Environmental pollution has been a significant concern for the last few years. The leather industry significantly contributes to the economy but is one of Bangladesh’s most prominent polluting industries. It is also responsible for several severe diseases such as cancer, lung diseases, and heart diseases of leather workers because they use bleaching agents and chemicals, and these have numerous adverse effects on human health. The study was aimed at isolating, identifying, and molecularly characterizing bacteria that produce protease enzymes that are highly capable of dehairing goat hide. Several attempts were made to isolate and identify protease‐producing bacterial strains from different soil samples of tannery wastes. Initially, a total of four isolates were selected from tannery soil. After the different phenotypic and morphological characterization, one isolate (BS2) showed Gram‐positive, rod‐shaped, and spore‐forming characteristics and could produce novel hair‐degrading protease enzymes. The growth profile and protease activity of the bacteria at 37°C were observed; a basal level of extracellular protease increased with time. The enzyme’s proteolytic activity was measured, and the unit of enzyme activity of the enzyme sample was 18.1. The ExPASy server (ProtParam) tool was used to estimate the physicochemical characteristics of the proteins and found molecular weight (MW) (7375.94 Da), aliphatic index (71.56), instability index (II, 80.63), Grand Average of Hydropathy (GRAVY) (−0.231), and isoelectric point (11.41). The protein–protein interactions (PPI) networks were generated using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database and Cytoscape software. The PSIPRED v.4.0 and SAVES v.6.0 programs were used to determine the secondary and three‐dimensional assembly of the selected protein. They found alpha helix (16, 25.00%), extended strand (6, 9.38%), beta‐turn (5, 7.81%), and random coil (37, 57.81%). DNA isolation and purification were carried out, and the purity ratio was ~2.17 at 260 and 280 nm. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for amplifying the 16S rRNA gene was conducted, and the isolate was authentically recognized as Bacillus cereus (BS2) based on morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. The quantitative assessment has shown that 40 mL of culture centrifugation could dehair 2 × 1 cm of goat leather sample in 9 h. This potential bacterial strain can be used in the leather industry as an ecofriendly alternative to chemical dehairing, which can reduce environmental pollution and the risk of severe diseases among leather industry workers.

The impacts of air pollution on human health have become a major concern, especially with rising greenhouse gas emissions and urban development. This study investigates the molecular mechanisms using the STITCH 4.0 and STRING 9.0 databases to analyze the interaction networks (PCI and PPI) associated with two air pollutants: carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. The functional and pathway analysis related to these pollutants were performed by OmicsBox v.3.0. Additionally, critical proteins and their essential pathways were also identified by the Cytoscape networking tool v.3.10.3. AutoDock vina was employed to hypothetically determine the direct interactions of CO and H₂S with the proteins that were found by STITCH. This study revealed that CO and H₂S interacted with the different biological processes related to human health, including erythropoiesis, oxidative stress, energy production, amino acids metabolism, and multiple signaling pathways associated with respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological functions. Six essential proteins were identified based on their degree of centrality, namely, FECH, HMOX1, ALB, CTH, CBS, and CBSL, which regulate various Reactome and KEGG pathways. Molecular docking analysis revealed that CO exhibited a strong interaction with ADI1, demonstrating a binding affinity of −1.9 kcal/mL. Alternately, the binding energy associated with the H₂S interaction was notably weak (below −0.9 kcal/mL). This present research highlights the necessity for ongoing investigation into the molecular effects of air pollution to guide public health policies and interventions.

Pathogenic microorganisms are major health concerns of infectious diseases. In the present study ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Cassia obtusifolia leaves from Kushtia region (Bangladesh) were subjected to evaluate the in vitro microbial activity against six important human pathogenic bacteria viz., Bacillus subtilis (001-1), Sarcina lutea (002-1), Xanthomonas campestris (004-1), Escherichia coli (005-1), Klebsiella pneumonia (006-1) and Pseudomonas sp. (010-1) employing disc diffusion method. The crude methanolic extract of C. obtusifolia produced maximum area of inhibition (14 mm) against S. lutea (002-1) and crude ethanolic extract of C. obtusifolia produced the largest area of inhibition (11 mm) against K. pneumonia (006-1). The MIC values (256 μg/ml, 512 μg/ml) were obtained from the methanolic isolate and ethanolic extract that produced 4 mm and 3 mm area of inhibition against S. lutea (002-1) and K. pneumonia (006-1). The methanol extract showed greater activity than ethanol extract. The most susceptible bacterial strains to ethanol and methanol extracts were S. lutea (002-1) and K. pneumonia (006-1). So, it may be possible that the production of a new antibiotic from C. obtusifolia L. leaf may be recommended for meningitis and pneumonia. The findings of this research suggest that the extracts of C. obtusifolia L. can be a source of natural antibacterial agents with pivotal applications in pharmaceutical companies to control pathogenic bacteria causing severe illness in humans.

Cigarette smoking is a highly detrimental and dangerous habit that can lead to cancer. It contains numerous harmful compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, aldehydes, and various other compounds that are produced during smoking and enter the body. When these toxic substances enter the body, they can harm various systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, renal-urinary, reproductive, and ophthalmic systems. This study aims to identify the proteins that interact with nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, and aldehydes and to predict their potential impacts on the human body. We collected data for this investigation from the STITCH, STRING, UniProtKB, and NCBI databases. Next, we inputted the fasta sequences of identified proteins into OmicsBox to perform BLAST, GO Mapping, and functional annotation analysis. This study collected 330 sequences, consisting of 44 sequences for nicotine, 88 sequences for PAHs, 88 sequences for aromatic amine, and 100 sequences for aldehydes; finally, 205 sequences were obtained after the BLAST search. The functional annotation study revealed that these compounds significantly affect human health, especially biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Our study also found that these compounds have numerous effects on signaling pathways, heart health, brain, reproductive system, liver functions, kidney functions, RNA and DNA binding, molecular apoptosis, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, mitochondrion, nucleoplasm, cytosol, and various cellular components. We have identified multiple genes stimulated by nicotine, PAHs, aromatic amines, and aldehydes, including BDKRB2, GPRC1C, MGLUR3, NNMT, ALDH1B1, ALDH7, DERA, CRABP2, ADH1A, ODC1, TLR6, JMJD1, and so on. Most of the genes are responsible for lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and alcohol-related cancer. The act of smoking cigarettes can have detrimental effects on individuals close to the smokers, even if they do not engage in smoking due to the transmission of harmful vapor via the air. Our study demonstrated that cigarette smoking is a highly prevalent and preventable cause of cancer, heart disease, and reproductive diseases, making it imperative for individuals to be knowledgeable and resolute in their efforts to stop it. Bioresearch Commu. 11(1): 1651-1678, 2025 (January)

Background: Weed smoking is a vastly unfavorable and perilous practice that can lead to various diseases, but it can also have beneficial effects on the human body. It comprises mainly two bioactive cannabinoids, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol; they have both adverse and beneficial effects on human health. Objective: This study aims to identify the proteins interacting with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) to predict their potential influences on the human body. Materials and Methods: We retrieved 200 proteins from the STITCH and STRING databases to analyze the interaction networks (PCI and PPI). We used OmicsBox to perform functional and pathway analysis of proteins associated with these compounds. Furthermore, the Cytoscape networking tool was utilized to identify crucial proteins and their significant pathways. We used Pyrx to assess potential direct interactions between THC and CBD with their associated proteins. Results: Functional annotation analysis revealed that THC and CBD interacted with various biological processes of human health, including signaling, anatomical structure development, cell differentiation, DNA binding, oxidoreductase activity, and cytosol activity. Fourteen key proteins were identified based on degree centrality, including ESR1, CREB1, INS, POMC, CNR1, JUN, NTRK2, CYP2B6, PPIG, CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19. These proteins play regulatory roles in various Reactome and KEGG pathways. Hypothetical direct interaction analysis showed that THC strongly interacted with pre-prodynorphin protein (-8.5 kcal/mol) and CBD connected with Cytochrome P450 1A1 protein (-8 kcal/mol). Conclusion: Therefore, this study contributes to understanding protein interactions and pathways, aiding in the development of drugs targeting CBD- or THC-related changes or associated diseases. Bioresearch Commu. 11(2): 1835-1851, 2025 (July)

Background: Mesothelin (MSLN) is a cell surface glycoprotein that is often over-expressed in various malignancies of humans and has been suggested as a potential therapeutic and diagnostic target. However, its expression profile, clinical implications and drug-targeting potential are not fully understood and needs to be investigated across various cancer types. Objectives: The goal of this study was to systematically characterize the MSLN expression pattern, its prognostic value and functionality in different types of cancers, particularly in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), as well as to identify viable therapeutic target opportunities. Methods: Transcriptomic and clinical datasets from TCGA and GEO were used to evaluate the expression of the MSLN gene, diagnostic value, and its prognostic significance. To study the genomic alterations and functional pathways of MSLN, mutation, GO, and KEGG analyses were used. Drug sensitivity correlations were performed with GDSC and CTRP datasets. Structure-based drug discovery involved molecular docking (AutoDock Vina and Maestro Glide), 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations, and MMPBSA binding free energy analysis, followed by drug-likeness and toxicity assessment using SwissADME and ProTox-III. Results: MSLN was found to be over expressed in several cancers, including PAAD, ovarian and mesothelioma, and this was confirmed in the independent GEO datasets. The analysis of ROC curves showed high accuracy for PAAD and stomach adenocarcinoma and moderate to low accuracy for the other cancers. Both survival and Cox regression analyses showed that MSLN was a cancer-type-specific prognostic factor. Analysis of mutations showed low frequencies of genetic changes, suggesting that the mechanism of dysregulation may be transcriptional or epigenetic. Enrichment analysis highlighted immune-related and tumor-microenvironment signaling pathways associated with MSLN. Drug sensitivity analysis suggested association of MSLN expression with response to targeted and selected chemotherapeutic drugs. Molecular docking revealed Withaferin A as the most potent protein binding compound with MSLN with stable protein-ligand interaction as evidenced by molecular dynamics simulations and binding energy analysis. Conclusion: MSLN is a diagnosis and prognosis biomarker that is context dependent and has application in selected cancers, especially pancreatic adenocarcinoma. While Withaferin A shows promising in silico binding and stability against MSLN, predicted toxicity and pharmacokinetic limitations suggest the need for further optimization and experimental validation before therapeutic application.