Antiinflammatory and antiulcer activities of phytic acid in rats

Maximum antiinflammatory activity of phytic acid (PA) was seen at an oral dose of 150 mg/kg in the carrageenan induced rat paw edema model. Although PA showed ability to prevent denaturation of proteins, it showed less antiinflammatory activity than ibuprofen. Ability of PA to bring down thermal denaturation of proteins might be a contributing factor in the mechanism of action against inflammation. PA, at all the doses tested, showed significant protection from ulcers induced by ibuprofen, ethanol and cold stress, with a maximum activity at 150 mg/kg. There was a significant increase in gastric tissue malondialdehyde levels in ethanol treated rats but these levels decreased following PA pretreatment. Moreover, pretreatment with PA significantly inhibited various effects of ethanol on gastric mucosa, such as, reduction in the concentration of nonprotein sulfhydryl groups, necrosis, erosions, congestion and hemorrhage. These results suggested that gastro-protective effect of PA could be mediated by its antioxidant activity and cytoprotection of gastric mucosa.     

OptForce: An Optimization Procedure for Identifying All Genetic Manipulations Leading to Targeted Overproductions

Computational procedures for predicting metabolic interventions leading to the overproduction of biochemicals in microbial strains are widely in use. However, these methods rely on surrogate biological objectives (e.g., maximize growth rate or minimize metabolic adjustments) and do not make use of flux measurements often available for the wild-type strain. In this work, we introduce the OptForce procedure that identifies all possible engineering interventions by classifying reactions in the metabolic model depending upon whether their flux values must increase, decrease or become equal to zero to meet a pre-specified overproduction target. We hierarchically apply this classification rule for pairs, triples, quadruples, etc. of reactions. This leads to the identification of a sufficient and non-redundant set of fluxes that must change (i.e., MUST set) to meet a pre-specified overproduction target. Starting with this set we subsequently extract a minimal set of fluxes that must actively be forced through genetic manipulations (i.e., FORCE set) to ensure that all fluxes in the network are consistent with the overproduction objective. We demonstrate our OptForce framework for succinate production in Escherichia coli using the most recent in silico E. coli model, iAF1260. The method not only recapitulates existing engineering strategies but also reveals non-intuitive ones that boost succinate production by performing coordinated changes on pathways distant from the last steps of succinate synthesis.     

Bacteriostatic stimulus of meropenem on allelochemical-metabolizing Burkholderia sp. LS-044 mitigates ferulic acid autotoxicity in rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cv. Tainung 71)

Plant and Soil - To screen plant-associated Burkholderia strains for plant probiotic traits including allelochemical metabolism and understand their role on rice allelopathy using a...     

Influence of Heparin Mimetics on Assembly of the FGF·FGFR4 Signaling Complex

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling regulates mammalian development and metabolism, and its dysregulation is implicated in many inherited and acquired diseases, including cancer. Heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HSGAGs) are essential for FGF signaling as they promote FGF·FGF receptor (FGFR) binding and dimerization. Using novel organic synthesis protocols to prepare homogeneously sulfated heparin mimetics (HM), including hexasaccharide (HM₆), octasaccharide (HM₈), and decasaccharide (HM₁₀), we tested the ability of these HM to support FGF1 and FGF2 signaling through FGFR4. Biological assays show that both HM₈ and HM₁₀ are significantly more potent than HM₆ in promoting FGF2-mediated FGFR4 signaling. In contrast, all three HM have comparable activity in promoting FGF1·FGFR4 signaling. To understand the molecular basis for these differential activities in FGF1/2·FGFR4 signaling, we used NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and size-exclusion chromatography to characterize binding interactions of FGF1/2 with the isolated Ig-domain 2 (D2) of FGFR4 in the presence of HM, and binary interactions of FGFs and D2 with HM. Our data confirm the existence of both a secondary FGF1·FGFR4 interaction site and a direct FGFR4·FGFR4 interaction site thus supporting the formation of the symmetric mode of FGF·FGFR dimerization in solution. Moreover, our results show that the observed higher activity of HM₈ relative to HM₆ in stimulating FGF2·FGFR4 signaling correlates with the higher affinity of HM₈ to bind and dimerize FGF2. Notably FGF2·HM₈ exhibits pronounced positive binding cooperativity. Based on our findings we propose a refined symmetric FGF·FGFR dimerization model, which incorporates the differential ability of HM to dimerize FGFs.     

Removal of Heavy Metals from Soil Polluted with Effluents from a Paint Industry Using Helianthus annuus L. and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) as Influenced by Fertilizer Applications

Contamination of soils by effluents from industries is on the increase. There is the possibility of remediating these contaminated soils through the use of certain plants. This work investigated the remediating ability of Helianthus annuus and Tithonia diversifolia on the soil polluted with effluents from a paint industry in Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiment consisted of three treatments (H. annuus, T. diversifolia, and control) each replicated three times in a factorial combination of four different fertility managements, viz mineral fertilizer (MF); Grade A organomineral fertilizer (OMF); control₁, plants without fertilizer application; and control₂, where no fertilizer and no crop was planted using randomized complete block design. A total of 12 plots of 2 × 4 m² each per phytoplant were obtained. Each plot was planted with the viable seeds of the phytoplant at a spacing of 60 × 30 cm² and at the seed rate of four seeds per hole. The seedlings were thinned to two stands per hole 2 weeks after planting (WAP) and also weeded two times (2 and 5 WAP). After in situ second successive cultivation, percentage removal of heavy metals by Helianthus annuus with MF and OMF, respectively, were Cu 32.5 and 41.6; Pb 30.3 and 42.8; and Cd 44.5 and 56.7. Tithonia diversifolia, similarly, removed, respectively, Cu 16.9 and 23.4; Pb 36.9 and 43.7; and Cd 20.1 and 35.1. Lower percentages were removed in the controls where no fertilizer was applied. In the shoot of H. annuus with OMF, significantly (p< .05) higher values of 0.27, 1.72, and 0.11 mg kg^?1 of Cu, Pb, and Cd, respectively, were removed and stored at second cultivation as against 0.21, 3.39 and 0.08 mg kg^?1 in the shoot of T diversifolia. Lower values of Cu, Pb, and Cd were removed with MF, and also at first cultivation with OMF and MF. This study therefore recommends the use of sunflower plants, whether hybrids or wild-types along with the application of OMF for the effective remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals, particularly in tropical climate.     

Synthesis and in vitro anticancer and antitubercular activity of diarylpyrazole ligated dihydropyrimidines possessing lipophilic carbamoyl group

A series of dihydropyrimidine derivatives were synthesized by utilizing Biginelli reaction and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer (HBC) cell line using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay and antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H(37)Rv using Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Compounds 13p, 13t were exhibited 70.6% and 63.7% of HBC cell growth inhibition at 10 μM concentration. Interestingly compound 13p was also found to be the most potent in the series against MTB H(37)Rv with MIC value of 0.125 μg/mL.     

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Deficient Mice Are Protected from Lipopolysaccharide Induced Acute Lung Injury

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria induces acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. This injury is associated with lung edema, inflammation, diffuse alveolar damage, and severe respiratory insufficiency. We have previously reported that LPS-mediated nitric oxide synthase (NOS) uncoupling, through increases in asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), plays an important role in the development of ALI through the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Therefore, the focus of this study was to determine whether mice deficient in endothelial NOS (eNOS^-/-) are protected against ALI. In both wild-type and eNOS^-/- mice, ALI was induced by the intratracheal instillation of LPS (2 mg/kg). After 24 hours, we found that eNOS^-/-mice were protected against the LPS mediated increase in inflammatory cell infiltration, inflammatory cytokine production, and lung injury. In addition, LPS exposed eNOS^-/- mice had increased oxygen saturation and improved lung mechanics. The protection in eNOS^-/- mice was associated with an attenuated production of NO, NOS derived superoxide, and peroxynitrite. Furthermore, we found that eNOS^-/- mice had less RhoA activation that correlated with a reduction in RhoA nitration at Tyr³⁴. Finally, we found that the reduction in NOS uncoupling in eNOS^-/- mice was due to a preservation of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity that prevented the LPS-mediated increase in ADMA. Together our data suggest that eNOS derived reactive species play an important role in the development of LPS-mediated lung injury.     

Brugia pahangi: Immunization with early L3 ES alters parasite migration,and reduces microfilaremia and lymphatic lesion formation in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Previous studies have shown that intradermally (ID) injected Brugia pahangi L3s migrate through various tissues and into the lymphatics of gerbils in a distinct pattern. Excretory/secretory products (ES) produced at the time of invasion of B. pahangi are likely to be important in this early migration phase of the parasite life cycle in their rodent host. Hence, early L3 ES was collected from 24 h in vitro cultures of B. pahangi L3 larvae and used in immunization experiments to investigate the effect of immunity to early L3 ES on worm migration, survival and development of B. pahangi. Immunization of gerbils with ES in RIBI adjuvant produced antibodies to numerous ES proteins eliciting a strong humoral response to ES and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay using anti-ES serum recognized the ES proteins on the surface of B. pahangi L3 larvae. Following ES immunization, gerbils were challenged either ID or intraperitoneally (IP) with 100 L3s of B. pahangi and euthanized at 3 or 106 days post inoculation (DPI). Immunization with early ES slowed the migration of ID inoculated L3 at 3 DPI and significantly altered the locations of adult worms at 106 DPI. Immunization did not induce protection in any treatment group. However, immunized animals had significantly fewer microfilariae per female worm suggesting the antigens in ES are important in microfilariae development or survival in the host. The number of lymphatic granulomas was also significantly reduced in ES immunized animals. It is important to note that microfilariae serve as a nidus in these granulomas. Our results shows immunization with early Brugia malayi L3 ES alters the worm migration, affects circulating microfilarial numbers and reduces lymphatic granulomas associated with B. pahangi infection in gerbils.     

Synthesis and crystallographic analysis of benzophenone derivatives--the potential anti-inflammatory agents

Fries rearrangement of substituted phenyl benzoates 1a-j to substituted hydroxy benzophenones 2a-j was achieved in excellent yield. Further benzoylation of 2a-j to benzoyloxy benzophenones 4a-n, a benzophenone analogue was achieved in good yield. All the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity and were compared with standard drugs. Out of the compounds studied, the compounds 4c, 4e, 4g, 4h and 4k with chloro and methyl substituents at para position showed more potent activity than the standard drugs at all doses tested.