NOPR Collection:

A study on human leukocyte antigen class I molecules in paediatric bronchial asthma

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Title: A study on human leukocyte antigen class I molecules in paediatric bronchial asthma Authors: Mishra, Mahendra N; Dudeja, Puja; Gupta, Rakesh K Abstract: Childhood asthma, often associated with atopy, is more common in boys and may persist throughout life in 50% of cases. This case-control study was carried out to examine if any association of paediatric bronchial asthma with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I antigens. Thirty-six children with bronchial asthma diagnosed on basis of Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) criteria and an equal number of healthy controls without history of bronchial asthma were studied. Low resolution HLA- ABC typing was performed by sequence specific primers (SSP) and the frequency of HLA–ABC antigens in the two groups was compared. Total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) estimation was done as a marker of atopy by ELISA. The study included 24 boys and 12 girls aged 13 months to 11 yrs, of which 16 (44%) had positive family history. Serum IgE levels were elevated in 20 (55%) of the cases and 33% of controls with peak values of 4877 and 627 IU/ml, respectively. No statistically significant correlation was observed between childhood asthma and HLA class I antigens, however, a statistically significant correlation was observed between serum IgE levels and asthma, which was elevated in cases, as compared to normal population. Serum IgE levels did not show a linear trend, in that a direct correlation with the severity of disease was not observed. Page(s): 160-163

Effect of gold nanoparticles on superoxide dismutase and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase in various rat tissues

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Effect of gold nanoparticles on superoxide dismutase and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase in various rat tissues Authors: Siddiqi, N J Abstract: Gold nanoparticles have diverse applications and are being used in food and cosmetic industry, for drug delivery and in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However there is a need to study their biochemical mode of action. In this study, in vivo effect of gold nanoparticles on the activities of the two antioxidant enzymes — superoxide dismutase (SOD) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) was investigated in various tissues of rats. Rats were injected with 20 μg/kg body wt of 20 nm gold nanoparticles for three consecutive days through intraperitoneal route. The animals were sacrificed by CO₂ asphyxiation 24 h after the last dose of gold nanoparticles. Results showed that treatment with gold nanoparticles caused no significant change in SOD activity in most of the tissues, except kidneys. In kidneys, gold nanoparticles caused a significant increase in SOD activity, when compared to the activity in control rats. However, treatment with gold nanoparticles altered the expression pattern of SOD activity in various tissues. For example, in control rats highest SOD activity was demonstrated in heart and least in kidneys and spleen. But, in gold nanoparticles treated rats, maximum SOD activity was observed in liver and the lowest in spleen. Gold nanoparticles caused no significant change in IDO activity in the studied tissues. Page(s): 156-159

A novel pullulanase from a fungus Hypocrea jecorina QM9414: production and biochemical characterization

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Title: A novel pullulanase from a fungus Hypocrea jecorina QM9414: production and biochemical characterization Authors: Orhan, Nurdagul; Kiymaz, Nilay Altas; Peksel, Aysegul Abstract: Pullulanase production from a fungus Hypocrea jecorina QM9414 that produces native extracellular hydrolases having industrial applications was carried out in a shaking flask culture containing 0.5% amylopectin at a pH of 6.50 at 30°C. The enzyme was purified 11-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatographies with a yield of 10.12% and a specific activity of 1.36 ± 0.14 U/mg protein. The molecular mass of pullulanase was estimated to be 130.56 kDa by PAGE and SDS-PAGE, indicating that the native enzyme was a monomer. The optimum pH and temperature for purified enzyme was 6.5 and between 35°-65°C, respectively. The K_m values for amylopectin, starch and pullulan as substrates were 10.7, 15.5 and 38.4 mg/mL, respectively. The V_max values were found to be 3.32, 3.32 and 3.82 ΔA/min for amylopectin, starch and pullulan, respectively. The enzyme was stable at 40-70°C for 30 min, but lost about 33% of its activity at 80°C and about 43% of activity at 90°C and 100°C for the same incubation period. Pullulanase activity was stimulated by CoCl₂, NiCl₂, KI, NaCl, MgCl₂, and LiSO₄. The enzyme was slightly inhibited by urea, CaCl₂ and b-mercaptoethanol. The enyzmatic characteristics, substrate specificity and the products of hydrolysis indicated that the enzyme was similar to those of type II pullulanases. Page(s): 149-155

Purification of a novel chitin-binding lectin with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities from a Bangladeshi cultivar of potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Purification of a novel chitin-binding lectin with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities from a Bangladeshi cultivar of potato (Solanum tuberosum) Authors: Hasan, Imtiaj; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kabir, Syed Rashel Abstract: A new chitin-binding lectin was purified from a Bangladeshi cultivar ‘Deshi’ of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) through anion-exchange and affinity chromatographies using a chitin column. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed the molecular mass of the lectin as 20,000 Daltons. This molecular mass was almost half of the molecular masses of chitin-binding lectins derived from other potatoes. The lectin showed both bactericidal and growth-inhibiting activities against Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis and Shigella boydii) pathogenic bacteria. It also showed antifungal activity against Rhizopus spp., Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus niger. Biofilm produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa was dose-dependently reduced by 5-20% in 24 h after administration of the lectin, which was attributed to the glycan-binding property of the lectin having affinity to GlcNAc polymers. It was the first observation that any potato lectin prevented biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa and, therefore, could have possible applications in clinical microbiology and biomedical science. Page(s): 142-148