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BACKGROUND: Iron overload is the main cause of oxidative stress in beta-thalassemia (βT) by the increased production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants counteract the toxic effects of oxidative stress. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the possible impact of splenectomy, iron chelators, and hydroxyurea (hydra) on serum level of TAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty children and adolescents with βT were studied in comparison to 25 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects. Complete medical history, clinical examination, and laboratory assessment of serum TAC, ferritin, hepcidin, and hemoglobin (Hb) were carried out. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups; thalassemia major (TM), thalassemia intermedia (TI), and controls as regard age and sex. β-TM patients had significantly higher serum ferritin, serum hepcidin, and serum TAC (p < 0.000, 0.002, and 0.000, respectively) than controls. β-TI patients had significantly higher serum ferritin and serum TAC (p < 0.000) than controls. Serum TAC was lower in children with splenectomy, but this difference was not statistically significant. In addition, we observed no statistically significant difference in serum TAC of patients under different (deferasirox or deferiprone) medication. Serum TAC concentration was significantly higher in patients taking hydroxyurea (hydra) (p < 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed an increased level of serum TAC in patients with β-T in comparison with controls. Serum TAC was also increased in those taking hydroxyurea, however, it was low in βT patients under regular chelation therapy, while splenectomy had no significant effect on serum TAC.

BACKGROUND: Hepcidin, a small peptide hormone, is established as the main regulator of iron homeostasis. AIM: To estimate serum hepcidin, ferritin, and hepcidin: ferritin ratio in β-thalassemia patients and to determine the effect of splenectomy and hydroxyurea on serum hepcidin. METHODS: A study was conducted on 30 thalassemia major (βTM), 29 thalassemia intermedia (βTI) and 29 healthy children's controls. Data were collected by patient interviewing where detailed history-taking and thorough clinical examinations were carried out. Serum ferritin and hepcidin were measured by ELISA assay (Bioneovan Co. Ltd Beijing, China). RESULTS: Βeta-thalassemia patients had higher serum ferritin, serum hepcidin and lower Hb and hepcidin: ferritin ratio compared to the controls (p < 0.001, 0.010, 0.001, 0.001) respectively. Β-TM patients had higher mean serum hepcidin and serum ferritin compared to β-TI, with statistically significant difference (P = 0.042, P < 0.001, respectively). Twenty-one patients out of 29 βTI was on hydroxyurea therapy; these patients had significantly lower levels of serum ferritin (P < 0.004) and significantly higher levels of Hb (P < 0.004). Serum ferritin was statistically significantly higher in splenectomized patients P < 0.009. Serum hepcidin level was insignificantly higher in splenectomized patients than non-splenectomized patients (21.6 ± 14.75, 17.76 ± 10.01 ng/mL). Hepcidin showed a significantly positive correlation with hepcidin: ferritin ratio in all studied groups. CONCLUSION: Serum hepcidin was elevated in β-thalassemia children with more evident elevation in βTM patients. Splenectomy played no major role in hepcidin regulation. Knowing that hepcidin in serum has a dynamic and multi-factorial regulation, individual evaluation of serum hepcidin and follow up, e.g. every 6 months could be valuable, and future therapeutic hepcidin agonists could be helpful in management of iron burden in such patient.

The prevalence and magnitude of childhood and adult obesity and diabetes are increasing dramatically. FOXO 1a and FOXO 3a will be evaluated in this study, in an effort to identify genetic polymorphisms in potential candidate genes that may be associated with body mass index (BMI), and metabolic syndrome (MS). Also to assess whether there is a relation between insulin sensitivity, and genotype, we will test the relation between fasting insulin, glucose, insulin resistance, insulin secretion and genotype. A total number of 248 presenting normal, overweight and obese individuals were recruited; 100 children and 148 adults of both sexes. They were divided by body mass index as follows, normal, overweight and obese. Lipid profile, fasting glucose and insulin HOMA-IR and HOMA-β index and RT-PCR for FOXO 1a and FOXO 3a were performed. An association was found among the studied group (children and adults) as regards foxo3a gene polymorphism and HOMA IR, HOMA B index and T-cholesterol ( P = 0.022, 0.011 and 0.028, respectively), while there was only an association between LDL-C and foxo1a gene polymorphism among the studied group of children and adults ( P = 0.023). In this study we demonstrated that FOXO3a mutant is correlated with HOMA-IR (marker of insulin resistance), HOMA-B index (marker of insulin secretion) and total cholesterol while as regards FOXO1a there was only an association between LDL cholesterol and mutant type of FOXO1a.

The advantages of measuring hepatic oxidative status in liver biopsy are that it helps in diagnosis of hepatic dysfunction, reflects the degree of deterioration in the liver tissues, and helps to determine the severity of hepatic injury. We aimed to study the oxidative stress state in children with chronic hepatitis by using indirect approach in which antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) are determined in the liver tissue. The present study included 21 children and adolescents (12 males, 9 females) suffering from chronic hepatitis. Patients were selected from the Hepatology Clinic, New Children’s Hospital, Cairo University from November 2006 till 2009 and compared with a group of 7 children who happened to have incidental normal liver biopsy. Children with chronic hepatitis had mean age 8.12 ± 1.15 years. It was further subdivided into 2 subgroups: chronic viral heaptitis (n = 13) and cryptogenic hepatitis (n = 8). GPX, SOD and CAT levels were measured in fresh liver tissue (cell free homogenates) using ELISA. In chronic hepatitis group; there was a significant increase in the hepatic GPX activity (38.59 ± 35.82 nmol/min/ml) as compared to the control group (10.62 ± 6.68 nmol/min/ml). Also a significant correlation was observed between SOD and both ALT (r = 0.87, p < 0.05) and AST (r = 0.74, p < 0.05). GPX correlated with ALT (r = 0.80, p < 0.05) level in the chronic viral hepatitis subgroup. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress could play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis. These preliminary results are encouraging to conduct more extensive clinical studies combining antioxidant therapy with various treatments.

Introduction Obesity and associated metabolic disorders are a worldwide epidemic. Recent evidence suggests that the microbial community in the human intestine may play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in the composition of the intestinal microbiota between obese and normal weight Egyptian children and adults. Material and methods The study included 79 subjects among whom 51 were obese (23 children and 28 adults), and 28 were subjects of normal weight (17 children and 11 adults). Faecal samples were collected from all subjects. Total DNA was extracted from collected stool samples and submitted to conventional PCR for detection of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. All the studied group was subjected to clinical and anthropometric evaluation. Laboratory assessment of fasting glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and lipid profile was performed. Results The proportions of the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were statistically significantly increased in the obese group compared to the normal weight group (p < 0.001, p = 0.003 respectively). The study also found a statistically significant positive trend for higher hsCRP in subjects with positive Firmicutes (p = 0.004). However, no associations were found between positive Bacteroidetes and hsCRP. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that obesity in Egyptian children and adults is associated with compositional changes in faecal microbiota with increase in the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. This could be considered when developing strategies to control obesity and its associated diseases by modifying the gut microbiota.

The present study focused on the antimicrobial compounds production ‎from Streptomyces clavuligerus isolated from Egyptian soil. The results ‎revealed that the isolate had a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity ‎against Escherichia coli NCTC 10416, Salmonella typhi NCIMB 9331, ‎Bacillus subtilis NRRL B-543, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and ‎Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The isolate was identified according to ‎the morphological and molecular techniques identification as ‎Streptomyces clavuligerus. Different experiments were conducted to ‎study the optimum conditions for the highest antimicrobial productivity of ‎Streptomyces clavuligerus. Results indicated that, the optimum medium ‎for the production of antimicrobial compound(s) was YPSS- medium ‎included carbon source starch at concentration of 10 g/l and nitrogen ‎source urea at concentration of 6 g/l. In addition the optimum incubation ‎period was 7 days at incubation temperature 30oC if the optimum ‎agitation speed was 150 rpm and initial pH was 6.5 using phosphate ‎buffer. On the other hand, peel potato was the best carbon by product ‎source while whey was the best nitrogen by product source. The ‎extraction, purification and structure identification of the antimicrobial ‎agent(s) produced by Streptomyces clavuligerus, were carried out by ‎UVanalysis, IR and Mass spectrum which identified as Clavulanic acid ‎and Holomycin.‎

Two microbial isolates selected from Egyptian soil were used for ‎biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using silver nitrate solution. ‎The selection of these two microorganisms was depending on the ‎ability of actinomycetes and fungi to AgNPs synthesis and production ‎of antimicrobial compounds. Results recorded that the dry weight of ‎AgNPs produced from selected Streptomyces clavuligerus and ‎Trichoderma harzianum AUMC 5408 were 66.5 and 11.0 mg/l ‎respectively. Description of AgNPs from Streptomyces clavuligerus ‎supernatant and Trichoderma harzianum AUMC 5408 mycelia were ‎carried out. Results of UV-analysis showed spectrum located between ‎‎420-440 nm for both culture filtrate and mycelium respectively ‎characteristics of AgNPs. Also, the Fourier Transform Infrared ‎Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was studied. The average size of AgNPs ‎were between rang from 2.0 to 4.5 nm in case of Streptomyces ‎clavuligerus, but 5.33-29.46 nm in case of Trichoderma harzianum ‎AUMC 5408. Enhancement of the antimicrobial activity of crude ‎antimicrobial compounds with Silver Nanoparticles was assayed. The ‎results revealed that addition of AgNPs to the culture filtrate of ‎Streptomyces clavuligerus and Trichoderma harzianum AUMC 5408 ‎that have antimicrobial activity increased the diameter of inhibition ‎zone between 3-5 mm in both cases.‎