28-Homocastasterone down regulates blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, SREBP1c and activates LxR expression in normal & diabetic male rat.

Plant steroids are being recognized as influential secondary bio factors, assimilating in animal tissues through diet and affecting their cellular metabolic function to varying degree. They modulate catalytic and signaling functions in mammalian cells, affecting cellular homeostasis. The effect of phyto brassinosteroid ketoisoform 28-homocastasterone (28-HC), was assessed for its influence on blood glucose, plasma lipid and selective signal marker levels in normal and diabetic male wistar rat models. A 15 day oral feed regimen employing the experimental rat, noted that circulating blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride level in diabetic rat were markedly reduced by this compound. This study confirmed that the keto form had anti-hyperglycemic and anti-lipidemic potency associated with it and was available to man and animals in their diet. Western blots of marker protein, PCR amplicons of marker mRNA expressions and In Silico studies suggested that 28-HCeffect is being mediated through LxR molecular operatives in the rat cell.

A plant oxysterol, 28-homobrassinolide binds HMGCoA reductase catalytic cleft: stereoselective avidity affects enzyme function.

Understanding the influence of ubiquitously present plant steroids on mammalian cell biology is currently of interest. Feedback inhibition of HMGCoA reductase (HMGCR) catalytic activity in the transformation of HMG-CoA to mevalonate is a significant regulatory step in sterol biosynthetic pathway. To assess the role of dietary steroids in this biochemical transformation, the phytosteroid isoform 28-homobrassinolide (28-HB), 90 % pure, obtained from Godrej Agrovet (India) was used to determine its effect on mammalian HMG-CoA reductase. Photometric assay of pure human and select rat tissue HMGCR post 28-HB oral feed, PCR-HMGCR gene expression, and in silico docking of 28-HB and HMGCoA on HMGCR protein template were carried out. Using an oral feed regimen of pure 28-HB, we noted a decrease of 16 % in liver, 17.1 % in kidney and 9.3 % in testicular HMGCR enzyme activity, 25 % in HMGCR gene expression and 44 % in the activity of pure human HMGCR due to this plant oxysterol. In silico docking studies yielded binding metrics for 28-HB-HMGCR lower than for HMGCoA-HMGCR, indicating stronger binding of HMGCR by this ligand. 28-HB exerts differential effects on rat tissue HMGCR, down regulates liver HMGCR gene expression and significantly inhibits HMGCR activity.

Calcium calmodulin dependent kinase kinase 2 - a novel therapeutic target for gastric adenocarcinoma.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies and is associated with poor prognosis. Exploring alterations in the proteomic landscape of gastric cancer is likely to provide potential biomarkers for early detection and molecules for targeted therapeutic intervention. Using iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis, we identified 22 proteins that were overexpressed and 17 proteins that were downregulated in gastric tumor tissues as compared to the adjacent normal tissue. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2) was found to be 7-fold overexpressed in gastric tumor tissues. Immunohistochemical labeling of tumor tissue microarrays for validation of CAMKK2 overexpression revealed that it was indeed overexpressed in 94% (92 of 98) of gastric cancer cases. Silencing of CAMKK2 using siRNA significantly reduced cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Our results demonstrate that CAMKK2 signals in gastric cancer through AMPK activation and suggest that CAMKK2 could be a novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

Silencing of high-mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) modulates cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil sensitivity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dysregulation of protein expression is associated with most diseases including cancer. MS-based proteomic analysis is widely employed as a tool to study protein dysregulation in cancers. Proteins that are differentially expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines compared to the normal oral cell line could serve as biomarkers for patient stratification. To understand the proteomic complexity in HNSCC, we carried out iTRAQ-based MS analysis on a panel of HNSCC cell lines in addition to a normal oral keratinocyte cell line. LC-MS/MS analysis of total proteome of the HNSCC cell lines led to the identification of 3263 proteins, of which 185 proteins were overexpressed and 190 proteins were downregulated more than twofold in at least two of the three HNSCC cell lines studied. Among the overexpressed proteins, 23 proteins were related to DNA replication and repair. These included high-mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) protein, which was overexpressed in all three HNSCC lines studied. Overexpression of HMGB2 has been reported in various cancers, yet its role in HNSCC remains unclear. Immunohistochemical labeling of HMGB2 in a panel of HNSCC tumors using tissue microarrays revealed overexpression in 77% (54 of 70) of tumors. The HMGB proteins are known to bind to DNA structure resulting from cisplatin-DNA adducts and affect the chemosensitivity of cells. We observed that siRNA-mediated silencing of HMGB2 increased the sensitivity of the HNSCC cell lines to cisplatin and 5-FU. We hypothesize that targeting HMGB2 could enhance the efficacy of existing chemotherapeutic regimens for treatment of HNSCC. All MS data have been deposited in the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000737 (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD000737).

Phosphotyrosine profiling identifies ephrin receptor A2 as a potential therapeutic target in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignancies in Asia. Currently, surgical resection of early-stage tumor is the best available treatment. However, most patients present late when surgery is not an option. Data suggest that chemotherapy regimens are inadequate for clinical management of advanced cancer. Targeted therapy has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to treat several malignancies. A prerequisite for developing targeted therapy is prior knowledge of proteins and pathways that drive proliferation in malignancies. We carried out phosphotyrosine profiling across four different ESCC cell lines and compared it to non-neoplastic Het-1A cell line to identify activated tyrosine kinase signaling pathways in ESCC. A total of 278 unique phosphopeptides were identified across these cell lines. This included several tyrosine kinases and their substrates that were hyperphosphorylated in ESCC. Ephrin receptor A2 (EPHA2), a receptor tyrosine kinase, was hyperphosphorylated in all the ESCC cell lines used in the study. EPHA2 is reported to be oncogenic in several cancers and is also known to promote metastasis. Immunohistochemistry-based studies have revealed EPHA2 is overexpressed in nearly 50% of ESCC. We demonstrated EPHA2 as a potential therapeutic target in ESCC by carrying out siRNA-based knockdown studies. Knockdown of EPHA2 in ESCC cell line TE8 resulted in significant decrease in cell proliferation and invasion, suggesting it is a promising therapeutic target in ESCC that warrants further evaluation.

Molecular and computational approaches to characterize thermostable laccase gene from two xerophytic plant species.

Laccases are blue multicopper oxidases that carry out single electron transfers in the oxidation of phenols to quinones. In plants, they confer structural stability to the cell wall. Thermostable laccases were identified in xerophytes Cereus pterogonus and Opuntia vulgaris that could be used in biotechnology and industrial processes. Polyclonal anti-laccase antibodies were generated against purified laccase enzyme isoforms capable of 98-99% inhibition of the catalytic activity. Antibodies raised against lower molecular weight isoforms inhibited 70% of the catalytic activity of higher molecular forms. Only 20% inhibition was noted when assayed in reverse. A partial gene sequence of thermostable xerophytic laccase comprising 712 and 880 bp was identified employing cDNA as template. The nucleotide sequence was submitted to GenBank. The gene sequence was in silico translated into protein sequence and a 3-D structure was predicted using I-Tasser and Genesilico online servers that justified the experimental observations. Anti-laccase antibodies and nucleotide gene sequence of this thermostable plant laccase can be utilized for predicting laccase antigenic sequences and for cloning and expression of the thermostable eukaryotic laccase.

Characterization of xerophytic thermophilic laccase exhibiting metal ion-dependent dye decolorization potential.

Five laccase enzyme isoforms were isolated and purified to homogeneity from the cladodes of xerophytic Cereus pterogonus and Opuntia vulgaris plant species. Catalytic activity of all isoforms was enhanced 40 % by 1 mM Cu(2+) and 1 mM Mn(2+), whereas the activity was inhibited 100 % by 10 mM Fe(2+). Enzyme was found stable in 4 M urea and exhibited inactivity of 50 % in 8 M urea concentration. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and cysteine-HCl were able to completely inhibit the enzyme activity at 1 mM and 100 µM, respectively. Preheated enzyme samples showed enhanced and stable catalytic activity in the presence of divalent cations over a period of 30 min compared with controls. In the presence of metal ions (1 mM Cu(2+) and 1 mM Mn(2+)), the preheated enzyme forms (60-90 °C) achieved 97 % of Malachite green and 98.75 % of Indigo blue (both at 2 %, w/v) dye decolorization in 12 h.

Biochemical and biophysical characterization of purified thermophilic xylanase isoforms in Cereus pterogonus plant spp.

Two thermostable xylanase isoforms T60 and T80 were purified to homogeneity from the cladodes of the xerophytic Cereus pterogonus plant species. After three consecutive purification steps, the specific activity of T60 and T80 isoforms were found to be 178.6 and 216.2 U mg⁻¹ respectively. The molecular mass of both isoforms was determined to be 80 kDa. The optimum temperature for T60 and T80 xylanase isoforms were 60 and 80 °C respectively. The pH was 5.0 for both isoforms. The presence of divalent metal ions (10 mM Co²âº) showed stimulatory effects of both catalytic activities, where as in the presence of Hg²âº, Cd²âº, Cu²âº showed inhibitory effect on these activities at all concentrations studied. The thermodynamic analysis of xylanase activity using denaturation kinetics and the presence divalent cations at 30-100 °C, showed lower ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG values at all the temperatures investigated. The melting temperature of purified T80 xylanase isoform as determined by TG/DTA analysis and it showed the unfolding temperature was 80 °C. The g value and hyperfine (A) value purified xylanase T80 isoform was 2.017 and 10.80 respectively. Immunoblot analysis with antiserum raised against the purified T80 xylanase isoforms revealed single immunolgically related polypeptides of 80 kDa, identical with the polypeptide band produced on SDS-PAGE. The results of double immunodiffusion against the T80 isoforms showed a single precipitin line indicating that the serum used was specific to these xylanase isoforms. The kinetic and thermodynamic properties suggested that xylanase from C. pterogonus may have a potential usage in various industries.

Isolation, purification, and characterization of two thermostable endo-1,4-ß-D-glucanase forms from Opuntia vulgaris.

Four endoglucanase temperature isoforms (T (30), T (50), T (70), and T (90)) were identified and purified from the cladodes of the xerophytic plant Opuntia vulgaris. These isoforms exhibited optimum catalytic activity at 30 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C, and 90 °C and yielded an apparent molecular mass of 150, 20, 74, and 45 kDa, respectively, on gel filtration chromatography. These isoforms were purified 24-, 25-, 29-, and 27-fold with a yield of 15%, 12%, 17%, and 19% and having a specific activity of 120, 125, 144, and 136 U/mg, respectively. The thermostable T (70) and T (90) isoforms exhibited optimum activity at pH 4.5 and 7 and also yielded a molecular weight of 66 and 36 kDa, respectively, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The T (70) had a K (m) of 43 mM and a V (max) of 12.5 µmol min(-1) µg(-1) of protein, and the T (90) isoform had a K (m) of 40 mM, with an apparent V (max) of 10 µmol min(-1) µg(-1) of protein. Western blot, immunodiffusion, and in vitro inhibition assays established the reactivity of the T (90) isoform with polyclonal anti-T (90) antibody raised in rabbit. Cross-reactivity of this antibody with the T (70) endoglucanase isoform was also noted.

Isolation, purification, and characterization of thermophilic T80 isoenzyme of xylose isomerase from the xerophyte Cereus pterogonus.

A thermostable isoenzyme (T(80)) of xylose isomerase from the eukaryote xerophyte Cereus pterogonus was purified to homogeneity by precipitation with ammonium sulfate and column chromatography on Dowex-1 ion exchange, with Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, resulting in an approximately 25.55-fold increase in specific activity and a final yield of approximately 17.9%. Certain physiochemical and kinetic properties (K(m) and V(max)) of the T(80) xylose isomerase isoenzyme were investigated. The molecular mass of the purified T(80) isoenzyme was 68 kD determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Polyclonal antibodies against the purified T(80) isoenzyme recognized a single polypeptide band on Western blots. The activation energy required for the thermal denaturation of the isoenzyme was determined to be 61.84 KJ mol(-1). The use of differential scanning calorimetry established the melting temperature of the CPXI isoenzyme to be 80°C, but when studied with added metal ions, melting temperature increases to more than the normal. Fluorescence spectroscopy of T(80) isoenzymes yielded an emission peak with λ(em) at 320 nm and 340 nm, respectively, confirming the presence of Trp residue in these proteins. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis at liquid nitrogen temperature established the presence of Mn(2+) and Co(2+) associated with each isoenzyme. These enzyme species exhibited different thermal and pH stabilities compared to their mesophilic counterparts and offered greater efficiency in functioning as a potential alternate catalytic converter of glucose in the production of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for the sweetener industry and for ethanol production.

Purification and characterization of a novel thermostable xylose isomerase from Opuntia vulgaris mill.

Thermophilic xylose isomerase from the xerophytic eukaryote Opuntia vulgaris can serve as a good alternate source of enzyme for use in the production of high fructose corn syrup. The existence of two temperature stable isoforms having optimal activity at temperatures 70 °C (T(70)) and 90 °C (T(90)), respectively, is reported here. These isoforms were purified to homogeneity using column chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic techniques. Only the T(90) isoform was subjected to full biochemical characterization thereafter. The purified T(90) isoform was capable of converting glucose to fructose with high efficiency under the assay conditions. The enzyme at pH 7.5 exhibited a preference to yield the forward isomerization reaction. The melting temperature of the native enzyme was determined to be 90 °C employing differential scanning colorimetery. Thermostability of the enzyme protein was established through temperature-related denaturation kinetic studies. It is suggested that the thermostability and the wide pH activity of this eukaryotic enzyme will make it an advantageous and dependable alternate source of catalytic activity for protected use in the high fructose corn syrup sweetener industry.

Thermophilic laccase from xerophyte species Opuntia vulgaris.

Two laccase temperature isoforms capable of oxidizing phenolic compounds to quinones were isolated and purified to homogeneity from the cladodes of the xerophyte species Opuntia vulgaris. These catalytically active proteins exhibit apparent molecular masses of 137 and 90 kDa. Under reducing conditions, both isoforms yielded a subunit molecular mass of 43 kDa, suggesting that the enzyme is a multimer of the 43 kDa subunit. The 137 kDa isoform when heated at 80°C for 3 min generated three polypeptide bands on activity stained polyacrylamide gels exhibiting 137, 90 and 43 kDa molecular forms. All isoforms of the enzyme exhibited an optimum pH of 10 when 2,6-dimethoxyphenol was used as a substrate. The optimum temperature of the 137 kDa enzyme form was noted to be 80°C and that of the 90 kDa enzyme form was 70°C. Denaturation kinetics of both the laccase isoforms carried out at their respective optimum temperatures for 30 min exhibited enzyme activity in excess of their t(1/2) values throughout the assay period. The K(m) for the 137 kDa form was determined to be 2.2 ± 0.3 mm and the V(max) was 2.8 ± 0.2 IU/mL. These high temperature stable laccase isoforms having alkaline pH optima can find significant industrial use.

Purification and characterization of thermophilic xylanase isolated from the xerophytic-Cereus pterogonus sp.

A thermo stable xylanase was purified and characterized from the cladodes of Cereus pterogonus plant species. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate (80%) fractionation, ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The enzyme showed a final specific activity of 216.2 U/mg and the molecular mass of the protein was 80 KDa. The optimum pH and temperature for xylanase activity were 5.0 and 80 °C, respectively. With oat spelt xylan as a substrate the enzyme yielded a Km value of 2.24 mg/mL and a Vmax of 5.8 µmol min(-1) mg(-1). In the presence of metal ions (1 mM) such as Co(2+),Mn(2+), Ni(2+), Ca(2+) and Fe(3+) the activity of the enzyme increased, where as strong inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed with the use of Hg(2+), Cd(2+), Cu(2+), while partial inhibition was noted with Zn(2+) and Mg(2+). The substrate specificity of the xylanase yielded maximum activity with oat spelt xylan.