Photoreduction of flavocytochrome P450 2B4

It was shown that noncovalent complexes of riboflavins and cytochrome P450 2B4 (flavocytochrome P450 2B4) can be used for photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer between the isoalloxazine cycle of flavins and the cytochrome P450 2B4 heme. The measurement of the photocurrent generated by photoreduction of noncovalent flavocytochrome P450 2B4 was carried out. It was found that, in the presence of typical substrates for cytochromes P450, the cathode photocurrent generated by both riboflavin and a mixture of riboflavin with cytochrome P450 decreases. A comparison of photocurrents in the presence and absence of substrates enabled one to register xenobiotics in solutions and use the photosensitivity of artificial flavocytochrome P450 for the determination of xenobiotic concentration. It was demonstrated that artificial flavocytochromes may serve as molecular amplifiers of the photocurrent generated upon the reduction of flavins. The introduction of flavin residues into the cytochrome P450 molecule transformed this hemoprotein into a photoreceptor and a photodiod and, in addition, into a photoactivated enzyme.     

Long non‐coding RNAs in melanoma

Melanoma is the most lethal cutaneous cancer with a highly aggressive and metastatic phenotype. While recent genetic and epigenetic studies have shed new insights into the mechanism of melanoma development, the involvement of regulatory non‐coding RNAs remain unclear. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of endogenous non‐protein‐coding RNAs with the capacity to regulate gene expression at multiple levels. Recent evidences have shown that lncRNAs can regulate many cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion. In the melanoma, deregulation of a number of lncRNAs, such as HOTAIR, MALAT1, BANCR, ANRIL, SPRY‐IT1 and SAMMSON, have been reported. Our review summarizes the functional role of lncRNAs in melanoma and their potential clinical application for diagnosis, prognostication and treatment.     

Protective effect of bixin on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Background

The liver is an important organ for its ability to transform xenobiotics, making the liver tissue a prime target for toxic substances. The carotenoid bixin present in annatto is an antioxidant that can protect cells and tissues against the deleterious effects of free radicals. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of bixin on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats.

Results

The animals were divided into four groups with six rats in each group. CCl₄ (0.125 mL kg^-1 body wt.) was injected intraperitoneally, and bixin (5.0 mg kg^-1 body wt.) was given by gavage 7 days before the CCl₄ injection. Bixin prevented the liver damage caused by CCl₄, as noted by the significant decrease in serum aminotransferases release. Bixin protected the liver against the oxidizing effects of CCl₄ by preventing a decrease in glutathione reductase activity and the levels of reduced glutathione and NADPH. The peroxidation of membrane lipids and histopathological damage of the liver was significantly prevented by bixin treatment.

Conclusion

Therefore, we can conclude that the protective effect of bixin against hepatotoxicity induced by CCl₄ is related to the antioxidant activity of the compound.     

Phosphorylation and biosynthesis of high molecular weight proteins of tumor nuclear matrix

INTRODUCTIONAsearlyasin1948wehavefr8CtionatedisolatednucleifromnormalandtumorcellsbyextractionwithiMNaCIanddilutealkali[1].Thenuclearresiduewasthenstudiedmorethoroughly[2,3].Lateron,sillillarproteinousnuclearresidueswereisolatedbyotherworkers[46]andasstud…     

Algorithms and software for support of gene identification experiments

MOTIVATION: Gene annotation is the final goal of gene prediction algorithms. However, these algorithms frequently make mistakes and therefore the use of gene predictions for sequence annotation is hardly possible. As a result, biologists are forced to conduct time-consuming gene identification experiments by designing appropriate PCR primers to test cDNA libraries or applying RT-PCR, exon trapping/amplification, or other techniques. This process frequently amounts to 'guessing' PCR primers on top of unreliable gene predictions and frequently leads to wasting of experimental efforts. RESULTS: The present paper proposes a simple and reliable algorithm for experimental gene identification which bypasses the unreliable gene prediction step. Studies of the performance of the algorithm on a sample of human genes indicate that an experimental protocol based on the algorithm's predictions achieves an accurate gene identification with relatively few PCR primers. Predictions of PCR primers may be used for exon amplification in preliminary mutation analysis during an attempt to identify a gene responsible for a disease. We propose a simple approach to find a short region from a genomic sequence that with high probability overlaps with some exon of the gene. The algorithm is enhanced to find one or more segments that are probably contained in the translated region of the gene and can be used as PCR primers to select appropriate clones in cDNA libraries by selective amplification. The algorithm is further extended to locate a set of PCR primers that uniformly cover all translated regions and can be used for RT-PCR and further sequencing of (unknown) mRNA.      

Evidence of linkage of familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia to a novel locus on chromosome 11q23

Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for half of the 1 million deaths annually ascribed to cardiovascular disease and for almost all of the 1.5 million acute myocardial infarctions. Within families affected by early and apparently heritable CHD, dyslipidemias have a much higher prevalence than in the general population; 20%-30% of early familial CHD has been ascribed to primary hypoalphalipoproteinemia (low HDL-C). This study assesses the evidence for linkage of low HDL-C to chromosomal region 11q23 in 105 large Utah pedigrees ascertained with closely related clusters of early CHD and expanded on the basis of dyslipidemia. Linkage analysis was performed by use of 22 STRP markers in a 55-cM region of chromosome 11. Two-point analysis based on a general, dominant-phenotype model yielded LODs of 2.9 for full pedigrees and 3.5 for 167 four-generation split pedigrees. To define a localization region, model optimization was performed using the heterogeneity, multipoint LOD score (mpHLOD). This linkage defines a region on 11q23.3 that is approximately 10 cM distal to-and apparently distinct from-the ApoAI/CIII/AIV gene cluster and thus represents a putative novel localization for the low HDL-C phenotype.     

The Inflammatory Potential of Dietary Manganese in a Cohort of Elderly Men

In the current study, 48 male rats were classified into four groups (12 rats/group): 1—control group received 1 ml distilled water, 2—origanum oil group treated daily with oral dose of origanum oil (5 mg/kg) for 30 and 60 days, 3—mercuric chloride group treated daily with oral dose of mercuric chloride (4 mg/kg) for 30 and 60 days, and 4—origanum oil + mercuric chloride group treated with both origanum oil and mercuric chloride (5 and 4 mg/kg, respectively) for 30 and 60 days. All treatments were carried out by stomach tube. The results showed that administration of mercuric chloride induced significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and decrease in glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and super oxide dismutase (SOD) in testis and spleen tissues. The data also showed significant increase in tumor necrossis factor-α (TNF-α), 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG), acid phosphatase (ACP), urea, and creatinine. Furthermore, significant decreases in serum zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and testosterone in mercuric chloride group were recorded. The histological examination of testis and spleen tissues showed some degenerative changes while significant improvement in the antioxidant levels, biochemical, trace elements, and histological changes were observed in mercuric chloride group treated with origanum oil. It could be concluded that origanum oil through its antioxidant potential may possess health promoting properties and could protect cells from oxidative damage induced by mercuric chloride.     

A new species of Mesocoelium (Digenea: Mesocoeliidae) found in Rhinella marina (Amphibia: Bufonidae) from Brazilian Amazonia

Mesocoelium lanfrediaesp. nov. (Digenea: Mesocoeliidae) inhabits the small intestine of Rhinella marina (Amphibia: Bufonidae) and is described here, with illustrations provided by light, scanning electron microscopy and molecular approachs. M. lanfrediae sp. nov. presents the typical characteristics of the genus, but is morphometrically and morphologically different from the species described previously. The main diagnostic characteristics of M. lanfrediae sp. nov. are (i) seven pairs of regularly-distributed spherical papillae on the oral sucker, (ii) ventral sucker outlined by four pairs of papillae distributed in a uniform pattern and interspersed with numerous spines, which are larger at the posterior margin and (iii) small, rounded tegumentary papillae around the opening of the oral sucker, which are morphologically different from those of the oral sucker itself, some of which are randomly disposed in the ventrolateral tegumentary region of the anterior third of the body. Addionally, based on SSU rDNA, a phylogenetic analysis including Brachycoeliidae and Mesocoeliidae taxa available on GenBank established the close relationship between M. lanfrediae sp. nov. and Mesocoelium sp.