Binding of 11-cis retinaldehyde to the partially purified cellular retinaldehyde binding protein from bovine retinal pigment epithelium.

11-cis retinaldehyde binding analysis was performed on a bovine retinal pigment epithelium preparation of cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), whose purity degree was estimated as 75%. Equilibrium binding studies were carried out measuring the replacement of tritium-labeled with unlabeled 11-cis retinaldehyde at 25 degrees C. Analysis of the experimental data both by a direct curve-fitting procedure utilizing a non linear least square regression analysis and by a conventional Scatchard plot revealed a single non-interacting binding site with an apparent equilibrium constant of 0.9 X 10(-7) M. A binding stoichiometry of approximately 1 mol of 11-cis retinaldehyde/mol of binding p…

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS LEVEL: REDUCTION RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH FROM MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

High Levels of Exogenous C2-Ceramide Promote Morphological and Biochemical Evidences of Necrotic Features in Thyroid Follicular Cells

CD95 and ceramide are known to be involved in the apoptotic mechanism. The triggering of CD95 induces a cascade of metabolic events that progressively and dramatically modifies the cell shape by intense membrane blebbing, leading to apoptotic bodies production. Although the CD95 pathway has been abundantly described in normal thyrocytes, the effects of cell permeable synthetic ceramide at morphological and biochemical levels are not fully known. In the present study, we show that thyroid follicular cells (TFC) exposed to 20 μM of C2-ceramide for 4 h are characterized by morphological features of necrosis, such as electron-lucent cytoplasm, mitochondrial swelling, and loss of plasma membrane…

Isolamento e Caratterizzazione di rizobi isolati da leguminose legnose per il recupero di ecosistemi degradati.

Factor V G1691A, prothrombin G20210A, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase MTHFR A1298C gene polymorphism in subjects affected by thromboembolic disease

Implementation of quality system in the biomedical laboratories

SCOPE To study and to diffuse the better strategies for the planning and the validation of inner methods that assure the significance of the analytical data INTRODUCTION Today the ISO/IEC 17025 and the ISO 15189 are sure the better methodologies and internationally recognized in order to assure in the biomedical laboratories the appropriatness of the methods and the quality of the analytical data The ISO/IEC 17025 standard specifies the general requirements a laboratory has to met if it is to be recognized as competent to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS The planning of an inner method can be constituted from following is made: Recognition of …

Endothelial dysfunction and vitamin d status in essential hypertension, prelimary results

FOKI AND BSMI VITAMIN D RECEPTOR GENE POLYMORPHISMS, PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY AND ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Objective: Our aims were to analyze the relationship between 25hydroxyvitamin D(25[OH]D) plasma levels and clinical and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) values, and to identify any possible association between hypertension and FokI and BsmI vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in essential hypertensive patients. Design and method: Seventyone essential hypertensive patients and seventytwo controls, 18–75 years old, were enrolled. Clinical physical examination, routine blood chemistry, clinical BP, 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, 25[OH]D and Plasma Renin Activity (PRA) assay, and FokI and BsmI VDR polymorphisms analysis were obtained. Results:We observed a significant negat…

Bone metabolism and oxidative stress in post-menopausal women

ABITUDINI AL FUMO E ALL’ ALCOOL E DISTURBI ALIMENTARI DEGLI STUDENTI DI UNA SCUOLA MEDIA E DI UNA SCUOLA SUPERIORE SICILIANA CAMPIONE DI BAGHERIA

Modulation by docosahexaenoic acid of the epinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of the bovine retina.

This work shows that unsaturated fatty acids enhance the epinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in bovine retina. The modulating effect on the epinephrine-stimulated formation of cyclic AMP seems to be linked to the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acid. Treatment of the intact retina with docosahexaenoic acid in the concentration range 0.5 X 10(-6)-1 X 10(-3) M does not affect the enzyme activity measured in the absence of the hormone but markedly increases the cyclase activity when the tissue is incubated in the presence of 0.1 mM epinephrine. Docosahexaenoic acid enhances the maximal response to epinephrine without affecting the apparent ED50 value for this effector. Docosa…

Study on the efficacy of Rapamicin as an inducer of fetal hemoglobin in primary erythroid cultures from patientes with hemoglobinopathies

BISPHOSPHONATES SENSITIZE OSTEOSARCOMA CELLS TO CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC DRUGS

Blood lipids, homocysteine, stress factors, and vitamins in clinically stable multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients present a decrease of antioxidants and neuroprotective and immunoregulatory vitamins and an increase of total homocysteine (tHcy), cholesterol (CHL), HDL-cholesterol, and of cellular stress markers, variably associated with the different phases of the disease. We compared the blood levels of uric acid, folic acid, vitamins B12, A, and E, tHcy, CHL, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides in forty MS patients during a phase of clinical inactivity with those of eighty healthy controls, matched for age and sex. We found higher levels of tHcy (p = 0.032) and of HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.001) and lower levels of vitamin E (p = 0.001) and the ratio vitamin E/CHL …

Potential role of Vitamin K2 plasma levels determination in Alzheimer's Disease

Effects of polymorphism of Methionine Synthase Reductase on total plasma homocysteine in Sicilian populations

LINEE GUIDA PER L'ANALISI DELLE SOSTANZE D'ABUSO IN CAMPIONI BIOLOGICI

ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION AND VITAMIN D STATUS IN ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION. PRELIMARY RESULTS

Serum acid homocysteine, oxidative stress markers and vitamins in multiple sclerosis

Retinoid dynamics in chicken eye during pre- and postnatal development.

Changes in the steady state level of retinols, retinaldehydes and retinyl esters in the trans and 11-cis forms and trans retinoic acid were measured in whole chicken eye during development from day 6 in ovo to day 3 post-hatch. These retinoids, quantified by different HPLC systems, were detected in this time sequence: trans-retinol and trans-retinyl esters in the first week in ovo, 11-cis-retinol in the second week. The highest level of 11-cis-retinaldehyde and 11-cis-retinyl esters was reached at the end of development in ovo; however, their levels increased further after hatching. The retinoic acid level decreased at the end of the first week, rising again at the end of the second week. T…

Low vitamin D serum level is related to severe fibrosis and low responsiveness to interferon-based therapy in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C

UNLABELLED 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) can potentially interfere with inflammatory response and fibrogenesis. Its role in disease progression in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and its relation with histological and sustained virological response (SVR) to therapy are unknown. One hundred ninety-seven patients with biopsy-proven genotype 1 (G1) CHC and 49 healthy subjects matched by age and sex were consecutively evaluated. One hundred sixty-seven patients underwent antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. The 25(OH)D serum levels were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Tissue expression of cytochrome (CY) P27A1 and CYP2R1, liver 25-hydroxylating enzymes, were as…

PP.42.06

Analysis of a soluble lipid-protein complex carrying endogenous 11-cis retinaldehyde from bovine retinal pigment epithelium.

A soluble lipid-protein complex in bovine retinal pigment epithelium is shown to carry endogenous 11-cis retinaldehyde, in the extent of 15% of the total 11-cis retinaldehyde found in this tissue. The complex, analyzed with respect to its chemical composition, exhibits a lipid composition close resembling the lipid composition of the rod outer segment membrane; the SDS-PAGE evidences the presence of a number of protein bands, two of which of 34 and 27 kDa appear glycoproteins. Finally, the lipid-protein complex exhibits a discrete level of a Cathepsin D-like protease activity. From the above, the possibility is discussed that the soluble lipid-protein complex could represent some phagolysos…

Study on the efficacy of Rapamicin as an inducer of fetal hemoglobin in primary erythroid cultures from patientes with hemoglobinopathies

IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY SYSTEMS IN THE BIOMEDICAL LABORATORIES

Vitamin E and endurance exercise.

Bisphosphonates sensitize osteosarcoma cells to chemoterapeutic drugs

Red cell phospholipids and membrane microviscosity in diabetics

bone metabolism and oxidative stress in post-menopausal women

INDAGINE SULLA QUALITA' DEL SERVIZIO RISTORATIVO E.R.S.U. (ENTE REGIONALE PER IL DIRITTO ALLO STUDIO UNIVERSITARIO) DELL'UNIVERSITA' DI PALERMO: L'OPINIONE DEGLI UTENTI

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and plasma renin activity in essential hypertensive individuals.

Several studies analyzed 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and blood pressure (BP) relationship with mixed results. Moreover, a relationship between the risk of hypertension and vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, FokI and BsmI, was reported. This study was aimed to analyze these relationships in essential hypertensive (EH) patients. Seventy-one EH patients, 18-75 years old, were enrolled. Patients underwent clinical BP, 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, 25[OH]D and plasma renin activity (PRA) evaluations. FokI and BsmI VDR polymorphisms were analyzed and compared with those of 72 healthy controls. In EH patients, the median 25[OH]D levels were lower than 30 ng ml(-1). We found a signific…

Quantification and metabolic aspects of trans fatty acids

SCOPE To inquire with certainty of the analytical data on the effects of fat acids. INTRODUCTION The consumption of trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids has been associated with untoward metabolic effects. Several clinical investigations demonstrated that trans fatty acids increase plasma LDL-cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) and reduce HDL-cholesterol concentrations. These alterations of plasma lipid profiles indicate an atherogenic effect of trans fatty acids. Moreover, in infant and children, trans fatty acids in blood plasma may impair human growth. METHODOLOGY We have put to point one methodology analytics in order to dose trans fatty acids in the blood. Such methodology analytics pr…

Methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G polymorphism is not related to plasma homocysteine concentration and the risk for vascular disease.

Epidemiological evidence has revealed that hyperhomocysteinemia increases the risk for vascular disease. Methionine Synthase Reductase (MTRR) is one of several key enzymes in the homocysteine metabolic pathway and its mutant forms have been implicated in abnormal homocysteine accumulation. In this study, we determined total plasma homocysteine levels and MTRR A66G polymorphism in 114 patients with vascular disease: 58 patients with deep-vein thrombosis, 56 patients with arterial thrombosis, and 95 healthy subjects from the Sicilian population. Our data confirmed that, as already reported, moderately elevated t-Hcy levels are correlated with an increased risk of vascular disease. In our stud…

LYPOXYGENASE INDUCES CHEMORESISTANCE IN THYROID CANCER

SERUM URIC ACID, HOMOCYSTEINE, OXIDATIVE STRESS MARKERS AND VITAMINS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

POSITIVE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SERUM VITAMIN K LEVEL AND BONE MINERAL DENSITY

Introduction: Vitamin K is well known for its role in the synthesis of many blood coagulation factors. Also, vitamin K-dependent proteins are very important for bone and vascular health. Vitamin K is known to influence bone metabolism by facilitating the synthesis of osteocalcin because is required for the γ-carboxylation of specific glutamic acid residues, wich in turn, allows a firm binding of calcium ions. The bone mineral density decreases drastically after menopause. Recent studies have been shown that vitamin k influences bone mineral density in osteoporotic people and also actually reduce fracture rates. Many factors influence the individual risk of osteoporosis: genetic predispositi…

High levels of exogenous C2-ceramide promote morphological and biochemical evidences of necrotic features in thyroid follicular cells

CD95 and ceramide are known to be involved in the apoptotic mechanism. The triggering of CD95 induces a cascade of metabolic events that progressively and dramatically modifies the cell shape by intense membrane blebbing, leading to apoptotic bodies production. Although the CD95 pathway has been abundantly described in normal thyrocytes, the effects of cell permeable synthetic ceramide at morphological and biochemical levels are not fully known. In the present study, we show that thyroid follicular cells (TFC) exposed to 20 microM of C(2)-ceramide for 4 h are characterized by morphological features of necrosis, such as electron-lucent cytoplasm, mitochondrial swelling, and loss of plasma me…

Correlation between the effects of retinoic acid and dexamethasone on liver tyrosine aminotransferase

A single dose of 50 microg of trans-retinoic acid administered to rats significantly raised the level of hepatic tyrosine after a few hours. This effect was compared with that of dexamethasone and a possible correlation between these effectors was also investigated. An equal increase in enzyme activity level caused by retinoic acid was observed in adrenalectomized rats, leading to the suggestion that the effect of retinoic acid on liver tyrosine aminotransferase is independent of glucocorticoids. However, the study of the binding activity of the liver nuclear glucocorticoid receptors vs dexamethasone showed that this activity is favoured by retinoic acid, whereas no variation was evidenced …

RAPID ANALYSIS OF NEFAs AS METHYL ESTERS FROM SMALL VOLUME OF PLASMA AND OTHERS DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS BY GC AND GCMS AFTER ONLY ONE STEP ESTERIFICATION