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This study investigated the δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) activity in whole blood as well as the parameters of oxidative stress, such as reactive species (RS) levels in serum, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as total thiols (T-SH) and non-protein thiols (NPSH) levels in platelets. Moreover, the content of vitamin C and E in plasma and serum, respectively, in lung cancer patients was also investigated. We collected blood samples from patients (n=28) previously treated for lung cancer with chemotherapy. Patients were classified as stage IIIb and IV according to the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Results showed a decrease of 37% in δ-ALA-D activity in patients with lung cancer when compared to the control group. RS and TBARS levels were 8% and 99% higher in the patient group, respectively. The activity of SOD and CAT as well as the vitamin C content were 41%, 35% and 127% lower in patients when compared with controls, respectively. However, T-SH and vitamin E levels were 27% and 44% higher in lung cancer patients, respectively. Results show that the overproduction of reactive species in patients with lung cancer may be interfering with the activity of δ-ALA-D. Likewise, the decrease in the activity of this enzyme may be contributing for the oxidative stress., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to assess whether α-tocopherol administration prevented alterations in the ectonucleotidase activities and platelet aggregation induced by high-fat diet in rats. Thus, we examined four groups of male rats which received standard diet, high-fat diet (HFD), α-tocopherol (α-Toc), and high-fat diet plus α-tocopherol. HFD was administered ad libitum and α-Toc by gavage using a dose of 50 mg/kg. After 3 months of treatment, animals were submitted to euthanasia, and blood samples were collected for biochemical assays. Results demonstrate that NTPDase, ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase, and 5'-nucleotidase activities were significantly decreased in platelets of HFD group, while that adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was significantly increased in this group in comparison to the other groups (P < 0.05). When rats that received HFD were treated with α-Toc, the activities of these enzymes were similar to the control, but ADA activity was significantly increased in relation to the control and α-Toc group (P < 0.05). HFD group showed an increased in platelet aggregation in comparison to the other groups, and treatment with α-Toc significantly reduced platelet aggregation in this group. These findings demonstrated that HFD alters platelet aggregation and purinergic signaling in the platelets and that treatment with α-Toc was capable of modulating the adenine nucleotide hydrolysis in this experimental condition.

The objective of this study was to investigate δ-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA-D) activity and metabolic parameters of Cyprinus carpio exposed to clomazone herbicide. Fish were exposed 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg L(-1) of clomazone for 192 h. Results indicated that δ-ALA-D activity was decreased in the gills at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg L(-1). Liver glycogen increased, while muscle and gill glycogen levels decreased at 5, 10 and 20 mg L(-1). Glucose was increased in the gills and plasma. Lactate decreased in the gills and liver and increased in the muscle. Protein and amino acids levels increased in the liver and gills and decreased in the muscle. At a clomazone concentration of 20 mg L(-1), ammonia increased in the gills and muscle and decreased in the liver. The results indicated that the metabolic parameters of glycogen, lactate, protein and amino acids in liver, muscle and gills, blood glucose levels, and the enzyme δ-ALA-D in gills may be useful indicators of clomazone toxicity in carp.

Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm affecting women worldwide. Some of the recommended treatments involve chemotherapy whose toxic effects include leukopenia and neutropenia. This study assessed the effectiveness of Uncaria tomentosa (Ut) in reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy through a randomized clinical trial. Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-Stage II, who underwent a treatment regimen known as FAC (Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide), were divided into two groups: the UtCa received chemotherapy plus 300 mg dry Ut extract per day and the Ca group that only received chemotherapy and served as the control experiment. Blood samples were collected before each one of the six chemotherapy cycles and blood counts, immunological parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress were analyzed. Uncaria tomentosa reduced the neutropenia caused by chemotherapy and was also able to restore cellular DNA damage. We concluded that Ut is an effective adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is one of the most common inherited bleeding diseases caused by a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of the von Willebrand factor (FvW). FvW is a multimeric glycoprotein synthesized by megakaryocytes and endothelial cells and it is present in the subendothelial matrix, blood plasma, platelets, and endothelium. This glycoprotein plays an important role in thrombus formation by initiating platelet adhesion to sites of injury as well as platelet aggregation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activities of enzymes that hydrolyze adenine nucleotides in platelets, ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (RIPA), and polymorphisms of the alpha2 gene of alpha2beta1 integrin from VWD patients. Platelet nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase), 5'-nucleotidase, and ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP) activities were verified in 14 VWD patients. For RIPA determination, a final concentration of 1.25 mg/ml of ristocetin was used. Polymorphisms of the alpha2 gene were analyzed through PCR. Platelet NTPDase and E-NPP were decreased in VWD patients. 5'-Nucleotidase activity was not statistically significant between controls and VWD patients. RIPA was significantly reduced, with an allelic frequency of 78.57% for 807C in VWD patients. Our results indicated reduced platelet NTPDase and E-NPP activities which might be related to the low platelet adhesiveness. The prevalence of the 807C allele might account for the variability in bleeding in VWD.

Objectives: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different glucose levels on the ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis in the platelets of diabetic, hypertensive and diabetic/hypertensive participants., Methods: The activities of the enzymes NTPDase (ATP and ADP hydrolysis) and 5'-nucleotidase (AMP hydrolysis), and CD39 expression were analyzed in human blood platelets of diabetic (DM-2), hypertensive (HT) and diabetic/hypertensive (DM-2/HT) patients. To evaluate the interference of glucose and fructose in NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities, experiments were performed with glucose, fructose and mannitol concentrations ranging from 5 to 30 mM in platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Pre-incubation times of 10, 120 min and 24h were used., Results: NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities increased with increasing glucose and fructose concentrations (P<0.001) and the different times of pre-incubation did not interfere in ectonucleotidases activities (P>0.5). NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities demonstrated a positive correlation between serum glucose levels and ATP and ADP hydrolysis in DM-2 and DM-2/HT patients. CD39 expression demonstrated that DM-2, HT and DM-2/HT groups presented a significant increase when compared to the control group (P<0.004)., Conclusion: The hydrolysis of adenine nucleotides is enhanced in platelets of patients with diabetes and hypertension. We observed that an increasing glucose concentration had a direct effect on ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis. Furthermore, CD39 expression was enhanced in all patients groups, indicating that these enzyme activities are related with diabetes and hypertension.

Objectives: To evaluate the oxidative status and antioxidant defense in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)., Design and Methods: We measured concentrations of plasmatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), serum protein carbonylation, whole blood catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, as well as the plasmatic and erythrocyte thiol levels and serum vitamin E concentration. This study was performed on 80 children with ALL divided into 4 groups: just diagnosed, remission induction, remission maintenance and out-of-treatment., Results: TBARS levels and serum protein carbonylation were higher in ALL patients than in controls and reduced levels of antioxidants were found in these patients., Conclusion: These findings may indicate a possible link between decreased antioxidants and increased levels of cells alterations due to oxidative damage, supporting the idea that there is a persistence of oxidative stress in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Cervical cancer is a major cause of morbidity among women. We investigated the treatment effect on oxidative status from patients submitted to radiotherapy or conization surgery to high-grade SIL (squamous intraepithelial lesion) treatment, and oxidative profile from patients newly diagnosed for uterine cervix cancer, without treatment., Methods: We determined the catalase activity in blood, reduced glutathione (GSH) in plasma, TBARS and protein carbonyl content from serum samples of the patients., Results: The catalase activity, GSH levels, TBARS and protein carbonyl content had no statistical differences related to the controls, neither when the 2 treatments were compared, possibly because the antioxidant defense may be acting in the first period of the neoplasic transformation, and maybe indicating a possible arrest of the tumor cells caused by the efficiency of the treatments. In the non-treated patients, TBARS and protein carbonyl contents, GSH levels and catalase activity were shown to be increased comparing with the treated patients and compared with the controls indicating an tumor effect on oxidative profile, and the antioxidant activity been increased in the beginning of the tumor development., Conclusions: We suggest that the treatments were efficient in arrest of the tumor.

From the roots of BROSIMOPSIS OBLONGIFOLIA a new isoprenylated flavone, named 5'-hydroxycudraflavone A ( 1), together with the known cudraflavone A ( 2) and cudraflavone B ( 3) were isolated. Cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity of the compounds were tested.