Nitrate and ammonia: two key nitrogen sources for biomass and phycocyanin production by Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis

Journal of Applied Phycology - Nitrogen plays a key role in the production of biomass and valuable pigments from Arthrospira platensis. The present research aimed to examine the effect of Zarrouk...     

Myricetin loaded in solid lipid nanoparticles induces apoptosis in the HT-29 colorectal cancer cells via mitochondrial dysfunction

Molecular Biology Reports - Among the flavonoids, Myricetin (MCN) has negligible side effects and anti-cancer properties. However, the therapeutic potential of MCN has been limited mainly by its...     

Transforming growth factor-β signaling: Tumorigenesis and targeting for cancer therapy

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a multitasking cytokine such that its aberrant expression is related to cancer progression and metastasis. TGF-β is produced by a variety of cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and it is responsible for regulation of the activity of cells within this milieu. TGF-β is a main inducer of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), immune evasion, and metastasis during cancer progression. TGF-β exerts most of its functions by acting on TβRI and TβRII receptors in canonical (Smad-dependent) or noncanonical (Smad-independent) pathways. Members of mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and nuclear factor κβ are involved in the non-Smad TGF-β pathway. TGF-β acts by complex signaling, and deletion in one of the effectors in this pathway may influence the outcome in a diverse way by taking even an antitumor role. The stage and the type of tumor (contextual cues from cancer cells and/or the TME) and the concentration of TGF-β are other important factors determining the fate of cancer (progression or repression). There are a number of ways for targeting TGF-β signaling in cancer, among them the special focus is on TβRII suppression.     

Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and degradation as cancer drivers

Alteration in the density and composition of extracellular matrix (ECM) occurs in tumors. The alterations toward both stiffness and degradation are contributed to tumor growth and progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the main contributors to ECM stiffness and degradation. The cells interact with almost all cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) that could enable them to modulate ECM components for tumorigenic purposes. Cross-talks between CAFs with cancer cells and macrophage type 2 (M2) cells are pivotal for ECM stiffness and degradation. CAFs induce hypoxia within the TME, which is one of the key inducers of both stiffness and degradation. Cancer cell modulatory roles in integrin receptors are key for adjusting ECM constituents to either fates. Cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as angiogenesis are consequences of ECM stiffness and degradation. ECM stiffness in a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) related pathway could make a bridge in the basement membrane, and ECM degradation in a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-related pathway could make a path in the TME, both of which contribute to cancer cell invasion. ECM stiffness is also obstructive for drug penetration to the tumor site. Therefore, it would be a promising strategy to make a homeostasis in ECM for easy penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs and increasing the efficacy of antitumor approaches. MMP and TGF-β inhibitors, CAF and M2 reprogramming toward their normal counterparts, reduction of TME hypoxia and hampering integrin signaling are among the promising approaches for the modulation of ECM in favor of tumor regression.     

Carcinogenic and Non-carcinogenic Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Groundwater Wells in Neyshabur Plain,Iran

The present work reports the As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Fe concentrations of drinking water samples in Neyshabur Plain, Iran. This study aimed also to ascertain the potential consumers’ health risk of heavy metal intake. Heavy metal concentrations were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The highest and lowest average values in the analyzed water samples were observed for Fe (9.78 ± 5.61 μg/L) and As (1.30 ± 2.99 μg/L), respectively. These values were well below the limits recommended by the World Health Organization and the Iranian national standard. Heavy metal pollution index and heavy metal evaluation index were used to evaluate drinking water quality. The risk index was calculated by chronic daily intake and hazard quotient according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency approach. Heavy metal pollution index in all the samples was less than 100, indicating that it is a low-level heavy metal. The total risk of all heavy metals in the urban environment varied from 40.164 × 10⁻⁷ to 174.8 × 10⁻⁷. In this research, the maximum average of risk belonged to lead and copper with the respective values of 60.10 × 10⁻⁷and 33.99 × 10⁻⁷ from the selected wells. However, considering the toxic effect of some elements, including Pb and As, in the chronic exposure of consumers, we suggest a continuous evaluation and monitoring of drinking water resources.

     

Biological evaluations of newly-designed Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes using spectroscopic and molecular docking approaches

To perform biological evaluations of newly-designed Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes, the present study was conducted with targeted protein human serum albumin (HSA) and HCT116 cell line as model of human colorectal carcinoma. The binding of Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes to HSA was analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking. The thermal stability and alterations in the secondary structure of HSA in the presence of Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes were investigated using the thermal denaturation method and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of the Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes was studied against the HCT116 cell line using MTT assay. The binding analysis revealed that the fluorescence findings were well in agreement with docking results such that there is only one binding site for each complex on HSA. Binding constants of 8.7?×?10³ M^?1, 2.65?×?10³ M^?1, 0.3?×?10³ M^?1, and 4.4?×?10³ M^?1 were determined for Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes (I–IV) at temperature of 25?°C, respectively. Also, binding constants of 1.9?×?10³ M^?1, 15.17?×?10³ M^?1, 1.9?×?10³ M^?1, and 13.1?×?10³ M^?1 were determined for Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes (I–IV) at temperature of 37?°C, respectively. The results of CD and thermal denaturation showed that the molecular structure of HSA affected by interaction with Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes is stable. Cytotoxicity studies represented the growth suppression effect of the Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes toward the human colorectal carcinoma cell line. Therefore, the results suggest that the new designed Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes are well promising candidates for use in cancer treatment, particularly for human colorectal cancer.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Epigenetic Modulations Induction Using DSCR1 Ectopic Expression in Breast Cancer Cells

Today, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of cancers are progressing with non-invasive methods, including investigation and modification of the DNA methylation profile in cancer cells. One of the effective factors in regulating gene expression in mammals is DNA methylation. Methylation alterations of genes by external factors can change the expression of genes and inhibit the cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Down syndrome critical region 1 gene (DSCR1) ectopic expression on the methylation status of the BCL-XL, ITGA6, TCF3, RASSF1A, DOK7, VIM and CXCR4 genes in breast cancer cell lines. The effect of DSCR1 ectopic expression on cell viability in MCF7, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231 and MCF10A cell lines was evaluated using MTT assay after the cells treated by lentivirus vectors harboring DSCR1 for 72 hours. Methylation status of BCL-XL, ITGA6, TCF3, RASSF1A, DOK7, VIM and CXCR4 genes in breast cancer cell lines was assessed by Restriction Enzyme PCR (REP) method. Also, methylation changes of these genes in breast cancer cell lines after treatment by lentivirus vectors harboring DSCR1 for 7 days were analyzed by REP method. To confirm the effect of DSCR1 on methylation of genes, Real-time PCR was performed. The MTT assay results indicated that DSCR1 ectopic expression reduced cell viability in all three human breast cancer cell lines. Our results showed that DSCR1 ectopic expression after 6 days reversed the hypomethylation status of the BCL-XL, ITGA6, TCF3, VIM and CXCR4 genes and hypermethylation of RASSF1A and DOK7 genes. The expression levels of BCL-XL, ITGA6, TCF3, VIM and CXCR4 mRNA significantly reduced (P<0.05) and the expression levels of RASSF1A and DOK7 mRNA significantly increased (P<0.05). Our findings reveal for the first time the impact of DSCR1 ectopic expression on the methylation status of breast cancer cells and identify a novel agent for epigenetic therapy.     

Are black flies of the subgenus Wilhelmia (Diptera: Simuliidae) multiple species or a single geographical generalist? Insights from the macrogenome

Organisms with vast distributions often represent geographical mosaics of cryptic species. The black fly Simulium (Wilhelmia) lineatum is among the most widely distributed members of the family Simuliidae, ranging from the British Isles to eastern China. Rather than viewing S. lineatum as a possible aggregate of multiple species, taxonomists have suggested a more inclusive taxon with additional synonyms. Accordingly, S. lineatum is an ideal candidate for testing the hypothesis that a wide geographical distribution signals the presence of more than one species. A cytogenetic approach was used to probe the macrogenome of S. lineatum and other taxa proposed by taxonomists as conspecific. The banding patterns in the polytene chromosomes of 480 larvae from 15 countries across the Palearctic Region revealed 128 rearrangements of the complement. All rearrangements were autosomal and 89% were inversions nonrandomly distributed among species and among chromosome arms. The analyses clarify long‐standing confusion over previously proposed names and reveal a longitudinal succession of four species sequentially replacing one another from west to east: Simulium lineatum s.s., Simulium balcanicum, Simulium turgaicum, and Simulium takahasii. Thus, S. turgaicum is recalled from synonymy and the other three species are validated. Within the most‐represented species, S. balcanicum, the frequency of inversions follows a longitudinal gradient with a north–south bias; as the distance between the sites increases along this north‐west–south‐east axis, the similarity of inversion frequencies between sites decreases. Validation of the concept that broadly distributed black flies are composites of structurally similar species provides a framework for guiding discovery of additional biodiversity. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 114 , 163–183.     

Colonization and Biodegradation of Photo-Oxidized Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) by New Strains of Aspergillus sp. and Lysinibacillus sp.

The primary objective of this study was the isolation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-degrading microorganisms. Soil samples were obtained from an aged municipal landfill in Tehran, Iran, and enrichment culture procedures were performed using LDPE films and powder. Screening steps were conducted using linear paraffin, liquid ethylene oligomer, and LDPE powder as the sole source of carbon. Two landfill-source isolates, identified as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus XDB9 (T) strain S7-10F and Aspergillus niger strain F1-16S, were selected as super strains. Photo-oxidation (25 days under ultraviolet [UV] irradiation) was used as a pretreatment of the LDPE samples without pro-oxidant additives. The PE biodegradation process was performed for 56 days in a liquid mineral medium using UV-irradiated pure LDPE films without pro-oxidant additives in the presence of the bacterial isolate, the fungal isolate, and the mixture of the two isolates. The process was monitored by measuring the fungal biomass, the bacterial growth, and the pH of the medium. During the process, the fungal biomass and the bacterial growth increased, and the pH of the medium decreased, which suggests the utilization of the preoxidized PE by the selected isolates as the sole source of carbon. Carbonyl and double bond indices exhibited the highest amount of decrement and increment, respectively, in the presence of the fungal isolate, and the lowest indices were obtained from the treatment of a mixture of both fungal and bacterial isolates. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed that the selected isolates modified and colonized preoxidized pure LDPE films without pro-oxidant additives.