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Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a non-homogeneous autoimmune children’s disease which, despite the applied therapy, has a progressive character with recurrences, leading to damage of joint structures. Progressive wearing of the joint cartilage in the course of JIA, which results from the imbalance between the biological strength of the cartilage, its function and exerted pressure forces, is linked to metabolic disorders of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Among the latter compounds, the proteoglycan (PG) aggrecan plays a particular role in maintaining the mechanical-immunological properties of the cartilage. These functions are directly related to chains of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), covalently linked to the core protein of PGs. Therefore, every change of GAGs metabolism linked to an increase of the rate of degradation or with a decrease of their biosynthesis may have pathological consequences. In this paper we aim to describe plausible mechanisms leading to observed disorders of aggrecan transformation in children, which are reflected in the profile of plasma GAGs. Therefore, we describe the plausible role of factors related to catabolism and synthesis of PGs/GAGs as well as the contribution of immunological processes to shaping the changes of extracellular matrix components in the course of JIA.

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to examine insulins interactions with free radicals. Human recombinant DNA insulins of three groups were studied: short-acting insulin (Insuman Rapid); intermediate-acting insulins (Humulin N, Insuman Basal), and pre-mixed insulins (Humulin M3, Gensulin M50, Gensulin M40, Gensulin M30). The aim of an X-band (9.3GHz) study was comparative analysis of antioxidative properties of the three groups of human insulins. DPPH was used as a stable free radical model. Amplitudes of EPR lines of DPPH as the paramagnetic free radical reference, and DPPH interacting with the individual tested insulins were compared. For all the examined insulins kinetics of their interactions with free radicals up to 60 min were obtained. The strongest interactions with free radicals were observed for the short-acting insulin - Insuman Rapid. The lowest interactions with free radicals were characteristic for intermediate-acting insulin - Insuman Basal. The pre-mixed insulins i.e. Humulin M3 and Gensulin M50 revealed the fastest interactions with free radicals. The short acting, intermediate acting and premixed insulins have been found to be effective agents in reducing free radical formation in vitro and should be further considered as potential useful tools in attenuation of oxidative stress in diabetic patients.

The aim of the present study is to quantitatively assess the expression of selected regulatory molecules, such as leptin, leptin receptor, and adiponectin in the blood of obese patients with type 2 diabetes both before treatment and after six months of pharmacological therapy with the long-lasting insulin analogue, insulin detemir. A significant decrease in the analysed regulatory molecules, i.e., leptin receptor and adiponectin, was found in blood plasma of the patients with untreated type 2 diabetes. These changes were accompanied by an increase in plasma leptin concentrations. Insulin treatment resulted in the normalization of plasma leptin receptor and adiponectin concentrations. The circulating leptin level did not change following anti-diabetic therapy with insulin detemir. Gender was a significant factor modifying the circulating level of all the analysed regulatory active compounds. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using Matlab with the Signal Processing Toolbox. The conducted discriminant analysis revealed that the leptin receptor, Aw(19), and adiponectin, Aw(21), were the parameters undergoing the most significant quantitative changes during the six-month therapy with insulin detemir. The conducted examinations indicated the contribution of adipocytokines - the biologically-active mediators of systemic metabolism, such as leptin and adiponectin in the pathomechanism of disorders being the basis for obesity which leads to development of insulin resistance, which, in turn, results in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

Background. The evidence exists that radicals are crucial agents necessary for the wound regeneration helping to enhance the repair process. Materials and methods. The lineshape of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the burn wounds measured with the low microwave power (2.2 mW) was numerically analyzed. The experimental spectra were fitted by the sum of two and three lines. Results. The number of the lines in the EPR spectrum corresponded to the number of different groups of radicals in the natural samples after thermal treatment. The component lines were described by Gaussian and Lorentzian functions. The spectra of the burn wounds were superposition of three lines different in shape and in linewidths. The best fitting was obtained for the sum of broad Gaussian, broad Lorentzian, and narrow Lorentzian lines. Dipolar interactions between the unpaired electrons widened the broad Gaussian and broad Lorentzian lines. Radicals with the narrow Lorentzian lines existed mainly in the tested samples. Conclusions. The spectral shape analysis may be proposed as a useful method for determining the number of different groups of radicals in the burn wounds.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a non-homogeneous autoimmune children’s disease which, despite the applied therapy, has a progressive character with recurrences, leading to damage of joint structures. Progressive wearing of the joint cartilage in the course of JIA, which results from the imbalance between the biological strength of the cartilage, its function and exerted pressure forces, is linked to metabolic disorders of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Among the latter compounds, the proteoglycan (PG) aggrecan plays a particular role in maintaining the mechanical-immunological properties of the cartilage. These functions are directly related to chains of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), covalently linked to the core protein of PGs. Therefore, every change of GAGs metabolism linked to an increase of the rate of degradation or with a decrease of their biosynthesis may have pathological consequences. In this paper we aim to describe plausible mechanisms leading to observed disorders of aggrecan transformation in children, which are reflected in the profile of plasma GAGs. Therefore, we describe the plausible role of factors related to catabolism and synthesis of PGs/GAGs as well as the contribution of immunological processes to shaping the changes of extracellular matrix components in the course of JIA.

Heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin (Hp) are linear polysaccharide chains composed of repeating (1→4) linked pyrosulfuric acid and 2-amino-2-deoxy glucopyranose (glucosamine) residue. Mentioned glycosaminoglycans chains are covalentlyO-linked to serine residues within the core proteins creating heparan sulfate/heparin proteoglycans (HSPG). The latter ones participate in many physiological and pathological phenomena impacting both the plethora of ligands such as cytokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules and the variety of the ECM constituents. Moreover, HS/Hp determine the effective wound healing process. Initial growth of HS and Hp amount is pivotal during the early phase of tissue repair; however heparan sulfate and heparin also participate in further stages of tissue regeneration.

Wound healing is the physiologic response to tissue trauma proceeding as a complex pathway of biochemical reactions and cellular events, secreted growth factors, and cytokines. Extracellular matrix constituents are essential components of the wound repair phenomenon. Firstly, they create a provisional matrix, providing a structural integrity of matrix during each stage of healing process. Secondly, matrix molecules regulate cellular functions, mediate the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and serve as a reservoir and modulator of cytokines and growth factors’ action. Currently known mechanisms, by which extracellular matrix components modulate each stage of the process of soft tissue remodeling after injury, have been discussed.