Thalassemia Syndromes in Serbia: An update

The iron chelating activity of Gundelia tournefortii in iron overloaded experimental rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gundelia tournefortii is a member of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family which is widely consumed as edible plant in the Eastern Mediterranean. In folkloric medicine, it is used for the treatment of various diseases and conditions, including pain, liver diseases, kidney stones and inflammations.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Recently, many commoners use this plant as adjuvant therapy for treating symptoms associated with liver diseases and thalassemia. Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate, biochemically, the iron chelating activity of G. tournefortii methanolic extract in iron overloaded rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty Wister male rats were divided into five groups: one group was a healthy control, while iron overload was induced in the other four groups by 100 mg/kg iron-dextran. Of these, one group was left untreated as a control, while the other three groups were treated with 50 mg/kg deferoxamine, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of G. tournefortii methanolic extract, respectively. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents of the methanolic extract were estimated. The biochemical assessment was performed by measuring blood levels of iron, ferritin, liver biomarkers (ALT, ALP and AST), cardiac biomarkers (CPK and LDH) and lipid profile.

RESULTS

Not only the blood levels of iron, ferritin, liver biomarkers and cardiac biomarkers were reduced significantly by G. tournefortii methanolic extract, but also the lipid profile was improved. This clearly supports the chelating activity of G. tournefortii and its hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects in iron overloaded rats.

CONCLUSIONS

This highlights the value of medicinal plants as alternative therapies for iron overload conditions such as thalassemia.

Alternative RNA splicing and gastric cancer

Alternative splicing (AS) linked to diseases, especially to tumors. Recently, more and more studies focused on the relationship between AS and gastric cancer (GC). This review surveyed the hot topic from four aspects: First, the common types of AS in cancer, including exon skipping, intron retention, mutually exclusive exon, alternative 5 ' or 3' splice site, alternative first or last exon and alternative 3' untranslated regions. Second, basic mechanisms of AS and its relationship with cancer. RNA splicing in eukaryotes follows the GT-AG rule by both cis-elements and trans-acting factors regulatory. Through RNA splicing, different proteins with different forms and functions can be produced and may be associated with carcinogenesis. Third, AS types of GC-related genes and their splicing variants. In this paper, we listed 10 common genes with AS and illustrated its possible molecular mechanisms owing to genetic variation (mutation and /or polymorphism). Fourth, the splicing variants of GC-associated genes and gastric carcinogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Many studies have found that the different splicing variants of the same gene are differentially expressed in GC and its precancerous diseases, suggesting AS has important implications in GC development. Taking together, this review highlighted the role of AS and splicing variants in the process of GC. We hope that this is not only beneficial to advances in the study field of GC, but also can provide valuable information to other similar tumor research.Although we already know some gene splicing and splicing variants play an important role in the development of GC, but many phenomena and mechanisms are still unknown. For example, how the tumor microenvironment and signal transduction pathway effect the forming and function of AS? Unfortunately, this review did not cover the contents because the current study is limited. It is no doubt that clarifying the phenomena and mechanisms of these unknown may help to reveal the relationship of AS with complex tumor genetic variation and the occurrence and development of tumors.

β-Thalassemia Haplotypes in Romania in the Context of Genetic Mixing in the Mediterranean Area

The purpose of this meta-study was to investigate β-thalassemia (β-thal) mutations and their chromosomal background in order to highlight the origin and spread of thalassemia alleles in the European and Mediterranean areas. Screening of more than 100 new Romanian β-thal alleles was also conducted. The results suggest an ancient introduction of mutations at codon 39 (C > T) (HBB: c.118C > T) and IVS-I-6 (T > C) (HBB: c.92 + 6T > C) in Romania. A comparative study was performed based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) haplotypes associated with β-thal mutations in Romania and in Mediterranean countries. Each common β-thal allele from different populations exhibits a high degree of haplotype similarity, a sign of a clear unicentric origin for the IVS-I-110 (G > A) (HBB: c.93-21G > A), IVS-I-6, IVS-II-745 (C > G) (HBB: c.316-106C > G) and codon 39 mutations (the 17a [+ - - - - + +], 13c [ - + + - - - +], 17c [ + - - - - - +] and 14a [- + + - + + + ] ancestral RFLP background, respectively), followed by recurrent recombination events. This study also showed that geographic distances played a major role in shaping the spread of the predominant β-thal alleles, whereas no genetic boundaries were detected between broad groups of populations living in the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. The analyses revealed some discrepancies concerning Morocco and Serbia, which suggest some peculiar genetic flows. Marked variations in β(A) were observed between Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean, whereas a relative genetic homogeneity was found around the Mediterranean Basin. This homogeneity is undoubtedly the result of the high level of specific historic human migrations that occurred in this area.

The Effects of Medicago Sativa and Allium Porrum on Iron Overload in Rats

PURPOSE

Iron overload may occur due to regular blood transfusions and high intestinal iron absorption. Currently, there is no effective drug without side effects for the treatment of iron excess in thalassemia and other iron storage diseases, except chelation therapy, which is the only safe method for iron excretion. Thus, scientists are more focused on medicinal plants rich in phytochemical compounds for the removal of iron in thalassemia. Therefore this study was managed to discover the therapeutic potential of hydro-alcoholic extract of Allium porrum and Medicago sativa for iron chelating potential.

METHODS

Aerial parts of Allium porrum and Medicago sativa were collected in Yasuj Iran. Rats were divided into seven groups each containing six. Extracts were administrated in four groups (two groups for each extract) by single doses of each plant with 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight by (i.p.) route every other day for 28 days. Group 1 as negative control received saline (0.5 ml/kg) by (i.p.) route. Positive control received iron dextran 200 mg/kg body weight. Experimental groups 1 and 2 for each plant extract were fed with 200 and 400 mg/kg, hydro-alcoholic extract respectively via (i.p.) route, 1 h after the injection of iron dextran. Standard group was treated with deferoxamine (DF) 50 mg/kg by (i.p.) route 1 h after the injection of iron dextran. Serum iron (SI) and serum total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were determined .The serum ferritin was then measured using enzyme immunoassay ELISA kit for rat. For Analysis of data ANOVA test was used.

RESULTS

Hydro-alcoholic extract of Medicago sativa and Allium porrum at 400 mg/kg showed significant (p<0.05) iron chelating activity compared to control. The plant extracts with dose 200 mg/kg also reduced the iron and ferritin content but the effect was lower level compared to higher doses. The plant extract effects were similar to that of standard drug deferoxamine. Iron and ferritin levels were significantly reduced in experimental groups when compared to positive group especially in Medicago sativap<0.05. There was no difference between standard drugs and last concentration of plant extracts.

CONCLUSION

Protective effect of M. sativa and A. Porrum against iron overload in rat model was reported. Significant decrease in serum ferritin and iron concentration was reported in iron overload rats which induced by iron dextran.