Search results for "CYSTEINE"
showing 10 items of 550 documents
N-acetylcysteine protects against age-related increase in oxidized proteins in mouse synaptic mitochondria.
1997
Since it has been proposed that oxidized protein accumulation plays a critical role in brain aging, we have investigated the effect of a thiolic antioxidant on protein carbonyl content in synaptic mitochondria from female OF-1 mice. At 48 weeks of age, a control group was fed standard food pellets and another group received pellets containing 0.3% (w/w) of N-acetylcysteine. A 24-week treatment resulted in a significant decrease in protein carbonyl content in synaptic mitochondria of the N-acetylcysteine-treated animals as compared to age-matched controls.
Effects of polymorphisms in endothelial nitric oxide synthase and folate metabolizing genes on the concentration of serum nitrate, folate, and plasma…
2015
Abstract Objectives A number of studies have explored the effects of dietary nitrate on human health. Nitrate in the blood can be recycled to nitric oxide, which is an essential mediator involved in many important biochemical mechanisms. Nitric oxide is also formed in the body from l -arginine by nitric oxide synthase. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and genes involved in folate metabolism affect the concentration of serum nitrate, serum folate, and plasma total homocysteine in healthy individuals after folic acid supplementation. Methods In a randomized double-blind, crossover study, participants were given …
Chronic aspartame intake causes deficient glutathione synthesis and induces cxcl1 up-regulation in mice liver
2018
Reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion and inflammation have been linked to chronic aspartame consumption. However, the cause of aspartame-induced GSH depletion and the role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in aspartame-triggered inflammation are still unknown. The aims of this research were to investigate if aspartame causes GSH depletion due to deficient synthesis and also which pro- and anti-inflammatory genes are involved in aspartame-related inflammation in mice liver. Mice were divided into three groups: control, aspartame (80 mg kg-1, v.o., 3 months), aspartame treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (1 mmol kg-1, i.p., last month). Aspartame markedly reduced GSH, γ-glutamylcysteine …
Symmetric dimethylarginine serum level as a new marker of left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with acute myocardial infarction
2013
Purpose: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a by-product of protein methylation that has been implicated in the prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure through Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) inhibition. We aimed to investigate whether SDMA – the endogenous symmetrical stereoisomer of ADMA- that has insignificant inhibitory effects on NOS- might be a marker of left ventricular function in acute MI. Methods: Blood samples from 635 consecutive patients hospitalized 1 (23%). Mean LVEF was 55±13%. Mean ADMA, SDMA and L-arg levels were at 0.72±0.42, 0.51±0.44 and 91±54 μmol/L, respectively. Spearman analysis showed that LVEF was correlated negatively with SDMA (r=-0.151…
Lysosomal trafficking in rat cardiac myocytes.
1990
By immunolabeling of cryosections, we have characterized in rat cardiac myocytes the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR), a lysosomal membrane glycoprotein, lgp120, and a lysosomal enzyme, MEP (homologous to cathepsin L). Most of the MPR label was located in large membrane-filled structures (MPR structures) in large clusters of mitochondria adjacent to but distinct from the Golgi complex. Lpg120 and MEP showed typical lysosomal localization throughout the cell, often associated with regions that appeared to contain autophagosome-like structures. In addition, MEP and lgp120 co-localized within MPR structures. MEP and MPR were localized inside the lumen of MPR structures. M…
Genistein and endothelial function in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome
2013
BackgroundPrevious data have suggested that genistein could exert beneficial effects on endothelial function and on predictors of cardiovascular risk in healthy postmenopausal women. In a randomized clinical trial, we studied the effects of genistein on endothelial function in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome (MS). MethodsTwenty postmenopausal women with MS, according to modified NCEP-ATP III criteria were randomly assigned to receive placebo or genistein (54mg/day) for 6months, along with a Mediterranean-style diet. Postmenopausal women without MS (n=15), served as controls. The primary goal was the assessment of endothelial function by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of brach…
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase homozygosis and low-density lipoproteins in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C
2011
Summary. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase status, homocysteine and lipoproteins levels have been associated with severity of disease and both rapid and sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (CHC). We aimed to assess the association of homocysteine and MTHFR status with serum cholesterol levels and their potential links to both histological findings and virological response, in patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV). A total of 119 consecutive patients were evaluated by biopsy and metabolic measurements. A total of 103 healthy blood donors were used as controls. Serum homocysteine and MTHFR C677T mutation were also evaluated. All p…
Differential serum acute-phase biomarker profile in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
2016
There is a growing interest in inflammation and immune dysfunction in severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This dysfunction seems to consist in abnormal blood levels of cytokines and acute-phase proteins, with increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Higher levels can be found in acute episodes and in patients with a higher cardiovascular risk.Acute-phase protein serum parameters were determined in a sample of 100 outpatients with schizophrenia (n = 50) or bipolar disorder (n = 50) so as to assess differences in pro-inflammatory state. Metabolic state was assessed through BMI, waist c…
Genetic variants in the MTHFR are not associated with fatty liver disease.
2020
The common missense sequence variants of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), rs1801131 (c.A1298C) and rs1801133 (c.C677T), favour the development of hyperhomocysteinemia and diminished DNA methylation. Previous studies, carried out in small series and with suboptimal characterization of the hepatic phenotype, tested the association of these genetic variants with fatty liver disease (FLD), with conflicting results. Here, we assessed the association of rs1801131 and rs1801133 with hepatic phenotype in the Liver Biopsy Cross-Sectional Cohort, a large cohort (n=1375 from Italy and 411 from Finland) of European individuals with suspect FLD associated with dysmetabolism. A total of 1786 …
Therapeutical approach to plasma homocysteine and cardiovascular risk reduction
2008
Marcello Ciaccio, Giulia Bivona, Chiara BelliaDepartment of Medical Biotechnologies and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Palermo, ItalyAbstract: Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing aminoacid produced during metabolism of methionine. Since 1969 the relationship between altered homocysteine metabolism and both coronary and peripheral atherotrombosis is known; in recent years experimental evidences have shown that elevated plasma levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular ischemic events. Several mechanisms by which elevated homocysteine impairs vascular function have been proposed, including impairment of endothelial…