This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between the changes of plasma intermedin (IMD) and atrial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation. During the period from 2010 to 2011, appropriate 150 subjects of out-patients (female 50%, male 50%) were selected in West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and were divided into three groups: the hypertension-only group, the hypertension combined with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group and the hypertension combined with persistent atrial fibrillation group. Firstly, we collected the Physical examination results and medical history records of the patients. We then performed ultrasound cardiogram and blood biochemical tests on the patients. We also detected the plasma IMD and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) using ELISA. The results showed that compared with the hypertensive group, the plasma level of IMD, TGF-β1 and left atrium director (LAD) in the hypertensive combined with atrial fibrillation group were higher significantly. Compared with the paroxymal atrial fibrillation group, the levels of IMD, TGF-β1 and LAD were higher significantly in persistent atrial fibrillation group. Analysis of correlation and partial correlation showed that IMD was positively correlated with TGF-p1 (r=0.51, P<0. 001), IMD was positively correlated with LAD(r=0.59, P< 0.001), and TGF-β1 was positively correlated with LAD (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). The results suggest that IMD might suppress the pathophysiological process of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptide Hormones ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

Elabela is a newly discovered peptide in recent years.It is the endogenous ligand of Apelin receptor(APJ)and plays an important role in embryonic development and adult organs.Elabela-APJ axis is closely related to organ fibrosis.Elabela can protect the functions of heart and kidney by antagonizing renin-angiotensin system and regulating blood pressure.In addition,it can prevent kidney and heart fibrosis by down-regulating the expression of fibrosis and inflammatory factors.However,there is a positive correlation between the level of Elabela and the degree of liver fibrosis,suggesting that Elabela may play a role in promoting liver fibrosis.This review aims to explore the role of Elabela-APJ axis in renal fibrosis,cardiac fibrosis,and liver fibrosis,and to provide a new therapeutic target for organ fibrosis.
Apelin ; Apelin Receptors ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Peptide Hormones ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the diagnosis of hyperthyroid heart disease in children.

METHODSFifty-eight children with hyperthyroidism were assigned to two groups according to their cardiac functions: hyperthyroid heart disease (n=28) and hyperthyroidism alone (n=30). Thirty healthy children served as the control group. Serum BNP level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEE) and E/A ratio were measured before and after treatment. The diagnostic value of BNP was evaluated in children with hyperthyroid heart disease.

RESULTSThe serum BNP level in the hyperthyroid heart disease and the hyperthyroidism alone groups before treatment was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), while the LVEF and the E/A ratio were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Serum BNP level was positively correlated with the TT3 (r=0.801, P<0.05) and TT4 levels (r=0.578, P<0.05) and negatively with the LVEF (r=-0.48, P<0.05) and the E/A ratio (r=-0.35, P<0.05) in the hyperthyroid heart disease group. The serum BNP, TT3 and TT4 levels in the hyperthyroid heart disease and the hyperthyroidism alone groups were reduced and the LVEF and the E/A ratio increased significantly three months after treatment (P<0.05). When serum BNP level of >323.62 pg/mL was proposed as a cutoff point, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 92.86%, 90.00%, 89.66% and 93.10% respectively for the diagnosis of hyperthyroid heart disease.

CONCLUSIONSBNP may serve as a reliable marker for the diagnosis of hyperthyroid heart disease in children. Serum BNP level along with the LVEF and the E/A ratio may be useful in the evaluation of the severity and the cardiac function in children with this disease.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; blood ; complications ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Thyroid Hormones ; blood ; Ventricular Function, Left

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a contiguous gene syndrome characterized by uncontrollable eating or hyperphagia. Several studies have confirmed that plasma ghrelin levels are markedly elevated in PWS adults and children. The study of anorexigenic hormones is of interest because of their regulation of appetite by negative signals. To study the pattern and response of the anorexigenic hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY) to a meal in PWS, we measured the plasma CCK, PYY, ghrelin and serum insulin levels in PWS patients (n=4) and in controls (n=4) hourly for a day, and analyzed hormone levels and hormonal responses to meals. Repeated measures of ANOVA of hormone levels demonstrated that only insulin levels decreased (p=0.013) and CCK (p=0.005) and ghrelin (p=0.0007) increased in PWS over 24 hr. However, no significant group x time interactions (ghrelin: p=0.89, CCK: p=0.93, PYY: p=0.68 and insulin: p=0.85) were observed; in addition, there were no differences in an assessment of a three-hour area under the curve after breakfast. These results suggest that the response pattern of hormones to meals in PWS patients parallels that of normal controls. In addition, the decrease of insulin levels over 24 hr, in spite of obesity and elevated ghrelin levels, suggests that the baseline insulin level, not the insulin response to meals, may be abnormal in patients with PWS.
Adolescent ; Area Under Curve ; Biopsy ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Cholecystokinin/*blood ; Ghrelin ; Humans ; Insulin/*blood/metabolism ; Male ; Obesity ; Peptide Hormones/*blood/metabolism ; Peptide YY/*blood ; Prader-Willi Syndrome/*blood ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To determine serum levels of betatrophin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the influential factors. 
 METHODS: A total of 100 PCOS patients were enrolled randomly as a PCOS group, and 40 age-matched healthy women were recruited as a normal control (NC) group. Primary clinical or biochemical parameters of the subjects were detected. The results were analyzed by SPSS 19.0.
 RESULTS: Serum betatrophin levels were elevated in the PCOS group compared with the NC group. Serum betatrophin levels were positively correlated with age and Whole Body Insulin Sensitivity Index (WBISI),and negatively correlated with body mass index, fasting insulin(FINS), homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostatic model assessment β cell function (HOMA-β). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that age and waist hip ratio (WHR) were independent influential factors for the level of betatrophin. PCOS was more likely to occur in women with higher betatrophin levels.
 CONCLUSION Serum betatrophin levels increase in women with PCOS and they are independently associated with age and WHR. There is no significant correlation between betatrophin and insulin resistance or insulin levels.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Angiopoietin-like Proteins ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Peptide Hormones ; blood ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; physiopathology ; Waist-Hip Ratio ; statistics & numerical data

The plasma ghrelin has been reported to be elevated in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and modulated by insulin. It was hypothesized that insulin might have a more pronounced effect on reducing plasma ghrelin in PWS patients, which would influence appetite. This study investigated the degree of ghrelin suppression using an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp in children with PWS (n=6) and normal children (n=6). After a 90-min infusion of insulin, the plasma ghrelin level decreased from a basal value of 0.86+/-0.15 to 0.58+/-0.12 ng/mL in the controls, and from 2.38+/-0.76 to 1.12+/-0.29 ng/mL in children with PWS (p=0.011). The area under the curve below the baseline level over the 90 min insulin infusion was larger in children with PWS than in controls (-92.82+/-44.4 vs. -10.41+/-2.87 ng/mL/90 min) (p=0.011). The insulin sensitivity measured as the glucose infusion rate at steady state was similar in the two groups (p=0.088). The decrease in the ghrelin levels in response to insulin was more pronounced in the children with PWS than in the controls. However, the level of ghrelin was always higher in the children with PWS during the clamp study. This suggests that even though insulin sensitivity to ghrelin is well maintained, an increase in the baseline ghrelin levels is characteristic of PWS.
Prader-Willi Syndrome/*blood ; Peptide Hormones/*blood/*drug effects ; Metabolic Clearance Rate/drug effects ; Male ; Insulin/*administration & dosage/blood ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Humans ; Female ; Down-Regulation/drug effects ; Child ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Jiaweisinisan (JWSNS), a traditional Chinese herbal medicinal recipe, on gastric mucosal ultrastructure and brain-gut axis in rat models of chronic psychological stress and elucidate the mechanism of JWSNS for ameliorating stress-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction.

METHODSSixty rats were randomly assigned into normal control group, model group, 3 JWSNS groups (high, moderate, and small doses), and omeprazole group (n=10). Rat models of chronic psychological stress were established by random stressful stimulations, and following the corresponding interventions, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) levels were detected using radioimmunoassay, and the mRNA expressions of gastrin receptor in the gastric tissue (GASR) and vasoactive intestinal peptide II receptor (VIPR2) in the jejunal tissue were examined using RT-PCR. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine the ultrastructural changes in the gastric mucosa tissue cells of the glandular stomach area and alterations in the intercellular junctions.

RESULTSElectron microscopy revealed obvious damages in gastric mucosal epithelial cell organelles and nuclei in the model rats. These damages were ameliorated after treatments with JWSNS and omeprazole. Compared with the model group, the 3 JWSNS groups and omeprazole group all showed significantly lowered plasma ACTH and CORT levels, increased gastrin receptor mRNA expression and decreased jejunal VIPR2 mRNA expression (P<0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJWSNS can obviously ameliorate the pathologies of the gastric mucosa cells, regulate the state of brain-gut axis, and modulate the gastric gastrin receptor and jejunal VIPR2 mRNA expressions in rats with chronic psychological stress.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; blood ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Bombesin ; metabolism ; Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II ; metabolism ; Stress, Psychological ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of long-term high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet on body weight and the expression of gastrointestinal hormones in diet-induced obesity rats.

METHODSTwenty-four diet-induced obesity rat models were established by feeding fat-enriched diet, then were randomly divided into two groups by stratified sampling method by weight: the high-protein diet group (HP, 36.7% of energy from protein), and the normal chow group (NC, 22.4% of energy from protein), 12 rats in each group. The total calorie intake of each rat per day was similar and was maintained for 24 weeks, then body weight, visceral fat mass, fasting plasma ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were determined, as well as protein expression of ghrelin in stomach, GLP-1 in ileum were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSAfter 24 weeks, body weight of HP, NC groups were (490.92 ± 39.47) g and (545.55 ± 31.08) g, respectively (t = -3.664, P < 0.01); visceral fat mass were (22.42 ± 7.04) g and (32.33 ± 9.27) g, respectively (t = -2.503, P < 0.05); plasma ghrelin level were (2.36 ± 0.82) and (1.95 ± 0.64) ng/ml, respectively (t = 1.337, P > 0.05), and plasma ghrelin level was negatively correlated to body weight (r = -0.370, t = -1.899, P < 0.05), visceral fat mass (r = -0.454, t = -2.52, P < 0.01); plasma GLP-1 concentration were (0.52 ± 0.13) and (0.71 ± 0.19) ng/ml, respectively(t = -2.758, P < 0.05); ghrelin protein expression in stomach were 25 473 ± 8701 and 10 526 ± 6194, respectively (t = 2.501, P < 0.05); GLP-1 protein expression in ileum were 27 431 ± 5813 and 36 601 ± 5083, respectively (t = -1.833, P = 0.081).

CONCLUSIONLong-term isocaloric high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet can reduce body weight and visceral fat, increase the expression of ghrelin, and decline GLP-1 expression in diet-induced obesity rats.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted ; Dietary Proteins ; administration & dosage ; Gastrointestinal Hormones ; metabolism ; Ghrelin ; blood ; metabolism ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 ; metabolism ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; metabolism ; Male ; Obesity ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Recently, gastric Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) colonization has been shown to affect the expression of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that control appetite and satiety. Gastric leptin, produced by chief and parietal cells and released in response to meals, may play a role in weight gain after eradication of H. pylori infection, whereas ghrelin, produced by X/A-like enteroendocrine cells in oxyntic gland, is released during fasting, and suppressed by feeding and leptin. Whether either that H. pylori genes represent microbial contributions to the complement of thrifty genes of humans, or that H. pylori disappearance plays a role in adiposity remains to be determined. Simply, ghrelin-leptin might tango in body weight regulation, gastric inflammation, and gastric motility. In the current review about the possible role of ghrelin in gastric inflammation, we found that high serum albumin condition decreased ghrelin expression, whereas serum albumin deprivation significantly increased ghrelin expression, however, of which regulation was abolished after H. pylori infection. Ghrelin significantly attenuated the inflammatory stimuli imposed after H. pylori, shown with inactivation of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and nuclear factor-KappaB (NF-KappaB)-DNA binding activities. Conclusively, besides orexigenic and weight gaining actions of gastric hormone, ghrelin, it likely endows the stomach the protective effect from exogenous damages.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Appetite Stimulants ; Gastritis/*metabolism/microbiology ; Ghrelin/*blood/chemistry ; Helicobacter Infections/*metabolism ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/analysis ; Leptin/*blood ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; NF-kappa B/metabolism ; Neurosecretory Systems/*metabolism ; Peptide Hormones/*blood ; Signal Transduction ; Weight Gain