NAIP Gene Deletion and SMN2 Copy Number as Molecular Tools in Predicting the Severity of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the most prevalent autosomal recessive illnesses with type I being the most severe type. Genomic alterations including survival motor neuron (SMN) copy number as well as deletions in SMN and Neuronal Apoptosis Inhibitory Protein (NAIP) are greatly implicated in the emergence of SMA. However, the association of such alterations with the severity of the disease is yet to be investigated. This study was directed to elucidate the molecular assessment of NAIP and SMN genomic alterations as a useful tool in predicting the severity of SMA among patients. This study included 65 SMA pediatric patients (30 type I and 35 type II) and 65 healthy controls. RFLP-PCR was employed to determine the genetic polymorphisms of the SMN1, SMN2, and NAIP genes. In addition, qRT-PCR was used to identify the expression of the SMN1 and SMN2 genes, and serum levels of creatine kinase were measured using a colorimetric method. DNA sequencing was performed on some samples to detect any single nucleotide polymorphisms in SMN1, SMN2, and NAIP genes. All SMA patients had a homozygous deficiency of SMN1 exon 7. The homozygous deficiency of SMN1 exons 7 and 8, with the deletion of NAIP exon 5 was found among the majority of Type I patients. In contrast, patients with the less severe condition (type II) had SMN1 exons 7 and 8 deleted but did not have any deletions in NAIP, additionally; 65.7% of patients had multiple copies of SMN2. Analysis of NAIP deletion alongside assessing SMN2 copy number might enhance the effectiveness of the diagnosis that can predict severity among Spinal Muscular Atrophy patients.

Chitosan-loaded piperlongumine nanoparticles and kaempferol enhance the anti-cancer action of doxorubicin in targeting of Ehrlich solid adenocarcinoma: in vivo and in silico modeling study

Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic drug that generates free radical-induced toxicities. Natural agents are used to potentiate or ameliorate the toxicity of chemotherapy. None of the studies investigating whether antioxidants or prooxidants should be used with chemotherapy have addressed their efficacy in the same study. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential synergy between doxorubicin and two natural rarely in vivo studied anticancer agents; the antioxidant "Kaempferol" and prooxidant "Piperlongumine" in Ehrlich tumor mice model. 77 albino mice were divided into 11 groups; Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were injected intramuscularly to develop solid tumors. After 14 days, intratumoral injections of single or combinations of free or Chitosan nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin, Piperlongumine, and Kaempferol were performed. Tumor Characterization of nanoparticles was measured, tumors were histopathologically examined and evaluation of expression for cancer-related genes by real-time PCR. In silico molecular docking was performed to uncover potential novel targets for Piperlongumine and Kaempferol. Despite receiving half of the overall dose compared to the free drugs, the combined doxorubicin/ piperlongumine-chitosan nanoparticles treatment was the most efficient in reducing tumor volume; down-regulating Cyclin D1, and BCL2; as well as the Beclin-1, and Cyclophilin A genes modulating growth, apoptosis, autophagy, and metastasis, respectively; up-regulating the Glutathione peroxidase expression as a defense mechanism protecting from oxidative damage. When combined with doxorubicin, Kaempferol and Piperlongumine were effective against Ehrlich solid tumors. However, the combination with the Piperlongumine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles significantly enhanced its anticancer effect compared to the Kaempferol or the same free compounds.

Efficacious elimination of crystal violet pollutant via photo-Fenton process based on Gd(2-x)La(x)Zr2O7 nanoparticles

The photo-Fenton process is an appropriate method of the Advanced Oxidation Process that is used in the photocatalysis of organic dyes like crystal violet (CV). La³⁺ ion substituted gadolinium zirconium oxide Gd_(2-x)La_(x)Zr₂O₇ nanopowders (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5) have been successfully prepared by using sol-gel auto-combustion method to be used for the efficient photocatalysis of CV with photo-Fenton process. The well-crystallized defect-fluorite, structured with space group: Fm-3m, was detected using X-ray diffraction analysis. The lattice parameters were found to increase with the evaluated La³⁺ ion concentration. The grain size of the synthesized powders increased with the increase in La³⁺ ion content. The SAED patterns depicted fluorite structured fluorite. UV/Vis. spectrophotometer was used for the determination of band gap energy of Gd_(2-x)La_(x)Zr₂O₇ nanopowders which increased with increasing La³⁺ ion content. It was found to enhance from 4 to 3.6 eV. The visible spectrophotometer was used for determining unknown concentrations during the photocatalysis process to assure the effectiveness of the process. Overall, results illustrate that the photo-Fenton reaction on Gd_(2-x)La_(x)Zr₂O₇ performed excellently in removing crystal violet (CV). The photo-remediation ratio of CV reached 90% within 1 h.

Production and optimization of novel Sphorolipids from Candida parapsilosis grown on potato peel and frying oil wastes and their adverse effect on Mucorales fungal strains

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Mucormycosis disease, which has recently expanded with the Covid 19 pandemic in many countries, endangers patients' lives, and treatment with common drugs is fraught with unfavorable side effects.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

This study deals with the economic production of sophorolipids (SLs) from different eight fungal isolates strains utilizing potato peels waste (PPW) and frying oil waste (FOW). Then investigate their effect against mucormycetes fungi.

RESULTS

The screening of the isolates for SLs production revealed the highest yield (39 g/100 g substrate) with most efficiency was related to a yeast that have been identified genetically as Candida parapsilosis. Moreover, the characterizations studies of the produced SLs by FTIR, ¹H NMR and LC-MS/MS proved the existence of both acidic and lactonic forms, while their surface activity was confirmed by the surface tension (ST) assessment. The SLs production was optimized utilizing Box-Behnken design resulting in the amelioration of yield by 30% (55.3 g/100 g substrate) and ST by 20.8% (38mN/m) with constant level of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) at 125 mg/L. The studies also revealed the high affinity toward soybean oil (E₂₄ = 50%), in addition to maintaining the emulsions stability against broad range of pH (4-10) and temperature (10-100℃). Furthermore, the antifungal activity against Mucor racemosus, Rhizopus microsporus, and Syncephalastrum racemosum proved a high inhibition efficiency of the produced SLs.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrated the potential application of the SLs produced economically from agricultural waste as an effective and safer alternative for the treatment of infection caused by black fungus.

Sophorolipids produced by Yarrowia lipolytica grown on Moringa oleifera oil cake protect against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats: impact on TLR-4/p-JNK/NFκB-p65 pathway

OBJECTIVES

Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) activation plays a major role in triggering oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation implicated in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Due to sophorolipids (SLs) antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they are interestingly becoming more valued for their potential effectiveness in treating a variety of diseases. This study was designed to explore the effect of SLs produced by microbial conversion of Moringa oleifera oil cake using isolated yeast Yarrowia lipolytica against UC induced by acetic acid (AA) in rats.

METHODS

The produced SLs were identified by FTIR, 1H NMR and LC-MS/MS spectra, and administered orally for 7 days (200 mg/kg/day) before AA (2 ml, 4% v/v) to induce UC intrarectally on day eight. Biochemically, the levels of TLR-4, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), nuclear factor kappa B-p65 (NFκB-p65), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), malondialdehyd, glutathione, Bax/Bcl2 ratio and the immunohistochemical evaluation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and caspase-3 were assayed.

KEY FINDINGS

SLs significantly reduced OS, inflammatory and apoptotic markers in AA-treated rats, almost like the reference sulfasalazine.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided a novel impact for SLs produced by microbial conversion of M. oleifera oil cake against AA-induced UC in rats through hampering the TLR-4/p-JNK/NFκB-p65 signalling pathway.

Vitamin D Receptor in Breast Cancer Tissues and Its Relation to Estrogen Receptor Alpha (ER-α) Gene Expression and Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Egyptian Breast Cancer Patients: A Case-control Study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to explore the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in breast cancer tissues and its relation to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) gene expression in patients with breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cancerous and normal breast tissues from 40 women with breast cancer were analyzed for quantification of VDR levels and ER-α gene expression. The serum levels of 25(OH)D were measured in patients with breast cancer and controls by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS

Patients with breast cancer had serum levels of 25(OH)D significantly lower than normal control subjects. The levels of VDR and ER-α were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues than in normal breast tissues. The serum levels of 25(OH)D were indirectly and significantly correlated with the tissue levels of both VDR and ER-α gene expression. There was a significant direct correlation between the tissue levels of VDR and ER-α gene expression. The serum 25(OH) D levels, tissue VDR levels, and ER-α gene expression levels were inversely and significantly correlated with breast cancer histopathologic grade. Women with serum 25(OH)D levels ≤ 30 nmol/L, tissue levels of VDR > 5 ng/mL, and tissue levels of ER-α gene expression > 17.7 copies had significantly increased risk for breast cancer incidence.

CONCLUSION

Women with low serum 25(OH)D levels, high tissue levels of VDR, and ER-α gene expression had increased risk for breast cancer. VDR are upregulated in breast cancer tissues thus it may be used for target therapy especially in hormone-negative breast cancer.

Purification and characterization of a novel tannase produced by Kluyveromyces marxianus using olive pomace as solid support, and its promising role in gallic acid production

Tannase is considered one of the most important industrial enzymes that find great applications in various sectors. Production of tannases through solid state fermentation (SSF) using agro-industrial wastes is an eco-friendly and cheap technology. Tannase was produced by the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus using olive pomace as a solid support under SSF. It was purified using ammonium sulfate fractional precipitation followed by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration resulting in 64.6% enzyme yield with 1026.12U/mg specific activity and 24.21 purification fold. Pure tannase had molecular weight of 65 KDa and 66.62 KDa by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration, respectively. It showed a maximal activity at 35°C having two different pH optima, one of which is acidic (4.5) and the other one is alkaline (8.5). The enzyme was stable in the acidic range of pH (4.0-5.5) for 30min, and thermostable within the temperature range 30-70°C. Using tannic acid, the enzyme had a Km value of 0.77mM and Vmax of 263.20μmolemin^-1ml^-1. The effect of different metal ions on enzymatic activity was evaluated. HPLC analysis data indicated that the purified enzyme could carry out 24.65% tannic acid conversion with 5.25 folds increase in gallic acid concentration within 30min only.

Effect of concommitant Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with Giardiasis lamblia in Egypt

Giardiasis is one of the most common enteroprotozoal diseases; its association with Helicobacter pylori is a common clinical finding. This work studied the impact of such association. Fifty giardiasis patients were classified into two groups according to the concomitant presence of H. pylori and ten normal healthy controls were also included. All patients were subjected to complete history taking, thorough clinical and stool examination, endoscopy, and biopsy of gastric and duodenal mucosa as well as histopatological examination. Results revealed significant upper gastrointestinal symptoms (epigastric pain and anorexia) in giardiasis patients with H. pylori. Also, endoscopic and histopathologic examination showed significant gastric lesions in this group of patients as compared to those suffering only G. lamblia.

Magnetic and catalytic properties of Cu0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanocrystallite powders

Cu0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanocrystallite powders (average size 13 nm) were synthesized from Cu-Zn spent catalyst (fertilizers) industries and ferrous sulfate wastes formed during iron and steel making. Cu-Zn catalyst (22.4% Cu and 26.4% Zn) was chemically treated with sulfuric acid at temperature 80 degrees C for 1 hr for the complete dissolving of copper and zinc into sulfate solution, then the produced solution was mixed with stoichiometric ratio of ferrous sulfate and the mixture was chemically precipitated as hydroxides followed by hydrothermal processing. The parameters affecting the magnetic properties and crystallite size of the produced ferrites powder e.g., temperature, time, and pH were systemically studied. X-ray diffraction analysis was used in order to determine the average crystallite size and phase identifications of the produced powder. The magnetic properties were studied by vibrating sample magnetometry. The results showed that the average crystallite size of the powder decreased for the ferrites powder formed at 150 degrees C and then increased by increasing the temperature to 200 degrees C. Interestingly, the saturation magnetization (Bs), remanent magnetization (Br) and coercive force (Hc) were 25.03 emu/g, 0.71 emu/g, and 4.83 Oe, respectively at hydrothermal temperature 150 degrees C for 24 hr and changed to 16.38 emu/g, 0.3864 emu/g, and 5.2 Oe at 150 degrees C and 72 hr. The produced nanoferrite powders are used for studying the catalytic activity of CO conversion to CO2 at different temperatures, pH and times. The maximum conversion (82%) is obtained at temperature 150 degrees C for 24 hrs and pH 12.

Crystal modification of calcium sulfate dihydrate in the presence of some surface-active agents

The effect of surface-active agents (surfactants), as additives, on the crystallization of gypsum was studied under conditions of the simulated dihydrate process of phosphoric acid production. Calcium hydrogen phosphate and sulfuric acid were mixed with dilute phosphoric acid at 80 degrees C, and the turbidity of the reaction mixture was measured at different time periods to determine the induction time of gypsum crystal formation. Two types of surfactants, namely, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an anionic surfactant were added to investigate their effects on the crystallization of gypsum. Addition of CTAB decreased the induction time and increased the growth efficiency, while addition of SDS increased the induction time and decreased the growth efficiency compared with the baseline (without additives). The surface energy increased with CTAB and decreased with SDS compared with the baseline. The percentage of fine crystals decreased in the presence of CTAB and increased in the presence of SDS compared with the baseline. Gypsum morphology changed from needle-like in the absence of additives to tabular in the presence of CTAB.

Studies on date waste dietary fibers as hypolipidemic agent in rats

Date waste dietary fibers were examined as a hypolipidemic agent. White albino rats were fed on three experimental diets: I) high carbohydrate diet free of fiber; II) and III) diets consisted of diet I substituted with 100 g/kg of date waste dietary fibers cultured with Endomycopsis fibuligera at zero time and after 60 h of culturing respectively for 8 weeks. The total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in the liver of rats given diets II and III were significantly decreased over those rats fed the control diet throughout the feeding period (8 weeks). The highest decrease in content of all these parameters was produced by diet III. Comparing diets II and III with the control diet I, total serum lipids and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) were decreased by 32-48%, while serum triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were lowered in the groups fed diets II and III by 23-35% respectively. Concerning high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), the decrease was only 2-6% in rats fed diets II and III. The highest decrease level was shown in the phospholipids content (51-56%) during all of the experimental period (8 weeks).

Solid-state fermentation of agricultural wastes into food through Pleurotus cultivation

The technical feasibility of using agricultural wastes (mango and date industry wastes) as a substrate for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366 is evaluated. When comparing the biological efficiency of mushroom production, the highest yield of fruiting bodies was obtained using a mixture of date waste and rice straw at a ratio (1:1) (11.96%), followed by a mixture 3:1 (11.16%). The lowest one was the mixture 2:1 (9.19%). Fungus Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366 can also be cultivated on mango waste supplemented with rice straw at a different ratio. The best one was the 1:1 mixture (10.18%), whereas the lowest was a mixture 3:1 (6.4%). Comparing the results obtained favored the use of date waste as a substrate for growing Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-0366. Spawn was cultured on three different substrates as follows: Date waste alone (I); 1:1 (by wt) date waste and rice straw (II); 1:1:1 date waste, rice straw, and corncobs (III). Final dry weight and composition of the fruiting bodies are tabulated for the three sets of conditions. Date waste and rice straw mixture (II) is a good source of nonstarchy carbohydrate (67%) and protein (27.44%) containing amounts of essential amino acids, especially lysine and low RNA (3.81%). Elemental analysis were studied in the fruit bodies of the three media.

Metabolism of methanol by yeast and SCP production

The utilization of methanol by Candida lipolytica was studied with respect to the biomass, protein, lipid and other metabolites contents. Supplementation of the methanol medium with certain redox agents such as 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol, reduced glutathione and methyl red, showed a stimulation of both growth and protein production of C. lipolytica. At certain growth conditions the cellular yield of C. lipolytica was 0.3 g of cells/g of methanol and the protein of the biomass was 41.0%. The amino acid composition of the protein especially of the essential ones was comparable to FAO standards. Thin-layer chromatography of the lipids indicated a dominance of total glycerides. Analyses of the acylated unsaponified fraction by gas liquid chromatography showed that campesterol was the major component.