Protective role of zinc in liver damage in experimental diabetes demonstrated via different biochemical parameters

Diabetes mellitus is a serious worldwide metabolic disease, which is accompanied by hyperglycaemia and affects all organs and body system. Zinc (Zn) is a basic cofactor for many enzymes, which also plays an important role in stabilising the structure of insulin. Liver is the most important target organ after pancreas in diabetic complications. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective role of Zn in liver damage in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetes mellitus. There are four experimental groups of female Swiss albino rats: group I: control; group II: control + ZnSO₄; group III: STZ‐induced diabetic animals and group IV: STZ‐diabetic + ZnSO₄. To induce diabetes, STZ was injected intraperitoneally (65 mg/kg). ZnSO₄ (100 mg/kg) was given daily to groups II and IV by gavage for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, rats were killed under anaesthesia and liver tissues were collected. In the diabetic group, hexose, hexosamine, fucose, sialic acid levels, arginase, adenosine deaminase, tissue factor activities and protein carbonyl levels increased, whereas catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione‐S‐transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase activities decreased. The administration of Zn to the diabetic group reversed all the negative effects/activities. According to these results, we can suggest that Zn has a protective role against STZ‐induced diabetic liver damage.     

Larvicidal potential of gold and silver nanoparticles synthesized using Acalypha fruticosa leaf extracts against Culex pipiens (Culicidae: Diptera)

Plant secondary metabolites have been recently used for the synthesis of different nanoparticles. The present investigation aimed at evaluating the effect of gold (AuNPs) and silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles synthesized using Acalypha fruticosa leaf extracts to control the mosquito Culex pipiens. The A. fruticosa AuNPs and AgNPs spectra displayed their maximum absorption at 550 nm and 440 nm, respectively. The infrared spectra revealed different functional groups related to different chemical compounds. The larval mortality of aqueous leaf extract of A. fruticosa was 499.54 ppm (LC₅₀) and 1734.06 ppm (LC₉₀) after 24 h of treatment. This study revealed that AuNP (LC₅₀, 30.2 and LC₉₀, 104.83 ppm) and AgNP (LC₅₀, 52.86 and LC₉₀, 157.227 ppm) preparations were highly effective compared to the A. fruticosa extract alone and also more affordable, as a smaller amount was required. The present findings show the potential larvicidal effect of the synthesized AuNPs and AgNPs for the control of mosquito-mediated disease transmission.     

Antifungal activity of nanoemulsion from Cleome viscosa essential oil against food-borne pathogenic Candida albicans

Pathogenic and spoilage fungi cause enormous challenges to food related fatal infections. Plant essential oil based classical emulsions can functions as antifungal agents. To investigate the antifungal spectrum, that is the scope of the nanoemulsion composed of Cleome viscosa essential oil and Triton-x-100 fabricated by ultrasonication method. Minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentration of essential oil nanoemulsion (EONE) was tested against food borne pathogenic C. albicans. The MIC and MFC values ranged from 16.5 to 33 µl/ml with significant reduction on biofilm of C. albicans isolates. The alteration of molecular fingerprints was confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and subsequent reduction of chitin levels in cell walls was noted by spectroscopic analysis. The EONE and their bioactive compounds cause collateral damage on C. albicans cells.     

Mn3O4 nanoparticles: Synthesis,characterization and their antimicrobial and anticancer activity against A549 and MCF-7 cell lines

Due to their inexpensive and eco-friendly nature, and existence of manganese in various oxidation states and their natural abundance have attained significant attention for the formation of Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles (Mn₃O₄ NPs). Herein, we report the preparation of Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles using manganese nitrate as a precursor material by utilization of a precipitation technique. The as-prepared Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles (Mn₃O₄ NPs) were characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), High-Resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The antimicrobial properties of the as-synthesized Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles were investigated against numerous bacterial and fungal strains including S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa, A. flavus and C. albicans. The Mn₃O₄ NPs inhibited the growth of S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 40 μg/ml and C. albicans with a MIC of 15 μg/ml. Furthermore, the Mn₃O₄ NPs anti-cancer activity was examined using MTT essay against A549 lung and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The Mn₃O₄ NPs revealed significant activity against the examined cancer cell lines A549 and MCF-7. The IC₅₀ values of Mn₃O₄ NPs with A549 cell line was found at concentration of 98 µg/mL and MCF-7 cell line was found at concentration of 25 µg/mL.     

A virulence-related lectin traffics into eisosome and contributes to functionality of cytomembrane and cell-wall in the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Lectins are characterized of the carbohydrate-binding ability and play comprehensive roles in fungal physiology (e.g., defense response, development and host–pathogen interaction). Beauveria bassiana, a filamentous entomopathogenic fungus, has a lectin-like protein containing a Fruit Body_domain (BbLec1). BbLec1 could bind to chitobiose and chitin in fungal cell wall. BbLec1 proteins interacted with each other to form multimers, and translocated into eisosomes. Further, the interdependence between BbLec1 and the eisosome protein PliA was essential for stabilizing the eisosome architecture. To test the BbLec1 roles in B. bassiana, we constructed the gene disruption and complementation mutants. Notably, the BbLec1 loss resulted in the impaired cell wall in mycelia and conidia as well as conidial formation capacity. In addition, disruption of BbLec1 led to the reduced cytomembrane integrity and the enhanced sensitivity to osmotic stress. Finally, ΔBbLec1 mutant strain displayed the weakened virulence when compared with the wild-type strain. Taken together, BbLec1 traffics into eisosome and links the functionality of eisosome to development and virulence of B. bassiana.     

Arylesterase activity of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) on HDL3 and HDL2: Relationship with Q192R,C-108T,and L55M polymorphisms

BackgroundControversy exists regarding the role of the subfractions of high-density lipoproteins (HDL₂ and HDL₃) in cardiovascular disease. The functionality of these particles, and their protective role, is due in part to the paraoxonase 1 (PON1) presence in them. The polymorphisms rs662 (Q192R, A/G), rs854560 (L55 M, T/A), and rs705379 (C-108T) of the PON1 gene have been related to enzyme activity and, with the anti-oxidative capacity of the HDL. The objective was to determine the arylesterase PON1 activity in HDL₃ and HDL₂ and its relationship with the polymorphisms mentioned, in a young population.MethodsThe polymorphisms were determined through mini-sequencing (SnaPshot). The HDL subpopulations were separated via ionic precipitation, cholesterol was measured with enzymatic methods, and PON1 activity was measured through spectrophotometry.ResultsThe results show that the PON1 polymorphisms do not influence the cholesterol in the HDL. A variation between 40.02 and 43.9 mg/dL was in all the polymorphisms without significant differences. Additionally, PON1 activity in the HDL₃ subfractions was greater (62.83 ± 20 kU/L) than with HDL₂ (35.8 ± 20.8 kU/L) in the whole population and in all the polymorphisms (p < 0.001), and it was independent of the polymorphism and differential arylesterase activity in the Q192R polymorphism (QQ > QR > RR). Thus, 115.90 ± 30.7, 88.78 ± 21.3, 65.29 ± 10.2, respectively, for total HDL, with identical behavior for HDL₃ and HDL₂.ConclusionsPON1 polymorphisms do not influence the HDL_-c, and the PON activity is greater in the HDL₃ than in the HDL₂, independent of the polymorphism, but it is necessary to delve into the functionality of these findings in different populations.     

Single cell human genomic analyses: a way to refine the knowledge of cellular heterogeneity origins in individual subject

Single cell genomics performed on individual human subjects' tumors, neural tissues, and sperm samples revealed the existence of genetic heterogeneity arising through either mutations in exomes, deletions, recombinations, and duplications of DNA sequences, as well as aneuploidy. These genetic changes happen during cell cycles followed by cell division. The aim of this review is to strictly focus on single cell human genomics and intends to deliver information that can help to refine fundamental knowledge relating to genetic causes of cellular heterogeneity origins in both healthy and disease states. Allogenic heterogeneity as well as heterogeneity origins of cells possessing the same genome with different gene expression patterns is not the subject of this review. Future research still requires: a) improvement for complete and errorless DNA acquisition and sequencing of not only selected parts of the genome, and b) analyses of more samples that contain millions of cells. These data will deliver a more precise comparative representation of genetic diversity among single cells in an individual human subject. Consequently, we will be able to better distinguish between the role of genetic, versus epigenetic, and stochastic factors in the cellular diversity of over 30 trillion cells present in a human body.     

HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 alleles associated with different hematological diseases in Chinese population

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 allele polymorphisms and different hematological diseases in Chinese groups. Retrospective analyses of HLA genotyping data in high-resolution for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, 766 cases), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML, 330 cases), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, 605 cases), aplastic anemia (AA, 229 cases), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, 204 cases) were performed, and the susceptible or protective HLA alleles of the above-mentioned diseases were analyzed by Chi-square test and Fisher exact test with unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors as control. The Results indicated that A*0201, B*4402, C*0701, DRB1*1201, DRB1*1401, and DQB1*0602 might be susceptible genes of AML, while A*1101, A*3303, B*5801, C*0302, DRB1*0301, DQB1*0201 and DQB1*0502 might be protective genes of AML. A*3303 might be a protective gene of CML, and DRB1*1401 might be a susceptible gene of CML. ALL's susceptible genes included A*0201, A*0210, B*5201, DRB1*1201, DRB1*1401 and DQB1*0602, but its protective genes included DQB1*0502. For AA, A*0201, A*0206, B*1511, DRB1*0901, DRB1*1401, DQB1*0303, DQB1*0602 might be susceptible genes, while A*3303, B*5801, C*0302, DRB1*1602 and DQB1*0502 might be protective genes. A*0201, A*0206, B*1511, DRB1*0901, DRB1*1401, DQB1*0303. A*0201, B*1558, B*4801, B*5201, DRB1*1401, DRB1*1501, and DQB1*0602 might be susceptible genes of MDS, and A*3303, B*4601, B*5801, C*0302, and DRB1*0901 might be protective genes of MDS. On the basis of HLA high-resolution genotyping for the first time, this study comprehensively analyzed HLA alleles associated with different hematological diseases in the Chinese population, which should provide clues for further study on the pathogenesis of these diseases.     

Chemically induced premature chromosome condensation in short-term cultured human peripheral lymphocytes: applications to biodosimetry

We describe here the chemical induction of premature condensed chromosomes in human peripheral lymphocytes after culture for 6 h. Many have attempted this induction without culture or with short-term culture, because this technique permits prompt cytogenetic biodosimetry of radiation accidents. Lymphocytes were separated from blood, incubated in the presence of phytohemagglutinin, ATP, and p34^cdc2/cyclin B kinase, then treated with calyculin A during the last hour. The culture medium was supplemented with a lower concentration of fetal calf serum than conventionally used to minimize its possible interference with the effects of these drugs. We obtained, rarely, a suitable morphology of premature chromosome condensation in short-term cultured lymphocytes for conventional chromosome aberration analysis.     

Predictive markers of safety and immunogenicity of adjuvanted vaccines

Vaccination represents one of the greatest public health triumphs; in part due to the effect of adjuvants that have been included in vaccine preparations to boost the immune responses through different mechanisms. Although a variety of novel adjuvants have been under development, only a limited number have been approved by regulatory authorities for human vaccines. This report reflects the conclusions of a group of scientists from academia, regulatory agencies and industry who attended a conference on the current state of the art in the adjuvant field. Held at the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, USA, from 18 to 19 April 2013 and organized by the International Association for Biologicals (IABS), the conference focused particularly on the future development of effective adjuvants and adjuvanted vaccines and on overcoming major hurdles, such as safety and immunogenicity assessment, as well as regulatory scrutiny. More information on the conference output can be found on the IABS website, http://www.iabs.org/.