Search

To evaluate the association between the apelin -1860T>C polymorphism and plasma apelin levels in Turkish patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 276 individuals were enrolled in the present study, including 158 patients with CAD and 118 individuals without CAD as controls. The presence of the apelin -1860T>C gene polymorphism and plasma apelin levels were determined using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Significance was set at p≤0.05 for all statistical analyses. The genotype and allele frequencies of interested genes were significantly different between groups (χ(2)=10.2; df=2; p=0.006 and χ(2)=13.4; df=1; p=0.000, respectively). Frequency of CC genotype and the C allele of -1860T>C site was significantly higher in CAD patients compared to healthy controls. We found that individuals with the TC and CC genotypes were associated with an increased risk of CAD when compared with the TT genotype in CAD patients, and the adjusted ORs (95% CI) were 6.50 (1.27-33.0) and 6.39 (1.77-23.0), respectively. Plasma apelin levels were significantly lower in CAD patients compared to control group. Apelin level of CAD patient group having CC genotype of -1860T>C site was significantly lower compared to those having TT genotypes, but it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The homozygous CC genotype of apelin gene is associated with high risk of CAD. Apelin gene polymorphism -1860T>C is a significant predictor of predisposition to CAD in in Turkish population.

Background: To investigate the antiapoptotic effect of Ukrain on intestinal lesion induced by mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury., Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: laparotomy (L), I/R, and Ukrain and I/R (U + I/R). In the U + I/R group, Ukrain (7 mg/kg) was given by intraperitoneal at the beginning of the study. 1 h after ukrain application, ischemia was induced for 30 minutes, and reperfusion was subsequently allowed for 120 minutes in the I/R and U + I/R groups. Rats were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion and intestinal tissues were collected for biochemical and molecular examination. Intestinal tissues caspase 3 protein were assayed. Serum Bcl-xL and iNOS were measured. The expression level of caspase-3, Bcl-xL and iNOS in intestinal tissue of rats were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)., Results: Levels of serum iNOS and mRNA expression were increased in the I/R and decreased in the U + I/R group. In addition, levels of the proapoptotic gene caspase-3 protein and mRNA expression were increased in the I/R and decreased in the U + I/R group. Levels of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-xL serum and mRNA expression were increased in the U + I/R group., Conclusions: Ukrain can reduce the ischemia-reperfusion injury in the intestinal tissue by inhibiting the cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be correlated with increased Bcl-xL mRNA expressions and decreased mRNA expressions of Caspase-3 and iNOS.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. Apelin is a novel endogenous peptide with inotropic and vasodilatory properties and is the ligand for the angiotensin receptor-like 1 (APJ) receptor. We aimed to determine genotype and allele frequencies of APJ receptor A445C gene polymorphism in Turkish patients with CAD and healthy controls by RFLP-PCR. This study was performed on 159 unrelated CAD patients and 62 healthy controls. We obtained AA, AC and CC genotype frequencies in CAD patients as 41.5%, 49.1% and 9.4%, respectively. In the control group, frequencies of genotypes were found as 35.5% for AA, 48.4% for AC and 16.1% for CC. We did not observe difference in APJ receptor A445C polymorphism between CAD patients and healthy controls (χ(2) = 2.178; df = 2; P = 0.336). The A allele was encountered in 66% (210) of the CAD and 59.7% (74) of the controls. The C allele was seen in 34% (108) of the CAD and 40.3% (50) of the controls. Allele frequencies of interested genes were not significantly different between groups (χ(2) = 1.57; df = 1; p = 0.225). The frequencies of APJ receptor A445C genotype were not significantly different between control and patients. None of the three APJ receptor A445C genotypes, AA, AC and CC displayed significant difference in CAD patients. We did not find any difference in the clinical parameters except for weight and diastolic blood pressure levels in the AA, AC and CC genotypes of patients. Individuals with CC genotypes had significantly higher weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and systolic blood pressure than other genotypes, P ≤ 0.05. In addition, HDL-C level was found decreased, but this reduction was not statistically significant. Contrarily, the low levels of weight, SBP, DBP and TC were statistically significant in the subjects with AA genotype in CAD. In conclusion, CC genotype carriers may have more risk than other genotypes in the development of hypertension in CAD, but not AAgenotype carriers. We suggest that this polymorphism may not be a marker of CAD, but it may cause useful in function of the apelin/APJ system and may be a genetic predisposing factor for diagnostic processes and can be helpfull in finding new treatment strategies. We think that it is required to further comprehensive studies in order to make clear this situation in CAD.

Paraquat (PQ) is an agrochemical agent commonly used worldwide, which can cause acute lung injury (ALI) and death. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is a therapeutic method, but the mechanisms of the protective effect of HBOT on ALI remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of HBOT on acute lung injury induced by PQ in rats. Wistar Albino rats (n=21) were separated into three groups of seven animals each: control (C), PQ, and PQ + HBOT groups. 20 mg/kg PQ was administered intraperitoneally in PQ and PQ + HBOT groups to induce experimental lung injury. Three days after PQ treatment, PQ + HBOT group was administered 100% O2 at 2.0 ATA for 1 hour per day, for five consecutive days. At the end of the study, lung tissue was obtained for determining total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and histopathological determination. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 mRNA levels were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) level in the plasma was determined. Plasma iNOS, OSI, tissue TNF-α, TGF-β1 and bFGF mRNA levels, and histological injury scores in PQ + HBOT group were significantly lower than PQ group. TAS level in PQ + HBOT group was significantly higher than PQ group. The findings suggest that HBOT could effectively ameliorate PQ-induced lung injury in rats.

Background: Hypertension is a risk factor for the cardiovascular diseases. Ozone as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of several disorders. We aimed to observe the effects of ozone on the blood pressure in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats., Methods: Twenty three young Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into three groups; Control (C), Hypertension (H) and Hypertension + Ozone (HO). Hypertension was induced by injection of DOCA-salt (25 mg/kg, s.c.) twice weekly, 4 weeks, whereas intraperitoneal ozone was administered (1.1 mg/kg) for 10 days. Serum endothelin-1, nitric oxide and renin levels were measured with ELISA. Blood pressures were monitored using a tail cuff system. Endothelin-1, ET receptor A and ET receptor B mRNA expression in heart and vascular tissue were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction., Results: Blood pressure, serum endothelin-1 and ET receptor A mRNA expression levels were increased in H group, whereas serum renin, nitric oxide and ET receptor B mRNA expression levels in the heart and vascular tissue decreased compared with C and HO groups, which were counteracted by ozone treatment., Conclusion: Ozone treatment decreases blood pressure and is effective in preventing the progression of hypertensive disease, the mechanisms of which are associated with anti-vasoconstrictor effects through reducing the levels of serum endothelin-1 and ET receptor A mRNA expression in the heart and vascular tissue.