The Association between Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: In this Study, we investigated the effects of lifestyle and metabolic syndrome on free oxygen radical levels in men and women in Korea. METHODS: A total of 254 adults were included in this study from February 2011 to June 2012 at a health promotion center. Information of the lifestyles and presence of metabolic syndrome factors was obtained. Biochemical markers were measured and free oxygen radicals test (FORT) was performed on the blood. RESULTS: Of the 254 subjects, 86 (33.9%) had metabolic syndrome, and 187 (73.6%) were men. Between the subjects with and without metabolic syndrome, there was a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase and serum FORT values in the subjects with metabolic syndrome. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P = 0.004), metabolic syndrome (P = 0.037), and female gender (P = 0.030) were independent predictors of serum FORT values. The subjects with high fasting blood sugar level or low high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels showed high serum FORT values. CONCLUSION: High hs-CRP, the presence of metabolic syndrome, and female gender were associated with the high oxidative stress. High oxidative stress was associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome.

Assessment of Lifestyle Effects on the Levels of Free Oxygen Radicals in the Korean Population / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: As many studies revealed that oxidative stress due to the imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant capacity is related with pathologic processes such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, as well as aging and obesity, the relationship between lifestyle and oxidative stress has recently gained much medical attention. However, little information exists on the effects of lifestyle on ROS in Korea. In this study, we investigated the effects of lifestyle on free oxygen radical levels in men and women in Korea. METHODS: A total of 138 adults participated in this study from September 2007 to June 2010 at a health promotion center and department of family medicine. Information on the lifestyle of each participant was obtained by questionnaire. Biochemical markers and a free oxygen radical test (FORT) were also measured. RESULTS: The average age was 47.28 +/- 10.85 years and 79.7% were male. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP; r = 0.418, P = 0.012), triglycerides (r = -0.243, P = 0.008), hemoglobin (r = -0.445, P < 0.001), total protein (r = 0.210, P = 0.036), creatinine (r = -0.294, P = 0.001), fruit intake per day (P = 0.047), and smoking (P = 0.003) were related to the FORT levels in univariate analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hs-CRP (P = 0.039) was an independent predictor of serum FORT values. This statistical model can explain 78% of the variance in FORT values. CONCLUSION: This result suggests that hs-CRP showed a statistically significant positive association with FORT values. Further studies on the relationship between lifestyle and antioxidant capacity as well as ROS seem to be warranted to evaluate the overall effect of oxidative stress.

Paradoxical effects of elastase inhibitor guamerin on the tissue repair of two different wound models: sealed cut and exposed tongue wounds

Innate elastase inhibitors are known to be putatively involved in the regulation of tissue inflammation by inhibiting polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) derived proteinases. The aim of this study was to evaluate affects of leukocyte elastase suppression and PMN infiltration on wound healing in mouse by administering the recombinant elastase inhibitor guamerin (rEIG) in two different wound models; 1) impaired pin-punctured dorsal mucosa of anterior tongue wound, 60 mice, treated with saline containing rEIG that were fed ad libitum and 2) stable linear excisional cutaneous wound, 40 mice, covered with fibrin sealant containing rEIG. The progress of healing was analyzed by histological methods. The tongue wounds treated with rEIG became edematous around the pin-punctured tongue wound, and influx of inflammatory cells and PMN into the underlying stromal tissue were seen rapidly after wounding and peaked between 2-4 days. Whereas the control mice showed almost no wheal formation in the pin-punctured wound, a far lesser levels of PMN infiltration, and almost complete wound closure in 4 days. In the other model, the liner excisional cutaneous wound treated with fibrin sealant containing rEIG showed early wound constriction, lesser degree of inflammatory cells influx, and complete reepithelialization in 4-5 days, whereas the wound of control mice with the fibrin sealant alone showed contrary delayed reepithelialization, greater degree of inflammatory cell infiltration, and consequencial formation of greater granulation tissue at wound site. Taken together, these data suggest paradoxical effects of rEIG on the wound healing where in the wound exposed to infiltrating milieu of microorganisms in the oral cavity, the rEIG aggravates the wound healing by interfering with other innate defensive factors and extended greater flux of PMNs to inflamed wound site, while in the wound enclosed by fibrin, the rEIG accelerated wound healing by inhibiting the inflammation-generated proteases and the acute inflammatory reaction.

Improved Technique of Digoxigenin Labeled RNA in situ Hybridization

BACKGROUND: A practical RNA in situ hybridization method using digoxigenin labeled RNA probes is described in order to evaluate the technical difficulties and problems in RNA in situ hybridization. METHODS: The paraffin sections, routinely processed in the Pathology Laboratory, were tested for the possibility of RNA in situ hybridization instead of the RNase free paraffin sections, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and prepared using RNase protection procedures. RESULTS: Most of the paraffin sections, fixed in 10% neutral formalin solution in fresh condition, showed relatively good reaction of RNA in situ hybridization, although the necrotic tissue and autopsy specimens showed poor reaction of RNA in situ hybridization. A refixation procedure using a 4% paraformaldehyde solution was evaluated for optimal expression of mRNA in the paraffin sections. CONCLUSION: The treatment of 4% paraformaldehyde before the treatment of proteinase K showed better in situ hybridization than did the treatment of 4% paraformaldehyde after the treatment of proteinase K. Also a new Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based method of RNA probe production showed consistently good results.