Ibolya Kocsis

Oxidative damage in alcoholic liver disease

Objective The metabolic effects of alcohol are due both to its direct action and to that of its first metabolite, and can also be connected with the changes in redox state. Differences in ethanol distribution, bioavailability and hepatic metabolism can provide insight into the protective and predisposing factors in alcoholism, as well as gender differences of alcohol toxicity. Oxidative stress occurs following various conditions of ethanol consumption. Design Twenty-six Caucasian patients with alcoholism and 32 healthy, abstinent controls of both sexes were investigated with special regard to reduction–oxidation status and ad hoc free-radical–antioxidant balance. Method Plasma free SH-group concentration, H-donating ability, and reducing power property were measured by simple spectrophotometric methods. Total scavenger capacity was determined by a newly developed chemiluminometric method in plasma and erythrocytes. Results Alcoholics showed a decrease of free SH-group concentration, hydrogen-donating ability and an increase of reducing power property in plasma. A decreased total scavenger capacity of erythrocytes and plasma of alcoholic patients, combined with gender differences, could be detected. Conclusions Alcoholic dependence causes gradual exhaustion of the antioxidant capacity of erythrocytes, therefore this non-invasive measurement may be useful as a follow-up of the evolution of alcoholic liver disease. The results also suggest a gender susceptibility of alcohol toxicity.

Plasma concentration of myeloperoxidase enzyme in pre- and post-climacterial people: Related superoxide anion generation

Neutrophil granulocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis also through their free radical generation. The aim of the study was to test how extracellular levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO; a granulocyte enzyme playing role in free radical production) change by age and what effect this change has on the production of the free radical superoxide anion by neutrophils. We also wanted to examine whether the antioxidant effect of different steroid hormones is realized through the MPO. Plasma myeloperoxidase concentrations of healthy blood donors were quantified by ELISA. Superoxide anion production was measured by photometry. Myeloperoxidase concentration was significantly lower in plasmas obtained from older women and men than in those from younger subjects. Adding the MPO inhibitors 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide (ABAH) and indomethacin to the granulocytes, the generation of superoxide anion increased and the decreasing effect of the steroids on superoxide production was inhibited. Incubating the neutrophils with the product of the reaction catalyzed by MPO itself (hypochlorite anion), we found significant decrease in superoxide generation. According to our results MPO seems to diminish the production of superoxide anion and so probably has an antioxidant ability. Therefore, its lower plasma levels may contribute to the increasing incidence of atherosclerosis and other free radical mediated disorders in old people. Thus, after further studies MPO might become one of the indicators of cardiovascular risk and the scavenger capacity in general.

The effect of citrus flavonoids on the redox state of alimentary-induced fatty liver in rats

Both chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and fatty liver may develop at the same time. Hesperidin and diosmin are used for the treatment CVI. There is no information, however, on the effect of these flavonoids in the redox state of fatty liver. In this study, male Wistar albino rats were fed a lipid-rich diet with or without 450 mg diosmin–50 mg hesperidin-containing drug (60 mg kg−1body weight/day, per os) for 9 days to determine the impact of treatment on antioxidant defence system of the fatty liver. We detected free SH-group concentration (SHC), hydrogen-donating ability (HDA), and natural scavenger capacity were decreased and hepatic malonaldehyde content and dien conjugate (DC) content in rats with fatty liver were increased compared to the control. After treatment in fatty liver, these parameters (except DC) significantly improved and approached the control value. Our results indicate that diosmin–hesperidin-containing drug may be a useful agent in improving the antioxidant defensive system in alimentary-induced fatty liver disease.

[Effects of magnesium supplementation on calcium and magnesium levels, and redox homeostasis in normolipidemic and food-induced hyperlipidemic rats].

UNLABELLED Magnesium supplementation is quite popular because of intention of health and healthy lifestyle. However, there is no information on the metabolic effects of magnesium supplementation in healthy people and in different diseases. AIMS Authors examined the effects of magnesium-malate on calcium, magnesium levels, and antioxidant parameters in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats. METHODS Male Wistar rats (n = 40; 150-200 g) were divided into 4 groups (control, control-treated, hyperlipidemic, hyperlipidemic-treated). Rats in the control and control-treated groups were fed with normal diet, while hyperlipidemic and hyperlipidemic-treated groups were fed with fat rich diet (2% cholesterol, 20% sunflower oil, 0.5% cholic acid). After the 9-day-long diet the following parameters were measured: routine laboratory parameters with automatic analysator, metal content using ICP-OES, and redox-parameters using spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. RESULTS Magnesium-malate failed to produce significant changes in the measured parameters in control animals in most cases. Magnesium-malate decreased significantly serum glucose concentration, alkaline phosphatase and amylase activities in the hyperlipidemic group. Significantly low induced chemiluminescent activity was measured in the plasma and erythrocytes of hyperlipidemic group. The magnesium supplementation did not increase significantly magnesium concentration in different organs although the calcium/magnesium concentration ratio was decreased. CONCLUSIONS In control animals there was no significant change in the measured parameters in most cases after dietary supplementation with a large amount of magnesium for a short period of time, but magnesium supplementation affected the metal homeostasis, routine laboratory parameters and redox system in hyperlipidemic animals. Although several changes were favorable, it should be emphasized that magnesium supplementation must be applied watchfully particularly in metabolic diseases.

Impaired Antioxidant Status in Non-Organ Specific Autoantibody Positive Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is developed mainly by insulin resistance and oxidative stress, but the exact pathogenesis is unknown. Increased prevalence of non-organ specific autoantibodies (NOSA) in NAFLD may be the result of primary immune-mediated mechanism or secondary hepatocellular injury as a consequence of free radical reaction and cytokine production. The importance of NOSA positivity in NAFLD is uncertain. Our aim was to investigate the NOSA prevalence and the redox status as well as the cytokine level in NAFLD patients. Plasma free SH-group concentration, total antioxidant status were measured by colorimetric methods. Free radical–antioxidant balance was determined by a chemiluminometric assay. IL-6 concentration was measured by ELISA in various group of NAFLD patients. NOSA (antinuclear antibody) prevalence was found to be 55% in NAFLD patients. NOSA-positive patients showed a decrease of plasma free SH-group concentration, total antioxidant status and strengthening of free radica...

Effects of magnesium supplementation on the calcium and magnesium levels, redox homeostasis in normolipidemic and alimentary induced hyperlipidemic rats

UNLABELLED Magnesium supplementation is quite popular because of intention of health and healthy lifestyle. However, there is no information on the metabolic effects of magnesium supplementation in healthy people and in different diseases. AIMS Authors examined the effects of magnesium-malate on calcium, magnesium levels, and antioxidant parameters in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats. METHODS Male Wistar rats (n = 40; 150-200 g) were divided into 4 groups (control, control-treated, hyperlipidemic, hyperlipidemic-treated). Rats in the control and control-treated groups were fed with normal diet, while hyperlipidemic and hyperlipidemic-treated groups were fed with fat rich diet (2% cholesterol, 20% sunflower oil, 0.5% cholic acid). After the 9-day-long diet the following parameters were measured: routine laboratory parameters with automatic analysator, metal content using ICP-OES, and redox-parameters using spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. RESULTS Magnesium-malate failed to produce significant changes in the measured parameters in control animals in most cases. Magnesium-malate decreased significantly serum glucose concentration, alkaline phosphatase and amylase activities in the hyperlipidemic group. Significantly low induced chemiluminescent activity was measured in the plasma and erythrocytes of hyperlipidemic group. The magnesium supplementation did not increase significantly magnesium concentration in different organs although the calcium/magnesium concentration ratio was decreased. CONCLUSIONS In control animals there was no significant change in the measured parameters in most cases after dietary supplementation with a large amount of magnesium for a short period of time, but magnesium supplementation affected the metal homeostasis, routine laboratory parameters and redox system in hyperlipidemic animals. Although several changes were favorable, it should be emphasized that magnesium supplementation must be applied watchfully particularly in metabolic diseases.

The comprehensive characterization of adrenocortical steroidogenesis using two-dimensional ultra-performance liquid chromatography – electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

HighlightsThe adrenocortical steroidogenesis is assessed comprehensively using UHPLC–MS/MS.Sample preparation is linear and straightforward (protein precipitation & SPE).16 adrenocortical steroids are separated using two‐dimensional chromatography.Clinically relevant ranges are covered for all analytes.Full method validation and cross‐validation with immunoassays is presented. Abstract The perturbation of the homeostasis of adrenocortical steroids plays a fundamental role in several pathological conditions. Currently, only a few of the substances involved in steroidogenesis are routinely analysed in clinical laboratories for the diagnosis of these conditions. Recently, interest has grown over the development of clinical assays of endogenous steroids using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). However, no approaches have assessed the adrenocortical steroidogenesis comprehensively. Here, a novel LC–MS/MS assay is presented for evaluating the serum levels of all respective major substances (aldosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 11‐deoxycorticosterone, 11‐deoxycortisol, 21‐deoxycortisol, dihydrotestosterone, 17&agr;‐hydroxypregnenolone, 17&agr;‐hydroxyprogesterone, corticosterone, cortisol, cortisone, pregnenolone, progesterone and testosterone). The analysis time was 5.5 min following highly efficient solid phase extraction conducted on a novel polymer phase with N‐polyvinylpyrrolidine branches. The method was validated in accordance with the respective guideline of the European Medicines Agency. The cross‐validation of 8 analytes with immunoassays was also accomplished. Two‐dimensional chromatography allowed the elution of the 16 analytes between 2.3–4.6 min and with a sufficient resolution of isobaric compounds. Quantitation was performed throughout the clinically relevant concentration ranges. Within‐run accuracy was 87.1–115%, 90.0–109%, 87.2–111% and 87.6–107% at spiking levels 1 thru 4, while the precision was 4.7–27.9%, 2.9–17.7%, 5.6–13.9% and 1.9–15.0%, respectively. Between‐run accuracy was 81.0–119.5, 85.2–113, 87.4–113 and 93.1–113%, respectively, while the precision was 3.4–13.5%, 2.0–10.2%, 2.1–15.0%, and 1.5–6.6%, respectively. In cross‐validation studies, the mean percentage differences ranged between −51.4% (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and 17.5% (dehydroepiandrosterone). The approach allows the comprehensive characterization of the adrenocortical steroid homeostasis in clinical diagnostics.

Automatizáltan mérhető biomarkerek az akut myocardialis infarctus diagnosztikájában

Absztrakt Bevezetes: A sziv biomarkerei kiemelkedő szerepet kaptak az akut myocardialis infarctus diagnosztikajaban. Celkitűzes: A szerzők automatizaltan merhető szivbiomarkerek diagnosztikai hatekonysagat vizsgaltak. Modszer: Mieloperoxidazt, nagy erzekenysegű C-reaktiv feherjet, mioglobint, szivtipusu zsirsavkotő feherjet, kreatinkinazt, kreatinkinaz-MB-t, nagy erzekenysegű troponin-I-t es -T-t mertek. Eredmenyek: Akut myocardialis infarctusban a leghatekonyabbnak (gorbe alatti terulet: 0,86; 95%-os megbizhatosagi tartomany: 0,77–0,95; p<0,001) a nagy erzekenysegű troponin-I bizonyult. A kritikus erteknel (0,35 ng/mL) az erzekenyseg 81%, a fajlagossag 74% volt. A nagy erzekenysegű troponin-T, -I, a mellkasi fajdalom es az elektrokardiogram egyuttes ertekelese kulonitette el legjobban az akut myocardialis infarctust az egyeb korkepektől (korrekt besorolas: 62,5% es 98,9%). Kovetkeztetesek: Amig nem all rendelkezesre megfelelő erzekenysegű es fajlagossagu szivbiomarker, addig nincs jobb modszer az akut my...

Magnéziumpótlás hatása a kalcium- és magnéziumszintekre, valamint a redox-homeosztázisra normolipidaemiás és alimentárisan eloidézett hyperlipidaemiás patkányokban

UNLABELLED Magnesium supplementation is quite popular because of intention of health and healthy lifestyle. However, there is no information on the metabolic effects of magnesium supplementation in healthy people and in different diseases. AIMS Authors examined the effects of magnesium-malate on calcium, magnesium levels, and antioxidant parameters in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats. METHODS Male Wistar rats (n = 40; 150-200 g) were divided into 4 groups (control, control-treated, hyperlipidemic, hyperlipidemic-treated). Rats in the control and control-treated groups were fed with normal diet, while hyperlipidemic and hyperlipidemic-treated groups were fed with fat rich diet (2% cholesterol, 20% sunflower oil, 0.5% cholic acid). After the 9-day-long diet the following parameters were measured: routine laboratory parameters with automatic analysator, metal content using ICP-OES, and redox-parameters using spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. RESULTS Magnesium-malate failed to produce significant changes in the measured parameters in control animals in most cases. Magnesium-malate decreased significantly serum glucose concentration, alkaline phosphatase and amylase activities in the hyperlipidemic group. Significantly low induced chemiluminescent activity was measured in the plasma and erythrocytes of hyperlipidemic group. The magnesium supplementation did not increase significantly magnesium concentration in different organs although the calcium/magnesium concentration ratio was decreased. CONCLUSIONS In control animals there was no significant change in the measured parameters in most cases after dietary supplementation with a large amount of magnesium for a short period of time, but magnesium supplementation affected the metal homeostasis, routine laboratory parameters and redox system in hyperlipidemic animals. Although several changes were favorable, it should be emphasized that magnesium supplementation must be applied watchfully particularly in metabolic diseases.