Depressive disorder is a severe mental condition. In addition to genetic factors, immunological-inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and disturbances in neurotransmitter metabolism, kynurenine and ...serotonin pathways may play a role. The exact mechanisms, especially in depressed children and adolescents, are not fully understood. Our primary hypothesis was whether the metabolites of tryptophan degradation in children and adolescents with depressive disorder might be influenced by omega-3 FAs compared to omega-6 FAs during a 12-week supplementation. A secondary hypothesis was to investigate whether tryptophan metabolites in children and adolescents are associated with markers of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, cortisol, and the serum omega-6/omega-3 FA ratio. Metabolites of tryptophan degradation and pteridines, neopterin, and biopterin in urine were analyzed with an HPLC system. Surprisingly, omega-3 FAs stimulated both kynurenine (kynurenine/tryptophan ratio) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptophan) pathways, whereas omega-6 FAs only increased the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio. Neopterin and biopterin were not different from the healthy controls. Biopterin increased after omega-3 FA supplementation. Serotonin was positively correlated with lipoperoxidation and a marker of oxidative protein damage. Of the monitored tryptophan metabolites, only 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid was positively correlated with the severity of depression, total cholesterol, and negatively with brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glutathione peroxidase. In conclusion, in children and adolescents, both supplemented FAs stimulated the kynurenine pathway (kynurenine/tryptophan ratio) and kynurenine formation. However, the serotonin pathway (5-hydroxytryptophan) was stimulated only by omega-3 FA. Tryptophan metabolism is associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, total cholesterol, and cortisol. We are the first to point out the association between the kynurenine pathway (KYN/TRP ratio) and the omega-6/omega-3 FA ratio. The metabolite 5-HIAA could play a role in the pathophysiology of depressive disorder in children and adolescents.
https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN81655012, identifier ISRCTN81655012.
Innovative nanotechnology aims to develop particles that are small, monodisperse, smart, and do not cause unintentional side effects. Uniform magnetic Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles (12 nm in size) were ...prepared by thermal decomposition of iron(III) oleate. To make them colloidally stable and dispersible in water and cell culture medium, they were modified with phosphonic acid- (PA) and hydroxamic acid (HA)-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) yielding PA-PEG@Fe
3
O
4
and HA-PEG@Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles; conventional γ-Fe
2
O
3
particles were prepared as a control. Advanced techniques were used to evaluate the properties and safety of the particles. Completeness of the nanoparticle coating was tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Interaction of the particles with primary human peripheral blood cells, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and immunotoxicity were also investigated. Amount of internalized iron in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 72, 38, and 25 pg Fe/cell for HA-PEG@Fe
3
O
4
, γ-Fe
2
O
3
, and PA-PEG@Fe
3
O
4
, respectively. Nanoparticles were localized within the cytoplasm and in the extracellular space. No cytotoxic effect of both PEGylated nanoparticles was observed (0.12-75 μg/cm
2
) after 24 and 72-h incubation. Moreover, no suppressive effect was found on the proliferative activity of T-lymphocytes and T-dependent B-cell response, phagocytic activity of monocytes and granulocytes, and respiratory burst of phagocytes. Similarly, no cytotoxic effect of γ-Fe
2
O
3
particles was observed. However, they suppressed the proliferative activity of T-lymphocytes (75 μg/cm
2
, 72 h) and also decreased the phagocytic activity of monocytes (15 μg/cm
2
, 24 h; 3-75 μg/cm
2
, 72 h). We thus show that newly developed particles have great potential especially in cancer diagnostics and therapy.
Sodium fluoride-based β-NaLnF4 nanoparticles (NPs) doped with lanthanide ions are promising materials for application as luminescent markers in bio-imaging. In this work, the effect of NPs doped with ...yttrium (Y), gadolinium (Gd), europium (Eu), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb) and terbium (Tb) ions on phagocytic activity of monocytes and granulocytes and the respiratory burst was examined. The surface functionalization of <10-nm NPs was performed according to our variation of patent pending ligand exchange method that resulted in meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) molecules on their surface. Y-core-based NCs were doped with Eu ions, which enabled them to be excited with UV light wavelengths. Cultures of human peripheral blood (
n
= 8) were in vitro treated with five different concentrations of eight NPs for 24 h. In summary, neither type of nanoparticles is found toxic with respect to conducted test; however, some cause toxic effects (they have statistically significant deviations compared to reference) in some selected doses tested. Both core types of NPs (Y-core and Gd-core) impaired the phagocytic activity of monocytes the strongest, having minimal or none whatsoever influence on granulocytes and respiratory burst of phagocytic cells. The lowest toxicity was observed in Gd-core, Yb, Tm dopants and near-infrared nanoparticles. Clear dose-dependent effect of NPs on phagocytic activity of leukocytes and respiratory burst of cells was observed for limited number of samples.
Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the strength of the association between the human immune response and body mass index (BMI) and whether differences exist in the effects of obesity on ...selected immune parameters between men and women. Two hundred ninety participants were divided into groups according to sex and BMI. Parameters CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16+56, CD19, HLADR, CD11b, CD11c, and CD54 were quantified. Leukocyte and differential counts were performed. We observed elevation with regard to the normal weight group in the parameters of white blood cells, neutrophils, monocytes, CD3, CD4, CD19, and CD11b for the whole study group. A decrease was observed in the expression of CD16+56. The effect of BMI on the immune system was much more apparent in women. BMI was correlated with the majority of the measured parameters, reflecting a strong association between BMI and the human immune system.
The genetically modified maize event MON810 expresses a
Bacillus thuringiensis
-derived gene, which encodes the insecticidal protein Cry1Ab to control some lepidopteran insect pests such as the ...European corn borer. It has been claimed that the immune system may be affected following the oral/intragastric administration of the MON810 maize in various different animal species. In the frame of the EU-funded project GRACE, two 90-day feeding trials, the so-called studies D and E, were performed to analyze the humoral and cellular immune responses of male and female Wistar Han RCC rats fed the MON810 maize. A MON810 maize variety of Monsanto was used in the study D and a MON810 maize variety of Pioneer Hi-Bred was used in the study E. The total as well as the maize protein- and Cry1Ab-serum-specific IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE levels, the proliferative activity of the lymphocytes, the phagocytic activity of the granulocytes and monocytes, the respiratory burst of the phagocytes, a phenotypic analysis of spleen, thymus and lymph node cells as well as the in vitro production of cytokines by spleen cells were analyzed. No specific Cry1Ab immune response was observed in MON810 rats, and anti-maize protein antibody responses were similar in MON810 and control rats. Single parameters were sporadically altered in rats fed the MON810 maize when compared to control rats, but these alterations are considered to be of no immunotoxicological significance.
In this paper we particularly draw attention to the existence of solutions which describe the maturation rates of an age-structured insect population model. Such models commonly divide the population ...into immature and mature individuals. Immature individuals are defined as individuals of age less than some threshold age $\tau$, while adults are individuals of age exceeding $\tau$. The model is represented by the nonlinear neutral differential equation with variable coefficients. The conditions, which guarantee that the population size tends to a nonnegative constant or nonconstant function are also established.
The aim of the study was to compare the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and at the 1st day after the cataract surgery for mature or the hard nuclear cataract. The phacoprobe NeoSoniX ...equipment Legacy (Alcon Laboratories) was used for the cataract surgery. Trypan blue for vital staining of the anterior capsule was used in case of the white cataract. The prevalence and the effect of the complication on BCVA were evaluated. 561 eyes were operated for the cataract. 57 (10.16%) had cataract grade NO4-NC6 and NC4-NC6 (LOCS III). Postoperative complications were: the transient edema of cornea in 8 eyes (14%), one case of (1.75%) erosio cornea caused by patient and in one case (1.75%) the intraocular pressure was elevated for a short time.
The results of this study confirm that phacoemulsification is an appropriate method for the resolution of cataracts at advanced stages (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 24). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
PDF
