Asymmetric dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) response to inflammation in acute infections.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: The endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOs) asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) has been implicated as a possible modulator of inducible NOs during acute inflammation. We examined the evolution in the plasma concentration of ADMA measured at the clinical outset of acute inflammation and after its resolution in a series of 17 patients with acute bacterial infections. RESULTS: During the acute phase of inflammation/infection, patients displayed very high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin and nitrotyrosine. Simultaneous plasma ADMA concentration was similar to that in healthy subjects while symmetric dimethyl-arginine (SDMA) levels were substantially increased and directly related with creatinine. When infection resolved, ADMA rose from 0.62 +/- 0.23 to 0.80 +/- 0.18 micromol/l (+29%, P = 0.01) while SDMA remained unmodified. ADMA changes were independent on concomitant risk factor changes and inversely related with baseline systolic and diastolic pressure. Changes in the ADMA/SDMA ratio were compatible with the hypothesis that inflammatory cytokines activate ADMA degradation. CONCLUSIONS: Resolution of acute inflammation is characterized by an increase in the plasma concentration of ADMA. The results imply that ADMA suppression may actually serve to stimulate NO synthesis or that in this situation plasma ADMA levels may not reflect the inhibitory potential of this methylarginine at the cellular level.     

侧脑室注射链脲霉素引起大鼠脑Aβ1-40和Aβ1-42表达增加

目的:探讨大鼠侧脑室注射链脲霉素(Streptozotocin,STZ)阻断脑内胰岛素信号传导与Aβ表达的关系.方法:24只SD大鼠随机等分为手术组和对照组(n=12),手术组双侧侧脑室注入STZ 3 mg/kg,第3日重复此剂量,对照组只手术操作但不注射药物.21 d后,采用免疫组化方法观测各组大鼠大脑皮层和海马区的Aβ1-40和Aβ1-42阳性表达.结果:与对照组相比,手术组皮层、海马Aβ1-40和Aβ1-42阳性细胞明显增多.结论:侧脑室注射STZ可以引起脑内Aβ表达增多,提示胰岛素/胰岛素受体系统障碍与阿尔茨海默病(AD)发病有密切关系.     

冠心病患者CRP水平与肾动脉狭窄的关系

【论文特点介绍】本研究观察了CRP是否可以作为肾动脉粥样硬化狭窄（ARAs）的独立危险因子。通过对危险因素进行多变量Logistic回归分析，结果表明年龄、冠脉病变严重程度、外周血管疾病是ARAS的独立危险因素，而CRP水平、高血压、高脂血症、肾功能不全并非ARAS的独立危险因素。     

Astroglial alterations in rat hippocampus during chronic lead exposure.

The present study was performed in order to follow the response of astroglial cells in the rat hippocampus to chronic low-level lead exposure. The experiments combined immunohistochemistry using anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibody and conventional transmission electron microscopy (EM). Chronic administration with drinking water [1 g% w/v (subclinical dose) of lead acetate dissolved in distilled water] was started through the mother's milk when pups were 7 days old. Following weaning, experimental offspring were treated for 3 months with the same concentration of adulterated water. The group of intoxicated animals and their controls were sacrificed by perfusion-fixation at 30, 60, and 90 days of exposure. After 60 days of lead treatment, staining of GFAP-positive cells demonstrated an astroglial transformation from the quiescent to the reactive state, characterized by an increase in GFAP. In control rats no changes in GFAP immunostaining were observed. The intensity of the astroglial response was enhanced after 90 days of lead intoxication, showing an increment of GFAP immunoreactivity. Quantification of these changes was made by computerized image analysis, confirming that the sectional areas of the astroglia in lead-exposed animals were larger than those in controls. These results are consistent with the ultrastructural alterations. Simultaneously with the increment in gliofilaments, intranuclear inclusions were seen in some astrocytes. The mechanisms by which lead affects astrocytes are unknown. Probably the astroglial changes induced by lead intoxication produce microenvironmental modifications that may disturb the neuronal function.     

Plasma volume in fasted pregnant rats

The effect of a two day fast on maternal plasma volume and plasma protein concentration was explored in pregnant rats. Fasting between days 17 and 19 of gestation prevented the rise in plasma volume observed in ad libitum fed rats. Plasma protein concentration declined between day 17 and day 19 in both fasted and not fasted rats. Placental weight was not reduced by fasting during this stage of gestation. Fetal weight in the fasted group was 91% of the fetal weight of the ad libitum fed group. These results show that acute undernutrition, like longer term food or protein restriction, can prevent adequate plasma volume expansion and slow fetal growth.     

Nutritional-inflammation status and resistance to erythropoietin therapy in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease patients who are resistant to erythropoietin (EPO) treatment may suffer from malnutrition and/or inflammation. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of haemodialysis patients, we investigated the relationship between the natural logarithm of the weekly EPO dose normalized for post-dialysis body weight and outcome measures of nutrition and/or inflammation [BMI, albumin and C reactive protein (CRP)] by means of multiple linear regression analysis. On the basis of the decile distribution of weekly EPO doses, we also evaluated four groups of patients: untreated, hyper-responders, normo-responders and hypo-responders. RESULTS: Six hundred and seventy-seven adult haemodialysis patients were recruited from five Italian centres. BMI and albumin were lower in the hypo-responders than in the other groups (21.3+/-3.8 vs 24.4+/-4.7 kg/m(2), P<0.001; and 3.8+/-0.6 vs 4.1+/-0.4 g/dl, P<0.001), whereas the median CRP level was higher (1.9 vs 0.8 mg/dl, P = 0.004). The median weekly EPO dose ranged from 30 IU/kg/week in the hyper-responsive group to 263 IU/kg/week in the hypo-responsive group. Transferrin saturation linearly decreased from the hyper- to hypo-responsive group (37+/-15 to 25+/-10%, P = 0.003), without any differences in transferrin levels. Ferritin levels were lower in the hypo-responsive than in the other patients (median 318 vs 445 ng/ml, P = 0.01). At multiple linear regression analysis, haemoglobin, BMI, albumin, CRP and serum iron levels were independently associated with the natural logarithm of the weekly EPO dose (R(2) = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a clear association between EPO responsiveness and nutritional and inflammation variables in haemodialysis patients; iron deficiency is still a major cause of hypo-responsiveness.     

Contact urticaria from protein hydrolysates in hair conditioners

Protein hydrolysates (PHs) are added to hair-care products (to "repair" broken hair), soaps, bath gels, creams, etc. From one to 22 PHs used in hair-care products (collagen, keratin, elastin, milk, wheat, almond, and silk) were tested in three patient groups: A) 11 hairdressers with hand dermatitis B) 2160 consecutive adults with suspected allergic respiratory disease subjected to routine skin prick tests C) 28 adults with atopic dermatitis.
In group A, all the 22 PHs were tested with scratch and patch tests. In groups B and C, one to three PHs were tested with prick tests. Positive scratch/prick test reactions were seen in 12 patients from three PHs altogether. All were women with atopic dermatitis, and all reacted to at least hydroxypropyl trimonium hydroly:ed collagen (Crotein Q"). In three patients, prick and open tests with a hair conditioner containing Crotein Q were performed with positive results. One patient reported contact urticaria on her hands, and two reported acute urticaria on their head, face, and upper body from a hair conditioner containing Crotein Q. In seven of the eight studied sera, specific IgE to Crotein Q was detected. In conclusion, PHs of hair cosmetics can cause contact urticaria, especially in patients with atopic dermatitis.     

Carbohydrate moieties of procine 32 kDa enamelin

The structures of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of porcine 32 kDa enamelin are reported. The oligosaccharides were released by N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase digestion, and the reducing ends of the oligosaccharides were derivatized with a fluorescent reagent, 2-aminopyridine. The pyridylamino oligosaccharides were separated into eight kinds of oligosaccharides. The structures of these oligosaccharides were determined by a combination of a sequential exoglycosidase digestion and a two-dimensional suger mapping technique. The oligosaccharides consisted of fucose, galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, and were classified into two groups according to their core-sugar chain structures; one was a biantennary-type and the other was a triantennary-type oligosaccharide. The variation of the oligosaccharides in each of these groups was caused by the differences in the number, the site, and the mode of linkage of N-acetylneuraminic acid to the core-sugar chains.     

牛骨形成蛋白在骨不连中的临床应用

应用牛骨形成蛋白（ｂｏｖｉｎｅＢｏｎｅＭｏｒｐｈｏｇｅｎｅｔｉｃＰｒｏｔｅｉｎ简称ｂ－ＢＭＰ）成功的治愈１３例骨不连病人。经过１３个月～２９个月随访观察，效果较好。本组病人术前平均已做过１．５次手术。１３例病人中，有１２例被１次治愈。１例病人再次行内固定加用牛骨形成蛋白的植入也被治愈。骨形成蛋白的应用方式，采用同锻石膏复合后植入骨不连处。平均每个病人植入１００ｍｇＢＭＰ，１３例病人平均治愈时间为４．７个月。术后没有任何并发症。