Distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells with an organelle-targeted fluorescent marker

In this paper we report a hemicyanine dye that is used to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells with its ability to target different organelles. Probe 1, a red emission hemicyanine functional dye, was connected to oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridine and diethylaminobenzene with a double bond. The maximum absorption peaks of probe 1 were located in the 509-552 nm range in organic solvents. Meanwhile, the probe possessed a high molar extinction coefficient (5.50 × 10⁴ M^-1 cm^-1 in DMSO) with high photostability. The maximum emission wavelength of the probe ranged from 572 nm to 644 nm, and it also had a large Stokes shift (126 nm in DMSO). In particular, the probe showed weak fluorescence in water (Φ = 0.016), whereas it displayed strong fluorescence at 595 nm in β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) solution (Φ = 0.13). In addition, cell colocalization experiments showed that probe 1 (3 μM) was located in the endoplasmic reticulum in cancer cells, while it could target lysosomes in normal cells. What's more, further cell imaging experiments demonstrated that the average fluorescence intensity of probe 1 (0.3 μM) in cancer cells increased with the addition of β-CD, but it did not occur in normal cells. The study provides a convenient way to distinguish cancer cells from normal ones, which has potential for application in the early detection of cancer.

Physicochemical properties of turanose and its potential applications as a sucrose substitute

Among the structural isomers of sucrose, turanose has been considered as one of good candidates as novel sweetener due to its mild taste, low calorie, and anti-cariogenicity. Here, various physicochemical properties of turanose, such as solubility, temperature and pH stabilities, viscosity, non-enzymatic browning reaction, and dynamic vapor sorption, were investigated by comparing them to those of other commercial sugars. Turanose did not significantly hydrolyze through the simulated digestion tract overall but in the artificial small intestinal environment specifically, turanose degraded by only 18% when sucrose was hydrolyzed by 36% after 4 h. In addition, physicochemical properties of turanose confirmed that it had a potential to replace sucrose due to similar or better product qualities as a food ingredient than other types of sugars with similar chemical structure. Thus, our study suggests that turanose can be applied as a functional sweetener or bulking agent in food processing.

A novel maltoheptaose-based sugar ester having excellent emulsifying properties and optimization of its lipase-catalyzed synthesis

A novel maltoheptaose-palmitate ester (G7-PA) was synthesized and investigated for emulsion properties. First of all, the optimal conditions for lipase-catalyzed G7-PA synthesis, which were 0.2 of the G7/PA molar ratio, 33.5 U of immobilized CALB per 1 g of PA in 10% DMSO, were determined by response surface methodology. G7-PA was compared with the commercial sucrose-PA (S-PA) in terms of emulsion-forming ability and stability at extreme conditions. At the 0.1% surfactant concentration, G7-PA emulsion exhibited a droplet distribution similar to the 0.2% surfactant condition, while S-PA emulsion was quickly destabilized. G7-PA showed better emulsifying properties than the S-PA at the acidic condition (pH 3). Flocculation and phase separation was observed at the S-PA emulsion, but the G7-PA emulsion was stable for 7-day. In thermostability tests, G7-PA and S-PA both were stable up to the boiling temperature. Conclusively, G7-PA exhibits excellent properties as a biosurfactant in O/W emulsion compared with S-PA.

Natural sucrose esters: Perspectives on the chemical and physiological use of an under investigated chemical class of compounds

The present review describes the chemistry and physiological properties of the sucrose esters (SEs) obtained from natural or synthetic pathways, with emphasis on those that have aliphatic and phenylpropanoid substituents on their sucrose moiety. Synthesis, extraction and characterization methods for the SEs and NSEs are discussed in terms of synthetic procedures, separation techniques and spectroscopic methods. The physiological properties are discussed taking into account the nature of the substituent groups and their regiochemistry (position and number of substitutions) on the sucrose moiety.

Upregulation of Skin-Aging Biomarkers in Aged NHDF Cells by a Sucrose Ester Extract from the Agroindustrial Waste of Physalis peruviana Calyces

As part of a search for new sustainable plant sources of valuable compounds, the EtOAc extract of the discarded calyces of Physalis peruviana fruit was selected for its significant antiaging activity. Eight new sucrose esters (SEs), named peruvioses F-M (1-8), along with three known SEs, peruvioses A (9), peruviose B (10), and nicandrose D (11), were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive analyses of their NMR and MS data. A global fragmentation pattern of these SEs was established from their MS data. The SE extract (SEE) at a concentration of 0.5 mg L^-1 upregulated multiple skin-aging biomarkers, namely, collagen I, elastin, and fibrillin-1, in aged normal human dermal fibroblast cells. A 36% increase in collagen I was observed. The elastin and fibrillin-1 contents were fully recovered, and an increase of at least 10% in the production of elastin was observed.

Mechanism of anaerobic bio-reduction of azo dye assisted with lawsone-immobilized activated carbon

Lawsone redox (LQ) mediator was covalently bound to granular activated carbon (GAC) by Fischer esterification. A high LQ adsorption capacity on GAC was achieved (∼230 mg/g), and desorption studies showed strong chemical stability. Furthermore, kinetic experiments with solid-phase redox mediator (RM) and their controls (soluble RM, GAC and anaerobic sludge) were tested for decolorization of congo red dye at initial concentration of 175 mg/L. Benzidine, a by-product of complete congo red reduction, was also measured by HPLC analysis along the kinetic experiments. The highest percentage of decolorization after 24 h of incubation was achieved in cultures with soluble (77%) and immobilized (70%) LQ. In contrast, low decolorization efficiency was reached in anaerobic bio-reduction assays with unmodified GAC (47%) and anaerobic sludge (28%) after 24 h. Removal of congo red by adsorption onto LQ-GAC was negligible. The rate of benzidine production was slower than decolorization rate, suggesting that one azo bond of congo red is selectively broke and followed by a slower breaking of the second azo bond, consequently, appearance of benzidine in solution. These issues could be attributed to the steric rearrangement and the inhibitory effects of the produced aromatic amines in the biotransformation process.