The change in serum laminin (LN) level and its clinical significance in epithelial ovarian tumor were investigated. The LN levels in serum and ascites samples from 69 patients with epithelial ovarian tumor and 42 cases as control group before and after operation were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the serum LN levels in the patients with malignant tumors (157.85 +/- 14.37 ng/ml) were significantly higher than that in the control group (125.14 +/- 7.03 ng/ml) and in the patients with benign tumors (128.36 +/- 8.75 ng/ml) (both P < 0.01) before operation. The serum LN levels in the malignant group were decreased significantly after operation as compared with those before operation (P < 0.05). The serum LN levels in low-differentiated tumors was higher than those in moderate-differentiated tumors and high-differentiated tumors (P < 0.05). The LN levels in ascites (172.94 +/- 15.26 ng/ml) was significantly higher than in serum (161.34 +/- 6.59 ng/ml) (P < 0.05) in malignant tumors. The serum LN levels in the patients with lymph node metastasis (165.41 +/- 19.91 ng/ml) was obviously higher than those without lymph node metastasis (152.35 +/- 10.34 ng/ml) (P < 0.05). It was concluded that LN levels in serum and acistis were remarkably increased in malignant epithelial ovarian tumors, suggesting that LN might be one of important diameters reflecting tumor biological characteristics.
Ascitic Fluid/*metabolism ; Carcinoma/blood ; Carcinoma/metabolism ; Laminin/*blood ; Laminin/metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms/*metabolism ; Tumor Markers, Biological/*blood ; Tumor Markers, Biological/metabolism

The change in serum laminin (LN) level and its clinical significance in epithelial ovarian tumor were investigated. The LN levels in serum and ascites samples from 69 patients with epithelial ovarian tumor and 42 cases as control group before and after operation were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the serum LN levels in the patients with malignant tumors (157.85 +/- 14.37 ng/ml) were significantly higher than that in the control group (125.14 +/- 7.03 ng/ml) and in the patients with benign tumors (128.36 +/- 8.75 ng/ml) (both P < 0.01) before operation. The serum LN levels in the malignant group were decreased significantly after operation as compared with those before operation (P < 0.05). The serum LN levels in low-differentiated tumors was higher than those in moderate-differentiated tumors and high-differentiated tumors (P < 0.05). The LN levels in ascites (172.94 +/- 15.26 ng/ml) was significantly higher than in serum (161.34 +/- 6.59 ng/ml) (P < 0.05) in malignant tumors. The serum LN levels in the patients with lymph node metastasis (165.41 +/- 19.91 ng/ml) was obviously higher than those without lymph node metastasis (152.35 +/- 10.34 ng/ml) (P < 0.05). It was concluded that LN levels in serum and acistis were remarkably increased in malignant epithelial ovarian tumors, suggesting that LN might be one of important diameters reflecting tumor biological characteristics.
Ascitic Fluid ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; blood ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Laminin ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism

Adult ; Aged ; Collagen ; blood ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve

Adult ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; physiopathology ; Portal Pressure

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the detection method of ELISA and Enhanced Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) in use to determine serum hyaluronate acid (HA), laminin (LN), type IV collagen (IV-C) and type III procollagen (PC III).

METHODS253 patients with chronic hepatitis B were determined the four liver fibrosis serum markers with both the ECLIA and ELISA, and then compared with pathology results separately.

RESULTSBoth the detection results of ELISA and ECLIA can reflect that the patient's liver fibrosis from hepatitis to liver cirrhosis aggravated gradually. Compared with ELISA, the results of ECLIA and pathology have a better correlation.

CONCLUSIONSThe detection of four liver fibrosis serum markers by ECLIA could indicate the better the response of the state of live fibrosis.

Biomarkers ; blood ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Humans ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Luminescent Measurements ; methods

PURPOSE: Effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade on tubulointerstitial lesions were examined in adriamycin-induced nephropathy. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The three experimental groups were intravenously injected with adriamycin (2 mg/kg). After 6 weeks, rats showing heavy proteinuria were orally treated with either cilazapril 1 mg/kg/day (ACEi group, n=7) or losartan 10 mg/kg/day (ARB group, n=7) during the period of additional 6 weeks. The other group was maintained without any drugs (ADR group, n=6). The control group was without adriamycin treatment and maintained during the 12 weeks (Control, n=5). RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure was increased following the adriamycin treatment, which was normalized by treatment with cilazapril or losartan. Accordingly, cilazapril and losartan normalized the 24-h urine protein/creatinine ratio, in association with morphologic improvement of tubulointerstitial lesions. The expression of laminin beta1 was not altered in any experimental groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that angiotensin II plays an important role in tubulointerstitial lesions in adriamycin-induced nephropathy.
Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Cilazapril ; Doxorubicin ; Humans ; Laminin ; Losartan ; Male ; Proteinuria ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renin-Angiotensin System*

The angiogenesis induced with neotype amphiphilic peptide containing Isoleucine-Lysine-Valine-Alanine-Valine (IKVAV) was explored in vivo. The peptide was self-assembled into hydrogel, confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). One millilitre of 10 mg/ml peptide (experiment group, EG) and 16.67% gelatin (control group, CG) were injected subcutaneously beside rat backbone. The systemic response and local skin were observed one week after injection. The specimens were harvested two weeks later and immunohistochemically examined for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). TEM showed that hydrogel was composed of interconnected nanofibers. The inflammatory reaction and necrosis of local skins were not found one week after injection. Lots of capillary vessels with complete wall were found within self-assembled peptide hydrogel, with erythrocytes noted inside the vessels in EG; the capillary vessels or erythrocytes were not found in the gelatin in CG. The immunohistochemical detection revealed VEGF-positive cells in EG, which were not found in CG. The self-assembly hydrogel from IKVAV-containing peptide was able to induce the angiogenesis in vivo.
Animals ; Hydrogels ; pharmacology ; Laminin ; pharmacology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; blood supply

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the myocardial fibrotic indices in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), and explore the mechanism of myocardial fibrosis. METHODS: The concentration of serum procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide (P III P), procollagen type IV aminoterminal peptide (P IV P), lamnin (LN), and hyaluronic acid (HA), as well as plasma angiotension II (AngII), aldosterone (ALD), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta1) in 46 ICM patients and 37 normal controls were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The correlations between the plasma levels of AngII, ADL, TGFbeta1, and serum levels of P III P, P IV P, LN, and HA were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, the concentrations of serum P III P, P IV P, LN, HA, and plasma AngII, ADL, and TGfbeta1, significantly increased in ICM patients. AngII, ALD, and TGFbeta1 levels were positively correlated with the indices of myocardial fibrosis. CONCLUSION The myocardial fibrosis exists in ICM patients and the serum concentrations of P III P, P IV P, LN, and HA may be an indirect index of myocardial fibrosis. AngII, ADL, and TGFbeta1 levels play important roles in myocardial fibrosis.
Aged ; Cardiomyopathies ; pathology ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; pathology ; Female ; Fibrosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology

OBJECTIVESTo study the relationship between serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PCIII), laminin (LN), type IV collagen (IV-C) and hepatic fibrosis and to determine their value in clinical practice.

METHODS2600 serum samples from chronic hepatitis patients were assayed for fibrosis indexes including HA, PCIII, LN and IV-C with RIA. Liver biopsy was performed in 280 of those patients and the biopsy material was examined histopathologically. The inflammation grade of the liver, stage of fibrosis and degree of chronic hepatitis were recorded and were compared with fibrotic indexes.

RESULTSAmong 2600 chronic hepatitis patients, every fibrotic index had a significant correlation with the inflammation grade, fibrosis staging and the degree of chronic hepatitis (P < 0.01). The coefficient correlation of the results of histopathological examinations to HA was 0.544, 0.548 and 0.468 respectively, that to PCIII, 0.495, 0.424 and 0.335, that to LN, 0.214, 0.204 and 0.184, and that to IV-C, 0.406, 0.404 and 0.412, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSerum fibrosis indexes are fairly well correlated with the inflammation grade of the liver, fibrosis staging and the degree of chronic hepatitis. However, as diagnostic markers, they should be considered in combination with liver function tests, ultrasonography and clinical manifestations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; blood ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Procollagen ; blood ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical utility of liver fibrosis indexes determination in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

METHODSLiver fibrosis indexes of 79 patients with fatty liver, diagnosed by B ultrasonic echography, 37 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis patients and 32 healthy subjects were determined.

RESULTSThe level of procollagen III(PC III), hyaluronic acid (HA), collagen IV(C IV), laminin (LN) in the fatty liver cases were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (P<0.05 - 0.01), but lower than those in the liver cirrhosis cases (P<0.01). The difference of PC III, C IV, LN between the severe and early fatty liver cases was significant (P<0.05 - 0.01). Positive rate of these indexes was higher in severe cases.

CONCLUSIONThere is a trend of liver fibrosis in severe fatty liver patients. Combined determination of liver fibrosis indexes may help the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in the fatty liver patients.

Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography