OBJECTIVE: To investigate serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D (25(OH)D) and vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) concentrations in women with endometriosis according to the severity of disease. METHODS: Women with mild endometriosis (n = 9) and advanced endometriosis (n = 7), as well as healthy controls (n = 16), were enrolled in this observational study. Serum total 25(OH)D concentrations were analyzed using the Elecsys vitamin D total kit with the Cobas e602 module. Concentrations of bioavailable and free 25(OH)D were calculated. Concentrations of VDBP were measured using the Human Vitamin D BP Quantikine ELISA kit. Variables were tested for normality and homoscedasticity using the Shapiro-Wilk test and Leven F test, respectively. Correlation analysis was used to identify the variables related to total 25(OH)D and VDBP levels. To assess the effects of total 25(OH)D and VDBP levels in the three groups, multivariate generalized additive modeling (GAM) was performed. RESULTS: Gravidity and parity were significantly different across the three groups. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and CA-125 levels increased as a function of endometriosis severity, respectively (p= 0.051, p= 0.004). The correlation analysis showed that total 25(OH)D levels were positively correlated with gravidity (r = 0.59, p< 0.001) and parity (r = 0.51, p< 0.003). Multivariate GAM showed no significant relationship of total 25(OH)D levels with EMT severity after adjusting for gravidity and ESR. However, the coefficient of total 25(OH)D levels with gravidity was significant (1.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.12–3.63; p= 0.040). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that vitamin D and VDBP levels were not associated with the severity of endometriosis.
Blood Sedimentation ; Endometriosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gravidity ; Humans ; Observational Study ; Parity ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: Vitamin D deficiency is reported to be more common in type 1 diabetes patients and might be associated with the increased urinary loss of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) consequent to impaired 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) circulation. We aimed to evaluate the possible increased urinary loss of VDBP, a correlation between VDBP and circulating 25(OH)D level, and risk factors influencing low vitamin D level in pediatric type 1 diabetes patients without microalbuminuria. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of subjects who visited Seoul National University Children’s Hospital between January and March 2013. Forty-two type 1 diabetes patients and 29 healthy controls were included. Biochemical parameters including serum and urine VDBP concentrations were analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency of vitamin D deficiency or serum 25(OH)D level between the 2 groups. The serum and urine VDBP concentrations did not show any difference between the 2 groups. Serum 25(OH) D level did not correlate with serum or urine VDBP. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that daylight outdoor hours (β=2.948, P=0.003) and vitamin D intake (β=2.865, P=0.003) affected the 25(OH)D level; the presence of type 1 diabetes or urinary VDBP excretion was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric type 1 diabetes patients, urinary VDBP excretion did not contribute to low serum 25(OH)D level in the setting of normoalbuminuria. The factors associated with 25(OH)D level during winter periods were daylight outdoor hours and vitamin D intake. Further studies including both micro- and macroalbuminuria patients with type 1 diabetes are warranted.
Albuminuria ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Ergocalciferols ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein* ; Vitamins*

The hippocampus makes new memories and is involved in mental cognition, and the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is critical because neurogenesis, which occurs throughout life, occurs in the DG. We observed the differentiation of neuroblasts into mature neurons (granule cells) in the DG of C57BL/6 mice at various early postnatal (P) ages: P1, P7, P14, and P21 using doublecortin (DCX) immunohistochemistry (IHC) for neuroblasts and calbindin D-28k (CB) IHC for granule cells. DCX-positive cells decreased in the DG with age; however, CB+ cells increased over time. At P1, DCX and CB double-labeled (DCX+CB+) cells were scattered throughout the DG. At P7, DCX+CB+ cells (about 92% of CB+ cells) were seen only in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the dorsal blade. At P14, DCX+CB+ cells (about 66% of CB+ cells) were found in the lower half of the GCL of both blades. In contrast, at P21, about 18% of CB+ cells were DCX+CB+ cells, and they were mainly located only in the subgranular zone of the DG. These results suggest that the developmental pattern of DCX+CB+ cells changes with time in the early postnatal stages.
Animals ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Cognition ; Dentate Gyrus ; Hippocampus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Neurogenesis ; Neurons

OBJECTIVES: We attempted to compartmentalize the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the rabbit in terms of the different distribution patterns between NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd)- and calbindin D28K (CB)-positive neurons. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent labelling for CB and histochemistry for NADPHd were carried out on coronally-sectioned midbrain slices of the rabbit. RESULTS: NADPHd-positive neurons were selectively localized in the dorsolateral (DL), the middle one-third of the lateral (L), the dorsal half of the ventrolateral (VLd) PAG, and the supraoculomotor cap nucleus (Su3C). Clusters of CB-immunoreactive perikarya marked the dorsal half of DL (DLd), Su3C, the ventral one-third of L, and the ventral half of the ventrolateral (VLv) PAG. Double labelling for NADPHd and CB revealed that two markers labelled different neuronal groups in DLd and Su3C subdivisions. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that NADPHd and CB can be regarded as reliable neurochemical markers to reveal the longitudinally-columnar organization within the PAG and to subdivide each columnar area.
Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesencephalon ; Neurons ; Periaqueductal Gray

Calbindin D-28K (CALB) is one of the calcium-binding proteins which is assumed to be buffering, transport of Ca2+, and regulation of various enzyme systems. In the spinal cord, a subpopulation of calbindin-immunoreactive neurons located in the ventral portion of lamina VII, medial to the motoneuron column, has recently been proposed to be Renshaw cells (RCs), that mediate recurrent inhibition of spinal alpha-motoneurons, based on the anatomical location. In this study, we have performed to investigate the correlation between RCs containing high levels of CALB and motoneurons in the ventral horn of lumbar spinal cord of the ataxic pogo mice, that characterized by a failures of interlimb coordination, and prolonged excessive tone of hindlimb extensor muscles. We have shown that CALB immunoreactive RCs was significantly decreased in the ventral horn of lumbar spinal cord of the ataxic pogo mice (p.0.05), when compared with the control mice. Whereas, CALB immunoreactivity expression levels were no difference in the dorsal horn. Furthermore, CALB protein was significantly decreased in the lumbar spinal cord of the ataxic pogo mice (p.0.01). However, there were no difference in the cervical and thoracic spinal cord of the between control and pogo mice. These results suggest that motoneurons of ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord might be more excited state, results in the decreased CALB immunoreactive RCs have not mediated a motoneuron excitability, in the atxic mice, pogo.
Animals ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Hindlimb ; Horns ; Mice ; Muscles ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord

The distributions of calretinin (CR)- and parvalbumin (PV)-immunoreactive neurons in the main olfactory bulb (MOB) of the goat were examined in this study. As in other animals, the goat MOB has a characteristic laminar structure with laminar types and distribution patterns in each layer. CR-immunoreaction was observed in all layers of the MOB, except for the olfactory nerve layer. Most of CR-immunoreactive neurons were observed in the glomerular and granule cell layers. Relatively small number of CR-immunoreactive neurons was detected in other layers. These CR-immunoreactive neurons were interneurons. PV-immunoreaction was detected in all layers. In contrast to CR, olfactory nerve bundles were immunostained with PV. Most of PV-immunoreactive neurons were distributed in the glomerular and granule cell layers. PV-immunoreactive neurons were interneurons. This result suggests that CR and PV may play important roles in the olfactory signal modulation through interneurons in the goat MOB.
Animals ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Goats ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interneurons ; Neurons ; Olfactory Bulb ; Olfactory Nerve ; Smell

Avian influenza (AI) is an infectious, low pathogenic virus that is endemic all over the world and poses a potential threat to the poultry industry. Vaccination is a widely used effective method to prevent avian influenza virus. Here we employed a comparative proteomics approach [two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF)] to characterize proteome in the sera from the specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens, the vaccinated chickens, and the naturally infected chickens. We identified total 58 proteins that were differentially expressed in the sera of three groups. Among them ovotransferrin and vitamin D-binding protein were more expressed in the sera of naturally infected chickens compare with other groups. Our results suggested that the level of these two proteins in the serum may help to discriminate the naturally infected chicken from the vaccinated chicken.
Animals ; Chickens ; Conalbumin ; Electrophoresis ; Influenza in Birds ; Poultry ; Proteins ; Proteome ; Proteomics ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Vaccination ; Viruses ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein

BACKGROUND: It is important to differentiate between schwannomas and neurofibromas for the cases in which the histopathologic features overlap. Depending on the tumor type, surgeons can decide on a treatment method and whether to preserve or sacrifice the nerve; the possibility of malignant transformation in the case of neurofibromas also needs to be considered. METHODS: We studied 101 cases of schwannoma and 103 cases of neurofibroma. All the hematoxylin and eosin slides for these cases were reviewed, and tissue microarrays were prepared from the representative areas. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using antibodies for S-100 protein, calretinin, CD56 and CD34. RESULTS: All the tumors except 3 neurofibromas were positive for the S-100 protein. Calretinin was found in 26.7% of the schwannomas (27/101), but it was not found in any of the neurofibromas. CD56 was positive in 77.2% of the schwannomas (78/101) and in 9.8% of the neurofibromas (10/102). CD34 was positive in 42.5% of the schwannomas (43/101) and in 80.2% of the neurofibromas (81/101). Statistically, calretinin was significantly specific for schwannomas (p<0.001) and CD56 was also sensitive for these tumors (p<0.001). On the other hand, a CD34 expression seemed highly sensitive (p<0.001) for neurofibromas. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that combined immunohistochemical analysis for calretinin, CD56, and CD34 may be very useful for differentiating schwannomas from neurofibromas.
Antibodies ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hand ; Hematoxylin ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurofibroma ; S100 Proteins

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that proceeds with the age-dependent neuronal loss, an irreversible event which causes severe cognitive and psychiatric devastations. In the present study, we investigated whether the compound, AAD-2004 [2-hydroxy-5-[2-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-ethylaminobenzoic acid] which has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is beneficial for the brain of Tg-betaCTF99/B6 mice, a murine AD model that was recently developed to display age-dependent neuronal loss and neuritic atrophy in the brain. Administration of AAD-2004 in Tg-betaCTF99/B6 mice from 10 months to 18 months of age completely repressed the accumulation of lipid peroxidation in the brain. AAD-2004 markedly suppressed neuronal loss and neuritic atrophy, and partially reversed depleted expression of calbindin in the brain of Tg-beta-CTF99/B6. These results suggest that AAD-2004 affords neurodegeneration in the brain of AD mouse model.
Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Aspirin ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mice ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of vitamin D binding protein (DBP) gene polymorphism on susceptibility and prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: A prospective study was conducted. Eighty-three patients with SAP who were admitted to the department of general surgery of Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital from March 2018 to March 2021 were selected as the research objects, and 83 healthy people in the same period were selected as controls. Peripheral blood RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed into cDNA, and the genotype and allele frequency of DBP gene rs7041 locus were detected by fluorescence quantitative analyzer. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was used to test the genetic balance. On the day of admission, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level was detected by scattering immunoturbidimetry, serum procalcitonin (PCT) level was detected by electrochemiluminescence, serum DBP level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was calculated automatically by the instrument. The length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the length of hospital stay and prognosis during hospitalization of patients were statistically analyzed. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influencing factors of SAP occurrence. RESULTS: The results of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test showed that the distribution of gene polymorphisms in the two groups of subjects conformed to the law of genetic equilibrium. The frequencies of TT genotype and T allele of DBP gene rs7041 locus in the patients of SAP group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group [TT genotype: 34.94% (29/83) vs. 9.64% (8/83), T allele: 55.42% (92/166) vs. 38.55% (64/166), both P < 0.01], and the frequency of GT genotype was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group [40.96% (34/83) vs. 57.83% (48/83), P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in the frequency of GG genotype between the healthy control group and SAP group [32.53% (27/83) vs. 24.10% (20/83), P > 0.05]. Further multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that TT genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 2.831, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.582-5.067, P < 0.001] and T allele (OR = 2.533, 95%CI was 1.435-4.472, P < 0.001) of DBP gene rs7041 locus were independent risk factors for SAP in healthy people, while GT genotype was a protective factor for SAP (OR = 0.353, 95%CI was 0.143-0.868, P = 0.041). The levels of CRP, PCT, NLR and DBP in patients with TT genotype of DBP gene rs7041 locus were significantly higher than those in patients with GG/GT genotype on the day of admission in SAP group [CRP (mg/L): 43.25±13.25 vs. 31.86±12.83, PCT (μg/L): 1.53±0.24 vs. 1.21±0.20, NLR: 3.15±0.53 vs. 2.71±0.48, DBP (μg/L): 87.78±19.64 vs. 70.58±18.67, all P < 0.01]. The length of ICU stay in patients with TT genotype of DBP gene rs7041 locus in SAP group was significantly longer than that in patients with GG/GT genotype (days: 11.35±1.58 vs. 9.71±1.35, P < 0.01). The length of hospital stay of patients with TT genotype was longer than that of patients with GG/GT genotype (days: 23.41±3.64 vs. 23.17±3.57), and the in-hospital mortality was higher than that of patients with GG/GT genotype [34.48% (10/29) vs. 29.63% (16/54)], but the difference was not statistically significant (both P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The risk of SAP was significantly increased in patients with TT genotype of rs7041 locus of DBP gene, and the mechanism may be related to the increase of DBP expression. And carrying the TT genotype will prolong the ICU hospitalization time of SAP patients, but the effect on prognosis is not obvious.
Humans ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prospective Studies ; Vitamin D-Binding Protein/genetics* ; Acute Disease ; Pancreatitis/genetics* ; Genotype ; Prognosis