Sample records for increases reticulocyte micronuclei

  1. Pharmacological inhibition of Polo Like Kinase 2 (PLK2) does not cause chromosomal damage or result in the formation of micronuclei

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fitzgerald, Kent, E-mail: Kent.fitzgerald@elan.com; Bergeron, Marcelle, E-mail: Marcelle.bergeron@elan.com; Willits, Christopher, E-mail: Chris.willits@elan.com

    2013-05-15

    Polo Like Kinase 2 (PLK2) phosphorylates α-synuclein and is considered a putative therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease. Several lines of evidence indicate that PLK2 is involved with proper centriole duplication and cell cycle regulation, inhibition of which could impact chromosomal integrity during mitosis. The objectives of the series of experiments presented herein were to assess whether specific inhibition of PLK2 is genotoxic and determine if PLK2 could be considered a tractable pharmacological target for Parkinson's disease. Several selective PLK2 inhibitors, ELN 582175 and ELN 582646, and their inactive enantiomers, ELN 582176 and ELN 582647, did not significantly increase the numbermore » of micronuclei in the in vitro micronucleus assay. ELN 582646 was administered to male Sprague Dawley rats in an exploratory 14-day study where flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood identified a dose-dependent increase in the number of micronucleated reticulocytes. A follow-up investigative study demonstrated that ELN 582646 administered to PLK2 deficient and wildtype mice significantly increased the number of peripheral micronucleated reticulocytes in both genotypes, suggesting that ELN 582646-induced genotoxicity is not through the inhibition of PLK2. Furthermore, significant reduction of retinal phosphorylated α-synuclein levels was observed at three non-genotoxic doses, additional data to suggest that pharmacological inhibition of PLK2 is not the cause of the observed genotoxicity. These data, in aggregate, indicate that PLK2 inhibition is a tractable CNS pharmacological target that does not cause genotoxicity at doses and exposures that engage the target in the sensory retina. - Highlights: • Active and inactive enantiomers test negative in the in vitro micronucleus test. • ELN 582646 significantly increased micronuclei at 100 and 300 mg/kg/day doses. • ELN 582646 significantly increased micronuclei in PLK2 knockout mice. • ELN 582646 decreased phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein at non-genotoxic doses.« less

  2. Is organic farming safer to farmers' health? A comparison between organic and traditional farming.

    PubMed

    Costa, Carla; García-Lestón, Julia; Costa, Solange; Coelho, Patrícia; Silva, Susana; Pingarilho, Marta; Valdiglesias, Vanessa; Mattei, Francesca; Dall'Armi, Valentina; Bonassi, Stefano; Laffon, Blanca; Snawder, John; Teixeira, João Paulo

    2014-10-15

    Exposure to pesticides is a major public health concern, because of the widespread distribution of these compounds and their possible long term effects. Recently, organic farming has been introduced as a consumer and environmental friendly agricultural system, although little is known about the effects on workers' health. The aim of this work was to evaluate genetic damage and immunological alterations in workers of both traditional and organic farming. Eighty-five farmers exposed to several pesticides, thirty-six organic farmers and sixty-one controls took part in the study. Biomarkers of exposure (pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates, and thioethers in urine and butyrylcholinesterase activity in plasma), early effect (micronuclei in lymphocytes and reticulocytes, T-cell receptor mutation assay, chromosomal aberrations, comet assay and lymphocytes subpopulations) and susceptibility (genetic polymorphisms related to metabolism - EPHX1, GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 - and DNA repair-XRCC1 and XRCC2) were evaluated. When compared to controls and organic farmers, pesticide farmers presented a significant increase of micronuclei in lymphocytes (frequency ratio, FR=2.80) and reticulocytes (FR=1.89), chromosomal aberrations (FR=2.19), DNA damage assessed by comet assay (mean ratio, MR=1.71), and a significant decrease in the proportion of B lymphocytes (MR=0.88). Results were not consistent for organic farmers when compared to controls, with a 48% increase of micronuclei in lumphocytes frequency (p=0.016) contrasted by the significant decreases of TCR-Mf (p=0.001) and %T (p=0.001). Our data confirm the increased presence of DNA damage in farmers exposed to pesticides, and show as exposure conditions may influence observed effects. These results must be interpreted with caution due to the small size of the sample and the unbalanced distribution of individuals in the three study groups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Is organic farming safer to farmers’ health? A comparison between organic and traditional farming

    PubMed Central

    Costa, Carla; García-Lestón, Julia; Costa, Solange; Coelho, Patrícia; Silva, Susana; Valdiglesias, Vanessa; Mattei, Francesca; Dall’Armi, Valentina; Bonassi, Stefano; Laffon, Blanca; Snawder, John; Teixeira, João Paulo

    2015-01-01

    Background Exposure to pesticides is a major public health concern, because of the widespread distribution of these compounds and their possible long term effects. Recently, organic farming has been introduced as a consumer and environmental friendly agricultural system, although little is known about the effects on workers’ health. Objectives To evaluate genetic damage and immunological alterations in workers of both traditional and organic farming. Methods Eighty-five farmers exposed to several pesticides, thirty–six organic farmers and sixty-one controls took part in the study. Biomarkers of exposure (pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates, and thioethers in urine and butyrylcholinesterase activity in plasma), early effect (micronuclei in lymphocytes and reticulocytes, T-cell receptor mutation assay, chromosomal aberrations, comet assay and lymphocytes subpopulations) and susceptibility (genetic polymorphisms related to metabolism - EPHX1, GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 - and DNA repair – XRCC1 and XRCC2) were evaluated. Results When compared to controls and organic farmers, pesticide farmers presented a significant increase of micronuclei in lymphocytes (frequency ratio, FR=2.80) and reticulocytes (FR=1.89), chromosomal aberrations (FR=2.19), DNA damage assessed by comet assay (mean ratio, MR=1.71), and a significant decrease in the proportion of B lymphocytes (MR=0.88). Overall, organic farmers presented similar levels of genetic damage as controls, in some cases modulated by GSTT1 and GSTM1, GSTP1 105Ile/Ile and XRCC1 399Gln/Gln genotypes. Conclusions Results confirmed the increased presence of DNA damage in farmers exposed to pesticides, and showed as exposure conditions and genetic background influence observed effects. Findings from this study indicate that no evident genetic or immunologic damage can be observed in organic farmers. PMID:24576785

  4. Effects of pneumonia and malnutrition on the frequency of micronuclei in peripheral blood of pediatric patients

    PubMed Central

    Elsayh, Khalid I; Sayed, Douaa M; Zahran, Asmaa M; Saad, Khaled; Badr, Gamal

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bacterial pneumonia and malnutrition on the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood of pediatric patients through flow cytometric analysis. The study was an analytical case-control study carried out on 35 malnourished children with bacterial pneumonia and 20 well-nourished children with bacterial pneumonia, in addition to 20 healthy children as controls. Complete physical examination including; anthropometric measurement, Chest roentgenograms were done for all cases. Assessment of MN was done by FACSCalibur flow cytometry. The frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RETs) was higher both in the malnourished children with pneumonia and well-nourished children with pneumonia than the controls. Within the malnourished children with pneumonia, patients with kwashiorkor had more micronucleated mature erythrocytes (MN-RBCs) and MN-RETs than patients with marasmus. In conclusion: Pneumonia is associated with an increased frequency of MN and this increment is more pronounced in children with severe malnutrition especially kwashiorkor group. PMID:24260601

  5. Genotoxicity profile of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelium.

    PubMed

    Li, I-Chen; Chen, Yen-Lien; Chen, Wan-Ping; Lee, Li-Ya; Tsai, Yueh-Ting; Chen, Chin-Chu; Chen, Chin-Shuh

    2014-01-01

    Hericium erinaceus ( H. erinaceus ) has a long history of usage in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of gastric disorders. Recently, it has become a well-established candidate in causing positive brain and nerve health-related activities by inducing nerve growth factor (NGF) from its bioactive ingredient, erinacine A. This active compound, which exists only in fermented mycelium but not in its fruiting body, increases NGF levels in astroglial cells in vitro as well as catecholamine and NGF levels in vivo . With increasing recognition of erinacine A in H. erinaceus (EAHE) mycelium improving neurodegenerative diseases, numerous products are being marketed based on these functional claims. To our knowledge, there have been no reports on the mutagenicity of EAHE prior to this paper. Hence, the present study was undertaken to determine the mutagenicity and genotoxicity effects of EAHE mycelium conducted in three standard battery of tests (reverse mutation, chromosomal aberration, and micronuclei tests) according to the latest guidelines in order to meet all international regulatory requirements and provide information on the safety of this new and promising natural remedy. Our results have indicated that EAHE mycelium did not significantly increase the number of revertant colonies in the bacterial reverse mutation test nor induce higher frequency of aberrations in the chromosome aberration test. Moreover, no statistically significant EAHE mycelium-related increase was observed in the incidence of reticulocytes per 1000 red blood cells and micronucleated reticulocytes per 1000 reticulocytes. In conclusion, the three standard battery of tests suggested that EAHE mycelium was devoid of mutagenicity and genotoxicity in the tested doses and experimental conditions.

  6. Flow cytometric method for scoring rat liver micronuclei with simultaneous assessments of hepatocyte proliferation.

    PubMed

    Avlasevich, Svetlana L; Khanal, Sumee; Singh, Priyanka; Torous, Dorothea K; Bemis, Jeffrey C; Dertinger, Stephen D

    2018-04-01

    The current report describes a newly devised method for automatically scoring the incidence of rat hepatocyte micronuclei (MNHEP) via flow cytometry, with concurrent assessments of hepatocyte proliferation-frequency of Ki-67-positive nuclei, and the proportion of polyploid nuclei. Proof-of-concept data are provided from experiments performed with 6-week old male Crl:CD(SD) rats exposed to diethylnitrosamine (DEN) or quinoline (QUIN) for 3 or 14 consecutive days. Non-perfused liver tissue was collected 4 days after cessation of treatment in the case of 3-day studies, or 1 day after last administration in the case of 14-day studies for processing and flow cytometric analysis. In addition to livers, blood samples were collected one day after final treatment for micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) measurements. Dose-dependent increases in MNHEP, Ki-67-positive nuclei, and polyploidy were observed in 3- and 14-day DEN studies. Both treatment schedules resulted in elevated %MNHEP for QUIN-exposed rats, and while cell proliferation effects were subtle, appreciable increases to normalized liver weights were observed. Whereas DEN caused markedly higher %MNHEP when exposure was extended to two weeks, QUIN-induced MNHEP were slightly increased with protracted dosing. Parallel microscopy-based MNHEP frequencies were highly correlated with flow cytometry-based measurements (four study/aggregate R 2  = 0.80). No increases in MN-RET were seen in any of the four studies. Collectively, these results suggest liver micronuclei are amenable to an automated scoring technique that provides objective analyses and higher information content relative to conventional microscopy. Additional work is needed to expand the number and types of chemicals tested, identify the most advantageous treatment schedules, and test the transferability of the method. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:176-187, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Polychromatophilia

    MedlinePlus

    ... than normal with certain dyes. The extra staining is due to too many immature red blood cells (RBCs) called reticulocytes. These cells have a blue-colored center. Increased reticulocytes are the result of ...

  8. NMR studies of intracellular free calcium, free magnesium and sodium in the guinea pig reticulocyte and mature red cell.

    PubMed

    Jelicks, L A; Weaver, J; Pollack, S; Gupta, R K

    1989-08-15

    During the maturation process reticulocytes lose their intracellular organelles and undergo changes in membrane lipid composition and ion transport properties. While several reports indicate differences in the levels of magnesium, sodium and calcium in reticulocytes and erythrocytes, controversy remains concerning the actual magnitude and direction of ionic alterations during reticulocyte maturation. One problem with all of these studies is that the techniques used are invasive and are limited to measuring only the total cell ion content. We have used 31P, 23Na and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to compare the intracellular free ion and phosphometabolite levels in guinea pig reticulocytes and mature red blood cells. In contrast to a sharply decreased concentration of ATP in erythrocytes in comparison to reticulocytes, the intracellular free magnesium, measured using 31P-NMR, was increased by about 65% upon maturation (150 mumol/l cell water in reticulocytes in comparison to 250 mumol/l cell water in erythrocytes). Sizeable but opposite changes in intracellular sodium (5.5 mumol/ml cells in reticulocytes vs. 8.5 mumol/ml cells in erythrocytes) and intracellular free calcium (99 nM vs. 31 nM in reticulocytes and mature red cells, respectively) were also observed, suggesting that alterations in the kinetics of membrane ion transport systems, accompanying changes in phospholipid and cholesterol content, occur during the process of red cell maturation. However, in contrast to dog red blood cells, there was no evidence for the presence of a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in guinea pig reticulocytes or erythrocytes.

  9. Quantitative mass spectrometry of human reticulocytes reveal proteome-wide modifications during maturation.

    PubMed

    Chu, Trang T T; Sinha, Ameya; Malleret, Benoit; Suwanarusk, Rossarin; Park, Jung E; Naidu, Renugah; Das, Rupambika; Dutta, Bamaprasad; Ong, Seow Theng; Verma, Navin K; Chan, Jerry K; Nosten, François; Rénia, Laurent; Sze, Siu K; Russell, Bruce; Chandramohanadas, Rajesh

    2018-01-01

    Erythropoiesis is marked by progressive changes in morphological, biochemical and mechanical properties of erythroid precursors to generate red blood cells (RBC). The earliest enucleated forms derived in this process, known as reticulocytes, are multi-lobular and spherical. As reticulocytes mature, they undergo a series of dynamic cytoskeletal re-arrangements and the expulsion of residual organelles, resulting in highly deformable biconcave RBCs (normocytes). To understand the significant, yet neglected proteome-wide changes associated with reticulocyte maturation, we undertook a quantitative proteomics approach. Immature reticulocytes (marked by the presence of surface transferrin receptor, CD71) and mature RBCs (devoid of CD71) were isolated from human cord blood using a magnetic separation procedure. After sub-fractionation into triton-extracted membrane proteins and luminal samples (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation), quantitative mass spectrometry was conducted to identify more than 1800 proteins with good confidence and coverage. While most structural proteins (such as Spectrins, Ankyrin and Band 3) as well as surface glycoproteins were conserved, proteins associated with microtubule structures, such as Talin-1/2 and ß-Tubulin, were detected only in immature reticulocytes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based imaging revealed an extended network of spectrin filaments in reticulocytes (with an average length of 48 nm), which shortened during reticulocyte maturation (average spectrin length of 41 nm in normocytes). The extended nature of cytoskeletal network may partly account for increased deformability and shape changes, as reticulocytes transform to normocytes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Rapid increase in red blood cell density driven by K:Cl cotransport in a subset of sickle cell anemia reticulocytes and discocytes.

    PubMed

    Fabry, M E; Romero, J R; Buchanan, I D; Suzuka, S M; Stamatoyannopoulos, G; Nagel, R L; Canessa, M

    1991-07-01

    We have previously demonstrated that young normal (AA) and sickle cell anemia (SS) red blood cells are capable of a volume regulatory decrease response (VRD) driven by a K:Cl cotransporter that is activated by low pH or hypotonic conditions. We now report on the characteristics of young SS cells (SS2, discocytes) capable of rapid increase in density in response to swelling. We have isolated cells with high VRD response (H-VRD) and low VRD response (L-VRD) cells by incubation and density-gradient centrifugation under hypotonic conditions. Comparison of these cells in patients homozygous for hemoglobin (Hb)S indicated that H-VRD cells have 91% more reticulocytes (P less than 9 x 10(-9) than L-VRD cells, 25% less HbF (P less than 5.5 x 10(-5), 106% more NEM (N-methylmaleimide)-stimulated K:Cl cotransport activity (P less than 2 x 10(-4), and 86% more volume-stimulated K:Cl cotransport activity (P less than 1.8 x 10(-3). H-VRD and L-VRD cells have similar G-6-PD and Na+/H+ antiport activity. In agreement with the reduced percent HbF in H-VRD cells, F cells (red blood cells that contain fetal Hb) are depleted from the H-VRD population; however, F reticulocytes are enriched in the H-VRD population to the same extent as non-F reticulocytes, which suggests that both F and non-F reticulocytes have a similar initial distribution of volume-sensitive K:Cl cotransport activity but that it may be more rapidly inactivated in F than in S reticulocytes. We find that H-VRD cells consist of 20% reticulocytes (or 79% of all reticulocytes in SS2) and 80% more mature cells. This study demonstrates the role of K:Cl cotransport in determining red blood cell density, the heterogeneity of K:Cl cotransport activity in reticulocytes, and the capacity for rapid change in the density of reticulocytes with high K:Cl cotransport activity. We speculate that the H-VRD population may be more susceptible to generation of dense and irreversibly sickled cells.

  11. Reticulocytes in sports medicine.

    PubMed

    Banfi, Giuseppe

    2008-01-01

    Reticulocytes are the transitional cells from erythroblasts to mature erythrocytes. Reticulocytes are present in blood for a period of 1-4 days and can be recognized by staining with supravital dyes, such as new methylene blue, or fluorescent markers, which couple residual nucleic acid molecules, a hallmark of the immature forms of erythrocytes. Although reticulocytes could be counted through a microscope (there is a standard of International Committee for Standardisation in Haematology for manual counting), this method is reported to be time consuming, inaccurate and imprecise. The integration of the reticulocyte count in automated haematology systems allowed the widespread use of these parameters, although the lack of calibration material and different markers, technologies and software used in automated systems could engender discrepancies among data obtained from different analytical systems.The importance of reticulocytes in sports medicine derives from their sensitivity, the highest among haematology parameters, in identifying the bone marrow stimulation, especially when recombinant human erythropoietin is fraudulently used. Automated systems are also able to supply information on volume, density and the haemoglobin content of reticulocytes. Some of the related parameters are also used in algorithms for identifying abnormal stimulation of bone marrow as reticulocytes haematocrit. The pre-analytical variability of reticulocytes (transportation, storage, biological variability) should be taken into account in sports medicine also. Reticulocytes remain stable for almost 24 hours at 4 degrees C from blood drawing, they are affected by transportation, and biological variability is not high in general. It could be remarked, however, that the intra-individual variability is high when compared with other haematological parameters such as haemoglobin and haematocrit. The intervals of data reported in athletes are very similar to reference intervals characterizing the general population.The reticulocyte count shows some modifications after training and during the competition season. The variability induced by exercise cannot be overlooked since the so-called haematological passport, a personal athlete's document in which haemoglobin and other parameters are registered, may be introduced by sports federations. Exposure to naturally high altitude and 'living high-training low' programmes determined contentious results on reticulocytes. Simulated high altitude induced by intermittent hypobaric hypoxia does not modify reticulocytes, despite an increase in erythropoietin serum concentration. The variability among athletes competing in different sport disciplines is apparently limited. The knowledge of the behaviour of reticulocytes in training and competitions is crucial for defining their role in an antidoping control context. It is important for sport physicians and clinical pathologists to know the reticulocyte variability in the general population and in athletes, the pre-analytical warnings, the different methodologies for counting reticulocytes and the derived parameters automatically available, and, finally, the possible influence of training, competitions, type of sport and altitude.

  12. Impact of p53 status on heavy-ion radiation-induced micronuclei in circulating erythrocytes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chang, P. Y.; Torous, D.; Lutze-Mann, L.; Winegar, R.

    2000-01-01

    Transgenic mice that differed in their p53 genetic status were exposed to an acute dose of highly charged and energetic (HZE) iron particle radiation. Micronuclei (MN) in two distinct populations of circulating peripheral blood erythrocytes, the immature reticulocytes (RETs) and the mature normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs), were measured using a simple and efficient flow cytometric procedure. Our results show significant elevation in the frequency of micronucleated RETs (%MN-RETs) at 2 and 3 days post-radiation. At 3 days post-irradiation, the magnitude of the radiation-induced MN-RET was 2.3-fold higher in the irradiated p53 wild-type animals compared to the unirradiated controls, 2.5-fold higher in the p53 hemizygotes and 4.3-fold higher in the p53 nullizygotes. The persistence of this radiation-induced elevation of MN-RETs is dependent on the p53 genetic background of the animal. In the p53 wild-type and p53 hemizygotes, %MN-RETs returned to control levels by 9 days post-radiation. However, elevated levels of %MN-RETs in p53 nullizygous mice persisted beyond 56 days post-radiation. We also observed elevated MN-NCEs in the peripheral circulation after radiation, but the changes in radiation-induced levels of MN-NCEs appear dampened compared to those of the MN-RETs for all three strains of animals. These results suggest that the lack of p53 gene function may play a role in the iron particle radiation-induced genomic instability in stem cell populations in the hematopoietic system.

  13. Hematology of healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus).

    PubMed

    Harvey, John W; Harr, Kendal E; Murphy, David; Walsh, Michael T; Nolan, Elizabeth C; Bonde, Robert K; Pate, Melanie G; Deutsch, Charles J; Edwards, Holly H; Clapp, William L

    2009-06-01

    Hematologic analysis is an important tool in evaluating the general health status of free-ranging manatees and in the diagnosis and monitoring of rehabilitating animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate diagnostically important hematologic analytes in healthy manatees (Trichechus manatus) and to assess variations with respect to location (free ranging vs captive), age class (small calves, large calves, subadults, and adults), and gender. Blood was collected from 55 free-ranging and 63 captive healthy manatees. Most analytes were measured using a CELL-DYN 3500R; automated reticulocytes were measured with an ADVIA 120. Standard manual methods were used for differential leukocyte counts, reticulocyte and Heinz body counts, and plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations. Rouleaux, slight polychromasia, stomatocytosis, and low numbers of schistocytes and nucleated RBCs (NRBCs) were seen often in stained blood films. Manual reticulocyte counts were higher than automated reticulocyte counts. Heinz bodies were present in erythrocytes of most manatees. Compared with free-ranging manatees, captive animals had slightly lower MCV, MCH, and eosinophil counts and slightly higher heterophil and NRBC counts, and fibrinogen concentration. Total leukocyte, heterophil, and monocyte counts tended to be lower in adults than in younger animals. Small calves tended to have higher reticulocyte counts and NRBC counts than older animals. Hematologic findings were generally similar between captive and free-ranging manatees. Higher manual reticulocyte counts suggest the ADVIA detects only reticulocytes containing large amounts of RNA. Higher reticulocyte and NRBC counts in young calves probably reflect an increased rate of erythropoiesis compared with older animals.

  14. Buccal mucosa micronuclei counts in relation to exposure to low dose-rate radiation from the Chornobyl nuclear accident and other medical and occupational radiation exposures.

    PubMed

    Bazyka, D; Finch, S C; Ilienko, I M; Lyaskivska, O; Dyagil, I; Trotsiuk, N; Gudzenko, N; Chumak, V V; Walsh, K M; Wiemels, J; Little, M P; Zablotska, L B

    2017-06-23

    Ionizing radiation is a well-known carcinogen. Chromosome aberrations, and in particular micronuclei represent an early biological predictor of cancer risk. There are well-documented associations of micronuclei with ionizing radiation dose in some radiation-exposed groups, although not all. That associations are not seen in all radiation-exposed groups may be because cells with micronuclei will not generally pass through mitosis, so that radiation-induced micronuclei decay, generally within a few years after exposure. Buccal samples from a group of 111 male workers in Ukraine exposed to ionizing radiation during the cleanup activities at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant were studied. Samples were taken between 12 and 18 years after their last radiation exposure from the Chornobyl cleanup. The frequency of binucleated micronuclei was analyzed in relation to estimated bone marrow dose from the cleanup activities along with a number of environmental/occupational risk factors using Poisson regression adjusted for overdispersion. Among the 105 persons without a previous cancer diagnosis, the mean Chornobyl-related dose was 59.5 mSv (range 0-748.4 mSv). There was a borderline significant increase in micronuclei frequency among those reporting work as an industrial radiographer compared with all others, with a relative risk of 6.19 (95% CI 0.90, 31.08, 2-sided p = 0.0729), although this was based on a single person. There was a borderline significant positive radiation dose response for micronuclei frequency with increase in micronuclei per 1000 scored cells per Gy of 3.03 (95% CI -0.78, 7.65, 2-sided p = 0.1170), and a borderline significant reduction of excess relative MN prevalence with increasing time since last exposure (p = 0.0949). There was a significant (p = 0.0388) reduction in MN prevalence associated with bone X-ray exposure, but no significant trend (p = 0.3845) of MN prevalence with numbers of bone X-ray procedures. There are indications of increasing trends of micronuclei prevalence with Chornobyl-cleanup-associated dose, and indications of reduction in radiation-associated excess prevalence of micronuclei with time after exposure. There are also indications of substantially increased micronuclei associated with work as an industrial radiographer. This analysis adds to the understanding of the long-term effects of low-dose radiation exposures on relevant cellular structures and methods appropriate for long-term radiation biodosimetry.

  15. Hematology of healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harvey, J.W.; Harr, K.E.; Murphy, D.; Walsh, M.T.; Nolan, E.C.; Bonde, R.K.; Pate, M.G.; Deutsch, C.J.; Edwards, H.H.; Clapp, W.L.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Hematologic analysis is an important tool in evaluating the general health status of free-ranging manatees and in the diagnosis and monitoring of rehabilitating animals. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate diagnostically important hematologic analytes in healthy manatees (Trichechus manatus) and to assess variations with respect to location (free ranging vs captive), age class (small calves, large calves, subadults, and adults), and gender. Methods: Blood was collected from 55 free-ranging and 63 captive healthy manatees. Most analytes were measured using a CELL-DYN 3500R; automated reticulocytes were measured with an ADVIA 120. Standard manual methods were used for differential leukocyte counts, reticulocyte and Heinz body counts, and plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations. Results: Rouleaux, slight polychromasia, stomatocytosis, and low numbers of schistocytes and nucleated RBCs (NRBCs) were seen often in stained blood films. Manual reticulocyte counts were higher than automated reticulocyte counts. Heinz bodies were present in erythrocytes of most manatees. Compared with free-ranging manatees, captive animals had slightly lower MCV, MCH, and eosinophil counts and slightly higher heterophil and NRBC counts, and fibrinogen concentration. Total leukocyte, heterophil, and monocyte counts tended to be lower in adults than in younger animals. Small calves tended to have higher reticulocyte counts and NRBC counts than older animals. Conclusions: Hematologic findings were generally similar between captive and free-ranging manatees. Higher manual reticulocyte counts suggest the ADVIA detects only reticulocytes containing large amounts of RNA. Higher reticulocyte and NRBC counts in young calves probably reflect an increased rate of erythropoiesis compared with older animals. ?? 2009 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  16. Reticulocytes bearing C4d as biomarkers of disease activity for systemic lupus erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chau-Ching; Manzi, Susan; Kao, Amy H; Navratil, Jeannine S; Ruffing, Margie J; Ahearn, Joseph M

    2005-10-01

    There is an urgent need for biomarkers with which to monitor disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We recently showed that abnormal levels of C4d, an activation-derived fragment of complement component C4, are deposited on the surface of erythrocytes from patients with SLE. This study focused on reticulocytes, the youngest and shortest-lived erythrocytes (lifespan 24-48 hours), with the objective of testing our hypothesis that when reticulocytes emerge from the bone marrow, they are immediately exposed to and acquire C4d at levels proportionate to the extent of complement activation at that time, thereby reflecting disease activity in SLE. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 156 patients with SLE, 140 patients with other diseases, and 159 healthy controls. Levels of C4d on the surface of reticulocytes were examined using a 2-color flow cytometric assay. The results were analyzed for correlations with SLE disease activity. A wide range of increased levels of reticulocyte C4d was specifically detected in SLE patients. These levels fluctuated in SLE patients and correlated with clinical disease activity, as determined by the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus: National Assessment (SELENA) version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM). Specifically, in cross-sectional analyses, patients with reticulocyte C4d levels in the highest quartile compared with those in the lowest quartile had significantly higher SELENA-SLEDAI (P = 0.00002) and SLAM (P = 0.02) scores. Longitudinal observation demonstrated that the reticulocyte C4d levels changed in relation to the clinical course in individual patients. These findings support our hypothesis that C4d-bearing reticulocytes may serve as biomarkers of disease activity in patients with SLE.

  17. Reticulocyte count in red-blood-cell units stored in AS-1.

    PubMed

    Urbina, A; Palomino, F

    2013-05-01

    Previous data that showed maintenance of reticulocyte percentage in whole blood stored in CPDA-1 have led to the assumption that reticulocyte maturation becomes arrested during refrigerated storage. However, reticulocyte behaviour in red-blood-cell units stored in additive solutions has not yet been studied. This study was thus aimed at determining reticulocyte count and reticulocyte subtypes in red-blood-cells units stored in AS-1. Reticulocyte percentage and subtypes were determined by flow cytometry with thiazole orange in six red-blood-cells units stored in AS-1. Reticulocyte count was 26.8 ± 4.6 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and 8.2 ± 2.9 × 10(9) /l at week 6. Total haemolysis during storage was 0.19 ± 0.08%. High-fluorescence reticulocytes were 2.0 ± 3.2 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and decreased by weeks 2, 4 and 6. Low-fluorescence reticulocytes were 22.1 ± 3.1 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and decreased by weeks 4 and 6. A significant decrease in reticulocytes occurred during red-blood-cells units' storage in AS-1. Even if it were assumed that all of haemolysed cells during storage were reticulocytes, there are a number of them whose disappearance cannot be explained by this mechanism. Changes observed in reticulocyte subtypes suggest that they mature during storage. © 2013 The Author(s) Vox Sanguinis © 2013 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  18. Reticulocyte parameters of delta beta thalassaemia trait, beta thalassaemia trait and iron deficiency anaemia.

    PubMed

    Velasco-Rodríguez, Diego; Alonso-Domínguez, Juan-Manuel; González-Fernández, Fernando-Ataúlfo; Villarrubia, Jesús; Sopeña, María; Abalo, Lorena; Ropero, Paloma; Martínez-Nieto, Jorge; de la Fuente Gonzalo, Félix; Cava, Fernando

    2016-02-01

    To analyse the differences in reticulocyte indices between delta beta thalassaemia trait (δβ-TT), beta thalassaemia trait (β-TT) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), and to correlate those differences with the physiopathological features of these three types of microcytoses. We performed a descriptive study of 428 samples (43 δβ-TT, 179 β-TT and 206 IDA) that were run on Advia 2120 analyser (Siemens). The following reticulocyte indices were assessed: absolute reticulocyte count (ARC), percentage of reticulocytes, mean corpuscular volume of reticulocytes (MCVr), haemoglobin content of reticulocytes (CHr), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration of reticulocytes, red blood cell distribution width of reticulocytes (RDWr), haemoglobin distribution width of reticulocytes (HDWr) and reticulocyte subpopulations based on their fluorescence according to mRNA (low (L-R), medium (M-R) and high (H-R)), MCV ratio and MCHC ratio. Correlation between fetal haemoglobin (HbF) and RDWr in patients with thalassaemia was evaluated. RDWr was significantly higher in δβ-TT compared with β-TT (15.03% vs 13.82%, p<0.001), and so were HDWr (3.65% vs 3.27%, p<0.001), CHr (23.68 vs 22.66 pg, p<0.001) and MCVr (88.3 vs 85.5 fL, p<0.001). A good correlation was observed between HbF and RDWr (r=0.551, p<0.001). IDA subjects have more immature reticulocytes, but less ARC than β-TT, suggesting a certain degree of inefficient erythropoiesis in IDA in comparison with β-TT. Previously described differences between δβ-TT, β-TT and IDA in the corpuscular indices of mature red blood cell can also be observed in reticulocytes. The degree of anisocytosis in reticulocytes from patients with thalassaemia is correlated with HbF. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  19. The effect of monoclonal antibodies to the human transferrin receptor on transferrin and iron uptake by rat and rabbit reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    McArdle, H J; Morgan, E H

    1984-02-10

    The effect of monoclonal antibodies to the human transferrin receptor on transferrin and iron uptake by rat and rabbit reticulocytes has been examined. The antibodies used were as follows: T58/1.4, B3/25.4, 42/6.3, T56/14.3.1, and 43/31. The effects were the same, irrespective of the antibody. Transferrin and iron uptake were stimulated in both rat and rabbit reticulocytes. The stimulation was not due to an increase in the number or affinity of the receptors, but rather to an increase in the rate of turnover of the receptors. Electron microscopy suggested that the antibody acted by facilitating the formation of coated pits containing the transferrin-receptor complex.

  20. Radioprotective Effects of Gallic Acid in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Nair, Gopakumar Gopinathan

    2013-01-01

    Radioprotecting ability of the natural polyphenol, gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, GA), was investigated in Swiss albino mice. Oral administration of GA (100 mg/kg body weight), one hour prior to whole body gamma radiation exposure (2–8 Gy; 6 animals/group), reduced the radiation-induced cellular DNA damage in mouse peripheral blood leukocytes, bone marrow cells, and spleenocytes as revealed by comet assay. The GA administration also prevented the radiation-induced decrease in the levels of the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidise (GPx), and nonprotein thiol glutathione (GSH) and inhibited the peroxidation of membrane lipids in these animals. Exposure of mice to whole body gamma radiation also caused the formation of micronuclei in blood reticulocytes and chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells, and the administration of GA resulted in the inhibition of micronucleus formation and chromosomal aberrations. In irradiated animals, administration of GA elicited an enhancement in the rate of DNA repair process and a significant increase in endogenous spleen colony formation. The administration of GA also prevented the radiation-induced weight loss and mortality in animals (10 animals/group) exposed to lethal dose (10 Gy) of gamma radiation. (For every experiment unirradiated animals without GA administration were taken as normal control; specific dose (Gy) irradiated animals without GA administration serve as radiation control; and unirradiated GA treated animals were taken as drug alone control). PMID:24069607

  1. Clastogenecity evaluation of water of Lake Sevan (Armenia) using Tradescantia micronucleus assay.

    PubMed

    Aghajanyan, E A; Avalyan, R E; Simonyan, A E; Atoyants, A L; Gabrielyan, B K; Aroutiounian, R M; Khosrovyan, A

    2018-05-24

    The clastogenic effects of water samples in seven locations of Lake Sevan (Armenia) with the application of Trad-MCN (micronuclei) bioassay using Tradescantia (clone 02) were investigated. A significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei in tetrads of pollen microspores and tetrads with micronuclei exposed to the test samples compared to the control has been revealed. A multivariate analysis indicated linkage between the frequencies of occurrence of micronuclei in the cells and Ni and Co ions. The results were compared with the endpoints of another Tradescantia-based test system (stamen hair mutation test) performed on the same water samples and generation of the plant: occurrences of micronuclei in sporogenic cells coincided with that of non-surviving stamen hair. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Supraadditive formation of micronuclei in preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro after combined treatment with X-rays and caffeine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mueller, W.U.S.; Streffer, C.; Wurm, R.

    1985-01-01

    The influence of caffeine (0.1 or 2 mM), X-rays (0.24 Gy or 0.94 Gy, or of a combination of both on the formation of micronuclei in early stages of preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro was studied. X-rays as well as caffeine induced micronuclei. The dose-effect curve after irradiation was linear for the dose range measured. Caffeine did not induce micronuclei if the concentration was 1 mM or less; between 1 mM and 7 mM, however, there was a linear increase in the number of micronuclei. A considerable enhancement of the number of radiation-induced micronuclei was observed when irradiation of themore » embryos was followed by a treatment with caffeine. Not only was the sum of the single effects exceeded by the combination effects, but the combination results even lay in the range of supraadditivity of the envelope of additivity.« less

  3. Interference of blood leucocytes in the measurements of immature red cells (reticulocytes) by two different (semi-) automated flow-cytometry technologies.

    PubMed

    Villamor, N; Kirsch, A; Huhn, D; Vives-Corrons, J L; Serke, S

    1996-06-01

    Flow cytometrical methods have been introduced recently as an alternative to the enumeration of reticulocytes by microscopy. Two of these methods have gained widespread use in haematological practice; the multiparametric flow cytometer using thiazole orange staining (Retic-Count, FACScan) and the single-application reticulocyte counter using auramine-O staining (R-series, Sysmex). Several studies have emphasized the excellent correlations between microscopy and these techniques. The purpose of our study has been to examine the specificity of these automated devices with regard to cells classified as 'reticulocytes' and the effect that this may have on measures of reticulocyte maturity. Our results indicate that the specificity of reticulocyte measurements by both the Sysmex R-1000/-3000 and the Retic-Count system is relatively low. This is due to the presence of leucocytes amongst cells classified as reticulocytes. These leucocytes display intense staining with either dye, leading to an erroneous estimation of RMI (thiazole orange) and high fluorescence count (R-1000/-3000). This error is directly correlated with the leucocyte count. The basis for reticulocyte identification should be improved before automated estimation of reticulocyte maturation can be used in clinical practice.

  4. Quantitative evaluation of micronuclei in oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral submucous fibrosis patients: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Shah, Shreyas N; Manjunatha, Bhari S; Shah, Vandana S; Dagrus, Kapil; Soni, Nishit; Shah, Sanjiv

    2015-01-01

    The forte of research today aims at determining genotoxic changes in human cells as rapidly as possible. Micronuclei estimation in exfoliated cells is an easy, noninvasive and a reliable method to monitor genotoxic changes due to various reasons in oral mucosal cells. To identify, quantify and compare micronuclei in exfoliated buccal mucosal cells of healthy, oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) participants. In the present study, buccal smears from the 60 participants (30 each of OSMF and OSCC) and 30 age and sex matched controls were obtained and stained using Papanicolaou (PAP) staining method and observed under 100X magnification to identify and quantify micronuclei in the exfoliated cells of oral mucosa. There was a significant increase in micronuclei count from control to OSMF to OSCC. Also, a significant increase in the micronuclei frequency is observed with the different clinical stages and histological grades of OSMF and different histological grades of OSCC. Micronucleus assay can be used as an easy and consistent marker for genotoxic evaluation in higher risk groups and can be used for better treatment evaluation and prognosis in cases of OSMF and OSCC. Some relevant patents are also outlined in this article.

  5. Spurious reticulocyte profiles in a dog with babesiosis.

    PubMed

    Piane, Laetitia; Théron, Marie-Laure; Aumann, Marcel; Trumel, Catherine

    2016-12-01

    A 9-year-old, female Maltese dog was referred to the Veterinary School of Toulouse with a 2-day history of anorexia and weakness. On clinical examination, the dog had hyperthermia (39.7°C), abdominal discomfort, and polypnea. Significant laboratory findings included pigmenturia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypercreatininemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, abnormal Snap canine pancreas-specific lipase, and pancytopenia with a nonregenerative anemia. A peripheral blood smear revealed numerous intraerythrocytic large Babesia but no polychromasia. There was a discrepancy between the absolute automated reticulocyte count (Sysmex reticulocyte count: 60 × 10 9 /L; RI 19.4-150.1 × 10 9 /L) and the manual reticulocyte count (3.6 × 10 9 /L) as well as the absence of polychromasia. The optical red blood cell scattergram showed an abnormal isolated reticulocyte cluster at the location of low-fluorescence ratio cells. These findings were interpreted as erythrocytes parasitized by large Babesia. The discrepancy between the Sysmex reticulocyte count and the manual reticulocyte count has been reported previously in people with falciparum malaria and numerous intra-erythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum organisms. This spurious reticulocyte profile and reticulocyte count were observed with the Sysmex XT-2000iV and the ProCyte using the same fluorescent dye polymethine but not with the LaserCyte using new methylene blue which does not stain Babesia organisms on a blood smear performed for manual reticulocyte counting. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  6. Enrichment of reticulocytes from whole blood using aqueous multiphase systems of polymers.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Ashok A; Lim, Caeul; Moreno, Yovany; Mace, Charles R; Syed, Abeer; Van Tyne, Daria; Wirth, Dyann F; Duraisingh, Manoj T; Whitesides, George M

    2015-01-01

    This paper demonstrates the enrichment of reticulocytes by centrifuging whole blood through aqueous multiphase systems (AMPSs)-immiscible phases of solutions of polymers that form step-gradients in density. The interfaces of an AMPS concentrate cells; this concentration facilitates the extraction of blood enriched for reticulocytes. AMPS enrich reticulocytes from blood from both healthy and hemochromatosis donors. Varying the osmolality and density of the phases of AMPS provides different levels of enrichment and yield of reticulocytes. A maximum enrichment of reticulocytemia of 64 ± 3% was obtained from donors with hemochromatosis. When used on peripheral blood from normal donors, AMPS can provide a higher yield of enriched reticulocytes and a higher proportion of reticulocytes expressing CD71 than differential centrifugation followed by centrifugation over Percoll. Blood enriched for reticulocytes by AMPS could be useful for research on malaria. Several species of malaria parasites show a preference to invade young erythrocytes and reticulocytes; this preference complicates in vitro cultivation of these species in human blood. Plasmodium knowlesi malaria parasites invade normal human blood enriched for reticulocytes by AMPSs at a rate 2.2 times greater (P < 0.01) than they invade unenriched blood. Parasite invasion in normal blood enriched by AMPS was 1.8 times greater (P < 0.05) than in blood enriched to a similar reticulocytemia by differential centrifugation followed by centrifugation over Percoll. The enrichment of reticulocytes that are invaded by malaria parasites demonstrates that AMPSs can provide a label-free method to enrich cells for biological research. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Assessment of genotoxicity associated with hydroxyurea therapy in children with sickle cell anemia

    PubMed Central

    Flanagan, Jonathan M.; Howard, Thad A.; Mortier, Nicole; Avlasevich, Svetlana L.; Smeltzer, Matthew P.; Wu, Song; Dertinger, Stephen D.; Ware, Russell E.

    2018-01-01

    Hydroxyurea induces fetal hemoglobin, improves laboratory parameters, and ameliorates clinical complications of sickle cell anemia (SCA), but its long-term efficacy and safety in this patient population remain incompletely defined. Although generally considered non-DNA reactive, an important safety concern is that hydroxyurea may indirectly cause genotoxic damage. To better address this safety issue of hydroxyurea in patients with SCA, we measured the production of micronuclei (MN) in red blood cells (RBC) as a marker of genotoxicity. Blood samples were collected from children with SCA enrolled in the Hydroxyurea Study of Long-term Effects (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00305175). Flow cytometry quantified circulating MN-containing erythrocyte sub-populations before and during hydroxyurea exposure. The frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-CD71+) and micronucleated mature erythrocytes (MN-RBC) were then tested for associations with laboratory and clinical data. In cross-sectional analysis of 293 blood samples from 105 children with SCA and a median of 2 years of hydroxyurea therapy, exposure to hydroxyurea was associated with significantly increased frequencies of MN-CD71+ and MN-RBC compared to baseline. The increases were evident by 3 months of therapy, and did not escalate further with up to 12 years of continuous drug exposure. In prospective longitudinal analysis, substantial inter-individual variation in the effect of hydroxyurea on %MN-CD71+ was observed that was associated with the expected laboratory effects of hydroxyurea. In conclusion, clinically relevant exposure to hydroxyurea is associated with increased MN production consistent with erythroblast genotoxicity but with substantial inter-patient variability. Associations between increased %MN-CD71+ and laboratory benefits suggest that hydroxyurea effects on MN production may be related to individual patient sensitivity to hydroxyurea within the bone marrow. PMID:20230905

  8. Nutritive evaluation and effect of Moringa oleifera pod on clastogenic potential in the mouse.

    PubMed

    Promkum, Chadamas; Kupradinun, Piengchai; Tuntipopipat, Siriporn; Butryee, Chaniphun

    2010-01-01

    Moringa oleifera Lam (horseradish tree; tender pod or fruits) has been consumed as a vegetable and utilized as a major ingredient of healthy Thai cuisine. Previous studies have shown that M. oleifera pod extracts act as bifunctional inducers along with displaying antioxidant properties and also inhibiting skin papillomagenesis in mice. This study was aimed to determine the nutritive value, and clastogenic and anticlastogenic potentials of M. oleifera pod. The nutritive value was determined according to AOAC methods. The clastogenic and anticlastogenic potentials were determined using the in vivo erythrocyte micronucleus assay in the mouse. Eighty male mice were fed semi-purified diets containing 1.5%, 3.0% and 6.0% of ground freeze-dried boiled M. oleifera pod (bMO) for 2 weeks prior to administration of both direct-acting (mitomycin C, MMC) and indirect-acting (7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, DMBA), clastogens. Blood samples were collected at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h, dropped on acridine orange-coated slides, and then counted for reticulocytes both with and without micronuclei by fluorescence microscopy. The nutritive value of 100 g bMO consisted of: moisture content, 8.2 g; protein, 19.2 g; fat, 3.9 g; carbohydrate (dietary fiber included), 60.5 g; dietary fiber, 37.5 g; ash, 8.1 g and energy, 354 kcal. Freeze-dried boiled M. oleifera had no clastogenic activity in the mouse while it possessed anticlastogenic activity against both direct and indirect-acting clastogens. Freeze-dried boiled M. oleifera pod at 1.5%, 3.0% and 6.0% in the diets decreased the number of micronucleated peripheral reticulocytes (MNRETs) induced by both MMC and DMBA. However, the effect was statistically significant in the dose dependent manner only in the MMC-treated group. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that bMO has no clastogenicity and possesses anticlastogenic potential against clastogens, and particularly a direct-acting clastogen in the mouse.

  9. Reticulocyte count

    MedlinePlus

    Anemia - reticulocyte ... A higher than normal reticulocytes count may indicate: Anemia due to red blood cells being destroyed earlier than normal ( hemolytic anemia ) Bleeding Blood disorder in a fetus or newborn ( ...

  10. Inhibitory effects of Enteromorpha linza polysaccharide on micronucleus of Allium sativum root cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhongshan; Wang, Xiaomei; Li, Jingfen; Liu, Chongbin; Zhang, Quanbin

    2016-06-01

    In this study, the antimutagenic function of the polysaccharide from Enteromorpha linza with the micronucleus test of Allium sativum root cells induced by sulfur dioxide and ultraviolet was studied. The concentration-effect relation of the two inducers was firstly evaluated. The results showed that an increase of genotoxicity damage was demonstrated and micronuclei frequency induced by sulfur dioxide and ultraviolet displayed dose dependent increases. All the doses of polysaccharide did affect the micronuclei frequency formation compared with the negative control. And also, the significant increase in inhibition rate of micronuclei frequency was observed with the increase of the dose of polysaccharide. It was showed maximum inhibition of micronuclei frequency cells (71.74% and 66.70%) at a concentration of 200g/mL in three experiments. The low molecular weight polysaccharide showed higher inhibition rate than raw polysaccharide at the higher concentration (50g/mL) in the absence of sulfur dioxide and ultraviolet. It was confirmed to be a good mutant inhibitor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. DNA content determination of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes induced by clastogens and spindle poisons in mouse bone marrow and peripheral blood

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grawe, J.; Amneus, H.; Zetterberg, G.

    1993-01-01

    The frequencies and DNA distributions of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes from the bone marrow and peripheral blood of mice after four different treatments were determined by flow cytometry. Polychromatic erthrocytes were detected using the fluorescent RNA stain thiazole orange, while micronuclei were detected with the DNA stain Hoechst 33342. The treatments were X-irradiation (1 Gy), cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg), vincristine sulfphate (0.08 mg/kg), and cochicine (1 mg/kg). All treatments showed increased frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes at 30h after treatment in the bone marrow (colchicine 50h) and at 50h in the peripheral blood. The clostogenic agents X-irradiation and cyclophosphamide and themore » spindle poisons vincristine sulphate and cochicine could be grouped according to the fluorescent characteristics of the induced micronuclei as well as the relative frequency of small (0.5-2% if the diploid G1 DNA content) and large (2-10%) micronuclei. In the peripheral blood the relative frequency of large micronuclei was lower than in the bone marrow, indicating that they were partly eliminated before entrance into the peripheral circulation. The nature of presumed micronuclei was verified by sorting. The potential of this approach to give information on the mechanism of induction of micronuclei is discussed.« less

  12. Effects of thyroid hormone and hypoxia on 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, bisphosphoglycerate synthase and phosphoglycerate mutase in rabbit erythroblasts and reticulocytes in vivo.

    PubMed

    González-Cinca, Nuria; Pérez de la Ossa, Pablo; Carreras, José; Climent, Fernando

    2004-01-01

    The effects of triiodothyronine (T(3)) and hypoxia on 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) studied in vitro are unclear. To clarify these effects we selected a more physiologic approach: the in vivo study in rabbits. We also present the changes produced by T(3) and hypoxia on phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM), which requires 2,3-BPG as a cofactor, and 2,3-BPG synthase (BPGS), the enzyme responsible for 2,3-BPG synthesis in erythroblasts and reticulocytes. Hyperthyroidism was induced by daily T(3) injection (250 microg/kg), hypoxia by a mixture of 90% nitrogen and 10% oxygen and hypothyroidism by propylthiouracil (PTU) added to drinking water. Both T(3) administration and hypoxic conditions increased 2,3-BPG levels and BPGS mRNA levels and activity in erythroblasts but not in reticulocytes. Unlike BPGS, both PGAM mRNA levels and activity were increased in erythroblasts and reticulocytes under hyperthyrodism and hypoxia. The antihormone PTU produced opposite effects to T(3). The results presented here suggest that both hyperthyroidism and hypoxia modulate in vivo red cell 2,3-BPG content by changes in the expression of BPGS. Similarly, the changes in PGAM activity are also explained by changes in its expression. Copyright (c) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  13. Genotoxicity induced by Taenia solium and its reduction by immunization with calreticulin in a hamster model of taeniosis.

    PubMed

    Salazar, Ana María; Mendlovic, Fela; Cruz-Rivera, Mayra; Chávez-Talavera, Oscar; Sordo, Monserrat; Avila, Guillermina; Flisser, Ana; Ostrosky-Wegman, Patricia

    2013-06-01

    Genotoxicity induced by neurocysticercosis has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo in humans. The adult stage of Taenia solium lodges in the small intestine and is the main risk factor to acquire neurocysticercosis, nevertheless its carcinogenic potential has not been evaluated. In this study, we determined the genotoxic effect of T. solium infection in the hamster model of taeniosis. In addition, we assessed the effect of oral immunization with recombinant T. solium calreticulin (rTsCRT) plus cholera toxin as adjuvant on micronuclei induction, as this protein has been shown to induce 33-44% protection in the hamster model of taeniosis. Blood samples were collected from the orbital venous plexus of noninfected and infected hamsters at different days postinfection, as well as from orally immunized animals, to evaluate the frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes as a measure of genotoxicity induced by parasite exposure and rTsCRT vaccination. Our results indicate that infection with T. solium caused time-dependent DNA damage in vivo and that rTsCRT immunization reduced the genotoxic damage induced by the presence of the tapeworms. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Ulk1-mediated Atg5-independent macroautophagy mediates elimination of mitochondria from embryonic reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    Honda, Shinya; Arakawa, Satoko; Nishida, Yuya; Yamaguchi, Hirofumi; Ishii, Eiichi; Shimizu, Shigeomi

    2014-06-04

    Macroautophagy is a highly conserved intracellular process responsible for the degradation of subcellular constituents. Macroautophagy was recently suggested to be involved in the removal of mitochondria from reticulocytes during the final stage of erythrocyte differentiation. Although Atg5 and Atg7 are indispensable for macroautophagy, their role in mitochondrial clearance remains controversial. We recently discovered that mammalian cells use conventional Atg5/Atg7-dependent macroautophagy as well as an alternative Unc-51-like kinase 1 (Ulk1)-dependent Atg5/Atg7-independent macroautophagy process. We hypothesized that the latter may be involved in mitochondrial clearance from reticulocytes during erythrocyte differentiation. Here we report that fetal definitive reticulocytes from Ulk1-deficient and Ulk1/Atg5 double-deficient mice retain their mitochondria, whereas the mitochondria are engulfed and digested within autophagic structures in wild-type and Atg5-deficient mice. Mitochondrial retention by Ulk1-deficient reticulocytes is far less marked in primitive and adult definitive reticulocytes. These data indicate that Ulk1-dependent Atg5-independent macroautophagy is the dominant process of mitochondrial clearance from fetal definitive reticulocytes.

  15. Sealed reticulocyte ghosts. An experimental model for the study of Fe2+ transport.

    PubMed

    Núñez, M T; Escobar, A; Ahumada, A; Gonzalez-Sepulveda, M

    1992-06-05

    Sealed right-side-out reticulocyte ghosts transported and accumulated iron offered as 59Fe(2+)-ascorbate (Km = 1.1 microM). The uptake of iron by ghosts presented the characteristics of a transporter-mediated process: it responded to osmotic challenge, the rate of transport increased when iron was present in the opposing side, and the transport rate showed the temperature dependence typical of membrane-mediated processes. The transport of iron was dependent on an associated influx of Cl- in order to keep electroneutrality. Other transition metals, such as Cu2+, Zn2+, and Co2+, inhibited the transport of Fe2+. The overall characteristics of the system make reticulocyte sealed ghosts a very useful model in determining the basic mechanisms of membrane iron transport.

  16. [The effect of cimeiguo on micronuclei in mice induced by cooking lampblack].

    PubMed

    Cui, S; Qiu, D; Li, L; Han, C; Li, Y

    1997-04-01

    The effect of Cimeiguo on micronuclei in mice induced by cooking lampblack is studied. The results show that the number of micronulei induced by cooking lampblack are increased sighificantly (P > 0.01) with dose-response relationship and inhibited by Cimeiguo.

  17. Perinatal exposure of patas monkeys to antiretroviral nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors induces genotoxicity persistent for up to 3 years of age.

    PubMed

    Olivero, Ofelia A; Torres, Lorangelly Rivera; Gorjifard, Sayeh; Momot, Dariya; Marrogi, Eryney; Divi, Rao L; Liu, Yongmin; Woodward, Ruth A; Sowers, Marsha J; Poirier, Miriam C

    2013-07-15

    Erythrocebus patas (patas) monkeys were used to model antiretroviral (ARV) drug in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected pregnant women. Pregnant patas dams were given human-equivalent doses of ARVs daily during 50% of gestation. Mesenchymal cells, cultured from bone marrow of patas offspring obtained at birth and at 1 and 3 years of age, were examined for genotoxicity, including centrosomal amplification, micronuclei, and micronuclei containing whole chromosomes. Compared with controls, statistically significant increases (P < .05) in centrosomal amplification, micronuclei, and micronuclei containing whole chromosomes were found in mesenchymal cells from most groups of offspring at the 3 time points. Transplacental nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor exposures induced fetal genotoxicity that was persistent for 3 years.

  18. Reticulocyte analysis using flow cytometry.

    PubMed

    Corberand, J X

    1996-12-01

    Automation of the reticulocyte count by means of flow cytometry has considerably improved the quality of this investigation. This article deals firstly with the reasons for the poor performance of the microscopic technique and with the physiological principles underlying identification and classification of reticulocytes using RNA labeling. It then outlines the automated methods currently on the market, which can be classified in three categories: a) "general-purpose" cytofluorometers, which in clinical laboratories usually deal with lymphocyte immunophenotyping; b) the only commercially available cytofluorometer dedicated to the reticulocyte count; this automat has the advantage of requiring no human intervention as it merely needs to be fed with samples; c) hematology analyzers with specific modules for automatic counting of reticulocytes previously incubated with a non-fluorescent dye. Of the various fluorescent markers available, thiazole orange, DEQTC iodide and auramine are most often used for this basic hematology test. The quality of the count, the availability of new reticulocyte indices (maturation index, percentage of young reticulocytes) and rapidity of the count give this test renewed value in the practical approach to the diagnosis of anemia, and also open new perspectives in the surveillance of aplastic anemia after chemotherapy or bone marrow grafting.

  19. Does smoking habit increase the micronuclei frequency in the oral mucosa of adults compared to non-smokers? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    de Geus, Juliana Larocca; Wambier, Letícia Maíra; Bortoluzzi, Marcelo Carlos; Loguercio, Alessandro D; Kossatz, Stella; Reis, Alessandra

    2018-01-01

    A systematic review of clinical studies to evaluate the frequency of micronuclei in the oral mucosa of smokers and non-smokers in adult patients was performed. A comprehensive search was carried out on MEDLINE via PubMeb, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, BBO, and Cochrane Library and SIGLE without restrictions. Dissertations and thesis were searched using the ProQuest Dissertations and Periodicos Capes Thesis Databases. We included only cross-sectional clinical trials that compared the frequency of micronuclei in the oral mucosa of smokers and non-smokers in adult patients. After the removal of duplicates, 1338 articles were identified. After title and abstract screening, 35 studies remained. Eighteen studies were further excluded, whereas 17 studies remained for qualitative analysis and 16 for the meta-analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes. A significant difference in the frequency of micronuclei in smokers when compared to non-smokers was observed in the present study. Despite the high variation in the methodology of the assessed studies, this study showed a higher frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated cells of smokers compared to non-smokers. The use of tobacco is associated with cytotoxic and genotoxic effects because a higher frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated cells of smokers was observed.

  20. 2-(4′-CHLOROPHENYL)-1,4-BENZOQUINONE INCREASES THE FREQUENCY OF MICRONUCLEI AND SHORTENS TELOMERES

    PubMed Central

    Jacobus, J.A.; Flor, S.; Klingelhutz, A.; Robertson, L.W.; Ludewig, G.

    2008-01-01

    The toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been attributed widely to receptor-mediated effects, buttressed by the popularity of the Toxic Equivalency Factor. We propose that a crucial toxic mechanism of lower-chlorinated PCBs is their enzymatic biotransformation to electrophiles, including quinoid metabolites, that bind intracellular sulfhydryl groups, such as those found in microtubulin and enzymes like telomerase. To test this hypothesis, we have examined micronuclei induction, cell cycle, and telomere shortening in cells in culture. Our findings show a large increase in micronuclei frequency and cell cycle perturbation in V79 cells, and a marked decrease in telomere length in HaCaT cells exposed to 2-(4′-chlorophenyl)-1,4-benzoquinone (PCB3pQ). PMID:18438462

  1. Transcriptomic biomarkers of altered erythropoiesis to detect autologous blood transfusion.

    PubMed

    Salamin, Olivier; Mignot, Jonathan; Kuuranne, Tiia; Saugy, Martial; Leuenberger, Nicolas

    2018-03-01

    Autologous blood transfusion is a powerful means of improving performance and remains one of the most challenging methods to detect. Recent investigations have identified 3 candidate reticulocytes genes whose expression was significantly influenced by blood transfusion. Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction as an alternative quantitative method, the present study supports that delta-aminolevulinate synthase 2 (ALAS2), carbonic anhydrase (CA1), and solute carrier family 4 member 1 (SLC4A1) genes are down-regulated post-transfusion. The expression of these genes exhibited stronger correlation with immature reticulocyte fraction than with reticulocytes percentage. Moreover, the repression of reticulocytes' gene expression was more pronounced than the diminution of immature reticulocyte fraction and reticulocyte percentage following blood transfusion. It suggests that the 3 candidate genes are reliable predictors of bone marrow's response to blood transfusion and that they represent potential biomarkers for the detection of this method prohibited in sports. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Effect of Hydrocortisone on Uptake of Iron-59 in Incubated Rat Red Cells in vitro

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    CLARK, PEGGY

    Hydrocortisone added to blood contalnlng reticulocytes in a suitable substrate did not alter the rate of synthesis of hemoglobin and no evidence was obtained that it influenced the rate of ripening of reticulocytes. This applied to various dosage-levels in vitro and to plasma obtained from rats which were injected with large doses of hydrocortisone. It was shown, however, that preliminary incubation of reticulocytes with hydrocortisone before the addition of iron-59 reduces the amount of iron-59 which enters the reticulocytes. (N.W.R.)

  3. Paternal Cyclophosphamide Exposure Induces the Formation of Functional Micronuclei during the First Zygotic Division

    PubMed Central

    Grenier, Lisanne; Robaire, Bernard; Hales, Barbara F.

    2011-01-01

    Paternal exposures to cancer chemotherapeutics or environmental chemicals may have adverse effects on progeny outcome that are manifested in the preimplantation embryo. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of paternal exposure to cyclophosphamide, an anticancer alkylating agent, on the formation, chromatin origin and function of micronuclei in cleavage stage rat embryos. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with saline or cyclophosphamide (6 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks and mated to naturally cycling females to collect pronuclear zygotes and 2 to 8 cell embryos. Micronuclear chromatin structure was characterized using confocal microscopy to detect immunoreactivities for H3K9me3, a marker for maternal chromatin, and lamin B, a nuclear membrane marker. DNA synthesis was monitored using EdU (5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine) incorporation. Fertilization by cyclophosphamide-exposed spermatozoa led to a dramatic elevation in micronuclei in cleavage stage embryos (control embryos: 1% to 5%; embryos sired by treated males: 70%). The formation of micronuclei occurred during the first zygotic division and was associated with a subsequent developmental delay. The absence of H3K9me3 indicated that these micronuclei were of paternal origin. The micronuclei had incomplete peri-nuclear and peri-nucleolar lamin B1 membrane formation but incorporated EdU into DNA to the same extent as the main nucleus. The formation of micronuclei in response to the presence of a damaged paternal genome may play a role in increasing the rate of embryo loss that is associated with the use of assisted reproductive technologies, parenthood among cancer survivors, and paternal aging. PMID:22110683

  4. Erythroid Adhesion Molecules in Sickle Cell Anaemia Infants: Insights Into Early Pathophysiology.

    PubMed

    Brousse, Valentine; Colin, Yves; Pereira, Catia; Arnaud, Cecile; Odièvre, Marie Helene; Boutemy, Anne; Guitton, Corinne; de Montalembert, Mariane; Lapouméroulie, Claudine; Picot, Julien; Le Van Kim, Caroline; El Nemer, Wassim

    2015-01-01

    Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) results from a single mutation in the β globin gene. It is seldom symptomatic in the first semester of life. We analysed the expression pattern of 9 adhesion molecules on red blood cells, in a cohort of 54 SCA and 17 non-SCA very young infants of comparable age (median 144 days, 81-196). Haemoglobin F (HbF) level was unsurprisingly elevated in SCA infants (41.2% ± 11.2) and 2-4 fold higher than in non-SCA infants, yet SCA infants presented significantly decreased Hb level and increased reticulocytosis. Cytometry analysis evidenced a specific expression profile on reticulocytes of SCA infants, with notably an increased expression of the adhesion molecules Lu/BCAM, ICAM-4 and LFA-3, both in percentage of positive cells and in surface density. No significant difference was found on mature red cells. Our findings demonstrate the very early onset of reticulocyte membrane modifications in SCA asymptomatic infants and allow an insight into the first pathological changes with the release of stress reticulocytes expressing a distinctive profile of adhesion molecules.

  5. Stimulation of globin synthesis: relative responsiveness of reticulocytes and nucleated erythroid cells

    PubMed Central

    Waxman, Herbert S.

    1970-01-01

    The effects of iron, cobalt, hemin, and plasma on hemoglobin synthesis by suspensions of rabbit reticulocytes and nucleated bone marrow cells were studied. L-Leucine-14C and sodium pyruvate-3-14C were employed to measure globin and heme synthesis, respectively. Normal plasma (or serum) was found to stimulate the rate of globin synthesis in both systems. The stimulatory effects of iron and hemin were additive to those of plasma or serum only in the reticulocytes. Cobaltous ion, at concentrations less than 1.0 mmole/liter, was found to stimulate globin synthesis by reticulocytes as effectively as ferrous ion; cobalt was inhibitory only at concentrations greater than 3.0-5.0 mmoles/liter. Heme synthesis by reticulocytes was inhibited at all concentrations employed (0.2-5.0 mmoles/liter). In bone marrow nucleated erythroid cells, globin synthesis was markedly enhanced by exogenous hemin. In contrast to reticulocytes, however, bone marrow cells were unresponsive to either cobalt or transferrin-bound iron. Possible implications of these findings on regulation of the rate and mechanism of iron uptake and hemoglobin synthesis in vivo are discussed. PMID:5443172

  6. Host Reticulocytes Provide Metabolic Reservoirs That Can Be Exploited by Malaria Parasites

    PubMed Central

    Srivastava, Anubhav; Creek, Darren J.; Evans, Krystal J.; De Souza, David; Schofield, Louis; Müller, Sylke; Barrett, Michael P.; McConville, Malcolm J.; Waters, Andrew P.

    2015-01-01

    Human malaria parasites proliferate in different erythroid cell types during infection. Whilst Plasmodium vivax exhibits a strong preference for immature reticulocytes, the more pathogenic P. falciparum primarily infects mature erythrocytes. In order to assess if these two cell types offer different growth conditions and relate them to parasite preference, we compared the metabolomes of human and rodent reticulocytes with those of their mature erythrocyte counterparts. Reticulocytes were found to have a more complex, enriched metabolic profile than mature erythrocytes and a higher level of metabolic overlap between reticulocyte resident parasite stages and their host cell. This redundancy was assessed by generating a panel of mutants of the rodent malaria parasite P. berghei with defects in intermediary carbon metabolism (ICM) and pyrimidine biosynthesis known to be important for P. falciparum growth and survival in vitro in mature erythrocytes. P. berghei ICM mutants (pbpepc-, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and pbmdh-, malate dehydrogenase) multiplied in reticulocytes and committed to sexual development like wild type parasites. However, P. berghei pyrimidine biosynthesis mutants (pboprt-, orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and pbompdc-, orotidine 5′-monophosphate decarboxylase) were restricted to growth in the youngest forms of reticulocytes and had a severe slow growth phenotype in part resulting from reduced merozoite production. The pbpepc-, pboprt- and pbompdc- mutants retained virulence in mice implying that malaria parasites can partially salvage pyrimidines but failed to complete differentiation to various stages in mosquitoes. These findings suggest that species-specific differences in Plasmodium host cell tropism result in marked differences in the necessity for parasite intrinsic metabolism. These data have implications for drug design when targeting mature erythrocyte or reticulocyte resident parasites. PMID:26042734

  7. Outer membrane vesicles enhance the carcinogenic potential of Helicobacter pylori.

    PubMed

    Chitcholtan, Kenny; Hampton, Mark B; Keenan, Jacqueline I

    2008-12-01

    Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with an increased risk of gastric carcinogenesis. These non-invasive bacteria colonize the gastric mucosa and constitutively shed small outer membrane vesicles (OMV). In this study, we investigated the direct effect of H.pylori OMV on cellular events associated with carcinogenesis. We observed increased micronuclei formation in AGS human gastric epithelial cells treated with OMV isolated from a toxigenic H.pylori strain (60190). This effect was absent in OMV from strain 60190v:1 that has a mutant vacA, indicating VacA-dependent micronuclei formation. VacA induces intracellular vacuolation, and reduced acridine orange staining indicated disruption in the integrity of these vacuoles. This was accompanied by an alteration in iron metabolism and glutathione (GSH) loss, suggesting a role for oxidative stress in genomic damage. Increasing intracellular GSH levels with a GSH ester abrogated the VacA-mediated increase in micronuclei formation. In conclusion, OMV-mediated delivery of VacA to the gastric epithelium may constitute a new mechanism for H.pylori-induced gastric carcinogenesis.

  8. Mercury-induced micronuclei in skin fibroblasts of beluga whales

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gauthier, J.M.; Dubeau, H.; Rassart, E.

    1998-12-01

    Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) inhabiting the St. Lawrence estuary are highly contaminated with environmental pollutants and have a high incidence of cancer. Environmental contaminants may be partly responsible for the high incidence of cancer observed in this population. DNA damage plays an important role in the development of cancer. The micronuclei assay was used to test the genotoxic potential of mercury compounds in skin fibroblasts of an Arctic beluga whale. Both mercuric chloride (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) induced a highly significant dose-response increase of micronucleated cells. Statistically significant increases in micronucleated cells were observed for 0.5, 5, and 20 {micro}g/mlmore » Hg and 0.05, 0.5, and 2 {micro}g/ml MeHg when compared to control cultures. Concentrations of 0.5, 5, and 20 {micro}g/ml Hg induced a two-, three- and fourfold increase of micronucleated cells, respectively. Treatment with MeHg was one order of magnitude more potent in inducing micronuclei and in inhibiting cell proliferation than Hg. Although results of this in vitro study do not imply that mercury compounds are involved in the etiology of cancer in St. Lawrence beluga whales, significant increases in micronuclei frequency were found at low concentrations of MeHg that are believed to be comparable to concentrations present in certain whales of this population.« less

  9. A mathematical model of the volume, pH, and ion content regulation in reticulocytes. Application to the pathophysiology of sickle cell dehydration.

    PubMed Central

    Lew, V L; Freeman, C J; Ortiz, O E; Bookchin, R M

    1991-01-01

    We developed a mathematical model of the reticulocyte, seeking to explain how a cell with similar volume but much higher ionic traffic than the mature red cell (RBC) regulates its volume, pH, and ion content in physiological and abnormal conditions. Analysis of the fluxbalance required by reticulocytes to conserve volume and composition predicted the existence of previously unsuspected Na(+)-dependent Cl- entry mechanisms. Unlike mature RBCs, reticulocytes did not tend to return to their original state after brief perturbations. The model predicted hysteresis and drift in cell pH, volume, and ion contents after transient alterations in membrane permeability or medium composition; irreversible cell dehydration could thus occur by brief K+ permeabilization, transient medium acidification, or the replacement of external Na+ with an impermeant cation. Both the hysteresis and drift after perturbations were shown to depend on the pHi dependence of the K:Cl cotransport, a major reticulocyte transporter. This behavior suggested a novel mechanism for the generation of irreversibly sickled cells directly from reticulocytes, rather than in a stepwise, progressive manner from discocytes. Experimental tests of the model's predictions and the hypothesis are described in the following paper. PMID:1985088

  10. Hematological parameters in preterm infants from birth to 16 weeks of age with reference to iron balance.

    PubMed

    Mäkelä, Enni; Takala, Timo I; Suominen, Pauli; Matomäki, Jaakko; Salmi, Toivo T; Rajamäki, Allan; Lapinleimu, Helena; Lehtonen, Liisa; Irjala, Kerttu; Lähteenmäki, Päivi M

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to describe the natural kinetics of serum soluble transferrin receptor (S-TfR), ferritin and reticulocyte indices in preterm neonates, and to find out whether these analytes relate to hematocrit (Hct) level in determining the need for red cell (RBC) transfusions. During a 2-year period, 100 preterm neonates were recruited in a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit. Inclusion criteria were gestational age < or =34 weeks or birth weight <2000 g. Biochemical markers of iron deficiency and hematological indices were serially analyzed from birth. This report focuses on the first 16 weeks after birth. The trends of the studied analytes were presented with reference ranges. RBC transfusions did not have a significant effect on reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) or reticulocyte count. Reticulocytes were lowest after the first week and S-TfR at 9 weeks of age. CHr and fraction of immature reticulocytes were highest at birth and decreased thereafter. CHr and reticulocyte count were significantly different in two groups determined by Hct level (Hct < or > or =0.30). This difference was not observed in S-TfR or ferritin concentrations. In addition to reflecting the activity of erythropoiesis, S-TfR seems to reflect iron balance in preterm neonates. By using CHr and reticulocyte, it is possible to obtain more information about iron balance in relation to erythropoiesis, and it might be useful to combine this information with Hct before making a decision about a transfusion.

  11. The insecticide buprofezin induces morphological transformation and kinetochore-positive micronuclei in cultured Syrian hamster embryo cells in the absence of detectable DNA damage.

    PubMed

    Herrera, L A; Ostrosky-Wegman, P; Schiffmann, D; Chen, Q Y; Ziegler-Skylakakis, K; Andrae, U

    1993-11-01

    The insecticide buprofezin was examined for its genotoxicity in cultured Syrian hamster embryo cells in order to better understand the mechanisms underlying the genotoxicity of the compound in mammalian cells. Exposure to buprofezin concentrations of 12.5-100 microM did not significantly affect the colony-forming ability of the cells, but did result in increased frequencies of morphologically transformed colonies. Treatment with buprofezin did not cause a detectable induction of DNA repair synthesis, an indicator of DNA damage, but significantly increased the frequency of micronuclei. Immunostaining of the cells with antikinetochore antibody (CREST antibody) showed that essentially all of the buprofezin-induced micronuclei were kinetochore-positive. The results suggest that morphological transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells by buprofezin results from an interaction of the compound or a metabolite of it with the mitotic apparatus rather than from DNA damage.

  12. Micronucleus frequency in women with genital Chlamydia Trachomatis infection before and after therapy.

    PubMed

    Dimitrijević, A; Milosević-Djordjević, O; Grujicić, D; Arsenijević, S

    2006-09-19

    The main aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of infection with the intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, and subsequent treatments with oral doxycycline or azithromycin on the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of adult female patients receiving standard doses of these drugs. The frequency of micronuclei was measured in the lymphocytes of 38 newly diagnosed adult women with genital C. trachomatis infection. Samples were taken before and after the therapy, and from 50 healthy control females. The therapy was taken orally during 10 days at 2 x 100 mg per day, and then for another 10 days at 1 x 100 mg per day for doxycycline, and as a single dose of 1g for azithromycin. Isolated lymphocytes from all subjects were cultured by use of the whole-blood method and blocked in metaphase with cytochalasin B (Cyt B). One thousand binucleate cells per subject were scored according to published criteria. The frequency of micronuclei was not significantly higher in samples of infected females before therapy, compared with the baseline frequency in healthy control females (p > 0.05). In patients who received doxycycline, the micronucleus frequency after the end of therapy was significantly higher than before treatment (p < 0.001). The mean frequency of micronuclei in females after the end of the therapy with azithromycin did not show an increase (p > 0.05). The application of linear regression analysis showed that the difference in micronucleus frequency before and after therapy (effect of the antibiotics) was affected by the therapy type. Age and smoking did not affect micronucleus frequency in analyzed samples of patients (p = 0.078, 0.579). We conclude that C. trachomatis infection does not induce micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes of infected adult female patients. Therapy with doxycycline significantly increases the micronucleus frequency in lymphocytes of treated patients, but treatment with azithromycin does not induce micronuclei.

  13. Metabolomics-Based Elucidation of Active Metabolic Pathways in Erythrocytes and HSC-Derived Reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    Srivastava, Anubhav; Evans, Krystal J; Sexton, Anna E; Schofield, Louis; Creek, Darren J

    2017-04-07

    A detailed analysis of the metabolic state of human-stem-cell-derived erythrocytes allowed us to characterize the existence of active metabolic pathways in younger reticulocytes and compare them to mature erythrocytes. Using high-resolution LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics, we found that reticulocytes had a comparatively much richer repertoire of metabolites, which spanned a range of metabolite classes. An untargeted metabolomics analysis using stable-isotope-labeled glucose showed that only glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway actively contributed to the biosynthesis of metabolites in erythrocytes, and these pathways were upregulated in reticulocytes. Most metabolite species found to be enriched in reticulocytes were residual pools of metabolites produced by earlier erythropoietic processes, and their systematic depletion in mature erythrocytes aligns with the simplification process, which is also seen at the cellular and the structural level. Our work shows that high-resolution LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics provides a global coverage of the biochemical species that are present in erythrocytes. However, the incorporation of stable isotope labeling provides a more accurate description of the active metabolic processes that occur in each developmental stage. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed characterization of the active metabolic pathways of the erythroid lineage, and it provides a rich database for understanding the physiology of the maturation of reticulocytes into mature erythrocytes.

  14. [Erythropoietin treatment for late anaemia after haemolytic disease of the newborn].

    PubMed

    Alvarez Domínguez, E; Pérez Fernández, J M; Figueras Aloy, J; Carbonell Estrany, X

    2010-12-01

    After several years of erythropoietin (EPO) use in the prophylaxis of anaemia of prematurity, it also began to be administered to treat post-haemolytic disease anaemia of the newborn in order to avoid blood transfusions. To show the results obtained with EPO treatment in post-haemolytic disease anemia of the newborn. Observational study in 13 newborns with late anaemia due to an hemolytic disease caused by Rh isoimmunization (9 cases), AB0 isoimmunization (2 cases), glucose-6-P-dehydrogenase deficiency (1 case) or idiopathic (1 case). The newborns began EPO treatment when they reached the haematocrit level for a blood transfusion. EPO treatment was started at 26±7 days of life (15-46), with a haematocrit value of 21.7±3% (18-27) and a reticulocyte count of 3.8±2.2%. Blood transfusion was not necessary in 11 newborns (haematocrit of 30.7±4.4% and reticulocytes of 5.9±1.4%), and only 2 newborns were admitted for a blood transfusion (haematocrit 18±4.4% and reticulocytes 0.6%). Significant increases in haemoglobin and reticulocyte figures were seen after EPO treatment. EPO administration proved useful to avoid blood transfusion in 84% of treated newborns. No adverse events were detected which could be attributed to this treatment,. Copyright © 2010 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. The complete blood count and reticulocyte count--are they necessary in the evaluation of acute vasoocclusive sickle-cell crisis?

    PubMed

    Lopez, B L; Griswold, S K; Navek, A; Urbanski, L

    1996-08-01

    To assess the usefulness of the complete blood count (CBC) and the reticulocyte count in the evaluation of adult patients with acute vasoocclusive sickle-cell crisis (SCC) presenting to the ED. A 2-part study was performed. Part 1 was retrospective chart review of patients with a sole ED diagnosis of acute SCC. Part 2 was a prospective evaluation of consecutive patients presenting in SCC. In both parts of the study, patients with coexisting acute disease were excluded. The remaining patients were divided into 2 groups: admitted and released. The mean values for white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) level, and reticulocyte count were compared. In Part 2, the change (delta) from the patient's baseline in WBC count, Hb level, and reticulocyte count also was determined. Data were analyzed by 2-tailed Student's t-test. Part 1: There was no difference between the admitted (n = 33) and the released (n = 86) groups in mean WBC count (p = 0.10), Hb level (p = 0.25), or reticulocyte count (p = 0.08). Part 2: There was no difference between the admitted (n = 44) and the released (n = 160) groups in mean Hb level (p = 0.88), reticulocyte count (p = 0.47), delta Hb level (p = 0.88), and delta reticulocyte count (p = 0.76). There was a difference in mean WBC counts (15.8 +/- 4.9 x 10(9)/L admitted vs 12.8 +/- 4.9 x 10(9)/L released, p = 0.003) and delta WBC counts (5.1 +/- 4.6 x 10(9)/L admitted vs 1.8 +/- 4.6 x 10(9)/L released, p < 0.002). Determination of the Hb level and the reticulocyte count do not appear useful in the evaluation of acute SCC in the ED. Admission decisions appear associated with elevations in the WBC count. Further study is required to determine the true value of the WBC count in such decisions.

  16. Gamma Radiation Induces Micronucleated Reticulocytes in 3-D Bone Marrow Bioreactors in Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Hongliang; Dertinger, Stephen D.; Hyrien, Ollivier; David Wu, J. H.; Chen, Yuhchyau

    2009-01-01

    Radiation injury to the bone marrow is potentially lethal due to the potent DNA-damaging effects on cells of the hematopoietic system, including bone marrow stem cell, progenitor, and the precursor cell populations. Investigation of radiation genotoxic effects on bone marrow progenitor/precursor cells has been challenged by the lack of optimal in vitro surrogate organ culture systems, and the overall difficulty to sustain lineage-specific proliferation and differentiation of hematopoiesis in vitro. We report the investigation of radiation genotoxic effects in bone marrow cultures of C57Bl/6 mice established in 3-D bioreactors, which sustain long-term bone marrow cultures. For these studies, genotoxicity is measured by the induction of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RET). The kinetics and dose-response relationship of MN-RET induction in response to gamma-radiation of bioreactor-maintained bone marrow cultures are presented. Our data showed that 3-D long-term bone marrow cultures had sustained erythropoiesis capable of generating reticulocytes up to 8 weeks. The peak time-interval of viable cell output and percentage of reticulocytes increased steadily and reached the initial peak between the 14th to 21st days after inoculations. This was followed by a rebound or staying relatively constant until week 8. The percentage of MN-RET reached the maximum between 24 and 32 hours post 1 Gy gamma-ray. There was a near linear MN-RET induction by gamma radiation from 0 Gy to 1.0 Gy, followed by an attenuated increase to 1.5 – 2.0 Gy. The MN-RET response showed a downtrend beyond 2 Gy. Our data suggest that bone marrow culture in the 3-D bioreactor may be a useful organ culture system for the investigation of radiation genotoxic effect in vitro. PMID:19786117

  17. Flow cytometric analysis of leukocytes and reticulocytes stained with proflavine.

    PubMed

    Sagawa, H; Tatsumi, N

    1997-12-01

    Proflavine, an acridine analog for industrial use, was used to stain blood cells. A drop of blood treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-2K was mixed with a 0.00001% solution of the dye and observed immediately by fluorescence microscopy with a green filter. Leukocytes, platelets, and reticulocytes were stained but mature red blood cells were not. Chromatin in the nuclei of all leukocytes and nucleoli of lymphocytes and monocytes had greenish-yellow fluorescence, and the kind of cell could be identified by the tone and intensity of this color. Granules in granulocytes were in green. Reticular fine-granular or granulofibrous structures in the reticulocytes were brownish. The proflavine could be used routinely in clinical laboratories because this single stain makes possible simultaneous differentiation of leukocytes and counting of reticulocytes.

  18. Radioprotective Effects of Sulfur-containing Mineral Water of Ramsar Hot Spring with High Natural Background Radiation on Mouse Bone Marrow Cells.

    PubMed

    Heidari, A H; Shabestani Monfared, A; Mozdarani, H; Mahmoudzadeh, A; Razzaghdoust, A

    2017-12-01

    We intend to study the inhibitory effect of sulfur compound in Ramsar hot spring mineral on tumor-genesis ability of high natural background radiation. The radioprotective effect of sulfur compounds was previously shown on radiation-induced chromosomal aberration, micronuclei in mouse bone marrow cells and human peripheral lymphocyte. Ramsar is known for having the highest level of natural background radiation on Earth. This study was performed to show the radioprotective effect of sulfur-containing Ramsar mineral water on mouse bone marrow cells. Mice were fed three types of water (drinking water, Ramsar radioactive water containing sulfur and Ramsar radioactive water whose sulfur was removed). Ten days after feeding, mice were irradiated by gamma rays (0, 2 and 4 Gy). 48 and 72 hours after irradiating, mice were killed and femurs were removed. Frequency of micronuclei was determined in bone marrow erythrocytes. A significant reduction was shown in the rate of micronuclei polychromatic erythrocyte in sulfur-containing hot spring water compared to sulfur-free water in hot spring mineral water. Gamma irradiation induced significant increases in micronuclei polychromatic erythrocyte (MNPCE) and decreases in polychromatic erythrocyte/polychromatic erythrocyte + normochromatic erythrocyte ratio (PCEs/PCEs+NCEs) (P < 0.001) in sulfur-containing hot spring water compared to sulfur-free hot spring mineral water. Also, apparently there was a significant difference between drinking water and sulfur-containing hot spring water in micronuclei polychromatic erythrocyte and polychromatic erythrocyte/polychromatic erythrocyte+ normochromatic erythrocyte ratio. The results indicate that sulfur-containing mineral water could result in a significant reduction in radiation-induced micronuclei representing the radioprotective effect of sulfur compounds.

  19. [Tripartite motif-containing protein 34 (TRIM34) colocalized with micronuclei chromosome and hampers its movement to equatorial plate during the metaphase stage of mitosis].

    PubMed

    Sun, Dakang; An, Xinye; Ji, Bing; Cheng, Yanli; Gao, Honglian; Tian, Mingming

    2016-06-01

    Objective To examine whether tripartite motif-containing protein 34 (TRIM34) is colocalized with micronuclei and investigate the influence on the movement of micronuclei chromosome in mitosis. Methods The eukaryotic expression vector TRIM34-pEGFP-N3 was constructed, identified and then transfected into HEK293T cells. With 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole 2HCI (DAPI) staining, the colocalization between TRIM34 and micronuclei was observed under a fluorescence microscope. Moreover, MitoTracker(R)Deep Red was used to identify the colocalization between the complex of TRIM34-micronulei and mitochondria under a confocal microscope. Finally, the effect of TRIM34 on the movement of micronuclei chromosome in mitosis was examined. Results DNA sequencing confirmed that the vector TRIM34-pEGFP-N3 was constructed successfully. A fluorescence microscope revealed that TRIM34 could be colocalized with micronuclei in HEK293T cells transfected with TRIM34-pEGFP-N3. In the same manner, a confocal microscope distinctly showed that TRIM34 was colocalized with micronuclei similarly in appearance. However, there was no distinguished colocalization relationship between the complex of TRIM34-micronulei and mitochondria. Interestingly, the micronuclei chromosome conjugated with TRIM34 was hardly transferred to equatorial plate during the metaphase stage of mitosis. Conclusion TRIM34 is colocalized with micronuclei chromosome and hampers its movement to equatorial plate in mitosis.

  20. Proteolipidic Composition of Exosomes Changes during Reticulocyte Maturation*

    PubMed Central

    Carayon, Kévin; Chaoui, Karima; Ronzier, Elsa; Lazar, Ikrame; Bertrand-Michel, Justine; Roques, Véronique; Balor, Stéphanie; Terce, François; Lopez, André; Salomé, Laurence; Joly, Etienne

    2011-01-01

    During the orchestrated process leading to mature erythrocytes, reticulocytes must synthesize large amounts of hemoglobin, while eliminating numerous cellular components. Exosomes are small secreted vesicles that play an important role in this process of specific elimination. To understand the mechanisms of proteolipidic sorting leading to their biogenesis, we have explored changes in the composition of exosomes released by reticulocytes during their differentiation, in parallel to their physical properties. By combining proteomic and lipidomic approaches, we found dramatic alterations in the composition of the exosomes retrieved over the course of a 7-day in vitro differentiation protocol. Our data support a previously proposed model, whereby in reticulocytes the biogenesis of exosomes involves several distinct mechanisms for the preferential recruitment of particular proteins and lipids and suggest that the respective prominence of those pathways changes over the course of the differentiation process. PMID:21828046

  1. Chromosomal instability, telomere shortening, and inactivation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) in dysplastic nodules of hepatitis B virus-associated multistep hepatocarcinogenesis.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yoon Hee; Oh, Bong-Kyeong; Yoo, Jeong Eun; Yoon, So-Mi; Choi, Jinsub; Kim, Kyung Sik; Park, Young Nyun

    2009-08-01

    Systemic analysis for chromosomal instability and inactivation of cell cycle checkpoints are scarce during hepatocarcinogenesis. We studied 24 patients with chronic B viral cirrhosis including 30 cirrhotic regenerative nodules, 35 low-grade dysplastic nodules, 15 high-grade dysplastic nodules, 7 dysplastic nodules with hepatocellular carcinoma foci, and 18 hepatocellular carcinomas. Eight normal livers were studied as the control group. Telomere length and micronuclei were detected by Southern blot and Feulgen-fast green dyeing technique, respectively, and p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression was studied by immunohistochemistry. Micronuclei >1 per 3000 hepatocytes were found in 17% of low-grade dysplastic nodules, 87% of high-grade dysplastic nodules, and 100% of high-grade dysplastic nodules with hepatocellular carcinoma foci and hepatocellular carcinomas in contrast to those of all normal livers, and 90% of cirrhosis showed no micronuclei. The micronuclei index showed a gradual increase during hepatocarcinogenesis and there was a significant increase between cirrhosis and low-grade dysplastic nodules, low-grade dysplastic nodules and high-grade dysplastic nodules, and high-grade dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas. Telomere length showed a gradual shortening during hepatocarcinogenesis and a significant reduction was found in high-grade dysplastic nodules (P=0.024) and hepatocellular carcinomas (P=0.031) compared with normal and cirrhotic livers. The micronuclei index was correlated with telomere shortening (P=0.016). The p21(WAF1/CIP1) labeling index was significantly higher in cirrhosis than in normal livers (P=0.024) and markedly decreased in low-grade dysplastic nodules, high-grade dysplastic nodules, and hepatocellular carcinomas compared with cirrhosis (P<0.05). The p21(WAF1/CIP1) labeling index was associated with telomere length (P<0.001) but not micronuclei index. This study shows that telomere shortening, chromosomal instability, and inactivation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) checkpoint function occur in low-grade dysplastic nodules as well as in high-grade dysplastic nodules, and their cooperation is considered to be critical for malignant transformation during hepatitis B virus associated-multistep hepatocarcinogenesis.

  2. Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content on Diagnosis for Iron Deficiency Anemia in Chinese Adults.

    PubMed

    Cai, Jie; Wu, Meng; Ren, Jie; Du, Yali; Long, Zhangbiao; Li, Guoxun; Han, Bing; Yang, Lichen

    2017-05-02

    Our aim was to evaluate the cut-off value and efficiency of using reticulocyte hemoglobin content as a marker to diagnose iron deficiency anemia in Chinese adults. 140 adults who needed bone marrow aspiration for diagnosis at the hematology department of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital were enrolled according to the inclusive and exclusive criteria. Venous blood samples were collected to detect complete blood count, including hemoglobin, reticulocyte hemoglobin content, hematocrit, mean cellular volume, corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, hemoglobin content, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin; iron indexes of serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity; and inflammation markers of C-reactive protein and α-acid glycoprotein. Bone marrow samples were obtained for the bone marrow iron staining, which was used as the standard for the evaluation of iron status in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups according to hemoglobin levels and bone marrow iron staining results: the IDA (iron deficiency anemia) group, the NIDA (non-iron deficiency anemia) group, and the control group. The differences of the above-mentioned indexes were compared among the three groups and the effect of inflammation was also considered. The cut-off value of reticulocyte hemoglobin content was determined by receiver operation curves. The IDA group ( n = 56) had significantly lower reticulocyte hemoglobin content, mean cellular volume, corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, hemoglobin content, and serum ferritin; and higher free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, and serum transferrin receptor ( p < 0.05) compared with the NIDA group ( n = 38) and control group ( n = 46). Hematocrit, serum ferritin, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity were significantly affected by inflammation while reticulocyte hemoglobin content and other parameters were not. The cut-off value of reticulocyte hemoglobin content for diagnosing iron deficiency anemia was 27.2 pg, with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 92.9%. The cut-off values for mean cellular volume, serum ferritin, and serum transferrin receptor were 76.6, 12.9, and 4.89 mg/L, respectively. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content had the largest area under the curve of 0.929, while those for mean cellular volume, serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor were 0.922, 0.887, and 0.900, respectively. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content has a high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia, and its comprehensive diagnostic efficacy is better than other traditional indicators-such as serum ferritin and serum transferrin receptor.

  3. HTLV-I and HTLV-II Tax: differences in induction of micronuclei in cells and transcriptional activation of viral LTRs.

    PubMed

    Semmes, O J; Majone, F; Cantemir, C; Turchetto, L; Hjelle, B; Jeang, K T

    1996-03-01

    Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) types I and II are highly related viruses that differ in disease manifestations. HTLV-I has been linked unmistakably to adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma. On the other hand, there is little evidence that prior infection with HTLV-II increases risk for lymphoproliferative disorders. Both viruses encode homologous transcriptional-activating proteins (respectively designated as Tax1 and Tax2) which have been suggested to be important mediators of viral pathogenesis. Previously, we reported that Tax1 is a potent inducer of micronuclei formation in cells. Here, we present evidence that Tax2 lacks micronuclei inductive ability. We contrast this phenotypic difference between Tax1 and Tax2 at the cellular level with their similarities at the molecular level in transcriptional activation.

  4. Cyclophosphamide-induced in vivo sister chromatid exchange in Mus Musculus. II: Effect of age and genotype on sister chromatid exchange, micronuclei and metaphase index.

    PubMed

    Reimer, D L; Singh, S M

    1983-01-01

    In vivo cyclophosphamide-induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) micronuclei, and metaphase indices were assessed in two age groups (10.8 +/- 0.9 weeks' an 33.1 +/- 1.3 weeks' old) of female mice from three genetic strains (C3H/S, C57BL/6J, and Balb/c). In general, older animals showed diminished SCE induction over their younger counterparts. The relative difference between individuals of the two ages is strain-dependent. Unlike C57BL/6J and Balb/c, strain C3H/S showed significantly lower SCE values in the older animals at every cyclophosphamide treatment. It may reflect on the possible involvement of genetic determinant(s) for the component(s) of SCE formation during aging. Frequencies of micronuclei, however, were consistently higher in older animals than in their younger counterparts. Furthermore, cytotoxicity of cyclophosphamide, as reflected in metaphase indices, was also higher in older animals. Lower metaphase indices associated with higher micronuclei levels in older individuals may suggest a decline in the rate of cellular replication in these animals. Furthermore, the lower metaphase indices associated with lower SCE values, and increasing micronuclei levels accompanied by decreasing SCE frequencies in older animals, may reflect reduced DNA repair ability during aging. These results support the hypothesis of genotype-dependent decline in the rate of DNA repair and replication during aging, particularly under stressed conditions.

  5. Micronuclei versus Chromosomal Aberrations Induced by X-Ray in Radiosensitive Mammalian Cells.

    PubMed

    Plamadeala, Cristina; Wojcik, Andrzej; Creanga, Dorina

    2015-03-01

    An experimental study was accomplished to compare estimation methods of ionizing radiations genotoxicity in mammalian cell cultures by means of two cytogenetic parameters with focus on aberrant cells characterized by multiple chromosomal damages. In vitro study was carried out on the genotoxicity of low-medium doses of 190 kV X-rays absorbed in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures. Micronuclei and ten types of chromosomal aberrations were identified with Giemsa dying and optical microscope screening. The first parameter consisting in micronuclei relative frequency has led to higher linear correlation coefficient than the second one consistent with chromosomal aberrations relative frequency. However, the latter parameter estimated as the sum of all chromosomal aberrations appeared to be more sensitive to radiation dose increasing in the studied dose range, from 0 to 3 Gy. The number of micronuclei occurring simultaneously in a single cell was not higher than 3, while the number of chromosomal aberrations observed in the same cell reached the value of 5 for doses over 1 Gy. Polynomial dose-response curves were evidenced for cells with Ni micronuclei (i=1,3) while non-monotonic curves were evidenced through detailed analysis of aberrant cells with Ni chromosomal changes [Formula: see text] - in concordance with in vitro studies from literature. The investigation could be important for public health issues where micronucleus screening is routinely applied but also for research purposes where various chromosomal aberrations could be of particular interest.

  6. Micronuclei versus Chromosomal Aberrations Induced by X-Ray in Radiosensitive Mammalian Cells

    PubMed Central

    PLAMADEALA, Cristina; WOJCIK, Andrzej; CREANGA, Dorina

    2015-01-01

    Background: An experimental study was accomplished to compare estimation methods of ionizing radiations genotoxicity in mammalian cell cultures by means of two cytogenetic parameters with focus on aberrant cells characterized by multiple chromosomal damages. Methods: In vitro study was carried out on the genotoxicity of low-medium doses of 190 kV X-rays absorbed in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures. Micronuclei and ten types of chromosomal aberrations were identified with Giemsa dying and optical microscope screening. Results: The first parameter consisting in micronuclei relative frequency has led to higher linear correlation coefficient than the second one consistent with chromosomal aberrations relative frequency. However, the latter parameter estimated as the sum of all chromosomal aberrations appeared to be more sensitive to radiation dose increasing in the studied dose range, from 0 to 3 Gy. The number of micronuclei occurring simultaneously in a single cell was not higher than 3, while the number of chromosomal aberrations observed in the same cell reached the value of 5 for doses over 1 Gy. Conclusion: Polynomial dose-response curves were evidenced for cells with Ni micronuclei (i=1,3) while non-monotonic curves were evidenced through detailed analysis of aberrant cells with Ni chromosomal changes (i=(1,5)¯) - in concordance with in vitro studies from literature. The investigation could be important for public health issues where micronucleus screening is routinely applied but also for research purposes where various chromosomal aberrations could be of particular interest. PMID:25905075

  7. Relative effectiveness of HZE iron-56 particles for the induction of cytogenetic damage in vivo

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brooks, A.; Bao, S.; Rithidech, K.; Couch, L. A.; Braby, L. A.

    2001-01-01

    One of the risks of prolonged manned space flight is the exposure of astronauts to radiation from galactic cosmic rays, which contain heavy ions such as (56)Fe. To study the effects of such exposures, experiments were conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory by exposing Wistar rats to high-mass, high-Z, high-energy (HZE) particles using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). The biological effectiveness of (56)Fe ions (1000 MeV/nucleon) relative to low-LET gamma rays and high-LET alpha particles for the induction of chromosome damage and micronuclei was determined. The mitotic index and the frequency of chromosome aberrations were evaluated in bone marrow cells, and the frequency of micronuclei was measured in cells isolated from the trachea and the deep lung. A marked delay in the entry of cells into mitosis was induced in the bone marrow cells that decreased as a function of time after the exposure. The frequencies of chromatid aberrations and micronuclei increased as linear functions of dose. The frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by HZE particles was about 3.2 times higher than that observed after exposure to (60)Co gamma rays. The frequency of micronuclei in rat lung fibroblasts, lung epithelial cells, and tracheal epithelial cells increased linearly, with slopes of 7 x 10(-4), 12 x 10(-4), and 11 x 10(-4) micronuclei/binucleated cell cGy(-1), respectively. When genetic damage induced by radiation from (56)Fe ions was compared to that from exposure to (60)Co gamma rays, (56)Fe-ion radiation was between 0.9 and 3.3 times more effective than (60)Co gamma rays. However, the HZE-particle exposures were only 10-20% as effective as radon in producing micronuclei in either deep lung or tracheal epithelial cells. Using microdosimetric techniques, we estimated that 32 cells were hit by delta rays for each cell that was traversed by the primary HZE (56)Fe particle. These calculations and the observed low relative effectiveness of the exposure to HZE particles suggest that at least part of the cytogenetic damage measured was caused by the delta rays. Much of the energy deposited by the primary HZE particles may result in cell killing and may therefore be "wasted" as far as production of detectable micronuclei is concerned. The role of wasted energy in studies of cancer induction may be important in risk estimates for exposure to HZE particles.

  8. Effect of inactivated viral vaccines (human) on frequency of micronuclei in bone marrow erythrocytes of mice.

    PubMed

    Rao, L V; Polasa, H

    1991-07-01

    Cytogenetic effects of the two inactivated viral vaccines (polio and antirabies) were studied in adult male mice by the micronucleus test. Polio salk vaccine did not induce micronuclei formation at both human (0.5 ml) and 1/5th human doses. Antirabies vaccine induced micronuclei in poly and total erythrocytes only at human dose of 2 ml. Beta-propiolactone (BPL) induced micronuclei at higher dose of 5.7 mg, but not at 0.57 mg (approximate concentration present in 2 ml of rabies vaccine). The P/N ratio was not affected in vaccinated and BPL inoculated animals. Antirabies vaccine induced micronuclei percentage was more than the BPL value.

  9. A study on differences between radiation-induced micronuclei and apoptosis of lymphocytes in breast cancer patients after radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Taghavi-Dehaghani, Mahnaz; Mohammadi, Shahla; Ziafazeli, Tahereh; Sardari-Kermani, Manouchehr

    2005-01-01

    Cancer patients' responses to radiotherapy vary in severity. It has been suggested that it may be due to differences in intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity. Prediction of tissue reactions to radiotherapy would permit tailoring of dosage to each patient. Towards this goal the micronucleus and apoptosis tests have been proposed as methods for measurement of chromosomal damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes. In this study, gamma-ray sensitivity of cultured lymphocytes of 26 breast cancer patients with early or late reactions was investigated. After irradiation with 4 Gy gamma radiation in G0, the frequency of micronuclei for patients with early reactions was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than for patients with late reactions. In the contrary the frequency of apoptosis for patients with early reactions was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in the other group. It could be suggested that such a reduced amount of micronuclei in the late effects group is due to the presence of some residual DNA damages which are not completely repaired and lesions show increasing severity when the patients' cells are irradiated again. These induced damages, probably are high enough to stimulate other endpoints like apoptosis instead of micronuclei.

  10. Kinetochore identification in micronuclei in mouse bone-marrow erythrocytes: an assay for the detection of aneuploidy-inducing agents.

    PubMed

    Gudi, R; Sandhu, S S; Athwal, R S

    1990-10-01

    An in vivo micronucleus assay using mouse bone marrow for identifying the ability of chemicals to induce aneuploidy and/or chromosome breaks is described. Micronucleus formation in bone-marrow erythrocytes of mice is commonly used as an index for evaluating the clastogenicity of environmental agents. However, micronuclei may also originate from intact lagging chromosomes resulting from the effect of aneuploidy-inducing agents. We have used immunofluorescent staining using anti-kinetochore antibodies to classify micronuclei for the presence or absence of kinetochores. Micronuclei positive for kinetochores are assumed to contain intact chromosomes and result from induced aneuploidy; while those negative for kinetochores contain acentric chromosomal fragments and originate from clastogenic events. The assay was evaluated using X-irradiation (a known clastogen) and vincristine sulfate (an aneuploidy-inducing agent). A dose-related response for the induction of micronuclei was observed for both agents. Micronuclei induced by X-irradiation were negative for kinetochores while the majority of the micronuclei resulting from vincristine treatment contained kinetochores. Thus, the micronucleus assay in combination with immunofluorescent staining for kinetochores may provide a useful method to simultaneously assess the ability of chemicals to induce aneuploidy and/or chromosome breaks.

  11. Molecular cloning and expression of a chloride channel-associated protein pICln in human young red blood cells: association with actin.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, R S; Rybicki, A C; Nagel, R L

    1997-10-15

    We report the cloning and sequencing from human reticulocytes of cDNA coding for the Cl- channel-associated protein, pICln. Human reticulocyte pICln (HRpICln) cDNA encodes a protein (predicted molecular mass 26293Da) identical with human non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cell pICln. By using full-length HRpICln cDNA (approx. 1.2 kb) to probe human lymphocyte metaphase-chromosome spreads, the location of the human ICln gene was mapped to 11q13 by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Polyclonal antibodies to recombinant HRpICln detected bands at approx. 43 kDa and approx. 37 kDa in both normal (AA) and sickle (SS) red blood cell (RBC) ghost membranes. In SS ghosts, and in ghosts from a patient with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia with 9.8% reticulocytes, the amount of HRpICln was increased compared with AA ghosts, suggesting that the expression or membrane assembly of HRpICln is cell age-dependent. Laser scanning confocal fluorescent microscopy immunolocalized HRpICln largely to the RBC membrane. The increased staining intensity of HRpICln in a reticulocyte-enriched AA RBC density-separated fraction is consistent with a dependence of HRpICln membrane content on cell age. HRpICln and beta-actin form stable complexes in vivo, demonstrated with the yeast two-hybrid system. Low-ionic-strength extraction of ghost membranes, which results in the extraction of the spectrin-actin cytoskeleton, also results in the extraction of HRpICln, consistent with the possibility for the association of these proteins in RBCs in vivo. The results presented here establish the presence of the Cl- channel-associated protein, pICln, in human RBCs, and raises the possibility that this protein has a role in RBC Cl- transport and volume regulation in young RBCs. Moreover the association of RBC pICln with actin offers a model in which to test interactions between RBC ion channels and the cytoskeleton.

  12. Synthesis of hemoglobin Gun Hill: increased synthesis of the heme-free βGH globin chain and subunit exchange with a free α-chain pool

    PubMed Central

    Rieder, Ronald F.

    1971-01-01

    Hemoglobin Gun Hill is an unstable mutant hemoglobin associated with mild compensated hemolysis. This abnormal protein has a deletion of five amino acids in the β-chains. The deletion includes the heme-binding proximal histidine at position 92. The β-chains of hemoglobin Gun Hill lack heme groups. Approximately 32% of the circulating hemoglobin in heterozygous subjects consists of the mutant hemoglobin. When reticulocytes were incubated with radioactive amino acid the specific activity of hemoglobin Gun Hill was three to six times that of hemoglobin A. Total incorporation of radioactivity into hemoglobin Gun Hill was two to three times that into hemoglobin A. There were 20-50% more total counts in β-Gun Hill (βGH) than in βA. These results indicate that in reticulocytes there was greater synthesis of the abnormal β-chains than βA-chains. The ratio of the specific activities of the α-chains of hemoglobin Gun Hill to the α-chains of hemoglobin A was 20: 1. There was evidence of a free pool of α-chains in the reticulocytes containing hemoglobin Gun Hill. After 10 min of incubation approximately 40% of the total α-chain radioactivity was in the free pool. When protein synthesis was blocked by incubation of reticulocytes with puromycin, the specific activity of the α-chains of hemoglobin Gun Hill continued to increase due to direct exchange of α-subunits between the free pool and preformed hemoglobin Gun Hill. Studies of the assembly of βA and βGH revealed that the rates of translation of the two polypeptide chains were equal and uniform. No evidence was obtained for the existence of “slow points” in the process of globin chain assembly. The studies also suggest that lack of strong heme-globin binding does not hinder the synthesis of globin chains. PMID:5540175

  13. Bisphenol A and its methylated congeners inhibit growth and interfere with microtubules in human fibroblasts in vitro.

    PubMed

    Lehmann, Leane; Metzler, Manfred

    2004-04-15

    Bisphenol A (BPA), a monomer of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, has previously been reported to induce micronuclei containing whole chromosomes in Chinese hamster V79 cells. In the present study, the aneuploidogenic potential of BPA was investigated in cultured human AG01522C fibroblasts. In contrast to the known aneugens diethylstilbestrol (DES) and 17beta-estradiol, which caused mitotic arrest and the induction of kinetochore-positive micronuclei, BPA did not induce micronuclei and inhibited the proliferation of AG01522C cells in G2 phase and probably also in G1 phase. Fluorescence microscopy of the BPA-treated cells after immunofluorescent staining of microtubules revealed structural abnormalities of the cytoplasmic microtubule complex (CMTC): densely stained rings and loops of tubulin were observed, which increased in number with increasing BPA concentration and were more stable against low temperature than normal microtubules. The mechanisms of the growth inhibition and the interference with microtubules elicited by BPA in AG01522C cells are presently unknown. The formation of rings and loops in the CMTC of AG01522C cells was also observed with two congeners of BPA carrying one and two, respectively, additional methyl groups in ortho-position to the phenolic hydroxyl group at each aromatic ring. However, in contrast to BPA itself, these congeners of BPA behaved "DES-like" by inducing mitotic arrest and kinetochore-positive micronuclei in AG01522C cells.

  14. Evaluation of phosphine genotoxicity at occupational levels of exposure in New South Wales, Australia.

    PubMed Central

    Barbosa, A; Bonin, A M

    1994-01-01

    Phosphine has been claimed to cause chromosomal damage at exposures close to the current time weighted average exposure standard of 0.3 ppm (0.4 mg/m3). The current study involved 31 phosphine fumigators and 21 controls during the high fumigation season. All were volunteers and were evaluated for genotoxicity variables, including micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes and urine mutagenicity. In parallel, all fumigators and 17 controls were evaluated for full haematology, multiple biochemical analysis, whole blood organochlorines, and whole blood and serum cholinesterase activity. The results for micronuclei showed no significant differences between fumigators and controls, but detected a strong association between age and increased frequency of micronuclei. Measurement of urine mutagenicity did not show any significant difference between fumigators and controls, but did show increased excretion of mutagens in smokers. All haematological and biochemical variables were within normal ranges, except for some non-specific changes in biochemistry. At monitored occupational exposures of < 2.4 ppm/h our results show no association between phosphine exposure and genotoxic or toxicological effects in fumigators. PMID:8000496

  15. Micronuclei induced by reverse transcriptase inhibitors in mononucleated and binucleated cells as assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated the clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential of three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (zidovudine - AZT, lamivudine - 3TC and stavudine - d4T) using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocyte cultures. All three inhibitors produced a positive response when tested in binucleated cells. The genotoxicity of AZT and 3TC was restricted to binucleated cells since there was no significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells. This finding indicated that AZT and 3TC caused chromosomal breakage and that their genotoxicity was related to a clastogenic action. In addition to the positive response observed with d4T in binucleated cells, this drug also increased the frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated cells, indicating clastogenic and aneugenic actions. Since the structural differences between AZT and 3TC and AZT and d4T involve the 3' position in the 2'-deoxyribonucleoside and in an unsaturated 2',3',dideoxyribose, respectively, we suggest that an unsaturated 2', 3', dideoxyribose is responsible for the clastogenic and aneugenic actions of d4T. PMID:21637587

  16. Genotoxic effects of X-rays in buccal mucosal cells in children subjected to dental radiographs

    PubMed Central

    Preethi, Naveena; Chikkanarasaiah, Nagarathna; Bethur, Shakuntala S

    2016-01-01

    Objectives/Aims: Bitewing and digital dental panoramic radiographs have become important adjuvants for successful dental practice in pediatric dentistry. Both methods lead to genetic changes in the oral buccal epithelium that have not yet been satisfactorily explored. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects induced by X-ray radiation from bitewing and panoramic dental radiography in exfoliated buccal epithelial cells of children, using the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome assay. Materials and Methods: Children (n=40) who met the inclusion criteria and provided signed informed consent were included in the study. Children were selected for undergoing bitewing radiographs (group 1; n=20) or digital dental panoramic radiographs (group 2; n=20). Exfoliated buccal mucosal cells were obtained by scraping the right/left buccal mucosa with a wooden spatula immediately before the X-ray exposure and 10±2 days after exposure. Results: The frequency of micronuclei increases significantly post exposure to both bitewing and digital dental panoramic radiography in children, but the frequency was higher in bitewing radiographs. Conclusion: It was concluded that the frequency of micronuclei increases post exposure to both bitewing and digital panoramic radiographs. Increased radiation exposure results in an increase in micronuclei frequency. PMID:29607062

  17. Sunitinib induces genomic instability of renal carcinoma cells through affecting the interaction of LC3-II and PARP-1.

    PubMed

    Yan, Siyuan; Liu, Ling; Ren, Fengxia; Gao, Quan; Xu, Shanshan; Hou, Bolin; Wang, Yange; Jiang, Xuejun; Che, Yongsheng

    2017-08-10

    Deficiency of autophagy has been linked to increase in nuclear instability, but the role of autophagy in regulating the formation and elimination of micronuclei, a diagnostic marker for genomic instability, is limited in mammalian cells. Utilizing immunostaining and subcellular fractionation, we found that either LC3-II or the phosphorylated Ulk1 localized in nuclei, and immunoprecipitation results showed that both LC3 and Unc-51-like kinase 1 (Ulk1) interacted with γ-H2AX, a marker for the DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). Sunitinib, a multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was found to enhance the autophagic flux concurring with increase in the frequency of micronuclei accrued upon inhibition of autophagy, and similar results were also obtained in the rasfonin-treated cells. Moreover, the punctate LC3 staining colocalized with micronuclei. Unexpectedly, deprivation of SQSTM1/p62 alone accumulated micronuclei, which was not further increased upon challenge with ST. Rad51 is a protein central to repairing DSB by homologous recombination and treatment with ST or rasfonin decreased its expression. In several cell lines, p62 appeared in the immunoprecipites of Rad51, whereas LC3, Ulk1 and p62 interacted with PARP-1, another protein involved in DNA repair and genomic stability. In addition, knockdown of either Rad51 or PARP-1 completely inhibited the ST-induced autophagic flux. Taken together, the data presented here demonstrated that both LC3-II and the phosphorylated Ulk1 localized in nuclei and interacted with the proteins essential for nuclear stability, thereby revealing a more intimate relationship between autophagy and genomic stability.

  18. Sunitinib induces genomic instability of renal carcinoma cells through affecting the interaction of LC3-II and PARP-1

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Siyuan; Liu, Ling; Ren, Fengxia; Gao, Quan; Xu, Shanshan; Hou, Bolin; Wang, Yange; Jiang, Xuejun; Che, Yongsheng

    2017-01-01

    Deficiency of autophagy has been linked to increase in nuclear instability, but the role of autophagy in regulating the formation and elimination of micronuclei, a diagnostic marker for genomic instability, is limited in mammalian cells. Utilizing immunostaining and subcellular fractionation, we found that either LC3-II or the phosphorylated Ulk1 localized in nuclei, and immunoprecipitation results showed that both LC3 and Unc-51-like kinase 1 (Ulk1) interacted with γ-H2AX, a marker for the DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). Sunitinib, a multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was found to enhance the autophagic flux concurring with increase in the frequency of micronuclei accrued upon inhibition of autophagy, and similar results were also obtained in the rasfonin-treated cells. Moreover, the punctate LC3 staining colocalized with micronuclei. Unexpectedly, deprivation of SQSTM1/p62 alone accumulated micronuclei, which was not further increased upon challenge with ST. Rad51 is a protein central to repairing DSB by homologous recombination and treatment with ST or rasfonin decreased its expression. In several cell lines, p62 appeared in the immunoprecipites of Rad51, whereas LC3, Ulk1 and p62 interacted with PARP-1, another protein involved in DNA repair and genomic stability. In addition, knockdown of either Rad51 or PARP-1 completely inhibited the ST-induced autophagic flux. Taken together, the data presented here demonstrated that both LC3-II and the phosphorylated Ulk1 localized in nuclei and interacted with the proteins essential for nuclear stability, thereby revealing a more intimate relationship between autophagy and genomic stability. PMID:28796254

  19. Analytic errors in Sysmex-generated hematology results in blood from a dog with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

    PubMed

    Novacco, Marilisa; Martini, Valeria; Grande, Carmen; Comazzi, Stefano

    2015-09-01

    A blood sample from a 14-year-old dog was submitted to the veterinary diagnostic laboratory of the University of Milan for marked leukocytosis with atypical cells. A diagnosis of chronic T-cell lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was made based on blood smear evaluation and flow cytometric phenotyping. A CBC by Sysmex XT-2000iV revealed a moderate normocytic normochromic anemia. Red blood cells counted by optic flow cytometry (RBC-O) resulted in a higher value than using electrical impedance (RBC-I). The relative reticulocyte count based on RNA content and size was 35.3%, while the manual reticulocyte count was < 1%. The WBC count of 1,562,680 cells/μL was accompanied by a flag. Manual counts for RBC and WBC using the Bürker chamber confirmed the Sysmex impedance results. Finally the manual PCV was lower than HCT by Sysmex. While Sysmex XT can differentiate between RBC and WBC by impedance, even in the face of extreme lymphocytosis due to CLL, RBC-O can be affected by bias, resulting in falsely increased RBC and reticulocyte numbers. Overestimation of RBC-O may be due to incorrect Sysmex classification of leukemic cells or their fragments as reticulocytes. This phenomenon is known as pseudoreticulocytosis and can lead to misinterpretation of regenerative anemia. On the other side PCV can be affected by bias in CLL due to the trapping of RBC in the buffy coat, resulting in a pink hue in the separation area. As HGB concentration is not affected by flow cytometric or other cell-related artifacts it may represent the most reliable variable to assess the degree of anemia in cases of CLL. © 2015 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  20. Identification and immunological characterization of the ligand domain of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte binding protein 1a.

    PubMed

    Ntumngia, Francis B; Thomson-Luque, Richard; Galusic, Sandra; Frato, Gabriel; Frischmann, Sarah; Peabody, David S; Chackerian, Bryce; Ferreira, Marcelo U; King, Christopher L; Adams, John H

    2018-05-07

    Erythrocyte invasion by malaria parasites is essential for blood-stage development. Consequently, parasite proteins critically involved in erythrocyte invasion such as the Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte-binding proteins (RBPs) that mediate preferential invasion of reticulocytes are considered potential vaccine targets. Thus, targeting the RBPs could prevent blood-stage infection and disease. The RBPs are large and little is known about their functional domains and whether individuals naturally exposed to P. vivax acquire binding-inhibitory antibodies to these critical binding regions. This study aims at functionally and immunologically characterize Plasmodium vivax RBP1a. Recombinant proteins of overlapping fragments of RBP1a were used to determine binding specificity to erythrocytes and immunogenicity in laboratory animals. Naturally-acquired antibody response to these proteins was evaluated using serum samples from individuals in endemic regions. The N-terminal extracellular region, RBP1157-650 (RBP1:F8) was determined to bind both reticulocytes and normocytes, with a preference for immature reticulocytes. Antibodies elicited against rRBP1:F8 blocked RBP1:F8-erythrocyte binding. Naturally-acquired anti-RBP1 binding-inhibitory antibodies were detected in serum of P. vivax exposed-individuals from Papua New Guinea and Brazil. Recombinant RBP1:F8 binds human erythrocytes, elicits artificially-induced functional blocking antibodies and is a target of naturally acquired binding-inhibitory antibodies.

  1. Effect of Spirulina maxima and its protein extract on micronuclei induction by hydroxyurea in pregnant mice and their fetuses.

    PubMed

    Álvarez-González, Isela; Vázquez-Sánchez, Jorge; Chamorro-Cevallos, Germán; Madrigal-Bujaidar, Eduardo

    2013-11-01

    The purpose of the present report was to determine the inhibitory effect of Spirulina maxima (Sm) and its protein extract (PE), mainly consisting of C-phycocyanin, on the increase in micronuclei and bone marrow cytotoxicity induced by hydroxyurea (HU) in pregnant mice and their fetuses. The two tested antimutagenic agents were administered daily from day 10 to day 18 of pregnancy, and HU (300 mg/kg) was administered once on day 16 of the assay. The experimental design also included mice that were administered only Sm or PE (1000 and 400 mg/kg, respectively), two control groups that were administered with vehicles (water and 0.5% Tween 80), and one additional group that was treated solely with HU. Blood samples from the pregnant mice and their fetuses were examined at day 19 of pregnancy. Significant increases in the number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and in the total number of micronucleated erythrocytes were observed in all HU-treated animals. In contrast, similarly low numbers of micronuclei were observed in the two control groups and in the groups treated with Sm and PE alone. The administration of Sm (100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) and PE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) to HU-treated animals conferred moderate genotoxic protection (∼30%) and some protection against the cytotoxicity induced by HU in mice. The obtained results provide new information regarding the capacity of the tested agents to confer protection to adult mice and transplacentally, as well as on a specific subclass of micronuclei.

  2. A Start Toward Micronucleus-Based Decompression Models; Altitude Decompression

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Van Liew, H. D.; Conkin, Johnny

    2007-01-01

    Do gaseous micronuclei trigger the formation of bubbles in decompression sickness (DCS)? Most previous instructions for DCS prevention have been oriented toward supersaturated gas in tissue. We are developing a mathematical model that is oriented toward the expected behavior of micronuclei. The issue is simplified in altitude decompressions because the aviator or astronaut is exposed only to decompression, whereas in diving there is a compression before the decompression. The model deals with four variables: duration of breathing of 100% oxygen before going to altitude (O2 prebreathing), altitude of the exposure, exposure duration, and rate of ascent. Assumptions: a) there is a population of micronuclei of various sizes having a range of characteristics, b) micronuclei are stable until they grow to a certain critical nucleation radius, c) it takes time for gas to diffuse in or out of micronuclei, and d) all other variables being equal, growth of micronuclei upon decompression is more rapid at high altitude because of the rarified gas in the micronuclei. To estimate parameters, we use a dataset of 4,756 men in altitude chambers exposed to various combinations of the model s variables. The model predicts occurrence of DCS symptoms quite well. It is notable that both the altitude chamber data and the model show little effect of O2 prebreathing until it lasts more than 60 minutes; this is in contrast to a conventional idea that the benefit of prebreathing is directly due to exponential washout of tissue nitrogen. The delay in response to O2 prebreathing can be interpreted as time required for outward diffusion of nitrogen; when the micronuclei become small enough, they are disabled, either by crushing or because they cannot expand to a critical nucleation size when the subject ascends to altitude.

  3. Effect of a vegan diet on biomarkers of chemoprevention in females.

    PubMed

    Verhagen, H; Rauma, A L; Törrönen, R; de Vogel, N; Bruijntjes-Rozier, G C; Drevo, M A; Bogaards, J J; Mykkänen, H

    1996-10-01

    1. In order to study the potential beneficial effects of a vegan diet, a cross-sectional study was performed and several biomarkers of chemoprevention were measured in a population of female 'living food' eaters ('vegans'; n = 20) vs matched omnivorous controls (n = 20). 2. White blood cells obtained from fresh blood samples were subjected to the single-cell gel-electrophoresis assay. There was no statistically significant difference between the vegans and controls in the parameters 'tail length' and 'tail moment'. However, the 'tail moment' was significantly lower in a subset of the vegans (i.e.in those who did not use any vitamin and/or mineral supplements). 3. Fresh blood samples were exposed in vitro to the mutagen mitomycin C just prior to culturing. After culturing the number of binucleated lymphocytes with micronuclei was scored. There was no difference between the controls and vegans in the incidence of baseline micronuclei, nor in the number of mitomycin C-induced micronuclei. However, a significant correlation (r = -0.64, P < 0.01) between the number of mitomycin C-induced micronuclei and the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase was found in the vegans. The number of baseline micronuclei increased with age in both groups. These findings may be of biological relevance. 4. The content of glutathione-S-transferase-alpha in plasma was not different between the vegans (n = 12) and controls (n = 12). 5. The present data indicate a few differences in biomarkers of chemopreventive potential in strict vegans vs matched omnivorous controls. The significance of these changes as biologically relevant indicators of beneficial effects of vegan diets in humans needs to be determined in studies with a larger number of subjects.

  4. Competitive advantage of diferric transferrin in delivering iron to reticulocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Huebers, H A; Csiba, E; Huebers, E; Finch, C A

    1983-01-01

    Radioiron- and radioiodine-labeled forms of human diferric and monoferric transferrin and apotransferrin, isolated by preparative isoelectric focusing, were used to define transferrin-iron uptake by human reticulocytes. In mixtures of human diferric and monoferric transferrin, the diferric molecule had a constant 7-fold advantage in delivering iron to reticulocytes, as compared with the 2-fold advantage when single solutions of mono- and diferric transferrins were compared. This was shown to be due to competitive interaction in iron delivery, probably at a common membrane-receptor binding site for transferrin. Apotransferrin did not interfere with the iron-donating process and its limited cellular uptake was inhibited in noncompetitive fashion by diferric transferrin. PMID:6572005

  5. Impact of external haematology proficiency testing programme on quality of laboratories.

    PubMed

    Saxena, Renu; Katoch, S C; Srinivas, Upendra; Rao, Seema; Anand, Hema

    2007-11-01

    A reliable and reproducible report from a laboratory needs internal quality control within the laboratory and participation in external proficiency testing programmes (EPTP). This study conducted at the Department of Haematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, which has been conducting an EPTP since 1992, was undertaken to assess the efficacy of this programme in improving the performance of participating laboratories in reporting test samples sent for Hb, total leucocyte count (TLC), reticulocyte count and assessment of peripheral blood smear (PBS). The samples were prepared in our laboratory according to the International Standards Organization (ISO) guidelines. The performance of individual laboratories was assessed using robust Z score, which is an indicator of acceptability of the test result. An improvement in the overall percentage of laboratories with acceptable reports was seen during the study period. It has increased from 38,40,40 per cent in 1992 to 85, 90,94.7 per cent in 2006 for Hb, TLC, reticulocyte count, respectively. However, the results for peripheral smear assessment improved only marginally. The external haematology proficiency testing programme run by our department for Hb, TLC, reticulocyte count, and peripheral blood smear assessment, has helped in improving the reporting standards of these parameters in Indian laboratories.

  6. Pseudoreticulocytosis in a patient with hemoglobin Köln due to autofluorescent erythrocytes enumerated as reticulocytes by the Cell-Dyn 4000.

    PubMed

    Sato, Shoko; Hirayama, Koichi; Koyama, Akio; Harano, Teruo; Nagasawa, Toshiro; Ninomiya, Haruhiko

    2004-01-01

    Pseudoreticulocytosis in a 25-year-old female patient with hemoglobin Köln is reported. The abnormal hemoglobin, hemoglobin Köln (beta chain, Val98-->Met), had previously been confirmed in the patient at the age of 21 years, as well as in her mother, by polymerase chain reaction-based direct sequence analysis of the beta globin gene. The patient underwent splenectomy at the age of 22 years. On her admission to our hospital for treatment of an immunoglobulin A nephropathy, an analysis by an automated hematology analyzer, the Abbott Cell-Dyn 4000 (CD4000), reported a marked reticulocytosis. Staining by the Brecher method with new methylene blue indicated a moderate reticulocytosis (5.7%) of a lesser extent than that indicated by the CD4000 (51.1%). The frequencies of red blood cells (RBC) with Pappenheimer bodies (13.8%), Heinz bodies (32.7%), and Howell-Jolly bodies (0.3%) were increased. The CD4000 detects RBC with RNA fluorescently stained with CD4K530 as reticulocytes. Autofluorescence of RBC with hemoglobin Köln, as we demonstrated by flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy, was considered to have caused the pseudoreticulocytosis on the fully automated reticulocyte enumeration by the CD4000.

  7. Induction of micronuclei and binuclei in blood, gill and liver cells of fishes subchronically exposed to cadmium chloride and copper sulphate.

    PubMed

    Cavas, Tolga; Garanko, Natasha N; Arkhipchuk, Victor V

    2005-04-01

    Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) and Peppered cory (Corydoras paleatus) were evaluated as target species to perform genotoxicity tests for heavy metals. Fishes were exposed to different doses of cadmium (0.005-0.1 mg/L) and copper (0.01-0.25 mg/L) for 21 days. Hexavalent chromium at a single dose of 5 mg/L was used as a positive control. Frequencies of micronuclei and binuclei were evaluated comparatively in peripheral blood erythrocytes, gill epithelial cells and liver cells. As a result it was observed that, fish species and their tissues showed differential sensitivity to the heavy metal treatment. In general, frequencies of micronucleated and binucleated cells significantly increased following the exposure for 21 days to copper, cadmium and chromium. On the other hand, gill and liver cells showed higher frequencies of micronuclei and binuclei than erythrocytes. Our results indicated the formation of micronuclei and binuclei in fish cells caused by their exposure to cadmium, copper and chromium, thus verifying results obtained earlier on mammals, which indicated that these heavy metals have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. The suitability of the micronucleus assay in native fish species for the screening of aquatic genotoxicants is highlighted and the importance of target tissue selection in the piscine micronucleus test is emphasized.

  8. Changes in haematology measurements with the Sysmex XT-2000iV during storage of feline blood sampled in EDTA or EDTA plus CTAD.

    PubMed

    Granat, Fanny; Geffré, Anne; Bourgès-Abella, Nathalie; Braun, Jean-Pierre; Trumel, Catherine

    2013-06-01

    In veterinary medicine a complete blood cell count (CBC) cannot always be performed within 24 h as usually recommended, particularly for specimens shipped to a reference laboratory. This raises the question of the stability of the variables, especially in ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) feline blood specimens, known to be prone to in vitro platelet aggregation. Citrate, theophylline, adenosine and dipyridamole (CTAD) has been reported to limit platelet aggregation in feline blood specimens. The aim of this study was to measure the stability of the haematological variables and the platelet aggregation score in EDTA and EDTA plus CTAD (EDCT) feline blood specimens during 48 h of storage at room temperature. Forty-six feline EDTA and EDCT blood specimens were analysed with a Sysmex XT-2000iV analyser, and the platelet count and score of platelet aggregation were estimated immediately and after 24 and 48 h of storage. A significant increase in mean corpuscular volume, haematocrit, reticulocyte and eosinophil counts, and a significant decrease in mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and monocyte count were observed. Haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and red blood cell, white blood cell, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts remained stable. Changes in reticulocyte indexes with time (low fluorescence ratio, medium fluorescence ratio, high fluorescence ratio and immature reticulocyte fraction) were not significant. Changes were generally more pronounced in EDTA than in EDCT. Platelet aggregation decreased markedly in initially highly aggregated EDTA specimens, and increased slightly in initially non- or mildly-aggregated EDTA or EDCT specimens. Platelet counts increased and decreased, or remained stable, respectively. CTAD can reduce storage-induced changes of the haematological variables in feline samples, thus improving the reliability of a CBC and limiting clinical misinterpretations.

  9. Genotoxic Evaluation of Mexican Welders Occupationally Exposed to Welding-Fumes Using the Micronucleus Test on Exfoliated Oral Mucosa Cells: A Cross-Sectional, Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Jara-Ettinger, Ana Cecilia; López-Tavera, Juan Carlos; Zavala-Cerna, María Guadalupe; Torres-Bugarín, Olivia

    2015-01-01

    An estimated 800,000 people worldwide are occupationally exposed to welding-fumes. Previous studies show that the exposure to such fumes is associated with damage to genetic material and increased cancer risk. In this study, we evaluate the genotoxic effect of welding-fumes using the Micronucleus Test on oral mucosa cells of Mexican welders. We conducted a cross-sectional, matched case-control study of n = 66 (33 exposed welders, and 33 healthy controls). Buccal mucosa smears were collected and stained with acridine orange, observed under 100x optical amplification with a fluorescence lamp, and a single-blinded observer counted the number of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities per 2,000 observed cells. We compared the frequencies of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities, and fitted generalised linear models to investigate the interactions between nuclear abnormalities and the exposure to welding-fumes, while controlling for smoking and age. Binucleated cells and condensed-chromatin cells showed statistically significant differences between cases and controls. The frequency of micronuclei and the rest of nuclear abnormalities (lobed-nuclei, pyknosis, karyolysis, and karyorrhexis) did not differ significantly between the groups. After adjusting for smoking, the regression results showed that the occurrence of binucleated cells could be predicted by the exposure to welding-fumes plus the presence of tobacco consumption; for the condensed-chromatin cells, our model showed that the exposure to welding-fumes is the only reliable predictor. Our findings suggest that Mexican welders who are occupationally exposed to welding-fumes have increased counts of binucleated and condensed-chromatin cells. Nevertheless, the frequencies of micronuclei and the rest of nuclear abnormalities did not differ between cases and controls. Further studies should shed more light on this subject.

  10. Diversity Outbred Mice Identify Population-Based Exposure Thresholds and Genetic Factors that Influence Benzene-Induced Genotoxicity

    PubMed Central

    Gatti, Daniel M.; Morgan, Daniel L.; Kissling, Grace E.; Shockley, Keith R.; Knudsen, Gabriel A.; Shepard, Kim G.; Price, Herman C.; King, Deborah; Witt, Kristine L.; Pedersen, Lars C.; Munger, Steven C.; Svenson, Karen L.; Churchill, Gary A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Inhalation of benzene at levels below the current exposure limit values leads to hematotoxicity in occupationally exposed workers. Objective We sought to evaluate Diversity Outbred (DO) mice as a tool for exposure threshold assessment and to identify genetic factors that influence benzene-induced genotoxicity. Methods We exposed male DO mice to benzene (0, 1, 10, or 100 ppm; 75 mice/exposure group) via inhalation for 28 days (6 hr/day for 5 days/week). The study was repeated using two independent cohorts of 300 animals each. We measured micronuclei frequency in reticulocytes from peripheral blood and bone marrow and applied benchmark concentration modeling to estimate exposure thresholds. We genotyped the mice and performed linkage analysis. Results We observed a dose-dependent increase in benzene-induced chromosomal damage and estimated a benchmark concentration limit of 0.205 ppm benzene using DO mice. This estimate is an order of magnitude below the value estimated using B6C3F1 mice. We identified a locus on Chr 10 (31.87 Mb) that contained a pair of overexpressed sulfotransferases that were inversely correlated with genotoxicity. Conclusions The genetically diverse DO mice provided a reproducible response to benzene exposure. The DO mice display interindividual variation in toxicity response and, as such, may more accurately reflect the range of response that is observed in human populations. Studies using DO mice can localize genetic associations with high precision. The identification of sulfotransferases as candidate genes suggests that DO mice may provide additional insight into benzene-induced genotoxicity. Citation French JE, Gatti DM, Morgan DL, Kissling GE, Shockley KR, Knudsen GA, Shepard KG, Price HC, King D, Witt KL, Pedersen LC, Munger SC, Svenson KL, Churchill GA. 2015. Diversity Outbred mice identify population-based exposure thresholds and genetic factors that influence benzene-induced genotoxicity. Environ Health Perspect 123:237–245; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408202 PMID:25376053

  11. Organophosphorus pesticides enhance the genotoxicity of benzo(a)pyrene by modulating its metabolism.

    PubMed

    Hreljac, Irena; Filipic, Metka

    2009-12-01

    Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are widely used as pesticides. They act primarily as neurotoxins, but there is increasing evidence for secondary mechanisms of their toxicity. We have shown that the model OPs, methyl parathion (PT) and methyl paraoxon (PO), are genotoxic. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a widespread environmental genotoxin found in cigarette smoke, polluted air and grilled food. As people are constantly exposed to low concentrations of BaP and also to OPs, the aim of this study was to determine possible synergistic effects of PT and PO on BaP-induced genotoxicity. In the bacterial reverse mutation assay, PT and PO increased the number of BaP-induced mutations. The comet assay with human hepatoma HepG2 cells showed that BaP-induced DNA strand breaks were increased by PT but slightly decreased by PO. Using the acellular comet assay with UVC-induced DNA strand breaks, we observed a decrease in DNA migration, indicating that OPs cause cross-linking, thus interfering with comet assay results. In HepG2 cells the two OPs induced micronuclei formation at very low doses (0.01 microg/ml) and together with BaP, a more than additive increase of micronuclei was observed, confirming their co-genotoxic effect. We demonstrated for the first time that PT and PO modulate the metabolic activation of BaP. Addition of PT or PO increased aldo-keto reductase (AKR1C1/2) levels in the presence of BaP, while cytochrome 1A (CYP1A) mRNA expression and activity were decreased. Further, specific inhibition of CYP1A had no effect on BaP or OP+BaP-induced micronuclei, whereas inhibition of AKR1C dramatically decreased the number of micronuclei induced by BaP or OP+BaP. Based on these results we propose that co-genotoxicity results from OPs mediated modulation of BaP metabolism, favouring the induction of AKR1C enzymes known to catalyse the formation of DNA reactive BaP o-quinones and the production of reactive oxygen species.

  12. [Effect of stress actions on some hematologic and biochemical parameters of rat blood and on energetic intermolecular interactions in lipid extract under effect of light radiation].

    PubMed

    Zabelinskiĭ, S A; Chebotareva, M A; Tavrovskaia, T V; Skverchinskaia, E A; Shukoliukova, E P; Maslov, M N; Krivchenko, A I

    2012-01-01

    Comparative study has been carried of effect of the three-day long starvation, running, and their combination on morphological parameters of rat blood, lipid metabolism, and activity of blood Na,K-ATPase. Different effect has been shown of these stress factors on the blood erythrocyte composition. Starvation is accompanied by the most pronounced release of stored erythrocyte into blood, which results in a significant decrease both of the total amount of reticulocytes and the complete absence of reticulocytes of the I stage of maturity (the youngest). The running on treadmill led to a significant increase of the total amount of blood reticulocytes and to multiple increase of immature reticulocytes (RC-I and RC-II), which can indicate some stress of the bone marrow erythroid stem line. The curve of acid resistance of blood reticulocytes has shown the animal to experience the greatest stress at a combination of starvation and running. Starvation and running produced different effects on blood lipid characteristics. The content of triacylglycerides (TAG) in blood rose by 40% at starvation and decreased by 30% at running, a similar tendency being found for index of atherogeneity. The fatty acid composition of blood phospholipids at running and its combination with starvation practically did not differ from control. A change of Na,K-ATPase, which is so characteristic of reaction to various kinds of stress, sharply fell at starvation (by 22%), but increased at running (by 13%) and decreased markedly at combination of these actions. Absorption spectra of lipid extracts of the whole blood of the rats submitted to various stress actions showed that extracted from blood (at different amount depending on the kind of action) is an organic substance with coupled bonds, which absorbs light in the diapason of 360-620 nm. The absorption of light in the diapason of 400-410 nm has been found to belong to the Soret band of ferroheme and ferriheme. The shift of the Soret band indicates electron transitions in the iron cation. By the change and disappearance of the Soret band, it is possible to judge about the processes occurring in the lipid extract. The disappearance of the Soret band in the lipid extract indicates formation in it of steady radicals as a result of the ferriheme disintegration due to accumulation of energy in porphyrin, which does not seem to occur in the blood cell membranes. The iron atom in the ferriheme molecule is known to accept electron and yields a part of energy probably to porphyrin. Then ferriheme yields electron and becomes ferriheme with excess of energy in porphyrin. Hence, at admission of the next electron to the iron atom the porphyrin molecule is to get rid of the energy obtained earlier to prevent its disintegration. The heme is possible to be an accumulator and distributor of energy in tissue.

  13. [Risk factors for children's population health in stressed environmental conditions of lead pollition].

    PubMed

    Baidaulet, I O; Namazbaeva, Z I; Dasybayeva, G N; Bazeluk, L T; Sabirov, Zh V; Kusainova, D S

    2013-01-01

    Adverse environmental conditions in Shymkent significantly increase the risk of accumulation of lead in the bodies of the children of the third generation of the population residing in the contaminated areas, cause deteriorations of antioxidant defense in the respiratory system, greatly decline barrier-protective properties of cellular systems of the local immunity, disturb the process of hematopoiesis. Performed statistical analysis of the data permitted to identify a correlation relationship between the accumulation of lead in the soil and the change in the functional activity of the cells of buccal cheek epithelium, catalase activity in expired breath condensate. Haematological signs of lead poisoning include not only the number of reticulocytes, but also the correction (RPI) for the alteration with allowances made for the maturation of reticulocytes in peripheral blood circulation as early criterion for toxic anemia.

  14. Patients with sickle cell disease taking hydroxyurea in the Hemocentro Regional de Montes Claros

    PubMed Central

    Santos, Fernanda Kelle de Souza; Maia, Caroline Nogueira

    2011-01-01

    Background The development of therapies for sickle cell disease has received special attention, particularly those that reduce the polymerization of hemoglobin S. Hydroxyurea is a commonly used medication because it has the ability to raise levels of fetal hemoglobin, decrease the frequency of vaso-occlusive episodes and thus improve the clinical course of sickle cell disease patients. Objective To study hematological data and the clinical profile of sickle cell disease patients taking hydroxyurea in a regional blood center. Methods From the charts of 20 patients with sickle cell anemia, the clinical outcomes and a number of hematological variables were analyzed before and during treatment with hydroxyurea. Results The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 41 years old, most were dark skinned and there was a predominance of women. The main symptom that defined whether patients were prescribed hydroxyurea was painful crises followed by hospitalizations. During treatment with hydroxyurea there were significant increases in hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. The reticulocyte and white blood cell counts dropped significantly with treatment. A positive correlation was found between fetal hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume before and during treatment. Additionally, a correlation was found between the white blood cell and reticulocyte counts before treatment with hydroxyurea. Conclusion Most patients showed improvements with treatment as demonstrated by increases in hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume, as well as by reductions in the reticulocyte and white blood cell counts. Clinically, more than 50% of patients had a significant reduction of events. PMID:23284256

  15. Optimal Reference Gene Selection for Expression Studies in Human Reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    Aggarwal, Anu; Jamwal, Manu; Viswanathan, Ganesh K; Sharma, Prashant; Sachdeva, ManUpdesh S; Bansal, Deepak; Malhotra, Pankaj; Das, Reena

    2018-05-01

    Reference genes are indispensable for normalizing mRNA levels across samples in real-time quantitative PCR. Their expression levels vary under different experimental conditions and because of several inherent characteristics. Appropriate reference gene selection is thus critical for gene-expression studies. This study aimed at selecting optimal reference genes for gene-expression analysis of reticulocytes and at validating them in hereditary spherocytosis (HS) and β-thalassemia intermedia (βTI) patients. Seven reference genes (PGK1, MPP1, HPRT1, ACTB, GAPDH, RN18S1, and SDHA) were selected because of published reports. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed on reticulocytes in 20 healthy volunteers, 15 HS patients, and 10 βTI patients. Threshold cycle values were compared with fold-change method and RefFinder software. The stable reference genes recommended by RefFinder were validated with SLC4A1 and flow cytometric eosin-5'-maleimide binding assay values in HS patients and HBG2 and high performance liquid chromatography-derived percentage of hemoglobin F in βTI. Comprehensive ranking predicted MPP1 and GAPDH as optimal reference genes for reticulocytes that were not affected in HS and βTI. This was further confirmed on validation with eosin-5'-maleimide results and percentage of hemoglobin F in HS and βTI patients, respectively. Hence, MPP1 and GAPDH are good reference genes for reticulocyte expression studies compared with ACTB and RN18S1, the two most commonly used reference genes. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Incidence of spontaneous twin anemia-polycythemia sequence in monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies: Single-center prospective study.

    PubMed

    Yokouchi, Tae; Murakoshi, Takeshi; Mishima, Takashi; Yano, Hiroko; Ohashi, Madoka; Suzuki, Takashi; Shinno, Takashi; Matsushita, Mitsuru; Nakayama, Satoru; Torii, Yuichi

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to prospectively estimate the incidence of spontaneous twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS) in monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies. We prospectively examined umbilical cord hemoglobin (Hb) and reticulocyte count of consecutive monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies delivered at Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital from December 2006 to September 2013. We excluded cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome, intrauterine fetal demise, and missing data (Hb and reticulocyte count missing from the medical record). TAPS was diagnosed using the postnatal criteria of intertwin Hb difference >8.0 g/dL and reticulocyte count ratio >1.7. Acute feto-fetal hemorrhage was defined as Hb difference >7 g/dL and reticulocyte count ratio <1.7. A total of 185 monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies were included in this study. Three fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for postnatal TAPS, and one fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for acute feto-fetal hemorrhage. The incidence of spontaneous TAPS in monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies was 1.6% (3/185) at Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  17. Sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei analysis in lymphocytes of men exposed to simazine through drinking water.

    PubMed

    Suárez, Susanna; Rubio, Arantxa; Sueiro, Rosa Ana; Garrido, Joaquín

    2003-06-06

    In some cities of the autonomous community of Extremadura (south-west of Spain), levels of simazine from 10 to 30 ppm were detected in tap water. To analyse the possible effect of this herbicide, two biomarkers, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei (MN), were used in peripheral blood lymphocytes from males exposed to simazine through drinking water. SCE and MN analysis failed to detect any statistically significant increase in the people exposed to simazine when compared with the controls. With respect to high frequency cells (HFC), a statistically significant difference was detected between exposed and control groups.

  18. Induction of micronuclei by HTLV-I Tax: a cellular assay for function.

    PubMed

    Majone, F; Semmes, O J; Jeang, K T

    1993-03-01

    Cellular chromosomal damage is ubiquitously seen in HTLV-I-transformed lymphocytes. It is also characteristic of cells that have been exposed to mutagens. A sensitive measurement for mutagen-induced DNA damage is the formation of micronuclei in treated cells. Because current evidence suggests that HTLV-I Tax is etiologically linked to transformation, we tested for its activity in inducing micronuclei. We show here that transfection into cells of a Tax-producing plasmid rapidly induced the formation of micronuclei. This effect cooperated with that of a mutagen (mitomycin C) and was correlated with the inherent trans-activation capacity of Tax. These findings suggest that a commonly used mutagen assay could be a quick biological test for putatively oncogenic proteins.

  19. Effect of occupational safety measures on micronucleus frequency in semiconductor workers.

    PubMed

    Winker, Robert; Roos, Gerhard; Pilger, Alexander; Rüdiger, Hugo W

    2008-02-01

    To examine whether semiconductor workers exposed to complex mixtures of chemical waste show an increase in genotoxic effects, and, if so, whether occupational safety measures protect these workers. To assess chemical exposure in the workplace, air monitoring of boron trifluoride and boron trichloride was performed and urinary concentrations of fluoride were measured. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus test on isolated lymphocytes was used for the detection of genotoxic effects. Two series of monitoring have been performed in order to assess the effect of implemented protection measures. We found a significantly higher mean frequency of micronuclei in exposed workers than in controls, whereas air monitoring and measurement of urinary fluoride failed to detect chemical exposure of these workers. Twelve years after implementation of protective measures, the mean level of micronuclei in exposed individuals was found to be as low as those from controls. These findings indicate that exposed workers in the semiconductor industry may have an increased risk of genotoxic effects from complex mixtures of chemical waste products. The decline of the mean level of micronuclei in exposed workers down to the base level of controls after implementation of protective measures points to the significance of adequate safety standards to protect against chromosomal damage in semiconductor personnel.

  20. Arsenic-induced genotoxicity in Nile tilapia (Orechromis niloticus); the role of Spirulina platensis extract.

    PubMed

    Sayed, Alaa El-Din H; Elbaghdady, Heba Allah M; Zahran, Eman

    2015-12-01

    Arsenic (As) is one of the most relevant environmental global single substance toxicants that have long been regarded as a carcinogenic and genotoxic potential. In this respect, we evaluated the cytogenetic effect of arsenic exposure in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), in terms of erythrocyte alteration, apoptosis, and induction of micronuclei. Spirulina platensis (SP) is a filamentous cyanobacterium microalgae with potent dietary phytoantioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancerous properties supplementation. The protective role of Spirulina as supplementary feeds was studied in Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) against arsenic-induced cytogenotoxicity. Four groups were assigned as control group (no SP or As), As group (exposed to water-born As in the form of NaAsO2 at 7 ppm), SP1 (SP at 7.5% + As at the same level of exposure), and SP2 (SP at 10% + As at the same level of exposure). As-treated group had a significant increase in all cytogenetic analyses including erythrocyte alteration, apoptosis, and induction of micronuclei after 2 weeks with continuous increase in response after 3 weeks. The combined treatment of Spirulina at two different concentrations of 7.5 and 10% had significantly declined the induction of erythrocyte alteration, apoptosis, and micronuclei formation induced by arsenic intoxication.

  1. Terminal Maturation of Orthochromatic Erythroblasts Is Impaired in Burn Patients.

    PubMed

    Hasan, Shirin; Mosier, Michael J; Conrad, Peggie; Szilagyi, Andrea; Gamelli, Richard L; Muthumalaiappan, Kuzhali

    2018-02-20

    Mechanisms of erythropoietin (Epo)-resistant anemia in burn patients are poorly understood. We have recently found that administering a nonselective beta 1,2-adrenergic blocker propranolol (PR) was effective in reversing myelo-erythroid commitment through MafB regulation and increase megakaryocyte erythrocyte progenitors in burn patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived ex vivo culture system. Having known that Epo-dependent proliferation of early erythroblasts is intact after burn injury, here we inquired whether or not Epo-independent maturation stage of erythropoiesis is affected by burn injury and the relative role of PR on late-stage erythropoiesis. While majority of erythropoiesis occurs in the bone marrow, maturation into reticulocytes is crucial for their release into sinusoids to occupy the peripheral circulation for which enucleation is vital. peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from burn patients were extended beyond commitment and proliferation stages to late maturation stage in ex vivo culture to understand the role of PR in burn patients. Burn impedes late maturation of orthochromatic erythroblasts into reticulocytes by restricting the enucleation step. Late-stage erythropoiesis is impaired in burn patients irrespective of PR treatment. Further, substituting the microenvironment with control plasma (homologous) in place of autologous plasma rescues the conversion of orthochromatic erythroblasts to reticulocytes. Results show promise in formulating interventions to regulate late-stage erythropoiesis, which can be used in combination with PR to reduce the number of transfusions.

  2. Decreased content of protein 4.2 in ankyrin-deficient normoblastosis (nb/nb) mouse red blood cells: evidence for ankyrin enhancement of protein 4.2 membrane binding.

    PubMed

    Rybicki, A C; Musto, S; Schwartz, R S

    1995-11-01

    Homozygous normoblastosis (nb/nb) mice, whose red blood cell (RBC) membranes are nearly completely deficient in full-length 210-kD ankyrin, were used to study interactions between ankyrin and protein 4.2 (P4.2). Although it is unclear whether or not these proteins interact in the membrane, both ankyrin and P4.2 bind to the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3). In addition to the complete deficiency of full-length ankyrin, nb/nb RBC membranes are also partially spectrin deficient, resulting in morphologically spherocytic and mechanically fragile cells. A new finding was that nb/nb RBC membranes are severely (approximately 73%) P4.2 deficient compared with wild type (+/+) or high reticulocyte mouse RBC membranes. Metabolic labeling of nb/nb reticulocytes showed active P4.2 synthesis at levels comparable with high reticulocyte controls suggesting that the nb/nb P4.2 deficiency was not the result of defective P4.2 synthesis. Reconstitution of nb/nb inside-out vesicles (IOVs) with human RBC ankyrin restored ankyrin levels to approximately 80% of +/+ IOV levels and increased binding of exogenously added human RBC P4.2 by approximately 60%. These results suggest that ankyrin is required for normal associations of P4.2 with the RBC membrane.

  3. Studies on the alterations in haematological indices, micronuclei induction and pathological marker enzyme activities in Channa punctatus (spotted snakehead) perciformes, channidae exposed to thermal power plant effluent.

    PubMed

    Javed, Mehjbeen; Ahmad, Irshad; Ahmad, Ajaz; Usmani, Nazura; Ahmad, Masood

    2016-01-01

    The present study was conducted to assess the toxicity of thermal power plant effluent containing heavy metals (Fe > Cu > Zn > Mn > Ni > Co > Cr) on haematological indices, micronuclei, lobed nuclei and activity of pathological marker enzymes [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT) and creatine kinase (CK)] in Channa punctatus. Total erythrocyte count (-54.52 %), hemoglobin (-36.98 %), packed cell volume (-36.25 %), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (-1.41 %) and oxygen (O2) carrying capacity (-37.04 %) declined significantly over reference fish, however total leukocyte count (+25.43 %), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (+33.52 %) and mean corpuscular volume (+35.49 %) showed elevation. High frequency of micronuclei (1133.3 %) and lobed nuclei (150 %) were observed in exposed fish which may indicate mutagenesis. Activities of pathological marker enzymes ALP, AST, ALT and CK increased significantly in serum of exposed fish. The ratio of ALT: AST in exposed fish was beyond 1 which indicates manifestation of pathological processes. These biomarkers show that fish have macrocytic hypochromic anemia. Leukocytosis showed general defence response against heavy metal toxicity and marker enzymes showed tissue degeneration. In conclusion, thermal power plant effluent has strong potential to induce micronuclei, tissue pathology, making the fish anemic, weak, stressed and vulnerable to diseases.

  4. The effect of polychlorinated naphthalenes and tributyltin on the occurrence of aberrant nuclei in erythroid cells of medaka

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Talykina, Melaniya G.; Papoulias, Diana M.; Allert, J. Alan; Izyuov, Y.U.; Villalobos, Sergio A.; Giesy, John P.; Tillitt, Donald E.

    2003-01-01

    The micronucleus test using erythrocytes of the peripheral blood of fish is often conducted to evaluate the genotoxic effects of pollutants under experimental and natural conditions. This report presents information on the production of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in erythrocytes of medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to three polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) formulations (Halowaxes 1014, 1031 and 1051) or tributyltin (TBT). Three types of deviation in the morphology of interphase nuclei were observed in medaka erythrocytes: micronuclei, nuclei fragmented into two equal or unequal parts, and nuclei at different stages of invagination. The number of erythrocytes with nuclear anomalies typically increased after chemical exposure. However, differential dose-response patterns were observed with exposures to PCNs or TBT. Polychlorinated naphthalenes caused genotoxicity, while TBT caused an amitotic effect. Gender did not influence the frequency of nuclear anomalies. This is the first report on the application of the piscine micronuclear test with medaka and is the first study that investigated the potential for detecting micronuclei in erythrocytes from adult medaka exposed in ovo to mutagens.

  5. Induction and prevention of micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes exposed to the light of halogen tungsten lamps.

    PubMed

    D'Agostini, F; Caimo, A; De Filippi, S; De Flora, S

    1999-07-01

    Previous studies have shown that the light emitted by halogen tungsten lamps contains UV radiation in the UV-A, UV-B and UV-C regions, induces mutations and irreparable DNA damage in bacteria, enhances the frequency of micronuclei in cultured human lymphocytes and is potently carcinogenic to the skin of hairless mice. The present study showed that the light emitted by an uncovered, traditional halogen lamp induces a significant, dose-related and time-related increase not only in micronuclei but also in chromosome-type aberrations, such as breaks, and even more in chromatid-type aberrations, such as isochromatid breaks, exchanges and isochromatid/chromatid interchanges, all including gaps or not, in cultured human lymphocytes. All these genotoxic effects were completely prevented by shielding the same lamp with a silica glass cover, blocking UV radiation. A new model of halogen lamp, having the quartz bulb treated in order to reduce the output of UV radiation, was considerably less genotoxic than the uncovered halogen lamp, yet induction of chromosomal alterations was observed at high illuminance levels.

  6. Reticulocyte hemoglobin measurement--comparison of two methods in the diagnosis of iron-restricted erythropoiesis.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Lothar; Franck, Susanne; Messinger, Maren; Linssen, Jo; Thomé, Marcus; Thomas, Christian

    2005-01-01

    The aims of this study were to diagnose iron-restricted erythropoiesis (functional iron deficiency) in patients with classic iron deficiency (ID), anemia of chronic disease (ACD) and the combined state of ID/ACD with the use of two hematological methods for the measurement of reticulocyte hemoglobinization. In comparison, the biochemical markers of iron status were determined. We studied 474 anemic patients admitted to hospital with a broad spectrum of diseases. We measured indicators of reticulocyte hemoglobinization. CHr was determined on an Advia 120 hematology analyzer. A Sysmex XE-2100 hematology analyzer was used to determine RET-Y, the forward scatter of fluorescence-labeled reticulocytes, which can also be expressed as the reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET-H(e)), as well as RBC-Y, the forward scatter of fluorescence-labeled erythrocytes, which can be expressed as the erythrocyte hemoglobin equivalent. Ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and the sTfR/log ferritin ratio (sTfR-F index) were used as biochemical markers. The comparison of RET-Y with CHr demonstrated an excellent curvilinear relationship between the two parameters. The normal reference range for Ret-Y was 1630-1860 arbitrary units (AU); mathematical transformation to RET-H(e) gave a range of 28.2-35.7 pg. Correlations of biochemical iron markers with RET-H(e) were as weak as with CHr in patients with ACD and acute phase response. In a diagnostic plot to identify iron status, RET-H(e) could replace CHr without any loss of sensitivity or specificity. Patient mismatch analysis between RET-H(e) and CHr in the diagnostic plot demonstrated agreement for 449 of 474 patients (94.4%). Patient specific anemia mismatches were 2.9-6.2%. According to our results, the indicators of reticulocyte hemoglobinization, RET-H(e) and CHr, measure the same phenomenon. RET-H(e) is as valuable as CHr for the diagnosis of iron-restricted erythropoiesis. The combination of RET-H(e) and the sTfR-F index in a diagnostic plot offers an attractive tool for the evaluation of iron status and identification of the progression of ID.

  7. Conjugated Bilirubin Triggers Anemia by Inducing Erythrocyte Death

    PubMed Central

    Lang, Elisabeth; Gatidis, Sergios; Freise, Noemi F; Bock, Hans; Kubitz, Ralf; Lauermann, Christian; Orth, Hans Martin; Klindt, Caroline; Schuier, Maximilian; Keitel, Verena; Reich, Maria; Liu, Guilai; Schmidt, Sebastian; Xu, Haifeng C; Qadri, Syed M; Herebian, Diran; Pandyra, Aleksandra A; Mayatepek, Ertan; Gulbins, Erich; Lang, Florian; Häussinger, Dieter; Lang, Karl S; Föller, Michael; Lang, Philipp A

    2015-01-01

    Hepatic failure is commonly associated with anemia, which may result from gastrointestinal bleeding, vitamin deficiency, or liver-damaging diseases, such as infection and alcohol intoxication. At least in theory, anemia during hepatic failure may result from accelerated clearance of circulating erythrocytes. Here we show that bile duct ligation (BDL) in mice leads to severe anemia despite increased reticulocyte numbers. Bilirubin stimulated suicidal death of human erythrocytes. Mechanistically, bilirubin triggered rapid Ca2+ influx, sphingomyelinase activation, formation of ceramide, and subsequent translocation of phosphatidylserine to the erythrocyte surface. Consistent with our in vitro and in vivo findings, incubation of erythrocytes in serum from patients with liver disease induced suicidal death of erythrocytes in relation to their plasma bilirubin concentration. Consistently, patients with hyperbilirubinemia had significantly lower erythrocyte and significantly higher reticulocyte counts compared to patients with low bilirubin levels. Conclusion: Bilirubin triggers suicidal erythrocyte death, thus contributing to anemia during liver disease. (Hepatology 2015;61:275–284) PMID:25065608

  8. Levels of salivary thiocyanate and its relation with occurrence of micronuclei using exfoliative cytology in smokers and nonsmokers.

    PubMed

    Baldawa, Prachi Shrigopal; Kulkarni, Venkatesh V; Koshy, Ajit V; Shaikh, Sabeer S; Varu, Rucha; Srivastava, Garima

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the levels of salivary thiocyanate and its relation with the occurrence of micronuclei (MN) using exfoliative cytology in smokers and nonsmokers. One hundred and twenty patients were divided into 3 groups: nonsmoker group 1 (control), smokers group 2, and smokers group 3. Their saliva was collected and analyzed for thiocyanate levels, and exfoliative cytology was evaluated for the presence of MN. Fisher's exact test and ANOVA test were used. It was seen that as the grade of smoking increased, the levels of salivary thiocyanate and occurrence of MN increased. Detection and quantification of "biomarkers" such as salivary thiocyanate and MN in noninvasive and painless procedures such as oral exfoliative cytology can be an upcoming research domain in the field of cancer prevention and therapeutics.

  9. Hematological indices of injury to lightly oiled birds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fallon, Jesse A.; Smith, Eric P.; Schoch, Nina; Paruk, James D.; Adams, Evan A.; Evers, David C.; Jodice, Patrick G. R.; Perkins, Christopher; Schulte, Shiloh A.; Hopkins, William A.

    2018-01-01

    Avian mortality events are common following large‐scale oil spills. However, the sublethal effects of oil on birds exposed to light external oiling are not clearly understood. We found that American oystercatchers (area of potential impact n = 42, reference n = 21), black skimmers (area of potential impact n = 121, reference n = 88), brown pelicans (area of potential impact n = 91, reference n = 48), and great egrets (area of potential impact n = 57, reference n = 47) captured between 20 June 2010 and 23 February 2011 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill experienced oxidative injury to erythrocytes, had decreased volume of circulating erythrocytes, and showed evidence of a regenerative hematological response in the form of increased reticulocytes compared with reference populations. Erythrocytic inclusions consistent with Heinz bodies were present almost exclusively in birds from sites impacted with oil, a finding pathognomonic for oxidative injury to erythrocytes. Average packed cell volumes were 4 to 19% lower and average reticulocyte counts were 27 to 40% higher in birds with visible external oil than birds from reference sites. These findings provide evidence that small amounts of external oil exposure are associated with hemolytic anemia. Furthermore, we found that some birds captured from the area impacted by the spill but with no visible oiling also had erythrocytic inclusion bodies, increased reticulocytes, and reduced packed cell volumes when compared with birds from reference sites. Thus, birds suffered hematologic injury despite no visible oil at the time of capture. Together, these findings suggest that adverse effects of oil spills on birds may be more widespread than estimates based on avian mortality or severe visible oiling.

  10. Role of DNA Replication Defects in Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-10-01

    effect is that C3H-Mcm4Chaos3/Chaos3 mice are developmentally normal, but Mcm4Chaos3/- animals die in utero or neonatally [Shima, 2007]. To further...3e). This increase in the ratio of reticulocytes (erythrocyte precursors) to mature RBCs is characteristic of anemia . Hemizygosity for Mcm3

  11. Comparative erythropoietic effects of three vanadium compounds.

    PubMed

    Hogan, G R

    2000-07-10

    The biotoxic effects of vanadium are variable depending upon a number of factors including the oxidation state of the test compound. This study reports the effects of three vanadium compounds on peripheral erythrocytes. On day 0 female ICR mice received a single injection of vanadium chloride (V-III), vanadyl sulfate (V-IV), or sodium orthovandate (V-V). At scheduled intervals post-injection, the number of circulating erythrocytes [red blood cells per millimeter cubed (RBC/mm3)], reticulocyte percentages, and radioiron uptake percentages were determined and compared to mice receiving saline only. Data show that all three test substances promoted a significant lowering of RBC/mm3 beginning on day 1 for V-IV and V-V and on day 2 for V-III through day 4. The reticulocyte percentages increase followed the same time course as that of the peripheral RBC decrease. Peak reticulocytosis was noted on days 2 and 4 for all three vanadium-treated groups; for V-IV and V-V the increase continued to day 6. Radioiron data showed an erythropoietic stimulation by a significant increase in uptake percentages on days 4-6 after vanadium injections compared to saline-treated controls.

  12. Prevalence of micronuclei in exfoliated uterine cervical cells from patients with risk factors for cervical cancer.

    PubMed

    Reis Campos, Lízia Maria Franco dos; Luz Dias, Francisca da; Antunes, Lusânia Maria Greggi; Murta, Eddie Fernando Candido

    2008-11-01

    Pap smears are the most common and inexpensive screening method for cervical cancer. We analyzed micronucleus prevalence in exfoliated cervical mucosa cells, to investigate associations between increased numbers of micronuclei and risk factors for cervical cancer. Analytical cross-sectional study, at Instituto de Pesquisa em Oncologia (IPON). Exfoliated cervical cells were obtained from 101 patients between September 2004 and November 2005. Patients' ages, habits (passive or active smoking, alcoholism and numbers of sexual partners), age at first sexual intercourse, contraceptive methods used, histories of sexually transmitted diseases, use of hormone replacement therapy, numbers of pregnancies and abortions, inflammatory cytology and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were obtained. Cells were collected using Ayre spatulas, transferred to vials containing 0.9% saline solution for micronucleus tests and analyzed at 1000x magnification. The number of micronuclei in 1,000 epithelial cells per patient sample was counted. Comparisons between groups with active (7.9 +/- 7.8) and passive (7.2 +/- 10.6) smoking versus no smoking (3.7 +/- 5.1); with/without alcoholism (7.8 +/- 1.4 and 6.9 +/- 10.1); with/without inflammatory cytology (10.7 +/- 10.5 and 1.3 +/- 1.7); and with CIN I, II and III and no CIN (respectively 4.3 +/- 4.3, 10.6 +/- 5.3, 22.7 +/- 11.9 and 1.3 +/- 1.4) found elevated micronucleus prevalence (P < 0.05). We concluded that the prevalence of micronuclei in exfoliated uterine cervical cells was greater in patients with one or more risk factors for uterine cervical cancer than in patients without risk factors.

  13. Genotoxic Evaluation of Mexican Welders Occupationally Exposed to Welding-Fumes Using the Micronucleus Test on Exfoliated Oral Mucosa Cells: A Cross-Sectional, Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Jara-Ettinger, Ana Cecilia; López-Tavera, Juan Carlos; Zavala-Cerna, María Guadalupe; Torres-Bugarín, Olivia

    2015-01-01

    Background An estimated 800,000 people worldwide are occupationally exposed to welding-fumes. Previous studies show that the exposure to such fumes is associated with damage to genetic material and increased cancer risk. In this study, we evaluate the genotoxic effect of welding-fumes using the Micronucleus Test on oral mucosa cells of Mexican welders. Material and Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, matched case-control study of n = 66 (33 exposed welders, and 33 healthy controls). Buccal mucosa smears were collected and stained with acridine orange, observed under 100x optical amplification with a fluorescence lamp, and a single-blinded observer counted the number of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities per 2,000 observed cells. We compared the frequencies of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities, and fitted generalised linear models to investigate the interactions between nuclear abnormalities and the exposure to welding-fumes, while controlling for smoking and age. Results Binucleated cells and condensed-chromatin cells showed statistically significant differences between cases and controls. The frequency of micronuclei and the rest of nuclear abnormalities (lobed-nuclei, pyknosis, karyolysis, and karyorrhexis) did not differ significantly between the groups. After adjusting for smoking, the regression results showed that the occurrence of binucleated cells could be predicted by the exposure to welding-fumes plus the presence of tobacco consumption; for the condensed-chromatin cells, our model showed that the exposure to welding-fumes is the only reliable predictor. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Mexican welders who are occupationally exposed to welding-fumes have increased counts of binucleated and condensed-chromatin cells. Nevertheless, the frequencies of micronuclei and the rest of nuclear abnormalities did not differ between cases and controls. Further studies should shed more light on this subject. PMID:26244938

  14. The effect of exercise and rest duration on the generation of venous gas bubbles at altitude

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dervay, Joseph P.; Powell, Michael R.; Butler, Bruce; Fife, Caroline E.

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Decompression, as occurs with aviators and astronauts undergoing high altitude operations or with deep-sea divers returning to surface, can cause gas bubbles to form within the organism. Pressure changes to evoke bubble formation in vivo during depressurization are several orders of magnitude less than those required for gas phase formation in vitro in quiescent liquids. Preformed micronuclei acting as "seeds" have been proposed, dating back to the 1940's. These tissue gas micronuclei have been attributed to a minute gas phase located in hydrophobic cavities, surfactant-stabilized microbubbles, or arising from musculoskeletal activity. The lifetimes of these micronuclei have been presumed to be from a few minutes to several weeks. HYPOTHESIS: The greatest incidence of venous gas emboli (VGE) will be detected by precordial Doppler ultrasound with depressurization immediately following lower extremity exercise, with progressively reduced levels of VGE observed as the interval from exercise to depressurization lengthens. METHODS: In a blinded cross-over design, 20 individuals (15 men, 5 women) at sea level exercised by performing knee-bend squats (150 knee flexes over 10 min, 235-kcal x h(-1)) either at the beginning, middle, or end of a 2-h chair-rest period without an oxygen prebreathe. Seated subjects were then depressurized to 6.2 psia (6,706 m or 22,000 ft altitude equivalent) for 120 min with no exercise performed at altitude. RESULTS: Of the 20 subjects with VGE in the pulmonary artery, 10 demonstrated a greater incidence of bubbles with exercise performed just prior to depressurization, compared with decreasing bubble grades and incidence as the interval of rest increased prior to depressurization. No decompression illness was reported. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant increase in decompression-induced bubble formation at 6.2 psia when lower extremity exercise is performed just prior to depressurization as compared with longer rest intervals. Analysis indicated that micronuclei half-life is on the order of an hour under these hypobaric conditions.

  15. Neutron Exposures in Human Cells: Bystander Effect and Relative Biological Effectiveness

    PubMed Central

    Seth, Isheeta; Schwartz, Jeffrey L.; Stewart, Robert D.; Emery, Robert; Joiner, Michael C.; Tucker, James D.

    2014-01-01

    Bystander effects have been observed repeatedly in mammalian cells following photon and alpha particle irradiation. However, few studies have been performed to investigate bystander effects arising from neutron irradiation. Here we asked whether neutrons also induce a bystander effect in two normal human lymphoblastoid cell lines. These cells were exposed to fast neutrons produced by targeting a near-monoenergetic 50.5 MeV proton beam at a Be target (17 MeV average neutron energy), and irradiated-cell conditioned media (ICCM) was transferred to unirradiated cells. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay was used to quantify genetic damage in radiation-naïve cells exposed to ICCM from cultures that received 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 or 4 Gy neutrons. Cells grown in ICCM from irradiated cells showed no significant increase in the frequencies of micronuclei or nucleoplasmic bridges compared to cells grown in ICCM from sham irradiated cells for either cell line. However, the neutron beam has a photon dose-contamination of 5%, which may modulate a neutron-induced bystander effect. To determine whether these low doses of contaminating photons can induce a bystander effect, cells were irradiated with cobalt-60 at doses equivalent to the percent contamination for each neutron dose. No significant increase in the frequencies of micronuclei or bridges was observed at these doses of photons for either cell line when cultured in ICCM. As expected, high doses of photons induced a clear bystander effect in both cell lines for micronuclei and bridges (p<0.0001). These data indicate that neutrons do not induce a bystander effect in these cells. Finally, neutrons had a relative biological effectiveness of 2.0±0.13 for micronuclei and 5.8±2.9 for bridges compared to cobalt-60. These results may be relevant to radiation therapy with fast neutrons and for regulatory agencies setting standards for neutron radiation protection and safety. PMID:24896095

  16. Neutron exposures in human cells: bystander effect and relative biological effectiveness.

    PubMed

    Seth, Isheeta; Schwartz, Jeffrey L; Stewart, Robert D; Emery, Robert; Joiner, Michael C; Tucker, James D

    2014-01-01

    Bystander effects have been observed repeatedly in mammalian cells following photon and alpha particle irradiation. However, few studies have been performed to investigate bystander effects arising from neutron irradiation. Here we asked whether neutrons also induce a bystander effect in two normal human lymphoblastoid cell lines. These cells were exposed to fast neutrons produced by targeting a near-monoenergetic 50.5 MeV proton beam at a Be target (17 MeV average neutron energy), and irradiated-cell conditioned media (ICCM) was transferred to unirradiated cells. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay was used to quantify genetic damage in radiation-naïve cells exposed to ICCM from cultures that received 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 or 4 Gy neutrons. Cells grown in ICCM from irradiated cells showed no significant increase in the frequencies of micronuclei or nucleoplasmic bridges compared to cells grown in ICCM from sham irradiated cells for either cell line. However, the neutron beam has a photon dose-contamination of 5%, which may modulate a neutron-induced bystander effect. To determine whether these low doses of contaminating photons can induce a bystander effect, cells were irradiated with cobalt-60 at doses equivalent to the percent contamination for each neutron dose. No significant increase in the frequencies of micronuclei or bridges was observed at these doses of photons for either cell line when cultured in ICCM. As expected, high doses of photons induced a clear bystander effect in both cell lines for micronuclei and bridges (p<0.0001). These data indicate that neutrons do not induce a bystander effect in these cells. Finally, neutrons had a relative biological effectiveness of 2.0 ± 0.13 for micronuclei and 5.8 ± 2.9 for bridges compared to cobalt-60. These results may be relevant to radiation therapy with fast neutrons and for regulatory agencies setting standards for neutron radiation protection and safety.

  17. Comparative investigations of sodium arsenite, arsenic trioxide and cadmium sulphate in combination with gamma-radiation on apoptosis, micronuclei induction and DNA damage in a human lymphoblastoid cell line.

    PubMed

    Hornhardt, Sabine; Gomolka, Maria; Walsh, Linda; Jung, Thomas

    2006-08-30

    In the field of radiation protection the combined exposure to radiation and other toxic agents is recognised as an important research area. To elucidate the basic mechanisms of simultaneous exposure, the interaction of the carcinogens and environmental toxicants cadmium and two arsenic compounds, arsenite and arsenic trioxide, in combination with gamma-radiation in human lymphoblastoid cells (TK6) were investigated. Gamma-radiation induced significant genotoxic effects such as micronuclei formation, DNA damage and apoptosis, whereas arsenic and cadmium had no significant effect on these indicators of cellular damage at non-toxic concentrations. However, in combination with gamma-radiation arsenic trioxide induced a more than additive apoptotic rate compared to the sum of the single effects. Here, the level of apoptotic cells was increased, in a dose-dependent way, up to two-fold compared to the irradiated control cells. Arsenite did not induce a significant additive effect at any of the concentrations or radiation doses tested. On the other hand, arsenic trioxide was less effective than arsenite in the induction of DNA protein cross-links. These data indicate that the two arsenic compounds interact through different pathways in the cell. Cadmium sulphate, like arsenite, had no significant effect on apoptosis in combination with gamma-radiation at low concentrations and, at high concentrations, even reduced the radiation-induced apoptosis. An additive effect on micronuclei induction was observed with 1muM cadmium sulphate with an increase of up to 80% compared to the irradiated control cells. Toxic concentrations of cadmium and arsenic trioxide seemed to reduce micronuclei induction. The results presented here indicate that relatively low concentrations of arsenic and cadmium, close to those occuring in nature, may interfere with radiation effects. Differences in action of the two arsenic compounds were identified.

  18. Micronucleus as biomarker of genotoxicity in birds from Brazilian Cerrado.

    PubMed

    Baesse, Camilla Queiroz; Tolentino, Vitor Carneiro de Magalhães; da Silva, Adriano Marcos; Silva, Arthur de Andrade; Ferreira, Giancarlo Ângelo; Paniago, Luís Pedro Mendes; Nepomuceno, Júlio César; de Melo, Celine

    2015-05-01

    Birds are considered efficient bioindicators, by their behavioral characteristics, diversified diet, and use of several vegetation layers, including in contaminated environments. The accumulation of contaminants can harm the reproductive process and survival of species, in addition to causing severe metabolic disorders. Air pollution can also affect the birds' health. Micronucleus analysis, a technique able to evaluate the organisms' sensitivity to contaminant agents, has been regarded as a practical tool for evaluating and monitoring the clastogenic and aneugenic effects caused by pollutants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of micronuclei in bird species that use forest environments and their surroundings; and to verify if the frequency and amount of micronuclei varies between species, areas and populations. Birds transiting between the Brazilian Cerrado forest and open formations were analyzed, coming from four forest fragments of Triângulo Mineiro, two close to urban areas and two more distant. Birds were captured with mist-nets for collecting blood extensions, which were used for counting micronuclei. In total, 103 individuals of 21 species were captured, and the micronucleus rate for every 5000 erythrocytes analyzed was 1.30. Only six populations had sampling sufficiency. There was no difference between the number of individuals with and without micronuclei (χ²=3.18, df=1, p=0.08). In areas closer to the urban perimeter, the micronuclei averages in birds were greater compared to the most isolated areas (H=27.534, df=3, p<0,001). In São José, the individuals of Myiothlypis flaveola presented a number of micronuclei significantly greater than the Galheiro and Água Fria (H=9.601, df=2, p=0.008). M. flaveola clearly reflected the area quality. The micronuclei analysis in birds was effective for evaluating the area quality as well as the intensity with which the birds respond to impacts caused by the surrounding matrix. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Bilirubin UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) Gene Promoter Polymorphisms and HPRT, Glycophorin A, and Micronuclei Mutant Frequencies in Human Blood

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grant, D; Hall, I J; Eastmond, D

    2004-10-06

    A dinucleotide repeat polymorphism (5-, 6-, 7-, or 8-TA units) has been identified within the promoter region of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 gene (UGT1A1). The 7-TA repeat allele has been associated with elevated serum bilirubin levels that cause a mild hyperbilirubinemia (Gilbert's syndrome). Studies suggest that promoter transcriptional activity of UGT1A1 is inversely related to the number of TA repeats and that unconjugated bilirubin concentration increases directly with the number of TA repeat elements. Because bilirubin is a known antioxidant, we hypothesized that UGT1A1 repeats associated with higher bilirubin may be protective against oxidative damage. We examined the effect of UGT1A1 genotypemore » on somatic mutant frequency in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase (HPRT) gene in human lymphocytes and the glycophorin A (GPA) gene of red blood cells (both N0, NN mutants), and the frequency of lymphocyte micronuclei (both kinetochore (K) positive or micronuclei K negative) in 101 healthy smoking and nonsmoking individuals. As hypothesized, genotypes containing 7-TA and 8-TA displayed marginally lower GPA{_}NN mutant frequency relative to 5/5, 5/6, 6/6 genotypes (p<0.05). In contrast, our analysis showed that lower expressing UGT1A1 alleles (7-TA and 8-TA) were associated with modestly increased HPRT mutation frequency (p<0.05) while the same low expression genotypes were not significantly associated with micronuclei frequencies (K-positive or K-negative) when compared to high expression genotypes (5-TA and 6-TA). We found weak evidence that UGT1A1 genotypes containing 7-TA and 8-TA were associated with increased GPA{_}N0 mutant frequency relative to 5/5, 5/6, 6/6 genotypes (p<0.05). These data suggest that UGT1A1 genotype may modulate somatic mutation of some types, in some cell lineages, by a mechanism not involving bilirubin antioxidant activity. More detailed studies examining UGT1A1 promoter variation, oxidant/antioxidant balance and genetic damage will be needed.« less

  20. Energy-dependent RBE of neutrons to induce micronuclei in root-tip cells of Allium cepa onion irradiated as dry dormant seeds and seedlings.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wenyi; Fujikawa, Kazuo; Endo, Satoru; Ishikawa, Masayori; Ohtaki, Megu; Ikeda, Hideo; Hoshi, Masaharu

    2003-06-01

    The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of various energy neutrons produced from a Schenkel-type accelerator at the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University (HIRRAC), compared with 60Co gamma-ray radiation was determined. The neutron radiations and gamma-ray radiation produced good linear changes in the frequency of micronuclei induced in the root-tip cells of Allium cepa onion irradiated as dry dormant seeds (seed assay) and seedlings (seedling assay) with varying radiation doses. Therefore the RBE for radiation-induced micronuclei can be calculated as the ratio of the slopes of the fitted linear dose response for the neutron radiations and the 60Co gamma-ray radiation. The RBE values by seed assay and seedling assay decreased to 174 +/- 7, from 216 +/- 9, and to 31.4 +/- 1.0, from 45.3 +/- 1.3 (one standard error), respectively, when neutron energies increased to 1.0 MeV, from 0.2 MeV, in the present study. Furthermore, the ratio of the micronucleus induction rates of seed assay to seedling assay by gamma-ray radiation was much lower than that by neutron radiations.

  1. Duodenal crypt health following exposure to Cr(VI): Micronucleus scoring, γ-H2AX immunostaining, and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thompson, Chad M.; Wolf, Jeffrey C.; Elbekai, Reem H.

    2015-08-01

    Lifetime exposure to high concentrations of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in drinking water results in intestinal damage and an increase in duodenal tumors in B6C3F1 mice. To assess whether these tumors could be the result of a direct mutagenic or genotoxic mode of action, we conducted a GLP-compliant 7-day drinking water study to assess crypt health along the entire length of the duodenum. Mice were exposed to water (vehicle control), 1.4, 21, or 180 ppm Cr(VI) via drinking water for 7 consecutive days. Crypt enterocytes in Swiss roll sections were scored as normal, mitotic, apoptotic, karyorrhectic, or as having micronuclei. Amore » single oral gavage of 50 mg/kg cyclophosphamide served as a positive control for micronucleus induction. Exposure to 21 and 180 ppm Cr(VI) significantly increased the number of crypt enterocytes. Micronuclei and γ-H2AX immunostaining were not elevated in the crypts of Cr(VI)-treated mice. In contrast, treatment with cyclophosphamide significantly increased numbers of crypt micronuclei and qualitatively increased γ-H2AX immunostaining. Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy revealed the presence of strong Cr fluorescence in duodenal villi, but negligible Cr fluorescence in the crypt compartment. Together, these data indicate that Cr(VI) does not adversely effect the crypt compartment where intestinal stem cells reside, and provide additional evidence that the mode of action for Cr(VI)-induced intestinal cancer in B6C3F1 mice involves chronic villous wounding resulting in compensatory crypt enterocyte hyperplasia.« less

  2. Induction of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei by 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (oxybenzone) in human lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Santovito, Alfredo; Ruberto, Stefano; Galli, Gabriella; Menghi, Costanza; Girotti, Marilena; Cervella, Piero

    2018-04-12

    Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3 (2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone; BP-3) is a filter used in a variety of personal care products for protection of human skin and hair from damage by ultraviolet radiation. BP-3 is suspected to exhibit endocrine disruptive properties. Indeed, it was found to be able to interact with the endocrine system causing alteration of its homeostasis, with consequent adverse health effects. Moreover, it is ubiquitously present in the environment, mostly in aquatic ecosystems, with consequent risks to the health of aquatic organisms and humans. In the present study, we analyzed the cytogenetic effects of BP-3 on human lymphocytes using in vitro chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei assays. Blood samples were obtained from five healthy Italian subjects. Lymphocyte cultures were exposed to five concentrations of BP-3 (0.20, 0.10, 0.05, 0.025, and 0.0125 μg/mL) for 24 and 48 h (for chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei tests, respectively). The concentration of 0.10 µg/mL represents the acceptable/tolerable daily intake reference dose established by European Union, whereas 0.20, 0.05, 0.025, and 0.0125 µg/mL represent multiple and sub-multiple of this concentration value. Our results reported cytogenetic effects of BP-3 on cultured human lymphocytes in terms of increased micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations' frequencies at all tested concentrations, including concentrations lower than those established by European Union. Vice versa, after 48-h exposure, a significant reduction of the cytokinesis-block proliferation index value in cultures treated with BP-3 was not observed, indicating that BP-3 does not seem to produce effects on the proliferation/mitotic index when its concentration is equal to or less than 0.20 μg/mL.

  3. Gadd34 Requirement for Normal Hemoglobin Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Patterson, Andrew D.; Hollander, M. Christine; Miller, Georgina F.; Fornace, Albert J.

    2006-01-01

    The protein encoded by growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible transcript 34 (Gadd34) is associated with translation initiation regulation following certain stress responses. Through interaction with the protein phosphatase 1 catalytic subunit (PP1c), Gadd34 recruits PP1c for the removal of an inhibitory phosphate group on the α subunit of elongation initiation factor 2, thereby reversing the shutoff of protein synthesis initiated by stress-inducible kinases. In the absence of stress, the physiologic consequences of Gadd34 function are not known. Initial analysis of Gadd34-null mice revealed several significant findings, including hypersplenism, decreased erythrocyte volume, increased numbers of circulating erythrocytes, and decreased hemoglobin content, resembling some thalassemia syndromes. Biochemical analysis of the hemoglobin-producing reticulocyte (an erythrocyte precursor) revealed that the decreased hemoglobin content in the Gadd34-null erythrocyte is due to the reduced initiation of the globin translation machinery. We propose that an equilibrium state exists between Gadd34/PP1c and the opposing heme-regulated inhibitor kinase during hemoglobin synthesis in the reticulocyte. PMID:16478986

  4. Evaluation of the mutagenicity of alkylating agents, methylnitrosourea and temozolomide, using the rat Pig-a assay with total red blood cells or reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    Muto, Shigeharu; Yamada, Katsuya; Kato, Tatsuya; Ando, Masamitsu; Inoue, Yoshimi; Iwase, Yumiko; Uno, Yoshifumi

    2016-11-15

    A collaborative study of the endogenous phosphatidylinositol glycan class A (Pig-a) gene mutation assay was conducted by the Japanese Environmental Mutagen Society/Mammalian Mutagenicity Study Group with a single-dosing regimen of test chemicals administered to male rats. As a part of the study, two DNA alkylating agents, methylnitrosourea (MNU) and temozolomide (TMZ), were dosed by single oral gavage at 25, 50, and 100mg/kg body weight. Pig-a mutant analysis of total red blood cells (RBCs; RBC Pig-a assay) and reticulocytes (RETs; PIGRET assay) was performed on Days 8, 15 and 29 after the administration. Both chemicals increased Pig-a mutants among RBCs and RETs with dose dependency on all days examined. The mutant frequencies were higher among RETs compared with RBCs, indicating that the PIGRET assay could detect mutagenicity more sensitively than the RBC Pig-a assay after a single dose of test chemicals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sousa, Debora Batista Pinheiro, E-mail: deborabpsousa@gmail.com; Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho

    This study used micronucleus assays and erythrocyte indices in the freshwater fish tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, to assess environmental impacts in the Environmental Protection Area at Maracanã, São Luis, Brazil. Fish were sampled from two locations within the protected area, Serena Lagoon and Ambude River, on four occasions. Biometric data (length and weight) and an aliquot of blood were collected from each fish for analysis. Erythrocyte indices including: mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were calculated, and blood samples were examined for micronuclei and nuclear morphological changes. Micronuclei were found in fish from both locations, althoughmore » the frequency was higher in fish from Ambude River. Nuclear morphological changes were identified only in fish collected from Ambude River. Several nuclear morphological changes were found in erythrocytes stained with Giemsa, including: micronuclei and binucleate nuclei. On average, erythrocyte indices were lower in fish collected from Ambude River than in those from Serena Lagoon. Our results indicate that micronuclei and erythrocyte indices can be used in C. macropomum as indicators of environmental health.« less

  6. FOLATE DEFICIENCY ENHANCES ARSENIC-INDUCED GENOTOXICITY IN MICE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Folate deficiency increases background levels of DNA damage and can enhance the mutagenicity of chemical agents. Duplicate experiments were performed to investigate the effect of dietary folate deficiency on arsenic induction of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood cells. Male C5...

  7. Erythropoiesis and myocardial energy requirements contribute to the hypermetabolism of childhood sickle cell anemia.

    PubMed

    Hibbert, Jacqueline M; Creary, Melissa S; Gee, Beatrice E; Buchanan, Iris D; Quarshie, Alexander; Hsu, Lewis L

    2006-11-01

    We hypothesized that an elevated hemoglobin synthesis rate (SynHb) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) contribute to the excess protein and energy metabolism reported in children with sickle cell anemia. Twelve children (6-12 years old) with asymptomatic sickle cell and 9 healthy children matched for age and sex were studied. Measurements were whole-body protein turnover by [1-C]leucine, SynHb by [N]glycine, resting energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and the systolic blood pressure-heart rate product used as an index of MVO2. Protein energy cost was calculated from protein turnover. Statistical analysis included Spearman correlations and partial correlation analyses. Although body mass index was significantly lower for sickle cell versus controls (P < 0.02), children with asymptomatic sickle cell had 52% higher protein turnover (P < 0.0005). Proportional reticulocyte count, SynHb, MVO2 and resting energy expenditure were also significantly higher in children with sickle cell (P < 0.01). Protein turnover correlated significantly with both SynHb (r = 0.63, P < 0.01) and reticulocyte percentage (r = 0.83, P < 0.0001). Partial correlation of these 3 variables showed reticulocyte percentage as the only variable to be significantly associated with protein turnover, even after adjusting for sickle cell anemia (P = 0.03). Partial correlation of log resting energy expenditure on MVO2 was significant, controlling for protein energy cost, sex and age (P = 0.03). These results indicate that metabolic demands of increased erythropoiesis and cardiac energy consumption account for much of the excess protein and energy metabolism in children with sickle cell anemia.

  8. Addressing safety liabilities of TfR bispecific antibodies that cross the blood-brain barrier.

    PubMed

    Couch, Jessica A; Yu, Y Joy; Zhang, Yin; Tarrant, Jacqueline M; Fuji, Reina N; Meilandt, William J; Solanoy, Hilda; Tong, Raymond K; Hoyte, Kwame; Luk, Wilman; Lu, Yanmei; Gadkar, Kapil; Prabhu, Saileta; Ordonia, Benjamin A; Nguyen, Quyen; Lin, Yuwen; Lin, Zhonghua; Balazs, Mercedesz; Scearce-Levie, Kimberly; Ernst, James A; Dennis, Mark S; Watts, Ryan J

    2013-05-01

    Bispecific antibodies using the transferrin receptor (TfR) have shown promise for boosting antibody uptake in brain. Nevertheless, there are limited data on the therapeutic properties including safety liabilities that will enable successful development of TfR-based therapeutics. We evaluate TfR/BACE1 bispecific antibody variants in mouse and show that reducing TfR binding affinity improves not only brain uptake but also peripheral exposure and the safety profile of these antibodies. We identify and seek to address liabilities of targeting TfR with antibodies, namely, acute clinical signs and decreased circulating reticulocytes observed after dosing. By eliminating Fc effector function, we ameliorated the acute clinical signs and partially rescued a reduction in reticulocytes. Furthermore, we show that complement mediates a residual decrease in reticulocytes observed after Fc effector function is eliminated. These data raise important safety concerns and potential mitigation strategies for the development of TfR-based therapies that are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier.

  9. Strict tropism for CD71+/CD234+ human reticulocytes limits the zoonotic potential of Plasmodium cynomolgi

    PubMed Central

    Kosaisavee, Varakorn; Suwanarusk, Rossarin; Chua, Adeline C. Y.; Kyle, Dennis E.; Malleret, Benoit; Zhang, Rou; Imwong, Mallika; Imerbsin, Rawiwan; Ubalee, Ratawan; Sámano-Sánchez, Hugo; Yeung, Bryan K. S.; Ong, Jessica J. Y.; Lombardini, Eric; Nosten, François; Tan, Kevin S. W.; Bifani, Pablo; Snounou, Georges; Rénia, Laurent

    2017-01-01

    Two malaria parasites of Southeast Asian macaques, Plasmodium knowlesi and P cynomolgi, can infect humans experimentally. In Malaysia, where both species are common, zoonotic knowlesi malaria has recently become dominant, and cases are recorded throughout the region. By contrast, to date, only a single case of naturally acquired P cynomolgi has been found in humans. In this study, we show that whereas P cynomolgi merozoites invade monkey red blood cells indiscriminately in vitro, in humans, they are restricted to reticulocytes expressing both transferrin receptor 1 (Trf1 or CD71) and the Duffy antigen/chemokine receptor (DARC or CD234). This likely contributes to the paucity of detectable zoonotic cynomolgi malaria. We further describe postinvasion morphologic and rheologic alterations in P cynomolgi–infected human reticulocytes that are strikingly similar to those observed for P vivax. These observations stress the value of P cynomolgi as a model in the development of blood stage vaccines against vivax malaria. PMID:28698207

  10. [Curative Effects of Hydroxyurea on the Patients with β-thalassaemia Intermadia].

    PubMed

    Huang, Li; Yao, Hong-Xia

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the clinical features of β-thalassaemia intermediate (TI) patients and the curative effect and side reactions of hydroxyurea therapys. Twenty nine patients with TI were divided into hydroxyurea therapy group and no hydroxyurea therapy group; the curative effect and side reactions in 2 groups were compared; the situation of blood transfusion in the 2 groups was evaluated. In hydroxyurea therapy group, the hemoglobin level increased after treatment for 3 months; the reticulocyte percentage obviously decreased after treatment for 12 months; the serum ferritin had been maintained at a low level; while in no hydroxyurea therapy group, the levels of hemoglobin and reticulocytes were not significantly improved after treatment, the serum ferritin level gradually increased. In hydroxyurea therapy group, 12 cases were out of blood transfusion after treatment for 12 months, effective rate of treatment was 85.71%; while in no hydroxyurea therapy group, the blood transfusion dependency was not improved after treatment. No serious side reactions were found in all the hydroxyurea treated patients. The hydroxyurea shows a better curative effect on TI patients, no serious side reactions occur in all the patients treated with hydroxyurea, but the long-term curative effect and side reactions should be observed continuously.

  11. Water mutagenic potential assessment on a semiarid aquatic ecosystem under influence of heavy metals and natural radioactivity using micronuclei test.

    PubMed

    Chaves, Luiz Cláudio Cardozo; Navoni, Julio Alejandro; de Morais Ferreira, Douglisnilson; Batistuzzo de Medeiros, Silvia; Ferreira da Costa, Thomas; Petta, Reinaldo Antônio; Souza do Amaral, Viviane

    2016-04-01

    The contamination of water bodies by heavy metals and ionizing radiation is a critical environmental issue, which can affect water quality and, thus, human health. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Boqueirão de Parelhas Dam in the Brazilian semiarid region. A 1-year study (2013-2014) was performed through the assessment of physicochemical parameters, heavy metal content, and radioactivity along with the mutagenicity potential of water using micronuclei test in Orechromis niloticus (in vivo) and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes (in vitro). A deterioration of water organoleptics characteristics by the presence of high levels of sulfate and total solids was observed. High concentrations of aluminum, nickel, silver, and lead along with the alpha particle content were higher than the limits suggested by the World Health Organization and Brazilian legislation for drinking water. An increase in the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities was observed in both experimental models. The results obtained confirmed the mutagenic potential present in water samples. This study highlights that geogenic agents affect water quality becoming a human health concern to be taken into account due to the relevance that this water reservoir has in the region.

  12. Radio-protective effect of cinnamic acid, a phenolic phytochemical, on genomic instability induced by X-rays in human blood lymphocytes in vitro.

    PubMed

    Cinkilic, Nilufer; Tüzün, Ece; Çetintaş, Sibel Kahraman; Vatan, Özgür; Yılmaz, Dilek; Çavaş, Tolga; Tunç, Sema; Özkan, Lütfi; Bilaloğlu, Rahmi

    2014-08-01

    The present study was designed to determine the protective activity of cinnamic acid against induction by X-rays of genomic instability in normal human blood lymphocytes. This radio-protective activity was assessed by use of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test and the alkaline comet assay, with human blood lymphocytes isolated from two healthy donors. A Siemens Mevatron MD2 (Siemens AG, USA, 1994) linear accelerator was used for the irradiation with 1 or 2 Gy. Treatment of the lymphocytes with cinnamic acid prior to irradiation reduced the number of micronuclei when compared with that in control samples. Treatment with cinnamic acid without irradiation did not increase the number of micronuclei and did not show a cytostatic effect in the lymphocytes. The results of the alkaline comet assay revealed that cinnamic acid reduces the DNA damage induced by X-rays, showing a significant radio-protective effect. Cinnamic acid decreased the frequency of irradiation-induced micronuclei by 16-55% and reduced DNA breakage by 17-50%, as determined by the alkaline comet assay. Cinnamic acid may thus act as a radio-protective compound, and future studies may focus on elucidating the mechanism by which cinnamic acid offers radioprotection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A Case-Control Study of Oral Epithelial Proliferative Markers among Sudanese Toombak Dippers Using Micronuclei Assay, Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region, Papanicolaou and Crystal Violet Methods

    PubMed Central

    Anass, M. Abbas; G. Ahmed, Hussain

    2013-01-01

    The use of Toombak has been reported to play a major role in the etiology of oral cancer in Sudan. The cellular proliferative activity on the oral epithelium of 210 Toombak dippers was assessed by applying the micronuclei frequency, mean argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) counts, Papanicolaou method, and 1% crystal violet stain. Participants were divided into 3 groups: 200 were apparently healthy individuals, 100 were Toombak users (cases), 100 were non-tobacco users (control) and 10 were patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas. Cytological atypia was identified among 4 (4%). Toombak users and was not found among the control group (P<0.04). The micronuclei frequencies were higher in Toombak users (1.026) than in the control group (0.356) (P<0.0001). The mean AgNOR counts in Toombak users (2.423) were higher than control group (1.303) (P<0.0001). Neither Toombak users nor control group showed mitotic figures in 1% crystal violet method. The results of this research showed that Toombak dipping is a high risk factor for increase in the cellular proliferation in the oral mucosa. The cytological proliferative marker methods used are useful for screening Toombak users. PMID:24179643

  14. Stability of haematological parameters and its relevance on the athlete's biological passport model.

    PubMed

    Lombardi, Giovanni; Lanteri, Patrizia; Colombini, Alessandra; Lippi, Giuseppe; Banfi, Giuseppe

    2011-12-01

    The stability of haematological parameters is crucial to guarantee accurate and reliable data for implementing and interpreting the athlete's biological passport (ABP). In this model, the values of haemoglobin, reticulocytes and out-of-doping period (OFF)-score (Hb-60√Ret) are used to monitor the possible variations of those parameters, and also to compare the thresholds developed by the statistical model for the single athlete on the basis of its personal values and the variance of parameters in the modal group. Nevertheless, a critical review of the current scientific literature dealing with the stability of the haematological parameters included in the ABP programme, and which are used for evaluating the probability of anomalies in the athlete's profile, is currently lacking. In addition, we collected information from published studies, in order to supply a useful, practical and updated review to sports physicians and haematologists. There are some parameters that are highly stable, such as haemoglobin and erythrocytes (red blood cells [RBCs]), whereas others, (e.g. reticulocytes, mean RBC volume and haematocrit) appear less stable. Regardless of the methodology, the stability of haematological parameters is improved by sample refrigeration. The stability of all parameters is highly affected from high storage temperatures, whereas the stability of RBCs and haematocrit is affected by initial freezing followed by refrigeration. Transport and rotation of tubes do not substantially influence any haematological parameter except for reticulocytes. In all the studies we reviewed that used Sysmex instrumentation, which is recommended for ABP measurements, stability was shown for 72 hours at 4 ° C for haemoglobin, RBCs and mean curpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC); up to 48 hours for reticulocytes; and up to 24 hours for haematocrit. In one study, Sysmex instrumentation shows stability extended up to 72 hours at 4 ° C for all the parameters. There are significant differences among methods and instruments: Siemens Advia shows lower stability than Sysmex as regards to reticulocytes. However, the limit of 36 hours from blood collection to analysis as recommended by ABP scientists is reasonable to guarantee analytical quality, when samples are transported at 4 ° C and are accompanied by a certified steadiness of this temperature. There are some parameters that are highly stable, such as haemoglobin and RBCs; whereas others, such as reticulocytes, mean cell volume and haematocrit are more unstable. The stability of haematological parameters might be improved independently from the analytical methodology, by refrigeration of the specimens.

  15. Optimum conditions for detecting hepatic micronuclei caused by numerical chromosome aberration inducers in mice.

    PubMed

    Igarashi, Miyuki; Setoguchi, Mayumi; Takada, Sanae; Itoh, Satoru; Furuhama, Kazuhisa

    2007-08-15

    To ascertain an optimum condition for detecting micronuclei in the liver caused by numerical aberration inducers, either carbendazim (125-1000mg/kg, p.o.), colchicine (0.375-1.5mg/kg, i.v.), cytochalasin B (2.5-20mg/kg, i.v.), diazepam (3.13-25mg/kg, i.v.), noscapine (7.8-62.5mg/kg, i.v.), paclitaxel (1-100mg/kg, i.v.) or trichlorfon (18.75-150mg/kg, i.v.) was administered once to male Slc:ddY mice 1 day before or after partial hepatectomy (PH, Day 1). Five days after PH (on Day 6), hepatic micronuclei were determined in conjunction with classifications of the main nuclei and relative liver weights as a proliferative indicator or a dysfunction marker of cell division. Additionally, hepatocyte proliferation index (HPI) was calculated by using mono-, bi- and multinucleated cell counts. Treatment of mice with six compounds, except for colchicine, after PH showed higher incidence of micronucleated hepatocytes (MNH) than that before PH, and also increases in binucleated and multinucleated cells. Especially for carbendazim, diazepam, noscapine and trichlorfon, the dosing after PH was essential for the detecting numerical aberration. Colchicine evidently increased HPI and decreased relative liver weights without MNH induction on Day 6. On Day 8 when HPI and relative liver weights almost returned to the basal range, a significant increase in MNH was noted. This implied that the strong inhibition of colchicine on hepatocyte proliferation may obstruct the induction of MNH on Day 6. In conclusion, to detect the potential numerical aberration, exposure of mice to test chemicals should be performed 1 day after PH, during which enhanced proliferation of hepatocytes was seen, and it would be better to analyze the liver specimens on Day 6 or more post-PH.

  16. Toxic effects of glyphosate on diploid and triploid fin cell lines from Misgurnus anguillicaudatus.

    PubMed

    Qin, Yanjie; Li, Xia; Xiang, Yang; Wu, Di; Bai, Liwen; Li, Zhuangzhuang; Liang, Yan

    2017-08-01

    We examined the toxic effects of glyphosate on diploid (DIMF) and triploid (TRMF) fin cell lines from the Oriental Weather Loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. The LC 50 values of glyphosate estimated by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay were 315.34 and 371.77 mg/L for DIMF and TRMF, respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities in DIMF and TRMF cells gradually increased and then decreased with increasing glyphosate concentrations, reaching a maximum at 240 mg/L glyphosate. In contrast, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in DIMF and TRMF decreased with increasing concentrations of glyphosate in a concentration-dependent manner. SOD and AChE activities were generally significantly higher in TRMF compared with DIMF cells (P < 0.05). The rates of micronucleus and abnormal nuclei were significantly higher in DIMF and TRMF groups treated with 80-560 mg/L glyphosate compared with the control groups (P < 0.01). The highest micronuclei rates in both DIMF and TRMF cells (both 4.30‰) occurred at 400 mg/L glyphosate. There were no differences in the rates of micronuclei and abnormal nuclei between DIMF and TRMF cells at any glyphosate concentration. Cell damage, including chromatin condensation, nucleus distortion, and broken and reduced endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and ribosomes, were found in both cells treated with the LC 50 concentration of glyphosate. Moreover, vacuolization and apoptotic bodies occurred in glyphosate-exposed DIMF and TRMF cells, indicating apoptosis. These results indicate that glyphosate in the range of tested concentrations represent a potential risk to loach through inhibiting proliferation of diploid and triploid cell lines and induces micronuclei and apoptosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Dose-Response for Multiple Biomarkers of Exposure and Genotoxic Effect Following Repeated Treatment of Rats with the Alkylating Agents, MMS and MNU.

    PubMed

    Ji, Zhiying; LeBaron, Matthew J; Schisler, Melissa R; Zhang, Fagen; Bartels, Michael J; Gollapudi, B Bhaskar; Pottenger, Lynn H

    2016-05-01

    The nature of the dose-response relationship for various in vivo endpoints of exposure and effect were investigated using the alkylating agents, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and methylnitrosourea (MNU). Six male F344 rats/group were dosed orally with 0, 0.5, 1, 5, 25 or 50mg/kg bw/day (mkd) of MMS, or 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 25 or 50 mkd of MNU, for 4 consecutive days and sacrificed 24h after the last dose. The dose-responses for multiple biomarkers of exposure and genotoxic effect were investigated. In MMS-treated rats, the hemoglobin adduct level, a systemic exposure biomarker, increased linearly with dose (r (2) = 0.9990, P < 0.05), indicating the systemic availability of MMS; however, the N7MeG DNA adduct, a target exposure biomarker, exhibited a non-linear dose-response in blood and liver tissues. Blood reticulocyte micronuclei (MN), a genotoxic effect biomarker, exhibited a clear no-observed-genotoxic-effect-level (NOGEL) of 5 mkd as a point of departure (PoD) for MMS. Two separate dose-response models, the Lutz and Lutz model and the stepwise approach using PROC REG both supported a bilinear/threshold dose-response for MN induction. Liver gene expression, a mechanistic endpoint, also exhibited a bilinear dose-response. Similarly, in MNU-treated rats, hepatic DNA adducts, gene expression changes and MN all exhibited clear PoDs, with a NOGEL of 1 mkd for MN induction, although dose-response modeling of the MNU-induced MN data showed a better statistical fit for a linear dose-response. In summary, these results provide in vivo data that support the existence of clear non-linear dose-responses for a number of biologically significant events along the pathway for genotoxicity induced by DNA-reactive agents. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Specific replacement of Q base in the anticodon of tRNA by guanine catalyzed by a cell-free extract of rabbit reticulocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Okada, N; Harada, F; Nishimura, S

    1976-01-01

    Guanylation of tRNA by a lysate of rabbit reticulocytes was reported previously by Farkas and Singh. This reaction was investigated further using 18 purified E. coli tRNAs as acceptors.Results showed that only tRNATyr, tRNAHis, tRNAAsn and tRNAAsp which contain the modified nucleoside Q in the anticodon acted as acceptors. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences in the guanylated tRNA showed that guanine specifically replaced Q base in these tRNAs. Images PMID:792816

  19. DIETARY FOLATE DEFICIENCY ENHANCES INDUCTION OF MICRONUCLEI BY ARSENIC IN MICE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Folate deficiency increases background levels of DNA damage and can enhance the genotoxicity of chemical agents. Arsenic, a known human carcinogen present in drinking water supplies around the world, induces chromosomal and DNA damage. The effect of dietary folate deficiency on...

  20. Genomic damage induced by 1-MHz ultrasound in vitro.

    PubMed

    Udroiu, Ion; Marinaccio, Jessica; Bedini, Angelico; Giliberti, Claudia; Palomba, Raffaele; Sgura, Antonella

    2018-01-01

    Genotoxic effects of therapeutic ultrasound are poorly documented, when compared with the wide use of this physical agent. The aim of this work was to investigate the clastogenic and aneugenic potential of 1 MHz ultrasound, employing intensities (200 and 300 mW/cm 2 ) above the cavitational threshold, but in the range of those normally used in therapeutics. Both normal fibroblasts (AG01522) and tumoral cells (MCF-7) were sonicated. While no effects on viability were noted, significant increases of CREST-negative micronuclei (indicative of clastogenesis) and CREST-positive micronuclei (indicative of aneuploidy) were detected. Clastogenesis was confirmed by increases of γ-H2AX foci, while increases of spindle anomalies confirmed the induction of aneuploidy. Our results confirm previous works that showed ultrasound-induced DNA breakage. Moreover, our experiments show that the known effect of ultrasound-induced damage to microtubules is also able to damage the mitotic spindle and induce aneuploidy. On the overall, this work highlights the importance to further investigate the potential risks related to therapeutics US. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:60-68, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. MICRONUCLEI IN BINUCLEATED LYMPHOCYTES OF MICE FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO GAMMA RADIATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Experiments were designed to investigate the induction of micronuclei (MN) in mouse peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) after in vitro or in vivo exposure to 60Co gamma radiation. or the in vitro experiments, 4 ml of blood from male C57BL/6J mice were either irradiated in 6 ml Fa...

  2. Micronuclei: An essential biomarker in oral exfoliated cells for grading of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Jadhav, Kiran; Gupta, Nidhi; Ahmed, Mujib Br

    2011-01-01

    Micronuclei in exfoliated oral epithelial cells have been shown in some studies to correlate with severity of this genotoxic damage. This severity can be measured in terms of grading of the lesions. To correlate frequency of micronuclei (MN) in oral exfoliated cells in clinically diagnosed cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) followed by a histopathological grading. The study subjects consisted of clinically diagnosed cases of OSCC. Healthy subjects without any tobacco consumption habits formed the control group. The cytosmears from both groups were stained with rapid Papanicolaou stain. MN were identified according to the criteria given by Countryman and Heddle with some modifications. The frequency of MN was three to four times higher in patients with OSCC as compared to patients in the control group and the difference was found to be highly significant. In 75% cases, the cytological grade as determined by the frequency of micronuclei correlated with the histopathological grade and this observation was statistically significant. MN can be a candidate to serve as a biomarker for prediction of the grade of OSCC.

  3. The relationship between protein synthesis and heat shock proteins levels in rabbit reticulocyte lysates.

    PubMed

    Matts, R L; Hurst, R

    1992-09-05

    Besides heme deficiency, protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates becomes inhibited upon exposure to a variety of agents that mimic conditions which induce the heat shock response in cells. This inhibition has been demonstrated to be due primarily to the activation of the heme-regulated eIF-2 alpha kinase (HRI) which causes an arrest in the initiation of translation. In this report, the sensitivity of protein synthesis in hemin-supplemented lysates to inhibition by Hg2+, GSSG, methylene blue, and heat shock was examined in six different reticulocyte lysate preparations. The extent to which translation was inhibited in response to Hg2+, GSSG, methylene blue, and heat shock correlated inversely with the relative levels of the 70-kDa heat shock proteins (hsp 70) and a 56-kDa protein (p56) present in the lysates determined by Western blotting. The ability of hemin to restore protein synthesis upon addition to heme-deficient lysates was also examined. While the restoration of protein synthesis correlated roughly with the levels of hsp 90 present, the results also suggest that the heme regulation of HRI probably involves the interaction of HRI with several factors present in the lysate besides hsp 90. A comparison of two lysate preparations, which had a 2-fold difference in their protein synthesis rates, indicated that the slower translational rate of the one lysate could be accounted for by its low level of constitutive eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation, with its accompanying decrease in the eIF-2B activity and lower level of polyribosome loading. The present study supports the notion that the previously demonstrated interaction of HRI with hsp 90, hsp 70, and p56 in reticulocyte lysates may play a direct role in regulating HRI activation or activity. We hypothesize that the competition of denatured protein and HRI for the binding of hsp 70 may be a molecular signal that triggers the activation of HRI in reticulocyte lysates in response to stress. Possible functions for p56 in the regulation of HRI activity are also discussed.

  4. Anticlastogenic effect of Spirulina maxima extract on the micronuclei induced by maleic hydrazide in Tradescantia.

    PubMed

    Ruiz Flores, L Elvia; Madrigal-Bujaidar, Eduardo; Salazar, María; Chamorro, Germán

    2003-02-07

    The aim of this investigation was to determine if extracts of Spirulina maxima reduce the genotoxic damage induced by maleic hydrazide (MH) using the Tradescantia biosssay. Two types of extracts from the alga were prepared: an aqueous extract with two different concentrations, 100 and 500 mg/ml, and a second one, the extract of a 1% solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) which corresponded to 100 mg/ml of the alga. The capacity of MH to induce micronuclei (MN) was initially established by administering 0.005, 0.01, and 0.015 mg/ml of the chemical to the Tradescantia inflorescences, and observing its effect after 24 h.The results of this experiment showed a significant MN increase with the two high concentrations tested, although no dose-response effect was observed. For the anticlastogenic assay, the extracts of Spirulina were applied to the inflorescences alone or immediately before the application of MH (0.01 mg/ml) and the induced MN were observed 24 h later. We found that none of the extracts increased the MN level with respect to the untreated plants; also, that MH more or less doubled the basal micronuclei frequency, and finally, that all tested extracts reduced the genotoxic damage caused by MH. The inhibitory indices obtained for the aqueous extracts (100 and 500 mg/ml) and for the DMSO extract were respectively 59, 85, and 56.3%. These data indicate that Spirulina is an anticlastogenic agent and suggest that it is advisable to extend studies on this matter using other biological models.

  5. In vitro induction of micronuclei by monofunctional methanesulphonic acid esters: possible role of alkylation mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Eder, Erwin; Kütt, Wolfgang; Deininger, Christoph

    2006-12-01

    Six monofunctional alkylating methanesulphonates of widely varying structures were investigated in the in vitro micronucleus assay with Syrian hamster embryo fibroblast cells. The results were compared with the alkylating activities measured in the 4-(nitrobenzyl)pyridine test (NBP-test) and the N-methyl mercaptoimidazole (MMI-test) as measures for S(N)2 reactivity as well as in the triflouoroacetic acid (TFA) solvolysis and the hydrolysis reaction as measures for S(N)1 reactivity in order to provide insights into the role of alkylation mechanisms on induction of micronuclei. Moreover we compared the results of micronucleus assay with those of the Ames tests in strain TA 100 and TA1535 and with those of the SOS chromotest with the strains PQ37, PQ243, PM21 and GC 4798. The potency of methanesulphonates to induce micronuclei depended only to a certain degree, on the total alkylating activity (S(N)1 and S(N)2 reactivity). An inverse, significant correlation between the Ames test and the micronucleus assay was observed and an inverse correlation between the micronucleus assay and the SOS chromotest with the different strains. The results indicate that the primary mechanism leading to induction of micronuclei is not O-alkylation in DNA as it is the case in the Ames test with the hisG46 strains TA1535 and TA100 and not N-alkylation as with the SOS chromotest. There is evidence that protein alkylation, e.g. in the spindle apparatus in mitosis is decisive for induction of micronuclei by alkylating compounds. The structurally voluminous methanesulphonates 2-phenyl ethyl methanesulphonate and 1-phenyl-2-propyl methanesulphonate show a clear higher micronuclei inducing potency than the other tested though the bulky methanesulphonates possess a lower total alkylating activity than the others. This effect can be explained by a higher disturbance during mitosis after alkylation of the spindle apparatus with the structurally more bulky methanesulphonates.

  6. cGAS Conducts Micronuclei DNA Surveillance.

    PubMed

    de Oliveira Mann, Carina C; Kranzusch, Philip J

    2017-10-01

    DNA damage elicits a potent proinflammatory immune response. A collection of four papers now reveals that micronuclear DNA is a new cell intrinsic immunostimulatory molecule, and that accumulation of the immune sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) in micronuclei leads to a cell-cycle-dependent proinflammatory response following DNA damage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Hematologic responses to hypobaric hyperoxia.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larkin, E. C.; Adams, J. D.; Williams, W. T.; Duncan, D. M.

    1972-01-01

    Study of the effects of hypoxia, activity, and G forces on human hematopoiesis in an attempt to elucidate these phenomena more precisely. Eight subjects were exposed to an atmosphere of 100% O2 at 258 mm Hg for 30 days, and thereafter immediately exposed to transverse G forces, simulating the Gemini flights' reentry profile. All subjects displayed a significant continuous decline in red cell mass during the exposure period, as measured by the carbon monoxide-dilution method. The Cr51 method also indicated a decline in red blood corpuscle mass. The decrease in red cell mass was due to suppression of erythropoiesis and to hemolysis. After exposure to hyperoxia, all subjects exhibited elevated plasma hemoglobin levels, decreased reticulocyte counts, and decreased red cell survivals. CO production rates and urine erythropoietin levels were unchanged. Two hours after termination of exposure to hyperoxia, all subjects exhibited increased reticulocyte counts which were sustained for longer than two weeks. The progressive decrease in red cell mass was promptly arrested on return to ground level atmospheres. Within 116 days after exposure to hyperoxia, the hematologic parameters of all eight subjects had returned to control levels.

  8. Reduced progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice with phenylhydrazine-induced anemia.

    PubMed

    Paul, A; Calleja, L; Vilella, E; Martínez, R; Osada, J; Joven, J

    1999-11-01

    Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that circulating erythrocytes play a role in the incidence of coronary heart disease. We investigated the influence of phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anemia on the formation of atherosclerotic lesions in apo E-deficient mice on regular chow and on a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet during 10 weeks. The repeated doses of PHZ caused sustained anemia throughout the study, changes in the physical characteristics of erythrocytes and increased reticulocyte count. The lesions of the anemic animals were smaller than in the controls and this was even more evident in mice fed with the atherogenic diet. A positive correlation was found between circulating red blood cells at the end of the experiment and the area of aortic lesion. There was also a negative association between the lesion and the reticulocyte count. This reduced progression of atherosclerotic lesions is independent of nutritional status or the lipoprotein cholesterol distribution. The results suggest that mechanisms related to the number of circulating red blood cells may have a significant influence on the development of atherosclerosis.

  9. Recombinant human erythropoietin in the prevention of late anemia in intrauterine transfused neonates with Rh-isoimmunization.

    PubMed

    Zuppa, Antonio Alberto; Alighieri, Giovanni; Calabrese, Valentina; Visintini, Federica; Cota, Francesco; Carducci, Chiara; Antichi, Eleonora; Noia, Giuseppe Antonio; Fortunato, Giuseppe; Romagnoli, Costantino

    2010-04-01

    The majority of neonates with Rh-isoimmunization develops late anemia between the second and the sixth week of life. We report the effectiveness of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in preventing late anemia in 25 intrauterine and nonintrauterine-transfused neonates. The neonates were treated from 11+/-4 days after birth to 26+/-14 days (400 U/kg/d of rHuEpo, administered subcutaneously). During rHuEpo therapy, vitamin E, calcium folinate, and iron maltose were administered intramuscularly on a daily basis. Hematocrit, platelet, and neutrophil counts did not differ significantly before and after 21-days therapy. However, average values for reticulocyte showed a significant increase. The hematocrit values in the non-intrauterine transfusion (IUT) group increased progressively from the beginning to the end of the treatment, whereas that in the IUT group remained stable. Reticulocyte count increased during treatment in both groups, but it was significantly elevated in the non-IUT group only. Moreover, we observed that only neonates transfused with IUTs needed transfusions before and after treatment. This study suggests the effectiveness of rHuEpo therapy in the treatment of neonates with Rh-isoimmunization and it highlights how IUTs decrease the neonatal response efficacy. Larger, better if multicentric, randomized controlled trial are needed to definitely state whether rHuEPO safely decreases the incidence of late onset anemia.

  10. Low-shear red blood cell oxygen transport effectiveness is adversely affected by transfusion and further worsened by deoxygenation in sickle cell disease patients on chronic transfusion therapy.

    PubMed

    Detterich, Jon; Alexy, Tamas; Rabai, Miklos; Wenby, Rosalinda; Dongelyan, Ani; Coates, Thomas; Wood, John; Meiselman, Herbert

    2013-02-01

    Simple chronic transfusion therapy (CTT) is a mainstay for stroke prophylaxis in sickle cell anemia, but its effects on hemodynamics are poorly characterized. Transfusion improves oxygen-carrying capacity, reducing demands for high cardiac output. While transfusion decreases factors associated with vasoocclusion, including percent hemoglobin (Hb)S, reticulocyte count, and circulating cell-free Hb, it increases blood viscosity, which reduces microvascular flow. The hematocrit-to-viscosity ratio (HVR) is an index of red blood cell oxygen transport effectiveness that varies with shear stress and balances the benefits of improved oxygen capacity to viscosity-mediated impairment of microvascular flow. We hypothesized that transfusion would improve HVR at high shear despite increased blood viscosity, but would decrease HVR at low shear. To test this hypothesis, we examined oxygenated and deoxygenated blood samples from 15 sickle cell patients on CTT immediately before transfusion and again 12 to 120 hours after transfusion. Comparable changes in Hb, hematocrit (Hct), reticulocyte count, and HbS with transfusion were observed in all subjects. Viscosity, Hct, and high-shear HVR increased with transfusion while low-shear HVR decreased significantly. Decreased low-shear HVR suggests impaired oxygen transport to low-flow regions and may explain why some complications of sickle cell anemia are ameliorated by CTT and others may be made worse. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  11. Evaluation of Micronuclei, Nuclear Anomalies and the Nuclear/Cytoplasmic Ratio of Exfoliated Cervical Epithelial Cells in Genital Candidiasis.

    PubMed

    Safi Oz, Zehra; Dogan Gun, Banu; Ozdamar, Sukru Oguz

    2015-01-01

    Candida is the most common cause of fungal infections. The aim of this study was to fill the gaps in the current knowledge on the frequencies of micronuclei and nuclear anomalies, and the nucleus/cytoplasmic ratio in genital candidiasis. A total of 88 Papanicolaou- stained cervical smears, which comprised Candida spp. (n = 44) and control cases with no infectious agent (n = 44), were studied. In each smear, cells with micronuclei and nuclear anomalies were counted in 1,000 epithelial cells and also nuclear and cellular areas were evaluated using image analysis software at a magnification of ×400. The frequencies of micronucleated and binucleated cells and cells with perinuclear halos, and the nucleus/cytoplasmic ratio of epithelial cells were higher in the Candida-infected group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Genital candidiasis is able to induce changes in the size and shape of epithelial cells. The nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio and the frequency of micronuclei may reflect the DNA damage in the cervical epithelium. Micronucleus scoring could be used to screen the genomic damage profile of epithelial cells in candidiasis. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  12. Micronuclei: An essential biomarker in oral exfoliated cells for grading of oral squamous cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Jadhav, Kiran; Gupta, Nidhi; Ahmed, Mujib BR

    2011-01-01

    Background: Micronuclei in exfoliated oral epithelial cells have been shown in some studies to correlate with severity of this genotoxic damage. This severity can be measured in terms of grading of the lesions. Aim: To correlate frequency of micronuclei (MN) in oral exfoliated cells in clinically diagnosed cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) followed by a histopathological grading. Materials and Methods: The study subjects consisted of clinically diagnosed cases of OSCC. Healthy subjects without any tobacco consumption habits formed the control group. The cytosmears from both groups were stained with rapid Papanicolaou stain. MN were identified according to the criteria given by Countryman and Heddle with some modifications. Results: The frequency of MN was three to four times higher in patients with OSCC as compared to patients in the control group and the difference was found to be highly significant. In 75% cases, the cytological grade as determined by the frequency of micronuclei correlated with the histopathological grade and this observation was statistically significant. Conclusions: MN can be a candidate to serve as a biomarker for prediction of the grade of OSCC. PMID:21552400

  13. [Micronuclei in mucose cells and colonization of human stomach epithelium with coccoid forms of Helicobacter pylori].

    PubMed

    Kitaeva, L V; Mikhaĭlova, I A; Semov, D; Proshin, S N; Kravtsov, V Iu

    2008-01-01

    International Agency for Research on Cancer recognized as sufficient the evidence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection carcinogenicity and placed it into the 1 st group of carcinogens. Micronucleus level in gastric epithelial cells of antral stomach region of patients with chronic non-atrophy gastritis (n = 62) was studied. 40 patients of 62 had HP-associated gastritis. The HP-bacterium exists in a spiral and coccoid form. Both morphological forms were examined using immunocytochemistry. Significantly increased micronucleus number was observed in the cells of HP-infected patients compared with non-infected person (P < 0.05). The frequency of stomach epithelium cells with micronuclei was enhanced considerably in the patients infected with the coccoid HP form. Therefore the patients with HP-associated chronic gastritis caused by the coccoid form with high degree of colonization must be considered as a group of enhanced risk of gastric carcinogenesis.

  14. Induction of Micronuclei in Human Fibroblasts from the Los Alamos High Energy Neutron Beam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cox, Bradley

    2009-01-01

    The space radiation field includes a broad spectrum of high energy neutrons. Interactions between these neutrons and a spacecraft, or other material, significantly contribute to the dose equivalent for astronauts. The 15 degree beam line in the Weapons Neutron Research beam at Los Alamos Nuclear Science Center generates a neutron spectrum relatively similar to that seen in space. Human foreskin fibroblast (AG1522) samples were irradiated behind 0 to 20 cm of water equivalent shielding. The cells were exposed to either a 0.05 or 0.2 Gy entrance dose. Following irradiation, micronuclei were counted to see how the water shield affects the beam and its damage to cell nuclei. Micronuclei induction was then compared with dose equivalent data provided from a tissue equivalent proportional counter.

  15. Two structurally distinct inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3 induced centromere positive micronuclei in human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells.

    PubMed

    Mishima, Masayuki; Tanaka, Kenji; Takeiri, Akira; Harada, Asako; Kubo, Chiyomi; Sone, Sachiko; Nishimura, Yoshikazu; Tachibana, Yukako; Okazaki, Makoto

    2008-08-25

    Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) is an attractive novel pharmacological target. Inhibition of GSK3 is recently regarded as one of the viable approaches to therapy for Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, and bipolar mood disorder. Here, we have investigated the aneugenic potential of two potent and highly specific inhibitors of GSK3 by using an in vitro micronucleus test with human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells. One inhibitor was a newly synthesized maleimide derivative and the other was a previously known aminopyrimidine derivative. Both compounds elicited statistically significant and concentration-dependent increases in micronucleated cells. One hundred micronuclei (MN) of each were analyzed using centromeric DNA staining with fluorescence in situ hybridization. Both the two structurally distinct compounds induced centromere-positive micronuclei (CMN). Calculated from the frequency of MN cells and the percentage of CMN, CMN cell incidence after treatment with the maleimide compound at 1.2 microM, 2.4 microM, and 4.8 microM was 11.6, 27.7, and 56.3 per 1000 cells, respectively; the negative control was 4.5. CMN cell incidence after the treatment with the aminopyrimidine compound at 1.8 microM, 3.6 microM, and 5.4 microM was 6.7, 9.8 and 17.2 per 1000 cells, respectively. Both compounds exhibited concentration-dependent increase in the number of mitotic cells. The frequency of CMN cells correlated well with mitotic cell incidence after treatment with either compound. Furthermore, both inhibitors induced abnormal mitotic cells with asymmetric mitotic spindles and lagging anaphase chromosomes. These results lend further support to the hypothesis that the inhibition of GSK3 activity affects microtubule function and exhibits an aneugenic mode of action.

  16. Effects of lifestyle on micronuclei frequency in human lymphocytes in Japanese hard-metal workers.

    PubMed

    Huang, Peixin; Huang, Bin; Weng, Huachun; Nakayama, Kunio; Morimoto, Kanehisa

    2009-04-01

    The risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other major causes of mortality are largely attributable to lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol drinking, hours of working and sleeping, physical activity, diet, and stress. Earlier studies have suggested that an unhealthy lifestyle is also associated with increased lymphocyte sensitivity to mutagens, oxidative DNA damage level, and leukocyte DNA damage. In order to explore the genotoxicity of unhealthy lifestyle, we evaluated the effect of overall lifestyle as well as some individual lifestyle factors on micronuclei (MN) frequency in cultured human lymphocytes. The study was conducted among 208 healthy adult (19 to 59 years) male Japanese hard-metal workers. The subjects were divided into groups according to their self-reported good, moderate, and poor lifestyles based on their responses to a questionnaire regarding eight health practices (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, sleeping hours, working hours, physical exercise, eating breakfast, balanced nutrition, and mental stress), the presence or absence of each of which was summed to obtain a health practice index (HPI: range 0-8). Peripheral blood was taken and the cytokinesis-block micronuclei (CBMN) assay was performed. Total lifestyle quality as measured by the HPI was strongly negatively associated with MN frequency in cultured human lymphocytes (p<0.01). Nutritional imbalance, lack of regular exercise (<2 times per week), insufficient sleep (< or =6 h per day), and overtime working (> or =9 h per day) each contributed significantly to higher MN frequency (all p<0.05). In the smoker group, a significantly higher MN frequency was only found in heavy smokers (p<0.05). On the other hand, mental stress, eating breakfast, and alcohol drinking had no effect on MN frequency. Taken together, these findings indicate that poor lifestyle habits significantly increase MN frequency in human lymphocytes.

  17. DIBENZO[A,L]PYRENE INDUCTION OF ERYTHROCYTE MICRONUCLEI IN A/J AND P53-DEFICIENT MICE

    EPA Science Inventory

    DIBENZO[a,l]PYRENE INDUCTION OF ERYTHROCYTE MICRONUCLEI IN AlJ AND P53-DEFICIENT MICE

    Male A/J and C57Bl/6 background p53+/+, p53+/- and p53-/- mice were treated with dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P), and micronucleus (MN) frequencies were measured in erythrocytes from bone ...

  18. Induction of micronuclei in human fibroblasts across the Bragg curve of energetic heavy ions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hada, Megumi; Rusek, Adam; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wu, Honglu

    2006-01-01

    The space environment consists of a varying field of radiation particles including high energy ions, with spacecraft shielding material providing the major protection to astronauts from harmful exposure. Unlike low-L or X-rays, the presence of shielding does not always reduce the radiation risks for energetic charged particle exposure. Although the dose delivered by the charged particle increases sharply as the particle approaches the Bragg peak, the Bragg curve does not necessarily represent the biological damage along the particle traversal. The "biological Bragg curve" is dependent on the energy and the type of the primary particle, and may vary for different biological endpoints. To investigate "biological Bragg curves", we analyzed micronuclei (MN) induction along the particle traversal of Si and Fe ions at incident energies of 300 MeV/nucleon and 1 GeV/nucleon. A quantitative biological response curve did not reveal an increased yield of MN at the location of the Bragg peak. However, the ratio of mono-to bi-nucleated cells, which indicates inhibition in cell progression, increased at the Bragg peak location. These results confirm the hypothesis that "over kill" at the Bragg peak will affect the outcome of other biological endpoints.

  19. Effect of treatment media on size and cellular uptake of Ti02 nanoparticles: impact on genotoxicity in human respiratory cells.

    EPA Science Inventory

    The widespread use of titanium dioxide (Ti02) nanoparticles in consumer products increases the probability of exposure to humans and the environment. Although Ti02 nanoparticles have been shown to induce DNA damage and micronuclei in vitro, no study has systematically assessed th...

  20. The role of human cytochrome P4503A4 in biotransformation of tissue-specific derivatives of 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mesarosova, Monika; Valovicova, Zuzana; Srancikova, Annamaria

    2011-09-15

    The environmental pollutant 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole (DBC) and its derivative, 5,9-dimethylDBC (DiMeDBC), produced significant and dose-dependent levels of micronuclei followed by a substantial increase in the frequency of apoptotic cells in the V79MZh3A4 cell line stably expressing the human cytochrome P450 (hCYP) 3A4. In contrast, neither micronuclei nor apoptosis were found in cells exposed to the sarcomagenic carcinogen, N-methylDBC (N-MeDBC). A slight but significant level of gene mutations and DNA adducts detected in V79MZh3A4 cells treated with N-MeDBC, only at the highest concentration (30 {mu}M), revealed that this sarcomagenic carcinogen was also metabolized by hCYP3A4. Surprisingly, DBC increased the frequency of 6-thioguaninemore » resistant (6-TG{sup r}) mutations only at the highest concentration (30 {mu}M), while DiMeDBC failed to increase the frequency of these mutations. The resistance to 6-thioguanine is caused by the mutations in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Hprt) gene. The molecular analysis of the coding region of Hprt gene showed a deletion of the entire exon 8 in DiMeDBC-induced 6-TG{sup r} mutants, while no changes in the nucleotide sequences were identified in 6-TG{sup r} mutants produced by DBC and N-MeDBC. Based on our results, we suggest that hCYP3A4 is involved in the metabolism of DBC and its tissue-specific derivatives. While hCYP3A4 probably plays an important role in biotransformation of the liver carcinogens, DBC and DiMeDBC, it might only have a marginal function in N-MeDBC metabolism. - Highlights: > DBC activation via CYP3A4 resulted in micronuclei, DNA adduct formation and mutations in V79MZh3A4 cells. > The CYP3A4-mediated DiMeDBC activation caused micronuclei followed by apoptosis in V79MZh3A4 cells. > The genotoxic effects produced by N-MeDBC in V79MZh3A4 cells were negligible. > The hCYP3A4 may play an important role in DBC and DiMeDBC metabolism. > The CYP3A4 might only have a marginal function in N-MeDBC metabolism.« less

  1. Chromosome nondisjunction during bipolar mitoses of binucleated intermediates promote aneuploidy formation along with multipolar mitoses rather than chromosome loss in micronuclei induced by asbestos

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Tianwei; Lv, Lei; Huang, Yun; Ren, Xiaohui; Shi, Qinghua

    2017-01-01

    Asbestos is a well-known occupational carcinogen that can cause aneuploidy during the early stages of neoplastic development. To explore the origins of asbestos-induced aneuploidy, we performed long-term live-cell imaging followed by fluorescence in situ hybridization of chromosomes 8 and 12 in human bronchial epithelial (HBEC) and mesothelial (MeT5A) cells. We demonstrate that asbestos induces aneuploidy via binucleated intermediates resulting from cytokinesis failure. On the one hand, asbestos increases chromosome nondisjunction during bipolar divisions of binucleated intermediates and produces near-tetraploidy. On the other hand, asbestos increases multipolar divisions of binucleated intermediates to produce aneuploidy. Surprisingly, chromosomes in asbestos-induced micronucleated cells are not truly lost by the cells, and do not contribute to aneuploid cell formation in either cell type. These results clarify the cellular source of asbestos-induced aneuploidy. In particular, they show the asbestos-induced disruption of bipolar chromosomal segregation in tetraploid cells, thereby demonstrating the causality between binucleated intermediates and aneuploidy evolution, rather than chromosome loss in micronuclei. PMID:28038458

  2. Chromosome nondisjunction during bipolar mitoses of binucleated intermediates promote aneuploidy formation along with multipolar mitoses rather than chromosome loss in micronuclei induced by asbestos.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tianwei; Lv, Lei; Huang, Yun; Ren, Xiaohui; Shi, Qinghua

    2017-02-14

    Asbestos is a well-known occupational carcinogen that can cause aneuploidy during the early stages of neoplastic development. To explore the origins of asbestos-induced aneuploidy, we performed long-term live-cell imaging followed by fluorescence in situ hybridization of chromosomes 8 and 12 in human bronchial epithelial (HBEC) and mesothelial (MeT5A) cells. We demonstrate that asbestos induces aneuploidy via binucleated intermediates resulting from cytokinesis failure. On the one hand, asbestos increases chromosome nondisjunction during bipolar divisions of binucleated intermediates and produces near-tetraploidy. On the other hand, asbestos increases multipolar divisions of binucleated intermediates to produce aneuploidy. Surprisingly, chromosomes in asbestos-induced micronucleated cells are not truly lost by the cells, and do not contribute to aneuploid cell formation in either cell type. These results clarify the cellular source of asbestos-induced aneuploidy. In particular, they show the asbestos-induced disruption of bipolar chromosomal segregation in tetraploid cells, thereby demonstrating the causality between binucleated intermediates and aneuploidy evolution, rather than chromosome loss in micronuclei.

  3. Genotoxicity testing of peptides: Folate deprivation as a marker of exaggerated pharmacology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guérard, Melanie, E-mail: melanie.guerard@roche.com; Zeller, Andreas; Festag, Matthias

    2014-09-15

    The incidence of micronucleated-cells is considered to be a marker of a genotoxic event and can be caused by direct- or indirect-DNA reactive mechanisms. In particular, small increases in the incidence of micronuclei, which are not associated with toxicity in the target tissue or any structurally altering properties of the compound, trigger the suspicion that an indirect mechanism could be at play. In a bone marrow micronucleus test of a synthetic peptide (a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors) that had been integrated into a regulatory 13-week repeat-dose toxicity study in the rat, small increases in the incidencemore » of micronuclei had been observed, together with pronounced reductions in food intake and body weight gain. Because it is well established that folate plays a crucial role in maintaining genomic integrity and pronounced reductions in food intake and body weight gain were observed, folate levels were determined from plasma samples initially collected for toxicokinetic analytics. A dose-dependent decrease in plasma folate levels was evident after 4 weeks of treatment at the mid and high dose levels, persisted until the end of the treatment duration of 13-weeks and returned to baseline levels during the recovery period of 4 weeks. Based on these properties, and the fact that the compound tested (peptide) per se is not expected to reach the nucleus and cause DNA damage, the rationale is supported that the elevated incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes is directly linked to the exaggerated pharmacology of the compound resulting in a decreased folate level. - Highlights: • A synthetic peptide has been evaluated for potential genotoxicity • Small increases in an integrated (13-weeks) micronucleus test were observed • Further, animals had a pronounced reductions in food intake and body weight gain • A dose-dependent decrease in plasma folate levels was evident from week 4 onwards • Elevated micronuclei-incidence due to the exaggerated pharmacology.« less

  4. Testosterone Administration Inhibits Hepcidin Transcription and is Associated with Increased Iron Incorporation into Red Blood Cells

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Wen; Bachman, Eric; Li, Michelle; Roy, Cindy N.; Blusztajn, Jerzy; Wong, Siu; Chan, Stephen Y.; Serra, Carlo; Jasuja, Ravi; Travison, Thomas G.; Muckenthaler, Martina U.; Nemeth, Elizabeta; Bhasin, Shalender

    2013-01-01

    Testosterone administration increases hemoglobin levels and has been used to treat anemia of chronic disease. Erythrocytosis is the most frequent adverse event associated with testosterone therapy of hypogonadal men, especially older men. However, the mechanisms by which testosterone increases hemoglobin remain unknown. Testosterone administration in male and female mice was associated with a greater increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit, reticulocyte count, reticulocyte hemoglobin concentration, and serum iron and transferring saturation than placebo. Testosterone downregulated hepatic hepcidin mRNA expression, upregulated renal erythropoietin mRNA expression, and increased erythropoietin levels. Testosterone-induced suppression of hepcidin expression was independent of its effects on erythropoietin or hypoxia-sensing mechanisms. Transgenic mice with liver-specific constitutive hepcidin over-expression failed to exhibit the expected increase in hemoglobin in response to testosterone administration. Testosterone upregulated splenic ferroportin expression and reduced iron retention in spleen. After intravenous administration of transferrin-bound 58Fe, the amount of 58Fe incorporated into red blood cells was significantly greater in testosterone-treated mice than in placebo-treated mice. Serum from testosterone-treated mice stimulated hemoglobin synthesis in K562 erythroleukemia cells more than that from vehicle-treated mice. Testosterone administration promoted the association of androgen receptor (AR) with Smad1 and Smad4 to reduce their binding to BMP-response elements in hepcidin promoter in the liver. Ectopic expression of AR in hepatocytes suppressed hepcidin transcription; this effect was blocked dose-dependently by AR antagonist flutamide. Testosterone did not affect hepcidin mRNA stability. Conclusion: Testosterone inhibits hepcidin transcription through its interaction with BMP-Smad signaling. Testosterone administration is associated with increased iron incorporation into red blood cells. PMID:23399021

  5. Direct tubulin polymerization perturbation contributes significantly to the induction of micronuclei in vivo.

    PubMed

    ter Haar, E; Day, B W; Rosenkranz, H S

    1996-03-09

    The computational analysis data presented indicate a significant mechanistic association between the ability of a chemical to cause tubulin polymerization perturbation (TPP), via direct interaction with the protein, and the in vivo induction of micronuclei (MN). Since it is known that TPP is not a genotoxic event, the analyses suggest that the induction of MN by a non-genotoxic mechanism is a significant alternate pathway.

  6. Clastogenic effects of bisphenol A on human cultured lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Santovito, A; Cannarsa, E; Schleicherova, D; Cervella, P

    2018-01-01

    Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting compound widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is ubiquitously present in the environment, mostly in aquatic environments, with consequent risks to the health of aquatic organisms and humans. In the present study, we analysed the cytogenetic effects of bisphenol A on human lymphocytes using in vitro chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei assays. Lymphocyte cultures were exposed to five different concentrations of BP-A (0.20, 0.10, 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01 μg/mL) for 24 h (for chromosomal aberrations test) and 48 h (for micronuclei test). The concentration of 0.05 µg/mL represents the reference dose established by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA); 0.02 μg/mL represents the higher concentration of unconjugated BP-A found in human serum and 0.01 μg/mL represents the tolerable daily intake established by European Union. Data obtained from both assays showed significant genotoxic effects of the bisphenol A at concentrations of 0.20, 0.10 and 0.05 μg/mL, whereas at the concentration of 0.02 μg/mL, we observed only a significant increase in the micronuclei frequency. Finally, at the concentration of 0.01 μg/mL, no cytogenetic effects were observed, indicating this latter as a more tolerable concentration for human health with respect to 0.05 μg/mL, the reference dose established by US EPA.

  7. Assessment of oral cytological features in smokers and nonsmokers after application of toluidine blue.

    PubMed

    Sharbatdaran, Majid; Abbaszadeh, Hamid; Siadati, Sepideh; Ranaee, Mohammad; Hajian-Tilaki, Karimollah; Rajabi-Moghaddam, Mahdieh

    2017-06-01

    Smoking is the most important etiologic factor of oral cancer. Exfoliative cytology is the best method for early detection of oral cancer. Toluidine blue staining is used for detection of oral premalignant and malignant lesions. The aim of this study was to enhance the accuracy of oral exfoliative cytology in evaluating dysplastic features using toluidine blue staining. This clinical trials study was performed on 60 male smokers and nonsmokers without clinically oral lesion. Oral exfoliative cytological smears were prepared before and after application of toluidine blue and stained with Papanicolaou and evaluated under light microscope. Cytological features such as cellular clumping nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, cellular and nuclear pleomorphism, micronuclei, binucleation, presence of bacterial colonies, and keratin flakes were assessed and compared before and after application of toluidine blue. Results showed that cellular clumping and micronuclei were significantly decreased after application of toluidine blue and conversely cellular and nuclear pleomorphisms were significantly increased. Frequency of micronuclei and binucleation were greater in smokers than nonsmokers which were insignificant. Cellular and nuclear pleomorphisms were significantly higher in smokers than nonsmokers after application of toluidine blue. Toluidine blue improved cellular, nuclear, and structural features of oral cytological smears and filtered false-positive or false-negative results. Thus, application of toluidine blue in combination with oral exfoliative cytology for early detection of oral cancer is recommended. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:513-519. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. The CD14+CD16+ Inflammatory Monocyte Subset Displays Increased Mitochondrial Activity and Effector Function During Acute Plasmodium vivax Malaria

    PubMed Central

    Antonelli, Lis R. V.; Leoratti, Fabiana M. S.; Costa, Pedro A. C.; Rocha, Bruno C.; Diniz, Suelen Q.; Tada, Mauro S.; Pereira, Dhelio B.; Teixeira-Carvalho, Andrea; Golenbock, Douglas T.; Gonçalves, Ricardo; Gazzinelli, Ricardo T.

    2014-01-01

    Infection with Plasmodium vivax results in strong activation of monocytes, which are important components of both the systemic inflammatory response and parasite control. The overall goal of this study was to define the role of monocytes during P. vivax malaria. Here, we demonstrate that P. vivax–infected patients display significant increase in circulating monocytes, which were defined as CD14+CD16− (classical), CD14+CD16+ (inflammatory), and CD14loCD16+ (patrolling) cells. While the classical and inflammatory monocytes were found to be the primary source of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the CD16+ cells, in particular the CD14+CD16+ monocytes, expressed the highest levels of activation markers, which included chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules. Morphologically, CD14+ were distinguished from CD14lo monocytes by displaying larger and more active mitochondria. CD14+CD16+ monocytes were more efficient in phagocytizing P. vivax-infected reticulocytes, which induced them to produce high levels of intracellular TNF-α and reactive oxygen species. Importantly, antibodies specific for ICAM-1, PECAM-1 or LFA-1 efficiently blocked the phagocytosis of infected reticulocytes by monocytes. Hence, our results provide key information on the mechanism by which CD14+CD16+ cells control parasite burden, supporting the hypothesis that they play a role in resistance to P. vivax infection. PMID:25233271

  9. Increased circulating fibrocytes are associated with higher reticulocyte percent in children with sickle cell anemia.

    PubMed

    Karafin, Matthew S; Dogra, Shibani; Rodeghier, Mark; Burdick, Marie; Mehrad, Borna; Rose, C Edward; Strieter, Robert M; DeBaun, Michael R; Strunk, Robert C; Field, Joshua J

    2016-03-01

    Interstitial lung disease is common in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Fibrocytes are circulating cells implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and airway remodeling in asthma. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that fibrocyte levels are: (1) increased in children with SCA compared to healthy controls, and (2) associated with pulmonary disease. Cross-sectional cohort study of children with SCA who participated in the Sleep Asthma Cohort Study. Fibrocyte levels were obtained from 45 children with SCA and 24 controls. Mean age of SCA cases was 14 years and 53% were female. In children with SCA, levels of circulating fibrocytes were greater than controls (P < 0.01). The fibrocytes expressed a hierarchy of chemokine receptors, with CXCR4 expressed on the majority of cells and CCR2 and CCR7 expressed on a smaller subset. Almost half of fibrocytes demonstrated α-smooth muscle actin activation. Increased fibrocyte levels were associated with a higher reticulocyte count (P = 0.03) and older age (P = 0.048) in children with SCA. However, children with increased levels of fibrocytes were not more likely to have asthma or lower percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vital capacity (FEV1 /FVC) or FEV1 than those with lower fibrocyte levels. Higher levels of fibrocytes in children with SCA compared to controls may be due to hemolysis. Longitudinal studies may be able to better assess the relationship between fibrocyte level and pulmonary dysfunction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Micronuclei and nuclear anomalies in Mexico's indigenous population.

    PubMed

    Lazalde-Ramos, Blanca Patricia; Zamora-Pérez, Ana Lourdes; Sosa-Macías, Martha; Galaviz-Hernández, Carlos; Zúñiga-González, Guillermo Moisés

    2017-01-01

    To determine the number of micronuclei and nuclear anomalies in Mexico's indigenous population. One hundred twenty indigenous individuals were evaluated, including thirty from the ethnicities Cora, Huichol, Tarahumara and Tepehuano. The number of micronuclei (MN) and any nuclear abnormality (NA) in oral mucosa cells, including cells with nuclear buds, binucleated cells, cells with karyolysis, karyorrhetic, condensed chromatin and pyknotic cells were determined for each participant. Tepehuano and Tarahumaras showed the greatest damage to DNA. The Tepehuano group presented the highest number of MN and NA, this being a significant difference (p < 0.05) compared with the rest of the studied groups. This group also presented the highest herbicide exposure (46.7%). In relation to the smoking and drinking habits, these were more frequent in the Tarahumara group (33.3 and 50% respectively). The ethnic diversity, habits and customs may influence the DNA nuclear integrity in the Amerindian groups.

  11. Micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in normal human buccal mucosa cells of oral cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy: a field effect.

    PubMed

    Tak, A; Metgud, R; Astekar, M; Tak, M

    2014-08-01

    We evaluated micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in exfoliated epithelial cells of the oral cavity on the side opposite the lesion targeted by radiotherapy and correlated them with radiation doses. Buccal smears were obtained from oral cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy with a cumulative dose of at least 1000 rad for 3 weeks and from controls matched for age, gender and habits. The exfoliated cells from the mucosa were collected using a cytobrush; smears were prepared, fixed in 80% methanol and stained using the Feulgen plus fast green method. The mean number of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies/1000 cells was significantly greater in patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment, but the differences were not significant compared to radiation doses. It appears that radiotherapy has a potent clastogenic effect on buccal mucosal cells of oral cancer patients.

  12. Primary fibroblasts from BRCA1 heterozygotes display an abnormal G1/S cell cycle checkpoint following UVA irradiation but show normal levels of micronuclei following oxidative stress or mitomycin C treatment.

    PubMed

    Shorrocks, Julie; Tobi, Simon E; Latham, Harry; Peacock, John H; Eeles, Ros; Eccles, Diana; McMillan, Trevor J

    2004-02-01

    There is evidence to suggest that the breast cancer predisposing gene, BRCA1, is involved in cell cycle control and the response to damage but mouse brca1+/- heterozygotes have no distinctive phenotype. Here the response to the three forms of cellular stress was examined in primary human fibroblasts from individuals with a +/+ or +/- genotype for BRCA1. Fibroblasts from individuals carrying mutations in the BRCA1 gene were compared with those from those wild-type for BRCA1 in their response to long wavelength uv (UVA), hydrogen peroxide, and mitomycin C (MMC). Cell cycle progression and micronucleus formation (MN) were used as end points. After UVA treatment there was no difference between +/- and +/+ cells in the initial fall in DNA synthetic activity (G(1) arrest) but the reentry into S-phase was restored at a faster rate in the BRCA1+/- cells after UVA exposure. Thus, for three normal (+/+) cell lines irradiated in monolayer, S-phase values averaged 15 +/- 3.7% 14 h post-UVA (1 x 10(5) J/m(2)), as compared with 35.7 +/- 1.9 (range) for two BRCA1(+/-) strains. Because a defective G(1)/S checkpoint in BRCA1 heterozygotes could lead to a greater proportion of S-phase cells with unrepaired DNA damage (strand breaks) and a resultant increase in chromosomal instability, the frequency of micronuclei induced by UVA was examined. Three normal (+/+) and three mutant (+/-) strains (two of which were used in the cell cycle experiments) produced mean micronuclei frequencies of 0.077 +/- 0.016 and 0.094 +/- 0.04/binucleate cell respectively (not statistically significant), 48 h after UVA exposure. No differences were found between BRCA1+/+ and +/- cells in MN formation after treatment with MMC or hydrogen peroxide. Our data suggest a defective G(1)/S checkpoint in cells from BRCA1 heterozygotes in response to UVA although this is not reflected in genomic instability as measured by micronuclei induction after oxidative stress or MMC treatment.

  13. Cytogenetic damage in the buccal epithelium of Brazilian aviators occupationally exposed to agrochemicals.

    PubMed

    Minasi, L B; Costa, E O A; Silva, D M; Melo, C O A; de Almeida, J G; Vieira, T C; Silva Júnior, R L; Ribeiro, C L; da Silva, C C; da Cruz, A D

    2011-12-12

    The frequency of micronuclei in both buccal cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes is extensively used as a biomarker of chromosomal damage and genome stability in human populations. We examined whether prolonged exposure to complex mixtures of pesticides leads to an increase in cytogenetic damage. The exposed group comprised 50 agricultural aviators, mainly from Central and Southeast regions of Brazil, who had inhaled agrochemicals for more than 10 years without personal protection equipment; the control group consisted of 17 men from the same regions, without indication of exposure to pesticides, There were three times higher frequencies of micronuclei (P < 0.05) and 2.5 times higher frequencies of binucleated cells in the aviators when compared to controls. However, cytotoxic alterations such as broken eggs and karyorrhexis did not present statistically significant differences between the exposed and control groups. Therefore, diverse agrochemicals used to combat pests in agriculture possess genotoxic effects in the oral mucosa of the agricultural pilots, as showed in this study.

  14. The analysis of some indices of immune response, DNA repair, and micronuclei content in cells from tick-borne encephalitis patients.

    PubMed

    Ilyinskikh, N N; Zagromov, E J; Lepekhin, A V

    1990-12-01

    Patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) had higher counts of red blood cells (RBC) with micronuclei. The majority of patients revealed decreased capacity of blood lymphoid cells for DNA repair except those with a 2-wave pattern of the course of disease; in the latter, the DNA repair was significantly higher than in healthy donors. Patients with TBE revealed lower T-lymphocyte counts due to a decrease in the amount of T-helper cells (the level of T-suppressors was elevated). The intensity of antibody production against TBE virus was significantly enhanced by termination of disease in the majority of patients. The count of natural killer cells was decreased, particularly at the initial stage of disease. At the time of admission to hospital the counts of RBC with micronuclei and of T-helper cells were in reverse proportion. At the terminal stage of disease the same correlation was noted between RBC counts with micronuclei and the antibody level. At the onset of disease a direct correlation was noted between DNA repair and B-lymphocyte and T-helper counts. At the final stage of disease the reverse correlation between the activity of DNA-repair systems and T-suppressor counts was registered. Three months after discharge from hospital, the indices of micronuclear test, natural killer cell activity, and DNA repair returned to normal.

  15. Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn with late-onset anemia due to anti-M: a case report and review of the Japanese literature.

    PubMed

    Yasuda, Hiroyasu; Ohto, Hitoshi; Nollet, Kenneth E; Kawabata, Kinuyo; Saito, Shunnichi; Yagi, Yoshihito; Negishi, Yutaka; Ishida, Atsushi

    2014-01-01

    Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) attributed to M/N-incompatibility varies from asymptomatic to lethally hydropic. Case reports are rare, and the clinical significance of anti-M is not completely understood. A challenging case of HDFN due to anti-M prompted an investigation of the Japanese literature, in order to characterize the clinical spectrum of M/N-incompatibility pregnancies in Japan and report results to English-language readers. Japanese reports of HDFN attributed to M/N incompatibility were compiled. Abstracted data include maternal antibody titers at delivery, fetal direct antiglobulin test, hemoglobin, total bilirubin, reticulocyte count at birth, and therapeutic interventions. We investigated characteristics of HDFN due to M/N-incompatible pregnancies in Japan after encountering a case of severe HDFN along with late-onset anemia in an infant born to a woman carrying IgG anti-M with a titer of 1. In total, thirty-three babies with HDFN due to anti-M and one due to anti-N have been reported in Japan since 1975. The median maternal antibody titer was 64 at delivery and was 16 or less in 10 of 34 women (29%). Five of 34 babies (15%) were stillborn or died as neonates. Twenty-one of 29 survivors (72%) had severe hemolytic anemia and/or hydrops fetalis. The reticulocyte count of neonates with anemia stayed below the reference interval. Sixteen (55%) developed late-onset anemia and 14 (48%) were transfused with M-negative RBCs. Significant positive correlation (P < .05) between the hemoglobin value and the reticulocyte count within 4 days of birth was obtained in 16 babies with anti-M HDFN. In the Japanese population, 21 of 34 cases of M/N-incompatible HDFN (72%) have manifested as severe hemolytic anemia and/or hydrops fetalis. Low reticulocyte count in neonates with late-onset anemia is consistent with suppressed erythropoiesis due to anti-M. © 2013.

  16. Do cancer cells in human and meristematic cells in plant exhibit similar responses toward plant extracts with cytotoxic activities?

    PubMed

    Khalifa, Noha S; Barakat, Hoda S; Elhallouty, Salwa; Salem, Dina

    2015-01-01

    We examined the effect of water extracts of Persea americana fruit, and of the leaves of Tabernamontana divericata, Nerium oleander and Annona cherimolia (positive control) on Vicia faba root cells. We had confirmed in our previously published data the cytotoxicity of these plant extracts on four human cancer cell lines: liver (HepG-2), lung (A549), colon (HT-29) and breast (MCF-7). Vicia faba roots were soaked in plant extracts at dilutions of 100, 1,250, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 ppm for 4 and 24 h. All treatments resulted in a significant reduction in the mitotic index in a dose dependant manner. Root cells treated with T. divericata, N. oleander and A. cherimolia exhibited a decrease in prophase cell percentage, increase in micronuclei and chromosomal abnormalities as concentration increased. The P. americana treatment showed the highest cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, prophase cell percentage increased linearly with the applied concentration and no micronuclei were detected. This study shows that root tip assay of beans can be used in initial screening for new plant extracts to validate their use as candidates for containing active cytotoxic agents against malignant cells. This will greatly help in exploring new plant extracts as drugs for cancer treatment.

  17. Micronucleus-specific histone H1 is required for micronuclear chromosome integrity in Tetrahymena thermophila

    PubMed Central

    Qiao, Juxia; Xu, Jing; Bo, Tao

    2017-01-01

    Histone H1 molecules play a key role in establishing and maintaining higher order chromatin structures. They can bind to linker DNA entering and exiting the nucleosome and regulate transcriptional activity. Tetrahymena thermophila has two histone H1, namely, macronuclear histone H1 and micronuclear histone H1 (Mlh1). Mlh1 is specifically localized at micronuclei during growth and starvation stages. Moreover, Mlh1 is localized around micronuclei and forms a specific structure during the conjugation stage. It co-localizes partially with spindle apparatus during micronuclear meiosis. Analysis of MLH1 knock-out revealed that Mlh1 was required for the micronuclear integrity and development during conjugation stage. Overexpression of Mlh1 led to abnormal conjugation progression. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression level of HMGB3 increased in ΔMLH1 strains, while the expression level of MLH1 increased in ΔHMGB3 cells during conjugation. These results indicate that micronuclear integrity and sexual development require normal expression level of Mlh1 and that HmgB3 and Mlh1 may functionally compensate each other in regulating micronuclear structure in T. thermophila. PMID:29095884

  18. Micronuclei and other erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities in fishes from the Great Lakes Basin, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Braham, Ryan P.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Shaw, Cassidy H.; Mazik, Patricia M.

    2017-01-01

    Biological markers (biomarkers) sensitive to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination in fishes are widely used to identify exposure effects in aquatic environments. The micronucleus assay was incorporated into a suite of indicators to assess exposure to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination at five Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), as well as one non-AOC (reference) site. The assay allowed enumeration of micronuclei as well as other nuclear abnormalities for both site and species comparisons. Erythrocyte abnormality data was also compared to skin and liver tumor prevalence and hepatic transcript abundance. Erythrocyte abnormalities were observed at all sites with variable occurrence and severity among sites and species. Benthic-oriented brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) expressed lower rates of erythrocyte abnormalities, but higher rates of skin and liver neoplasms, when compared to pelagic-oriented largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) at the same site. The reduced erythrocyte abnormalities, increased transcript abundance associated with Phase I and II toxicant responsive pathways, and increased neoplastic lesions among benthic-oriented taxa may indicate the development of contaminant resistance of these species to more acute effects.

  19. The effect of gamma radiation on the Common carp (Cyprinus carpio): In vivo genotoxicity assessment with the micronucleus and comet assays.

    PubMed

    M K, Praveen Kumar; Soorambail K, Shyama; Bhagatsingh Harisingh, Sonaye; D'costa, Avelyno; Ramesh Chandra, Chaubey

    2015-10-01

    Radioactive wastes may be leached into freshwater, either accidentally or in industrial effluents. We have studied gamma radiation-induced DNA damage in the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio. Fish were irradiated with 2-10Gy gamma radiation and genotoxic effects in blood cells were studied with the micronucleus (MN) and comet assays. Micronuclei and a dose-dependent increase in comet-tail DNA were seen in dose- and time-dependent studies. The highest % tail DNA was observed at 24h, declining until 72h, which may indicate the repair of radiation-induced DNA single-strand breaks after gamma radiation. However, double-stranded DNA damage may not have been repaired, as indicated by increased micronuclei at later periods. A positive correlation was observed between the comet and micronucleus assay results. This study confirms the mutagenic/genotoxic potential of gamma radiation in the Common carp, as well as the possible combined use of the micronucleus and comet assays for in vivo laboratory studies with fresh-water fish for screening the genotoxic potential of radioactive pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Chromosome and oxidative damage biomarkers in lymphocytes of Parkinson's disease patients.

    PubMed

    Migliore, L; Scarpato, R; Coppede, F; Petrozzi, L; Bonuccelli, U; Rodilla, V

    2001-10-01

    As cancer development usually results from exposure to several environmental risk factors in interaction with the genetic susceptibility of the host, it could be of interest to investigate if neurodegeneration, as occurs in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients can be attributed at least partially, to environmental risk factors. There is growing evidence that oxidative stress could play a significant role as a risk factor in the aetiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, emphasising the need for new individual and human-based approaches. The aim of our research is to explore the relation between chromosome instability and oxidative stress biomarkers in Parkinson's disease using a variety of strategies. We determined peripheral markers for oxidative damage in PD by testing for spontaneous and induced chromosomal damage, DNA strand breaks, oxidised pyrimidines and altered purines both in peripheral blood and cultured lymphocytes. We also measured glutathione S-transferase activity in the plasma of patients and controls. Compared to healthy controls, PD patients show higher frequencies of micronuclei (17.2 +/- 4.8 vs. 9.0 +/- 3.4, p < 0.001) and a significant increase in the levels of single strand breaks (SSB). Significant differences were also obtained in the distribution of oxidised purine bases between the two groups. Preliminary data obtained by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that the percentage of centromere negative micronuclei is higher than that of centromere positive micronuclei. Glutathione S-transferase activity in plasma from PD patients and controls was also measured and the enzymatic activity in PD patients was lower than in healthy controls.

  1. The cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay: dose-response calibration curve, background frequency in the population and dose estimation.

    PubMed

    Rastkhah, E; Zakeri, F; Ghoranneviss, M; Rajabpour, M R; Farshidpour, M R; Mianji, F; Bayat, M

    2016-03-01

    An in vitro study of the dose responses of human peripheral blood lymphocytes was conducted with the aim of creating calibrated dose-response curves for biodosimetry measuring up to 4 Gy (0.25-4 Gy) of gamma radiation. The cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay was employed to obtain the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) per binucleated cell in blood samples from 16 healthy donors (eight males and eight females) in two age ranges of 20-34 and 35-50 years. The data were used to construct the calibration curves for men and women in two age groups, separately. An increase in micronuclei yield with the dose in a linear-quadratic way was observed in all groups. To verify the applicability of the constructed calibration curve, MN yields were measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes of two real overexposed subjects and three irradiated samples with unknown dose, and the results were compared with dose values obtained from measuring dicentric chromosomes. The comparison of the results obtained by the two techniques indicated a good agreement between dose estimates. The average baseline frequency of MN for the 130 healthy non-exposed donors (77 men and 55 women, 20-60 years old divided into four age groups) ranged from 6 to 21 micronuclei per 1000 binucleated cells. Baseline MN frequencies were higher for women and for the older age group. The results presented in this study point out that the CBMN assay is a reliable, easier and valuable alternative method for biological dosimetry.

  2. Asian G6PD-Mahidol Reticulocytes Sustain Normal Plasmodium Vivax Development

    PubMed Central

    Bancone, Germana; Malleret, Benoit; Suwanarusk, Rossarin; Chowwiwat, Nongnud; Chu, Cindy S; McGready, Rose; Rénia, Laurent; Nosten, François

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzymatic disorder in humans and appears to be protective against falciparum severe malaria. Controversially, it is also thought that Plasmodium vivax has driven the recent selection of G6PD alleles. We use an experimental approach to determine whether G6PD-MahidolG487A variant, a widespread cause of severe G6PD deficiency in Southeast Asia, provides a barrier against vivax malaria. Our results show that the immature reticulocytes (CD71+) targeted by P. vivax invasion are enzymatically normal, even in hemizygous G6PD-Mahidol G487A mutants; thus, allowing the normal growth, development, and high parasite density in severely deficient samples. PMID:28591790

  3. In vitro studies on chemoprotective effect of Purnark against benzo(a)pyrene-induced chromosomal damage in human lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Ghaisas, S D; Bhide, S V

    1994-01-01

    Human lymphocytes were used as an assay system to test chemopreventive activity of natural products. Purnark, a mixture of extracts of turmeric, betel leaf and catechu, was tested for its chemoprotective activity against BP induced DNA damage. Sister chromatid exchange and micronuclei were used as markers to assess the protective activity of Purnark. Purnark gave 50-60% protection against BP induced SCEs and micronuclei. Purnark at 100 micrograms dose did not show any genotoxicity.

  4. Nanobubbles Form at Active Hydrophobic Spots on the Luminal Aspect of Blood Vessels: Consequences for Decompression Illness in Diving and Possible Implications for Autoimmune Disease-An Overview.

    PubMed

    Arieli, Ran

    2017-01-01

    Decompression illness (DCI) occurs following a reduction in ambient pressure. Decompression bubbles can expand and develop only from pre-existing gas micronuclei. The different hypotheses hitherto proposed regarding the nucleation and stabilization of gas micronuclei have never been validated. It is known that nanobubbles form spontaneously when a smooth hydrophobic surface is submerged in water containing dissolved gas. These nanobubbles may be the long sought-after gas micronuclei underlying decompression bubbles and DCI. We exposed hydrophobic and hydrophilic silicon wafers under water to hyperbaric pressure. After decompression, bubbles appeared on the hydrophobic but not the hydrophilic wafers. In a further series of experiments, we placed large ovine blood vessels in a cooled high pressure chamber at 1,000 kPa for about 20 h. Bubbles evolved at definite spots in all the types of blood vessels. These bubble-producing spots stained positive for lipids, and were henceforth termed "active hydrophobic spots" (AHS). The lung surfactant dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), was found both in the plasma of the sheep and at the AHS. Bubbles detached from the blood vessel in pulsatile flow after reaching a mean diameter of ~1.0 mm. Bubble expansion was bi-phasic-a slow initiation phase which peaked 45 min after decompression, followed by fast diffusion-controlled growth. Many features of decompression from diving correlate with this finding of AHS on the blood vessels. (1) Variability between bubblers and non-bubblers. (2) An age-related effect and adaptation. (3) The increased risk of DCI on a second dive. (4) Symptoms of neurologic decompression sickness. (5) Preconditioning before a dive. (6) A bi-phasic mechanism of bubble expansion. (7) Increased bubble formation with depth. (8) Endothelial injury. (9) The presence of endothelial microparticles. Finally, constant contact between nanobubbles and plasma may result in distortion of proteins and their transformation into autoantigens.

  5. Nanobubbles Form at Active Hydrophobic Spots on the Luminal Aspect of Blood Vessels: Consequences for Decompression Illness in Diving and Possible Implications for Autoimmune Disease—An Overview

    PubMed Central

    Arieli, Ran

    2017-01-01

    Decompression illness (DCI) occurs following a reduction in ambient pressure. Decompression bubbles can expand and develop only from pre-existing gas micronuclei. The different hypotheses hitherto proposed regarding the nucleation and stabilization of gas micronuclei have never been validated. It is known that nanobubbles form spontaneously when a smooth hydrophobic surface is submerged in water containing dissolved gas. These nanobubbles may be the long sought-after gas micronuclei underlying decompression bubbles and DCI. We exposed hydrophobic and hydrophilic silicon wafers under water to hyperbaric pressure. After decompression, bubbles appeared on the hydrophobic but not the hydrophilic wafers. In a further series of experiments, we placed large ovine blood vessels in a cooled high pressure chamber at 1,000 kPa for about 20 h. Bubbles evolved at definite spots in all the types of blood vessels. These bubble-producing spots stained positive for lipids, and were henceforth termed “active hydrophobic spots” (AHS). The lung surfactant dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), was found both in the plasma of the sheep and at the AHS. Bubbles detached from the blood vessel in pulsatile flow after reaching a mean diameter of ~1.0 mm. Bubble expansion was bi-phasic—a slow initiation phase which peaked 45 min after decompression, followed by fast diffusion-controlled growth. Many features of decompression from diving correlate with this finding of AHS on the blood vessels. (1) Variability between bubblers and non-bubblers. (2) An age-related effect and adaptation. (3) The increased risk of DCI on a second dive. (4) Symptoms of neurologic decompression sickness. (5) Preconditioning before a dive. (6) A bi-phasic mechanism of bubble expansion. (7) Increased bubble formation with depth. (8) Endothelial injury. (9) The presence of endothelial microparticles. Finally, constant contact between nanobubbles and plasma may result in distortion of proteins and their transformation into autoantigens. PMID:28861003

  6. Radioprotective effects of Hawthorn against genotoxicity induced by gamma irradiation in human blood lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Hosseinimehr, Seyed Jalal; Mahmoudzadeh, Aziz; Azadbakht, Mohammad; Akhlaghpoor, Shahram

    2009-02-01

    The radioprotective effect of hawthorn (Crataegus microphylla) fruit extract was investigated in cultured blood lymphocytes from human volunteers. Peripheral blood samples were collected from five human volunteers 10 min before and 1, 2 and 3 h after a single oral ingestion of 500 mg hawthorn powder extract. At each time point, the whole blood was exposed in vitro to 150 cGy of cobalt-60 gamma irradiation, and then the lymphocytes were cultured with mitogenic stimulation to determine the micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked binucleated cell. The lymphocytes in the blood samples collected after extract ingestion exhibited a significant decrease in the incidence of binucleated cells containing micronuclei as compared to similarly irradiated lymphocytes collected prior to extract ingestion. The maximum decrease in the frequency of micronuclei-containing cells was observed at 1 h after ingestion of Hawthorn extract (on average a 44% decrease). These data suggest that it may be possible to use Hawthorn extracts in personnel exposed to radiation in order to protect lymphocytes from radiation effects.

  7. Micronuclei and erythrocytic abnormalities frequencies of freshwater fishes: Establishing a baseline for health status

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sousa, Debora Batista Pinheiro; Torres, Audalio Rebelo; Oliveira, Suelen Rosana Sampaio; Castro, Jonatas da Silva; Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho

    2017-11-01

    Majority papers shows that micronucleus test and erythrocyte abnormalities are excellent tools such as tools for monitor fish health and the level of impact in aquatic ecosystems. Nevertheless, still do not know the baseline for those changes in freshwater fishes communities in the Brazilian Northeastern river. In this study, we show the level of basis of two species of freshwater fishes (Colossoma macropomum -tambaqui and Oreochromis niloticus - tilápia) with the aim of establish levels of background these species. The animals were collected from Ambude river in the protected area and blood collected from all fish for analysis. Erythrocyte indices—mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)—were calculated. Blood samples from all fish were examined for micronuclear changes after Giemsa staining. Micronuclei were found in fish from from Ambude River. The baseline values determined for tambaqui was (micronuclei= 0.0071±0.0026; MCV=0.0073±0.0037; MCHV=0.0071±0.0024) and tilapia (micronuclei= 0.0061±0.0026; MCV=0.0037±0.0017; MCHV=0.056±0.0036). We belive that, we propose using the genotoxic approach for estimating fish health status as the technique allows examination in locus of live fish without the need for animal euthanasia. Besides, baseline level can be to establish levels of background and patterns to pathological and physiological research of these species in future biomonitoring programs.

  8. Genotoxic potential evaluation of a cosmetic insoluble substance by the micronuclei assay.

    PubMed

    Dayan, N; Shah, V; Minko, T

    2011-01-01

    An optical brightener (OB) powder (INCI: sodium silicoaluminate (and) glycidoxypropyl trimethyloxysilane/PEI-250 cross fluorescent brightener 230 salt (and) polyvinylalcohol crosspolymer) that is used in cosmetic facial products was tested for its genotoxic potential using the micronuclei test (MNT). It is a solid dry powder with an average size of 5 microns that is insoluble but dispersible in water. This study describes the exposure of cell culture to positive controls with and without enzymatic activation and to the test compound in different concentrations. We evaluated three end points: microscopic observation and quantification of micronuclei formation, and cell viability and proliferation. Both positive controls induced significant changes that were observed under the microscope and quantified. Based on its chemical nature, it was not anticipated that the test substance will degrade under the conditions of the experiments. However, the test is required to make sure that when solublized, impurities that may be present, even at trace levels, will not induce a genotoxic effect. The test compound did not promote micronuclei formation or change the viability or proliferation rate of cells. During this study we faced challenges such as solubilization and correlating viability data to genotoxicity data. These are described in the body of the paper. We believe that with the emergence of the 7(th) European amendment that bans animal testing, sharing these data and the study protocol serves as a key in building the understanding of the utilization of in vitro studies in the safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients.

  9. Erythrocyte Enrichment in Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Cultures Based on Magnetic Susceptibility of the Hemoglobin

    PubMed Central

    Jin, Xiaoxia; Abbot, Stewart; Zhang, Xiaokui; Kang, Lin; Voskinarian-Berse, Vanessa; Zhao, Rui; Kameneva, Marina V.; Moore, Lee R.; Chalmers, Jeffrey J.; Zborowski, Maciej

    2012-01-01

    Using novel media formulations, it has been demonstrated that human placenta and umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells can be expanded and differentiated into erythroid cells with high efficiency. However, obtaining mature and functional erythrocytes from the immature cell cultures with high purity and in an efficient manner remains a significant challenge. A distinguishing feature of a reticulocyte and maturing erythrocyte is the increasing concentration of hemoglobin and decreasing cell volume that results in increased cell magnetophoretic mobility (MM) when exposed to high magnetic fields and gradients, under anoxic conditions. Taking advantage of these initial observations, we studied a noninvasive (label-free) magnetic separation and analysis process to enrich and identify cultured functional erythrocytes. In addition to the magnetic cell separation and cell motion analysis in the magnetic field, the cell cultures were characterized for cell sedimentation rate, cell volume distributions using differential interference microscopy, immunophenotyping (glycophorin A), hemoglobin concentration and shear-induced deformability (elongation index, EI, by ektacytometry) to test for mature erythrocyte attributes. A commercial, packed column high-gradient magnetic separator (HGMS) was used for magnetic separation. The magnetically enriched fraction comprised 80% of the maturing cells (predominantly reticulocytes) that showed near 70% overlap of EI with the reference cord blood-derived RBC and over 50% overlap with the adult donor RBCs. The results demonstrate feasibility of label-free magnetic enrichment of erythrocyte fraction of CD34+ progenitor-derived cultures based on the presence of paramagnetic hemoglobin in the maturing erythrocytes. PMID:22952572

  10. Hematological Profile and Martial Status in Rugby Players during Whole Body Cryostimulation

    PubMed Central

    Lombardi, Giovanni; Lanteri, Patrizia; Porcelli, Simone; Mauri, Clara; Colombini, Alessandra; Grasso, Dalila; Zani, Viviana; Bonomi, Felice Giulio; Melegati, Gianluca; Banfi, Giuseppe

    2013-01-01

    Cold-based therapies are commonly applied to alleviate pain symptoms secondary to inflammatory diseases, but also to treat injuries or overuse, as done in sports rehabilitation. Whole body cryotherapy, a relatively new form of cold therapy, consists of short whole-body exposure to extremely cold air (−110°C to −140°C). Cryostimulation is gaining wider acceptance as an effective part of physical therapy to accelerate muscle recovery in rugby players. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of repeated cryostimulation sessions on the hematological profile and martial status markers in professional rugby players. Twenty-seven professional rugby players received 2 daily cryostimulation treatments for 7 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected before and after administration of the cryotherapic protocol and hematological profiles were obtained. No changes in the leukocyte count or composition were seen. There was a decrease in the values for erythrocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, and an increase in mean corpuscular volume and red cell distribution width. Platelet count and mean volume remained unchanged. Serum transferrin and ferritin decreased, while soluble transferrin receptor increased. Serum iron and transferrin saturation were unchanged, as was reticulocyte count, whereas the immature reticulocyte fraction decreased substantially. In conclusion, in this sample of professional rugby players, cryostimulation modified the hematological profile, with a reduction in erythrocyte count and hemoglobinization paralleled by a change in martial status markers. PMID:23383348

  11. Efficacy and safety of the Gardos channel blocker, senicapoc (ICA-17043), in patients with sickle cell anemia.

    PubMed

    Ataga, Kenneth I; Smith, Wally R; De Castro, Laura M; Swerdlow, Paul; Saunthararajah, Yogen; Castro, Oswaldo; Vichinsky, Elliot; Kutlar, Abdullah; Orringer, Eugene P; Rigdon, Greg C; Stocker, Jonathan W

    2008-04-15

    Senicapoc, a novel Gardos channel inhibitor, limits solute and water loss, thereby preserving sickle red blood cell (RBC) hydration. Because hemoglobin S polymerization is profoundly influenced by intracellular hemoglobin concentration, senicapoc could improve sickle RBC survival. In a 12-week, multicenter, phase 2, randomized, double-blind, dose-finding study, we evaluated senicapoc's safety and its effect on hemoglobin level and markers of RBC hemolysis in sickle cell anemia patients. The patients were randomized into 3 treatment arms: placebo; low-dose (6 mg/day) senicapoc; and high-dose (10 mg/day) senicapoc. For the primary efficacy end point (change in hemoglobin level from baseline), the mean response to high-dose senicapoc treatment exceeded placebo (6.8 g/L [0.68 g/dL] vs 0.1 g/L [0.01 g/dL], P < .001). Treatment with high-dose senicapoc also produced significant decreases in such secondary end points as percentage of dense RBCs (-2.41 vs -0.08, P < .001); reticulocytes (-4.12 vs -0.46, P < .001); lactate dehydrogenase (-121 U/L vs -15 U/L, P = .002); and indirect bilirubin (-1.18 mg/dL vs 0.12 mg/dL, P < .001). Finally, senicapoc was safe and well tolerated. The increased hemoglobin concentration and concomitant decrease in the total number of reticulocytes and various markers of RBC destruction following senicapoc administration suggests a possible increase in the survival of sickle RBCs. This study is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00040677.

  12. Results after laparoscopic partial splenectomy for children with hereditary spherocytosis: Are outcomes influenced by genetic mutation?

    PubMed

    Pugi, Jakob; Carcao, Manuel; Drury, Luke J; Langer, Jacob C

    2018-05-01

    Laparoscopic partial splenectomy (LPS) theoretically maintains long-term splenic immune function for children with hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Our goal was to review our results after LPS and to determine if specific genetic mutations influence outcome. All children with HS undergoing LPS between 2005 and 2016 were reviewed. Thirty-one children underwent LPS (16 male) at a median age of 9 (range 2-18) years. All experienced an increase in hemoglobin and decrease in reticulocyte count early after LPS and at last follow-up. Twenty-two were sent for genetic analysis. Mutations in α-spectrin, β-spectrin, and Ankyrin were identified in 6, 5, and 11 patients, respectively. Gene mutation was not correlated with complications, perioperative transfusion, length of hospital stay, or median hemoglobin, platelet, or reticulocyte counts. Three children required completion splenectomy at 10.9, 6.9, and 3.2years post-LPS, each with a different gene mutation. LPS is effective in reversing anemia and reducing reticulocytosis. So far less than 10% have required completion splenectomy, and those children did benefit from delaying the risks of asplenia. In this preliminary analysis, genetic mutation did not influence outcome after LPS. A larger multicenter study is necessary to further investigate potential correlations with specific genetic mutations. Prognosis Study. IV. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent as a potential marker for diagnosis of iron deficiency.

    PubMed

    Toki, Yasumichi; Ikuta, Katsuya; Kawahara, Yoshie; Niizeki, Noriyasu; Kon, Masayuki; Enomoto, Motoki; Tada, Yuko; Hatayama, Mayumi; Yamamoto, Masayo; Ito, Satoshi; Shindo, Motohiro; Kikuchi, Yoko; Inoue, Mitsutaka; Sato, Kazuya; Fujiya, Mikihiro; Okumura, Toshikatsu

    2017-07-01

    Evaluation of parameters relating to serum ferritin and iron is critically important in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). The recent development of automated systems for hematology analysis has made it possible to measure reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET-He), which is thought to reflect iron content in reticulocytes, in the same sample used for complete blood count tests. If RET-He is, indeed, capable of evaluating iron deficiency (ID), it would be useful for immediate diagnosis of IDA. In the present study, we examined the usefulness of RET-He for diagnosis of ID. Blood samples were obtained from 211 patients. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) level of <12 g/dL. Iron deficiency was defined as serum ferritin level of <12 ng/mL. Patients were classified into four groups: IDA, ID, control, and non-ID with anemia. Patients in the IDA group had significantly lower RET-He levels than those in the control group. RET-He correlated with serum ferritin in the IDA and ID groups. The area under the curve for RET-He was 0.902, indicating that RET-He facilitates the diagnosis of ID with high accuracy. RET-He changed in parallel with changes in Hb during iron administration for 21 IDA patients. Our results indicate that RET-He may be a clinically useful marker for determining ID in the general population.

  14. Hematological characteristics in neonates with twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS).

    PubMed

    Lopriore, E; Slaghekke, F; Oepkes, D; Middeldorp, J M; Vandenbussche, F P H A; Walther, F J

    2010-03-01

    To evaluate the neonatal hematological features of monochorionic twins with twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS) and to determine the additional diagnostic value of reticulocyte count measurement. A cohort of consecutive monochorionic twins with TAPS (n = 19) was included in the study and each twin pair was compared with two monochorionic twin pairs (n = 38) unaffected by TAPS or twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), matched for gestational age at birth. We measured full blood counts on day 1 and determined the incidence of anemia, polycythemia, reticulocytosis and thrombocytopenia. Median inter-twin hemoglobin (Hb) difference in monochorionic twins with and without TAPS was 13.7 g/dL and 2.4 g/dL, respectively (p < 0.01). Median inter-twin reticulocyte count ratio in twins with and without TAPS was 3.1 and 1.0, respectively (p < 0.01). Thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 150 x 10(9)/L) occurred more often in the TAPS group than in the control group, 45% (17/38) versus 11% (11/38), respectively (p < 0.01). In the TAPS group, mean platelet count was significantly lower in recipients than in donors, 133 x 10(9)/L versus 218 x 10(9)/L, respectively (p < 0.01). TAPS twins have a large inter-twin Hb difference in combination with a large inter-twin reticulocyte count ratio. Recipients are more often thrombocytopenic than donors, probably due to polycythemia. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Regulation of Hemoglobin β-Chain Synthesis in Bone Marrow Erythroid Cells by α Chains

    PubMed Central

    Wolf, Jeffrey L.; Mason, R. George; Honig, George R.

    1973-01-01

    Synthesis of α and β chains of hemoglobin was studied in vitro in intact reticulocytes and bone marrow cells. The cells were from rabbits having a variant form of hemoglobin in which L-isoleucine is in the α but not in the β chains. This characteristic permitted a selective inhibition of α-chain synthesis to be produced by addition to the incubation medium of L-O-methylthreonine, an inhibitor of protein synthesis that is a specific antagonist of L-isoleucine. In studies with reticulocytes, 25 mM L-O-methylthreonine produced a 60-70% inhibition of α-chain synthesis, but β-chain synthesis was unaffected even after incubation times for 4 hr. Because reticulocytes contain a pool of uncombined α chains which might have obscured the demonstration of an α chain-dependent mechanism for β-chain synthesis, subsequent studies were done with bone marrow cells. The latter had little or no detectable α-chain pool. A substantial inhibition of α-chain synthesis by the bone marrow cells was produced by the isoleucine antagonist but was also accompanied by a significantly decreased rate of β-chain synthesis. These findings suggest that the coordinated synthesis of the complementary α- and β-globin chains of hemoglobin may reflect in part a modifying effect of α-chain synthesis on the synthesis of β chains. PMID:4519634

  16. Inhibitory effect of a toxic peptide isolated from a waterbloom of Microcystis sp. (Cyanobacteria) on iron uptake by rabbit reticulocytes.

    PubMed

    Rojas, M; Nuñez, M T; Zambrano, F

    1990-01-01

    The effect of a soluble toxin purified from the algae bloom of a eutrophic lake dominated by Microcystis on the receptor-mediated endocytosis of ferro-transferrin in rabbit reticulocytes was studied. The toxin was a very effective inhibitor of cell iron uptake. Kinetic studies using 125I, 59Fe-labeled transferrin indicated that the step of ferrotransferrin internalization was selectively inhibited by the toxin while the surface receptor-binding capacity, the externalization of previously internalized transferrin, and the cellular ATP levels were not affected. These findings indicate that the reduction of iron uptake caused by the toxin is due to inhibition of the internalization of surface-located transferrin-transferrin receptor complexes, perhaps due to a disruption of cytoskeleton integrity.

  17. Telomere dysfunction and chromosome structure modulate the contribution of individual chromosomes in abnormal nuclear morphologies.

    PubMed

    Pampalona, J; Soler, D; Genescà, A; Tusell, L

    2010-01-05

    The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay has emerged as a biomarker of chromosome damage relevant to cancer. Although it was initially developed to measure micronuclei, it is also useful for measuring nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds. Abnormal nuclear morphologies are frequently observed in malignant tissues and short-term tumour cell cultures. Changes in chromosome structure and number resulting from chromosome instability are important factors in oncogenesis. Telomeres have become key players in the initiation of chromosome instability related to carcinogenesis by means of breakage-fusion-bridge cycles. To better understand the connection between telomere dysfunction and the appearance of abnormal nuclear morphologies, we have characterised the presence of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds in human mammary primary epithelial cells. These cells can proliferate beyond the Hayflick limit by spontaneously losing expression of the p16(INK4a) protein. Progressive telomere shortening leads to the loss of the capping function, and the appearance of end-to-end chromosome fusions that can enter into breakage-fusion-bridge cycles generating massive chromosomal instability. In human mammary epithelial cells, different types of abnormal nuclear morphologies were observed, however only nucleoplasmatic bridges and buds increased significantly with population doublings. Fluorescent in situ hybridisation using centromeric and painting specific probes for chromosomes with eroded telomeres has revealed that these chromosomes are preferentially included in the different types of abnormal nuclear morphologies observed, thus reflecting their common origin. Accordingly, real-time imaging of cell divisions enabled us to determine that anaphase bridge resolution was mainly through chromatin breakage and the formation of symmetric buds in daughter nuclei. Few micronuclei emerged in this cell system thus validating the scoring of nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds for measuring chromosome instability in telomere-dysfunction cell environments.

  18. Micronucleus frequency in Danish schoolchildren and their mothers from the DEMOCOPHES population.

    PubMed

    Mørck, Thit A; Loock, Kim Vande; Poulsen, Maria Bech; Siersma, Volkert D; Nielsen, Jeanette K S; Hertel, Ole; Kirsch-Volders, Micheline; Knudsen, Lisbeth E

    2016-01-01

    Micronucleus (MN) frequency is a biomarker for early genetic effects which is often used in human biomonitoring studies. Increased frequency of micronuclei has been associated with high levels of traffic exposure. Further high MN frequency was found predictive for cancer development in several studies of adults. In the present study, the MN frequency in blood samples from the Danish participants of the European pilot project DEMOCOPHES was analysed and related to the area of residence, self-reported and calculated exposure to road traffic as well as to mercury in hair and blood concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and dioxin-like activity measured in the same participants. The MN frequency analysis was performed with the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay and included 100 children and 119 mothers. We found a significant correlation between mothers and children in the levels of micronuclei in 1000 binucleated T lymphocytes (‰MNBN) and in the proliferation index. Further the levels of ‰MNBN were significantly higher in mothers compared with their children. No significant associations were found for ‰MNBN for traffic related exposure in neither children nor their mothers. In children, a 2.5 times higher micronuclei in mononuclear T lymphocytes were found in children living within 50 m of a busy road, however, this was not found in mothers or in MNBN and the effect of exposure to road traffic on MN frequency needs further investigation. No significant associations were found between MN frequencies and the other biomarkers measured in the same participants. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Immune hemolytic anemia

    MedlinePlus

    ... Absolute reticulocyte count Direct or indirect Coombs test Hemoglobin in the urine LDH (level of this enzyme ... of tissue damage) Red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin, and hematocrit Serum bilirubin level Serum free hemoglobin ...

  20. Micronucleus monitoring of a floriculturist population from western Liguria, Italy.

    PubMed

    Bolognesi, Claudia; Perrone, Emanuela; Landini, Eleonora

    2002-09-01

    A biomonitoring study was carried out to investigate whether exposure to complex pesticide mixtures in ornamental crop production represents a potential genotoxic risk. Exposed and control subjects were selected in western Liguria (Italy). The area was chosen for its intensive use of pesticides. The main crops produced were roses, mimosas, carnations and chrysanthemums, as ornamental non-edible plants, and tomato, lettuce and basil, as edible ones. The levels of micronuclei (MN) were analysed in peripheral blood lymphocytes of 107 floriculturists (92 men and 15 women) and 61 control subjects (42 men and 19 women). A statistically significant increase in binucleated cells with micronuclei (BNMN) was detected in floriculturists with respect to the control population (4.41 +/- 2.14 MN/1000 cells versus 3.04 +/- 2.14, P < 0.001). The mean number of BNMN varied as a function of sex and age. Smoking habit had no effect on MN frequency. A positive correlation between years of farming and MN frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes was observed (r = 0.30, P = 0.02). The conditions of exposure were also associated with an increase in cytogenetic damage, with a 28% higher MN frequency in greenhouse workers compared with subjects working only outdoors in fields. Workers not using protective measures during high exposure activities showed an increase in MN frequency. Our findings suggest a potential genotoxic risk due to pesticide exposure.

  1. Induction of Micronuclei in Human Fibroblasts across the Bragg Curve of Energetic Si and Fe Ions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wu, H.; Rusek, A.; Hada, M.

    2006-01-01

    The space environment consists of a varying field of radiation particles including high-energy ions, with spacecraft shielding material providing the major protection to astronauts from harmful exposure. Unlike low-LET gamma or X-rays, the presence of shielding does not always reduce the radiation risks for energetic charged particle exposure. Since the dose delivered by the charged particle increases sharply as the particle approaches the end of its range, a position known as the Bragg peak, the Bragg curve does not necessarily represent the biological damage along the particle traversal since biological effects are influenced by the track structure of both primary and secondary particles. Therefore, the biological Bragg curve is dependent on the energy and the type of the primary particle, and may vary for different biological endpoints. We studied micronuclei (MN) induction across the Bragg curve of Si and Fe ions at incident energies of 300 MeV/nucleon and 1 GeV/nucleon. A quantitative biological response curve did not reveal an increased yield of MN at the location of the Bragg peak. However, the ratio of mono- to bi-nucleated cells, which indicates inhibition in cell progression, increased at the Bragg peak location. These results confirm the hypothesis that severely damaged cells at the Bragg peak are likely to go through reproduction death.

  2. Asymptomatic Child Heterozygous for Hemoglobin S and Hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre

    PubMed Central

    Lojo, Liliana; Santiago-Borrero, Pedro; Rivera, Enid; Renta, Jessicca; Cadilla, Carmen L

    2013-01-01

    Hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre (PA) is a rare hemoglobin resulting from a mutation in β9(A6)Ser→Cys. We describe an asymptomatic Puerto Rican female with combined heterozygosity for Hb PA and Hb S. Since birth, she has maintained normal hemoglobin, bilirubin, LDH levels, and reticulocyte count. Peripheral smear evaluation has revealed normal erythrocyte morphology with no changes suggestive of hemolysis. We conclude that the presence of Hb PA does not increase the risk of red blood cell sickling in patients who carry the Hb S mutation. PMID:21225927

  3. Measuring biological responses at different levels of organisation to assess the effects of diffuse contamination derived from harbour and industrial activities in estuarine areas.

    PubMed

    de Los Ríos, A; Pérez, L; Echavarri-Erasun, B; Serrano, T; Barbero, M C; Ortiz-Zarragoitia, M; Orbea, A; Juanes, J A; Cajaraville, M P

    2016-02-15

    To evaluate the effects of diffuse contamination, biological measurements were applied in a scrap cargo harbour, a marina and an industrial area. Metal accumulation and biomarkers (survival in air, digestive gland and gonad histopathology, lysosomal membrane stability, intralysosomal metal accumulation, transcription of vitellogenin and MT20, peroxisome proliferation and micronuclei formation) were measured in transplanted mussels, together with metrics of benthic invertebrates. Benthic species were classified into ecological groups and univariate indexes were calculated. The marina showed high richness (16) and percentage of opportunistic species (55.1%) and low metal accumulation. Mussels in the scrap cargo harbour showed high metal accumulation, up-regulation of MT20 transcription, reduced health status (LP<6 min) and increased micronuclei frequencies (up to 11.3‰). At the industrial area, low species richness (4) and badly organised assemblages were detected and chemical analyses indicated significant amounts of bioavailable metals. Overall, selected biological measurements showed potential for the assessment of diffuse contamination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Role of micronucleus in oral exfoliative cytology

    PubMed Central

    Shashikala, R.; Indira, A. P.; Manjunath, G. S.; rao, K. Arathi; Akshatha, B. K.

    2015-01-01

    In the last few years, the interest for oral cytology as a diagnostic and prognostic methodology, for monitoring patients in oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer has re-emerged substantially. In 1983, buccal mucosal micronuclei assay was first proposed to evaluate genetic instability. There are biomarkers that predict if a potentially malignant disorder is likely to develop into an aggressive tumor. These genotoxic and carcinogenic chemicals have been reported to be potent clastogenic and mutagenic agents which are thought to be responsible for the induction of chromatid/chromosomal aberrations resulting in the production of micronuclei. Various studies have concluded that the gradual increase in micronucleus (MN) counts from normal oral mucosa to potentially malignant disorders to oral carcinoma suggested a link of this biomarker with neoplastic progression. MN scoring can be used as a biomarker to identify different preneoplastic conditions much earlier than the manifestations of clinical features and might specifically be exploited in the screening of high-risk population for a specific cancer. Hence, it can be used as a screening prognostic and educational tool in community centers of oral cancer. PMID:26538888

  5. Reticulocyte Count Test

    MedlinePlus

    ... Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) Testing Activated Clotting Time Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel Adenosine Deaminase Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) ... Guillain-Barré Syndrome Hashimoto Thyroiditis Heart Attack and Acute Coronary Syndrome Heart Disease Hemochromatosis Hemoglobin Abnormalities Hepatitis ...

  6. Biological effects of in vitro THz radiation exposure in human foetal fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    De Amicis, Andrea; Sanctis, Stefania De; Cristofaro, Sara Di; Franchini, Valeria; Lista, Florigio; Regalbuto, Elisa; Giovenale, Emilio; Gallerano, Gian Piero; Nenzi, Paolo; Bei, Roberto; Fantini, Massimo; Benvenuto, Monica; Masuelli, Laura; Coluzzi, Elisa; Cicia, Cristina; Sgura, Antonella

    2015-11-01

    In recent years, terahertz (THz) radiation has been widely used in a variety of applications: medical, security, telecommunications and military areas. However, few data are available on the biological effects of this type of electromagnetic radiation and the reported results, using different genetic or cellular assays, are quite discordant. This multidisciplinary study focuses on potential genotoxic and cytotoxic effects, evaluated by several end-points, associated with THz radiation. For this purpose, in vitro exposure of human foetal fibroblasts to low frequency THz radiation (0.1-0.15THz) was performed using a Compact Free Electron Laser. We did not observe an induction of DNA damage evaluated by Comet assay, phosphorylation of H2AX histone or telomere length modulation. In addiction, no induction of apoptosis or changes in pro-survival signalling proteins were detected. Moreover, our results indicated an increase in the total number of micronuclei and centromere positive micronuclei induction evaluated by CREST analysis, indicating that THz radiation could induce aneugenic rather than clastogenic effects, probably leading to chromosome loss. Furthermore, an increase of actin polymerization observed by ultrastructural analysis after THz irradiation, supports the hypothesis that an abnormal assembly of spindle proteins could lead to the observed chromosomal malsegregation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Aluminum induces chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, and cell cycle dysfunction in root cells of Vicia faba.

    PubMed

    Yi, Min; Yi, Huilan; Li, Honghai; Wu, Lihua

    2010-04-01

    Aluminum (Al) exists naturally in air, water, and soil, and also in our diet. Al can be absorbed into the human body and accumulates in different tissues, which has been linked to the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease and various neurological disorders. By using Vicia cytogenetic tests, which are commonly used to monitor the genotoxicity of environmental pollutants, cytogenetic effects of aluminum (AlCl(3)) were investigated in this study. Present results showed that Al caused significant increases in the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) and anaphase chromosome aberrations in Vicia faba root tips exposed to Al over a concentration-tested range of 0.01-10 mM for 12 h. The frequency of micronucleated cells was higher in Al-treated groups at pH 4.5 than that at pH 5.8. Similarly, AlCl(3) treatment caused a decrease in the number of mitotic cells in a dose- and pH-dependent manner. The number of cells in each mitotic phase changed in Al-treated samples. Mitotic indices (MI) decreased with the increases of pycnotic cells. Our results demonstrate that aluminum chloride is a clear clastogenic/genotoxic and cytotoxic agent in Vicia root cells. The V. faba cytogenetic test could be used for the genotoxicity monitoring of aluminum water contamination.

  8. TIBC, UIBC and Transferrin

    MedlinePlus

    ... 28 weeks to delivery) Primary Aldosteronism (Conn Syndrome) Prostate Cancer Protein in Urine (Proteinuria) Reactive Arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis ... Blood Count (CBC) Hemoglobin Hematocrit Reticulocytes Soluble Transferrin Receptor Conditions Anemia Hemochromatosis Elsewhere On The Web American ...

  9. Efficacy of supplementation in filipino children.

    PubMed

    Tayao, Charisse Marie S

    2015-01-01

    At present, in the absence of an anemia prevention and screening program in Barangay Vasra, this will aid in the formation of programs that would teach about this health related issue, with an intervention that could be used efficiently by the health workers at the non-government organization run center. The aim of the following study is to establish the efficacy of iron supplementation alone versus iron and ascorbic acid supplementation in improving the hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), reticulocyte count and red cell indices of anemic undernourished children 5-10 years of age at Lingap Center, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City. Anemic undernourished male and female children 5-10 years of age enrolled in the Supplementary Feeding Program of Lingap Center, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City. Prospective, experimental trial comparing two interventions-iron supplementation alone versus iron and ascorbic acid supplementation. A total of 25 children participated in this study, with a majority being female at 52% (13/25) of the total. Those who received iron supplementation alone for 6 months, while there were 50% (6/12) of either sex, whereas subjects who took iron and ascorbic acid supplementation for 6 months were predominantly female at 53.85% (7/13). Data obtained before and after iron supplementation alone revealed that there was an increase among the levels of Hgb, Hct, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and reticulocyte count, with the rise statistically significant. Hematological values gained before and after iron and ascorbic acid supplementation uncovered that there was an augmentation among the levels of Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC and reticulocyte count, with the improvement statistically significant. Encompassing both interventions, the differences in findings were statistically significant in red blood cell (RBC) count, with the level progression statistically significant. Overall, the results were statistically significant in terms of RBC count alone. Therefore, this study demonstrated that compliance with intake of supplementation is a factor in improving the hematological parameters of these subjects. To address iron deficiency anemia, a similar endeavor may establish a system of support in Lingap Center to ensure the screening and therapeutic management of this population.

  10. Efficacy of Supplementation in Filipino Children

    PubMed Central

    Tayao, Charisse Marie S.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: At present, in the absence of an anemia prevention and screening program in Barangay Vasra, this will aid in the formation of programs that would teach about this health related issue, with an intervention that could be used efficiently by the health workers at the non-government organization run center. Objective: The aim of the following study is to establish the efficacy of iron supplementation alone versus iron and ascorbic acid supplementation in improving the hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), reticulocyte count and red cell indices of anemic undernourished children 5-10 years of age at Lingap Center, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City. Methodology: Anemic undernourished male and female children 5-10 years of age enrolled in the Supplementary Feeding Program of Lingap Center, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City. Study Design: Prospective, experimental trial comparing two interventions-iron supplementation alone versus iron and ascorbic acid supplementation. Results: A total of 25 children participated in this study, with a majority being female at 52% (13/25) of the total. Those who received iron supplementation alone for 6 months, while there were 50% (6/12) of either sex, whereas subjects who took iron and ascorbic acid supplementation for 6 months were predominantly female at 53.85% (7/13). Data obtained before and after iron supplementation alone revealed that there was an increase among the levels of Hgb, Hct, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and reticulocyte count, with the rise statistically significant. Hematological values gained before and after iron and ascorbic acid supplementation uncovered that there was an augmentation among the levels of Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC and reticulocyte count, with the improvement statistically significant. Encompassing both interventions, the differences in findings were statistically significant in red blood cell (RBC) count, with the level progression statistically significant. Conclusion: Overall, the results were statistically significant in terms of RBC count alone. Therefore, this study demonstrated that compliance with intake of supplementation is a factor in improving the hematological parameters of these subjects. To address iron deficiency anemia, a similar endeavor may establish a system of support in Lingap Center to ensure the screening and therapeutic management of this population. PMID:25810994

  11. Nuclear anomalies in the buccal cells of calcite factory workers

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    The micronucleus (MN) assay on exfoliated buccal cells is a useful and minimally invasive method for monitoring genetic damage in humans. To determine the genotoxic effects of calcite dust that forms during processing, MN assay was carried out in exfoliated buccal cells of 50 (25 smokers and 25 non-smokers) calcite factory workers and 50 (25 smokers and 25 non-smokers) age- and sex-matched control subjects. Frequencies of nuclear abnormalities (NA) other than micronuclei, such as binucleates, karyorrhexis, karyolysis and ‘broken eggs', were also evaluated. Micronuclei and the other aforementioned anomalies were analysed by two way analysis of covariance. The linear correlations between the types of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities were determined by Spearman's Rho. There was a positive correlation between micronuclei and other types of nuclear abnormalities in accordance with the Spearman's Rho test. Results showed statistically significant difference between calcite fabric workers and control groups. MN and NA frequencies in calcite fabric workers were significantly higher than those in control groups (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicate that calcite fabric workers are under risk of significant cytogenetic damage. PMID:21637497

  12. Cytogenetic effects of cadmium accumulation on water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rosas, I.; Carbajal, M.E.; Gomez-Arroyo, S.

    1984-04-01

    Cadmium was bioassayed to observe cytogenetic effects in the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Plants were exposed for 96 hr to freshwater containing 0.01, 0.05, 0.10, 1, 5, and 10 mg/liter of cadmium. Metal concentrations in tissues were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The highest level was found in roots, thus root-tip cells were used for cytogenetic studies; after 24 hr of exposure, micronuclei, c-mitotic effects, and pycnosis were detected and after 48 hr polyploidy was observed. A linear relationship between frequencies of micronuclei and cadmium concentrations was found; at 1, 5, and 10 mg/liter micronuclei numbers were always the lowest.more » The inhibition of cell proliferation, shown by the low mitotic index, was proportional to the concentration and time of exposure. From the results presented in this paper it may be concluded that water hyacinth is a good sensor, due to its fast rate of metal accumulation, which allows an easy way to determine the presence of potential mutagenic compounds in water. 63 references.« less

  13. Asian G6PD-Mahidol Reticulocytes Sustain Normal Plasmodium Vivax Development.

    PubMed

    Bancone, Germana; Malleret, Benoit; Suwanarusk, Rossarin; Chowwiwat, Nongnud; Chu, Cindy S; McGready, Rose; Rénia, Laurent; Nosten, François; Russell, Bruce

    2017-07-15

    Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzymatic disorder in humans and appears to be protective against falciparum severe malaria. Controversially, it is also thought that Plasmodium vivax has driven the recent selection of G6PD alleles. We use an experimental approach to determine whether G6PD-MahidolG487A variant, a widespread cause of severe G6PD deficiency in Southeast Asia, provides a barrier against vivax malaria. Our results show that the immature reticulocytes (CD71+) targeted by P. vivax invasion are enzymatically normal, even in hemizygous G6PD-Mahidol G487A mutants; thus, allowing the normal growth, development, and high parasite density in severely deficient samples. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

  14. Anaemia in pet rabbits: causes, severity and reticulocyte response.

    PubMed

    Dettweiler, Alexandra; Klopfleisch, Robert; Müller, Kerstin

    2017-12-16

    The objective of the study was to determine the causes and the severity of anaemia in pet rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ), to classify anaemia and to compare the reticulocyte counts from healthy and anaemic rabbits. Over a time period of 11 years (2000-2011) a retrospective and prospective study of 223 pet rabbits was performed. Based on the clinic's own reference range for healthy pet rabbits (packed cell volume [PCV] levels 0.33-0.45 l/l), animals with a PCV level below 0.33 l/l were considered anaemic. Anaemia was mostly caused by inflammation (65/223, 29 per cent) and bleeding (54/223, 24 per cent). Seven per cent (15/223) of the rabbits suffered from renal diseases and one rabbit got diagnosed with haemolysis caused by liver lobe torsion. In 14 per cent (32/223) of the rabbits more than one underlying pathomechanism, like inflammation and bleeding, was diagnosed as possible cause of anaemia. In 25 per cent (56/223) of the anaemic rabbits no cause was found. Most anaemias were mild (156/223, 70 per cent). Moderate (43/223, 19 per cent) or severe (24/223, 11 per cent) anaemia was diagnosed more rarely. Anaemic rabbits showed similar reticulocyte counts to healthy rabbits with no significant difference. Therefore, a differentiation of regenerative and non-regenerative anaemia was not possible. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  15. Reticulocyte profile in top-level alpine skiers during four consecutive competitive seasons.

    PubMed

    Banfi, Giuseppe; Tavana, Rodolfo; Freschi, Marco; Lundby, Carsten

    2010-06-01

    The role of reticulocytes (Ret) in sports medicine became clear when the count of immature erythrocytes was introduced in protocols used for anti-doping purposes. Because specific research regarding seasonal variations in Ret is lacking, we assessed Ret (and [Hb]) in top-level male and female skiers during four consecutive competitive seasons. A difference (P < 0.05) between males and females was found for [Hb] and Ret values: [Hb] was lower and Ret was higher in females. The difference was maintained across all four competitive seasons. Marked within-subject differences in [Hb], Ret and immature reticulocyte fraction values were noted; the within-subject variability was greater than the between-subject variability in both genders. For instance, a difference for Ret was consistently shown between first and second blood drawings, i.e. between basal value, before the start of training and competition, and the value at middle of season, when training workload was at highest level. Unlike Ret%, the analysis of variance showed significant changes in [Hb] values across competitive seasons for both genders. Comparison between consecutive seasons (e.g., 2005-2006 vs. 2006-2007) showed significant differences for both parameters. The behaviour of [Hb] and Ret during the various seasons was parallel in females, whereas a discrepancy existed in males. In general, inter-individual variability is quite high, thus, Ret and [Hb] modifications should be referred only to the single athlete. We confirm the validity of the use of Ret counts for anti-doping purposes.

  16. Doppler-Defined Pulmonary Hypertension in Sickle Cell Anemia in Kurdistan, Iraq.

    PubMed

    Al-Allawi, Nasir; Mohammad, Ameen M; Jamal, Shakir

    2016-01-01

    To determine the frequency, clinical and laboratory associations of pulmonary hypertension in Iraqi Kurds with sickle cell anemia, a total of ninety four such patients attending a major hemoglobinopathy center in Iraqi Kurdistan were enrolled. All patients were re-evaluated clinically and had their blood counts, HbF, serum ferritin, LDH, renal and liver function assessed. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography with measurement of tricuspid valve regurgitant jet velocity (TRV) was performed. A TRV in excess of 2.8 m/s was considered for the purposes of this study as indicative of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The prevalence of TRV in excess of 2.8m/s was 10.6%. By univariate analysis: significantly higher reticulocyte count, more frequent blood transfusions and pain episodes were encountered in the PH group as compared to the non-PH group (p = 0.001, 0.045 and 0.02 respectively). Moreover, PH patients had significantly higher mean right atrial area, left atrial size, E wave/A wave ratio and ejection fraction by echocardiography (p = 0.027, 0.037, <0.001 and 0.008 respectively). Except for reticulocyte count none of the other parameters remained significant by multivariate analysis (p = 0.024). In conclusion the current study revealed that pulmonary hypertension is rather frequent among Iraqi Kurds with sickle cell anemia, and identified reticulocyte count as an independently associated parameter with PH in this population. Future prospective studies including right heart catheterization and appropriate medical intervention are warranted.

  17. Doppler-Defined Pulmonary Hypertension in Sickle Cell Anemia in Kurdistan, Iraq

    PubMed Central

    Jamal, Shakir

    2016-01-01

    To determine the frequency, clinical and laboratory associations of pulmonary hypertension in Iraqi Kurds with sickle cell anemia, a total of ninety four such patients attending a major hemoglobinopathy center in Iraqi Kurdistan were enrolled. All patients were re-evaluated clinically and had their blood counts, HbF, serum ferritin, LDH, renal and liver function assessed. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography with measurement of tricuspid valve regurgitant jet velocity (TRV) was performed. A TRV in excess of 2.8 m/s was considered for the purposes of this study as indicative of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The prevalence of TRV in excess of 2.8m/s was 10.6%. By univariate analysis: significantly higher reticulocyte count, more frequent blood transfusions and pain episodes were encountered in the PH group as compared to the non-PH group (p = 0.001, 0.045 and 0.02 respectively). Moreover, PH patients had significantly higher mean right atrial area, left atrial size, E wave/A wave ratio and ejection fraction by echocardiography (p = 0.027, 0.037, <0.001 and 0.008 respectively). Except for reticulocyte count none of the other parameters remained significant by multivariate analysis (p = 0.024). In conclusion the current study revealed that pulmonary hypertension is rather frequent among Iraqi Kurds with sickle cell anemia, and identified reticulocyte count as an independently associated parameter with PH in this population. Future prospective studies including right heart catheterization and appropriate medical intervention are warranted. PMID:27583566

  18. Genetic variation in CD36, HBA, NOS3 and VCAM1 is associated with chronic haemolysis level in sickle cell anaemia: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Coelho, Andreia; Dias, Alexandra; Morais, Anabela; Nunes, Baltazar; Ferreira, Emanuel; Picanço, Isabel; Faustino, Paula; Lavinha, João

    2014-03-01

    Chronic haemolysis stands out as one of the hallmarks of sickle cell anaemia, a clinically heterogeneous autosomal recessive monogenic anaemia. However, the genetic architecture of this sub-phenotype is still poorly understood. Here, we report the results of an association study between haemolysis biomarkers (serum LDH, total bilirubin and reticulocyte count) and the inheritance of 41 genetic variants of ten candidate genes in a series of 99 paediatric SS patients (median current age of 9.9 yr) followed up in two general hospitals in Greater Lisboa area (median follow-up per patient of 5.0 yr). Although in a large number of tests a seemingly significant (i.e. P < 0.05) association was observed, the following ones were confirmed upon correction for multiple comparisons: (i) an increased serum LDH level was associated with haplotype 7 within VCAM1 gene; (ii) a lower total bilirubin was associated with the 3.7-kb deletion at HBA gene, rs2070744_T allele at NOS3 gene, and haplotype 9 within VCAM1 promoter; and (iii) a diminished reticulocyte count was associated with the 3.7-kb deletion at HBA, whereas an increased count was associated with rs1984112_G allele at CD36 gene. On the whole, our findings suggest a complex genetic architecture for the sickle cell anaemia haemolysis process involving multiple pathways, namely control of vascular cell adhesion, NO synthesis and erythrocyte volume and haemoglobinisation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Effects of Testosterone on Erythropoiesis in a Female Mouse Model of Anemia of Inflammation

    PubMed Central

    Schmidt, Paul J.; Fleming, Mark D.; Bhasin, Shalender

    2016-01-01

    The anemia of inflammation is a common problem in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We characterized a mouse model of anemia of chronic inflammation induced by repeated injections of low doses of heat-killed Brucella abortus (HKBA), and determined the effects of T administration on erythropoiesis in this model. Female C57BL/6NCrl mice were injected weekly with HKBA for 10 wk. Weekly injections of T or vehicle oil were started 4 wk later. Control mice were injected with saline and vehicle oil in parallel. HKBA-injected mice had significantly lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, reticulocyte hemoglobin, transferrin saturation (TSAT), and tissue nonheme iron in liver and spleen, enlarged spleen, and up-regulated hepatic expression of inflammatory markers, serum amyloid A1, and TNFα, but down-regulated IL-6, bone morphogenic protein 6, and hepcidin compared with saline controls. HKBA also reduced serum hepcidin and increased serum erythropoietin. Bone marrow erythroid precursors were substantially reduced in HKBA-injected mice. Cotreatment with T increased the percentage of late-stage erythroid precursors in the bone marrow relative to HKBA-injected and saline controls and reversed HKBA-induced suppression of hemoglobin and hematocrit. T also normalized serum erythropoietin, TSAT, and reticulocyte hemoglobin without correcting the expression of the hepatic inflammation markers. Conclusions are that low-dose HKBA induces moderate anemia characterized by chronic inflammation, decreased iron stores, and suppression of erythroid precursors in the bone marrow. T administration reverses HKBA-induced anemia by stimulating erythropoiesis, which is associated with a shift toward accelerated maturation of erythroid precursors in the bone marrow. PMID:27074351

  20. Recombinant erythropoietin and analogues: a challenge for doping control.

    PubMed

    Pascual, J A; Belalcazar, V; de Bolos, C; Gutiérrez, R; Llop, E; Segura, J

    2004-04-01

    Erythropoietin (EPO) increases the number of circulating erythrocytes and thus muscle oxygenation. The availability of the recombinant protein (rEPO) has increased the risk of its illegal use in sports, its detection being a difficult challenge. Five different hematopoietic parameters were initially chosen as indirect markers of rEPO abuse: concentration of serum EPO, concentration of serum-soluble transferrin receptors (sTFr), hematocrit, percentage of reticulocytes, and percentage of macrocytes. New models considering only hemoglobin, serum EPO concentration, and percentage of reticulocytes are simpler and seem to be more sensitive when low doses of rEPO are used. A more direct method of urine analysis (isoelectrofocusing, double blotting, and chemiluminescent detection) based on the charge differences between rEPO and endogenous EPO, related to their carbohydrate composition, provides proof of rEPO use. Furthermore, this approach permits the detection of darbepoetin, a direct analogue of EPO also known as NESP ("new erythropoiesis stimulating protein"). Recently a protein conjugate, "synthetic erythropoiesis protein" (SEP), containing precision-length, monodisperse, negatively charged polymers instead of oligosaccharides has been synthesized. Finally, EPO-mimetics are molecules capable of acting as EPO in dimerizing the EPO receptor. Two kinds of EPO-mimetics have been described: peptides and nonpeptides. The enhancement of oxygen availability to muscles by rEPO, analogues, and mimetics constitutes one of the main challenges to doping control. Major steps have already been developed for detection ofrEPO and some analogues. In the near future, the transfection to an athlete's body of genes that code for erythropoietin might be an emerging doping issue, and sports authorities have incorporated "gene doping" among the prohibited practices.

  1. Novel red cell indices indicating reduced availability of iron are associated with high erythropoietin concentration and low ph level in the venous cord blood of newborns.

    PubMed

    Ervasti, Mari; Sankilampi, Ulla; Heinonen, Seppo; Punnonen, Kari

    2008-08-01

    There is evidence that an elevated erythropoietin (EPO) concentration is associated with signs of iron deficient erythropoiesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the iron status by means of novel cellular indices and serum iron markers and to determine whether these are associated with EPO and pH in the venous cord blood of 193 full-term newborns. There were positive correlations between EPO and the percentage of hypochromic red blood cells (%HYPOm) and reticulocytes (%HYPOr) [r = 0.45 (p < 0.001) and r = 0.56 (p < 0.001), respectively]. %HYPOm and %HYPOr also had negative correlations with pH [r = -0.53 (p = 0.001) and r = -0.46 (p = 0.001), respectively]. Newborns who had low pH (pH < or =7.15, n = 16) had significantly higher %HYPOm, %HYPOr, and serum transferrin receptor and transferrin concentrations in their cord blood than newborns with normal pH. Thus, in newborn cord blood, the higher number of red cells and reticulocytes with lower Hb content may have impaired the oxygen carrying capacity that has been a trigger for EPO production. Furthermore, signs of lower hemoglobinization of red cells are associated with low umbilical vein pH in the newborns, indicating an increased risk of birth asphyxia.

  2. Induction of adaptive response in human blood lymphocytes exposed to radiofrequency radiation.

    PubMed

    Sannino, Anna; Sarti, Maurizio; Reddy, Siddharth B; Prihoda, Thomas J; Vijayalaxmi; Scarfì, Maria Rosaria

    2009-06-01

    The incidence of micronuclei was evaluated to assess the induction of an adaptive response to non-ionizing radiofrequency (RF) radiation in peripheral blood lymphocytes collected from five different human volunteers. After stimulation with phytohemagglutinin for 24 h, the cells were exposed to an adaptive dose of 900 MHz RF radiation used for mobile communications (at a peak specific absorption rate of 10 W/kg) for 20 h and then challenged with a single genotoxic dose of mitomycin C (100 ng/ml) at 48 h. Lymphocytes were collected at 72 h to examine the frequency of micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked binucleated cells. Cells collected from four donors exhibited the induction of adaptive response (i.e., responders). Lymphocytes that were pre-exposed to 900 MHz RF radiation had a significantly decreased incidence of micronuclei induced by the challenge dose of mitomycin C compared to those that were not pre-exposed to 900 MHz RF radiation. These preliminary results suggested that the adaptive response can be induced in cells exposed to non-ionizing radiation. A similar phenomenon has been reported in cells as well as in animals exposed to ionizing radiation in several earlier studies. However, induction of adaptive response was not observed in the remaining donor (i.e., non-responder). The incidence of micronuclei induced by the challenge dose of mitomycin C was not significantly different between the cells that were pre-exposed and unexposed to 900 MHz RF radiation. Thus the overall data indicated the existence of heterogeneity in the induction of an adaptive response between individuals exposed to RF radiation and showed that the less time-consuming micronucleus assay can be used to determine whether an individual is a responder or non-responder.

  3. In situ monitoring of urban air in Córdoba, Argentina using the Tradescantia-micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carreras, H. A.; Pignata, M. L.; Saldiva, P. H. N.

    During the last decades, a significant deterioration of ambient air quality has been observed in Argentina. However, the availability of air pollution monitoring stations is still limited to only few cities. In this study, we investigated the genotoxicity of ambient levels of air pollution in Córdoba using the Tradescantia micronucleus assay. The experiment was performed from October, 2004 to April 2005. Pots with Tradescantia pallida were placed in three sites: Córdoba city center, characterized by important avenues with high traffic activity (cars, taxis, and public transport vehicles); the university campus, along a side road with heavy traffic of gasoline and diesel powered vehicles, buses and trucks; and a residential area, with no significant local sources of air pollution. Twenty young T. pallida inflorescences were collected from each sampling site in November, February and April. Micronuclei frequencies were determined in early tetrads of pollen mother cells and expressed as MCN/100 tetrads. Simultaneously, the environmental levels of total suspended particles (24 h mean) were determined for each site. A significant difference in micronuclei frequency was observed among sites ( p=0.036). Post-hoc analysis revealed that the residential area exhibited a lower micronuclei frequency than the university and city center areas. In conclusion, we found that the gradients of ambient air pollution of Córdoba are associated with changes in the spontaneous micronuclei frequency of Tradescantia pollen mother cells. These results indicate that in situ biomonitoring with higher plants may be useful for characterizing air pollution in areas without instrumental monitoring techniques, or for exploring the distribution of air contaminants at a microscale.

  4. AZD1152-HQPA induces growth arrest and apoptosis in androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) via producing aneugenic micronuclei and polyploidy.

    PubMed

    Zekri, Ali; Ghaffari, Seyed H; Ghanizadeh-Vesali, Samad; Yaghmaie, Marjan; Salmaninejad, Arash; Alimoghaddam, Kamran; Modarressi, Mohammad H; Ghavamzadeh, Ardeshir

    2015-02-01

    Prostate cancer is the frequent non-cutaneous tumor with high mortality in men. Prostate tumors contain cells with different status of androgen receptor. Androgen receptor plays important roles in progression and treatment of prostate cancer. Aurora B kinase, with oncogenic potential, is involved in chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, and its inhibition is a promising anti-cancer therapy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Aurora B inhibitor, AZD1152-HQPA, on survival and proliferation of androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancer cells. LNCaP was used as androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line. We explored the effects of AZD1152-HQPA on cell viability, DNA content, micronuclei formation, and expression of genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle. Moreover, the expression of Aurora B and AR were investigated in 23 benign prostatic hyperplasia and 38 prostate cancer specimens. AZD1152-HQPA treatment induced defective cell survival, polyploidy, and cell death in LNCaP cell line. Centromeric labeling with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that the loss of whole chromosomes is the origin of micronuclei, indicating on aneugenic action of AZD1152-HQPA. Treatment of AZD1152-HQPA decreased expression of AR. Moreover, we found weak positive correlations between the expression of Aurora B and AR in both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer specimens (r = 0.25, r = 0.41). This is the first time to show that AZD1152-HQPA can be a useful therapeutic strategy for the treatment of androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line. AZD1152-HQPA induces aneugenic mechanism of micronuclei production. Taken together, this study provides new insight into the direction to overcome the therapeutic impediments against prostate cancer.

  5. Genotoxicity of freshwater ecosystem shows DNA damage in preponderant fish as validated by in vivo micronucleus induction in gill and kidney erythrocytes.

    PubMed

    Obiakor, M O; Okonkwo, J C; Ezeonyejiaku, C D

    2014-12-01

    Genotoxicity of Anambra River was studied by micronucleus (MN) assay of preponderant fish species in the river. The micronucleus indices obtained were used as biomarker to estimate and predict pollution profile and possible danger of feeding on the aquatic species. Micronuclei profile of the fish was measured from gill and kidney erythrocytes using microscopic technique. Season, species and location effects on micronuclei, together with their interactions were also determined. Two major seasons (rainy and dry) and preponderant fish species in the river (Synodontis clarias, Linnaeus, 1758 and Tilapia nilotica, Linnaeus, 1757) were studied at five distinct locations that displayed differential environmental stresses. The study showed that the micronucleus index of fish is an excellent biomarker for measuring pollution level and genotoxicity of freshwater habitat. Season, species of fish and location affect micronuclei profile of the fish species sampled in the river. Disease outbreak among rural dwellers depending on the river for domestic and other uses is imminent and they lack knowledge on its health implication. Moreover, the study maintained that the micronuclei in fish could be measured from either the gill or kidney; however, gill is more efficient as it enables collection of several samples from the same individuals without sacrificing it, and Synodontis clarias fish species appeared to be more vulnerable to the genotoxic damage than Tilapia nilotica. Consequently, the study recommended regular monitoring (micronucleus tests) of edible aquatic life such as Synodontis clarias in order to eliminate the danger of people feeding on toxic metals, some of which are carcinogenic. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Genotoxic assessment of chlorhexidine mouthwash on exfoliated buccal epithelial cells in chronic gingivitis patients

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Saif; Khan, Asad Ullah; Hasan, Sadaf

    2016-01-01

    Background: Chlorhexidine (CHX) is the gold standard of all chemical plaque control agents and the most commonly prescribed mouthwash. However, several studies have shown cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of CHX on various eukaryotic cells. In this study, we have used micronuclei as a biomarker of DNA damage in buccal epithelial cells of chronic gingivitis patients who were given adjunct 0.2% CHX for plaque control. Materials and Methods: Chronic gingivitis patients who were exclusively on mechanical plaque control methods were taken as control (Group A) (n = 101), and chronic gingivitis patients who along with mechanical plaque control measures were taking 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash as adjunct were taken as cases (Group B) (n = 255). The Group B was further divided into 5 subgroups (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5) (n = 51) on increasing duration of usage of CHX from ≤1 week to 24 weeks. Buccal epithelial cells were gently scrapped from the buccal mucosa using soft toothbrush. The epithelial cells were collected in buffer solution and centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 5 min. The buccal epithelial cells were air dried, fixed, and stained with 5% Giemsa stain on preheated glass microscopic slides and observed under microscope to screen 2000 nucleated cells per individual for number of micronucleated cells and micronuclei as genotoxic measure. Results: The mean number of micronucleated cells was found to be 0.41 ± 0.71 for Group A as compared values ranging from 1.65 ± 2.09 (Group B1) to 11.7 ± 1.87 (Group B5) in different subgroups of Group B, and similarly, the mean number of micronuclei was found to be 0.48 ± 0.80 for Group A as compared to values ranging from 2.57 ± 1.64 (Group B1) to 14.5 ± 2.49 (Group B5) in different subgroups of Group B using analysis of variance (P < 0.001). Conclusion: We conclude that CHX mouthwash is genotoxic to buccal epithelial cells and there is incremental trend in genotoxicity as the duration of usage is increased. PMID:29238137

  7. Vinclozolin, a widely used fungizide, enhanced BaP-induced micronucleus formation in human derived hepatoma cells by increasing CYP1A1 expression.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xin-Jiang; Lu, Wen-qing; Roos, Peter H; Mersch-Sundermann, Volker

    2005-10-15

    Vinclozolin, a widely used fungicide, can be identified as a residue in numerous vegetable and fruit samples. To get insight in its genetic toxicity, we investigated the genotoxic effect of vinclozolin in the human derived hepatoma cell line HepG2 using the micronucleus (MN) assay. Additionally, to evaluate the co- or anti-mutagenic potency of vinclozolin, we treated HepG2 cells with different concentrations of vinclozolin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) for 1h. Exposure of HepG2 cells to 50-400 microM vinclozolin alone did not cause any induction of micronuclei. However, a pronounced co-mutagenic effect was observed. MN frequencies caused by BaP increased by 30.6%, 52.8% and 65.3% after pretreatment of the cell cultures with 50, 100 and 200 microM vinclozolin, respectively. The highest concentration (400 microM) of vinclozolin tested caused cytotoxicity. Therefore, micronuclei were not considered for that concentration. To clarify the mechanism of cogenotoxicity, we assayed cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), which plays a pivotal role in activation of BaP. Cells exposed to vinclozolin led to significant increase of CYP1A1 expression in Western blot. The result suggested that induction of CYP1A1 by vinclozolin account for its enhancing effect on genotoxicity caused by BaP.

  8. Stage-specific apoptosis, developmental delay, and embryonic lethality in mice homozygous for a targeted disruption in the murine Bloom's syndrome gene.

    PubMed

    Chester, N; Kuo, F; Kozak, C; O'Hara, C D; Leder, P

    1998-11-01

    Bloom's syndrome is a human autosomal genetic disorder characterized at the cellular level by genome instability and increased sister chomatid exchanges (SCEs). Clinical features of the disease include proportional dwarfism and a predisposition to develop a wide variety of malignancies. The human BLM gene has been cloned recently and encodes a DNA helicase. Mouse embryos homozygous for a targeted mutation in the murine Bloom's syndrome gene (Blm) are developmentally delayed and die by embryonic day 13.5. The fact that the interrupted gene is the homolog of the human BLM gene was confirmed by its homologous sequence, its chromosomal location, and by demonstrating high numbers of SCEs in cultured murine Blm-/- fibroblasts. The proportional dwarfism seen in the human is consistent with the small size and developmental delay (12-24 hr) seen during mid-gestation in murine Blm-/- embryos. Interestingly, the growth retardation in mutant embryos can be accounted for by a wave of increased apoptosis in the epiblast restricted to early post-implantation embryogenesis. Mutant embryos do not survive past day 13.5, and at this time exhibit severe anemia. Red blood cells and their precursors from Blm-/- embryos are heterogeneous in appearance and have increased numbers of macrocytes and micronuclei. Both the apoptotic wave and the appearance of micronuclei in red blood cells are likely cellular consequences of damaged DNA caused by effects on replicating or segregating chromosomes.

  9. Evaluation of micronuclei induction capacity and mutagenicity of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides.

    PubMed

    Yaduvanshi, Santosh K; Srivastava, Nalini; Marotta, Francesco; Jain, Shalini; Yadav, Hariom

    2012-09-01

    The genotoxic and mutagenic effects of two commonly used organochlorine pesticides, lindane (LND) and endosulfan (ENS), and two commonly used organophosphate pesticides, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and monocrotophos (MCP) were assessed using in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus test and in vitro Ames Salmonella/ microsome mutagenicity test. The results showed that these pesticides alone or in combination, induced significantly high frequency of micronuclei (MN) formation that increased with concentration of pesticides. All these four pesticides produced significant increase in the frequencies of micronucleated-polychromatic erythrocytes (MN-PCE) and decrease infrequencies of PCE in dose-dependent manner. The results indicate the suppression of proliferative activity of the bone marrow and increase in the extent of cell death. ENS and MCP showed mutagenic potential in Salmonella/ microsome assay. ENS induced mutagenic and nontoxic response only in TA98 tester strain of S.typhimurium at the dose of 500 μg/plate and in the absence of metabolic activation. MCP showed weak mutagenic and nontoxic effect only in TA100 tester strain at the dose of 5000 μg/plate in both assays, with or without metabolic activation when compared with negative control. MCP was toxic in TA98 tester strain at the dose of 5000 μg/plate in absence of metabolic activation while reduction in toxicity was seen on addition of S9 mixture. The study clearly showed the genotoxic potential of all these four pesticides and mutagenic response of endosulfan and monocrotophos.

  10. Differences in micronucleus frequency and acrylamide adduct levels with hemoglobin between vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

    PubMed

    Kotova, Natalia; Frostne, Cecilia; Abramsson-Zetterberg, Lilianne; Tareke, Eden; Bergman, Rolf; Haghdoost, Siamak; Paulsson, Birgit; Törnqvist, Margareta; Segerbäck, Dan; Jenssen, Dag; Grawé, Jan

    2015-10-01

    Nutrients and food constituents can prevent or contribute to genotoxicity. In this study, the possible influence of a vegetarian/non-vegetarian diet on genotoxic effects was investigated in 58 non-smoking healthy vegetarians (V) and non-vegetarians (NV), age 21-37 years from the Stockholm area in Sweden. Physical activity and dietary habits were similar in both groups, with the exception of the intake of meat and fish. Using flow cytometry, we determined the formation of micronuclei (MN) in transferrin-positive immature peripheral blood reticulocytes (Trf-Ret) (Total: n = 53; V: n = 27; NV: n = 26). Dietary exposure to acrylamide was measured through hemoglobin (Hb) adducts in peripheral erythrocytes (Total: n = 53; V: n = 29; NV: n = 24). Hb adducts of both acrylamide and its genotoxic metabolite glycidamide were monitored as a measure of the corresponding in vivo doses. Our data demonstrated that compared with the non-vegetarians, the vegetarians exhibited lower frequencies of MN (fMN) in the Trf-Ret (p < 0.01, Student's t test). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that there was no association between the fMN and factors such as age, sex, intake of vitamins/minerals, serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels, physical activity, and body mass index. The mean Hb adduct levels of acrylamide and glycidamide showed no significant differences between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Furthermore, there were no significant relationships between the adduct levels and fMN in the individuals. The ratio of the Hb adduct levels from glycidamide and acrylamide, however, showed a significant difference (p < 0.04) between the two groups. These data suggest that the vegetarian diet might be beneficial in lowering genomic instability in healthy individuals. The measured Hb adduct levels indicate that the total intake of acrylamide does not differ between the two studied groups and does not contribute to the observed difference in fMN, although an influence of the diet on the metabolic rates of acrylamide was indicated. In addition, the observed significant difference in the background fMN in the two groups demonstrated that the MN analysis method has a sensitivity applicable to the biomonitoring of human lifestyle factors.

  11. Characterizing the genetic diversity of the monkey malaria parasite Plasmodium cynomolgi

    PubMed Central

    Sutton, Patrick L.; Luo, Zunping; Divis, Paul C. S.; Friedrich, Volney K.; Conway, David J.; Singh, Balbir; Barnwell, John W.; Carlton, Jane M.; Sullivan, Steven A.

    2016-01-01

    Plasmodium cynomolgi is a malaria parasite that typically infects Asian macaque monkeys, and humans on rare occasions. P. cynomolgi serves as a model system for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, with which it shares such important biological characteristics as formation of a dormant liver stage and a preference to invade reticulocytes. While genomes of three P. cynomolgi strains have been sequenced, genetic diversity of P. cynomolgi has not been widely investigated. To address this we developed the first panel of P. cynomolgi microsatellite markers to genotype eleven P. cynomolgi laboratory strains and 18 field isolates from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. We found diverse genotypes among most of the laboratory strains, though two nominally different strains were found to be genetically identical, We also investigated sequence polymorphism in two erythrocyte invasion gene families, the reticulocyte binding protein and Duffy binding protein genes, in these strains. We also observed copy number variation in rbp genes. PMID:26980604

  12. Structure Activity Relationship Studies of Flavonoids as Potent Inhibitors of Human Platelet 12-hLO, Reticulocyte 15-hLO-1 and Prostate Epithelial 15-hLO-2

    PubMed Central

    Vasquez-Martinez, Yesseny; Ohri, Rachana V.; Kenyon, Victor; Holman, Theodore R.; Sepúlveda-Boza, Silvia

    2007-01-01

    Human lipoxygenase (hLO) isozymes have been implicated in a number of disease states and have attracted much attention with respect to their inhibition. One class of inhibitors, the flavonoids, have been shown to be potent lipoxygenase inhibitors but their study has been restricted to those compounds found in nature, which have limited structural variability. We have therefore carried out a comprehensive study to determine the structural requirements for flavonoid potency and selectivity against platelet 12-hLO, reticulocyte 15-hLO-1 and prostate epithelial 15-hLO-2. We conclude from this study that catechols are essential for high potency, that isoflavones and isoflavanones tend to select against 12-hLO, that isoflavans tend to select against 15-hLO-1, but few flavonoids target 15-hLO-2. PMID:17869117

  13. Microscopic image analysis for reticulocyte based on watershed algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. Q.; Liu, G. F.; Liu, J. G.; Wang, G.

    2007-12-01

    We present a watershed-based algorithm in the analysis of light microscopic image for reticulocyte (RET), which will be used in an automated recognition system for RET in peripheral blood. The original images, obtained by micrography, are segmented by modified watershed algorithm and are recognized in term of gray entropy and area of connective area. In the process of watershed algorithm, judgment conditions are controlled according to character of the image, besides, the segmentation is performed by morphological subtraction. The algorithm was simulated with MATLAB software. It is similar for automated and manual scoring and there is good correlation(r=0.956) between the methods, which is resulted from 50 pieces of RET images. The result indicates that the algorithm for peripheral blood RETs is comparable to conventional manual scoring, and it is superior in objectivity. This algorithm avoids time-consuming calculation such as ultra-erosion and region-growth, which will speed up the computation consequentially.

  14. Asymptomatic child heterozygous for hemoglobin S and hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre.

    PubMed

    Lojo, Liliana; Santiago-Borrero, Pedro; Rivera, Enid; Renta, Jessicca; Cadilla, Carmen L

    2011-03-01

    Hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre (PA) is a rare hemoglobin resulting from a mutation in β9(A6)Ser → Cys. We describe an asymptomatic Puerto Rican female with combined heterozygosity for Hb PA and Hb S. Since birth, she has maintained normal hemoglobin, bilirubin, LDH levels, and reticulocyte count. Peripheral smear evaluation has revealed normal erythrocyte morphology with no changes suggestive of hemolysis. We conclude that the presence of Hb PA does not increase the risk of red blood cell sickling in patients who carry the Hb S mutation. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  15. Micronucleation in the lens epithelium following in vivo exposure to physical and chemical mutagens

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Odrich, S.; Medvedovsky, C.; Merriam, G. R. Jr; Worgul, B. V.

    1988-01-01

    Rats were exposed to cataractogenic doses of known physical and chemical genotoxic agents in order to study the efficacy of using micronuclei to monitor mutagenicity in the lens epithelium. The total numbers of micronuclei were counted in lens epithelia from rats exposed to graded doses of either 250 kVp X-rays or the anti-leukemic drug, 1,4 dimethanesulfonoxybutane (Myleran (R)). The results indicate a dose-dependent incidence of micronucleation in the lens epithelium following exposure. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the cataractogenicity of certain agents may be related to their effect on the genome of lens epithelial cells.

  16. Construction of dose response calibration curves for dicentrics and micronuclei for X radiation in a Serbian population.

    PubMed

    Pajic, J; Rakic, B; Jovicic, D; Milovanovic, A

    2014-10-01

    Biological dosimetry using chromosome damage biomarkers is a valuable dose assessment method in cases of radiation overexposure with or without physical dosimetry data. In order to estimate dose by biodosimetry, any biological dosimetry service have to have its own dose response calibration curve. This paper reveals the results obtained after irradiation of blood samples from fourteen healthy male and female volunteers in order to establish biodosimetry in Serbia and produce dose response calibration curves for dicentrics and micronuclei. Taking into account pooled data from all the donors, the resultant fitted curve for dicentrics is: Ydic=0.0009 (±0.0003)+0.0421 (±0.0042)×D+0.0602 (±0.0022)×D(2); and for micronuclei: Ymn=0.0104 (±0.0015)+0.0824 (±0.0050)×D+0.0189 (±0.0017)×D(2). Following establishment of the dose response curve, a validation experiment was carried out with four blood samples. Applied and estimated doses were in good agreement. On this basis, the results reported here give us confidence to apply both calibration curves for future biological dosimetry requirements in Serbia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. The micronucleus assay in mammalian cells in vitro to assess health benefits of various phytochemicals.

    PubMed

    Meschini, Roberta; Berni, Andrea; Filippi, Silvia; Pepe, Gaetano; Grossi, Maria Rosaria; Natarajan, Adayapalam T; Palitti, Fabrizio

    2015-11-01

    We evaluated the protective effects of Gentiana lutea extracts (GLEx) and 6-Gingerol (6-G) on clastogenicity of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 7,12-dimethylbenz(α) anthracene (DMBA) in vitro on HepG2 cells using the frequencies of induced micronuclei (MN) as the end point. Pre-, post- and simultaneous treatments with GLEx or 6-G and the carcinogens were carried out. Both GLEx post- and simultaneous treatments reduced the frequencies of MN induced by MNNG and DMBA. Probably this effect is due to an increase of cytostasis and a physico-chemical interaction between GLEx and DMBA under simultaneous treatment. Pre- and simultaneous treatments with 6-G significantly reduced the yield of MNNG-induced micronuclei without affecting % of cytostasis. Simultaneous treatment with 6-G plus DMBA resulted in reduction in the frequency of MN and an increase in cytotoxicity compared to sample treated alone with DMBA, whereas a post-treatment, caused a significant decrease in the yield of MN compared with DMBA alone without any cytotoxic effect. These results are compared with our earlier data obtained in the same system with other phytochemicals. It is concluded that for a critical evaluation of the protective effects of phytochemicals, both the influence on the induced MN and induced cytostasis have to be considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Cytogenetic toxicity of vincristine.

    PubMed

    Choudhury, R C; Das, B; Misra, S; Jagdale, M B

    2000-01-01

    The anticancer drugs vincristine sulphate (VCR) and cyclophosphamide (CTX) were tested for their cytogenetic effects in the bone marrow cells of Swiss mice. The end points investigated were chromosomal aberrations and mitotic index at 24 hours posttreatment and micronuclei (MN) at 30 hours posttreatment in bone marrow cells of male and female mice after a single intraperitoneal exposure. The doses tested were VCR 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg and CTX 40 mg/kg b.w. of mice. Significant percentages of chromosomal aberrations and significant numbers of micronuclei per thousand polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) that were induced were recorded from bone marrow of each of the VCR-treated groups of mice. There were no significant differences between the percentages of dividing cells in the VCR-treated group and the vehicle control groups of mice. Peculiarly, in the chromosomal aberration study, the male mice were found to be more responsive to VCR than the females, and the aberrations per hundred metaphases were found to be decreased when the dose of VCR was increased. The percentage of dividing cells was also higher with the lowest dose of VCR tested. However, there was a dose-dependent, but nonlinear, increase in MN per thousand PCEs. The results were compared with the already available fragmentary and self-contradictory data on the genotoxicity of VCR in mice and in other mammalian test systems.

  19. Genetic damage in exfoliated cells from oral mucosa of individuals exposed to X-rays during panoramic dental radiographies.

    PubMed

    Cerqueira, E M M; Gomes-Filho, I S; Trindade, S; Lopes, M A; Passos, J S; Machado-Santelli, G M

    2004-08-08

    The genotoxic effects of X-ray emitted during dental panoramic radiography were evaluated in exfoliated cells from oral epithelium through a differentiated protocol of the micronucleus test. Thirty-one healthy individuals agreed to participate in this study and were submitted to this procedure for diagnosis purpose after being requested by the dentist. All of them answered a questionnaire before the examination. Cells were obtained from both sides of the cheek by gentle scrapping with a cervical brush, immediately before the exposure and after 10 days. Cytological preparations were stained according to Feulgen-Rossenbeck reaction and analyzed under light and laser scanning confocal microscopies. Micronuclei, nuclear projections (buds and broken eggs) and degenerative nuclear alterations (condensed chromatin, karyolysis and karyorrhexis) were scored. The frequencies of micronuclei, karyolysis and pycnosis were similar before and after exposure (P > 0.90), whereas the condensation of the chromatin and the karyorrhexis increased significantly after exposure (P < 0.0001). In contrast, both bud and broken egg frequencies were significantly higher before the examination (P < 0.005), suggesting that these structures are associated to the normal epithelium differentiation. The results suggest that the X-ray exposure during panoramic dental radiography induces a cytotoxic effect by increasing apoptosis. We also believe that the score of other nuclear alterations in addition to the micronucleus improves the sensitivity of genotoxic effects detection.

  20. Biochemical and genotoxic response of naphthalene to fingerlings of milkfish Chanos chanos.

    PubMed

    Palanikumar, L; Kumaraguru, A K; Ramakritinan, C M

    2013-09-01

    The present study investigated the acute toxicity, sub-lethal toxicity and biochemical response of naphthalene in fingerlings of milkfish Chanos chanos. The 96 h acute toxicity LC50 values for C. chanos exposed to naphthalene was 5.18 μg l(-1). The estimated no observed effect concentration and lowest observed effect concentration values for naphthalene in C. chanos were 0.42 and 0.69 μg l(-1) respectively for 30 days. The estimated maximum allowable toxicant concentration for naphthalene was 0.53 μg l(-1). Biochemical enzyme markers such as lipid peroxidation, catalase, glutathione S transferase and reduced glutathione were measured in gills and liver tissues of C. chanos exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of naphthalene. Fluctuation in lipid peroxidation and catalase level suggests that naphthalene concentrations play a vital role in induction of oxidative stress in fish. Induction of reduced glutathione level and inhibition of glutathione S-transferase level was observed in naphthalene exposed C. chanos suggesting that there may be enhanced oxidative damage due to free radicals. Increasing concentration increases in number of nuclear abnormalities. The formation of micronuclei and binucleated micronuclei induction by naphthalene confirm its genotoxic potential. The highest levels of DNA damage (% tail length) were observed at 1.24 μg l(-1) of naphthalene. The study suggests that biochemical enzymes, nuclear abnormalities and DNA damage index can serve as a biological marker for naphthalene contamination.

  1. Micronuclei and other erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities in fishes from the Great Lakes Basin, USA

    PubMed Central

    Braham, Ryan P.; Shaw, Cassidy H.; Mazik, Patricia M.; Umbuzeiro, G.

    2017-01-01

    Biological markers (biomarkers) sensitive to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination in fishes are widely used to identify exposure effects in aquatic environments. The micronucleus assay was incorporated into a suite of indicators to assess exposure to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination at five Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), as well as one non‐AOC (reference) site. The assay allowed enumeration of micronuclei as well as other nuclear abnormalities for both site and species comparisons. Erythrocyte abnormality data was also compared to skin and liver tumor prevalence and hepatic transcript abundance. Erythrocyte abnormalities were observed at all sites with variable occurrence and severity among sites and species. Benthic‐oriented brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) expressed lower rates of erythrocyte abnormalities, but higher rates of skin and liver neoplasms, when compared to pelagic‐oriented largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) at the same site. The reduced erythrocyte abnormalities, increased transcript abundance associated with Phase I and II toxicant responsive pathways, and increased neoplastic lesions among benthic‐oriented taxa may indicate the development of contaminant resistance of these species to more acute effects. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:570–581, 2017. © 2017 This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society PMID:28868735

  2. Linezolid Induced Twice Pure Red Cell Aplasia in a Patient with Central Nervous System Infection after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Hu, Wenqing; Shi, Bing; Liu, Lihui; He, Shengke; Ye, Liping; Tian, DengMei; Zhang, Yongqing

    2016-01-01

    Linezolid (LZD), severed as the first oxazolidinone antibiotic, was active against multidrug-resistant gram-positive strains. LZD can induce thrombocytopenia, anemia and leukocytopenia. Currently, reports on pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) cases induced by LZD are relatively rare (4-7). In this paper, we reported a patient with PRCA twice induced by LZD. A 37-year-old man was diagnosed with myelodysplatic syndrome (MDS) and underwent allo-HSCT from an unrelated donor with ABO blood type and leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matching. After HSCT for 2 years, the patient suffered from refractory fever and headache. He was first treated with empirical antifungal agent and antibiotics for central nervous system (CNS) infection, but then changed to LZD therapy for little effect. Twenty-eight days after LZD treatment, the symptom improved significantly but the hemoglobin declined to 70 g/L and the reticulocyte level was only 0.23%. The LZD therapy was stopped and the fever and headache symptoms reoccurred 1 week latter. Then, erythropoietin (EPO) and halved dosage of LZD were used for treatment. The CNS infection and the anemia symptom relieved gradually and the level of hemoglobin and reticulocyte declined again. After blood transfusion, the half dose of LZD was sustained without anaemia recovery. In summary, patients with anemia, myelosuppressants history or potential abnormal proliferation of T cells may suffer PRCA with long term LZD treatment. The monitoring of complete blood count and reticulocyte count were necessary during LZD therapy. If the clinical condition permits, LZD dosage reduction and blood transfusion should be considered.

  3. Comparative study of dihydroartemisinin and artesunate safety in healthy Thai volunteers.

    PubMed

    Kongpatanakul, S; Chatsiricharoenkul, S; Khuhapinant, A; Atipas, S; Kaewkungwal, J

    2009-09-01

    As part of new drug development initiatives in Thailand, a new tablet formulation of dihydroartemisinin (DHA, an antimalarial drug) has been developed. Our previous bioequivalence study indicated that the new and reference DHA formulations were well tolerated; however, a significant decrease in hemoglobin was detected after a single 200-mg oral dose. To explore further, a clinical study with an emphasis on hematological parameters was conducted. A single-center, randomized, single-blind, cross-over clinical study was conducted in 18 healthy volunteers with a dosage of 300 mg daily for 2 days. Artesunate was used as a comparator. Adverse events were monitored and laboratory parameters on study Days 0, 2, 5, and 7 post drug administrations were analyzed. Eighteen volunteers completed both rounds of the study. Both drugs were well tolerated. All adverse events were mild. Significant decrease in hemoglobin compared to baseline was detected for both drugs 7 days after administration (DHA: 0.48 g/dl, p = 0.007; artesunate 0.38 g/dl, p = 0.001). Transient bone marrow suppression was evidenced by reduction of reticulocytes with a lowest number on study Day 5 (artesunate 75% reduction in reticulocyte count; DHA 47%, p < 0.001 for both drugs compared to baseline). The present study confirmed our previous finding on significant decrease in hemoglobin. Artesunate appeared to have more negative effects on the numbers of reticulocytes and white blood cells than DHA. Systemic laboratory and toxicity profiles presented in this study may be used as a framework for future clinical studies of artemisinin and its derivatives.

  4. Continuous Change in Membrane and Membrane-Skeleton Organization During Development From Proerythroblast to Senescent Red Blood Cell

    PubMed Central

    Minetti, Giampaolo; Achilli, Cesare; Perotti, Cesare; Ciana, Annarita

    2018-01-01

    Within the context of erythropoiesis and the possibility of producing artificial red blood cells (RBCs) in vitro, a most critical step is the final differentiation of enucleated erythroblasts, or reticulocytes, to a fully mature biconcave discocyte, the RBC. Reviewed here is the current knowledge about this fundamental maturational process. By combining literature data with our own experimental evidence we propose that the early phase in the maturation of reticulocytes to RBCs is driven by a membrane raft-based mechanism for the sorting of disposable membrane proteins, mostly the no longer needed transferrin receptor (TfR), to the multivesicular endosome (MVE) as cargo of intraluminal vesicles that are subsequently exocytosed as exosomes, consistently with the seminal and original observation of Johnstone and collaborators of more than 30 years ago (Pan BT, Johnstone RM. Cell. 1983;33:967-978). According to a strikingly selective sorting process, the TfR becomes cargo destined to exocytosis while other molecules, including the most abundant RBC transmembrane protein, band 3, are completely retained in the cell membrane. It is also proposed that while this process could be operating in the early maturational steps in the bone marrow, additional mechanism(s) must be at play for the final removal of the excess reticulocyte membrane that is observed to occur in the circulation. This processing will most likely require the intervention of the spleen, whose function is also necessary for the continuous remodeling of the RBC membrane all along this cell's circulatory life. PMID:29632498

  5. Modulation of radiation-induced and mitomycin C-induced chromosome damage by apigenin in human lymphocytes in vitro.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Narinder K

    2013-09-01

    Apigenin (APG), a flavone, is known to exhibit antioxidant, antimutagenic and antitumorigenic activity, both in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this study is to investigate the modulatory effects of APG on human lymphocytes after irradiation with gamma rays (3 Gy) or treatment with the antineoplastic agent, mitomycin C (MMC), in vitro. Cytogenetic biomarkers such as chromosome aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cytochalasin-B blocked micronuclei (CBMN), were studied in blood lymphocytes treated with radiation, or antineoplastic agent (MMC), and APG. Whole blood lymphocytes were cultured in vitro using a standard protocol. No significant differences were found in the frequency of CAs or micronuclei (MN) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated with gamma rays (3 Gy) and then post-treated with APG. There was an increase in the frequency of SCEs per cell in APG-treated samples compared with the controls. Lymphocytes treated with MMC in the presence of APG exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the frequency of SCEs compared with MMC treatment alone. The data for the MN test indicated that APG treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.01) the frequency of MMC-induced MN.

  6. Modulation of radiation-induced and mitomycin C-induced chromosome damage by apigenin in human lymphocytes in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Narinder K.

    2013-01-01

    Apigenin (APG), a flavone, is known to exhibit antioxidant, antimutagenic and antitumorigenic activity, both in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this study is to investigate the modulatory effects of APG on human lymphocytes after irradiation with gamma rays (3 Gy) or treatment with the antineoplastic agent, mitomycin C (MMC), in vitro. Cytogenetic biomarkers such as chromosome aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cytochalasin-B blocked micronuclei (CBMN), were studied in blood lymphocytes treated with radiation, or antineoplastic agent (MMC), and APG. Whole blood lymphocytes were cultured in vitro using a standard protocol. No significant differences were found in the frequency of CAs or micronuclei (MN) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated with gamma rays (3 Gy) and then post-treated with APG. There was an increase in the frequency of SCEs per cell in APG-treated samples compared with the controls. Lymphocytes treated with MMC in the presence of APG exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the frequency of SCEs compared with MMC treatment alone. The data for the MN test indicated that APG treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.01) the frequency of MMC-induced MN. PMID:23764456

  7. Genotoxic effects of X-rays on keratinized mucosa cells during panoramic dental radiography.

    PubMed

    Cerqueira, E M M; Meireles, J R C; Lopes, M A; Junqueira, V C; Gomes-Filho, I S; Trindade, S; Machado-Santelli, G M

    2008-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of X-rays on epithelial gingival cells during panoramic dental radiography using a differentiated protocol for the micronucleus test. 40 healthy individuals who underwent this procedure for diagnostic purposes on request from their dentists agreed to participate in this study. All of them answered a questionnaire before the examination. Epithelial gingival cells were obtained from the keratinized mucosa of the upper dental arcade by gentle scraping with a cervical brush immediately before exposure and 10 days later. Cytological preparations were stained according to the Feulgen-Rossenbeck reaction, counterstained with fast green 1% for 1 min and analysed under a light microscope. Micronuclei, nuclear projections (broken eggs) and degenerative nuclear alterations (pyknosis, karyolysis, karyorrhexis and condensed chromatin) were scored. The frequency of micronuclei was significantly higher after exposure (P < 0.05), as were the frequencies of nuclear alterations indicative of apoptosis (P < 0.001). These results indicate that X-ray radiation emitted during panoramic dental radiography induces a genotoxic effect on epithelial gingival cells that increases the frequency of chromosomal damage and nuclear alterations indicative of apoptosis.

  8. Blood biomarkers and contaminant levels in feathers and eggs to assess environmental hazards in heron nestlings from impacted sites in Ebro basin (NE Spain).

    PubMed

    Barata, C; Fabregat, M C; Cotín, J; Huertas, D; Solé, M; Quirós, L; Sanpera, C; Jover, L; Ruiz, X; Grimalt, J O; Piña, B

    2010-03-01

    Blood biomarkers and levels of major pollutants in eggs and feathers were used to determine pollution effects in nestlings of the Purple Heron Ardea purpurea and the Little Egret Egretta garzetta, sampled on three Ebro River (NE Spain) areas: a reference site, a site affected by the effluents of a chlor-alkali industry and the river Delta. The two impacted heron populations showed mutually different pollutant and response patterns, suggesting different sources of contamination. In the population nesting near the chlor-alkali plant, elevated levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in eggs, and mercury in feathers in A. purpurea chicks were related with reduced blood antioxidant defenses and increased levels of micronuclei. In Ebro Delta, high levels of plasmatic lactate dehydrogenase in A. purpurea chicks and high frequency of micronuclei in blood of both species were tentatively associated with intensive agricultural activities taking place in the area. These results provide the first evidence of a biological response in heron chicks to the release of pollutants at a chlor-alkali plant. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Cellular detection of 50 Hz magnetic fields and weak blue light: effects on superoxide levels and genotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Höytö, Anne; Herrala, Mikko; Luukkonen, Jukka; Juutilainen, Jukka; Naarala, Jonne

    2017-06-01

    We tested the hypothesis that the effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields (MFs) on superoxide levels and genotoxicity depend on the presence of blue light. Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were exposed to a 50 Hz, 100 μT MF with or without non-phototoxic level of blue light for 24 h. We also studied whether these treatments alter responses to menadione, an agent that induces mitochondrial superoxide (O 2 • - ) production and DNA damage. Micronuclei, proliferation, viability, cytosolic and mitochondrial O 2 • - levels were assessed. MF (without blue light) increased cytosolic O 2 • - production and blue light suppressed this effect. Mitochondrial O 2 • - production was reduced by both MF and blue light, but these effects were not additive. Micronucleus frequency was not affected by blue light or MF alone, but blue light (significantly when combined with MF) enhanced menadione-induced micronuclei. The original simple hypothesis (blue light is needed for MF effects) was not supported, but interaction of MF and blue light was nevertheless observed. The results are consistent with MF effects on light-independent radical reactions.

  10. Chromosome painting reveals specific patterns of chromosome occurrence in mitomycin C- and diethylstilboestrol-induced micronuclei.

    PubMed

    Fauth, E; Scherthan, H; Zankl, H

    2000-11-01

    Cultures of human blood lymphocytes from three subjects were incubated with the clastogen mitomycin C (MMC, 500 ng/ml) and the aneugen diethylstilboestrol (DES, 80 microM) 23 h before harvesting, to induce formation of micronuclei (MN) and numerical and structural alterations in metaphase chromosomes. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with painting probes for all human chromosomes to determine which chromosomes had contributed material to the induced MN. MMC treatment induced an approximately 18-fold increase in MN and led to a significant increase in hypodiploidy and structural chromosome aberrations in metaphase preparations. Undercondensation of pericentromeric heterochromatin of chromosomes 9 and 1 occurred in 20-75% of metaphases and FISH disclosed an abundance of material from these chromosomes in induced MN (62-69% from chromosome 9 and 7-12% from chromosome 1). DES treatment of lymphocytes induced a seven-fold increase in MN frequency and four-fold increase in the frequency of numerical aberrations; structural aberrations were not significantly increased. FISH analysis showed that material from all chromosomes was present in DES-induced MN, with material from chromosome 1 present in 16% of MN and material from each other chromosomes being present in 2-10% of MN. Material from chromosomes 14, 19 and 21 was significantly more frequent material from chromosome Y significantly less frequent in DES-treated cells than in controls. The findings of the MMC studies indicate that the heterochromatin block of chromosome 9 is a specific target for MMC-induced undercondensation, which induces a preferential occurrence of chromosome 9 material in MN. DES, in contrast, does not trigger heterochromatin decondensation and fails to induce such a significant appearance of material of particular chromosomes in MN.

  11. Effect of dose rate on residual γ-H2AX levels and frequency of micronuclei in X-irradiated mouse lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Turner, H C; Shuryak, I; Taveras, M; Bertucci, A; Perrier, J R; Chen, C; Elliston, C D; Johnson, G W; Smilenov, L B; Amundson, S A; Brenner, D J

    2015-03-01

    The biological risks associated with low-dose-rate (LDR) radiation exposures are not yet well defined. To assess the risk related to DNA damage, we compared the yields of two established biodosimetry end points, γ-H2AX and micronuclei (MNi), in peripheral mouse blood lymphocytes after prolonged in vivo exposure to LDR X rays (0.31 cGy/min) vs. acute high-dose-rate (HDR) exposure (1.03 Gy/min). C57BL/6 mice were total-body irradiated with 320 kVP X rays with doses of 0, 1.1, 2.2 and 4.45 Gy. Residual levels of total γ-H2AX fluorescence in lymphocytes isolated 24 h after the start of irradiation were assessed using indirect immunofluorescence methods. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to determine apoptotic cell frequency in lymphocytes sampled at 24 h. Curve fitting analysis suggested that the dose response for γ-H2AX yields after acute exposures could be described by a linear dependence. In contrast, a linear-quadratic dose-response shape was more appropriate for LDR exposure (perhaps reflecting differences in repair time after different LDR doses). Dose-rate sparing effects (P < 0.05) were observed at doses ≤2.2 Gy, such that the acute dose γ-H2AX and TUNEL-positive cell yields were significantly larger than the equivalent LDR yields. At the 4.45 Gy dose there was no difference in γ-H2AX expression between the two dose rates, whereas there was a two- to threefold increase in apoptosis in the LDR samples compared to the equivalent 4.45 Gy acute dose. Micronuclei yields were measured at 24 h and 7 days using the in vitro cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay. The results showed that MNi yields increased up to 2.2 Gy with no further increase at 4.45 Gy and with no detectable dose-rate effect across the dose range 24 h or 7 days post exposure. In conclusion, the γ-H2AX biomarker showed higher sensitivity to measure dose-rate effects after low-dose LDR X rays compared to MNi formation; however, confounding factors such as variable repair times post exposure, increased cell killing and cell cycle block likely contributed to the yields of MNi with accumulating doses of ionizing radiation.

  12. Red blood cell decreases of microgravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, P. C.

    1985-01-01

    Postflight decreases in red blood cell mass (RBCM) have regularly been recorded after exposure to microgravity. These 5-25 percent decreases do not relate to the mission duration, workload, caloric intake or to the type of spacecraft used. The decrease is accompanied by normal red cell survivals, increased ferritin levels, normal radioactive iron studies, and increases in mean red blood cell volume. Comparable decreases in red blood cell mass are not found after bed rest, a commonly used simulation of the microgravity state. Inhibited bone marrow erythropoiesis has not been proven to date, although reticulocyte numbers in the peripheral circulation are decreased about 50 percent. To date, the cause of the microgravity induced decreases in RBCM is unknown. Increased splenic trapping of circulating red blood cells seem the most logical way to explain the results obtained.

  13. Decreased ferritin levels, despite iron supplementation, during erythropoietin therapy in anaemia of prematurity.

    PubMed

    Bader, D; Blondheim, O; Jonas, R; Admoni, O; Abend-Winger, M; Reich, D; Lanir, A; Tamir, A; Eldar, I; Attias, D

    1996-04-01

    Erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy has been shown to be beneficial in preventing and treating anaemia of prematurity and to decrease the need for blood transfusions. There is, however, only scanty data on the effect of rHuEPO therapy on iron metabolism. We studied 29 preterm infants (age 34 +/- 14 days) who were randomly assigned to receive either rHuEPO 900 U kg-1 week-1 with 6 mg kg-1 day-1 of iron for 4 weeks (n = 15) or no therapy. The following parameters were evaluated and compared between and within groups at the beginning, during and at the end of the study: Haematocrit (SI), reticulocytes (10(9) micrograms l-1), serum ferritin (microgram 1-1) and iron (mumol l-1). The results were as follows. At the baseline, erythropoietin levels were similar in both groups: 7.2 +/- 5.6 versus 6.2 +/- 3.2 mU ml-1 (NS). In the treated infants the haematocrit remained stable during the study and was significantly higher than in the control group by the end of the study: 0.34 +/- 0.03 versus 0.28 +/- 0.05 (p = 0.001). rHuEPO therapy increased the reticulocyte count from 130 +/- 70 to 430 +/- 200 (p = 0.0002). However, rHuEPO therapy depleted both serum ferritin and iron levels from 321 +/- 191 to 76 +/- 58 micrograms l-1 (p = 0.04) and from 18 +/- 5 to 13 +/- 4 mumol l-1 (p = 0.03), respectively. We conclude that rHuEPO therapy prevented anaemia and its sequelae; however, serum ferritin and iron levels were depleted. We suggest that the effect of rHuEPO may be further increased by higher iron supplementation.

  14. Utility of DF-1 for Radioprotection in Lymphocytes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reynolds, Julia; Casey, Rachael; Wu, Honglu; Huff, Janice; Emami, Kamal; Moore, Valerie; Jeevarajan, Antony

    2007-01-01

    The development of degenerative changes in the vasculature, such as atherosclerosis, is a known consequence of exposure to ionizing radiation, and is thus a concern for astronaut health following long duration space flight. Cellular damage caused by radiation is due to free radical generation and DNA damage. The goal of this project was to assess the ability of a C60-derivative, DF-1, to mitigate cellular damage resulting from radiation exposure in primary human lymphocytes. DF-1 is a water-soluble C60 fullerene encapsulated in dendrimeric functional groups that is proposed to exhibit antioxidant properties. Human lymphocytes are radiosensitive and travel throughout the body potentially causing bystander effects in any tissues they contact. These cells were subjected to varying doses of gamma radiation in the presence or absence of DF-1. Cells were collected at 48 hours post-irradiation for chromosomal aberration studies and at 72 hours post-irradiation for micronuclei studies. These studies showed that the irradiated cells contained more chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei than the control cells. Addition of the DF-1 reduced the amount of observed DNA damage in the irradiated cells. Growth curves were measured for the lymphocytes exposed to 0 and 4 Gray gamma irradiations, and we observed less growth in the cells irradiated at 4 Gy. 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate was used to detect reactive oxygen species production, and increased production of ROS was observed in the irradiated lymphocytes. Human lymphocytes were subjected to varying doses of gamma or photon radiation in the presence and absence of DF-1 and a known radioprotectant, amifostine. After irradiation, the production of reactive oxygen species, growth curves and cell viability were measured. These cells were also collected to quantify chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei formation. We predict that irradiated cells will show the most damage and that DF-1 will provide protective effects similar to those of amifostine, an established radioprotectant.

  15. Effects of ozone exposure on human epithelial adenocarcinoma and normal fibroblasts cells.

    PubMed

    Poma, Anna; Colafarina, Sabrina; Aruffo, Eleonora; Zarivi, Osvaldo; Bonfigli, Antonella; Di Bucchianico, Sebastiano; Di Carlo, Piero

    2017-01-01

    Previous studies show variable ozone cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in cell cultures, laboratory animals and humans directly exposed to tropospheric ozone. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate and compare the cyto and genotoxic effects of ozone using adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 and normal human fibroblasts Hs27. A cell culture chamber with controlled atmosphere (a simulation reactor) was built to inject a flow of 120 ppb of ozone, which is two times the threshold value for the protection of human health, fixed by the EU legislation. Cell proliferation was evaluated by a luminescent cell viability assay while we assessed the genotoxic potential of ozone by the induction of micronuclei as well as evaluating DNA strand breaks by the induction of micronuclei evaluated by means of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay as well as evaluating DNA strand breaks by Alkaline Comet Assay (CA) or Comet Assay. A549 cells viability decreases significantly at 24 hours treatment with 120 ppb of O3 while at 48 hours and 72 hours O3 treated cells viability doesn't differ in respect to the control. However a significative decrease of A549 viability is shown at 72 hours vs. 48 hours in both treated and not-treated cells. The viability trend in the Hs27 cells did not show any significant changes in treated samples compared to the control in all conditions. The two genotoxicity biomarkers, the micronucleus and the comet tests, showed in both the cell types exposed to ozone, a significant increase in the number of micronuclei and in the tail DNA % in respect to the control even if at different times/cell type. Moreover, we found that O3 provokes genotoxic effects more evident in A549 cancer cells than in normal fibroblasts Hs27 ones. We applied a cell growth simulation model referred to ozone treated or not cell lines to confirm that the ozone exposure causes a slackening in the cells replication.

  16. What is the best biomarker to assess arsenic exposure via drinking water?

    PubMed

    Marchiset-Ferlay, Nathalie; Savanovitch, Chantal; Sauvant-Rochat, Marie-Pierre

    2012-02-01

    Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous element. The current WHO guideline for As in drinking water is 10 μg/L. Furthermore, about 130 million people have only access to drinking water containing more than 10 g As/L. Although numerous studies have shown the related adverse effects of As, sensitive appropriate biomarkers are still required for studies of environmental epidemiology. A review of the literature has shown that various biomarkers are used for such research. Their limits and advantages are highlighted in this paper: (i) the detection of As or its derivatives in the blood is an indication of the dose ingested but it is not evidence of chronic intoxication. (ii) The detection of As in urine is an indispensible procedure because it is a good marker for internal dose. It has been demonstrated to correlate well for a number of chronic effects related to As levels in drinking water. However confounding factors must be taken into account to avoid misinterpretation and this may require As speciation. (iii) As in the hair and nails reflects the level of long term exposure but it is difficult to relate the level with the dose ingested. (iv) Some studies showed a correlation between urinary As and urinary and blood porphyrins. However, it is difficult to use only porphyrins as a biomarker in a population survey carried out without doing further studies. (v) Genotoxic effects are based on the characterization of these potential effects. Most studies have detected increases in DNA damage, sister chromatid exchange, micronuclei or chromosomal aberrations in populations exposed to As in drinking water. Micronuclei assay is the technique of choice to follow these populations, because it is sensitive and easy to use. To conclude, whatever epidemiological studies are, the urinary and toenail biomarkers are useful to provide indications of internal dose. Moreover, micronuclei assay can be complementary use as biomarker of early effects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Venous Gas Emboli and Ambulation at 4.3 PSIA (Preliminary)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conkin, J.; Pollock, N. W.; Natoli, M. J.; Martina, S. D.; Wessel, J. H., III; Gernhardt, M. L.

    2016-01-01

    Ambulation imparts compressive and decompressive forces into the lower body, potentially creating quasi-stable micronuclei that influence the outcome of hypobaric depressurizations. Hypotheses: ambulation before the conclusion of a denitrogenation (prebreathe) protocol at 14.7 pounds per square inch absolute is not sufficient to increase the incidence of venous gas emboli (VGE) at 4.3 pounds per square inch absolute but is sufficient if performed after tissues become supersaturated with nitrogen at 4.3 pounds per square inch absolute.

  18. Genotoxicity assessment of multispecies probiotics using reverse mutation, mammalian chromosomal aberration, and rodent micronucleus tests.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Yi-Jen; Nam, Mun-Kit; Tsai, Yueh-Ting; Huang, Chun-Chi; Tsai, Cheng-Chih

    2013-01-01

    Genotoxicity assessment is carried out on freeze dried powder of cultured probiotics containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus LCR177, Bifidobacterium adolescentis BA286, and Pediococcus acidilactici PA318. Ames tests, in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration assay, and micronucleus tests in mouse peripheral blood are performed. For 5 strains of Salmonella Typhimurium, the Ames tests show no increased reverse mutation upon exposure to the test substance. In CHO cells, the frequency of chromosome aberration does not increase in responding to the treatment of probiotics. Likewise, the frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes in probiotics-fed mice is indistinguishable from that in the negative control group. Taken together, the toxicity assessment studies suggest that the multispecies probiotic mixture does not have mutagenic effects on various organisms.

  19. Suppressing effects of glucan on micronuclei induced by Co60 in mice.

    PubMed

    Chorvatovicová, D

    1991-10-01

    The effects of glucan on the frequency of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of A/Ph mouse bone marrow induced by Co60 irradiation were examined. Suppressing effect of three glucan derivatives was statistically significant (P less than 0.01) by intravenous application of glucan one hour after irradiation. The most expressive effect was obvious by K3 substituent (DS 0.89). Intraperitoneal application of glucan has to be done earlier than one hour after irradiation. The suppressive effects of glucans can be explained by their ability to trap OH radicals and so decrease the clastogenic effect of irradiation. The results may be useful for therapeutic application of glucan with radiation therapy.

  20. Neocytolysis on descent from altitude: a newly recognized mechanism for the control of red cell mass

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rice, L.; Ruiz, W.; Driscoll, T.; Whitley, C. E.; Tapia, R.; Hachey, D. L.; Gonzales, G. F.; Alfrey, C. P.

    2001-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Studies of space-flight anemia have uncovered a physiologic process, neocytolysis, by which young red blood cells are selectively hemolyzed, allowing rapid adaptation when red cell mass is excessive for a new environment. OBJECTIVES: 1) To confirm that neocytolysis occurs in another situation of acute plethora-when high-altitude dwellers with polycythemia descend to sea level; and 2) to clarify the role of erythropoietin suppression. DESIGN: Prospective observational and interventional study. SETTING: Cerro de Pasco (4380 m) and Lima (sea level), Peru. PARTICIPANTS: Nine volunteers with polycythemia. INTERVENTIONS: Volunteers were transported to sea level; three received low-dose erythropoietin. MEASUREMENTS: Changes in red cell mass, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte count, ferritin level, serum erythropoietin, and enrichment of administered(13)C in heme. RESULTS: In six participants, red cell mass decreased by 7% to 10% within a few days of descent; this decrease was mirrored by a rapid increase in serum ferritin level. Reticulocyte production did not decrease, a finding that establishes a hemolytic mechanism.(13)C changes in circulating heme were consistent with hemolysis of young cells. Erythropoietin was suppressed, and administration of exogenous erythropoietin prevented the changes in red cell mass, serum ferritin level, and(13)C-heme. CONCLUSIONS: Neocytolysis and the role of erythropoietin are confirmed in persons with polycythemia who descend from high altitude. This may have implications that extend beyond space and altitude medicine to renal disease and other situations of erythropoietin suppression, hemolysis, and polycythemia.

  1. Genomic Organization Under Different Environmental Conditions: Hoplosternum Littorale as a Model

    PubMed Central

    Schneider, Carlos Henrique; Feldberg, Eliana; Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato; Carvalho, Natália Dayane Moura; Gross, Maria Claudia

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The Amazon has abundant rivers, streams, and floodplains in both polluted and nonpolluted environments, which show great adaptability. Thus, the goal of this study was to map repetitive DNA sequences in both mitotic chromosomes and erythrocyte micronuclei of tamoatás from polluted and nonpolluted environments and to assess the possible genotoxic effects of these environments. Individuals were collected in Manaus, Amazonas (AM), and submitted to classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques, as well as to a blood micronucleus test. Diploid number equal to 60 chromosomes are present in all individuals, with 18S ribosomal DNA sites present in one chromosome pair and no interstitial telomeric sites on chromosomes. The micronucleus test showed no significant differences in pairwise comparisons between environments or collection sites, but the Rex3 retroelement was dispersed on the chromosomes of individuals from unpolluted environments and compartmentalized in individuals from polluted environments. Divergent numbers of 5S rDNA sites are present in individuals from unpolluted and polluted environments. The mapping of repetitive sequences revealed that micronuclei have different compositions both intra- and interindividually that suggests different regions are lost in the formation of micronuclei, and no single fragile region undergoes breaks, although repetitive DNA elements are involved in this process. PMID:26981695

  2. Region-specific chromatin decondensation and micronucleus formation induced by 5-azacytidine in human TIG-7 cells.

    PubMed

    Satoh, T; Yamamoto, K; Miura, K F; Sofuni, T

    2004-01-01

    A human diploid lung fibroblast cell strain, TIG-7, has a heteromorphic chromosome 15 with an extra short arm carrying a homogeneously staining region (15p+hsr). We demonstrated previously that the 15p+hsr consists of an inactive and G+C-rich rDNA cluster characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and various chromosome banding techniques. Thus, it was suggested that the region could contain highly methylated DNA. To observe methylation status on the target region directly under the microscope, we used a demethylating agent, 5-azacytidine (5-azaC), to induce decondensation of the chromatin containing methylated DNA. At 24 h after treatment with 0.5 microM 5-azaC, marked decondensation of the 15p+hsr was observed in almost all of the metaphases. Furthermore, we observed micronuclei, which were equivalent to the rDNA of the 15p+hsr demonstrated by FISH in the same preparation. In contrast, the DNA cross-linking agent mitomycin C (MMC) preferentially induced 15p+hsr-negative micronuclei. These findings indicated that chromatin decondensation and subsequent DNA strand breakage induced by the demethylating effect of 5-azaC led specifically to 15p+hsr-positive micronuclei. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  3. Comparison of five automated hematology analyzers in a university hospital setting: Abbott Cell-Dyn Sapphire, Beckman Coulter DxH 800, Siemens Advia 2120i, Sysmex XE-5000, and Sysmex XN-2000.

    PubMed

    Bruegel, Mathias; Nagel, Dorothea; Funk, Manuela; Fuhrmann, Petra; Zander, Johannes; Teupser, Daniel

    2015-06-01

    Various types of automated hematology analyzers are used in clinical laboratories. Here, we performed a side-by-side comparison of five current top of the range routine hematology analyzers in the setting of a university hospital central laboratory. Complete blood counts (CBC), differentials, reticulocyte and nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) counts of 349 patient samples, randomly taken out of routine diagnostics, were analyzed with Cell-Dyn Sapphire (Abbott), DxH 800 (Beckman Coulter), Advia 2120i (Siemens), XE-5000 and XN-2000 (Sysmex). Inter-instrument comparison of CBCs including reticulocyte and NRBC counts and investigation of flagging quality in relation to microscopy were performed with the complete set of samples. Inter-instrument comparison of five-part differential was performed using samples without atypical cells in blood smear (n=292). Automated five-part differentials and NRBCs were additionally compared with microscopy. The five analyzers showed a good concordance for basic blood count parameters. Correlations between instruments were less well for reticulocyte counts, NRBCs, and differentials. The poorest concordance for NRBCs with microscopy was observed for Advia 2120i (Kendall's τb=0.37). The highest flagging sensitivity for blasts was observed for XN-2000 (97% compared to 65%-76% for other analyzers), whereas overall specificity was comparable between different instruments. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive side-by-side comparison of five current top of the range routine hematology analyzers. Variable analyzer quality and parameter specific limitations must be considered in defining laboratory algorithms in clinical practice.

  4. Hematologic adverse effects of 2 different polyclonal antilymphocyte preparations in de novo kidney transplant patients.

    PubMed

    Rostaing, Lionel; Lavayssière, Laurence; Kamar, Nassim

    2010-06-01

    To evaluate the hematologic adverse effects of polyclonal antilymphocyte globulins within the first month after surgery in kidney transplant recipients. In this prospective, randomized trial, we included 16 adult-sensitized (panel-reactive antibodies > 30%) recipients of a kidney from a deceased donor. Eight patients received therapy with Genzyme (Thymoglobulin: ATG-G; 6.2 +/- 2.9 mg/kg for 7 days), and 8 patients received Fresenius (Lymphoglobulin: ATG-F; 22.6 +/- 7.9 mg/kg for 6 days). Other immunosuppressants included mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and steroids. Platelet counts were normal before transplant and significantly reduced after transplant; however, this was more pronounced in ATG-F patients, and had normalized by day 7 in the ATG-G and by day 10 in the ATG-F groups. Mean leukocyte/polymorphonuclear cell counts remained within the normal range in both groups through follow-up. Hemoglobin levels were similar at approximately 10 g/dL for both groups, up to day 10. However, erythropoietin-stimulating-agent therapy had been given to more patients in the ATG-F group than patients in the ATG-G group. Reticulocyte counts were significantly lower in ATG-F patients by days 3, 5, 7, and 10. From day 14 onwards, reticulocyte counts were similar in both groups. With regard to lymphocyte counts, these were normal in both groups before transplant and then significantly decreased afterward. No patient presented with acute rejection or serum-sickness disease. Reduced platelet and reticulocyte counts occur more frequently immediately after transplant when using ATG-F compared with ATG-G therapy. Consequently, erythropoietin-stimulating-agent therapy was needed more often for ATG-F patients.

  5. B12 deficiency leading to marked poikilocytosis versus true schistocytosis, a pernicious problem.

    PubMed

    Hall, James A; Mason, James; Choi, Julia; Holguin, Mark

    2017-08-01

    Severe vitamin B12 deficiency is caused most commonly by autoimmune atrophic gastritis leading to loss of intrinsic factor. Vitamin B12 deficiency leading to megaloblastic anemia and demyelinating central nervous system disease is well known; however, a rare presentation of B12 deficiency described as pseudothrombotic microangiopathy is not well known. This complication presents with signs of mechanical hemolysis, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), thrombocytopenia, and a low reticulocyte count, which can be incorrectly diagnosed as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and managed incorrectly. Decreased reticulocyte count and an LDH >2500IU/L is more commonly seen in B12 deficiency. However, recognizing the differences in marked poikilocytosis can be challenging, as seen with megaloblastic changes and true schistocytosis. To illustrate the challenge in differentiating between megaloblastic changes and true schistocytosis, we present the case of a 27-year-old woman who presented to her physician for symptomatic anemia and complaints of nausea, vomiting, and loose stool. She had a hemoglobin of 5.1g/dL, platelet count of 39×10 9 /L, LDH of 9915IU/L, haptoglobin below assay limit, and a reticulocyte count of 2.5%. Peripheral smear showed macrocytic anemia, rare hypersegmented neutrophils, and schistocytes. Vitamin B12 level was less than 50pg/mL, methylmalonic acid was 0.33μmol/L, anti-parietal cell antibody was >1:640, and intrinsic factor blocking antibody was positive-confirming the diagnosis of pernicious anemia. While hospitalized, she was treated with vitamin B12 1000μg intramuscular injections daily and thereafter continued with monthly injections, which ultimately resolved her severe macrocytic anemia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Genotoxic Effects Due to Exposure to Chromium and Nickel Among Electroplating Workers.

    PubMed

    El Safty, Amal Mohamed Kamal; Samir, Aisha Mohamed; Mekkawy, Mona Kamal; Fouad, Marwa Mohamed

    Using chromium and nickel for electroplating is important in many industries. This process induces variable adverse health effects among exposed workers. The aim of this study is to detect the genotoxic effects of combined exposure to chromium and nickel among electroplating workers. This study was conducted on 41 male workers occupationally exposed to chromium and nickel in the electroplating section of a factory compared to 41 male nonexposed individuals, where full history and clinical examination were performed. Laboratory investigations included measurement of serum chromium, nickel, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and micronuclei were measured in buccal cells. In exposed workers, serum chromium ranged from 0.09 to 7.20 µg/L, serum nickel ranged from 1.20 to 28.00 µg/L, serum 8-OHdG ranged from 1.09 to12.60 ng/mL, and these results were statistically significantly increased compared to nonexposed group ( P < 0.001). Electroplaters showed higher frequencies of micronuclei in buccal cells when compared to nonexposed (ranged from 20.00 to 130.00 N/1,000 versus 2.00 to 28.00 N/1,000; P < 0.001). Linear regression models were done to detect independent predictors of 8-OHdG and micronucleus test by comparing exposed and nonexposed groups. The model found that exposure to chromium and nickel increases serum 8-OHdG by 4.754 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.54-5.96). The model found that exposure to chromium and nickel increases micronucleus by 35.927 (95% CI: 28.517-43.337). Serum 8-OHdG and micronucleus test in buccal cells were increased with combined exposure to chromium and nickel. The current research concluded that workers exposed to nickel and chromium in electroplating industry are at risk of significant cytogenetic damage.

  7. Geospatial analysis of residential proximity to open-pit coal mining areas in relation to micronuclei frequency, particulate matter concentration, and elemental enrichment factors.

    PubMed

    Espitia-Pérez, Lyda; Arteaga-Pertuz, Marcia; Soto, José Salvador; Espitia-Pérez, Pedro; Salcedo-Arteaga, Shirley; Pastor-Sierra, Karina; Galeano-Páez, Claudia; Brango, Hugo; da Silva, Juliana; Henriques, João A P

    2018-09-01

    During coal surface mining, several activities such as drilling, blasting, loading, and transport produce large quantities of particulate matter (PM) that is directly emitted into the atmosphere. Occupational exposure to this PM has been associated with an increase of DNA damage, but there is a scarcity of data examining the impact of these industrial operations in cytogenetic endpoints frequency and cancer risk of potentially exposed surrounding populations. In this study, we used a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) methods to perform a spatial and statistical analysis to explore whether exposure to PM 2.5 and PM 10 pollution, and additional factors, including the enrichment of the PM with inorganic elements, contribute to cytogenetic damage in residents living in proximity to an open-pit coal mining area. Results showed a spatial relationship between exposure to elevated concentrations of PM 2.5, PM 10 and micronuclei frequency in binucleated (MNBN) and mononucleated (MNMONO) cells. Active pits, disposal, and storage areas could be identified as the possible emission sources of combustion elements. Mining activities were also correlated with increased concentrations of highly enriched elements like S, Cu and Cr in the atmosphere, corroborating its role in the inorganic elements pollution around coal mines. Elements enriched in the PM 2.5 fraction contributed to increasing of MNBN but seems to be more related to increased MNMONO frequencies and DNA damage accumulated in vivo. The combined use of GIS and IDW methods could represent an important tool for monitoring potential cancer risk associated to dynamically distributed variables like the PM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Using Lymphocyte and Plasma Hsp70 as Biomarkers for Assessing Coke Oven Exposure among Steel Workers

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Xiaobo; Zheng, Jinping; Bai, Yun; Tian, Fengjie; Yuan, Jing; Sun, Jianya; Liang, Huashan; Guo, Liang; Tan, Hao; Chen, Weihong; Tanguay, Robert M.; Wu, Tangchun

    2007-01-01

    Background Hsp70, an early-response protein induced when organisms are confronted with simple or complicated environmental stresses, can act as either a cellular protector or a danger signal. Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate levels of lymphocyte and/or plasma Hsp70 as biomarkers for assessing exposure response to complex coke oven emissions (COEs). Methods We recruited 101 coke oven workers and determined levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), genotoxic damage by comet assay and micronuclei test, and other markers of damage, including plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These were compared to levels of lymphocyte (intra-cellular) and plasma (extracellular) Hsp70 using Western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), respectively. Results We observed a COEs-related dose-dependent increase in levels of DNA damage, micronuclei rate, MDA concentration, and LDH activity. Lymphocyte Hsp70 levels increased in the intermediate-exposure group (1.39 ± 0.88) but decreased in the high-exposure group (1.10 ± 0.55), compared with the low-exposure group. In contrast, plasma Hsp70 levels progressively increased as the dose of exposure increased. Negative correlations were seen between lymphocyte Hsp70 levels and olive tail moment and LDH activity in the intermediate- and high-exposure groups. However, we observed positive correlations between plasma Hsp70 levels and LDH activity in the low and intermediate groups. Conclusions In workers exposed to COEs, high lymphocyte Hsp70 levels may provide protection and high plasma Hsp70 levels may serve as a danger marker. Larger validation studies are needed to establish the utility of Hsp70 as a response marker. PMID:18007987

  9. Biochemical responses, morphometric changes, genotoxic effects and CYP1A expression in the armored catfish Pterygoplichthys anisitsi after 15 days of exposure to mineral diesel and biodiesel.

    PubMed

    Arantes Felício, Andréia; Martins Parente, Thiago Estevam; Regina Maschio, Lucilene; Nogueira, Lílian; Rodrigues Venancio, Larissa Paola; de Freitas Rebelo, Mauro; Schlenk, Daniel; de Almeida, Eduardo Alves

    2015-05-01

    Despite being considered friendlier to the environment, biodiesel fuel can be harmful to aquatic organisms, especially when combined with petroleum diesel fuel. In this work we evaluated the effects of mineral diesel fuel containing increasing concentrations of biodiesel (5% and 20%, namely B5 and B20) and pure biodiesel (B100), at concentrations of 0.001 and 0.01mLL(-1), after 15 days of exposure, in armored catfish (Pterygoplichtys anisitsi). Toxicity tests were also performed to estimate LC50 values (96h) for each compound. Biotransformation enzymes [ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] as well as oxidative stress markers (superoxide dismutase, SOD, catalase, CAT, glutathione peroxidase, GPx, and the level of lipid peroxidation) were measured in liver and gills after treatment. Genotoxic effects were also accessed in erythrocytes using the comet assay and by evaluating the frequency of micronuclei formation. Further, the mRNA of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) was also measured in liver. Mortality was not observed even exposure to concentrations as high as 6.0mLL(-1). EROD and GST activities were increased after B5 and B20 treatments; however, CYP1A mRNA induction was not observed. SOD and CAT activities were decreased, but GPx was significantly higher for all treatments in gills. There were no significant changes in lipid peroxidation, but genotoxicity markers revealed that all treatments increased comet scores. Fuels B5 and B20 increased micronuclei frequency. Our results indicate that despite being less toxic, biodiesel may cause sublethal alterations in fish that may alter long term health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Induction and repair of HZE induced cytogenetic damage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brooks, A. L.; Bao, S.; Rithidech, K.; Chrisler, W. B.; Couch, L. A.; Braby, L. A.

    2001-01-01

    Wistar rats were exposed to high-mass, high energy (HZE) 56Fe particles (1000 GeV/AMU) using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). The animals were sacrificed at 1-5 hours or after a 30-day recovery period. The frequency of micronuclei in the tracheal and the deep lung epithelial cells were evaluated. The relative effectiveness of 56Fe, for the induction of initial chromosome damage in the form of micronuclei, was compared to damage produced in the same biological system exposed to other types of high and low-LET radiation. It was demonstrated that for animals sacrificed at short times after exposure, the tracheal and lung epithelial cells, the 56Fe particles were 3.3 and 1.3 times as effective as 60Co in production of micronuclei, respectively. The effectiveness was also compared to that for exposure to inhaled radon. With this comparison, the 56Fe exposure of the tracheal epithelial cells and the lung epithelial cells were only 0.18 and 0.20 times as effective as radon in the production of the initial cytogenetic damage. It was suggested that the low relative effectiveness was related to potential for 'wasted energy' from the core of the 56Fe particles. When the animals were sacrificed after 30 days, the slopes of the dose-response relationships, which reflect the remaining level of damage, decreased by a factor of 10 for both the tracheal and lung epithelial cells. In both cases, the slope of the dose-response lines were no longer significantly different from zero, and the r2 values were very high. Lung epithelial cells, isolated from the animals sacrificed hours after exposure, were maintained in culture, and the micronuclei frequency evaluated after 4 and 6 subcultures. These cells were harvested at 24 and 36 days after the exposure. There was no dose-response detected in these cultures and no signs of genomic instability at either sample time.

  11. Stress induced by premature chromatin condensation triggers chromosome shattering and chromothripsis at DNA sites still replicating in micronuclei or multinucleate cells when primary nuclei enter mitosis.

    PubMed

    Terzoudi, Georgia I; Karakosta, Maria; Pantelias, Antonio; Hatzi, Vasiliki I; Karachristou, Ioanna; Pantelias, Gabriel

    2015-11-01

    Combination of next-generation DNA sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism array analyses and bioinformatics has revealed the striking phenomenon of chromothripsis, described as complex genomic rearrangements acquired in a single catastrophic event affecting one or a few chromosomes. Via an unproven mechanism, it is postulated that mechanical stress causes chromosome shattering into small lengths of DNA, which are then randomly reassembled by DNA repair machinery. Chromothripsis is currently examined as an alternative mechanism of oncogenesis, in contrast to the present paradigm that considers a stepwise development of cancer. While evidence for the mechanism(s) underlying chromosome shattering during cancer development remains elusive, a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain chromothripsis, including ionizing radiation, DNA replication stress, breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, micronuclei formation and premature chromosome compaction. In the present work, we provide experimental evidence on the mechanistic basis of chromothripsis and on how chromosomes can get locally shattered in a single catastrophic event. Considering the dynamic nature of chromatin nucleoprotein complex, capable of rapid unfolding, disassembling, assembling and refolding, we first show that chromatin condensation at repairing or replicating DNA sites induces the mechanical stress needed for chromosome shattering to ensue. Premature chromosome condensation is then used to visualize the dynamic nature of interphase chromatin and demonstrate that such mechanical stress and chromosome shattering can also occur in chromosomes within micronuclei or asynchronous multinucleate cells when primary nuclei enter mitosis. Following an aberrant mitosis, chromosomes could find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time so that they may undergo massive DNA breakage and rearrangement in a single catastrophic event. Specifically, our results support the hypothesis that premature chromosome condensation induces mechanical stress and triggers shattering and chromothripsis in chromosomes or chromosome arms still undergoing DNA replication or repair in micronuclei or asynchronous multinucleate cells, when primary nuclei enter mitosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Blood volume changes. [weightlessness effects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, P. C.; Driscoll, T. B.; Leblance, A. D.

    1974-01-01

    Analysis of radionuclide volume determinations made for the crewmembers of selected Gemini and Apollo missions showed that orbital spaceflight has an effect on red cell mass. Because the methods and the protocol developed for earlier flights were used for the crews of the three Skylab missions, direct comparisons are possible. After each Skylab mission, decreases were found in crewmembers' red cell masses. The mean red cell mass decrease of 11 percent or 232 milliliters was approximately equal to the 10 percent mean red cell mass decrease of the Apollo 14 to 17 crewmembers. The red cell mass drop was greatest and the postrecovery reticulocyte response least for crewmembers of the 28-day Skylab 2 mission. Analyses of data from the red cell mass determinations indicate that the red cell mass drops occurred in the first 30 days of flight and that a gradual recovery of the red cell mass deficits began approximately 60 days after launch. The beginning of red cell mass regeneration during the Skylab 4 flight may explain the higher postmission reticulocyte counts.

  13. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Testa, U.; Hinard, N.; Beuzard, Y.

    During incubation of reticulocytes from patients with beta-thalassemia, after labeling of the hemoglobin with radioactive amino acids, the excess alpha chains are gradually lost from the cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of this phenomenon. A system was developed in which reticulocytes from beta-thalassemia patients are labeled with (3H)leucine, washed several times in nonradioactive medium, and then incubated in the same medium containing puromycin added in order to stop further protein synthesis. The results have clearly shown that excess alpha chains are gradually degraded by proteolysis. N-ethylmaleimide or epsilon-aminocaproic acid inhibited the proteolysis of freemore » alpha chains. The addition of either ATP or hemin did not change the rate of alpha chain degradation. The time required to degrade 50% of the pool of free alpha chains was directly dependent on the initial value of this pool. This finding suggests the absence of a significant individual variation in the ability to proteolyse free alpha chains.« less

  14. Determine the yield of micronucleated cells in primary human fibroblasts exposed to focused soft X-rays.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kevin M. Prise

    This project was a small part of a larger collaborative study headed by Dr Aloke Chatterjee, (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) and including Drs Les Braby, John Ford (Texas A&M) and Kathy Held (MGH Boston), which was developing an integrated theoretical and experimental model of the radiation-induced bystander response. Our part of the study has been to determine the effectiveness of soft X-rays at inducing chromosomal damage under conditions of direct and bystander exposure. The aim was to compare this with the effectiveness of the low energy 60 kV electron microbeam available at Texas A&M. Previous studies have been performed withmore » primary human fibroblasts measuring micronuclei formation to determine the relative yields of direct versus bystander mediated micronuclei formation after cells were individually irradiated utilizing our novel focused soft X-ray microprobe, which is capable of producing localized submicron beams of carbon-K (278 eV) X-rays. Only a brief overview is given here as the study has been published in several papers. Our original hypothesis was to study yields of bystander-induced micronucleated cells in both wild-type and mutant fibroblast from mouse embryo fibroblasts. Difficulties with the level of background micronuclei in the MEFs prevented systematic studies of bystander responses in the laboratories involved in the collaboration. We then performed these studies with AG1522 primary human fibroblast cells using a siRNA approach developed by John Ford at Texas A&M to knock down DNA PKcs in the first instance. Our soft X-ray source has been in routine use for carbon-K X-rays and is now available with Aluminium-K (1.49 keV) and titanium-K (4.5 keV), although the dose-rate from titanium is still too low at present for most experiments, where large numbers of cells need to be exposed. A separately funded project developed a new soft X-ray microprobe which will give much greater flexibility for changing energies and giving high dose-rates for exposures (See DE-FG02-01ER63236). However, we performed pilot studies measuring bystander responses with titanium-K. To date we have performed studies with V79 cells measuring cell survival as an endpoint and are starting studies in our human fibroblasts to measure micronuclei yields. A significant bystander response is observed in the V79 cells under conditions where only a single cell within a population was irradiated either with carbon-K or titanium-K X-rays. Typically around 10% cell killing is observed under these conditions. These studies are now being extended to measure micronuclei yields in the AG1522 cells under direct and bystander conditions. Our work has suggested that the yield of micronuclei in fibroblasts exposed to soft X-rays may be reduced in comparison to conventional X-ray exposures (Prise et al., 2003). Although further studies are required to confirm this using a range of scoring times.« less

  15. A Comparative Study of the Aneugenic and Polyploidy-inducing Effects of Fisetin and Two Model Aurora Kinase Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    Gollapudi, P.; Hasegawa, L.S.; Eastmond, D.A.

    2014-01-01

    Fisetin, a plant flavonol commonly found in fruits, nuts and vegetables, is frequently added to nutritional supplements due to its reported cardioprotective, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant properties. Earlier reports from our laboratory and others have indicated that fisetin has both aneugenic and clastogenic properties in cultured cells. More recently, fisetin has also been reported to target Aurora B kinase, a Ser/Thr kinase involved in ensuring proper microtubule attachment at the spindle assembly checkpoint, and an enzyme that is overexpressed in several types of cancer. Here we have further characterized the chromosome damage caused by fisetin and compared it with that induced by two known Aurora kinase inhibitors, VX-680 and ZM-447439, in cultured TK6 cells using the micronucleus assay with CREST staining as well as a flow cytometry-based assay that measures multiple types of numerical chromosomal aberrations. The three compounds were highly effective in inducing aneuploidy and polyploidy as evidenced by increases in kinetochore-positive micronuclei, hyperdiploidy, and polyploidy. With fisetin, however, the latter two effects were most significantly observed only after cells were allowed to overcome a cell cycle delay, and occurred at higher concentrations than those induced by the other Aurora kinase inhibitors. Modest increases in kinetochore-negative micronuclei were also seen with the model Aurora kinase inhibitors. These results indicate that fisetin induces multiple types of chromosome abnormalities in human cells, and indicate a need for a thorough investigation of fisetin-augmented dietary supplements. PMID:24680981

  16. Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay in Sickle Cell Disease

    PubMed Central

    Naga, Mallika Bokka Sri Satya; Gour, Shreya; Nallagutta, Nalini; Velidandla, Surekha; Manikya, Sangameshwar

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is a commonly inherited blood disorder preceded by episodes of pain, chronic haemolytic anaemia and severe infections. The underlying phenomenon which causes this disease is the point mutation in the haemoglobin beta gene (Hbβ) found on chromosome 11 p. Increased oxidative stress leads to DNA damage. DNA damage occurring in such conditions can be studied by the buccal micronucleus cytome assay, which is a minimally invasive method for studying chromosomal instability, cell death and regenerative potential of human buccal tissue. Aim To evaluate genomic instability in patients with sickle cell disease by buccal micronucleus cytome assay. Materials and Methods The study included 40 sickle cell anemia patients (Group A) and 40 age and sex matched controls (Group B). Buccal swabs were collected and stained with Papanicolaou (PAP). Number of cells with micronucleus, binuclei, nuclear bud, pyknosis and karyolysis were counted in two groups as parameters for the evaluation of genome stability. Results All the analysis was done using t-test. A p-value of <0.001 was considered statistically significant. There was a statistically significant increase in micronuclei number in SCA patients when compared with controls. Karyolytic (un-nucleated) cell number in Group A was more than to those of the controls. Conclusion The results might suggest that patients with sickle cell anaemia have genome instability which is represented by the presence of micronuclei in the somatic cells. Presence of apoptotic cells might only indicate the bodily damage to the tissue as a result of the disease. PMID:27504413

  17. Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay in Sickle Cell Disease.

    PubMed

    Naga, Mallika Bokka Sri Satya; Gour, Shreya; Nallagutta, Nalini; Ealla, Kranti Kiran Reddy; Velidandla, Surekha; Manikya, Sangameshwar

    2016-06-01

    Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is a commonly inherited blood disorder preceded by episodes of pain, chronic haemolytic anaemia and severe infections. The underlying phenomenon which causes this disease is the point mutation in the haemoglobin beta gene (Hbβ) found on chromosome 11 p. Increased oxidative stress leads to DNA damage. DNA damage occurring in such conditions can be studied by the buccal micronucleus cytome assay, which is a minimally invasive method for studying chromosomal instability, cell death and regenerative potential of human buccal tissue. To evaluate genomic instability in patients with sickle cell disease by buccal micronucleus cytome assay. The study included 40 sickle cell anemia patients (Group A) and 40 age and sex matched controls (Group B). Buccal swabs were collected and stained with Papanicolaou (PAP). Number of cells with micronucleus, binuclei, nuclear bud, pyknosis and karyolysis were counted in two groups as parameters for the evaluation of genome stability. All the analysis was done using t-test. A p-value of <0.001 was considered statistically significant. There was a statistically significant increase in micronuclei number in SCA patients when compared with controls. Karyolytic (un-nucleated) cell number in Group A was more than to those of the controls. The results might suggest that patients with sickle cell anaemia have genome instability which is represented by the presence of micronuclei in the somatic cells. Presence of apoptotic cells might only indicate the bodily damage to the tissue as a result of the disease.

  18. Frequencies of micronucleated reticulocytes, a dosimeter of DNA double-strand breaks, in infants receiving computed tomography or cardiac catheterization.

    PubMed

    Khattab, Mona; Walker, Dale M; Albertini, Richard J; Nicklas, Janice A; Lundblad, Lennart K A; Vacek, Pamela M; Walker, Vernon E

    2017-08-01

    The use of computed tomography (CT scans) has increased dramatically in recent decades, raising questions about the long-term safety of CT-emitted x-rays especially in infants who are more sensitive to radiation-induced effects. Cancer risk estimates for CT scans typically are extrapolated from models; therefore, new approaches measuring actual DNA damage are needed for improved estimations. Hence, changes in a dosimeter of DNA double-strand breaks, micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RETs) measured by flow cytometry, were investigated in mice and infants exposed to CT scans. In male C57BL/6N mice (6-8 weeks-of-age), there was a dose-related increase in MN-RETs in blood samples collected 48h after CT scans delivering targeted exposures of 1-130 cGy x-rays (n=5-10/group, r=0.994, p=0.01), with significant increases occurring at exposure levels as low as 0.83 cGy x-rays compared to control mice (p=0.002). In paired blood specimens from infants with no history of a prior CT scan, there was no difference in MN-RET frequencies found 2h before (mean, 0.10±0.07%) versus 48h after (mean, 0.11±0.05%) a scheduled CT scan/cardiac catheterization. However, in infants having prior CT scan(s), MN-RET frequencies measured at 48h after a scheduled CT scan (mean=0.22±0.12%) were significantly higher than paired baseline values (mean, 0.17±0.07%; p=0.032). Increases in baseline (r=0.722, p<0.001) and 48-h post exposure (r=0.682, p<0.001) levels of MN-RETs in infants with a history of prior CT scans were significantly correlated with the number of previous CT scans. These preliminary findings suggest that prior CT scans increase the cellular responses to subsequent CT exposures. Thus, further investigation is needed to characterize the potential cancer risk from single versus repeated CT scans or cardiac catheterizations in infants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Elevated levels of DNA-protein crosslinks and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes of tannery workers exposed to trivalent chromium.

    PubMed

    Medeiros, M G; Rodrigues, A S; Batoréu, M C; Laires, A; Rueff, J; Zhitkovich, A

    2003-01-01

    DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) are a promising biomarker of exposure to hexavalent chromium, a known human carcinogen. Although trivalent chromium is considered to have much lower toxicity, the risk involved in chronic exposure is uncertain. DPC may be a useful tool in clarifying this risk, by signaling an exposure of body tissues to biologically active forms of chromium. DPC quantification was carried out in lymphocytes of a group of tannery workers exposed to trivalent chromium, a small group of manual metal arc stainless steel welders exposed to hexavalent chromium and a control group. This biomarker was compared with the frequency of micronuclei in cytokinesis blocked peripheral lymphocytes as a biomarker of cytogenetic lesions and total plasma and urine chromium levels as an index of exposure. The results indicate a significant increase in the formation of DPC in tannery workers compared with controls (0.88 +/- 0.19 versus 0.57 +/- 0.21%, P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney test) and an even higher level of DPC in welders (2.22 +/- 1.12%, P = 0.03). Tanners showed a significant increase in micronucleated cells compared with controls (6.35 +/- 2.94 versus 3.58 +/- 1.69 per thousand, P < 0.01), whereas in welders this increase was not significant (5.40 +/- 1.67 per thousand ). Urinary chromium was increased in both groups, with a greater increase observed in tanners compared with controls (2.63 +/- 1.62 versus 0.70 +/- 0.38 microg/g creatinine, P < 0.001) than in welders (1.90 +/- 0.37 microg/g creatinine, P < 0.005). Plasma chromium was also increased in both groups (tanners 2.43 +/- 2.11 microg/l, P < 0.001, welders 1.55 +/- 0.67 microg/l, P < 0.005 versus controls 0.41 +/- 0.11 microg/l). In summary, chronic occupational exposure to trivalent chromium can lead to a detectable increase in lymphocyte DNA damage which correlates with a significant exposure of the cells to the metal.

  20. In vivo postirradiation protection by a vitamin E analog, alpha-TMG.

    PubMed

    Satyamitra, Merriline; Uma Devi, P; Murase, Hironobu; Kagiya, V T

    2003-12-01

    The water-soluble vitamin E derivative alpha-TMG is an excellent radical scavenger. A dose of 600 mg/kg TMG significantly reduced radiation clastogenicity in mouse bone marrow when administered after irradiation. The present study was aimed at investigating the radioprotective effect of postirradiation treatment with alpha-TMG against a range of whole-body lethal (8.5-12 Gy) and sublethal (1-5 Gy) doses of radiation in adult Swiss albino mice. Protection against lethal irradiation was evaluated from 30-day mouse survival and against sublethal doses was assessed from micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow 24 h after irradiation. An intraperitoneal injection of 600 mg/kg TMG within 10 min of lethal irradiation increased survival, giving a dose modification factor (DMF) of 1.09. TMG at doses of 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg significantly reduced the percentage of aberrant metaphases, the different types of aberrations, and the number of micronucleated erythrocytes. DMFs of 1.22 and 1.48 for percentage aberrant metaphases and 1.6 and 1.98 for micronuclei were obtained for 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg TMG, respectively. No drug toxicity was observed at these doses. The effectiveness of TMG when administered postirradiation suggests its possible utility for protection against unplanned radiation exposures.

  1. Toxic effects of mercury on the cell nucleus of Dictyostelium discoideum.

    PubMed

    Boatti, Lara; Rapallo, Fabio; Viarengo, Aldo; Marsano, Francesco

    2017-02-01

    Governmental agencies (www.epa.gov/mercury) and the scientific community have reported on the high toxicity due to mercury. Indeed, exposure to mercury can cause severe injury to the central nervous system and kidney in humans. Beyond its recognized toxicity, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the actions of this heavy metal. Mercury has been also observed to form insoluble fibrous protein aggregates in the cell nucleus. We used D. discoideum to evaluate micronuclei formation and, since mercury is able to induce oxidative stress that could bring to protein aggregation, we assessed nuclear protein carbonylation by Western Blot. We observed a significant increase in micronuclei formation and 14 carbonylated proteins were identified. Moreover, we used isotope-coded protein label (ICPL) and mass spectrometry analysis of proteins obtained by lysis of purified nuclei, before of tryptic digestion to quantify nuclear proteins affected by mercury. In particular, we examined the effects of mercury that associate a classical genotoxic assay to proteomic effects into the nucleus. The data present direct evidences for mercury genotoxicity, nuclear protein carbonylation, quantitative change in core histones, and the involvement of pseudouridine synthase in mercury toxicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 417-425, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Relationship between genotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by mercury on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) tissues.

    PubMed

    García-Medina, Sandra; Galar-Martínez, Marcela; Gómez-Oliván, Leobardo Manuel; Ruiz-Lara, Karina; Islas-Flores, Hariz; Gasca-Pérez, Eloy

    2017-11-01

    Mercury is one of the most toxic metals in aquatic systems since it is able to induce neurobehavioral disorders as well as renal and gastrointestinal tract damage. The common carp Cyprinus carpio is an important species from both an ecological and economic viewpoint as it is consumed in many countries, the top producers being Mexico, China, India and Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate the relation between Hg-induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity in diverse tissues of C. carpio. Specimens were exposed to 0.01mgHg/L (the maximum permissible limit for aquatic life protection), and lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated at 96h. Micronuclei frequency and DNA damage by comet assay were determined at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96h. Hg induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity on exposed fish, since inhibition of antioxidant enzymes activity and increases in lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and micronuclei frequency occurred. Blood, gill and liver were more susceptible to oxidative stress, while blood were more sensitive to genotoxicity. In conclusion, Hg at concentrations equal to the maximum permissible limit for aquatic life protection induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity on C. carpio, and these two effects prove to be correlated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Delta-He, Ret-He and a New Diagnostic Plot for Differential Diagnosis and Therapy Monitoring of Patients Suffering from Various Disease-Specific Types of Anemia.

    PubMed

    Weimann, Andreas; Cremer, Malte; Hernáiz-Driever, Pablo; Zimmermann, Mathias

    2016-01-01

    The present study was aimed to prove the usefulness of a new diagnostic plot (Hema-Plot), illustrating the relationship between the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (Ret-He) as a marker of functional iron deficiency and the difference between the reticulocyte and erythrocyte hemoglobin content (Delta-He) as a marker of an impaired hemoglobinization of newly formed reticulocytes occurring during inflammatory processes, to differentiate between various disease-specific types of anemia. A complete blood and reticulocyte count was performed on routine EDTA blood samples from 345 patients with and without various disease-specific types of anemia using the Sysmex XN-9000 hematology analyzer: blood healthy newborns (n = 23), blood healthy adults (n = 31), patients suffering from anemia of chronic disease (ACD) due to diverse oncological, chronic inflammatory, or autoimmune diseases (total n = 138) with (n = 65) and without therapy (n = 73), patients with thalassemia and/or hemoglobinopathy (n = 18), patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (n = 35), patients with a combination of ACD and IDA (n = 17), as well as patients suffering from sepsis (total n = 83) with (n = 32) and without therapy (n = 51). The results for Ret-He, Delta-He, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were statistically compared (Mann-Whitney U Test) between the particular patient groups and the diagnostic plots were drawn. Delta-Hemoglobin showed a statistically significant difference between blood healthy newborns and blood healthy adults (p ≤ 0.05), while Ret-He and C-reactive protein did not. In addition, of all three biomarkers only Delta-He showed a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between the ACD/IDA and IDA cohort. Delta-He, Ret-He, and CRP showed a statistically significant difference between patient cohorts with and without therapy suffering from ACD, ACD/IDA, and sepsis before and after medical therapy (p ≤ 0.05). The Hema-Plot illustrated the dynamic character of Ret-He and Delta-He, notably in inflammation-based types of anemia like ACD or ACD/ IDA. Delta-He is a new biomarker clearly distinguishing between inflammation-based types of anemia before and after medical therapy, as well as between ACD/IDA and IDA. The new Hema-Plot is a helpful tool for differential diagnosis and disease-monitoring in various types of disease-specific anemia, especially in ACD and ACD/IDA. The Hema-Plot can be used to identify non-adherent patients or an insufficient therapy.

  4. Plasmodium vivax trophozoite-stage proteomes

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, D.C.; Lapp, Stacey A.; Akinyi, Sheila; Meyer, Esmeralda V.S.; Barnwell, John W.; Korir-Morrison, Cindy; Galinski, Mary R.

    2015-01-01

    Plasmodium vivax is the causative infectious agent of 80–300 million annual cases of malaria. Many aspects of this parasite’s biology remain unknown. To further elucidate the interaction of P. vivax with its Saimiri boliviensis host, we obtained detailed proteomes of infected red blood cells, representing the trophozoite-enriched stage of development. Data from two of three biological replicate proteomes, emphasized here, were analyzed using five search engines, which enhanced identifications and resulted in the most comprehensive P. vivax proteomes to date, with 1375 P. vivax and 3209 S. boliviensis identified proteins. Ribosome subunit proteins were noted for both P. vivax and S. boliviensis, consistent with P. vivax’s known reticulocyte host–cell specificity. A majority of the host and pathogen proteins identified belong to specific functional categories, and several parasite gene families, while 33% of the P. vivax proteins have no reported function. Hemoglobin was significantly oxidized in both proteomes, and additional protein oxidation and nitration was detected in one of the two proteomes. Detailed analyses of these post-translational modifications are presented. The proteins identified here significantly expand the known P. vivax proteome and complexity of available host protein functionality underlying the host–parasite interactive biology, and reveal unsuspected oxidative modifications that may impact protein function. Biological significance Plasmodium vivax malaria is a serious neglected disease, causing an estimated 80 to 300 million cases annually in 95 countries. Infection can result in significant morbidity and possible death. P. vivax, unlike the much better-studied Plasmodium falciparum species, cannot be grown in long-term culture, has a dormant form in the liver called the hypnozoite stage, has a reticulocyte host–cell preference in the blood, and creates caveolae vesicle complexes at the surface of the infected reticulocyte membranes. Studies of stage-specific P. vivax expressed proteomes have been limited in scope and focused mainly on pathogen proteins, thus limiting understanding of the biology of this pathogen and its host interactions. Here three P. vivax proteomes are reported from biological replicates based on purified trophozoite-infected reticulocytes from different Saimiri boliviensis infections (the main non-human primate experimental model for P. vivax biology and pathogenesis). An in-depth analysis of two of the proteomes using 2D LC/MS/MS and multiple search engines identified 1375 pathogen proteins and 3209 host proteins. Numerous functional categories of both host and pathogen proteins were identified, including several known P. vivax protein family members (e.g., PHIST, eTRAMP and VIR), and 33% of protein identifications were classified as hypothetical. Ribosome subunit proteins were noted for both P. vivax and S. boliviensis, consistent with this parasite species’ known reticulocyte host–cell specificity. In two biological replicates analyzed for post-translational modifications, hemoglobin was extensively oxidized, and various other proteins were also oxidized or nitrated in one of the two replicates. The cause of such protein modification remains to be determined but could include oxidized heme and oxygen radicals released from the infected red blood cell’s parasite-induced acidic digestive vacuoles. In any case, the data suggests the presence of distinct infection-specific conditions whereby both the pathogen and host infected red blood cell proteins may be subject to significant oxidative stress. PMID:25545414

  5. [Genotoxic damage among artisanal and small-scale mining workers exposed to mercury].

    PubMed

    Rosales-Rimache, Jaime A; Elizabeth Malca, Nancy; Alarcón, Jhonatan J; Chávez, Manuel; Gonzáles, Marco Antonio

    2013-01-01

    To determine the genotoxic damage among artisanal and small-scale mining workers exposed to mercury. Observational cross-sectional study which evaluated mercury-exposed workers (n=83), whose cells were collected by mouth swab for further staining, microscopic observance, micronuclei count, and other nuclear alterations. 24-hour urine was also collected for the determination of inorganic mercury. 68.7% of participants were male, the mean age being 43 ± 12,4 years (range: 16-76). The average time of occupational exposure to mercury was 12,1 ± 6,7 years, and the contact with mercury was 4,1 ± 3,6 kg per person per day. 93% of participants failed to wear personal protection gear while handling mercury. Results of biological monitoring showed that 17% of participants had concentrations of mercury in urine higher than 2,5 µg/L, this value being the detection limit of the measurement technique used. Results of the genotoxic evaluation evidenced that 15% of people with labor exposure to mercury presented micronuclei in mouth epithelial cells, and other indicators of nuclear alteration such as nucleoplasmic bridges, gemmation and binucleation were found, which are also considered genotoxic events associated to the exposure of physical or chemical risk agents. The finding of micronuclei in mouth epithelial cells reflects genotoxic damage associated to the labor exposure of mercury used in artisanal and small-scale mining activities.

  6. Elevated Frequencies of Micronuclei and other Nuclear Abnormalities of Chrome Plating Workers Occupationally Exposed to Hexavalent Chromium.

    PubMed

    Sudha, S; Kripa, S K; Shibily, P; Shyn, J

    2011-01-01

    Biomonitoring provides a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk from exposure to genotoxic agents. The aim of this study was to assess the potential cytogenetic damage associated with occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium by using micronuclei (MN) as a biomarker. This was a cross-sectional study and all participants were males. Both the exposed and control individuals were selected from Coimbatore, Southern India. Exfoliated buccal cells from 44 chrome plating workers and 40 age and sex matched control subjects were examined for MN frequency and nuclear abnormalities (NA) other than micronuclei, such as binucleates, broken eggs, karyorrhexis, karyolysis and pyknosis. Results showed statistically significant difference between chrome plating workers and control groups. MN and NA frequencies in chrome plating workers were significantly higher than those in control groups (p < 0.05) and also significantly related to smoking habit (P < 0.05). A significant difference in NA was observed in workers exposed to chromium for longer duration. In addition to this, a higher degree of NA was observed among smokers. MN and other NA reflect genetic changes, events associated with carcinogenesis. Therefore the results of this study indicate that chrome plating workers are under risk of significant cytogenetic damage. Therefore, there is a need to educate those who work with heavy metals about the potential hazard of occupational exposure and the importance of using protective measures.

  7. Sensitivity of the Pig-a assay for detecting gene mutation in rats exposed acutely to strong clastogens

    PubMed Central

    Dobrovolsky, Vasily N.

    2013-01-01

    Clastogens are potential human carcinogens whose detection by genotoxicity assays is important for safety assessment. Although some endogenous genes are sensitive to the mutagenicity of clastogens, many genes that are used as reporters for in vivo mutation (e.g. transgenes) are not. In this study, we have compared responses in the erythrocyte Pig-a gene mutation assay with responses in a gene mutation assay that is relatively sensitive to clastogens, the lymphocyte Hprt assay, and in the reticulocyte micronucleus (MN) assay, which provides a direct measurement of clastogenicity. Male F344 rats were treated acutely with X-rays, cyclophosphamide (CP) and Cis-platin (Cis-Pt), and the frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN RETs) in peripheral blood was measured 1 or 2 days later. The frequencies of CD59-deficient Pig-a mutant erythrocytes and 6-thioguanine-resistant Hprt mutant T-lymphocytes were measured at several times up to 16 weeks after the exposure. All three clastogens induced strong increases in the frequency of MN RETs, with X-rays and Cis-Pt producing near linear dose responses. The three agents also were positive in the two gene mutation assays although the assays detected them with different efficiencies. The Pig-a assay was more efficient in detecting the effect of Cis-Pt treatment, whereas the Hprt assay was more efficient for X-rays and CP. The results indicate that the erythrocyte Pig-a assay can detect the in vivo mutagenicity of clastogens although its sensitivity is variable in comparison with the lymphocyte Hprt assay. PMID:23677247

  8. Detection of erythropoietin misuse by the Athlete Biological Passport combined with reticulocyte percentage.

    PubMed

    Bejder, Jacob; Aachmann-Andersen, Niels Jacob; Bonne, Thomas Christian; Olsen, Niels Vidiendal; Nordsborg, Nikolai Baastrup

    2016-10-01

    The sensitivity of the adaptive model of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) and reticulocyte percentage (ret%) in detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) misuse was evaluated using both a long-term normal dose and a brief high dose treatment regime. Sixteen subjects received either 65 IU rHuEPO × kg -1 every second day for two weeks (normal-dose), 390 IU rHuEPO × kg -1 on three consecutive days (high-dose), or frequent placebo treatment for 13 days in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover design. Blood variables were measured 4, 11, and 25 days following treatment initiation. The ABP based on haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and OFF-hr score ([Hb] - 60 × √ret%) yielded atypical profiles following both normal-dose and high-dose treatment (0 %, 31 %, 13 % vs. 21 %, 33 %, 20 % at days 4, 11, and 25 after normal and high dose, respectively). Including ret% as a stand-alone marker for atypical blood profiles increased (P < 0.05) the sensitivity of the adaptive model at day 11 to 63 % and 67 % for normal-dose and high-dose rHuEPO administration, respectively. In conclusion, ~30 % of subjects injecting a normal-dose rHuEPO for two weeks or a high-dose rHuEPO for three days will present an atypical ABP profile. Including ret% as a stand-alone parameter improves the sensitivity two-fold. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Translational recognition of the 5'-terminal 7-methylguanosine of globin messenger RNA as a function of ionic strength.

    PubMed

    Chu, L Y; Rhoads, R E

    1978-06-13

    The translation of rabbit globin mRNA in cell-free systems derived from either wheat germ or rabbit reticulocyte was studied in the presence of various analogues of the methylated 5' terminus (cap) as a function of ionic strength. Inhibition by these analogues was strongly enhanced by increasing concentrations of KCl, K(OAc), Na(OAc), or NH4(OAc). At appropriate concentrations of K(OAc), both cell-free systems were equally sensitive to inhibition by m7GTP. At 50 mM K(OAc), the reticulocyte system was not sensitive to m7GMP or m7GTP, but at higher concentrations up to 200 mM K(OAc), both nucleotides caused strong inhibition. The compound in m7G5'ppp5'Am was inhibitory at all concentrations of K(OAc) ranging from 50 to 200 mM, although more strongly so at the higher concentrations. Over the same range of nucleotide concentrations, the compounds GMP, GTP, and G5'ppp5'Am were not inhibitors. The mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis of the translation product was that of globin at all K(OAc) concentrations in the presence of m7GTP. Globin mRNA from which the terminal m7GTP group had been removed by chemical treatment (periodate-cyclohexylamine-alkaline phosphatase) or enzymatic treatment (tobacco acid pyrophosphatase-alkaline phosphatase) was translated less efficiently than untreated globin mRNA at higher K(OAc) concentrations, but retained appreciable activity at low K(OAc) concentrations.

  10. Increased incidence of micronuclei assessed with the micronucleus assay and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in peripheral blood lymphocytes of nurses exposed to nitrous oxide.

    PubMed

    Lewińska, D; Stepnik, M; Krajewski, W; Arkusz, J; Stańczyk, M; Wrońska-Nofer, T

    2005-03-07

    It has been postulated that exposure to nitrous oxide and halogenated anaesthetics is associated with various adverse health effects such as neurological and reproductive abnormalities or impairment of hepatic functions. In spite of the quite well known genotoxic effects of exposure to nitrous oxide in vivo, the mechanisms of these effects are still not clear. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of micronuclei and to identify the type of chromosomal damage (clastogenic or aneugenic) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of operating-room nurses exposed to nitrous oxide. The study group comprised 46 women working at departments where the concentration of nitrous oxide ranged from 14 to 2308 mg/m3. The control population was composed of 28 women employed in the same hospitals but in non-surgical departments. The clastogenic/aneugenic effect of nitrous oxide was evaluated in lymphocytes using the standard micronucleus (MN) assay in combination with the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique with pancentromeric probes. The results show a significant increase of the MN frequency in lymphocytes of exposed nurses compared with the control group (4.36+/-2.23 versus 9.02+/-4.67). The multiple regression analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship (p=0.0009) between MN frequency and exposure status, indicating that the level of exposure was the main factor affecting chromosomal damage. As assessed by FISH analysis, the overall frequencies of centromere-positive MN in the control and exposed groups were 43 and 49%, respectively. The increase observed in the exposed group may suggest a slight, statistically insignificant pro-aneugenic effect of exposure to nitrous oxide.

  11. Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assessment in lake drinking water produced in a treatment plant.

    PubMed

    Buschini, Annamaria; Carboni, Pamela; Frigerio, Silvia; Furlini, Mariangela; Marabini, Laura; Monarca, Silvano; Poli, Paola; Radice, Sonia; Rossi, Carlo

    2004-09-01

    Chemical analyses and short-term mutagenicity bioassays have revealed the presence of genotoxic disinfection by-products in drinking water. In this study, the influence of the different steps of surface water treatment on drinking water mutagen content was evaluated. Four different samples were collected at a full-scale treatment plant: raw lake water (A), water after pre-disinfection with chlorine dioxide and coagulation (B), water after pre-disinfection, coagulation and granular activated carbon filtration (C) and tap water after post-disinfection with chlorine dioxide just before its distribution (D). Water samples, concentrated by solid phase adsorption on silica C18 columns, were tested in human leukocytes and HepG2 hepatoma cells using the comet assay and in HepG2 cells in the micronuclei test. A significant increase in DNA migration was observed in both cell types after 1 h treatment with filtered and tap water, and, to a lesser extent, chlorine dioxide pre-disinfected water. Similar findings were observed for the induction of "ghost" cells. Overloading of the carbon filter, with a consequent peak release, might explain the high genotoxicity found in water samples C and D. Cell toxicity and DNA damage increases were also detected in metabolically competent HepG2 cells treated with a lower concentration of tap water extract for a longer exposure time (24 h). None of the water extracts significantly increased micronuclei frequencies. Our monitoring approach appears to be able to detect contamination related to the different treatment stages before drinking water consumption and the results suggest the importance of improving the technologies for drinking water treatment to prevent human exposure to potential genotoxic compounds.

  12. Micronuclei related to anti-B[a]PDE-DNA adduct in peripheral blood lymphocytes of heavily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-exposed nonsmoking coke-oven workers and controls.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Sofia; Kapka, Lucyna; Siwinska, Ewa; Mielzyñska, Danuta; Bolognesi, Claudia; Clonfero, Erminio

    2008-10-01

    Micronuclei (MN) frequency associated to biologically effective dose of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAH; anti-benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (B[a]PDE)-DNA] within the same subjects' peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was evaluated. Study subjects were nonsmoking male Polish coke-oven workers (n=49) and matched controls (n=45) verified for PAH exposure by urinary 1-pyrenol. We found that coke-oven workers, heavily exposed to PAHs (80% workers exceeded the urinary 1-pyrenol biological exposure index value), presented significantly higher MN frequency in PBLs than controls (P<0.01). Substantial difference was also found for adduct levels in PBLs (P<0.01). Increase in MN levels was significantly related to anti-B[a]PDE-DNA formation, key adduct of the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of B[a]P (n=94; r=0.47; P<0.001). The dose-response relationship was improved when subjects with adduct levels above the 3rd tertile (>or=4.35 adducts/10(8) nucleotides) were excluded (n=61; r=0.69; P<0.001). Saturation of adduct/MN formation at high levels may disturb the underlying relationship. Linear multiple regression analysis, without subjects of 3rd tertile adduct level (n=61), revealed that adduct formation (t=4.61; P<0.001), but not 1-pyrenol, was the significant determinant in increasing MN. In conclusion, the increase in MN frequency is mainly related to the specific anti-B[a]PDE-DNA formation within PBLs of the same subject. Our results substantiate, with the use of an early indicator of biological effect as well, that workers are at higher cancer risk than controls.

  13. [Using the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions].

    PubMed

    Xin, Li-li; Li, Xiao-hai; Deng, Hua-xin; Kuang, Dan; Dai, Xia-yun; Huang, Su-Li; Wang, Feng; He, Mei-an; Currie, R William; Wu, Tang-chun

    2012-12-01

    Using the stable HSPA1A (HSP70-1) promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells (HepG2/HSPA1A cells) to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions. The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells were treated with different concentrations of coke oven emissions (COEs) collected from the top, side, and bottom of a coke oven battery for 24 h. After the treatments, luciferase activity, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, Olive tail moment, and micronuclei frequency were determined, respectively. The bottom COEs induced significant increases (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity up to 1.4 times the control level at 0.15 µg/L. The low dose of side COEs (0.02 µg/L) led to a significant increase (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity that progressively increased to 2.1 times the control level at 65.4 µg/L. The top COEs produced a strong dose-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity up to over 5 times the control level at the highest concentration tested (202 µg/L). In HepG2/HSPA1A cells treated with the bottom COEs, relative luciferase activity was positively correlated with MDA concentration (r = 0.404, P < 0.05). For the three COEs samples, positive correlations were observed between relative luciferase activity and Olive tail moment and micronuclei frequency. The relative luciferase activity in HepG2/HSPA1A cells can sensitively reflect the overall toxicity of COEs. The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells can be used for rapid screening of the overall toxicity of complex air pollutants in the workplace.

  14. Suppressing effects of glucan on micronuclei induced by cyclophosphamide in mice.

    PubMed

    Chorvatovicová, D; Navarová, J

    1992-07-01

    The effect of pretreatment with carboxymethylglucan (CMG) on the frequency of micronuclei induced by cyclophosphamide administration in mice was evaluated. Two doses of CMG (50 mg/kg body weight) injected either intraperitoneally 24 h or intravenously 1 h prior to two cyclophosphamide administrations (80 mg/kg) significantly decreased the frequency of micronucleated PCE in bone marrow. Of two evaluated derivatives of carboxymethylglucan, the K3 derivative was most efficient. The results show that it is possible to achieve a suppressive effect of soluble carboxymethylglucan prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae against cyclophosphamide mutagenicity. The notion may be useful for glucan's effects against pharmacocarcinogenesis. Therapeutic application of glucan with cyclophosphamide therapy may provide a remarkable decrease of the secondary tumour risk. The utilization of these results for human patients needs to be considered.

  15. Emergence of micronuclei as a genomic biomarker.

    PubMed

    Sabharwal, Robin; Verma, Parul; Syed, Mohammed Asif; Sharma, Tamanna; Subudhi, Santosh Kumar; Mohanty, Saumyakanta; Gupta, Shivangi

    2015-01-01

    The presence of micronuclei (MN) in mammalian cells is related to several mutagenetic stresses. MN are formed as a result of chromosome damage and can be readily identified in exfoliated epithelial cells. MN is chromatin particles derived from acentric chromosomal fragments, which are not incorporated into the daughter nucleus after mitosis. It can be visualized by chromatin stains. A variety of factors influences the formation of MN in cells such as age, sex, genetic constitution, physical and chemical agents, adverse habits such as tobacco, areca nut chewing, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Micronucleation has important implications in the genomic plasticity of tumor cells. The present paper reviews the origin, fate and scoring criteria of MN that serves as a biomarker of exposure to genetic toxins, and for the risk of cancer.

  16. Emergence of micronuclei as a genomic biomarker

    PubMed Central

    Sabharwal, Robin; Verma, Parul; Syed, Mohammed Asif; Sharma, Tamanna; Subudhi, Santosh Kumar; Mohanty, Saumyakanta; Gupta, Shivangi

    2015-01-01

    The presence of micronuclei (MN) in mammalian cells is related to several mutagenetic stresses. MN are formed as a result of chromosome damage and can be readily identified in exfoliated epithelial cells. MN is chromatin particles derived from acentric chromosomal fragments, which are not incorporated into the daughter nucleus after mitosis. It can be visualized by chromatin stains. A variety of factors influences the formation of MN in cells such as age, sex, genetic constitution, physical and chemical agents, adverse habits such as tobacco, areca nut chewing, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Micronucleation has important implications in the genomic plasticity of tumor cells. The present paper reviews the origin, fate and scoring criteria of MN that serves as a biomarker of exposure to genetic toxins, and for the risk of cancer. PMID:26811590

  17. Cytogenetic instability in populations with residential proximity to open-pit coal mine in Northern Colombia in relation to PM10 and PM2.5 levels.

    PubMed

    Espitia-Pérez, Lyda; da Silva, Juliana; Espitia-Pérez, Pedro; Brango, Hugo; Salcedo-Arteaga, Shirley; Hoyos-Giraldo, Luz Stella; de Souza, Claudia T; Dias, Johnny F; Agudelo-Castañeda, Dayana; Valdés Toscano, Ana; Gómez-Pérez, Miguel; Henriques, João A P

    2018-02-01

    Epidemiological studies indicate that living in proximity to coal mines is correlated with numerous diseases including cancer, and that exposure to PM 10 and PM 2.5 components could be associated with this phenomenon. However, the understanding of the mechanisms by which PM exerts its adverse effects is still incomplete and comes mainly from studies in occupationally exposed populations. The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate DNA damage in lymphocytes assessing the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay (CBMN-cyt) parameters; (2) identify aneugenic or clastogenic effects in lymphocytes of exposed populations using CREST immunostaining for micronuclei; (3) evaluate multi-elemental composition of atmospheric particulate matter; and (4) verify relation between the DNA damage and PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels around the mining area. Analysis revealed a significant increase in micronuclei frequency in binucleated (MNBN) and mononucleated (MNMONO) cells of individuals with residential proximity to open-pit coal mines compared to residents from non-mining areas. Correlation analysis demonstrated a highly significant association between PM 2.5 levels, MNBN frequencies and CREST+ micronuclei induction in exposed residents. These results suggest that PM 2.5 fraction generated in coal mining activities may induce whole chromosome loss (aneuploidy) preferentially, although there are also chromosome breaks. Analysis of the chemical composition of PM 2.5 by PIXE demonstrated that Si, S, K and Cr concentrations varied significantly between coal mining and reference areas. Enrichment factor values (EF) showed that S, Cr and Cu were highly enriched in the coal mining areas. Compared to reference area, mining regions had also higher concentrations of extractable organic matter (EOM) related to nonpolar and polar compounds. Our results demonstrate that PM 2.5 fraction represents the most important health risk for residents living near open-pit mines, underscoring the need for incorporation of ambient air standards based on PM 2.5 measures in coal mining areas. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Effects of ozone exposure on human epithelial adenocarcinoma and normal fibroblasts cells

    PubMed Central

    Colafarina, Sabrina; Aruffo, Eleonora; Zarivi, Osvaldo; Bonfigli, Antonella; Di Bucchianico, Sebastiano; Di Carlo, Piero

    2017-01-01

    Previous studies show variable ozone cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in cell cultures, laboratory animals and humans directly exposed to tropospheric ozone. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate and compare the cyto and genotoxic effects of ozone using adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 and normal human fibroblasts Hs27. A cell culture chamber with controlled atmosphere (a simulation reactor) was built to inject a flow of 120 ppb of ozone, which is two times the threshold value for the protection of human health, fixed by the EU legislation. Cell proliferation was evaluated by a luminescent cell viability assay while we assessed the genotoxic potential of ozone by the induction of micronuclei as well as evaluating DNA strand breaks by the induction of micronuclei evaluated by means of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay as well as evaluating DNA strand breaks by Alkaline Comet Assay (CA) or Comet Assay. A549 cells viability decreases significantly at 24 hours treatment with 120 ppb of O3 while at 48 hours and 72 hours O3 treated cells viability doesn’t differ in respect to the control. However a significative decrease of A549 viability is shown at 72 hours vs. 48 hours in both treated and not-treated cells. The viability trend in the Hs27 cells did not show any significant changes in treated samples compared to the control in all conditions. The two genotoxicity biomarkers, the micronucleus and the comet tests, showed in both the cell types exposed to ozone, a significant increase in the number of micronuclei and in the tail DNA % in respect to the control even if at different times/cell type. Moreover, we found that O3 provokes genotoxic effects more evident in A549 cancer cells than in normal fibroblasts Hs27 ones. We applied a cell growth simulation model referred to ozone treated or not cell lines to confirm that the ozone exposure causes a slackening in the cells replication. PMID:28886142

  19. Comparative toxicity and micronuclei formation in Tribolium castaneum, Callosobruchus maculatus and Sitophilus oryzae exposed to high doses of gamma radiation.

    PubMed

    Ahmadi, Mehrdad; Mozdarani, Hossein; Abd-Alla, Adly M M

    2015-07-01

    The effects of gamma radiation on mortality and micronucleus formation in Tribolium castaneum Herbst, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) genital cells were evaluated. Two groups of healthy and active adult insects 1-3 and 8-10 days old were irradiated with various doses (50-200 Gy) gamma ray. Seven days post-irradiation; mortality rates and micronucleus formation were assessed in genital cells of the irradiated insects. The results show that with increasing gamma doses, the mortality rate of each species increased and T. castaneum and S. oryzae showed the low and high sensitivity respectively. It was shown that the micronucleus appearance in the tested insects had correlation with amount and intensity of radiation doses. Moreover our results indicate different levels in the genotoxicity of gamma radiation among the insects' genital cells under study. The frequency of micronuclei in genital cells of 1-3 days old insects exposed to 50 and 200 Gy were 12.6 and 38.8 Mn/1000 cells in T. castaneum, 20.8 and 46.8 Mn/1000 cells in C. maculatus and 16.8 and 57.2 Mn/1000 cells in S. oryzae respectively. A high sensitivity of the genital cells to irradiation exposure was seen in S. oryzae correlated with its high mortality rate compared with the other two species. These results might be indicative of inflicting chromosomal damage expressed as micronucleus in high mortality rates observed in the pest population; an indication of genotoxic effects of radiation on the studied species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Micronuclei and other erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities in fishes from the Great Lakes Basin, USA.

    PubMed

    Braham, Ryan P; Blazer, Vicki S; Shaw, Cassidy H; Mazik, Patricia M

    2017-10-01

    Biological markers (biomarkers) sensitive to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination in fishes are widely used to identify exposure effects in aquatic environments. The micronucleus assay was incorporated into a suite of indicators to assess exposure to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination at five Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), as well as one non-AOC (reference) site. The assay allowed enumeration of micronuclei as well as other nuclear abnormalities for both site and species comparisons. Erythrocyte abnormality data was also compared to skin and liver tumor prevalence and hepatic transcript abundance. Erythrocyte abnormalities were observed at all sites with variable occurrence and severity among sites and species. Benthic-oriented brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) expressed lower rates of erythrocyte abnormalities, but higher rates of skin and liver neoplasms, when compared to pelagic-oriented largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) at the same site. The reduced erythrocyte abnormalities, increased transcript abundance associated with Phase I and II toxicant responsive pathways, and increased neoplastic lesions among benthic-oriented taxa may indicate the development of contaminant resistance of these species to more acute effects. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:570-581, 2017. © 2017 This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society. © 2017 This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society.

  1. Genotoxicity testing of peptides: folate deprivation as a marker of exaggerated pharmacology.

    PubMed

    Guérard, Melanie; Zeller, Andreas; Festag, Matthias; Schubert, Christine; Singer, Thomas; Müller, Lutz

    2014-09-15

    The incidence of micronucleated-cells is considered to be a marker of a genotoxic event and can be caused by direct- or indirect-DNA reactive mechanisms. In particular, small increases in the incidence of micronuclei, which are not associated with toxicity in the target tissue or any structurally altering properties of the compound, trigger the suspicion that an indirect mechanism could be at play. In a bone marrow micronucleus test of a synthetic peptide (a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors) that had been integrated into a regulatory 13-week repeat-dose toxicity study in the rat, small increases in the incidence of micronuclei had been observed, together with pronounced reductions in food intake and body weight gain. Because it is well established that folate plays a crucial role in maintaining genomic integrity and pronounced reductions in food intake and body weight gain were observed, folate levels were determined from plasma samples initially collected for toxicokinetic analytics. A dose-dependent decrease in plasma folate levels was evident after 4 weeks of treatment at the mid and high dose levels, persisted until the end of the treatment duration of 13-weeks and returned to baseline levels during the recovery period of 4 weeks. Based on these properties, and the fact that the compound tested (peptide) per se is not expected to reach the nucleus and cause DNA damage, the rationale is supported that the elevated incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes is directly linked to the exaggerated pharmacology of the compound resulting in a decreased folate level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Length requirements for tRNA-specific enzymes and cleavage specificity at the 3' end of turnip yellow mosaic virus RNA.

    PubMed Central

    Joshi, S; Chapeville, F; Haenni, A L

    1982-01-01

    This paper describes the minimum length of the turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) RNA necessary to fulfill the tRNA-like properties of the viral RNA: 50 to 75 nucleotides and 86 nucleotides from the 3' end of TYMV RNA are sufficient for adenylation and valylation respectively by the Escherichia coli system. The size of the tRNA-like fragments obtained in vitro in the presence of an E. coli, a reticulocyte or a chinese cabbage leaf extract has also been determined. Among the major fragments liberated from the 3' end of TYMV RNA by the three systems are fragments of 117 and 112 nucleotides. In addition, the E. coli extract liberates fragments of 139 and 61 nucleotides, and the reticulocyte lysate fragments of 109, 94, 84, 73 and 46 nucleotides. The cleavage of the viral RNA by several systems in vitro to yield RNA fragments encompassing the tRNA-like sequence suggests that such fragments might also be liberated in vivo. Images PMID:6176943

  3. Stability of athlete blood passport parameters during air freight.

    PubMed

    Ashenden, M; Sharpe, K; Plowman, J; Allbon, G; Lobigs, L; Baron, A; Gore, C J

    2014-10-01

    Fluctuations in ambient temperature and pressure, as well as physical jostling, may affect the stability of whole blood samples transported by air freight. The aim of this study was to characterize the stability of key blood variables during air freight and to investigate whether vibration or reduced pressure alone affected results. Over a 72-h interval, we evaluated the stability of full blood count indices (plus reticulocytes) in tubes that were air-freighted a total of 2, 10 and 28 h. We also examined the impact of 24 h of reduced atmospheric pressure (750 hpa or approximately 2500 m.a.s.l) and vibration (5 Hz). Samples were measured on a Sysmex XT-2000i instrument. The two key variables in the context of antidoping (haemoglobin concentration, reticulocytes) remained stable over a 72-h period regardless of the duration of air freight. Atmospheric pressure and vibration had no discernible effect. Whole blood samples stored in NanoCool devices can be relied upon to remain stable for at least 72 h despite interim air freight. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Ricin - inhibitor design. Annual report, 15 April 1994-14 April 1995

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schramm, V.L.

    1995-05-14

    Substrates for ricin A-chain include short RNA stem-loop structures which have been synthesized with radioactive labels for ease of catalytic assay and for kinetic isotope effects. Ricin A-chain from several sources is incapable of completing multiple catalytic cycles using these substrates. A family of ricin substrate analogue molecules have been synthesized and tested which are specific for transition states with oxycarbonium character or for enzymatic mechanisms involving protonation of the adenine leaving group. Formycin analogues were incorporated into RNA oligomeric structures and tested for binding to ricin A-chain or as inhibitors of the ricin-inactivation of in vitro translation using rabbitmore » reticulocyte lysates. Ribo-oxycarbonium ion analogues containing iminoribitol analogues of ribose were synthetically incorporated into RNA oligomeric structures. Neither formycin nor ribo-oxycarbonium analogues, either singly or in RNA oligomers caused significant inhibition of ricin A-chain when assayed in reticulocyte lysate translation assays. The results indicate a novel transition state mechanism for ricin A-chain, or a requirement for additional features of 28s rRNA to bind transition state analogues.« less

  5. Synthesis of a Possible Precursor of α-Amylase in Wheat Aleurone Cells 1

    PubMed Central

    Okita, Thomas W.; Decaleya, Roberto; Rappaport, Lawrence

    1979-01-01

    α-Amylase from wheat aleurone (Triticum aestivum) was synthesized in a S-150 wheat germ readout system using polysomes, and a messenger RNA-dependent reticulocyte lysate system using polyadenylic acid [poly(A)]-enriched RNA. The product was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, precipitation by specific λ-globulin for α-amylase, and proteolysis. Two immunoprecipitated products were synthesized from the readout system, the predominant species migrating coincidentally with authentic α-amylase on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. A putative precursor, 1,500 daltons larger, was evident but was less abundant. The relationship between the two polypeptides was established by proteolytic analysis using Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. At least nine fragments were generated and were identical in both species. The poly(A)-enriched RNA synthesized only the putative precursor in the reticulocyte lysate system. Attempts to process the precursor to the mature size of α-amylase failed. These findings are discussed in connection with the signal hypothesis (proposed for the transport of proteins across membranes) and the mode of secretion of α-amylase in aleurone cells. Images PMID:16660677

  6. Estimation of mutagenic effect and modifications of mitosis by silver nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Prokhorova, I M; Kibrik, B S; Pavlov, A V; Pesnya, D S

    2013-12-01

    We analyzed mutagenic and mitosis-modifying effects of silver nanoparticles (Allium test). Chromosome aberrations and laggings and micronuclei were simultaneously registered in the same sample. Mitotic and phase indexes were calculated. No mutagenic effects were detected after treatment with silver nanoparticles in doses of 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 50 mg/liter. Silver nanoparticles in a concentration of 50 mg/liter significantly increased the mitotic index. Nanoparticles in a dose of 5 mg/liter induced slight, but significant increase in mitotic index, but did not affect the ratio of phase indexes. Exposure to silver nanoparticles in concentrations of 1.0 and 2.5 mg/liter was not followed by modification of mitosis.

  7. Clinical Course of Homozygous Hemoglobin Constant Spring in Pediatric Patients.

    PubMed

    Komvilaisak, Patcharee; Jetsrisuparb, Arunee; Fucharoen, Goonnapa; Komwilaisak, Ratana; Jirapradittha, Junya; Kiatchoosakun, Pakaphan

    2018-04-17

    Hemoglobin (Hb) Constant Spring is an alpha-globin gene variant due to a mutation of the stop codon resulting in the elongation of the encoded polypeptide from 141 to 172 amino acid residues. Patients with homozygous Hb Constant Spring are usually mildly anemic. We retrospectively describe clinical manifestations, diagnosis, laboratory investigations, treatment, and associated findings in pediatric patients with homozygous Hb Constant Spring followed-up at Srinagarind Hospital. Sixteen pediatric cases (5 males and 11 females) were diagnosed in utero (N=6) or postnatal (n=10). Eleven cases were diagnosed with homozygous Hb Constant Spring, 4 with homozygous Hb Constant Spring with heterozygous Hb E, and 1 with homozygous Hb Constant Spring with homozygous Hb E. Three cases were delivered preterm. Six patients had low birth weights. Clinical manifestations included fetal anemia in 6 cases, hepatomegaly in 1 case, hepatosplenomegaly in 2 cases, splenomegaly in 1 case. Twelve cases exhibited early neonatal jaundice, 9 of which required phototherapy. Six cases received red cell transfusions; 1 (3), >1 (3). After the first few months of life, almost all patients had mild microcytic hypochromic anemia and an increased reticulocyte count with a wide red cell distribution (RDW), but no longer required red cell transfusion. At 1 to 2 years of age, some patients still had mild microcytic hypochromic anemia and some had normocytic hypochromic anemia with Hb around 10 g/dL, increased reticulocyte count and wide RDW. Associated findings included hypothyroidism (2), congenital heart diseases (4), genitourinary abnormalities (3), gastrointestinal abnormalities (2), and developmental delay (1). Pediatric patients with homozygous Hb Constant Spring developed severe anemia in utero and up to the age of 2 to 3 months postnatal, requiring blood transfusions. Subsequently, their anemia was mild with no evidence of hepatosplenomegaly. Their Hb level was above 9 g/dL with hypochromic microcytic blood pictures as well as wide RDW. Blood transfusions have not been necessary since then.

  8. Dose rate effect on micronuclei induction in human blood lymphocytes exposed to single pulse and multiple pulses of electrons.

    PubMed

    Acharya, Santhosh; Bhat, N N; Joseph, Praveen; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Sreedevi, B; Narayana, Y

    2011-05-01

    The effects of single pulses and multiple pulses of 7 MV electrons on micronuclei (MN) induction in cytokinesis-blocked human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were investigated over a wide range of dose rates per pulse (instantaneous dose rate). PBLs were exposed to graded doses of 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 Gy of single electron pulses of varying pulse widths at different dose rates per pulse, ranging from 1 × 10(6) Gy s(-1) to 3.2 × 10(8) Gy s(-1). Different dose rates per pulse were achieved by changing the dose per electron pulse by adjusting the beam current and pulse width. MN yields per unit absorbed dose after irradiation with single electron pulses were compared with those of multiple pulses of electrons. A significant decrease in the MN yield with increasing dose rates per pulse was observed, when dose was delivered by a single electron pulse. However, no reduction in the MN yield was observed when dose was delivered by multiple pulses of electrons. The decrease in the yield at high dose rates per pulse suggests possible radical recombination, which leads to decreased biological damage. Cellular response to the presence of very large numbers of chromosomal breaks may also alter the damage.

  9. Mutant p53 establishes targetable tumor dependency by promoting unscheduled replication

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Shilpa; Vaughan, Catherine A.; Frum, Rebecca A.; Grossman, Steven R.; Deb, Sumitra

    2017-01-01

    Gain-of-function (GOF) p53 mutations are observed frequently in most intractable human cancers and establish dependency for tumor maintenance and progression. While some of the genes induced by GOF p53 have been implicated in more rapid cell proliferation compared with p53-null cancer cells, the mechanism for dependency of tumor growth on mutant p53 is unknown. This report reveals a therapeutically targetable mechanism for GOF p53 dependency. We have shown that GOF p53 increases DNA replication origin firing, stabilizes replication forks, and promotes micronuclei formation, thus facilitating the proliferation of cells with genomic abnormalities. In contrast, absence or depletion of GOF p53 leads to decreased origin firing and a higher frequency of fork collapse in isogenic cells, explaining their poorer proliferation rate. Following genome-wide analyses utilizing ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq, GOF p53–induced origin firing, micronuclei formation, and fork protection were traced to the ability of GOF p53 to transactivate cyclin A and CHK1. Highlighting the therapeutic potential of CHK1’s role in GOF p53 dependency, experiments in cell culture and mouse xenografts demonstrated that inhibition of CHK1 selectively blocked proliferation of cells and tumors expressing GOF p53. Our data suggest the possibility that checkpoint inhibitors could efficiently and selectively target cancers expressing GOF p53 alleles. PMID:28394262

  10. Incidence of micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to modulated and unmodulated 2450 MHz radiofrequency fields.

    PubMed

    Vijayalaxmi; Reddy, Abhishek B; McKenzie, Raymond J; McIntosh, Robert L; Prihoda, Thomas J; Wood, Andrew W

    2013-10-01

    Peripheral blood samples from four healthy volunteers were collected and aliquots were exposed in vitro for 2 h to either (i) modulated (wideband code division multiple access, WCDMA) or unmodulated continuous wave (CW) 2450 MHz radiofrequency (RF) fields at an average specific absorption rate of 10.9 W/kg or (ii) sham-exposed. Aliquots of the same samples that were exposed in vitro to an acute dose of 1.5 Gy ionizing gamma-radiation (GR) were used as positive controls. Half of the aliquots were treated with melatonin (Mel) to investigate if such treatment offers protection to the cells from the genetic damage, if any, induced by RF and GR. The cells in all samples were cultured for 72 h and the lymphocytes were examined to determine the extent of genetic damage assessed from the incidence of micronuclei (MN). The results indicated the following: (i) the incidence of MN was similar in incubator controls, and those exposed to RF/sham and Mel alone; (ii) there were no significant differences between WCDMA and CW RF exposures; (iii) positive control cells exposed to GR alone exhibited significantly increased MN; and (iv) Mel treatment had no effect on cells exposed to RF and sham, while such treatment significantly reduced the frequency of MN in GR-exposed cells. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Chromosomal instability in mouse embryonic fibroblasts null for the transcriptional co-repressor Ski

    PubMed Central

    Marcelain, Katherine; Armisen, Ricardo; Aguirre, Adam; Ueki, Nobuhide; Toro, Jessica; Colmenares, Clemencia; Hayman, Michael J

    2011-01-01

    Ski is a transcriptional regulator that has been considered an oncoprotein, given its ability to induce oncogenic transformation in avian model systems. However, studies in mouse and in some human tumor cells have also indicated a tumor suppressor activity for this protein. We found that Ski−/− mouse embryo fibroblasts exhibit high levels of genome instability, namely aneuploidy, consistent with a tumor suppressor function for Ski. Time-lapse microscopy revealed lagging chromosomes and chromatin/chromosome bridges as the major cause of micronuclei formation and the subsequent aneuploidy. Although these cells arrested in mitosis after treatment with spindle disrupting drugs and exhibited a delayed metaphase/anaphase transition, Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) was not sufficient to prevent chromosome missegregation, consistent with a weakened SAC. Our in vivo analysis also showed dynamic metaphase plate rearrangements with switches in polarity in cells arrested in metaphase. Importantly, after ectopic expression of Ski the cells that displayed this metaphase arrest died directly during metaphase or after aberrant cell division, relating SAC activation and mitotic cell death. This increased susceptibility to undergo mitosis-associated cell death reduced the number of micronuclei-containing cells. The presented data support a new role for Ski in the mitotic process and in maintenance of genetic stability, providing insights into the mechanism of tumor suppression mediated by this protein. PMID:21412778

  12. Assessment of toxicity in fresh water fish Labeo rohita treated with silver nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Muhammad Saleem; Qureshi, Naureen Aziz; Jabeen, Farhat

    2017-06-01

    Silver nanoparticles (17.78 ± 12.12 nm) were synthesized by the reduction of 0.5 M silver nitrate using formaldehyde as reducing and triethylamine as promoting and stabilizing agent. The particles were grain like agglomerates with spherical, centered-face cubic and crystalline in nature. The sample was highly pure with amine (NH) as associated and capping molecules. Further, the genotoxicity and oxidative stress of these particles were evaluated using Labeo rohita ( L. rohita) as genetic model exposed (10-55 mg L-1 dose) through aquatic medium for 28 days. The cells were produced with micronuclei, fragmented, lobed and buds nuclei in dose dependent manner. The highest incidence of comet was recoded (27.34 ± 5.68) at 55 mg L-1 Ag-NPs and 14 days treatment. Then frequency was decreased to 22.65 ± 6.66% after 28 days due to complex repair mechanism. Moreover, the treatment also produces the oxidative stress and disturbs the level of GST in gill and liver tissue. There was a sharp decline in the activities of GST and this decrease of activity increase the MDA content. Further, the elevated level of GSH represents that the liver has started defensive mechanism against oxyraidcals. This study concluded, Ag-NPs are genotoxic in nature and produce micronuclei, comet cells and also induces oxidative stress in aquatic organisms.

  13. Induction of micronuclei in V79 cells after combined treatments with heterocyclic aromatic amines.

    PubMed

    Perez, C; Lopez de Cerain, A; Bello, J

    2002-10-01

    Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) appear in foods rich in proteins when subjected to different cooking processes. These amines have been demonstrated to be mutagenic in bacteria; in eucaryotic cells, controversial results have been referred. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clastogenic and/or aneugenic capacity of three HAs--2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx), and 2-amino-3-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)--in isolated as well as in combined treatments. The micronucleus test in vitro was used on V79 cells in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. The duration of the treatment was 2 h, and cytochalasin B was added for 21 h to stop cytokinesis; then, micronuclei (MN) were counted in binucleated cells. In the presence of metabolic activation, the three amines showed a significant increase in the number of MN with respect to the negative control. The PhIP amine presented the highest values and it also resulted slightly active in the absence of metabolic activation, although these differences have not been considered to be significant. The combined treatments of these amines have shown that the effects attributed to them when administered together are those that are expected for a possible additive effect; the effect attributed to each HA separately is not potentiated nor inhibited.

  14. Evaluation of the genotoxic effects of fixed appliances on oral mucosal cells and the relationship to nickel and chromium concentrations: an in-vivo study.

    PubMed

    Natarajan, Madhumitha; Padmanabhan, Sridevi; Chitharanjan, Arun; Narasimhan, Malathi

    2011-09-01

    The release of metal ions from fixed orthodontic appliances is a source of concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxic damage in the oral mucosal cells of patients wearing fixed appliance, and the nickel and chromium ion contents in these cells. Twenty patients undergoing orthodontic treatment formed the experimental group, and 20 untreated subjects comprised the control group. Oral mucosal smears were collected at 2 times: at debonding and 30 days after debonding. The smears were stained with Papanicolaou stain and studied under a light microscope to evaluate the presence of micronuclei. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to quantify the presence of metal ions. The data were subjected to the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman rank correlation test. The mean micronuclei frequency was significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group at debonding; the difference was smaller and not statistically significant 30 days after debonding. The nickel and chromium ion contents in the experimental group were not significantly higher than in the control group. No correlation could be established between micronuclei frequency and metal ion content. Nickel and chromium alloys of orthodontic appliances emit metal ions in sufficient quantities to induce localized genotoxic effects, but these changes revert on removal of the appliances. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Metallic ion content and damage to the DNA in oral mucosa cells patients treated dental implants.

    PubMed

    López-Jornet, Pía; Perrez, Francisco Parra; Calvo-Guirado, José Luis; Ros-Llor, Irene; LLor-Ros, Irene; Ramírez-Fernández, Piedad

    2014-07-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the potential genotoxicity of dental implants, evaluating biomarkers of DNA damage (micronuclei and/or nuclear buds), cytokinetic defects (binucleated cells) and the presence of trace metals in gingival cells of patients with implants, comparing these with a control group. A total of 60 healthy adults (30 patients with dental implants and 30 control patients without) were included in the study. Medical and dental histories were made for each including life-style factors. Genotoxicity effects were assessed by micronucleus assays in the gingival epithelial cells of each patient; 1,000 epithelial cells were analyzed, evaluating the frequency of micronucleated cells and other nuclear anomalies. The concentration of metals (Al(27), Ag(107), Co (59), Cr (52), Cu(63), Fe(56), Sn(118), Mn(55), Mo(92), Ni(60), Pb(208), Ti(47)) were assayed by means of coupled plasma-mass spectrophotometry (ICP-MS). The frequency of micronuclei in the patient group with implants was higher than in the control group but without statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). Similar results were found for binucleated cells and nuclear buds (P > 0.05). For metals assayed by ICP-MS, significant differences were found for Ti(47) (P ≤ 0.045). Univariate analysis identified a significant association between the presence of micronuclei and age. Dental implants do not induce DNA damage in gingival cells, the slight effects observed cannot be indicated as biologically relevant.

  16. High incidence of micronuclei in lymphocytes from residents of the area near the Semipalatinsk nuclear explosion test site.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, K; Tchaijunusova, N J; Takatsuji, T; Gusev, B I; Sakerbaev, A K; Hoshi, M; Kamada, N

    2000-03-01

    The Semipalatinsk area is highly contaminated with radioactive fallout from 40 years of continuous nuclear testing. The biological effects on human health in this area have not been studied. Significant remaining radioactivities include long-lived radioisotopes of 238,239,400Pu, 137Cs and 90Sr. To evaluate the long-term biological effects of the radioactive fallout, the incidence of micronuclei in lymphocytes from residents of the area was observed. Blood was obtained from 10 residents (5 females and 5 males, aged 47 to 55 years old) from each of the 3 areas of Znamenka, Dolon and Semipalatinsk, which are about 50-150 km from the nuclear explosion test site. For micronucleus assay, PHA-stimulated lymphocytes were cultured for 72 h and cytochalasin B was added at 44 h for detecting binuclear lymphocytes. Five thousand binuclear lymphocytes in each resident were scored. The means of micronucleus counts in 1,000 lymphocytes in residents of Semipalatinsk, Dolon and Znamenka were 16.3, 12.6, and 7.80, respectively, which were higher than those of the normal Japanese persons (4.66). These values were equivalent to the results obtained from 0.187-0.47 Gy of chronic exposure to gamma-rays at a dose rate of 0.02 cGy/min. The high incidence of micronuclei in residents of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site area was mainly caused by internal exposure rather than external exposure received for the past 40 years.

  17. Elevated Frequencies of Micronuclei and other Nuclear Abnormalities of Chrome Plating Workers Occupationally Exposed to Hexavalent Chromium

    PubMed Central

    Sudha, S; Kripa, SK; Shibily, P; Shyn, J

    2011-01-01

    Background Biomonitoring provides a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk from exposure to genotoxic agents. The aim of this study was to assess the potential cytogenetic damage associated with occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium by using micronuclei (MN) as a biomarker. Methods This was a cross-sectional study and all participants were males. Both the exposed and control individuals were selected from Coimbatore, Southern India. Exfoliated buccal cells from 44 chrome plating workers and 40 age and sex matched control subjects were examined for MN frequency and nuclear abnormalities (NA) other than micronuclei, such as binucleates, broken eggs, karyorrhexis, karyolysis and pyknosis. Results Results showed statistically significant difference between chrome plating workers and control groups. MN and NA frequencies in chrome plating workers were significantly higher than those in control groups (p < 0.05) and also significantly related to smoking habit (P < 0.05). A significant difference in NA was observed in workers exposed to chromium for longer duration. In addition to this, a higher degree of NA was observed among smokers. Conclusion MN and other NA reflect genetic changes, events associated with carcinogenesis. Therefore the results of this study indicate that chrome plating workers are under risk of significant cytogenetic damage. Therefore, there is a need to educate those who work with heavy metals about the potential hazard of occupational exposure and the importance of using protective measures. PMID:26328050

  18. Biomonitoring of genotoxicity using micronuclei assay in native population of Astyanax jacuhiensis (Characiformes: Characidae) at sites under petrochemical influence.

    PubMed

    de Lemos, Clarice Torres; Iranço, Fábio de Almeida; de Oliveira, Nânci Cristina D'Avila; de Souza, Getúlio Dornelles; Fachel, Jandyra Maria Guimarães

    2008-11-15

    Bom Jardim brook is a small stream that flows through an area under the influence of a Petrochemical Complex, demanding control over its quality, so a genotoxic evaluation was performed. This study was conducted in situ, based on previous analysis on the same subject. These were performed both in vitro, with Salmonella typhimurium and human lymphocytes, and in vivo, using bioassays with fish exposed to water from the study area. The purpose of this research was to assess the quality of the aquatic environment and possible effects from petrochemical pollution to surrounding native populations. Micronuclei (MNE) and nuclear abnormalities (NA) frequencies in peripheral blood of Astyanax jacuhiensis, a native fish species collected from the study area, were used as biomarkers. Study period was from summer/99 to spring/2001, using samples obtained seasonally at two ponds upstream from the industrial area (BJN and BJPa) and two sites in Bom Jardim brook (BJ002 and BJ000), which are subject to Complex influence. MNE and NA frequencies found in individuals from BJ002 and BJ000 were similar, showing positive genotoxic responses related to control sites BJN and BJPa. No differential sensitivity could be verified for micronuclei induction between genders of A. jacuhiensis in the studied population. This study showed that sites subject to petrochemical influence were under higher genotoxic impact. Biomarkers adequacy to the case and the sensitivity of A. jacuhiensis for water monitoring could be also inferred.

  19. Genotoxicity of 2-[2-(acetylamino)-4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-5-methoxyphenyl]-5-amino-7-bromo-4-chloro-2H-benzotriazole (PBTA-6) and 4-amino-3,3'-dichloro-5,4'-dinitro-biphenyl (ADDB) in goldfish (Carassius auratus) using the micronucleus test and the comet assay.

    PubMed

    Masuda, Shuichi; Deguchi, Yuya; Masuda, Yumi; Watanabe, Tetsushi; Nukaya, Haruo; Terao, Yoshiyasu; Takamura, Takeji; Wakabayashi, Keiji; Kinae, Naohide

    2004-05-09

    2-[2-(Acetylamino)-4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-5-methoxyphenyl]-5-amino-7-bromo-4-chloro-2H-benzotriazole (PBTA-6) and 4-amino-3,3'-dichloro-5,4'-dinitrobiphenyl (ADDB) are two compounds, which show strong mutagenicity toward bacteria, that have been identified as major mutagens in river water in Japan. In the present study, we examined the genotoxicity of PBTA-6 and ADDB in goldfish (Carassius auratus) by the micronucleus test and single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). The frequencies of micronuclei in gill cells gradually increased until 96h after i.p. injection of PBTA-6 and ADDB at doses of 50mg/kg body weight, and then decreased 144h after injection. PBTA-6 induced micronuclei in gill cells dose-dependently at a dose range of 1-100mg/kg body weight, giving significantly high frequencies at doses of 50 and 100mg/kg body weight. On the other hand, no significant increase was observed in the peripheral erythrocytes of goldfish exposed to PBTA-6 or ADDB. In the comet assay, values of DNA tail moment and tail length in peripheral erythrocytes increased significantly until 6h after the i.p. injection of PBTA-6 (50mg/kg body weight), only to decrease by 9h after injection. Both the DNA tail moment and tail length were dose-dependently increased by injections of PBTA-6 at doses ranging from 1 to 50mg/kg. Significantly high values for tail moment and tail length were found in peripheral erythrocytes 3h after an i.p. injection of ADDB and persisted for up to 6h. These results show that both PBTA-6 and ADDB have genotoxic effects in goldfish.

  20. Identification and characterization of an early gene in the Lymantria dispar multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus

    Treesearch

    David S. Bischoff; James M. Slavicek

    1995-01-01

    The Lymantria dispar multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (LdMNPV) gene encoding G22 was cloned and sequenced. The G22 gene codes for a 191 amino acid protein with a predicted Mr of 22000. Expression of G22 in a rabbit reticulocyte system generated a protein with an M...

  1. Hemozoin (Malarial Pigment) Directly Promotes Apoptosis of Erythroid Precursors

    PubMed Central

    Lamikanra, Abigail A.; Theron, Michel; Kooij, Taco W. A.; Roberts, David J.

    2009-01-01

    Severe malarial anemia is the most common syndrome of severe malaria in endemic areas. The pathophysiology of chronic malaria is characterised by a striking degree of abnormal development of erythroid precursors (dyserythropoiesis) and an inadequate erythropoietic response in spite of elevated levels of erythropoietin. The cause of dyserythropoiesis is unclear although it has been suggested that bone-marrow macrophages release cytokines, chemokines or lipo-peroxides after exposure to hemozoin, a crystalloid form of undigested heme moieties from malarial infected erythrocytes, and so inhibit erythropoiesis. However, we have previously shown that hemozoin may directly inhibit erythroid development in vitro and the levels of hemozoin in plasma from patients with malarial anemia and hemozoin within the bone marrow was associated with reduced reticulocyte response. We hypothesized that macrophages may reduce, not enhance, the inhibitory effect of hemozoin on erythropoiesis. In an in vitro model of erythropoiesis, we now show that inhibition of erythroid cell development by hemozoin isolated from P. falciparum is characterised by delayed expression of the erythroid markers and increased apoptosis of progenitor cells. Crucially, macrophages appear to protect erythroid cells from hemozoin, consistent with a direct contribution of hemozoin to the depression of reticulocyte output from the bone marrow in children with malarial anemia. Moreover, hemozoin isolated from P. falciparum in vitro inhibits erythroid development independently of inflammatory mediators by inducing apoptotic pathways that not only involve activation of caspase 8 and cleavage of caspase 3 but also loss of mitochondrial potential. Taken together these data are consistent with a direct effect of hemozoin in inducing apoptosis in developing erythroid cells in malarial anemia. Accumulation of hemozoin in the bone marrow could therefore result in inadequate reticulocytosis in children that have adequate levels of circulating erythropoietin. PMID:20041181

  2. Association of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnant Women: A Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Chunyan; Yang, Hongling; Geng, Qingshan; Ma, Qingling; Long, Yan; Zhou, Cheng; Chen, Ming

    2015-01-01

    Objective The relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. This study examined the association between biomarkers of oxidative stress and GDM. Methods We conducted a case-control study which included 36 women presenting with GDM and 36 asymptomatic matched control subjects who visited Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Centre, China, from June 2012 to December 2012. Pregnant women were prospectively recruited to the study, and blood samples were collected at the time of a routine oral glucose tolerance test. These samples were then analyzed for levels of endocrine and surrogate markers of oxidative stress. Results Compared to control subjects, women with GDM exhibited elevated values for plasma glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance (IR), and showed reduced HOMA pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-B), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), insulinogenic index, and corrected insulin response at 24–28 weeks gestation. A bivariate logistic regression analysis showed that levels of high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and high fluorescence reticulocytes at fasting, and hs-CRP in a 1-h OGTT, were significantly associated with GDM. A linear regression analysis showed that levels of hs-CRP (P = 0.003) and reticulocytes (P = 0.029) at fasting were associated with IR, and levels of hs-CRP (P = 0.002) and monocytes (P = 0.006) in a 1-h OGTT were associated with ISI. Conclusions Pregnant women with GDM developed a pathological IR and exhibited β-cell dysfunction. Their decreased ability to compensate for oxidative stress was associated with increased IR and a reduced ISI, which might be important factors in GDM. PMID:25915047

  3. The hSK4 (KCNN4) isoform is the Ca2+-activated K+ channel (Gardos channel) in human red blood cells.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Joseph F; Joiner, William; Nehrke, Keith; Potapova, Olga; Foye, Kristen; Wickrema, Amittha

    2003-06-10

    The question is, does the isoform hSK4, also designated KCNN4, represent the small conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel (Gardos channel) in human red blood cells? We have analyzed human reticulocyte RNA by RT-PCR, and, of the four isoforms of SK channels known, only SK4 was found. Northern blot analysis of purified and synchronously growing human erythroid progenitor cells, differentiating from erythroblasts to reticulocytes, again showed only the presence of SK4. Western blot analysis, with an anti-SK4 antibody, showed that human erythroid progenitor cells and, importantly, mature human red blood cell ghost membranes, both expressed the SK4 protein. The Gardos channel is known to turn on, given inside Ca2+, in the presence but not the absence of external Ko+ and remains refractory to Ko+ added after exposure to inside Ca2+. Heterologously expressed SK4, but not SK3, also shows this behavior. In inside-out patches of red cell membranes, the open probability (Po) of the Gardos channel is markedly reduced when the temperature is raised from 27 to 37 degrees C. Net K+ efflux of intact red cells is also reduced by increasing temperature, as are the Po values of inside-out patches of Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing SK4 (but not SK3). Thus the envelope of evidence indicates that SK4 is the gene that codes for the Gardos channel in human red blood cells. This channel is important pathophysiologically, because it represents the major pathway for cell shrinkage via KCl and water loss that occurs in sickle cell disease.

  4. Hematopoiesis in antiorthostatic, hypokinesic rats

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunn, C. D. R.; Johnson, P. C.; Lange, R. D.

    1983-01-01

    Rats exposed to antiorthostatic, hypokinesia showed the following effects which are comparable to those seen in man during or after space flight: weight loss, reduced food and water consumption, transient increases in peripheral hematocrit and RBC count, decreasing MCV and reduced reticulocyte count. In addition, the hemoglobin P50 was shifted to the right. A significant shortening of RBC t1/2 was only seen after suspension. Changes in leukocyte and platelet numbers in suspended rats were also comparable to those in man during space flight, but leukocyte PHA sensitivity in rats showed no consistent alteration. The results demonstrate that this model reproduces many of the hematological effects of space flight and has potential as a tool in understanding the hematopoietic response to zero gravity.

  5. NTP technical report on the toxicity studies of Pesticide/Fertilizer Mixtures Administered in Drinking Water to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice.

    PubMed

    Yang, R.

    1993-08-01

    Toxicity studies were performed with pesticide and fertilizer mixtures representative of groundwater contamination found in California and Iowa. The California mixture was composed of aldicarb, atrazine, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, 1,2- dichloropropane, ethylene dibromide, simazine, and ammonium nitrate. The Iowa mixture contained alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, metribuzin, and ammonium nitrate. The mixtures were administered in drinking water (with 512 ppm propylene glycol) to F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice of each sex at concentrations ranging from 0.1x to 100x, where 1x represented the median concentrations of the individual chemicals found in studies of groundwater contamination from normal agricultural activities. This report focuses primarily on 26-week toxicity studies describing histopathology, clinical pathology, neurobehavior/neuropathology, and reproductive system effects. The genetic toxicity of the mixtures was assessed by determining the frequency of micronuclei in peripheral blood of mice and evaluating micronuclei and sister chromatid exchanges in splenocytes from female mice and male rats. Additional studies with these mixtures that are briefly reviewed in this report include teratology studies with Sprague-Dawley rats and continuous breeding studies with CD-1 Swiss mice. In 26-week drinking water studies of the California and the Iowa mixtures, all rats (10 per sex and group) survived to the end of the studies, and there were no significant effects on body weight gains. Water consumption was not affected by the pesticide/fertilizer contaminants, and there were no clinical signs of toxicity or neurobehavioral effects as measured by a functional observational battery, motor activity evaluations, thermal sensitivity evaluations, and startle response. There were no clear adverse effects noted in clinical pathology (including serum cholinesterase activity), organ weight, reproductive system, or histopathologic evaluations, although absolute and relative liver weights were marginally increased with increasing exposure concentration in both male and female rats consuming the Iowa mixture. In 26-week drinking water studies in mice, one male receiving the California mixture at 100x died during the study, and one control female and one female in the 100x group in the Iowa mixture study also died early. It could not be determined if the death of either of the mice in the 100x groups was related to consumption of the pesticide/fertilizer mixtures. Water consumption and body weight gains were not affected in these studies, and no signs of toxicity were noted in clinical observations or in neurobehavioral assessments. No clear adverse effects were noted in clinical pathology, reproductive system, organ weight, or histopathologic evaluations of exposed mice. The pesticide/fertilizer mixtures, when tested over a concentration range similar to that used in the 26-week studies, were found to have no effects in teratology studies or in a continuous breeding assay examining reproductive and developmental toxicity. The California and Iowa pesticide mixtures were tested for induction of micronuclei in peripheral blood erythrocytes of female mice. Results of tests with the California mixture were negative. Significant increases in micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes were seen at the two-highest concentrations (10x and 100x) of the Iowa mixture, but the increases were within the normal range of micronuclei in historical control animals. Splenocytes of male rats and female mice exposed to these mixtures were examined for micronucleus and sister chromatid exchange frequencies. Sister chromatid exchange frequencies were marginally increased in rats and mice receiving the California mixture, but neither species exhibited increased frequencies of micronucleated splenocytes. None of these changes were considered to have biological importance. In summary, studies of potential toxicity associated with the consumption of mixtures of pesticides and a fertilizer representative of groundwater contamination in agriculturative of groundwater contamination in agricultural areas of Iowa and California failed to demonstrate any significant adverse effects in rats or mice receiving the mixtures in drinking water at concentrations as high as 100 times the median concentrations of the individual chemicals determined by groundwater surveys. NOTE: These studies were supported in part by funds from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act trust fund (Superfund) by an interagency agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Public Health Service.

  6. Induction of micronuclei in buccal mucosa on chewing a mixture of betel leaf, areca nut and tobacco.

    PubMed

    Sellappa, Sudha; Balakrishnan, Mythili; Raman, Sangeetha; Palanisamy, Subashini

    2009-06-01

    Betel quid containing areca nut and chewing tobacco is used in many parts of India. In this study we evaluated the micronuclei (MN) in buccal mucosa of healthy individuals from southern India, who were regularly chewing a mixture of betel leaf, areca nut and tobacco. A total of 44 subjects were examined. The study population included 15 chewers, 14 chewers with smoking habit and 15 controls with the mean age of 38.57 +/- 0.54, 34.50 +/- 0.95, and 33.28 +/- 0.89 years, respectively. The mean percentage of MN was 1.90 +/- 1.03 in chewers, 2.00 +/-1.12 in chewers with smoking habits and 0.81 +/- 0.66 in controls. There was no significant difference between the mean percentages of the two experimental groups. It can be concluded that a mixture of betel leaf, areca nut, and tobacco is unsafe for oral health.

  7. Global and gene-specific promoter methylation changes are related to anti-B[a]PDE-DNA adduct levels and influence micronuclei levels in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-exposed individuals.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Sofia; Bollati, Valentina; Pesatori, Angela Cecilia; Kapka, Lucyna; Bolognesi, Claudia; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Baccarelli, Andrea

    2009-10-01

    We investigated the effect of chronic exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on DNA methylation states (percentage of methylated cytosines (%mC)) in Polish male nonsmoking coke-oven workers and matched controls. Methylation states of gene-specific promoters (p53, p16, HIC1 and IL-6) and of Alu and LINE-1 repetitive elements, as surrogate measures of global methylation, were quantified by pyrosequencing in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). DNA methylation was evaluated in relation to PAH exposure, assessed by urinary 1-pyrenol and anti-benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (anti-B[a]PDE)-DNA adduct levels, a critical genetic damage from B[a]P. We also evaluated whether PAH-induced DNA methylation states were in turn associated with micronuclei in PBLs, an indicator of chromosomal instability.

  8. Effects of maternal subclinical hypothyroidism on amniotic fluid cells oxidative status.

    PubMed

    Novakovic, Tanja R; Dolicanin, Zana C; Djordjevic, Natasa Z

    2018-06-01

    In this study, we researched the effects of maternal subclinical hypothyroidism on the amniotic fluid cells oxidative metabolism during the first trimester of pregnancy. Oxidative stress and damage biomarkers were assayed in the amniotic fluid cells of healthy and pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism. Obtained results show that amniotic fluid cells of pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism have significantly higher concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide anion, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite) and oxidative damage (lipid peroxide and micronuclei frequency), but lower concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and oxidized glutathione in comparison to healthy pregnant women. We also showed that oxidative stress biomarkers were positively correlated with micronuclei frequency and lipid peroxide concentration in amniotic fluid cells of pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism. The present study provides the first evidence for prooxidative effects of maternal subclinical hypothyroidism on the fetus obtained by the estimating oxidative metabolism in the amniotic fluid cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Radiation risk assessment in professionals working in dental radiology area using buccal micronucleus cytome assay.

    PubMed

    Sadatullah, Syed; Dawasaz, Ali Azhar; Luqman, Master; Assiry, Ali A; Almeshari, Ahmed A; Togoo, Rafi Ahmad

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of micronuclei (MN) in buccal mucosal cells of professionals working in radiology area to determine the risk of stochastic effects of radiation. All the professionals and students working in King Khalid University - College of Dentistry radiology area were included in the Risk Group (RG = 27). The Control Group (CG = 27) comprised of healthy individual matching the gender and age of the RG. Buccal mucosal scraping from all the 54 subjects of RG and CG were stained with Papanicolaou stain and observed under oil immersion lens (×100) for the presence of micronuclei (MN) in the exfoliated epithelial cells. There was no significant difference between the incidence of MN in RG and CG (p = >0.05) using t-test. Routine radiation protection protocol does minimize the risk of radiation induced cytotoxicity, however, screening of professionals should be carried out at regular intervals.

  10. Electronic Cigarette: Role in the Primary Prevention of Oral Cavity Cancer.

    PubMed

    Franco, Teresa; Trapasso, Serena; Puzzo, Lidia; Allegra, Eugenia

    2016-01-01

    Cigarette smoke has been identified as the main cause of oral cavity carcinoma. Recently, the electronic cigarette, a battery-operated device, was developed to help smokers stop their tobacco addiction. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of electronic cigarettes and to establish the possible role of such device in the primary prevention of oral cavity cancer. This study included 65 subjects who were divided into three groups (smokers, e-cigarette smokers, and nonsmokers). All subjects were submitted to cytologic examination by scraping of oral mucosa. The slides were microscopically evaluated through a micronucleus assay test. The prevalence of micronuclei was significantly decreased in the e-cigarette smoker group. There were no statistically significant differences in micronuclei distribution according to the type of cigarette, gender, and age. The use of electronic cigarettes seems to be safe for oral cells and should be suggested as an aid to smoking cessation.

  11. Marked reduction of radiation-induced micronuclei in human blood lymphocytes pretreated with melatonin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vijayalaxmi; Reiter, R.J.; Leal, B.Z.

    Human peripheral blood lymphocytes which were pretreated in vitro with melatonin, and endogenously synthesized pineal hormone, for 20 min at 37 {plus_minus} 1{degrees}C exhibited a significant and concentration-dependent reduction in the frequency of {gamma}radiation-induced micronuclei compared with irradiated cells which did not receive the pretreatment. The extent of the reduction observed with 2.0 mM melatonin was similar to that found in lymphocytes pretreated for 20 min with 1.0 M dimethylsulfoxide, a known free radical scavenger. These observations indicate that melatonin may have an active role in protection of humans against genetic damage due to endogenously produced free radicals, and alsomore » may be of use in reducing damage due to exposure to physical and chemical mutagens and carcinogens which generate free radicals. 25 refs., 2 tabs.« less

  12. Environmental genotoxicity and risk assessment in the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea) using fish, bivalves, and crustaceans.

    PubMed

    Butrimavičienė, Laura; Baršienė, Janina; Greiciūnaitė, Janina; Stankevičiūtė, Milda; Valskienė, Roberta

    2018-06-21

    Environmental genotoxicity in the Gulf of Riga was assessed using different bioindicators (fish, clams, and isopods) collected from 14 study stations. Comparison of genotoxicity responses (micronuclei (MN) and nuclear buds (NB)) in blood erythrocytes of herring (Clupea harengus), eelpout (Zoarces viviparous), and flounder (Platichthys flesus) revealed the species- and site-specific differences. For the first time, the analysis of genotoxicity was carried out in gill cells of isopods Saduria entomon. The highest inductions of MN and NB in gill cells of investigated S. entomon and clams (Macoma balthica) were evaluated in specimens from station 111A (offshore zone). In fish, the highest incidences of MN were measured in eelpout and in herring collected in the southern part of Gulf of Riga (station GOR3/41S). Moreover, in the southern coastal area, the assessment of genotoxicity risk (according to micronuclei levels) indicated exceptionally high risk for flounder, eelpout, and clams.

  13. Evaluation of Papanicolaou stain for studying micronuclei in buccal cells under field conditions.

    PubMed

    Ayyad, Sohair B A; Israel, Ebenezer; El-Setouhy, Maged; Nasr, Ghada Radwan; Mohamed, Mostafa K; Loffredo, Christopher A

    2006-01-01

    To compare Papanicolaou (Pap) and May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG) stain as 2 techniques for staining for buccal mucosal cells to detect micronuclei (MN) infield studies. Eighty cytologic smears (2 per individual) were taken from the buccal mucosa of 40 cigarette smokers recruited at a rural village in Egypt. Forty smears were stained with Pap stain and 40 with MGG stain. All were assessed for cellularity and scored for MN. Pap stain was faster and easier to process and transport in the field study than was MGG stain. Regarding MGG smears, bacteria and cell debris masked the MN as compared to Pap smears, in which the fixative destroyed the bacteria and made the cell boundaries clearly demarcated. Using Pap stain, MN were seen easily in transparent cytoplasm. Pap stain is the preferred method infield studies for scoring and detecting MN in cells of buccal mucosa.

  14. Zoledronic acid induces micronuclei formation, mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and cytostasis in kidney cells.

    PubMed

    Singireesu, Soma Shiva Nageswara Rao; Mondal, Sujan Kumar; Yerramsetty, Suresh; Misra, Sunil

    2018-06-15

    Zoledronic acid (ZA), a FDA approved drug has used widely in the treatment of bone metastasis complications, has been linked to renal toxicity with unclear mechanism. The present study is aimed at investigating the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of ZA in renal epithelial cells. The genotoxic effect of ZA in Vero and MDCK cells determined by cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. The cytotoxic effect assessed by analysing cell cycle profile, cell death and mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry using propidium iodide, AnnexinV-FITC/PI and JC1 dye staining, respectively, BAX and Bcl-2 expression by Western blotting and caspase activity by spectrofluorimetry. The cytotoxic effect of ZA based on MTT assay revealed variable sensitivities of Vero and MDCK cells, with IC 50 values of 7.41 and 109.58 μM, respectively. The CBMN assay has shown prominent dose-dependent (IC 10-50 ) induction of micronuclei formation in both cells, indicating ZA's clastogenic and aneugenic potential. Further, the ZA treatment led the cells to apoptosis, evident from dose-dependent increase in the percentage of cells in subG1 phase and display of membranous phosphatidylserine translocation. Studies also confirmed apoptosis through mitochondria, evident from the prominent increase in BAX/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-3/7 activity. In addition, ZA reduces cytokinetic activity of renal cells, evident from dose-wise lowered replicative indices. The study depict ZA's potential genotoxic effect along with cytotoxic effect in renal epithelial cells, could be key factors for the development of renal complications associated with it, which prompts renal safety measures in lieu with ZA usage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Does exposure to glyphosate lead to an increase in the micronuclei frequency? A systematic and meta-analytic review.

    PubMed

    Ghisi, Nédia de Castilhos; de Oliveira, Elton Celton; Prioli, Alberto José

    2016-02-01

    Glyphosate-based herbicides are among the most used pesticides worldwide. Reviews on the safety of glyphosate have been conducted by several regulatory agencies and researches centers, many times with contradictory results. This study is a systematic meta-analytical review of experimental studies on the relationship between exposure to the glyphosate (GLY) and its formulations with the formation of micronuclei (MN) to establish a quantitative estimate of the environmental risks. The natural logarithm (ln) of the estimated response ratio was calculated from 81 experiments. A meta-analysis was performed on the complete data set, and individual meta-analyses were conducted after stratification by test system, class of vertebrate, exposure route, gender, endpoints, type of literature, formulation, GLY dose and exposure time. A forest plot showed an overall positive association between GLY exposure and its formulations and MN, corroborated by the cumulative effects size. Different responses were observed on mammalian and non-mammalian. Interesting results was noticed in exposure route where oral administration of GLY presented no significance. Exposure by intraperitoneal injection presented the highest MN formation. Pure GLY caused fewer effects than to commercial mixtures, but both presented mutagenic effects. The studies with males presented significant responses, while studies with females were not significant. The cumulative effects size was not clearly related to GLY dose, and was negatively related to exposure time. It can be attributed to different test systems, exposure routes and protocols analyzed. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that exposure to GLY and its formulations increases the frequency of MN formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Failure of antimony trioxide to induce micronuclei or chromosomal aberrations in rat bone-marrow after sub-chronic oral dosing.

    PubMed

    Kirkland, David; Whitwell, James; Deyo, James; Serex, Tessa

    2007-03-05

    Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3, CAS 1309-64-4) is widely used as a flame retardant synergist in a number of household products, as a fining agent in glass manufacture, and as a catalyst in the manufacture of various types of polyester plastics. It does not induce point mutations in bacteria or mammalian cells, but is able to induce chromosomal aberrations (CA) in cultured cells in vitro. Although no CA or micronuclei (MN) have been induced after acute oral dosing of mice, repeated oral dosing for 14 or 21 days resulted in increased CA in one report, but did not result in increased MN in another. In order to further investigate its in vivo genotoxicity, Sb2O3 was dosed orally to groups of rats for 21 days at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg day. There were no clinical signs of toxicity in the Sb2O3-exposed animals except for some reductions in body-weight gain in the top dose group. Toxicokinetic measurements in a separate study confirmed bone-marrow exposure, and at higher levels than would have been achieved by single oral dosing. Large numbers of cells were scored for CA (600 metaphases/sex group) and MN (12,000 PCE/sex group) but frequencies of CA or MN in Sb2O3-treated rats were very similar to controls, and not biologically or statistically different, at all doses. These results provide further indication that Sb2O3 is not genotoxic to the bone marrow of rodents after 21 days of oral administration at high doses close to the maximum tolerated dose.

  17. Effects of Arbutin on Radiation-Induced Micronuclei in Mice Bone Marrow Cells and Its Definite Dose Reduction Factor

    PubMed Central

    Nadi, Saba; Monfared, Ali Shabestani; Mozdarani, Hossein; Mahmodzade, Aziz; Pouramir, Mahdi

    2016-01-01

    Background: Interactions of free radicals from ionizing radiation with DNA can induce DNA damage and lead to mutagenesis and carsinogenesis. With respect to radiation damage to human, it is important to protect humans from side effects induced by ionizing radiation. In the present study, the effects of arbutin were investigated by using the micronucleus test for anti-clastogenic activity, to calculate the ratio of polychromatic erythrocyte to polychromatic erythrocyte plus normochromatic erythrocyte (PCE/PCE+NCE) in order to show cell proliferation activity. Methods: Arbutin (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally (ip)administered to NMRI mice two hours before gamma radiation at 2 and 4 gray (Gy). The frequency of micronuclei in 1000 PCEs (MnPCEs) and the ratio of PCE/PCE+NCE were calculated for each sample. Data were statistically evaluated using one-way ANOVA, Tukey HSD test, and t-test. Results: The findings indicated that gamma radiation at 2 and 4 Gy extremely increased the frequencies of MnPCE (P<0.001) while reducing PCE/PCE+NCE (P<0.001) compared to the control group. All three doses of arbutin before irradiation significantly reduced the frequencies of MnPCEs and increased the ratio of PCE/PCE+NCE in mice bone marrow compared to the non-drug-treated irradiated control (P<0.001). All three doses of arbutin had no toxicity effect on bone marrow cells. The calculated dose reduction factor (DRF) showed DRF=1.93 for 2Gy and DRF=2.22 for 4 Gy. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that arbutin gives significant protection to rat bone against the clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of gamma irradiation. PMID:27217601

  18. Increased frequency of micronuclei in the lymphocytes of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus.

    PubMed

    Leite, Samantha Therezinha Almeida Pereira; Silva, Marilene Borges da; Pepato, Marco Andrey; Souto, Francisco José Dutra; Santos, Raquel Alves dos; Bassi-Branco, Carmen Lucia

    2014-02-01

    In this study, we analysed the frequency of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (NBUDs) and evaluated mutagen-induced sensitivity in the lymphocytes of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). In total, 49 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (28 HBV-infected and 21 HCV-infected patients) and 33 healthy, non-infected blood donor controls were investigated. The frequencies (‰) of MN, NPBs and NBUDs in the controls were 4.41 ± 2.15, 1.15 ± 0.97 and 2.98 ± 1.31, respectively. The frequencies of MN and NPBs were significantly increased (p < 0.0001) in the patient group (7.01 ± 3.23 and 2.76 ± 2.08, respectively) compared with the control group. When considered separately, the HBV-infected patients (7.18 ± 3.57) and HCV-infected patients (3.27 ± 2.40) each had greater numbers of MN than did the controls (p < 0.0001). The HCV-infected patients displayed high numbers of NPBs (2.09 ± 1.33) and NBUDs (4.38 ± 3.28), but only the HBV-infected patients exhibited a significant difference (NPBs = 3.27 ± 2.40, p < 0.0001 and NBUDs = 4.71 ± 2.79, p = 0.03) in comparison with the controls. Similar results were obtained for males, but not for females, when all patients or the HBV-infected group was compared with the controls. The lymphocytes of the infected patients did not exhibit sensitivity to mutagen in comparison with the lymphocytes of the controls (p = 0.06). These results showed that the lymphocytes of patients who were chronically infected with HBV or HCV presented greater chromosomal instability.

  19. Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin Sik; Song, Kyung Seuk; Yu, Il Je

    2015-08-01

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have extensive potential industrial applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties; yet this also increases the chance of human and environment exposure to SWCNTs. Due to the current lack of hazardous effect information on SWNCTs, a standardized genotoxicity battery test was conducted to clarify the genetic toxicity potential of SWCNTs (diameter: 1-1.2 nm, length: ∼20 μm) according to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines 471 (bacterial reverse mutation test), 473 (in vitro chromosome aberration test), and 474 (in vivo micronuclei test) with a good laboratory practice system. The test results showed that the SWCNTs did not induce significant bacterial reverse mutations at 31.3-500 μg/plate in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537 or in Escherichia coli strain WP2uvrA, with and without a metabolic activation system. Furthermore, the in vitro chromosome aberration test showed no significant increase in structural or numerical chromosome aberration frequencies at SWCNT dose levels of 12.5-50 μg/ml in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. However, dose-dependent cell growth inhibition was found at all the SWCNT dose levels and statistically significant cytotoxic effects observed at certain concentrations in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. Finally, the SWCNTs did not evoke significant in vivo micronuclei frequencies in the polychromatic erythrocytes of an imprinting control region mice at 25-100 mg/kg. Thus, according to the results of the present study, the SWCNTs were not found to have a genotoxic effect on the in vitro and in vivo test systems. © The Author(s) 2013.

  20. Effect of 3G cell phone exposure with computer controlled 2-D stepper motor on non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway in rat brain.

    PubMed

    Kesari, Kavindra Kumar; Meena, Ramovatar; Nirala, Jayprakash; Kumar, Jitender; Verma, H N

    2014-03-01

    Cell phone radiation exposure and its biological interaction is the present concern of debate. Present study aimed to investigate the effect of 3G cell phone exposure with computer controlled 2-D stepper motor on 45-day-old male Wistar rat brain. Animals were exposed for 2 h a day for 60 days by using mobile phone with angular movement up to zero to 30°. The variation of the motor is restricted to 90° with respect to the horizontal plane, moving at a pre-determined rate of 2° per minute. Immediately after 60 days of exposure, animals were scarified and numbers of parameters (DNA double-strand break, micronuclei, caspase 3, apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, expression of stress-responsive genes) were performed. Result shows that microwave radiation emitted from 3G mobile phone significantly induced DNA strand breaks in brain. Meanwhile a significant increase in micronuclei, caspase 3 and apoptosis were also observed in exposed group (P < 0.05). Western blotting result shows that 3G mobile phone exposure causes a transient increase in phosphorylation of hsp27, hsp70, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), which leads to mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated cytochrome c release and subsequent activation of caspases, involved in the process of radiation-induced apoptotic cell death. Study shows that the oxidative stress is the main factor which activates a variety of cellular signal transduction pathways, among them the hsp27/p38MAPK is the pathway of principle stress response. Results conclude that 3G mobile phone radiations affect the brain function and cause several neurological disorders.

  1. Studies on the erythron and the ferrokinetic responses in beagles adapted to hypergravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beckman, D. A.; Evans, J. W.; Oyama, J.

    1978-01-01

    Red cell survival, ferrokinetics, and hematologic parameters were investigated in beagle dogs exposed to chronic hypergravity (2.6 Gx). Ineffective erythropoiesis, red cell mass, plasma volume, and Cr-51-elution were significantly increased; maximum Fe-59 incorporation was decreased; and there was no change in the mean erythrocyte life span following autologous injection of Cr-51-labeled red cells and Fe-59-labeled transferrin. Red cell count, F(cells), total body hemoglobin (Hb), susceptability to osmotic lysis, and differential reticulocyte count were increased. White blood cell count, venous blood %Hb, mean cell volume, mean cell Hb, mean cell Hb concentration, and serum iron were decreased. No changes were observed for body mass, mg Fe per g Hb, iron binding capacity, percent saturation of iron carrying capacity, or the electrophoretic mobility of purified Hb. This study indicated that chronic exposure to hypergravity induced changes in red cell size, volume, total mass, and membrane permeability.

  2. Flow cytometric detection of micronuclei by combined staining of DNA and membranes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wessels, J.M.; Nuesse, M.

    1995-03-01

    A new staining method is presented for flow cytometric measurement of micronuclei (MN) in cell cultures and human lymphocytes using membrane-specific fluorescent dyes in addition to DNA staining. Several combinations of fluorescent membrane and DNA dyes were studied for a better discrimination of MN from debris in a suspension of nuclei and micronuclei. For staining of membranes, the lipophilic dyes 2-hydroxyethyl-7,12,17-tris(methoxyethyl)porphycene (HEPn) and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) were used in combination with ethidium bromide (EB), proflavine (PF), and Hoechst 33258 (HO). Due to their spectral properties, HO or EB combined with HEPn were not as suitable for the discrimination of MN frommore » debris as was HEPn in combination with PF. With HEPn in combination with PF, however, additional noise was found at low fluorescence intensities, probably due to free fluorescent dye molecules in the solution. The optimal simultaneous staining of membranes and DNA was obtained using a combination of DPH and EB. The induction of MN in Chinese hamster and mouse NIH-3T3 cells by UV-B illumination was studied with this new staining technique. UV-B illumination (280-360 nm) induced MN in both cell lines. Chinese hamster cells were found to be more sensitive to these wavelengths. Illumination with wavelengths above 360 nm did not induce MN in either cell line. The results obtained from human lymphocytes using the combination of EB or DPH were comparable to the results obtained with the combination of EB and HO. 23 refs., 7 figs.« less

  3. Assessment of the association between micronuclei and the degree of uterine lesions and viral load in women with human papillomavirus.

    PubMed

    Adam, Mônica Lúcia; Pini, Camila; Túlio, Siumara; Cantalice, Jeanne Cristina Lapenda Lins; Torres, Rodrigo Augusto; Dos Santos Correia, Maria Tereza

    2015-01-01

    Infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) is among the main etiologies of cervical cancer. The expression of oncogenic viral proteins enables the onset of the virus, which can trigger the carcinogenic process. One of the main characteristics of this process is the loss of genome stability, including chromosome stability. The micronucleus test is a cytogenetic method for the detection of genetic alterations that change chromosome behavior during cell division resulting in the formation of micronuclei. This method has been applied for the early detection of DNA damage in individuals with a greater likelihood of developing cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between micronucleus expression and the degree of cytological lesions and viral load in patients with HPV. The micronucleus analysis revealed differences in the number micronuclei found in the groups, which ranged from 0.00067 to 0.00133 in the control group and 0.00267 to 0.02433 among patients with HPV. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the number of micronucleated cervical cells between the patients and healthy women. Moreover, significant associations were found between micronucleus expression and both the degree of uterine lesions (r2=0.7237; r=0.8507; p=0.000002) and viral load (r2=0.7012; r=0.8374; p=0.000004). The findings demonstrate the efficacy of micronucleus analysis in monitoring risks to human health. Copyright© 2015, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  4. Efficacy of HUMN criteria for scoring the micronucleus assay in human lymphocytes exposed to a low concentration of p,p'-DDT.

    PubMed

    Garaj-Vrhovac, V; Gajski, G; Ravlić, S

    2008-06-01

    The cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay is one of the standard cytogenetic tools employed to assess chromosomal damage subsequent to exposure to genotoxic/cytotoxic agents, and is widely applicable to plant, animal and human cells. In the present study, the CBMN assay was used to assess the baseline damage in binuclear human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to 25 microg/L p,p'-DDT for 1, 2, 24, and 48 h by measuring the frequency of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds. These new scoring criteria facilitated the detection of different types of clastogenic and aneugenic effects induced by this type of pollutant. With these criteria, CBMN can also be used to measure nucleoplasmic bridges which are considered to be consequences of chromosome rearrangements and nuclear buds which are biomarkers of altered gene amplification and gene dosage. The total number of micronuclei observed in binuclear human peripheral blood lymphocytes of the exposed samples (ranging from 32 to 47) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that detected in the unexposed (0 time) control sample, where the total number of micronuclei was 7. The number of nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds obtained after 24 and 48 h was also significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the samples treated with p,p'-DDT than in the unexposed control samples. Thus, our results confirmed the usefulness of the new criteria applicable for the CBMN assay employed in measuring the DNA damage and its role of a sensitive cytogenetic biomarker.

  5. Characterization of the Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus 25K FP gene

    Treesearch

    David S. Bischoff; James M. Slavicek

    1996-01-01

    The Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) gene encoding the 25K FP protein has been cloned and sequenced. The 25KFP gene codes for a 217 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 24870 Da. Expression of the 25K FP protein in a rabbit reticulocyte system generated a 27 kDa protein, in close agreement with the...

  6. Specific inhibition of protein synthesis in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate by two types of oligoribonucleotides

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wagner, T.; Gross, M.; Sigler, P.B.

    1986-05-01

    The oligonucleotides AUG, AUGG and AUGA, i.e. homologues of the initiation codon, are recognized as initiation sites by the protein synthetic machinery of the reticulocyte lysate. They induce the accumulation of inactive initiation complexes (80S x AUG x Met-tRNA/sub 1//sup Met/) and thereby deprive the system of active ribosomes. The only dinucleotide that inhibits protein synthesis is CA. CA and all trinucleotides of the form XCA and CAX (where X=U, C,A or G) block chain elongation at a level of 10/sup -5/M. Interestingly, inhibition by XCA is transient, while that by CAX becomes progressively greater with time. This phenomenon canmore » be explained by a 3'exonucleolytic activity in the lysate. Upon 3'terminal cleavage the XCA trinucleotides will lose the inhibitory CA, whereas CAX trinucleotides will simply be converted to CA, the specific inhibitor. This has been confirmed experimentally, since CC(/sup 3/H)A is completely hydrolyzed to CpC and p(/sup 3/H)A after 15 minutes of incubation. The mode of action of CA, while unclear, may be mediated by its similarity to the 3'-terminus of tRNA.« less

  7. The External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS): Experiences of a medium sized accredited laboratory.

    PubMed

    Bhat, Vivek; Chavan, Preeti; Naresh, Chital; Poladia, Pratik

    2015-06-15

    We put forth our experiences of EQAS, analyzed the result discrepancies, reviewed the corrective actions and also put forth strategies for risk identification and prevention of potential errors in a medical laboratory. For hematology, EQAS samples - blood, peripheral and reticulocyte smears - were received quarterly every year. All the blood samples were processed on HMX hematology analyzer by Beckman-Coulter. For clinical chemistry, lyophilized samples were received and were processed on Siemens Dimension Xpand and RXL analyzers. For microbiology, EQAS samples were received quarterly every year as lyophilized strains along with smears and serological samples. In hematology no outliers were noted for reticulocyte and peripheral smear examination. Only one outlier was noted for CBC. In clinical chemistry outliers (SDI ≥ 2) were noted in 7 samples (23 parameters) out of total 36 samples (756 parameters) processed. Thirteen of these parameters were analyzed as random errors, 3 as transcriptional errors and seven instances of systemic error were noted. In microbiology, one discrepancy was noted in isolate identification and in the grading of smears for AFB by Ziehl Neelsen stain. EQAS along with IQC is a very important tool for maintaining optimal quality of services. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Skeletal muscle and liver contain a soluble ATP + ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system.

    PubMed Central

    Fagan, J M; Waxman, L; Goldberg, A L

    1987-01-01

    Although protein breakdown in most cells seems to require metabolic energy, it has only been possible to establish a soluble ATP-dependent proteolytic system in extracts of reticulocytes and erythroleukemia cells. We have now succeeded in demonstrating in soluble extracts and more purified preparations from rabbit skeletal muscle a 12-fold stimulation by ATP of breakdown of endogenous proteins and a 6-fold stimulation of 125I-lysozyme degradation. However, it has still not been possible to demonstrate such large effects of ATP in similar preparations from liver. Nevertheless, after fractionation by DEAE-chromatography and gel filtration, we found that extracts from liver as well as muscle contain both the enzymes which conjugate ubiquitin to 125I-lysozyme and an enzyme which specifically degrades the ubiquitin-protein conjugates. When this proteolytic activity was recombined with the conjugating enzymes, ATP + ubiquitin-dependent degradation of many proteins was observed. This proteinase is unusually large, approx. 1500 kDa, requires ATP hydrolysis for activity and resembles the ubiquitin-protein-conjugate degrading activity isolated from reticulocytes. Thus the ATP + ubiquitin-dependent pathway is likely to be present in all mammalian cells, although certain tissues may contain inhibitory factors. Images Fig. 2. PMID:2820375

  9. K(86Rb) transport heterogeneity in the low-density fraction of sickle cell anemia red blood cells.

    PubMed

    Etzion, Z; Lew, V L; Bookchin, R M

    1996-10-01

    Previous studies have suggested ion transport heterogeneity among sickle cell anemia (SS) reticulocytes that could influence their dehydration susceptibility. We examined Ca2(+)-independent K transport in the lowest density (F1), reticulocyte-rich SS cells, measuring the effects of acidification, ouabain, and bumetanide on their unidirectional K(86Rb) fluxes. Unlike those of normal red blood cells and SS discocytes, the SS-F1 K(86Rb) fluxes were highly nonlinear, with large 5-min flux components (previously unobserved) and a more gradual decline over 60 min. Analysis revealed two distinct K pools: a rapid-turnover pool in a small fraction of cells, whose major ouabain-resistant K(86Rb) transport path showed distinctive properties including inhibition by high concentrations of bumetanide (> or = 1 mM) and stimulation at pH 7.0, and another heterogeneous, relatively slow-turnover pool, in most of the F1 cells, whose main ouabain-resistant K(86Rb) path was insensitive to bumetanide but was stimulated at pH 7.0, which is consistent with heterogeneous expression of the acid-sensitive K-Cl cotransport and with both rapid and slower generation of dehydrated SS cells.

  10. Canine and feline hematology reference values for the ADVIA 120 hematology system.

    PubMed

    Moritz, Andreas; Fickenscher, Yvonne; Meyer, Karin; Failing, Klaus; Weiss, Douglas J

    2004-01-01

    The ADVIA 120 is a laser-based hematology analyzer with software applications for animal species. Accurate reference values would be useful for the assessment of new hematologic parameters and for interlaboratory comparisons. The goal of this study was to establish reference intervals for CBC results and new parameters for RBC morphology, reticulocytes, and platelets in healthy dogs and cats using the ADVIA 120 hematology system. The ADVIA 120, with multispecies software (version 1.107-MS), was used to analyze whole blood samples from clinically healthy dogs (n=46) and cats (n=61). Data distribution was determined and reference intervals were calculated as 2.5 to 97.5 percentiles and 25 to 75 percentiles. Most data showed Gaussian or log-normal distribution. The numbers of RBCs falling outside the normocytic-normochromic range were slightly higher in cats than in dogs. Both dogs and cats had reticulocytes with low, medium, and high absorbance. Mean numbers of large platelets and platelet clumps were higher in cats compared with dogs. Reference intervals obtained on the ADVIA 120 provide valuable baseline information for assessing new hematologic parameters and for interlaboratory comparisons. Differences compared with previously published reference values can be attributed largely to differences in methodology.

  11. Micronuclei as biomarkers for evaluating the risk of malignant transformation in the uterine cervix.

    PubMed

    Aires, G M A; Meireles, J R C; Oliveira, P C; Oliveira, J L; Araújo, E L; Pires, B C; Cruz, E S A; Jesus, N F; Pereira, C A B; Cerqueira, E M M

    2011-01-01

    We evaluated micronucleus and apoptosis occurrence among women with normal smears and women with different kinds of cervical abnormalities, i.e., inflammatory processes and low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (N = 12, N = 10 and N = 27, respectively). The sample included 59 women who were seen at a public medical service for cervical cancer prevention in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The diagnosis was established by means of cytological, colposcopic, and histopathological examination. Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 2000 cells from each woman and included assessment of micronuclei and nuclear degenerative abnormalities indicative of apoptosis (karyorrhexis, pyknosis and condensed chromatin). Micronucleus frequency was significantly higher in the women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions than in the women without cervical abnormalities or inflammatory processes (P< 0.001) or in the women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (P < 0.005). The frequency of apoptosis was similar in women without cervical abnormalities and women showing high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (P > 0.50), and significantly lower in women without cervical abnormalities and in women showing high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions than in women showing inflammatory processes or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (P < 0.0001). These results indicate that, in addition to Papanicolaou cervical cytological analysis, it would be useful to use micronucleus analysis to screen women who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. The assessment of nuclear degenerative abnormalities indicative of apoptosis increased the sensitivity of this test.

  12. Radiobiological studies of plants orbited in Biosatellite II.

    PubMed

    Schairer, L A; Sparrow, A H; Marimuthu, K M

    1970-01-01

    The Biosatellite II Tradescantia experiment probed the effects of the space environment on spontaneous and radiation-induced mutation rates and on cytological changes in Tradescantia clone 02. Thirty two young flowering plants arranged in a plastic housing with the roots immersed in nutrient solution were exposed to gamma radiation from an on-board 85 Strontium source during the two-day orbital flight. Unirradiated plants were flown in a package in the spacecraft behind a tungsten radiation shield and identical non-flight control packages (with and without irradiation) were maintained at the launch site. After retrieval of the spacecraft near Hawaii, samples of root tip, ovary and stamen tissues were collected. These and the intact plants were flown to the Brookhaven National Laboratory for observations on the following end points: somatic mutation, cell size, loss of reproductive integrity resulting in stunted stamen hairs, pollen grain mortality, frequency of micronuclei in pollen, disturbed mitotic spindle function and chromosome aberrations. Analysis of data on somatic mutation, cell size and chromosome aberration end points showed no significant differences between flight and non-flight samples. However, pollen abortion, frequency of micronuclei in pollen and loss of reproductive integrity (stamen hair stunting) showed increases associated with weightlessness in irradiated material. Root tip and microspore cells showed effects of disturbed mitotic spindle function in orbited plants both with and without irradiation. Clearly differences exist between flight and non-flight material and the significance and possible mechanisms for these effects are being studied in continuing non-flight tests.

  13. The relationship of cytotoxic and genotoxic damage with blood aluminum levels and oxidative stress induced by this metal in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) erythrocytes.

    PubMed

    García-Medina, Sandra; Núñez-Betancourt, Judith Angélica; Lucero García-Medina, Alba; Galar-Martínez, Marcela; Neri-Cruz, Nadia; Islas-Flores, Hariz; Gómez-Oliván, Leobardo Manuel

    2013-10-01

    Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements in nature and is used in diverse industrial processes. As a result, it contaminates aquatic ecosystems, inducing damage on associated biota. In fish, it has been observed to induce hypoxia, hypercapnia, metabolic acidosis and respiratory arrest. Although there is little information on Al-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage, this type of studies are essential in order to identify the mechanisms of action of this metal. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects induced by Al on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) erythrocytes were determined in specimens exposed to 0.05, 120 and 239mgAlL(-1) in static exposure systems. Blood samples were taken at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96h, erythrocytes were separated, and the following were evaluated: frequency of micronuclei and frequency of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells, blood Al levels, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content, and activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The results show that tested aluminum concentrations produces oxidative stress (increase in lipid peroxidation degree and oxidized proteins content, as well as decrease in antioxidant enzymes activity) and induced higher frequencies of micronuclei and TUNEL-positive cells, so this metal can be considered as a cytotoxic and genotoxic agent for erythrocytes of common carp. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Lead poisoning in dogs: occurrence, source, clinical pathology, and electroencephalography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zook, B.C.; Carpenter, J.L.; Roberts, R.M.

    1972-05-01

    Accidental lead poisoning was diagnosed and studied in 236 dogs. The disease incidence increased annually after 1963 and was more common in Poodles and dogs less than 1 year old. The incidence was greatest in summer and early fall and was more common in dogs which dwelt in slum areas than was expected. Lead-based paints were the most frequent source of poisoning. Results of hematologic and urinary determinations supported those of previous studies. The diagnostic importance of nucleated and stippled red blood cells (RBC) in peripheral blood films was emphasized, and urine sediments frequently contained casts with few inflammatory cells.more » In addition, reticulocyte counts were usually increased and sedimentation rates and Coomb's test results were normal. Results of bone marrow studies indicated hyperplasia of, and partial maturation defect in, the erythrocytic series of most dogs. Determinations of various clinical chemistry tests and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were usually normal. Electroencephalographic changes consisted of irregular, generalized slow-wave activity of increased amplitude. 20 references, 5 figures, 12 tables.« less

  15. Mitochondrial DNA copy number and exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Sofia; Dioni, Laura; Hoxha, Mirjam; Fedeli, Ugo; Mielzynska-Svach, Danuta; Baccarelli, Andrea A

    2013-10-01

    Increased mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) is a biologic response to mtDNA damage and dysfunction, predictive of lung cancer risk. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are established lung carcinogens and may cause mitochondrial toxicity. Whether PAH exposure and PAH-related nuclear DNA (nDNA) genotoxic effects are linked with increased mtDNAcn has never been evaluated. We investigated the effect of chronic exposure to PAHs on mtDNAcn in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of 46 Polish male noncurrent smoking coke-oven workers and 44 matched controls, who were part of a group of 94 study individuals examined in our previous work. Subjects' PAH exposure and genetic alterations were characterized through measures of internal dose (urinary 1-pyrenol), target dose [anti-benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (anti-BPDE)-DNA adduct], genetic instability (micronuclei and telomere length), and DNA methylation (p53 promoter) in PBLs. mtDNAcn (MT/S) was measured using a validated real-time PCR method. Workers with PAH exposure above the median value (>3 μmol 1-pyrenol/mol creatinine) showed higher mtDNAcn [geometric means (GM) of 1.06 (unadjusted) and 1.07 (age-adjusted)] compared with controls [GM 0.89 (unadjusted); 0.89 (age-adjusted); (P = 0.029 and 0.016)], as well as higher levels of genetic and chromosomal [i.e., anti-BPDE-DNA adducts (P < 0.001), micronuclei (P < 0.001), and telomere length (P = 0.053)] and epigenetic [i.e., p53 gene-specific promoter methylation (P < 0.001)] alterations in the nDNA. In the whole study population, unadjusted and age-adjusted mtDNAcn was positively correlated with 1-pyrenol (P = 0.043 and 0.032) and anti-BPDE-DNA adducts (P = 0.046 and 0.049). PAH exposure and PAH-related nDNA genotoxicity are associated with increased mtDNAcn. The present study is suggestive of potential roles of mtDNAcn in PAH-induced carcinogenesis.

  16. Photosensitized 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine-induced mitochondrial apoptosis via Smac/DIABLO in human skin cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goyal, Shruti; Amar, Saroj Kumar; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research

    The popularity of hair dyes use has been increasing regularly throughout the world as per the demand of hair coloring fashion trends and other cosmetic products. 2-Amino-3-hydroxypyridine (A132) is widely used as a hair dye ingredient around the world. We are reporting first time the phototoxicity mechanism of A132 under ambient environmental UV-B radiation. It showed maximum absorption in UV-B region (317 nm) and forms a photoproduct within an hour exposure of UV-B irradiation. Photocytotoxicity of A132 in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) was measured by mitochondrial (MTT), lysosomal (NRU) and LDH assays which illustrated the significant reduction in cell viability. Themore » role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation for A132 phototoxicity was established photo- chemically as well as intracellularly. Noteworthy, formation of tail DNA (comet assay), micronuclei and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) (immunocytochemistry) formation confirmed the photogenotoxic potential of dye. Cell cycle study (sub-G1peak) and staining with EB/AO revealed the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Further, mitochondrial mediated apoptosis was corroborated by reduced MMP, release of cytochrome c and upregulation of caspase-3. Release of mitochondrial Smac/DIABLO in cytoplasm demonstrated the caspase dependent apoptotic cell death by photolabile A132 dye. In-addition increased Bax/Bcl2 ratio again proved the apoptosis. Thus, study suggests that A132 induces photogenotoxicity, phototoxicity and apoptotic cell death through the involvement of Smac/DIABLO in mitochondrial apoptosis via caspase dependent manner. Therefore, the long term use of A132 dye and sunlight exposure jointly increased the oxidative stress in skin which causes premature hair loss, damage to progenitor cells of hair follicles. - Highlights: • Photodegradation of A132 and formation of novel photoproduct • Involvement of ROS in A132 phototoxicity • Role of ROS in DNA damage, CPD and micronuclei formation • Release of Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria during apoptosis • Caspase 3 dependent apoptotic cell death.« less

  17. Modulation of DNA repair capacity and mRNA expression levels of XRCC1, hOGG1 and XPC genes in styrene-exposed workers.

    PubMed

    Hanova, Monika; Stetina, Rudolf; Vodickova, Ludmila; Vaclavikova, Radka; Hlavac, Pavel; Smerhovsky, Zdenek; Naccarati, Alessio; Polakova, Veronika; Soucek, Pavel; Kuricova, Miroslava; Manini, Paola; Kumar, Rajiv; Hemminki, Kari; Vodicka, Pavel

    2010-11-01

    Decreased levels of single-strand breaks in DNA (SSBs), reflecting DNA damage, have previously been observed with increased styrene exposure in contrast to a dose-dependent increase in the base-excision repair capacity. To clarify further the above aspects, we have investigated the associations between SSBs, micronuclei, DNA repair capacity and mRNA expression in XRCC1, hOGG1 and XPC genes on 71 styrene-exposed and 51 control individuals. Styrene concentrations at workplace and in blood characterized occupational exposure. The workers were divided into low (below 50 mg/m³) and high (above 50 mg/m³)) styrene exposure groups. DNA damage and DNA repair capacity were analyzed in peripheral blood lymphocytes by Comet assay. The mRNA expression levels were determined by qPCR. A significant negative correlation was observed between SSBs and styrene concentration at workplace (R=-0.38, p=0.001); SSBs were also significantly higher in men (p=0.001). The capacity to repair irradiation-induced DNA damage was the highest in the low exposure group (1.34±1.00 SSB/10⁹ Da), followed by high exposure group (0.72±0.81 SSB/10⁹ Da) and controls (0.65±0.82 SSB/10⁹ Da). The mRNA expression levels of XRCC1, hOGG1 and XPC negatively correlated with styrene concentrations in blood and at workplace (p<0.001) and positively with SSBs (p<0.001). Micronuclei were not affected by styrene exposure, but were higher in older persons and in women (p<0.001). In this study, we did not confirm previous findings on an increased DNA repair response to styrene-induced genotoxicity. However, negative correlations of SSBs and mRNA expression levels of XRCC1, hOGG1 and XPC with styrene exposure warrant further highly-targeted study. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Nuclear damage in peripheral lymphocytes of obese and overweight Italian children as evaluated by the gamma-H2AX focus assay and micronucleus test.

    PubMed

    Scarpato, Roberto; Verola, Carmela; Fabiani, Barbara; Bianchi, Vanessa; Saggese, Giuseppe; Federico, Giovanni

    2011-02-01

    Childhood obesity, often characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammation, has been associated with an increased risk of developing some types of cancer later in life. Nuclear γ-H2AX foci represent the first detectable response of cells to DNA tumorigenesis lesions, such as the double-strand breaks (DSBs). An excess of micronucleated peripheral lymphocytes was found in subjects with cancer or inflammation-based diseases. We set out to investigate the expression of genome damage, from DNA lesions to chromosome mutations (micronuclei), in overweight and obese children. Using the γ-H2AX focus assay and micronucleus (MN) test, we analyzed peripheral lymphocytes from 119 Italian children classified as normal weight (n=38), overweight (n=20), or obese (n=61). Cultures treated with bleomycin (BLM) were also set up for each child in both assays to check functioning of the apparatus that ensures DNA integrity. We measured serum TNF-α, IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP) as markers of inflammation. Overweight and obese children had significantly higher levels of H2AX phosphorylation (0.0191±0.0039 and 0.0274±0.0029 γ-H2AXF/n) and increased MN frequencies (2.30±0.25 and 2.45±0.22‰) than normal-weight children (0.0034±0.0006 γ-H2AXF/n, and 0.92±0.12‰ MN), while all subjects responded to BLM induction, irrespective of their weight status. The fold increase of spontaneous MN frequencies in overweight and obese subjects was 2.5 and 2.7, respectively, well below the corresponding increase in the γ-H2AX foci (5.6- and 8.0-fold, respectively). IL-6 and CRP mean values were significantly higher in obese and overweight children than in controls. Here, we demonstrated that peripheral cells of overweight and obese children showed increased levels of DSBs, which were not completely repaired as part of them has been converted into micronuclei. Characterization of childhood obesity inflammation could be implemented using molecular markers of genome damage.

  19. In utero and acute exposure to benzene: investigation of DNA double-strand breaks and DNA recombination in mice.

    PubMed

    Lau, Annette; Belanger, Christine Lea; Winn, Louise M

    2009-05-31

    Benzene, a ubiquitous pollutant, has been identified as a human leukemogen and early exposure to environmental carcinogens such as benzene has been linked to childhood leukemia. It is known that genotoxic agents can increase the frequency of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which can initiate DNA recombinational repair mechanisms. In this study we investigated the induction of micronuclei, the formation of gamma-H2A.X as a marker of DNA DSBs, and the induction of somatic DNA recombination events in hematopoietic tissue from pKZ1 transgenic mice exposed acutely or in utero to benzene. Adult male C57Bl/6N mice were treated with a single i.p. injection of benzene, and timed-pregnant females pKZ1 were treated with daily i.p. injections of 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg benzene through gestational days 7-15. Acute exposure to 400 mg/kg benzene resulted in a statistically significant increase in the percentage of micronucleated cells in adult male bone marrow cells and in fetal liver and post-natal day 9 bone marrow cells of mice exposed in utero. Immunoblotting techniques did not detect benzene-induced increases in the formation of gamma-H2A.X in bone marrow cells of adult male mice and in maternal bone marrow, fetal liver, and post-natal bone marrow cells after specific time-point exposures. Finally, no recombination events were detected in adult pKZ1 mouse tissue; however, in post-natal day 9 pups in utero exposure to 400 mg/kg of benzene caused a trend towards increasing recombination frequency although this did not reach statistical significance. These results demonstrate that in utero exposure increases the frequency of micronuclei and DNA recombination events in hematopoietic tissue of fetal and post-natal mice and may be an initiating event in the etiology of childhood leukemias. Further investigations into different types of DNA damage and repair pathways are warranted to fully elucidate the role of genotoxic mechanisms in the etiology of benzene-induced childhood leukemias.

  20. Response of thyroid follicular cells to gamma irradiation compared to proton irradiation. I. Initial characterization of DNA damage, micronucleus formation, apoptosis, cell survival, and cell cycle phase redistribution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, L. M.; Murray, D. K.; Bant, A. M.; Kazarians, G.; Moyers, M. F.; Nelson, G. A.; Tran, D. T.

    2001-01-01

    The RBE of protons has been assumed to be equivalent to that of photons. The objective of this study was to determine whether radiation-induced DNA and chromosome damage, apoptosis, cell killing and cell cycling in organized epithelial cells was influenced by radiation quality. Thyroid-stimulating hormone-dependent Fischer rat thyroid cells, established as follicles, were exposed to gamma rays or proton beams delivered acutely over a range of physical doses. Gamma-irradiated cells were able to repair DNA damage relatively rapidly so that by 1 h postirradiation they had approximately 20% fewer exposed 3' ends than their counterparts that had been irradiated with proton beams. The persistence of free ends of DNA in the samples irradiated with the proton beam implies that either more initial breaks or a quantitatively different type of damage had occurred. These results were further supported by an increased frequency of chromosomal damage as measured by the presence of micronuclei. Proton-beam irradiation induced micronuclei at a rate of 2.4% per gray, which at 12 Gy translated to 40% more micronuclei than in comparable gamma-irradiated cultures. The higher rate of micronucleus formation and the presence of larger micronuclei in proton-irradiated cells was further evidence that a qualitatively more severe class of damage had been induced than was induced by gamma rays. Differences in the type of damage produced were detected in the apoptosis assay, wherein a significant lag in the induction of apoptosis occurred after gamma irradiation that did not occur with protons. The more immediate expression of apoptotic cells in the cultures irradiated with the proton beam suggests that the damage inflicted was more severe. Alternatively, the cell cycle checkpoint mechanisms required for recovery from such damage might not have been invoked. Differences based on radiation quality were also evident in the alpha components of cell survival curves (0.05 Gy(-1) for gamma rays, 0.12 Gy(-1) for protons), which suggests that the higher level of survival of gamma-irradiated cells could be attributed to the persistence of nonlethally irradiated thyrocytes and/or the capacity to repair damage more effectively than cells exposed to equal physical doses of protons. The final assessment in this study was radiation-induced cell cycle phase redistribution. Gamma rays and protons produced a similar dose-dependent redistribution toward a predominantly G(2)-phase population. From our cumulative results, it seems likely that a majority of the proton-irradiated cells would not continue to divide. In conclusion, these findings suggest that there are quantitative and qualitative differences in the biological effects of proton beams and gamma rays. These differences could be due to structured energy deposition from the tracks of primary protons and the associated high-LET secondary particles produced in the targets. The results suggest that a simple dose-equivalent approach to dosimetry may be inadequate to compare the biological responses of cells to photons and protons.

  1. Case Report: Successful Sporozoite Challenge Model in Human Volunteers with Plasmodium vivax Strain Derived from Human Donors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    CBC, reticulocyte count, G-6-PD determination, Duffy phenotype, ABO and Rh group typing, hemoglobin electrophoresis and erythrocyte sedimentation ... rates and APTT† Cardiovascular disease Hepatic or renal abnormalities Cardiovascular function Immunodeficiency Electrocardiogram Autoimmune...malaria vaccine. Progress has been achieved in the development of P. vivax pre- erythrocytic subunit vaccines such as the circumsporo- zoite (CS) and

  2. Toxic Hazards Research Unit. Annual Technical Report. 1978

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-08-01

    determinations made for the following battery of clinical tests: HCT Bilirubin RBC Glucose WBC Triglycerides HGB Iron Alkaline Sedimentation Phosphatase Rate ...Count WBC Hematocrit HCT Hemoglobin HGB Sedimentation Rate SEDI Reticulocytes RETIC MCORP Mean Corpuscular Volume MCV Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin MCH...Contract F33615-76-C-5005 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PPOGPAM ELEMENT, PROJECT , TASK University of California, Irvine APEA A WORK UNIT

  3. Reduced Haematopoietic Output in Automobile Mechanics and Sprayers with Chronic Exposure to Petrochemicals: A Case-Control Study in Cape Coast, Ghana.

    PubMed

    Adu, Patrick; Pobee, Richard; Awuah, Aaron; Asiamah, Paul B; Amoani, Festus; Gyabaa, Sampson

    2018-01-01

    Automobile mechanics and sprayers are at a higher risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals which may cause adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to use reticulocyte count as an indirect measure of the haematological output in automobile mechanics and sprayers in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. This cross-sectional study recruited 130 participants: 90 cases (57 automobile mechanics and 33 automobile sprayers) and 40 controls (nonautomobile workers). Venous blood samples were drawn from the participants and examined for full blood count and absolute reticulocyte count. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic and occupational safety information from participants. 75.6% of cases had never received occupational safety training. Whereas 35.1% of automobile mechanics routinely siphoned fuel, 36.4% of automobile sprayers never used nose masks in the discharge of their duties. Controls had significantly higher WBC counts compared to mechanics ( p = 0.0001; 5.04 ± 1.7 versus 3.81 ± 1.1), or sprayers ( p = 0.0004; 5.04 ± 1.7 versus 3.74 ± 0.9). Lymphocyte, monocyte, and platelet counts were also significantly higher in controls compared to cases. Whereas RBC counts were significantly higher in controls compared to automobile mechanics (4.85 versus 4.66; p = 0.034), haemoglobin levels were significantly higher in automobile sprayers compared to controls (15.13 versus 14.1 g/dl; p = 0.0126). Absolute reticulocyte count was significantly higher in controls compared to cases [ p < 0.0001; (56.88 ± 32.14) × 10 9 /L (controls) versus (25.31 ± 15.75) × 10 9 /L (sprayers) or (33.27 ± 24.42) × 10 9 /L (mechanics)]. Among the cases however, only RBC counts were significantly lower in automobile mechanics compared to automobile sprayers ( p = 0.0088; 4.66 ± 0.4 versus 4.85 ± 0.5). It was evident that both automobile mechanics and sprayers had significantly reduced haematopoietic output. Occupational safety training is not given priority and must be addressed.

  4. Two apparent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variants in normal XY males: G6PD Alabama.

    PubMed

    Prchal, J T; Hall, K; Csepreghy, M; Lilly, M; Berkow, R; Scott, C W

    1988-03-01

    A six-year-old black boy who had transient hemolysis after a viral infection was found to have mildly decreased red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity (1.25 IU/g hemoglobin). Two G6PD bands, both slightly faster than normal G6PD B, were seen on electrophoresis in both the propositus as well as in his maternal grandfather. This is an unexpected finding, since the G6PD gene is located on the long arm of the X chromosome that is subject to X-chromosome inactivation, and available evidence indicates that it is present as a single functional copy in the human genome. The obvious possibility of duplication of the X chromosome was eliminated by cytogenetic analysis with G-banding. G6PD duplication is unlikely, since peripheral blood granulocytes, platelets, and lymphocytes; cultured skin and bone marrow fibroblasts; and Epstein-Barr virus-stimulated lymphocytes yielded only a single electrophoretic band with mobility identical to the slower band seen in crude red blood cell hemolysate. Study of partially purified red blood cell hemolysate G6PD also yielded a single band with identical mobility. Kinetic studies of the enzyme in the propositus and in three generations of his family identified a unique, previously unpublished G6PD mutant that is herein designated G6PD Alabama. Red blood cells were separated by density gradient into a reticulocyte-enriched, an intermediate, and a dense, older portion. Two distinct enzyme bands were identified on electrophoresis of hemolysate from the reticulocyte-enriched portion, but not from the other two portions. It is postulated that two transcriptional products of the mutant G6PD gene exist; one with a short half-life and detectable only in young red blood cells, and another with a longer half-life present in all cells. The existence of two distinct mutant genes in the genome or a unique post-translational form of the mutant G6PD detected only in reticulocytes cannot be excluded.

  5. Reduced Haematopoietic Output in Automobile Mechanics and Sprayers with Chronic Exposure to Petrochemicals: A Case-Control Study in Cape Coast, Ghana

    PubMed Central

    Pobee, Richard; Awuah, Aaron; Asiamah, Paul B.; Amoani, Festus; Gyabaa, Sampson

    2018-01-01

    Background Automobile mechanics and sprayers are at a higher risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals which may cause adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to use reticulocyte count as an indirect measure of the haematological output in automobile mechanics and sprayers in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. Method This cross-sectional study recruited 130 participants: 90 cases (57 automobile mechanics and 33 automobile sprayers) and 40 controls (nonautomobile workers). Venous blood samples were drawn from the participants and examined for full blood count and absolute reticulocyte count. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic and occupational safety information from participants. Results 75.6% of cases had never received occupational safety training. Whereas 35.1% of automobile mechanics routinely siphoned fuel, 36.4% of automobile sprayers never used nose masks in the discharge of their duties. Controls had significantly higher WBC counts compared to mechanics (p = 0.0001; 5.04 ± 1.7 versus 3.81 ± 1.1), or sprayers (p = 0.0004; 5.04 ± 1.7 versus 3.74 ± 0.9). Lymphocyte, monocyte, and platelet counts were also significantly higher in controls compared to cases. Whereas RBC counts were significantly higher in controls compared to automobile mechanics (4.85 versus 4.66; p = 0.034), haemoglobin levels were significantly higher in automobile sprayers compared to controls (15.13 versus 14.1 g/dl; p = 0.0126). Absolute reticulocyte count was significantly higher in controls compared to cases [p < 0.0001; (56.88 ± 32.14) × 109/L (controls) versus (25.31 ± 15.75) × 109/L (sprayers) or (33.27 ± 24.42) × 109/L (mechanics)]. Among the cases however, only RBC counts were significantly lower in automobile mechanics compared to automobile sprayers (p = 0.0088; 4.66 ± 0.4 versus 4.85 ± 0.5). Conclusion It was evident that both automobile mechanics and sprayers had significantly reduced haematopoietic output. Occupational safety training is not given priority and must be addressed. PMID:29780424

  6. Seven benzimidazole pesticides combined at sub-threshold levels induce micronuclei in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Ermler, Sibylle; Scholze, Martin; Kortenkamp, Andreas

    2013-01-01

    Benzimidazoles act by disrupting microtubule polymerisation and are capable of inducing the formation of micronuclei. Considering the similarities in their mechanisms of action (inhibition of microtubule assembly by binding to the colchicine-binding site on tubulin monomers), combination effects according to the principles of concentration addition might occur. If so, it is to be expected that several benzimidazoles contribute to micronucleus formation even when each single one is present at or below threshold levels. This would have profound implications for risk assessment, but the idea has never been tested rigorously. To fill this gap, we analysed micronucleus frequencies for seven benzimidazoles, including the fungicide benomyl, its metabolite carbendazim, the anthelmintics albendazole, albendazole oxide, flubendazole, mebendazole and oxibendazole. Thiabendazole was also tested but was inactive. We used the cytochalasin-blocked micronucleus assay with CHO-K1 cells according to OECD guidelines, and employed an automated micronucleus scoring system based on image analysis to establish quantitative concentration–response relationships for the seven active benzimidazoles. Based on this information, we predicted additive combination effects for a mixture of the seven benzimidazoles by using the concepts of concentration addition and independent action. The observed effects of the mixture agreed very well with those predicted by concentration addition. Independent action underestimated the observed combined effects by a large margin. With a mixture that combined all benzimidazoles at their estimated threshold concentrations for micronucleus induction, micronucleus frequencies of ~15.5% were observed, correctly anticipated by concentration addition. On the basis of independent action, this mixture was expected to produce no effects. Our data provide convincing evidence that concentration addition is applicable to combinations of benzimidazoles that form micronuclei by disrupting microtubule polymerisation. They present a rationale for grouping these chemicals together for the purpose of cumulative risk assessment. PMID:23547264

  7. Evaluation of Genotoxicity in Automobile Mechanics Occupationally Exposed to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Micronuclei and Other Nuclear Abnormalities

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Mohammed Rafiq; Sudha, Sellappa

    2012-01-01

    Background Occupational and environmental exposures mostly represent mixtures of genotoxic agents, whereas the specificity of biomarker measurements varies widely. Exploration of correlations among biomarkers contributes to the further progress of molecular cancer epidemiology and to the selection of the optimal biomarkers for the investigation of human exposure to carcinogens. The aim of this study was to assess the potential cytogenetic damage associated with occupational exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) among automobile mechanics by using Micronuclei (MN) and other Nuclear Abnormalities (NA) as a biomarker. Methods The study population composed of 110 occupationally exposed automobile mechanics and 100 unexposed controls. All the study participants were males. Both the exposed and control individuals were selected from automobile garages located in the urban area of Coimbatore City, South India. Exfoliated buccal cells were collected from 110 automobile mechanics and 100 age and sex matched controls. Further, cells were examined for MN frequency and Nuclear Abnormalities (NA) other than micronuclei, such as binucleates, broken eggs and karyolysis. Results Results showed a statistically significant difference between occupationally exposed automobile mechanics and control groups. MN and NA frequencies in automobile mechanics were significantly higher than those in control groups (p < 0.05) and also significantly related to smoking habit (p < 0.05). In addition, a higher degree of NA was observed among the exposed subjects with smoking, drinking, tobacco chewing, which is an indicative of cytogenetic damage in these individuals. Conclusion MN and other NA reflect genetic changes, events associated with carcinogenesis. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that automobile mechanics exposed to PAHs are under risk of significant cytogenetic damage. Therefore, it is important to provide and offer better awareness of occupational hazards among these workers to promote occupational safety. PMID:25628826

  8. Micronuclei in Cord Blood Lymphocytes and Associations with Biomarkers of Exposure to Carcinogens and Hormonally Active Factors, Gene Polymorphisms, and Gene Expression: The NewGeneris Cohort

    PubMed Central

    Merlo, Domenico Franco; Agramunt, Silvia; Anna, Lívia; Besselink, Harrie; Botsivali, Maria; Brady, Nigel J.; Ceppi, Marcello; Chatzi, Leda; Chen, Bowang; Decordier, Ilse; Farmer, Peter B.; Fleming, Sarah; Fontana, Vincenzo; Försti, Asta; Fthenou, Eleni; Gallo, Fabio; Georgiadis, Panagiotis; Gmuender, Hans; Godschalk, Roger W.; Granum, Berit; Hardie, Laura J.; Hemminki, Kari; Hochstenbach, Kevin; Knudsen, Lisbeth E.; Kogevinas, Manolis; Kovács, Katalin; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A.; Løvik, Martinus; Nielsen, Jeanette K; Nygaard, Unni Cecilie; Pedersen, Marie; Rydberg, Per; Schoket, Bernadette; Segerbäck, Dan; Singh, Rajinder; Sunyer, Jordi; Törnqvist, Margareta; van Loveren, Henk; van Schooten, Frederik J.; Vande Loock, Kim; von Stedingk, Hans; Wright, John; Kirsch-Volders, Micheline; van Delft, Joost H.M.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Leukemia incidence has increased in recent decades among European children, suggesting that early-life environmental exposures play an important role in disease development. Objectives: We investigated the hypothesis that childhood susceptibility may increase as a result of in utero exposure to carcinogens and hormonally acting factors. Using cord blood samples from the NewGeneris cohort, we examined associations between a range of biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and hormonally acting factors with micronuclei (MN) frequency as a proxy measure of cancer risk. Associations with gene expression and genotype were also explored. Methods: DNA and protein adducts, gene expression profiles, circulating hormonally acting factors, and GWAS (genome-wide association study) data were investigated in relation to genomic damage measured by MN frequency in lymphocytes from 623 newborns enrolled between 2006 and 2010 across Europe. Results: Malondialdehyde DNA adducts (M1dG) were associated with increased MN frequency in binucleated lymphocytes (MNBN), and exposure to androgenic, estrogenic, and dioxin-like compounds was associated with MN frequency in mononucleated lymphocytes (MNMONO), although no monotonic exposure–outcome relationship was observed. Lower frequencies of MNBN were associated with a 1-unit increase expression of PDCD11, LATS2, TRIM13, CD28, SMC1A, IL7R, and NIPBL genes. Gene expression was significantly higher in association with the highest versus lowest category of bulky and M1dG–DNA adducts for five and six genes, respectively. Gene expression levels were significantly lower for 11 genes in association with the highest versus lowest category of plasma AR CALUX® (chemically activated luciferase expression for androgens) (8 genes), ERα CALUX® (for estrogens) (2 genes), and DR CALUX® (for dioxins). Several SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) on chromosome 11 near FOLH1 significantly modified associations between androgen activity and MNBN frequency. Polymorphisms in EPHX1/2 and CYP2E1 were associated with MNBN. Conclusion: We measured in utero exposure to selected environmental carcinogens and circulating hormonally acting factors and detected associations with MN frequency in newborns circulating T lymphocytes. The results highlight mechanisms that may contribute to carcinogen-induced leukemia and require further research. Citation: Merlo DF, Agramunt S, Anna L, Besselink H, Botsivali M, Brady NJ, Ceppi M, Chatzi L, Chen B, Decordier I, Farmer PB, Fleming S, Fontana V, Försti A, Fthenou E, Gallo F, Georgiadis P, Gmuender H, Godschalk RW, Granum B, Hardie LJ, Hemminki K, Hochstenbach K, Knudsen LE, Kogevinas M, Kovács K, Kyrtopoulos SA, Løvik M, Nielsen JK, Nygaard UC, Pedersen M, Rydberg P, Schoket B, Segerbäck D, Singh R, Sunyer J, Törnqvist M, van Loveren H, van Schooten FJ, Vande Loock K, von Stedingk H, Wright J, Kleinjans JC, Kirsch-Volders M, van Delft JHM, NewGeneris Consortium. 2014. Micronuclei in cord blood lymphocytes and associations with biomarkers of exposure to carcinogens and hormonally active factors, gene polymorphisms, and gene expression: The NewGeneris Cohort. Environ Health Perspect 122:193–200; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206324 PMID:24252472

  9. Genotoxicological response of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to spring water in Tlaxcala, México.

    PubMed

    García-Nieto, Edelmira; Juárez-Santacruz, Libertad; García-Gallegos, Elizabeth; Tlalmis-Zempoalteca, Joselin; Romo-Gómez, Claudia; Torres-Dosal, Arturo

    2014-10-01

    This study evaluated the genotoxic impact of anthropic activities in Huactzinco Spring, using Cyprinus carpio as a biomonitor. In situ and in vivo experimental designs were compared by means of simultaneous 2-week exposures. The water from the spring generated mean micronuclei frequency values (108.6 ± 32 MN/1,000) and DNA fragmentation values (143.4 ± 35 au) which were statistically higher than those for the negative control (10.9 ± 6 MN/1,000 and 67.6 ± 23 au). The in situ and in vivo experiments supported one another. The comet assay proved to be the most sensitive test, with an EC50 value (11.4 % ± 3.4 %) being less than that determined for the micronuclei test (54.8 % ± 3.2 %). The results of this study confirm the usefulness of C. carpio as an environmental contamination biomonitor, and suggest that Huactzinco Spring water constitutes a latent risk to human health and the environment.

  10. Chromosomal Damage and Apoptosis in Exfoliated Buccal Cells from Individuals with Oral Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Dórea, Lavínia Tércia Magalhães; Meireles, José Roberto Cardoso; Lessa, Júlia Paula Ramos; Oliveira, Márcio Campos; de Bragança Pereira, Carlos Alberto; Polpo de Campos, Adriano; Cerqueira, Eneida de Moraes Macílio

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate cytological abnormalities indicative of chromosome damage (micronuclei) and apoptosis (karyorrhexis, pyknosis, and condensed chromatin) in exfoliated cells from the buccal mucosa of patients with oral cancer and control subjects. The sample included twenty individuals with oral cancer and forty individuals with normal buccal mucosa. Material was collected from the cheek epithelium in areas with lesions and areas without abnormalities. A minimum of one thousand cells was analyzed. Micronuclei were found significantly more frequently in cells collected from lesions than in cells from normal areas, independent of the presence/absence of cancer (P < 0.0001). They were also significantly more frequent in smokers and in mouthwash users (P < 0.0001). Apoptosis occurred significantly less frequently in individuals with oral cancer (P < 0.0001). These results show that oral cancer is associated with higher frequency of chromosomal damage and suggest that apoptosis is compromised in the buccal cells of individuals with this kind of neoplasia. PMID:22315605

  11. Potential control of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with Piper aduncum L. (Piperaceae) extracts demonstrated by chromosomal biomarkers and toxic effects on interphase nuclei.

    PubMed

    Rafael, M S; Hereira-Rojas, W J; Roper, J J; Nunomura, S M; Tadei, W P

    2008-01-01

    Dillapiol, a phenylpropanoid isolate from essential oils of leaves of Piper aduncum (Piperaceae), has insecticidal, fungicidal and antimicrobial activities. The insecticidal activity of dillapiol was tested in vivo on the larvae and pupae of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of dengue. Specifically, the effect of dillapiol on the formation of micronuclei and chromosome aberrations was analyzed. Dillapiol treatments comprised two concentrations of 200 and 400 micro dissolved in well water, and a pure well water control used to rear four generations of mosquitoes. Micronuclei occurred in mitotic diploid and tetraploid chromosomes of larvae; nuclear abnormalities also occurred in interphase, metaphase, telophase, and single nucleus cells of pupae. Mortality, oviposition, chromosome breakage, and anaphase bridges were significantly greater in the extract treatments than in controls. The genotoxic effects of dillapiol described here suggest that this natural product may be a useful alternative for the control of A. aegypti.

  12. Resource recovery from septic tank effluent using duckweed-based tilapia aquaculture.

    PubMed

    El-Shafai, Saber A; Abdel-Gawad, Fagr Kh; Samhan, Farag; Nasr, Fayza A

    2013-01-01

    Two parallel duckweed ponds were deployed to utilize nutrients from the effluent of a septic tank treating domestic wastewater. The effluent and fresh biomass of duckweed pond were fed to two subsequent fish ponds stocked with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish ponds receiving freshwater and commercial feed were used as control. The results of specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio showed no significant difference between the control ponds and treatment ponds. On the other hand, the total and net fish yields were significantly higher in the control. Microbial analysis revealed contamination of gills, intestine and liver of fish in the treatment ponds. The activity of the immune response genes was up-regulated in the brain and liver of the treatment samples. A micronucleus assay revealed a similar percentage of micronuclei in the polychromatic erythrocytes of blood in the control and treatment samples, while the treatment samples a had higher incidence of micronuclei in the polychromatic erythrocytes of gills, compared with the control.

  13. Micronucleus assay as a biomarker of genotoxicity in the occupational exposure to agrochemicals in rural workers.

    PubMed

    Gentile, N; Mañas, F; Bosch, B; Peralta, L; Gorla, N; Aiassa, D

    2012-06-01

    This paper aims to evaluate the genotoxic effect of agrochemicals in rural workers occupationally exposed by the micronucleus assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and to promote the development of health and environmental preventive and protective practices. A total of 30 blood samples from 20 individuals occupationally exposed to different agrochemicals and 10 unexposed persons, who formed the reference group, were analyzed. We found statistically significant differences (p < 0.0005, Student's t Test) in the frequency of micronuclei between the two groups (7.20 ± 1.55 and 15.15 ± 5.10 CBMN for reference and exposed groups respectively). The analysis of age showed a positive correlation (Pearson Correlation Test) with the frequency of micronuclei in exposed population (p < 0.05; r(2) = 0.47), in contrast with smoking habits and years of exposure. Micronucleus assay allows an early detection of populations at higher risk of having genetic damage, allowing us to implement strategies of intervention for the purpose of contributing to reduce that risk.

  14. Micronuclei frequencies and nuclear abnormalities in oral exfoliated cells of nuclear power plant workers.

    PubMed

    Sagari, Shitalkumar G; Babannavar, Roopa; Lohra, Abhishek; Kodgi, Ashwin; Bapure, Sunil; Rao, Yogesh; J, Arun; Malghan, Manjunath

    2014-12-01

    Biomonitoring provides a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk from exposure to genotoxic agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequencies of Micronuclei (MN) and other Nuclear abnormalities (NA) from exfoliated oral mucosal cells in Nuclear Power Station (NPS) workers. Micronucleus frequencies in oral exfoliated cells were done from individuals not known to be exposed to either environmental or occupational carcinogens (Group I). Similarly samples were obtained from full-time Nuclear Power Station (NPS) workers with absence of Leukemia and any malignancy (Group II) and workers diagnosed as leukemic patients and undergoing treatment (Group III). There was statistically significant difference between Group I, Group II & Group III. MN and NA frequencies in Leukemic Patients were significantly higher than those in exposed workers &control groups (p < 0.05). MN and other NA reflect genetic changes, events associated with malignancies. Therefore, there is a need to educate those who work in NPS about the potential hazard of occupational exposure and the importance of using protective measures.

  15. The ribosome-inactivating, antiproliferative and teratogenic activities and immunoreactivities of a protein from seeds of Luffa aegyptiaca (Cucurbitaceae).

    PubMed

    Ng, T B; Chan, W Y; Yeung, H W

    1993-05-01

    1. The protein isolated from Luffa aegyptiaca seeds was capable of inhibiting protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system and [3H]thymidine uptake by mouse melanoma (B16) cells. 2. It also adversely affected the development of mouse embryos in culture. 3. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay it reacted with antisera raised against other ribosome-inactivating proteins.

  16. In vivo genotoxicity assessment of acrylamide and glycidyl methacrylate.

    PubMed

    Dobrovolsky, Vasily N; Pacheco-Martinez, M Monserrat; McDaniel, L Patrice; Pearce, Mason G; Ding, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Acrylamide (ACR) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) are structurally related compounds used for making polymers with various properties. Both chemicals can be present in food either as a byproduct of processing or a constituent of packaging. We performed a comprehensive evaluation of ACR and GMA genotoxicity in Fisher 344 rats using repeated gavage administrations. Clastogenicity was measured by scoring micronucleated (MN) erythrocytes from peripheral blood, DNA damage in liver, bone marrow and kidneys was measured using the Comet assay, and gene mutation was measured using the red blood cell (RBC) and reticulocyte Pig-a assay. A limited histopathology evaluation was performed in order to determine levels of cytotoxicity. Doses of up to 20 mg/kg/day of ACR and up to 250 mg/kg/day of GMA were used. ACR treatment resulted in DNA damage in the liver, but not in the bone marrow. While ACR was not a clastogen, it was a weak (equivocal) mutagen in the cells of bone marrow. GMA caused DNA damage in the cells of bone marrow, liver and kidney, and induced MN reticulocytes and Pig-a mutant RBCs in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, our data suggest that both compounds are in vivo genotoxins, but the genotoxicity of ACR is tissue specific. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. [Automated hematology analysers and spurious counts Part 3. Haemoglobin, red blood cells, cell count and indices, reticulocytes].

    PubMed

    Godon, Alban; Genevieve, Franck; Marteau-Tessier, Anne; Zandecki, Marc

    2012-01-01

    Several situations lead to abnormal haemoglobin measurement or to abnormal red blood cells (RBC) counts, including hyperlipemias, agglutinins and cryoglobulins, haemolysis, or elevated white blood cells (WBC) counts. Mean (red) cell volume may be also subject to spurious determination, because of agglutinins (mainly cold), high blood glucose level, natremia, anticoagulants in excess and at times technological considerations. Abnormality related to one measured parameter eventually leads to abnormal calculated RBC indices: mean cell haemoglobin content is certainly the most important RBC parameter to consider, maybe as important as flags generated by the haematology analysers (HA) themselves. In many circumstances, several of the measured parameters from cell blood counts (CBC) may be altered, and the discovery of a spurious change on one parameter frequently means that the validity of other parameters should be considered. Sensitive flags allow now the identification of several spurious counts, but only the most sophisticated HA have optimal flagging, and simpler ones, especially those without any WBC differential scattergram, do not share the same capacity to detect abnormal results. Reticulocytes are integrated into the CBC in many HA, and several situations may lead to abnormal counts, including abnormal gating, interference with intraerythrocytic particles, erythroblastosis or high WBC counts.

  18. Tracking Resilience to Infections by Mapping Disease Space

    PubMed Central

    Thomas Tate, Ann; Rath, Poonam; Cumnock, Katherine; Schneider, David S.

    2016-01-01

    Infected hosts differ in their responses to pathogens; some hosts are resilient and recover their original health, whereas others follow a divergent path and die. To quantitate these differences, we propose mapping the routes infected individuals take through “disease space.” We find that when plotting physiological parameters against each other, many pairs have hysteretic relationships that identify the current location of the host and predict the future route of the infection. These maps can readily be constructed from experimental longitudinal data, and we provide two methods to generate the maps from the cross-sectional data that is commonly gathered in field trials. We hypothesize that resilient hosts tend to take small loops through disease space, whereas nonresilient individuals take large loops. We support this hypothesis with experimental data in mice infected with Plasmodium chabaudi, finding that dying mice trace a large arc in red blood cells (RBCs) by reticulocyte space as compared to surviving mice. We find that human malaria patients who are heterozygous for sickle cell hemoglobin occupy a small area of RBCs by reticulocyte space, suggesting this approach can be used to distinguish resilience in human populations. This technique should be broadly useful in describing the in-host dynamics of infections in both model hosts and patients at both population and individual levels. PMID:27088359

  19. Safety and mutagenicity evaluation of red mold dioscorea fermented from Monascus purpureus NTU 568.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Li-Chuan; Hsu, Ya-Wen; Hong, Chih-Chun; Pan, Tzu-Ming

    2014-05-01

    Monascus-fermented products, including red mold rice and red mold dioscorea, have been developed as functional foods with many health benefits. We performed safety and mutagenic evaluations on red mold dioscorea powder (RMDP) fermented from Monascus purpureus NTU 568. The results of Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102, and TA1535 showed that RMDP (⩽5 mg/plate) was not mutagenic. The mammalian chromosomal aberration test showed that the number of Chinese hamster ovary cells with abnormal chromosomes was <3% after RMDP treatment (maximum concentration: 5 mg/mL). Imprinting control region mice were used to estimate the genotoxicity of RMDP. Compared with the control, high-dose RMDP administration (2000 mg/kg) did not show significant differences in the number of reticulocytes or the occurrence of micronucleated reticulocytes. A 28-day oral toxicity assay in Sprague-Dawley rats was performed to investigate the no observed adverse effect level of RMDP. Compared with the control, high-dose RMDP administration (2000 mg/kg) caused no toxicological responses such as mortality, variation in body weight, or toxicopathologic lesions. Thus, RMDP from M. purpureus NTU 568 shows no significant mutagenic or toxic effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. RNase activity in erythroid cell lysates.

    PubMed

    Burka, E R

    1969-09-01

    The characteristics of degradation of reticulocyte ribonucleic acid (RNA) and ribosomes were studied in a whole erythroid cell lysate system. The process followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and indicated that RNA degradation in the erythroid cell is mediated by an enzyme previously isolated from reticulocyte hemolysates. Erythroid cell RNase activity had a temperature optimum of 50 degrees C, a pH optimum of 7.0, was not energy dependent, was heat labile at physiologic pH, and was inhibited by Mg(++), Ca(++), and exposure to bentonite and deoxycholate. Free sulfhydryl groups were not essential for RNase activity. Of the substrates occurring naturally within the erythroid cell, isolated ribosomal RNA was most susceptible to the action of the enzyme, intact ribosomes least susceptible, and transfer RNA intermediate between them. Natural substrates were degraded completely to nucleotides in cell lysates. Competitive inhibition studies indicate that one enzyme system is capable of degrading both RNA and ribosomes, although the existence of more than one enzyme has not been excluded. Erythroid cell lysates quickly broke down polyribosomes into single ribosomes. The more rapid degradation of ribosomes, as compared with transfer RNA, which occurs in vivo, as opposed to findings in vitro, suggests that there is a special intracellular mechanism responsible for ribosome degradation in the maturing erythroid cell.

  1. Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in a Patient with Pernicious Anemia.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Ramesh Kumar; Dahal, Sumit; Fadlalla, Kamal Fadlalla El Jack; Bhagat, Shambhu; Bhattarai, Bikash

    2017-01-01

    Introduction . Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has been associated with different autoimmune disorders. However, its association with pernicious anemia is rarely reported. Case Report . A 46-year-old male presented with blood in sputum and urine for one day. The vitals were stable. The physical examination was significant for icterus. Lab tests' results revealed leukocytosis, macrocytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, renal dysfunction, and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. He had an elevated LDH, low haptoglobin levels with many schistocytes, nucleated RBCs, and reticulocytes on peripheral smear. Low ADAMTS13 activity (<10%) with elevated ADAMTS13 antibody clinched the diagnosis of severe acquired TTP, and plasmapheresis was started. There was an initial improvement in his hematological markers, which were however not sustained on discontinuation of plasmapheresis. For his refractory TTP, he was resumed on daily plasmapheresis and Rituximab was started. Furthermore, the initial serum Vitamin B12 and reticulocyte index were low in the presence of anti-intrinsic factor antibody. So with the concomitant diagnosis of pernicious anemia, Vitamin B12 was supplemented. The rest of the immunological workups were negative. Subsequently, his symptoms resolved and his hematological parameters improved. Discussion . While pernicious anemia can masquerade as TTP, an actual association between the two can also occur and needs further evaluation and characterization.

  2. Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in a Patient with Pernicious Anemia

    PubMed Central

    Bhagat, Shambhu

    2017-01-01

    Introduction. Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has been associated with different autoimmune disorders. However, its association with pernicious anemia is rarely reported. Case Report. A 46-year-old male presented with blood in sputum and urine for one day. The vitals were stable. The physical examination was significant for icterus. Lab tests' results revealed leukocytosis, macrocytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, renal dysfunction, and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. He had an elevated LDH, low haptoglobin levels with many schistocytes, nucleated RBCs, and reticulocytes on peripheral smear. Low ADAMTS13 activity (<10%) with elevated ADAMTS13 antibody clinched the diagnosis of severe acquired TTP, and plasmapheresis was started. There was an initial improvement in his hematological markers, which were however not sustained on discontinuation of plasmapheresis. For his refractory TTP, he was resumed on daily plasmapheresis and Rituximab was started. Furthermore, the initial serum Vitamin B12 and reticulocyte index were low in the presence of anti-intrinsic factor antibody. So with the concomitant diagnosis of pernicious anemia, Vitamin B12 was supplemented. The rest of the immunological workups were negative. Subsequently, his symptoms resolved and his hematological parameters improved. Discussion. While pernicious anemia can masquerade as TTP, an actual association between the two can also occur and needs further evaluation and characterization. PMID:28473932

  3. Micronuclei in cord blood lymphocytes and associations with biomarkers of exposure to carcinogens and hormonally active factors, gene polymorphisms, and gene expression: the NewGeneris cohort.

    PubMed

    Merlo, Domenico Franco; Agramunt, Silvia; Anna, Lívia; Besselink, Harrie; Botsivali, Maria; Brady, Nigel J; Ceppi, Marcello; Chatzi, Leda; Chen, Bowang; Decordier, Ilse; Farmer, Peter B; Fleming, Sarah; Fontana, Vincenzo; Försti, Asta; Fthenou, Eleni; Gallo, Fabio; Georgiadis, Panagiotis; Gmuender, Hans; Godschalk, Roger W; Granum, Berit; Hardie, Laura J; Hemminki, Kari; Hochstenbach, Kevin; Knudsen, Lisbeth E; Kogevinas, Manolis; Kovács, Katalin; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A; Løvik, Martinus; Nielsen, Jeanette K; Nygaard, Unni Cecilie; Pedersen, Marie; Rydberg, Per; Schoket, Bernadette; Segerbäck, Dan; Singh, Rajinder; Sunyer, Jordi; Törnqvist, Margareta; van Loveren, Henk; van Schooten, Frederik J; Vande Loock, Kim; von Stedingk, Hans; Wright, John; Kleinjans, Jos C; Kirsch-Volders, Micheline; van Delft, Joost H M

    2014-02-01

    Leukemia incidence has increased in recent decades among European children, suggesting that early-life environmental exposures play an important role in disease development. We investigated the hypothesis that childhood susceptibility may increase as a result of in utero exposure to carcinogens and hormonally acting factors. Using cord blood samples from the NewGeneris cohort, we examined associations between a range of biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and hormonally acting factors with micronuclei (MN) frequency as a proxy measure of cancer risk. Associations with gene expression and genotype were also explored. DNA and protein adducts, gene expression profiles, circulating hormonally acting factors, and GWAS (genome-wide association study) data were investigated in relation to genomic damage measured by MN frequency in lymphocytes from 623 newborns enrolled between 2006 and 2010 across Europe. Malondialdehyde DNA adducts (M1dG) were associated with increased MN frequency in binucleated lymphocytes (MNBN), and exposure to androgenic, estrogenic, and dioxin-like compounds was associated with MN frequency in mononucleated lymphocytes (MNMONO), although no monotonic exposure-outcome relationship was observed. Lower frequencies of MNBN were associated with a 1-unit increase expression of PDCD11, LATS2, TRIM13, CD28, SMC1A, IL7R, and NIPBL genes. Gene expression was significantly higher in association with the highest versus lowest category of bulky and M1dG-DNA adducts for five and six genes, respectively. Gene expression levels were significantly lower for 11 genes in association with the highest versus lowest category of plasma AR CALUX® (chemically activated luciferase expression for androgens) (8 genes), ERα CALUX® (for estrogens) (2 genes), and DR CALUX® (for dioxins). Several SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) on chromosome 11 near FOLH1 significantly modified associations between androgen activity and MNBN frequency. Polymorphisms in EPHX1/2 and CYP2E1 were associated with MNBN. We measured in utero exposure to selected environmental carcinogens and circulating hormonally acting factors and detected associations with MN frequency in newborns circulating T lymphocytes. The results highlight mechanisms that may contribute to carcinogen-induced leukemia and require further research.

  4. [Radiation exposure of cultured tissue cells and animals (mice) within 10-kilometers zone of accident at Chernobyl nuclear plant. Effect on radiosensitivity to future radiation].

    PubMed

    Pelevina, I I; Afanasév, G G; Gotlib, V Ia; Alferovich, A A; Antoshchina, M M; Riabchenko, N I; Saenko, A S; Riabtsev, I A; Riabov, I N

    1993-01-01

    The effect of chronic low-level radiation exposure on radiosensitivity to posterior acute irradiation at high doses has been studied. Cells and mice were exposed within the ten-kilometer zone of Chernobyl disaster during various spaces of time (1-12 days), then over one or more days were additionally irradiated by doses of 1-4 Gy. It was shown that no adaptive response was developed under chronic exposure of cells and mice within the zone of disaster. On the contrary increased sensitivity to posterior irradiation was revealed. The number of cytogenetic damages of cultured tissue cells and marrow cells (chromosome aberrations and micronuclei) increases, the spectrum of aberrations being shifted to chromosome type, cells with multiaberration appearing. The decay of chromatine increases indicating an interphase death; the number of leucocytes in peripheral blood decreases.

  5. Environmental genotoxicity assessment along the transport routes of chemical munitions leading to the dumping areas in the Baltic Sea.

    PubMed

    Baršienė, Janina; Butrimavičienė, Laura; Grygiel, Włodzimierz; Stunžėnas, Virmantas; Valskienė, Roberta; Greiciūnaitė, Janina; Stankevičiūtė, Milda

    2016-02-15

    The frequencies of micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds (NB) and nuclear buds on filament (NBf) were examined in 660 specimens of herring (Clupea harengus) collected in 2009-2014 at 65 study stations located mainly along the chemical munition transport routes in the Baltic Sea. The frequency of nuclear abnormalities was strongly increased in herring caught at four stations located close to chemical munition dumping sites, or CWAs - substances (chemical warfare agents) in sediments. Significant increase of MN, NB and NBf was observed in fish caught November 2010-2013 compared to 2009. The most significantly increased genotoxicity responses were recorded in fish caught at stations along CW (chemical weapons) transport routes, close to the Bornholm CW dumping area, in zones with CWAs in sediments and with oil-gas platforms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Improvement of hemoglobin levels after a switch from intravenous to subcutaneous administration of immunoglobulin in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and multifocal motor neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Markvardsen, Lars Høj; Christiansen, Ingelise; Jakobsen, Johannes

    2016-10-01

    Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is recommended treatment for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Recent studies have demonstrated that subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) is feasible, safe, and effective in both disorders. IVIG leads to transient hemolysis and, consequently, we hypothesized that frequent small doses of SCIG exerts less hemolytic activity than a few larger doses of IVIG. In an open-label study, 23 three patients treated with IVIG for CIDP or MMN were switched to SCIG at an equal dosage. IVIG was administered two to three times for 6 weeks. Two weeks after the last IVIG infusion at Week 8, SCIG was initiated with injections twice or thrice weekly until Week 20. Blood samples were drawn 2 weeks after IVIG at Weeks 2 and 8 and during SCIG at Weeks 14 and 20 determining hemoglobin (Hb) and hemolytic variables. Seventeen patients completed the study. At enrollment, the Hb level was 138 ± 12 g/L, haptoglobin level was 1.4 ± 0.5 g/L, reticulocyte count was 58.7 × 10 9  ± 21.3 × 10 9 /L, and bilirubin level was 6.6 ± 2.3 µmol/L. The average of the two blood samples drawn at comparable intervals during IVIG and SCIG showed that Hb increased from 135 ± 15 to 138 ± 15 g/L (p = 0.03). During IVIG the hemolytic variables showed signs of mild hemolysis that improved during SCIG, haptoglobin increasing from 1.2 ± 0.5 to 1.5 ± 0.6 g/L (p = 0.002), reticulocytes decreasing from 71.9 × 10 9  ± 35.8 × 10 9 to 54.5 × 10 9  ± 16.3 × 10 9 /L (p = 0.02), and bilirubin decreasing from 7.3 ± 2.8 to 5.8 ± 1.8 µmol/L (p = 0.001). A switch from IVIG to SCIG was associated with a slight increase of Hb levels and an improvement of laboratory variables related to hemolytic activity. © 2016 AABB.

  7. Clastogenic and toxicological assessment of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) nut bark extracts in Wistar rats.

    PubMed

    Owumi, Solomon E; Fatoki, John O; Gbadegesin, Michael A; Odunola, Oyeronke A

    2015-01-01

    Occupational exposures to environmental toxicants have been associated with the onset of skin lesions-including cancers. Identification and reduction of exposure to such compounds is an important public health goal. We examined the effect of cashew shell oil (CSO), used in skin tattooing for its potential to induce skin transformation in rats. Corn oil and CSO (25, 50, and 100%) were topically applied to depilated sections of Wistar' rat skin (groups: I-IV) for six weeks. Effect of treatments on serum transaminases activity, histological changes in hepatocytes and induction of micronuclei in the bone marrow were examined. In addition, CSO-induced hepatocyte proliferation was also quantified. All animals survived the course of the study. Reduced percentage change in body weight and physical trauma were observed in CSO-treated rat. The effects were more prominent in Group IV (100% CSO). Relative liver weights and number of hepatocytes (cells/mm(2)) increased significantly in groups II-IV relative to control (p < 0.05). Serum transaminases activities were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected in treated groups. Hepatic histopathology revealed moderate sinusoidal congestion (group II), in addition to portal congestion in (group III), with mononuclear cellular infiltration (group IV) animals. In addition, CSO induced significant micronuclei formation of polychromatic erythrocyte (mPCEs) in the rat bone marrow (p < 0.05) when compared with control. Topical application of CSO disrupted skin cells integrity resulting in physical trauma. In addition, CSO appears to be clastogenic and induces hepatocyte proliferation. Occupational exposure to CSO especially for engraving tattoos in humans should be discouraged and further studies need to be conducted.

  8. Assessment of the in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-tumor activity of the alcoholic stem bark extract/fractions of Mimusops elengi Linn.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Harish; Savaliya, Mihir; Biswas, Subhankar; Nayak, Pawan G; Maliyakkal, Naseer; Manjunath Setty, M; Gourishetti, Karthik; Pai, K Sreedhara Ranganath

    2016-08-01

    Various parts of Mimusops elengi Linn. (Sapotaceae) have been used widely in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of pain, inflammation and wounds. The study was conducted to explore the use of stem bark of M. elengi on pharmacological grounds and to evaluate the scientific basis of cytotoxic and anti-tumor activity. Extract/fractions were prepared and in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed using SRB assay. Most effective fractions were subjected to fluorescence microscopy based acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) and Hoechst 33342 staining to determine apoptosis induction and DNA fragmentation assay. Comet and micronuclei assay were performed to assess genotoxicity. Cell cycle analysis was also performed. In vivo anti-tumor potential was evaluated by Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model in mice. The alcoholic stem bark extract of M. elengi along with four fractions showed potential in vitro cytotoxicity in SRB assay. Of these, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions were selected for further studies. The fractions revealed apoptosis inducing potential in AO/EB and Hoechst 33342 staining, which was further confirmed by DNA fragmentation assay. Genotoxic potential was revealed by comet and micronuclei assay. Fractions also exhibited specific cell cycle inhibition in G0/G1 phase. In EAC model, ethyl acetate fraction along with the standard (cisplatin) effectively reduced the increase in body weight compared to control and improved mean survival time. Both fractions were able to restore the altered hematological and biochemical parameters. Hence, M. elengi stem bark may be a possible therapeutic candidate having cytotoxic and anti-tumor potential.

  9. Efficient initiation of mammalian mRNA translation at a CUG codon.

    PubMed Central

    Dasso, M C; Jackson, R J

    1989-01-01

    Nucleotide substitutions were made at the initiation codon of an influenza virus NS cDNA clone in a vector carrying the bacteriophage T7 promoter. When capped mRNA transcripts of these constructs were translated in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate, a change in the initiation codon from...AUAAUGG...to...AUACUGG...reduced the in vitro translational efficiency by only 50-60%, and resulted in only a small increase in the yield of short products presumed to be initiated at downstream sites. Synthesis of the full-length product was initiated exclusively at the mutated codon, with negligible use either of in-frame upstream CUG or GUG codons, or of an in-frame downstream GUG codon. We conclude that CUG has the potential to function as an efficient initiation codon in mammalian systems, at least in certain contexts. Images PMID:2780285

  10. Beta-Adrenergic Blockade Does not Prevent Polycythemia or Decrease in Plasma Volume in Men at 4300 m Altitude

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grover, R. F.; Selland, M. A.; McCullough, R. G.; Dahms, T. E.; Wolfel, E. E.; Butterfield, G. E.; Reeves, J. T.; Greenleaf, J. E.

    1998-01-01

    When humans ascend to high altitude (ALT) their plasma volume (PV) and total blood volume (BV) decrease during the first few days. With continued residence over several weeks, the hypoxia-induced stimulation of erythropoietin increases red cell production which tends to restore BV. Because hypoxia also activates the beta-adrenergic system, which stimulates red blood cell production, we investigated the effect of adrenergic beta-receptor inhibition with propranolol on fluid volumes and the polycythemic response in 11 healthy unacclimatized men (21-33 years old exposed to an ALT of 4300 m (barometric pressure 460 Torr) for 3 weeks on Pikes Peak, Colorado. PV was determined by the Evans blue dye method (PV(sub EB)), BV by the carbon monoxide method (BV(sub CO)), red cell volume (RCV)was calculated from hematocrit (Hct) and BV(sub CO), and serum erythropoietin concentration ([EPO]) and reticulocyte count, were also determined. All determinations were made at sea level and after 9-11 (ALT-10) and 9-20 (ALT-20) days at ALT. At sea level and ALT, six men received propranolol (pro, 240 mg/day), and five received a placebo (pla). Effective beta-blockade did not modify the mean (SE) maximal values of [EPO] [pla: 24.9 (3.5) vs pro: 24.5 (1.5) mU/ml] or reticulocyte count [pla: 2.7 (0.7) vs pro: 2.2 (0.5)%]; nor changes in PV(sub EB)[pla: -15.8 (3.8) vs pro: -19.9 (2.8)%], RCV(sub CO) [pla: +7.0 (6.7) vs pro: +10.1 (6.1)%], or BV(sub CO) [pla: -7.3 (2.3) vs pro: -7.1 (3.9)%]. In the absence of weight loss, a redistribution of body water with no net loss is implied. Hence, activation of the beta-adrenergic system did not appear to affect the hypovolemic or polycythemic responses that occurred during 3 weeks at 4300 m ALT in these subjects.

  11. Therapy with recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Stone, R M; Bernstein, S H; Demetri, G; Facklam, D P; Arthur, K; Andersen, J; Aster, J C; Kufe, D

    1994-10-01

    We conducted a Phase I-II trial of recombinant human erythropoietin-beta (rhEPO) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Patients with anemia and pathologically confirmed MDS were eligible for the study. Treatment consisted of rhEPO by subcutaneous injection thrice weekly for 6 weeks at one of three dose levels (100 U/kg (three patients), 200 U/kg (three patients) and 400 U/kg (14 patients)). Ferrous sulfate (325 mg po tid) was also administered if the transferrin saturation was below 30% (two patients). Patients were monitored with weekly CBC, white cell differential, and reticulocyte counts. Bone marrow examinations were performed at the conclusion of the treatment period and after a 2 week washout period. Patients who responded to therapy were continued on rhEPO at the same dose for 6 additional months. Response criteria included: 50% reduction in transfusion requirements compared with the 6 week pre-study period; doubling of reticulocyte count that was maintained on two determinations at least 1 week apart; or an increase in hemoglobin by at least 1.2 gm/dl without transfusions. Pre-treatment factors potentially predictive of response were analyzed by univariate analysis and in a multivariate fashion by classification and regression trees. Seven of the twenty patients sustained an untransfused rise in serum hemoglobin > or = 1.2 gm/dl. Four of the sixteen patients (including three of seven patients experiencing a rise in serum hemoglobin) who were transfusion-dependent prior to the study achieved a reduction or elimination of their transfusion requirements. Five of thirteen patients who received rhEPO during the extension phase had a continued response. A low baseline erythropoietin level (< 50 mU/ml) was the best predictor of hemoglobin response when controlling for other variables. rhEPO has a role in the treatment of certain patients with MDS, particularly in those whose endogenous serum erythropoietin levels are not markedly elevated.

  12. 40 CFR 79.64 - In vivo micronucleus assay.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... number and sex. At least five female and five male animals per experimental/sample and control group... control group. A single concentration of a compound known to produce micronuclei in vivo is adequate as a... in bone marrow from treated animals compared to that of control animals. The visualization of...

  13. 40 CFR 79.64 - In vivo micronucleus assay.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... number and sex. At least five female and five male animals per experimental/sample and control group... control group. A single concentration of a compound known to produce micronuclei in vivo is adequate as a... in bone marrow from treated animals compared to that of control animals. The visualization of...

  14. 40 CFR 799.9539 - TSCA mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups. The animals are identified uniquely. The animals are... substance, animals in the control groups should be handled in an identical manner to animals of the treatment groups. (2) Positive controls shall produce micronuclei in vivo at exposure levels expected to...

  15. 40 CFR 79.64 - In vivo micronucleus assay.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... number and sex. At least five female and five male animals per experimental/sample and control group... control group. A single concentration of a compound known to produce micronuclei in vivo is adequate as a... in bone marrow from treated animals compared to that of control animals. The visualization of...

  16. 40 CFR 79.64 - In vivo micronucleus assay.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... number and sex. At least five female and five male animals per experimental/sample and control group... control group. A single concentration of a compound known to produce micronuclei in vivo is adequate as a... in bone marrow from treated animals compared to that of control animals. The visualization of...

  17. 40 CFR 79.64 - In vivo micronucleus assay.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... number and sex. At least five female and five male animals per experimental/sample and control group... control group. A single concentration of a compound known to produce micronuclei in vivo is adequate as a... in bone marrow from treated animals compared to that of control animals. The visualization of...

  18. 40 CFR 799.9539 - TSCA mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups. The animals are identified uniquely. The animals are... substance, animals in the control groups should be handled in an identical manner to animals of the treatment groups. (2) Positive controls shall produce micronuclei in vivo at exposure levels expected to...

  19. 40 CFR 799.9539 - TSCA mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups. The animals are identified uniquely. The animals are... substance, animals in the control groups should be handled in an identical manner to animals of the treatment groups. (2) Positive controls shall produce micronuclei in vivo at exposure levels expected to...

  20. Protection of ionizing radiation-induced cytogenetic damage by hydroalcoholic extract of Cynodon dactylon in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Rao, Bola Sadashiva Satish; Upadhya, Dinesh; Adiga, Satish Kumar

    2008-01-01

    The radiomodulatory potential of hydroalcoholic extract of a medicinal plant Cynodon dactylon (family: Poaceae) against radiation-induced cytogenetic damage was analyzed using Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) growing in vitro. Induction of micronuclei was used as an index of cytogenetic damage, evaluated in cytokinesis blocked binucleate cells. The hydroalcoholic Cynodon dactylon extract (CDE) rendered protection against the radiation-induced DNA damage, as evidenced by the significant (p<0.001) reduction in micronucleated binucleate cells (MNBNC%) after various doses of CDE treatment in V79 cells and HPBLs. The optimum dose of CDE (40 and 50 microg/ml in HPBLs and V79 cells, respectively) with the greatest reduction in micronuclei was further used in combination with various doses of gamma radiation (0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 Gy) exposed 1 h after CDE treatment. A linear dose-dependent MNBNC% increase in radiation alone group was observed, while 40/50 microg/ml CDE significantly resulted in the reduction of MNBNC%, compared to the respective radiation alone groups. CDE resulted in a dose-dependent increase in free radical scavenging ability against various free radicals, viz., 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH); 2, 2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS); superoxide anion (O2*-); hydroxyl radical (OH*) and nitric oxide radical (NO*) generated in vitro. Also, an excellent (70%) inhibition of lipid peroxidation in vitro was observed at a dose of 300 microg/ml CDE, attaining the saturation point at higher doses. The present findings demonstrated the radioprotective effect of CDE, also rendering protection against radiation-induced genomic instability and DNA damage. The observed radioprotective effect may be partly attributed to the free radical scavenging and antilipid peroxidative potential of CDE.

  1. Comparison of spontaneous and idoxuridine-induced micronuclei by chromosome painting.

    PubMed

    Fauth, E; Zankl, H

    1999-04-06

    Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) technique with chromosome specific library (CSL) DNA probes for all human chromosomes were used to study about 9000 micronuclei (MN) in normal and idoxuridine (IUdR)-treated lymphocyte cultures of female and male donors. In addition, MN rates and structural chromosome aberrations were scored in Giemsa-stained chromosome spreads of these cultures. IUdR treatment (40 microg/ml) induced on the average a 12-fold increase of the MN rate. Metaphase analysis revealed no distinct increase of chromosome breaks but a preferential decondensation at chromosome 9q12 (28-79%) and to a lower extend at 1q12 (8-21%). Application of FISH technique with CSL probes to one male and one female untreated proband showed that all human chromosomes except chromosome 12 (and to a striking high frequency chromosomes 9, X and Y) occurred in spontaneous MN. In cultures containing IUdR, the chromosomal spectrum found in MN was reduced to 10 chromosomes in the male and 13 in the female proband. Eight chromosomes (2, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18) did not occur in MN of both probands. On the contrary chromosomes 1 and especially 9 were found much more frequently in the MN of IUdR-treated cultures than in MN of control cultures. DAPI-staining revealed heterochromatin signals in most of the IUdR-induced MN. In an additional study, spontaneous and IUdR-induced MN were investigated in lymphocytes of another female donor using CSL probes only for chromosomes 1, 6, 9, 15, 16 and X. The results confirmed the previous finding that chromosomes 1 and 9 occur very often in MN after IUdR-treatment. The results indicate that decondensation of heterochromatic regions on chromosomes 1 and 9 caused by IUdR treatment strongly correlates with MN formation by these chromosomes. Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

  2. Micronucleus test and observation of nuclear alterations in erythrocytes of Nile tilapia exposed to waters affected by refinery effluent.

    PubMed

    da Silva Souza, Tatiana; Fontanetti, Carmem S

    2006-06-16

    Micronuclei and nuclear alterations tests were performed on erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in order to evaluate the water quality from Paraíba do Sul river, in an area affected by effluents from an oil shale processing plant, located in the city of São José dos Campos, Brazil-SP. Water samples were collected on 2004 May and August (dry season) and on 2004 November and 2005 January (rain season), in three distinct sites, comprising 12 samples. It was possible to detect substances of clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential, as well as cytotoxic substances, chiefly at the point corresponding to the drainage of oil shale plant wastes along the river. The highest incidence of micronuclei and nuclear alterations was detected during May and August, whereas the results obtained in November and January were insignificant. This work shows that the effluent treatment provided by the oil shale plant was not fully efficient to minimize the effect of cytotoxic and mutagenic substances in the test organism surveyed.

  3. Radiation-Induced Chromosomal Aberrations and Immunotherapy: Micronuclei, Cytosolic DNA, and Interferon-Production Pathway.

    PubMed

    Durante, Marco; Formenti, Silvia C

    2018-01-01

    Radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations represent an early marker of late effects, including cell killing and transformation. The measurement of cytogenetic damage in tissues, generally in blood lymphocytes, from patients treated with radiotherapy has been studied for many years to predict individual sensitivity and late morbidity. Acentric fragments are lost during mitosis and create micronuclei (MN), which are well correlated to cell killing. Immunotherapy is rapidly becoming a most promising new strategy for metastatic tumors, and combination with radiotherapy is explored in several pre-clinical studies and clinical trials. Recent evidence has shown that the presence of cytosolic DNA activates immune response via the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of interferon genes pathway, which induces type I interferon transcription. Cytosolic DNA can be found after exposure to ionizing radiation either as MN or as small fragments leaking through nuclear envelope ruptures. The study of the dependence of cytosolic DNA and MN on dose and radiation quality can guide the optimal combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The role of densely ionizing charged particles is under active investigation to define their impact on the activation of the interferon pathway.

  4. Origin and evolution of binucleated cells and binucleated cells with micronuclei in cisplatin-treated CHO cultures.

    PubMed

    Rodilla, V

    1993-08-01

    It has recently been described that cisplatin is an agent able to induce binucleated cells (BC) in cultured CHO cells. Both the origin and the significance of those cells within a population are unknown although several hypothesis have been suggested such as blocking of cytokinesis or cell fusion. Using interval photography we have found that at least two mechanisms are involved in the production of BC. These cells can arise in a culture as a result of an incomplete process of cell division, i.e. karyokinesis with incomplete cytokinesis or as a result of the mitotic division of a pre-existent BC. The mitotic division of a BC can give rise to different types of daughter cells. These BC sometimes enter mitosis but fail to divide and as a consequence they remain BC. When the process of division is successful (in the vast majority of cases), the results that have been found are either two mononucleated cells or one mononucleated and one binucleated cell. The possible implications and significance of BC and BC with micronuclei in a given population are discussed.

  5. Frequencies of occurrence of all human chromosomes in micronuclei from normal and 5-azacytidine-treated lymphocytes as revealed by chromosome painting.

    PubMed

    Fauth, E; Scherthan, H; Zankl, H

    1998-05-01

    Chromosome painting with library DNA probes specific for all human chromosomes was used to study the chromosomal content of micronuclei (MN) in normal and 5-azacytidine (5-aza-C)-treated lymphocyte cultures. More than 60,000 normal lymphocytes were screened for associated MN after in situ hybridization. At least 50 MN were scored for each probe. With the exception of chromosomes 12 and 19, which did not occur in MN, all other chromosomes were detected in MN at frequencies varying from 1 to 11.5%. Treatment of lymphocyte cultures with 5-aza-C induced preferential exclusion of chromosomes 1 (34%), 9 (32%) and 16 (20%) material in MN, whereas chromosome 8, 10, 12-15 and 21 material was not detected in MN. The results obtained from normal lymphocytes allow for the first time an estimation of the frequency of occurrence of all chromosomes in spontaneously occurring MN in human cells. Data derived from 5-aza-C-treated lymphocytes are furthermore consistent with the view that undermethylation of heterochromatin may be associated with loss of specific chromosomes at metaphase.

  6. Micronuclei Frequencies and Nuclear Abnormalities in Oral Exfoliated Cells of Nuclear Power Plant Workers

    PubMed Central

    Babannavar, Roopa; Lohra, Abhishek; Kodgi, Ashwin; Bapure, Sunil; Rao, Yogesh; J., Arun; Malghan, Manjunath

    2014-01-01

    Aim: Biomonitoring provides a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk from exposure to genotoxic agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequencies of Micronuclei (MN) and other Nuclear abnormalities (NA) from exfoliated oral mucosal cells in Nuclear Power Station (NPS) workers. Materials and Methods: Micronucleus frequencies in oral exfoliated cells were done from individuals not known to be exposed to either environmental or occupational carcinogens (Group I). Similarly samples were obtained from full-time Nuclear Power Station (NPS) workers with absence of Leukemia and any malignancy (Group II) and workers diagnosed as leukemic patients and undergoing treatment (Group III). Results: There was statistically significant difference between Group I, Group II & Group III. MN and NA frequencies in Leukemic Patients were significantly higher than those in exposed workers &control groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: MN and other NA reflect genetic changes, events associated with malignancies. Therefore, there is a need to educate those who work in NPS about the potential hazard of occupational exposure and the importance of using protective measures. PMID:25654022

  7. Iron-Chelating Therapy for Transfusional Iron Overload

    PubMed Central

    Brittenham, Gary M.

    2011-01-01

    A 16-year-old boy with sickle cell anemia undergoes routine screening with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to assess the risk of stroke. This examination shows an abnormally elevated blood-flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery. The hemoglobin level is 7.2 g per deciliter, the reticulocyte count is 12.5%, and the fetal hemoglobin level is 8.0%. Long-term treatment with red-cell transfusion is initiated to prevent stroke. A hematologist recommends prophylactic iron-chelating therapy. PMID:21226580

  8. The Fate of the Red Cells: Insights from Two Models of Severe Malarial Anemia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-07

    approximately 1%. The reticulocyte levels in these animals elevated to approximately 35% 2 days after the anemic crisis and then returned to basal...cells are destroyed for every parasitized red cell22. A prospective study in a Karen community on the western border of Thailand showed that in anemia...activation in severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Clin.Immunol.Immunopathol. 1997;85:166-171. 136. Facer CA, Bray RS, Brown J. Direct Coombs

  9. Performance evaluation of the Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby and the Sysmex XT-2000i haematology analysers.

    PubMed

    Leers, M P G; Goertz, H; Feller, A; Hoffmann, J J M L

    2011-02-01

    Two mid-range haematology analysers (Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby and Sysmex XT-2000i) were evaluated to determine their analytical performance and workflow efficiency in the haematology laboratory. In total 418 samples were processed for determining equivalence of complete blood count (CBC) measurements, and 100 for reticulocyte comparison. Blood smears served for assessing the agreement of the differential counts. Inter-instrument agreement for most parameters was good although small numbers of discrepancies were observed. Systematic biases were found for mean cell volume, reticulocytes, platelets and mean platelet volume. CELL-DYN Ruby WBC differentials were obtained with all samples while the XT-2000i suppressed differentials partially or completely in 13 samples (3.1%). WBC subpopulation counts were otherwise in good agreement with no major outliers. Following first-pass CBC/differential analysis, 88 (21%) of XT-2000i samples required further analyser processing compared to 18 (4.3%) for the CELL-DYN Ruby. Smear referrals for suspected WBC/nucleated red blood cells and platelet abnormalities were indicated for 106 (25.4%) and 95 (22.7%) of the XT-2000i and CELL-DYN Ruby samples respectively. Flagging efficiencies for both analysers were found to be similar. The Sysmex XT-2000i and Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby analysers have broadly comparable analytical performance, but the CELL-DYN Ruby showed superior first-pass efficiency. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. Reticulocyte and haemoglobin profiles in elite triathletes over four consecutive seasons.

    PubMed

    Díaz, V; Lombardi, G; Ricci, C; Jacobs, R A; Montalvo, Z; Lundby, C; Banfi, G

    2011-12-01

    The World Anti-Doping Agency has implemented the Blood Passport in attempt to detect blood doping in athletes. The Blood Passport looks for uncommon changes overtime in reticulocytes percentage (Ret %), as a variable of the OFF-hr score, and haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) reflecting potential doping violations. Few studies, however, have actually investigated the concurrent stability of Ret % and [Hb] in athletes over extended periods of time, none of which were measured in athletes who undergo strenuous and prolonged physical exercise. Measurements of Ret % and [Hb] were assessed over the course of four competitive seasons in elite triathletes (10 males and seven female). Blood was obtained at the start of the season, precompetitive period, competitive period and at the end of the competitive period. Differences (P<0.001) were observed in both [Hb] and Ret % between genders and there was a high variability between subjects. Neither males nor females exhibited differences in [Hb] across all periods within one season. Within gender, analysis revealed that Ret % varied significantly (P=0.0018) between periods only in female athletes. We conclude that Ret % and [Hb] remain stable over four consecutive seasons in elite triathletes, confirming that both parameters are valid for antidoping purposes based on the Blood Passport. In addition, Ret % fluctuations within one season require further investigation in females. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Back to basics: the untreated rabbit reticulocyte lysate as a competitive system to recapitulate cap/poly(A) synergy and the selective advantage of IRES-driven translation.

    PubMed

    Soto Rifo, Ricardo; Ricci, Emiliano P; Décimo, Didier; Moncorgé, Olivier; Ohlmann, Théophile

    2007-01-01

    Translation of most eukaryotic mRNAs involves the synergistic action between the 5' cap structure and the 3' poly(A) tail at the initiation step. The poly(A) tail has also been shown to stimulate translation of picornavirus internal ribosome entry sites (IRES)-directed translation. These effects have been attributed principally to interactions between eIF4G and poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) but also to the participation of PABP in other steps during translation initiation. As the rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) does not recapitulate this cap/poly(A) synergy, several systems based on cellular cell-free extracts have been developed to study the effects of poly(A) tail in vitro but they generally exhibit low translational efficiency. Here, we describe that the non-nuclease-treated RRL (untreated RRL) is able to recapitulate the effects of poly(A) tail on translation in vitro. In this system, translation of a capped/polyadenylated RNA was specifically inhibited by either Paip2 or poly(rA), whereas translation directed by HCV IRES remained unaffected. Moreover, cleavage of eIF4G by FMDV L protease strongly stimulated translation directed by the EMCV IRES, thus recapitulating the competitive advantage that the proteolytic processing of eIF4G confers to IRES-driven RNAs.

  12. [Pernicious anemia: diagnosis and course in Burkina Faso].

    PubMed

    Koulidiati, J; Sawadogo, S; Sagna, Y; Somda, K S; Tieno, H; Kafando, E; Drabo, Y J

    2015-01-01

    Pernicious anemia (also known as Biermer disease or anemia, Addison or Addisonian anemia, and Addison-Biermer anemia) is an autoimmune atrophic gastritis responsible for vitamin B12 malabsorption due to a deficiency of intrinsic factor. We report eight cases of pernicious anemia in Burkina Faso, collected over a 44-month period. The three criteria for diagnosis of pernicious anemia were: vitamin B12 deficiency, gastric disease (gastric histology) with presence of anti-intrinsic factor, and/or anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies in serum. All patients had anemia, with a mean hemoglobin level of 8.75 g/100 mL. The average mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was 122.1 fL the average mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) 39.3 pg, the mean reticulocyte count 12.069 10(9)/L reticulocytes, and the mean rate of megaloblast marrow cells 17.2%. The serum vitamin B12 level ranged from 35 to 71 pmol/L. Antibodies against intrinsic factor were found in all eight patients. All ABO blood groups were present with a predominance (4 cases) of group O. Endoscopy found a normal fundic mucosa in three patients. Histology showed gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia for six patients (85.7%). Under B12 vitamin therapy, the course was favorable in all patients; seven patients also had 10 days of iron therapy. We recommend a gastric biopsy even in the absence of macroscopic gastric lesions on the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

  13. Genotoxicity of gemfibrozil in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata).

    PubMed

    Barreto, A; Luis, L G; Soares, A M V M; Paíga, P; Santos, L H M L M; Delerue-Matos, C; Hylland, K; Loureiro, S; Oliveira, M

    2017-09-01

    Widespread use of pharmaceuticals and suboptimal wastewater treatment have led to increased levels of these substances in aquatic ecosystems. Lipid-lowering drugs such as gemfibrozil, which are among the most abundant human pharmaceuticals in the environment, may have deleterious effects on aquatic organisms. We examined the genotoxicity of gemfibrozil in a fish species, the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), which is commercially important in southern Europe. Following 96-h waterborne exposure, molecular (erythrocyte DNA strand breaks) and cytogenetic (micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities in cells) endpoints were measured. Gemfibrozil was positive in both endpoints, at environmentally relevant concentrations, a result that raises concerns about the potential genotoxic effects of the drug in recipient waters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Induction and disappearance of γH2AX foci and formation of micronuclei after exposure of human lymphocytes to ⁶⁰Co γ-rays and p(66)+ Be(40) neutrons.

    PubMed

    Vandersickel, Veerle; Beukes, Philip; Van Bockstaele, Bram; Depuydt, Julie; Vral, Anne; Slabbert, Jacobus

    2014-02-01

    To investigate both the formation of micronuclei (MN) and the induction and subsequent loss of phosphorylated histone H2AX foci (γH2AX foci) after in vitro exposure of human lymphocytes to either (60)Co γ-rays or p(66)+ Be(40) neutrons. MN dose response (DR) curves were obtained by exposing isolated lymphocytes of 10 different donors to doses ranging from 0-4 Gy γ-rays or 0-2 Gy neutrons. Also, γH2AX foci DR curves were obtained following exposure to doses ranging from 0-0.5 Gy of either γ-rays or neutrons. Foci kinetics for lymphocytes for a single donor exposed to 0.5 Gy γ-rays or neutrons were studied up to 24 hours post-irradiation. Micronuclei yields following neutron exposure were consistently higher compared to that from (60)Co γ-rays. All MN yields were over-dispersed compared to a Poisson distribution. Over-dispersion was higher after neutron irradiation for all doses > 0.1 Gy. Up to 4 hours post-irradiation lower yields of neutron-induced γH2AX foci were observed. Between 4 and 24 hours the numbers of foci from neutrons were consistently higher than that from γ-rays. The half-live of foci disappearance is only marginally longer for neutrons compared to that from γ-rays. Foci formations were more likely to be over-dispersed for neutron irradiations. Although neutrons are more effective to induce MN, the absolute number of induced γH2AX foci are less at first compared to γ-rays. With time neutron-induced foci are more persistent. These findings are helpful for using γH2AX foci in biodosimetry and to understand the repair of neutron-induced cellular damage.

  15. Cytogenetic studies in human blood lymphocytes exposed in vitro to radiofrequency radiation at a cellular telephone frequency (835.62 MHz, FDMA).

    PubMed

    Vijayalaxmi; Leal, B Z; Meltz, M L; Pickard, W F; Bisht, K S; Roti Roti JL; Straube, W L; Moros, E G

    2001-01-01

    Freshly collected peripheral blood samples from four healthy human volunteers were diluted with RPMI 1640 tissue culture medium and exposed in sterile T-75 tissue culture flasks in vitro for 24 h to 835.62 MHz radiofrequency (RF) radiation, a frequency employed for customer-to-base station transmission of cellular telephone communications. An analog signal was used, and the access technology was frequency division multiple access (FDMA, continuous wave). A nominal net forward power of 68 W was used, and the nominal power density at the center of the exposure flask was 860 W/m(2). The mean specific absorption rate in the exposure flask was 4.4 or 5.0 W/kg. Aliquots of diluted blood that were sham-exposed or exposed in vitro to an acute dose of 1.50 Gy of gamma radiation were used as negative or positive controls. Immediately after the exposures, the lymphocytes were stimulated with a mitogen, phytohemagglutinin, and cultured for 48 or 72 h to determine the extent of genetic damage, as assessed from the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei. The extent of alteration in the kinetics of cell proliferation was determined from the mitotic indices in 48-h cultures and from the incidence of binucleate cells in 72-h cultures. The data indicated no significant differences between RF-radiation- and sham-exposed lymphocytes with respect to mitotic indices, incidence of exchange aberrations, excess fragments, binucleate cells, and micronuclei. In contrast, the response of the lymphocytes exposed to gamma radiation was significantly different from both RF-radiation- and sham-exposed cells for all of these indices. Thus, under the experimental conditions tested, there is no evidence for the induction of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in human blood lymphocytes exposed in vitro for 24 h to 835.62 MHz RF radiation at SARs of 4.4 or 5.0 W/kg.

  16. Genotoxic Potential of 1.6 GHz Wireless Communication Signal: In vivo Two-Year Bioassay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vijayalaxmi, Vijay; Sasser, Lyle B.; Morris, J E.

    Timed-pregnant Fischer 344 rats (from nineteenth day of gestation) and their nursing offspring (until weaning) were exposed to a far-field 1.6 GHz Iridium wireless communication signal for 2 h/day, 5 days/week. Far-field whole-body exposures were conducted with a field intensity of 0.43 mW/cm 2 and whole-body average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.036 to 0.077 W/kg (0.10 to 0.22 W/kg in the brain). This was followed by chronic, head-only exposures of male and female offspring to a near-field 1.6 GHz signal for 2 h/day, 5 days/week, over 2 years. Near-field exposures were conducted at an SAR of 0.16 or 1.6more » W/kg in the brain. Concurrent sham-exposed and cage control rats were also included in the study. At the end of 2 years, all rats were necropsied. Bone marrow smears were examined for the extent of genotoxicity, assessed from the presence of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes. The results indicated that the incidence of micronuclei/ 2000 polychromatic erythrocytes were not significantly different between 1.6 GHz-exposed, sham-exposed and cage control rats. The group mean frequencies were 5.6 6 1.8 (130 rats exposed to 1.6 GHz at 0.16 W/kg SAR), 5.4 6 1.5 (135 rats exposed to 1.6 GHz at 1.6 W/kg SAR), 5.6 6 1.7 (119 sham-exposed rats), and 5.8 6 1.8 (100 cage control rats). In contrast, positive control rats treated with mitomycin C exhibited significantly elevated incidence of micronuclei/2000 polychromatic erythrocytes in bone marrow cells; the mean frequency was 38.2 6 7.0 (five rats). Thus there was no evidence for excess genotoxicity in rats that were chronically exposed to 1.6 GHz compared to sham-exposed and cage controls.« less

  17. Impacts of UVB radiation on food consumption of forest specialist tadpoles.

    PubMed

    Londero, James Eduardo Lago; Dos Santos, Caroline Peripolli; Segatto, Ana Lúcia Anversa; Passaglia Schuch, André

    2017-09-01

    Solar ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) is an important environmental stressor for amphibian populations due to its genotoxicity, especially in early developmental stages. Nonetheless, there is an absence of works focused on the UVB effects on tadpoles' food consumption efficiency. In this work, we investigated the effects of the exposure to a low environmental-simulated dose of UVB radiation on food consumption of tadpoles of the forest specialist Hypsiboas curupi [Hylidae, Anura] species. After UVB treatment tadpoles were divided and exposed to a visible light source or kept in the dark, in order to indirectly evaluate the efficiency of DNA repair performed by photolyases and nucleotide excision repair (NER), respectively. The body mass and the amount of food in tadpoles' guts were verified in both conditions and these data were complemented by the micronuclei frequency in blood cells. Furthermore, the keratinized labial tooth rows were analyzed in order to check for possible UVB-induced damage in this structure. Our results clearly show that the body weight decrease induced by UVB radiation occurs due to the reduction of tadpoles' food consumption. This behavior is directly correlated with the genotoxic impact of UVB light, since the micronuclei frequency significantly increased after treatments. Surprisingly, the results indicate that photoreactivation treatment was ineffective to restore the food consumption activity and body weight values, suggesting a low efficiency of photolyases enzymes in this species. In addition, UVB treatments induced a higher number of breaks in the keratinized labial tooth rows, which could be also associated with the decrease of food consumption. This work contributes to better understand the process of weight loss observed in tadpoles exposed to UVB radiation and emphasizes the susceptibility of forest specialist amphibian species to sunlight-induced genotoxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Characterization of intracellular inclusions in the urothelium of mice exposed to inorganic arsenic.

    PubMed

    Dodmane, Puttappa R; Arnold, Lora L; Muirhead, David E; Suzuki, Shugo; Yokohira, Masanao; Pennington, Karen L; Dave, Bhavana J; Lu, Xiufen; Le, X Chris; Cohen, Samuel M

    2014-01-01

    Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a known human carcinogen at high exposures, increasing the incidences of urinary bladder, skin, and lung cancers. In most mammalian species, ingested iAs is excreted mainly through urine primarily as dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)). In wild-type (WT) mice, iAs, DMA(V), and dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III)) exposures induce formation of intramitochondrial urothelial inclusions. Arsenite (iAs(III)) also induced intranuclear inclusions in arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase knockout (As3mt KO) mice. The arsenic-induced formation of inclusions in the mouse urothelium was dose and time dependent. The inclusions do not occur in iAs-treated rats and do not appear to be related to arsenic-induced urothelial cytotoxicity. Similar inclusions in exfoliated urothelial cells from humans exposed to iAs have been incorrectly identified as micronuclei. We have characterized the urothelial inclusions using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), DNA-specific 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and non-DNA-specific Giemsa staining and determined the arsenical content. The mouse inclusions stained with Giemsa but not with the DAPI stain. Analysis of urothelial mitochondrial- and nuclear-enriched fractions isolated from WT (C57BL/6) and As3mt KO mice exposed to arsenate (iAs(V)) for 4 weeks showed higher levels of iAs(V) in the treated groups. iAs(III) was the major arsenical present in the enriched nuclear fraction from iAs(V)-treated As3mt KO mice. In conclusion, the urothelial cell inclusions induced by arsenicals appear to serve as a detoxifying sequestration mechanism similar to other metals, and they do not represent micronuclei.

  19. Monitoring of volatile and non-volatile urban air genotoxins using bacteria, human cells and plants.

    PubMed

    Ceretti, E; Zani, C; Zerbini, I; Viola, G; Moretti, M; Villarini, M; Dominici, L; Monarca, S; Feretti, D

    2015-02-01

    Urban air contains many mutagenic pollutants. This research aimed to investigate the presence of mutagens in the air by short-term mutagenicity tests using bacteria, human cells and plants. Inflorescences of Tradescantia were exposed to air in situ for 6h, once a month from January to May, to monitor volatile compounds and micronuclei frequency was computed. On the same days PM10 was collected continuously for 24h. Half of each filter was extracted with organic solvents and studied by means of the Ames test, using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains, and the comet assay on human leukocytes. A quarter of each filter was extracted with distilled water in which Tradescantia was exposed. PM10 concentration was particularly high in the winter season (> 50 μg/m(3)). In situ exposure of inflorescences to urban air induced a significant increase in micronuclei frequency at all the sites considered, but only in January (p < 0.01). Aqueous extracts collected in January and February induced genotoxic effects in Tradescantia exposed in the laboratory (p < 0.01). Ames test showed that organic extracts of winter urban air were able to induce genetic mutations in S. typhimurium TA98 strain (± S9), but not in TA100 strain, with a revertants/plate number nine times higher than the negative control. Comet assay showed that winter extracts were more toxic and genotoxic than spring extracts. All the mutagenicity tests performed confirmed that urban air in North Italy in winter contains both volatile and non-volatile genotoxic substances able to induce genetic damage in bacteria, human cells and plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Elevated frequencies of micronuclei in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in their newborns.

    PubMed

    Witczak, Monika; Ferenc, Tomasz; Gulczyńska, Ewa; Nowakowska, Dorota; Łopaczyńska, Dobrosława; Wilczyński, Jan

    2014-03-15

    Pregestational diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) affects about 1% of the obstetric population. In diabetes, persistent hyperglycemia can be a source of DNA damage via overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test, we measured the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) per 1000 binucleated (BN) cells in pregnant women (mothers) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and in their newborns. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were collected from 17 pregnant women with T1DM and cord-blood lymphocytes from their 17 newborns. The control group included 40 pregnant women (mothers) without diabetes mellitus (DM) and their 40 newborns. In the group of pregnant women with T1DM, the mean number of MN per 1000 BN cells was 2.35 (±1.07), significantly (p<0.001) higher than in the control group of pregnant women (0.86±0.90). The frequency value in the group of newborns of T1DM mothers was 1.42 (±0.60), significantly (p<0.05) higher than in the corresponding control group (0.67±0.79). The value in the group of mothers with T1DM was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in their newborns. Comparing mothers without DM with their newborns, no significant frequency differences were observed. No significant correlations were observed between MN frequencies in mothers with T1DM and either the frequencies in their newborns, the duration of diabetes, or HbA1C levels. Our results indicate that T1DM is accompanied by increased frequencies of MN in pregnant women and their newborns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Different responses of vanillic acid, a phenolic compound, in HTC cells: cytotoxicity, antiproliferative activity, and protection from DNA-induced damage.

    PubMed

    Almeida, I V; Cavalcante, F M L; Vicentini, V E P

    2016-12-19

    The consumption of healthy and natural foods has increased over the last few years, primarily because these foods are rich in substances with biological properties of interest, such as exerting anticancer effects and decreasing oxidative stress in living tissues. These foods support adequate nutrition, maintain health, and improve quality of life. Vanillic acid (VA) is a phenolic compound used widely in the food industry as a flavoring, preservative, and food additive. VA can be found in various cereals, whole grains, fruits, herbs, green tea, juices, beers, and wines and possesses antioxidant, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and antiapoptotic activities. Studying the cytotoxicity as well as the mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of different concentrations of VA in Rattus norvegicus hepatoma cells (HTC) can identify new cellular activities of this substance. Concentrations up to 100 µM VA are not cytotoxic to HTC cells in a MTT [3-(4,5-dimethilthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenil tetrazolium bromide] assay after 96-h exposure; therefore, VA does not compromise mitochondrial activity. Similarly, concentrations up to 500 µM do not compromise plasma membrane integrity. VA at 10 and 50 µM showed no mutagenic/clastogenic effects, as no significant micronuclei induction was observed. VA 10 µM presented no antiproliferative activity and reduced the cytotoxicity induced by benzo[a]pyrene. The antimutagenic activity of 10 µM VA was observed by the simultaneous, pre-, and post-treatments, as the phenolic compound significantly reduced the frequency of micronuclei induced by the mutagen. These results indicate that VA exerts different responses in HTC cells. Low concentrations present no cytotoxic, mutagenic, or antiproliferative effects and protect cells from DNA damage.

  2. Decoupling of bilayer leaflets under gas supersaturation: nitrogen nanobubbles in a membrane and their implication in decompression sickness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jing; Zhang, Xianren; Cao, Dapeng

    2018-05-01

    Decompression sickness (also known as diver’s sickness) is a disease that arises from the formation of a bubble inside the body caused by rapid decompression from high atmospheric pressures. However, the nature of pre-existing micronuclei that are proposed for interpreting the formation and growth of the bubble, as well as their very existence, is still highly controversial. In this work, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations are employed to investigate the nucleation of gas bubbles under the condition of nitrogen supersaturation, in the presence of a lipid bilayer and lipid micelle representing other macromolecules with a smaller hydrophobic region. Our simulation results demonstrate that by crossing a small energy barrier, excess nitrogen molecules can enter the lipid bilayer nearly spontaneously, for which the hydrophobic core serves as a potential well for gas enrichment. At a rather low nitrogen supersaturation, gas molecules in the membrane are dispersed in the hydrophobic region of the bilayer, with a slight increase in membrane thickness. But as the level of gas supersaturation reaches a threshold, the accumulation of N2 molecules in the bilayer center causes the two leaflets to be decoupled and the formation of nanobubbles. Therefore, we propose a nucleation mechanism for bubble formation in a supersaturated solution of inert gas: a cell membrane acts as a potential well for gas enrichment, being an ideal location for forming nanobubbles that induce membrane damage at a high level of gas supersaturation. As opposed to previous models, the new mechanism involves forming gas nuclei in a very low-tension hydrophobic environment, and thus a rather low energy barrier is required and pre-existing bubble micronuclei are not needed.

  3. Biomonitoring of genotoxic effects and elemental accumulation derived from air pollution in community urban gardens.

    PubMed

    Amato-Lourenco, Luís Fernando; Lobo, Debora Jã A; Guimarães, Eliane T; Moreira, Tiana Carla Lopes; Carvalho-Oliveira, Regiani; Saiki, Mitiko; Saldiva, Paulo Hilário Nascimento; Mauad, Thais

    2017-01-01

    Urban gardening is a growing global phenomenon with a positive impact on society. Despite several associated benefits, growing vegetables in urban gardens that are localized in highly polluted areas poses questions about the safety of the produced food. Therefore, the identification of risk factors that result in possible deleterious effects to human health is important for realizing all of the benefits to society. We evaluated the use of two biomonitoring methods in ten urban gardens of Sao Paulo city and one control site: the micronuclei frequencies for early tetrads of Tradescantia pallida (Rose) Hunt. cv. "Purpurea" Boom (hereafter, Trad-MCN) as a short-term indicator of genotoxic response and tree barks to quantify the accumulation of traffic-related chemical elements as a long-term biomarker of air pollution in urban gardens. Mature plants of Tradescantia pallida were exposed in each garden, and their inflorescences were sampled over three months. A random set of 300 early tetrads in 13 to 21 slides per garden were evaluated for micronuclei frequencies. Elemental concentrations in 428 tree barks samples from 107 different trees in the areas surrounding urban gardens were quantified using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The frequency of Trad-MCN has a significant correlation with traffic variables and chemical elements related to road dust and tailpipe emissions deposited in tree barks. Negative associations between Trad-MCN and both the distance through traffic and the presence of vertical obstacles were observed in the community gardens. The Mn/Zn concentrations in tree barks were associated with increased Trad-MCN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by ketorolac on the common carp Cyprinus carpio.

    PubMed

    Galar-Martínez, M; García-Medina, S; Gómez-Olivan, L M; Pérez-Coyotl, I; Mendoza-Monroy, D J; Arrazola-Morgain, R E

    2016-09-01

    The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketorolac is extensively used in the treatment of acute postoperative pain. This pharmaceutical has been found at concentrations of 0.2-60 µg/L in diverse water bodies around the world; however, its effects on aquatic organisms remain unknown. The present study, evaluated the oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by sublethal concentrations of ketorolac (1 and 60 µg/L) on liver, brain, and blood of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. This toxicant induced oxidative damage (increased lipid peroxidation, hydroperoxide content, and protein carbonyl content) as well as changes in antioxidant status (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activity) in liver and brain of carp. In blood, ketorolac increased the frequency of micronuclei and is therefore genotoxic for the test species. The effects observed were time and concentration dependent. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1035-1043, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Clastogenic and mitodepressive effects of the insecticide dichlorvos on root meristems of Vicia faba.

    PubMed

    Kontek, Renata; Osiecka, Regina; Kontek, Bodgan

    2007-01-01

    Plant bioassays are an important and integral part of the test battery used in detecting genotoxic/carcinogenic contamination in the environment. Highly sensitive biomonitoring of plant models have been developed, which enables the detection of hazards arising from pesticides, insecticides, industrial contamination, heavy metals and radiation. Root tips of Vicia faba ssp. minor were treated with 1-60 mM of the organophosphorus insecticide dichlorvos (DDVP) for 2 h, followed by a 20-h recovery period. Maleic acid hydrazide (MH) was used as a positive control for the mitotic index, micronucleus and chromosomal aberration assays performed on the Vicia model system. All treatments with DDVP significantly decreased the mitotic activity and increased the frequency of chromosomal aberrations at the metaphase. The frequency of micronuclei was significantly increased at DDVP concentrations starting from 10 mM. The results demonstrate clastogenic and mitodepressive effects of DDVP on Vicia faba cells.

  6. Mycobacterium tuberculosis promotes genomic instability in macrophages.

    PubMed

    Castro-Garza, Jorge; Luévano-Martínez, Miriam Lorena; Villarreal-Treviño, Licet; Gosálvez, Jaime; Fernández, José Luis; Dávila-Rodríguez, Martha Imelda; García-Vielma, Catalina; González-Hernández, Silvia; Cortés-Gutiérrez, Elva Irene

    2018-03-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen, which may either block cellular defensive mechanisms and survive inside the host cell or induce cell death. Several studies are still exploring the mechanisms involved in these processes. To evaluate the genomic instability of M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages and compare it with that of uninfected macrophages. We analysed the possible variations in the genomic instability of Mycobacterium-infected macrophages using the DNA breakage detection fluorescence in situ hybridisation (DBD-FISH) technique with a whole human genome DNA probe. Quantitative image analyses showed a significant increase in DNA damage in infected macrophages as compared with uninfected cells. DNA breaks were localised in nuclear membrane blebs, as confirmed with DNA fragmentation assay. Furthermore, a significant increase in micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities were observed in infected macrophages versus uninfected cells. Genomic instability occurs during mycobacterial infection and these data may be seminal for future research on host cell DNA damage in M. tuberculosis infection.

  7. Arsenate and dimethylarsinic acid in drinking water did not affect DNA damage repair in urinary bladder transitional cells or micronuclei in bone marrow

    EPA Science Inventory

    Arsenic is a recognized human skin, lung, and urinary bladder carcinogen, and may act as a cocarcinogen in the urinary bladder (with cigarette smoking) and skin (with UV light exposure). Possible modes of action of arsenic carcinogenesis/cocarcinogenesis include induction of DNA ...

  8. The evaluation of the genotoxicity of two food preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate.

    PubMed

    Zengin, N; Yüzbaşıoğlu, D; Unal, F; Yılmaz, S; Aksoy, H

    2011-04-01

    In this study, the genotoxic effects of sodium benzoate (SB) and potassium benzoate (PB) were investigated in cultured human peripheral lymphocytes using chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), and micronuclei (MN). The level of nuclear DNA damage of SB and PB were also evaluated using the comet assay. The lymphocytes were incubated with different concentrations of SB (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/ml) and PB (62.5, 125, 250, 500, and 1000 μg/ml). A significant increase was observed in CA, SCE, and MN, in almost all treatments compared to negative controls. SB and PB significantly decreased the mitotic index (MI) in all the treatments, compared to the negative controls. However, neither of the additives affected the replication index (RI). Although SB significantly increased DNA damage, PB did not cause a significant increase in DNA damage. The present results indicate that SB and PB are clastogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic to human lymphocytes in vitro. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: an ultrastructural study.

    PubMed

    Sidhu, G S; Stahl, R E; el-Sadr, W; Cassai, N D; Forrester, E M; Zolla-Pazner, S

    1985-04-01

    Blood and a variety of tissues from 97 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 25 with the AIDS prodrome were studied ultrastructurally. Tubuloreticular structures (TRS) were found in 85 per cent of the patients with AIDS and in 92 per cent of those with the prodrome. Test tube and ring-shaped forms (TRF), found in 41 per cent of the patients with AIDS and in 8 per cent of those with the prodrome, increased with disease progression. Among the patients with AIDS, as the number of sites examined per case increased, the incidence of TRS and TRF tended to approach 100 per cent, suggesting that they are present in all patients with AIDS. Other changes seen frequently were immunologic capping of blood lymphocytes, intramitochondrial iron in blood reticulocytes and marrow normoblasts, megakaryocytic immaturity and platelet phagocytosis, collections of membranous rings in hepatocytic cytoplasm, suggestive of non-A, non-B hepatitis, and proliferations and engorgement of hepatic Ito cells with lipid. The data suggest that TRS and TRF can be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers.

  10. Fragmented red cells reference range for the Sysmex XN®-series of automated blood cell counters.

    PubMed

    Lesesve, J-F; Speyer, E; Perol, J-P

    2015-10-01

    Fragmented red cells (FRCs) are a new parameter determined automatically by the latest generation of blood cell counters. FRC counts may be of interest as they may reflect schistocyte counts measured on a stained peripheral blood smear observed under the microscope. However, FRC counts depend on the technical procedure used to detect them so that reference ranges are device dependent. The XN-9000® is one of the latest models from the Sysmex series of analysers. We aimed to establish a reference range for FRCs based on 1366 normal patient samples. The mean ± SD was 0.14 ± 0.35% and the median was 0% (95% confidence interval of the mean: 0.12-0.16%). We observed that the percentage of red blood cells with <17 pg of haemoglobin content (Hypo-He) was correlated to an FRC increase and that flagged results relating to red blood cells, reticulocytes or platelets might have presented with artefactually increased FRCs. The FRCs reference range (healthy subjects) should be useful for laboratory staff for selecting which blood smears to check optically. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Time Course and Variability of Polycythemic Response in Men at High Altitude

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grover, R. F.; Seiland, M.; McCullough, R. G.; Greenleaf, J. E.; Dahms, T. E.; Wolfel, E.; Reeves, J. T.

    2000-01-01

    Ten young men were exposed to 4,300 m (PB 460 Torr) for three weeks. Plasma volume (PV, Evans Blue dye). and blood volume (BV, carbon monoxide) measured simultaneously, and red cell volume (RCV) calculated from hematocrit, were determined twice at sea level and after 9-11 and 19-20 days at high altitude. After 19-20 days. half the subjects increased RCV +19.4 +/- 1.8% (p<0.001); the other 5 subjects had no significant change in RCV. All 10 subjects had a sustained decrease in PV (-16.2 +/- 1.9%, p<0.05) at altitude. Consequently, compared with sea level values, BV was unchanged (-3.1 +/- 1.8%) in the group with increased RCV, but BV decreased significantly (-12.2 +/- 1.4%, p<0.05) in the other group. Variability in RCV response was not explained by differences, in hypoxemic stimulus or the erythropoictin and reticulocyte responses. Since RCV reflects the balance between red cell. production and destruction, accelerated red cell destruction may have occurred in those individuals with no net change in RCV.

  12. A Health Assessment of Technical Grade Dinitrotoluene ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Technical grade dinitrotoluene (tgDNT) is a mixture of dinitrotoluene isomers. It is composed of 76% 2,4 DNT and 19% 2,6 DNT with the remaining 5% a combination of the other four dinitrotoluene isomers (2,3 , 2,5 , 3,4 , and 3,5 DNT). The toxicological effects of tgDNT were reviewed and the critical effects were identified by evaluating available human occupational and animal studies mainly via inhalation and oral exposure routes. In occupational studies of workers from DNT manufacturing plants, tgDNT exposure (predominately via the inhalation route) associates with clinical symptoms, adverse reproductive effects, and adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. However, these occupational studies are limited due to co-exposure to other known and/or unknown chemicals and lack of useful exposure information. Oral studies in F344 rats showed that tgDNT has a broad toxicity profile in both males and females including significantly increased reticulocytes and Heinz bodies, increased relative liver weight and kidney weight, spleen hemosiderin and extramedullary hematopoiesis, increased incidence of chronic interstitial nephritis, and hepatotoxicity characterized by increased incidences of hepatocyte necrosis, hyperbasophilic hepatocytes, and hepatocyte megalocytosis . The incidence of testicular degeneration in male rats is also significantly increased by tgDNT. In order to identify the most sensitive non-cancer effect(s), all toxicological endpoints from subchron

  13. Micronucleus induction in Vicia faba roots. Part 2. Biological effects of neutrons below 1 cGy.

    PubMed

    Marshall, I; Bianchi, M

    1983-08-01

    A dose-effect relationship has been established for high-energy neutrons (maximum energy 600 MeV) within a dose range of 0.2 to 80 cGy and for low-energy neutrons produced by a 252Cf source (mean energy 2.35 MeV) for doses between 0.2 and 5 cGy. The frequency of micronuclei was found to increase linearly with dose. The relative biological effectiveness (r.b.e) values calculated using 60Co radiation as a reference were, in the high-dose region, 4.7 +/- 0.4 and 11.8 +/- 1.3 for the high- and low-energy neutrons, respectively. At doses below 1 cGy constant values of 25.4 +/- 4.4 and 63.7 +/- 12 were reached for the respective neutron energies.

  14. Hereditary Xerocytosis Revisited

    PubMed Central

    Archer, Natasha; Shmukler, Boris E.; Andolfo, Immacolata; Vandorpe, David H.; Gnanasambandam, Radhakrishnan; Higgins, John M.; Rivera, Alicia; Fleming, Mark D.; Sachs, Frederick; Gottlieb, Philip A.; Iolascon, Achille; Brugnara, Carlo; Alper, Seth L.; Nathan, David G.

    2014-01-01

    A 21 year old male student presented in 1980 as an Olympic athlete with a 12 year history of jaundice, pallor, and darkened urine induced by the atraumatic exercise of swimming (1). Physical examination at that time was remarkable only for moderate scleral icterus without hepatosplenomegaly. Hematological examination revealed moderate macrocytosis (MCV 102 fL) without anemia (Hct 50%, Hb 17 g/dL, 9% reticulocytes). The peripheral blood smear showed occasional target cells. Red cell osmotic fragility was decreased. Red cell Na content was increased and K content was decreased, with reduced total monovalent ion content. Passive red cell permeability of both Na and K were increased. A supervised 2.5 hr swimming workout increased free plasma Hb from <5 to 45 mg/dL and decreased serum haptoglobin from 25 to 6 mg/dL. The post-exercise urine sediment was remarkable for hemosiderin-laden tubular epithelial cells, without frank hemoglobinuria. The circulating 15 day erythrocyte half-life measured after 6 days without exercise was further shortened to 12 days after resumption of twice-per-day swimming workouts for 1 week. The patient’s red cells were hypersensitive to in vitro shear stress applied by cone-plate viscometer. PMID:25044010

  15. Sustained induction of cytochrome P4501A1 in human hepatoma cells by co-exposure to benzo[a]pyrene and 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole underlies the synergistic effects on DNA adduct formation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gábelová, Alena, E-mail: alena.gabelova@savba.sk; Poláková, Veronika; Prochazka, Gabriela

    To gain a deeper insight into the potential interactions between individual aromatic hydrocarbons in a mixture, several benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole (DBC) binary mixtures were studied. The biological activity of the binary mixtures was investigated in the HepG2 and WB-F344 liver cell lines and the Chinese hamster V79 cell line that stably expresses the human cytochrome P4501A1 (hCYP1A1). In the V79 cells, binary mixtures, in contrast to individual carcinogens, caused a significant decrease in the levels of micronuclei, DNA adducts and gene mutations, but not in cell survival. Similarly, a lower frequency of micronuclei and levels of DNA adducts weremore » found in rat liver WB-F344 cells treated with a binary mixture, regardless of the exposure time. The observed antagonism between B[a]P and DBC may be due to an inhibition of Cyp1a1 expression because cells exposed to B[a]P:DBC showed a decrease in Cyp1a1 mRNA levels. In human liver HepG2 cells exposed to binary mixtures for 2 h, a reduction in micronuclei frequency was also found. However, after a 24 h treatment, synergism between B[a]P and DBC was determined based on DNA adduct formation. Accordingly, the up-regulation of CYP1A1 expression was detected in HepG2 cells exposed to B[a]P:DBC. Our results show significant differences in the response of human and rat cells to B[a]P:DBC mixtures and stress the need to use multiple experimental systems when evaluating the potential risk of environmental pollutants. Our data also indicate that an increased expression of CYP1A1 results in a synergistic effect of B[a]P and DBC in human cells. As humans are exposed to a plethora of noxious chemicals, our results have important implications for human carcinogenesis. - Highlights: • B[a]P:DBC mixtures were less genotoxic in V79MZh1A1 cells than B[a]P and DBC alone. • An antagonism between B[a]P and DBC was determined in rat liver WB-F344 cells. • The inhibition of CYP1a1 expression by B[a]P:DBC mixture underlies this antagonism. • A synergism between B[a]P and DBC was detected in human liver HepG2 cells. • The up-regulation of CYP1A1 expression was found in B[a]P:DBC-exposed HepG2 cells.« less

  16. Micronuclear DNA of Oxytricha nova contains sequences with autonomously replicating activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed Central

    Colombo, M M; Swanton, M T; Donini, P; Prescott, D M

    1984-01-01

    Oxytricha nova is a hypotrichous ciliate with micronuclei and macronuclei. Micronuclei, which contain large, chromosomal-sized DNA, are genetically inert but undergo meiosis and exchange during cell mating. Macronuclei, which contain only small, gene-sized DNA molecules, provide all of the nuclear RNA needed to run the cell. After cell mating the macronucleus is derived from a micronucleus, a derivation that includes excision of the genes from chromosomes and elimination of the remaining DNA. The eliminated DNA includes all of the repetitious sequences and approximately 95% of the unique sequences. We cloned large restriction fragments from the micronucleus that confer replication ability on a replication-deficient plasmid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequences that confer replication ability are called autonomously replicating sequences. The frequency and effectiveness of autonomously replicating sequences in micronuclear DNA are similar to those reported for DNAs of other organisms introduced into yeast cells. Of the 12 micronuclear fragments with autonomously replicating sequence activity, 9 also showed homology to macronuclear DNA, indicating that they contain a macronuclear gene sequence. We conclude from this that autonomously replicating sequence activity is nonrandomly distributed throughout micronuclear DNA and is preferentially associated with those regions of micronuclear DNA that contain genes. Images PMID:6092934

  17. Assessment of the relationship between total suspended particles and the response of two biological indicators transplanted to an urban area in central Argentina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carreras, H. A.; Rodriguez, J. H.; González, C. M.; Wannaz, E. D.; Garcia Ferreyra, F.; Perez, C. A.; Pignata, M. L.

    Samples of the vascular plant Tradescantia pallida and the lichen Usnea amblyoclada were exposed from October 2004 to April 2005 in three sites with different local sources of air pollution in Córdoba city, Argentina. Simultaneous determinations of the ambient levels of total suspended particles were made for each site. Young inflorescenses of T. pallida were collected in November, February and April and the frequency of micronuclei was determined on early tetrads of pollen mother cells. Physiological parameters and the elemental composition of lichen thalli were measured from samples exposed and replaced every month. Significant differences among sampling sites were observed in the frequency of micronuclei measured in T. pallida as well as in many physiological parameters and elements accumulated in lichen thalli. The mass of particulate material as well as the concentration of Ca, Mn, Cu, Zn and Sr was significantly different in different sampling sites, too. These results suggest that in situ biomonitoring using both higher plants and lichens may be of use to characterize air pollution in areas devoid of instrumental monitoring techniques or where it is necessary to explore the distribution of air contaminants at a microscale.

  18. DNA replication after mutagenic treatment in Hordeum vulgare.

    PubMed

    Kwasniewska, Jolanta; Kus, Arita; Swoboda, Monika; Braszewska-Zalewska, Agnieszka

    2016-12-01

    The temporal and spatial properties of DNA replication in plants related to DNA damage and mutagenesis is poorly understood. Experiments were carried out to explore the relationships between DNA replication, chromatin structure and DNA damage in nuclei from barley root tips. We quantitavely analysed the topological organisation of replication foci using pulse EdU labelling during the S phase and its relationship with the DNA damage induced by mutagenic treatment with maleic hydrazide (MH), nitroso-N-methyl-urea (MNU) and gamma ray. Treatment with mutagens did not change the characteristic S-phase patterns in the nuclei; however, the frequencies of the S-phase-labelled cells after treatment differed from those observed in the control cells. The analyses of DNA replication in barley nuclei were extended to the micronuclei induced by mutagens. Replication in the chromatin of the micronuclei was rare. The results of simultanous TUNEL reaction to identify cells with DNA strand breaks and the labelling of the S-phase cells with EdU revealed the possibility of DNA replication occurring in damaged nuclei. For the first time, the intensity of EdU fluorescence to study the rate of DNA replication was analysed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Antiproliferative Fate of the Tetraploid Formed after Mitotic Slippage and Its Promotion; A Novel Target for Cancer Therapy Based on Microtubule Poisons.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Yuji; Inoue, Toshiaki

    2016-05-19

    Microtubule poisons inhibit spindle function, leading to activation of spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) and mitotic arrest. Cell death occurring in prolonged mitosis is the first target of microtubule poisons in cancer therapies. However, even in the presence of microtubule poisons, SAC and mitotic arrest are not permanent, and the surviving cells exit the mitosis without cytokinesis (mitotic slippage), becoming tetraploid. Another target of microtubule poisons-based cancer therapy is antiproliferative fate after mitotic slippage. The ultimate goal of both the microtubule poisons-based cancer therapies involves the induction of a mechanism defined as mitotic catastrophe, which is a bona fide intrinsic oncosuppressive mechanism that senses mitotic failure and responds by driving a cell to an irreversible antiproliferative fate of death or senescence. This mechanism of antiproliferative fate after mitotic slippage is not as well understood. We provide an overview of mitotic catastrophe, and explain new insights underscoring a causal association between basal autophagy levels and antiproliferative fate after mitotic slippage, and propose possible improved strategies. Additionally, we discuss nuclear alterations characterizing the mitotic catastrophe (micronuclei, multinuclei) after mitotic slippage, and a possible new type of nuclear alteration (clustered micronuclei).

  20. Can periodontal infection induce genotoxic effects?

    PubMed

    Brandão, Paulo de Tarso Jambeiro; Gomes-Filho, Isaac Suzart; Cruz, Simone Seixas; Passos-Soares, Johelle de Santana; Trindade, Soraya Castro; Souza, Leonardo da Cunha Menezes; Meireles, José Roberto Cardoso; Cerqueira, Eneida de Moraes Marcílio

    2015-04-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of chromosomal abnormalities, through micronuclei, and apoptosis by the sum of karyorrhexis, pyknosis and condensed chromatin in individuals with chronic periodontitis, gingivitis associated with biofilm and no periodontal disease. This study included 72 individuals divided into three groups: gingivitis (n = 21), periodontitis (n = 24) and control (n = 27). Information on sociodemographic characteristics, health and lifestyle was obtained. Full mouth clinical examination was performed to define the periodontal condition. Exfoliated cells from gingival mucosa were collected for computation of micronuclei and nuclear changes indicative of apoptosis. The differences in the occurrence of endpoints (micronucleus, karyorrhexis, pyknosis and condensed chromatin) were evaluated using the conditional test to compare proportions in a rare events situation. There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of micronucleus (p > 0.1) between gingivitis, periodontitis and control groups. The occurrence of apoptosis was significantly higher among individuals with periodontitis compared to individuals with gingivitis (p < 0.05) and controls (p < 0.025). The findings showed that the inflammatory process generated by gingivitis and periodontitis is not related to a higher occurrence of chromosomal damage. However, the higher occurrence of apoptosis in individuals with periodontitis points to genotoxic effects induced by periodontal infection.

  1. Detection of micronuclei formation and nuclear anomalies in regenerative nodules of human cirrhotic livers and relationship to hepatocellular carcinoma.

    PubMed

    de Almeida, Terezinha M B; Leitão, Regina C; Andrade, Joyce D; Beçak, Willy; Carrilho, Flair J; Sonohara, Shigueko

    2004-04-01

    Human cirrhosis is considered an important factor in hepatocarcinogenesis. The lack of substantial genetics and cytogenetics data in human cirrhosis led us to investigate spontaneous micronuclei formation, as an indicator of chromosomal damage. The analysis was performed in hepatocytes of regenerative, macroregenerative, and tumoral nodules from 30 cases of cirrhosis (paraffin-embedded archival material), retrospectively selected: cryptogenic, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis C virus associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thirteen control liver samples of healthy organ donors were included. Micronucleated hepatocytes were analyzed with Feulgen-fast-green dyeing techniques. The spontaneous frequency of micronucleated hepatocytes in both regenerative and macroregenerative nodules of all cirrhotic patients was significantly higher than for the normal control group. There was no significant difference in frequency of micronucleated hepatocytes in regenerative nodules compared with macroregenerative nodules for all cases analyzed, whereas a significantly higher frequency of micronucleated hepatocytes was detected in tumoral nodules, compared with cirrhotic regenerative nodules and normal parenchyma. A higher frequency of the nuclear anomalies termed broken-eggs was observed in hepatitis C virus-related samples. Chromatinic losses and genotoxicity already existed in the cirrhotic regenerative nodules, which might predispose to development of HCC.

  2. Molecular cloning of human protein 4.2: a major component of the erythrocyte membrane.

    PubMed Central

    Sung, L A; Chien, S; Chang, L S; Lambert, K; Bliss, S A; Bouhassira, E E; Nagel, R L; Schwartz, R S; Rybicki, A C

    1990-01-01

    Protein 4.2 (P4.2) comprises approximately 5% of the protein mass of human erythrocyte (RBC) membranes. Anemia occurs in patients with RBCs deficient in P4.2, suggesting a role for this protein in maintaining RBC stability and integrity. We now report the molecular cloning and characterization of human RBC P4.2 cDNAs. By immunoscreening a human reticulocyte cDNA library and by using the polymerase chain reaction, two cDNA sequences of 2.4 and 2.5 kilobases (kb) were obtained. These cDNAs differ only by a 90-base-pair insert in the longer isoform located three codons downstream from the putative initiation site. The 2.4- and 2.5-kb cDNAs predict proteins of approximately 77 and approximately 80 kDa, respectively, and the authenticity was confirmed by sequence identity with 46 amino acids of three cyanogen bromide-cleaved peptides of P4.2. Northern blot analysis detected a major 2.4-kb RNA species in reticulocytes. Isolation of two P4.2 cDNAs implies existence of specific regulation of P4.2 expression in human RBCs. Human RBC P4.2 has significant homology with human factor XIII subunit a and guinea pig liver transglutaminase. Sequence alignment of P4.2 with these two transglutaminases, however, revealed that P4.2 lacks the critical cysteine residue required for the enzymatic crosslinking of substrates. Images PMID:1689063

  3. Purification of two high molecular weight proteases from rabbit reticulocyte lysate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hough, R.; Pratt, G.; Rechsteiner, M.

    1987-05-01

    The authors have purified two large proteases from rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The enzymes are so similar in their chromatographic behavior that each is the only significant contaminant of the other during the final stages of purification. At pH 7.8, both hydrolyze /sup 125/I-..cap alpha..-casein and 4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (MCA) derivatives with tyrosine, phenylalanine or arginine at the P/sub 1/ position. The larger, ATP-dependent enzyme degrades ubiquitin-lysozyme conjugates, but it does not degrade unmodified lysozyme. Hydrolysis of Suc-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-MCA by this enzyme is also stimulated two-fold in the presence of ATP. The protease has a molecular weight of 950,000 based on sedimentation, gel filtrationmore » and non-denaturing PAGE. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the protease is composed of a number of subunits with molecular masses between 32 and 110 kDa. Densitometric analysis showed equivalent amounts of the two larger chains, and the presence of one copy of each in the native enzyme would be consistent with an M/sub r/ of 950,000. The smaller protease has a molecular weight of 700,000 and is composed of 8 to 10 subunits ranging from 21,000 to 32,000. It cleaves ubiquitin-lysozyme conjugates only slightly, and hydrolysis of conjugates or fluorogenic peptide substrates is not stimulated by ATP. This protease appears similar, if not identical, to the multicatalytic protease complex first purified by Wilk and Orlowski.« less

  4. EPO, red cells, and serum transferrin receptor in continuous and intermittent hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Koistinen, P O; Rusko, H; Irjala, K; Rajamäki, A; Penttinen, K; Sarparanta, V P; Karpakka, J; Leppäluoto, J

    2000-04-01

    Erythropoietic response in 10 healthy nonsmoking volunteers exposed to normobaric hypoxia continuously or intermittently 12 h daily for 7 d was evaluated in a randomized cross-over study. An oxygen content of 15.4% corresponding to an altitude of 2500 m was created by adding nitrogen into room air in a flat. Venous blood samples for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), reticulocytes, serum erythropoietin (S-EPO), red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), serum ferritin (S-Ferrit), and serum soluble transferrin receptor (S-TransfR) were drawn at 8:00 a.m. S-EPO was increased from baseline values of 22.9+/-9.6 and 20.5+/-10.1 U x L(-1) to 40.7+/-12.9 (P < 0.05) and 35+/-14.3 U x L(-1) (P < 0.05) after the first night in continuous and intermittent hypoxia, respectively, and remained elevated throughout both exposures. Hb and Hct values did not show any significant changes. Red cell 2,3-DPG rose from baseline a value of 5.0+/-0.8 to 5.9+/-0.7 mmol x L(-1) (P < 0.05) after the first day in continuous hypoxia and from 5.2+/-0.7 mmol x L(-1) to 6.1+/-0.5 mmol x L(-1) on day 3 (P < 0.05) during intermittent hypoxia. The reticulocyte count rose significantly (P < 0.05) after 5 d in both experiments. S-transferrin receptor level rose significantly from 2.2+/-0.4 and 2.1+/-0.5 mg x L(-1) to 2.6+/-0.5 mg x L(-1) and 2.3+/-0.6 mg x L(-1) on day 5 (P < 0.05), to 2.7+/-0.5 mg x L(-1) and 2.5+/-0.6 mg x L(-1) on day 7 (P < 0.05) under continuous and intermittent hypoxia, respectively. We suggest that intermittent exposure to moderate normobaric hypoxia 12 h daily for 1 wk induces a similar stimulation of erythropoiesis as continuous exposure.

  5. The hSK4 (KCNN4) isoform is the Ca2+-activated K+ channel (Gardos channel) in human red blood cells

    PubMed Central

    Hoffman, Joseph F.; Joiner, William; Nehrke, Keith; Potapova, Olga; Foye, Kristen; Wickrema, Amittha

    2003-01-01

    The question is, does the isoform hSK4, also designated KCNN4, represent the small conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel (Gardos channel) in human red blood cells? We have analyzed human reticulocyte RNA by RT-PCR, and, of the four isoforms of SK channels known, only SK4 was found. Northern blot analysis of purified and synchronously growing human erythroid progenitor cells, differentiating from erythroblasts to reticulocytes, again showed only the presence of SK4. Western blot analysis, with an anti-SK4 antibody, showed that human erythroid progenitor cells and, importantly, mature human red blood cell ghost membranes, both expressed the SK4 protein. The Gardos channel is known to turn on, given inside Ca2+, in the presence but not the absence of external \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}{\\mathrm{K}}_{{\\mathrm{o}}}^{+}\\end{equation*}\\end{document} and remains refractory to \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}{\\mathrm{K}}_{{\\mathrm{o}}}^{+}\\end{equation*}\\end{document} added after exposure to inside Ca2+. Heterologously expressed SK4, but not SK3, also shows this behavior. In inside–out patches of red cell membranes, the open probability (Po) of the Gardos channel is markedly reduced when the temperature is raised from 27 to 37°C. Net K+ efflux of intact red cells is also reduced by increasing temperature, as are the Po values of inside–out patches of Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing SK4 (but not SK3). Thus the envelope of evidence indicates that SK4 is the gene that codes for the Gardos channel in human red blood cells. This channel is important pathophysiologically, because it represents the major pathway for cell shrinkage via KCl and water loss that occurs in sickle cell disease. PMID:12773623

  6. Cytogenetic Response to Ionizing Radiation Exposure in Human Fibroblasts with Suppressed Expression of Non-DSB Repair Genes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhang, Ye; Rohde, Larry H.; Emami, Kamal; Hammond, Dianne; Mehta, Satish K.; Jeevarajan, Antony S.; Pierson, Duane L.; Wu, Honglu

    2009-01-01

    Changes of gene expression profile are one of the most important biological responses in living cells after ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. Although some studies have shown that genes up-regulated by IR may play important roles in DNA damage repair, the relationship between the regulation of gene expression by IR, particularly genes not known for their roles in double-strand break (DSB) repair, and its impact on cytogenetic responses has not been well studied. The purpose of this study is to identify new roles of IR inducible genes in radiation-induced chromosome aberrations and micronuclei formation. In the study, the expression of 25 genes selected on the basis of their transcriptional changes in response to IR was individually knocked down by small interfering RNA in human fibroblast cells. Frequencies of micronuclei (MN) formation and chromosome aberrations were measured to determine the efficiency of cytogenetic repair, and the fraction of bi-nucleated cells in the MN analysis was used as a marker for cell cycle progression. In response to gamma radiation, the formation of MN was significantly increased by suppressed expression of five genes: Ku70 (DSB repair pathway), XPA (nucleotide excision repair pathway), RPA1 (mismatch repair pathway), RAD17 and RBBP8 (cell cycle control). Knocked-down expression of four genes (MRE11A, RAD51 in the DSB pathway, SESN1, and SUMO1) significantly inhibited cell cycle progression, possibly because of severe impairment of DNA damage repair. Moreover, decreased XPA, p21, or MLH1 expression resulted in both significantly enhanced cell cycle progression and increased yields of chromosome aberrations, indicating that these gene products modulate both cell cycle control and DNA damage repair. Nine of these eleven genes, whose knock-down expression affected cytogenetic repair, were up-regulated in cells exposed to gamma radiation, suggesting that genes transcriptionally modulated by IR were critical to regulate IR-induced biological consequences. Furthermore, eight non-DBS repair genes showed involvement in regulating DSB repair, indicating that successful DSB repair requires both DSB repair mechanisms and non-DSB repair systems.

  7. Outdoor air pollution exposures and micronuclei frequencies in lymphocytes from pregnant women and newborns in Crete, Greece (Rhea cohort).

    PubMed

    O'Callaghan-Gordo, Cristina; Fthenou, Eleni; Pedersen, Marie; Espinosa, Ana; Chatzi, Leda; Beelen, Rob; Chalkiadaki, Georgia; Decordier, Ilse; Hoek, Gerard; Merlo, Domenico Franco; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Vafeiadi, Marina; Vande Loock, Kim; Kleinjans, Jos; Stephanou, Euripides; Kirsch-Volders, Micheline; Kogevinas, Manolis

    2015-11-01

    Micronuclei (MN) are biomarkers of early genetic effects that have been used to investigate the association between environmental exposures and cancer. However, few studies have examined the association between environmental exposures during pregnancy and MN in mothers and newborns. We examined MN frequency in maternal blood and in cord blood, in relation to maternal air pollution exposure, and the potential interaction with maternal vitamin C intake and maternal smoking. We used the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay to assess MN frequency per 1000 bi-nucleated T-lymphocytes from 181 mothers and 183 newborns born in 2007-2008 in Heraklion (Crete, Greece). The ESCAPE land-use regression methods were used to estimate annual mean exposure to outdoor air pollution [particulate matter (PM), black carbon, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)] at maternal home addresses. Food frequency questionnaires were used to estimate maternal dietary vitamin C intake during pregnancy. Smoking habits were self-reported using questionnaires which were checked by measuring maternal urinary cotinine levels. Exposure to PM2.5 was associated with increased MN frequencies in pregnant women [rate ratio [RR (95%CI)] per 5 µg/m(3)=1.53 (1.02, 2.29)]. This increase was considerably higher among women who did not fulfill the recommended vitamin C dietary allowances [RR=9.35 (2.77, 31.61); n=20]. Exposure to PM2.5-10, PM10, NO2 and NOx were also associated with a higher incidence of MN frequencies in smoker women (n=56). No associations were found for newborns. We found an association between air pollution, particularly PM2.5, and MN frequency in mothers but not in newborns. This association was more pronounced among women with a lower dietary intake of vitamin C during pregnancy and among women who smoked during pregnancy. While results are clear in mothers, the association between maternal carcinogenic exposures during pregnancy and biomarkers of early biologic effect in the newborn remains poorly understood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A new assay for measuring chromosome instability (CIN) and identification of drugs that elevate CIN in cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hee-Sheung; Lee, Nicholas C O; Grimes, Brenda R; Samoshkin, Alexander; Kononenko, Artem V; Bansal, Ruchi; Masumoto, Hiroshi; Earnshaw, William C; Kouprina, Natalay; Larionov, Vladimir

    2013-05-22

    Aneuploidy is a feature of most cancer cells that is often accompanied by an elevated rate of chromosome mis-segregation termed chromosome instability (CIN). While CIN can act as a driver of cancer genome evolution and tumor progression, recent findings point to the existence of a threshold level beyond which CIN becomes a barrier to tumor growth and therefore can be exploited therapeutically. Drugs known to increase CIN beyond the therapeutic threshold are currently few in number, and the clinical promise of targeting the CIN phenotype warrants new screening efforts. However, none of the existing methods, including the in vitro micronuclei (MNi) assay, developed to quantify CIN, is entirely satisfactory. We have developed a new assay for measuring CIN. This quantitative assay for chromosome mis-segregation is based on the use of a non-essential human artificial chromosome (HAC) carrying a constitutively expressed EGFP transgene. Thus, cells that inherit the HAC display green fluorescence, while cells lacking the HAC do not. This allows the measurement of HAC loss rate by routine flow cytometry. Using the HAC-based chromosome loss assay, we have analyzed several well-known anti-mitotic, spindle-targeting compounds, all of which have been reported to induce micronuclei formation and chromosome loss. For each drug, the rate of HAC loss was accurately measured by flow cytometry as a proportion of non-fluorescent cells in the cell population which was verified by FISH analysis. Based on our estimates, despite their similar cytotoxicity, the analyzed drugs affect the rates of HAC mis-segregation during mitotic divisions differently. The highest rate of HAC mis-segregation was observed for the microtubule-stabilizing drugs, taxol and peloruside A. Thus, this new and simple assay allows for a quick and efficient screen of hundreds of drugs to identify those affecting chromosome mis-segregation. It also allows ranking of compounds with the same or similar mechanism of action based on their effect on the rate of chromosome loss. The identification of new compounds that increase chromosome mis-segregation rates should expedite the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the CIN phenotype in cancer cells.

  9. Ethanol potentiates the genotoxicity of the food-derived mammary carcinogen PhIP in human estrogen receptor-positive mammary cells: mechanistic support for lifestyle factors (cooked red meat and ethanol) associated with mammary cancer.

    PubMed

    Malik, Durr-E-Shahwar; David, Rhiannon M; Gooderham, Nigel J

    2018-04-01

    Consumption of cooked/processed meat and ethanol are lifestyle risk factors in the aetiology of breast cancer. Cooking meat generates heterocyclic amines such as 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Epidemiology, mechanistic and animal studies indicate that PhIP is a mammary carcinogen that could be causally linked to breast cancer incidence; PhIP is DNA damaging, mutagenic and oestrogenic. PhIP toxicity involves cytochrome P450 (CYP1 family)-mediated metabolic activation to DNA-damaging species, and transcriptional responses through Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and estrogen-receptor-α (ER-α). Ethanol consumption is a modifiable lifestyle factor strongly associated with breast cancer risk. Ethanol toxicity involves alcohol dehydrogenase metabolism to reactive acetaldehyde, and is also a substrate for CYP2E1, which when uncoupled generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage. Here, using human mammary cells that differ in estrogen-receptor status, we explore genotoxicity of PhIP and ethanol and mechanisms behind this toxicity. Treatment with PhIP (10 -7 -10 -4 M) significantly induced genotoxicity (micronuclei formation) preferentially in ER-α positive human mammary cell lines (MCF-7, ER-α+) compared to MDA-MB-231 (ER-α-) cells. PhIP-induced CYP1A2 in both cell lines but CYP1B1 was selectively induced in ER-α(+) cells. ER-α inhibition in MCF-7 cells attenuated PhIP-mediated micronuclei formation and CYP1B1 induction. PhIP-induced CYP2E1 and ROS via ER-α-STAT-3 pathway, but only in ER-α (+) MCF-7 cells. Importantly, simultaneous treatments of physiological concentrations ethanol (10 -3 -10 -1 M) with PhIP (10 -7 -10 -4 M) increased oxidative stress and genotoxicity in MCF-7 cells, compared to the individual chemicals. Collectively, these data offer a mechanistic basis for the increased risk of breast cancer associated with dietary cooked meat and ethanol lifestyle choices.

  10. Genotoxicity assessment of ethylenediamine dinitrate (EDDN) and diethylenetriamine trinitrate (DETN).

    PubMed

    Reddy, Gunda; Song, Jian; Kirby, Paul; Johnson, Mark S

    2011-12-24

    Ethylenediamine dinitrate (EDDN) and diethylenetriamine trinitrate (DETN) are relatively insensitive explosive compounds that are being explored as safe alternatives to other more sensitive compounds. When used in combination with other high explosives they are an improvement and may provide additional safety during storage and use. The genetic toxicity of these compounds was evaluated to predict the potential adverse human health effects from exposure by using a standard genetic toxicity test battery which included: a gene mutation test in bacteria (Ames), an in vitro Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell chromosome aberration test and an in vivo mouse micronucleus test. The results of the Ames test showed that EDDN increased the mean number of revertants per plate with strain TA100, without activation, at 5000μg/plate compared to the solvent control, which indicated a positive result. No positive results were observed with the other tester strains with or without activation in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA1535, TA1537, and Escherichia coli strain WP2 uvrA. DETN was negative for all Salmonella tester strains and E. coli up to 5000μg/plate both with and without metabolic activation. The CHO cell chromosome aberration assay was performed using EDDN and DETN at concentrations up to 5000μg/mL. The results indicate that these compounds did not induce structural chromosomal aberrations at all tested concentrations in CHO cells, with or without metabolic activation. EDDN and DETN, when tested in vivo in the CD-1 mouse at doses up to 2000mg/kg, did not induce any significant increase in the number of micronuclei in bone marrow erythrocytes. These studies demonstrate that EDDN is mutagenic in one strain of Salmonella (TA100) but was negative in other strains, for in vitro induction of chromosomal aberrations in CHO cells, and for micronuclei in the in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. DETN was not genotoxic in all in vitro and in vivo tests. These results show the in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity potential of these chemicals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Genetic damage in human cells exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields: a meta-analysis of the data from 88 publications (1990-2011).

    PubMed

    Vijayalaxmi; Prihoda, Thomas J

    2012-12-12

    Based on the 'limited' evidence suggesting an association between exposure to radiofrequency fields (RF) emitted from mobile phones and two types of brain cancer, glioma and acoustic neuroma, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified RF as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' in group 2B. In view of this classification and the positive correlation between increased genetic damage and carcinogenesis, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether a significant increase in genetic damage in human cells exposed to RF provides a potential mechanism for its carcinogenic potential. The extent of genetic damage in human cells, assessed from various end-points, viz., single-/double-strand breaks in the DNA, incidence of chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei and sister chromatid exchanges, reported in a total of 88 peer-reviewed scientific publications during 1990-2011 was considered in the meta-analysis. Among the several variables in the experimental protocols used, the influence of five specific variables related to RF exposure characteristics was investigated: (i) frequency, (ii) specific absorption rate, (iii) exposure as continuous wave, pulsed wave and occupationally exposed/mobile phone users, (iv) duration of exposure, and (v) different cell types. The data indicated the following. (1) The magnitude of difference between RF-exposed and sham-/un-exposed controls was small with some exceptions. (2) In certain RF exposure conditions there was a statistically significant increase in genotoxicity assessed from some end-points: the effect was observed in studies with small sample size and was largely influenced by publication bias. Studies conducted within the generally recommended RF exposure guidelines showed a smaller effect. (3) The multiple regression analyses and heterogeneity goodness of fit data indicated that factors other than the above five variables as well as the quality of publications have contributed to the overall results. (4) More importantly, the mean indices for chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange end-points in RF-exposed and sham-/un-exposed controls were within the spontaneous levels reported in a large data-base. Thus, the classification of RF as possibly carcinogenic to humans in group 2B was not supported by genotoxicity-based mechanistic evidence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The MLH1 ATPase domain is needed for suppressing aberrant formation of interstitial telomeric sequences.

    PubMed

    Jia, Pingping; Chai, Weihang

    2018-05-01

    Genome instability gives rise to cancer. MLH1, commonly known for its important role in mismatch repair (MMR), DNA damage signaling and double-strand break (DSB) repair, safeguards genome stability. Recently we have reported a novel role of MLH1 in preventing aberrant formation of interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) at intra-chromosomal regions. Deficiency in MLH1, in particular its N-terminus, leads to an increase of ITSs. Here, we identify that the ATPase activity in the MLH1 N-terminal domain is important for suppressing the formation of ITSs. The ATPase activity is also needed for recruiting MLH1 to DSBs. Moreover, defective ATPase activity of MLH1 causes an increase in micronuclei formation. Our results highlight the crucial role of MLH1's ATPase domain in preventing the aberrant formation of telomeric sequences at the intra-chromosomal regions and preserving genome stability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Forskolin: genotoxicity assessment in Allium cepa.

    PubMed

    Mohammed, Khalid Pasha; Aarey, Archana; Tamkeen, Shayesta; Jahan, Parveen

    2015-01-01

    Forskolin, a diterpene, 7β-acetoxy-8,13-epoxy-1α,6β,9α-trihydroxy-labd-14-en-11-one (C22H34O7) isolated from Coleus forskohlii, exerts multiple physiological effects by stimulating the enzyme adenylate cyclase and increasing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations. Forskolin is used in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure, eczema, and other diseases. A cytogenetic assay was performed in Allium cepa to assess possible genotoxic effects of forskolin. Forskolin was tested at concentrations 5-100 μM for exposure periods of 24 or 48 h. Treated samples showed significant reductions in mitotic index (p < 0.05) and increases in the frequency of chromosome aberrations (p < 0.01) at both exposure times. The treated meristems showed chromosome aberrations including sticky metaphases, sticky anaphases, laggard, anaphase bridges, micronuclei, polyploidy, fragments, breaks, and C-mitosis. Forskolin may cause genotoxic effects and further toxicological evaluations should be conducted to ensure its safety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Mycobacterium tuberculosis promotes genomic instability in macrophages

    PubMed Central

    Castro-Garza, Jorge; Luévano-Martínez, Miriam Lorena; Villarreal-Treviño, Licet; Gosálvez, Jaime; Fernández, José Luis; Dávila-Rodríguez, Martha Imelda; García-Vielma, Catalina; González-Hernández, Silvia; Cortés-Gutiérrez, Elva Irene

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen, which may either block cellular defensive mechanisms and survive inside the host cell or induce cell death. Several studies are still exploring the mechanisms involved in these processes. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the genomic instability of M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages and compare it with that of uninfected macrophages. METHODS We analysed the possible variations in the genomic instability of Mycobacterium-infected macrophages using the DNA breakage detection fluorescence in situ hybridisation (DBD-FISH) technique with a whole human genome DNA probe. FINDINGS Quantitative image analyses showed a significant increase in DNA damage in infected macrophages as compared with uninfected cells. DNA breaks were localised in nuclear membrane blebs, as confirmed with DNA fragmentation assay. Furthermore, a significant increase in micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities were observed in infected macrophages versus uninfected cells. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Genomic instability occurs during mycobacterial infection and these data may be seminal for future research on host cell DNA damage in M. tuberculosis infection. PMID:29412354

  15. Selective Entrapment of Extrachromosomally Amplified DNA by Nuclear Budding and Micronucleation during S Phase

    PubMed Central

    Shimizu, Noriaki; Itoh, Nobuo; Utiyama, Hiroyasu; Wahl, Geoffrey M.

    1998-01-01

    Acentric, autonomously replicating extrachromosomal structures called double-minute chromosomes (DMs) frequently mediate oncogene amplification in human tumors. We show that DMs can be removed from the nucleus by a novel micronucleation mechanism that is initiated by budding of the nuclear membrane during S phase. DMs containing c-myc oncogenes in a colon cancer cell line localized to and replicated at the nuclear periphery. Replication inhibitors increased micronucleation; cell synchronization and bromodeoxyuridine–pulse labeling demonstrated de novo formation of buds and micronuclei during S phase. The frequencies of S-phase nuclear budding and micronucleation were increased dramatically in normal human cells by inactivating p53, suggesting that an S-phase function of p53 minimizes the probability of producing the broken chromosome fragments that induce budding and micronucleation. These data have implications for understanding the behavior of acentric DNA in interphase nuclei and for developing chemotherapeutic strategies based on this new mechanism for DM elimination. PMID:9508765

  16. Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Enhancement from Real-Time NMR Metabolite Kinetics: Redirecting Energy Fluxes in Hybrid RRL Systems.

    PubMed

    Panthu, Baptiste; Ohlmann, Théophile; Perrier, Johan; Schlattner, Uwe; Jalinot, Pierre; Elena-Herrmann, Bénédicte; Rautureau, Gilles J P

    2018-01-19

    A counterintuitive cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) strategy, based on reducing the ribosomal fraction in rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL), triggers the development of hybrid systems composed of RRL ribosome-free supernatant complemented with ribosomes from different mammalian cell-types. Hybrid RRL systems maintain translational properties of the original ribosome cell types, and deliver protein expression levels similar to RRL. Here, we show that persistent ribosome-associated metabolic activity consuming ATP is a major obstacle for maximal protein yield. We provide a detailed picture of hybrid CFPS systems energetic metabolism based on real-time nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigation of metabolites kinetics. We demonstrate that protein synthesis capacity has an upper limit at native ribosome concentration and that lower amounts of the ribosomal fraction optimize energy fluxes toward protein translation, consequently increasing CFPS yield. These results provide a rationalized strategy for further mammalian CFPS developments and reveal the potential of real-time NMR metabolism phenotyping for optimization of cell-free protein expression systems.

  17. Regulation of hematopoiesis in the suspended rat as a model for space flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunn, C. D. R.; Johnson, P. C.

    1984-01-01

    A series of studies was completed in which a variety of routine hematological and other parameters were obtained from sequential sampling of control and suspended rats. These data showed that, during suspension, the rats failed to gain weight at the same rate as the controls, ate and drank significantly less, demonstrated a transient increase in peripheral hematocrit and RBC count, a transient decrease in MCH, suppressed reticulocyte counts and a progressive decrease in MCV but no change in RBC shape. Leukocyte counts were variably decreased but no significant changes in platelet numbers were noted. Post-suspension, evidence of anemia was present from a reduced RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and MCV. A leukocytosis was also noted. Efforts directed to the collection of data aimed at understanding changes in blood volume during suspension are also discussed. As part of these studies the following parameters were investigated; RBC survival, in vitro leukocyte reactivity to PHA, bone marrow and spleen cellularity and morphology, ferrokinetics, and the hematopoietic inductive microenvironment.

  18. Blood doping and its detection.

    PubMed

    Jelkmann, Wolfgang; Lundby, Carsten

    2011-09-01

    Hemoglobin mass is a key factor for maximal exercise capacity. Some athletes apply prohibited techniques and substances with intent to increase hemoglobin mass and physical performance, and this is often difficult to prove directly. Autologous red blood cell transfusion cannot be traced on reinfusion, and also recombinant erythropoietic proteins are detectable only within a certain timeframe. Novel erythropoietic substances, such as mimetics of erythropoietin (Epo) and activators of the Epo gene, may soon enter the sports scene. In addition, Epo gene transfer maneuvers are imaginable. Effective since December 2009, the World Anti-Doping Agency has therefore implemented "Athlete Biologic Passport Operating Guidelines," which are based on the monitoring of several parameters for mature red blood cells and reticulocytes. Blood doping may be assumed, when these parameters change in a nonphysiologic way. Hematologists should be familiar with blood doping practices as they may play an important role in evaluating blood profiles of athletes with respect to manipulations, as contrasted with the established diagnosis of clinical disorders and genetic variations.

  19. Parvovirus B19 in anemic liver transplant recipients.

    PubMed Central

    Ndimbie, O K; Frezza, E; Jordan, J A; Koch, W; van Thiel, D H

    1996-01-01

    Five hundred thirty-three liver transplant recipients were seen for follow-up care over a 6-month period. Of these, 23 (4.3%) had a hemoglobin level of < or = 9 g/dl, with 19 being eligible for inclusion in this study. The median hemoglobin level was 8.7 g/dl. Two patients had iron-deficiency anemia. All of the patients were on therapeutic drugs which can suppress erythropoiesis or shorten the lifespan of mature erythrocytes. Six patients (31.6%) were viremic for human parvovirus B19 but none was B19 immunoglobulin M seropositive. Two patients were immunoglobulin M seropositive for cytomegalovirus. The patients with circulating B19 DNA were not easily distinguished from those without the virus by their laboratory results. The absence of reticulocyte counts for these patients contributed to this inability to differentiate B19 from other causes of anemia, particularly drug myelotoxicity. The high likelihood of making a specific diagnosis with the increasing availability of PCR should spur the search for this virus in the liver transplant population. PMID:8914771

  20. mTOR Inhibition Improves Anaemia and Reduces Organ Damage in a Murine Model of Sickle Cell Disease

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jintao; Tran, Jennifer; Wang, Hui; Guo, Chiao; Harro, David; Campbell, Andrew D.; Eitzman, Daniel T.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been shown to play an important role in red blood cell physiology, with inhibition of mTOR signalling leading to alterations in erythropoiesis. To determine if mTOR inhibition would improve anaemia in sickle cell disease (SCD), mice with SCD were treated with the dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor, INK128. 1 week after daily oral drug treatment, erythrocyte count, haemoglobin, and haematocrit were all significantly increased while reticulocyte counts were reduced. These parameters remained stable during 3 weeks of treatment. Similar effects were observed following oral treatment with the mTORC1 inhibitor, sirolimus. Sirolimus treatment prolonged the lifespan of sickle cell erythrocytes in circulation, reduced spleen size, and reduced renal and hepatic iron accumulation in SCD mice. Following middle cerebral artery occlusion, stroke size was reduced in SCD mice treated with sirolimus. In conclusion, mTOR inhibition is protective against anaemia and organ damage in a murine model of SCD. PMID:27030515

  1. Rhodamine B induces long nucleoplasmic bridges and other nuclear anomalies in Allium cepa root tip cells.

    PubMed

    Tan, Dehong; Bai, Bing; Jiang, Donghua; Shi, Lin; Cheng, Shunchang; Tao, Dongbing; Ji, Shujuan

    2014-03-01

    The cytogenetic toxicity of rhodamine B on root tip cells of Allium cepa was investigated. A. cepa were cultured in water (negative control), 10 ppm methyl methanesulfonate (positive control), and three concentrations of rhodamine B (200, 100, and 50 ppm) for 7 days. Rhodamine B inhibited mitotic activity; increased nuclear anomalies, including micronuclei, nuclear buds, and bridged nuclei; and induced oxidative stress in A. cepa root tissues. Furthermore, a substantial amount of long nucleoplasmic bridges were entangled together, and some nuclei were simultaneously linked to several other nuclei and to nuclear buds with nucleoplasmic bridges in rhodamine B-treated cells. In conclusion, rhodamine B induced cytogenetic effects in A. cepa root tip cells, which suggests that the A. cepa root is an ideal model system for detecting cellular interactions.

  2. Evaluation of herbicides action on plant bioindicators by genetic biomarkers: a review.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Cleiton Pereira; Guedes, Thays de Andrade; Fontanetti, Carmem Silvia

    2016-12-01

    The use of pesticides has increased worldwide, owing to the demand for products of good quality and to satisfy a growing population. Herbicides represent almost half of the total amount of pesticides used. Although important to the reduction of costs and an increase of productivity, their indiscriminate use, as well as that of the other pesticides, is a global environmental problem, since they affect the living organisms. To evaluate the damage caused by herbicides to the environment, different organisms have been used as bioindicators, especially higher plants, due to several advantages. This is a literature review on herbicidal actions in plant bioindicators, as assessed by genetic biomarkers. Also, the present manuscript aimed to characterize the main organisms (Allium cepa, Vicia faba and Tradescantia spp.) and the most used biomarkers (mitotic index, chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, sister chromatid exchange and mutations). We concluded that herbicides induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in the assessed bioindicators. The data corroborate the existing warnings of the risks that the indiscriminate and increasing use of pesticides poses to the environment and its biodiversity.

  3. Hydroxyurea and Growth in Young Children With Sickle Cell Disease

    PubMed Central

    Houston, Patricia E.; Wang, Winfred C.; Iyer, Rathi V.; Goldsmith, Jonathan; Casella, James F.; Reed, Caroline K.; Rogers, Zora R.; Waclawiw, Myron A.; Thompson, Bruce

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Growth impairment is a known complication of sickle cell disease. Effects of hydroxyurea (HU) on growth in very young children are not known. METHODS: Height, weight, BMI, and head circumference (HC) were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards in BABY HUG, a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled 2-year clinical trial of HU in 193 children 9 to 18 months of age. Anthropometric data were closely monitored and converted to z scores by using WHO standardized algorithms for descriptive analyses. The treatment and placebo groups were compared longitudinally by using a mixed model analysis. RESULTS: At entry, the z scores of BABY HUG children were higher than WHO norms. After 2 years of HU or placebo treatment, there were no significant differences between the groups, except for the mean HC z scores at study exit (HU: +0.8 versus placebo: +1.0, P = .05). Baseline z scores were the best predictors of z scores at study exit. The absolute neutrophil count, absolute reticulocyte count, and total white blood cell count had significant negative correlations with growth measures. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups had normal or near normal anthropometric measures during the study. The HC z scores at study entry and exit were slightly greater than WHO norms. Higher baseline white blood cell count, absolute reticulocyte count, and absolute neutrophil count were associated with poorer growth. The significance of the slightly lower HC in the treatment group at study exit is not clear. Trends toward normalization of weight and height and effects on HC will be monitored in ongoing BABY HUG follow-up studies. PMID:25157002

  4. A novel reporter gene assay for recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) pharmaceutical products.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yushuai; Zhou, Yong; Yu, Lei; Li, Xiang; Shi, Xinchang; Qin, Xi; Rao, Chunming; Wang, Junzhi

    2014-11-01

    Accurate determination of in vitro biological activity of therapeutic erythropoietin is essential in quality control of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) pharmaceutical products. However, most of currently-used methods leave much to be desired so that a simpler, quicker and more accurate method is urgently needed. The bioassay described here utilizes a sub clone of UT-7/epo cell line stably transfected with luciferase gene under the control of sis inducible element and interferon γ-activated sequence element promoter. Active erythropoietin could induce the expression of luciferase by signaling through the erythropoietin receptor and the dose-response curve showed good linearity, yielding a coefficient of determination of 0.99 or higher. The optimized assay was simpler with the operation completed within 24h and more sensitive with EC50 being 0.077IU/mL. The accuracy estimates ranged from 81.7% to 102.4%, and both intra-assay and inter-assay precision was below 15.0%. The robustness of the assay was demonstrated by no effect of passage levels of the cells on the performance of the assay (p values: 0.772 for sample 1 and 0.943 for sample 2). Besides, Bland-Altman analysis showed a high consistency of the new assay with in vivo reticulocyte assay in results. These results suggested that the new reporter gene assay can be a viable supplement to the traditional reticulocyte assay and employed in potency determination of rHuEPO pharmaceutical products. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Primary defect of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II. Failure in glycosylation of erythrocyte lactosaminoglycan proteins caused by lowered N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II.

    PubMed

    Fukuda, M N; Dell, A; Scartezzini, P

    1987-05-25

    Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II or hereditary erythroblastic multinuclearity with positive acidified serum test (HEMPAS) is a genetic disease caused by membrane abnormality. Previously we have found that Band 3 and Band 4.5 are not glycosylated by lactosaminoglycans in HEMPAS erythrocytes, whereas normally these proteins have lactosaminoglycans (Fukuda, M. N., Papayannopoulou, T., Gordon-Smith, E. C., Rochant, H., and Testa, U. (1984) Br. J. Haematol. 56, 55-68). In order to find out where glycosylation of lactosaminoglycans stops, we have analyzed the carbohydrate structures of HEMPAS Band 3. By fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, methylation analysis, and hydrazinolysis followed by exoglycosidase treatments, the following structure was elucidated: (formula; see text) N-Linked glycopeptides synthesized in vitro by reticulocyte microsomes from HEMPAS were shown to be predominantly the above short oligosaccharide, whereas those from normal reticulocytes contain large molecular weight carbohydrates. The N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II, which transfers N-acetylglucosamine to the C-2 position of the Man alpha 1----6Man beta 1----arm of the biantennary core structure, was therefore examined by using Man alpha 1----6(GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAcol as an acceptor. N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase II activity was demonstrated in the lymphocyte microsome fraction from normal individuals. However, this enzyme activity was found to be decreased in those from HEMPAS patients. These results suggest that the primary defect of HEMPAS lies in the lowered activity of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II.

  6. Genetic damage induced by a food coloring dye (sunset yellow) on meristematic cells of Brassica campestris L.

    PubMed

    Dwivedi, Kshama; Kumar, Girjesh

    2015-01-01

    We have performed the present piece of work to evaluate the effect of synthetic food coloring azo dye (sunset yellow) on actively dividing root tip cells of Brassica campestris L. Three doses of azo dye were administered for the treatment of actively dividing root tip cells, namely, 1%, 3%, and 5%, for 6-hour duration along with control. Mitotic analysis clearly revealed the azo dye induced endpoint deviation like reduction in the frequency of normal divisions in a dose dependent manner. Mitotic divisions in the control sets were found to be perfectly normal while dose based reduction in MI was registered in the treated sets. Azo dye has induced several chromosomal aberrations (genotoxic effect) at various stages of cell cycle such as stickiness of chromosomes, micronuclei formation, precocious migration of chromosome, unorientation, forward movement of chromosome, laggards, and chromatin bridge. Among all, stickiness of chromosomes was present in the highest frequency followed by partial genome elimination as micronuclei. The present study suggests that extensive use of synthetic dye should be forbidden due to genotoxic and cytotoxic impacts on living cells. Thus, there is an urgent need to assess potential hazardous effects of these dyes on other test systems like human and nonhuman biota for better scrutiny.

  7. EFFECTS OF X-IRRADIATION OF OVARIAN OVA ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF FERTILIZED OVA AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMBRYOS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harvey, E.B.; Chang, M.C.

    The time relation between onset of estrus and meiotic division stages in the golden hamster was determined. The morphology of meiotic division stages of the ova are briefly described; neither was observably altered by 200 r x irradiation. Females irradiated at 3 hr before onset of estrus, at onset, and at 5 and 8 hr after onset of estrus had a high percentage of cleaved ova with micronuclei in one of the two blastomeres and a high percentage of de generations of embryos before implantation. However, when irradiated 9 hr before onset of estrus no cleaved ova had micronuclei, andmore » degeneration of embryos was not significantly different from controls. Ovarian ova in meiotic divisioms were not more radiosensitive than ova in diplotene of prophase I (3 hr before onset of estrus), but diplotene ova between 81 and 9 hr before onset of estrus were relatively radioresistant. Ten fetuses of 657 observed were abnormal. However, the weights of the fetuses from irradiated females did not differ significantIy from the non-irradiated control fetuses. It was concluded that the percentage of gross abnormalities and weights of fetuses were not significantly altered by 200 r x irradiation of ovarian ova. (P.C.H.)« less

  8. Micronuclei formation in liver fibrosis samples from patients infected by hepatitis C virus

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Genetic research on fibrosis outset and its progression in chronic hepatitis (CH) by hepatitis C virus (HCV) are limited. The lack of cytogenetic data led us to investigate the presence of micronuclei (MNi), as a sign of genomic damage. Hepatocytes of hepatic parenchyma from 62 cases diagnosed with CH associated with HCV and displaying different degrees of fibrosis (F1-F4) were analyzed. These data were compared to 15 cases without fibrosis (F0). Twelve healthy liver parenchyma samples were included as control. All samples were obtained from paraffin-embedded archival material. Micronucleated hepatocytes (MN-Heps) were analyzed through Feulgen/Fast-green staining. Results showed that the rates of MN-Heps in the F4 group were statistically significant (p < 0.05) and higher than those in the control group. Like results were also obtained on comparing F4 with F0, F1, F2 and F3 cases. Conversely, differences were not significant (p > 0.05) on comparing F0, F1, F2, F3, one against the other, as well as individual versus control. Although chromosomal losses in CH were detected, it was shown that liver parenchyma with fibrosis in the initial stages (F1-F3) cannot be considered cytogenetically abnormal. PMID:21637406

  9. Blood micronutrients and DNA damage in children.

    PubMed

    Milne, Elizabeth; Greenop, Kathryn R; Ramankutty, Padmaja; Miller, Margaret; de Klerk, Nicholas H; Armstrong, Bruce K; Almond, Theodora; O'Callaghan, Nathan J; Fenech, Michael

    2015-10-01

    Maintenance of normal cellular phenotype depends largely on accurate DNA replication and repair. DNA damage causes gene mutations and predisposes to cancer and other chronic diseases. Growing evidence indicates that nutritional factors are associated with DNA damage in adults; here, we investigate these associations in children. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 462 healthy children 3, 6, and 9 years of age. Blood was collected and micronutrient levels were measured. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay was used to measure chromosomal DNA damage (micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds) in lymphocytes. Cell apoptosis, necrosis, and the nuclear division index were also measured. Nine loci in genes involved in folate metabolism and DNA repair were genotyped. Data were analyzed using linear regression with adjustment for potential confounders. Plasma calcium was positively associated with micronuclei and necrosis, and α-tocopherol negatively associated with apoptosis, nuclear division index, and nucleoplasmic bridges; lutein was positively associated with nucleoplasmic bridges. α-tocopherol was positively associated with necrosis. DNA damage in healthy children may be influenced by blood micronutrient levels and certain genotypes. Further investigation of associations between nutritional status and genomic integrity in children is needed to shed additional light on potential mechanisms. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Incidence of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in cave tour guides.

    PubMed

    Bilban, M; Bilban-Jakopin, C; Vrhovec, S

    2001-01-01

    An analysis of structural chromosomal aberrations (SCA) and micronucleus tests (MN) were performed in 38 subjects, cave tour guides and in appropriate control group. The dominant type of chromosomal aberrations in tourist guides were chromosomal breaks (0.013 per cell) and acentric fragments (0.011 per cell). In the control group, these aberrations were present up to 0.008 on cells. Considering the analysed cells of the guides in total (33,556), the incidence of dicentric and rings range is below 0.0008 on cells, even though three dicentric and ring chromosoms were found already in the first 1000 in vitro metaphases of some guides. Only 0.0003 dicentrics and neither other translocations were found in control group (ambiental exposure). The incidence of micronuclei in cytokinesis blocked lymphocytes ranged from 12-32 per 500 CB cells in the cave tour guides and from 4-11 per 500 CB cells in control group. Measurements of radon and its daughters were performed at different locations in the cave. Annual doses from 40-60 mSv were estimated per 2000 work hours for cave guides. The changes found in the genome of somatic cells may be related to the exposure doses of radon and its daughters, although smoking should not be ignored.

  11. Assessment of nuclear abnormalities in exfoliated cells from the oral epithelium of mobile phone users.

    PubMed

    Souza, Leonardo da Cunha Menezes; Cerqueira, Eneida de Moraes Marcílio; Meireles, José Roberto Cardoso

    2014-06-01

    Transmission and reception of mobile telephony signals take place through electromagnetic wave radiation, or electromagnetic radiofrequency fields, between the mobile terminal and the radio base station. Based on reports in the literature on adverse effects from exposure to this type of radiation, the objective of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of such exposure, by means of the micronucleus test on exfoliated cells from the oral epithelium. The sample included 45 individuals distributed in 3 groups according to the amount of time in hours per week (t) spent using mobile phones: group I, t > 5 h; group II, t > 1 h and ≤ 5 h; and group III, t ≤ 1 h. Cells from the oral mucosa were analyzed to assess the numbers of micronuclei, broken egg structures and degenerative nuclear abnormalities indicative of apoptosis (condensed chromatin, karyorrhexis and pyknosis) or necrosis (karyolysis in addition to these changes). The occurrences of micronuclei and degenerative nuclear abnormalities did not differ between the groups, but the number of broken egg (structures that may be associated with gene amplification) was significantly greater in the individuals in group I (p < 0.05).

  12. Protective effect of hawthorn extract against genotoxicity induced by methyl methanesulfonate in human lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Hosseinimehr, Seyed Jalal; Azadbakht, Mohammad; Tanha, Mohammad; Mahmodzadeh, Aziz; Mohammadifar, Sohila

    2011-05-01

    The preventive effect of hawthorn (Crataegus microphylla) fruit extract against genotoxicity induced by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) has been investigated in human cultured blood lymphocytes. Peripheral blood samples were collected from human volunteers at 0 (10 minutes before), and at 1 and 2 hours after a single oral ingestion of 1 g hawthorn powder extract. At each time point, the whole blood was treated in vitro with MMS (200 µmol) at 24 hours after cell culture, and then the lymphocytes were cultured with mitogenic stimulation to determine the micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked binucleated cells. The lymphocytes treated with hawthorn and MMS to exhibit a significant decreasing in the incidence of micronucleated binucleated cells, as compared with similarly MMS-treated lymphocytes from blood samples collected at 0 hour. The maximum protection and decreasing in frequency of micronuclei (36%) was observed at 1 hour after ingestion of hawthorn extract. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that hawthorn contained chlorogenic acid, epicatechin and hyperoside. It is obvious that hawthorn, particularly flavonoids constituents with antioxidative activity, reduced the oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by toxic compounds. This set of data may have an important application for the protection of human lymphocyte from the genetic damage and side effects induced by chemicals hazardous in people.

  13. Genetic biomarkers for neoplastic colorectal cancer in peripheral lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Ionescu, Mirela; Ciocirlan, Mihai; Ionescu, Cristina; Becheanu, Gabriel; Gologan, Serban; Teiusanu, Adriana; Arbanas, Tudor; Mircea, Diculescu

    2011-04-01

    Loss of genomic stability appears as a key step in colorectal carcinogenesis. Micronucleus (MN) designates a chromosome fragment or an entire chromosme which lags behind mitosis. MN may be noticed as an additional nucleus within the cytoplasm cell during the intermediate mitosis phases. We tested the hypothesis that MN and its related anomalies may be associated with the presence of neoplastic colorectal lesions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured and microscopically examined. The frequency of micronuclei (FMN) and the presence of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) in binucleated cells were compared in patients with of without colorectal neoplastic lesions. We included 45 patients undergoing colonoscopy, 23 males and 22 females, with a median age of 59. 17 patients had polyps, 11 colorectal cancer (CRC) and 17 had a normal colonoscopy. The FMN was significantly higher in women than in men (8.14 vs 4.17, p=0.008); NPB were significantly less frequent in patients with advanced adenomas (>10mm or vilous) or CRC (p=0.044) when compared with patients with normal colonoscopy, hiperplastic polyps or non-advanced adenomas. Micronuclei are more frequent in women, but its frequency was not significantly different in patients with advanced adenomas or CRC. Null or low frequency values for nucleoplasmic bridges presence in peripheral lymphocyte may be predictive for advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer.

  14. Genetic Damage Induced by a Food Coloring Dye (Sunset Yellow) on Meristematic Cells of Brassica campestris L.

    PubMed Central

    Dwivedi, Kshama; Kumar, Girjesh

    2015-01-01

    We have performed the present piece of work to evaluate the effect of synthetic food coloring azo dye (sunset yellow) on actively dividing root tip cells of Brassica campestris L. Three doses of azo dye were administered for the treatment of actively dividing root tip cells, namely, 1%, 3%, and 5%, for 6-hour duration along with control. Mitotic analysis clearly revealed the azo dye induced endpoint deviation like reduction in the frequency of normal divisions in a dose dependent manner. Mitotic divisions in the control sets were found to be perfectly normal while dose based reduction in MI was registered in the treated sets. Azo dye has induced several chromosomal aberrations (genotoxic effect) at various stages of cell cycle such as stickiness of chromosomes, micronuclei formation, precocious migration of chromosome, unorientation, forward movement of chromosome, laggards, and chromatin bridge. Among all, stickiness of chromosomes was present in the highest frequency followed by partial genome elimination as micronuclei. The present study suggests that extensive use of synthetic dye should be forbidden due to genotoxic and cytotoxic impacts on living cells. Thus, there is an urgent need to assess potential hazardous effects of these dyes on other test systems like human and nonhuman biota for better scrutiny. PMID:25954313

  15. New investigations into the genotoxicity of cobalt compounds and their impact on overall assessment of genotoxic risk.

    PubMed

    Kirkland, David; Brock, Tom; Haddouk, Hasnaà; Hargeaves, Victoria; Lloyd, Melvyn; Mc Garry, Sarah; Proudlock, Raymond; Sarlang, Séverine; Sewald, Katherina; Sire, Guillaume; Sokolowski, Andrea; Ziemann, Christina

    2015-10-01

    The genotoxicity of cobalt metal and cobalt compounds has been widely studied. Several publications show induction of chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei or DNA damage in mammalian cells in vitro in the absence of S9. Mixed results were seen in gene mutation studies in bacteria and mammalian cells in vitro, and in chromosomal aberration or micronucleus assays in vivo. To resolve these inconsistencies, new studies were performed with soluble and poorly soluble cobalt compounds according to OECD-recommended protocols. Induction of chromosomal damage was confirmed in vitro, but data suggest this may be due to oxidative stress. No biologically significant mutagenic responses were obtained in bacteria, Tk(+/-) or Hprt mutation tests. Negative results were also obtained for chromosomal aberrations (in bone marrow and spermatogonia) and micronuclei at maximum tolerated doses in vivo. Poorly soluble cobalt compounds do not appear to be genotoxic. Soluble compounds do induce some DNA and chromosomal damage in vitro, probably due to reactive oxygen. The absence of chromosome damage in robust GLP studies in vivo suggests that effective protective processes are sufficient to prevent oxidative DNA damage in whole mammals. Overall, there is no evidence of genetic toxicity with relevance for humans of cobalt substances and cobalt metal. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Evaluation of an aerobic treatment for olive mill wastewater detoxification.

    PubMed

    El Hajjouji, Houda; El Fels, Loubna; Pinelli, Eric; Barje, Farid; El Asli, Abdelghani; Merlina, Georges; Hafidi, Mohamed

    2014-01-01

    Olive mill wastewater (OMWW) is a by-product of the olive oil extraction industry. Its dumping creates severe environmental problems in the Mediterranean countries. The phytoxicity of OMWW is due to the phenolic substances and is evaluated through a genotoxicity method. An aerobic treatment of OMWW was conducted during 45 days. Different concentrations of raw and treated OMWW were tested using the Vicia faba micronuclei test. Results showed that raw OMWW induced significant micronuclei formation at 10% of OMWW dilution. At 20% of dilution, no mitosis was recorded. The 45 days aerobic treatment OMWW showed an important decrease in the genotoxicity and also in the toxicity that was observed at 10% and 20% OMWW dilution. This could be correlated with the biodegradation of 76% of the total phenols. Indeed, qualitative analysis by high performance liquid chromatography shows the disappearance of the majority of phenolic compounds after 45 days of treatment. This study was completed by an agricultural test with V. faba plant. Data showed significant growth yield of 36.3% and 29.9% after being irrigated with 5 and 10 t/ha, respectively. These results supported the positive role of aerobic treatment on OMWW and their capacity to ameliorate the agronomic potential of these effluents.

  17. DNA double-strand breaks and micronuclei in human blood lymphocytes after repeated whole body exposures to 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    PubMed

    Fatahi, Mahsa; Reddig, Annika; Vijayalaxmi; Friebe, Björn; Hartig, Roland; Prihoda, Thomas J; Ricke, Jens; Roggenbuck, Dirk; Reinhold, Dirk; Speck, Oliver

    2016-06-01

    To examine the extent of genetic damage, assessed from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double-strand breaks (DSBs) and micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from individuals repeatedly exposed to 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee. Informed consent was obtained from 22 healthy, non-smoking, non-alcoholic male individuals, who had never undergone radio-/chemo-therapy, scintigraphy, and had not undergone X-ray examination one year prior blood withdrawal. Eleven participants were repeatedly exposed to 7T and 3T MRI while working with/around scanners or frequently participating as 7T and lower field MRI research subjects (mean age 34±7years). The other half was never exposed to 7T or lower field MRI and served as controls (mean age 33±9years). The damage in lymphocytes was assessed using anti-γH2AX immunofluorescence staining of DNA DSBs and by quantification of MN. Isolated cells were further exposed in vitro to 7T MRI either alone or in the presence of the DNA damaging drug etoposide, to determine if there is any additional combined effect. The kinetics of DNA damage repair were examined. The mean base-level of γH2AX foci/cell and incidence of MN between repeatedly exposed and control group were not significantly different (P=0.618 and P=0.535, respectively). The additional in vitro exposure of cells to 7T MRI had no significant impact on MN frequencies and γH2AX foci at 1, 20 and 72h after exposure. Frequently repeated 7T MRI exposure did not result in a detectable increase in genotoxicity indices and alterations of DNA repair kinetics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Arsenic-induced biochemical and genotoxic effects and distribution in tissues of Sprague-Dawley rats

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Patlolla, Anita K.; Todorov, Todor I.; Tchounwou, Paul B.; van der Voet, Gijsbert; Centeno, Jose A.

    2012-01-01

    Arsenic (As) is a well documented human carcinogen. However, its mechanisms of toxic action and carcinogenic potential in animals have not been conclusive. In this research, we investigated the biochemical and genotoxic effects of As and studied its distribution in selected tissues of Sprague–Dawley rats. Four groups of six male rats, each weighing approximately 60 ± 2 g, were injected intraperitoneally, once a day for 5 days with doses of 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/kg BW of arsenic trioxide. A control group was also made of 6 animals injected with distilled water. Following anaesthetization, blood was collected and enzyme analysis was performed by spectrophotometry following standard protocols. At the end of experimentation, the animals were sacrificed, and the lung, liver, brain and kidney were collected 24 h after the fifth day treatment. Chromosome and micronuclei preparation was obtained from bone marrow cells. Arsenic exposure significantly increased (p < 0.05) the activities of plasma alanine aminotransferase–glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT/GPT), and aspartate aminotransferase–glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST/GOT), as well as the number of structural chromosomal aberrations (SCA) and frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the bone marrow cells. In contrast, the mitotic index in these cells was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that aminotransferases are candidate biomarkers for arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity. Our results also demonstrate that As has a strong genotoxic potential, as measured by the bone marrow SCA and MN tests in Sprague–Dawley rats. Total arsenic concentrations in tissues were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A dynamic reaction cell (DRC) with hydrogen gas was used to eliminate the ArCl interference at mass 75, in the measurement of total As. Total As doses in tissues tended to correlate with specific exposure levels.

  19. SOD2 deficiency in hematopoietic cells in mice results in reduced red blood cell deformability and increased heme degradation

    PubMed Central

    Mohanty, Joy G.; Nagababu, Enika; Friedman, Jeffrey S.; Rifkind, Joseph M.

    2013-01-01

    Among the three types of super oxide dismutases (SODs) known, SOD2 deficiency is lethal in neonatal mice owing to cardiomyopathy caused by severe oxidative damage. SOD2 is found in red blood cell (RBC) precursors, but not in mature RBCs. To investigate the potential damage to mature RBCs resulting from SOD2 deficiency in precursor cells, we studied RBCs from mice in which fetal liver stem cells deficient in SOD2 were capable of efficiently rescuing lethally irradiated host animals. These transplanted animals lack SOD2 only in hematopoietically generated cells and live longer than SOD2 knockouts. In these mice, approximately 2.8% of their total RBCs in circulation are iron-laden reticulocytes, with numerous siderocytic granules and increased protein oxidation similar to that seen in sideroblastic anemia. We have studied the RBC deformability and oxidative stress in these animals and the control group by measuring them with a microfluidic ektacytometer and assaying fluorescent heme degradation products with a fluorimeter, respectively. In addition, the rate of hemoglobin oxidation in RBCs from these mice and the control group were measured spectrophotometrically. The results show that RBCs from these SOD2-deficient mice have reduced deformability, increased heme degradation products, and an increased rate of hemoglobin oxidation compared with control animals, indicative of increased RBC oxidative stress. PMID:23142655

  20. Re-activation of the peptidyltransferase centre of rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes after inactivation by exposure to low concentrations of magnesium ion.

    PubMed Central

    Cox, R A; Greenwell, P; Hirst, W

    1976-01-01

    1. The larger subrivosomal particles of rabbit reticulocytes retained full activity in the puromycin reaction and in poly(U)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis after 4h at 0 degrees C when buffered 0.5M-NH4Cl/10-30mM-MgCl2 was the solvent. 2. Activity in the puromycin reaction was diminished to approx 10% after 15-30 min at 0 degrees C when the concentration of MgCl2 was lowered to 2mM. 3. Activity was not restored when the concentration of MgCl2 was raised from 2mM to 10-30 mM at 0 degrees C. However, activity was recovered as measured by both assay systems when the ribosome fraction was heated to 37 degrees C at the higher concentrations of MgCl2. 4. Recovery of activity was noted during the course of the polyphenylalanine synthesis in 50 mM-KCl/5mM-MgCl2/25mM-Tris/HCl, pH 7.6, at 37 degrees C. Re-activation was slow at 20 degrees C and below. 5. No more than about 5% of the protein moiety of the subparticle was lost in 0.5M-NH4Cl on decreasing MgCl2 concentration from 10mM to 2mM. No proteins were detected in the supernatant fractions by gel electrophoresis after ribosomes were separated by differential centrifugation. The supernatant fraction was not essential for the recovery of activity. However, at higher (e.g. 1M) concentrations of NH4Cl, proteins were split from the subparticle. 6. The loss and regain of activity found on lowering and restoring the concentration of MgCl2 at 0.5M-NH4Cl appears to arise from a conformational change that does not seem to be associated with a loss and regain of particular proteins. 7. A 2% decrease in E260 was noticed when the concentration of Mg2+ was restored, and the change in the spectrum indicated a net increase of approx. 100A-U base-pairs per subribosomal particle. 8. When the concentration of Mg2+ was restored, S20,W of the subparticle remained at 52+/- 1S until the sample was incubated at 37 degrees C when S20,W increased to 56 +/- 1S compared with the value of 58 +/- 1S for the subparticle as originally isolated. PMID:1016237

  1. Factors affecting response and tolerability to ferumoxytol in nondialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

    PubMed

    Fishbane, Steven; Bolton, W Kline; Winkelmayer, Wolfgang C; Strauss, William; Li, Zhu; Pereira, Brian J G

    2012-09-01

    Ferumoxytol is a unique intravenous (i.v.) iron therapy. This report examines factors affecting hemoglobin response to i.v. ferumoxytol, and the relationship between hematologic parameters, concomitant erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA), and adverse events (AEs) in nondialysis CKD patients. A series of post-hoc efficacy and safety analyses were performed using pooled data from two identically designed Phase III studies in 608 nondialysis CKD patients randomized to receive two 510 mg i.v. injections of ferumoxytol within 5 ± 3 days versus oral iron. Ferumoxytol resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin in the presence and absence of ESA, and across a range of baseline hemoglobin, transferrin saturation, ferritin, and reticulocyte hemoglobin content levels. Adverse event rates with ferumoxytol were similar across quartiles of change in hemoglobin; there were no trends suggesting an increased rate of cardiovascular AEs with higher maximum achieved hemoglobin or faster rate of hemoglobin rise. There was no meaningful difference in the rate of AEs, serious AEs, and cardiovascular AEs between patients receiving or not receiving ESA. These analyses add to the knowledge of predictors of response and safety outcomes associated with i.v. iron therapy in nondialysis CKD patients.

  2. Elevated red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels in black blood donors.

    PubMed

    Wallas, C H

    1978-01-01

    Mean levels of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) were significantly increased in erythrocytes (RBC) from 43 nonanemic black blood donors (4.80 +/- 0.06 micromoles/l RBC) compared with 22 white donors 4.47 +/- 0.08 micromoles/l RBCs from eight of the 12 black donors with DPG levels greater than 5 micromoles/l RBC. Although a potentially hemolytic disorder could be defined in four (AS hemoglobin, beta-Thalassemia minor, G6PD deficiency), reticulocyte counts were normal. However, when RBCs from the subgroup were compared to RBCs from an additional 25 unselected white donors, the following suggested an abnormally large population of young RBCs in the subgroup: 1) normal or elevated RBC-ATP with normal serum phosphate level; 2) significantly increased activities of RBC age-dependent enzymes hexokinase (p less than 0.02), pyruvate kinase (p less than 0.05), and glutamicoxaloacetic transaminase (p less than 0.01), with normal activity of phosphoglycerate kinase, an age-independent enzyme; 3) decreased dense (older) RBCs as determined by sedimentation in phthalate esters. Since DPG is increased in young RBCs and falls as the RBC ages, loss of older relatively DPG depleted RBCs due to shortened survival could account for the elevated DPG levels seen in the subgroup.

  3. Genotoxicity tests on D-tagatose.

    PubMed

    Kruger, C L; Whittaker, M H; Frankos, V H

    1999-04-01

    D-tagatose is a low-calorie sweetener that tastes like sucrose. Its genotoxic potential was examined in five standard assays: the Ames Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay, the Escherichia coli/mammalian microsome assay, a chromosomal aberration assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells, a mouse lymphoma forward mutation assay, and an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. D-tagatose was not found to increase the number of revertants per plate relative to vehicle controls in either the S. typhimurium tester strains or the WP2uvrA- tester strain with or without metabolic activation at doses up to 5000 microg/plate. No significant increase in Chinese hamster ovary cells with chromosomal aberrations was observed at concentrations up to 5000 microg/ml with or without metabolic activation. D-tagatose was not found to increase the mutant frequency in mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells with or without metabolic activation up to concentrations of 5000 microg/ml. D-tagatose caused no significant increase in micronuclei in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes at doses up to 5000 mg/kg. D-tagatose was not found to be genotoxic under the conditions of any of the assays described above. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  4. Internal pigment cells respond to external UV radiation in frogs.

    PubMed

    Franco-Belussi, Lilian; Nilsson Sköld, Helen; de Oliveira, Classius

    2016-05-01

    Fish and amphibians have pigment cells that generate colorful skins important for signaling, camouflage, thermoregulation and protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR). However, many animals also have pigment cells inside their bodies, on their internal organs and membranes. In contrast to external pigmentation, internal pigmentation is remarkably little studied and its function is not well known. Here, we tested genotoxic effects of UVR and its effects on internal pigmentation in a neotropical frog, Physalaemus nattereri We found increases in body darkness and internal melanin pigmentation in testes and heart surfaces and in the mesenterium and lumbar region after just a few hours of UVR exposure. The melanin dispersion in melanomacrophages in the liver and melanocytes in testes increased after UV exposure. In addition, the amount of melanin inside melanomacrophages cells also increased. Although mast cells were quickly activated by UVR, only longer UVR exposure resulted in genotoxic effects inside frogs, by increasing the frequency of micronuclei in red blood cells. This is the first study to describe systemic responses of external UVR on internal melanin pigmentation, melanomacrophages and melanocytes in frogs and thus provides a functional explanation to the presence of internal pigmentation. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  5. Purification and characterization of moschins, arginine-glutamate-rich proteins with translation-inhibiting activity from brown pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seeds.

    PubMed

    Ng, T B; Parkash, A; Tso, W W

    2002-10-01

    From fresh brown pumpkin seeds, two proteins with a molecular mass of 12kDa and an N-terminal sequence rich in arginine and glutamate residues were obtained. The protein designated alpha-moschin closely resembled the fruitfly programmed-cell death gene product and the protein designated beta-moschin demonstrated striking similarity to prepro 2S albumin in N-terminal sequence. alpha- and beta-moschins inhibited translation in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system with an IC(50) of 17 microM and 300nM, respectively.

  6. [Spleen autotransplant. Natural history and description of a case].

    PubMed

    Ceccherini, E; Sereni, P; Ferrari, F; Fagioli Zucchi, A; Croce, F; Di Maggio, G; Vattimo, A; Mancini, S

    1989-09-30

    After considering the natural history of spleen auto-transplant, a clinical case followed up for seven months with instrumental (echography, scintigraphy) and humoral (Jolly bodies, Heinz bodies, reticulocytes, platelets, complement, immune globulin) examinations has been considered so as to verify "take" and function. One months after reimplantation the patient was again operated on for the onset of an intestinal occlusion due to adherences. On that occasion it was possible to control that the implant had taken. It is concluded that personally used parameters proved to be well correlated and that scintigraphy and echography are two complementary, effective techniques for monitoring auto-transplants.

  7. Eukaryotic ribosome display with in situ DNA recovery.

    PubMed

    He, Mingyue; Edwards, Bryan M; Kastelic, Damjana; Taussig, Michael J

    2012-01-01

    Ribosome display is a cell-free display technology for in vitro selection and optimisation of proteins from large diversified libraries. It operates through the formation of stable protein-ribosome-mRNA (PRM) complexes and selection of ligand-binding proteins, followed by DNA recovery from the selected genetic information. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosome display systems have been developed. In this chapter, we describe the eukaryotic rabbit reticulocyte method in which a distinct in situ single-primer RT-PCR procedure is used to recover DNA from the selected PRM complexes without the need for prior disruption of the ribosome.

  8. Cytologic Effects of Air Force Chemicals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-08-01

    mitomycin C (MMC, Sigma), a well known bifunctional DNA alkylating agent . Figure 3 shows typical metaphase spreads of a rat lymphocyte and a rat bone...monofunctional DNA alkylating agents and well known mutagens, are shown in Figures 7 and 8, respectively. Fig- ure 9 shows the induction of micronuclei by MMC...a bifunctional alkyl - ating agent . These three chemicals serve as positive controls for the in vitro exposures. In all three figures, the general

  9. Genotoxic effects induced by the exposure to an environmental mixture of illicit drugs to the zebra mussel.

    PubMed

    Parolini, Marco; Magni, Stefano; Castiglioni, Sara; Binelli, Andrea

    2016-10-01

    Despite the growing interest on the presence of illicit drugs in freshwater ecosystems, just recently the attention has been focused on their potential toxicity towards non-target aquatic species. However, these studies largely neglected the effects induced by exposure to complex mixtures of illicit drugs, which could be different compared to those caused by single psychoactive molecules. This study was aimed at investigating the genetic damage induced by a 14-day exposure to a realistic mixture of the most common illicit drugs found in surface waters worldwide (cocaine, benzoylecgonine, amphetamine, morphine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) on the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The mixture caused a significant increase of DNA fragmentation and triggered the apoptotic process and micronuclei formation in zebra mussel hemocytes, pointing out its potential genotoxicity towards this bivalve species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Toxicity and genotoxicity of wastewater from gasoline stations

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    The toxicity and genotoxicity of wastewater from eight gasoline stations in Brasília, Brazil's capital city, was studied by assessing chromosomal aberrations, chromosomal malsegregation and the mitotic index in Alliumcepa root cells, and the occurrence of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities in peripheral erythrocytes of tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus). The content of gasoline station effluents was also analyzed based on several physico-chemical parameters. None of the wastewater samples was genotoxic to A. cepa root cells, although cell proliferation was significantly inhibited, especially at the highest concentrations. Likewise, no micronuclei were observed in O. niloticus peripheral erythrocytes, even after exposure to high concentrations, but there was an increase in the number of nuclear abnormalities and fish mortality. These results show that although the effluent from gasoline stations is processed by an oil/water separation system before being discharged into the main sewage system, the wastewater still contains toxic compounds. PMID:21637464

  11. In vitro studies on the genotoxicity of 2,4-dichloro-6-nitrophenol ammonium (DCNPA) and its major metabolite.

    PubMed

    Heng, Z C; Ong, T; Nath, J

    1996-06-12

    2,4-dichloro-6-nitrophenol ammonium (DCNPA) is used as a herbicide. However, information on the potential health hazards of DCNPA is limited. In a previous study, we found that DCNPA is genotoxic to Bacillus subtilis and yeast. Further studies were performed to determine whether DCNPA and its major metabolite, 2,4-dichloro-6-aminophenol (DCAP), can induce reverse mutations in Salmonella, gene mutations at the HPRT locus, sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and micronuclei (MN) in V79 cells. Results show that DCNPA does not produce a positive response for any endpoint at concentrations tested. However, treatment of V79 cultures with DCAP caused a significant increase in SCEs and MN in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that DCAP damages DNA and causes chromosomal aberrations in V79 cells. Therefore, DCNPA could pose potential health hazards to populations exposed to this herbicide.

  12. Effects of deoxygenation on active and passive Ca2+ transport and on the cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels of sickle cell anemia red cells.

    PubMed

    Etzion, Z; Tiffert, T; Bookchin, R M; Lew, V L

    1993-11-01

    Elevated [Ca2+]i in deoxygenated sickle cell anemia (SS) red cells (RBCs) could trigger a major dehydration pathway via the Ca(2+)-sensitive K+ channel. But apart from an increase in calcium permeability, the effects of deoxygenation on the Ca2+ metabolism of sickle cells have not been previously documented. With the application of 45Ca(2+)-tracer flux methods and the combined use of the ionophore A23187, Co2+ ions, and intracellular incorporation of the Ca2+ chelator benz-2, in density-fractionated SS RBCs, we show here for the first time that upon deoxygenation, the mean [Ca2+]i level of SS discocytes was significantly increased, two- to threefold, from a normal range of 9.4 to 11.4 nM in the oxygenated cells, to a range of 21.8 to 31.7 nM in the deoxygenated cells, closer to K+ channel activatory levels. Unlike normal RBCs, deoxygenated SS RBCs showed a two- to fourfold increase in pump-leak Ca2+ turnover. Deoxygenation of the SS RBCs reduced their Ca2+ pump Vmax, more so in reticulocyte- and discocyte-rich than in dense cell fractions, and decreased their cytoplasmic Ca2+ buffering. Analysis of these results suggests that both increased Ca2+ influx and reduced Ca2+ pump extrusion contribute to the [Ca2+]i elevation.

  13. Anemia in new congenital adult type polycystic kidney mice.

    PubMed

    Koumegawa, J; Nagano, N; Arai, H; Wada, M; Kusaka, M; Takahashi, H

    1991-12-01

    Mechanisms for the development of anemia and the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) on hematological parameters were studied in new congenital adult type polycystic kidney (DBA/2FG-pcy) mice. The majority of DBA/2FG-pcy mice showed progressive anemia and an elevation of blood urea nitrogen, while a minority showed progressive anemia following polycythemia. Kidneys with numerous cysts in the cortex and medulla occupied virtually the entire abdominal cavity, and the combined kidney weight taken as a percentage of body weight reached 13.5% in the DBA/2FG-pcy mouse. The osmotic fragility of DBA/2FG-pcy mice erythrocytes was significantly increased compared with that of normal control mice. In addition, two-fold increases in serum EPO levels, determined by radioimmunoassay, and a decreased number of colony forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E) were observed in the DBA/2FG-pcy mice. The administration of r-HuEPO during anemia significantly increased the red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and reticulocyte percentage in a dose-dependent manner. These findings indicate that anemia in the DBA/2FG-pcy mouse is due to increased fragility of erythrocytes, a deficiency in EPO for the degree of anemia and a decreased number or a decreased response of erythroid progenitor cells. We suggest that the DBA/2FG-pcy mouse is a useful spontaneous model of chronic progressive renal failure.

  14. Hematological parameters of human immunodeficiency virus positive pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, North Western Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Abdulqadir, Ibrahim; Ahmed, Sagir Gumel; Kuliya, Aisha Gwarzo; Tukur, Jamilu; Yusuf, Aminu Abba; Musa, Abubakar Umar

    2018-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) scourge continues to affect young women within the reproductive age group and pregnancy is a recognized indication for the use antiretroviral (ARV) drugs among HIV-positive women. The aim is to determine the combined effect of pregnancy, HIV and ARV drugs on the hematological parameters of the pregnant women. This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted among 70 each of HIV-positive and negative pregnant women. Bio-demographic and clinical data were extracted from the client folder and 4 ml of blood sample was obtained from each participant. Full blood count was generated using Swelab automatic hematology analyzer while reticulocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were conducted manually. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version software 16 while P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Pregnant women with HIV had statistically significant lower hematocrit and white blood cell (WBC) and higher ESR than pregnant women without HIV ( P < 0.000). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of platelet and reticulocyte ( P > 0.05). However, among HIV positive pregnant women, those with CD4 count <350/μL had statistically significant lower WBC and lymphocyte count than those with CD4 count ≥350/μL ( P < 0.05), whereas, those on zidovudine (AZT)-containing treatment had statistically significant lower hematocrit and higher mean cell volume than those on non-AZT-containing treatment ( P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in any of the hematological parameters ( P > 0.050) between women on first- and second-line ARV regimens. There is a significant difference in terms of hematological parameters between HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women in this environment.

  15. ISO/IEC 17025 Sysmex R-500 hematology reticulocyte analyzer validation.

    PubMed

    Dimopoulou, H A; Theodoridis, T; Galea, V; Christopoulou-Cokkinou, V; Spyridaki, M-H E; Georgakopoulos, C G

    2007-01-01

    The Sysmex R-500 (R-500) Hematology Analyzer is a bench-top system appropriate for the analysis of limited batches of blood samples. The R-500 provides percentage proportional (RET%), absolute reticulocyte (RET#), and absolute red blood cell (RBC#) counts. The system was validated at the Doping Control Laboratory of Athens, according to the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology, International Standards Organization (ISO/IEC) 17025, and World Antidoping Agency (WADA) specifications. The instrument calibration was performed according to the manufacturer and validation parameters comprised linearity, precision, uncertainty (intermediate and long-term precision), comparability, effect of drift, carryover, stability, and accuracy. The linearity and the comparability studies for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were expressed in regression factors (R2) and coefficients of correlation [r(x, y)], respectively. For the precision studies, the coefficients of variation for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were 9.49%, 9.83%, and <1.5%, respectively. For the intermediate precision studies, the coefficients of variation for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were 3.1%, 3.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. Carryover was found to be negligible. Sample stability was demonstrated at both room temperature and at 4 degrees C over a 24-hour period. Comparability studies for the R-500 were performed using a Sysmex SE-9500. The total evaluation led to the conclusion that the R-500 is an accurate and precise analyzer and because of to its relatively limited size, it can be considered a portable instrument, capable to be used in sports competition and training sites, where doping control and health tests are conducted. The analytical methodology of RET% measurement by the R-500 has been incorporated into the Doping Control Laboratory of Athens' Scope of Accreditation according to the ISO/IEC 17025 and WADA specifications.

  16. Associations of the Levels of C4d-bearing Reticulocytes and High-avidity Anti-dsDNA Antibodies with Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Mora, Claudia; Medina-Rosas, Jorge; Santos, Ana Maria; Jaimes, Diego A; Arbeláez, Ana M; Romero, Consuelo; Cortes, Annie; Londono, John

    2016-09-01

    There are no laboratory tools that detect early flares in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our aim was to validate in our population the previous findings of the association of C4d-bearing reticulocytes (R-C4d) compared to anti-dsDNA antibodies, with disease activity assessed by the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) and the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) 2004 scales. All patients who met the 1987 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria and were seen consecutively in 2013 at a specialized SLE care clinic were included. Disease activity was established by the SELENA-SLEDAI and BILAG 2004. Anti-dsDNA and R-C4d were quantified in peripheral blood. Comparisons were made between values of active and inactive patients, and the correlations between the SELENA-SLEDAI and serum levels of anti-dsDNA and R-C4d were measured. Sixty-two patients (83.9% women) were included. A total of 32.3% had active disease according to the SELENA-SLEDAI. There was a significant statistical difference (p = 0.0001) in the distribution of R-C4d between disease activity groups. The correlation coefficient between R-C4d and the SELENA-SLEDAI score was rs = 0.738 (p = 0.0001). R-C4d differed between patients with and without activity in the BILAG 2004 constitutional, mucocutaneous, gastrointestinal, renal, and hematological domains. R-C4d showed a higher correlation with SLE activity measured by the SELENA-SLEDAI and BILAG 2004 than anti-dsDNA did, suggesting a possible involvement in diagnosing disease activity. Prospective studies that confirm these findings and evaluate its involvement in followup are needed.

  17. Risk Factors of Pulmonary Hypertension in Brazilian Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia.

    PubMed

    Lobo, Clarisse Lopes de Castro; do Nascimento, Emilia Matos; Abelha, Renato; Queiroz, Ana Maria Mach; Connes, Philippe; Cardoso, Gilberto Perez; Ballas, Samir K

    2015-01-01

    This study was a prospective cross-sectional cohort study of 125 patients with sickle cell anemia (SS) between the ages of 16 to 60 years. Enrolled patients were followed-up prospectively for 15 months. Demographic, clinical, hematological and routine biochemical data were obtained on all patients. Six-minute walk test and Doppler Echocardiography were performed on all patients. A tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRJV) < 2.5 m/sec was considered normal, 2.5 ≤ TRJV ≤ 3.0 was considered mild-moderate and > 3.0 m/sec, severe. Patients with abnormal TRJV were significantly older and more anemic, had significantly higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, reticulocyte count and incidence of death. The logistic multimodal model implemented for the 125 patients indicated that age was the covariate that influenced the outcome of normal or abnormal TRJV with a cutoff age of thirty-two years. The survival rate for the group of patients with creatinine (Cr) > 1.0 mg/dL was lower than the group with Cr ≤ 1 and normal TRJV. A coefficient matrix showed that the LDH values were weakly correlated with the reticulocyte count but strongly correlated with hemoglobin suggesting that the TRJV values were not correlated with the hemolytic rate but with anemia. Ten patients died during the follow-up of whom 7 had TRJV > 2.5 m/sec. Acute chest syndrome was the most common cause of death followed by sepsis. In conclusion, this study shows that patients with SS older than thirty-two years with high LDH, elevated TRJV, severe anemia and Cr > 1 have poor prognosis and may be at risk of having pulmonary hypertension and should undergo RHC.

  18. Erythroid cell mitochondria receive endosomal iron by a "kiss-and-run" mechanism.

    PubMed

    Hamdi, Amel; Roshan, Tariq M; Kahawita, Tanya M; Mason, Anne B; Sheftel, Alex D; Ponka, Prem

    2016-12-01

    In erythroid cells, more than 90% of transferrin-derived iron enters mitochondria where ferrochelatase inserts Fe 2+ into protoporphyrin IX. However, the path of iron from endosomes to mitochondrial ferrochelatase remains elusive. The prevailing opinion is that, after its export from endosomes, the redox-active metal spreads into the cytosol and mysteriously finds its way into mitochondria through passive diffusion. In contrast, this study supports the hypothesis that the highly efficient transport of iron toward ferrochelatase in erythroid cells requires a direct interaction between transferrin-endosomes and mitochondria (the "kiss-and-run" hypothesis). Using a novel method (flow sub-cytometry), we analyze lysates of reticulocytes after labeling these organelles with different fluorophores. We have identified a double-labeled population definitively representing endosomes interacting with mitochondria, as demonstrated by confocal microscopy. Moreover, we conclude that this endosome-mitochondrion association is reversible, since a "chase" with unlabeled holotransferrin causes a time-dependent decrease in the size of the double-labeled population. Importantly, the dissociation of endosomes from mitochondria does not occur in the absence of holotransferrin. Additionally, mutated recombinant holotransferrin, that cannot release iron, significantly decreases the uptake of 59 Fe by reticulocytes and diminishes 59 Fe incorporation into heme. This suggests that endosomes, which are unable to provide iron to mitochondria, cause a "traffic jam" leading to decreased endocytosis of holotransferrin. Altogether, our results suggest that a molecular mechanism exists to coordinate the iron status of endosomal transferrin with its trafficking. Besides its contribution to the field of iron metabolism, this study provides evidence for a new intracellular trafficking pathway of organelles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The MNS glycophorin variant GP.Mur affects differential erythroid expression of Rh/RhAG transcripts.

    PubMed

    Hsu, K; Kuo, M-S; Yao, C-C; Cheng, H-C; Lin, H-J; Chan, Y-S; Lin, M

    2017-10-01

    The band 3 macrocomplex (also known as the ankyrin-associated complex) on the red cell membrane comprises two interacting subcomplexes: a band 3/glycophorin A subcomplex, and a Rh/RhAG subcomplex. Glycophorin B (GPB) is a component of the Rh/RhAG subcomplex that is also structurally associated with glycophorin A (GPA). Expression of glycophorin B-A-B hybrid GP.Mur enhances band 3 expression and is associated with lower levels of Rh-associated glycoprotein (RhAG) and Rh polypeptides. The goal of this study was to determine whether GP.Mur influenced erythroid Rh/RhAG expression at the transcript level. GP.Mur was serologically determined in healthy participants from Taitung County, Taiwan. RNA was extracted from the reticulocyte-enriched fraction of peripheral blood, followed by reverse transcription and quantitative PCR for RhAG, RhD and RhCcEe. Quantification by real-time PCR revealed significantly fewer RhAG and RhCcEe transcripts in the reticulocytes from subjects with homozygous GYP*Mur. Independent from GYP.Mur, both RhAG and RhD transcript levels were threefold or higher than that of RhCcEe. Also, in GYP.Mur and the control samples alike, direct quantitative associations were observed between the transcript levels of RhAG and RhD, but not between that of RhAG and RhCcEe. Erythroid RhD and RhCcEe were differentially expressed at the transcript levels, which could be related to their different degrees of interaction or sensitivity to RhAG. Further, the reduction or absence of glycophorin B in GYP.Mur erythroid cells affected transcript expressions of RhAG and RhCcEe. Thus, GPB and GP.Mur differentially influenced Rh/RhAG expressions prior to protein translation. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  20. Weathered MC252 crude oil-induced anemia and abnormal erythroid morphology in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) with light microscopic and ultrastructural description of Heinz bodies.

    PubMed

    Harr, Kendal E; Cunningham, Fred L; Pritsos, Chris A; Pritsos, Karen L; Muthumalage, Thivanka; Dorr, Brian S; Horak, Katherine E; Hanson-Dorr, Katie C; Dean, Karen M; Cacela, Dave; McFadden, Andrew K; Link, Jane E; Healy, Katherine A; Tuttle, Pete; Bursian, Steven J

    2017-12-01

    Injury assessment of birds following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010 was part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment. One reported effect was hemolytic anemia with the presence of Heinz bodies (HB) in birds, however, the role of route and magnitude of exposure to oil is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to determine if double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritis; DCCO) exposed orally and dermally to artificially weathered crude oil would develop hemolytic anemia including HB and reticulocytosis. In the oral experiment, sub-adult, mixed-sex DCCOs were fed control (n = 8) or oil-injected fish with a daily target dose of 5 (n = 9) or 10 (n = 9) ml oil/kg for 21 days. Then, subadult control (n = 12) and treated (n = 13) cormorant groups of similar sex-ratio were dermally treated with approximately 13ml of water or weathered MC252 crude oil, respectively, every 3 days for 6 dosages approximating 20% surface coverage. Collected whole blood samples were analyzed by light (new methylene blue) and transmission electron microscopy. Both oral and dermal treatment with weathered DWH MC252 crude oil induced regenerative, but inadequately compensated, anemia due to hemolysis and hematochezia as indicated by decreased packed cell volume, relative increase in reticulocytes with lack of difference in corrected reticulocyte count, and morphologic evidence of oxidant damage at the ultrastructural level. Hemoglobin precipitation, HB formation, degenerate organelles, and systemic oxidant damage were documented. Heinz bodies were typically <2µm in length and smaller than in mammals. These oblong cytoplasmic inclusions were difficult to see upon routine blood smear evaluation and lacked the classic button appearance found in mammalian red blood cells. They could be found as light, homogeneous blue inclusions upon new methylene blue staining. Ultrastructurally, HB appeared as homogeneous, electron-dense structures within the cytosol and lacked membranous structure. Oxidant damage in avian red blood cells results in degenerate organelles and precipitated hemoglobin or HB with different morphology than that found in mammalian red blood cells. Ultrastructural evaluation is needed to definitively identify HB and damaged organelles to confirm oxidant damage. The best field technique based on the data in this study is assessment of PCV with storage of blood in glutaraldehyde for possible TEM analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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