Purification and biochemical characterization of two novel antigens from Leishmania major promastigotes

The identification and characterization of antigens that elicit human T cell responses is an important step toward understanding of Leishmania major infection and ultimately in the development of a vaccine. Micropreparative SDS-PAGE followed by electrotransfer to a PVDF membrane and elution of proteins from the PVDF, was used to separate 2 novel proteins from L. major promastigotes, which can induce antibodies of the IgG2a isotype in mice and also are recognized by antisera of recovered human cutaneous leishmaniasis subjects. Fractionation of the crude extract of L. major revealed that all detectable proteins of interest were present within the soluble Leishmania antigens (SLA). Quantitation of these proteins showed that their expression in promastigotes is relatively very low. Considering the molecular weight, immunoreactivity, chromatographic and electrophoretic behavior in reducing and non-reducing conditions, these proteins are probably 2 isoforms of a single protein. A digest of these proteins was resolved on Tricine-SDS-PAGE and immunoreactive fragments were identified by human sera. Two immunoreactive fragments (36.4 and 34.8 kDa) were only generated by endoproteinase Glu-C treatment. These immunoreactive fragments or their parent molecules may be ideal candidates for incorporation in a cocktail vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis.     

From obesity to cancer: a review on proposed mechanisms

Nowadays, obesity is considered as a serious and growing global health problem. It is documented that the overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a series of noncommunicable diseases, and in recent years, the obesity‐cancer link has received much attention. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased risk of several cancer types, including colon, breast, endometrium, liver, kidney, esophagus, gastric, pancreatic, gallbladder, and leukemia, and can also lead to poorer treatment. We review here the epidemiological and experimental evidences for the association between obesity and cancer. Specifically, we discuss potential mechanisms focusing how dysfunctional angiogenesis, chronic inflammation, interaction of proinflammatory cytokines, endocrine hormones, and adipokines including leptin, adiponectin insulin, growth factors, estrogen, and progesterone and strikingly, cell metabolism alteration in obesity participate in tumor development and progression, resistance to chemotherapy, and targeted therapies such as antiangiogenic and immune therapies.     

Tenascin-C as a noninvasive biomarker of coronary artery disease

Molecular Biology Reports - Coronary artery disease (CAD), is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Tenascin-C (TNC) with high expression levels in inflammatory and cardiovascular...     

An analysis of temperature adaptation in cold active, mesophilic and thermophilic Bacillus α-amylases

A comparative biochemical and structural study was performed on a cold active α-amylase from Bacillus cereus (BCA) and two well-known homologous mesophilic and thermophilic α-amylases from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BAA) and Bacillus licheniformis (BLA). In spite of a high degree of sequence and structural similarity, drastic variations were found for T_opt as 50, 70 and 90 °C for BCA, BAA and BLA, respectively. The half-lives of thermoinactivation were 1 and 9 min for BCA and BAA at 80 °C respectively, whilst there was no inactivation for BLA at this temperature. Thermodynamic studies on inactivation process suggested that lower thermostability of BCA is due to lower inactivation slope of the Arrhenius plots and subsequently, lower E_a and ΔH^#. Increased K_m and accessible surface area for catalytic residues along with a decreased number of internal interactions in this region in BCA compared to BLA suggest that BCA substrate-binding site might be temperature sensitive and is probably more flexible. On the other hand, fewer ion pairs, destructive substitutions and disruption of aromatic interaction networks in structurally critical regions of Bacillus α-amylases result in a severe decrease in BCA thermostability compared to its mesophilic and thermophilic homologues.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Serum Zinc and Adiponectin Levels in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,Adjusted for Anthropometric,Biochemical, Dietary Intake,and Physical Activity Measures

Biological Trace Element Research -     

Quantifying of surface urban cool island in arid environments case study: Isfahan metropolis

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - The cities that are built on the arid biomes with the hot and dry climates can adjust the temperature (oasis effect) and create the urban cool island (UCI)...     

Nanoparticles and cancer therapy: Perspectives for application of nanoparticles in the treatment of cancers

Rapid growth in nanotechnology toward the development of nanomedicine agents holds massive promise to improve therapeutic approaches against cancer. Nanomedicine products represent an opportunity to achieve sophisticated targeting strategies and multifunctionality. Nowadays, nanoparticles (NPs) have multiple applications in different branches of science. In recent years, NPs have repetitively been reported to play a significant role in modern medicine. They have been analyzed for different clinical applications, such as drug carriers, gene delivery to tumors, and contrast agents in imaging. A wide range of nanomaterials based on organic, inorganic, lipid, or glycan compounds, as well as on synthetic polymers has been utilized for the development and improvement of new cancer therapeutics. In this study, we discuss the role of NPs in treating cancer among different drug delivery methods for cancer therapy.