Comparison of DiOC 6 (3) uptake and annexin V labeling for quantification of apoptosis in leukemia cells and non-malignant T lymphocytes from children

Early during apoptosis, there is a reduction in mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) and externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) in cell membrane prior to eventual cell death. Flow cytometric detection techniques targeting these changes, reduction of DiOC 6 (3) uptake upon the collapse of MTP and annexin V binding to PS have been successfully used to detect apoptotic cells. These methods have given comparable results when cell lines were used. We compared the two different techniques, DiOC 6 (3) uptake and Annexin V-propidium iodide co-labeling in the quantification of cytarabine, vincristine and daunorubicin induced apoptosis on three leukemia cell lines (HL-60, CEM, U937), and bone marrow blasts from 26 children with acute myeloid leukemia, 14 with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Anti-Fas-induced apoptosis in culture-grown peripheral blood T lymphocytes on 18 samples from 9 children with non-malignant conditions were also studied by these techniques. Our results showed that there is a correlation ( P < 0.05) between the apoptosis rates measured by these two techniques for drug-induced apoptosis in myeloid and lymphoid blasts, and for anti-Fas mAb-induced apoptosis in T lymphocytes. This data suggests that reduction of the MTP and PS externalization may be common to many apoptotic pathways and techniques targeting either of these changes may be used in quantification of apoptosis in different clinical samples.Cytometry (Comm. Clin. Cytometry) 42:74–78, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34698/1/11_ftp.pd

Methemoglobinemia after injection of prilocaine for pre-medication of circumcision

Methemoglobinemia may occur in congenital and acquired circumstances. Acquired methemoglobinemia occurs in individuals exposed to a various of agents. Prilocaine is a local anesthetic agent that is widely used in clinical practice, but as well usage at treatment dosage in infancy can cause methemoglobinemia. We report an infant who became methemoglobinemia after injection of prilocaine and spontaneous recovery with supportive treatment

Evaluation of the intestinal parasitic infections in children patients with cancer

Amaç: Bu çalışmada sağlıklı, kanserli ve kanser tedavisi sonrası hayatta kalan çocuklardaki bağırsak parazitlerinin prevalansını ve cinsini tespit edilmesi, ayrıca nötropenik dönemde parazitlerin insidansı ve cinsinde değişikliğin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntemler: Çalışmada üç farklı hasta grubu oluşturulmuştur. Birinci grup hematolojik maligniteli veya solid tümörlü yoğun kemoterapi alan ve mutlak nötrofil sayısı 1000/mm3’ün altında olan immün yetmezlikli seksen hastadan oluşurken, ikinci grup hematolojik maligniteli veya solid tümörlü mutlak nötrofil sayısı normal ve ayaktan idame kemoterapi alan seksen beş hastadan, üçüncü grup ise çeşitli sebepler nedeni ile pediatri hematoloji polikliniğine başvurmuş immün yetmezliği olmayan ve kronik immün baskılayıcı tedavi almamış yüz yetmiş iki hastadan oluşmuştur. Hastalardan üç gün üst üste dışkıda parazit incelemesi yapılmıştır. Bulgular: Birinci gruba dahil edilen hastalarda parazit prevalansı diğer gruplara göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur. Çalışmaya alınan bütün gruplarda en sık rastlanan parazit Giardia intestinalis olmuştur. Mutlak nötrofil sayısı 1000/mm3’ün altında olan hastalarda parazit varlığı, mutlak nötrofil sayısı 1000/mm3’ün üzerinde olan hastalara göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı yüksek tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç: İmmün yetmezlikli hastalarda bağırsak paraziti prevalansının diğer gruplara göre yüksek bulunmuştur. Bu tür hastalarda enfeksiyon bulguları olduğunda, parazitik enfeksiyon olasılığının gözardı edilmemesi gerektiği kanaatine varılmıştır.Objective: We aimed to determine the prevalence and type of the intestinal parasites in healthy, cancer and survivor children after cancer therapy, and to evaluate whether there are any differences in incidence and types of parasites during their neutropenic period. Methods: Three different patient groups were formed. Group I and Group II were immune deficient patients with hematologic malignancy or solid tumors, and Group I were receiving intensive chemotherapy and had absolute neutrophil count less than 1000/mm3. Group II were receiving maintenance chemotherapy and had normal absolute neutrophil counts. One hundred and seventy two patients, who did not receive chronic immune suppressant treatment and who did not have immune deficiency were chosen among the patients admitted to pediatric hematology outpatient clinic. Parasitic evaluation of stools was performed on three consequtive days. Results: Prevalence of parasite in Group I patients was significantly higher than other groups. The most commonly detected parasite in all groups was Giardia intestinalis. The presence of parasite in patients with absolute neutrophil counts below 1000/mm3 was found to be significantly higher than in patients with absolute neutrophil counts above 1000/mm3. Conclusion: Parasitic infections should not be ignored when these types of patients present with infection finding