Sunflower Pollen-Morphology Mimicked Spiky Zinc Nanomotors as a Photosensitizer for Killing Bacteria and Cancer Cells.

Photosensitizing agents have received increased attention from the medical community, owing to their higher photothermal efficiency, induction of hyperthermia, and sustained delivery of bioactive molecules to their targets. Micro/nanorobots can be used as ideal photosensitizing agents by utilizing various physical stimuli for the targeted killing of pathogens (e.g., bacteria) and cancer cells. Herein, we report sunflower-pollen-inspired spiky zinc oxide (s-ZnO)-based nanorobots that effectively kill bacteria and cancer cells under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. The as-fabricated s-ZnO was modified with a catechol-containing photothermal agent, polydopamine (PDA), to improve its NIR-responsive properties, followed by the addition of antimicrobial (e.g., tetracycline/TCN) and anticancer (e.g., doxorubicin/DOX) drugs. The fabricated s-ZnO/PDA@Drug nanobots exhibited unique locomotory behavior with an average speed ranging from 13 to 14 µm/s under 2.0 W/cm2 NIR light irradiation. Moreover, the s-ZnO/PDA@TCN nanobots exhibited superior antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. epidermidis under NIR irradiation. The s-ZnO/PDA@DOX nanobots also displayed sufficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification in B16F10 melanoma cells and induced apoptosis under NIR light, indicating their therapeutic efficacy. We hope the sunflower pollen-inspired s-ZnO nanorobots have tremendous potential in biomedical engineering from the phototherapy perspective, with the hope to reduce pathogen infections.

Polysaccharide of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) stalk pith inhibits cancer proliferation and metastases via TNF-α pathway.

The decoctions of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. HAL) stalk pith have been used to treat advanced cancer, and polysaccharide of sunflower stalk pith (HSPP) was key ingredient of the decoctions. To forage specially structured HSPP with anti-tumor effects and to uncover its mechanisms of anticancer activity, syngeneic mouse model of lung carcinoma metastasis was established and the HSPP was found to contain long-chain fatty acid. Encouragingly, the mean survival of the polysaccharide group (47.3 ± 12.8 d) and its sub-fractions group HSPP-4 (50.7 ± 13.0 d) was significantly increased compared with control group (38.7 ± 12.7 d) or positive control group (41.8 ± 13.4 d), (n = 20, P < 0.01 vs. the control group or positive control group). Furthermore, the HSPP exerted inhibitory effects on the tumor cells' metastasis. Eventually, it is postulated that the polysaccharide could inhibit tumor proliferation and metastasis by reduction of TNF-α from the macrophage.

Dual-Responsive Microsphere Based on Natural Sunflower Pollen for Hemostasis and Repair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Noninvasive treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a major clinical challenge. In this study, we designed an orally targeted microsphere based on sunflower pollen microcapsules to localize the site of inflammatory injury and promote hemostasis and tissue repair. Due to the Eudragit and ascorbate palmitate coatings, EL/AP@PS(t+Dex) demonstrates pH- and enzyme-responsive release of loaded drugs and helps to resist the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments show the characteristics of inflammation targeting and mucosal adhesion, which reduce the systematic exposure and increase the local drug concentration. In the DSS model, orally administered EL/AP@PS(t+Dex) significantly alleviates hematochezia, inhabits intestinal inflammation, and remarkably promotes the recovery of the intestinal epithelial barrier to reduce the exposure of intestinal microvessels. Furthermore, EL/AP@PS(t+Dex) optimized the composition of intestinal microbiota, which benefits intestinal homeostasis. This finding provides a fundamental solution for the treatment of intestinal bleeding caused by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Comprehensive analysis of oxidative stability and nutritional values of germinated linseed and sunflower seed oil.

Germination of seeds is known to affect the nutritional composition of cold-pressed oils. This study focused on the effects of germination on the antioxidants and oxidative stability of linseed and sunflower seed oil. As hypothesized, germination led to increased antioxidant activities and tocopherol, chlorophyll and carotenoid content. Analysis revealed a 37.2 ± 3.5-fold and 11.6 ± 1.5-fold increase in polyphenol content in linseed and sunflower seed oil from germinated seeds, respectively. Using LC-HRMS/MS, profiles with up to 69 polyphenolic substances were identified in germinated seed oils for the first time. Germination promoted lipid hydrolysis, as evidenced by NMR, with overall significant decreases in triacylglycerol content leading to increased diacylglycerol and free fatty acid values. Rancimat measurements predicted a 4.10 ± 0.52-fold longer shelf-life for germinated linseed oil. This study successfully demonstrated the potential of germination to develop PUFA-rich oils with enhanced antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability.

Comparison of dehydration systems in quality and chemical effects on sunflower seeds.

The present work investigates the quality and the chemical effects of dehydration, using a novel dehydration system based on an electromagnetic induction and low pressures technique, comparing it with the thermo-solar drying system. High oleic sunflower seeds, which are an important oil seed crop, were used due to the fact that they have a special place in the food industry. The seed samples were exposed to electromagnetic induction and low pressures by 0.5 and 1 h, then several chemical characterizations were carried out, in the electrophoresis study, it was found that most proteins in the hull were degraded or denatured, some of them were lost during the time in the thermosolar dryer while in kernel keeps 94.9% of the concentration in control proteins. Otherwise, the electromagnetic induction dryer did not lose the most of proteins in the kernel keeping 99.1% in 0.5 h and 98.4% in 1 h, just degrading its concentration. Germination viability results did not show changes after 0.5 h in the electromagnetic fields, but they decreased in 1 h from 66 to 40% until the thermosolar method fell to 24% in 4 h, both analysis results change proportionally with the treatment time and moisture content and the amount of the oxygen.

Sunflower pollen-derived microcapsules adsorb light and bacteria for enhanced antimicrobial photothermal therapy.

Bacterial infection is one of the most serious clinical complications, with life-threatening outcomes. Nature-inspired biomaterials offer appealing microscale and nanoscale architectures that are often hard to fabricate by traditional technologies. Inspired by the light-harvesting nature, we engineered sulfuric acid-treated sunflower sporopollenin exine-derived microcapsules (HSECs) to capture light and bacteria for antimicrobial photothermal therapy. Sulfuric acid-treated HSECs show a greatly enhanced photothermal performance and a strong bacteria-capturing ability against Gram-positive bacteria. This is attributed to the hierarchical micro/nanostructure and surface chemistry alteration of HSECs. To test the potential for clinical application, an in situ bacteria-capturing, near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered hydrogel made of HSECs and curdlan is applied in photothermal therapy for infected skin wounds. HSECs and curdlan suspension that spread on bacteria-infected skin wounds of mice first capture the local bacteria and then form hydrogels on the wound upon NIR light stimulation. The combination shows a superior antibacterial efficiency of 98.4% compared to NIR therapy alone and achieved a wound healing ratio of 89.4%. The current study suggests that the bacteria-capturing ability and photothermal properties make HSECs an excellent platform for the phototherapy of bacteria-infected diseases. Future work that can fully take advantage of the hierarchical micro/nanostructure of HSECs for multiple biomedical applications is highly promising and desirable.

Effects of Jerusalem artichoke-enriched diet on water quality, growth performance, feed utilization, proximate body composition, and hematology and biochemical parameters in common carp fingerlings.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of Jerusalem artichoke tubers (Helianthus tuberosus L.), a natural prebiotic, on the growth performance, proximate body composition, feed utilization, hematology, and biochemical parameters in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings. Four JA-supplemented diets were formulated at 0.0% (control), 0.5%, 1%, and 2%. Fish were reared for ten weeks in cages placed in concrete ponds. Based on the results, an increase in the levels of JA supplementation led to significant improvements in growth and feed parameters (P<0.05), while the proximate body composition exhibited significant differences (P<0.05) between JA-supplemented-fed fish and the control-fed fish. The hematological profile showed that red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume were significantly enhanced by supplementing dietary with JA at varying levels (P>0.05). However, the fish fed with a JA-supplemented diet exhibited significantly lower levels of red cell distribution width, red cell distribution, monocytes, granulocytes, mean corpuscular hemoglobin in fL, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (P<0.05). Biochemical indices revealed that fish in the experimental groups had significantly higher total protein, globulin, albumin, lipase, high-density lipoprotein, and amylase than the control-fed fish (P<0.05). The creatinine, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, urea, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, and low-density lipoprotein were significantly decreased in JA dietary treatments than control diet (P<0.05). It was also found that dietary JA supplements promoted growth parameters, proximate body composition, hematology, and serum biochemical in common carp fingerlings.

A hybrid system for Nickel ions removal from synthesized wastewater using adsorption assisted with electrocoagulation.

The presence of heavy metal ions in water environments has raised significant concerns, necessitating practical solutions for their complete removal. In this study, a combination of adsorption and electrocoagulation (ADS + EC) techniques was introduced as an efficient approach for removing high concentrations of nickel ions (Ni2+) from aqueous solutions, employing low-cost sunflower seed shell biochar (SSSB). The combined techniques demonstrated superior removal efficiency compared to individual methods. The synthesized SSSB was characterized using SEM, FT-IR, XRD, N2-adsorption-desorption isotherms, XPS, and TEM. Batch processes were optimized by investigating pH, adsorbent dosage, initial nickel concentration, electrode effects, and current density. An aluminum (Al) electrode electrocoagulated particles and removed residual Ni2+ after adsorption. Kinetic and isotherm models examined Ni2+ adsorption and electrocoagulation coupling with SSSB-based adsorbent. The results indicated that the kinetic data fit well with a pseudo-second-order model, while the experimental equilibrium adsorption data conformed to a Langmuir isotherm under optimized conditions. The maximum adsorption capacity of the activated sunflower seed shell was determined to be 44.247 mg.g-1. The highest nickel ion removal efficiency of 99.98% was observed at initial pH values of 6.0 for ADS and 4.0 for ADS/EC; initial Ni2+ concentrations of 30.0 mg/L and 1.5 g/L of SSSB; initial current densities of 0.59 mA/cm2 and 1.32 kWh/m3 were also found to be optimal. The mechanisms involved in the removal of Ni2+ from wastewater were also examined in this research. These findings suggest that the adsorption-assisted electrocoagulation technique has a remarkable capacity for the cost-effective removal of heavy metals from various wastewater sources.

Use of olive and sunflower protein hydrolysates for the physical and oxidative stabilization of fish oil-in-water emulsions.

BACKGROUND: Olive and sunflower seeds are by-products generated in large amounts by the plant oil industry. The technological and biological properties of plant-based substrates, especially protein hydrolysates, have increased their use as functional ingredients for food matrices. The present study evaluates the physical and oxidative stabilities of 50 g kg-1 fish oil-in-water emulsions where protein hydrolysates from olive and sunflower seeds were incorporated at 20 g kg-1 protein as natural emulsifiers. The goal was to investigate the effect of protein source (i.e. olive and sunflower seeds), enzyme (i.e. subtilisin and trypsin) and degree of hydrolysis (5%, 8% and 11%) on the ability of the hydrolysate to stabilize the emulsion and retard lipid oxidation over a 7-day storage period. RESULTS: The plant protein hydrolysates displayed different emulsifying and antioxidant capacities when incorporated into the fish oil-in-water emulsions. The hydrolysates with degrees of hydrolysis (DH) of 5%, especially those from sunflower seed meal, provided higher physical stability, regardless of the enzymatic treatment. For example, the average D [2, 3] values for the emulsions containing sunflower subtilisin hydrolysates at DH 5% only slightly increased from 1.21 ± 0.02 µm (day 0) to 2.01 ± 0.04 µm (day 7). Moreover, the emulsions stabilized with sunflower or olive seed hydrolysates at DH 5% were stable against lipid oxidation throughout the storage experiment, with no significant variation in the oxidation indices between days 0 and 4. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study support the use of sunflower seed hydrolysates at DH 5% as natural emulsifiers for fish oil-in-water emulsions, providing both physical and chemical stability against lipid oxidation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Description of a new cellulosic natural fiber extracted from Helianthus tuberosus L. as a composite reinforcement material.

Natural fiber-reinforced composites are generally known as eco-friendly, long-lasting, and recyclable materials. This study characterizes cellulosic Helianthus tuberosus L. fiber for polymer-based green composites for the first time. Helianthus tuberosus L. fiber has many advantages as a reinforcement material in polymer-based composites. For example, the high roughness of the fiber surface increases the locking into the composite body. One of the most critical advantages is its high thermal stability temperature of 247.3°C. Other advantages of the Helianthus tuberosus L. fiber are high cellulose content, high crystallinity, and high tensile strength. The hollow fiber structure allows its use in insulation materials. Finally, the high cellulose content of 62.65% supports its usage in various industries, including paper and paperboard manufacturing.

High-intensity ultrasound-based process strategies for obtaining edible sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) flour with low-phenolic and high-protein content.

The sunflower Helianthus annuus L. represents the 4th largest oilseed cultivated area worldwide. Its balanced amino acid content and low content of antinutrient factors give sunflower protein a good nutritional value. However, it is underexploited as a supplement to human nutrition due to the high content of phenolic compounds that reduce the sensory quality of the product. Thus, this study aimed at obtaining a high protein and low phenolic compound sunflower flour for use in the food industry by designing separation processes with high intensity ultrasound technology. First, sunflower meal, a residue of cold-press oil extraction processing, was defatted using supercritical CO2 technology. Subsequently, sunflower meal was subjected to different conditions for ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds. The effects of solvent composition (water: ethanol) and pH (4 to 12) were investigated using different acoustic energies and continuous and pulsed process approaches. The employed process strategies reduced the oil content of sunflower meal by up to 90% and reduced 83% of the phenolic content. Furthermore, the protein content of sunflower flour was increased up to approximately 72% with respect to sunflower meal. The acoustic cavitation-based processes using the optimized solvent composition were efficient in breaking down the cellular structure of the plant matrix and facilitated the separation of proteins and phenolic compounds, while preserving the functional groups of the product. Therefore, a new ingredient with high protein content and potential application for human food was obtained from the residue of sunflower oil processing using green technologies.

Pectin from sunflower by-products obtained by ultrasound: Chemical characterization and in vivo evaluation of properties in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a public health challenge and the use of pectin for symptom amelioration is a promising option. In this work, sunflower pectin has been extracted without (CHP) and with assistance of ultrasound (USP) using sodium citrate as a food-grade extracting agent. At optimal conditions (64 °C, 23 min) the highest yield was obtained with ultrasound application (15.5 vs. 8.1 %). Both pectins were structurally characterized by 1H NMR, HPSEC-ELSD, FT-IR and GC-FID. Unlike CHP, USP showed a lower molecular weight, higher galacturonic acid, lower degree of methyl-esterification and, overall, higher viscosity. These characteristics could affect the anti-inflammatory activity of pectins, evaluated using DSS-induced IBD model mice. So, USP promoted the defence (ICAM-1) and repair of the gastrointestinal mucosa (TFF3, ZO-1) more effectively than CHP. These results demonstrate the potential amelioration of acute colitis in IBD mice through USP supplementation. Taking into account the biomarkers analysed, these results demonstrate, for the first time, the positive impact of sunflower pectin extracted by ultrasound under very soft conditions on inflammatory bowel disease that might open up new possibilities in the treatment of this serious pathology.

Sonochemical application reduces monosaccharide levels and improves cryoprotective effect of Jerusalem artichoke extract on Leuconostoc mesenteroides WiKim33 during freeze-drying.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are being used for probiotic and starter cultures to prevent global damage to microbial cells. To retain the benefits of LAB in the commercially used powdered form, highly efficient cryoprotective agents are required during the manufacturing process. This study suggests a novel cryoprotective agent derived from Jerusalem artichoke (JA; Helianthus tuberous L.) and describes the mechanism of cryoprotective effect improvement by sonication treatment. The cryoprotective effect of JA extract was verified by examining the viability of Leuconostoc mesenteroides WiKim33 after freeze-drying (FD). Sonication of JA extract improved the cryoprotective effect. Sonication reduced fructose and glucose contents, which increased the induction of critical damage during FD by 15.84% and 46.81%, respectively. The cryoprotective effects of JA and sonication-treated JA extracts were determined using the viable cell count of Leu. mesenteroides WiKim33. Immediately after FD and storage for 24 weeks, the viability of Leu. mesenteroides WiKim33 with JA extract was 82.8% and 76.3%, respectively, while that of the sonication-treated JA extract was 95.2% and 88.8%, respectively. Our results show that reduction in specific monosaccharides was correlated with improved cryoprotective effect. This study adopted sonication as a novel treatment for improving the cryoprotective effect and verified its efficiency.

Effect of de-phenolization on protein-phenolic interactions of sunflower protein isolate.

Proteins and phenolic compounds are significant components of foods that can interact, and this interaction can impact the functional properties of proteins and the bioactivity of phenolic compounds. Sunflower meal, which has a high potential to be an important alternative protein source, contains phenolic compounds mostly bonded with proteins. In this study, the interaction between proteins and phenolic compounds which naturally exist in sunflower and prone to oxidation during alkaline treatment (for protein isolation) was investigated. There was a significant decrease up to 96.21% in the content of total phenolics by methanol washing. Chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were detected in the phenolic extract obtained from sunflower protein isolate, and they exhibited different levels of reduction after methanol washing. For the total antioxidant capacity analysis, a decrease by 50% was observed after 4hwashing with methanol solution, and there was no significant decrease afterwards. In addition, the fluorescence intensity of sunflower protein was diminished with reduced washing time, which was mostly attributed to the protein-phenolic interaction. According to hydrodynamic parameters, the main force of the sunflower protein-phenolic complex formation was assumed to be hydrophobic attraction. The Stern-Volmer plot indicated that the main quenching mechanism was only static at all temperature conditions.

Oil well drill cuttings and sunflower cake: effects on sunflower crop and soil chemical attributes.

Onshore oil well drill cuttings and sunflower cake from biodiesel production require an appropriate destination to reduce the risks of environmental contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of the combination of different doses of these wastes on the growth of sunflower plants (Helianthus annus L.) and on soil chemical attributes after cultivation, making it possible to recommend safe application doses. Sunflower plants, cultivar Neon, were cultivated in a greenhouse for 80 days in Planossolo Háplico (Ultisol) as the main substrate. The design used was completely randomized, in a 6 × 6 factorial arrangement, composed of five doses of sunflower cake (2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 Mg ha-1) and five doses of drill cuttings (5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 Mg ha-1) and an experimental control using only Ultisol After cultivation, soil chemical attributes and the parameters height (H), stem diameter (D), and dry mass (DMAP) and nutrient contents in the aerial part of the plants were analyzed. Sunflower cake dose of 32 Mg ha-1 limited the germination of sunflower plants. In sunflower plants, the highest contents of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were verified when the sunflower cake doses were associated with drill cuttings doses >45 Mg ha-1. The mixture between sunflower cake and drill cuttings in the proportion of 16:45 Mg ha-1, respectively, promoted higher H, D and DMAP of sunflower plants, as well as a considerable improvement in soil fertility, without causing significant increments in sodium content in the soil after cultivation.HighlightsInadequate disposal of agro-industrial wastes represents loss of raw material and energy.Drill cuttings and sunflower cake wastes enable improvements in soil fertility attributes.The combination of sunflower cake and drill cuttings contributed to sunflower growth and nutrient contents.The mixture of drill cuttings and sunflower cake has potential for use as agricultural input.

New bicompartmental model: an application for the production of gases using the in vitro technique / Novo modelo bicompartimental: uma aplicação para a produção de gases pela técnica in vitro

The purpose of this study was to propose a bicompartmental nonlinear model and to identify the best-performing model between the proposed model and the bicompartmental logistic (BL) mode regarding the quality of fit to the curve of cumulative gas production (CGP) using corn silage, sunflower, and their mixtures. Gas production was measured 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h after beginning the in vitro fermentation process. The generated data were used to generate the parameters of each model tested using the stats package of the R computational tool version 4.0.4. The mathematical models were subjected to the following selection criteria: the adjusted coefficient of determination (Raj.), residual mean square (RMS), mean absolute deviation (MAD), and Akaike information criterion (AIC). It was demonstrated that the proposed model had better performance with a high Raj., and lower values of RMS, AIC, and MAD than the bicompartmental logistic model for the prediction of the parameters of cumulative gas production (CGP), per to present a superior fit in the set of criteria according to the methodology and conditions in which the present study was developed.(AU)

No presente trabalho, com silagem de milho, girassol e suas misturas, objetivou-se propor um modelo não linear bicompartimental e identificar entre o modelo proposto e Logístico Bicompartimental (LB), aquele que apresenta maior qualidade de ajuste à curva de cinética de produção cumulativa de gases (PCG). A leitura da produção de gás foi realizada nos tempos 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72 e 96 horas, após o início do processo de fermentação in vitro. Os dados gerados foram utilizados para geração dos parâmetros de cada modelo testado com auxílio do pacote stats da ferramenta computacional R versão 4.0.4. Os modelos matemáticos foram submetidos aos seguintes critérios de seleção o coeficiente de determinação ajustado (Raj.), quadrado médio do resíduo (QMR), desvio médio absoluto (DMA) e o critério de informação de Akaike (AIC). Foi demonstrado que o modelo proposto teve melhor desempenho com altos Raj., e menores valores de QMR, AIC e DMA, por apresentar um ajustamento superior no conjunto dos critérios em comparação com o modelo logístico bicompartimental para a predição dos parâmetros de produção cumulativa de gases (PCG) de acordo com a metodologia e condições em que foi desenvolvido o presente estudo.(AU)

Jerusalem artichoke inulin supplementation ameliorates hepatic lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus mice by modulating the gut microbiota and fecal metabolome.

The main focus of this study was on the protection mechanism of Jerusalem artichoke inulin (DI) against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota dysfunction in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. It was determined that the consumption of DI significantly improved the biochemical parameters and physiological indices linked to T2DM, including the reduction in blood glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as the contents of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines. Supplementation with DI also ameliorated abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism by altering the expression of genes involved in the production and breakdown of lipids and cholesterol. Microbiological analysis showed that DI supplementation resulted in an enrichment of Prevotellaceae UCG-001, Parasutterella, Prevotellaceae UCG-003, and Dubosiella. Metabolomics revealed 89 differential metabolites closely related to DI intervention, and showed that DI supplementation regulated amino acid metabolism (e.g., indole), lipid metabolism (e.g., phosphocholine), cofactor and vitamin metabolism (e.g., cholecalciferol), nucleotide metabolism (e.g., thymine) and the digestive system (e.g., 7-ketolithocholic acid). Overall, Jerusalem artichoke inulin has a remarkable capacity to ameliorate abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota dysfunction linked to T2DM.

Antiviral Activity against Respiratory Syncytial Virus of Polysaccharide from Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.).

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) polysaccharide (JAP) is a chain polysaccharide composed of D-fructose connected by ß (1-2) glycosidic bonds, which is a kind of inulin. This study evaluated the anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity of JAP in vivo and in vitro. To investigate its antiviral activity, an MTT assay, q-PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lung histological observation were performed. The results showed that JAP showed anti-RSV activity in vitro with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of approximately 29.15 µg/mL. In vivo results suggested that JAP could effectively inhibit RSV proliferation in the lungs and improve lung tissue lesions in RSV-infected mice. Additionally, JAP could also reduce the expression of TLR3 and TLR4 in the lungs, increase serum anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 levels, and reduce pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and TNF-ß levels, which may be related to its anti-RSV activity. This study provides a new approach to anti-RSV therapy and enriches the potential applications of JAP.

Clustering Analysis, Structure Fingerprint Analysis, and Quantum Chemical Calculations of Compounds from Essential Oils of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Receptacles.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an appropriate crop for current new patterns of green agriculture, so it is important to change sunflower receptacles from waste to useful resource. However, there is limited knowledge on the functions of compounds from the essential oils of sunflower receptacles. In this study, a new method was created for chemical space network analysis and classification of small samples, and applied to 104 compounds. Here, t-SNE (t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) dimensions were used to reduce coordinates as node locations and edge connections of chemical space networks, respectively, and molecules were grouped according to whether the edges were connected and the proximity of the node coordinates. Through detailed analysis of the structural characteristics and fingerprints of each classified group, our classification method attained good accuracy. Targets were then identified using reverse docking methods, and the active centers of the same types of compounds were determined by quantum chemical calculation. The results indicated that these compounds can be divided into nine groups, according to their mean within-group similarity (MWGS) values. The three families with the most members, i.e., the d-limonene group (18), α-pinene group (10), and γ-maaliene group (nine members) determined the protein targets, using PharmMapper. Structure fingerprint analysis was employed to predict the binding mode of the ligands of four families of the protein targets. Thence, quantum chemical calculations were applied to the active group of the representative compounds of the four families. This study provides further scientific information to support the use of sunflower receptacles.

Targeting protein-protein interaction for immunomodulation: A sunflower trypsin inhibitor analog peptidomimetic suppresses RA progression in CIA model.

Protein-protein interactions (PPI) of co-stimulatory molecules CD2-CD58 are important in the early stage of an immune response, and increased expression of these co-stimulatory molecules is observed in the synovial region of joints in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. A CD2 epitope region that binds to CD58 was grafted on to sunflower trypsin inhibitor (SFTI) template structure to inhibit CD2-CD58 PPI. The peptide was incorporated with an organic moiety dibenzofuran (DBF) in its structure. The designed peptidomimetic was studied for its ability to inhibit CD2-CD58 interactions in vitro, and its thermal and enzymatic stability was evaluated. Stability studies indicated that the grafted peptidomimetic was stable against trypsin cleavage. In vivo studies using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model in mice indicated that the peptidomimetic was able to slow down the progress of arthritis, an autoimmune disease in the mice model. These studies suggest that with the grafting of organic functional groups in the stable peptide template SFTI stabilizes the peptide structure, and these peptides can be used as a template to design stable peptides for therapeutic purposes.