Elevated HSP27 levels during attacks in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: The small heat shock protein, HSP27, has been shown to have a more potent protective effect in the nervous system. However, there is limited information about the behavior of HSP27 in the course of multiple sclerosis (MS). Thus, we investigated the HSP27 levels during relapse and remission phases of MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive MS patients and 45 age- and gender-matched controls without any systemic diseases were enrolled. HSP27 levels were serologically detected in serum samples of both controls and MS patients during acute attacks and after a minimum of 2 months of each individual attack. RESULTS: The mean HSP27 level was 12.41 ± 18.21 ng/ml in the attack phase, 4.58 ± 4.75 ng/ml during remission, and 2.58 ± 3.88 ng/ml in control patients. The heat shock proteins (HSP) levels of MS patients in the attack phase were significantly higher than those obtained in the remission phase (P = 0.005). Moreover, HSP levels in the attack and remission phases of MS patients were also significantly higher when compared to controls (P = 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively). While there was no correlation between HSP27 levels in the attack phase and age, disease duration, or expanded disability status scale scores (P = 0.69, P = 0.32, and P = 0.91, respectively), a positive correlation was observed between the HSP27 levels and the total attack number (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed a marked elevation in HSP27 levels during the relapse phase. Therefore, it can be suggested that elevated HSP27 levels may guide in the accurate detection of an attack in patients with MS.

Significance of heat shock protein-27 expression in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate heat shock protein (HSP)-27 expression in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and examine its biologic significance. HSPs were first defined as proteins induced by heat shock and other environmental and pathophysiologic stresses. They are implicated in protein-protein interactions and are thought to play an important role in cancer. The expression of HSP-27 has been demonstrated in some human tumors. METHODS: The expression of HSP-27 was studied in tumor and normal parenchyma tissue specimens from 76 patients with RCC by immunohistochemistry. The findings were correlated with clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, histologic grade, and survival. RESULTS: Of the 76 RCC tissue specimens studied, the presence of HSP-27 was demonstrated in 73 (96%). The expression was low in 10 patients (14%), intermediate in 38 (50%), and high in 25 (33%). HSP-27 expression was greater in RCC tissue compared with adjacent noncancerous renal tissue (P <0.001). An inverse relationship was found between tumor stage and HSP-27 expression (r = -0.281, P = 0.016). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in progression-free survival with respect to HSP-27 expression. No relationship was found between HSP-27 expression and tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, or cause-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that HSP-27 expression is not a powerful and statistically significant prognostic indicator for disease-free survival for patients with RCC.

Serum and pleural fluid levels of alpha-L-fucosidase and sialic acid have no diagnostic value in malignant pleural effusions.

The association of biological markers with cancer has been recognized for many decades. To determine whether alpha-L-fucosidase (ALF) and sialic acid (SA) are sensitive markers in malignant pleural effusions, they were investigated in serum and pleural fluid of 64 consecutive pleurisy patients, and in serum of 23 healthy subjects as a control group. The serum ALF (sALF) and serum SA (sSA) values of malignant and nonmalignant groups were higher than that of the control group, but the differences were statistically significant only for sSA determinations (p < 0.05). Values of sALF, sSA, pleural ALF (pALF), and pleural SA (pSA) were higher in the malignant group than the nonmalignant group, but no significant difference was found between the two groups. In conclusion, neither alpha-L-fucosidase nor sialic acid will be useful in the detection of malignant pleural effusions.

NAG, GGT, creatinine, urea and creatinine clearance before and after ESWL.

N-acetyl-beta glucosaminidase (NAG) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were measured in the urine and serum before, 24 hours and one week after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in 25 patients. Although ESWL is the preferred method in the treatment of kidney stones, its effect on renal parenchymal cells has not been sufficiently elucidated. Since radiographic methods remain inadequate in the estimation and management of parenchymal damage, it is useful to establish the specific renal cell proteins in urine and serum, reflecting renal tubular cell destruction.