Phe354Leu polymorphism of the liver kinase B1 gene as a prognostic factor in adult egyptian patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: The human liver kinase B1 () gene is a significant tumor suppressor widely expressed in all fetal and adult tissues. Despite its established role in solid tumors, the biological and clinical implications of gene alterations in hematological malignancies have not been sufficiently recognized.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the frequency of the Phe354Leu polymorphism in adult Egyptian patients with cytogenetically normal AML (N-AML), evaluate its clinical prognostic significance, and investigate its effect on the therapeutic outcome and patient survival.

Prognostic Significance of VEGF and HIF-1 α in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Receiving Sorafenib Versus Metformin Sorafenib Combination.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem. HCC burden has been increasing in Egypt in the past 10 years. Most HCC cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage with limited treatment options.

Role of Angiopoietins and Tie-2 in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), soluble vascular endothelial tyrosine kinase receptor (Tie-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in the serum of type 2 diabetic patients having non-proliferative (NPDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods: One hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were involved in this cross-sectional study. They were classified into 25 diabetic patients without retinopathy, 35 patients with NPDR and 40 PDR patients.

Levels of cytokines in the aqueous humor of eyes with primary open angle glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma and cataract.

Objective: The focus of this study aimed at measuring multiple inflammatory cytokines levels in the aqueous humor of patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG) and senile cataract.

Methods: This case control study was conducted at the Research Institute of Ophthalmology, Giza, Egypt in 2016. Aqueous humor (AH) samples were withdrawn from 50 patients (30 POAG, and 20 PEXG) and from 15 patients with senile cataract serving as controls.

Upregulation of microRNA-21 is a poor prognostic marker in patients with childhood B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objectives: Many studies have demonstrated that microRNA-21 (miR-21) is an oncogene and is upregulated in tumor tissue. However, its association with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains poorly understood.

Methods: The expression of miR-21 was detected by real-time quantitative PCR in 75 children with de novo B-ALL as well as in 50 healthy controls.

Risk of open angle glaucoma due to tumor necrosis factor alpha gene polymorphisms.

Introduction: Axonal degeneration and retinal ganglion cell apoptosis in glaucoma is associated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the risk of open angle glaucoma (OAG) in the Egyptian population and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene polymorphisms.

Methods: Sixty OAG patients and 26 healthy unrelated controls were used to analyze TNF-α polymorphism G-308A using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

Genetic polymorphism of IL-23R influences susceptibility to HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Genetic variations may play an important role in the development of HCC in HCV patients. Variants of IL23R gene were investigated for association with many diseases like chronic inflammatory disorders, RA, inflammatory bowel diseases and the susceptibility to the development of gastric cancer but no data are available concerning the association of IL23R gene (rs11209026) polymorphism with HCC development in HCV patients. Therefore the current study aimed to analyze this polymorphism within the gene to evaluate its contribution to chronic HCV susceptibility and/or HCC development in Egyptian patients.

Serum copper is a simple but valuable prognostic marker in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We investigated the relationship between serum copper and various prognostic factors, time to start treatment, and treatment response in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and related disorders. Fifty newly diagnosed CLL patients aged 36-70 years were included. Patients were studied for serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum copper, direct Coombs' test, serum β(2) microglobulin (β(2)M), immunophenotyping for diagnosis of B-CLL, evaluation of CD38 and zeta-associated protein (ZAP-70) expression, and fluorescence in situ hybridization technique for cytogenetic analysis.

Significance of telomere capture in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Addition of telomeres to the ends of broken chromosomes has been observed in many malignant cells through the capture of the ends of other chromosomes as a result of nonreciprocal translocations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the percentage of nuclei with telomere capture (TC%) as a prognostic marker in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients. This study included 45 newly diagnosed MDS patients, 36 cases with denovo MDS and 9 cases with therapy-related MDS, and another 35 apparently healthy volunteers as a control group.

Clinical relevance of serum endoglin level in Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background: In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), preferential expression of endoglin on endothelial cells of the tumor vasculature versus neoplastic cells has led to the suggestion that it originates from the neovasculature and plays an important role in angiogenesis. Our study aimed to evaluate the role of serum endoglin in the diagnosis of HCC and to correlate it with other studied prognostic markers.

Methods: Sixty hepatocellular carcinoma patients were studied, 60 cirrhotic patients and 45 matched healthy controls.

Paraoxonase-1 and oxidative status in common Mediterranean β-thalassaemia mutations trait, and their relations to atherosclerosis.

Aims: Investigation of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity with oxidative status parameters and the increased susceptibility to atherogenesis in β-thalassaemia-trait (BTT) subjects.

Methods: Sixty BTT subjects and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum PON1, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) were determined.

HE4 and mesothelin: novel biomarkers of ovarian carcinoma in patients with pelvic masses.

Objectives: To evaluate the utility of novel serum tumor markers, HE4 and mesothelin either alone or in combination with CA125 in diagnosis and early detection of ovarian carcinoma in patients with pelvic masses.

Subjects And Methods: Sera were obtained preoperatively from 65 women underwent surgery for a pelvic mass and 25 age- and menopausal status-matched healthy women. All samples were analyzed for levels of CA125, HE4, and mesothelin by serum based immunoassays and patients results were compared to final pathology findings.

Impact of CD4+CD25high regulatory T-cells and FoxP3 expression in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by various immunological abnormalities. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) CD4+CD25+ play an important role in maintaining tolerance to self-antigens controlling occurrence of autoimmune diseases. It has been shown that the transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) is specifically expressed on CD4+CD25+T cells.