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Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2024The genus Flavivirus comprises approximately 80 different viruses. Phylogenetic relationships among its members indicate a clear ecological separation between those...
The genus Flavivirus comprises approximately 80 different viruses. Phylogenetic relationships among its members indicate a clear ecological separation between those viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, with no known vector, and insect-specific Flaviviruses. The diversity and phylogenetic relationships among insect-specific flaviviruses circulating in the central and northern regions of Argentina were studied by performing molecular detection and characterization of the NS5 protein gene in mosquitoes collected in Córdoba, Chaco and Tucumán provinces. Overall, 68 out of 1776 pools were positive. CxFV, KRV and CFAV circulate in the 3 studied provinces. Several mosquito species (Aedes aegypti, Culex bidens, Cx. dolosus, Cx. interfor, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. saltanensis, Haemagogus spegazzini) were found infected. A wide circulation of CxFV was observed in the central-northern region of Argentina. CxFV strains detected in our study clustered with strains circulating in Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces (Argentina), and other countries such as Indonesia, Mexico, Uganda and Taiwan. The presence of these viruses in mosquitoes could play an important role from the public health perspective, because it has been shown that previous CxFV infection can increase or block the infection of the mosquito by other pathogenic flaviviruses.
Topics: Animals; Argentina; Flavivirus; Culicidae; Phylogeny; Mosquito Vectors
PubMed: 38922274
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420230452 -
Toxins May 2024Cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly those undergoing dialysis. The mechanisms behind this may be... (Review)
Review
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly those undergoing dialysis. The mechanisms behind this may be related to traditional risk factors and CKD-specific factors that accelerate atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in CKD patients. The accumulation of uremic toxins is a significant factor in CKD-related systemic disorders. Basic research suggests that indoxyl sulfate (IS), a small protein-bound uremic toxin, is associated with macrophage dysfunctions, including increased oxidative stress, exacerbation of chronic inflammation, and abnormalities in lipid metabolism. Strategies to mitigate the toxicity of IS include optimizing gut microbiota, intervening against the abnormality of intracellular signal transduction, and using blood purification therapy with higher efficiency. Further research is needed to examine whether lowering protein-bound uremic toxins through intervention leads to a reduction in CVD in patients with CKD.
Topics: Indican; Humans; Atherosclerosis; Macrophages; Animals; Uremia; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Uremic Toxins; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 38922148
DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060254 -
Toxins May 2024Ricin and abrin are highly potent plant-derived toxins, categorized as type II ribosome-inactivating proteins. High toxicity, accessibility, and the lack of effective...
Ricin and abrin are highly potent plant-derived toxins, categorized as type II ribosome-inactivating proteins. High toxicity, accessibility, and the lack of effective countermeasures make them potential agents in bioterrorism and biowarfare, posing significant threats to public safety. Despite the existence of many effective analytical strategies for detecting these two lethal toxins, current methods are often hindered by limitations such as insufficient sensitivity, complex sample preparation, and most importantly, the inability to distinguish between biologically active and inactive toxin. In this study, a cytotoxicity assay was developed to detect active ricin and abrin based on their potent cell-killing capability. Among nine human cell lines derived from various organs, HeLa cells exhibited exceptional sensitivity, with limits of detection reaching 0.3 ng/mL and 0.03 ng/mL for ricin and abrin, respectively. Subsequently, toxin-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies MIL50 and 10D8 were used to facilitate the precise identification and differentiation of ricin and abrin. The method provides straightforward and sensitive detection in complex matrices including milk, plasma, coffee, orange juice, and tea via a simple serial-dilution procedure without any complex purification and enrichment steps. Furthermore, this assay was successfully applied in the unambiguous identification of active ricin and abrin in samples from OPCW biotoxin exercises.
Topics: Ricin; Abrin; Humans; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Animals
PubMed: 38922132
DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060237 -
Marine Drugs Jun 2024is one of the most economically significant and widely cultured and consumed algae in the world. species present excellent nutraceutic properties due to their...
is one of the most economically significant and widely cultured and consumed algae in the world. species present excellent nutraceutic properties due to their bioactive compounds (BACs). This research aimed to find the most efficient aqueous extraction method for BACs by examining alkaline and enzymatic hydrolysis. Alkaline hydrolysis with 2.5% sodium carbonate (SC) and at 80 °C proved optimal for extracting all BACs (phycobiliproteins, soluble proteins, polyphenols, and carbohydrates) except mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which were best extracted with water only, and at 80 °C. Enzymatic hydrolysis, particularly with the 'Miura' enzymatic cocktail (cellulase, xylanase, glycoside hydrolase, and β-glucanase), showed superior results in extracting phycoerythrin (PE), phycocyanin (PC), soluble proteins, and carbohydrates, with increases of approximately 195%, 510%, 890%, and 65%, respectively, compared to the best alkaline hydrolysis extraction (2.5% SC and 80 °C). Phenolic content analysis showed no significant difference between the 'Miura' cocktail and 2.5% SC treatments. Antioxidant activity was higher in samples from alkaline hydrolysis, while extraction of MAAs showed no significant difference between water-only and 'Miura' treatments. The study concludes that enzymatic hydrolysis improves the efficiency of BACs extraction in , highlighting its potential for the nutraceutical industry, and especially with respect to MAAs for topical and oral UV-photoprotectors.
Topics: Porphyra; Hydrolysis; Dietary Supplements; Antioxidants; Carbonates; Phenols; Carbohydrates
PubMed: 38921595
DOI: 10.3390/md22060284 -
Marine Drugs Jun 2024Overwhelming evidence points to an aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling as a critical factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cervical cancer (CC) pathogenesis....
Overwhelming evidence points to an aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling as a critical factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cervical cancer (CC) pathogenesis. Dicerandrol C (DD-9), a dimeric tetrahydroxanthenone isolated from the endophytic fungus DHS-48 obtained from mangrove plant via chemical epigenetic manipulation of the culture, has demonstrated effective anti-tumor properties, with an obscure action mechanism. The objective of the current study was to explore the efficacy of DD-9 on HepG2 and HeLa cancer cells and its functional mechanism amid the Wnt/β catenin signaling cascade. Isolation of DD-9 was carried out using various column chromatographic methods, and its structure was elucidated with 1D NMR. The cytotoxicity of DD-9 on HepG2 and HeLa cells was observed with respect to the proliferation, clonality, migration, invasion, apoptosis, cell cycle, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. We found that DD-9 treatment significantly reduced tumor cell proliferation in dose- and time-dependent manners in HepG2 and HeLa cells. The subsequent experiments in vitro implied that DD-63 could significantly suppress the tumor clonality, metastases, and induced apoptosis, and that it arrested the cell cycle at the G/G phase of HepG2 and HeLa cells. Dual luciferase assay, Western blot, and immunofluorescence assay showed that DD-9 could dose-dependently attenuate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling by inhibiting β-catenin transcriptional activity and abrogating β-catenin translocated to the nucleus; down-regulating the transcription level of β-catenin-stimulated Wnt target gene and the expression of related proteins including -GSK3-β, β-catenin, LEF1, Axin1, -Myc, and CyclinD1; and up-regulating GSK3-β expression, which indicates that DD-9 stabilized the β-catenin degradation complex, thereby inducing β-catenin degradation and inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The possible interaction between DD-9 and β-catenin and GSK3-β protein was further confirmed by molecular docking studies. Collectively, DD-9 may suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis of liver and cervical cancer cells, possibly at least in part via GSK3-β-mediated crosstalk with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, providing insights into the mechanism for the potency of DD-9 on hepatocellular and cervical cancer.
Topics: Humans; HeLa Cells; Apoptosis; Wnt Signaling Pathway; Cell Proliferation; Hep G2 Cells; beta Catenin; Antineoplastic Agents; Liver Neoplasms; Xanthones; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Movement; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
PubMed: 38921589
DOI: 10.3390/md22060278 -
Marine Drugs Jun 2024A novel fibrinolytic enzyme, BSFE1, was isolated from the marine bacterium sp. S-3685 (GenBank No.: KJ023685) found in the South China Sea. This enzyme, with a...
A novel fibrinolytic enzyme, BSFE1, was isolated from the marine bacterium sp. S-3685 (GenBank No.: KJ023685) found in the South China Sea. This enzyme, with a molecular weight of approximately 42 kDa and a specific activity of 736.4 U/mg, exhibited its highest activity at 37 °C in a phosphate buffer at pH 8.0. The fibrinolytic enzyme remained stable over a pH range of 7.5 to 10.0 and retained about 76% of its activity after being incubated at 37 °C for 2 h. The K and V values of the enzyme at 37 °C were determined to be 2.1 μM and 49.0 μmol min mg, respectively. The fibrinolytic activity of BSFE1 was enhanced by Na, Ba, K, Co, Mn, Al, and Cu, while it was inhibited by Fe, Ca, Mg, Zn, and Fe. These findings indicate that the fibrinolytic enzyme isolated in this study exhibits a strong affinity for fibrin. Moreover, the enzyme we have purified demonstrates thrombolytic enzymatic activity. These characteristics make BSFE1 a promising candidate for thrombolytic therapy. In conclusion, the results obtained from this study suggest that our work holds potential in the development of agents for thrombolytic treatment.
Topics: Bacillus; Fibrinolytic Agents; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; China; Molecular Weight; Temperature; Fibrin; Oceans and Seas; Aquatic Organisms
PubMed: 38921578
DOI: 10.3390/md22060267 -
Marine Drugs Jun 2024Three new cyclic lipopeptides, olenamidonins A-C (-), in addition to two previously reported metabolites ( and ), were accumulated in the Δ deletion mutant of...
Three new cyclic lipopeptides, olenamidonins A-C (-), in addition to two previously reported metabolites ( and ), were accumulated in the Δ deletion mutant of deepsea-derived SCSIO 1071. The structures of these cyclic lipopeptides were determined by a combination of spectroscopic methods and circular dichroism (CD) measurement. The antibacterial assay results showed that compounds displayed different degrees of growth inhibition against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains CCARM 5172 and CCARM 5203 with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1.56-6.25 μg/mL.
Topics: Streptomyces; Lipopeptides; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Enterococcus faecalis; Peptides, Cyclic; Enterococcus faecium; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Bacterial Proteins
PubMed: 38921573
DOI: 10.3390/md22060262 -
Marine Drugs May 2024Recently, there has been a growing interest in collagen peptides derived from marine sources for their notable ability to protect skin cells against apoptosis induced by...
Recently, there has been a growing interest in collagen peptides derived from marine sources for their notable ability to protect skin cells against apoptosis induced by oxidants. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the fundamental properties of collagen peptides, including their physicochemical, thermal, structural, stem-cell-regenerative, and skin-cell-protective effects, in comparison to commercial collagen peptides. The acid-soluble (ASC) and pepsin-soluble (PSC) collagens exhibited three distinct bands on SDS-PAGE, namely α (α and α), β, and γ chains, confirming a type I pattern. The thermal profiles obtained from TG and DSC analyses confirmed the denaturation of PSC and ASC at temperatures ranging from 51.94 to 56.4 °C and from 52.07 to 56.53 °C, respectively. The purified collagen peptides were analyzed using SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, revealing a mass range of 900-15,000 Da. Furthermore, the de novo peptide sequence analysis confirmed the presence of the Gly-X-Y repeating sequence in collagen peptides. Collagen peptide treatments significantly enhanced HFF-1 cell proliferation and migration compared to the control group. ELISA results confirmed the potential interactions between collagen peptides and HFF-1 cells through αβ, αβ, and αβ integrin receptors. Notably, collagen peptide treatment effectively restored the proliferation of HFF-1 cells damaged by HO. Consequently, the advantageous characteristics of squid skin collagen peptides highlight their promising role in regenerative medicine.
Topics: Animals; Hydrogen Peroxide; Collagen; Fibroblasts; Decapodiformes; Skin; Humans; Peptides; Cell Proliferation; Stem Cells; Cell Line; Protective Agents; Cell Movement
PubMed: 38921566
DOI: 10.3390/md22060255 -
Marine Drugs May 2024Considering the lack of antiviral drugs worldwide, we investigated the antiviral potential of fucoxanthin, an edible carotenoid purified from , against zika virus (ZIKV)...
Considering the lack of antiviral drugs worldwide, we investigated the antiviral potential of fucoxanthin, an edible carotenoid purified from , against zika virus (ZIKV) infection. The antiviral activity of fucoxanthin was assessed in ZIKV-infected Vero E6 cells, and the relevant structural characteristics were confirmed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Fucoxanthin decreased the infectious viral particles and nonstructural protein (NS)1 mRNA expression levels at concentrations of 12.5, 25, and 50 µM in ZIKV-infected cells. Fucoxanthin also decreased the increased mRNA levels of interferon-induced proteins with tetratricopeptide repeat 1 and 2 in ZIKV-infected cells. Molecular docking simulations revealed that fucoxanthin binds to three main ZIKV proteins, including the envelope protein, NS3, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), with binding energies of -151.449, -303.478, and -290.919 kcal/mol, respectively. The complex of fucoxanthin with RdRp was more stable than RdRp protein alone based on MD simulation. Further, fucoxanthin bonded to the three proteins via repeated formation and disappearance of hydrogen bonds. Overall, fucoxanthin exerts antiviral potential against ZIKV by affecting its three main proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, fucoxanthin isolated from is a potential candidate for treating zika virus infections.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Zika Virus; Animals; Molecular Docking Simulation; Sargassum; Chlorocebus aethiops; Xanthophylls; Vero Cells; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 38921558
DOI: 10.3390/md22060247 -
Marine Drugs May 2024Cyanobacterial phycocyanin pigment is widely utilized for its properties in various industries, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Despite its potential,... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Cyanobacterial phycocyanin pigment is widely utilized for its properties in various industries, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Despite its potential, challenges exist, such as extraction methods impacting yield, stability, and purity. This study investigates the impact of the number of freeze-thaw (FT) cycles on the extraction of phycocyanin from the wet biomass of four cyanobacteria species (, , sp., and sp.), along with the impact of five extraction solutions (Tris-HCl buffer, phosphate buffer, CaCl, deionized water, and tap water) at various pH values. sp. exhibited the highest phycocyanin content among the studied species. For , Tris-HCl buffer yielded maximum phycocyanin concentration from the first FT cycle, while phosphate buffer provided satisfactory results from the second cycle. Similarly, Tris-HCl buffer showed promising results for (68.5% of the maximum from the first cycle), with the highest concentration (~12% /) achieved during the seventh cycle, using phosphate buffer. sp. yielded the maximum pigment concentration from the first cycle using tap water. Among species-specific optimal extraction solutions, Tris-HCl buffer demonstrated sufficient extraction efficacy for all species, from the first cycle. This study represents an initial step toward establishing a universal extraction method for phycocyanin from diverse cyanobacteria species.
Topics: Phycocyanin; Cyanobacteria; Biomass; Solvents; Freezing; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
PubMed: 38921557
DOI: 10.3390/md22060246