OBJECTIVES Neopterin is a valuable diagnostic biomarker, which is elevated in inflammatory conditions like periodontitis, that is characterized by destruction of the supporting structures of the teeth. Among the biomarkers, neopterin occurs in body fluids, and acts as a diagnostic marker for present and future disease activity. METHODS Thirty female subjects with chronic periodontitis, mean a...

Corresponding author: Tel: +49 228 732337 Fax: +49 228 732408 E-mail: [email protected] BACKGROUND: Serum neopterin concentrations rise during activation of the cellular immune system. It is suggested that neopterin interacts with cellular redox mechanisms. This induces oxidative stress, which inhibits intracellular Ca transients in various cell types. In type II alveolar epithelial cells, Ca ...

BACKGROUND/AIM Urticaria is a vascular skin reaction characterized with papules and plaques. Neopterin is accepted as an immunologic marker and an indicator of activation of the immune system. Homocysteine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are the markers of increased vascular resistance. Alteration in vascular resistance has a role in the pathogenesis of urticaria. We aimed to investigate...

Recent reports have shown that stressful situations may affect the production of unconjugated pterins (neopterin and biopterin). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of castration on neopterin and biopterin plasma concentrations in piglets, using 2 groups of 12 piglets allocated to castrated and uncastrated (control) groups. Pterin concentrations were determined by HPLC with fluor...

Workers in denim sandblasting are at a high risk of developing silicosis, an occupational lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust. The development and progress of silicosis is associated with the activation of the immune system and oxidative stress. In the former, interferon-gamma induces both neopterin release and the enzyme indoleamine [2, 3]-dioxygenase (IDO) in various cells...

Neopterin excretion in urine and the serum concentrations of neopterin were compared in 101 patients with a malignant melanoma of the choroid and in a matched group of healthy volunteers. The majority of cases (n = 99) presented an untreated (n = 20) or treated and either partially (n = 33) or completely regressed (n = 47) melanoma of stage I-III without signs of extraocular manifestation at th...

BACKGROUND Serum neopterin concentrations rise during activation of the cellular immune system. It is suggested that neopterin interacts with cellular redox mechanisms. This induces oxidative stress, which inhibits intracellular Ca2+ transients in various cell types. In type II alveolar epithelial cells, Ca2+ increase is considered involved in the exocytosis of surfactants. This exocytosis is d...

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of acute appendicitis, even for experienced surgeons, can sometimes be complex. A delay in diagnosis increases the complication rate. This experimental study aimed to investigate the suitability and significance of neopterin as a marker for acute appendicitis. METHODS The levels of neopterin were measured using an acute appendicitis animal model in 35 New Zealand male...

Macrophages and T cells are responsible for the main immune response to tuberculosis by secreting many cytokines and other substances. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of multidrug treatment on serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), secreted by activated T cells, and of neopterin, secreted by macrophages and monocytes, in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The study included...

The aim of this study was to determine the neopterin levels and peripheral blood lymphocyte subgroups in HBeAg-positive and -negative chronic hepatitis B patients. A total of 89 patients were included in the study. The mean serum neopterin level of patients with chronic hepatitis B was significantly higher than that of the control group. In HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients, the mean ...