Amifostine exerts anti-angiogenic activity and suppresses vascular endothelial growth factor secreted by hemopoietic stem/progenitor cells

To assess, in vitro, the effect of Amifostine [AMF, WR-2721] on angiogenesis and levels of vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] secreted from hemopoietic stem/progenitor cell populations. We conducted the study in the research laboratories of the Hashemite University, Jordan between September 2003 and January 2005 where we took samples were from Myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS] patients and healthy donors attending Al-Hussein Cancer Center and We determined the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs] in cultures supplemented with media conditioned with AMF-treated and AMF-untreated pure hemopoietic cells [CD34+ cells, and erythroid, myeloid and megakaryocytic progenitors]. Furthermore, in the same conditioned media, we evaluated levels of elaborated VEGF by a sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Biologically, media conditioned with AMF-treated cells reduced proliferation of HUVECs compared to media conditioned with untreated control cells [p<0.05]. In cultures of AMF-untreated cells, elaboration of VEGF was higher [p<0.05] in media conditioned with cells from MDS patients compared to healthy donors. A 30 minutes pre-exposure of cells to AMF [500 mM] suppressed levels of VEGF secreted within 24 hours in 63 of 89 evaluated cultures. The percentage of reduction of VEGF in AMF-sensitive cultures was comparable in cultures of MDS cells [18%, 2-37%; median, range] and normal cells [12%, 2-45%]. The results showed that AMF exerts an anti-angiogenic activity and suppresses the secretion of VEGF in hemopoietic stem/progenitor cells obtained from both healthy individuals and patients with MDS

Mutation analysis of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 among breast cancer Jordanian females.

To screen mutations of the tumor suppressor breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 [BRCA1] within 3 exons among Jordanian breast cancer females. A total of 135 Jordanian breast cancer females were genetically analyzed by denaturing gradient electrophoresis [DGGE] for mutation detection in 3 BRCA1 exons [2, 11 and 20] between 2000-2002 in Al-Basheer Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Of the studied patients 50 had a family history of breast cancer, 28 had a family history of cancer other than breast cancer, and 57 had no family history of any cancer. Five germline mutations were detected among breast cancer females with a family history of breast cancers [one in exon 2 and 4 mutations in exon 11]. Another germline mutation [within exon 11] was detected among breast cancer females with family history of cancer other than breast cancer, and no mutation was detected among breast cancer females with no family history of any cancer or among normal control females. Screening mutations within exon 2, exon 11 and exon 20 showed that most screened mutations were within BRCA1 exon 11 among breast cancer Jordanian families with a family history of breast cancer

Comparison of some risk factors between non-familial and familial breast cancer females in Jordan

To compare the risk factors such as age, menopause, menarche, age at the first pregnancy, number of pregnancies and breast feeding period between the familial and non-familial breast cancer females in Jordan. This study was carried out in Al-Basheer Hospital, Amman, Jordan during the period 2000 and 2002. A questionnaire was used to collect information from 99 females who were histologically and pathologically diagnosed with breast cancer. Data of the questionnaire were entered and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences. The highest percentage of non-familial and familial breast cancer occurrence was among age group 51-60 years. The age of the first pregnancy is another risk factor of which the highest percentage of breast cancer was reported for both familial [57.1%] and non-familial [65.4] breast cancer females who have their first pregnancy while they were 20-years-old and above. More than 4 pregnancies also represents a risk factor for both non-familial [67.9%] and familial [68.6%] breast cancer patients. In this study, there are no statistical differences between menopause and menarche age among the breast cancer females. Finally, an inverse relationship was shown between breast feeding period [equal or more than 24 months] and the occurrence of breast cancer in both non-familial [2%] and familial [0%] breast cancer. This study found that age 51-60 years and the increase number of pregnancies [more than 4] in the age of 20 years or more are risk factors for both types of breast cancer. On the other hand, longer period of breast feeding [more than 24 months] decreases the risk of breast cancer in both types

Lifestyle related risk factors for breast cancer in Jordanian females

To compare the lifestyle related risk factors for breast cancer such as physical activity, cigarette smoking, the use of contraceptive pills and increased body weight between non-familial and familial breast cancer females in Jordan. This study was carried out in the Kingdom of Jordan during the period 2000 through to 2002. A questionnaire was used to collect information from 99 females who were histologically and pathologically diagnosed for breast cancer. Data of the questionnaire was entered and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences. This study showed no significant difference between familial, non-familial breast cancer females and controls in the following risk factors: physical activity, contraceptive methods, and smoking. On the other hand, a statistically significant difference in weight was found between the familial breast cancer females, the total breast cancer females and the controls. In addition, the highest percentage of overweight and obese was found among postmenopausal breast cancer females. Postmenopausal obesity is a significant risk factor among Jordanian breast cancer females