Browsing by Author "Pillai, MR"

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    BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MICRO-RNAs IN HPV&HIV ASSOCIATED CERVICAL CANCER
    (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER, 2013) Babu, VJM; Joshi, S; Gheit, T; Tommasino, M; Jissa, VRG; Sankaranarayanan, R; Pillai, MR
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    Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Outbreak in Kerala, Southern India
    (British Microbiology Research Journal, 2014-04) Dhanya, VC; Sara, PJ; Sanjai, D; Amar, F; Deepa, PM; Santosh, GR; Jissa, VT; Pillai, MR
    Aims: To study the clinical and epidemiological features in the affected individuals from different areas of Kerala, India. Study design: Population based cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Regional Facility for Molecular Diagnostics, Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology and Directorate of Health Services, Kerala, between August 2009 and September 2010. Methodology: We conducted active surveillance for referral hospitals with specialist in-patient care in Kerala during pandemic periods. Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swabs were tested for influenza viruses by Real time reverse transcriptase PCR. Results: A total of 4252 samples were tested for H1N1 influenza virus, of which, 30.17% were positive for pandemic influenza A H1N1 and 10.49% were positive for Influenza A (seasonal flu). Severe disease and mortality in the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 infection predominantly affected relatively healthy adolescents and adults between the age of 10 and 50 years. Both Males (29.28%) and Females (31.15%) were equally effected even though we observed a significant difference (P=.02). 141 cases exhibited lower respiratory tract symptoms. Pneumonia alone accounted for 28% of complicated cases. It was observed that the majority of cases (29.28%) during the first outbreak season were imported from affected overseas regions. Conclusion: In this study, prevalence of Influenza A H1N1 was high in the healthy younger population and there wasn’t any sex related susceptibility for Influenza infection. Majority of districts showed a positivity of approximately 10-30%, few with high positivity of >30%. Our findings highlight the importance of regular influenza immunization as it is significant to understand that the H1N1 (2009) virus may still circulate for many years with similar high severity.
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    Plasma level of cyclophilin A is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and suggests presence of vascualr disease.
    (Cardiovascular Diabetology. 2014;13:, 2014-03) Ramachandran, S; Venugopal, A; Kutty, VR; Vinitha, A; Divya, G; Chitrasree, C; Mullassari, A; Pratapchandran, NS; Santosh, KR; Pillai, MR; Kartha, CC
    Aims/hypothesis Cyclophilin A, an immunophilin is secreted from human monocytes activated by high glucose. Given its role as an inflammatory mediator of vascular tissue damage associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, we examined plasma levels of cyclophilin A in normal healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes (DM), with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Study subjects comprised of 212 patients with DM and CAD,101 patients with diabetes, 122 patients with CAD and 121 normal healthy volunteers. Diabetes was assessed by HbA1c levels while coronary artery disease was established by a positive treadmill test and/or coronary angiography. Plasma cyclophilin A was measured using a cyclophilin A ELISA Kit. Relationship of plasma cyclophilin A levels with blood markers of type 2 diabetes, blood lipid levels and medication for diabetes and coronary artery disease were also explored. Results Plasma Cyclophilin levels were higher in diabetes patients with or without CAD compared to normal subjects (P < 0.001). Age, fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1C levels were positively associated with increased plasma cyclophilin. Patients using metformin had reduced levels of plasma cyclophilin (p < 0.001).Serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides had no significant association with plasma cyclophilin levels. In patients with increased serum CRP levels, plasma cyclophilin A was also elevated (p = 0.016). Prevalence odds for DM, DM + CAD and CAD are higher in those with high cyclophilin values, compared to those with lower values, after adjusting for age and sex, indicating strong association of high cyclophilin values with diabetes and vascular disease. Conclusions/interpretations Our study demonstrates that patients with type 2 diabetes have higher circulating levels of cyclophilin A than the normal population. Plasma cyclophilin levels were increased in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease suggesting a role of this protein in accelerating vascular disease in type 2 diabetes. Considering the evidence that Cyclophilin A is an inflammatory mediator in atherogenesis, the mechanistic role of cyclophilin A in diabetic vascular disease progression deserves detailed investigation.
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    Plasma level of cyclophilin A is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and suggests presence of vascualr disease.
    (Cardiovascular Diabetology., 2014-03) Ramachandran, S; Venugopal, A; Kutty, VR; Vinitha, A; Divya, G; Chitrasree, C; Mullassari, A; Pratapchandran, NS; Santosh, KR; Pillai, MR; Kartha, CC
    Aims/hypothesis Cyclophilin A, an immunophilin is secreted from human monocytes activated by high glucose. Given its role as an inflammatory mediator of vascular tissue damage associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, we examined plasma levels of cyclophilin A in normal healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes (DM), with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Study subjects comprised of 212 patients with DM and CAD,101 patients with diabetes, 122 patients with CAD and 121 normal healthy volunteers. Diabetes was assessed by HbA1c levels while coronary artery disease was established by a positive treadmill test and/or coronary angiography. Plasma cyclophilin A was measured using a cyclophilin A ELISA Kit. Relationship of plasma cyclophilin A levels with blood markers of type 2 diabetes, blood lipid levels and medication for diabetes and coronary artery disease were also explored. Results Plasma Cyclophilin levels were higher in diabetes patients with or without CAD compared to normal subjects (P < 0.001). Age, fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1C levels were positively associated with increased plasma cyclophilin. Patients using metformin had reduced levels of plasma cyclophilin (p < 0.001).Serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides had no significant association with plasma cyclophilin levels. In patients with increased serum CRP levels, plasma cyclophilin A was also elevated (p = 0.016). Prevalence odds for DM, DM + CAD and CAD are higher in those with high cyclophilin values, compared to those with lower values, after adjusting for age and sex, indicating strong association of high cyclophilin values with diabetes and vascular disease. Conclusions/interpretations Our study demonstrates that patients with type 2 diabetes have higher circulating levels of cyclophilin A than the normal population. Plasma cyclophilin levels were increased in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease suggesting a role of this protein in accelerating vascular disease in type 2 diabetes. Considering the evidence that Cyclophilin A is an inflammatory mediator in atherogenesis, the mechanistic role of cyclophilin A in diabetic vascular disease progression deserves detailed investigation.
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    Plasma level of cyclophilin A is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and suggests presence of vascular disease
    (CARDIOVASCULAR DIABETOLOGY, 2014) Ramachandran, S; Venugopal, A; Kutty, VR; Vinitha, A; Divya, G; Chitrasree, V; Mullassari, A; Pratapchandran, NS; Santosh, KR; Pillai, MR; Kartha, CC
    Aims/hypothesis: Cyclophilin A, an immunophilin is secreted from human monocytes activated by high glucose. Given its role as an inflammatory mediator of vascular tissue damage associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, we examined plasma levels of cyclophilin A in normal healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes (DM), with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Study subjects comprised of 212 patients with DM and CAD, 101 patients with diabetes, 122 patients with CAD and 121 normal healthy volunteers. Diabetes was assessed by HbA1c levels while coronary artery disease was established by a positive treadmill test and/or coronary angiography. Plasma cyclophilin A was measured using a cyclophilin A ELISA Kit. Relationship of plasma cyclophilin A levels with blood markers of type 2 diabetes, blood lipid levels and medication for diabetes and coronary artery disease were also explored. Results: Plasma Cyclophilin levels were higher in diabetes patients with or without CAD compared to normal subjects (P < 0.001). Age, fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1C levels were positively associated with increased plasma cyclophilin. Patients using metformin had reduced levels of plasma cyclophilin (p < 0.001). Serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides had no significant association with plasma cyclophilin levels. In patients with increased serum CRP levels, plasma cyclophilin A was also elevated (p = 0.016). Prevalence odds for DM, DM + CAD and CAD are higher in those with high cyclophilin values, compared to those with lower values, after adjusting for age and sex, indicating strong association of high cyclophilin values with diabetes and vascular disease. Conclusions/interpretations: Our study demonstrates that patients with type 2 diabetes have higher circulating levels of cyclophilin A than the normal population. Plasma cyclophilin levels were increased in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease suggesting a role of this protein in accelerating vascular disease in type 2 diabetes. Considering the evidence that Cyclophilin A is an inflammatory mediator in atherogenesis, the mechanistic role of cyclophilin A in diabetic vascular disease progression deserves detailed investigation.
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    Radiosensitizing effects of plumbagin in cervical cancer cells is through modulation of apoptotic pathway
    (MOLECULAR CARCINOGENESIS, 2008) Nair, S; Nair, RRK; Srinivas, P; Srinivas, G; Pillai, MR
    Radiotherapy is the primary line of cancer treatment for cervical cancer and is known to induce cell death in tumors. Radiotherapy is however limited by the total dose that can be given without damaging normal tissue. Plumbagin, a naturally occurring naphthaquinone, has been reported to have free radical producing properties. Hence we hypothesized that plumbagin could also have properties that could modify effects of radiation on cervical cancer cells. Radiation in combination with plumbagin may thus have treatment augmenting effects. Results from our studies have shown that a lower dose of radiation in combination with plumbagin could induce apoptosis more effectively compared to a higher dose of radiation alone. Plumbagin in combination with 2 Gy of radiation was very effective in inducing apoptosis, when compared to a higher radiation dose of 10 Gy alone. This combination also showed a fivefold increase in the activation of caspase 3 in C33A cells. Activation of effector caspases confirms that the induction of apoptosis by irradiation and plumbagin involves caspase-dependent pathways. Expression of apoptotic regulatory molecules Bcl-2, Bax and Survivin was also modulated by plumbagin in combination with radiation. In summary, this study shows that a combination of plumbagin and radiation augmented cell growth inhibition compared to higher radiation dose alone, thus indicating that plumbagin may be a potential radiosensitizer acting through the induction of apoptosis. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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    Synthesis and characterization of novel water-soluble polyamide based on spermine and aspartic acid as a potential gene delivery vehicle
    (EXPRESS POLYMER LETTERS, 2008) Viola, BM; Abraham, TE; Arathi, DS; Sreekumar, E; Pillai, MR; Thomas, TJ; Pillai, CKS
    We developed a novel and convenient method for the synthesis of a potentially safe non-viral gene delivery vehicle based on the cationic block copolymer of spermine and aspartic acid ( ASSP) and coupled it with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The copolymer ASSP was prepared by direct polycondensation in the ionic liquid, butylmethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, using triphenyl phosphite as the condensing agent under mild reaction conditions. The highly hydrophobic ASSP was transformed into a water soluble hydrophilic micelle by coupling ASSP with polyethylene glycol (PEG) using the same ionic liquid and 1,1-carbonyl diimidazole as the condensing agent without harsh conditions. The polycationic ASSP-PEG was then used to condense calf thymus and plasmid deoxyribonuclceic acids (DNAs) in Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4) to get a series of block ionomer complexes with various charge ratios. The physicochemical properties of the copolymer micelle and the DNA polyplexes were studied using fourier transform-infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size measurements. It was observed that the DNA was condensed to compact particles by its interaction with the copolymer. Since DNA condensation to nano/micrometer sized particles is essential for gene delivery, our results indicate a potential use of the copolymer for gene delivery applications.
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    Ultrastructural analysis of the adjacent epithelium of oral squamous cell carcinoma
    (BRITISH JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY, 1996) Kannan, S; Kartha, CC; Balaram, P; Chandran, GJ; Pillai, MR; Pillai, KR; Nalinakumari, KR; Nair, MK
    Fifteen biopsies of the immediate adjacent epithelium of oral squamous cell carcinoma mere examined under light and electron microscopy. Light microscopic examination of one micron thick sections revealed that the majority of lesions (67%) had hyperplastic or mildly dysplastic epithelium while the remaining (33%) had moderate to severe dysplasia. Ultrastructural observations showed that all these lesions had subcellular alterations similar to those seen in frank malignant oral tissue, particularly in the lower half of the epithelium. Important ultrastructural changes observed included bizarre nuclei of basal and lower spinal cells, enlarged and multiple nucleoli, presence of interchromatin and perichromatin granules, loss of desmosomes and marked spongiosis as well as disturbed cellular maturation sequences in the keratinocytes evidenced by abnormal and irregular distribution of maturation markers such as keratohyalin granules and tonofilaments. The present study thus shows the value of electron microscopy in the detection of malignant changes in the adjacent epithelium of oral squamous cell carcinoma.