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Background: Generalized vitiligo is a common, multifaceted, polygenic condition in which autoimmune loss of melanocytes results in depigmented skin patches, overlying hair and mucous membranes. NLRP1 has been proposed to be implicated in the susceptibility of a broad variety of autoimmune disorders, including generalized vitiligo (GV). Genetic polymorphisms in the NLRP1 encoding gene (formerly known as NALP1) have previously been found to be linked with GV and there is uncertainty as to their role in the modulation of NLRP1 expression. Oxidative stress is a significant pathogenesis theory for vitiligo. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are enzymes active in the defense of cells against chemical toxicity and stress.This study validates some of the Unani concepts of humors or temperaments (Phenotypes), with regard to Vitiligo, Where vitiligo is regarded as a phlegmatic disease. We selected Vitiligo subjects with Phlegmatic Clinical Phenotype for our study, with an aim to determine its association with the genetic biomarkers- NLRP1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes and other biochemical parameters. Methods: The Unani clinicians randomly selected 100 vitiligo patients with a phlegmatic Clinical Phenotype who were attending NRIUMSD for treatment and 100 healthy volunteers belonging to Phlegmatic (Phlegmatic clinical Phenotype). Besides looking at temperaments/ humors as susceptibility factors – we included a genetic factor- NLRP1, GSTM1- and GSTT1-null genotypes to our investigation. We have genotyped the NLRP1, GSTM1- and GSTT1-null genotypes by PCR-RFLP and by Multiplex PCR, GST protein level estimation by ELISA method. Results: NLRP1 rs2670660 polymorphism was shown to be in significant association with GV, with the presence of minor alleles in active GV. We found that the frequencies of GSTM1 null genotype and GSTT1 null genotype in vitiligo patients were significantly high compared to the controls (OR= 1.47, 95% CI=0.765--2.861), (OR = 4.75, 95% CI = 2.131-10.63), respectively. In combination analysis with both genes, the results suggested significant association of vitiligo risk with both GSTM1\GSTT1 null genotypes (OR=4.83, 95% CI=1.523– 15.32).We observed a significant decrease (p

Aim: This study aimed to identify promising allosteric inhibitors with the potential to inhibit EGFR1, PI3K, and BRAF kinases as a single agent or in a combination of existing drugs, thus acting as a therapeutic option when traditional drugs fail to give a beneficial response in disease pathology. Background: Upregulation of EGFR1 activates several downstream signaling pathways, resulting in pathophysiological alterations that contribute to cancer. The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) and PI3K/Akt/mTOR (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathways are major downstream signalling partners induced by EGFR1 activation. Despite their vast importance, allosteric FDA-approved drugs targeting EGFR1 and these pathways are not available. Objective: The objective of the study is to identify novel multi-kinase small molecules with the potential to inhibit major sites of amplification of cancer signalling pathways, i.e., EGFR1, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signalling pathways targeting allosteric sites. Method: In silico methods were used to identify the potential inhibitors using EGFR1, PI3, and BRAF crystal structures complexed with allosteric inhibitors. The potential novel molecules were confirmed for their drug-likeness. Their stability of binding was also confirmed using molecular dynamics simulation studies. To eliminate false negatives, this study used a pharmacophore and structure-based targeting method. Results: The current study was effective in identifying drug-like small molecules, such as ZINC38783966, ZINC01456629, ZINC01456628, and 124173751, 137352549, 137353176, 137352399, 132020316 from ZINC and PubChem database, respectively, with a potential to bind EGFR1 (6DUK), PI3 (4A55) and BRAF (6P3D) at allosteric sites. A 50 ns molecular dynamics investigation also revealed that these potential novel multitarget kinase allosteric inhibitors exhibited stable binding. Conclusion: Alterations in EGFR1, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signalling pathways are observed in cancers in high frequency and are also used by viral and environmental toxicants for pathologic purposes. These multi-kinase allosteric inhibitors will provide insight into allosteric drug discovery and deepen our understanding of targeting these pathways, either individually or in combination with orthosteric inhibitors.

EGFR1, VEGFR2, Bcr-Abl and Src kinases are key drug targets in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, CML, ALL, colorectal cancer, etc. The available drugs targeting these kinases have limited therapeutic efficacy due to novel mutations resulting in drug resistance and toxicity, as they target ATP binding site. Allosteric drugs have shown promising results in overcoming drug resistance, but the discovery of allosteric drugs is challenging. The allosteric binding pockets are difficult to predict, as they are generally associated with high energy conformations and regulate protein function in yet unknown mechanisms. In addition, the discovery of drugs using conventional methods takes long time and goes through several challenges, putting the lives of many cancer patients at risk. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to apply the most successful, drug repurposing approach in combination with computational methods to identify kinase inhibitors targeting novel allosteric sites on protein structure and assess their potential multi-kinase binding affinity. Multiple crystal structures belonging to EGFR1, VEGFR2, Bcr-Abl and Src tyrosine kinases were selected, including mutated, inhibitor bound and allosteric conformations to identify potential leads, close to physiological conditions. Interestingly the potential inhibitors identified were peptides. The drugs identified in this study could be used in therapy as a single multi-kinase inhibitor or in a combination of single kinase inhibitors after experimental validation. In addition, we have also identified new hot spots that are likely to be druggable allosteric sites for drug discovery of kinase-specific drugs in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid nanoparticles (PEG-PLA NPs) represent a new generation of parenteral therapeutics systems. Following administration, these NPs possess the potential to interact with biological machinery. Therefore, it is essential to get a systematic understanding of the biological fate of these NPs to evaluate their safety. In the present study, two doses (20 and 40 mg/kg) of technetium-99m labeled PEG-PLA NPs were administered intravenous (i.v.) and oral into mice and the distribution was assessed at 1, 2, 4 and 24 h post administration. Biodistribution and blood kinetic profiles revealed the extended systemic circulation of the NPs. Dose-dependent presence of NPs (p

Identification of biomarkers for the novel therapeutics targets of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important area of current research. In this study, the level of inflammatory cytokines was investigated and correlated these levels with erythrocytic antioxidant activities in COPD patients with smokers and without smokers and parameters of severity.Plasma levels of Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-10 concentrations were assayed by means of Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and erythrocytic glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were estimated by spectrophotometric method.Both IL-6 and IL-8 plasma levels showed a statistically significantly higher in COPD patients as compared to healthy controls (p0.05) and GPx activities (r= - 0.080, p>0.05). Similarly IL-8 was also found negative association with GST (r= - 0.260, p>0.05) and GPx activities (r= - 0.268, p>0.05). Whereas, a significant positive association was observed between IL-10 and erythrocytic GST (r= 0.494, p In conclusion, Plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 are related with severity of COPD and IL-10 and oxidative stress markers GST and GPx are co-dependent and strongly interrelated processes and may be used as a potential marker for the evaluation of COPD.

Diabetes has emerged as a major threat to human life globally. Genomic studies have found a significant link between the Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR-γ2 gene with incidence as well as occurrence of the risk of metabolic syndrome. The present study was aimed at assessing the PPAR-γ2 variant in an Asian Indian cohort of type 2 diabetes patients and its correlation with metabolic parameters. The present case-control study involved 100 type 2 diabetic patients and 100 asymptomatic healthy volunteers enrolled in random. Assessment of demographic factors and biochemical parameters were done for all enrolled. In addition, genotyping for the Pro12Ala (CCA to GCA) polymorphism was done by polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. The genotyping study detected the frequency of the CC genotype (Pro12Pro) to be higher in frequency in comparison to the heterozygous CG genotype in both, cases and controls. The homozygous GG genotype (Ala12Ala) was not detected in any of the cases or controls assessed. Biochemical analysis of the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) detected a significant increase (p

Background: The role of Apolipoprotein-E (APO-E) in lipid metabolism and cholesterol transport is a key component of lipid metabolism which plays a role in diseases like hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine the genotypes, allelic frequencies, gene expression and methylation related to apolipoprotein E polymorphism in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients and compare with non-CAD healthy subjects of South Indian population. Methods: The APO-E alleles and genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP. Gene expression profiles for E3/E3 genotypes were determined using RT-PCR and methylation status was determined using Methyl Specific PCR assay in one hundred patients and an equal number of controls. Results: Four APO-E genotypes (E4/E4, E3/E3, E3/E4, and E2/E3) were identified with different allele frequency. Among these, E3/E3 genotype and E3 allele were found to be significantly higher in cases than controls. The present study showed that the mRNA expression of APO-E was up-regulated in CAD patients with E3/E3 genotype in comparison with controls. Methylation status indicated a significant association of E3/E3 genotypes with the disease. Conclusion: Different populations studied worldwide showed inherent variable frequencies of the APO-E alleles and genotypes, with the most frequent allele being E3. In this study, the APO-E genotypes E2/E3/E4 showed variable response to CAD, further, there was a significant association of E3/E3 genotypes to CAD risk; this genotype can be suggested for the diagnosis of CAD.

Due to the growing threat to the environment by the climate change, the development of sustainable and environmental friendly methods for the preparation of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) is highly desirable. Herein, we demonstrate a simple and eco-friendly method for the preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Azadirachta indica leaf extract and aqueous solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3). The effect of concentration of leaf extract and temperature on the synthesis of AgNPs is studied. It was revealed that 1 mM of AgNO3, leaf extract concentration of 60 mg/mL, 30 min of reaction time and a temperature 85 °C were found to be optimum for the synthesis good quality AgNPs. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by UV–Vis analysis, where the UV spectrum exhibited a highest absorption peak at ∼410 nm corresponding to the surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) of the AgNPs. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of biosynthesised AgNPs was investigated and the inhibitory concentrations of 0.5 µg/mL for Escherichia coli and 1.0 µg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus were found. Besides, the in vitro cytotoxicity investigation of biosynthesized AgNPs against human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells via MTT assay showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of 15.6 µg/mL was required. Therefore, the eco-friendly and cost effective synthesis of AgNPs has potential for biomedical applications and this method can be used for the large scale production of AgNPs. Keywords: Azadirachta indica, AgNPs, Biosynthesis, Antimicrobial activities, Cytotoxicity

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a crucial role in head and neck cancer (HNC) disease progression and targeted therapies. Hence the present study aims to identify the mutations in EGFR gene (exon 20) in HNC considering their exposure to tobacco and alcohol habits. Mutational analysis was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by single stranded confirmatory polymorphism (SSCP) techniques on the study group comprising of 129 HNC cases and 150 healthy volunteers. Four different SNP’s (R776H, G779G, Q787Q, and L798H) were observed with the overall mutation rate of 75.19% in HNC cases and 46% in controls. Q787Q was found to be more prevalent (p,0.05) and its genotypes GG, GA, and AA were 24.80%, 61.24%, and 13.95%. The study concluded that EGFR was found to be a polymorphic gene associated with HNC disease, and these SNPs were also prevalent in healthy volunteers with tobacco and alcohol habits. The observed SNPs in healthy volunteers indicated the importance of relative risk to HNC disease. These mutations were known to increase growth factor signaling cascade and confer susceptibility to the inhibitors.

Antioxidants are involved in the process of cellular damage prevention, which is considered as an avenue for cancer development. Free radicals are produced in the body upon exposure to stress, cigarette smoke, alcohol, toxins found in personal care products, pesticides in foods, radiation from the sun, viruses, germs or fungi etc. CCND1/CyclinD1 protein was found to be overexpressed in Oral squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were recruited along with hundred controls for this study from MNJ institute of Oncology with the approval of Ethics Committee, 5 ml blood samples were collected from each patient and centrifuged to collect serum for various assays. The antioxidant enzymes like catalase, SOD, GPX and GST were estimated using enzymatic assays. Results were expressed as unit of activity for mg of protein. Insilco analysis is performed using STRING v 11 Protein interaction tool. The patients with oral cancer had significantly reduced activities of SOD, GST and GPX (1.49 ± 0.49, 3.97 ± 0.86 and 10.7 ± 0.73 respectively) compared to healthy controls (4.37 ± 1.43, 6.10 ± 1.12 and 13.8 ± 1.25 respectively) (p

BACKGROUND Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC), a DNA repair protein, plays an important role in the maintenance of genomic integrity and is essential for the nucleotide excision repair pathway. Polymorphisms in the XPC gene may alter DNA repair leading to genetic instability and oncogenesis. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the XPC Ala499Val (rs2228000 C>T) and Lys939Gln (rs2228001 A>C) non-synonymous polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) pathogenesis, disease progression and the response to targeted therapeutic regimen, imatinib mesylate. METHODS This case-control study included 212 cases and 212 controls, and the genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assays. RESULTS Our results showed significant association of variant CT (odds ratio = 1.92, 95% confidence interval = 1.21-3.06, p = 0.003) and TT (odds ratio = 2.84, 95% confidence interval = 1.22-6.71, p = 0.007) genotypes in patients with the XPC Ala499Val polymorphism and CML risk. In addition, these genotypes were associated with CML progression to advanced phases (p = 0.006), splenomegaly (p = 0.017) and abnormal lactate dehydrogenase levels (p = 0.03). XPC Lys939Gln was found to correlate with a poor response to therapy, showing borderline significant association with minor cytogenetic response (p = 0.08) and a poor molecular response (p = 0.06). Significant association of the Ala499Val and Lys939Gln polymorphisms with prognosis was observed (Hasford high risk, p = 0.031 and p = 0.019, respectively). Haplotype analysis showed a strong correlation of variant TC haplotype with poor therapy responses (minor cytogenetic response, p = 0.019; poor molecular response, p

Due to their low cost and environmentally friendly nature, plant extracts based methods have gained significant popularity among researchers for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. Herein, green synthesis of silver nanoparticles was performed using the aqueous solution of Ziziphus mauritiana leaves extract (ZM-LE) as a bio-reducing agent. The as-obtained silver nanoparticles were characterized by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD (X-ray diffraction), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), and FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy). In addition, the effects of the concentrations of the leaves extract, silver nitrate, and the temperature on the preparation of nanoparticles were also investigated. In order to determine the nature of secondary metabolites present in leaves extract, a preliminary investigation of phytoconstituents was carried out using different methods including Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 methods. The results have indicated the presence of a considerable amount of phenolic and flavonoid contents in the leaves extract, which are believed to be responsible for the reduction of silver ions and stabilization of resulting nanoparticles. Indeed, the FT-IR spectrum of silver nanoparticles also confirmed the presence of residual phytomolecules of leaves extract as stabilizing ligands on the surface of nanoparticles. The antibacterial properties of as-obtained silver nanoparticles were tested against various bacterial strains including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. The nanoparticles strongly inhibited the growth of S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.5 &mu, g/ml and moderately inhibited the growth of E. coli with a MIC of 5 &mu, g/ml.

Cardiac Arrhythmias (CA) are responsible for syncope and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in several million cases worldwide. The molecular basis of CA pathogenesis is known, but the underlying mechanisms connecting genotype to phenotype changes in the proteins are not yet fully explored. Hence, in this study, three LQT2-linked missense mutations (Thr613Met, Ser641Phe and Gly648Ser) located in exon-7 region of KCNH2 gene identified in CA patients was assessed for their deleteriousness using diverse computational algorithms. The SIFT and PolyPhen-2 methods, which depends on sequence conservation across species, and protein structure-based information have attributed pathogenicity to these variants. Protein behavior studies at 3D level have identified that these three missense mutations induce biochemically severe amino acid changes that may alters the structure and function of KCNH2. Our molecular docking suggested that mutant KCNH2 protein shows a similar binding interactions to KB-R7943 as compared to the wild type model. These findings could be useful in resorting to alternate therapies for subset of CA patients who show limited therapeutic response to KB-R7943. This study supports that in silico approaches could act as a first-line filters to screen the potential impact of CA linked KCNH2 mutations depending upon the perspective of molecular evolution and phenotype of proteins.

Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a lipid disorder caused by pathogenic mutations in LDLRAP1 gene. The present study has aimed to deepen our understanding about the pathogenicity predictions of FH causative genetic mutations, as well as their relationship to phenotype changes in LDLRAP1 protein, by utilizing multidirectional computational analysis. Methods FH linked LDLRAP1 mutations were mined from databases, and the prediction ability of several pathogenicity classifiers against these clinical variants, was assessed through different statistical measures. Furthermore, these mutations were 3D modelled in protein structures to assess their impact on protein phenotype changes. Results Our findings suggest that Polyphen-2, when compared with SIFT, M-CAP and CADD tools, can make better pathogenicity predictions for FH causative LDLRAP1 mutations. Through, 3D simulation and superimposition analysis of LDLRAP1 protein structures, it was found that missense mutations do not create any gross changes in the protein structure, although they could induce subtle structural changes at the level of amino acid residues. Near native molecular dynamic analysis revealed that missense mutations could induce variable degrees of fluctuation differences guiding the protein flexibility. Stability analysis showed that most missense mutations shifts the free energy equilibrium and hence they destabilize the protein. Molecular docking analysis demonstrates the molecular shifts in hydrogen and ionic bonds and Van der waals bonding properties, which further cause differences in the binding energy of LDLR-LDLRAP1 proteins. Conclusions The diverse computational approaches used in the present study may provide a new dimension for exploring the structure-function relationship of the novel and deleterious LDLRAP1 mutations linked to FH.

Background The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is a tumor suppressor gene associated with both familial and sporadic cancer, whose protein plays an important role in the WNT signal transduction pathway. WNT signaling is a key developmental pathway involved in embryonic development, cell differentiation, cell proliferation and tissue maintenance in adults. APC protein acts as an antagonist of the WNT signaling pathway by binding and regulating the β-catenin protein. Impaired APC gene function usually leads to a lack of degradation of β-catenin, which could cause uncontrolled cell growth and lead to tumorigenic transformation. APC gene may be inactivated by aberrant DNA methylation of CpG islands in their promoter regions. Objective Hence the present study was designed to determine the role of promoter methylation of APC genes in sporadic breast cancer patients from South Indian population. Methods DNA methylation analyses of APC gene was performed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP).·Fifty biopsy samples of breast tumor and their corresponding non-malignant portions as controls were studied comparatively. APC mRNA expression analysis was also done using real time PCR. Results Thirty eight percent (38%) cancerous tissue samples (19/50) showed promoter hypermethylation in APC gene; however, none of normal tissues showed promoter hypermethylation. The difference in methylation frequency between cancerous and normal tissue was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). APC promoter methylation was positively associated with lymph node involvement (p = 0.048), APC Promote hyper methylation and decreased mRNA expression was significantly associated (p = 0.0034). Lower APC-mRNA expression was associated with patient's age above 50 years (p = 0.044). Conclusion In conclusion, our data showed that promoter hypermethylation of APC gene was a prognostic factor in breast cancer patients from South Indian population. The loss of APC gene function usually leads to an accumulation of β-catenin, which may promote tumorigenesis.

Several reports document the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and lipid metabolism in the context of acute inflammation as a causative factor in obesity-associated insulin resistance and as one of the causative parameter of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our aim was to investigate the association between −308G/A and −238G/A polymorphisms located in the promoter region of the TNF-α gene in T2DM in the Indian population with bioinformatics analysis of TNF-α protein networking with an aim to find new target sites for the treatment of T2DM. Demographics of 100 diabetes patients and 100 healthy volunteers were collected in a structured proforma and 3 ml blood samples were obtained from the study group, after approval of Institutional Ethics Committee of the hospital (IEC). The information on clinical parameters was obtained from medical records. Genomic DNA was extracted; PCR–RFLP was performed using TNF-α primers specific to detect the presence of SNPs. Various bioinformatics tools such as STRING software were used to determine its network with other associated genes. The PCR–RFLP studies showed that among the −238G/A types the GG genotype was 87%, GA genotype was 12% and AA genotype was 1%. Almost a similar pattern of results was obtained with TNF-α −308G/A polymorphism. The results obtained were evaluated statistically to determine the significance. By constructing TNF-α protein interaction network we could analyze ontology and hubness of the network to identify the networking of this gene which may influence the functioning of other genes in promoting T2DM. We could identify new targets in T2DM which may function in association with TNF-α. Through hub analysis of TNF-α protein network we have identified three novel proteins RIPK1, BIRC2 and BIRC3 which may contribute to TNF-mediated T2DM pathogenesis. In conclusion, our study indicated that some of the genotypes of TNF-α −308G/A, −238G/A were not significantly associated to type 2 diabetes mellitus, but TNF-α −308G/A polymorphism was reported to be a potent risk factor for diabetes in higher age (>45) groups. Also, the novel hub proteins may serve as new targets against TNF-α T2DM pathogenesis. Keywords: TNF-α, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Polymorphism, Genotypes, SNPs, Protein interaction network

Background Genetic factors play a significant role in pathogenesis of most diseases of heart. The present study was undertaken to correlate coronary artery disease with demographical, biochemical alterations, SNPs, gene expression and chromosomal abnormalities and for further enlightening the investigation in this field. Methods 150 patients taking clopidogrel drug were selected and single nucleotide polymorphism was done by PCR-RFLP techniques. With the same patients cytogenetic analysis was carried out on leukocyte cultures by karyotyping. Gene expression studies for 20 CAD patients and normal controls were done by RT-PCR techniques. Results In this study of patients with coronary artery disease the frequencies of the Extreme Metabolizers, Intermediate Metabolizers in CYP2C19*2 (rs4244285) were present in 90% and 10% but no Poor Metabolizers were found in this allele. The frequencies of Extreme Metabolizer, Intermediate Metabolizer and Poor Metabolizer in CYP2C19*3 (rs4986893) were present in 41%, 50% and 9% respectively. Among 20 CAD samples, 13 of 20 (65%) showed CYP2C19 gene over expression in CAD patients and all controls showed normal expression. Among the 150 CAD patients, 145 had normal karyotype, only five patients showed change in normal karyogram carried out by leukocyte culture. Conclusion Genetic testing of CYP2C19 may help in prescribing a dose according to genetic makeup and represent the initial steps towards the development of diagnostic tests and therapeutic strategies that will substantially improve human health. This study highlights the progress that has been made in using pharmacogenomic and gene expression analysis, cardiovascular genomic research and the potential for applying these findings in clinical medicine.

Recent times have witnessed the emergence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment due to their increased utilizations and nondegradable properties. Further their presence and accumulation in the environment seriously affects human health. These PPCPs are a unique group of physiological modulators as their effect can be observed at low doses which increase gradually due to their bioaccumulation. Their alarming increase in the environment impacts all living beings including humans, which is a cause of much concern, as some compounds are known to be endocrine disrupters. Therefore this article reviews the current state-of-knowledge on PPCPs and their chronic or acute toxicities, as determined by a wide array of experimental protocols. The health effects posed by these contaminants are evaluated in the light of its dose-dependent persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity criteria. Available literature on the sources, transport, and impact on biological systems of PPCPs are evaluated, followed by a comprehensive review of the reported concentrations of different PPCP groups on human health. The future perspectives for research on PPCPs and their health effects are discussed considering the identified research gaps in current knowledge.

The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of pesticide mixtures viz. endosulfan + chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos + profenofos, and endosulfan + profenofos were evaluated on cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes using assays for cell viability, and genotoxicity using chromosomal aberrations test and comet assay. The LC50 values for cytotoxicity were 3.50 μM, 4.18 μM, and 10.5 μM for profenofos, endosulfan, and chlorpyrifos respectively. When combined in equimolar concentrations, the LC50 values for cytotoxicity were 1.4 μM, 1.8 μM, and 2.0 μM for endosulfan + chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos + profenofos, and endosulfan + profenofos, respectively. Higher concentrations of individual pesticides (0.5–4.0 μM) but very low concentrations of pesticide mixtures caused significant DNA damage. Additive index values indicated a synergistic effect of toxicity for endosulfan + chlorpyrifos combination (1.12 TTU). The binary mixture of chlorpyrifos + profenofos showed an additive toxicity (0.46 TTU) while an antagonistic ...

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and p16INK4a (p16) genes are tumor suppressor genes, associated with epigenetic alterations. PTEN and p16 promoter hypermethylation is a major epigenetic silencing mechanism leading to cancer. The cooperation between PTEN and p16 in pathogenesis of cancers suggest that their combination might be considered as potential molecular marker for specific subgroups of patients. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate whether PTEN and p16 promoter methylations were involved in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in south Indian subjects. DNA methylation quantitative analyses of the two candidate tumor suppressor genes PTEN and p16 were performed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). Fifty OSCC biopsy samples and their corresponding non-malignant portions as controls were studied comparatively. The methylation status was correlated with the clinical manifestations. Twelve out of 50 patients (24 %) were found to be methylated for PTEN gene, whereas methylation of the p16 gene occurred in 19 out of 50 cases (38 %). A statistically significant result was obtained (P =