Immunoglobulin Concentrations in Plasma and Saliva During the Neonatal Period.

BACKGROUND: Screening for infectious diseases in newborns using immunoglobulin (Ig)A-, IgM-, and IgE-specific antibodies is expensive and impractical. To determine if total levels of these Igs can be used for screening purposes, thus simplifying the process, their basic levels in the 1(st) month of extrauterine life need to be determined. Additionally, the ability to simplify screening by using saliva also needs to be determined. The aim of this study was to determine IgA, IgM, and IgE concentrations in plasma and saliva in newborns, correlation between the samples, and relationship between Ig levels and newborn age. METHODS: We enrolled 53 apparently healthy newborns, paired samples of plasma and saliva were collected, and total IgA, IgM, and IgE concentrations determined by capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between plasma and saliva values was calculated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the IgA, IgM, and IgE distributions were analyzed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. We also determined the level of each Ig concentration according to age. RESULTS: IgA and IgM levels in plasma and IgA levels in saliva increased significantly during 1(st) month of life, especially in the 2(nd) week and 3(rd) week, with a good correlation of IgA between plasma and saliva. IgE levels in both plasma and saliva and IgM levels in saliva were very low or absent. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Igs in saliva could be good biomarkers for newborn screening programs during the 1(st) week of life. This study established reference values for Igs according to age in the neonatal period.

Effect of toluene and cresols on Na+,K+-ATPase, and serotonin in rat brain.

The objective of the present trial was to evaluate the effect of toluene and o-cresol, m-cresol, and p-cresol on serotonin (5-HT), its precursor 5-hydroxytryptophane (5-HTP), Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, total ATPase, and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in rat brain. Evaluation of lipid peroxidation was realized by means of TBARS, determination of biogenic amines and enzymes assay was carried out in brain homogenate samples using HPLC and spectrophotometry, respectively. Five groups of male Wistar rats (200 g) were treated as follow: control, toluene, o-cresol, m-cresol, and p-cresol groups, which were administered 35 mg/kgi.p. of each compound, the control group was given only glycerine as vehicle. 5-HT and 5-HTP levels increased significantly (p < 0.001) in toluene and o-cresol groups. Lipid peroxidation increased significantly (p < 0.002) in all groups. A significant increase (p < 0.001) of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was noted in the toluene and o-cresol groups, while this enzyme was reduced in the p-cresol group compared to the control group. Total ATPase showed significant differences in the p-cresol group, compared to the control group. Based in our results, it can be concluded that toluene and all cresols groups may increase lipid peroxidation and consequently induce changes in membrane fluidity.

Effect of nutritional status and ozone exposure on Na+/K+ ATPpase and lipid peroxidation in rat brain.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of nutritional status and exposure to ozone on the activity of Na+/K+ ATPase and lipid peroxidation in rat brain. Male Wistar rats were fed 7% and 23% protein diets. Two groups were formed for each nutritional status: one group was exposed for 15 successive days to 0.75 ppm of ozone in air and the other was exposed to air. Subsequently, the brain was dissected and cortex, hemispheres, cerebellum and brainstem separately homogenized to measure the activity of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and ATPase in the presence and absence of ouabain. The activity of Na+/K+ ATPase increased in cerebellum of well-nourished rats exposed to ozone, while total ATPase and TBARS decreased in all studied areas in the malnourished groups. These results suggest that nutritional status and exposure to ozone generate changes in lipid membrane composition, in turn changing the activity of sodium pump with similar consequences for brain metabolism.

Pyridoxine, regardless of serotonin levels, increases production of 5-hydroxytryptophan in rat brain.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of pyridoxine and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on lipid peroxidation and on levels of 5-hydroxytryptophan and serotonin. METHODS: Thirty rats (30 days of age) were used in the survey, measuring levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS), hemoglobin, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), and serotonin (5-HT) after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 4 and 10 mg/kg/day of pyridoxine HCl during 20 days and a single dose of 2 microM/kg (440 microg) of BHT. RESULTS: Levels of TBARS and 5-HTP increased considerably (p <0.05) in all vitamin- and/or BHT-treated groups, and 5-HT increased partially (p <0.05) only in B(6) with or without BHT-treated groups compared with control group. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that pyridoxine plays a role in tryptophan metabolism, increasing production of 5-HTP.

El ozono como molécula reactiva: concepto actual / The ozone by reactive molecule: actual concept

Los radicales libres son especies químicas de gran reactividad. El ozono se caracteriza por ser un contaminante del aire, que está presente sobre todo en las grandes ciudades, a pesar de que no es propiamente un radical libre, es promotor de varios de ellos, por ejemplo, los radicales hidroxilo y peróxido. Los radicales libres también se generan como parte del metabolismo celular y son controlados por mecanismos de carácter endógeno, principalmente de tipo enzimático, resaltan por su importancia, las enzimas superóxido dismutasa, catalasa y glutatión peroxidasa. Diversos reportes señalan la participación del ozono en la producción de alteraciones en funciones neurológicas, conductuales, endocrinas y genéticas entre otras. Por otra parte, bajo condiciones controladas, el ozono ha sido utilizado con fines terapéuticos en el tratamiento de enfermedades virales. De manera que el ozono, puede verse como benéfico o dañino, dependiendo de su concentración y de la capacidad del metabolismo celular del organismo, para regular la producción de radicales libres, hasta culminar con la oxidación de moléculas orgánicas y producir CO2 y H2O.

Purkinje cell density in cerebella of alcoholized and non-alcoholized male rat offspring

The effect of alcohol intake by male rats was evaluated on Purkinje cell morphology and number in their offspring. Forty five male Wistar rats, 45 days old, were used and divided into three groups of 15 rats each: control group (CG), fed with conventional Purina rodent feed (CPRF) and water ad libitum; experimental group (EG), fed with CPRF ad libitum and a mixture of water/ethanol, which represented 36 per cent of kiloclories in food; and an equinergetic intake control group (ECG), which was given CPRF (in grams) and sugar in their drinking water, in order to substitute the energetic value provided by alcohol. Five subgroups (n=3) were created to be used for different treatment periods: 60, 90,120, 150 and 180 days; all groups started treatment period when they were 70 days old. At the end of each treatment period, male rats were mated with nulliparous females not having undergone treatment. Offspring were obtained and studied at 14 and 21 days of age. The Purkinje cells of the cerebella of 14-and 21-day-old offspring belonging to the CG and ECG showed no morphological changes. On the other hand, in 14-day-old offspring belonging to the experimental group of parents alcoholized during 90, 120, and 180 days, a large number of hyperchromatic Purkinje cells were seen, forming zones of cells undergoing a degenerative process. No significant differences in cellular density were determined between the CG and the ECG. When comparing the CG vs. EG and the ECG vs. Eg, significant differences were found in the 14-day-old offspring as well as in the 21-day-old ones with a p<0.05 of rats belonging to parents alcoholized for 90, 120, and 180 days. The results may indicate that there are changes in the germinal plasma of males fue to alcohol of males due to alcohol sunsumption; therefore, reflecting this effect on a drecrease of Purkinje cells and probably on ther cell populations

Efectos del alcoholismo sobre la progenie / Effects of alcoholism on progeny

Se revisaron los efectos adversos que el alto consumo de alcohol tiene sobre el crecimiento y desarrollo fetal. Muchas investigaciones en este campo han sido realizadas durante la preñez, teniendo en mente el síndrome alcohólico fetal (SAF). En este trabajo se presentan evidencias que el daño puede también ser causado por el alcoholismo paterno