Cytotoxic acyl amides from the soil fungus Gymnascella dankaliensis.

The soil fungus Gymnascella dankaliensis was collected in the vicinity of the Giza pyramids, Egypt. When grown on solid rice medium the fungus yielded four new compounds including 11'-carboxygymnastatin N (1), gymnastatin S (2), dankamide (3), and aranorosin-2-methylether (4), the latter having been reported previously only as a semisynthetic compound. In addition, six known metabolites (5-10) were isolated.

The Clinical Use of Human Culture-Expanded Autologous Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplanted on Platelet-Rich Fibrin Glue in the Treatment of Articular Cartilage Defects: A Pilot Study and Preliminary Results.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that platelet-rich fibrin glue (PR-FG) can be used clinically as a scaffold to deliver autologous culture-expanded bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) for cartilage repair and to report clinical results 1 y after implantation of MSCs PR-FG. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Autologous BM-MSCs were culture expanded, placed on PR-FG intraoperatively, and then transplanted into 5 full-thickness cartilage defects of femoral condyles of 5 patients and covered with an autologous periosteal flap. Patients were evaluated clinically at 6 and 12 mo by the Lysholm and Revised Hospital for Special Surgery Knee (RHSSK) scores and radiographically by x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the same time points.

Interferon-alpha gene therapy prevents aflatoxin and carbon tetrachloride promoted hepatic carcinogenesis in rats.

Retrovirus-mediated interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) gene transfer was evaluated with regard to its possible protective effects against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-initiated and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-promoted hepatic carcinogenesis in rats. To our knowledge, this is the first time an experimental in vivo gene therapy trial was conducted in Egypt. Two genes were examined in liver tissue by RT-PCR: the first was glutathione-S-transferase placental (GST-P) isoenzyme, as an early marker to detect hepatic malignancy; the second was IFN-alpha gene expression to detect the efficiency of gene uptake and its persistence after transduction.

Effects of carnosine on bilharzial infestation in hamsters: biochemical and histochemical studies.

We tested the ability of carnosine to improve some liver disorders induced by Schistosoma mansoni parasite in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Results indicate that parasitic infestation induced elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase and procollagen III peptide as a marker of liver fibrosis. Administration of carnosine (10 mg/day) for 15 days either concurrent with infection, 2 and 4 weeks post-infestation was effective in reducing differential worm burden.