Background Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular degenerative diseases. Bilirubin is known to be a potent endogenous antioxidant, both in in vitro and in vivo. The latter can be ascribed to an efficient amplification cycle whereby bilirubin, acting as antioxidant, is itself oxidized to biliverdin and then recycled back to bilirubin by NADPH-dependent bil...

The binding of bilirubin to poly(L-lysine) produces an optically active complex at pH 10.1. Circular dichroism spectra of these complexes are distinguishable from those generated by binding of bilirubin to the high affinity sites on albumin. Comparison of the circular dichroism spectra of bilirubin bound to the hepatic protein ligandin with those of bilirubin complexed with albumin or polylysin...

The correlation between the yellow colour of the skin and serum bilirubin concentration, reserve albumin concentration, and pH was investigated in 76 icteric neonates. Significant linear correlation existed between yellow colour of the skin and serum bilirubin concentration, reciprocal of the reserve albumin concentration, and the squared hydrogen ion concentration. Furthermore, the basic yello...

Mildly elevated circulating unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) is associated with protection against hypertension and ischemic heart disease. We assessed whether endogenously elevated bilirubin in Gunn rats modifies cardiovascular function and resistance to ischemic insult. Hearts were assessed ex vivo (Langendorff perfusion) and in vivo (Millar catheterization and echocardiography), and left ventric...

Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common causes of neonatal morbidity and a global health priority. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intensive phototherapy on management of hyperbilirubinemia with different etiologies. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 219 neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinemia, who had the indication for photothera...

BACKGROUND Kernicterus still occurs around the world; however, the mechanism of bilirubin neurotoxicity remains unclear, and effective treatment strategies are lacking. To solve these problems, several kernicterus (or acute bilirubin encephalopathy) animal models have been established, but these models are difficult and expensive. Therefore, the present study was performed to establish a novel ...

background: neonatal jaundice is clinically presented in 60% of full-term newborns. about 8% of newborns with jaundice have urinary tract infection (uti) without any other clinical signs in favor of uti. in present study we evaluated clinical and paraclinical data that help to rapid and early diagnosis of uti in apparently healthy newborns with jaundice.   methods: from february to august 2006,...

The spore coat protein CotA from Bacillus subtilis was previously identified as a laccase. We have now found that CotA also shows strong bilirubin oxidase activity and markedly higher affinity for bilirubin than conventional bilirubin oxidase. This is the first characterization of bilirubin oxidase activity in a bacterial protein.