Effects of mobile phone electromagnetic radiation on rat hippocampus proteome.

Worldwide, the number of mobile phone users has increased from 5.57 billion in 2011 to 6.8 billion in 2019. However, short- and long-term impact of the electromagnetic radiation emitting from mobile phones on tissue homeostasis with particular to brain proteome composition needs further investigation. In this study, we attempted a global proteome profiling study of rat hippocampus exposed to mobile phone radiation for 20 weeks (for 3 h/day for 5 days/week) to identify deregulated proteins and western blot analysis for validation. As a result, we identified 358 hippocampus proteins, of which 16 showed deregulation (log2 (exposed/sham) ≥ ±1.0, p-value <.05). Majority of these deregulated proteins grouped into three clusters sharing similar molecular pathways. A set of four proteins (Succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase: Aldh5a1, Na+ K+ transporting ATPase: Atp1b2, plasma membrane calcium transporting ATPase: PMCA and protein S100B) presenting each functional pathway were selected for validation. Western blot analysis of these proteins, in an independent sample set, corroborated the mass spectrometry findings. Aldh5a1 involve in cellular energy metabolism, both Atp1b2 and PMCA responsible for membrane transport and protein S100B have a neuroprotective role. In conclusion, we present a deregulated hippocampus proteome upon mobile phone radiation exposure, which might influence the healthy functioning of the brain.

Pharmacological and Therapeutic Applications of Esculetin.

Esculetin is a coumarin compound, which belongs to the class of benzopyrone enriched in various plants such as Sonchus grandifolius, Aesculus turbinata, etc. Free radicals lead to the development of oxidative stress causing inflammation, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, fatty liver disease, etc. These further reduce the efficacy of anticancer drugs, activate inflammatory signaling pathways, degrade joints and cartilage, and disrupt the glycemic index and normal function of liver enzymes. For instance, the current treatment modalities used in arthritis such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs, and lipoxygenase inhibitors present limited efficacy and adverse effects. Thus, there is a constant need to find newer and safer alternatives. Esculetin has an immense antioxidative potential thereby alleviating arthritis, diabetes, malignancies, and hepatic disorders. Structurally, esculetin contains two hydroxyl groups, which enhance its ability to function as an antioxidant by inhibiting oxidative stress in pathological conditions. Leukotriene B4 synthesis, NF-κB and MPAK pathway activation, and inflammatory cytokine production are the main causes of bone and joint deterioration in arthritis, whereas esculetin treatment reverses these factors and relieves the disease condition. In contrast, lipid peroxidation caused by upregulation of TGF-ß-mediated expression and dysfunction of antioxidant enzymes is inhibited by esculetin therapy, thus reducing liver fibrosis by acting on the PI3K/FoxO1 pathway. Therefore, targeting NF-κB, pro-inflammatory cytokines, TGF-ß and oxidative stress may be a therapeutic strategy to alleviate arthritis and liver fibrosis.

Novel peptide inhibitor of human tumor necrosis factor-α has antiarthritic activity.

The inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α trimer formation renders it inactive for binding to its receptors, thus mitigating the vicious cycle of inflammation. We designed a peptide (PIYLGGVFQ) that simulates a sequence strand of human TNFα monomer using a series of in silico methods, such as active site finding (Acsite), protein-protein interaction (PPI), docking studies (GOLD and Flex-X) followed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The MD studies confirmed the intermolecular interaction of the peptide with the TNFα. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting and fluorescence microscopy revealed that the peptide effectively inhibited the binding of TNF to the cell surface receptors. The cell culture assays showed that the peptide significantly inhibited the TNFα-mediated cell death. In addition, the nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) was significantly suppressed in the peptide-treated A549 cells, as observed in immunofluorescence and gel mobility-shift assays. Furthermore, the peptide protected against joint damage in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model, as revealed in the micro focal-CT scans. In conclusion, this TNFα antagonist would be helpful for the prevention and repair of inflammatory bone destruction and subsequent loss in the mouse model of CIA as well as human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This calls upon further clinical investigation to utilize its potential effect as an antiarthritic drug.

Troxerutin-Mediated Complement Pathway Inhibition is a Disease-Modifying Treatment for Inflammatory Arthritis.

Troxerutin (TXR) is a phytochemical reported to possess anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to exploit the antiarthritic properties of TXR using an adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) rat model. AIA-induced rats showed the highest arthritis score at the disease onset and by oral administration of TXR (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight), reduced to basal level in a dose-dependent manner. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitative (iTRAQ) proteomics tool were employed to identify deregulated joint homogenate proteins in AIA and TXR-treated rats to decipher the probable mechanism of TXR action in arthritis. iTRAQ analysis identified a set of 434 proteins with 65 deregulated proteins (log2 case/control≥1.5) in AIA. Expressions of a set of important proteins (AAT, T-kininogen, vimentin, desmin, and nucleophosmin) that could classify AIA from the healthy ones were validated using Western blot analysis. The Western blot data corroborated proteomics findings. In silico protein-protein interaction study of tissue-proteome revealed that complement component 9 (C9), the major building blocks of the membrane attack complex (MAC) responsible for sterile inflammation, get perturbed in AIA. Our dosimetry study suggests that a TXR dose of 200 mg/kg body weight for 15 days is sufficient to bring the arthritis score to basal levels in AIA rats. We have shown the importance of TXR as an antiarthritic agent in the AIA model and after additional investigation, its arthritic ameliorating properties could be exploited for clinical usability.

Chemical Properties and Therapeutic Potential of Citral, a Monoterpene Isolated from Lemongrass.

BACKGROUND: Citral is one of the main components of lemongrass oil present at a concentration of 65-85% approximately and is generally separated by steam refining. It is an important component in the manufacturing of scents, citrus chemicals, cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical products. OBJECTIVES: This article aims at reviewing the published literature to highlight the metabolism, extraction strategies and therapeutic significance of citral for improving the scope of its application in the food and pharma industry. DISCUSSIONS: Apart from steam refining, there are other techniques like solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction and ultrasonication by which citral can be extracted and the method of extraction defines its quality. It is an unstable molecule and undergoes rapid deterioration on exposure to air. Citral is biosynthesized by the plants through the 5 carbon precursor isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) units utilizing two diverse biochemical pathways, acetate- mevalonate (acetate- MVA) pathway or 2C-methylerythritol-4-phosphate (MEP). Orally Citral was absolutely digested in the gastrointestinal tract and its metabolism leads to the discharge of metabolites which include a number of acids and a biliary glucuronide. There is no scientific evidence about the long term bioavailability of citral in the body and it has no adverse effect on tissue related to its accumulation and delayed excretion. Citral exhibits various important therapeutic properties like antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory. CONCLUSION: Citral is a potent biomolecule with various important biological activities and therapeutic implications. Strategies are required to increase the stability of citral which could increase its applications.

Evaluation of inhibitory activities of plant extracts on production of LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory mediators in J774 murine macrophages.

Whole plant methanolic extracts of 14 traditionally used medicinal herbs were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. Extracts of Grindelia robusta, Salix nigra, Arnica montana, and Quassia amara showed up to 4.5-fold inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in the J774 murine macrophage cells challenged with LPS without cytotoxicity. These four selected extracts significantly reduced the protein levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as observed by Western blot analysis. Culture supernatants from cells treated with these extracts indicated 3-5-fold reduction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). However, only G. robusta and Q. amara extracts significantly inhibited (by 50%) IL-1beta and IL-12 secretions. Furthermore, all these plant extracts were shown to prevent the LPS-mediated nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). All the above observations indicate the anti-inflammatory potential of these plant extracts.

An insight into the therapeutic applications of coumarin compounds and their mechanisms of action.

The coumarins are heterocyclic compounds belonging to the class of benzopyrone enriched in various plants like tonka beans. Coumarins and their derivatives exert a vast array of bioactive properties such as anticoagulant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, and enzyme inhibition. Higher doses of coumarin are found to be hepatotoxic however they exhibit beneficial effects by reducing the risk of cancer and other neuronal and cardiovascular ailments. Most of these effects can be attributed to their free radical scavenging effects. Coumarins such as umbelliferone, esculetin and quercetin show antioxidant properties and protect the cellular DNA from oxidative damage. The dicumarol shows anticoagulant properties by inhibiting the action of vitamin K, whereas angelmarin has been reported to be cytotoxic in pancreatic cancer. Coumarins also reduce edema and inflammation by inhibiting the prostaglandins biosynthesis. Hydroxyl aromatic substituted derivatives such as 5-hydroxycoumarin or vicinal dihydroxy coumarins have also been found to be potent anti-inflammatory agents. Some coumarins are approved by the FDA as drugs, and warfarin is one such example. It blocks the Vitamin K reductase enzyme thus disrupting the clotting mechanism. In conclusion, the coumarin class of phytomolecules has a lot of potential to be used as drugs for various diseases. Much work is needed to bring them at the stage of clinical trials for further approval. There is a lot of hope for this unexplored area of translational research.

Antioxidant activity and protective effect of suramin against oxidative stress in collagen induced arthritis.

It is imperative to interrupt the link between arthritis and regulation of oxidative stress with the administration of antioxidants. Suramin is known for its anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic and antiangiogenic activities implying its possible antioxidant property. In this study, the antioxidant activity of suramin in cell free system was found to be higher than l-ascorbic acid (l-AA) with respect to its scavenging effect on nitric oxide (NO), hypochlorous acid and hydrogen peroxide radicals. Besides, suramin was found to be nontoxic to cultured RAW cells even at high concentrations along with marked inhibition of NO production. Suramin was found to curb the inflammation associated with the collagen induced arthritis (CIA) model. Administration of suramin significantly reduced the malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl content in joints, liver, kidney and spleen of rats as studied ex vivo. Furthermore, the increased antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, catalase, GST, GPx and GR activities in the tissues were restored significantly after suramin treatment. In silico experiments using Vlife MDS4.4-GRIP docking method showed strong affinity of suramin towards erythrocyte catalase followed by glutathione peroxidase thus corroborating with the findings of antioxidant enzyme assays. Our studies clearly indicate that suramin has remarkable antioxidant potential and can ameliorate arthritis via modulation of oxidative stress.

Poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based artesunate nanoparticles: formulation, antimalarial and toxicity assessments.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to formulate polymer-based artesunate nanoparticles for malaria treatment. METHODS: Artesunate was loaded with poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) by solvent evaporation from an oil-in-water single emulsion. Nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. In vivo antimalarial studies at 4 mg/kg were performed on Swiss male albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Hematological and hepatic toxicity assays were performed. In vitro cytotoxicity of free and encapsulated artesunate (Art-PLGA) to cell line RAW 264.7 was determined at concentrations of 7.8-1000 µg/ml. RESULTS: The particle size of the formulated drug was (329.3±21.7) nm and the entrapment efficiency was (38.4±10.1)%. Art-PLGA nanoparticles showed higher parasite suppression (62.6%) compared to free artesunate (58.2%, P<0.05). Platelet counts were significantly higher in controls (305 000.00±148 492.40) than in mice treated with free artesunate (139 500.00±20 506.10) or Art-PLGA (163 500.00±3535.53) (P<0.05). There was no sign of hepatic toxicity following use of the tested drugs. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Art-PLGA (468.0 µg/ml) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of free artesunate (7.3 µg/ml) in the in vitro cytotoxicity assay. CONCLUSIONS: A simple treatment of PLGA-entrapped artesunate nanoparticles with dual advantages of low toxicity and better antiplasmodial efficacy has been developed.

Antiplasmodial Activity and Toxicological Assessment of Curcumin PLGA-Encapsulated Nanoparticles.

Curcumin is a polyphenolic pigment isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric), a medicinal plant widely used in the ancient Indian and Chinese medicine. The antiplasmodial activity of curcumin is often hampered by its fast metabolism and poor water solubility, thus its incorporation into a delivery system could circumvent this problem. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial activity and the toxicity assessment of curcumin incorporated into poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. Curcumin was loaded with poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using solvent evaporation from oil-in-water single emulsion method. The nanoparticles were characterized and evaluated in vivo for antimalarial activities using Peter's 4-day suppressive protocol in mice model. Hematological and hepatic toxicity assays were performed on whole blood and plasma, respectively. In vivo anti-parasitic test and toxicity assays for free and encapsulated drug were performed at 5 and 10 mg/kg. In vitro cytotoxicity of free and PLGA encapsulated curcumin (Cur-PLGA) to RAW 264.7 cell line was also determined at varying concentrations (1000-7.8 µg/mL). The size and entrapment efficiency of the nanoparticulate drug formulated was 291.2 ± 82.1 nm and 21.8 ± 0.4 respectively. The percentage parasite suppression (56.8%) at 5 mg/kg was significantly higher than in free drug (40.5%) of similar concentration (p < 0.05) but not at 10 mg/kg (49.5%) at 4-day post-treatment. There were no significant differences in most of the recorded blood parameters in free curcumin and PLGA encapsulated nanoparticulate form (p > 0.05) except in lymphocytes which were significantly higher in Cur-PLGA compared to the free drug (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in hepatotoxic biomarkers; aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations in various treatment groups (p > 0.05). At higher concentrations (1000 and 500 µg/mL), Cur-PLGA entrapped nanoparticle showed higher toxicity compared with the free drug (p < 0.05) in exposed RAW 264.7 cell line. The cell viability was, however, higher in Cur-PLGA nanoparticles than in free curcumin at lower concentrations (p > 0.05). The antiplasmodial activity and safety of Cur-PLGA was better at lower concentration.

A novel coumarin derivative, 8-methoxy chromen-2-one alleviates collagen induced arthritis by down regulating nitric oxide, NFκB and proinflammatory cytokines.

Ruta graveolens (Rue) is a well-known medicinal plant having anti-inflammatory and other healing properties. This contains many active phytochemicals such as coumarins which possess anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. The present study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic potential of a newly isolated coumarin derivative from rue plant, 8-methoxy-chromen-2-one (MCO) in the collagen induced arthritic (CIA) rat model. MCO showed inhibition of cytokines and NF-κB in LPS stimulated J774 cells which prompted its possible use in animal. In CIA, arthritic index and arthritic score reduced markedly within 15days of MCO treatment at doses of 2mg and 20mg per kg body weight. Alleviation of joint damage in CIA animals on treatment with MCO was evident from radiographic and histological data. Behavioral studies by open field tests also showed convalescence in the MCO treated CIA rats. Further, escalated plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6, and also nitric oxide reduced significantly with the treatment. All these results indicate the therapeutic efficacy of MCO and its possible use as an anti-arthritic drug.

Enhanced expression and fucosylation of ficolin3 in plasma of RA patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to detect low abundant proteins, which may be potential biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the early stage. We compared plasma protein profiles of RA patients with healthy individuals in two dimensional gel electrophoresis after removal of abundant proteins (albumin and IgG) using depletion kit and Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) affinity chromatography. DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty plasma samples each from healthy control individuals and RA patients were used in this study. RESULTS: We found ficolin 3, haptoglobin alpha chain, IgM chain, alpha-1-antitrypsin and hemopexin precursor to be up regulated in the plasma of RA patients. These proteins were identified by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) from several reproducible 2D gels. Ficolin 3, which was not at all visible in albumin and IgG depleted gels, but detected in AAL bound fractions, was further verified by immunobloting and enzyme immunoassay. Elevated fucosylation in ficolin 3 was detected using high performance anion exchange chromatography-pulse amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD), lectin blotting and enzyme linked lectin binding assay. CONCLUSIONS: Altered fucosylation and elevated level of Ficolin 3 might be exploited to be a potential marker for diagnosis of RA.

Suramin ameliorates collagen induced arthritis.

Suramin, a polysulfonated polyaromatic symmetrical urea is known for multiple therapeutic effects including antineoplastic activity. It is known as an antagonist of ATP at P2X purinergic receptors. Suramin is also found to inhibit protein synthesis affecting both initiation and elongation of the polypeptide chain. As a growth factor blocker, it is reported to suppress experimental myocardial inflammation. Here, we describe the anti-arthritic property of suramin in the collagen induced arthritic (CIA) rat, a model of human rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of suramin (10 mg/kg/day) for 3 weeks was found to reduce inflammation and repair joint destruction in CIA rats. Recovery of body weight (p<0.0001), reduction in splenic (p<0.05) and arthritic indices (p<0.0001) and reappearance of smooth synovial lining after suramin treatment to CIA rats were found to be significant. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 in plasma and joint extracts were reduced (p<0.0001) significantly in response to suramin treatment. Several acute phase proteins were normalized after suramin administration.

Amelioration of collagen-induced arthritis by Salix nigra bark extract via suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Our study goals to investigate the anti-arthritic potential of Salix nigra bark methanol extract (SNME) against both inflammation and oxidative stress in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. Results showed that SNME exhibited maximum scavenging activity against superoxide, hypochlorous acid and hydrogen peroxide radicals along with the suppression of lipid peroxidation. Female wistar rats were immunized with porcine type II collagen and treated with SNME (100 mg/kg body weight) for 15 days starting on day 20. SNME significantly inhibited the paw swelling and arthritic score; exhibited maximum CIA inhibition of 93.7% by the end of the experimental period. Administration of SNME to arthritic rats significantly improved the histological findings in joints as evident by reduced infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells and smooth synovial lining. Roentgenograms of tibiotarsal joints of both SNME and indomethacin-treated rats showed protection against osteophyte formation, soft tissue swelling and bone resorption. Furthermore, levels of inflammatory mediators (nitric oxide, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) measured in both plasma and joint exudates were significantly reduced by SNME treatment. Increased oxidative stress observed in the arthritic animals was also found to be significantly restored in SNME- treated rats. Taken together, our studies clearly indicate the potential of S. nigra as an anti-arthritic agent.