Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry最新文献

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder characterized by elevated androgen levels, menstrual irregularities, and polycystic morphology of the ovaries. Affecting 6-10% of women in childbearing age, PCOS is a leading cause of infertility worldwide. In recent years, there has been a growing acknowledgment of the involvement of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The expression of AMPK is diminished in polycystic ovaries, and when AMPK is silenced in human granulosa cells, there is a rise in the expression of steroidogenic enzymes, resulting in increased production of estradiol and progesterone. Additionally, in mouse models, the inhibiting AMPK intensifies the polycystic appearance of ovaries and impairs the process of ovulation. Moreover, it has been shown that AMPK activators like metformin and resveratrol ameliorate PCOS associated signs and symptoms in experimental and clinical studies. These findings, collectively, indicate the key role of AMPK in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Understanding the role of AMPK in PCOS will offer rewarding information on details of PCOS pathogenesis and will provide novel more specific therapeutic approaches. The present review summarizes the latest findings regarding the role of AMPK in PCOS obtained in experimental and clinical studies.

In this study, the role of inflammatory biomarkers and vitamin D in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and their correlation with diabetes related factors (HbA1c, FPG, and insulin) was analysed. In this study, Kashmiri patients with T2DM and healthy individuals were considered as cases (n = 100) and controls (n = 100) respectively. Blood samples from both groups were collected, inflammatory biomarkers (TNF-α, CRP), as well as serum vitamin D levels, were estimated by ELISA. From our results it was revealed that patients with T2DM had significantly lower serum vitamin D levels than control groups (p<0.05). Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, including TNF-α and CRP, were seen to be elevated reaching a level of statistical significance (p<0.05). On correlating the HbA1c, FPG and insulin with TNF-α, CRP and vitamin D, significant positive correlation (p<0.05) was found between TNF-α and CRP with HbA1c and FPG in patients, non-significant positive correlation (p>0.05) was observed between insulin with TNF-α, and vitamin D and weak negative correlation with CRP in case study group. On correlating the impact of vitamin D on HbA1c and FPG levels, non-significant weak negative correlation was observed in patient group than controls, indicating that patients with lower vitamin D levels have higher HbA1c, showing that lower vitamin D have some role in etiology of T2DM.

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a severe birth complication affecting neonates. Around 40-60% of affected neonates die by two years of age or have severe disabilities and neurodevelopmental delays. The early assessments of brain injury using traditional clinical and biochemical indicators do not always align with its severity and recovery. This delays identifying neonates who may benefit from adjuvant therapeutic strategies and monitoring therapy response. Our aim was to identify specific proteins using proteomic approach to predict the severity of neonatal asphyxia so that its outcome can also be prevented. To achieve this goal a case-control study was conducted on 38 neonates, and serum and urine samples were collected within 24 h of life. Clinical findings, biochemical parameters, and outcomes of the neonates were recorded. A tandem mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify proteins in the serum and urine of HIE neonates. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to assess the potential features and competence of the identified differentially expressed proteins. This resulted in identification of 51 differentially expressed proteins which were found common to both serum and urine proteomic data. Some of the promising biomarkers found were APOD, ORM1, SOD1, and FABP1. These proteins were associated with the pathways like Amyloid fiber formation, diseases of programmed cell death, detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and neurodegenerative diseases. This study will pave the way for identifying the biomarkers (proteins) that can screen neonates for brain injury and monitor the disease progression, which may reduce mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-023-01143-2.

This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy (DA) and clinical utility (CU) of DNA methylation (5 methylcytosine) in occupational Pb-exposure from Pb based industry. Blood Lead levels (BLLs) were measured using the ICP-OES method. The total DNA methylation (5-mC) was quantified using ELISA method. Based on their BLLs, the Pb-exposed workers were categorised into three groups: low (< 10 µg/dL), moderate (10-30 µg/dL), and high exposure (> 30 µg/dL). DNA methylation (5-mC) was significantly lower in moderate and high Pb-exposure groups when compared to the low Pb-exposure group. Workers exposed to high levels of Pb-exposure, the DA variables of 5-mC showed that the sensitivity was 74.7% [95% CI 65.4-84.0], specificity was 69.6% [95% CI 50.8-88.4], positive predictive value (PPV) was 89.9% [95% CI 82.7-97.0], Postive likelihood ratio (LR+) was 2.454 [95% CI 1.3-4.6], and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) is 6.3 [95% CI 6.5-7.7]. In moderate Pb-exposure, the DA variables of 5-mC revealed that the sensitivity is 64.9% [95% CI 55.2-74.5], the specificity is 69.6% [95% CI 50.8-88.4], the PPV is 89.7% [95% CI 82.5-97.0], the LR+ is 2.132 [95% CI 1.13-4.03], and the DOR is 4.2 [95% CI 3.6-5.7]. The high Pb-exposure group had higher DA metrics when compared to moderate Pb exposure. The clinical utility (CU+) of 5-mC was found to have good utility of 0.671 [95% CI 0.566-0.776] in the high Pb exposure group and fair utility of 0.582 [95% CI 0.470-0.694] in moderate Pb exposure group. In conclusion, DNA methylation (5mC) could be used as a predictive biomarker for high Pb-exposure.

TRAIL, a member of the TNF family, is expressed in tumor and tumor surrounding tissue in many solid organ cancers. While the induction of tumor-specific apoptosis in correlation with cytokine stimulation may cause anti-tumoral effects, the pro-tumorigenic effects of its expression by tumor surrounding tissue members have been reported in the literature. In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect of the gene variant of TRAIL on soluble levels in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) on the molecular pathological axis. TRAIL C1595 gene variant PCR-RFLP and sTRAIL levels were determined by ELISA in age and sex adjusted CRC and control groups. It was determined that CT carriage was high in patients without perineural invasion and sTRAIL levels were approximately 2.72 times lower than CC in patients with CT in this group (p < 0.05). Similarly, sTRAIL level was found to be high in patients with CC genotype in CRC without lymph node metastas. It was determined that CT carriage was high in patients without perineural invasion and sTRAIL levels were approximately 2.49 times lower than CC in patients with CT in this group.is (p < 0.05). We think that TRAIL C1595T in CRC can change sTRAIL levels in the clinicopathological axis in advanced stages such as metastasis and invasion, but both are not independent risk factors.

Tramadol is a pain killing drug highly used worldwide. There is a knowledge gap for fertility consequences of analgesic addiction in men. In this observational study, we investigated the hazards of tramadol abuse on human male reproductive function. A total of 30 tramadol addicts and 30 healthy controls have participated in the study. History and clinical examination of the included subjects were performed. Biochemical and molecular assays were measured in all participants include serum reproductive hormones (calculated free testosterone, FSH, LH, prolactin and estradiol) using ELISA techniques, semen analysis, seminal plasma zinc and selenium assays using colorimetric kits, seminal plasma tramadol concentrations using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and seminal plasma 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHG) using high performance liquid chromatography were measured. Tramadol abuse significantly decreased semen parameters quality. Additionally, tramadol abuse significantly decreased testosterone (P = 0.001) and increased prolactin serum levels (P = 0.000). Tramadol abusers showed significantly higher levels of 8-OHG (P < 0.0001) with significantly lower levels of zinc and selenium in their seminal plasma compared with the controls (P < 0.0001, and 0.0002 respectively). Also, tramadol addicts displayed positive correlations between seminal plasma levels of 8-OHG (r = 0.905, P = 0.00) and sperm abnormal forms (r = 0.610, P = 0.000) with seminal plasma tramadol levels. Seminal plasma levels of zinc (r = - 0.815, P = 0.00), sperm motility (r = - 0.484, P = 0.007), and vitality (r = - 0.430, P = 0.018) were negatively correlated with seminal plasma levels of tramadol. Our data suggest that tramadol abuse may impair male fertility by increasing oxidative damage of sperms and reducing testosterone and the antioxidants trace elements in testicular tissues.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-023-01141-4.

Oroxylum indicum, a well-known traditional medicinal plant which is used to alleviate various kinds of diseases in Asia. The study aimed to identify bioactive compounds present in O. indicum stem bark using HPTLC technique. Further, the cytotoxic effects of the plant extracts were determined against HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) cell lines. The results of the study have shown the presence of the phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, phenols, tannins and steroids. MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay showed that the ethanol, methanol and water extracts of O. indicum exhibited cytotoxic effect in HeLa cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 119, 89.43 and 114.1 µg/mL, respectively against standard doxorubicin with IC₅₀ value 3.895 µg/mL. The current study suggests that the methanol extract of O. indicum may offer chemopreventive properties. However, additional research is required to isolate and characterize the specific chemical entities present in O. indicum. These studies will aid in identifying a potential lead compound that holds promise as a natural anticancer agent.

Various formulae had been derived to calculate the LDL-C from other lipid profile parameters to supplant the need for direct estimation. Martin's, Sampson's, and Cordova's formulae are recently derived formulae for calculating LDL-C. However, no study has been undertaken till now to verify the newer formulae viz. Martins's and Sampson's in Indian population. The retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out after obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee on human subject research. The lipid profile data were collected for a period of 17 months from January 2020 to May 2021. The formulae proposed by Friedewald, Cordova, Anandaraja, Martin, and Sampson were used to assess calculated LDL-C. Intraclass correlations were performed to assess the effectiveness of each formula when compared with direct estimation. In our study, we observed that LDL-C calculated using Martin was observed to be closer to that of direct estimation. The bias observed was lowest for Martin's formulae, followed by Sampson's. Intraclass correlation analysis for absolute agreement demonstrated Cordova, Martin, and Sampson to have an average ICC > 0.9, with Martin, and Sampson having a p value < 0.05. Martin fared superior to other formulae in intraclass correlation in patients with LDL > 70. In patients with TG below 200 mg/dL, Martin, and Sampson had a significant correlation with comparable average ICC. However, in patients with TG > 300 mg/dL, Cordova appears to fare better than all other formulae. Our study demonstrated a distinctly superior performance of Martin's formula over Friedewald's formula in the Indian patient population.