T-lymphocytes subsets variation in breast cancer Egyptian patients

In this work, we investigate T-lymphocytes subsets in breast cancer patients among Egyptian populations to evaluate the immune response towards cancer and understanding their behavior towards tumor and normal cell growth before the influence of chemotheraputic agents under simple immune system response At first stage of disease. T cells are capable of in vivo expansion and provide protection for the immune effector cells re-populating the host. Survival of these cells and long-term memory development in patients with malignancy are necessary for improving clinical benefits of immunotherapy. By measuring CD4 and CD8 we recognized that no change in the helper T cells and Cytotoxic cells in these patients who were prepared to receive chemotherapeutic agents at the first stage and in the control group. T cells have been found with either deficient or normal functional activity in both groups these heterogeneous results greatly confuse the role played by CD4 T cells and CD8 responses. Immunological measures of white blood cell, lymphocyte, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ counts, 40 patients were divided into a control group [15] and patients group [25]. Total T-cell, helper T-cell and suppressor T-cell counts which [P<0.05], as well as control T-cell function [P < 0.05] when compared with normative data, were found some significant increase CD4 cells and CD4/CD8 ratio in cell count most of cases no changes to the total leukocyte lymphocyte CD3+and CD8+ count. Our study points out that immune response began to defend against tumor cells after a brief period of tumor stimulation but is still not sufficient to induce strong immune response. These data invite us to focus on period which immune system needs to respond which may help in deciding the possibility of immune therapy and determine when immune therapy can start

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression is associated with elevated AST level in hepatocellular carcinoma

Cyclooxygenase-2, the inducible rate-limiting enzyme of prostaglandins biosynthesis, has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of chronic inflammation-related human malignancies including Hepatocellular Carcinoma [HCC]. However, its clinical significance in HCC remains obscure. Our objectives were to evaluate COX-2 expression in HCC and correlate its expression to the different clinicopathological parameters and to assess its impact on patient survival. The present study was conducted on 17 HCC and 21 adjacent non-tumor liver tissues obtained from 22 HCC patients underwent curative hepatectomy at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt. Eight normal liver tissues taken from normal donors and HepG2 cell line were used as controls. Total RNA from tissues and cells was extracted and COX-2 mRNA was detected by RT- PCR and correlated to the clinicopathological criteria as well as to patient's survival. COX-2 mRNA was detected in 58.8% of the HCC tissues and in 28.6% of the adjacent non-tumor liver tissues. COX-2 expression was significantly associated with elevated levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST] with high specificity for the detection of the disease. However, there was no significant correlation between COX-2 expression and any of the histopathological criteria. COX-2 expression may be involved in HCC carcinogenesis with high specificity for the detection of the disease It was significantly associated with elevated AST levels indicating disease severity. However cox2 expression seems to be an independent factor with no correlation to any of the clinicopathological data or patient's survival

Serum interleukin levels in asthmatic patients with eosinophilia

The incidence, morbidity and mortality of bronchial asthma have increased over the last two decades. Immune and inflammatory responses mediated by cytokines are essential in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma. Substantial evidence has implicated Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-5, in the pathology of allergic asthma and demonstrated protective effects of Th1 cells. This work was conducted to study the serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-12 and IL-18, in patients with allergic asthma associated with eosinophilia. Interleukins levels were correlated with IgE level and the degree of eosinophilia in these patients. The study included 25 asthmatic patients with acute attack of bronchial asthma, associated with history of allergy and eosinophilia; and 25 normal healthy controls. All patients and controls were subjected to full medical history, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations for assessment of the eosinophil count and measurement of serum levels of IgE and interleukins [IL-4, IL-5, IL-12 and IL-18]. The correlation between interleukin [IL] levels, and degree of eosinophilia and IgE levels were also examined in these patients. Measurement of serum levels of interleukins showed significant elevation of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-18 levels in asthmatic patients as compared with the control group [p<0.0001], whereas IL-12 levels did not show any significant change [p>0.05]. Marked elevation in the IgE level and eosinophil count were also detected in asthmatic patients as compared with the control group [p<0.0001]. Significant positive correlations were observed between serum levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-18 and the degree of eosinophilia in asthmatic patients. A significant positive correlation was also detected between level of IL-18 and the IgE level in asthmatic patients. Patients with allergic bronchial asthma have elevated levels of IL-4, IL-5 as well as IL-18; and these levels correlated significantly with degree of eosinophilia in these patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the signaling cascade involved in allergic responses mediated by these ILs. This may help in developing new therapeutic modalities, as blockade of IL receptors, for these conditions