Human sex hormone-binding globulin as a potential target of alternate plasticizers: an <Emphasis Type="Italic">in silico</Emphasis> study

Background

Currently, alternate plasticizers are used to replace phthalate plasticizers in children’s toys, medical equipments and food packaging, due to the adverse effects of phthalate compounds on human health and laws prohibiting their use. Current information regarding the safety and potential adverse effects of alternate plasticizers is limited and recent studies have found alternate plasticizers to display similar characteristics to those observed in phthalate plasticizers. This study was undertaken to evaluate and predict the potential endocrine disrupting activity of the three most commonly used alternate plasticizers: di(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate (DEHT), tris(2-ethylhexyl)trimellitate (TOTM), and diisononyl hexahydrophthalate (DINCH) against human sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) using in silico approaches.

Materials and methods

The crystal structure of human SHBG (Id: 1D2S) was retrieved from Protein Data Bank. PubChem database was searched for the structures of alternate plasticizers, DEHT, TOTM, and DINCH. Docking was performed using Glide (Schrodinger) Induced Fit Docking module.

Results

Induced Fit Docking of three alternate plasticizer compounds indicated that each of the three compounds fitted well into the steroid binding pocket of SHBG. Docking displays showed interactions of alternate plasticizers with 25–30 amino-acid residues of SHBG; 18–20 amino residues overlapped between the natural ligand, DHT, and the three compounds (commonality of 82–91 %). The hydrogen-bonding interaction of the amino-acid residue, Asn-82, of SHBG was also present in displays of DHT and all the three alternate phthalates. The binding affinity of all the three alternate phthalates was higher than DHT; maximum in DINCH followed by TOTM and DEHT.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that the three alternate plasticizers have potential to engage the important interacting residues of SHBG and thus interfere in its steroid homeostatic function.

     

Somatic Antigens of Tropical Liver Flukes Ameliorate Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Wistar Rats

Parasitic helminths polarize immune response of their vertebrate hosts towards anti-inflammatory Th2 type and therefore it is hypothesized that they may suppress the inflammatory conditions in autoimmune disorders. The present study was undertaken to investigate in vivo immunomodulatory and therapeutic potential of somatic antigens (Ag) of liver infecting digenetic trematodes [Fasciola gigantica (Fg) and Gigantocotyle explanatum (Ge)] in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) Wistar rats. The CIA rats were administered subcutaneously with different doses (50 μg, 100 μg and 150 μg) of somatic antigens of Fg and Ge, daily for 21 days, the time period required to establish infection in natural host (Bubalus bubalis). Thereafter, the control, diseased and treated rats were compared for different parameters viz. hind paw thickness; serum interleukins, IL-4 and IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ); expression level of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2, -9, -13 and nitric oxide (NO) in knee joints and patellar morphology. The CIA rats treated with different antigens, Fg-Ag and Ge-Ag, show significant amelioration of the disease by down regulation of serum TNF-α and IFN-γ (p< 0.05) and upregulation of IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines (p< 0.05); inhibition (p< 0.05) of MMPs (-2,-9,-13) and NO in knee joints and improved patellar morphology with decreased synovial hypertrophy and reduced infiltration of ploymorphonuclear cells. The activity of pro as well as active MMPs (-2 and -9) and active MMP-13 in knee joints of CIA rats was very high compared to the control and treatment groups, suggesting the extent of collagen degradation in CIA rats. Interestingly, the highest dose (150 μg) of Ge-Ag almost wiped out MMP-13 expression. The overall findings suggest that the somatic proteins of Ge-Ag appeared to be therapeutically more effective than Fg-Ag, reflecting interspecific molecular differences which could contribute to the ability of these worms to successfully ameliorate the pathology of CIA.     

Differential regulation of prostacyclin and thromboxane by dexamethasone and celecoxib during oxidative stress in newborn rabbits

To compare the effects of dexamethasone (Dex) and celecoxib (Cel) on F-isoprostane, prostacyclin (PGI2), and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) following hyperoxia, and hyperoxia followed by recovery in room air (RA), newborn rabbits were exposed to hyperoxia (80-100% oxygen) for 4 days, during which they were treated with saline (Sal, i.m.), Dex (i.m.), vehicle (Veh, PO), or Cel (PO, n = 12 per group). Six animals in each group were sacrificed immediately following hyperoxia, and the remainder allowed to recover in RA for 5 days. The control litters were treated simultaneously in RA with all conditions other than atmospheric oxygen being identical. Blood samples were assayed for 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-epi-PGF2alpha), 6-keto prostaglandin F1alpha (6-ketoPGF1alpha), and TxB2. Dex and Cel decreased 8-epi-PGF2alpha during hyperoxia and the recovery period. Dex increased 6-ketoPGF2alpha following hyperoxia, while similar increments were noted during recovery with Cel. Although TxB2 was decreased only during the recovery period, TxB2/6-ketoPGF1alpha ratio was lower during hyperoxia and recovery in both treated groups. The effect of Cel on 8-epi-PGF2. and TxA2/PGI2 ratio confirm the formation of a COX-derived F2-isoprostane that is possibly linked to TxA2 receptors. Further studies are required to examine whether Cel can be used as a therapeutic alternative to Dex for oxygen-induced injury in the newborn.     

Genetically encoded molecules for inducibly inactivating CaV channels

Voltage-gated Ca2+ (Ca(V)) channels are central to the biology of excitable cells, and therefore regulating their activity has widespread applications. We describe genetically encoded molecules for inducibly inhibiting Ca(V) channels (GEMIICCs). GEMIICCs are derivatives of Rem, a Ras-like GTPase that constitutively inhibits Ca2+ currents (I(Ca)). C terminus-truncated Rem(1-265) lost the ability to inhibit I(Ca) owing to loss of membrane targeting. Fusing the C1 domain of protein kinase Cgamma to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-Rem(1-265) generated a molecule that rapidly translocated from cytosol to plasma membrane with phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate in human embryonic kidney cells. Recombinant Ca(V)2.2 and Ca(V)1.2 channels were inhibited concomitantly with C1(PKCgamma)-YFP-Rem(1-265) membrane translocation. The generality of the approach was confirmed by creating a GEMIICC using rapamycin-dependent heterodimerization of YFP-FKBP-Rem(1-265) and a constitutively membrane-targeted rapamycin-binding domain. GEMIICCs reduced I(Ca) without diminishing gating charge, thereby ruling out decreased number of surface channels and voltage-sensor immobilization as mechanisms for inhibition. We introduce small-molecule-regulated GEMIICCs as potent tools for rapidly manipulating Ca2+ signals in excitable cells.     

Genetic assessment of the effects of self-fertilization in a Lilium L. hybrids using molecular cytogenetic methods (FISH and ISSR)

Self-fertilization (also termed selfing) is a mode of reproduction that occurs in hermaphrodites and has evolved several times in various plant and animal species. A transition from outbreeding to selfing in hermaphroditic flowers is typically associated with changes in flower morphology and functionality. This study aimed to identify genetic effects of selfing in the F2 progeny of F1 hybrid developed by crossing Lilium lancifolium with the Asiatic Lilium hybrid ‘Dreamland.’ Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) techniques were used to detect genetic variations in plants produced by selfing. The FISH results showed that F1 hybrid were similar to the female parent (L. lancifolium) regarding the 45S loci, but F2 individuals showed variation in the number and location of the respective loci. In F2 progeny, F2-2, F2-3, F2-4, F2-5, and F2-8 hybrids expressed two strong and one weak 5S signal on chromosome 3, whereas F2-7 and F2-9 individuals expressed one strong and two weak signals. Only two strong 5S signals were detected in an F2-1 plant. The ISSR results showed a maximum similarity value of 0.6269 between the female parent and the F2-2 hybrid. Regarding similarity to the male parent, a maximum value of 0.6119 was found in the F2-1 and F2-2 hybrids. The highest genetic distance from L. lancifolium and the Asiatic Lilium hybrid ‘Dreamland’ was observed in the F2-4 progeny (0.6352 and 0.7547, respectively). Phylogenetic relationships showed that the F2 progeny were closer to the male parent than to the female parent. Self-fertilization showed effects on variation among the F2 progeny, and effects on the genome were confirmed using FISH and ISSR analyses.