Jentashapir Journal of Cellular and Molecular Biology
Volume:11 Issue: 4, Dec 2020

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is an extremely contagious pathogen that causes deadly diseases in carnivores worldwide.

Considering the effect of CDV on the host immune system and the increased risk of other infections, the present study aimed to investigate the incidence of coinfection with CDV and Bordetella bronchiseptica, using genomic and serological methods.

In this study, 50 blood samples, eye samples, respiratory swabs, and gastrointestinal tract swabs were taken from dogs, which showed symptoms of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract involvement, suggesting CDV infection. Also, 50 seemingly healthy dogs were included in this study. The animals were referred to Isfahan clinics between the spring of 2018 and the winter of 2019. For the initial diagnosis of CDV by immunological methods, a rapid CDV immunochromatography kit was used. To investigate for the genomes of both pathogens, after DNA and RNA extraction and reverse transcription of the extracted RNA samples, a PCR assay was performed using specific primers.

Based on the results of the RT-PCR assay, of 50 samples taken from dogs with suspected CDV infection, 37 were positive for the presence of CDV nucleic acids, and 20 were positive for the presence of B. bronchiseptica nucleic acids. Also, of 50 samples taken from seemingly healthy dogs, three were positive for CDV, and 15 were positive for B. bronchiseptica nucleic acids.

In the present study, of 100 samples taken from dogs with suspected CDV infection and apparently healthy dogs, 15 showed coinfection (12 samples from dogs with symptoms of CDV and three from seemingly healthy dogs). However, no significant relationship was found between CDV and B. bronchiseptica infections. It seems that future studies with a larger sample size can provide us with more accurate results.

The development of effective anticancer drugs is a significant health issue. Previous studies showed that members of the benzimidazole family have anticancer effects on several cancers

The present study investigated the cytotoxic effect of flubendazole on A549 human lung cancer cells.

The A549 cells were treated with flubendazole at 1, 2, 5, and 10 µM concentrations for three days. Cell viability was measured by the MTT assay and Acridine orange staining. Also, the expressions of P62 and Beclin -1 were analyzed by qRT-PCR analysis.

Cell viability of A549 cells, in a concentration-dependent manner, showed significant differences between the treatment and control groups, and the IC50 value was determined to be 2 µM. Also, flubendazole reduced the expression of P62 and increased the expression of Beclin 1 in treated cells.

Flubendazole induces cell death in A549 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner and can offer new factors in lung cancer therapeutic strategies.

Numerous studies have shown that a variety of animal species can be the hosts of the hepatitis E virus. In addition to pigs, wild boars, deer, and rats, new types of hepatitis E virus have been found in ferrets and bats.

Due to the limited reports of virus identification in deer and the potential role of this animal as a reservoir in maintaining the virus, in the present study, the genome of the virus was investigated in the samples of feces and gastrointestinal swabs of Gazelle.

Samples were collected from 50 Gazelle in the protected area of Moteh and the lands around Maymeh City from winter, 2017 to winter, 2019. After RNA extraction and reverse transcription reaction, the genomic identification of the virus was performed by RT-PCR.

The results of the present study showed that out of 50 samples taken, three samples were positive for the hepatitis E virus, including one sample from female Gazelle under one year of age and two samples from female animals over one year of age.

No statistically significant relationship was found between hepatitis E infection, age, and sex using statistical tests. The present study indicated the contamination of Iranian wildlife animals and the importance of these animals as the potential reservoirs of the disease.

Dendrosomal nano-curcumin (DNC) represents an enormous potential to serve as a therapeutic anticancer agent. Here, we investigated the effect of DNC on wild type- and p53-mutant breast cancer cells.

MCF-7 and T47D cells were treated with DNC and investigated for cell viability through MTT assay. The mode of death was analyzed using Annexin V/FITC staining and PARP cleavage assays. Flow cytometric efflux and cell swelling tests were employed to assess the p-glycoprotein (P-gp) transporter activity. Moreover, real-time PCR was employed to study the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 as well as survivin and its ∆Ex3 splicing variant.

Our findings confirmed that DNC repressed cancer cell proliferation by induction of apoptosis. Additionally, DNC significantly modulated P-gp function that might lead to improved cellular permanence of curcumin. Malfunction of P-gp activity by DNC demonstrates its capability in reducing the drug resistance of p53-mutant cancer cells.

In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that dendrosomal nano-curcumin could be considered an anti-tumor therapeutic for p53-mutant tumor malignancies.

Ocimum basilicum (OB) contains more than 30 plant species that are found in different regions, especially in Africa. OB contains various substances, especially Chavikol, Methyl Ether or Strangol, Linalool, and Agenol, which have antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and anti-lipid properties. On the other hand, along with lifestyle changes, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmias, which cause high mortality, is increasing. Moreover, the modern drugs used for arrhythmia can also induce another type of abnormal heart rhythm. Regarding the effectiveness and fewer side effects of herbal medicine, we decided to study the preventive effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of OB on CaCl2-induced arrhythmias in rats. Male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were divided into the control group (2 weeks, normal saline, gavage) and three groups receiving different concentrations of hydro-alcoholic extract of OB (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, gavage for 2 weeks). The arrhythmia model was established using CaCl2 (IV, 140 mg/kg). The number of ventricular fibrillation (VF), ventricular premature (PVC), and ventricular tachycardia (VT) were studied. Also, the oxidative stress parameters, such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were measured in heart tissue samples. Statistical analysis was done using Fisher’s exact test and ANOVA, and also, P < 0.05 was considered as a significant level. The obtained results showed that administration of OB caused a decrease in MDA and an increase in SOD levels, which were associated with improved electrocardiogram parameters and reduced cardiac arrhythmias, which suggests the therapeutic potential of the plant in cardiovascular disorders.

Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) that located throughout the central, peripheral, and enteric nervous system can be found all over the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) play important roles in pathophysiological processes and have been identified as a therapeutic target for developing novel anticancer agents.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the CB1R expression in human gastric cancer, mRNA and protein expression of CB1R under lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammation condition in human gastric cancer cells (AGS), and the effects of inflammation on cell proliferation in LPS-stimulated AGS cells.

CB1R mRNA expression in human gastric cancer samples and AGS cells were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression level of CB1R, after inflammation induction using LPS, was evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot techniques. Cell proliferation was evaluated using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling assay.

CB1R mRNA was significantly higher in human gastric cancer samples compared to adjacent normal tissues. LPS induced CB1R mRNA and protein expression in stimulated cells and promoted the proliferation of AGS cells.

Our results show the increased expression of CB1R in gastric cancer samples and reveal that LPS induction increases the expression of CB1R and promotes cell proliferation in AGS cells. Accordingly, CB1R may be suggested as a potential molecular target for diagnostic and therapeutic aims in patients with gastric cancer

HER2-positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive and are associated with poorer outcomes than other types of breast cancer. Metformin, the first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has anticancer activity against various cancerous cells.

We assessed the cytotoxic effect of metformin in combination with Lapatinib on the SK-BR3 cells.

Following culturing cells, IC50 of metformin and lapatinib were calculated using MTT assay after 48h of treatment with different concentrations of metformin and lapatinib alone and in combination. The level of pro-apoptotic protein Bax expression was measured by western blot analysis.

Metformin and lapatinib could significantly inhibit the cell viability of SKBR-3 in a dose-dependent manner, and the minimum cytotoxic effect of these drugs was observed after 48 h at 5 mM and 50 nM, respectively. Several combinations of metformin with lapatinib showed a synergistic efficacy on the cell viability inhibition, which could decrease the IC50 of lapatinib from 500 nM to at least 200 nM. The strongest synergistic cytotoxic effect on the cell viability was observed at 40 mM of metformin plus 400 nM of lapatinib. Furthermore, after 48h of co-treatment with metformin-lapatinib combination, the level of pro-apoptotic Bax expression was significantly increased at 10 mM of metformin plus 200 nM of lapatinib.

This study demonstrated that the metformin-lapatinib combination may be a valuable candidate for breast cancer patients with HER2 overexpression. However, further studies are needed to make a definitive conclusion.

Breast cancer is a major cause of female death worldwide. Several factors contribute to cancer development, one of the most important of which is viruses identified by the host immune system and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) is one of the viruses with a proven role in Kaposi’s sarcoma development.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between HHV-8 infection and breast cancer, as well as the role of rs4986791 polymorphism in women’s health.

Blood samples of 80 healthy subjects and 80 patients suffering from breast cancer were collected (from May-September 2018). The presence of HHV-8 in the samples was examined by PCR. Also, the rs4986791 polymorphism was evaluated by nested PCRRFLP.

The results showed a significant relationship between age and breast cancer. Of 80 cancer patients and 80 healthy subjects, 17 (21.3%) and 15 (18.8%) were carriers of HHV-8, respectively. Also, there was no significant relationship between HHV-8 infection and breast cancer (P = 0.693). We found no significant relationship between the presence of virus and cancer grade (P = 0.618).

The results of rs498679 polymorphism analysis indicated that the T allele was associated with increased health phenotype and decreased risk of cancer development. Also, women with TT genotype exhibited significantly lower HHV-8 infection than the other genotypes.