Altered copper homeostasis and oxidative stress have been observed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Non-ceruloplasmin copper, the free form, is a potent pro-oxidant than the protein bound copper. The aim of the present study was to evaluate which form of copper can be correlated with the oxidative stress in the circulation and in the malignant liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Hepatocellular carcinoma patients (grades II and III, n = 18) were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of total, free and bound copper, ceruloplasmin, iron, iron-binding capacity, lipid peroxidation products, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were quantified in serum and in malignant liver tissues and compared with those of normal samples (n = 20). A significant positive correlation between the serum non-ceruloplasmin copper and lipid peroxidation products and negative correlation with antioxidants were observed in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. In liver tissue, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity were significantly decreased with concomitant elevation in oxidative stress markers. Our experiment revealed that the elevation in non-ceruloplasmin copper has high relevance with the oxidative stress than the bound copper.
Bleeding complication and abnormal platelet functions are associated with liver cirrhosis. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the functional integrity of platelets in terms of lipids like cholesterol and phospholipids, glycoproteins and membrane-bound enzymes. Liver cirrhotic patients with bleeding complications were studied. Age and sex matched normal healthy volunteers were also involved in this study as a control group. Levels of cholesterol, phospholipids, glycoproteins and adenosine triphosphatases were assessed in isolated platelet membrane fraction. The level of glycoproteins and the activity of adenosine triphosphatases were found to be decreased significantly in cirrhotic patients. The cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was found to be altered significantly, indicating an alteration in the fluidity of platelet membrane. The results of this study reveal that the functional impairment of platelets in liver cirrhotic patients which is responsible for their bleeding tendency might also be due to altered lipid and enzyme levels in platelet membrane.
Summary Wound infection and abscess are the common post operative complications in pancreatic cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of immunity in patients with cancer in the head of pancreas by analyzing the levels of immunoglobulins, compliments, acute phase reactants and the efficiency of neutrophils for phagocytosis. The study was conducted on 89 patients with cancer in the pancreatic acini /pancreatic duct/ head of pancreas/ periampullary region and on equal number of age and sex matched normal healthy volunteers. All the patients were in a need to undergo either pancreaticoduodenectomy or duodenal preserving resection of head of the pancreas. The levels of IgM, IgA, IgE, C3, C4, C-reactive proteins, haptaglobin, α2 macroglobulin were assayed in the blood samples. The level of phagocytosis and bactericidal activity were evaluated in neutrophils. The level of IgM was significantly low and the levels of IgA and IgE were significantly high in pancreatic cancer patients. The levels of C-reactive protein, haptaglobin, α2 macroglobulin , C3 and C4 were elevated significantly. The phagocytic efficiency and the bactericidal action of polymorphonuclear lymphocytes and mononuclear cells were low in pancreatic cancer patients when compared to normal control subjects. In pancreatic cancer patients the antibody mediated immunity is disturbed and the acute phase response is stimulated to counteract the infection and the abnormal metabolites released from malignant cells. The functional impairment of phagocytes might be responsible for the post operative complications in pancreatic cancer patients.
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