Both p16 and p15 proteins are inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases that prevent the cell going through the G1/S phase transaction. E-cadherin is a transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates calcium-dependent interactions between adjacent epithelial cells. Two groups of patients were selected: the first group suffered from epithelial serous ovarian tumors and the second group suffered from benign ovarian lesions; ovarian tissue samples from all the subjects (benign and malignant) were subjected to methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction for methylated and unmethylated alleles of the genes (E-cadherin, p15, and p16). Results obtained showed that aberrant methylation of p15 and p16 genes were detected in 64.29 and 50% of ovarian cancer patients, while E-cadherin hypermethylation was detected in 78.57% of ovarian cancer patients. Methylation of E-cadherin was significantly correlated with different stage of disease (p < 0.05). It was found that the risk of E-cadherin hypermethylation was 1.347-fold, while risk of p15 hypermethylation was 1.543-fold and p16 was 1.2-fold among patients with ovarian cancer than that among patients with benign ovarian lesions. In conclusion, Dysfunction of the cell cycle and/or the cell-cell adhesion molecule plays a role in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and that the analysis of the methylation of p15 and E-cadherin genes can provide clinically important evidence on which to base the treatment.

Objective: Coronary artery diseases including atherosclerosis is considered as commonest problem worldwide. Ergosterols are the main components of vegetable oils and nuts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential hypoplipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of ergosterol in combination with niacin in rats fed high fat diet (HFD). Methods: Eighty male albino rats were included in this study divided into two main groups: Group I: Normal rats fed standard diet treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/Kg b.w) or both. Group II; rats fed HFD treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/Kg b.w) or both The feeding and treatment lasted for 8 weeks.Results: A significant elevation in the levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, VLDL-c, LDL-c and atherogenic factor (p<0.001) in rats fed on HFD compared with normal control while HDL-c was significantly reduced in HFD rats compared with control group. Supplementation of diet with niacin or ergosterol or combined exerts improvement in the studied parameters by lowering triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, LDL-c and atherogenic factor and elevate HDL-c near to the value of control. Niacin combined with ergosterol were effective in the reduction of hydroxy methyl glutaryl-CoA reducatase (HMGCoA) compared with control (p<0.001). The combined effect was more potent than individual alone. Conclusion: Utilization of niacin and ergosterol may prevent the hypercholesterolemia and incidence of coronary heart diseases. These functional foods act as nutriceutical as dyslipidemics.