Antiapoptotic and antioxidant effects of carvedilol and vitamin E protect against diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy in diabetic Wistar albino rats.

Carvedilol is a novel ß-adrenoreceptor blocker, with antioxidant properties inhibiting lipid peroxidation and preventing the depletion of endogenous antioxidants. Moreover, carvedilol was reported to enhance the expression of Bcl-2 gene, which has antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects. There are few researches testing the protective effect of carvedilol on the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and nephropathy. In this study, we induced diabetes mellitus in male Wistar albino rats. We investigated carvedilol, as well as vitamin E, administrated in healthy and diabetic rats for 6 weeks to compare their effects on biochemical parameters and the expression of Bcl-2 protein in both myocardial and renal tissues by immunohistochemistry. The study showed that the diabetic rats not only had renal dysfunction and more myocardial damage, but also showed lower expression of Bcl-2 protein. Carvedilol and vitamin E treatments were associated with better renal function and less myocardial damage, lower blood glucose, and lipid peroxidation, higher antioxidant capacity, better serum lipids, and higher expression of Bcl-2 protein in diabetic rats. These results indicate that carvedilol and vitamin E treatments partly protect against myocardial and renal damage probably via their antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties in diabetic rats.

Telomeric 1p36.3 deletion and Ki-67 expression in B-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma patients associated with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is able to accumulate genetic p53 mutations and may be considered co-oncogenic. This study investigates 1p36.3 telomere deletion in B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients with chronic HCV infection using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in relation to survival to assess Ki-67 antigen expression. A study group and a control group of 100 patients with B-NHL (50 HCV positive and 50 HCV negative) and 60 control bone marrow biopsies were subjected to FISH for the detection of 1P36.3 deletion and to immunohistochemical staining with Ki-67 antigens. 1p36.3 deletion by FISH was detected in 40% of the study group, and Ki-67 was expressed in approximately 74% of patients. A significant difference was found between positive and negative HCV patients in their overall survival, the qualitative expression of Ki-67 and the quantitative detection of 1p36.3 deletion by FISH. The overall survival was shorter with the presence of an 1p36 deletion by FISH and HCV positive. We concluded that the coexistence of Ki-67 positivity, HCV positivity and 1p36.3 deletion may contribute to infection-related cancers at the 1p36.3 locus.

Pattern and possible contributing factors to dialysis-associated arrhythmia in young patients.

We studied dialysis-associated arrhythmia in 48 uraemic patients < 35 years on chronic haemodialysis (HD) (> 3 months). Holter findings showed only minor arrhythmia; atrial in 42% of patients and ventricular in 38%. ST-segment depression > 1 mm was observed in 58% of patients; 80% had arrhythmia, and 36% experienced anginal pain. HD caused a significant increase in QTc, QTdc and Ca2+ level, while K+ level was significantly decreased. Patients who experienced arrhythmia during HD had higher left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index, lower post-dialysis K+ level, higher QTc and QTdc both before and after HD. They were more frequently hypertensive. ST-segment depression was significantly related to ventricular arrhythmia.

Glomerular expression and elevated serum Bcl-2 and Fas proteins in lupus nephritis: preliminary findings.

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in glomerular injuries leading to glomerulonephritis. Bcl-2 and Fas are proteins that promote cell survival and death, respectively. This study tests the hypothesis that lupus nephritis is associated with alterations of Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression. Thirty-six patients with lupus nephritis and 10 controls (normal individuals) were included in this study. Bcl-2 and Fas positive cells were examined in kidney biopsies by immunohistochemistry. Bcl-2 and Fas serum levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the glomeruli of normal kidneys, Bcl-2 and Fas proteins were completely absent. In lupus nephritis patients, glomerular expression of Bcl-2 and Fas was seen in mesangial cells (1.3 +/- 0.1 and 2.0 +/- 0.1 for Bcl-2 and Fas, respectively). Similarly, a statistically significantly higher Bcl-2 (217.1 +/- 85.9) and Fas (767.9 +/- 271) serum levels were found in lupus patients compared to controls (148.6 +/- 87, 550.3 +/- 91 for Bcl-2 and Fas, P < 0.05). A direct correlation between serum Bcl-2 and Fas and chronicity index was also found. Compared to normal controls, lupus nephritis is associated with glomerular expression and elevated serum levels of Bcl-2 and Fas proteins. These findings suggest possible roles for Bcl-2 and Fas in glomerular injury during evolution of lupus nephritis. The diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic ramifications of our findings are open to further investigation.