Biochemistry Research International最新文献

Nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (NR4A1), which is also known as nuclear receptor 77 (NUR77), NGFI-B, or testicular receptor 3 (TR3), is a member of the NR4A subfamily of the nuclear receptor superfamily. NR4A1 has both nuclear localization and nuclear export signals, and NR4A1 is present in the cytoplasm as well as the nucleus. NR4A1 alters its subcellular localization through phosphorylation or SUMOylation. In the nucleus, NR4A1 plays an important role in regulating gene expression by directly binding to genomic DNA or indirectly influencing other transcription factors. In the cytoplasm, NR4A1 affects the stabilization of β-catenin, which is involved in various tumorigenesis. Furthermore, NR4A1 is involved in LPS-induced inflammasome activation. In mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, NR4A1 plays an important role in the induction of autophagy and apoptosis. In this review, we focused on the current knowledge of subcellular localization and molecular function of NR4A1.

This study presents the comparative and preliminary phytochemical analysis of essential oils extracted from 5 different Ocimum species, including Ocimum basilicum Linn, Ocimum canum Sims, Ocimum citriodorum, Ocimum gratissimum Linn and Ocimum sanctum Linn. The gas chromatography coupled with single quadrupole mass spectrometry was employed for the screening of the different metabolites. The present study investigates a total number of 111 bioactive compounds which were identified across the five Ocimum species, with O. citriodorum exhibiting the highest diversity. The analysis revealed significant variations in the chemical profiles, attributed to differing eco-climatic conditions. Key bioactive compounds, such as α-pinene, linalool and caryophyllene, were consistently found across species. The study also mapped these compounds to metabolic pathways, highlighting their roles in monoterpenoid, phenylpropanoid and sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis. Detailed analysis of O. basilicum, O. citriodorum, O. sanctum, O. canum and O. gratissimum oils demonstrated unique metabolic properties, with each species showing distinct pathway activations and dominant compounds. The findings were validated using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis, confirming the species' chemical diversity and distinct clustering. This comprehensive characterization enhances our understanding of Ocimum spp. essential oils, offering valuable insights for their pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic applications.

Diabetic kidney disease is a major cause of end-stage kidney disease. Various metabolic, hemodynamic, inflammatory, and profibrotic factors secondary to diabetes mellitus result in complex intracellular signaling, which in turn is responsible for the functional and structural changes associated with diabetic kidney disease. The beneficial effects of β₂-adrenergic agonists on renal cells bearing β₂-adrenergic receptors in diabetic kidney disease models have been reported. This narrative review explains the various mechanisms by which β₂-adrenergic agonists can have potential beneficial effects on diabetic kidney disease and highlights various in vitro, animal and human studies which lend credence to this hypothesis. It also touches upon the challenges and future concerns regarding their use in patients with this condition.

Margarine is a popular high-calorie component of the Western diet and was shown to be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome. Intermittent fasting (IF) is an effective approach to improve health and prevent metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of margarine consumption, both ad libitum and in combination with IF regimens, using young C57BL/6J mice of both sexes. Female mice fed margarine ad libitum as a supplement to the standard diet showed significant body mass gain, reduced food intake, lower blood paraoxonase activity, and higher lipid peroxide (LOOH) levels, along with higher activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver. Margarine-fed males showed higher food intake and had lower blood triacylglycerol levels, higher LOOH levels in adipose tissue, and lower LOOH levels in the liver than their control counterparts. When a margarine-supplemented diet was provided to mice with an IF regimen, males gained body mass faster and experienced severe metabolic changes, including elevated fasting blood glucose levels, higher total leukocyte count, triacylglycerol accumulation, and reduced glycogen levels in the liver compared to their margarine ad libitum counterparts. Females treated with margarine + IF showed a partial improvement in metabolic status and a decrease in proinflammatory markers compared to the group receiving margarine ad libitum. Hence, responses to the diets were sex-specific. Females that consumed margarine ad libitum had higher metabolic sensitivity than males. Meanwhile, IF provided some protective effects in females but worsened metabolic outcomes in males when combined with a high-fat margarine diet.

Piper betle is an edible plant known for its potent antioxidant activity. Among its phenolic constituents, cinnamic acid has been identified as a key compound contributing to this bioactivity. Although cinnamic acid is a well-known molecule, this study is the first to report its isolation from P. betle leaves, contributing valuable insights into the chemotaxonomy and phytochemical profile of the species. The aim of this research is to isolate cinnamic acid from the methanol extract of betel leaves and evaluate its antioxidant activity using DPPH and nonenzymatic mimic superoxide dismutase (mSOD) assays. Furthermore, computational analyses were performed using density functional theory (DFT) to assess the antioxidant properties, and molecular docking studies were conducted to investigate the interaction mechanisms of cinnamic acid and its derivatives with several enzymes. The results obtained that cinnamic acid had a strong antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ value using the DPPH and mSOD methods of 76.46 and 36 μg/mL, respectively. The analysis used DFT studies of reactive cinnamic acid as seen from the values of several global descriptive parameters. The deviation in the energy gap from E_HOMO and E_LUMO is quite small, which is 0.0205 eV. Based on the molecular docking results, cinnamic acid ligands and its derivatives act on the amino acid active sites against xanthine oxidase (XO), NADPH oxidase (NO), cytochrome P450 (CP450), and lipoxygenase (LO) receptors although the binding affinity values are not stronger than the positive control for these four receptors. Therefore, cinnamic acid and its derivatives can be used as a compound to counteract free radicals or as an antioxidant.

Escherichia coli is a common pathogen responsible for various gut-related infections, and it utilizes the SdiA-mediated quorum sensing (QS) system to regulate biofilm formation, other virulence factors, and pathogenicity. With rising antibiotic resistance, there is a pressing need to discover alternative QS inhibitors (QSIs) targeting SdiA. This study evaluated 239 phytochemicals from Daniellia oliveri as potential SdiA modulators using in silico techniques. Virtual screening identified four lead compounds (cadala-1(10),3,8-triene, carotenoid K, valencene, and β-sesquiphellandrene), with carotenoid K (-53.71 kcal/mol) exhibiting a higher binding free energy compared to the standard, azithromycin (-52.19 kcal/mol), following dynamics simulation. Notably, the SdiA-carotenoid K complex demonstrated enhanced thermodynamic stability with a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 2.64 Å. All four leads, except carotenoid K, conformed to the Lipinski rule for selection of candidates that could be administered orally. Quantum chemical feature analyses using DFT/B3LYP showed that carotenoid K had the lowest HOMO-LUMO energy gap, high ionization energy, and electrophilicity index values, indicating its superior reactivity and stability. These properties suggest enhanced interactions with the SdiA active site compared to other investigated compounds. These observations highlight carotenoid K as a promising modulator of SdiA. However, further structural modification and validation through in vitro and in vivo studies are recommended.

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds essential oil compositions (EOCs) have been used for their medicinal and aromatic values across the world since ancient times. Studies have revealed the presence of variability among black cumin genotypes in EOCs. In Ethiopia, few studies have been conducted to explore the variability of black cumin genotypes by using EOCs. This study investigated the variability of Ethiopian black cumin genotypes (EBCGs) by EOCs. Seeds of 64 N. sativa genotypes were used for this experiment. Composite samples of 100 g of seeds were collected and roughly ground from each genotype. The extraction was made by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus for 3 h, and the essential oil was collected by measuring the amount using a measuring pipette. The essential oil samples were stored in a refrigerator at 4°C until gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to estimate the variations among populations' combined mean values of EOCs using the SAS version 9.4 software package. The correlation and hierarchical clustering analysis were made based on the combined mean values of EOCs using the R-software version 4.2.2 packages. A total of 21 EOCs were detected from the essential oil of 64 EBCGs using GC-MS, out of which ρ-cymene, thymoquinone, α-thujene, carvacrol, trans-4-methoxythujane, longifolene, terpinen-4-ol, β-pinene, α-pinene, and d-limonene dominated the essential oils. Among these, ρ-cymene, thymoquinone, α-thujene, trans-4-methoxythujane, and carvacrol were the most abundant constituents in all genotypes, while the rest varied among the genotypes. It is predicted that the major EOCs will be improved by 25.33%-152.14% over improved varieties by selecting the top 5% of landraces. The abundant EOC thymoquinone had a significant and positive correlation with carvacrol and a strong and significant negative correlation with α-thujene, α-pinene, β-pinene, ρ-cymene, and d-limonene. Based on the major EOCs, cluster analysis grouped the 64 genotypes into two different chemotypes. Cluster-I: Chemotype A is characterized by a high content of thymoquinone. Cluster-II: Chemotype B is characterized by a high content of ρ-cymene. The presence of the most abundant volatile constituents in genotypes 242835, 9068, and 014_ATH means they are essential for the pharmaceutical and food industries. This study disclosed the existence of a significant diversity of EOCs among the Ethiopian N. sativa genotypes, which can be exploited for future improvement programs.

The food industry generates substantial keratin waste, particularly chicken feathers, which are rich in amino acids and essential nutrients. However, the insolubility of keratin presents a significant challenge to its conversion. Keratinase, an enzyme produced by certain fungi and bacteria, offers a promising solution by degrading feather keratin into amino acids and soluble proteins. Among these, bacterial keratinase is notable for its superior stability and activity, although its production remains constrained, necessitating continued research to identify efficient microbial strains. Keratin-derived hydrolyzates, recognized for their biological and immunological properties, have garnered significant research interest. This review examines the structural characteristics of chicken feather keratin, its resistance to conventional proteases, and advances in keratinase production and purification techniques. Additionally, the keratin degradation mechanism and the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies for managing feather waste are explored. Finally, the review highlights the potential applications of keratinase across diverse industries, including animal feed and cosmetics.

Brown algae are considered a marine algae resource for human health. This study investigated ethanol extract's chemical composition and biological activity from brown algae Dictyota implexa. The extract from D. implexa was examined for total contents of quercetin, tannic acid, phenolic, flavonoid, polysaccharides, agar, and fucoidan, and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and α-amylase inhibitory activities of the crude extract were determined. Results revealed the presence of a source of phenolic (85.95 ± 1.21 mg GAE/g of the sample), flavonoid (245.6 ± 2.83 mg QE/g of the sample), and tannin (172.179 mg/g DW) compounds in the extract. Evaluating antioxidant activity proved the ethanol extract of D. implexa possessed the highest activity on two testing methods of DPPH scavenging capacity and reducing power. Besides, the anti-inflammatory activity was potent in the extract with an IC₅₀ value of 9.95 ± 1.51 μg/mL. Concerning antimicrobial activities, the ethanol extract of D. implexa (70 mg/mL) showed potential inhibitory ability against E. coli and B. cereus. Moreover, the algal extract displayed cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells and inhibited α-amylase activity with an IC₅₀ value of 276.82 μg/mL. The current findings demonstrated that exploring novel natural resources offers a promising avenue for advancements in human health and economic well-being.

Introduction: According to the importance of long noncoding RNAs (LncRNA) in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and also the lack of study for pediatric IBD in this regard, we investigated the expression of a selected panel of LncRNAs in Iranian pediatric cases of IBD compared to adult cases and healthy samples. Methods: In this gene expression study, blood samples were taken from the three groups of pediatric IBD cases, adult IBD cases, and pediatric healthy samples (for gene expression calibration). The investigated LncRNAs were UCA1, CCAT, IFNG-AS1, and CDKN2B. Real-time PCR was used and fold changes (FCs) were reported. Results: A total of 50 individuals were studied including 28 cases of pediatric IBD, 12 cases of controls, and 10 cases of adult IBD. UCA1 showed upregulation in adult IBD (FC = 10.56, p = 0.007). CCAT showed downregulations for pediatric IBD (FC = 0.01, p < 0.001) and adult IBD (FC = 0.10, p = 0.039). IFNG-AS1 showed downregulation in pediatric IBD (FC < 0.01, p < 0.001). CDKN2B showed upregulation in pediatric IBD (FC = 17.39, p < 0.001). The results were in contrast with the literature. Conclusion: It seems that these LncRNAs may have different roles in pediatric IBD. Further studies are needed on pediatric cases of IBD.