Mitotic Index Values Research Articles

A study on the effect of Hypericum perforatum L. extract on vanadium toxicity in Allium cepa L.

The growth of industrialization growth the risk of vanadium (V) contamination. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of 200 µg L− 1 VCI3 -induced toxicity as well as the potential protective effect of 187.5 mg L− 1 and 375 mg L− 1Hypericum perforatum (H. perforatum) extracts against this toxicity on the Allium cepa (A. cepa) model organism. For this purpose, a series of investigations were conducted on the growth physiology alterations (germination percentage, root elongation, weight gain), cytogenetic alterations (mitotic index, micronucleus, chromosomal aberrations), biochemical alterations (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase) and defects in meristematic tissue in A. cepa. In addition, the phenolic compound content of H. perforatum extract was determined by the LC/MS-MS method. V application negatively affected all the investigated parameters and caused a serious phytotoxic and genotoxic effect as well as oxidative stress in A. cepa. Conversely, no statistical difference was observed between the parameters of the groups treated with H. perforatum extract and those of the control group. The administration of H. perforatum extract combined with V resulted in a notable enhancement in germination percentage, root elongation, weight gain, mitotic index value, chlorophyll a level and chlorophyll b level. Additionally, it led to a reduction in micronucleus and chromosomal aberrations frequencies, as well as meristematic tissue defects. Furthermore, LC/MS-MS analysis demonstrated that H. perforatum extract contains phenolic compounds, including catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, oleuropein and rutin, which confer antioxidant properties to the extract. The study provided clear evidence that H. perforatum extract attenuates the toxic effects of V in A. cepa, which can be attributed to its high content of bioactive phenols. The findings of the study indicate that H. perforatum extract may serve as a protective natural agent for daily use against heavy metal toxicity.

Approach regarding the biosafety evaluation of black and red currant pomace extracts using Allium cepa test

Abstract In the present work, biosafety evaluation of black and red currant pomace extracts was conducted using in vivo plant test system, such as Allium cepa, a sustainable method which can provide valuable information on the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of extracts from natural sources in relation with their phytochemical composition. In this view, different aqueous and hydroethanolic extractions from black and red currant pomaces were carried out. For revealing the differences in the phytochemical profile of the studied extracts, rapid, efficient and easy-to-operate analytical techniques such as colorimetry, UV-Vis spectrometry and electrometry were used. Cytogenetic analysis of pomace extracts was achieved using Allium cepa test by scoring the mitotic index, the limit value of cytotoxicity, the phase index of mitosis and presence of chromosomal aberrations for all samples and comparing to the control (tap water). The results have shown that the cytogenetic response depends both on the type of pomaces and on the experimental extraction conditions. Compared to the control sample (22.58 %), a decrease in mitotic index for each analyzed sample was observed. As well, an increase in the cells with chromosomal aberrations was detected in onion root tips exposed to the tested extracts compared to the control (0.69 %). The lowest value of mitotic index (12.44 %) and the highest value of chromosomal aberrations (1.91 %) were recorded from the root tip cells of onion bulbs exposed to the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from red currants pomace using water/ethanol (60:40 v/v). Even if the mitotic index decreased, the limit value of cytotoxicity was higher than 50 %, level considered as a sublethal condition for the organisms. At the same time, the increase of the frequency of chromosomal aberrations is not so significant, and in correlation with the cytotoxicity limit, it does not indicate a genotoxic effect on onion cells. Following these results, it can be concluded that black and red currant pomace extracts can be safely used for possible therapeutic benefits.

Extending culture time to improve Mitotic Index for cytogenetic dosimetry

Purpose To analyze the effects of extending lymphocyte cultivation time on the Mitotic Index, frequency of first-division cells, and dose estimation after irradiating blood samples with different doses of radiation. Materials and methods Blood samples from two healthy male volunteers were separately irradiated with three doses (3, 5, and 6 Gy) using a 60Co gamma source (average dose rate: 1.48 kGy.h−1) and cultivated in vitro for conventional (48 h) and extended (56, 68, and 72 h) amounts of time. Colcemid (0.01 µg.mL−1) was added at the beginning of the culture period. Cells were fixed, stained with fluorescence plus Giemsa (FPG), and analyzed under a light microscope. The effects of prolonged culture duration on the Mitotic Index (MI), frequency of first-division cells (M1 cells), and the First-Division Mitotic Index (FDMI) were investigated. The estimation of delivered doses was conducted using a conventional 48h-culture calibration curve. Results Overall, cells presented higher MI (up to 12-fold) with the extension of culture, while higher radiation doses led to lower MI values (up to 80% reduction at 48 h). Cells irradiated with higher doses (5 and 6 Gy) had the most significant increase (5- to 12-fold) of MI as the cultivation was prolonged. The frequency of M1 cells decreased with the prolongation of culture for all doses (up to 75% reduction), while irradiated cells presented higher frequencies of M1 cells than non-irradiated ones. FDMI increased for all irradiated cultures but most markedly in those irradiated with higher doses (up to 10-fold). The conventional 48h-culture calibration curve proved adequate for assessing the delivered dose based on dicentric frequency following a 72-hour culture. Conclusion Compared to the conventional 48-hour protocol, extending the culture length to 72 hours significantly increased the Mitotic Index and the number of first-division metaphases of irradiated lymphocytes, providing slides with a better scorable metaphase density. Extending the culture time to 72 hours, combined with FPG staining to score exclusively first-division metaphases, improved the counting of dicentric chromosomes. The methodology presented and discussed in this study can be a powerful tool for dicentric-based biodosimetry, especially when exposure to high radiation doses is involved.

Evaluating efficacy of Pseudomonas sp. EN-4 to lower the toxic potential of 4-bromophenol and assessing its competency in simulated microcosm

An indigenous bacterium Pseudomonas sp. EN-4 had been reported earlier for its ability to co-metabolise 4-bromophenol (4-BP), in presence of phenol (100 mg/L) as co-substrate. The present study was undertaken to validate the efficacy of biotransformation by comparing the toxicity profiles of untreated and EN-4 transformed samples of 4-BP, using both plant and animal model. The toxicity studies in Allium cepa (A. cepa) indicated to lowering of mitotic index (MI) from 12.77% (water) to 3.33% in A. cepa bulbs exposed to 4-BP + phenol, which reflects the cytotoxic nature of these compounds. However, the MI value significantly improves to 11.36% in its biologically treated counterpart, indicating normal cell growth. This was further supported by significant reduction in chromosomal aberrations in A. cepa root cells exposed to biologically treated samples of 4-BP as compared to untreated controls. The oxidative stress assessed by comparing the activity profiles of different marker enzymes showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) were reduced by 56%, 72%, and 37% respectively, in EN-4 transformed samples of 4-BP + phenol compared to its untreated counterpart. Similar trends were evident in the comet assay of fish (Channa punctatus) blood cells exposed to untreated and biologically treated samples of 4-BP. The comparative studies showed significant reduction in tail length (72.70%) and % tail intensity (56.15%) in fish blood cells exposed to EN-4 treated 4-BP + phenol, compared to its untreated counterpart. The soil microcosm studies validated the competency of the EN-4 cells to establish and transform 4-BP in soil polluted with 4-BP (20 mg/kg) and 4-BP + phenol (20 + 100 mg/kg). The isolate EN-4 achieved 98.08% transformation of 4-BP in non-sterile microcosm supplemented with phenol, indicating to potential of EN-4 cells to establish along with indigenous microflora.

Evaluation of the cytogenetic and genotoxic effects of an abamectin-based pesticide on Allium cepa roots

Abamectin, a widely used pesticide with insecticidal, anthelmintic, and acaricidal properties, has raised safety concerns due to its toxic effects on certain non-target organisms. The toxicity of abamectin, the active ingredient in the commercial pesticide formulation Alopec? EC, was evaluated using cytogenetic and comet assays on Allium cepa root tips. Mitotic index (MI) and phase index (PI) values were used for cytotoxicity assessment. Chromosomal aberration (CA) frequencies in the dividing cells and comet data were used for genotoxicity assessment. The root growth test showed a significant concentration-based decline in root growth after abamectin exposure, with a median effective concentration (EC50) of 2.50 mg/L. Following 96-hour exposure to three concentrations of abamectin (1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 mg/L), cytogenetic and comet analyses indicated a significant concentration- and time-dependent decrease in the MI, alongside an increase in DNA damage. Additionally, there was a significant concentration-dependent rise in the total frequency of CAs. These findings show that abamectin is a pesticide with lethal effects on A. cepa root tip meristematic cells, even at lower concentrations, over prolonged exposure times, with CA-forming and DNA-damaging effects, and that it is highly cytotoxic and genotoxic.

Chromosomes and the Mitotic Cell Cycle Phase in Onion Roots

Onions (Allium cepa) are commonly employed in vitro to evaluate the effects of chemical agents. Onion chromosomes have long been prepared using the acetic orcein staining technique. However, aceto-orcein stain is corrosive and deadly since it contains oxidizing agents like organic peroxides, toxic compounds like cyanides, acid corrosives, and radioactive materials. This study examined the mitotic activity in the roots of onion plants to ascertain the impact of the aceto orcein dye's soaking period on actively dividing root cells. Using the aceto-orcein squash procedure, a number of root tips from each bulb were collected, soaked for 1, 3, and 24 hours in aceto-orcein stain, and then processed further for cytological analyses. The purpose of the research was to examine the impact of chromosomal aberration and mitotic index on onion roots. It will reveal how many cells are actually going through mitosis. The tip of onion root cells was observed going through mitosis while actively undergoing mitotic division using the usual methods. There are various phases involved in mitotic divisions, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and interphase. At each soaking time, the experiment was run six times. The outcome shown that different soaking time durations had a substantial impact on the decline in mitotic index value.

In silico interactions and deep neural network modeling for toxicity profile of methyl methanesulfonate.

In this study, the toxicity induced by the alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) in Allium cepa L. was investigated. For this aim, bulbs were divided into 4 groups as control and application (100, 500 and 4000µM MMS) and germinated for 72h at 22-24°C. At the end of the germination period root tips were collected and made ready for analysis by applying traditional preparation methods. Germination, root elongation, weight, mitotic index (MI) values, micronucleus (MN) and chromosomal abnormality (CAs) numbers, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and anatomical structures of bulbs were used as indicators to determine toxicity. Moreover the extent of DNA fragmentation induced by MMS was determined by comet assay. To confirm the DNA fragmentation induced by MMS, the DNA-MMS interaction was examined with molecular docking. Correlation and principal component analyses (PCA) were performed to examine the relationship between all parameters and understand the underlying structure and relationships among these parameters. In the present study, a deep neural network (DNN) with two hidden layers implemented in Matlab has been developed for the comparison of the estimated data with the real data. The effect of MDA levels, SOD and CAT activities at 4 different endpoints resulting from administration of various concentrations of MMS, including MN, MI, CAs and DNA damage, was attempted to be estimated by DNN model. It is assumed that the predicted results are in close agreement with the actual data. The effectiveness of the model was evaluated using 4 different metrics, MAE, MAPE, RMSE and R2, which together show that the model performs commendably. As a result, the highest germination, root elongation, weight gain and MI were measured in the control group. MMS application caused a decrease in all physiological parameters and an increase in cytogenetic (except MI) and biochemical parameters. MMS application caused an increase in antioxidant enzyme levels (SOD and CAT) up to a concentration of 500µM and a decrease at 4000µM. MMS application induced different types of CAs and anatomical damages in root meristem cells. The results of the comet assay showed that the severity of DNA fragmentation increased with increasing MMS concentration. Molecular docking analysis showed a strong DNA-MMS interaction. The results of correlation and PCA revealed significant positive and negative interactions between the studied parameters and confirmed the interactions of these parameters with MMS. It has been shown that the DNN model developed in this study is a valuable resource for predicting genotoxicity due to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In addition, this model has the potential to help evaluate the genotoxicity status of various chemical compounds. At the end of the study, it was concluded that MMS strongly supports a versatile toxicity in plant cells and the selected parameters are suitable indicators for determining this toxicity.

Investigation of the Genotoxic Effects of the Analgesic Drugs Piroxicam and Tenoxicam in Human Lymphocytes

Analgesics are one of the most widely used drug groups in the world. Since the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of some analgesic drugs have been detected, studies investigating these effects have increased. In this study, the genotoxic effects of the analgesic drugs Tenoxicam and Piroxicam were investigated in vitro in human peripheral lymphocytes by chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronucleus (MN) assays. In addition, mitotic index (MI) and nuclear division index (NDI) values were also determined. As a result, no difference in chromosomal abnormalities was observed in both 24 and 48 hours of Piroxicam treatment. Micronucleus frequency was increased at the three highest concentrations (0.94, 1.88 and 3.75 µg/mL) compared to the control. Piroxicam significantly decreased MI compared to both control and solvent control at concentrations of 1.88 and 3.75 µg/mL at all exposure times. Tenoxicam showed a statistically significant increase at the highest concentration (10 μg/mL) compared to the control in the 24 h CA treatment. On the other hand, no effect was observed in 48-hour CA treatment. It was concluded that tenoxicam did not cause a toxic effect at any concentration except the highest concentration (10 μg/mL) in the MN assay results. Mitotic index (MI) significantly decreased at concentrations of 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 μg/mL. Nuclear division index (NDI) results did not change for both agents. In conclusion, both agents were found to be genotoxic only at high concentrations and the effect was weak. This study is pioneering as there have been no previous in vitro studies in human peripheral lymphocytes for both Piroxicam and Tenoxicam. These results need to be supported by different cell groups and in vivo assays.

Allelopathic and toxicological effects of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil

Origanum vulgare L. has been proven to be the strongest herbal antiseptic in the world, native to the Mediterranean region, but is widely naturalized elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. This study aimed to estimate the phytotoxic effect of three different concentrations of oregano essential oil (O. vulgare) on three selected plant species namely, wheat, tomato and mint using biotest germination and effects on seedling growth, as well as its toxicological properties using Allium test. Our results revealed that oregano essential oil exhibits allelopathic effect on selected species. All three tested concentrations of oregano essential oil caused a significant inhibition of Allium cepa L. root growth, as well as a reduction in the mitotic index values in A. cepa meristem cells. O. vulgare essential oil demonstrated phytotoxic and antiproliferative effects. Further research is needed to confirm our results.

Deep neural network and molecular docking supported toxicity profile of prometryn

In this study, the versatile toxicity profile of prometryn herbicide on Allium cepa was investigated. In this context, 4 different groups were formed. While the control group was treated with distilled water, Groups II, III and IV were treated with 200 mg/L, 400 mg/L and 800 mg/L prometryn, respectively. After 72 h of germination, cytogenetic, biochemical, physiological and anatomical changes were investigated. As a result increase in malondialdehyde levels, decrease in glutathione level, changes in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in root tip cells show that prometryn causes oxidative stress. The decrease in mitotic index values and the increase in the frequency of micronucleus and chromosomal abnormalities observed after prometryn treatment indicate genotoxic effects. The genotoxic effects may be due to the induced oxidative stress as well as the promethryn-DNA interaction. Molecular docking analyses revealed that prometryn interacts with various bases in DNA. As a result of the Comet assay, exposure to prometryn was found to cause DNA fragmentation. In physiological parameters final weight, germination percentage and root length decreased by 23.8%, 59.1% and 87.3%, respectively, in the 800 mg/L prometryn applied group. Deep neural network (DNN) model was optimized to predict the effects of different doses of prometryn on 4 different endpoints: micronucleus, mitotic index, chromosomal abnormalities and DNA Damage. The predicted data was found to be very similar to the actual data. The performance of the model was evaluated using MAE, MAPE, RMSE and R2, and these metrics indicate that the model performed well. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that the DNN model developed here is a valuable tool for predicting genotoxicity biomarkers in response to the application doses of prometryn, and has the potential to contribute to the development of safer and more sustainable agricultural practices.

Detection of heavy metal contamination in Batlama Stream (Turkiye) and the potential toxicity profile

In this study, heavy metal pollution in Batlama stream flowing into the Black Sea from Giresun (Turkiye) province and the toxicity induced by this pollution were investigated by Allium test. Heavy metal concentrations in stream water were analyzed by using ICP-MS. Germination percentage, weight gain, root length, micronucleus (MN), mitotic index (MI), chromosomal abnormalities (CAs), proline, chlorophyll, malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzyme activities were used as indicators of physiological, cytogenetic and biochemical toxicity. In addition, Comet assay was performed for detecting DNA fragmentation. Anatomical changes caused by heavy metals in the root meristem cells were observed under the microscope. A. cepa bulbs are divided into two groups as control and treatment. The bulbs in the control group were germinated with tap water and the bulbs in the treatment group were germinated with stream water. As a result, heavy metals such as Al, Ti and Co and radioactive heavy metals such as Rb, Sr, Sb and Ba were detected in the stream water above the acceptable parametric values. Heavy metals in the water caused a decrease in germination, root elongation, weight gain, MI and chlorophyll values, and an increase in MDA, proline, SOD, CAT, MN and CAs values. Comet assays indicated the presence of severe DNA damage. In addition, heavy metals in stream water caused different types of CAs and anatomical damage in root meristem cells. As a result, it was determined that there is intense heavy metal pollution in the stream water and this pollution promotes multi-dimensional toxicity in A. cepa, which is an indicator organism. For this reason, the first priority should be to prevent pollution of water resources in order to prevent heavy metal-induced toxicity in water.

Pan-cancer evaluation of clinical value of mitotic network activity index (MNAI) and its predictive value for immunotherapy.

Increased mitotic activity is associated with the genesis and aggressiveness of many cancers. To assess the clinical value of mitotic activity as prognostic biomarker, we performed a pan-cancer study on the mitotic network activity index (MNAI) constructed based on 54-gene mitotic apparatus network. Our pan-cancer assessment on TCGA (33 tumor types, 10,061 patients) and validation on other publicly available cohorts (23 tumor types, 9,209 patients) confirmed the significant association of MNAI with overall survival, progression-free survival, and other prognostic endpoints in multiple cancer types, including lower-grade gliomas (LGG), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), as well as many others. We also showed significant association between MNAI and genetic instability, which provides a biological explanation of its prognostic impact at pan-cancer landscape. Our association analysis revealed that patients with high MNAI benefitted more from anti-PD-1 and Anti-CTLA-4 treatment. In addition, we demonstrated that multimodal integration of MNAI and the AI-empowered Cellular Morphometric Subtypes (CMS) significantly improved the predictive power of prognosis compared to using MNAI and CMS alone. Our results suggest that MNAI can be used as a potential prognostic biomarker for different tumor types toward different clinical endpoints, and multimodal integration of MNAI and CMS exceeds individual biomarker for precision prognosis.

Ecotoxicity Evaluation of Industrial Waste and Construction Materials: Comparison Between Leachates from Granular Steel Slags and Steel Slags-Containing Concrete Through a Plant-Based Approach

Steel slags, the main waste product from the steel industry, may have several reuse possibilities. Among others, building applications represent a crucial field. However, the potential impact of harmful substances on the environment should be assessed. The aim of this study was to assess the phytotoxicity of steel slags (SS) and concrete mixtures cast with a partial replacement of SS (CSS). Leaching tests were carried out on four SS and four CSS according to EN 12457-2 and UNI EN 15863, respectively. Each leachate was assayed using root elongation tests on 30 seeds of Allium cepa, Cucumis sativus, and Lepidium sativum, respectively, and on 12 bulbs of A. cepa. The latter also allowed the analysis of other macroscopic parameters of toxicity (turgidity, consistency, colour change and root tip shape) and the evaluation of the mitotic index on 20,000 root tip cells per sample. None of the samples induced phytotoxic effects on the organisms tested: all samples supported seedlings emergence, verified by root elongation comparable to, or even greater than, that of the negative controls, and did not affect cell division, as evidenced by mitotic index values. The absence of phytotoxicity demonstrated by the leachates allows SS and SS-derived concrete to be considered as reliable materials suitable for use in civil constructions or in other engineering applications, with economic and environmental advantages, such as the reduction of the final disposal in landfills as well as the consumption of natural resources.

Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis L.) a quality fragrant and medicinally significant plant based essential oil with pharmacological potentials and genotoxicity

Aquilaria malaccensis (agarwood essential oil), is a highly priced medicinal and most expensive aromatic oil in the industry. The purpose of the current study was to assess the chemical makeup of a naturally insect infested agarwood essential oil and its potential therapeutic uses. Essential oil of infected agarwood was extracted using Clevenger apparatus and the chemical analysis of essential oil was carried out using GC/MS technique. Pharmacology evaluation includes – tyrosinase inhibitory, anti-cholinesterase (AChE), anti-urolithic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant assays. Standard methodologies such as tyrosinase inhibitor, α-amylase inhibitor, AChE inhibitory, aggregation, protease inhibitor, DPPH, ABTS, and metal chelating assays were used for evaluation of pharmacological potential. GC/MS analysis revealed cubenol (22.26%), agarospirol (14.35%) and aristolene (13.22%) as major compounds. Radical scavenging activity of agarwood essential oil showed 50% inhibition (IC50 using XLSTAT software) at the concentration of 40.14 ± 0.0192 µL/mL. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity from ABTS assay, α-amylase inhibitory potential, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, AChE inhibitory assay, anti-urolithic activity and in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity protein denaturation assay were confirmed with IC50 values of 76.95 ± 0.0090 µL/mL, 30.78 ± 0.0018 µL/mL, 38.06 ± 0.0016 µL/mL, 13.41 ± 0.0374 µL/mL, 34.14 ± 0.0202 µL/mL and 22.42 ± 0.0560 µL/mL respectively. At 1 µL/mL concentration Allium cepa genotoxicity assay resulted agarwood essential oil Mitotic Index (MI) value of 14.26%, with a chromosomal aberration of 9.30%. Genotoxicity results for A. malaccensis essential oil showed negative toxic effect at 1 µL/mL concentration. The essential oil did not exhibit any anti-microbial activity against all the tested microbial strains. From the study it is concluded that agarwood essential oil could be used for antioxidant, anti-diabetic, skin whitening, and anti-inflammatory drug formulations in near future.

Investigation Of Genotoxic Effect Of Octyl Gallate Used As An Antioxidant Food Additive In In Vitro Test Systems.

Several antioxidant food additives are added to oils, soups, sauces, chewing gum, potato chips etc. One of them is octyl gallate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential genotoxicity of octyl gallate in human lymphocytes, using in vitro chromosomal abnormalities (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), cytokinesis block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt), micronucleus-FISH (MN-FISH), and comet tests. Different concentrations (0.50, 0.25, 0.125, 0.063, and 0.031 μg/mL) of octyl gallate were used. A negative (distilled water), a positive (0.20 μg/mL Mitomycin-C), and a solvent control (8.77 μL/mL ethanol) were also applied for each treatment. Octyl gallate did not cause changes in chromosomal abnormalities, micronucleus, nuclear bud (NBUD) and nucleoplasmic bridge (NPB) frequency. Similarly, there was no significant difference in DNA damage (comet assay), percentage of centromere positive and negative cells (MN-FISH test) compared to the solvent control. Moreover, octyl gallate did not affect replication and nuclear division index. On the other hand, it significantly increased the SCE/cell ratio in three highest concentrations compared to solvent control at 24h treatment. Similarly, at 48h treatment, the frequency of SCE raised significantly compared to solvent controls at all the concentrations (except 0.031 μg/mL). An important reduce was detected in mitotic index values in highest concentration at 24h treatment and almost all concentrations (except 0.031 and 0.063 µg / mL) at 48h treatment. The results obtained suggest that octyl gallate has no an important genotoxicological action on human peripheral lymphocytes at the concentrations applied in this study.

L-Ascorbic acid modulates the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of salinity in barley meristem cells by regulating mitotic activity and chromosomal aberrations

The objective of the present study was to with all details explain of the efficiency of L-ascorbic acid (L-AsA) also known as vitamin C on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by salt stress in the barley apical meristems. As a result of the statistical analysis salt stress caused a significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in mitotic index of barley seeds depending on concentration increase, while the frequency of chromosomal aberration (CA) increased. In addition, it was determined that mitotic index value was decreased by 46% with 1 μM L-AsA supplementation as compared to control and chromosomal abnormalities were increased by 8.96% as well as. However, in the case of simultaneously application of 1 μM L-AsA and different salt concentrations, the high salt concentrations exhibited an excellent success according to low salt concentrations in alleviating the mitodepressive effect of salt stress. Moreover, the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the root meristem cells of those seeds with 1 μM L-AsA supplementation germinated at different salt concentrations was substantially reduced compared to own control group (alone 1 μM L-AsA pretreatment). The 1 μM L-AsA pretreatment at the highest salt concentration (at 0.40 M) was showed an excellent success by reducing the frequency of the chromosomal aberrations by approximately 90 %. Different salt concentrations and/or 1 μM L-AsA supplementation caused micronuclei and granulation as well as various chromosomal aberrations in prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.

Chromosomal aberrations in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of Dental Radiographers who exposed to diagnostic X-ray in Erbil city / Iraqi Kurdistan region

Radiographic examination is one of the principal diagnostic methods used in all fields of medical and dental services. The incidence of chromosomal aberrations was evaluated in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 50 individuals who worked in different dental colleges and clinics in Erbil City. This research was donning between March to September 2016. Blood samples were collected also from 20 individuals as control group, that were not exposed to any diagnostic radiations. An attempt was done to find the relationship between the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and smoking habit. The radiographers showed a significant increase of chromosomal aberrations as compared to control group at both probability level (P< 0.01, P< 0.05), but significant decreases in mitotic index were shown. The highest value of chromosomal aberrations was chromatid gap and lowest value of mitotic index were found both observed in dental radiographers who were smoker with duration of exposure for more than 10 yrs.

Antibacterial, Antioxidant Activities, GC-Mass Characterization, and Cyto/Genotoxicity Effect of Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Latex of Cynanchum acutum L

Green synthesis of nanoparticles is receiving more attention these days since it is simple to use and prepare, uses fewer harsh chemicals and chemical reactions, and is environmentally benign. A novel strategy aims to recycle poisonous plant chemicals and use them as natural stabilizing capping agents for nanoparticles. In this investigation, silver nanoparticles loaded with latex from Cynanchum acutum L. (Cy-AgNPs) were examined using a transmission electron microscope, FT-IR spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Additionally, using Vicia faba as a model test plant, the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity effects of crude latex and various concentrations of Cy-AgNPs were studied. The majority of the particles were spherical in shape. The highest antioxidant activity using DPPH was illustrated for CAgNPs (25 mg/L) (70.26 ± 1.32%) and decreased with increased concentrations of Cy-AGNPs. Antibacterial activity for all treatments was determined showing that the highest antibacterial activity was for Cy-AgNPs (50 mg/L) with inhibition zone 24 ± 0.014 mm against Bacillus subtilis, 19 ± 0.12 mm against Escherichia coli, and 23 ± 0.015 against Staphylococcus aureus. For phytochemical analysis, the highest levels of secondary metabolites from phenolic content, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids, were found in Cy-AgNPs (25 mg/L). Vicia faba treated with Cy-AgNPs- (25 mg/L) displayed the highest mitotic index (MI%) value of 9.08% compared to other Cy-AgNP concentrations (50-100 mg/L) and C. acutum crude latex concentrations (3%). To detect cytotoxicity, a variety of chromosomal abnormalities were used, including micronuclei at interphase, disturbed at metaphase and anaphase, chromosomal stickiness, bridges, and laggards. The concentration of Cy-AgNPs (25 mg/L) had the lowest level of chromosomal aberrations, with a value of 23.41% versus 20.81% for the control. Proteins from seeds treated with V. faba produced sixteen bands on SDS-PAGE, comprising ten monomorphic bands and six polymorphic bands, for a total percentage of polymorphism of 37.5%. Eight ISSR primers were employed to generate a total of 79 bands, 56 of which were polymorphic and 23 of which were common. Primer ISSR 14 has the highest level of polymorphism (92.86%), according to the data. Using biochemical SDS-PAGE and ISSR molecular markers, Cy-AgNPs (25 mg/L) showed the highest percentage of genomic template stability (GTS%), with values of 80% and 51.28%, respectively. The findings of this work suggest employing CyAgNPs (25 mg/L) in pharmaceutical purposes due to its highest content of bioactive compounds and lowest concentration of chromosomal abnormalities.

Mitotic index maximization with no effect on radiation-induced dicentric chromosome frequency

Purpose The dicentric chromosome (Dic) assay, which is the gold standard for biological dose assessment in radiation emergency medicine, requires an analysis of at least 500 lymphocyte metaphases or 100 Dic aberrations. Therefore, peripheral blood culture conditions able to obtain a high frequency of metaphases for efficient dose evaluation should be optimized. However, the type of blood cultures [i.e. whole blood (WB) or isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-culture] and blood volume differ between biodosimetry laboratories. The purpose of this study is to investigate the blood volume at which a high mitotic index (MI) is obtained in peripheral WB-culture and isolated PBMC-culture, and to examine the possible effect of blood volume on radiation-induced Dic frequency. Materials and methods Peripheral blood was collected from three healthy donors with their informed consent. The complete and differential blood counts were performed using an automated hematology analyzer. After blood count, peripheral blood was irradiated with 0 or 2 Gy X-ray. Blood was cultured with phytohemagglutinin (180 μg/ml) and demecolcine (0.05 μg/ml) for 48 h. The MI and Dic frequency were analyzed in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% WB-cultures and 0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.0, 3.6, and 4.2 ml WB-equivalent PBMC-cultures. Results In WB-culture, MI showed the highest value (∼22%) in 5–15% WB-culture and then gradually decreased to ∼9% with 30% WB-culture. MI peaked at 36 and 31% in 1.8 and 2.4 ml-WB equivalent volumes for PMBC-cultures, respectively. MI progressively decreased as the amount of PBMCs increased. Although individual differences were observed in the MI values among the three subjects, all the subjects showed the same tendency and higher MI was seen in PBMC than WB-cultures. However, these factors had no significant impact on the yield of Dics. In all culture conditions, the estimated dose calculated based on the Dic frequency was equivalent to the absorbed dose of ex vivo X-ray-irradiated blood. Conclusion While MI was affected by the blood culture type and the volume of cultured blood, Dic yield did not differ significantly between these conditions. These results could be used by relevant laboratories to optimize MI in certain circumstances.

Metal chelating and anti-radical activity of Salvia officinalis in the ameliorative effects against uranium toxicity

Uranium is a highly radioactive heavy metal that is toxic to living things. In this study, physiological, cytogenetic, biochemical and anatomical toxicity caused by uranium and the protective role of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) leaf extract against this toxicity were investigated with the help of Allium test. Germination percentage, root length, weight gain, mitotic index (MI), micronucleus (MN) formation, chromosomal aberrations (CAs), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and changes in root meristem cells were used as indicators of toxicity. In the experimental stage, a total of six groups, one of which was the control, were formed. Group I was treated with tap water, while group II and III were treated only with sage (190 mg/L and 380 mg/L). Groups IV, V and VI were germinated with uranyl acetate dihydrate (0.1 mg/mL), uranyl acetate dihydrate + 190 mg/L sage and uranyl acetate dihydrate + 380 mg/L sage, respectively. Allium cepa L. bulbs of each group were germinated for 72 h, and at the end of the period, routine preparation techniques were applied and physiological, cytogenetic, biochemical and anatomical analyzes were performed. As a result, uranium application caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in all physiological parameters and MI values. MN, CAs numbers, SOD and CAT enzyme activities and MDA levels increased significantly (p < 0.05) with uranium application. Uranium promoted CAs in the root tip cells in the form of fragment, vagrant chromosome, sticky chromosome, bridge and unequal distribution of chromatin. In addition, it caused anatomical damages such as epidermis cell damage, cortex cell damage and flattened cell nucleus in root tip meristem cells. Sage application together with uranium caused significant (p < 0.05) increases in physiological parameters and MI values and significant decreases in MN, CAs, SOD and CAT activities and MDA levels. In addition, the application of sage resulted in improvement in the severity of anatomical damages induced by uranium. It was determined that the protective role of sage observed for all parameters investigated was even more pronounced at dose of 380 mg/L. The protective role of sage against uranium toxicity is related to its antioxidant activity, and sage has 82.8% metal chelating and 72.9% DPPH removal activity. As a result, uranyl acetate exhibited versatile toxicity in A. cepa, caused cytotoxicity by decreasing the MI rate, and genotoxicity by increasing the frequencies of MN and CAs. And also, Sage acted as a toxicity-reducing agent by displaying a dose-dependent protective role against the toxic effects induced by uranyl acetate.