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Aim. The transferrin cycle gained increased interest in recent years and it holds promise as an attractive system for strategies of drug targeting to tumors. Neoplasic cells exhibit a large demand of iron and therefore express highly transferrin receptors. As a consequence, transferrin conjugates can preferentially interact with cancer cells. This strategy is exploited nowadays for targeting novel anti-cancer drugs. Recent data showed that ruthenium (III) compounds possess antitumor and antimetastatic effects, due to their affinity for crucial biomolecules (like transferrin). Methods. The paper presents the transferrin-binding properties of some novel ruthenium (III) complexes with general formula RuL2(DMSO) mCl3·nH2O ((Ru-nf) L: norfloxacin (nf), m = 1, n = 1; (Ru-cpx) L: ciprofloxacin (cpx), m = 2, n = 2; (Ru-oflo) L: ofloxacin (oflo), m = 1, n = 1; (Ru-levo) L: levofloxacin (Levo), m = 2, n = 8; (Ru-pip) L: pipemidic acid (pip), m = 1, n = 2, DMSO: dimethylsulfoxide). We investigated, in vitro, the interactions of these ligands with human transferrin through spectroscopic techniques, with the ultimate goal of preparing adducts with good selectivity for cancer cells. Results. All studied complexes interact with human serum transferrin; the molar ratio [complex]/[transferrin] strongly influences the binding affinity. Conclusions. The best interaction between the complexes studied and transferrin is achieved for a molar ratio of 8; the best interaction was registered for Ru-pip, followed by Ru-nf

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily of proteins known to be involved in a large number of biological systems, plays a pivotal role in bone remodelling. In addition to the roles of OPG in bone metabolism, it has been reported to be associated with a high cardiovascular risk in patients with metabolic syndrome. In most cases, the exact functions of OPG remain to be established; however, the widespread expression of OPG suggests that this molecule may have multiple biological activities, mainly in the cardiometabolic environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of OPG as a predictive marker for cardiovascular and metabolic risk in osteoporotic patients. The study group comprised patients with osteoporosis, in order to evaluate the association between OPG serum levels and cardiovascular pathology. Our results revealed significant correlations between classical biochemical bone and metabolic parameters, such as osteocalcin and parathyroid hormone with lipid and glucose biomarkers, sustaining the crosstalk between calcium and bone parameters and cardiovascular risk. The OPG serum level proved to have a significant and independent predictive value for metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a cardiovascular risk standard in osteoporotic patients. The OPG serum levels were increased in patients with MetS as a protective response against the atherosclerotic lesions. The serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D had significant and independent predictive value for cardiovascular and metabolic risk in our subjects, sustaining the active role of vitamin D beyond the area of bone metabolism.

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AbbreviationsATP/ADP = adenosine-triphosphate/adenosine-diphosphate; ESP = erythrocytes' susceptibility to lipid peroxidation; FPG = fasting plasma glucose; G6PDH = glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; HbA1c = glycated hemoglobin; IDDM = insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; LDL = low density lipoproteins; MDA = malondialdehyde; NADP + /NADPH = nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidized/reduced; NIDDM = non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; NO = nitric oxide; NOS = nitric oxide synthase; PBMC = peripheral blood mononuclear cell; PBS = phosphate-buffered saline; PMS = phenazine methosulfate; RBC = red blood cell; ROS = reactive oxygen species; SOD = superoxide dismutase; TC = total cholesterol; TG = triglycerides; TMA-DPH = 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene ptoluensulfonate The present study aims at finding correlations between certain biochemical and biophysical blood parameters for diabetes patients, focusing on the antioxidant status of the red blood cells and the membrane fluidity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), the endothelial function and the risk of stable interaction between the leucocytes and the endothelium. For that purpose we evaluated blood samples from 32 diabetes patients compared to a control group of 10 subjects for erythrocytes' enzymatic activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and of superoxide dismutase, their susceptibility to lipid peroxidation, the plasma nitric oxide stable end products level and the PBMC membrane fluidity. Our results showed that the erythrocytes' antioxidant mechanisms and the PBMC membrane fluidity are impaired under chronic hyperglycemic conditions. Since microvascular complications of diabetes are mainly determined by redox mechanisms, the evaluation of these parameters might help in characterizing the risk of vascular complication for diabetes patients.