Associations Between Glutathione-S-Transferase Genotypes and Bronchial Hyperreactivity Patients With Di-isocyanate Induced Asthma. A Follow-Up Study

Innovations in applications and prospects of non-isocyanate polyurethane bioplastics

Currently, conventional plastics are necessary for a variety of aspects of modern daily life, including applications in the fields of healthcare, technology, and construction. However, they could also contain potentially hazardous compounds like isocyanates, whose degradation has a negative impact on both the environment and human health. Therefore, researchers are exploring alternatives to plastic which is sustainable and environmentally friendly without compromising its mechanical and physical features. This review study highlights the production of highly eco-friendly bioplastic as an efficient alternative to non-biodegradable conventional plastic. Bioplastics are produced from various renewable biomass sources such as plant debris, fatty acids, and oils. Poly-addition of di-isocyanates and polyols is a technique employed over decades to produce polyurethanes (PUs) bioplastics from renewable biomass feedstock. The toxicity of isocyanates is a major concern with the above-mentioned approach. Novel green synthetic approaches for polyurethanes without using isocyanates have been attracting greater interest in recent years to overcome the toxicity of isocyanate-containing raw materials. The polyaddition of cyclic carbonates (CCs) and polyfunctional amines appears to be the most promising method to obtain non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs). This method results in the creation of polymeric materials with distinctive and adaptable features with the elimination of harmful compounds. Consequently, non-isocyanate polyurethanes represent a new class of green polymeric materials. In this review study, we have discussed the possibility of creating novel NIPUs from renewable feedstocks in the context of the growing demand for efficient and ecologically friendly plastic products.

Identification of a miRNA Panel with a Potential Determinant Role in Patients Suffering from Periodontitis

In recent years, the role of microRNA (miRNA) in post-transcriptional gene regulation has advanced and supports strong evidence related to their important role in the regulation of a wide range of fundamental biological processes. Our study focuses on identifying specific alterations of miRNA patterns in periodontitis compared with healthy subjects. In the present study, we mapped the major miRNAs altered in patients with periodontitis (n = 3) compared with healthy subjects (n = 5), using microarray technology followed by a validation step by qRT-PCR and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis. Compared to healthy subjects, 159 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified among periodontitis patients, of which 89 were downregulated, and 70 were upregulated, considering a fold change of ±1.5 as the cut-off value and p ≤ 0.05. Key angiogenic miRNAs (miR-191-3p, miR-221-3p, miR-224-5p, miR-1228-3p) were further validated on a separate cohort of patients with periodontitis versus healthy controls by qRT-PCR, confirming the microarray data. Our findings indicate a periodontitis-specific miRNA expression pattern representing an essential issue for testing new potential diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for periodontal disease. The identified miRNA profile in periodontal gingival tissue was linked to angiogenesis, with an important molecular mechanism that orchestrates cell fate.

Molecular Mechanisms Related to Responses to Oxidative Stress and Antioxidative Therapies in COVID-19: A Systematic Review

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a leading global health and economic challenge. What defines the disease's progression is not entirely understood, but there are strong indications that oxidative stress and the defense against reactive oxygen species are crucial players. A big influx of immune cells to the site of infection is marked by the increase in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Our article aims to highlight the critical role of oxidative stress in the emergence and severity of COVID-19 and, more importantly, to shed light on the underlying molecular and genetic mechanisms. We have reviewed the available literature and clinical trials to extract the relevant genetic variants within the oxidative stress pathway associated with COVID-19 and the anti-oxidative therapies currently evaluated in the clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment, in particular clinical trials on glutathione and N-acetylcysteine.

The morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 are correlated with the Ile105Val glutathione S-transferase P1 polymorphism

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress is an important issue in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Considering that glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) is involved in cellular detoxification, it may play an important role in susceptibility to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and/or its outcome. In the present study, the association between the Ile105Val GSTP1 polymorphism (rs1695) and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as its outcome was investigated. Data on the prevalence (per 106 people), case-fatality (per 100 infected cases), and mortality (per 106 people) of COVID-19 and various potential confounders (the life expectancy at birth, density of medical doctors, density of nursing and midwifery personnel, and the gross national income per capita) were used. The latest data available for 45 countries were used for the study.

RESULTS

In multivariate linear regression analyses, the Val105 allelic frequency showed positive association with the log-prevalence (partial r = 0.308, p = 0.042) and log-mortality of COVID-19 (partial r = 0.316, p = 0.037). The log-fatality did not show association with the allelic frequency. In the next step, only countries with the gross national income per capita more than $15,000 were included in the analysis. In the selected countries, the frequency of Val105 was positively associated with the log-prevalence (partial r = 0.456, p = 0.009) and log-mortality of COVID-19 (partial r = 0.544, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings indicate that countries with higher Val105 allelic frequency of the rs1695 polymorphism showed higher prevalence and mortality of COVID-19.