Role of native Thiol, total Thiol and dynamic Disulphide in diagnosis of patient with prostate cancer and prostatitis

Ameliorative role of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schum. & Thonn.) taub in cadmium chloride-induced oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster using in vivo and computational approaches

BACKGROUND

Cadmium (Cd) is a naturally occurring transition metal associated with oxidative stress in living organisms. Whereas Tetrapleura tetraptera (Tt), an ethnomedicinal plant is said to possess high antioxidant activity and used to treat various human diseases locally. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the biological activity of the ethanolic pod extract of T. tetraptera in cadmium chloride-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster.

METHODS

Six groups of adults (1-3 days old) D. melanogaster as shown: Control, Tt 2.5 mg/10 g diet, Tt 5 mg/10 g diet, CdCl2, CdCl2+ Tt 2.5 mg/10 diet and CdCl2+Tt 5 mg/10 g diet were exposed via diet for 7 days consisting of 50 flies per vial and 5 replicate per group. Thereafter, we evaluated markers for free radical generation, antioxidant, non-antioxidant activities, and emergence rates of the flies. The active compounds of Tt extract were molecularly docked against glutathione-S-transferase II.

RESULTS

The results indicated that CdCl2 significantly induced oxidative stress by increasing the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO) and decreasing the activity of GST without an effect on total thiol (T-SH) and non-protein thiols (NP-SHs) levels. However, co-treatment with T. tetraptera (2.5 mg/10 g diet) significantly decreased levels of LPO, H2O2, but increased GST activity. Also, co-treatment with T. tetraptera (5 mg/10 g diet) increased NPSH and T-SH levels by 18.6 % and 35.8 %. Furthermore, Co-treatment (5 mg/10 g diet) increased the rate of offspring emergence.

CONCLUSION

T. tetraptera ameliorated cadmium chloride-induced oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster and increased offspring hatching rate. T. tetraptera may therefore serve as a good regimen for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases induced by cadmium.

Comparative study of trace metal concentration in the diagnosis of category III prostatitis

BACKGROUND

Chronic prostatitis (CP) is one of the general diseases in urological practice, with category III prostatitis being particularly prevalent. The trace metal abnormalities might be a primary cause of prostatitis, however, their specific roles in category III prostatitis remain largely unexplored.

METHOD

In total, 42 expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) samples from IIIa prostatitis patients, 42 from IIIb prostatitis patients, and 45 from controls were collected, along with 42 serum samples from IIIa prostatitis patients, 45 from IIIb prostatitis patients, and 50 from controls for analysis in this study. To investigate the diagnostic potential of trace metals in category III prostatitis, we analyzed the concentration of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in EPS and serum of patients with category III prostatitis and healthy controls using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS).

RESULTS

The Results showed that the concentrations of Zn, Ca and Mg in both serum and EPS samples of all subjects with category III prostatitis were significantly different compared to controls (all P < 0.05), while Cu levels were significantly altered in all EPS samples (P < 0.000). In the category of IIIa prostatitis group, the levels of Zn, Ca, Mg in EPS, as well as Ca in serum were significantly reduced (all P < 0.000), whereas the serum Zn level was markedly elevated (P < 0.000). In the category IIIb prostatitis group, the EPS levels of Zn, Ca, Mg were decreased significantly (all P < 0.05), and the levels of serum Ca, Mg were markedly decreased (all P < 0.000), however, the EPS Cu level increased significantly (P < 0.05). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the levels of Mg and Zn/Mg in EPS had better diagnostic value for category IIIa prostatitis (Area Under the ROC Curve(AUC) = 0.796, 0.791, respectively, all P < 0.0001); while Cu and Cu/Ca levels exhibited better diagnostic value for category IIIb prostatitis (AUC = 0.880, 0.901, respectively, all P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Summarily, there are significant abnormalities in the concentrations of Cu, Mg, Ca, and Zn in EPS and serum samples of patients with category III prostatitis. The levels of Mg, Cu, Zn/Mg, Cu/Ca in EPS may serve as potential diagnostic markers for category III prostatitis.

Coenzyme Q10 supplementation affects cellular ionic balance: relevance to aging

Aging results into disruptive physiological functioning and cellular processes that affect the composition and structure of the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane is the major regulator of ionic homeostasis that regulates the functioning of membrane transporters and exchangers. Coenzyme Q10 is a lipid-soluble antioxidant molecule that declines during aging and age-associated diseases. The present study aims to explore the role of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation to rats during aging on membrane transporters and redox biomarkers. The study was conducted on young and old male Wistar rats supplemented with 20 mg/kg b.w. of Coenzyme Q10 per day. After a period of 28 days, rats were sacrificed and erythrocyte membrane was isolated. The result exhibits significant decline in biomarkers of oxidative stress in old control rats when compared with young control. The effect of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation was more pronounced in old rats. The functioning of membrane transporters and Na+/H+ exchanger showed potential return to normal levels in the Coenzyme Q10 treated rats. Overall, the results demonstrate that Coenzyme Q10 plays an important role in maintaining redox balance in cells which interconnects with membrane integrity. Thus, Coenzyme Q10 supplementation may play an important role in protecting age related alterations in erythrocyte membrane physiology.

Annulated Heterocyclic[g]Coumarin Composites: Synthetic Approaches and Bioactive Profiling

Coumarins, widely abundant natural heterocyclic compounds, are extensively employed in creating various biologically and pharmacologically potent substances. The hybridization of heterocycles presents a key opportunity to craft innovative multicyclic compounds with enhanced biological activity. Fusing different heterocyclic rings with the coumarin structure presents an intriguing method for crafting fresh hybrid compounds possessing remarkable biological effects. In the pursuit of creating heterocyclic-fused coumarins, a wide range of annulated heterocyclic[g]coumarin composites has been introduced, displaying impressive biological potency. The influence of the linear attachment of heterocyclic rings to the coumarin structure on the biological performance of the resulting compounds has been investigated. This review centers on the synthetic methodologies, structural activity relationship investigation, and biological potentials of annulated heterocyclic[g]coumarin composites. We conducted searches across several databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus. After sieving, we ultimately identified and included 71 pertinent studies published between 2000 and the middle of 2023. This will provide valuable perspectives for medicinal chemists in the prospective design and synthesis of lead compounds with significant therapeutic effects, centered around heterocycle-fused coumarin frameworks.

In silico analysis prediction of HepTH1-5 as a potential therapeutic agent by targeting tumour suppressor protein networks

Many studies reported that the activation of tumour suppressor protein, p53 induced the human hepcidin expression. However, its expression decreased when p53 was silenced in human hepatoma cells. Contrary to Tilapia hepcidin TH1-5, HepTH1-5 was previously reported to trigger the p53 activation through the molecular docking approach. The INhibitor of Growth (ING) family members are also shown to directly interact with p53 and promote cell cycle arrest, senescence, apoptosis and participate in DNA replication and DNA damage responses to suppress the tumour initiation and progression. However, the interrelation between INGs and HepTH1-5 remains unknown. Therefore, this study aims to identify the mechanism and their protein interactions using in silico approaches. The finding revealed that HepTH1-5 and its ligands had interacted mostly on hotspot residues of ING proteins which involved in histone modifications via acetylation, phosphorylation, and methylation. This proves that HepTH1-5 might implicate in an apoptosis signalling pathway and preserve the protein structure and function of INGs by reducing the perturbation of histone binding upon oxidative stress response. This study would provide theoretical guidance for the design and experimental studies to decipher the role of HepTH1-5 as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer therapy. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Atopic Dermatitis and Chronic Urticaria

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and chronic urticaria (CU) are common skin diseases with an increasing prevalence and pathogenesis that are not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role in AD and CU. The aim of the single-center cross-sectional study was to compare markers of oxidative stress in 21 patients with AD, and 19 CU patients. The products of protein oxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and markers of lipid peroxidation were estimated in the serum. AD patients had a higher level of advanced protein oxidation products and a lower level of thiol groups than healthy participants. However, CU patients had statistically higher levels of AOPP and 3-nitrotyrosine than healthy subjects. The level of thiol groups and serum TAC decreased significantly in patients with CU. There was no difference in serum concentration of lipid peroxidation products, Amadori products, ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione, and ability of albumin to binding cobalt between AD or CU patients compared to healthy subjects. We found a moderate positive significant correlation between AOPP and age in patients with AD. In patients with CU, TAC was negatively correlated with age. These results may shed light on the etiopathogenesis of AD or CU, and confirm an oxidative burden in these patients. Furthermore, our study could be useful in developing new therapeutic methods that include using antioxidants in dermatological diseases.

The therapeutic potential of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticle containing 5-fluorouracil in the treatment of colorectal cancer

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is being used in the treatment of several malignancies, but side effects are often reported and include: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, poor appetite, watery eyes, and photophobia. We have developed and tested the cytotoxic activity of nanocrystalline powder of γ-alumina (γ-Al₂O₃) containing 5-FU in two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) CRC cell culture. γ-Al₂O₃ was prepared using a facile sol-gel method. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA). Moreover, the particle size was monitored by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). We used MTT and a scratch assay to assess the antiproliferative and anti-migratory of this agent. The effect of γ-Al₂O₃-5-FU on SOD, MDA, and total-thiols levels were evaluated. We assessed the expression of apoptotic markers in mRNA or proteins by RT-PCR and ELISA respectively. γ-Al₂O₃-5-FU inhibited cell growth in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cell culture and increased apoptosis as detected by DAPI stainning via modulation of caspases, BAx, BCl2 and cyclinD1. γ-Al₂O₃-5-FU also reduced the migratory activity of CRC cells relative to untreated controls. γ-Al₂O₃-5-FU increased the level of MDA, while reducing the level of SOD and total-thiols as well as inflamatory markers (e.g., TNF-s and IL-6). Our study demonstrated that γ-Al₂O₃-5-FU inhibited cell growth and migration, indicating its potential value in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Fluorometric Assessment of Sulfhydryl Oxidase Activity: Optimization by Response Surface Methodology

Sulfhydryl oxidase was studied using a spectrofluorometric assay. The current protocol operates by using a combination of hemoglobin (HB) and hematin (HT) as a peroxidase mimic to catalyze the H₂O₂-dependent oxidation of thiamine. The response surface methodology (RSM) is used to optimize the new method. The current method is very accurate, sensitive, and linear up to 200 IU. When compared to the colorimetric method, the method produced a satisfactory correlation. The novel protocol is being used to evaluate asthenospermic patients' and fertile men's seminal sulfhydryl oxidase activity. The current protocol was used to determine reference values for seminal sulfhydryl oxidase activity. Due to the fact the newly developed spectrofluorometric method is more sensitive and precise than other colorimetric methods, and because thiamine is less expensive than other types of probes used in colorimetric and spectrofluorometric methods, it is likely to find widespread use among scientists studying sulfhydryl oxidase activity in biological tissues. The present method's analytical recovery yielded high specific findings.