Interleukin-18 gene promoter and serum level in women with ovarian cancer

IL-18, initially defined as a potent inducer of IFN- γ production, is a systemic, multifunctional cytokine with both pro-cancerous and anti-cancer activities. The contribution of the IL-18 promoter polymorphisms at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) to cancer development has been reported. We sought to examine IL-18 serum level and its polymorphisms in Iranian women with ovarian cancer. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) were analyzed by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction in 85 women with ovarian cancer and 158 healthy controls. IL-18 serum level was determined using ELISA method. No significant association was found between the allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions of the SNPs and ovarian cancer. Mean IL-18 serum level was significantly higher in patients than in controls (P = 0.008). Comparing IL-18 serum levels with genotypes at positions −607 and −137 revealed no significant difference. No association was also found between IL-18 levels and the disease stage. In conclusion, our results indicate that IL-18 promoter polymorphisms at positions −607 (C/A) and −137 (G/C) appear not to confer susceptibility to ovarian cancer in Iranian population; however, IL-18 serum level increases in ovarian cancer patients.     

Patch area, substrate depth, and richness affect giving-up densities: a test with mourning doves and cottontail rabbits

We compared the foraging behavior of mourning doves Zenaida macroura and cottontail rabbits Sylvilagus floridanus in patches that varied in initial food abundance, surface area and substrate depth. We measured giving‐up densities (GUD), food harvest and proportion of food harvested to investigate their ability to respond to characteristics of resource patches. GUDs have been analyzed in three ways: grams of per patch, grams per unit surface area (GUD_AREA), and grams per unit volume of sand (GUD_VOL). Mourning doves and cottontails exhibited similar responses to resource density and sand depth. Both foragers detected and responded to variation in initial food abundance. The proportion of food harvested from a patch increased from 40.7, 43.8 to 48.3% (for the doves) and 34.9, 35.8 to 38.4% (for the rabbits) in patches of low, medium and high initial food abundance, respectively. Deeper substrates reduced the foragers’ encounter probability with food, decreased patch quality and resulted in higher GUDs (60% higher in the deepest relative to shallowest substrate) and lower harvests. A significant interaction between initial food abundance and substrate depth showed that both species were willing to dig deeper in patches with higher resource density. Patch size (surface area) had no effect on food harvest or the proportion of food harvested. Consequently, GUD_AREA and GUD_VOL increased in patches with a smaller surface area. Smaller patches appeared to hamper the dove's and cottontail's movement across the surface. Our results revealed that mourning doves and cottontails forage under imperfect information. Both species were able to respond to patch properties by biasing their feeding efforts toward rich and easy opportunities, however, mourning doves were more efficient at food harvesting. The interaction of patch area, volume and food abundance directly influenced food harvest. Such resource characters occur under natural situations where food varies in abundance, area of distribution, and accessibility.     

A novel electroconductive interface based on Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticle and cysteamine functionalized AuNPs: Preparation and application as signal amplification element to minoring of antigen‐antibody immunocomplex and biosensing of prostate cancer

In this study, a novel electroconductive interface was prepared based on Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticle and cysteamine functionalized gold nanoparticle. The engineered interface was used as signal amplification substrate in the electrochemical analysis of antibody‐antigen binding. For this purpose, biotinilated‐anti‐prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) antibody was bioconjugated with iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) and drop‐casted on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Also, secondary antibody (HRP‐Ab2) encapsulated on gold nanoparticles caped by cysteamine was immobilized on the surface of GCE modified electrode. A transmission electron microscopy images shows that a sandwich immunoreaction was done and binding of Ab1 and Ab2 performed successfully. Various parameters of immunoassay, including the loading of magnetic nanoparticles, the amount of gold nanoparticle conjugate, and the immunoreaction time, were optimized. The detection limit of 0.001 μg. L^?1 of PSA was obtained under optimum experimental conditions. It is found that such magneto‐bioassay could be readily used for simultaneous parallel detection of multiple proteins by using multiple inorganic metal nanoparticle tracers and are expected to open new opportunities for early stage diagnosis of cancer in near future.     

Roles for osteocalcin in proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonial cells cocultured with somatic cells

Spermatogonial cells (SCs) are key cells for spermatogenesis. These cells are affected by paracrine signals originated from nearby somatic cells, among them Leydig cells have receptors for osteocalcin, a hormone known for exerting positive roles in the promotion of spermatogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate roles for osteocalcin on SCs proliferative and differentiation features after coculture with Leydig cells. SCs and Leydig cells were isolated from neonate NMRI offspring mice and adult NMRI mice, respectively. SCs population were then enriched in a differential attachment technique and assessed for morphological features and identity. Then, SCs were cocultured with Leydig cells and incubated with osteocalcin for 4 weeks. Evaluation of proliferation and differentiation-related factors were surveyed using immunocytochemistry (ICC), Western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, the rate of testosterone release to the culture media was measured at the end of 4th week. Morphological and flow cytometry results showed that the SCs were the population of cells able to form colonies and to express ID4, α6-, and β1-integrin markers, respectively. Leydig cells were also able to express Gprc6α as a specific marker for the cells. Incubation of SCs/Leydig coculture with osteocalcin has resulted in an increase in the rate of expressions for differentiation-related markers. Levels of testosterone in the culture media of SCs/Leydig was positively influenced by osteocalcin. It could be concluded that osteocalcin acts as a positive inducer of SCs in coculture with Leydig cells probably through stimulation of testosterone release from Leydig cells and associated signaling.     

A novel copper (II) complex activated both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in liver cancerous cells

Recent advances have put fundamental focus on the application of copper (II) (Cu [II]) complexes as agents for fighting against cancer. To determine whether [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex as a novel Cu complex can induce apoptosis in HepG2 as cancerous cells and L929 as normal cells via extrinsic or intrinsic apoptotic pathways, both cell lines were treated for 24 and 48 hours at IC₅₀ concentrations of [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex. Then, the expression of some apoptosis-related genes including p53, caspase-8, bcl-2, and bax were assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex seems to inhibit the expression of bcl-2 in complex-treated HepG2 cancerous cells following the 24- and 48-hour treatment. The complex upregulated the p53, bax, and caspase-8 genes, therefore treatment of HepG2 cancerous cells with [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex induces programmed cell death via the upregulation of relative bax/bcl-2 ratio. Finally, this copper complex triggered apoptosis in HepG2 cells via both intrinsic and extrinsic pathway, whereas treatment of normal L929 cells with this complex induce apoptosis only via intrinsic pathway with the upregulation of relative bax/bcl-2 ratio and does not affect the expression level of caspase-8 gene and does not trigger the extrinsic pathway. Finally, these results obtained from present study confirm the role of a novel Cu complex on the induction of apoptosis process in HepG2 and L929 cells by overexpression of bax, inhibition of bcl-2 and increase of the relative bax/bcl-2 ratio. These results support that the [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex is able to induce apoptosis in cancerous cells, therefore, it has a potential for development as a novel anticancer drug.     

Study of Various Pyridazine and Phthalazine Drugs with Diverse Therapeutical and Agrochemical Activities

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Pyridazines hold considerable interest relative to pharmacologically active molecules. The pyridazine compounds are exhibited different types of...     

Effects of Cadmium,Copper, Lead,and Zinc Contamination on Metal Accumulation by Safflower and Wheat

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in cultivated soils is a continuing environmental problem in many parts of the world. An increase in HM concentration can enhance uptake of toxic metals by crops and enter the human food chain. In this study, the uptake behavior of wheat and safflower was evaluated in a calcareous soil by using 12 undisturbed columns in which half were artificially contaminated. Heavy metals in the form of CdCl₂ (15 mg Cd kg^{? 1}), CuSO₄ (585 mg Cu kg^{? 1}), Pb(NO₃)₂ (117 mg Pb kg^{? 1}), and ZnCl₂ (1094 mg Zn kg^{? 1}) were sprayed on the soil surface and completely mixed in the top 10 cm. The background total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were 1.6, 29.5, 17.5 and 61.2 mg kg^{? 1}, respectively. After metal application, half of the columns (3 contaminated and 3 uncontaminated) were sown with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the other half with safflower (Carthamus tinctorious) and grown for 74 days until maturity. After harvesting, soil columns were cut into 10-cm sections and analyzed for HNO₃- and DTPA-extractable metal concentrations. Metal concentrations were also measured in different plant tissues. The results showed that artificial contamination of topsoil decreased the transpiration rate of wheat by 12% and that of safflower by 6%. In contaminated columns, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn accumulation in wheat shoot was greater by 8.0-, 1.9-, 3.0-, and 2.1-fold than the control, respectively. Accordingly, these numbers were 46.0-, 1.3-, 1.7-, and 1.6-fold in safflower shoot. Soil contamination with HMs resulted in a 55% decrease in shoot dry matter yield of wheat while it had no significant effect on shoot dry matter of safflower. The normalized water consumption for safflower was therefore not affected by metal contamination (≈ 13 mm H₂O g^{? 1} of dry weight for all safflower and uncontaminated wheat treatments), while contaminated wheat was much less water efficient at about 27 mm H₂O g^{? 1} dry weight. It was concluded that although artificial contamination had a negative effect on wheat growth, it did not affect safflower's normal growth and water efficiency.