Serhat Sirekbasan

Effects of Lucilia sericata on wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and analysis of its secretome at the proteome level:

The use of Lucilia sericata larvae on the healing of wounds in diabetics has been reported. However, the role of the excretion/secretion (ES) products of the larvae in treatment of diabetic wounds remains unknown. This study investigated whether application of the ES products of L. sericata on the wound surface could improve the impaired wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Additional analysis was performed to understand proteome content of L. sericata secretome to understand ES contribution at the molecular level. For this purpose, full-thickness skin wounds were created on the backs of diabetic and control rats. A study was conducted to assess the levels of the ES-induced collagen I/III expression and to assay nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) (p65) activity in wound biopsies and ES-treated wounds of diabetic rat skin in comparison to the controls. The expression levels of collagen I/III and NF-κB (p65) activity were determined at days 3, 7, and 14 after wounding using immunohistological analyses and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results indicated that treatment with the ES extract increased collagen I expressions of the wound control and diabetic tissue. But the increase in collagen I expression in the controls was higher than the one in the diabetics. NF-κB (p65) activity was also increased in diabetic wounds compared to the controls, whereas it was decreased in third and seventh days upon ES treatment. The results indicated that ES products of L. sericata may enhance the process of wound healing by influencing phases such as inflammation, NF-κB (p65) activity, collagen synthesis, and wound contraction. These findings may provide new insights into understanding of therapeutic potential of ES in wound healing in diabetics.

Patterns of EPIYA motifs among cagA-positive Helicobacter pylori strains: a case–control study in a Turkish population with Eurasian geographical features

Geographical variation in the frequency of various gastroduodenal pathologies was shown to be related to the geographical diversity of H. pylori CagA Glu-Pro-Ile-Tyr-Ala (EPIYA) patterns. We examined the EPIYA patterns of H. pylori and the association of EPIYA patterns with gastric cancer (GC) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, in Turkey. The patient group (PG) contained 60 patients [38 GC and 22 duodenal ulcer (DU) patients]. The control group (CG) was 110 individuals [94 gastritis patients and 16 persons with a normal gastrointestinal system (NGIS)]. Specific primers were used for the detection of cagA including empty-site-positive and EPIYA-A, -B, -C, -D PCR. Bands of EPIYA-A, -B, -C were confirmed by DNA sequencing. One hundred and forty-two (83.5 %) strains [60 in the PG (38 GC, 22 DU), 82 in the CG (72 gastritis, 10 NGIS)] were positive for the cagA gene. EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was detected in 34 (23.9 %) strains, and 22 (64.7 %) were from GC patients. EPIYA-C with one repeat was detected in 89 (62.7 %) strains, and 54 (60.7 %) were from gastritis patients. EPIYT was detected in 10 strains, and EPIYA-D was not detected. The number of EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was significantly higher for the PG than for the CG (P < 0.0001). In GC patients, the number of EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was significantly higher than one repeat (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, our study showed that multiple EPIYA-C repeats increases the GC risk by 30.6-fold and the DU risk by 8.9-fold versus the CG. This indicates that Western-type H. pylori strains in Turkey have similar EPIYA motifs to those of neighbouring countries and Western populations.

Regulation of MMP 2 and MMP 9 expressions modulated by AP-1 (c-jun) in wound healing: improving role of Lucilia sericata in diabetic rats

AimsLucilia sericata larvae have been successfully used on healing of wounds in the diabetics. However, the involvement of the extraction/secretion (ES) products of larvae in the treatment of diabetic wounds is still unknown. Activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription, composed of c-jun and c-Fos proteins, has been shown to be the principal regulator of multiple MMP transcriptions under a variety of conditions, also in diabetic wounds. Specifically, MMP-2 and MMP-9’s transcriptions are known to be modulated by AP-1. c-jun has been demonstrated to be a repressor of p53 in immortalized fibroblasts. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of L. sericata ES on the expression of AP-1 (c-jun), p53, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in wound biopsies dissected from streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.MethodsThe expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, c-jun and p53 in dermal tissues were determined at days 0, 3, 7 and 14 after wounding, using immunohistochemical analysis and quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsThe treatment with ES significantly decreased through inflammation-based induction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels in the wounds of diabetic groups, compared to control groups at the third day of wound healing. At the 14th day, there were dramatic decreases in expression of c-jun, MMP-9, and p53 in ES-treated groups, compared to the diabetic group (P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively).ConclusionES products of L. sericata may enhance the process of wound healing in phases of inflammation, proliferation, and re-epithelization, essentially via regulating c-jun expression and modulating MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions.

Two Cases of Myiasis of Middle Ear Caused by Sarcophaga

Middle ear myiasis and factors determining the types of flies. To the laboratory in saline with 10% formaldehyde and sent them larvae stereo-microscope (Olympus 10×) were examined. Adult by making one portion of the surviving larvae instar larvae and adults are defined utilizing state properties. The larvae and live larvae of the fly Sarcophaga sp. rendered adults were determined. In both patients, the middle ear causing myiasis flies species Sarcophaga sp. was determined to be.

Serum Neopterin and Procalcitonin Levels in Relationship with Pediatric Burn Wound Infections

Infection and septic complications in burn patients can be monitored by procalcitonin (PCT) and neopterin plasma values. The aim of the study was to investigate serum neopterin and PCT levels with WBC (white blood cell) and CRP (C-reactive protein) levels in patient group (PG) and healthy control group (HCG) and to investigate the relationship of these markers with burn wound infections (BWI). As the PG, 23 patients between 0-12 ages and up to 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) burned and 15 HCG were included. PCT, neopterin, WBC, and CRP results on the first, the seventh, the fourteenth and the 21st day have been compared. During the follow-up period, 11 patients with BWI and 12 patients without BWI were classified as infected and non-infected patients, respectively. PCT and neopterin levels were detected higher in patients with BWI but no significant difference were present. Also, PCT and neopterin levels within the first 24 hours following the burn were detected higher in PG than HCG. CRP and WBC levels were detected high due to burn trauma. PCT and neopterin levels were increased in patients with BWI. PCT levels were increased during the pre-infectious period, while neopterin levels increased during the post-infectious period.

Diagnosis of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with EBV IgM/IgG and Monospot Test Evaluation

Amaç: Çalışmamızda altı yılı kapsayan sürede infeksiyöz mononükleoz (İM) klinik şüphesiyle Epstein-Barr virusu (EBV) viral kapsid antijeni (VCA) IgM, IgG ve monospot testi istenen olgularda test sonuçlarının irdelenerek, İM etkeni EBV’nin seroprevalansı ve bazı demografik verilerin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntemler: Kasım 2005-Ekim 2011 tarihleri arasında İstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı Seroloji/ELISA Laboratuvarı’na İM şüphesiyle serolojik tanı amaçlı serumları gönderilen 9289 olguda ELISA yöntemiyle EBV VCA IgM ve VCA IgG ile lam aglütinasyon yöntemiyle monospot testi çalışılmıştır. 9289 olgunun 8409’unda EBV’ye dönük EBV VCA IgM ve VCA IgG birlikte, 880 olgudaysa sadece EBV VCA IgM testi çalışılmıştır. Bu test sonuçları kayıt defterlerinden retrospektif olarak çıkartılarak irdelenmesi yapılmış, ayrıca bu olguların cinsiyet ve yaş grupları da değerlendirmeye alınmıştır. Bulgular: Testleri istenen 1-70 yaş arasındaki %52’si erkek, %48’i kadın 9289 olgunun 402 (%4.3)’sinde akut infeksiyon, 4905 (%58.3)’inde geçirilmiş infeksiyon ve 3234 (%38.5)’ünde seronegatiflik saptanmıştır. Sadece EBV VCA IgM istenen 880 olgunun 748’i negatif olarak belirlenmiştir. Yıllara göre akut infeksiyonun en sık (88 olgu) saptandığı yıl 2010 yılı olmuştur. Akut infeksiyon saptanan olguların 218 (%54.2)’i erkek, 184 (%45.8)’ü kadın olup, yaş grubu olarak akut infeksiyon en sık 15-28 yaş grubunda belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlar: Altı yılı kapsayan retrospektif değerlendirmede, EBV infeksiyonlarının seroprevalansı, %58.3; akut infeksiyon oranı ise %4.3 olarak belirlenmiştir. İM, en sık (%33.8) geç adolesans ve erken erişkinlik dönemi olan 15-28 yaş grubunda saptanmıştır. Klimik Dergisi 2012; 25(3): 107-10.

Comparing the occurrence of Trichomonas vaginalis infections today to ten years ago among women prostitutes and gynecology and obstetrics patients in Istanbul

OBJECTIVE Trichomonas vaginalis is is a monoxenous parasite which lives in human urogenital systems and causes sex transmitted disease through human sexual contact. Disease frequency has been seen at different rates in different communities or in the same community depending on peoples sociocultural status. Previously we made a study for determining prevalence of T. vaginalis infection in woman living in Istanbul. We made this present study for determining any difference in prevalence in comparison to the results of ten years earlier. METHODS A total number of 207 vaginal discharge samples which were collected from two different hospitals, (93 from Venereal Diseases Hospital [VDH] and 114 from Cerrahpasa Ob&Gyn Clinic), were evaluated under direct microscopy and were cultured for T. vaginalis in a Cystein-Peptone-Liver-Maltose (CPLM) medium. RESULTS T. vaginalis was observed under direct microscopy and grew in culture in 2 (0.97%) of 207 vaginal discharge samples [1 (1.1%) patient from VDH and 1 (0.9%) patient from Cerrahpasa]. CONCLUSION The incidence of trichomoniasis has significantly decreased compared to the year 2000 in both VDH and Cerrahpasa populations (p=0.038) according to X2 test results. This epidemiologic study shows the importance of social development in the incidence of infectious diseases.