Quantitative analysis of kallikrein 15 gene expression in prostate tissue.

PURPOSE: The newly discovered human kallikrein 15 gene KLK15 has been shown in preliminary analysis to be associated with more aggressive types of prostate cancer. We quantitatively measured and compared gene expression of KLK15 in malignant and benign prostate tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Matched prostate tissue samples from the cancerous and noncancerous parts of the same prostates were obtained from 90 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using SYBR Green I and the LightCycler system (Roche Applied Science, Mannheim, Germany) was performed. Associations of KLK15 expression with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: KLK15 over expression in cancerous versus noncancerous tissue was found in 76 of the 90 patient samples (84.4%, p <0.001). The ratio of cancerous-to-noncancerous KLK15 expression tended to be higher in patients with stage pT3/4 versus pT2 tumors (p = 0.1). KLK15 expression tended to be higher in grade 3 than in grade 2 tumors and in Gleason score 7 or greater than in Gleason score less than 7 tumors (p = 0.18 and 0.23, respectively). A 1.7 cutoff at the 40th percentile provided a significant difference in stages pT2 and pT3/4 tumors (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: On quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction KLK15 expression was significantly higher in cancerous than in noncancerous tissue. Up-regulation of the KLK15 gene in advanced and more aggressive tumors may indicate a possible role for KLK15 protein as future serum marker for prostate cancer and for distinguishing tumor aggressiveness.

Atypical cholinesterase gene Ea: rarity in the Jamaican population - abstract

This paper reports on the rarity of the atypical cholinesterase gene Ea in the Jamaican population, via experimentally observed specific activities and percentage inhibition by dibucaine.. Homozygotes for the abnormal enzyme may develop prolonged apnoea when the muscle relaxant suxamethonium is administered prior to surgery. A total of 499 subjects were studied; of these 240 had normal serum cholinesterase activity (2669 ñ 514 mU/ml of serum) and normal dibucaine number 88. The remaining 259 subjects had lower than normal activity (1422 ñ 259 mU/ml) but normal dibucaine number 87. Homozygous carriage of the atypical gene is associated with dibucaine numbers below 20. Based upon these findings, the ensuing apnoea often caused by the abnormal enzyme (Ea) is therefore expected to be very rare among Jamaicans: 25 percent of our 17 subjects who underwent suxamenthonium administration had low cholinesterase activity (1479 ñ 210 mU/ml) but had normal dibucaine number 89 and suffered prolonged apnoea, lasting from 30 to 78 minutes. These preliminary results suggest that the determination of cholinesterase activity and dibucaine numbers may not always be the most reliable criteria to differentiate the suxamenthonium-sensitive and -insensitive subjects (AU)

Profile of plasma and erythrocyte enzymes: whole blood 2, 3 bisphosphoglyceric acid and reduced glutathione levels in Jamaican diabetics - abstract

The metabolism of normal red cell is well adapted to protect itself from oxidative stress. The maintenance of red cell membrane, haemoglobin and enzymes containing sulfhydryl groups (-SH groups) are dependent upon the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Alteration in the activities of enzymes such as glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase will affect the levels of GSH and consequently the red cell metabolism. Acetylcholinesterase, an SH-dependent enzyme, also increases in the red cells in diabetics and is related to membrane fluidity. The level of 2, 3- Bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) which serves an important mechanism by which the body regulates its oxygen supply from haemoglobin to meet tissue demands, also increases in chronic anaemias observed in diabetics. In the present studies the activities of plasma and erthrocyte cholinesterase, and erthrocyte glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase were measured in 40 diabetic patients (both IDDM and NIDDM groups). The whole blood 2, 3-BPG and GSH were also estimated in these patients. All five parameters showed significant increases in diabetic as compared to non-diabetic controls. The results could point to a potential role of G6PD 2, 3-BPG GSH and choline sterase as indicators of diabetes control (AU)

Change in serum cholinesterase activity in Jamaican diabetics

This study investigates the alteration of serum cholinersterase levels in diabetics and its possible relationship to blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels. Fourteen phasic insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients were comapared with 10 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 10 noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and 10 normal controls. Each group was matched for age, sex, body mass index and duration of diabetes. Mean age was 56.7 ñ 2.5 years; mean body mass index, 24.00 ñ 0.8 kg/mý; and mean duration of diabetes, 14.2 ñ 2.2 years. Serum acetylcholinesterase, insulin, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels as well as fasting blood sugar were all assayed using standard techniques. Results suggest an associated increase of serum acetlycholinesterase with triglyceride levels in diabetics and may point to a possible association between increased serum acetylcholinesterase and vascular complications in Jamaican diabetics. (AU)