miR-181a regulates multiple pathways in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a class of small non-coding RNAs that play essential roles in a variety of biological processes including apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Altered expression of miRNAs in head and neck cancer has been reported, but the consequences of aberrant expression of specific miRNAs on cancer pathways remain vague. Therefore, it is important to identify and elucidate pathways that may be regulated by specific miRNAs in this disease. miR-181a was up-regulated in head and neck versus normal tissues, thus pathway analysis was performed to profile the changes in the activities of ten signaling pathways relevant to cancer influenced by down-regulation of miR-181a. Expression of four pathway reporters were significantly increased (p53/DNA damage, TGFβ, MAPK/ERK and MAPK/JNK), while expression of two pathway reporters were decreased (Wnt and NFkB) upon miR-181a down-regulation. Notch, Myc/Max, hypoxia and cell cycle/pRB-E2F pathways were not significantly affected by miR-181a down-regulation. This study provides insight into the understanding of miRNA regulation on major cancer pathways.Key words: MicroRNA, head and neck cancer, miR-181a, pathway analysis, luciferase assay, FaDu cell line, transfection, qRT-PCR

Molecular quantitation and characterization of Vibrio cholerae from different seafood obtained from wetmarket and supermarket

Abstract: Vibrio cholerae still represents a significant threat to human health worldwide despite the advances in hygiene, consumer knowledge, food treatment and food processing. In Malaysia, statistics in year 2009 have shown that among the food and water borne diseases, food poisoning has the highest incidence rate of 36.17 per 100,000 populations and with a mortality rate of 0.01 per 100,000 populations. In this study, 22 seafood samples comprising of fish, squid, crustacean and mollusks purchased from wet market and supermarket were analyzed. The Most Probable Number (MPN) and real time PCR was used to enumerate the Vibrio cholerae in seafood sample. The results showed that MPN-real time PCR of the samples from wet market had a maximum of >1100 MPN/g compare to 93 MPN/g enumerated from the MPN plate. The MPN-real time PCR in the samples from supermarket indicated 290 MPN/g as compared to 240 MPN/g enumerated from the MPN plate. The standard curves showed that there was a good linear correlation between the Ct values. The minimum level of detection of Vibrio cholerae standard DNA at targeted gene was 3 x 10 -5 ng/μl

2011. Bioprotective Properties of Three Malaysia Phyllanthus Species: An Investigation of the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract: The aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial of Phyllanthus amarus, Phyllanthus niruri and Phyllanthus urinaria. P. niruri was found to possess the highest antioxidant activity, the activity decreased in the order P. niruri > P. amarus > P. urinaria for water extract. However, the activity decreased in the order P. niruri > P. urinaria > P. amarus for methanol extract. The result correlation between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content revealed a positive correlation of 0.954 < r 2 < 1.000 for both water and methanol extract. Methanol extract showed higher total phenolic content and antioxidant activity as compared with water extract. Lowest Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value for water extract against the selected microorganism was >2.5 mg/mL meanwhile, for methanol extract was <0.625 mg/mL. MBC level >2.5 mg/mL and >0.625 mg/mL were the value for water and methanol extract. Methanol extract showed better inhibition potential than water extract

Bacteria as potential tumour fighter

Despite significant progress in the development of therapeutic drugs and treatments, deaths due to cancer still remains high. These therapies are also not specific to tumour regions, hence causing adverse effects to the patients. Bacteria had long been studied for its ability to multiple within tumour regions and also reducing tumour volumes. Salmonella had also been studied and shown to be able to attack cancerous cells. To ensure the bacteria therapy is safe for clinical trial purposes, the bacteria need to undergo the process of silencing and in vivo assessment. This study was carried out to assess the use of SPI knockout S. Typhimurium and S. Agona as a possible tumour reduction agent and to investigate the effect of the SPI knockout strains on the survival of mice with induced tumour. 3 x 106 CT26 cells suspended in PBS were inoculated subcutaneously on the thigh to induce solid tumour. The subjects were then treated with the four bacterial treatments via intraperitoneal and intratumoural route of administration. The changes in the sizes of the tumours were observed daily using a calipher. The subjects were then sacrificed and the organs were harvested for histopathological analysis. One-way ANOVA indicated that the treatments had significant effects at p < 0.05, on both the changes of the tumour volumes and also the survival periods of the subjects. Subjects treated with S. Agona showed better survival compared to subjects treated with S. Typhimurium. S. Agona is found to be a better candidate as a tumour reduction agent, compared to S. Typhimurium, since it showed longer survival period of subjects after treatment and yet, had similar capacity as a tumour reduction agent

Analysis of bacterial communities of King George and Deception Islands, Antarctica using high-throughput sequencing

King George Island (KGI) and Deception Island (DCI) are members of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica, each with their own landscape and local environmental factors. Both sites are suitable for longterm monitoring of bacterial diversity shift due to warming, as temperature rises relatively faster than East Antarctica. This study was conducted to determine and compare the baseline diversity of soil bacteria in KGI and DCI. 16S rDNA amplicons of bacteria from both sites were sequenced using Illumina next generation sequencer. Results showed that major phyla in KGI and DCI were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteriodetes and Acidobacteria. The distribution and evenness of the soil bacterial communities varied at genus level. The genera Sphingomonas sp. was predominant at both sites while the subsequent six major genera differed. Two bacterial genera, Legionella and Clostridium were also found in low abundance in both sites, both of which may contain pathogenic members. Further verification will be required to determine whether the pathogenic members of these genera are present in both sites