Proteomic Analysis of Heloderma horridum horridum Venom: Assessment to Its Transcriptome and Newfound Proteins.

Heloderma horridum horridum, a venomous reptile native to America, has a venom with potential applications in treating type II diabetes. In this work, H. h. horridum venom was extracted, lyophilized, and characterized using enzymatic assays for hyaluronidase, phospholipase, and protease. Proteomic analysis of the venom was conducted employing bottom-up/shotgun approaches, SDS-PAGE, high-pH reversed-phase chromatography, and fractionation of tryptic peptides using nano-LC-MS/MS. The proteins found in H. h. horridum venom were reviewed according to the classification of the transcriptome previously reported. The proteomic approach identified 101 enzymes, 36 other proteins, 15 protein inhibitors, 11 host defense proteins, and 1 toxin, including novel venom components such as calcium-binding proteins, phospholipase A2 inhibitors, serpins, cathepsin, subtilases, carboxypeptidase-like, aminopeptidases, glycoside hydrolases, thioredoxin transferases, acid ceramidase-like, enolase, multicopper oxidases, phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase class 1, pentraxin-related, peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase/peptidyl-hydroxyglycine α-amidating lyase, carbonic anhydrase, acetylcholinesterase, dipeptidylpeptidase, and lysozymes. These findings contribute to understanding the venomous nature of H. h. horridum and highlight its potential as a source of bioactive compounds. Data are available via PRoteomeXchange with the identifier PXD052417.

Venom gland transcriptome from Heloderma horridum horridum by high-throughput sequencing.

Lizards of the Helodermatidae (Anguimorpha) family consist of at least two well recognized species: Heloderma horridum horridum and Heloderma suspectum suspectum. They contain specialized glands in their jaws that produce venomous secretions that causes envenoming symptoms to bitten animals. One way to study proteins from such secretions is by RNA-seq; a powerful molecular tool to characterize the transcriptome of such specialized gland, and its protein secretions. The total RNA from venom gland tissues of H. horridum horridum was extracted and a cDNA library was constructed and sequenced. Overall, 114,172 transcripts were found, and 199 were annotated based on sequence similarities to previously described peptides/proteins. Transcripts coding for putative exendins, defensins, natriuretics and serine protease inhibitors were the most highly expressed. Transcripts that code for several putative serine proteases, phospholipases, metalloproteases, lipases, L-amino oxidase and nucleases were also found. Some of the novel identified transcripts were translationally controlled tumor proteins, venom factors, vespryns, waprins, lectins, cystatins and serine protease inhibitors. All these new protein structures may contribute to a better understanding of the venomous secretions of the Helodermatidae family.

Anti-inflammatory drugs and uterine cervical cancer cells: Antineoplastic effect of meclofenamic acid.

Uterine cervical cancer (UCC) is one of the main causes of cancer-associated mortality in women. Inflammation has been identified as an important component of this neoplasia; in this context, anti-inflammatory drugs represent possible prophylactic and/or therapeutic alternatives that require further investigation. Anti-inflammatory drugs are common and each one may exhibit a different antineoplastic effect. As a result, the present study investigated different anti-inflammatory models of UCC in vitro and in vivo. Celecoxib, sulindac, nimesulide, dexamethasone, meclofenamic acid, flufenamic acid and mefenamic acid were tested in UCC HeLa, VIPA, INBL and SiHa cell lines. The cytotoxicity of the drugs was evaluated in vitro. Celecoxib, sulindac, nimesulide, mefenamic acid and flufenamic acid presented with slight to moderate toxicity (10-40% of cell death corresponding to 100 µM) in certain cell lines, while meclofenamic acid exhibited significant cytotoxicity in all essayed cell lines (50-90% of cell death corresponding to 100 µM). The meclofenamic acid was tested in murine models (immunodeficient and immunocompetent) of UCC, which manifested a significant reduction in tumor growth and increased mouse survival. It was demonstrated that of the evaluated anti-inflammatory drugs, meclofenamic acid was the most cytotoxic, with a significant antitumor effect in murine models. Subsequent studies are necessary to evaluate the clinical utility of this drug.

Crystal structure of the chalcone (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one.

The title chalcone derivative, C13H10O2, adopts an E conformation about the C=C double bond. The mol-ecule is composed of a furanyl and a phenyl ring, bridged by an α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl system, which are inclined to one another by 24.07 (7)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are connected by weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the carbonyl O atom acting as a trifurcated acceptor and C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming ribbons extending along the c-axis direction.

Exo conformers of N-(pyridin-2-yl)- and N-(pyridin-3-yl)norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide crystals.

Two isomeric pyridine-substituted norbornenedicarboximide derivatives, namely N-(pyridin-2-yl)-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide, (I), and N-(pyridin-3-yl)-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide, (II), both C(14)H(12)N(2)O(4), have been crystallized and their structures unequivocally determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecules consist of norbornene moieties fused to a dicarboximide ring substituted at the N atom by either pyridin-2-yl or pyridin-3-yl in an anti configuration with respect to the double bond, thus affording exo isomers. In both compounds, the asymmetric unit consists of two independent molecules (Z' = 2). In compound (I), the pyridine rings of the two independent molecules adopt different conformations, i.e. syn and anti, with respect to the methylene bridge. The intermolecular contacts of (I) are dominated by C-H...O interactions. In contrast, in compound (II), the pyridine rings of both molecules have an anti conformation and the two independent molecules are linked by carbonyl-carbonyl interactions, as well as by C-H...O and C-H...N contacts.

Polymorphisms in the genes related to angiogenesis are associated with uterine cervical cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) participates in the angiogenesis of several cancer types. The goal of this study was to investigate polymorphisms in genes related to angiogenesis (PAI-1-675 4G/5G, VEGF C936T, and TGF-ß1 G-800A) to evaluate the risk for developing uterine cervical cancer (UCC). METHODS: In a case-control study, 100 healthy subjects and 100 patients with UCC from Mexico were included. We determined the genetic profile of the polymorphic markers, which were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction using a sequence-specific primer. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the allele distribution from the intergroup comparisons of PAI-1 675 4G/5G and VEGF C936T data; however, a significant difference was observed within TGF-ß1 G-800A. The linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that PAI-1 -675 4G and TGF-ß1 -800A pair-haplotype was in strong linkage disequilibrium with a significantly increased risk (odds ratio, 3.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.66-7.25) to UCC. CONCLUSIONS: The polymorphisms in the genes related to angiogenesis -675 4G/5G PAI-1 and G-800A TGF-ß1, segregated solely or combined, might contribute to the increased susceptibility to UCC in a Mexican population.

(E)-1-([1,1'-Biphen-yl]-4-yl)-2-(1,3,3-tri-methylindolin-2-yl-idene)ethanone.

The title compound, C(25)H(23)NO, consists of a biphenyl-4-carbonyl unit attached to an exocyclic double bond group at position 2 of an indole unit, which presents methyl groups as substituents at positions 1 and 3. The mol-ecular conformation is s-cis with an E configuration, supported by weak intra-molecular C-H⋯O contacts involving the methyl groups and the carbonyl function. The rings of the biphenyl group are twisted by 37.13 (5)°. In the crystal, C-H⋯O and C-H⋯π inter-actions link the molecules.