Pathophysiology of polymorphonuclear leukocyte in arterial hypertension

This review shows how polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) play a pivotal role in the development of the organ injury that is associated with arterial hypertension. Elevated white blood cell count and higher levels of PMNs activation are risk factors for arterial hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Spontaneously activated PMNs release proinflammatory factors and reactive oxygen species, which have negative effects on vascular tone and on their adhesion to the endothelium. The oxidative stress in hypertensive PMNs is revealed by increased NADPH-oxidase production and lipid peroxidation and by decreased cytosolic and mitochondrial superoxide dismutase concentrations. The overexpression of…

Plasma Viscosity and NLR in Young Subjects with Myocardial Infarction: Evaluation at the Initial Stage and at 3 and 12 Months

In the “Sicilian study on juvenile myocardial infarction,” we had evaluated plasma viscosity (PV) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at the age of ⩽45 years. Now, we examined the relationship between these 2 parameters in 120 subjects (109 men and 11 women) aged ⩽45 years with recent AMI. The patients were classified according to the number of cardiovascular risk factors, the electrocardiographic criteria (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI]), and the extent of coronary stenosis, evaluated with coronary angiography. On fasting venous blood, we measured PV at the sh…

Iperviscosita' sclerocitemica da alterazioni congenite della membrana eritrocitaria

Gelatinases and their tissue inhibitors in metabolic syndrome

La microangiopatia diabetica

Protein oxidation in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Abstract Aims To examine the protein oxidation, marker of the oxidative stress, in metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods We enrolled 106 subjects (45 women and 61 men) with MS of which 43 (14 women and 27 men) were with diabetes mellitus and 63 (31 women and 32 men) were without diabetes mellitus, and 54 subjects (19 women and 35 men) as control group. The protein oxidation, expressed as carbonyl groups, was measured by an enzyme-like immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (BioCell PC test kit, Enzo Life Sciences AG, Switzerland). Results In the whole group of MS subjects, in comparison with control group, a significant increase in carbonyl groups was present. The same datum was also evident between co…

Emoreologia ed ipertensione

Lipid Peroxidation, Nitric Oxide Metabolites, and Their Ratio in a Group of Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome

Our aim was to evaluate lipid peroxidation, expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite + nitrate) expressed asNOx, and TBARS/NOxratio in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). In this regard we enrolled 106 subjects with MS defined according to the IDF criteria, subsequently subdivided into diabetic (DMS) and nondiabetic (NDMS) and also into subjects with a low triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) index or with a high TG/HDL-C index. In the entire group and in the four subgroups of MS subjects we found an increase in TBARS andNOxlevels and a decrease in TBARS/NOxratio in comparison with normal controls. Regarding all these …

Behaviour of carbonyl groups in several clinical conditions: Analysis of our survey

Protein carbonylation is a marker of oxidative protein damage, that is likely involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protein carbonyl (PC) groups in different clinical conditions. It included different groups of subjects: 81 trained subjects; 23 subjects with mild essential hypertension; 31 middle-aged subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS); 106 subjects with MS not selected for age (subdivided into two subgroups, with and without diabetes mellitus); 91 obese adults subdivided in two subgroups (BMI 30-35 Kg/m2 and BMI > 35 kg/m2); 48 subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) subdivided in accordance with the apnea/hypopnea i…

Oxidative status in metabolic syndrome

Metalloproteinasi, stress ossidativo e sindrome metabolica

PMN membrane fluidity, cytosolic Ca2+ content and beta2-integrin pattern in vascular atherosclerotic disease

Nitric oxide metabolites and erythrocyte deformability in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Our aim was to evaluate nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate), expressed as NOx, and erythrocyte deformability, expressed as elongation index, in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We enrolled 48 subjects (36 men and 12 women; mean age 50.3 ± 14.68 yrs) with OSAS diagnosed after a 1-night cardiorespiratory sleep study. OSAS severity was assessed evaluating the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and subjects were subdivided in two subgroups: Low (L = AHI 30). NOx was examined converting nitrate into nitrite with a nitrate reductase and then assessing nitrite with spectrophotometry after the addition of Griess reagent. The elongation index was obtained using th…

Lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide metabolites in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

It is known that in OSAS the plasma lipid peroxidation has an opposite behavior in comparison with nitric oxide metabolites. In the re-examination of our survey of OSAS subjects we calculated the ratio between thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) in relation to OSAS severity. The study has regarded 48 OSAS subjects subdivided in two subgroups according to the apnea/hypopnea index - AHI- (Low = 21 subjects with AHI30 and High = 27 subjects with AHI30). From the obtained data it is evident that the TBARS/NOx ratio is significantly higher in the H subgroup compared to L subgroup as well as this ratio is reduced in L subgroup in comparison with the …

Erythrocyte deformability, plasma lipid peroxidation and plasma protein oxidation in a group of OSAS subjects

Considering that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is usually associated with endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disorders, our aim was to examine the erythrocyte deformability and the oxidative status in a group of OSAS subjects. We consecutively enrolled 48 subjects with OSAS defined after a 1-night cardiorespiratory sleep study, subsequently subdivided according to the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) value in two subgroups: Low (L = 21 subjects with AHI30) and High (H = 27 subjects with AHI30). We evaluated the erythrocyte deformability, expressed as elongation index (EI) and the parameters of the oxidative status, such as lipid peroxidation (expressed as thioba…

Short-Term Prognosis of Juvenile Myocardial Infarction

In our early research regarding the hemorheological pattern in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with a mean age of 61.45 + 10.99 years, we showed that the major hemorheological parameters were almost normalized 2 weeks after the acute event. In the last decade, we focused on hemorheological parameters in juvenile myocardial infarction (JMI), defined as AMI in patients aged 45 years, in the ‘‘Sicilian study on juvenile myocardial infarction’’. Juvenile myocardial infarction is responsible for 2% to 10% of all cases with AMI in different surveys. Juvenile myocardial infarction presents a typical pattern of risk factors and shows clinical, angiographic, and prognostic characteri…

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte rheology, cytosolic Ca2+ content, beta2-integrin expression and oxidative stress in hypertension.

Comportamento delle gelatinasi e dei loro inibitori tissutali nella sindrome metabolica

Membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration of the circulating polymorphonuclear leukocytes in diabetes mellitus

Interrelationships between oxidative stress and MMP-9 in subjects with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular events and all-cause mortality and some studies have demonstrated that the incidence of cardiovascular events is related to its severity. Our aim was to examine the oxidative status and the matrix metalloproteases (MMP) profile in a group of subjects with OSAS. We enrolled 48 subjects with OSAS, defined after a 1-night cardiorespiratory sleep study, which were subsequently subdivided in two subgroups according to the severity of OSAS: mild-moderate OSAS = “Low”, severe OSAS = “High”. We measured the parameters of oxidative stress, such as l…

Oxidative status in nondiabetic middle-aged subjects with metabolic syndrome: preliminary data.

Effects of exercise on inflammation markers in type 2 diabetic subjects

Endothelial dysfunction and plasma markers of inflammation are significantly increased in type 2 diabetics. Several proinflammatory cytokines, acute-phase proteins, and cell adhesion molecules, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukines (IL), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), seem to play a role in the low-grade systemic inflammation observed in these subjects. Lifestyle changes are necessary to prevent atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Physical exercise is known to reduce markers of inflammation by decreasing adipocytokine production and cytokine release from skeletal muscles, endothelial cells, and immune system and also improving antioxidant status. In type 2 diabeti…

Gelatinases and their tissue inhibitors in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular events and stroke. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are endopeptidases involved in extracellular matrix degradation and then in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Our aim was to evaluate plasma levels of gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) in a group of subjects with OSAS. We enrolled 48 subjects (36 men and 12 women; mean age 49.7 ± 14.68 yrs) with OSAS diagnosed with a 1-night cardiorespiratory study and then we subdivided these subjects into two subgroups according to the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI): Low (L = 21 subjects with AHI …

Metabolic syndrome: from insulin resistance to adipose tissue dysfunction.

Recently the definition, the pathophysiology and even the clinical utility of metabolic syndrome (MS) have been discussed. The risk induced by each component of the metabolic syndrome is higher than the risk induced by MS alone. MS alone is, in fact, a weaker predictor of cardiovascular disease than diabetes. New criteria to define the metabolic syndrome have been proposed, as adipokines, CRP and PAI-1. IGFBP-1 is related to hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance and to the risk of diabetes and fatal ischemic heart disease development. IGF/IGFBP system could be a link between insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. RBP-4 can attenuate insulin signalling in skeletal muscle and induce hep…

Protein oxidation in chronic kidney disease.

An imbalance between oxidative processes and antioxidant systems has been widely demonstrated in chronic kidney diseases (CKD). In this study we enrolled 26 healthy subjects, 27 patients with CKD on conservative treatment (CT-CKD) with various degrees of renal failure, and 31 CKD subjects in haemodialysis treatment (HD-CKD), evaluated before and after a standard haemodialysis session. In each group we measured protein carbonyl groups (PC) as an index of protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and two plasma markers of leukocyte activation, elastase and myeloperoxidase (MPO). In CT-CKD subjects the PC level was significantly higher than in normal controls, and it was negatively correla…

Studio delle interrelazioni tra stress ossidativo, gelatinasi e loro inibitori in soggetti con sindrome delle apnee ostruttive nel sonno

Deformabilità eritrocitaria e metaboliti dell'ossido nitrico in un gruppo di soggetti con sindrome delle apnee ostruttive nel sonno

Nitric oxide metabolites and oxidative stress in mild essential hypertension

Many papers have showed non univocal data about oxidative stress status and nitric oxide metabolites in essential hypertension. Considering this preamble we examined the total antioxidant status (TAS), the lipid peroxidation (LP), expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), the stable end products of nitric oxide (NOx) and LP/NOx ratio in 25 subjects with untreated mild essential hypertension. The obtained data show a significant increase in TBARS (p < 0.001) and NOx (p < 0.001) in hypertensives and no variation in TAS and in TBARS/NOx ratio. None of these parameters was statistically related to the metabolic parameters or to the blood pressure values. The high level of li…

Alterazioni funzionali leucocitarie nella malattia ipertensiva

Behaviour of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in young subjects with acute myocardial infarction

In the last years the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been examined in cardiovascular disorders and in particular in coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Now we examined this parameter in subjects with juvenile myocardial infarction at the initial stage and after 3 and 12 months. We enrolled 123 young subjects (112 men and 11 women, mean age 39.4 ± 5.8 yrs) with AMI. The time interval between the AMI onset and the investigation was 13 ± 7 days. The mean value of NLR observed in young AMI subjects was significantly increased compared to normal controls (N = 1.817 ± 0.711; young AMI subjects = 2.376 ± 0.873, p <  0.0001). NLR does not discriminate STEMI (2.4…

Hemorheological abnormalities in human arterial hypertension

Blood rheology is impaired in hypertensive patients. The alteration involves blood and plasma viscosity, and the erythrocyte behaviour is often abnormal. The hemorheological pattern appears to be related to some pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension and to organ damage, in particular left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial ischemia. Abnormalities have been observed in erythrocyte membrane fluidity, explored by fluorescence spectroscopy and electron spin resonance. This may be relevant for red cell flow in microvessels and oxygen delivery to tissues. Although blood viscosity is not a direct target of antihypertensive therapy, the rheological properties of blood play a role in the…

Evaluation of nitric oxide metabolites in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Abstract Aim To evaluate the concentration of metabolites (NO2−, NO3−) of nitric oxide (NO) in metabolic syndrome (MS). Materials and methods We enrolled 106 subjects (45 women and 61 men) with MS of which 43 (14 women and 27 men) with diabetes mellitus and 63 (31 women and 32 men) without diabetes mellitus, and 54 subjects (19 women and 35 men) as control group. The nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite + nitrate = NOx) were evaluated employing the Griess reagent. Results In the whole group of MS subjects was evident, in comparison with control group, a significant increase in NOx. The same finding was also present between control group and diabetic subjects with MS and between control group a…

Protein carbonyl groups in trained subjects before and after a cardiopulmonary test

Physical exercise influences the body's oxidative status. The modifications can involve lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, and different effects seem to be induced by regular and acute exercise respectively. We examined protein oxidation, expressed as concentration of protein carbonyl groups (PC), in trained subjects before (time 0), 10 min (time 1) and 24 hours (time 2) after a cardiopulmonary test performed on a cycloergometer. We enrolled 38 trained subjects (26 men and 12 women), subdivided in two groups (A1 and B1) of 19 subjects each, according to the median value of VO2max, and in two groups (A2 and B2) of 19 subjects each, according to the median value of PC at baseline. PC concent…

Aspetti emoreologici nella iperviscosità policitemica e sierica

I fattori strutturali in grado di modificare la viscosità ematica sono la massa cellulare, le frazioni proteiche plasmatiche e la deformabilità del globulo rosso. In base alla presenza di uno di questi fattori si distinguono le diverse condizioni primarie di iperviscosità. Mentre l'iperviscosità policitemica è possibile riscontrarla in molti quadri clinici caratterizzati dall'aumento della massa cellulare (policitemia vera, eritrocitosi, leucocitosi iperleucocitiche, trombocitemia), l'iperviscosità sierica è probabile evidenziarla in quadri clinici diversi quali mieloma, malattia di Waldenstrom, crioglobulinemia, disfibrinogenemie, malattie del connettivo, e l'iperviscosità sclerocitemica è…

Fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration of circulating polymorphonuclear leukocytes at baseline in some chronic and acute clinical conditions: review of our survey

Abstract. Objective: In this mini-review we describe the behavior of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) membrane fluidity and of PMN cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in some chronic and acute clinical conditions. Methods: PMN membrane fluidity was evaluated employing the fluorescent probe Fura-2AM, and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was evaluated using the fluorescent probe TMA-DPH. Results: From the determination of these two parameters investigated on resting PMNs, an almost constant increase in PMN cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in chronic clinical conditions, such as vascular atherosclerotic disease with and without diabetes mellitus, essential hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and diabe…

Behavior of the total antioxidant status in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome.

AIM: Our purpose was to examine the total antioxidant status (TAS) in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS) subdivided according to the presence or not of diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We enrolled 106 subjects (45 women, 61 men) with MS subsequently subdivided in diabetics (14 women, 29 men) and nondiabetics (31 women, 29 men). TAS was obtained using an Assay kit which relies on the ability of plasma antioxidant substances to inhibit the oxidation of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) to the radical ABTS+. RESULTS: In the group of MS subjects a significant decrease in TAS (p<0.05) in comparison with normal controls was evident. This difference was present between normal subje…

Ulcere venose: rilievi riguardanti sia aspetti reologici e funzionali dei polimorfonucleati che le concentrazioni plasmatiche delle gelatinasi e dei loro inibitori

Matrix metalloproteinases in metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is commonly accompanied by an elevated cardiovascular risk with high morbidity and mortality. The alterations of the arterial vasculature begin with endothelial dysfunction and lead to micro- and macrovascular complications. The remodeling of the endothelial basal membrane, that promotes erosion and thrombosis, has a multifactorial pathogenesis that includes leukocyte activation, increased oxidative stress and also an altered matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. MMPs are endopeptidases which degrade extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen, gelatins, fibronectin and laminin. They can be secreted by several cells within the vascular wall, but macrophages are…

Alterazioni emoreologiche nella sindrome metabolica

La sindrome metabolica (SM) si accompagna ad un elevato rischio cardiovascolare. Oltre ai tradizionali fattori di rischio, dei quali la SM rappresenta un’aggregazione, sono identificabili fattori non tradizionali quali l’assetto emoreologico. È noto da tempo che un disordine emoreologico si accompagna alla SM, ed è ipotizzabile una sua influenza sui meccanismi che instaurano e mantengono l’insulino-resistenza. In un gruppo di pazienti con SM abbiamo osservato un incremento della viscosità ematica e plasmatica e una riduzione della filtrabilità ematica. Il rapporto vita-fianchi, indice di obesità addominale, era direttamente correlato con la viscosità ematica e con l’ematocrito, mentre la vi…

Red blood cell deformability in multiple myeloma1.

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the erythrocyte deformability in multiple myeloma (MM). We enrolled 29 MM patients and we evaluated, on fasting venous blood, the erythrocyte deformability, expressed as elongation index, and examined using the diffractometric method. By comparing normal controls and MM patients, a significant decrease in erythrocyte deformability, especially at low shear stresses, was found. In this research paper we evaluated all the hypothesis for a possible explanation of the behaviour of red blood cell deformability in MM, even considering how the alteration of erythrocyte deformability worsens the microcirculatory flow in these patients in association with t…

A novel component of the metabolic syndrome: The oxidative stress

The metabolic syndrome (MS) represents a cluster of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors associated to CV disease and type 2 diabetes. It is still under debate whether MS is a mere aggregation of risk factors or it represents a clinical entity with visceral obesity as underlying pathophysiological trigger. The publication of several diagnostic criteria of MS by scientific associations or experts panels reflects this uncertainty in understanding the real nature of MS. Besides the metabolic disturbances of MS, as visceral obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, hypertension and hyperglycemia, novel mechanisms of arterial damage have been identified. This paper reviews the evidence sho…

Leucociti polimorfonucleati e diabete mellito

Deformabilità eritrocitaria nella policitemia vera

Analysis of the Blood Viscosity Behavior in the Sicilian Study on Juvenile Myocardial Infarction

Considering the role of hemorheology in coronary circulation, we studied blood viscosity in patients with juvenile myocardial infarction. We examined whole blood viscosity at high shear rate using the cone-on-plate viscosimeter Wells-Brookfield ½ LVT and at low shear rate employing a viscometer Contraves LS30 in 120 patients (aged &lt;46 years) with myocardial infarction, at the initial stage and subsequently 3 and 12 months after. At the initial stage, patients had an increased whole blood viscosity in comparison to normal controls. This hemorheological profile was not influenced by the cardiovascular risk factors, nor by the extent of coronary lesions, even if some differences were evide…

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes and diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic subjects have a higher infective risk than healthy people, with more frequent and severe infections. This predisposition to infections is determined by hyperglycemia, microangiopathy and altered immune system. In particular, there is a polymorphonuclear leukocytes disfunction including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, bacterial killing and cellular activation by infective stimulus. These alterations are due to abnormal properties of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in diabetic patients. Several parameters like phagocytosis of bacterial cells, chemiluminescence during oxidative burst and cell membrane deformability are related to glycaemia and glycated hemoglobin. Recent acquisitions sho…

Pulmonary embolism in an emergency care unit of Southern Italy: Evaluation of predictive factors from clinical history and physical exam

An early diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) improves outcome. Therefore, PE should be diagnosed in Emergency Care Units (ECU) at admission. Clinical algorithms support the clinician in this task, although performance is biased by differences in risk factors prevalent in different populations. The clinical conditions predictive of PE were evaluated in subjects from Southern Italy accessing ECU for dyspnea/chest pain. Retrospective clinical data were obtained by electronic retrieving from a hospital database. Data from 8177 patients (age 18-90 years, 54 with PE) were collected from years 2007-2013. Previous history of PE, thrombosis and/or phlebitis, rheumatic diseases, respiratory failure,…

Protein oxidation in metabolic syndrome

Purpose: Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome and in the progression of its complications. Carbonylated proteins are a stable marker of severe oxidative stress because damage to the protein structure is irreversible and may cause an inhibition of their enzymatic activity or an increased susceptibility to proteolysis. There are few data regarding protein oxidation in metabolic syndrome, although elevated levels of carbonyl groups are often detected in subjects with obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or dyslipidemia, well-known components of the metaboic syndrome. In particular, obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus are frequent…

Molecole di adesione e malattia diabetica

Haemorheological profile in congenital afibrinogenemia and in congenital dysfibrinogenemia: A clinical case report

Although the inherited quantitative and qualitative disorders of fibrinogen are rare, in the course of time patients may develop complications including episodes of arterial and venous thrombosis. It can be useful to complete the laboratory assessment of these clinical conditions with the evaluation of the haemorheological profile. The data obtained from this study showed that congenital afibrinogenemia was characterized by a primary plasma hypoviscosity, whereas congenital dysfibrinogenemia by a primary plasma hyperviscosity. Both these haemorheological alterations may concur, with different mechanisms, to the pathogenesis of thrombotic vascular complications.

Protein oxidation in mild essential hypertension

An intensified oxidative stress has been associated with aging and many disease, including essential hypertension (EH) [6, 11, 16]. In EH an increased level of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) may impair the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), by inducing its accelerated transformation in peroxynitrite [4]. Beside this, many other pathophysiological processes in EH may be influenced by RONS, considering their harmful effects on the structural and functional properties of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Some points need to be further investigated, such as the relationship between oxidative stress and the degree of hypertension, and identification of the most useful marker of…

Studio dei parametri dello stress ossidativo e della reologia eritrocitaria in soggetti affetti da sindrome delle apnee ostruttive nel sonno (OSAS)

Behaviour of the plasma concentration of gelatinases and their tissue inhibitors in subjects with venous leg ulcers.

Venous leg ulcers are common in subjects with chronic venous insufficiency. The increased intraluminal pressure causes alteration of the skin microcirculation, leukocyte activation and release of proteolytic enzymes leading to ulceration. An impaired expression and activity of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) might influence extracellular matrix degradation and deposition in chronic venous ulcers with the failure of the healing process. Our aim was to evaluate plasma concentration of gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and their inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) in subjects with venous leg ulcers before and after the compression therapy. We enrolled 36 subjects (12 …

Study of the Correlations among Some Parameters of the Oxidative Status, Gelatinases, and Their Inhibitors in a Group of Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome

Our aim was to examine some parameters of oxidative status, gelatinases, and their inhibitors and to evaluate their interrelationships in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). We enrolled 65 MS subjects, subdivided according to the presence or not of diabetes mellitus. We examined lipid peroxidation (expressed as thiobarbituric acid reacting substances, TBARS), protein oxidation (expressed as carbonyl groups), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), total antioxidant status (TAS), MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. We found that MS subjects, diabetics and nondiabetics, showed an increase in TBARS, PC, and NOx. A significant decrease in TAS was observed only in nondiabetic MS subjects in comparison …

Matrix Metalloproteases in Arterial Hypertension and their Trend after Antihypertensive Treatment

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background/Aims&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Arterial hypertension is characterized by vascular remodelling, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. Matrix metalloproteases (MPPs) are endopeptidases produced by all the cells present in the vascular wall and are involved in the regulation of the extracellular matrix protein turnover. MMPs contribute to blood vessel formation, remodelling, angiogenesis; whereas an altered expression or activity of MMPs or their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) results correlated with the development and progression of cardiovascular complications. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; We examined the…

Gelatinases and their tissue inhibitors in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Aim To evaluate matrix metalloproteases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS) subdivided according to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. Methods We examined in 90 subjects (51 men and 39 women) with MS, defined following the International Diabetes Federation criteria, and subsequently subdivided into diabetic subjects (22 men and 11 women) and nondiabetic subjects s (29 men and 28 women), the plasma concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results We found a significant increase in plasma concentrations of MMP-2, MMP…

Lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation are related to the severity of OSAS

Red blood cell deformability in multiple myeloma

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the erythrocyte deformability in multiple myeloma (MM). We enrolled 29MM patients and we evaluated, on fasting venous blood, the erythrocyte deformability, expressed as elongation index, and examined using the diffractometric method. By comparing normal controls and MM patients, a significant decrease in erythrocyte deformability, especially at low shear stresses, was found. In this research paper we evaluated all the hypothesis for a possible explanation of the behaviour of red blood cell deformability in MM, even considering how the alteration of erythrocyte deformability worsens the microcirculatory flow in these patients in association with th…

Lipid Peroxidation, Protein Oxidation, Gelatinases, and Their Inhibitors in a Group of Adults with Obesity

AbstractThe association between obesity and cardiovascular diseases has a multifactorial pathogenesis, including the synthesis of inflammatory molecules, the increase in oxidative stress and the dysregulation of the matrix metalloprotease (MMP) concentration and activity. In a group of adults with obesity, divided in 2 subgroups according to the body mass index (BMI), we examined lipid peroxidation, expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), protein oxidation, expressed as protein carbonyl groups (PCs), plasma gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9), and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2). In the whole group, as well as in the 2 subgroups (with BMI 30–35 or BMI&gt;35) of o…

Deformabilità eritrocitaria, metaboliti dell'ossido nitrico e stress ossidativo in un gruppo di soggetti con sindrome delle apnee ostruttive nel sonno

La sindrome delle apnee ostruttive nel sonno ((OSAS) si associa a disfunzione endoteliale ed aterosclerosi ed è gravata da un'elevata morbilità e mortalità cardiovascolare.

Eventi vascolari correlati ad alcune condizioni di iperviscosità sclerocitemica

The function of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and its tissue inhibitor (TIMP-1) in several clinical conditions: Results and analysis of our survey.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the plasma concentration of MMP-9 and its tissue inhibitor (TIMP-1) in different clinical conditions. It included several groups of subjects: 31 overweight subjects; 91 obese adults divided into two subgroups according to the BMI value (BMI 30–35 Kg/m2 and BMI &gt; 35 Kg/m2); 90 subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS) divided into two subgroups (with and without diabetes mellitus); 100 subjects with preclinical carotid atherosclerosis (PCA) divided according to the number of cardiovascular risk factors and to the insulin resistance degree; 48 subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) divided according to the apnoea/hypopnea index (AHI); 2…

Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate) in several clinical condition.

We determined the concentration of nitric oxide metabolites (NO2-+NO3-), expressed as NOx, in several clinical conditions. Regarding this, we have examined 25 subjects with arterial hypertension, 41 subjects with chronic kidney disease in conservative treatment, 106 subjects with metabolic syndrome subdivided according to the presence (n = 43) or not (n = 63) of diabetes mellitus, 48 subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), 14 women with systemic sclerosis complicated with Raynaud's phenomenon, 42 dialyzed subjects and 105 young subjects with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In subjects with arterial hypertension, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, systemic sclerosi…