Early onset intrauterine growth restriction in a mouse model of gestational hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

The susceptibility to develop atherosclerosis is increased by intrauterine growth restriction and prenatal exposure to maternal hypercholesterolemia. Here, we studied whether mouse gestational hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis affected fetal development and growth at different stages of gestation. Female LDLR KO mice fed a proatherogenic, high cholesterol (HC) diet for 3 weeks before conception and during pregnancy exhibited a significant increase in non-HDL cholesterol and developed atherosclerosis. At embryonic days 12.5 (E12.5), E15.5, and E18.5, maternal gestational hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis were associated to a 22-24% reduction in male and female fetal weight without alterations in fetal number/litter or morphology nor placental weight or structure. Feeding the HC diet exclusively at the periconceptional period did not alter fetal growth, suggesting that maternal hypercholesterolemia affected fetal weight only after implantation. Vitamin E supplementation (1,000 UI of α-tocopherol/kg) of HC-fed females did not change the mean weight of E18.5 fetuses but reduced the percentage of fetuses exhibiting body weights below the 10th percentile of weight (HC: 90% vs. HC/VitE: 68%). In conclusion, our results showed that maternal gestational hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in mice were associated to early onset fetal growth restriction and that dietary vitamin E supplementation had a beneficial impact on this condition.

[Decreased caspase 3 expression and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 polymorphism in Chilean patients with type 1 diabetes]. / Expresión disminuida de caspasa 3 asociada al polimorfismo del gen del antígeno-4 asociado a linfocito T-citotóxico (CTLA4) en pacientes chilenos con diabetes tipo 1.

BACKGROUND: Several polymorphisms of the CTLA4 gene have been associated with autoimmune diseases. The activation of induced cell death is the major event and caspase 3 represents the main protein for the apoptotic machinery, especially in lymphocytes. AIM: To correlate CTLA4 polymorphisms with caspase 3 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) simulating in vitro the glucose effect. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CTLA4 polymorphisms were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). PBMC from 21 patients with type 1 diabetes aged 8.5 ± 4.3 years and 21 healthy subjects aged 18.3 ± 1.8 years, were stimulated under normal (5 mM) and toxic (14 mM) glucose conditions to assess its effect on the expression and activity of caspase 3. Relative abundance of caspase 3 mRNA was measured by semi quantitative RT-PCR and its activity, by a colorimetric assay. RESULTS: When stimulated with 14 mM glucose, PBMC of G allele carriers with type 1 diabetes had significantly lower relative mRNA abundance of caspase 3 (median value = 0.12, range 0.01-0.70 AU) compared with non-carriers (median value = 0.81, range 0.06-1.09 AU). When the incubation was carried out with the lower glucose concentration, a similar profile of caspase 3 activity was observed in diabetic patients carrying G allele (median value = 0.57, range 0.13-1.20 AU) as compared with non-carriers (median value = 0.89, range 0.14-5.50 AU). No significant changes after stimulating with glucose, were observed in PBMCs of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: PBMC of recently diagnosed patients with T1D, carrying the G allele in + 49A/G polymorphisms of CTLA4, have a decreased expression and activity of caspase 3.

[Clinical features of adolescent males with eating disorders]. / Características clínicas de adolescentes de sexo masculino con trastornos de la conducta alimentaria: estudio de casos clínicos.

BACKGROUND: There is a higher prevalence of eating disorders (ED) among adolescent females. These are less common in men and there are clinical differences between genders. AIM: To describe the clinical features of adolescent males with ED. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of 38 medical records of male patients with ED seen in an ED Unit in Chile, between 2001 and 2009. RESULTS: Mean age at first medical visit was 14.4 ± 2.2 years. Symptoms appeared 9.5 ± 8.9 months prior to the first visit. Anorexia nervosa (AN) of the restricting type was diagnosed in 21 patients (55.2%), with a mean weight loss of 11.2 kg ± 9.4 kg. In 37% of patients, there was a past medical history of overweight. All patients either increased or maintained weight during follow up. Sixty three percent had a psychiatric co-morbidity at first visit. After 3 months of treatment, 82% of patients remained in the program. CONCLUSIONS: There was a delay in diagnosis of ED in men. The high prevalence of AN found in this group is characteristic of patients recently diagnosed with ED. Overweight could be a precipitating factor. Nearly two thirds of male ED patients had a psychiatric comorbidity. This high prevalence may suggest a susceptibility to develop ED in males.

Características clínicas de adolescentes de sexo masculino con trastornos de la conducta alimentaria: Estudio de casos clínicos / Clinical features of adolescent males with eating disorders

Background: There is a higher prevalence of eating disorders (ED) among adolescent females. These are less common in men and there are clinical differences between genders. Aim: To describe the clinical features of adolescent males with ED. Material and Methods: Review of 38 medical records of male patients with ED seen in an ED Unit in Chile, between 2001 and 2009. Results: Mean age at first medical visit was 14.4 ± 2.2 years. Symptoms appeared 9.5 ± 8.9 months prior to the first visit. Anorexia Nervosa (AN) of the restricting type was diagnosed in 21 patients (55.2 percent), with a mean weight loss of 11.2 kg ± 9.4 kg. In 37 percent of patients, there was a past medical history of overweight. All patients either increased or maintained weight during follow up. Sixty three percent had a psychiatric co-morbidity at first visit. After 3 months of treatment, 82 percent of patients remained in the program. Conclusions: There was a delay in diagnosis of ED in men. The high prevalence of AN found in this group is characteristic of patients recently diagnosed with ED. Overweight could be a precipitating factor. Nearly two thirds of male ED patients had a psychiatric comorbidity. This high prevalence may suggest a susceptibility to develop ED in males.