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Background and Objectives : Vitamin D levels have been associated with a diversity of diseases, including obesity. Vitamin D presents a pleiotropic action, and can regulate insulin secretion and inflammatory responses. Vitamin D receptor ( VDR ) gene polymorphisms are involved in the gene expression regulation and have been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the polymorphisms ApaI (rs7975232), BsmI (rs1544410), FokI (rs10735810), and TaqI (rs731236) in the VDR gene in people diagnosed with T2DM, and plasma 25-hydroxivitamin D levels [25(OH)D]. Materials and Methods : A total of 101 T2DM patients and 62 gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) matched non-diabetic controls were included in this study. Molecular analyzes were performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The plasma 25(OH)D levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Results : The plasma 25(OH)D levels were lower in T2DM patients (17.2 (16.6) ng/mL) when compared with the control subjects (30.8 (16.2) ng/mL, p < 0.0001), independently of obesity status. We found no difference between genotypic and allelic frequencies of the VDR polymorphisms when comparing the T2DM group and control group ( p > 0.05 for all), and did not show any association with plasma 25(OH)D levels. Conclusions : These results suggest that T2DM is associated with lower plasma 25(OH)D levels, which are not related to BMI and VDR gene polymorphisms.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an inflammatory condition associated to obesity and increased oxidative stress. Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase reactant that scavenges extracorpuscular hemoglobin from circulation and prevents heme-iron oxidative damage., Objective: To assess the association between Hp levels and Hp1-Hp2 gene polymorphism and clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with T2DM., Methods: The study sample consisted of 102 T2DM patients and 62 controls. Hp plasma levels were measured using an ELISA assay, and Hp genotyping was performed using a specific two-step allelic polymerase chain reaction., Results: Hp levels were higher in T2DM patients as compared to controls (p=0.005). T2DM patients with high blood pressure had higher Hp levels than patients without this comorbidity (p=0.021). Obese T2DM patients had higher Hp levels as compared to obese controls (p=0.009) and to non-obese T2DM patients (p=0.003). The Hp1-Hp1 genotype was showed to be associated to T2DM according to additive (OR=3.038, 95% CI 1.127-8.192; p=0.036) and dominant model (OR=0.320, 95% CI 0.118-0.839; p=0.010), but Hp2 allele carriers contributed with higher Hp levels in T2DM as compared to controls. Waist circumference (p=0.002), BMI (p=0.001), and IL-6 (p=0.012), and hs-CRP (p=0.001) levels positively correlated with Hp levels in the T2DM group., Conclusion: These results suggest that Hp levels are influenced by Hp1-Hp2 polymorphism, obesity, inflammatory status, and high blood pressure in T2DM., (Copyright © 2018 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is a protein involved in inflammation resolution that might be altered in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), which is a chronic inflammatory disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate AnxA1 serum levels in individuals with and without DM stratified according to the body mass index (BMI), and the dynamic of AnxA1 expression in adipose tissue from humans with obesity and non-obesity., Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 41 patients with DM (lean, overweight and obese) and 40 controls, and adipose tissue samples were obtained from 16 individuals with obesity (with or without DM), and 15 controls., Results: DM patients showed similar AnxA1 serum levels when compared to controls. However, when the individuals were stratified according to BMI, AnxA1 levels were higher in individuals with obesity than lean or overweight, and in overweight compared to lean individuals. Moreover, AnxA1 was correlated positively with IL-6 levels. AnxA1 levels were also positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. Furthermore, higher levels of cleaved AnxA1 were observed in adipose tissue from individuals with obesity, independently of DM status., Conclusions: Enhanced levels of AnxA1 in serum of individuals with obesity suggest an attempt to counter-regulate the systemic inflammation process in this disease. However, the higher levels of cleaved AnxA1 in the adipose tissue of individuals with obesity could compromise its anti-inflammatory and proresolving actions, locally. Considering our data, AnxA1 cleavage in the adipose tissue, despite increased serum levels of this protein, and consequently the failure in inflammation resolution, suggests an important pathophysiological mechanism involved in inflammatory status observed in obesity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with chronic lowgrade inflammation. Microparticles (MPs) are extracellular microvesicles released during apoptosis and cellular activation. The MP's pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory activities are involved in endothelial dysfunction observed in T2DM patients. This study aimed to evaluate the circulating MPs profile in T2DM patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and correlate it with clinical and laboratorial parameters., Methods: MPs derived from platelets (PMPs), leukocytes (LMPs), endothelial cells (EMPs), and expressing tissue factor (TFMPs) were measured by flow cytometry, in plasma of 39 DKD patients and 30 non-diabetic controls., Results: We observed higher PMPs, LMPs, EMPs, and TFMPs (all p<0.0001) levels in case group as compared to controls. For patients with DKD, circulating MPs levels were influenced by gender, but not by obesity status nor by T2DM onset. Fasting glucose and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels showed correlation with circulating MPs levels in both groups., Conclusions: These results suggest that type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with DKD presented higher circulating MPs levels - PMPs, LMPs, EMPs, and TFMPs - which correlated with metabolic alterations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association of plasma TNF-α, IL-6, and lL-10 levels and cytokine gene polymorphisms [TNF-α (-308 G→A), IL-6 (-174 C→G) and IL-10 (-1082 A→G, -819 T→C and -592 A→C)] in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obese patients., Subjects and Methods: One hundred and two T2DM patients and 62 controls were included in this study. Cytokine plasma levels were measured by the Cytometric Bead Array method. Genotyping was carried out by the polymerase chain reaction., Results: IL-6 levels were significantly different between T2DM patients and controls. Interestingly, IL-6 levels were higher in T2DM patients with BMI > 30 kg/m2 compared with other patients and obese controls. The genotype and allele frequencies were similar between patients and controls. In the T2DM group, the SNP IL-10 -819 T/C showed a difference between the cytokine level and genotypes: IL-10 level in the TT genotype was significantly higher when compared to CC genotype., Conclusions: These results suggest an association between IL-6 levels and obesity, and IL-10 levels and the SNP -819 T/C in T2DM. Knowledge of these variants in T2DM might contribute to a better understanding of the role of inflammation in the etiology and progression of this disease.

Aims: The polymorphisms of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines may be involved in type 2 diabetes (T2D) pathogenesis and its complications., Methods: We investigated in 102 T2D patients the association of the cytokine polymorphisms in the TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, TGF-β1, and IFN-γ genes with the T2D microvascular complications and comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity). Cytokine genotypes were determined by PCR using Cytokine Genotyping Tray kit., Results: Diabetic retinopathy was associated with GG genotype and G allele in TGF-β1 codon 25C/G polymorphism (p = 0.004 and p = 0.018) and the nephropathy was associated the lower frequency of GG genotype in IL-10 -1082G/A polymorphism (p = 0.049). Hypertension was associated with the CC genotype and C allele for IL-10 -592C/A polymorphism (p = 0.013 and p = 0.009) and higher frequencies of T (p = 0.047) and C (p = 0.033) alleles of the TGF-β1 codon 10T/C and IL-10 -819T/C polymorphisms, respectively. The TGF-β1 codon 10T/C polymorphism was associated with the BMI groups (p = 0.026): the CC genotype was more frequent in the group with BMI < 25 Kg/m(2), while the TC genotype was more frequent in the group with BMI = 30 Kg/m(2)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that TGF-β1 and IL-10 polymorphisms are involved in complications and comorbidities in T2D patients.

Melipona quadrifasciata is a stingless bee widely found throughout the Brazilian territory, with two recognized subspecies, M. quadrifasciata anthidioides, that exhibits interrupted metasomal stripes, and M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, with continuous metasomal stripes. This study aimed to estimate the genetic variability of these subspecies. For this purpose, 127 colonies from 15 Brazilian localities were analyzed, using nine species-specific microsatellite primers. At these loci, the number of alleles ranged from three to 15 (mean: 7.2), and the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.03-0.21, while the expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.23-0.47. The genetic distances among populations ranged from 0.03-0.45. The FST multilocus value (0.23) indicated that the populations sampled were structured, and the clustering analysis showed the formation of two subgroups and two more distant populations. The first group contained the subspecies M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, and the other, the subspecies M. quadrifasciata anthidioides and the two M. quadrifasciata populations with continuous metasomal stripes from northern Minas Gerais. These results confirmed that the yellow metasomal stripes alone are not a good means for correctly identifying the different subspecies of M. quadrifasciata.

The Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is considered nowadays as one of the most important chronic disturbances because of the significant number of people with diabetes and its severe complications, responsible for elevated indexes of morbidity and mortality. DM2 is characterized by several degrees of insulin resistance and relative deficiency in its secretion. Genetic and environmental factors have been described as of major importance in the DM2 development as obesity, which is directly correlated with development of resistance in peripheral tissues and inflammatory state in metabolic activated adipose tissue. Inflammatory responses may have a dual role in DM2, since it may have either a causal relationship leading to resistance to insulin or may be intensified by the hyperglycemic state, resulting in DM2 complications. In this review, we discuss the association of polymorphisms in genes encoding inflammatory cytokines and the increased level of these pro-inflammatory markers, associated to chronic pathologic conditions in DM2., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)