B I O C H I M I C A   C L I N I C A

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 5-12 [Article in english]

ABSTRACT. Breast cancer is considered to be one of the most common cancers affecting women in Western countries as well as in Egypt. In the present study, the expression of MDR-1 (multidrug resistance) gene and maspin (mammary serine protease inhibitor) gene were detected in breast cancer tissue as well as in benign breast diseases using PCR techniques. Serum C-erbB-2 and TGF-ß1 levels were also measured by ELISA techniques. Study groups comprised 19 healthy women; 20 benign breast disease patients and 41 breast cancer patients. Relation between different prognostic association and correlation between different studied parameters were assessed. In the present work, the mean serum level of C-erbB-2 was significantly elevated while that of TGF-ß1 was significantly decreased in breast cancer patients as compared to normal healthy and benign groups. Significant negative correlation between serum C-erbB-2 and serum TGF-ß1 has been observed in the breast cancer patients. Statistical analysis by the Chi-square test showed that MDR-1gene was present more frequently in breast cancer group (51.2%) than in benign group (11%), while maspin gene was present more frequently in benign group (77.8%) than in breast cancer group (26.8%). Moreover, maspin gene expression showed an inverse relationship to histological grades and clinical stages of breast cancer; this indicates that the expression of maspin in breast tumor cells limits their growth and metastasis. Our results showed that serum levels of C-erbB-2 were significantly higher in MDR-1 positive and maspin-negative tumors while serum levels of TGF-ß1 were significantly higher in maspin positive tumors only. In addition, we have found that the possibility of maspin positive tumors was more significantly frequent in MDR-1 negative tumors in breast cancer patients. Evaluation of these factors may improve the ability to identify and select breast cancer patients at high risk for poor prognosis and aggressive treatment and also it may have important implication concerning the overall biology of the breast.

Evaluation of Cytokines in Pleural Fluid for the Differential Diagnosis of Tuberculous Pleurisy

Amina Kamal EL-Ansary* , Mona Ahmed Radwan
*Medical Biochemistry and Internal Medicine, Cairo University

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 13-20 [Article in english]

ABSTRACT. The present study aims to test reliability of interferon gamma (IFN- ?) as a diagnostic marker for tuberculous pleurisy. In this study, interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumour necrosis factor a (TNF-a) and interferon gamma (IFN-?) were therefore compared with adenosine deaminase (ADA) in exudative pleural effusion of inflammatory, malignant and tuberculous origin to determine their diagnostic value and whether either or all of them could be helpful in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. Subjects and methods: This study included 11 patients with inflammatory, 13 patients with malignant, and 15 patients with tuberculous effusion matched for age and sex. Estimation of Pleural fluid levels of ADA, IL-8, TNF-a and IFN-?. Results: Pleural fluid levels of ADA, IL-8, TNF-a and IFN-? in the tuberculous group were significantly higher than in the malignant group. Also the levels of pleural fluid ADA, TNF-a and IFN-? in the tuberculous group were significantly higher than in the inflammatory group. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, to evaluate the utility of the various parameters, demonstrates values for the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.702, 0.897, 0.927, and 0.987, respectively for IL-8, TNF a , ADA, and IFN ?. The sensitivity and specificity with IFN ? were 93% and 100%,respectively, which were superior to those for ADA(sensitivity: 80% and specificity:91%), TNF- a (sensitivity: 86% and specificity:91% ) and IL-8 (sensitivity: 46% and specificity: 72%) . Conclusions: Levels of the pleural fluid cytokines examined in this study were higher in the tuberculous than in the two other groups. Our data suggested that IFN- ? being shown to be especially very reliable, is a non -invasive and useful marker for diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy, with clear advantages over ADA.

Valutazione del recettore solubile della transferrina in pazienti oncologici sottoposti a radioterapia e a chemioterapia

Stefania Volonté*, Mari Cabiddu , Alberto Bossi, Angelo Giovanni Lanceni, Lorenzo Stangoni, Lucio Scopsi
*Servizio di Medicina di Laboratorio, Casa di Cura S. Pio X, 20159 Milano

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 21-25 [Article in italian]

ABSTRACT. Evaluation of soluble transferrin receptor in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a useful marker of iron deficiency, because of the absence of significant variations in the acute phase. We planned to evaluate its usefulness in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In this context, sTfR remained stable despite significant variations of the ferritin and transferrin levels. This observation, along with the stability of iron levels and the absence of significant correlation between sTfR and, respectively, ferritin and transferrin, lend support to the view that the observed variations are not an expression of iron deficiency but represent the typical protein reaction of the acute phase. Therefore, in these patients sTfR measurement proves useful in the differential diagnosis between anemia and inflammatory reactions secondary to the applied therapies.

Semplice metodo cromatografico per il dosaggio della clozapina del siero con estrazione in fase solida

Mario Zilli
Lab. Analisi, P.O. S. Polo, A.S.S. n. 2 “Isontina”, v. Galvani 1, Monfalcone (GO)

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 26-29 [Article in italian]

ABSTRACT. In our laboratory we needed to investigate a method in order to replace the liquid-liquid extraction of serum samples for clozapine determination. We took advantage of the newly available Strata X SPE columns (Phenomenex, CA, USA). We changed and optimised the suggested procedure in the following way: a) the sample loading and elution were performed strictly by gravity; b) the columns was washed with a strenghter eluent; c) no drying of the SPE column was needed before the final elution; c) we discarded the first 200 microlitres of eluent and held the next 500. Afterwards we submitted the reconstituted extract to HPLC under the following conditions: UV detector was set at 241 nm; the mobile phase was 15% Acetonitrile in Phosphate/Trietylamine buffer pH 2.1. We found this method easy to perform and reliable for routine analysis, and it allows us avoiding manipulation of volatile organic solvents.

Osteopontina: un nuovo marker di interessamento osseo in oncologia

Paola Cafforio, Maddalena Campagna, Franco Silvestris
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Oncologia, Università degli Studi di Bari

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 30-38 [Article in italian]

ABSTRACT. Osteopontin: a new marker of bone involvement in oncology. Osteopontin is a phosphoglycoprotein of bone matrix expressed by a number of cells, in which it activates adhesion, chemotaxis, and signal transduction by its binding to several biologically active molecules. Also, it may exert both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects, as demonstrated by its expression on T and NK cells, and macrophages. In bone physiologic turnover, osteopontin is secreted by osteoblasts in bone matrix and induces chemoattraction of osteoclasts by the binding with avß3 integrin, while inhibiting the deposition of new bone tissue by osteoblasts. Several tumors produce osteopontin for their survival and the protein may be measured at high levels in sera from patients with skeleton metastases. In particular, in multiple myeloma both cellular expression and solubilization of osteopontin by malignant plasma cells correlate with the extension of osteolytic lesions. Therefore, in some tumors associated with skeletal devastation, measurement of soluble osteopontin levels may be useful for prognostic evaluations.

Semplice e rapido dosaggio della lamotrigina in associazione con altri farmaci antiepilettici nel plasma mediante hplc

Claudio Burrini
Istituto Ricerche Cliniche Prof. Manfredo Fanfani - Firenze

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 39-42 [Article in italian]

ABSTRACT. Simple and rapid determination of lamotrigine and associated antiepileptic drugs in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography. This paper presents an HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of lamotrigine and other antiepileptic drugs (AED) in plasma, with a single preparative procedure and without instrument parameter variations. Plasma samples and a certified standard in serum matrix for lamotrigine, are treated with the reagents of a commercial kit for determination of AED, and with the calibration standard of the kit (primidone, ethosuximide, phenobarbital, carbamazepine, phenytoin e 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxycarbamazepine (DHC)). The amount of lamotrigine and of associated AED are calculated by submitting the acquired chromatographic runs to double processing, using the calibrations obtained from the two certified standards.

Profils protéiques inflammatoire et nutritionnel au cours du portage de parasites intestinaux chex l’enfant ivoirien scolarisé

Houphouet Félix Yapi*, Ahiboh Hungues, Attoungbre Marie-Laure Hauhouot, Dagui Monnet
UFR de sciences pharmaceutiques et biologiques de Cocody – Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire ABIDJAN

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 43-46 [Article in english]

ABSTRACT. Patterns of nutritional and inflammatory blood proteins in intestinal parasites infestation in school children. Blood nutritional and inflammatory proteins have been measured by the radial immuno-diffusion technique of Mancini in schooled children at the Ivory Coast. A total of 262 subjects were studied, including 194 intestinal parasites carriers and 68 non-infested controls. Results showed that, compared to non-infested children, the retinol binding protein and albumin were lowered in the carriers of Ascaris lumbricoïdes and Trichomonas intestinalis. On the other hand, an increase of acid a-1-glycoprotein was observed in the carriers of Giardia intestinalis. Acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin showed to be, respectively. increased and lowered in the children without any intestinal parasite infestation, as the result of the tropical environment.

Analisi citofluorimetrica delle piastrine reticolate: un test rapido e sensibile per valutare il turnover piastrinico

Gian Luca Salvagno*, Maurizio Degan, Martina Montagnana, Paola Riolfi, Pier Luigi Marradi, Germana Montesi, Giovanni Poli, Clara Lechi, Pietro Minuz, Gian Cesare Guidi
*Dipartimenti di Scienze Morfologico-Biomediche

Biochimica Clinica: 2005; 29(1): 47-50 [Article in italian]

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