Nitric oxide, matrix metalloproteinases [2,9] and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 levels in hepatocellular carcinoma of egyptian patients

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the levels of NO, MMP-2 and 9 and TIMP-1 and the behavior of this carcinoma which may be helpful in disease management. For this purpose, the sera of 74 hepatocellular carcinoma cases as well as 74 normal cases were subjected for the analysis of the above mentioned parameters using ELISA technique and the results were correlated with the different clinicopathological data. The results revealed a significant enhancement in the levels of all the parameters examined in the hepatocellular cases rather than the normal ones. Almost, the same parameters showed no significant changes in their levels associated with the histopathological types of the disease. However, a significant change was obtained when the levels of NO, MMP-2, 9 and TIMP-1 were matched with the different tumor grades. All the parameters examined showed no significant difference with the tumor size [/<2 cm or >cm].Only the nitrite level was significantly changed with the C-virus infection and LN involvement; while the other parameters were not. The results suggested that analysis of NO, MMP-2. 9 and TIMP-1 may be helpful in disease management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

P53/WAF1 dependent pathway in squamous cell carcinoma of bladder associated with Bilharziasis

Our understanding of cellular growth control and cell cycle control has been studied extensively at the last decade. Several genes have been identified whose expression are affected by p53 gene. The waf1 is a target gene whose expression has been found to be regulated by p53. We studied p53/waf1 expression inschistosomal egyptian bladder cancer patients in an attempt for the possible use of them as genetic marker for assessment of the progression of such type of disease in egypt. For this purpose, 50 bladder tumors and their corresponding safty margins as controls were collected from nci, cairo niversity and screened for detection of p53 alterations using western blotting confirmed by pcr-sscp analysis, as well as the expression of waf1 gene using western blotting technique. Our results revealed that 20 cases [40%] showed mut-p53, 19 of them harbor abnormal pattern of sscp analysis. A significant correlation was reported between p53 and histopathological type of bladder cancer [scc and tcc, p=0.02]. We reported 21 cases [42%] showed waf1 downexpression. This study gives a dramatic example for the interaply between the oncosuppressor genes in cancer where, a very strong negative association was reported between the presence of p53 alteration [at both dna and protein levels] and waf1 expression [p=0.001]. In conclusion, this study provides an evidence that p53 may be involved in scc genetic. However, no role for p53 alterations in the progression or metastatic potential of bladder cancer. Also, p53/waf1 deficiency may not involve in bladder cancer development and/or progression