Eva Szökö

Semmelweis University | SOTE · Department of Pharmacodynamics

Background and Objectives: Expansion of white adipose tissue causes systemic inflammation and increased risk of metabolic diseases due to its endocrine function. Resveratrol was suggested to be able to prevent obesity-related disorders by mimicking caloric restriction; however, its structure–activity relationships and molecular targets are still un...

Numerous beneficial effects of resveratrol were reported; however, its pharmacological profile is contradictious. Previously, we have demonstrated that resveratrol has a dose-dependent cytoprotective effect and the essential role of autophagy induction was demonstrated. Resveratrol suffers from unfavorable pharmacokinetics, hindering its clinical u...

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids that play an essential role in many biological and pathophysiological processes. They are present in high amounts in the central nervous system and their abnormal metabolism or expression has been observed in many diseases. We have developed and validated a sensitive capillary electrophores...

Aim/Introduction The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of early antidiabetic therapy in reversing metabolic changes caused by high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) in both sexes. Methods Elderly Sprague–Dawley rats, 45 weeks old, were randomized into four groups: a control group fed on the standard diet (STD), one group fed the HFHSD, an...

The current treatment of neuropathic pain (NP) is unsatisfactory; therefore, effective novel agents or combination-based analgesic therapies are needed. Herein, oral tolperisone, pregabalin, and duloxetine were tested for their antinociceptive effect against rat partial sciatic nerve ligation (pSNL)-induced tactile allodynia described by a decrease...

Oxidative stress and sterile inflammation play roles in the induction and maintenance of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study cohort included 170 females aged 40 to 45 years who were categorized according to the presentation of MetS components (e.g., central obesity, insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and elevated systolic blood pressur...

Despite the large arsenal of analgesic medications, neuropathic pain (NP) management is not solved yet. Angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) has been identified as a potential target in NP therapy. Here, we investigate the antiallodynic effect of AT1 blockers telmisartan and losartan, and particularly their combination with morphine on rat mononeur...

α-Dicarbonyls and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance by a variety of mechanisms. To investigate whether young insulin-resistant subjects present markers of increased dicarbonyl stress, we determined serum α-dicarbonyls-methylglyoxal, glyoxal, 3-deoxyglucosone; their derived free- and prot...

Current treatment approaches to manage neuropathic pain have a slow onset and their use is largely hampered by side-effects, thus there is a significant need for finding new medications. Tolperisone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant with a favorable side effect profile, has been reported to affect ion channels, which are targets for current first...

Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids of the plasma membrane and are highly enriched in the nervous system where they play a vital role in normal cell functions. Furthermore, several studies suggest their potential involvement in the pathogenesis of neurological conditions. Since cyclodextrins (CDs) can form inclusion complexes with various lipids, m...

Background: In obesity, the adipose tissue becomes a very significant endocrine organ producing different factors called adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin and kisspeptin; however, no data are available about their actions on uterine contraction in obese pregnant rats. Our aim was to study the impact of obesity on pregnant uterine contraction...

The current protocols for neuropathic pain management include µ-opioid receptor (MOR) analgesics alongside other drugs; however, there is debate on the effectiveness of opioids. Nevertheless, dose escalation is required to maintain their analgesia, which, in turn, contributes to a further increase in opioid side effects. Finding novel approaches to...

Gangliosides are sialic acid containing glycosphingolipids of the plasma membrane with diverse biological functions. They are most abundant in neural tissues where their dysregulation has been suggested to be involved in various pathological conditions. Due to their importance, efficient analytical methods are needed to determine individual ganglio...

Substrates of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) exert insulin-like actions in adipocytes. One of them, benzylamine (Bza) exhibits antihyperglycemic properties in several rodent models of diabetes. To further study the antidiabetic potential of this naturally occurring amine, a model of severe type 2 diabetes, the obese db-/- mouse, was s...

Recently neuronal insulin resistance was suggested playing a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Streptozotocin (STZ) is commonly used to induce impairment in insulin metabolism. In our previous work on undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells the compound exerted cytotoxicity without altering insulin sensitivity. Nevertheless, differentiation of the cells to a mor...

Aim: Encoded by Aoc3 gene, Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1), also called semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO), is a protein supporting leucocyte extravasation to inflammation sites and catalyzing the oxidation of primary amines. We previously observed that a genetically-modified mouse model lacking active VAP-1/SSAO is obese and hypercho...

The limited effect of current medications on neuropathic pain (NP) has initiated large efforts to develop effective treatments. Animal studies showed that glycine transporter (GlyT) inhibitors are promising analgesics in NP, though concerns regarding adverse effects were raised. We aimed to study NFPS and Org-25543, GlyT-1 and GlyT-2 inhibitors, re...

Decreased extracellular level of d-Serine (D-Ser), a co-agonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors was connected to receptor hypofunction in the brain and the related deficit of cognitive functions. Extracellular D-Ser concentration is modulated by ASCT neutral amino acid transporters. L-Theanine (L-Tea), a neutral amino acid component of...

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors have an established role in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease as monotherapy or adjuvant to levodopa. Two major recognitions were required for their introduction into this therapeutic field. The first was the elucidation of the novel pharmacological properties of selegiline as a selective MAO-B inhibitor by...

d-Serine is an important co-agonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain and its altered activity was identified in various pathological conditions. Modification of the extracellular d-serine level is suggested to be able to modulate the receptor function. Its transporters may thus serve as potential drug targets. The aim of th...

Recently, it is suggested that brain insulin resistance may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease; therefore, there is a high interest in its investigation. Streptozotocin (STZ) is often used to induce dysregulation of glucose and insulin metabolism in animal and cell culture models. Alteration in insulin sensitivity however, has not...

Background and Objectives: The use of the dopamine-partial agonist subclass (also termed dopamine stabilizers) of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of negative schizophrenia symptoms and some mood disorders has increased recently. Similar to other second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), aripiprazole (ARI) and cariprazine (CAR) also influen...

The era of MAO-B inhibitors dates back more than 50 years. It began with Kálmán Magyar’s outstanding discovery of the selective inhibitor, selegiline. This compound is still regarded as the gold standard of MAO-B inhibition, although newer drugs have also been introduced to the field. It was revealed early on that selective, even irreversible inhib...

We aimed at studying the potential mechanisms in the preventive effect of resveratrol on serum deprivation induced caspase 3 activation on non-transformed cells. Methods: Apoptosis was induced by serum deprivation in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Caspase 3 activation, reactive oxygen species production and depolarization of the mitochondri...

D-aspartate (D-Asp) modulates adult neural plasticity and embryonic brain development by promoting cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Here, developmental changes of the excitatory amino acids (EAAs) L-Glu, L-Asp and D-Asp were determined during the first postembryonic days, a time window for early learning, in selected brain regions...

d-Amino acid oxidase (DAAO) is a potential target in the treatment of schizophrenia as its inhibition increases brain d-serine level and thus contributes to NMDA receptor activation. Inhibitors of DAAO were sought testing [6+5] type heterocycles and identified isatin derivatives as micromolar DAAO inhibitors. A pharmacophore and structure-activity...

Aim To determine the levels of circulating soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), as a biomarker of risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease development in centrally obese (CO) women considered metabolically healthy (COH) in comparison with those metabolically unhealthy (COU). Methods 47 lean healthy, 17 COH (pr...

It is widely accepted that some of the free d-amino acids play important biological role. d-Aspartate and d-serine formed in the central nervous system of higher vertebrates have neurotransmitter/neuromodulator function. Together with d-alanine they are distributed in various tissues and biological fluids. Studying their physiological and pathologi...

Lysine, a nutritionally essential amino acid, enters the oral cavity in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). During oral hygiene restriction (OHR), lysine decarboxylase (LDC) in dento-gingival biofilms converts lysine to cadaverine. The lysine depletion impairs the dental epithelial barrier to bacterial proinflammatory products. Antibodies to LDC from...

To study the effect of resveratrol on survival and caspase 3 activation in non-transformed cells after serum deprivation. Apoptosis was induced by serum deprivation in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Caspase 3 activation and lactate dehydrogenase release were assayed as cell viability measure by using their fluorogenic substrates. The involvem...

To assess the impact of prenatal exposure to Maillard reaction products (MRPs) -rich diet and postnatal Coca-Cola consumption on metabolic status of female rats. Diet rich in MRPs and consumption of saccharose/fructose sweetened soft drinks is presumed to impose increased risk of development of cardiometabolic afflictions, such as obesity or insuli...

Chiral capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for quantitative determination of D-amino acid modulators of NMDA glutamate receptor; D-serine and D-aspartate along with L-glutamate and L-aspartate in biological samples. These ligands are suggested to be involved in regulation of NMDA receptor related brain functions, such as neurogenesi...

Objective: A challenge to periodontal disease control is the elimination of bacterial agents responsible for gingival inflammation. The bacterial enzyme lysine decarboxylase (LDC) converts lysine to cadaverine in dental biofilms (plaques) that extend into gingival sulci after oral hygiene restriction (OHR). Yet measures of gingival inflammation suc...

Introduction: Parkinson's disease affects a growing number of people. Its major treatment, levodopa therapy, however suffers from response fluctuations in the advanced phase of the disease. Adjunctive therapies have thus gained significant importance. The selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, selegiline , is widely used in the treatment of Park...

The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of a potent and specific vascular adhesive protein-1/semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (VAP-1/SSAO) inhibitor, LJP 1207, as a potential antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory agent in the therapy of corneal neovascularization. Corneal neovascularization was induced with intrastromal suturing in r...

SSAO/VAP-1 participates in the accumulation of leukocytes at the site of inflammation. A new SSAO inhibitor, SzV-1287 was demonstrated to inhibit both acute and chronic inflammation in rats more effectively than the known enzyme inhibitor, LJP-1207. Surprisingly, the SSAO activity was not increased, but decreased both in acute and chronic inflammat...

Chiral capillary electrophoresis method has been developed to separate aspartate and glutamate enantiomers to investigate the putative neuromodulator function of D-Asp in the central nervous system. To achieve appropriate detection sensitivity fluorescent derivatization with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole and laser-induced fluorescence detec...

Background: Dental biofilms contain a protein that inhibits mammalian cell growth, possibly lysine decarboxylase from Eikenella corrodens. This enzyme decarboxylates lysine, an essential amino acid for dentally attached cell turnover in gingival sulci. Lysine depletion may stop this turnover, impairing the barrier to bacterial compounds. The aims...

It has long been proposed that L: -aspartate (Asp) is an excitatory neurotransmitter similar to L: -glutamate (Glu) but with distinct signaling properties. The presence of Asp in excitatory synapses of the medial striatum/nucleus accumbens of domestic chicks suggests that Asp plays a role of neurotransmitter also in the avian brain. Neurotransmitte...

Resveratrol is an active compound isolated from red grape. In the literature contradictory data are available, as both its pro‐ and antiapoptotic effect have been described. The cell type used can be one of the major differences between the various models. The compound might differentially affect tumorigenic and normal cells. In this study we aimed...

Three different fluorescent tags have been compared for the quantitative analysis of aspartate and glutamate in brain microdialysate samples. Separation conditions have been optimized to achieve short analysis time using reversed polarity separation in coated capillary. Method validation has revealed similar quantification limit of 0.1 μM of analyt...

In this paper an overview is provided on practical difficulties as well as applications of capillary electrophoresis coupled to laser induced fluorescence detection methods in the field of analysis of biological samples. Various methodological approaches elaborated for determination of small molecules, peptides and proteins are outlined. Besides gi...

Deprenyl has been discovered by Knoll and co-workers. The R-enantiomer of deprenyl (selegiline) is a selective and irreversible inhibitor of the B-isoform of monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) enzyme. Due to its dopamine potentiating and possible neuroprotective properties it has an established role in the treatment of parkinsonian patients. By inhibiting M...

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Objectives: This study was aimed at examining lysine content and bacterial lysine decarboxylase activity in the oral cavity, and at determining whether exogenous lysine depletion affects dental biofilm (plaque) accumulation. Lysine decarboxylase removes free lysine by converting it irreversibly to cadaverine, a contributor to oral malodor. After or...

Objectives: Effects of a lysine decarboxylase inhibitor on plaque accumulation and gingivitis in experimental human gingivitis were examined. In Beagle dogs, IgG antibodies to lysine decarboxylase from E. corrodens (EC) inhibit enzyme activity and slow gingivitis development (AADR 2010, Abstract#392). In humans, this enzyme reduces plaque lysine co...

Benzylamine is found in Moringa oleifera, a plant used to treat diabetes in traditional medicine. In mammals, benzylamine is metabolized by semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) to benzaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. This latter product has insulin-mimicking action, and is involved in the effects of benzylamine on human adipocytes: stimulati...

After administration of various amounts of pralidoxime to rats, the levels in serum, brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The calibration curves were established using spiked samples. The calibration covers the ranges from 0.3 - 200 microg/mL, 0.3 - 7 microg/mL and 0.1 - 7 microg/mL for serum...

The synthesis of 7,12-dihydroindolo[2′,3′:3,4]pyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazolin-5-one, a hybrid compound containing common structural features of the natural alkaloids rutaecarpine (Evodia rutaecarpa) and luotonin A (Peganum nigellastrum), was performed by active methylene group transformations of deoxyvasicinone. The synthesis of 7-hydroxy-8-norrutaecarpin...

Salivary bacteria produce the enzyme lysine decarboxylase which converts lysine to cadaverine. In the absence of appropriate oral hygiene, overgrowth of these bacteria depletes lysine. This may contribute to gingival inflammation, while cadaverine contributes to oral malodor. A selective and sensitive capillary electrophoresis method with laser-ind...

Background: Dental biofilms contain a protein that inhibits mammalian cell growth, possibly lysine decarboxylase from Eikenella corrodens. This enzyme decarboxylates lysine, an essential amino acid for dentally attached cell turnover in gingival sulci. Lysine depletion may stop this turnover, impairing the barrier to bacterial compounds. The aims o...

The combination of vanadate plus benzylamine has been reported to stimulate glucose transport in rodent adipocytes and to mimic other insulin actions in diverse studies. However, benzylamine alone activates glucose uptake in human fat cells and increases glucose tolerance in rabbits. The aim of this work was to unravel the benzylamine antihyperglyc...

Despite recent intensive investigations, physiological and pathological role of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) is far from clear. In this study, serum SSAO activity was determined, radiochemically, in various groups of uremic patients: haemodialysed (HD), peritoneally dialysed (PD) and those receiving conservative treatment but still...

Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase/vascular adhesion protein-1 (SSAO) is believed to be a bifunctional membrane protein. It is localized extracellularly and preferentially oxidizes short chain primary amines to aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, but also functions as an adhesion molecule, which is involved in leukocyte migration. Serum SS...

(-)-Deprenyl, the irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B, has been used for decades in the therapy of Parkinson's disease. It improves parkinsonian symptoms due to its dopamine potentiating and antioxidant properties and presumedly delays disease progression. Its complex pharmacological action cannot be explained solely by its monoamine oxid...

Allergic airway disease can be refractory to anti-inflammatory treatment, whose cause is unclarified. Therefore, in the present experiment, we have tested the hypothesis that co-exposure to lipopolysacharide (Lps) and allergen results in glucocorticoid-resistant eosinophil airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness (AHR). Ovalbumin (Ova)-sensitiz...

During the last decades (-)-deprenyl has become the golden standard of MAO-B inhibitors. It possesses dopamine potentiating and antioxidant properties; however, its effects cannot be explained solely by the enzyme inhibitory action. (-)-Deprenyl prevents the toxicity of certain selective neurotoxins and recently it was demonstrated to increase cell...

Decreased biological action of nitric oxide (NO) and increased oxidative stress are established to be involved in the development of endothelium dysfunction, early sign of diabetic angiopathy. In the present study, increased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme activity in the aorta and decreased activity in the kidney tissue of streptozotocin-induce...

The possible contribution of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) to the development of the neurode-generation came up after the investigations with neurotoxic compounds. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and methamphetamine (METH) have detrimental effect on the dopaminergic neurons. The aim of our study was to examine whet...

A capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of the oxidized, nitrated, and chlorinated aromatic amino acids, as well as their parent compounds. These modifications of the aromatic amino acids in proteins or free form are induced by the attack of reactive, mainly free radical species generated during cell stre...

Tissue level of nitrate and nitrite are established indicators of altered nitric oxide metabolism under various pathological conditions. Determination of these anions in biological samples, in the presence of high chloride concentration, using capillary zone electrophoresis suffers from poor detection sensitivity. Separation conditions providing ex...

Deprenyl, the selective irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), has been synthesised as a potential antidepressant, however, due to its dopamine potentiating capacity, became a registered drug in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Deprenyl possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities; some of them are not related to its MA...

A chiral capillary electrophoresis method using hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector was developed and validated for the quantification of the N-oxygenated metabolites of deprenyl, methamphetamine, and amphetamine enantiomers, formed in vitro. The influence of various parameters (selector concentration, buffer pH, temperature, polymer...

Chiral capillary electrophoresis has been validated for the quantitative analysis of R-(-)-deprenyl (selegiline) and seven of its metabolites, among them the diastereomeric pair of selegiline-N-oxide in rat urine. Linear calibration curves were obtained over the concentration range: 0.5–100 M for selegiline, N-desmethylselegiline, methamphetamine,...

Several studies have demonstrated the involvement of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNOS) in the neurotoxic effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridin (MPTP) and methamphetamine (METH), so the contribution of altered nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme function can be suspected. In this study, about 50% increase in nitric oxide (...

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method has been developed for the measurement of oxidized pyridine dinucleotides (NAD+, NADP+) in biological samples following fluorescence derivatization. Under strongly alkaline conditions the pyridinium ring of the nicotinamide moiety reacts with carbonyl compounds, resulting in stable...

Chiral separation of deprenyl-N-oxide isomers is presented using capillary electrophoresis in the presence of various cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives. This recently identified metabolite of R-(-)-deprenyl may possess desirable pharmacological activities. The effect of the cavity size and the substituents of the CD are examined on the enantiomer resol...

A chiral capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the simultaneous separation of the enantiomers of deprenyl and eight of its metabolites, among them the recently described metabolite deprenyl-N-oxide. Although heptakis-(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (DIMEB) was suitable for the enantioresolution of deprenyl and its dealkylated...