Higher Content but Not Activity of Stromelysin-2 (MMP-10) in Comparison to Stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) in Human Renal Carcinoma.

Stromelysin-1 and stromelysin-2 (matrix metalloproteinase 3; MMP-3 and matrix metalloproteinase 10; MMP-10, respectively) are enzymes that activate other metalloproteinases. Apart from collagen, they also degrade elastin, fibronectin, gelatin and laminin. In carcinogenic processes, they are involved in angiogenesis and metastasis.

Enhanced Expression but Decreased Specific Activity of Matrix Metalloproteinase 10 (MMP-10) in Comparison with Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) in Human Urinary Bladder Carcinoma.

Human urinary bladder cancer is a huge worldwide oncological problem causing many deaths every year. The degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by molecules such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is one of the main factors influencing the process of metastasis origination. The MMP expression is tied to tumor aggressiveness, stage, and patient prognosis.

Dominative role of MMP-14 over MMP-15 in human urinary bladder carcinoma on the basis of its enhanced specific activity.

Background: Human urinary bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide with the mortality rate of approximately 165,000 people annually. The modulation of extracellular matrix is a crucial event in the metastatic spread, among others in angiogenesis. It is initiated and prolonged by the cascade of matrix metalloproteinases.

Verapamil and collagenase differentially affect collagen metabolism in experimental model of Peyronie's disease.

Objectives: Peyronie's disease (PD) is accompanied by remodelling of connective tissue into fibrotic plaque. Treatment of the inflammatory and fibrotic phases of the disease is not established. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of verapamil (VER) and bacterial collagenase (COLL) on collagen metabolism and cell migration in fibroblasts with experimental wound healing and inflammation as an in vitro model of PD.

Suppressed Expression but Not Activity of Collagenases MMP-1 and MMP-13 in Human Renal Carcinoma.

Background: Collagenases are enzymes starting collagen degradation. The role of collagenases in renal carcinoma development is not well understood.

Objective: Evaluation of collagen content and collagenase expression and activity in human kidney cancers.

Chromium in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Introduction And Objectives: Many epidemiological and experimental studies report a strong role of chemical carcinogens in the etiology of bladder cancer. However, the involvement of heavy metals in tumourigenesis of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder has been poorly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between chromium (Cr) and bladder cancer.

Reduced expression of E-cadherin and increased sialylation level in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Cancer cells are characterized by an aberrant increase in protein N-glycosylation and by disruption of E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions. However, the relationship between alterations in N-glycosylation process and loss of E-cadherin adhesion in cancer remains unclear. The mechanisms of altered expression of adhesive glycoproteins in cancer cells have not been fully elucidated.

Characterization of human bladder cell membrane during cancer transformation.

Phenomena associated with changes in cell membranes are thought to play an important role in the cancer transformation. We hypothesized that the electrical charge of tumor cells can indirectly represent membrane-based changes that have occurred during cell transformation and may indicate tumor cell status. Here, we describe work showing that phospholipids, proteins content, and electric charge, are all altered in the cell membranes of pT2 stage/grade G3 bladder cancer.

Cadmium in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between cadmium (Cd) and bladder cancer (urothelial carcinoma of the bladder). Cadmium concentrations in two 36-sample series of bladder cancer tissue and blood, from patients with the neoplasm, were matched with those of the control group. The amount of heavy metal in every tissue sample was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry.

Phospholipid composition and electric charge in healthy and cancerous parts of human kidneys.

Phospholipids are ubiquitous in nature and are essential for the lipid bilayer of cell membranes. Their structural and functional properties are pivotal for the survival of the cell. In this study the phospholipids of healthy and cancerous human renal tissues from the same patients are compared with special reference to the electric charge of the membrane.

Glycosylation of proteins in healthy and pathological human renal tissues.

Cancer development is associated with the improper glycosylation of proteins. There are alterations in the synthesis and expression of sugar structures. These changes can be important not only in the early stages of tumour development, but also in the next stages connected with cancer invasiveness and its ability to form metastases.

Copper, zinc, and Cu/Zn ratio in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Introduction: Many epidemiological and experimental studies report a strong role of chemical carcinogens in the etiology of bladder cancer. However, involvement of trace elements in the tumorigenesis of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between zinc, copper and bladder cancer.

The effects of diet on selenium concentration in serum in patients with cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine serum levels of selenium (Se) in patients with larynx and urinary system cancers. We also estimated the influence of dietary habits on Se status in examined patients. The mean content of Se in serum of patients with urinary system cancer (48.

Lead concentration in the bladder tissue and blood of patients with bladder cancer.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between lead and bladder cancer.

Material And Methods: The levels of lead concentration in blood and bladder cancer tissue from a sample set of 36 bladder cancer patients were measured and then compared with those of a normal group. The levels of lead obtained in the bladder cancer tissue were evaluated depending on the stage of the tumour.

Effect of smoking on activity of N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase in serum and urine of renal cancer patients.

Objectives: To compare N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase (HEX) activity in the serum and urine of smokers as well as non-smokers with renal cancer, and healthy people.

Design And Methods: To assess hexosaminidase activity the level of p-nitrophenol released from p-nitrophenol derivatives was measured.

Results: The activity of enzyme was significantly higher in cancer group, with the highest activity in non-smokers.

The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men visiting outpatient clinics.

The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men visiting outpatient clinics was analyzed using data reported by 1352 randomly chosen physicians who were requested to interview five to 20 consecutive patients aged >or=40 years about the presence of ED. A total of 25.12% of the physicians returned the questionnaires, containing data on 3552 patients, of whom 42.

[Assessment of the efficacy of cancer procoagulant (CP) activity evaluation in the oncological diagnosis of the urinary system].

Many studies have been carried out to develop unfailing diagnostic methods that could improve cancer detection. There are available cancer markers of relatively low sensitivity and specificity, which makes a reason why they not always let detect neoplasm at their earliest stage. There is a new protease cysteine enzyme named cancer procoagulant (CP) isolated from rabbit V2 Ca neoplasm and characterized by Gordon et al in 1975.

[Cancer procoagulant (CP)].

Epidemiological studies point out steady increase of the incidence of cancer disease in Poland and all over the world. Neoplasms are associated with blood coagulation disorders very frequently. The investigations concentrate on searching for the substance producing malignant cells and causing activation of blood coagulation in neoplasm disease patients.

[Cancer procoagulant and cathepsin D activity in blood serum in patients with bladder cancer].

The increasing morbidity and mortality rates of bladder cancer forced the scientists to search for new unfailing diagnostic and therapeutic methods that will improve treatment effects. There are biochemical cancer markers as cancer procoagulant (CP) and cathepsin D which may be used to this end. The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of the cancer procoagulant and cathepsin D in the blood serum in patients with superficial bladder cancer.

Antichlamydial antibodies in the serum and expressed prostatic secretion in prostatitis.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis (C.trachomatis) antibodies in serum and expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) in chronic prostatitis.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six patients with chronic prostatitis were examined.

Surgical treatment of Peyronie's disease by the intracavernosal plaque excision method: a new surgical technique.

Objective: A new surgical method of treating Peyronie's disease consisting in intracavernosal excision of the plaque is presented.

Material And Methods: The operation was performed on 16 men aged from 34 to 65 years (mean 50.2 years).

Successful microsurgical replantation of an amputated penis.

Traumatic amputation of the penis is a rare condition. The paper presents a 22-year old man who suffered a complete penile amputation in a result of an unfortunate accident. Microsurgical replantation of the penis was performed in the case with a complete return of sensation, sexual function and physiologic miction.

Microsurgical replantation of sexual organs in three patients.

Objective: The present study deals with microsurgical replantation technique.

Material And Methods: The technique was applied in 3 patients whose sexual organs had been accidentally cut off.

Results: Necrosis of the sutured organs occurred in 2 cases.

Study of p53 protein expression in prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was the immunohistochemical evaluation of p53 protein expression in localized prostate cancer (Pca) following radical prostatectomy and analysis of its relationship to chosen anatomo-clinical and morphological parameters of the tumours. The present investigation included material from 28 randomly selected patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. Tissue sections were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde solution, embedded in paraffin and stained immunohistochemically with the anti-human p53 protein monoclonal antibody.

Ultrastructure of the tunica albuginea in congenital penile curvature.

Purpose: We investigated the ultrastructure of the tunica albuginea in individuals with congenital penile curvature to explain the pathology of this disease.

Materials And Methods: Included in our study were 15 patients 17 to 24 years old with congenital penile curvature. Study material consisted of samples of the tunica albuginea excised from the greater curvature of the corpus cavernosum during surgical correction.