title: Serum levels of bcl-2 and cellular oxidative stress in patients with viral hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to investigate the presence of bcl-2 protein in the serum of patients with viral hepatitis and to find out if there is any correlation between bcl-2 protein levels and cellular oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 130 patients with viral hepatitis, 70 with chronic hepatitis, 30 with liver cirrhosis and 30 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in addition to 20 healthy persons as the control. Serum bcl-2 protein was estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant enzymes (GSH, GSH-px, GR and SOD) were measured using spectrophotometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  bcl-2 protein level was significantly elevated in the serum of HCC, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis groups as compared to control group. There were significant positive correlations between higher bcl-2 protein level and viral hepatitis markers (HBsAg, anti-HCV antibodies) in HCC and cirrhotic patients as compared to chronic hepatitis group. An increase in oxidative stress markers (MDA, NO) and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, GSH and GSH-px) were observed. However, there was a negative correlation between bcl-2 levels and GR in all studied patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The release of oxidative free radicals, deficiency in antioxidant enzymes and the expression of bcl-2 protein might play a role in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis. The ability to measure bcl-2 protein in the serum could be useful as a prognostic marker of cancer patients.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
authors: H G
authors: HG
authors: Osman
authors: O M
authors: OM
authors: Gabr
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Lotfy
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Gabr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000097:blood*; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004798:Enzymes; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde