Category Archives: Uncategorized
Astaxanthin as an antioxidant: exploring its potential in prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction
A. A. Badri1*, N. N. Ayu Dewi2, I. A. I. Wahyuniari3
1Master Program in Biomedical Science, Anti-Aging Medicine,
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar, Indonesia;
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar, Indonesia;
3Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar, Indonesia;
*e-mail: ameliabadri940@gmail.com
Received: 03 February 2025; Revised: 21 May 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
Astaxanthin is a natural carotenoid with a powerful antioxidant activity, high stability and the ability to cross both the blood-brain and the blood-retinal barriers. It demonstrates significant potential in mitigating diseases related to oxidative stress. Mitochondria are the organelles most susceptible to molecular damage caused by oxidative stress, transcriptional pathways regulated by Nrf2 and PGC-1 play the crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial function and biogenesis. In this review the molecular mechanism of astaxanthin influence on Nrf2 and PGC-1α pathways and cellular health are analysed.
How the brain makes sense of the world: May-Britt Moser and the 2014 Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine
T. V. Danylova1*, S. V. Komisarenko2
1Institute for Social and Political Psychology, National Academy
of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: danilova_tv@ukr.net;
2Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
Received: 21 April 2025; Revised: 27 May 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
For hundreds of years, thinkers have tried to unravel the mystery of the brain and the ways the brain makes sense of the world. In recent decades, prominent neuroscientists have come close to solving this phenomenon and have provided crucial information about the role of the brain in complex behavior. One of them is May-Britt Moser, a Norwegian psychologist and neuroscientist known for her work on spatial orientation and spatial memory specifically and cognition more generally and a co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This paper aims to outline the main stages of her scientific activities.
Corrigendum: Interaction of 4 allotropic modifications of carbon nanoparticles with living tissues
Paryzhak S.Ya., Dumych T.I., Peshkova S.M.,
Bila E.E., Lutsyk A.D., Barras A.,
Boukherroub R., Szunerits S., Bilyy R.O.
Ukr Biochem J. 2019; 91(2): 41-50.
doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/ubj91.02.041
In the published article, there was an error in Figure 5 as published. Figure 5 included by mistake a wrong fluorescence image of mice used in this work. We believe this error resulted from the use of the same contour mask during figure preparation, inadvertently leading to a mix-up of images.
The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way.
The updated Figure 5 is shown below.
Isolation, characterization and antioxidant activity of fibrinogen-like protein-1 from serum and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Abdulsattar J. Abdullah, Zahraa M. A. Hamodat*
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Mosul, Iraq;
*e-mail: zahraahamodat@uomosul.edu.iq
Received: 20 April 2025; Revised: 01 June 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Fibrinogen-like protein-1 (FGL1) has been implicated in immune regulation, but its antioxidant role under inflammatory conditions remains underexplored. This study aimed to isolate and purify FGL1 from the serum of healthy controls and from the serum and synovial fluid from inflamed joints of RA patients, and to assess its antioxidant capacity. Purification included ammonium sulfate precipitation (65%), dialysis, and gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-75), SDS-PAGE and HPLC. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging and IC50 calculation. SDS-PAGE and HPLC analysis confirmed the successful isolation, identity and high purity of FGL1 from all samples, the protein molecular weight ranged from 68 to 70 kDa. The DPPH assay showed that FGL1 isolated from synovial fluid of RA patients had the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 2.124 ng/ml), followed by RA serum (2.172 ng/ml) and control serum (2.798 ng/ml). These results indicate the dual role of FGL1 protein in immune response and oxidative balance, making it a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis.
Indices of liver and kidney function and the level of cytokines and tumor biomarkers in the serum of patients with hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma
Othman A. Othman, Mahmoud Fadl Bakr*
Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science,
Minia University, 61519, El-Minia, Egypt;
*e-mail: mahmoud.fadl@mu.edu.eg
Received: 02 March 2025; Revised: 27 May 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) selectively targets the liver and causes persistent infection, often evading the immune system, leading to chronic liver failure, kidney disease and HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to estimate the indices of liver and kidney functions and the level of inflammatory cytokines and tumor markers in patients with both HCV-positive chronic hepatitis and HCV-related HCC in comparison to HCV only patients and healthy controls. The study included 156 persons divided into four groups: control group I – 27 healthy individuals; HCV group – 45 patients with HCV (proved by PCR); HCC group – 42 patients with HCC (proved by radiological investigations and laboratory tests); HCV+HCC group – 42 patients with HCV and HCC (HCV – positive chronic hepatitis with HCC). Routine clinical tests for kidney and liver function were used. The levels of IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-α and tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) were examined by ELISA. The results showed a highly significant increase in ALT, ALP, and AST activity, as well as uric acid, urea and creatinine levels, with a significant decrease in albumin levels in HCC and HCV+HCC groups compared to HCV-only patients and healthy controls. The elevation in the serum levels of the studied tumor markers and cytokines in the HCC and HCV+HCC groups, with the highest levels in the latter, was observed. The data obtained indicate the progressive deterioration in liver and kidney functions and a significant effect of chronic inflammation in HCV-related liver carcinogenesis.
Plasma levels of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide and brain-derived neurotrophic factor are not significantly altered in posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury
A. Shcherbakova1, D. Martsenkovskyi2, D. Stroy3, A. Savchenko4,
K. Vosnitsyna5, O. Sulaieva1, O. Dudin1, V. Dosenko3
1Medical Laboratory CSD LAB;
2Department of Psychiatry, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine;
3Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, National A cademy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
4Scientific and Medical Center “Doslid” (LLC “Medical Research”), Kyiv, Ukraine;
5State Institution Veteran Mental Health and Rehabilitation Center Forest Glade Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine;
e-mail: anna82201@gmail.com
Received: 04 April 2025; Revised: 12 May 2025;
Accepted: 11 June 2025; Available on-line: 07 July 2025
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are common consequences of combat exposure, significantly affecting both mental and physical health of military personnel. Identifying reliable biomarkers for these conditions is critical for timely diagnosis, monitoring of treatment effectiveness, and prediction of the disease course. The results of recent studies suggesting potential role of PACAP and BDNF in peripheral blood as biomarkers for PTSD have been yet unconclusive. In this study we analyzed the level of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the blood plasma of 450 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine divided into six groups based on their diagnosis: controls, PTSD, PTSD with TBI, TBI, complex PTSD (CPTSD), CPTSD with TBI. PTSD and CPTSD were diagnosed using the International Trauma Interview, and TBI using the Ohio State University TBI Identification Method. PACAP and BDNF levels were analyzed in the the fasting blood samples using ELISA. PACAP and BDNF levels in blood plasma in control group were 2.10 ± 0.26 and 5.13 ± 0.50 ng/ml, respectively. The study findings revealed no statistically significant differences in PACAP and BDNF levels among the study groups. The results obtained indicate potential limitations of using these biomarkers for stress disorders and TBI diagnosing in combat-exposed military populations and highlight the need for further research to identify reliable biomarkers with objective diagnostic value and prognostic significance.