Secretory phospholipase A2 in patients with coronary artery disease

This study investigated the correlation of sPLA2 (secretory phospholipase A2) activity with the atheromatosis extent in subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing coronary angiography. We analyzed 123 patients, including 35 subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries (controls), 31 with mild/moderate atheromatosis (stenosis of 30–70% of the luminal diameter in one or more coronary arteries) and 57 with severe atheromatosis (>70% stenosis). Plasma sPLA2 activity was significantly higher in subjects with severe [127.7 U/ml (102.3–162.7); p < 0.0001] and mild/moderate [112.0 U/ml (100.6–146.9); p < 0.0001] atheromatosis than in controls [19.8 U/ml (15.1–32.1)]. In a multiple logistic regression model, adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, tabagism, hypertension, sedentarism, family history for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, total cholesterol, HDLc, LDLc, triglycerides, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and phospholipase A2, only sPLA2 was observed to be independently associated with severe CAD (>70% of stenosis) (p < 0.0001).     

Spondyloarthritis after bariatric surgery: is there a link?

Presently, bariatric surgery is considered the most effective treatment for reducing excess body weight and maintaining weight loss in severely obese. On the other hand, several early and late complications have been described after this procedure. This article reports two patients who developed a spondyloarthritis-like syndrome after bariatric surgery. Probable etiopathogenic mechanisms are discussed.     

Antigenotoxicity of artepillin C in vivo evaluated by the micronucleus and comet assays

Artepillin C (3,5‐diprenyl‐p‐coumaric acid), a major compound found in Brazilian green propolis and Baccharis dracunculifolia, shows anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant and antitumoral activities, among others. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of artepillin C and its ability to prevent the chemically induced chromosome breakage or loss and the primary DNA damage using the micronucleus and comet assays in male Swiss mice, respectively. The animals were treated by gavage with different doses of artepillin C (0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mg kg^?1 b.w.). For the antigenotoxicity assays, the different doses of artepillin C were administered simultaneously to doxorubicin (DXR; micronucleus test; 15 mg kg^?1 b.w.) and to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS; comet assay; 40 mg kg^?1 b.w.). The results showed that artepillin C itself was not genotoxic in the mouse micronucleus and comet assays. In the animals treated with artepillin C and DXR, the number of micronucleated reticulocytes was significantly lower in comparison with the animals treated only with DXR. Regarding antigenotoxicity, artepillin C at the tested doses significantly reduced the extent of DNA damage in liver cells induced by MMS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inhibitory effect of pisosterol on human glioblastoma cell lines with C‐MYC amplification

Despite the remarkable progress in the characterization of the molecular pathogenesis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), these tumors remain incurable and, in most cases, refractory to aggressive cytotoxic treatments. We conducted a morphological and cytogenetic study in two GBM cell lines (U343 and AHOL1), before and after treatment with pisosterol (at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.8 µg ml^?1), a triterpene isolated from the fungus Pisolithus tinctorius. No significant alteration was observed in the morphology and frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in the cell lines analyzed after treatment with pisosterol. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with a locus‐specific probe for C‐MYC showed that 72% of U343 and 65% of AHOL1 cells contained more than two alleles of C‐MYC before treatment. After treatment, no effects were detected at lower concentrations of pisosterol (0.5 and 1.0 µg ml^?1). However, at 1.8 µg ml^?1 of pisosterol, only 33% of U343 cells and 15% of AHOL1 cells presented more than two fluorescent signals, suggesting that pisosterol blocks the cells with gene amplification. Cells that do not show a high degree of C‐MYC gene amplification have a less aggressive and invasive behavior and are easy targets for chemotherapy. Therefore, further studies are needed to examine the use of pisosterol in combination with conventional anti‐cancer therapy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and validation of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for determination of deoxynivalenol and its metabolites in human urine

The determination of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its metabolites such as deepoxy-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) in human urine is complicated due its low levels (ng/mL) and the complexity of the matrix. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was optimized and validated for the confirmation analysis of DON and its metabolites in urine samples using 13C isotopic-labeled DON as internal standard. In the sample preparation the type and amount of β-glucuronidase for enzymatic hydrolysis was investigated as well as the cleanup procedure, being compared the immunoaffinity column with solid-phase extraction (SPE). As far as we know, SPE C18 cleanup procedure was applied for the first time in the analysis of DON and its metabolites in human urine. Using this analytical methodology the detection and quantification limits achieved ranged from 0.06 to 0.30 ng/mL and from 0.2 to 1.0 ng/mL, respectively. Recoveries were higher than 73% for fortification levels between 25 and 100 ng/mL and repeatability were lower than 13%. The natural occurrence of DON and its metabolites in human urine samples from the north zone of Portugal was studied. Free DON was detected in 15% of the samples whereas total (free+conjugated) DON was detected in 69% of the samples. Deepoxy-deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol were not detected in any of the samples analyzed.     

Prolonged consumption of flaxseed flour increases the 17β-estradiol hormone without causing adverse effects on the histomorphology of Wistar rats’ penis

Consumption of foods rich in phytoestrogens such as flaxseed has increased due to its chemoprotective effects, especially those related to the cardiovascular system. The flaxseed has components that can interfere with development of male reproductive system. This study aims to investigate the possible effects of prolonged consumption of flaxseed flour on hormonal and histomorphologic penis parameters of adult Wistar rats. Rat dams were divided into two groups during lactation period: the control group that was fed with diet based on casein and the flaxseed group that was fed with diet based on casein containing 25% of flaxseed . At weaning, 10 male offspring from each group continued to receive the experimental diets until 250 days old. Rats fed with diet containing flaxseed showed increased concentrations of 17β-estradiol (p = 0.01) but no changes in testosterone concentrations. With regard to histomorphometric analysis of the penis, supplemented rats had lower values for the total area of the corpus spongiosum (p = 0.01). All other analyzed parameters wer e similar as the control. Results showed that the use of flaxseed flour did not cause adverse effects on the penis morphology but increases the 17β-estradiol hormone, when consumed in integral form for a prolonged period.     

The small nuclear ribonucleoprotein U1A interacts with NS5 from yellow fever virus

The flavivirus NS5 protein is one of the most important proteins of the replication complex, and cellular proteins can interact with it. This study shows for the first time that the yellow fever virus (YFV) NS5 protein is able to interact with U1A, a protein involved in splicing and polyadenylation. We confirmed this interaction by GST-pulldown assay and by co-immunoprecipitation in YFV-infected cells. A region between amino acids 368 and 448 was identified as the site of interaction of the NS5 protein with U1A. This region was conserved among some flaviviruses of medical importance. The implications of this interaction for flavivirus replication are discussed.