Amera is a lecturer of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University. She published many papers in the fields of biochemistry, cancer research, immunology, and molecular biology. She attended many conferences. She participated in teaching many courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
EDUCATION
PhD in Biochemistry
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Clinical Biochemistry, Cancer Research, Immunology
12
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Fisetin Mitigates Ferroptosis and Promotes Remyelination in a Cuprizone Model of Multiple Sclerosis Nahla E. El-Ashmawy, Naglaa F. Khedr, Nada N. Helmy, Amera O. Ibrahim Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 2025 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting autoimmune condition characterized by myelin destruction and neurodegeneration. Research indicates that ferroptosis significantly influences MS pathogenesis, exacerbating neuronal tissue damage. Our study intended to explore the possible neuroprotective role of fisetin (FIS) in cuprizone (CPZ) model of MS and the associated molecular mechanisms. The 9-week experiment comprised a 5-week demyelination period in which C57BL/6 mice were provided with 0.2% w/w CPZ added to rodent chow, followed by a 4-week remyelination period in which mice were fed CPZ-free chow. FIS (80 mg/kg/day) was given by oral gavage to mice daily for 4 weeks starting in the 2nd week of demyelination. For remyelination, FIS was administered daily during the 4 weeks recovery. During demyelination, FIS significantly improved CPZ-induced behavioral and locomotor deficits, as demonstrated by tail suspension test and inverted screen grip strength test. LFB and H & E staining, MBP, GFAP and vimentin immunostaining revealed that FIS treatment significantly improved myelination, alleviated astrogliosis and neuronal injury in CPZ-fed mice throughout both phases. FIS attenuated ferroptosis and neuroinflammation during de- and remyelination as supported by reduced brain iron deposits, IL-1 β, MDA concentrations and restored GPX4. Moreover, FIS significantly downregulated NCOA4 and TfR1 gene expression and TfR1 protein level but upregulated FTH1 gene expression and ferritin protein level. Additionally, FIS upregulated Olig-1 during demyelination, but not remyelination. Fisetin has a potential neuroprotective effect in CPZ model of MS and can be studied as a promising adjuvant therapy to enhance remyelination and mitigate disability in MS patients possibly by modulating ferroptosis pathway. Graphical Abstract
Synergistic anticancer effects of cisplatin and phenolic aglycones of the aerial part of Rumex dentatus L. in tongue squamous cell carcinoma: insights from network pharmacology and biological verification Amany E. Ragab, Ghada M. Al-Ashmawy, Sherin R. El Afify, Ola A. El-Feky, Amera O. Ibrahim BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2025 Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ranks as the sixth most common malignancy globally. Cisplatin is the standard chemotherapy for OSCC, but resistance often reduces its efficacy, necessitating new treatments with fewer side effects. Rumex dentatus L., from the Polygonaceae family, is known for its medicinal properties, but its anticancer potential has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to investigate the synergy between cisplatin and an extract from the aerial parts of R. dentatus L. in treating tongue carcinoma (HNO97) in vitro, using network pharmacology, biological verification, and phytochemical analysis. Methods The study included UPLC-ESI–MS/MS analysis, cytotoxicity assays, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assessment, and RT-qPCR for gene expression of Bcl2, p53, and ATG7. Potential targets were identified, and mechanisms of action were examined through online databases and enrichment analyses. Results The R. dentatus L. extract contained 14 phenolic aglycons. Combining cisplatin and R. dentatus L. was more effective in inhibiting proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and reducing autophagy in HNO97 cells than cisplatin alone. KEGG analysis indicated that the drug combination might work through pathways like PI3K-Akt signaling, microRNAs in cancer, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Conclusions Combining cisplatin with R. dentatus L. may be a promising approach for treating tongue carcinoma by affecting multiple pathways, providing a new perspective for developing more effective treatments for OSCC.
Cranberry Extract Ameliorates Diabetic Cognitive Impairment in Rats Via LncRNA GAS-5 Downregulation and Pyroptosis Pathway Inhibition Mariam Ali Abo-Saif, Amany E. Ragab, Iman M. Talaat, Maha Saber-Ayad, Amera O. Ibrahim, et al. Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 2025 The pathophysiology of diabetes-induced brain injury involves pyroptosis, an inflammatory programmed cell death. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of cranberry extract (CE) against diabetes-induced brain injury. Type 1 diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in rats. Brain tissue samples were investigated for biochemical determination of the reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and the quantitative RT-PCR for the gene expression of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), lncRNA GAS-5, and pyroptosis markers. ELISA was used to determine the caspase-1 level and immunohistochemical staining for assessing IL-1β. Prophylactic dosing of the CE in diabetic rats improved cognitive behavior and significantly suppressed MDA concentration, pyroptosis genes expression (gasdermin D and caspase 1), and lncRNA GAS-5. In addition, CE significantly elevated GSH concentration, SOD activity, and gene expression of GDNF and markedly reduced IL-1β positive stained cells score in the brain. Phytochemical characterization of the CE by FT-IR and UPLC-PDA-MS/MS revealed cyanidin arabinoside, procyanidins, quercetin, and isorhamnetin as key components. CE protects against diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction in rats by targeting redox-related signaling pathways and inducing an anti-inflammatory effect. LncRNA GAS-5 downregulation and pyroptosis pathway inhibition may contribute to its beneficial effects, suggesting its therapeutic potential.
Proanthocyanidin and mitoglitazone suppress lipogenesis by targeting ferroptosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis Sohair M. Abd El-Naby, Naglaa F. Khedr, Nahla E. El-Ashmawy, Amera O. Ibrahim Naunyn Schmiedeberg S Archives of Pharmacology, 2025 Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) can progress to liver cirrhosis, increasing mortality risk. The study investigates the role of ferroptosis—an inflammatory cell death mechanism—in MASH and evaluates the therapeutic effects of mitoglitazone and proanthocyanidin in targeting ferroptosis to mitigate MASH progression. Forty male albino mice were divided into five groups (n = 8): normal control (NC) fed a standard chow diet and given 2% DMSO; MASH group was maintained on MASH protocol (high fructose-high fat diet); mitoglitazone (Mito) group was kept on MASH protocol and given Mito (10 mg/kg/day); proanthocyanidin (Pro) group was kept on MASH protocol and given Pro (150 mg/kg/day); Mito + Pro co-treated group was given Mito and Pro parallel with MASH protocol, all treatments for 12 weeks. MASH induction significantly (p < 0.001) increased liver weight, liver index, serum liver enzymes (ALT & AST), serum glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C), ferroptosis biomarkers (total iron, soluble transferrin receptor-1 (sTfR1), and expression of liver acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) with diffused macrovesicular severe steatosis, and inflammatory cells infiltration in liver tissues compared to NC. However, HDL-cholesterol, ferroptosis biomarkers (liver glutathione peroxidase X4 (GPX4), and total glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities and glutathione (GSH) content) were reduced significantly (p < 0.001) in MASH group compared to NC. On the other hand, Mito, Pro, and their combination significantly improved ferroptotic biomarkers (GSH, GPX4, sTFR1, and total iron and ACSL-4 gene expression), glucose homeostasis, lipid profile, liver enzymes, and histology compared to MASH group. Combining the insulin-sensitizing properties with targeting of ferroptosis, by the co-treatment with mitoglitazone (MSDC-0160) and proanthocyanidin, could be beneficial in inhibition of lipogenesis with retardation of MASH development in mice. Graphical Abstract
Pomegranate peel extract protects against the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats by inhibiting pyroptosis and downregulating LncRNA-MALAT1 Mariam Ali Abo-Saif, Amany E. Ragab, Amera O. Ibrahim, Othman F. Abdelzaher, Ahmed B. M. Mehanyd, et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2023 Background: Pyroptosis is an inflammatory programmed cell death accompanied by activation of inflammasomes and maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. Pyroptosis is closely linked to the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). Pomegranate peel extract (PPE) exhibits a cardioprotective effect due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the protective effect of PPE on the myocardium in a rat model of DC and determine the underlying molecular mechanism.Methods: Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The rats in the treated groups received (150 mg/kg) PPE orally and daily for 8 weeks. The effects on the survival rate, lipid profile, serum cardiac troponin-1, lipid peroxidation, and tissue fibrosis were assessed. Additionally, the expression of pyroptosis-related genes (NLRP3 and caspase-1) and lncRNA-MALAT1 in the heart tissue was determined. The PPE was analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS and NMR for characterizing the phytochemical content.Results: Prophylactic treatment with PPE significantly ameliorated cardiac hypertrophy in the diabetic rats and increased the survival rate. Moreover, prophylactic treatment with PPE in the diabetic rats significantly improved the lipid profile, decreased serum cardiac troponin-1, and decreased lipid peroxidation in the myocardial tissue. Histopathological examination of the cardiac tissues showed a marked reduction in fibrosis (decrease in collagen volume and number of TGF-β-positive cells) and preservation of normal myocardial structures in the diabetic rats treated with PPE. There was a significant decrease in the expression of pyroptosis-related genes (NLRP3 and caspase-1) and lncRNA-MALAT1 in the heart tissue of the diabetic rats treated with PPE. In addition, the concentration of IL-1β and caspase-1 significantly decreased in the heart tissue of the same group. The protective effect of PPE on diabetic cardiomyopathy could be due to the inhibition of pyroptosis and downregulation of lncRNA-MALAT1. The phytochemical analysis of the PPE indicated that the major compounds were hexahydroxydiphenic acid glucoside, caffeoylquinic acid, gluconic acid, citric acid, gallic acid, and punicalagin.Conclusion: PPE exhibited a cardioprotective potential in diabetic rats due to its unique antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic properties and its ability to improve the lipid profile. The protective effect of PPE on DC could be due to the inhibition of the NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway and downregulation of lncRNA-MALAT1. PPE could be a promising therapy to protect against the development of DC, but further clinical studies are recommended.
Comparative Efficacy and Safety Study of Darbepoetin Alfa versus Epoetin Alfa in Management of Anemia Associated with ESRD in Egyptian Hemodialysis Patients Amera O. Ibrahim, Nahla E. El-Ashmawy, Eman G. Khedr, Nahla S. Kotb, Fathi Salem Current Drug Safety, 2022 Background: Anemia is one of the most common complications of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The vast majority of Egyptian CKD patients are interchangeably treated with Darbepoetin Alfa (DPA) and Epoetin Alfa (EPA) to achieve and maintain target hemoglobin levels. Our study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of DPA versus EPA for managing anemia amongst Egyptian patients with CKD undergoing dialysis. Methods: A multicenter, open label, randomized, prospective, parallel study was conducted. Patients with CKD undergoing dialysis with Hb level < 10 g/dl were enrolled. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in hemoglobin concentration at the evaluation period (weeks 20-24). Prespecified adverse events of interest following administration, including blood transfusions requirement, blood pressure and hemoglobin excursions, the relationship between C - Reactive Protein (CRP) and hemoglobin, were assessed. Results: Only 98 of 104 enrolled patients completed the study, fifty patients received EPA, and 48 patients received DPA. Our results showed that a significantly higher percentage of patients who achieved target Hb level ≥ 11 g/dL in DPA treated group vs. EPA as well as the meantime to achieve Hb level ≥ 10 g/dL was shorter in DPA treated group. Safety profiles of both treatments were similar. A negative correlation was observed between serum CRP and hemoglobin level in hemodialysis patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that DPA was more effective and well tolerated in achieving and maintaining Hb levels with lower dosing frequency compared to EPA. Furthermore, CRP is recommended to be routinely measured where patients with higher CRP require high ESA doses.
