Inverse relations of serum phosphatidylcholines and lysophosphatidylcholines with vascular damage and heart rate in patients with atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The rapidly growing discipline of lipidomics allows the study of a wide spectrum of lipid species in body fluids and provides new insights into the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We investigated serum phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) species in relation to arterial stiffness, hemodynamics, and endothelial dysfunction in symptomatic patients with atherosclerosis and in healthy controls. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with peripheral arterial disease (age 61.7 ± 9.0 years), 52 patients with coronary artery disease (age 63.2 ± 9.2 years), and 40 apparently healthy controls (age 60.3 ± 7.1 years) were studied. Serum levels of 90 glycerophospholipids were determined with the AbsoluteIDQ™ p180 kit (BIOCRATES Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria). The technique of applanation tonometry was used for non-invasive pulse wave analysis and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) assessment. Decreased serum levels of several individual PC and lysoPC species (e.g., PC aa C28:1, PC aa C30:0, PC aa C32:2, PC ae C30:0 and PC ae C34:2, lysoPC a C18:2) were observed for the patient groups in comparison to the healthy subjects. In addition, a considerable number of PCs and lysoPCs were inversely related to either cf-PWV, heart rate, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) or ADMA/arginine for patients with symptomatic atherosclerosis but not for the controls. CONCLUSION: We found altered relationships between PC and lysoPC profiles, inflammation, and arterial function in atherosclerotic patients, compared to healthy subjects.

Inflammatory, cardio-metabolic and diabetic profiling of chronic schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in low-grade inflammatory and metabolic alterations in patients with chronic schizophrenia (SCH). METHODS: Inflammatory (tumor-necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interferon-γ [IFN-γ], interleukins [IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10], monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 [MCP-1]) and growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], epidermal growth factor [EGF]) were measured in blood serum samples of 105 SCH patients and 148 control subjects (CS). Simultaneously the clinical biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], triglycerides [TG], low-density lipoprotein [LDL-c] and high-density lipoprotein [HDL-c] cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for patients. RESULTS: Several cyto-/chemokines (IFN-γ, MCP-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10) were significantly (P<0.0000001) elevated in SCH patients compared to CS. Odds ratios, obtained from logistic regression analyses, were significantly elevated for IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, INF-γ, and decreased for TNF-α in SCH group. Among the patients, higher IL-2, IL-6, INF-γ and lower MCP-1 levels as well as male gender were together significant (P<0.000001) predictors of higher HbA1c levels, and TG/HDL-c parameter was associated with ratios of INF-γ/IL-10 (P=0.004), and INF-γ/IL-4 (P=0.049), HbA1c (P=0.005), INF-γ (P=0.009), as well as LDL-c (P=0.02) levels. CONCLUSIONS: IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-γ were the most significant SCH-related markers among the measured cytokines in our patient group. Furthermore, significant associations between pro-/anti-inflammatory imbalance and HbA1c as well as cardio-metabolic risk marker (TG/HDL-c) were observed, indicating higher risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases among SCH patients.

Association Between Fibulin-1 and Aortic Augmentation Index in Male Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease.

BACKGROUND: Fibulin-1 (FBLN-1), a newly identified biomarker for vascular stiffness in type 2 diabetes, may participate in the pathophysiological processes leading to progression of arterial stiffness in atherosclerosis. In the present study, the relationship between FBLN-1 and arterial stiffness was examined in patients with atherosclerosis and in healthy subjects. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (age 62.4 ± 9.0 years), 38 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (age 64.0 ± 9.5 years), and 30 apparently healthy controls (age 61.1 ± 6.4 years) were studied. Serum FBLN-1, oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were measured using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. The technique of applanation tonometry was used for non-invasive pulse wave analysis and pulse wave velocity assessments. RESULTS: The levels of FBLN-1 (PAD = 9.4 [4.9-17.8] vs. CAD = 7.1 [4.8-11.8] vs. controls = 5.6 [4.1-8.4] µg/mL; p = .005), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) (9.8 ± 2.2 vs. 9.5 ± 2.2 vs. 8.3 ± 2.2 m/s; p = .023) and the heart rate corrected augmentation index (AIx@75) (29.4 ± 7.2 vs. 19.2 ± 7.2 vs. 15.4 ± 7.1%; p < .001), differed among the three groups. A correlation between FBLN-1 and AIx@75 was observed only in patients with PAD (rho = 0.37, p = .021). The relationship retained statistical significance in a multiple regression model after adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: An independent association was demonstrated between serum FBLN-1 and AIx@75 in the PAD group. Thus, the findings suggest that FBLN-1 may play a role in arterial stiffening in patients with atherosclerosis.

Wfs1-deficient animals have brain-region-specific changes of Na+, K+-ATPase activity and mRNA expression of α1 and ß1 subunits.

Mutations in the WFS1 gene, which encodes the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) glycoprotein, cause Wolfram syndrome, a disease characterized by juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, deafness, and different psychiatric abnormalities. Loss of neuronal cells and pancreatic ß-cells in Wolfram syndrome patients is probably related to the dysfunction of ER stress regulation, which leads to cell apoptosis. The present study shows that Wfs1-deficient mice have brain-region-specific changes in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and in the expression of the α1 and ß1 subunits. We found a significant (1.6-fold) increase of Na-pump activity and ß1 subunit mRNA expression in mice lacking the Wfs1 gene in the temporal lobe compared with their wild-type littermates. By contrast, exposure of mice to the elevated plus maze (EPM) model of anxiety decreased Na-pump activity 1.3-fold in the midbrain and dorsal striatum and 2.0-fold in the ventral striatum of homozygous animals compared with the nonexposed group. Na-pump α1 -subunit mRNA was significantly decreased in the dorsal striatum and midbrain of Wfs1-deficient homozygous animals compared with wild-type littermates. In the temporal lobe, an increase in the activity of the Na-pump is probably related to increased anxiety established in Wfs1-deficient mice, whereas the blunted dopamine function in the forebrain of Wfs1-deficient mice may be associated with a decrease of Na-pump activity in the dorsal and ventral striatum and in the midbrain after exposure to the EPM.

Allergic contact dermatitis is associated with significant oxidative stress.

Background. Research has confirmed the involvement of oxidative stress (OxS) in allergic contact dermatitis whilst other inflammation-related biomarkers have been less studied. Objective. To evaluate systemic levels of selected inflammatory markers, OxS indices and adipokines as well as their associations in allergic contact dermatitis. Methods. In 40 patients, interleukin- (IL-) 6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1), and IL-10 levels were measured in sera with the Evidence Investigator Cytokine & Growth factors High-Sensitivity Array, total peroxide concentration (TPX) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by means of spectrophotometry, and the plasma concentrations of adiponectin and leptin by the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Results. TNF-α level (P < 0.01) and TPX (P < 0.0001) were increased whilst IL-10 (P < 0.05) and TAC (P < 0.0001) were decreased in the patients as compared to controls. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis identified both, TPX and TAC (inversely), as possible independent markers for evaluating allergic contact dermatitis. Adiponectin level in patients was increased (P < 0.0001), but neither adiponectin nor leptin correlated significantly with the biomarkers of inflammation or OxS. Conclusion. OxS parameters, especially TPX and OSI, reflect the degree of systemic inflammation associated with allergic contact dermatitis in the best way. The relation between OxS and adiponectin level warrants further studies.

Prognostic impact of arterial stiffness in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease.

OBJECTIVES: Arterial stiffness (AS) is increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor in different high-risk populations. Whether changes in AS can predict prognosis in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has never been investigated. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that AS is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in patients with symptomatic PAD. METHODS: A cohort of 117 symptomatic PAD patients (aged 62.3 ± 7.7 years) were prospectively recruited from the Department of Vascular Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, between 2002 and 2010. The AS was measured using pulse wave analysis and assessment of pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: During the follow-up period (mean 4.1 ± 2.2 years) there were 32 fatal events. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the probability of all-cause and CVD mortality decreased with increasing small artery elasticity (SAE), as estimated by the log-rank test (p = .004; p = .005, respectively). By contrast, large artery elasticity, augmentation index, and aortic and brachial PWV were not significantly related to mortality. In a Cox proportional hazard model, SAE above the median was associated with decreased all-cause and CVD mortality after adjustment for confounding factors: relative risk (RR), 0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.17-0.81; p = .01; RR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01-0.86; p = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence, obtained from an observational study, that decreased small artery elasticity is an independent predictor of all-cause and CVD mortality in patients with symptomatic PAD.

Serum interferon gamma concentration is associated with bone mineral density in overweight boys.

UNLABELLED: Childhood obesity has recently been linked to low-grade inflammation. Overweight children have slightly different processes of bone accumulation than normal weight children. The possible links between inflammation and bone accumulation have not previously been assessed in overweight children. AIMS: An exploratory study to assess whether common inflammatory markers are associated with the development of obesity and bone accumulation in childhood. METHODS: Thirteen different inflammatory markers in serum were measured in 38 boys with BMI >85th centile (overweight) and 38 boys with normal BMI (normal weight), aged 10-11 years. Total body (TB) and lumbar spine (LS) bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) were measured by DXA. TB BMC for height, TB and LS bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) were calculated. RESULTS: Overweight boys had higher mean TB and LS BMD, TB BMC and TB BMC for height, but lower mean TB BMAD (all p < 0.05) than normal weight boys. Serum interferon gamma (IFNγ) concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with TB BMD (r = 0.36), TB BMC (r = 0.38) and TB BMC for height (r = 0.53) in the broader overweight group (n = 38). In obese boys (BMI > 95 centile, n = 36) IFNγ was correlated with LS BMD (r = 0.38). CONCLUSION: The positive correlation between serum INFγ concentration and BMD suggests that the inflammatory process, already involved in the early stage of obesity, may also affect bone accumulation. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of INFγ as a possible link between adipose tissue and bone health.

The effects of different antioxidants on the activity of cerebrocortical MnSOD and Na,K-ATPase from post mortem Alzheimer's disease and age-matched normal brains.

Among the markers and targets of the early phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis MnSOD (mitochondrial dysfunction) and Na-pump (disturbances in function/regulation) are often highlighted. This paper focused on comparison of the effects of three antioxidants on the activity of cerebrocortical MnSOD and Na,K-ATPase from post mortem Alzheimer's disease and age-matched normal brains. Antioxidant compounds with different origins: natural glutathione, synthetic UPF peptides (glutathione analogues) and phytoestrogen genistein were investigated. Firstly, MnSOD and Na,K-ATPase activities were found to be decreased in the post mortem AD brains compared with age-matched controls. Secondly, GSH had no effect on MnSOD activity, but decreased Na,K-ATPase activity both in the control and AD brains. Thirdly, UPF1 and UPF17 increased MnSOD activity, and UPF17 suppressed Na,K-ATPase activity. Further studies are needed to clarify, if the inhibitory effect of UPF17 on Na,K-ATPase could abolish the beneficial effect gained from MnSOD activation. Both the antioxidative potential of genistein and its potency to up-regulate Na,K-ATPase activity make it an attractive candidate substance to suppress the early phase of the pathogenesis of AD.

Comparative study of systemic inflammatory responses in psoriasis vulgaris and mild to moderate allergic contact dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: Cytokines' and growth factors' serum patterns in patients with PV, allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and healthy subjects were investigated to describe and compare systemic inflammatory responses in these diseases. METHODS: A total of 12 inflammation-sensitive biomarkers were analyzed simultaneously by means of the Evidence Investigator™ biochip technology. RESULTS: In PV, proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukins (IL)-1ß, -2, -6, -8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 were elevated. In ACD, 2 markers, TNF-α and MCP-1, were increased, and regulatory cytokine IL-10 was decreased. Proinflammatory IL-2 had the strongest correlations with other pro- as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines in PV and ACD, whilst IL-6 correlated positively with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Growth factors' levels correlated with MCP-1, but only in PV. CONCLUSION: Although psoriasis induces a more variegated proinflammatory systemic response, ACD is likewise associated with a systemic increase in inflammatory mediators.

[Effect of probiotic Heart cheese "Harmony" comprising bacteria L. plantarum TENSIA DSM 21380 on blood pressure and metabolic health indices].

The probiotic L. plantarum strain TENSIA (DSM 21380) is a novel microorganism having antimicrobial and antihypertensive properties. The aim of the study was to test the efficacy of the consumption of the cheese, comprising the novel strain TENSIA on multiple health markers of humans. Human intervention trial showed that the blood pressure lowering effect of cheese, comprising L. plantarum TENSIA was evident in healthy volunteers with high normal blood pressure up to normal values. The 3-week consumption of the prohiotic cheese did not increase the CVD risk factors like BMI, the level of plasma lipids and glucose as well as inflammatory and immunological markers of human body.

Elevated serum IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, CRP, and IFN-γ levels in 10- to 11-year-old boys with increased BMI.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many inflammation parameters are associated with obesity, but few comparable data are found in youth. This study aims to characterize the differences in serum levels of 13 biochemical inflammatory markers between boys with increased BMI and boys with normal BMI, and examine the relationships between inflammation markers, skinfold thicknesses, and body composition. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS: The participants were 38 boys (BMI above 85th percentile) and 38 boys (normal BMI) at the age of 10-11 years. Measurements included BMI, 9 skinfold thicknesses, waist and hip circumferences, and total body and trunk fat mass and percentage as indices of obesity, fasting insulin, glucose, and serum concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, VEGF, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1ß, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), epidermal growth factor, and CRP. RESULTS: Overweight boys (OWB) were taller and more frequently in puberty than normal-weight boys (NWB). Skinfold thicknesses and body composition parameters were higher in OWB. They had significantly higher serum IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, MCP-1, and CRP values compared to NWB. CONCLUSIONS: Six of 13 measured biochemical markers were significantly increased in OWB, indicating that many low-grade inflammatory processes are already involved in the development of obesity in childhood.

Aortic stiffness and vitamin D are independent markers of aortic calcification in patients with peripheral arterial disease and in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Arterial stiffness is a significant determinant of cardiovascular risk and is related to vascular calcification. Vitamin D may regulate arterial calcification and has been associated with cardiovascular survival benefits. However, data about the relationship between arterial stiffness, aortic calcification and vitamin D levels in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and in healthy subjects are limited. We examined the potential association between aortic calcification, arterial stiffness and vitamin D levels in patients with symptomatic PAD and in healthy individuals. METHODS: We studied 78 men with PAD (aged 63 ± 7 years) and 74 healthy men (aged 61 ± 10 years). Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) was determined by applanation tonometry using the Sphygmocor device. Aortic calcification score (ACS) was quantified by computed tomography. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured using a radioimmune assay. RESULTS: ACS (4.9(2.3-8.9) vs. 0.2(0.03-1.6) (cm³); p < 0.01), aPWV (9.8 ± 2.4 vs. 8.2 ± 1.6 (m s⁻¹; p < 0.01) and 25(OH)D (15.1 ± 5.4 vs. 19.0 ± 5.9 (ng ml⁻¹); p < 0.01) were different in the patients compared with the controls. In multivariate analysis, ACS was independently determined by 25(OH)D, aPWV, calcium and age in patients with PAD (R² = 0.49; p < 0.001) and by 25(OH)D, aPWV, cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and age in the control group (R² = 0.55; p < 0.001). Increased aPWV and lower levels of 25(OH)D were associated with decreased ankle-brachial pressure index (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that calcification of the aorta is independently associated with aortic stiffness and serum 25(OH)D level in patients with PAD and in healthy subjects. Aortic stiffness and abnormal vitamin D level may contribute to vascular calcification and are related to higher severity grade of atherosclerotic disease.

The levels of adiponectin and leptin and their relation to other markers of cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: A link between psoriasis and risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is supposed. Adipokines (adiponectin and leptin) playing roles in inflammation as well as lipid metabolism could have impact on CVD. OBJECTIVES: We investigated links between adiponectin and leptin levels and several inflammation- and oxidative stress-related CVD risk makers in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: Sixty patients with plaque-type psoriasis with normal total cholesterol levels belonging to three body mass index (BMI) categories: BMI < 24.9, BMI 25.0-29.9 and BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2) were studied. Fasting blood samples were analysed for adiponectin, leptin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), oxidized LDL/ß(2) -glycoprotein complexes (oxLDL-ß(2)-GPI) and standard blood lipid panel. RESULTS: In patients, adiponectin was negatively (P < 0.005), and leptin, oxLDL and oxLDL-ß(2) -GPI levels were positively correlated to BMI (P < 0.005, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). Patients had higher hsCRP and IL-6 levels as compared with the endemic reference values. High adiponectin was strongly associated with higher TNF-α and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.001), and lower triglycerides (TG) (P = 0.01) as well as oxLDL-ß(2) -GPI levels (P < 0.05). After multivariate adjustment, the association for TNF-α and TG remained significant (P < 0.01 for both). Multiple regression analysis also revealed that leptin concentration was significantly associated with hsCRP, oxLDL and TG levels. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that in addition to the strong effect of inflammation and LDL oxidation, adipokine level may be one of the mechanisms behind the close association between psoriasis and CVD. Given the significant relations of several markers with BMI, health consequences of excessive weight should be better communicated to patients with psoriasis.

Prevalence of asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity in Danish schoolchildren: no change over 10 years.

AIM: To describe the point prevalence of current physician-diagnosed asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) in 2001 among unselected Danish schoolchildren aged 6-17 years, compared with the prevalence from a similar study from 1990 to 1991. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using parental questionnaire on asthma and respiratory symptoms combined with a 6-min free running test with peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurement (n = 1051, response rate 89.3%). Results were compared with those of a similar study in the same area from 1990 to 1991. Main outcome measures were current physician-diagnosed asthma or BHR in children without physician-diagnosed asthma measured by either a decrease in lung function after standardized running test and/or variability in PEFR on home monitoring. RESULTS: The prevalence of current physician-diagnosed asthma was 4.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7-5.3%] in 1990-1991 and 3.6% (95% CI 2.4-4.8%) in 2001. The prevalence of BHR was 3.2% (95% CI 2.0-4.4%) in 1990-1991 and 2.0% (95% CI 1.1-2.9%) in 2001. The combined prevalence was 7.2% (95% CI 5.4-8.9%) in 1990-1991 and 5.6% (95% CI 4.2-7.1%) in 2001. CONCLUSION: The point prevalence of current physician-diagnosed asthma and BHR among unselected Danish schoolchildren aged 6-17 years was unchanged over 10 years between 1990-1991 and 2001.

Complete glutathione system in probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3.

There is much information about glutathione (GSH) in eukaryotic cells, but relatively little is known about GSH in prokaryotes. Without GSH and glutathione redox cycle lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cannot protect themselves against reactive oxygen species. Previously we have shown the presence of GSH in Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 (DSM14241). Results of this study show that probiotic L. fermentum ME-3 contains both glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. We also present that L. fermentum ME-3 can transport GSH from environment and synthesize GSH. This means that it is characterized by a complete glutathione system: synthesis, uptake and redox turnover ability that makes L. fermentum ME-3 a perfect protector against oxidative stress. To our best knowledge studies on existence of the complete glutathione system in probiotic LAB strains are still absent and glutathione synthesis in them has not been demonstrated.

Temperature dependence of the sodium pump is altered in the cerebral cortex of CCK2 receptor-deficient mice.

Previously we have shown that the temperature dependence of the sodium pump (Na(+),K(+)-ATPase) is altered under different neuropathological conditions. In this study we compared temperature dependence of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in the fronto-parietal cortex of CCK(2) receptor-deficient (homo- and heterozygous) and normal (wild-type) mice. The Arrhenius plot for Na(+),K(+)-ATPase from wild-type brain is non-linear with a breakpoint at 20.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C. In case of the brain cell membrane of CCK(2) receptor-deficient mice (homo- and heterozygous) the breakpoint on Arrhenius plot was detected at 26.0 +/- 1.1 degrees C and 25.4 +/- 0.4 degrees C, respectively. The shift of the breakpoint on the Arrhenius plot established in CCK(2) receptor-deficiency as well as in case of some other pathological conditions confirms that such kind of alteration in the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase temperature dependence is likely related to the homeostatic adjustment of altered function of the sodium pump.

Relation of exploratory behaviour to plasma corticosterone and Wfs1 gene expression in Wistar rats.

Male Wistar rats exhibit significant variations in exploratory behaviour in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) model of anxiety. We have now investigated the relation between exploratory behaviour and levels of corticosterone and systemic oxidative stress. Also, the expression levels of endocannabinoid-related and wolframin (Wfs1) genes were measured in the forebrain structures. The rats were divided into high, intermediate and low exploratory activity groups. Exposure to EPM significantly elevated the serum levels of corticosterone in all rats, but especially in the high exploratory group. Oxidative stress indices and expression of endocannabinoid-related genes were not significantly affected by exposure to EPM. Wfs1 mRNA level was highly dependent on exploratory behaviour of animals. In low exploratory activity rats, Wfs1 gene expression was reduced in the temporal lobe, whereas in high exploratory activity group it was reduced in the mesolimbic area and hippocampus. Altogether, present study indicates that in high exploratory activity rats, the activation of brain areas related to novelty seeking is apparent, whereas in low exploratory activity group the brain structures linked to anxiety are activated.

Effects of a synbiotic product on blood antioxidative activity in subjects colonized with Helicobacter pylori.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of the consumption of a synbiotic product on the antioxidative activity markers of blood in asymptomatic H. pylori-colonized persons. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-three healthy adult volunteers without gastric symptoms participated in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. The crossover consumption of the enterocoated capsules containing antioxidative Lactobacillusfermentum ME-3, Lact. paracasei 8700:2 and Bifidobacterium longum 46 with Raftilose P95 lasted for 3 weeks and did not change the H. pylori colonization. In H. pylori-positive subjects the sera values of total antioxidative status (TAS) were significantly lower compared to H. pylori-negative subjects (0.97 vs 1.05 mmol l(-1), P = 0.008). After the consumption of the synbiotic, TAS values (0.97 vs 1.03 mmol l(-1), P = 0.004) increased, while the ratio between oxidized and reduced glutathione (0.035 vs 0.030, P = 0.016) decreased in H. pylori-positive subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of a synbiotic containing an antioxidative probiotic strain improved the reduced systemic antioxidative activity in H. pylori-colonized asymptomatic subjects. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: A synbiotic product containing an antioxidative probiotic strain may be useful in the reduction of systemic oxidative stress in H. pylori infection.

Clear differences in adiponectin level and glutathione redox status revealed in obese and normal-weight patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown increased prevalence of obesity in patients with psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: To characterize both inflammatory- and oxidative stress-related differences between obese patients with psoriasis (OPP) and normal-weight patients with psoriasis (NWPP). METHODS: The plasma concentrations of adiponectin and interleukin (IL)-6 were analysed by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique in 10 patients with a body mass index (BMI)<25 and 12 patients with a BMI>30. Total glutathione and oxidized glutathione levels were measured spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: Plasma concentration of adiponectin in NWPP was more than twice the level in healthy normal-weight controls (P<0.001), while such an elevation did not occur in OPP. OPP were characterized by a significantly increased IL-6 level, which correlated negatively with the adiponectin level (r=-0.85, P<0.001). The glutathione redox status, which was also inversely correlated with the adiponectin level (r=-0.63, P<0.05), was associated with significantly increased oxidative stress in the OPP compared with the NWPP or controls. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity in patients with psoriasis is associated with both decreased plasma levels of protective adiponectin compared with NWPP, and enhanced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings are in concordance with high prevalence of diseases related to lower adiponectin levels among psoriasis patients.