Despite the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) being the largest family of signalling proteins at the surface of cells, their potential to be targeted in cancer therapy is still under-utilised. This review highlights the contribution of these receptors to the process of oncogenesis and points to some likely challenges that might be encountered in targeting them. GPCR-signalling pathways are often complex and can be tissue-specific. Cancer cells hijack these communication networks to their proliferative advantage. The role of selected GPCRs in the different hallmarks of cancer is examined to highlight the complexity of targeting these receptors for therapeutic benefit. Our increasing knowledge of the mechanisms governing the molecular functions of GPCRs may help to identify new targets to treat specific types of cancers.
Since cancer is becoming a leading cause of death worldwide, efforts should be concentrated on understanding its underlying biological alterations that would be utilized in disease management, especially prevention strategies. Within this context, multiple bodies of evidence have highlighted leptin’s practical and promising role, a peptide hormone extracted from adipose and fatty tissues with other adipokines, in promoting the proliferation, migration, and metastatic invasion of breast carcinoma cells. Excessive blood leptin levels and hyperleptinemia increase body fat content and stimulate appetite. Also, high leptin level is believed to be associated with several conditions, including overeating, emotional stress, inflammation, obesity,
... Show MoreA method was developed that offers a rapid, simple and accurate technique for the determination of chlorophenols at trace levels in aqueous samples with very limited volumes of organic solvents. These compounds were acetylated, then preliminarily extracted with n-hexane. The enriched chlorophenols were directly analyzed using gas chromatography with an electron-capture detector. The detection limits were in the range of 0.001–0.005 mg/L, except for 2-chlorophenol, which was always above 0.013 mg/L. Relative standard deviation for the spiked water samples ranged from 2.2 to 6.1%, while relative recoveries were in the range of 67.1 to 101.3%.
This article uses coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian finite element algorithm to conduct a three-dimensional thermomechanical study to capture the shape and characteristics of defect type generated while achieving the dissimilar friction stir welding of aluminium alloys. The volume-of-fluid method is used to model the Eulerian region and predict the localised formation of process defects. Three different tool shapes are utilised to achieve the dissimilar friction stir welding joining between AA 2024-T3 on the advancing side and AA 6061-T6 on the retreating side. Process parameter effects such as rotational tool speed, traverse tool speed and tool tilt angle are also investigated. The finite element model results are validated by comparing with t
... Show MoreThe evaluation of residual stresses (RS) induced by the friction stir welding (FSW) process is crucial in anticipating the performance of the welded structure. The existence of such residual stresses within a friction stir welded structure may lead to excessive distortion and weakness to afford the applied external loads. To assess quantitatively the effect of these residual stresses generated by FSW process, the current paper implements a Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) finite element simulation to analyze both thermal and subsequent resulted remaining stress environments in dissimilar friction stir welding of AA6061-T6 and AA2024-T3 alloys. The thermal analysis step was conducted first and followed by a mechanical analysis step in whi
... Show MoreThe study was conducted to show the effect of using dried rumen powder as a source of animal protein in the diets of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) on its performance, in the fish laboratory/College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences/University of Baghdad/ for a period of 70 d, 70 fingerlings were used with an average starting weight of 30±3 g, with a live mass rate of 202±2 g, randomly distributed among five treatments, two replicates for each treatment and seven fish for each replicate. Five diets of almost identical protein content and different percentages of addition of dried rumen powder were added. 25% was added to treatment T2 and 50% to treatment T3 and 75% of the treatment T4 and 100% of the treatment T5
... Show MoreThe development of better tools for diagnosis and more accurate prognosis of cancer includes the search for biomarkers; molecules whose presence, absence or change in quantity or structure is associated with a particular tumour or prognosis/therapeutic outcome. While biomarkers need not be functionally relevant, if cell survival, then they could also provide new targets for therapeutic drugs. In recent years attention has been applied to a group of proteins known as cancer testis antigens (CT antigens) [1]. These proteins are products of genes whose expression was normally confined to the testis, yet they are expressed in tumour cells. CT genes are bound to serve a wide array of roles in the testes, which have many highly differentiated cel
... Show MoreHematological malignancies are important diseases that need more powerful therapeutics. Even with current targeting therapies, such as rituximab and other chemotherapeutic agents, there is a need to develop new treatment strategies. Combination therapy seems the best option to target the tumor cells by different mechanisms. Virotherapy is a very promising treatment modality, as it is selective, safe, and causes cancer destruction. The Iraqi strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has proved to be effective both in vitro and in vivo. In the current work, we tested its ability on anti-hematological tumors and enhanced current treatments with combination therapy, and studied this combination using Chou–Talalay analysis. p53 concentration was
... Show More