Serum galectin-3 levels in women with PCOS.

AIM: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) plays a role in modulation of adiposity, glucose hemostasis and inflammation. The association between Gal-3 and the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), is not investigated. We aimed to evaluate galectin-3 levels in serum and their relation with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 56 women with PCOS were enrolled along with a control group of 41 healthy women, matched for age and body mass index. We measured hormonal and metabolic parameters, as well as the serum galectin-3 concentration of each participant. We estimated the IR according to the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). RESULTS: Women with PCOS had higher levels of serum Gal-3 compared to healthy individuals (3,588.77 ± 1,566.94 vs 2,491.33 ± 812.04, P < 0.001). Serum Gal-3 levels were correlated with progesterone (r = 0.241, P = 0.025), hirsutism score (r = 0.296, P = 0.006), insulin (r = 0.479, P = 0.028), HOMA-IR (r = 0.514, P = 0.017), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (r = 0.246, P = 0.022), testosterone (r = 0.252, P = 0.019), and free testosterone (r = 0.306, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Galectin-3 levels are higher in patients with PCOS, and there is a positive correlation between galectin-3 level and IR, androgen levels and hirsutismus scores. Gal-3 may be a new mediator of PCOS via IR, hyperandrogenism.

Influence of atopy on asthma severity in adult female patients.

BACKGROUND: Although allergy is known to play an important role in the development of asthma, its influence on the severity of the disease remains under discussion. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to examine the relationship between asthma severity and intensity of atopy in adult female asthmatic patients. METHODS: One hundred two consecutive female patients (mean [SD] age, 51.7 [13.4] years) defined as asthmatics according to criteria of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) were prospectively included in the study and their atopic status was investigated by skin prick tests and immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels in serum. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were determined to be atopic. The 2 most common allergens were mites (37.2%) and pollens (36.3%). According to GINA classification, 16.7% of the patients had mild intermittent asthma, 27.2% had mild persisten asthma, 33.4% moderate persisten asthma, and 22.5% severe persistent asthma. The mean IgE level was 190.3 (293.8) IU/mL. No differences between atopic and nonatopic asthmatic women were found with regard to severity of asthma, lung functions, age, smoking status, or duration of the disease. Although we found that mean serum total IgE levels tended to increase progressively with asthma severity, the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Intensity of allergy as measured by number of positive skin prick tests, size of wheal in positive tests, level of total IgE in serum did not influence asthma severity in adult female asthmatics.

The effect of Nigella sativa oil against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis via nitric oxide and other oxidative stress parameters.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) including nitric oxide (NO) are thought to be involved in inflammatory processes, exacerbating inflammation and tissue damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). The oil extracts of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) has been known as an antioxidant and antiinflammatory agent. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that N. sativa components provide protection against oxidative stress induced by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats. For this purpose, EAE was induced in rats by using guinea pig myelin basic protein (MBP) in Freud's adjuvant with addition of heat-killed M. Tuberculosis H37Ra to test this hypothesis. In study groups, N. sativa was given by oral gavage to the rats. Treatment of the rats with N. sativa inhibited ROS production induced by EAE showing diminished levels of MDA of both brain and medulla spinalis tissues. Although there was a significant decrease in brain NO level, there was an increase in medulla spinalis NO level after EAE induction in rats. N. sativa regulated tissue NO levels in some extend when applied together with EAE. When N. sativa was given alone to the rats, no changes were shown in brain, medulla spinalis, and serum oxidant/antioxidant parameters. In conclusion, N sativa may protect brain and medulla spinalis tissues against oxidative stress induced by EAE. In addition, N. sativa display its antioxidant and regulatory effects via inflammatory cells rather than the host tissue (brain and medulla spinalis) for EAE in rats.

Effect of peritoneal dialysis solution type on serum lipid levels in end-stage renal disease.

Among the different cardiovascular risk factors, lipid abnormalities dominate the high mortality in chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. So far, no data comparing the effect of standard glucose-containing, amino acid-containing, and icodextrin-containing peritoneal dialysis solutions on serum lipid concentrations in a chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis population are available. To determine the effect of peritoneal dialysis solutions on parameters of lipid metabolism, 67 subjects who had continued their usual dialysis for the last six months were enrolled in the study. Group A consisted of 18 patients who were receiving only glucose-based peritoneal dialysis solutions, group B consisted of 18 patients who were receiving glucose and amino acid-based peritoneal dialysis solutions, and group C consisted of 31 patients who were receiving glucose and icodextrin-based peritoneal dialysis solutions. Serum lipid parameters including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and lipoprotein (a) were determined in all groups. No significant difference in serum lipid parameters was found between groups A, B, and C. These results demonstrate the lack of the effect of amino acid or icodextrin-based peritoneal solutions on dyslipidemia of CAPD patients.

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and its relation to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with chronic renal failure.

To determine the relationship between plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide (i-ANP) and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), plasma i-ANP, plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone (PA) were assayed in 29 patients (19 hypertensive and 10 normotensive) with chronic renal failure (CRF), and in 10 healthy subjects. Hypertensive patients had higher i-ANP values than normotensive patients and controls (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01 respectively). There was no significant correlation between plasma i-ANP and creatinine concentrations in hypertensive patients, whereas this correlation was statistically significant in normotensive patients (r = 0.70, P less than 0.01). Other positive correlations were between plasma i-ANP and systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients (r = 0.69, P less than 0.01) and between plasma ANP and mean arterial pressure in normotensive patients (r = 0.63, P less than 0.01). There was significant negative correlation between plasma ANP and fractional sodium excretion (FENa) in hypertensive patients (r = -0.47, P less than 0.05), though there was significant positive correlation in normotensive patients (r = 0.80, P less than 0.01). Hypertensive patients, with the exception of one anuric patient and another with atrial fibrillation, had a significant negative correlation between FENa and systolic arterial blood pressure (r = 0.64, P less than 0.01). The patient group had increased PRA and PA values (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.001 respectively) and showed positive correlation with mean arterial pressure (MAP) (r = 0.71, P less than 0.001 and r = 0.58, P less than 0.01 respectively). These results show that increased concentrations of immunoreactive ANP circulate in CRF together with activated RAAS. We demonstrate that elevated ANP cannot affect blood pressure and natriuresis in hypertensive patients with CRF, whose RAAS is activated.

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels in hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rabbits.

BACKGROUND: It is known that serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (p-ANP) levels increase in hyperthyroidism. However, the precise mechanism of the effects of thyroid hormone on ANP release remains to be clarified. No study investigating serum ACE together with p-ANP levels has been performed in experimental hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rabbits. The present study was designed in order to provide additional evidence of increased ANP production and secretion in hyperthyroidism and to investigate the relationships between ANP, ACE and thyroid hormones. METHODS: Male New Zealand white rabbits (2.3-3.4 kg) were used throughout the study. Hyperthyroidism was induced by daily intraperitoneal administration of L-thyroxin (50 micrograms/100 g). Hypothyroidism was induced by daily intraperitoneal injection of propylthiouracil (2 mg/100 g body weight). Twelve days after the end of treatment, animals were sacrificed under anesthesia and blood samples were obtained from the aorta for serum ACE and thyroid hormone and p-ANP determinations. RESULTS: Serum ACE, plasma renin activity (PRA) and p-ANP were higher in hyperthyroid rabbits and lower in hypothyroid rabbits than in euthyroid rabbits. ANP concentration in atria was lower in hyperthyroid rabbits and higher in hypothyroid rabbits than in euthyroid rabbits. p-ANP, PRA and serum ACE levels were positively correlated with serum thyroxin levels. Inverse correlation was found between serum thyroxin and ANP concentration in atria (a-ANP), and between p-ANP and a-ANP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that not only p-ANP but also serum ACE activity was markedly increased in experimental hyperthyroid rabbits. It was thought that there were both direct and indirect effects of thyroxin on the release of ANP.

Grasp reflex strength from right and left hands is associated with pH stressor from the umbilical arterial blood in human newborns: handedness and sex-related differences.

Grasp reflex and its asymmetry was studied in relation to pH of the umbilical blood in human newborns, to examine whether the degree of acidity in fetal blood (birth stress) is associated with cerebral laterality. Low pH values were considered as an index for birth stress. Grasp-reflex strength was found to be directly related to pH in total sample. There were sex-related differences. Namely, this correlation was true only for female newborns, not for males. Right minus left grasp-reflex strength linearly increased with pH, i.e., low pH values were associated with left-hand dominance, but only in males. The grasp-reflex asymmetry was not related to pH in females. It was concluded that blood pH may be associated with motor asymmetry and motor development in human newborns, but show sex-related differences; female brain seemed to be more sensitive to pH changes than male brain. The results partly supported the Bakan's hypothesis that birth stress may be associated with left-handedness.

Should children with infection be tested for lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein?

The lipid profile is known to alter in patients with infection, but there has not been a study of the apolipoprotein levels in serum of otherwise healthy children during infection. Lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins A-1 and B and lipoprotein (a) were evaluated prospectively in 31 consecutive children, aged 4-15 years, who were admitted to the hospital with bacterial pharyngitis. The degree of dyslipidemia associated with bacterial pharyngitis was assessed using each child as his/her own control and by comparison with 79 healthy children who had not had an infection during the past 3 months. Serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1 and apolipoprotein B levels were significantly decreased during the symptomatic phase of the disease, whereas the serum triglyceride level was slightly elevated. Serum lipoprotein (a) concentration did not change significantly. In conclusion, it is suggested that serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins should not be assessed during infection because of the possible transient changes of these parameters during infection or inflammation.