Influence of microbial fermentation on the antioxidant activity of phenolic substances in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

AIM: Using in vitro assay and eukaryotic cell model of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we investigated the impact of microbial fermentation on the antioxidant activity of phenolic substances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and mangiferin were fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and the antioxidant activity of the fermented products was compared to that of the pure substances. This comparison was assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in vitro by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and in vivo in yeast cells. The wild-type strain (BY4741) and its isogenic mutants in glutathione (Δgsh1), catalase (Δctt1), and superoxide dismutase (Δsod1) were treated with CAPE and mangiferin, fermented or not, and exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced stress. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by cellular viability, intracellular oxidation, and lipid peroxidation. We expected that fermentation would change the antioxidant activity of phenolic substances. While HPLC analysis revealed changes in the composition of fermented products, significant alterations in antioxidant activity were only observed when using mutant strains. The fermentation of mangiferin increased dependency on GSH compared to the respective pure phenolic substance to resolve H2O2-induced stress. Additionally, CAPE appeared to act as a preconditioning agent, enhancing antioxidant responses, and promoting increased tolerance to H2O2 stress, and this mechanism was maintained after fermentation. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that fermentation impacts the enzymatic mechanism of oxidative stress resolution, even though differences could not be observed in in vitro assays or in the wild-type strain.

Hydrolytic activity of new bioinspired MnIIIMnII and FeIIIMnII complexes as mimetics of PAPs: Biological and environmental interest.

Coordination compounds that mimic Purple Acid Phosphatases (PAPs) have drawn attention in the bioinorganic field due to their capacity to cleave phosphodiester bonds. However, their catalytic activity upon phosphate triesters is still unexplored. Thus, we report the synthesis and characterization of two binuclear complexes, [MnIIMnIII(L1)(OAc)2]BF4 (1) and [MnIIFeIII(L1)(OAc)2]BF4 (2) (H2L1 = 2-[N,N-bis-(2- pyridilmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methyl-6-[N-(2-hydroxy-3-formyl-5-methylbenzyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]phenol), their hydrolytic activity and antioxidant potential. The complexes were fully characterized, including the X-Ray diffraction (XRD) of 1. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to better understand their electronic and structural properties and phosphate conjugates. The catalytic activity was analyzed for two model substrates, a diester (BDNPP) and a triester phosphate (DEDNPP). The results suggest enhancement of the hydrolysis reaction by 170 to 1500 times, depending on the substrate and complex. It was possible to accompany the catalytic reaction of DEDNPP hydrolysis by phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR), showing that both 1 and 2 are efficient catalysts. Moreover, we also addressed that 1 and 2 present a relevant antioxidant potential, protecting the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, used as eukaryotic model of study, against the exposure of cells to acute oxidative stress.

Extracellular Vesicles Regulate Biofilm Formation and Yeast-to-Hypha Differentiation in Candida albicans.

In this study, we investigated the influence of fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) during biofilm formation and morphogenesis in Candida albicans. Using crystal violet staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we demonstrated that C. albicans EVs inhibited biofilm formation in vitro. By time-lapse microscopy and SEM, we showed that C. albicans EV treatment stopped filamentation and promoted pseudohyphae formation with multiple budding sites. The ability of C. albicans EVs to regulate dimorphism was further compared to EVs isolated from different C. albicans strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Histoplasma capsulatum. C. albicans EVs from distinct strains inhibited yeast-to-hyphae differentiation with morphological changes occurring in less than 4 h. EVs from S. cerevisiae and H. capsulatum modestly reduced morphogenesis, and the effect was evident after 24 h of incubation. The inhibitory activity of C. albicans EVs on phase transition was promoted by a combination of lipid compounds, which were identified by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis as sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and fatty acids. Remarkably, C. albicans EVs were also able to reverse filamentation. Finally, C. albicans cells treated with C. albicans EVs for 24 h lost their capacity to penetrate agar and were avirulent when inoculated into Galleria mellonella. Our results indicate that fungal EVs can regulate yeast-to-hypha differentiation, thereby inhibiting biofilm formation and attenuating virulence. IMPORTANCE The ability to undergo morphological changes during adaptation to distinct environments is exploited by Candida albicans and has a direct impact on biofilm formation and virulence. Morphogenesis is controlled by a diversity of stimuli, including osmotic stress, pH, starvation, presence of serum, and microbial components, among others. Apart from external inducers, C. albicans also produces autoregulatory substances. Farnesol and tyrosol are examples of quorum-sensing molecules (QSM) released by C. albicans to regulate yeast-to-hypha conversion. Here, we demonstrate that fungal EVs are messengers impacting biofilm formation, morphogenesis, and virulence in C. albicans. The major players exported in C. albicans EVs included sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and fatty acids. The understanding of how C. albicans cells communicate to regulate physiology and pathogenesis can lead to novel therapeutic tools to combat candidiasis.

Urine proteomics as a non-invasive approach to monitor exertional rhabdomyolysis during military training.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ERM), a condition often associated with strenuous exercise, a common practice in the military activities, can be defined as the process of injury and rupture of muscle cell membranes, with leakage of its components into the bloodstream. Creatine kinase (CK) has been used for ERM diagnosis, albeit several studies reported the discrepancy between CK levels and clinical signs or symptoms. In this study, we analyzed the biochemical profile of the blood, and the urinary proteome of ten marine soldiers in a special training course. The samples were collected in two periods, M1 and M2, which correspond to the lowest and highest CK levels during training, respectively. Quantitative urinary proteome profile of M1 and M2 showed changes in proteins involved in immune system and cell adhesion-related pathways after strenuous physical exercise. Changes in the abundance of several proteins was observed in individuals carrying genetic polymorphisms related to greater risk for muscle damage. A panel of proteins (CTSH, PIK3IP1, DEFB1, ITGB1, BCAN, and TNFRSF10C) presented high correlation with classical blood biochemical markers of ERM and AGT MET235Thr and ACE I/D polymorphisms. These proteins represent potential urine markers of muscle damage due to intense physical conditions such as military training activities. SIGNIFICANCE: This study analyzed the blood and urine of a cohort of marine soldiers enrolled in a special training program including missions with low and high exposure to strenuous exercise. The biochemical blood profile, polymorphisms mapping and mass spectrometry-based analyses of the urinary proteome was evaluated in such a controlled samples. A total of 226 urinary proteins associated to immune system, cell adhesion and redox homeostasis were significantly changes during ERM shedding lights on the disease pathogenesis. In particular, a panel of six proteins were associated to classical ERM markers and could be used as early non invasive biomarkers.

Risk factors and future directions for preventing and diagnosing exertional rhabdomyolysis.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis may occur when an individual is subjected to strenuous physical exercise. It is occasionally associated with myoglobinuria (i.e. "cola-colored" urine) alongside muscle pain and weakness. The pathophysiology of exertional rhabdomyolysis involves striated muscle damage and the release of cellular components into extracellular fluid and bloodstream. This can cause acute renal failure, electrolyte abnormalities, arrhythmias and potentially death. Exertional rhabdomyolysis is observed in high-performance athletes who are subjected to intense, repetitive and/or prolonged exercise but is also observed in untrained individuals and highly trained or elite groups of military personnel. Several risk factors have been reported to increase the likelihood of the condition in athletes, including: viral infection, drug and alcohol abuse, exercise in intensely hot and humid environments, genetic polymorphisms (e.g. sickle cell trait and McArdle disease) and epigenetic modifications. This article reviews several of these risk factors and proposes screening protocols to identify individual susceptibility to exertional rhabdomyolysis as well as the relevance of proteomics for the evaluation of potential biomarkers of muscle damage.

In vitro Studies of Antitumor Effect, Toxicity/Cytotoxicity and Skin Permeation/Retention of a Green Fluorescence Pyrene-based Dye for PDT Application.

Photosensitizers (PS) are compounds that can generate reactive oxygen species under irradiation of appropriate light and are widely used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Currently, topical PDT is an effective treatment for several skin diseases, including bacterial infections, fungal mycoses and psoriasis. In addition, PDT is also used to treat nonmelanoma skin cancer and can be a potential tool for melanoma, associated with other treatments. In this work, we evaluated the antitumor photoactivity of a new pyrene-based PS (TPPy) by using the murine melanoma cell line (B16F10). The in vitro permeation/retention tests in porcine ear skin were also performed in order to evaluate the potential application of the PS for topical use in skin cancer. Moreover, to determine the toxicity in vivo, we used the Galleria mellonella as an alternative animal model of study. The results showed that TPPy is a promising PS for application in PDT, with potential antitumor photoactivity (IC50 6.5 µmol L-1 ), absence of toxicity in the G. mellonella model at higher concentration (70.0 mmol L-1 ) and the accumulation tendency in the epidermis plus dermis sites (165.20 ± 4.12 ng cm-2 ).

Pieces of the Complex Puzzle of Cancer Cell Energy Metabolism: An Overview of Energy Metabolism and Alternatives for Targeted Cancer Therapy.

Over the past decades, several advances in cancer cell biology have led to relevant details about a phenomenon called the 'Warburg effect'. Currently, it has been accepted that the Warburg effect is not compatible with all cancer cells, and thus the process of aerobic glycolysis is now challenged by the knowledge of a large number of cells presenting mitochondrial function. The energy metabolism of cancer cells is focused on the bioenergetic and biosynthetic pathways in order to meet the requirements of rapid proliferation. Changes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids have already been reported for cancer cells and this might play an important role in cancer progression. To the best of our knowledge, these changes are mainly attributed to genetic reprogramming which leads to the transformation of a healthy into a cancerous cell. Indeed, several enzymes that are highly relevant for cellular energy are targets of oncogenes (e.g. PI3K, HIF1, and Myc) and tumor suppressor proteins (e.g. p53). As a consequence of extensive studies on cancer cell metabolism, some new therapeutic strategies have appeared that aim to interrupt the aberrant metabolism, in addition to influencing genetic reprogramming in cancer cells. In this review, we present an overview of cancer cell metabolism (carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid), and also describe oncogenes and tumor suppressors that directly affect the metabolism. We also discuss some of the potential therapeutic candidates which have been designed to target and disrupt the main driving forces associated with cancer cell metabolism and proliferation.

Characterization of the activity, aggregation, and toxicity of heterodimers of WT and ALS-associated mutant Sod1.

Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Sod1) have been reported in both familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this study, we investigated the behavior of heteromeric combinations of wild-type (WT) and mutant Sod1 proteins A4V, L38V, G93A, and G93C in human cells. We showed that both WT and mutant Sod1 formed dimers and oligomers, but only mutant Sod1 accumulated in intracellular inclusions. Coexpression of WT and hSod1 mutants resulted in the formation of a larger number of intracellular inclusions per cell than that observed in cells coexpressing WT or mutant hSod1. The number of inclusions was greater in cells expressing A4V hSod1. To eliminate the contribution of endogenous Sod1, and better evaluate the effect of ALS-associated mutant Sod1 expression, we expressed human Sod1 WT and mutants in human cells knocked down for endogenous Sod1 (Sod1-KD), and in sod1Δ yeast cells. Using Sod1-KD cells we found that the WT-A4V heteromers formed higher molecular weight species compared with A4V and WT homomers. Using the yeast model, in conditions of chronological aging, we concluded that cells expressing Sod1 heterodimers showed decreased antioxidant activity, increased oxidative damage, reduced longevity, and oxidative stress-induced mutant Sod1 aggregation. In addition, we also found that ALS-associated Sod1 mutations reduced nuclear localization and, consequently, impaired the antioxidant response, suggesting this change in localization may contribute to disease in familial ALS. Overall, our study provides insight into the molecular underpinnings of ALS and may open avenues for the design of future therapeutic strategies.

Silica nanoparticles doped with anthraquinone for lung cancer phototherapy.

In the present study, SiO2 nanoparticles functionalized with 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl group (SiNP-AAP) were used, for the first time, to covalently bond rose bengal (SiNP-AAP-RB) or 9,10-anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (SiNP-AAP-OCAq). The functionalized SiNP were characterized by: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); elemental analysis (CHN) for determination of the dye concentration; FTIR and UV-vis diffuse reflectance (DR-UV-vis) and a surface area study (BET). The functionalized SiNPs were applied in photodynamic therapy (PDT) against lung cancer cell lines. The evaluated cytotoxicity revealed 20-30% cell survival after 15min of PDT for both materials but the OCAq concentration was half of the RB nanomaterial. The phototoxicity was mainly related to oxidative stress generated in the cellular environment by singlet oxygen and by hydrogen abstraction as confirmed by the laser flash photolysis technique. The unprecedented results indicate that SiNP-AAP-OCAq is a possible system for promoting cell apoptosis by both type I and type II mechanisms.

CTT1 overexpression increases life span of calorie-restricted Saccharomyces cerevisiae deficient in Sod1.

Studies using different organisms revealed that reducing calorie intake, without malnutrition, known as calorie restriction (CR), increases life span, but its mechanism is still unkown. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as eukaryotic model, we observed that Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Sod1p) is required to increase longevity, as well as to confer protection against lipid and protein oxidation under CR. Old cells of sod1 strain also presented a premature induction of apoptosis. However, when CTT1 (which codes for cytosolic catalase) was overexpressed, sod1 and WT strains showed similar survival rates. Furthermore, CTT1 overexpression decreased lipid peroxidation and delayed the induction of apoptotic process. Superoxide is rapidly converted to hydrogen peroxide by superoxide dismutase, but it also undergoes spontaneous dismutation albeit at a slower rate. However, the quantity of peroxide produced from superoxide in this way is two-fold higher. Peroxide degradation, catalyzed by catalase, is of vital importance, because in the presence of a reducer transition metal peroxide is reduced to the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, which reacts indiscriminately with most cellular constituents. These findings might explain why overexpression of catalase was able to overcome the deficiency of Sod1p, increasing life span in response to CR.

Rhamnolipid production: effect of oxidative stress on virulence factors and proteome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA1.

Under specific environmental conditions, Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a biodegradable surfactant rhamnolipid. Evidences suggest that this biosurfactant is involved in protecting cells against oxidative stress; however, the effects of oxidative stress on its production and other virulence factors are still unclear. Here we show that rhamnolipid production is dependent on the aeration surface when P. aeruginosa is cultured in shaken flasks, as well as in production of elastases and alkaline proteases. The production of alginate, lipase, and pyocyanin was not detected in our shaken-flask experiments. P. aeruginosa was treated with hydrogen peroxide to trigger its oxidative stress response, and the proteome profile was analyzed. We identified 14 proteins that were expressed differently between samples that were treated and not treated with peroxide; these proteins are potentially involved in the rhamnolipid production/secretion pathway and oxidative stress.

Synthesis, characterization and biological activities of mononuclear Co(III) complexes as potential bioreductively activated prodrugs.

Aiming to investigate the use of tridentate ligands to develop new bireductively activated prodrugs, two N(2)O-donor ligands (HL1: [(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-(imidazol-2-yl)ethyl)]amine; and HL2: [(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-(pyridil-2-yl)ethyl]amine) were used to synthesize new Co(III) complexes, 1 and 2. Both complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, electrochemistry, IR, UV-visible and (1)H NMR spectroscopies. Electrochemical data in methanol revealed that the Co(III)-->Co(II) reduction of 1 (-0.84V vs. normal hydrogen electrode - NHE) is more positive than 2 (-1.13V vs. NHE), while it was expected to be more negative due to better sigma-donor ability of imidazole ring in HL1, compared to pyridine in HL2. Considering that reduction processes on Co(III) center may involve the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), it might play an important role on the electronic properties of the complexes, and could explain the observed redox potentials. Then, geometry optimizations of 1 and 2 were performed using the density functional theory (DFT), and different group participation in their LUMO is demonstrated. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells as eukaryotic model, it is shown that in situ generated reduced species, 1(red) and 2(red), have high capacity to inhibit cellular growth, with IC50 (0.50mM for both complexes) lower than cisplatin IC50 (0.6mM) at the same time of exposure. Regarding to their ability to promote S. cerevisiae cells death, after 24 h, cells became susceptible only when exposed to 1(red) and 2(red): (i) at concentrations higher than 0.5mM in a non-dose dependence, and (ii) in anaerobic metabolism. These data reveal the potential of 1 and 2 as bioreductively activated prodrugs, since their oxidized forms do not present expressive activities when compared to their reduced forms.

Cytotoxicity mechanism of two naphthoquinones (menadione and plumbagin) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

BACKGROUND: Quinones are compounds extensively used in studies of oxidative stress due to their role in plants as chemicals for defense. These compounds are of great interest for pharmacologists and scientists, in general, because several cancer chemotherapeutic agents contain the quinone nucleus. However, due to differences in structures and diverse pharmacological effects, the exact toxicity mechanisms exerted by quinones are far from elucidatation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we evaluated the main mechanisms of toxicity of two naphthoquinones, menadione and plumbagin, by determining tolerance and oxidative stress biomarkers such as GSH and GSSG, lipid peroxidation levels, as well as aconitase activity. The importance of glutathione transferases (GST) in quinone detoxification was also addressed. The GSSG/GSH ratio showed that menadione seemed to exert its toxicity mainly through the generation of ROS while plumbagin acted as an electrophile reacting with GSH. However, the results showed that, even by different pathways, both drugs were capable of generating oxidative stress through their toxic effects. Our results showed that the control strain, BY4741, and the glutathione transferase deficient strains (gtt1Delta and gtt2Delta) were sensitive to both compounds. With respect to the role of GST isoforms in cellular protection against quinone toxicity, we observed that the Gtt2 deficient strain was unable to overcome lipid peroxidation, even after a plumbagin pre-treatment, indicating that this treatment did not improve tolerance when compared with the wild type strain. Cross-tolerance experiments confirmed distinct cytotoxicity mechanisms for these naphthoquinones since only a pre-treatment with menadione was able to induce acquisition of tolerance against stress with plumbagin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest different responses to menadione and plumbagin which could be due to the fact that these compounds use different mechanisms to exert their toxicity. In addition, the Gtt2 isoform seemed to act as a general protective factor involved in quinone detoxification.

Involvement of glutathione transferases, Gtt1and Gtt2, with oxidative stress response generated by H2O2 during growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Glutathione transferases are detoxifying enzymes responsible for eliminating toxic compounds generated under a variety of stress conditions. Saccharomyces cerevisiae control cells and glutathione transferase mutant strains (gtt1 and gtt2) were used to analyze tolerance, lipid and protein oxidation as oxidative stress markers during growth in the presence of H2O2. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and glutathione reductase were assayed to monitor the capacity of cells to recycle glutathione. Although a reduction in growth was observed, deletion of GTT1 showed less inhibition by H2O2 than the control strain. Cells showed a significant reduction in cellular viability during the first hours of growth, the gtt1 mutant being hypersensitive even after 24 h of H2O2 exposure. As a consequence of oxidative stress caused by exposure to H2O2, an increase in lipid peroxidation was observed, mainly in the glutathione transferase mutant strains. While protein carbonylation increased by 17% and 23%, respectively, after 2 h in the presence of H2O2 in the control and gtt2 mutant, a 40% increase was observed in the gtt1 strain after 24-h exposure. The antioxidant G6PD and glutathione reductase activities were affected in the gtt1 mutant during H2O2 exposure, which could be critical for recycling glutathione. The same was observed for the gtt2 mutant after 2-h treatment, indicating that glutathione recycling might be associated with the detoxification process. Thus, glutathione transferases, Gtt1 and Gtt2, seem to be crucial in the response to H2O2 stress.

The role of trehalose and its transporter in protection against reactive oxygen species.

During menadione stress, trehalose was necessary intracellularly, but under H2O2, the sugar was required on the outside of the plasma membrane. The mechanism of protection involves minimizing the oxidative damage caused to both proteins and lipids, which would require the presence of trehalose on both sides of the lipid bilayer.

Apoptosis as a mechanism for removal of mutated cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the role of Grx2 under cadmium exposure.

Cadmium is a strong mutagen that acts by inhibiting DNA mismatch repair, while its toxic effect seems to be related to an indirect oxidative stress that involves glutathione (GSH) mobilization. Among the roles of GSH is the protection of proteins against oxidative damage, by forming reversible mixed disulfides with cysteine residues, a process known as protein glutathionylation and catalyzed by glutaredoxins (Grx). In this current study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells deficient in GRX2, growing in 80 muM CdSO(4), showed high mitochondrial mutagenic rate, determined by frequency of mutants that had lost mitochondrial function (petite mutants), high tolerance and lower apoptosis induction. The mutant strain also showed decreased levels of glutathionylated-protein after cadmium exposure, which might difficult the signaling to apoptosis, leading to increased mutagenic rates. Taken together, these results suggest that Grx2 is involved with the apoptotic death induced by cadmium, a form of cellular suicide that might lead of removal of mutated cells.

The effect of superoxide dismutase deficiency on cadmium stress.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strains deficient in superoxide dismutase (Sod), an antioxidant enzyme, were used to analyze cadmium absorption and the oxidation produced by it. Cells lacking the cytosolic Sod1 removed twice as much cadmium as the control strain, while those deficient in the mitochondrial Sod2 exhibited poor metal absorption. Interestingly, the sod1 mutant did not become more oxidized after exposure to cadmium, as opposed to the control strain. We observed that the deficiency of Sod1 increases the expression of both Cup1 (a metallothionein) and Ycf1 (a vacuolar glutathione S-conjugate pump), proteins involved with protection against cadmium. Furthermore, when sod1 cells were exposed to cadmium, the ratio glutathione oxidized/glutathione reduced did not increase as expected. We propose that a high level of metallothionein expression would relieve glutathione under cadmium stress, while an increased level of Ycf1 expression would favor compartmentalization of this metal into the vacuole. Both conditions would reduce the level of glutathione-cadmium complex in cytosol, contributing to the high capacity of absorbing cadmium by the sod1 strain. Previous results showed that the glutathione-cadmium complex regulates cadmium uptake. These results indicate that, even indirectly, metallothionein also regulates cadmium transport.