Religion, Spirituality and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Matched Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis

Although the association between religion/spirituality (R/S) and psychological outcomes is well established, current understanding of the association with cardiovascular disease remains limited. We sought to investigate the association between Islamic R/S and coronary heart disease (CHD), and place these findings in light of a meta-analysis. In this case-control study, 190 cases with non-fatal CHD were identified and individually matched with 383 hospital-based controls. R/S was measured by self-administered 102 items questionnaire. A tabular meta-analysis was performed of observational studies on R/S (high level versus low level) and CHD. In addition, a dose-response meta-analysis was conducted using generalized least-squares regression. Participants in the top quartile had decreased odds of CHD comparing to participants in the lowest quartile of religious belief (OR 0.20, 95 confidence interval (CI) 0.06-0.59), religious commitment (OR 0.36, CI 95 0.13-0.99), religious emotions (OR 0.39, CI 95 0.18-0.87), and total R/S score (OR 0.30, CI 95 0.13-0.67). The meta-analysis study showed a significant relative risk of 0.88 (CI 95 0.77-1.00) comparing individuals in high level versus low level of R/S. In dose-response meta-analysis, comparing people with no religious services attendance, the relative risks of CHD were 0.77 (CI 95 0.65-0.91) for one times attendance and 0.27 (CI 95 0.11-0.65) for five times attendance per month. R/S was associated with a significantly decreased risk of CHD. The possible causal nature of the observed associations warrants randomized clinical trial with large sample size

Evaluation of immunocastration conjugates based on GnRH linked to carrier molecules in a male rodent model

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete sex hormones. In the present study, we evaluated different conjugates of GnRH to abrogate sex hormone secretion in a male rat model. Firstly, GnRH-I was conjugated to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) using either whole-sequence GnRH-I or an analogue of GnRH-I (CHWSYGLRPG-NH2) using glutaraldehyde cross linkage. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats (n=6) were immunized intramuscularly with the conjugates adsorbed onto alum, equivalent to 50 μg of GnRH peptide and administered in weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7. The study was concluded in week 15. Comparison was made with untreated controls and previously established anti-fertility conjugates: CHWSYGLRPG-NH2 (GnRH-I) or CHWSHDWKPG-NH2 (analogue of lamprey GnRH-III, lGnRH-III) linked to tetanus toxoid (using a heterobifunctional reagent to achieve cross linkage). Antibody production, hormone levels and testicular diameter changes were assessed, together with, sperm movement and effects on organ weights. Similar high levels of antibody secretion were observed in all the immunized groups, although whole GnRHI- KLH produced a sustained level of production for an additional week. Similarly, testosterone levels were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in all immunized groups. There were no significant changes observed in body weight and testicular diameter of immunized animals compared with the untreated controls. However, in terms of sperm motility and sperm number, the best anti-fertility effects were observed with lGnRH-III-TT and GnRH-I-KLH and to a lesser extent whole GnRH-I-KLH. These groups also showed significant increase in kidney weight. Finally, considering all the above-mentioned subjects in addition to availability and easier and cheaper way of preparation,we came to this conclusion that whole GnRH-IKLH satisfactorily met most of our favourite criteria and could be used in immunocastration vaccine production purposes successfully

Ubiquitin- and ubiquitin-like proteins-conjugating enzymes (E2s) in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Sub-types of breast cancer defined by the expression of steroid hormones and Her2/Neu oncogene have distinct prognosis and undergo different therapies. Besides differing in their phenotype, sub-types of breast cancer display various molecular lesions that participate in their pathogenesis. BRCA1 is one of the common hereditary cancer predisposition genes and encodes for an ubiquitin ligase. Ubiquitin ligases or E3 enzymes participate together with ubiquitin activating enzyme and ubiquitin conjugating enzymes in the attachment of ubiquitin (ubiquitination) in target proteins. Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification regulating multiple cell functions. It also plays important roles in carcinogenesis in general and in breast carcinogenesis in particular. Ubiquitin conjugating enzymes are a central component of the ubiquitination machinery and are often perturbed in breast cancer. This paper will discuss ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins conjugating enzymes participating in breast cancer pathogenesis, their relationships with other proteins of the ubiquitination machinery and their role in phenotype of breast cancer sub-types