The worldwide burden of cancers is increasing at a very high rate, including the aggressive and resistant forms of cancers. Certain levels of breakthrough have been achieved with the conventional treatment methods being used to treat different forms of cancers, but with some limitations. These limitations include hazardous side effects, destruction of non-tumor healthy cells that are rapidly dividing and developing, tumor resistance to anti-cancer drugs, damage to tissues and organs, and so on. However, oncolytic viruses have emerged as a worthwhile immunotherapeutic option for the treatment of different types of cancers. In this treatment approach, oncolytic viruses are being modeled to target cancer cells with optimum cytotoxicity and spare normal cells with optimal safety, without the oncolytic viruses themselves being killed by the host immune defense system. Oncolytic viral infection of the cancer cells are also being genetically manipulated (either by removal or addition of certain genes into the oncolytic virus genome) to make the tumor more visible and available for attack by the host immune cells. Hence, different variants of these viruses are being developed to optimize their antitumor effects. In this review, we examined how grave the burden of cancer is on a global level, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, major conventional therapeutic approaches to the treatment of cancer and their individual drawbacks. We discussed the mechanisms of action employed by these oncolytic viruses and different viruses that have found their relevance in the fight against various forms of cancers. Some pre-clinical and clinical trials that involve oncolytic viruses in cancer management were reported. This review also examined the toxicity and safety concerns surrounding the adoption of oncolytic viro-immunotherapy for the treatment of cancers and the likely future directions for researchers and general audience who wants updated information.
Wound infections have become life threatening as a result of treatment failures caused by multi-drug resistant pathogens. The search for newer compounds potent against antibiotic resistant bacteria associated with wounds is crucial. Hence this study investigated the application of antibacterial photodynamic therapy using meso tetra-(4-phenyl) porphyrin (TPP), metallated with zinc, tin and silver (ZnTPP, SnTPP and AgTPP), meso tetra-(4-sulphonatephenyl) porphyrin (TPPS) and the corresponding metallo meso tetra-(4-sulphonatephenyl) porphyrin (MTPPS) as photosensitizers. The in-vitro toxicity and photo-toxicity properties on four chronic wound colonizing multi-drug resistant bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp., Proteus sp., and Escherichia coli were assessed using agar well diffusion method. Photo-toxicity of the compounds was investigated using 100 Watt tungsten lamp. Inhibitory activity of porphyrins tested against these bacterial strains showed Staphylococcus aureus to have both lowest (11±0.0 mm) and highest (33±1.1 mm) susceptibility to SnTPPS and ZnTPPS respectively. The sequence of data also showed appreciable improvement in the antimicrobial activities of five metalloporphyrins (SnTPP, AgTPP, ZnTPPS, SnTPPS and AgTPPS) exposed to light rays than when tested against bacterial strains in dark condition. ZnTPPS exhibited the best activity with improved photo-toxic activities against all bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus 33±1.1 mm, Klebsiella sp. 32±0.7 mm, Proteus sp. 28±0.7 mm and Escherichia coli 30±1.4 mm) examined in this study.
Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a highly nutritive vegetable with about 2 million metric tons grown annually in Nigeria, but the majority is lost to postharvest spoilage, especially through microbial infection. In this study, we identified bacteria and fungi associated with postharvest spoilage in onion bulbs and determined the pathogenicity of the bacterial isolates. Two weeks stored onion bulbs were purchased at a market in Ile-Ife, rinsed in 5% HOCL and aseptically cut into seven sections each. The fourteen sections obtained were swabbed daily with sterile cotton-tipped applicators for seven days. The swabs were streaked onto the surface of Nutrient Agar (NA) and selective/differential media plates for the isolation of bacteria, and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates for the cultivation of fungi. The bacterial plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, while the fungal plates were incubated at 25°C for 5 days. The isolates were identified based on standard microbiological methods. Pathogenicity tests of the bacterial isolates from each of the genera was carried out by re-inoculation on the inner tissues of fresh onion bulbs that have been cleaned with 1% NaOCL, an uninoculated onion bulb served as the control. Thirty-five (35) bacterial isolates belonging to four different genera were identified, which included; 11 (31.4%) Staphylococcus spp., 9 (25.7%) Micrococcus spp., 8 (22.9%) Bacillus spp. and 7 (20%) Flavobacterium spp. Seven (7) fungal isolates were identified which included; 5 (71.4%) Aspergillus fumigatus, 1 (14.3%) Gibellula suffulta and 1 (14.3%) Hirsutella saussueri. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all the bacterial isolates were able to cause rot in onion in comparison with the control which had no observable rot; Flavobacterium spp. (28 mm) was the most pathogenic, while Micrococcus spp. was the least pathogenic (14 mm) based on the diameter of rot formation within seven days. These findings revealed that spoilage microorganisms can cause onion rot, hence, onions already showing contamination symptoms should be separated from fresh ones to avoid cross-contamination, while adequate care should be taken before consumption of onion to avoid foodborne illnesses and diseases.
Nanosized particles of zinc oxide have gained much attention due to several applications which includes bacterial inhibition. Therefore, this work evaluates zinc oxide properties synthesized using reduction (chemical) and bioreduction (green) processes and their corresponding inhibition potentials. The bio-reduction process was achieved using Amaranthus spinosus at 70 • C while the reduction process was initiated in the chemical process using sodium hydroxide. The optical measurement of ZnO was carried out using an UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized ZnO were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The elemental composition was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity property of the nanoparticles was tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae. The degree of susceptibility of ZnO nanoparticles was higher in the bio-reduction process than chemically synthesized for selected microorganisms. A sustainable pathway for development of bio-antibiotic is presented.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.