Honokiol regulates mitochondrial substrate utilization and cellular fatty acid metabolism in diabetic mice heart.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction, which is one of the main reasons for cardiovascular diseases. Among the mitochondrial metabolic changes, fatty acid metabolism is of great importance as cardiac tissues depend primarily on fatty acids. Honokiol, a constituent of Magnolia tree bark extract, is reported to strongly influence cardiac mitochondrial functions, via various mechanisms.

Impaired substrate-mediated cardiac mitochondrial complex I respiration with unaltered regulation of fatty acid metabolism and oxidative stress status in type 2 diabetic Asian Indians.

Background: The cardiovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus could be attributed to changes in myocardial mitochondrial metabolism. Though it is a known fact that permeabilized cardiac muscle fibers and isolated mitochondria are metabolically compromised in the Caucasian population, studies of Asian Indian myocardial mitochondrial function are lacking. Thus, the objective of the present study is to analyze if there is altered cardiac mitochondrial substrate utilization in diabetic Asian Indians.

Adverse effects on macrophage lipid transport and survival by high density lipoprotein from patients with coronary heart disease.

High density lipoprotein (HDL)-macrophage interactions have the potential to modulate macrophage function in a beneficial way to prevent the development of lipid-loaded foam cell formation in atherosclerosis. Although HDL is atheroprotective, it can become dysfunctional in chronic inflammatory conditions and increase cardiovascular risk. Here, we examined the effect of dysfunctional-HDL from patients with coronary artery disease, on macrophage function in comparison to functional-HDL from controls.

Sleep promoting potential of low dose α-Asarone in rat model.

Commonly used hypnotics have undesirable side-effects, especially during continuous usage. On the other hand, some herbal products, which are used for prolonged periods, are suggested to have a sleep inducing property, though the claims have not been validated scientifically. The hypnotic potential of α-Asarone, an active principle of Acorus species, was tested in the present study by first identifying the optimal dose of α-Asarone for improving sleep, followed by studies that evaluated the effect of repeated administration of this optimal dose for five days on sleep deprived rats.

High-density lipoprotein from subjects with coronary artery disease promotes macrophage foam cell formation: role of scavenger receptor CD36 and ERK/MAPK signaling.

Although high-density lipoprotein is atheroprotective, it can become dysfunctional in chronic inflammatory conditions and increase cardiovascular risk. We previously demonstrated that HDL from subjects with documented coronary artery disease is dysfunctional and is pro-oxidant/proinflammatory in macrophages. Here we examined the influence of dysfunctional/proinflammatory HDL (piHDL) on lipid accumulation in human macrophages, in comparison to functional HDL (nHDL).

Circulating Thrombotic Risk Factors in Young Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Who Are on Statins and Anti-platelet Drugs.

Thrombotic risk factors may contribute to premature coronary artery disease (CAD), in addition to the conventional risk factors. There is paucity of data on studies evaluating the role of thrombotic factors in premature CAD in Indian patients. Thus a case-control study was performed to evaluate the role of thrombotic and atherogenic factors in young patients with angiographically proven CAD who are on treatment with statins and anti-platelet drugs.

Are nitric oxide-mediated protein modifications of functional significance in diabetic heart? ye'S, -NO', wh'Y-NO't?

Protein modifications effected by nitric oxide (NO) primarily in conjunction with reactive oxygen species (ROS) include tyrosine nitration, cysteine S-nitrosylation, and glutathionylation. The physiological and pathological relevance of these three modifications is determined by the amino acids on which these modifications occur -cysteine and tyrosine, for instance, ranging from altering structural integrity/catalytic activity of proteins or by altering propensity towards protein degradation. Even though tyrosine nitration is a well-established nitroxidative stress marker, instilled as a footprint of oxygen- and nitrogen-derived oxidants, newer data suggest its wider role in embryonic heart development and substantiate the need to focus on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of reversibility and specificity of tyrosine nitration.

Evidence for an exclusive association of matrix metalloproteinase-9 with dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein: a novel finding.

Objective: High-density lipoprotein is a heterogeneous class of lipoprotein with diverse antiatherogenic functions. However, these antiatherogenic properties of HDL can be compromised in atherosclerotic conditions. We have recently identified dysfunctionality in HDL even among healthy subjects, during systemic inflammation.

Oxidized HDL induces cytotoxic effects: implications for atherogenic mechanism.

Atherosclerosis can be considered as an inflammatory disease and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is a critical factor in atherogenesis. Although high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is generally an antiatherogenic lipoprotein, this property can be compromised by functional impairment mainly due to oxidative modification. As such, understanding the proatherogenic properties exerted by oxidized-HDL (oxHDL) becomes more important.

Oxidative stress is increased in women with epilepsy: Is it a potential mechanism of anti-epileptic drug-induced teratogenesis?

Context: Oxidative stress can be a final common pathway for AED-induced teratogenesis.

Aims: To compare the oxidative stress of women with epilepsy (WWE) and unfavorable pregnancy outcome (fetal malformation or spontaneous abortion - group EM) with that of WWE with normal pregnancy outcome (group ENM) and healthy women with normal pregnancy outcome (group C).

Materials And Methods: We identified WWE under group EM (n = 43) and group ENM (n = 22) from the Kerala Registry of Epilepsy and Pregnancy (KREP).

A Simple Economical Method for Assay of Atherogenic Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (sdLDL-C).

In the present study, we report a simple and economical precipitation method for the quantitative determination of small, dense LDL-cholesterol (sdLDL-C) in serum that is considered to be an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This method consisted of precipitation of lipoproteins of density <1.044 g/ml using heparin-MnCl(2) and quantification of cholesterol existed in the supernatant using reagents for routine cholesterol assay instead of the costly direct low density lipoprotein-cholesterol assay kit.

Oxidatively modified high density lipoprotein promotes inflammatory response in human monocytes-macrophages by enhanced production of ROS, TNF-α, MMP-9, and MMP-2.

It has been proposed that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) loses its cardioprotective ability through oxidative modifications by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promote atherogenesis. However, the pro-atherogenic pathways undergone by oxidized HDL remain poorly understood. Since monocytes play a crucial role in atherogenesis, this study was aimed to investigate the influence of both native and oxidized HDL (oxHDL) on monocytes-macrophages functions relevant to atherogenesis.

High prevalence of low serum paraoxonase-1 in subjects with coronary artery disease.

Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), an HDL-associated enzyme has been shown to possess antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties and protect against atherogenesis. The aim of the study was to explore the association of PON-1, with lipids, antioxidant-vitamins and lifestyle in male subjects with and without angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) and in healthy volunteers. PON-1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically using phenyl acetate as substrate.

IgA1 desialylated by microbial neuraminidase forms immune complex with naturally occurring anti-T antibody in human serum.

IgA1 was identified as the most prominent O-glycosylated protein of human serum. Desialylation by bacterial (Clostridium perfringens) neuraminidase rendered dot-blotted IgA1 recognizable by the naturally occurring serum antibody (anti-T) directed against Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen, Galbeta1-->3GalNAc-alpha-. On Western blot of serum O-glycosylated proteins anti-T recognized nearly all the bands including IgA1 as did the T antigen-specific animal lectin galectin-1 but only after their desialylation.

Electroelution of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] from native polyacrylamide gels: a new, simple method to purify Lp(a).

Lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), is an atherogenic lipoprotein consisting of an LDL like core particle and a covalently linked glycoprotein of variable size. Lp(a), isolated from serum always contains LDL and HDL(2) as contaminants since Lp(a) floats in the density range 1.05-1.

Enhanced lipid peroxidation in patients during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Lipid peroxidation products were measured at various time intervals in 20 patients with coronary artery disease, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Post-operative blood lipid peroxides were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the preoperative value.

Distribution of cholesterol in HDL and its subfractions in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.

The distribution of HDL-C and its subclasses HDL3-C and HDL2-C and other serum lipids was studied in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease grouped as young males (group 1) and older males (group 2) along with age matched controls. All the patients had significantly higher levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C and VLDL-C and lower levels of HDL-C. The analysis of HDL - subclasses clearly demonstrated that the low levels of HDL-C was due to the significant decrease of cholesterol in both HDL3 (group 1: 32%; group 2: 30%) and HDL2 subclasses (group 1: 55%; group 2: 48%) compared to the respective control values.

Antioxidant status in relation to free radical production during stable and unstable anginal syndromes.

Lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant status were studied in male patients having stable angina (SA) and unstable angina (UA) pectoris and the results were compared with that of controls. Lipid peroxides (LPx) and conjugated dienes (CD) were found to be elevated in patients with both SA (LPx: 3.96 +/- 1.

Interaction of human serum lipoproteins with biomaterials.

Human serum was incubated with representative portions of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blood storage bags and vascular prostheses. The in vitro interaction process with lipoprotein was followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) using sudan black and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) in the prestaining procedure. Densitometric scan of all the lipoprotein bands in serum after incubation with PVC bag material when prestained with sudan black showed remarkable increase in intensity.

Diet, nutrition intake, and metabolism in populations at high and low risk for colon cancer. Determination of fiber and fiber constituents in food and stools.

A procedure is described for the determination of total neutral detergent fiber in composite food and stool samples. This procedure also determines hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, and cutin + silica in these samples. The quantitation of pectins which involves a separate independent procedure is also described.

Diet, nutrition intake, and metabolism in populations at high and low risk for colon cancer. Composition, intake, and excretion of fiber constituents.

The role of fiber in human diet in preventing a number of chronic diseases has been a widely debated topic in recent years. The claim that populations at low risk for colon cancer generally consume a more fiber-rich diet than those at high risk, has been used to postulate a protective role for this group of substances. In this study we asked the question whether populations leading different dietary lifestyles and who are at varying risks for colon cancer show marked differences in their dietary and fecal profiles of various fiber components.

Dietary fiber and cholesterol metabolism in rats fed a high cholesterol diet.

The effect of administering blackgram (Phaseolus mungo) fiber (isolated as neutral detergent residue) at the 30% dietary level has been studied with regard to lipid concentration in the tissues and that of biliary and fecal bile acids and sterols. Rats were fed a high fat-cholesterol diet and compared with those fed a cellulose diet. The results indicate that blackgram fiber significantly lowers cholesterol in both serum and aorta [11].