RESUMEN
Zinc (Zn) participates as a cofactor for many enzymes in the cellular metabolism, and its serum levels have been associated with different metabolic diseases, especially obesity (OB). Nevertheless, its associations are not clear in the children population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between serum Zn levels (SZn) with overweight/obesity status (OW/OB), as well as its cardiometabolic traits in a population of children in Mexico City. Anthropometrical data (body mass index z score (BMIz)), demographic variables (age and sex), and cardiometabolic traits (total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and insulin) were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. SZn were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The population included 210 children from Mexico City (girls (n = 105) and boys (n = 105)) between ages 6 and 10 years. Normal-weight (NW) schoolchildren had higher SZn concentrations (66 µg/dL; IQR: 48 to 91) compared to OW or OB schoolchildren (61 µg/dL; IQR: 45 to 76). The data showed a significant negative association between SZn and BMIz without sex exclusion (r = - 0.181 and p = 0.009). The boy's population did not show an association between the SZn and BMIz compared to the girl's population which showed a significant negative association (r = - 0.277 and p = 0.004). In addition, other associations were found between SZn and TC (boys (r = 0.214 and p = 0.025), LDLc (boys (r = 0.213 and p = 0.029), and TG (girls (r = - 0.260 and p = 0.007)). Moreover, 38.6% of the total children in our population study had Zn deficiency (ZnD). NW schoolchildren had higher SZn concentrations compared to OW or OB schoolchildren. A diet low in Zn can be a factor to evaluate in the development of childhood OB in Mexico. However, further studies need to be performed on the children Mexican population to replicate and confirm our findings.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Cardiovasculares , Sobrepeso , Masculino , Femenino , Niño , Humanos , Sobrepeso/metabolismo , Estudios Transversales , México , Obesidad/metabolismo , Índice de Masa Corporal , Triglicéridos , HDL-Colesterol , ZincRESUMEN
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are being used for therapeutic developments such as vaccines and drug nanocarriers. Among these, plant virus capsids are gaining interest for the formation of VLPs because they can be safely handled and are noncytotoxic. A paradigm in virology, however, is that plant viruses cannot transfect and deliver directly their genetic material or other cargos into mammalian cells. In this work, we prepared VLPs with the CCMV capsid and the mRNA-EGFP as a cargo and reporter gene. We show, for the first time, that these plant virus-based VLPs are capable of directly transfecting different eukaryotic cell lines, without the aid of any transfecting adjuvant, and delivering their nucleic acid for translation as observed by the presence of fluorescent protein. Our results show that the CCMV capsid is a good noncytotoxic container for genome delivery into mammalian cells.
Asunto(s)
Bromovirus/genética , Técnicas de Transferencia de Gen , Virus de Plantas/genética , Vacunas de Partículas Similares a Virus/genética , Animales , Proteínas de la Cápside/genética , Línea Celular , Células Eucariotas/virología , Genes Reporteros/genética , Proteínas Fluorescentes Verdes/genética , Células HeLa , Humanos , Transfección/métodos , Ensamble de Virus/genéticaRESUMEN
Hyperpolarization-activated cationic and cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (HCN) comprise four homologous subunits (HCN1-HCN4). HCN channels are found in excitable and non-excitable tissues in mammals. We have previously shown that HCN2 may transport ammonium (NH4 (+)), besides sodium (Na(+)), in the rat distal nephron. In the present work, we identified HCN1 and HCN3 in the proximal tubule (PT) and HCN3 in the thick ascending limb of Henle (TALH) of the rat kidney. Immunoblot assays detected HCN1 (130 kDa) and HCN3 (90 KDa) and their truncated proteins C-terminal HCN1 (93 KDa) and N-terminal HCN3 (65 KDa) in enriched plasma membranes from cortex (CX) and outer medulla (OM), as well as in brush-border membrane vesicles. Immunofluorescence assays confirmed apical localization of HCN1 and HCN3 in the PT. HCN3 was also found at the basolateral membrane of TALH. We evaluated chronic changes in mineral dietary on HCN3 protein abundance. Animals were fed with three different diets: sodium-deficient (SD) diet, potassium-deficient (KD) diet, and high-potassium (HK) diet. Up-regulation of HCN3 was observed in OM by KD and in CX and OM by HK; the opposite effect occurred with the N-terminal truncated HCN3 in CX (KD) and OM (HK). SD diet did not produce any change. Since HCN channels activate with membrane hyperpolarization, our results suggest that HCN channels may play a role in the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, contributing to Na(+), K(+), and acid-base homeostasis in the rat kidney.
Asunto(s)
Canales Regulados por Nucleótidos Cíclicos Activados por Hiperpolarización/metabolismo , Túbulos Renales Proximales/metabolismo , Asa de la Nefrona/metabolismo , Canales de Potasio/metabolismo , Potasio en la Dieta/metabolismo , Animales , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Hipopotasemia/patología , Corteza Renal/metabolismo , Médula Renal/metabolismo , Masculino , Microvellosidades/metabolismo , Técnicas de Placa-Clamp , Ratas , Ratas Wistar , Sodio/metabolismo , ATPasa Intercambiadora de Sodio-Potasio/metabolismoRESUMEN
In this work, we demonstrated the regulation of glucose transporters by hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activation in renal epithelial cells. LLC-PK1 monolayers were incubated for 1, 3, 6, or 12 h with 0% or 5% O2 or 300 µm cobalt (CoCl2). We evaluated the effects of hypoxia on the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α and of the glucose transporters SGLT1, SGLT2, and GLUT1. The data showed an increase in HIF-1α mRNA and protein expression under the three evaluated conditions (p < 0.05 versus t = 0). An increase in GLUT1 mRNA (12 h) and protein expression (at 3, 6, and 12 h) was observed (p < 0.05 versus t = 0). SGLT1 and SGLT2 mRNA and protein expression decreased under the three evaluated conditions (p < 0.05 versus t = 0). In conclusion, our results suggest a clear decrease in the expression of the glucose transporters SGLT1 and SGLT2 under hypoxic conditions which implies a possible correlation with increased expression of HIF-1α.
Asunto(s)
Regulación de la Expresión Génica/fisiología , Subunidad alfa del Factor 1 Inducible por Hipoxia/metabolismo , Túbulos Renales/metabolismo , Transportador 1 de Sodio-Glucosa/biosíntesis , Transportador 2 de Sodio-Glucosa/biosíntesis , Animales , Antimutagênicos/farmacología , Hipoxia de la Célula/efectos de los fármacos , Hipoxia de la Célula/fisiología , Células Cultivadas , Cobalto/farmacología , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Subunidad alfa del Factor 1 Inducible por Hipoxia/genética , Túbulos Renales/citología , ARN Mensajero/biosíntesis , ARN Mensajero/genética , Transportador 1 de Sodio-Glucosa/genética , Transportador 2 de Sodio-Glucosa/genética , Porcinos , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
UNLABELLED: Silver nanoparticles (NNPs) are extensively used for all kinds of antimicrobial applications in medical research. Their efficacy has been demonstrated against Streptococcus mutans, which is associated with dental caries. However their cytotoxic effects on human periodontal tissue are not completely understood. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible toxic cellular effects of different concentrations and sizes of silver nanoparticles, less than 10 nm, 15-20 nm, and 80-100 nm, respectively, on human periodontal fibroblasts. STUDY DESIGN: Primary culture cells isolated from human periodontal tissue were exposed to 0-1,000 microM silver nanoparticles of each size for 24-, 72-, and 168-hour periods. Cytotoxicity was evaluated with a nonradioactive, soluble MTS/PMS assay. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that silver nanoparticles of less than 20 nm increased cytotoxicity in human periodontal fibroblasts in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The 80-100-nm-sized nanoparticles did not modify the viability of human primary culture cells.
Asunto(s)
Nanopartículas/toxicidad , Ligamento Periodontal/efectos de los fármacos , Plata/toxicidad , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Fibroblastos/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Tamaño de la Partícula , Ligamento Periodontal/citología , Cultivo Primario de CélulasRESUMEN
Despite the relevance of immune responses in cancer development, little is known about arsenite-induced apoptosis on different immune effectors cells. In this work, we determined the effect of in vitro exposure to sodium arsenite on apoptosis rates of blood lymphocytes, monocytes and NK cells. Blood was obtained from six healthy non-exposed donors, and also from a woman chronically exposed to arsenic. The results indicated that in vitro exposure of mononuclear cells (MNC) from non-exposed donors to sodium arsenite showed no increase in apoptosis as compared to non-treated cells. In contrast, cells obtained from the exposed-donor showed a significant increase in apoptosis after the treatment with sodium arsenite as compared to non-treated cells. This effect was observed in CD3+ and CD56+ but not in CD14+ cells. In addition, we found a preexisting high basal level of apoptosis in MNC from the exposed-donor. These results indicate that chronic exposure to arsenic increases the sensitivity of immune cells to in vitro sodium arsenite-mediated apoptosis.