Molecular phylogenetic study of flavonoids in medicinal plants: a case study family Apiaceae

Journal of Plant Research - The current study examined the phylogenetic pattern of medicinal species of the family Apiaceae based on flavonoid groups production, as well as the overall mechanism of...     

Bioaccumulation of Key Metals and Other Contaminants by Seaweeds from the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea Coast in Relation to Human Health Risk

This study examined the bioaccumulation of key metals and other contaminants (SO₄, F, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Co, Cu, and Cd) by seaweeds from the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea coast and their risk to human health. Bioaccumulation factor calculations indicated that S, F, Na, K, Zn, Cu, and Cd had high seaweed uptake and this referred to the potential pollution of the coastal area. Multivariate analysis of the studied contaminants confirmed the bioaccumulation factor results as well as the physiological processes in seaweeds. Human health risk assessment of F, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, and Cd was conducted using hazard quotient (HQ) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) analyses. The carcinogenic assessment of sediments and ingestion of seaweeds using ILCR calculations revealed that Mn, Ni, and Cd in sediments and F and Zn in seaweeds require remedial action in order to reduce their human health risks. Additionally, HQ calculations for the contaminants in seaweeds and reference to toxicological references values from different agencies revealed that F and Co present high human health risk effects. Consequently, the potential public health risks from dietary exposure to hazardous contaminants in seaweeds must be continually subjected to research, regulation, and debate.     

CD154: the atherosclerotic risk factor in rheumatoid arthritis?

Atherosclerosis, now regarded as a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, and its clinical manifestations have increasingly been associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), supporting the notion that autoimmune diseases and vascular disorders share common etiological features. Indeed, evidence pertaining to this matter indicates that inflammation and its multiple components are the driving force behind the pathogenesis of these disorders. Interestingly, CD154 and its receptors have emerged as major players in the development of RA and atherosclerosis, which raises the possibility that this axis may represent an important biological link between both complications. Indeed, CD154 signaling elicits critical inflammatory responses that are common to the pathogenesis of both diseases. Here, we provide an overview of the traditional and disease-related interrelations between RA and vascular abnormalities, while focusing on CD154 as a potential mediator in the development of atherosclerotic events in RA patients.     

Molecular designing,virtual screening and docking study of novel curcumin analogue as mutation (S769L and K846R) selective inhibitor for EGFR

The somatic mutations in ATP binding cleft of the tyrosine kinase binding domain of EGFR are known to occur in 15–40% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Although first and second generation anti-EGFR inhibitors are widely used to treat these patients, their therapeutic efficacy is modest and often results in adverse effects or drug resistance. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel as well as safe anti-EGFR drugs. The rapid emergence of computational drug designing provided a great opportunity to both discover and predict the efficacy of novel EGFR inhibitors from plant sources. In the present study, we designed several chemical analogues of edible curcumin (CUCM) compound and assessed their drug likeliness, ADME and toxicity properties using a diverse range of advanced computational methods. We also have examined the structural plasticity and binding characteristics of EGFR wild-type and mutant forms (S769L and K846R) against ligand molecules like Gefitinib, native CUCM, and different CUCM analogues. Through multidimensional experimental approaches, we conclude that CUCM-36 ((1E,4Z,6E)-1-(3,4-Diphenoxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-phenoxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one) is the best anti-EGFR compound with high drug-likeness, ADME properties, and low toxicity properties. CUCM-36 compound has demonstrated better affinity towards both wild-type (ΔG is ?8.5?kcal/Mol) and mutant forms (V769L & K846R; ΔG for both is >?9.20?kcal/Mol) compared to natural CUCM and Gefitinib inhibitor. This study advises the future laboratory assays to develop CUCM-36 as a novel drug compound for treating EGFR positive non-small cell lung cancer patients.     

Bifurcation asymmetry of the porcine coronary vasculature and its implications on coronary flow heterogeneity

The branching pattern of the coronary arteries and veins is asymmetric, i.e., many small vessels branch off of a large trunk such that the two daughter vessels at a bifurcation are of unequal diameters and lengths. One important implication of the geometric vascular asymmetry is the dispersion of blood flow at a bifurcation, which leads to large spatial heterogeneity of myocardial blood flow. To document the asymmetric branching pattern of the coronary vessels, we computed an asymmetry ratio for the diameters and lengths of all vessels, defined as the ratio of the daughter diameters and lengths, respectively. Previous data from silicone elastomer cast of the entire coronary vasculature including arteries, arterioles, venules, and veins were analyzed. Data on smaller vessels were obtained from histological specimens by optical sectioning, whereas data on larger vessels were obtained from vascular casts. Asymmetry ratios for vascular areas, volumes, resistances, and flows of the various daughter vessels were computed from the asymmetry ratios of diameters and lengths for every order of mother vessel. The results show that the largest orders of arterial and venous vessels are most asymmetric and the degree of asymmetry decreases toward the smaller vessels. Furthermore, the diameter asymmetry at a bifurcation is significantly larger for the coronary veins (1.7-6.8 for sinus veins) than the corresponding arteries (1.5-5.8 for left anterior descending coronary artery) for orders 2-10, respectively. The reported diameter asymmetry at a bifurcation leads to significant heterogeneity of blood flow at a bifurcation. Hence, the present data quantify the dispersion of blood flow at a bifurcation and are essential for understanding flow heterogeneity in the coronary circulation.     

Sequence dependence of substrate recognition and cleavage by yeast RNase III

Yeast Rnt1p is a member of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specific RNase III family of endoribonucleases involved in RNA processing and RNA interference (RNAi). Unlike other RNase III enzymes, which recognize a variety of RNA duplexes, Rnt1p cleaves specifically RNA stems capped with the conserved AGNN tetraloop. This unusual substrate specificity challenges the established dogma for substrate selection by RNase III and questions the dsRNA contribution to recognition by Rnt1p. Here we show that the dsRNA sequence adjacent to the tetraloop regulates Rnt1p cleavage by interfering with RNA binding. In context, sequences surrounding the cleavage site directly influence the cleavage efficiency. Introduction of sequences that stabilize the RNA helix enhanced binding while reducing the turnover rate indicating that, unlike the tetraloop, Rnt1p binding to the dsRNA helix may become rate-limiting. These results suggest that Rnt1p activity is strictly regulated by a combination of primary and tertiary structural elements allowing a substrate-specific binding and cleavage efficiency.     

Effect of human urotensin-II infusion on hemodynamics and cardiac function

Recent studies have shown that the vasoactive peptide urotensin-II (U-II) exerts a wide range of action on the cardiovascular system of various species. In the present study, we determined the in vivo effects of U-II on basal hemodynamics and cardiac function in the anesthetized intact rat. Intravenous bolus injection of human U-II resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure and left ventricular systolic pressure. Cardiac contractility represented by +/-dP/dt was decreased after injection of U-II. However, there was no significant change in heart rate or diastolic pressure. The present study suggests that upregulation of myocardial U-II may contribute to impaired myocardial function in disease conditions such as congestive heart failure.     

Hydrocarbon bioremediation potential of an unimpacted Kuwaiti oil-field environment

Seasonal variations in the hydrocarbon-degrading potential of soil samples from an unimpacted site in the Kuwaiti Burgan oil field environment were studied under mesophilic conditions. Hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms occurred but varied all-year-round, and their numbers ranged from 1.3 x 10(7) to 9.3 x 10(7) CFU g(-1) dry soil, while hydrocarbon-degrading fungi ranged from 3.0 x 10(4) - 3.8 x 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry soil, depending on the sampling period. These hydrocarbon-degraders also comprised variable but generally high proportions of the total aerobic heterotrophic organisms (2 to > 98%) for bacteria and lower levels (7-9%) for fungi. The crude oil-degrading capacity of the oil-degrading populations (bacteria and fungi) ranged from 80-95% of the hexane-extractable fractions. Differential inhibition studies carried out on soil samples showed that bacteria were the greater contributors to hydrocarbon degradation (79-92%) than fungi. Pure hydrocarbon substrates, hexadecane and phenanthrene, were degraded to near completion after a 28-day incubation by both the bacterial and fungal portions of the soil flora.     

Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) infecting Lycopersicon esculentum

Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) was detected in tomato crop (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Egypt with characteristic mosaic leaf deformation, stunting, and bushy growth symptoms. TBSV infection was confirmed serologically by ELISA and calculated incidence was 25.5%. Basic physicochemical properties of a purified TBSV Egh isolate were identical to known properties of tombusviruses of isometric 30-nm diameter particles, 41-kDa coat protein and the genome of approximately 4800 nt. This is the first TBSV isolate reported in Egypt. Cloning and partial sequencing of the isolate showed that it is more closely related to TBSV-P and TBSV-Ch than TBSV-Nf and TBSV-S strains of the virus. However, it is distinct from the above strains and could be a new strain of the virus which further confirms the genetic diversity of tombusviruses.