Tartaric acid ameliorates experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

Tartaric acid (TA) has been shown beneficial effects on blood pressure and lipid levels. However, its effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of TA in experimental NAFLD. Mice were fed a Western diet for 8 weeks, followed by administration of TA or a vehicle for an additional 12 weeks while continuing on the Western diet. Blood biochemistry including transaminases and glucose tolerance test and liver tissue RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), lipid content, and histology were investigated. The HepG2 cell line was used to explore the mechanism by which TA regulates lipid metabolism. We found that TA significantly improved weight gain, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis in Western diet-fed mice. By comparing gene expression differences, we found that TA affects pathways related to lipid metabolism, inflammatory response, and fibrosis. Furthermore, TA effectively reduced oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and downregulated the genes associated with fatty acid synthesis, which were enriched in the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. TA also enhanced the phosphorylation of AMPK which could be reverted by the AMPK inhibitor Compound C in HepG2 cells. Our study suggests that TA improves experimental NAFLD by activating the AMPK signaling pathway. These findings indicate that TA may serve as a potential therapy for the human NAFLD.

Salvia officinalis L. Methanolic Extract Reduces Lead and Nicotine-Induced Sperm Quality Degeneration in Male Rats.

Most heavy metals and industrial chemicals such as nicotine and lead cause harm to the reproduction process through a decrease in sperm motility, fertilization process, and sperm binding to the oocyte. Salvia officinalis L. (sage) has been reported to enhance serum testosterone levels and other certain biochemical enzymes. Thus, the current study is aimed at evaluating the potential health benefits of S. officinalis L. methanol extract on lead and nicotine hydrogen tartrate-induced sperm quality degeneration in male rats and also identifying some of the non-polar volatile bioactive compounds that might be attributed to the bioactivity of S. officinalis extract using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In the study, fifty-four mature male albino rats of about 220-250 g [were divided randomly and equally into 9 groups (n=6)]. Sperm quality degeneration was induced through the oral administration of 1.5 g/L of lead acetate in drinking water or peritoneal injection of 0.50 mg/kg (animal weight) nicotine hydrogen tartrate for sixty days. Two doses (200 & 400 mg/kg b.w.) of S. officinalis L. were used. The rats were anesthetized after the experimental period and then sacrificed. Blood samples were collected while the epididymis, testicle, and accessory sex organs (prostates and seminal vesical) were taken for histopathological studies. Twelve major compounds were identified through the GC/MS analysis of S. officinalis L. methanol extract. Lead and nicotine toxicity had a great effect on the rats' sperm quality causing a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the quantity of sperm and sperm motility as well as an upsurge in the abnormalities of the sperm and a reduction in the length & diameter of seminiferous tubules and size & weight of sexual organs (accessory sex glands, epididymis, and testis). The administration of S. officinalis L. methanol extract, however, had a positive impact on the sexual organ weights, semen quality & quantity, and rats' fertility, thus, ameliorating the adversative effects of both lead and nicotine. Further evaluation and isolation of the bioactive components are recommended as potential drug leads.

Evaluating anti-viral effect of Tylvalosin tartrate on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and analyzing the related gene regulation by transcriptomics.

BACKGROUND: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically important pathogen, characterized by its genetic and antigenic variation. The PRRSV vaccine is widely used, however, the unsatisfied heterologic protection and the risk of reverse virulence raise the requirement to find some new anti-PRRSV strategies for disease control. Tylvalosin tartrate is used to inhibit PRRSV in the field non-specifically, however, the mechanism is still less known. METHODS: The antiviral effects of Tylvalosin tartrates from three producers were evaluated in a cell inoculation model. Their safety and efficacy concentrations, and effecting stage during PRRSV infection were analyzed. And, the Tylvalosin tartrates regulated genes and pathways which are potentially related to the anti-viral effect were further explored by using transcriptomics analysis. Last, the transcription level of six anti-virus-related DEGs was selected to confirm by qPCR, and the expression level of HMOX1, a reported anti-PRRSV gene, was proved by western blot. RESULTS: The safety concentrations of Tylvalosin tartrates from three different producers were 40 µg/mL (Tyl A, Tyl B, and Tyl C) in MARC-145 cells and 20 µg/mL (Tyl A) or 40 µg/mL (Tyl B and Tyl C) in primary pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs) respectively. Tylvalosin tartrate can inhibit PRRSV proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, causing more than 90% proliferation reduction at 40 µg/mL. But it shows no virucidal effect, and only achieves the antiviral effect via long-term action on the cells during the PRRSV proliferation. Furthermore, GO terms and KEGG pathway analysis was carried out based on the RNA sequencing and transcriptomic data. It was found that the Tylvalosin tartrates can regulate the signal transduction, proteolysis, and oxidation-reduction process, as well as some pathways such as protein digestion and absorption, PI3K-Akt signaling, FoxO signaling, and Ferroptosis pathways, which might relate to PRRSV proliferation or host innate immune response, but further studies still need to confirm it. Among them, six antivirus-related genes HMOX1, ATF3, FTH1, FTL, NR4A1, and CDKN1A were identified to be regulated by Tylvalosin tartrate, and the increased expression level of HMOX1 was further confirmed by western blot. CONCLUSIONS: Tylvalosin tartrate can inhibit PRRSV proliferation in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The identified DEGs and pathways in transcriptomic data will provide valuable clues for further exploring the host cell restriction factors or anti-PRRSV target.

L-Carnitine Combined with Leucine Supplementation Does Not Improve the Effectiveness of Progressive Resistance Training in Healthy Aged Women.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of L-carnitine (LC) in combination with leucine supplementation on muscle strength and muscle hypertrophy in aged women participating in a resistance exercise training (RET) program. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-seven out of sixty (38.3% dropout) healthy women aged 60-75 years (mean 67.6 ± 0.7 years) completed the intervention in one of three groups. One of the supplemented groups received 1 g of L-carnitine-L-tartrate in combination with 3 g of L-leucine per day (LC+L group; n = 12), and the second supplemented group received 4 g of L-leucine per day (L group; n = 13). The control group (CON group; n = 12) received no supplementation. INTERVENTION: All three groups completed the same RET protocol involving exercise sessions twice per week for 24 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Before and after the experiment, participants performed isometric and isokinetic muscle strength testing on the Biodex dynamometer. The cross-sectional areas of the major knee extensors and total thigh muscles were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Fasting serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), myostatin and decorin, and plasma levels of total carnitine (TC) and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) levels were measured. RESULTS: The 24-week RET significantly increased muscle strength and muscle volume, but the group and time interactions were not significant for the muscle variables analyzed. Plasma total carnitine increased only in the LC+L group (p = 0.009). LC supplementation also caused a significant increase in plasma TMAO, which was higher after the intervention in the LC+L group than in the L (p < 0.001), and CON (p = 0.005) groups. The intervention did not change plasma TMAO concentration in the L (p = 0.959) and CON (p = 0.866) groups. After the intervention serum decorin level was higher than before in both supplemented groups combined (p = 0.012), still not significantly different to post intervention CON (p = 0.231). No changes in serum IGF-1 and myostatin concentrations and no links between the changes in blood markers and muscle function or muscle volume were observed. CONCLUSIONS: LC combined with leucine or leucine alone does not appear to improve the effectiveness of RET.

In Vitro and In Vivo Activities of Tilmicosin and Acetylisovaleryltylosin Tartrate against Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread intracellular pathogen that infects humans and a variety of animals. The current therapeutic strategy for human toxoplasmosis is a combination of sulphadiazine and pyrimethamine. However, this combination still has a high failure rate and is ineffective against chronic infections. Therefore, it is important to discover a new anti-T. gondii drug that is safer and more effective in both humans and animals. In this study, we describe the anti-T. gondii activities of the 16-membered macrolide tilmicosin and acetylisovaleryltylosin tartrate (ATLL). Both tilmicosin and ATLL potently inhibited T. gondii with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 17.96 µM and 10.67 µM, respectively. Interestingly, tilmicosin and ATLL had different effects on the parasites. ATLL exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on intracellular parasite growth, while tilmicosin suppressed parasites extracellularly. By studying the lytic cycle of T. gondii after treatment, we found that ATLL potently inhibited the intracellular proliferation of tachyzoites, while tilmicosin affected the invasion of tachyzoites. Immunofluorescence analysis using ATLL-treated T. gondii showed morphologically abnormal parasites, which may be due to the inhibition of tachyzoite proliferation and division. In addition, tilmicosin and ATLL significantly delayed the death of mice caused by acute toxoplasmosis. Our results suggest that ATLL has potent anti-Toxoplasma activity both in vitro and in vivo and may be an alternative to toxoplasmosis in the future.

Mechanical force regulates root resorption in rats through RANKL and OPG.

BACKGROUND: External root resorption is one of common complications of orthodontic treatment, while internal root resorption is rarely observed, and the difference between pulp and periodontal tissues during orthodontic treatment is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of orthodontic forces on histological and cellular changes of the dental pulp and periodontal tissues. METHODS: Orthodontic tooth movement model was established in Forty-eight adult male Wistar rats. The distance of orthodontic tooth movement was quantitatively analyzed. The histological changes of pulp and periodontal tissues were performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, tartrate-resistant acid phosphate staining was used to analyze the changes of osteoclast number, immunohistochemistry analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to examine the receptor of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression. The width of tertiary dentine was quantitatively analyzed. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphate staining and the erosion area of osteo assay surface plate was used to evaluate osteoclast activity. RESULTS: The orthodontic tooth movement distance increased in a force dependent manner, and reached the peak value when orthodontic force is 60 g. Heavy orthodontic force increased the RANKL expression of periodontal ligament srem cells (PDLSCs) which further activated osteoclasts and resulted in external root resorption, while the RANKL expression of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) was relatively low to activate osteoclasts and result in internal root resorption, and the dental pulp tend to form tertiary dentine under orthodontic force stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy orthodontic forces activated osteoclasts and triggered external root resorption by upregulating RANKL expression in rat periodontal tissues, while there was no significant change of RANKL expression in dental pulp tissue under heavy orthodontic forces, which prevented osteoclast activation and internal root resorption.

Interactive effects of phosphorus fertilization and salinity on plant growth, phosphorus and sodium status, and tartrate exudation by roots of two alfalfa cultivars.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Soil phosphorus (P) deficiency and salinity are constraints to crop productivity in arid and semiarid regions. Salinity may weaken the effect of P fertilization on plant growth. We investigated the interactive effects of soil P availability and salinity on plant growth, P nutrition and salt tolerance of two alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars. METHODS: A pot experiment was carried out to grow two cultivars of alfalfa in a loess soil under a combination of different rates of added P (0, 40, 80 and 160 mg P kg-1 soil as monopotassium phosphate) and sodium chloride (0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g NaCl kg-1 soil). Plant biomass, concentrations of P ([P]), sodium ([Na]) and potassium ([K]) were determined, and rhizosheath carboxylates were analysed. KEY RESULTS: There were significant interactions between soil P availability and salinity on some, but not all, of the parameters investigated, and interactions depended on cultivar. Plant growth and P uptake were enhanced by P fertilization, but inhibited by increased levels of salinity. Increasing the salinity resulted in decreased plant P-uptake efficiency and [K]/[Na]. Only soil P availability had a significant effect on the amount of tartrate in the rhizosheath of both cultivars. CONCLUSIONS: Increased salinity aggravated P deficiency. Appropriate application of P fertilizers improved the salt tolerance of alfalfa and increased its productivity in saline soils.

Maleic and L-tartaric acids as new anti-sprouting agents for potatoes during storage in comparison to other efficient sprout suppressants.

Inhibiting sprouting of potatoes is an interesting subject needed for potato storage and industry. Sprouting degrades the quality of tuber along with releasing α-solanine and α-chaconine, which are harmful for health. Sprout suppressants, available in the market, are either costly or toxic to both health and environment. So, there is a need for developing countries to explore new sprouting suppressant compound which is cheap, non-toxic and reasonably efficient in comparison to commercial ones. We have established that simple maleic acid and L-tartaric acid are effective sprout suppressing agents. Both can hinder sprouting up to 6 weeks and 4 weeks post treatment respectively at room temperature in dark. These do not affect the quality parameters, retain the moisture content and maintain the stout appearance of the tubers along the total storage period. Thus maleic acid and L-tartaric acid would qualify as alternative, cheap, efficient sprout suppressant for potato storage and processing.

Bioinspired manufacturing of oriented polysaccharides scaffolds for strong, optical haze and anti-UV/bacterial membranes.

Here, biomimetic dual esterification strategy was proposed on natural polysaccharides cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and galactomannan (GM) in combination with tartaric acid (TA) and benzoic anhydride (BA) respectively. Evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) formed the oriented quasinematic structure of the nanocomposites membranes. The CNCs crystallites were modified by TA and intercalated by amorphous polysaccharides, building a complex supramolecular network. Thus, it presents excellent light scattering property with the optical haze of ~90%, which was rarely reported previously. TA and BA simultaneously contributed to satisfying UV adsorption capability for the membranes, showing almost whole-spectra UVA/UVB blocking. Super high mechanical strength (>150 MPa) and toughness (~8 kJ/m3) were revealed by the membranes with high addition amount of BA, together with the efficient antibacterial capability on both Gram-positive and negative bacteria. The diverse optical, mechanical and biological functions displayed by the polysaccharides membranes, propose new horizons on application for packaging, optoelectronic and biomonitoring sensors.

Improving Dissolution Behavior and Oral Absorption of Drugs with pH-Dependent Solubility Using pH Modifiers: A Physiologically Realistic Mass Transport Analysis.

Orally dosed drugs must dissolve in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract before being absorbed through the epithelial cell membrane. In vivo drug dissolution depends on the GI tract's physiological conditions such as pH, residence time, luminal buffers, intestinal motility, and transit and drug properties under fed and fasting conditions (Paixão, P. et al. Mol. Pharm.2018 and Bermejo, et al. M. Mol. Pharm.2018). The dissolution of an ionizable drug may benefit from manipulating in vivo variables such as the environmental pH using pH-modifying agents incorporated into the dosage form. A successful example is the use of such agents for dissolution enhancement of BCS class IIb (high-permeability, low-solubility, and weak base) drugs under high gastric pH due to the disease conditions or by co-administration of acid-reducing agents (i.e., proton pump inhibitors, H2-antagonists, and antacids). This study provides a rational approach for selecting pH modifiers to improve monobasic and dibasic drug compounds' dissolution rate and extent under high-gastric pH dissolution conditions, since the oral absorption of BCS class II drugs can be limited by either the solubility or the dissolution rate depending on the initial dose number. Betaine chloride, fumaric acid, and tartaric acid are examples of promising pH modifiers that can be included in oral dosage forms to enhance the rate and extent of monobasic and dibasic drug formulations. However, selection of a suitable pH modifier is dependent on the drug properties (e.g., solubility and pKa) and its interplay with the pH modifier pKa or pKas. As an example of this complex interaction, for basic drugs with high pKa and intrinsic solubility values and large doses, a polyprotic pH modifier can be expected to outperform a monoacid pH modifier. We have developed a hierarchical mass transport model to predict drug dissolution of formulations under varying pH conditions including high gastric pH. This model considers the effect of physical and chemical properties of the drug and pH modifiers such as pKa, solubility, and particle size distribution. This model also considers the impact of physiological conditions such as stomach emptying rate, stomach acid and buffer secretion, residence time in the GI tract, and aqueous luminal volume on drug dissolution. The predictions from this model are directly applicable to in vitro multi-compartment dissolution vessels and are validated by in vitro experiments in the gastrointestinal simulator. This model's predictions can serve as a potential data source to predict plasma concentrations for formulations containing pH modifiers administered under the high-gastric pH conditions. This analysis provides an improved formulation design procedure using pH modifiers by minimizing the experimental iterations under both in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Design, Synthesis, and Activity Evaluation of Stereoconfigured Tartarate Derivatives as Potential Anti-inflammatory Agents In Vitro and In Vivo.

Preclinical and clinical data reveal that inflammation is strongly correlated with the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including those of cancer, Alzheimer, and diabetes. The inflammatory cascade involves a multitude of cytokines ending ultimately with the activation of COX-2/LOX for the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. While the available inhibitors for these enzymes suffer from nonoptimal selectivity, in particular for COX-2, we present here the results of purposely designed tartarate derivatives that exhibit favorable selectivity and significant effectiveness against COX-2 and LOX. Integrated approaches of molecular simulation, organic synthesis, and biochemical/physical experiments identified 15 inhibiting COX-2 and LOX with respective IC50 4 and 7 nM. At a dose of 5 mg kg-1 to Swiss albino mice, 15 reversed algesia by 65% and inflammation by 33% in 2-3 h. We find good agreement between experiments and simulations and use the simulations to rationalize our observations.

L-Carnitine Tartrate Downregulates the ACE2 Receptor and Limits SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been responsible for one of the worst pandemics in modern history. Several prevention and treatment strategies have been designed and evaluated in recent months either through the repurposing of existing treatments or the development of new drugs and vaccines. In this study, we show that L-carnitine tartrate supplementation in humans and rodents led to significant decreases of key host dependency factors, notably angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), and Furin, which are responsible for viral attachment, viral spike S-protein cleavage, and priming for viral fusion and entry. Interestingly, pre-treatment of Calu-3, human lung epithelial cells, with L-carnitine tartrate led to a significant and dose-dependent inhibition of the infection by SARS-CoV-2. Infection inhibition coincided with a significant decrease in ACE2 mRNA expression levels. These data suggest that L-carnitine tartrate should be tested with appropriate trials in humans for the possibility to limit SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A Dose-Dependent Effect of Carnipure® Tartrate Supplementation on Endurance Capacity, Recovery, and Body Composition in an Exercise Rat Model.

The objective of this work is to investigate the effects of Carnipure® Tartrate (CT) supplementation with or without exercise on endurance capacity, recovery, and fatigue by assessing time to exhaustion as well as body weight and composition in rats. In addition, antioxidant capacity has been evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathioneperoxidase; GSHPx) activities. Fifty-six male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups including seven rats each. A control group did not receive CT nor exercise. Another control group received 200 mg/kg CT without exercise. The other six groups of rats went through an exercise regimen consisting of a 5-day training period with incremental exercise capacity, which was followed by 6 weeks of the run at 25 m/min for 45 min every day. CT was supplemented at 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg per day during the 6 weeks. Rats submitted to exercise and supplemented with CT had a significant and dose-dependent increase in time to exhaustion and this effect seems to be independent of exercise (p < 0.05). Additionally, recovery and fatigue were improved, as shown by a significant and dose-dependent decrease in myoglobin and lactic acid plasma levels, which are two markers of muscle recovery. CT supplementation led to a dose-response decrease in body weight and visceral fat. These effects become significant at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses (p < 0.05). Additionally, the antioxidant capacity was improved, as shown by a significant and dose-dependent increase in SOD, CAT, and GSHPx. Serum MDA concentrations decreased in exercising rats with CT supplementation. CT supplementation led to a decrease in serum glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol concentrations with the lowest levels observed at 400 mg/kg dose (p < 0.05). These effects correlated with a significant dose-dependent increase in serum total L-carnitine, free L-carnitine, and acetyl-carnitine, which linked the observed efficacy to CT supplementation. These results demonstrate that CT supplementation during exercise provides benefits on exercise performance, recovery, and fatigue as well as improved the lipid profile and antioxidant capacity. The lowest dose leads to some of these effects seen in rats where 25 mg/kg corresponds to 250 mg/day as a human equivalent.

The effects of exogenous organic acids on the growth, photosynthesis and cellular ultrastructure of Salix variegata Franch. Under Cd stress.

We studied the effects of three organic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid and malic acid) on the biomass, photosynthetic pigment content and photosynthetic parameters of Salix variegata under Cd stress and observed the ultrastructure of mesophyll cells in each treatment. Cd stress significantly reduced photosynthesis by reducing the content of pigments and disrupting chloroplast structure, which consequently decreased the biomass. However, respective addition of three organic acids greatly increased the biomass of S. variegata under Cd stress. Among them, the effect of malic acid or tartaric acid on shoot and total biomass accumulation was greater than that of citric acid. The alleviation of biomass probably related with the photosynthetic process. Results revealed that treatment with each organic acid enhanced the net photosynthesis rate under Cd stress. Malic acid promoted plant growth and biomass by increasing the chlorophyll content and mitigating damage to the photosynthetic apparatus resulting from Cd stress. Tartaric acid had little impact on the photosynthetic pigment content, but it was important in mitigating the ultrastructural damage of plants caused by Cd. Addition of citric acid significantly increased the carotenoid as well as the number and volume of chloroplasts in mesophyll cells, while the mitigation of structural damage in the photosynthetic apparatus was weaker than that in tartaric acid or malic acid treatment. It is concluded that application of tartaric acid or malic acid is effective in increasing the growth potential of S. variegata under Cd stress and thus can be a promising approach for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil.

Insight into tartrate inhibition patterns in vitro and in vivo based on cocrystal structure with UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B15.

Glucuronidation, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), is a crucial substance metabolism and elimination process that mostly occurs in the liver to protect the body from toxic substances and maintain homeostasis. The reaction functions well in a uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDPGA) -dependent manner in vivo. However, the mechanism for recognizing UDPGA or analog has not been reported so far. Here, through X-ray crystallography, we present a 1.78 Å cocrystal structure of the C-terminal domain of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B15 (2B15CTD, K284-H451) bound by tartrate, which reveals the detailed recognition mechanism of UDPGA analog at the active site. Using surface plasmon resonance techniques, protein thermal shift studies, and limited proteolysis, we determine that tartrate stabilizes the conformation of 2B15CTD thermodynamically. The biochemical analysis further elucidates that two residues, S312 and T374, are essential for the interactions between 2B15CTD and tartrate. We also investigate the pharmacological effects of tartrate on UGTs based on the cocrystal structure of UGT2B15 and experiments performed in vitro and in vivo. In brief, the LC-MS/MS analysis shows that tartrate has a significant inhibitory effect towards UGT2B15 (Ki = 91 µM), and oral administration of tartrate to FVB mice can reduce the relative plasma concentration of glucuronide. These results reveal an unexpected physiological role of tartrate in the maintenance of UGTs function. Therefore, tartrate is a potential inhibitor of UGTs, and the excess tartrate in the diet may disturb body homeostasis and inhibit the metabolism of UGT substrates by interfering with glucuronidation.

Meso-tartrate inhibits intracellular replication of Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever.

The zoonotic disease Q fever caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii remains a global health threat due to its high infectivity, environmental stability, the debilitating nature and the long duration of treatment. Designing new and potent drugs that target previously unexplored pathways is essential to shorten treatment time and minimise antibiotic resistance. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential and ubiquitous cofactor in all living organisms. NadB, an L-aspartate oxidase catalysing the first step of the prokaryotic-specific NAD de novo biosynthetic pathway, is required for C. burnetii growth and replication inside host cells. In this study, in vitro enzyme assays utilising recombinant glutathione S-transferase tagged NadB (GST-NadB) demonstrated inhibition of the L-aspartate oxidase activity of NadB by meso-tartrate. Furthermore, meso-tartrate inhibits intracellular growth and replication of C. burnetii inside host cells in a dose-dependent manner, and has no effect on the viability of mammalian cells. Unexpectedly, meso-tartrate also inhibited growth of C. burnetii in axenic medium, and further reduces replication of the nadB mutant inside host cells, suggesting it is acting more widely than simple inhibition of NadB. Overall, these results suggest that the antibacterial activity of meso-tartrate warrants further study, including investigation of its additional target(s).

In vitro effects of the asymmetric peptidomimetic 157, containing l-tartaric acid core and valine/leucine substituents, on Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and amastigotes.

The current treatments for leishmaniasis bump into several obstacles, including low efficacy, high costs, long monitoring, and several/severe side effects. Consequently, the search for promising compounds is a tangible need. Recently, we reported the anti-Leishmania amazonensis action of asymmetric peptidomimetic compounds containing tartaric acid as core, especially the 157 derivative that contains valine/leucine substituents in its structure. Herein, we decipher the multiple effects of 157 on the L. amazonensis physiology and on the interaction process with macrophages. The peptidomimetic 157 induced significant changes on the morphometric (internal granularity reduction as judged by flow cytometer) and on the ultrastructural (round-shaped parasites, presence of plasma membrane blebs and flagellum loss as visualized by scanning electron microscopy) aspects of treated promastigotes compared to untreated ones. The alteration on the plasma membrane permeability was confirmed by the passive incorporation of propidium iodide in 157-treated promastigotes. In parallel, the low viability of promastigotes was also associated to the perturbation of mitochondrial transmembrane electric potential. These combined results demonstrated that 157 induced irreversible metabolic damages that led to L. amazonensis death. The pre-treatment of promastigotes with 157 inhibited the association index with macrophages in a typically dose-dependent manner. Additionally, 157 significantly reduced the number of intramacrophage amastigotes after 72 h of drug contact, presenting an IC50 value of 30.2 µM. Under our experimental conditions, 157 showed higher toxicity to promastigotes and amastigotes when compared to RAW cells, resulting in good selective indexes. Therefore, 157 can be considered as an interesting candidate for further optimization, since its synthesis is simple and cheap.

Cyclopamine tartrate, a modulator of hedgehog signaling and mitochondrial respiration, effectively arrests lung tumor growth and progression.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death, despite the advent of targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Therefore, it is crucial to identify novel molecular features unique to lung tumors. Here, we show that cyclopamine tartrate (CycT) strongly suppresses the growth of subcutaneously implanted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenografts and nearly eradicated orthotopically implanted NSCLC xenografts. CycT reduces heme synthesis and degradation in NSCLC cells and suppresses oxygen consumption in purified mitochondria. In orthotopic tumors, CycT decreases the levels of proteins and enzymes crucial for heme synthesis, uptake, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). CycT also decreases the levels of two regulators promoting OXPHOS, MYC and MCL1, and effectively alleviates tumor hypoxia. Evidently, CycT acts via multiple modes to suppress OXPHOS. One mode is to directly inhibit mitochondrial respiration/OXPHOS. Another mode is to inhibit heme synthesis and degradation. Both modes appear to be independent of hedgehog signaling. Addition of heme to NSCLC cells partially reverses the effect of CycT on oxygen consumption, proliferation, and tumorigenic functions. Together, our results strongly suggest that CycT suppress tumor growth in the lung by inhibiting heme metabolism and OXPHOS. Targeting heme metabolism and OXPHOS may be an effective strategy to combat lung cancer.

[Lithagogue effects of Pyrrosia lingua from Guizhou province on experimental renal calculus in rats].

To screen the active fractions with lithagogue effects of Pyrrosia lingua from Guizhou province and preliminarily investigate its mechanism. The rats were fed with 1% ethylene glycol and 2% ammonium chloride to establish the nephrolithiasis models, which were used to evaluate thelithagogue effects of different polar fractions of P. lingua from Guizhou province. The level of urinary calcium and oxalic acid in urine, renal calcium, oxalic acid, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase(CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal tissues,as well as crystalline deposit and lithogenesis in renal tissues and the levels of creatinine(Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the serum were detected. The effective compounds were inferred from the analysis of active fractions extract based on LC-MS technology. Petroleum ether fraction and dichloromethane fraction of P. lingua from Guizhou province can reduce renal oxalic acid and renal calcium concentration, increase urinary oxalic acid and urine calcium, with significant inhibitory effect on the formation of renal calculus in rats, significantly increase SOD and CAT activities in renal tissues, and significantly reduce MDA levels. LC-MS analysis showed that the caffeine, citric acid and tartaric acid among the compounds from petroleum ether fraction and dichloromethane fraction had lithagogue effects. Both the petroleum ether fraction and dichloromethane fraction of P. lingua from Guizhou province showed good effect on prevention and treatment of calculus in middle dose groups, and the mechanism may be associated with antioxidation, reducing calcium oxalate crystal deposition, and promoting calcium oxalatecrystal release, in addition, caffeine, citric acid and tartaric acid had lithagogue effects.