The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic and predictive efficacy of the human epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) and serum amyloid-A (S-AA) together with the other tumor markers (CA 125, CA 15-3, CEA, and CA 19-9) in endometrial cancer patients. The study group consisted of 64 patients with defined stage and grade of endometrial cancer and 60 women with benign uterine diseases. Thirty-four healthy women were defined as the control group. Fasting blood samples were collected prior to surgery and tumor marker levels were determined in blood samples by E170 autoanalyzer. S-AA concentrations were measured by particle-enhanced immunonephelometry. Preoperative serum HE4 and S-AA levels were significantly higher in endometrial cancer patients than in controls, whereas the other measured parameters were not significantly different. Serum levels of HE4 were related to both the stage and grade of tumor. The best cutoff point for HE4 was determined to be 59.7 pmol/L; with 75 % sensitivity and 65.5 % specificity. For S-AA, the cutoff point was 8.8 U/mL, with 68.7 % sensitivity and 58.6 % specificity. The combination of HE4, CA 125, CEA, and S-AA raised the sensitivity to 84 %. Preoperative measurement of serum HE4 and S-AA may be of help in early detection of endometrial cancer. Preoperative screening with these markers may provide important information about the patient's outcome and prognosis.

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Background: It has been shown that the synthesis and secretion of cytokines is influenced by the imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant status. In this study, the relation between the circulating levels of oxidative stress biomarkers and proinflammatory cytokines was searched in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients in order to evaluate the possible role of oxidative stress in ongoing proinflammatory condition and impaired glucose homeostasis.

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of regulatory peptides apelin, glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) and visfatin in hypercholesterolemic and hyperhomocysteinemic state and to examine their relation with nitric oxide (NO) metabolism. 32 Male guinea pigs were divided into four groups and each group was fed as follows: (a) commercial chow, (b) cholesterol (chol)-rich diet, (c) methionine (meth)-rich diet, and (d) chol + meth-rich diet. Blood samples were drawn at the end of 10 weeks, and abdominal aorta was dissected for histopathological examination. Serum insulin, GLP-1, apelin, visfatin, and nitrotyrosine concentrations were measured by the manufacturer's kits based on ELISA; asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and arginine levels were measured by the high performance liquid chromatography. Homocysteine level was measured by the chemiluminescence immunoassay; glucose, total chol and triglyceride levels were measured by the autoanalyzer. The microscopic examination of aorta indicated varying degrees of vascular disturbance in chol- and chol + meth-fed groups. High levels of chol and homocysteine, accompanied with significantly low levels of apelin and GLP-1 were detected in the plasma. Visfatin, ADMA, and nitrotyrosine levels both in chol- and chol + meth-fed groups were significantly higher than those in control animals, whereas arginine and arginine/ADMA ratio were lower. This study indicated that circulating levels of apelin, GLP-1, and visfatin are markedly altered during the development of atherosclerotic changes in close association with chol, homocysteine, NO, and ADMA levels. The measurements of these peptides in serum may help for the diagnosis and follow-up of vascular dysfunction.

Plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are known to be elevated under pathological conditions, but reports on intracellular ADMA levels are scarce. In this study, we investigated whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia alters the intra- and extra-cellular partition of l-arginine and ADMA. The effect of H2S pretreatment was also researched. Wistar rats were given sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS, 1 mg·(kg body mass)(-1)) one hour before the LPS injections (20 mg·kg(-1)). Six hours after the LPS treatment, the animals were sacrificed. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activities and levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α were measured in the liver. ADMA and arginine levels were determined using HPLC. LPS injection caused liver injury, as evidenced by the activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and arginase. LPS increased l-arginine content and decreased DDAH activity in the rat liver. MPO activity and HIF-1α levels indicated inflammation and hypoxia. Despite the accumulation of ADMA in the plasma, the level remained unchanged in the liver. NaHS pretreatment restored both the DDAH activity and intracellular l-arginine levels. It is concluded that increased H2S generation has a potency to restore hepatic l-arginine levels and ADMA handling in endotoxemia. Extra- and intra-cellular partitions of ADMA seem to depend on transport proteins as well as the DDAH activity.

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