Green tea supplementation promotes leukocyte telomere length elongation in obese women.

INTRODUCTION: inflammation and oxidative stress are factors that may play a substantial role in telomere attrition. In line of this, obesity is associated with telomere shortening. Green tea had anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and may alter telomere length (TL). OBJECTIVES: we evaluated the effect of decaffeinated green tea supplementation in obese women on TL. METHODS: we conducted a cross-sectional interventional study with ten obese (body mass index [BMI] > 40 kg/m²) and eight normal weight (BMI > 18.5 and < 24.9 kg/m²) women (age between 27 and 48 years). The supplementation was carried out with capsules (each contained 450.7 mg of epigallocatechin-3-gallate) during eight weeks. Anthropometric and dietary intake assessment, and blood collection (for biochemical and TL analysis by quantitative PCR) were performed before and after supplementation. Normal weight patients were evaluated at a single moment. RESULTS: we observed a significant increase on TL after supplementation (1.57 ± 1.1 to 3.2 ± 2.1 T/Sratio; p < 0.05). Moreover, we found shorter TL in obese patients (day 0) when compared to normal weight individuals (3.2 ± 1.9 T/Sratio; p < 0.05) and an inverse association between TL and BMI, even after age adjustment (beta = -0.527; r² = 0.286; IC = -0.129, -0.009). CONCLUSION: obesity is related to shorter telomeres. Green tea supplementation during eight weeks promotes telomere elongation in obese women.

UCP1 and UCP3 Expression Is Associated with Lipid and Carbohydrate Oxidation and Body Composition.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are located in the inner membrane of mitochondria. These proteins participate in thermogenesis and energy expenditure. This study aimed to evaluate how UCP1 and UCP3 expression influences substrate oxidation and elicits possible changes in body composition in patients submitted to bariatric surgery. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This is a longitudinal study comprising 13 women with obesity grade III that underwent bariatric surgery and 10 healthy weight individuals (control group). Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Carbohydrate and fat oxidation was determined by indirect calorimetry. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was collected for gene expression analysis. QPCR was used to evaluate UCP1 and UCP3 expression. RESULTS: Obese patients and the control group differed significantly in terms of lipid and carbohydrate oxidation. Six months after bariatric surgery, the differences disappeared. Lipid oxidation correlated with the percentage of fat mass in the postoperative period. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the UCP1 and UCP3 genes contributed to lipid and carbohydrate oxidation. Additionally, UCP3 expression was associated with BMI, percentage of lean body mass, and percentage of mass in the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: UCP1 and UCP3 expression is associated with lipid and carbohydrate oxidation in patients submitted to bariatric surgery. In addition, UCP3 participates in body composition modulation six months postoperatively.

Alpha-synuclein A53T mutation is not frequent on a sample of Brazilian Parkinson's disease patients.

INTRODUCTION: The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) involves both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, with focus on the mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA).Objective To analyse the polymorphism SNCA-A53T in patients with familial PD (FPD) and sporadic PD (SPD). METHOD: A total of 294 individuals were studied, regardless of sex and with mixed ethnicity. The study group with 154 patients with PD, and the control group included 140 individuals without PD. The genotyping of SNCA-A53T was performed by PCR/RFLP. Significance level was p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among all patients, 37 (24%) had FPD and 117 (75.9%) had SPD. The absence of SNCA-A53T mutation was observed in all individuals. CONCLUSION: SPD is notably observed in patients. However, the SNCA-A53T mutation was absent in all individuals, which does not differ controls from patients. This fact should be confirmed in a Brazilian study case with a more numerous and older population.

Alpha-synuclein A53T mutation is not frequent on a sample of Brazilian Parkinson’s disease patients / Mutação A53T da alfa-sinucleína não é frequente em amostra de população brasileira com doença de Parkinson

Introduction The pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, with focus on the mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA).Objective To analyse the polymorphism SNCA-A53T in patients with familial PD (FPD) and sporadic PD (SPD).Method A total of 294 individuals were studied, regardless of sex and with mixed ethnicity. The study group with 154 patients with PD, and the control group included 140 individuals without PD. The genotyping of SNCA-A53T was performed by PCR/RFLP. Significance level was p < 0.05.Results Among all patients, 37 (24%) had FPD and 117 (75.9%) had SPD. The absence of SNCA-A53T mutation was observed in all individuals.Conclusion SPD is notably observed in patients. However, the SNCA-A53T mutation was absent in all individuals, which does not differ controls from patients. This fact should be confirmed in a Brazilian study case with a more numerous and older population.

Introdução A patogênese da doença de Parkinson (DP) envolve fatores ambientais e suscetibilidade genética, destacando-se a mutação de alfa-sinucleína (SNCA.)Objetivos Analisar a variante genética SNCA-A53T em pacientes com DP familiar (DPF) e DP esporádica (DPE).Método Foram estudados 294 indivíduos, independente de sexo, com etnia miscigenada, sendo 154 com DP e 140 sem a doença (grupo controle). A genotipagem de SNCA-A53T foi realizada por PCR/RFLP. Nível de significância para p < 0,05.Resultados Entre os pacientes, 37(24%) tinham DPF e 117 (75,9%) DPE. A ausência da mutação SNCA-A53T em todos os indivíduos.Conclusão DPE é destacada entre os pacientes, no entanto a mutação SNCA-A53T ausente em todos os indivíduos, não diferenciando os grupo controle e pacientes, o que deve ser confirmado em população brasileira, considerando uma ampla casuística, além da ancestralidade.