UCHL1 and Proteasome in Blood Serum in Relation to Dietary Habits, Concentration of Selected Antioxidant Minerals and Total Antioxidant Status among Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease. It is the most common form of dementia among the elderly population. So far, no effective methods of its treatment have been found. Research to better understand the mechanism of pathology may provide new methods for early diagnosis. This, in turn, could enable early intervention that could slow or halt disease progression and improve patients’ quality of life. Therefore, minimally invasive markers, including serum-based markers, are being sought to improve the diagnosis of AD. One of the important markers may be the concentration of UCHL1 and the proteasome in the blood serum. Their concentration can be affected by many factors, including eating habits. This study was conducted in 110 patients with early or moderate AD, with a mean age of 78.0 ± 8.1 years. The patients were under the care of the Podlasie Center of Psychogeriatrics and the Department of Neurology (Medical University of Białystok, Poland). The control group consisted of 60 healthy volunteers, matched for gender and age. The concentration of UCHL1 and the 20S proteasome subunit were measured by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI). In addition, a nutritional interview was conducted with patients with AD, which assessed the frequency of consumption of 36 groups of products. In the group of patients with AD, compared to the control group, we showed a significantly higher concentration of UCHL1 (56.05 vs. 7.98 ng/mL) and the proteasome (13.02 vs. 5.72 µg/mL). Moreover, we found a low negative correlation between UCHL1 and the proteasome in the control group, and positive in the AD group. The analysis of eating habits showed that the consumption of selected groups of products may affect the concentration of the tested components, and therefore may have a protective effect on AD.

Serum level of Total Antioxidant Status and Malondialdehyde in the Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: a Comparative Study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and a major cause of infertility. Anti- Mullerian Hormone (AMH), a valid marker of ovarian function, is used for the diagnosis of PCOS. The aim of this study is to assess the serum level of total antioxidant status (TAS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the premenopausal women with PCOS. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Padmashree Diagnostics, Department of Gynecology, India from April 2016 to March 2017. Census method was used to select the samples. The oxidative stress was measured by measuring the level of TAS and MDA. The data was recorded in structured proforma and and enter in SPSS version 16.0. The data were expressed in frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and the results obtained were analyzed using pearson’s correlation and student’s t-test. The p-value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The measured serum AMH level among the patients with PCOS was within normal range in 67.5% (27) and above normal range in 32.5% (13). The serum TAS level in normal AMH group was 814.0 + 291 µMol/L and in above normal range group was 720 + 240 µMol/L, (p <0.001). Similarly, the serum level of MDA in normal AMH group was 6.64 + 0.21 µMol/L, and in above normal range group was 8.78 + 0.22 µMol/L (p = 0.01). The measured level of AMH was significantly associated with the increased level of MDA (p<0.001) and decreased level of TAS (p<0.001). The measured MDA level in high AMH group did show statistically significant than the normal AMH group. Conclusions: Serum level of TAS and MDA along with AMH are valuable diagnostic biomarker for the diagnosis of PCOS in the resource poor settings where ultrasound facility is unavailable.

Thiol/disulfide homeostasis and oxidant status in children with congenital heart disease

Objectives This article aims to explain the altered oxidative status and thiol/disulfide homeostasis before and after surgery in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods Blood samples were taken from the patients (n=50) before the operation (baseline), at the 1st hour, and at the 24th hour after the operation. Thiol-disulfide levels, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), myeloperoxidase (MPO), ceruloplasmin, albumin, ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), and prolidase activities of all samples were measured. Pre-operative oxygen saturation (SaO2) values and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios (NLR) were also measured. Results Before the operation, TOS, OSI, MPO, ceruloplasmin, IMA, NRL, and disulfide levels were higher in the cyanotic group than in the acyanotic group. When the indicated three different time points were compared, the TOS, OSI levels, and MPO activities of the 24th hour were significantly lower than the baseline and 1st hour. In comparison, ceruloplasmin levels of 1st hour were significantly higher than of the baseline and 24th hour. Native thiol and total thiol levels in the baseline group were significantly lower than in the 1st and 24th hours. Disulfide levels of the 24th hour were significantly lower than of the baseline. Conclusions The operation leads to changes in the thiol-disulfide balance and oxidant status in CHD.

Influence of Pinealectomy and Long-term Melatonin Administration on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Experimental Gouty Arthritis

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in the joints or soft tissue. MSU crystals are potent inflammation inducers. Melatonin (MLT) is a powerful endogenous anti-inflammatory agent and effective in reducing cellular damage. In the present study, possible underlying mechanisms associated with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects were investigated in rats with gouty arthritis and melatonin deprivation treated with MLT. Fifty-six rats were divided into seven groups: control, sham control, pinealectomy (PNX), MSU (On the 30th day, single dose 20 mg/ml, intraperitoneal), MSU+MLT (10 mg/kg/day for 30 days, intraperitoneal), MSU+PINX and MSU+PINX+MLT. PNX procedure was performed on the first day of the study. As compared to the controls, the results showed that MSU administration caused significant increases in oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde and total oxidant status). Besides, significant decreases in antioxidant defense systems (glutathione, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant status were observed. A statistically significant increase was found in the mean histopathological damage score in the groups that received MSU injection. It was found that histopathological changes were significantly reduced in the MSU+MLT group given MLT. In our study, it was determined that many histopathological changes, as well as swelling and temperature increase in the joint, which are markers of inflammation, were significantly reduced with MLT supplementation. These results suggest that melatonin ameliorates MSU-induced gout in the rat through inhibition of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine production.

Oxidative Stress Level in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background One of the antioxidant mechanisms is the dynamic balance between thiol and disulfide, which, in subarachnoid hemorrhage and other chronic diseases, is disrupted in favor of the latter. The two most commonly used oxidative stress (OS) biochemical markers are the oxidative stress index (OSI) value, which indicates the total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) balance, and the thiol–disulfide (TDS) value, which indicates the total thiol (TT) and native thiol (NT) balance. High OS levels require further investigations. We aimed to investigate the OS level in aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) patients. methods In this clinical prospective study, blood samples were collected from 50 consecutively treated patients with aSAH and 50 volunteers. Serum TOS, TAS, TT, and NT levels were measured using Erel's method via a spectrophotometer. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, Fisher grades, length of hospital stay (LOS), and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores were recorded. Consequently, the OSI and TDS values were calculated in all participants. Results A statistically significant difference was observed in the TAS, TOS, OSI, and TDS values between the aSAH patients and the controls. The TT and NT values were significantly lower in aSAH patients than in the controls. A correlation was identified between the OSI values and the GCS scores. Although a correlation was observed between the TDS values and the LOS, no correlation was found between the OSI and the TDS values. Conclusion The OSI and TDS, which are OS indicators, might serve as the additional objective nominal data to evaluate the treatment efficacy and follow-up for SAH patients. Moreover, decreasing the OSI values and increasing the TT values can be used as improvement indicators in the treated aSAH patients. If we can reduce the OS at the early stage of SAH, it could improve the prognosis by reducing both the morbidity and mortality rates. Further randomized investigations are required to prove the findings in this prospective study.

A Prospective Study on the Association between Oxidative Stress and Duration of Symptoms in Allergic Rhinitis

Oxidative stress has been known to play an important role in inflammatory responses of allergic rhinitis. We investigated the association between degree of oxidative stress and severity of allergic rhinitis. A total 226 allergic rhinitis students were classified by a history of allergic rhinitis into groups according to number and duration of symptoms within the previous year. The total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) levels were compared among groups. Mean TAS level (14.03 ± 9.09 mmol/L) in the group with more than six months of symptoms had a tendency to be higher (p = 0.068) than that of the group with fewer than six months (12.33 ± 8.83 mmol/L). There was no statistically significant difference in mean TAS or TOS level with number of symptoms (nasal congestion, itching, sneezing and watery rhinorrhea). A multivariate logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio of TAS was 1.655 and the adjusted odds ratio of TOS was 0.972 in more than a six-month duration group. The TAS level was significantly associated with a more than six-month symptom duration (p = 0.034). Our results suggest that antioxidant activity increased when allergic rhinitis became chronic and further research will be needed considering the disease severity.

Effects of Medium Cutoff Membranes on Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine and Oxidative Marker Levels in Patients with Sepsis Who Developed Acute Kidney Injury

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> There is insufficient data on the role of the medium cutoff (MCO) membranes in the clearance of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidant radicals in patients with sepsis requiring hemodialysis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The study consisted of 38 septic patients who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and who were scheduled to undergo 2 sessions of hemodialysis. Nineteen patients underwent their first dialysis session with the MCO membrane and 19 patients with the high-flux (HF) membrane. In the second session, the membranes were switched. Pro-inflammatory cytokine and oxidative marker levels were measured in blood samples obtained before and after both dialysis sessions. Reduction ratios were compared for the 2 types of hemodialysis membranes. <b><i>Results:</i></b> After the first session, there was a greater reduction in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α with the MCO membrane (28.2 ± 21.1 vs. 8.0 ± 6.6, <i>p</i> = 0.001). After the second session, there was a greater reduction in interleukin (IL)-6 (27.8 ± 26.5 vs. 5.9 ± 13.3, <i>p</i> = 0.003) and IL-1β (20.5 ± 21.1 vs. 4.0 ± 6.5, <i>p</i> = 0.004) with the MCO membrane. When the first and second sessions of all 38 patients were compared, the reductions in TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were consistently greater for MCO than HF (<i>p</i> = 0.001, <i>p</i> = 0.006, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, respectively). The reductions in total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, and myeloperoxidase were not statistically different for the 2 types of dialysis membranes. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> MCO membrane was superior to HF membrane in the removal of cytokines in septic patients with AKI. However, a similar effect was not observed for oxidative stress markers.

Could Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Levels IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, Total Antioxidant Status and Lactate Dehydrogenase Be Associated with Peri-Implant Bone Loss? A Pilot Study

Background: The mechanisms of periimplantitis are mostly based on biofilm-induced inflammatory lesions around dental implants. However, the host reaction, reflected by the intensity of the inflammatory response to bacterial products, is crucial for peri-implant bone destruction. The aim of this pilot study was to measure total antioxidant status (TAS), the amount of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor), salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and the correlation with one-year peri-implant bone loss. Methods: Seven consecutive patients (Group 1), with the presence of at least one prior inserted dental implant, and three healthy individuals, fully dentate (Group 0), were enrolled. IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, TAS and LDH were determined in saliva of both groups. Peri-implant marginal bone loss (MBL) at one year compared to baseline was evaluated for Group 1. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation was found in Group 1 between MBL and the IL-8 (p = 0.033) and a strong negative correlation between MBL and TAS (p = 0.002), but no statistically significant differences of the assessed parameters were found between the two groups. Conclusions: In the limits of the present preliminary study, salivary TAS and proinflammatory cytokines could be associated with the risk of peri-implant bone loss over time.

The Relationship between Serum Total Oxidant Status, Total Antioxidant Status, and Oxidative Stress Index with Severity Levels of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Literature Review

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global health problem in which the prevalence is increasing over periods. This disease is a significant cause of disorders in the upper gastrointestinal tract with very complex pathogenesis. Oxidative stress (OS) due to gastric acid reflux plays a role in the inflammatory response of the esophageal epithelium. Several OS markers have been widely studied and are thought to affect the severity degree of the esophageal mucosa. However, there has been no research on total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and OS index (OSI) in the adult with GERD; hence the aim of this review was to determine the association between TOS, serum TAS, and OSI with the GERD degree. A literature review was conducted by searching articles related to the TOS, TAS, OSI, and its correlation with GERD degree on an online database, particularly Pubmed and Google scholar. We conclude that TAS and OSI might influence the severity of GERD; however, further clinical study is needed to prove this theory.

Varied diets: Implications for lamb performance, rumen characteristics, total antioxidant status, and welfare

Intensive pastoral systems have moved away from diverse and varied diets towards overly simple monotonous diets. Feed choice through time is an obsolete way of providing forage to animals, as intensive management schemes generally allocate a single herbage or a dyad mixed sward. Monotonous feeding regimes impose nutritional repetition, which may impair animal performance and welfare. The objective of this experiment was to determine the impact of a diverse diet [DIV; free choice from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) at all times], a varied diet [VAR; choice from ryegrass and plantain in the AM (0700 – 1600 h), and chicory and alfalfa in PM (1600 – 0700 h)], and a single forage diet of alfalfa [SFA; alfalfa at all times], on DMI, performance, and welfare of lambs. Six-month-old Coopworth ram lambs (n=21) were offered their respective fresh-forage treatment (n = 7) diet indoors for 20 days. The DIV lambs consumed 1.64 ± 0.03 kg DM/d (mean ± SEm), which was 6% more (P &lt; 0.05; 1.54 ± 0.03 kg DM/d) than the SFA and were not different (P &gt; 0.05; 1.59 ± 0.03 kg DM/d) to the VAR lambs. Average daily gain (ADG) of DIV (296 g/d) and VAR (378 g/d) was 30 and 67 % greater (P &lt; 0.05) compared with the SFA lambs (227 g/d), respectively. The VAR lambs had 28% greater (P &lt; 0.05) ADG than the DIV lambs. Differences among treatments were detected (P &lt; 0.05) for the proportion of the day spent conducting the following behaviors: eating, ruminating, idling, lying, and standing. In addition, the number of bouts of stereotypic behaviors recorded from the SFA lambs (13.2 ± 2.2) was 150% greater (P &lt; 0.05) than the DIV (5.1 ± 1.0) and VAR (5.5 ± 1.0) lambs. Our results suggest that the varied diet offered can improve animal performance and welfare compared to a monotonous SFA diet. Feeding management to provide a varied diet can improve performance relative to giving lambs free choice from taxonomically diverse forage options. Moreover, performance is affected by more than the primary chemical composition of the diet consumed, but how the diet is presented through time and the herbage species and quantities of each that are consumed to reach that chemical composition.