Integrating machine learning with experimental investigation for optimizing photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B using neodymium-doped titanium dioxide: a comprehensive approach with toxicity assessment.

In this study, neodymium-doped titanium dioxide (Nd-TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized via a hydrothermal method for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV and sunlight conditions. The properties of these NPs were comprehensively characterized. And optimization of RhB degradation was conducted using control-variable experiment and artificial neural networks (ANN) under various operational conditions and in the presence of competing compounds. The acute toxicity of both NPs, RhB, and the environmental impact of the photocatalytic treatment effluent on Danio rerio were evaluated. The Nd modification increased the catalyst's specific surface area and thermal stability. X-ray diffraction confirmed the tetragonal anatase phase in undoped TiO2, while Nd-doped TiO2 exhibited shifts in peaks and the presence of brookite and rutile phases. Nd (1 mol%) doped TiO2 demonstrated superior RhB photocatalytic degradation efficiency, achieving 95% degradation and 82% total organic carbon (TOC) removal within 60 min under UV irradiation. Optimization under sunlight conditions yielded 95.14% RhB removal with 0.28 g/L photocatalyst and 1% doping. Under UV light, 98.12% RhB removal was optimized with 0.97% doping, along with the presence of humic acid and CaCl2. ANN modeling achieved high precision (R2 of 0.99) in modeling environmental photocatalysis. Toxicity assessments indicated that the 96-h LC50 values were 681.59 mg L-1 for both NPs, and 23.02 mg L-1 for RhB. The treated dye solution exhibited a significant decline in toxicity, emphasizing the potential of 1% Nd-TiO2 in wastewater treatment.

CTLA-4 Blockade of Natural Killer Cells Increases Cytotoxicity against Acute Lymphoid Leukaemia Cells Neda.

OBJECTIVE: There is interest in using cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) immunotherapy to treat blood cancers. Unfortunately, patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) frequently exhibit resistance to treatment and natural killer (NK) cell exhaustion. This study aims to increase the cytotoxic potency of natural killer cells by using CTLA-4 to block the Nalm-6 leukaemia cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, NK cells were purified from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 healthy people and assessed by flow cytometry for purity and viability. The purified cells were activated overnight at 37°C and 5% CO2 with interleukin-15 (IL-15, 10 ng/ml) followed by evaluation of expressions of CTLA-4, activating and inhibitory receptors, and the release of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and granzyme B (GZM B). CTLA-4 expression on NK cells from recurrent ALL patients was also evaluated. Finally, the cytotoxic activity of NK cells was assessed after the CTLA-4 blockade. RESULTS: The purity of the isolated cells was 96.58 ± 2.57%. Isolated NK cells activated with IL-15 resulted in significantly higher CTLA-4 expression (8.75%, P<0.05). Similarly, CTLA-4 expression on the surface of NK cells from patients with ALL was higher (7.46%) compared to healthy individuals (1.46%, P<0.05). IL-15 reduced NKG2A expression (P<0.01), and increased expressions of NKP30 (P<0.05) and NKP46 (P<0.01). The activated NK cells released more IFN-γ (P<0.5) and GZM B (P<0.01) compared to unactivated NK cells. Blockade of CTLA-4 enhanced the NK cell killing potential against Nalm-6 cells (56.3%, P<0.05); however, IFN-γ and GZM B levels were not statistically different between the blocked and non-blocked groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that CTLA-4 blockage of Nalm-6 cells causes an increase in antitumour activity of NK cells against these cells. Our study also provides evidence for the potential of cancer immunotherapy treatment using blocking anti-CTLA-4 mAbs.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide, a New Risk Factor for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Changes the Expression of miRNA-34a, and miRNA-122 in the Fatty Liver Cell Model.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a multifactorial disorder with complicated pathophysiology ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) production is believed to be correlated with choline deficiency. This study investigated the expression of miRNA-34a, miRNA-122, and miRNA-192 in the fatty liver cell model treated with different concentrations of TMAO. A fatty liver cell model was developed by exposing HepG2 cells to a mixture of palmitate and oleate in a ratio of 1:2 at a final concentration of 1200 µM for 24 h. The confirmed fatty liver cells were treated with 37.5, 75, 150, and 300 µM of TMAO for 24 h. RT-qPCR was used to quantify the expression of microRNAs in a cellular model. The cellular expression of all microRNAs was significantly higher in treated fatty liver cells compared to normal HepG2 cells (P < 0.05). Only 75 and 150 µM of TMAO significantly increased the expression of miRNA-34a and miRNA-122 compared to both fatty and normal control cells (P < 0.05). Our results provided an experimental documentation for the potential effect of TMAO to change the expression of miR-34a and miR-22 as a mechanism for contributing to the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Anticonvulsant Effects of Royal Jelly in Kainic Acid-Induced Animal Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Through Antioxidant Activity.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of partial and drug-resistant epilepsy, characterized by recurrent seizures originating from temporal lobe structures like the hippocampus. Hippocampal sclerosis and oxidative stress are two important factors in the pathogenesis of TLE that exacerbate epileptic seizures in this form of epilepsy. Recently, royal jelly (RJ) shown to have neuroprotective and antioxidant activities in several neurodegenerative models. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the pretreatment effect of RJ on epileptic seizures, hippocampal neuronal loss, and oxidative stress in the rat model of kainic acid (KA)-induced TLE. To this aim, 40 male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into 4 groups, including control, vehicle, KA, and RJ + KA. Rats received RJ (150 mg/kg/day) for 14 days before induction of TLE with KA. Epileptic behaviors were evaluated according to Racine's scale. Oxidative stress markers including, malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as well as neuronal loss in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (using Nissl staining) were evaluated in all groups. Our findings showed that RJ pretreatment significantly reduced the seizure score and increased the latency to the first seizure. RJ also reduced MDA and TOS while increasing TAC. In addition, RJ reversed neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas. In conclusion, our results suggest that RJ has anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects in KA induced TLE via its antioxidative properties.

CRISPR/Cas9-Induced Fam83h Knock-out Leads to Impaired Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway and Altered Expression of Tooth Mineralization Genes in Mice.

Background: Dental enamel formation is a complex process that is regulated by various genes. One such gene, Family With Sequence Similarity 83 Member H (Fam83h), has been identified as an essential factor for dental enamel formation. Additionally, Fam83h has been found to be potentially linked to the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Fam83h knockout gene on mineralization and formation of teeth, along with mediators of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway as a development aspect in mice. Materials and Methods: To confirm the Fam83h-KnockOut mice, both Sanger sequencing and Western blot methods were used. then used qPCR to measure the expression levels of genes related to tooth mineralization and formation of dental root, including Fam20a, Dspp, Dmp1, Enam, Ambn, Sppl2a, Mmp20, and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway mediators, in both the Fam83h-Knockout and wild-type mice at 5, 11 and 18 days of age. also the expression level of Fgf10 and mediators of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was measured in the skin of both Knockout and wild-type mice using qPCR. A histological assessment was then performed to further investigate the results. Results: A significant reduction in the expression levels of Ambn, Mmp20, Dspp, and Fgf10 in the dental root of Fam83h-Knockout mice compared to their wild-type counterparts was demonstrated by our results, indicating potential disruptions in tooth development. Significant down-regulation of CK1a, CK1e, and ß-catenin in the dental root of Fam83h-Knockout mice was associated with a reduction in mineralization and formation-related gene. Additionally, the skin analysis of Fam83h-Knockout mice revealed reduced levels of Fgf10, CK1a, CK1e, and ß-catenin. Further histological assessment confirmed that the concurrent reduction of Fgf10 expression level and Wnt/ß-catenin genes were associated with alterations in hair follicle maturation. Conclusions: The concurrent reduction in the expression level of both Wnt/ß-catenin mediators and mineralization-related genes, resulting in the disruption of dental mineralization and formation, was caused by the deficiency of Fam83h. Our findings suggest a cumulative effect and multi-factorial interplay between Fam83h, Wnt/Β-Catenin signaling, and dental mineralization-related genes subsequently, during the dental formation process.

Introducing a simple and cost-effective RT-PCR protocol for detection of DPYD*2A polymorphism: the first study in Kurdish population.

PURPOSE: Fluoropyrimidines, the major chemotherapeutic agents in various malignancies treatment, are metabolized by dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD). DPD deficiency can lead to severe and sometimes fatal toxicity. In the present study, we developed a simple protocol to detect the DPYD*2A variant. Common side effects in patients treated with these drugs were also evaluated in a Kurdish population. METHOD: We established a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique for detection of DPYD*2A. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the results. 121 Kurdish patients receiving fluoropyrimidine derivatives were enrolled, and clinical information regarding the dosage and toxicity was analyzed. RESULTS: Our RT-PCR method was able to detect one patient with heterozygous state for DPYD*2A (0.8%). The most observed adverse drug reactions were tingling, nausea, and hair loss. The frequency of patients with the toxicity of grade 3 or worse was 6.6%. CONCLUSION: This was the first study that detect DPYD*2A polymorphism in the Kurdish population. Our method was successfully able to detect the DPYD*2A variant and, due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, it may be considered as an alternative to the current methods, especially in developing countries. Our detected polymorphism rate at 0.8% is comparable with other studies. Despite the low rate of DPYD*2A polymorphism, pharmacogenetics assessment before beginning the treatment process is highly recommended due to its association with a high risk of severe toxicity.

Protective Effect of Curcuma Extract in an Ex Vivo Model of Retinal Degeneration via Antioxidant Activity and Targeting the SUMOylation.

Retinal degeneration is the major and principal cause behind many incurable blindness diseases. Several studies indicated the neuroprotective effect of Curcuma longa in eye pathologies, specifically retinopathy. However, the molecular mechanism behind its effect has not been completely elucidated. Using an ex vivo model of retinal degeneration obtained from an ex vivo optic nerve cut (ONC), we demonstrated that Curcuma extract (Cur) exerted a neuroprotective effect. Importantly, Cur was able to modulate apoptosis and MAPK signaling pathway activation and prevent retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss. Other well-known neuroprotective pharmacological tools, including memantine (Mem), citicoline (Cit), and ginkgolic acid (GA), were used to compare the potential mechanisms of Cur. The antioxidant activity of retinas treated with Cur following optic nerve cut was significantly higher than control, but Cur failed to change the retina glutamate content. Considering the antioxidant effect of Cur and taking advantage of our recent findings on the crosstalk between oxidative stress and post-translational protein modifiers, in particular, small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO), we were interested in exploring the effect of Cur on SUMOylation. We found that Cur significantly prevented the increase of protein SUMOylation, confirming our previous in vitro data indicating the cytoprotective effect of curcumin through modulating the oxidative stress and SUMO-JNK axis. Altogether, these results suggest that Curcuma protects the retina from degeneration via antioxidant activity and targets SUMOylation. Therefore, it might be considered for the combination therapy with other neuroprotective agents with different mechanisms in preclinical studies on retinal degeneration.

Relation between the circular and linear form of the Elongator Acetyltransferase Complex Subunit 3 in the progression of triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive type of breast cancer (BC) that hardly responds to common treatment. Recent studies show that circ-ELP3 (Elongator Acetyltransferase Complex Subunit 3 or hsa-circ-0001785) is involved in the pathogenesis of several malignancies. The present study aimed to evaluate the possible role of this circRNA in the progression of TNBC cells and the possible relation between the circular and linear forms of the ELP3. We evaluated the circ-ELP3 and its host gene expression level in clinical samples and breast cancer cell lines. Using an expression vector, hsa-circ-0001785 was upregulated to investigate its role on cancer cell progression. After a transient transfection, we evaluated possible alterations in the cell cycle progression, cell viability, and cell proliferation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses verified that circ-ELP3 and its host gene were significantly upregulated in TNBC tissues and breast cancer cells. Overexpression of circ-ELP3 markedly increases the cell viability and proliferation and also the formation of colonies in transfected cells compared to the controls. Briefly, our results showed that Circ-ELP3 and its host gene were significantly upregulated in TNBC. Circ-ELP3 is involved in TNBC progression and may exert its effects by indirectly regulating of ELP3 expression.

Feeding role of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells is influenced by genetic background, cell passage and day of isolation.

Mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells are commonly used as feeder cells to maintain the pluripotent state of stem cells. MEFs produce growth factors and provide adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix (ECM) compounds for cellular binding. In the present study, we compared the expression levels of Fgf2, Bmp4, ActivinA, Lif and Tgfb1 genes at the mRNA level and the level of Fgf2 protein secretion and Lif cytokine secretion at passages one, three and five of MEFs isolated from 13.5-day-old and 15.5-day-old embryos of NMRI and C57BL/6 mice using real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We observed differences in the expression levels of the studied genes and secretion of the two growth factors in the three passages of MEFs isolated from 13.5-day-old and 15.5-day-old embryos, respectively. These differences were also observed between the NMRI and C57BL/6 strains. The results of this study suggested that researchers should use mice embryos that have different genetic backgrounds and ages, in addition to different MEF passages, when producing MEFs based on the application and type of their study.

Possible correlation between high circulatory levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide and 2177G>C polymorphisms of hepatic flavin containing monooxygenase 3 in Kurdish Population with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multifactorial disorder with complicated pathophysiology. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) has been thought to be correlated with the pathogenesis of NAFLD. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) regulate the concentration of TMAO. This case-control study investigated the plasma levels of TMAO as well as its possible correlation with the frequency of specific genotype of FMO3 (-2650C>G, -2543T>A, -2177G>C, -2589C>T, -2106G>A polymorphisms) in Kurdish patients with NAFLD. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 85 confirmed NAFLD patients and 30 healthy individuals, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (Chol), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured. TMAO was also measured using the LC-MS/MS method. High-resolution melting analysis was applied to determine FMO3 genotypes. Plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher in patients (p = 0.030). A CC genotype with a frequency of 12.9% for SNP -2177G>C was found in Kurdish NAFLD patients. The distribution of the GC genotype was also significantly different (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: The current results provide documentation for high circulatory levels of TMAO and its possible correlation with the presence of the specific genotype -2177G>C FMO3 in Kurdish NAFLD patients.

Vaspin attenuates steatosis-induced fibrosis via GRP78 receptor by targeting AMPK signaling pathway.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that is rapidly becoming a public health problem. An imbalance in lipid distribution to the hepatocytes and metabolism causes hepatocyte steatosis. Vaspin is a newly discovered adipokine that has been linked to a variety of metabolic disorders. The effects of vaspin on steatosis and fibrosis pathogenesis and related mechanisms are unclear. Thus, this study investigated the molecular mechanism of vaspin on hepatocyte steatosis and fibrosis. HepG2 cells were treated with 1.2 mM free fatty acid and the intracellular lipid values were measured by flow cytometry and Nile red assay. RT-qPCR was used to assess the effect of vaspin and blocking of the GRP78 receptor on the expression of lipogenesis, oxidation, uptake, and secretion of fatty acid (FA), as well as AMPK activity. In co-cultured HepG2 and LX-2 cell lines, the expression of main proteins of hepatocyte fibrosis was analyzed using Western blot analysis. In the HepG2 cell line, we discovered that vaspin increased oxidation, FA secretion and gene expression, and AMPK activity and decreased lipogenesis and FA uptake and gene expression. Western blot analysis in co-cultured HepG2 and LX-2 cell lines showed that α-SMA and TGF-ß1 protein expression decreased. The data demonstrated that vaspin acts as a novel regulator of hepatocyte steatosis through the GRP78 receptor, effectively reducing hepatocyte fibrosis through AMPK activation and decreasing NF-κB gene expression.

Toll-Like Receptor 4: A Macrophage Cell Surface Receptor Is Activated By Trimethylamine-N-Oxide.

OBJECTIVE: Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) is considered as a risk factor for atherosclerosis which further leads to inflammation during atherosclerosis. The exact mechanism(s) by which TMAO induces the inflammatory reactions remains to be determined. TMAO can cause the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress that triggers activation of Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs). In macrophages, this process stimulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines. This study designed to evaluate the expression level of TLR4 in TMAO-treated macrophages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, different concentrations of TMAO (37.5, 75, 150, and 300 µM) were exposed to murine macrophage (J774A.1 cell line) for 8, 18, 24, and 48 hours. The cells were also treated with 2.5 mM of 4-phenyl butyric acid as well as 2µg/ml of tunicamycin respectively as negative and positive controls for inducing ER-stress. We measured the viability of treated cells by the MTT test. Besides, the expression levels of TLR4 gene and protein were evaluated using western blotting and reverse transcription- quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. One-Way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: No cell death was observed in treated cells. The cells treated with 150 and 300 µM doses of TMAO for 24 hours showed a significant elevation in the protein and/or mRNA levels of TLR4 when compared to normal control or tunicamycin-treated cells. CONCLUSION: Our results may in part elucidate the mechanism by which TMAO induces the macrophage inflammatory reactions in response to the induction of ER stress, similar to what happens during atherosclerosis. It also provides documentation to support the direct contribution of TLR4 in TMAO-induced inflammation.

Serum Circ-FAF1/Circ-ELP3: A novel potential biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, measurement of serum circular RNAs (circRNAs) as a non-invasive tumor marker has been considered more. We designed the present study to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of serum Circ-ELP3 and Circ-FAF1, separately and simultaneously, for diagnosis of patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Seventy-eight female patients diagnosed as primary breast cancer participated in this study. We measured the level of circRNAs in serum specimens of the studied subjects. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted and the diagnostic efficiency for both circRNAs was determined. RESULTS: Compared to non-cancerous controls, Circ-ELP3 was upregulated in breast cancer patients (p-value = 0.004). On the other hand, serum Circ-FAF1 was seen to be decreased in breast cancer patients than controls (p-value = 0.001). According to ROC curve results, the area under the curve (AUC) for Circ-ELP3 and Circ-FAF1 was 0.733 and 0.787, respectively. Furthermore, the calculated sensitivity and specificity for Circ-ELP3 and Circ-FAF1 were 65, 64% and 77, 74%, respectively. Merging both circRNAs increased the diagnostic efficiency, with a better AUC, sensitivity and specificity values of 0.891, 96 and 62%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Briefly, our results revealed the high diagnostic value for combined circRNAs panel, including Circ-ELP3 and Circ-FAF1 as a non-invasive marker, in detection of breast carcinomas.

The Effect of L-Carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 on the Sperm Motility, DNA Fragmentation, Chromatin Structure and Oxygen Free Radicals During, before and after Freezing in Oligospermia Men.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of L-carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on human sperm motility, DNA fragmentation, chromatin structure, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during, before and after freezing in oligospermia men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen was collected from 30 oligospermic men, who referred to infertility clinic of Beasat Hospital in Sanandaj, Iran. The samples of each individual were divided into 8 equal parts: 1. control group before freezing; 2. incubated with L-carnitine; 3. incubated with coenzyme Q10; 4. incubated with the combination of L-carnitine + CoQ10; 5. control freezing group; 6. the experimental freezing group with L-carnitine; 7. the experimental freezing group with coenzyme Q10 and 8. the experimental freezing with the combination of L-c + CoQ10. Sperm motility was assessed by WET MOUNT method. DNA fragmentation was evaluated by SCD (Sperm Chromatin Desperation), ROS, was evaluated by quantitative fluorescence reaction, and chromatin deficiency was determined by chromatin staining (CMA3). RESULTS: Antioxidant treatments, significantly reduced the number of ROS + in the pre and post freezing groups. Significant improvement was seen in the sperm motility of class B in the pre freezing groups with L-carnitine. Antioxidants also reduced the percentage of DNA fragmentation and protamine deficiency in pre-and post-freezing. CONCLUSION: Addition of Coq10 and L-carnitine to human sperm medium significantly reduced the number of ROS. This reduction in ROS reduced sperm damage during cryopreservation.

Contribution of toll-like receptor 2 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase to the trimethylamine N-oxide-induced inflammatory reactions in U937-derived macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is emerging as a new generation of metabolites related to the activation of inflammatory reactions in the macrophages during atherosclerosis. Stress-activation of cell surface toll-like receptors (TLRs) as well as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (NOX) is also assumed to be involved in TMAO-induced inflammatory reaction in the macrophages. To elucidate the possible contribution of TLRs and NOX to the mentioned signaling pathway, we aimed to simultaneously evaluate the expression level of TLR2, TLR6, and NOX2 in TMAO-treated macrophages. METHODS: 2.5 × 106 cells of U937-derived macrophages were treated in triplicates with different concentrations (37.5, 75, 150, and 300 µM) of TMAO for 24 hours. The cells were also treated with tunicamycin (TUN), as a positive control of stress. Normal control group (CTR) cells received no treatment. The viability of treated cells was checked by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole (MTT) assay. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was also used to evaluate the relative expression (fold change) of TLR2, TLR6, and NOX2 at messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Dunnett's test was performed to compare every mean with that of the control. RESULTS: No cell death occurred because of treatments. Dose of 300 µM of TMAO significantly increased the relative expression of both TLR2 and NOX2 compared to the CTR cells (P < 0.001 for both). The elevation of TLR6 was not statistically significant in all groups of TMAO-treated cells (P > 0.050). CONCLUSION: Our results provide documentation supporting contribution of TLR2 and NOX2 to previously described inflammatory reactions induced by TMAO in macrophages. In addition, they may clarify the proatherogenic role of TMAO in foam cell formation as well as abnormal activation of macrophages during atherosclerosis.

Aerobic training and hydroalcoholic extracts of green tea improve pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance and histopathological score in the N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced prostate cancer model of rat.

Green tea is a main resource for catechins. Catechins as antioxidant compounds reduce the production of reactive oxygen species and they have a protective role in the development of cancer. As well as, aerobic exercise change free radicals with two contradictory mechanisms. Aerobic training promotes excessive production of free radicals resulting in oxidative stress. In contrast, it increases the total antioxidant capacity. In this study, effect of aerobic training and hydroalcoholic extract of green tea (HEGT) on the pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and histopathological score of cancerous tissue in the N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced prostate cancer was investigated. A rat model of prostate cancer was induced by hormonal change and N-Nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU). HEGT 0.1 % and 45 min of aerobic exercise in 5 days a week for eight weeks were scheduled. The presence of major catechins was approved using GC-MS. Histological study, PAB and PSA levels were used to monitor the preventive role of treatments. The prostate weights of cancerous rats were significantly higher than healthy controls (P<0.05). The PAB was only significantly higher in cancerous rats and cancerous rats receiving aerobic exercise (P<0.05). The mean of histological score of cancerous tissue was reduced in rat receiving HEGT and both HEGT and aerobic exercise. The amounts of PSA level did not significantly differ between the groups of this study (P>0.05). Our results provided laboratory and histological documentation for the preventive role of green tea extract in developing prostate cancer via its potential to re-establish the pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance.

Salivary enzymatic antioxidant activity and dental caries: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been identified as a predisposing factor for dental caries. Saliva, as a rich source of antioxidants, plays an essential role in the protection against dental caries. Salivary enzymatic antioxidants include superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of salivary enzymatic antioxidant activity with different levels of dental caries in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 90 healthy children aged 7-12 years (36 girls, 54 boys) were investigated. Demographic information was gathered and dental examinations were provided for all participants. Then, unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected in the morning. The salivary SOD, CAT and GPx activity was measured spectrophotometrically. For statistical analysis, Spearman's correlation test, the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used with the SPSS for Windows software, v. 16. RESULTS: Our results showed no significant correlation between SOD, CAT and GPx and the decayed, missing, filled teeth index for permanent/primary dentition (DMFT/dmft). The CAT activity was elevated in proportion to the number of decayed teeth. The SOD activity showed a positive correlation with the frequency of tooth brushing. The activity of SOD, CAT and GPx was higher in boys than in girls. An inverse relationship between enzymatic antioxidant activity and age was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Although enzymatic antioxidants had no positive correlation with DMFT/dmft, they were positively correlated with the number of decayed teeth and the improvement of oral hygiene.

Aerobic Training and Green Tea Extract Protect against N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Aerobic training and green tea extract can be used to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8-wk aerobic exercise training and administration of green tea extract on the level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and p53 tumor suppressor protein (p53) in prostate of rats which were stimulated by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to induce the prostate cancer. METHODS: Sixty adult male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups including healthy control, cancer control (CCt), cancer training (CTr: 45 min·d at low to moderate intensity, five times per week, 8 wk), cancer extract (CEx: 1.34 mL of green tea extract, three times per week, 8 wk), cancer training+ cancer extract (CTr + CEx) and sham groups. Rats were sacrificed 48 h after the last intervention session, and the prostate tissue was isolated to measure the levels of NF-kB, COX-2, and p53. RESULTS: The NF-kB level in CCt group was increased significantly compared to the healthy control (P = 0.02). In the CTr group, NF-kB level was decreased significantly compared to the CCt and CEx groups (P = 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). In addition, the levels of P53 protein were reduced in CTr, CEx, and CTr + CEx groups compared to CCt group (P = 0.001, 0.02 and 0.004, respectively). No significant changes were found in the level of COX-2 between groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a long-term exercise training combined with the intake of green tea extract may reduce levels of NF-kB and p53 in rats with prostate cancer. Given the importance of recognizing complementary therapies in this regard, future studies are warranted.

Distribution of the CM-Dil-Labeled Human Umbilical Cord Vein Mesenchymal Stem Cells Migrated to the Cyclophosphamide-Injured Ovaries in C57BL/6 Mice

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be used to treat premature ovarian failure (POF). Different methods have already been applied to detect MSCs in tissues. This study aimed to investigate the quantitative distribution of CM-DiI-labeled human umbilical cord vein MSCs (hUCV-MSCs) in different regions of the ovarian tissue of the cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced POF in mice. Methods: Adult female C57BL/6 mice (n = 40) were divided into four groups: (1) Mice receiving PBS as control (Ctrl) group; (2) mice receiving hUCV-MSCs intravenously as Ctrl + hUCV-MSCs group; (3) mice receiving CTX intraperitoneally (i.p.) as CTX group; (4) mice receiving CM-DiI-labeled hUCV-MSCs after CTX injection as CTX + hUCV-MSCs group. Histological changes and CM-DiI-labeled hUCV-MSCs distribution were analyzed in the ovarian tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect human mitochondrial cytochrome b (MTCYB) gene in the ovarian tissues of the mice. Results: The mean number of the fluorescent hUCV-MSCs was 20 ± 2.5 (57.1%) in the medulla, 11.3 ± 2.8 (32.2%) in the cortex, and 5.5 ± 1 (15%) in the germinal epithelium of the ovarian tissue (p < 0.05). Moreover, MTCYB gene was detected in the mice ovaries of the CTX + hUCV-MSCs group, but not in other groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the distribution of the transplanted hUCV-MSCs in different regions of the ovarian tissue is not equal, and it is greater in the medulla than the cortex and germinal epithelium. This is the first report of quantitative distribution of MSCs in different regions of ovarian tissue in the POF model.

Generation of Fam83h knockout mice by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene engineering.

Family with sequence similarity 83 member H (FAM83H) protein-coding geneplay an essential role in the structural organization, calcification of developing enamel, and keratin cytoskeleton disassembly by recruiting Casein kinase 1 alpha (CSNK1A1) to keratin filaments. In this study, we have applied CRISPR Cas9 nickase (D10A) to knockout (KO) the Fam83h gene in NMRI outbred mice. We generated homozygous Fam83h KO mice ( Fam83h Ko/Ko ) through a premature termination codon, which was validated by Sanger sequencing in F0 generation. Next, we also bred the FAM83H KO for two generations. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis approved the Fam83h KO mice. The Fam83h KO mice had evidence of normal morphology at the cervical loops, secretory and maturation stages, and mandibular molars. In comparison with the normal wild-type mice ( Fam83h W/W ), the F2 homozygous KO ( Fam83h Ko/Ko ) had sparse, scruffy coats with small body size and decreased general activity. Also, they had the natural reproductive ability and natural lifespan. In addition, delay in opening the eyes and dry eyes among infant mice were seen. The F1 heterozygous mice looked comparable to the normal wild-type mice ( Fam83h W/W ), which showed autosomal recessive inheritance of these phenotypes. The KO of FAM83H had controversial effects on the development of teeth and the formation of enamel. The phenotype defect in dental development and the enamel formation were seen in three mice among four generations. It can be concluded that null FAM83H in outbred mice not only showed the reported phenotypes in null inbred mouse but also showed normal lifespan and reproductive ability; dental deficiency in three homozygous mice; and the symptoms that were similar to the symptoms of dry eye syndrome and curly coat dog syndrome in all four evaluated KO generations.