Effect of trolox C on cardiac contracture induced by hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) perfused into the aorta of the isolated rat heart induces a positive inotropic effect, with cardiac arrhythmia such as extrasystolic potentiation or cardiac contractures, depending on the dose. The last effect is similar to the "stone heart" observed in reperfusion injury and may be ascribed to lipoperoxidation (LPO) of the membrane lipids, to protein damage, to reduction of the ATP level, to enzymatic alterations and to cardioactive compounds liberated by LPO. These effects may result in calcium overload of the cardiac fibers and contracture ("stone heart"). Hearts from male Wistar rats (300-350 g) were perfused at 31oC with Tyrode, 0.2 mM trolox C, 256 mM H2O2 or trolox C + H2O2. Cardiac contractures (baseline elevation of the myograms obtained) were observed when hearts were perfused with H2O2 (Tyrode: 5.9 ± 3.2; H2O2: 60.5 ± 13.9% of the initial value); perfusion with H2O2 increased the LPO of rat heart homogenates measured by chemiluminescence (Tyrode: 3,199 ± 259; H2O2: 5,304 ± 133 cps mg protein-1 60 min-1), oxygen uptake (Tyrode: 0.44 ± 0.1; H2O2: 3.2 ± 0.8 nmol min-1 mg protein-1) and malonaldehyde (TBARS) formation (Tyrode: 0.12 ± 0; H2O2: 0.37 ± 0.1 nmol/ml). Previous perfusion with 0.2 mM trolox C reduced the LPO (chemiluminescence: 4,098 ± 531), oxygen uptake (0.51 ± 0) and TBARS (0.13 ± 0) but did not prevent the H2O2-induced contractures (33.3 ± 16%). ATP (Tyrode: 2.84 ± 0; H2O2: 0.57 ± 0) and glycogen levels (Tyrode: 0.46 ± 0; H2O2: 0.26 ± 0) were reduced by H2O2. Trolox did not prevent these effects (ATP: 0.84 ± 0 and glycogen: 0.27 ± 0). Trolox C is known to be more effective than a -tocopherol or g -tocopherol in reducing LPO though it lacks the phytol portion of vitamin E to be fixed to the cell membranes. Trolox C, unlike vitamin A, did not prevent the glycogen reduction induced by H2O2. Trolox C induced a positive chronotropic effect that resulted in higher energy consumption. The reduction of energy level seemed to be more important than LPO in the mechanism of H2O2-induced contracture

c-Fos expression induced by electroacupuncture at the Zusanli point in rats submitted to repeated immobilization

In laboratory animals, acupuncture needs to be performed on either anesthetized or, if unanesthetized, restrained subjects. Both procedures up-regulate c-Fos expression in several areas of the central nervous system, representing therefore a major pitfall for the assessment of c-Fos expression induced by electroacupuncture. Thus, in order to reduce the effect of acute restraint we used a protocol of repeated restraint for the assessment of the brain areas activated by electroacupuncture in adult male Wistar rats weighing 180-230 g. Repeated immobilization protocols (6 days, 1 h/day and 13 days, 2 h/day) were used to reduce the effect of acute immobilization stress on the c-Fos expression induced by electroacupuncture at the Zusanli point (EA36S). Animals submitted to immobilization alone or to electroacupuncture (100 Hz, 2-4 V, faradic wave) in a non-point region were compared to animals submitted to electroacupuncture at EA36S (4 animals/subgroup). c-Fos expression was measured in 41 brain areas by simple counting of cells and the results are reported as number of c-Fos-immunoreactive cells/10,000 µm². The protocols of repeated immobilization significantly reduced the immobilization-induced c-Fos expression in most of the brain areas analyzed (P < 0.05). Animals of the EA36S groups had significantly higher levels of c-Fos expression in the dorsal raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus, posterior hypothalamus and central medial nucleus of the thalamus. Furthermore, the repeated immobilization protocols intensified the differences between the effects of 36S and non-point stimulation in the dorsal raphe nucleus (P < 0.05). These data suggest that high levels of stress can interact with and mask the evaluation of specific effects of acupuncture in unanesthetized animals.

Hereditary motor and autonomic neuronopathy 1 maps to chromosome 20q13.2-13.3

The spinal muscular atrophies (SMA) or hereditary motor neuronopathies result from the continuous degeneration and death of spinal cord lower motor neurons, leading to progressive muscular weakness and atrophy. We describe a large Brazilian family exhibiting an extremely rare, late-onset, dominant, proximal, and progressive SMA accompanied by very unusual manifestations, such as an abnormal sweating pattern, and gastrointestinal and sexual dysfunctions, suggesting concomitant involvement of the autonomic nervous system. We propose a new disease category for this disorder, `hereditary motor and autonomic neuronopathy', and attribute the term, `survival of motor and autonomic neurons 1' (SMAN1) to the respective locus that was mapped to a 14.5 cM region on chromosome 20q13.2-13.3 by genetic linkage analysis and haplotype studies using microsatellite polymorphic markers. This locus lies between markers D20S120 and D20S173 showing a maximum LOD score of 4.6 at D20S171, defining a region with 33 known genes, including several potential candidates. Identifying the SMAN1 gene should not only improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying lower motor neuron diseases but also help to clarify the relationship between motor and autonomic neurons.

Effect of hepatitis C serology on C-reactive protein in a cohort of Brazilian hemodialysis patients

Hepatitis C (HCV) is not an uncommon feature in hemodialysis (HD) patients and may be a cause of systemic inflammation. Plasma cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is mainly produced by circulating and peripheral cells and induces the hepatic synthesis of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is the main acute phase reactant. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of HCV on two markers of systemic inflammation, serum CRP and IL-6, in HD patients. The study included 118 HD patients (47% males, age 47 ± 13 years, 9% diabetics) who had been treated by standard HD for at least 6 months. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence (HCV+) or absence (HCV-) of serum antibodies against HCV. Serum albumin (S-Alb), plasma high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), IL-6, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured and the values were compared with those for 22 healthy controls. Median hsCRP and IL-6 values and hsCRP/IL-6 ratio were: 3.5 vs 2.1 mg/l, P < 0.05; 4.3 vs 0.9 pg/ml, P < 0.0001, and 0.8 vs 2.7, P < 0.0001, for patients and controls, respectively. Age, gender, S-Alb, IL-6 and hsCRP did not differ between the HCV+ and HCV- patients. However, HCV+ patients had higher ALT (29 ± 21 vs 21 ± 25 IU/l) and had been on HD for a longer time (6.1 ± 3.0 vs 4.0 ± 2.0 years, P < 0.0001). Moreover, HCV+ patients had a significantly lower median hsCRP/IL-6 ratio (0.7 vs 0.9, P < 0.05) compared to the HCV- group. The lower hsCRP/IL-6 ratio in HCV+ patients than in HCV- patients suggests that hsCRP may be a less useful marker of inflammation in HCV+ patients and that a different cut-off value for hsCRP for this population of patients on HD may be required to define inflammation.

Dialysis water treated by reverse osmosis decreases the levels of C-reactive protein in uremic patients

Atherosclerosis is a major complication of chronic renal failure. Microinflammation is involved in atherogenesis and is associated with uremia and dialysis. The role of dialysate water contamination in inducing inflammation has been debated. Our aim was to study inflammatory markers in patients on chronic dialysis, before and 3 to 6 months after switching the water purification system from deionization to reverse osmosis. Patients had demographic, clinical and nutritional information collected and blood drawn for determination of albumin, ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in both situations. Acceptable levels of water purity were less than 200 colony-forming units of bacteria and less than 1 ng/ml of endotoxin. Sixteen patients died. They had higher median CRP (26.6 vs 11.2 mg/dl, P = 0.007) and lower median albumin levels (3.1 vs 3.9 g/l, P < 0.05) compared to the 31 survivors. Eight patients were excluded because of obvious inflammatory conditions. From the 23 remaining patients (mean age ± SD: 51.3 ± 13.9 years), 18 had a decrease in CRP after the water treatment system was changed. Overall, median CRP was lower with reverse osmosis than with deionization (13.2 vs 4.5 mg/l, P = 0.022, N = 23). There was no difference in albumin, cytokines, subjective global evaluation, or clinical and biochemical parameters. In conclusion, uremic patients presented a clinically significant reduction in CRP levels when dialysate water purification system switched from deionization to reverse osmosis. It is possible that better water treatments induce less inflammation and eventually less atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.

Distribution of the human leukocyte antigen class II alleles in Brazilian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global medical problem. The current standard of treatment consists of the combination of peginterferon plus ribavirin. This regimen eradicates HCV in 55% of cases. The immune response to HCV is an important determinant of disease evolution and can be influenced by various host factors. HLA class II may play an important role in immune response against HCV. The objective of the present study was to determine the distribution of HLA class II (DRB1 and DQB1) alleles, their association with chronic HCV infection and their response to interferon therapy. One hundred and two unrelated white Brazilian patients with chronic HCV infection, 52 responders (45 males and 7 females) and 50 non-responders (43 males and 7 females) to antiviral treatment, were included in the study. Healthy Brazilian bone marrow donors of Caucasian origin from the same geographic area constituted the control group (HLA-DRB1, N = 99 and HLA-DQB1, N = 222 individuals). HLA class II genotyping was performed using a low-resolution DRB1, DQB1 sequence-specific primer amplification. There were higher frequencies of HLA-DRB1*13 (26.5 vs 14.1%) and HLA-DQB1*02 (52.9 vs 38.7%) in patients compared with controls; however, these were not significantly different after P correction (Pc = 0.39 and Pc = 0.082, respectively). There was no significant difference between the phenotypic frequencies of HLA-DRB1 (17.3 vs 14.0%) and HLA-DQB1 alleles in responder and non-responder HCV patients. The HLA-DRB1*07 allele was significantly more common in HCV patients (33.3 vs 12.1%) than in controls (Pc = 0.0039), suggesting that the HLA-DRB1*07 allele is associated with chronic HCV infection.

Effects of 174 G/C polymorphism in the promoter region of the interleukin-6 gene on plasma IL-6 levels and muscle strength in elderly women

We investigated the effect of -174 G/C single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the IL6 gene on plasma IL-6 levels and muscle strength, and the relationship between IL-6 levels and muscle strength in elderly women. The sample consisted of 199 elderly residents (73.0 ± 7.8 years old) from rest homes and the community in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. -174 G/C polymorphism was determined by direct sequencing of the product by PCR, and plasma IL-6 concentrations were measured by ELISA. Muscle strength in the knee joint was evaluated using a Biodex System 3 Pro® isokinetic dynamometer. ANCOVA was used to determine the effect of polymorphism on IL-6 levels and muscle strength, and the Pearson correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between IL-6 levels and muscle strength. -174 G/C polymorphism was associated with the plasma IL-6 levels of elderly women (P < 0.01) since homozygotes for the G allele showed high IL-6 levels (GG 3.85 pg/mL, GC + CC 2.13 pg/mL). There was no association of polymorphism on muscle strength (P > 0.05). No association was found between IL-6 levels and knee extensor muscle (r = 0.087, P = 0.306) or flexor (r = -0.011, P = 0.894) strength. An interaction between -174 G/C polymorphism and housing conditions of the sample of elderly women was identified, with the effect of genotype on IL-6 levels being higher in the institutionalized elderly. These results support the evidence that -174 G/C polymorphism of the IL6 gene associates with individual variability of plasma IL-6 levels in elderly women.

A high-carbohydrate diet enhances the adverse effect of the S2 allele of APOC3 SstI polymorphism on the TG/HDL-C ratio only in young Chinese females

Both genetic background and diet have profound effects on plasma lipid profiles. We hypothesized that a high-carbohydrate (high-CHO) diet may affect the ratios of serum lipids and apolipoproteins (apo) differently in subjects with different genotypes of the SstI polymorphism in the apoCIII gene (APOC3). Fifty-six healthy university students (27 males and 29 females, 22.89 ± 1.80 years) were given a washout diet of 54% carbohydrate for 7 days, followed by a high-CHO diet of 70% carbohydrate for 6 days without total energy restriction. Serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apoB100, apoAI, and the APOC3 SstI polymorphism were analyzed. The ratios of serum lipids and apoB100/apoAI were calculated. At baseline, the TG/HDL-C ratio was significantly higher in females, but not in males, with the S2 allele. The differences in the TG/HDL-C ratio between genotypes remained the same after the washout and the high-CHO diet in females. When compared with those before the high-CHO diet, the TC/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 3.13 ± 1.00 vs 2.36 ± 0.65, P = 0.000; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.97 ± 0.74 vs 2.09 ± 0.55, P = 0.000; female S2 carriers: 2.68 ± 0.36 vs 2.24 ± 0.37, P = 0.004; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.69 ± 0.41 vs 2.09 ± 0.31, P = 0.000) and LDL-C/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 1.44 ± 0.71 vs 1.06 ± 0.26, P = 0.012; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.35 ± 0.61 vs 1.01 ± 0.29, P = 0.005; female S2 carriers: 1.18 ± 0.33 vs 1.00 ± 0.18, P = 0.049; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.18 ± 0.35 vs 1.04 ± 0.19, P = 0.026) ratios were significantly decreased after the high-CHO diet regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. However, in female S2 carriers, the TG/HDL-C (1.38 ± 0.46 vs 1.63 ± 0.70, P = 0.039) ratio was significantly increased after the high-CHO diet. In conclusion, the high-CHO diet has favorable effects on the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. Somehow, it enhanced the adverse effect of the S2 allele on the TG/HDL-C ratio only in females.

Clinical features of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hepatitis C infection

The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and the clinical and laboratory features of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) attending either an outpatient clinic or hemodialysis units. Serologic-HCV testing was performed in 489 type 2 DM patients (303 outpatients and 186 on dialysis). A structured assessment of clinical, laboratory and DM-related complications was performed and the patients were then compared according to HCV infection status. Mean patient age was 60 years; HCV positivity (HCV+) was observed in 39 of 303 (12.9%) outpatients and in 34 of 186 (18.7%) dialysis patients. Among HCV+ patients, 32 were men (43.8%). HCV+ patients had higher serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (0.90 ± 0.83 vs 0.35 ± 0.13 µKat/L), alanine aminotransferase (0.88 ± 0.93 vs 0.38 ± 0.19 µKat/L), gamma-glutamyl transferase (1.57 ± 2.52 vs 0.62 ± 0.87 µKat/L; P < 0.001), and serum iron (17.65 ± 6.68 vs 14.96 ± 4.72 µM; P = 0.011), and lower leukocyte and platelet counts (P = 0.010 and P < 0.001, respectively) than HCV-negative (HCV-) patients. HCV+ dialysis patients had higher diastolic blood pressure than HCV- patients (87.5 ± 6.7 vs 81.5 ± 6.0 mmHg; P = 0.005) and a lower prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (75 vs 92.7%; P = 0.007). In conclusion, our study showed that HCV is common among subjects with type 2 DM but is not associated with a higher prevalence of chronic diabetic complications.

Association between the c.910A>G genetic variant of the XRCC1 gene and susceptibility to esophageal cancer in the Chinese Han population

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common malignancy worldwide. The X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 gene (XRCC1) is one of the most important candidate genes for influencing susceptibility to EC. This study aimed to investigate the effect of XRCC1 genetic variants on susceptibility to EC. A total of 383 EC patients (males: 239, females: 144, mean age: 56.62) and 387 cancer-free controls (males: 251, females: 136, mean age: 58.23) were enrolled in this study. The c.910A>G genetic variant of theXRCC1 gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing methods. The allele and genotype frequencies indicated statistical differences between EC patients and cancer-free controls. The c.910A>G genetic variant was statistically associated with increased susceptibility to EC [GGvs AA: odds ratio (OR)=1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.12-2.86, P=0.014; GG vs AG/AA: OR=1.76, 95%CI=1.13-2.75, P=0.013; G vs A: OR=1.25, 95%CI=1.01-1.55, P=0.041]. The allele G and genotype GG could contribute to the increased susceptibility to EC. Our findings suggest that the c.910A>G genetic variant is associated with susceptibility to EC in the Chinese Han population, and might be used as a molecular marker for detecting susceptibility to EC.

Cardiorespiratory fitness, pulmonary function and C-reactive protein levels in nonsmoking individuals with diabetes

The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness and pulmonary function and the relationship with metabolic variables and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Nineteen men with diabetes and 19 age- and gender-matched control subjects were studied. All individuals were given incremental cardiopulmonary exercise and pulmonary function tests. In the exercise test, maximal workload (158.3±22.3vs 135.1±25.2, P=0.005), peak heart rate (HRpeak: 149±12 vs 139±10, P=0.009), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak: 24.2±3.2 vs18.9±2.8, P<0.001), and anaerobic threshold (VO2VT: 14.1±3.4 vs 12.2±2.2, P=0.04) were significantly lower in individuals with diabetes than in control subjects. Pulmonary function test parameters, blood pressure, lipid profile (triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol), and CRP plasma levels were not different in control subjects and individuals with DM. No correlations were observed between hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), CRP and pulmonary function test and cardiopulmonary exercise test performance. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that nonsmoking individuals with DM have decreased cardiorespiratory fitness that is not correlated with resting pulmonary function parameters, HbA1c, and CRP plasma levels.

Expression of β-catenin and c-myc during human common bile duct development: a possible role in the morphogenesis of the common bile duct

β-catenin and c-myc play important roles in the development of tissues and organs. However, little is known about their expression patterns during the development of the human common bile duct. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect β-catenin and c-myc expression in common bile duct samples from postmortem tissues of 14 premature infants and 6 spontaneously aborted fetuses. The expression of β-catenin and c-myc was also analyzed by Western blot. The samples were divided into four groups based on the stage of human fetal development: 12, 13-27, 28-37, and >37 weeks. The Image-Pro Plus v. 6.0 image analysis software was used to calculate the mean qualifying score (MQS). At fetal stages 12, 13-27, 28-37, and >37 weeks, MQS of β-catenin were 612.52±262.13, 818.38±311.73, 706.33±157.19, and 350.69±110.19, respectively. There was a significant difference in MQS among the four groups (ANOVA, P=0.0155) and between the scores at >37 and 13-27 weeks (Student-Newman-Keuls, P<0.05). At fetal stages 12, 13-27, 28-37, and >37 weeks, the MQS of c-myc were 1376.64±330.04, 1224.18±171.66, 1270.24±320.75, and 741.04±219.19, respectively. There was a significant difference in MQS among the four groups (ANOVA, P=0.0087) and between the scores at >37 and 12 weeks, >37 and 13-27 weeks, and >37 and 28-37 weeks (all P<0.05, Student-Newman-Keuls). Western blots showed that β-catenin and c-myc expression were significantly higher in fetal than in postnatal control duct tissue (P<0.05). c-myc and β-catenin are involved in the normal development of the human common bile duct.

Avaliação do teor de antocianinas em polpa de acerola congelada proveniente de frutos de 12 diferentes aceroleiras (Malpighia emarginata D.C.)

A ampla variabilidade genética nos pomares de aceroleiras brasileiros tem gerado frutos de coloração amarela a vermelha púrpura dificultando a obtenção de produtos de coloração avermelhada, cor esperada pelos consumidores. As antocianinas são pigmentos instáveis, responsáveis pela cor vermelha deste fruto maduro. Com o objetivo de determinar o teor destes pigmentos em polpa de acerola submetida ao congelamento foi instalado um experimento inteiramente casualisado. As polpas obtidas de frutos de 12 acessos (plantas) do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE) foram armazenadas a -18ºC, por um período de 06 meses. Unidades amostrais de 30g foram coletadas ao acaso, no período inicial e final do experimento, e submetidas a determinação quantitativa de antocianinas totais utilizando um método espectrofotométrico. Grande variação nos teores de antocianinas totais foi observada nos acessos estudados. No tempo zero de armazenamento o valor mínimo e máximo deste fitoquímico foi de 59,74mg e 3,79mg.100g -1 de polpa, respectivamente. Após seis meses de congelamento foi constatada uma redução de 3,4% a 23,6% no teor desse pigmento nas amostras avaliadas. Evidenciou-se, portanto, que o armazenamento a -18ºC por seis meses reduziu o teor de antocianinas e que os pigmentos antociânicos dos acessos 08 e 13 apresentaram-se mais estáveis ao congelamento.

Disponibilidade de ferro em misturas de alimentos com adição de alimentos com alto teor de vitamina C e de cisteína

A disponibilidade do ferro é fator importante na dieta, pois a anemia ferropriva atinge grande parte da população mundial. A cisteína e a vitamina C são fatores que melhoram sua absorção. A pesquisa teve por objetivos avaliar a disponibilidade de ferro em carne, feijão comum (Phaseolus vulgaris) e a combinação de arroz e tomate ao feijão, bem como analisar se o ácido fítico, o ácido oxálico e os taninos das combinações contendo feijão influenciam na disponibilidade de ferro de forma significativa. Os alimentos foram preparados para consumo e as amostras obtidas com a combinação de carne, feijão, arroz e tomate foram: A1 - carne bovina; A2 - feijão comum; A3 - feijão comum e tomate; A4 - feijão comum e arroz; e A5 - feijão comum, arroz e tomate. Foram realizadas as análises de taninos, ácido fítico, ácido oxálico, vitamina C e teor e diálise de ferro in vitro. Os teores de taninos, ácido fítico e ácido oxálico foram baixos para influenciar a disponibilidade do ferro. A diálise de 5,73 a 13,61% indicando que a adição de cisteína e vitamina C em conjunto tem efeito maior do que quando presentes separadamente.

Are serum cystatin C levels influenced by steroid doses in lupus nephritis patients?

INTRODUCTION: Cystatin C is considered a promising test to evaluate glomerular filtration rate, since it has characteristics of an ideal endogenous marker, being similar or even superior to serum creatinine according to some studies. However, it is possible that some factors (as corticotherapy) could have an influence on serum cystatin C levels regardless of the glomerular filtration rate. The aim of this study was to investigate if different doses of glucocorticoid could have an influence on serum cystatin C levels in lupus nephritis patients. METHODS: We evaluated 42 patients with lupus nephritis that performed 109 different blood collections; their mean age was 37.7 ± 13.1 years old, and 88% were female; the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was of 61.9 ± 20.0 mL/min. Patients were divided according to their glucocorticoid dose in two groups: A - high (pulse therapy with methylprednisolone and prednisone > 0.5 mg/kg/d, n = 14) versus B - low doses (prednisone ≤ 0.5 mg/kg/d, n = 28). Serum creatinine levels were used as parameters for renal function comparison. Cystatin C was determined by an in-house methodology, using Luminex system flow citometry. RESULTS: Considering these groups, cystatin C levels were different only in the second visit (p = 0.106). But, when the serum creatinine levels were considered in the same groups, a marginally significant difference among them (p = 0.070) was observed, which suggested that the difference in cystatin C levels between the groups was caused by their respective glomerular filtration rate. There was not any difference between those groups that received or did not receive pulse therapy. CONCLUSION: Although some previous studies have shown that glucocorticoid has an influence on serum cystatin C levels, we have not observed such interference in the lupus nephritis patients submitted to corticotherapy.