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AoB PLANTS Jul 2023Fatty acids (FAs) stored as triacylglycerols (TAGs) are an important source of carbon and energy for germination and seedling development, particularly for plants with...
Fatty acids (FAs) stored as triacylglycerols (TAGs) are an important source of carbon and energy for germination and seedling development, particularly for plants with small wind-dispersed seeds, allowing greater efficiency in storing both energy and carbon. These plants should be under strong selection to produce seeds rich in FAs and with large amounts of saturated FAs. Their closely packed single-chain configuration allows greater packing, more carbon and energy per unit mass, and are less costly to produce. Efficient carbon storage would be less crucial for zoochorous species, which can reach much larger seed sizes (mass). We analysed the transesterified FA profile from seeds of 22 anemochorous and zoochorous tree species from the Cerrado savannas of Central Brazil. We tested if seed FA content covaried with seed mass and if anemochorous and zoochorous seeds differed in FA contents and distribution. Fatty acids were an important seed source of carbon and energy for most species. Fifteen different FAs were identified. Oleic, linoleic and linolenic tended to be the predominant unsaturated FAs. Oleic acid corresponded to more than 60 % of the total transesterified FAs in seeds of and . Linoleic acid corresponded to more than 50 % of total FA in and while linolenic acid was the dominant component in . Across species, palmitic and stearic were the dominant saturated FAs. The only exception was lauric acid (68 % of total FA) in seeds of . On a log scale, as the seed increased in mass, accumulation of FAs tends to proceed at a faster rate in anemochorous species than in zoochorous species. They also became increasingly richer in saturated FAs. Zoochorous species had seed TAGs with higher proportion of polyunsaturated FAs.
PubMed: 37600502
DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad042 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2021Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) feature distinct magnetic properties that make them useful and effective tools for various diagnostic, therapeutic...
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) feature distinct magnetic properties that make them useful and effective tools for various diagnostic, therapeutic and theranostic applications. In particular, their use in magnetic drug targeting (MDT) promises to be an effective approach for the treatment of various diseases such as cancer. At the cellular level, SPION uptake, along with SPION-mediated toxicity, represents the most important prerequisite for successful application. Thus, the present study determines SPION uptake, toxicity and biocompatibility in human head and neck tumor cell lines of the tongue, pharynx and salivary gland. Using magnetic susceptibility measurements, microscopy, atomic emission spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and plasma coagulation, we analyzed the magnetic properties, cellular uptake and biocompatibility of two different SPION types in the presence and absence of external magnetic fields. Incubation of cells with lauric acid and human serum albumin-coated nanoparticles (SPION) resulted in substantial particle uptake with low cytotoxicity. In contrast, uptake of lauric acid-coated nanoparticles (SPION) was substantially increased but accompanied by higher toxicity. The presence of an external magnetic field significantly increased cellular uptake of both particles, although cytotoxicity was not significantly increased in any of the cell lines. SPIONs coated with lauric acid and/or human serum albumin show different patterns of uptake and toxicity in response to an external magnetic field. Consequently, the results indicate the potential use of SPIONs as vehicles for MDT in head and neck cancer.
PubMed: 33805818
DOI: 10.3390/nano11030726 -
Food Science and Biotechnology Apr 2018It has been proposed that the hydrophilic and/or lipophilic characteristics of fatty acid derivatives affect their antibacterial activities according to their ability to...
It has been proposed that the hydrophilic and/or lipophilic characteristics of fatty acid derivatives affect their antibacterial activities according to their ability to incorporate into the bacterial cell membrane. To verify this hypothesis, six kinds of lauric acid derivatives esterified with different non-fatty acid moieties were selected to confirm whether antibacterial activity from their precursor (i.e., lauric acid) is retained or lost. Three compounds, monolaurin, sucrose laurate, and erythorbyl laurate, exerted bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against Gram-positive bacteria, while the others showed no inhibitory activity. Interestingly, the calculated log (octanol-water partition coefficient) values of monolaurin, sucrose laurate, and erythorbyl laurate were - 4.122, - 0.686, and 3.670, respectively, relatively lower than those of the other compounds without antibacterial activity. Moreover, the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values of the three compounds with antibacterial activity were higher than those of the other compounds, corresponding to the log result.
PubMed: 30263763
DOI: 10.1007/s10068-018-0353-x -
Cureus Aug 2023To investigate the cytocompatibility effect and wound healing activity of chitosan thiocolchicoside lauric acid (CTL) nanogel using human gingival fibroblast (hGF) cells.
AIM
To investigate the cytocompatibility effect and wound healing activity of chitosan thiocolchicoside lauric acid (CTL) nanogel using human gingival fibroblast (hGF) cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
hGF cells were established from gingival tissue as per the standard cell isolation protocol. The cytocompatibility effect was assessed using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. A scratch wound healing assay was performed to assess the wound-healing potential of CTL nanogel. For the nuclear morphological changes analysis, acridine orange staining was used in gingival fibroblast cells. The stained nuclei were viewed under a fluorescent microscope. ANOVA with posthoc analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5 software (Dotmatics, Boston, Massachusetts). The significance level (p-value) was expressed as <0.05. Results: CTL nanogel did not show any significant cytotoxicity at concentrations 10-80 µl/ml (p<0.05). CTL nanogel at a concentration of 40µl/ml has a cytocompatibility effect on hGF cells and increases cell viability. In vitro scratch wound healing assay resulted in faster wound healing and cell migration with CTL nanogel when compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION
CTL nanogel has a significant effect on cell proliferation at various concentrations, which suggests its use as a safe and effective drug delivery system.
PubMed: 37727182
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43727 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Feb 2019Leishmaniasis, as a major health problem in tropical and sub-tropical areas in the world, needs novel, safe, nontoxic and plausible therapeutic solutions for its...
Leishmaniasis, as a major health problem in tropical and sub-tropical areas in the world, needs novel, safe, nontoxic and plausible therapeutic solutions for its control. As a part of innate immune system, natural antimicrobial peptides have a potential to be used as new generation of antibiotics especially after persistent resistance of conventional antimicrobial agents. Brevinin 2R, a member of Defensin families of host defense peptides, showed promising effects against bacterial and fungal infections as well as cancerous cell lines. In the current research, the anti-leishmanial effect of Brevinin 2R and its lauric acid conjugate was investigated against Leishmania major (L. major) parasite. The data revealed that, conjugation of fatty acid to Brevinin 2R, strengthen its effect on L. major promastigotes as well as toxicity and hemolytic effect. These peptides showed anitleishmanial activity through cell membrane disruption and changes in the electrical and mitochondrial membrane potential. No signs of apoptosis induction or caspase activation were detected. Despite its hemolytic and cytotoxic effect in in vitro conditions, lauric acid- Brevinin 2R (L- Brevinin 2R) did not show site specific adverse reactions in animal model. Treatment course with L- Brevinin 2R in the L. major infected mice exhibited decreased parasite load in the lymph nodes adjacent to the infected site despite cytokine production profile and footpad swelling data.
Topics: Amphibian Proteins; Animals; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Cell Membrane; Disease Models, Animal; Lauric Acids; Leishmania major; Leishmaniasis; Lymph Nodes; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Parasite Load; Skin
PubMed: 30811391
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007217 -
The American Journal of Clinical... May 2019The fatty acid, lauric acid ('C12'), and the amino acid, L-tryptophan ('Trp'), modulate gastrointestinal functions including gut hormones and pyloric pressures, which... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
The fatty acid, lauric acid ('C12'), and the amino acid, L-tryptophan ('Trp'), modulate gastrointestinal functions including gut hormones and pyloric pressures, which are important for the regulation of energy intake, and both potently suppress energy intake.
OBJECTIVE
We hypothesized that the intraduodenal administration of C12 and Trp, at loads that do not affect energy intake individually, when combined will reduce energy intake, which is associated with greater modulation of gut hormones and pyloric pressures.
DESIGN
Sixteen healthy, lean males (age: 24 ± 1.5 y) received 90-min intraduodenal infusions of saline (control), C12 (0.3 kcal/min), Trp (0.1 kcal/min), or C12 + Trp (0.4 kcal/min), in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study. Antropyloroduodenal pressures were measured continuously, and plasma cholecystokinin (CCK), ghrelin, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations, appetite perceptions, and gastrointestinal symptoms at 15-min intervals. Immediately after the infusions, energy intake from a standardized buffet meal was quantified.
RESULTS
C12 + Trp markedly reduced energy intake (kcal; control: 1,232 ± 72, C12: 1,180 ± 82, Trp: 1,269 ± 73, C12 + Trp: 1,056 ± 106), stimulated plasma CCK (AUC(area under the curve)0-90 min, pmol/L*min; control: 21 ± 8; C12: 129 ± 15; Trp: 97 ± 16; C12 + Trp: 229 ± 22) and GLP-1 (AUC0-90 min, pmol/L*min; control: 102 ± 41; C12: 522 ± 102; Trp: 198 ± 63; C12 + Trp: 545 ± 138), and suppressed ghrelin (AUC0-90 min, pg/mL*min; control: -3,433 ± 2,647; C12: -11,825 ± 3,521; Trp: -8,417 ± 3,734; C12 + Trp: -18,188 ± 4,165) concentrations, but did not stimulate tonic, or phasic, pyloric pressures, compared with the control (all P < 0.05), or have adverse effects. C12 and Trp each stimulated CCK (P < 0.05), but to a lesser degree than C12 + Trp, and did not suppress energy intake or ghrelin. C12, but not Trp, stimulated GLP-1 (P < 0.05) and phasic pyloric pressures (P < 0.05), compared with the control.
CONCLUSION
The combined intraduodenal administration of C12 and Trp, at loads that individually do not affect energy intake, substantially reduces energy intake, which is associated with a marked stimulation of CCK and suppression of ghrelin. The study was registered as a clinical trial at the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (www.anzctr.org.au,) as 12613000899741.
Topics: Adult; Appetite; Cholecystokinin; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Duodenum; Eating; Energy Intake; Gastrointestinal Hormones; Ghrelin; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Humans; Lauric Acids; Male; Pressure; Pylorus; Reference Values; Tryptophan; Young Adult
PubMed: 31051504
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz020 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2022This study aims to evaluate the quality of salted sun-dried meat from young bulls (Nellore cattle) fed with a diet containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of lauric acid in...
This study aims to evaluate the quality of salted sun-dried meat from young bulls (Nellore cattle) fed with a diet containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of lauric acid in the total dry matter (DM). Thirty-two Nellore bulls with initial body weight of 368 ± 32 kg were used. A linear decrease (p < 0.05) in pH and protein content of the salted sun-dried meat was observed with the inclusion of lauric acid. The moisture, ash, lipid, collagen content, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, color indexes (L*, a*, b*, C*), and shear force were not affected. Lipid oxidation at 7 days of storage increased linearly in the salted sun-dried meat. Most of the fatty acid composition of the salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls was not influenced (p > 0.05) by the lauric acid inclusion in the bulls’ diet. However, there was a linear increase (p < 0.05) in the SFA lauric acid (C12:0), PUFAn-3 EPA (C20:5n − 3) and DHA (C22:6n − 3), and a quadratic increase in the PUFAn-6 arachidonic (C20:4n − 6) due to lauric acid addition from palm kernel oil in the diet. There was a liner increase (p < 0.05) in the total ∑PUFA, ∑n − 6, ∑n − 3 contents of salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls and the h:H health index of the level of lauric acid inclusion in bull’s diet. In contrast, the thrombogenicity health index (TI) and ∑n − 6:∑n − 3 ratio content in salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls presented a linear decrease (p < 0.05) due to lauric acid addition in the bulls’ diet. Lauric acid (C12:0) inclusion up to 1.5% in the diet of young Nellore bull improved the fatty acid composition of the salted sun-dried meat, increasing EPA, DHA, n − 6 and n − 3, TI, and h:H indexes, which are associated with a better lipid quality of meat products, and further improves tenderness at the highest concentration.
PubMed: 36496572
DOI: 10.3390/foods11233764 -
Food Chemistry: X Dec 2023Ultrasound is a promising green technology for modifying starch. The influence of ultrasound pretreatment (UPT) at diverse temperatures on the morphology and molecular...
Ultrasound is a promising green technology for modifying starch. The influence of ultrasound pretreatment (UPT) at diverse temperatures on the morphology and molecular structure of pea starch and its ability to form inclusion complexes with lipids were investigated. After UPT at each temperature, the starch granules retained an unchanged crystalline structure but exhibited notable changes in short-range molecular order and molecular structure. In comparison with the samples treated at 0 and 20 °C, pea starch subjected to UPT at 40 °C had a significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher complexing index with lauric acid (LA) and the starch-LA inclusion complex exhibited a higher enthalpy change, relative crystallinity, and resistant starch content. These differences were attributed to the higher temperature causing changes in the disruption points of starch chains and an enlargement in the molecular weight of linear chains. These results may promote the utilization of ultrasound for effective starch modification.
PubMed: 38144720
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100879 -
Biomolecules & Therapeutics Jan 2023Genomic analysis indicated that the genome of contains more than 80 cytochrome P450 genes. To date, the enzymatic activity of these P450s has not been extensively...
Genomic analysis indicated that the genome of contains more than 80 cytochrome P450 genes. To date, the enzymatic activity of these P450s has not been extensively studied. Here, the biochemical properties of CYP6A8 were characterized. was cloned into the pCW vector, and its recombinant enzyme was expressed in and purified using Ni-nitrilotriacetate affinity chromatography. Its expression level was approximately 130 nmol per liter of culture. Purified CYP6A8 exhibited a low-spin state in the absolute spectra of the ferric forms. Binding titration analysis indicated that lauric acid and capric acid produced type І spectral changes, with values 28 ± 4 and 144 ± 20 μM, respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the oxidation reaction of lauric acid produced (ω-1)-hydroxylated lauric acid as a major product and ω-hydroxy-lauric acid as a minor product. Steady-state kinetic analysis of lauric acid hydroxylation yielded a value of 0.038 ± 0.002 min and a value of 10 ± 2 μM. In addition, capric acid hydroxylation of CYP6A8 yielded kinetic parameters with a value of 0.135 ± 0.007 min and a value of 21 ± 4 μM. Because of the importance of various lipids as carbon sources, the metabolic analysis of fatty acids using CYP6A8 in this study can provide an understanding of the biochemical roles of P450 enzymes in many insects, including .
PubMed: 35934685
DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2022.084 -
ACS Omega Mar 2021While Alzheimer's disease is correlated with the presence of Aβ fibrils in patient brains, the more likely agents are their precursors, soluble oligomers that may form...
While Alzheimer's disease is correlated with the presence of Aβ fibrils in patient brains, the more likely agents are their precursors, soluble oligomers that may form pores or otherwise distort cell membranes. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulation, we study how the presence of fatty acids such as lauric acid changes the stability of pore-forming oligomers built from three-stranded Aβ chains. Such a change would alter the distribution of amyloids in the fatty acid-rich brain environment and therefore could explain the lower polymorphism observed in Aβ fibrils derived from brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. We find that lauric acid stabilizes both ring-like and barrel-shaped models, with the effect being stronger for barrel-like models than for ring-like oligomers.
PubMed: 33681618
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c06211