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Nutrients Sep 2023Taurine, a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid, has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its potential health benefits. Found in various... (Review)
Review
Taurine, a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid, has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its potential health benefits. Found in various foods and often used in energy drinks and supplements, taurine has been studied extensively to understand its impact on human physiology. Determining its exact functional roles represents a complex and multifaceted topic. We provide an overview of the scientific literature and present an analysis of the effects of taurine on various aspects of human health, focusing on aging and cardiovascular pathophysiology, but also including athletic performance, metabolic regulation, and neurological function. Additionally, our report summarizes the current recommendations for taurine intake and addresses potential safety concerns. Evidence from both human and animal studies indicates that taurine may have beneficial cardiovascular effects, including blood pressure regulation, improved cardiac fitness, and enhanced vascular health. Its mechanisms of action and antioxidant properties make it also an intriguing candidate for potential anti-aging strategies.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Taurine; Heart; Antioxidants; Dietary Supplements; Aging
PubMed: 37836520
DOI: 10.3390/nu15194236 -
ACS Nano Nov 2023Burns are among the most common causes of trauma worldwide. Reducing the healing time of deep burn wounds has always been a major challenge. Traditional dressings not...
Burns are among the most common causes of trauma worldwide. Reducing the healing time of deep burn wounds has always been a major challenge. Traditional dressings not only require a lengthy medical procedure but also cause unbearable pain and secondary damage to patients. In this study, we developed an exudate-absorbing and antimicrobial hydrogel with a curcumin-loaded magnesium polyphenol network (Cur-Mg@PP) to promote burn wound healing. That hydrogel was composed of an ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PLL)/polymer poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) hydrogel (PP) and curcumin-loaded magnesium polyphenol network (Cur-Mg). Because of the strong water absorption property of ε-PLL and γ-PGA, Cur-Mg@PP powder can quickly absorb the wound exudate and transform into a moist and viscous hydrogel, thus releasing payloads such as magnesium ion (Mg) and curcumin (Cur). The released Mg and Cur demonstrated good therapeutic efficacy on analgesic, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Our findings provide a strategy for accelerating burn wound healing.
Topics: Humans; Curcumin; Hydrogels; Magnesium; Wound Healing; Anti-Infective Agents; Burns
PubMed: 37930078
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04556 -
Accounts of Chemical Research Dec 2023Every year, perhaps as much as 800 million tons of hydrocarbons enters the environment; alkanes make up a large percentage of it. Most are transformed by organisms that... (Review)
Review
Every year, perhaps as much as 800 million tons of hydrocarbons enters the environment; alkanes make up a large percentage of it. Most are transformed by organisms that utilize these molecules as sources of energy and carbon. Both aerobic and anaerobic alkane transformation chemistries exist, capitalizing on the presence of alkanes in both oxic and anoxic environments. Over the past 40 years, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the structure and mechanism of enzymes that catalyze the transformation of methane. By contrast, progress involving enzymes that transform liquid alkanes has been slower with the first structures of AlkB, the predominant aerobic alkane hydroxylase in the environment, appearing in 2023. Because of the fundamental importance of C-H bond activation chemistries, interest in understanding how biology activates and transforms alkanes is high.In this Account, we focus on steps we have taken to understand the mechanism and structure of alkane monooxygenase (AlkB), the metalloenzyme that dominates the transformation of liquid alkanes in the environment (not to be confused with another AlkB that is an α-ketogluturate-dependent enzyme involved in DNA repair). First, we briefly describe what is known about the prevalence of AlkB in the environment and its role in the carbon cycle. Then we review the key findings from our recent high-resolution cryoEM structure of AlkB and highlight important similarities and differences in the structures of members of class III diiron enzymes. Functional studies, which we summarize, from a number of single residue variants enable us to say a great deal about how the structure of AlkB facilitates its function. Next, we overview work from our laboratories using mechanistically diagnostic radical clock substrates to characterize the mechanism of AlkB and contextualize the results we have obtained on AlkB with results we have obtained on other alkane-oxidizing enzymes and explain these results in light of the enzyme's structure. Finally, we integrate recent work in our laboratories with information from prior studies of AlkB, and relevant model systems, to create a holistic picture of the enzyme. We end by pointing to critical questions that still need to be answered, questions about the electronic structure of the active site of the enzyme throughout the reaction cycle and about whether and to what extent the enzyme plays functional roles in biology beyond simply initiating the degradation of alkanes.
Topics: Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A; Alkanes; Hydrocarbons
PubMed: 38032826
DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00590 -
Journal of Drug Targeting Aug 2023Diabetes is predicted to affect 700 million people by the year 2045. Despite the potential benefits for diabetics, curcumin's low bioavailability significantly reduces... (Review)
Review
Diabetes is predicted to affect 700 million people by the year 2045. Despite the potential benefits for diabetics, curcumin's low bioavailability significantly reduces its utility. However, newer formulation methods of decreasing particle size, such as through nanotechnological advances, may improve curcumin's bioavailability and cell-absorption properties. Various curcumin nanoformulations such as nanofibers, nanoparticles-like nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), Solid Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (S-SNEDDS) and nanohydrogels have been evaluated. These studies reported increased bioavailability of nanoformulated curcumin compared to free curcumin. Here, we provide a detailed review of the antidiabetic effects of nanocurcumin compounds and subsequent effects on diabetic complications. Overall, various nanocurcumin formulations highly increase curcumin water-solubility and bioavailability and these safe formulations can positively affect managing some diabetes-related manifestations and complications. Moreover, nanocurcumin efficacy in various diabetes complications is discussed. These complications included inflammation, neuropathy, depression, anxiety, keratopathy, cataract, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction (MI), nephropathy, erectile dysfunction and diabetic wound. Moreover, several nanocurcumin formulations improved wound healing in the diabetic. However, few studies have been performed in humans, and most results have been reported from cellular and animal studies. Therefore, more human studies are needed to prove the antidiabetic effects of nanocurcumin.
Topics: Male; Animals; Humans; Curcumin; Drug Delivery Systems; Nanoparticles; Diabetes Mellitus; Hypoglycemic Agents; Biological Availability; Particle Size
PubMed: 37354074
DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2023.2229961 -
Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine... Jul 2023Turmeric has long been used not only as an indispensable part of Asian cuisine but as a medicinal herb for dressing wounds, bites, burns, treating eye infections and... (Review)
Review
Turmeric has long been used not only as an indispensable part of Asian cuisine but as a medicinal herb for dressing wounds, bites, burns, treating eye infections and acne. Curcuminoids are the active substances and their synthetic derivatives (i.e. diacetylcurcumin (DAC) and metal-curcumin complexes) possess an incredibly wide range of medicinal properties that encompass chelation capacity for multiple heavy metals, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory properties, cytotoxicity against cancerous cells, antiviral and antibacterial effects, antihypertensive and insulin sensitizing role, and regulatory role on apoptosis. The aforementioned properties have put curcumin on spotlight as a potential treatment for ailments such as, hepatic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, auto-immune diseases, malignancies and conditions associated with metal overload. Copper is essential for major biological functions, however, an excess causes chronic ailments including neurodegenerative disorders. The fascinating approach of curcumin could alleviate such effect by forming a complex. Thus, this review aims to present available data on the effect of copper-curcumin interaction in various in vitro, ex-vivo in vivo, and clinical studies.
Topics: Copper; Curcumin; Diarylheptanoids; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antihypertensive Agents; Coordination Complexes
PubMed: 36989586
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127153 -
Cancer Letters Aug 2023Cancer poses a significant global health burden, necessitating the widespread use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as conventional frontline interventions. Although... (Review)
Review
Cancer poses a significant global health burden, necessitating the widespread use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as conventional frontline interventions. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown remarkable advancements, the challenges of resistance development and severe side effects persist in cancer treatment. Consequently, researchers have actively sought more effective alternatives with improved safety profiles. In recent years, curcumin, a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin, has garnered considerable attention due to its broad spectrum of biological effects. This concise review provides valuable insights into the role of curcumin in cancer therapy, with a focus on elucidating its molecular mechanisms in inducing programmed cell death of tumor cells and suppressing tumor cell metastasis potential. Additionally, we discuss the challenges associated with the clinical application of curcumin and explore current endeavors aimed at overcoming these limitations. By shedding light on the promising potential of curcumin, this review contributes to the advancement of cancer treatment strategies.
Topics: Humans; Curcumin; Neoplasms; Apoptosis; Immunotherapy
PubMed: 37541540
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216332 -
Topics in Current Chemistry (Cham) Jan 2024Amination reactions play a pivotal role in synthetic organic chemistry, facilitating the generation of nitrogen-containing scaffolds with broad applications in drug... (Review)
Review
Amination reactions play a pivotal role in synthetic organic chemistry, facilitating the generation of nitrogen-containing scaffolds with broad applications in drug synthesis, material production, polymer formation, and the generation of amino acids and peptides. Amination offers the potential to fine tune the properties of natural products and produce functional materials for various applications. Palladium N-heterocyclic carbene (Pd-NHC) emerges as an innovative and highly effective catalyst in this context. Under favorable reaction conditions, this robust and simple catalyst efficiently facilitates the synthesis of a diverse range of compounds with varying complexity and utility. Pd-NHC complexes exhibit significant σ-electron donating potential, enhancing the ease of the oxidative addition process in their mechanistic pathway. Their steric topography further contributes to a rapid reductive elimination. These complexes demonstrate remarkable stability, a result of the strong Pd-ligand bond. The wide variety of Pd-NHC complexes has proven highly efficient in catalyzing reactions across a spectrum of complexities, from simple to intricate. The domain of aminations catalyzed by Pd-NHC has undergone significant diversification, presenting new opportunities, particularly in the realms of material chemistry and natural product synthesis. This review outlines the advancements in Pd-NHC-catalyzed amination reactions, covering literature up to date.
Topics: Amination; Palladium; Methane; Amino Acids; Biological Products
PubMed: 38265533
DOI: 10.1007/s41061-024-00449-w -
Current Opinion in Microbiology Jun 2024This review synthesizes recent discoveries of novel archaea clades capable of oxidizing higher alkanes, from volatile ones like ethane to longer-chain alkanes like... (Review)
Review
This review synthesizes recent discoveries of novel archaea clades capable of oxidizing higher alkanes, from volatile ones like ethane to longer-chain alkanes like hexadecane. These archaea, termed anaerobic multicarbon alkane-oxidizing archaea (ANKA), initiate alkane oxidation using alkyl-coenzyme M reductases, enzymes similar to the methyl-coenzyme M reductases of methanogenic and anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME). The polyphyletic alkane-oxidizing archaea group (ALOX), encompassing ANME and ANKA, harbors increasingly complex alkane degradation pathways, correlated with the alkane chain length. We discuss the evolutionary trajectory of these pathways emphasizing metabolic innovations and the acquisition of metabolic modules via lateral gene transfer. Additionally, we explore the mechanisms by which archaea couple alkane oxidation with the reduction of electron acceptors, including electron transfer to partner sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The phylogenetic and functional constraints that shape ALOX-SRB associations are also discussed. We conclude by highlighting the research needs in this emerging research field and its potential applications in biotechnology.
Topics: Alkanes; Archaea; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidoreductases; Phylogeny; Electron Transport; Archaeal Proteins; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Bacteria
PubMed: 38733792
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102486 -
Environmental Research Oct 2023Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment and in the serum of the U.S.
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment and in the serum of the U.S.
POPULATION
We sought to evaluate the association of PFAS independently and jointly with alcohol intake on liver function biomarkers in a sample of the U.S. general population.
METHODS
Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2016; N = 11,794), we examined the five most historically prevalent PFAS with >75% detection rates. We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between PFAS (quartiles and log-transformed continuous, ng/mL) and high levels (>95th percentile) of liver injury biomarkers using logistic regression models adjusted for key confounders. We evaluated interactions between PFAS and alcohol consumption and sex via stratified analyses and conducted sub-analyses adjusting for daily alcohol intake among those with available drinking history (N = 10,316).
RESULT
Serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was positively associated with high levels of alanine transferase (ALT) without monotonic trend (OR = 1.45, CI: 0.99-2.12; p-trend = 0.18), and with increased aspartate transaminase when modeled continuously (OR = 1.15, CI: 1.02-1.30; p-trend = 0.03). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were both inversely associated with alkaline phosphatase while a trend was evident only for PFHxS (p = 0.02). A non-monotonic inverse association was observed with PFOA (p-trend = 0.10). The highest quartile of PFOS was associated with high total bilirubin (TB; OR = 1.57, CI: 1.01-2.43, p-trend = 0.02). No significant associations were found between any PFAS and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. We found no associations for perfluorodecanoic acid and perfluorononanoic acid. We observed some suggestive interactions with alcohol intake, particularly among heavy drinkers.
CONCLUSION
Consistent with other studies, serum levels of PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA were positively associated with high levels of ALT, and we also observed weak positive associations between some PFAS and TB. Associations observed among heavy drinkers warrant additional evaluation.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Environmental Pollutants; Nutrition Surveys; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Fluorocarbons; Alkanesulfonates; Liver; Biomarkers; Alcohol Drinking
PubMed: 37451576
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116651 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024Curcumin is a polyphenolic molecule derived from the rhizoma of L. This compound has been used for centuries due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and... (Review)
Review
Curcumin is a polyphenolic molecule derived from the rhizoma of L. This compound has been used for centuries due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. These make it ideal for preventing and treating skin inflammation, premature skin ageing, psoriasis, and acne. Additionally, it exhibits antiviral, antimutagenic, and antifungal effects. Curcumin provides protection against skin damage caused by prolonged exposure to UVB radiation. It reduces wound healing times and improves collagen deposition. Moreover, it increases fibroblast and vascular density in wounds. This review summarizes the available information on the therapeutic effect of curcumin in treating skin diseases. The results suggest that curcumin may be an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and effective agent for treating skin diseases. However, larger clinical trials are needed to confirm these observations due to limitations in its in vivo use, such as low bioavailability after oral administration and metabolism.
Topics: Humans; Curcumin; Skin Diseases; Dermatitis; Psoriasis; Skin; Aging, Premature
PubMed: 38612433
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073617