Investigation of serum amino acid and serum amyloid A concentrations in chickens with amyloid arthropathy.

BACKGROUND: Increased proteolytic cleavage of serum amyloid A (SAA) may potentially contribute to the development of AA amyloid deposition. OBJECTIVE: To study the possible relationship between amyloid artropathy and expression of SAA and some serum amino acids. ANIMALS AND METHODS: Values of 15 serum amino acids and SAA were investigated in chickens with experimentally induced amyloid arthropathy. Thirty-four, 5-week-old chicks were allocated into two groups: one group was injected intra-articularly with 0.25 mL complete Freund's adjuvant at the left tibio-metatarsal joint to induce amyloid arthropathy, whereas the other group served as control. All pullets were necropsied 13 weeks after injection. Collected tissue samples were examined histopathologically. Blood samples were collected and SAA concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to assess the amino acid concentrations in serum. RESULTS: Amyloid accumulation in joints occurred only in the experimental group (89%). SAA concentrations of 166 ± 17 and 423 ± 39 (SD) ng/mL were found in the control and experimental groups, respectively (p < 0.001). In the experimental group, an increase was observed in all examined amino acid concentrations except for citrulline. The most significant (p < 0.001) increases were noticed in serine (from 159 ± 15 to 360 ± 29 µmol/L), glycine (from 151 ± 20 to 279 ± 16 µmol/L), isoleucine (from 48 ± 2 to 80 ± 6 µmol/L), and phenylalanine (from 49 ± 2 to 90 ± 3 µmol/L). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that there is a positive correlation between some serum amino acid values, especially serine, glycine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine, and the high concentrations of SAA in chickens with amyloid arthropathy.

Vitamin a deficiency in patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

Vitamin A, a naturally occuring antioxidant micronutrient, has immunomodulating effect in patients with immunodeficiency, including an influence on cytokine production and lymphocyte growth and functions. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with a shift from type 2 cytokines to predominantly type 1 cytokines. The aims of this study were to determine Vitamin A status in Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients and the relationship between Vitamin A status and cytokines production. Serum Vitamin A, neopterin, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 levels were determined in 19 CVID patients and 15 healthy children. Effects of 9-cis retinal, Vitamin A derivative, on cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10) production in lymphocytes were tested in vitro condition using lymphocyte cultures obtained from CVID patients and healthy children.Serum Vitamin A level in CVDI patients was, 21.1+/- 1.5 microg/dL, significantly (p < 0.001) lower than the value, 35.7+/- 1.8 microg/dL, observed in healthy children. Serum neopterin level in the patients was, 9.8+/- 2.9 nmol/L, higher (p < 0.05) than the value, 3.9+/- 0.7 nmol/L, observed in control group. Common variable immunodeficiency patients, serum IL-4 level was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the value observed for healthy children. Serum TNF-alpha, IL-2 and IL-10 levels were similar in the patients and healthy children. Vitamin A derivative, 9-cis retinal, increased TNF-alpha and IL-4 production in cultured mononuclear cells obtained from control and CVID patients. Vitamin A derivative, also, increased IL-2 and Il-4 production in cultured mononuclear cells obtained from CVID patients. These results show that CVID patients have low serum Vitamin A levels and high serum neopterin levels. A supplementation with Vitamin A may have role in downregulation of inflammatory responses in CVID patients.