Papers by Belen Mijares Romero
Free Radical Research, 2002
Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels are increased in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected c... more Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels are increased in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children, as it happens also in infected adult individuals. Introduction of high activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has promoted an intense decline in morbidity and mortality of these patients. Here we present data on the effect of HAART on serum MDA of HIV+ children and compare them with levels prior to HAART. MDA levels reflect, as other markers do, the HAART-induced clinical improvement and probably also the pro-oxidant/antioxidant side effects of the different drugs used. The results herein allow the proposal of including serum MDA levels as an additional parameter for the clinical management of HIV+ children.
Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 2000
It is known that b-amyloid peptide (Ab) contributes to the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disea... more It is known that b-amyloid peptide (Ab) contributes to the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and operates through activation of an apoptotic pathway. Apoptotic signal is driven by a family of cysteine proteases called caspases. The b-amyloid precursor protein (APP) is directly and efficiently cleaved by caspases during apoptosis, resulting in elevated b-amyloid peptide formation. Cerebellar neurons from rat pups were treated with the aged Ab 25-35 at 1 and 5 mM and fluorescence assays of caspase activity performed over 4 days. We observed an increase in caspase activity after 48 h treatment in both 1 and 5 mM treated cells, then (72-96 h) caspase activity decreased to control values. The data presented support the hypothesis that Ab 25-35-induced apoptosis is mediated by the activation of Caspase-3 and that this is a transient effect.
Neurochemical Research, 2000
Treatment with the antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or the azo dye Sudan III during two... more Treatment with the antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or the azo dye Sudan III during two weeks led to changes in the brain enzymatic antioxidant defense of Syrian golden hamsters. BHA was able to induce liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) 2-fold but had no effect on the brain SOD activity, whereas SOD activity was reduced to 50% in brain and remained unchanged
Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 2002
This study was aimed at examining the role of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species in a model of ... more This study was aimed at examining the role of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species in a model of experimental uveitis upon intravitreal injection of bacterial endotoxin to albino New Zealand rabbits. The inflammatory response was evaluated in terms of: (i) the integrity of the blood aqueous barrier (protein and cell content in samples of aqueous humor), (ii) histopathological changes of the eyes, (iii) clinical evaluation (with a score index based on clinical symptoms), and (iv) the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), in aqueous humor, as a marker of oxidative stress. Betamethasone was used as reference treatment, superoxide dismutase as quencher of superoxide anion, L-N G-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-esther (L-NAME) and chlorpromazine as nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, and ebselen, a glutathione peroxidase mimic, as peroxynitrite reductant. All the substances were injected subconjunctivally to the rabbits immediately after the intravitreal endotoxin injection. Ebselen was the only treatment able to decrease MDA concentration to control values, exerting an effect similar to that elicited by L-NAME on the rest of the parameters tested. The data presented render ebselen a notable choice for the treatment of uveitis, with implications for clinical trials.
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Papers by Belen Mijares Romero