METHODS: A case-control, cross-sectional population-based nested study (n = 142) included hypertensive subjects treated with ACEI drugs, either lisinopril or enalapril (20 mg, once daily) as monotherapy for 24 weeks. In total seven possible polymorphisms of RAS genes were genotyped. The association between those polymorphisms and the changes in blood pressure were observed in the 24 week treatment.
RESULTS: Statistically significant associations of I, G, T, M and G alleles of ACE (I/D, G2350A), AGT (M235T, T175M and G-6A) respectively were observed in essential hypertensive subjects. The decrease in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after 24 weeks of treatment of the patients carrying II, GG, and TT genotypes were greater than the groups carrying DD, AA, MM, MM and GG of I/D, G2350A, M235T, T174M and G-6A genotypes respectively. In contrast, No significant difference was observed between renin gene polymorphisms (Bg/I and MboI) and hypertensives.
CONCLUSIONS: Although this study shows a possible association of polymorphisms of RAS genes with the risk of non-control of HT in ACEI-treated patients and indicates the importance of all this system's components in regulating HT, it needs to be replicated in other data sources.
METHODS: Human ADSCs from lipoaspirated abdominal fat tissue was differentiated into IPCs following a two-step induction protocol based on a combination of alternating high and low glucose, nicotinamide, activin A and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) for a duration of 3 weeks. During differentiation, histomorphological changes of the stem cells towards pancreatic β-islet characteristics were observed via light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Dithizone (DTZ) staining, which is selective towards IPCs, was used to stain the new islet-like cells. Production of insulin hormone by the cells was analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereas its hormonal regulation was tested via a glucose challenge test.
RESULTS: Histomorphological changes of the differentiated cells were noted to resemble pancreatic β-cells, whereas DTZ staining positively stained the cells. The differentiated cells significantly produced human insulin as compared to the undifferentiated ADSCs, and its production was increased with an increase of glucose concentration in the culture medium.
CONCLUSIONS: These initial data indicate that human lipoaspirated ADSCs have the potential to differentiate into functional IPCs, and could be used as a therapy to treat diabetes mellitus in the future.