Effects of Sialic Acid from Edible Bird Nest on Cell Viability Associated with Brain Cognitive Performance in Mice

Background: Edible bird nest(EBN) is a natural food product rich in glycoprotein such as sialic acid, which has been reported to improve brain functions. The EBN is widely consumed due to its higher nutritional contents and antioxidant status; however, an interaction of EBN on brain cell metabolic activity and viability are still unclear. Objective: The objectives of this study were to identify the effect of sialic acid from EBN on the cell viability and to determine the appropriate concentration of sialic acid on cognitive performance in mice. Materials and Methods: The viability of pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines were tested using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. For in vivo study, 7-week-old female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into four treatment groups and were treated with sialic acid for 21 days. At day 22, all mice were tested on cognitive performance by Y-maze test. Results: Treatment concentration of sialic acid extract and sialic acid standard at 60 μg/mL(0.6 ppm) increased cell viability and showed no cytotoxicity effects in pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. In addition, an administration of higher dose of sialic acid at 0.6 ppm in animals improved Y-maze test performance, which they showed significantly higher number of entries and time spent in the novel arm. Conclusion: Thus, the current study shows that the sialic acid extract at 0.6 ppm improved brain cognitive performance in mice associated with an increased viability of pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines.     

Human papillomavirus testing in the clinical laboratory. Part II: vaginal, vulvar, perineal, and penile squamous lesions

The accurate diagnosis of HPV-related diseases of the lower genital tract requires expertise, and sometimes even the expert may face a dilemma as to the precise nature of the biopsies submitted from colposcopically suspicious HPV-related lesions. We have evaluated the role of viral testing using dot blot hybridization (ViraType) and PCR in the diagnosis of histologically typical (42 cases) and equivocal (30 cases) squamous intraepithelial lesions of the vagina (7), vulva (30), perianal epithelium (3), penis (31), and scrotum (1). The viral kits were used according to the manufacturer's instructions in a routine laboratory setting, and the probes available were HPV 6/11, 16, 18, and 31, 33, 35 (the 30s group). HPV DNA was found in 45 of 72 (62%) of all lesions. PCR was more sensitive (58%) than ViraType (39%) for detecting HPV DNA sequences (p less than 0.02), particularly in equivocal lesions (EQHPV), 14 of 30 (47%) by PCR vs 4 of 30 (13%) by ViraType (p less than 0.004). The majority of lesions contained oncogenic type viruses irrespective of their histologic presentation, namely, type 16. Only condylomata acuminata were predominantly HPV 6 or 11 positive. Viral testing may play a role in the quality control of the diagnostic expertise of routine laboratories as well as ascertaining the HPV-relatedness of histologically equivocal lesions of the anogenital tract. In view of the relatively high false-negative rates for detecting HPV DNA by ViraType and PCR, only a positive test may be meaningful unless other HPV types are added.     

Protective Role of Native Rhizospheric Soil Microbiota Against the Exposure to Microcystins Introduced into Soil-Plant System via Contaminated Irrigation Water and Health Risk Assessment

Microcystins (MCs) produced in eutrophic waters may decrease crop yield, enter food chains and threaten human and animal health. The main objective of this research was to highlight the role of rhizospheric soil microbiota to protect faba bean plants from MCs toxicity after chronic exposure. Faba bean seedlings were grown in pots containing agricultural soil, during 1 month under natural environmental conditions of Marrakech city in Morocco (March–April 2018) and exposed to cyanobacterial extracts containing up to 2.5 mg·L⁻¹ of total MCs. Three independent exposure experiments were performed (a) agricultural soil was maintained intact “exposure experiment 1”; (b) agricultural soil was sterilized “exposure experiment 2”; (c) agricultural soil was sterilized and inoculated with the rhizobia strain Rhizobium leguminosarum RhOF34 “exposure experiment 3”. Overall, data showed evidence of an increased sensitivity of faba bean plants, grown in sterilized soil, to MCs in comparison to those grown in intact and inoculated soils. The study revealed the growth inhibition of plant shoots in both exposure experiments 2 and 3 when treated with 2.5 mg·L⁻¹ of MCs. The results also showed that the estimated daily intake (EDI) of MCs, in sterilized soil, exceeded 2.18 and 1.16 times the reference concentrations (0.04 and 0.45 µg of microcysin-leucine arginine (MC-LR). Kg⁻¹ DW) established for humans and cattle respectively, which raises concerns about human food chain contamination.