Glucocorticoids (GC) are used widely for the treatment of patients with various disorders, including autoimmune diseases, allergies, and lymphoproliferative disorders. Glucocorticoid therapy is often limited by several adverse reactions associated with GC excess. Excess GC can elicit a variety of symptoms and signs, including growth retardation in children; immunosuppression; cardiovascular disorders like hypertension and atherosclerosis; osteoporosis; myopathy; and diabetes mellitus. Currently, attention is focused on oxidative stress as one of the major determinants of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular senescence. The main reason for all unwanted effects of GC is that dexamethasone induces the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, causing dysregulation of physiological processes. Humans and animals with GC-induced hypertension exhibit reduced nitric oxide levels; patients with excess GC levels also suffer from depression as a consequence of low levels of serotonin and melatonin. The common cofactor for the production of these vasoactive molecules is tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is required for nitric oxide synthesis.

Vitamin D and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma (BA); however, precise mechanisms by which vitamin D reduces the inflammation and the role of VDR SNPs in BA are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to examine the possible associations of FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI SNPs with BA. A total of 168 subjects were screened for VDR SNPs using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The obtained results showed statistically significant differences in the distribution of FokI genotypes (df = 2; P = 0.008) and alleles (P = 0.002; OR = 0.446; 95%CI = 0.264-0.752) between patients and controls. Distributions of BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI genotypes and alleles did not show statistical differences. BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the whole studied group, as well as in BA patients and controls. The strongest LD was observed between BsmI and TaqI (r = 0.69 for all subjects in the study; r = 0.75 in BA; r = 0.64 in controls), while lower values of LD were observed for BsmI and ApaI, and ApaI and TaqI SNPs. This is the first study that examined the association of VDR SNPs (FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI) in Serbian patients with BA indicating protective effect of FF genotype and F allele of FokI SNP on BA development. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3986-3992, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including those in CNS. In this study, plasma values of MMP-3 and MMP-9 have been compared in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients during their acute attacks, in relation to the biological activity of disease. Therefore, we compared the MMPs plasma values regarding Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), progression index of disease (PID), acute brain lesion volume seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and index of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability destruction. The obtained results demonstrated higher plasma values of MMPs in both study groups than control values (p < 0.05). No statistical significances have been detected comparing the obtained values of both enzymes between CIS and RRMS group (p > 0.05). In both CIS and RRMS groups, the patients with higher EDSS showed higher MMPs plasma values (p < 0.05). The MMPs values were also significantly higher in both study patients with higher total number comparing to those with lower number of MRI brain lesion (p < 0.05) (beyond MMP-3 in RRMS). All obtained correlations, between MMPs and EDSS, PID, volume of MRI Gd-enhancement brain lesions, and index of BBB permeability, were positive (p < 0.05.) This study demonstrates alterations of both tested MMPs with closed correlation with the disease biological activity. Although MMPs are being implicated in the pathogenesis of acute neuroinflammation, the MMPs modulation might be useful in the future design of disease modifying therapy with the specific target profile.

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