Heat shock proteins (Hsps) protect protein substrates against conformational damage to promote the function of the proteins, prevent aggregation and prevent formation of toxic inclusion bodies. Protein aggregates and fibrils have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases and with inclusion bodies. High-level expression of recombinant protein for biotechnological purposes often leads to insoluble inclusion bodies. Therefore, misfolded proteins must be properly folded or must be degraded through heat shock protein action. This function protects cells against cytotoxic outcomes. In addition to their cytoprotective roles, Hsps are involved in other functions since Hsps exist in all types of cells and tissues. Therefore, several diseases are associated with alterations of these biochemical functions. This first review of the theme issue will discuss general properties of Hsps concisely along with their potential use in pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.

MiRNAs are a family of small, endogenous, and evolutionarily conserved non-coding ribonucleic acids that have been involved in the regulation of several essential, cellular, and functional processes. MicroRNAs are known to play key roles in all types of cancer and function as oncogenes (oncomirs) or tumour-suppressors in up-regulation or down-regulation processes respectively. MiRNAs have potential power to be examined as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. Modulating miRNAs, based on two major approaches (miRNA mimics and miRNA antagonists), is used for clinical development of therapeutic miRNAs. This review emphasizes the latest discovery in the field of miRNA research involved in cancer, biomarkers, and therapeutics.

The present work focuses on a local survey of free-living amoebae (FLA) that cause opportunistic and nonopportunistic infections in humans. Determining the prevalence of FLA in water sources can shine a light on the need to prevent FLA related illnesses. A total of 150 samples of tap water were collected from six districts of Sivas province. The samples were filtered and seeded on nonnutrient agar containing Escherichia coli spread. Thirty-three (22%) out of 150 samples were found to be positive for FLA. The FLA were identified by morphology and by PCR using 18S rDNA gene. The morphological analysis and partial sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene revealed the presence of three different species, Acanthamoeba castellanii, Acanthamoeba polyphaga, and Hartmannella vermiformis. Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris, or Sappinia sp. was not isolated during the study. All A. castellanii and A. polyphaga sequence types were found to be genotype T4 that contains most of the pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains. The results indicated the occurrence and distribution of FLA species in tap water in these localities of Sivas, Turkey. Furthermore, the presence of temperature tolerant Acanthamoeba genotype T4 in tap water in the region must be taken into account for health risks.

Our understanding of cancer pathways has been changed by the determination of noncoding transcripts in the human genome in recent years. miRNAs and pseudogenes are key players of the noncoding transcripts from the genome, and alteration of their expression levels provides clues for significant biomarkers in pathogenesis of diseases. Especially, miRNAs and pseudogenes have both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles in each step of cancer tumorigenesis. In this current study, association between oncogenes and miRNAs-pseudogenes was reviewed and determined in human cancer by the CellMiner web-tool.

Preclinical Research The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their link with cancer has opened a new era in cancer therapeutics. Approximately, 18 - 24 nucleotides long, miRNAs can up-regulate or down-regulate gene expression in many cancer types and are respectively categorized as oncogenes (oncomirs) or tumor suppressors. Expression profiles of miRNAs with biomarker potential can be used for the classification, diagnosis, therapeutic treatment, and prognosis of different cancer types. miRNA mimics and miRNA antagonists are the two main approaches to miRNA-based cancer therapies that respectively inhibit oncomirs or restore the expression of tumor suppressive miRNAs. This review serves to provide some general insight into miRNA biogenesis, cancer related miRNAs, and miRNA therapeutics.