Evaluation of glycoproteins as prognosticators in head and neck malignancy.

Although several serum glycoprotein assays have been conducted for identifying tumor markers and prognosticators of malignancies, presently assessment of effectiveness of treatment of these malignancies remains subjective and good and effective tumor markers and prognosticators of head and neck malignancies are yet to be identified. In our study, serum samples from forty patients with head and neck cancers who were divided into four groups of ten patients each on the basis of their clinical staging and serum samples from ten healthy individuals comprising the control group was taken and subjected to biochemical analysis of serum protein bound hexose, serum fucose, serum sialic acid levels before starting treatment of the cancers and after completion of the cancer treatment and compared with the levels of these serum glycoproteins amongst the control group. All the head and neck cancer patients showed elevated levels of the serum glycoproteins as compared to the control group. It was further noted that the increased levels of the serum glycoproteins correlated well with the clinical staging of the malignancies. Post-treatment levels of all the serum glycoproteins were decreased significantly but, only the serum sialic acid level in 6 out of 10 patients with stage-I malignancy returned to the base line levels as seen in the control group. Serum sialic acid levels showed very close correlation with tumor staging and maybe considered as a good tumor marker and prognosticator for detection of cancer and evaluation of effectiveness of treatment of head and neck malignancies.

Administration of the plasticizer di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate alters glycoconjugate profile.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the level of glycoproteins and sialic acid in rats fed di (2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) in the diet for 24 weeks. Protein-bound hexose, hexosamine and sialic acid were increased in plasma and liver of rats treated with DEHP, whereas the erythrocyte membrane showed a reduction following DEHP administration. Evaluation of glycoproteins is a useful indicator of the carcinogenic process. It is suggested that profound alterations in membrane components observed in the present study may be related to the carcinogenic potential of DEHP.

Glycosylated haemoglobin(HbA1C) and serum protein bound hexose in diabetes mellitus.

Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) and serum protein bound hexose (SPBH) levels were estimated in 35 healthy control subjects and 35 diabetic subjects. The mean levels of SPBH in control subjects was 161.69 +/- 3.84 mg/dl. The SPBH levels in diabetic subjects were found to be increased (P less than 0.001). It was not influenced by age and sex of the patients, complications, type of diabetes and treatment received. HbA1C levels in control subjects were 5.33 +/- 0.38/dl. The HbA1C levels in diabetic subjects was found to be markedly elevated (11.95 +/- 0.46/dl) and was found to be highly significant (P less than 0.001). The levels were found to be on higher side in juvenile diabetics. A progressive linear correlation was observed between fasting blood sugar levels and concentration of SPBH and glycosylated haemoglobin concentration. A significant correlation was also observed between the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin and SPBH levels (P less than 0.05).