Open Life Sciences最新文献

The research into the use of plants as plentiful reservoirs of bioactive chemicals shows significant potential for agricultural uses. This study focused on analyzing the chemical composition and potency of an ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts (leaves and stems) of Salsola kali against potato pathogenic fungal and bacterial pathogens. The isolated fungal isolates were unequivocally identified as Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani based on morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacer genetic sequencing data. The antifungal activity of the extract revealed good inhibition efficacy against R. solani (60.4%) and weak activity against F. oxysporum (11.1%) at a concentration of 5,000 µg/mL. The S. kali extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity, as evidenced by the significant inhibition zone diameter (mm) observed in all three strains of bacteria that were tested: Pectobacterium carotovorum (13.33), Pectobacterium atrosepticum (9.00), and Ralstonia solanacearum (9.33), at a concentration of 10,000 µg/mL. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the presence of several polyphenolic compounds (μg/g), with gallic acid (2942.8), caffeic acid (2110.2), cinnamic acid (1943.1), and chlorogenic acid (858.4) being the predominant ones. Quercetin and hesperetin were the predominant flavonoid components, with concentrations of 1110.3 and 1059.3 μg/g, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of many bioactive compounds, such as saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, diterpenes, and phytosterols. The most abundant compound detected was n-hexadecanoic acid, which accounted for 28.1%. The results emphasize the potential of S. kali extract as a valuable source of bioactive substances that possess good antifungal and antibacterial effects, which highlights its potential for many agricultural uses.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a major complication of diabetes causing blindness, is characterized by retinal damage due to capillary degeneration and vascular leakage. Current treatments are not fully effective, highlighting the need for searching new therapeutic targets. Hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK), a protein involved in various diseases, has been identified as a potential biomarker in DR, but its role in disease progression requires further investigation. Here we investigated the role of HCK in DR and its potential mechanism. We found the expression of HCK increased under the stimulation of high glucose (HG) in human retinal capillary endothelial cells (HRECs). Knockdown of HCK can improve HREC cell viability and the integrity of the internal blood-retinal barrier. HCK depletion suppressed the AMPK pathway in HG-induced HRECs. In summary, HCK may be a potential target for the treatment of DR, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of new treatment strategies.

Oxidative stress has been widely believed to be the mechanism responsible for developing diseases such as arthritis, asthma, dementia, and aging. Solanum nigrum Linn. is a common edible medicinal herb that belongs to the family Solanaceae which has more than 180 chemical components that have so far been discovered. The main bioactive components of these are steroidal saponins, alkaloids, phenols, and polysaccharides. This article presents comparative phytochemical profiling including total phenolic, total flavonoid, alkaloid, proanthocyanidins, tannin, and vitamin C contents of three Algerian S. nigrum samples collected from three different locations in the Algerian desert. Additionally, the potential antioxidant activity of the three samples was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and oxidative hemolysis inhibition assay. Moreover, the correlation between the major phenolic phytoconstituents previously reported and isolated from the plant and antioxidant activity has also been done by in silico molecular docking. Ten bioactive compounds were docked with selected proteins, arachidonate-5-lipoxygenase (PDB: 6n2w) and cytochrome c peroxidase (PDB: 2x08), to check their affinity with binding sites of these proteins for the possible mechanism of action. The docking scores suggest that S. nigrum's quercetin and kaempferol may play a significant role in its antioxidant action.

Pain has been a prominent medical concern since ancient times. Despite significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pain in contemporary medicine, there is no a therapeutic cure for chronic pain. Chinese herbaceous peony, a traditional Chinese analgesic herb has been in clinical use for millennia, with widespread application and substantial efficacy. Paeoniflorin (PF), the main active ingredient of Chinese herbaceous peony, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties, among others. The analgesic effect of PF, involving multiple critical targets and pain regulatory pathways, has been a hot spot for current research. This article reviews the literature related to the analgesic effect of PF in the past decade and discusses the molecular mechanism of the analgesic effect of PF, including the protective effects of nerve cells, inhibition of inflammatory reactions, antioxidant effects, reduction of excitability in nociceptor, inhibition of the nociceptive excitatory neuroreceptor system, activation of the nociceptive inhibitory neuroreceptor system and regulation of other receptors involved in nociceptive sensitization. Thus, providing a theoretical basis for pain prevention and treatment research. Furthermore, the prospect of PF-based drug development is presented to propose new ideas for clinical analgesic therapy.

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury is associated with lung epithelial cell injury. This study analyzed the role of the antimicrobial peptide LL37 with mitochondrial DNA (LL37-mtDNA) and its potential mechanism of action in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rat type II alveolar epithelial cells (RLE-6TN cells). RLE-6TN cells were treated with LPS alone or with LL37-mtDNA, followed by transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed and pivotal genes were screened using bioinformatics tools. The effects of LL37-mtDNA on cell viability, inflammation, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and autophagy-related hallmark expression were evaluated in LPS-treated RLE-6TN cells. Additionally, the effects of Hsp90aa1 silencing following LL37-mtDNA treatment were investigated in vitro. LL37-mtDNA further suppressed cell viability, augmented apoptosis, promoted the release of inflammatory cytokines, increased ROS production, and elevated LC3B expression in LPS-treated RLE-6TN cells. Using transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics, ten candidate genes were identified, of which three core genes were verified to be upregulated in the LPS + LL37-mtDNA group. Additionally, Hsp90aa1 downregulation attenuated the effects of LL37-mtDNA on LPS-treated RLE-6TN cells. Hsp90aa1 silencing possibly acted as a crucial target to counteract the effects of LL37-mtDNA on viability, apoptosis, inflammation, and autophagy activation in LPS-treated RLE-6TN cells.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1515/biol-2020-0040.].

The aim of the present study is to explore the potential prediction value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) or peripheral blood platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for rebleeding in patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB). We have enrolled 80 rebleeding patients with EVB and 113 EVB patients without rebleeding in the present study. The lymphocyte, platelet counts, the PLR, and the NLR of the candidates were calculated, and receiver-operating characteristic curve was drawn to examine whether NLR or PLR is a sensitive biomarker for distinguishing rebleeding patients from the EVB patients. We observed that NLR and PLR were all significantly increased in rebleeding patients with EVB compared with the non-rebleeding patients (p < 0.01); moreover, the area under the curve of NLR and PLR was 0.7037 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6281-0.7792) and 0.7468 (95% CI, 0.6793-0.8144), respectively, suggesting that NLR or PLR is a sensitive biomarker for distinguishing non-rebleeding patients from the rebleeding patients. We reported that NLR and PLR were significantly increased in the peripheral blood of patient with esophagogastric variceal rebleeding, suggesting that NLR and PLR may be potential early diagnostic and prognostic markers for the rebleeding among patients with EVB.

Bioelectrochemical biosensors offer a promising approach for real-time monitoring of industrial bioprocesses. Many bioelectrochemical biosensors do not require additional labelling reagents for target molecules. This simplifies the monitoring process, reduces costs, and minimizes potential contamination risks. Advancements in materials science and microfabrication technologies are paving the way for smaller, more portable bioelectrochemical biosensors. This opens doors for integration into existing bioprocessing equipment and facilitates on-site, real-time monitoring capabilities. Biosensors can be designed to detect specific heavy metals such as lead, mercury, or chromium in wastewater. Early detection allows for the implementation of appropriate removal techniques before they reach the environment. Despite these challenges, bioelectrochemical biosensors offer a significant leap forward in wastewater monitoring. As research continues to improve their robustness, selectivity, and cost-effectiveness, they have the potential to become a cornerstone of efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment practices.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant liver tumors. Despite progress in anticancer drugs and surgical approaches, early detection of HCC remains challenging, often leading to late-stage diagnosis where rapid disease progression precludes surgical intervention, leaving chemotherapy as the only option. However, the systemic toxicity, low bioavailability, and significant adverse effects of chemotherapy drugs often lead to resistance, rendering treatments ineffective for many patients. This article outlines how nanoparticles, following functional modification, offer high sensitivity, reduced drug toxicity, and extended duration of action, enabling precise targeting of drugs to HCC tissues. Combined with other therapeutic modalities and imaging techniques, this significantly enhances the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term prognosis of HCC. The advent of nanomedicine provides new methodologies and strategies for the precise diagnosis and integrated treatment of HCC.