Androgen receptor as a regulator of ZEB2 expression and its implications in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer

Zinc finger E-box-binding protein 2 (ZEB2) is known to help mediate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and thereby it facilitates cancer metastasis. This study was initiated to explore whether ZEB2 expression differs in prostate cancer (PCa, n=7) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, n=7) tissues. In PCa tissues, the levels of both immunoreactive ZEB2 and androgen receptor (AR) were found to be significantly higher (P<0.05) when compared with BPH tissues. Co-regulation of AR and ZEB2 prompted us to investigate the role of androgenic stimuli in ZEB2 expression. ZEB2 expression was found to be significantly (P<0.05) upregulated after androgen stimulation and downregulated following AR silencing in LNCaP cells, an androgen-dependent PCa cell line. This finding suggested AR as a positive regulator of ZEB2 expression in androgen-dependent cells. Paradoxically, androgen-independent (AI) cell lines PC3 and DU145, known to possess low AR levels, showed significantly (P<0.05) higher expression of ZEB2 compared with LNCaP cells. Furthermore, forced expression of AR in PC3 (PC3-AR) and DU145 (DU-AR) cells led to reductions in ZEB2 expression, invasiveness, and migration. These cells also exhibited an increase in the levels of E-cadherin (a transcriptional target of ZEB2). Co-transfection of AR and ZEB2 cDNA constructs prevented the decline in invasiveness and migration to a significant extent. Additionally, ZEB2 downregulation was associated with an increase in miR200a/miR200b levels in PC3-AR cells and with a decrease in miR200a/miR200b levels in AR-silenced LNCaP cells. Thus, AR acts as a positive regulator of ZEB2 expression in androgen-dependent cells and as a negative regulator in AI PCa cells.

Full-length cloning and phylogenetic analyses of translationally controlled tumour protein and ferritin genes from the Indian white prawn, Fenneropenaeus indicus (H. Milne Edwards)

Elucidation, through molecular analyses, of bacterial afflictions in commercially important aquaculture-reared shrimps is pivotal for the prevention and/or control of disease outbreaks. In this study, we examined the phylogenetic relatedness and compared the possible immune-related functional roles of both translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP) and ferritin genes with previous studies. Both TCTP and ferritin genes were substantially upregulated in the Indian white prawn, Fenneropenaeus indicus (H. Milne Edwards), post-larvae following bath challenge with the virulent strain of bacteria, Vibrio harveyi D3. Full-length cloning of these genes by rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends -polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR) yielded 727-base pair (bp)-long TCTP and 1212-bp-long ferritin gene sequences. Their open reading frames (ORFs) were 507 and 510 bp, respectively. The TCTP-ORF coded for 168 amino acids with three substitutions at positions 37, 141, 155, and the ferritin ORF coded for 170 amino acids with no species-specific substitutions. Phylogenetic analysis suggested the closest relatedness of both TCTP and ferritin from F. indicus to Chinese white prawn, Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck). In addition to reporting the full-length sequences of these immune-relevant genes, this study highlighted their conserved natures, which perhaps make them important defence-related proteins in the innate immune system of F. indicus.

Performance of risk assessment instruments for predicting osteoporotic fracture risk: a systematic review

We systematically reviewed the literature on the performance of osteoporosis absolute fracture risk assessment instruments. Relatively few studies have evaluated the calibration of instruments in populations separate from their development cohorts, and findings are mixed. Many studies had methodological limitations making susceptibility to bias a concern.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the performance of osteoporosis clinical fracture risk assessment instruments for predicting absolute fracture risk, or calibration, in populations other than their derivation cohorts.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review, and MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and multiple other literature sources were searched. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and data extracted, including information about study participants, study design, potential sources of bias, and predicted and observed fracture probabilities.

RESULTS

A total of 19,949 unique records were identified for review. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. There was substantial heterogeneity among included studies. Six studies assessed the WHO's Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) instrument in five separate cohorts, and a variety of risk assessment instruments were evaluated in the remainder of the studies. Approximately half found good instrument calibration, with observed fracture probabilities being close to predicted probabilities for different risk categories. Studies that assessed the calibration of FRAX found mixed performance in different populations. A similar proportion of studies that evaluated simple risk assessment instruments (≤5 variables) found good calibration when compared with studies that assessed complex instruments (>5 variables). Many studies had methodological features making them susceptible to bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies have evaluated the performance or calibration of osteoporosis fracture risk assessment instruments in populations separate from their development cohorts. Findings are mixed, and many studies had methodological limitations making susceptibility to bias a possibility, raising concerns about use of these tools outside of the original derivation cohorts. Further studies are needed to assess the calibration of instruments in different populations prior to widespread use.

Free-flap cover of complex defects around the knee using the descending genicular artery as the recipient pedicle

BACKGROUND

Selection of ideal recipient vessels is one of the most important factors determining success in free-flap reconstruction of the lower limb. At the knee, the choice of vessels has traditionally been either the common femoral or the popliteal vessels and their branches but these are often difficult to use or cannot be used.

METHODS

A series of 32 free flaps for cover of complex injuries of the knee involving the distal femur, the knee joint and the upper tibia were reconstructed using the descending genicular branch of the femoral artery in the adductor canal and its muscular branches to the vastus medialis as the recipient vessels.

RESULT

All but one flap survived with no major complications.

CONCLUSION

The use of the descending genicular artery as the recipient vessel for reconstruction with free flaps around the knee has various advantages including: (i) it is mostly remote from the zone of trauma, (ii) it is constant in location, (iii) the recipient vessels are an excellent size match for end-to-end anastomosis, (iv) there is no need for changes of position of the patient when using most free flaps commonly used for knee reconstruction, (v) it is easy to harvest these simultaneously, (vi) secondary exposure of the underlying skeleton from all quadrants is unlikely to divide the flap pedicle as it is superior and (vii), perhaps most important of all, it obviates the need for exploration of the popliteal fossa.

Acute interstitial nephritis and drug rash with secondary to Linezolid

Linezolid, a member of oxazolidinone antibiotic class, is a relatively well-tolerated drug with few side effects. It is active against gram-positive cocci, including multidrug resistant staphylococci and enterococci. We report a case of a 54-year-old diabetic male with alcoholic cirrhosis admitted in intensive care unit with altered sensorium. He was diagnosed as a case of hepatic failure secondary to hepatitis E infection and enterococcal urosepsis. He was started on linezolid based on the urine culture sensitivity report. On day three of linezolid treatment, he developed severe pruritus, macular rash, eosinophilia, and renal dysfunction. Renal biopsy showed acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. Renal functions improved on discontinuation of linezolid and short course of steroid therapy.

Endovascular treatment of A1 aneurysms. A series of five cases with a brief literature review

Aneurysms of the A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery are rare and represent less than 1% of intracranial aneurysms. There are few reports available in the literature describing the role of endovascular management of these rare aneurysms. In the present series we describe five patients with A1 aneurysms presenting at our institution with various clinical presentations, treated successfully by endovascular method with a good clinical outcome. From January 2008 to July 2011, five patients (two males and three females) with A1 aneurysms were treated by endovascular means. Four of the patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of the A1 aneurysm and one patient presented with symptoms of mass effect in the form of headache and ophthalmoplegia. The age group ranges from eight to 52 years with a mean age of 34.2 years. Four of the patients were treated by coiling without any assisted technique whereas one patient who had a dissecting fusiform aneurysm was treated with stent-assisted coiling. Technical success was achieved in all the patients.We did not encounter any procedure-related complications in any of our cases. All the patients had an uneventful course with good clinical outcome. Angiographic follow-up was available in four patients (80%). Endovascular treatment of this rare group of aneurysms is an effective and safe treatment modality, however large series are required to support our findings.

Ipsilateral Stroke with Uncrossed Pyramidal Tracts and Underlying Right Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis Treated with Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Stenting

We present a unique case of ipsilateral stroke in a 55-year-old right-handed hypertensive man with proven uncrossed pyramidal tract demonstrated by tractography. Diffusion-weighted imaging disclosed small acute ischemic infarcts in the right corona radiata with MR angiography showing narrowing of the right internal carotid artery. Significant carotid stenosis of right internal carotid artery (ICA) was detected on digital subtraction angiography as the underlying cause and subsequently treated with percutananeous transluminal angioplasty and stenting with good outcome. The presence of uncrossed pyramidal tract was confirmed by diffusion tensor imaging tractography. To our knowledge there are few reports of ipsilateral stroke with proven uncrossed pyramidal tracts described in the literature. This is the first documented report of ipsilateral stroke with uncrossed fibre tracts due to underlying critical stenosis of the ICA treated successfully with a good recovery.

BRCA1 protein expression and its correlation with ER/PR status in sporadic and familial breast cancer in Eastern Indian patients--a hospital based study

BRCA1 gene expression in familial breast cancer is mainly focused on mutational analysis. However in sporadic cancers BRCA1 protein expression is the main area of interest because somatic inactivation of one allele of the gene is likely to occur during the oestrogen mediated proliferation at puberty and subsequent tumourigenic events take place in the same cell. Standard immunohistochemical analysis was used to assess BRCA1 and oestrogen/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status in familial and sporadic breast cancer patients and correlation of BRCA1 protein expression with histopathological features ER/PR status was studied in these tumours. One hundred and seventy-seven sporadic tumours (group A) and 28 familial tumours (patients with history of breast cancer in first or second degree relative ie, group B) were studied. In group A, 61 tumours had absent/reduced BRCA 1 protein expression; 30 (49%) out of these were negative for ER/PR receptors. In group B, 18 patients had absent/reduced BRCA1 protein expression, and 10 (55.6%) out of these, were ER/PR negative. Overall in 2 groups, 82 tumours were of grade 1, 61 tumours of grade 2 and 62 tumours were of grade 3 differentiation. Test of proportion showed that percentage of ER/PR negativity is significantly higher than ER/PR positivity in sporadic as well as in familial tumours with absent/ reduced BRCA 1 protein expression (p < 0.05). Sporadic tumours with deranged BRCA1 protein expression like familial tumours have more unfavourable histopathological characteristics and are likely to be of higher grade and oestrogen receptor negative

Piperine protects epilepsy associated depression: a study on role of monoamines

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In patients with epilepsy, a common comorbidity diagnosed is depression. Temporal lobe epilepsy or post status epilepticus (SE) animal model establish and validate the co morbidity and common pathogenesis of depression and epilepsy. Elevation in serotonin concentration gives an inhibitory response to epileptic discharge and stabilizes the depressed mood disorder. Piperine is a potent monoaminooxidase inhibitor and stimulates the synthesis of serotonin. So the present work is undertaken to investigate the effect of piperine on depression associated with by status epilepticus induced by pilocarpine in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Status epilepticus was induced in the rats by administration of pilocarpine 350 mg/kg i.p.. Behaviour tests like forced swimming test (FST), saccharin consumption test, actophotometer test and rotarod test were conducted. Antidepressant effect and neuroprotective effect of piperine (25 mg/kg, p.o. for 10 days) in post status epilepticus animal model was evaluated. Brain serotonin concentration was also estimated. Fluoxetine (20 mg/kg p.o.) was used as standard.

RESULTS

Only piperine but not fluoxetine significantly increased the decrease in number of rotations of wheel in FST, and decrease volume of saccharine consumption caused by pilocarpine. Both fluoxetine and piperine significantly increase the pilocarpine induced decrease in activity score in actophotometer, time taken to fall in rotarod and concentration of serotonin in brain.

DISCUSSION

The underlying mechanism behind depression in epilepsy may be alteration in monoaminergic pathways and GABAergic pathways. The antidepressant activity of piperine in post-SE rats may be attributed to its MAO inhibitor activity and neuroprotective activity.

Functional characterization and signal transduction ability of nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat resistance genes in plants

Pathogen infection in plants is often limited by a multifaceted defense response triggered by resistance genes. The most prevalent class of resistance proteins includes those that contain a nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) domain. Over the past 15 years, more than 50 novel NBS-LRR class resistance genes have been isolated and characterized; they play a significant role in activating conserved defense-signaling networks. Recent molecular research on NBS-LRR resistance proteins and their signaling networks has the potential to broaden the use of resistance genes for disease control. Various transgenic approaches have been tested to broaden the disease resistance spectrum using NBS-LRR genes. This review highlights the recent progress in understanding the structure, function, signal transduction ability of NBS-LRR resistance genes in different host-pathogen systems and suggests new strategies for engineering pathogen resistance in crop plants.

Classification of Non-Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage: CT Correlation to the Clinical Outcome

To propose a new computed tomography (CT)-based classification system for nonaneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), which predicts patients' discharge clinical outcome and helps to prioritize appropriate patient management. A 5-year, retrospective, two-centre study was carried out involving 1486 patients presenting with SAH. One hundred and ninety patients with nonaneurysmal SAH were included in the study. Initial cranial CT findings at admission were correlated with the patients' discharge outcomes measured using the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS). A CT-based classification system (type 1 e 4) was devised based on the topography of the initial haemorrhage pattern. Seventy-five percent of the patients had type 1 haemorrhage and all these patients had a good clinical outcome with a discharge MRS of 1. Eight percent of the patients presented with type 2 haemorrhage, 62% of which were discharged with MRS of 1 and 12% of patients had MRS 3 or 4. Type 3 haemorrhage was found in 10%, of which 16% had good clinical outcome, but 53% had moderate to severe disability (MRS 3 and 4) and 5% were discharged with severe disability (MRS 5). Six percent of patients presented with type 4 haemorrhage of which 42% of the patients had moderate to severe disability (MRS 3 and 4), 42% had severe disability and one-sixth of the patients died. Highly significant differences were found between type 1 (1a and 1b) and type 2 (p 1/4 0.003); type 2 and type 3 (p 1/4 0.002); type 3 and type 4 (p 1/4 0.001). Haemorrhages of the type 1 category are usually benign and do not warrant an extensive battery of clinical and radiological investigations. Type 2 haemorrhages have a varying prognosis and need to be investigated and managed along similar lines as that of an aneurysmal haemorrhage with emphasis towards radiological investigation. Type 3 and type 4 haemorrhages need to be extensively investigated to find an underlying cause.

Manganese biomining: A review

Biomining comprises of processing and extraction of metal from their ores and concentrates using microbial techniques. Currently this is used by the mining industry to extract copper, uranium and gold from low grade ores but not for low grade manganese ore in industrial scale. The study of microbial genomes, metabolites and regulatory pathways provide novel insights to the metabolism of bioleaching microorganisms and their synergistic action during bioleaching operations. This will promote understanding of the universal regulatory responses that the biomining microbial community uses to adapt to their changing environment leading to high metal recovery. Possibility exists of findings ways to imitate the entire process during industrial manganese biomining endeavor. This paper reviews the current status of manganese biomining research operations around the world, identifies factors that drive the selection of biomining as a processing technology, describes challenges in exploiting these innovations, and concludes with a discussion of Mn biomining's future.

A set of five microsatellite markers linked to F8 gene can detect haemophilia A carriers across India

  Haemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked recessive bleeding disorder, primarily because of defects in the 186-kb long factor VIII gene (F8) affecting 1-2 men per 10,000 worldwide. Available markers for carrier detection are not effective in all populations, especially in India. In this study, we have chosen a set of five microsatellite markers, namely, DSX9897, DSX1073, intron 1 (GT)(n) , intron 22 (CA)(n) and intron 25 (CA)(n) , in and around the F8 gene to achieve better sensitivity for carrier detection. Each marker locus has been PCR amplified in the individual DNA samples using fluorescent markers followed by genotyping experiment in automated sequencer. Genotype calls have been made by GeneMapper Software (version 4). Allele frequency of each microsatellite marker was calculated manually. Heterozygosity was determined by counting the heterozygotes in the female subset. We have shown that in 253 normal individuals from 20 different ethnic groups of India, the heterozygosity for the markers ranged from 0.25 to 0.54; and for the entire subset of 102 female samples we could successfully discriminate between the two X-chromosomes using these five markers. These markers could also discriminate between the two X-chromosomes for each of 39 obligate carriers included in this study. In conclusion, this panel of five markers around the F8 locus can be used for carrier detection of HA with higher sensitivity across India for families affected with the disease.