Glutamate dehydrogenase activity in leukocytes and ageing.

Background: Glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) is an intracellular enzyme normally located in mitochondria and the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The metabolism of neuroexcitotoxic glutamate is lowered in many neurodegenerative disorders.

Objective: Defining the GLDH activity in leukocytes can provide indirect data about neurodegenerative processes in the brain.

Changes in leukocyte glutamate dehydrogenase activity in alcoholics upon break in alcohol consumption.

Objectives: We wanted to find the influence of alcohol on leukocyte glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) activity, its diagnostic value, influence on metabolism and cells toxicity.

Design And Methods: It was assessed three times in 238 alcoholics and once in 244 healthy persons. We developed our own method applying Triton and two freeze-thaw cycles on -20 degrees C for defining its activity.

Glutamate dehydrogenase as a marker of alcohol dependence.

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) in the diagnostic combinations as a result of new findings.

Methods: GLDH, gama-glutamyltransferase (GGT), aspartate-aminotranferase (AST), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) and erythrocyte mean cell volume (MCV) were assessed three times in 238 alcoholics admitted to hospital: on admission, after 24 h and after 7 days.

Results: All the values were significantly higher than those in healthy persons.

Glutamate dehydrogenase activity in lymphocytes of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients.

Objectives: To investigate the pattern of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) activity, GLUD1 and GLUD2 expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of untreated B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) in healthy individuals (HI) and patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM).

Design And Methods: GLDH activity was determined in a supernatant obtained from pelleted PBMC. GLUD1 and GLUD2 mRNA expression was determined using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Kinetics and isoforms of serum glutamate dehydrogenase in alcoholics.

Aims: The goal of this paper was to determine Glutamate dehydrogenase's (GLDH) increased activity and rapid decrease in alcoholics according to last consumption of alcohol as well as to confirm that quick normalisation cannot be a sign of hepatocyte necrosis and that GLDH from rough endoplasmic reticulum exists in the serum of alcoholics.

Methods: GLDH activity was assessed in 238 alcoholics admitted to hospital. A blood sample was taken from every subject three times: on admission to hospital, after 24 hours and after 7 days.

Saliva and serum lithium monitoring in hospitalized patients and possibility to replace serum to saliva.

The lithium ions concentration in human serum and saliva was determined using dry-slide technology Vitros 250 Analyser (Ortho Clinical Diagnostic) and atomic absorption spectrometry Perkin Elmer 403 (AAS). We analyzed lithium ions in 100 serum and saliva specimens of patients after oral administration of lithium carbonate (3 x 300 mg) Jadran, Galen Laboratory Rijeka. Saliva and blood were taken 2 and 12 hours after the last dose.

Comparison of vitros dry slide technology for determination of lithium ions with other methods.

The lithium ions concentration in human serum was determined using Dry-slide technology Vitros 250 Analyser (Ortho Clinical Diagnostic), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method Perkin Elmer 403 and ion-selective electrode (ISE) potentiometry AVL 9181. We compared lithium ions results in sample sera between these methods. Our reference method was AAS.

Serum alcohol dehydrogenase levels in patients with mental disorders.

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) was assessed in 81 patients admitted to hospital for treatment for alcohol dependence with or without liver cirrhosis, 20 patients with bipolar disorder treated with lithium carbonate and 41 patients with various mental disorders treated with psychopharmacologic agents. Testing the hypothesis of the arithmetic mean showed that in alcohol dependents the arithmetic mean of ADH activity (12.19 nkat/l+/-5.

Increased levels of osteoprotegerin in hemodialysis patients.

Recently identified soluble circulating osteoprotegerin (OPG), a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor family, is the osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OCIF). It acts as a "decoy" receptor for receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and antagonises RANKL/RANK activity. This way OPG exerts the protective effect on bone, which is also important in hyperparathyroidism.