Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Kale (Brassica oleracea L. Var. acephala DC.) and Wild Cabbage (Brassica incana Ten.) Polyphenolic Extracts.

Brassicaceae are rich in healthy phytochemicals that have a positive impact on human health. The aim of this study was to analyze the phenolic compounds and antioxidant and anticancer potential of traditional Croatian kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC.) and wild cabbage (Brassica incana Ten.) extracts. The phenolic groups and antioxidant activity were determined by spectrophotometry, selected phenolic compounds (ferulic acid, sinapic acid, salicylic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin) were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and anticancer potential was evaluated in vitro using HeLa cells. The extracts of both plant species are rich in phenolic compounds and showed significant antioxidant activity at similar levels. LC-MS/MS detected sinapic acid as the most abundant phenolic acid, followed by ferulic acid, while salicylic acid was present at lower concentrations. A comparative analysis showed that wild cabbage contained significantly more sinapic acid, while kale contained more kaempferol and quercetin. Both Brassica extracts at a concentration of 50 µg mL-1 showed an antiproliferative effect on HeLa cells, while they did not affect the proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts. Wild cabbage extract also showed an antiproliferative effect on HeLa cells at a lower applied concentration of 10 µg mL-1 of extracts. The clonogenic analysis also revealed the inhibitory effect of the extracts on HeLa colony growth.

In Vivo Skin Regeneration and Wound Healing Using Cell Micro-Transplantation.

Background: The accumulation of senescent cells in tissues alters tissue homeostasis and affects wound healing. It is also considered to be the main contributing factor to aging. In addition to losing their ability to divide, senescent cells exert detrimental effects on surrounding tissues through their senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). They also affect stem cells and their niche, reducing their capacity to divide which increasingly reduces tissue regenerative capacity over time. The aim of our study was to restore aged skin by increasing the fraction of young cells in vivo using a young cell micro-transplantation technique on Fischer 344 rats. Employing the same technique, we also used wild-type skin fibroblasts and stem cells in order to heal Dominant Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bulosa (DDEB) wounds and skin blistering. Results: We demonstrate that implantation of young fibroblasts restores cell density, revitalizes cell proliferation in the dermis and epidermis, rejuvenates collagen I and III matrices, and boosts epidermal stem cell proliferation in rats with advancing age. We were also able to reduce blistering in DDEB rats by transplantation of skin stem cells but not skin fibroblasts. Conclusions: Our intervention proves that a local increase of young cells in the dermis changes tissue homeostasis well enough to revitalize the stem cell niche, ensuring overall skin restoration and rejuvenation as well as healing DDEB skin. Our method has great potential for clinical applications in skin aging, as well as for the treatment of various skin diseases.

Terminal-Repeat Retrotransposons in Miniature (TRIMs) in bivalves.

Terminal repeat retrotransposons in miniature (TRIMs) are small non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons consisting of two terminal direct repeats surrounding a short internal domain. The detection and characterization of these elements has been mainly limited to plants. Here we present the first finding of a TRIM element in bivalves, and among the first known in the kingdom Animalia. Class Bivalvia has high ecological and commercial importance in marine ecosystems and aquaculture, and, in recent years, an increasing number of genomic studies has addressed to these organisms. We have identified biv-TRIM in several bivalve species: Donax trunculus, Ruditapes decussatus, R. philippinarum, Venerupis corrugata, Polititapes rhomboides, Venus verrucosa, Dosinia exoleta, Glycymeris glycymeris, Cerastoderma edule, Magallana gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis. biv-TRIM has several characteristics typical for this group of elements, exhibiting different variations. In addition to canonically structured elements, solo-TDRs and tandem repeats were detected. The presence of this element in the genome of each species is <1%. The phylogenetic analysis showed a complex clustering pattern of biv-TRIM elements, and indicates the involvement of horizontal transfer in the spreading of this element.