Subject(s)
Antipruritics/administration & dosage , Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy , Menthol/analogs & derivatives , Pruritus/drug therapy , Skin Cream/administration & dosage , TRPM Cation Channels/agonists , Adult , Antipruritics/pharmacology , Female , Humans , Male , Menthol/administration & dosage , Menthol/pharmacology , Middle Aged , Skin Cream/pharmacology , Young AdultABSTRACT
A time-course feeding trial was conducted for 120 days on juvenile channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) to study the effects of diets differing in oil source (fish oil or soy oil) and supplementation with a commercial probiotic. Relative levels of Δ6-fatty acid desaturase (Δ6-FAD) and fatty acid elongase (FAE) expression were assessed in brain and liver tissues. Both genes showed similar expression levels in all groups studied. Fish weight-to-length relationships were evaluated using polynomial regression analyses, which identified a burst in weight and length in the channel catfish on day 105 of treatment; this increase was related to an increase in gene expression. Mid-intestinal lactic acid bacterium (LAB) count was determined according to morphological and biochemical criteria using API strips. There was no indication that intestinal LAB count was affected by the modified diets. The Cunningham glass adherence method was applied to evaluate phagocytic cell activity in peripheral blood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed through the respiratory burst activity of spleen macrophages by the NBT reduction test. Probiotic-supplemented diets provided a good substrate for innate immune system function; the phagocytic index was significantly enhanced in fish fed soy oil and the probiotic, and at the end of the experimental period, ROS production increased in fish fed soy oil. The substitution of fish oil by soy oil is recommended for food formulation and will contribute to promoting sustainable aquaculture. Probiotics are also recommended for channel catfish farming as they may act as immunonutrients.
Subject(s)
Acetyltransferases/metabolism , Fish Proteins/metabolism , Ictaluridae/metabolism , Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase/metabolism , Acetyltransferases/genetics , Animal Feed , Animals , Aquaculture , Body Weight , Brain/enzymology , Diet , Fatty Acid Elongases , Fish Proteins/genetics , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Gene Expression , Ictaluridae/genetics , Ictaluridae/growth & development , Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase/genetics , Liver/enzymology , Macrophages/physiology , Phagocytosis , Probiotics/administration & dosage , Respiratory Burst , Soybean Oil/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Estrogens are oncogenic hormones at a high level in breast, prostate, endometrial and lung cancer. Estrogens are synthesized by aromatase which has been used as a biomarker both in breast and lung cancer. Estrogen biological activities are executed by their classic receptors (ERα and ERß). ERα has been described as a cancer promoter and ERß, as a possible tumor suppressor. Both receptors are present at low levels in primary multiforme glioblastoma (GBM). The GBM frequency is 50 % higher in men than in women. The GBM patient survival period ranges from 7 to 18 months. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate aromatase and estrogen receptor expression, as well as 17ß-estradiol concentration in astrocytoma patients biopsies to obtain a prognosis biomarker for these patients. We analyzed 36 biopsies of astrocytoma patients with a different grade (I-IV) of malignity. Aromatase and estrogen receptor mRNA expression were analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and the E2 levels, by ELISA. E2 concentration was higher in GBM, compared to grade II or III astrocytomas. The number of cells immunoreactive to aromatase and estrogen receptors decreased as the grade of tumor malignity increased. Aromatase mRNA expression was present in all biopsies, regardless of malignity grade or patient age or gender. The highest expression of aromatase mRNA in GBM patients was associated to the worst survival prognostic (6.28 months). In contrast lowest expression of ERα mRNA in astrocytoma patients had a worst prognosis. In conclusion, aromatase and ERα expression could be used as prognosis biomarkers for astrocytoma patients.
Subject(s)
Aromatase/metabolism , Astrocytoma/metabolism , Estrogen Receptor alpha/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Adult , Astrocytoma/diagnosis , Astrocytoma/pathology , Astrocytoma/surgery , Biomarkers/metabolism , Biopsy , Estradiol/metabolism , Estrogen Receptor beta/metabolism , Female , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Grading , Pilot Projects , Prognosis , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Following our investigations on red pigments and monascidin co-production by Monascus species, the antibiotic called monascidin A was characterized as citrinin. Evidence was given by qualitative methods, mass spectra and NMR. Citrinin, a nephrotoxic agent was produced both by Monascus purpureus and Monascus ruber, either in submerged culture of concentrations of 270 and 340 mg/l, respectively, or in solid state culture of concentration of 100 and 300 mg/kg dried matter, respectively. Since citrinin is a toxic product, it is essential that the production of red pigments as food additives from Monascus spp. avoid the occurrence of citrinin.
Subject(s)
Bacteria/drug effects , Citrinin/chemistry , Citrinin/pharmacology , Fungal Proteins/biosynthesis , Fungi/metabolism , Citrinin/biosynthesis , Fungal Proteins/pharmacology , Pigments, BiologicalABSTRACT
The D. melanogaster mei-41 gene is required for DNA repair, mitotic chromosome stability, and normal levels of meiotic recombination in oocytes. Here we show that the predicted mei-41 protein is similar in sequence to the ATM (ataxia telangiectasia) protein from humans and to the yeast rad3 and Mec1p proteins. There is also extensive functional overlap between mei-41 and ATM. Like ATM-deficient cells, mei-41 cells are exquisitely sensitive to ionizing radiation and display high levels of mitotic chromosome instability. We also demonstrate that mei-41 cells, like ATM-deficient cells, fail to show an irradiation-induced delay in the entry into mitosis that is characteristic of normal cells. Thus, the mei-41 gene of Drosophila may be considered to be a functional homolog of the human ATM gene.
Subject(s)
Ataxia Telangiectasia/genetics , Drosophila melanogaster/genetics , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases , Animals , Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins , Cell Cycle/genetics , Cell Cycle/radiation effects , Cell Cycle Proteins , Cloning, Molecular , DNA Damage/physiology , DNA Damage/radiation effects , DNA-Binding Proteins , Genes, Insect/genetics , Genes, Insect/physiology , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Neurons/radiation effects , Phenotype , Phosphotransferases/genetics , Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/genetics , Proteins/genetics , Sequence Homology, Amino Acid , Tumor Suppressor ProteinsABSTRACT
We have isolated an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA that complements the methyl methanesulfonate-sensitive phenotype of an Escherichia coli double mutant deficient in 3-methyladenine glycosylases (DNA-3-methyladenine glycosidases I and II, EC 3.2.2.20 and 3.2.2.21, respectively, encoded by tag and alkA). Expression of the Arabidopsis cDNA enhances the methyl methanesulfonate resistance of the E. coli double mutant by nearly four orders of magnitude. The cDNA corresponds to a single-copy, nuclearly encoded sequence which specifies a predicted 28.1-kDa protein with a charge of +8 at pH 7.0. Enzymatic analysis of extracts prepared from the transformed mutants indicates that the cDNA encodes a 3-methyladenine glycosylase. The predicted amino acid sequence of the Arabidopsis glycosylase has significant homology to other eukaryotic 3-methyladenine glycosylases.
