Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 2018 (vol. 16), issue 1

Contents

J Appl Biomed 16:v, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/S1214-021X(18)30009-7  

The influence of modulators of acetylcholinesterase on the resistance of mice against soman and on the effectiveness of antidotal treatment of soman poisoning in mice

Jiri Kassa, Jan Korabecny, Eugenie Nepovimova, Daniel Jun

J Appl Biomed 16:10-14, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.01.004  

The potency of one reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (6-chlorotacrine), one reactivator of acetycholinesterase (K027) and their combination to increase the resistance of mice against soman and the efficacy of antidotal treatment of soman-poisoned mice was evaluated. While 6-chlorotacrine was able to markedly protect mice against acute toxicity of soman and the pharmacological pretreatment with 6-chlorotacrine increased the efficacy of antidotal treatment (the oxime HI-6 in combination with atropine) of soman-poisoned mice more than two times, the bispyridinium oxime K027 did not protect mice from acute toxicity of soman, however, the pharmacological...

IL-37 mediates the anti-tumor activity in non-small cell lung cancer through IL-6/STAT3 pathway

Yan-Ming Deng, Hua Zhang, Jian-Miao Liang, Hai-Bing Xian, Ze-Cheng Chen, Yi-Cong Tang, Shuang Yang, Wei-Neng Feng

J Appl Biomed 16:15-21, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.04.001  

The occurrence and development of lung cancer is closely related to inflammation. Thus, we conducted the present study to investigate the effects of IL-37 (Interleukin 37), a newly identified anti-inflammatory factor, on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. To address the function of IL-37 in NSCLC, we first evaluated IL-37 expression in the human NSCLC tissues; then the IL-37 function was assessed in vitro and in vivo in a xenografted lung tumor model. IL-37 was barely expressed in the NSCLC tissue but highly expressed in the adjacent normal tissue. This expression profile was validated...

Sinomenine inhibits the growth of glioma cells through STAT3 signal pathway

Yi-ting Wei, Qun-ying Yang, Shuang-bo Fan, Liang-Wang, Dong-Xia Hu, Ping Shuai

J Appl Biomed 16:22-28, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.11.005  

The present study was designed to examine effects of Sinomenine (SM) on glioma cells growth in vivo and in vitro. Cells growth and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay, TUNEL assay and flow cytometric analysis. In the study, SM treatment led to growth inhibition on a series of glioma cell lines, including U87, U373, U251, Hs683 and T98G. SM prevented U87 growth in the nude mice as well. Inhibitory effects of SM on U87 cells proliferation in vitro and in vivo were more effective than that of temozolomide (TMZ), and SM has synergistic effects with TMZ in the glioma therapy. SM induced apoptotic death in U87 cells via activation...

Proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain) is inhibited by the combination of pravastatin and simvastatin with low concentrations of conventional drugs used in toxoplasmosis

Raquel Arruda Sanfelice, Larissa Rodrigues Bosqui, Suelen Santos da Silva, Milena Menegazzo Miranda-Sapla, Luciano Aparecido Panagio, Italmar Teodorico Navarro, Ivete Conchon-Costa, Wander Rogério Pavanelli, Ricardo Sergio Almeida, Idessania Nazareth Costa

J Appl Biomed 16:29-33, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.009  

Toxoplasma gondii, an etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular parasite, which exhibits an apicoplast organelle which assists in the metabolism of isoprenoids and other pivotal mediators for the parasite survival. Statins are drugs that inhibit cholesterol synthesis, blocking the conversion of the substrate HMG-CoA to mevalonate, thus preventing the initial processes of the biosynthesis of these precursors, both in humans and parasite. In the light of this information, we determined the effect of pravastatin and simvastatin associated with the current drugs (pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine) as a possible alternative treatment...

miR-214 and miR-126 were associated with restoration of endothelial function in obesity after exercise and dietary intervention

Shen Wang, Jingwen Liao, Junhao Huang, Honggang Yin, Weiyue Yang, Min Hu

J Appl Biomed 16:34-39, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.003  

Obesity would result in increased cardiovascular morbidity including endothelial destruction, and miRNAs are recognized as potent regulators on endothelial function. We therefore explored pivotal miRNAs before and after exercise and dietary intervention in obese adults and examined their potential relationships with selected endothelial function and biomarkers. Obese adults were included in an exercise and dietary intervention training program for 2 months. At the beginning and the end, measurements of anthropometric and metabolic parameters were performed. Flow-mediated dilation, endothelial related biochemicals and circulating miR-214 and miR-126...

A novel algorithm for identifying risk factors for rare events: Predicting transient ischemic attack in young patients with low-risk atrial fibrillation

Chieh-Yu Liu, Hui-Chun Chen

J Appl Biomed 16:40-45, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.005  

Identification of risk factors for transient ischemic attack (TIA) is crucial for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, identifying risk factors in young patients with low-risk AF is difficult, because the incidence of TIA in such patients is very low, which would result in traditional multiple logistic regression not being able to successfully identify the risk factors in such patients. Therefore, a novel algorithm for identifying risk factors for TIA is necessary. We thus propose a novel algorithm, which combines multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis and uses the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database,...

DMH4, a VEGFR2 inhibitor, effectively suppresses growth and invasion of lung cancer cells

Hao Li, Helen L. Ha, Xiaoxu Ding, Chay Bae, Nicky Gazy, Jijun Hao, Li Zhong

J Appl Biomed 16:46-50, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.006  

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer, remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling is an effective approach to the treatment of NSCLC. Small molecules have been proven to be good resource for discovery of inhibitors of VEGF signalling. DMH4 is a small molecule that we previously developed and demonstrated to have the property of selectively inhibiting VEGF signalling by targeting VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2). In this study, we reported that DMH4 can effectively block phosphorylation of VEGFR2 in both H460 and A549 NSCLC cells, which resulted in significant...

Biomechanical evaluation of human lumbar spine in spondylolisthesis

Kamil Joszko, Marek Gzik, Wojciech Wolański, Bożena Gzik-Zroska, Edyta Kawlewska

J Appl Biomed 16:51-58, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.004  

One of the least known conditions of the lumbar spine in terms of biomechanics is spondylolisthesis which causes many serious consequences for the patient. This research aimed to perform a mechanical analysis of the origins of spondylolisthesis and its impact on the biomechanics of the lumbar section of the spine. Within the framework of this study, a physiologically model of the lumbar spine was created in the MADYMO software. In the next stage a slip of vertebra L4 was simulated by means of a controlled forward displacement of the vertebral body of vertebra L4. 10 variants of spondylolisthesis (W1-W10) of different degrees were subjected to a biomechanical...

Antibacterial and cytotoxicity effects of biogenic palladium nanoparticles synthesized using fruit extract of Couroupita guianensis Aubl.

Sathishkumar Gnanasekar, Jeyaraj Murugaraj, Balakrishnan Dhivyabharathi, Varunkumar Krishnamoorthy, Pradeep K Jha, Prabukumar Seetharaman, Ravikumar Vilwanathan, Sivaramakrishnan Sivaperumal

J Appl Biomed 16:59-65, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.001  

Herein, we report a facile route to synthesize palladium nanoparticles (CGPdNPs) using the aqueous fruit extract of C. guianensis Aubl. as a potent biological reducing agent. Reduction of PdCl₂ solution into their nano scale was confirmed with the formation of a black precipitate which gives a reduced absorbance in UV-vis spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveals the active role of phenolic constituents from C. guianensis in reduction and surface functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analysis confirms the generation of polydispersed highly stable...

DNA repair inhibitors as radiosensitizers in human lung cells

Kamila Ďurišová, Lucie Čecháková, Petr Jošt, Zuzana Šinkorová, Adéla Kmochová, Jaroslav Pejchal, Martin Ondrej, Jiřina Vávrová, Aleš Tichý

J Appl Biomed 16:66-74, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.008  

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of DNA repair inhibitors in the context of radio-sensitization of human lung cells. The radio-sensitizing effects of NU7441 (1 mM), an inhibitor of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK); KU55933 (10 μM), an inhibitor of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM); and VE-821 (10 μM), an inhibitor of ATM-related kinase (ATR) were tested by the xCELLigence system for monitoring proliferation, fluorescence microscopy for DNA damage detection, flow-cytometry for cell cycle and apoptosis analysis and western blotting and ELISA for determination of DNA repair proteins. We employed normal human lung fibroblasts...

Apigenin inhibits ethanol-induced oxidative stress and LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine production in cultured rat hepatocytes

Feng Wang, Rui-Jun Zhou, Xi Zhao, Hua Ye, Mei-Lin Xie

J Appl Biomed 16:75-80, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.11.006  

Apigenin is a natural flavonoid compound that has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, the effects of apigenin on ethanol-induced oxidative stress and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokine production were examined in cultured rat hepatocytes. Following pretreatment of ethanol-stimulated hepatocytes with apigenin 6-24 mM for 2 h, the levels of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) protein expression and supernatant alanine aminotransferase and malondialdehyde were reduced (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while the activities of glutathione reductase...

NETosis - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in inflammation

Lucia Lauková, Barbora Konečná

J Appl Biomed 16:1-9, 2018 | DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2017.10.002  

Neutrophils play an important role as the central mediators of the innate immune defence response, providing the first line of host protection. It was shown that these cells can trap and kill various microorganisms through different ways. One of them is a release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) composed of chromatin fibrils and antimicrobial proteins. There is the evidence that the release of NETs does not have only a beneficial effect. NETs can trap and kill microorganisms and pathogens, however on the other hand the same pathway can also cause the damage of the organism by various mechanisms. NETs participate in the pathogenesis of a lot...