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Background:Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that can cause chronic infections in many tissues and organs. Objectives: To investigate serum dermcidin, salusin-alpha, salusin-beta and TNF-alpha levels and their correlation with each other in patients with acute brucellosis. Methods: From 50 patients hospitalized upon diagnosis of acute brucellosis, blood samples were collected and dermcidin, salusin-alpha, salusin-beta and TNF-alpha levels in serum samples were measured using an ELISA assay. The control group included 40 volunteers. Results: Brucellosis group had significantly lower plasma dermcidin, salusin- alpha, salusin-beta levels compared to the healthy control group (respectively p:0.008, p

Introduction: In patients undergoing haemodialysis, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, characterised by accelerated atherosclerosis and increased inflammation, are elevated. Salusins are newly defined molecules in the atherosclerotic processes, and while salusin-alpha (Sal-α) acts as an antiatherogenic factor, salusin-beta (Sal-β) has a proatherogenic role. Their roles are as yet undefined in patients undergoing haemodialysis.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, salusin levels, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) from the common carotid artery and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured for 180 patients undergoing haemodialysis and 90 healthy controls.Results: Mean Sal-α and Sal-β levels in patients undergoing haemodialysis (Sal-α: 726.4 ± 578.7 pg/mL; Sal-β: 1,080.4 ± 757.1 pg/mL) and healthy controls (Sal-α: 325.8 ± 303.7 pg/mL; Sal-β: 268.1 ± 409.0 pg/mL) were determined. Negative correlation was observed between Sal-α levels and CIMT (patients undergoing haemodialysis: r = -0.330, p < 0.0001; healthy controls: r = -0.223, p = 0.035) and PWV (patients undergoing haemodialysis: r = -0.210, p = 0.005; healthy controls: r = -0.378, p < 0.0001) in both groups. In patients undergoing haemodialysis, positive correlation was observed between Sal-β/Sal-α ratio and CIMT (r = 0.190, p = 0.012) and PWV (r = 0.155, p = 0.041). On subgroup analysis, Sal-α levels were found to be low in patients with diabetes mellitus.Conclusion: Patients undergoing haemodialysis have higher Sal-β and Sal-α levels, and their higher Sal-β/Sal-α ratio, in comparison with healthy controls, might have cardiovascular risk implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is one of the most potent risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis. The high atherosclerotic risk in dyslipidemic patients is associated with endothelial dysfunction. During the last two decades, novel bioactive peptides have emerged as potential biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and dyslipidemia-salusins and adropin. Salusin-alpha is likely to prevent atherosclerosis, while salusin-beta may act as a potential proatherogenic factor. Adropin was recently identified as important for energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Adropin is closely related to the inhibition of atherosclerosis by up-regulation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression through the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. These peptides represent a novel target to limit diseases characterized by endothelial dysfunction and may form the basis for the development of new therapeutic agents for treating metabolic disorders associated with atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the serum apelin, salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels and preeclampsia. Method: Twenty-one healthy pregnant women (control group) and 48 patients with preeclampsia (study group) were included in the study between August 2010 and February 2011. Serum apelin, salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels of the groups were compared. Results: The patients in the study group were divided into two categories: mild preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia. The mild preeclampsia group consisted of 31 patients, and the severe preeclampsia group consisted of 17 patients. Serum salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels of the control and study groups were not significantly different ( p > 0.05). Apelin levels were statistically significantly higher in the study group. No statistically significant difference was detected between the mild and severe preeclampsia groups in terms of the mean serum apelin levels. Conclusion: The serum levels of apelin were higher in the pregnant women with preeclampsia; however, there was no positive relationship between serum salusin-alpha and salusin-beta levels and the disease. Larger prospective studies are needed to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]