Alterations of Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase activity in patients suffering from asthma attacks

Background. Oxidant-antioxidant imbalance may play an important role in the development and progression of bronchial asthma. However, the role of blood antioxidants especially in asthma exacerbation has not been fully discussed. Objective. This study examines a part of the intracellular antioxidant defense mechanism in asthmatic patients admitted to hospital due to severe exacerbation of their disease. Methods. Peripheral blood Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity was measured in 38 patients (33 men - 5 women, with a mean age of 56±2.8 yrs), using a colorimetric method. On the days of admission and discharge the Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the Partial arterial Oxygen pressure (PaO2) were recorded and correlated with SOD activity at the same time. Results. A statistically significant decrease of SOD activity was observed on the day of admission compared to SOD activity on the day of discharge (43.64±31.78 vs. 96.16±54.05 units/ml, p<0.001), suggesting the presence of oxidative stress during an asthma attack. A statistically significant correlation was observed between FEV1 on admission and SOD activity at the same time (r=0.57, p<0.001). Furthermore, SOD activity on admission was correlated with PaO2 on discharge (r=0.55, p<0.001), as well as SOD on discharge with PaO2 on discharge (r=0.53, p=0.001). Conclusions. Decreased systemic erythrocyte SOD activity was observed during asthma attacks. This activity was correlated with severity criteria such as FEV1 and PaO2. Therefore, it seems that measurement of SOD activity could be a useful tool in the evaluation of an asthma attack. The supplementary administration of antioxidants in the future needs further clarification

Genomic variants in the FTO gene are associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Greek patients

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease whose complex pathology has been associated with a strong genetic component in the context of both familial and sporadic disease. Herein, we adopted a next-generation sequencing approach to Greek patients suffering from sporadic ALS (together with their healthy counterparts) in order to explore further the genetic basis of sporadic ALS (sALS). Results: Whole-genome sequencing analysis of Greek sALS patients revealed a positive association between FTO and TBC1D1 gene variants and sALS. Further, linkage disequilibrium analyses were suggestive of a specific diseaseassociated haplotype for FTO gene variants. Genotyping for these variants was performed in Greek, Sardinian, and Turkish sALS patients. A lack of association between FTO and TBC1D1 variants and sALS in patients of Sardinian and Turkish descent may suggest a founder effect in the Greek population. FTO was found to be highly expressed in motor neurons, while in silico analyses predicted an impact on FTO and TBC1D1 mRNA splicing for the genomic variants in question. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to present a possible association between FTO gene variants and the genetic etiology of sALS. In addition, the next-generation sequencing-based genomics approach coupled with the two-step validation strategy described herein has the potential to be applied to other types of human complex genetic disorders in order to identify variants of clinical significance

Identification of meteorin and metrnl as two novel pro-differentiative adipokines: Possible roles in controlling adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity

Meteorin and its homologue meteorin-like (metrnl) are two novel proteins regulating glial cell differentiation in central nervous system. However, the roles of meteorin and metrnl in other organs or tissues have never been studied. In this study, we showed that meteorin and metrnl were expressed abundantly in white adipose, including visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues, but to a much lesser extent in brown adipose tissue. Meteorin and metrnl were found to be secreted by explanted human white fat pads, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, meteorin and metrnl were detected in human blood by immunoblotting assay. The mRNA expression of meteorin and metrnl increased along with the 3T3-L1 cells differentiation. Overexpression of meteorin and metrnl using adenovirus promoted the formation of lipid droplets, increased PPARγ protein expression and enhanced mRNA expression of several other adipogenic genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Injection of adipose-specific aP2-promoter driven adenovirus expressing meteorin and metrnl markedly improved global insulin sensitivity and reversed insulin resistance induced by high fat diet in mice. At last, overexpression of meteorin and metrnl further magnified the phosphorylation of Akt upon insulin stimuli in 3T3-L1 cells. Collectively, our data suggests that meteorin and metrnl are two novel pro-differentiative adipokines participating in adipogenesis and regulation of insulin sensitivity. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Pretibial myxedema in a euthyroid patient

Pretibial myxedema (PM) is a rare extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease (GD), usually during the hyperthyroid state, coexisting with orbitopathy. We describe a rare case of a biopsy-proven PM in a euthyroid patient, without history of GD or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Assessment of commonly reported thyroid autoantibodies, such as thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies, thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins and thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins, was negative. Resolution of skin pathology was achieved after topical application of corticosteroids and was sustained 1 year later. © 2018, Hellenic Endocrine Society

Increased osteoclastogenesis in patients with vertebral fractures following discontinuation of denosumab treatment

Bone and mineral researc

Serum osteoprotegerin and RANKL are not specifically altered in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis treated with teriparatide or risedronate: A randomized, controlled trial

Risedronate and teriparatide have opposite actions on the osteoblast-osteoclast dipole and are expected to influence the RANK/RANKL/ osteoprotegerin (OPG) system. We aimed to evaluate changes in serum OPG and RANKL after risedronate or teriparatide administration in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Seventy-four postmenopausal Caucasian women (age 64.1 +/- 1.0 years) were studied. Women with osteopenia served as controls (group 1, n=30). Women with osteoporosis were randomly assigned to either risedronate 35 mg once weekly (group 2, n = 2 1) or teriparatide 20 mu g once daily (group 3, n=23) for six months. Blood samples for serum RANKL, OPG, N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP), and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTx) were obtained before treatment and three and six months after treatment. P1NP and CTx levels remained unchanged in group 1, decreased in group 2 (p<0.001), and increased in group 3 women (p<0.001) throughout the treatment. OPG levels remained unchanged while RANKL decreased gradually in all groups (p<0.001). There was no correlation between OPG or RANKL and PINP or CTx. Our data suggest that neither antiresorptive nor ostecianabolic therapy causes specific alterations of serum OPG/RANKL levels; therefore, these cytokines cannot substitute for the established markers of bone turnover in the monitoring of response to osteoporosis treatment

INCREASED OSTEOCLASTOGENESIS IN PATIENTS EXPERIENCING VERTEBRAL FRACTURES FOLLOWING DENOSUMAB DISCONTINUATION

Bone and mineral researc