Flavonoids: A Group of Potential Food Additives with Beneficial Health Effects

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in health-promoting products which are also natural and safe for consumption because the consumer market has been searching for a healthy lifestyle. This global market trend has driven the food industry to invest in developing innovative products containing bioactive components. Flavonoids are a group of phenolic compounds of low molecular weight, consisting of 15 carbon atoms. Their alterations in the heterocyclic ring’s substitution pattern generate six subclasses: flavonols, flavanols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones and anthocyanins. Also, different studies have reported that diets rich in flavonoids provide numerous benefits associated with health-promoting effects by reducing the risk of development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type II and some types of cancers. These effects have been related to their biological properties which also include other activities such as colorant effects (e.g., anthocyanins), transforming them into potential food additives with desirable capacities. Therefore, this review aims to revise the classes of flavonoids and their main biological properties as well as the most used extraction techniques applied for obtaining these compounds, their bioavailability and the application to formulate new natural food additives.

Transcription Factor ChREBP Mediates High Glucose-Evoked Increase in HIF-1α Content in Epithelial Cells of Renal Proximal Tubules

Hyperglycemia/diabetes appears to be accompanied by the state of hypoxia, which especially affects kidneys. The aim of the study was to elucidate the mechanism of high glucose action on HIF-1α expression in renal proximal tubule epithelial cells. The research hypotheses included: (1) the participation of transcription factor ChREBP; and (2) the involvement of the effects resulting from pseudohypoxia, i.e., lowered intracellular NAD+/NADH ratio. The experiments were performed on HK-2 cells and primary cells: D-RPTEC (Diseased Human Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells—Diabetes Type II) and RPTEC (Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells). Protein and mRNA contents were determined by Western blot and RT-qPCR, respectively. ChREBP binding to DNA was detected applying chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by RT-qPCR. Gene knockdown was performed using siRNA. Sirtuin activity and NAD+/NADH ratio were measured with commercially available kits. It was found that high glucose in HK-2 cells incubated under normoxic conditions: (1) activated transcription of HIF-1 target genes, elevated HIF-1α and ChREBP content, and increased the efficacy of ChREBP binding to promoter region of HIF1A gene; and (2), although it lowered NAD+/NADH ratio, it affected neither sirtuin activity nor HIF-1α acetylation level. The stimulatory effect of high glucose on HIF-1α expression was not observed upon the knockdown of ChREBP encoding gene. Experiments on RPTEC and D-RPTEC cells demonstrated that HIF-1α content in diabetic proximal tubular cells was lower than that in normal ones but remained high glucose-sensitive, and the latter phenomenon was mediated by ChREBP. Thus, it is concluded that the mechanism of high glucose-evoked increase in HIF-1α content in renal proximal tubule endothelial cells involves activation of ChREBP, indirectly capable of HIF1A gene up-regulation.

Long working hours and risk of cardiovascular outcomes and diabetes type II: five-year follow-up of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Objectives The aims of this study were to determine if there was an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes and an increase in arterial stiffness in participants who reported working 41–54 h per week and more than 55 h compared to those who worked 40 h or less over a time interval of 5 years. Methods In a subsample of the population-based prospective Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) study, we examined working participants younger than 65 years at baseline (n = 7241) and after 5 years. To test the association of working time at baseline and incident cardiovascular events and diabetes type II, we estimated hazard ratios (HR) using competing risks models. For a change in the arterial stiffness index (SI) based on assessment using a Pulse Trace PCA2 device, we used multivariate linear regression models. Results The SI increased in those working more than 55 h per week (beta coefficiant = 0.32 m/s (95% CI 0.07–0.58) compared to those working 40 h and less after adjustment for sex, age and SES. Due to small numbers there was no significant association of working hours and clinically manifest cardiovascular events and diabetes type II in the 5-year follow-up time. Conclusions Further studies are needed to confirm the results on working hours and arterial stiffness. Analyses of the 10-year follow-up with more events may clarify the results for incident cardiovascular events and metabolic outcomes.

Surface-Catalyzed Secondary Nucleation Dominates the Generation of Toxic IAPP Aggregates

The aggregation of the human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) is associated with diabetes type II. A quantitative understanding of this connection at the molecular level requires that the aggregation mechanism of IAPP is resolved in terms of the underlying microscopic steps. Here we have systematically studied recombinant IAPP, with amidated C-terminus in oxidised form with a disulphide bond between residues 3 and 7, using thioflavin T fluorescence to monitor the formation of amyloid fibrils as a function of time and IAPP concentration. We used global kinetic analyses to connect the macroscopic measurements of aggregation to the microscopic mechanisms, and show that the generation of new aggregates is dominated by the secondary nucleation of monomers on the fibril surface. We then exposed insulinoma cells to aliquots extracted from different time points of the aggregation process, finding the highest toxicity at the midpoint of the reaction, when the secondary nucleation rate reaches its maximum. These results identify IAPP oligomers as the most cytotoxic species generated during IAPP aggregation, and suggest that compounds that target secondary nucleation of IAPP could be most effective as therapeutic candidates for diabetes type II.

Squalene decreased malondialdehyde level of diabetic rats

Squalene, a precursor for the secondary metabolite synthesis, is synthesized in animals, bacteria, fungi and plants. It has been reported to have some biological activities, one of which is as an antioxidant. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of squalene on malondialdehyde (MDA) level, an antioxidant activity marker, in diabetic rats. Diabetes type II was induced by a high-fat diet with low dose streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. A total of 12 diabetic rats were divided into 3 groups and served once daily for 14 days as follows; Group I (Squalene (S) 160 mg/kg), Group II (Metformin (M) 45 mg/kg) and Group III Aquades (DC) 10 ml/kg). MDA level were measured using Elisa method. Data were analyzed using Kruskall Wallis and Mann-Whitney as post hoc test. The results showed that MDA level in both S- (8.50 ± 1.40 µmol/L) and M- (7.74 ± 1.63 µmol/L) were lower than DC-treated groups (12.82± 2.86 µmol/L). Statistically, significant different were found between S- and DC- as well as Sand M-treated groups (p< 0.05). This study suggested that squalene able to decrease MDA level in type II diabetic rats.

Metabolic syndrome: A case report

Metabolic syndrome composed of abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, raised blood pressure, insulin resistance and/or glucose intolerance, proinflammatory state and prothrombotic state is a complex multisystem disorder. It is well known that patients with metabolic syndrome have increased cardiovascular risk and risk of developing diabetes type II. But besides these well known risk states, there are other conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, fatty liver, cholesterol gallstones, asthma, sleep disturbances and some forms of cancer associated with a metabolic syndrome. In this case report we will present a patient who developed many of these conditions related to the metabolic syndrome and will highlight the novel efforts regarding to the lifestyle changes, primarily weight loss.

Correlation between Serum Uric Acid with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is becoming more common over the world, making it a major health concern. Many research has been carried a link among both higher uric acid concentrations in the body and a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. On a biochemical level, uric acid has been proved to have a negative impact on insulin sensitivity in animals. When nitric oxide, essential for glucose uptake, is suppressed, this occurs. The goal of this study is to review past research on the relationship between serum uric acid and diabetes type II in various parts of the world, as well as the prevalence of such a link. Articles were chosen using the PubMed database and EBSCO Information Services. We used all relevant publications to our review that dealt with the connection among both serum uric acid and diabetes type II, in addition to the other articles. Other publications that were not linked to this field were excluded. In this systematic review, serum uric Acid levels were found to be correlated to type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and carotid artery disease. Atherosclerosis is more common in people with type 2 diabetes. The reliability of concentrations of uric acid levels in blood in predicting type 2 diabetes and enhancing prevention should be the focus of future study.

Co-Infection of Mucormycosis and Actinomycosis in COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 infection may be associated with a wide range of bacterial and fungal co-infections. Herewith a case of 46 year-old male patient of post COVID-19 developed co-infection. He had received steroid treatment and improved in last month. He is known case of diabetes type II since last one year and was on treatment. Now presented to our hospital having fever, facial pain, and swelling mid-face region. His RT-PCR test was positive. The CT scan of the nasal septum, medial walls of bilateral maxillary, ethmoid, sphenoid and frontal sinuses exteding into bilateral nasal cavities. Features suggestive of infective pathology invasive fungal rhinosinusitis On clinical, radio imaging and on histopathological findings diagnosed as maxillary mucormycosis with actinomycosis. Conclusion: We are presenting this rare case of COVID-19 associated with co-infection of mucormycosis and actinomycosis for its clinical, radio imaging, and on histopathological findings. Key words: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Mucormycosis, Actinomycosis, Co-infections.