Evaluation of growth inhibitory and apoptosis inducing activity of human calprotectin on the human gastric cell line (AGS)

BACKGROUND: Calprotectin is cytotoxic agent that its anti-tumor effects are governed through suppression of topoisomerase II; a key enzyme in apoptosis. In previous studies, cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects of calprotectin are shown on different cancer cell lines, but not human gastric cancer cell lines. In the present study, cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects of calprotectin on human gastric adenocarcinoma cancer cell line (AGS) were evaluated. METHODS: The AGS cells were exposed to the different concentrations of calprotectin for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Cell proliferation was assessed using dimethylthiazol diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and dye exclusion tests. For evaluation of cytotoxic mechanism in calprotectin on AGS cells, flow cytometric analysis was performed. RESULTS: Our results revealed that calprotectin induces growth inhibition of AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Results of this investigation showed that sensitivity of AGS cells to cytotoxic effect of human calprotectin was highly remarkable. In addition, growth inhibitory effect of this cytotoxic agent mostly was governed through induction of apoptosis in the AGS cells. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that calprotectin induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in the AGS cells.     

Assessment of NK cells response to hepatocyte derived chemotactic agents

This project was aimed to examine the NK92 cells response as the CXC chemokine responder cells in rat model of liver disorder and injuries. Hepatocytes were isolated from Sprague-dawly rats and cultured on collagen type 1. Migration of NK92 cells was assessed using a 48 well micro-chemotaxis technique. Transwell chambers were positioned faced up, blocked Medium supernatant (500 microL) obtained from hepatocytes cultures were placed into the lower compartment of each Transwell. The upper compartment was filled with either 500 microL of NK92 cells. After washing, Membrane-attached cells were fixed; stained and Membrane-attached cells were counted by light microscopy and/or by size gating (9-14 microm) with an automated counter system. Human NK92 cells were attracted to recombinant human IP-10 in a concentration and time-dependent manner. NK92 cells also exhibited a chemotactic response to medium harvested from primary hepatocyte cultures. Isolated and cultured hepatocytes express several different chemokines. Although we identified that medium from hepatocyte cultures contains specific chemokines by immunoblotting, there is potential that migration assays detected yet other chemokines and other factors such as complement components. In this report, we demonstrated that hepatocytes expressed factors that were chemoattractive for human NK92 cells and that the factors must interact with the repertoire of receptors responsible for recruitment of these cells.     

Effect of matrigel on function and morphology of human endometrial epithelial cell in vitro

INTRODUCTION: The importance of extra cellular matrix (ECM) in development and function of different cells has been reported but little is known about its role in human endometrial epithelial cells. The aim of the present study was to examine effects of artificial ECM (Matrigel) and progesterone on the function and morphology of human endometrial epithelial cells in vitro. METHODS: Endometrial samples were removed, with informed patients consent and Ethics Committee approval, from 17 previously fertile women undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy. The tissue was dissociated and centrifuged to provide an epithelial rich suspension which was cultured either on plastic or seeded into Matrigel to produce polarized cells and then supplemented with or without progesterone (10(-6) M). The amount of nucleic acid content of the cells in both in vitro model systems was examined by DNA, RNA extraction methods. The DNA and RNA content were later measured by spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The amount of total RNA in cells grown on Matrigel (23 +/- 1.5 pg/cell) was more than double that in cells grown on pllastic (9.1 +/- 1.4 pg/cell). Cells cultured on both in vitro model systems had RNA induced by steroid hormones, but the extent of induction was greater in cells grown on Matrigel (30 +/- 2 pg/cell) than those on plastic (12 +/- 1.9 pg/cell). Cells cultured on Matrigel were differentiated and became polarized but cells grown on plastic proliferated to full confluency. Cells grown on Matrigel with progesterone supplementation were highly polarized, euchromatic and had greater mitochondria and accumulation of glycogen, when compared to unsupplemented cultures. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ECM plays an important role in gene expression, polarization and differentiation of human endometrial epithelial cells in vitro. Endometrial cells grown on ECM responded to steroid hormone in a manner to that reported in endometrial cells in vivo.     

Genotoxic and cytotoxic study of Tecoma stans Bignoniaceae

Tecoma stans (Bignoniaceae) is a central and south American tree used for the control of diabetes. This plant is cultivated in Iraq. The dried leaves were soaked in ethanol and water separately for 3 days then filtered and dried. The genotoxic potential of Tecoma stans was studied by in vivo and in vitro system. This study examined the genotoxic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts on bone marrow cells from BALB/c mice through evaluation of mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations and cytotoxic effect of the two extracts on Mouse Embryo Fibroblast (MEF) cell line. No alteration in the total number of chromosomal aberrations or the number of cells with chromosomal aberrations observed and percentage of mitotic index at the concentrations tested remained unchanged. The higher concentrations used of the plant extracts had a cytotoxic effect on the MEF cell line. Both extracts had no significant clastogenic effect in vivo but showed cytotoxic effects on mouse embryo in vitro, caution should be exercised in the use of this substance as a medicine.     

Effects of PLGA nanofibrous scaffolds structure on nerve cell directional proliferation and morphology

Electrospinning has been recognized as an efficient technique for the fabrication of neural tissue engineering scaffolds. Many approaches have been developed on material optimization, electrospinning techniques, and physical properties of scaffolds to produce a suitable scaffold for tissue engineering aspects. In this study, structural properties of scaffolds were promoted by controlling the speed of fiber collection without any post-processing. PLGA scaffolds, in two significantly different solution concentrations, were fabricated by the electrospinning process to produce scaffolds with the optimum nerve cell growth in a desired direction. The minimum, intermediate and maximum rate of fiber collection (0.4, 2.4, 4.8 m/s) formed Random, Aligned and Drown-aligned fibers, with various porosities and hydrophilicities. The scaffolds were characterized by fiber diameter, porosity, water contact angle and morphology. Human nerve cells were cultured on fiber substrates for seven days to study the effects of different scaffold structures on cell morphology and proliferation, simultaneously. The results of MTT assay, the morphology of cells and scaffold characterization recommend that the best structure to promote cell direction, morphology and proliferation is accessible in an optimized hydrophilicity and porosity of scaffolds, which was obtained at the collector linear speed of 2.4 m/s.     

Effect of color changes of naturally colored organic cotton fibers on human sensory perception

This study aims to investigate the color changes of Naturally Colored Organic Cotton (NaCOC) fibers after scouring, and to evaluate the human sensory perception for the fibers. Furthermore, it tries to observe the relationship between the color coordinates and the sensory perception. Three colors (ivory, coyote-brown, green) of NaCOC fibers were scoured under four different treatments (boiling water, enzyme, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide). The color coordinates (L, a, b) were measured in CIELAB using spectrophotometer (SP62, X-Rite), and color differences (ΔL, Δa, Δb, ΔE) were calculated. Human sensory perception for the NaCOCs was evaluated by 27 female participants. The questionnaire consisted of nine pairs of bipolar visual sensory adjectives using the SDS. The values of L and b fell, while the value of a arose after scouring in general. The value of ΔE was the highest when treated with alkali solutions among all treatments. Human sensory perception such as brightness, clearness, lightness and freshness generally decreased, while vividness and strength increased. The meaningful color factors to predict brightness, lightness were L and ΔL, and those to predict vividness and strength sensory were ΔL.     

Spatial optimization procedure for land-use arrangement in a community based on a human comfort perspective

The arrangement of land use substantially affects outdoor human comfort. The purposes of this study were to develop a spatial optimization procedure that involves combining simulated annealing algorithm with a microclimate model (ENVI-met) and to identify the relationship between the spatial pattern of the major cooling source and human comfort. The procedure is an assessment tool for appropriately designing living space on a community scale. The physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was used as the index of human comfort, and the objective of optimization was to minimize the difference in the PET to 23 °C within the study area. Four types of land use, namely buildings, paddies, parks, and ponds, were considered. Given the types of land use and the land areas, the procedure is used to determine the optimal layout that provides the most comfortable environment. The results revealed that the optimal design effectively improved the homogeneity of human comfort quantitatively and spatially in summer. Human comfort in the entire area was improved when the prevailing wind first passes through cooling sources, such as the paddies, and the walkways are easier to cool when the cooling sources are located nearby. The results of the spatial optimization procedure can further be applied to determine the relationship between the spatial pattern of land use and human comfort, and the relationship can be used as a reference for future research on community design.     

Induction of apoptosis and non-apoptosis in human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) by cisplatin and caffeine

Background: Molecular targeted therapy by different cell death inducers are recently considered in cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of cisplatin and inositol trisphosphate kinase inhibitor (caffeine) on human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The pattern of cell death in MCF-7 cells following the exposure to cisplatin and caffeine in individual and combination forms was characterized. Methods: MCF-7cells at late exponential phase were divided into two groups: control and experimental groups. Experimental group was exposed to cisplatin, caffeine and combination of them and control group was treated by vehicle. Forty-eight hours after incubation, floating and attached cells were collected separately. Flowcytometry analysis and electron microscopy were carried out on both attached and floating cells. Results: Two types of apoptotic and non-apoptotic cells were observed in the floating cells as well as in sub G1 cells of both experimental and control groups by electron microscopy. Both early and late stages of apoptosis were characterized and the attached cells remained unaffected. Conclusion: Although two different forms of cell death (apoptosis and non-apoptosis) were appeared in MCF-7 following exposure to cisplatin and caffeine, apoptosis was the major mechanism of cell death. The combination form of anti-cancer drugs with different mechanisms could decrease the dosage of employed anti-cancer drugs.Key Words: Cisplatin, Caffeine, Apoptosis     

CD147 (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer-emmprin) expression by human articular chondrocytes

Background: Integrins are a family of transmembrane proteins that allow communication between the extracellular matrix and the interior of cells. Chondrocytes, cells of articular cartilage, express integrins and these molecules appear to have a variety of roles including mechanotransduction. Integrins are known to associate with a number of accessory molecules such as CD147 that may act to regulate their activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of CD147 in normal and osteoarthritis human articular cartilage and identify potential roles in mechanical signalling. Methods: Expression of CD147 in normal and osteoarthritis human articular cartilage was examined by the immunostaining and Western-blotting techniques. Potential roles in mechanotransduction were studied by assessing effects of function blocking antibodies on the electrophysiological response to mechanical stimulation. Results: CD147 was extensively expressed by chondrocytes in normal and osteoarthritic cartilage and shown by Western-blotting to have a molecular weight in the region of 35-50 kDa. Function blocking antibodies had no effect on the membrane depolarisation response of chondrocytes from osteoarthritic cartilage to mechanical stimulation. Conclusion: Human articular chondrocytes show extensive expression of CD147 in normal and osteoarthritic cartilage. Roles for this molecule in regulation of chondrocyte function remain to be defined.     

Modulation of fibroblast inflammatory response by surface modification of a perfluorinated ionomer

An ideal surface for implantable glucose sensors would be able to evade the events leading to chronic inflammation and fibrosis, thereby extending its utility in an in vivo environment. Nafion?, a perfluorinated ionomer, is the membrane material preferred for in situ glucose sensors. Unfortunately, the surface properties of Nafion? promote random protein adsorption and eventual foreign body encapsulation, thus leading to loss of glucose signal over time. Details of the techniques to render Nafion? nonprotein fouling are given in a previous article [T. I. Valdes et al., Biomaterials 29, 1356 (2008)]. Once random protein adsorption is prevented, a biologically active peptide can be covalently bonded to the treated Nafion? to induce cellular adhesion. Cellular responses to these novel decorated Nafion? surfaces are detailed here, including cell viability, cell spreading, and type I collagen synthesis. Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) were cultured on control and modified Nafion? surfaces. Findings indicate that Nafion? modified with 10% 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and 90% tetraglyme created a nonfouling surface that was subsequently decorated with the YRGDS peptide. NHDFs were shown to have exhibited decreased type I collagen production in comparison to NHDF cells on unmodified Nafion? surfaces. Here, the authors report evidence that proves that optimizing conditions to prevent protein adsorption and enhance cellular adhesion may eliminate fibrous encapsulation of an implant.     

云南普洱茶特征成分的功能与毒理学评价

研究了普洱茶特征成分茶褐素、茶多糖与蛋白质等的复合体对昆明种小白鼠的抗疲劳、降胆固醇以及毒理学效应。实验结果显示：普洱茶特征成分提取物能显著提高小白鼠的抗疲劳作用和降低小鼠血液中的胆固醇含量,且优于普洱茶水提物。普洱茶特征成分提取物经口LD₅₀>10βg/kg,属实际无毒级物质。Ames实验中加S₉混合液和不加S₉混合液的各剂量组回变菌落数与阴性对照差别无统计学意义,且无剂量反应关系。小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核试验与阴性对照组比较差别无统计学意义。普洱茶特征成分提取物在500~5β000βμg/ml浓度范围内未见诱发CHL细胞染色体畸变率增高。这说明,在实验条件下,普洱茶特征成分提取物属实际无毒级,也未见有致突变作用。     

The Effects of Fibroblast Co-Culture and Activin A on in vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate fibroblast co-culture and Activin A on in vitro maturation and fertilization of mouse preantral follicles. Methods: The ovaries from 12-14-day-old mice were dissected, and 120-150 μm preantral follicles were cultured individually in α-MEM as based medium for 12 days. A total number of 456 follicles were cultured in four conditions: (i) base medium as control group (n = 113), (ii) base medium supplemented with 30 ng/ml Activin A (n = 115), (iii) base medium co-cultured with mouse embryonic fibroblast (n = 113), and (iv) base medium supplemented with 30 ng/ml Activin A and co-cultured with fibroblast (n = 115). Rate of growth, survivability, antrum formation, ovulation, embryonic development and steroid production were evaluated. Analysis of Variance and Duncan test were applied for analyzing. Results: Both co-culture and co-culture + Activin A groups showed significant difference (P<0.05) in growth (on days 4, 6, and 8 of culture period) and survival rates. However, there was no significant difference in antrum formation, ovulation rate, and embryonic development of ovulated oocytes. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the estradiol production on days 8, 10, and 12 between co-culture + Activin A and the control group. Progesterone production also was significant (P<0.05) in co-culture + Activin A group on days 6, 8, 10, and 12 compared to control group. Conclusion: Fibroblast co-culture and Activin A promoted growth and survivability of preantral follicles. However, simultaneous use of them was more efficient. Key Words: Fibroblast, Activin A, Follicle     

眼树莲提取物的体外抗肿瘤活性研究

为了探索眼树莲乙醇提取物和不同萃取部位的体外抗肿瘤作用,以人胃癌 SGC 细胞株、人肝癌 BEL 细胞株、 慢性髓原白血病 K562 细胞株、宫颈癌 Hela 细胞株、乳腺腺癌 MCF-7 细胞株、肺腺癌 A549 细胞株为供试细胞株,用 MTT 法对眼树莲不同提取部位进行体外抗肿瘤活性筛选,并观察细胞形态。结果表明：乙醇提取物（A）、石油醚部 位（B）、乙酸乙酯部位（C）均对 SGC 细胞具有明显的抑制性,IC50 值分别为 71.73、55.83、51.95 μg/mL,而对 Hela、 MCF-7、A549 3 种细胞有弱的抑制性。A、B 部位对 BEL 细胞有弱抑制性,C 部位对 BEL 细胞具有一定的抑制性,IC50 值为 72.62 μg/mL。B、C 部位对 K562 细胞具有明显的抑制性,IC50 值分别为 53.34、55.99 μg/mL。正丁醇部位（D） 对 SGC、BEL、K562、Hela、MCF-7、A549 这 6 种细胞均没有抗肿瘤抑制性。B、C 均可使相应的肿瘤细胞株的细胞 形态发生变化,引起细胞株的坏死,并呈现明显的剂量-时间-效应关系,为进一步研究眼树莲的抗肿瘤作用奠定基础。     

The Effect of Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone and Hydroxyapatite on Osteogenesis in Pulp Stem Cells of Human Teeth Transferred into Polyester Scaffolds

Presently, tissue engineering is employed in the restoration and repair of tissue defects. Degradable scaffolds, stem cells and stimulating factors are employed in this method. In this study, the effect of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) and/or hydroxyapatite (HA) on proliferation, osteoblast differentiation, and mineralization of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) seeded on PLLA-PCL nanofibrous scaffolds was evaluated. For this aim, PLLA-PCL-HA nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated using electrospinning method. FE-SEM images exhibited that all nanofibers had bead-free morphologies with average diameters ranging from 150–205 nm. Human DPSCs seeded into PLLA-PCL nanofibers were treated with MSH. Cell viability, proliferation, morphology, osteogenic potential, and the expression of tissue-specific genes were assessed by means of MTT assay, FE-SEM, alizarin red S staining, and RT-PCR analysis. hDPSCs exhibited improved adhesion and proliferation capacity on the PLLA-PCL-HA nanofibers treated with MSH compared to other groups (p<0.05). Additionally, PLLA-PCL-HA nanofibers treated with MSH exhibited significantly higher mineralization and alkaline phosphatase activity than other groups. RT-PCR results confirmed that PLLA-PCL-HA nanofibers enriched with MSH could significantly unregulated the gene expression of BMP2, osteocalcin, RUNX2 and DSPP that correlated to osteogenic differentiation (p<0.05). Based on results, incorporation of HA nanoparticles in PLLA-PCL nanofibers and addition of MSH in media exhibited synergistic effects on the adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenesis differentiation of hDPSCs, and therefore assumed to be a favorable scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications.     

A lactose-binding lectin from the marine sponge Cinachyrella apion (Cal) induces cell death in human cervical adenocarcinoma cells

Cancer represents a set of more than 100 diseases, including malignant tumors from different locations. Strategies inducing differentiation have had limited success in the treatment of established cancers. Marine sponges are a biological reservoir of bioactive molecules, especially lectins. Several animal and plant lectins were purified with antitumor activity, mitogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral, but there are few reports in the literature describing the mechanism of action of lectins purified from marine sponges to induce apoptosis in human tumor cells. In this work, a lectin purified from the marine sponge Cinachyrella apion (CaL) was evaluated with respect to its hemolytic, cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties, besides the ability to induce cell death in tumor cells. The antiproliferative activity of CaL was tested against HeLa, PC3 and 3T3 cell lines, with highest growth inhibition for HeLa, reducing cell growth at a dose dependent manner (0.5-10 μg/mL). Hemolytic activity and toxicity against peripheral blood cells were tested using the concentration of IC(50) (10 μg/mL) for both trials and twice the IC(50) for analysis in flow cytometry, indicating that CaL is not toxic to these cells. To assess the mechanism of cell death caused by CaL in HeLa cells, we performed flow cytometry and western blotting. Results showed that lectin probably induces cell death by apoptosis activation by pro-apoptotic protein Bax, promoting mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, cell cycle arrest in S phase and acting as both dependent and/or independent of caspases pathway. These results indicate the potential of CaL in studies of medicine for treating cancer.     

不同产量小麦灌浆后期旗叶石蜡切片的扫描电镜观察

利用石蜡切片扫描电镜观察技术,对三个不同产量的小麦品种灌浆后期旗叶叶片进行了超微结构观察,结果表明：⑴不同产量小麦旗叶的叶肉细胞之间的细胞间隙及叶肉细胞的分布情况不同;⑵小麦产量不同,旗叶的叶肉细胞内绿体的大小、数量、分布状况有明显区别;⑶不同产量小麦旗叶叶肉细胞内线粒体数量不同。     

Impact of vitronectin concentration and surface properties on the stable propagation of human embryonic stem cells

The standard method for culturing human embryonic stem cells (hESC) uses supporting feeder layers of cells or an undefined substrate, Matrigel(?), which is a basement membrane extracted from murine sarcoma. For stem cell therapeutic applications, a superior alternative would be a defined, artificial surface that is based on immobilized human plasma vitronectin (VN), which is an adhesion-mediating protein. Therefore, VN adsorbed to diverse polymer surfaces was explored for the continuous propagation of hESC. Cells propagated on VN-coated tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) are karyotypically normal after >10 passages of continuous culture, and are able to differentiate into embryoid bodies containing all three germ layers. Expansion rates and pluripotent marker expression verified that a minimal VN surface density threshold is required on TCPS. Further exploration of adsorbed VN was conducted on polymer substrates with different properties, ranging from hydrophilic to hydrophobic and including cationic and anionic polyelectrolyte coatings. Despite differing surface properties, these substrates adsorbed VN above the required surface density threshold and were capable of supporting hESC expansion for >10 passages. Correlating wettability of the VN-coated surfaces with the response of cultured hESC, higher cell expansion rates and OCT-4 expression levels were found for VN-coated TCPS, which exhibits a water contact angle close to 65°. Importantly, this simple, defined surface matches the performance of the benchmark Matrigel, which is a hydrogel with highly complex composition.     

HSA转基因水稻二重微滴数字PCR定量检测方法研究

重组人血清白蛋白（HSA, Human serum albumin）基因工程水稻是我国自主研发的可规模化生产水稻重组人血清白蛋白（OsrHSA）的转基因品系,具有极高的推广价值和应用前景,但是目前缺乏对其进行精准定量检测的方法。微滴数字PCR(ddPCR, droplet digital PCR)是近年来新兴的前沿PCR技术,不依赖标准物质即可实现对DNA分子的绝对定量,在转基因产品定量领域被广泛应用。本研究基于ddPCR平台建立了适用于重组人血清白蛋白基因工程水稻（114-7-2品系）的二重ddPCR精准定量检测方法。通过对引物探针的特异性进行验证、对引物探针工作浓度和反应退火温度进行优化,获得最佳反应条件。进而对该方法检测限、定量限和结果重复性做了测定。最后通过对不同含量的重组人血清白蛋白转基因水稻样品进行定量检测,分析比较传统实时荧光定量PCR(quantitative real-time PCR, qRT-PCR)和二重ddPCR的优劣,结果表明本研究建立的转基因水稻HSA/PLD二重ddPCR方法稳定性更好、灵敏度高、成本低廉,精准可靠,适用于不依赖标准物质的精准定量HSA转...     

The Effect of Human Platelet-Rich Plasma on Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Proliferation and Osteogenic Differentiation

Background: The cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been used in many clinical trials; however, there are still some concerns about the cultural conditions. One concern is related to the use of FBS as a widely used xenogeneic supplement in the culture system. Human platelet-rich plasma (hPRP) is a candidate replacement for FBS. In this study, the effect of hPRP on MSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation has been evaluated. Methods: Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) were expanded. Cells from the third passage were characterized by flow cytometric analysis and used for in vitro experiments. Resazurin and alizarin red stains were used for cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation assays, respectively. Results: Treatment with hPRP resulted in a statistically significant increase in cell proliferation compare to the negative control group (P<0.001). Cell proliferation in the 15% hPRP group was also significantly higher than that in the 10% hPRP group (P<0.05). Additionally, it caused less osteogenic differentiation of the hADSC compared to the FBS (P<0.001), but in comparison to negative control, it caused acceptable mineralization (P<0.001). Conclusion: These findings indicate that hPRP not only improves the proliferation but also it can be a suitable substitution in osteogenic differentiation for clinical purposes. However, the clinical application value of hPRP still needs more investigation. Key Words: Platelet-Rich Plasma, Adipose tissue, Stem Cells, Cell differentiation, Cell proliferation     

Response of grain sorghum to fertilisation with human urine

Human urine is rich in valuable plant nutrients, and, when separately collected, it can substitute for fertilisers. A high valorisation of urine in crop production requires that each nutrient be balanced to match the actual demand. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of phosphorus- (P) and potassium- (K) balanced urine as a nutrient source for the cultivation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). For this purpose, human urine, mineral fertiliser and compost plus urine were compared in field experiments. Triple super phosphate and potassium chloride were added to the urine fertiliser and potassium chloride to the compost-urine fertiliser to supply similar amounts of nitrogen (N), P and K (100, 44, 83 kg ha⁻¹ in 2006; 50, 22, 42 kg ha⁻¹ in 2007 and 2009) as NPK mineral fertiliser. The mineral fertiliser treatment was repeated with the addition of water at the same volume as contained in urine to one variant.No distinct changes in the chemical soil properties were detected, but a consistent decrease in pH and cation content was observed for mineral fertiliser, while these parameters increased in the urine and compost treatments. The plants responded to all fertilisers with faster development and significant increases in the number of green leaves, size and total area. One hectare produced 520 kg grains in non-fertilised control soil while grain yields per hectare were 1657 kg in urine fertilised, 1244 kg in mineral fertilised and 1363 kg in mineral fertilised and water added and 2127 kg in compost fertilised plots.Our results demonstrate that for the cultivation of sorghum, the N requirement can be fully met and the P and K requirements can be partially met by urine and substitute mineral fertilisers. Where feasible, the combined application of compost and urine is recommended. The long-term impact of fertilisation with human urine requires further investigation with respect to N efficiency, the effect of sulphur and soil salinisation.