Rheumatoid arthritis and the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory joint disease. Various proinflammatory cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of this chronic disorder. It is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies, such as rheumatoid factor and antibodies against citrullinated peptides.

Drug-neutralizing Antibodies against TNF-α blockers as Biomarkers of Therapy Effect Evaluation.

Introduction: TNF-α blocker therapy is part of the treatment with biologics used in the management of inflammatory joint diseases. In recent years, drug-induced neutralizing antibodies have been shown to have a negative effect on the course of the disease process.

Aim: To investigate drug-induced neutralizing antibodies against TNF-α blocking drugs used in patients with inflammatory joint diseases and their effect on the clinical course of the disease.

Serum Levels of Carbamylated LDL, Nitrotyrosine and Soluble Lectin-like Oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-1 in Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: Carbamylated low-density lipoprotein (cLDL) has profound proatherogenic properties. Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) has been identified as the primary cLDL receptor. The soluble form of LOX-1 (sLOX-1) and 3-nitrotyrosine (NT) have recently been suggested as biomarkers of vascular disease.

Serum Levels of Carbamylated LDL and Soluble Lectin-Like Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-1 Are Associated with Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

: Lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) has been recognized as the primary receptor for carbamylated low-density lipoproteins (cLDL) and is increasingly being viewed as a critical mediator of vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the possible role of circulating cLDL and soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) as potential biomarkers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as of coronary artery disease (CAD) among MetS patients. : The serum levels of cLDL and sLOX-1 were measured by ELISA in 30 MetS patients without CAD, 30 MetS patients with CAD, and 30 healthy controls.

Influence of Platelet Aggregation Modulators on Cyclic AMP Production in Human Thrombocytes.

Background: Cyclic AMP is a powerful inhibitor of platelet aggregation. In the present study we examined the effect of platelet aggregation modulators on cyclic AMP content in human thrombocytes. Of the agents we tested, lactoferrin, wortmannin, quercetin and amiloride are platelet aggregation inhibitors, whereas ouabain is a platelet activator.

Pathobiochemical Mechanisms Relating Iron Homeostasis with Parameters of Inflammatory Activity and Autoimmune Disorders in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Aim: To find the correlations between the parameters of iron homeostasis, inflammatory activity and autoimmune disorders in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials And Methods: The present study included 114 patients with RA and 42 healthy controls. We determined the parameters of iron homeostasis: serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), the parameters of inflammatory activity: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prohepcidin, and the parameters of autoimmune disorders: rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (antiCCP) antibodies and DAS 28.

Pathobiochemical Mechanisms Relating Iron Homeostasis to Parameters of Inflammatory Activity and Autoimmune Disorders in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Aim: To find the correlations between the parameters of iron homeostasis, inflammatory activity and autoimmune disorders in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials And Methods: The present study included 114 patients with RA and 42 healthy controls. We determined the parameters of iron homeostasis: serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), the parameters of inflammatory activity: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prohepcidin, and the parameters of autoimmune disorders: rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (antiCCP) antibodies, and DAS 28.

Effect of Nitrates, Thiocyanates and Selenium on the Iron and Iodine Status of Postpartum Women.

Aim: To find correlations between high thiocyanate and nitrate levels and low selenium levels and the indicators of the iodine and iron status of postpartum women.

Materials And Methods: The study included 41 mothers aged 26.4±5.

The Role of Eating Habits on the Iron Status of Pregnant Women.

Objective: This study highlights the relationship between some eating habits and iron status during pregnancy.

Subjects: The study included 219 healthy pregnant women aged 27.6 ± 5.

Effect of some flavonic compounds and ascorbic acid on lactoferrin stimulation of erythrocyte glycolysis and Na+/ K+-atpase activity.

The aim of the present study was to assess if some flavonic compounds (quercetin, piceatannol and apigenin) and ascorbic acid could interfere with the Lf stimulatory effect on the erythrocyte function. Quercetin (1.5 microM) and piceatannol (30 microM) showed an additive effect on Lf stimulation of Na+/ K+-ATPase when used together with Lf.

Lactoferrin stimulates erythrocyte Na+/K+ -adenosine triphosphatase: effect of some modulators of membrane phosphorylation.

We studied the effect of some modulators of signal transduction on the erythrocyte Na+/ K+-ATPase. Go6976 and Go6983 (protein kinase C inhibitors) showed a stimulatory effect and calyculin A (protein phosphatase inhibitor) exerted an inhibitory effect on the Na pump activity. Some of the tested modulators of cell-signaling [protein phosphatase(s), phosphodiesterase, calmodulin and some protein kinases] interfered with the lactoferrin (Lf) stimulatory effect on the sodium pump.

Lactoferrin-protector against oxidative stress and regulator of glycolysis in human erythrocytes.

Binding of lactoferrin (Lf) to its membrane receptors requires an electron for the reduction of Fe(3+)LF to Fe(2+)LF. It is possible that glyceraldehyde -3-phosphate dehydrogenase, a glycolytic enzyme part of the erythrocyte membrane, delivers that electron. Then Lf, obtaining an electron from the coenzyme NADH, might stimulate glycolysis, which requires the oxidised state of the coenzyme NAD+.

Essential metal ions alter the lactoferrin binding to the erythrocyte plasma membrane receptors.

The effect of metal ions at a concentration of 10(-8) to 10(-5) M [using their salts: ZnCl2, CdCl2, LiCl, CuSO4, NiSO4, Al2(SO4)3, (NH4)2MoO4 on the lactoferrin (Lf) binding to the erythrocyte membrane receptors was studied. In the absence of metal ions, Scatchard's analysis showed the existence of two kinds of binding site: one with high affinity and low capacity, and the another with low affinity and high capacity. All these metals, excluding Zn2+ and Cd2+, at a concentration 10(-5) M decreased the affinity of Lf binding (Ka1) to the high-affinity receptors.

Effect of lactoferrin on the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes isolated from blood of patients with autoimmune diseases and Staphylococcus aureus allergy.

Phagocytic number (PN) and phagocytic index (PI) of neutrophils isolated from blood of patients with autoimmune diseases, allergy to Staphylococcus aureus and from blood of healthy individuals were examined. Our results concerning the influence of lactoferrin (Lf); (6.7 mg/l) on the PI of PMN showed that: 1) Lf enhances reliable PI of PMN at the 30-th minute starting the phagocytic reaction in patients with autoimmune disease in an active stage, in blood donors treated as healthy with the presence of autoantibodies, in patients with autoimmune diseases and proved autoantibodies against tissue, cell antigens and collagen, 2) Lf influences non-significantly PI of PMN in patients with autoimmune collagen diseases in remission, 3) Lf increases PI of PMN with 19% only in 58% from the assessed patients with Staphylococcus aureus, and 4) Lf decreases non-significantly PI of PMN in the healthy controls.

Superoxide dismutase and lipid-bound sialic acid in sera from children with cancers and juvenile chronic arthritis.

Both experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that patients with autoimmune and other chronic inflammatory diseases are more prone to develop cancer. The aim of the present investigation is to find some typical differences between the content of lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in sera from children with neoplastic diseases and juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). Our results show 30% lower SOD activity in the sera from children with cancer compared with the sera from children with JCA.

Effect of bovine milk antigens and egg lysozyme on the binding of 59Fe-lactoferrin to platelet plasma membranes.

1. Platelets bind specifically to lactoferrin. A significant similarity between human lactoferrin and some bovine milk proteins has been established.

Lactoferrin binding to human platelets.

1. Platelets bind specifically lactoferrin. 2.

The effect of zinc on [59Fe]lactoferrin binding to blood neutrophilic leucocytes and colostral cells.

Zn2+ inhibits the binding of [59Fe]lactoferrin to neutrophilic leucocytes. The inhibiting effect is proportional to zinc concentration in the range 10-330 mumol/l. Zn2+ inhibits the [59Fe]lactoferrin binding to the colostral cells in the same degree as PMN.

Lactoferrin binding to neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

Neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) bind specifically lactoferrin. This binding was characterized by two types of binding sites: with higher affinity and low capacity and another site with lower affinity and higher capacity (respectively Kaff 1 = 2.2 X 10(9) M-1 and about 39,000 binding sites per cell and Kaff2 = 0.