Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibits granulocyte-colonystimulating factor (G-CSF)

No abstract

Cytogenetic aberrations are important prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). About 45% of de novo AML lack cytogenetic abnormalities, so identification of predictive molecular markers might improve therapy. We studied the prognostic impact of brain and acute leukemia, cytoplasmic (BAALC) and ETS-related gene (ERG) expression in AML with normal karyotype. Pretreatment bone marrow samples from 30 cytogenetically normal AML patients were analysed for BAALC and ERG expression using real time RT-PCR. The patients were dichotomized at BAALC and ERG mean expression into low and high expression. BAALC showed high expression in 70% of patients and its expression did not correlate with the clinical parameters of patients. ERG was high in 33.3% of patients and its expression was associated with lower ages and higher white cell counts. With follow-up for 2 years, patients with high BAALC and high ERG had low rates of clinical remission (P < 0.005) and inferior overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001 and <0.002 for BAALC and ERG respectively). No significant association was observed between the increase in BAALC and ERG expression (P = 0.398). Multivariable analysis confirmed high BAALC expression as an independent risk factor for OS. Overexpression of BAALC and ERG either separate or concomitant predict adverse clinical outcome and may define important risk factor in cytogenetically normal AML.

The following studies were undertaken to determine the levels of serum carotene and vitamin A (retinol) in Egyptian patients with intestinal, urinary, hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, and bladder cancer. These studies have shown that both serum carotene and serum retinol levels are significantly reduced in patients with bladder cancer when compared to controls. These data, when viewed in light of previous animal studies noted, raise the question as to whether vitamin A administration can be beneficial in the prevention and/or treatment of human bladder cancer, particularly that associated with schistosomiasis.

To investigate the association between HLA-DRB1* alleles and post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) in Egyptian children, 32 unrelated patients with PSAGN and 380 healthy individuals from the same locality were typed for DRB1* alleles using the polymerase chain-reverse hybridization technique. Patients with PSAGN had significantly increased frequency of both DRB1* 03011 (46.9 vs. 19.2% in controls, P=0.00025) and DRB1* 1105 (31.1 vs. 15.6% in controls, P=0.0097) alleles. However, after correction of P values, only the difference for DRB1* 03011 allele remained significant (Pc=0.025). Their relative risks were significantly high (3.71, confidence interval [CI]=1.8-7.8, and 3.57, CI=1.4-8.9 respectively). No significant differences in the frequency of the two alleles were observed among patients with different grades of hypertension or proteinuria. In conclusion, DRB1* 03011, and possibly 1105, alleles confer susceptibility to PSAGN. However, the severity of the disease is not determined by these two alleles.