Ginger Essential Oil Ameliorates Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Mice

Purpose: To investigate the effect of ginger essential oil (GEO) in an experimental model of cisplatininduced nephrotoxicity.Methods: Male mice were divided into treatment six groups (n = 7), namely: Groups I (saline), II and III (cisplatin, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) euthanized in 3th and 6th days, respectively, and IV, V and IV (GEO, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day, respectively, by gavage 3, 4, 5 and 6 days after cisplatin injection). Creatinine levels and protein/creatinine ratio were determined in plasma and urine, respectively. Bone morphogenic protein (BMP-7) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels of kidney tissues were determined while mRNA expression levels were obtained using real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results: GEO treatment reduced significantly creatinine levels to 0.53 ± 0.02; 0.48 ± 0.008 and 0.46 ± 0.02 at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, compared with control (0.70 ± 0.01) [p<0.05] but increased protein : creatinine ratio to 0.21 ± 0.01, 0.22 ± 0.01, 0.24 ± 0.02 compared with control (0.06 ± 0.008) [p<0.05]. Pro-inflammatory TNF-α mRNA expression was decreased to 1.46 ± 0.21, 1.39 ± 0.19 and 1.36 ± 0.09, at GEO doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, while anti-fibrotic BMP-7 mRNA expression increased to 2.05 ± 0.26 and 2.44 ± 0.42 at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, compared with control (0.59 ± 0.39, p < 0.05).Conclusion: GEO treatment attenuates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, in part, by modulating some inflammatory cytokines.Keywords: Zingiber officinale, Ginger, Roscoe, Essential oil, Nephrotoxicity, Cisplati

EGG-YOLK AS A SOURCE of ANTIBODIES for HUMAN PARATHYROID-HORMONE (HPTH) RADIOIMMUNOASSAY

ESCOLA PAULISTA MED,DEPT MED,DIV NEPHROL,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED,DEPT MED,DIV NEPHROL,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED,DEPT MED,DIV NEPHROL,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILWeb of Scienc

Gene expression profiles reveal that DCN, DIO1, and DIO2 are underexpressed in benign and malignant thyroid tumors

To investigate the molecular events involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of thyroid tumors, we compared the gene expression profiles of three thyroid carcinoma cell lines, which represent major tumor subtypes of thyroid cancer and normal thyroid tissue. Using cDNA array methodology, we investigated the expression of 1807 open reading frame expressed sequence tags (ORESTES), selected from head and neck tumor libraries generated through the Brazilian Human Cancer Project-LICR/FAPESP. We found that 505 transcripts were differentially expressed in the thyroid carcinoma cell lines. Using a more stringent criterion, transcripts underexpressed or overexpressed more than fivefold in I of 3 or 3 of 3 carcinoma cell lines, a list of 55 ESTs were detected. Five candidate genes were further validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in an independent set of 52 thyroid tumors and 22 matched normal thyroid tissues. DCN was found underexpressed in a high percentage of the follicular thyroid adenomas, follicular thyroid carcinomas, and follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas. DIO1 and DIO2 were underexpressed in nearly all papillary thyroid carcinomas. These genes not only could help to better define a tumor signature for thyroid tumors, but may, in part, also become useful as potential targets for thyroid tumor treatment.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol, Mol Endocrinol Lab, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pathol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Genet, Dept Morphol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol, Mol Endocrinol Lab, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pathol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Genet, Dept Morphol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

DEVELOPMENT of AN HOMOLOGOUS RADIOIMMUNOASSAY for the SYNTHETIC AMINO TERMINAL (1-34) FRAGMENT of HUMAN PARATHYROID-HORMONE USING EGG YOLK-OBTAINED ANTIBODIES

ESCOLA PAULISTA MED,DEPT MED,DIV ENDOCRINOL,CAIXA POSTAL 20266,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED,DEPT MED,DIV ENDOCRINOL,CAIXA POSTAL 20266,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILWeb of Scienc

Screening for macroprolactinaemia and pituitary imaging studies

OBJECTIVE Hyperprolactinaemia is caused by high levels of monomeric, dimeric or macro forms of prolactin in circulation, the monomeric form being predominant in patients with prolactinomas. Macroprolactinaemia, however, is common and is associated with asymptomatic cases. in this study, we reviewed our records regarding clinical and imaging investigations in patients who were found to have hyperprolactinaemia predominantly due to the presence of macroprolactin and compared them with the findings observed in patients whose prolactin molecular size consisted predominantly of the monomeric form.PATIENTS and METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of 113 consecutive patients (nine men and 104 women, aged 19-67 years, median age 39 years) with hyperprolactinaemia who were screened for the presence of macroprolactin by polyethylene glycol precipitation and/or chromatography and submitted to pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computerized tomography (CT).RESULTS Fifty-two of 113 patients (46%) had hyperprolactinaemia due to macroprolactin, whereas the remaining 61 patients (54%) had their hyperprolactinaemia confirmed by the predominance of the monomeric form. Both groups shared similar mean prolactin levels (79.9 +/- 63.6 mug/l, median of 62.0 mug/l, and 97.9 +/- 155.4 mug/l, median of 61.0 mug/l, respectively). of the patients with macroprolactinaemia, 46% had no symptoms of hyperprolactinaemia, whereas only 10% of the patients who screened negative for macroprolactin were asymptomatic. There was an association between macroprolactinaemia and negative pituitary imaging findings: normal pituitary images were found in 78.9% of patients who had macroprolactinaemia and in 25% of patients with monomeric hyperprolactinaemia. in addition, none of the patients with macroprolactinoma (seven cases) had macroprolactinaemia.CONCLUSIONS the presence of macroprolactinaemia does not exclude the possibility of a pituitary adenoma and consequently may not prevent pituitary imaging studies. However, our data demonstrate that all asymptomatic patients who screened positive for macroprolactin had normal pituitary imaging studies. Patient samples showing hyperprolactinaemia should be first tested for macroprolactin, before the patient is submitted to imaging studies. We suggest that imaging studies should be ordered in patients with macroprolactinaemia when indicated by clinically relevant features. As a result, unnecessary anxiety and costly medical procedures may be prevented.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Fleury Diagnost Ctr, Dept Endocrinol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Fleury Diagnost Ctr, Dept Radiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Fleury Diagnost Ctr, Dept Endocrinol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Fleury Diagnost Ctr, Dept Radiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

OUTCOME of THYROID-FUNCTION in NEWBORNS FROM MOTHERS TREATED WITH AMIODARONE

Amiodarone, a drug extensively used as an antiarrhythmic agent, contains 37% iodine and causes several thyroid abnormalities. the transplacental passage of amiodarone occurs with chronic therapy; we describe in this report the outcome of 9 pregnant women who used amiodarone (200 mg/day) for treatment of resistant tachycardia and the follow-up of their newborns. All women were clinically euthyroid at the 3rd trimester and showed expected values of thyroid hormones (mean +/- SD: total T4, 228 +/- 45 nmol/L; total T3, 4.0 +/- 0.65 nmol/L; TSH, 4.0 +/- 1.8 mU/L; negative thyroid antibodies). At birth all newborns were normal on routine examination with no goiter or corneal changes. T4 and TSH, measured on dried umbilical blood spots were normal or borderline-normal in 8 of 9 babies. Only 1 neonate presented clearly abnormal values of T4 and TSH (96 mU/L); on clinical grounds the baby was normal, without signs of hypothyroidism. At 1 month of life, T4 and TSH were normal. Follow-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months were normal We conclude that is not necessary to discontinue treatment with amiodarone in pregnant women with resistent tachycardia, but it is imperative to evaluate the thyroid function of the newborn, since transient hypothyroidism may occur.ESCOLA PAULISTA MED SCH,DEPT MED,DIV ENDOCRINOL,CAIXA POSTAL 20266,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED SCH,DIV CARDIOL,BR-04023 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED SCH,DEPT MED,DIV ENDOCRINOL,CAIXA POSTAL 20266,BR-04034 São Paulo,BRAZILESCOLA PAULISTA MED SCH,DIV CARDIOL,BR-04023 São Paulo,BRAZILWeb of Scienc