isolation-purification-fungal-glucan-as-an-immunotherapy-strategy-for

Isolation and Purification of Fungal &#946;-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

One of the biggest challenges in developing effective therapies against glioblastoma is overcoming the strong immune suppression within the tumor ...

Universidad de Sevilla

The antioxidant capacity of rice bran (RB) (due mainly to its gamma-oryzanol content) is very well known. We have recently developed a water-soluble oryzanol enzymatic extract (WSOEE), which shows a greatly increased functionality.

Prevention of brain protein and lipid oxidation elicited by a water-soluble oryzanol enzymatic extract derived from rice bran.

Antioxidant activities of lipophilic hydroxytyrosyl acetate, palmitate, oleate, and linoleate were compared with those of hydroxytyrosol, alpha-tocopherol, and butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) in both glyceridic matrix and biological systems. Aliquots of a glyceridic matrix spiked with various concentrations of antioxidant were subjected to accelerated oxidation in a Rancimat apparatus operated at 90 degrees C. The relationships between induction time (IT) and antioxidant concentration (mmol/kg) presented by hydroxytyrosol and hydroxytyrosyl acetate, palmitate, oleate, and linoleate were similar. Hydroxytyrosol and its esters showed greater antioxidant activity than alpha-tocopherol or BHT. We also evaluated the capacity of hydroxytyrosyl esters to protect proteins and lipids against oxidation caused by peroxyl radicals, using a brain homogenate as an ex vivo model. All tested compounds showed a protective effect in these systems, which was greater in preventing the generation of carbonyl groups in protein than of malondialdehyde in lipid. Inclusion of a lipophilic chain in the hydroxytyrosol molecule enhanced its antioxidant capacities in this biological model.

Lipophilic hydroxytyrosyl esters. Antioxidant activity in lipid matrices and biological systems.

The purpose of this study was to gather information on the potential effects of organic biostimulants on soil activity and atrazine biodegradation. Carob germ enzymatic extract (CGEE) and wheat condensed distiller solubles enzymatic extract (WCDS-EE) have been obtained using an enzymatic process; their main organic components are soluble carbohydrates and proteins in the form of peptides and free amino acids. Their application to soil results in high biostimulation, rapidly increased dehydrogenase, phosphatase and glucosidase activities, and an observed atrazine extender capacity due to inhibition of its mineralization. The extender capacity of both extracts is proportional to the protein/carbohydrate ratio content. As a result, these enzymatic extracts are highly microbially available, leading to two independent phenomena, fertility and an atrazine persistence that is linked to increased soil activity.

Enzymatic vegetable organic extracts as soil biochemical biostimulants and atrazine extenders.

Oxidative stress induced by a high ammonia concentration has been suggested to be implicated in the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Therefore, oxidative damage of brain biomolecules could contribute towards explaining the neurological and motor alterations observed in HE.

Brain biomolecules oxidation in portacaval-shunted rats.

Ammonia production is implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), being intestinal glutaminase activity the main source for ammonia. Management of ammonia formation can be effective in HE treatment by lowering intestinal ammonia production. The use of glutaminase inhibitors represents one way to achieve this goal. In this work, we have performed a search for specific inhibitors that could decrease glutaminase activity by screening two different groups of compounds: i) a group integrated by a diverse, highly pure small molecule compounds derived from thiourea ranging from 200 to 800 Daltons; and ii) a group integrated by commonly use compounds in the treatment of HE. Results shown that THDP-17 (10 µM), a thiourea derivate product, could inhibit the intestinal glutaminase activity (57.4±6.7%). Inhibitory effect was tissue dependent, ranging from 40±5.5% to 80±7.8% in an uncompetitive manner, showing Vmax and Km values of 384.62 µmol min(-1), 13.62 mM with THDP-17 10 µM, respectively. This compound also decreased the glutaminase activity in Caco-2 cell cultures, showing a reduction of ammonia and glutamate production, compared to control cultures. Therefore, the THDP-17 compound could be a good candidate for HE management, by lowering ammonia production.

THDP17 decreases ammonia production through glutaminase inhibition. A new drug for hepatic encephalopathy therapy.

Background &amp; aims. G-allele of PNPLA3 (rs738409) favours triglycerides accumulation and steatosis. In this study, we examined the effect of quercetin and natural extracts from mushroom and artichoke on reducing lipid accumulation in hepatic cells.

Natural Extracts Abolished Lipid Accumulation in Cells Harbouring non-favourable PNPLA3 genotype.

Nowadays there is an increasing concern about exposition during prenatal stage to environmental pollutants such as metals, that make pregnant women a vulnerable group of population. Numerous studies have shown associations between the prenatal exposition to some metals and an impact on cognitive, motor and intellectual development of the child. Metals and metalloid are ubiquitous in the environment and pregnant women are exposed to them though their diet, lifestyle factors or occupational and environmental sources. One hundred of maternal and one hundred of cord blood samples were obtained at delivery from pregnant women after signing of the informed consent to determine simultaneously levels of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn by ICP-MS. Among these metals, essential ones (Cu, Mn, Se and Zn) can have health beneficial effects at low levels, however, in high concentration are potentially toxic. On the other hand, elements such as Al, As, Cd, Hg, Pb are classified as toxic metals, no matter what its concentration was. The aim of this study was to find the potential relationships between these metals and metalloid levels, newborn's parameters, pregnancy details and the epidemiologic information obtained using a questionnaire data from the participant pregnant women from Seville (Spain). A n = 100 of participants have been enrolled, 15.6 % of the women from Virgen del Rocio Hospital were smokers during pregnancy but only 11.1 % from Virgen de Valme had the habit. Dietary habits of all participants from both hospital were quite similar in average rice, fish and canned food consumption. The characteristics of newborns were also quite similar for both hospitals. A positive correlation between maternal and cord blood was found between all metals except for Cr and Cu. The strongest correlation was found for Hg (r = 0.779, p < 0.005). Positive but weaker correlations between maternal blood and lifestyle habits were also established.

Juan Bautista

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Faculty of Pharmacy,
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy

Universidad de Sevilla

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

Juan Bautista

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,Faculty of Pharmacy,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy

Universidad de Sevilla

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Faculty of Pharmacy,
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy