Introduction: This study was performed to establish a complementary method to the diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole and its differentiation from the other cases of gestational trophoblastic disease by measuring the total (ALP) and placental alkaline PHOSPHATASE (PLAP) specific activity. Materials and Methods: Serum and tissue extracts from 13 patients, 13 normal non-pregnant and 30 pregnant females were compared for these enzymes activities. Paranitrophenyl phosphate was used as substrate. Placental alkaline PHOSPHATASE was simply distingushed from its isoenzymes by its heat stability (65°c for 15min).Results: According to our findings from serum and tissue extract examination the activity of total alkaline PHOSPHATASE and placental alkaline PHOSPHATASE activities were reduced in hydatidiform mole patients in comparsion with pregnant females (P<0.05) but there was no significant difference in non - pregnant subject. Conclusion: These results show a severe hypophosphatasia in serum and tissue extracts of the patients. The reduction in activity of enzymes may be caused by low synthesis of enzyme by trophoblast cells or some post transcriptional changes that causse the reduction of enzyme activity. Since the ALP is probably important in active transport of suger and phosphate across the trophoblast cell membreanes, so the hydropic villi of hydatidiform mole placenta may due to reduction of enzyme activity in placental villi. Our results suggest that measurment of ALP and PLAP activity in serum and tissue extract can be a complementary method in diagnosis of hydatidiform mole.

Protein PHOSPHATASE 2C family consists of a group of evolutionary-conserved serine/threonine PHOSPHATASEs which play a role in stress signal transduction. A subfamily of this protein PHOSPHATASEs in Arabidopsis, including ABI1 and ABI2, are known as components of Abscisic acid signal transduction pathway. Their mutants are hypersensitive to ABA showing an increased expression during seed dormancy and adaptive responses to drought. Considering sensitivity of rice to abiotic stresses, particularly drought, identification of this gene family in rice and studying their role in response to stress would be beneficial. In this research, nine OsPP2C proteins (OsPP2C1 to OsPP2C9), carrying all the conserved motifs of this subfamily were found in rice, Among them, only OsPP2C5 transcript levels were significantly up-regulated by drought and abscisic acid which is down-regulated by re-watering or ABA removal. Drought stress induced OsPP2C5 gene expression in all the studied tissues. Based on the RNA in situ hybridization experiments, OsPP2C5 transcripts were observed in almost all cells and accumulated more in the nuclei in divisional zone of the drought stressed peduncles. However, the transcripts of this gene were accumulated at higher levels in the primary and secondary vascular bundles, phloem and xylem parenchyma, epidermal cells and sclerenchyma/ chlorenchyma precursors. Based on the achieved results, the OsPP2C5 gene seems to play a role in ABA/ drought stress signal transduction. It is expected that appropriate genetic manipulations of this gene family would increase rice tolerance to abiotic stresses.

Alkaline PHOSPHATASE (ALP; EC 3.1.3.1) is mainly derived from the liver, bones and in lesser amounts from intestines, placenta, kidneys and leukocytes. A raised level of alkaline PHOSPHATASE in the blood frequently indicates a variety of diseases. The examination of the ALP isoenzyme can be performed by electrophoresis. This examination can be helpful in disease classification of those cases with hyperalkalinePHOSPHATASEmia. Of several ALP isoenzymes, biliary ALP isoenzyme is mentioned for its clinical usefulness in detection of biliary obstruction. Here, the authors performed a study to investigate the clinical usefulness of biliary alkaline PHOSPHATASE isoenzyme in biliary obstruction. Of interest, there is no significant difference of serum ALP level between malignant and benign biliary obstruction group. But there is a significant difference of serum biliary - ALP isoenzyme between malignant (range 28 U/L – 365 U/l) and benign biliary obstruction (range 20 – 140 U/L). Nevertheless, the average biliary - ALP level of the cholangiocarcinoma cases (range 105 – 365 U/L) is significant higher than the other malignant biliary obstruction cases (range 28 – 50 U/L). According to our study, the biliary - ALP isoenzyme determination can be use as a marker for malignant biliary obstruction.