👤 Fadi H J Ramadan

The rising global prevalence of obesity and its impact on health and economy make finding available safe treatment an urgent need. Ketogenic diet represents trendy dietary intervention, while underlying molecular mechanisms remains unclear. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: Control (maintained on conventional chow diet for 24 weeks), HFD (fed High-fat diet (HFD) for 24 weeks), keto (fed HFD for 12 weeks, then ketogenic diet for additional 12 weeks). Effect of ketogenic diet on serum metabolomics using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Liquid Chromatography on both positive and negative modes; hepatic tissue using histopathological examination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Real time Polymerase Chain Reaction, proteome array detection; intestinal tissue using histopathological examination, ELISA and adipose tissue using histopathological examination were evaluated. The ketogenic diet reduced rat weight, food intake, epididymal fat mass, and blood glucose level compared to HFD group. Furthermore, it resulted in a decrease in serum methionine, linolenic acid, Lyso Phosphatidylcholine (PC) (15.0:0.0), Lyso PC (18.0:0.0) with hepatic repression of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), and type II cell surface protein/ Dipeptidyl peptidase 4, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1, Insulin growth factor-1, Lipocalin-2, Serpin E1, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1, receptor for advanced glycation end products and induction of Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) which leads to hepatic antioxidant effects and histopathological amelioration. In addition, the ketogenic diet caused intestinal induction of melanocortin-4 receptors/ glucagon-like peptide 1 pathway, which causes intestinal antioxidant effects and histopathological amelioration. Thus, ketogenic diet stated potential anti-obesity effect that mitigates HFD-induced organ damage through the modulation of key metabolic and signaling networks. Show less

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by triglyceride accumulation and insulin resistance. Currently, weight loss remains the primary strategy for reducing liver fat. High-protein diets (HPDs) may improve metabolism, lower body weight, and reduce hepatic fat; however, the effects of specific protein sources are largely unknown. This study examines the effects of HPDs from animal and plant protein sources, separately and in combination, on hepatic steatosis and MASLD-related metabolic pathways. Obese fa/fa Zucker male rats received HPDs (35% kcal from protein) containing egg white, plant (soy+pea protein, 1:1), mixed (egg white+soy+pea protein, 2:1:1), or casein (HPcasein) as the protein sources, or a normal protein diet (15% kcal from protein) containing casein, for 8 weeks. HPplant and HPmixed diets increased body weight by 1.2-fold versus HPcasein. HPDs containing egg white, plant or mixed protein sources reduced the liver-body weight ratio by ∼30% and liver triglycerides by ∼50% compared to the casein diets. These changes were linked to smaller lipid droplets, less fibrosis, and decreased lipid peroxidation in liver. HPDs containing egg white, plant or mixed protein increased markers of VLDL synthesis (ApoB-100, MTP) via ChREBP. These diets also lowered HOMA-IR, and reduced HMGCS2 (ketogenesis marker). In conclusion, HPDs containing egg white or plant proteins reduced hepatic steatosis and indices of insulin resistance, unconnected to body weight. Determining the effects of specific protein sources in HPDs is an important consideration for further research on MASLD management. Show less

Aluminum toxicity in rodents is well documented to be used for inducing experimental models that mimic the clinical phenotypes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Liraglutide is a well-known antidiabetic drug promising for modulating neurodegenerative conditions. Thus, investigating the ameliorative effects of Liraglutide on AD induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl Show less

Obesity and its associated intestinal inflammatory responses represent a significant global challenge. (IF) is a dietary intervention demonstrating various health benefits, including weight loss, enhanced metabolic health, and increased longevity. However, its effect on the intestinal inflammation induced by high-fat diet (HFD) is still not fully comprehended. Thirty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: Control (fed standard chow diet for 24 weeks); the HFD group (fed HFD for 24 weeks); and the HFD + IF group (fed HFD for 12 weeks, followed by an alternate day regimen of fasting and HFD for 12 weeks). The results revealed that IF significantly reduced body weight, food intake, and blood glucose levels compared to the HFD group. Furthermore, rats undergoing the intermittent fasting regimen exhibited a significant reduction in resting time, along with increased durations of grooming and exploration when compared to those on HFD. IF significantly reduced HFD-induced intestinal oxidative stress by lowering malondialdehyde levels and substantially increasing intestinal total antioxidant capacity, consistent with histopathological findings of gastric and intestinal tissues. The investigation of the underlying mechanisms revealed that IF significantly increased the intestinal expression of Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R), with a significant decrease in gastrointestinal peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) compared to the HFD group. The findings indicate that IF can mitigate HFD-induced intestinal inflammation via the FXR/GLP-1/MC4R/ PPAR-γ pathway. This highlights the need for further research to elucidate these mechanisms. Show less

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a major risk factor for premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Genetic testing is the gold standard for FH diagnosis. The purpose of this Observational Analytical Cross-sectional study was to estimate the proportion of genetically confirmed Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Patients with premature Coronary Artery Disease in a cohort of Egyptian patients. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was conducted for 7 genes (LDLR, PCSK9, APOB, APOE, ABCG5, ABCG8 and LDLRAP1) commonly associated with FH in 94 patients with Premature CAD from 2 tertiary hospitals in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. Individuals were clinically assessed using the Dutch Lipid Network criteria and genetically-confirmed FH prevalence was analyzed. Fourteen patients had pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations in LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 and LDLRAP1 genes. Three patients had homozygous autosomal dominant FH and another 3 patients had autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia. In addition, 10 patients had rare variants of uncertain significance in LDLR, APOB, APOE, ABCG5 and ABCG8 genes. The prevalence of genetically confirmed FH in premature CAD (PCAD) patients in this study was found to be 14.89%. The Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) scoring system is suggested as a good screening tool for familial hypercholesterolemia but confirmatory genetic testing is essential for the accurate diagnosis and management of the patients. In Egypt, the high rate of consanguinity contributes to the high prevalence of both homozygous autosomal dominant and recessive FH. Show less

The purpose of this study is to describe a Mendelian disorder of DNA damage repair. Phenotypic delineation of two families, one new and one previously published, with overlapping dysmorphic and neurodevelopmental features was undertaken. Functional characterization of DNA damage repair in fibroblasts obtained from the index individuals in each of the two families was pursued. We present new evidence of a distinct disorder caused by biallelic truncating variants in ZNF668 comprising microcephaly, growth deficiency, severe global developmental delay, brain malformation, and distinct facial dysmorphism. DNA damage repair defect was observed in fibroblasts of affected individuals. ZNF668 deficiency in humans results in a recognizable autosomal recessive disorder, which we propose to name ZNF668-related ZMAND (ZNF668-related brain malformation, microcephaly, abnormal growth, neurodevelopmental delay, and dysmorphism). Our results add to the growing list of Mendelian disorders of the DNA damage repair machinery. Show less