Endothelial Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus: New Insights.

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is an important marker of future atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, especially in people with diabetes. This article summarizes the evidence on endothelial dysfunction in people with diabetes and adds different perspectives that can affect the presence and severity of ED and its consequences. We highlight that data on ED in type 1 diabetes are lacking and discuss the relationship between ED and arterial stiffness.

Genetic risk score is associated with T2DM and diabetes complications risks.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prototypical complex disease with polygenic architecture playing an important role in determining susceptibility to develop the disease (and its complications) in subjects exposed to modifiable lifestyle factors. A current challenge is to quantify the degree of the individual's genetic risk using genetic risk scores (GRS) capturing the results of genome-wide association studies while incorporating possible ethnicity- or population-specific differences.

Methods: This study included three groups of T2DM (T2DM-I, N = 1,032; T2DM-II, N = 353; and T2DM-III, N = 399) patients and 2,481 diabetes-free subjects.

A plant-based meal reduces postprandial oxidative and dicarbonyl stress in men with diabetes or obesity compared with an energy- and macronutrient-matched conventional meal in a randomized crossover study.

Background: Increased oxidative/dicarbonyl stress and chronic inflammation are considered key pathophysiological mediators in the progression of complications in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Lifestyle and diet composition have a major impact. In this study, we tested the effects of a vegan (V) and a conventional meat containg (M) meal, matched for energy and macronutrients, on postprandial oxidative and dicarbonyl stress, inflammatory markers and appetite hormones.

The APOE4 allele is associated with a decreased risk of retinopathy in type 2 diabetics.

Background: Common polymorphisms within the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene are suggested to be associated with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the potential association with T2DM complications (nephropathy, neuropathy and retinopathy) remains unclear. We perform the case-control study to analyse the association between the APOE polymorphism and risk of T2DM and to analysed the potential relationship between the APOE and T2DM complications.

Methods And Results: APOE variants (rs429358 and rs7412) were genotyped by TaqMan assay in T2DM patients (N = 1274; N = 829 with complications including retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy status) and with PCR-RFLP in healthy nondiabetic controls (N = 2055).

A plant-based meal affects thalamus perfusion differently than an energy- and macronutrient-matched conventional meal in men with type 2 diabetes, overweight/obese, and healthy men: A three-group randomized crossover study.

Background & Aims: Reward circuitry in the brain plays a key role in weight regulation. We tested the effects of a plant-based meal on these brain regions.

Methods: A randomized crossover design was used to test the effects of two energy- and macronutrient-matched meals: a vegan (V-meal) and a conventional meat (M-meal) on brain activity, gastrointestinal hormones, and satiety in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 20), overweight/obese participants (O; n = 20), and healthy controls (H; n = 20).

Differential modulation of white adipose tissue endocannabinoid levels by n-3 fatty acids in obese mice and type 2 diabetic patients.

n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) might regulate metabolism by lowering endocannabinoid levels. We examined time-dependent changes in adipose tissue levels of endocannabinoids as well as in parameters of glucose homeostasis induced by n-3 PUFA in dietary-obese mice, and compared these results with the effect of n-3 PUFA intervention in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) subjects. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed for 8, 16 or 24 weeks a high-fat diet alone (cHF) or supplemented with n-3 PUFA (cHF + F).

"A Vegetarian vs. Conventional Hypocaloric Diet: The Effect on Physical Fitness in Response to Aerobic Exercise in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes." A Parallel Randomized Study.

It has been shown that it is possible to modify macronutrient oxidation, physical fitness and resting energy expenditure (REE) by changes in diet composition. Furthermore, mitochondrial oxidation can be significantly increased by a diet with a low glycemic index. The purpose of our trial was to compare the effects of a vegetarian (V) and conventional diet (C) with the same caloric restriction (-500 kcal/day) on physical fitness and REE after 12 weeks of diet plus aerobic exercise in 74 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Docosahexaenoic Acid-Derived Fatty Acid Esters of Hydroxy Fatty Acids (FAHFAs) With Anti-inflammatory Properties.

White adipose tissue (WAT) is a complex organ with both metabolic and endocrine functions. Dysregulation of all of these functions of WAT, together with low-grade inflammation of the tissue in obese individuals, contributes to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of marine origin play an important role in the resolution of inflammation and exert beneficial metabolic effects.

Combined intervention with pioglitazone and n-3 fatty acids in metformin-treated type 2 diabetic patients: improvement of lipid metabolism.

Background: The marine n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exert numerous beneficial effects on health, but their potency to improve treatment of type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients remains poorly characterized. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a combination intervention using EPA + DHA and the insulin-sensitizing drug pioglitazone in overweight/obese T2D patients already treated with metformin.

Methods: In a parallel-group, four-arm, randomized trial, 69 patients (66 % men) were assigned to 24-week-intervention using: (i) corn oil (5 g/day; Placebo), (ii) pioglitazone (15 mg/day; Pio), (iii) EPA + DHA concentrate (5 g/day, containing ~2.