Reproduction efficiency of the Horse Leech,Haemopis sanguisuga (Linnaeus, 1758)

The aquaculture sector has recently focused on alternative food sources due to increased costs and limited resources. Live food sources, such as invertebrates, have important roles in digestion processes of fish. It was aimed to determine the reproduction efficiency of the horse leech, Haemopis sanguisuga, which is expected to be used as an alternative live nutritional source in aquaculture in this study. The study was conducted at ambient temperature in the laboratory conditions for three months. A total of 25 gravid leeches with an average body mass of 6.91 ± 2.20 g were used. The leeches lost up to 75% of their body mass and laid 4.30 ± 1.49 cocoons at 12.0 ± 8.2 days interval during cocoon laying period. Leeches stopped laying cocoon when the temperature fell to 16 °C. The average of offspring hatched from the cocoons was 6.45 ± 2.86. The length–body mass relationship of the offspring was exponential (W = 0.012L^2.809, R² = 0.898). The results from the current study indicate that the basic biological parameter affecting the reproduction efficiency of H. sanguisuga is the size of the broodstock leeches, and reproduction activity weakens the broodstocks.     

Augmentation of ADAMTS9 gene expression by IL‐1β is reversed by NFκB and MAPK inhibitors,but not PI3 kinase inhibitors

The pathways involved in the regulation of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 9 (ADAMTS9) expression have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) and Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3 kinase) in ADAMTS9 gene regulation, with special focus on the involvement of NF‐κB in IL‐1β‐induced ADAMTS9 expression. The OUMS‐27 chondrosarcoma cells were exposed to IL‐1β. They were pretreated with 20 μM PD98059 (specific inhibitor of p44/42 kinase), 10 μM SB203580 (specific inhibitor of p38 kinase), 20 μM SB600125 (MAPK inhibitor), and 1 μM Wortmannin and 10 μM LY294002 (specific inhibitors of PI3 kinase) for 30 min and subsequently incubated with IL‐1β. For the effects of NF‐κB and IκB inhibitors, cells were pretreated with curcumin or BAY117085 for 30 min and subsequently incubated with IL‐1β. BAY117085 and different concentrations of curcumin were applied to the cells just after the first experiment to determine their concentration effect on ADAMTS9 gene expression. After total RNA was extracted, they were reversely transcribed with random primers and then real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on cDNA samples. There was a significant difference between control and stimulated cells in terms of ADAMTS9/β‐actin ratio. Wortmannin and LY294002 did not have any repressive effect on the OUMS‐27 whereas SB203580 and SP600125 were found to decrease the expression of ADAMTS9 gene. BAY 117085 and curcumin, which are two NF‐κB inhibitors, led to a decrease in the ratio of ADAMTS9/β‐actin. As a conclusion, the pathways MAPK and NF‐κB were thought to be responsible pathways for the induction of ADAMTS9 gene. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antioxidant,Cytotoxicity, Apoptotic Properties of Extracts of Andricus sternlichti galls and Their Phenolic Characterisation by HPLC

Quercus L. galls have been used in Western and Eastern cultures for various diseases in traditional medicine. Galls are also used in the East for many purposes, including consumption as food, commercial inks, leather tanning. In the current study, Andricus sternlichti Bellido, Pujade-Villar & Melika, 2003 galls were extracted in different solvents. The possible antioxidant effects of gall extracts were determined using 7 different methods (β-carotene-linoleic acid assay, Phosphomolybdenum assay, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, CUPRAC and FRAP assay, Metal Chelating activity) to support each other. Total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin amounts of extracts are calculated by using standard curves. In addition, HPLC method used to characterize the phenolic component with 15 different standards. The MIA PaCa-2 cell lines was preferred to identify possible cytotoxic activities of galls. Expression of some genes (Bax, Bcl-2, FAS, BID, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-10, FADD, TRADD) role in the apoptosis was determined to investigate apoptotic effects of extracts. According the results, the gall extracts of A. sternlichti may be considered as a potential source of biological agents for their antioxidant capacity and rich bioactive compounds. The gall extracts exhibit antiproliferative activity via regulating expressions of apoptotic genes.