Association between sex,systemic iron variation and probability of Parkinson's disease

Objective: Iron homeostasis appears altered in Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent genetic studies and meta-analyses have produced heterogeneous and inconclusive results. In order to verify the possible role of iron status in PD, we have screened some of the main metal gene variants, evaluated their effects on iron systemic status, and checked for possible interactions with PD. Materials and methods: In 92 PD patients and 112 healthy controls, we screened the D544E and R793H variants of the ceruloplasmin gene (CP), the P589S variant of the transferrin gene (TF), and the H63D and C282Y variants of the HFE gene, encoding for homologous proteins, respectively. Furthermore, we analyzed serum concentrations of iron, copper and their related proteins. Results: The genetic investigation revealed no significant differences in allelic and genotype distributions between patients and controls. Two different multivariable forward stepwise logistic models showed that, when the effect of sex is considered, an increase of the probability of having PD is associated with low iron concentration and Tf-saturation. Conclusions: This study provides new evidence of the involvement of iron metabolism in PD pathogenesis and reveals a biological effect of sex.     

A Literature Review of the Effects of Copper Intrauterine Devices on Blood Copper Levels in Humans

Copper is a trace mineral that is essential to human health but can be harmful in excess. Since the introduction of copper-containing intrauterine devices in the 1970s, their possible relationship to abnormal/toxic blood copper levels has been researched. Here, we summarize and interpret 12 studies that evaluate blood copper levels in users of copper-containing intrauterine devices. The data are inconclusive, with the results of eight studies indicating no increase in blood copper levels with use and the results of four studies showing significant increases in blood copper levels with use. Investigators in all studies reviewed appear to have evaluated for total copper rather than free copper (the form of copper that is toxic), which raises questions about the clinical significance of all research on this subject to date.     

Role of Oxidative and Antioxidative Parameters in Etiopathogenesis and Prognosis of Panic Disorder

Free radicals have been implicated in some psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to investigate the role of oxidative and antioxidative parameters in etiopathogenesis and prognosis of panic disorder (PD), using novel methods for measurement of total oxidant and antioxidant statuses. Nineteen PD patients and 40 healthy subjects were recruited. Both total antioxidant status and oxidative stress index, and ceruloplasmin levels of PD patients were significantly higher in PD patients. Total oxidant status and oxidative stress index decreased after treatment. This study suggests an oxidative imbalance in PD and treatment can reverse overall oxidative imbalance.     

Hypoceruloplasminemia-related movement disorder without Kayser-Fleischer rings is different from Wilson disease and not involved in ATP7B mutation

Objective:  To explore the relationship between hypoceruloplasminemia-related movement disorder (HCMD) without Kayser-Fleischer rings in Wilson disease (WD) and ATP7B gene mutation.
Methods:  Clinical feature, serum ceruloplasmin (CP), total serum copper, non-CP-bound serum copper (nCC), urine copper, and ATP7B gene sequence were investigated in 24 patients with HCMD.
Results:  The patients with HCMD exhibited a long-term stable course of diseases. Serum CP in HCMD group (0.178 ± 0.025 g/l) was lower than healthy control group (0.291 ± 0.049 g/l, P  < 0.05). Total serum copper in HCMD group was 0.578 ± 0.284 μg/l and was lower than normal lower limit obviously (≤0.80 μg/l). nCC was 0.143 ± 0.073 μg/l and reached 29.18 ± 19.61% of total serum copper. Urine copper in HCMD group was 303.82 ± 225.68 μg/24 h and was higher than normal upper limit obviously (≤70 μg/24 h). A heterozygous nonsense mutation of single nucleotide acid was found in one patient with spasmodic torticollis. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were found and their frequencies were not different between health control group and HCMD group. Four patients exhibited consistent sequence of ATP7B gene listed by GeneBank without any mutation and SNP.
Conclusion:  Hypoceruloplasminemia-related movement disorder without Kayser-Fleischer rings, which exhibits mild low serum CP and a long-term stability of disease course, is different from WD and not associated with ATP7B gene mutation. Further investigation of molecular biology should be encouraged.     

Role of the syncytium in placenta-mediated complications of preeclampsia

The syncytiotrophoblast (SCT) is the outer layer of placenta which is in direct contact with maternal blood. As such it is uniquely positioned to alter maternal hemostasis and endothelial function. The syncytium is known to release anti-angiogenic factors including fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin (sEng), as well as the anti-fibinolytic factor plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Its release of microparticles has also been suggested to play a role in regulating maternal endothelial and immune cell function. It is of note that syncytial release of the abovementioned factors increases in preeclampsia, a major cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. In preeclampsia, hypoxia and reperfusion injury in the placenta is associated with activation of the maternal endothelium. In this review, I describe the interaction of syncytial factors with hypoxia, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. In addition, I detail the potential protective actions of placental ceruloplasmin in preeclampsia, recently described by our group to be a sensitive marker of syncytial hypoxia.     

血浆铜蓝蛋白的作用及相关疾病研究进展

铜蓝蛋白(ceruloplasmin,Cp)是一种多铜氧化酶及抗氧化剂.Cp不仅在维持机体铜与铁等微量元素的平衡中起着重要的作用,其相关功能及疾病研究也有重要意义.目前大多数学者只对铜蓝蛋白是否能作为各种临床疾病的指标作了研究,但对其分子机制的研究仍较少.本文对铜蓝蛋白基因的结构、组织表达,铜蓝蛋白及同系亚铁氧化酶家族...     

尿Ⅳ—C、CERP、NAG在糖尿病肾病早期诊断中的意义

目的：探讨尿Ⅳ-C、CERP、NAG在糖尿病肾病（DN）早期诊断中的意义。方法：测量60例糖尿病患者尿微量白蛋白正常38例（DM-1组）、升高22例（DM-2组）和20例正常人的Ⅳ型胶原（Ⅳ-C）、铜蓝蛋白（CERP）、N-乙酰-B—D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶（NAG）水平,并分析其与血糖、血肌酐、尿素氮等指标的相关性。结果：病例组尿Ⅳ-C、CERP和NAG均显著高于正常对照组,DM-2组与DM-1组间差异具有统计学意义（氏0．01或P〈0．05）,且与UAER呈显著正相关;尿微量蛋白升高,与血尿素氮、肌酐等呈正相关;联合检测阳性率显著高于单项检测。结论：尿Ⅳ-C、CERP、NAG作为DM患者早期肾脏损伤的敏感指标优于尿微量蛋白,其升高反映肾脏损害程度,联合检测对预测DM早期肾脏损害的发生和进展具有重要意义。     

评价大鼠铜摄入量3种指标的比较研究

目的：筛选出对于铜摄入量敏感的指标,用于微量元素铜的健康影响评价。方法：灌胃给予大鼠不同剂量（0、0.033、0.169、0.829、4.146、20.73 mg/kg）葡萄糖酸铜,90d后测定大鼠血中铜含量、血中铜蓝蛋白活力及肝中铜含量,并进行比较研究。结果：随着铜摄入量的增加,各组大鼠血铜含量变化不明显,与正常对照组相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。相关性分析表明,大鼠血中铜蓝蛋白活力随着铜摄入量的增加而上升,铜蓝蛋白活力与铜摄入量之间呈对数正相关（R~2=0.984 5,P〈0.05）;大鼠肝铜含量随着铜摄入量的增加呈现直线上升趋势（R~2=0.989,P〈0.05）。结论：大鼠血中铜蓝蛋白活力水平及肝铜含量,均可以敏感反映出不同剂量组大鼠铜摄入水平,但血中铜蓝蛋白活力的测定方法简便,更适宜应用于大量样本的研究中评价铜摄入水平。