Epidemiological, clinical and pronostic aspects of multiple myeloma eligible for therapeutic intensification followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell in the Algerian West: report of 147 cases.

BACKGROUND: Multiple Myeloma (MM) represent about 1 to 2% of cancers and 15% of all hematological malignancies. It is characterized by malignant proliferation of plasmocytes in bone marrow and an excess of secreted monoclonal immunoglobulins (Ig) Objective: Describe the epidemiological, clinical, biological and prognosis of patients with MM treated with autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APHSCT) in the Algerian West. METHODS: It is a retrospective descriptive study covering all MM patients treated with APHSCT over a period of 7 years (2008-2015) at service of Haematology and Cell Therapy of the EHU "1er November 1954 of Oran, Algeria. RESULTS: During the study, we collected 147 MM patients treated with APHSCT. The median age of the population was 53 years with a male predominance and a sex ratio of 1.53. Clinically, bone syndrome was found in 75.51% of cases. Paraclinaclly, anemia was found in 78.52% of patients, hyperprotidemy in 59.06%. A monoclonal peak in serum protein electrophoresis was noted in 80.54% of cases. Isotype repartition was: IgG (61.04%), IgA (19.17%), monoclonal light chains (16.11%). A plasmocytosis more than 10% was detected in 89.79% of cases. According to the Durie and Salmon classification, all of our patients were classified as stage III. The average survival time was thirty months. CONCLUSION: The majority of our patients had advanced stage of MM to the presentation and the median survival was not reached thus emphasizing a high rate of remission and marks an important advance in the care of MM in Algeria.

Immunohistochemical examination of cholecystokinin and gastrin receptors (CCK-2/gastrin-R) expression in normal and exocrine cancerous human pancreatic tissues.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluating tissue samples of normal and exocrine cancerous human pancreas on the expression of CCK2/gastrin receptor. We performed an immunohistochemical protocol that allows efficient detection of this receptor in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tissues. METHODS: Twenty (20) paraffin blocks of pancreatic tissue sections were collected from the Departments of pathology, Central University Hospital of Sidi-bel-Abbes City (Western Algeria) for the period 2004-2013; ten (10) of them were normal pancreatic samples; and ten (10) cancerous pancreatic sections. The samples were studied using an immunohistochemical protocol for CCK-2/gastrin receptors. RESULTS: Our immunohistochemical analysis revealed that CCK-2/gastrin receptors were expressed in both normal and malignant pancreatic cells but with different immunoreactivity levels and different immunostaining intensity i.e., CCK-2/gastrin receptors were highly expressed within the cytoplasmic area of cancerous cells; 40% of the samples had an immunoreactivity (IR) of (+++) and 60% (++++); the immunostaining was as well very intense since we reported a dark brown staining of the malignant cells. However; in normal pancreatic tissues; CCK-2/gastrin receptors IR levels were very low; 80% of the samples had an IR of (+); and 20% had (++) and the immunostaining was less intense; we noted a light brown staining of few normal pancreatic cells. CONCLUSION: The gastrointestinal peptides CCK could be very interesting targets for exocrine pancreatic cancer therapies; thus further surveys such as western blotting and RTPCR could indentify CCK-2/gastrin receptors as a helpful biomarker for exocrine pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Soluble human IL-1 receptor type 2 inhibits ectopic endometrial tissue implantation and growth: identification of a novel potential target for endometriosis treatment.

Endometriosis is often associated with a chronic pelvic immuno-inflammatory process, which is closely related to disease pathogenesis and major symptoms. Our studies led to the detection of a marked imbalance between IL-1 and its natural inhibitor IL-1 receptor type 2 (IL1R2) in women with endometriosis. This points to a deficiency in the local control of IL-1 that, in view of the cytokine's elevated levels and potent proinflammatory, angiogenic, and growth-promoting effects, may contribute to endometriosis development. Using an in vivo model in which human endometrial tissue was inoculated into nude mice and left to establish before any further treatment, our data showed that sIL1R2 interferes with the capability of endometrial tissue to invade, grow, disseminate, and stimulate angiogenesis into the host tissue. sIL1R2 significantly down-regulated the expression of major cell adhesion receptors (αv and ß3 integrins), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and -9), and vascular endothelial cell growth factor. Interestingly, treatment with sILR2 (5 µg/kg) led to a concomitant upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases natural inhibitors (TIMP1 and TIMP2) and down-regulation of BclII, a potent anti-apoptotic protein. This creates an imbalance between pro- and anti-proteolytic and apoptotic factors and may further contribute to IL1R2 growth-inhibitory effects. This study provides evidence that sIL1R2 alters ectopic endometrial tissue growth, remodeling, and survival in vivo and may represent an interesting potential therapeutic tool.

Oncogenic Kit controls neoplastic mast cell growth through a Stat5/PI3-kinase signaling cascade.

The D816V-mutated variant of Kit triggers multiple signaling pathways and is considered essential for malignant transformation in mast cell (MC) neoplasms. We here describe that constitutive activation of the Stat5-PI3K-Akt-cascade controls neoplastic MC development. Retrovirally transduced active Stat5 (cS5(F)) was found to trigger PI3K and Akt activation, and to transform murine bone marrow progenitors into tissue-infiltrating MCs. Primary neoplastic Kit D816V(+) MCs in patients with mastocytosis also displayed activated Stat5, which was found to localize to the cytoplasm and to form a signaling complex with PI3K, with consecutive Akt activation. Finally, the knock-down of either Stat5 or Akt activity resulted in growth inhibition of neoplastic Kit D816V(+) MCs. These data suggest that a downstream Stat5-PI3K-Akt signaling cascade is essential for Kit D816V-mediated growth and survival of neoplastic MCs.

Activated STAT5 proteins induce activation of the PI 3-kinase/Akt and Ras/MAPK pathways via the Gab2 scaffolding adapter.

The active forms of STAT5A (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A) and STAT5B are able to relieve the cytokine dependence of haematopoietic cells and to induce leukaemia in mice. We have demonstrated previously that activation of the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signalling cascade plays a major role in cell growth and survival induced by these proteins. Interaction between STAT5 and p85, the regulatory subunit of the PI3K, has been suggested to be required for this activation. We show in the present study that the scaffolding protein Gab2 [Grb2 (growth-factor-receptor-bound protein 2)-associated binder-2] is an essential component of this interaction. Gab2 is persistently tyrosine-phosphorylated in Ba/F3 cells expressing caSTAT5 (constitutively activated STAT5), independent of JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) activation where it interacts with STAT5, p85 and Grb2, but not with Shp2 [SH2 (Src homology 2)-domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase] proteins. Interaction of STAT5 with Gab2 was also observed in Ba/F3 cells stimulated with interleukin-3 or expressing the oncogenic fusion protein Tel-JAK2. The MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) ERK1 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1) and ERK2 were constitutively activated in the caSTAT5-expressing cells and were found to be required for caSTAT5-induced cell proliferation. Overexpression of Gab2-3YF, a mutant of Gab2 incapable of binding PI3K, inhibited the proliferation and survival of caSTAT5-expressing cells as well as ERK1/2 and Akt/protein kinase B phosphorylation. Taken together, our results indicate that Gab2 is required for caSTAT5-induced cell proliferation by regulating both the PI3K/Akt and the Ras/MAPK pathways.

Gastrointestinal lymphoma in Western Algeria: pattern of distribution and histological subtypes (retrospective study).

BACKGROUND: Primary gastrointestinal (GI) lymphomas (GIL) are uncommon diseases that can involve the whole GI tract. Considerable variation exists in the literature with respect to incidence of the various histological subtypes and sites of involvement. This study was undertaken to establish the anatomic distribution, histological subtypes and sites of GI lymphomas of patients from Western Algeria. METHODS: The case records of 58 consecutive patients with GIL diagnosed at the Pathologies Departments of Algerian west region (the Military Hospital of Oran city and the Central University Hospital of Sidi Bel Abbes city) from January 2006 to December 2013 were retrospectively evaluated for epidemiology and histopathology report. All lymphomas were reclassified according to the WHO 2008 classification. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients (39 male, 19 female) with mean age of 61 years and a range of 20-89 years were included in this study. Stomach was the most common site involved (70.7%). The commonest histological subtype was mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) B cell lymphoma (46.6%), followed by diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) (43.1%).The frequency of Helicobacter pylori (HP) positivity differ between gastric and intestinal location P=0.003 and correlates with the histological type P=0.01. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study of patients with GI lymphoma from Western Algeria illustrates the pattern of distribution of various common and rare histological subtypes. More studies are necessary to find a potential cause, risk factor or genetic mutation that can explain these specific characteristics of GIL.

Immunohistochemistry and scoring of Ki-67 proliferative index and p53 expression in gastric B cell lymphoma from Northern African population: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to clarify the Ki-67 distribution, p53 expression and their relationship with clinico-pathologic features of gastric B cell lymphoma from Northern African population. METHODS: Twenty paraffin blocks of gastric lymphoma were retrieved from the archival materials of Department of Pathology, Central University Hospital of Sidi Bel Abbes (Western Algeria) from 2007 to 2013. Four µm section specimens were stained by immunohistochemical (IHC) technique with Ki-67 and p53 tumor markers. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Expression of p53 proteins and the mean proliferative index (PI) were compared between high grade gastric B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) and low grade gastric B cell lymphomas (gastric MALTs). p53 overexpression (P=0.007) and a high proliferation index Ki-67 (P=0.001) were significantly associated with gastric DLBCL. We found also a statistically significant correlation between p53 and Ki-67 (P=0.007) but no obvious relationships were found between Ki-67 PI and p53 expression as well as clinico-pathological features (age, sex, location, macroscopic type). CONCLUSIONS: The IHC studies of Ki-67 and p53 expression in gastric B cell lymphoma can help in monitoring of patients at risk, and to give suitable treatment and management of patients.

Use of GeneXpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin for rapid detection of rifampicin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of clinically suspected multi-drug resistance tuberculosis cases.

BACKGROUND: Multi-drug resistance (MDR) TB is defined as tuberculosis (TB) disease caused by a strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) that was resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin (RIF). Emerging Multidrug-Resistant TB is one of the major concerns of health policy and rapid detection of M. tuberculosis and detection of RIF resistance in infected patients are essential for disease management. The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of RIF resistance in cases of sputum positive pulmonary TB by using GeneXpert MTB/RIF and comparing between phenotypic and genotypic testing of RIF resistance in MTB strains of clinically suspected MDR-TB isolated cases in western Algeria. METHODS: In this study 50 sputum positive cases of pulmonary TB who were potential MDR suspect were included. Their sputum samples were collected and subjected to sputum smear microscopy, culture and conventional MTB/RIF test followed by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay. RESULTS: Of total 50 cases included in this study, MTB was detected in all patients (100%) by GeneXpert MTB/RIF. However, RIF's resistance was detected in only 21 cases (42%) by GeneXpert MTB/RIF. All RIF resistant strains detected by GeneXpert MTB/RIF were phenotypically confirmed as MDR strains. 42.85% of cases were retreatment failure cases, retreatment cases smear positive at 4 months were 23.82%. While 19.05% of cases were retreatment cases smear positive at diagnosis, and 14.28% patient had history of contact with MDR-TB. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Xpert MTB/RIF to detect RIF resistance in comparison to conventional phenotypic drug susceptibility technique were found equal to the rates of 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is efficient and reliable technique for the rapid diagnostic of TB. It's simplicity, high sensitivity and specificity for RIF resistance detection make this technique a very attractive tool for diagnostic of MTB and RIF resistance in MDR cases.

Delayed diagnosis of pancreatic cancer reported as more common in a population of North African young adults.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging tumor entities worldwide, characterized as a highly aggressive disease with dismal overall prognosis and an incidence rate equaling mortality rate. OBJECTIVE: In order to have an update about pancreatic cancer incidence and evolution in North Africa, we conducted an epidemiological analytical retrospective study at the level of three Algerian regions: Sidi-bel-Abbes, Oran and Tlemcen along the last eight years [2006-2013]. METHODS: We performed a retrospective hospital-based study in which we analyzed the records of 160 pancreatic cancer patients registered, evaluated and treated in a Northern African region; at the level of hospital centers of the three western Algerian regions from 2006 to 2013. RESULTS: Along the period of study, 160 patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; with a mean age of 66.2 years, and a sex ratio of 1.65; other parameters such as a medical history smoking and alcoholism history, tumor site; histological type as well as the stage of diagnosis were also enrolled in the study. Our statistical analyses reported a very significant correlation between patients who belonged to the age group of 21-40 years and the advanced stage of diagnosis (basing on TNM classification) with P=0.02. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer is increasingly diagnosed in young adults at an advanced stage in North African regions.

Epidemiology and risk factors for exocrine pancreatic cancer in a Northern African population.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of pancreatic cancer remains largely unknown. Although epidemiological studies have reported that many environmental factors may contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer, only age and cigarette smoking have been established as consistent risk factors for the disease. OBJECTIVE: Studying the biological clinical and histological features of patients with pancreatic cancer in order to assess the possible risk factors for pancreatic cancer in a North African population. METHODS: An epidemiological retrospective descriptive study has been performed at the level of surgery department of the university hospital of Sidi bel Abbes region, western Algeria, from 2007 to 2013. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas (55 males and 32 females) with a mean age of 63.1 years, ranging from 16 to 96 years old, and a sex ratio of 1.71. In 92 % of cases, pancreatic tumors were located at the head of the pancreas; the most predominant histological type was the adenocarcinoma; cigarette smokers represented the rate of 24.3 % and alcoholics 13.5 %. The most recorded disease among patients medical history was diabetes mellitus (25.28 %). About 35.63 % was the prominent rate of patients who underwent cholecystectomy and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after an average duration of 5.23 years. Our patients were mostly diagnosed with cancer at M1 and T3 stages. CONCLUSION: According to our results, cholecystectomy could possibly be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer in Algerian population.

IGF-1 activates hEAG K(+) channels through an Akt-dependent signaling pathway in breast cancer cells: role in cell proliferation.

Previous work from our laboratory has shown that human ether à go-go (hEAG) K(+) channels are crucial for breast cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. In this study, we investigated the regulation of hEAG channels by an insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is known to stimulate cell proliferation. Acute applications of IGF-1 increased K(+) current-density and hyperpolarized MCF-7 cells. The effects of IGF-1 were inhibited by hEAG inhibitors. Moreover, IGF-1 increased mRNA expression of hEAG in a time-dependent manner in parallel with an enhancement of cell proliferation. The MCF-7 cell proliferation induced by IGF-1 is inhibited pharmacologically by Astemizole or Quinidine or more specifically using siRNA against hEAG channel. Either mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) are known to mediate IGF-1 cell proliferative signals through the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk 1/2) and Akt, respectively. In MCF-7 cells, IGF-1 rapidly stimulated Akt phosphorylation, whereas IGF-1 had little stimulating effect on Erk 1/2 which seems to be constitutively activated. The application of wortmannin was found to block the effects of IGF-1 on K(+) current. Moreover, the inhibition of Akt phosphorylation by the application of wortmannin or by a specific reduction of Akt kinase activity reduced the hEAG mRNA levels. Taken together, our results show, for the first time, that IGF-1 increases both the activity and the expression of hEAG channels through an Akt-dependent pathway. Since a hEAG channel is necessary for cell proliferation, its regulation by IGF-1 may thus play an important role in IGF-1 signaling to promote a mitogenic effect in breast cancer cells.

Constitutive activation of Stat5 promotes its cytoplasmic localization and association with PI3-kinase in myeloid leukemias.

Persistent activation of Stat5 is frequently found in hematologic neoplasms. Studies conducted with constitutively active Stat5 mutants (Stat51*6 and cS5F) have shown that deregulated Stat5 activity promotes leukemogenesis. To investigate the oncogenic properties of these mutants, we used cS5F-expressing bone marrow cells which induce a multilineage leukemia when transplanted into recipient mice. Here, we show by immunocytochemistry that cS5F is localized mainly in the cytoplasmic compartment of leukemic cells, suggesting that the transforming nature of cS5F may be associated with a cytoplasmic function. In support of this hypothesis, we found that cS5F forms a complex with the p85 subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) and the scaffolding adapter Gab2 in leukemic bone marrow cells, resulting in the activation of Akt/PKB, a crucial downstream target of PI3-K. By using transducible TAT-Gab2 or TAT-Akt recombinant proteins, we were able to demonstrate that activation of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway by cS5F molecules through Gab2 is essential for induction of cell growth. We also found that persistently phosphorylated Stat5 in primary cells from patients with myeloid leukemias has a cytoplasmic localization. These data suggest that oncogenic Stat5 proteins exert dual transforming capabilities not only as transcriptional activators but also as cytoplasmic signaling effectors.