Category Archives: Uncategorized
Nobel Prize laureate Kary Mullis and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
V. M. Danilova*, O. P. Matyshevska, S. V. Komisarenko
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: valdan@biochem.kiev.ua
Received: 11 May 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
The article highlights the major life and career milestones and the extraordinary personality of 1993 Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry Kary B. Mullis. The background of Mullis’ invention of the polyme-rase chain reaction (PCR), a revolutionary and monumental method of molecular biology and genetics of the 20th century, is described. The PCR technique is based on multiple selective copying of a particular segment of DNA with the help of enzymes in vitro. Under these conditions, only the target region is copied, and only if it is present in the studied sample. The invention of the PCR method has been one of the most outstanding events in molecular biology in recent decades.
Osteoprotegerin, sclerostin, and osteocalcin serum levels in thyroid disorder patients
F. F. Rija1, S. Z. Hussein2*, M. A. Abdalla3
1Department of Biology, Tikrit University – College of Sciences, Tikrit, Iraq;
2Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Salah Aldeen Health Directorate, Tikrit, Iraq;
3Department of Human Anatomy, Tikrit University College of Medicine, Tikrit, Iraq;
*e-mail: drmohammadahmad68@gmail.com
Received: 15 February 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
The maintenance of thyroid hormone homeostasis is essential in the regulation of skeletal system development, bone tissue mineralization and fracture risk prevention. This study was carried out to evaluate the serum level of osteoprotegerin (OPG), sclerostin (SOST), and osteocalcin (OC) in hypo- and hyperthyroidism patients. A total number of examined patients was 90 individuals, 30 of them were normal as a control group, the rest 60 individuals were arranged in two groups: 30 patients with hypothyroidism and 30 patients with hyperthyroidism. Serum assay tests for OPG, SOST, OC, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (T3), and total thyroxine (T4) were used. The present study reported high levels of SOST, T3, and T4 and low levels of OPG, OC, and TSH in patients with hyperthyroidism compared to control. Whereas in patients with hypothyroidism only SOST and TSH levels were increased, but OPG, OC, T3, and T4 levels were low compared to control. The data obtained indicate the correlation on osteoprotegerin, sclerostin, and osteocalcin levels with thyroid hormones disturbances.
The impact of genetic factors on thyroid hormones metabolism in patients with diabetic kidney disease
N. O. Abramova1*, N. V. Pashkovska1, M. V. Vlasenko2
1Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi, Ukraine;
2Vinnitsa National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Ukraine;
*e-mail: natalloka84@gmail.com
Received: 29 January 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
One out of eleven adults in the world has diabetes mellitus. 25% of them develop diabetic kidney disease. Thyroid hormones are involved in the regulation of almost all physiological processes in the body, including renal function. The aim of the research was to study the dependance of biochemical markers of renal function in patients with diabetic kidney disease on C/Т polymоrphism in the DIO1 gene. To assess the dependence of biochemical markers of renal function on the C/T polymorphism in the DIO1 gene, the following groups has been formed: 19 patients with CC genotype, 69 individuals – with CT and 14 ones- with TT genotypes. Content of urea and cleatinine in plasma, eGFR, as well as microalbumine and creatinine content in urine were sagnificantly higher in patients with TT genotype than in group of patients with CC genotype and control group (P < 0.05). Presence of the T allele in genotype is associated with violation of thyroid hormones metabolism with the development of nonthyroidal illness syndrome. Carriers of T allele with diabetic kidney disease had significantly worse biochemical indices of renal function, that indicates the dependence of these markers on DIO1 polymorphism.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of hot chili pepper fruits and its antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
O. E. Smirnov1,2, V. Ye. Kalynovskyi1, Yu. M. Yumyna1, P. P. Zelena1,
M. A. Skoryk3, V. M. Dzhagan4, N. Yu. Taran1
1ESC “Institute of Biology and Medicine”, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine;
2Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
3G.V. Kurdyumov Institute for Metal Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
4V. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductors Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
e-mail: plantaphys@gmail.com
Received: 09 April 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
Green synthesis of different nanoparticles using the plants aqueous extracts has several advantages over other methods due to the environmentally favorable nature of plants. Moreover, such approach is also cost effective. This work describes the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with the use of the aqueous extract of dry pericarps of hot chili peppers (Capsicum sp. cv. Teja (S-17) and cv. Carolina Reaper) with different levels of pungency and their antibacterial effect on the antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Phytochemical screening of pericarp tissues showed great distinction in contents of phenolic compounds and capsaicinoids as potential reducing agents wich correlated with total antiradical activity as analyzed by reduction of DPPH radicals. The biosynthesized Ag-NPs were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average size of the nanoparticles in both samples was less than 25 nm. Іnitial concentration of both samples of Ag-NPs inhibited P. aeruginosa growth with equal efficiency.
Thermodynamics of interaction between polyreactive immunoglobulins and immobilized antigen
S. A. Bobrovnik1*, O. V. Ogloblya2, M. O. Demchenko1, S. V. Komisarenko1
1Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
2ESC Institute of Biology and Medicine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine;
*e-mail: s-bobrov@ukr.net
Received: 22 April 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
In order to determine thermodynamic parameters of the interaction between polyreactive immunoglobulins (PRIGs) and immobilized antigen, several of experimental kinetic curves of PRIGs binding to immobilized ovalbumin were obtained at different temperatures. This allowed determining the rate constants for every step of the binding process for each temperature. Then, using appropriate equations, thermodynamic parameters, such as activation energy, enthalpy, entropy, and standard free energy (Gibbs energy), were calculated. Thermodynamic values obtained show that the main energy consuming step in the study process of PRIGs bindingis the transformation of “inactive” PRIGs into “active” PRIGs, i.e. formation of hydrophobic patches on the surface of PRIGs molecules. In contrast, the following step of the binding of “active” PRIGs to an immobilized antigen is not an energy dependent process.
Semicarbazide diminishes the signs of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats
O. O. Hudkova*, I. P. Krysiuk, T. O. Kishko,
N. M. Popova, L. B. Drobot, N. V. Latyshko
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: ogudkova@biochem.kiev.ua
Received: 16 July 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
The pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is accompanied by extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, oxidative stress, and inflammation progression, as well as hyperactivation of amine oxidases (AOs), which contribute to disease manifestation. The present study aims to elucidate the effect of semicarbazide (SC), an inhibitor of Cu-containing AOs: lysyl oxidase (LOX), semicarbazide sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO), diamine oxidase (DAO), on PF induced in rats by bleomycin (BLM). Eighteen male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, rats of BLM group received BLM (5 mg/kg, intratracheally once), BLM+SC group obtained 0.005% solution of SC (about 50 µg per capita per day) for three weeks starting immediately after BLM injection, and the Control+SC group drank the same solution as BLM+SC group. The content of cross-linked collagen in total bronchi and free radicals in lung, activities of LOX, SSAO, DAO, polyamine oxidase (PAO), Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in lung and blood were measured. BLM injection induced PF that was confirmed histologically and morphometrically as well as by the elevation of the content of cross-linked collagen and free radicals. The activities of LOX and SSAO involved in post-translational modification of ECM and inflammation were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The activities of DAO, and PAO that control polyamine metabolism were also essentially raised. Among antioxidant enzymes, only GPx was activated in the BLM group as compared to control. These changes were absent in the BLM+SC group. SC intake promoted the fact that the histology and morphometric parameters of lung tissue, the content of cross-linked collagen in the bronchi and free radicals in the lung, as well as the activity of the studied enzymes remained at the control level. Our data suggest that SC suppresses the development of BLM-induced PF by inhibiting AOs activities.
Determination the binding ability of N-acetyl cysteine and its derivatives with SARS-COV-2 main protease using molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies
A. H. Shntaif*, N. A. Alrazzak, A. Bader, A. M. Almarzoqi
University of Babylon, College of Science for Women, Iraq;
*e-mail: ahmed1979sh@gmail.com
Received: 25 May 2021; Accepted: 22 September 2021
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) drug has been used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in clinical practice and more recently in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Using docking analysis and molecular dynamics studies we compare the interaction between of N-acetyl cysteine and its derivatives with SARS-COV-2 main protease (Mpro) which is essential for processing the proteins translated from the viral RNA. The results obtained from this study showed that NAC benzyl ester (NACBn), NAC ethyl ester (NACEt) and NAC amide (NACA) could bind with SARS-COV-2 protease better than NAC drug.