Armaghan Shirinsokhan; Zeinab Khazaei Koohpar; Najmeh Ranji; Fatemeh safari
Volume 22, Issue 11 , 2020
Abstract
Background: Cadmium (Cd) is a natural and heavy metal, which is widely widespread in the atmosphere. Studies report that environmental exposure to Cd increases the risk of various disorders, such as pulmonary diseases. On the other hand, Cd increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS), which interacts ...
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Background: Cadmium (Cd) is a natural and heavy metal, which is widely widespread in the atmosphere. Studies report that environmental exposure to Cd increases the risk of various disorders, such as pulmonary diseases. On the other hand, Cd increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS), which interacts with biomolecules (e.g. DNA, proteins, and lipids) and causes severe damages. In addition, Cd may play a role in the dysregulation of the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Since ROS and oxidative stress are likely the main reasons for MMPs dysregulation, antioxidants therapy may protect tissues against Cd-induced damages. Furthermore, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) protects cells against oxidative stress and toxic compounds.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd) on the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2 and -9 expression in the lung, and the role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in preserving the lung cells against Cd toxicity.
Methods: The rats were randomly divided into five groups of G1 (control), G2 (single dose of Cd), G3 (continuous dose of Cd), G4 (single dose of Cd+NAC), and G5 (continuous dose of Cd+NAC). The level of Cd in the blood and lung tissue was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, the expression of MMP2 and MMP9 genes was evaluated using RT-PCR.
Results: Single and continuous exposure to Cd caused a significant increase in serum and the lung tissue of Cd in G2 (0.23±0.04 mg/L and 0.35±0.047 ?g/g tissue) and G3 (0.50±0.068 mg/L and 0.81±0.063 ?g/g tissue) groups, compared to other groups (P<0.001). The NAC supplementation significantly decreased Cd levels in the serum and lung tissue samples of rats exposed to single or continuous Cd (P<0.001). Furthermore, exposure to a single and continuous dose of Cd caused a significant increase in the MMP2 expression by 3.24-fold (P=0.003) and 11.9-fold (P<0.001), respectively. Additionally, treatment with single and continuous dose treatment of Cd led to a significant increase in the MMP9 expression by 3.20-fold (P=0.004) and 7.54-fold (P<0.001), respectively. The NAC treatments decreased the expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in the lung of rats exposed to a single or continuous dose of Cd.
Conclusion: The Cd exposure was strongly associated with the accumulation of Cd and overexpression of MMP2 and MMP9 in the lung tissue. Moreover, the NAC can protect the lungs against Cd toxicity by decreasing Cd and down-regulating MMPs.
Simin Arian; Hami Kaboosi; Zaheir Heshmatipour; Zeinab Khazaei Koohpar; Fatemeh Pyravii-Ghadikolaii
Volume 21, Issue 3 , 2019, Pages 1-8
Abstract
Background: Anti-proliferative effects of probiotics are considerable in the treatment of various cancers, including colon cancer. In the present study, two new Lactobacillus strains as probiotics were isolated from stool samples at a clinical lab.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ...
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Background: Anti-proliferative effects of probiotics are considerable in the treatment of various cancers, including colon cancer. In the present study, two new Lactobacillus strains as probiotics were isolated from stool samples at a clinical lab.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the cell-free lyophilized filtrate of two new strains of Lactobacillus, isolated on viability on Caco-2 cells. Methods: Two new strains of Lactobacillus were isolated from 1 gr of each infant stool specimens from a total of fifty volunteers, according to the principles of a scientific questionnaire. The anti-proliferative effects of the strains were investigated using the MTT assay with Caco-2 cell lines.Results: Out of 50 samples, seven isolates were lactic acid bacteria, two strains of which were probiotics related to L. fermentum (E) and L. rhamnosus (G). The results showed that the two Lactobacillus strains had good anti-proliferative effects against the cancer cell lines tested. These strains were resistant to low pH and 0.3% bile salt. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that the most effective concentra- tion of strains E (~ 55% to ~ 72%) and G (~ 60% to ~ 80%) on Caco-2 cells was 10000 μg/mL after 24 to72 hours.Conclusions: Cytotoxicity effect of the cell-free lyophilized filtrate of bacteria on Caco-2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner suggested that these strains might be used in colon cancer therapy.
