Role of thyroid peroxidase antibodies in the outcome of pregnancy

To assess the prevalence of Thyroid peroxidase [TPO] auto antibodies among pregnant women and its relation with their pregnancy outcome. Cross-sectional analytical study. The study was carried out at Zayed Medical Complex, Lahore, in the department of Obs/Gynae and NHRC from July 2000 to July 2002. The study included 1500 Euthyroid pregnant women, ages 18 - 40, registered for antenatal care at Obs/Gynae department. Previous fertility history was recorded and thyroid peroxidase antibody level was assessed by ELISA method. A cut off value of TPO antibody of upto 100U/ml was considered negative and more than 100 U/ml was considered positive.The cases were followed for the outcome of their pregnancy and compared with TPO antibody levels. A comprehensive proforma was used to collect the data. The prevalence of positive TPO autoantibodies was found to be 11.2%. The raised TPO autoantibodies were found to have higher risk of abortion [O.R 49.2] and prematurity [O.R.8.1]. The complications were found to be significantly raised among positive TPO autoantibodies cases, when analysed by parity and age of mother at time of registration. Thyroid autoimmune diseases among euthyroid pregnant women may contribute to low-birth-weight of neonates and high abortion rate in all pregnancies. Raised levels of TPO autoantibody is a good marker to assess early hypothyroidism state and should form a screening modality in Pakistan

Electrophoretic analysis of serum proteins in prostate cancer

Objective: This work was undertaken to analyse qualitatively serum proteins separated by SDS-PAGE and stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250, to detect novel proteins, which could possibly serve as markers for the early detection of prostate cancer

Design: This study [carried out on subjects who were confirmed by biopsy as cancer prostate [CaP] patients] was a preliminary step towards the detection of some new protein markers for CaP

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology University of the Punjab Lahore, from January to March 2003

Subjects and Methods: Serum samples, 36 cases of cap and 36 controls of similar age group were separated by SDS-PAGE on a 12% gel, and then stained using Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250. Protein fractions were analyzed using the computer software program "GeneGenius Gel Documentation and Analysis System"

Results: The appearance and relative raw volumes of 14 major protein fractions ranging in molecular weight from 0.23-157 kD in each group were studied. It was seen, on the whole, that the raw volume of most of the protein fractions decreased in the CaP cases as compared to the controls. Furthermore, the protein fractions of 1.27, 100, 114, 122 and 140 kD were absent in a significant number of the cases. However, it was seen that the protein fraction of 0.23 kD was absent in all the control samples while it appeared in most of the cases

Conclusion: A number of proteins were found to have been lost during malignant transformation. Further investigations are warranted to identify these novel proteins using 2D-PAGE followed by immunoblotting

Free and total prostate specific antigen in benign prostate hyperplsia and prodtate cancer

To record the levels of PSA in the sera of prostate cancer [CaP] and benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] cases. Free PSA/total PSA as percentage was also calculated in order to evaluate its utility in differentially diagnosing BPH and CaP. Design: A cross-sectional, case control study. Place and Duration of Study: Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Mayo Hospital, Lahore from August 2002 to March 2003. Materials and A group of 108 male subjects, including one-third of each of biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer cases, BPH cases and asymptomatic controls of matching age were studied. PSA and Free PSA were determined by ELISA using commercially available assay kits. Mean PSA was found to be highest in CaP cases [41.9 + 38.7 ng/ml], lower in the BPH cases [13.5+10.5 ng/ml], while it was lowest in the control subjects [5.7 + 4.4 ng/ml]. Moreover, it was observed that a majority of the CaP cases had serum PSA >20 ng/ml, 50% of BPH cases had serum PSA in the 'gray zone' [4.1-20 ng/ml], while majority of controls had serum PSA in the 'normal' range [0 - 4 ng/ml]. Using a free-PSA "cut-off" of 18% to differentiate between benign and malignant prostate enlargement, it was found that 80% of the CaP cases had F/T% <18, while 75% of the BPH cases had F/T%>18. The percent free-PSA test to differentially diagnose BPH and CaP in the 'gray zone' was found to have a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 94%. Using a cutoff of 18%, the free-PSA test significantly improved the differential diagnosis of BPH and CaP in the 'gray zone' as compared to the use of total PSA alone in the study group

Lipid mobilisation during germination of cucumis melo seeds

Mobilisation of lipids and its relationship with the Iipolytic activities was determined in the germinating seeds of Cucumis melo f. garma. After some initial loss in the lipid content of cotyledons their level] remained nearly constant during the later stages of germination. Lipid content in the primary root decreased constantly with increase in length, the portion towards the cotyledons having least amount. Percentage of non-polar lipids [mainly glycerides] decreased on the basis of total lipids while that of the polar lipids [mainly phosphoglycerides] increased in both the cotyledons and the primary root along with germination. Relative proportion of non-polar and polar lipids was nearly constant at 3:1 in the various sections of 30 cm root. With increase in length of the primary root lipase activity per root increased while that of phospholipase decreased. An inverse relationship between lipolytic activities and the level of their substrates therefore existed in the primary root during germination. A higher level of lipase activity in the apical portion of the primary root and that of phospholipase activity in the portion towards the cotyledons showed the extent of their role in hydrolysing the corresponding substrates in the various regions of the primary root of C. melo f. garma