Inhibition of advanced glycation end products formation and inflammation in C. elegans: Studies of potential of Lyngbya sp. against expression of stress related genes and Live cell imaging

Glyoxal-derived advanced glycation end products (GO-AGEs) with UVB critically induce skin inflammaging: in vitro and in silico approaches

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have potential implications on several diseases including skin inflammation and aging. AGEs formation can be triggered by several factors such as UVB, glyoxal and methylglyoxal etc. However, little attention has been paid to glyoxal-derived AGEs (GO-AGEs) and UVB-induced skin inflammaging, with none have investigated together. This study aimed to investigate the possible role of GO-AGEs and UVB in skin inflammaging focusing on revealing its molecular mechanisms. The effects of GO-AGEs in the presence or absence of UVB were studied by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, qPCR, flow cytometry and in silico approaches. In HaCaT cells, GO-AGEs in the presence of UVB irradiation (125 mJ/cm2) dramatically enhanced the release of different pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) with further activation of RAGE signaling pathways (NF-κB, COX 2, and IL- 1β) and increased oxidative stress also noticed in NHEK cells. In NHDF cells, extracellular matrix disruption noted via increasing matrix metalloproteinase release and decreasing collagen type 1 and SIRT1 expression. Besides that, the docking scores obtained from the molecular docking study support the above-mentioned results. This study strongly suggests the pivotal role of GO-AGEs in skin inflammaging and illuminates novel molecular pathways for searching most effective and updated anti-aging therapy.

Recent progression on phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of the filamentous cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp

The distribution and phytochemistry of the non-nitrogen fixing, filamentous cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) Lyngbya sp., and the inherent antimicrobial and anticancer activities of its phycochemicals as well as of the biosynthesized nanoparticles as their pharmaceutical potencies are considered. Several phycocompounds of curio, apramide, apratoxin, benderamide, cocosamides, deoxymajusculamide, flavonoids, lagunamides, lipids, proteins, amino acids, lyngbyabellin, lyngbyastatin, majusculamide, peptides, etc. were isolated from Lyngbya sp., which had a lot of potential pharmaceutical activities; those compounds had antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, ultraviolet protectant, and other activities. Particularly, several Lyngbya phycocompounds had potent antimicrobial potencies, seen through in vitro controlling of several frequently encountered multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinically belligerent strains of pathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples. The aqueous extracts of Lyngbya sp. were used for the synthesis of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles, which were used in pharmacological trials too. The nanoparticles biosynthesized with Lyngbya sp. had several uses such as biofuel, agro-based applications, in cosmetics, and industrial uses as biopolymers, and being potent antimicrobial and anticancer agents and in drug-delivery too, as medical applications. It could be concluded that the Lyngbya phycochemicals and the biosynthesized nanoparticles have future uses as antimicrobial namely as bacterial and fungal and anti-cancer agents, with promising medical and industrial uses.

Bridging Cyanobacteria to Neurodegenerative Diseases: A New Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds against Alzheimer's Disease

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) represent a drawback in society given the ageing population. Dementias are the most prevalent NDs, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) representing around 70% of all cases. The current pharmaceuticals for AD are symptomatic and with no effects on the progression of the disease. Thus, research on molecules with therapeutic relevance has become a major focus for the scientific community. Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic prokaryotes rich in biomolecules with confirmed activity in pathologies such as cancer, and with feasible potential in NDs such as AD. In this review, we aimed to compile the research works focused in the anti-AD potential of cyanobacteria, namely regarding the inhibition of the enzyme β-secretase (BACE1) as a fundamental enzyme in the generation of β-amyloid (Aβ), the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) lead to an increase in the availability of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as phenomena associated with neurodegeneration mechanisms.

Marine Organisms for the Sustainable Management of Plant Parasitic Nematodes

Plant parasitic nematodes are annually responsible for the loss of 10%–25% of worldwide crop production, most of which is attributable to root-knot nematodes (RKNs) that infest a wide range of agricultural crops throughout the world. Current nematode control tools are not enough to ensure the effective management of these parasites, mainly due to the severe restrictions imposed on the use of chemical pesticides. Therefore, it is important to discover new potential nematicidal sources that are suitable for the development of additional safe and effective control strategies. In the last few decades, there has been an explosion of information about the use of seaweeds as plant growth stimulants and potential nematicides. Novel bioactive compounds have been isolated from marine cyanobacteria and sponges in an effort to find their application outside marine ecosystems and in the discovery of new drugs. Their potential as antihelmintics could also be exploited to find applicability against plant parasitic nematodes. The present review focuses on the activity of marine organisms on RKNs and their potential application as safe nematicidal agents.

Influence of Low Salt Concentration on Growth Behavior and General Biomass Composition in Lyngbya purpurem (Cyanobacteria)

Cyanobacteria are essential for the vast number of compounds they produce and the possible applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetical, and food industries. As Lyngbya species' characterization is limited in the literature, we characterize this cyanobacterium's growth and biomass. L. purpureum was grown and analyzed under different salinities, culture media, and incubation times to determine the best conditions that favor its cell growth and the general production of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and some pigments as phycocyanin and chlorophyll a. In this study, each analyzed biomolecule's highest content was proteins 431.69 mg g^-1, carbohydrates 301.45 mg g^-1, lipids 131.5 mg g^-1, chlorophyll a 4.09 mg g^-1, and phycocyanin 40.4 mg g^-1. These results can provide a general context of the possible uses that can be given to biomass and give an opening to investigate possible biocompounds or bio metabolites that can be obtained from it.