Insight on Propolis from Mediterranean Countries: Chemical Composition,Biological Activities and Application Fields

This review updates the information upon the chemical composition of propolis from all Mediterranean countries as well as their biological properties and applications. The non‐volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of phenolic acids and their esters and flavonoids. Nevertheless, in some countries, diterpenes were also present: Sicily (Italy), Croatia, Malta, Creta (Greece), Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. The volatile fraction of propolis was characterized by the presence of benzoic acid and its esters, mono‐ and sesquiterpenes, being the oxygenated sesquiterpene β‐eudesmol characteristic of poplar propolis, whereas the hydrocarbon monoterpene α‐pinene has been related with the presence of conifers. Regardless the chemical composition, there are common biological properties attributed to propolis. Owing to these attributes, propolis has been target of study for applications in diverse areas, such as food, medicine and livestock.     

Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCBs): innovative green bioremediation process based on anti-cyanobacteria bioactive natural products

Archives of Microbiology - Over the last decades, Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCBs) represent one of the most conspicuous hazards to human health in freshwater ecosystems, due to the uses of the...     

Oncosuppressive Suicide Gene Virotherapy “PVH1-yCD/5-FC” for Pancreatic Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Treatment: NFκB and Akt/PI3K Involvement

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is common in advanced pancreatic cancer. Despite current standard treatment, patients with this disease until recently were considered incurable. Cancer gene therapy using oncolytic viruses have generated much interest over the past few years. Here, we investigated a new gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) approach for an oncosuppressive virotherapy strategy using parvovirus H1 (PV-H1) which preferentially replicates and kills malignant cells. Although, PV-H1 is not potent enough to destroy tumors, it represents an attractive vector for cancer gene therapy. We therefore sought to determine whether the suicide gene/prodrug system, yCD/5-FC could be rationally combined to PV-H1 augmenting its intrinsic oncolytic activity for pancreatic cancer prevention and treatment. We showed that the engineered recombinant parvovirus rPVH1-yCD with 5-FC treatment increased significantly the intrinsic cytotoxic effect and resulted in potent induction of apoptosis and tumor growth inhibition in chemosensitive and chemoresistant cells. Additionally, the suicide gene-expressing PV-H1 infection reduced significantly the constitutive activities of NFκB and Akt/PI3K. Combination of their pharmacological inhibitors (MG132 and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002) with rPVH1-yCD/5-FC resulted in substantial increase of antitumor activity. In vivo, high and sustained expression of NS1 and yCD was observed in the disseminated tumor nodules and absent in normal tissues. Treatment of mice bearing intraperitoneal pancreatic carcinomatosis with rPVH1-yCD/5-FC resulted in a drastic inhibition of tumor cell spreading and subsequent increase in long-term survival. Together, the presented data show the improved oncolytic activity of wPV-H1 by yCD/5-FC and thus provides valuable effective and promising virotherapy strategy for prevention of tumor recurrence and treatment. In the light of this study, the suicide gene parvovirotherapy approach represents a new weapon in the war against pancreatic cancer. Moreover, these preliminary accomplishments are opening new field for future development of new combined targeted therapies to have a meaningful impact on advanced cancer.     

A comparative GC–MS analysis of bioactive secondary metabolites produced by halotolerant Bacillus spp. isolated from the Great Sebkha of Oran

International Microbiology - The reemergence of infectious diseases and resistant pathogens represents a serious problem for human life. Hence, the screening for new or alternative antimicrobial...