Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is elevated in caregivers of patients with parkinsonism.

Caregivers are integral to the care of those with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), but are often burdened by stress, anxiety, and depression. Previous research has suggested that the foundation of such stress is low-grade systemic inflammation, as evidenced by increased interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a kidney disease risk factor and marker of chronic inflammation that integrates psycho-social stress and organ dysfunction. Caregivers of PD experience an extraordinary amount of stress and suPAR's role as prognostic marker has not yet been assessed in caregivers of PD. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between suPAR levels and PD caregiver burden. Healthy volunteers who accompanied patients with parkinsonism (n = 35) donated blood samples, and complete blood counts (CBC), CRP, and suPAR levels were measured. Participants were then interviewed by telephone and stratified into primary and non-primary caregiver groups. Their caregiver burden was quantified through the Zarit Caregiver Burden Short Form (ZBI-12). The resultant data demonstrated higher plasma levels of suPAR and ZBI-12 scores for the primary caregiver group relative to the non-primary caregiver group (suPAR level: 3.73 vs. 2.72 ng/mL, p = 0.01; ZBI-12: 18.57 vs. 5.4, p < 0.0001; Table). The data also revealed a moderate positive correlation between suPAR and ZBI-12 scores. These findings not only demonstrate a correlation between elevated suPAR and caregiving burden in PD, but also further support and raise awareness for the overall psychosocial burden and stress experienced by those caregivers.

Repetitive DNA profile of the amphibian mitogenome.

BACKGROUND: Repetitive DNA elements such as direct and inverted repeat sequences are present in every genome, playing numerous biological roles. In amphibians, the functions and effects of the repeat sequences have not been extensively explored. We consider that the data of mitochondrial genomes in the NCBI database are a valuable alternative to generate a better understanding of the molecular dynamic of the repeat sequences in the amphibians. RESULTS: This work presents the development of a strategy to identify and quantify the total amount of repeat sequences with lengths from 5 to 30 base pairs in the amphibian mitogenomes. The results show differences in the abundance of repeat sequences among amphibians and bias to specific genomic regions that are not easily associated with the classical amphibian ancestry. CONCLUSIONS: Derived from these analyses, we show that great variability of the repeat sequences exists among amphibians, demonstrating that the mitogenomes of these organisms are dynamic.

Regulation of Human Cytochrome P4501A1 (hCYP1A1): A Plausible Target for Chemoprevention?

Human cytochrome P450 1A1 (hCYP1A1) has been an object of study due to its role in precarcinogen metabolism; for this reason it is relevant to know more in depth the mechanisms that rule out its expression and activity, which make this enzyme a target for the development of novel chemiopreventive agents. The aim of this work is to review the origin, regulation, and structural and functional characteristics of CYP1A1 letting us understand its role in the bioactivation of precarcinogen and the consequences of its modulation in other physiological processes, as well as guide us in the study of this important protein.