Good early treatment response in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with Bax nuclear accumulation and PARP cleavage.

Background: Bax activation and intracellular redistribution as well as its prognostic significance during steroid-induced apoptosis of leukemic cells in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remain a matter of controversy. The purpose of this study was to assess time-resolved changes in Bax activation and its intracellular distribution as well as the percentage of apoptotic cells evaluated by PARP cleavage in response to prednisone treatment in childhood ALL.

Material/methods: The study comprised 43 children with de novo ALL.

[Rare tumours--are they really rare in the Polish children population?].

Clear statement that pediatric neoplasms are really rare is not easy. Thus the incidence of rare tumours in children has not been defined so far. The paper efforts to assess the topic of rare tumours of childhood in the Polish population.

Serum selenium level and glutathione peroxidase activity in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

In our previous study the pattern of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in the course of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) in children suggested a defect in antioxidant defense. In the present report the serum selenium (Se) level, an essential component of GPX activity, was measured in a comparable group of children with SSNS at the same clinical stages at which GPX activity was determined in the previous study. Nephrotic children had normal serum Se levels during the edematous stage, at the end of prednisone treatment, and in remission.

[Influence of selected factors on the development of renal scars in children with vesico-ureteric complex].

Although relationship between vesico-ureteric reflux, urinary tract infection and renal scarring is known, pathogenesis of the renal scarring is still unclear. Vesico-ureteric reflux and urinary tract infection remain in very close relationship, they may also occur separately. The factor promoting renal injury is also young age of a child.

[Renal gene expression of renin and transforming growth factor Beta 1 in children with glomerulonephritis].

Increase of renal expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) gene caused by activation of the local renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis (GN). The aim of the present study was to measure the expression of renin and TGF-beta 1 genes (own modification of the RT-PCR method) in the isolated renal glomeruli or in the homogenates of renal biopsy specimens in children with various types of glomerulonephritis. The study enrolled 13 children with glomerulonephritis and 3 boys with Wilm's tumour (control group).

Prevalence and forms of congenital anomalies in twins born in Pomeranian District during the period from 1.07.1997 to 31.12.1998. Polish Register of Congenital Anomalies.

The authors have analysed the frequency and structure of congenital anomalies in children born in the Pomeranian district in the period from 01.07.1997 to 31.

[Renoscintigraphy applied with etylenedicysteine labeled with technetium 99m and SPECT technique as a method of examining kidneys in children with vesicoureteric reflux].

Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) can lead to renal parenchymal damage. Renal scarring is an important cause of chronic renal failure and hypertension in children. The significance of possible effects determines the necessity of early diagnosis of urinary tract pathology.

[The I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene in children with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura].

The study group consisted of 24 children with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura (HSP) (13 girls and 11 boys, aged 66-233 months) who were treated in the Ist Pediatric Department between 1980 and 1998. The I/D polymorphism of ACE gene was determined by PCR amplification of genomic DNA with primers flanking the polymorphic region. Our preliminary results suggest lack of association between ACE genotype and kidney function.

Antioxidant status of children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

Eighteen children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) were studied. The control group comprised 20 healthy children. The following indirect parameters of reactive oxygen species activity were determined in nephrotic patients during four stages of the disease (full relapse before prednisone administration, disappearance of proteinuria, prednisone cessation, unmaintained remission): plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD) activity and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in erythrocytes, reduced glutathione (GSH) and vitamin C levels in whole blood, and vitamin E level in serum.

Impact of recurrent nephrotic syndrome after renal transplantation in young patients.

Recurrent disease is a frequent complication of patients transplanted for steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome associated with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Its long-term prognosis has rarely been studied. We examined 39 patients aged 4-25 (mean 13.

[DNA index and proliferative activity of blastic cells in childhood ALL].

DNA Index and the pretreatment proliferative activity of blastic cells were assessed in relation to treatment results in 58 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ALL patients were treated with the use of BFM 79 protocol. After the median follow-up time of 32 months p-EFS and p-DFS were 0,425 and 0,495 respectively.

[Evaluation of rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes and T cell receptors in determining low numbers of leukemic in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

The samples from blood and/or bone marrow were analysed in 7 children at the time of initial diagnosis or relapse and in 9 children with clinical and hematologic remission of ALL. Molecular genetic methods were more sensitive than morphologic ones in leukemic cells detection: 5 children in remission of ALL demonstrated gene rearrangements. Clinical significance of the presence of low numbers of leukemic cells in remissions is still unknown.

Mesangial alterations in steroid-responsive minimal change nephrotic syndrome.

Renal biopsies from 25 children with steroid-sensitive minimal change nephrotic syndrome were evaluated retrospectively to determine whether there is any relation between the morphological changes and the frequency of relapses. Biopsy material was examined by light-, immunofluorescence-, and electron microscopy, and by morphometric methods. The patients were divided in a group of 15 children with frequent relapses (FR) and another group of 10 children with an absence of, or only infrequent, relapses (NR/IR).