Phytotherapeutic approach to alcohol dependence: New old way?

Alcohol abuse and dependence represent a worldwide problem from both medical and social points of view. In Italy it is estimated that there are about one million alcohol-dependent subjects. The pharmacological treatment of patients with alcohol dependence plays a key role in order to achieve alcohol abstinence and prevent relapse. At present, the possible utility of the complementary medicines in the treatment of alcohol dependence is controversial. In the last years, pre-clinical and clinical data from traditional medicines suggest that novel pharmacological approaches for treatment of alcoholism and alcohol abuse may stem from natural substances. The present review summarizes the findings of the effects of phytotherapy in alcohol addiction.     

Development and characterization of a novel bioactive polymer with antibacterial and lysozyme‐like activity

The development and characterization of a novel bioactive polymer based on the immobilization of glucose oxidase enzyme (GOx) in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film showing antibacterial activity is presented. The PVA‐GOx composite material was extensively characterized by UV‐vis, X‐ray Photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy and by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to verify the preservation of enzyme structural integrity and activity. The antimicrobial activity of this composite material against Escherichia coli and Vibrio alginolyticus was assessed. Furthermore the lysozyme‐like activity of PVA‐GOx was highlighted by a standard assay on Petri dishes employing Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls. The findings from this study have implications for future investigations related to the employment of PVA‐GOx system as a composite material of pharmaceutical and technological interest. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 461–470, 2014.     

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a specific substrate of yeast metacaspase

Yeast metacaspase (Yca1p) is required for the execution of apoptosis upon a wide range of stimuli. However, the specific degradome of this yeast protease has not been unraveled so far. By combining different methodologies described as requisites for a protein to be considered a protease substrate, such as digestome analysis, cleavage of recombinant GAPDH by metacaspase and evaluation of protein levels in vivo, we show that upon H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis, the metabolic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a specific target of metacaspase. Nitric oxide (NO) signaling, which mediates H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis, is required for metacaspase specific GAPDH cleavage. In conclusion, in this work we identified GAPDH as the first direct yeast metacaspase substrate described so far. Although mammalian caspases and yeast metacaspase apparently have distinct target cleavage sites, GAPDH arises as a common substrate for these proteases.     

Functional and structural role of amino acid residues in the matrix alpha-helices, termini and cytosolic loops of the bovine mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier

The mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier belongs to the mitochondrial carrier family and exchanges oxoglutarate for malate and other dicarboxylates across the mitochondrial inner membrane. Here, single-cysteine mutant carriers were engineered for every residue in the amino- and carboxy-terminus, cytoplasmic loops, and matrix alpha-helices and their transport activity was measured in the presence and absence of sulfhydryl reagents. The analysis of the cytoplasmic side of the oxoglutarate carrier showed that the conserved and symmetric residues of the mitochondrial carrier motif [DE]XX[RK] localized at the C-terminal end of the even-numbered transmembrane alpha-helices are important for the function of the carrier, but the non-conserved cytoplasmic loops and termini are not. On the mitochondrial matrix side of the carrier most residues of the three matrix alpha-helices that are in the interface with the transmembrane alpha-helical bundle are important for function. Among these are the residues of the symmetric [ED]G motif present at the C-terminus of the matrix alpha-helices; the tyrosines of the symmetric YK motif at the N-terminus of the matrix alpha-helices; and the hydrophobic residues M147, I171 and I247. The functional role of these residues was assessed in the structural context of the homology model of OGC. Furthermore, in this study no evidence was found for the presence of a specific homo-dimerisation interface on the surface of the carrier consisting of conserved, asymmetric and transport-critical residues.     

The bacterial exotoxin AIP56 induces fish macrophage and neutrophil apoptosis using mechanisms of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways

It has been previously shown that the exotoxin of the important fish pathogen Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida is a key pathogenicity factor and is responsible for the extensive systemic apoptosis of macrophages and neutrophils seen in acute fish photobacteriosis. The focus of the present study was to further characterize the AIP56-induced apoptosis of sea bass professional phagocytes by assessing the involvement of caspases, mitochondria and oxidative stress. The resulting data indicate that the apoptotic response in peritoneal macrophages and neutrophils treated ex vivo with AIP56 involves activation of caspase-8, -9 and -3, and mitochondria as shown by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c and over-production of ROS. These results together with previous data from this laboratory suggest that both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in the AIP56-induced phagocyte apoptosis.     

The C allele of rs5743836 polymorphism in the human TLR9 promoter links IL-6 and TLR9 up-regulation and confers increased B-cell proliferation

In humans, allelic variants in Toll-like receptors (TLRs) associate with several pathologies. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of this association remain largely unknown. Analysis of the human TLR9 promoter revealed that the C allele of the rs5743836 polymorphism generates several regulatory sites, including an IL-6-responding element. Here, we show that, in mononuclear cells carrying the TC genotype of rs5743836, IL-6 up-regulates TLR9 expression, leading to exacerbated cellular responses to CpG, including IL-6 production and B-cell proliferation. Our study uncovers a role for the rs5743836 polymorphism in B-cell biology with implications on TLR9-mediated diseases and on the therapeutic usage of TLR9 agonists/antagonists.     

Under pressure: response urgency modulates striatal and insula activity during decision-making under risk

When deciding whether to bet in situations that involve potential monetary loss or gain (mixed gambles), a subjective sense of pressure can influence the evaluation of the expected utility associated with each choice option. Here, we explored how gambling decisions, their psychophysiological and neural counterparts are modulated by an induced sense of urgency to respond. Urgency influenced decision times and evoked heart rate responses, interacting with the expected value of each gamble. Using functional MRI, we observed that this interaction was associated with changes in the activity of the striatum, a critical region for both reward and choice selection, and within the insula, a region implicated as the substrate of affective feelings arising from interoceptive signals which influence motivational behavior. Our findings bridge current psychophysiological and neurobiological models of value representation and action-programming, identifying the striatum and insular cortex as the key substrates of decision-making under risk and urgency.     

Survey of co-infection by Salmonella and oxyurids in tortoises

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Salmonella spp. and oxyurids are among the most prevalent bacterial and parasitic agents in reptiles. These organisms are routinely isolated in healthy tortoises, although heavy infections may cause significant pathology. Tortoises are considered a common source of reptileassociated salmonellosis, an important zoonosis reported worldwide. A survey of the prevalence of almonella spp. and oxyurids in 53 tortoises was conducted in southern Italy and a possible correlation between the two pathogens was therefore investigated. RESULTS: Salmonella spp. and oxyurids were detected with a prevalence of 49.1 and 81.1%, respectively. A significant positive correlation between Salmonella spp. and oxyurids was demonstrated. However, confounding factors related to husbandry could have been involved in determining this correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that caution should be exercised in translocation, husbandry, and human contact with tortoises and other exotic pets. Further studies on the epidemiology, molecular characterization and pathogenesis of Salmonella and oxyurids are needed to assess the actual impact of these organisms, as single or associated infections, on tortoises and on other exotic pets.