Toll-like receptor family (TLRs), pattern recognition receptors, is expressed not only on immune cells but also on non-immune cells, including cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular endothelial cells. One main function of TLRs in the non-immune system is to regulate apoptosis. TLRs are the central mediators in hepatic, pulmonary, brain, and renal ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Up-regulation of TLRs and their ligation by either exogenous or endogenous danger signals plays critical roles in ischemia/reperfusion–induced tissue damage. Conventional TLR-NF-κB pathways are markedly activated in failing and ischemic myocardium. Recent studies have identified a cross talk between TLR activation and the PI3K/Akt pathway. The activation of TLRs is proposed to be the most potent preconditioning method after ischemia, to improve the cell survival via the mechanism involved the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and to attenuate the subsequent TLR-NF-κB pathway stimulation. Thus, TLRs could be a great target in the new treatment approaches for myocardial I/R injury.
Background: Aspergillus flavus is a toxic contaminant in foods, which can induce mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects. In last decades, synthetic fungicides have been used for inhibition of fungal growth in plants. The public attention was also attracted to contamination of food chain by these chemicals. Therefore, in the current study, we decided to use Zataria multiflora (ZM) essential oil to inhibit the Aspergillus flavus growth. Method: The essential oil from ZM was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of ZM essential oil were determined at different concentrations (0-1000 ppm). Results: In this study, Carvacrol (33.45%) and Thymol (34.44%) were the most frequent compounds of the ZM essential oil. The minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations were 100 and 400 ppm, respectively. Conclusions: The presence of phenolic compounds such as Thymol and Carvacrol, as the major components of ZM essential oil inhibits the Aspergillus flavus growth. Furthermore, this essential oil has a very strong anti-bacterial effect. Considering these results, it seems that ZM essential oil is potentially an appropriate natural alternative for controlling Aspergillus flavus fungus.
Introduction: Metal nanoparticles such as gold and silver nanoparticles have attracted much interest during the last decades for their special chemical and physical properties. Gold and silver nanoparticles can be functionalized with active biologic moieties like antibodies, drugs and chemicals, enabling them to react with specific cells. Furthermore, penetration and cytotoxic effects of nanoparticles can be increased by electromagnetic waves such as infrared, ultraviolet, radiofrequency and microwave. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of cell cytotoxicity induced by folic acid-functionalized gold and silver nanoparticles with and without microwave irradiation on cancer cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Method: Patients with known AML (M1, M2, M3 and M4), all recently diagnosed by histopathology, special stains and immunohistochemistry, and 4 normal persons were enrolled in the study. The blood mononuclear cell fraction was separated, so that the final concentration of neoplastic myeloid cells and normal mononuclear cells in each tube was adjusted to about 400 cells/μL. For preparation of folate-functionalized gold and silver nanoparticles, folic acid was dissolved in deionized water, added to 1 mM HAuCl4 and 1 mM AgNO3 solution, and incubated at 50°C for 8 h. Scanning electron micrographs, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used for confirmation of the synthesis of functionalized nanoparticles. After preparation, nanoparticles were added to cancerous and normal cell suspensions, and then incubated at 37°C for 1 h. Another experiment was carried out in the same way but with exposure to microwave irradiation for 10 s so that its temperature reached at 50°C, and then incubated at 37°C for 1 h, after which cell cytotoxicity was evaluated with MTT test. All of the tests were duplicated, and paired t-test was used to compare the mean absorbance read-out in each of the above-mentioned groups of wells. Results: The sizes of functionalized gold and silver nanoparticles were approximately 25 nm to 32 nm. After synthesis of functionalized nanoparticles, the tubes containing HAuCl4 turned to red color, and the peak absorbance for gold nanoparticles was at 520 nm. For AgNo3 , it turned to yellow color with a peak absorbance at 420 nm. FTIR test showed connection of folic acid moieties to gold and silver surfaces. This study showed that functionalized gold nanoparticles were more toxic than functionalized silver nanoparticles on cancer and normal cells. Also, microwave irradiation was more synergic with functionalized gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, the most effectiveness score was 2.87 for functionalized silver nanoparticles without microwave irradiation and the minimum effectiveness score was 2.20 for functionalized silver nanoparticles with microwave. Conclusion: This study clearly demonstrated that although functionalized gold nanoparticles have high toxicity to cells, but silver nanoparticles without microwave irradiation are more effective because of less cytotoxic effect on normal cells.
The aim of current study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of gum essential oil of Pistacia atlantica (wild pistachio) tree (GEO) and design a new film based on polypropylene polymer coated with silica nanoparticles and GEO. The antimicrobial activity of the packaging film was evaluated with or without milk on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes during 35 days. The results showed that GEO has significant antibacterial properties. It was most effective on Salmonella enterica, while its effect on Listeria monocytogenes was the weakest. Antimicrobial activity of the film without milk showed no significant differences among the different sizes of nanoparticles used (0.05, 0.025, and 0.051 g) (p ≥ .05). It can be concluded that polypropylene incorporated with GEO and silica nanoparticles active film had antimicrobial properties up to 35 days, while using with milk or without milk. Therefore, this type of packaging is effective to enhance the shelf life of milk.
There is a concept proposing that the primitive lineages of prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and viruses emerged from the primordial pool of primitive genetic elements. In this genetic pool, transposable elements (TEs) became a source of raw material for primitive genomes, tools of genetic innovation, and ancestors of modern genes (e.g. ncRNAs, tRNAs, and rRNAs). TEs contributed directly to the genome evolution of three forms of life on the earth. TEs now appear as tools that were used to giving rise to sexual dimorphism and sex determination, lineage-specific expression of genes and tissue differentiation and finally genome stability and lifespan determination.
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