Int J Med Sci
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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a human pathogen, causing the serious liver disease. Despite considerable advances in the understanding of the natural history of HBV disease, most of the early steps in the virus life cycle remain unclear. Virus attachment to permissive cells, fusion and penetration through cell membranes and subsequent genome release, are largely a mystery. ⋯ Further studies showed that a serine protease inhibitor Kazal (SPIK) was over expressed in the HepG2 cells. Therefore, it is possible that to silence the over expressed SPIK and thus to reinstate the activity of indispensable cellular proteases can result in the restoration of the susceptibility of HepG2 cells for HBV infection. The establishing a stable cell line for study of the early steps of HBV life cycle by silencing of SPIK is discussed.
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Tyrosine kinases are important mediators of the signaling cascade, determining key roles in diverse biological processes like growth, differentiation, metabolism and apoptosis in response to external and internal stimuli. Recent advances have implicated the role of tyrosine kinases in the pathophysiology of cancer. Though their activity is tightly regulated in normal cells, they may acquire transforming functions due to mutation(s), overexpression and autocrine paracrine stimulation, leading to malignancy. ⋯ The modes of oncogenic activation and the different approaches for tyrosine kinase inhibition, like small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, heat shock proteins, immunoconjugates, antisense and peptide drugs are reviewed in light of the important molecules. As angiogenesis is a major event in cancer growth and proliferation, tyrosine kinase inhibitors as a target for anti-angiogenesis can be aptly applied as a new mode of cancer therapy. The review concludes with a discussion on the application of modern techniques and knowledge of the kinome as means to gear up the tyrosine kinase drug discovery process.
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The theoretical possibility of applying gene transfer methodologies to the human germline is explored. Transgenic methods for genetically manipulating embryos may in principle be applied to humans. ⋯ Nuclear transfer (cloning) offers an alternative approach to germline genetic modification, however there are major health concerns associated with current nuclear transfer methods. It is concluded that human germline gene therapy remains for all practical purposes a future possibility that must await significant and important advances in gene transfer technology.
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Many factors such as aging, changes in blood electrolytes levels, and possibly family history are involved in senile cataract formation. Changes in serum electrolytes levels can induce changes in aqueous electrolytes levels and effect on lens metabolism and probably cataract formation. In this paper, we study serum level of Na(+ )and K(+) in senile cataract patients and normal individuals. ⋯ Mean serum K(+) level in senile cataract patients and normal individuals was 4.20 +/- 0.34 mEq/lit and 4.15 +/- 0.32 mEq/lit respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Serum Na(+ )level in senile cataract patients was higher than normal individuals in this study. This result might suggest that diets with high Na(+) content are a risk factor for age-related cataract formation, as high Na(+) content of the diet leads to high level of serum Na(+), which in turn contributes to formation of age-related cataract.