Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Suburban Community in Nigeria

The burden of hypertension, a silent killer, continues to increase in low- and middle-income countries. This study evaluated blood pressure (BP) in healthy adults to determine their risk of developing hypertension and to reduce associatedmorbidity of the disease. Overall, 182 subjects aged >16 years participated in the study. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was measured after a resting period usingmercury sphygmomanometer. Randomblood glucose (RBG) concentration was also determined. Regression models were used to determine risk of high BP wit

Cytotoxic Effects of Compounds Isolated from Ricinodendron heudelotii

This study was designed to explore the in vitro anticancer effects of the bioactive compounds isolated from Ricinodendron heudelotii on selected cancer cell lines. The leaves of the plant were extracted with ethanol and partitioned in sequence with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol. The ethyl acetate fraction was phytochemically studied using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC). Structural elucidation of pure compounds obtained from the ethyl acetate fraction was done using mass spectra, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR analysis. The isolated compounds were subsequently screened using five different cancer cell lines: HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7, SW-480, and normal lung epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B, to assess their cytotoxic effects. Nine compounds were isolated and structurally elucidated as gallic acid, gallic acid ethyl ester, corilagin, quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside, 1,4,6-tri-O-galloyl glucose, 3,4,6-tri-O-galloyl glucose, 1,2,6-tri-O-galloyl glucose, and 4,6-di-O-galloyl glucose. Corilagin exhibited the most cytotoxic activity with an IC50 value of 33.18 �g/mL against MCF-7 cells, which were comparable to cisplatin with an IC50 value of 27.43 �g/mL. The result suggests that corilagin isolated from R. heudelotii has the potential to be developed as an effective therapeutic agent against the growth of breast cancer cells

Determination of haptoglobin, hemoglobin genotypes and malaria incidence in Nigerian breast cancer patients

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality globally. Cancer chemotherapy commonly result in hemolysis, which impacts patient overall health. There is a need to determine genetic factors associated with hemolysis in breast cancer patients. Haptoglobin (Hp), a polymorphic protein plays important role in hemoglobin clearance and disease predisposition, but has been reported to have no prognostic factor in breast cancer. However, understanding selection pressure that drives certain gene mutations in specific populations and how it confers protection or susceptibility to diseases is crucial. In Nigeria, breast cancer, malaria infection and sickle cell disease are prevalent and associated with hemolysis, but little is known of their association in breast cancer patients. This study aims to determine relationship between haptoglobin, hemoglobin genotypes and submicroscopic malaria co‐morbidity in clinically diagnosed breast cancer and healthy Nigerian women. DNA was extracted from blood using standard methods. Haptoglobin 2 and hemoglobin genotypes were detected by RFLP‐PCR, while Plasmodium falciparum infection was detected by primer specific amplification of plasmodium cytochrome oxidase III gene (cox III) in 75 clinically diagnosed breast cancer (BC) and 287 healthy women (control; HC). Proportions were determined and compared in the two groups and test of association was carried out with significance level set at P <0.05. In BC groups, 3 (4.1%) of 72 Hp 2‐2 phenotypes was detected compared to a significantly higher occurrence of 48 (16.7%) of 287 in HC group (p <0.05). Conversely, malaria infection was detected in 68 (94.4%) BC versus 255 (88.9%) in HC group. A similar proportion had Hp deletions (2 in BC and 8 in HC group). There was a low prevalence of hemoglobin S genotype in the entire population and relative risk for Hp 2‐2 polymorphism in hemoglobin genotypes was not significantly different. In conclusion, this study reports in breast cancer and healthy women an inverse correlation of haptoglobin (Hp2‐2) genotype with malaria incidence in southwest Nigeria. The results imply a possible protection against hemolysis and can play significant role in determining choice of cancer therapy for good patient treatment outcomes

Hepatoprotective Potential and Histological Studies of Effects of Celosia Argentea L. on Paracetamol-Induced Liver Damage

Celosia argentea L. is a common vegetable known to possess anti-oxidative and other therapeutic properties. This study evaluates the hepatoprotective activities and histological effects of aqueous extract of Celosia argentea L. on acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats, compared to the effects of a standard drug –silymarin. Twenty-five male rats were used in this study. These were divided into five groups of five animals each. Animals in group 1 were given 1ml/kg body weight (b.w)distilled water (control [C]), group 2 were given 100mg/kg b.w silymarin for 4 days plus acetaminophen for 3 days [SL], groups 3 and 4 were given 250 and 500mg/kg b.w aqueous extract of C. argentea for 4 days plus acetaminophen for 3 days (CA1 and CA2, respectively) and group 5 were given 1 ml/kg b.w. distilled water for 4 days and 1g/kg b.w acetaminophen (PCM) for 3 days. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin activities were assessed on day 8, values of mean and standard error were compared at significance level of p 0.05). Mean values in control group were similar to CA2 but significantly lower than PCM and CA1. Total bilirubin was higher but not significantly different compared to C group, suggesting a lack of effect on total bilirubin. C. argentea ameliorates and protects against acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats, with a comparable effect with silymarin at a dose of 500mg/kg b.w. A regular consumption of the vegetable can play a role in sustaining health and can be used in place of long term therapy in individuals with compromised liver or actively exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs with adverse effects on liver

New Insights into the Link between Melanoma and Thyroid Cancer: Role of Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking

Cancer remains a major public health concern, mainly because of the incompletely under�stood dynamics of molecular mechanisms for progression and resistance to treatments. The link between melanoma and thyroid cancer (TC) has been noted in numerous patients. Nucleocytoplas�mic transport of oncogenes and tumor suppressor proteins is a common mechanism in melanoma and TC that promotes tumorigenesis and tumor aggressiveness. However, this mechanism remains poorly understood. Papillary TC (PTC) patients have a 1.8-fold higher risk for developing cuta�neous malignant melanoma than healthy patients. Our group and others showed that patients with melanoma have a 2.15 to 2.3-fold increased risk of being diagnosed with PTC. The BRAF V600E mutation has been reported as a biological marker for aggressiveness and a potential genetic link between malignant melanoma and TC. The main mechanistic factor in the connection between these two cancer types is the alteration of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway activation and translocation. The mechanisms of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking associated with RAS, RAF, and Wnt signaling pathways in melanoma and TC are reviewed. In addition, we discuss the roles of tumor suppressor proteins such as p53, p27, forkhead O transcription factors (FOXO), and NF-KB within the nuclear and cytoplasmic cellular compartments and their association with tumor aggressiveness. A meticulous English-language literature analysis was performed using the PubMed Central database. Search parameters included articles published up to 2021 with keyword search terms melanoma and thyroid cancer, BRAF mutation, and nucleocytoplasmic transport in cancer

Efficiency of Histidine Rich Protein II-Based Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Monitoring Malaria Transmission Intensities in an Endemic Area

In recent years there has been a global decrease in the prevalence of malaria due to scaling up of control measures, hence global control efforts now target elimination and eradication of the disease. However, a major problem associated with elimination is asymptomatic reservoir of infection especially in endemic areas. This study aims to determine the efficiency of histidine rich protein II (HRP-2) based rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for monitoring transmission intensities in an endemic community in Nigeria during the pre-elimination stage. Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic malaria infection in healthy individuals and symptomatic cases were detected using HRP-2. RDT negative tests were re-checked by microscopy and by primer specific PCR amplification of merozoite surface protein 2 (msp-2) for asexual parasites and Pfs25 gene for gametocytes in selected samples to detect low level parasitemia undetectable by microscopy. The mean age of the study population (n=280) was 6.12 years [95% CI 5.16 – 7.08, range 0.5 – 55], parasite prevalence was 44.6% and 36.3% by microscopy and RDT respectively (p =0.056). The parasite prevalence of 61.5% in children aged >2 – 10 years was significantly higher than 3.7% rate in adults >18years (p < 0.0001, χ2 = 60.45). RDT detected additional 29.6% asymptomatic cases but a lower specificity of 68.8% in symptomatic carriers. In 15 selected RDT positive samples, only 6 were positive by PCR and no gametocyte was detected. The results indicate that HRP-2 RDTs are a vital tool for understanding transmission dynamics and detecting immune-suppressed, recent and asymptomatic infections, thus crucial to tackle low level transmission and eliminating malaria in endemic areas

New Insights into the Link between Melanoma and Thyroid Cancer: Role of Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking

Cancer remains a major public health concern, mainly because of the incompletely under�stood dynamics of molecular mechanisms for progression and resistance to treatments. The link between melanoma and thyroid cancer (TC) has been noted in numerous patients. Nucleocytoplas�mic transport of oncogenes and tumor suppressor proteins is a common mechanism in melanoma and TC that promotes tumorigenesis and tumor aggressiveness. However, this mechanism remains poorly understood. Papillary TC (PTC) patients have a 1.8-fold higher risk for developing cuta�neous malignant melanoma than healthy patients. Our group and others showed that patients with melanoma have a 2.15 to 2.3-fold increased risk of being diagnosed with PTC. The BRAF V600E mutation has been reported as a biological marker for aggressiveness and a potential genetic link between malignant melanoma and TC. The main mechanistic factor in the connection between these two cancer types is the alteration of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway activation and translocation. The mechanisms of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking associated with RAS, RAF, and Wnt signaling pathways in melanoma and TC are reviewed. In addition, we discuss the roles of tumor suppressor proteins such as p53, p27, forkhead O transcription factors (FOXO), and NF-KB within the nuclear and cytoplasmic cellular compartments and their association with tumor aggressiveness. A meticulous English-language literature analysis was performed using the PubMed Central database. Search parameters included articles published up to 2021 with keyword search terms melanoma and thyroid cancer, BRAF mutation, and nucleocytoplasmic transport in cance

New Insights into the Link between Melanoma and Thyroid Cancer: Role of Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking

Cancer remains a major public health concern, mainly because of the incompletely under�stood dynamics of molecular mechanisms for progression and resistance to treatments. The link between melanoma and thyroid cancer (TC) has been noted in numerous patients. Nucleocytoplas�mic transport of oncogenes and tumor suppressor proteins is a common mechanism in melanoma and TC that promotes tumorigenesis and tumor aggressiveness. However, this mechanism remains poorly understood. Papillary TC (PTC) patients have a 1.8-fold higher risk for developing cuta�neous malignant melanoma than healthy patients. Our group and others showed that patients with melanoma have a 2.15 to 2.3-fold increased risk of being diagnosed with PTC. The BRAF V600E mutation has been reported as a biological marker for aggressiveness and a potential genetic link between malignant melanoma and TC. The main mechanistic factor in the connection between these two cancer types is the alteration of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway activation and translocation. The mechanisms of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking associated with RAS, RAF, and Wnt signaling pathways in melanoma and TC are reviewed. In addition, we discuss the roles of tumor suppressor proteins such as p53, p27, forkhead O transcription factors (FOXO), and NF-KB within the nuclear and cytoplasmic cellular compartments and their association with tumor aggressiveness. A meticulous English-language literature analysis was performed using the PubMed Central database. Search parameters included articles published up to 2021 with keyword search terms melanoma and thyroid cancer, BRAF mutation, and nucleocytoplasmic transport in cancer

Asymptomatic malaria infections and Pfmdr1 mutations in an endemic area of Nigeria

Background: Malaria eradication globally is yet to be achieved and transmission is sustained in many endemic countries. Plasmodium falciparum continues to develop resistance to currently available anti-malarial drugs, posing great problems for malaria elimination. This study evaluates the frequencies of asymptomatic infection and multidrug resistance- 1 (mdr-1) gene mutations in parasite isolates, which form the basis for understanding persistently high incidence in South West, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 535 individuals aged from 6 months were screened during the epidemiological survey evaluating asymptomatic transmission. Parasite prevalence was determined by histidine-rich protein II rapid detection kit (RDT) in healthy individuals. Plasmodium falciparum mdr-1 gene mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzyme digest and electrophoresis to determine polymorphism in parasite isolates. Sequencing was done to confirm polymorphism. Proportions were compared using Chi-square test at p value < 0.05. Results: Malaria parasites were detected by RDT in 204 (38.1%) individuals. Asymptomatic infection was detected in 117 (57.3%) and symptomatic malaria confirmed in 87 individuals (42.6%). Overall, individuals with detectable malaria by RDT was significantly higher in individuals with symptoms, 87 of 197 (44.2%), than asymptomatic persons; 117 of 338 (34.6%), p = 0.02. In a sub-set of 75 isolates, 18(24%) and 14 (18.6%) individuals had Pfmdr1 86Y and 1246Y mutations. Conclusions: There is still high malaria transmission rate in Nigeria with higher incidence of asymptomatic infections. These parasites harbour mutations on Pfmdr1 which contribute to artemisinin partner drug resistance; surveillance strategies to reduce the spread of drug resistance in endemic areas are needed to eliminate the reservoir of malaria parasites that can mitigate the eradication of malaria in Nigeri

Epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum infection and drug resistance markers in Ota Area, Southwestern Nigeria

Purpose: Effective routine monitoring and surveillance of parasite genes is a necessary strategy in the control of parasites’ resistance to antimalarial drugs, according to the WHO’s recommendation. This cross-sectional study therefore aimed at carrying out an epidemiological analysis on malaria incidence in Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State. Patients and methods: Blood and corresponding saliva samples were collected from 1,243 subjects of all ages and sex presenting with fever and a parasitemia level ≥2,000 between September 2016 and March 2018. Samples were collected from selected health facilities in the study area of Ogun state to establish the prevalence of falciparum malaria and determine resistance genes harbored by the parasites. The overall prevalence of falciparum malaria in the study site by microscopic examination was 45.86%. The highest incidence of 57.42% was recorded among male subjects. Point mutations of K76T and N86Y in the Pfcrt and pfmdr-1 genes, as well as non-synonymous mutations in Pfk13 genes, were screened for and sequenced for further analysis. Results: Pfcrt was detectable in 57.42% of blood and 51.02% of saliva samples, respectively. About 34.78% of the subjects that were confirmed microscopically harbored the Pfmdr-1 mutated gene while 26.67% of the saliva samples revealed Pfmdr-1. Epidemiological studies identified the presence of wild-type Pfk13 genes in 21.84% of blood and 44.44% of saliva samples correspondingly. For each of the genes evaluated, saliva portrayed great diagnostic performance when compared with blood. Conclusion: Findings from this study have established the prevalence of malaria and the resistance pattern of P. falciparum in the study area. The findings may help in formulating drug policies and suggest the use of saliva as a noninvasive point-of-care method of diagnosing malaria potentially deployable to rural endemic areas