Oxidative stress appears when the amount of free radicals that are formed in a living organism exceed its spin-trapping ability. One of the most dangerous free radicals that are formed in the human body is the hydroxyl radical. It can alter several biomolecules, including the unsaturated fatty acids; this process is known as lipid peroxidation
Tubulin Polymerization Promoting Protein (TPPP/p25) modulates the dynamics and stability of the microtubule network by its bundling and acetylation enhancing activities that can be modulated by the binding of zinc to TPPP/p25. Its expression is essential for the differentiation of oligodendrocytes, the major constituents of the myelin sheath, and has been associated with neuronal inclusions. In this paper, evidence is provided for the expression and localization of TPPP/p25 in the zinc-rich retina and in the oligodendrocytes in the optic nerve. Localization of TPPP/p25 was established by confocal microscopy using calbindin and synaptophysin as markers of specific striations in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) and presynaptic terminals, respectively. Postsynaptic nerve terminals in striations S1, S3 and S5 in the IPL and a subset of amacrine cells show immunopositivity against TPPP/p25 both in mice and human eyes. The co-localization of TPPP/p25 with acetylated tubulin was detected in amacrine cells, oligodendrocyte cell bodies and in synapses in the IPL. Quantitative Western blot revealed that the TPPP/p25 level in the retina was 0.05-0.13 ng/μg protein, comparable to that in the brain. There was a central (from optic nerve head) to peripheral retinal gradient in TPPP/p25 protein levels. Our in vivo studies revealed that the oral zinc supplementation of mice significantly increased TPPP/p25 as well as acetylated tubulin levels in the IPL. These results suggest that TPPP/p25, a microtubule stabilizer can play a role in the organization and reorganization of synaptic connections and visual integration in the eye.
Introduction: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus affect a large number of patients and can significantly influence their life expectancy. Changes in metabolic and oxidative stress parameters are common in these pathologies, contributing to associated complications. The aim of the study was assessment of relationship between laboratory parameters and their role in evaluation of cardiovascular risk, and possible gender-related differences in the protective factors.
Material and methods: Blood samples were collected from hypertensive patients with/without diabetes mellitus admitted to the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Clinic in Tîrgu Mureș and controls without these pathologies. Biochemical analyses were performed on Konelab analyzer (glycemia, lipid profile, kidney function tests, zinc, hsCRP). Oxidative stress markers, such as serum malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized (GSSG) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were evaluated using an HPLC-UV/VIS technique at GEP UMPhST. Statistical analysis was performed by GraphPad InStat3.
Results: Mean age of hypertensive patients (n=131) was 69.44 ± 9.02 years, 45.8% males, 31.3% being diabetics. 74.1% of the studied patients had zinc deficiency, 19.8% presented slightly elevated hsCRP. The control group included 24 nonhypertensive/nondiabetic patients of similar age. Average GSH was significantly lower (p=0.0002) in hypertensive patients, 1.89 ± 0.82 µg/ml, compared to the control group (3.23 ± 0.49 µg/ml), and no correlation could be observed between GSH and MDA values. GSH concentration was significantly higher in males (p=0.0395) and HDL-cholesterol significantly higher in females (p=0.0132). A negative correlation was observed between serum triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol concentration.
Conclusions: Gender differences are present in the level of protective factors against cardiovascular diseases, while oxidative stress is intensified in hypertensive/diabetic patients.
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