BACKGROUND The role and relationship between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines represents one of the least studied aspects of the pathogenesis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The aim of the present study was to evaluate pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines at both local (lung) and systemic (blood) levels and their relationship with the severity of the disease on admission and time for...

Background: Midkine (MK) is a heparin-binding growth factor with promoting effects in inflammatory responses through enhancing leukocytes migration. Objective: To study the correlation between MK serum levels and concentration of inflammatory cytokines in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Methods: We evaluated the MK level and its relationship with inflammatory cytokines (IL-17 and IL-23) and a...

The (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] is cleaved by furin to generate soluble (P)RR [s(P)RR], which reflects the status of the tissue renin-angiotensin system. Hemodialysis patients have advanced atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between serum s(P)RR levels and background factors, including indices of atherosclerosis, in hemodialysis patients. Serum s(P)RR le...

BACKGROUND No validated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) marker is known for detection of asymptomatic disease in selected populations or for prognostic purposes or treatment monitoring. We identified immunogenic proteins as tumor markers for RCC by combining conventional proteome analysis with serological screening, and we investigated the diagnostic clinical value of such markers in serum. METHOD...

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fatty acid-free human serum albumin (HSAFAF) reduce the K(m) values for UGT2B7 substrates by sequestering inhibitory long-chain fatty acids released by incubations of human liver microsomes (HLM) and HEK293 cells expressing this enzyme. However, the scope of the "albumin effect" is unknown. In this investigation we characterized the effects of albumin on the kinet...

Since contradictory findings have been reported on potential effects of statins in modulating the inflammatory response, we have analysed the biological activity of lovastatin both in vitro using the Raw 264.7 murine macrophagic cell line and in vivo using BALB/c mice. When added to Raw 264.7 cells in combination with lipopolysaccharide, lovastatin significantly potentiated the release of inter...

Babesia rossi infection causes a severe inflammatory response in the dog, which is the result of the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion. The aim of this study was to determine whether changes in cytokine concentrations were present in dogs with babesiosis and whether it was associated with disease outcome. Ninety-seven dogs naturally infected with B. rossi were studie...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Although serum assays for pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) assays have been commercially available in Japan for several years, the stability of ProGRP in serum and plasma has not been well documented. We investigated the stability of ProGRP in serum and plasma with fresh and stored (frozen) specimens, as well as the cause of the observed instability in serum. METHODS/RES...

To investigate uterine fluid and serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) variations during the estrous cycle in water buffaloes, 71 genital tracts and blood samples were collected from the abattoir in Urmia, Iran. The phase of the estrous cycle was determined by examining ovarian structures; 18, 15, 16 and 22 were pro-estrous, estrous, met-estrous and diestrous, respectively. The uterine fluid was coll...