Ahmed Noureddine Helal

Combined effects of IL-8 and CXCR2 gene polymorphisms on breast cancer susceptibility and aggressiveness

BackgroundInterleukin-8 (IL-8/CXCL-8) is a prototype of the ELR+CXC chemokines that play an important role in the promotion and progression of many human cancers including breast cancer. We have recently showed the implication of polymorphism (-251) T/A of IL-8 gene in the susceptibility and prognosis of breast carcinoma. IL-8 acts through its CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors. CXCR2, expressed on the endothelial cells, is the receptor involved in mediating the angiogenic effects of ELR+CXC chemokines and in particular IL-8.In the current study, we investigated the susceptibility and prognostic implications of the genetic variation in CXCR2 in breast carcinoma. We also confirmed the implication of IL-8 (-251) T/A polymorphism in a larger cohort. Finally, we combined the IL-8 and CXCR2 variant alleles and analyzed their effects in breast cancer risk and prognosis.MethodsWe used the allele-specific polymerase chain reaction to characterize the variation of IL-8 and CXCR2 for 409 unrelated Tunisian patients with breast carcinoma and 301 healthy control subjects. To estimate the relative risks, Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for the known risk factors for breast cancer. Associations of the genetic marker with the rates of breast carcinoma-specific overall survival and disease-free survival were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA highly significant association was found between the homozygous CXCR2 (+ 1208) TT genotype (adjusted OR = 2.89; P = 0.008) and breast carcinoma. A significantly increased risk of breast carcinoma was associated with IL-8 (-251) A allele (adjusted OR = 1.86; P = 0.001). The presence of two higher risk genotypes (the TA and TT in IL-8, and the TT in CXCR2) significantly increased the risk of developing breast carcinoma (adjusted OR = 4.15; P = 0.0004).The CXCR2 (+ 1208) T allele manifested a significant association with an aggressive phenotype of breast carcinoma as defined by a large tumor size, a high histological grade, and auxiliarys lymph node metastasis. A significant association between the IL-8 (-251) A allele and the aggressive form of breast carcinoma was also found.Moreover, the presence of the IL-8 (-251) A and/or the CXCR2 (+ 1208) T allele showed a significant association with a decreased overall survival and disease-free survival in breast carcinoma patients.ConclusionOur results indicated that the polymorphisms in IL-8 and CXCR2 genes are associated with increased breast cancer risk, as well as disease progress, supporting our hypothesis for IL-8 and ELR+CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR2) involvement in breast cancer pathogenesis.

Response surface methodology for textile wastewater decolourization and biodegradation by a novel mixed bacterial consortium developed via mixture design

AbstractThe present study clearly showed the existence of good scope for the bacterial consortium composed of Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis in the decolourization of textile wastewater. The full factorial plan method was used for the multiobjective optimization of bacteria with the decolourization process as response to explore a new optimization method of the mixed starter. The influence of temperature, agitation and pH on colour and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was investigated using 23 factorial designs. The contours curve generated by the software MINITAB corresponding to the manipulation at a fixed temperature of 28°C shows the optimal conditions for the decolourization which are: temperature 28°C, pH close to neutrality (7.2–7.25) and a restlessness that ranges from 100 to 150 rpm. The decolourization and the biodegradation yields increased with the developed consortium with yields of 100 and 75.76% of colour and COD removal, respectively.

Rabbit dietary supplementation with pale purple coneflower. 1. Effects on the reproductive performance and immune parameters of does.

Echinacea pallida (EPAL), also known as pale purple coneflower, is a herbaceous flowering plant with immune-enhancement and antioxidative properties. The effect of EPAL on the reproductive performance, serum biochemistry and haematological parameters of rabbit does has been studied here. A total of 100, 21-week-old Grimaud rabbit does, were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 3 g EPAL/kg diet (Echinacea group, E), while the other was fed the basal diet without the supplementation (control group, C). The reproductive performance of the does was not affected by the treatment (P>0.05). The haematological parameters of pregnant rabbits showed that there was no interaction between gestation day and treatment. The EPAL supplementation induced a reduction (-47.3%) in the basophil cell rate (0.55% and 0.29%, for the control and treatment groups, respectively; P=0.049). The gestation day significantly affected most of the haematological parameters (P<0.05). The white blood cell counts declined progressively after day 14. The mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, mean platelet volume and eosinophils increased steadily throughout the study, and reached a maximum value on day 28. The red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume and neutrophils increased slightly up to day 14, and then subsequently decreased progressively until day 28. The lymphocytes and platelet distribution width decreased until day 14, and then increased to a maximum value on day 28. No significant effect of gestation day or treatment was observed on the blood serum chemistry. As far as the immune parameters are concerned, no significant differences were observed between groups, while a significant effect of gestation day was observed for lysozymes (6.02 v. 7.99 v. 1.91; for 0, 14 and 28 days, respectively; P=0.014). In conclusion, a lack of effect of EPAL has been observed. In fact, no impacts of EPAL have been observed on the reproductive or haematological parameters of the does. The effects of dietary supplementation with EPAL on the performances, bacterial community, blood parameters and immunity in growing rabbits are reported in the second part of this study.

Bilberry pomace in growing rabbit diets: effects on quality traits of hind leg meat

Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary bilberry pomace (BP) on colour, cooking losses, proximate composition and fatty acid (FA) profile of hind leg meat in growing rabbits. One hundred and forty-four Grimaud weaned rabbits (35 days old) were randomly divided into four groups of 36 animals each and fed ad libitum with a basal diet (C diet) tested against three assay diets developed by substituting 50, 100 and 150 g/kg of the C diet with BP (BP5, BP10 and BP15 diets, respectively). At 83 days of age, the rabbits were slaughtered without fasting. Inclusion of BP in the diet did not significantly affect colour, cooking losses, ash and protein contents, but determined a significant increase of ether extract in the muscle. Increasing dietary inclusion of BP also determined a proportional increase of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and total n-3 FA, as well as a proportional decrease of total saturated fatty acids (SFA), total branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) and total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in the muscle. Dietary BP significantly improved the PUFA/SFA ratio, the Σ n-6/Σ n-3 FA ratio and the atherogenicity, thrombogenicity and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic FA indexes of rabbit meat but it decreased Δ5-desaturase plus Δ6-desaturase index. The obtained results suggest that BP inclusion in growing rabbit diets can improve the fatty acid profile of hind leg meat, with consequent health benefits to consumers.

Biochemical characterization and antioxidant activities of the edible part of globe artichoke cultivars grown in Tunisia

ABSTRACT A renewed interest has been observed recently in globe artichoke as a promising source of polyphenols, a heterogeneous class of secondary metabolites characterized by various well-documented healthy properties. However, only few studies have characterized Tunisian cultivars. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the chemical parameters [fatty acids (FAs), volatiles, and phenolic derivatives content] in the edible part, the receptacle, of two globe artichoke cultivars (‘Violet d’Hyéres’ and ‘Blanc d’Oran’), including their antioxidant activities. The FA profiles of the receptacles showed that the most abundant acids were linoleic and palmitic ones. Forty-one volatile compounds, accounting for 97.6–96.3% of the receptacle aroma emission, were identified. Sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons represented the main chemical class; in particular β-selinene, followed by β-caryophyllene, reached the highest levels in ‘Violet d’Hyéres’ (48.7% and 14.5%, respectively). Total phenols and tannins (p ≤ 0.05), o-diphenols and flavonoids (p ≤ 0.01) were significantly higher in the receptacles of ‘Violet d’Hyéres’ cultivar (73.0, 17.2, 15.4, and 12.2 mg 100 g−1 of fresh weight, respectively). The antioxidant activity was notably phenolic derivatives content-dependent, where higher values were observed in the ‘Violet d’Hyéres’ cultivar. Results suggested that globe artichoke receptacles could represent a good source of health-promoting polyphenols with high antioxidant activity and this fact could encourage their consumption. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the variation of the considered compounds in other Tunisian cultivars.