Journal of Medical Biochemistry最新文献

Background: Routine screening for hereditary disorders in newborns includes screening for treatable metabolic and endocrine disorders, such as biotidinase deficiency, galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, hypothyroidism, and cystic fibrosis. Incorrect test results may be encountered due to the use of vitamin K1. To investigate the interference effect of vitamin K1 on neonatal screening tests and to raise awareness of erroneous measurements.

Methods: Heel blood samples were taken from 25 newborns born in a neonatal intensive care unit. Dry blood C0, C2, C3, C4, C4DC, C5:1, C5OH, C5DC, C6, C6DC, C8, C8:1, C8DC, C10, C10:1, C10DC, C12, C14, C14:1, C14:2, C16, C16:1, C18, C18:1, C18:2, C18:OH, methylglutaryl, valine, leucine/isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, argininosuccinic acid, aspartate, alanine, arginine, citrulline, glycine, ornithine, and glutamate tests were studied using the tandem mass spectrometry (MS) method. The results of the heel blood samples obtained before and after the application of vitamin K1 (Phyto menadione) were compared.

Results: In two studies conducted with in vitro and in vivo tests, C0, C2, C3, C4, C4DC, C5, C5OH, C6, C8, C10, C10:1, C14, C16, C16:1, C18, C18:1, methylglutaryl, phenylalanine, argininosuccinic acid, tyrosine, aspartate, arginine, citrulline, glycine, and glutamine were all significantly elevated (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Heel blood samples may yield false results due to vitamin K1 administration. In the case of doubtful results, a new sample should be taken and the measurement should be repeated.

Background: Prostate cancer is a slowly progressing cancer. However, it has remained a major medical problem for affected men. Risk factors of prostate cancer include age, race, and prostate cancer family history. Prostate cancer may occur at different frequencies between ethnic populations and countries. Currently, studies on genetic risk factors in prostate cancer aetiology have been increasing. Due to the importance of changes in endothelial nitric oxide synthase in carcinogenesis, we aimed to reveal whether eNOS T786C polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer.

Methods: Archival samples included in this study were whole blood samples taken from patients who were grouped according to prostate biopsy pathology results (BPH, n: 42; PCa, n: 48) and from healthy participants (controls, n:27). DNA was isolated from these whole blood samples and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed for endothelial nitric oxide synthase T786C polymorphism with LightCycler 480 II. Measured free and total prostate-specific antigen serum levels were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: There was a statistical difference between patient-healthy control and control-healthy control groups regarding genotype distributions for eNOS T786C hism. Controls were more likely to have TC and CC genotypes and C alleles than the other two groups.

Conclusions: Compared to other groups, the percentage of the eNOS786C allele in the control group was found to be higher. As a result of these data, it can be thought that carrying the allele may be protective against the disease.

Background: The pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a multi-system disease caused by a diffuse systemic process involving a complex interaction of the inflammatory, immunological and coagulative cascades. This study aims to identify the most effective biomarkers to predict poor outcome in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe COVID-19 disease.

Methods: A single-centre retrospective observational study enrolled 69 deceased and 20 recovered patients treated in the ICU of the General Hospital Gradiska in the period from March 1, 2021. until April 1, 2022. We evaluated the leukocytes (WBC), lymphocytes (LYM), neutrophils (NEU), platelets (PLT), haemoglobin, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). In addition, we evaluated the IL-6, ferritin, CRP, D-dimer, magnesium, bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase.

Background: During the last decade, vitamin D (VitD) has become a topic of interest in immune regulation, especially in multiple sclerosis (MS) disease. Amongst the wide range of effects reported for this vitamin on the immune system, a regulatory role on cytokines production has been described. Our aim is to analyze the status of VitD and its correlation with the circulating inflammation and the intrathecal humoral response during MS.

Methods: We analyzed samples of 318 individuals: 108 MS patients and 210 controls. Determination of 25-(OH) VitD3 level in serum was made using electrochemiluminescence method. Circulating inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-a, IL12p70 and IL-1b) were investigated using Cytometer Bead Array Technology. The central humoral response was characterized using CSF isofocusing test and IgG Index calculation.

Results: As expected, mean value of VitD was significantly lower in MS group (26 nmol/L) than in control group (34.75 nmol/L) (p=0.002), with a severe deficiency in 67% of MS patients. Mean value of VitD was significantly lower in MS female patients. Regarding cytokines, mean value of TNFa was significantly higher in MS patients with oligoclonal bands of IgG in the CSF. IL6 was positively correlated with IgG level in serum of MS patients.

Conclusions: Our results support the association of VitD deficiency with MS, especially in female patients of our region. However, the vitamin level seems to not correlate with inflammatory cytokines nor with disability. Interestingly, TNFa and IL6 levels were correlated with the intrathecal synthesis of IgG and the circulating IgG level, respectively.

Background: The aim of the study was to explore the mutual relationship between oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic biomarkers in subjects with prediabetes (PRE), newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients (NT2D) and overt type 2 diabetes (T2D) using principal component analysis (PCA) as a thorough statistical approach.

Methods: Glycated hemoglobin, lipid parameters, inflammation (IL-6, CRP and fibrinogen) and oxidative stress markers pro-oxidants (AOPP, PAB, TOS) and antioxidants (PON1, tSHG, TAS) were measured. PCA was applied to explore the factors that the most strongly influenced glucoregulation.

Results: A total of 278 subjects were (i.e., 37 PRE, 42 NT2D and 99 T2D) were compared with 100 healthy subjects as a control group (CG). PCA emphasized 4 different factors explaining 49% of the variance of the tested parameters: oxidative stress-dyslipidemia related factor (with positive loading of TG and tSHG, and with negative loading of HDL-c and TAS), dyslipidaemia related factor (i.e., total cholesterol and LDL-c, both with positive loading), Anthropometric related factor (i.e., waist and hip circumference, both with positive loading) and oxidative stressInflammation related factor (i.e., PAB, fibrinogen, and CRP all with positive loading). Out of these 4 factors, only oxidative stress - dyslipidaemia related factor showed a significant predictive capability towards poor glucoregulation. An increase in this factor by one unit showed a 1.6 times higher probability for poor glucoregulation.

Conclusions: Redox imbalance (determined with lower TAS and higher tSHG), in addition to higher TG and lower HDLc was associated with poor glucoregulation.

Background: We aimed to determine the serum spexin level in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) admitted to the emergency department.

Methods: A total of 100 patients with AMI (50 with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 50 with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)) and 50 control group patients with non-cardiac chest pain were included in the study. A detailed anamnesis was taken, a physical examination was performed, and 12-lead electrocardiograms and venous blood samples were taken at the time of admission. Spexin levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Serum spexin levels were significantly lower in the AMI group than in the non-cardiac chest pain group (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in serum spexin levels between STEMI and NSTEMI patients (p=0.83). In receiver operating curve analysis, we detected 58% sensitivity, 76% specificity, 82.9% positive predictive value, and 47.5% negative predictive value with an optimal cutoff value of 532 pg/mL for the diagnosis of AMI.

Conclusions: In this study, serum spexin levels were significantly lower in AMI patients compared to patients with non-cardiac chest pain. The decrease in spexin levels suggests that it has the potential to be used as a diagnostic marker in AMI patients.

Background: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland and may present as goiter or atrophic thyroiditis that may result in various metabolic and inflammatory disorders. The aim of this study is to determine the changes in serum levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-23, neopterin, and nesfatin-1 parameters in HT patients and to evaluate the possible relationship among these parameters.

Methods: 90 HT patients and 30 healthy individuals were included in this study. Demographic data of the patients included in the study were recorded and detailed physical examinations were performed. IL-17, IL-23, neopterin, and nesfatin-1 levels were measured in the serum samples of the participants by the ELISA method.

Background: COVID-19 disease affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Vitamin B12 has been associated with A1AT, one of the protective factors of lung tissue, and homocysteine among the cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore we suggest that low vitamin B12 levels are associated with a disposition to COVID-19 infection. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between COVID-19 infection and serum vitamin B12 levels.

Methods: This research is a case-control study. Seventy-six people with COVID-19 constituted the case group. Seventy-six people without COVID-19 formed the control group. Vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels of 152 patients included in the study were analyzed.

Results: The odds ratio for vitamin B12 was 0.99 (0.978-0.995). When the value of the vitamin B12 variable decreases by one unit, the risk of COVID-19 increases by 1%. The odds ratio for homocysteine was 1.81 (1.414-2.325). When the value of the homocysteine variable increases by one unit, the risk of COVID-19 increases by 1.81 times. According to ROC analysis, when serum vitamin B12 is below 222.5 ng/L and homocysteine is above 13.7 mmol/L, it may increase the risk of COVID-19.

Conclusions: We suggest that patients with low vitamin B12 levels and high homocysteine levels are more severely affected by COVID-19 infection.