Effect of chloroquine wash-out period of photosensitizers in the skin and selected organs in rats.

In the last decade, photodynamic therapy has become an alternative method for the diagnosis and therapy of tumors. In human medicine hematoporphyrin derivatives, sulfonated hydrophilic meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPPS4) and an oligomer of hematoporphyrin (Photosan 3), are widely used. Chloroquine is used for the treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda for its power to release porphyrins from the liver tissue.

[Plasma leptin levels in patients with kidney diseases of various etiologies].

Background: Leptin is a new hormone influencing food intake, energy expenditure and body weight. This protein is produced by adipocytes, exerts its effects on brain, endocrine pancreas and other organs by activating transmembrane receptors and is cleared from plasma mainly by the kidneys. The aim of our study was to compare plasma concentrations of leptin in our nephrological out-patients and controls.

[Relation between plasma levels of IGF-I, leptin and TNF-alpha in diabetics].

Background: TNF-alpha, IGF-I and leptin are agents which influence insulin resistance, they play probably a part in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and influence mutually their production. The objective of the submitted investigation was to assess whether there exist relations between their concentrations in the plasma of diabetic patients.

Methods And Results: The authors examined 37 patients aged 18-67 years from a diabetic clinic, 10 with normal albuminuria and normal renal function, 12 with microalbuminuria and 15 with macroalbuminuria and/or reduced renal function.

[Semiquantitative monitoring of molecular markers in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Background: As quantitative changes of disease specific molecular markers may reflect disease activity, various methods quantifying targets of polymerase chain reaction were developed and their clinical relevance should be established.

Methods And Results: Here the exploitation of the DNA limiting dilution methodology in molecular monitoring of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas is presented. Long-term stored diagnostic DNAs are checked for their integrity and examined in dose-response assays for semiquantitative estimates of t(14,18) translocations and clonal immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangement.

The localisation of TPPS4 in some organs and its possible nephrotoxicity in rats.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is now being used more frequently in carefully selected cases of malignancies. The drugs used for PDT are mostly derivatives of haematoporphyrine (HPD) and its active component photofrine II. Another compound prepared by total synthesis is meso-tetra-(4-sulfonatophenyl)-porphine (TPPS4) but its application in human medicine was rejected because of its neurotoxicity.