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.     

A comparative study of the effects of laser and LED radiation on lipid peroxidation in rat wound fluid

The effect of laser (632 nm) and LED (630 nm) on lipid peroxidation in rat wound fluid (exudate) was studied with the aim of comparing the efficiency of coherent and incoherent light on the processes that take place during wound healing. The study was performed using the model of cut aseptic wounds proposed by L.I. Slutskii. It was shown that irradiation of wounds with light of both laser and LED caused a decrease in the concentration of lipid peroxidation products in wound fluid as compared with the control group. An increase in the antioxidative activity of wound fluid was observed. It was concluded that irradiation with light of both laser and LED decreases the level of oxidative stress in wound fluid and that radiation coherence does not play a significant role.     

A comparison of the effects of laser and light-emitting diodes on superoxide dismutase activity and nitric oxide production in rat wound fluid

The action of laser and light-emitting diode radiation in the visible region on the content of reactive nitrogen species and activity of superoxide dismutase in rat wound fluid was studied, and efficiency of action of coherent laser and incoherent light emitting diode radiations in the red region of the spectrum on the parameters under study was compared. A model of incised aseptic wounds in rats proposed by L.I. Slutskiy was used. A He-Ne laser (632 nm) and a Y-332B light emitting diode served as radiation sources. It was shown that (1) exposure of wounds to the visible light of both laser and light-emitting diodes causes dose-dependent changes in superoxide dismutase activity and production of nitrites and (2) the radiation coherence does not play any significant role in the changes of superoxide dismutase activity or nitrogen oxide formation by wound fluid phagocytes.     

Effects of endogenous photosensitizers on the laser-induced priming of leucocytes

The influence of He-Ne (lambda = 632.8 nm) laser irradiation on the functional activity of leucocytes was investigated. The functional activity of leucocytes irradiated in the presence of plasma with phthalocyanine raised. Irradiation of leucocytes without plasma had no influence on the chemiluminescent response of the blood cells. An increase in the concentration of phthalocyanine in plasma first led to an increase and then a decrease in the functional activity of the leucocytes. Similar results were obtained for the case of endogenous porphyrins in plasma. These results make it possible to consider the influence of laser irradiation on the leucocytes' functional activity as the priming. The basic concepts of the free-radical mechanism of laser therapy were formulated.     

Comparison of the effects of laser and light-emitting diodes on lipid peroxidation in rat wound exudate

The effect of laser and light-emitting diode radiation on lipid peroxidation in rat wound exudate was studied with the aim to compare the efficiency of coherent laser and incoherent light-emitting diode radiations. A model of aseptic wound in rat suggested by L.I. Slutskii was used. A He-Ne laser (632 nm) and a U-332B light-emitting diode were used in this study. The intensity of lipid peroxidation was estimated by the TBA assay. The antioxidative capacity of rat wound fluid was evaluated by means of chemiluminescent assays in two model systems: a) aqueous system with ABAP and luminol and b) in phospholipid liposome suspension with Fe2+ and cumarin. It was shown that exposure of rat wounds to both laser and light-emitting diode radiation decreased the concentration of TBA products and increased the antioxidative capacity of wound exudates, compared with the control group (without irradiation). The results obtained show that exposure of wounds to both laser and light-emitting diode irradiation causes a decrease in the oxidative stress in the rat wound fluid. No significant quantitative difference between the effects of laser and light-emitting diode irradiation was found.     

A comparative study of the effects of laser and light-emitting diode radiation on superoxide dismutase activity and nitric oxide production in rat wound fluid

The effect of laser and light-emitting diode radiation in the visible region of the spectrum on the content of reactive nitrogen species and superoxide dismutase activity in rat wound fluid was studied. The efficiency of action of coherent laser radiation and incoherent light-emitting diode radiation in the red region of the spectrum on the parameters analyzed was compared. The study was performed using the model of cut aseptic wounds proposed by L.I. Slutskii. A He-Ne laser (632 nm) or an U-332B light-emitting diode (630 nm) was used as the source of radiation. It was shown that (1) exposure of wounds to visible light of both laser and light-emitting diode causes dose-dependent changes in superoxide dismutase activity and nitrite production and that (2) radiation coherence does not play a significant role in the changes in superoxide dismutase activity or nitric oxide production by wound fluid phagocytes.     

The role of lipid peroxidation products in the effect of He-Ne laser on human blood leukocytes

The role of lipid peroxidation products formed in membranes of human blood leukocytes after irradiation with He-Ne laser was studied. It was found that low-intensity laser irradiation (0.3-1.6 J/cm2) leads to both cell activation and an increase in the content of lipid peroxidation products. The intensity of lipid peroxidation was analyzed by estimating the amount of TBA reactive products and lipid diene conjugates. Irradiation in the presence of an exogenous photosensitizer (protoporphyrin IX) enhanced the phenomena observed. The use of antioxidants (tocopherol and ionol) completely eliminated the laser-induced effects (changes in leukocyte activity and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products). These results can be explained by the fact that laser irradiation leads to the activation of lipid peroxidation in leukocyte membranes, which in turn enhances the response of cells to the stimulus (priming).     

Low-power laser irradiation induces leukocyte priming

Laser radiation (LR) of various spectral composition has been broadly used in clinical practice. However, the mechanism of the stimulating effects of LR remains obscure. The effect of He-Ne LR (633 nm) on human blood leukocytes was investigated both in the absence and presence of 8.65 nmol/l phthalocyanine (PhC). Irradiation of non-stimulated leukocytes with 0.025 to 0.5 J/cm2 did not lead to any activation of their luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LCL). On the other hand, LR increased in most cases the subsequent CL response of the cells to opsonized zymosan (priming action of He-Ne-laser light). The effect of LR on the leukocytes was not standard. In irradiated leukocytes isolated from patients with severe acute or chronic pneumonia, or chronic bronchitis, the maximal LCL exceeded that for non-irradiated cells by 80% (0.05 J/cm2), 20-25% (0.15 J/cm2), and 0%, respectively (doses are shown in parentheses). Further increase of the exposure brought about a dose-dependent inhibition of LCL in cells from patients with severe acute and chronic pneumonia. There was an intriguing relationship between maximal CL responses of leukocytes subjected to laser irradiation in the presence and without PhC. When the priming effect of LR on isolated cells was small, it increased in the presence of exogenous photosensitizer, phthalocyanine; in cells of severely ill patients where the initial effect of LR was strong, Pc inhibited the priming action of LR. Apparently, different cells contained different amounts of endogenous photosensitizer(s); the addition of exogenous sensitizer increased the priming action of LR at low concentrations and decreased it at higher concentrations of the endogenous photosensitizer.     

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

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