The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Occurrence of Neurological Diseases and Cancer

Several studies carried out in Western countries have demonstrated that a number of virological and immunological markers such as viral loads, cytokines, beta(2)-microglobulin, neopterin, etc., are elevated in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals with neurological disease. The neurological manifestations of HIV infection noted in Indian patients is different from those reported in Western countries. Moreover, few studies have investigated the role of virological and immunological parameters with respect to the progression of HIV-1 clade C infection in India. In this study, we measured virological (HIV-1 RNA levels) and immunological parameters (CD4 cell count and inflammatory markers) in the plasma and CSF of HIV-1-infected neurologically asymptomatic and symptomatic (with opportunistic infections and/or dementia) subjects. By using clade-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we ascertained that all samples used for the study were infected with HIV-1 clade C. Among the various laboratory parameters evaluated, high viral loads in the CSF, low CD4 counts, and higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), beta(2)-microglobulin, and neopterin were noted in HIV-infected subjects with neurological disease as compared to asymptomatic subjects. These data suggest that the markers evaluated in plasma and CSF samples correlated with occurrence of neurological disease in symptomatic individuals as compared to asymptomatic HIV infected subjects.

The temporal association between the occurrence of neurological diseases, many autoimmune diseases, and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has been topically interesting and remains hotly debated both in the medical literature and the clinic. Given the very low incidences of these events both naturally occurring and in relation to vaccination, it is challenging to determine with certainty whether there is any causative association and most certainly what the pathophysiology of that causation could be. Data from international cohorts including millions of vaccinated individuals suggest that there is a probable association between the adenovirus-vectored vaccines and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Further associations between other SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and GBS or Bell palsy have not been clearly demonstrated in large cohort studies, but the possible rare occurrence of Bell palsy following messenger RNA vaccination is a topic of interest. It is also yet to be clearly demonstrated that any other neurological diseases, such as central nervous system demyelinating disease or myasthenia gravis, have any causative association with vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 using any vaccine type, although it is possible that vaccination may rarely trigger a relapse or worsen symptoms or first presentation in already-diagnosed or susceptible individuals. The associated risk between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and GBS, and possibly Bell palsy, is slight, and this should not change the recommendation for individuals to be vaccinated. The same advice should be given to those with preexisting neurological autoimmune disease.

Chapter 4 - Fluid redox biomarkers in neurological disease

To investigate the risk of neurological disease among women with cosmetic breast implants. We identified 1,653 women who had undergone breast implant surgery at private clinics in Denmark and a comparison cohort of 1,736 women who underwent other types of cosmetic surgery at the same clinics. Ratios of observed-to-expected numbers of hospitalizations for neurological disease in the private implant and comparison cohorts were calculated, separately and combined with data from updated public hospital cohorts. The occurrence of neurological disease in the private clinic implant cohort was comparable to that in the general population. A similar risk pattern was observed in the private clinic comparison cohort. When data for these private clinic cohorts were combined with updated data for public hospital cohorts, excess risks for neurological disorders were seen in both implant and comparison cohorts, reaching statistical significance only in the comparison cohort. Our findings indicate no causal association between silicone breast implants and neurological disease.

Organophosphorus insecticide diazinon (DZN) is diffusely used in agriculture, home gardening, and crop peats. Much work so far has focused on the link between DZN exposure and the occurrence of neurological diseases, while little is known on the reproductive toxicological assessment on DZN exposure. This research aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of toxic hazards for DZN exposure on cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells. We analyzed the oxidative stress, energy metabolism, DNA damage, apoptosis, and autophagy by using high-throughput RNA-seq, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and real-time PCR. The combined data demonstrated that DZN exposure could cause excessive ROS and DNA damage, which induced apoptosis and autophagy by inhibiting the PI3K-AKT pathway. The down-regulated CYP19A1 protein and granulosa cell deaths increase the risk for developing premature ovarian failure and follicular atresia. In conclusion, DZN exposure has obvious reproductive toxicity by induction of granulosa cell death through pathways connected to DNA damage and oxidative stress by inhibiting the PI3K-AKT pathway.

The occurrence of neurological disease in cattle caused by Bovine herpesvirus in 11 farms from southern Brazil between 1987 and 2007 is described. Twenty-two animals were necropsied. Major clinical signs included excessive salivation, nasal and ocular discharge, circling, recumbency, depression, incoordination, grinding of teeth, and paddling movements. Necropsy findings in 10 of 22 cattle included hyperemia and softening of the rostral portions of the telencephalic cortex, with flattening of gyri, and malacia. Cattle in 10 cases did not show any gross lesions. Histological examination in most cases revealed nonsuppurative and necrotizing meningoencephalitis with acute neuronal necrosis, edema, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in astrocytes and neurons, and infiltration of gitter cells. No histologic lesions could be detected in 4 cases. The initial diagnosis was based upon the clinical, epidemiological, and pathological findings. The diagnosis was confirmed by virus isolation in cell culture followed by virus identification by a glycoprotein C-based polymerase chain reaction. Seven isolates were identified as Bovine herpesvirus 5, and 4 were identified as Bovine herpesvirus 1.

Although neurological diseases comprise an important part of small ruminant internal medicine, the number of retrospective studies on their epidemiology conducted to date is limited. This study reports an extensive review of epidemiological data on the occurrence of neurological diseases in Greek sheep and goat herds. The survey was based on data retrieved from the records of the Farm Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, A.U.TH from January 2006 to May 2011. Historical information, clinical and neurological examination, clinicopathological and (if available) pathological evaluation were the minimum data recorded in each case. Diseases of the nervous system represented 37.9% and 19.2% of the total evaluated sheep and goat caseload, respectively. The most frequent neurological disorders diagnosed in sheep were chronic coenurosis and Scrapie, which accounted for 72% of cases, followed by less common conditions like ovine lentiviral encephalomyelitis (OLE), listeriosis and acute coenurosis. In goats the frequency of various types of neurological diseases was more evenly distributed, with listeriosis and polioencephalomalacia being the most commonly encountered problems.

The occurrence of neurological disease is widespread in clinical medicine of domestic animal, but there are few studies documenting the normal composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in ovine, especially Santa Ines breed. This study establishes the parameters for normal physiochemical and cytological analysis of cerebrospinal fluid as an aid for diagnosis of neurological disorders in this breed. For this, 40 adult ovine animals, aged between six and 18 months, were used for puncture of lumbosacral CSF. The aspect and color shower a clear and colorless pattern. The average density was 1.006 ± 0.0064, protein concentration was 25.27 ± 6.64 mg/dL and glucose concentration was 46.89 ± 10.99 mg/dL. Enzymes had concentration averages of 116.72 ± 80.79 U/L for creatine kinase; 17.43 ± 11.91 U/L for lactate dehydrogenase and 17.08 ± 3.85 U/L for aspartate aminotransferase. The results for the global cell count were 4.61 ± 4.96 leukocytes/µL (0 to 15 lymphocytes, 0 to 10 monocytes, 1 to 14 neutrophils). Considering the lack of reference data for the physiochemical and cytological CSF analysis of Santa Ines ovine breed, it is recommended that the results obtained in this study are considered normal values for the breed.KEYWORDS: biochemistry; CFS; cytology; small ruminant; standard features.

Objective. Antigliadin antibodies (AGA) show good sensitivity but low specificity for celiac disease and can also be found in healthy individuals. However, data suggest that AGA positivity might be related to distinct disease entities such as allergy and gluten ataxia. Our aim here is to explore the clinical relevance of positive AGA in the elderly population. Material and methods. Serum IgA- and IgG-class AGA and IgA-class tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) were determined in 2815 individuals aged 52–74 years. Equal numbers of AGA- and tTGA-negative participants of similar age and gender, but without known celiac disease, were randomly selected as controls. Information on clinical history was obtained from hospital records in all groups. Results. Altogether 381 persons were positive for IgA/IgG-class AGA; 38 (14%) of them were also positive for tTGA. Out of the biopsied subjects, 34 (100%) in the AGA+ tTGA+ group and five (9%) in AGA+ tTGA− group had celiac disease. Rheumatoid arthritis and depression were found significantly more often in AGA-positives than controls. The significance remained even when tTGA-positive and known celiac disease cases were excluded. No statistical differences were found in the occurrence of neurological diseases, diabetes, allergic and cardiovascular diseases or malignancies. Conclusions. Although AGA positivity is of clinical relevance only in a subset of elderly people, it seems to be related to rheumatoid arthritis and depression, both conditions linked to celiac disease. Further studies are needed to reveal the mechanisms underlying this. The poor specificity of AGA for celiac disease was here once more in evidence.

Cervical disc disease in whippets: Results of an online survey involving Italian owners and breeders.

Objective Many studies have identified causal and promotive roles of oxidative stress (OxS) and oxidative damage caused by OxS in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Many biomarkers in the blood circulation of patients may change correspondingly with the development of tumors. This study is aimed at investigating the correlation between OxS and serum trace element (TE) levels of patients with different types of cancer. Methods 1143 different types of cancer patients and 178 healthy controls from Mar. 2018 to Aug. 2020 in Mianyang Central Hospital were involved in this study. Their levels of OxS parameters (including total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidant stress index (OSI)) and the concentrations of serum TEs (including Cu, Zn, Fe, and Se) were determined. Results Compared with healthy controls, all types of cancer patients had higher TOS level (all Padj < 0.001) and OSI level (z = 6.228 ~ 9.909, all Padj < 0.001) and lower TAS level (all Padj < 0.001). Compared with healthy controls, the changes of four TE levels in serum were different in different types of cancer patients, among which Cu increased in all groups, but there was no statistical difference in gastric and brain cancer; Se decreased in all groups, but there was no statistical difference in gastric, colorectal, esophageal, and other cancer; Zn was significantly decreased in breast cancer patients (Padj < 0.001); there was no statistical difference in the change of Fe in liver, kidney, and other cancer. Spearman correlation showed that the change of Cu concentration was most closely related to the three OxS parameters and was strongly correlated in the observed several types of tumors (rs > 0.6). Multinomial logistic regression showed that the risks of different tumors are related to the level change of multiple TEs and OxS parameters (ORTOS = 1.19 ~ 2.82, OROSI = 2.56 ~ 4.70, ORTAS = 0.20 ~ 0.46, ORCu = 0.73 ~ 1.44, ORZn = 0.81 ~ 0.91, ORFe = 0.68 ~ 1.18, and ORSe = 0.22 ~ 0.45, all P < 0.006). Conclusions The OxS exists in the occurrence and development of cancer, which may be related to the changes of certain trace elements. In order to evaluate OxS correctly, it is necessary to detect TAS and TOS and at the same time, their ratio OSI should be detected. Assessment of markers representing the overall level of OxS and TEs may guarantee improved the monitoring of disease occurrence and development risk in cancer patients.

Acrylic nail curing UV lamps: High-intensity exposure warrants further research of skin cancer risk

Gastric cancer is considered to be a type of gastrointestinal tumor and is mostly accompanied by Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection at the early stage. Hence, the long-term colonization of the gastric mucosa by HP as a causative factor for gastrointestinal diseases cannot be ignored. The virulence factors secreted by the bacterium activate the signaling pathway of oxidative stress and mediate chronic inflammatory response in the host cells. The virulence factors also thwart the antibacterial effect of neutrophils. Subsequently, DNA methylation is induced, which causes continuous cell proliferation and evolution toward low-grade-differentiated gastric cells. This process provides the pathological basis for the occurrence of progressive gastric cancer. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the oxidative stress response triggered by HP in the gastric mucosa and the subsequent signaling pathways. The findings are expected to help in the formulation of new targeted drugs for preventing the occurrence of early gastric cancer and its progression to middle and advanced cancer.

Aflatoxins are a class of carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus fungi, which are widely distributed in nature. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most toxic of these compounds and its metabolites have a variety of biological activities, including acute toxicity, teratogenicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, which has been well-characterized to lead to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans and animals. This review focuses on the metabolism of AFB1, including epoxidation and DNA adduction, as it concerns the initiation of cancer and the underlying mechanisms. In addition to DNA adduction, inflammation and oxidative stress caused by AFB1 can also participate in the occurrence of cancer. Therefore, the main carcinogenic mechanism of AFB1 related ROS is summarized. This review also describes recent reports of AFB1 exposures in occupational settings. It is hoped that people will pay more attention to occupational health, in order to reduce the incidence of cancer caused by occupational exposure.

Cardiovascular diseases, as malignant neoplasms, occupy a leading position in the structure of total mortality. One of the common side effects of the treatment of malignant neoplasms is cardiotoxicity, which subsequently complicates the pathogenetic therapy of the formation. The purpose of this review was to summarize and clarify existing ideas about the influence of various risk factors for cardiovascular diseases on the occurrence of cancer. The presented review allows us to study in detail the results of meta–analyses and large-scale studies that complement the understanding of classical behavioral factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition and biological risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, reflecting the contribution of these factors not only to the development of cardiovascular diseases, but also malignant neoplasms. The influence of these factors was analyzed from the perspective of pathogenetic mechanisms – oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, cardiotoxicity of the treatment. The review also focuses on contradictory data regarding the influence of any factor on the occurrence of these nosologies and summarizes the analyzed material.