Cryoglobulins as potential triggers of inflammation in schizophrenia.

This case study aimed to investigate effects of type III cryoglobulins isolated from the blood of patients with schizophrenia on the production of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)-1 β , IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ), anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and chemotactic cytokines IL-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The experiments were performed in vitro using PBMCs healthy subjects and the blood of patients whit schizoprenia. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay were used upon study.

Reduced levels of SCD1 accentuate palmitate-induced stress in insulin-producing β-cells.

Background: Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) is an ER resident enzyme introducing a double-bond in saturated fatty acids. Global knockout of SCD1 in mouse increases fatty acid oxidation and insulin sensitivity which makes the animal resistant to diet-induced obesity. Inhibition of SCD1 has therefore been proposed as a potential therapy of the metabolic syndrome.

Palmitate-induced changes in protein expression of insulin secreting INS-1E cells.

Elevated blood levels of glucose and lipids in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus have been observed to cause impairment of insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells. Chronic exposure to either of the circulating fatty acid oleate or palmitate has different effects on the beta-cell. Whereas palmitate causes functional impairment of the beta-cell and apoptosis, oleate has only minor negative effects on beta-cell function and mass.

Proteins altered by elevated levels of palmitate or glucose implicated in impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.

Background: Development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by aberrant insulin secretory patterns, where elevated insulin levels at non-stimulatory basal conditions and reduced hormonal levels at stimulatory conditions are major components. To delineate mechanisms responsible for these alterations we cultured INS-1E cells for 48 hours at 20 mM glucose in absence or presence of 0.5 mM palmitate, when stimulatory secretion of insulin was reduced or basal secretion was elevated, respectively.

Statins ameliorate endothelial barrier permeability changes in the cerebral tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Statins may have favorable effects on endothelial barrier function. The effect of rosuvastatin and simvastatin therapy (10 mg/kg) for 5 weeks on blood-brain barrier (BBB), blood-retinal barrier (BRB), and cardiac muscle permeability of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was studied. The size-selective permeability of different vascular beds to a group of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextrans of varying molecular weights was measured.

Astrocytic and neuronal biochemical markers in the sera of subjects with diabetes mellitus.

To determine if clinical diabetes is associated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and/or brain injury, enzyme-linked immunoassays and Western blots were used to measure serum levels of S100B, NSE and their auto-antibodies in type 1 and type 2 diabetic subjects. Serum S100B concentrations in type 2 diabetic subjects, but not in type 1 diabetic subjects, were significantly lower than those found in healthy controls. There were no significant differences in serum NSE levels of either type 1 or type 2 diabetics compared to healthy controls.