Fetuin-A gene polymorphism in patients with calcium oxalate stone disease.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of fetuin-A polymorphisms with calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Fetuin-A is a circulating calcium-regulatory glycoprotein that inhibits extraosseous calcification. METHODS: Fetuin-A c.742C > T and c.766C > G polymorphisms were investigated in 103 patients with calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis and 73 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. Additionally, we compared serum fetuin-A levels in the 2 groups. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed between the control and patient groups (chi(2) test, P = .003) for the genotype of fetuin-A c.766C > G polymorphism. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for the CG genotype in those at risk of stone disease was 4.2 (1.73-10.28). The frequency distribution for fetuin-A c.742C > T polymorphism was not statistically different in stone patients and controls (P = .77). Serum mean fetuin-A concentration was significantly lower in the patients (710.38 +/- 156.42 microg/mL) than in the controls (810.89 +/- 173.43 microg/mL, P = .0001). In the patient group (but not in the control group), subjects carrying fetuin-A genotype 1 had significantly higher serum fetuin-A concentrations than the group carrying fetuin-A genotype 2-1 (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that the patients with fetuin-A c.766C > G gene polymorphism may be at higher risk for renal calcium oxalate stone formation.

Serum lipid profile paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease with unknown etiology that has been associated with abnormal plasma lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. There are controversial results in the previous studies investigating oxidant/antioxidant systems in psoriasis.The aim of this work was to evaluate dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity and serum paraoxonase (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities in psoriasis, and to look for a correlation between these parameters and lesion percentage in psoriasis.Thirty psoriatic patients and twenty three sex- and agematched healthy volunteers were included in the study. From blood samples, lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAO), serum PON1 and ARE activities were determined.No significant differences between the patients and controls were found in terms of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, MDA and TAO levels. Serum PON1 and sodium-stimulated PON1 activities (p < 0.05) and ARE activity (p < 0.01) were found significantly higher in the patients than in the controls. There was not any significant correlation between lesion percentage and the parameters studied.

Serum IL-18 levels in tuberculosis: comparison with pneumonia, lung cancer and healthy controls.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to document the serum IL-18 levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB), extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EP-TB), pneumonia, lung cancer and in healthy controls, and to investigate whether it may assist in the differential diagnosis of P-TB. METHODOLOGY: A total of 116 patients were included in the study. The study population consisted of patients with P-TB, EP-TB, pneumonia and lung cancer and controls. P-TB patients were graded according to sputum positivity and extent of disease. Serum levels of IL-18 (ELISA) were compared between groups and with other clinical measures of disease. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, all groups of patients had increased serum levels of IL-18. The highest mean concentration of IL-18 was observed in P-TB. Serum levels of IL-18 in the patients with P-TB correlated well with the extent of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although increased serum levels of IL-18 were not specific for TB, the increased levels may favour active TB in radiologically advanced disease where CXR findings are difficult to interpret, and sputum smears or cultures are not helpful.

The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on renal ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative stress in rabbits.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is one of the hormones secreted from adrenal glands, and in some studies it has been shown that DHEA has antioxidant properties. This experimental study was designed to determine the effect of DHEA on I/R-induced oxidative stress in rabbit kidney. Twenty-one rabbits were divided into three groups. Rabbits were subjected to 60 min of left renal pedicle occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. DHEA (50 mg/kg) (I/R + DHEA group) or equal volume of vehicle (I/R group) was administered 3 h prior to ischemia. The control group received only laparotomy without I/R, DHEA or vehicle. At the end of the reperfusion periods, rabbits were decapitated. Renal tissues were taken for determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as an indicator of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities as antioxidant enzymes. In the I/R group, while renal SOD and CAT activities were significantly lower, MDA levels were significantly higher than in the I/R + DHEA group and controls. In the I/R + DHEA group, enzyme activities and MDA levels were similar to the controls. There was no significant difference in terms of renal GPX activity among the groups. DHEA may have a beneficial effect on renal tissue against oxidative damage due to I/R by preventing decreases in some antioxidant enzyme activities.

Changes of PSA concentrations in serum and saliva of healthy women during the menstrual cycle.

This study investigated the changes of prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentrations in serum and saliva of women during the menstrual cycle. Thirty healthy volunteers (age 23-35 yr) were enrolled in the study. During the menstrual cycle, serum and saliva PSA concentrations on days 9 (follicular phase) and 14 (mid-cycle) were significantly higher than on days 4 (early follicular phase) and 21 (luteal phase). The expected changes in gonadal hormones were seen, as evidenced by significantly higher serum estradiol and progesterone concentrations during the midcycle and luteal phase, compared to the other phases of the cycle. Serum PSA concentrations were positively correlated with salivary PSA concentrations at all 4 times (days 4, 9, 14, and 21) of the menstrual cycle, but not with the serum progesterone or estrogen concentrations. This study suggests that salivary PSA, rather than being produced in the salivary gland, may reflect the serum PSA during the normal menstrual cycle.