In vivo and in vitro evidence for the involvement of Nrf2-antioxidant response element signaling pathway in the inflammation and oxidative stress induced by particulate matter (PM10): the effective role of gallic acid

Environmental pollution is one of the risk factors for respiratory diseases. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is the major mechanisms contributing to cellular defense against oxidative damage. Gallic acid (GA) is regarded as potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. The aim was to evaluate the role of Nrf2 pathway in particulate matter (PM₁₀) exposure on lung and epithelial cells with an emphasis on the role of GA. In in vivo part, the rats were divided as control, GA (30?mg/kg), particulate matter (PM) (0.5, 2.5, and 5?mg/kg), and PM?+?GA. In in vitro study, the cells were divided as control, PM₁₀ (100, 250, and 500?µg/ml), GA (50 µmol/L) and PM₁₀+GA. Inflammation, oxidative stress and Nrf2-pathway factors were assessed. PM₁₀ groups showed a considerable increase in the epithelial permeability and inflammatory parameters. We also found a significant decrease in the expression of Nrf2 and its up-stream regulators genes. Accordingly, the biosynthesis of glutathione (GSH) and other antioxidant activities significantly decreased. Gallic acid was identified to restore the antioxidant status to the normal levels. Our findings approved that Nrf2 is involved in PM₁₀-induced oxidative damages and showed that Nrf2 activation by natural agents could ameliorate respiratory injuries induced by PM₁₀.     

Relationship between myocardial bridge compression severity and haemodynamic perturbations

Objectives: This study aims to examine the alteration in coronary haemodynamics with increasing the severity of vessel compression caused by myocardial bridging (MB).

Methods: Angiography and intravascular ultrasound were performed in 10 patients with MB with varying severities of systolic compression in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Computer models of MB were developed and transient computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to derive distribution of blood residence time and shear stress.

Results: With increasing the severity of bridge compression, a decreasing trend was observed in the shear stress over proximal segment whereas an increasing trend was found in the shear stress over bridge segment. When patients were divided into 2 groups based on the average systolic vessel compression in the whole cohort (%CR_ave = 27.38), patients with bridges with major systolic compression (>%CR_ave) had smaller shear stress and higher residence time in the proximal segment compared to those with bridges with minor systolic compression (<%CR_ave) (0.37?±?0.23 vs 0.69?±?0.29?Pa and 0.0037?±?0.0069 vs 0.022?±?0.0094?s). In contrast, patients with bridges with major systolic compression had greater shear stress in the bridge segment compared to those with bridges with minor systolic compression (2.49?±?2.06 vs 1.13?±?0.89?Pa). No significant difference was found in the distal shear stress of patients with bridges with major and minor systolic compression.

Conclusion: Our findings revealed a direct relationship between the severity of systolic compression of MB and haemodynamic perturbations in the proximal segment such that the increased systolic vessel compression was associated with decreased shear stress and increased blood residence time.     

Growth Behavior and Fatty Acid Production of Probiotics,Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactococcus lactis,at Different Concentrations of Fructooligosaccharide: Studies Validating Clinical Efficacy of Selected Synbiotics on Growth Performance of Caspian Roach (Rutilus frisii kutum) Fry

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Growth behavior and production of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) of two probiotics, Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactococcus lactis, each at...     

A novel high sensitivity HPLC assay for topiramate, using 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan as pre-column fluorescence derivatizing agent

A new, sensitive and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for analysis of topiramate, an antiepileptic agent, using 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan as pre-column derivatization agent is described. Following liquid-liquid extraction of topiramate and an internal standard (amlodipine) from human serum, derivatization of the drugs was performed by the labeling agent in the presence of dichloromethane, methanol, acetonitrile and borate buffer (0.05 M; pH 10.6). A mixture of sodium phosphate buffer (0.05 M; pH 2.4): methanol (35:65 v/v) was eluted as mobile phase and chromatographic separation was achieved using a Shimpack CLC-C18 (150 x 4.6 mm) column. In this method the limit of quantification of 0.01 microg/mL was obtained and the procedure was validated over the concentration range of 0.01 to 12.8 microg/mL. No interferences were found from commonly co-administrated antiepileptic drugs including phenytoin, phenobarbital carbamazepine, lamotrigine, zonisamide, primidone, gabapentin, vigabatrin, and ethosuximide. The analysis performance was carried-out in terms of specificity, sensitivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and stability and the method was shown to be accurate, with intra-day and inter-day accuracy from -3.4 to 10% and precise, with intra-day and inter-day precision from 1.1 to 18%.     

Epigenetic-based therapy for colorectal cancer: Prospect and involved mechanisms

Epigenetic modifications are heritable variations in gene expression not encoded by the DNA sequence. According to reports, a large number of studies have been performed to characterize epigenetic modification during normal development and also in cancer. Epigenetics can be regarded more widely to contain all of the changes in expression of genes that make by adjusted interactions between the regulatory portions of DNA or messenger RNAs that lead to indirect variation in the DNA sequence. In the last decade, epigenetic modification importance in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis was demonstrated powerfully. Although developments in CRC therapy have been made in the last years, much work is required as it remains the second leading cause of cancer death. Nowadays, epigenetic programs and genetic change have pivotal roles in the CRC incidence as well as progression. While our knowledge about epigenetic mechanism in CRC is not comprehensive, selective histone modifications and resultant chromatin conformation together with DNA methylation most likely regulate CRC pathogenesis that involved genes expression. Undoubtedly, the advanced understanding of epigenetic-based gene expression regulation in the CRC is essential to make epigenetic drugs for CRC therapy. The major aim of this review is to deliver a summary of valuable results that represent evidence of principle for epigenetic-based therapeutic approaches employment in CRC with a focus on the advantages of epigenetic-based therapy in the inhibition of the CRC metastasis and proliferation.     

The role of microRNAs in prostate cancer migration,invasion, and metastasis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is considered the most prevalent malignancy and the second major cause of cancer-related death in males from Western countries. PCa exhibits variable clinical pictures, ranging from dormant to highly metastatic cancer. PCa suffers from poor prognosis and diagnosis markers, and novel biomarkers are required to define disease stages and to design appropriate therapeutic approach by considering the possible genomic and epigenomic differences. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise a class of small noncoding RNAs, which have remarkable functions in cell formation, differentiation, and cancer development and contribute in these processes through controlling the expressions of protein-coding genes by repressing translation or breaking down the messenger RNA in a sequence-specific method. miRNAs in cancer are able to reflect informative data about the current status of disease and this might benefit PCa prognosis and diagnosis since that is concerned to PCa patients and we intend to highlight it in this paper.     

Masculinization of the gynogenetic juvenile ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828) using 17α‐methyl testosterone

In sturgeons, the induction of gynogenesis and sex reversal could be important for potential production of neomale sturgeon and all‐female progeny for caviar production. The aim of this study was sex reversal of ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828) gynogen into male sex. Five‐month‐old gynogens were sex reversed into male by including 17α‐methyl testosterone in their food for 7 months. Three treatments were considered as follows: (a) without treated (gynogen control), (b) 10 mg MT/kg diet, and (c) 50 mg MT/kg diet. All treatments (60 individuals) were sampled both the 30 and 36 months old and their sex was determined using classical histology method of gonad. The sex ratio of the progenies in the gynogen control were 73.3% female and 26.7% male. In treatment of 10 mg MT/kg feed, 18 specimens were studied that half of them (50%) showed pseudo‐testicular structure in the female gonad. That is 50% of the specimens were intersex, 27.7% were male and 22.3% were female. All of the fish fed by 50 mg MT/kg feed had been sex reversed to male. Sexual maturation of these fish had been recognized in stage III at 36 months old. In conclusion, 50 mg MT/kg feed found as effective dose for successful sex reversal in gynogenetic ship sturgeon.     

Atorvastatin and losartan may upregulate renalase activity in hypertension but not coronary artery diseases: The role of gene polymorphism

The aim is to explore the treatment effect of coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension on plasma levels of renalase activity and also the possible association of renalase rs10887800 gene polymorphism with CAD and hypertension. A total of 286 patients who received coronary angiography were included in the study. Subjects were divided into four groups including (1) hypertensive with no CAD (H-Tens, n = 60); (2) CAD with hypertension (CAD + H-Tens, n = 71); (3) CAD with no hypertension (CAD, n = 61); and (4) nonhypertensive with no CAD as a control group (Con, n = 69). The plasma renalase activity was measured using the Amplex Red Monoamine Oxidase Assay Kit. Renalase rs10887800 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Atorvastatin (P = 0.005), losartan (P < 0.001), and captopril (P = 0.001) were administered significantly more in case groups compared with the Con group. Significant higher and lower levels of renalase activity were observed in H-Tens and CAD patients compared with control subjects (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Furthermore, no significant differences were obtained in the risk or protective effects of renalase rs10887800 SNP against hypertension and/or CAD in both recessive and dominant genetic models (P > 0.05). According to the findings of the present study, atorvastatin and losartan therapy assumes considerable significance in alleviating hypertension, but not CAD, by increasing the renalase activity. Furthermore, it was found that renalase rs10887800 is less likely a predisposing factor for susceptibility to hypertension and/or CAD in an Iranian southeast population.