Int J Vitam Nutr Res

A high-affinity folate binding protein in fluid of benign cysts of human liver and mammary gland.

Year 1998
Holm J. Hansen SI. Hoier-Madsen M.
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Horsens Hospital.
The presence of a folate binding protein in fluid of benign cysts of human liver and mammary gland was demonstrated. Radioligand binding was of a high-affinity type (K approximately 10(10) M -1). The gel filtration profile of cystic fluid contained two peaks of radiolabelled folate, a large one of 25 kDa and a small one of 100 kDa. The concentration of radioligand bound protein in samples of cystic fluid ranged from nil to 6 nM. In most cases the protein immunoreacted with antibodies against human milk folate binding protein. The data suggest that fluid of human liver and mammary gland cysts contains a folate binding protein which appears to be homologous to human milk folate binding protein.

Effects of long-term oral beta-carotene supplementation on lipid peroxidation in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Year 1998
Rust P. Eichler I. Renner S. Elmadfa I.
Institut fur Ernahrungwissenschaften, Wien.
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of oral beta-carotene supplementation for the correction of an oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in cystic fibrosis (CF). We studied 24-patients with cystic fibrosis and 14 healthy controls. 13 CF-patients were allocated to a CF-supplementation group, which received 1 mg beta-carotene/kg BW/d up to a body weight (BW) of 50 kg, patients with a BW greater 50 kg received 50 mg beta-carotene/d for 12 weeks. For the following 12 weeks all patients of the CF-supplementation group were treated with 10 mg beta-carotene/d. Placebos with starch were applied to 11 CF-patients. Baseline plasma beta-carotene concentrations of CF patients (mean +/- SD, 0.08 +/- 0.04 mumol/l) were significantly lower than those of age-matched controls (o.3 +/- 0.1 mumol/l) (p < 0.001). beta-carotene concentrations of the CF-supplementation group increased rapidly and reached a value of 0.6 mumol/l after 12 weeks of supplementation. Normal values were measured for plasma ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol. Plasma retinol concentrations were in the lower normal range and did not increase during supplementation. Total antioxidative capacity in plasma of the CF-supplementation group increased after 12 weeks of supplementation at an extent of 12%. Positive influence was indicated by a decrease of plasma malondialdehyde. Thus oral beta-carotene supplementation is effective in normalizing status of beta-carotene and malondialdehyde in CF patients.