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Serum vanadium levels have been measured by neutron activation analysis. They are higher (3.10 +/- 1.38 ng/mL) in patients suffering depressive illness than in normal subjects (0.67 +/- 0.32 ng/mL).

BACKGROUND Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a frequent condition of unknown origin in Sahelian West Africa. OBJECTIVE To identify the nutritional and trace-elements status, plasma concentrations of albumin, pre-albumin (trans-thyretin), retinol binding protein, copper, selenium and zinc were assayed in 35 African women living in a Sahelian area, hospitalized in the Hopital national, Niamey (Republic of Niger) with peripartum cardiac failure due to peripartum cardiomyopathy. METHODS Plasma albumin was assayed by an automatic method; pre-albumin and retinol binding protein by radial immunodiffusion (Mancini's method); and plasma copper, selenium and zinc by neutron activation and particle-induced X-ray emission. The results were compared with those for a control group of African women living under the same conditions but without peripartum cardiac failure. RESULTS Plasma albumin and pre-albumin were lower in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy than they were in controls (P < 0.001). For retinol binding protein, the difference was not statistically significant. The plasma concentrations of selenium and zinc were lower in patients than they were in controls (48 +/- 25 versus 77 +/- 16 ng/ml and 0.90 +/- 0.21 versus 1.17 +/- 0.25 micrograms/ml, respectively, P < 0.001) whereas that of copper was higher (2.03 +/- 0.37 versus 1.23 +/- 0.20 micrograms/ml, P < 0.001). The mean zinc: copper ratio was lower in patients than it was in controls (0.44 versus 0.95). CONCLUSION Such differences may be aetiological factors or biological consequences of the peripartum cardiac failure due to cardiomyopathy. Nutritional abnormalities may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease.

To investigate the effects of selenium or beta-carotene supplementation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, who are known to have deficiencies of selenium and vitamin A, we evaluated the blood enzymatic antioxidant system, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), selenodependent glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (Cat); glutathione (GSH) status; and plasma selenium concentration. The placebo group consisted of 18 HIV-infected patients with no supplementation, the selenium group was composed of 14 patients receiving oral selenium treatment, and the beta-carotene group comprised 13 patients receiving oral beta-carotene supplementation. All groups were studied for 1 y. At the beginning of the study, a significantly higher SOD activity (P < 0.001) was observed in all HIV-infected patients compared with uninfected control subjects, and GPX activity at baseline was higher in the placebo (P < 0.004) and selenium (P < 0.014) groups than in the control subjects. These higher enzyme activities could be related to an increased synthesis of these enzymes in erythrocyte precursors under oxidative stress. Moreover, we observed significantly lower GSH values in all HIV-infected patients than in control subjects at the beginning of the study (P < 0.001). After selenium or beta-carotene supplementation, no significant difference was observed for SOD activity compared with baseline. On the contrary, GPX activity increased significantly after selenium treatment (P < 0.04 between 3 and 6 mo), whereas a slight increase was found after beta-carotene treatment. Similarly, a significant increase in GSH values was observed at 12 mo compared with baseline both after selenium supplementation (P < 0.001) and beta-carotene supplementation (P < 0.01). Because GPX and GSH play an important role in the natural enzymatic defense system in detoxifying hydrogen peroxide in water, selenium supplementation could be of great interest in protecting cells against oxidative stress. The lower efficiency of beta-carotene could be attributed to the seriousness of the pathology at the time of recruitment into the beta-carotene group.

Peripartum heart failure due to unexplained dilated cardiomyopathy is a common disorder as Savannak-Sahelian Africa. One of the many suspected risk factors identified is selenium deficiency. The purpose of this study was to measure plasma selenium levels in patients with peripartum heart failure due to cardiomyopathy in Bamako, Republic of Mali and compare data with healthy Sahalian women with the same obstetrical status. Plasma selenium was measured in a patient group consisting of 28 Malian women presenting peripartum heart failure and in a control group of 28 healthy breast-feeding Nigerien women of comparable age. The criteria for matching the two groups was parity (similar number of deliveries) since multiparity is a risk factor for peripartum cardiomyopathy. The Wilcoxon test (nonparametric) was used to compare the 2 groups considering up value0.05 as significant. Plasma selenium was significantly lower in patients from Mali than in controls from Niger (65 +/- 17 ng/ml vs. 78 +/- 17 ng/ml, p = 0.01). The results of this study showing lower plasma selenium in Bamako patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy than in a matching healthy control population confirms the previous data from the Niamey study.

Cardiac-related death of HIV-positive patients is not rare. The etiology of AIDS-associated dilated cardiomyopathies often remains unknown, even at autopsy. We report an observation associated to a severe deficit in selenium. The patient had been diagnosed as HIV-positive 2 years before. He presented Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia then Cryptococcus meningitis. Two months later he was hospitalized for pancreatitis and cachexia. He presented global heart failure that lead to death. No microorganism was found in myocardium at autopsy but plasma selenium was dramatically decreased (24 micrograms/L). The deficit in selenium has been associated to a dilated cardiomyopathy in non-AIDS patients. HIV-positive patients have an early decrease in plasma selenium, this concentration is dramatically decreased in malnourished patients. Selenium deficit might be the cause of some of the AIDS-related dilated cardiomyopathies and selenium supplementation might be useful in these patients.

Platinum and trace metal distributions of a human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line, IGROV1, and a subline resistant to the antitumor agent cisplatin were compared using nuclear microprobe analysis. The cisplatin-resistant cell line IGROV1-DDP exhibited a cytologically heterogeneous cell population. Two subpopulations were distinguished, small mononuclear cells, morphologically similar to the parental cells IGROV1, and enlarged polynuclear cells. Quantitative mapping of platinum and essential trace metal such as manganese, iron, copper and zinc was performed at the cellular level. Elemental maps were obtained with 2 mu m spatial resolution. Platinum appeared uniformly distributed within the cells, in all cell types. The same was true for copper and zinc. In some cases, iron maps showed preferential localization in the perinuclear region, especially in IGROV1-DDP polynuclear cells. Cisplatin resistance was associated with decreased platinum and iron concentrations and increased levels of copper and zinc. Decreased drug accumulation was encountered in both subpopulations of the resistant cell line. In contrast, high inter-individual variation of copper content was noticed in this cell line suggesting that in vitro cisplatin selection of human ovarian adenocarcinoma resistant cells can bring about the emergence of distinct cellular phenotypes.

The effect of the addition of MgCl(2) and of taurine on the concentration and distribution of ions, present in physiological fluid, in epithelial (EL) and compact (CL) layers of the human amniotic membrane has been investigated using the Bordeaux nuclear microprobe. Particle induced X-ray emission and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry techniques had been used to provide quantitative measurements. In physiological medium (Hanks' solution), the monovalent ions (Na+, K+, Cl-) concentrations were identical in both layers. This data indicates that the compact layer acts as a buffer which fix minerals. Mg(2)+, Ca(2)+ and phosphorus levels were higher in EL than in CL. The addition of MgCl(2) in Hanks' solution induced a decrease of the monovalent ions concentration in both layers except Na+ level in EL which remained constant, an increase of the Mg(2)+ level in both layers while the Ca(2)+ and phosphorus remained constant. Addition of taurine in the Hanks' solution implicated several observations: taurine had no effect on the Na+, Mg(2)+, Ca(2)+ and phosphorus levels in EL and CL, but decreased the K+ and Cl- concentrations in both layers. The quantitative results may be related to electrophysiological observations on ionic exchanges through channels and paracellular pathways. The nuclear microanalysis processing may be of great interest to explain pregnancies complicated by poly or oligohydramnios.

The effect of the addition of MgCl2 on the Na+, K+, and Cl- concentration and distribution in epithelial and compact layers of the human amniotic membrane was investigated using the Bordeaux nuclear microprobe. Particle-induced X-ray emission and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry techniques were used to provide quantitative measurements. In physiological medium (Hanks' solution), the monovalent ion concentrations were identical in both layers. The addition of Mg2+ ions in Hanks' solution induced a decrease of, K+, and Cl- concentration in both layers and, Na+ concentration in the compact layer. The results obtained from nuclear microanalysis might be explained from electrophysiological data which indicate that the addition of Mg2+ ions results in an increase in the cellular, paracellular and exchanger ion pathways.

Objective: To investigate red blood cell (RBC) and plasma fatty acids (FA) in HIV-positive patients in relation to oxidative stress and nutritional or immunologiical status. Design and Methods: FA, plasma selenium, vitamins A and E were measured in 95 patients divided into four groups according to CD4 cells. Results: Poly- and di-unsaturated FA (PUFA, DUFA) decreased and saturated FA (SFA) increased in RBC in the patients below 400/mm3 and in plasma in the patients below 50/mm3 RBC SFA correlated to CD4 cells, PUFA to MDA. Unlike vitamin E, plasma vitamin A and selenium decreased in most groups. Plasma SFA and MUFA correlated negatively to selenium and PUFA and DUFA to vitamin E. No correlation was found between PUFA and nutritional markers. Conclusion: FA seem to be modified during HIV infection by oxidative stress and disease evolution, but not by denutrition.

We have measured the fatty acid (FA) composition of erythrocyte membranes and plasma anti-oxidants in HIV+ patients. Saturated FA are higher and poly-unsaturated FA lower than in controls (P = 0.02). Selenium (Se) is lower in patients less than 400 CD4 cells/mm3 (P = 0.002). Vitamin A is lower in the HIV+ regardless of the CD4 cell count. Se and vitamin A are correlated to nutritional markers (body mass index and albumin).

We have measured TNF-alpha and interferon alpha in 95 HIV positive patients and 20 healthy subjects. TNF-alpha was higher in the HIV+ patients (P = 0.0001) and was correlated to the CD4 cell count (P = 0.02) and cholesterol (negatively) (P = 0.04). Interferon-alpha was correlated to the wasting syndrome (P = 0.002), hypertriglyceridemia (P = 0.004) and haematocrit (P = 0.04).

A specific selenium deficiency is a risk factor for Keshan disease, an endemic cardiomyopathy observed in China. In a Sahelian area of Niger, plasma selenium concentration was measured by neutronic activation and particle induced X-ray emission in 35 black African women with peripartum cardiomyopathy and 36 breast-feeding women without cardiac failure as controls. The plasma selenium concentration in patients was lower (48 +/- 25 ng/ml, mean +/- standard deviation) than in controls (77 +/- 16 ng/ml) (P less than 0.0001). Moreover, 40% (14/35) patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy had very low plasma selenium concentrations, below 45 ng/ml, versus none in controls. A low plasma selenium concentration is a risk factor for the Sahelian peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Antioxidant status can be evaluated by blood selenium, vitamins A and E. The level of selenium was determined in whole blood, erythrocytes and plasma of 170 French people (70-95 years old) healthy and with intercurrent illness, by using PIXE (proton-induced X-ray emission analysis). These results are discussed with other values from the literature. Plasma levels of vitamins A and E have been measured by HPLC. All data were compared with those obtained for younger subjects. Healthy elderly people residing in a geriatric home received selenium supplements during 1 month. The influence of this supplementation brought to light a deficiency for this trace element. The correlation of aging and nutritional requirements with immune function, heart and cancer death rate is presented and discussed.

Depressive states are associated with various clinical or biochemical anomalies, some of which are considered to be signs or indicators ot depression (Extein et al. 1981: Harrison et al. 1984). Several studies have suggested that vanadium may play an important role in depresalve states by regulating the activny of the ubiquitous enzyme. Na-K-ATPasc. thereby directly affecting the activity of the membrane sodium pumps at either the peripheral level (Naylor and Smith 198 I) or the brain (Robinson 198 I ). The amount of work that has been carried out on the subject of vanadium and depressive illness has undoubtedly been limited by the major technical difficulties involved in the measurement of small concentrations of vanadium in bioloplcal media. as the values obtained are strongly dependent on the method employed. In this preliminary study. wc attempted to determine whether or not differences in serum vanadium levels could be detected in patients suffering from various forms of depression compared with normal subjects. The vanadium determinations were carried out at P. Siie Labo

Recent measurements have demonstrated that plasma chromium levels in patients with coronary artery disease are very much lower than in normal subjects. A review of the literature concerning the physiological functions of chromium (or GTF) shows it to be implicated in most of the known factors of cardiovascular risk, via its effect on insulin levels and activities. Chromium deficiency leads to impaired lipid and glucide metabolism and results in high circulating insulin levels, the probable consequences of which suggest that chromium deficiency may be a primary risk factor in cardiovascular disease.

Vanadium concentrations have been measured in the serum of 23 healthy subjects by neutron activation analysis, with post-irradiation chemical separation. The values obtained fall in a fairly narrow range (260-1300 ng/L, mean 670 ng/L), which suggests a physiological role for this element. We checked the method by analysis of standard (U.S. National Bureau of Standards) water samples and serum samples supplemented with 48V, and we found excellent agreement with expected results in both cases. We consider the reported results for human serum to be more reliable than those obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy.