N-Acetylcysteine Attenuates Cisplatin Toxicity in the Cerebrum and Lung of Young Rats with Artificially Induced Protein Deficiency.

Neurotoxicity is a major obstacle in the effectiveness of Cisplatin in cancer chemotherapy. In this process, oxidative stress and inflammation are considered to be the main mechanisms involved in brain and lung toxicity. The aim of the present work was to study the influence of the amount of protein on some oxidative parameters in the brain and lungs of rats treated with Cisplatin (CP) and N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) as neuroprotectors. Four groups of Wistar rats, each containing six animals, were fed with a protein diet at 7% for 15 days. Thereafter, the groups were given either a unique dose of CP® 5 mg/kg or NAC® 5 mg/kg as follows: group 1 (control), NaCl 0.9% vehicle; group 2, CP; group 3, NAC; and group 4, NAC + CP. The animals were sacrificed immediately after the treatments. Blood samples were collected upon sacrifice and used to measure blood triglycerides and glucose. The brain and lungs of each animal were obtained and used to assay lipid peroxidation (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), serotonin metabolite (5-HIAA), catalase, and the activity of Ca+2, and Mg+2 ATPase using validated methods. TBARS, H2O2, and GSH were found to be significantly decreased in the cortex and cerebellum/medulla oblongata of the groups treated with CP and NAC. The total ATPase showed a significant increase in the lung and cerebellum/medulla oblongata, while 5-HIAA showed the same tendency in the cortex of the same group of animals. The increase in 5-HIAA and ATPase during NAC and CP administration resulted in brain protection. This effect could be even more powerful when membrane fluidity is increased, thus proving the efficacy of combined NAC and CP drug therapy, which appears to be a promising strategy for future chemotherapy in malnourished patients.

Oleic acid reduces oxidative stress in rat brain induced by some anticancer drugs.

Oleic acid (OA) is a monounsaturated compound with many health-benefitting properties such as obesity prevention, increased insulin sensitivity, antihypertensive and immune-boosting properties, etc. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of oleic acid (OA) and some anticancer drugs against oxidative damage induced by nitropropionic acid (NPA) in rat brain. Six groups of Wistar rats were treated as follows: Group 1, (control); group 2, OA; group 3, NPA + OA; group 4, cyclophosphamide (CPP) + OA; group 5, daunorubicin (DRB) + OA; and group 6, dexrazoxane (DXZ) + OA. All compounds were administered intraperitoneally route, every 24 h for 5 days. Their brains were extracted to measure lipoperoxidation (TBARS), H2O2, Ca+2, Mg+2 ATPase activity, glutathione (GSH) and dopamine. Glucose, hemoglobin and triglycerides were measured in blood. In cortex GSH increased in all groups, except in group 2, the group 4 showed the highest increase of this biomarker. TBARS decrease, and dopamine increase in all regions of groups 4, 5 and 6. H2O2 increased only in cerebellum/medulla oblongata of group 5 and 6. ATPase expression decreased in striatum of group 4. Glucose increased in group 6, and hemoglobin increased in groups 4 and 5. These results suggest that the increase of dopamine and the antioxidant effect of oleic acid administration during treatment with oncologic agents could result in less brain injury.

Post COVID-19 Vertigo in a Patient with Hypothyroidism: A Case Report.

Case Summary: Female nurse, 44-years-old with a weight of 127 pounds. She attended our emergency clinic for an urgent care due to post COVID-19 vertigo and anxiety. Her problem began with severe, short-lived attacks of objective-circular type vertigo, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The symptoms occurred when she assumed a lying position, turn right and sat or stood upright. Interventions: The patient received medical prescription for hypothyroidism, vertigo and anxiety symptoms. Oral route feeding was started and was well tolerated. Outcomes: The patient showed good evolution with the treatment. Currently, she is at home with daily intake of levothyroxine and losartan without complications. Conclusion: The clinical case suggests that in patients with hypothyroidism, COVID-19 infection may trigger and exacerbate vertigo and anxiety.

Intake of oligoelements with cytarabine or etoposide alters dopamine levels and oxidative damage in rat brain.

Research on the relationships between oligoelements (OE) and the development of cancer or its prevention is a field that is gaining increasing relevance. The aim was to evaluate OE and their interactions with oncology treatments (cytarabine or etoposide) to determine the effects of this combination on biogenic amines and oxidative stress biomarkers in the brain regions of young Wistar rats. Dopamine (DA), 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-Hiaa), Glutathione (Gsh), Tiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and Ca+2, Mg+2 ATPase enzyme activity were measured in brain regions tissues using spectrophometric and fluorometric methods previously validated. The combination of oligoelements and cytarabine increased dopamine in the striatum but decreased it in cerebellum/medulla-oblongata, whereas the combination of oligoelements and etoposide reduced lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that supplementation with oligoelements modifies the effects of cytarabine and etoposide by redox pathways, and may become promising therapeutic targets in patients with cancer.

Assessment of the Roles of Magnesium and Zinc in Clinical Disorders.

The ability and facility of magnesium (Mg2+) and zinc (Zn2+) to interact with phosphate ions confer them the characteristics of essential trace elements. Trace elements are extremely necessary for the basic nucleic acid chemistry of cells of all known living organisms. More than 300 enzymes require zinc and magnesium ions for their catalytic actions, including all the enzymes involved in the synthesis of ATP. In addition, enzymes such as isomerases, oxidoreductases, lyases, transferases, ligases and hydrolases that use other nucleotides to synthesize DNA and RNA require magnesium and zinc. These nucleotides may trigger oxidative damage or important changes against free radicals. In the same way, nucleotides may play an important role in the pathophysiology of degenerative diseases, including in some clinical disorders, where vascular risk factors, oxidative stress and inflammation work to destabilize the patients` homeostatic equilibrium. Indeed, reduced levels of zinc and magnesium may lead to inadequate amount of antioxidant enzymes, and thus, acts as an important contributing factor for the induction of oxidative stress leading to cellular or tissue dysfunction. Hence, the development of zinc or magnesium enzyme inhibitors could be a novel opportunity for the treatment of some human disorders. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to assess the clinical benefits of zinc and magnesium in human health and their effects in some clinical disorders.

Cholic and deoxycholic acids induce mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired biogenesis and autophagic flux in skeletal muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle is sensitive to bile acids (BA) because it expresses the TGR5 receptor for BA. Cholic (CA) and deoxycholic (DCA) acids induce a sarcopenia-like phenotype through TGR5-dependent mechanisms. Besides, a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia was characterised by increased levels of serum BA and muscle weakness, alterations that are dependent on TGR5 expression. Mitochondrial alterations, such as decreased mitochondrial potential and oxygen consumption rate (OCR), increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and unbalanced biogenesis and mitophagy, have not been studied in BA-induced sarcopenia. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of DCA and CA on mitochondrial alterations in C2C12 myotubes and a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia. We measured mitochondrial mass by TOM20 levels and mitochondrial DNA; ultrastructural alterations by transmission electronic microscopy; mitochondrial biogenesis by PGC-1α plasmid reporter activity and protein levels by western blot analysis; mitophagy by the co-localisation of the MitoTracker and LysoTracker fluorescent probes; mitochondrial potential by detecting the TMRE probe signal; protein levels of OXPHOS complexes and LC3B by western blot analysis; OCR by Seahorse measures; and mtROS by MitoSOX probe signals. RESULTS: DCA and CA caused a reduction in mitochondrial mass and decreased mitochondrial biogenesis. Interestingly, DCA and CA increased LC3II/LC3I ratio and decreased autophagic flux concordant with raised mitophagosome-like structures. In addition, DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial potential and reduced protein levels in OXPHOS complexes I and II. The results also demonstrated that DCA and CA decreased basal, ATP-linked, FCCP-induced maximal respiration and spare OCR. DCA and CA also reduced the number of cristae. In addition, DCA and CA increased the mtROS. In mice with cholestasis-induced sarcopenia, TOM20, OXPHOS complexes I, II and III, and OCR were diminished. Interestingly, the OCR and OXPHOS complexes were correlated with muscle strength and bile acid levels. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial mass, possibly by reducing mitochondrial biogenesis, which affects mitochondrial function, thereby altering potential OCR and mtROS generation. Some mitochondrial alterations were also observed in a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia characterised by increased levels of BA, such as DCA and CA.

NEDD4-1 deficiency impairs satellite cell function during skeletal muscle regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Satellite cells are tissue-specific stem cells primarily responsible for the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. Satellite cell function and maintenance are regulated by extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms, including the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is key for maintaining protein homeostasis. In this context, it has been shown that ubiquitin-ligase NEDD4-1 targets the transcription factor PAX7 for proteasome-dependent degradation, promoting muscle differentiation in vitro. Nonetheless, whether NEDD4-1 is required for satellite cell function in regenerating muscle remains to be determined. RESULTS: Using conditional gene ablation, we show that NEDD4-1 loss, specifically in the satellite cell population, impairs muscle regeneration resulting in a significant reduction of whole-muscle size. At the cellular level, NEDD4-1-null muscle progenitors exhibit a significant decrease in the ability to proliferate and differentiate, contributing to the formation of myofibers with reduced diameter. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that NEDD4-1 expression is critical for proper muscle regeneration in vivo and suggest that it may control satellite cell function at multiple levels.

NEDD4-1 deficiency impairs satellite cell function during skeletal muscle regeneration

BACKGROUND: Satellite cells are tissue-specific stem cells primarily responsible for the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. Satellite cell function and maintenance are regulated by extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms, including the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is key for maintaining protein homeostasis. In this context, it has been shown that ubiquitin-ligase NEDD4-1 targets the transcription factor PAX7 for proteasome-dependent degradation, promoting muscle differentiation in vitro. Nonetheless, whether NEDD4-1 is required for satellite cell function in regenerating muscle remains to be determined. RESULTS: Using conditional gene ablation, we show that NEDD4-1 loss, specifically in the satellite cell population, impairs muscle regeneration resulting in a significant reduction of whole-muscle size. At the cellular level, NEDD4-1-null muscle progenitors exhibit a significant decrease in the ability to proliferate and differentiate, contributing to the formation of myofibers with reduced diameter. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that NEDD4-1 expression is critical for proper muscle regeneration in vivo and suggest that it may control satellite cell function at multiple levels.

Cholic and deoxycholic acids induce mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired biogenesis and autophagic flux in skeletal muscle cells

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle is sensitive to bile acids (BA) because it expresses the TGR5 receptor for BA. Cholic (CA) and deoxycholic (DCA) acids induce a sarcopenia-like phenotype through TGR5-dependent mechanisms. Besides, a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia was characterised by increased levels of serum BA and muscle weakness, alterations that are dependent on TGR5 expression. Mitochondrial alterations, such as decreased mitochondrial potential and oxygen consumption rate (OCR), increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and unbalanced biogenesis and mitophagy, have not been studied in BA-induced sarcopenia.METHODS: We evaluated the effects of DCA and CA on mitochondrial alterations in C2C12 myotubes and a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia. We measured mitochondrial mass by TOM20 levels and mitochondrial DNA; ultrastructural alterations by transmission electronic microscopy; mitochondrial biogenesis by PGC-1α plasmid reporter activity and protein levels by western blot analysis; mitophagy by the co-localisation of the MitoTracker and LysoTracker fluorescent probes; mitochondrial potential by detecting the TMRE probe signal; protein levels of OXPHOS complexes and LC3B by western blot analysis; OCR by Seahorse measures; and mtROS by MitoSOX probe signals. RESULTS: DCA and CA caused a reduction in mitochondrial mass and decreased mitochondrial biogenesis. Interestingly, DCA and CA increased LC3II/LC3I ratio and decreased autophagic flux concordant with raised mitophagosome-like structures. In addition, DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial potential and reduced protein levels in OXPHOS complexes I and II. The results also demonstrated that DCA and CA decreased basal, ATP-linked, FCCP-induced maximal respiration and spare OCR. DCA and CA also reduced the number of cristae. In addition, DCA and CA increased the mtROS. In mice with cholestasis-induced sarcopenia, TOM20, OXPHOS complexes I, II and III, and OCR were diminished. Interestingly, the OCR and OXPHOS complexes were correlated with muscle strength and bile acid levels. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial mass, possibly by reducing mitochondrial biogenesis, which affects mitochondrial function, thereby altering potential OCR and mtROS generation. Some mitochondrial alterations were also observed in a mouse model of cholestasis-induced sarcopenia characterised by increased levels of BA, such as DCA and CA.

Bile Acids Induce Alterations in Mitochondrial Function in Skeletal Muscle Fibers.

Cholestatic chronic liver disease is characterized by developing sarcopenia and elevated serum levels of bile acids. Sarcopenia is a skeletal muscle disorder with the hallmarks of muscle weakness, muscle mass loss, and muscle strength decline. Our previous report demonstrated that deoxycholic acid (DCA) and cholic acid (CA), through the membrane receptor TGR5, induce a sarcopenia-like phenotype in myotubes and muscle fibers. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of DCA and CA on mitochondrial mass and function in muscle fibers and the role of the TGR5 receptor. To this end, muscle fibers obtained from wild-type and TGR5-/- mice were incubated with DCA and CA. Our results indicated that DCA and CA decreased mitochondrial mass, DNA, and potential in a TGR5-dependent fashion. Furthermore, with TGR5 participation, DCA and CA also reduced the oxygen consumption rate and complexes I and II from the mitochondrial electron transport chain. In addition, DCA and CA generated more mitochondrial reactive oxygen species than the control, which were abolished in TGR5-/- mice muscle fibers. Our results indicate that DCA and CA induce mitochondrial dysfunction in muscle fibers through a TGR5-dependent mechanism.

Tuberculosis of the ribcage by dissemination of Koch bacilli.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious, transmissible and immune disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-complex (MTBC). Although osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) has been widely described, the ribcage variety remains a rare form. CASE REPORT: A thirteen-month-old male and a twenty-month-old female, both with pain and increased volume of anterolateral left rib cage were described. Physical examination revealed the presence of a soft consistent mass at the level of the 9th and 5th costal arches in the male and female patients respectively. Upon clinical evaluation, tuberculosis was suspected, which was confirmed by X-ray and histopathological studies. After confirmation, the management, based on anti-tuberculosis therapy was started as follows: nine months of anti-tuberculosis therapy for the male patient and fourteen months for the female. The outcomes were favorable for both patients. However, further interventions, consisting of abscess drainage in the male patient and excisional biopsy in the female patient were necessary. With these therapeutic interventions, to date, the patients are without any evidence of active TB.

Inflammatory Process and Immune System in Major Depressive Disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses in the general population. In mental disorders, the activation of inflammatory pathways in the brain is a major producer of excitotoxicity and an inducer of oxidative stress. The occurrence of these 2 events is partly responsible for the neuronal damage inherent in patients with mental disorders. In the case of MDD, the release of hormone and increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and indicators of oxidative stress have been identified as consequences of this event. The most important affectations in patients with MDD are changes in their cognitive and executive functions due to brain inflammation. Hence, these biomarkers can serve as diagnostic and severity classification tools and treatment. In this work, we described the communication pathway between the immune and neuroendocrine systems in MDD and suggested possible therapeutic options for the disease.

Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma: Multicentric Experience in Mexico.

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is one of the most severe forms of child abuse due to its morbidity and mortality. However, AHT is still misdiagnosed in developing countries because of its nonspecific clinical picture and limited knowledge of it on the part of physicians. The aim of this study was to describe some characteristics of children with AHT, their families, and caregivers, as well as the clinical data that could serve as signs for its suspicion and the medical-legal resolution of the cases. Children suspect with AHT in emergency rooms in three Mexican hospitals were included after obtaining informed consent from the parents. All information was obtained from the parents by means of a questionnaire and from different clinical and radiological evaluations of the clinical records of the patients. 15 children, with a median age of 5 months and predominantly males (73.33%), were included in the study. 66% reported a history of irritability periods, and most of the patients (73.33%) had more than one habitual caregiver. The diagnosis of AHT was suspected in only 33.33% on admission in the Emergency Services. Acute symptomatology was present in 53.33%, while less severe symptoms were reported in the rest. Special attention should be paid on babies with history of irritable periods. When a child who is previously healthy and suddenly presents with a seizure or cardiorespiratory dysfunction or brought to the hospital dead, the diagnosis of AHT should be considered as a priority.

Oseltamivir induces favorable response on oxidative damage in the brain of rats treated with Bezafibrate.

AIM: The purpose was to measure the effect of Oseltamivir on oxidative biomarkers and dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in brain of rats with induced hypotriglyceridemia by Bezafibrate.Male young Wistar rats were treated as follows: group 1, NaCl 0.9%, (Controls); group 2, Oseltamivir (100 mg/kg); group 3, single dose of Bezafibrate (150 mg/kg); group 4, four dose of Bezafibrate; group 5, single dose of Bezafibrate + Oseltamivir and group 6, four doses of Bezafibrate + Oseltamivir. Drugs were given orally. Triglycerides, Dopamine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), Glutathione (GSH), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation, as well as total ATPase activity were measured using validated methods. RESULTS: Oseltamivir treated animals showed lower GSH and lipid peroxidation levels and an increment in 5-HIAA in the three evaluated brain regions. Treatment with Oseltamivir also reduces H2O2 in the cortex and cerebellum/medulla oblongata. ATPase enzyme increased in these regions in the groups that were administered with Bezafibrate in repeated doses and in combination with Oseltamivir in single dose. Dopamine concentrations decreased in groups treated with Oseltamivir in the three evaluated regions. Also, there was a decrease in dopamine concentrations in the cerebellum/medulla oblongata of the animals treated with the combination of Oseltamivir and Bezafibrate.Innovation and conclusion: Animals with bezafibrate induced hypo-triglyceridemia that received Oseltamivir, either in single or repeated doses, have a higher improvement of their antioxidant activity and also experienced changes in the dopaminergic and serotonergic system in their brain, intending establish the beneficial of joint administration of both drugs in obese patients.

Tuberculosis in Children in a Pediatric Hospital in Mexico.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global problem and a diagnostic challenge, especially in pediatrics. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical, microbiological, radiological, and histopathological data of TB in children. A 7-year retrospective and descriptive cohort study that included 127 patients under 18 years of age with diagnosis of active TB was conducted from 2011 to 2018 in a pediatric hospital. Tuberculosis was microbiologically confirmed using Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a total of 94 (74%) cases. Thirty-three cases were defined as probable TB based on tuberculin skin test result and epidemiological evaluation. The TB forms found were lymph node (39.3%), bone (15.7%), lung (13.6%), and meningeal TB (8.6%). The most common symptoms were fever (48.8%) and adenopathy (45.6%). History of contact was established in 34.6%. Positive ZN staining (sensitivity 30%) and culture (sensitivity 37%) were found in 29% and 37.7% of subjects, respectively. About 64.5% depicted abnormal chest X-ray. Xpert MTB/RIF® (PCR) was positive in 9.4% and biopsy was compatible in 52.7% of these samples. It is fundamental to have laboratory and epidemiological evaluation that support the diagnosis of the disease in children and thus, define its management; since, in most cases, early microbiologic confirmation is lacking.

Comparative Bioavailability and Pharmacokinetics Between the Solid Form of Metformin vs a Novel Liquid Extemporaneous Formulation in Children.

Metformin pharmacokinetics in a liquid extemporaneous formulation from commercial tablets was determined in paediatric patients. A randomized, transversal clinical trial was conducted in 34 children and adolescents between 7 and 17 years of age. 17 children were randomized to take metformin in the liquid formulation and, after a 1-week wash period, a 500 mg metformin tablet was administered to them. Blood samples were obtained in Whatman 903® cards at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours. Extraction was made by direct precipitation with acetonitrile (ACN) and methanol, detection by UPLC and tandem mass spectrometry. The method was accurate, precise, selective and linear from 50 to 1000 ng/mL (r = .9982). Comparative pharmacokinetics, tablet vs formulation, were as follows: Cmax 1503.2 ng/mL vs 1521.4, Tmax 1.5 h vs 2.3, and half-life 8.2 vs 7.5 h. The liquid formulation of metformin showed similar pharmacokinetics to the tablet, and the ratios (90% CI) of geometric mean for metformin were 100.63% (89.13-113.6), 98.08% (88.04-109.2), and 97.52% (84.9-112.01), for Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC 0-∞, respectively. Pharmacokinetics was determined using WinNonlin Pro 3.1 software. The liquid formulation of metformin showed similar pharmacokinetics to the tablet, allowing a more precise dose adjustment and ease of administration.

A 20-year retrospective study of osteoarticular tuberculosis in a pediatric third level referral center.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study is to describe the clinical, diagnostic, radiological and therapeutic aspects of osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) in patients in a tertiary pediatric hospital, to know if the diagnosis of OATB in pediatrics is a challenge due to its insidious clinical presentation. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive study of the cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in children was carried out. A total of 159 cases met the condition for the analysis. RESULTS: The most frequent TB modality was extrapulmonary in 85%. Out of this, only 29% was OATB. The mean age was 4.9 years (range 8 months-16 years). Eighty-six per cent of cases received Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination at birth. Median time of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 8 months. Microbiological confirmation was achieved only in five cases, with a high sensitivity to the antimicrobial treatment. Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain Tokio 172 was confirmed in three cases. Mortality rate was 0% during the time of study CONCLUSION: Our study describes the epidemiological characteristics of OATB cases in Mexican children. This data revealed a high prevalence of bone and joint TB infection. Pediatric OATB should be considered in cases with lytic bone lesions, fever and local pain. In countries with BCG immunization program, M. bovis should not be forgotten as an etiological agent. The low detection rate with one technique approach highlights the urgent need for more sensitive test to diagnose OATB in children.

c-Abl Kinase Is Required for Satellite Cell Function Through Pax7 Regulation.

Satellite cells (SCs) are tissue-specific stem cells responsible for adult skeletal muscle regeneration and maintenance. SCs function is critically dependent on two families of transcription factors: the paired box (Pax) involved in specification and maintenance and the Muscle Regulatory Factors (MRFs), which orchestrate myogenic commitment and differentiation. In turn, signaling events triggered by extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli control their function via post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination and phosphorylation. In this context, the Abelson non-receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) mediates the activation of the p38 α/ß MAPK pathway, promoting myogenesis. c-Abl also regulates the activity of the transcription factor MyoD during DNA-damage stress response, pausing differentiation. However, it is not clear if c-Abl modulates other key transcription factors controlling SC function. This work aims to determine the role of c-Abl in SCs myogenic capacity via loss of function approaches in vitro and in vivo. Here we show that c-Abl inhibition or deletion results in a down-regulation of Pax7 mRNA and protein levels, accompanied by decreased Pax7 transcriptional activity, without a significant effect on MRF expression. Additionally, we provide data indicating that Pax7 is directly phosphorylated by c-Abl. Finally, SC-specific c-Abl ablation impairs muscle regeneration upon acute injury. Our results indicate that c-Abl regulates myogenic progression in activated SCs by controlling Pax7 function and expression.

The Gentle Side of the UPS: Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and the Regulation of the Myogenic Program.

In recent years, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has emerged as an important regulator of stem cell function. Here we review recent findings indicating that UPS also plays critical roles in the biology of satellite cells, the muscle stem cell responsible for its maintenance and regeneration. While we focus our attention on the control of key transcriptional regulators of satellite cell function, we briefly discuss early studies suggesting the UPS participates more broadly in the regulation of satellite cell stemness and regenerative capacity.

Consumption of Cooked Common Beans or Saponins Could Reduce the Risk of Diabetic Complications.

Several risks for diseases, such as atherosclerosis, renal diseases, and diabetes, have inextricably been linked with obesity. Nowadays, this health-risk-laden disease is being managed with assorted types of drugs, some of which guarantee modest benefits. The chronic inflammatory effect of obesity has a negative effect in insulin signaling, a situation attributable to insulin resistance that culminates in high blood sugar inputs seen in diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Food such as beans with different bioactive compounds could reduce the risk of diabetic complications. Demand for bean products is growing because of its robust contents of several health-promoting components, eg, saponins. Saponins are characterized by containing lower glucose and cholesterol levels and have been doted with antioxidant activities, as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects. In this writing, the attributes of saponins in providing substantial health and nutritional benefits in humans, as well as in improving and ameliorating diabetic complications, were reviewed.