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Biomedical subjects

E Akoğlu

Publications and source records attributed to E Akoğlu.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Transforming growth factor-beta1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and bone morphogenic protein-7 expression in tacrolimus-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

The aim of our study was to investigate transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7) expression in the rat model of chronic tacrolimus (TAC) toxicity compared to healthy controls. Seventeen male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: group 1 animals were healthy controls and Group 2 animals were treated with TAC (1 mg/kg per day intraperitoneally for 8 weeks). At the end of the study period the animals were sacrificed following renal function studies including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance, and renal tissues were examined by light microscopy for the findings of tacrolimus toxicity, specifically for afferent arteriolopathy and interstitial fibrosis. TGF-beta1, VEGF, and BMP-7 expression were assessed by semiquantitative scoring of the immunohistochemically stained specimens. Mean TAC levels were 5.53 +/- 2.38 ng/mL in group 2. BUN, creatinine levels, and creatinine clearance were 57.99 +/- 11.13 vs 39.49 +/- 5.64 mg/dL; 0.60 +/- 0.16 vs 0.65 +/- 0.09 mg/dL; 0.97 +/- 0.39 vs 1.17 +/- 0.32 mL/min in group 2 versus group 1. Only the BUN level was significantly higher in group 2 compared to group 1. Afferent arteriolopathy and interstitial fibrosis were significantly increased in group 2 compared to group 1. TGF-beta1 and VEGF expression was significantly increased while BMP-7 expression was significantly decreased in group 2 versus group 1. In conclusion, our findings suggest that TAC-induced nephrotoxicity is associated with increased TGF-beta1 and VEGF and decreased BMP-7 expression.

Animals↗

Inhibition of the renin angiotensin system decreases fibrogenic cytokine expression in tacrolimus nephrotoxicity in rats.

The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and angiotensin II receptor blockage on the renal function by light microscopic and immunohistochemical findings in a rat model of tacrolimus nephrotoxicity. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight: G1 = control group; G2-G3, G4 = Tacrolimus (Tac) 1 mg/kg/d intraperitoneally (ip); G3 (Tac + Q) = ip Tac and peroral quinapril 10 mg/kg; and G4 (Tac + V) = Tac and valsartan 40 mg/d. Serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and creatinine clearance were measured before and at the end of the study period. Renal tissues were assessed for light microscopic findings of tacrolimus toxicity. Transforming growth factor-beta, VEGF, PDGF, BMP-7, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression were semiquantitatively scored after immunohistochemical staining. At the end of the study period serum BUN and creatinine levels were increased in all groups, but creatinine clearance was not significantly changed between the groups. Afferent arteriolopathy was significantly less pronounced in G3 versus G2 and G4. Interstial fibrosis was significantly less pronounced in G3 and G4 versus G2. TGF-beta, PDGF, and IL-6 expression were significantly increased in G2, G3, and G4 compared to G1, and in G2 compared to G3 and G4. BMP-7 expression was significantly decreased in G2, G3, and G4 compared to G1, whereas the differences between G2, G3, and G4 failed to reach statistical significance. In conclusion, the results of our study suggested that renin angiotensin inhibition down-regulates fibrogenic cytokine expression in rats displaying tacrolimus nephrotoxicity.

Animals↗

QT dispersion in hemodialysis and CAPD patients.

Prolongation of repolarization dispersion (QT interval dispersion) measured from the 12-lead surface ECG has been associated with sudden cardiac death and ventricular tachyarrhythmias in a variety of cardiac disorders. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on QT dispersion in end-stage renal disease patients. 20 chronic HD patients (mean age 57.75 +/- 13.79 years) and 20 CAPD patients (mean age 50.79 +/- 14.94 years) who had no complaints and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias as well as 20 healthy volunteers (mean age 48.74 +/- 10.88 years) underwent ECG testing. All HD patients were on bicarbonate three times weekly with cuprophane capillaries. 12-lead ECGs were recorded on the day after HD. The CAPD patients were on a standard CAPD program (four times daily with 2,000 cm(3) peritoneal fluid). ECGs were recorded when the patients were receiving their regular standard CAPD program. All ECGs were analyzed manually by one observer. There were no statistically significant differences in dialysis duration, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, calcium, and parathormone values between the HD and CAPD patients. The serum potassium values were significantly higher in HD patients when compared to CAPD patients. There was no difference in the mean of maximal QT among all three groups. The rate of QT interval dispersions was significantly higher in HD and CAPD patients as compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the QT dispersion rates between HD and CAPD patients. In conclusion, there is a tendency to cardiac arrhythmias in HD patients during the postdialysis period. Although CAPD patients are receiving dialysis daily, they also have higher rates of QT dispersions and accordingly a tendency to arrhythmias.

Adult↗

The Marmara earthquake: epidemiological analysis of the victims with nephrological problems.

BACKGROUND: Crush syndrome resulting from earthquakes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, as seen during the catastrophic Marmara earthquake that struck Northwestern Turkey in August 1999. This report analyzes the epidemiological characteristics of the crush syndrome victims of this disaster. METHODS: In order to analyze the nephrological problems caused by this earthquake, questionnaires were prepared within the first week of the disaster and sent to 35 reference hospitals that treated the victims. Data obtained by these questionnaires are the subject of this report. RESULTS: Of the 5302 hospitalized patients in reference hospitals, 639 (12.0%) suffered from nephrological problems, and 477 (9.0%) needed dialysis support. Considering the patients with renal problems, there was not any significant difference in gender; however, the incidence of children younger than 10 years and the older population (older than 60 years of age) was significantly lower as compared with the resident population of the affected area (P < 0.001). Nonsurvivors were older (34.5 +/- 16.1 years) than survivors (31.2 +/- 14.4 years, P = 0.048), while no deaths were recorded under the age of 10. Most patients (70.1%) were admitted within the first three days after the earthquake, and the mortality rate among these victims was higher (17.7%) as compared with victims admitted thereafter (10.0%, P = 0.016). The average time period under the rubble was 11.7 +/- 14.3 hours, which was not significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors, while the victims who required dialysis support spent shorter durations under the rubble, as compared with the ones who were not dialyzed at all (10.3 +/- 9.5 vs. 15.9 +/- 23.1 hours, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Victims of catastrophic earthquakes are characterized by a high incidence of renal problems and the need for dialysis support. The incidence of nephrological problems is lower in children, while the period of time under the rubble is not a prognostic indicator of survival.

Adolescent↗

Clinical evaluation of low dose intradermally administered hepatitis B vaccine: a comparison of plasma-derived and recombinant yeast-derived vaccines.

A study of the safety and immunogenicity of plasma-derived and yeast-derived recombinant hepatitis B vaccines administered by the intradermal route is reported. Three groups of medical students were inoculated intradermally at 0, 1 and 6 months with 2 micrograms of vaccine. Group 1 (n = 24) were administered plasma-derived vaccine (Green Cross HB-vaccine), group 2 (n = 21) yeast-derived recombinant vaccine (Engerix B), and group 3 (n = 13) two doses of plasma-derived vaccine with a third dose of yeast-derived vaccine. One month after administration of the third dose of vaccine, seroconversion rates in each of the three groups were 83, 100 and 92%, respectively, with anti-HBs geometric mean titres (GMT) of 329 IU l-1, 1390 IU l-1 and 1061 IU l-1. Although differences in seroconversion rates were not statistically significant, the GMT in group 1 was significantly lower than that in group 2 (p less than 0.01) and group 3 (p less than 0.05). The results presented show that intradermal administration of plasma-derived or yeast-derived vaccine, or a combination of the two, can provoke an effective immunogenic response to hepatitis B virus at approximately 10% of the cost of intramuscular vaccination. In this study administration of yeast-derived vaccine yielded better results than plasma-derived vaccine when administered by the intradermal route.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

Immunological studies in sickle cell disease: comparison of homozygote mild and severe variants.

Cellular and humoral immune functions in patients suffering from severe and mild forms of homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD) were compared with those of healthy control subjects. Random neutrophil migration, chemotactic activity, and lymphocyte transformation index were all defective in individuals with severe variants of SCD when compared with individuals with mild disease or healthy controls. In contrast, serum opsonization activity was significantly reduced in both severe and mild variants of SCD. There were no statistical differences between serum immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, and IgM) or complement C3 levels in any of the three groups. These results demonstrate that even though individuals with the mild variant of SCD possess two S genes, their immune functions are generally normal and in parallel with their clinical and hematological status. The one area of impaired immune function is their defective serum opsonization activity and this may explain their sensitivity to certain infections.

Adolescent↗

Antibody to intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton in patients with Behçet's disease.

Antibodies to 10-nm intermediate filaments (anti-IF) were determined in the sera of 30 patients with Behçet's disease (BD), in addition to C-reactive protein and C9, and an attempt has been made to determine whether the presence of anti-IF indicate disease activity. The vimentin type of anti-IF was found to be positive in 14 out of 30 patients with BD (47%), whereas it was positive in 35% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (20 cases), 16% of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (19 cases) and in only 9% of the normal controls. The anti-IF were predominantly IgG class and the titers in BD were significantly higher than those in normal controls. Out of the 14 patients with anti-IF, 10 showed significantly increased levels of serum C9 and 8 showed increased levels of CRP activity. Only one patient showed increased C9, but was negative for anti-IF and CRP. The presence of anti-IF in the patients' sera was found to be a more sensitive indicator, though not specific, for the clinical assessment of disease activity.

Antibody Specificity↗

The coincidence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and hemoglobin S gene in Cukurova Province, Turkey.

A total of 1,582 subjects from 10 villages of different ethnic populations were screened for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (GdB-, Mediterranean variant) and hemoglobin S gene, and the coincidence of both abnormalities was determined. Although the prevalence of both abnormalities was found to be highest in an Eti-Turk group living in the Tarsus area, coincidence was not significant. In a single village of Adana Eti-Turks, however, coincidence was found to be significant, although neither the frequency of G6PD deficiency nor the existence of hemoglobin S gene was highest in that village.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Cyclosporine-A induced nephrotoxicity is associated with decreased renal bone morphogenetic protein-7 expression in rats.

The aim of our study was to investigate bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) expression in a rat model of chronic cyclosporine (CsA) toxicity compare with healthy controls, as well as the influence of treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) quinapril. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into groups of eight animals treated with CsA (15 mg/kg intraperitoneally) for 8 weeks (CsA group) without or with quinapril (10 mg/kg per day in the drinking water: CsA group + Q) for comparison with healthy controls (H group). The renal tissues were examined by light microscopy for CsA toxicity; specifically, tubulointerstitial damage and afferent arteriolopathy as well as BMP-7 expression were semiquantitatively scored by immunohistochemical staining. Mean CsA levels were 1982 ng/mL and 1968 ng/mL for the CsA and CsA + Q groups, respectively. At the end of the study period, the mean serum creatinine levels were 0.8 +/- 0.2 mg/dL, 1.6 +/- 0.8 mg/dL, and 1.4 +/- 0.8 mg/dL for the H, CsA, and CsA + Q groups, respectively. Interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and afferent arteriolar hyalinization were present in the CsA group and, to a lesser degree, in the CsA + Q group, compared with the H group. CsA-treated rats displayed significantly decreased BMP-7 expression compared with healthy controls (P <.0005). BMP-7 expression was higher among the CsA + Q group than the the group CsA group. In a rat model histologic changes characteristic of CsA-induced nephrotoxicity are associated with decreased expression of BMP-7, which seems to be at least partially restored by ACE inhibition.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Angiotension converting enzyme inhibition and calcium channel blockage improves cyclosporine induced glucose intolerance in rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of quinapril, valsartan, and amlodipin on glucose tolerance in cyclosporine (CsA)-toxic rats. Among 40 male Wistar rats 32 were administered cyclosporine (CsA) (15 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 6 weeks. Quinapril (10 mg/kg per day) (group Q), valsartan (40 mg/kg per day) (group V), and amlodipine (10mg/kg per day) (group A) were administered to individual sets of eight CsA-treated animals via the drinking water with the remaining untreated hosts followed as a control group (group C) and 8 healthy controls (group H). A Glucose-tolerance test was performed by administering oral glucose (2 g/kg) followed by blood samples obtained from the tail vein at baseline as well as 30,60,90, and 120 minutes after the glucose load. Glucose area under the curve (AUC) was calculated according to the trapezoidal rule. CsA levels were determined using an immunofluorescence method. Kruskal Wallis ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. Median CsA levels were 1968 ng/mL, 1982 ng/mL, 1580 ng/mL, 1600 ng/mL; and glucose AUC, 232.4 +/- 130 mg/min per dL, 63.1 +/- 25 mg/min per dL, 115.0 +/- 90 mg/min per dL, 47.4 +/- 34 mg/min per dL 53.4 +/- 38 mg/min per dL for groups C,Q,V,A and H, respectively. Quinapril-treated and amilodipine-treated rats displayed a lower glucose AUC than group C (P <.01), which had higher glucose levels than healthy controls (P <.001). In summary, CsA treated rats show impaired glucose tolerance, which is improved by quinapril or amlodipine treatment. Angiotensin converting enzymes inhibitors and calcium channel blockers affect beta cell function rather than insulin sensitivity.

Administration, Oral↗