Content of folic acid and free homocysteine in blood serum of human papillomavirus-infected women with cervical dysplasia.

The authors estimated the concentrations of folic acid and free homocysteine in the blood serum of women with CIN III (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia-Burghard's classification) infected with DNA HPV (human papillomaviruses) of type 16 and/or 18. The control group consisted of 49 patients with normal cytological smears without HPV infection. Types 16 and/or 18 DNA HPV were found in 50 patients. This women qualified for the studied group. The sequence of DNA HPV type 16 and/or 18 was identified with the PCR method (polymerase chain reaction). The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was employed to evaluate the levels of folic acid and free homocysteine in the blood serum of the examined patients. Significantly lower levels of folic acid and higher levels of free homocysteine were observed in the blood serum of HPV-positive patients with CIN III. The correlation was found between serum concentrations of folic acid and free homocysteine in both groups.

Dietary factors in women with dysplasia colli uteri associated with human papillomavirus infection.

The studies were carried out in a group of 228 female patients with normal cytological smear and 324 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The applied method of human papillomavirus (HPV) identification, i.e., the HPV digene hybrid capture system, made it possible to select a control group consisting of 168 HPV-negative patients with normal Papanicolaou smears, as well as a group of 228 HPV-positive female patients with CIN. By examining the diet of the patients, it was shown that women with cervical dysplasia associated with high oncogenic risk of HPV infections consumed a smaller quantity of foods containing vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folacin. Our studies indicate a relationship between nutritional habits and the development of CIN associated with HPV infection.

Frequency of HPV infection and GSH levels in plasma of women with cervical dysplasia.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can be a cause of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. The level of antioxidant compounds in plasma (retinol, alfa-tocoferol, vitamins C and E, glutathione) can modulate the progression of latent HPV infection to subclinical lesions and CIN. Our studies show that in the cases of HPV infection glutathione (GSH) content decreased, but glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels increased. The quantitative GSH/GSSG ratio reflects the above changes of both peptides which, the more distinct, the greater the pathological changes in the uterine cervix.

Content of alpha-tocopherol in blood serum of human Papillomavirus-infected women with cervical dysplasias.

The studies were carried out in a group of 228 female patients with normal cytological smear and 324 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The applied method of identification, i.e., the human Papillomavirus (HPV) digene hybrid capture system, made it possible to select a control group consisting of 168 HPV-negative patients with normal Pap smear, as well as a group of 228 HPV-positive patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The high-performance liquid chromatography method was employed to evaluate the level of alpha-tocopherol in the blood serum of the patients who were examined. A statistically significantly lower level of alpha-tocopherol was observed in the blood serum of HPV-positive patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The risk of dysplasia was four times higher for an alpha-tocopherol level < 7.95 mumol/l.

Folate deficiency and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

The presence of HPV, using the Digene Hybrid Capture System, was identified in a group of 324 women with CIN and in 228 women with normal cytological smears. Risk of occurrence of CIN was 40 times higher for high risk HPV types. The serum folic acid level and the level of antioxidant compounds in plasma (retinol, alpha-tocopherol, vitamins C and E) in women of the studied and control group was determined by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography-reversed phase). Statistically lower levels of folic acid were found in the women with CIN-HPV (+) (OR: 7.5: 95% CI: 1.2-9.7). Studies have shown that lower levels of antioxidants coexisting with low levels of folic acid increases the risk of CIN development.

[Level of retinol in blood serum of women infected with HPV and with dysplastic changes of the cervix]. / Poziom retinolu w surowicy krwi kobiet zakazonych HPV i ze zmianami dysplastycznymi szyjki macicy.

The reported study was carried out in 528 women hospitalized in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Medical Academy in Lublin. Apart from the control group, the remaining patients were classified according to the histological changes found in the cervix (CIN) and demonstrated human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In all cases the serum retinol level was determined. HPV-infected women had lower retinol levels. Another observation was that with progression of cervical lesions the serum vitamin A level decreased.

Content of beta-carotene in blood serum of human papillomavirus infected women with cervical dysplasias.

Studies were carried out in 528 women hospitalized in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Academy in Lublin. Besides the control group, patients were classified according to the observed histopathological changes in the cervix (CIN) and found infections with human papillomavirus (HPV). In all cases beta-carotene content in blood serum was examined. HPV infection was probably a cause of decrease of beta-carotene content. It was found that with increased advancement of cervical dysplasia the level of beta-carotene in serum decreased.

[Frequency of HPV infection and the level of ascorbic acid in serum of women with cervix dysplasia]. / Czestosc infekcji HPV oraz poziom kwasu askorbinowego w surowicy krwi kobiet z patologia szyjki macicy.

The effect of HPV infection on cervix dysplasia development and ascorbic acid level in 528 women was studied. HPV-DNA was estimated using Digene Hybride Capture System and ascorbic acid by color metric method with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine at 520 nm. HPV infection can be connected with the risk of cervical pathology and cervical cancer. Besides, we observed lower level of ascorbic acid in groups of women with CIN, Ca in situ and HPV infected.

[Frequency of HPV infection and level of glutathione in serum of women with cervix dysplasia]. / Czestosc infekcji HPV oraz poziom glutationu w surowicy krwi u kobiet z patologia szyjki macicy.

We have investigated the effect of HPV infection on the development of cervix dysplasias and GSH level in the plasma of 312 women, ranging from 18 to 34 years (x = 23.2). HPV-DNA was estimated using the Digene Hybride Capture System and GSH by the high performance liqvid chromatography method (HPLC). HPV infectior can be connected with a risk of cervical pathology and cervical cancer. Besides HPV infection the other risk factor is a low level of one of the most important antioxidant-glutathione (GSH). The level of GSH decreased while the concentration of GSSG increased in the plasma of women with HPV infection, cervix dysplasias and cancer. Simultaneous investigation of biochemical and virologic parameters in conjugation with the known cytopathologic and epidemiologic risk variables can show the factors that may inhibit or promote cervical carcinogenesis.

Copper binding proteins in spinach tolerant to excess copper.

Cu-complexes were isolated from cytosol of roots and leaves of spinach plants surviving in a medium containing a high concentration of copper without showing any symptoms of toxicity and possessing an efficiently acting photosynthetic apparatus. Most of the copper in cytosol is assumed to be bound to low molecular weight proteins. Two Cu-binding fractions, at a molecular weight of 12,500 and 9,500 respectively, were isolated from the roots. However, in the cytosol of the leaves only one fraction, at a molecular weight of 8,500, was isolated. It has been suggested that Cu-complexes are formed due to copper binding by preexisting proteins in cytosol and their synthesis seems to be stimulated by excess copper. They would be able to protect, among other things, the photosynthetic apparatus against the toxic effect of copper ions.

Participation of ß-carotene in reactivation of PSI of heptane-extracted spinach chloroplasts.

A carotenoid requirement for photosystem I activity in spinach chloroplasts using extraction-reconstitution technique has been investigated. The transfer of electron from N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine through the chloroplast photosystem to methyl viologen dye or to NADP(+) was used as an assay of photosystem I activity. Extraction of lyophilized spinach chloroplasts with heptane at near 0°C removed almost all ß-carotene and reduced photochemical activities associated with photosystem I to a low level (about 15% of the original activity). Reconstitution of the extracted chloroplasts with ß-carotene completely restored photosystem I activity. The maximum rate of methyl viologen photoreduction in reconstituted chloroplasts occurred at an ß-carotene/chlorophyll molar ratio of 0.5. Cyclic phosphorylation mediated by phenazine methosulphate was partially restored. Xanthophylls (lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin), as components of chloroplast membranes, were not able to replace ß-carotene in reconstitution of chloroplasts and had essentially no effect on restoring photoreactions. On the basis of the P700/total chlorophyll ratio it can be assumed that extraction of lyophilized chloroplasts with heptane do not affect photosystem I reaction centre. Therefore it is possible that ß-carotene, removed during heptane extraction and belonging mainly to the antenna pigment pool of photosystem I, is effective in the restoration of photosystem I activity.