Polymorphisms in Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNFα) Gene in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis

Proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP). The aim of this study was to determine if polymorphisms in the TNFα gene are associated with AP. Two polymorphisms located in the promoter region (positions −308 and −238) in TNFα gene were determined using polymerase chain reaction- (PCR-) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods in 103 patients with AP and 92 healthy controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, BMI and smoking. The frequencies of TNFα polymorphisms were both similar in patients with mild or severe pancreatitis, so were in pancreatitis patients and in controls. We suggest that both SNPs of TNFα are not genetic risk factor for AP susceptibility (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.13−4.01 for TNFα−308 and OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.75−1.77 for TNFα−238)

Liquid chromatographic analysis of maneb and its main degradation product, ethylenethiouera, in fruit juice

Ethylenethiourea (ETU), a possible human carcinogen and an antithyroid compound, is the main degradation product of the fungicide, maneb, which is widely used in agriculture. In this study, a rapid and accurate method for the determination of maneb and ETU in various fruit juices (tomato, grape and apple) was developed requiring minimal clean-up of sample extract, no derivatization prior to injection and no specialized LC detectors. Samples were cleaned up using silica and octadecylsilica (C-18) cartridges before injection into liquid chromatography (LC) with diode-array detection (DAD). Recoveries ranged between 90 and 101% with relative standard deviations from 0.7 to 3.8%. The limits of determination of maneb and ETU were 0.1 and 0.01 mg 1(-1), respectively. The proposed method was used to monitor the presence of maneb and ETU in commercial samples taken from different markets of Istanbul, Turkey. Maneb was found in one tomato juice sample at a concentration of 0.45 mg 1(-1) but ETU was below the LOQ. Two tomato juices had no detectable maneb residue but contained ETU at levels of 0.08 and 0.11 mg 1(-1)

Effects of methiocarb on lipid peroxidation and glutathione level in rat tissues

Methiocarb is an N-methylcarbamate insecticide used worldwide in agriculture and health programs. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of methiocarb to induce lipid peroxidation (LPO) in tissues of male Wistar rats following single and repeated oral exposures. Animals were divided into six different groups, and methiocarb was administered by orally at doses 25, 10, and 2 mg/kg body weight for 1, 5, and 28 days, respectively. Liver, kidney, brain, and testis tissues were taken from the rats for the biochemical examinations. LPO and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were determined in the tissues. LPO was significantly increased in liver, kidney, brain, and testis after 1-, 5-, and 28-day treatments of methiocarb. GSH levels were significantly increased in the I-day period and significantly decreased in the 5- and 28-day periods in all tissues after methiocarb administration. It is concluded that methiocarb may induce LPO and produce disturbances on the GSH levels in liver, kidney, testis, and brain of rats. This suggests that methiocarb-induced toxicity may be associated with oxidative stress to cellular membranes. Further studies are required to better understand the role of oxidative stress on methiocarb-induced toxicity