Nitric oxide levels in patients with chronic renal failure before and after treatment with haemodialysis and renal transplantation

Nitric oxide [NO], an extensively studied endothelium - derived relaxing factor, seems to be a very potent regulator of intrarenal hemodynamics. Rats with chronic renal failure have a low nitric oxide [NO] production and a diminished NO excretion.The supplementation of L-arginine has an inhibitory effect on the progression of renal insufficiency. The Present study was designed to determine whether chronic renal failure patients have a low NO production. Plasma and urine nitrate [N03] and nitrite [N02] stable metabolites of NO, were measured in 50 patients with chronic renal failure. The 50 chronic renal failure patients were divided into five groups; group 1, mild renal failure [Creatinine clearance> 60 ml / min / 1.73 m[2]]; group 2, moderate renal failure [Creatinine Clearance> 30 < 60 ml / min. / 1.73 m[2]] and group 3, severe renal failure [Creatinine Clearance < 30 ml / min. / 1.73. m[2]], group 4, severe renal failure under hemodialysis, group 5, transplanted group. Each group was 10 patients. The study included also 10 healthy subjects matched for age, gender, body mass index and diet served as controls. Results showed that the daily urinary NO excretion was significantly lower in patients with moderate and severe renal failure as compared with those with mild renal failure and normal controls [P < 0.01]. At the same time the daily urinary NO excretion was not statistically significant in transplanted group when compared with those of controls [P > 0.05], but was statistically significant in severe CRF patients under haemodialysis when compared with controls [P < 0.01]. Plasma NO was significantly elevated in chronic renal failure patients as compared with normal controls [P < 0.05]. But increase in plasma NO in transplanted group was statistically not significant when compared with controls [P > 0.05]. The 24 - hour urinary NO excretion was correlated with creatinine clearance in chronic renal failure patients [P < 0.05 and P < 0.01] respectively, in different groups, but not correlated with 24 hour urinary protein [P> 0.05]. Plasma NO in renal failure patients was not correlated with creatinine clearance or 24 hour urinary protein [P > 0.05]. In conclusion, we found that chronic renal failure is a state of NO deficiency. Treatment stategies to increase NO production [L-arginine supplementation or other NO compounds] may prove to be useful in maintaining the renal function and slow the progression of renal disease

In vitro lymphocytic proliferation and production of interleukin-2[IL-2] and gamma -interferon [IFN-gamma] in uremic patients effect of a single session of hemodialysis

Patients with chronic renal failure [CRF] on regular hemodialysis [HD] often present with signs of immunodeficiency. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro proliferation and production of IL-2 and IFN-gamma of peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] in response to phytohemagglutinin [PHA] in 18 patients with CRF regularly hemodialysed compared to 10 normal individuals [control group]. Before dialysis the mean proliferative response [SI] of PBMC from patients was significantly lower than that of control group, whereas the spontaneous proliferation of PBMC was significantly higher in patients before dialysis than in normal subjects. These proliferative responses in patients were normalized after a single session. Regarding the cytokines, both IL-2 and IFN-gamma were secreted by patients PBMC in levels significantly higher than that by normal PBMC, whereas the cellular contents of these cytokines were comparable in the two groups. A single session of HD reduced both the released and the cellular contents of these cytokines. From these results it can be concluded that, the apparent in vitro reduced proliferative response of PBNC to PHA is, at least partly, due to in vivo chronic activation of these cells by uremic toxins and this cellular defect is reversible as it was corrected by a single session of HD

Allergic impact of air pollution caused by Kuwait oil fires among the population of eastern province of Saudi Arabia

The effect of air pollution produced by Kuwait oil fires on the frequency of skin test [ST] reactivity to 6 common air-borne allergens and on the frequency of bronchial asthma, rhinitis and urticaria were investigated in the population of Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Frequencies of ST reactivity to all allergens showed a similar pattern of changes during year 1991, with a peak in the 3rd quarter of the year. In year 1990, indoor allergens [house dust mite, house dust and cat fur] showed gradual decrease in their frequencies with time, whereas outdoor allergens [pollens] showed different patterns of changes. The differences between frequency changes during year 1991 and year 1990 were statistically significant. Similarly, changes in frequencies of cases with asthma and rhinitis, but not urticaria, in year 1991 were also significantly differed from those in year 1990. These data indicated that air pollution due to Kuwait oil fires has increased the susceptibility to allergy status among the population in the area

Sensitive colorimetric method for the determination of thymol and eugenol in volatile oils

A simple, rapid and direct method for the determination of thymol and eugenol in volatile oils was presented. It was based on the reaction of these compounds with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolone hydrazone hydrochloride in the presence of cerric ammonium sulfate and direct measurement at 510 nm. The results obtained were encouraging and reasonably reproducible with a relative st and ard deviation less than 1%

Oxygen detoxifying enzymes in uremic patients

Orygen free radical is a highly toxic agent which is liberated during many metabolic processes. This toxic product is detoxified through the oxygen detoxifying enzyme system, superoxide dismutase [S.O.D.], catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The above mentioned enzymes were found to be elevated in the early stage of chronic renal failure and the activity decreased with the development of the disease. The early affected enzyme is glutathione peroxidase

Effect of lipopolysaccharide injection on worm load in mice infected with S, mansoni

Salmonellosis bacteriemia in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis is common in endemic areas of Schistosoma and Salmonella infection [Rocha and Brito, 1982]. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide [LPS] which is rich in walls of gram negative bacilli [eg. Salmonella species] causes potyclonal B lymphocyte activation resulting in hyper-grammaglobulinemia and immunecomplex [1C] formation [Rose et al, 1982]. The aim of this work was to study the effect of LPS on the worm load [worm count] in mice infected with S, mansoni Fourteen Swiss albino mice [10-12 weeks old and 25 g weight] [Control group] were infected with S.mansoni using paddling technique [Azim and Watson, 1984], Each mouse was exposed to about 150 cercariae for a period of one hour. Another 20 age- and sex-matched mice [experimental group] were simultaneously infected with S0mansoni and infected intraperitoneally with 150 microg LPS/mouse [LPS:phenol extract from S. typhimurium; Sigma, USA] Six weeks after infection, mice were killed and the hepatic and the mesenteric blood vessels were perfused with citrated saline from the hepatic vein and the descending aorta, respectively. The adult worms were collected from the cut portal vein and counted: [Duvall and BeWitt 1967]. In the experimental group [S. mansoni and LPS], the mean count of adult S. mansoni worm couples was significantly lower than that of the control group [S. mansoni only] [P<0.001] [Table 1]. The significant decrease of worm load in mice infected with LPS may suggest a protective role of LPS in this group of mice. The exact mechanism of this protection is not clear, but it could be speculated: First, LPS might act as an adjuvant [Parant, 1983] leading to augmentation of immune response against S. mansoni Second, antiidiotype antibodies produced by LPS [Rose et al, 1982] may have immunomodulatory effect. In fact these antidodies were found able to protect rats from a challenge with S. mansoni [Grzych et al, 1985]. Third, IC's produced in response to LPS in the experimental group were found to be higher than those in the control group [data not presented]. A protective role of IC's has been previously suggested [Bout et al., 1977]. Whatever the mechanism, the decrease in worm load will lead to decrease in egg deposition and other harmful effects of these worms on different organs resulting in changes in immunopathological and clinical

Catalytic alkylation of benzene in vapour phase

The catalytic alkylation of benzene in vapour phase was carried out over Egyptian natural aluminosilicate clay. The clay was activated with 10 percent ZnCl2 solution and the catalytic reaction was carried out at 200-350 degree. The ratio between the reactants, benzene: isobutylchloride was kept 1:1 by volume and feed rate 1 ml/min. The percentage reaction increases on increasing the reaction temperature, reaching a maximum value [42.3 percent] at 300 degree the products consisted of mono-, di- and trialkylated benzenes together with an increasing amount of liquid Cg hydrocarbons which may be produced as a result of dimerisation of the alkylating agent. The catalyst used, however, exhibited a marked selectivity for the production of monoalkylbenzene