Antioxidant Activity with Increased Endogenous Levels of Vitamin C, E and A Following Dietary Supplementation with a Combination of Glutathione and Resveratrol Precursors.

The effects of two different dietary supplements on the redox status of healthy human participants were evaluated. The first supplement (GluS, Glutathione Synthesis) contains the precursors for the endogenous synthesis of glutathione and the second (GluReS, Glutathione and Resveratrol Synthesis) contains in addition polydatin, a precursor of resveratrol. To assess the influence of GluS and GluReS on the redox status, ten thiol species and three vitamins were measured before (t0) and after 8 weeks (t1) of dietary supplementation.

Influence of Dietary Supplementation for Hyperhomocysteinemia Treatments.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is recognized as risk factor for cardiovascular and age-associated diseases. Folic acid supplementation efficiently lowers plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels, but high intake may negatively affect health because of unnatural levels of unmetabolized folic acid in the systemic circulation. Oxoproline (Oxo) provides by glutamic acid production an increase of intracellular folic acid trapping.

Oxidative Stress Assessment in Response to Ultraendurance Exercise: Thiols Redox Status and ROS Production according to Duration of a Competitive Race.

Purpose. Response to an ultraendurance competitive race on thiols redox status, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxidative stress (OxS) was investigated according to duration. Methods.

Efficacy of a Standardized Extract of Prunus mume in Liver Protection and Redox Homeostasis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of Prunus mume (PM) have previously been demonstrated. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the influence of two doses of a food supplement, made of 150 mg of a standardized PM extract on liver transaminases, lipid profile, glycemia, neopterin and reduced and oxidized thiols in plasma and erythrocytes, during a 3-month treatment period, in healthy subjects with transaminases levels between 20 and 40 UI/L. Forty-five subjects (56.

Determination of different forms of aminothiols in red blood cells without washing erythrocytes.

Detection and quantification of different aminothiols forms (reduced and total) in biological fluids are important for the investigation of oxidative stress-related diseases and cell homeostasis study. The aim of this study was to optimize a HPLC method in order to determine both reduced and total thiol forms in red blood cells (RBC) at low temperature without washing erythrocytes. Analytical recoveries for total and reduced thiols were 91.

Morphine or its withdrawal affects plasma malondialdehyde, vitamin E levels and absence or presence of abstinence signs in rats.

Objectives: Various experimental observations show that morphine treatment generates reactive oxygen species, and that its discontinuation leads to signs of withdrawal. We therefore investigated plasma malondialdehyde and vitamin E levels under both conditions to verify the occurrence of any alterations in oxidative metabolism, and whether these are associated with behavioural changes.

Methods: We investigated the effects of morphine or morphine plus naloxone on plasma malondialdehyde, vitamin E levels and withdrawal signs such as jumping, wet dog shakes and faecal excretion in rats.

Blood glutathione as independent marker of lipid peroxidation in heart failure.

Background: Aminothiols have a critical function as intracellular redox buffers and constitute furthermore an important extracellular redox system. Lipid peroxidation is increased in chronic heart failure (CHF), but the contribution of each thiol to oxidative stress in this syndrome has not been evaluated.

Aim: To assess the correlation between blood and plasma concentrations of aminothiols and lipid peroxidation as marker of oxidative stress in CHF patients.

Effects of combined dietary supplementation on oxidative and inflammatory status in dyslipidemic subjects.

Background And Aim: Dyslipidemia is one of the main risk factors for atherosclerosis, usually the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases which are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. The aim of this study was to assess the effects and the advantages of a combined dietary supplementation with PUFA n-3, vitamin E, niacin and gamma-oryzanol on lipid profile, inflammatory status and oxidative balance.

Methods And Results: Fifty-seven dyslipidemic volunteers were randomly assigned to receive: placebo (group A, 19 subjects); PUFA n-3 and vitamin E (group B, 18 subjects); the same as B plus gamma-oryzanol and niacin (group C, 20 subjects).

Isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rabbits. Protection by propranolol or labetalol: a proposed non-invasive procedure.

Myocardial infarction is usually induced in small animals by means of invasive techniques based on mechanical coronary obstruction. As it has been reported that isoproterenol can cause ischemic myocardial alterations, lipid peroxide generation and procoagulant activity, we administered it to rabbits in order to induce a non-invasive myocardial infarction associated with above mentioned cardiovascular risk factors. Considerable ischemic alterations were observed in the animals treated with isoproterenol, including areas of myocardial necrosis, contraction band necrosis, increased plasma levels of cardiac necrosis markers (c-troponin I and myoglobin), and electrocardiographic modifications (ST segment changes and T wave inversion).

Critical study of preanalytical and analytical phases of adenine and pyridine nucleotide assay in human whole blood.

Intracellular redox and energetic status play a crucial role in cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. The physiological status of reducing agents, such as NADPH and NADH, and of high-energy molecules, such as ATP, is required for antioxidant system activity. For these reasons, an accurate measurement of adenine and pyridine nucleotides is fundamental.

Analytical performance and method comparison study of the total homocysteine fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on the AxSYM analyzer.

A fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) has been commercially released for routine large-scale testing of total homocysteine (tHcy) on the AxSYM analyzer. We evaluated the analytical performance of the AxSYM tHcy FPIA and compared it with the well established high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and IMx tHcy FPIA methods. Homocysteine concentrations were measured by AxSYM and IMx tHcy FPIA and by a rapid isocratic HPLC method with fluorescence detection.

Drugs modifying nitric oxide metabolism affect plasma cholesterol levels, coagulation parameters, blood pressure values and the appearance of plasma myocardial necrosis markers in rabbits: opposite effects of L-NAME and nitroglycerine.

Unlabelled: Various experiments have shown that decreased nitric oxide values alter plasma lipid levels or coagulation parameters or blood pressure values or cause myocardial necrosis phenomena, but it is not clear whether these alterations are reciprocally connected, or whether nitric oxide changes are involved in the appearance of some coronary disease risk factors (lipid, coagulation, blood pressure alterations) and myocardial necrosis.

Aims: We modified nitric oxide levels in rabbits using L-NAME (a NO synthase blocker) or nitroglycerine (a NO donor), and simultaneously evaluated variations in total and HDL cholesterol levels, some coagulation parameters, mean blood pressure values and myocardial necrosis patterns.

Results: L-NAME lowered plasma nitric oxide values, increased plasma total cholesterol and decreased HDL cholesterol levels, enhanced the amount of plasma fibrinogen, shortened prothrombin times, elevated the mean blood pressure values and caused the appearance of cardiac necrosis markers (c-troponin I, creatine kinase) in plasma and coagulative necrosis lesions in the myocardium.

Newborn screening of homocystinuria: quantitative analysis of total homocyst(e)ine on dried blood spot by liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection.

Identification of homocystinuric newborns is hindered by the pitfalls of neonatal screening programs. We propose a fluorimetric HPLC method with a rapid pre-analytical step for homocysteine determination from neonatal dried blood spot cards. Homocysteine in blood spots sampled among 2000 healthy newborns on living day 4, averaged 2.

A new HPLC micromethod to measure total plasma homocysteine in newborn.

Total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) in children may be an useful biochemical marker for genetic risk of premature cardiovascular disease. We reported a rapid, isocratic HPLC method able to process very small amount of newborn plasma samples. A blood sample from heel capillary circulation was collected, using a heparinized capillary glass tube.

8 determination of plasma homocysteine.

A number of epidemiological and clinical studies have linked elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) to atherosclerotic vascular disease affecting coronary, carotid, and peripheral vessels. Plasma Hcy can be considered a marker of methionine metabolic efficiency, mainly affected by dietary intake of vitamins, especially folate, vitamin B(6), and B(12), as well as by genetic mutations of key metabolic enzymes and renal elimination.

Screening of homocysteine from newborn blood spots by high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric array detection.

Homocystinuria, due to a deficiency of cystationine-beta-synthase, refers to the rare inborn error of the metabolism of homocysteine. The identification and prompt treatment of homocystinuria during the neonatal period can prevent or greatly reduce the severity of the clinical consequences. We report a new method for homocystinuria diagnosis from dried blood spots on newborn screening cards, based on high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical coulometric array detection.

Homocysteine, vitamin B12, and serum and erythrocyte folate in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients.

Background: Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of plasma Hcy have been observed in end-stage renal disease patients. Few studies have compared peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients and few data are available on erythrocyte folate (ery-F) levels in dialysis patients.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of total plasma homocysteine with or without internal standards.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and vascular occlusive disease. Assessment of total plasma concentration of homocysteine (tHcys) requires accurate and reproducible measurements. The aim of this study was to test a rapid isocratic HPLC method for tHcys analysis with an internal standard (I.

Serum levels of procollagen type I carboxyterminal extension peptide in cancer patients with bone metastases.

Serum levels of procollagen type I carboxy-terminal extension peptide (PICP) reflect the synthesis of type I collagen. As PICP is produced by osteoblasts and is not incorporated into bone matrix, serum PICP levels have been suggested as a marker of bone formation. In 37 cancer patients (21 men and 16 women; age: 72.

Myocardial blood flow distribution in patients with ischemic heart disease or dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing heart transplantation.

Background: The present investigation was designed to obtain an absolute measurement of myocardial blood flow and of its transmural distribution in ischemic heart disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and to provide a reference standard for cardiac imaging in nuclear cardiology.

Methods And Results: Regional myocardial blood flow and its transmural distribution were estimated by the reference microsphere method in eight patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 4) or ischemic heart disease (n = 4) during heart transplant procedure. Before aortic clamping, 99mTc-labeled human albumin microspheres were injected into the left atrium while arterial blood was sampled from the aorta at a constant rate.

Identification of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors on sarcolemma from normal subjects and patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: characteristics and linkage to GTP-binding protein.

Discontinuous density sucrose gradient centrifugation was used to isolate membrane vesicles from the left ventricle of three normal subjects (one prospective organ donor and two traffic victims whose hearts were obtained 1 hour after death) and nine patients undergoing cardiac transplantation as a consequence of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Sarcolemma-enriched subcellular fractions, detected in the interface between 8.55% and 25% sucrose, were identified by the increased activity of Na+,K+-ATPase and by enrichment in beta-adrenergic receptor density.

An examination of heart proteins by two-dimensional electrophoresis.

We examined specimens from explanted human hearts by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The protocol selected includes: (a) solubilization of the sample in a urea-detergent mix; (b) charge fractionation in the presence of urea and nonionic detergent on a pH 4-10 immobilized pH gradient; (c) size fractionation on a polyacrylamide concentration gradient in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate; and (d) staining with silver nitrate. The method is sensitive enough for analysis of biopsies in the 1-3 mg range (wet tissue).

Extraction and partial purification of a CEA-like BCA from a pool of pre-selected breast carcinomas.

By exploiting the cross-reaction among the antigens associated with a pool of breast carcinomas, preselected according to their antigenic content, a CEA-like BCA, with a specific activity of 1400 U/micrograms has been extracted, by means of 3M KCl, and partially purified by means of ConA Sepharose affinity chromatography and bioabsorption, employing, for the latter, a cross-reacting antiserum (anti CEA). The subsequent labelling, after Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, points out an immunological activity at the apex of the first peak versus anti CBC (or C.BCA) and anti CEA.

BCA (breast cancer antigens): different purification extraction methods.

Various types of extraction were tested to increase the immunological yield of BCA, a CEA-like primary breast cancer associated carcinoma antigen. To allow a comparison, the different extraction techniques were applied to only one breast tumour. The comparison of the various systems was based on two parameters: protein yield and immunological activity, assayed in a RIA 125I CEA-anti CEA system.