A serum glycomics approach to breast cancer biomarkers

Because the glycosylation of proteins is known to change in tumor cells during the development of breast cancer, a glycomics approach is used here to find relevant biomarkers of breast cancer. These glycosylation changes are known to correlate with increasing tumor burden and poor prognosis. Current antibody-based immunochemical tests for cancer biomarkers of ovarian (CA125), breast (CA27.29 or CA15-3), pancreatic, gastric, colonic, and carcinoma (CA19-9) target highly glycosylated mucin proteins. However, these tests lack the specificity and sensitivity for use in early detection. This glycomics approach to find glycan biomarkers of breast cancer involves chemically cleaving oligosaccharides (glycans) from glycosylated proteins that are shed or secreted by breast cancer tumor cell lines. The resulting free glycan species are analyzed by MALDI-FT-ICR MS. Further structural analysis of the glycans can be performed in FTMS through the use of tandem mass spectrometry with infrared multiphoton dissociation. Glycan profiles were generated for each cell line and compared. These methods were then used to analyze sera obtained from a mouse model of breast cancer and a small number of serum samples obtained from human patients diagnosed with breast cancer or patients with no known history of breast cancer. In addition to the glycosylation changes detected in mice as mouse mammary tumors developed, glycosylation profiles were found to be sufficiently different to distinguish patients with cancer from those without. Although the small number of patient samples analyzed so far is inadequate to make any legitimate claims at this time, these promising but very preliminary results suggest that glycan profiles may contain distinct glycan biomarkers that may correspond to glycan "signatures of cancer."     

3D reconstruction and morphological analysis of electrostimulated hyperthermophile biofilms of Thermotoga neapolitana

Biotechnology Letters - In this study, the morphological characteristics of the T. neapolitana biofilms on a ceramic carrier, stainless steel, graphite foil, carbon paper, carbon felt and carbon...     

Mosquito Repellent and Antibacterial Efficiency of Facile and Low-Cost Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using the Leaf Extract of Morinda citrifolia

The need for the development of new methods for the reduction or elimination of the infections and diseases caused by mosquitoes and bacteria is very vital. The biomedical applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from biological sources especially plant extracts had contributed greatly to the inhibition of several microbes due to the presence of some secondary metabolites found in them. The biological approach of AgNPs synthesis is ecofriendly compared with other methods of AgNPs synthesis. In this study, we investigated the efficiency of AgNPs synthesized using the leaf extract of Morinda citrifolia against selected vector mosquitoes and bacteria. The leaves of Morinda citrifolia obtained were air dried, pulverized, extracted, and mixed with silver nitrate to form AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The mosquito repellency and antimicrobial activities of the synthesized AgNPs were determined using standard methods. The peak at 436.14 nm on the UV–Visible spectrum confirmed the formation of AgNPs. The TEM microgram confirmed the synthesis of a spheroidal shape AgNPs with particle sizes in the range of 15–40 nm and an average size of 28 nm. The peak at 3.5 keV on the EDX microgram further confirmed the formation of AgNPs. In addition, the impact of green-synthesized AgNPs on some vector mosquitoes and human pathogens revealed percentage repellency in the range of 17.65 to 60.00% and percentage inhibition zones ranging from 20 to 64% respectively. Our study was the first among other studies to ascertain that AgNPs synthesized using Morinda citrifolia leaf extract possess promising mosquito repellency and antibacterial efficiency.

     

The biosynthetic pathway of crucifer phytoalexins and phytoanticipins: De novo incorporation of deuterated tryptophans and quasi-natural compounds

Although several biosynthetic intermediates in pathways to cruciferous phytoalexins and phytoanticipins are common, questions regarding the introduction of substituents at N-1 of the indole moiety remain unanswered. Toward this end, we investigated the potential incorporations of several perdeuterated d- and l-1′-methoxytryptophans, d- and l-tryptophans and other indol-3-yl derivatives into pertinent phytoalexins and phytoanticipins (indolyl glucosinolates) produced in rutabaga (Brassica napus L. ssp. rapifera) roots. In addition, we probed the potential transformations of quasi-natural compounds, these being analogues of biosynthetic intermediates that might lead to “quasi-natural” products (products similar to natural products but not produced under natural conditions). No detectable incorporations of deuterium labeled 1′-methoxytryptophans into phytoalexins or glucobrassicin were detected. l-tryptophan was incorporated in a higher percentage than d-tryptophan into both phytoalexins and phytoanticipins. However, in the case of the phytoalexin rapalexin A, both d- and l-tryptophan were incorporated to the same extent. Furthermore, the transformations of both 1′-methylindolyl-3′-acetaldoxime and 1′-methylindolyl-3′-acetothiohydroxamic acid (quasi-natural products) into 1′-methylglucobrassicin but not into phytoalexins suggested that post-aldoxime enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of indolyl glucosinolates are not substrate-specific. Hence, it would appear that the 1-methoxy substituent of the indole moiety is introduced downstream from tryptophan and that the post-aldoxime enzymes of the glucosinolate pathway are different from the enzymes of the phytoalexin pathway. A higher substrate specificity of some enzymes of the phytoalexin pathway might explain the relatively lower structural diversity among phytoalexins than among glucosinolates.     

Co-endemicity of Loiasis and Onchocerciasis in Rain Forest Communities in Southwestern Nigeria

BackgroundLoiasis is currently receiving attention as a disease of public health importance because of the possibility of increased risk of developing neurologic serious adverse event following mass ivermectin treatment against onchocerciasis in individual co-infected with Onchocerca volvulus and Loa loa.Conclusions/SignificanceLow prevalence of onchocerciasis and loiasis co-infection in this study suggests that loiasis may not pose a serious epidemiological threat to the continuous distribution and sustainability of ivermectin for the treatment of onchocerciasis. Evaluation of the interruption of onchocerciasis transmissions in this region using all the indicators set forth by WHO is therefore suggested.     

Human malformations similar to those in the mouse mutation disorganization (Ds)

We report two patients with malformations similar to those seen in mice with the disorganization (Ds) mutation. The first case has a body wall defect, limb malformation, and hamartoma, while the second case has a partially duplicated foot, in addition to the other anomalies. We discuss the implications that recent advances regarding the genetic analysis of the mouse Ds locus have for the search for the human homologue.