Monitoring of platelet function parameters and microRNA expression levels in patients with prostate cancer treated with volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy

Radiotherapy (RT) may result in platelet activation and thrombosis development. To the best of our knowledge, the potential effect of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), a novel radiotherapy technique, on platelet function and microRNA (miRNA/miR) expression has not been previously investigated. The present study aimed to determine the effect of VMAT on the alterations in platelet function parameters and miRNA expression levels. A total of 25 patients with prostate cancer and 25 healthy subjects were included in the present study. Blood samples were collected from the patient group on the day prior to RT (pre-RT), the day RT was completed (post-RT day 0), and 40 days following the end of therapy (post-RT day 40). Platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV) value, platelet aggregation, plasma P-selectin, thrombospondin-1, platelet factor 4, plasma miR-223 and miR-126 expression levels were measured. A significant decrease in platelet count in the post-RT day 0 group was measured in comparison with the pre-RT and the post-RT day 40 groups. Pre-RT MPV values were higher than those of the post-RT day 0 and the post-RT day 40 groups. No significant differences were observed in the levels of platelet activation markers or miR-223 and miR-126 expression levels between the RT groups. Although RT may result in a reduction in platelet and MPV counts, the results of the present study indicate that platelet activation markers are not affected by VMAT. Therefore, it is possible that no platelet activation occurs during VMAT, owing to the conformal dose distributions, improved target volume coverage and the sparing of normal tissues from undesired radiation

Effects of Immune Complexes on Holotranscobalamine Assay of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency in Myeloproliferative Disorders

In myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), vitamin B-12 levels are measured falsely elevated with conventional methods due to increased carrier protein synthesis. HoloTranscobalamine (HoloTC) assay is a first-choice method for detecting true vitamin B-12 deficiency in MPDs. Our aim was to determine effects of immune complexes on HoloTC assay. This is a cross-section study. Vitamin B-12 levels in 61 patients with myeloproliferative disorders were measured by both electrochemical immunoassay and HoloTC assay. The HoIoTC cutoff was greater than 35 pmol/L. HoloTC assay for each sample were repeated after polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment to exclude IgG, IgA and IgM type immune complexes. Also, methylmalonic acid, folate, homocystein, liver, and kidney function tests were obtained. Methylmalonic acid test showed that 42 patients (68.9%) had vitamin B-12 deficiency. Vitamin B-12 levels by HoIoTC assay decreased by 19.2 +/- 11.28% in essential thrombocytosis, 40.0 +/- 9.39% in chronic myeloid leukemia, 30.9 +/- 14.62% in myelofibrosis and 21.2 +/- 11.55% in polycythemia vera patients after PEG treatment. There was significant difference between the averages of groups (p< 0.01). Methylmalonic Acid Test was used as the B-12 status variable. The comparison of ROC curves of HoIoTC before and after PEG showed no statistically significance between area under curves. The optimum cut-off points for both HoloTC before and after PEG were 40.6 pmol/L and 32.1 pmol/L, respectively. Immune complexes may have some effect on HoIoTC assay which has been recently reported to have a superior diagnostic accuracy for vitamin Biz deficiency in patients with MPDs. Although exclusion of immune complexes did not improve its diagnostic performances, effects of exclusion were significantly different between subgroups of MPDs

Preeklampsinin Patogenezinde Maternal Oksidatif Stres, Demir/Çinko, Bakır/Çinko Oranları ve Eser Element Düzeylerinin Rolü

Purpose:Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex disease and the underlying mechanisms are not known, yet. It is well known that oxidative stress and trace elements play a role in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Several studies have shown that the levels and proportions of trace elements are closely related to the severity of the disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the changes in some characteristics parameters, serum zinc, iron, copper levels, and copper/zinc and iron/zinc ratios and plasma lipid peroxidation levels in patients with mild and severe preeclampsiaAma&ccedil;: Preeklampsi (PE) kompleks bir hastalıktır ve hastalığın patogenezinde yer alan mekanizmalar hen&uuml;z aydınlatılamamıştır. Oksidatif stres ve eser elementlerin &ccedil;eşitli hastalıkların patogenezinde rol oynadığı iyi bilinmektedir. Yapılan &ccedil;eşitli &ccedil;alışmalarda, eser elementlerin d&uuml;zeylerinin ve oranlarının, hastalığın şiddeti ile yakından ilişkili olduğunu g&ouml;stermiştir. Bu &ccedil;alışmanın amacı, hafif ve şiddetli preeklamptik hastalarda bazı karakteristik &ouml;zelliklerin, serum &ccedil;inko, demir, bakır d&uuml;zeyleri, bakır/&ccedil;inko ve demir/&ccedil;inko oranları ile plazma lipid peroksidasyon d&uuml;zeylerini değişikliklerini araştırmaktı

Relationships Among Some Biochemical Parameters, Trace Elements and Lipid Peroxidation Levels in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Aim:The aim of the present study was to determine levels of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), malondialdehyde and some biochemical parameters in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared with healthy pregnant women, and to evaluate the relationships among these parameters.Materials and Methods:The patients consisted of 56 pregnant with GDM. The control group consisted of 60 healthy pregnant women. Plasma malondialdehyde, blood glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and LDL-cholesterol were measured by biochemical methods. The concentrations of serum Fe, Cu and Zn were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer.Results:The levels of blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and LDL-cholesterol, levels of plasma malondialdehyde, levels of serum Fe and Cu in women with GDM group were found higher than those in healthy pregnant women. However, levels of serum Zn were significantly lower in GDM pregnants than those in the healthy pregnant women. There were significant negative correlations between LDL-cholesterol and Cu levels of GDM subjects. Additionally, there were significant negative correlation between LDL-cholesterol and plasma malondialdehyde levels. However, there were significant positive correlations between serum Fe and plasma malondialdehyde levels.Conclusion:Our findings emphasize the significant deficiencies of Zn levels and the significant elevation of malondialdehyde, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in women with GDM. Therefore, supplementation with Zn element involved in the antioxidative system may increase antioxidative enzyme activities, and consequently, an improvement in fetal and maternal complications may be expected

Comparison of Before and After Varicocelectomy Levels of Trace Elements, Nitric Oxide, Asymmetric Dimethylarginine and Malondialdehyde in the Seminal Plasma and Peripheral and Spermatic Veins

Increased oxidative damage has been suggested to play an important role in the spermatogenesis and sperm function changes in patients with varicocele. However, changes in levels of nitric oxide (NO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), malondialdehyde (MDA), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in blood and seminal plasma, and semen quality, are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the NO, ADMA, Fe, Cu, Zn and MDA levels from seminal plasma and peripheral and spermatic vein blood samples of patients with varicocele before and after varicocelectomy. In this before and after comparative study, 29 consecutive patients attending a training hospital in Tekirdag, Turkey, were recruited. MDA and NO levels were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The levels of ADMA were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Trace element level was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. The levels of MDA in the seminal plasma and peripheral and spermatic vein samples were observed to decrease significantly in the comparison of before and after phases of the study group (p= 0.022, p= 0.001 and p= 0.034, respectively). Also, the levels of NO in the seminal plasma and spermatic vein samples decreased significantly in the comparison of before and after phases of the study group (p= 0.025 and p= 0.001, respectively), while the levels of ADMA in seminal plasma and spermatic vein samples increased significantly in the comparison of before and after phases of the study group (p= 0.003 and p= 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the levels of trace elements and sperm count (p> 0.05). Oxidative stress is significantly higher in the spermatic vein and seminal plasma samples of patients with varicocele before varicocelectomy. In conclusion, these events may be evaluated accordingly for the potentially beneficial treatment methods