Production of highly cytotoxic and low immunogenic L-asparaginase from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia EMCC2297.

L-asparaginase is an important therapeutic enzyme that is frequently utilized in the chemotherapy regimens of adults as well as pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, a high rate of hypersensitivity with prolonged use has limited its utilization. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S.

Characterization of vitamin D3 biotransformation by the cell lysate of Actinomyces hyovaginalis CCASU-A11-2.

A former work conducted in our Lab, lead to in a effective scale up of vitamin D3 bioconversion into calcitriol by Actinomyces (A.) hyovaginalis isolate CCASU-A11-2 in Lab fermenter (14 L) resulting in 32.8 µg/100 mL of calcitriol.

Bioconversion of vitamin D into calcitriol by Actinomyces hyovaginalis isolate CCASU- A11-2.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble prohormone that is activated inside the liver to produce 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcidiol), and in the kidney to produce the fully active 1α, 25-dihydroxy vitamin D (calcitriol). A previous work piloted in our laboratory, resulted in a successful recovery of a local soil-promising Actinomyces hyovaginalis isolate CCASU-A11-2 capable of converting vitamin D into calcitriol. Despite the rising amount of research on vitamin D bioconversion into calcitriol, further deliberate studies on this topic can significantly contribute to the improvement of such a bioconversion process.

Transferable IncX3 plasmid harboring bla, ble, and aph(3')-VI genes from Klebsiella pneumoniae conferring phenotypic carbapenem resistance in E. coli.

Background: The dissemination of carbapenem resistance via carbapenemases, such as the metallo-β-lactamase NDM, among Enterobacterales poses a public health threat. The aim of this study was to characterize a plasmid carrying the bla gene, which was extracted from a clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae uropathogen from an Egyptian patient suffering from a urinary tract infection.

Methods And Results: The recovered plasmid was transformed into competent E.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of linezolid resistance and the effect of antibiotic combinations on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates.

Background: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes life-threatening infections, with narrow therapeutic options including: vancomycin and linezolid. Accordingly, this study aimed to characterize phenotypically and genotypically, the most relevant means of linezolid resistance among some MRSA clinical isolates.

Methods: A total of 159 methicillin-resistant clinical isolates were collected, of which 146 were indentified microscopically and biochemically as MRSA.

Dual Role of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 Interacting Protein-1 in Inflammasome and Pancreatic β-Cell Function.

Inflammasomes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, their expression and functional importance in pancreatic β-cells remain largely unknown. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 interacting protein-1 (MAPK8IP1) is a scaffold protein that regulates JNK signaling and is involved in various cellular processes.

Expression Silencing of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 Interacting Protein-1 Conferred Its Role in Pancreatic β-Cell Physiology and Insulin Secretion.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 interacting protein-1 (MAPK8IP1) gene has been recognized as a susceptibility gene for diabetes. However, its action in the physiology of pancreatic β-cells is not fully understood. Herein, bioinformatics and genetic analyses on the publicly available database were performed to map the expression of the gene in human pancreatic islets and to explore whether this gene contains any genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Optimization of feather degradation by a Bacillus thuringiensis isolate using response surface methodology and investigation of the feather protein hydrolysate structure.

Valorization of chicken feather is a long-sought approach for its sustainable disposal. Being protein rich, hydrolyzed chicken feather has a wide range of applications, not limited to formulation of microbiological culture media, animal feed, and biofertilizers, but extends to synthesis of bioplastic films, cosmetics, and biomedicals. In this study, a potent keratinolytic isolate was recovered from soil and identified by 16S rRNA as Bacillus thuringiensis.

Isolation, Propagation and Genotyping of Human Rotaviruses Circulating among Children with Gastroenteritis in Two Egyptian University Hospitals.

The most prevalent cause of infectious neonatal diarrhea is Group A rotavirus (RVA). Unfortunately, there is a dearth of data on the incidence of rotavirus-associated infections among Egyptian children. The present study aimed to isolate, propagate, and genotype human rotaviruses circulating among Egyptian children with acute gastroenteritis admitted to two main university pediatric hospitals, Abo El-Reesh and El-Demerdash, over two consecutive winters, 2018-2020.

Ramucirumab combination with sorafenib enhances the inhibitory effect of sorafenib on HepG2 cancer cells.

Sorafenib, an oral multiple kinase inhibitor, is the standardized treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One strategy to improve HCC therapy is to combine agents that target key signaling pathways. In this study we set out to investigate the effect of combining sorafenib with either bevacizumab (anti-VEGF), panitumumab (anti-EGFR) or ramucirumab (anti-VEGFR2) on HepG2 cancer cell line with the aim of improving efficacy and possibility of therapeutic dose reduction of sorafenib.

Hypolipidemic activity of lactic acid bacteria: Adjunct therapy for potential probiotics.

Background: Individuals with hyperlipidemia are two times more likely to develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as opposed to those with controlled serum total cholesterol (TC) levels. Considering the documented adverse events of the current lipid-lowering medications which ultimately affect patient's compliance, substantial efforts have been made to develop new therapeutic strategies. Probiotics, on the other hand, are reported to have lipid-lowering activity with the added benefit of being generally well-tolerated making it an appealing adjuvant therapy.

Evaluation of lyophilized royal jelly and garlic extract emulgels using a murine model infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The limited therapeutic options associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) necessitate search for innovative strategies particularly, use of natural extracts such as lyophilized royal jelly (LRJ) and garlic extract (GE). Therefore, out study aimed to formulate emulgels containing different concentrations of both LRJ and GE and to evaluate their activities using a murine model infected with MRSA clinical isolate. Four plain emulgel formulas were prepared by mixing stearic acid/yellow soft paraffin-based O/W emulsion formulae based on Carbopol 940, Na alginate, Na carboxymethylcellulose or Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose E4.

Evaluation and Correlation of Rabies Vaccine Potency Using the National Institute of Health, Rapid Focus Fluorescent Inhibition, and Passive Hemagglutination Tests.

Rabies vaccine preparations are quantitatively assayed for potency using the challenge National Institute of Health (NIH), the main test that consumes a high number of animals, takes a long time, and has wide variability. The Rapid focus fluorescent inhibition (RFFIT) and the passive hemagglutination (PHA) tests, the two serologically based tests, were also used for such purpose. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and correlate the potency of the NIH, RFFIT, and PHA tests according to the World Health Organization (WHO) validity criteria, aiming to validate the use of RFFIT or PHA test as a substitute to the NIH test for determining the potency of commercially available Rabies vaccine preparations.

Impact of target site mutations and plasmid associated resistance genes acquisition on resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii to fluoroquinolones.

Among bacterial species implicated in hospital-acquired infections are the emerging Pan-Drug Resistant (PDR) and Extensively Drug-Resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter (A.) baumannii strains as they are difficult to eradicate. From 1600 clinical specimens, only 100 A.

OXA-48 Carbapenemase-Encoding Transferable Plasmids of Recovered from Egyptian Patients Suffering from Complicated Urinary Tract Infections.

Gram-negative bacteria are common causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Such pathogens can acquire genes encoding multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, including carbapenem resistance. The aim of this study was to detect the carbapenemase-producing ability of some Gram-negative bacterial isolates from urine specimens of patients suffering from complicated UTIs at two vital tertiary care hospitals in Cairo, Egypt; to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase genes among plasmid-bearing isolates; and explore the possibility of horizontal gene transfer to other bacterial species.

Bacterial cyclomodulins: types and roles in carcinogenesis.

Various studies confirmed that bacterial infections contribute to carcinogenesis through the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of toxins that disrupt the cell cycle phases, cellular regulatory mechanisms and stimulate the production of tumorigenic inflammatory mediators. These toxins mimic carcinogens which act upon key cellular targets and result in mutations and genotoxicities. The cyclomodulins are bacterial toxins that incur cell cycle modulating effects rendering the expressing bacterial species of high carcinogenic potentiality.

Biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans and its inhibition by green tea extracts.

Dental Caries is considered one of the most existing and worldwide common diseases related to the oral cavity affecting both children and adults. Streptococcus mutans is the main cariogenic microorganism involved in the dental caries progression. Natural products such as herbal plants were found to have less side effects and economic value than those of the chemically synthesized antibiofilm agents.

Trastuzumab immunogenicity development in patients' sera and in laboratory animals.

Background: Immunogenicity is a major challenge in drug development and patient care. Clinicians and regulators are familiar with immunogenicity concerns of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics, growth factors and enzyme replacements. Although most small therapeutic molecules are unlikely to trigger undesirable immunogenic responses against themselves upon their administration, the biological therapeutic agents are likely to induce such kind of immunogenicity.

"Effect of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Some Antibiotics and Low Doses of Gamma Radiation on the Cytotoxicity and Expression of Colibactin by an Uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolate".

Colibactin and cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (Cnf 1) are cyclomodulins secreted by uropathogenic E. coli. In this study, uropathogenic E.

Structural and Physicochemical Characterization of Rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa P6.

Rhamnolipids are important biosurfactants for application in bioremediation, enhanced oil recovery, pharmaceutical, and detergent industry. In this study, rhamnolipids extracted from P. aeruginosa P6 were characterized to determine their potential fields of application.

Propranolol, chlorpromazine and diclofenac restore susceptibility of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-Acinetobacter baumannii to fluoroquinolones.

Nosocomial infections caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) or Pan-Drug resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter (A.) baumannii have recently increased dramatically creating a medical challenge as therapeutic options became very limited. The aim of our study was to investigate the antibiotic-resistance profiles and evaluate the various combinations of ciprofloxacin (CIP) or levofloxacin (LEV) with antimicrobial agents and non-antimicrobial agents to combat antimicrobial resistance of XDR A.

Production, characterization and bioinformatics analysis of L-asparaginase from a new Stenotrophomonas maltophilia EMCC2297 soil isolate.

An exhaustive screening program was applied for scoring a promising L-asparaginase producing-isolate. The recovered isolate was identified biochemically and molecularly and its L-asparaginase productivity was optimized experimentally and by Response Surface Methodology. The produced enzyme was characterized experimentally for its catalytic properties and by bioinformatics analysis for its immunogenicity.

Persisters of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis: A Common Phenomenon and Different Behavior Profiles.

Persisters of infectious agents are capable of surviving antibiotic treatment so the emergence of these subpopulations need to be overcome. In this study, we aimed to isolate, characterize and inhibit persister subpopulation in two clinical isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. Different behavior profiles between the two isolates could be observed.

Protein:Protein interactions in the cytoplasmic membrane apparently influencing sugar transport and phosphorylation activities of the e. coli phosphotransferase system.

The multicomponent phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent sugar-transporting phosphotransferase system (PTS) in Escherichia coli takes up sugar substrates from the medium and concomitantly phosphorylates them, releasing sugar phosphates into the cytoplasm. We have recently provided evidence that many of the integral membrane PTS permeases interact with the fructose PTS (FruA/FruB) [1]. However, the biochemical and physiological significance of this finding was not known.