[The influence of the vitamin D3 level in the blood serum of lactase gene polymorphism on the development of chronic polypous rhinosinusitis]. / Vliianie urovnia vitamina D3 v syvorotke krovi i polimorfizma gena laktazy na razvitie khronicheskogo rinosinusita s polipami.

The objective of the present study was to elucidate the possible correlations between the vitamin D3 level in the blood serum and lactase gene polymorphism (LCT-13910 T>C) in the patients presenting with chronic polypous rhinosinusitis (CPRS). The study included 50 patients with this condition and 14 subjects comprising the control group. The variants of lactase gene polymorphism (LCT-13910 T>C) were identified with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in real time. The total level of serum vitamin D3 (VD3) was determined by means of the immunochemical analysis (the electrochemiluminescence technique). In the group of patients presenting with chronic polypous rhinosinusitis, the level of VD3 in the blood serum ranged from 48 nm/l to 85 nm/l (mean 60 nm/l) compared with that in the patients of the control group (from 78 nm/l to 112 nm/l; mean 97 nm/l) . The level of vitamin D3 'below the normal values' was documented in 71% of the patients with CPRS in comparison with 7% in the control subjects. Lactase gene polymorphism (LCT-13910 CC, CT) suggesting pronounced and latent hypolactasia was identified in 94% of the patients with CPRS compared with 78.6% in the control group. The occurrence of the CC genotype in the patients of both study groups was virtually identical: 52% in the patients presenting with chronic polypous rhinosinusitis and 57% in the control group. CT polymorphism was identified in 42% of the patients with CPRS and in 21% of the control subjects. The significant difference between the patients of the two groups was documented for the occurrence of TT polymorphism: 6% among the patients with CPRS and 21% in the controls (i.e. much higher in the healthy subjects). There was no significant difference between the serum levels of vitamin D3 either among the patients with CPRS having LCT-13910 gene polymorphisms (CC, CT, TT) or among the control subjects. It is concluded that the study revealed the higher levels of vitamin D3 in the blood sera from the control subjects in comparison with that in the patients with chronic polypous rhinosinusitis. Moreover, the patients of the latter group more frequently exhibited the variant of the LCT CT-13910 gene polymorphism suggesting latent hypolactasia whereas the subjects comprising the control group more frequently had the variant of the LCT CT-13910 gene polymorphism indicative of the normal tolerance of lactose.

Inhibitory effects of estrogens on digestive enzymes, insulin deficiency, and pancreas toxicity in diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus, with its attendant disorders and dysfunctional behaviors, constitutes a growing concern to the population of the world. With this concern in mind, the present study investigated the anti-diabetic and hypolipedimic potential of 17ß-estradiol (called E2), particularly in terms of its inhibitory effects on maltase, sucrase, lactase, and lipase activities in the intestine of surviving diabetic rats. The findings revealed that this supplement helped protect the ß cells of the rats from death and damage. Interestingly, E2 induced considerable decreases of 29%, 46%, 42%, and 84% in the activities of intestinal maltase, lactase, sucrase, and lipase, respectively. The E2 extract also decreased the glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol rates in the plasma of diabetic rats by 39%, 27%, and 53%, respectively, and increased the HDL-cholesterol level by 74%, which helped maintain the homeostasis of blood lipid. When compared to those of the untreated diabetic rats, the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase levels in the pancreas of the rats treated with this supplement were also enhanced by 330%, 170%, and 301%, respectively. A significant decrease was also observed in the lipid peroxidation level and lactate dehydrogenase activity in the pancreas of diabetic rats after E2 administration. Overall, the findings presented in this study demonstrate that E2 has both a promising potential with regard to the inhibition of intestinal maltase, sucrase, lactase, and lipase activities, and a valuable hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic function, which make it a potential strong candidate for industrial application as apharmacological agent for the treatment and prevention of hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.

Gastrointestinal tract metabolism of young turkeys fed diets supplemented with pure nystose or a fructooligosaccharide mixture.

In a four-week experiment on 60 7-day-old BUT-9 male turkeys the effects of dietary fructooligosaccharides (pure nystose and a fructooligosaccharide mixture) supplemented at 1 and 2%, were studied on ileal and caecal metabolism. The control carbohydrate was cellulose, added also at 1 or 2%. Each dietary treatment consists of 10 birds kept individually. The average degree of polymerisation of the nystose and oligofructose preparation amounted to 2.9 and 4.1, respectively. The addition of nystose significantly decreased the pH value and viscosity in the ileal contents compared with the cellulose treatment. On the other hand, the oligofructose preparation increased the activity of sucrase and lactase in the ileal mucosal by 30-60% and 33-47%, respectively. Both fructan preparations similarly acidified the caecal and colonic digesta (by 0.2-0.4 pH units) as well as diminished the activity of bacterial harmful beta-glucuronidase (by 24-40%), but only nystose caused an enlargement of the caeca and effectively reduced caecal ammonia concentration, especially at a higher dose. Oligofructose supplementation at 2% caused a 3.5-fold increase of bacterial activity of alph- and beta-galactosidase, while 2% nystose resulted in 1.7 and 3 times higher alpha- and beta-glucosidases activities, respectively. Compared to oligofructose, dietary nystose increased propionic and decreased butyric fermentation in caeca. Nystose and oligofructose preparations added at 2% reduced the triacylglycerol concentration in the serum in comparison to the addition of 2% cellulose by 46 and 25%, respectively. Beside the fact that dietary levels of supplementation were of great importance, the results indicated that even small difference in the length of carbohydrate chain may cause different physiological responses.

Susceptibility of lactase to luminal proteases in developing rat intestine.

BACKGROUND: Postnatal development of rat intestine is associated with a decline in brush-border lactase activity. This phenomenon is similar to the adulthood hypolactasia in humans. However, the mechanism underlying this process is not understood. METHODS: The effect of luminal proteases from adult rat intestine on the intestinal lactase activity in animals aged 7, 14, 21 and 30 days was studied in in vitro experiments. Lactase levels were estimated using enzyme assays and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Incubation of purified brush borders with increasing concentrations of luminal proteases reduced the lactase activity in intestine of 7-day-old rats, but not in that of adult animals. Western blot analysis revealed low signal of the 220-kDa lactase protein in 7-day-old animals, but not that of older weaned animals. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that luminal proteases may be responsible for the maturational decline in intestinal lactase activity.