Baghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences

Background and objective: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinological disorder among women of childbearing age. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The association between PCOS and COVID is yet to be understood. This study aimed to determine the levels of renin, D-dimer, and some relevant biomarkers in patients with PCOS (with and without COVID-19).
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 120 women [80 PCOS women (40 with COVID-19 and 40 without COVID-19) and 40 non-PCOS women (20 with COVID-19 and 20 without)] with age range of 15–40 years old. Blood samples were collected from participants, and biochemical parameters were evaluated by ELISA (renin and D-dimer), VIDAS (sex hormones: LH, FSH and testosterone), and colorimetric methods (serum lipids and glucose concentrations).
Results: Renin and D-dimer levels were significantly higher in PCOS groups compared to non-PCOS groups. In addition, luteinizing hormone, fasting blood glucose, and serum lipid tests (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein) reveal significant elevation in PCOS patients compared to non-PCOS women. While, high-density lipoprotein and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were lower in PCOS patients. The results also showed that a highly significant increase in renin and D-dimer levels can be seen in PCOS patients with COVID-19.
Conclusions: In the present study, we found there is a possible relationship between renin and D-dimer in PCOS patients and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background and objective: Vitamin D’s primary functions are the homeostasis of calcium and bone metabolism, but it also has a significant role in the homeostasis of plasma glucose. This study sought to examine the relationship between vitamin D and glycated hemoglobin and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Methods: A total of 150 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM participated in this case-control study. Additionally, 150 controls of the same age and gender were also recruited. Serum vitamin D and fasting insulin levels were estimated by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) method. And, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze HbA1c. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to determine the association of vitamin D with HbA1c and HOMA-IR.
Results: About 71% of diabetes patients had low vitamin D levels, compared to 31% in the control group. Vitamin D-deficient T2DM subjects had significantly higher HOMA-IR and HbA1c levels. In addition, a strong negative association between vitamin D and HOMA-IR (r = -0.75) and vitamin D and HbA1c (r = -0.73) has been demonstrated among T2DM patients.
Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is correlated with ineffective glycemic control, and the reason might be its potential role in the secretion and sensitivity of insulin. Therefore, vitamin D screening must be incorporated as a routine check-up for T2DM patients.

Background and objective: The medicinal effects of flavonoids are widely described in the literature; however, their antimicrobial effects against antibiotic resistant bacteria are yet to be highlighted. This study was aimed at investigating the growth and biofilm inhibitory effects of taxifolin, a flavonoid, against vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA).
Methods: Seven VRSA isolates were used to assess the antimicrobial and antibiofilm influence of taxifolin. The agar-well diffusion method was used to determine the zones of inhibition caused by taxifolin, and resazurin-based microdilution technique was used to assess the minimum inhibitory concentration. Crystal violet staining technique was used to assess the biomass of biofilms formed by the microorganisms. GraphPad Prism software was used to present the data in figures.
Results: Taxifolin inhibited bacterial growth in a dose-dependent fashion and reduced bacterial viability. It similarly attenuated the biofilm production activity of bacterial isolates in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions: Current findings suggest the antibacterial and antibiofilm influence of taxifolin against VRSA in a dose-dependent manner.

Background and objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by insulin resistance, which can increase the risk of kidney stone formation. This study aimed to find out the association between serum levels of uric acid and lipid profile in type 2 DM patients with urolithiasis in comparison to those without.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with the approval of the institutional ethical review committee for human studies. A total of 60 type 2 DM patients were included in the study and grouped as patients with urolithiasis and patients without urolithiasis. Biochemical parameters studied were glucose, urea, creatinine, uric acid, serum uric acid to creatinine ratio, lipid profile, HbA1c, and triglyceride glucose index as a measure of insulin resistance.
Results: A significant increase was found in uric acid, urea, serum uric acid to creatinine ratio, and triglyceride glucose index level in type 2 DM urolithiasis cases as compared to DM cases without urolithiasis. It was also found that total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and VLDL-cholesterol levels were significantly elevated and HDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in urolithiasis cases. Serum uric acid level was positively correlated with total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and VLDL- cholesterol and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol in diabetics with urolithiasis.
Conclusions: From this study, it is demonstrated that urolithiasis patients with type 2 DM have higher insulin resistance, altered lipoprotein metabolism, and an increased level of serum uric acid compared to type 2 diabetics without urolithiasis and their lipid components are strongly associated with increased serum uric acid.

Background and objectives: Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is a class of phthalates and phthalates are known to be metabolism disrupting chemicals (MDCs). Numerous MDCs, to which humans are exposed, have an effect on every aspect of energy transduction. They affect the liver by impairing insulin secretion in pancreatic cells and altering the liver’s insulin-dependent glucose metabolism.
Methods: For this study, eighteen male albino rats weighing 200±20g were randomly assigned to three groups (of six rats each) and followed for a 14-days period. The groups were: group A or control which was given Tween-80 orally, group B or DINP1 group which was given 20 mg/kg b.wt. DINP, and Group C or DINP2 group which received 200 mg/kg b.wt. DINP. The rats were then sacrificed, their livers were removed, and the glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation enzyme activities were evaluated.
Results: Activities of the glycolytic, tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain enzymes under investigation were significantly down-regulated with severity observed in decreased activities of hepatic oxidative phosphorylation enzymes when compared with control (P<0.05). Hepatic tissue sections of 20 and 200mg/kg DiNP group revealed distorted cytoarchitecture of hepatocytes ranging from histocellular disarrangement to vaocular changes suggestive of loss of liver integrity or fibrosis.
Conclusions: Finally, DINP exposure impairs hepatic energy transduction enzymes as evident in down-regulation of the various enzymes of energy metabolism under investigation and this may invariably be a good tool for diagnosis for hepatic energy impairment as seen in some disease conditions.