Eight Master of Medical Biochemistry High Flyers

Top Master of Medical Biochemistry student at UKZN this autumn was Mr Selwyn Gounder who graduated summa cum laude while seven of his classmates achieved cum laude passes.

Co-supervised by UKZN’s Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Anil Chuturgoon, and senior lecturer in the Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, Dr Terisha Ghazi, Gounder’s study: “An In Silico and In Vivo Investigation on the Effects of Acute Fumonisin b1 Exposure on Inflammation and Epigenetics in C57BL/6 Mice Heart,” was a unique and novel undertaking.

‘The toxin studied is prevalent in maize, a staple food for our population,’ said Churturgoon. ‘This is the first study that shows how this toxin was able to induce inflammation in mice hearts that led to changes in the epigenetic signature. The findings encourage further studies on humans to see if this toxin is an aetiological agent in cardiac disease. Gounder has a review article in press and a paper from his findings is being finalised for publication in a high impact journal.’

Colleague Ms Asisipho Dlamini’s project: “The Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant and Apoptotic Effects of Athrixia Phyllicoides on Diethylnitrosamine-Treated HepG2 Cells”, noted that the initiation and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was associated with diethylnitrosamine-induced DNA alkylation, and the low survival rates highlighted a need for a more effective treatment. Medicinal plants such as Athrixia Phylicoides (AP) may confer chemo-protection, and so the study investigated the molecular mechanisms by which AP relieves DEN-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells.

Fellow graduate Ms Nosipho Phakathi said colorectal cancer (CRC), ranked third for incidence, was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. ‘Despite advances in therapy, persistent challenges affecting the health and quality of life of CRC survivors underscores the pressing need to develop alternate treatment. The potential of medicinal plants such as Hypoxis hemerocallidae (HH) is attributed to their promising phytochemical constituents.’ Her study examined the potential of HH as an alternative treatment for CRC in Caco-2 cells.

Also concerned with CRC, colleague Mr Sashendren Govender said: ‘Although conventional treatments are valuable, adverse side effects cause patients to seek complementary alternative medicine (CAM) as a treatment option.’ His study examined the biochemical mechanisms of its aqueous leaf extract on Caco-2 cells, since Cannabis sativa (CS) is considered a CAM for cancer treatment.

Referring to his thesis, Mr Seluleko Gcaba said liver cancer accounted for 8.3% of the global cancer-associated mortality rates, while current treatments were expensive and induced adverse effects that reduced the efficacy of treatment. ‘Medicinal plants such as Tetradenia Riparia (TR) demonstrate anti-cancer activity, and may ameliorate the harsh side effects. Since the mechanisms require elucidation, this study investigated the antioxidant and cell death mechanisms activated by TR aqueous leaf extract in HepG2 cells,’ said Gcaba.

Findings in Ms Anthia Govender’s dissertation: “Fumonisin B1 Induces Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Mitophagy Prevention and DNA Hypermethylation in C57BL6 Mice Lung Tissue”, highlighted the harmful impact of FB1 on cellular health and its possible role in disease development.

Another of the cum laude graduates, Ms Clarissa Pillay investigated the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) aqueous extract on a Jurkat cell line, having observed that acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was one of the most commonly diagnosed haematologic diseases. Data from her study showed the water-soluble CBD extract exerted cytotoxic effects on Jurkat cells by inducing apoptosis mediated by oxidative and nitrosative stress, while upregulated TGF-ß1 and NF-?B gene expression associated with inflammation.

Ms Aaliyah Mangerah’s dissertation was titled: “Thymoquinone Triggers DNA Hypomethylation in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) Cells”.

The graduates were congratulated by Chuturgoon, Dr Rene Khan and Dr Hezekiel Kumalo.

Words: Lunga Memela

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini