Clinical significance of TGF alpha, TGF beta1 and VEGF in sera of Egyptian patients with breast cancer

Breast cancer [BC] is the most prevalent cancer among women and affects approximately one million women worldwide each year and it is the most prevalent cancer among Egyptian women and constitutes 29% of National Cancer Institute cases. This study was designed to determine the crucial role of TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1and VEGF in patients with Breast carcinoma. Serum level of TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1 and VEGF were determined by ELISA in 51 patients with preoperative and postoperative primary [BC], as well as 30 healthy female persons. This study showed that the TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1 and VEGF levels were significantly high [p = 0.001] in patients with primary breast cancer compared to control healthy female group. Meanwhile the levels of these growth factors did show significant decrease after treatment. This study revealed that serum levels of TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1 and VEGF in patients with breast cancer could be useful biomarkers for prognosis of such type of malignancy

Histological And ultrastructural study on the effect of on the submandibular salivary gland and the role of transforming growth factor-alfa [in albine rats]

Tartrazine is a food colouring additive commonly used in Egyptian food industry. This study was done on 15 male albino rats divided into two groups. A control group and a study group. Rats of the study group were given a daily oral dose of tartrazine for 14 weeks. The study was done to investigate the effect of tartrazine on the structure of the submandibular salivary gland, by using light and electron microscopes. The results revealed ill formed vaculated and ruptured salivary acini together with abnormal salivary duct system in serous and mucous acini multicellular demilunes were seen. UItrastructur results showed close faced heterochromatic nuclei surrounded by irregular indistinct, nucleus envelop together with less folding and loss of cellular boundaries mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were decreased, TGFa activity was weak in the study group compared to their controls. This study recommended to limit the use of colouring food additives and to be used under control

Are growth factors implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis: a comparative study of serum levels of transforming growth factor-alpha and insulin growth factor - II in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Transforming growth factor - alpha [TGF-alpha] and insulin -growth factor - II [IGF-II] are important autocrine growth factors of hepatocytes. They are potent stimulators of cell. proliferation in the liver and in liver tumors. TGF-alpha and IGF-Il are over expressed in hepatic malignant tissues, and elevated serum levels can be indicator of tumor activity in addition to conventional tumor markers. Our aim was to evaluate the role of TGF-alpha together with IGF-Il in the diagnostic work - up of patients with heptocellular carcinoma [HCC]. Thirty patients with liver cirrhosis [LC], 30 with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] and 24 normal controls [C] were enrolled in this study- Serum TGF-alpha and IGF-II levels were measured by enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay. TGF-alpha and IGF-II serum levels were significantly elevated in cirrhotic patients [P<0.05 as compared to control] and over expressed significantly in HCC patients [P<0.001 in comparison with both cirrhotic and control groups]. Both parameters showed positive correlation in the cirrhotic group [P<0.001, r=0.886], while in the HCC group: TGF-alpha and IGF-Il showed positive correlation with each other [P<0.001, r = 0.908] and also with alpha-fetoprotein [AFP] [P< 0.001, r = 0.884 and P<0.001, r =0.881 respectively]. Child C class showed the highest levels of TGF-alpha and IGF-Il in both cirrhotic and HCC groups. All patients showed HBs Ag and /or HCVAb positivity in their serum. Hepatitis B and C viruses infection is closely related with hepatocarcinogenesis. The over expression of TGF-alpha and IGF-Il in the liver and serum seem tobe associated with the regeneration of hepatocytes injured by HBsAg or/and HCV. The continued expression of TGF-alpha and IGF-II might lead to dysplasia of liver cells and development of HCC- Therefore, in addition to AFP; TGF-alpha and IGF-Il appear to be suitable markers for the evaluation of the serological status of HCC patients