Plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 in patients with coronary artery disease.

Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is implicated in post-ischemic myocardial dysfunction. Two distinct TNF-alpha receptors are shed from cell membranes and circulate in plasma as soluble sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 proteins. The aim of the study was to establish factors associated with plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha and its receptors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Since adenosine inhibits the expression of TNF-alpha, two functional polymorphisms in genes encoding enzymes participating in adenosine metabolism, i.e. AMP deaminase-1 (AMPD1, C34T) and adenosine deaminase (ADA, G22A), were analyzed. Plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 were measured using ELISA in 167 patients with CAD. Common factors significantly associated with higher TNF-alpha, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 were lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), older age, higher BNP, lower blood haemoglobin, and the presence of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Higher TNF-alpha and sTNFR1 concentrations were also associated with the presence of heart failure (HF), lower ejection and shortening fraction, the presence of diabetes or metabolic syndrome, lower serum HDL cholesterol, and higher uric acid. In multivariate analysis the common independent predictors of higher TNF-alpha, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 were lower GFR, lower HDL cholesterol, higher BNP, and the presence of asthma or COPD. There were no associations between AMPD1 C34T or ADA G22A genotypes and TNF-alpha or its receptors. In conclusion, the concentrations of TNF-alpha, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 reflect the impairment of cardiac and renal function in patients with CAD. Metabolic syndrome and diabetes are associated with higher plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha and its receptors.

[Toxic effects of fluorine compounds on the the fetus and their effect on the course of pregnancy]. / Skutki toksycznego dzialania fluorków na plód i ich wplyw na przebieg ciazy.

The effect of transfer fluorine compounds through placenta is a possibility their influence on fetus. There are known many examples of unprofitable activity fluorine compounds during pregnancy. There is mentioned among others increase percentage of preterm labours, stillbirths, congenital abnormalities and also deaths of newborns just after delivery. The mechanisms of toxic influence fluorine compounds on fetus have probably character of direct influence on embryo's cells or disturb the punction of placental tissue with following consequences. The real teratogenic fluorine compounds activity was not completely proved.

Myocardial and coronary sinus purines as indicators of pig heart energy metabolism during reperfusion after extracorporeal circulation.

AIM: The precise understanding of myocardial metabolism is crucial for the optimization of cardiosurgical procedures. We attempted to gain a comprehensive insight into the purine metabolism of the porcine heart during reperfusion by measuring concentrations of nucleotides, nucleosides and oxypurines simultaneously in the myocardium and coronary sinus. METHODS: Twenty-five pigs were subjected to sham cardiosurgery with extracorporeal circulation and cold cardioplegic arrest of 60 min. Myocardial biopsies, as well as coronary sinus and arterial blood samples were taken before aortic clamping and at 5, 20, 60 and 120 min of reperfusion. HPLC was used to measure concentrations of 17 purines in the bioptates and of 5 in plasma. RESULTS: Reperfusion rapidly normalized the ischaemic decrease in the adenylate energy charge of the myocardium, but during 120 min failed to restore the reduced adenylate pool, because of irreversible loss of nucleosides by cardiomyocytes. Low adenylate energy charge and depletion of the adenylate pool were accompanied by analogous changes in the guanylates and growing deficit of NAD and NADP. Reperfusion was marked by significant release of inosine and guanosine from the heart, without any noticeable effect on hypoxanthine and xanthine. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary sinus concentrations of purines provide only a limited insight into the metabolism of the porcine heart. Repeated biopsies of the heart muscle and HPLC determinations of purine profiles represent a comprehensive and unique method for the study of purine metabolism during ischaemia and reperfusion. Future research on myocardial metabolism in disease and during cardiosurgical procedures should additionally be oriented to deficits in guanine and pyridine nucleotides.

Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor-enriched CD34(+) cells are mobilized into peripheral blood during stress related to ischemic stroke or acute myocardial infarction.

The hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells harvested directly from the bone marrow (BM) or G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood were demonstrated to play an important role in regeneration of damaged organs (1, 2). Here, we asked if the stroke- or acute heart infarct-related stress triggers mobilization of stem/progenitor-enriched CD34(+)cells from the BM into the peripheral blood, which subsequently could contribute to regeneration of damaged tissues. To address this question the peripheral blood samples were harvested from patients with ischemic stroke during the first 24 h of manifestation of symptoms and on the second and sixth day afterwards or during the first 24 h of acute cardiac pain as well as on the second and sixth day of infarct. We measured in these patients (i) percentage of circulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor-enriched CD34(+) cells in peripheral blood by employing fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) and (ii) number of hematopoietic progenitor cells for the granulocyte-monocytic colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) and erythoid burst-forming unit (BFU-E) lineages circulating in peripheral blood. We concluded that stress related to ischemic stroke or acute myocardial infarction triggers the mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor-enriched CD34(+) cells from the BM into peripheral blood. These circulating stem/progenitor-enriched CD34(+) cells may contribute to the regeneration of ischemic tissues, however, this possibility requires further studies.

[Mutations of genes coding collagen type I--biochemical and clinical effects]. / Mutacje genów kodujacych kolagen typu I--efekty biochemiczne i kliniczne.

Type I collagen is the most abundant structural protein of human body. In this paper the effects of mutations in COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes on biochemical properties of this protein and clinical manifestations are described.

[Vitamin C and uric acid concentrations in plasma and gastric mucosa in patients regularly consuming vegetables, fruits and fruit juices]. / Stezenie witaminy C i kwasu moczowego w osoczu i blonie sluzowej zoladka u osób spozywajacych regularnie warzywa, owoce i soki owocowe.

UNLABELLED: Vitamin C (Asc) as a reactive oxygen species scavenger inhibits detrimental oxidation reactions and counteracts formation of mutagenic compounds which damage DNA in the gastric and duodenal mucosa. It has been considered as an important factor in reducing risk of gastric carcinoma. However, the role of uric acid (UA) as an antioxidant factor and its influence on gastric mucosa has not been so well investigated. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between vegetable, fruit and fruit juices intake and water soluble antioxidant (Asc and UA) concentrations in plasma and gastric mucosa. The study also assessed the prevalence and intensity of inflammatory changes in mucosa and Helicobacter pylori infection. 34 patients participated in the study. Asc and UA concentrations in plasma and gastric mucosa samples were examined with the use of liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Histopathological examinations of gastric mucosa were also performed. Higher concentrations of Asc and UA in plasma and less frequent inflammatory changes of gastric mucosa were found in patients regularly consuming vegetables and fruits. It may suggest the protective effect of these compounds on mucosa. No significant relationship was found between H. pylori infection and antioxidant concentrations in plasma and gastric tissue in patients with chronic gastritis. CONCLUSIONS: Diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fruit juices helps in reducing prevalence of inflammatory changes in gastric mucosa. It can be associated with higher Asc and UA concentrations in plasma and higher UA concentrations in gastric mucosa. Lower Asc and UA concentrations in patients with gastritis have no significant relationship with H. pylori infection.