ALBERT

Description: Introduction Refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS), as a form of acquired primary sideroblastic anemia, represents about 11% of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and is classified as a low risk MDS. It´s defined by the WHO as a pure dyserythropoietic disorder with presence of 〉15% ringed sideroblasts in the bone marrow. Abnormal expression of several genes of heme synthesis in this MDS subgroup and excessive accumulation of iron especially in mitochondria, the main place of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, contributes to the elevated oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is also known as one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of MDS. High iron concentrations catalyse a Fenton reaction, where a hydroxyl radical is produced from hydrogen peroxide and causes an increase in ROS which may lead to the oxidation of DNA, lipids, and proteins, thereby causing cell damage. The aim of this study was to find a useful method for detection and identification of oxidatively modified proteins in plasma unique for RARS patients. Methods Carbonylated protein levels were determined spectrophotometrically using dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) derivatization. Oxidatively modified proteins of plasma samples were derivatized with biotin hydrazide. The dialyzed biotin hydrazide labeled samples and negative controls were mixed with monomeric avidin resin. Captured carbonylated proteins were digested by trypsin and then identified by MS/MS mass spectrometry coupled to a nano-LC system. Mascot (Matrix Science, London, UK) was used for database searching (Swiss-Prot). Two unique peptides (with a higher Mascot score than the minimum for identification, P

Description: Background Cardiovascular diseases are linked with oxidative stress which is the source of reactive oxidative and nitrative species, contributors of post-translational modification. Fibrinogen due to its high concentration in blood is considered as one of the most sought of targets of oxidative stress substances. Post-translational modifications of fibrinogen might influence its physiological function, thus affect hemostasis in the terms of fibrin nets forming and architecture or interaction with platelets. The aim of this study was to observe influence of in vivo fibrinogen modifications on formation of fibrin net and to identify amino acid residues prone to changes related to oxidative stress. Methods Plasma samples were collected from patients of The Military University Hospital Prague in the agreement with ethical committees of participating institutions and with informed consents from all subjects. Samples were divided into 4 groups: patients with acute coronary syndrome (A), patients with stroke (B), patients with thrombus localized in carotid vein (C) and control group (patients without coronary atherosclerosis; D). Fibrin net architecture was studied by scanning electron microscopy (Mira 3 LMH, Tescan Orsay Holding, a.s., Brno, Czech Republic). For identification of modified amino acids residue mass spectroscopy was used (Triple TOF 6600, Sciex). Molecular dynamics simulations of hydrated protein were performed in Gromacs software with Gromos force fields. Crystal structure 3GHG was used as a reference structure to which post-translational modifications were introduced manually in Yasara View. Results We found extensive both qualitative and quantitative changes in the structure of fibrinogen molecule in all groups of patients. Oxidative stress level differed among patient groups and between the control group. Different oxidative changes caused by in vivo modifications of fibrinogen affected quite distinctly the architecture of fibrin net. Modified amino acids were detected in all three fibrinogen chains. In gamma chain the localisation of modified amino acid residues correlated with the part of fibrinogen important for fibrin polymerisation. The impact of the most pronounced post-translational modifications on the secondary structure of fibrinogen was described by molecular dynamics simulations. Conclusions The results show that the degree of impairment of fibrinogen functions in the cardiovascular diseases is related to the level of oxidative stress. Characterization of oxidative fibrinogen modification and its precise meaning to the function of fibrinogen in hemostasis appears to be extremely helpful to better understanding of thrombotic/bleeding complications linked with various cardiovascular diseases. Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic, no. 00023736, by the Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic no. P205/12/G118 and NV18-08-00149, by ERDF OPPK CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24001 and by the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic (project AIIHHP: CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_025/0007428, OP RDE, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports). Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Description: Introduction: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogenous group of oncohematologic diseases, characterized by bone marrow hypercellularity, dysplasia of myeloid lineage cells, peripheral cytopenias, and an increased risk of evolution to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Pathophysiology of MDS is not fully understood, however it has been described that oxidative stress plays an important role in initiation and disease progression. Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance between prooxidative and antioxidative processes that prefers the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) over an antioxidant defence. The association between MDS and oxidative stress was discussed in several studies, where functional mitochondrial abnormalities in MDS patients have been demonstrated as one of the possible sources of oxidative stress. Another mechanism could be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction via iron overloading, mitochondrial DNA mutation, systemic inflammation, and bone marrow stromal defects. Protein carbonylation is ROS-mediated protein oxidation and it is defined as an irreversible post-translational oxidative modification. The detection of protein carbonyl groups is a specific useful marker of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of carbonylated proteins in plasma of MDS patients resp. in plasma of individual subtype of MDS patients and evaluate changes of carbonylated plasma proteome in MDS patients compared with healthy controls. Methods: The content of protein carbonyls was measured after derivatization with dinitrophenylhydrazine by monitoring absorbance between 250 and 500nm. Carbonylated proteins of plasma samples were purified after reaction with biotin hydrazide. The negative controls were processed using the exact same procedure, except biotin hydrazide labeling. The dialyzed biotin hydrazide labeled samples and the negative controls were isolated using monomeric avidin resin. All the samples were prepared in doublets. One part of samples was used for the on bead tryptic digestion and the second part of samples was separated by SDS-PAGE after eluation with Laemmli buffer. The obtained carbonylated proteins were identified by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results: We have examined 32 patients with different MDS subtype (10 patients RAEB-1,2; 12 RCMD; 10 RARS) and 20 healthy controls. Diagnoses of different subgroups of MDS were established according to the WHO classification criteria. The median age of patients group was 64,5 and presented 17 males (57 %); the median age of healthy controls group was 43 and presented 10 males (50 %). We have found significantly (P