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The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) gene rs670, rs5069, and rs2070665 polymorphisms and dyslipidemia in the Kazakh population of Xinjiang, China. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was used to identify APOA1 (rs670, rs5069, and rs2070665) genotypes in 736 subjects (341 dyslipidemia patients and 395 control subjects). The frequencies of the CC genotype for rs1421085 were found to be 7.2% (obese group), 4.4% (overweight group), and 5.6% (control group). Polymorphisms of the three loci of the APOA1 gene in Kazakh subjects met Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies of the A allele for rs670 were found to be 14.3% (dyslipidemia group) and 12.7% (control group). The frequencies of the T allele for rs5069 and rs2070665 were: dyslipidmia group (7.2 and 30.1%, respectively) and control group (7.7 and 32.5%, respectively). Frequency distributions of the 3 types of genotypes and alleles of the three loci showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in lipoprotein (α) [Lp(α)] between patients with the rs2070665 CT + TT and CC genotypes (P < 0.05); however, none of the other relevant indicators differed significantly between the two genotypes. No significant association was identified between rs670 or rs5069 and the lipid-related metabolic indices assessed in the study. These findings indicate that the polymorphisms in the APOA1 gene (rs670, rs5069, and rs2070665) are not associated with dyslipidemia in the Kazakh population assessed in this study.

The aim of this study was to assess the association between three FTO polymorphisms (rs9939609, rs8057044, and rs1421085) and metabolic syndrome (MS)-related outcomes in the low-income, rural, nomadic minority Khazakh population in far western China. A total of 489 subjects (245 MS patients, 244 controls) were included in the study and DNA samples were genotyped for the three polymorphisms by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. The frequencies of the rs1421085 and rs9939609 genotypes and alleles did not differ significantly between MS patients and control, while the frequencies of rs8057044 G alleles and GG genotypes were higher in MS patients (P < 0.05) than in control subjects (G: 61.16 vs 53.53%, GG: 39.07 vs 29.05%) and the frequencies of rs8057044 A genotypes and alleles were lower (P < 0.05) in MS patients compared with controls (AA: 17.36 vs 21.99%, A: 38.84 vs 46.47%). Risk analysis of the rs8057044 polymorphism revealed individuals with GA and GG genotypes to have 1.112 and 1.731 times higher risks of developing MS than those with the AA genotype, respectively, while the G allele was found to be associated with a 1.367 times higher risk of developing MS compared with the A allele. These apparent correlations, however, did not hold true when adjusted for BMI. Weight, WC, HC, and BMI differed significantly between rs8057044 GG and AA+GA genotypes (P < 0.05).

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes of cellular cholesterol efflux from macrophages in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM), and to determine the expression of CYP7A1, ABCG5, and LXRβ therein. We recruited 30 patients with type II DM (including 15 patients complicated with coronary heart disease and 15 patients with DM only) and 15 normal controls for this study. Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated for macrophage culture. The mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP7A1, ABCG5, and LXRβ were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot. The macrophage cholesterol efflux rate was determined with 10% autoserum and standard serum as receptors. We determined that the expression levels of macrophage CYP7A1 mRNA and protein in the type II DM group were significantly lower than those in the control group, but no differences were found in the ABCG5 and LXRβ expression levels between the groups. The macrophage cholesterol efflux rate in the patients with type II DM was also significantly decreased compared with that of the normal control subjects (P < 0.01). Furthermore, CYP7A1 mRNA expression and macrophage cholesterol efflux rate were significantly positively correlated. In summary, this study demonstrated that the macrophage cholesterol efflux in patients with type II DM was significantly reduced, and that this reduction was associated with the down-regulation of CYP7A1 expression.

We examined the hypolipidemic effect of safflower yellow (SY) on hyperlipidemic mice and its influence on the biological synthesis of cholesterol in cells. Over 4 weeks, the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum were detected using a kit; mouse liver samples were acquired for paraffin sections, and mouse liver cells were observed under light microscope. Chinese hamster ovary cells were cultured in vitro, and an amphotericin B-cell model was adopted to observe the inhibitory effect of SY on the biological synthesis of intracellular cholesterol. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the survival rate of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The middle and high doses of SY significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the serum of hyperlipidemic mice and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P < 0.05), and the fatty liver of hyperlipidemic mice was significantly alleviated. SY had a protective effect on Chinese hamster ovary cells following amphotericin B injury (P < 0.01). SY exerts significant hypolipidemic effects and prevents fatty liver in a mechanism associated with inhibition of the biosynthesis of intracellular cholesterol.

We investigated the association between polymorphisms rs1801282 and rs3856806 of the PPARγ gene and metabolic syndrome (MS) among Uyghurs and Kazakhs. Mass spectrometry techniques were used to detect the PPARγ genotypes rs1801282 and rs3856806 in 987 subjects, CC genotype and C allele frequencies were 83.6 and 91.7%, respectively, at rs1801282 in Kazakhs, which were higher than those in Uyghurs (72.3 and 85.0%, respectively; P < 0.05). CC genotype and C allele frequencies were 73.6 and 85.3%, respectively, at the rs3856806 loci in Kazakhs, which were higher than those in Uyghurs (60.7 and 77.9%, respectively; P < 0.05). For the rs3856806 polymorphism in Kazakhs, CT/TT genotype and T allele frequencies were 21.2 and 12.4% for MS subjects, which were lower than those for the control group (31.6 and 17.0%, respectively; P < 0.05). Risk analysis of Kazakhs revealed that individuals with the CT and TT genotypes at rs3856806 had an increased risk, 0.524- and 0.770-fold, respectively, of developing MS than those possessing the CC genotype. Individuals with the T allele also had an increase in risk, by 0.699-fold, of developing MS than those with the C allele. For Uyghurs, those with the CC genotype at rs1801282 had higher systolic blood pressure than those with the CG/GG genotype. Among Kazakhs, those with the CC genotype at rs3856806 had higher triglyceride and waist-hip ratio levels but lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than those with the CT/TT genotype. The rs1801282 and rs3856806 PPARγ polymorphisms differ between Uyghurs and Kazakhs from Xinjiang Province, China.

The traditional Chinese medicine Artemisia annua can prevent and treat hepatitis following an unclear mechanism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of A. annua polysaccharides (AAP) on hepatitis C virus (HCV). A pcDNA3.1/NS3 expression vector was constructed. Ninety female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups: high-dose AAP (1 mg/mL) + HCV/NS3 plasmid; middle-dose AAP (0.5 mg/mL) + HCV/NS3 plasmid; low-dose AAP (0.1 mg/mL) + HCV/NS3 plasmid; HCV/NS3 plasmid; high-dose AAP (1 mg/mL); normal saline control (N = 15). Except the control group and the high-dose AAP group, other groups were inoculated with 50 μg pcDNA3.1-HCV/NS3 plasmid. Serum antigenic-specific antibody was detected after the last immunization, and the levels of secreted IFN-γ and IL-4 were measured. pcDNA3.1/NS3 plasmid was successfully constructed, and the extracted product contained HCV/NS3 sequence. Compared with single inoculation with HCV/NS3 DNA vaccine, the specific antibody levels induced by middle-dose AAP plus HCV/NS3 DNA vaccine were significantly different in weeks 1, 3 and 5 (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the antibody levels induced by high-dose and low-dose AAP as adjuvant compared with those of single inoculation with DNA vaccine (P > 0.05). The level of serum IFN-γ secretion was significantly higher than that of IL-4 secretion. Compared with the single HCV/NS3 DNA vaccine group, AAP plus HCV/NS3 DNA vaccine groups had significant increased IFN-γ levels (P < 0.05), but the IL-4 levels were not significantly different among these groups (P > 0.05). AAP, as the adjuvant of HCV/NS3 DNA vaccine, can widely regulate the humoral immunity and cellular immune function of normal and cyclophosphamide-induced immunocompromised mice. AAP can promote IFN-γ secretion probably by inducing Th1-type cellular immune response.

We investigated the relationship between haplotype and linkage disequilibrium of the PPARγ gene polymorphisms rs3856806, rs12490265, rs1797912, and rs1175543 and metabolic syndrome (MS) in the Kazakh people of Xinjiang Province. For PPARγ, rs3856806, rs12490265, rs1797912, and rs1175543 genotypes were detected in 489 subjects (including 245 MS patients and 244 controls) using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Frequencies of rs3856806T, rs12490265A, rs1797912C, and rs1175543G alleles in MS patients were significantly lower than those of controls [rs3856806T allele: 12.53 vs 17.01% (P = 0.044), rs12490265A allele: 31.84 vs 38.52% (P = 0.029), rs1797912C allele: 35.31 vs 43.24% (P = 0.011), rs1175543G allele: 40.61 vs 47.54% (P = 0.029)]. Significant linkage disequilibrium was observed between the PPARγ rs1797912 and rs1175543 polymorphisms as well as between the rs12490265 and rs1175543 polymorphisms. A total of 14 haplotypes were found. Patients with rs3856806T, rs12490265A, rs1797912C, and rs1175543G were observed 0.267 times more frequently [95% confidence interval = 0.126-0.566] than those with rs3856806C, rs12490265G, rs1797912A, and rs1175543A, respectively. The PPARγ gene polymorphisms rs3856806, rs12490265, rs1797912, and rs1175543 were associated with MS in Kazakh subjects. Very strong linkage disequilibrium was found between the PPARγ rs1797912 and rs1175543 polymorphisms as well as between the rs12490265 and rs1175543 polymorphisms. AGCC and GAAT haplotypes may serve as protective factors against MS. The rs3856806T, rs12490265A, rs1797912C, and rs1175543G alleles may enhance the protective effect of MS.

This study investigated the prevalence and distribution of dyslipidemia in adults of Uygur, Kazak, and Han ethnicity in Xinjiang, China. A questionnaire including general data, physical examination (blood pressure, body height, and body weight) and blood lipid [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] was administered to 11,506 adults in Xinjiang, China from 2009 to 2010 using a stratified sampling method. The overall prevalence rates of dyslipidemia in Uygur, Kazak, and Han adults were 42.4, 31.6, and 30.2%, respectively; they were 42.4, 31.8, and 28.2% after age standardization (P < 0.01). After standardization, the overall prevalence rates in Uygur, Kazak, and Han men were 52.6, 35.4, and 33.2%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in women of the corresponding ethnicities (P < 0.01). In Uygur, Kazak, and Han adults, there were significant differences with respect to the standardized prevalence rates of high TG (9.3, 9.3, and 17.3%), high TC (5.2, 6.9, and 6%), low HDL-C (33.6, 20.8, and 11.1%), and high LDL-C (2.4, 2.9, and 2%) (P < 0.05). The prevalence rates of dyslipidemia in Uygur, Kazak, and Han adults in Xinjiang are higher than the average levels in China, with significant differences in ethnicity, age, and gender. Han adults exhibited the highest prevalence rate of high TG. Meanwhile, Uygur adults had the highest prevalence rate of low HDL-C. Kazak adults had high prevalence rates of high TC, low HDL-C, and high LDL-C.