Gediminas Žekonis

Prof. Gediminas Žekonis

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

20Years (2007-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 January 2018 in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
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Ilona SadauskieneIlona Sadauskiene
Ilona Sadauskiene
ALArunas Liekis
Arunas Liekis
RBRasa Bernotiene
Rasa Bernotiene
JSJurgita Sulinskiene
Jurgita Sulinskiene
AKArttūras Kašauskas
Arttūras Kašauskas
GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the extracts of buckwheat leaf and flower on the antioxidant status of the brain and liver tissue. The administration of buckwheat extracts (both concentrations were 10%) to mice (at the dose 10 mL/kg of body weight) for 21 days significantly decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced the amount of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the mouse brain, while catalase (CAT) activity significantly increased. In the mouse liver, the amount of GSH and activity of SOD increased, while the CAT activity after administering buckwheat leaf and flower extracts was lower in experimental mice than in the control group. However, the administration of 10% ethanol (for 21 days) to control animals also had a significant effect on the antioxidant system in brain and liver cells. Experimental animals demonstrated rather marked changes in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT in their liver and brain cells, and changes in the levels of GSH and MDA were observed when compared with the control group.

15 October 2016 in Medical Science Monitor
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GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
JŽJonas Žekonis
Jonas Žekonis
AGAlvydas Gleiznys
Alvydas Gleiznys
VNViktorija Noreikienė
Viktorija Noreikienė
IBIngrida Balnytė
Ingrida Balnytė
JNJulija Narbutaitė
Julija Narbutaitė
BACKGROUND:Various studies have shown that non-surgical periodontal treatment is correlated with reduction in clinical parameters and plasma levels of inflammatory markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term weekly supragin...

1 January 2023 in The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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RORimantas Ožiūnas
Rimantas Ožiūnas
JSJurgina Sakalauskienė
Jurgina Sakalauskienė
LSLaurynas Staišiūnas
Laurynas Staišiūnas
GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
JŽJuozas Žilinskas
Juozas Žilinskas
GJGintaras Janužis
Gintaras Janužis
Ožiūnas R, et al. J Adv Prosthodont. 2023 Feb;15(1):33-43. https://doi.org/10.4047/jap.2023.15.1.33

12 May 2022 in Medicina
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AKAlbertas Kriaučiūnas
Albertas Kriaučiūnas
RLRasa Liutkeviciene
Rasa Liutkeviciene
GGGreta Gedvilaite
Greta Gedvilaite
KKKriste Kaikaryte
Kriste Kaikaryte
Alvita Vilkeviciute-PetraiteAlvita Vilkeviciute-Petraite
Alvita Vilkeviciute-Petraite
GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
Background and Objectives: Periodontitis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease associated with biofilm dysbiosis and is defined by progressive periodontium destruction. Genes largely regulate this entire process. SIRTs are a group of histone deacetylases (HDACs) intimately involved in cell metabolism and are responsible for altering and regulating numerous cell functions. Understanding SIRTs and their functions in periodontitis may be useful for therapeutic treatment strategies in the future. The aim of our study was to investigate the associations amid SIRT1 single-gene nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3818292, rs3758391, and rs7895833) and SIRT1 serum levels for patients affected by periodontitis in the Caucasian population. Materials and Methods: The study included 201 patients affected by periodontitis and 500 healthy controls. DNA extraction from peripheral leukocytes was carried out using commercial kits. The real-time PCR method was selected for the determination of the genotype of the periodontitis patients and the control group. The ELISA method was used to measure the SIRT1 concentration. A statistical data analysis was performed using “BM SPSS Statistics 27.0” software. Results: The SIRT1 rs3818292 AG genotype was associated with a 2-fold and 1.9-fold increase in the development of periodontitis under the codominant and overdominant models (OR = 1.959; CI = 1.239–3.098; p = 0.004; and OR = 1.944; CI = 1.230–3.073; p = 0.004, respectively). The serum SIRT1 levels were not statistically significantly different between subjects in the periodontitis and control groups (0.984 (5.159) ng/mL vs. 0.514 (7.705) ng/mL, p = 0.792). Conclusions: in our study, the genotypes and alleles of SIRT1 rs3818292, rs3758391, and rs7895833 statistically significantly differed between the periodontitis and control groups, exclusively in the male population and subjects older than 60 years.

30 January 2024 in Biomedicines
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AKAlbertas Kriaučiūnas
Albertas Kriaučiūnas
GGGreta Gedvilaite-Vaicechauskiene
Greta Gedvilaite-Vaicechauskiene
ABAkvile Bruzaite
Akvile Bruzaite
GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
DRDainius Razukevicius
Dainius Razukevicius
RLRasa Liutkeviciene
Rasa Liutkeviciene
The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the associations between TAS2R16 serum levels and common gene rs860170, rs978739, and rs1357949 polymorphisms in patients affected by generalized periodontitis. The study enrolled 590 patients: 280 patients with periodontitis and 310 healthy controls as a reference group. Patients underwent periodontal examination and radiographic analysis to confirm the periodontitis diagnosis. Blood samples were collected, and the DNA salting-out method was used for DNA extraction from peripheral venous blood. Genotyping of TAS2R16 (rs860170, rs978739, and rs1357949) was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and serum level analysis was performed for both periodontitis-affected patients and reference group subjects. The analysis of TAS2R16 rs860170 (TT, CT, and CC) showed a statistically significant difference between generalized periodontitis and the reference group (41.8%, 58.2%, and 0% vs. 38.7%, 56.1%, and 5.2%, p < 0.001). TAS2R16 rs860170 (TT, CT, and CC) showed a statistically significant difference between males in generalized periodontitis and reference groups (38.4%, 61.6%, and 0% vs. 32.9%, 56.6%, and 10.5%, p = 0.002). Female-specific analysis showed that the TAS2R16 rs978739 C allele was more frequent in generalized periodontitis compared to the reference group (37.5% vs. 28.7%, p = 0.016). Subjects aged 70 years and older demonstrated a statistically significant difference in TAS2R16 rs860170 (TT, CT, and CC) between generalized periodontitis and the reference group (42.8%, 57.2%, and 0% vs. 38.6%, 53.8%, and 7.6%, p = 0.003). TAS2R16 serum levels were elevated in generalized periodontitis compared to the reference group (0.112 (0.06) ng/mL vs. 0.075 (0.03) ng/mL, p = 0.002). Females carrying the TAS2R16 rs978739 C allele were more prone to generalized periodontitis development. Associations were found between TAS2R16 rs860170 polymorphisms, elevated TAS2R16 serum levels, and generalized periodontitis development.

1 December 2007 in Medicina
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DZDarius Zasimauskas
Darius Zasimauskas
GŽGediminas Žekonis
Gediminas Žekonis
Alterations in neutrophil function by tobacco products may play a central role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases and several smoking-related systemic diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of smoking on neutrophil oxidative metabolism. Materials and methods. The study included 17 smoking men free of systemic diseases who were referred for treatment of various odontological diseases to outpatient department of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital. The age of subjects varied from 22 to 43 years. All subjects answered the questions about smoking habits. Clinical examination included assessment of oral hygiene status according to the OHI-s index and periodontal status according to Russell and Ramfjord indices. To evaluate the oxidative metabolism of neutrophils, luminol- and liucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence and nitroblue tetrazolium test were used.
Results
. After smoking, extracellular liucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence response was higher as compared to the response before smoking, but total (intra- and extracellular) luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response was the same both before and after smoking. Exposure of neutrophils to smoking caused a significant increase in nitroblue tetrazolium reduction. Conclusion. The release of reactive oxygen species in neutrophils exposed to smoking may alter the pathogenic processes in periodontal diseases.