Advancements in Life Sciences (E-Journal, University of the Punjab)
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Role of Absent in Melanoma (AIM2) Inflammasome and Proinflammatory Cytokines (Interleukin-18 and 33) in the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Iraqi population
No full textBackground: A chronic autoimmune illness marked by aberrant immune function is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Absent in melanoma 2 inflammasome (AIM2), is important for the start of the innate immune response. Proinflammatory cytokines are released by the RA's activated inflammasome.Methods: In this case-control study, 52 participants were divided into 2 groups: 22 had recently been diagnosed with RA, while 30 were healthy subjects. The Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28) scored each patient candidate for disease activity. Rheumatologists assess disease activity. Patient and control saliva samples were analyzed using “Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)” kits to identify AIM2 inflammasome activity and IL-18 and IL-33.Results: AIM2, IL-18, and IL-33 levels in saliva were considerably higher in the patient group than in the control group.Conclusion: Elevated levels of the AIM2 inflammasome and the cytokines IL-18, and IL-33 may have a role in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis and serve as a helpful biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis early detection.Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, AIM2, Inflammasomes, Proinflammatory cytokine
Ruellia tuberosa L. Leaf Extract Improves Histopathological Damages in Kidneys of Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Get PDFBackground: Diabetes mellitus is a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin dysfunction, leading to redox imbalance and increased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). This oxidative stress condition can lead to kidney damage. While drugs like metformin are commonly used to treat diabetes, they can also cause damage to the kidney. Therefore, exploring natural alternatives, such as Ruellia tuberosa L. leaves, is important to minimize side effects and protect kidney function.Methods: This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and five replications. The negative control group received distilled water, while the positive control group was injected with alloxan (150 mg/kgBW) and treated with metformin (50 mg/kg BW). Treatment groups (P1, P2, and P3) received alloxan (150 mg/kg BW) and Ruellia tuberosa L. extract at doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg BW, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and if the extract showed an effect on the kidney condition, post hoc analysis with the Mann-Whitney test was performed.Results: The results of the study showed that there was kidney damage characterized by glomerular necrosis, degeneration of tubular cells, and necrosis of renal tubular cells due to alloxan induction. However, giving Ruellia tuberosa L. extract at doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kgBW can prevent kidney damage.Conclusion: The data analysis results indicate that the Ruellia tuberosa L. leaf extract can prevent kidney damage in alloxan-induced diabetic white rats, with the recommended effective dose of 800 mg/kgBW.Keywords: Alloxan, Degeneration, Diabetes, Necrosis, Tubules
Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil by xylanase enzyme
Get PDFBackground: The global spread of petrochemical and petroleum contamination, such as petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), is currently a significant environmental risk. The global biosphere is badly harmed by these pollutants, and biodiversity is significantly reduced. This study was to screen for xylanase synthesis in Pseudomonas spp. and evaluate its efficiency as a bioremediator in removal of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.Methods: Soil samples from Al-Dora oil plant Baghdad, Iraq, were cultured in nutritional agar medium containing 0.5% of corn cob xylan for determination of xylanase producers and measuring of xylanase activity, after that xylanaseproducers were identified. The xylanase was purified with DEAE-cellulose chromatography and the percentage of hydrocarbon degradation was calculated after treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil with purified xylanase and detection of hydrocarbon degradation percentage.Results: Pseudomonas putida had the highest productivity for xylanase in comparison with other Pseudomonas species such as Pseudomonas syringae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which revealed lower levels in xylanase production. Ammonium salt saturation and ion exchange chromatography were used to purify the xylanase enzyme on a DEAE-cellulose column with ultimate recovery of 43% and 4.3 fold of purification. With pure xylanase, hydrocarbons degraded over time, peaking after two weeks and then progressively diminishing.Conclusions: Pseudomonas putida is the best producer for xylanase than other species. The purified xylanase led to removal of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil in a time-dependent manner until maximum removal after 15 days. Authors recommend using xylanase for cleaning up of oil-contaminated areas. Therefore, employing microorganisms as biological tools may be a more feasible way to handle one of the most serious issues in modern society which might be a more workable and affordable way to minimize waste and preserve natural resources.Keywords: Petroleum hydrocarbons; Pseudomonas putida; Xylanase; Bioremediation; Soil contaminationEditorial Expression of Concern:18 May 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about problems in use of English language. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community as we address the errors.Editorial Note:31 May 2025: You are viewing the latest version of this article having minor corrections related to the use of English language. Expression of concern is hereby revoked
The Clinical Significance of Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain-Like Receptor Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 Inflammasome for the Health of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Get PDFBackground: A recurring autoimmune disease with severe inflammation and joint destruction resulting from an immune-mediated inflammatory reaction is of concern these days, known as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It induces intracellular multi-protein signaling hubs, or inflammasomes, linked to pathogen sensing and triggering inflammatory processes in healthy and sick individuals. The Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) protein forms an inflammasome complex that regulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production, including interleukin-1Beta and 18. Nowadays, numerous experimental agents have been studied for investigating various approaches to improve rheumatoid arthritis treatment, including pyrin domain-containing protein 3 inhibitors.Methods: The current case-control experimental work involved 82 subjects separated into 3 groups: 22 patients were newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, 30 rheumatoid arthritis patients taking methotrexate (MTX), and 30 healthy subjects. The samples of saliva were obtained from all specimens, and the salivary inflammasome levels (NLRP3) were detected using ELISA.Results: The study discovered a significant increase in salivary pyrin domain-containing 3 in patient groups in comparison with the healthy group (control). However, the results discovered that no noteworthy variance (p>0.05) was observed in salivary NLRP3 level between the newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis group and the rheumatoid arthritis patients in the methotrexate treatment group.Conclusion: The study suggested that the elevated level of NLRP3 has a significant impact on disease etiology and could be used as diagnostic biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis, and could be targeted for the treatment of RA by developing novel and beneficial agents.Keywords: NLRP3, Inflammasomes, Rheumatoid arthritis, MT
Biological Response and Quantitative Analysis of Bioactive Compounds in Rosmarinus officinalis Following Kinetin and Nano-Potassium Foliar Application
Get PDFBackground: The study focuses on the biological response and estimation of active substances in Rosmarinus officinalis as a result of spraying with kinetin and Nanopotassium. The importance of Rosmarinus officinalis in both medicinal and nutritional contexts make it an ideal subject for testing the effectiveness of nanopotassium and kinetin, two compounds that have shown promise in enhancing plant growth and the development of bioactive compounds.Methods: A field experiment was conducted in the Al-Boufraj area, Anbar Governorate, during the 2022-2023 season. The experiment involved two factors: nanopotassium at four levels (0, 20, 30, and 40 mg L⁻¹) and kinetin at three concentrations (0, 75, and 150 mg L⁻¹). The effects of these treatments on plant height, number of branches, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, and nitrogen content were analyzed using a randomized complete block design with three replications.Results: The highest plant height (82.40 cm) and number of branches (11.33 branches plant⁻¹) were recorded at the highest levels of both nanopotassium and kinetin (40 mg L⁻¹ and 150 mg L⁻¹, respectively). The maximum stem diameter (6.10 mm) was obtained for the interaction between 30 mg L⁻¹ nanopotassium and 150 mg L⁻¹ kinetin (K30 × C150), while the main effect of kinetin at 150 mg L⁻¹ produced an average diameter of 5.47 mm. The maximum chlorophyll content (54.10 SPAD units) and nitrogen concentration (1.5185%) were also achieved when combining the highest levels of both treatments. Significant differences were observed across all main effects, while the interaction between nanopotassium and kinetin was significant for plant height, chlorophyll content, and nitrogen percentage, but not for branching and stem diameter.Conclusion: The study demonstrates the positive impact of kinetin and nanopotassium on the growth characteristics and active compound production in Rosmarinus officinalis. The use of these substances, particularly in combination, offers a promising approach to improving the agricultural yield and quality of medicinal plants, with potential applications in sustainable farming practices.Keywords: Rosmarinus officinalis, Kinetin, Bioactive compounds, Nanofertilizers, Nano potassiu
Preliminary Findings on the Movement and Habitat Preferences of Moza, a Rescued Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Fujairah, UAE, through Satellite Tagging
Get PDFBackground: On May 14, 2022, Moza, a sub-adult green turtle (Chelonia mydas), was discovered injured on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Gulf of Oman. Later, it got rehabilitated and released back to sea with tracker and given the title “Moza”. Given the increasing concerns about marine animal behavior and habitat preferences, this study sought to track and analyze Moza's movements.Methods: The tracking of turtles was conducted using SPOT-5 back-mount tags supplied by Wildlife Computers, a company based in Seattle, USA. These tags establish communication with the Argos satellite system (http://www.argos-system.org) anytime they rise above the water, and a satellite is within their reach. To preserve battery life and prolong the period of tracking, the tags were set to restrict the number of broadcasts to 250 per day, which were scheduled exclusively during daylight hours (06:00–18:00). The SPOT-5 tags not only communicated location data for the Argos system but also provided temperature information. The investigation was conducted from June 16 to July 31, 2022, along the shoreline near Deira Island, Palm Island, and Dubai World Island. Moza was initially released from Palm Island on June 16, 2022.Results: The satellite tracking revealed that Moza was located at Dubai World Islands on June 18, 2022, and by June 19, 2022, she had moved to Deira Islands, where she remained for the rest of the study period. Over a tracking period of 45 days (1077.86 hours), Moza traveled a total of 86.3 kilometers in a southwesterly direction from the starting point.Conclusion: The findings suggest that Moza ceased long-distance movement and remained in the Deira Islands area, likely due to the presence of a suitable habitat. However, ongoing tracking studies with other rehabilitated turtles may provide further insights into habitat preferences and movement patterns.Keywords: Tracking; Rehabilitation; Green turtle; SPOT-5 tags; Habitat preference; Marine conservatio
In Silico Approach for Identifying Potent Natural Peptide Deformylase Inhibitors to Combat Antibacterial Resistance
Get PDFBackground: Antibiotic resistance is a major worldwide health problem, caused by the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Peptide deformylase (PDf) is crucial for many pathogenic microbes but is not required for cytoplasmic protein synthesis in eukaryotes, making it an attractive target for novel antibacterial agents.Methods: This study computationally screened the ZINC database natural compounds against the PDf using the PyRx 0.8. The SwissADME and ADMET AI web tools were utilized to evaluate the physicochemical and ADMET characteristics of the five selected compounds.Results: The compounds ZINC1412, ZINC517261, ZINC621853, ZINC777954, and ZINC898952 were found to be higher-affinity binders than the positive control, interacting with critical PDf residues. Furthermore, the physicochemical and drug-like properties of these compounds demonstrated that they possess a range of safe and acceptable parameters. The ADMET properties of these compounds showed that they are within an acceptable range.Conclusion: These compounds (ZINC1412, ZINC517261, ZINC621853, ZINC777954, and ZINC898952) can be used as PDf inhibitors against MDR bacteria after experimental validation.Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, peptide deformylase, natural compound, drug-like
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Current update on biofilm formation, immune response and antibiotic resistance
Get PDFPseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacillus found ubiquitously in nature and is known to cause life-threatening infections. A prime example of an opportunistic pathogen, P. aeruginosa is responsible for infections in environmental, industrial, and hospital settings. It has been classified as one of the “superbugs” involved in nosocomial infections and is a member of the ESKAPE pathogen group. Its virulent nature makes it a potent causative organism in both device-associated infections (such as catheter-associated bloodstream and urinary tract infections) and non-device-related infections (such as cystic fibrosis, otitis media, keratitis, and ventilator-associated pneumonia). Despite the use of various antimicrobial agents against P. aeruginosa, complications from hospital-acquired infections persist. Multiple studies have demonstrated, P. aeruginosa readily forms biofilms during prolonged infections, making treatment more challenging. This can be attributed to the fact that antibiotics are less effective against microbial biofilms. P. aeruginosa possesses several virulence factors, including lipopolysaccharides, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and toxin secretion systems such as the type III secretion system (T3SS), which evade host immunity and compete with other bacteria. The synergistic effect of these factors, along with biofilm formation, protects the pathogen from host immune defenses and reduces the efficacy of antimicrobial agents. This review provides a conceptual framework for understanding the association between microbial biofilms and host immune responses. Additionally, it emphasizes the critical need to address P. aeruginosa biofilms to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital-acquired infections.Keywords: Biofilm; Immune response; Host interaction; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Device-related biofil
Feasibility analysis of bioethanol produced from Ceratophyllum demersum L. aquatic weed utilizing solar energy
Get PDFBackground: Biofuels have gained significant attention due to the growing demand for sustainable energy and concerns over greenhouse gas emissions. A promising candidate is Ceratophyllum demersum L., a nuisance aquatic weed common in Iraqi water systems, which potentially can be utilized in the generation of bioethanol.Methods: In this study, the possibility of using Ceratophyllum demersum L. as raw material for the generation of ethanol was investigated through the process of acid hydrolysis accompanied by fermentation. To test the accuracy and reliability of the data, the experiments were repeated in duplicate. Solar pond systems have also been utilized to provide heat for the pre-treatment and fermentation process, hence reducing the requirement for conventional sources of energy.Results: The findings revealed that Ceratophyllum demersum L. has high potential to serve as a feedstock for bioethanol production. The highest concentration of ethanol in the first trial was 82.48% at a 3M acid concentration and 2.5% substrate quantity and was 89.80% under the same conditions in the second trial. The ethanol yield represents percentage purity (v/v) determined post-fermentation.Conclusion: The study findings affirm that Ceratophyllum demersum L. is a potential raw material for the production of bioethanol. Furthermore, the combination of solar thermal systems with biomass treatment maximizes overall efficiency in energy. By so doing, this strategy lessens traditional energy requirements while striving for ecological and economic sustainability through the harvesting of untapped plant material and the harnessing of solar heat, fundamental aspects to the sustainability of bioethanol production.Keywords: Bioethanol, Solar Thermal Energy, Biofuel, Ceratophyllum demersum L
Phytochemistry and pharmacology potential of Lippia javanica: a bibliometric and systematic review
Get PDFLippia javanica (Burm. f.) is an African plant with numerous ethnomedicinal uses, including asthma, tuberculosis, colds, influenza, pneumonia, coughs, and dermatitis treatments. Many of the ethnomedicinal properties and folkloric claims about the plant have since established by numerous scientific studies. In this context, we conducted the bibliometric and systematic analyses of scientific literature on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of L. javanica with special focus on the plant’s bioactive metabolites. Bibliometric data – using the Web of Science and Scopus databases – revealed that most of the research on L. javanica were carried out in Africa, with South Africa accounting for more than 50% of the total outputs. However, the growth in this research domain has been relatively slow in recent years. Furthermore, the critical analysis highlighted the pharmacological activities of various crude extracts of the plant and also identified more than 40 new metabolites as well as their bioactivities. Therapeutic relationships were established between the enumerated bioactives and the potential use of the plant for the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, neurodegenerative conditions, tumours as well as diabetes. In all, it was observed that despite the immense potential of the plant and its metabolites in drug research and development, it remains grossly unexplored in this regard. It is envisaged that the information from this review will facilitate and chart a course for future investigations into the pharmaceutical uses of L. javanica.Keywords: Lippia javanica; Pharmacological; Metabolites; Ethnobotanical; Drug discovery Editorial Expression of Concern:20 May 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about quality of figures. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of this incidence and as we do the required corrections.Editorial Note:27 May 2025: You are viewing the latest version of this article having correction in formatting/styling. Expression of concern is hereby revoked