Haptoglobin is an abundant hemoglobin-binding protein present in the plasma. The function of haptoglobin is primarily to determine the fate of hemoglobin released from red blood cells after either intravascular or extravascular hemolysis. There are two common alleles at the Hp genetic locus denoted 1 and 2. There are functional differences between the Hp 1 and Hp 2 protein products in protecting against hemoglobin-driven oxidative stress that appear to have important clinical significance. In particular, individuals with the Hp 2-2 genotype and diabetes mellitus appear to be at significantly higher risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications. A pharmacogenomic strategy of administering high dose antioxidants specifically to Hp 2-2 DM individuals may be clinically effective.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common diseases in gastroenterology. However, neither the etiology nor the pathophysiology of the disease is fully understood and no specific or effective treatment has been developed. Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that cleaves heparan sulfate (HS) side chains of HS sulfate proteoglycans into shorter oligosaccharides, activity that is highly implicated in cellular invasion associated with cancer metastasis and inflammation. Given that AP involves a strong inflammatory aspect, we examined whether heparanase plays a role in AP. Here, we provide evidence that pancreatic heparanase expression and activity are significantly increased following cerulein treatment. Moreover, pancreas edema and inflammation, as well as the induction of cytokines and signaling molecules following cerulein treatment were attenuated markedly by heparanase inhibitors, implying that heparanase plays a significant role in AP. Notably, all the above features appear even more pronounced in transgenic mice over expressing heparanase, suggesting that these mice can be utilized as a sensitive model system to reveal the molecular mechanism by which heparanase functions in AP. Heparanase, therefore, emerges as a potential new target in AP, and heparanase inhibitors, now in phase I/II clinical trials in cancer patients, are hoped to prove beneficial also in AP.

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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical problem that still lacks effective treatment. Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors possess anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant properties, making it a promising therapy for ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of various organs. The present study evaluated the early nephroprotective effects of Tadalafil, a PDE5 inhibitor, in an experimental model of renal I/R. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: vehicle-treated I/R (n = 10), and Tadalafil (10 mg/kg po)-treated I/R group (n = 11). After removal of the right kidney and collection of two baseline urine samples, the left renal artery was clamped for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 60, 120, 180, and 240 min. Functional and histological parameters of the kidneys from the various groups were determined. In the vehicle-treated I/R group, glomerular filtration rate was significantly reduced compared with that in normal kidneys. In addition, the ischemic kidney showed remarkable cast formation, necrosis, and congestion, a consistent pattern of acute tubular necrosis. Furthermore, urinary excretion of NGAL and KIM-1, two novel biomarkers of kidney injury, substantially increased following I/R insult. In contrast, Tadalafil treatment resulted in a significant improvement in kidney function and amelioration of the adverse histological alterations of the ischemic kidney. Noteworthy, the urinary excretion of NGAL and KIM-1 markedly decreased in the Tadalafil-treated I/R group. These findings demonstrate that Tadalafil possesses early nephroprotective effects in rat kidneys subjected to I/R insult. This approach may suggest a prophylactic therapy for patients with ischemic AKI.

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