Interplay between apoptotic and autophagy pathways after exposure to cerium dioxide nanoparticles in human monocytes

Engineered nanomaterials, defined as having at least one dimension smaller than 100 nm, have revolutionized many technology sectors ranging from therapeutics and diagnostics to environmental monitoring and remediation. This has resulted in a rapid increase in their manufacture over the past few years, accompanied by an increased human exposure potential. However, understanding of the interactions of nanomaterials with biological systems is still rudimentary. We have described that an environmentally and medically relevant nano metal (cerium dioxide) can affect primary human monocyte viability and interact with programmed cell death pathways leading to apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs)-induced autophagy acts as a prodeath mechanism and leads to increased cytotoxicity of human monocytes. A better understanding of the implication and biological significance of CeO₂ NPs-induced autophagy and apoptosis will help us understand the risks associated with its uses and develop safer nanomedicine.     

New constituents from the dried fruit of Piper nigrum Linn., and their larvicidal potential against the Dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti

Six bioactive compounds were isolated from the seeds extract of Piper nigrum Linn. following a larvicidal activity guided isolation against 4th instar larvae of Aedes aegypti L., a Dengue vector mosquito and a carrier of yellow fever. Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods including HR-EI-MS, FAB-MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR (Broad Bond Decoupled, & DEPT), and 2D-NMR techniques (¹H–¹H COSY, NOESY, HMQC, HMBC, & 2D-J-resolved). These include three new constituents namely pipilyasine (1), pipzubedine (2) and pipyaqubine (3), and three known constituents pellitorine (4), pipericine (5) and piperine (6). The larvicidal activity was determined by WHO method.     

Phytochemicals from the stem wood of Sorbus lanata (D. Don.) Schauer

Three new phenolic compounds, sorlanin (4-(3-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxy-7-phenyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)-2-methoxyphenol, 1), sorbanin (2-((3,5-dimethoxy-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)oxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol, 2) and sorbalanin (4-(3-(hydroxymethyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxino[2,3-g]benzofuran-2-yl)-2-methoxyphenol, 3), together with eight known compounds, polystachyol (4), isolariciresinol (5), dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (6), tuberculatin (7), ovafolinin E (8), aucuparin (9), 2′-methoxyaucuparin (10), and tetracosyl-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate (11), were isolated from Sorbus lanata. The structures of these phytoconstituents were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic techniques, including UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, ESI-MS and HRESI-MS experiments. All the compounds except 9 and 10 were isolated for the first time from the genus Sorbus. The isolated compounds were also tested in DPPH radical scavenging reaction where compounds 6, 7, 10 and 11 showed significant activities with IC₅₀ values of 9.2, 11.7, 23.0 and 33.7 μM, respectively.     

Association of multiple drug resistance-1 gene polymorphism with multiple drug resistance in breast cancer patients from an ethnic Saudi Arabian population

Chemotherapy has been used widely to treat cancer, both as a systemic therapy and as a local treatment. Unfortunately, many types of cancer are still refractory to chemotherapy. The mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance have been extensively explored but have not been fully characterized. This study analyzed the occurrences of polymorphism (SNP) in the MDR1 gene in breast cancer patients and determined a possible association with chemotherapy. The study group included one hundred breast carcinoma patients who subsequently received chemotherapy (the regimen generally consisted of commonly used drugs such as cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil, docetaxel and their combinations). Blood samples from 100 healthy individuals are used, as controls were also genotyped for the MDR1 gene. This investigation revealed a significant correlation with response to various regimens of chemotherapy showing a low response to therapy with the CT/TT genotype at (exon 12) 1236 codon (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate, for the first time, that the polymorphisms in (exon 12) 1236 codon of the MDR1 gene greatly influence the drug response in patients from the Arab population of Saudi Arabia.     

Molecular Characterization of Circulating Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Genotypes in Gilgit Baltistan Province of Pakistan during 2011-2012 Winter Season

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in young children, but very little is known about its epidemiology and circulating genotypes in Pakistan. This study analyzed the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of RSV genotypes detected in Pakistani children less than 2 years of age with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in a tertiary care hospital in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) province during 2011-12 winter season. RSV was detected in 75 out of 105 children presenting with acute respiratory infection. Male infants between 2-6 months age made up the highest percentage of RSV positive cases. Epidemiological factors such as pre-maturity, mean weight, clinical features and diagnosis when compared between RSV positive and negative groups were found to be statistically insignificant. Phylogenetic analysis classified all 75 of the RSV strains into 71 strains of subgroups A and 4 strains of subgroup B, respectively. Strains belonging to subgroups A and B were further subdivided into NA1/GA2 and BA, respectively. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence identities were relatively high among these strains (>90%). Both RSV-A and RSV-B isolates had two potential N-glycosylation sites in HVR2 of G protein and with heavy O-glycosylation of serine and threonine residues (G scores of 0.5-0.7). This report highlights the significance of RSV as a dominant viral etiologic agent of pediatric ARIs, and need for continued molecular epidemiological surveys for early detection of prevalent strains and newly emerging genotypes to understand epidemiology of RSV infections in various regions of Pakistan.     

Changing Emergence of Shigella Sero-Groups in Bangladesh: Observation from Four Different Diarrheal Disease Hospitals

Background

Shigellosis continues to be a public health challenge for developing countries, including Bangladesh. The aim of the study is to demonstrate recent changes in Shigella sero-groups and their geographical diversity.

Methods

Data were extracted from data archive of four diarrheal disease surveillance systems. A 2% sub sample from urban Dhaka Hospital (2008–2011; n = 10,650), and 10% from urban Mirpur Treatment Centre (2009–2011; n = 3,585), were enrolled systematically; whereas, all patients coming from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System area in rural Matlab (2008–2011; n = 6,399) and rural Mirzapur (2010–2011; n = 2,812) were included irrespective of age, sex, and disease severity. A fresh stool specimen was collected for identification of Shigella spp. Of them, 315 (3%) were positive for Shigella in Dhaka, 490 (8%) from Matlab, 109 (3%) from Mirpur and 369 (13%) from Mirzapur and considered as analyzable sample size.

Results

Among all Shigella isolates regardless of age, significant decreases in percentage of S. flexneri over time was observed in Mirpur (55→29%; p value of χ²-for trend = 0.019) and Mirzapur (59→47%; p = 0.025). A non-significant decrease was also seen in Dhaka (58→48%), while in Matlab there was a non-significant increase (73→81%). Similar patterns were observed among under-5 children at all sites. Emergence of S. sonnei was found in Dhaka (8→25%; p<0.001) and Mirpur (10→33%; p = 0.015), whereas it decreased in Mirzapur (32→23%; p = 0.056). The emergence of S. boydii was seen in all ages in Mirzapur [(3→28%; p<0.001); (3→27%; p<0.001)]. On the other hand, we saw non-significant percent reductions in S. boydii in Dhaka [overall (25→16%); under-5 (16→9%)]. Decreasing rates of Shigella dysenteriae were observed in Matlab, Mirpur and Mirzapur; whereas, in Dhaka it remained unchanged.

Conclusion and Significance

Emergence of S. sonnei and S. boydii as important infectious diarrhea etiologies and variations in geographical diversity underscore the need for monitoring, with possible implications for vaccine development.     

Solvothermal Preparation of ZnO Nanorods as Anode Material for Improved Cycle Life Zn/AgO Batteries

Nano materials with high surface area increase the kinetics and extent of the redox reactions, thus resulting in high power and energy densities. In this study high surface area zinc oxide nanorods have been synthesized by surfactant free ethylene glycol assisted solvothermal method. The nanorods thus prepared have diameters in the submicron range (300∼500 nm) with high aspect ratio. They have uniform geometry and well aligned direction. These nanorods are characterized by XRD, SEM, Specific Surface Area Analysis, solubility in alkaline medium, EDX analysis and galvanostatic charge/discharge studies in Zn/AgO batteries. The prepared zinc oxide nanorods have low solubility in alkaline medium with higher structural stability, which imparts the improved cycle life stability to Zn/AgO cells.     

Attenuation of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by mdivi-1: A Mitochondrial Division/Mitophagy Inhibitor

Doxorubicin is one of the most effective anti-cancer agents. However, its use is associated with adverse cardiac effects, including cardiomyopathy and progressive heart failure. Given the multiple beneficial effects of the mitochondrial division inhibitor (mdivi-1) in a variety of pathological conditions including heart failure and ischaemia and reperfusion injury, we investigated the effects of mdivi-1 on doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction in naïve and stressed conditions using Langendorff perfused heart models and a model of oxidative stress was used to assess the effects of drug treatments on the mitochondrial depolarisation and hypercontracture of cardiac myocytes. Western blot analysis was used to measure the levels of p-Akt and p-Erk 1/2 and flow cytometry analysis was used to measure the levels p-Drp1 and p-p53 upon drug treatment. The HL60 leukaemia cell line was used to evaluate the effects of pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial division on the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in a cancer cell line. Doxorubicin caused a significant impairment of cardiac function and increased the infarct size to risk ratio in both naïve conditions and during ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Interestingly, co-treatment of doxorubicin with mdivi-1 attenuated these detrimental effects of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin also caused a reduction in the time taken to depolarisation and hypercontracture of cardiac myocytes, which were reversed with mdivi-1. Finally, doxorubicin caused a significant elevation in the levels of signalling proteins p-Akt, p-Erk 1/2, p-Drp1 and p-p53. Co-incubation of mdivi-1 with doxorubicin did not reduce the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin against HL-60 cells. These data suggest that the inhibition of mitochondrial fission protects the heart against doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury and identify mitochondrial fission as a new therapeutic target in ameliorating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity without affecting its anti-cancer properties.     

<i>Aspergillus tubingensis</i> Causes Leaf Spot of Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) in Pakistan

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a key fiber crop of great commercial importance. Numerous phytopathogens decimate crop production by causing various diseases. During July-August 2018, leaf spot symptoms were recurrently observed on cotton leaves in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan and adjacent areas. Infected leaf samples were collected and plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. Causal agent of cotton leaf spot was isolated, characterized and identified as Aspergillus tubingensis based on morphological and microscopic observations. Conclusive identification of pathogen was done on the comparative molecular analysis of CaM and β-tubulin gene sequences. BLAST analysis of both sequenced genes showed 99% similarity with A. tubingensis. Koch’s postulates were followed to confirm the pathogenicity of the isolated fungus. Healthy plants were inoculated with fungus and similar disease symptoms were observed. Fungus was re-isolated and identified to be identical to the inoculated fungus. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the involvement of A. tubingensis in causing leaf spot disease of cotton in Pakistan and around the world.