Anticancer and antibacterial potentials induced post short-term exposure to electromagnetic field and silver nanoparticles and related pathological and genetic alterations: in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Resistance to antibiotics and anticancer therapy is a serious global health threat particularly in immunosuppressed cancer patients. Current study aimed to estimate the antibacterial and anticancer potentials of short-term exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) either in sole or combined form. METHODS: Antibacterial activity was evaluated via determination of the bacterial viable count reduction percentage following exposure, whereas their ability to induce apoptosis in breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line was detected using annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and cell cycle analysis. Also, oxidative stress potential and molecular profile were investigated. RESULTS: ELF-EMF and AgNPs significantly (p < 0.01) reduced K. pneumonia viable count of compared to that of S. aureus in a time dependent manner till reaching 100% inhibition when ELF-EMF was applied in combination to 10 µM/ml AgNPs for 2 h. Apoptosis induction was obvious following exposure to either ELF-EMF or AgNPs, however their apoptotic potential was intensified when applied in combination recording significantly (p < 0.001) induced apoptosis as indicated by elevated level of MCF-7 cells in the Pre G1 phase compared to control. S phase arrest and accumulation of cells in G2/M phase was observed following exposure to AgNPs and EMF, respectively. Up-regulation in the expression level of p53, iNOS and NF-kB genes as well as down-regulation of Bcl-2 and miRNA-125b genes were detected post treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The antibacterial and anticancer potentials of these agents might be related to their ability to induce oxidative stress, suggesting their potentials as novel candidates for controlling infections and triggering cancer cells towards self-destruction.

Telmisartan attenuates diabetic nephropathy by mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation, and upregulating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling in diabetic rats.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes and can lead to renal failure. Telmisartan (TEL) is an approved angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker for the treatment of hypertension and possesses nephroprotective efficacy. The study investigated the beneficial effect of TEL on renal oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in type 1 diabetic rats, pointing to the possible role of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ), and TEL (5 and 10 mg/kg) was supplement for 8 weeks. TEL ameliorated hyperglycemia, prevented body weight loss and kidney hypertrophy, decreased serum creatinine and urea, and prevented histopathological alterations in diabetic rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), NF-κB p65 and TNF-α were increased, whereas GSH, SOD and Bcl-2 were decreased in the kidney of diabetic rats. Treatment with TEL ameliorated oxidative stress, suppressed NF-κB p65 and TNF-α, and boosted cellular antioxidant defenses and Bcl-2. TEL upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 in the kidney of both normal and diabetic rats. In addition, TEL downregulated VEGF and MMP-9 in the kidney of diabetic rats. In silico molecular docking simulations revealed the potent binding affinity of TEL to NF-κB, MMP-9, Keap1 and HO-1. In conclusion, TEL attenuates DN by ameliorating hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and angiogenesis and upregulation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling.

Staphylococcus aureus derived hyaluronic acid and bacillus Calmette-Guérin purified proteins as immune enhancers to rabies vaccine and related immuno-histopathological alterations.

PURPOSE: One of the essential goals regarding the successful control of rabies infection is the development of a safe, effective, and inexpensive vaccine. the current study aimed to evaluate the inactivation potential of ß-propiolactone (ßPL), binary ethyleneimine (BEI), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Estimating the inactivation kinetics of ßPL, BEI, and H2O2 revealed that the tested inactivants could completely and irreversibly inactivate rabies virus within 2, 12, and 4 hours, respectively while maintaining its viral immunogenicity. The potency of ßPL, BEI, and H2O2 inactivated vaccines was higher than the World Health Organization acceptance limit and were in the order of 3.75, 4.21, and 3.64 IU/mL, respectively. Monitoring the humoral and cellular immunity elicited post-immunization using Staphylococcus aureus derived hyaluronic acid (HA) and bacillus Calmette-Guérin purified protein derivative (PPD) adjuvanted rabies vaccine candidates were carried out using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that both adjuvants could progressively enhance the release of anti-rabies total immunoglobulin G as well as the pro-inflammatory mediators (interferon-gamma and interleukin-5) relative to time. However, a higher immune response was developed in the case of HA adjuvanted rabies vaccine compared to PPD adjuvanted one. The harmful consequences of the tested adjuvants were considered via investigating the histopathological changes in the tissues of the immunized rats using hematoxylin and eosin stain. Lower adverse effects were observed post-vaccination with HA and PPD adjuvanted vaccines compared to that detected following administration of the currently used alum as standard adjuvant. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that HA and PPD could serve as a promising platform for the development of newly adjuvanted rabies vaccines with elevated immune enhancing potentials and lower risk of health hazards.