The value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)/cyclin in the assessment of cell proliferation in glomerulonephritis.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)/cyclin is an acidic nuclear protein increasing from the late G1 to S phases of the cell cycle and whose detection parallels other standard methods for assessing cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate PCNA expression in normal and diseased human kidneys, in order to clarify cell proliferation in renal tissue and to define a possible correlation of its expression with various types of glomerulonephritis (GN). The immunohistochemical avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method was used for the demonstration of PCNA applying the monoclonal antibody PC-10 to paraffin sections from: 10 normal kidneys, 55 renal biopsies with various types of proliferative GN (PGN), 44 renal biopsies with various types of non proliferative GN (NPGN).

HLA antigens in microscopic polyarteritis (MP) with renal involvement.

Serological HLA-A, B, C, DR and DQ typing was performed in 23 patients with microscopic polyarteritis and renal involvement and in 405 healthy individuals, all of Greek origin. An increased frequency of HLA-A26 (26% vs. 11.

Lower urinary tract reconstruction in association with renal transplantation.

Congenital or acquired dysfunction of the lower urinary tract may result in renal failure. In this group of patients urinary diversion or lower urinary tract reconstruction is mandatory prior to renal transplantation. Avoiding creation of an external stoma offers far more better quality of life to these unfortunate patients.

Expression of bcl-2 oncoprotein in various types of glomerulonephritis and renal allografts.

Background: Bcl-2 oncogene was identified as a transcript associated with the t (14;18) and exhibits the unique functional role of blocking apoptosis. Apoptosis as a remodelling mechanism has been reported to embryonic and adult kidney. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of bcl-2 protein in normal and diseased renal tissue and to define any correlation with the type of renal injury.

The frequency of hepatitis B virus infection in Greek patients with various types of glomerulonephritis.

The frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was studied in the sera of 622 patients with glomerulonephritis (GN). The prevalence of HBs-antigenemia was 2.8% (18/622; eleven adults and seven children); the difference from 2.

Immunohistochemical study of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in various types of renal injury.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a polypeptide with a potent mitogen activity, and its receptor [EGFR] have been previously identified in the kidney, but their expression in normal and diseased kidneys has not been fully elucidated. In order to evaluate EGFR in various histological types of renal injury, EGFR expression was studied by the immunohistochemical avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method with a monoclonal antibody EGFR1 on paraffin sections from 10 normal kidneys, 56 renal biopsies with various types of glomerulonephritis (GN), and 20 renal grafts with rejection. EGFR expression was observed in (a) 3 of 10 (30%) normal kidneys, (b) 17 of 39 (43.

Hepatitis C virus infection among Greek renal transplant patients.

In this study, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among renal transplant recipients was high, directly proportional to the haemodialysis time before transplant and inversely proportional to the time after this. There was evidence of previous infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), and a high prevalence of abnormal liver function tests. Virus induced chronic hepatitis lesions were rare, probably as a result of immunosuppression.

Antibodies against hepatitis C virus among renal transplant patients in Greece.

To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Greek renal transplant (RT) patients and its association with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs), serum anti-HCV was determined (Ortho-ELISA test system) in 206 RT and 245 haemodialysis patients (HD) as controls. The prevalence (10.2%) of anti-HCV in RT patients was significantly higher (P < 0.

Multiple hepatocellular tumours in a patient treated with oral contraceptives.

A case of multiple hepatic tumours in a patient treated for four years with high doses of oral contraceptives is described. Solitary hepatocellular lesions associated with conventional doses of oral contraceptives have been reported previously in twenty nine cases. Haemorrhage has been a common mode of presentation and is attributed to the marked vascularity of the lesions, an appearance referred to as peliosis hepatis.