Homocysteine and other markers of cardiovascular risk during a manic episode in patients with bipolar disorder

Objective: To evaluate serum levels of different biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Patients were prospectively evaluated in two separate instances: during acute mania and after remission of manic symptoms. All measurements were compared with those of healthy controls. Methods: The study included 30 patients with BD and 30 healthy controls, matched for gender and age. Biochemical parameters evaluated included homocysteine (Hcy), folic acid, vitamin B12, ferritin, creatine kinase (CK) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results: Hcy levels were significantly higher in the BD patients, both during mania and after achieving euthymia. When Hcy was adjusted for body mass index, there was no significant difference between patients and controls. Ferritin was the only marker that showed a significant decrease during mania when compared to both euthymic patients and controls. There were no significant differences for folate, vitamin B12, CK and CRP. Conclusions: These findings do not show an association between alterations of markers of cardiovascular risk during manic episodes. Further studies are necessary to determine factors and mechanisms associated with cardiovascular risk in patients with BD

Decreased glutathione levels and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenic patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to determine glutathione levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in the drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy control subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>It was a case-controlled study carried on twenty-three patients (20 men and 3 women, mean age = 29.3 ± 7.5 years) recruited in their first-episode of schizophrenia and 40 healthy control subjects (36 men and 9 women, mean age = 29.6 ± 6.2 years). In patients, the blood samples were obtained prior to the initiation of neuroleptic treatments. Glutathione levels: total glutathione (GSHt), reduced glutathione (GSHr) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and antioxidant enzyme activities: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) were determined by spectrophotometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GSHt and reduced GSHr were significantly lower in patients than in controls, whereas GSSG was significantly higher in patients. GPx activity was significantly higher in patients compared to control subjects. CAT activity was significantly lower in patients, whereas the SOD activity was comparable to that of controls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is a report of decreased plasma levels of GSHt and GSHr, and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia. The GSH deficit seems to be implicated in psychosis, and may be an important indirect biomarker of oxidative stress in schizophrenia early in the course of illness. Finally, our results provide support for further studies of the possible role of antioxidants as neuroprotective therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia from early stages.</p

Expression of Ghrelin and GHSR-1a in Long Term Diabetic Rat's Kidney

The aim of this work was to study the relative ghrelin and growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R)1a gene expression in the kidney of long-term diabetic rats. Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: C- control group, DI- one month diabetic rats group, DII- two months diabetic rats group, and DIII- three months diabetic rats group. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin STZ (40mg/kg i.p). The rats were decapitated under ketamine anesthesia and their kidney tissues were removed. Tissue GHS-R mRNA levels, ghrelin expression, and histopathological damage scores were compared. Dilatation in the distal tubules, epithelial desquamation into the lumen of the tubules and transparent tubules showing glycogen vacuolation were observed in all the diabetic groups. Ghrelin immunoreactivity was significantly higher in group DI compared to group C, whereas in groups DII and DIII, ghrelin immunoreactivity was similar with group C. GHSR-1a mRNA level in group DIII was significantly lower than in group C. As a result, ghrelin immunoreactivity increased at the beginning of diabetes; however, with increase in the duration of diabetes ghrelin immunoreactivity approached to the control values. The expression of GHSR-1a mRNA decreased with increase in diabetes duration. It seemed that down-regulation of GHSR-1a contributed to the renal damage induced by long-term diabetes