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Papers by Gordon Ferns

Iubmb Life, Dec 7, 2020

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a... more Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a chronic inflammatory disease usually caused by atherosclerosis, in which the coronary arteries become narrowed by atheromatous plaque. Plaques in atherosclerosis are formed through the accumulation of lipids and various immune cells. Both adaptive and innate immune systems are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and facilitate plaque formation and disease progression. Almost all immune system cells, including neutrophils, B cells, T cells monocytes, macrophages, foam cells, and dendritic cells (DCs), play a vital role in atherosclerotic plaque. Atherogenesis, the normal function of the endothelium, is initially disrupted and, then, cells of the immune system are recruited to the endothelium following increased expression of cell adhesion molecules. Accumulation of immune cells and lipids leads to the formation of a necrotic nucleus. As the disease progresses, smooth muscle cells form fibrous layers, whose rupture results in exposing the necrotic nucleus and thrombosis. Accordingly, the present review was conducted to determine the role of different cells in innate and adaptive immune systems in inhibition and progression of atherosclerosis.

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, May 26, 2020

Effect of high dose vitamin D supplementation on antibody titres to heat shock protein

Current Pharmaceutical Design, Sep 11, 2018

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality, and ... more Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality, and associated with an important economic burden globally. Over the last decade, the prevalence of CVD has been rising globally, and is now associated with millions of death annually in both developed and developing countries. There is good evidence that the immune system is involved in the pathophysiology of CVD. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their downstream signaling pathways play an important role in the immune system. Recent studies have suggested that the TLRs are involved in atherogenesis, including stroke, myocardial infarction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, cardiac remodeling and development of heart failure (HF). In this review we have summarized the recent studies investigating the role of TLRs in CVD and the potential for using TLRs signaling pathways as a therapeutic target in CVD.

Journal of Cellular Physiology, Dec 10, 2018

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death globally; therefore, there is a need for... more Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death globally; therefore, there is a need for the identification of valid biomarker that accurately predict the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and novel therapeutic approaches for its treatment. Exosomes are very small extracellular vesicles containing protein, lipid, transcription factors, mRNAs, non-coding RNA and nucleic acid contents, that are important players in intercellular communication, and that act via long-range signals or cell-to-cell contact. The discovery of exosomes provides potential strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. In the current review, we have explored the potential impact of exosomes on cardiovascular physiology, and their therapeutic potential in cardiovascular disorders with a emphasize on the existing preclinical studies.

Indian Heart Journal, 2018

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) cannot be sufficiently explained by the presence of tra... more Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) cannot be sufficiently explained by the presence of traditional risk factors. Cathepsin D has been proposed to serve as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis but its alterations in CAD patients have not been studied. Objective: To evaluate serum cathepsin D concentrations in relation to the presence and severity of CAD. Materials and methods: A total of 104 subjects were recruited; 71 patients with suspected CAD and 33 healthy subjects. Thirty-four patients had >50% coronary stenosis of at least one artery (CAD+); the remaining 37 patients had <50% stenosis (CADÀ) based on angiography. CAD+ patients were subdivided into three subgroups with single (SVD; n = 15), double (2VD; n = 9), and triple vessel (3VD; n = 10) disease. Serum soluble cathepsin D concentrations were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Serum cathepsin D concentrations were significantly higher in the CAD+ compared with healthy control (p = 0.016) but not CADÀ group (p = 0.098). Within the CAD+ group, patients with 3VD had significantly higher serum cathepsin D concentrations compared with the SVD group (p = 0.025), and also compared with the CADÀ (p = 0.011) and SVD (p = 0.001) groups. No significant associations were found between serum cathepsin D concentrations and potential confounders including age, sex, blood pressure, smoking history and dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Serum cathepsin D concentrations may be associated with the presence of CAD.

International Journal of Food Properties, 2021

ABSTRACT Sobia is a traditional locally made fermented beverage consumed in Saudi Arabia and made... more ABSTRACT Sobia is a traditional locally made fermented beverage consumed in Saudi Arabia and made by the fermentation of wheat. We aimed to measure ethanol concentration in Sobia beverage stored under different conditions. Forty-eight freshly made Sobia samples were purchased from different vendors. Twenty-four samples were stored at room temperature (RT: 21–25°C), and another 24 samples at a cold temperature (CT: 2–8°C). Ethanol was measured in RT samples on 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days, and on 0, 4, 7, and 14 days in CT samples. The mean ± SE ethanol at zero-time for all 48 samples was 27.2 ± 7.2 mg/dL. Ethanol concentration increased to 121.8 ± 33.5 mg/dL on day 14 at CT, compared to 514.0 ± 91.9 mg/dL after one week at RT. Sobia can be categorized as Halal beverage, and can be consumed within two weeks when stored at a CT.

Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis, 2021

BackgroundSeveral pre‐analytical factors can affect the measurement of intact Parathyroid Hormone... more BackgroundSeveral pre‐analytical factors can affect the measurement of intact Parathyroid Hormone (IPTH). In this study, we have investigated the effects of using different types of tubes, time elapsed before separation, and storage conditions over time on the measured values of IPTH.MethodBlood samples from 30 subjects were collected into plain, SST, and EDTA tubes. All serum and plasma were separated immediately (first set) and after 2 hrs delay (second set). The first set of samples were aliquoted and stored at RT (25°C), at fridge (4°C), and freezer (−20°C). IPTH was measured in all the stored aliquots at 2,4, and 8 days after collection using Architect analyzer.ResultsPaired T test and ANOVA repeated measures showed no significant difference between IPTH levels in all tubes. The second set of serum and plasma were significantly lower (3.8% and 7.4%, p < 0.001, respectively) when compared to samples measured initially. Serum samples stored at RT were significantly lower (by 4...

IUBMB Life, 2020

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with high mortality worldwide. The reverse chol... more Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with high mortality worldwide. The reverse cholesterol transport pathway in macrophage plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and is strongly controlled by regulatory factors. The microRNAs can promote or prevent the formation of atherosclerotic lesions by post‐transcriptional regulation of vital genes in this pathway. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the expression levels of miR‐27a, miR‐329, ABCA1, and ABCG1 genes and serum levels of hs‐CRP, ox‐LDL, and indices of oxidative stress in the patients with established CAD and controls. A total of 84 subjects (42 patients with CAD and 42 controls) were included in this study. Expression levels of miR‐27a‐3p, miR‐329‐3p, ABCA1, and ABCG1 genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum concentration of hs‐CRP and ox‐LDL were measured by real time‐PCR and ELISA, respectively. Also, oxidative s...

Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis, 2019

Vitamin D is required for normal development and bone health. Vitamin D deficiency is known to ca... more Vitamin D is required for normal development and bone health. Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Furthermore, recent studies indicate that vitamin D status is implicated in the development of diabetes mellitus 1 and other chronic conditions. 2 Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be common in many countries. 3,4 These findings have led to an increase in vitamin testing worldwide, which has placed considerable demands on clinical laboratories.

BioFactors, 2018

Hematological parameters have emerged as independent determinants of high serum concentrations of... more Hematological parameters have emerged as independent determinants of high serum concentrations of uric acid (UA) and predictive factors in the evaluation of the total cardiovascular risk in patients with essential hypertensive. Here, we have investigated the possible relationships between hematological factors and serum uric acid levels in hypertensive patients recruited as part of Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders cohort study. Two‐thousand three‐hundred and thirty‐four hypertensive individuals were recruited from this cohort and these were divided into two groups; those with either high or low serum UA concentrations. Demographic, biochemical, and hematological characteristics of population were evaluated in all the subjects. Logistic‐regression analysis was performed to determine the association of hematological parameters with hypertension (HTN). Of the 2334 hypertensive subjects, 290 cases had low UA, and 2044 had high serum UA concentrations. Compared with the...

Journal of Cellular Physiology, 2018

Inflammation is a normal part of the immune response to injury or infection but its dysregulation... more Inflammation is a normal part of the immune response to injury or infection but its dysregulation promotes the development of inflammatory diseases, which cause considerable human suffering. Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory agents are the most commonly prescribed agents for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, but they are accompanied by a broad range of side effects, including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular events. The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) is traditionally known for its role in blood pressure regulation. However, there is increasing evidence that RAS signaling is also involved in the inflammatory response associated with several disease states. Angiotensin II increases blood pressure by binding to angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor, and direct renin inhibitors, angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and AT1receptor blockers (ARBs) are clinically used as antihypertensive agents. Recent data suggest that these drugs also have anti‐inflammatory effects. Therefor...

Clinical laboratory, 2018

There is relatively little information about endogenous biochemical changes in a response to plat... more There is relatively little information about endogenous biochemical changes in a response to plateletpheresis in healthy donors. We aimed to investigate the changes in different biochemical parameters including glycemic status, insulin resistance, iron status, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers after plateletpheresis in healthy male donors with normal glycemic status. In this study we enrolled 10 male subjects. The glycemic status in all subjects was assessed using an oral glucose tolerance test pre- and post-plateletpheresis at different time intervals (1, 8, and 22 days). Different biochemical parameters including glucose, HbA1c, insulin, lipids, uric acid, transferrin, ferritin, C-reactive protein, and insulin resistance were measured. Repeated ANOVA was utilized for the purpose of statistical comparison of means between different days. Fasting glucose, transferrin, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, and LDL-C were significantly altered (-3.9%, p < 0.05; -2.7%, p < 0.0...

Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation, 2017

Whole blood donation has immunomodulatory effects, and most of these have been observed at short ... more Whole blood donation has immunomodulatory effects, and most of these have been observed at short intervals following blood donation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of whole blood donation on lymphocyte subsets over a typical inter-donation interval. Healthy male subjects were recruited to study changes in complete blood count (CBC) (n = 42) and lymphocyte subsets (n = 16) before and at four intervals up to 106 days following blood donation. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare quantitative variables between different visits. Following blood donation, changes in CBC and erythropoietin were as expected. The neutrophil count increased by 11.3% at 8 days (p < .001). Novel changes were observed in lymphocyte subsets as the CD4/CD8 ratio increased by 9.2% (p < .05) at 8 days and 13.7% (p < .05) at 22 days. CD16-56 cells decreased by 16.2% (p < .05) at 8 days. All the subsets had returned to baseline by 106 days. Regression analysis showed that the changes i...

Saudi Medical Journal, Mar 1, 2005

To investigate whether the dietary intake of energy; macronutrients; and fiber differ between age... more To investigate whether the dietary intake of energy; macronutrients; and fiber differ between age groups, racial groups and socio-economic classes among males from the Western province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Data were collected from 303 male subjects, aged 15-80 years. They were selected randomly from King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, KSA from October 2001 to November 2003 and grouped according to their age into 3 groups. The subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning their demographic characteristics, health history, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Energy and carbohydrates intake fell with age (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05). Total dietary carbohydrates and fat intake were similar for all groups when expressed as a percentage of energy intake. The percentage energy as protein increased with age (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05). Mean cholesterol intake was high for all groups, but fell with age group (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001). Saturated fat and monounsaturated fat intake, expressed as percentage energy intake were both high, whereas polyunsaturated fat intake was low. The youngest group had the highest percentage energy provided by saturated fatty acid (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001), and the lowest percentage energy as polyunsaturated fatty acid (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05) compared to the other groups. The intake of fibre rose with age was significantly higher in the older group (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05). Diet consumed by urban dwellers in KSA appears to have resulted in an imbalance of macronutrient intake among all sectors of the population. This problem can only be averted by raising public awareness and the development of appropriate population-specific nutritional guidelines.

Clinical Biochemistry, 2016

Objectives: Previous studies have investigated the impact of venesection upon different metabolic... more Objectives: Previous studies have investigated the impact of venesection upon different metabolic indices in patients with various conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes and iron overload). We aimed to investigate the changes on different metabolic indices including glycemic, iron, lipids and inflammatory markers at different time points after blood donation in male subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Design and methods: 42 male subjects were recruited to the study. Glucose tolerance was assessed by oral glucose tolerance test before (visit A) and after the blood donation (1 day, visit B; 1 week, visit C; 3 weeks, visit D; and 3 months, visit E). Fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin, lipids, uric acid, C-reactive protein, iron stores and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, ISI-gly) indices were measured. A repeated measures ANOVA was used for comparisons of quantitative variables between different visits. Results: All subjects had normal glucose tolerance according to WHO criteria. Fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly higher (~2%, p b 0.05;~21%, p b 0.01; and~11%, p b 0.05 respectively) at visit B following donation. At visit D, the mean ± SE for HbA1c (5.28 ± 0.06%) was significantly lower with a difference in percentage of~−3% and p b 0.05 compared to visit A (5.44 ± 0.06%). Ferritin decreased significantly at visits B, C, D and E (~−8%, p b 0.01,~−24%, p b 0.001,~−39%, p b 0.001 and~−29%, p b 0.01 respectively), when compared to visit A. Conclusions: At different time points after blood donation, glycemic status and iron stores are affected significantly in male blood donors with normal glucose tolerance. The changes were particularly evident three weeks after donation. Hence, the interpretation of these parameters in male blood donors needs to take this into account, and the mechanisms resulting in these effects need to be clarified.

Medical Principles and Practice, 2015

Objective: To compare the changes in anti-malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-L... more Objective: To compare the changes in anti-malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) IgG levels among patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valvuloplasty. Subjects and Methods: A total of 38, 39 and 34 patients who underwent off-pump CABG, on-pump CABG and valvuloplasty, respectively, were enrolled in this study. Serum anti-MDA-LDL IgG values were measured 24 h before and after the operative procedures and at discharge. Echocardiography was also done before surgery and before discharge. The results were compared with values from 50 healthy controls. Results: In all patients, a reduction in antibody titers was observed post-operatively. However, the decrease was significant only in the off-pump CABG - before surgery: 42.33 (25.83-58.51), after surgery: 30.86 (16.36-51.33) and at discharge: 10.96 (6.82-23.57; p = 0.027). There was a significant positive association between anti-MDA-LDL IgG levels and ejection fraction (r = 0...

Journal of toxicology, 2011

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an increasing world health problem. Traditional risk factors fail... more Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an increasing world health problem. Traditional risk factors fail to account for all deaths from CVD. It is mainly the environmental, dietary and lifestyle behavioral factors that are the control keys in the progress of this disease. The potential association between chronic heavy metal exposure, like arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, and CVD has been less well defined. The mechanism through which heavy metals act to increase cardiovascular risk factors may act still remains unknown, although impaired antioxidants metabolism and oxidative stress may play a role. However, the exact mechanism of CVD induced by heavy metals deserves further investigation either through animal experiments or through molecular and cellular studies. Furthermore, large-scale prospective studies with follow up on general populations using appropriate biomarkers and cardiovascular endpoints might be recommended to identify the factors that predispose to heavy metals toxicity in...

Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 2003

Selenium is an essential trace element that is an integral part of many proteins, with catalytic ... more Selenium is an essential trace element that is an integral part of many proteins, with catalytic and structural functions. The antioxidant properties of some selenoproteins, such as glutathione peroxidase, may be particularly important in carcinogenesis and heart disease. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the soil where the plants are grown or the animals are raised. Moreover, the metabolism of selenium is determined by its dietary form: some forms are better utilized than others. Therefore, wide variations have been found in selenium status in different parts of the world. In animal studies, selenium deficiency is associated with cardiomyopathy and sudden death, as well as reduced T-cell counts and impaired lymphocyte proliferation and responsiveness. Abnormalities in liver function, brain, heart, striated muscle, pancreas and genital tract have also been reported. In humans, selenium deficiency has been implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular ...

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2005

The heat shock proteins (HSPs) are protein chaperones. Higher titers of antibody to HSPs (anti-HS... more The heat shock proteins (HSPs) are protein chaperones. Higher titers of antibody to HSPs (anti-HSPs) have been reported in atherosclerosis, which may contribute to immunoactivation in this process. We investigated whether dietary antioxidants and fat intake are associated with changes in anti-HSP titers in dyslipidemic subjects. Patients (n = 238) were recruited from hospital lipid clinics. Control subjects (n = 188) were recruited from university and hospital employees. Food-frequency questionnaires were used to estimate dietary antioxidants and fat. Dyslipidemic patients had significantly higher titers of anti-HSPs than did control subjects; expressed in medians and interquartile ranges of absorbance units, anti-HSP-60 titers were 0.27 (0.18-0.37) and 0.22 (0.16-0.30), anti-HSP-65 titers were 0.45 (0.28-0.79) and 0.31 (0.22-0.50), and anti-HSP-70 titers were 0.22 (0.17-0.30) and 0.19 (0.13-0.27), respectively. Median and interquartile ranges of serum concentrations of C-reactive p...