Evaluation of the relationship between nutritional status, levels of physical activity and physical strength in adolescents.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The study aimed at evaluating the relationship among anthropometric measurements, levels of physical activity and physical fitness in schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in public schools, with 173 adolescents from 10 to 17 years of age. Socioeconomic data were obtained by a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measures were assessed and classified according to Body Mass Index (BMI)/age and Waist Circumference (WC). The long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess the level of physical activity, while the physical fitness level was assessed using the Projeto Esporte Brasil (PROESP) test protocol. RESULTS: 72,3% of the adolescents were eutrophic and 24.3% were overweight and 22.6% were at high risk for cardiovascular disease, with no statistical difference between the sexes (p > 0.05). 53.8% were physically inactive, regardless of sex and nutritional status. 86.1% of the adolescents showed low physical fitness, more significantly for sit-and-reach andsquare tests of females. BMI was directly correlated with physical fitness in the assessment ofupper limb power and agility (medicine ball throw and square test) and indirectly with aerobic capacity and lower limb power (abdominal resistance, horizontal jump and general resistance). The opposite was observed in the correlation of endurance (abdominal and general) and medicine ball throw with WC. Also, there was a likely visceral obesity and consequent cardiovascular risk in females more than in males. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reinforce the connection between physical activity and the presence of overweight and obesity in adolescents and also the need to effectively intervene in this groupin order to ensure the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases in adulthood.

Improvement of 2,2'-Azobis(2-Methylpropionamidine) Dihydrochloride-Induced Hepatic Redox Imbalance in Swiss Mice and HepG2 Cells by Rutin.

Redox imbalance can lead to irreversible damages to biological functions. In this context, rutin stands out for its antioxidant potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute and chronic effect of rutin on the hepatic redox imbalance. The study was performed according to three different protocols. First, healthy male Swiss mice were divided into two groups: control and rutin, the second of which received chronic oral supplementation of rutin (10 mg/kg). The second involved evaluation of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by HepG2 cells, incubated or not with rutin (20 and 40 µg/mL) for 3 h. The final protocol involved assessment of the acute effect of rutin (10 mg/kg) in mice with oxidative stress induced by 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (ABAP). After the in vivo treatments, the livers were collected to analyze the oxidative damage by thiol, and the antioxidant defense by catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. In the HepG2 cells, the following probes were employed to assess the ROS production: dichlorofluorescein, MitoSOX, dihydroethidium, and Amplex Red. Rutin administered chronically improved the antioxidant defense in healthy animals, and when administered acutely both inhibited the increased production of ROS in HepG2 cells and improved the redox imbalance parameters in mice with induced oxidative stress. This study suggests rutin as a protective agent for restoration of hepatic redox homeostasis in redox injury induced by ABAP in Swiss mice and HelpG2 cells.

Tumor aggressiveness is associated with cell integrity changes in breast cancer-surviving women: a follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: cell integrity and fat mass had been studied as a prognostic marker for cancer survival. Objective: our aim was to evaluate the association between tumor aggressiveness and cell integrity changes and adiposity in breast cancer (BC) survivors. Methods: women with BC (n = 114) were evaluated at diagnosis and 5 years later. Percentage of lean mass, fat mass, phase angle (PA), resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) were obtained by bioimpedance (450-50 kHz). Plasma leptin was assessed by immunoassay. Changes in body composition were assessed by the paired t-test or Wilcoxon's test. The disease effect associated with the time of diagnosis was assessed by a generalized linear model. Regression models were structured to assess the prevalence ratio between tumor aggressiveness and body composition changes adjusted for age, income, and level of schooling. Results: patients with N+ (p = 0.02) and % Ki67 > 14 (p = 0.00) show a reduction in Xc. Patients with advanced clinical staging (CS) (p = 0.02), tumors > 2 cm (p = 0.01), N+ (p = 0.01), non-luminal tumors (p = 0.02), ER- (p = 0, 00) and PR- (p = 0.02) show a PA reduction, and N+ patients (p = 0.01) show a reduction in leptin during follow-up. Tumors  2 cm (CI: 0.33-0.95; p = 0.03), initial CS (CI: 0.20-0.93; p = .0.03), and luminal tumors (CI: 0.01-0.95; p = 0.04) are related to a lower reduction in PA. Initial CS (CI: 0.00-0.00; p = 0.00) are related to increased leptin. Conclusion: tumor aggressiveness is associated with cell integrity changes in women who are BC survivors.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: se han estudiado la integridad celular y la masa grasa como marcadores pronósticos de supervivencia al cáncer. Objetivo: nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la asociación entre la agresividad del tumor y los cambios en la integridad celular y la adiposidad en supervivientes de cáncer de mama (CM). Métodos: las mujeres con CM (n = 114) se evaluaron al diagnóstico y 5 años después. El porcentaje de masa magra, masa grasa, ángulo de fase (PA), resistencia (R) y reactancia (Xc) se obtuvo mediante bioimpedancia (450-50 kHz). La leptina plasmática se evaluó mediante inmunoensayo. Los cambios en la composición corporal se evaluaron mediante la prueba de la t pareada o la prueba de Wilcoxon. El efecto de la enfermedad asociado con el momento del diagnóstico se evaluó mediante un modelo lineal generalizado. Los modelos de regresión se estructuraron para evaluar la razón de prevalencia entre la agresividad del tumor y los cambios en la composición corporal ajustados por edad, ingresos y nivel de escolaridad. Resultados: las pacientes con N+ (p = 0,02) y % Ki67 > 14 (p = 0,00) muestran una reducción de Xc. Las pacientes con estadificación clínica (EC) avanzada (p = 0,02), tumores > 2 cm (p = 0,01), N+ (p = 0,01), tumores no luminales (p = 0,02), ER- (p = 0, 00) y PR- (p = 0,02) muestran una reducción de la AP, y los pacientes N+ (p = 0,01) muestran una reducción de la leptina durante el seguimiento. Los tumores  2 cm (IC: 0,33-0,95; p = 0,03), el EC inicial (IC: 0,20-0,93; p = 0,03) y los tumores luminales (IC: 0,01-0,95; p = 0,04) se relacionan con un menor reducción de la PA. Los EC iniciales (IC: 0,00-0,00; p = 0,00) están relacionados con un aumento de leptina. Conclusión: la agresividad del tumor se asocia con cambios en la integridad celular en las mujeres que sobreviven al CM.

Phytomodulatory proteins isolated from Calotropis procera latex promote glycemic control by improving hepatic mitochondrial function in HepG2 cells.

The medicinal uses of Calotropis procera are diverse, yet some of them are based on effects that still lack scientific support. Control of diabetes is one of them. Recently, latex proteins from C. procera latex (LP) have been shown to promote in vivo glycemic control by the inhibition of hepatic glucose production via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Glycemic control has been attributed to an isolated fraction of LP (CpPII), which is composed of cysteine peptidases (95%) and osmotin (5%) isoforms. Those proteins are extensively characterized in terms of chemistry, biochemistry and structural aspects. Furthermore, we evaluated some aspects of the mitochondrial function and cellular mechanisms involved in CpPII activity. The effect of CpPII on glycemic control was evaluated in fasting mice by glycemic curve and glucose and pyruvate tolerance tests. HepG2 cells was treated with CpPII, and cell viability, oxygen consumption, PPAR activity, production of lactate and reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial density and protein and gene expression were analyzed. CpPII reduced fasting glycemia, improved glucose tolerance and inhibited hepatic glucose production in control animals. Additionally, CpPII increased the consumption of ATP-linked oxygen and mitochondrial uncoupling, reduced lactate concentration, increased protein expression of mitochondrial complexes I, III and V, and activity of peroxisome-proliferator-responsive elements (PPRE), reduced the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased mitochondrial density in HepG2 cells by activation of AMPK/PPAR. Our findings strongly support the medicinal use of the plant and suggest that CpPII is a potential therapy for prevention and/or treatment of type-2 diabetes. A common epitope sequence shared among the proteases and osmotin is possibly the responsible for the beneficial effects of CpPII.

Effects of consumption of acerola, cashew and guava by-products on adiposity and redox homeostasis of adipose tissue in obese rats.

BACKGROUND: Fruit by-products contain phytochemicals, fibers and other components that can improve the redox imbalance of obesity. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the effects of consumption of by-products of acerola, cashew and guava on the adiposity and redox homeostasis of adipose tissue in obese rats. METHODS: The animals were separated into 5 groups, control (CTL), high fat (HF), HF supplemented with acerola (HFA), cashew (HFC) and guava (HFG). RESULTS: Thiol quantification, lipid profile, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) test were performed. TGL and VLDL levels were increased in HF group, and the treated groups did not change the lipid profile. CAT activity was increased in HFA and HFG groups. HFA was able to reduce the weight of the subcutaneous cushion. CONCLUSION: Treatment with fruit by-products did not alter weight gain, energy efficiency and body weight. Thus, the by-products of acerola and guava can be used as a sustainable alternative in the treatment of obesity.

Effect of an aqueous extract of Chrysobalanus icaco on the adiposity of Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet / Efecto del extracto acuoso de Chrysobalanus icaco sobre la adiposidad de ratas Wistar alimentadas con una dieta alta en grasas

OBJECTIVE: the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Chrysobalanus icaco on adiposity and its mechanism of action in the gene and protein expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a key enzyme in lipogenesis. METHOD: Wistar rats were divided into a regular or control group (CG) and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. HFD was treated with saline or aqueous extract of Chrysobalanus icaco (AECI) for four weeks. Body weight and food intake were assessed. Subcutaneous, retroperitoneal and periepididymal adipose tissue samples were collected and weighed. Adipocytes from periepididymal tissue were isolated and analyzed. The gene and protein expression of ACC in subcutaneous tissue was determined. RESULTS: AECI showed no effect on intake or body weight. However, the weight of the fat pads and the gene and protein expression of ACC were lower, and glucose tolerance was improved. CONCLUSION: the aqueous extract of Chrysobalanus icaco proved beneficial for the treatment of obesity, preventing fat storage and improving glycemic homeostasis

OBJETIVO: el objetivo de este estudio fue investigar los efectos del extracto acuoso de Chrysobalanus icaco (AECI) en la adiposidad y su mecanismo de acción en la expresión génica y proteica de la acetil-CoA-carboxilasa (ACC), una enzima clave para la lipogénesis. MÉTODOS: se usaron ratones macho Wistar que se asignaron a una dieta estándar de control (CG) o a una rica en grasa (HFD). La HFD se trató con solución salina o con extracto acuoso de Chrysobalanus icaco (AECI) durante cuatro semanas. Se evaluaron el peso corporal y el consumo alimentario. Se aislaron y analizaron muestras de tejido adiposo subcutáneo, retroperitoneal y periepididímico. Se determinó la expresión génica y proteica de ACC en el tejido subcutáneo. RESULTADOS: el AECI no mostró ningún efecto sobre la ingesta de alimento y tampoco sobre el peso corporal. Sin embargo, el tratamiento con AECI redujo el peso de los tejidos adiposos y la expresión génica y proteica de ACC, y mejoró también la tolerancia a la glucosa. CONCLUSIÓN: Chrysobalanus icaco (AECI) resultó ser beneficioso para el tratamiento de la obesidad, previniendo el almacenamiento de grasa y mejorando la homeostasis glucémica

Combined treatment with melatonin and insulin improves glycemic control, white adipose tissue metabolism and reproductive axis of diabetic male rats.

AIMS: Melatonin treatment has been reported to be capable of ameliorating metabolic diabetes-related abnormalities but also to cause hypogonadism in rats. We investigated whether the combined treatment with melatonin and insulin can improve insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes during neonatal period and the repercussion of this treatment on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. MAIN METHODS: At the fourth week of age, diabetic animals started an 8-wk treatment with only melatonin (0.2 mg/kg body weight) added to drinking water at night or associated with insulin (NHP, 1.5 U/100 g/day) or only insulin. Animals were then euthanized, and the subcutaneous (SC), epididymal (EP), and retroperitoneal (RP) fat pads were excised, weighed and processed for adipocyte isolation for morphometric analysis as well as for measuring glucose uptake, oxidation, and incorporation of glucose into lipids. Hypothalamus was collected for gene expression and blood samples were collected for biochemical assays. KEY FINDINGS: The treatment with melatonin plus insulin (MI) was capable of maintaining glycemic control. In epididymal (EP) and subcutaneous (SC) adipocytes, the melatonin plus insulin (MI) treatment group recovered the insulin responsiveness. In the hypothalamus, melatonin treatment alone promoted a significant reduction in kisspeptin-1, neurokinin B and androgen receptor mRNA levels, in relation to control group. SIGNIFICANCE: Combined treatment with melatonin and insulin promoted a better glycemic control, improving insulin sensitivity in white adipose tissue (WAT). Indeed, melatonin treatment reduced hypothalamic genes related to reproductive function.