Zea mays leaf extracts protect Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell against oxidative stress-induced cell death

Betulinic acid mitigates oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis and enhances longevity in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae model

Betulinic acid (BA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid found in certain plant species, has been reported to have several health benefits including antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. However, the mechanism by which BA confers these properties is currently unknown. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a budding yeast with a short life cycle and conserved cellular mechanism with high homology to humans, was used as a model for determining the role of BA in aging and programmed cell death (PCD). Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) exhibited significantly increased (30-35%) survivability of antioxidant (sod1Δ, sod2Δ, cta1Δ, ctt1Δ, and tsa1Δ) and anti-apoptotic (pep4Δ and fis1Δ) mutant strains when cells were pretreated with BA (30 µM) as demonstrated in spot and CFU (Colony forming units) assays. Measurement of intracellular oxidation level using the ROS-specific dye H₂DCF-DA showed that all tested BA-pretreated mutants exhibited decreased ROS than the control when exposed to H₂O₂. Similarly, when mutant strains were pretreated with BA and then exposed to H₂O₂, there was reduced lipid peroxidation as revealed by the reduced malondialdehyde content. Furthermore, BA-pretreated mutant cells showed significantly lower apoptotic activity by decreasing DNA/nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation under H₂O₂-induced stress as determined by DAPI and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. In addition, BA treatment also extended the life span of antioxidant and anti-apoptotic mutants by ∼10-25% by scavenging ROS and preventing apoptotic cell death. Our overall results suggest that BA extends the chronological life span of mutant strains lacking antioxidant and anti-apoptotic genes by lowering the impact of oxidative stress, ROS levels, and apoptotic activity. These properties of BA could be further explored for its use as a valuable nutraceutical.

A research paper on the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities of olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaf

Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaf is known to have a number of bioactive properties being antioxidant, antihypertensive, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial. In this study, the immunomodulatory roles of Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaf against oxidative damage caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated. In the study, four groups were formed; namely, (i) Control Group: Yeast only planted group; (ii) CCl4 Group: Group given CCl4 (15 mM); (iii) Olive Tree Leaf Group: The group given olive tree leaf (10%); and (iv) Olive Tree Leaf + CCl4 Group: Olive tree leaf (10%) + CCl4 (15 mM) given group. Cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were grown at 30 °C for 1, 3, 5, and 24 hours. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione levels (GSH), cell growth and catalase (CAT) activity measurements were determined by spectrophotometer. Total protein concentrations were determined by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and the Bradford protein method. According to the results obtained; compared to the CCl4 group, cell growth (1, 3, 5 and 24 hours), total protein synthesis, and GSH and CAT activities (24 hours) increased in olive tree leaf groups, while MDA level (24 hours) decreased. Thanks to its strong bioactive properties, olive tree leaf has been found to increase cell growth and total protein synthesis by decreasing CCl4 induced oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture. It has been concluded that if the olive tree leaf is used regularly, it will be beneficial in eliminating many health problems.

Astaxanthin supplementation reduces dichlorvos-induced cytotoxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This study evaluates the protective effect of astaxanthin against dichlorvos cytotoxicity in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Dichlorvos induce a dose-dependent cytotoxicity in yeast cells, which is mediated by oxidative stress. Our experimental results showed pre-treatment with astaxanthin enhances cell viability by 20-30% in yeast cells exposed to dichlorvos. A decrease in DCF fluorescence intensity and lipid peroxidation, increased SOD activity, and glutathione levels in astaxanthin-treated cells indicate that astaxanthin protected the cells against dichlorvos-induced oxidative stress. Reduced chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation in astaxanthin pre-treated cells also indicate that astaxanthin rescued the cells from dichlorvos-induced apoptosis. Our overall results suggest that dichlorvos induces oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity in yeast cells, and that was rescued by astaxanthin pre-treatment.