Antioxidant effects of oleuropein versus oxidative stress induced by ethanol in the rat intestine

Purified oleuropein from olive leaf extract indicated antioxidant properties in our previous reports. The recent study demonstrated that the lesions of absolute ethanol could be attributed to the increasing reactive oxygen species, subsequently lipid peroxidation and gastric ulcers. Therefore, the antioxidant effects of oleuropein as a natural antioxidant agent on intestine mucosal damages induced by absolute ethanol were investigated in the present study. The 42 adult male rats were divided into four (control, oleuropein, ethanol, and oleuropein plus ethanol) groups. Oleuropein at a dosage of 12 mg/kg was used for 10 consecutive days in oleuropein and oleuropein plus ethanol groups, thereafter absolute ethanol (once, 1 ml/rat) was administrated orally in ethanol and oleuropein plus ethanol groups at fasting state by gavage. The duodena of rats were removed for histopathology and antioxidant assay. Histological evidence of severe mucosal damages were confirmed by histopathology findings in ethanol group and prevented in oleuropein plus ethanol group. In this setting, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were significantly higher in oleuropein and oleuropein plus ethanol groups than the ethanol-treated rats. In contrast, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentration (as a lipid peroxidation marker) significantly increased in ethanol-treated rats when compared to the other groups. Our results suggest that olive leaf extract (containing oleuropein) exerts a potent antioxidant agent against oxidative stress. These findings allow us to exploit the advantages of oleuropein treatment in various diseases induced by oxidative stress in humans.     

Exercise test in pediatric renal transplant recipients and its relationship with their cardiac function

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of CVD. Exercise test is a good method to evaluate exercise capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and risk of potential CVDs. The aim of this study was to assess the exercise capacity in this population and determine its relationship with their cardiac function using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Exercise test, conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed on 44 kidney transplant children (age ranging 11–20, 59% male) with acceptable renal function, and the results were compared with their normal healthy counterparts. Our transplant patients achieved significantly lower maximal heart rate, maximal heart rate ratio, total energy expenditure during the exercise, and maximal O₂ consumption (Max VO₂) than the normal group (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between hemoglobin (Hb) level, dialysis duration, kidney function, and the exercise test parameters. Kidney transplant patients had preserved systolic despite diminished diastolic cardiac function compared to the normal children. Our pediatric renal transplant recipients had severely impaired diastolic dysfunction and significantly reduced MaxVO₂ compared with their healthy counterparts. No correlation was found between MaxVO₂ and measured indices of systolic and diastolic cardiac function.     

The potential role of pretransplant MIBG diagnostic scintigraphy in targeted administration of 131I‐MIBG accompanied by ASCT for high‐risk and relapsed neuroblastoma: A pilot study

MIBG is an effective component in treatment of neuroblastoma. Furthermore, MIBG scintigraphy is an imaging modality in primary assessments. None of the previous studies have evaluated the role of pretransplant MIBG scintigraphy in decision making for neuroblastoma treatment. We selected therapeutic regimen based on pretransplant ¹³¹I‐MIBG scintigraphy. Twenty high‐risk patients were enrolled. On day ?30, patients underwent diagnostic MIBG scintigraphy. Patients were then subdivided into two groups (10 cases in each arm). MIBG‐avid subgroup received MIBG (12 mCi/kg), etoposide (1200 mg/m²), carboplatin (1500 mg/m²), and melphalan (210 mg/m²). Non‐MIBG‐avid subgroup received etoposide (600 mg/m²), carboplatin (1200 mg/m²), and melphalan (150 mg/m²). Patients received CRA after ASCT. Mean age at diagnosis was 42.5 months (range, 17–65) in MIBG‐avid and 38.9 months (range, 18–65) in non‐MIBG‐avid patients. Mean age at diagnosis and transplantation did not reveal significant difference between two subgroups. In MIBG‐avid patients, the three‐yr OS was 66 ± 21%. In MIBG‐non‐avid subgroup, the three‐yr OS was 53 ± 20%. In MIBG‐avid and non‐MIBG‐avid subgroups, the three‐yr EFS were 66 ± 21% and 47 ± 19%, respectively. These findings may suggest an effective role in selecting the therapeutic strategy for pre‐ASCT MIBG scintigraphy in high‐risk neuroblastoma. MIBG‐avid subset may benefit from the combination of therapeutic MIBG and high dose of chemotherapy.     

Alpha 2 integrin gene (ITGA2) polymorphism in renal transplant recipients with and without drug induced gingival overgrowth

Background

Variances in fibroblasts’ α2β1 integrin intensity may lead to altered adhesion to type I collagen and consequently to suppression of phagocytosis which may be one of the mechanisms for drug induced gingival overgrowth. The present study aimed to evaluate the genotype and allele frequencies of α2 integrin +807 gene in renal transplant patients with and without gingival overgrowth.

Material and methods

Seventy renal transplant patients with cyclosporine A (CsA)-induced gingival overgrowth (CsA GO+) were enrolled. Renal transplant patients without GO medicated with CsA (CsA GO−; n = 79) and tacrolimus (Tac; n = 52) served as controls. DNA was obtained from peripheral blood and ITGA2 +807C/T polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Clinical parameters including probing depth and plaque, papilla bleeding and hyperplasia indexes were recorded. Chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests were used in statistical analysis.

Results

Clinical parameters of CsA GO+ group were significantly higher than those of the CsA GO− and Tac groups (p < 0.05). ITGA2 807C/T genotype and allele frequencies of study groups were similar (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Within the limits of the present study it can be concluded that ITGA2 +807 gene polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to CsA-induced GO.     

Evaluation of Antioxidant Enzymes Activity and Malondialdehyde Levels in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis and Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of diabetes, a known risk factor for periodontitis, on activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT) as well as levels of free radical damage marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood and saliva of individuals with chronic periodontitis (CP). Methods: Sixty patients with CP (30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DMCP] and 30 systemically healthy patients [CP]) and 60 periodontally healthy individuals (30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 30 systemically healthy patients [PH]) were included in this study. After clinical measurements, blood and saliva samples were collected. SOD, GR, and CAT activities in red blood cell lysate and saliva and MDA levels in plasma and saliva samples were spectrophotometrically assayed. An analysis of variance test followed by a post hoc test was used to compare the intragroup and intergroup variances among the study groups. Results: MDA levels in both the periodontitis groups were higher than in the periodontally healthy groups, but the difference between the CP and DMCP groups did not reach statistical significance (P >0.05). There was a highly significant difference between the CP and PH groups for all the enzymes studied except for SOD in blood. Only salivary SOD and GR activities were significantly different in the CP and DMCP groups. Conclusions: This study favors the role of oxidative stress in both diabetes and periodontitis. It shows that the compensatory mechanism of the body is partially collapsed because of excessive production of free radicals during periodontitis and is not able to cope with increased free radical generation attributable to diabetes, thereby worsening the situation.