Zinc content in the diet affects the expressional changes of cu/znsod in aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in development of hypertension. Vascular cells have a complex antioxidant system for protection against increased oxidative stress. Zinc is a co-factor of one of the most important antioxidant enzyme - copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD). The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of feeding different Zn containing diets (40, 60, 160 mg Zn/kg lab chow) on the activity and expression of Cu/ZnSOD in aorta of male (n=27) spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The diets were introduced at the beginning of the development of hypertension (2 months after birth) and the animals were fed for 8 weeks. Cu/ZnSOD expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and the activity was measured by RANSOD kit (RANDOX). Atomic-absorption spectrometry was used to determine Zn and Cu concentrations in the rat`s sera. Cu/ZnSOD was mainly expressed in medial smooth muscle cells and it had a weak immunoreactivity in the endothelium. In the group with Zn supplementation diet (160 mg Zn/kg lab chow), Cu/ZnSOD staining was more enhanced in the smooth muscle cells and endothelium, and the systolic blood pressure was significantly decreased.Scripta Scientifica Medica 2007;39(2):137-14

Antiretroviral Therapy and Bone Health

Objective: To determine the incidence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in Bulgarian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients

Zinc content in the diet affects the activity of Cu/ZnSOD, lipid peroxidation and lipid profile of spontaneously hypertensive rats

The present study focused on the effect of Zn containing diets on the activity of superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), systolic blood pressure (SBP), lipid peroxides (ROOH) and lipids (LDL, HDL, triglycerides and cholesterol) in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Three experimental groups of animals were studied: a control (G1–40 mg), and two with zinc-supplemented diets (G2–100 and G3–160 mg Zn/kg lab chow). The diets were introduced at the beginning of the development of hypertension (2 months after birth) and the animals were fed for 8 weeks. The activity of CuZnSOD in erythrocytes was determined by spectrophotometry with the use of RANSOD kit (RANDOX Laboratories Ltd., UK). Atomic-absorption spectrometry was used to determine Zn and Cu concentrations in the rat’s sera. A significantly increased Cu/ZnSOD activity was found in G3 compared with rats fed with control diet G1 ( p = 0.020). SBP was significantly decreased in G3 in relation to G1 ( p = 0.0048). The lipid hydroperoxide concentration was significantly decreased in G3 compared with G1 ( p = 0.016) and G2 ( p = 0.005). Zinc supplement affected lipids profile by decreasing LDL and increasing HDL. The present data suggest that Zn concentration in the diet plays an important role in the regulation of SBP and can be a critical nutrient for maintenance of anti-oxidative events in SHR

A Case of Progressive Multifocal Leucoencephalopathy and Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in an HIV-Infected Patient

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the reactivation of John Cunningham polyomavirus (JCV). Most often, this disease is observed in patients with severe immune suppression, such as those with AIDS. Cerebral toxoplasmosis results from the reactivation of a latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite. This parasitosis is relatively rare in the United States, while in some regions of Europe the seropositive population is over 90%. Similarly, to PML, cerebral toxoplasmosis develops in stages of advanced immune deficiency. Both of these opportunistic infections of the central nervous system can cause severe neurological symptoms, and their simultaneous presentation can represent a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We present a case of a 59-year-old patient with a newly diagnosed HIV infection with manifestations of epilepsy and progressive cognitive impairment. The patient was diagnosed initially with cerebral toxoplasmosis and subsequently with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Etiologic Characteristics of Enterocolitis in Hospitalized HIV-Infected Patients for 3-Year Period (2013-2015)

Diarrhea is the most common gastrointestinal symptom in HIV-infected patients. The incidence and severity of diarrhea increase with progression of the immune defi ciency. In the literature, 30-60% of the patients with diarrhea among HIV-infected individuals remain without specified etiological agent. The aim of this article is to present the incidence of enterocolitis among hospitalized HIV-infected patients over a 3-year period and the degree of etiological clarifi cation of the cause. The results of our analyses showed that 63% of the hospitalized HIV-infected patients for this period were with enterocolitis. Only in 30% of these patients etiological agent was isolated. The reasons for this are mainly financial constraints and, therefore, virological investigations and further endoscopic and histopathological examination of the patients with negative for bacteria and parasites stool samples, were not performed. In the cases with isolated pathogen, an etiological treatment was carried out in parallel with highly active antiretroviral therapy, while in unsubstantiated cases an empirical treatment was carried out. Advanced immune defi ciency was associated with more severe course and worse prognosis of the enterocolitis. The treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy, which leads to improvement of the immune status of the patients, is essential for the output of enterocolitis in HIV-infected patients