[Biological factors associated with depression in patients with type ΙΙ diabetes mellitus].

This study was undertaken in order to identify the prevalence and factors associated with depression in a group of patients with type II diabetes mellitus. 200 patients (127 women/73 men) with type II diabetes mellitus, from Diabetic Clinic of 1st Propedeutic Medical Department of Aristotle's University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, were enrolled in our study. Patients, sex, age, duration of diabetes, antidiabetic treatment, diabetic complications, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, smoking, physical exercise and alcohol intake were assessed. BDI-II(Beck Depression Inventory-II) scale was used to measure the presence of depression. Prevalence of depression was high in the total of our patients (31.5%) and also in men (26%) and women (34.6%) separately. Depression appeared not to be related to patients' age, duration of diabetes, smokingand physical exercise, in the total of them (p>0.05). Patients, who were prescribed insulin, seemed to be more often depressed compared to those undertaking oral antidiabetic medication. The presence of depression was statistically significant increased in patients with diabetic complicationsin the total (p=0.013) and in men (p=0.001), while it was almost significantly increased in patients with diabetic nephropathy (p=0.052) and stroke (p=0.097). Depression was statistically significant related to obese patients compared to normal weight patients, in the total (p=0.003), and in menseparately (p=0.013), and also statistically significant was the relationship of depression with central obesity in the total (p=0.011) and in men (p=0.014). Statistically important was the relationship of arterial hypertension with depression in diabetic men (p=0.030), while in the limits of statistical importance was the relationship between depression and modest to heavy alcohol consumption in women (p=0.063). In a clinical aspect, depression seems to influence the development of type II diabetes mellitus, as it is shown by the significant association of diabetic complications anddepressive symptoms. The development of depression has often been considered a secondary response to the onset of complications, but depression might also play a primary role in the development or exacerbation of diabetic complications. It would be reasonable to speculate that obesity and arterial hypertension are biological variables that may interact with depression to produce diabetic complications. Further studies are needed to identify the pathways that mediate this association. These observations demonstrate that depression has a significant role in the development of type II diabetes mellitus, implying the necessity of its diagnosis and treatment, for the most optimal confrontation of the diabetic patient.

Association of phosphodiesterase 4D gene G0 haplotype and ischaemic stroke in a Greek population.

We have examined the association of phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP45) and microsatellite marker AC008818-1 with ischaemic stroke, in an independent cohort of Greek patients and control individuals with no clinical manifestations of vascular disease. Significantly different distributions were observed with respect to the AC008818-1 alleles, with allele 148 associating with an increased risk of stroke incidence, and allele 144 with a protective effect. In addition, the haplotype defined by allele 148 and G allele of SNP45 was found to be significantly increased in patients even though no statistically significant differences emerged with respect to SNP45 alone. The previously established association of a PDE4D gene haplotype with ischaemic stroke in a population from Iceland was independently confirmed in our Greek population, suggesting that PDE4D may be involved in the aetiology and pathogenesis of stroke.

Identification of inducible protein complexes in the phenol degrader Pseudomonas sp. strain phDV1 by blue native gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.

Pseudomonas sp. strain phDV1, being a phenol degrading bacterium, has been found to utilize phenol as sole carbon source via the meta pathway. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) is widely used for the analysis of oligomeric state and molecular mass non-dissociated protein complexes. In this study, a number of proteomic techniques were used to investigate the oligomeric state enzymes involved in the aromatic degradation pathway. In particular, the Pseudomonas sp. strain phDV1 proteome was monitored under two different growth substrate conditions, using glucose or phenol as sole carbon source. The protein complexes map was compared by BN-PAGE after fractionation by sucrose density centrifugation of the cell extracts. Multiple differences were detected. Further, analysis and identification of the subunit composition of these complexes was carried out using MALDI-TOF MS, allowing the identification of 49 proteins. Additionally, functional information regarding protein-protein interactions was assembled, by coupling 2-D BN-PAGE with MALDI-TOF MS. Application of this functional proteomics method resulted in an higher number of the identified proteins.