Immunohistochemical study of the prevalence of EBV- antigen in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

A broad range of neoplasms can arise in the nasopharynx derived from epithelial, lymphoid, mesechymal, neurogenic, and rarely from embryonic remnant. These tumours have a long latent period with few primary symptoms which often lead to delay in there diagnosis. This retrospective study was designed for highlighting the challenges involved with the recognition of the nature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, their classification, and correlation of the available clinical data with histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis and the prevalence of EBV infection among the studied cases of NPC. The present work was carried out on 23 cases referred as biopsy from nasopharyngeal tumour to Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine Tanta university, Tanta Cancer center, the private laboratory during the last five years started from January 2002.and ended on December 2006 .Tissue specimens were all obtained by bunch and excision biopsy. Available clinical data were tabulated and analysed. All cases were subjected to routine histopathological examination and immunohistochemical study for EBV-LMP1. In the present study UNPC was more common [69.6%] than keratinizing NPC [30,4%]. The former occurred in younger patient [9/16], meanwhile the latter occurred in older individuals [5/7], NPC was common in male [60.9%] and bimodal distributions of cases were detected. The diagnosis of UNPC in most cases could be established through the presence of atypical epithelial cells and the lack of cytological atypia among reactive lymphocytes, as well as by immunohistochemical examination for EBV-LMP1. In the present study IHC was employed on paraffin embedded specimens of all the studied cases of NPC using of EBV-LMP1 reactivity. Accordingly, it was found that positive strong cytoplasmic and /or membranous immunorectivity for EBV-LMP1 was evident in [69.6%] of the total cases of NPC, while [23.4%] were negative. Positive cases included [57.2%] of keratinizing NPC, and [75%] of UNPC, meanwhile negative immunostaining for EBV-LMP1 was seen in the remaining [42.8%] of keratinizing NPC and the remaining [25%] of UNPC. The overall association of EBV-LMP1 immunoreactivity with NPC was found to be statistically significant with higher percentage of positive association among UNPC cases. Correlation of EBV-LMP1 immunoreactivity with age and .gender among cases of NPC was found to be statistically insignificant

pathogenic role of homocysteinemia in experimental uraemia: effect on endothelial function, lipid profile and role of vitamin therapy

Objective: evaluating the elevation of homocysteine in experimental uraemia and its effect on vascular endothelial cell function, chronic inflammation, and lipid profile, while testing if any of these effects can be reversed by administration of the vitamins involved in homocysteine degradation

Methods: this work included 60 adult male Wistar rats divided equally into 4 groups; control, placebo. B12 and folic acid and B6-treated groups. Groups II, III and IV were subjected to chronic renal failure produced by right nephrectomy together with subtotal excision of the left kidney. Control rats were Sham-operated by flank incisions. Vitamin and placebo therapy were delivered orally by gastric tube. All therapies were started 3 weeks after induction of uremia. In all four groups, the following parameters were assessed three weeks after induction of uremia, and re-assessed in groups II, III and IV after the six weeks of vitamin or placebo therapy:- plasma total homocysteine, plasma von Willibrand factor. C-reactive protein and serum lipid profile

Results: hyperhomocysteinemia was found in groups II, III and IV when compared to control group. A significant decline of plasma total homocysteine was found in group III [treated with B12 and folic acid] when compared to pre-treatment values. Meanwhile, B6 administration did not result in any significant difference between pre-and post-treatment values. Reduction of plasma triglyceride levels was observed in group Ill and in group IV. Moreover, total plasma cholesterol levels were also significantly reduced in the post-treated groups [III and IV] when compared to its pre-treatment values. Although both folic acid and vit B12 were as highly effective as vit B6 in decreasing triglyceride and cholesterol levels, only folic acid and vit B12 have resulted in a marked improvement in total homocysteine levels. Also, folic acid and vitamin B12 administration resulted in a significant decrease in vWF when compared to pretreatment values. CRP was significantly elevated in the uremic groups when compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between plasma total hornocysteine and CRP, also between CRP and vWF in all the studied groups

Conclusion: 1. Elevated plasma total homocysteine levels, CRP, Cholesterol, triglyceriodes and vWF in uremic rats are potential risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease. 2. Hyperhomocysteinemia and lipid profile disturbances in chronic renal failure could be ameliorated by supplementation of folic acid, B12 and pyridoxine for a long period of time