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  1. Janus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Inhibitors for the Treatment and Management of Cancer
    Rizwi FA, Abubakar M, Puppala ER, Goyal A, Bhadrawamy CV, Naidu VGM, et al.
    J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol, 2023;42(4):15-29.
    PMID: 37522565 DOI: 10.1615/JEnvironPatholToxicolOncol.2023045403
    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second-highest cause of mortality worldwide, killing nearly 9.6 million people annually. Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment during the last couple of decades, it remains a serious concern due to the limitations of currently available cancer management strategies. Therefore, alternative strategies are highly required to overcome these glitches. In addition, many etiological factors such as environmental and genetic factors initiate the activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of the transcription (STAT) pathway. This aberrant activation of the JAK-STAT pathway has been reported in various disease states, including inflammatory conditions, hematologic malignancies, and cancer. For instance, many patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms carry the acquired gain-of-function JAK2 V617F somatic mutation. This knowledge has dramatically improved our understanding of pathogenesis and has facilitated the development of therapeutics capable of suppressing the constitutive activation of the JAK-STAT pathway. Our aim is not to be expansive but to highlight emerging ideas towards preventive therapy in a modern view of JAK-STAT inhibitors. A series of agents with different specificities against different members of the JAK family of proteins is currently undergoing evaluation in clinical trials. Here we give a summary of how JAK-STAT inhibitors function and a detailed review of current clinical drugs for managing cancer as a new therapeutic approach.
    Matched MeSH terms: STAT Transcription Factors/metabolism; Janus Kinases/metabolism
  2. Fulltext Can algae contribute to the war with Covid-19?
    Chia WY, Kok H, Chew KW, Low SS, Show PL
    Bioengineered, 2021 Dec;12(1):1226-1237.
    PMID: 33858291 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1910432
    The world at large is facing a new threat with the emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Though imperceptible by the naked eye, the medical, sociological and economical implications caused by this newly discovered virus have been and will continue to be a great impediment to our lives. This health threat has already caused over two million deaths worldwide in the span of a year and its mortality rate is projected to continue rising. In this review, the potential of algae in combating the spread of COVID-19 is investigated since algal compounds have been tested against viruses and algal anti-inflammatory compounds have the potential to treat the severe symptoms of COVID-19. The possible utilization of algae in producing value-added products such as serological test kits, vaccines, and supplements that would either mitigate or hinder the continued health risks caused by the virus is prominent. Many of the characteristics in algae can provide insights on the development of microalgae to fight against SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses and contribute in manufacturing various green and high-value products.
    Matched MeSH terms: Rhodophyta/metabolism; Microalgae/metabolism
  3. Fulltext The clinical significance of vitamin D in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review
    Sakthiswary R, Raymond AA
    PLoS One, 2013;8(1):e55275.
    PMID: 23383135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055275
    BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among SLE patients than the general population. Over the past decade, many studies across the globe have been carried out to investigate the role of vitamin D in SLE from various clinical angles. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to summarise and evaluate the evidence from the published literature; focusing on the clinical significance of vitamin D in SLE.

    METHODS: THE FOLLOWING DATABASES WERE SEARCHED: MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and CINAHL, using the terms "lupus", "systemic lupus erythematosus", "SLE and "vitamin D". We included only adult human studies published in the English language between 2000 and 2012.The reference lists of included studies were thoroughly reviewed in search for other relevant studies.

    RESULTS: A total of 22 studies met the selection criteria. The majority of the studies were observational (95.5%) and cross sectional (90.9%). Out of the 15 studies which looked into the association between vitamin D and SLE disease activity, 10 studies (including the 3 largest studies in this series) revealed a statistically significant inverse relationship. For disease damage, on the other hand, 5 out of 6 studies failed to demonstrate any association with vitamin D levels. Cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were related to vitamin D deficiency, according to 3 of the studies.

    CONCLUSION: There is convincing evidence to support the association between vitamin D levels and SLE disease activity. There is paucity of data in other clinical aspects to make firm conclusions.

    Matched MeSH terms: Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/metabolism*; Vitamin D/metabolism*
  4. Fulltext Potential application of Aloe Vera-derived plant-based cell in powering wireless device for remote sensor activation
    Chong PL, Singh AK, Kok SL
    PLoS One, 2019;14(12):e0227153.
    PMID: 31881078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227153
    It is well proven that electrical energy can be harvested from the living plants which can be used as a potential renewable energy source for powering wireless devices in remote areas where replacing or recharging the battery is a difficult task. Therefore, harvesting electrical energy from living plants in remote areas such as in farms or forest areas can be an ideal source of energy as these areas are rich with living plants. The present paper proposes a design of a power management circuit that can harness, store and manage the electrical energy which is harvested from the leaves of Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) plants to trigger a transmitter load to power a remote sensor. The power management circuit consists of two sections namely; an energy storage system that acts as an energy storage reservoir to store the energy harvested from the plants as well as a voltage regulation system which is used to boost and manage the energy in accordance to a load operation. The experimental results show that the electrical energy harvested from the Aloe Vera under a specific setup condition can produce an output of 3.49 V and 1.1 mA. The harvested energy is being channeled to the power management circuit which can boost the voltage to 10.9 V under no load condition. The harvested energy from the plants boosted by the power management circuit can turn ON the transmitter automatically to activate a temperature and humidity sensor to measure the environmental stimuli periodically with a ton of 1.22 seconds and toff of 0.46 seconds. This proves that this new source of energy combined with a power management circuit can be employed for powering the wireless sensor network for application in the Internet of Things (IoT).
    Matched MeSH terms: Aloe/metabolism*; Plant Leaves/metabolism*
  5. Fulltext Altered Proteome of Burkholderia pseudomallei Colony Variants Induced by Exposure to Human Lung Epithelial Cells
    Al-Maleki AR, Mariappan V, Vellasamy KM, Tay ST, Vadivelu J
    PLoS One, 2015;10(5):e0127398.
    PMID: 25996927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127398
    Burkholderia pseudomallei primary diagnostic cultures demonstrate colony morphology variation associated with expression of virulence and adaptation proteins. This study aims to examine the ability of B. pseudomallei colony variants (wild type [WT] and small colony variant [SCV]) to survive and replicate intracellularly in A549 cells and to identify the alterations in the protein expression of these variants, post-exposure to the A549 cells. Intracellular survival and cytotoxicity assays were performed followed by proteomics analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. B. pseudomallei SCV survive longer than the WT. During post-exposure, among 259 and 260 protein spots of SCV and WT, respectively, 19 were differentially expressed. Among SCV post-exposure up-regulated proteins, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (CbbA) and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase were associated with adhesion and virulence. Among the down-regulated proteins, enolase (Eno) is implicated in adhesion and virulence. Additionally, post-exposure expression profiles of both variants were compared with pre-exposure. In WT pre- vs post-exposure, 36 proteins were differentially expressed. Of the up-regulated proteins, translocator protein, Eno, nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk), ferritin Dps-family DNA binding protein and peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B were implicated in invasion and virulence. In SCV pre- vs post-exposure, 27 proteins were differentially expressed. Among the up-regulated proteins, flagellin, Eno, CbbA, Ndk and phenylacetate-coenzyme A ligase have similarly been implicated in adhesion, invasion. Protein profiles differences post-exposure provide insights into association between morphotypic and phenotypic characteristics of colony variants, strengthening the role of B. pseudomallei morphotypes in pathogenesis of melioidosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bacterial Proteins/metabolism*; Burkholderia pseudomallei/metabolism*
  6. A rare non-canonical splice site in Trema orientalis SYMRK does not affect its dual symbiotic functioning in endomycorrhiza and rhizobium nodulation
    Alhusayni S, Roswanjaya YP, Rutten L, Huisman R, Bertram S, Sharma T, et al.
    BMC Plant Biol, 2023 Nov 24;23(1):587.
    PMID: 37996841 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04594-0
    BACKGROUND: Nitrogen-fixing nodules occur in ten related taxonomic lineages interspersed with lineages of non-nodulating plant species. Nodules result from an endosymbiosis between plants and diazotrophic bacteria; rhizobia in the case of legumes and Parasponia and Frankia in the case of actinorhizal species. Nodulating plants share a conserved set of symbiosis genes, whereas related non-nodulating sister species show pseudogenization of several key nodulation-specific genes. Signalling and cellular mechanisms critical for nodulation have been co-opted from the more ancient plant-fungal arbuscular endomycorrhizal symbiosis. Studies in legumes and actinorhizal plants uncovered a key component in symbiotic signalling, the LRR-type SYMBIOSIS RECEPTOR KINASE (SYMRK). SYMRK is essential for nodulation and arbuscular endomycorrhizal symbiosis. To our surprise, however, despite its arbuscular endomycorrhizal symbiosis capacities, we observed a seemingly critical mutation in a donor splice site in the SYMRK gene of Trema orientalis, the non-nodulating sister species of Parasponia. This led us to investigate the symbiotic functioning of SYMRK in the Trema-Parasponia lineage and to address the question of to what extent a single nucleotide polymorphism in a donor splice site affects the symbiotic functioning of SYMRK.

    RESULTS: We show that SYMRK is essential for nodulation and endomycorrhization in Parasponia andersonii. Subsequently, it is revealed that the 5'-intron donor splice site of SYMRK intron 12 is variable and, in most dicotyledon species, doesn't contain the canonical dinucleotide 'GT' signature but the much less common motif 'GC'. Strikingly, in T. orientalis, this motif is converted into a rare non-canonical 5'-intron donor splice site 'GA'. This SYMRK allele, however, is fully functional and spreads in the T. orientalis population of Malaysian Borneo. A further investigation into the occurrence of the non-canonical GA-AG splice sites confirmed that these are extremely rare.

    CONCLUSION: SYMRK functioning is highly conserved in legumes, actinorhizal plants, and Parasponia. The gene possesses a non-common 5'-intron GC donor splice site in intron 12, which is converted into a GA in T. orientalis accessions of Malaysian Borneo. The discovery of this functional GA-AG splice site in SYMRK highlights a gap in our understanding of splice donor sites.

    Matched MeSH terms: Plant Proteins/metabolism; Plants/metabolism
  7. Fulltext 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE): Bioactions, receptors, vascular function, cardiometabolic disease and beyond
    Pascale JV, Wolf A, Kadish Y, Diegisser D, Kulaprathazhe MM, Yemane D, et al.
    Adv Pharmacol, 2023;97:229-255.
    PMID: 37236760 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2023.01.002
    Vascular function is dynamically regulated and dependent on a bevy of cell types and factors that work in concert across the vasculature. The vasoactive eicosanoid, 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is a key player in this system influencing the sensitivity of the vasculature to constrictor stimuli, regulating endothelial function, and influencing the renin angiotensin system (RAS), as well as being a driver of vascular remodeling independent of blood pressure elevations. Several of these bioactions are accomplished through the ligand-receptor pairing between 20-HETE and its high-affinity receptor, GPR75. This 20-HETE axis is at the root of various vascular pathologies and processes including ischemia induced angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, septic shock, hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and cardiometabolic diseases including diabetes and insulin resistance. Pharmacologically, several preclinical tools have been developed to disrupt the 20-HETE axis including 20-HETE synthesis inhibitors (DDMS and HET0016), synthetic 20-HETE agonist analogues (20-5,14-HEDE and 20-5,14-HEDGE) and 20-HETE receptor blockers (AAA and 20-SOLA). Systemic or cell-specific therapeutic targeting of the 20-HETE-GPR75 axis continues to be an invaluable approach as studies examine the molecular underpinnings activated by 20-HETE under various physiological settings. In particular, the development and characterization of 20-HETE receptor blockers look to be a promising new class of compounds that can provide a considerable benefit to patients suffering from these cardiovascular pathologies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids/metabolism; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
  8. Inhibition of choline kinase as an antiamoebic approach in Entamoeba histolytica infection
    Teh ZH, Lim BH, See Too WC, Few LL
    Trop Biomed, 2023 Dec 01;40(4):430-438.
    PMID: 38308830 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.4.008
    Entamoeba histolytica is the parasite responsible for amoebiasis, which can result in amoebic colitis or amoebic liver abscess. Metronidazole has been the conventional treatment for intestinal amoebiasis, but concerns regarding resistance have emerged due to the identification of resistance pathways in E. histolytica. This study investigates a novel anti-amoebic approach targeting the CDP-choline pathway. Inhibition studies were conducted using potential choline kinase (CK) inhibitors to inhibit the EhCK enzyme, and RNA interference was employed to knock down the EhCK gene. Km and Vmax of purified EhCK and hCKa2 proteins were determined by pyruvate kinase-lactate dehydrogenase (PK-LDH) coupled assay. The IC50 values for EhCK and hCKa2 were determined with several commercial CK inhibitors. Selected inhibitors were incubated with E. histolytica trophozoites for 48 hours to determine the EC50 for each inhibitor. Silencing of gene encoding EhCK was carried out using duplex siRNA and the gene expression level was measured by real-time qPCR. Based on the IC50 values, three of the inhibitors, namely CK37, flavopiridol and H-89 were more potent against EhCK than hCKa2. Trophozoites growth inhibition showed that only HDTAB, H-89 and control drug metronidazole could penetrate and induce cell death after 48-hour incubation. siRNA concentration of 10 µg/mL was used for the transfection of positive control GAPDH, EhCK, and non-targeting GFP siRNAs. RNAi experiment concluded with positive control GAPDH downregulated by 99% while the level of EhCK mRNA was downregulated by 47%. In this study, potential inhibitors of EhCK and siRNA have been identified, paving the way for further refinement and testing to enhance their potency against EhCK while sparing hCK. The utilization of these specific inhibitors and siRNA targeting EhCK represents a novel approach to impede the growth of E. histolytica by disrupting its phospholipid synthesis pathway.
    Matched MeSH terms: Choline Kinase/metabolism; RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism
  9. Studies on plant regeneration and somaclonal variation in Saintpaulia ionantha Wendl. (African violet)
    Daud N, Taha RM, Hasbullah NA
    Pak J Biol Sci, 2008 May 01;11(9):1240-5.
    PMID: 18819532
    Efficient plant regeneration of Saintpaulia ionantha (African violet) has been obtained in the present study. MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L(-1) IAA and 2.0 mg L(-1) Zeatin resulted in 100% shoot regeneration and induced the highest number of shoots (average 15.0 +/- 0.8 shoots per explant) after being cultured for 8 weeks. The above hormone combination was optimum for shoot regeneration. Most of Saintpaulia ionantha plantlets derived from tissue culture system could be hardened and transferred to the greenhouse conditions with 84.0 +/- 1.6% success rate. However, regenerated plantlets of Saintpaulia ionantha (even after 12-months-old) failed to flower. Morphological characters of regenerated plantlets of Saintpaulia ionantha were observed and compared with in vivo (intact) plants. Regenerated plantlets showed some differences in morphological characters, such as height and leaf size, texture and colour, but the plantlets showed no variation in leaf arrangement and leaf margin. However, the morphological characters of the regenerated plantlets were found to be unstable.
    Matched MeSH terms: Indoleacetic Acids/metabolism; Plant Growth Regulators/metabolism
  10. Pediococcus pentosaceus LAB6- and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LAB12-Derived Cell Free Supernatant Inhibited RhoA Activation and Reduced Amyloid-Β In Vitro
    Zaki RM, Ramasamy K, Ahmad Alwi NA, Mohd Yusoff R, Lim SM
    Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins, 2024 Feb;16(1):62-75.
    PMID: 36443559 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-10009-7
    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque. RhoA may serve as a potential target for prevention against AD given its role in the amyloidogenic pathway. The recent emergence of the gut-brain axis has linked lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to neuroprotection against AD. This study assessed the importance of RhoA inhibition in mediating the neuroprotective potential of LAB. To this end, de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth fermented by lactobacilli or pediococci were tested against SK-N-SH (a human neuroblastoma cell line) in the presence of RhoA activator II for 24 h after which the RhoA activity was measured using the G-LISA Kit. Fluorescence staining of f-actin stress fibres was performed to validate RhoA inhibition. SK-N-SH was transfected with plasmid expressing amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene. The Aβ concentration in transfected cells exposed to LAB-derived cell free supernatant (CFS) in the presence of RhoA activator II was measured using the ELISA kit. Furthermore, this study measured organic acids in LAB-derived CFS using the gas chromatography. It was found that LAB-derived CFS yielded strain-dependent inhibition of RhoA, with LAB6- and LAB12-derived CFS being the most potent Pediococcal- and Lactiplantibacillus-based RhoA inhibitor, respectively. Lesser stress fibres were formed under treatment with LAB-derived CFS. The LAB-derived CFS also significantly inhibited Aβ in SK-N-SH transfected with APP gene in the presence of RhoA activator II. The LAB-derived CFS was presented with increased lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid and propionic acid. The present findings warrant in-depth study using animal models.
    Matched MeSH terms: Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism
  11. Genetic polymorphism and clustering of the Plasmodium cynomolgi Duffy binding protein 1 region II of recent macaque isolates from Peninsular Malaysia
    Latif ENM, Noordin NR, Shahari S, Amir A, Lau YL, Cheong FW, et al.
    Parasitol Res, 2024 Jan 19;123(1):105.
    PMID: 38240877 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08125-0
    Plasmodium cynomolgi is a simian malaria parasite that has been increasingly infecting humans. It is naturally present in the long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia. The P. cynomolgi Duffy binding protein 1 region II [PcDBP1(II)] plays an essential role in the invasion of the parasite into host erythrocytes. This study investigated the genetic polymorphism, natural selection and haplotype clustering of PcDBP1(II) from wild macaque isolates in Peninsular Malaysia. The genomic DNA of 50 P. cynomolgi isolates was extracted from the macaque blood samples. Their PcDBP1(II) gene was amplified using a semi-nested PCR, cloned into a plasmid vector and subsequently sequenced. The polymorphism, natural selection and haplotypes of PcDBP1(II) were analysed using MEGA X and DnaSP ver.6.12.03 programmes. The analyses revealed high genetic polymorphism of PcDBP1(II) (π = 0.026 ± 0.004; Hd = 0.996 ± 0.001), and it was under purifying (negative) selection. A total of 106 haplotypes of PcDBP1(II) were identified. Phylogenetic and haplotype analyses revealed two groups of PcDBP1(II). Amino acid length polymorphism was observed between the groups, which may lead to possible phenotypic difference between them.
    Matched MeSH terms: Macaca fascicularis/metabolism; Protozoan Proteins/metabolism
  12. MenSCs Transplantation Improve the Viability of Injured Endometrial Cells Through Activating PI3K/Akt Pathway
    Zhang S, Zhang R, Yin X, Lu Y, Cheng H, Pan Y, et al.
    Reprod Sci, 2023 Nov;30(11):3325-3338.
    PMID: 37308799 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01282-0
    Endometrial injury is one of the leading causes of female infertility and is caused by intrauterine surgery, endometrial infection, repeated abortion, or genital tuberculosis. Currently, there is little effective treatment to restore the fertility of patients with severe intrauterine adhesions and thin endometrium. Recent studies have confirmed the promising therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on various diseases with definite tissue injury. The aim of this study is to investigate the improvements of menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) transplantation on functional restoration in the endometrium of mouse model. Therefore, ethanol-induced endometrial injury mouse models were randomly divided into two groups: the PBS-treated group, and the MenSCs-treated group. As expected, the endometrial thickness and gland number in the endometrium of MenSCs-treated mice were significantly improved compared to those of PBS-treated mice (P 
    Matched MeSH terms: Endometrium/metabolism; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
  13. A Case Report of a Rare ER+, PR- Pure Metaplastic Breast Squamous Cell Carcinoma with HER2 Overexpression
    Adam SA, Kamaruddin KN, Abd Shukor N, Abdullah Suhaimi SN, Ismail F, Md Yasin M
    Am J Case Rep, 2023 Dec 04;24:e941448.
    PMID: 38048289 DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.941448
    BACKGROUND Breast squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a subtype of metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC), which is a rare malignancy and accounts for 0.1% of all invasive breast carcinomas. Guidelines on definitive management and treatment of breast SCC are not well established, given its rarity and diverse immunohistochemistry (IHC) profile, and lack of clinical data. Most cases of breast SCC are triple-negative breast cancer - negative for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This case report outlines the clinicopathological profile of a pure breast SCC case with a rare IHC profile; HER2 and ER positive. CASE REPORT A 41-year-old woman presented with a right breast mass that had been growing for 2 months. Biopsy confirmed breast SCC, a rare malignancy with IHC profile as follows: HER2 overexpression, ER positive, and PR negative. She underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy for 3 months followed by right mastectomy with axillary clearance, adjuvant radiotherapy, and oral tamoxifen therapy. Unfortunately, she did not receive anti-HER2 therapy. She developed early locoregional recurrence at 2 months postoperatively, which was treated with excision of the right chest wall and transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap. She developed liver and lung metastasis and succumbed to her disease at 15 months post-diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Breast SCC is a rare and aggressive tumor with heterogeneous clinicopathological features. Available guidelines do not outline the definitive treatment for breast SCC, given its rarity and heterogenous IHC profile, leading to a general lack of clinical data. Hence, due to the challenges in managing this rare condition, treatment modalities need to be individualized.
    Matched MeSH terms: Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism; Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism
  14. Bacillus cereus: A review of "fried rice syndrome" causative agents
    Leong SS, Korel F, King JH
    Microb Pathog, 2023 Dec;185:106418.
    PMID: 37866551 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106418
    "Fried rice syndrome" originated from the first exposure to a fried rice dish contaminated with Bacillus cereus. This review compiles available data on the prevalence of B. cereus outbreak cases that occurred between 1984 and 2019. The outcome of B. cereus illness varies dramatically depending on the pathogenic strain encounter and the host's immune system. B. cereus causes a self-limiting, diarrheal illness caused by heat-resistant enterotoxin proteins, and an emetic illness caused by the deadly toxin named cereulide. The toxins together with their extrinsic factors are discussed. The possibility of more contamination of B. cereus in protein-rich food has also been shown. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the available data, focusing mainly on B. cereus physiology as the causative agent for "fried rice syndrome." This review emphasizes the prevalence of B. cereus in starchy food contamination and outbreak cases reported, the virulence of both enterotoxins and emetic toxins produced, and the possibility of contaminated in protein-rich food. The impact of emetic or enterotoxin-producing B. cereus on public health cannot be neglected. Thus, it is essential to constantly monitor for B. cereus contamination during food handling and hygiene practices for food product preparation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bacillus cereus/metabolism; Emetics/metabolism
  15. Fulltext Physiological roles for the subfornical organ: a dynamic transcriptome shaped by autonomic state
    Hindmarch CC, Ferguson AV
    J Physiol, 2016 Mar 15;594(6):1581-9.
    PMID: 26227400 DOI: 10.1113/JP270726
    The subfornical organ (SFO) is a circumventricular organ recognized for its ability to sense and integrate hydromineral and hormonal circulating fluid balance signals, information which is transmitted to central autonomic nuclei to which SFO neurons project. While the role of SFO was once synonymous with physiological responses to osmotic, volumetric and cardiovascular challenge, recent data suggest that SFO neurons also sense and integrate information from circulating signals of metabolic status. Using microarrays, we have confirmed the expression of receptors already described in the SFO, and identified many novel transcripts expressed in this circumventricular organ including receptors for many of the critical circulating energy balance signals such as adiponectin, apelin, endocannabinoids, leptin, insulin and peptide YY. This transcriptome analysis also identified SFO transcripts, the expressions of which are significantly changed by either 72 h dehydration, or 48 h starvation, compared to fed and euhydrated controls. Expression and potential roles for many of these targets are yet to be confirmed and elucidated. Subsequent validation of data for adiponectin and leptin receptors confirmed that receptors for both are expressed in the SFO, that discrete populations of neurons in this tissue are functionally responsive to these adipokines, and that such responsiveness is regulated by physiological state. Thus, transcriptomic analysis offers great promise for understanding the integrative complexity of these physiological systems, especially with development of technologies allowing description of the entire transcriptome of single, carefully phenotyped, SFO neurons. These data will ultimately elucidate mechanisms through which these uniquely positioned neurons respond to and integrate complex circulating signals.
    Matched MeSH terms: Energy Metabolism; Subfornical Organ/metabolism*
  16. Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on antioxidant and immune genes in mussels
    Ma Y, Gao Y, Xu R, Li D, Waiho K, Wang Y, et al.
    Mar Environ Res, 2024 Jan;193:106277.
    PMID: 38040551 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106277
    Nanoplastics (NPs) and antibiotics (ABs) are two of the emerging marine contaminants that have drawn the most attention in recent years. Given the necessity of figuring out the effects of plastic and antibiotic contamination on marine organism life and population in the natural environment, it is essential to apply rapid and effective biological indicators to evaluate their comprehensive toxic effects. In this study, using mussel (Mytilus coruscus) as a model, we investigated the combined toxic effects of NP (80 nm polystyrene beads) and AB (Norfloxacin, NOR) at environmental-relevant concentrations on antioxidant and immune genes. In terms of the antioxidant genes, NPs significantly increased the relative expression of Cytochrome P450 3A-1 (CYP3A-1) under various concentrations of NOR conditions, but they only significantly increased the relative expression of CYP3A-2 in the high concentration (500 μg L-1 NOR) co-exposure group. In the NP-exposure group which exposed to no or low concentrations of NOR, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was upregulated. In terms of the immune genes, interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) -1 showed a significant increase in the low-concentration NOR group while a significant inhibition in the high-concentration NOR group. Due to the presence of NPs, exposure to NOR resulted in a significant increase in both IRAK-4 and heat shock protein (HSP) 70. Our findings indicate that polystyrene NPs can exacerbate the effects of NOR on the anti-oxidant and immune defense performance of mussels. This study delves into the toxic effects of NPs and ABs from a molecular perspective. Given the expected increase in environmental pollution due to NPs and ABs, future research is needed to investigate the potential synergistic effect of NPs and ABs on other organisms.
    Matched MeSH terms: Norfloxacin/metabolism; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A/metabolism
  17. Selection and characterization of ssDNA aptamer targeting Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus capsid protein: A potential capture agent in gold-nanoparticle-based aptasensor for viral protein detection
    Ghadin N, Yusof NAM, Syarul Nataqain B, Raston NHA, Low CF
    J Fish Dis, 2024 Feb;47(2):e13892.
    PMID: 38014615 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13892
    The giant freshwater prawn holds a significant position as a valuable crustacean species cultivated in the aquaculture industry, particularly well-known and demanded among the Southeast Asian countries. Aquaculture production of this species has been impacted by Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) infection, which particularly affects the larvae and post-larvae stages of the prawn. The infection has been recorded to cause mortality rates of up to 100% among the affected prawns. A simple, fast, and easy to deploy on-site detection or diagnostic method is crucial for early detection of MrNV to control the disease outbreak. In the present study, novel single-stranded DNA aptamers targeting the MrNV capsid protein were identified using the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) approach. The aptamer was then conjugated with the citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and the sensitivity of this AuNP-based aptasensor for the detection of MrNV capsid protein was evaluated. Findings revealed that the aptamer candidate, APT-MrNV-CP-1 was enriched throughout the SELEX cycle 4, 9, and 12 with the sequence percentage of 1.76%, 9.09%, and 12.42%, respectively. The conjugation of APT-MrNV-CP-1 with citrate-capped AuNPs exhibited the highest sensitivity in detecting the MrNV capsid protein, where the presence of 62.5 nM of the viral capsid protein led to a significant agglomeration of the AuNPs. This study demonstrated the practicality of an AuNP-based aptasensor for disease diagnosis, particularly for detecting MrNV infection in giant freshwater prawns.
    Matched MeSH terms: Citrates/metabolism; Capsid Proteins/metabolism
  18. Effects of dietary hydrolysate supplementation on growth, body composition, hematological responses, and liver histology of juvenile giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis Forsskal, 1775)
    Nguyen MC, Fotedar R, Pham HD
    J Fish Biol, 2024 Jan;104(1):216-226.
    PMID: 37800368 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15580
    A feeding study was conducted to investigate how fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) supplementation affected the growth, feed utilization, body composition, and hematology of juvenile giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis Forsskal, 1775). Seven isonitrogenous (52% protein) and isocaloric diets (10% lipid) were formulated, wherein shrimp hydrolysate (SH) and tuna hydrolysate (TH) were used to replace fishmeal at inclusion levels of 0 (control), 30, 60, and 90 g/kg and labeled as control, SH30, SH60, SH90, TH30, TH60, and TH90, respectively. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of juvenile giant trevally for 8 weeks. The results showed higher final body weight and specific growth rate in fish fed SH30, SH60, TH30, and TH60 than fed control diet. No difference was observed in feed intake, but reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in fish fed SH30, SH60, TH30, and TH60, demonstrating these diets improved feed utilization. TH90 caused deposition of lipid droplet in the hepatocyte, a sign of liver damage. Total monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and highly unsaturated fatty acids in fish were not affected by FPH supplementation. Fish fed TH30 showed lower ∑n - 3 PUFA than the fish fed remaining dietary treatments. The elevated serum protein was seen in fish fed control, SH30, SH60, and TH30, demonstrating that these diets were beneficial for the innate immune response in giant trevally. The results indicate that TH and SH could be incorporated into diets of giant trevally at 30-60 g/kg, replacing 7%-13% fishmeal with enhanced growth and health benefits.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/metabolism; Tuna/metabolism
  19. Tophaceous gout in young patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
    Veerapen K, Schumacher HR, van Linthoudt D, Neilson EG, Wang F
    J Rheumatol, 1993 Apr;20(4):721-4.
    PMID: 8496872
    Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and gout have been associated infrequently. We describe 3 young adults with SLE who developed tophaceous gout relatively early in the course of their disease. All were underexcretors of uric acid but were studied after the development of renal disease; 2 were treated with diuretics. In 2 cases, gout became obvious while lupus was quiescent.
    Matched MeSH terms: Gout/metabolism*; Uric Acid/metabolism*
  20. Fulltext Effects of Photodynamic Therapy on Tumor Metabolism and Oxygenation Revealed by Fluorescence and Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging
    Shirmanova MV, Lukina MM, Sirotkina MA, Shimolina LE, Dudenkova VV, Ignatova NI, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2024 Jan 30;25(3).
    PMID: 38338976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031703
    This work was aimed at the complex analysis of the metabolic and oxygen statuses of tumors in vivo after photodynamic therapy (PDT). Studies were conducted on mouse tumor model using two types of photosensitizers-chlorin e6-based drug Photoditazine predominantly targeted to the vasculature and genetically encoded photosensitizer KillerRed targeted to the chromatin. Metabolism of tumor cells was assessed by the fluorescence lifetime of the metabolic redox-cofactor NAD(P)H, using fluorescence lifetime imaging. Oxygen content was assessed using phosphorescence lifetime macro-imaging with an oxygen-sensitive probe. For visualization of the perfused microvasculature, an optical coherence tomography-based angiography was used. It was found that PDT induces different alterations in cellular metabolism, depending on the degree of oxygen depletion. Moderate decrease in oxygen in the case of KillerRed was accompanied by an increase in the fraction of free NAD(P)H, an indicator of glycolytic switch, early after the treatment. Severe hypoxia after PDT with Photoditazine resulted from a vascular shutdown yielded in a persistent increase in protein-bound (mitochondrial) fraction of NAD(P)H. These findings improve our understanding of physiological mechanisms of PDT in cellular and vascular modes and can be useful to develop new approaches to monitoring its efficacy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oxygen/metabolism; Photosensitizing Agents/metabolism
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