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- Keaton, Sarah A., et al.
(author)
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Altered Tryptophan Catabolism in Placentas From Women With Pre-eclampsia
- 2019
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In: International Journal of Tryptophan Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 1178-6469. ; 12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The kynurenine pathway enzymes, breaking down tryptophan, are abundant in placental tissue. These metabolites are involved in immunoregulatory mechanisms, although the role of this pathway in pre-eclampsia (PE) has only begun to be characterized. Here, we determined tryptophan and metabolite levels together with the expression of kynurenine pathway enzymes and inflammatory factors in placental tissue from women with and without PE. Methods: Thirty-six placentas (18 PE and 18 controls) were analyzed for expression of kynurenine pathway enzymes indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1 and 2), tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), kynurenine-3-mono-oxygenase (KMO) and quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRT) as well as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and serum amyloid A (SAA). Tryptophan and kynurenine content were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography and quinolinic acid was measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Conclusions: Tryptophan content was reduced in placentas from women with PE. There was an increased kynurenine/tryptophan ratio in placentas from women with PE but no significant change in downstream metabolites. We confirmed a reduction in IDO1 expression and found a compensatory increase in TDO expression in placentas from women with PE. SAA was reduced in PE placentas compared with controls. Our data show that tryptophan content and the inflammatory mediator SAA are both compromised in placentas from women with PE. Further studies on the role of tryptophan catabolism and mediators of inflammation in sustaining healthy immunobiological pathways in the placenta are warranted.
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2. |
- Killinger, Bryan A., et al.
(author)
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The vermiform appendix impacts the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease
- 2018
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In: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 10:465
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves the accumulation of aggregated -synuclein, which has been suggested to begin in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we determined the capacity of the appendix to modify PD risk and influence pathogenesis. In two independent epidemiological datasets, involving more than 1.6 million individuals and over 91 million person-years, we observed that removal of the appendix decades before PD onset was associated with a lower risk for PD, particularly for individuals living in rural areas, and delayed the age of PD onset. We also found that the healthy human appendix contained intraneuronal -synuclein aggregates and an abundance of PD pathology–associated -synuclein truncation products that are known to accumulate in Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of PD. Lysates of human appendix tissue induced the rapid cleavage and oligo-merization of full-length recombinant -synuclein. Together, we propose that the normal human appendix contains pathogenic forms of -synuclein that affect the risk of developing PD.
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3. |
- Svensson, Martina, et al.
(author)
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Long distance ski racing is associated with lower long-term incidence of depression in a population based, large-scale study
- 2019
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In: Psychiatry Research. - : ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. - 0165-1781 .- 1872-7123. ; 281
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Physical activity has been proposed to be beneficial for prevention of depression, although the importance of exercise intensity, sex-specific mechanisms, and duration of the effects need to be clarified. Using an observational study design, following 395,369 individuals up to 21 years we studied whether participation in an ultralong-distance cross-country ski race was associated with lower risk of developing depression. Skiers (participants in the race) and matched non-skiers from the general population (non-participants in the race) were studied after participation (same year for non-participation) in the race using the Swedish population and patient registries. The risk of depression in skiers (n = 197,685, median age 36 years, 38% women) was significantly lower, to nearly half of that in non-skiers (adjusted hazard ratio, HR 0.53) over the follow-up period. Further, a higher fitness level (measured as the finishing time to complete the race, a proxy for higher exercise dose) was associated with lower incidence of depression in men (adjusted HR 0.65), but not in women. Our results support the recommendations of engaging in physical activity as a preventive strategy decreasing the risk for depression in both men and women. Furthermore, the exercise could reduce risk for depression in a dose-dependent matter, in particular in males.
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