Assessment of plasma malondialdehyde levels among free-diver fishermen in southeast Maluku district: exploring influencing factors on oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Indonesia, with its expansive territorial waters, hosts numerous fishing communities residing on various islands. Many of these communities rely on diving activities, predominantly free diving without standardized safety equipment. This practice poses risks, including the potential for hypoxia-induced oxidative stress, which plays a role in disease pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in freediving fishermen and explore potential influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research involved 30 freediving fishermen, aged 20-60, who engaged in diving at least twice weekly over the last 3 months. Blood plasma MDA levels were assessed using the Will method. RESULTS: Results revealed a median age of 40.5 years (range: 20-59), a body mass index of 23.1 ± 2.8, and a mean blood pressure of 132/85 mmHg. A significant portion of the subjects exhibited smoking habits (90%) and alcohol consumption (76.7%). The median MDA level among subjects was measured at 0.42 nmol/mL (range: 0.34-0.70). However, no discernible relationship was found between smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and MDA level categories, as determined by the Fisher exact test (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: While these findings shed light on the MDA levels in freediving fishermen, further research is warranted to explore additional factors that may influence these levels. This comprehensive understanding is crucial for addressing the health risks associated with free diving practices in this unique population.

Lysosomal enzymes and the oxygen burst capability of monocyte-derived macrophages in active drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in relation to cell attachment.

Drug resistance to tuberculosis (TB) has become an obstacle in eliminating tuberculosis. The transmission of drug-resistant TB from patients increases the incidence of primary drug-resistant (DR) TB in individuals who are in close contact. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate an immunological approach into preventive therapy. This study focuses on the activity of lysosomal enzymes, oxygen bursts, and the attachment ability of macrophages among individuals diagnosed with active drug-resistant TB compared with close contacts with latent TB or healthy cases. We measured macrophage oxygen burst ability (Water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST) test, Nitric Oxide production, and myeloperoxidase activity) and the degradative ability of lysosomes (activity of the ß-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase enzymes). Six active DR-TB patients and 18 close-contact cases (8 Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI); 10 healthy) were recruited at Universitas Indonesia Hospital. The macrophage attachment of the LTBI group was higher than in the other groups. NO production, myeloperoxidase activity, ß-glucuronidase, and acid phosphatase were higher in the active DR-TB group. A negative correlation was uncovered between phagocytosis and NO production, myeloperoxidase activity, and lysosomal enzymes. The difference in macrophage function is expected to be a further reference in active DR-TB treatment or preventive therapy.

Activities and concentration of alpha-1 antitrypsin and cystatin C in serum from patients with house dust mite asthma.

Background: The proteolytic activities of house dust mite (HDM) allergens are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma by cleaving T-junction protein complexes, increasing the permeability of airway epithelial cells, and enabling the allergens to reach the interstitial tissue. The human body contains natural protease inhibitors such as alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) with antiserine protease activity and cystatin C with anticysteine protease activity. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the behavior of serum AAT and cystatin C levels in patients with HDM-allergic asthma. Methods: Ten individuals with HDM-allergic asthma and 10 healthy volunteers participated in a cross-sectional study. The serum AAT and cystatin C inhibitory activities were measured using enzymatic assays. ELISA was used to determine the serum AAT and cystatin C concentrations. Results: Serum AAT inhibitory activity (P = 0.445; P > 0.05), AAT concentration (P = 0.290; P > 0.05), and cystatin C concentration (P = 0.419; P > 0.05) did not significantly differ between the patient and control groups. However, serum cystatin C inhibitory activity in the asthmatic patient group was significantly higher than in the healthy subjects (P = 0.001; P < 0.05). There was no correlation between AAT inhibitory activity and AAT concentration or between cystatin C inhibitory activity and cystatin C concentration. Conclusion: These findings suggest that serum cystatin C activity is involved in asthma pathogenesis. Additional research is required to address this issue.