DNA Binding Characteristics and Protective Effects of Yellow Pigment from Freshly Cut Yam (Dioscorea opposita).

Yam yellow pigments (YP) are natural pigments formed during the storage of freshly cut yam (Dioscorea opposita) under certain conditions. The interaction of YP with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and its protective effect against DNA oxidative damage were investigated using multiple spectroscopic techniques, competitive binding experiments, viscosity measurements, and gel electrophoresis. Results showed that YP participated in intercalative binding with ctDNA. YP exhibited a protective effect against hydroxyl-induced DNA damage, which was attributed to the high hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of YP. Our findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of interaction between YP and ctDNA, and provide a theoretical basis for the application of YP in the food and drug industry.

Induced oxidative stress management in wounds through phenolic acids engineered fibrous protein: An in vitro assessment using polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells.

The present study explores the preparation, characterization and the role of phenolic acid tethered fibrous protein in the management of induced oxidative stress studied under in vitro conditions. In brief, the biomaterial is prepared by engineering the fibrous protein with dihydroxy and trihydroxy phenolic acid moieties and subjected to characterization to ensure the tethering. The resultant biomaterial studied for its efficacy as a free radical scavenger using polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells with induced oxidative stress and also as an agent for cell migration using fibroblasts cells. Results revealed that induced oxidative stress in PMN cells after exposure to UVB radiation managed well with the prepared biomaterial by reducing the levels of superoxide anion, oxygen and hydroxyl radicals. Further, the protein and the phenolic acid interaction supports the cell migration as evidenced from the scratch assay. In conclusion, though phenolic acids are well known for their antimicrobial and antioxidant potential, indenting these acids directly to the wounds is not sensible, but tethering to protein explored the scavenging activity as expected. The present study infers that phenolic acid engineered protein has a significant role in managing the imbalance in the redox state prevailing in wounds and supports the healing at appreciable level.

Assessment of oxidant/antioxidant status in saliva of cell phone users.

Hazardous health effects resulting from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) emitted from cell phones have been reported in the literature. However, the cellular and molecular targets of RF-EMR are still controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the oxidant/antioxidant status in saliva of cell phone users. Saliva samples collected before using a cell phone as well as at the end of 15 and 30 min calls were tested for two commonly used oxidative stress biomarkers: malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-Oxo-dG). The 8-oxo-dG levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) competitive assay, while the MDA levels were measured using the OxiSelect MDA adduct ELISA Kit. The antioxidant capacity of the saliva was evaluated using the oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) and the hydroxyl radical averting capacity (HORAC) assays according to the manufacture instructions. The mean 8-oxo-dG and the Bradford protein concentrations (ng/ml and mg/ml, respectively) peaked at 15 min. The levels of HORAC, ORAC and MDA progressively increased with time and reached maximum at 30 min. However, there was no significant effect of talking time on the levels of 8-OxodG and MDA. Similarly, there was no statistically significant effect of talking time on the oxygen and hydroxyl radicals averting capacities, (ORAC) and (HORAC), respectively. These findings suggest that there is no relationship between exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) and changes in the salivary oxidant/antioxidant profile.

Physicochemical and toxicological profiling of ash from the 2010 and 2011 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn volcanoes, Iceland using a rapid respiratory hazard assessment protocol.

The six week eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 produced heavy ash fall in a sparsely populated area of southern and south eastern Iceland and disrupted European commercial flights for at least 6 days. We adopted a protocol for the rapid analysis of volcanic ash particles, for the purpose of informing respiratory health risk assessments. Ash collected from deposits underwent a multi-laboratory physicochemical and toxicological investigation of their mineralogical parameters associated with bio-reactivity, and selected in vitro toxicology assays related to pulmonary inflammatory responses. Ash from the eruption of Grímsvötn, Iceland, in 2011 was also studied. The results were benchmarked against ash from Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, which has been extensively studied since the onset of eruptive activity in 1995. For Eyjafjallajökull, the grain size distributions were variable: 2-13 vol% of the bulk samples were <4 µm, with the most explosive phases of the eruption generating abundant respirable particulate matter. In contrast, the Grímsvötn ash was almost uniformly coarse (<3.5 vol%<4 µm material). Surface area ranged from 0.3 to 7.7 m2 g(-1) for Eyjafjallajökull but was very low for Grímsvötn (<0.6 m2 g(-1)). There were few fibre-like particles (which were unrelated to asbestos) and the crystalline silica content was negligible in both eruptions, whereas Soufrière Hills ash was cristobalite-rich with a known potential to cause silicosis. All samples displayed a low ability to deplete lung antioxidant defences, showed little haemolysis and low acute cytotoxicity in human alveolar type-1 like epithelial cells (TT1). However, cell-free tests showed substantial hydroxyl radical generation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide for Grímsvötn samples, as expected for basaltic, Fe-rich ash. Cellular mediators MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-8 showed chronic pro-inflammatory responses in Eyjafjallajökull, Grímsvötn and Soufrière Hills samples, despite substantial differences in the sample mineralogy and eruptive styles. The value of the pro-inflammatory profiles in differentiating the potential respiratory health hazard of volcanic ashes remains uncertain in a protocol designed to inform public health risk assessment, and further research on their role in volcanic crises is warranted.

Assessment of diffusion of hydroxyl and calcium ions of root canal filling materials in primary teeth.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diffusion of hydroxyl (OH-) and calcium (Ca+2) of 2 intracanal calcium hydroxide-based medications through the root dentin and cementum of primary teeth. METHODS: Forty roots were selected and a single operator instrumented the canals. The irrigation was performed with a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution, and a final irrigation used 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution. The teeth were divided into 3 groups: (1) group 1 (N=15)- thickened calcium hydroxide paste blended with propylene glycol paste; (2) group 2 (N=15)-Calen; and (3) group 3 (N=10)-no medication. Diffusion of the OH-ions was determined using a digital pH meter, and diffusion of Ca+2 ions was determined through atomic absorption spectrometry at baseline, 24 hours, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days later. RESULTS: Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test revealed that Group 1 achieved significantly higher pH values (P<.01), followed by Groups 2 and 3. There was a statistically significant difference between groups (P<.01) in the amount of Ca+2 ions released; group 1 had the highest diffusion values, followed by group 2, both with peak diffusion at 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Thickened calcium hydroxide paste blended with propylene glycol paste achieved the greatest diffusion of hydroxyl and calcium through the dentin and cementum of primary teeth.

[Assessment of rate of hydroxyl anions production by Helicobacter pylori in stomach].

Production of hydroxyl anions by tissue samples of pylorus mucous membrane obtained from 45 patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers was investigated. The production was estimated using the recently developed method based on measurement of rate of pH change in urea-containing reaction mixture. The rate of [OH-] generation as a result of H. pylori metabolism accounted on pylorus square varied from 0.4 to 1318.9 mcmol [OH-]/min, and in 90.2% of cases it did not exceed 128.1 mcmol [OH-]/min. This rate is comparable to mean rate of [H+] generation in stomach of healthy man--114.2-238.4 mcmol [H+]/min. Obtained results allow to conclude that this bacterium may participate in regulation of stomach acid-base balance.

Assessment of hydroxyl radical generation and radical scavenging activity of Chinese medicinal herbs using GC-MS.

Aqueous extracts of ten Chinese herbs were evaluated for their radical scavenging activity by a GC-MS method based on the Fenton reaction system. Hydroxylation of salicylate and phenylalanine is widely used as an index of hydroxyl radical formation in vivo and in vitro. A problem associated with quantifying product from such reactions is the generation of complex reaction products that increase background 'noise' and reduce sensitivity for the target product. The aim of this investigation was to develop a GC-MS methodology to assess in vitro hydroxyl radical production. In this method, hydroxyl radical was trapped by p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid to form 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) which was then selectively extracted from the reaction mixture using aluminium oxide and assayed by GC-MS. Selective adsorption and desorption of the catechol nucleus from aluminium oxide was shown to eliminate interference from non-catechol reaction products effectively. This system was applied to examine the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of different herbal extracts. The results showed that the herb Dimocaepus Longan Lour exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity of all the herbs examined. With the use of a stable isotope-labelled internal standard, this system could be readily applied to in vitro methods which use 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as a substrate for the hydroxyl radical.

Assessment of structural features of the pseudomonas siderophore pyochelin required for its ability to promote oxidant-mediated endothelial cell injury.

We previously showed that iron chelated to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa siderophore pyochelin enhances oxidant-mediated injury to pulmonary artery endothelial cells by catalyzing hydroxyl radical (HO(*)) formation. Therefore, we examined pyochelin structural/chemical features that may be important in this process. Five pyochelin analogues were examined for (i) capacity to accentuate oxidant-mediated endothelial cell injury, (ii) HO(*) catalytic ability, (iii) iron transfer to endothelial cells, and (iv) hydrophobicity. All compounds catalyzed similar HO(*) production, but only the hydrophobic ones containing a thiazolidine ring enhanced cell injury. Transfer of iron to endothelial cells did not correlate with cytotoxicity. Finally, binding of Fe(3+) by pyochelin led to Fe(2+) formation, perhaps explaining how Fe(3+)-pyochelin augments H(2)O(2)-mediated cell injury via HO(*) formation. The ability to bind iron in a catalytic form and the molecule's thiazolidine ring, which increases its hydrophobicity, are key to pyochelin's cytotoxicity. Reduction of Fe(3+) to Fe(2+) may also be important.

Reproducible and inexpensive probe preparation for oligonucleotide arrays.

We present a new protocol for the preparation of nucleic acids for microarray hybridization. DNA is fragmented quantitatively and reproducibly by using a hydroxyl radical-based reaction, which is initiated by hydrogen peroxide, iron(II)-EDTA and ascorbic acid. Following fragmentation, the nucleic acid fragments are densely biotinylated using a biotinylated psoralen analog plus UVA light and hybridized on microarrays. This non-enzymatic protocol circumvents several practical difficulties associated with DNA preparation for microarrays: the lack of reproducible fragmentation patterns associated with enzymatic methods; the large amount of labeled nucleic acids required by some array designs, which is often combined with a limited amount of starting material; and the high cost associated with currently used biotinylation methods. The method is applicable to any form of nucleic acid, but is particularly useful when applying double-stranded DNA on oligonucleotide arrays. Validation of this protocol is demonstrated by hybridizing PCR products with oligonucleotide-coated microspheres and PCR amplified cDNA with Affymetrix Cancer GeneChip microarrays.

Monte Carlo simulation of physicochemical processes of liquid water radiolysis. The effects of dissolved oxygen and OH scavenger.

The paper describes developments of the physicochemical part of a computer code system that estimates DNA strand break induction on plasmid pBR322 DNA. In order to test the reliability of the model, we evaluated the dielectric function and the time-dependent yield of chemical species in the presence of OH radical scavenger or dissolved oxygen. Results agree with measurements on the radiolysis of liquid water. When a hybrid model of a liquid inelastic cross-section and a vapour elastic cross-section is used, energy deposition by vibrational excitations is estimated to be approximately 11% of total energy deposition.

Modelling of Auger-induced DNA damage by incorporated 125I.

We have analyzed a newly available high resolution and precision repeat of the original Martin and Haseltine experiment which includes the influence of DMSO on the results. The new model includes the production and diffusion of radical species and .OH radical attack on DNA as well as the direct hits. Calculations of single-strand breaks use individual Auger electron along with the tracks of electrons and radical species superimposed on an atomistic model of B-DNA. Comparison of the preliminary calculations with the experiment supports the earlier choice of data for the amount of energy required to produce a single-strand break, i.e. 17.5 eV. In a separate simulation we found that an average of less than two ionizations inducing a single-strand break gave the best fit to experimental data. Direct hits were found to be predominantly occurring at short range while the damage by .OH radicals was mainly of the long-range type.