Role of Reduced Bdnf Expression in Novel Apc Mutant Allele-induced Intestinal and Colonic Tumorigenesis in Mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor of the neurotrophin family. Recent studies indicate that its expression is regulated by Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of reduced Bdnf levels in an Apc mutant intestinal/colonic tumor mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We crossed Apc+/- and Bdnf+/- C57BL/6 mice. After genotyping the litters, Apc+/+ Bdnf+/+ (wild-type, wt), Apc+/- Bdnf+/+ (Apc mutant), Apc+/+ Bdnf+/- (Bdnf mutant), and Apc+/- Bdnf+/- (Apc/Bdnf double mutant) mice cohorts were generated. All mice were followed daily for 36 weeks and weighed once a week, and mice that died or reached a terminal stage before this period were also recorded and dissected. At the end of this period, all surviving mice were sacrificed, and tissue samples were collected. Polyp numbers in the small intestine and colon were counted. Microscopic slides were prepared for histopathological examination. Protein extraction was performed both for tumor and normal tissue analysis. RESULTS: A significant weight gain was observed in the Bdnf mutant and Apc/Bdnf double mutant cohorts compared to wt and Apc mutant controls. In Apc/Bdnf double mutant mice, the small intestinal polyp count was slightly decreased, and the colon polyp count increased significantly, and developed the disease phenotype significantly later than Apc mutant mice. CONCLUSION: Bdnf level has an important role in the Apc mutant intestinal and colonic tumorigenesis model. Modulation of Bdnf levels can be a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer.

Carob powder as cocoa substitute in milk and dark compound chocolate formulation.

In the current research, the possibility of using carob powder as a substitute for cocoa powder in milk and dark compound chocolates was investigated. Five chocolate samples containing carob powder (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) along with control were produced and the physico-chemical analyzes were measured. Chocolate samples were assessed for sensory acceptance by a hedonic scale. The outcomes indicated that chocolate formulations with lower content of carob powder presented higher quality in terms of color parameters, mean particle size and hardness (values close to control). The addition of carob powder resulted in decreased yield stress in dark chocolates. Also dark chocolate formulations containing high levels of carob powder recorded Casson viscosity values similar to control. Moreover, the milk chocolates containing 40% carob powder illustrated no significant differences in sensory properties with control. However acceptance of the dark chocolate samples was similar to control in all attributes. The results proved that it is possible to utilize carob powder to replace cocoa powder in chocolate production in order to improve nutritional values (higher fiber and fewer calories) with agreeable sensory attributes.

Loss of CTNNB1 exon 3 in sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen.

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) is a rare vascular lesion of the spleen. Although several hypotheses have been suggested, the etiopathogenesis of SANT remains unknown. It is also unclear whether SANT is a reactive or a neoplastic lesion. Since CTNNB1 (ß-catenin gene) exon 3 mutations were frequently detected in some rare fibrovascular lesions, we aimed to investigate the presence of oncogenic CTNNB1 mutations in SANT cases. For this purpose, 7 cases of SANT with typical histopathological features were retrieved. First, the presence of CTNNB1 exon 3 alterations was examined with a recently described immunohistochemistry-based method. Then, the findings were confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and Sanger sequencing. In all cases, immunochemistry of ß-catenin gave a staining pattern that was suggestive of exon 3 alteration; however, no missense mutations were found in any case at the CTNNB1 exon 3 hotspot region. Subsequently, we screened for large interstitial deletions of CTNNB1 exon 3 which revealed short PCR products in three cases. Sequencing confirmed that these cases had large interstitial deletions, resulting in loss of the entire exon 3 of CTNNB1. In the remaining four cases, loss of exon 3 was documented at the cDNA level, although genomic deletion was not identified. These results demonstrate that loss of CTNNB1 exon 3 and stabilization of ß-catenin with activation of Wnt signaling pathway might have a significant role in the pathogenesis of SANT. Through this study, we provided important evidence for the neoplastic nature and pathogenesis of this disorder.

The effect of invertase concentration on quality parameters of fondant.

Fondant is a saturated sugar solution which is a paste- or cream-like heterogeneous system consisting of a solid phase (saccharose crystals), a liquid phase (saturated saccharose solution and glucose/invert sugar) and a gaseous phase. Fondant is used as a filling material and as a coating material for pastry, confectionery and chocolate products. Therefore, mechanical properties are important for both machinability and sensory properties of the fondant. In the present study, the invertase enzyme was added at different concentrations (0.1-0.5%) to investigate its effect on the textural and rheological properties of the fondant during the storage period as well as on the sugar composition. After the first week of storage, the hardness of the control sample decreased from the initial value of 221.1-69.24 g and 48.22 g for the addition of 0.1 and 0.5% enzyme. G' and G″ values of the fondant decreased by treatment with invertase enzyme. The positive effect of the invertase addition to fondant was also perceived in sensory evaluation. Therefore, using invertase enzyme enabled the product having desired quality characteristics. The results of the present study highlighted that invertase enzyme can be used to soften the product improving the sensory characteristics and machinability and reducing or eliminating the crystallization of sucrose which negatively affects the quality parameters. Depending on the intended purpose of the fondant, the invertase concentration can be optimized.

Thymosin beta 4 is associated with collateral development in coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: Thymosin beta 4 (Tß4) plays an essential role in cardiac vessel development and is currently being developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) in some experimental studies. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association of serum Tß4 levels and collateral formation in patients presenting with severely stenotic CAD. METHODS: Thirteen patients with poor collateral development and 16 age- and sex-matched patients with good collateral development who had ≥ 95% stenosis in at least one major coronary artery on coronary angiogram (CAG) were enrolled in the study. The Gensini score was calculated for each patient by using CAG results. Collateral development was classified according to the Cohen-Rentrop method. Serum Tß4 levels were measured with enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in regard to clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients except for Tß4 levels. The Tß4 levels in the well-collateralized study group were found to be significantly higher than those of the poorly collateralized study group and serum Tß4 levels were positively correlated with the collateral development. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that serum Tß4 levels are significantly associated with the collateral development in severe CAD.

Comparison of the maternal and neonatal effects of epidural block and of combined spinal-epidural block for Cesarean section.

BACKGROUND: Combined spinal-epidural block (CSEB) has aroused increasing interest, as it combines the reliability of a spinal block and the flexibility of an epidural block (EB). We have conducted a comparative investigation of the maternal and fetal effects of CSEB and of EB administered for Cesarean section. METHODS: Eighty pregnant women at term were randomized into two groups. Women in the CSEB group (N = 40) were each given 1.5-1.8 mL 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine intrathecally, followed by 10 mL 0.25% bupivacaine and 50 microg fentanyl through the epidural catheter 10 min later. Women in the EB group (N = 40) received 14-16 mL 0.5% bupivacaine and 100 microg fentanyl. The quality and side effects of surgical anesthesia and the hemodynamic parameters, Apgar scores, and postoperative duration of pain were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The time for the block to reach the T-4 level differed significantly between the two groups (8.02 +/- 3.4 versus 18.34 +/- 4.6; P < 0.01). More women in the CSEB group achieved complete motor blockade (Bromage score 3), and it was reached earlier than in the EB group (P < 0.05). Muscle relaxation and motor block were better in the CSEB group than in the EB group (P < 0.01). Apgar scores were 7 or more in almost all newborns in both groups. There were no significant differences between the groups in the incidences of adverse effects such as hypotension or nausea and vomiting, but the patients in the EB group experienced more shivering (P < 0.001). The time to postoperative pain was significantly shorter in the CSEB group. CONCLUSION: We decided that CSEB, and more specifically spinal anesthesia with supporting epidural anesthesia, has greater efficacy and fewer side effects than EB when administered for Cesarean section.