Tag Archives: smoking
Angiotensin, vascular endothelial growth factor and caspase-3 levels in blood serum of smoking students
I. A. A. K. Al-Samarai1, A. J. Al Samer1, H. N. Mohammed2
1Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Applied Science,
University of Samarra, Saleh Aden, Iraq;
2Department of Biotechnology, College of Applied Science,
University of Samarra, Saleh Aden, Iraq;
e-mail: israa.a@uosamarra.edu.iq
Received: 18 July 2025; Revised: 18 September 2025;
Accepted: 28 November 2025; Available on-line: 23 December 2025
Smoking cigarettes is currently considered a widespread behavioral habit among university students due to psychological, social, and behavioral factors. Smoking is believed to impair renin-angiotensin system, blood pressure regulation, endothelial function, and cells viability, particularly in the lungs or blood vessels. The study aimed to assess the level of angiotensin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), caspase-3 and the activity of antioxidants glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood serum of students at Samarra University (Iraq). The study lasted from 20/2 /2025 to 20/4/ 2025 and involved 100 male students aged 18-28 years. The first group consisted of 30 nonsmoker students and the second included 70 smoker students, whose daily cigarette consumption ranged between 60-100 cigarettes. The results showed a significant increase in angiotensin, VEGF and caspase-3 levels, measured by ELISA, and a significant decrease in GST and SOD activity in the blood serum of smoker students compared to nonsmokers. A high negative correlation between angiotensin, GST and SOD activity in both smokers and nonsmokers, and a positive correlation between angiotensin and caspase-3 levels in smokers were observed, indicating the promising use of studied parameters as indicators of adverse effects caused by smoking.
Methotrexate effect on biochemical indices of psoriasis patients depends on MTHFR gene polymorphism
O. M. Fedota1, L. V. Roschenyuk2,3, T. V. Tyzhnenko1,
N. G. Puzik1,3, V. M. Vorontsov1, P. P. Ryzhko1
1V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine;
2Kharkiv Regional Clinical Skin and Venereal Diseases Dispensary №1, Ukraine;
3Kharkiv National Medical University, Ukraine;
e-mail: tyzhnenko@ukr.net
Received: 13 June 2019; Accepted: 29 November 2019
Methotrexate (MTX) is the immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory drug and the antagonist of the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. Pharmacogenomic studies and clinical evidences suggest that altered response to MTX in patients with different diseases is associated with polymorphisms of genes that regulate folate metabolism. The purpose of the article was to analyze the methotrexate effect on the biochemical indices of psoriasis patients depending on methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) polymorphisms. Effects of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, C677T and A1298C, were studied. An increase of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activity above the normal level in the patients with both MTHFR gene polymorphisms after methotrexate intake was observed. In patients with CC, TT, CT genotypes for C677T polymorphism and AA genotype for A1298C polymorphism of MTHFR gene, significant differences in alpha-amylase activity before and after treatment with methotrexate were detected. Analysis of the biochemical indices of patients with arthropathic and vulgaris psoriasis showed that the positive effect of MTX treatment could be associated with wild-type alleles in both polymorphisms of MTHFR gene, while the ineffectiveness of methotrexate was associated with the dihеterozygous genotype. The largest number of smokers was found within the CTAA genotype group (37.5%), while no smokers were observed within TTAA patients and most of CCAA patients. The data obtained testify the utility of the individual approach to the psoriasis patients therapy taking into account genetic background.