Association of Vitamin B12, Lactate Dehydrogenase,and Regulation of NF-κB in the Mitigation of Sodium Arsenite-Induced ROS Generation in Uterine Tissue by Commercially Available Probiotics

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Managing arsenic intoxication with conventional metal chelators is a global challenge. The present study demonstrated the therapeutic role of probiotics...     

Co-chaperone CHIP Stabilizes Aggregate-prone Malin, a Ubiquitin Ligase Mutated in Lafora Disease

Lafora disease (LD) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutation in either the dual specificity phosphatase laforin or ubiquitin ligase malin. A pathological hallmark of LD is the accumulation of cytoplasmic polyglucosan inclusions commonly known as Lafora bodies in both neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. How mutations in these two proteins cause disease pathogenesis is not well understood. Malin interacts with laforin and recruits to aggresomes upon proteasome inhibition and was shown to degrade misfolded proteins. Here we report that malin is spontaneously misfolded and tends to be aggregated, degraded by proteasomes, and forms not only aggresomes but also other cytoplasmic and nuclear aggregates in all transfected cells upon proteasomal inhibition. Malin also interacts with Hsp70. Several disease-causing mutants of malin are comparatively more unstable than wild type and form aggregates in most transfected cells even without the inhibition of proteasome function. These cytoplasmic and nuclear aggregates are immunoreactive to ubiquitin and 20 S proteasome. Interestingly, progressive proteasomal dysfunction and cell death is also most frequently observed in the mutant malin-overexpressed cells compared with the wild-type counterpart. Finally, we demonstrate that the co-chaperone carboxyl terminus of the Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) stabilizes malin by modulating the activity of Hsp70. All together, our results suggest that malin is unstable, and the aggregate-prone protein and co-chaperone CHIP can modulate its stability.     

Glucans of Pleurotus florida blue variant: isolation, purification, characterization and immunological studies

Two different glucans (PS-I and PS-II) were isolated from the alkaline extract of the fruiting bodies of an edible mushroom, Pleurotus florida blue variant and the PS-I showed macrophage, splenocyte and thymocyte activations. On the basis of sugar analysis, methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, and NMR studies ((1)H, (13)C, DEPT-135, DQF-COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, ROESY, HMQC and HMBC), the structure of the repeating unit of these polysaccharides were established.     

Insights into the Substrate Specificity of a Thioesterase Rv0098 of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis through X-ray Crystallographic and Molecular Dynamics Studies

The crystal structure of Rv0098, a long-chain fatty acyl-CoA thioesterase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis with bound dodecanoic acid at the active site provided insights into the mode of substrate binding but did not reveal the structural basis of substrate specificities of varying chain length. Molecular dynamics studies demonstrated that certain residues of the substrate binding tunnel are flexible and thus modulate the length of the tunnel. The flexibility of the loop at the base of the tunnel was also found to be important for determining the length of the tunnel for accommodating appropriate substrates. A combination of crystallographic and molecular dynamics studies thus explained the structural basis of accommodating long chain substrates by Rv0098 of M. tuberculosis.     

Molecular mechanism of indomethacin-induced gastropathy

The probable cross talk among large numbers of inflammatory and angiogenic parameters in indomethacin (IND)-induced gastropathy and the associated signaling mechanism were studied in a mouse model. A single dose of IND (18 mg/kg, po) produced robust gastric ulceration in mice without any mortality, which peaked on the third day, but started healing from the fifth day onward. The ulceration was associated with increased myeloperoxidase activity and expression of proinflammatory (TNF-α, adhesion molecules, COX-2) and antiangiogenic (endostatin) parameters. The levels of proangiogenic factors such as COX-1, prostaglandin E, VEGF, and von Willebrand factor VIII were downregulated by IND. Our results revealed that although the maximal and minimal levels of these parameters were attained sequentially at different time points, TNF-α upregulation was the primary event to initiate and induce gastric ulceration. IND also activated NF-κB and all the MAP kinases, but only the inhibitors of TNF-α, NF-κB, and JNK MAP kinase could abrogate the IND-induced damages. Further TNF-α inhibition also reduced the IND-mediated activation of NF-κB and JNK MAP kinase. All this evidence strongly suggests that mitigation of TNF-α may offer a potential solution to IND-mediated gastropathy.     

Structure of Polymorphic Stomata in Canella winterena (L.) Geartn. (Canellaceae)

The presence of 10 types of normal stomata along with 4 subtypes, one intermediate type between stephanocytic and hemiparacytic and some abnormal stomatal structures both in the vegetative and floral organs of Canella winterena (L.) Geartn. (Canellaceae) is reported here. The epidermal cells are polygonal, isodiametric in surface view with straight anticlinal walls. The stomata are amphibrachyparacytic, anomocytic, anisocytic, brachyparacytic, brachyparatetracytic, cyclocytic, hemiparacytic, laterocytic, holoparacytic, stephanocytic, one intermediate type between stephanocytic and hemiparacytic, etc. Abnormalities like contiguous stomata, different types of twin stomata and cytoplasmic bridge between adjacent stomata, stomata with single guard cell, single guard cell with pore juxtaposed with normal stoma are also found. The presence of giant stomata is a significant finding. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Daphne thanguensis sp. nov. (Thymelaeaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya

Daphne thanguensis sp. nov. from north Sikkim of eastern Himalaya is described and illustrated. It is a narrow endemic related to D. tangutica Maxim. Daphne thanguensis grows in open alpine pastures and differs from D. tangutica by having leaves with revolute margin and a tuft of hairs at apex, ebracteate inflorescence and flowers, calyx lobes with a tuft of hairs at apex and annular, slightly undulate hypogynal disk. The new taxon is also close to D. retusa Hemsl. But can easily be differentiated by its sessile inflorescence, ebracteate flowers and tuft of hairs at leaf apices and calyx lobe apices. A conservation status of the new species in accordance with the IUCN red list categories and criteria is provided and discussed.     

A genetic Xenopus laevis tadpole model to study lymphangiogenesis

Lymph vessels control fluid homeostasis, immunity and metastasis. Unraveling the molecular basis of lymphangiogenesis has been hampered by the lack of a small animal model that can be genetically manipulated. Here, we show that Xenopus tadpoles develop lymph vessels from lymphangioblasts or, through transdifferentiation, from venous endothelial cells. Lymphangiography showed that these lymph vessels drain lymph, through the lymph heart, to the venous circulation. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of the lymphangiogenic factor Prox1 caused lymph vessel defects and lymphedema by impairing lymphatic commitment. Knockdown of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) also induced lymph vessel defects and lymphedema, but primarily by affecting migration of lymphatic endothelial cells. Knockdown of VEGF-C also resulted in aberrant blood vessel formation in tadpoles. This tadpole model offers opportunities for the discovery of new regulators of lymphangiogenesis.     

Bicyclic nucleoside analogues from D-glucose: synthesis of chiral as well as racemic 1,4-dioxepane ring-fused derivatives

The dioxepanofuranose derivatives 4 and 12, obtained through the cyclization of the 3-(2-hydroxyethyl) ether of a D-xylo-pentodialdose derivative, were appropriately functionalized and elaborated to the first examples of the new class of 3'-O and 5'-O-bicyclic nucleoside analogues 9, 10, and 14 with a fused seven-membered ring. Reactions carried out through the intermediacy of the D-xylo-pentodialdose derivative 5 yielded racemic products, while prior protection of the 4-formyl group (as in 7) before deprotection of the 1,2-hydroxyl groups led to optically active analogues.     

Mild, efficient, selective and "green" benzoylation of nucleosides using benzoyl cyanide in ionic liquid

Use of benzoyl cyanide (BzCN) for benzoylation of nucleosides has been studied, both in pyridine and in ionic liquid BzCN in 1-methoxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate as ionic liquid has been found to be a "green "alternative compared to the pyridine-BzCN system. An efficient and selective benzoylation of nucleosides of both, the 2'-deoxy- and the ribo-series at ambient temperature was accomplished.