Modulation of p21, DAPK1 and COX-2 during the DMBA/TPA-induced mouse skin tumorigenesis and its prevention by phytic acid

Chemoprevention by naturally occurring agents is gaining much attention as a newer dimension in the management of cancer. Many naturally occurring agents have shown cancer chemopreventive potential in a variety of bioassay systems and animal models, having relevance to human disease. Phytic acid or Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), an antioxidant, is a naturally occurring polyphosphorylated carbohydrate that has shown a strong anticancer activity in several experimental models. We assessed the protective effects of Phytic acid against the 7, 12-dimethylbenz [a] anthracene (DMBA)/ 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate (TPA) induced mouse skin tumorigenesis at 4 and 16 weeks, the time before and after the tumor development. At molecular level we studied expression and promoter CpG methylation status of p21, DAPK1 and COX-2. Our data suggests exposure of DMBA/TPA methylated the promoter region of p21 and DAPK1 genes in time dependent manner that could be the cause of down regulation of their expression with time, which were reversed by administration of phytic acid. But we did not observe methylation in COX-2 whereas upregulation of COX-2 was observed at protein level in mice treated with DMBA followed by TPA in time dependent manner. Administration of phytic acid prevented theses DMBA/TPA induced molecular changes. Study provides a rationale for cancer chemoprevention by natural occurring compounds like Phytic acid

Modulating Effect of the −158 Gγ (C→T) Xmn1 Polymorphism in Indian Sickle Cell Patients

Xmn1 polymorphism is a known factor, which increases fetal haemoglobin production. Among the inherited disorders of blood, thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Diseases contributes to a major bulk of genetic diseases in India. Our aim was to verify the role of the Xmn1 polymorphism as a modulating factor in sickle cell patients and frequency of the polymorphism in Indian sickle cell patients. 60 sickle homozygous and 75 sickle beta thalassemia patients were included and 5 ml blood sample was collected from them. Screening of sickle patients was done by HPLC. An automated cell analyzer SYSMEX (K-4500 Model) was used to analyze the Complete Blood Count of patients. Xmn1 polymorphism analysis was done by PCR-RFLP and one-way ANOVA test was applied to analysis of variance between groups. Among the sickle patients 27 were heterozygous (+/−) and 19 were homozygous (+/+) while 30 were heterozygous (+/−) and 24 were homozygous (+/+) in sickle β-thalassemia patients. Extremely significant differences (p-value <0.001) of hematological parameters seen among patients with Xmn1 carrier and without the Xmn1 carrier. In our cases the clinical symptoms were barely visible and higher HbF level with Xmn1 carriers were found. Presence of Xmn1 polymorphism in sickle cell patients with higher HbF were phenotypically distinguished in the sickle cell patients. We conclude that the phenotypes of Indian sickle cell patients were greatly influenced by Xmn1polymorphism

Habitat Modeling for Tiger (Penthra Tigris) Using Geo-spatial Technology of Panna Tiger Reserve (M.P.) India

Abstract. The Tiger (Panthera tigris) population in India has undergone a sharp decline during the last few years. Habitat zones where prey populations are abundant are likely to be preferred by the tiger in comparison to those where they are scarce or absent. An area having a high density of road would be avoided by wild animals as compared to an area with few or no roads because there is a high traffic and constant noise. Habitat suitability index (HSI) models have been used to evaluate wildlife habitat. These models are based on functional relationships between wildlife and habitat variables. Values of habitat variables (e.g., herbaceous canopy cover, tree canopy cover, tree height) are related to habitat quality on a suitability index (SI) scale from 0 = &quot;not habitat&quot; to 1 = &quot;habitat of maximum suitability.&quot; Habitat suitability index scores, also on a 0-1 scale, are usually calculated using a mathematical formula representing hypothesized relationships among the individual SIs. Tiger (Panthera tigris) prefer core habitats, generally avoid area with high edge density. In the study area landscape, the Ken River is the perennial water sources; Prey species of tiger and the Tiger also preferred areas proximate to perennial water sources is favored. Tigers, under normal circumstances of human settlement, avoid traversing through such areas. Tiger&quot;s preferred prey includes in the study area, this group is commonly represented by Chital (Axis axis), Sambar (Cervus unicolor), Wild-boar (Sus scrofa), Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), and Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) were also encountered in the study area

Molecular characterization of hemoglobin D Punjab traits and clinical-hematological profile of the patients

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Hemoglobin (Hb) D hemoglobinopathies are widespread diseases in northwestern India and usually present with mild hemolytic anemia and mild to moderate splenomegaly. The heterozygous form of Hb D is clinically silent, but coinheritance of Hb D with Hb S or beta-thalassemia produces clinically significant conditions like thalassemia intermedia of moderate severity. Under heterozygous conditions with coinheritance of alpha and beta-thalassemia, patients show a degree of clinical variability. Thus, our aim was to molecularly characterize the Hb D trait among individuals who were clinically symptomatic because of co-inheritance of alpha deletions or any beta-globin gene mutations. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in an autonomous tertiary-care hospital. METHODS: Complete blood count and red cell indices were measured using an automated cell analyzer. Quantitative assessment of hemoglobin Hb F, Hb A, Hb A2 and Hb D was performed by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DNA extraction was done using the phenol-chloroform method. Molecular analyses on common alpha deletions and common beta mutations were done using the Gap polymerase chain reaction and Amplification Refractory Mutation System, respectively. RESULTS: We evaluated 30 patients and found clinical variation in the behavior of Hb D traits. In six patients, the Hb D traits were clinically symptomatic and behaved like those of thalassemia intermedia. Molecular characterization showed that three out of these six were IVS-1-5 positive. CONCLUSIONS: HPLC may not be the gold standard for diagnosing symptomatic Hb D Punjab traits. Hence, standard confirmation should include molecular studies

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB">Effect of ANXA2 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the development of osteonecrosis in Indian sickle cell patient: A PCR-RFLP approach</span>

455-458<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">Osteonecrosis is a serious complication in sickle cell patients. The common sites of the necrosis are femoral head, head of the humerus and acetabulam<span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:hi;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">. Annexin A2 (ANXA2) protein mainly functions in bone formation and bone resorption. Alteration of ANXA2 gene may affect the manifestations of osteonecrosis in the patients. PCR-RFLP is a common applicable technique for the detection of known mutation/polymorphisms. Here we are presenting application of the PCR-RFLP technique for determination of the ANXA2 gene single nucleotide polymorphism frequency and their clinical association among Indian sickle cell patients. Five known SNPs of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">ANXA2 gene (rs7170178, rs73435133, rs73418020, rs72746635 and rs73418025) were determined using the HpyCH4V, DdeI, HpyCH4III and Sau 961 restriction enzyme respectively. Restriction enzyme DdeI was common for rs73435133 and rs72746635 SNP<span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-GB">. Only the rs7170178 SNP was detected among patient and control and the other four SNPs were absent in the studied groups. The frequency of ANXA2 gene rs7170178 SNP (A/G, G/G) was comparatively higher in sickle cell patients than controls and it was clinically associated with sickle cell osteonecrosis. The P value of heterozygotes (A/G) and homozygotes (G/G) genotypes were <0.001 and 0.001 respectively, which were highly significant. This study established the application of PCR-RFLP in detection of ANXA2 SNPs in sickle cell patients.</span

Prevalence of glutathione S-transferase gene deletions and their effect on sickle cell patients

BACKGROUND: Glutathione S-transferase gene deletions are known detoxification agents and cause oxidative damage. Due to the different pathophysiology of anemia in thalassemia and sickle cell disease, there are significant differences in the pathophysiology of iron overload and iron-related complications in these disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes in sickle cell disease patients and their effect on iron status. METHODS: Forty sickle cell anemia and sixty sickle ß-thalassemia patients and 100 controls were evaluated to determine the frequency of GST gene deletions. Complete blood counts were performed by an automated cell analyzer. Hemoglobin F, hemoglobin A, hemoglobin A2 and hemoglobin S were measured and diagnosis of patients was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography with DNA extraction by the phenol-chloroform method. The GST null genotype was determined using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and serum ferritin was measured using an ELISA kit. Statistical analysis was by EpiInfo and GraphPad statistics software. RESULTS: An increased frequency of the GSTT1 null genotype (p-value = 0.05) was seen in the patients. The mean serum ferritin level was higher in patients with the GST genotypes than in controls; this was statistically significant for all genotypes except GSTM1, however the higher levels of serum ferritin were due to blood transfusions in patients. CONCLUSION: GST deletions do not play a direct role in iron overload of sickle cell patients

Not Available

‘Bio-prospecting of Genes and Allele Mining for Abiotic Stress Tolerance’With an aim to study the mechanism of adaptation to acute hypoxic periods by hypoxia-tolerant catfish, Clarias batrachus, the mass-specific metabolic rate (VO2) along with its hematological parameters, metabolic response and antioxidant enzyme activities were studied. During progressive hypoxia, C. batrachus was found to be an oxyconformer and showed a steady decline in its aquatic oxygen consumption rate. When C. batrachus was exposed for different periods at experimental hypoxia level (0.98±0.1 mg/L, DO), hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations were increased, along with decrease in mean cellular hemoglobin concentration, which reflected a physiological adaptation to enhance oxygen transport capacity. Significant increase in serum glucose and lactate concentration as well as lactate dehydrogenase activity was observed. Antioxidant enzymes were found to operate independently of one another, while total glutathione concentration was unaffected in any of the tissues across treatments. These observations suggested that hypoxia resulted in the development of oxidative stress and C. batrachus was able to respond through increase in the oxygen carrying capacity, metabolic depression and efficient antioxidant defense system to survive periods of acute hypoxia.NAIP-Indian Council of Agricultural Researc