Introducing Albumin and Interleukin 6 as Common Critical Dysregulated Proteins Between Migraine and Gliosarcoma

Introduction

It is reported that migraine may be a risk factor for brain cancers. Since one of the best ways to assess this possible relationship is to study the molecular mechanism, here the common central dysregulated proteins between these diseases are investigated via network analysis.

Methods

The dysregulated proteins of migraine and gliosarcoma are extracted from the STRING database and interacted via Cytoscape software, version 3.7.2. to form two separate networks. Central nodes of the networks are compared to find the common central district proteins. First neighbors of the common central proteins are studied.

Results

The number of 11 hub bottlenecks was identified for each of the migraine and gliosarcoma cancer networks. Albumin (ALB) and interleukin 6 (IL6) were introduced as common differentially expressed central proteins. Kininogen 1 (KNG1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), and neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) the first neighbors of ALB-IL6 were connected to the central nodes of networks of the two studied diseases.

Conclusion

ALB and IL6 can be considered molecular links between migraine and brain cancers.

Highlights

Differentially expression of albumin (ALB) and interleukin 6 (IL6) is highlighted as the common key events in migraine and gliosarcoma.Kininogen 1 (KNG1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), and neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) are introduced as possible critical players in migraine and gliosarcoma.Based on four centrality parameters, ALB is characterized with stronger centrality properties relative to IL6.

Plain Language Summary

Migraine is considered as a possible risk factor for brain cancers. Therefor exploring of relationship between brain cancers and migraine is attracted attention of researchers. Understanding of diseases molecular mechanism is an important tool to better diagnosis and therapy of the studied disorders. In the present study, the common features of molecular events in migraine and gliosarcoma are studied based on protein expression changes. Analysis indicates that a few numbers of proteins play critical roles in migraine and gliosarcoma. ALB, IL6, KNG1, VEGFA, and NF1 are highlighted as the key proteins which are dysregulated in the two studied diseases. Prominent role of ALB in development of cancers is pointed out by several researchers. Important role of IL6 in promotion of migraine is disused in the previous documents. Since some diseases are risk factors for the other disorders, understanding the common features of two diseases can provide suitable therapeutic protocol to prevent development of diseases. Our finding can be used to provide suitable procedure to prevent conversion of migraine to brain cancer.

Network analysis of liver cancer: a system biology approach

Aim

Determining critical dysregulated proteins in liver cancer was the main aim of this study.

Background

Liver cancer is a common health problem characterized by difficulties in early diagnosis and rapid progression. Due to the lack of targeted drugs and the other features of the disease, the survival rate for patients is extremely low.

Methods

The related dysregulated proteins for liver cancer were retrieved from the STRING database. The queried proteins were included in a network by Cytoscape software, and the central nodes of the network were enriched via gene ontology.

Results

Among 11 introduced central nodes (GAPDH, TP53, EGFR, MYC, INS, ALB, IL6, AKT1, VEGFA, CDH1, and HRAS), HRAS and AKT1 were highlighted as critical dysregulated proteins which can be considered as possible biomarkers.

Conclusion

Analysis revealed that AKT1, HRAS and the related biochemical pathways (especially "HIF-1 signaling pathway") are the possible diagnostic and therapeutic agents of liver cancer.

Evaluation of cellular response to Clostridium difficile toxin-A: a network analysis

Aim

The current study aimed to determine crucial genes targeted by toxin-A through network analysis.

Background

Clostridium difficile (C difficile) produces toxin-A and toxin-B and is known as a risk factor for hospital infection, especially after broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. Bioinformatics findings have led to the introduction of a set of genes and biological terms that are targeted by toxin-B in colon epithelia.

Methods

The significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of human intestinal Caco-2 cells treated by toxin-A versus control were retrieved from gene expression omnibus (GEO). The queried DEGs were analyzed using by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis through STRING database and Cytoscape software v.3.7.2.

Results

Among 157 significant DEGs, JUN, VEGFA, CDKN1A, ATF3, SNAI1, DUSP1, HSPB1, MCL1, KLF4, FOSL1, HSPA1A, and SQSTM1 were determined as hubs and JUN, DUSP1, DUSP5, EZR, MAP1LC3B, and SQSTM1 were highlighted as bottlenecks.

Conclusion

JUN, DUSP1, and SQSTM1 are possible drug targets to prevent and treat C difficile infection.

Low-Level Laser Therapy: Potential and Complications

Introduction: Laser therapy has attracted experts' attention in medical sciences. Many benefits of laser therapy are presented besides some complications. In the present study, it is tried to present a new perspective of laser therapy in the various fields of medicine. Methods: Laser therapy-related articles which are combined with regenerative medicine, cosmetic, dentistry, neurodegenerative diseases, kidney, bone fracture, and vaginal function in the English language were searched through the google scholar search engine in the range of 2000-2021. After title screening, the abstracts were evaluated to access the full texts. Results: Basic concepts and various kinds of lasers which are applied in medicine were explained. Applications of laser therapy in various fields of medicine such as pain reduction, wound healing, regenerative medicine, dentistry, and several other body organs were highlighted and some complications were pointed. Conclusion: High potential of laser therapy for application in medicine implies a reconsideration of the laser properties and also styles of laser applications to improve the treatment and prevention of its side effects.

The Principal Role of Several Members of HLA and IRF Genes in Prevention of Oral Mucositis After Chemoradiotherapy

Introduction: One of the chemoradiotherapy (CRT) side effects is oral mucositis (OM). Since photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is a public method for the repair process, in the present study the mechanism of PBMT in the prevention of OM is investigated via the bioinformatics approach. Methods: Six validated and significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the prevention of OM in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients who had experienced CRT were extracted from the literature. After adding 50 neighbors from STRING, the network was constructed and analyzed. The results of the action map and network analysis were compared and discussed. Results: HLA gene family were identified as central nodes of the analyzed network. Based on action map finding, activation is prominent action and IRF9 was the potent activator. The role of the IRF gene family was highlighted by action map analysis. Conclusion: Regulation of the immune system by HLA and IRF genes family is a crucial factor in the prevention of OM in the studied patients.

Assessment of colon cancer molecular mechanism: a system biology approach

AIM

The current study aimed to assess and compare colon cancer dysregulated genes from the GEO and STRING databases.

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is known as the third most common kind of cancer and the second most important reason for global cancer-related mortality rates. There have been many studies on the molecular mechanism of colon cancer.

METHODS

From the STRING database, 100 differentially expressed proteins related to colon cancers were retrieved and analyzed by network analysis. The central nodes of the network were assessed by gene ontology. The findings were compared with a GSE from GEO.

RESULTS

Based on data from the STRING database, TP53, EGFR, HRAS, MYC, AKT1, GAPDH, KRAS, ERBB2, PTEN, and VEGFA were identified as central genes. The central nodes were not included in the significant DEGs of the analyzed GSE.

CONCLUSION

A combination of different database sources in system biology investigations provides useful information about the studied diseases.

Cytotoxic Activity and Apoptosis Induction by Gaillardin

Cytotoxic activity of gaillardin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Inula oculus-christi L. (Asteraceae), was assessed in the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG-2, human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line A-549, and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29, resulting in IC50 values of 6.37, 6.20, 4.76, and 1.81 μg/mL, respectively, in the microculture tetrazolium-formazan MTT assay. In vitro apoptosis-inducing properties of gaillardin were also evaluated in MCF-7 cells with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nickend labeling (TUNEL) assay. The results suggest gaillardin as a candidate for further studies in cancer therapy

A cytotoxic hydroperoxy sterol from the brown alga, Nizamuddinia zanardinii

BACKGROUND

The marine environment is a unique source of bioactive natural products, of which Nizamuddinia zanardinii is an important brown algae distributed in Oman Sea. Literature revealed that there is no report on phytochemistry and pharmacology of this valuable algae.

METHODS

Bioguided fractionation of the methanolic extract of Nizamuddinia zanardinii, collected from Oman Sea, led to the isolation of a hydroperoxy sterol. Its structure was determined by analysis of the spectroscopic data as 24-hydroperoxy-24-vinyl cholesterol (HVC). In vitro cytotoxic activity of this compound was evaluated against HT29, MCF7, A549, HepG2 and MDBK cell lines.

RESULTS

Although 24(R)-hydroproxy-24-vinylcholesterol has been previously reported from Sargassum and Padina species, it is the first report on the presence of this compound from N. zanardinii. This compound exhibited cytotoxicity in all cell lines (IC50, 3.62, 9.09, 17.96, 32.31 and 37.31 μg/mL respectively). HVC was also evaluated for apoptotic activity and demonstrated positive results in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick End labeling (TUNEL) assay suggesting it a candidate for further apoptotic studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Nizamuddinia zanardinii, a remarkable brown algae of Oman Sea, is a good source of hydroproxy sterols with promising cytotoxic on various cell lines particularly human colon adenocarcinoma.

Cytotoxic activity and apoptosis induction by gaillardin

Cytotoxic activity of gaillardin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Inula oculus-christi L. (Asteraceae), was assessed in the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG-2, human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line A-549, and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29, resulting in IC50 values of 6.37, 6.20, 4.76, and 1.81 microg/mL, respectively, in the microculture tetrazolium-formazan MTT assay. In vitro apoptosis-inducing properties of gaillardin were also evaluated in MCF-7 cells with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The results suggest gaillardin as a candidate for further studies in cancer therapy

Anti-proliferative Activity and Apoptotic Potential of Britannin, a Sesquiterpene Lactone from Inula aucheriana

Inula aucheriana n-hexane, CHCl3 and MeOH extracts were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity against HepG-2, MCF-7, MDBK and A-549 cells. The CHCl3 extract exhibited cytotoxic activity to the above cell lines with IC50 values of 13.5, 23.4, 10.5, and 26.9 μg/mL, respectively. The sesquiterpene lactone britannin was isolated from the above extract. This was further evaluated in the MTT assay to demonstrate strong cytotoxicity to the mentioned cell lines (IC50: 2.2, 5.9, 5.4, and 3.5 μg/mL, respectively), and the apoptotic inducing properties of britannin were evaluated on human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells through the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

Anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic potential of britannin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Inula aucheriana

Inula aucheriana n-hexane, CHCl3 and MeOH extracts were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity against HepG-2, MCF-7, MDBK and A-549 cells. The CHCl3 extract exhibited cytotoxic activity to the above cell lines with IC50 values of 13.5, 23.4, 10.5, and 26.9 microg/mL, respectively. The sesquiterpene lactone britannin was isolated from the above extract. This was further evaluated in the MTT assay to demonstrate strong cytotoxicity to the mentioned cell lines (IC50: 2.2, 5.9, 5.4, and 3.5 microg/mL, respectively), and the apoptotic inducing properties of britannin were evaluated on human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells through the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of novel 3-substituted derivatives of 2-indolinone

The assessment of the degree or rate of cellular proliferation and cell viability is critical for the assessment of the effects of drugs on both normal and malignant cell populations. In the present study, a few novel 3-substituted derivatives of 2-indolinones were synthesized by condensation of substituted oxindole or isatin derivatives with appropriate aldehydes or primary aromatic amines respectively. The synthesized compounds were screened for their cytotoxicity against HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma cell line) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line) cells using short term cytotoxicity MTT assay protocol. A few derivatives with IC50 < 10 µM were identified among them. he compound bearing 5-bromo substitution was the most potent derivative. Global physicochemical properties for compounds IVa-e and Va-h were calculated and the two most active compounds (IVa and IVb) showed similar CLogP values.

Sesquiterpene Lactones from Inula oculus-christi

Inula oculus-christi L. (Compositae) extract was chromatographed and three sesquiterpene lactones ergolide, gaillardin and pulchellin C were isolated. The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic data, and their crystal structures were defined using X-ray crystallography; the isolation of ergolide and pulchellin C is reported for the first time from this species. These three compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against MDBK, MCF7 and WEHI164 cells; ergolide and gaillardin exhibited lower and significantly different IC50 values compared with pulchellin C ( p<0.001).

Sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi

Inula oculus-christi L. (Compositae) extract was chromatographed and three sesquiterpene lactones ergolide, gaillardin and pulchellin C were isolated. The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic data, and their crystal structures were defined using X-ray crystallography; the isolation of ergolide and pulchellin C is reported for the first time from this species. These three compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against MDBK, MCF7 and WEHI164 cells; ergolide and gaillardin exhibited lower and significantly different IC50 values compared with pulchellin C (p<0.001).