-
International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024Yamogenin is a steroidal saponin occurring in plant species such as , , , and sp. In this study, we evaluated in vitro cytotoxic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial...
An In Vitro Study on the Cytotoxic, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Properties of Yamogenin-A Plant Steroidal Saponin and Evaluation of Its Mechanism of Action in Gastric Cancer Cells.
Yamogenin is a steroidal saponin occurring in plant species such as , , , and sp. In this study, we evaluated in vitro cytotoxic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of yamogenin. The cytotoxic activity was estimated on human colon cancer HCT116, gastric cancer AGS, squamous carcinoma UM-SCC-6 cells, and human normal fibroblasts with MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The amount of apoptotic and dead AGS cells after treatment with yamogenin was estimated with flow cytometry. Also, in yamogenin-treated AGS cells we investigated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, activity level of caspase-8 and -9, and gene expression at mRNA level with flow cytometry, luminometry, and RT-PCR, respectively. The antioxidant properties of yamogenin were assessed with DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. The antimicrobial potential of the compound was estimated on , , , , , , , , , , and bacteria strains. Yamogenin showed the strongest cytotoxic effect on AGS cells (IC 18.50 ± 1.24 µg/mL) among the tested cell lines. This effect was significantly stronger in combinations of yamogenin with oxaliplatin or capecitabine than for the single compounds. Furthermore, yamogenin induced ROS production, depolarized mitochondrial membrane, and increased the activity level of caspase-8 and -9 in AGS cells. RT-PCR analysis revealed that this sapogenin strongly up-regulated expression at the mRNA level. These results indicate that yamogenin induced cell death via the extrinsic and intrinsic way of apoptosis. Antioxidant study showed that yamogenin had moderate in vitro potential (IC 704.7 ± 5.9 µg/mL in DPPH and 631.09 ± 3.51 µg/mL in ABTS assay) as well as the inhibition of protein denaturation properties (with IC 1421.92 ± 6.06 µg/mL). Antimicrobial test revealed a weak effect of yamogenin on bacteria strains, the strongest one being against (with MIC value of 350 µg/mL). In conclusion, yamogenin may be a potential candidate for the treatment and prevention of gastric cancers.
Topics: Humans; Antioxidants; Saponins; Stomach Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Apoptosis; Reactive Oxygen Species; Anti-Infective Agents; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Plant Extracts; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
PubMed: 38731847
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094627 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Antifreeze peptides have become effective antifreeze agents for frozen products, but their low quantity of active ingredients and high cost limit large-scale...
Antifreeze peptides have become effective antifreeze agents for frozen products, but their low quantity of active ingredients and high cost limit large-scale application. This study used the glycosylation of fish collagen peptides with glucosamine hydrochloride catalyzed by transglutaminase to obtain a transglutaminase-catalyzed glycosylation product (TGP) and investigate its antifreeze effect on tilapia. Compared with the blank group, the freshness (pH value of 6.31, TVB-N value of 21.7 mg/100 g, whiteness of 46.28), textural properties (especially hardness and elasticity), and rheological properties of the TGP groups were significantly improved. In addition, the protein structures of the samples were investigated using UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that the tertiary structure of the TGP groups changed to form a dense polymer. Therefore, this approach can reduce the denaturation and decomposition of muscle fibers and proteins in fish meat more effectively and has a better protective effect on muscle structure and protein aggregation, improving the stability of fish meat. This study reveals an innovative method for generating antifreeze peptides by enzymatic glycosylation, and glycosylated fish collagen peptide products can be used as new and effective green antifreeze agents in frozen foods.
PubMed: 38731690
DOI: 10.3390/foods13091319 -
IScience May 2024In , DNA replication, and asynchronous nuclear divisions precede cytokinesis during intraerythrocytic schizogony. Regulation of nuclear division through the import of...
In , DNA replication, and asynchronous nuclear divisions precede cytokinesis during intraerythrocytic schizogony. Regulation of nuclear division through the import of serum components was largely unknown. At the trophozoite stage, ribosomal protein P2 (PfP2) is exported to the infected erythrocyte (IE) cytosol and the surface as a denaturation-resistant tetramer. The inaccessibility of the IE surface exposed PfP2 to its bona fide ligand led to the arrest of nuclear division. Here, we show that at the onset of schizogony, denaturation-resistant PfP2 tetramer on the IE surface imports fatty acids (FAs). Blockage of import reversibly arrested parasite schizogony. In Met--Met mediated denaturation resistant PfP2 tetramer, the Cys-Cys redox switch regulates the binding and release of FAs based on oxidized/reduced state of disulfide linkages. This mechanistic insight of FAs import through PfP2 tetramer reveals a unique regulation of nuclear division at the onset of schizogony.
PubMed: 38726364
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109760 -
Cureus Apr 2024Background Dental caries stands out as a significant global infectious disease, with oral diseases posing substantial health concerns primarily due to bacterial, fungal,...
Background Dental caries stands out as a significant global infectious disease, with oral diseases posing substantial health concerns primarily due to bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections. demonstrates antimicrobial, anticancer, antiparasitic, and hepatoprotective properties, with applications in various ailments. exhibits potent antimicrobial effects against bacterial and viral pathogens due to the bioactive compounds within the plant. This study aims to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of and formulation against oral pathogens and evaluate its other biomedical potential. Methodology The agar well diffusion method was employed to assess the antimicrobial activity of the formulation containing and against oral pathogens. The protein leakage assay was employed to assess the ability of the prepared formulation to cause protein release from oral pathogens. The other biomedical potentials of the prepared formulation including cytotoxic effects, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties were investigated using in vitro assays. Results The prepared and formulation demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against tested oral pathogens, with inhibition zones observed for (32 mm), (22 mm), and (12 mm). However, no inhibition was observed on at the highest concentration of 100 μL. Additionally, the formulation demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with percentages of 89.22%, 84.4%, and 86.93% in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide (HO), and ferric (Fe)-reducing antioxidant power assays, respectively, at the maximum concentration of 50 μL. Furthermore, the formulation exhibited potential anti-inflammatory activity, as evidenced by 79% inhibition in bovine serum albumin (BSA) denaturation assay and 77% inhibition in egg albumin (EA) denaturation assay at the highest concentration of 50 μL. Additionally, the formulation displayed low cytotoxic effects, even at the highest concentration of 80 μL. Conclusion and formulation demonstrated potential antimicrobial efficacy against oral pathogens and exhibited diverse therapeutic potentials. Thus, the developed formulation could be used as a potential alternative for pharmaceutical drugs against oral pathogens.
PubMed: 38721202
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57824 -
Evidence-based Complementary and... 2024Many different herbal extracts have historically been utilized to treat microbe-induced infections, injuries, cancer, thrombosis, and arthritis. The purpose of this...
Many different herbal extracts have historically been utilized to treat microbe-induced infections, injuries, cancer, thrombosis, and arthritis. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial, cytotoxic, in vitro thrombolytic, and in vitro antiarthritic properties of ethanolic extracts of stem and seed of Bari orchid 1 (BO) plant. This orchid plant was developed by the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) in Gazipur. Fourteen microbes were employed in the antimicrobial investigation, and samples of orchids were compared to ciprofloxacin as a reference. The BO/seed extract was found to possess more antibacterial activity. The lethality test of brine shrimps was used to assess the LC values. The BO/stem extract exhibited a higher cytotoxicity potential, in comparison to the BO/seed extract. Two concentrations (1000 and 100 ppm) and two incubation times (24 hours and 1.5 hours) were used to assess the thrombolytic activity of the extracts. Regarding the thrombolytic effect, the BO/stem extract has demonstrated greater promise. Furthermore, the herbal extract's antiarthritic activity was investigated at four different concentrations, and the results were evaluated in comparison with those of diclofenac sodium. When comparing BO/stem extract to other extracts, the greatest values for protein denaturation were obtained.
PubMed: 38715685
DOI: 10.1155/2024/8148610 -
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B May 2024
PubMed: 38712629
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02624 -
The Journal of Biological Chemistry May 2024Recombinant insulin is a life-saving therapeutic for millions of patients affected by diabetes mellitus. Standard mutagenesis has led to insulin variants with improved...
Recombinant insulin is a life-saving therapeutic for millions of patients affected by diabetes mellitus. Standard mutagenesis has led to insulin variants with improved control of blood glucose; for instance, the fast-acting insulin lispro contains two point mutations that suppress dimer formation and expedite absorption. However, insulins undergo irreversible denaturation, a process accelerated for the insulin monomer. Here we replace ProB29 of insulin lispro with 4R-fluoroproline, 4S-fluoroproline, and 4,4-difluoroproline. All three fluorinated lispro variants reduce blood glucose in diabetic mice, exhibit similar secondary structure as measured by CD, and rapidly dissociate from the zinc- and resorcinol-bound hexamer upon dilution. Notably, however, we find that 4S-fluorination of ProB29 delays the formation of undesired insulin fibrils that can accumulate at the injection site in vivo and can complicate insulin production and storage. These results demonstrate how subtle molecular changes achieved through non-canonical amino acid mutagenesis can improve the stability of protein therapeutics.
PubMed: 38703998
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107332 -
Journal of Oleo Science 2024Protein soils must be removed for both appearance and hygienic reasons. They are denatured by heat treatment or bleaching and cleaned using enzymes. Among the various...
Protein soils must be removed for both appearance and hygienic reasons. They are denatured by heat treatment or bleaching and cleaned using enzymes. Among the various types of protein soils, blood soils are the most noticeable and known to be denatured by heat and bleaching by oxidation. We verified herein that the detergency of heat and oxidatively denatured hemoglobin is greatly improved by the enzyme immersing treatment in the detergency with SDS and can be analyzed using the probability density functional method. The probability density functional method evaluates the cleaning power by assuming that the adhesion and cleaning force of soils are not uniquely determined, but instead have a distribution in intensity, with a usefulness that had recently been demonstrated. This analytical method showed that the cleaning power of the enzyme immersing treatment improved when the soil adhesive force was decreased due to denatured protein degradation, even though the cleaning power of the SDS remained unchanged, and the values were consistent with those in the cleaning test. In conclusion, the probability density functional method can be used to analyze enzymatic degradation of denatured protein soils and the resulting changes in their detergency.
Topics: Protein Denaturation; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; Oxidation-Reduction; Hot Temperature; Hemoglobins; Soil; Probability
PubMed: 38692891
DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess23262 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2024In recent years, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have garnered considerable attention as a promising material for biomedical applications because of their unique optical and...
In recent years, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have garnered considerable attention as a promising material for biomedical applications because of their unique optical and biological properties. In this study, CQDs were derived from the leaves of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. via microwave-assisted technique and characterized using different techniques such as ultraviolet-visible, Fourier transform infrared, fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Subsequently, their potential for biomedical applications was investigated through in vitro assays assessing scratch healing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity properties. It was found that the CQDs were fluorescent, polycrystalline, quasi-spherical, ~ 12 nm in size with presence of -OH and -COOH groups on their negatively charged surfaces, and demonstrated good anti-inflammatory by inhibiting protein denaturation, cyclooxygenase-2 and regulating inflammatory cytokines. The CQDs also exhibited antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus cereus, good biocompatibility, along with excellent promotion of cell proliferation in vitro, indicating their potential as a anti-inflammatory and wound healing material. The properties were more enhanced than their precursor, H. rosa-sinensis leaf extract. Hence, the CQDs synthesized from the leaves of H. rosa-sinensis can serve as a potential biomedical agent.
Topics: Microwaves; Quantum Dots; Hibiscus; Carbon; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Humans; Mice; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Cell Proliferation; Wound Healing; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 38689005
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60726-y -
Current Opinion in Structural Biology Jun 2024Specimen preparation is a critical but challenging step in high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural analysis of macromolecules. In the past... (Review)
Review
Specimen preparation is a critical but challenging step in high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural analysis of macromolecules. In the past decade, graphene has gained much recognition as the supporting substrate to optimize cryo-EM specimen preparation. It improves macromolecule embedding in ice, reduces beam-induced motion, while imposing negligible background noise. Various types of graphene-coated cryo-EM grids were implemented to improve the robustness and efficiency of specimen preparation. Graphene functionalization by different means has been proved specifically useful in addressing challenges related to the air-water interface (AWI), such as preferential orientation and sample denaturation. Graphene sandwich specimen preparation sets a new direction to explore in cryo-EM analysis of biological specimens. In this review, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects of graphene application in cryo-EM analysis of macromolecules.
Topics: Cryoelectron Microscopy; Graphite; Macromolecular Substances; Specimen Handling
PubMed: 38688075
DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102823