Association of single nucleotide autophagy-related protein 5 gene polymorphism rs2245214 with susceptibility to non–small cell lung cancer

Introduction : Autophagy is a mechanism that is involved in the regulation of cellular life, apoptosis, and stemness while its intervening genes play important functions in various cancers including lung cancer. ATG5 is one of the key genes for the regulation of the autophagy pathway. In this study, our team has investigated the potential relationship between ATG5 gene polymorphism rs2245214 with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a subpopulation of patients from southern Iran. In this study, 34 patients with NSCLC (20 males and 14 females [mean age: 12.86 ± 60.47 years]) and 50 healthy subjects (30 males and 20 females [mean age: 13.09 ± 56.62 years]) were studied in terms of the genotype of the ATG5 gene. We used restriction fragment length polymorphism and analyzed the results using SPSS software (v.23). The results revealed that subjects harboring the guanine/cytosine (GC) genotype of the rs2245214 ATG5 gene polymorphism had suffered less from NSCLC, whereas the prevalence of the C-allele of this polymorphism was significantly higher in patients with NSCLC ( P < 0.05). On the basis of the results of logistic regression, the presence of this C-allele may predict the risk of lung cancer ( P value = 0.011; OR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.33-9.26). This study concludes that the C-allele of the rs2245214 ATG5 gene polymorphism is associated with increased susceptibility to NSCLC, whereas the GC genotype of this polymorphism is associated with decreased risk and might therefore have a protective role in the development of NSCLC.     

[Hg(μ-4,4′-bipy)(μ-AcO)(AcO)]n · n/2H2O, one-dimensional double-chain coordination polymer, syntheses, characterization, thermal, fluorescence, porous and structural studies

A new Hg^II coordination polymer with 4,4′-bipyridine and acetate anions, [Hg(μ-4,4′-bipy)(μ-AcO)(AcO)]_n · n/2H₂O (1), has been synthesized, characterized by elemental analysis, IR-, ¹H NMR-, ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability of compound 1 was studied by thermal gravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA). The structural studies of compound 1 show that the structure may be considered as a coordination polymer of mercury(II) consisting of linear double chains formed by a bridging 4,4′-bipy ligand and by connecting acetate-bridged centrosymmetric {Hg₂(OAc)₂}²⁺ nodes. Solid-state luminescent spectra of the ligand 4,4′-bipyridine and compound 1 indicate a fluorescent broad emission band with the maximum intensity at ca 468.2 and 446.4 nm upon excitation at 295 nm, respectively. The stability of porous network after removal of guest water molecules is not confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction.     

Fe3O4 and bimetal–organic framework Zn/Mg composite peroxide-like catalyze luminol chemiluminescence for specific measurement of atropine in Datura plant

Atropine (AT) is an anticholinergic drug. AT is abundantly in Datura plant seeds. Fe₃O₄@Zn/Mg MOF (Fe₃O₄@MOF) composite was synthesized. The compound had a high peroxidase-like activity in a chemiluminescence (CL) reaction. Addition of AT quenched CL. The linear range and limit of detection were 5–600 μg L⁻¹ and 2 × 10⁻² μg L⁻¹. This method is fast, reversible, and selective, without biodegradability effects, high accuracy, and precision for measuring AT in the Datura plant.     

A DNA vaccine candidate for <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. anthracis</Emphasis> immunization,pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid,induce Th1/Th2 mixed responses and protection in mice

The protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) is a potent immunogen and a candidate subunit vaccine. To address the question whether antibodies raised against PA following injection of pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid, encoding PA, can protect against virulent B. anthracis two different regimens of PA based vaccines (DNA and live spore) were used. The groups of BALB/c mice that received live spores of the Sterne strain, naked pcDNA3.1 and naked pcDNA3.1+PA were compared to control groups. All groups were injected three times with 30-day intervals. Two weeks after the last immunization, all mice were subjected to challenge with a pathogenic strain of B. anthracis (C2). Blood samples were taken before each injection and challenge. Evaluation of the sera by ELISA method showed that DNA immunization using pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid resulted in an antibody profile representative of a mixed Th1 and Th2 response, with a skewing to a Th1 response. The group which received the naked pcDNA3.1+PA had a survival rate of >80%. This challenge assay revealed that antibodies raised following DNA vaccination against PA can confer strong protection, and resistance against virulent species of B. anthracis.     

Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and acute toxicity effects of Zhumeria majdae extracts in mice and rats

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects and acute toxicity of aqueous infusion and ethanolic maceration extracts of the aerial parts of Zhumeria majdae were studied in mice and rats. Antinociceptive activity was determined using hot-plate and writhing tests. The effect of the extracts against acute inflammation was studied by acetic acid increased vascular permeability and xylene-induced ear edema in mice. The activity of the extracts against chronic inflammation was assessed using the cotton pellet test in rats. LD50 values of the infusion and maceration extracts were 3.09 g/kg body wt., and 3.94 g/kg body wt., respectively. Phytochemical screening of the extracts indicated the presence of flavonoids and tannins. In the hot-plate test, the intraperitoneal injection of both extracts showed significant and dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in mice. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, on pretreatment inhibited the antinociceptive activity of the extracts. The extracts exhibited antinociceptive activity against acetic acid-induced writhing, which was partially blocked by naloxone. Both extracts showed significant effect against acute inflammation induced by acetic acid in mice. In the chronic inflammation test, efficacy of the extracts was similar to that of baclofen and dexamethasone in rats. It is concluded that the aqueous infusion and ethanolic maceration extract of the aerial parts of Zhumeria majdae have antinociceptive effects and this may be mediated by opioid receptors. The extracts also showed anti-inflammatory effects against acute and chronic inflammation.     

Taxonomic identity of Chionomys nivalis spitzenbergerae (Mammalia: Rodentia)

The most genetically divergent populations of the European snow vole Chionomys nivalis occupy the extreme eastern range of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. It was recently suggested that subspecies C. n. spitzenbergerae from the Central Taurus Mountains (Turkey) represents a highly divergent lineage of C. nivalis from the Alada? Range which induced us to address its status by examining topotype specimens. Two females karyotyped displayed 54 mitotic chromosomes of 25 acrocentric autosomal pairs. One of the smallest autosomal pairs was heteromorphic in both specimens, consisting of a submetacentric and an acrocentric chromosomes (NFa = 53). Cytochrome b sequences however unambiguously clustered both individuals with reference sequences from C. nivalis from Turkey. We conclude that a deviant haplotype from the Alada? Range does not represent C. n. spitzenbergerae. Its taxonomic identity was not resolved in our study. Further attention should be devoted to snow voles from Central Anatolia and Western Iran, which are characterized by cranial peculiarities.