Biomedical subjects

I Harsch

Publications and source records attributed to I Harsch.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Serum resistin increases in a postprandial state during liquid meal challenge test in healthy human subjects.

The role of resistin in humans is controversial although resistin has been linked to atherosclerotic and inflammatory processes. In rodents, resistin expression is suppressed after food restriction while central administration of resistin promotes short-term satiety. However, the nature of postprandial responses in circulating resistin in humans is unknown. Therefore, we investigated postprandial resistin concentrations in a pilot study in 19 healthy subjects and 19 controls matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Serum resistin, insulin and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations as well as plasma glucose and triglycerides were repeatedly assessed before and after ingestion of an isocaloric standardized liquid meal during a 300 min period.After consumption of liquid meal, serum resistin levels increased compared to fasting control (p=0.037). Postprandial plasma glucose and serum insulin increased (p<0.001) with lower glucose responses in females (p=0.001) and lower insulin responses in males (p=0.012). Plasma triglycerides increased and serum NEFA decreased with similar gender responses (p=0.025 and p<0.001, respectively). Serum resistin was not correlated to glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and NEFA responses to liquid meal challenge tests. The present data suggest that serum resistin increases postprandially in healthy humans. Additional studies are needed to elucidate normal 24-h daytime profiles in humans and differential response of serum resistin to macronutrient composition of meals.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Arabinoxylan fibre consumption improved glucose metabolism, but did not affect serum adipokines in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

The consumption of arabinoxylan, a soluble fibre fraction, has been shown to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetic subjects. Soluble dietary fibre may modulate gastrointestinal or adipose tissue hormones regulating food intake. The present study investigated the effects of arabinoxylan consumption on serum glucose, insulin, lipids, leptin, adiponectin and resistin in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. In a randomized, single-blind, controlled, crossover intervention trial, 11 adults consumed white bread rolls as either placebo or supplemented with 15 g arabinoxylan for 6 weeks with a 6-week washout period. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides, unesterified fatty acids, apolipoprotein A1 and B, adiponectin, resistin and leptin were assessed before and after intervention. Fasting serum glucose, serum triglycerides and apolipoprotein A-1 were significantly lower during arabinoxylan consumption compared to placebo (p=0.029, p=0.047; p=0.029, respectively). No effects of arabinoxylan were observed for insulin, adiponectin, leptin and resistin as well as for apolipoprotein B, and unesterified fatty acids. In conclusion, the consumption of AX in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance improved fasting serum glucose, and triglycerides. However, this beneficial effect was not accompanied by changes in fasting adipokine concentrations.

Adiponectin↗

PubMed2004

Ghrelin-a new gastroprotective factor in gastric mucosa.

Ghrelin, a novel peptide expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the gastric mucosa, exerts several biological activities including the stimulation of appetite and food intake, the stimulation of intestinal motility and the release of growth hormone. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of ghrelin in gastric mucosa after its exposure to ethanol and its effects on gastric lesions induced by ethanol with and without pretreatment with indomethacin. Acute gastric lesions were induced by intragastric administration of 75% ethanol in rats pretreated with saline-vehicle or ghrelin injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) without or with i.p. pretreatment with indomethacin. At the end of experiments, the rats were anesthetized, the stomach was exposed to measure gastric blood flow (GBF), to determine the area of gastric lesions and to take biopsy samples from the oxyntic mucosa for determination of transcripts of ghrelin, tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) using RT-PCR and to assess the generation of PGE(2) by RIA. Exposure of gastric mucosa to 75% ethanol resulted in numerous mucosal lesions of an area of about 115 mm(2) and in the increase of mucosal expression of TNF-alpha, PGE(2), TGFalpha and ghrelin with concomitant decrease in GBF. Exogenous ghrelin reduced dose-dependently acute gastric lesions with simultaneous attenuation of GBF and a decrease in the expression of TNF-alpha but not TGFalpha. Pretreatment with indometahcin, which suppressed the generation of PGE(2) by about 85%, augmented ethanol-induced gastric lesions and eliminated the ghrelin-induced protection of mucosa against ethanol. We conclude that ghrelin, whose mucosal expression is enhanced after exposure to ethanol, exhibits a strong gastroprotection, at least in part, due to its anti-inflammatory action mediated by prostaglandins.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Pioglitazone, a specific ligand of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma reduces gastric mucosal injury induced by ischaemia/ reperfusion in rat.

BACKGROUND: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a ligand-dependent nuclear receptor that has been implicated in the control of metabolism and numerous cellular processes, including cell cycle control, carcinogenesis, and inflammation. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of the specific PPARgamma ligand, pioglitazone, on the mucosal lesions induced by ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) in rats. METHODS: I/R lesions were induced in Wistar rats by applying a small clamp to the coeliac artery for 30 min (ischaemic phase), followed by the removal of the clamp for 3 h (reperfusion phase). Vehicle (saline) or increasing doses of pioglitazone (2.5, 10, and 30 mg/kg i.g.) were given 30 min before exposure to I/R. The animals were killed immediately after the end of the reperfusion phase (time 0) and at 12 and 24h after I/R. The area of gastric lesions was measured by planimetry, and the gastric blood flow was determined by the H2 gas clearance method. The gastric mucosal gene expressions of PPARgamma, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), leptin, cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were examined by RT-PCR. In addition, protein expression of COX-2 and leptin was assessed by Western blot. RESULTS: The pretreatment with pioglitazone reduced in a dose-dependent manner the mean lesion area induced by I/R, and this effect was accompanied by a significant increase in the gastric blood flow. The decrease in gastric ulcerations by pioglitazone was also observed 12 and 24 h after the I/R. The PPARgamma mRNA was weakly expressed in the intact gastric mucosa but significantly up-regulated after exposure to I/R at each time interval studied. The expression of IL-1beta was not changed significantly after pioglitazone applied i.g. at doses 2.5 and 10 mg/kg, but it was down-regulated at the dose 30mg/kg. TNFalpha mRNA was strongly increased after the exposure to I/R, but it was down-regulated after pioglitazone pretreatment. In contrast, both leptin and COX-2 mRNA and protein expression were increased in the gastric mucosa after exposure to I/R. The pretreatment with pioglitazone caused a significant up-regulation of mRNA and protein expression of leptin, reaching its peak at the dose 30 mg/kg i.g. In contrast, COX-2 expression did not change significantly after the 2.5 and 10 mg/kg of pioglitazone, but it significantly decreased after pioglitazone at dose 30 mg/kg given to rats before exposure to I/R. CONCLUSIONS: Pioglitazone reduces the acute erosions and deeper gastric lesions induced by I/R. The beneficial effect of this PPARgamma ligand on I/R-induced gastric damage may be due to its anti-inflammatory properties, especially to the reduction in TNF-alpha expression and to up-regulation of leptin mRNA in the gastric mucosa. The inhibition of COX-2 expression by pioglitazone may reflect the anti-inflammatory properties of this compound.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

[Adrenal gland incidentaloma is not a "time bomb"--arguments for follow-up control].

Adrenal masses are nowadays more and more diagnosed incidentally. In the vast majority of cases these "incidentalomas" are benign adrenocortical adenomas which do not compel operative therapy. In about 12% of patients an endocrine activity is detected. With Increasing tumor size the risk of malignancy increases. This article summarizes recommendations, only to allow patients with endocrine activity or an increased risk of malignancy to be selected for surgery. A small uncertainty will always remain, but may be minimized by an individually tailored follow-up.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1992

Relapse of Graves' disease following development of a pheochromocytoma.

Catecholamines stimulate thyroid hormone synthesis as well as release of thyroid hormone and cause immunologic disturbances that possibly contribute to the manifestations of Graves' disease. This has led to repeated speculations about the possible role of catecholamines in the initiation and maintenance of hyperthyroidism. We describe a patient with Graves' disease who was treated with antithyroid drugs for 2 years. After withdrawal of antithyroid drugs, the patient was in remission for 5 years. After the antithyroid drug treatment and the long remission, the probability of relapse of Graves' disease was very low. Nonetheless, a relapse did occur. Two years after subtotal thyroid resection, further investigation because of persistent hypertension revealed a pheochromocytoma. Retrospective anamnestic data suggest that this pheochromocytoma had been present 2 years before the patient's relapse of Graves' disease. This sequence of diseases has not been described previously. The low probability for a Graves' disease relapse in this patient and the association of this patient's relapse with the manifestation of a pheochromocytoma suggest a possible etiologic role of excess catecholamine production in the relapse of Graves' disease.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1992

The possible etiological role of psychological disturbances in Graves' disease.

In the discussion of possible factors in the etiology of Graves' disease, stress has always played a major role. We investigated the possible influence of present depression (depressivity scale DS) and anxiety (State Trait Angstinventar STAI X1) on peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations in 10 patients with Graves' disease. The tests were done in hyperthyroidism and after 2-4 months in stable euthyroidism. Parallel to the psychometric testing, peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations were investigated. Elevated anxiety as a constant personality trait was investigated with the State Trait Angstinventar STAI X2 in 19 hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease. 5 of the 10 patients had a pathological T4:T8 ratio and very high raw values for present anxiety (mean = 53,8; STAI X1), as well as a a high percentile for depression (median 93,1; DS). The other 5 patients with a normal T4:T8 ratio had much lower values for anxiety (mean = 37,8; STAI X1) and depression (median 78,4; DS). In those patients, the T4:T8 ratio remained normal in stable euthyroidism, while the values for anxiety and depression decreased. This also happened in the patients with a formerly pathologic T4:T8 ratio. However, the pathologic T4:T8 ratio persisted in those patients. The STAI X2 percentage ranking for the 19 hyperthyroid patients was 76,5. The value for healthy people is 55,5. Therefore a significantly elevated anxiety--representing a constantly elevated internal psychological stress--seems to be present in patients with Graves' disease. Since psychological stress is known to influence the immune system, such a constant personality trait could be a predisposing factor for Graves' disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Sequential psychological testing during the course of autoimmune hyperthyroidism.

Although the psychological disturbances accompanying Graves' disease are well known, the time required for normalisation of these disturbances during antithyroid drug treatment is not known. Therefore sequential psychological testing during the course of Graves' disease was done. There are also contradictory results concerning the possible correlation of neurophysiological and psychological test results during the course of Graves' disease with thyroid hormone values. Finally, psychological disturbances have been proposed as possible etiologic factors in Graves' disease. In our study, a significant decrease in anxiety and irritability could be observed at the time euthyroidism was achieved. Self-evaluations of depressivity, activity, exhaustion, well-being, extraversion, introversion, and the ability to concentrate changed 1 or 2 months after euthyroidism was induced. Similar test results could be observed after induction of euthyroidism by antithyroid drugs and subtotal thyroid resection. Therefore the mode of therapy does not seem to influence the course of normalisation of psychological parameters. In contrast to other investigations there was hardly any correlation between thyroid hormone values and psychological test results or the ability to concentrate. Nontheless, patients with Graves' disease showing high scores for depression and anxiety exhibit abnormal peripheral helper/suppressor T-lymphocyte relations. Furthermore, patients suffering from Graves' disease tend to be more anxious than controls. It remains to be determined whether an increased susceptibility to psychological disturbances has led to these alterations of lymphocyte subsets in Graves' disease patients with severe depression and anxiety.

Adult↗