvements in insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. In addition, these procedures cause changes in the secretion of various gut-derived hormones. The role these hormones play in the mechanism of the beneficial effects of bariatric surgery is still debated, but nonetheless, their importance provides inspiration for novel obesity-targeted pharmacotherapies.

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Background: Plasma levels of angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8) are regulated by feeding and they increase following glucose ingestion. Because both plasma glucose and insulin increase following food ingestion, we aimed to determine whether the increase in plasma insulin and glucose or both are responsible for the increase in ANGPTL8 levels.

Methods: ANGPTL8 levels were measured in 30 subjects, 14 with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and 16 with normal fasting glucose (NFG); the subjects received 75g glucose oral Glucose tolerance test (OGTT), multistep euglycaemic hyperinsulinemic clamp and hyperglycaemic clamp with pancreatic clamp.

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Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in the bariatric population. OSA should be recognized in patients undergoing bariatric surgery preoperatively to prevent peri- and post-operative complications. Lipid metabolism-related biomarkers are associated with OSA.

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Background: Weight-loss surgery is one of the recommended methods for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in obese patients. While weight reduction is critical to relieve symptoms of OSA, the biochemical factors involved in post-surgery improvement are still unknown. We aimed to explore the link between ANGPTL7 and OSA in patients with different OSA severity.

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Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism. Exposure to COVID-19 vaccines is also associated with immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, ischemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, and cerebral venous thrombosis, and it is linked with systemic activation of coagulation.

Methods: We assess the circulating levels of coagulation factors (factors XI, XII, XIII, and prothrombin) and antithrombin in individuals who completed two doses of either ChAdOx1-S or BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine, within the timeframe of two months, who had no previous history of COVID-19.

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N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (GALNT2) is associated with serum lipid levels, insulin resistance, and adipogenesis. Additionally, angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) proteins have emerged as regulators of lipoprotein lipase and lipid metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the association between GALNT2 rs4846914 variant, known for its association with lipid levels in European cohorts, with plasma levels of ANGPTL proteins, apolipoproteins, lipids, and obesity traits in individuals of Arab ethnicity.

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Objective: Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for severe obesity. This study aims to investigate the changes in expression levels of meteorin-like protein (METRNL), irisin (FNDC5), and uncoupling proteins (UCP) 1/2/3 following bariatric surgery to understand their involvement in enhancing metabolism after surgery.

Method: A total of 40 participants were enrolled in this interventional study, 20 with obesity BMI ≥ 35 kg/m and 20 with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m .

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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes affecting about half the people with diabetes and the leading cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Albuminuria and creatinine levels are currently the classic markers for the diagnosis of DN. However, many shortcomings are arising from the use of these markers mainly because they are not specific to DN and their levels are altered by multiple non-pathological factors.

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Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a type of progressive kidney disease affecting approximately 40% of patients with diabetes. Current DN diagnostic criteria predominantly rely on albuminuria and serum creatinine (sCr) levels. However, the specificity and reliability of both markers are limited.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how well patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) respond to different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines while on biologic therapies, focusing on two vaccines: BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19.
  • A total of 126 patients participated, with their serological responses measured 4-10 weeks after the second vaccine dose, revealing varying levels of antibody positivity based on the biologic therapy they were receiving.
  • Results showed that patients on ustekinumab and vedolizumab had higher seropositivity rates for both SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies compared to those on infliximab and adalimumab, with a majority
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The musculoskeletal system consisting of bones and muscles have been recognized as endocrine organs secreting hormones that are involved in regulating metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with several musculoskeletal system complications. We hypothesized that an interaction exists between adipomyokines namely, irisin and METRNL, and various molecules involved in bone remodeling in individuals with obesity and T2D.

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IGFBP4 is the smallest member of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein family (IGFBP). It is a hepatic protein that plays a role in modulating the activity and bioavailability of IGF-I. The expression of IGFBP4 was found to increase under conditions of hypoxia.

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Background: Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTL), primarily 3, 4, and 8, play a major role in maintaining energy homeostasis by regulating triglyceride metabolism. This study evaluated the level of ANGPTL3, 4, and 8 in the liver, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SAT) of mice maintained under acute and chronic cold conditions.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were exposed to cold temperature (4 °C) for 10 days with food provided ad libitum.

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