title: Role of nonesterified unsaturated fatty acids in the pathophysiological processes of leptospiral infection.
abstract: Organ malfunctions in patients with leptospirosis have been associated with the bacterial glycolipoprotein endotoxin and with its nonesterified unsaturated fatty acid (NEUFA) components. We examined the involvement of NEUFAs in the pathophysiological processes of leptospirosis. Patients showed a moderate increase in serum concentrations of oleic and linoleic acids but an important decrease in serum concentrations of albumin. A highly significant correlation between serum concentrations of creatinine or total bilirubin and the oleic-plus-linoleic acid : albumin ratio was revealed. We used the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibitory property of NEUFAs to test the capacity of serum to prevent the cytotoxic effects of NEUFAs in vitro. Albumin solutions and serum samples from healthy volunteers, but not serum samples from severely affected patients, were able to revert the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibition by oleic acid. On the basis of these data, we defined a "serum protection factor" that can be helpful in predicting NEUFA toxicity. Our data support the concept that the administration of human albumin to patients may be helpful in severe leptospirosis cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biology Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burth
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Younes-Ibrahim
authors.forename: Maria C B
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Hugo C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Castro-Faria Neto
authors.forename: Mauro Velho
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Castro Faria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000097:blood; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D012709:Serum Albumin; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D001663:Bilirubin