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Controversial effect of sortilin on lipoprotein metabolism in the development of atherosclerosis reveals the need for more extensive research The aim of this study was to investigate the association between Sort1 gene expression and lipids, lipoprotein subfractions, and inflammation in CAD. The study population included 162 subjects with CAD and 49 healthy individuals. The Sort1 gene expression level was determined by qRT-PCR using Human Sortilin TaqMan Gene Expression Assays. Lipoprotein subclasses were analysed by the Lipoprint system. Serum levels of apolipoprotein and CRP were measured by autoanalyzer. Sort1 gene expression and atherogenic subfraction (SdLDL) levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001) while atheroprotective subfraction (LbLDL) was lower in the subjects with CAD (p < 0.050). Also, increased Sort1 gene expression levels were observed in those with higher CRP values. Our findings reveal that the high Sort1 gene expression has a prominent linear relationship with both the atherogenic LDL phenotype and proinflammation, thereby might contribute to the occurrence of CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver fibrosis is a common, progressive disease that affects millions of patients worldwide. In this study, it was aimed at investigating the effect of white tea on liver fibrosis in an in‐vivo environment by creating an experimental liver fibrosis model on rats. In this study, an experimental liver fibrosis model was created with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate the effect of white tea on liver fibrosis. Rats are treated with CCl4 (1 mL/kg) to constitute the liver fibrosis model. White tea was given ad libitum with drinking water. As a result of the study, liver tissue hydroxyproline levels were found to be significantly lower (p =.001) in the white tea group. Histopathologically, it was found that the liver tissue histopathological damage score (LHDS) and fibrosis scoring were significantly lower (p <.001) in the white tea group. However, although it was not statistically significant in the group given white tea, compared with the fibrosis group, it was found that the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the liver tissues was lower, the glutathione (GSH) level was higher, and the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were lower. The study explained the effect of white tea on liver fibrosis and suggested that white tea might be beneficial in reducing the progression of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to show the diagnostic value of Serum Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances in pediatric appendicitis. Method: Eighty-five pediatric patients hospitalized in the pediatric surgery ward with acute appendicitis and a control group of 50 pediatric patients with unspecific abdominal pain were included in this prospective case-control study. Forty-five patients whose pathology specimens confirmed acute appendicitis made up the final appendicitis group. Results: Patients with appendicitis had higher Serum Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (p<0.001) levels than the control group. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, areas under the curve were 0.654 for Serum Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances. Conclusion: Serum Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances test of patients with appendicitis provides limited accuracy in the diagnosis of appendicitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype is closely associated with the risk assessment of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and the monitoring of treatment processes. Particularly, high levels of small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL) and low levels of large buoyant low-density lipoprotein (lbLDL) are critical in determining Pattern B. This study aims to determine the lipid phenotype using the Association Rule Mining (ARM) method, based on concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, apoproteins, and sdLDL. Materials and Methods: This retrospective case-control study utilized analytical research methods. Numerical variables were expressed as mean, standard deviation, median, and min-max values. Statistically significant differences were observed between the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) size categories in terms of triglycerides (TG), LDL, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein E (ApoE), sdLDL, and lbLDL distributions. ARM was employed to detect the lipoprotein phenotype. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the LDL size categories in distributions of TG, LDL, HDL, ApoB, ApoE, sdLDL, and lbLDL (pTG<0.001, pLDL=0.03, pHDL<0.001, pApoB=0.016, pApoE=0.004, psdLDL<0.001, and plbLDL<0.001). The ARM method revealed that the probability of phenotype B is 100% for sdLDL values in the range of 15.5-109 and lbLDL values in the range of 0-31.5. Conclusion: This study introduces a contemporary approach for detecting lipoprotein phenotypes using ARM, further substantiating the strong correlation between atherogenic phenotypes and sdLDL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian ischemia constitutes 2–3% of all gynecological emergencies. New-generation therapeutic agents need to be discovered, in addition to invasive interventions capable of reducing the risk of potential ovarian ischemia to a minimum and protecting against potential adverse outcomes. To investigate the effects of amiodarone (AMD) on ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and inflammation-induced ovarian damage. The control group, received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of saline solution. The ischemia group (I-Group), was subjected to ischemia-induced injury without drug administration. The ischemia + AMD (50 mg/kg) group was subjected to ischemia injury and also received i.p. 50 mg/kg AMD prior to induction of ovarian ischemia. The ischemia–reperfusion (I/R group) was exposed to ischemia and reperfusion-induced injury without drug administration. The I/R + AMD (50 mg/kg) group underwent I/R injury together with i.p. administration of 50 mg/kg AMD prior to induction of ovarian I/R. The Sham + AMD group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 50 mg/kg AMD alone. In this study performed thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), thiol (−SH), interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κβ). Increased oxidative stress and inflammation as a result of ovarian I and I/R application activated the cascade. AMD was not sufficient to reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation. TLR4 and NF-kβ, which were up-regulated by triggering oxidative stress and inflammation, were not regressed by the effects of AMD. AMD, used as an antiarrhythmic agent, was found to be insufficient, despite its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, to reduce the experimentally induced ovarian tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is an important skeletal disease characterized by bone weakness and high risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. Tea consumption is known to play an important role in the prevention or alleviation of osteoporosis. However, the therapeutic effects of aqueous extracts of white tea (WT) have not been evaluated in osteoporosis rat models. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential anti-osteoporotic role of WT in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. WT was given orally at 0.5% w/v doses for 12 weeks in OVX rats. Biochemical parameters in blood samples, bone tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) and estradiol levels were evaluated. Bone mineral density and bone mineral content values were measured in the left femur. In addition to histopathological examination, osteolcalcin, osteopontin and TUNEL levels were determined. OVX group data demonstrated that bone loss occurred by thinning of the metaphyseal growth plates of the femur. Similarly, the levels of TRAP and CTX, markers of osteoclastic activity, were found to be high concurrently with a decrease in femoral bone mineral density. In addition, increased osteolcalcin and osteopontin levels were present in the metaphyseal growth zones. On the other hand, while TRAP and CTX levels were suppressed in the OVX-WT group, bone mineral content increased. In ad-dition, TUNEL, osteocalcin and osteopontin positivity decreased in the right femoral metaphysis growth zones, proliferating zone and resting zone cells. These results showed that chronic WT consumption has a protective effect by reducing bone resorption in OVX-induced osteoporotic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are inversely related to the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Alterations in HDL-C subclass distribution and HDL-associated enzyme activities may be more important than total HDL levels for the progression of CAD. We intended to investigate the relationship of HDL-C subclass distribution and HDL-associated enzyme activities with CAD. Method and results Our study included 101 patients with stable coronary artery disease, and 64 healthy subjects. Serum levels of HDL lipoprotein-associated-phospholipase A2 (HDL-LpPLA2), paraoxonase 1 (PONI), and HDL subtraction distribution were measured. We found increased small HDL (sHDL) subtractions in patients with one-vessel disease (P < 0.001). We also found a reverse correlation between total HDL-C levels and affected vessel number (P < 0.05). Plasma HDL-Lp PLA2 enzyme level was higher in each vessel disease category compared to the control group (P < 0.001). However, PONI enzyme activity in patients with CAD was not statically significant. Plasma sHDL, HDL-Lp PLA2 enzyme and Lp(a) were significantly different between subjects with CAD and control participants. Conclusions We demonstrated decreased sHDL particles and a lower cardioprotective HDL-LpPLA2 enzyme activity in all patient subgroups compared to controls. Measurement of total HDL-C level only may not be sufficient to predict CAD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherogenic dyslipidemia characterized by abnormal changes in plasma lipid profile such as low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and increased triglyceride (TG) levels is strongly associated with atherosclerotic diseases. We aimed to evaluate the levels of pro- and antiatherogenic lipids and erythrocyte membrane cholesterol (EMC) content in normo- and dyslipidemic subjects to investigate whether EMC content could be a useful marker for clinical presentation of atherogenic dyslipidemia. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), HDL and their subfraction levels and erythrocyte lipid content were determined in 64 normolipidemic (NLs), 42 hypercholesterolemic (HCs) and 42 mixed-type dyslipidemic subjects (MTDs). Plasma atherogenic lipid indices [small-dense LDL (sdLDL)/less-dense HDL (LHDL), TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C and Apo B/AI] were higher in MTDs compared to NLs (p < 0.001). The highest sdLDL level was observed in HCs (p < 0.01). Despite a slight increase in EMC level in dyslipidemic subgroups, the difference was not statistically significant. A significant negative correlation, however, was observed between EMC and sdLDL/LHDL in HCs (p < 0.035, r = -0.386). Receiver operating characteristic curves to predict sdLDL level showed that TG and EMC levels had higher area under curve values compared to other parameters in HCs. We showed that diameters of larger LDL and HDL particles tend to shift toward smaller values in MTDs. Our results suggest that EMC content and TG levels may be a useful predictor for sdLDL level in hypercholesterolemic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherogenic dyslipidemia characterized by abnormal changes in plasma lipid profile such as low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and increased triglyceride (TG) levels is strongly associated with atherosclerotic diseases. We aimed to evaluate the levels of pro- and antiatherogenic lipids and erythrocyte membrane cholesterol (EMC) content in normo- and dyslipidemic subjects to investigate whether EMC content could be a useful marker for clinical presentation of atherogenic dyslipidemia. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), HDL and their subfraction levels and erythrocyte lipid content were determined in 64 normolipidemic (NLs), 42 hypercholesterolemic (HCs) and 42 mixed-type dyslipidemic subjects (MTDs). Plasma atherogenic lipid indices [small-dense LDL (sdLDL)/less-dense HDL (LHDL), TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C and Apo B/AI] were higher in MTDs compared to NLs ( p < 0.001). The highest sdLDL level was observed in HCs ( p < 0.01). Despite a slight increase in EMC level in dyslipidemic subgroups, the difference was not statistically significant. A significant negative correlation, however, was observed between EMC and sdLDL/LHDL in HCs ( p < 0.035, r = −0.386). Receiver operating characteristic curves to predict sdLDL level showed that TG and EMC levels had higher area under curve values compared to other parameters in HCs. We showed that diameters of larger LDL and HDL particles tend to shift toward smaller values in MTDs. Our results suggest that EMC content and TG levels may be a useful predictor for sdLDL level in hypercholesterolemic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyze the phenolic composition of the Cimin grape, which is 1 of 2 grape varieties with a protected geographical indication in Turkey and is used locally to treat the symptoms of some disorders such as impotence and cardiovascular diseases, and to investigate its antioxidant potency against oxidant mediators in the models of intra- and extracellular surroundings. Materials and methods: Cimin grape samples were classified into 5 groups according to the grape's tissues and the extraction solvents used. Free radical scavenging (DPPH) and antilipid peroxidation product [thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and conjugated diene (CD)] levels of the grape tissues were extrapolated from the measurement of total phenolic and individual monomeric flavanol contents in each extract. Results: The seed methanolic extract had the highest total amount of flavanols, with the amount of catechin at 4.034 mM. The DPPH activities of the seed extracts were 2- to 10-fold higher than those of the other samples. The seed extract-treated erythrocyte and unfractionated human plasma also showed lower TBARS and CD values. In addition, regeneration of glutathione was more obvious in grape seed extracts than in the rest of the tissues. Conclusion: The underlying mechanism of these changes can be related mainly to increased antioxidant status. Cimin grape consumption may have beneficial effects on health maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]