The I/D polymorphism of the ACE1 gene is not associated with ischaemic stroke in Spanish individuals

Background: The angiotensin‐converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) gene has been extensively studied in stroke, yet generating conflicting results. The goal of our study was thus to clarify the influence of the ACE1 on the risk of suffering an ischaemic stroke (IS). Methods: We genotyped the rs4341 (in linkage disequilibrium with the I/D polymorphism) of the ACE1 gene in 531 patients with IS and 549 healthy controls, and the rs1799752 (I/D polymorphism) in a subset of 68 patients with IS and 27 controls. We also performed functional studies by measuring serum ACE protein levels and enzymatic activity in 27 controls, 68 patients with IS at baseline and 35 patients with IS 24 h after onset of stroke symptoms. Results: There was no association of the ACE1 variant with IS, although it affected ACE protein levels (P = 0.001). Indeed, patients with IS showed lower ACE levels than controls in the acute phase (115.9 ± 38.9 vs. 174.1 ± 56.1 ng/ml, P < 0.001), but not in the chronic phase (168.2 ± 51.2, P = 0.673), and ACE protein levels did not differ between IS etiologies. Similar results were found for ACE activity. Conclusions: The D allele of the ACE1 I/D and ACE protein levels was not associated with a higher risk of IS in Spanish individuals.     

Surface modification of TiO2/ZnO nanoparticles by organic acids with enhanced methylene blue and rhodamine B dye adsorption properties

The United Nations Organization (UNO) has revealed that approximately 2.1 billion people do not have access to treated water. Methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B are produced as water pollutants in textile, plastic, and dye industries. In this study, oxalic acid or lactic acid surface-modification were applied to TiO₂/ZnO nanoparticles aiming to improve antibacterial and adsorption properties. The mixtures containing the corresponding acid and nanoparticles in 0.25 : 1/0.5 : 1 ratios of ZnO and TiO₂ correspondingly were subjected to ultrasonic treatment with a catenoidal ultrasonic probe coupled to a homemade ultrasonic generator with an output power of 750 W, wave amplitude of 50% and variable frequency in the range of 15–50 kHz. To verify the influence of the ultrasonic treatment, different treatment times of 30, 45, 60, and 90 min were applied. Unmodified and modified TiO₂/ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, and XPS. From the results, obtained from the physicochemical characterization, in the ZTO90 and ZTL90 samples a greater modification was shown. The SEM images showed that a coating was present on the surface of the ceramic particles of the ZTL90 sample. The O 1s deconvolution in the XPS spectra indicates a greater presence of C O bonds in the ZTL90 sample. In parallel, the sample ZTL90 presented 85 and 89% adsorption efficiency for MB and rhodamine B dyes in a time of 12 min, and important antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. epidermis could be evidenced.

The possible chemical modification of TiO₂/ZnO with lactic acid and oxalic acid.     

Vitamin E Decreases Urine Lipid Peroxidation Products in Young Healthy Human Volunteers under Normal Conditions

Abstract: An experimental study on the effects of supplementation with antioxidant vitamins on urine lipid peroxidation products was performed in 21 young healthy men. The subjects ingested placebo, 1 g of vitamin C, or 100 mg of vitamin E per day just after the midday meal during 30 days. Urine samples were obtained 0, 15 and 30 days after the beginning of the study. These samples were analyzed by spectrophotometry or fluorometry after reaction with thiobarbituric acid. Prescan fluorometric studies of the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in both malondialdehyde standards and urine samples indicated 503 nm and 548 nm as optimum excitation and emission wavelengths. The fluorescence measurements proved to be superior both in terms of selectivity and capacity of detection of antioxidant effects in relation to spectrophotometry. Identical emission peaks were obtained with malondialdehyde standards and urine samples, showing the specificity of the fluorometric method. When measured by fluorometry, the urine of the subjects supplemented with vitamin E showed significantly and progressively smaller lipid peroxidation products as the time of supplementation increased, reaching a 27% decrease at the end of the longitudinal trial. The results indicate the usefulness of the fluorescent measurement of urine thiobarbituric acid reactive substances to easily and rapidly detect variations in whole body oxidative stress in humans. They also show the capacity of safe vitamin E dietary doses to decrease endogenous oxidative stress in healthy humans routinely performing their normal activities.     

Endotoxin Increases Oxidative Injury to Proteins in Guinea Pig Liver: Protection by Dietary Vitamin C

Abstract: Current information suggests that oxidative damage plays a key role in septic shock induced by endotoxin. This raises the possibility that dietary antioxidant vitamins could protect against endotoxin damage. In this study, the effects of endotoxin administration on protein and lipid oxidative damage and endogenous antioxidants were studied in the liver of guinea pigs previously supplemented with marginal or optimum levels of dietary vitamin C, vitamin E or both. Vitamins C and E inhibited in vitro lipid peroxidation in endotoxin-treated animals. Endotoxin significantly increased oxidative damage to liver proteins in animals receiving low doses of both vitamins, a result described here for the first time. This increase was totally prevented in guinea pigs supplemented with vitamin C alone or in combination with vitamin E, a treatment which strongly increased liver ascorbate. Vitamin C caused small significant increases in superoxide dismutase and glutathione, increased uric acid, and synergically increased α-tocopherol levels in vitamin E-supplemented animals treated with endotoxin. The results show that dietary vitamin C protects against endotoxin-induced oxidative damage to proteins in the guinea pig liver. This seems mainly due to a direct protective effect of the increased hepatic ascorbate levels present in vitamin C-supplemented animals.     

Leukoaraiosis is associated with genes regulating blood–brain barrier homeostasis in ischaemic stroke patients

Background: The biologic agents causing leukoaraiosis are unknown. Our aim was to study the genetic basis of leukoaraiosis. Methods: We analyzed 212 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 142 patients with ischaemic stroke, generating a total of 30 104 genotypes. Seventy‐nine subjects (55.6%) presented leukoaraiosis measured by the Fazekas scale and 69 (48.6%) by ARWMC scale. We analyzed the presence of synergic associations between SNPs using the hfcc software. Finally, functional studies were performed in 56 subjects. The Ingenuity Pathways software (ipa ) was used to examine the role of the identified genes. Results: Six SNPs were associated with leukoaraiosis using both measuring scales. After logistic regression adjusted for leukoaraiosis risk factors, the rs2252070 of MMP13 (OR = 4.9, 95%CI: 1.34–17.9, P = 0.016), rs662 of PON1 (OR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.15–0.87, P = 0.024) and rs1800779 of NOS3 (OR = 3.9, 95%CI: 1.38–11.38, P = 0.01) were independently associated with leukoaraiosis under a dominant/recessive model and the rs2290608 of IL5RA (OR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.25–0.85, P = 0.013) and rs669 of A2M (OR = 2.5, 95%CI: 1.36–4.83, P = 0.004) under an additive model. Computational analysis showed a synergic association of rs10497212‐AA of ITGB6 and rs2290608‐GG of IL5RA with leukoaraiosis using both scales. (i) ARWMC (P = 1.3 × 10⁻⁴) and (ii) Fazekas (P = 4.5 × 10⁻⁵). Functional studies showed that the rs669 SNP was associated with plasma levels of A2M (P = 0.012) and A2M levels with leukoaraiosis in Fazekas scale (P = 0.02). ipa analysis revealed that the genes associated with leukoaraiosis were involved in blood–brain barrier (BBB) homeostasis. Conclusions: Amongst patients with ischaemic stroke, several genes associated with BBB homeostasis could be involved with a higher risk of leukoaraiosis.