Role of soluble interleukin-2 receptor and cellular interleukin-2 receptor in the monitoring of hepatitis C virus related liver diseases

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is considered the most common etiology of chronic liver disease in Egypt. It infects immune cells such as B and T lymphocytes, altering their normal functions. Thus liver damage is thought to be the result of these factors that affect the immune response to viral antigens. This study aimed to determine the role of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor [sIL-2R] and cellular interleukin-2 receptor in the hepatitis C virus disease, and to determine whether other cellular markers have any role to play in that process. In addition to assess the relationship between different diagnostic tools for estimating HCV activity, particularly measurement of serum viral load by branched DNA technology. Levels of sIL-2R were measured by ELISA in the sera of 35 chronic liver disease [CLD] patients, 35 asymptomatic hepatitis C virus carriers [ASC] and 15 healthy subjects negative for HCV markers served as normal controls [NC]. Also, we studied peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells [PBMNCs] samples from the study groups for the surface expression of CD7, CD19 and CD25. The mean serum sIL-2R levels were significantly elevated in the CLD group compared to ASC and NC groups [P. value <0.001, <0.001 respectively]. Patients with CLD showed significant increase in both CD7[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly active T lymphocytes] and CD19[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly active B lymphocytes] than other groups. Both patients groups showed decrease in both CD7[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly T lymphocytes] and CD19[+]/CD25[+] PBMNCs [represent mostly B lymphocytes] than normal control group. Soluble interleukin -2 receptors [sIL-2R] concentration may be a useful non-invasive surrogate marker of disease activity in HCV infection; high levels of sIL-2R are related to activity of the disease rather than to virus replication

Investigation of chromosomal aberrations in Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma patients by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very common and highly malignant tumor, associated mainly with chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis of any cause, aflatoxin exposure and ethanol consumption. Cytogenetic analysis on HCC has been limited because of poor hepatocyte growth in vitro. Conventional cytogenetic studies have demonstrated frequent abnormalities of specific chromosomes in HCC. Molecular cytogenetic approaches have been applied only rarely in the characterization of HCC. The main aim of this study was to evaluate genetic aberrations of different chromosomes in HCC. The study included 35 patients with HCC, who have been diagnosed and treated at National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt. The clinico-pathologic features of the studied patient were collected from patient’s files. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interphase cytogenetics by fluorescence in situ hybridization with the use of a panel of centromere-associated DNA probes for chromosomes 1, 4, 8, 9, 13, 17, 20 and Y were performed on paraffin-embedded HCC specimens. RESULTS: The most common chromosomal aberrations detected were gain of chromosomes 8 in 12 cases (34.28%), 17 in 6 cases (17.14%). Loss of chromosome Y was detected in 6 of male cases (30%). Monosomy 4 was also detected in 5 cases (14.28%). Negative correlation could be detected only between chromosome 4 and 8. (r = -0.381, P < 0.05). Correlations between gain or loss of chromosomes and the different clinicopathologic parameters in the patients investigated, indicated negative correlation between: chromosome Y and age and chromosome 1 and cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: Gains and losses of DNA found in this study probably involve oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that play a role in the puzzle of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Hepatitis B virus [HBV] genotypes in Egyptian pediatric cancer patients with acute and chronic active HBV infection

Background: There are eight genotypes of hepatitis B virus [A-H] and subgenotypes are recognized. Genotyping can be accomplished based on a partial sequence of HBV genome such as the pre-S or S gene. Several methods have been developed and used for HBV genotyping. This study was undertaken to determine the HBV genotypes in Egyptian pediatric cancer patients with acute and chronic liver disease

Methods: HBV genotypes were determined in 22 patients who had acute forms of liver disease [AH] and in 48 patients with chronic active hepatitis [CAH]. A type-specific primer based on the nested-PCR method was employed in the HBV genotyping

Results: This study showed that HBV infections in pediatric cancer patients are attributed predominantly to viral genotypes D and B that constituted 37.1% and 25.7%, respectively of the total infections. In addition, there was a relatively high prevalence of mixed infections of 15.7% among the studied group especially mixed A/D genotype infections. Genotype D was found significantly more often in patients with CAH than in patients with AH [P<0.05]

Conclusion: These findings show the distribution of HBV A-D genotypes in pediatric cancer Egyptian patients. Furthermore, our results indicate a markedly high prevalence of mixed A/D genotype infections in subjects with CAH and a possible association of mixed infections with the severity of liver diseases