Changes of P21 and Bcl-2 during induction of bladder and/or bladder carcinogenesis

The effect of E. coli infection in association with dibutylamine and sodium nitrate in induction of bladder inflammation and /or bladder carcinogenesis were investigated in 150 male albino rats, divided into five groups, as follows: The first group [G1] infected by E. coli, The second group [G2], given nitrosamine precursors in the diet, The third group[G3] infected by E. coli and given nitrosamine precursors in the diet The fourth group[G4] infected by E. coli, given nitrosamine precursors in the diet and received standard diet containing 1% Curcumin powder mixed in the diet and the fifth group [G5], served as control group. The worst histopathological changes are in G3. A highly significant decrease in the mean cell lysate level of p21 was found in different studied groups[G1,G2 and G3] especially in[G3] where P values in these groups when compared to control group were [P < 0.0001] . In curcumin treated group [G4], there were downregulation in the mean cell lysate level of p21 gene when compared to control group but higher than other studied groups [G1, G2 and G3]. A highly significant increase in the mean serum level of Bcl-2 was found in different studied groups [G1,G2 and G3] especially in [G3] where P values in these groups [G1,G2,G3] when compared to control group were [P <0.0001]. [G4] showed higher Bcl-2 serum level when compared to control group, this difference was insignificant but this level is lower than other studied groups [G1,G2 and G3]. The results in the present study indicate that both P21 and Bcl-2 can be used as biological markers in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. Curcumin have the ability to overcome the decrease in p21 WAF1/CIP1 protein and the increase of Bcl-2 protein and reduce the induction of carcinogenic effect

Airway wall thickness in patients with uncontrolled asthma

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflanmation and structural changes in the airulays referred to as remodeling. Recently, high resolution CT [HRCT] has been used to indirectly assess ainuay remodeling in vi-rro, on the basis of findings such as aintlay wall thickening. 1] To assess ainnray wall thickness by HRCT in patients with uncontrolled and partly controlled asthma arid to compare these findings with norrnal healthy controls, 2] to investigate the association behrwen disease duration and the degree of airflow limitation and airflow wall thickness parameters. Prospective case- control study Fifty -koo patients ulith asthma and 23 healthy controls ulere recruited in the study. We measured ainuay luminal area [Ai] corrected by body surface area [Ai/ BSA], airway wall area [WA] corrected by body surface area [wA/BSA], the percentage of wall area [WA%], absolute wall thickness [T]/BSA, and thickness to diameter ratio [TDR] by HRCT. Spironietric tests were also perfomred. In patients with uncontrolled and partly controlled asthma, Ai/ BSA, WA/BSA, WA%, and T/BSA were all significantly greater than those in controlled and healthy control srrbjects. No significant difference in airway wall thickness paranieters were found between controlled asthmatics and healthy controls. The degree of airway wall thickness was correlated to smoking, disease duration and percentage of predicted forced vital capacity [FVC%], forced expiratory volume in 1st second [FEV1%] and FEV1/FVC and post-bronchodilator reversibility in asthmatics. The airways of uncontrolled and partly controlled asthmatics are thickened when compared to controlled asthmatics and healthy controls. Smoking and prolonged disease duration may be important factors in determining the airway wall thickness and hence the irreversibility of airway obstruction in this group of patieirts