Influence of atorvastatin on angiotensin I metabolism in resting and TNF-α -activated rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Introduction: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are essential for maintaining vasculature homeostasis and function. By influence on its growth and activation both proinflammatory cytokines and peptides of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) are potent regulators of VSMCs. Interestingly, angiotensin (Ang) II and Ang-(1-7) elicit opposite effects on VSMC activation, differentiation and proliferation.

[Effect of lipopolysaccharide and hypoxia on rat neutrophils in vitro].

The main aim of this study was to examine the role of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hypoxia on respiratory burst in rat neutrophils in vitro. Hypoxia (2% oxygen tension) inhibited respiratory burst of neutrophils in response to phorbol ester. Neutrophils treatment by LPS and hypoxia resulted in significant augmentation respiratory burst via NADPH oxidase activity in luminol chemiluminescence.

[The functional relevance of Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu-beta2-adrenoreceptor polymorphism in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis].

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of beta2-adrenoreceptor polymorphisms Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu as well as their relationship to the pulmonary function parameters, and the clinical presentation in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Investigated polymorphisms were in linkage disequilibrium, therefore their effects should be evaluated collectively. Although no significant association could be found with the presence of asthma or allergic rhinitis in studied population, polymorphisms of beta2-adrenoreceptor can influence pulmonary function in these patients.

Interleukin 1beta induces functional prostaglandin E synthase in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Prostaglandin endoperoxide H2 (PGH2) is generated from arachidonic acid by either constitutive (COX-1) or inducible (COX-2) cyclooxygenases. In arterial wall PGH2 is converted by PGI2 synthase (PGI-S) to prostacyclin (PGI2), and in platelets by thromboxane synthase (TX-S) to thromboxane (TXA2). Other prostanoids as PGD2, PGF2alpha, or PGE2 were believed to arise non-enzymatically from PGH2.

[Factors influencing prevalence and clinical course of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in kidney transplant patients].

In the paper the authors tried to identify factors influencing prevalence and clinical course of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in kidney transplant patients. The study was performed in the group of 100 patients after cadaveric kidney transplant followed up in the Chair and Department of Nephrology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University in Krakow. CMV infection was demonstrated to occur more frequently and significantly earlier in the patients administered prednisone, cyclosporin A and mycophenolate mofetil, compared to the group treated with standard triple-drug-therapy (prednisone, cyclosporin A, azathioprine) or double-drug-therapy (prednisone, cyclosporin A).