Ornidazole Inhibits the Angiogenesis and Migration Abilities of Non-small Cell Lung.

BACKGROUND: Around the world, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among all cancers. Despite advancements in new therapeutic approaches over the past few decades, the five-year survival rate still remains disappointing. The lack of effective anti-angiogenic and anti-migration drugs is the biggest obstacle to the treatment of metastatic lung cancer. Therefore, there is a need to develop new and effective therapeutic compounds targeting anti-angiogenic and anti-migration pathways for the treatment of lung cancer. Ornidazole is a nitroimidazole agent widely used in the treatment of parasitic infections such as trichomonas vaginalis, amebiasis and giardiasis. This study aimed to investigate the anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and anti-mitotic activities of the anti-parasitic drug Ornidazole in two human lung cancer cell lines (A549, H1299). METHODS: We determined the effects of Ornidazole, on cell viability, apoptosis, migration, angiogenesis and metastatic ability against NSCLC in lung cancer cell lines. Its action on the mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGFA, VEGFR2, NRP1, Casp9, Casp3, Bax, Bcl-2, PIK3CA, AKT, MTOR, PTEN and FOX3A was assessed. Furthermore, in this study the effects on cell migration, cell viability and proliferation was evaluated through wound healing, MTT and Crystal violet assays. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that Ornidazole effectively reduces cell viability and migration ability, inhibits angiogenesis and metastatic abilities in NSCLC cells. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, these results may shed light on the treatment of NSCLC, and we suggest the anti-parasitic drug Ornidazole as a new agent with potential anti-angiogenic and anti-mitotic activity by interfering with the molecular pathways that trigger tumor angiogenesis and migration.

Ornidazole suppresses CD133+ melanoma stem cells via inhibiting hedgehog signaling pathway and inducing multiple death pathways in a mouse model.

AIM: To evaluate the inhibitory effects of ornidazole on the proliferation and migration of metastatic melanoma cell line (B16F10) in vitro and its anti-cancer effects in vivo using a melanoma mouse model. METHODS: We investigated the effects of ornidazole on cell viability (Crystal Violet and MTT assay) and migration ability (wound-healing assay) of B16F10 melanoma cells, and its ability to trigger DNA damage (Comet assay) in vitro. We also sorted CD133+ and CD133- cells from B16F10 melanoma cell line and injected them subcutaneously into Swiss albino mice to induce tumor formation. Tumor-bearing mice were divided into control and treatment groups. Treatment group received intraperitoneal ornidazole injections. Tumors were resected. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of genes involved into Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway, stemness, apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, ER stress-mediated apoptosis, and autophagy. Shh signaling pathway-related proteins and CD133 protein were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: Ornidazole effectively induced DNA damage in CD133+ melanoma cells and reduced their viability and migration ability in vitro. Moreover, it significantly suppressed tumor growth in melanoma mouse model seemingly by inhibiting the Shh signaling pathway and ER-stress mediated autophagy, as well as by activating multiple apoptosis pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our preclinical findings suggest the therapeutic potential of ornidazole in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, larger and more comprehensive studies are required to validate our results and to further explore the safety and clinical effectiveness of ornidazole.

Effect of Education and Regular Examination on the Prevalence of Head Louse Infestations in Adana

Objective: The current study provides training to parents and teachers about pediculosis in schools in three villages in Adana to measure their knowledge level by conducting surveys and to determine the prevalence of pediculosis in these foci. Methods: Pre- and post-questionnaires including 30 questions about pediculosis were handed to parents and teachers. The answers were analyzed with the Pearson correlation analysis. Overall, 418 school pupils s were examined for lice. The results of the head louse control were analyzed by the chi-square test and t-test. Results: We observed that the level of awareness increased in parents and teachers. Additionally, the gender of both teachers and parents was determined as the most important factor in increasing this awareness. Because of interventions for the control of head and lice, the prevalence of pediculosis decreased from 15.22% to 1.71%. Conclusion: It is very important that parents and teachers are aware of the health problems related to pediculosis, while regular combing of school children may be essential for the control of this common infestation.

Determination of the relationship between major histocompatibility complex alleles and childhood onset obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: About half of the cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurring in childhood/adolescence occur with similar symptoms both in childhood and adulthood. Immunologic stress is claimed to be a risk factor in the etiology of childhood onset OCD. Our aim was to elucidate the relationship between childhood onset OCD risk and MHC complex I and II alleles. METHODS: MHC alleles of 49 OCD children together with 277 healthy children (aged 4-12) were analyzed by PCR. Results were evaluated by using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A2, A29, C4, DRB3.1, and DRB1*16 alleles were found to increase the risk of OCD. DISCUSSION: The relationship found between DRB locus and OCD in this study was remarkable since there have been studies on different populations reporting similar relationship between DRB locus and rheumatoid arthritis, which is also an AID. MHC class I and class II alleles were found to increase the risk of OCD in our study, which serves as a suitable model for studies suggesting that MHC genes do not work completely independently. Even though the MHC class I and II genes are considered to have different roles in immune response, in fact they tend to work in cooperation. As in previous studies on AIDs, there is a linear relationship between MHC class II alleles and OCD risk.

Genotyping of Acanthamoeba T15: the environmental strain in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Environmental sources are potential sources for the transmission of Acanthamoeba in humans and other mammals. METHODS: A total of 50 water samples from hot springs and swimming pools, and 50 soil samples were taken from Adana, Afyon, Kutahya, Mersin and Nigde provinces in Turkey. Samples were analysed using 18S rRNA-DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Acanthamoeba griffini (T3), Acanthamoeba castellanii (T4) and Acanthamoeba jacobsi (T15) were found in water samples. Acanthamoeba griffini (T3) and Acanthamoeba castellanii (T4) were detected in soil samples. CONCLUSIONS: In Turkey, this was the first time that Acanthamoeba jacobsi (T15) was detected in water samples.