Control of bacterial biofilms in red meat - A systematic review

Biofilm formation is a serious threat in the meat industry, mainly since it aids food-borne pathogen survival. Biofilms are often difficult to eliminate, and it is essential to understand the best possible deployable measures to remove or inactivate biofilms. We systematically reviewed the published in vitro studies that investigated various methods for removing biofilms in red meat. Publicly available databases, including Google Scholar and PubMed, were queried for relevant studies. The search was restricted to articles published in the English language from 2010 to 2021. We mined a total of 394 studies, of which 12 articles were included in this review. In summary, the studies demonstrated the inhibitory effect of various methods, including the use of bacteriophages, dry heat, cold atmospheric pressure, ozone gas, oils, and acids, on red meat extract or red meat culture. This systematic review suggests that in addition to existing sanitation and antibiotic procedures, other methods, such as the use of phage cocktails and different oils as nanoparticles, yield positive outcomes and may be taken from the in vitro setting to industry with prior validation of the techniques.

The interruption of atypical PKC signaling and Temozolomide combination therapy against glioblastoma

Current treatment options of glioblastoma include chemotherapy and limited surgical resection. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the current therapeutic choice for chemotherapy. Still, it has severe limitations due to the development of resistance that occurs by genetic modification and constitutive activation of several cell signaling pathways. Therefore, it is essential to develop combination therapy of TMZ with other novel compounds to prevent the development of chemo-resistance. In this study, we used two inhibitors; ICA, an inhibitor of PKC-ι and ζ-Stat, an inhibitor of PKC-ζ. T98G and U87MG glioblastoma cells were treated with either ICA or ζ-stat or TMZ monotherapies, as well as TMZ were combined with either ICA or ζ-stat for five consecutive days. Our in vitro results exhibited that ICA when combined with TMZ, significantly decreased the viability of cancerous cells compared with untreated or TMZ or ICA monotherapies. Additionally, glioblastoma cells were remarkably undergoing apoptosis against the combination treatment of TMZ and ICA nucleotide compared with untreated control cells, as suggested by our Annexin-V/PI flow cytometric analysis. Moreover, the combination of TMZ and ICA also decreased the invasion of glioblastoma cell lines by acting on FAK/Paxillin pathway, as evidenced by scratch assay, transwell invasion assay, Western blot and immunoprecipitation analysis. Furthermore, our in vivo data presented that the combination of ICA and TMZ also reduced glioblastoma tumor growth and volume in mice. These data suggest that atypical PKCs, particularly PKC-ι might be an important therapeutic target as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Abstract 4931: Yap1 regulates the transcription of cofilin to facilitate the metastatic movement of colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most leading death-causing cancers in the United States which accounts for 23,380 estimated death cases in 2019 as per American Cancer Society. Surgical removal of cancerous tissue coupled with chemotherapeutic intervention is the primary treatment of metastatic CRC and the only hope of enhanced survival. Dysregulation of kinases is pivotal in the various pathological process, including cancer. In addition, the metastatic events in a cancer cell are usually brought by the alteration of different key molecules. One such key molecule is called cofilin that acts on the actin cytoskeleton to induce metastatic phenotype in cancerous cells. In this study, we used two atypical Protein Kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, namely ICA-I (a PKC-ι inhibitor) and ζ-Stat (a PKC-ζ inhibitor), to investigate the role of atypical PKCs in regulating the expression of cofilin in metastatic colorectal cells. Our findings suggested that the atypical PKC inhibitors reduced the expression and translocation of Yap1 from cytosol to nucleus which ultimately leads to the reduced expression of cofilin in CRC cells. This mechanistic study provides an important insight into the metastatic behavior of the cancerous colorectal cells that can be used to target metastasis regulating molecules to improve the survival rate in patients with CRC.

Citation Format: S M Anisul Islam, Mildred Acevedo-Duncan. Yap1 regulates the transcription of cofilin to facilitate the metastatic movement of colorectal cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4931.

The Atypical Protein Kinase C Small Molecule Inhibitor ζ-Stat, and Its Effects on Invasion Through Decreases in PKC-ζ Protein Expression

Ovarian cancer is estimated to reach 22,530 diagnoses and cause 13,980 cancer deaths per year. The most common histology diagnosed of ovarian cancer is epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOC). An aggressive epithelial subtype is clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) and is characterized as a non-serous ovarian cancer. Protein kinase C (PKC) is an enzymatic family of proteins that have been found to be a component in cancer progression, tissue invasion, and metastasis. The atypical PKC (aPKC) isoforms, PKC-ι and PKC-ζ, have been suggested to participate in the increased proliferation of ovarian cancers. Previous studies have indicated that novel aPKC inhibitors ICA-1S and ζ-Stat decreased the migratory behaviors of colorectal cancer cells and were selective for PKC-ι/λ and PKC-ζ, respectively. The aims of this investigation were to further determine the binding mechanisms of ζ-Stat, expand on the tissue range of these compounds, investigate the therapeutic potential of ζ-Stat in CCOC, and to illustrate the disruption of invasion via the PKC-ζ signaling cascade. The methods utilized were molecular docking and virtual target screening, Western blot analysis, end-point PCR, GST pull down, cell viability and invasion and migration assays. We discovered that the small molecule inhibitor, ζ-Stat, is a prospective drug candidate to investigate as a novel potential treatment for CCOC. We also found that the PKC-ζ/Ect2/Rac1 activation pathway was decreased by ζ-Stat, which in turn decreased invasive behavior of CCOC.

Abstract 4290: Simultaneous inhibition of Atypical Protein Kinase-C and mTOR impedes bladder canSimultaneous inhibition of atypical protein kinase-C and mTOR impedes bladder cancer cell progression of bladder cancer cell progression

Despite enormous scientific advancements in cancer treatment, there is still so much to do to combat cancer particularly bladder cancer. Drugs once proved to be effective in treating bladder cancer showed reduced efficacy, hence, cancer recurrence rate is increasing. To overcome this situation, several attempts have been considered such as the development of a new effective drug or modify therapeutic regimens by combining two or more existing drugs. In recent years, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), a phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine kinase, is considered as a central regulator of various cancer-causing signaling pathways and controls cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis, and metastatic determinant. In addition, the biologically important mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is altered in many cancers including bladder and can stimulate the activation of the aPKC pathway. In this study, we examined whether the concurrent inhibition of aPKC and mTOR using a combination of a novel aPKC inhibitor (ICA-I, an inhibitor of PKC-ι, or ζ-Stat, an inhibitor of PKC-ζ) and rapamycin blocks bladder cancer progression. The cell lines tested were MC-SV-HUCT2 normal bladder and TCCSUP bladder cancer cells. Our observed data showed that the combination therapy induced a significant reduction of human bladder cancer cells’ viability, also, individual treatment of aPKC inhibitor and rapamycin brought a similar effect. Moreover, the concurrent inhibition of aPKC and mTOR retards the metastasis of bladder cancer cells. These findings indicate that the administration of aPKC inhibitor together with rapamycin would be a useful therapeutic option in treating bladder cancer.

Citation Format: S M Anisul Islam, Rekha S. Patel, Raja Reddy Bommareddy, Tracess P. Smalley, Mildred Acevedo-Duncan. Simultaneous inhibition of Atypical Protein Kinase-C and mTOR impedes bladder canSimultaneous inhibition of atypical protein kinase-C and mTOR impedes bladder cancer cell progression of bladder cancer cell progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4290.

Analysis of PKC-ζ protein levels in normal and malignant breast tissue subtypes

It is estimated that breast cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women in 2018. Previous research has demonstrated that the atypical protein kinase C-ζ (PKC-ζ) is a component of numerous dysregulated pathways in breast cancer, including cellular proliferation, survival, and cell cycle upregulation. The present study investigated the PKC-ζ protein in breast tissue to evaluate its potential as a biomarker for breast cancer invasion, and demonstrated that an overexpression of PKC-ζ protein can be indicative of carcinogenesis. The present study analyzed the expression of PKC-ζ in individuals with no tumor complications and malignant female human breast tissue samples (lobular carcinoma in situ, invasive lobular carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma) with the use of western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and statistical analysis (83 samples). The present study also evaluated the invasive behavior of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells following the knockdown of PKC-ζ with a Transwell invasion assay and an immunofluorescent probe for filamentous actin (F-actin) organization. The data demonstrated that PKC-ζ expression was identified to be higher in invading tissues when compared with non-invading tissues. The results also suggest that PKC-ζ is more abundant in ductal tissues when compared with lobular tissues. In addition, the protein studies also suggest that PKC-ζ is a component for invasive behavior through the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) and Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) pathway, and PKC-ζ is required for the F-actin reorganization in invasive cells. Therefore, PKC-ζ should be considered to be a biomarker in the development of breast cancer as well as an indicator of invading tumor cells.

The modulation of actin dynamics via atypical Protein Kinase-C activated Cofilin regulates metastasis of colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the United States. The exact mechanism of CRC cells metastasis is poorly understood. Actin polymerization is thought to be an initial step in the cancer cell motility cycle which drives the formation of cell protrusions and defines the direction of migration. Cofilin, a significant actin-regulating molecule, regulates the migration of cancer cells by the formation of lamellipodia and filopodia, however, little is known about the upstream regulation of cofilin. In this study, the effect of atypical Protein Kinase C (atypical PKC) on Cofilin activity in CRC was studied. This study demonstrates that the atypical PKC inhibition impedes the metastasis of CRC cells by increasing phospho-Cofilin (S3) and changing actin organization.

Abstract 5155: The modulation of actin dynamics via atypical protein kinase-C activated cofilin regulates migration of colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States. The exact mechanism of CRC cells migration is poorly understood. Actin polymerization is thought to be an initial step in cancer cells motility cycle which drives the formation of cell protrusions that defines the direction of migration and initiate cell crawling. Cofilin is a significant actin regulating molecule that can regulate the migration of cancer cells by the formation of lamellipodia and filopodia. In this study, the effect of atypical Protein Kinase C (aPKC) on cofilin in CRC was studied by using two inhibitors of aPKC: 1) ICA-I (5-amino-1-(2,3-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl) cyclopentyl)-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ι and 2) ζ-Stat (8-hydroxy-1, 3, 6-naphthalenetrisulfonic acid) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ζ. The cell lines tested were CCD18CO normal colon fibroblast and LOVO & RKO metastatic CRC cells. The inhibition of aPKC did not bring any significant toxicity in CCD18CO colon fibroblasts cells. However, our data showed that the inhibition of aPKC blocks the migration of CRC cells migration by increasing the level of cofilin phosphorylation at serine-3. Additionally, the aPKCs inhibition brought a significant reduction of CRC cells proliferation along with the reduction of survival markers. Our findings suggest that the PKC-ι and/or PKC-ζ may be responsible for the migration of CRC cells as well as carcinogenesis. These results suggest the possibility of utilizing aPKCs as the potential therapeutic targets for the CRC cells metastasis.

Citation Format: S M Anisul Islam, Khandker Mohammad Khalid, Raja Reddy Bommareddy, Rekha Patel, Mildred Acevedo-Duncan. The modulation of actin dynamics via atypical protein kinase-C activated cofilin regulates migration of colorectal cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5155.

Protein Kinase C-ζ stimulates colorectal cancer cell carcinogenesis via PKC-ζ/Rac1/Pak1/β-Catenin signaling cascade

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in the world and death from CRC accounts for 8% of all cancer deaths both in men and women in the United States. CRC is life-threatening disease due to therapy resistant cancerous cells. The exact mechanisms of cell growth, survival, metastasis and inter & intracellular signaling pathways involved in CRC is still a significant challenge. Hence, investigating the signaling pathways that lead to colon carcinogenesis may give insight into the therapeutic target. In this study, the role of atypical Protein Kinase C (aPKC) on CRC was investigated by using two inhibitors of that protein class: 1) ζ-Stat (8-hydroxynaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ζ and 2) ICA-I 5-amino-1-(2,3-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl)cyclopentyl)-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ι. The cell lines tested were CCD18CO normal colon epithelial and LOVO metastatic CRC cells. The inhibition of aPKCs did not bring any significant toxicity on CCD18CO normal colon cell line. Although PKC-ι is an oncogene in many cancers, we found the overexpression of PKC-ζ and its direct association with Rac1. Our findings suggest that the PKC-ζ may be responsible for the abnormal growth, proliferation, and migration of metastatic LOVO colon cancer cells via PKC-ζ/Rac1/Pak1/β-Catenin pathway. These results suggest the possibility of utilizing PKC-ζ inhibitor to block CRC cells growth, proliferation, and metastasis.

Abstract 5744: The role of atypical protein kinase C in colorectal cancer cell growth and proliferation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in the world and death from colorectal cancer accounts for 8% of all cancer deaths both in men and women in the United States. CRC is life threatening disease due to therapy resistant cancerous cells. The exact mechanisms of cell growth, survival, metastasis and inter & intracellular signaling pathways involved in colon cancer are still a major challenge for scientists. Hence, investigating the signaling pathways that lead to colon carcinogenesis may give insight into the therapeutic target. In this study, the role of atypical Protein kinase C (aPKC) on colon cancer was identified by using four inhibitors of that particular protein class: 1) ACPD (2-acetyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione and 2) DNDA (3,4-diamino-2,7 naphthalenedisulfonic acid) are non-specific inhibitors of aPKCs; 3) ζ-Stat (8-hydroxy-1, 3, 6-naphthalenetrisulfonic acid) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ζ; and 4) ICA-I (4, 5-amino-4-carbamoylimidazol-1-yl-2, 3-dihydroxycyclopentyl) methyl dihydrogen phosphate) is a specific inhibitor of PKC-ι. The cell lines tested were HT-29 colon cancer and CCD18CO normal colon epithelial. Although PKC-ι is an oncogene in many cancers, we found that the PKC-ζ was responsible for the abnormal growth and proliferation in HT-29 colon cancer cells. Additionally, the inhibition of aPKCs did not bring any significant toxicity on CCD18CO normal colon cell line. These results suggest the potentiality of utilizing aPKC-ζ inhibitors to block colon cancer cell growth and proliferation.

Citation Format: S M Anisul Islam, Mildred Acevedo Duncan. The role of atypical protein kinase C in colorectal cancer cell growth and proliferation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5744. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5744

Estimation of (41)Ar activity concentration and release rate from the TRIGA Mark-II research reactor

The BAEC TRIGA research reactor (BTRR) is the only nuclear reactor in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) regulations require that nuclear reactor licensees undertake all reasonable precautions to protect the environment and the health and safety of persons, including identifying, controlling and monitoring the release of nuclear substances to the environment. The primary activation product of interest in terms of airborne release from the reactor is (41)Ar. (41)Ar is a noble gas readily released from the reactor stacks and most has not decayed by the time it moves offsite with normal wind speed. Initially (41)Ar is produced from irradiation of dissolved air in the primary water which eventually transfers into the air in the reactor bay. In this study, the airborne radioisotope (41)Ar generation concentration, ground level concentration and release rate from the BTRR bay region are evaluated theoretically during the normal reactor operation condition by several governing equations. This theoretical calculation eventually minimizes the doubt about radiological safety to determine the radiation level for (41)Ar activity whether it is below the permissible limit or not. Results show that the estimated activity for (41)Ar is well below the maximum permissible concentration limit set by the regulatory body, which is an assurance for the reactor operating personnel and general public. Thus the analysis performed within this paper is so much effective in the sense of ensuring radiological safety for working personnel and the environment.

Estimation of biologic gasification potential of arsenic from contaminated natural soil by enumeration of arsenic methylating bacteria

Volatile arsenic species are found in gases released from natural environments as a result of natural ambient-temperature biomethylation of arsenic conducted by yeast, fungi, and bacteria. This process is part of arsenic transport in the arsenic geocycle. It is important to determine the flux of gasified arsenic released by microorganisms to determine the quantitative flux of arsenic cycle clearly and also to understand the effect of microorganisms on the transport and distribution of arsenic in the contaminated environment. In this study, biologic gasification potential of natural soil was determined by enumeration of arsenic methylating bacteria (AsMB). Enumeration of AsMB was conducted for 10 contaminated sites in Bangladesh where AsMB concentration varies from 0.2 x 10(4) to 7.8 x 10(4) most probable number (MPN) kg(-1) dry soil. The specific gasification rate of arsenic by microorganisms was estimated as 1.8 x 10(-7) microg As MPN(-1) d(-1) by incubation of soil in a laboratory soil column setup. Natural biologic gasification potential of arsenic was then calculated by multiplying the specific rate by the number of AsMB in different soils. The attempt of this study is a fundamental step in determining the volatilization flux of arsenic from land surface contributed by microorganisms.

Distribution of Radionuclides in Surface Soil and Bottom Sediment in the District of Jessore, Bangladesh and Evaluation of Radiation Hazard

This paper presents the first reports on the natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil and sediment of Jessore, a south-western district of Bangladesh. Surface soil and freshwater sediment were collected from in and around some major water-bodies of this district. To assess the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity, the absorbed dose rate, and the external and internal hazard indices were calculated. In the soil and sediment in general, the activity concentration of 232Th was found to be higher than that of  226Ra, while that of 40K markedly exceeds the values of both 226Ra and 232Th. The average activities of 226Ra and 232Th in this area were found to be higher than the world average. There was no activity due to fallout (137Cs) in this area. The radium equivalent activity and the absorbed dose rate due to the natural radionuclides were found to be respectively lower and higher than the world average. The external and internal hazard indices were found to be well below the hazard limit of unity. Our results compare fairly well with other published results.  Key words: Soil, Sediment, Natural lake, Radioactivity, Dose rate DOI: 10.3329/jbas.v33i1.2956 Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 33, No. 1, 117-130, 2009