Zonisamide Ameliorated the Apoptosis and Inflammation in Cerebellar Tissue of Induced Alcohol Addiction Animal Model.

This study investigated the effects of zonisamide treatment on cerebellar tissues in an experimental alcohol addiction (AA) model and its potential mechanisms of action, particularly regarding apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (APAF-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) expression. Thirty rats were divided into three groups: sham, ethanol (EtOH), and EtOH + zonisamide. AA was induced by administering 6 cc of EtOH orally every 8 h for 4 days. Zonisamide (100 mg/kg) was given to rats once daily before EtOH administration. Motor defects were evaluated using an open field maze. Serum TNF-α levels were measured from blood samples. Cerebellar sections were processed for histological examination and immunostained for APAF-1 and TNF-α. Protein interaction networks were constructed using Cytoscape, and functional annotations were performed with ShinyGO (version 0.80) software. The traveled area in the EtOH group was significantly reduced compared to the sham group (p = 0.0005). Rats in the EtOH + zonisamide group covered a larger area, with zonisamide treatment significantly improving locomotor ability compared to the EtOH group (p = 0.0463). Serum TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in the EtOH group compared to the sham group (p < 0.0001) and were significantly decreased in the EtOH + zonisamide group compared to the EtOH group (p = 0.0309). Regular cerebellar histological layers were observed in the sham group, while EtOH induction caused loss of cerebellar tissue integrity, neuronal degeneration, vascular dilatation and congestion, reduced myelin density, and neuropils in the EtOH group. Zonisamide treatment improved these pathologies, enhancing myelination and neuropil formation. Negative APAF-1 and TNF-α expressions were observed across cerebellar layers in the sham group. Due to EtOH toxicity, APAF-1 and TNF-α expression were upregulated in the EtOH group compared to the sham group (p < 0.001 for both). Zonisamide treatment downregulated these protein expressions in the EtOH + zonisamide group compared to the EtOH group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.0087, respectively). APAF-1 was primarily associated with AA through antifolate resistance, endopeptidases, and the interleukin-1 pathway, while TNF-α was predominantly enriched in infections and choline-binding, indicating zonisamide's impact on immune and inflammatory pathways. In conclusion, zonisamide treatment significantly mitigated ethanol-induced cerebellar damage and inflammation in an AA model. Zonisamide improved locomotor function and reduced serum TNF-α levels, as well as APAF-1 and TNF-α expression in cerebellar tissues. These findings suggest that zonisamide exerts its protective effects by modulating immune and inflammatory pathways, thereby preserving cerebellar integrity and function.

CITED1 expression in odontogenic cysts.

BACKGROUND: Originating from odontogenic tissue, Odontogenic cysts are pathological cavities lined with epithelial cells and surrounded by fibrous connective tissue. This study investigated expression of CITED1 protein in different types of odontogenic cysts. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 40 keratocysts, 40 radicular cysts, and 40 dentigerous cysts were excised and processed for routine paraffin wax embedding protocol. Macroscopic and panoramic radiographies images were used for diagnosis. Demographical properties and dental parameters were recorded. Cystic tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin dye and CITED1 antibody. Semi-quantitative analysis was performed for immune staining. The protein-protein interaction network, hub gene detection and KEGG analysis were conducted using Cytoscape software. RESULT: Odontogenic keratocysts was imaged with 6-8 layered epithelial cells and fibrous cyst walls with inflammatory cells. Radicular cysts had stratified squamous epithelium with varying thickness, ciliated cells, and Rushton hyaline bodies. Dentigerous cysts presented hyperplastic non-keratinized epithelium, fibrous tissue, rete ridges, and inflammatory cells. CITED1 immunoexpression was highest in odontogenic keratocysts, followed by radicular cysts, and lowest in dentigerous cysts. Nuclear and cytoplasmic CITED1 expression was significantly elevated in odontogenic keratocysts compared to radicular and dentigerous cysts. The top five targets of CITED1 were identified, primarily showing enrichment in hormone and cancer related pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Positive CITED1 expression in all three types of odontogenic cysts suggest a potential role for CITED1 in the pathogenesis of odontogenic cysts, particularly in keratocysts. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the exact mechanisms underlying the differential expression of CITED1 and its implications for the development and progression of odontogenic cysts.

Haplotype Analysis of Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) Gene in Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of well-characterized vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, BsmI (rs 1544410), ApaI (rs 7975232), TaqI (rs 731236), and FokI (rs 10735810) and their haplotypes in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in Turkish women. METHODS: The subjects consisted of women including 331 breast cancer patients and 345 healthy controls. After conventional DNA isolation genotyping was done by a PCR-RFLP method, haplotype analysis was performed using Haploview 4.2. RESULTS: Haplotype analysis in different combinations revealed that frequencies of Fbt, fbt, bAt, and bt haplotypes are significantly higher in breast cancer patients than controls (χ2 = 6.862, p = 0.0088; χ2 = 4.176, p = 0.041; χ2 = 4.184, p = 0.0408; χ2 = 8.409, p = 0.0037 respectively). However, no statistically significant difference between genotypes of cases and controls were found when analyzed separately. CONCLUSIONS: All these data support the hypothesis that it is crucial to evaluate VDR gene polymorphism by haplotype analysis in order to understand how changes in VDR sequence influence the function of the VDR gene and how this variability affects the risk of breast cancer.

Nigella sativa and Cancer: A Review Focusing on Breast Cancer, Inhibition of Metastasis and Enhancement of Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: In the last decade, there have been accumulating data that the use of medicinal plants could bring additional benefits to the supportive treatment of various diseases. Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is one of these plants that has attracted considerable interest. The extracts and seeds of N. sativa and its active component thymoquinone have been studied extensively and the results suggest that N. sativa might carry some therapeutic potential for many diseases, including cancer. METHODS: The selection criteria for references were applied through Pubmed with "N. sativa and cancer", "N. sativa and breast cancer", "N. sativa and metastasis", "N. sativa and cytotoxicity of natural killer cells". The pathway analysis was performed using the PANTHER tool by using five randomly selected N. sativa affected genes (Cyclin D1, P53, p21 protein (Cdc42/Rac) activated kinase 1 (PAK1), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) in order to elucidate further potentially affected signaling pathways. RESULTS: The aim of this review was to summarize studies regarding the effects of N. sativa in cancer generally, with a focus on breast cancer, its anti-metastatic effects, and how N. sativa modulates the cytotoxicity of Natural Killer cells that play a crucial role in tumor surveillance. CONCLUSION: In summary, the data suggest that N. sativa might be used for its anti-cancer and antimetastatic properties and as an immune system activator against cancer.

Association of the nibrin gene (NBN) variants with breast cancer.

Nibrin, encoded by the NBN gene, participates in DNA repair. Mutations in the NBN gene lead to Nijemen breakage syndrome, which may result in several types of diseases, particularly susceptibility to cancer, including breast cancer. Polymorphic variants and defective mutations occurring in the NBN gene increase the risk of breast cancer through the double-stranded break repair mechanism. The aim of the present study was to investigate a possible association between breast cancer and NBN genetic variants, NBN 924 T>C, 8360 G>C and 30537 G>C, in women with breast cancer. Locus-specific primers were designed to study 3 genetic variants in DNA samples isolated from peripheral blood samples of 101 women with breast cancer and 115 healthy controls. Subsequently, 3 polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods were performed and the obtained results were statistically analysed. The NBN gene 924 T>C variant was found to be significantly associated with breast cancer (χ2=5.722, P=0.017). There were no statistically significant differences between cases and controls in the NBN gene 8360 G>C variant (χ2=1,125, P=0.570) or the NBN gene 30537 G>C variant (χ2=4.301, P=0.116). In conclusion, the NBN gene 924 T>C variant may be a genetic risk factor for breast cancer development in women with breast cancer.