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The acute toxicity of household detergent (Ariel) on blood parameters and histology of Oreochromis niloticus was investigated using static bioassay for 96 h. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is an anionic surfactant widely used in detergents and cleaners, both in industrial and household applications. LAS contaminating aquatic ecosystems as a potential toxic pollutant, was investigated in the present study for acute toxicity. The fish samples were divided into six groups, including 20 fish in each group. Normal feed was given to control group without detergents treatment. Hematological parameters (RBC count, Hb, Ht and platelets) were significantly declined, while WBC count showed a highly significant increase. Compared with the control group, significant elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was recorded in fish treated with different concentrations of detergent. Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and Reduced Glutathione (GSH) concentration showed a highly significant reduction. Total proteins showed significant decrease, while total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides significantly increased. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) for 96 h of Ariel was at concentration 10 mg/L. Relative percentage of detergent residues in fish muscles was increased with higher detergent concentrations. In conclusion, exposure to detergents resulted in great alterations in the histological structure of liver and gills.

Chemical pollution poses adverse effects on aquatic organisms, including altered gene expression. This study, therefore, investigated the hepatic expression of biomarkers of exposure and effect in Oreochromis niloticus inhabiting the drainage canal of a sugarbeet factory (an industrially polluted habitat) and the Nile River (a reference habitat). Compared to the Nile River, the drainage canal contained significantly elevated levels of heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Mn, Co, and Pb), nitrate, ammonia, nitrite, chemical oxygen demand, and biological oxygen demand. The liver of O. niloticus from the drainage canal accumulated significantly higher concentrations of the heavy metals. O. niloticus from the drainage canal had significantly higher hepatic expressions of genes related to oxidative stress (GSTa, GPx, and NRF2), metal toxicity (MT), endocrine disruption (Vtg), and hypoxia (HIF1a) and a significantly lower hepatic expression of the apoptosis-associated CAS gene. CYP1A (a detoxification biomarker) expression did not exhibit significant differences. These results provide insights into complex adaptive responses of O. niloticus to multiple chemicals and support the utilization of molecular biomarkers as warning signals for water pollution.

The acute toxicity of household detergent (Ariel) on blood parameters and histology of

Chemical pollution poses adverse effects on aquatic organisms, including altered gene expression. This study, therefore, investigated the hepatic expression of biomarkers of exposure and effect in Oreochromis niloticus inhabiting the drainage canal of a sugarbeet factory (an industrially polluted habitat) and the Nile River (a reference habitat). Compared to the Nile River, the drainage canal contained significantly elevated levels of heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Mn, Co, and Pb), nitrate, ammonia, nitrite, chemical oxygen demand, and biological oxygen demand. The liver of O. niloticus from the drainage canal accumulated significantly higher concentrations of the heavy metals. O. niloticus from the drainage canal had significantly higher hepatic expressions of genes related to oxidative stress (GSTa, GPx, and NRF2), metal toxicity (MT), endocrine disruption (Vtg), and hypoxia (HIF1a) and a significantly lower hepatic expression of the apoptosis-associated CAS gene. CYP1A (a detoxification biomarker) expression did not exhibit significant differences. These results provide insights into complex adaptive responses of O. niloticus to multiple chemicals and support the utilization of molecular biomarkers as warning signals for water pollution.

The present study was carried out to investigate effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) and fish size (FS) on growth, feed utilization, whole-body composition, and innate immunity of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). The experiment was based on a bifactorial design with three levels of DO (low: 0.1–1.5, medium: 2.5–3.0, and normal: 6.0–6.5 mg/L) and two sizes (3.7 and 12.9 g) within quadruplicates. Fish density was kept at 2.1 g/L, i.e., 50 or 15 fish per 90-L aquarium for small or large fish, respectively. Fish were fed up to satiation twice a day for 12 weeks on a 35 % crude protein diet. After the feeding trial, fish were artificially infected by pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila for 10 days. It was noticed that DO and FS significantly affected fish growth, feed utilization, whole-body composition, and innate immunity. However, fish growth and feed intake were adversely affected by low DO. Additionally, smaller fish consumed less feed and exhibited better growth than the larger ones. Feed conversion ratio in case of small fish was better than that in case of larger one. Regarding fish body composition, moisture content was affected by FS only, while crude protein, lipid content, and total ash were significantly affected by DO level, FS, and their interaction. It is also noticed that larger fish tolerated low DO better than the small ones where values of nitro blue tetrazolium and lysozyme activity of large fish were better than small one. Additionally, innate immunity increased as DO levels increased. The total fish mortality after 10 days post-challenge was adversely affected by DO, and the highest mortality was observed at low DO in smaller fish, whereas no mortality was observed at normal DO in larger fish. These results indicate that fish growth, feed utilization, and innate immunity were adversely affected by low DO; meanwhile, smaller fish showed better performance than larger ones at normal DO.

A factorial design with three levels of dissolved oxygen (DO)—low 1.0–1.5 mg/l (LDO), medium 2.5–3.0 mg/l (MDO), and normal 6.0–6.5 mg/l (NDO)—and two stocking densities—0.2 g/l (SD1) and 0.4 g/l (SD2)—tested the interaction between oxygen and stocking density on juvenile tilapia performance. After the feeding trial, fish were intraperitoneally injected by pathogenic bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila, and fish mortality was observed for 10 days post challenge. Highest growth was observed in the NDO-SD1 group. Reduction in DO concentration from 6.5 to 3.0 or 1.5 mg/L caused a reduction in fish growth and feed intake, which increased significantly by increasing fish density. Crude protein and total lipid in whole-fish body decreased significantly at LDO, while total lipid content decreased also at high SD. Glucose, activities of aspartate amninotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, and uric acid in fish sera increased significantly, while total protein and total lipid decreased significantly at...

In preclinical animal models (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol of green tea, has shown excellent effects in preventing and/or treating many cancers including prostate cancer (PCa). Chemoprevention is a practical approach for cancer management however its applicability to humans has met with limited success due to several issues including its limited bioavailability. We recently employed the use of nanotechnology to improve the outcome of natural agents for cancer chemoprevention and termed the concept as ‘nanochemoprevention’. To demonstrate the proof-of-principle we encapsulated EGCG in PLA-PEG nanoparticles and showed that this formulation demonstrates greater than ten-fold dose advantage over non-encapsulated EGCG in human PCa PC3 cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, this nanoformulation is not suitable for oral delivery. We recently reported the synthesis, characterization and efficacy assessment of a nanotechnology-based formulation of chitosan encapsulating EGCG (chit-nanoEGCG) for treatment of PCa in a xenograft model. We now show the efficacy of chit-nanoEGCG in LNCaP (androgen responsive) and PC3 (androgen unresponsive) human PCa cells for induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell growth. The effective dose of EGCG for inhibiting cell growth was reduced significantly when encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles. The IC50 of chit-nanoEGCG was observed to be 4 μM as compared to 90 μM with native EGCG in PC3 cells. For LNCaP cells the IC50 of chit-nanoEGCG was observed to be 1 μM as compared to 45 μM of native agent. Further, we also observed a significant inhibition in the colony formation potential of these cells when treated with low doses of chit-nanoEGCG (2-4 μM) at which native EGCG had no effect. Our next goal was to determine if EGCG encapsulated in this nanoformulation retains its mechanistic identity. Treatment of LNCaP and PC3 with chit-nanoEGCG (1 and 2 μM) and (4 and 6 μM), respectively, for 48 hrs as compared with native EGCG (40 and 50 μM) and (80 and 100 μM) resulted in significant: i) induction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases cleavage (PARP), ii) increase of protein expression of Bax with concomitant decrease in Bcl2 and, iii) activation of cleaved caspases 3,7,8,9. To further confirm the induction of apoptosis, we performed annexin/PI staining and observed significant presence of annexin positive cells in chit-nanoEGCG treated PC3 and LNCaP cells. Further, we also observed that chit-nano EGCG treatment resulted in arrest of the cells in S phase of the cell cycle and cell cycle-regulatory molecules operative in the G1/S phase of the cell cycle were significantly modulated. All these effects were seen at much lower doses in chit-nanoEGCG treated cells as compared to the native agent. Collectively, chit-nanoEGCG could prove useful for preventing and/or treating human PCa. Citation Format: Sameh M. Shabana, Imtiaz A. Siddiqui, Naghma Khan, Vaqar M. Adhami, Qateeb A. Khan, Shaker A. Mousa, Ahmed E. Hagras, Hasan Mukhtar, Mohamed A. Elmissiry. Antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles on human prostate carcinoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 236. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-236

The effects of 21, 25, 29, and 34°C on developmental period, weight of different stages in the life cycle, and conversion efficiency in Hyalomma (H.) dromedarii Koch were investigated at 75% relative humidity. Egg incubation, nymphal premolting, and female preoviposition and oviposition periods were prolonged with decrease in temperature. However, the egg incubation and preoviposition periods were most greatly affected. Larvalnymphal and female feeding periods of this two-host tick were not affected by temperature. The percentage of loss in larval weight before feeding was greater at 34°C, and female weight was greater at 29 and 34°C, than at the lower temperatures. During molting, nymphs lost the greatest percentage of their weight at 34°C. Fifty percent of the eggs were deposited within 6.4, 5.2, 5.5, and 3.4 d and 90% within 16.0, 10.8, 10.8, and 7.7 d at the tested temperatures, respectively. The conversion efficiency of female weight to egg mass weight (73.4–79.4%) was not affected by temperature. The results are compared with those obtained under similar experimental conditions for H. impeltatum and are discussed in relation to information on other ixodid ticks.