Role of leptin in acute leukemia

Acute leukemia is a neoplastic proliferation of the hematopoietic progenitor cells, characterized by appearance of immature cells [blasts] in the bone marrow replacing the bone marrow cells resulting in anemia, thrombocytopenia and an outpouring of the neoplastic blasts into the peripheral blood. As leptin acts as a feedback signal from the adipose tissue, it also acts synergistically with stem cell factor [SCF] in promoting proliferation of primitive hematopoietic progenitors in vitro. Leptin has a stimulatory effect on myeloid, lymphoid and erythroid colony formation. And also has proliferative and antiapoptotic activities in leukemic cells, which express the long and short forms of OB-R. The present study selected the patients with acute leukemia to assess and clarify the possible role of leptin in acute leukemia, and also to reveal the relationship between leptin and acute leukemia. This study involved 60 individuals grouped into patient groups [24 ALL cases and 17 AML case] and normal control groups [8 healthy controls for ALL cases and 11 healthy controls for AML cases]. All groups were subjected to estimation of serum leptin level by ELISA. In addition, 9 patients from ALL group, 8 patients from AML group and 9 healthy controls were subjected to B.M. leptin estimation level by ELISA. There was a highly statistical significant decrease in serum leptin level in both ALL and AML patients when compared with normal controls and also, there was a highly statistical significant decrease in B.M. leptin level in ANIL patients when compared with normal controls. As regards to all patients, serum leptin level was positively correlated with B.M. leptin level and height, also B.M. leptin level was positively correlated with hemoglobin and platelet count but negatively correlated with BMI and weight. As regards to all patients, serum leptin level was positively correlated with B.M. leptin level and bone marrow blasts but negatively correlated with hemoglobin, also B.M. leptin level was positively correlated with BMI but negatively correlated with TLC. Leptin alone and in combination with other cytokines has stimulative effects on proliferation of leukemia cells as well as antiapoptotic effects. These findings suggest the possibility that leptin plays roles in the pathophysiology of leukemia

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 [Mmp-9] circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [Cicam-1], and procollagen III peptide [PIIIP] in hepatocellular carcinoma and various chronic liver diseases

A sound predictive test is lacking for the identification of cirrhotic patients at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum alpha-feto protein [AFP] and serum PIIIP levels were measured and evaluated in 30 patients suffered from chronic hepatitis [CH], 30 patients suffered from liver cirrhosis [LC] and 30 patients suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], in addition to 30 normal healthy individuals as a control group using RIA method for estimation of PIIIP and ELISA methods for estimations of the AFP and clCAM-1 and MMP-9. The study showed that the mean values of plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP and serum AFP levels were 44.8 ng/ml, 232.1 ng/ml, 3.4 ug/l, 3.2 ng/Ml respectively among control group, 88.61 ng/ml, 489.5 ng/ml, 11.5 ug/l, 8.7 ng/ml respectively among Chronic hepatitis patients, 96.6 ng/ml, 781.3 ng/ml, 13.9 ug/l, 26.5 ng/ml respectively among Liver cirrhosis patients and 212.1 ng/ml, 999.4 ng/ml, 26.6 ug/l, 784.6 ng/ml respectively among HCC patients. Plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP and serum AFP showed statistically highly significantly increase in all patients groups [P <0.001] when compared with the healthy control group. Plasma MMP-9 showed statistically highly significant increase in HCC group when compared with CH and LC groups, while did not show any statistically significant change [P> 0.05] in CH and LC groups when compared with the control group or with each other. clCAM-1 showed statistically highly significant increase in LC and HCC groups when compared with CH group with no significant change between LC and HCC groups and lastly serum AFP and PIIIP levels showed statistically highly significantly increase in HCC group when compared with CH and LC groups. As regard HCC histopathological grading all measured parameters showed statistically nonsignificant changes in different HCC grades except MMP-9 which showed a statistically significant increase in grade III when either compared with grade I or grade II. Receiver operating characterstic curve [ROC curve] was constructed using multiple cut off points for every studied parameter and calculating the sensitivity and the specificity at each cut off point and also calculating the area under each curve. The optimum cut off point for diagnosis of HCC from CH and LC for plasma MMP-9, plasma clCAM-1, serum PIIIP, and serum AFP were 89.8 ng/ml, 905 ng/ml, 25.8 ug/L and 68 ng/ml respectively, also, the study showed that AFP was the best of the studied HCC markers as it had the biggest area under ROC curve [0.86] followed by MMP-9 [0.76], cICAM [0.715] and lastly PIIIP [0.71]

Free radical propagation and antioxidant status in patients with preeclampsia

To assess free radical activation products and antioxidant status in preeclampsia, serum lipid peroxides [LP] and selenium levels and red blood cell glittathione peroxidase [GSH-Px] and superoxide dismutase [SOD] activities were measured in 28 pregnant women with preeclampsia: eight patients with severe preeclampsia [SPE] and twenty patients with mild preeclampsia [MPE]. Twenty healthy antenatal women represented the control group. Patients with SPE had significantly higher levels of LP [3.97+0.8 nmol/L] and lower levels of red cell GSH-Px activity [31.6 +/- 13.4 U/g Hb], red cell SOD activity [1090 +/- 192 U/g Hb] and serum selenium levels [116 +/- 51 ug/L] when compared with levels of patients with MPE [3.29 +/- 0.6 nmol/L, 43.1 +/- 15.90 U/g Hb, 1298 +/- 211 u/g Hb and 167 +/- 67 ug/L respectively and when compared with the levels of the control group [2.59+0.6 nmol/ L, 57.6 +/- 14.1 u/g Hb, 1511 +/- 289 U/g Hb and 228 +/- 71 Mg/L respectively]. Also patient group with MPE had significantly higher levels of LP and lower levels of red blood cell GSH-Px and SOD activities and serum selenium levels when compared with the controls. Positive significant correlation were found between levels of serum LP and the levels of blood pressure and urine protein concentration in the patient group while negative significant correlations were found with serum selenium levels and red blood cell GSH-Px and SOD activities. We concluded that the imbalance between generation of oxygen radicals and antioxidant status may have etiological implications for preeclampsia and may contribute to the severity of the disease

Significance of total and lipid bound sialic acid in serum and urine as markers for bladder cancer

The reliability of serum total sialic acid [TSA], serum lipid bound sialic acid [LSA]. and urinary sialic acid / creatinine ratio [TSA / Cr. ratio] as markers for bladder cancer for grading, staging and follow-up purposes was evaluated in 10 healthy controls and 70 patients with bladder cancer, 25 of them with superficial tumors were evaluated after treatment with TUR for follow up. We found that TSA. LSA and TSA / Cr. ratio levels were significantly higher in patients with bladder cancer [56.9 +/- 8.9 mg /dl, 22.3 +/- 2.3 mg /dl and 37.2 +/- 16.1 ug/mg creatinine respectively] than controls [48.8 +/- 7.1 mg/dl, 16.9 +/- 0.6mg /dl and 11.9 +/- 5.1 ug /mg creatinine respectively]. There was no significant difference between grade 1,11 and III also between stage Ta, T1 and T2 and stage T3 and T4 bladder cancer patients regarding LSA and TSA, but there was a significant difference between these grades and stages regarding urinary TSA / Cr. ratio [20.1 +/- 16.1. 40.6 +/- 14.4 and 47.8 +/- 11.9 up / mg creatinine in grade I, II and III respectively and 32.1 +/- 12.1. 46.4 +/- 15.1 ug/mg creatinine in stage Ta. T1 and T2 and stage T3 and T4 respectively]. These findings suggest that TSA and LSA can't be used for grading and staging of bladder cancer patients. but urinary TSA / Cr. ratio can be used for grading and staging of these patients. On comparison of supeificial bladder cancer patients before and after treatment regarding the studied parameters, we found marked drop of urinary TSA/Cr. ratio in post-treatment patients [36.2 +/- 15.1 ug/mg creatinine before treatment versus 17.5 +/- 5.3 ug/mg creatinine after treatment] in contrary with serum TSA and LSA. We conclude that: urine can be used as easily available physiologic fluid for evaluation of TSA / Cr. ratio by an easy, inexpensive, photometeric method as a marker for bladder cancer for grading, staging and follow-up of treatment in patients with bladder cancer

Study of nitric oxide in septic and aseptic meningitis in children

To study the endogenous production of nitric oxide [NO] in septic and aseptic meningitis, we measured the stable end products [nitrite and nitrate] in the cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] and serum of 14 children with septic meningitis and 16 children with aseptic meningitis. 10 children who presented with fever which required analysis of CSF to exclude the presence of meningitis represented the control group. CSF and serum levels of nitrite and nitrate were significantly increased in septic meningitis when compared with aseptic meningitis and control group. Clinical and laboratory improvement following administration of antibiotics and dexamethazone to children with septic meningitis was associated with a fall in CSF and serum [nitrite and nitrate] to normal levels in these patients. CSF [NO] remained almost consistently within the normal range in patients with aseptic meningitis. We concluded that [NO] production is enhanced in the CSF compartment of children with septic meningitis and support the hypothesis that NO contributes to the pathophysiology of septic meningitis and that this simple and rapid test is very promising as a clinically useful diagnostic tool and therapeutic monitor in the evaluation of septic meningitis in children

Evaluation of cytokeratin fragment 19 [cyfra 21-1] as a tumour marker in lung cancer diagnosis

In this study, CYFRA 21-1 was measured in 60 patients with lung cancer and 30 patients presenting with nonmalignant diseases and compared it with tissue polypeptide antigen [TPA] and carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]. Sensitivities of CYFRA 21-1, TPA and CEA in bronchogenic carcinoma were 73.3%, 66.6% and 53.3'70, respectively. The sensitivity of CYFRA 21-1 was significantly higher in the detection of NSCLC than that of TPA and CEA, while the sensitivities of TPA and CEA were higher than that of CYFRA 21-1 in the detection of SCLC. Sensitivity of CYFRA 21-1 and TPA was significantly higher than that of CEA in the detection of small tumors

Study of circulating progenitor cells and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor in preeclamptic pregnancies

To study the circulating progenitor cells in preeclampsia, 20 patients with preeclampsia, 24 healthy pregnant females in the 3rd trimester and ten nonpregnant healthy age matched females were included in this work. For all subjects, number of circulating progenitor cells, serum level of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor [GM-CSF] and total and absolute leukocytic count were investigated. It was concluded that the number of circulating progenitors decreased in preeclamptic patients due to a decreased production of colony stimulating activity by the diseased placenta. The negative correlation between neutrophil count and number of GM-CFCs showed that other factor[s] could participate in the production of neutrophils in this multi- factorial disease

Free radical propagation and antioxidant status in patients with preeclampsia

To assess free radical activation products and antioxidant status in preeclampsia serum lipid peroxides [LP] and selenium levels and red blood cell glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px and superoxide dismutase [SOD] activities were measured in 28 pregnant women with preeclampsia weight patients with severe preeclampsia [SPE] and twenty patients with mild preeclampsia [MPE]. Twenty healthy antenatal women represented the control group. Patients with SPE had significantly higher levels of LP [3.97 - 0.8 nmol/l] and lower levels of red cell GSH-Px activity [31.6-13.4 U/g Hb], red cell SOD activity [1090 -192 U/g Hb] and serum selenium levels [116- 51 ug/l] when compared with levels of patients with MPE [3.29-0, 6 nmol/l, 43.1-15.90 U/g Hb, 1298-211 U/g Hb and 167- 67 ug/I respectively] and when compared with the levels of the control group [2. 59-0. 6 nmol/l, 57. 6- 14.1 U/g Hb, 1511 -289 U/g Hb and 228-71 ug/l respectively]. However patient group with MPE had significantly higher levels of LP and lower levels of red blood cell GSH-Px and SOD activities arid serum selenium levels when compared with the controls. Positive significant correlations were found between levels of serum LP and the levels of blood pressure and urine protein concentrations in the patient group while negative significant correlations were found with serum selenium levels and red blood cell GSH - Px and SOD activities. We concluded that the imbalance between generation of oxygen radicals and antioxidant status may have etiological implications for preeclampsia and may contribute to the severity of the disease