Determination of marker pteridins and biopterin reduced forms, tetrahydrobiopterin and dihydrobiopterin, in human urine, using a post-column photoinduced fluorescence liquid chromatographic derivatization method

A liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous analysis of marker pteridins and biopterin reduced forms, in urine samples is proposed. A Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column was used for the chromatographic separation, using a 98/2 (v/v), citrate buffer (pH 5.5)-acetonitrile mobile phase, in isocratic mode. A post-column photoderivatization was carried out with an on-line photoreactor, located between a diode array detector (DAD) and a fast scanning fluorescence detector (FSFD). Neopterin (NEO), biopterin (BIO), pterin (PT) and dihydrobiopterin (BH2) were determined by measuring native fluorescence, using the photoreactor in OFF-mode, and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) was determined by measuring of the induced fluorescence of the generated photoproducts, using the photoreactor in ON-mode. In addition, Creatinine (CREA), as a reference of metabolites excrection in urine, was simultaneously determined using the DAD detector. Detection limits were 0.2, 13.0, 0.3, 0.3 and 3.5 ng mL(-1), for NEO, BH2, BIO, PT and BH4, respectively, and 0.4 microg mL(-1) for CREA. Ratio values for NEO/CREA, PT/CREA, BH4/CREA, BH2/CREA, NEO/BIO and BIO(total)/CREA, in urine samples, of healthy children and adults, phenylketonuric children and infected mononucleosis children, are reported. A comparative study, about the mean values obtained for each of the compounds, by the present procedure and by the classical iodine oxidation method (Fukushimas method), has been performed, in urine samples belonging to healthy volunteers. The values obtained were BH4/CREA: 0.41, BH2/CREA: 0.31 and BIO(total)/CREA: 0.73, by the proposed method, and BH4/CREA: 0.35, BH2/CREA: 0.20 and BIO(total)/CREA: 0.48, by iodine oxidation method.

Presence of infective Epstein-Barr virus in the urine of patients with infectious mononucleosis

The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the blood and urine of 20 patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) was investigated together with the clinical course of the disease, and in 9 patients up to 2-7 months after recovery. EBV DNA, analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was detected in the blood of all 20 patients from the first sample obtained and detected between 3 to 42 days from the beginning of symptoms and up to 2-3 months after recovery. In the urine, EBV DNA was detected in 15 out of 16 (93%) patients in the first sample obtained and detected between 3 to 50 days during the clinical course of the disease. In four patients EBV DNA was detected in the urine up to 3 months after full recovery. Seventeen out of 26 (65%) urine samples including 3 which were obtained 2-7 months after recovery infected B cells as assessed by PCR. Nine out of 12 (75%) urine samples tested induced Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) in the infected B-cell line. In addition to the persistence of EBV in the blood of IM patients, these studies show for the first time the presence of infective EBV in the urine during the clinical course of the disease and up to 7 months after full clinical recovery.

Leukocyte surface origin of human alpha1-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid)

Specific antibodies against human alpha1-acid glycoprotein reacted with human lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes. The antigen on the leukocytes is an externally located integral membrane glycoprotein which is made by the cells and has an apparent mol wt of 52,000. It is released from cells in vitro to the culture medium. The mol wt of the soluble fragment is 41,000, which corresponds to that of alpha1-acid glycoprotein in serum and urine. Peptide mapping confirmed that the main part of the cellular membrane antigen consists of alpha1-acid glycoprotein with an additional, probably hydrophobic fragment. This finding may partially explain the increase in the serum levels of alpha1-acid glycoprotein observed in many disorders involving leukocyte proliferation. In addition, the known sequence homology of alpha1-acid glycoprotein with immunoglobulins can now be more easily understood by their origin in similar cell types.

Cellular elements in the urine in health and in acute infectious diseases, especially with respect to the presence of haematuria. A study with application of millipore procedure and Papanicolaou staining

The excretion of cellular per litre of urine amounted in healthy persons to, in round figures, one million epithelial cells (2.5 cells per visual field) in both sexes, one million leukocytes in males, one million erythrocytes in females and 0.5 million in males. The maximal excretion was calculated to be 5-6 million per litre. In acute infections the number of epithelial cells and leukocytes in the urine rose to more than the double. Pathological microscopic haematuria, judged by exceeding of the maximal value for normal excretion during the acute phase (24 or more erythrocytes per visual field), occurred in no case of mycoplasma infection, in about 4% of measles, mononucleosis, serous meningitis and hepatitis cases, in about 8% of mumps and streptococcal infections, and in more than 20% of influenza A2 cases. Statistical significance or probable significant existed between influenza and other diseases. The haematuria was unrelated either to the general degenerative or to the specific inclusion-provocative reaction within the renal and urinary tract epithelium. The cause is sought in an involvement of glomeruli with increased diapedesis. The special position of influenza may be explained by the marked haemorrhagic reactions produced by this infection. In one case persistent haematuria combined with increased content of inclusion-bearing cells occurred after influenza. Immunoglobulin deposition in glomerular mesangium may perhaps be one explanation of this haematuria.