Human serum protein damage

Peroxynitrite is a nonspecific oxidant that reacts with all classes of biomolecules depleting low-molecular-weight antioxidants, initiating lipid peroxidation, damaging nucleic acids and proteins. Its reactions are much slower than those of the hydroxyl radical but are faster than those of hydrogen peroxide. Comparison of peroxynitrite reactivity with various amino acid residues of human serum albumin have shown that cysteine, methionine, and tryptophan are the most reactive... 

Effect As discussed in the previous section, DNA-protein cross links and anti-formaldehyde-human serum albumin IgG antibodies are potential biomarkers of effect and exposure. Whereas detection of these biomarkers can represent biological responses to repeated exposure to formaldehyde (the first is not specific to formaldehyde, but the second is), it is uncertain to what degree their detection indicates that adverse health effects will occur. Further research on relationships between formaldehyde-induced upper respiratory tract tissue damage and/or dysfunction and (1) DNA-protein cross links in either white blood cells or nasal biopsy tissue or (2) levels of formaldehyde-specific IgG antibodies may help in determining if improved detection methods are needed. 

Biomarkers of nickel exposure and effects include nickel concentrations in feces and urine and changes in serum antibodies and serum proteins. Levels of camosine, a dipeptide, seem to reflect the extent of nickel-induced damage to olfactory mucosa of rats, although the rodent olfactory system is more resilient than is the human. Studies on the availability of trace levels of nickel in food and water and in air would be helpful to... 

William S. Tillett (1930) discovered that C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is an acute-phase serum protein that reacts with the C polysaccharide of Pneumococcal cell wall. CRP is present in human serum and its level increases during systemic inflammation. Therefore, CRP represents a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation and tissue damage precise determination of CRP levels has proven to be useful in the screening of various diseases, monitoring treatment response, and detection of concomitant infectionsi). 

Vinyl chloride is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics, which is carcinogenic and causes various toxic effects, including liver injury and damage to the bones and skin. Liver hemangiosarcomas are produced in animals and humans. Vinyl chloride undergoes metabolic activation by cytochrome P-450 to an epoxide, which may interact with DNA and form adducts (ethenodeoxyadenosine and ethenodeoxycytidine), which leads to mutations. These can be detected in white cells, and a mutant p21 ras protein can be detected in the serum of exposed workers. Also, reaction with GSH occurs. 

Renal Effects. Evidence of renal damage was observed in individuals burned once with white phosphorus. Increased blood urea nitrogen (Summerlin et al. 1967), increased urinary levels of protein and urea nitrogen (Walker et al. 1947), and signs of acute renal failure (Songetal. 1985) have been observed. No longer term human studies were identified. Some of the blood/serum chemical changes are also found in thermal bum patients and cannot necessarily be ascribed to white phosphorus toxicity. However, controlled animal studies (discussed below) have shown similar effects that have been attributed to white phosphorus. 

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