Expression of RAS and RAB interactor 1 (RIN1) in head and neck tumors at selected hospital in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck tumors (HNT) are tumors of the paranasal sinuses, the salivary glands and the upper aerodigestive tract. RIN1 is a Ras effector protein regulating epithelial cell properties and has been implicated in a number of cancers. METHOD: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of RIN1 in head and neck tumors. RIN1 expression was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining on archival head and neck tissue samples between 2014 and 2020. RESULTS: RIN1 expression was low in tissue samples as compared with the normal head and neck tissues. High and low RIN1 levels were compared with ages ≤40, >40 in the head and neck tumors of p-value 0.02. There was a significant difference with p-values of 0.001 when poor and well-moderate malignant tumors were compared. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that RIN1may play an important role in head and neck tumor progression and that its expression may provide baseline data to facilitate identification of new molecular targeted therapeutics.

Prognostic Worth of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) in Patients with Head and Neck Tumors.

INTRODUCTION: Head and neck tumors (HNT) are tumors that normally occur at the head and neck region of the body. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been found to be highly expressed in breast and other tumors; therefore, there is the need to investigate the level of EGFR expression among patients with head and neck tumors in Ghana. METHOD: The level of EGFR expression was determined in head and neck tumor and control head and neck tissues with quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: The level of EGFR expressions was high in tumor tissues than in the control tissues. There was a significant difference of p value 0.025 among the ages >40 and ≤ 40 when the high and low level of EGFR was compared in the head and neck malignant tumor. The area under the curve for the high expression of EGFR among the malignant head and neck tumors was 0.901 with a specificity of 86.4%. CONCLUSION: EGFR can serve as a prognostic marker in monitoring patients with HNT as well as a molecular therapeutic target.

Prognostic significance of biochemical markers in African Burkitt's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL) remains the prevalent form of paediatric cancer in tropical Africa with subtle pathological differences. This calls for intensified efforts to validate the global prognostic markers within local settings for improved cancer treatment and survival. This study proposes prognostic markers for enhanced eBL treatment and management. PATIENTS AND METHOD One hundred and eighty histologically and/or clinically diagnosed BL patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana were eligible for this cross-sectional eight-year retrospective study. Biochemical, clinical and demographic data, before chemotherapy administration, were documented and examined for their progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) significance. RESULTS A mean age of 6 (SD=2.7, range: 1-16) years was observed with general male dominance (M:F=1.69:1). Total serum lactate dehydrogenase (HR=2.04; 95% CI, 1.25-3.32; log rank=8.3; p=0.004), serum creatinine (HR=3.59; 95% CI, 1.62-7.98; log rank=15.4; p=0.002) and St. Jude stage (HR=1.74; 95% CI, 1.11-2.73; log rank=8.0; p=0.015) were important independent prognostic biochemical markers for both PFS and OS. Age, serum calcium, uric acid, potassium, sodium and phosphorus were non-prognostic. CONCLUSION The better monitoring of these prognostic indices coupled with risk-stratification treatment may improve patients' survival, especially in resource-limited settings.

Clinical and epidemiological characterisation of Burkitt's lymphoma: an eight-year case study at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana.

Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is a juvenile malignant neoplasm of B-lymphocyte origin, markedly affected by climate, vegetation and geographical location. This real country-based, cross-sectional, retrospective study reviews all out-patient clinical records of patients histologically and/or clinically diagnosed with BL from January, 2000 to December, 2007 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana, a country within the malaria and lymphoma belts of the world. The aim of the study is to clinically and epidemiologically characterise all cases of BL over an eight-year period to ascertain the most common form of BL demographically prevalent. A mean age of 6.9 +/- 2.7 (range: 1-16) was observed. Males generally dominated in incidence (M:F=1.43:1, P<0.001) and significantly with facial presentation (P<0.05). Females weakly dominated in abdominal tumour presentation (P>0.05). The age range 4-8 years was the high risk range (P<0.001) for both sexes. Males were affected early in life (4-7 years) compared to their female counterparts (6-11 years). Of the 551 cases reviewed, 48.3%, 32.7%, 15.8% and 3.3% involved the face, abdomen, combined facial and abdominal and either facial or abdominal with central nervous system (CNS) involvement (usually paraplegia), respectively. An intriguing observation was evident between facial and combined facial and abdominal cases which exhibited reversed trends in incidence. Three regions within the forest zone showed significantly higher (P<0.001) incidences compared to the seven cohorts from the coastal and savannah agro-ecological zones of Ghana. No region was explicitly associated with any particular clinical presentation. The study has shown that although BL can present with demographic patterns in prevalence within a given geographical location, no clinical characterisation is associated with such patterns.

AlphaB-crystallin expression in celiac disease - a preliminary study.

AIM: To investigate immunohistochemically alphaB-crystallin expression and distribution in biopsy sections of the small intestine of patients with celiac disease, and the relationship, if there is any, between the expression of this heat shock protein and the degree of mucosal atrophy. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of 22 subjects (12 celiac patients and 10 "normal" individuals) were investigated by immunoperoxidase screening procedures using monoclonal antibodies to detect the presence of alphaB-crystallin. Sections from each case were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to assess mucosal morphology. RESULTS: The epithelial cells of the small intestine stained more intensively for alphaB-crystallin in patients with celiac disease than in "normal" patients. The quantity and degree of intensity of immunohistochemically demonstrable alphaB-crystallin and its intracellular distribution in the duodenal mucosa of the patients with celiac disease were closely related to the degree of villus atrophy. There was a strong correlation between the number of patients with celiac disease and percentage staining score of alphaB-crystallin per total score (Pearson's r = 0.754, p = 0.123). The mean percentage score per total score was 20% among the patients with celiac disease. On the other hand, there was a weak negative correlation between the number of normal controls and percentage score per total score (Pearson's r= -0.126, p = 0.437). The mean percentage score per total score was 4.6% among the normal controls. AlphaB-crystallin stained the supra-nuclear region of the enterocytes with a 75% sensitivity and 71% specificity. CONCLUSION: AlphaB-crystallin, a stress response protein, is expressed in the small intestinal mucosa of patients with celiac disease, and the degree of mucosal atrophy compares significantly with the intensity of expression of alphaB-crystallin. We therefore conclude that an inappropriate stress response involving this heat-shock protein within the mucosa itself may be crucial as an initiating event in the architectural derangement of the mucosal damage associated with celiac disease.

Iron deficiency in rural Ghanaian children.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of iron deficiency among Ghanaian children in different residential settings and to see whether 200mg ferrous fumerate B.P. could correct iron deficiency anaemia in observed cases of iron deficiency. DESIGN: Prospective case-finding study using an iron-deficiency society questionnaire, laboratory data and general practice records. Crude prevalence was calculated using the hospital's mid-year estimates. SETTING: Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana SUBJECTS: Rural-dwelling children entering as out-patients, urban-dwelling children entering as controls and newly diagnosed iron-deficient children entering as in-patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Crude prevalence rates (per quinquennia) for three groups of children. Corrected deficiencies expressed as percentage after management. Age, haemoglobin, iron status, residential status, symptoms at entry and after therapy. RESULTS: Following a 30-day administration of ferrous fumarate, the mean serum iron for the rural children increased significantly by 3.3 micromol/l representing an improved iron status of 20.0%(P<0.0001). Iron deficiency anaemia defined by serum Hb<12.0 g/dl and Fe<12.5 mmol/l decreased by 10% in the rural subjects. Comparatively, iron deficiency among the newly diagnosed anaemia group, fell by 17.6% whilst their ambulant urban counterparts employed as the control group had an iron deficiency anaemia of 0.0%. CONCLUSION: The study clearly indicates that the-prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among children in rural Ghana is about ten times that of the urban-dwelling children and that iron-deficiency anaemia accounts for a greater percentage of all anaemic cases among children in our hospitals. It was also shown that taking appropriate iron supplements like 200 mg of ferrous fumerate for thirty days can substantially improve the iron status of iron-deficient children.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance lipid profiling of intact platelet membranes.

A combination of high-resolution one-dimensional and two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic methods and high pressure liquid chromatography have been used to analyse qualitatively and quantitatively the phospholipids, cholesterol and fatty acid composition of normal human blood platelets. The major phospholipids present were identified and quantified. Information on the nature and composition of the different classes of structural phospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids was obtained and was similar to that reported by others using different analytical procedures. This work showed that the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy approach to lipid analysis could provide rapid, comprehensive and detailed information on the roles of lipids in pathological conditions in which platelets have been implicated.