Lack of glutathione transferase activity in intermittent claudication

Glutathione transferase activity towards trans-stilbene oxide (GT-tSBO), an enzyme involved in the detoxification of many substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was studied in 77 consecutive patients operated with coronary bypass, 73 patients with intermittent claudication, 78 healthy smokers and in 38 healthy non-smokers. The mean ages of these groups were similar. Lack of GT-tSBO was recorded in 45% of coronary bypass patients, in 39% of smoking coronary bypass patients, in 61% of patients with intermittent claudication, in 41% of healthy smokers and in 31% of healthy non-smokers. The lack of GT-tSBO was significantly more frequent among patients with intermittent claudication compared to healthy non-smokers (p less than 0.01) and healthy smokers (p less than 0.025) and to smoking coronary bypass. It is concluded that the lack of GT-tSBO is found more frequently among patients with intermittent claudication and this might contribute to explain the sensitivity to smoking among these subjects.     

Urinary cystatin C as a biomarker of early renal dysfunction in type 2 diabetic patients

AimsWe aimed to evaluate urinary CysC (cystanin c) as an early marker of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes and investigate the correlation of urinary CysC with albuminuria and GFR.MethodologyThis case-controlled study was conducted on 66 type 2 diabetic patients who were classified according to albuminuria into 3 groups and consisting of 20 healthy subjects as the control group. We assessed urinary CysC, urinary albumin excretion rate (UACR).ResultsUrinary CysC levels were significantly higher in normoalbuminuric diabetic compared with healthy control and there was a progressive linear increase in urinary CysC levels with increasing albuminuria in the diabetic patients. Despite insignificant deference in creatinine between participants groups, we observed significant differences between these groups as regard eGFR, urinary CysC, and UACR. Urinary CysC did not have significant correlations with any clinical or biochemical parameters. Moreover, urinary CysC had a statistically significant association with albuminuria and eGFR.ConclusionUrinary CysC levels correlated with UACR and GFR. It is linked to subclinical tubular injury and can be an earlier marker of kidney involvement, even before albuminuria and it is less influenced by non-renal factors. Therefore, Urinary CysC is useful biomarker for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy.     

Serum-soluble TRAIL: a potential biomarker for disease activity in myositis patients

Clinical Rheumatology - Tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF super-family, which is involved in the regulation of immune response and...     

Superoxide dismutase activity and reduced glutathione content in erythrocytes of uremic patients on chronic dialysis

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) content in erythrocytes (RBC) of uremic patients on chronic dialysis were determined. Specific SOD activity and GSH content were found lower in RBC from uremic patients before hemodialysis compared to normal RBC; after hemodialysis, the specific activity of SOD and GSH content were significantly increased.     

Kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1): an early biomarker for nephropathy in type II diabetic patients

Renal damage is a serious major microvascular diabetic complication implicated in the death of diabetic patients, which would necessitate the need for new biomarkers to detect early stage of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1), a type I transmembrane protein, is undetectable in normal kidneys but markedly induced in proximal tubules after ischemic and toxic injury. So, the present study was conducted to estimate and evaluate Kim-1 as a biomarker for DN. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 male and female type II diabetic patients (whose serum creatinine level was less than 2 mg/dL). Diabetic patients were classified as microalbuminuric with nephropathy (urinary albumin was 30–300 mg/dL) and normoalbuminuric without nephropathy (urinary albumin was <30 mg/dL). Twenty matched apparently healthy subjects were included as control group. Patients and controls were assessed for fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), microalbuminuria, and urinary Kim-1. Urinary Kim-1 levels were elevated significantly tenfold in type II diabetic microalbuminuric patients as compared to the control group and normoalbuminuric diabetic patient. Urinary Kim-1 levels were positively correlated with microalbuminuria, serum creatinine, BUN, duration of diabetes, and BMI. Higher urinary Kim-1 level in T2D particularly in those with nephropathy and its correlation with urinary microalbumin, serum creatinine, blood urea, and BUN may reflect the role of Kim-1 as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of diabetic nephropathy among T2D patients taking into account other risk factors.

     

Selenium independent glutathione peroxidase activity associated with cationic forms of glutathione transferase in human heart

Glutathione peroxidase activity with both hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide was measured in the cytosolic fractions prepared from five human hearts obtained from post-mortem victims. In all the samples the activity with cumene hydroperoxide was higher than that obtained with hydrogen peroxide, suggesting that the selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase could also be present in this tissue. To determine its presence in heart tissue we fractionated the cardiac cytosol fraction on a column of Sephadex G-100 and measured glutathione peroxidase activity with both the substrates. Glutathione transferase activity was measured with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene in the fractionated cytosol. The results indicated that a selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase activity was present (about 30% of total activity). Fractionation of the cytosol by gel filtration showed that peroxidase activity co-eluted with glutathione transferase activity. Subsequently the fractions containing glutathione transferase and selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase activity obtained from gel filtration experiments were passed through an affinity column and analyzed by isoelectric focusing. It was found that the selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase copurified with three isoenzymes of glutathione transferase which had a pI of 9.2, 8.9 and 8.6 respectively. In contrast the acidic isoenzymes of glutathione transferase lacked peroxidase activity. It is suggested that the selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase may play an important role in neutralizing oxygen toxicity in heart when the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity is impaired.     

Tenascin-C,a biomarker of disease activity in early ankylosing spondylitis

Clinical Rheumatology - Monocytes of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) over-express toll-like receptor (TLR) 4. Tenascin-C (TNC) is an endogenous TLR4 ligand. Thus, we studied the serum and...     

Coronary revascularization in uremic diabetic patients under chronic hemodialysis

Coronary heart disease is the main cause of mortality among uremic patients on chronic hemodialysis (CHD) and is the determinant of the outcome in these cases after renal transplantation, especially in diabetics. In this study we report our experience with two uremic diabetics on CHD with severe coronary artery lesions in whom aortocoronary bypass was performed before renal transplantation. The outcome in the two patients, after 30 and 55 months respectively indicates successful results. We discuss the necessity to perform coronariography in all the high risk patients on CHD, such as diabetics and elderly before planning renal transplantation and achieve aortocoronary bypass surgery in those with severe coronary disease. The technics and difficulties of the surgery in uremics are also analized.     

Serum level of gamma-glutamyl transferase as a biomarker for predicting stenosis severity in patients with coronary artery disease

BackgroundGamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) is associated with pathogenesis of various diseases such as coronary artery disease (CAD). GGT activity displays an essential role in the catabolism of glutathione which is reported as a major antioxidant. The aim of this study was to explore the association of GGT activity with obstruction severity of artery in 500 CAD patients.ResultsOur finding showed a significant association between serum GGT activity and CAD patients. In particular, the level of GGT in patients who had ≥50% obstruction was higher, compared to healthy and patients with less than 50% obstruction in their coronary arteries (the level of GGT in patients with at least one (1 SVD), two (2VD), three (3VD) coronary artery obstruction were 55.6 ± 9.7, 71.7 ± 12.7 and 84.7 ± 13.4, while these values in patients with negative angio or control group were 28 ± 10 and 17 ± 4.6). Furthermore, the activity of this marker was associated with increased the risk of CAD (Odd ratio of GGT in 3VD group: 2, 95%CI: 1.8–2.3), which was also related with HDL-C. Of note, the level of GGT was enhanced progressively with increasing the obstruction severity of arteries.ConclusionWe demonstrate the prognostic value of serum level of GGT as a biomarker for predicting obstruction severity in patients with CAD.