Investigation of The Genotoxicity of Ponceau 4R in Drosophila Melanogaster Using the Smart Test and Effects of Some Plants Extracts Against the DNA Damage

In this study, genotoxic effects of Ponceau 4R (E 124) was investigated in vivo using Drosophila melanogaster Meigen in the laboratory experiments. The food coloring in 25‰, 50‰ and 75‰ concentrations were added to food medium of Drosophila during the larval stage and the mutant wing spot numbers were evaluated using the wing spot test, namely SMART (somatic mutation and recombination test). The food colourings are the food additives which are used for increasing the appearance of food and beverages. In SMART, mwh (multiple wing hair), flr3 (flare) and BdS (beader serrate) marker genes on the third largest chromosome of Drosophila are used. Genotoxic effects of the Ponceau 4R in the imaginal disc cells that will develop into the wing spot cells during the embryonic development of Drosophila heterozygous larvae and the genotypic changes caused by mutation or recombination in somatic cells also play a role in the formation of mutant spots in the wings (GRAF et al., 1984). The food coloring which is daily used in our many types of food induced mutant wing spots depend on the concentration in trans-heterozygous flies (mwh/flr3) and in balancer-heterozygous flies (mwh/TM3) in the medium (Chi-Square test; df=3, P<0.001) and the spots were significantly higher than the flies were fed in the medium prepared with distilled water used as negative control showing that the Ponceau 4R has mutagenic effect. However, the mutant spots were less than the flies were fed in the medium prepared with 1 mM EMS (ethyl methane sulfonate) used as positive control showing that mutagenic effect of the colouring was not as much as the EMS. On the other hand, the concentrations of the colouring were used in the mediums together the different plant extracts to determinate whether they have antigenotoxic effects against the colouring. The following plant extracts were added to mediums in 10% concentration with the colouring were: Hypericum perforatum L., (St John’s wort), Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. (milk thistle), and Lavandula stoechas L. (topped lavender). The mutant wing spots were compared to control groups showed that the three plant extracts have no effect to reduce the mutant spots in trans-heterozygous flies (mwh/flr3) and in balancer-heterozygous flies and thus have no antigenotoxic effect against the food colouring used experimental treatments (Kruskal-Wallis test; df=2, P>0.05) Keywords: Challenge Genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity, Ponceau 4R, Hypericum perforatum L., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Lavandula stoechas L., Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, SMART. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/87-07 Publication date:March 31st 202

Investigation of the Genotoxicity of Tatrazine and Anti-Genotoxicity of Some Plants Extracts in Drosophila Melanogaster Using the Smart Test

Food colorings are the food additives, which are used for improving the appearance of food and beverages. In the present study, genotoxic effects of Tatrtazine (E 102), is an synthetic food coloring, was investigated in vivo using the wing spot test, SMART (somatic mutation and recombination test), in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. The food coloring at 25‰, 50‰ and 75‰ concentrations were added to food mediums of Drosophila during the larval stage and the numbers of mutant wing spots were evaluated using the SMART. Negative control medium was prepared with distilled water, while positive control medium was prepared with 1 mM EMS (ethyl methane sulfonate). According to results obtained from SMART, Tartrazine demonstrated significant results in trans-heterozygous flies (mwh/flr3) for inducing the mutant wing spots compared to control groups at 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml exposure concentrations. On the other hand, Tartrazine yielded significant results for inducing the mutant wing spots in balancer-heterozygous flies (mwh/TM3) at 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml exposure concentrations.The numbers of mutant wing spots were increased by the food coloring depending on the concentration (Chi-Square test; df=3, P<0.001). It was also determined that the numbers of mutant wing spots were significantly higher than the flies in the negative control medium and it suggests that Tartrazine has genotoxic effect. However, these numbers were less than the flies in the positive control medium; the data indicate that genotoxic effect of the food coloring was not as much as the EMS.On the other hand, the concentrations of Tartrazine were used in the mediums together the different plant extracts to determine whether they have anti-genotoxic effects against the food coloring. The following plant extracts were added to mediums at 100 mg/ml concentration with the food coloring was: Hypericum perforatum L., (St John’s wort), Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. (milk thistle), and Lavandula stoechas L. (topped lavender). When the mutant wing spots were compared to the control groups showed that the three plant extracts have no effect to reduce numbers of mutant wing spots in trans-heterozygous flies (mwh/flr3) and in balancer-heterozygous flies (mwh/TM3) and thus, have no anti-genotoxic effect against the food coloring used experimental treatments (Kruskal-Wallis test; df=2, P>0.05). Keywords:Genotoxicity, anti-genotoxicity, Tartrazine, Hypericum perforatum L., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Lavandula stoechas L., Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, SMART. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/89-04 Publication date:May 31st 202

Investigation of Mutagenic Effects of Pea Green and Anti-carcinogenic Effects of Several Plants Extracts in Drosophila Melanogaster Using Wing Spot

In the present study, Pea green (E 102 - E 133) is coloring additive for its genotoxic effects and expected antigenotoxic effects of several plant extracts; Hypericum perforatum L., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Lavandula stoechas L. against the food coloring were examined using Wing spot test on Drosophila melonagaster in the laboratory experiments. The Drosophila lar-vae were chronically fed in food mediums where Pea green at 25 g/L, 50 g/L, and 75 g/L concen-trations were experimentally applied. The results showed that Pea green has highly significant results at different exposure concentrations in trans-heterozygous flies (mwh/flr3) and balanc-er-heterozygous flies (mwh/TM3) for inducing the numbers of mutant wing spots compared to control groups (Chi-Square test; df=3, P<0.001). Thus, it seemed that the food coloring is a highly mutagenic agent on Drosophila melanogaster in the laboratory conditions. On the other hand, the concentrations of Pea green were used together different plant extracts at 100 g/L concentra-tion in the mediums. The numbers of mutant wing spots were compared to control groups showed that the three plant extracts have not effects to reduce the mutant spots in mwh/flr3 and mwh/TM3 flies and thus they have not antigenotoxic effects used experimental treatments (Kruskal-Wallis test; df=2, P>0.05) Keywords:Genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity; Pea green; Hypericum perforatum L.; Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Lavandula stoechas L.; Drosophila melanogaster Meigen; Wing spot test DOI:10.7176/JHMN/95-05 Publication date: November 30th 202

Effects of Irradiation Dose and O2 and CO2 Concentrations in Packages on Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria and Quality of Ready-to-Cook Seasoned Ground Beef Product (Meatball) during Refrigerated Storage

Combined effects of gamma irradiation and concentrations of O2 (0, 5, 21%) and CO2 (0, 50%) on survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, lipid oxidation, and color changes in ready-to-cook seasoned ground beef (meatball) during refrigerated storage were investigated. Ground beef seasoned with mixed spices was packaged in varying O2 and CO2 levels and irradiated at 2 and 4 kGy. Irradiation (4 kGy) caused about 6 Log inactivation of the inoculated pathogens. Inactivation of Salmonella was 0.9- and 0.4-Log lower in 0 and 5% O2, respectively, compared to 21% O2. Irradiation at 2 and 4 kGy increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in meatballs by 0.12 and 0.28 mg malondialdehyde kg−1, respectively, compared to control. In reduced-O2 packages, radiation-induced oxidation was lower, and the initial color of an irradiated sample was maintained. Packaging with 0% + 50% CO2 or 5% O2 + 50% CO2 maintained the oxidative and the color quality of irradiated meatballs during 14-day refrigerated storage. MAP with 5%O2 + 50% CO2 combined with irradiation up to 4 kGy is suggested for refrigerated meatballs to reduce the foodborne pathogen risk and to maintain the quality

Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of the Synaptic Marker Neurogranin in Neuro-HIV and Other Neurological Disorders.

Purpose of reviewThe aim of this study was to examine the synaptic biomarker neurogranin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in different stages of HIV infection and in relation to what is known about CSF neurogranin in other neurodegenerative diseases.Recent findingsCSF concentrations of neurogranin are increased in Alzheimer's disease, but not in other neurodegenerative disorder such as Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Adults with HIV-associated dementia have been found to have decreased levels of neurogranin in the frontal cortex, which at least to some extent, may be mediated by the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-8. CSF neurogranin concentrations were in the same range for all groups of HIV-infected individuals and uninfected controls. This either indicates that synaptic injury is not an important part of HIV neuropathogenesis or that CSF neurogranin is not sensitive to the type of synaptic impairment present in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders

Construction and characterization of the ex-situ modified macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffold as a potential epidermal graft

Background: Skin is a 3-dimensional (3-D) tissue that mainly consists 2 layers, comprising the epidermis and dermis. Skin tissue engineering scaffolds are used commonly as 3-D analogs of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the skin. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has great importance in skin tissue engineering because of its resemblance to ECM and its biocompatibility. The lack of 3-D microporosity and limited biodegradation capacity has restricted its application as a scaffold for skin tissue engineering. Controlled 3-D microporosity of BC via surface modification techniques are required for potential tissue engineering applications.Methods: Freeze-drying is an ex-situ surface modification technique for making macroporous BC scaffolds (MBCSs). This study proposed a new approach to the freeze-drying method for the arrangement of the pore size of MBCSs specifically for the human keratinocyte cell line (KER-CT). Different concentrations of MBCS (0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) were prepared and the KER-CT cell viability was detected via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay.Result: The results of this study indicated that the KER-CT cells were able to proliferate all of the concentrations of MBCS, and the best cell viability value was observed with 0.75% MBCS. The results were supported by FESEM and light microscopic observations.Conclusion: These findings suggested that 0.75% MBCS might be of use in epidermal tissue engineering applications

Switching from a regimen containing abacavir/lamivudine or emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate to emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate does not affect central nervous system HIV-1 infection

Background: Despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), many HIV-infected individuals have low-level persistent immune activation in the central nervous system (CNS). There have been concerns regarding the CNS efficacy of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) because of its low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations and because it is a substrate of the active efflux transporter P-glycoprotein. Our aim was to investigate whether switching from emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or abacavir (ABC)/lamivudine (3TC) to FTC/TAF would lead to changes in residual intrathecal immune activation, viral load, or neurocognitive function. Methods: Twenty HIV-1-infected neuro-asymptomatic adults (11 on ABC/3TC and 9 on FTC/TDF) were included in this prospective study. At baseline, all participants changed their nucleoside analogues to FTC/TAF without any other changes in their ART regimen. We performed lumbar punctures, venipunctures, and neurocognitive testing at baseline and after three and 12 months. Results: During follow-up, there were no significant changes in CSF or plasma HIV RNA, CSF neopterin, CSF β2-microglobulin, IgG index, albumin ratio, CSF NFL, or neurocognitive function in assessed by Cogstate in any of the groups. Conclusion: This small pilot study indicates that switching to FTC/TAF from ABC/3TC or FTC/TDF has neither a positive, nor a negative effect on the HIV infection in the CNS

Effect of antiretroviral treatment on blood-brain barrier integrity in HIV-1 infection

Background Blood-brain barrier (BBB) injury is prevalent in patients with HIV-associated dementia (HAD) and is a frequent feature of HIV encephalitis. Signs of BBB damage are also sometimes found in neuroasymptomatic HIV-infected individuals without antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this study was to investigate the integrity of the BBB before and after initiation of ART in both neuroasymptomatic HIV infection and in patients with HAD. Methods We determined BBB integrity by measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/plasma albumin ratios in archived CSF samples prior to and after initiation of ART in longitudinally-followed neuroasymptomatic HIV-1-infected individuals and patients with HAD. We also analyzed HIV RNA in blood and CSF, IgG Index, CSF WBC counts, and CSF concentrations of beta 2-micoglobulin, neopterin, and neurofilament light chain protein (NfL). Results We included 159 HIV-infected participants; 82 neuroasymptomatic individuals and 77 with HAD. All neuroasymptomatic individuals (82/82), and 10/77 individuals with HAD, were longitudinally followed with a median (interquartile range, IQR) follow-up of 758 (230-1752) days for the neuroasymptomatic individuals, and a median (IQR) follow-up of 241 (50-994) days for the individuals with HAD. Twelve percent (10/82) of the neuroasymptomatic individuals and 80% (8/10) of the longitudinally-followed individuals with HAD had elevated albumin ratios at baseline. At the last follow-up, 9% (7/82) of the neuroasymptomatic individuals and 20% (2/10) of the individuals with HAD had elevated albumin ratios. ART significantly decreased albumin ratios in both neuroasymptomatic individuals and in patients with HAD. Conclusion These findings indicate that ART improves and possibly normalizes BBB integrity in both neuroasymptomatic HIV-infected individuals and in patients with HAD