Rheumatoid arthritis is a multisystem disease with underlying immune mechanisms. Osteoarthritis is a debilitating, progressive disease of diarthrodial joints associated with the aging process. Although much is known about the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, our understanding of some immunologic changes remains incomplete. This study tries to examine the numeric changes in the T cell subsets and the alterations in the levels of some cytokines and adhesion molecules in these lesions. To accomplish this goal, peripheral blood and synovial fluid samples were obtained from 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 15 patients with osteoarthritis and six healthy controls. The counts of CD4 (+) and CD8 (+) T lymphocytes were examined using flow cytometry. The levels of some cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL1-beta, IL-10, and IL-17) and a soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were measured in the sera and synovial fluids using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. We found some variations in the counts of T cell subsets, the levels of cytokines and sICAM-1 adhesion molecule between the healthy controls and the patients with arthritis. High levels of IL-1beta, IL-10, IL-17 and TNF-alpha (in the serum and synovial fluid) were observed in arthritis compared to the healthy controls. In rheumatoid arthritis, a high serum level of sICAM-1 was found compared to its level in the synovial fluid. A high CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell ratio was found in the blood of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, the cytokine levels correlated positively with some clinicopathologic features. To conclude, the development of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis is associated with alteration of the levels of some cytokines. The assessment of these immunologic changes may have potential prognostic roles.

Worldwide, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women and the third most common cancer. Although our understanding of the molecular basis of this fatal disease has improved, this malignancy remains elusive. Melatonin (Mel), retinoic acid (RA) and Nigella sativa (NS) are substances with anticancer effects. To date, our understanding of the mechanisms of therapeutic effects of these products in mammary cancer is still marginal. To look at the preventive and therapeutic values of these products, we carried out this investigation. An animal model formed of 80 rats was established. The animals were divided into eight groups of 10 animals each: (a) control group injected with the same vehicle used for treatments in the relevant dosages and routes; (b) carcinogen group injected with the known carcinogenic substance 7,12-di-methylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) that induces mammary carcinoma; (c) three prophylactic (Pro) groups (Mel-Pro, RA-Pro and NS-Pro) injected with test substances (Mel, RA and NS, respectively) 14 days before the intake of the carcinogenic substance DMBA and then continued until the end of the experiments; and (d) three treated (Tr) groups (Mel-Tr, RA-Tr and NS-Tr) injected with the vehicles after the intake of DMBA. In both the Pro and Tr groups, the drugs were daily administered for 3 months. The animals were killed, and their serum and tissues were evaluated for (a) markers of tumorigenicity [serum levels of total sialic acid (TSA) and lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA)], (b) markers of endocrine derangement (serum prolactin, estradiol and progesterone levels), (c) apoptotic changes [serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, tissue caspase-3 activity, percentage of DNA fragmentation and ultrastructural features of apoptosis] and (d) markers of oxidative stress (tissue levels of lipid peroxides and nitric oxide). Carcinoma was absent both in the control and in the NS-Pro groups. Mammary carcinoma occurred in DMBA and other Pro and Tr groups. The frequency of mammary carcinoma was high in the carcinogen DMBA group (60%), followed by the Tr (56%) and finally the Pro groups (33%). These tumours included papillary, comedo and cribriform carcinomas. As compared with the control group, the development of carcinoma in the carcinogen DMBA group was associated with increased levels of (a) markers of tumorigenicity (77.0 +/- 3.3 vs. 209.0 +/- 5.6 and P < 0.05 for TSA; 28.7 +/- 1.7 vs. 41.8 +/- 1.2 and P < 0.01 for LSA), (b) markers of endocrine derangement (2.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 3.6 +/- 0.3 and P < 0.05 for prolactin; 39.6 +/- 1.3 vs. 24.8 +/- 2.1 and P < 0.01 for progesterone and 31.0 +/- 0.7 vs. 51.1 +/- 3.4 and P < 0.01 for estradiol) and (c) markers of oxidative stress (2.3 +/- 0.2 vs. 5.2 +/- 0.7 and P < 0.01 for lipid peroxides and 4.4 +/- 0.2 vs. 7.6 +/- 0.8 and P < 0.01 for nitric oxide). Also, it was associated with decreased levels of markers of apoptotic activity (20.8 +/- 1.1 vs. 13.4 +/- 0.7 and P < 0.01 for caspase-3; 29.0 +/- 1.7 vs. 20.9 +/- 1.3 and P < 0.05 for percentage of DNA fr...

Background: Tumorigenesis involves alterations in the tumor suppressor genes (p53), protooncogenes (Bcl-2) and housekeeping genes [human MutS homologue-2 (hMSH2)]. We hypothesized that mammary carcinogenesis involves interactions among p53, Bcl-2 and hMSh2 proteins. In the Upper Egypt, the clinicopathologic features and genetic changes during mammary carcinogenesis are unknown.Methods: To test our hypothesis and to examine these issues, 53 mastectomy specimens, each entailing normal breast, benign proliferative breast disease (BPBD), duct carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) were immunostained for p53, Bcl-2 and hMSH2 protein expression.Results: The average age incidence of ductal carcinomas was 43.2 ± 7.06 years. The tumors were common in the left than right side (1.2:1, respectively, p > 0.05). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma of non-specific type was the most common histologic type. Examination of the average weighted scores in the normal breast, BPBD, DCIS and IDC, respectively, showed: (1) significant upregulation of p53 proteins (0.00 ± 0.00, 0.00 ± 0.00, 6.25 ± 2.42, 6.62 ± 2.15, p = 0.001), (2) insignificant downregulation of Bcl-2 (6.67 ± 1.33, 5.17 ± 2.20, 4.79 ± 2.27 and 4.42 ± 2.83, p = 0.37), and (3) significant downregulation of hMSH2 (11.3 ± 0.75, 10.70 ± 1.27, 7.11 ± 1.50 and 7.0 ± 1.33, p = 0.0006). There were insignificant negative correlations between p53 and both Bcl-2 (r = -0.20, p > 0.05) and hMSH2 (r = -0.15, p > 0.05) protein expression.Conclusions: In the Upper Egypt: (1) breast cancer had similar clinicopathologic features to those in the high risk regions, and (2) alterations of the p53, Bcl-2 and hMSH2 proteins occur during mammary carcinogenesis.

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SummaryProgrammed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in glomerular injuries leading to glomerulonephritis. Bcl-2 and Fas are proteins that promote cell survival and death, respectively. This study tests the hypothesis that lupus nephritis is associated with alterations of Bcl-2 and Fas protein expression. Thirty-six patients with lupus nephritis and 10 controls (normal individuals) were included in this study. Bcl-2 and Fas positive cells were examined in kidney biopsies by immunohistochemistry. Bcl-2 and Fas serum levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the glomeruli of normal kidneys, Bcl-2 and Fas proteins were completely absent. In lupus nephritis patients, glomerular expression of Bcl-2 and Fas was seen in mesangial cells (1·3 Ϯ 0·1 and 2·0 Ϯ 0·1 for Bcl-2 and Fas, respectively). Similarly, a statistically significantly higher Bcl-2 (217·1 Ϯ 85·9) and Fas (767·9 Ϯ 271) serum levels were found in lupus patients compared to controls (148·6 Ϯ 87, 550·3 Ϯ 91 for Bcl-2 and Fas, P Ͻ 0·05). A direct correlation between serum Bcl-2 and Fas and chronicity index was also found. Compared to normal controls, lupus nephritis is associated with glomerular expression and elevated serum levels of Bcl-2 and Fas proteins. These findings suggest possible roles for Bcl-2 and Fas in glomerular injury during evolution of lupus nephritis. The diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic ramifications of our findings are open to further investigation.