Forty four consecutive subjects aged 29-58 years (21 males and 23 females) with a clinical diagnosis of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia periodically treated every 30 days with LDL-apheresis for statin resis...Forty four consecutive subjects aged 29-58 years (21 males and 23 females) with a clinical diagnosis of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia periodically treated every 30 days with LDL-apheresis for statin resistance, were enrolled in this study. A lipid profile was obtained immediately before starting LDL-apheresis, a second profile was obtained within four hours after LDL-apheresis. Chit activity and anti-oxLDL levels were determined with appropriate methods in all patients before and after LDL- apheresis. Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL- cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly after LDL-apheresis, while the variations of Chit activity and anti-oxLDL were not significant after LDL-apheresis. The correlation between Chit and total cholesterol was negative (r= –0.44 and –0.50 res- pectively) before and after LDL-apheresis as between Chit and LDL-cholesterol (r= –0.45 and –0.55 respectively). Anti-oxLDL concentration before and after LDL-apheresis positively correlated with Chit activity (r= 0.52 and r = 0.63 respectively), negatively with total cholesterol (r= –0.33 and r = –0.35 res- pectively) and with LDL (r = –0.32 and r = –0.21 respectively). We think that removing LDL with LDL-apheresis the anti-oxLDL/oxLDL ratio could increase and the excess of anti-oxLDL could induce macrophage activation through the surface Fc receptors. Alternatively with high levels of LDL- cholesterol, the deposition of foam cells represent the characteristic evolution of atherosclerosis process. Macrophage activation in the heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia could represent an attempt for re-modeling the vessel wall, reducing the growth of lipid plaques.展开更多
Sepsis remains a leading cause of death in the intensive care units and in all age groups worldwide. Early recognition and diagnosis are key to achieving improved outcomes.Therefore, novel biomarkers that might better...Sepsis remains a leading cause of death in the intensive care units and in all age groups worldwide. Early recognition and diagnosis are key to achieving improved outcomes.Therefore, novel biomarkers that might better inform clinicians treating such patients are surely needed. The main attributes of successful biomarkers would be high sensitivity,specificity, possibility of bedside monitoring and financial accessibility. A panel of sepsis biomarkers along with currently used laboratory tests will facilitate earlier diagnosis,timely treatment and improved outcome may be more effective than single biomarkers. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances on sepsis biomarkers evaluated in clinical and experimental studies.展开更多
The chitinase-like proteins YKL-39 (chitinase 3-like-2) and Chitortriosidase (CHIT-1) are members of the chitinases family. YKL-39 expression has been associated with osteoarthritis, whereas CHIT-1 activity is regarde...The chitinase-like proteins YKL-39 (chitinase 3-like-2) and Chitortriosidase (CHIT-1) are members of the chitinases family. YKL-39 expression has been associated with osteoarthritis, whereas CHIT-1 activity is regarded as a biochemical marker of macrophage activation. So far, the physiological or pathological role of YKL-39 in the inflammation is still poorly understood. We compared YKL-39 and CHIT-1 modulation during monocyte to macrophage transition and polarization. Gene expression analysis was investigated by real-time PCR from mRNA of human monocytes obtained from buffy coat of healthy volunteers, from mRNA of polarized macrophages to classically activated macrophages (or M1), obtained by interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide exposure, and from mRNA of alternatively activated macrophages (or M2) obtained by interleukin-4 exposure. We demonstrated different variations of YKL-39 and CHIT-1 production during macrophages polarization. CHIT-1 levels gradually increase in the course of the time with a peak of expression between the fifth and the seventh day of culture. In contrast, YKL-39 expression was unaltered in the diverse stage of HMMs differentiation, but increased significantly in M1 polarized macrophages and reverted to base levels in M2 polarized macrophages. These findings indicated that the function of YKL-39 is much more restricted and selective than that exerted by CHIT-1.展开更多
文摘Forty four consecutive subjects aged 29-58 years (21 males and 23 females) with a clinical diagnosis of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia periodically treated every 30 days with LDL-apheresis for statin resistance, were enrolled in this study. A lipid profile was obtained immediately before starting LDL-apheresis, a second profile was obtained within four hours after LDL-apheresis. Chit activity and anti-oxLDL levels were determined with appropriate methods in all patients before and after LDL- apheresis. Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL- cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly after LDL-apheresis, while the variations of Chit activity and anti-oxLDL were not significant after LDL-apheresis. The correlation between Chit and total cholesterol was negative (r= –0.44 and –0.50 res- pectively) before and after LDL-apheresis as between Chit and LDL-cholesterol (r= –0.45 and –0.55 respectively). Anti-oxLDL concentration before and after LDL-apheresis positively correlated with Chit activity (r= 0.52 and r = 0.63 respectively), negatively with total cholesterol (r= –0.33 and r = –0.35 res- pectively) and with LDL (r = –0.32 and r = –0.21 respectively). We think that removing LDL with LDL-apheresis the anti-oxLDL/oxLDL ratio could increase and the excess of anti-oxLDL could induce macrophage activation through the surface Fc receptors. Alternatively with high levels of LDL- cholesterol, the deposition of foam cells represent the characteristic evolution of atherosclerosis process. Macrophage activation in the heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia could represent an attempt for re-modeling the vessel wall, reducing the growth of lipid plaques.
文摘Sepsis remains a leading cause of death in the intensive care units and in all age groups worldwide. Early recognition and diagnosis are key to achieving improved outcomes.Therefore, novel biomarkers that might better inform clinicians treating such patients are surely needed. The main attributes of successful biomarkers would be high sensitivity,specificity, possibility of bedside monitoring and financial accessibility. A panel of sepsis biomarkers along with currently used laboratory tests will facilitate earlier diagnosis,timely treatment and improved outcome may be more effective than single biomarkers. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances on sepsis biomarkers evaluated in clinical and experimental studies.
文摘The chitinase-like proteins YKL-39 (chitinase 3-like-2) and Chitortriosidase (CHIT-1) are members of the chitinases family. YKL-39 expression has been associated with osteoarthritis, whereas CHIT-1 activity is regarded as a biochemical marker of macrophage activation. So far, the physiological or pathological role of YKL-39 in the inflammation is still poorly understood. We compared YKL-39 and CHIT-1 modulation during monocyte to macrophage transition and polarization. Gene expression analysis was investigated by real-time PCR from mRNA of human monocytes obtained from buffy coat of healthy volunteers, from mRNA of polarized macrophages to classically activated macrophages (or M1), obtained by interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide exposure, and from mRNA of alternatively activated macrophages (or M2) obtained by interleukin-4 exposure. We demonstrated different variations of YKL-39 and CHIT-1 production during macrophages polarization. CHIT-1 levels gradually increase in the course of the time with a peak of expression between the fifth and the seventh day of culture. In contrast, YKL-39 expression was unaltered in the diverse stage of HMMs differentiation, but increased significantly in M1 polarized macrophages and reverted to base levels in M2 polarized macrophages. These findings indicated that the function of YKL-39 is much more restricted and selective than that exerted by CHIT-1.
