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Indian Heart J 2019 Jan - Feb;71(1):60-64. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Department of Cardiology, Mahavir Hospital and Research Centre Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Electronic address:

Background: The cytochrome P-450 2J2 (CYP2J2) is known to be one of the major enzymes of epoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid in extrahepatic tissues, which produces series of regioisomeric cis-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) such as 5,6-, 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-EETs. In the present study, we analyzed the impact of a genetic variant in CYP2J2 on coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Telangana region of Indian population.

Material And Methods: The case-control study consisted of 100 CAD cases and 110 healthy controls. Read More

PLoS One 2019 18;14(4):e0215620. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

HIV infection is known to be associated with cardiometabolic abnormalities; here we investigated the progression and causes of these abnormalities. Three groups of participants were recruited: HIV-negative subjects and two groups of treatment-naïve HIV-positive subjects, one group initiating antiretroviral treatment, the other remaining untreated. Intima-media thickness (cIMT) increased in HIV-positive untreated group compared to HIV-negative group, but treatment mitigated the difference. Read More

PLoS Pathog 2019 Apr 18;15(4):e1007724. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for developing tuberculosis (TB). TB-DM comorbidity is expected to pose a serious future health problem due to the alarming rise in global DM incidence. At present, the causal underlying mechanisms linking DM and TB remain unclear. Read More

Kardiologiia 2019 Apr 13;59(3S):30-35. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Research Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine - Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (IIPM - Branch of IC G SB RAS); B. Bogatkov Str., 175/1, Novosibirsk, 630089, Russian Federation.

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of angina pectoris (AP) according to the standardized epidemiological questionnaire of Rose in the population of 25-45 years of Novosibirsk and to identify its association with some lipid and non-lipid risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Material And Methods: Cross-sectional survey of the population aged 25-45 in Novosibirsk was carried out. The study included 1439 people (656 men and 783 women). Read More

Clin Res Cardiol 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Klinik für Innere Medizin IV, Abteilung für Nieren-und Hochdruckkrankheiten, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg, Saar, Germany.

Importance: A more precise identification of patients at "high cardiovascular risk" is preeminent in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Objective: To investigate the relationships between markers of cholesterol homeostasis, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

Design, Setting And Participants: We quantified markers of cholesterol homeostasis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in 377 subjects with suspected coronary artery disease, who were not on lipid-lowering drugs at baseline. Read More

Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Institute of Cardiovascular disease, Key Laboratory for Arterosclerology of Hunan Province, Medical Research Center, Hunan Province Cooperative innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan. China.

Background： Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) and Omentin-1 have a protective role in the cardiovascular system. However, if and how Tan IIA and Omentin-1 regulate cholesterol metabolism in macrophages has not been fully elucidated.

Objective: To investigate the possible mechanisms of Tan IIA and Omentin-1 on preventing macrophage cholesterol accumulation and atherosclerosis development. Read More

Curr Opin Lipidol 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Sortilin, encoded SORT1 gene at chromosome 1p13.3, is a multiligand receptor that traffics protein from the Golgi to the endosomes, secretory vesicles, and the cell surface. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed an association between sortilin and reduced plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) as well as reduced coronary artery disease (CAD). Read More

Circ Genom Precis Med 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Background: Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) is a genetic disorder caused by rare protein-truncating variants (PTV) in the gene encoding apolipoprotein B ( APOB), the major protein component of low-density and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles. Whether heterozygous APOB deficiency is associated with decreased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) is uncertain. We combined family-based and large scale gene-sequencing to characterize the association of rare PTVs in APOB with circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, and risk for CHD. Read More

Nat Genet 2019 04 29;51(4):592-599. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) integrate genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and gene expression datasets to identify gene-trait associations. In this Perspective, we explore properties of TWAS as a potential approach to prioritize causal genes at GWAS loci, by using simulations and case studies of literature-curated candidate causal genes for schizophrenia, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and Crohn's disease. We explore risk loci where TWAS accurately prioritizes the likely causal gene as well as loci where TWAS prioritizes multiple genes, some likely to be non-causal, owing to sharing of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Cardiology, Campus Benjamin Franklin.

Background: Inflammation is a key driver of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (MI), and beyond proteins and microRNAs (miRs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in inflammation control. To obtain further information on the possible role of lncRNAs in the context of atherosclerosis, we obtained comprehensive transcriptome maps of circulating immune cells (PBMCs) of early onset MI patients. One lncRNA significantly suppressed in post-MI patients was further investigated in a murine knockout model. Read More

Int J Eat Disord 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Eating Disorder Unit, Mental Health Center Ballerup, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Objective: Alterations in blood lipid concentrations in anorexia nervosa (AN) has been reported; however, the extent, mechanism, and normalization with weight restoration remain unknown. We conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis to evaluate changes in lipid concentrations in acutely-ill AN patients compared with healthy controls (HC) and to examine the effect of partial weight restoration.

Method: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42017078014) were conducted for original peer-reviewed articles. Read More

Chem Phys Lipids 2019 Mar 22;221:53-64. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address:

Sulfate-based lipids (SL) have been proposed as players in inflammation, immunity and infection. In spite of the many biochemical processes linked to SL, analysis on this class of lipids has only focused on specific SL sub-classes in individual fluids or cells leaving a range of additional SL in other biological samples unaccounted for. This study describes the mass spectrometry screening of SL in lipid extracts of human fluids (saliva, plasma, urine, seminal fluid) and primary human cells (RBC, neutrophils, fibroblasts and skin epidermal) using targeted precursor ion scanning (PIS) approach. Read More

J Clin Lipidol 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Current treatment goals for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) recommended by the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) are LDL-C ≤2.5 mmol/L (∼100 mg/dL) or ≤1.8 mmol/L (∼70 mg/dL) in very high-risk subjects. Read More

J Clin Transl Endocrinol 2019 Jun 28;16:100186. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Division of Human Genetics, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Health Laboratory Service & University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Aim: To evaluate the association between loss-of-function (LOF) variants (A433T/rs28362263 and C679X/rs28362286) and biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk, specifically fasting glucose and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations.

Methods: Our study comprised 757 male and female black South African adolescents (mean age 18.0 ± 0. Read More

Atheroscler Suppl 2019 Mar;36:28-30

Metabolic Unit, Pediatric Department, Santa Maria Hospital, Lisboa, Portugal.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an Mendelian dominant disorder characterized by defects of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) that result in a defective removal of LDL from plasma, which promotes deposition of cholesterol in the skin (xanthelasma), tendons (xanthomas), and arteries (atherosclerosis). Diagnosis severe clinical phenotype FH with Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria, encompassing history of premature ASCVD, tendon xanthomas, and a family history of hypercholesterolemia and premature ASCVD in relatives is rare in the Portuguese FH patients. There is a variability of the phenotype in FH individuals with clinical diagnosis or genetic mutation (carriers and patients) probably due to environmental factors in the last century, a Mediterranean diet, or a diet without fat food, trans fat food, no smoking, no sedentary life that can interfere with our metabolism, or are consequences of polygenic, epigenetic, acquired defects, modifiers genes and beta-globin asymptomatic carriers. Read More

PLoS One 2019 15;14(3):e0213494. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States of America.

Rationale: Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (plasma LDL-C), vascular endothelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), particularly monocytes, play key roles in initiating atherosclerosis, the primary cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although the mechanisms underlying development of atherosclerosis are not well understood, LDL-C is known to influence expression of endothelial microRNAs (miRNAs) and gene-targets of miRNAs to promote cell senescence. However, the impact of LDL-C on expression of PBMC miRNAs and miRNA targeted genes in response to an atherogenic diet is not known. Read More

N Engl J Med 2019 03;380(11):1076-1079

From the Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit and the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

N Engl J Med 2019 03;380(11):1033-1042

From the Centre for Naturally Randomized Trials (B.A.F., T.B.F.), Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care (B.A.F., S.B., C.O.-W., A.M.W., A.S.B., E.D.A., J.D.), Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Genomics (A.S.B., E.D.A., J.D.), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, and Imperial Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London (K.K.R.) - all in the United Kingdom; the Department of Pharmacologic and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan and Multimedica IRCCS, Milan (A.L.C.); Michigan State University, East Lansing (D.R.N.); the Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (J.J.P.K.); and Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia (S.J.N.).

Background: ATP citrate lyase is an enzyme in the cholesterol-biosynthesis pathway upstream of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), the target of statins. Whether the genetic inhibition of ATP citrate lyase is associated with deleterious outcomes and whether it has the same effect, per unit decrease in the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, as the genetic inhibition of HMGCR is unclear.

Methods: We constructed genetic scores composed of independently inherited variants in the genes encoding ATP citrate lyase () and HMGCR to create instruments that mimic the effect of ATP citrate lyase inhibitors and HMGCR inhibitors (statins), respectively. Read More

Front Genet 2019 26;10:158. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States.

Associations of both common and rare genetic variants with fasting blood lipids have been extensively studied. However, most of the rare coding variants associated with lipids are population-specific, and exploration of genetic data from diverse population samples may enhance the identification of novel associations with rare variants. We searched for novel coding genetic variants associated with fasting lipid levels in 894 samples from the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) with exome-wide sequencing-based genotype data. Read More

Nano Lett 2019 04 8;19(4):2562-2567. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences , Campus Linz, Garnisonstrasse 21 , 4020 Linz , Austria.

The fundamental task of lipoprotein particles is extracellular transport of cholesterol, lipids, and fatty acids. Besides, cholesterol-rich apoB-containing lipoprotein particles (i.e. Read More

Nutrients 2019 Feb 23;11(2). Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Thermogenic adipocytes burn nutrients in order to produce heat. Upon activation, brown adipose tissue (BAT) clears vast amounts of lipids and glucose from the circulation and thus substantially lowers plasma lipid levels. As a consequence, BAT activation protects from the development of atherosclerosis. Read More

J Clin Lipidol 2018 Dec 19. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (hoFH) is either diagnosed on the identification of pathogenic genetic variants in LDLR, APOB, or PCSK9 or by phenotypic parameters of which an extremely elevated LDL-C level >13 mmol/L (>500 mg/dL) is the most prominent hallmark. Little is known about the clinical spectrum in children with hoFH.

Objective: We set out to investigate the phenotypical spectrum of genetically defined hoFH in our pediatric cohort and evaluated how many pediatric patients, now classified as heterozygous, carry a second mutation, which would reclassify these patients as hoFH. Read More

J Insur Med 2018 21;47(4):230-235. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Since the Framingham Heart Study solidified cholesterol as a causative agent in the development of coronary heart disease there has been an explosion of research in the field of lipidology. Many therapeutic options have come and gone as we have been refining the goals of therapy to match the mortality outcome data of large clinical trials. A new frontier has emerged with the introduction of the PCSK9 inhibitors that are able with monthly injections to lower LDL cholesterol >60% with favorable side effect profiles and recently published favorable mortality data. Read More

FASEB J 2019 Feb 21:fj201801783RR. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Our previous study demonstrated that sphingosine kinase 1-interacting protein (SKIP, or Sphkap) is expressed in pancreatic β-cells, and depletion of SKIP enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. We find here that SKIP is also expressed in intestinal K- and L-cells and that secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) as well as insulin are significantly increased, and blood glucose levels are decreased in SKIP-deficient (SKIP) mice compared with those in wild-type mice. Plasma triglyceride (Tg), LDL cholesterol, and mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in adipose tissues, livers, and intestines were found to be significantly decreased in SKIP mice. Read More

J Lipid Res 2019 Apr 19;60(4):721-727. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Pediatrics, Section Molecular Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Activation of macrophage inflammasomes leads to interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 secretion and promotes atherosclerosis and its complications in mice and humans. However, the specific role and underlying mechanisms of the inflammasome in atherogenesis are topics of active research. Several studies in hyperlipidemic mouse models found that the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to atherosclerosis, but recent work suggests that a second hit, such as defective cholesterol efflux or accumulation of oxidized mitochondrial DNA, may be required for significant inflammasome activation. Read More

Atherosclerosis 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Genetics of Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Medical & Molecular Genetics (INGEMM), Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: Autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH) is a rare disorder caused by mutations in LDLRAP1, which impairs internalization of hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR). ARH patients respond relatively well to statins or the combination of statins and Ezetimibe, but scarce and variable data on treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors is available. We aimed to identify and characterize the defect in a hypercholesterolemic patient with premature cardiovascular disease and determine the response to lipid-lowering treatment. Read More

Circulation 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, UNITED STATES.

Background: Ceramides have been implicated in the pathophysiology of HIV infection and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, no study, to our knowledge, has evaluated circulating ceramide levels in association with subclinical CVD risk among HIV-infected individuals.

Methods: Plasma levels of four ceramide species (C16:0, C22:0, C24:0 and C24:1) were measured among 398 women (73% HIV+) and 339 men (68% HIV+) without carotid artery plaques at baseline from the Women's Interagency HIV Study and the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Read More

Wellcome Open Res 2018 1;3:114. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in adults - the leading cause of death worldwide. It often occurs later in life, but variants may impact CAD-relevant phenotypes early and throughout the life-course. Cohorts with longitudinal and genetic data on thousands of individuals are letting us explore the antecedents of this adult disease. Read More

Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2019 Mar 9;29(3):306-315. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a representative EGF family member that interacts with EGFR under diverse stress environment. Previously, we reported that the HB-EGF-targeting using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) effectively suppressed an aortic aneurysm in the vessel wall and circulatory lipid levels. In this study, we further examined the effects of the HB-EGF ASO administration on the development of hyperlipidemia-associated atherosclerosis using an atherogenic mouse model. Read More

PLoS One 2019 6;14(2):e0211690. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Cardiology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark.

Background: The relation between burden of risk factors, familial coronary artery disease (CAD), and known genetic variants underlying CAD and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels is not well-explored in clinical samples. We aimed to investigate the association of these measures with age at onset of CAD requiring revascularizations in a clinical sample of patients undergoing first-time coronary angiography.

Methods: 1599 individuals (mean age 64 years [min-max 29-96 years], 28% women) were genotyped (from blood drawn as part of usual clinical care) in the Copenhagen area (2010-2014). Read More

Obes Surg 2019 Apr;29(4):1169-1173

Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Centre for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai, 200233, China.

Objectives: Bariatric surgery is emerging as the most effective treatment option for patients with obesity. Hypothalamic arcuate nucleus plays an important role in metabolic homeostasis. However, the influence of mutations related to the feeding center on weight loss after bariatric surgery is still unclear. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Ruddy Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada.

Aims: To identify genetic variants that have a regulatory impact on circulating miRNAs and to connect genetic risk to blood traits/biomarkers through the circulating miRNAs.

Methods And Results: Leveraging miRNA-Seq data and the 1000 Genomes imputed genotypes, we carried out genome wide association analysis for SNPs that regulate the expression of circulating miRNAs in a sample of 710 unrelated subjects of European ancestry. Wherever possible, we used data from the Framingham and the Geuvadis studies to replicate our findings. Read More

Molecules 2019 Jan 30;24(3). Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan.

Pigeon pea ( (L.) Millsp.) is a legume crop consumed as an indigenous vegetable in the human diet and a traditional medicinal plant with therapeutic properties. Read More

JAMA 2019 01;321(4):364-373

Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Multimedica IRCCS, Milano, Italy.

Importance: Triglycerides and cholesterol are both carried in plasma by apolipoprotein B (ApoB)-containing lipoprotein particles. It is unknown whether lowering plasma triglyceride levels reduces the risk of cardiovascular events to the same extent as lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.

Objective: To compare the association of triglyceride-lowering variants in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene and LDL-C-lowering variants in the LDL receptor gene (LDLR) with the risk of cardiovascular disease per unit change in ApoB. Read More

Am J Kidney Dis 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Departments of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Departments of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; The Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Rationale & Objective: A large residual risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains in the setting of chronic kidney disease (CKD) despite treatment with statins. We sought to evaluate the associations of lipid and apolipoprotein levels with risk for ASCVD in individuals with CKD.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 01 25;10(1):425. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center of Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 100850, China.

Atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Macrophages uptake modified lipoproteins and transform into foam cells, triggering an inflammatory response and thereby promoting plaque formation. Here we show that casein kinase 2-interacting protein-1 (CKIP-1) is a suppressor of foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 01 22;10(1):376. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, New York, 10029, NY, USA.

Many genetic loci affect circulating lipid levels, but it remains unknown whether lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, modify these genetic effects. To identify lipid loci interacting with physical activity, we performed genome-wide analyses of circulating HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in up to 120,979 individuals of European, African, Asian, Hispanic, and Brazilian ancestry, with follow-up of suggestive associations in an additional 131,012 individuals. We find four loci, in/near CLASP1, LHX1, SNTA1, and CNTNAP2, that are associated with circulating lipid levels through interaction with physical activity; higher levels of physical activity enhance the HDL cholesterol-increasing effects of the CLASP1, LHX1, and SNTA1 loci and attenuate the LDL cholesterol-increasing effect of the CNTNAP2 locus. Read More

Nord J Psychiatry 2019 Feb 17;73(2):96-103. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

a Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry , Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznan , Poland.

Background: Neurotrophin-3 (NTF3) and neurotrophin-4 (NTF4) play a crucial role in the neurodevelopment, differentiation, survival, and protection of neurons in different brain regions. Schizophrenia and depression are highly associated with metabolic abnormalities. Longitudinal and cross-sectional comparisons of NTF3 and NTF4 levels, as well as clinical and metabolic parameters, were studied in schizophrenia, first-episode depression, and control groups. Read More

Nutrients 2019 01 12;11(1). Epub 2019 Jan 12.

Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/Arzobispo Morcillo n°2 28029 Madrid, Spain.

Aged black garlic (ABG) is a functional food with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies also report its beneficial metabolic effects in a context of obesity or diabetes, although the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. The aim of this work was to analyze the effects of an ABG extract in the vascular and metabolic alterations induced by a high-fat/sucrose diet in rats. Read More

PLoS One 2019 10;14(1):e0210114. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section of Metabolic Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: PPP1R3B has been suggested as a candidate gene for monogenic forms of diabetes as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to its association with glycaemic trait and its biological role in glycogen synthesis.

Objectives: To study if rare missense variants in PPP1R3B increase the risk of maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), T2D or affect measures of glucose metabolism.

Method: Targeted resequencing of PPP1R3B was performed in 8,710 samples; MODY patients with unknown etiology (n = 54), newly diagnosed patients with T2D (n = 2,930) and population-based control individuals (n = 5,726, of whom n = 4,569 had normal glucose tolerance). Read More

Lipids Health Dis 2019 Jan 8;18(1):10. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.

Background: Maonan nationality is a relatively conservative and isolated minority in the Southwest of China. Little is known about the association of endothelial lipase gene (LIPG) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and serum lipid levels in the Chinese populations.

Methods: A total of 1280 subjects of Maonan nationality and 1218 participants of Han nationality were randomly selected from our previous stratified randomized samples. Read More

Lipids Health Dis 2019 Jan 5;18(1). Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Center of Rehabilitation Department, Xiangya Hospital at Central South University, Xiangya Road 87#, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.

Objective: To emphasize the mechanism of concurrent exercise effect on lipid disorders in insulin resistance (IR) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Materials And Methods: Twenty male ApoE knockout mice were randomly divided into two groups: HFD group (n = 10) fed a high fat diet, and HFDE group (n = 10) with high-fat diet intervention for 12 weeks and swimming exercise. Other ten healthy male C57BL/6 J mice were fed a normal diet, and included as control group. Read More

Lipids Health Dis 2019 Jan 5;18(1). Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Department of Cardiology, Wujin Hospital affiliated with Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, 213017, China.

Objective: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multi-factor disease. Complement component 3 (C3) plays an important role in the development of CAD. The present study investigated the association between DNA methylation status of C3 gene promoter and the risk of CAD. Read More

Lipids Health Dis 2019 Jan 5;18(1). Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA.

Background: The loss of muscle mass and concomitantly strength, poses a serious risk to the elderly and to astronauts. Dietary cholesterol (CL), in conjunction with resistance training (RT), has been strongly associated with improvements in lean mass. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two opposing environments on rat skeletal muscle: (1) hindlimb unloading and (2) CL and RT. Read More

Poult Sci 2019 May;98(5):2201-2210

Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Animal Health, Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, No. 1101 Zhimin Avenue, Economic and Technological Development District, Nanchang 330045, Jiangxi, P. R. China.

In mammals, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways in the central and peripheral tissues coordinately integrate inputs from multiple sources to regulate energy balance. To investigate the effects of the fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) caused by high-energy, low-protein diets and to explore the potential role of AMPK in the energy homeostasis of FLHS, 60 laying hens were equally divided into 2 groups: control group (basal diet) and experimental group (high-energy, low-protein diet). Liver tissues were subjected to histopathological analysis. Read More

Pathology 2019 Feb 28;51(2):165-176. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Chemical Pathology Division, Pathology Department, University of Cape Town Health Science Faculty and National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address:

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a 34 kDa circulating glycoprotein of 299 amino acids, predominantly synthesised in the liver, associates with triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to mediate the clearance of their remnants after enzymatic lipolysis in the circulation. Its synthesis in macrophages initiates the formation of high density-like lipoproteins to effect reverse cholesterol transport to the liver. In the nervous system apoE forms similar lipoproteins which perform the function of distributing lipids amongst cells. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Dec 5;70 Suppl 3:S146-S156. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India.

Background: Incidence rate of acute myocardial infarction (MI) has increased in younger population over the years. The young patients have a different risk profile, presentation, and prognosis than the elderly. Hence, it is essential to understand the risk factors in young patients for proper treatment. Read More

Stroke 2018 Nov 21:STROKEAHA118023456. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway (A.H.).

Background and Purpose- Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common autosomal dominant disease leading to increased level of serum LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and risk of coronary heart disease. Whether FH increases the risk of cerebrovascular disease, including ischemic stroke, is debated. Accordingly, we studied the incidence of cerebrovascular disease in a cohort of people with genetically verified FH compared with the entire Norwegian population and examined whether people in this cohort with previous cohort had increased risk of cerebrovascular disease. Read More

Pathology 2019 Feb 19;51(2):213-221. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Lipid Disorders Clinic, Cardiometabolic Service, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Australian Clinical Laboratories, Perth, WA, Australia. Electronic address:

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a dominantly inherited disorder of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) catabolism, which if untreated causes lifelong elevated LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c), accelerated atherosclerosis and premature cardiovascular disease. Recent evidence suggests the prevalence of heterozygous FH is ∼1:220, making FH the most common autosomal dominant condition. Lowering LDL-c with statin and lifestyle therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular events. Read More