Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan - Tesis
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- PublicationCardioprotective effects of bunga kantan (etlingera elatior) in hypercholesterolaemic myocardial infarction sprague dawley rats(2025-01)Selvapaandian, SharranCardiovascular diseases (CVDs), especially myocardial infarction (MI), remain a global health challenge with high mortality rates. Despite advancements in surgical and pharmacological interventions, the prevalence of MI continues to rise, often linked to risk factors such as hypercholesterolaemia. Alternative therapies utilising natural compounds with cardioprotective properties offer a promising alternative for addressing these limitations. This study investigates the potential of Etlingera elatior aqueous extract (EEAE) as a preventive treatment against hypercholesterolaemia-induced MI. The research employed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) to induce hypercholesterolaemia in male Sprague-Dawley rats, followed by isoprenaline administration to induce MI. Rats treated with EEAE at 1000 mg/kg were evaluated over 12 weeks. Parameters, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels, were taken. Histopathological analyses were conducted to observe structural improvements in the myocardium. Results demonstrated that EEAE had no significant effect in lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure but showed capability in preserving cardiac integrity. EEAE-treated groups exhibited enhanced histological recovery compared to untreated controls. These findings suggest that EEAE holds potential as a natural therapeutic agent for preventing MI in hypercholesterolemic conditions. Further research is needed to explore its mechanisms and applicability in clinical settings
- PublicationUnderstanding the role of nnav1.5 in breast cancer via sirna approach(2025-02)Zaman, Shareezma KamarulNeonatal Nav1.5 (nNav1.5) plays a crucial role in the development and spread of breast cancer. This work highlights its potential as a biomarker and treatment target. The hallmarks of breast cancer, a cancer that is common around the world, are unchecked cell growth and metastasis. Targeted therapies are needed since metastasis is responsible for around 90% of cancer-related fatalities, despite the advancements in early identification and therapy. The study explored the molecular mechanisms underlying nNav1.5's role in the invasive property of breast cancer. In MDA-MB-231 cells, siRNA-mediated knockdown was used to assess its effect of nNav1.5 mRNA expression and metastatic behaviour, cell motility. Previous research results showed that nNav1.5 is substantially overexpressed in metastatic breast cancer cells relative to non-metastatic cells, which is associated with increased invasive and migratory capabilities. In this study, the potential role of nNav1.5 in the development of metastases was further supported by the significant decrease in cancer cell motility which siRNA-mediated silencing of nNav1.5. This study also supports nNav1.5 expression as a useful prognostic indicator for aggressive breast cancer subtypes, the triple-negative breast cancer. A solid basis for future research aiming at incorporating nNav1.5-targeted tactics into precision medicine frameworks is established by this work, which also contributes to our understanding of metastatic biology. These results could greatly improve patient survival and breast cancer care by tackling the crucial problem of metastasis
- PublicationDetermination of humoral immune response in mice immunised with milk expressing three-tb epitopes(2025-01)Martin, Patricia Jane WilfredTuberculosis (TB) continues to pose significant global health challenges despite the widespread use of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. However, its limitations in inducing robust mucosal immunity, especially in adults, necessitate alternative approaches. This study explores the potential of a novel oral vaccine utilizing milk containing multi-epitope TB antigens. This study investigates the humoral immune response elicited in Balb/c mice immunized with milk containing multi-epitope tuberculosis antigens. These antigens which are Ag85B, Acr, and RpfE were expressed in goat milk with a secretory IgA fusion construct designed to produce milk containing multi-epitope TB:IgA to enhance mucosal immunity. The mices were immunized with five treatment groups which are Milk Daily (MD), Normal Milk (NM), BCG only (BCG-O), BCG + Milk Daily (BCG-MD), and BCG + Normal Milk (BCG-NM) to assess immune responses against three Mycobacterium tuberculosis epitopes. Two weeks post-immunization, serum, saliva, and BAL fluid samples were collected for analysis. ELISA plates were coated with the respective antigens to measure antigen-specific IgA and IgG levels. Optical density (OD) readings were used to quantify immune responses, and statistical analysis was conducted to determine significant differences between treatment groups. The immunized mice groups, including BCG and milk combinations, demonstrated varying levels of systemic IgG and mucosal IgA antibodies in serum, saliva, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Among the treatment groups, the milk-based vaccine candidate elicited robust antigen-specific IgG and IgA responses, indicating its potential for providing targeted immunity. These findings indicate the vaccine's potential to address key challenges of TB prevention, particularly in targeting mucosal surfaces which is the primary site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study highlights the promise of oral mucosal vaccines as a complementary or alternative strategy to intradermal BCG vaccination, aiming to enhance protection and control TB more effectively. Future research and clinical trials are needed to validate these findings and further optimize this innovative vaccine approach
- PublicationExpression of sars-cov-2 k51a/s54a nsp7 protein in escherichia coli c41(de3) and escherichia coli bl21(de3)(2025-01)Mazri, Nurul AlyaSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) relies on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex, comprising NSP7, NSP8, and NSP12, for replication and transcription. Mutations in NSP7, such as K51A and S54A, disrupt interactions with NSP8 and NSP12, impairing polymerase activity and structural integrity. These mutations offer insights into the development of antiviral therapeutics targeting the RdRp complex. This study aimed to express the mutant K51A/S54A NSP7 protein in Escherichia coli C41(DE3) and BL21(DE3) using the pET-15(b) vector. The methodologies included the preparation of the pET-15(b)-mutant NSP7 plasmid construct, transformation of the plasmid into E. coli, and optimization of protein expression. Parameters such as IPTG concentrations (0–1.0 mM) and different host strains were systematically optimized. The mutant NSP7 (K51A/S54A) protein was successfully expressed in both E. coli strains, with SDS-PAGE revealing distinct bands at the expected molecular weight. Optimal protein expression was achieved at 0.5 mM IPTG concentration. The findings highlighted differences in expression efficiency between E. coli C41(DE3) and E. coli BL21(DE3), with E. coli BL21(DE3) yielding higher expression levels. This research contributes to the understanding of SARS-CoV-2 replication by providing optimized conditions for expressing K51A/S54A NSP7 protein, enabling functional and structural studies. The findings offer a foundation for exploring NSP7 mutations as therapeutic targets and demonstrate the utility of bacterial systems for producing viral proteins in high yield, potentially accelerating antiviral drug discovery
- PublicationEvaluation of phytochemicals, antioxidant & antimicrobial properties of cinnamomum verum extracts(2025-01)Sabri, Nurul AkmalTraditional medicine has long relied on plant-based remedies to address various health issues, with cinnamon bark being widely recognized for its therapeutic properties. This study aims to investigate the phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon extracts, emphasizing its potential as a natural therapeutic agent. Aqueous extract of C. verum (AECV) and ethanolic extract of C. verum (EECV) were analyzed for their bioactive compounds, revealing the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, and terpenoids, while saponins were detected only in AECV. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging and total phenolic content (TPC) assays. AECV demonstrated higher antioxidant potential (IC50 = 0.233 mg/mL) than EECV (IC50 = 0.418 mg/mL), although both exhibited lower activity compared to ascorbic acid (AA) (IC50 = 0.00673 mg/mL). TPC analysis revealed that EECV (0.1001 [0.236] mg GAE/g) showed higher phenolic content than AECV (0.0227 [0.036] mg GAE/g), indicating ethanol's effectiveness in extracting phenolics. Antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli was evaluated using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays, where AECV demonstrated limited antibacterial activity against S. aureus (MIC = 20 mg/mL), while EECV exhibited no significant effects. Neither extract inhibited E. coli, likely due to insufficient extract concentrations. These findings indicate that cinnamon bark showed potential as a natural source of antioxidant, while further investigation is needed to explore its antimicrobial potential