11, June 2014

Can diabetes be reversed?

In a ray of hope for diabetes patients, scientists have discovered the cellular sequence that leads to the trigger of the disease.

They also found potential molecular targets for preventing or reversing the process.

"We have described the etiology of obesity-related diabetes. We have pinpointed the steps, the way the whole thing happens," said Jerrold M. Olefsky, a distinguished professor of medicine at University of California, San Diego.

"The research on mice suggests that the processes are comparable in humans and these findings are important to not just understanding how diabetes begins, but how better to treat and prevent it," he added.

During the study, the researchers fed mice a high-fat diet.

They observed that the abundant saturated fatty acids in the diet activated adenine nucleotide translocase 2 (ANT2) - a mitochondrial protein in fat cell membranes that is involved in cellular energy metabolism. Activation of ANT2 caused increased oxygen consumption, which meant less was available for the rest of the cell. The result was a relative state of hypoxia or inadequate oxygen supply.

It subsequently induced production of a protective transcription factor in fat cells called HIF-1alpha. In turn, HIF-1alpha triggered release of chemokines, proteins that signal cellular distress, launching the immune system's inflammatory response.

A sustained high-fat diet ensured that the process continued unabated, leading to obesity, chronic low-grade tissue inflammation and eventually, insulin resistance in the mice.

The elucidation of this sequence also revealed two potential therapeutic targets: ANT2 and HIF-1alpha. The researchers suggest that inhibiting either could blunt, or even reverse, the damaging cellular sequence.

Diabetes is characterised by high blood sugar levels poorly regulated by either inadequate insulin production or because cells to not respond properly to the regulating hormone.

The findings were published in the journal Cell.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

11.06.2014

Permanent hair dye can be cancerous

Permanent hair dyes and perming treatments at salons may contain banned aromatic amines called toluidines that have carcinogenic properties, researchers warn.

A new study from Lund University in Sweden has found that hairdressers may still be exposed to these carcinogens.

Permanent hair dyes, also called oxidative dyes, are the ones most dangerous to hairdressers and its users.

For their study, the researchers looked at o-toluidine levels in the blood, along with levels of seven other potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines.

o-toluidine (ortho-toluidine) has actually been confirmed as a carcinogenic.

Researchers measured its levels in the blood of 295 female hairdressers, 32 regular hair dye users and 60 people who had not used any of these products.

They found that hairdressers were indeed exposing themselves to o-toluidine and meta-toluidine (m-toluidine).

A similar trend was seen for perming treatments in respect of o-toluidine levels.

"The ingredients of hair dyes and perming products should be analysed to find out if these products continue to be potential sources of toluidine exposure," researchers said.

Hairdressers should protect themselves from the risk of absorbing these products through their skin by wearing gloves.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

11.06.2014

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes