Changes of phospholipid composition and superoxide dismutase activity during global brain ischemia and reperfusion in rats

Alterations in phospholipid content and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were examined in rat brain after 15 min of global ischemia (four-vessel occlusion) followed by 2-, 24- or 48-h reperfusion. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), the main brain phospholipids, were markedly decreased in ischemic rats and remained decreased during the whole reperfusion period. Concentrations of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and sphingomyelin (SM) were also significantly reduced during ischemia but recovered during reperfusion period. In contrast, phosphatidylserine (PS) and lysophospholipids (LysoPL) were unchanged during ischemia but were elevated after 24 h of reperfusion. Significant reductions in blood plasma phospholipids were also demonstrated. 24-48 h of reperfusion markedly decreased PE, PC and PS contents, while the concentrations were almost unchanged by ischemia alone. Brain SOD activity decreased significantly during ischemia and was recovered to control value already after 2 h of reperfusion. These results suggest that ischemia/reperfusion is accompanied by a significant and selective degradation of brain phospholipids that may be attributable to oxidative stress and activation of phospholipases.     

Anti-ischemic activity of carnosine

This review summarizes the data on anti-ischemic activity of carnosine. The pronounced anti-ischemic effects of carnosine in the brain and heart are due to the combination of antioxidant and membrane-protecting activity, proton buffering capacity, formation of complexes with transition metals, and regulation of macrophage function. In experimental cerebral ischemia, carnosine decreases mortality and is beneficial for neurological conditions of the animals. In cardiac ischemia, carnosine protects cardiomyocytes from damage and improves contractility of the heart. The data indicate that carnosine can be used as an anti-ischemic drug.     

Artificial inoculation-perspectives in tailings phytostabilization

Intensive mining and processing activities worldwide resulted in the generation of huge amounts of waste (tailings), generally characterized as toxic, radioactive, and/or hazardous. The exposure potential and, hence, the risk posed by such wastes is enhanced by a general lack of vegetation. Phytostabilization has proven to be efficient in reducing this risk. However, establishing vegetation on tailing dumps may be expensive due to the intensive use of amendments and chemical fertilizers. In this article, investigations on artificial inoculation of mine tailings with bacterial strains as a means to improve the development of vegetative covers and reduce application cost by eliminating chemical fertilization are presented and discussed. The development of plants and microbial communities from tailings, as well as the impact of inoculation on metal uptake in plants, were studied. Experiments were carried out in greenhouse using two types of mine tailings (phosphogypsum and sulphidic tailings) from the Romanian Black Sea coast. Indigenous herbaceous plants were cultivated on tailings with the addition of chemical fertilizers versus bacterial inoculation. After a 6-month experimental period, excellent plant growth, which is associated with a rich microbial community, was observed in all inoculated treatments, in contrast with poor plant growth and microbiota from the chemical fertilization treatments alone. Additionally, artificial inoculation improved plant resistance to heavy metals by reducing the uptake of some toxic metals. Once a rich microbial community is established, inoculation may be discontinued. Based on these results, efficient and cost-effective phytostabilization schemes can be proposed.     

In Vitro Characterization of the Pharmacological Properties of the Anti-Cancer Chelator,Bp4eT,and Its Phase I Metabolites

Cancer cells have a high iron requirement and many experimental studies, as well as clinical trials, have demonstrated that iron chelators are potential anti-cancer agents. The ligand, 2-benzoylpyridine 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Bp4eT), demonstrates both potent anti-neoplastic and anti-retroviral properties. In this study, Bp4eT and its recently identified amidrazone and semicarbazone metabolites were examined and compared with respect to their anti-proliferative activity towards cancer cells (HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia, MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma, HCT116 human colon carcinoma and A549 human lung adenocarcinoma), non-cancerous cells (H9c2 neonatal rat-derived cardiomyoblasts and 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblasts) and their interaction with intracellular iron pools. Bp4eT was demonstrated to be a highly potent and selective anti-neoplastic agent that induces S phase cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial depolarization and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Both semicarbazone and amidrazone metabolites showed at least a 300-fold decrease in cytotoxic activity than Bp4eT towards both cancer and normal cell lines. The metabolites also lost the ability to: (1) promote the redox cycling of iron; (2) bind and mobilize iron from labile intracellular pools; and (3) prevent ⁵⁹Fe uptake from ⁵⁹Fe-labeled transferrin by MCF-7 cells. Hence, this study demonstrates that the highly active ligand, Bp4eT, is metabolized to non-toxic and pharmacologically inactive analogs, which most likely contribute to its favorable pharmacological profile. These findings are important for the further development of this drug candidate and contribute to the understanding of the structure-activity relationships of these agents.     

Another chloromyxid lineage: molecular phylogeny and redescription of Chloromyxum careni from the Asian horned frog Megophrys nasuta

Infection with Chloromyxum careni Mutschmann, 1999 was found in the Asian horned frog Megophrys nasuta from Malaysia and Indonesia. Kidney was the only organ infected. Coelozoic plasmodia up to 300 μm were localized in Bowman's space, embracing the glomerulus from all sides, or rarely in lumina of renal tubules. Plasmodia are polysporic, containing disporic pansporoblasts. Myxospores observed by light microscopy are colorless, variable in shape and size, measuring 6.0-8.5 × 5.0-6.5 μm, composed of two symmetrical valves joined by a meridian suture, containing four pyriform polar capsules 3.0-4.0 × 2.5-3.0 μm and a single sporoplasm. Each valve possesses 14-24 (median 21) fine longitudinal ridges clearly visible only in scanning electron microscopy. Rarely, atypical spores with a markedly pointed posterior pole and only 6-10 surface ridges are present in plasmodia together with typical spores. Both small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene sequences possess extremely long GU-rich inserts. In all SSU and LSU rDNA-based phylogenetic analyses, C. careni clustered as a distinct basal branch to the Myxobolus+Myxidium lieberkuehni clade, out of the marine Chloromyxum clade containing Chloromyxum leydigi, the type species of the genus. These morphological and phylogenetic data suggest erection of a new genus for the C. careni lineage, but we conservatively treat it as a Chloromyxum sensu lato until more information is available.