Applied Biological Chemistry最新文献

Background

Pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease that significantly impacts human health. Quercetin (QUE), a plant extract, has been shown to exert protective effects against lung injury, but its precise mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce injury in embryonic lung fibroblasts. Cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, and flow cytometry assay, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Fe²⁺ levels were evaluated using corresponding assay kits. The levels of inflammatory factors were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were employed to analyze the expression and correlation of related genes. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) was employed to verify the regulatory mechanism between genes.

Results

QUE inhibited embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Both transducin β-like 1 X-linked receptor 1 (TBL1XR1) and methyltransferase 3 (METTL3) were highly expressed in lung injury tissues and cells, which were decreased by QUE treatment. TBL1XR1 deficiency weakened LPS-induced embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Mechanistically, METTL3 mediated the N⁶-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation and stabilized the TBL1XR1 mRNA. TBL1XR1 up-regulation alleviated the retardation of METTL3 absence on embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Furthermore, METTL3 overexpression reversed the inhibition of QUE on embryonic lung fibroblast injury.

Conclusion

QUE inhibited embryonic lung fibroblast injury by regulating the METTL3-mediated m6A methylation of TBL1XR1 mRNA.

The soil-applied pesticide can transfer to cultivated crops, and the residue concentration in the crops is decreased time-dependently by biological decomposition and crop growth. Pencycuron was most popularly used as a fungicide in field soil; however, the residue dissipation in greenhouse soil and its bioconcentration factor (BCF) for spinach, one of the most popular leafy vegetables, were not investigated. To estimate the residue dissipation of the soil-applied pencycuron, the residue dissipation was monitored in the recommended dose and the double dose treatments, and the 50% dissipation times ranged from 50 to 54 days; these times were met by the spinach cultivation time from seedling to harvest. The pencycuron residues in the spinach at the recommended dose and the double dose treatments were 0.006 mg kg⁻¹ and 0.025 mg kg⁻¹ at 48 days after the treatment (DAT), and 0.003 mg kg⁻¹ and 0.008 mg kg⁻¹ at 55 DAT, respectively. From the experimental data, the estimated BCFs of pencycuron were 0.003–0.008 for the spinach at 48 DAT and 0.001–0.002 at 55 DAT. During the seven-day additional cultivation, the fresh weights of the spinach were increased 1.5–1.8 times; thus, the crop growth would be considered as a main factor for the estimation of the crop residue.

This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of Syrian black seed honey, and then utilized its extract to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and assess their antimicrobial properties. The sugar content of the black seed honey showed fructose, glucose, and sucrose levels at 38.7 ± 1.50 g/100 g, 7.4 ± 2.13 g/100 g and 0.7 ± 0.20 g/100 g, respectively. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were measured at 263.3 ± 0.72 mg GAE /100 g, and 76.41 ± 1.20 mg QE /100 g, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the presence of six compounds: kaempferol, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, apigenin, quercetin and chrysin. A concentrated solution of the honey, containing sugars, phenolics and flavonoids, was used to synthesize AgNPs, which were characterized using UV–Vis Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The AgNPs were well-dispersed and stable, with sizes ranging from 3 to 15 nm, with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.314 ± 0.02, and a ζ-potential of -21.7 mV according to DLS measurements. Microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed the formation of nanoparticles. The stable AgNPs were spherical with an average size of 26 nm according to FESEM, and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak in the UV-Vis Spectroscopy was observed at 415 nm. The antimicrobial activity of AgNPs was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida spp. The inhibition zones were (22 ± 0.28, 25 ± 0.41, 20 ± 0.33, 20 ± 0.27, 23 ± 0.43, and 20 ± 0.20 mm) respectively.

Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) in liquid manure-based fertilizers can be applied in the soil and cause an adverse effect on the soil ecosystem. This study evaluates the potential of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as an oxidant for the simultaneous removal of multiple VA groups during the aerobic swine liquid manure-based fertilization process. For this purpose, swine manure spiked with 10 mg L⁻¹ of target VAs was treated with 1.0% (v v⁻¹) H₂O₂ and then continuously aerated for 28 days in a laboratory-scale aerobic liquid fertilization reactor. The results indicate that 1.0% H₂O₂ effectively degrades penicillins, achieving removal rates exceeding 90% within 24 h. Tetracyclines and macrolides exhibited moderate susceptibility to H₂O₂ oxidation, after 28 days, achieving average removal rates exceeding 90% and 95%, respectively. In contrast, the sulfonamide group displayed the lowest removal efficiency, with an average removal rate of 70%. The study further reveals that the oxidative effect of H₂O₂ is the most pronounced in the early stages of fertilization, with degradation rates plateauing over time due to the gradual decomposition of H₂O₂ and interactions with organic matter in swine manure. Despite these limitations, H₂O₂ treatment did not significantly change the key chemical properties of the final liquid fertilizer, maintaining its fertilizer efficacy. These findings suggest that H₂O₂-based oxidation could be a cost-effective and an eco-friendly substitute for traditional methods for mitigating VA contamination in liquid manure fertilization systems. The results will help to better understand the effect of H₂O₂ on the reduction of VAs during the liquid fertilization process, which has the potential to make a significant contribution to mitigating threats to public health and the ecosystems associated with the application of liquid fertilizer in agricultural environments.

Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), especially indomethacin, has severe adverse effects on the gastrointestinal system. Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., an herbal medicine used to treat several gastrointestinal diseases, might effectively reduce the adverse effects of indomethacin. This study aimed to elucidate the main bioactive compound from S. chinensis and its molecular mechanism for protection against indomethacin-induced intestinal injury. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics were performed to elucidate the key compounds of S. chinensis, their relevant targets, and potential molecular mechanisms via various databases, including the TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction, TargetNet, STRING, and DAVID databases. The protective effect of the key compound and its molecular mechanism were validated in intestinal cells and Caenorhabditis elegans models. Network pharmacology analysis demonstrated that schisandrin C (SCHC) is the active ingredient of S. chinensis and protects against indomethacin-induced intestinal injury. Computational analysis revealed that AKT1, PIK3CA, RELA, EGFR, and GSK3B are potential targets of SCHC. In vitro experiments confirmed that SCHC prevents apoptotic cell death and intestinal permeability dysfunction by modulating the AKT/GSK-3β pathway and tight junction protein expression. Furthermore, SCHC ameliorated the intestinal atrophy induced by indomethacin and increased the intestinal lysosomal level in C. elegans, while its protective effect was abolished in age-1 and akt-1,2 mutants, indicating the involvement of the PI3K/AKT pathway. In summary, this study demonstrated that SCHC could be a potential candidate for reversing the side effects of indomethacin in the intestinal tract by combining network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation.

Soil salinity leads to reduced plant health and productivity necessitating the need for salt-tolerant crop cultivars. Thus, the present study evaluated the salinity-induced modulations in morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of two popular rice cultivars bred in Bangladesh, namely BRRI dhan55, which has been developed for growing in dry and pre-monsoon season, and BRRI dhan43, developed for pre-monsoon season. The rice cultivars were exposed to different levels of salt stress (0–300 mM NaCl) after seedling establishment under natural sunshine. Salinity posed a significant growth decline in both the rice cultivars. Under increasing salinity stress, BRRI dhan43 exhibited a pronounced reduction in overall growth. Chlorophyll and proline content declined significantly in BRRI dhan43 with rising salt concentration. A marked decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was also observed. Furthermore, salinity severely reduced grain yield and associated yield parameters in BRRI dhan43. In contrast, BRRI dhan55 demonstrated comparatively better tolerance under salinity. Although chlorophyll content was reduced in BRRI dhan55, the decrease was less pronounced than in BRRI dhan43, while proline content increased with increasing salinity. Additionally, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and APX) were increased in BRRI dhan55. However, grain yield and yield attributes in BRRI dhan55 were moderately affected by salinity, showing noticeably less reduction compared to BRRI dhan43. Results indicate that the higher salt stress tolerance of BRRI dhan55 is attributed to higher protection of photosynthetic machineries, osmolyte biosynthesis, and upregulated antioxidant functions leading to better yield performance compared to less tolerant rice cultivars.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has become indispensable for elucidating molecular structures in pharmaceutical and natural product chemistry, where precise stereochemical configurations critically determine biological activities and therapeutic efficacy. We present an integrated methodology combining ultraselective NMR techniques (GEMSTONE and UHPT) with quantum chemical calculations to analyze iprovalicarb, a conformationally flexible diastereomeric mixture. By extracting detailed individual J-coupling and NOE data from mixture, we established spatio-conformational constraints that enabled systematic filtering of computationally generated conformers. This approach allowed precise identification of conformers consistent with experimental observations and accurate determination of R/S configurations without chemical derivatization or crystallization. ECD calculations on filtered conformers showed superior agreement with experimental measurements compared to unfiltered calculations, validating our approach. This methodology reduces resource requirements while improving structural analysis accuracy, offering applications in drug development and other field of chemistry for complex stereoisomeric systems.

High fat and salt intake link with various health issues, but the combined impact of high fat and salt, especially sea salt (SS) with minerals, on health are still not fully investigated. Therefore, the effect of SS on HFD-induced obese mice was investigated. The study was conducted on male C57BL/6 mice for 13 weeks, following 4 diets: normal diet (control), HFD, HFD with 0.7% SS (LS) and HFD with 2.8% SS (HS). SS countered HFD-induced hepatic fat accumulation and gene expression, accompanied by increased hepatic Ca²⁺ content. SS and Ca²⁺ reduced OA-triggered lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells more effectively than NaCl. Ca²⁺ notably reversed OA-induced reduction in isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (Idh2) expression in HepG2 cells. However, HFD-altered metabolites were intensified by SS intake. While SS reduced HFD-induced liver fat, not all HFD-impacted liver functions improved. Ca²⁺ in SS may contribute to the regulation of fat accumulation potentially through TCA cycle activation.

Microbial inoculants are increasingly vital in the plant growth-promotion and disease management of important agricultural crops. The possibility of co-aggregated Azospirillum sp. (CW903) and Methylobacterium sp. (CBMB110) as a biocontrol approach to combat watermelon blotch disease was investigated in this study. In survivability assays, co-aggregated CW903 outperformed CBMB110 in the watermelon soil. The co-inoculation using CBMB110 and CW903 in the co-aggregated form drastically reduced the number of Acidovorax citrulli on watermelon leaves and lowered the lesion areas by 42%. Various physiological and biochemical parameters such as phenol concentration, ethylene emission, and trans-cinnamic acid, were significantly decreased by the co-inoculation. Significant decreases were also observed in electrolyte leakage, H₂O₂ concentration, β-1,3-glucanase activity, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Co-aggregated cells enhanced disease suppression efficiency, and significantly reduced the severity of seedling blight by 21% and leaf spot by 35%.