35 research outputs found

    Assessment of trace metal alterations in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue samples of patients with malignant brain tumors

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    The pathogenesis of malignant brain tumors (MBTs) should be better understood due to the evident association between prolonged exposure to metals and increased risk of MBTs. The present research aimed to find trace metals that could contribute to the pathogenesis of MBTs. Essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Se) and relevant toxic metals (Al, Ni, As, Sr, Cd, Ce, Pt, Pb, U) in the serum, cell fraction (CF), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cancerous tissue (CT) samples of MBT patients were analyzed. The results were compared with sex- and age-matched control groups. For the first time, this research showed that elemental profiles of serum, CF, CSF and CT samples in MBT patients were significantly altered compared to the appropriate controls, as well as that higher contents of trace elements (particularly Mn, Se, and Pb) could be involved in the pathogenesis of MBTs. However, the most noticeable change found was the elevated U content, indicating its considerable role as a major cerebral discriminator of the presence/absence of MBTs. The U/Se ratio could be considered as an appropriate blood marker in diagnostic MBT evaluation. The reported results could contribute to better understanding of the poorly understood pathogenesis of MBTs. Furthermore, the reported results could highlight a molecular basis for the pathophysiological changes caused by the hazardous effects of trace metals on brain homeostasis

    Differences between antioxidant defense parameters and specific trace element concentrations in healthy, benign, and malignant brain tissues

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    There are only a few reports examining the impact of oxidative stress in patients with benign andmalignant brain tumors. In this study we investigated whether there are changes in antioxidantsystem (AOS) parameters and key trace elements between control, benign and malignant braintissues. The study also aimed to examine correlations between the analyzed parameters. The studyenrolled both types of brain tumors, benign tumors (BT) and malignant tumors (MT). The resultswere compared with control tissue (CT) without tumor infiltration collected from patients with BT.The following antioxidant parameters were determined: activities of total, manganese‑containing,and copper/zinc‑containing superoxide dismutase (TotSOD, MnSOD and CuZnSOD), activities ofcatalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S‑transferase, glutathione reductase and acetylcholineesterase (AChE), the concentrations of glutathione and sulfhydryl groups and of manganese (Mn),copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se). BT and MT had altered activities/levels of multiple AOSparameters as compared to CT, indicating that tumor cells had an altered cell metabolism and changesin AOS represent adaptive response to increased oxidative stress. Low MnSOD and AChE and highGST activities were significant for distinguishing between MT and CT. Malignant tissue was alsocharacterized by lower Mn and Cu concentrations relative to CT and BT. Principal Component Analysisclearly discriminated BT from CT and MT (PC1, 66.97%), while PC2 clearly discriminated CT from BTand MT (33.03%). Most correlative relationships were associated with Se in the BT group and Cu in theMT group. The results of this study reveal differences between the AOS parameters and the essentialtrace elements between the analyzed groups. The observed dysregulations show that oxidative stresscould have an important role in disrupting brain homeostasis and its presence in the pathogenesis ofbenign and malignant brain tumors

    Biochemical and ultrastructural changes in the liver of European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in response to cyanobacterial bloom in the Gruža reservoir

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    We investigated the biochemical and ultrastructural changes in the liver of the freshwater fish, European perch (Perca fluviatilis), in response to Aphanizomenon flos-aquae bloom in the Gruža Reservoir, Serbia. The activities of total manganese- and copper zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Tot SOD, Mn-SOD, Cu/Zn-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR) and biotransformation phase II enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), as well as concentrations of total glutathione (GSH) and sulfhydryl (-SH) groups were examined before and during the bloom period. Mn-SOD activity was significantly higher, while the activities of Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT and GSH-Px and the concentration of the -SH groups were significantly lower during the bloom. The ultrastructure of the liver revealed necrotic and apoptotic damage to the hepatocytes during the bloom period. Our work represents the first study to report the influences of an Aphanizomenon flos-aquae bloom in the Gruža Reservoir on antioxidant biomarkers and on histopathological alterations in the liver of the freshwater fish European perch (Perca fluviatilis)
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