Current trends of lectins from microfungi

Lectins are widespread in nature and have been isolated from plants, animals, microorganisms, and viruses. Although several lectins have been reported from microfungi, many more genera still remain unexplored and their physiological role is also uncertain. Microfungal lectins show wide disparity regarding their specificity to erythrocytes. Only a few lectins display specificity to particular human blood types. In addition, they also show agglutination to various animal erythrocytes. Many lectins from microfungi exhibit stringent specificity to animal glycoproteins, while a few have much more simplified sugar binding properties. The role of few microfungal lectins in host-parasite interactions, as storage proteins, and in growth and morphogenesis has been proposed. The current review focuses on an overview of lectins from microfungi, their specificity towards erythrocytes and carbohydrates, physicochemical characteristics, and their possible role and applications.     

Recent Advances of Efficient Design of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers

Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are electrically pumped and heterostructure based semiconductor laser sources with intersubband transitions of electrons in different layers of the quantum wells and barriers. The THz QCLs have high output power in THz region which make them important from application point of view. Recently intensive research has been carried out by researchers for obtaining efficient designs of THz sources. Most of the researchers have investigated the THz frequency range between 0.1 and 3 THz; however, the output power of the THz sources in the frequency range 3–5 THz is small because of transit time and resistance-capacitance effects. Nevertheless, the present review is focused for the development of efficient THz QCL sources in the frequency range from 3 to 5 THz where one of the major problem of thermal backfilling of the carriers has to be overcome by engineering the heterostructure.

     

Rv0646c,an esterase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. tuberculosis</Emphasis>, up-regulates the host immune response in THP-1 macrophages cells

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used chemotherapy agent for breast cancer, although drug resistance is a critical issue regarding the use of this agent in the disease. Calcium signaling is a well-known main cause of proliferation and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Although previous studies have implicated TRPV1 inhibitor, anticancer, and apoptotic roles of Hypericum perforatum (HPer) in several cells, the synergistic inhibition effects of HPer and 5-FU in cancer and the stimulation of ongoing apoptosis have not yet been clarified in MCF-7 cells. Therefore, we investigated the apoptotic and antioxidant properties of 5-FU with/without HPer through activation of TRPV1 in MCF-7 cells. The MCF-7 cells were divided into four groups: the control group, the HPer-treated group (0.3 mM), the 5-FU-treated group (25 μM), and the 5-FU+HPer-treated group. The intracellular free calcium ion concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) increased with 5-FU treatments, but they decreased with the HPer and HPer+5-FU treatments. The [Ca²⁺]_i is further decreased in the four groups by TRPV1 channel antagonist (capsazepine and 0.01 mM) treatments. However, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis levels, and the PARP1, caspase 3, and caspase 9 expression levels were increased by 5-FU treatment, although the values were decreased by the HPer and 5-FU+HPer treatments. Cell viability level was also decreased by 5-FU treatment. In conclusion, antitumor and apoptosis effects of 5-FU are up-regulated by activation of TRPV1 channels, but its action was down-regulated by HPer treatment. It seems that HPer cannot be used for increasing the antitumor effect of 5-FU through modulation of the TRPV1.     

Chronic cold stress-induced alterations in brush border membrane composition and enzyme activities in rat intestine

The effect of chronic cold stress on the composition and function of rat intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) was studied. Various lipid fractions from intestinal BBM viz. cholesterol (p < 0.01), phospholipids (p < 0.01), triglycerides (p < 0.05) and gangliosides (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in cold stressed animals, as compared to controls. Analysis of membrane saccharide content revealed a significant increase in sialic acid (25%) and hexosamine (36%) contents and a reduction in fucose (19%) content in cold stressed rats. Determination of various enzyme activities in BBM showed significantly enhanced activities of alkaline phosphatase ( p < 0.01), lactase ( p < 0.001) and leucine aminopeptidase ( p < 0.001), whereas sucrase activity was reduced ( p < 0.05) under these conditions. The magnitude and site of these alterations across the crypt-villus axis varied from enzyme to enzyme. These findings suggest that chronic cold stress results in profound alterations in intestinal BBM. Altered structure and function of intestinal BBM may play a role in stress-induced derangements in gastrointestinal tract.     

Photoluminescence properties of rare‐earth‐doped (Er3+,Yb3+) Y2O3 nanophosphors by a combustion synthesis method

In this work, we report the synthesis of Y₂O₃:Er³⁺, Y₂O₃:Yb³⁺ and Y₂O₃:Er³⁺,Yb³⁺ nanophosphors by the combustion synthesis method using urea as fuel. The doping agents were incorporated in the form of erbium nitrate and ytterbium nitrate. X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that the synthesized particles have a body‐centered cubic structure with space group Ia‐3. The photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated after UV and infrared irradiation at room temperature. A strong characteristic emission of Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions was identified, and the influence of doping concentration on the PL properties was systematically studied. Energy transfer from Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ ions was observed in Y₂O₃ nanophosphors. The obtained result may be useful in potential applications such as bioimaging. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regional effects of ageing on Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in rat brain and correlation with multiple unit action potentials and lipid peroxidation.

Effects of ageing on Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in crude synaptosomal fractions from the rat brain parietal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and thalamus has been studied. From 12 months to 24 months, a progressive decline in enzyme activity in the parietal cortex, hippocampus and striatum was found which correlated with increase in lipid peroxidation in the three brain regions. In the thalamus, ageing did not affect the enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation. Age-related decline in multiple unit action potentials was also observed in two brain regions, viz. hippocampus and parietal cortex. Statistical correlations calculated by Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that decline in Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity correlated to decline in multiple unit action potentials. There was rise in lipid peroxidation also and the data indicate that age-related changes in lipid peroxidation and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity contribute to the deterioration of electrophysiological activity.     

TDP-43-Mediated Neuron Loss In Vivo Requires RNA-Binding Activity

Alteration and/or mutations of the ribonucleoprotein TDP-43 have been firmly linked to human neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). The relative impacts of TDP-43 alteration, mutation, or inherent protein function on neural integrity, however, remain less clear—a situation confounded by conflicting reports based on transient and/or random-insertion transgenic expression. We therefore performed a stringent comparative investigation of impacts of these TDP-43 modifications on neural integrity in vivo. To achieve this, we systematically screened ALS/FTLD-associated and synthetic TDP-43 isoforms via same-site gene insertion and neural expression in Drosophila; followed by transposon-based motor neuron-specific transgenesis in a chick vertebrate system. Using this bi-systemic approach we uncovered a requirement of inherent TDP-43 RNA-binding function—but not ALS/FTLD-linked mutation, mislocalization, or truncation—for TDP-43-mediated neurotoxicity in vivo.     

Drug-Cyclodextrin-Vesicles Dual Carrier Approach for Skin Targeting of Anti-acne Agent

In the present study attempt was made for preparation of isotretinoin-hydroxypropyl β cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) inclusion complex and encapsulate this complex in elastic liposomes to study the effect of dual carrier approach on skin targeting of isotretinoin. The isotretinoin HP-β-CD complex was prepared by freeze-drying method and characterized by IR spectroscopy. The drug and drug-CD complex loaded elastic liposomal formulation were prepared and characterized in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo for shape, size, entrapment efficiency, no. of vesicles per cubic mm, in vitro skin permeation and deposition study, photodegradation and skin toxicity assay. The transdermal flux for different vesicular formulations was observed between 10.5 ± 0.5 to 13.9 ± 1.6 μg/cm²/h. This is about 15-21 folds higher than that obtained from drug solution (0.7 ± 0.1 μg/cm²/h) and 4-5 folds higher than obtained with drug-CD complex solution (2.7 ± 0.1 μg/cm²/h). The amount of drug deposit was found to increase significantly (p < 0.05) by cyclodextrin complexation (30.1 ± 0.1 μg). The encapsulation of this complex in elastic liposomal formulation further increases its skin deposition (262.2 ± 21 μg). The results of skin irritation study using Draize test also showed the significant reduction in skin irritation potential of isotretinoin elastic liposomal formulation in comparison to free drug. The results of the present study demonstrated that isotretinoin elastic liposomal formulation possesses great potential for skin targeting, prolonging drug release, reduction of photodegradation, reducing skin irritation and improving topical delivery of isotretinoin.