Identification and characterization of proteins, lipids, and metabolites in two organic fertilizer products derived from different nutrient sources.

The biochemical composition of organic fertilizers largely determines their nutrient supply characteristics following soil application as well as their potential impact on soil microbial communities. Yet, limited information is available regarding the biochemical composition of organic fertilizers derived from different nutrient sources. Here, we qualitatively analyzed the presence and abundance of proteins, lipids, and metabolites in a liquid fish fertilizer (LFF) product and a type of granular organic fertilizer (GOF) commonly used in organic vegetable production, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Our results suggest that the presence and abundance of proteins, lipids, and metabolites differ greatly between GOF and LFF. The qualitative analysis shows LFF as a rich source of metabolites, while complex proteins and long-chain saturated fatty acids are dominant in GOF. The degree of biochemical composition complexity may help explain the varying impacts of different types of organic fertilizers on nutrient availability, soil health, and environmental quality. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13765-021-00625-2.

Statins inhibit the growth of variant human embryonic stem cells and cancer cells in vitro but not normal human embryonic stem cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Statins inhibit proliferation of various human cancer cell lines in vitro. As human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) possess neoplastic-like properties we have evaluated the role of various statins on karyotypically normal hESCs (HES3 and BG01), abnormal hESCs (BG01V) and breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) to evaluate whether the mode of action of the statins was via a stemness pathway. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: All cell lines were treated with simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin and mevastatin (1 micromol x L(-1) to 20 micromol x L(-1)) up to 7 days and their effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and pluripotency studied. KEY RESULTS: All four statins did not inhibit HES3 and BG01 proliferation, but BG01V and MCF-7 were inhibited by simvastatin, lovastatin and mevastatin. These inhibitory effects were reversed by the endogenous isoprenoids, farnesylpyrophosphate and geranylgeranylpyrophosphate. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labelling and cell cycle assay confirmed apoptosis in BG01V and MCF-7. Stem cell surface markers [stage-specific embryonic antigen-4, tumour rejection antigen-1-81, octamer-4 (OCT-4)] were expressed in HES3 and BG01, but not in BG01V cells, even after prolonged treatment with simvastatin. In BG01V and MCF-7, the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-associated X protein genes were up-regulated, while the antiapoptotic BCL2 and SURVIVIN genes were down-regulated. Expression of the stemness-related genes namely, the growth differentiation factor-3, NANOG and OCT-4 was decreased in BG01V compared with BG01 and HES3. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Normal hESCs were resistant to prolonged exposure to statins over a range of doses, compared with BG01V and MCF-7, probably because of genetic and behavioural differences. The statins not only have anti-cancer properties but can suppress abnormal hESCs thus promoting growth of normal hESCs in vitro.

Hepatocyte growth factor inhibits epithelial to myofibroblast transition in lung cells via Smad7.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lethal parenchymal lung disease characterized by denudation of the lung epithelium, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen deposition. Cellular changes underlying disease progression involve injury to alveolar epithelial cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, proliferation of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA)-expressing myofibroblasts and of fibroblasts resulting in enhanced deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibits progression of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. The mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of HGF was investigated in an in vitro model. We show that HGF markedly antagonizes basal and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta-induced expression of myofibroblast markers such as alpha-SMA, collagen type 1, and fibronectin in rat alveolar epithelial cells. HGF also inhibited TGF-beta-induced alpha-SMA expression in primary murine alveolar epithelial cells. Since TGF-beta is known to regulate alpha-SMA expression, the effect of HGF on components of TGF-beta signaling was investigated. HGF induced expression of Smad7, an inhibitor of TGF-beta signaling, in a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent manner. HGF also induced the nuclear export of Smad7 and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 1 (Smurf1) to the cytoplasm. HGF-dependent decrease in alpha-SMA was abolished with specific siRNAs targeted to Smad7. Thus, induction of Smad7 by HGF serves to limit acquisition of the myofibroblast phenotype in alveolar epithelial cells.

Comparative growth behaviour and characterization of stem cells from human Wharton's jelly.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) face ethical sensitivities and the problem of teratoma formation. Although Wharton's jelly stem cells (WJSC), also of embryonic origin, may not face such ethical concerns, it is not definitely known whether under hESC culture conditions they would be as pluripotent as hESC. WJSC grown on plastic showed two types of morphology (epithelioid and short fibroblastic) in primary culture depending on the culture medium used, and only fibroblastic morphology when passaged. When grown in the presence of hESC medium on mouse feeder cells, they produced atypical colonies containing hESC-like cells with high-nuclear cytoplasmic ratios and prominent nucleoli. They were positive for the hESC markers Tra-1-60, Tra-1-81, SSEA-1, SSEA-4, Oct-4 and alkaline phosphatase, negative for SSEA-3, showed normal karyotypes, developed embryoid body (EB)-like structures, did not produce teratomas in SCID mice and differentiated into neuronal derivatives. They were also positive for the mesenchymal CD markers (CD105, CD90, CD44), negative for CD34 and HLA, and although nine out of 10 embryonic stem cell genomic markers were detectable, these were expressed at low levels. WJSC are thus not as pluripotent as hESC but widely multipotent, and have the advantages of being able to be scaled up easily and not inducing teratomas.