Browsing by Subject "reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 22
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Enhancing cytotoxic and apoptotic effect in OVCAR-3 and MDAH-2774 cells with all-trans retinoic acid and zoledronic acid: A paradigm of synergistic molecular targeting treatment for ovarian cancer(2010) Karabulut B.; Karaca B.; Varol U.; Muslu U.; Cakar B.; Atmaca H.; Ksm A.; Uzunoglu S.; Uslu R.Background. Ovarian cancer is the most fatal gynecologic malignancies in the world. Although, platinum based treatments are widely used, the disease becomes treatment refractory within two years, and novel treatment options should be searched. All- trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induces growth arrest, differentiation and cell death in some types of cancer cells and its combination with various anticancer agents results in enhanced cytotoxicity. Zoledronic acid is a common bisphosphonate known for its anticancer effects beyond its current use in the treatment of cancer-induced bone disease. We aimed to investigate the possible additive/synergistic effect of both agents in OVCAR-3 and MDAH-2774 ovarian cancer cell lines, since both agents show superiority to conventional cytotoxics in terms of adverse events. Methods. XTT cell proliferation assay was used for showing cytotoxicity. For verifying apoptosis, both DNA Fragmentation by ELISA assay and caspase 3/7 activity measurement were used. OligoGeArray® which consists of 112 apoptosis related genes was used to elucidate the genetic changes within cancer cells. To validate our oligoarray results, quantitative real-time PCR was performed on four selected genes that were maximally effected by the combination treatment: lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR), myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 1A (TNFRSF1A), TNFRSF1A-associated death domain protein (TRADD). Results. We demonstrated that a novel combination of ATRA and zoledronic acid is a strong inducer of apoptotic related cell death in both ovarian cancer cells. While the combination therapy significantly induced proapoptotic genes such as tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF), TRADD and caspase 4, some of the antiapoptotic genes such as members of MCL-1, LTBR, BAG3 and Bcl-2 family members were inhibited. Conclusions. These are the preliminary molecular results of a novel combination treatment of ATRA and zoledronic acid, with fewer side effects as compared to conventional cytotoxic agents. With additional experimental analysis, it may serve as a good option for the treatment of refractory and elderly ovarian cancer patients, for whom there exists very limited choice of treatment. © 2010 Karabulut et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.Item Detection of human metapneumovirus prevalence in pediatric patients with lower respiratory tract infections; [Alt solunum yolu enfeksiyonu olan pediatrik hastalarda insan metapnömovlrus prevalansinin saptanmasi](2012) Gökmen A.A.; Çiçek C.; Saz E.U.; Özananar Y.; Duyu M.Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) which is classified in Paramyxoviridae family has been identified in 2001 as the etiological agent of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) especially in children. Previous studies indicated that hMPV prevalence in LRTI is between 2-25%, being resposible for 10% of childhood LRTIs and its isolation rate is approximately 6% in hospitalized patients under age three years. The aim of this study was to investigate the hMPV prevalence in children with LRTI in our region. A total of 100 patients (41 female, 59 male) ages between 0-10 years old (median age: 4.8) and who were admitted to Pediatric Clinics of Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital with the diagnosis of LRTI between )a-nuary-December 2009 were included in the study. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were taken from those patients during the first three days of their symptoms. The presence of hMPV in the samples were investigated by rapid (shell vial) cell culture method using HEp-2 cell line and by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). The methods were performed to the clinical samples simultaneously. In both methods, a standard strain of hMPV provided by Erasmus University was used as positive control and QCMD-2009 hMPV panel was used as external quality control. In our study, 11 and 2 samples were found positive with cell culture and rRT-PCR methods, respectively. Two of rRT-PCR positive samples were also positive in cell culture, while the other nine were positive by only cell culture method. Both of the methods were performed twice due to inconsistent results, however, the same results were obtained in both runs. Studies with QCMD-2009 panel yielded compatible results for five samples, however a positive standard sample (hMPV A subtype, Ct value: 37.31) was found as negative by rRT-PCR test used in this study (RealAccurateTM, Pathofinder, The Netherlands). Our data showed that the prevalence of hMPV detected by rapid cell culture method was 11 % in pediatric patients with LRTIs, the age range of hMPV positive cases was 6 months to 7 years old (median age: 20 months), the majority of the admissions was in winter season and the main clinical picture was bronchiolitis. In addition, rRT-PCR assay used in this study was thought to be insufficient to detect the viral RNA in the event of low levels of hMPV A subtypes. Thereby the cell culture method should be used in addition to the new developing molecular methods for the detection of hMPV until standardization is achieved.Item Effects of Thymus serpyllum extract on cell proliferation, apoptosis and epigenetic events in human breast cancer Cells(2012) Bozkurt E.; Atmaca H.; Kisim A.; Uzunoglu S.; Uslu R.; Karaca B.Thymus (T.) serpyllum (wild thyme) is an aromatic medicinal plant due to its several biological properties, including anticancer activity. Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies and increasing evidence supports that it is not only a genetic but also an epigenetic disease. Epigenetics investigates changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms that do not involve alterations in DNA sequence. DNA methylation and histone acetylation are the most widely studied epigenetic changes in cancer cells. This study evaluated the effects of T. serpyllum on apoptosis and epigenetic events in breast cancer cells. XTT cell viability assay was used to determine cytotoxicity. DNA fragmentation and caspase 3/7 activity assays were used in the assesment of apoptosis. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activities were evaluated by ELISA and verified by qRT-PCR. T. serpyllum extract induced significant cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDAMB-231) but not in normal cells. It also induced apoptosis and inhibited the DNMT and HDAC activities in MDA-MB-231 cells. In the present study, the first preliminary data on the effects of the methanolic extract of T. serpyllum in normal and breast cancer cells were obtained and suggest that T. serpyllum may be a promising candidate in the development of novel therapeutic drugs for breast cancer treatment. Copyright © 2012, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.Item Serum homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid levels and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism in vitiligo(Hindawi Limited, 2012) Yasar A.; Gunduz K.; Onur E.; Calkan M.The aim of this study was to determine serum vitamin B12, folic acid and homocysteine (Hcy) levels as well as MTHFR (C677, A1298C) gene polymorphisms in patients with vitiligo, and to compare the results with healthy controls. Forty patients with vitiligo and 40 age and sex matched healthy subjects were studied. Serum vitamin B12 and folate levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma Hcy levels and MTHFR polymorphisms were determined by chemiluminescence and real time PCR methods, respectively. Mean serum vitamin B12 and Hcy levels were not significantly different while folic acid levels were significantly lower in the control group. There was no significant relationship between disease activity and vitamin B12, folic acid and homocystein levels. No significant difference in C677T gene polymorphism was detected. Heterozygote A1298C gene polymorphism in the patient group was statistically higher than the control group. There was no significant relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and vitamin B12, folic acid and homocysteine levels. In conclusion, vitamin B12, folate and Hcy levels are not altered in vitiligo and MTHFR gene mutations (C677T and A1298C) do not seem to create susceptibility for vitiligo. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.Item Frequency of respiratory viruses in children with lower respiratory tract infection; [Alt solunum yolu enfeksiyonu olan çocuklarda solunum yolu viral etkenlerinin sıklıǧı](Kare Publishing, 2013) Akçali S.; Yilmaz N.; Güler Ö.; Şanlidaǧ T.; Anil M.Aim: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) have high morbidity rates in children. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the prevalence of respiratory viruses in children with LRTI symptoms. Material and Method: A total of 160 children who were diagnosed with LRTI between October 2009 and March 2010 were included into the study. The presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (A+B), influenza virus (A+B), parainfluenza virus (PIV) (1, 2, 3, 4), human metapneumovirus, rhinovirus and coronavirus (OC43+229E) in throat swab samples were investigated by real-time PCR The RealAccurateTM Respiratory RT PCR Kit (PathoFinder B.V., Netherlands). Results: In 67 samples (41.8%), at least one virus which could cause acute respiratory tract infection was found. Overall, RSV was the most frequently identified virus (52.2%), followed by rhinovirus (26.8%), coronavirus (5%), metapneumovirus (2.9%) and PIV 1 (1.4%). As the other viral agents, coronavirus was detected in 4 samples (5%), hMPV was detected in 2 samples (2.9%) and PIV was detected in 1 sample (1.4%). When the frequency of coinfections was evaluated, RSV- rhinovirus association was found in 4 samples, RSV-coronavirus association was found in 1 sample, rhinovirus-coronavirus association was found in 1 sample and RSV-rhinovirus- Coronavirus association was found in 1 sample. Conclusions: In 41.8% of the study group, a viral factor responsible for the clinical signs was detected. For that reason, rapid and sensitive diagnosis of viruses which lead to respiratory infections will guide the clinician for avoidance of redundant antibiotic therapy and preventing viral hospital infections.Item Disodium pentaborate decahydrate (DPD) induced apoptosis by decreasing hTERT enzyme activity and disrupting F-actin organization of prostate cancer cells(IOS Press BV, 2014) Korkmaz M.; Avcı C.B.; Gunduz C.; Aygunes D.; Erbaykent-Tepedelen B.Animal and cell culture studies have showed that boron and its derivativesmay be promising anticancer agents in prostate cancer treatment. Thus, DU145 cells were treated with disodium pentaborate decahydrate (DPD) for 24, 48, and 72 h in order to investigate the inhibitor effect and mechanisms of DPD. Then, cell proliferation, telomerase enzyme activity, actin polymerization, and apoptosis were detected by WST-1 assay, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence labeling, and flow cytometry, respectively. We found that DPD inhibited the growth of human prostate cancer cell line DU145 at the concentration of 3.5 mM for 24 h. Our results demonstrated that 7 mM of DPD treatment prevented the telomerase enzyme activity at the rate of 38%. Furthermore, DPD has an apoptotic effect on DU145 cells which were examined by labeling DNA breaks. With 7 mM of DPD treatment, 8, 14, and 41% of apoptotic cells were detected for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Additionally, immunofluorescence labeling showed that the normal organization of actin filaments was disrupted in DPD-exposed cells, which is accompanied by the alteration of cell shape and by apoptosis in targeted cells. Taken together, the results indicate that DPD may exert its cytotoxicity at least partly by interfering with the dynamic properties of actin polymerization and decreasing the telomerase activity. Eventually, for the first time, the results of this study showed that DPD suppressed the activity of telomerase in DU145 cells, and therefore, we suggested that DPD could be an important agent for its therapeutic potential in the treatment of prostate cancer. © International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM) 2013.Item Synergistic effect of ponatinib and epigallocatechin-3-gallate induces apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia cells through altering expressions of cell cycle regulatory genes(Zerbinis Publications, 2014) Goker B.; Caliskan C.; Caglar H.O.; Kayabasi C.; Balci T.; Tepedelen B.E.; Aygunes D.; Susluer S.Y.; Mutlu Z.; Gunell N.S.; Korkmaz M.; Saydam G.; Gunduz C.; Avci C.B.Purpose: Ponatinib (P) has been used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and it is known that inhibition of BCR-ABL fusion protein by ponatinib induces apoptosis of CML cells. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is a polyphenol in green tea, induces apoptosis in different types of cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of ponatinib and EGCG combination in K562 CML cell line. This study also aimed to detect alterations of the expression levels of cell cycle-regulation related genes after ponatinib and EGCG combination in K562 CML cell line. Methods: The cytotoxic effects of the compounds on K562 cells were determined in a time- and dose-dependent manner by using WST-1 analysis. The combination index (CI) isobologram was used to analyze the data. Apoptotic effects of P-EGCG were defined by flow cytometry and gene expressions were detected by RT-qPCR. Results: IC50 values of ponatinib and EGCG were 87.13 nM and 50μM, respectively. CI value of the P-EGCG was 0.658 and the combination showed synergistic effect (ED90 value: 28.39 nM ponatinib, 117.12 μg/ml EGCG). Ponatinib, EGCG and P-EGCG induced apoptosis compared to control cells. CyclinDl and CDC25A were downregulated by P-EGCG by 2.49 and 2.63-fold, respectively. TGF-β2 was upregulated by 4.57-fold. Conclusion: EGCG possesses cytotoxic and apoptotic properties and may cooperate with the growth inhibiting activity of ponatinib synergistically against CML cells. P-EGCG mediated apoptosis might be associated with upregulation of TGF-β2 gene and downregulation of cyclinDl and CDC25A genes.Item Never in mitosis gene A-related kinase 6 and aurora kinase A: New gene biomarkers in the conversion from ulcerative colitis to colorectal cancer(Spandidos Publications, 2015) Gerçeker E.; Boyacioglu S.O.; Kasap E.; Baykan A.; Yuceyar H.; Yildirim H.; Ayhan S.; Ellidokuz E.; Korkmaz M.Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Histone modifications are one of the epigenetic mechanisms that may have key roles in the carcinogenesis of CRC. At present, there are no studies comparing histone modification patterns of UC and CRC in the literature. Therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate whether genes, particularly those involved in histone modification, have value in patient monitoring with regards to CRC development in UC. Key gene expressions of the histone modification enzyme were assessed and compared in CRC, UC and control groups using the RT-PCR array technique. Patients were divided into subgroups based on the extent and duration of the disease and inflammatory burden, which are considered risk factors for CRC development in UC patients. In UC and CRC groups, a significantly higher overexpression of the NEK6 and AURKA genes compared to the control group was identified. In addition, there was a significantly higher overexpression of HDAC1 and PAK1 genes in the UC group, and of HDAC1, HDAC7, PAK1 and AURKB genes in the CRC group. NEK6, AURKA, HDAC1 and PAK1 were significantly overexpressed in patients with a longer UC duration. Overexpression of AURKA and NEK6 genes was significantly more pronounced in UC patients with more extensive colon involvement. HDAC1, HDAC7, PAK1, NEK6, AURKA and AURKB are important diagnostic and prognostic markers involved in the carcinogenesis of CRC. HDAC1, PAK1, NEK6 and AURKA may be considered as diagnostic markers to be used in CRC screening for UC patients.Item Synergistic role of three dimensional niche and hypoxia on conservation of cancer stem cell phenotype(Elsevier B.V., 2016) Gorgun C.; Ozturk S.; Gokalp S.; Vatansever S.; Gurhan S.I.D.; Urkmez A.S.Hypoxia is a pathalogical condition in which tissues are deprived of adequate oxygen supply. The hypoxia effect on tumors has a critically important role on maintenance of cancer stem cell phenotype. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of hypoxia on cancer stem cells on three dimensional (3D) in vitro culture models. Osteosarcoma stem cells characterized by CD133 surface protein were isolated from osteosarcoma cell line (SaOS-2) by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) technique. Isolated CD133+ and CD133− cells were cultivated under hypoxic (1% O2) and normoxic conditions (21% O2) for 3 days. For the 3D model, bacterial cellulose scaffold was used as the culture substrate. 3D morphologies of cells were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry staining were used to demonstrate conservation of the cancer stem cell phenotype in 3D environment under hypoxic conditions. Cell viability was shown by MTT assay on 3. and 7. culture days. This study is seen as an introduction to develop a 3D hypoxic cancer stem cell based tumor model to study CSC behavior and tumor genesis in vitro. © 2016Item Octreotide in combination with AT-101 induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis through up-regulation of somatostatin receptors 2 and 5 in DU-145 prostate cancer cells(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2016) Degirmenci M.; Erdogan A.P.; Bulut G.; Atmaca H.; Uzunoglu S.; Karaca B.; Karabulut B.; Uslu R.Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common type of cancer among males. Although survival rate of early-stage PCa is high, treatment options are very limited for recurrent disease. In this study, the possible synergistic cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of octreotide in combination with AT-101 was investigated in DU-145 hormone and drug refractory prostate cancer cell line. To enlighten the action mechanisms of the combination treatment, expression levels of somatostatin receptors 2 and 5 (SSTR2 and SSTR5) were also investigated. Cell viability was measured by XTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed through DNA fragmentation analysis and caspase 3/7 assay. mRNA and protein levels of SSTR2 and SSTR5 were evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Octreotide in combination with AT-101 inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis synergistically in DU-145 cells as compared to any agent alone. Combination treatment increased both SSTR2 and SSTR5 mRNA and protein levels in DU-145 cells. The data suggest that this combination therapy may be a good candidate for patients with advanced metastatic PCa do not respond to androgen deprivation. © 2015, International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM).Item The potential role of the NEK6, AURKA, AURKB, and PAK1 genes in adenomatous colorectal polyps and colorectal adenocarcinoma(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2016) Kasap E.; Gerceker E.; Boyacıoglu S.Ö.; Yuceyar H.; Yıldırm H.; Ayhan S.; Korkmaz M.Colorectal adenomatous polyp (CRAP) is a major risk factor for the development of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). Histone modifications are one of the epigenetic mechanisms that may have key roles in the carcinogenesis of CRC. The objective of the present study is to investigate the alternations in the defined histone modification gene expression profiles in patients with CRAP and CRC. Histone modification enzyme key gene expressions of the CRC, CRAP, and control groups were evaluated and compared using the reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) array method. Gene expression analysis was performed in the CRAP group after dividing the patients into subgroups according to the polyp diameter, pathological results, and morphological parameters which are risk factors for developing CRC in patients with CRAP. PAK1, NEK6, AURKA, AURKB, HDAC1, and HDAC7 were significantly more overexpressed in CRC subjects compared to the controls (p < 0.05). PAK1, NEK6, AURKA, AURKB, and HDAC1 were significantly more overexpressed in the CRAP group compared to the controls (p < 0.005). There were no significant differences between the CRAP and CRC groups with regards to PAK1, NEK6, AURKA, or AURKB gene overexpression. PAK1, NEK6, AURKA, and AURKB were significantly in correlation with the polyp diameter as they were more overexpressed in polyps with larger diameters. In conclusion, overexpressions of NEK6, AURKA, AURKB, and PAK1 genes can be used as predictive markers to decide the colonoscopic surveillance intervals after the polypectomy procedure especially in polyps with larger diameters. © 2015, International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM).Item Anti-cancer efficiency of natural killer cells differentiated from human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells and transfected with miRNA150(Morion LLC, 2017) Karlitepe A.; Kabadayi H.; Vatansever S.; Gurdal M.; Gunduz C.; Ercan G.Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of miR150 transfection on NK-like cells differentiated from adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs). Methods: NK-like cells were differentiated from AD-MSCs and activated by miR150 transfection. Transfected/non-Transfected NK-like cells were characterized by immunohistochemical and RTPCR analyzes. Apoptotic efficiency of the transfected/non-Transfected NK-like cells on pancreatic cancer cells PANC1 were determined by TUNEL and RT-PCR. Results: In miR150-Transfected cells, the increased expression of NK cell-specific genes such as GKMB, KIR2DL2, CD16, CD56, NKG2D, NKp46 and increased immunoreactivity of NK cell-specific surface marker CD314 (NKG2D) were evident. TUNEL assays showed that NK-like cells with/without transfection induced apoptosis in PANC1 cells in the same manner. The decrease in oncogene expression and the increase in the tumor suppressor gene expression in PANC1 cells upon co-culture with NK-like cells differentiated from AD-MSCs were more prominent following miRNA150 transfection. Conclusion: It was shown in vitro that NK-like cells could be obtained by differentiation from AD-MSCs and their efficiency could be increased via miR150 transfection. The results are encouraging for further clinical studies in improvement of immunotherapeutic approaches for cancer therapy. Copyright © Experimental Oncology, 2017.Item Photostimulation of osteogenic differentiation on silk scaffolds by plasma arc light source(Springer London, 2018) Çakmak A.S.; Çakmak S.; Vatansever H.S.; Gümüşderelioğlu M.Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been used for more than 30 years to heal wounds. In recent years, LLLT or photostimulation has been indicated as an effective tool for regenerative and dental medicine by using monochromatic light. The aim of this study is to indicate the usability of plasma arc light source for bone regeneration. This is why we used polychromatic light source providing effective wavelengths in the range of 590–1500 nm for cellular response and investigated photostimulation effects on osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) seeded on 3D silk scaffolds. Cellular responses were examined by using cell culture methods in terms of proliferation, differentiation, and morphological analyses. The results showed that photostimulation with a polychromatic light source (applied for 5 min from the 3rd day after seeding up to the 28th day in 2-day intervals with 92-mW/cm2 power from 10-cm distance to the cells) enhanced osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs according to higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen and calcium content, osteogenic gene expressions, and matrix mineralization. In conclusion, we suggest that the plasma arc light source that was used here has a great potential for bone regeneration. © 2017, Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.Item Detection of Leishmania RNA virus 2 in Leishmania species from Turkey(Oxford University Press, 2019) Nalçacı M.; Karakuş M.; Yılmaz B.; Demir S.; Özbilgin A.; Özbel Y.; Töz S.Background: Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus infecting some Leishmania strains and triggering a destructive hyperinflammatory response in mammalian hosts in the New World. There is limited knowledge of the presence of this virus in Old World Leishmania species and its role in the outcome of the disease. We aimed to investigate the presence of LRV in Leishmania species/strains from Turkey. Methods: Twenty-nine previously identified Leishmania isolates (24 L. tropica, 2 L. infantum, 3 L. major) were examined for LRV positivity using dsRNA visualization in agarose gel after total nucleic acid extraction and RQ-deoxyribonuclease treatment and amplification of a 526 bp fragment of the LRV2-specific RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Ten (7 L. tropica [24.13%], 3 L. major [10.34%]) of the 29 Leishmania strains gave positive results for LRV. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis showed that all these viruses are LRV2-1. LRV2 was detected for the first time in L. tropica strains in the present study. Conclusions: The clinical manifestation and resistance status of the disease can be different depending on the host and parasite species/strains. The presence of LRV2 may be one of the factors contributing the course of disease. Further studies are needed to elucidate the specific role of LRV2, as it may be a potential target for effective treatment strategies. © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved.Item What we learned about COVID-19 so far? Notes from underground(AVES, 2020) Akyıl F.T.; Karadoğan D.; Gürkan C.G.; Yüksel A.; Arıkan H.; Eyüboğlu T.Ş.; Emiralioğlu N.; Gürsoy T.R.; Şerifoğlu İ.; Töreyin Z.N.; Marim F.; Kara B.Y.; Özakıncı H.; Develi E.; Çakmakçı S.; Küsbeci T.Ç.; Karcıoğlu O.; Gülhan P.Y.; Erçelik M.; Er B.; Ataoğlu Ö.; Polat D.; Kaya İ.; Önyılmaz T.A.; Aydın A.; Kızılırmak D.; Er A.B.; Kılınç M.; Günaydın F.E.; Gürz S.; Karaoğlanoğlu S.; Çelik S.; Esendağlı D.; Toptay H.; Sertçelik Ü.Ö.; Akgün M.The novel coronavirus pandemic poses a major global threat to public health. Our knowledge concerning every aspect of COVID-19 is evolving rapidly, given the increasing data from all over the world. In this narrative review, the Turkish Thoracic Society Early Career Taskforce members aimed to provide a summary on recent literature regarding epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of COVID-19. Studies revealed that the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus showed significant identity to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor is an important target of the SARS-CoV-2 while entering an organism. Smokers were more likely to develop the disease and have a higher risk for ICU admission. The mean incubation period was 6.4 days, whereas asymptomatic transmission was reported up to 25 days after infection. Fever and cough were the most common symptoms, and cardiovascular diseases and hypertension were reported to be the most common comorbidities among patients. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic and mild disease to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Several patients showed typical symptoms and radiological changes with negative RT-PCR but positive IgG and IgM antibodies. Although radiological findings may vary, bilateral, peripherally distributed, ground-glass opacities were typical of COVID-19. Poor prognosis was associated with older age, higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and high D-dimer level. Chloroquine was found to be effective in reducing viral replication in vitro. Likewise, protease inhibitors, including lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, and nucleoside analogue remdesivir were proposed to be the potential drug candidates in COVID-19 management. Despite these efforts, we still have much to learn regarding the transmission, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19. © 2020 by Turkish Thoracic Society.Item Serological screening of West Nile virus among blood donors in northern Cyprus(John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2020) Balaman N.; Gazi U.; Imir T.; Sanlidag T.; Ruh E.; Tosun O.; Ozkul A.; Taylan-Ozkan A.Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurotropic arbovirus that can also be transmitted through blood transfusion. Even though its geographic distribution has been expanding, there has not yet been any epidemiological data on WNV in northern Cyprus. The aim of our study is to fill this gap by using donated blood samples. Methods: Samples collected from the main government hospital blood bank in Nicosia were analyzed by anti-WNV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (immunoglobulin M [IgM] and immunoglobulin G [IgG]). Seropositive samples were subjected to plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for confirmation and analyzed by ELISA IgG avidity test and reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Results: Of the 760 sera samples, 2 (0.3%) were IgM+ and 31 (4.1%) were IgG+. Neutralization activity was detected in none (0.0%) of the IgM+ and 26 (83.9%) of IgG+ donor specimens. ELISA IgG avidity test reported high avidity in 21 (67.7%) and low avidity in one (3.2%) IgG+ sample. PRNT-confirmed anti-WNV IgG+ samples exhibited only borderline (19.2%) or high avidity (80.8%) values. rRT-PCR results were negative for both IgM+ and IgG+ samples. Conclusion: Anti-WNV antibodies were detected in northern Cyprus among blood donors. The establishment of preventive measures and evaluation of the geographic extent of the WNV in northern Cyprus are highly recommended. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Item Drug-induced QTc interval prolongation in PCR-positive non-ICU COVID-19 patients with diverse findings on chest computed tomography(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2021) Ozyurtlu F.; Cetin N.; Yavuz V.Background: Some of the drugs used for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can increase the risk of corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation, which may trigger arrhythmia or even death. Due to the low sensitivity of the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, chest computed tomography (CT) imaging is being used for COVID-19 diagnostic correlation and to evaluate whether there is pneumonic involvement in the lung. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between lung changes on CT and QTc interval changes on ECG in non-ICU patients with COVID-19 who have a positive PCR test when using drugs that can prolong the QTc interval. Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of hospitalized non-ICU patients. The study included 344 patients (56.1% men) with a mean age of 46.34 ± 17.68 years. The patients were divided into four groups according to their chest CT results: those having typical, atypical, indeterminate, or no pneumonic involvement. The mean QTc intervals and heart rates calculated from electrocardiograms (ECG) during admission to the hospital and after the treatment were compared. Results: No significant differences were found between the groups’ age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). In addition, no significant differences were found between the groups’ mean QTc interval values at admission (P:.127) or after the treatment (P:.205). The groups’ heart rate values were also similar, with no significant differences in the mean heart rate on admission (P:.648) and post-treatment (P:.229) ECGs. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated findings of COVID-19 infection based on chest CT does not correlate with QT interval prolongation in non-ICU COVID-19 patients. There is a need for additional larger studies investigating the effect of chest CT findings on QT interval prolongation and bradycardia in COVID-19 patients. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons LtdItem COVID-19 in pediatric nephrology centers in Turkey(Turkiye Klinikleri, 2022) Leventoğlu E.; Atikel Y.Ö.; Nalçacioğlu H.; Dursun I.; Dursun H.; Yildirim Z.Y.; Yildiz N.; Aksoy G.K.; Taşdemir M.; Çelakil M.; Kiliç B.D.; Selçuk Ş.Z.; Canpolat N.; Çakici E.K.; Özlü S.G.; Tülpar S.; Yüksel S.; Atmiş B.; Döven S.S.; Taner S.; Ertan P.; Kavaz A.; Bayram M.T.; Kalyoncu M.; Gülleroğlu K.; Kabasakal C.; Demir B.K.; Çiçek R.Y.; Bilge I.; Dönmez O.; Kara A.; Yavaşcan Ö.; Özçelik G.; Yildirim D.G.; Güler M.A.; Sönmez F.; Poyrazoğlu H.; Akman S.; Topaloğlu R.; Alpay H.; Bakkaloğlu S.A.Background/aim: There is limited data on COVID-19 disease in children with kidney disease. We aimed to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 in pediatric nephrology patients in Turkey. Materials and methods: This was a national, multicenter, retrospective cohort study based on an online survey evaluating the data between 11th March 2020 and 11th March 2021 as an initial step of a detailed pediatric nephrology COVID-19 registry. Results: Two hundred and three patients (89 girls and 114 boys) were diagnosed with COVID-19. One-third of these patients (36.9%) were between 10–15 years old. Half of the patients were on kidney replacement therapy: kidney transplant (KTx) recipients (n = 56, 27.5%), patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (n = 33, 16.3%) and those on peritoneal dialysis (PD) (n = 18, 8.9%). Fifty-four (26.6%) children were asymptomatic. Eighty-two (40.3%) patients were hospitalized and 23 (28%) needed intensive care unit admission. Fifty-five percent of the patients were not treated, while the remaining was given favipiravir (20.7%), steroid (16.3%), and hydroxychloroquine (11.3%). Acute kidney injury developed in 19.5% of hospitalized patients. Five (2.4%) had MIS-C. Eighty-three percent of the patients were discharged without any apparent sequelae, while 7 (3.4%) died. One hundred and eight health care staff were infected during the study period. Conclusion: COVID-19 was most commonly seen in patients who underwent KTx and received HD. The combined immunosuppressive therapy and frequent exposure to the hospital setting may increase these patients’ susceptibility. Staff infections before vaccination era were alarming, various precautions should be taken for infection control, particularly optimal vaccination coverage. © TÜBİTAK.Item Effect of High dose Gonadotropin Stimulation on Follicular Atresia through Light Chain 3B and Voltage dependent Anion Channel 2(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2022) Özbilgin M.K.; Öztatlıcı M.; Üçöz M.Background: Follicle development takes place under the control of hormonal and environmental stimuli. It suggested that to improve in vitro fertilisation outcomes in poor responders increasing gonadotropin doses be used. Excessive gonadotropin leads to atresia and impairs follicular development, but the molecular mechanisms of follicular atresia remain largely unknown. Recently, it was suggested that autophagy may be an alternative mechanism involved in follicle depletion. Aims: In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of autophagic markers such as light chain (LC) 3B and voltage dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) in follicular atresia using the high dose gonadotropin stimulation. Settings and Design: The female 24 BALB/c mice were employed in the present study under the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals guidelines with ethical clearance from the institutional ethical committee. These mice were categorised into four groups, with six rats in each as control and test animals. Materials and Methods: Group 1 (control): no action will be taken. Group 2 (sham): only saline will be applied. Group 3: low-dose gonadotropin Pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) + human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) will be applied. Group 4: high-dose gonadotropin + HCG will be applied. The animals were sacrificed 48 h after the last injection. For all group samples, both protein and mRNAs of the LC3B and VDAC2 were examined by immunohistochemical and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction techniques. Statistical Analysis Used: All variables were analysed using GraphPad Prism 8. Kruskal–Wallis t-test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to compare immunohistochemical results; in addition to this, parametric one‐way ANOVA test and Shapiro–Wilk test were applied for quantitative polymerase chain reaction statistics. Results: An increased number of atretic follicles were observed in the high-dose gonadotropin + HCG group. LC3B immunoreactivity of the atretic secondary follicles in the high-dose group is higher than in other groups. The expression of VDAC2 protein in the secondary and Graafian follicles and also VDAC2 mRNA in the ovary were more highly expressed in the control and sham groups. The decrease in VDAC2 mRNA level and immunohistochemical expression was remarkable in the low-dose and high-dose follicle-stimulating hormone groups compared to the control and sham groups. Conclusion: In this study, the increased LC3B and decreased VDAC2 expression, which are autophagy markers, were observed in both the gonadotropins groups, so we suggested that high doses of gonadotropins may cause ovarian atresia. © 2022 Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.Item Frontal QRS/T angle can predict mortality in COVID-19 patients(W.B. Saunders, 2022) Gunduz R.; Yildiz B.S.; Ozgur S.; Ozen M.B.; Bakir E.O.; Ozdemir I.H.; Cetin N.; Usalp S.; Duman S.Aims: The frontal QRS-T (fQRS) angle has been investigated in the general population, including healthy people and patients with heart failure. The fQRS angle can predict mortality due to myocarditis, ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathies, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, and chronic heart failure in the general population. Moreover, no studies to date have investigated fQRS angle in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Thus, the purpose of this retrospective multicentre study was to evaluate the fQRS angle of COVID-19 patients to predict in-hospital mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation. Methods and results: An electrocardiogram was performed for 327 COVID-19 patients during admission, and the fQRS angle was calculated. Mechanical ventilation was needed in 119 patients; of them, 110 died in the hospital. The patients were divided into two groups according to an fQRs angle >90° versus an fQRS angle ≤90°. The percentages of mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation according to fQRS angle were 67.8% and 66.1%, respectively, in the fQRs >90° group and 26.1% and 29.9% in the fQRS ≤90°group. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, fQRS angle, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and C-reactive protein level were predictors of mortality on the multivariable analysis. The mortality risk increased 2.9-fold on the univariate analysis and 1.6-fold on the multivariate analysis for the fQRS >90° patient group versus the fQRS ≤90° group. Conclusion: In conclusion, a wide fQRS angle >90° was a predictor of in-hospital mortality and associated with the need for mechanical ventilation among COVID-19 patients. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.