Evaluation of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 as a marker for renal microvasculopathy in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.

AIM: To assess the relevance of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for renal microvascular diseases. METHODS: We analysed lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity and lysophosphatidylcholine levels (as a surrogate marker of oxidative stress) in 165 adolescents (aged 17.0 ± 2.3 years) with a history of Type 1 diabetes greater than 10 years. Clinical data were obtained from the German/Austrian nationwide Diabetes-Patients Follow-up (DPV) registry at blood collection and on average 2.4 ± 1.3 years later at follow-up. Relationships between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity and clinical, demographic and laboratory variables, lysophosphatidylcholine levels and presence of albuminuria were evaluated by multivariable linear and logistic regression. RESULTS: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity was higher in male than female adolescents (P = 0.002). Albuminuria was present in 14% (22/158) of participants at baseline, and 5% (4/86) of participants without albuminuria at baseline developed albuminuria until follow-up. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity was associated neither with present nor with incident albuminuria. Lysophosphatidylcholine did not correlate with lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity. Cross-sectional bivariate correlation as well as multivariable linear regression analysis revealed a negative correlation of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity with HbA1c and HDL-cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase activity was not associated with surrogate markers for oxidative stress and early diabetic nephropathy. The association of decreased lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity with poor glucose control might limit its function as a predictor of micro- and macrovascular diseases in Type 1 diabetes.

Single dose NTBC-treatment of hereditary tyrosinemia type I.

NTBC (2-(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-1,3cyclohexanedione) is the mainstay of treatment in tyrosinemia type 1 (HT 1). The current recommendation is to divide the total daily dose of NTBC into two doses. We monitored the plasma NTBC concentrations in a series of seven patients who were changed from multiple divided doses to a single daily dose of NTBC. Two additional patients were started on a single daily dose of NTBC after the diagnosis of HT 1 was established. In three patients, NTBC kinetics were performed over 6 and 24 hours, respectively. The use of multiple divided doses or a single daily dose did not significantly affect plasma NTBC concentrations or the mean daily dose needed to attain therapeutic plasma NTBC concentrations. Moreover, kinetic studies demonstrated that plasma NTBC concentrations were completely stable over a period of 24 hours with a single dose regimen, as expected given the known NTBC plasma half life of 54 hours. Although these preliminary results need to be confirmed in more patients, our findings show that administration of NTBC in a single daily dose may be as effective as a multiple-dose regimen in reaching therapeutic plasma NTBC concentrations and suppressing succinylacetone formation in patients with HT 1. In fact, single dose treatment may increase patients' compliance with the drug treatment and improve metabolic control.

Experimental evidence for the noninnocence of o-aminothiophenolates: coordination chemistry of o-iminothionebenzosemiquinonate(1-) pi-radicals with Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II).

The ligand 2-mercapto-3,5-di-tert-butylaniline, H[L(AP)], an o-aminothiophenol, reacts with metal(II) salts of Ni and Pd in CH3CN or C2H5OH in the presence of NEt3 under strictly anaerobic conditions with formation of beige to yellow cis-[M(II)(L(AP))2] (M = Ni (1), Pd (2)) where (L(AP))1- represents the o-aminothiophenolate(1-) form. The crystal structure of cis-[Pd(II)(L(AP))2][HN(C2H5)3][CH3CO2] has been determined by X-ray crystallography. In the presence of air the same reaction produces dark blue solutions from which mixtures of the neutral complexes trans/cis-[M(II)(L(ISQ))2] (M = Ni (1a/1b), Pd (2a/2b), and Pt (3a/3b)) have been isolated as dark blue-black solid materials. By using HPLC the mixture of 3a/3b has been separated into pure samples of 3a and 3b, respectively; (L(ISQ))1- represents the o-iminothionebenzosemiquinonate(1-) pi-radical. The structures of 1a.dmf and 3a.CH2Cl2 have also been determined. All compounds are square-planar and diamagnetic. 1H NMR spectroscopy established the cis <==> trans equilibrium of 1a/1b, 2a/2b, and 3a/3b in CH2Cl2 solution where the isomerization rate is very fast for the Ni, intermediate for the Pd, and very slow for the Pt species. It is shown that the electronic structures of 1a/1b, 2a/2b, 3a, and 3b are best described as diradicals with a singlet ground state. The spectro- and electrochemistries of all complexes display the usual full electron transfer series where the monocation, the neutral species, the mono- and dianions have been spectroscopically characterized. X-band EPR spectra of the monocations [1a/1b]+ and [3a]+ support the assignment of an oxidation-state distribution as predominantly [M(II)(L(ISQ))(L(IBQ))]+ where (L(IBQ))0 represents the o-iminothionequinone level. In contrast, the EPR spectra of the monoanions [1a/1b]- and [3a]- indicate an [M(II)(L(ISQ))(L(AP)-H)]- distribution but with a significant contribution of the [M(I)(L(ISQ))(2)]- resonance hybrid; (L(AP)-H)2- represents the o-imidothiophenolato(2-) oxidation level. Analysis of the geometric features of 120 published structures of complexes containing ligands of the o-aminothiophenolate type show that high precision X-ray crystallography allows to discern the differing protonation and oxidation levels of these ligands. o-Aminothiophenolates are unequivocally shown to be noninnocent ligands; the (L(ISQ))1- radical form is quite prevalent in coordination compounds and the electronic structure of a number of published complexes must be reconsidered.