Serum total L-carnitine levels in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND: Carnitine plays essential roles in energy production, oxidative stress and glucose metabolism. This study was planned to determine serum total l-carnitine levels in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: There were 27 non-obese women with PCOS and 30 healthy, age- and body mass index (BMI) matched controls were evaluated in this controlled clinical study. Serum lipid sub-fractions, fasting glucose, insulin and other hormones (gonadotrophins, androgens) and total l-carnitine levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance. RESULTS: The women with PCOS had significantly higher serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, total testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), luteinizing hormone (LH), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR measurement and LH/FSH ratios than healthy women. However, total l-carnitine and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were significantly lower in women with PCOS. l-Carnitine level was negatively correlated with FAI, but positively correlated with SHBG. Multiple regression analysis revealed that SHBG was a strong predictor of serum total l-carnitine level. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased total l-carnitine levels may be associated with hyperandrogenism and/or insulin resistance in non-obese women with PCOS. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate carnitine metabolism in PCOS, especially with regard to the molecular basis. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved

Biological activities of Liquidambar orientalis: antibiofilm, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and miRNA expressions

Due to its strong biological, pharmacological, and medical activities and rich chemical content, Liquidambar orientalis, known for its resinous exudate storax, has a widespread and well-established ethnopharmacological use. Although it is known that storax has anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, wound-healing and other ethnomedicinal properties, the number of existing scientific studies is very limited. In this context, the aims of this study were to determine the antibiofilm activity of storax and its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in A549 lung cancer cells. In addition, with this study, it is also possible to make a very comprehensive biological evaluation by determining the effect of storax on certain microRNA expressions. According to our results, L. orientalis storax decreases cell proliferation in A549 lung cancer cells and the IC50 value was determined at 31.5 μg/mL at 24h. Storax also induces apoptosis via upregulating CASP3, 8, 9, and Bax gene expression and downregulating Bcl-2 expressions in A549 cells. Furthermore, storax decreases the expression of miR-146a, miR-21, and miR-223, while increasing the expression of miR-155. Storax inhibits biofilm formation and reduces the preformed biofilm of microbial strains including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 33862), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) and Candida albicans (ATCC 64548). The results suggest that storax has strong cytotoxic, apoptotic and antibiofilm properties and thus promising potential in medicine

Ailevi bir vaka çalışması ile androjen duyarlılığı sendromu

To objective of this study was to present androgen insensitivity syndrome is seldom seen, in a family with three affected individuals. A 16-year-old,a 17-year-old, and a 18-year-old phenotypic female three individuals with primary amenorrhea were evaluated through a diagnostic protocol that included clinical, cytogenetic, and hormonal examinations. After the patients were diagnosed as androgen insensitivity syndrome, they were were operated on for gonadectomy and vaginoplasty with pudental thigh flep and postoperative long-term exogenous estrogen replacement therapy was started. The patients have succesfully been followed with exogenous estrogen replacement therapy for six years, which gives them comfortable social and phsychosexual life as women in accordance with their desire.Bu çalışmanın amacı, etkilenen üç kişiyle bir ailede nadiren androjen duyarsızlık sendromu sunmaktı. 16 yaşında, 17 yaşında ve 18 yaşında fenotipik bir kadın hastayı primer amenore ile üç kişi klinik, sitogenetik ve hormonal muayeneleri içeren bir tanı protokolü ile değerlendirildi. Hastalara androjen duyarsızlık sendromu tanısı konduktan sonra pudental uyluk flep ile gonadektomi ve vajinoplasti ameliyatları yapıldı ve postoperatif uzun süreli eksojen östrojen replasman tedavisi başlandı. Hastalar, altı yıl boyunca eksojen östrojen replasman tedavisi ile başarılı bir şekilde takip edildiler; bu da arzu ettikleri gibi kadınlar olarak rahat bir sosyal ve psikoseksüel yaşam sağlıyor

Effects of intranasal estradiol treatment on serum paraoxonase and lipids in healthy, postmenopausal women

Background/Aims: Serum lipid concentrations worsen after the menopause because of estrogen deficiency, leading to an increased atherogenic pattern. It is known that serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to observe the effects of intranasal 17ß-estradiol (300 µg/day) on serum PON1 and lipid levels in healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: 48 healthy, postmenopausal women were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. 28 subjects without an intact uterus and ovaries were using single-dose (300 µg/day) intranasal 17ß-estradiol and 20 subjects with spontaneous natural menopause were not on any hormone therapy. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, fasting glucose, insulin, lipid fractions and PON1 levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) was used to estimate insulin resistance. Results: The higher estradiol, high-density lipoprotein and salt-stimulated paraoxonase (SSP) levels were observed in intranasal 17ß-estradiol users in comparison with non-users. There were no statistically significant differences in BMI, blood pressures, other lipid fractions, basal paraoxonase, arylesterase, fasting glucose and insulin levels, HOMA-R between the groups. SSP was inversely associated with fasting insulin levels and HOMA-R. Conclusion: These observations may suggest that intranasal 17ß-estradiol does not have harmful effects on the PON1 activity and lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG