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Research indicates that a Mediterranean diet may be helpful in decreasing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and in turn the cardiovascular risk associated with it. Data are drawn from 180 patients with metabolic syndrome in an Italian university hospital.

1. Introduction Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene is a member of nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, and it regulates the transcription of several genes involved in glucose metabolism, adipocyte differentiation, [...], Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma polymorphisms have been widely associated with type 2 diabetes, although their role in the pathogenesis of vascular complications is not yet demonstrated. In this study, a cohort of 211 type 2 diabetes, 205 obese, and 254 control individuals was genotyped for Pro12Ala, C1431T, C-2821T polymorphisms, and for a newly identified polymorphism (A-2819G). The above-mentioned polymorphisms were analyzed by gene-specific PCR and direct sequencing of all samples. A significant difference was found for -2819G frequency when patients with type 2 diabetes--particularly diabetic women with the proliferative retinopathy--were compared with healthy control individuals. In conclusion, we identified a novel polymorphism, A-2819G, in PPARG gene, and we found it to be associated with type 2 diabetes and proliferative retinopathy in diabetic females. In the analyzed population, this variant represents a genetic risk factor for developing the diabetic retinopathy, whereas Pro12Ala and C1431T do not. Copyright [C] 2009 Valerio Costa et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Introduction. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) circulate in the peripheral blood and are involved in endothelial homeostasis and repair. Aim. The aim of this study was to assess the circulating levels of different EPC phenotypes in overweight men with or without erectile dysfunction (ED). As endothelial dysfunction is considered a necessary link with ED, endothelium-dependent vasodilation and its relation with EPCs were also investigated. Methods. We studied 30, otherwise healthy, overweight subjects with symptomatic ED for at least 6 months, and 30 age- and weight-matched subjects without ED. Erectile function was assessed by completing the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), which consists of items 5, 15, 4, 2, and 7 from the full-scale IIEF-15. Main Outcome Measures. Seven subpopulations of EPCs were determined by flow cytometry on the basis of the surface expression of CD34, CD133, and KDR antigens: CD34+, CD133+, KDR+, CD34+CD133+, CD34+KDR+, CD133+KDR+, and CD34+CD133+KDR+. Endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was evaluated in the right brachial artery with a high-resolution ultrasound machine following reactive hyperemia. Results. CD34+KDR+ cell count was significantly lower in men with ED as compared with men without ED (63.1 ± 4 vs. 92.4 ± 6 cells/106 events, mean ± standard error, P < 0.01). There was a significant direct correlation between circulating CD34+KDR+ cells and the IIEF score ( r = 0.44; P = 0.01): men with the severe form of ED presented the lowest level of circulating EPC CD34+KDR+ cells. No significant correlation was found between the circulating levels of the other EPC phenotypes and the IIEF score. There was a significant correlation between CD34+KDR+ cell count and FMD ( r = 0.45; P = 0.01), but not between FMD and the other phenotypes. Conclusions. Circulating levels of CD34+KDR+ EPC are reduced in overweight subjects with ED and correlate with the severity of ED. Other EPC phenotypes are not related to ED, suggesting that the CD34+KDR+ phenotype of EPCs may be preferred in future studies. Esposito K, Ciotola M, Maiorino MI, Giugliano F, Autorino R, De Sio M, Jannini E, Lenzi A, and Giugliano D. Circulating CD34+KDR+ endothelial progenitor cells correlate with erectile function and endothelial function in overweight men. J Sex Med 2009;6:107–114. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: A single high-fat meal may induce endothelial activation and dysfunction in both normal subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a high-fat meal on endothelial function in patients with the metabolic syndrome., Methods and Results: Twenty-five patients with the metabolic syndrome (ATP III criteria) were matched for sex, age and body mass index with 25 subjects without the metabolic syndrome. All subjects ate under supervision a high fat meal (760 calories) with 59% energy from fat, 12% energy from protein and 29% energy from carbohydrates. Compared with the control group, subjects with the metabolic syndrome had reduced endothelial function, as assessed with the l-arginine test, and higher circulating levels of TNF-alpha. Following the high-fat meal, both triglyceride and TNF-alpha levels increased more in subjects with the metabolic syndrome than in subjects without, while endothelial function decreased more in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. There was a significant relation between increases in TNF-alpha levels and decreases in endothelial function score in subjects with the metabolic syndrome (r=-0.39, P=0.03)., Conclusion: TNF-alpha levels are increased in subjects with the metabolic syndrome; moreover, a high-fat meal produces further increase in its levels associated with endothelial dysfunction.