Caffeic Acid Derivatives: In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-inflammatory Properties

Objective: This study examined whether, daily fruit (blueberries) consumption (250 g) for three weeks or acute fruit ingestion (250 g) would attenuate angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity and reduce oxidative stress in chronic cigarette smokers.

Methods: Twenty subjects were recruited and randomized into fruit or control groups. Blood samples and blood pressure were obtained at baseline and then pre and one hour post when subjects returned to the lab three weeks later. To examine acute effects, the fruit group immediately ingested 250 g of blueberries after returning and at least one hour prior to the post blood draw. Plasma samples were analyzed for ACE activity, F₂- isoprostanes and lipid hydroperoxides (LH) as measures of oxidative stress, and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of antioxidant potential. A 2 (treatment) × 3 (time) repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. If interaction was significant, then Student's t-tests were used to further examine this relationship. For these comparisons, a Bonferroni adjustment was made with statistical significance set at P < 0.025.

Results: The pattern of change between treatments was not significant for any variable except LH (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: This study indicates that LH are significantly reduced by daily fruit consumption, but not affected by acute ingestion. This finding could be one way in which fruit consumption contributes to prevention of cardiovascular disease.     

Plasticity in life features,parasitism and super-parasitism behavior of Bracon hebetor,an important natural enemy of Galleria mellonella and other lepidopteran host species

The wasp, Bracon hebetor Say, is an important potential biocontrol agent of a wide range of lepidopteran insect species. The current study was subjected to compare these ectoparasitoid fitness traits on different host species belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Moreover, we determine the population dynamic with different host densities, sex ratio patterns, super-parasitism, longevity, paralysis success, and reproductive potential under laboratory conditions. Our results revealed that oviposition increased with an increase in host density, while the adult emergence and egg hatching were decreased due to the super-parasitism on host larvae. A higher male and female-biased population were observed when virgin and mated females offered fresh hosts. Adults' longevity was recorded more in females than males when kept only with bee honey + royal jelly + host larvae. The mean duration of egg-adult development was recorded higher on Galleria mellonella and lowest on Busseola fusca. The parasitization rate, super-parasitism, and cumulative fecundity of mated and virgin female wasps with different host species were observed higher on specific host Galleria mellonella while it was lower on Phthorimaea operculella. Furthermore, the parasitoids having mating experience preferred fresh, while the parasitoids' lack of mating experiences preferred paralyzed host under olfactometer test. Besides, this research has produced novel facts on the biology of parasitic wasp, B. hebetor that may guide the advancement of sustainable biological control programs to control lepidopteran pests.     

Evaluation of APOE polymorphisms and the risk for age-related macular degeneration in a Southeastern Brazilian population

This study aimed to evaluate the role of APOE polymorphisms (rs429358 and rs7412) in the risk of age-related macular degeneration in a sample of the Southeastern Brazilian population. Seven hundred and five unrelated individuals were analyzed, 334 with age-related macular degeneration (case group), and 371 without the disease (control group). In the case group, patients were further stratified according to disease phenotypes, divided into dry and wet age-related macular degeneration, and non-advanced and advanced age-related macular degeneration. APOE polymorphisms (rs429358 and rs7412) were evaluated through polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. In the comparison of cases vs. controls, none of the associations reached statistical significance, considering the Bonferroni-adjusted P-value, although there was a suggestive protection for the E3/E4 genotype (OR = 0.626; P-value = 0.037) and E4 carriers (OR = 0.6515; P-value = 0.047). Statistically significant protection for both the E3/E4 genotype and E4 carriers was observed in the comparisons: advanced age-related macular degeneration vs. controls (OR = 0.3665, P-value = 0.491 × 10⁻³ and OR = 0.4031, P-value = 0.814 × 10⁻³, respectively), advanced age-related macular degeneration vs. non-advanced age-related macular degeneration (OR = 0.2529, P-value = 0.659 × 10⁻⁴ and OR = 0.2692, P-value = 0.631 × 10⁻⁴, respectively). In the comparison of wet age-related macular degeneration vs. control, protection was statistically significant only for E3/E4 (OR = 0.4052, P-value = 0.001). None of the comparisons demonstrated any significant association for E2 genotypes or E2 carriers in age-related macular degeneration risk in this study. Findings suggest a protective role of the E4 haplotype in the APOE gene in the risk for advanced and wet forms of age-related macular degeneration, in a sample of the Brazilian population. To our knowledge, this is the first Brazilian study to show the association between APOE polymorphisms and age-related macular degeneration.     

Protease activated receptor-2 (PAR2): possible target of phytochemicals

The use of phytochemicals either singly or in combination with other anticancer drugs comes with an advantage of less toxicity and minimal side effects. Signaling pathways play central role in cell cycle, cell growth, metabolism, etc. Thus, the identification of phytochemicals with promising antagonistic effect on the receptor/s playing key role in single transduction may have better therapeutic application. With this background, phytochemicals were screened against protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2). PAR2 belongs to the superfamily of GPCRs and is an important target for breast cancer. Using in silico methods, this study was able to identify the phytochemicals with promising binding affinity suggesting their therapeutic potential in the treatment of breast cancer. The findings from this study acquires importance as the information on the possible agonists and antagonists of PAR2 is limited due its unique mechanism of activation.     

Gene cloning and characterization of glycine oxidase from newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> strain R5

The gene encoding the glycine oxidase from Bacillus subtilis strain R5 (goxR) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene consisted of 1,110 nucleotides that encoded a protein (GoxR) of 369 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 40,761 Da. The GoxR exhibited 98.6% identity with glycine oxidase from B. subtilis strain 168. Gene expression and purification of the recombinant GoxR were performed. The recombinant GoxR existed in a homotetramer form. The recombinant protein effectively catalyzed the oxidation of glycine and d-alanine. The specific activity of the purified recombinant GoxR was 0.96 U/mg when glycine was used as a substrate and 1.0 U/mg when d-alanine was substrate. The enzyme displayed its highest activity at pH 8.0 and at a temperature of 50°C. The activation energy of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme was calculated to be 26 kJ/mol. The enzyme activity was significantly inhibited in the presence of organic solvents. No enhancement of enzyme activity was observed in the presence of metal cations. The experimental results presented in this study demonstrate that the enzyme was a bonafide glycine oxidase.     

The Comparative Cytotoxic Effects of Apis mellifera Crude Venom on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line in 2D and 3D Cell Cultures

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Bee venom (BV) has variety of properties, such as anti-inflammatory potential and anti-cancer activity.It has been shown that BV has...     

Palmitoylation cycles and regulation of protein function (Review)

The efficacy and success of many cellular processes is dependent on a tight orchestration of proteins trafficking to and from their site(s) of action in a time-controlled fashion. Recently, a dynamic cycle of palmitoylation/de-palmitoylation has been shown to regulate shuttling of several proteins, including the small GTPases H-Ras and N-Ras, and the GABA-synthesizing enzyme GAD65, between the Golgi compartment and either the plasma membrane or synaptic vesicle membranes. These proteins are peripheral membrane proteins that in the depalmitoylated state cycle rapidly on and off the cytosolic face of ER/Golgi membranes. Palmitoylation of one or more cysteines, by a Golgi localized palmitoyl transferase (PAT) results in trapping in Golgi membranes, and sorting to a vesicular pathway in route to the plasma membrane or synaptic vesicles. A depalmitoylation step by an acyl protein thioesterase (APT) releases the protein from membranes in the periphery of the cell resulting in retrograde trafficking back to Golgi membranes by a non-vesicular pathway. The proteins can then enter a new cycle of palmitoylation and depalmitoylation. This inter-compartmental trafficking is orders of magnitude faster than vesicular trafficking. Recent advances in identifying a large family of PATs, their protein substrates, and single PAT mutants with severe phenotypes, reveal their critical importance in development, synaptic transmission, and regulation of signaling cascades. The emerging knowledge of enzymes involved in adding and removing palmitate is that they provide an intricate regulatory network involved in timing of protein function and transport that responds to intracellular and extracellular signals.