ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic airway disease which is characterized by oxidant antioxidant imbalance with the generation of oxidative stress related mediators. AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the role of asymmetric dimethylarginine, and malondialdehyde as oxidant markers and serum paraoxonase activity as an antioxidant marker in asthma, and to determine their relationship to the asthma severity and lung function among asthmatic children in Egypt. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case control study was conducted on sixty patients with asthma compared with sixty apparently healthy children of matched age and sex. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of oxidant markers as asymmetric dimethylarginine and malondialdehyde were significantly increased in asthmatic patients while anti-oxidant marker as paraoxonase activity was significantly decreased compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). ANOVA test revealed highly significant elevation of the serum concentrations of oxidant markers while anti-oxidant marker was significantly decreased in severe asthmatic patients (P < 0.001) compared to the patients with moderate and mild asthma respectively. Serum malondialdehyde concentration was a strong predictor of asthma severity by multiple regression analysis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study revealed an imbalance between oxidative and antioxidant defence systems in asthmatic children. Serum concentration of malondialdehyde was the most predictive biomarker having a significant association with asthma severity.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The role of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in immune tolerance in experimental transplantation is very important but the clinical significance of circulating Tregs in the peripheral blood is undetermined. We evaluated the association between the frequency of T cell activation markers CD25 and CD71 and clinical parameters that may affect the level of these T cell markers. METHODS: In 47peditric kidney transplant (KT) recipients and 20 healthy controls, the frequency of T cell activation markers, CD25 and CD71 was measured with flow cytometry after transplantation. Two clinical protocols of induction immunosuppression were used: (1) anti-thymocyte globulin (THYMO) group (n =29) and Basiliximab (BSX) group (n=10). RESULTS: The percentage of circulating CD25 after KT was significantly lower than that in the controls. There is no significant difference between KT and the controls s regard to circulating CD71. The percentage of CD25 was significantly increased in children with acute rejection compared with those without acute rejection. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) decreased the frequency of CD25 but mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor did not. The proportion of CD25 significantly decreased in THYMO group during the first year after transplantation. CONCLUSION: The frequency of circulating T cell activation marker CD25 in pediatric KT recipients is strongly affected by CNIs, and a high frequency of CD25 is associated with acute rejection during the early posttransplant period. The measurement of T cell activation markers, may become a useful immune monitoring tool after kidney transplantation.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have biological properties that may contribute to the mortality of children on hemodialysis (HD). This study examines the relationship of LMW fluorescence AGEs, oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), soluble receptor AGE (sRAGE) as markers of oxidative stress in children with end stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing HD. METHOD: Thirty children with ESRD undergoing HD, and 30 healthy, age- and sex-matched children were included. Serum levels of LMW fluorescence AGEs, sRAGE, oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), pre- and post-dialysis urea, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hemoglobin (Hb) and serum albumin (ALB), were measured. RESULTS: Abnormal serum inflammatory changes: elevated levels of LMW AGEs, sRAGE, oxLDL, CRP and urea were exhibited in HD children compared with healthy controls; more so in anemic when compared to non-anemic patients. Significant positive correlation was found between serum levels of AGEs and sRAGE. CONCLUSION: The low molecular weight form of AGEs is associated with oxidative stress in children receiving chronic HD, and may be important in the mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis and inflammation in such patients. LMW AGEs levels showed a negative correlation with sRAGE and both exhibit a significant negative relation to seum urea.
