Influence of standard culture conditions and effect of oleoresin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis on splenic cells from healthy Balb/c mice - a pilot study.

In this work, we used splenocytes from healthy mice to study the effects of the two most commonly used cell culture media (A, B) with different compositions of redox reagents. The incubation of cells for 24 h resulted in a significant decrease in viability and metabolic activity of splenocytes, and the negative effects of incubation in medium B were more pronounced. In standard conditions, oxidative stress in cells was manifested by reduced mitochondrial potential, and this effect correlated with the transition of 58.3% of cells to the early stage of apoptosis under reducing conditions of medium A and up to 66.1% of cells under super-reducing conditions in medium B, suggesting altered cell physiology. High levels of ROS/RNS activated transcription factor Nrf2, superoxide dismutase 1, and catalase. The higher mRNA levels of these genes were under the conditions of medium B, whose super-reducing environment in combination with the environment of conventional incubators proved to be less suitable for the cells compared to medium A. Treatment of the cells with a lower concentration (10 µg/ml) of oleoresin obtained from the microalga H. pluvialis partially eliminated the negative effects of cultivation. Higher concentration of oleoresin (40 µg/ml) was slightly cytotoxic, due to the significant antioxidant effect of astaxanthin, the main bioactive component of the extract, which eliminated most of the ROS/RNS acting as signalling molecules. This study shows that the standard culture conditions do not reflect the physiological in vivo cell conditions; therefore, they are not generally suitable for incubation of all cell types.

Astaxanthin Extract from Haematococcus pluvialis and Its Fractions of Astaxanthin Mono- and Diesters Obtained by CCC Show Differential Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Effects on Naïve-Mouse Spleen Cells.

Carotenoids are the most abundant lipid-soluble phytochemicals and are used as dietary supplements to protect against diseases caused by oxidative stress. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, is a very potent antioxidant with numerous beneficial effects on cellular functions and signaling pathways. In this study, using spleen cells from healthy Balb/c mice, we report the bio-functional effects of an astaxanthin-rich extract (EXT) prepared from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis and its astaxanthin monoesters-rich fraction (ME) and astaxanthin diesters-rich fraction (DE) obtained by fractionation of EXT using countercurrent chromatography (CCC). After incubation under standard culture conditions (humidity, 37 °C, 5% CO2, atmospheric oxygen), the viability of untreated splenocytes, as determined by the trypan blue exclusion assay, the MTT assay, and the neutral red assay, decreases to approximately 75% after 24 h compared with naïve splenocytes. This effect correlated with the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and the transition of ~59% of cells to the early stage of apoptosis, as well as with the decreased ROS production, indicating that hyperoxia in cell-culture deteriorates cell functions. They are restored or stimulated by co-cultivation with EXT, ME, and DE up to 10 µg/mL in the order EXT > DE > ME, suggesting that esterification increases bioavailability to cells in vitro. ROS and H2O2 concentrations reflect mRNA transcriptional activity of Nrf2, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase 1, as well as SOD-mediated ROS conversion, whereas they inversely correlate with iNOS-mediated NO production. The highest-tested concentration of EXT, ME, and DE (40 µg/mL) is detrimental to cells, probably because of the overwhelming scavenging activity of astaxanthin and its esters for the reactive oxygen/nitrogen species required for cellular functions and signal transduction at low physiological concentrations. In this study, we demonstrate that differential activities of ME and DE contribute to the final antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of astaxanthin extract, which is beneficial in preventing a wide range of ROS-induced adverse effects, with DE being more effective. In addition, the selection of physioxia-like conditions for pharmacological research is highlighted.

Co-Treatment with Human Leukocyte Extract and Albendazole Stimulates Drug's Efficacy and Th1 Biased Immune Response in Mesocestoides vogae (Cestoda) Infection via Modulation of Transcription Factors, Macrophage Polarization, and Cytokine Profiles.

The model flatworm Mesocestoides vogae proliferating stage of infection elicits immunosuppression in the host. It was used to investigate the effects of human leukocyte extract (DLE) alone and in combination with anthelmintic albendazole (ABZ) on the reduction in peritoneal infection, peritoneal exudate cells (PECs), their adherent counterparts, and peritoneal exudates after the termination of therapy. Balb/c mice were infected with the larvae of M. vogae. PECs and adherent macrophages were studied via flow cytometry, mRNA transcript levels, and immunofluorescence. The cytokine levels were measured via ELISA and larvae were counted. ABZ significantly reduced larval counts (581.2 ± 65, p < 0.001), but the highest reduction was observed after combined treatment with ABZ and DLE (389.2 ± 119, p < 0.001) in comparison with the control. Compared to an infected group, the proportions of CD11b+CD19- myeloid cells with suppressive ability decreased after albendazole (ABZ) in combination with DLE, which was the most effective in the elevation of B cells and CD11b+F4/80mid/highMHCIIhigh macrophages/monocytes (22.2 ± 5.4%). Transcripts of the M2 macrophage markers (arginase 1, FIZZ-1, and Ym-1) were downregulated after DLE and combined therapy but not after ABZ, and the opposite trend was seen for iNOS. This contrasts with reduced ex vivo NO production by LPS-stimulated PECs from DLE and ABZ+DLE groups, where adherent macrophages/monocytes had elevated transcripts of the INF-γ receptor and STAT1 and reduced expression of STAT3, STAT6, and IL-10. Each therapy differentially modulated transcription profiles and concentrations of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12p40, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-ß cytokines. DLE strongly ameliorated ABZ-induced suppression of INF-γ and IL-12 and preserved downregulation for IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-ß. Epigenetic study on adherent macrophages from infected mice showed that ABZ, ABZ-sulfoxide, and DLE could interact with the mRNA of examined markers in a dose-dependent pattern. Co-administration of DLE with ABZ seemed to augment the drug's larvicidal effect via modulation of immunity. In comparison with ABZ, combined therapy was the most effective in alleviating parasite-induced Th2/Treg/STAT3/STA6 directed immunosuppression by stimulating the Th1 cytokines, M1 macrophage polarization, and activation of the IFNγ/STAT1 signaling pathway.

Computational screening of miRNAs and their targets in leaves of Hypericum spp. by transcriptome-mining: a pilot study.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Our work provides a survey of mature miRNAs, their target genes and primary precursors identified by in-silico approach in leaf transcriptomes of five selected Hypericum species. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules found in animals, terrestrial plants, several algae and molds. As their role lies in the post-transcriptional gene silencing, these tiny molecules regulate many biological processes. Phyto-miRNAs are considered the important regulators of secondary metabolism in medicinal plants. The genus Hypericum comprises many producers of bioactive compounds, mainly unique naphtodianthrones with a great therapeutic potential. The main goal of our work was to identify genetically conserved miRNAs, characterize their primary precursors and target sequences in the leaf transcriptomes of five Hypericum species using in-silico approach. We found 20 sequences of potential Hypericum pri-miRNAs, and predicted and computationally validated their secondary structures. The mature miRNAs were identified by target genes screening analysis. Whereas predicted miRNA profiles differed in less genetically conserved families, the highly conserved miRNAs were found in almost all studied species. Moreover, we detected several novel highly likely miRNA-mRNA interactions, such as mir1171 with predicted regulatory role in the biosynthesis of melatonin in plants. Our work contributes to the knowledge of Hypericum miRNAome and miRNA-mRNA interactions.

Comparative Transcriptome Reconstruction of Four Hypericum Species Focused on Hypericin Biosynthesis.

Next generation sequencing technology rapidly developed research applications in the field of plant functional genomics. Several Hypericum spp. with an aim to generate and enhance gene annotations especially for genes coding the enzymes supposedly included in biosynthesis of valuable bioactive compounds were analyzed. The first de novo transcriptome profiling of Hypericum annulatum Moris, H. tomentosum L., H. kalmianum L., and H. androsaemum L. leaves cultivated in vitro was accomplished. All four species with only limited genomic information were selected on the basis of differences in ability to synthesize hypericins and presence of dark nodules accumulating these metabolites with purpose to enrich genomic background of Hypericum spp. H. annulatum was chosen because of high number of the dark nodules and high content of hypericin. H. tomentosum leaves are typical for the presence of only 1-2 dark nodules localized in the apical part. Both H. kalmianum and H. androsaemum lack hypericin and have no dark nodules. Four separated datasets of the pair-end reads were gathered and used for de novo assembly by Trinity program. Assembled transcriptomes were annotated to the public databases Swiss-Prot and non-redundant protein database (NCBI-nr). Gene ontology analysis was performed. Differences of expression levels in the marginal tissues with dark nodules and inner part of leaves lacking these nodules indicate a potential genetic background for hypericin formation as the presumed site of hypericin biosynthesis is in the cells adjacent to these structures. Altogether 165 contigs in H. annulatum and 100 contigs in H. tomentosum were detected as significantly differentially expressed (P < 0.05) and upregulated in the leaf rim tissues containing the dark nodules. The new sequences homologous to octaketide synthase and enzymes catalyzing phenolic oxidative coupling reactions indispensable for hypericin biosynthesis were discovered. The presented transcriptomic sequence data will improve current knowledge about the selected Hypericum spp. with proposed relation to hypericin biosynthesis and will provide a useful resource of genomic information for consequential studies in the field of functional genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.