Erratum to: Protective Effects of Acetyl-l-Carnitine on Cisplatin Cytotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Neuroblastoma

Neurochemical Research -     

Selenium and Vitamin E Modulates Radiation-Induced Liver Toxicity in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Rat: Effects of Colemanite and Hematite Shielding

The levels of liver lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, and vitamins A and E were used to follow the level of oxidative damage caused by ionizing radiation in pregnant rats. The possible protective effects of selenium and vitamin E supplemented to rats housed in concrete-protected cages using hematite and colemanite were tested and compared to untreated controls. Ninety-six rats were randomly divided into four main equal groups namely control (A), normal concrete (B), concrete containing colemanite (C), and concrete containing hematite (D). Except group A, all groups exposed to 7 Gy radiation. The four main groups were divided into four subgroups each as follows: subgroups 1 (n?=?6): nonpregnant control rats. Subgroups 2 (n?=?6): selenium and vitamin E combination was intraperitoneally (i.p.) given to the nonpregnant rats for 20 days. Subgroups 3 (n?=?6): pregnant control rats. Subgroups 4 (n?=?6): selenium and vitamin E combination was i.p. given to the pregnant rats for concessive 20 days. Lactate dehydrogenate, alkaline phosphates, and lipid peroxidation values were higher in subgroups 1 and 3 than in no radiation group although glutathione peroxidase and vitamin E levels in liver were lower in radiation group than in no radiation group. Lactate dehydrogenate activity and lipid peroxidation levels were found to be decreased in subgroups 2 and 4 protected with concrete containing hematite and colemanite when compared to subgroup 1 and 3 with normal concrete. The radiation doses in rats housed by concrete without colemanite and hematite exposed radiation clearly showed liver degeneration. In conclusion, selenium and vitamin E supplementations and housing by concrete with colemanite was found to offer protection against gamma-irradiation-induced liver damage and oxidative stress in rats, probably by exerting a protective effect against liver necrosis via its free radical scavenging and membrane stabilizing. Protective effects of colemanite in the liver seem to be more important than in hematite.     

Parental Smoking in the Vicinity of Children and Tobacco Control Policies in the European Region

Objective

To ascertain patterns of parental smoking in the vicinity of children in Eastern and Western Europe and their relation to Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) scores.

Methods

Data on parental smoking patterns were obtained from the School Child Mental Health Europe (SCMHE), a 2010 cross-sectional survey of 5141 school children aged 6 to 11 years and their parents in six countries: Germany, Netherlands, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey ranked by TCS into three level categories toward tobacco control policies.

Results

A slightly higher proportion of Eastern compared to Western European mothers (42.4 vs. 35.1%) were currently smoking in but the difference was not statistically significant after adjusting for maternal age and maternal educational attainment. About a fifth (19.3%) and a tenth (10.0%) of Eastern and Western European mothers, respectively, smoked in the vicinity of their children, and the difference was significant even after adjustment for potential confounders (p<0.001). Parents with the highest educational attainment were significantly less likely to smoke in the vicinity of their children than those with the lowest attainment. After control of these covariates lax tobacco control policies, compared to intermediate policies, were associated with a 50% increase in the likelihood of maternal smoking in the vicinity of children adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.52 and 1.64. Among fathers, however, the relationship with paternal smoking and TCS seems more complex since strict policy increases the risk as well AOR = 1,40. Only one country, however belongs to the strict group.

Significance

Tobacco control policies seem to have influenced maternal smoking behaviors overall to a limited degree and smoking in the vicinity of children to a much greater degree. Children living in European countries with lax tobacco control policies are more likely to be exposed to second hand smoking from maternal and paternal smoking.     

A novel mutation in a large family causes a unique phenotype of Mucolipidosis IV

Mucolipidosis type IV is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder reported among Ashkenazi Jews and to a lesser extent in other ethnic groups. Several mutations have been reported in MCOLN1 which is the only known gene associated with the disorder. Here we report the first Saudi patient with Mucolipidosis type IV from a consanguineous family with two branches having a total of five patients carrying a novel transition mutation, c.1307A > G (p.Y436C) in exon 11. The clinical course of the patient was nonspecific and a lysosomal storage disorder was not highly suspected due to lack of coarse facial features, organomegaly and skeletal findings of dysostosis multiplex. The detailed bioinformatics analysis on the deleterious effects of the mutation is discussed. Emphasis is made on the importance of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and serum gastrin level as key clues to the diagnosis of this often subtle neurodevelopmental disorder.     

RGD-independent cell adhesion via a tissue transglutaminase-fibronectin matrix promotes fibronectin fibril deposition and requires syndecan-4/2 and {alpha}5{beta}1 integrin co-signaling

Fibronectin (FN) deposition mediated by fibroblasts is an important process in matrix remodeling and wound healing. By monitoring the deposition of soluble biotinylated FN, we show that the stress-induced TG-FN matrix, a matrix complex of tissue transglutaminase (TG2) with its high affinity binding partner FN, can increase both exogenous and cellular FN deposition and also restore it when cell adhesion is interrupted via the presence of RGD-containing peptides. This mechanism does not require the transamidase activity of TG2 but is activated through an RGD-independent adhesion process requiring a heterocomplex of TG2 and FN and is mediated by a syndecan-4 and β1 integrin co-signaling pathway. By using α5 null cells, β1 integrin functional blocking antibody, and a α5β1 integrin targeting peptide A5-1, we demonstrate that the α5 and β1 integrins are essential for TG-FN to compensate RGD-induced loss of cell adhesion and FN deposition. The importance of syndecan-2 in this process was shown using targeting siRNAs, which abolished the compensation effect of TG-FN on the RGD-induced loss of cell adhesion, resulting in disruption of actin skeleton formation and FN deposition. Unlike syndecan-4, syndecan-2 does not interact directly with TG2 but acts as a downstream effector in regulating actin cytoskeleton organization through the ROCK pathway. We demonstrate that PKCα is likely to be the important link between syndecan-4 and syndecan-2 signaling and that TG2 is the functional component of the TG-FN heterocomplex in mediating cell adhesion via its direct interaction with heparan sulfate chains.     

Indole-based hydrazide-hydrazones and 4-thiazolidinones: synthesis and evaluation as antitubercular and anticancer agents

A new series of indolylhydrazones (6) and indole-based 4-thiazolidinones (7, 8) have been designed, synthesized and screened for in vitro antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. 4-Thiazolidinone derivatives 7g–7j, 8g, 8h and 8j displayed notable antituberculosis (anti-TB) activity showing 99% inhibition at MIC values ranging from 6.25 to 25.0?µg/ml. Compounds 7g, 7h, 7i, 8h and 8j demonstrated anti-TB activity at concentrations 10-fold lower than those cytotoxic for the mammalian cell lines. The indolylhydrazone derivative 6b has also been evaluated for antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines at the National Cancer Institute (USA). Compound 6b showed an interesting anticancer profile against different human tumor-derived cell lines at sub-micromolar concentrations with obvious selectivity toward colon cancer cell line COLO 205.     

Synthesis and cytotoxic activities of novel copper and silver complexes of 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulfonamides

In this study, a series of 10 novel copper (II) and silver complexes of 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulfonamides was synthesised. All the synthesised ligands and their metal complexes were assessed for in vitro cytotoxicity against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (DLD-1), cervix carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-231), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), endometrial adenocarcinoma (ECC-1), prostate cancer (DU-145 and PC-3), normal embryonic kidney (HEK-293), normal prostate epithelium (PNT-1A), and normal retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) cells. Most of the metal complexes from the series showed to be more active against all cancerous cells than the uncomplexed 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulfonamides, and lower cytotoxic effects observed on normal cells. Most of the Cu (II) and Ag (I) metal complexes from the presented series showed high cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.08 to >300?µM. Specifically, compound L₃-Ag showed one of the highest cytotoxicity against all cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values between 3.30 to 16.18?µM among other tested compounds.     

Changing pattern of antibiotic susceptibility in intensive care units: ten years experience of a university hospital

The study was performed to assess microorganisms and antibiotic susceptibility patterns during ten years in intensive care units of a University Hospital. Infection Control Committee has active, prospective surveillance in ICUs for thirteen years. Ten years data of ICUs was evaluated retrospectively from surveillance forms. Microorganisms and their antibiotic resistance were recorded according to the years. During ten years, gram negative microorganisms were the most frequent isolated microorganisms from clinical specimens. Acinetobacter baumannii (21.8%), Pseudomonas aerigunosa (16%), Escherichia coli (10.4%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (8%) were the most common gram negative microorganisms. However, Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent gram positive microorganism, the incidence decreased from 18.6% to 4.8% during ten years. Also antibiotic susceptibility of microorganisms changed during ten years. Carbapenem resistance increased from 44% to 92% in A. baumannii and ciprofloxacin resistance increased in E. coli from 28% to 60% and in K. pneumoniae from 21% to 55% during ten years. However, methicilin resistance decreased in S. aureus from 96% to 54%. In conclusion, antibiotic resistance is growing problem in ICUs. Rationale antibiotic policies and infection control measures will prevent the development of resistance.     

One-Step Multiplex PCR Assay for Detecting Streptococcus pneumoniae Serogroups/Types Covered by 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13)

The life-threatening illnesses caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae have been declined significantly after the use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Continuous monitoring of the vaccine serogroups/types is necessary to follow the changing epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal diseases. Recently, the sequential multiplex PCR approach, which uses several different sets of reactions, has been commonly adopted for determining capsular serogroups/types of S. pneumoniae isolates. In our study, we focused on development of a one-step multiplex PCR assay detecting all 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A/B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F serogroups/types targeted by PCV13. The content of multiplex PCR mix and the cycling conditions were optimized in a manner that allowed rapid and accurate serotyping of a pneumococcal isolate by performing only a single amplification reaction. In our study of 182 clinical isolates, the one-step multiplex PCR assay exhibited 100% sensitivity and specificity, suggesting that its utilization can significantly reduce the use of traditional antiserum method requiring expensive reagents.