Coherence controlled holographic microscopy - a tool for detection of new biomarkers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is characterized by local invasiveness and metastases to regional lymph nodes. In 60% of cases, these tumours are dia-gnosed at an advanced stage, and the prognosis is unfavorable. One of the important factors of local, hematogenous or lymphogenic spread of the tumour in the human body is tumour cells migration ability. Advanced microscopic methods provide a new perspective on cell migration. PURPOSE: This paper presents a coherence controlled holographic microscopy method that provides a non-invasive quantitative evaluation of morphological and dynamic properties of living tumour cells. In connection with this method, new potential bio-markers are emerging, the significance of which, however, needs to be verified by correlation with clinical data.

[Reconstruction of Isolated Orbital Floor Fractures by Nasoseptal Cartilage]. / Rekonstrukce izolovaných zlomenin spodiny ocnice nazoseptální chrupavkou.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The incidence of isolated orbital floor fractures has an increasing tendency. Their optimal management is not uniform and is still being discussed in the literature. The therapeutic decision as to whether surgical intervention is necessary or conservative approach is adequate vitally depends on clinical and CT findings. Incorrect treatment can lead to serious consequences, especially to persistent diplopia and enophthalmos. The objective of our study was to evaluate the radiological indication criteria for surgery and the clinical outcomes thereafter. MATERIAL AND METHODS The retrospective monocentric study of the group of 53 patients who underwent the isolated orbital floor fracture reconstruction during the period from 1/1/2006 to 31/12/2016 at the Clinic of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno. The ealuated parameters wee the following: trauma cause, clinical symptoms, evaluation of CT parameters (MH index, RF index, MRI index), time interval from injury to surgery, complications. RESULTS Trauma cause: an assault 30/53 (57%), a fall 14/53 (26%), sports 4/53 (7%), a road traffic accident 4/53 (7%), an accident at work 1/53 (2%). Clinical symptoms: eyelid haematoma and/or swelling 53/53 (100%), diplopia 29/53 (55%), emphysema 29/53 (55%), infraorbital nerve hypoesthesia 4/53 (7%). Radiological report of the CT: RF index > 50% (defect length more than a half of the orbital floor length) 49/53 (92%), RF index <50% (defect length less than a half of the orbital floor length) 4/53 (7%). MH index (maximum height of periorbital herniation): mean value 9.0 mm (2.8-14.2 mm), MRI index (rectus inferior muscle index): <1.5 15/53 (28%), ≥ 1.5 38/53 (72%). Time interval from injury to surgery: mean value 11 days (3-21 days). Complications 6 weeks postoperatively: diplopia 4/53 (7%), ectropion 2/53 (4%), enophtalmos 0/53 (0%), visual damage 0/53 (0%). CONCLUSIONS The choice between the surgical and conservative management of the isolated orbital fracture is the key factor to ensure a good therapeutic result. The evaluation of CT findings is crucial for the decision-making process. The key radiological parameters are the standardized assessment of the orbital floor defect size (RF index), orbital tissue herniation (MH index) and the assessment of damage to the intraorbital muscles (MRI index). As demonstrated by the results of our analysis, surgical reconstruction of the orbital floor by nasoseptal cartilage represents a highly effective and safe method. Key words: orbital fractures, blow-out fracture, orbital floor, orbital reconstruction.

The management and genetic background of pityriasis rubra pilaris: a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare chronic inflammatory dermatosis with multifactorial aetiology. It is known that particular caspase recruitment domain family member 14 (CARD14) gene mutations are associated with familial PRP and certain forms of psoriasis. Additionally, few data are available about the role of CARD14 gene variants in sporadic PRP. The clinical picture is variable for the different types of PRP, therefore choosing the adequate treatment is often difficult, furthermore there are no specific guidelines for therapy. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to survey the efficacy of the applied therapies and to screen the CARD14 gene variants in our PRP patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients diagnosed with PRP between 2006 and 2016 at our clinic were involved. Besides the follow-up study of the treatments, the genetic analysis of CARD14 gene was performed. RESULTS: We analysed 19 patients, among whom 17 were diagnosed with type I, one with type III, and one with type V PRP. The majority of the patients were successfully treated with acitretin in combination with systemic corticosteroids, and the remaining patients were treated with other systemic therapies with diverse effects. The genetic screening of CARD14 gene revealed two previously described mutations (rs114688446, rs117918077) and six polymorphisms (rs28674001, rs2066964, rs34367357, rs11653893, rs11652075, rs2289541). Ten of 19 patients carried different CARD14 genetic variants either alone or in combination. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, we propose that acitretin and an initial combination of short-term systemic corticosteroid therapy could be a successful treatment option for PRP. Although we identified several CARD14 variants in almost half of our cases, we did not find a correlation between the therapeutic response and the genetic background. Our data support the previous observation that CARD14 genetic variants are not specific to PRP, although they may indicate chronic inflammation.

[Coffee in Cancer Chemoprevention]. / Káva v chemoprevenci nádoru.

Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several diseases including cancer. Its chemopreventive effect has been studied in vitro, in animal models, and more recently in humans. Several modes of action have been proposed, namely, inhibition of oxidative stress and damage, activation of metabolizing liver enzymes involved in carcinogen detoxification processes, and anti-inflammatory effects. The antioxidant activity of coffee relies partly on its chlorogenic acid content and is increased during the roasting process. Maximum antioxidant activity is observed for medium-roasted coffee. The roasting process leads to the formation of several components, e.g., melanoidins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Coffee also contains two specific diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol, which have anticarcinogenic properties. Roasted coffee is a complex mixture of various chemicals. Previous studies have reported that the chemopreventive components present in coffee induce apoptosis, inhibit growth and metastasis of tumor cells, and elicit antiangiogenic effects. A meta-analysis of epidemiological studies showed that coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of developing various malignant tumors. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms and the experimental and epidemiological evidence supporting the chemopreventive effect of coffee.Key words: coffee - chemoprevention - antioxidative enzyme - detoxification enzyme - anti-inflammatory effect The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 11. 9. 2016Accepted: 24. 11. 2016.

[Anticancer Effect of Fish Oil - a Fable or the Truth?]. / Protinádorový efekt rybího oleje -  mýtus, nebo realita?

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have several health benefits for cancer patients. Recent findings indicate that, besides their well-known anti-cachectic effect, they can act synergistically with chemotherapeutic agents and may enhance tumor radio-sensitivity. The mechanisms underlying their anti-tumor effects are complex. The following effects have been reported after administration of omega-3 fatty acids: increased lipid peroxidation during therapy; disturbed tumor receptor signal pathways; lower levels level of pro-inflammatory cytokines that induce tumor cell proliferation; promotion of apoptosis in tumor tissues; immune modulation; and changes in hormonal metabolism. Epidemiological and experimental evidence support the conjecture that fish oil has an anticancer benefit for both animals and humans. However, Western countries have a diet rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which interfere with the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids because they compete for the same rate-limiting enzymes. For this reason, the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids in Western diet needs to be lowered to observe the anti-tumor effect of omega-3 fatty acids. Some epidemiological studies report conflicting results, which may be explained by inconsistencies in the methodologies employed.

Genetic risk factors of cisplatin induced ototoxicity in adult patients.

Ototoxicity is an important adverse effect of using Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) (CDDP) as a form of chemotherapy. The clinical picture of CDDP induced ototoxicity includes perceptive hearing impairment (reversible or permanent) and tinnitus. Ototoxicity manifests with considerable variability between patients. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate a possible genetic background to this variability. We assessed ototoxicity induced by therapeutic doses of CDDP in adult patients with germinative testicular tumors, or other tumors treated with an identical CDDP dosage scheme. Audiological examination before, during and after the treatment has shown deterioration in hearing; first in the high-frequencies and with increased CDDP cumulative doses, impairment in other frequencies as well. Occurrence of tinnitus was not dependent on the administered dose of CDDP, or the other risk factors examined in this study. The association of CDDP induced ototoxicity with genetic polymorphisms in candidate genes was examined. Our study has demonstrated an association of early onset of CDDP induced ototoxicity with the presence of two copies of GSTT1 gene (p=0,009) and with T allele of rs9332377 polymorphism in COMT gene (p=0,001).

Couples of colloidal semiconductor nanorods formed by self-limited assembly.

Colloidal nanocrystal synthesis provides a powerful approach for creating unique nanostructures of relevance for applications. Here, we report that wurtzite ZnSe nanorod couples connected by twinning structures can be synthesized by means of a self-limited assembly process. Unlike for individual nanorods, the band-edge states calculated for the nanorod couples are predominantly confined to the short edges of the structure and this leads to low photoluminescence polarization anisotropy, as confirmed by single-particle fluorescence. Through a cation-exchange approach, the composition of nanorod couples can be readily expanded to additional materials, such as CdSe and PbSe. We anticipate that this family of nanorod-couple structures with distinct compositions and controlled properties will constitute an ideal system for the investigation of electronic coupling effects between individual nanorod components on the nanoscale, with relevance to applications in optics, photocatalysis and optoelectronic devices.

[Precancerous conditions in the ENT area]. / Prekancerózy v ORL oblasti.

An important part of tumor prevention is early detection, dia-gnosis, treatment and screening of precancerous conditions. Correct detection and screening of premalignant lesions leads to early dia-gnosis of a malignant process which provides a better chance to completely cure the patient and also predicts better quality of life. Precancerous conditions look like whitish, red or mixed mucose lesions (leukoplakia, erytroplakia, erytroleukoplakia) which are visible during clinical examination. Nevertheless, these mucose changes are not absolutely conclusive. Therefore, histological testing is necessary for dia-gnosis and determination of bio-logical potencial of precancerous lesions. Precancerous lesions as a term of histological terminology means dysplasia. The risk of progression of dysplasia into a carcinoma depends on a grade of dysplasia. The conservative or surgical treatment is chosen according to localisation and grade of dysplasia.

Polarization Properties of Semiconductor Nanorod Heterostructures: From Single Particles to the Ensemble.

Semiconductor heterostructured seeded nanorods exhibit intense polarized emission, and the degree of polarization is determined by their morphology and dimensions. Combined optical and atomic force microscopy were utilized to directly correlate the emission polarization and the orientation of single seeded nanorods. For both the CdSe/CdS sphere-in-rod (S@R) and rod-in-rod (R@R), the emission was found to be polarized along the nanorod's main axis. Statistical analysis for hundreds of single nanorods shows higher degree of polarization, p, for R@R (p = 0.83), in comparison to S@R (p = 0.75). These results are in good agreement with the values inferred by ensemble photoselection anisotropy measurements in solution, establishing its validity for nanorod samples. On this basis, photoselection photoluminescence excitation anisotropy measurements were carried out providing unique information concerning the symmetry of higher excitonic transitions and allowing for a better distinction between the dielectric and the quantum-mechanical contributions to polarization in nanorods.

[Apotemnophilia as a contemporary frame for psychological suffering]. / Apotemnophilie: une mise en forme contemporaine de la souffrance psychique?

UNLABELLED: The word <> was created in 1977. It was first used to describe an extreme paraphilia concerning both the search for amputees as sexual partners, and the fantasies and wishes to be amputated linked to a sexual arousal. CLINICAL FINDINGS: More recently, the number of self-demand amputations appears to have raised. Some amputations of healthy legs have even been performed in hospital settings, raising important ethical issues. A new category of trouble has been described: the Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID). Criterias for its diagnosis have been developed and submitted to DSM V task force. According to clinicians who support the existence of BIID, this disorder is not a paraphilia, don't overlap with other psychiatric disorders and could be in some ways compared to transexualism. The patient's health would therefore require the amputation of healthy limbs in order to <> themselves and to help them to become <> according to their <>. Still according to those clinicians, psychiatric symptoms would be either a consequence of the shame resulting from this condition, or a consequence of the doctor's refusal to perform these amputations. An ever growing <> litterature on the web support this opinion, but the scientific litterature is still very scarce. LITERATURE FINDINGS: In this paper, we analyse available scientific datas. This review does not support the existence of BIID as a discrete nor a specific condition. CASE-REPORT: In a second part of this paper, we describe the case of a young woman who started asking for above-the-knee leg amputation after a minor knee trauma, while complaining for pain and leg rigidity. Her medical state worsened, probably because of repeated self-inflicted lesions and food restriction, leading to a severe undernutrition and life-threatening hypokaliemia. After some time, her medical state required amputation. This surgery did not resolve her psychological suffering. She never talked about amputation as a way to achieve herself. She did not meet the criterias for BIID. We consider her trouble as an association of a factitious disorder with a borderline personality disorder. DISCUSSION: In the last part of this paper, we discuss the <> scientific litterature about apotemnophilia and BIID. We support the idea that BIID can be considered as a culture-bound syndrome, a contemporary frame for psychological suffering. We think that BIID does not have neither intrinsic nor unequivocal psychopathological meaning. It is a <> (Elliott), a common pathway for the expression of very different kinds of psychological suffering. CONCLUSION: Apotemnophilia and BIID are raising important ethical and practical issues for psychiatrists: their opinion will probably be requested by patients and surgical teams having to deal with patient asking for healthy limbs amputation.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy reduces functional mitral regurgitation during dynamic exercise in patients with chronic heart failure: an acute echocardiographic study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess non-invasively the acute effects of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) on functional mitral regurgitation (MR) at rest and during dynamic exercise. METHODS: 21 patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and functional MR at rest, treated with CRT, were studied. Each patient performed a symptom-limited maximal exercise with continuous two dimensional Doppler echocardiography twice. The first exercise was performed with CRT; the second exercise was performed without CRT. Mitral regurgitant flow volume (RV), effective regurgitant orifice area (ERO) and LV dP/dt were measured at rest and at peak exercise. RESULTS: CRT mildly reduced resting mitral ERO (mean 8 (SEM 2) v 11 (2) mm(2) without CRT, p = 0.02) and RV (13 (3) v 18 (3) ml without CRT, p = 0.03). CRT attenuated the spontaneous increase in mitral ERO and RV during exercise (1 (1) v 9 (2) mm(2), p = 0.004 and 1 (1) v 8 (2) ml, p = 0.004, respectively). CRT also significantly increased exercise-induced changes in LV dP/dt (140 (46) v 479 (112) mm Hg/s, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Attenuation of functional MR, induced by an increase in LV contractility during dynamic exercise, may contribute to the beneficial clinical outcome of CRT in patients with chronic heart failure and LV asynchrony.

Synaptic contributions to focal and widespread spatiotemporal dynamics in the isolated rat subiculum in vitro.

The subiculum, which has a strategic position in controlling hippocampal activity, is receiving significant attention in epilepsy research. However, the functional organization of subicular circuits remains unknown. Here, we combined different recording and analytical methods to study focal and widespread population activity in the isolated subiculum in zero Mg2+ media. Patch and field recordings were combined to examine the contribution of different cell types to population activity. The properties of cells leading field activity were examined. Predictive factors for a cell to behave as leader included exhibiting the bursting phenotype, displaying a low firing threshold, and having more distal apical dendrites. A subset of bursting cells constituted the first glutamatergic type that led a recruitment process that subsequently activated additional excitatory as well as inhibitory cells. This defined a sequence of synaptic excitation and inhibition that was studied by measuring the associated conductance changes and the evolution of the composite reversal potential. It is shown that inhibition was time-locked to excitation, which shunted excitatory inputs and suppressed firing during focal activity. This was recorded extracellularly as a multi-unit ensemble of active cells, the spatial boundaries of which were controlled by inhibition in contrast to widespread epileptiform activity. Focal activity was not dependent on the preparation or the developmental state because it was also recorded under 5 mm [K+]o and in adult tissue. Our data indicate that the subicular networks can be spontaneously organized as leader-follower local circuits in which excitation is mainly driven by a subset of bursting cells and inhibition controls spatiotemporal firing.

Protein orientation affects the efficiency of functional protein transplantation into the xenopus oocyte membrane.

Xenopus oocytes incorporate into their plasma membrane nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) after intracellular injection of lipid vesicles bearing this protein. The advantage of this approach over the classical oocyte expression system lies in the transplantation of native, fully processed proteins, although the efficiency of functional incorporation of nAChRs is low. We have now studied the incorporation into the oocyte membrane of the Torpedo chloride channel (ClC-0), a minor contaminant protein in some nAChR preparations. nAChR-injected oocytes incorporated functional ClC-0: i) in a higher number than functional nAChRs; ii) retaining their original properties; and iii) with a right-side-out orientation in the oocyte membrane. In an attempt to elucidate the reasons for the low efficiency in the functional incorporation of nAChRs into the oocyte membrane, we combined electrophysiological and [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin-binding experiments. Up to 3% of injected nAChRs were present in the oocyte plasma membrane at a given time. Thus, fusion of lipoproteosome vesicles to the oocyte plasma membrane is not the limiting factor for an efficient functional transplantation of foreign proteins. Accounting for the low rate of functional transplantation of nAChRs is their backward orientation in the oocyte membrane, since about 80% of them adopted an out-side-in orientation. Other factors, including differences in the susceptibility of the transplanted proteins to intracellular damage should also be considered.

Functional incorporation of exogenous proteins into the Xenopus oocyte membrane does not depend on intracellular calcium increase.

Fusion of membranes occurs in diverse biological events and, in most cases, Ca2+ greatly augments its rate. The aim of this work was to study the role played by Ca2+ when transplanting exogenous proteins into Xenopus oocyte membranes. Lipid vesicles carrying nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) from Torpedo electroplaques were injected into oocytes. The time course of nAChR incorporation was assessed by recording ACh-evoked currents at different times from injection. An incorporation peak was found at 16 h, but responses were maintained for over 48 h. To assess the role played by Ca2+, two groups were considered: control and chelator-loaded oocytes. In the latter group, cells were incubated with 50 microM 1,2-bis (2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, tetrakis(acetoxymethyl)ester (BAPTA-AM) or loaded with ca. 5 nmol ethyleneglycol-bis (beta-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) 2 h before nAChR injection. Both groups responded to ACh, although the current amplitude was smaller in chelator-loaded than in control cells. These results indicate that the slow fusion of lipoproteosome vesicles with the oocyte plasma membrane does not depend on intracellular Ca2+ increase and therefore belongs to the type called "constitutive". This membrane fusion process is thus different from those involved in resealing of disrupted oocyte membranes or in the fusion of cortical granules with the egg membrane.

Insulin treatment reduces the increased serum and lung angiotensin converting enzyme activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Serum and lung angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity is increased in the streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rat. In the present study, the effect of insulin treatment on this increased ACE activity in the STZ-diabetic rat was investigated. Serum and tissue ACE activity was determined by radiometric assay using [3H]-Hippuryl-glycyl-glycine as substrate. Fifteen days after onset of diabetes (n = 16), 8 rats received insulin daily (6-12 units/kg, s.c.) for 33 days, 8 diabetes rats remained untreated. Control, non-diabetic, rats (n = 8) received saline. The baseline serum ACE activity in the control group was 595 +/- 13 nmol/ml/min and did not change significantly throughout the study. However, serum ACE activity in the untreated diabetic rats increased significantly as of day 14 post-STZ (650 +/- 24 nmol/ml/min, p < 0.001) compared to the corresponding values of the control group and compared to baseline values. Insulin administration to diabetic rats starting on day 15 post-STZ caused a gradual reduction in serum ACE activity to basal values, being (527 +/- 22 nmol/ml/min) at day 47. ACE activity in lungs of untreated diabetic rats was increased by 46%, 47 days post-STZ. Insulin treatment reduced lung ACE activity to values similar to those observed in non-diabetic rats. These changes were associated with reduced kidney weight and urine volume. In summary, insulin administration to hyperglycaemic rats resulted in a reduction in the enhanced serum and lung ACE activity to values seen in non-diabetic rats. Normalizing the activity of the renin-angiotensin system may slow or prevent the glomerular hypertension, a major factor in the development of diabetic nephropathy.

Developmental changes in UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase activity of rat and guinea-pig liver.

The activity of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase was determined in the liver of rats and guinea-pigs of different ages. The activity of this enzyme in rats was low at birth, increased to a maximum value on day 15, and fell gradually until day 30. Thereafter, it increased up to the 60th day. The activity profile of the enzyme from guinea-pig liver was very similar. However, guinea-pig activity was 2-5 times lower than in rats. Both rats and guinea-pigs displayed similar liver sialic acid contents which increased from birth to 2 months of age. Rats also showed a N-glycolylneuraminic acid content that decreased from birth to 2 months. From these results we can inferred that postnatal UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase activity seems to be correlated with age and the developmental states of rats and guinea-pigs.

Ovarian angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in humans: relationship to estradiol, age, and uterine pathology.

The present study was designed to measure angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the human ovary and in serum and to relate this activity to age, serum estradiol levels, and uterine and endometrial pathology. ACE activity was determined in 56 females by a radiometric assay using [3H]hippuryl-glycyl-glycine as substrate. Ovarian ACE activity, but not serum ACE, was found to increase with age (P < 0.01) and was significantly greater in postmenopausal subjects (n = 31; 1.35 +/- 0.05 nmol/mg.min) than in subjects with active ovaries (n = 21; 0.65 +/- 0.2 nmol/mg.min; P = 0.0033). Ovarian ACE activities in fertile women in the preovulatory phase (n = 14) and the postovulatory phase (n = 7) were not statistically different (0.66 +/- 0.23 and 0.63 +/- 0.17 nmol/mg.min, respectively). Serum ACE activities were similar in females with active and nonactive ovaries (87.6 +/- 5.0 vs. 81.7 +/- 5.3 nmol/mL-min, respectively). Serum estradiol levels in fertile women were significantly higher than those in postmenopausal women (P = 0.0023). Serum estradiol levels were negatively correlated with age (r = -0.46; P = 0.0041) and were not correlated with either serum ACE activity (r = 0.080; P = NS) or ovarian ACE activity. In summary, human ovarian ACE activity, but not serum ACE, is positively correlated with age. Serum estradiol levels decrease with age, but are not correlated with either ovarian or serum ACE activity. Endogenous serum estradiol levels had no apparent effect on ovarian or serum ACE activity. The presence of uterine pathology affects ovarian ACE activity. The cause of the increased ovarian ACE activity is not clear, but may be related to the aging process.

Increased serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity in type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: its relation to metabolic control and diabetic complications.

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was measured in 150 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients and 72 healthy subjects by radioassay, using [3H]-hippuryl-glycyl-glycine as a substrate. Mean (SD) serum ACE activity in diabetic patients was 120 +/- 33 nmol ml-1 min-1 (range 46-215) and was significantly increased by 56% compared to control values (77 +/- 23 nmol ml-1 min-1, range 46-125, P < 0.001). ACE activity > 125 nmol ml-1 min-1 was observed in 60 of 150 IDDM patients. 96 IDDM patients were normoalbuminuric (< 22 mg 24 h-1) and 49 patients were micro- or macroalbuminuric (range 22-6010 mg 24 h-1). Micro- and macroalbuminuric IDDM patients were found to have significantly greater ACE activity values than normoalbuminuric patients (128 +/- 36 vs. 115 +/- 30 nmol ml-1 min-1, P = 0.025). Metabolically well-controlled IDDM patients (glycosylated haemoglobin < or = 8%) had lower ACE activity values than the patients with glycosylated haemoglobin greater than 8% (109 +/- 20 vs. 127 +/- 32 nmol ml-1 min-1, P < 0.02). A significant correlation between degree of metabolic control and ACE activity was found (r = 0.435, P < 0.001) so that an increase in one glycosylated quartile unit is accompanied by an increase in ACE activity of 10.5 nmol ml-1 min-1. Thus ACE activity in the serum of IDDM patients was increased by 56% in 40% of the patients. It was increased in IDDM patients without complications and in patients with retinopathy or nephropathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiotensin converting enzyme activity in the serum, lung and kidney of diabetic rats.

Diabetes Mellitus in its early stages, is associated with kidney enlargement and increased glomerular filtration rate in humans and in rats. The present study was designed to clarify the direct effect of diabetes on serum and tissue angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Serum ACE activity, as determined using a radiometric assay, was significantly increased in the diabetic rats (n = 15) 14 days after induction of diabetes (670 +/- 31 vs. 506 +/- 14 nmol ml-1 min-1). Lung ACE activity, but not renal, was significantly elevated at 7 and 14 days by 29 and 46%, respectively. Plasma renin activity in the diabetic rats was decreased at 7 and 14 days by 41 and 78%, respectively. Incubations of lung slices in the presence of glucose at different concentrations did not affect in-vitro release of the enzyme. Administration of insulin (8 units kg-1) to diabetic rats (n = 6) on the 4th day for 11 days reduced ACE activity to values below control. Thus, serum and lung ACE activity is increased in the diabetic rat and reduced upon insulin treatment.