Bilateral midbrain transection induced hyperphagia accelerates the development of diabetes in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats

Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rat is a model of severe type 2 diabetes and its complications. These characteristics of SDT rat are very useful to research diseases; however, the slow onset of diabetes may limit the usefulness of this animal model. To solve this problem, we performed bilateral midbrain transection on SDT rats and evaluated whether hyperphagia accelerates the onset of diabetes. By severing ascending fibers from the nucleus tractus solitarius to limbic regions through ventral and dorsal tegmental regions, food consumption was significantly increased in SDT rats and the onset of diabetes was accelerated. Cumulative incidence of diabetes in midbrain transected SDT rats was 88.9% at 7 weeks after surgery (14 weeks of age), while sham operated rats was 20.0%. Increased food consumption was correlated to body weight, plasma glucose level, plasma triglyceride level, and plasma insulin level. In conclusion, the overeating caused by blocking anorexigenic signal in brain significantly accelerates the onset of diabetes in SDT rats. The early development of type 2 diabetes may accelerate microvascular complications and is considered useful in the study of the disease in SDT rats.

Hypertension and maternal urinary tract infection and the metabolic conditions of preterm infants

ABSTRACT Objective: The present study evaluated the anthropometric and metabolic profiles of preterm infants (PT) born from mothers with urinary tract infections (UTI) and mothers with hypertensive disorders (HD). Method: This was a longitudinal prospective study conducted between May 2015 and August 2016. First, 59 mothers with premature birth were included; after excluding 29 mothers, two subgroups were created: UTI-mothers (n=12) and HD-mothers (n=18). The anthropometric and metabolic variables of mothers and their respective PT were analyzed at birth and at 6 months of corrected age (CA). Results: Plasma triglyceride levels were higher among HD-mothers and their respective PT in comparison with UTI-mothers and their PT at 6 m of CA. Conclusion: Plasma triglyceride level is an important metabolic biomarker in HD-mothers resulting in higher triglyceride levels among PT at the CA of 6 m, suggesting an early programming effect of maternal hypertension.

Familial Chylomicronaemia: A Neonate with Milky White Blood

Familial Chylomicronaemia is a rare autosomal recessive disease of lipoprotein metabolism characterized by deficiency or absence of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) or its co-factor apoC-II which causes severe elevation of triglyceride and chylomicron resulting in lipaemic plasma, recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis, eruptive xanthomas, hepato-splenomegaly and lipaemiaretinalis. We report a case of term female neonate with lipaemic plasma, lipemia retinalis, markedly elevated triglyceride level which is consistent with diagnosis of Familial Chylomicronaemia. Keywords: Familial Chylomicronemia, lipemic plasma, triglyceride level, Lipemia retinalis

Intake of Mung Bean Protein Isolate Reduces Plasma Triglyceride Level in Rats

Background: Mung bean is well known as a starch source, but the physiological effects of mung bean protein have received little attention. In this study, we isolated mung bean protein from de-starched mung bean solutions, and investigated its influence on lipid metabolism. Objective: The aim of this study is to clarify the influence of the lipid metabolism by consumption of mung bean protein isolate (MPI)Methods: Diets containing either mung bean protein isolate (MPI) or casein were fed to normal rats for 28 days.Results: Both groups ate the same amount of food, but the plasma triglyceride level, relative liver weight and liver lipid contents (cholesterol and triglyceride pool) in the MPI group were significantly lower than in the casein group. In the MPI group, the expression of sterol regulatory-element binding factor 1 (SREBF1) mRNA in the liver was significantly different when compared with the casein group. The significantly lower levels of insulin and free fatty acids in the MPI-fed rats may be due to the regulation of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver.Conclusions: These results suggest that MPI may improve the plasma lipid profile by normalizing insulin sensitivity.Keywords: mung bean, Vigna radiata L., 8S globulin, triglyceride, β-conglycinin, 7S globulin, insulin sensitivity, SREBF1