Clinical significance of plasma MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels as biomarkers for tumor expression in breast cancer patients in Egypt.

Matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP-2) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) are involved in the breakdown of extracellular matrix in normal physiological processes as well as in disease processes, such as cancer metastasis. We conducted this work to study the role of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer by measuring their plasma concentrations before and after surgery. Also, to examine if their levels can reflect the stage of disease and prognosis. Forty-eight breast cancer patients and 13 patients with benign breast diseases were included in the study. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were measured by ELISA and semi-quantitative real-time PCR. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in plasma were determined by ELISA immediately before surgery and during 6 to 12 months after curative surgery. We observed a significant increase in the level of MMP-9 mRNA expression in breast cancer patients in comparison to their normal breast tissues and to tissues of benign breast disease. In all TNM tumor stages, the plasma levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were increased significantly before curative surgery in the studied patients with breast carcinoma and decreased significantly after surgery. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 may be used as a possible marker for follow-up or as a marker that reflects the response of the disease to treatment.

The ability of hesperidin compared to that of insulin for preventing osteoporosis induced by type I diabetes in young male albino rats: A histological and biochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with type I diabetes are at increased risk of osteoporosis even after insulin therapy in adult stage. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of hesperidin (hesp) therapy versus that of insulin alone in the alleviation of osteoporosis arising from type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in young rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hesperidin was administered orally to STZ-induced diabetes. The animals were evaluated morphologically and biochemically and compared with that received daily SC injections of long-acting insulin. RESULTS: Histologically, we observed the degeneration of osteoblasts and osteocytes, decreased collagen fibers, and disturbed bone turn over markers in untreated DM rats. Hesperidin+ insulin supplementation to diabetic rats caused significant improvement of most of the bone histological and morphometric parameters compared with the insulin-treated group. Furthermore, hesp treatment significantly reduced pro-inflammatory mediators TNFα and NF-κB and increased serum biochemical markers of bone turnover, including osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OC) and decreased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrated that hesp could be considered to be a beneficial drug for preventing diabetic osteoporosis in growing age.