Circulating plasma antioxidants, inflammatory markers and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis in end-stage renal disease patients: a case control study

Few studies have been conducted on the relationship between antioxidant plasma vitamin concentrations, inflammatory markers and carotid atherosclerosis with inconclusive results in endstage renal disease (ESRD) patients. A case-control study was performed to investigate the relationship between plasma antioxidant concentrations, inflammatory markers, and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in healthy subjects and in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). We enrolled 40 subjects (20 healthy, 20 with ESRD) asymptomatic for carotid atherosclerosis. After carotid ultrasound investigation (CUI), medical history data, physical examination, venous blood samples were collected. These were analyzed for concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (A, E), carotenoids (lycopene, beta-carotene), inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen), and lipid profile. Low concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin E, lycopene, and beta-carotene were significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with ESRD (p less than 0.001). In addition, high concentration of low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol (p less than 0.01), C-reactive protein and fibrinogen (p less than 0.001) were also associated with carotid atherosclerosis, while other laboratory parameters considered (high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides) were not significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis. A regular intake of foods rich in antioxidant vitamins with low fat concentrations may slow the progression of atherosclerotic process in this group of patients.

Anti-chemokine therapy for inflammatory diseases

Chemokines are inflammatory proteins acting via G-protein coupled chemokine receptors that trigger different signaling pathways. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (CCL2/MCP-1) and regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted (CCL5/RANTES) are the two major members of the CC chemokine beta subfamily. The roles of RANTES and MCP-1 are emerging in regulating the recruitment of inflammatory cells into tissue during inflammation. The inhibition of MCP-1 and RANTES with corresponding antibodies or other inhibitors may provide benefits in different clinical scenarios including cancer, inflammation, CNS disorders, parasitic disease, autoimmune and heart diseases. RANTES and MCP-1 may represent targets for diagnostic procedures and therapeutic intervention, and may be useful as a prognostic factor in the above diseases.

The Effect of Porcine Orexin a on C-Peptide Plasma Concentrations in Pigs

The hypothalamus and the neuropeptides that are produced and act within its neuronal circuits constitute an area of extensive laboratory research. In 1998, the neuropeptide, Orexin A, was discovered and isolated from the hypothalamus of the rat. An i.c.v. injection of Orexin A into the lateral ventricle of the rat's brain causes an increase in the consumption of food, and, apart from appetite, it also seems to be regulating many other normal functions of the organism, whose regulatory and metabolic mechanisms remain unknown to date. The neuropeptide is produced by a small cluster located in and round the lateral hypothalamic area. It has been known for decades that this area is involved in the regulation of feeding and energy homeostasis in mammals. The intravenous, subcutaneous, or i.c.v. injection of Orexin A causes changes in insulin and glucagon concentrations. The same effect is also seen under in vitro experimental conditions. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of i.c.v. administration of porcine Orexin A on c-peptide concentrations in the peripheral blood of pigs, and tested whether these changes are associated with the potential effect of the neuropeptide on the function of the pancreas.