L. S. Litvinova

Nitric oxide and mitochondria in metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of metabolic disorders that collectively increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a crucial role in the pathogeneses of MS components and is involved in different mitochondrial signaling pathways that control respiration and apoptosis. The present review summarizes the recent information regarding the interrelations of mitochondria and NO in MS. Changes in the activities of different NO synthase isoforms lead to the formation of metabolic disorders and therefore are highlighted here. Reduced endothelial NOS activity and NO bioavailability, as the main factors underlying the endothelial dysfunction that occurs in MS, are discussed in this review in relation to mitochondrial dysfunction. We also focus on potential therapeutic strategies involving NO signaling pathways that can be used to treat patients with metabolic disorders associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. The article may help researchers develop new approaches for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of MS.

Dexamethasone effects on activation and proliferation of immune memory T cells.

Dose-dependent effects of dexamethasone on activation and proliferation of donor immune memory T cells (CD45RO+) were studied. Activation of memory T cells associated with IL-2 production and membrane expression of CD25 molecule was resistant to dexamethasone. Proliferative activity of memory T cells associated with membrane expression of CD71 molecule was highly sensitive to dexamethasone. Hence, glucocorticoid hormones can maintain the clonal balance in the lymphoid tissue without preventing realization of the immune memory mechanism.

The influence of immunoregulatory cytokines IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 upon activation, proliferation, and apoptosis of immune memory T-cells in vitro

The influence of immunoregulatory cytokines IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 on the activation, proliferation, and apoptosis of different subpopulations of an immune memory T-cell (CD45RO+) in healthy donors were investigated. It was demonstrated that rIL-2 equally affected both the activation and proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations of memory T-cells in vitro. High concentrations of rIL-2 increased the number of CD8+ memory cells expressing apoptotic marker CD95. Effect of rIL-7 and rIL-15 on the activation and proliferation of cytotoxic CD8+ memory cells in vitro was different. CD4+ memory lymphocytes exhibited relative resistance to activation and proliferation by rIL-7 and rIL-15 compared to rIL-2. This can provide them with relative resistance to apoptosis, as well as create the necessary conditions for accelerated implementation of their functional capacity in the development of a secondary immune response.

Dose-dependent effects of dexamethasone on functional activity of T-lymphocytes with different grades of differentiation

Glucocorticoids are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents with pleiotropic effects on the growth, differentiation, and functional activity of T lymphocytes. The comprehensive assessment of the influence of dexamethasone on the functional activity of T cells with different grades of differentiation was performed under experimental in vitro conditions. We established that dexamethasone suppressed the functional activity of CD45RA+ and CD45RO+ T lymphocytes. In the population of naive (CD45RA+) T cells, the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on the early activation stages (IL-2-dependent, associated with the CD25 expression and IL-2 production) was more significant, whereas in the culture of primed memory cells (CD45RO+), dexamethasone affects the later stages (IL-2-independent, associated with the expression of proliferation molecule CD71). Multidirectional effects of dexamethasone on the level of expression of mRNA of telomerase catalytic unit (hTERT) were associated with the degree of T cells differentiation. Most likely, the role of glucocorticoid hormones in immunogenesis is mainly the suppression of the excessive growth of T cells and the maintenance of the clonal balance in lymphoid tissue.

Pathogenesis of insulin resistance in metabolic obesity

This review considers molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance developed under conditions of metabolic inflammation; special attention is paid to analysis of the results of experimental and clinical studies work aimed at identifying molecular targets for the development of new methods for prevention and treatment of insulin resistance.

The role of production of adipsin and leptin in the development of insulin resistance in patients with abdominal obesity

We investigated the tissue-specific features of the production of adipokines (leptin and adipsin) by adipose tissue in obese patients depending on the degree of obesity and the state of carbohydrate metabolism. An increase in the content of adipsin and leptin in the blood plasma was found. In patients with varying degrees of obesity with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM 2), we determined the level of tissue-specific expression of LEP and CFD genes encoding leptin and adipsin, respectively. The contribution of different adipose tissue depots to the blood plasma level of adipsin and leptin in obese patients with and without DM 2 was established. The disturbance of reciprocal relationships between adipsin and leptin in obesity is associated with the development of insulin resistance.

Imbalance of morphofunctional responses of Jurkat T lymphoblasts at short-term culturing with relief zinc- or copper-containing calcium phosphate coating on titanium

Morphofunctional response of Jurkat T cells that were cultured for 24 h on substrates prepared from commercially pure titanium with relief microarc bilateral calcium phosphate coating containing copper or zinc was studied. Changes in the concentration of essential trace elements contained in this coating can cause significant imbalance of molecular processes of differentiation, secretion, apoptosis, and necrosis and reduce tumor cell survival.

Evaluating the number of mitochondrial DNA copies in leukocytes and adipocytes from metabolic syndrome patients: Pilot study

Metabolic syndrome is a complex of metabolic, hormonal, and clinical disorders. Defects in mitochondrial functions play an important role in the metabolic syndrome pathogenesis. Here, variations in the number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copies were evaluated in different fat-tissue and peripheral-blood-leukocyte samples from metabolic syndrome patients ranked by body mass indices. The number of mtDNA copies showed a tendency to decrease with increase body mass index.

Water-Based Suspensions of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Electrostatic or Steric Stabilization by Chitosan: Fabrication, Characterization and Biocompatibility

Present day biomedical applications, including magnetic biosensing, demand better understanding of the interactions between living systems and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). In this work spherical MNPs of maghemite were obtained by a highly productive laser target evaporation technique. XRD analysis confirmed the inverse spinel structure of the MNPs (space group Fd-3m). The ensemble obeyed a lognormal size distribution with the median value 26.8 nm and dispersion 0.362. Stabilized water-based suspensions were fabricated using electrostatic or steric stabilization by the natural polymer chitosan. The encapsulation of the MNPs by chitosan makes them resistant to the unfavorable factors for colloidal stability typically present in physiological conditions such as pH and high ionic force. Controlled amounts of suspensions were used for in vitro experiments with human blood mononuclear leukocytes (HBMLs) in order to study their morphofunctional response. For sake of comparison the results obtained in the present study were analyzed together with our previous results of the study of similar suspensions with human mesenchymal stem cells. Suspensions with and without chitosan enhanced the secretion of cytokines by a 24-h culture of HBMLs compared to a control without MNPs. At a dose of 2.3, the MTD of chitosan promotes the stimulating effect of MNPs on cells. In the dose range of MNPs 10–1000 MTD, chitosan “inhibits” cellular secretory activity compared to MNPs without chitosan. Both suspensions did not caused cell death by necrosis, hence, the secretion of cytokines is due to the enhancement of the functional activity of HBMLs. Increased accumulation of MNP with chitosan in the cell fraction at 100 MTD for 24 h exposure, may be due to fixation of chitosan on the outer membrane of HBMLs. The discussed results can be used for an addressed design of cell delivery/removal incorporating multiple activities because of cell capability to avoid phagocytosis by immune cells. They are also promising for the field of biosensor development for the detection of magnetic labels.

Pathogenetic significance of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor gene for the development of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in obesity

Aim. To investigate the association of the GIPR gene polymorphisms rs2302382 and rs8111428 with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and abdominal obesity. Materials and methods. The study involved 163 patients with abdominal obesity (BMI, 39.5 ± 8.3 kg/m2; age, 44.7 ± 8.9 years; men, 61; women, 102), 72 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (BMI, 43.70 ± 9.32 kg/m2; age, 46.5 ± 10.1 years; men, 29; women, 43) and 91 patients without carbohydrate metabolism disorders (BMI, 36.13 ± 6.72 kg/m2; age, 43.93 ± 8.35 years; men, 32; women 59). The control group comprised 109 relatively healthy volunteers (BMI, 22.6 ± 2.7 kg/m2; age, 39.5 ± 7.6 years; men, 66; women, 43). Genotypes were analysed by real-time PCR and serum insulin and C-peptide levels were evaluated by ELISA. Results. The AA genotype in the rs2302382 polymorphism of GIPR was associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in abdominal obesity and the CA genotype was associated with a reduced risk. In individuals with abdominal obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus carrying the CA genotype in rs2302382 polymorphism of GIPR, serum insulin and C-peptide levels were elevated to 56.27 mU/L (55.49–58.41 mU/L) and 2.04 ng/ml (1.37–2.85 ng/ml), respectively (p < 0.05). In obese patients with the same genotype and without type 2 diabetes, serum insulin levels and C-peptide levels were 22.73 mU/L (19.07–25.76 mU/L) and 0.73 ng/ml (0.53–1.03 ng/ml), respectively (p < 0.05). The GIPR rs8111428 polymorphism was not associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in obesity for any of the groups examined. Conclusion. Serum insulin and C-peptide levels were increased in patients with abdominal obesity who were carriers of the CA genotype in the rs2302382 polymorphism of GIPR, which is associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in obesity compared with the CC genotype.