RESUMO
Arylsulfatase (ASA) enzyme deficiency is associated with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), which is a hereditary myelin metabolic disease. It has been proposed that in alcoholic subjects with abnormal ASA, the accumulation of sulfatides may lead to demyelinization and generalized cerebral atrophy. ASA may be diminished in subjects with alcoholic cirrhosis having encephalopathic manifestations. This idea has not been previously proposed. Leukocyte arylsulfatase A (ASA) activity was measured in 30 healthy male volunteers and 28 patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis with hepatic encephalopathy history and patients with alcoholic cirrhosis without history of hepatic encephalopathy. Alcoholic cirrhotic patients with history of encephalopathy showed 58.21% (40.95 nmol/mg protein/h) less enzymatic activity than a control group (98.00 nmol/mg protein/h), whereas the group without history of encephalopathy showed an ASA value which was 38.2% (60.55 nmol/mg protein/h) less than the control group. The results suggest that the low ASA activity is a factor associated to the appearance of encephalopathy in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
Assuntos
Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/análise , Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/deficiência , Encefalopatia Hepática/etiologia , Leucócitos/química , Leucócitos/enzimologia , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/complicações , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/enzimologia , Adulto , Idoso , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Doença Crônica , Encefalopatia Hepática/classificação , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/sangue , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/diagnóstico , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de Risco , Índice de Gravidade de DoençaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Entamoeba histolytica forms cyst-like structures (CLS) in PEHPS but not in TYS-33 medium. Sodium dodecyl sulfate [(SDS (0.1%)] dissolves most of them in 10 min, but not natural cysts. Chitin is responsible mainly for cyst wall resistance. Its synthesis depends on Mg(2)+, Mn(2)+, or Co(2)+, whose action is interactive. With the aid of the Simplex method, we analyzed the effect of 20 blends of these cations to find the one that, when added to PEHPS, produced the highest proportion of CLS resistant to 1% SDS (RCLS). METHODS: The concentration of Mg(2)+, Mn(2)+, and Co(2)+ was determined in PEHPS and TYI-S-33 with a flame atomic absorption spectrometer. The proportion of RCLS produced in PEHPS with each ion blend was tested. The CLS and RCLS affinity to fluorescein wheat germ agglutinin (WGA/FITC), which binds chitin, was determined. RESULTS: PEHPS contained a similar concentration of Co(2)+ (0.52 microM) and 3.4 and 1.6 times more Mg(2)+ (798 microM) and Mn(2)+ (3.15 microM) than TYI-S-33, respectively. The proportion of RCLS increased gradually in PEHPS until reaching 3.6 +/- 1.43% with MgCl(2) 1.22 mM, MnCl(2) 14.44 mM, and CoCl(2) 19.44 mM (ion blend No. 20). Both CLS and RCLS bound WGA/FITC. The RCLS formed in the presence of ion blend No. 20 appeared wrinkled. CONCLUSIONS: Mg(2)+, Mn(2)+, and Co(2)+ enhanced the ability of PEHPS to form RCLS, possibly because these ions stimulated their chitin synthesis. Although ion blend No. 20 produced the highest proportion of RCLS, this high ion concentration may be toxic for encysting amebas.
Assuntos
Cobalto/farmacologia , Entamoeba histolytica/efeitos dos fármacos , Magnésio/farmacologia , Manganês/farmacologia , Dodecilsulfato de Sódio/farmacologia , Animais , Quitina/biossíntese , Cobalto/análise , Meios de Cultura/farmacologia , Resistência a Medicamentos , Entamoeba histolytica/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Entamoeba histolytica/ultraestrutura , Magnésio/análise , Manganês/análise , Microscopia de FluorescênciaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to find the association between low arylsulfatase A (ASA) activity and psychiatric disorders in chronic alcoholic patients. METHODS: The study was carried out in 30 chronic alcoholic patients (27 male, 3 female); age range was 25-65 years. There were 20 normal controls (18 males, 2 females), and age range was 24-67 years. ASA and routine aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity laboratory tests were measured in blood serum from all patients and control subjects. RESULTS: Alcoholic patients with psychiatric disorders have ASA average values of 68.25 nmol/mL/4 h. This is less than averages found in the alcoholics without psychiatric disorders group (82.48 nmol/mL/4 h) and the control group (90.8 nmol/mL/4 h). There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups studied. Alcoholic subjects with elevated activity of AST and ALT (n = 10) have ASA activity average values of 134.82 nmol/mL/4 h), which is 48.8% higher than the control group (90.6 nmol/mL/4 h). These means show statistically significant differences (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate an association between low serum ASA activity and alcoholism. The appearance of psychiatric manifestations could be related to the low activity of this enzyme in chronic alcoholic patients. Alcoholic patients with elevated enzyme activity of AST and ALT in sera also have elevated sera arylsulfatase A (ASA) activity. We consider that these findings may be useful for evaluating the psychiatric state as a prognosis in chronic alcoholic patients, and should be a routine laboratory test in alcoholic patients.
Assuntos
Alcoolismo/enzimologia , Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/sangue , Ensaios Enzimáticos Clínicos , Transtornos Mentais/induzido quimicamente , Adulto , Idoso , Alanina Transaminase/sangue , Transtornos do Sistema Nervoso Induzidos por Álcool/diagnóstico , Transtornos do Sistema Nervoso Induzidos por Álcool/enzimologia , Alcoolismo/complicações , Alcoolismo/psicologia , Transtornos de Ansiedade/induzido quimicamente , Transtornos de Ansiedade/complicações , Transtornos de Ansiedade/enzimologia , Aspartato Aminotransferases/sangue , Transtorno Bipolar/complicações , Transtorno Bipolar/enzimologia , Feminino , Alucinações/induzido quimicamente , Alucinações/enzimologia , Humanos , Masculino , Transtornos Mentais/complicações , Transtornos Mentais/enzimologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Transtornos Paranoides/induzido quimicamente , Transtornos Paranoides/complicações , Transtornos Paranoides/enzimologia , PrognósticoRESUMO
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a degenerative disease caused by the deficiency of aryl sulfatase (ASA). It can course with psychiatric symptoms. We determined the prevalence of ASA deficiency in a group of 23 patients with presumable schizophrenia. The median serum ASA was 53.2 nmol/mL/h (range 3.3-152.5). Six patients (26%) showed low ASA activity (< 27.5 nmol/mL/h which is the lowest value observed in 29 normal controls); five of them had clinical history of delusions of grandeur, auditive hallucinations, multiple hospitalizations, low response to neuroleptics, and abnormal evoked potentials. It is probable that the schizophrenic symptoms in these patients may be due to the enzyme deficiency. We conclude that the assay is useful in clinical practice as it may help to identify cases of MLD in patients with suspected schizophrenia.
Assuntos
Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/deficiência , Leucodistrofia Metacromática/psicologia , Esquizofrenia/enzimologia , Adulto , Idoso , Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/sangue , Cerebrosídeo Sulfatase/genética , Criança , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Feminino , Humanos , Leucodistrofia Metacromática/diagnóstico , Leucodistrofia Metacromática/enzimologia , Leucodistrofia Metacromática/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Esquizofrenia/etiologiaAssuntos
Chumbo/sangue , População Rural , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Exposição Ambiental , Feminino , Humanos , Intoxicação por Chumbo/sangue , Masculino , México , RiscoRESUMO
Blood lead and erythrocyte zinc-protoporphyrin levels were studied in 45 male adults exposed to lead (traditional home-factory pottery) and compared with two control populations. These two variables are well correlated in all the studied populations. Delta-aminolevulinic acid levels in urine (ALA-U) were significantly higher in the exposed group. Hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit (Hc) values and clinical data were also considered. We conclude that the zinc-protoporphyrin method here used is a simple reliable field test of the selection of individuals who need more detailed clinical investigation.
Assuntos
Intoxicação por Chumbo/sangue , Chumbo/sangue , Doenças Profissionais/sangue , Porfirinas/sangue , Protoporfirinas/sangue , Adulto , Ácido Aminolevulínico/urina , Humanos , Intoxicação por Chumbo/diagnóstico , Masculino , México , Doenças Profissionais/diagnósticoRESUMO
Lead poisoning studies were carried out in the populations of two potter towns in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. The first population in Tonalá included 198 people who use lead monoxide (PbO) in making pottery. The second population in El Rosario included 187 people who do not use any lead salt in the pottery-making process. The studies included children, adolescents and adults of both sexes. Analyses for lead in the blood (Pb-B), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA U) were carried out. In the population exposed to lead, abnormally high lead concentrations in blood and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid were found in both sexes and in all age groups studied. When compared to the control group, the differences are statistically significant. The Hb and Ht results fell within the lower normal limits in both populations. No cases of acute lead poisoning were found, but the high amount of lead absorption in the Tonalá population may be caused by the rudimentary means of manufacturing their products.