WONG ENG HWA
@taylors.edu.my
Programme Director Postgraduate, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Taylor's University Lakeside Campus, Malaysia
EDUCATION
PHD IN MEDICAL SCIENCES, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia
Bachelor Of Science (Microbiology), University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Good Clinical Practice, University of Malaya, Malaysia
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Bacteriology (Antimicrobial Resistance, Multidrug Resistance Mechanisms, Host-pathogen Interaction, Molecular Characterisation, Proteomics, Metabolomics, Animal model studies, Infectious Diseases)
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Khaled Benchoula, Christopher J. Serpell, Ahmed Mediani, Abdulaziz Albogami, Norazlan Mohmad Misnan, Nor Hadiani Ismail, Ishwar S. Parhar, Satoshi Ogawa, and Wong Eng Hwa
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractZebrafish have been utilized for many years as a model animal for pharmacological studies on diabetes and obesity. High-fat diet (HFD), streptozotocin and alloxan injection, and glucose immersion have all been used to induce diabetes and obesity in zebrafish. Currently, studies commonly used both male and female zebrafish, which may influence the outcomes since male and female zebrafish are biologically different. This study was designed to investigate the difference between the metabolites of male and female diabetic zebrafish, using limonene – a natural product which has shown several promising results in vitro and in vivo in treating diabetes and obesity—and provide new insights into how endogenous metabolites change following limonene treatment. Using HFD-fed male and female zebrafish, we were able to develop an animal model of T2D and identify several endogenous metabolites that might be used as diagnostic biomarkers for diabetes. The endogenous metabolites in males and females were different, even though both genders had high blood glucose levels and a high BMI. Treatment with limonene prevented high blood glucose levels and improved in diabesity zebrafish by limonene, through reversal of the metabolic changes caused by HFD in both genders. In addition, limonene was able to reverse the elevated expression of AKT during HFD.
Nurul Fathiyah Zaipul Anuar, M. M. Mohd Desa, Jamal Hussaini, E. H. Wong, V. Mariappan, K. M. Vellasamy and N. Palanisamy
Objective(s): Pneumococcal cell wall (PCW) is an inflammatory component in Streptococcus pneumoniae. The cell surface proteins and the toll-like receptors (TLR) signaling response were investigated in the human lung epithelial (A549) cells inoculated with PCW of different serotypes. Materials and Methods: The presence of genes encoding these proteins was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The structure of the cell walls was analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The A549 cell line was challenged with PCW extracts of different serotypes. RNA from the infected host cells was extracted and tested against a total of 84 genes associated with TLR signaling pathways (TLR 1-6 and 10) using RT2 Profiler PCR Array. Results: Cell surface proteins; ply, lytA, nanA, nanB, and cbpD genes were present in all serotypes. The distribution and structure of surface protein genes suggest behavioral changes in the molecules, contributing to the resilience of the strains to antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: TLR2 showed the highest expression, while serotypes 1, 3, and 5 induced higher TNFα and IL-1α, suggesting to be more immunogenic than the other strains tested
Nurulain Idris, Kok Hoong Leong, Eng Hwa Wong, and Nusaibah Abdul Rahim
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Asseel Hisham Alregib, Hun Yee Tan, Yin How Wong, Azahari Kasbollah, Eng Hwa Wong, Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah, Alan Christopher Perkins, and Chai Hong Yeong
Wiley
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) are promising treatments for unresectable liver tumours. Some recent studies suggested that combining TACE and TARE in one treatment course might improve treatment efficacy through synergistic cytotoxicity effects. Nonetheless, current formulations do not facilitate a combination of chemo- and radio-embolic agents in one delivery system. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesise a hybrid biodegradable microsphere loaded with both radioactive agent, samarium-153 (153 Sm) and chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (Dox) for potential radio-chemoembolization of advanced liver tumours. 152 Sm and Dox-loaded polyhydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) microspheres were prepared using water-in-oil-in-water solvent evaporation method. The microspheres were then sent for neutron activation in a neutron flux of 2 × 1012 n/cm2 /s. The physicochemical properties, radioactivity, radionuclide purity, 153 Sm retention efficiency, and Dox release profile of the Dox-153 Sm-PHBV microspheres were analysed. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of the formulation was tested using MTT assay on HepG2 cell line at 24 and 72 h. The mean diameter of the Dox-153 Sm-PHBV microspheres was 30.08 ± 2.79 μm. The specific radioactivity was 8.68 ± 0.17 GBq/g, or 177.69 Bq per microsphere. The 153 Sm retention efficiency was more than 99%, tested in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and human blood plasma over 26 days. The cumulative release of Dox from the microspheres after 41 days was 65.21 ± 1.96% and 29.96 ± 0.03% in PBS solution of pH 7.4 and pH 5.5, respectively. The Dox-153 Sm-PHBV microspheres achieved a greater in vitro cytotoxicity effect on HepG2 cells (85.73 ± 3.63%) than 153 Sm-PHBV (70.03 ± 5.61%) and Dox-PHBV (74.06 ± 0.78%) microspheres at 300 μg/mL at 72 h. In conclusion, a novel biodegradable microspheres formulation loaded with chemotherapeutic drug (Dox) and radioactive agent (153 Sm) was successfully developed in this study. The formulation fulfilled all the desired physicochemical properties of a chemo-radioembolic agent and achieved better in vitro cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the biosafety, radiation dosimetry, and synergetic anticancer properties of the formulation.
Bilal Ahmad, Emily P. Friar, Muhammad Sufyan Vohra, Nasar Khan, Christopher J. Serpell, Michelle D. Garrett, Jason Siau Ee Loo, Isabel Lim Fong, and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier BV
Wasim S. M. Qadi, Ahmed Mediani, Khaled Benchoula, Eng Hwa Wong, Norazlan Mohmad Misnan, and Norrakiah Abdullah Sani
MDPI AG
Fermentation of milk enhances its nutritional and biological activity through the improvement of the bioavailability of nutrients and the production of bioactive compounds. Coconut milk was fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ngue16. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fermentation and cold storage for 28 days on physicochemical characteristics, shelf life, and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of coconut milk as well as its proximate and chemical compositions. The pH of fermented milk decreased from 4.26 to 3.92 on the 28th day during cold storage. The viable cell count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in fermented coconut milk was significantly increased during fermentation and cold storage period (1 to 14 days), reaching 6.4 × 108 CFU/mL, and then decreased significantly after 14 days to 1.6 × 108 CFU/mL at 28 days. Yeast and molds in fermented coconut milk were only detected on the 21st and 28th days of cold storage, which ranged from 1.7 × 102 to 1.2 × 104 CFU/mL, respectively. However, the growth of coliforms and E. coli was observed on the 14th until the 28th day of cold storage. The fermented coconut milk demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Cronobacter sakazakii, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella typhimurium compared to fresh coconut milk. Fermented coconut milk had the greatest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values, with 67.1% and 61.961 mmol/g at day 14 of cold storage, respectively. Forty metabolites were detected in fermented and pasteurized coconut milk by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomics. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed clear difference between the fermented and pasteurized coconut milk as well as the studied cold storage days. The metabolites responsible for this variation were ethanol, valine, GABA, arginine, lactic acid, acetoin, alanine, phenylalanine, acetic acid, methionine, acetone, pyruvate, succinic acid, malic acid, tryptophan, uridine, uracil, and cytosin, which were higher in fermented coconut milk. However, sugars and other identified compounds were higher in fresh coconut milk. The findings of this study show that fermentation of coconut milk with L. plantarum ngue16 had high potential benefits to extending its shelf life and improved biological activities as well as other beneficial nutrients.
Khaled Benchoula, Ahmed Mediani, and Wong Eng Hwa
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Bilal Ahmad, Emily P. Friar, Emerald Taylor, Muhammad Sufyan Vohra, Christopher J. Serpell, Michelle D. Garrett, Jason Siau Ee Loo, Isabel Lim Fong, and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier BV
Nurul Fathiyah Zaipul Anuar, Mohd Nasir Mohd Desa, Jamal Hussaini, Eng Hwa Wong, Vanitha Mariappan, Kumutha Malar Vellasamy, and Navindra Kumari P
EManuscript Technologies
Mansab Ali Saleemi and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier
Muhammad Nooraiman Zufayri Mohd Noor, Adlin Sofea Alauddin, Yin How Wong, Chung Yeng Looi, Eng Hwa Wong, Priya Madhavan, and Chai Hong Yeong
EpiSmart Science Vector Ltd
Background: Cancer remains a challenging target to cure, with present therapeutic methods unable to exhibit restorative outcomes without causing severe negative effects. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has been reported to be a promising adjunctive therapy for cancer treatment, having the capability to induce anti-proliferative, anti-oxidative, pro-apoptotic and anti-tumoural effects. This review summarises the findings from various articles on the mechanism, treatment outcomes, and overall effectiveness of H2 therapy on cancer management. Methods: Using Cochrane, PubMed, and Google Scholar as the search engines, full-text articles in the scope of the study, written in English and within 10 years of publication were selected. Results: Out of the 677 articles, 27 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria, where data was compiled into a table, outlining the general characteristics and findings. Throughout the different forms of H2 administration, study design and types of cancers reported, outcomes were found to be consistent. Conclusion: From our analysis, H2 plays a promising therapeutic role as an independent therapy as well as an adjuvant in combination therapy, resulting in an overall improvement in survivability, quality of life, blood parameters, and tumour reduction. Although more comprehensive research is needed, given the promising outcomes, H2 is worth considering for use as a complement to current cancer therapy.
Mansab Ali Saleemi and Eng Hwa Wong
Springer International Publishing
Wan Yean Chung, Nusaibah Abdul Rahim, Mohd Hafidz Mahamad Maifiah, Naveen Kumar Hawala Shivashekaregowda, Yan Zhu, and Eng Hwa Wong
Frontiers Media SA
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae is a top-prioritized Gram-negative pathogen with a high incidence in hospital-acquired infections. Polymyxins have resurged as a last-line therapy to combat Gram-negative “superbugs”, including MDR K. pneumoniae. However, the emergence of polymyxin resistance has increasingly been reported over the past decades when used as monotherapy, and thus combination therapy with non-antibiotics (e.g., metabolites) becomes a promising approach owing to the lower risk of resistance development. Genome-scale metabolic models (GSMMs) were constructed to delineate the altered metabolism of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase- or extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae strains upon addition of exogenous metabolites in media. The metabolites that caused significant metabolic perturbations were then selected to examine their adjuvant effects using in vitro static time–kill studies. Metabolic network simulation shows that feeding of 3-phosphoglycerate and ribose 5-phosphate would lead to enhanced central carbon metabolism, ATP demand, and energy consumption, which is converged with metabolic disruptions by polymyxin treatment. Further static time–kill studies demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial killing of 10 mM 3-phosphoglycerate (1.26 and 1.82 log10 CFU/ml) and 10 mM ribose 5-phosphate (0.53 and 0.91 log10 CFU/ml) combination with 2 mg/L polymyxin B against K. pneumoniae strains. Overall, exogenous metabolite feeding could possibly improve polymyxin B activity via metabolic modulation and hence offers an attractive approach to enhance polymyxin B efficacy. With the application of GSMM in bridging the metabolic analysis and time–kill assay, biological insights into metabolite feeding can be inferred from comparative analyses of both results. Taken together, a systematic framework has been developed to facilitate the clinical translation of antibiotic-resistant infection management.
Wan Yean Chung, Yan Zhu, Mohd Hafidz Mahamad Maifiah, Naveen Kumar Hawala Shivashekaregowda, Eng Hwa Wong, and Nusaibah Abdul Rahim
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Khaled Benchoula, Muhammad Sufyan Vohra, Ishwar S. Parhar, and Wong Eng Hwa
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Muhammad Sufyan Vohra, Khaled Benchoula, Christopher J. Serpell, and Wong Eng Hwa
Elsevier BV
Mansab Ali Saleemi, Yeo Lee Kong, Phelim Voon Chen Yong, and Eng Hwa Wong
Maad Rayan Publishing Company
The development of carbon-based nanomaterials has extensively facilitated new discoveries in various fields. Carbon nanotube-based nanocomposites (CNT-based nanocomposites) have lately recognized as promising biomaterials for a wide range of biomedical applications due to their unique electronic, mechanical, and biological properties. Nanocomposite materials such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), polymers, biomolecules, enzymes, and peptides have been reported in many studies, possess a broad range of antibacterial activity when incorporated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It is crucial to understand the mechanism which governs the antimicrobial activity of these CNT-based nanocomposite materials, including the decoupling individual and synergistic effects on the cells. In this review, the interaction behavior between microorganisms and different types of CNT-based nanocomposites is summarized to understand the respective antimicrobial performance in different conditions. Besides, the current development stage of CNT-based nanocomposite materials, the technical challenges faced, and the exceptional prospect of implementing potential antimicrobial CNT-based nanocomposite materials are also discussed.
Khaled Benchoula, Ishwar S. Parhar, and Wong Eng Hwa
Elsevier BV
Khaled Benchoula, Ishwar S Parhar, Priya Madhavan, and Wong Eng Hwa
Elsevier BV
Hing Jian Mea, Phelim Voon Chen Yong, and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier BV
Bilal Ahmad, Muhammad Sufyan Vohra, Mansab Ali Saleemi, Christopher J. Serpell, Isabel Lim Fong, and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier BV
Khaled Benchoula, Ishwar S. Parhar, and Eng Hwa Wong
Elsevier BV
Wan Yean Chung, Yan Zhu, Mohd Hafidz Mahamad Maifiah, Naveen Kumar Hawala Shivashekaregowda, Eng Hwa Wong, and Nusaibah Abdul Rahim
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Mansab Ali Saleemi, Mohammad Hosseini Fouladi, Phelim Voon Chen Yong, Karuthan Chinna, Navindra Kumari Palanisamy, and Eng Hwa Wong
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the most studied allotropic form of carbon. They can be used in various biomedical applications due to their novel physicochemical properties. In particular, the small size of CNTs, with a large surface area per unit volume, has a considerable impact on their toxicity. Despite of the use of CNTs in various applications, toxicity is a big problem that requires more research. In this Review, we discuss the toxicity of CNTs and the associated mechanisms. Physicochemical factors, such as metal impurities, length, size, solubilizing agents, CNTs functionalization, and agglomeration, that may lead to oxidative stress, toxic signaling pathways, and potential ways to control these mechanisms are also discussed. Moreover, with the latest mechanistic evidence described in this Review, we expect to give new insights into CNTs' toxicological effects at the molecular level and provide new clues for the mitigation of harmful effects emerging from exposure to CNTs.