Effect of Glycine on Adipocyte Hypertrophy in a Metabolic Syndrome Rat Model.

Glycine (Gly) lowers hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension but its role in preventing adipocyte hypertrophy and modulating enzymatic activity of adipocytes has not been studied. Here we evaluate the effect of 1% Gly in the diet on adipocyte hypertrophy and the modulation of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in a metabolic syndrome (MS) rat model with intra-abdominal obesity. 32 Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control (C), MS, MS plus Gly (MS+Gly), and MS+Gly plus strychnine (MS+Gly+S). MS was induced by administering 30% sucrose in the drinking water for 16 weeks. In the MS+Gly and MS+Gly+S groups, the sucrose solution plus 1% Gly and 1 % Gly plus strychnine 10 µM were given during the last 4 weeks of the sucrose treatment. After 16 weeks of treatment, rats were sacrificed and the adipose tissue dissected. Gly in MS rats decreased body weight, intra-abdominal adipose tissue, adipocyte hypertrophy, blood pressure, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-IR index, leptin, total fatty acids, non-esterified fatty acids and LPL activity. It increased fatty acids of the phospholipids, perilipin A expression and it decreased HSL expression, without changing LPL expression. The Gly receptor subunit-ß was identified in adipocytes. In conclusion, Gly treatment regulates the activity of enzymes involved in the lipid metabolism of the adipocytes through the Gly receptor and it decreases the effects of the high sucrose diet.

Anomalous origin of pulmonary branches from the ascending aorta. A report of five cases and review of the literature.

The anomalous origin of pulmonary branches is a rare entity where, either the right or the left pulmonary arteries arise from the ascending aorta and where the aortic and pulmonary valves are separated. Clinical manifestations usually appear in the infant or, more rarely, in the newborn and include respiratory distress or congestive heart failure due to increased pulmonary resistance.The survival rate in an Indian series was 94% with the death of one patient from Fallot tetralogy. We have treated five patients with this congenital heart disease in 20 years; the survival rate was of 80% and in all survival cases, the systolic pressure was significantly decreased. The current treatment of choice, consisting of the anatomical correction with translocation of the right pulmonary artery to the pulmonary trunk, was first performed by Kirkpatrick in 1961.The aim of this paper is to show the Mexican experience in the diagnosis and treatment of the anomalous origin of pulmonary branches from the ascending aorta. CONCLUSION: Early surgery with timely correction of this congenital heart disease improves the prognosis and survival rate of patients, with a reduction in pulmonary hypertension..

Analysis of oxidative stress enzymes and structural and functional proteins on human aortic tissue from different aortopathies.

The role of oxidative stress in different aortopathies is evaluated. Thirty-two tissue samples from 18 men and 14 women were divided into: 4 control (C) subjects, 11 patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), 4 with variants of Marfan's syndrome (MV), 9 with Marfan's syndrome (M), 2 with Turner's syndrome, and 2 with Takayasu's arteritis (TA). Aorta fragments were homogenized. Lipoperoxidation (LPO), copper-zinc and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn and Cu-Zn-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitrates and nitrites (NO3(-)/NO2(-)), and type IV collagen, and laminin were evaluated. There was an increase in Mn- and Cu-Zn-SOD activity in SAH, MV, M, and Turner's syndrome. There was also an increase in CAT activity in M and Turner' syndrome. GPx and GST activity decreased and LPO increased in all groups. eNOS was decreased in SAH, MV, and M and NO3 (-)/NO2 (-) were increased in SAH and TA. Type IV collagen was decreased in Turner's syndrome and TA. Laminin γ-1 was decreased in MV and increased in M. In conclusion, similarities and differences in oxidative stress in the different aortopathies studied including pathologies with aneurysms were found with alterations in SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, and eNOS activity that modify subendothelial basement membrane proteins.