Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in rabbits with experimental hypercalciuria

Routinely used renal function tests remain normal in uncomplicated hypercalciuria. The aim of this study was to assess the value of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), a sensitive marker of renal proximal tubular damage, in experimental hypercalciuria. Oral calcium providing 75 mg/kg per day elementary calcium and 20,000 IU/day vitamin D-3 was administered for 15 days to 7 rabbits (Orytolagus cuniculus-New Zealand white) and 7 rabbits were given placebo as a control group. Serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase, daily urinary calcium excretion and NAG/creatinine ratio were measured before and after drug administration. Kidneys were examined macroscopically and microscopically following the study period. Serum calcium, phosphorus and urinary calcium excretion increased, while alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly in response to drug treatment [10.8 +/- 1.5 vs. 12.2 +/- 1.3 mg/dl, 4.6 +/- 0.6 vs. 6.7 +/- 0.7 mg/dl, 22.3 +/- 8.3 vs. 46.8 +/- 22.5 mg/kg per day, and 138.0 +/- 57.1 vs. 70.1 +/- 33.1 IU/l, respectively (P 0.05). The relationship between the urinary NAG/ creatinine ratio and the daily urinary calcium excretion was statistically significant (r = 0.67, P <0.05). In the study group, nephrocalcinosis was present in all rabbits except 1 (85.7%), whereas none of the control group rabbits had nephrocalcinosis. In conclusion, in rabbits urinary NAG excretion increases significantly in nephrocalcinosis induced by hypercalciuria

Serum magnesium, copper, and zinc alterations following spinal fusion.

Changes in serum magnesium, copper and zinc values were evaluated in spinal fusion patients at four monitorings. For magnesium and copper individually, a significant difference was found between the mean values at each monitoring (p < 0.05), whereas the changes of zinc values between four monitorings were insignificant. There was no statistical difference between the changes of each trace element values and gender, age, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, blood replacement, number of the vertebral levels fused, and antibiotic type used

Erratum: Collar-induced changes in matrix metallo-proteinase-2 and -9 activities in the rabbit carotid artery and effect of endothelin antagonism (European Journal of Biochemistry (2004) 271, Suppl. 1 (83))

[No abstract available

Expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in gastric cancer tissue.

Degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential step of invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer. The proteolysis of basement membranes depends on the balance between activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). The aim of the study was to assess the expression of TIMP-1 in gastric cancer (GC) and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate cells within GC tissue in relation to clinico-pathological features of tumor and to estimate the prognostic significance of TIMP-1 expression for patients' survival. The presence of TIMP-1 in 54 cases of gastric cancer samples was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The expression of TIMP-1 in cancer and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate cells was evaluated in semi-quantitative scale. The immunoreactivity of TIMP-1 in cancer and inflammatory cells was positive in 100% of cases and varied from weak to intense reaction. The intensity of TIMP-1 expression increased with more advanced tumor stages and in patients who died of cancer during 2-year observation. TIMP-1 expression in interstitial inflammatory infiltrate cells was the independent prognostic factor for patients' survival. The results suggest the role of TIMP-1 in gastric tumorigenesis, although this issue requires further investigtions