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Biolmpacts - Volume:8 Issue: 1, Mar 2018

Biolmpacts
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Mar 2018

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1397/01/30
  • تعداد عناوین: 8
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  • Francisco Miguel Portela Da Gama *, Fernando Dourado Pages 1-3
    Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) have been used in various fermentation processes. Of several ABB, the bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) producers, notably Komagataeibacter xylinus, appears as an interesting species, in large part because of their ability in the secretion of cellulose as nano/microfibrils. In fact, BNC is characterized by a native nanofibrillar structure, which may outperform the currently used celluloses in the food industry as a promising novel hydrocolloid additive. During the last couple of years, a number of companies worldwide have introduced some BNC-based products to the market. The main aim of this editorial is to underline the BNC potentials.
  • Navid Hosseini Mansoub *, Mehmet GUrdal, Elif Karadada, Hilal Kabadayi, Seda Vatansever, Gulinnaz Ercan Pages 5-12
    Introduction
    Diabetic burn wounds and ulcers are significant complications of diabetic patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of platelet rich-plasma (PRP) and/or keratinocyte-like cells (KLCs) in diabetic thermal wound rat model and to evaluate EGF, FGF-2, TGF-β1, COL1α2, MCP-1 and VEGF-α as wound healing markers at gene expression level.
    Method
    In this study, we used adipose tissue as the source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and differentiated MSCs into KLCs. KLCs were characterized and transferred to the burn areas on the dorsum of streptozotocine (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We prepared PRP from rat blood and evaluated its effect alone or in combination with KLCs. On 3rd, 7th, 10th and 14th days after treatment, wound areas were measured and biopsy samples were excised from the wound areas of the KLCs and/or PRP-treated and untreated diabetic rats to analyze gene expression levels of wound healing markers by qPCR.
    Results
    We observed that, wound contraction started earlier in the PRP and/or KLCs-treated groups in comparison to the control group. However, PRP and KLCs when applied in combination showed additive affect in wound healing. In all groups treated with KLCs and/or PRP, the gene expression levels of evaluated growth factors and COL1α2 increased, while MCP-1 levels decreased when compared to the untreated diabetic rats. In addition, the most prominent difference in qPCR results belongs to combined PRP and KLCs-treated group.
    Conclusion
    We demonstrated that applying PRP and KLCs in combination has a greater potential for treatment of diabetic burn wounds.
    Keywords: diabetes mellitus, burn, wound, mesenchymal stem cells, PRP, keratinocyte
  • Faegheh Golabi, Mousa Shamsi *, Mohammad Hosein Sedaaghi, Abolfazl Barzegar, Mohammad Saeid Hejazi * Pages 13-22
    Introduction
    Some non-coding RNAs have an important role in the regulation of gene expression and consequently cellular function. Riboswitches are examples of these regulatory RNAs. Riboswitches are classified into various families according to sequential and structural similarities.
    Methods
    In this study, a block finder algorithm for identification of frequently appearing sequential blocks in five families of riboswitches from Rfam 12.0 database, without the use of alignment methods, was developed.
    Results
    The developed program identified 21 frequently appearing blocks in five families of riboswitches.
    Conclusion
    Comparison of the results of the proposed algorithm with those of sequential alignment methods revealed that our method can recognize most of the patterns present in conserved areas of individual riboswitch families and determine them as specific blocks, implying potential of the developed program as a platform for further studies and developments.
    Keywords: Riboswitch, non, coding RNA, sequential block, un, translated regions
  • Pavan Kumar Bellamakondi *, Ashok Godavarthi, Mohammed Ibrahim Pages 23-30
    Introduction
    Paracetamol is a potent hepatotoxin and may cause severe acute hepatocellular injury. The present study was intended to assess the hepatoprotective potential of Caralluma umbellata Haw. (Asclepiadaceae) (C. umbellata) against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo experimental models.
    Methods
    Preliminary analysis for antioxidant and hepatoprotective property was evaluated for methanolic (MCU), aqueous (ACU) and hydro methanolic (HCU) extracts of C. umbellata using in vitro cell-free antioxidant such as DPPH, ABTS, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation models and cell-based hepatoprotective study using BRL3A cells. In vivo, hepatoprotective activity was studied in paracetamol treated male Wistar albino rats. Furthermore, molecular mechanism behind the protective effect of MCU was explored by RT PCR technique by utilizing cytochrome P450 (CYP) CYP2E1.
    Results
    C. umbellata extracts especially, MCU showed a better antioxidant property. MCU offered significant dose-dependent protection against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in both in vitro and in vivo assays by improving all the biochemical findings towards the normal range. In a mechanism-based study, MCU has offered significant down-regulation (p
    Conclusion
    In conclusion, these findings suggest that MCU possess hepatoprotective activity. One of the possible mechanisms behind the protective effect of MCU is found to be inhibition of CYP2E1.
    Keywords: Caralluma umbellata, Hepatoprotection, antioxidant, BRL3A, CYP2E1
  • Masumeh Zamanlu, Morteza Eskandani *, Reza Mohammadian, Nazila Entekhabi, Mohammad Rafi, Mehdi Farhoudi * Pages 31-38
    Introduction
    Measurement of thrombolytic activity is crucial for research and development of novel thrombolytics. It is a key factor in the assessment of the effectiveness of conventionally used thrombolytic therapies in the clinic. Previous methods used for the assessment of thrombolytic activity are often associated with some drawbacks such as being costly, time-consuming, complex with low accuracy. Here, we introduce a simple, economic, relatively accurate and fast method of spectrophotometric analysis of thrombolytic activity (SATA) assay, standardized by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which can quantitatively measure in vitro thrombolytic activity.
    Methods
    Blood clots were formed, uniformly, by mixing citrated whole blood with partial thromboplastin time (PTT) reagent, together with calcium chloride. Then, designated concentrations of tPA were added to the samples, and the released red blood cells from each clot were quantified using spectrophotometry (λmax=405nm) as an indicator of thrombolytic activity. The accuracy of the method was tested by assessment of dose-responsibility against R2 value obtained by linear equation and measurement of the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The SATA assay was validated in comparison with some currently used techniques.
    Results
    A linear relationship was obtained between different concentrations of tPA versus the spectrophotometric absorbance of the related dilutions of lysed clots, at λmax=405nm. Calculated R2 values were greater than 0.9; with LOD of 0.90 µg/mL of tPA (436.50IU) and LOQ of 2.99 µg/mL of tPA (1450.15IU).
    Conclusions
    Conclusively, the SATA assay is a very simple quantitative method with repeatable and reproducible results for estimating the potency of an unknown thrombolytic agent, and calculating the activity as delicate as 1 µg/mL of tPA (485 IU/mL of thrombolytic dose).
    Keywords: Clot lysis, Thrombolytic agent, In vitro thrombolysis, Thrombolytic therapy, Fibrinolysis
  • Mohammad Mostafa Pourseif, Gholamali Moghaddam *, Hossein Daghighkia, Ahmad Nematollahi, Yadollah Omidi * Pages 39-52
    Introduction
    In this study, we targeted the worm stage of Echinococcus granulosus to design a novel multi-epitope B- and helper T-cell based vaccine construct for immunization of dogs against this multi-host parasite.
    Methods
    The vaccine was designed based on the local Eg14-3-3 antigen (Ag). DNA samples were extracted from the protoscoleces of the infected sheep’s liver, and then subjected to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with 14-3-3 specific forward and reverse primers. For the vaccine designing, several in silico steps were undertaken. Three-dimensional (3D) structure of the local Eg14-3-3 Ag was modeled by EasyModeller software. The protein modeling accuracy was then analyzed via various validation assays. Potential transmembrane helix, signal peptide, post-translational modifications and allergenicity of Eg14-3-3 were evaluated as the preliminary measures of B-cell epitopes (BEs) prediction. Having used many web-servers, a well-designed process was carried out for improved prediction of BEs. High ranked linear and conformational BEs were utilized for engineering the final vaccine construct. Possible T-helper epitopes (TEs) were identified by the molecular docking between 13-mer fragments of the Eg14-3-3 Ag and two high frequent dog class II MHC alleles (i.e., DLA-DRB1*01101 and DRB1*01501). The epitopes coverage was evaluated by Shannon’s variability plot.
    Results
    The final designed construct was analyzed based on different physicochemical properties, which was then codon optimized for high-level expression in Escherichia coli k12. This minigene construct is the first dog-specific epitopic vaccine construct that is established based on TEs with high-binding affinity to canine MHC alleles.
    Conclusion
    This in silico study is the first part of a multi-antigenic vaccine designing work that represents as a novel dog-specific vaccine against E. granulosus. Here, we present key data on the step-by-step methodologies used for designing this de novo vaccine, which is under comprehensive in vivo investigations.
    Keywords: Echinococcus granulosus, Vaccine, Eg14, 3, 3 antigen, T, helper epitope, Leukocyte antigen, B, cell epitope
  • Sonu Gandhi *_P. P Tripathi_Smritee Singh_A. S Parmar_Neena Capalash_Prince Sharma_C. Raman Suri Pages 53-58
    Introduction
    Continuous use of opiates causes drug-related illnesses, which poses an alarming situation to develop sensitive detection platform. In this study, a highly sensitive and reliable chemiluminescence immunoassay (CI) has been developed for the detection of heroin and its major metabolites in spiked urine samples.
    Methods
    To develop robust immunoassay, monoacetyl morphine-bovine serum albumin (MAM-BSA) conjugate was synthesized and characterized thoroughly by physicochemical techniques. The anti-MAM antibodies were developed, labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and immunoassay was developed to detect the presence of target drug in spiked urine samples.
    Results
    A competitive CI was developed, where heroin, MAM, morphine, and codeine concentration were ranged from 0-1000 ng/ mL in spiked urine samples and limit of detection were 80, 95, 90, 75 pg/ mL.
    Conclusions
    The developed CI is highly sensitive, specific, point of care, cost-effective and can be used as a routine technique for quantitative analysis for screening of narcotic drugs.
    Keywords: monoacetyl morphine, metabolites, chemiluminescence immunoassay, antibody, horse radish peroxidase
  • Ailar Nakhlband, Morteza Eskandani, Yadollah Omidi, Nazli Saeedi, Samad Ghafari, Jaleh Barar *, Alireza Garjani * Pages 59-75
    Introduction
    Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is recognized as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The increasing prevalence of such disease demands novel therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to overcome associated clinical/social issues. Recent advances in nanotechnology and biological sciences have provided intriguing insights to employ targeted Nanomachines to the desired location as imaging, diagnosis, and therapeutic modalities. Nanomedicines as novel tools for enhanced drug delivery, imaging, and diagnosis strategies have shown great promise to combat cardiovascular diseases.
    Methods
    In the current study, we intend to review the most recent studies on the nano-based strategies for improved management of CVDs.
    Results
    A cascade of events results in the formation of atheromatous plaque and arterial stenosis. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that nanomedicines have displayed unique functionalities and provided de novo applications in the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis.
    Conclusion
    Despite some limitations, nanomedicines hold considerable potential in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various ailments including atherosclerosis. Fewer side effects, amenable physicochemical properties and multi-potential application of such nano-systems are recognized through various investigations. Therefore, it is strongly believed that with targeted drug delivery to atherosclerotic lesions and plaque, management of onset and progression of disease would be more efficient than classical treatment modalities.
    Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases, Nanomedicines, Drug delivery, Targeting, Atherosclerosis