Tag Archives: TNF-α
Indices of liver and kidney function and the level of cytokines and tumor biomarkers in the serum of patients with hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma
Othman A. Othman, Mahmoud Fadl Bakr*
Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science,
Minia University, 61519, El-Minia, Egypt;
*e-mail: mahmoud.fadl@mu.edu.eg
Received: 02 March 2025; Revised: 27 May 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) selectively targets the liver and causes persistent infection, often evading the immune system, leading to chronic liver failure, kidney disease and HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to estimate the indices of liver and kidney functions and the level of inflammatory cytokines and tumor markers in patients with both HCV-positive chronic hepatitis and HCV-related HCC in comparison to HCV only patients and healthy controls. The study included 156 persons divided into four groups: control group I – 27 healthy individuals; HCV group – 45 patients with HCV (proved by PCR); HCC group – 42 patients with HCC (proved by radiological investigations and laboratory tests); HCV+HCC group – 42 patients with HCV and HCC (HCV – positive chronic hepatitis with HCC). Routine clinical tests for kidney and liver function were used. The levels of IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-α and tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) were examined by ELISA. The results showed a highly significant increase in ALT, ALP, and AST activity, as well as uric acid, urea and creatinine levels, with a significant decrease in albumin levels in HCC and HCV+HCC groups compared to HCV-only patients and healthy controls. The elevation in the serum levels of the studied tumor markers and cytokines in the HCC and HCV+HCC groups, with the highest levels in the latter, was observed. The data obtained indicate the progressive deterioration in liver and kidney functions and a significant effect of chronic inflammation in HCV-related liver carcinogenesis.
Edaravone reduces the markers of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in neocortex of rats with acute intracerebral hemorrhage and type 2 diabetes mellitus
V. L. Holubiev*, A. E. Lievykh, V. A. Tkachenko,
Yu. V. Kharchenko, V. I. Zhyliuk
Department of Pharmacology, Dnipro State Medical University, Dnipro, Ukraine;
*e-mail: 209@dmu.edu.ua
Received: 05 August 2024; Revised: 22 October 2024;
Accepted: 21 November 2024; Available on-line: 17 December 2024
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a higher incidence of hemorrhagic stroke in a severe form. The aim of this study was to estimate the markers of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the brain of rats with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and T2DM after treatment with edaravone. T2DM was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide/streptozotocin, ICH – by stereotactic microinjection of bacterial collagenase. Rats were randomized into four groups: 1 – intact control; 2 – T2DM; 3 – T2DM+ICH; 4 – T2DM+ICH+edaravone 6 mg/kg/day. Edaravone (a drug to treat neural injury after acute cerebral ischemic stroke) was administered intraperitoneally for 10 days starting from the 60th day after diabetes mellitus induction and 30 min after ICH induction. Brain homogenates were assessed for the content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs). The levels of TNF-α and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured with ELISA. The increased content of 8-OHdG and TNF-α in brain homogenates of animals of T2DM group compared to the control was shown. It was revealed that in brain homogenates of animals of T2DM+ICH group the content of these markers significantly exceeds that for T2DM group, and in addition, an elevated AOPPs level was observed. Our results demonstrated that edaravone prevented the elevation of TNF-α level, reduced oxidative DNA damage by decreasing 8-OHdG content, and attenuated the formation of AGEs and AOPPs in the brains of experimental animals. These findings suggest that edaravone may have therapeutic potential in diabetic patients with acute ICH.
Carnitine effects on serum and pancreas inflammatory response in diabetic rats
Y. Masoumi-Ardakani1, H. Fallah2, B. Shahouzehi3
1Physiology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;
2Student Research Committee, School of Medicine,
Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;
3Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;
e-mail: bshahouzehi@yahoo.com, bshahouzehi@gmail.com
Received: 08 May 2019; Accepted: 18 October 2019
Diabetes is a group of disorders characterized by elevated blood glucose and insulin secretion defect. Previous studies have reported L-carnitine beneficial and hypoglycemic effects in diabetic models. L carnitine anti-inflammatory properties in diabetes were not assessed perfectly, and there is a lack of information about this matter. Therefore, we designed this study and evaluated L-carnitine different doses supplementation on pro-inflammatory cytokines in STZ-induced diabetic rats’ pancreas and serum. We selected 48 male rats (200 ± 10 g) and randomly divided them into six groups (n = 8). Group 1, control; group 2, Diabetic control (DC); groups 3-6, STZ-induced diabetic rats which received L-carnitine different doses as follow; 300, 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg/day by intraperitoneal injection for 5 weeks. When the study ended, serum and pancreas samples were collected and cytokines levels were measured by specific ELISA kits. Our results showed that in diabetic rats, pro-inflammatory cytokines levels were elevated. Two L-carnitine doses 300 and 200 mg/kg/day showed beneficial effects and 300 mg/kg/day showed more effective and significant effects than other doses. The 300 mg/kg significantly reduced IL-1β and IL-6 levels in pancreas and serum. Our data proved the protective effects of intraperitoneal L-carnitine administration against diabetes and inflammation in diabetic rats. Indeed, L-carnitine long term supplementation through the intraperitoneal injection can be considered as a good and safe therapeutic strategy in diabetes.