Melatonin reverses the oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by LETM1 silencing.

LETM1 is a mitochondrial inner-membrane protein, which is encoded by a gene present in a locus of 4p, which, in turn, is deleted in the Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, and is assumed to be related to its pathogenesis. The cellular damage caused by the deletion is presumably related to oxidative stress. Melatonin has many beneficial roles in protecting mitochondria by scavenging reactive oxygen species, maintaining membrane potential, and improving functions.

[Not Available].

The literature suggests that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) defects are associated with a large number of diseases including cancers. The role of mtDNA variations in thyroid cancer is a highly controversial topic. Therefore, we investigated the role of mt-DNA control region (CR) variations in thyroid tumor progression and the influence of mtDNA haplogroups on susceptibility to thyroid tumors.

Investigation of relationship of the mitochondrial DNA 16189 T>C polymorphism with metabolic syndrome and its associated clinical parameters in Turkish patients.

Objective: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms have been implicated in the pathophysiology of human diseases. Among them, a T>C nucleotide transition on the 16189 nucleotide position of mtDNA has been studied in several metabolic diseases including diabetes and obesity. In this study we aimed to investigate the association of this polymorphism among Turkish metabolic syndrome patients.

Effects of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase genotypes, enzyme levels, and activity on high-density lipoprotein levels.

Background: Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is one of the key enzymes controlling cholesterol homeostasis and plays a primary role in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) maturation.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of LCAT gene polymorphisms 511C/T (exon4), 4886C/T (rs5923), and 608C/T (rs5922) on LCAT enzyme level, activity, and HDL-C levels.

Methods: The study population was selected from consecutive subjects with low (<35 mg/dL) and high HDL-C levels (>65 mg/dL) seen in our lipid clinic.

Prophylactic feeding with immune-enhanced diet ameliorates chemoradiation-induced gastrointestinal injury in rats.

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of immune-enhanced diet (IED) on chemoradiation-induced injury of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control (C, n=6), irradiation (IR, n=14), fluoropyrimidine (5-FU, n=14)-treated, IR + 5-FU (n=14)-treated groups. Half of each irradiated and/or 5-FU-treated groups were previously fed with IED containing arginine, omega-3-fatty acids and RNA fragments, while the other half were fed a standard rat diet (SD) for eight days before the induction of IR or injection of 5-FU.

Mitochondrial DNA common deletion is not associated with thyroid, breast and colorectal tumors in Turkish patients.

Recently, efforts have been focused on mitochondrial DNA changes and their relation to human cancers. Among them, a 4977 bp deletion of mitochondrial DNA, named "common deletion", has been investigated in several types of tumors, with inconsistent results. In this study, we investigated the presence of the common deletion in tissues from 25 breast, 25 colorectal and 50 thyroid tumors and in the adjacent healthy tissues from Turkish patients.

Erdosteine prevents colonic inflammation through its antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.

After intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS), Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally either with saline or erdosteine (100 mg/kg per day), a sulfhydryl-containing antioxidant, for 3 days. On the 4th day, rats were decapitated and distal colon was removed for the macroscopic and microscopic damage scoring, for the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and collagen levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, luminol and lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL) and DNA fragmentation. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and antioxidant capacity were assayed in blood samples.

A novel approach for rapid screening of mitochondrial D310 polymorphism.

Background: Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported in a wide variety of human neoplasms. A polynucleotide tract extending from 303 to 315 nucleotide positions (D310) within the non-coding region of mtDNA has been identified as a mutational hotspot of primary tumors. This region consists of two polycytosine stretches interrupted by a thymidine nucleotide.

Preparation and in vitro transfection efficiency of chitosan microspheres containing plasmid DNA:poly(L-lysine) complexes.

Purpose: Studies on DNA complexes with cationic polymers are prompted by the search for nonviral DNA carriers for gene therapy. Among them, poly(L-Lysine) (PLL) has been extensively studied. On the other hand, these systems deliver DNA as a bolus without long-term release.

Co-encapsulation of two plasmids in chitosan microspheres as a non-viral gene delivery vehicle.

Purpose: The aims of this study are to encapsulate two different plasmid DNAs (pGL2 and pMK3) in the same microsphere structure and to investigate in vivo transfection characteristics of chitosan microspheres. Furthermore, the effect of formulation factors, such as chitosan concentration and plasmid DNA amount on in vitro properties of microspheres were studied.

Methods: Double plasmid-loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared by complex coacervation.

Controlled release of interleukin-2 from chitosan microspheres.

Chitosan microspheres were evaluated for sustained-release of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in this study. In addition, the effects of different formulation factors, such as chitosan and protein concentrations, the volume of sodium sulfate solution, addition technique of rIL-2, and presence of glutaraldehyde during the encapsulation process, on microsphere characteristics were investigated. Chitosan microspheres containing rIL-2 were prepared by using the precipitation technique.