Adenylate kinase isoenzymes in Aspergillus nidulans

Adenylate kinase isoenzymes localised in the mitochondria and in the cytosol have been detected in extracts of glucose-grown Aspergillus nidulans using specific staining after electrophoresis on cellulose acetate. The isoenzymes have similar Km values for AMP, ADP and MgATP2- but may differ in the mechanism used for internucleotide phosphate transfer.     

Characterization of Chinese hamster ovary cell culture feed media precipitate

Process intensification of monoclonal antibody production is leading to more concentrated feed media causing issues with precipitation of solids from the media solution. This results in processing problems since components in the precipitate are no longer in solution, changing the media composition and leading to variability in cell culture performance. The goal of this work is to characterize the feed media precipitate, and in particular to identify the precipitated components so that mitigation strategies can be developed. From the conducted analysis, the precipitate was predominately found to be organic and was analyzed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to identify the constituent components. Up to ten amino acids were identified with tyrosine (approximately 77 wt.%) and phenylalanine (approximately 4 wt.%) being the most prevalent amino acids. Elemental analysis with ICP-OES revealed that inorganic components were accounted for less than one weight percentage of the solid precipitate with metal sulfates being the predominant inorganic components.     

Four New Stilbene Derivatives Isolated from Gnetum latifolium var. funiculare Markgr. and Their Inhibition of NO Production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 Cells

Gnetum latifolium var. funiculare Markgr. is a medicinal plant and widely distributed in mountainous areas of Vietnam. Phytochemical investigation on the trunks of this plant afforded eight stilbene derivatives ( 1 – 8 ) including for new compounds ( 1 – 4 ). Their structures were determined based on extensive analyses of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Among the isolates, compounds 1 – 3 showed moderate NO production inhibition in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells with the IC₅₀ values ranging from 46.81 to 68.10 μM, compounds 4 and 6 showed weak effects with the IC₅₀ values of 96.57 and 79.46 μM, respectively, compared to that of the positive control compound, dexamethasone (IC₅₀ 14.20 μM).     

A New Monoterpene from the Rhizomes of Alpinia galanga and Its Anti-Vpr Activity

A new menthane-type monoterpene, alpigalanol ( 1 ), together with four known terpenes ( 2 – 5 ) were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the 70 % ethanol extract of the Alpinia galanga rhizomes. The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D- and 2D-NMR. The extract of the A. galanga rhizomes and all isolated compounds ( 1 – 5 ) possessed Vpr inhibitory activities against the TREx-HeLa-Vpr cells at a concentration of 1.25 μM without showing any cytotoxicity.     

Anthocyanins attenuate endothelial dysfunction through regulation of uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase in aged rats

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the main age‐related arterial phenotypes responsible for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older adults. This endothelial dysfunction results from decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) arising downstream of endothelial oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of anthocyanins and the underlying mechanism in rat thoracic aorta and human vascular endothelial cells in aging models. In vitro, cyanidin‐3‐rutinoside (C‐3‐R) and cyanidin‐3‐glucoside (C‐3‐G) inhibited the d‐galactose (d‐gal)‐induced senescence in human endothelial cells, as indicated by reduced senescence‐associated‐β‐galactosidase activity, p21, and p16^INK4a. Anthocyanins blocked d‐gal‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and NADPH oxidase activity. Anthocyanins reversed d‐gal‐mediated inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) serine phosphorylation and SIRT1 expression, recovering NO level in endothelial cells. Also, SIRT1‐mediated eNOS deacetylation was shown to be involved in anthocyanin‐enhanced eNOS activity. In vivo, anthocyanin‐rich mulberry extract was administered to aging rats for 8 weeks. In vivo, mulberry extract alleviated endothelial senescence and oxidative stress in the aorta of aging rats. Consistently, mulberry extract also raised serum NO levels, increased phosphorylation of eNOS, increased SIRT1 expression, and reduced nitrotyrosine in aortas. The eNOS acetylation was higher in the aging group and was restored by mulberry extract treatment. Similarly, SIRT1 level associated with eNOS decreased in the aging group and was restored in aging plus mulberry group. These findings indicate that anthocyanins protect against endothelial senescence through enhanced NO bioavailability by regulating ROS formation and reducing eNOS uncoupling.     

Identification of Highly Potent α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Artocarpus integer and Molecular Docking Studies

A new natural Diels-Alder adduct ( 3 ) was isolated from the leaves and stem bark of Artocarpus integer, along with seventeen known compounds ( 1 , 2 , and 4 – 18 ). Structural elucidation was conducted using NMR and HR-ESI-MS data, and comparisons were made with previous studies. Deoxyartonin I ( 3 ) exhibited the most potent α-glucosidase inhibition (IC₅₀ 7.80±0.1 μM), outperforming the acarbose positive control. This was mixed-mode inhibition, as indicated by the intersect in the second quadrant of each respective plot. An in silico molecular docking model and the pharmacokinetic features of 3 suggest that it is a potential inhibitor of enzyme α-glucosidase, and is therefore a lead candidate as a drug against diabetes mellitus.     

Protocorm-like body formation,stem elongation,and enhanced growth of Anthurium andraeanum ‘Tropical’ plantlet on medium containing silver nanoparticles

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - In this study, a new method for shoot regeneration via protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) is described. Shoot proliferation using stem elongation...     

Estimation du potentiel d'inoculum dePyrenochaeta lycopersici Gerlach and Schneider dans divers sols de serre en relation avec les précédents culturaux

Résumé La méthode d'infection des plantules de tomate est appliquée pour classer, selon le potentiel d'infection d? àP. lycopersici, les différents sols de serre ayant porté de fa?on plus ou moins régulières, des cultures de tomate.     

Andes Hantavirus-Infection of a 3D Human Lung Tissue Model Reveals a Late Peak in Progeny Virus Production Followed by Increased Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and VEGF-A

Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe acute disease with a 40% case fatality rate. Humans are infected via inhalation, and the lungs are severely affected during HPS, but little is known regarding the effects of ANDV-infection of the lung. Using a 3-dimensional air-exposed organotypic human lung tissue model, we analyzed progeny virus production and cytokine-responses after ANDV-infection. After a 7–10 day period of low progeny virus production, a sudden peak in progeny virus levels was observed during approximately one week. This peak in ANDV-production coincided in time with activation of innate immune responses, as shown by induction of type I and III interferons and ISG56. After the peak in ANDV production a low, but stable, level of ANDV progeny was observed until 39 days after infection. Compared to uninfected models, ANDV caused long-term elevated levels of eotaxin-1, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and VEGF-A that peaked 20–25 days after infection, i.e., after the observed peak in progeny virus production. Notably, eotaxin-1 was only detected in supernatants from infected models. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANDV replication in lung tissue elicits a late proinflammatory immune response with possible long-term effects on the local lung cytokine milieu. The change from an innate to a proinflammatory response might be important for the transition from initial asymptomatic infection to severe clinical disease, HPS.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B viral markers in Vietnamese blood donors

Serum samples were assayed using radioimmunoassay in 573 Vietnamese blood donors living in Hano? (North Viet Nam). 66 (11.5%) subjects were HBsAg-positive. Of these 66 HBsAg carriers, 17 (25,8%) were positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and 43 (65.1%) for antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe). 22 (3.8%) subjects were positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) alone. 402 (70.2%) subjects were positive for antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs). This anti-HBs percentage increased with age. Only 83 (14.5%) subjects were negative for all hepatitis B viral (HBV) markers. This no HBV markers percentage decreased with age. The chi 2 test showed a non significant difference for frequencies of HBsAg, anti-HBc alone, anti-HBs but a significant one for frequencies of no HBV markers in men and women.