Biphasic response to luteolin in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells under high glucose-induced oxidative stress

Background: Clinical evidence indicates the diabetes-induced impairment of osteogenesis caused by a decrease in osteoblast activity. Flavonoids can increase the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts in a high-glucose state. However, some flavonoids such as luteolin may have the potential to induce cytotoxicity in osteoblast-like cells. This study was performed to investigate whether a cytoprotective concentration range of luteolin could be separated from a cytotoxic concentration range in human MG-63 osteoblast-like cells in high-glucose condition

Methods: Cells were cultured in a normal- or high-glucose medium. Cell viability was determined with the MTT assay. The formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species [ROS] was measured using probe 2',7' -dichlorofluorescein diacetate, and osteogenic differentiation was evaluated with an alkaline phosphatase bioassay

Results: ROS generation, reduction in alkaline phosphatase activity, and cell death induced by high glucose were inhibited by lower concentrations of luteolin [EC[50], 1.29 +/- 0.23 micro M]. Oxidative stress mediated by high glucose was also overcome by N-acetyl-L-cysteine. At high concentrations, luteolin caused osteoblast cell death in normal- and high-glucose states [IC[50], 34 +/- 2.33 and 27 +/- 2.42 micro M, respectively], as represented by increased ROS and decreased alkaline phosphatase activity

Conclusion: Our results indicated that the cytoprotective action of luteolin in glucotoxic condition was manifested in much lower concentrations, by a factor of approximately 26 and 20, than was its cytotoxic activity, which occurred under normal or glucotoxic condition, respectively

Evaluation of allergy and eosinophilia level in peripheral blood of patients with cardiovascular diseases

Background: cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of deaths in Iran and other developing countries. The risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are divided into two categories; the variable risk factors and the non-variable risk factors. Many recent studies evaluated the relationship between higher eosinophilia and allergy levels with the incidence, progress and severity of cardiovascular diseases, but the exact correlation between these two still remains unknown. The current study was designed to assess the relationship between allergic responses and eosinophilia amongst patients with cardiovascular diseases in Ilam province, in comparison with healthy individuals

Materials and Methods: in this case-control study, we enrolled 59 cardiovascular patients and 55 healthy individuals without any history of allergy and parasitic infections. A questionnaire including questions about demographic data, family history of heart disease, history of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, physical activity, smoking, stress, dietary fat consumption, salt intake, allergies to certain substances, history of parasitic disease and history of hypertension was completed. The blood was taken from each participant and CBC and IgE titer were measured

Results: there was a significant relationship for the variables such as the family history of cardiovascular disease [P<0.001], diabetes [P<0.003], hyperlipidemia [P<0.0001], high blood pressure [P<0.0001] and physical activity [P<0.0001] between the case and the control groups. The mean IgE titer in case group was 95.3+/-71 and 62.44+/-49 in control group. The mean eosinophilia level in peripheral blood was 3.95+/-1.057 in case and 1.53+/-0.57 in control group. The difference between the IgE and eosinophilia levels in the case and the control groups was statistically significant [P<0.0001]

Conclusion: based on our results, it can be concluded the increase in levels of IgE and eosinophilia can be considered by cardiologists as a reliable diagnostic tool for predicting cardiovascular diseases

Antibody profiling for the prognosis and diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in patients, compared with healthy subjects

Background: multiple sclerosis is considered as an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is the main cause of disability in young adults around the world. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in antibodies in the prognosis of multiple sclerosis, and the use of antibody against aquaporin 4 for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Materials and Methods: in this case - control study, 21 patients with a definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and 21 healthy subjects were selected as the study population. Blood and urine samples were collected, and nephelometry technique was used to assess the presence or absence of IgG, IgM and IgA in serum and urine samples. ELISA method for measuring of antibodies against aquaporin 4 was used

Results: there was no major difference in the mean of the total IgM in the case and control groups, but the mean IgA and IgG levels in the control group were evidently higher than in the case group. It was releaved that IgA, RBC and Hb mean differences between the two groups are statistically significant. Parallel with an increase in IgG, the probability of disease exacerbation was increased by 0.22, whereas with increasing ages, the probability of disease exacerbation was 15.0. There was also a positive and significant relationship between the average level of antibodies, IgG and IgM with the degree of illness However, the relationship between the mean serum IgA level and the degree of illness was inverse. It also became clear that antibodies against AQP-4 in serum and urine of patients with different degrees of illness showed no significant difference. The difference between the mean of antibodies against AQP in the serum of patients with mild and moderate MS was 54.1, but in mild and severe MS it was 53.3

Conclusion: the findings of this research suggest that serum antibody levels are directly related to the disease levels and can be used as a prognostic factor. Accordingly, it appears that the use of antibodies against aquaporin-4 in serum and urine for the diagnosis of this disease can be considered as a reliable approach

Study on the parasitic and microbial contamination of vegetables, and the effect of washing procedures on their elimination in Ilam city

The risk of disease spread through water, fruits and vegetables contaminated through unclean waters varies from region to another. Springs and underground water resources are essentially free of germs or they have tolerable levels of germs; unless they are infected by surface water or human excreta. Scientific reports have shown that outbreaks of food-borne illnesses especially foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables are rising. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of washing procedures in eliminating of microbial and parasitic contamination of vegetables consumed in Ilam city. Multiple samples of vegetables were collected from five regions of the city [North- South- West- East- Center] about 1 kg from each shop and transferred to the laboratory. Then we put apiece in a dish containing five liters water; vegetable was washed into it and a sample was collected. Then we added to dish, 20 drops of dish soap and mixed it for a few minutes so that all of vegetable dipped in the foam. After a few minutes, the vegetable were washed with pure water. Another sample was collected from sewage of this water. For detection of microbes, we used two methods: formalin eater and direct microscopic observation. 86 samples were collected from five regions of city. 40.6% of them had parasitic contamination in scantling water of washing with pure water, and 43% had parasitic contamination in scantling water of washing with dish soap. 70.9% of them had parasitic and bacterial contamination in both wastewaters. There was no significant difference between washing with water and washing with dish soap for parasitic or bacterial contamination. Methods of washing in some types of vegetable may reduce effectively parasitic infection; but we found that washing with dish soap didn't have any significant effect on reduction of microbial contamination

Synthesis and evaluation of monoclonal antibody against Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface antigen 2

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the quality of expressed MSP-2 and also to confirm the immune response against different domains of these proteins.@*METHODS@#Mice were immunized with a schizont extract to stimulate the immune system to make antibodies against different antigens of the late stage parasite including production of antibodies against different domains of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) MSP-2. B lymphocytes of immunized mice were extracted from the spleen and the fusion was performed using NS-1 myeloma cells and the hybridoma cells were assayed by ELISA either with a schizont extract or different domains of MSP-2 and/or by IFAT with whole schizont preparation. Fusion of NS-1 and spleen cells was performed. The positive hybrids were cloned and ELISA was applied against different dilutions. The positive clones were transferred to a small tissue culture flask and after developing they were assayed against schizont extract and the different MSP-2 domains. The positive clones were expanded to large (75 cm(2)) flask and cultured under the same conditions, checking them using both ELISA and IFAT and the positive cells were frozen as soon as possible.@*RESULTS@#A total number of 7 fusions including 26 plates (2 496 wells) were performed, of which 1 336 hybrids were produced and the overall efficiency (1 336/2496 × 100) was about 53%. ELISA was performed to detect the positive hybrids against crude schizont extract by which the highest frequency to crude schizont extract was found for the supernatant of the hybrids produced in fusion number 3 (66 out of 315 hybrids). The supernatant of both B5 and F1 hybridoma cells were more positive against domain 2 of the MSP-2 recombinant protein in Western blotting test. Western blotting results also showed that different domains of the MSP-2 recombinant protein and also the MSP-2 of the P. falciparum parasite were recognized by some of the positive clones and also immune sera.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Bringing together all the results of this study it has been confirmed that some clones have recognized both schizont extract and different domains of the MSP-2 recombinant protein and therefore confirming the quality of the MSP-2 domains.

Fatality due to shigellosis with special reference to molecular analysis vi Shigella sonnet strains isolated from the fatal cases

Shigellosis as a global human health problem is more severe than other forms of gastroenteritis and causes over a million deaths in developing countries worldwide annually. Fatality due to shigellosis is usually due to dehydration and two-third of fatalities are seen among children. The aim of current study was to describe fatal cases of shigellosis due to infection with Shigella sonnei and S.flexneri. We investigated the fatal cases of shigellosis among all children with acute diarrhea admitted to Children's Medical Center, Tehran, Iran. Bacterial isolation and identification was achieved according to standard bacteriological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility tests, plasmid profiling and ribotyping were performed to investigate the clonal relationship among the isolates. Among 1200 children with acute diarrhea, 140 [12.7%] cases had shigellosis. Of these, three patients died. No signs of severe dehydration were observed among the fatal cases. The symptoms were not improved following antibiotic therapy and all three cases died after 24 h of hospitalization despite receiving intensive treatments. Stool cultures yielded S.flexneri and S. sonnei for one and two cases, respectively. The isolates were resistant to streptomycin, ampicillin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. 5. sonnei strains were further studied and showed a single pattern of antibiotic susceptibility and ribotyping. Mortality due to species other than 5. dysenteriae is rare, however, in current study we found S. sonnei and S.flexneri as the cause of fatality among pediatric patients during the study