Journal of King Saud University - Science最新文献

Oxidative stress is a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of various cancer diseases. In fact, oxidative DNA damage is described as the type of damage probably to occur in cancer cells. This study examined the protective impact of the polyphenolic compound quercetin on human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells against tungsten carbide cobalt nanoparticles (WC-Co NPs)-induced oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis. One of the most often used models for studying endothelial cells in vitro is the human umbilical vein epithelial cell. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to measure the size of the NPs prior to WC-Co NPs treatment. WC-Co NPs had a polygonal form and measured 45.26 ± 1 nm in size. Using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), neutral red uptake (NRU) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays, the cytotoxicity of WC-Co NPs on HUVECs cells was assessed. The cytotoxicity of NPs increased in a concentration-dependent way. The MTT result was used to calculate the median inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for HUVEC cells at 24 h, which came out to be 23.14 μg/ml. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were elevated at 17 g/ml WC-Co NPs and then reduced in HUVECs cells upon immediate exposure to 150 µM quercetin (QR). Using JC-1 staining, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in control, WC-Co NPs alone and WC-Co NPs plus QR exposed cell were evaluated. In HUVECs cells, maximum apoptotic cells were seen at increasing NPs concentrations. Based on the impacts of NPs on HUVECs cells, the data suggests that QR may work on the process of scavenging ROS, which is responsible for DNA repair. Consequently, the above findings highlight the significance of these QR as defenses against DNA damage brought on by oxidative stress, which frequently happens in a number of cancer disorders.

Background

Amyloid β (Aβ) fibril agglomeration is crucial in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) etiology, leading to significant harm to the central nervous system. Polyphenols have been investigated for their capacity to hinder Aβ agglomeration.

Objective

This investigation aimed to assess the potential of Ajwa date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)-based bioactives in binding and disrupting resilient Aβ_1-42 fibrils through in-silico studies.

Methods

The primary phytochemicals present in date palms were subjected to molecular docking with three different conformers of Aβ_1-42 and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) analysis. The stability of the system was assessed through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.

Results

It was noted that Diosmetin, Rutin, and Genistein effectively bind with 2BEG, 2MXU, and 2NAO fibrils, respectively, with docking energies ranging from −7.2 to −8.2 kcal/mol. Diosmetin, Rutin, and Genistein show notable pharmacokinetic variability, with LogP values from −1.69–2.58, with 1–6 rotatable bonds, and total polar surface areas (TPSA) between 112.52 and 240.90 Å², characteristics important for drug candidacy evaluation. Their ADMET properties include solubility values of −3.238 to −3.595 mol/L, intestinal absorption of 23.4–93.4%, and VDss ranging from 0.094 to 1.663 L/kg. The ensuing MS simulations spanning 100 ns, illuminated the establishment of a robust peptide-chemical complex. Hydrophobic interactions, ionic and hydrogen bonds play a critical role in the ligand binding with their respective targets.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the potential of these botanicals as leads for developing potent Aβ agglomeration inhibitors. However, before introducing into clinical settings, these findings need to be validated further.

The surgical site infections cost 0.5 % of the annual budget of the hospitals. Therefore, present research aimed to develop and evaluate antibacterial Neem/chitosan-coated silk braided sutures to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired surgical site infections. The silk braided sutures were coated by dip-coating technique by using 5, 10, 15 and 20 % concentrations of ethanolic Neem extract and chitosan. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and tensile strength measurements were used to examine the surface morphology, chemical composition, and tensile strength of the coated sutures. At a 20 % concentration, the sutures showed strong antibacterial action against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with inhibition zones of 15 and 19 mm, respectively. Additionally, the sutures demonstrated low cytotoxicity in the MTT assay, good radical scavenging activity, and hemolytic activity of less than 2 % at all concentrations. The sutures for the in vivo investigation were coated at a concentration of 20 % since this concentration showed the best antibacterial action. The rats were incised on both sides of their spine, with the left side stitched with uncoated sutures, and the right side stitched with coated sutures. The wound was inoculated with E. coli and S. aureus and examined for 7 days. The results indicated complete healing of the wound at the site where the coated sutures were applied. On other hand, wound with uncoated suture was still not completely healed and revealed signs of infection. The in vivo study revealed the efficacy of Neem/chitosan-coated sutures in wound healing and infection control.

Potato late blight (PLB), caused by the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, severely threatens potato production worldwide. This study investigates the potential of the ethylene precursor 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACCA) to inhibit Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases (LPMOs) in P. infestans, a key protein involved in the disease’s pathogenesis. Our findings demonstrate that ACCA significantly enhances the immune response in potato plants against P. infestans, with a binding energy of −8.85 kcal/mol. Integrating ACCA treatment into existing PLB management strategies could offer a novel and sustainable approach to combat this devastating disease. This research provides valuable insights into reducing the global impact of PLB and improving food security through innovative control measures.

Background

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a serious issue which negatively affects yield and quality of different crops. Various crop species and cultivars exhibit varying responses to Zn application with diverse techniques. Improved seed germination and subsequent seedling establishment in corn has been observed by Zn application via seed priming. This improvement in early growth stages ultimately leads to higher yields of grains enriched with Zn.

Methods

The current greenhouse study evaluated the impact of ZnSO₄ (5 mM solution) seed priming durations (i.e., 1, 10, 30 and 60 min) on dry matter yield and shoot Zn concentration on corn (Zea mays L.) grown on different soil types (Zn-deficit and Zn-sufficient) (soil supplementation with Zn) soils. Unprimed seeds were taken as control for comparison. Chlorophyll index, dry matter yield and shoot Zn concentration were recorded at 20 and 25 days after emergence.

Results

Seed priming with ZnSO₄ for 60 min significantly improved chlorophyll index on Zn-deficit (1.44 %–5.72 %), and Zn-sufficient (2.28 %–2.97 %) soil. Similarly, dry matter yield was improved by 32.45 %–58.20 % on Zn-deficit and 0–3.79 % on Zn-sufficient soil by the seeds primed for 60 min compared to unprimed seeds. Likewise, ZnSO₄ seed priming for 60 min improved shoot Zn concentration by 17.21 %–32.83 %, and 0 %–11.85 % on Zn-deficit and Zn-sufficient soils, respectively. The improvements in the recorded traits were directly proportional to priming duration. A higher improvement in the recorded traits was recorded on Zn-deficit soil than Zn-sufficient soil. However, the values of the traits on Zn-deficit soil were ∼50 % less than those observed from Zn-sufficient soil.

Conclusion

Growth and Zn accumulation in corn was increased with increasing priming duration. However, seed priming alone was insufficient to improve shoot Zn concentration. This might be attributed to low priming duration. Therefore, future studies with longer priming duration are needed to reach sound conclusions. Nonetheless, both seed priming and soil application of Zn are required to improve growth and shoot Zn concentration of corn on Zn-deficit soils.

Nanotechnology advances wastewater treatment through the application of Nano entities that optimize contaminant removal and enhance water purification efficacy. In this study, ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using Klebsiella pneumoniae, subsequently, a chitosan/ZnO nanocomposite (CS/ZnO NC) was prepared for removing reactive black 5 (RB-5) dye from synthetic wastewater. The biosynthesized nanomaterials were characterized using UV–VIS, FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. The UV–Vis absorbance peaks at 370 nm and 350 nm corresponded to the characteristic surface plasmon resonance of ZnO NPs and the CS/ZnO NC, respectively. Additionally, FTIR analysis identified the various functional groups associated with ZnO NPs and the CS/ZnO NC. XRD analysis revealed their crystallinity to be approximately 22.44 and 25.76, respectively. The SEM images of ZnO NPs and the CS/ZnO NC show hexagonal plate-like particles with sizes of 33.66 nm and 38.64 nm, respectively. Four concentrations of ZnO NPs and CS/ZnO NC (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL) were evaluated for RB-5 degradation at three different levels (25, 50, and 100 mg/L). Statistical analysis showed that chitosan/ZnO NC achieved 95 % dye degradation, compared to 81 % degradation with the same amount of ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, a pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the phytotoxicity effects of treated wastewater on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Both ZnO NPs and CS/ZnO NC did not significantly affect the viability of epithelial retinal cell lines at concentrations up to 100 µg/mL, suggesting a safe cytotoxic profile within this dosage range. Overall, CS/ZnO NC proved effective for treating industrial wastewater, making it suitable for recycling in agricultural applications

The methanolic and ethanolic Piper betle L. (PB) extracts (PBM and PBE, respectively) yielded 14.14 % and 8.23 %, respectively. The phytochemicals in the PB extract were alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, and saponins, whereas steroids and pholbatannins were obtained from Piper retrofractum (PR) and Glycosmis pentaphylla (GP) extracts, and anthaquinones were found only in the GP extract. Furthermore, only the PB extract exhibited antibacterial activities against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging 0.24–3.91 mg/mL. The highest bactericidal activity was observed against V. parahaemolyticus. PBM and PBE extracts had total phenolic contents of 130 ± 4.46 and 147.69 ± 0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, respectively, with scavenging activity (IC₅₀) of 0.03 mg/mL. The total phenolic contents were significantly decreased, whereas antibacterial activities remained stable (>50 % at 65 °C for 12 h). Toxicity evaluation showed that PBM and PBE caused hemolysis in a dose-dependent manner, with IC₅₀ values of 0.24 and 0.44 mg/mL, respectively. Both extracts were moderately toxic to Artemia salina (LC₅₀ = 0.58–0.61 mg/mL). Finally, the PB extract exhibited inhibitory activities against lipase, glucoamylase, and trypsin. Based on these findings, crude extracts of PB have the potential to be used as antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and dietary supplements.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have distinct properties due to their small size and high surface area-to-volume ratio. These characteristics result in unique features not seen in bulk materials. Metals, semiconductors, and polymers are among the many varieties. Nanomaterials are used in various industries, including medical, electronics, and environmental cleanup. However, their potential environmental and health consequences must be carefully considered. Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have received significant attention due to their outstanding physicochemical features and diverse applications in various sectors. MNPs are utilized in different fields, from electronics to health. Previously, the effect of various metal nanoparticles on the structure, stability, and functionality of metabolic enzymes was investigated. Copper (Cu) NPs were found to have significant negative impacts on these enzymes. The focus of the current investigation turned to serum albumin, a vital plasma protein containing oxidized cysteine residues. The findings demonstrated that NPs had a minor impact on the structure and stability of serum albumin, in contrast to the effects observed on reduced cysteine-containing enzymes.

The current study was aimed to investigate the ethno-pharmacology, diversity, biological potentials of different mushrooms species from District Swabi, Pakistan. Ethno-pharmacological data was collected from 73 respondents based on interview, group discussion and field visits. Quantitative analysis such as informant consent factor (ICF), Use value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were done. Morphological identification of mushrooms, extract preparation, phytochemical screening and statistical analysis of data was conducted. Phytochemical analysis of six mushroom species revealed that saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids and phenols were present in six selected mushrooms, while tannin and steroids (−) present in Agaricus arvensis. In Morchella conica only steroids (−) was absent, Qunion (−) in Polyporus tuberaster, Pleurotus ostreatus and Omphalotus olearius were found absent. Moisture contents (10.17 ± 1.27) and crude fats (5.26 ± 1.50) present in Omphalotus olearius. Highest content of crude fibers (26.57 ± 0.86) and carbohydrates (62.18 ± 0.73) were found in Pleurotus ostreatus. Highest ash contents (12.62 ± 0.46) were reported in Polyporus tuberaster. The respondents’ consensus factor values ranged from 1.66 to 61.74 in which highest ICF value was 61.74 while the lowest was 1.66. The high RFC was recorded for Agaricus (0.67) while lowest RFC was observed in Clitocybe frondasa (0.05). The results of analgesic activity were compared to the diclofenac (Standard drug). The extracts of aqueous and methanolic extract were most active at the level of (400 mg/kg). As antipyretic agents, methanolic and aqueous extracts of Agaricus species were analyzed for anti-inflammatory activity compare to diclofenac (Standard drug) where the aqueous (200 mg/kg) and methanolic (400 mg/kg) were found to be very active. Finally, mushrooms with high (ICF and UV) were further investigated for phytochemicals and pharmacological analysis which revealed significant biological potentials. This provides basic ground information which can be used to explore novel mushroom-based medicines for the treatment of various diseases. The commercial cultivation of mushrooms represents a promising opportunity to leverage their diverse health benefits and nutritional properties. By prioritizing research and cultivation methods while educating the public, the potential of mushrooms as vital components of both nutrition and medicine can be significantly realized, impacting health outcomes and contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the potential anticancer properties and chemical constituents of an unexplored plant (Grewia velutina) extracts. Three distinct extracts of hexane (GVH), chloroform (GVC) and methanol(GVM) of the plant were used to check their anticancer activity against four prominent cancer cell lines (HepG2, DU145, Hela, A549), and the results were compared with the standard chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. Anticancer assays revealed that the GVC extract exhibited highest activity than others, with IC50 values of 61.06 µg/mL, 47.87 µg/mL, 88.76 µg/mL, and 87.99 µg/mL against HepG2, DU145, Hela, and A549 cell lines, respectively and reflected a comparable activity to doxorubicin, highlighting its potential as an effective anticancer agent. With the help of chemical profiling data, molecular docking studies were performed and this study suggested that ionol, present in GVC extract is the most active compound against all the cancerous cells.