[Expression Patterns of p53 and Ki-67 in HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Immunohistochemical Study].

The HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important liver malignancy worldwide and carries a poor prognosis. In this regard, an accurate diagnosis is necessary to enable successful treatment. The aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between the expression of certain molecular markers and HCC diagnosis in Iran. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR techniques were used to evaluate the expression patterns of p53 and Ki-67 in liver tissues from 121 HCC and/or HBV-infected patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Patients with HBV+HCC demonstrated increased expression of both p53 and Ki-67 compared to patients with HBV only, highlighting correlation between the p53 and Ki-67 expression levels and HCC diagnosis. The prognostic value of p53 for the diagnosis of HCC was more reliable. The p53 demonstrated higher sensitivity compared to the Ki-67 (sensitivity and specificity, 77.3 and 76.4% for the p53, and 51.0 and 97.9% for the Ki-67, respectively). A panel containing two positive markers had higher specificity and comparable sensitivity to a panel with one positive marker regardless of which one (sensitivity and specificity, 94.8 and 97.9%, for two positive markers and 96.5 and 86.4% for one positive marker, respectively). Taken together the combined analysis of p53 and Ki-67 expression provides a mean to increase the specificity and sensitivity of HBV-related HCC diagnosis to an acceptable level.

Antidiabetic effects of Eucalyptus globulus on pancreatic islets: a stereological study.

The leaves of Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) are used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of eucalyptus on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced damage in pancreatic islands by stereological methods. Fifty mature normoglycaemic male Wistar rats, weighing 200-250 g, were selected and randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10): control; STZ-induced diabetic (D) - by intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin; treated control (TC); and treated diabetic (TD1, 2), respectively, received 20 and 62.5 g/kg of eucalyptus in their diet, and 2.5 g/L aqueous extract of eucalyptus in their drinking water from one week after induction of diabetes. After four weeks of the experiment, stereological estimation of volume density and total volume of islets and beta cells, volume-weighted mean islet volume, mass of the islets and pancreas, and total number of islets were carried out. Administration of eucalyptus significantly decreased the weight loss and increase of water and food intake in the treated diabetic groups in comparison to the STZ-induced diabetic (D) group. Volume density and total volume of islets, volume-weighted mean islet volume, mass of islets, and mass of pancreas of both treated diabetic groups were higher than the D group. In TD2, these stereological parameters increased significantly compared to the D group (p < 0.001). Volume density and total volume of beta cells increased 21% and 65%, respectively, in the TD2 group, but it was not statistically significant compared to the diabetic group (p > 0.05). The results suggested that Eucalyptus globulus with a dose-dependent manner ameliorates diabetic states by partial restoration of pancreatic beta cells and repair of STZ-induced damage in rats. This study suggests a beneficial effect of eucalyptus in the treatment of diabetes.