Role of cytosol in the stimulation of RNA transport in vitro during cardiac hypertrophy in rats.

The 100,000 g supernatant isolated from hypertrophic hearts on fractionation by (NH4)2SO4 and DEAE-cellulose chromatography showed an enhanced RNA-transport activity when incubated with isolated nuclei from sham-operated hearts in vitro. Proteins of Mr 73,000, 68,000, 43,000 and 32,000 are enriched in the DEAE-cellulose fractions exhibiting maximal transport activity, and they are phosphorylatable. Pretreatment of the cytosol with antibodies to the Mr-68,000 and -32,000 proteins decreases the transport activity of the cytosol from 14% to 4.25%. Proteins of Mr 73,000, 68,000, 43,000 and 32,000 are translocated from the cytosol to the nuclear envelope under conditions of RNA transport in vitro. Our results here suggest that at least two of these proteins, those of Mr 68,000 and 32,000, play an indispensible role in the nucleocytoplasmic RNA transport in vitro. By making use of a specific myosin heavy-chain B-gene probe and hybridization, we have also shown the effect of cytosol on the transport of myosin heavy-chain mRNA from nucleus to cytosol.     

Protective effect of Abutilon indicum against lead-induced reproductive toxicity in male Wistar rats

Despite ample literature on the toxic impact of lead on the environment and health, the exact mechanism of pathogenesis/toxicity is not clearly known. Because it is well established that lead induces oxidative stress, it is assumed that exposure to antioxidants may reduce the toxic impact of lead. In this study, we evaluated the impact of coadministration of the methanolic root extract of a plant Abutilon indicum (50, 100, 200 mg kg ⁻¹b.wt.) in mitigating the toxic impact of lead on the reproductive system of rats. In brief, Wistar rats were exposed to lead acetate in drinking water with or without coadministration of plant root extract and compared with that of control animals. After 45 days of exposure as outlined above, the animals were killed and the reproductive toxicity was assessed by sperm parameters, hormone and antioxidant enzyme assays, and testis histopathology. Significant reduction in testis weight, sperm count, testosterone levels, and antioxidant enzymes levels such as Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, and Glutathione peroxidase was seen in lead-treated animals, confirming the toxic impact. The coadministration of A. Indicum (100 and 200 mg kg ⁻¹b.wt.) was found to bring the studied parameters close to the levels seen in untreated (control) animals. Our findings are indicative of the protective nature of A. Indicum against lead-induced reproductive toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. However, further characterization of the root extract is required to elucidate the probable mechanism of protection.     

Is the mechanism of COVID-19 coagulopathy still a rabbit’s hole?

The pathophysiology of COVID-19 is an enigma with its severity often determined by the extent of coagulopathy. Several regulatory pathways targeted by the SARS-CoV-2 include the renin-angiotensin system, von Willebrand Factor, and most importantly, the complement pathway. This article discusses these pathways to help design potential future therapies.     

Dietary influence of selenium on the incidence of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatoma with reference to drug and glutathione metabolizing enzymes

The dietary administration of selenium (sodium selenite; 4 p.p.m.) daily has been found to be highly effective in reducing the incidence of cancer induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) in Wistar strain rats. Selenium treatment either before initiation, during initiation and selection/phenobarbital promotion phases of hepatocarcinogenesis has been found to be effective in elevating hepatic microsomal cytochrome b(5), NADPH-cytochrome C reductase and cytosolic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities to a statistically significant level measured either in the hyperplastic nodule or in the surrounding liver tissues compared to control animals. Moreover, selenium treatment throughout the study, decreases the cytosolic glutathione S-transferase and microsomal UDP-glucuronyl transferase activities by a significant degree when compared to control rats. Alterations in glutathione metabolizing enzyme activities (glutathione reductase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) were also observed in selenium-treated groups. Our results confirm the fact that selenium is particularly protective in limiting the action of DEN during the initiation phase of hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Endophytic fungal communities in woody perennials of three tropical forest types of the Western Ghats,southern India

Fungal endophytes of tropical trees are expected to be exceptionally species rich as a consequence of high tree diversity in the tropics and the purported host restriction among the endophytes. Based on this premise, endophytes have been regarded as a focal group for estimating fungal numbers because their possible hyperdiverse nature would reflect significantly global fungal diversity. We present our consolidated ten-year work on 75 dicotyledonous tree hosts belonging to 33 families and growing in three different types of tropical forests of the NBR in the Western Ghats, southern India. We conclude that endophyte diversity in these forests is limited due to loose host affiliations among endophytes. Some endophytes have a wide host range and colonize taxonomically disparate hosts suggesting adaptations in them to counter a variety of defense chemicals in their hosts. Furthermore, such polyphagous endophytes dominate the endophyte assemblages of different tree hosts. Individual leaves may be densely colonized but only by a few endophyte species. It appears that the environment (the type of forest in this case) has a larger role in determining the endophyte assemblage of a plant host than the taxonomy of the host plant. Thus, different tropical plant communities have to be studied for their endophyte diversity to test the generalization that endophytes are hyperdiverse in the tropics, estimate their true species richness, and use them as a predictor group for more accurate assessment of global fungal diversity.