Figen Esin Kayhan

Prevalence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase E298D polymorphism in Turkish patients with essential hypertension

AIMS Our aim was to evaluate the effects of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) E298D polymorphism in obesity variables and essential hypertension (eHT) development risk. The genotype frequencies of E298D polymorphism in eHT patients and non-hypertensive (non-HT) controls (proven to have normal coronaries angiographically) were analyzed for their association with demographic and obesity related data of the eHT patients and controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS eNOS gene E298D genotypes were determined with qPCR. RESULTS The eNOS E298D polymorphism frequencies for 298E/E, 298E/D and 298D/D genotypes were respectively as 41.1%, 44.6%, 14.3% in subjects eHT and 52.8%, 38.9%, 8.3% in the non-HT groups. The combined E298D homozygous polymorphic and heterozygous genotypes were found to have a decreasing effect on serum total-cholesterol levels in comparison to wild-type genotypes in eHT patients but not controls. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the idea that, the eNOS E298D polymorphism, which is not associated with hypertension, may increase the risk of hypertension when associated with high serum total-cholesterol levels.

FTO mRNA Expression in Extremely Obese and Type 2 Diabetic Human Omental and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissues

BackgroundFat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) gene expression is known to correlate with obesity. Our aim was to investigate the FTO gene expression in paired omental and subcutaneous human adipose tissues from morbid and obese patients. To understand the role of CD68-positive macrophages in adipose tissues, the correlation with adiposity parameters such as adipocyte diameter and adipocyte radius was also measured. Drug and adiposity correlations were also analyzed.MethodsPaired omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue were excised during elective surgery from morbidly obese (n = 9) and obese (n = 5) patients. FTO expressions were determined by quantitative PCR. Tissue sections were analyzed for their CD68 protein expressions by immunuhistochemistry.ResultsOmental and subcutaneous adipose tissue FTO gene expression levels were not found to differ significantly among morbidly obese and obese study groups. Serum aspartate aminotransferase e and alanine transaminase levels were found to be in negative correlation with subcutaneous fat tissue FTO expression rate. Antidiabetic drug use was found to be in correlation with adiposity. Both subcutaneous and omental fat cell diameters were found to have correlation with antidiabetic drug use. Omental fat cell diameter was found to enlarge together with omental CD68 protein expression. Subcutaneous macrophage number decreased while omental fat cell radius increased. Omental macrophage number was found in correlation with subcutaneous macrophage number.ConclusionsAntidiabetic therapy was found to increase adiposity in omental and subcutaneous fat. Further research is needed with larger samples to explore the exact role of FTO in obesity.

ACCUMULATION OF CADMIUM AND LEAD IN COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT FISH SPECIES IN THE GULF OF GEMLİK, MARMARA SEA, TURKEY

The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in gill and muscle tissues of ten commercial fish caught from the Gulf of Gemlik, Marmara Sea, Turkey. Ten commer-cially important marine fish species were obtained monthly from the local fishermen. The Cd and Pb levels in muscle and gill tissues of the fish samples were evaluated using atomic absorption spectropho-tometer (Shimadzu 6701, Shimadzu, Tokyo, Japan). In July 2011, the highest concentrations of Cd were found in the gill tissue of Sardinella maderensis, Solea vulgaris and Belone belone (3.62, 3.46 and 3.05µg g-1, respectively). In March 2011, the highest concentrations of lead were observed in the gill tissues of S. vulgaris and B. Belone (9.48 and 6.74 µg g-1, respectively), and the muscle tissue of S. maderensis (7.07 µg g-1). Generally, the levels of Cd and Pb were found very high for the than the tolerance limits of Turkish Food Codex, European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

Omentum Adiposity is Linked with Resistin Gene Expression

Background: This study demonstrated site-specific adipose tissue resistin gene expression differences in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. The relationship between conventional drug therapy and adipose tissue resistin gene expression was also determined. Paired omental and subcutaneous adipose tissues were excised during elective surgery from morbidly obese and obese patients. Methods: Resistin mRNA expressions were determined by qPCR. All tissue sections also were also analyzed for their resistin and CD68 protein expressions by immunohistochemistry. Results: No significant difference for omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue resistin mRNA expression levels were found among morbidly obese and obese study groups. The omental adipocytes resistin mRNA expressions increased with macrophage number both in the omental and subcutaneus fat. Resistin mRNA expressions of the omental and subcutaneous fat were in positive correlation. As the omental adipocytes radius decreased, the macrophage number increased in subcutaneous fat. In the omentum the adipocytes diameter and areas increased, in correlation with macrophage number. The antidiabetic drug use was found to increase adipocyte size both in the omentum and subcutaneous fat. Conclusions: The higher resistin gene expression in the omental fat may induce the increase in size and number of adipocytes, thus leading to elavation in omental fat mass.