Effect of Coriolus versicolor supplemented diet on innate immune response and disease resistance in kelp grouper Epinephelus bruneus against Listonella anguillarum

The effect of Coriolus versicolor extract supplemented diets on innate immune response and disease resistance in kelp grouper, Epinephelus bruneus against Listonella anguillarum, is reported. Kelp grouper were divided into four groups of 25 each and fed with C. versicolor enriched diets at 0% (control), 0.01%, 0.1%, and 1.0% level. After 30 days of feeding, all fish were injected interaperitoneally (i.p.) with 50 μl of L. anguillarum (4.7 × 10⁷ CFU) to investigate the immune parameters at weeks 1, 2, and 4. The reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species production were significantly enhanced in fish fed with 0.1% and 1.0% supplementation diets from weeks 1-4 when compared to the non enriched diet fed and infected control. The phagocytic activity significantly increased with 0.1% and 1.0% diets on weeks 2 and 4. The leucocyte myeloperoxidase content, lysozyme activity, and total protein level significantly increased when fed with 0.1% and 1.0% supplementation diets from weeks 1-4. The cumulative mortality was 35% and 45% in 1.0% and 0.1% enriched diet fed groups whereas it was 55% and 80% in 0.01% and 0% groups respectively. The present results suggest that diets enriched with C. versicolor at 0.1% or 1.0% level positively enhance the innate immune system and affords protection from L. anguillarum.     

Free radical scavenging reactions of sulfasalazine, 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfapyridine: mechanistic aspects and antioxidant activity

Reactions of sulfasalazine (SAZ) and its metabolites, 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and sulfapyridine (SP), with various oxidizing and reducing free radicals (hydroxyl, haloperoxyl, one-electron oxidizing, lipid peroxyl, glutathiyl, superoxide, tryptophanyl, etc.) have been studied to understand the mechanistic aspects of its action against free radicals produced during inflammation. Nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique coupled with transient spectrophotometry has been used for in situ generation of free radicals and to follow their reaction pathways. The transients produced in these reactions have been assigned and radical scavenging rate constants have been measured. In addition to scavenging of various primary and secondary free radicals by SAZ, 5-ASA and SP, 5-ASA has also been observed to efficiently scavenge radicals of biomolecules. 5-ASA has been found to be the active moiety of SAZ involved in the scavenging of oxidizing free radicals whereas reduction of SAZ produced molecular radical anion. The study suggests that free radical scavenging activity of 5-ASA may be a major path of pharmacological action of SAZ against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).     

JNK suppresses pulmonary fibroblast elastogenesis during alveolar development

Background

The formation of discrete elastin bands at the tips of secondary alveolar septa is important for normal alveolar development, but the mechanisms regulating the lung elastogenic program are incompletely understood. JNK suppress elastin synthesis in the aorta and is important in a host of developmental processes. We sought to determine whether JNK suppresses pulmonary fibroblast elastogenesis during lung development.

Methods

Alveolar size, elastin content, and mRNA of elastin-associated genes were quantitated in wild type and JNK-deficient mouse lungs, and expression profiles were validated in primary lung fibroblasts. Tropoelastin protein was quantitated by Western blot. Changes in lung JNK activity throughout development were quantitated, and pJNK was localized by confocal imaging and lineage tracing.

Results

By morphometry, alveolar diameters were increased by 7% and lung elastin content increased 2-fold in JNK-deficient mouse lungs compared to wild type. By Western blot, tropoelastin protein was increased 5-fold in JNK-deficient lungs. Postnatal day 14 (PND14) lung JNK activity was 11-fold higher and pJNK:JNK ratio 6-fold higher compared to PN 8 week lung. Lung tropoelastin, emilin-1, fibrillin-1, fibulin-5, and lysyl oxidase mRNAs inversely correlated with lung JNK activity during alveolar development. Phosphorylated JNK localized to pulmonary lipofibroblasts. PND14 JNK-deficient mouse lungs contained 7-fold more tropoelastin, 2,000-fold more emilin-1, 800-fold more fibrillin-1, and 60-fold more fibulin-5 than PND14 wild type lungs. Primarily lung fibroblasts from wild type and JNK-deficient mice showed similar differences in elastogenic mRNAs.

Conclusions

JNK suppresses fibroblast elastogenesis during the alveolar stage of lung development.     

Vessel member length-diameter and perforation plate-vessel member length relations inDioscorea alata L.

The vessel member length-diameter and perforation plate-vessel member length relations inDioscorea alata L. have been investigated. The two types of vessel elements, one with scalariform perforation plate and the other with foraminate perforation plate, have been considered for correlation tests; the variables being vessel member length and diameter, and vessel member length and perforation plate length. Significant positive correlation was found only in the case of perforation plate length and vessel member length for types with scalariform perforation plates.     

Temperature-sensitive transformation by an Abelson virus mutant encoding an altered SH2 domain

Abelson murine leukemia virus (Ab-MLV) encodes the v-Abl protein tyrosine kinase and induces transformation of immortalized fibroblast lines and pre-B cells. Temperature-sensitive mutations affecting the kinase domain of the protein have demonstrated that the kinase activity is absolutely required for transformation. Despite this requirement, mutations affecting other regions of v-Abl modulate transformation activity. The SH2 domain and the highly conserved FLVRES motif within it form a phosphotyrosine-binding pocket that is required for interactions between the kinase and cellular substrates. To understand the impact of SH2 alterations on Ab-MLV-mediated transformation, we studied the Ab-MLV mutant P120/R273K. This mutant encodes a v-Abl protein in which the beta B5 arginine at the base of the phosphotyrosine-binding pocket has been replaced by a lysine. Unexpectedly, infection of NIH 3T3 or pre-B cells with P120/R273K revealed a temperature-dependent transformation phenotype. At 34 degrees C, P120/R273K transformed about 10-fold fewer cells than wild-type virus of equivalent titer; at 39.5 degrees C, 300-fold fewer NIH 3T3 cells were transformed and pre-B cells were refractory to transformation. Temperature-dependent transformation was accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of Shc, a protein that interacts with the v-Abl SH2 and links the protein to Ras, and decreased induction of c-Myc expression. These data suggest that alteration of the FLVRES pocket affects the ability of v-Abl to interact with at least some of its substrates in a temperature-dependent fashion and identify a novel type of temperature-sensitive Abelson virus.     

Metabolism of glycosaminoglycans in CCl4-induced liver regeneration

The incorporation of [₃₅S]-SO₄ into glycosaminoglycans of liverin vivo and in in liver slices and into the glycosaminoglycans associated with the hepatic plasma membrane of rats at different periods after a heavy dose of CC1₄ have been studied. The incorporation of [35S]-SO4 into total glycosaminoglycans decreased to as low as 40% of the control at 24 h after the administration of CC14 and later on increased reaching a maximum on the 4th day. The amount of [35S]-SO4 incorporation into heparan sulphate was also reduced to about 40% of control at 12–24 h after the onset of injury and increased thereafter reaching a maximum on the 4th day. There was only a partial reduction in the synthesis of chondroitin sulphate in the early stage of injury and then it steadily increased reaching about 3 times the control level on 4–6 days. The [³⁵S]-SO4-incorporation into dermatan sulphate, after a slight initial decrease remained at the control levels. On the 8th day after the CCl₄-induced liver injury, the rate of [³⁵S]-SO₄-incorporation was almost equal to that in normal controls. The incorporation of [³⁵S]-SO₄ into hepatic plasma membrane glycosaminoglycans showed a similar change decreasing to about 35% of control at 24h followed by an increase, reaching normal levels on the 4th day after the administration of CC1₄. About 90% of the plasma membrane glycosaminoglycans was found to be heparan sulphate. The yield of plasma membrane from normal and CCl₄-induced regenerating liver was found to be similar and therefore the results obtained were not due to difference in the yield of the membrane preparation. The data also indicate that there was no difference in the degree of sulphation. The significance of these changes in the metabolism of sulphated glycosaminoglycans particularly plasma membrane heparan sulphate in tissue regeneration has been discussed.     

Green synthesis and characterization of bisphosphonate conjugated gold nanoparticle with Asparagus racemosus root extract

Bisphosphonates improve orthodontic anchorage. More targeted action of this drug can be achieved through its conjugation with gold nanoparticles. Asparagus racemosus is a green edible medicinal plant used in Ayurvedic preparations to treat aging, vigor, immunity, longevity, and skeletal issues. Therefore, it is of interest to report the green synthesized Bisphosphonate conjugated gold nanoparticles with Asparagus racemosus extract and to characterize them.     

Growth and morphogenesis of immature embryos of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) in vitro

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) embryos excised from the fertilized ovules of 6- to 12-day-old capsules were cultured on MS medium supplemented with NAA, BA, GA separately and in combinations. GA was found essential for initial morphogenesis of globular and heart stages. Seedlings were recovered from late globular stage onwards but recovery was best from advanced embryo stages. Differentiated embryos produced multiple shoots on MS medium +1M NAA÷2M BA +0.5M GA.     

Immunomodulatory effect of Withania somnifera supplementation diet in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) against Aeromonas hydrophila

The effect of Withania somnifera extract supplementation diets on innate immune response in giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) against Aeromonas hydrophila was investigated. The bacterial clearance efficiency significantly increased in prawn fed with 0.1% and 1.0% doses of W. somnifera supplementation diet against pathogen from weeks 1-4 as compared to the control. The innate immune parameters such as, phenoloxidase activity, superoxide anion level, superoxide dismutase activity, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations were significantly enhanced in prawn fed with 0.1% and 1.0% doses of W. somnifera supplementation diet from weeks 1-4 against pathogen. The total hemocyte counts (THC) significantly increased in prawn fed with 0.1% and 1.0% doses diet from weeks 1-4 against pathogen as compared to the control. These results strongly suggested that administration of W. somnifera through supplementation diet positively enhances the innate immune system and enhanced survival rate in M. rosenbergii against A. hydrophila infection.