Hayat M. Sharada

Elevated endotoxin levels in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BackgroundEmerging data indicate that gut-derived endotoxin may contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation in insulin resistant states. This study aimed to examine the importance of serum endotoxin and inflammatory markers in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to explore the effect of treatment with a lipase inhibitor, Orlistat, on their inflammatory status.MethodsFasted serum from 155 patients with biopsy proven NAFLD and 23 control subjects were analysed for endotoxin, soluble CD14 (sCD14), soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor II (sTNFRII) and various metabolic parameters. A subgroup of NAFLD patients were re-assessed 6 and 12 months after treatment with diet alone (n = 6) or diet plus Orlistat (n = 8).ResultsEndotoxin levels were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD compared with controls (NAFLD: 10.6(7.8, 14.8) EU/mL; controls: 3.9(3.2, 5.2) EU/mL, p < 0.001); NAFLD alone produced comparable endotoxin levels to T2DM (NAFLD: T2DM: 10.6(5.6, 14.2) EU/mL; non-diabetic: 10.6(8.5, 15.2) EU/mL), whilst a significant correlation between insulin resistance and serum endotoxin was observed (r = 0.27, p = 0.008). Both sCD14 (p < 0.01) and sTNFRII (p < 0.001) increased with severity of fibrosis. A positive correlation was also noted between sTNFRII and sCD14 in the NAFLD subjects (r = 0.29, p = 0.004).Sub-cohort treatment with Orlistat in patients with NAFLD showed significant decreases in ALT (p = 0.006), weight (p = 0.005) and endotoxin (p = 0.004) compared with the NAFLD, non-Orlistat treated control cohort at 6 and 12 months post therapy, respectively.ConclusionsEndotoxin levels were considerably increased in NAFLD patients, with marked increases noted in early stage fibrosis compared with controls. These results suggest elevated endotoxin may serve as an early indicator of potential liver damage, perhaps negating the need for invasive liver biopsy. As endotoxin may promote insulin resistance and inflammation, interventions aimed at reducing endotoxin levels in NAFLD patients may prove beneficial in reducing inflammatory burden.

Single nucleotide polymorphism at exon 7 splice acceptor site of OAS1 gene determines response of hepatitis C virus patients to interferon therapy

Background and Aim:  Response to interferon therapy and disease progression in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients differs among individuals, suggesting a possibility of a contribution of host genetic factors. 2′‐5′‐oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1), an important component of the innate immune system with a proven antiviral function, may therefore have a relationship with the response to interferon therapy and clinical course of HCV disease. Our aim was to determine the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at exon 7 splice acceptor site (SAS) of the OAS1 gene in relation to the interferon response and status of HCV infection.

Urinary high molecular weight matrix metalloproteinases as non-invasive biomarker for detection of bladder cancer

BackgroundMatrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key molecules for tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Over-expression of different MMPs in tumor tissues can disturb the homeostasis and increase the level of various body fluids. Many MMPs including high molecular weights (HMWs) were detected in the urine of prostate and bladder cancer patients. Our aim here is to assess the usefulness of HMW MMPs as non invasive biomarkers in bilharzial bladder cancer in Egyptian patients.MethodsThe activity of different MMPs including HMW species was determined using zymographic analysis technique in the urine samples procured from sixty six bladder cancer patients (bilharzial and non-bilharzial) as well as hundred healthy control subjects. Also, the correlation between these HMW MMPs activities and different clinico-pathological parameters was investigated.ResultsHigh frequency of urine MMPs (uMMPs) activity was determined in 63.6% of examined tumor cases, however, none of the control cases showed any uMMPs activity. MMP-9 had the highest activity (62%) followed by MMP9/NGAL (60%), MMP-2 (54.5%), MMP-9 dimer (53%), ADAMTS (25.6%), and the lowest one was MMP-9/TIMP-1 (12%) only. There was no correlation between uMMPs and any of clinico-pathological parameters including age, gender, tumor size and type, bilharziasis, grade, lymph node involvement, and invasion to the prostate. A significant correlation was established only between MMP-9/TIMP-1 activities with the tumor size.ConclusionsThis study revealed that the detection of urinary MMPs including HMWs activity might be sensitive biomarkers for prediction of bladder cancer. It is also demonstrate that the detection of these urinary HMW gelatinases could not differentiate between bilharzial and non bilharzial bladder cancer subtypes.

Diagnostic performances of hepatitis C virus-NS4 antigen in patients with different liver pathologies.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has emerged as the major pathogen of liver disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to quantitate and evaluate the performance of HCV-NS4 antigen as an alternative approach for confirmation of viremia. METHODS Detection of HCV-NS4 was assessed in 883 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were used to assess and compare diagnostic accuracy of ELISA for HCV-NS4 with quantitative HCV-RNA as a gold standard. RESULTS HCV-NS4 was identified at 27 kDa using Western blot. AUC for HCV-NS4 detection was 0.95 for all patients with different liver pathologies: 0.93 for liver fibrosis (LF), 0.95 for liver cirrhosis (LC) and 0.98 for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mean ± SD (μg/mL) of HCV-NS4 in LF was 94.2 ± 55.6; in LC was 99.3 ± 64.8 and in HCC was 124.9 ± 70.3. CONCLUSIONS HCV-NS4 antigen detection using ELISA is a reliable test in the confirmation of HCV infection.

Immobilization of glucose isomerase onto radiation synthesized P(AA-co-AMPS) hydrogel and its application

Abstract Isomerization of glucose to fructose was carried out using Glucose isomerase (GI) that immobilized by entrapment into Poly(acrylic acid) P(AA) and Poly(acrylic acid-co-2-Acrylamido 2-methyl Propane sulfonic acid) P(AA-co-AMPS) polymer networks, the enzyme carriers were prepared by radiation induced copolymerization in the presence of (Methylene-bisacrylamide) (MBAA) as a crosslinking agent. The maximum gel fraction of pure P(AA) and P(AA-co-AMPS) hydrogel was found to be 95.2% and 89.6% for P(AA) and P(AA-co-AMPS), respectively at a total dose of 20 kGy. Effects of immobilization conditions such as radiation dose, MBAA concentration, comonomer composition and amount of GI were investigated. The influence of reaction conditions on the activity of immobilized GI were studied, the optimum pH value of the reaction solution is 7.5 and reaction temperature is 65 °C. The immobilized GI into P(AA-co-AMPS) and P(AA) polymer networks retained 81% and 69%, respectively of its initial activity after recycled for 15 times while it retained 87% and 71%, respectively of its initial activity after stored at 4 °C for 48 days. The Km values of free and immobilized GI onto P(AA-co-AMPS) and onto P(AA) matrices were found to be 34, 29.2 and 14.5 mg/mL, respectively while the Vmax Values calculated to be 3.87, 1.6 and 0.79 mg/mL min, respectively. GI entrapped into P(AA-co-AMPS) hydrogel show promising behavior that may be useful as the newly glucose isomerase reactor in biomedical applications.

Interactions of Cellulase and Oleic Acid Solution Mixtures

Abstract The interaction of oleic acid, as an anionic detergent, with cellulase has been investigated using different techniques (surface tension, turbidity and FTIR). The surface tension measurements show that the CMC of the oleic acid-cellulase mixture is lower than that of the individual components. The interaction in this case is defined as attractive and the mixture exhibits synergism. Also, it is found that the area per molecule for the oleic acid/cellulase mixed isotherm is lower than area of the pure oleic acid. This decrease in the area/molecule is due to the arrangement of cellulase molecules in-between the oleic acid chains. Turbidity measurements indicate the formation of two complexes. Complex 1 is obtained at low oleic concentrations (< 10−4 M) with compact size giving a high turbidity. Complex 2 is formed at higher oleic concentrations (> 10−4 M) where the formed aggregates were precipitated and the turbidity was decreased. The changes in the FTIR spectrum features of cellulase after oleic acid addition indicate an interaction between cellulase and oleic acid in their mixture.

Hyperlipidaemic conditions induce 'metabolic memory' within human abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes, in vitro

Prevalence of lipid abnormalities before and after the introduction of lipid modifying therapy among Swedish patients with type 2 diabetes and/or coronary heart disease (PRIMULA Sweden)In the ACTION (A Coronary disease Trial Investigating Outcome with Nifedipine GITS) trial, the benefits of adding nifedipine GITS to the treatment of patients with stable symptomatic coronary artery disease were particularly apparent in those with concomitant hypertension. This further analysis has assessed whether or not the addition of nifedipine GITS is particularly beneficial in the treatment of patients with the combination of diabetes mellitus and chronic stable angina.Different sets of risk factors for the development of albuminuria and renal impairment in type 2 diabetes : the Swedish National Diabetes register (NDR)