A link between long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and thalassaemia: A review.

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the most prevalent and functionally diverse member of the non-coding RNA (ncRNA). The lncRNA has previously been considered to be a form of transcriptional "noise" but recent studies have found that the lncRNA to be associated with various disease conditions. It has also been found to play important roles in various physiological processes such as haemopoiesis, where lncRNA is reported to act as a fine-tuner of this very important process. To date, the effects of dysregulated lncRNA in thalassaemia has not been fully explored. This review article focuses on the possible roles of dysregulated lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of thalassaemia.

Calculation of free and bioavailable vitamin D and its association with bone mineral density in Malaysian women.

INTRODUCTION: Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels have not been consistently associated with bone mineral density (BMD). It has been suggested that calculation of the free/bioavailable 25(OH)D may correlate better with BMD. We examined this hypothesis in a cohort of Malaysian women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 77 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 29 controls was performed. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using the Roche Cobas E170 immunoassay. Serum vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) was measured using a monoclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Free/bioavailable 25(OH)D were calculated using both the modified Vermuelen and Bikle formulae. RESULTS: Since there were no significant differences between RA patients and controls for VDBP and 25(OH)D, the dataset was analysed as a whole. Calculated free 25(OH)D by Vermeulen was strongly correlated with Bikle (r = 1.00, p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was noted between measured total 25(OH)D with free/bioavailable 25(OH)D (r = 0.607, r = 0.637, respectively, p < 0.001). Median free/bioavailable 25(OH)D values were significantly higher in Chinese compared with Malays and Indians, consistent with their median total 25(OH)D. Similar to total 25(OH)D, the free/bioavailable 25(OH)D did not correlate with BMD. CONCLUSION: In this first study of a multiethnic female Malaysian population, free/bioavailable 25(OH)D were found to reflect total 25(OH)D, and was not superior to total 25(OH)D in its correlation with BMD. Should they need to be calculated, the Bikle formula is easier to use but only calculates free 25(OH)D. The Vermuelen formula calculates both free/bioavailable 25(OH)D but is more complex to use.

Rheological characterisation of concentrated domestic slurry.

The much over-looked element in new sanitation, the transport systems which bridge the source and treatment facilities, is the focus of this study. The knowledge of rheological properties of concentrated domestic slurry is essential for the design of the waste collection and transport systems. To investigate these properties, samples were collected from a pilot sanitation system in the Netherlands. Two types of slurries were examined: black water (consisting of human faecal waste, urine, and flushed water from vacuum toilets) and black water with ground kitchen waste. Rheograms of these slurries were obtained using a narrow gap rotating rheometer and modelled using a Herschel-Bulkley model. The effect of concentration on the slurry are described through the changes in the parameters of the Herschel-Bulkley model. A detailed method is proposed on estimating the parameters for the rheological models. For the black water, yield stress and consistency index follow an increasing power law with the concentration and the behaviour index follows a decreasing power law. The influence of temperature on the viscosity of the slurry is described using an Arrhenius type relation. The viscosity of black water decreases with temperature. As for the black water mixed with ground kitchen waste, it is found that the viscosity increases with concentration and decreases with temperature. The viscosity of black-water with ground kitchen waste is found to be higher than that of black water, which can be attributed to the presence of larger particles in the slurry.

Effect of orally administered soy milk fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 and physical exercise on murine immune responses.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer health benefits through the gastrointestinal microbiota. This nutritional supplement may benefit athletes who undergo rigorous training by maintaining their gastrointestinal functions and overall health. In this study the influence of moderate physical exercise using a graded treadmill exercise, alone or in combination with the consumption of a soy product fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 (LAB12), on tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) responses was investigated in a murine model. Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups of six mice each (control, exercise alone, LAB12 and LAB12 + exercise). Mice treated with the potential probiotic LAB12 were orally gavaged for 42 days. At autopsy, blood and spleen from the animals were collected. The splenocytes were cultured in the presence of a mitogen, concanavalin A (Con A). The amount of TNF-α produced by the Con A-stimulated splenocytes was quantified using ELISA, while their proliferation was determined using the [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation method. This study shows that LAB12-supplemented and exercise-induced mice showed marked increase (P<0.05) in cell proliferation compared to the control animals. TNF-α production was suppressed (P<0.05) in the LAB12 group compared to the untreated mice. These results demonstrate that supplementation with LAB12 has immunomodulatory effects, under conditions of moderate physical exercise, which may have implications for human athletes. Further investigation in human trials is warranted to confirm and extrapolate these findings.

Tocotrienols promote apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by inducing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B activity.

OBJECTIVES: Tocotrienols and tocopherols are members of the vitamin E family, with similar structures; however, only tocotrienols have been reported to achieve potent anti-cancer effects. The study described here has evaluated anti-cancer activity of vitamin E to elucidate mechanisms of cell death, using human breast cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-cancer activity of a tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) and a tocotrienol-enriched fraction (TEF) isolated from palm oil, as well as pure vitamin E analogues (α-tocopherol, α-, δ- and γ-tocotrienols) were studied using highly aggressive triple negative MDA-MB-231 cells and oestrogen-dependent MCF-7 cells, both of human breast cancer cell lines. Cell population growth was evaluated using a Coulter particle counter. Cell death mechanism, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and levels of NF-κB were determined using commercial ELISA kits. RESULTS: Tocotrienols exerted potent anti-proliferative effects on both types of cell by inducing apoptosis, the underlying mechanism of cell death being ascertained using respective IC50 concentrations of all test compounds. There was marked induction of apoptosis in both cell lines by tocotrienols compared to treatment with Paclitaxel, which was used as positive control. This activity was found to be associated with cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (a DNA repair protein), demonstrating involvement of the apoptotic cell death signalling pathway. Tocotrienols also inhibited expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), which in turn can increase sensitivity of cancer cells to apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Tocotrienols induced anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in association with DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and NF-κB inhibition in the two human breast cancer cell lines.

Effects of supplementation with tocotrienol-rich fraction on immune response to tetanus toxoid immunization in normal healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that has been shown to induce favorable effects on animal and human immune systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) supplementation on immune response following tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine challenge in healthy female volunteers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (control group) or 400 mg of TRF (study group) supplementation daily. Over the 2-month period of the study, volunteers were asked to attend three clinical sessions (that is, on days 0, 28 and 56) and blood samples were obtained from the volunteers during the follow-up. On day 28, all volunteers were also vaccinated with the TT vaccine (20 Lf) intramuscularly. RESULTS: The results from the clinical trial showed that TRF supplementation significantly increased the total vitamin E level in the plasma of the TRF-supplemented volunteers compared with the placebo group, indicating overall compliance. Volunteers supplemented with TRF showed a significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced production of interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 by the mitogen or TT-stimulated leukocytes compared with the control group. Volunteers from the TRF group produced significantly (P < 0.05) lower amounts of IL-6 compared with the placebo group. Anti-TT IgG production was also significantly (P < 0.05) augmented in the TRF-supplemented group compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that TRF has immunostimulatory effects and potential clinical benefits to enhance immune response to vaccines.

Rapid metastasis of breast cancer cells from primary tumour to liver.

The aim of this study was to establish an animal model of mammary carcinoma metastasis to discern the in vivo effects of growth and spread of breast cancer. Six-week-old female BALB/c mice were inoculated with 4T1 murine breast cancer cells. Mice weight and primary tumour mass volume were regularly recorded to study the physical effects of a vigorously growing and spreading of cancer cell line. Gross and histological studies were carried out to determine the approximate day of metastatic onset. Production of IFN-gamma was assessed by ELISA to understand its role in tumour growth and metastasis. Lymphocyte markers such as CD8+, CD25 and CD49b were analysed to elucidate its role in tumour growth and progression. Present study showed that the metastatic onset occurs approximately 11 days after the mice were inoculated with the 4T1 murine breast cancer cells. Gross studies showed hepatosplenomegaly. The breast cancer cells from primary tumour were found to spread rapidly to the liver on day 11. IFN-gamma production was higher in inoculated mice serum compared to control mice serum. Higher numbers of CD8+, CD25 and CD49b cells were observed in the peripheral blood of inoculated mice, compared to control mice. In conclusion, the 4T1 murine breast cancer cells can migrate and metastasise rapidly to the liver, eliciting various immune responses.

Health promoting effects of phytonutrients found in palm oil.

The oil palm tree, Elaeis guineesis, is the source of palm oil, otherwise known as the "tropical golden oil". To date, Malaysia and Indonesia are the leading producers of palm oil. Palm oil is widely used for domestic cooking in Malaysia. Palm oil is a rich source of phytonutrients such as tocotrienols, tocopherol, carotene, phytosterols, squalene, coenzyme Q10, polyphenols, and phospholipids. Although the phytonutrients constitute only about 1% of its weight in crude palm oil, these are the main constituents through which palm oil exhibits its nutritional properties. Among the major health promoting properties shown to be associated with the various types of phytonutrients present in palm oil are anti-cancer, cardio-protection and anti-angiogenesis, cholesterol inhibition, brain development and neuro protective properties, antioxidative defence mechanisms, provitamin A activity and anti-diabetes.