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[메디컬투데이=한지혁 기자] Gene therapy for hereditary kidney disease has been shown to be effective.

The results of a study on the effect of a new gene therapy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) were published in the journal Nature Communications.

ADPKD is a common genetic disease that occurs in 1 in 1000 to 2500 people worldwide and is characterized by the formation of cysts in the kidneys and decreased renal function.

The most common cause of ADPKD is a mutation in the PKD-1 gene resulting in a change in the function of the polycystin 1 (PC1) protein, accounting for about 78% of all cases. Blocking the expression of the mutated PKD-1 gene can reverse pathological changes, including cysts, but the length of the PKD-1 gene is not suitable for general gene therapy.

According to previous animal and cell culture experiments, problems in the energy metabolism pathway in which mitochondria, a type of organelle, produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), were observed in the ADPKD model.

In addition, direct intervention in the problematic metabolic pathway has been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of ADPKD. However, the mechanism mediating the association between these metabolic pathway problems and PKD-1 genetic mutations is not well known.

The PC1 protein is normally found in the cell membrane, but it is also cut into smaller pieces and transported inside the cell. In this study, the research team conducted an experiment in mice to see if ‘PC1-CTT’, a fragment of the PC1 protein that migrates to the mitochondria, could cause an abnormality in the metabolic pathway.

The researchers reported that expression of the gene encoding the PC1-CTT protein fragment slowed the growth of ADPKD kidney cysts and helped preserve kidney structure and function.

The researchers investigated the interactions between the PC1-CTT fragment and other proteins in kidney cells to identify the molecular pathways mediating the effects of the PC1-CTT fragment.

As a result, an enzyme named ‘NNT (Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase)’ located inside the mitochondria showed the most significant interaction. In addition, NNTs have been shown to play an important role in the maintenance of various metabolic functions, including oxidative stress relief.

No improvement in cyst and kidney structure was observed when the PC1-CTT fragment was expressed in mice that do not express NNT. This suggests that the ability of PC1-CTT to reduce the severity of ADPKD depends on its interaction with NTT.

Experts evaluated the results of this study as positive in that it gave hope for the maintenance of kidney function in ADPKD patients and showed the importance of gene therapy.

Medical Today Reporter Han Ji-hyeok (hanjh3438@mdtoday.co.kr)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] A study has found that patients with vitamin D deficiency have a higher risk of developing corona sequelae after corona19 infection.

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that vitamin D-deficient patients have a higher risk of developing long COVID-19 after infection with COVID-19.

The research team measured the vitamin D levels of COVID-19 hospitalized patients at the time of admission and six months after discharge, and found that patients with corona sequelae had lower vitamin D levels.

The research team recruited 50 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 sequelae and 50 outpatients who recovered from COVID-19 infection and did not experience corona sequelae, and then took into account age, COVID-19 severity, gender, and underlying chronic disease, and assigned participants in the two groups one-on-one. matched with

After six months of follow-up, they said there was no difference between the two groups other than vitamin D levels, and speculated that vitamin D deficiency may be a trigger for corona sequelae symptoms.

They also added that the more severe the vitamin D deficiency, the more often neurocognitive symptoms appear in corona sequelae. In addition to the effect on the skeleton, vitamin D has a positive effect on the immune system and is also involved in cognitive health, pain, and obesity.

A vitamin D blood test should be ordered to determine if your vitamin D level is adequate.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines recommend that adults aged 19 to 70 get an average of 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day, and older adults should get an average of 800 IU per day. If your blood test results suggest that you are vitamin D deficient, you should consult your doctor and take vitamin D supplements as needed.

The research team said that while it is unclear whether vitamin D supplements can prevent corona sequelae, it is necessary to check patients’ vitamin D levels and take preventive measures against abnormalities after hospitalization.

Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi (jaebaekchoi@naver.com)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] A study has found that patients with vitamin D deficiency have a higher risk of developing corona sequelae after corona19 infection.

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that vitamin D-deficient patients have a higher risk of developing long COVID-19 after infection with COVID-19.

The research team measured the vitamin D levels of COVID-19 hospitalized patients at the time of admission and six months after discharge, and found that patients with corona sequelae had lower vitamin D levels.

The research team recruited 50 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 sequelae and 50 outpatients who recovered from COVID-19 infection and did not experience corona sequelae, and then took into account age, COVID-19 severity, gender, and underlying chronic disease, and assigned participants in the two groups one-on-one. matched with

After six months of follow-up, they said there was no difference between the two groups other than vitamin D levels, and speculated that vitamin D deficiency may be a trigger for corona sequelae symptoms.

They also added that the more severe the vitamin D deficiency, the more often neurocognitive symptoms appear in corona sequelae. In addition to the effect on the skeleton, vitamin D has a positive effect on the immune system and is also involved in cognitive health, pain, and obesity.

A vitamin D blood test should be ordered to determine if your vitamin D level is adequate.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines recommend that adults aged 19 to 70 get an average of 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day, and older adults should get an average of 800 IU per day. If your blood test results suggest that you are vitamin D deficient, you should consult your doctor and take vitamin D supplements as needed.

The research team said that while it is unclear whether vitamin D supplements can prevent corona sequelae, it is necessary to check patients’ vitamin D levels and take preventive measures against abnormalities after hospitalization.

Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi (jaebaekchoi@naver.com)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] Stress has been shown to play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease in women.

A study published in the journal ‘Brain’ found that beta amyloid levels increased in stressed female mice.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine found that levels of beta-amyloid increased under stress in female mice, as opposed to male mice.

Beta amyloid is known to be involved in the expression of Alzheimer’s symptoms by forming plaques in the brain, interfering with nerve signal transmission, and causing inflammation.

The research team noted that several factors are involved in the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease, and even considering the average life span, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in women is high. They said that the difference in Alzheimer’s risk between men and women cannot be fully explained by the fact that women have a longer life expectancy, and that women’s hormones, genetics, social characteristics, and lifestyle must be taken into account.

They explained that they wanted to find out how, among other factors, stress affects the development of Alzheimer’s disease in women at the cellular level.

The research team investigated the effect of stress on the levels of beta-amyloid in the interstitial fluid of the hippocampus of mice, which is a brain region that is affected and degenerates when early-stage Alzheimer’s disease develops.

They exposed the rats to either restraint stress or olfactory stress for three hours and then measured beta-amyloid levels before, during, and after the stress exposure.

Restraint stress involved placing the mouse in a small, transparent plastic tub that had only enough breathing holes to restrict movement, and olfactory stress involved placing the mouse in a small tube containing 0.1 milliliters (mL) of urine from predators such as foxes and coyotes. was to be placed in a cage of

The type of urine was changed every 30 minutes to prevent the mice from adapting to the smell of urine from certain predators.

In addition, the research team measured the levels of stress hormones in the mice’s blood. As a result of the study, the research team reported that male and female mice received similar levels of stress, but the level of beta-amyloid in the interstitial fluid of the hippocampus of female mice increased by nearly 50% within the first 2 hours after exposure to stress, and the increase was maintained throughout the monitoring period. .

Meanwhile, only about 20% of male mice showed a slight increase in beta-amyloid levels.

The research team explained that there is a close relationship between the concentration of beta-amyloid in interstitial fluid and brain regions in mice, and that the cell response to the stress hormone corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is different depending on gender.

They said that levels of beta-amyloid in the brain increase as CRF is taken up by neurons in female mice, but neurons in male mice do not take up CRF.

In addition to this, experts added, the excessive secretion of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline caused by stress can cause inflammation, damage to DNA and cells, and accelerate the aging process, which can affect brain and cognitive function.

On the other hand, it is difficult to measure interstitial fluid in humans, unlike mice, and cautions that different mechanisms or different research results may emerge from mice.

However, experts evaluated that this study does help explain some of the differences in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease according to gender, and is important for establishing gender-specific treatment strategies in the future.

Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi (jaebaekchoi@naver.com)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] Research has shown that early screening and treatment of cognitive impairment is necessary to prevent long-term disability after stroke.

In order to prevent long-term disability after a stroke, it is necessary to screen for and treat cognitive impairment early, the study results were published in the American Heart Association’s ‘Stroke’.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association, more than half of stroke survivors will experience post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).

Experts explained that PSCI is common, from mild to severe, especially within one year after a stroke, and while some patients are treatable, up to a third of stroke patients may progress to dementia within five years. Accordingly, the AHA emphasized the importance of early screening and early treatment for cognitive impairment.

Stroke can be divided into ischemic stroke, in which cerebral blood flow is blocked by a blood clot, and hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by intracerebral hemorrhage. According to the AHA, the rates of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke are 87% and 13%, respectively, and cognitive impairment can occur immediately after a stroke or within a few years.

The AHA recommends that, as PSCI usually occurs within 2 weeks of a stroke, screening tests to assess cognitive decline immediately after stroke as well as subsequent to minimize lasting damage from stroke are needed.

They mentioned that a history of stroke nearly doubles the risk of developing dementia, and that stroke survivors need comprehensive treatment that combines physical rehabilitation with mental rehabilitation exercises to restore their quality of life.

In addition, they emphasized the need for management of cognitive deficits beyond acute and subacute stroke treatment to restore the quality of life of stroke survivors.

On the other hand, cognitive function decline can be recovered to some extent by early detection and treatment of PSCI, but in most cases, it is not completely restored to the state before stroke, and the symptoms are only improved.

Therefore, the American Stroke Association said that in order to reduce the risk of post-stroke functional decline, including cognitive decline, minimizing the recurrence of stroke is the key, and it is necessary to adopt healthy lifestyle habits such as healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and medication.

They said they could reduce their risk of recurrent stroke by 80% by managing their lifestyle.

Additionally, they added, future research should identify high-risk patients for PSCI and develop screening and treatment techniques for cognitive impairment.

Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi (jaebaekchoi@naver.com)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=이승재 기자] Studies have shown that intermittent fasting is effective in lowering blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

A study on the effects of intermittent fasting, calorie restriction, and standard obesity management therapy on blood sugar reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes was published in Nature Medicine.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells in our body become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Due to insulin resistance, cells cannot use glucose for metabolism, and as a result, blood glucose concentration, that is, blood sugar rises.

There are 37 million people with type 2 diabetes in the United States alone. Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, so losing weight can help. Previous research has shown that calorie restriction or intermittent fasting can improve obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers followed 209 obese patients for one year to investigate the effectiveness of different weight management modalities (intermittent fasting, calorie restriction, standard obesity management) in relieving symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Here, intermittent fasting refers to eating 30% of the daily basic calories only between 8:00 am and 12:00 noon, and not eating anything for the remaining 20 hours. Calorie restriction refers to consuming only 70% of the daily calorie intake, and standard obesity management refers to following standard weight loss guidelines.

As a result of measuring blood sugar at 6 months after the start of the study, intermittent fasting people reduced their blood sugar by 10.1 mg/dL. On the other hand, those who were on calorie restriction and those who were on standard obesity management saw only 3.57 mg/dL and 4.15 mg/dL reductions in blood sugar, respectively. Even at one year after the start of the study, the intermittent fasters maintained low blood sugar.

Blood sugar reduction in intermittent fasting was 4.71 mg/dL, compared to 3.79 mg/dL and 3.57 mg/dL in calorie restriction and standard obesity management, respectively.

Further research found that intermittent fasters improved insulin resistance and significantly reduced blood cholesterol levels.

The researchers concluded that intermittent fasting may help relieve symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Reporter Lee Seung-jae of Medical Today (ecctomas@mdtoday.co.kr)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]