Carbon nanotubes are unique one-dimensional macromolecules with promising applications in biology and medicine. Since their toxicity is still under debate, here we present a study investigating the genotoxic properties of purified single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and amide functionalized purified SWCNTs on cultured human lymphocytes employing cytokinesis block micronucleus assay and enumeration of gamma H2AX foci as a measure of double strand breaks (DSBs) of the DNA in normal human fibroblasts. SWCNTs induce micronuclei (MN) formation in lymphocytes and decrease the proliferation potential (CBPI) of cells. In a fibroblast cell line the same dose of SWCNTs induces gamma H2AX foci 2.7-fold higher than in a control. Amide functionalized purified SWCNTs behave differently: they do not disturb the cell proliferation potential of harvested lymphocytes, but induce micronuclei to a higher extent than SWCNTs. When applied on fibroblasts, amide functionalized SWCNTs also induce gamma H2AX foci, 3.18-fold higher than the control. The cellular effects of MWCNTs display the broad spectrum of clastogenic properties seen as the highest incidence of induced lymphocyte micronuclei and anaphase bridges among nuclei in binucleated cells. Surprisingly, the incidence of induced gamma H2AX foci was not as high as was expected by the micronucleus test, which indicates that MWCNTs act as clastogen and aneugen agents simultaneously. Biological endpoints investigated in this study indicate a close relationship between the electrochemical properties of carbon nanotubes and observed genotoxicity.

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Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an important member of the haem peroxidase - cyclooxygenase superfamily. This enzyme is physiologically expressed in circulating neutrophils, monocytes and some tissue macrophages including microglia. MPO plays an essential role in the antimicrobial and antiviral system of humans. The microbicidal activity of MPO exists due to its capability to oxidize halide and pseudohalide ions (CI(-), Br(-), I(-) and SCN(-)) by H2O2, thereby producing respective hypohalous acids (HOX). During the phagocytosis of pathogens, azurophilic granules release their content together with MPO into phagolysosomes. On the other hand, MPO can be discharged outside the phagocytes. Due to this, tissue damage during inflammation is greatly promoted by MPO-derived oxidants. Regarding its activity, MPO is a key factor in a great number of conditions within the group of cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, kidney diseases and immune-mediated diseases. Therefore, MPO and its downstream inflammatory pathways might be attractive targets for both prognostic and therapeutic intervention in the prophylaxis of all mentioned illnesses. Nowadays, structure and reaction mechanism of MPO are known, which enable rational strategy in the development of specific MPO inhibitors that still preserve MPO activity during host defense from bacteria, but hinder pathophysiologically persistent activation of MPO. Various methods for MPO activity inhibition and unfavorable effects of MPO-derived oxidants remodeling will be discussed. Emphasis will be put on various known inhibitors, as well as on newly investigated natural products, which can also inhibit MPO activity.

Contemporary inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula belong to several ethnic groups of diverse cultural background. In this study, three ethnic groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bosniacs, Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs - as well as the populations of Serbians, Croatians, Macedonians from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegrins and Kosovars have been characterized for the genetic variation of 660 000 genome-wide autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms and for haploid markers. New autosomal data of the 70 individuals together with previously published data of 20 individuals from the populations of the Western Balkan region in a context of 695 samples of global range have been analysed. Comparison of the variation data of autosomal and haploid lineages of the studied Western Balkan populations reveals a concordance of the data in both sets and the genetic uniformity of the studied populations, especially of Western South-Slavic speakers. The genetic variation of Western Balkan populations reveals the continuity between the Middle East and Europe via the Balkan region and supports the scenario that one of the major routes of ancient gene flows and admixture went through the Balkan Peninsula.