Ewa Kurys-Denis

Humoral response against glial derived antigens in Parkinson's disease

To check whether glial cells have the ability to elicit adaptive immune response in Parkinsons disease and whether a change in this immune response can be observed over time. There is an increasing evidence that glial cells are involved in the neurodegenerative process in PD, in addition to neuronal structures. Measurement of autoantibodies against proteins of oligodendrocytes may serve as an indirect method to assess the level of glial cells activation or degeneration under in vivo conditions. Serum samples from 26 PD patients were collected twice, at baseline and after mean of 13 months. In addition, serum samples from 13 healthy controls matched for age and gender were assessed at one time point. IgG and IgM autoantibodies against myelin-oligodendrocyticglycoprotein (MOG), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and proteolipoprotein (PLP) were measured in all investigated subjects by a commercially available ELISA system (Mediagnost, Germany). In a group of PD significant decrease of IgG titers was observed for anti-MAG autoantibodies over the investigated time period (p<0.05). For IgM antibodies, we observed statistically significant decrease in anti-MAG autoantibodies in the follow-up period (p<0.05) and increase in anti-MBP and anti-PLP autoantibodies (p<0.05). All antibody titers differed significantly between healthy control subjects and PD patients. Our study provides the evidence for the presence of humoral response against some glial derived antigens in PD. The increasing levels of anti MBP IgG and IgM might point to the value of this marker for monitoring disease progression.

Can Antibodies Against Glial Derived Antigens be Early Biomarkers of Hippocampal Demyelination and Memory Loss in Alzheimer’s Disease?

BACKGROUND Alzheimers disease (AD) is known to exhibit well characterized pathologies including the extracellular accumulation of amyloid plaques, intra-axonal presence of neurofibrillary tangles, and glial hypertrophy. Nevertheless, the nature of myelin pathology in AD has not been well studied. Recent studies on animal models of AD, however, revealed focal demyelination within amyloid-β plaques in hippocampus. OBJECTIVES In a view of this finding, we decided to assess humoral response against proteins of myelin sheath in AD, in the hope of identifying early biomarkers of memory loss and neuropathological process characteristic of AD. METHODS We assessed antibodies levels against proteins of the myelin sheath: myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), and proteolipoprotein (PLP) in sera of 26 AD patients and 26 healthy controls, using commercially available ELISA system (Mediagnost, Germany). RESULTS In the AD patient subgroup, significantly higher titers were observed for all types of assessed IgG autoantibodies compared to healthy control subjects (anti-MOG, anti-MAG, anti-MBP, anti-PLP). The titers of most of the investigated IgM antibodies were also higher in AD patients (p <  0.05), with the exception of anti-MAG IgM antibodies (p >  0.05). CONCLUSION The study provides the evidence for the significantly increased production of autoantibodies against proteins of myelin sheath in AD. These results can be of importance in the light of emerging data from animal models of AD, indicating early demyelination of hippocampal region. Further studies on larger population are necessary to confirm whether these autoantibodies could serve as early biomarkers of AD in humans.

Humoral response against small heat shock proteins in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction In the light of evidence for the increased heat shock proteins (HSP) expression in neurodegenerative disorders, the presence of the adaptive humoral response of the immune system can be expected. The aim of the study was to check whether Parkinson’s disease (PD) has the ability to elicit immune response against small heat shock proteins. Methods IgG and IgM autoantibodies against alpha B-crystallin were assessed in 26 PD patients 26 healthy subjects. For the assessment of anti-HSP IgG autoantibodies serum samples from 31 parkinsonian patients and 31 healthy control subjects were collected. Serum samples from PD patients and healthy control subjects were collected twice, at baseline and after mean of 13 months follow up. Results Both IgM and IgG autoantibodies against alpha ß-crystallin in PD patients were significantly higher compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). We also found statistically significant increase in antibodies titers against alpha ß-crystallin over the time of 13 months, both for IgG (p = 0.021) and for IgM (p<0.0001). Additionally, PD patients presented higher levels of anti-HSP IgG autoantibodies than healthy controls (p = 0.02). Conclusions Increase of IgG and IgM autoantibodies against alpha B-crystallin in PD patients over time may suggest their involvement in the disease pathogenesis and progression. Further studies are required to confirm the role of this antibody as a biomarker of the disease progression.

Perfusion CT – A novel quantitative and qualitative imaging biomarker in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES The aim of this research was to examine whether Perfusion Computed Tomography (P-CT) can qualitatively and quantitatively help detect gastric cancer neoangiogenesis in vivo as well as treatment response evaluation. We attempted to explore which P-CT parameters are best used in neoangiogenesis and neoadjuvant therapy for most effective evaluation. We also tried to recognize a positive prediction value of P-CT in early responders and non-responders patients identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four patients with positive biopsy results and/or clinically proven gastric cancer were enrolled in the P-CT exam. Patients were qualified for systemic treatment (16 patients received chemotherapy and 8 patients received radiochemotherapy). The baseline Perfusion-CT exam and after neoadjuvant treatment Perfusion-CT exam were conducted using a 64-row GE tomograph based on a deconvolution model in first-pass protocol perfusion. The P-CT examined the following parameters: Blood Flow (BF), Blood Volume (BV), Mean Transit Time (MTT) and Permeability Surface (PS). Positive clinical response to neoadjuvant treatment (CHT and RCT) was defined as tumor size reduction 25% or more. RESULTS Tumor dimension reduction after neoadjuvant therapy was significantly correlated with the BF and the PS. Neoadjuvant therapy was more effective for patients with higher output BF and PS values. We did not register a significant relationship between BV and MTT parameters and tumor dimension reduction. Patients with a positive treatment response showed a decrease in BF, BV and PS perfusion parameters with an increase in MTT. CONCLUSIONS P-CT examination allows a noninvasive neoangiogenesis assessment in vivo, leading to early identification of responding and non-responding patients. As a standard procedure, a full evaluation of treatment response should include a P-CT exam assessing neoangiogenesis.

Relationships between serum selenium and zinc concentrations versus profibrotic and proangiogenic cytokines (FGF-19 and endoglin) in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Liver cirrhosis is a disease involving the liver parenchyma, which is characterised by fibrosis and impaired architectonics of the parenchyma with regenerative nodules. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between stage of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, concentrations of selenium, zinc and profibrotic and proangiogenic cytokines (FGF-19, ENG). MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 99 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 20 healthy subjects. Ion chromatography with UV/VIS detection was used for determination of zinc ions in the previously mineralized serum samples. The measurements of selenium were performed with the ContrAA700 high-resolution continuum source graphite tube atomic absorption spectrometer. ELISA was used to determine concentration of FGF-19 and ENG in serum samples. RESULTS Concentrations of zinc and selenium were significantly decreased in cirrhotic patients (p<0.001 for both). The highest concentration of FGF-19 was found in Child-Pugh stage C liver cirrhosis patients (806.9±650.3 pg/ml), and was significantly higher than observed in controls (p=0.005) and stage A patients (compensated cirrhosis) (p=0.02). The highest concentration of ENG was demonstrated in the control group (3.24±148 ng/ml) while the lowest in patients with decompensated cirrhosis (7.32±5.39 ng/ml and 7.92±4.18 ng/ml for stage B and C; p=0.03 and p=0.02, respectively). The use of the multiple-variable model demonstrated that the independent factors affecting the concentration of ENG were the concentration of bilirubin (p=0.02), INR (p=0.01) and duration of alcohol abuse (p=0.02). The independent determinants of FGF-19 concentrations were found to be the stage (severity) of liver cirrhosis (p=0.04) and INR (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Concentrations of zinc and selenium in serum of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis are not independently related to concentrations of FGF-19 and ENG.

Badanie ultrasonograficzne jamy brzusznej w diagnostyce guzów jelita grubego – opis przypadku

Ultrasonography is a noninvasive, available and cheap test. It is the first step in diagnostics of the gastrointestinal tract, including tumours of the colon. The following article presents the history of a patient admitted to the Internal Clinic because of anaemia and unexplained weight loss. In ultrasonography, thickened wall of large intestine and pathological lymphatical nodule were found. These abnormalities were verify by colonoscopy. In the histopathological examination adenocarcinoma was recognize. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the usefulness of the ultrasound test in diagnostic tumours of the colon.