Haplotype diversity and distribution pattern of Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) in Bangladesh based on mitochondrial COI genes

Climatic oscillation often have influenced the present distribution and intraspecific genetic diversity Oecophylla smaragdina through its wide range of geographical distribution. Previous phylogeographic study of Asian weaver ant population denotes the evidence of distribution of Indian types in Indian, Sri Lanka and SE Asian types in South Asian countries including Bangladesh. However, recent phylogenetic analysis reveals the overlapping distribution of the Indian and South East Asian clades of O. smaragdina in Bangladesh. The present study aims to identify the haplotypes and it’s networking in Bangladesh based on extensive materials. Sampling was executed according to zonation of 5 areas, demarcated by 3 main rivers during the years 2013 to 2018. Adult O. smaragadina workers were collected from 71 colonies of 67 localities belonging to 47 districts of Bangladesh. A total of 25 haplotypes were identified in Bangladesh comprises 13 and 12 of Indian and SE Asian types, respectively from 93 sequences of Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of 639 bp. The geographical distribution of this haplotype reveals that the Indian haplotypes are mostly located at the western part of Bangladesh while SE Asian haplotypes were dominated in the Eastern part of the country. Central part of Bangladesh has overlapped with the mixture of both Indian and SE Asian haplotypes. The results of the haplotype network give the evidence of recent expansion of O. smaragdina population in Bangladesh and clarify the evidence of presence of many missing haplotypes in refugee.     

Receptor-based targeting of engineered nanocarrier against solid tumors: Recent progress and challenges ahead

BackgroundIn past few decades, the research on engineered nanocarriers (NCs) has gained significant attention in cancer therapy due to selective delivery of drug molecules on the diseased cells thereby preventing unwanted uptake into healthy cells to cause toxicity.Scope of reviewThe applicability of enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect for the delivery of nanomedicines in cancer therapy has gained limited success due to poor accessibility of the drugs to the target cells where non-specific payload delivery to the off target region lack substantial reward over the conventional therapeutic systems.Major conclusionsIn spite of the fact, nanomedicines fabricated from the biocompatible nanocarriers have reduced targeting potential for meaningful clinical benefits. However, over expression of receptors on the tumor cells provides opportunity to design functional nanomedicine to bind substantially and deliver therapeutics to the cells or tissues of interest by alleviating the bio-toxicity and unwanted effects. This critique will give insight into the over expressed receptor in various tumor and targeting potential of functional nanomedicine as new therapeutic avenues for effective treatment.General significanceThis review shortly shed light on EPR-based drug targeting using nanomedicinal strategies, their limitation, and advances in therapeutic targeting to the tumor cells.     

Prevalence and Determinants of the Gender Differentials Risk Factors of Child Deaths in Bangladesh: Evidence from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2011

BackgroundThe number of child deaths is a potential indicator to assess the health condition of a country, and represents a major health challenge in Bangladesh. Although the country has performed exceptionally well in decreasing the mortality rate among children under five over the last few decades, mortality still remains relatively high. The main objective of this study is to identify the prevalence and determinants of the risk factors of child mortality in Bangladesh.MethodsThe data were based on a cross-sectional study collected from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2011. The women participants numbered 16,025 from seven divisions of Bangladesh – Rajshahi, Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet. The 𝟀² test and logistic regression model were applied to determine the prevalence and factors associated with child deaths in Bangladesh.ResultsIn 2011, the prevalence of child deaths in Bangladesh for boys and girls was 13.0% and 11.6%, respectively. The results showed that birth interval and birth order were the most important factors associated with child death risks; mothers’ education and socioeconomic status were also significant (males and females). The results also indicated that a higher birth order (7 & more) of child (OR=21.421 & 95%CI=16.879-27.186) with a short birth interval ≤ 2 years was more risky for child mortality, and lower birth order with longer birth interval >2 were significantly associated with child deaths. Other risk factors that affected child deaths in Bangladesh included young mothers of less than 25 years (mothers’ median age (26-36 years): OR=0.670, 95%CI=0.551-0.815), women without education compared to those with secondary and higher education (OR =0 .711 & .628, 95%CI=0.606-0.833 & 0.437-0.903), mothers who perceived their child body size to be larger than average and small size (OR= 1.525 & 1.068, 95%CI=1.221-1.905 & 0.913-1.249), and mothers who delivered their child by non-caesarean (OR= 1.687, 95%CI=1.253-2.272).ConclusionCommunity-based educational programs or awareness programs are required to reduce the child death in Bangladesh, especially for younger women should be increase the birth interval and decrease the birth order. The government should apply the strategies to enhance the socioeconomic conditions, especially in rural areas, increase the awareness program through media and expand schooling, particularly for girls.     

Microtubule Affinity-Regulating Kinase 4: Structure, Function, and Regulation

MAP/Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) belongs to the family of serine/threonine kinases that phosphorylate the microtubule-associated proteins (MAP) causing their detachment from the microtubules thereby increasing microtubule dynamics and facilitating cell division, cell cycle control, cell polarity determination, cell shape alterations, etc. The MARK4 gene encodes two alternatively spliced isoforms, L and S that differ in their C-terminal region. These isoforms are differentially regulated in human tissues including central nervous system. MARK4L is a 752-residue-long polypeptide that is divided into three distinct domains: (1) protein kinase domain (59–314), (2) ubiquitin-associated domain (322–369), and (3) kinase-associated domain (703–752) plus 54 residues (649–703) involved in the proper folding and function of the enzyme. In addition, residues 65–73 are considered to be the ATP-binding domain and Lys88 is considered as ATP-binding site. Asp181 has been proposed to be the active site of MARK4 that is activated by phosphorylation of Thr214 side chain. The isoform MARK4S is highly expressed in the normal brain and is presumably involved in neuronal differentiation. On the other hand, the isoform MARK4L is upregulated in hepatocarcinoma cells and gliomas suggesting its involvement in cell cycle. Several biological functions are also associated with MARK4 including microtubule bundle formation, nervous system development, and positive regulation of programmed cell death. Therefore, MARK4 is considered as the most suitable target for structure-based rational drug design. Our sequence, structure- and function-based analysis should be helpful for better understanding of mechanisms of regulation of microtubule dynamics and MARK4 associated diseases.     

Recognition of Human Erythrocyte Receptors by the Tryptophan-Rich Antigens of Monkey Malaria Parasite Plasmodium knowlesi

Background

The monkey malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi also infect humans. There is a lack of information on the molecular mechanisms that take place between this simian parasite and its heterologous human host erythrocytes leading to this zoonotic disease. Therefore, we investigated here the binding ability of P. knowlesi tryptophan-rich antigens (PkTRAgs) to the human erythrocytes and sharing of the erythrocyte receptors between them as well as with other commonly occurring human malaria parasites.

Methods

Six PkTRAgs were cloned and expressed in E.coli as well as in mammalian CHO-K1 cell to determine their human erythrocyte binding activity by cell-ELISA, and in-vitro rosetting assay, respectively.

Results

Three of six PkTRAgs (PkTRAg38.3, PkTRAg40.1, and PkTRAg67.1) showed binding to human erythrocytes. Two of them (PkTRAg40.1 and PkTRAg38.3) showed cross-competition with each other as well as with the previously described P.vivax tryptophan-rich antigens (PvTRAgs) for human erythrocyte receptors. However, the third protein (PkTRAg67.1) utilized the additional but different human erythrocyte receptor(s) as it did not cross-compete for erythrocyte binding with either of these two PkTRAgs as well as with any of the PvTRAgs. These three PkTRAgs also inhibited the P.falciparum parasite growth in in-vitro culture, further indicating the sharing of human erythrocyte receptors by these parasite species and the biological significance of this receptor-ligand interaction between heterologous host and simian parasite.

Conclusions

Recognition and sharing of human erythrocyte receptor(s) by PkTRAgs with human parasite ligands could be part of the strategy adopted by the monkey malaria parasite to establish inside the heterologous human host.     

Moringa oleifera as an Anti-Cancer Agent against Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

In this study we investigated the anti-cancer effect of Moringa oleifera leaves, bark and seed extracts. When tested against MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cancer cell lines, the extracts of leaves and bark showed remarkable anti-cancer properties while surprisingly, seed extracts exhibited hardly any such properties. Cell survival was significantly low in both cells lines when treated with leaves and bark extracts. Furthermore, a striking reduction (about 70–90%) in colony formation as well as cell motility was observed upon treatment with leaves and bark. Additionally, apoptosis assay performed on these treated breast and colorectal cancer lines showed a remarkable increase in the number of apoptotic cells; with a 7 fold increase in MD-MB-231 to an increase of several fold in colorectal cancer cell lines. However, no significant apoptotic cells were detected upon seeds extract treatment. Moreover, the cell cycle distribution showed a G2/M enrichment (about 2–3 fold) indicating that these extracts effectively arrest the cell progression at the G2/M phase. The GC-MS analyses of these extracts revealed numerous known anti-cancer compounds, namely eugenol, isopropyl isothiocynate, D-allose, and hexadeconoic acid ethyl ester, all of which possess long chain hydrocarbons, sugar moiety and an aromatic ring. This suggests that the anti-cancer properties of Moringa oleifera could be attributed to the bioactive compounds present in the extracts from this plant. This is a novel study because no report has yet been cited on the effectiveness of Moringa extracts obtained in the locally grown environment as an anti-cancer agent against breast and colorectal cancers. Our study is the first of its kind to evaluate the anti-malignant properties of Moringa not only in leaves but also in bark. These findings suggest that both the leaf and bark extracts of Moringa collected from the Saudi Arabian region possess anti-cancer activity that can be used to develop new drugs for treatment of breast and colorectal cancers.     

Glycation of H1 Histone by 3-Deoxyglucosone: Effects on Protein Structure and Generation of Different Advanced Glycation End Products

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) culminate from the non-enzymatic reaction between a free carbonyl group of a reducing sugar and free amino group of proteins. 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) is one of the dicarbonyl species that rapidly forms several protein-AGE complexes that are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases, particularly diabetic complications. In this study, the generation of AGEs (N^ε-carboxymethyl lysine and pentosidine) by 3-DG in H1 histone protein was characterized by evaluating extent of side chain modification (lysine and arginine) and formation of Amadori products as well as carbonyl contents using several physicochemical techniques. Results strongly suggested that 3-DG is a potent glycating agent that forms various intermediates and AGEs during glycation reactions and affects the secondary structure of the H1 protein. Structural changes and AGE formation may influence the function of H1 histone and compromise chromatin structures in cases of secondary diabetic complications.