Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 2015 (vol. 13), issue 3

Contents

J Appl Biomed 13:v, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/S1214-021X(15)00037-X  

Bioinformatic analysis of miRNAs targeting the key nuclear receptors regulating CYP3A4 gene expression: The challenge of the CYP3A4 "missing heritability" enigma

Tomas Smutny, Jurjen Duintjer Tebbens, Petr Pavek

J Appl Biomed 13:181-188, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.04.002  

The expression of the main cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4 displays enormous interindividual variability. Studies addressing the genetic variability of either the CYP3A4 gene itself or its key transcription factors have not found any crucial polymorphism contributing to this variability in expression, a phenomenon is referred to as the "missing heritability of CYP3A4 variability." Several reports have recently described microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting the CYP3A4 gene and/or its major transcription factors.A comprehensive bioinformatic analysis was performed using the miRDB, PITA, miRanda and TargetScan programs in the search for hypothetical miRNAs...

The expression, purification and activity analysis of Francisella tularensis citrulline ureidase in Escherichia coli

Tingheng Zhu, Sanyu Fang, Weixia Wang, Kun Wang, Zhifeng Cui, Changchun Wang

J Appl Biomed 13:189-194, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2014.11.003  

Citrulline ureidase (CTU, EC3.5.1.20) degrades citrulline into ornithine, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. Here, we present the report on expression of recombinant CTU in Escherichia coli. The soluble and active recombinant CTU was expressed in the periplasmic space with the vector pET-22b and the His-tagged CTU was purified with Ni-Affinity Chromatography. The yield of soluble recombinant protein was significantly increased when 1% sorbitol was supplemented in medium. By using phenylisothiocyanate (PITC) pre-column derivatization HPLC, the enzyme activity of recombinant CTU was determined via measuring of the substrate citrulline and the corresponding...

Fibroblasts isolated from the malignant melanoma influence phenotype of normal human keratinocytes

Jan Kučera, Barbora Dvořánková, Karel Smetana Jr., Pavol Szabo, Ondřej Kodet

J Appl Biomed 13:195-198, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.03.002  

Intercellular interactions are able to influence the biological properties of many types of tumors including malignant melanoma. Differentiation pattern of melanoma cells is significantly influenced by the melanoma-associated fibroblasts but the information about interaction of these cells with other important element of melanoma microenvironment, resp. with keratinocytes, is limited. In this, study we tested the effect of fibroblasts isolated from malignant melanoma on phenotype of normal human keratinocytes, especially on their expression of vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein weakly expressed in normal human keratinocytes. The co-culture with normal...

Anticancer potential of bioactive 16-methylheptadecanoic acid methyl ester derived from marine Trichoderma

Kandasamy Saravanakumar, Raju Vivek, Natarajan Sithranga Boopathy, Li Yaqian, Kandasamy Kathiresan, Jie Chen

J Appl Biomed 13:199-212, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.04.001  

The present work aimed at purifying the intracellular fungal metabolites, such as 16-methylheptadecanoic acid methyl ester (HDA) and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (ODA) from marine Trichoderma, Hypocrea lixii TSK8, Hypocrea rufa SKS2 respectively, and investigating their anticancer and antioxidant effects. The two fungal metabolites were tested against two human cancer cell lines, namely oral cancer (KB) and skin carcinoma (A431) by using MTT assay. The inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) against KB oral cancer cells were found to be 18.75 ± 0.12 μg/mL for HDA and 75.50 ± 0.42 μg/mL for ODA. Whereas IC₅₀...

Crocin prevention of anemia-induced changes in structural and functional parameters of mice testes

Ali Kalantari Hesari, Rasoul Shahrooz, Abbas Ahmadi, Hasan Malekinejad, Ehsan Saboory

J Appl Biomed 13:213-223, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.02.001  

This study aimed to investigate the effect of phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia on testicular functions and protective role of crocin in mice. Forty-nine adult male mice were studied in 7 groups. The control mice received normal saline, three groups were treated with 2, 4, and 6 mg/100 g of phenylhydrazine, and three other groups received 20 mg/100 g of crocin with phenylhydrazine for 35 days. Then, the blood samples were taken to examine oxidative stress of serum, sperm samples were obtained for IVF testing, and testicle tissue samples were taken for morphological studies. Morphometric results indicated a significant reduction in TDI (tubular...

Perinucleolar heterochromatin during the cell differentiation using human leukemic neutrophils as a convenient model

Karel Smetana, Hana Klamová, Ilona Jirásková, Dana Mikulenková

J Appl Biomed 13:225-232, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.03.001  

The perinucleolar region represents a special nuclear compartment involved in the cell malignancy and the perinucleolar heterochromatin reflects the presence of silent genes. The present study was undertaken to provide complementary and missing information on the perinucleolar heterochromatin in differentiating neutrophils in the bone marrow of patients with the chronic myeloid leukemia. That lineage is a very convenient model because of the increased number of granulocytic precursors that is satisfactory for size as well as optical density measurements in single cells. Moreover, the differentiation stages of neutrophils are well defined and easily...

Influence of spurious dilution and hyperglycemia on erythrocytes and platelets evaluated with two different hematological analyzers

Giuseppe Lippi, Ruggero Buonocore, Roberta Musa, Rosalia Aloe, Alessandra Picanza, Silvia Pipitone, Fabian Sanchis-Gomar

J Appl Biomed 13:233-238, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.01.004  

The integrity of whole blood samples may be compromised by suboptimal collection practices. Therefore, we investigated the influence of spurious hyperglycemia on erythrocytes and platelets, assessed with two hematological analyzers using optical or impedance technique. Three K₂EDTA blood specimens were collected from 12 healthy subjects, pooled and divided into four aliquots. The first aliquot was left untreated (glucose concentration 4.4 mmol/L), whereas scalar amounts of standard 5% glucose solution were added to the remaining, generating glucose contamination of 5% (19.2 mmol/L), 10% (33 mmol/L) and 20% (62 mmol/L). Hematological testing...

Self-assembly of carrageenin-CaCO₃ hybrid microparticles on bacterial cellulose films for doxorubicin sustained delivery

Maximiliano L. Cacicedo, Karina Cesca, Valeria E. Bosio, Luismar M. Porto, Guillermo R. Castro

J Appl Biomed 13:239-248, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.03.004  

Stereospecific nucleation of mesoporous hybrid microspheres composed of CaCO₃ and carrageenan was appended to one side of bacterial cellulose membrane synthesized in static cultures of Gluconacetobacter hansenii to develop an implantable drug delivery device. The synthesis of the hybrid microparticles proceeds by self-assembly mechanism in the presence of calcium and contains tailorable amounts of doxorubicin. However, in the absence of the particles, doxorubicin was distributed along the BC film, but without control release of drug. Infrared spectroscopy, confocal and scanning electron microscopies analyses demonstrate that the doxorubicin...

Augmentation of natural killer cell activity in vitro and in vivo by sericin-derived oligopeptides

Pornpimon Jantaruk, Porkaew Promphet, Manote Sutheerawattananonda, Duangkamol Kunthalert

J Appl Biomed 13:249-256, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.03.005  

This study investigated the effects of sericin-derived oligopeptides on natural killer (NK) activity. In vitro exposure of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with sericin-derived oligopeptides resulted in an augmentation of NK cell activity against K562 target cells and the effects appeared to be dose-related. Experiments designed to examine whether enhanced NK activity was due to direct or indirect activation of NK cells revealed that sericin oligopeptides did not induce activity of purified NK cells, and that sericin oligopeptides augmented NK activity indirectly by inducing the production of IL-2 and IFN-γ cytokines. In in...

Breastfeeding: Antioxidative properties of breast milk

Carla Matos, Marta Ribeiro, António Guerra

J Appl Biomed 13:169-180, 2015 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2015.04.003  

Birth is an event that exposes the newborn baby to a high concentration of free radicals (reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS)), which can contribute to several diseases. The balanced equilibrium between ROS/RNS and the antioxidant system of the newborn is a key factor in preventing a plethora of diseases. The antioxidant system involves endogenous and exogenous molecules, from vitamins (A, E, C) to enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase), metals (copper, zinc, and selenium) and other molecules (coenzyme Q₁₀, melatonin) that can act in a synergistic manner to deactivate free radicals. A competent antioxidant...