Nasit IGCI | Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University (original) (raw)
Papers by Nasit IGCI
Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2021
In this study, amphibian and reptile diversity in the province of Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) ... more In this study, amphibian and reptile diversity in the province of Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) was surveyed. For this purpose, four herpetological excursions (20 days in total) were conducted covering all the districts of the province in 2014. In this paper, up-to-date herpetofaunal inventory of Van Province, including two urodelian, four anuran, two chelonian, 15 saurian (lizards), and 14 ophidian (snakes) species (six amphibians and 31 reptiles in total) is presented. To the best of our knowledge, Salamandra infraimmaculata, Heremites auratus, Dolichophis jugularis, Eirenis modestus, and Telescopus fallax were recorded for the first time in the province of Van. Additionally, the first published print record of Stellagama stellio in Van Province is presented. The major threat to the herpetofaunal diversity in surveyed habitats was found as human-origin habitat degradation. With the georeference database obtained in this study, it will be possible to determine the actual dist...
Commagene Journal of Biology, 2019
In this study, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as an in vitro model to com... more In this study, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as an in vitro model to compare the cytotoxic activities of the venoms of two Macrovipera lebetina subspecies, M. l. obtusa from southern Anatolia and M. l. lebetina from northern Cyprus. Well-established 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was preferred to assess the cytotoxicity. Our results showed that venom reduced cell viability both in a time and dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxic effect of M. l. lebetina venom on HUVEC is reported for the first time in the present study.
Zoology in the Middle East, 2014
We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Mo... more We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Montivipera wagneri is extended substantially southwards into Muş province, showing that this species is not endemic to the Aras valley as previously stated in the literature. Similarly, an unverified photograph of Montivipera albizona from Erzincan province, at its currently known eastern limit, was confirmed with new material, and its range is extended substantially southwards to the Anamos (Nur) Mountains in Hatay province. Smaller range extensions are reported for Vipera ammodytes transcaucasiana and V. darevskii.
The New Biologist, Feb 28, 2015
ABSTRACT This is the first report of the occurrence of Iranolacerta brandtii in Eastern Anatolia.... more ABSTRACT This is the first report of the occurrence of Iranolacerta brandtii in Eastern Anatolia. The distribution of I. brandtii is extended approximately 230 km eastwards into Van province, Turkey, showing that this species is not endemic to Iran as previously stated in the literature. Seven specimens were collected from four different localities between May and September 2014. Specimens were evaluated with respect to their morphological characters and some ecological features and their taxonomical status is also discussed.
Die Türkei ist ein wichtiger Biodiversitäts-Hotspot für paläarktische Arten aus Europa, Asien und... more Die Türkei ist ein wichtiger Biodiversitäts-Hotspot für paläarktische Arten aus Europa, Asien und Nordafrika. Diese Situation macht das Land besonders attraktiv für Studien an weit verbreiteten Tiergruppen wie Vipern, die im kleinasiatischen Raum allgegenwärtig sind, aber durch ihre versteckte Lebensweise und teilweise geringen Populationsdichten wenig erforscht sind. Ein aktuelles Förderprojekt des Wilhelm-Peters-Fonds der DGHT untersucht Populationen verschiedener türkischer Viperntaxa im Freiland.
The effects of snake venoms have been well known since ancient times. They contain a variety of b... more The effects of snake venoms have been well known since ancient times. They contain a variety of biologically active proteins which have therapeutic potential. This study investigated the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of Anatolian Macrovipera lebetina obtusa venom against various cancer cells, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and a fungal species. A549, HeLa, CaCo-2, U-87 MG and MCF-7 cancer cell lines and a normal cell line (Vero) were screened by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the broth dilution method. The species included were Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, E. coli 0157:H7, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium DSM 13590, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Salmonella typhimurium CCM 5445, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6957, Bacillus cereus ATCC 7064 and Candida albicans ATCC 10239. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of M. l. obtusa venom on cultured cells varied from 1.18 ± 0.11 to 12.80 ± 0.22 μg/ml, with the most potent activities against Vero, U-87 MG, MCF-7 and CaCo-2 cells. Venom showed moderate antifungal activity against C. albicans, with an MIC of 62.50 μg/ml. In short, the venom of Anatolian M. l. obtusa showed promising results as a potential source of alternative therapeutics, cytotoxic and antifungal agent prototypes.
During fieldwork conducted between end of February and mid-April 2012 14 new localities were asc... more During fieldwork conducted between end of February and mid-April 2012 14 new localities were
ascertained for four different taxa of the amphibian genus Lyciasalamandra (L. l. basoglui, L. l. finikensis, L.
arikani and L. atifi). This paper represents the first record of L. l. basoglui from Muğla province (Saklıkent,
Fethiye). Unlike the common belief in previous researches based on literature we determined that there are
almost no gaps between the distributional areas of the known subspecies of L. luschani, moreover the
subspecies were found in contact. The recently discovered populations of L. arikani and L. atifi were found to
have some distinctive morphological differences compared to other populations of the respective species.
Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis were used to analyze venom extr... more Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis were used to analyze venom extracts of Vipera kaznakovi (16.5, 30, and 55 cm) and Vipera ammodytes (28.5, 36.7, and 51.5 cm) specimens of 3 different lengths. V. kaznakovi specimens were collected from Hopa (Artvin Province); 2 V. ammodytes specimens were from Ağva (İstanbul Province) and the longest one was from Yuvacık (Kocaeli Province). The electropherograms of the venom protein samples showed age-dependent qualitative and quantitative variations.
We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Mo... more We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Montivipera wagneri is extended substantially southwards into Muş province, showing that this species is not endemic to the Aras valley as previously stated in the literature. Similarly, an unverified photograph of Montivipera albizona from Erzincan province, at its currently known eastern limit, was confirmed with new material, and its range is extended substantially southwards to the Anamos (Nur) Mountains in Hatay province. Smaller range extensions are reported for Vipera ammodytes transcaucasiana and V. darevskii.
Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis, Jan 1, 2012
Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) is a novel topical hemostatic agent of plant origin registered for t... more Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) is a novel topical hemostatic agent of plant origin registered for the management of external hemorrhages, in Turkey. The ABS-induced formation of the protein network with vital erythroid aggregation covers the whole physiological hemostatic process. The aim of this study is to assess prohemostatic and antithrombin effects of ABS on the basis of functional proteomic analyses performed in ABS-treated plasma and serum samples based on the previous hypotheses about ABS action. For this purpose, serum and plasma proteins were separated by 2-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, and proteins were identified using reference plasma gel on Swiss-2DPAGE database. Our results indicated that fibrinogen gamma chain and prothrombin levels just initially decreased first and thereafter enhanced following the ABS exposure. Dual effects of ABS on those critical hemostatic molecules seem to be associated with prohemostatic and antithrombin activities of the hemostatic agent.
We compared venoms of two subspecies of blunt-nosed viper Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) f... more We compared venoms of two subspecies of blunt-nosed viper Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Southeastern Anatolia and Cyprus by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Additionally, peptide mass fingerprinting analysis was carried out using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry in order to achieve preliminary protein identification from M. lebetina obtusa venom from Turkey. As a result of 2D-PAGE, statistical tests revealed some significant differences that can be considered as subspecies-specific biomarker candidates between two subspecies. Using bioinformatic analyses, proteins belonging to 11 families were identified from the venom of M. l. obtusa: phospholipase A2, metalloproteinase, serin proteinase, disintegrin, cysteine-rich secretory protein, C-type lectin, vascular endothelial growth factor, nerve growth factor, hyaluronidase, l-amino acid oxidase, and trypsin inhibitor. Venom of M. lebetina was studied by 2D-PAGE for the first time in the literature, and also this is the first work aiming to determine regional variations of snake venoms by this method in Turkey and Cyprus. Our preliminary results show that snake venom research deserves more attention in Turkey as well as in the toxinology field in general.
![Research paper thumbnail of Koca Engerek, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758)’nın Güneydoğu Anadolu ve Kıbrıs Alt Türlerinin Zehirlerinin Proteomik ve Spektroskopik Yöntemlerle Karşılaştırılması [Venom Comparisons of the Two Subspecies of Blunt-Nosed Viper, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) from South-Eastern Anatolia and Cyprus by Proteomic and Spectroscopic Methods]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/38996141/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2021
In this study, amphibian and reptile diversity in the province of Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) ... more In this study, amphibian and reptile diversity in the province of Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) was surveyed. For this purpose, four herpetological excursions (20 days in total) were conducted covering all the districts of the province in 2014. In this paper, up-to-date herpetofaunal inventory of Van Province, including two urodelian, four anuran, two chelonian, 15 saurian (lizards), and 14 ophidian (snakes) species (six amphibians and 31 reptiles in total) is presented. To the best of our knowledge, Salamandra infraimmaculata, Heremites auratus, Dolichophis jugularis, Eirenis modestus, and Telescopus fallax were recorded for the first time in the province of Van. Additionally, the first published print record of Stellagama stellio in Van Province is presented. The major threat to the herpetofaunal diversity in surveyed habitats was found as human-origin habitat degradation. With the georeference database obtained in this study, it will be possible to determine the actual dist...
Commagene Journal of Biology, 2019
In this study, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as an in vitro model to com... more In this study, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as an in vitro model to compare the cytotoxic activities of the venoms of two Macrovipera lebetina subspecies, M. l. obtusa from southern Anatolia and M. l. lebetina from northern Cyprus. Well-established 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was preferred to assess the cytotoxicity. Our results showed that venom reduced cell viability both in a time and dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxic effect of M. l. lebetina venom on HUVEC is reported for the first time in the present study.
Zoology in the Middle East, 2014
We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Mo... more We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Montivipera wagneri is extended substantially southwards into Muş province, showing that this species is not endemic to the Aras valley as previously stated in the literature. Similarly, an unverified photograph of Montivipera albizona from Erzincan province, at its currently known eastern limit, was confirmed with new material, and its range is extended substantially southwards to the Anamos (Nur) Mountains in Hatay province. Smaller range extensions are reported for Vipera ammodytes transcaucasiana and V. darevskii.
The New Biologist, Feb 28, 2015
ABSTRACT This is the first report of the occurrence of Iranolacerta brandtii in Eastern Anatolia.... more ABSTRACT This is the first report of the occurrence of Iranolacerta brandtii in Eastern Anatolia. The distribution of I. brandtii is extended approximately 230 km eastwards into Van province, Turkey, showing that this species is not endemic to Iran as previously stated in the literature. Seven specimens were collected from four different localities between May and September 2014. Specimens were evaluated with respect to their morphological characters and some ecological features and their taxonomical status is also discussed.
Die Türkei ist ein wichtiger Biodiversitäts-Hotspot für paläarktische Arten aus Europa, Asien und... more Die Türkei ist ein wichtiger Biodiversitäts-Hotspot für paläarktische Arten aus Europa, Asien und Nordafrika. Diese Situation macht das Land besonders attraktiv für Studien an weit verbreiteten Tiergruppen wie Vipern, die im kleinasiatischen Raum allgegenwärtig sind, aber durch ihre versteckte Lebensweise und teilweise geringen Populationsdichten wenig erforscht sind. Ein aktuelles Förderprojekt des Wilhelm-Peters-Fonds der DGHT untersucht Populationen verschiedener türkischer Viperntaxa im Freiland.
The effects of snake venoms have been well known since ancient times. They contain a variety of b... more The effects of snake venoms have been well known since ancient times. They contain a variety of biologically active proteins which have therapeutic potential. This study investigated the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of Anatolian Macrovipera lebetina obtusa venom against various cancer cells, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and a fungal species. A549, HeLa, CaCo-2, U-87 MG and MCF-7 cancer cell lines and a normal cell line (Vero) were screened by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the broth dilution method. The species included were Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, E. coli 0157:H7, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium DSM 13590, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Salmonella typhimurium CCM 5445, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6957, Bacillus cereus ATCC 7064 and Candida albicans ATCC 10239. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of M. l. obtusa venom on cultured cells varied from 1.18 ± 0.11 to 12.80 ± 0.22 μg/ml, with the most potent activities against Vero, U-87 MG, MCF-7 and CaCo-2 cells. Venom showed moderate antifungal activity against C. albicans, with an MIC of 62.50 μg/ml. In short, the venom of Anatolian M. l. obtusa showed promising results as a potential source of alternative therapeutics, cytotoxic and antifungal agent prototypes.
During fieldwork conducted between end of February and mid-April 2012 14 new localities were asc... more During fieldwork conducted between end of February and mid-April 2012 14 new localities were
ascertained for four different taxa of the amphibian genus Lyciasalamandra (L. l. basoglui, L. l. finikensis, L.
arikani and L. atifi). This paper represents the first record of L. l. basoglui from Muğla province (Saklıkent,
Fethiye). Unlike the common belief in previous researches based on literature we determined that there are
almost no gaps between the distributional areas of the known subspecies of L. luschani, moreover the
subspecies were found in contact. The recently discovered populations of L. arikani and L. atifi were found to
have some distinctive morphological differences compared to other populations of the respective species.
Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis were used to analyze venom extr... more Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis were used to analyze venom extracts of Vipera kaznakovi (16.5, 30, and 55 cm) and Vipera ammodytes (28.5, 36.7, and 51.5 cm) specimens of 3 different lengths. V. kaznakovi specimens were collected from Hopa (Artvin Province); 2 V. ammodytes specimens were from Ağva (İstanbul Province) and the longest one was from Yuvacık (Kocaeli Province). The electropherograms of the venom protein samples showed age-dependent qualitative and quantitative variations.
We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Mo... more We report new localities and range extensions for four vipers from Turkey. The distribution of Montivipera wagneri is extended substantially southwards into Muş province, showing that this species is not endemic to the Aras valley as previously stated in the literature. Similarly, an unverified photograph of Montivipera albizona from Erzincan province, at its currently known eastern limit, was confirmed with new material, and its range is extended substantially southwards to the Anamos (Nur) Mountains in Hatay province. Smaller range extensions are reported for Vipera ammodytes transcaucasiana and V. darevskii.
Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis, Jan 1, 2012
Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) is a novel topical hemostatic agent of plant origin registered for t... more Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) is a novel topical hemostatic agent of plant origin registered for the management of external hemorrhages, in Turkey. The ABS-induced formation of the protein network with vital erythroid aggregation covers the whole physiological hemostatic process. The aim of this study is to assess prohemostatic and antithrombin effects of ABS on the basis of functional proteomic analyses performed in ABS-treated plasma and serum samples based on the previous hypotheses about ABS action. For this purpose, serum and plasma proteins were separated by 2-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, and proteins were identified using reference plasma gel on Swiss-2DPAGE database. Our results indicated that fibrinogen gamma chain and prothrombin levels just initially decreased first and thereafter enhanced following the ABS exposure. Dual effects of ABS on those critical hemostatic molecules seem to be associated with prohemostatic and antithrombin activities of the hemostatic agent.
We compared venoms of two subspecies of blunt-nosed viper Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) f... more We compared venoms of two subspecies of blunt-nosed viper Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Southeastern Anatolia and Cyprus by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Additionally, peptide mass fingerprinting analysis was carried out using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry in order to achieve preliminary protein identification from M. lebetina obtusa venom from Turkey. As a result of 2D-PAGE, statistical tests revealed some significant differences that can be considered as subspecies-specific biomarker candidates between two subspecies. Using bioinformatic analyses, proteins belonging to 11 families were identified from the venom of M. l. obtusa: phospholipase A2, metalloproteinase, serin proteinase, disintegrin, cysteine-rich secretory protein, C-type lectin, vascular endothelial growth factor, nerve growth factor, hyaluronidase, l-amino acid oxidase, and trypsin inhibitor. Venom of M. lebetina was studied by 2D-PAGE for the first time in the literature, and also this is the first work aiming to determine regional variations of snake venoms by this method in Turkey and Cyprus. Our preliminary results show that snake venom research deserves more attention in Turkey as well as in the toxinology field in general.