HPLC-DAD Analysis and Versatile Bioactivities of Turkish Sunflower Honeys Using Chemometric Approaches

Sunflower honey (SH) is bright yellow, fragrant, pollen-flavoured, slightly herbaceous and has a unique taste. The present research aims to examine the enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activities and phenolic compositions of 30 sunflower honeys (SHs) produced from several regions of Turkey with chemometric study. SAH from Samsun exhibited the best antioxidant activity in β-carotene linoleic acid (IC₅₀: 7.33±0.17 mg/mL) and CUPRAC (A_0.50: 4.94±0.13 mg/mL) assays, anti-urease activity (60.63±0.87 %) and anti-inflammatory activity against COX-1 (73.94±1.08 %) and COX-2 (44.96±0.85 %). SHs exhibited mild antimicrobial activity against the test microorganisms while they showed high quorum sensing inhibition zones measured in the range of 42–52 mm against the CV026 strain. The phenolic composition was determined by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) system and levulinic, gallic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic and p-coumaric acids were identified in all studied SHs. The classification of SHs was performed the using PCA and HCA. This study revealed that phenolic compounds and biological properties are effective in classification of SHs according to their geographical origin. The results suggest that studied SHs could be valued as potential agents with versatile bioactivities in oxidative stress-related disease, microbial infections, inflammation, melanoma, and peptic ulcer.     

Computational analyses reveal spatial relationships between nuclear pore complexes and specific lamins

Nuclear lamin isoforms form fibrous meshworks associated with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Using datasets prepared from subpixel and segmentation analyses of 3D–structured illumination microscopy images of WT and lamin isoform knockout mouse embryo fibroblasts, we determined with high precision the spatial association of NPCs with specific lamin isoform fibers. These relationships are retained in the enlarged lamin meshworks of Lmna^−/− and Lmnb1^−/− fibroblast nuclei. Cryo-ET observations reveal that the lamin filaments composing the fibers contact the nucleoplasmic ring of NPCs. Knockdown of the ring-associated nucleoporin ELYS induces NPC clusters that exclude lamin A/C fibers but include LB1 and LB2 fibers. Knockdown of the nucleoporin TPR or NUP153 alters the arrangement of lamin fibers and NPCs. Evidence that the number of NPCs is regulated by specific lamin isoforms is presented. Overall the results demonstrate that lamin isoforms and nucleoporins act together to maintain the normal organization of lamin meshworks and NPCs within the nuclear envelope.     

GAR22β regulates cell migration,sperm motility,and axoneme structure

Spatiotemporal cytoskeleton remodeling is pivotal for cell adhesion and migration. Here we investigated the function of Gas2-related protein on chromosome 22 (GAR22β), a poorly characterized protein that interacts with actin and microtubules. Primary and immortalized GAR22β^−/− Sertoli cells moved faster than wild-type cells. In addition, GAR22β^−/− cells showed a more prominent focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β overexpression or its reexpression in GAR22β^−/− cells reduced cell motility and focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β–actin interaction was stronger than GAR22β–microtubule interaction, resulting in GAR22β localization and dynamics that mirrored those of the actin cytoskeleton. Mechanistically, GAR22β interacted with the regulator of microtubule dynamics end-binding protein 1 (EB1) via a novel noncanonical amino acid sequence, and this GAR22β–EB1 interaction was required for the ability of GAR22β to modulate cell motility. We found that GAR22β is highly expressed in mouse testes, and its absence resulted in reduced spermatozoa generation, lower actin levels in testes, and impaired motility and ultrastructural disorganization of spermatozoa. Collectively our findings identify GAR22β as a novel regulator of cell adhesion and migration and provide a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of diverse cytoskeleton-dependent processes.     

Polyphenolic compounds from Geranium pratense and their free radical scavenging activities

Two new polyphenolic compounds, myricetin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and (-)-6-chloroepicatechin, were isolated from the aerial parts of Geranium pratense subsp. finitimum (Woronow) Knuth, along with three known polyphenolic compounds [quercetin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside, methyl gallate] and tryptophan. Quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and quercetin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside were found to be effective against free radical induced impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated rat aorta.     

The presence of promatrix metalloproteinase-3 and its relation with different categories of coal workers' pneumoconiosis

Extracellular matrix formation (ECM) and remodeling are critical events related to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Matrix metalloproteinases play an essential role in degrading and remodeling the ECM. In this study, we tried to show the presence and correlation of promatrix metalloproteinase-3 (proMMP-3) (the inactive form of metalloproteinase-3) levels in coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) with different categories. The study population consisted of 44 coal miners with CWP (pos CWP). Coal miners without CWP (neg CWP, n = 24) and non-underground personnel (controls, n = 17) were taken as controls. All coal miners were stable and had no systemic infection or disease. Standard posterio-anterior chest radiographs and pulmonary function tests were performed to exclude any diseases other than CWP. Serum proMMP-3 was analysed using the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay according to the manufacturer's instructions (The Binding Site, Birmingham, UK). Mean proMMP-3 values of the all three groups were compared and a significant statistical difference obtained (p < 0.001). In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between categories of the disease and proMMP-3 values (p < 0.05). The effects of age, exposure duration and cigarette smoking on proMMP-3 values in coal miners with CWP were investigated. There were no correlations between age, smoking and proMMP-3 values. However, a positive correlation was found between exposure duration and proMMP-3 values (r = 0.447, p = 0.008). In conclusion, proMMP-3 (prostromelysin 1) may play an essential role in degrading and remodeling the ECM in workers with pneumoconiosis. ProMMP-3 may also reflect the stage of pneumoconiosis disease.     

Nuatigenin-type steroidal saponins from Veronica fuhsii and V. muldtfida

A new nuatigenin-type steroidal saponin, multifidoside (2), was isolated from the aerial parts of Veronica fuhsii and V multifida and its structure was identified as 3-O-([alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2glu)]-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4rha)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->4glu)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]nuatigenin 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Additionally, a known steroidal saponoside, aculeatiside A (1), from V. fuhsii, a phenylethanoid glycoside, verpectoside A (3), and a flavon glycoside, isoscutellarein 7-O-(2"-O-6"-O-acetyl-beta-D-allopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (4) from V. multifida were isolated.     

Effects of lactulose and lactitol on coliform bacteria and bacterial translocation in the caecum during 72-h starvation in rats

Lactulose and lactitol, non-absorbable disaccharides, prevent bacterial translocation (BT) arising from the gut. In contrast, lack of food into the gut leads to coliform bacterial overgrowth and even if it does not cause BT, can induce the risk from other stimuli for BT. In this study, we tested whether lactulose and lactitol affected populations of coliform bacteria in the caecum during starvation in Sprague-Dawley rats. Three groups of rats were starved for 72 h and given oral 2 ml undiluted lactulose (670 mg/ml), 2 ml undiluted lactitol (666 mg/ml) or 2 ml physiological saline, respectively, once a day. The caecum and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were removed for microbiological and histopathological analyses. The highest degree of coliform bacterial overgrowth, BT to MLNs and histopathological damage were observed in lactulose-treated rats, followed by the group treated with lactitol. As a result of this study, both drugs, especially lactulose augmented the proliferation and translocation tendency of coliform bacteria in the caecum during 72-h starvation in rats.