Antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxides in erythrocytes in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer

To investigate the possible alteration of oxidant-antioxidant status in the erythrocytes of patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Malondialdehyde [MDA], an index of lipid peroxidation, the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx], glutathione S-transferases [GSTs], catalase [CAT] and reduced glutathione [GSH] levels were estimated in the erythrocytes of 30 prostate cancer [PC] patients, 35 benign prostate hyperplasia [BPH] patients and 28 age-and sex-matched healthy controls. MDA level and GSTs activity levels were significantly increased, while GPx, SOD activities and the level of reduced GSH concentration were significantly decreased in the prostate cancer group versus controls [p<0.001] and BPH group [p<0.05]. The relatively higher GSTs activity and low level of reduced GSH may be due to the response of increased reactive oxygen metabolites production in the blood. The higher MDA level and lower GPx and SOD activities may be inadequate to detoxify high levels of H[2]O[2] into H[2]O leading to the formation of [asterisk]OH radical followed by the formation MDA. Oxidant-antioxidant imbalance may be one of the major factors responsible for the development of prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia

Plasminogen activators and matrix metalloproteinase activities in experimental bladder carcinogenesis

To evaluate whether or not the organophosphorus dimethoate insecticide play a vital role in the high incidence of damage of bladder organ in experimental animals. [2] To investigate the possible promoting or synergistic effects of organophosphorus compounds on the potent carcinogenic nitrosamines. [3] To protect the bladder organ from the damaging effect of either organophosphorus or nitrosaniines. Quantitative zymography was used to estimate plasminogen activators [PAs] and matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] in male wistar albino rats urinary bladder after treatment with dimethoate in the presence and absence of diethyl nitrosoamine[DEN]. High level expressions of PAs and MMPs have been correlated with urinary bladder hyperplasia and tumors. PAs activity was significantly [p<0.05] increased in DEN initiation and dimethoate promotion in urinary bladder. MMPs expressed significant elevation [p<0.01] after the initiation with DEN and the treatment with dimethoate. Caproic acid has no significant effect throughout the experiments. Dimethoate is not carcinogenic hut it acts as promoter. PAs and MMPs may he important biochemical factors affecting urinary bladder carcinogenesis

Serum des - gamma - carboxy [abnormal] prothrombin as a marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients in comparison with alpha-fetoprotein using receiver operation characteristic analysis

To evaluate Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin [DCP] level as an early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients in camparison with alphafetoprotein. Serum DCP and Alpha-fetoprotein [AFP] levels were measured in 132 cases of chronic liver diseases including 40 patients with liver cirrhosis; 32 patients with chronic hepatitis and 60 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]. DCP levels were significantly higher in patients with HCC than those with chronic hepatitis [p<0.001] and cirrhosis [p<0.001], no significant difference was found between patients with cirrhosis or with chronic hepatitis and controls. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, DCP was correlated with the size of the tumor and the histopathologic grades but not to the Child Pugh grades and most of the liver function tests. Using the receiver operative characteristic [ROC], the cut-off value for the DCP and AFP were set as 40 mAU/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively, that differentiate patients with HCC from those with cirrhosis. At this level, the sensitivity, the specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of DCP were 78.3%, 86.0% and 83.4; respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of AFP were 56.7%, 96% and 70.0% ; respectively. The simultaneous determination of AFP and DCP raised the sensitivity of the test to 84% with specificity of 100% and diagnostic accuracy of 90% . The area under the ROC curves revealed that DCP had a better accuracy than AFP in diagnosis of HCC [0.85 [95% Cl 0.78-0.91 lVs 0.73 [95% Cl, 0.65-0.81], [p=0.013]. Both AFP and DCP are good markers for HCC and their simultaneous determination may improve the detection of HCC in cirrhotic patients negative for AFP