Respiratory infections and type 1 diabetes: Potential roles in pathogenesis.

Among the environmental factors associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D), viral infections of the gut and pancreas has been investigated most intensely, identifying enterovirus infections as the prime candidate trigger of islet autoimmunity (IA) and T1D development. However, the association between respiratory tract infections (RTI) and IA/T1D is comparatively less known. While there are significant amounts of epidemiological evidence supporting the role of respiratory infections in T1D, there remains a paucity of data characterising infectious agents at the molecular level. This gap in the literature precludes the identification of the specific infectious agents driving the association between RTI and T1D. Furthermore, the effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on the development of IA/T1D remains undeciphered. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence to date, implicating RTIs (viral and non-viral) as potential risk factors for IA/T1D.

Investigation of VEGF (rs 699947) polymorphism in the progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and in-silico nanoparticle drug delivery of potential phytochemicals to cure RA.

Mutation in the VEGF gene disturbs the production of chondrocytes and angiogenesis which are essential for cartilage health. Cytokines and chemokines produced by auto-activation of B-cells degrade cartilage. Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) plays a crucial role in the activation of these B-cells. VEGF has a central part in angiogenesis, in the recruitment of endothelial cells, and is involved in mechanisms that result in tumour formation. The objective of this research is to investigate the potential role of VEGF polymorphism in the development of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and the screening of potential natural, synthetic BTK inhibitor compounds as possible in-silico chemotherapeutic agents to control auto-activation of B-cells and cartilage degrading cytokines. In this study, it had been shown that allele A frequency was significantly higher than that of allele C in RA-positive patients as compared to controls. Hence it depicts that allele A of VEGF (rs699947) can increase the risk of RA while allele C has a protective role. The phytochemicals which showed maximum binding affinity at the inhibitory site of BTK include beta boswellic acid, tanshinone, and baicalin. These phytochemicals as BTK inhibitor give insights to use them as anti-arthritic compounds by nanoparticle drug delivery mechanism.

The Biological Causes and Consequences of COVID-19: ACE I/D Polymorphism and In-Silico Screening of Potential Bioactive Phytochemicals Against COVID-19.

The "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome" (SARS), which has relation to the coronavirus-2 considered to be a major cause of the disease addressed by COVID-19. COVID-19 requires the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), which is considered to be the target receptor of the host cells. The intention of this practical research study was to observe ACE I/D polymorphism association with COVID-19 and also the in-silico screening of potential phytochemicals against COVID-19. This study incorporated total of 320 blood samples; of which 160 were collected from COVID-19 patients and 160 were collected from healthy controls. DNA extraction was conducted from whole genomic blood and afterward, the banding patterns of ACE polymorphism were identified by the application of a nested polymerase chain reaction. A significant discrepancy was recorded in the frequency of insertion/deletion (ID) and homozygous deletion (DD) between controls and patients. The frequency reported for ID was just 10% and that of DD (genetic constitution) was 90%. Predictably, a 100% DD genetic constitution was shown by all the controls. The inference of this study was that the DD genotype has a greater prevalence in COVID-19 as compared to II and ID. In-silico screening of potential phytochemicals against COVID-19 is very effective in its concentrated form showing no or fewer side effects and can be used as a drug against COVID-19 spike protein blockage to inhibit the interaction between ACE-2 receptors. The highest affinity and lowest binding energy were observed by Dictaminine.