Browsing by Author "Elbere, Ilze"

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    Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Ulcerative Colitis Patients : A Lifestyle Perspective
    (2024-01) Straume, Zane; Krūmiņa, Nikola; Elbere, Ilze; Rozenberga, Maija; Rudzīte, Dace; Proskurina, Anna; Juliana, Ozoliņa; Kloviņš, Jānis; Skuja, Vita; Krūmiņa, Angelika; Department of Internal Diseases; Department of Infectology
    Background and Objectives: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the new coronavirus that caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Studies have increasingly reported the involvement of organs outside the respiratory system, including the gastrointestinal tract. Data on the association between COVID-19 and ulcerative colitis (UC) are lacking. Materials and Methods: In this one-centre cross-sectional study, 49 patients with UC from the Riga East Clinical University Hospital outpatient clinic were included from June 2021 to December 2021. The patients were divided into two groups according to their history of a confirmed positive or negative COVID-19 status. Data on their lifestyle, diet, and medications and the food supplements used by the patients were collected during interviews and analysed using the R 4.2.1 software. Results: Out of 49 patients, 33 (63.3%) were male and 13 (36.7%) were female, with a mean age of 32.33 ± 8.6 years. Fourteen patients (28.6%) had a confirmed COVID-19 infection in the last year. The most common COVID-19-related symptoms were a fever and rhinorrhoea. A third of patients followed the inflammatory bowel disease diet (16; 32.7%); out of these patients, 12 (34.3%) did not contract COVID-19 (OR: 0.78 (0.18; 2.98), p > 0.05). In the COVID-19-positive group, the majority of patients did not use vitamin D (11; 79% vs. 3; 21%, (OR: 0.38 (0.07; 1.51), p = 0.28) or probiotics (11; 78.6% vs. 3; 21.4%, OR: 1.33 (0.23; 6.28), p = 0.7). In the COVID-19-positive group, most patients did not smoke (12; 85.7% vs. 2; 14.3%, p = 0.475) and did not use alcohol (9; 64.3% vs. 5; 35.7%, OR: 0.63 (0.16; 2.57), p = 0.5). Most of the patients who participated in sports activities were COVID-negative (18; 51.4% vs. 6; 42.9%, p = 0.82). Conclusions: There were no statistically significant differences in the use of food supplements, probiotics, or vitamins; the lifestyle habits; or the COVID-19 status in patients with UC.
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    Gut Microbiome Differences Regarding Lifestyle and the History of COVID-19 Disease in Ulcerative Colitis Patients
    (2024-08) Straume, Zane; Krūmiņa, Nikola; Elbere, Ilze; Rozenberga, Maija; Blomniece, Laura; Erts, Renārs; Rudzīte, Dace; Kloviņš, Jānis; Krūmiņa, Angelika; Department of Internal Diseases; Department of Infectology
    The microbiome's role in ulcerative colitis pathogenesis is established. The influence of lifestyle on gut microbiome composition remains unclear, and interplay with COVID-19 disease warrants investigation. In a cross-sectional study conducted from June to December 2021, 49 outpatients from Rîga East Clinical University Hospital were included. Patients were categorised based on COVID-19 disease status (positive vs. negative) within the preceding six months. Lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, stress levels, and dietary patterns) were assessed and evaluated. Taxonomic classification of gut microbiome metagenome data was performed using MetaPhlAn v.2.6.0, with subsequent analysis conducted using SPSS 20.0. Thirty-one (63%) were male, and 18 (37%) were female patients. Fourteen patients (28.6%) tested positive for COVID-19. Gut microbiome composition differences were not observed between COVID-19 disease groups. Twenty-four (49%) patients engaged in sports activities and 30 (61.2%) patients reported a history of smoking. No significant microbiome differences were observed in groups regarding physical activity or smoking. Thirty-five (71.4%) were alcohol users, for whom Firmicutes abundance was significantly higher compared to non-users, p = 0.041. Patients reporting lower stress levels (18, 36.7%) exhibited higher Actinobacteria abundance compared to those with higher stress levels (31, 63.3%), p = 0.03. COVID-19 disease status did not affect gut microbiome composition, alcohol consumption and stress levels demonstrated significant associations.
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    Metformin strongly affects transcriptome of peripheral blood cells in healthy individuals
    (2019-11-01) Ustinova, Monta; Silamikelis, Ivars; Kalnina, Ineta; Ansone, Laura; Rovite, Vita; Elbere, Ilze; Radovica-Spalvina, Ilze; Fridmanis, Davids; Aladyeva, Jekaterina; Konrade, Ilze; Pirags, Valdis; Klovins, Janis; Rīga Stradiņš University
    Metformin is a commonly used antihyperglycaemic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms of action, underlying the various therapeutic effects of metformin, remain elusive. The goal of this study was to evaluate the alterations in longitudinal whole-blood transcriptome profiles of healthy individuals after a one-week metformin intervention in order to identify the novel molecular targets and further prompt the discovery of predictive biomarkers of metformin response. Next generation sequencing-based transcriptome analysis revealed metformin-induced differential expression of genes involved in intestinal immune network for IgA production and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. Significantly elevated faecal sIgA levels during administration of metformin, and its correlation with the expression of genes associated with immune response (CXCR4, HLA-DQA1, MAP3K14, TNFRSF21, CCL4, ACVR1B, PF4, EPOR, CXCL8) supports a novel hypothesis of strong association between metformin and intestinal immune system, and for the first time provide evidence for altered RNA expression as a contributing mechanism of metformin’s action. In addition to universal effects, 4 clusters of functionally related genes with a subject-specific differential expression were distinguished, including genes relevant to insulin production (HNF1B, HNF1A, HNF4A, GCK, INS, NEUROD1, PAX4, PDX1, ABCC8, KCNJ11) and cholesterol homeostasis (APOB, LDLR, PCSK9). This inter-individual variation of the metformin effect on the transcriptional regulation goes in line with well-known variability of the therapeutic response to the drug.
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    Novel susceptibility loci identified in a genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes complications in population of Latvia
    (2021) Ustinova, Monta; Peculis, Raitis; Rescenko, Raimonds; Rovite, Vita; Zaharenko, Linda; Elbere, Ilze; Silamikele, Laila; Konrade, Ilze; Sokolovska, Jelizaveta; Pirags, Valdis; Klovins, Janis; Faculty of Medicine
    Background: Type 2 diabetes complications cause a serious emotional and economical burden to patients and healthcare systems globally. Management of both acute and chronic complications of diabetes, which dramatically impair the quality of patients' life, is still an unsolved issue in diabetes care, suggesting a need for early identification of individuals with high risk for developing diabetes complications. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study in 601 type 2 diabetes patients after stratifying them according to the presence or absence of four types of diabetes complications: diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, macrovascular complications, and ophthalmic complications. Results: The analysis revealed ten novel associations showing genome-wide significance, including rs1132787 (GYPA, OR = 2.71; 95% CI = 2.02–3.64) and diabetic neuropathy, rs2477088 (PDE4DIP, OR = 2.50; 95% CI = 1.87–3.34), rs4852954 (NAT8, OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 2.71–3.01), rs6032 (F5, OR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.63–2.77), rs6935464 (RPS6KA2, OR = 2.25; 95% CI = 6.69–3.01) and macrovascular complications, rs3095447 (CCDC146, OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.66–2.87) and ophthalmic complications. By applying the targeted approach of previously reported susceptibility loci we managed to replicate three associations: MAPK14 (rs3761980, rs80028505) and diabetic neuropathy, APOL1 (rs136161) and diabetic nephropathy. Conclusions: Together these results provide further evidence for the implication of genetic factors in the development of type 2 diabetes complications and highlight several potential key loci, able to modify the risk of developing these conditions. Moreover, the candidate variant approach proves a strong and consistent effect for multiple variants across different populations.
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    Quality of Life in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis During the Covid-19 Outbreak : A Cross-Sectional Study in a Single Centre in Latvia
    (2024-08-01) Straume, Zane; Krūmiņa, Nikola; Elbere, Ilze; Rozenberga, Maija; Blomniece, Laura; Erts, Renārs; Rudzīte, Dace; Kloviņš, Jānis; Krūmiņa, Angelika; Department of Internal Diseases; Department of Infectology
    Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have a higher risk of anxiety and depression compared to healthy individuals. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether the COVID-19 outbreak influenced inflammatory bowel disease-specific quality of life. In total 49 ulcerative colitis (UC) outpatients from Rîga East Clinical University Hospital were included in a cross-sectional study from June to December 2021. The patients were divided according to COVID-19 status (COVID-19 positive vs COVID-19 negative) in the last six months. Patients were interviewed and data from the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), questionnaire about daily life aspects and subjective health evaluation score were collected. Of the 49 patients, 33 (63.3%) were males and 13 (36.7%) were females; median age was 38.0 (IQR = 17) years. Fourteen patients (28.6%) were COVID-19+ within the last six months. The median SIBDQ score was 62 (IQR = 11), for men 63 (IQR = 7.5) and women 58 [(IQR = 13.8), p > 0.05. SIBDQ score was 63 (IQR = 10) for COVID-19 negative and 60 (IQR = 15.6), p > 0.05 for positive patients. Sleep was not influenced by gender, p = 0.008. Three (16.7%) female patients reported a great negative impact on working stability (p = 0.044) and a slightly negative influence on income (p = 0.039). The COVID-19 outbreak may have an influence on daily life aspects by predisposing females more negatively.
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    Significantly altered peripheral blood cell DNA methylation profile as a result of immediate effect of metformin use in healthy individuals
    (2018-12-13) Elbere, Ilze; Silamikelis, Ivars; Ustinova, Monta; Kalnina, Ineta; Zaharenko, Linda; Peculis, Raitis; Konrade, Ilze; Ciuculete, Diana Maria; Zhukovsky, Christina; Gudra, Dita; Radovica-Spalvina, Ilze; Fridmanis, Davids; Pirags, Valdis; Schiöth, Helgi B.; Klovins, Janis
    Background: Metformin is a widely prescribed antihyperglycemic agent that has been also associated with multiple therapeutic effects in various diseases, including several types of malignancies. There is growing evidence regarding the contribution of the epigenetic mechanisms in reaching metformin's therapeutic goals; however, the effect of metformin on human cells in vivo is not comprehensively studied. The aim of our study was to examine metformin-induced alterations of DNA methylation profiles in white blood cells of healthy volunteers, employing a longitudinal study design. Results: Twelve healthy metformin-naïve individuals where enrolled in the study. Genome-wide DNA methylation pattern was estimated at baseline, 10 h and 7 days after the start of metformin administration. The whole-genome DNA methylation analysis in total revealed 125 differentially methylated CpGs, of which 11 CpGs and their associated genes with the most consistent changes in the DNA methylation profile were selected: POFUT2, CAMKK1, EML3, KIAA1614, UPF1, MUC4, LOC727982, SIX3, ADAM8, SNORD12B, VPS8, and several differentially methylated regions as novel potential epigenetic targets of metformin. The main functions of the majority of top-ranked differentially methylated loci and their representative cell signaling pathways were linked to the well-known metformin therapy targets: regulatory processes of energy homeostasis, inflammatory responses, tumorigenesis, and neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusions: Here we demonstrate for the first time the immediate effect of short-term metformin administration at therapeutic doses on epigenetic regulation in human white blood cells. These findings suggest the DNA methylation process as one of the mechanisms involved in the action of metformin, thereby revealing novel targets and directions of the molecular mechanisms underlying the various beneficial effects of metformin. Trial registration: EU Clinical Trials Register, 2016-001092-74. Registered 23 March 2017, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2016-001092-74/LV.
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    A widely used sampling device in colorectal cancer screening programmes allows for large-scale microbiome studies
    (2019-09-01) Gudra, Dita; Shoaie, Saeed; Fridmanis, Davids; Klovins, Janis; Wefer, Hugo; Silamikelis, Ivars; Peculis, Raitis; Kalnina, Ineta; Elbere, Ilze; Radovica-Spalvina, Ilze; Hultcrantz, Rolf; Škenders, Girts; Leja, Marcis; Engstrand, Lars