Allyl isothiocyanate attenuates oxidative stress and inflammation by modulating Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB pathways in traumatic brain injury in mice

Molecular Biology Reports - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in young adults and children in the industrialized countries; however, there are presently...     

Genome-wide exploration of silicon (Si) transporter genes, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lsi1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lsi2</Emphasis> in plants; insights into Si-accumulation status/capacity of plants

Silicon (Si) is a nonessential, beneficial micronutrient for plants. It increases the plant stress tolerance in relation to its accumulation capacity. In this work, root Si transporter genes were characterized in 17 different plants and inferred for their Si-accumulation status. A total of 62 Si transporter genes (31 Lsi1 and 31 Lsi2) were identified in studied plants. Lsi1s were 261–324 residues protein with a MIP family domain whereas Lsi2s were 472–547 residues with a citrate transporter family domain. Lsi1s possessed characteristic sequence features that can be employed as benchmark in prediction of Si-accumulation status/capacity of the plants. Silicic acid selectivity in Lsi1s was associated with two highly conserved NPA (Asn-Pro-Ala) motifs and a Gly-Ser-Gly-Arg (GSGR) ar/R filter. Two NPA regions were present in all Lsi1 members but some Ala substituted with Ser or Val. GSGR filter was only available in the proposed high and moderate Si accumulators. In phylogeny, Lsi1s formed three clusters as low, moderate and high Si accumulators based on tree topology and availability of GSGR filter. Low-accumulators contained filters WIGR, AIGR, FAAR, WVAR and AVAR, high-accumulators only with GSGR filter, and moderate-accumulators mostly with GSGR but some with A/CSGR filters. A positive correlation was also available between sequence homology and Si-accumulation status of the tested plants. Thus, availability of GSGR selectivity filter and sequence homology degree could be used as signatures in prediction of Si-accumulation status in experimentally uncharacterized plants. Moreover, interaction partner and expression profile analyses implicated the involvement of Si transporters in plant stress tolerance.     

Identification of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL) genes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and gene expression analysis under cadmium stress

Cysteine (Cys) is the first identified molecule in plant metabolism which includes both sulfur and nitrogen. It can be synthesized in three cellular compartments, containing chloroplast, cytoplasm and mitochondrion. The final step of cysteine biosynthesis is catalyzed by the O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase enzyme (OASTL, E.C. 4.2.99). In the present study, seven members of the OASTL gene family in the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genome were identified at a genome-wide scale and comparative bioinformatics analyses were performed between sorghum and Arabidopsis OASTLs. In all OASTL proteins, a pyridoxal-phosphate dependent domain structure (PALP, PF00291) was identified. The gene ontology annotations also revealed that all sorghum OASTL genes have KOG1252 (Cystathionine beta-synthase and related enzyme) and K01738 (cysteine synthase A) activities. In promotor sequences of OASTL genes, diverse cis-acting elements were found, including hormone and light responsiveness, abiotic stress responsiveness, and tissue-specific ones (meristem and endosperm). Sorghum OASTL genes demonstrated medium or high level expressions in anatomical parts and developmental stages based on the digital expression data. Expression of OASTL genes were also analyzed under cadmium (Cd) stress in sorghum by Real Time-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The results exclusively showed that OASTL A1-2 gene was 1.12 fold up-regulated in roots, whereas cysteine synthase 26 was 2.25 fold down-regulated in leaves. The predicted 3D structure of OASTLs indicated some structural diversities as well as variations in the secondary structures.

     

A Study on the Anticarcinogenic Effects of Calcium Fructoborate

Evidences about the preventive and therapeutic effects of boron compounds on cancer have been increasing in the last years. Although calcium fructoborate (CaFB) is used as a nutritional supplement, data about its preventive and therapeutic effects on neoplastic transformations are limited. In the present study, the various concentrations of CaFB were applied to the MDA-MB-231 metastatic breast cancer cell line. First, we examined the cytotoxic effect and IC₅₀ value of CaFB by MTT assay. For the evaluation of the DNA damage, apoptosis and metastatic potential, expression levels of ATM, pATM, PARP, p53, p-p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and VEGF were investigated by using immunoblotting and immunohistochemical methods. Cell viability was significantly reduced at 50 μM CaFB treatment. pATM, p-p53, and caspase-9 levels increased significantly in all groups; furthermore, there was approximately 12.5-, 2.4-, and 10.7-fold increase, respectively, for 100 μM CaFB treatment. ATM and p53 levels did not change with CaFB treatment, but PARP levels significantly 2.5-fold decreased. While VEGF immunoreactivity decreased in all groups, significant increase in caspase-3 immunoreactivity was observed only in the group treated with 50 μM CaFB (p < 0,001). Our results imply that CaFB may have therapeutic potential as well as preventive benefits in cancer.     

Power of 22 microsatellite markers in fluorescent multiplexes for parentage testing in goats (Capra hircus)

Two multiplex systems, each containing 11 microsatellite loci, were developed for semiautomated parentage testing in goats. Eight of the loci originate from goats, nine from cattle and five from sheep. Eighteen of the loci have been mapped to 16 different autosomes (in goats and cattle). Parentage exclusion probabilities were computed from allele frequencies in approximately 30 unrelated individuals from each of four economically important breeds: Mongolian Native Cashmere, Turkish Angora, Swiss Saanen, and Spanish Murciana-Grenadina. In cases where genotypes are known for one parent and an offspring, the 22 markers will exclude an (erroneously) alleged parent with a probability of > 0.999999 in the cashmere breed, > 0.99999 in Angora and Murciana-Grenadina, and > 0.9999 in Saanen. The multiplexes provide very high power for individual identification as the probability of finding two identical genotypes for the 22 loci is < 1 in 1.10(15) in each of the four breeds. The multiplexes will also be useful for studies of population structure, history, and diversity in goats and also in wild Capra species that represent important resources for genetic improvement of domestic breeds.     

Elevated levels of matrix metalloprotein-3 in patients with coronary aneurysm: A case control study

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial aneurysms through increased proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins. Increased proteolysis due to elevated matrix degrading enzyme activity in the arterial wall may act as a susceptibility factor for the development of coronary aneurysms. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MMPs and presence of coronary aneurysms. METHODS: Thirty patients with aneurysmal coronary artery disease and stable angina were enrolled into study (Group 1). Fourteen coronary artery disease patients with stable angina were selected as control group (Group 2). MMP-1, MMP-3 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in peripheral venous blood and matched between the groups. RESULTS: Serum MMP-3 level was higher in patients with aneurismal coronary artery disease compared to the control group (20.23 +/- 14.68 vs 11.45 +/- 6.55 ng/ml, p = 0.039). Serum MMP-1 (13.63 +/- 7.73 vs 12.15 +/- 6.27 ng/ml, p = 0.52) and CRP levels (4.78 +/- 1.47 vs 4.05 +/- 1.53 mg/l, p = 0.13) were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: MMPs can cause arterial wall destruction. MMP-3 may play role in the pathogenesis of coronary aneurysm development through increased proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins.     

Flavonoid glycosides from Centaurea pseudoscabiosa subsp. pseudoscabiosa from Turkey

Three flavonoid glycosides were isolated and characterized, together with a further 13 substances belonging to various classes of compounds, in particular two phenolic acids, a coumarin, a sugar and nine flavonoids from the flowered aerial parts of Centaurea pseudoscabiosa subsp. pseudoscabiosa Boiss. et Buhse (Asteraceae). Some considerations about their evolutionary meaning are provided.     

An EST-SSR marker linked with yellow rust resistance in wheat

Expressed sequenced tags containing simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) were used to identify molecular markers associated with yellow rust resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A cross between yellow rust resistant (PI178383) and susceptible (Harmankaya99) wheat genotypes was performed and respective DNA pools from the resistant and susceptible F₂ seedlings were constructed. 78 EST-SSR primers were used for bulked segregant analysis and one EST-SSR marker (Pk54), identified as 200 bp fragment, was present in the resistant parent and resistant F₂ hybrids but not in the susceptible ones. 108 wheat genotypes differing in yellow rust resistance were screened with Pk54 and 68 % of the wheat genotypes, known to be yellow rust resistant, had the Pk54 marker, further suggesting that the presence of this marker correlates with yellow rust resistance.