High Prevalence of CKD of Unknown Etiology in Uddanam, India.

Introduction: There were concerns raised regarding a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Uddanam, a fertile subtropical low-altitude territory in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The present study was undertaken to ascertain the prevalence of CKD, disease characteristics, and risk factor profile in this area.

Methods: We selected 2210 subjects (age >18 years) using multistage sampling.

Atorvastatin inhibited Rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mediated adhesion and differentiation of CD133+CD44+ prostate cancer stem cells.

Prostate cancer has become a global health concern and is one of the leading causes of cancer death of men after lung and gastric cancers. It has been suggested that the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutarylcoenzyme-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor atorvastatin shows anticancer activity in prostate cancer cell lines. To this end, we analyzed the influence of atorvastatin on the cell adhesion and differentiation of CD133(+)CD44(+) cells derived from prostate cancer biopsies and peripheral blood.

Docking studies of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Damnacanthal and Scopoletin with human lens gamma D-crystalline.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, scopoletin and damnacanthal are the major constituents of Noni (Morinda citrifolia). These compounds are known to have good medicinal properties and they are known to act as antioxidants. Loss of vision in elderly is due to opaqueness of the lens proteins such as gamma-D-crystallin during oxidative stress conditions.

Docking studies of piperine - iron conjugate with human CYP450 3A4.

Piperine, a major constituent of Piper nigrum (Black pepper), is one of the well known components in many Ayurvedic formulations. Piperine is most studied bioenhancer because it inhibits drug metabolizing enzymes in rodents and increases plasma concentrations of several drugs, including P-glycoprotein substrates. However, there areno evidences on piperine-iron conjugate to inhibit human CYP450 3A4.

Alpha1 and beta1 integrins enhance the homing and differentiation of cultured prostate cancer stem cells.

CD133(+) prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) have recently been identified in human prostate cancer tissues. The present study reports the integrin profile of prostate cancer progenitor cells and the role of alpha(1) and beta(1) integrins in the homing and differentiation of PCSCs in vitro. PCSCs were isolated from the tissue specimens of patients with prostate cancer and the expression of surface integrins and adhesion patterns were determined.

Isolation, characterization and mobilization of prostate cancer tissue derived CD133+ MDR1+ cells.

Cancer stem cells undoubtedly exist in many tumor types, including the prostate. CD133 has recently been considered an important marker that represents the subset population of cancer stem cells. The purpose of the present study is to isolate CD133+ and CD133- cells from normal healthy volunteers and prostate cancer patients to check the prostate stem cells markers and chemokine receptors like CXCR4 for their mobilization.

Fibronectin and laminin enhance engraftibility of cultured hematopoietic stem cells.

To test the hypothesis that extracellular matrix (ECM) components maintain stem cell property, murine bone marrow (BM) cells were expanded in fibronectin and laminin coated plate in the presence of cytokines. We observed significant phenotypic and functional improvement of expanded cells. In 10 days, 800-fold expansion of colony-forming unit-granulocyte erythrocyte monocyte megakaryocyte (CFU-GEMM) was observed in the cultured cells.

MDR1 gene expression enhances long-term engraftibility of cultured bone marrow cells.

Primitive hematopoietic stem cells are responsible for long-term engraftment in irradiated host. Here, we report that multi-drug resistance 1 (mdr1) gene expressing primitive hematopoietic cells were multiplied in ex vivo culture, with the support of extracellular matrix components and cytokines. About 20-fold expansion of total nucleated cells was achieved in a 10-day culture.