Urinary Metal Levels with Relation to Age,Occupation, and Smoking Habits of Male Inhabitants of Eastern Iran

Biological Trace Element Research - In low-income and middle-income countries such as Iran, smoking is becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people. This has led to additional...     

Sexually selected male weapon is associated with lower inbreeding load but higher sex load in the bulb mite

Elaborate sexually selected ornaments and armaments are costly but increase the reproductive success of their bearers (usually males). It has been postulated that high-quality males can invest disproportionately more in such traits, making those traits honest signals of genetic quality. However, genes associated with such traits may have sexually antagonistic effects on fitness. Here, using a bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini, a species in which a distinct dimorphism exists between males in the expression of a sexually selected weapon, we compare inbreeding and gender load between lines derived from armed fighters and unarmed scramblers. After four generations of sib-mating, inbreeding depression for female fitness was significantly lower in fighter-derived lines compared to scrambler-derived lines, suggesting that fighter males had significantly higher genetic quality. However, outbred females from fighter-derived lines had significantly lower fitness compared to outbred females from scrambler-derived lines, demonstrating significant gender load associated with the presence of a sexually selected male weapon. Our results imply that under outbreeding, genetic benefits of mating with bearers of elaborate sexually selected traits might be swamped by the costs of decreased fitness of female progeny due to sexually antagonistic effects.     

Properties of monocytes generated from haematopoietic CD34+ stem cells from bone marrow of colon cancer patients

Monocytes exhibit direct and indirect antitumour activities and may be potentially useful for various forms of adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer. However, blood is a limited source of them. This study explored whether monocytes can be obtained from bone marrow haematopoietic CD34⁺ stem cells of colon cancer patients, using previously described protocol of expansion and differentiation to monocytes of cord blood-derived CD34⁺ haematopoietic progenitors. Data show that in two-step cultures, the yield of cells was increased approximately 200-fold, and among these cells, up to 60 % of CD14⁺ monocytes were found. They consisted of two subpopulations: CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ and CD14⁺CD16^?, at approximately 1:1 ratio, that differed in HLA-DR expression, being higher on the former. No differences in expression of costimulatory molecules were observed, as CD80 was not detected, while CD86 expression was comparable. These CD14⁺ monocytes showed the ability to present recall antigens (PPD, Candida albicans) and neoantigens expressed on tumour cells and tumour-derived microvesicles (TMV) to autologous CD3⁺ T cells isolated from the peripheral blood. Monocytes also efficiently presented the immunodominant HER-2/neu_369–377 peptide (KIFGSLAFL), resulting in the generation of specific cytotoxic CD8⁺ T lymphocytes (CTL). The CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ subset exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity, though nonsignificant, towards tumour cells in vitro. These observations indicate that generation of monocytes from CD34⁺ stem cells of cancer patients is feasible. To our knowledge, it is the first demonstration of such approach that may open a way to obtain autologous monocytes for alternative forms of adaptive and adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer.     

Genetic Diversity of Bile Salt Hydrolases Among Human Intestinal Bifidobacteria

Attachment of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae to intestinal epithelial cell lines and its possible mediation by outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of the spirochete were examined. Different B. hyodysenteriae serotypes were shown to adhere to rat and swine intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-18 and IPEC-J2) in vitro but not to the human rectal tumor cell line (HRT-18). Adherence of strain B204 to IPEC-J2 cells was reduced by rOMP-specific antisera in amounts of 29 % (anti-rBhlp29.7), 59 % (anti-rBhlp16), 70 % (anti-rBhmp39h), and 74 % (anti-rBhmp39h), respectively. By use of pooled antisera against Bhlp16 and Bhmp39f inhibition rates of the other serotypes ranged from 53 to 91 %. In a western blot assay OMPs of all serotypes but one were detected by the respective rOMP antisera. Altogether the results indicated that OMPs of B. hyodysenteriae displayed a serotype overlapping antigenicity and mediated adherence of the spirochetes to animal cell cultures.     

Association of common WRAP 53 variant with ovarian cancer risk in the Polish population

Among many alterations within the TP53 gene the rs1042522 (C72G, p.Pro72Arg) has been associated with numerous cancers , however the results differ between populations for opposite Pro or Arg alleles. Similar thus inconclusive results are observed in ovarian cancer, which may suggest that the rs1042522 does not influence ovarian carcinogensis directly, but might be linked to another pathogenic alteration. WRAP53 which overlaps the TP53 is required to maintain normal levels of p53 upon DNA damage, but also when altered may independently increase the risk of cancer. To evaluate the association between three SNPs located in WRAP53–TP53 region: rs1042522, rs2287497, rs2287498 and ovarian cancer risk in Polish population we genotyped 626 cases and 1,045 healthy controls. Our results provide the evidence for an association between studied SNPs and a risk of invasive ovarian cancer in Poland. We found that CC homozygotes in rs1042522 were more frequent in cancers when compared to controls (OR = 1.46, p = 0.03). Similarly in WRAP53 both TT homozygotes in rs2287497 (OR = 1.95, p = 0.03) and AA homozygotes in rs2287498 (OR = 2.65, p = 0,01) were more frequent among cases than healthy individuals. There is also a suggestive evidence that specific homozygosity of studied SNPs in TP53–WRAP53 region is significantly overrepresented in ovarian cancer patients. In conclusion SNPs in WRAP53 (rs2287497 and rs2287498) have stronger association with an ovarian cancer risk than rs1042522 in TP53.     

Nutlin-3a, an MDM2 antagonist and p53 activator, helps to preserve the replicative potential of cancer cells treated with a genotoxic dose of resveratrol

Resveratrol is a natural compound that has been intensely studied due to its role in cancer prevention and potential as an anti-cancer therapy. Its effects include induction of apoptosis and senescence-like growth inhibition. Here, we report that two cancer cell lines (U-2 OS and A549) differ significantly in their molecular responses to resveratrol. Specifically, in U-2 OS cells, the activation of the p53 pathway is attenuated when compared to the activation in A549 cells. This attenuation is accompanied by a point mutation (458: CGA→TGA) in the PPM1D gene and overexpression of the encoded protein, which is a negative regulator of p53. Experimentally induced knockdown of PPM1D in U-2 OS cells resulted in slightly increased activation of the p53 pathway, most clearly visible as stronger phosphorylation of p53 Ser³⁷. When treated with nutlin-3a, a non-genotoxic activator of p53, U-2 OS and A549 cells both responded with substantial activation of the p53 pathway. Nutlin-3a improved the clonogenic survival of both cell lines treated with resveratrol. This improvement was associated with lower activation of DNA-damage signaling (phosphorylation of ATM, CHK2, and histone H2AX) and higher accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Thus, the hyperactivation of p53 by nutlin-3a helps to preserve the replicative potential of cells exposed to resveratrol.     

Factors influencing the attachment strength of Dreissena polymorpha (Bivalvia)

Abstract

The effects of several factors (shell length, exposure time, substratum orientation in space, illumination, temperature, conspecifics) upon the attachment strength (measured with a digital dynamometer) of the freshwater, gregarious bivalve Dreissena polymorpha were studied under laboratory conditions. A rapid increase in attachment strength was observed on resocart (a thermosetting polymer based on phenol-formaldehyde resin, with paper as filler) substrata during the first 4-d exposure, after which it stabilised at ca 1 N. The attachment strength increased also with mussel size. Mussel adhesion on variously oriented surfaces (vertical, upper horizontal and lower horizontal) was similar. Illumination inhibited attachment strength, as expected for a photophobic species, but only after a 2-d exposure. After 6 d, no effects of light were detected. Thus, illumination seemed to influence the attachment rate, rather than the final strength. The optimum temperature for mussel attachment was 20 – 25°C. At lower and higher temperatures (5 – 15°C and 30°C), their adhesion strength decreased. The presence of conspecifics stimulated mussel attachment strength.     

Sex influences the taxanes content in Taxus baccata

Like other species of the genus Taxus, European yew trees contain taxanes, including paclitaxel (T) and its precursor 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB). Taxanes are one of the most effective anticancer drugs. This study was undertaken to describe the levels and patterns of taxane variation in the Sudetian region (SW Poland). Paclitaxel (T) and 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB) concentrations were analysed in five populations. Needles and twigs were analysed from 60 individuals (30 males and 30 females) in each population. In addition, morphometric measurements were taken in the populations to obtain light intensity coefficients (specific leaf area, SLA). High variability in the taxane contents at both intra and interpopulational levels was found. Nevertheless, females had a significantly higher taxane content compared to males. Because taxanes are carbon-based secondary metabolites, females have higher rate of gas exchange of females compared to males. This was probably an adaptation to greater reproductive effort incurred by females. In this regard, female individuals seem to be better for selecting elite cultivars with a higher taxane production. The relationship between light intensity and taxane content was not significant. Shading, important for optimizing crop production, should not reduce the concentration of taxanes.     

Iron Excess Disturbs Metabolic Status and Relative Gonad Mass in Rats on High Fat, Fructose, and Salt Diets

The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic and physiological changes in rats fed a diet high in fat, fructose, and salt, and with excess iron level. Mineral status was also estimated. Wistar rats were assigned to groups fed either a standard control diet (C) or a diet high in fat, fructose, and salt. The noncontrol diets contained either normal (M) or high level (MFe) of iron. After 6 weeks, the length and weight of the rats were measured, and the animals were euthanized. The kidneys and gonads were collected, and blood samples were taken. Serum levels of insulin, nitric oxide, and iron were measured. The iron, zinc, copper, and calcium concentrations of tissues were determined. It was found that the M diet led to a significant increase in the relative kidney mass of the rats compared with the control group. Among the rats fed the M diet, markedly higher serum level of iron and lower levels of zinc and copper were observed in tissues, while significantly higher calcium levels were found in the gonads. The MFe diet resulted in decreased obesity index, insulin level, and nitric oxide serum concentration in the rats, when compared with both the M and C diets. The high iron level in the modified diet increased the relative mass of the gonads. The excess iron level in the diet disturbed the zinc, copper, and calcium status of tissues. The decrease in insulin and nitric oxide in rats fed the diet high in iron, fat, fructose, and salt was associated with disorders of zinc, copper, and calcium status, as well as with an increase in the relative mass of the gonads.