The effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking on the activity of oral peroxidase.

Peroxidase is the most important antioxidant enzyme in saliva. Through peroxidation of thiocyanate in the presence of H2O2, peroxidase catalyses the formation of bacteriocidic compounds such as hypothiocyanate.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking on the activity of oral peroxidase (OPO). A total of 37 volunteers participated in the study. This cohort consisted of 17 male alcohol-dependent smoking patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (AS group, alcohol + smoking) (mean age: 42 years; range: 26-55) (100-700 g/day of alcohol; 10-20 cigarettes/day) and 20 control male social drinkers(CNS group, control non-smokers) with no history of alcohol abuse or smoking (mean age: 42 years; range:30-53). Salivary peroxidase activity was measured by the colorimetric method. The differences between groups were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test. There was significantly higher activity of OPO (p = 0.00001)and significantly lower salivary flow (SF) (p = 0.007) in alcohol-dependent smokers after chronic alcohol intoxication compared to the control group. OPO activity significantly correlated with the number of days of alcohol intoxication, but not with smoking. Gingival index (GI) was significantly higher in smoking alcohol-dependent persons than in the control group, and correlated with OPO activity. The sensitivity of the OPO test was 70% in smoking alcoholics, while specificity was 95%. The increased activity of OPO suggests chronic oxidative stress is more likely due to ethanol action than to smoking. Smoking alcohol-dependent persons have a worse periodontal status than controls. OPO activity as a marker of chronic alcohol abuse may help in the diagnosis of alcoholism.

Lipid-bound sialic acid in alcoholics participates in increased level of total sialic acid.

Serum total sialic acid (TSA) concentration is a sensitive marker of excessive alcohol consumption and is the sum of protein-bound sialic acid, lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA), and free sialic acid. The LSA is the fraction of SA attached to gangliosides that are transported in the blood by the lipoproteins. In this article, the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the serum levels of LSA was evaluated. The objective of the study was to understand the mechanism of elevated serum TSA concentration during alcohol abuse. Additionally, the association of LSA with serum lipid profile was tested. For this purpose, the levels of LSA, TSA, lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins (apos) in the sera of 106 alcoholics were measured. The serum level of LSA in alcohol abusers was significantly elevated. This increase was because of the elevated level of LSA in patients drinking alcohol up to 2 days before sampling. The elevated level of LSA positively correlated with TSA, and also with biochemical indices of hepatocellular injury such as aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase, but did not correlate with any lipids, apos, and lipoproteins. The increase in LSA level is not related with the status of serum lipid profile but is related to the liver status estimated by the biochemical markers of liver cell damage. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the elevated level of LSA in alcohol abusers contributes to an increase in the serum concentration of TSA, and contrary to TSA, is affected by the status of liver cells.

Relationship between plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations in alcoholics according to liver enzyme activity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between folate and homocysteine levels in alcoholics taking into consideration the liver enzyme activity as sensitive markers of hepatocellular injury. Folate and homocysteine concentrations did not differ between alcoholics classified according to the liver enzyme activity. The association between folate and homocysteine levels exists in the alcoholics with normal liver enzyme activity and in the controls. Therefore, we concluded that before the liver hepatocellular injury due to alcohol abuse, the correlation between folate and homocysteine concentrations in alcoholics exists as in the healthy controls. In the presence of hepatocellular injury, the association disappears.

[The effect of chronic alcohol drinking on the total concentration of sialic acid and lipid-bound sialic acid]. / Wplyw przewleklej konsumpcji alkoholu na stezenie calkowite kwasu sjalowego oraz kwasu sjalowego zwiazanego z lipidami.

UNLABELLED: Chronic alcohol drinking markedly influence on the total level of sialic acid (TSA) and glycolipids in the blood. The diagnostics parameter that connects the evaluation of these both metabolites is sialic acid attached to glycolipids named lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA). THE AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate an effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the serum level of TSA and LSA taking into consideration the presence of hepatocellular injury proved by liver enzymes activity. Additionally, the diagnostic usefulness of serum TSA and LSA determination was compared with traditional markers of alcohol abuse and hepatocellular injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experimental group comprised 118 alcohol-dependent subjects. They were divided into 2 subgroups according to the liver enzymes activity. The diagnosis of dependency was made on the basis of ICD-10 criteria. The control group was consisted of 27 healthy social drinkers. LSA was measured according to the resorcinol method described by Katopodis and Stock, and TSA was assayed with a colorimetric enzymatic method. RESULTS: The TSA and LSA concentrations in the alcohol abuse patients were significantly higher than that of healthy controls. Taking into consideration the presence of hepatocellular injury, the concentration of LSA differs between subgroups with elevated and normal liver enzymes activity but the levels of TSA does not differ. The elevated level of LSA distinguish (ROC analysis) the patients with normal and elevated liver enzymes activity but the level of TSA does not. Diagnostic power of TSA and LSA determination in the sera of alcohol dependent patients was lower than that of AST and GGT. CONCLUSION: From this study we can conclude that TSA can be recognized to be a good test of alcohol abuse independent on the presence of hepatocellular injury but LSA indicated on the alcoholic hepatocellular injury.

[The effect of chronic alcohol abuse on the lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins concentrations in the sera]. / Wplyw przewleklego spozywania alkoholu na stezenie lipidów, lipoprotein i apolipoprotein we krwi.

UNLABELLED: Alcohol abuse causes changes in the lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins concentrations in the blood, which may be related to the risk of the development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alcohol abuse on the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, high and low density lipoproteins, apolipoproteins AI and B, and lipoprotein (a), and to asses the risk of exposure to the cardiovascular diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 118 alcohol dependent patients, who were divided into the 7 subgroups according to various criteria: the amounts of weekly alcohol intake, the time of abstinence and the period of last drinking; and in 27 social drinkers men. RESULTS: In alcohol abuse patients, the levels of apo AI and HDL-Ch are increased, but of apo B, LDL-Ch and Lp(a)--decreased. The analysis of lipid markers according to the history of alcohol abuse showed that the levels of HDL-Ch and LDL-Ch were dependent on the amounts of weekly alcohol intake and the time of abstinence, while the apo AI, apo B and Lp(a) on the time of abstinence. The concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides did not significantly change. CONCLUSION: In alcohol abuse patients the concentrations of some lipid markers are changed. These alterations depend on the amounts of weekly alcohol intake, the time of abstinence and the period of last drinking. The concentrations of antiatherogenic markers are increased, but the atherogenic--decreased. The changes in the lipid markers of cardiovascular diseases risk, should not be treated as an explicity favourable, in alcohol abuse patients.

Serum free sialic acid as a marker of alcohol abuse.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that serum total sialic acid (TSA) concentration significantly increases during alcohol abuse. Chronic ethanol consumption impairs glycosylation of many proteins. The increased desialylation rate of serum glycoproteins is one of the effects of alcohol abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of free sialic acid (FSA) as a marker of alcohol abuse. METHODS: We determined serum FSA concentrations in the group of 156 alcoholic subjects and 35 healthy control subjects by means of a modification of the thiobarbituric acid method. The alcoholic group was divided into subgroups according to their history of abuse. RESULTS: The FSA concentration was significantly higher in alcoholic subjects than in healthy controls. The subjects who consumed alcohol for longer than a week showed significantly higher FSA level than those who consumed alcohol for a shorter period. The serum FSA concentration was significantly higher in alcoholic subjects with elevated markers of liver dysfunction. The diagnostic accuracy of FSA was high, although it did not differ from TSA, and was limited by its low sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that FSA concentration in the sera of alcoholic subjects is increased. The low diagnostic sensitivity is accompanied by high specificity, however the accuracy is high and similar to the accuracy of TSA. Free sialic acid does not seem to be a better marker of alcohol abuse than TSA and current markers.

[The concentration of sialylated glycoproteins in the sera of alcohol dependent men]. / Stezenie sjalowanych glikoprotein w surowicy mezczyzn uzaleznionych od alkoholu.

UNLABELLED: Alcohol misuse impairs the glycosylation, secretion and metabolism of glycoproteins what may influence on their blood concentration. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY: To evaluate the effect of alcohol abuse on the level of sialylated glycoproteins such as: alpha1-antitripsin, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, transferrin, complement C3 protein, immunoglobulin G and fibrinogen in the blood. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 156 alcohol dependent men, who were divided into 6 subgroups according to three criteria: the amounts of weekly alcohol intake, the time of abstinence before examination and the period of last drinking; and in 35 healthy social drinkers. The concentration of glycoproteins was measured using an immunoturbidimetric methods. RESULTS: There were changes in the serum levels of 3 from 8 tested glycoproteins in alcohol dependent men. The concentrations of alantitripsin and alpha1-acid glycoprotein were increased, but of transferrin - decreased. The analysis of glycoproteins according to the history of alcohol abuse showed that alpha1-acid glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin and complement C3 protein were sensitive to the amounts of weekly alcohol intake. The alpha1-antitripsin, as the only, was sensitive to the period of last drinking. None of the tested glycoproteins was sensitive to the time of abstinence before examination. CONCLUSION: Alcohol abuse leads to the alterations of sialylated glycoproteins concentrations in the blood, what is a proof of disturbances in their synthesis in the liver. The direction of these changes is typical of acute phase reaction. The quantitative alterations may accompany the qualitative changes in the form of glycosylation disturbances, what is documented by the increased concentration of low sialylated isoforms of transfferin.

[Concentration of thyroid stimulating hormone and activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes, in serum of patients with thyroid cancer]. / Stezenie hormonu tyreotropowego oraz aktywnosc N-acetylo-beta-D-heksozoaminidazy i jej izoenzymów A i B w surowicy chorych na raka tarczycy.

UNLABELLED: Thyroid cancer consists 1% of all malignant neoplasms. It is not known interrelationship between concentration of TSH in blood serum and condition of thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is difficult for diagnosis and differentiation. Therefore it is necessary to search for biochemical markers helpful in diagnostics of thyroid cancer. Significant increase in activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes A and B in serum of patients with neoplasms of kidney and pancreas suggest approporiateness of evaluation of HEX and its isoenzymes in diagnostics of thyroid cancer. THE AIM: of the study--evaluation of TSH concentration and activity of HEX and its isoenzymes A and B, in serum of patients with thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood was taken from 7 patients with thyroid cancer (6 men and 1 woman). Control consisted of 7 healthy men. In blood serum concentration of TSH was determined with immunoenzymatic method on analyzer Axsym of Abbott and expressed in microU/mL. The activity of HEX and its isoenzymes A and B was determined by method of Chatterjee et al., as modified by Zwierz et.al. Determination of HEX was performed on microplate reader ELX800 BIO-TEK. Activity of HEX, HEX A and B was expressed in pKat/mL, and specific activity in pKat/mg protein). Protein was determined by biuret method and results were expressed in mg/mL. RESULTS: Concentration of HEX A activity in serum of thyroid cancer patients is significantly higherin comparison to healthymen (p = 0.0191). Also specific activity of HEX A in serum of thyroid cancer patients is significantly higher in comparison to healthy men (p = 0.0393). CONCLUSIONS: 1. Determination of TSH concentration in serum of thyroid cancer before the operation may confirm euthyreosis. 2. Determination of HEX A activity in serum may be helpful in diagnostics of thyroid cancer.