Postpartum mood disorders may be related to a decreased insulin level after delivery

Postpartum mood disorders are very frequent complications of delivery. The prevalence of postpartum blue syndrome is around 25% and that of postpartum depression is around 10%. These disorders greatly affect the well-being of these newly delivering mothers. Currently, the etiology of postpartum mood disorders is still unknown. Although many hormones have been investigated for their possible roles in postpartum mood disorders, the results are still inconclusive. Several studies have shown that insulin increases gradually during pregnancy. The level of insulin secretion may double by the third trimester. Insulin level reaches a maximum before delivery and returns to the level before pregnancy after delivery. The drop in the insulin level during the postpartum period appears to be more sudden and abrupt than the rise of insulin level during pregnancy. Recent studies have showed that insulin affects the secretion of serotonin in the brain. While serotonergic nervous system is well known for its important role in the development of mood disorders, decreased insulin level may induce mood disorders through the mechanism of affecting serotonin secretion in the brain. In the current paper, we propose that the rapid decrease in insulin level during the postpartum period may be one of the causes of postpartum mood disorders. If the hypothesis is valid, clinicians may be able to prevent postpartum mood disorders by carbohydrate-rich food during the postpartum period to stimulate the secretion of insulin. A carbohydrate-rich diet may also become an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of postpartum mood disorders according to the present hypothesis.     

Altered signal transduction in SLE T cells

T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus display numerous signalling abnormalities. The T cell receptor complex is rewired with the common FcRgamma chain replacing the CD3 zeta chain while the T cell surface membrane lipid rafts are aggregated. These two aberrations result in enhanced early signalling events and altered downstream signalling events. These are in turn responsible for an altered expression of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, IL-2, IFNy and CD40 ligand. While some of these abnormalities explain the enhanced ability of T cells to help B cells to produce autoantibodies, decreased IL-2 production results in enhanced susceptibility to infections, reduced activation-induced cell death and prolonged survival of autoreactive T cells, which promote help to autoreactive B cells.     

WNK1 and OSR1 regulate the Na+, K+, 2Cl- cotransporter in HeLa cells

Oxidative stress-responsive kinase (OSR) 1 and sterile20-related, proline-, alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) are Ste20p-related protein kinases that bind to the sodium, potassium, two chloride cotransporter, NKCC. Here we present evidence that the protein kinase with no lysine [K] (WNK) 1 regulates OSR1, SPAK, and NKCC activities. OSR1 exists in a complex with WNK1 in cells, is activated by recombinant WNK1 in vitro, and is phosphorylated in a WNK1-dependent manner in cells. Depletion of WNK1 from HeLa cells by using small interfering RNA reduces OSR1 kinase activity. In addition, depletion of either WNK1 or OSR1 reduces NKCC activity, indicating that WNK1 and OSR1 are both required for NKCC function. OSR1 and SPAK are likely links between WNK1 and NKCC in a pathway that contributes to volume regulation and blood pressure homeostasis in mammals.     

膳食补充剂黑醋与红曲单用及联用对中老年人血脂的影响

目的:观察并比较黑醋与红曲单用及联用对中国中老年人降低血脂的效能。方法:试验于2003-10/11在大连医科大学中日合作医药科学研究所进行。选择30名年龄为45￣65岁的中老年人。30名受试者被随机分为3组,每组10人,分别服用黑醋丸6粒,红曲丸6粒或黑醋 红曲丸6粒,1次/d,连续4周;3种膳食补充剂黑醋丸、红曲丸及黑醋 红曲丸由含有不同剂量的黑醋固形物、红曲粉末K-F、柠檬酸钠、大豆油、蜂蜡、脂肪酸甘油脂组成(由日本国第一药品工业株式会社提供)。各组服用剂量分别为每天黑醋固形物360mg,红曲粉72mg及黑醋固形物360mg 红曲粉72mg。服用2和(或)4周后,检测血脂和血糖,同时用血清样品检测肝功与肾功能。实验结果用SPSS统计软件进行方差分析。结果:30名中老年人全部进入结果分析。①受试者连续3d每日营养素摄入量:3组之间热量、胆固醇、膳食纤维、宏量或微量营养素摄入量差距均无显著性。②血清脂质浓度和计算的脂质比:2,4周血清三酰甘油含量,黑醋 红曲组低于基础值(分别下降(24.6±4.9)%,(27.6±3.4)%,P<0.05);红曲组与基础值比较,差异无显著性[分别下降(6.5±3.4)%,(11.6±4.5)%];黑醋组与基础值比较,差异无显著性[分别下降(10.2±7.3)%,(12.4±8.2)%]。2,4周血清胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量,黑醋 红曲丸、红曲丸和黑醋丸组均比基础值降低,差异无统计学意义。3种膳食补充剂对血清高密度脂蛋白胆固醇及计算的脂质比值无明显改变。血糖含量无变化。未发现对受试对象产生明显不良反应。结论:服用黑醋 红曲丸能明显降低受试者血清三酰甘油含量。黑醋与红曲合用对高脂血症者可能有健康效益。