Halochromic Behavior and Anticancer Effect of New Synthetic Anthocyanidins Complexed with ß-Cyclodextrin Derivatives.

Anthocyanidins, the aglycons of anthocyanins, are known, beyond their function in plants, also as compounds with a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities, including cytostatic effect against various cancer cells. The nature and position of the substituents in the flavylium cation is essential for such biological properties, as well as the equilibrium between the multistate of the different chemical species that are generated by the flavylium cation, including quinoidal base, hemiketal, and cis- and trans-chalcones. In this work, eight new flavylium derivatives were synthesized, characterized for confirmation of the structure by FT-IR and 2D-NMR, and investigated in vitro as possible cytostatic compounds against HCT116 and HepG2 cancer cells. The most active two compounds were explored for their halochromic properties that can influence the biological activity and subjected to molecular encapsulation in ß-cyclodextrin derivatives in order to increase their solubility in water and bioavailability. The anticancer effect was influenced by the position (6-, 7-, or 8-) of the methoxy group in the ß-ring of the methoxy-4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyflavylium cation, while the study of the halochromic properties revealed the important role played by the chalcone species of the pH-dependent multistate in both the uncomplexed and inclusion complex forms of these anthocyanidins.

[Investigation of metal element content of some European and Far Eastern herbs]. / Európai és távol-keleti gyógynövények és kivonatok fémelemtartalom-vizsgálata.

INTRODUCTION: Metal elements and their excess intake have significant influence on general health. AIM: There is only little information how Far Eastern herbs resemble European's regarding their purity and essential metal element content. The aim of the authors was to determine metal elements in different Chinese and European herbs and extracts. METHOD: The studied European herbs included Calendula officinalis petals, Achillea millefolium, Epilobium parviflorum herba, Urtica dioica leaves, Crataegus monogyna flowers while Far Eastern herbs were Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, Ginkgo biloba leaves, Panax ginseng and Curcuma longa roots. The analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. RESULTS: There was no considerable difference in essential metal elements and the Ca:Mg concentration ratio between European and Far Eastern drugs and extracts. CONCLUSIONS: The extracts are preferential metal element sources and their magnesium content are also advantageous, because of a shift of the Ca:Mg concentration ratio towards magnesium.

[Mineral content of some herbs and plant extracts with anti-inflammatory effect used in gastrointestinal diseases]. / Az emésztorendszer betegségeiben alkalmazható, gyulladáscsökkento hatással rendelkezo néhány gyógynövény és -kivonat ásványielem-tartalmának jelentosége.

INTRODUCTION: In gastrointestinal diseases folk medicine usually recommends herbs and teas with antiinflammatory activities, especially mucilage and bitter agent containing plants. The use of stomatics as adjuvant therapy in medical practice is frequent. AIM: The authors explored the mineral element content of some herbs, because mineral elements may have significant role in the development and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, and a close connection between the presence or absence of mineral elements and inflammatory mediators was noted. METHODS: The mineral content in Trigonellae foenugraeci semen, Farfarae folium et flos, Taraxaci radix and Cichorii radix and teas prepared from these herbs was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The results were evaluated from nutritional and biomedical points of view. RESULTS: Farfarae folium et flos tea was found to be a rich source of calcium, chromium, manganese and molybdenum. Trigonellae foenugraeci semen, Taraxaci radix and Cichorii radix displayed favourable calcium to magnesium ratio (1-1.5) and they contained other elements (manganese, iron, copper, zinc) which may have significant role in the immune defence system. CONCLUSION: The beneficial therapeutic effect of the studied herbs may be related to their mineral element content.

Influence of the urban environment on four mushroom species in the light of their elemental composition.

The mushrooms are living organisms with excellent capability to adapt to the multiple challenges of their environment. Several species are well represented in urban green areas (parks, green spots, and recreation grounds). We investigated the influence of the urban environment over two saprotrophic (Bovista plumbea, Lycoperdon perlatum) and two mycorrhizal (Amanita rubescens, Suillus granulatus) species commonly present in urban parks of Cluj-Napoca, a major city of Romania. Three control sites close to the city were chosen. We determined 19 elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn) in the fruiting bodies of mushrooms and in soils by ICP OES technique. S. granulatus was the most sensible species to the urban pollution; this species accumulated 130 and 4.40 mg kg-1 (dry weight) median concentrations of Al and Ni, respectively. The highest concentration of Ag, Cu and Fe was determined in B. plumbea (3.18, 83.7 and 141 mg kg-1, respectively) and L. perlatum (4.68, 91.0 and 125 kg-1, respectively) collected from the city. The saprotrophic species contained appreciably higher concentrations of Ag, Cu, Fe, Mg, P, and S than the mycorrhizal ones. Common feature of all four species was the higher Ag and Sr concentrations in the fruiting bodies of urban origin. Our results suggest that the unique defence mechanisms of the species might have higher impact over the elemental profile of the mushrooms than the soil properties. We propose L. perlatum and S. granulatus as suitable indicator species of the urban pollution with regard to inorganic pollutants.

Zn-doped Mono- and Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Materials Derived from Agriculture Waste and Their Potential Biomedical Applications: Part I.

In this study, calcium phosphate materials were obtained via a simple, eco-friendly wet synthesis method using hen eggshells as a calcium source. It was shown that Zn ions were successfully incorporated into hydroxyapatite (HA). The obtained ceramic composition depends on the zinc content. When doped with 10 mol % of Zn, in addition to HA and Zn-doped HA, DCPD (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate) appeared and its content increased with the increase in Zn concentration. All doped HA materials exhibited antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. Nevertheless, fabricated samples significantly decreased preosteoblast (MC3T3-E1 Subclone 4) viability in vitro, exerting a cytotoxic effect which probably resulted from their high ionic reactivity.

Coated Hematite Nanoparticles Alleviate Iron Deficiency in Cucumber in Acidic Nutrient Solution and as Foliar Spray.

Micronutrient iron (Fe) deficiency poses a widespread agricultural challenge with global implications. Fe deficiency affects plant growth and immune function, leading to reduced yields and contributing to the global "hidden hunger." While conventional Fe-based fertilizers are available, their efficacy is limited under certain conditions. Most recently, nanofertilizers have been shown as promising alternatives to conventional fertilizers. In this study, three nanohematite/nanoferrihydrite preparations (NHs) with different coatings were applied through the roots and shoots to Fe-deficient cucumber plants. To enhance Fe mobilization to leaves during foliar treatment, the plants were pre-treated with various acids (citric acid, ascorbic acid, and glycine) at a concentration of 0.5 mM. Multiple physiological parameters were examined, revealing that both root and foliar treatments resulted in improved chlorophyll content, biomass, photosynthetic parameters, and reduced ferric chelate reductase activity. The plants also significantly accumulated Fe in their developing leaves and its distribution after NHs treatment, detected by X-ray fluorescence mapping, implied long-distance mobilization in their veins. These findings suggest that the applied NHs effectively mitigated Fe deficiency in cucumber plants through both modes of application, highlighting their potential as nanofertilizers on a larger scale.

Iron uptake of etioplasts is independent from photosynthesis but applies the reduction-based strategy.

Introduction: Iron (Fe) is one of themost important cofactors in the photosynthetic apparatus, and its uptake by chloroplasts has also been associated with the operation of the photosynthetic electron transport chain during reduction-based plastidial Fe uptake. Therefore, plastidial Fe uptake was considered not to be operational in the absence of the photosynthetic activity. Nevertheless, Fe is also required for enzymatic functions unrelated to photosynthesis, highlighting the importance of Fe acquisition by non-photosynthetic plastids. Yet, it remains unclear how these plastids acquire Fe in the absence of photosynthetic function. Furthermore, plastids of etiolated tissues should already possess the ability to acquire Fe, since the biosynthesis of thylakoid membrane complexes requires a massive amount of readily available Fe. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether the reduction-based plastidial Fe uptake solely relies on the functioning photosynthetic apparatus. Methods: In our combined structure, iron content and transcript amount analysis studies, we used Savoy cabbage plant as a model, which develops natural etiolation in the inner leaves of the heads due to the shading of the outer leaf layers. Results: Foliar and plastidial Fe content of Savoy cabbage leaves decreased towards the inner leaf layers. The leaves of the innermost leaf layers proved to be etiolated, containing etioplasts that lacked the photosynthetic machinery and thus were photosynthetically inactive. However, we discovered that these etioplasts contained, and were able to take up, Fe. Although the relative transcript abundance of genes associated with plastidial Fe uptake and homeostasis decreased towards the inner leaf layers, both ferric chelate reductase FRO7 transcripts and activity were detected in the innermost leaf layer. Additionally, a significant NADP(H) pool and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase activity was detected in the etioplasts of the innermost leaf layer, indicating the presence of the reducing capacity that likely supports the reduction-based Fe uptake of etioplasts. Discussion: Based on these findings, the reduction-based plastidial Fe acquisition should not be considered exclusively dependent on the photosynthetic functions.

Apoplast utilisation of nanohaematite initiates parallel suppression of RIBA1 and FRO1&3 in Cucumis sativus.

Nanoscale Fe containing particles can penetrate the root apoplast. Nevertheless, cell wall size exclusion questions that for Fe mobilisation, a close contact between the membrane integrating FERRIC REDUCTASE OXIDASE (FRO) enzymes and Fe containing particles is required. Haematite nanoparticle suspension, size of 10-20 nm, characterized by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, TEM, ICP and SAED was subjected to Fe utilisation by the flavin secreting model plant cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Alterations in the structure and distribution of the particles were revealed by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, HRTEM and EDS element mapping. Biological utilisation of Fe resulted in a suppression of Fe deficiency responses (expression of CsFRO 1, 2 & 3 and RIBOFLAVIN A1; CsRIBA1 genes and root ferric chelate reductase activity). Haematite nanoparticles were stacked in the middle lamella of the apoplast. Fe mobilisation is evidenced by the reduction in the particle size. Fe release from nanoparticles does not require a contact with the plasma membrane. Parallel suppression in the CsFRO 1&3 and CsRIBA1 transcript amounts support that flavin biosynthesis is an inclusive Fe deficiency response involved in the reduction-based Fe utilisation of Cucumis sativus roots. CsFRO2 is suggested to play a role in the intracellular Fe homeostasis.

Synthesis and Characterization of Calcium Phosphate Materials Derived from Eggshells from Different Poultry with and without the Eggshell Membrane.

Calcium phosphate materials such as hydroxyapatite (HA) or tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) are highly attractive due to their multitude of applications in bone replacement as well as their environmental and ecological credentials. In this research, quail, hen, duck, and pigeon eggshells were used as a calcium source to obtain calcium phosphate materials via the environmentally friendly wet synthesis. Using the eggshells with the organic membrane, the biphasic calcium phosphate materials composed mainly of HA were obtained. The second mineral phase was ß-TCP in the case of using quail, hen, and pigeon eggshells and octacalcium phosphate (OCP) in the case of duck eggshells. The HA content in the obtained materials depended on the amount of membrane in the eggshells and decreased in the order of pigeon, duck, hen, and quail eggshells. The eggshell membrane removal from the eggshells caused the reduced content of HA and the presence of the more soluble ß-TCP or OCP phase in the obtained materials. The calcium ions release profile in the PBS buffer indicates the potential biomedical application of these materials.

Immobilization of Metronidazole on Mesoporous Silica Materials.

Metronidazole (MTZ) is a widely used drug, but due to its many side effects, there is a growing trend today to use a minimum dose while maintaining high efficacy. One way to meet this demand is to reduce the size of the drug particles. A relatively new method of size reduction is attaching the drug molecules to a mesoporous carrier. In this paper, we studied the fixation of MTZ molecules on mesoporous silica carriers. The drug was immobilized on two mesoporous silica materials (Syloid, SBA-15) with the use of a variety of immersion techniques and solvents. The immobilized drug was subjected to physicochemical examinations (e.g., SEM, XPS, XRD, nitrogen uptake, DSC) and dissolution studies. A significantly higher immobilization was attained on SBA-15 than on a Syloid carrier. Among the processing parameters, the type of MTZ solvent had the highest influence on immobilization. Ultrasonic agitation had a lower but still significant impact, while the concentration of MTZ in the solution made no difference. Under optimal conditions, with the application of an ethyl acetate solution, the surface coverage on SBA-15 reached as much as 91%. The immobilized MTZ exhibited a ca. 10% faster dissolution rate as compared to the pure micron-sized drug particles.

Measuring peroxidasin activity in live cells using bromide addition for signal amplification.

Peroxidasin (PXDN) is involved in the crosslinking of collagen IV, a major constituent of basement membranes. Disruption of basement membrane integrity as observed in genetic alterations of collagen IV or PXDN can result in developmental defects and diverse pathologies. Hence, the study of PXDN activity in (patho)physiological contexts is highly relevant. So far, measurements of PXDN activity have been reported from purified proteins, cell lysates and de-cellularized extracellular matrix. Here, for the first time we report the measurement of PXDN activity in live cells using the Amplex Red assay with a signal amplifying modification. We observe that bromide addition enhances the obtained signal, most likely due to formation of HOBr. Abrogation of signal amplification by the HOBr scavenger carnosine supports this hypothesis. Both, pharmacological inhibition as well as complementary genetic approaches confirm that the obtained signal is indeed related to PXDN activity. We validate the modified assay by investigating the effect of Brefeldin A, to inhibit the secretory pathway and thus the access of PXDN to the extracellular Amplex Red dye. Our method opens up new possibilities to investigate the activity of PXDN in (patho)physiological contexts.

S-Methylmethionine Effectively Alleviates Stress in Szarvasi-1 Energy Grass by Reducing Root-to-Shoot Cadmium Translocation.

S-methylmethionine (SMM) is a universal metabolite of higher plants derived from L-methionine that has an approved priming effect under different types of abiotic and biotic stresses. Szarvasi-1 energy grass (Elymus elongatus subsp. ponticus cv. Szarvasi-1) is a biomass plant increasingly applied in phytoremediation to stabilize or extract heavy metals. In this study, Szarvasi-1 was grown in a nutrient solution. As a priming agent, SMM was applied in 0.02, 0.05 and 0.1 mM concentrations prior to 0.01 mM Cd addition. The growth and physiological parameters, as well as the accumulation pattern of Cd and essential mineral nutrients, were investigated. Cd exposure decreased the root and shoot growth, chlorophyll concentration, stomatal conductance, photosystem II function and increased the carotenoid content. Except for stomatal conductance, SMM priming had a positive effect on these parameters compared to Cd treatment without priming. In addition, it decreased the translocation and accumulation of Cd. Cd treatment decreased K, Mg, Mn, Zn and P in the roots, and K, S, Cu and Zn in the shoots compared to the untreated control. SMM priming changed the pattern of nutrient uptake, of which Fe showed characteristic accumulation in the roots in response to increasing SMM concentrations. We have concluded that SMM priming exerts a positive effect on Cd-stressed Szarvasi-1 plants, which retained their physiological performance and growth. This ameliorative effect is suggested to be based on, at least partly, the lower root-to-shoot Cd translocation by the upregulated Fe uptake and transport.

[Effects of magnesium supplementation on calcium and magnesium levels, and redox homeostasis in normolipidemic and food-induced hyperlipidemic rats]. / Magnéziumpótlás hatása a kalcium- és magnéziumszintekre, valamint a redox-homeosztázisra normolipidaemiás és alimentárisan eloidézett hyperlipidaemiás patkányokban.

UNLABELLED: Magnesium supplementation is quite popular because of intention of health and healthy lifestyle. However, there is no information on the metabolic effects of magnesium supplementation in healthy people and in different diseases. AIMS: Authors examined the effects of magnesium-malate on calcium, magnesium levels, and antioxidant parameters in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats (n = 40; 150-200 g) were divided into 4 groups (control, control-treated, hyperlipidemic, hyperlipidemic-treated). Rats in the control and control-treated groups were fed with normal diet, while hyperlipidemic and hyperlipidemic-treated groups were fed with fat rich diet (2% cholesterol, 20% sunflower oil, 0.5% cholic acid). After the 9-day-long diet the following parameters were measured: routine laboratory parameters with automatic analysator, metal content using ICP-OES, and redox-parameters using spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. RESULTS: Magnesium-malate failed to produce significant changes in the measured parameters in control animals in most cases. Magnesium-malate decreased significantly serum glucose concentration, alkaline phosphatase and amylase activities in the hyperlipidemic group. Significantly low induced chemiluminescent activity was measured in the plasma and erythrocytes of hyperlipidemic group. The magnesium supplementation did not increase significantly magnesium concentration in different organs although the calcium/magnesium concentration ratio was decreased. CONCLUSIONS: In control animals there was no significant change in the measured parameters in most cases after dietary supplementation with a large amount of magnesium for a short period of time, but magnesium supplementation affected the metal homeostasis, routine laboratory parameters and redox system in hyperlipidemic animals. Although several changes were favorable, it should be emphasized that magnesium supplementation must be applied watchfully particularly in metabolic diseases.

Metronidazole does not show direct antioxidant activity in in vitro global systems.

Metronidazole has been widely used topically and systemically for more than 50 years but data on its antioxidant properties are still incomplete, unclear and contradictory. Its antioxidant properties are primarily hypothesized based on in vivo results, therefore, studies have been performed to determine whether metronidazole has antioxidant activity in vitro. We used so-called global spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. Fe3+/Fe2+-reducing ability, hydrogen donor activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging property and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity were investigated. Under the condition used, metronidazole has negligible iron-reducing ability and hydrogen donor activity. The hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity cannot be demonstrated. It acts as a pro-oxidant in the H2O2/.OH-microperoxidase-luminol system, but it can inhibit the induced lipid peroxidation. According to our results, metronidazole has not shown antioxidant activity in vitro but can affect redox homeostasis by a ROS-independent mechanism due to its non-direct antioxidant properties.

Effect of the Microstructure of the Semiconductor Support on the Photocatalytic Performance of the Pt-PtOx/TiO2 Catalyst System.

The influence of the semiconductor microstructure on the photocatalytic behavior of Pt-PtOx/TiO2 catalysts was studied by comparing the methanol-reforming performance of systems based on commercial P25 or TiO2 from sol-gel synthesis calcined at different temperatures. The Pt co-catalyst was deposited by incipient wetness and formed either by calcination or high-temperature H2 treatment. Structural features of the photocatalysts were established by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron spin resonance (ESR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optical absorption, Raman spectroscopy and TEM measurements. In situ reduction of Pt during the photocatalytic reaction was generally observed. The P25-based samples showed the best H2 production, while the activity of all sol-gel-based samples was similar in spite of the varying microstructures resulting from the different preparation conditions. Accordingly, the sol-gel-based TiO2 has a fundamental structural feature interfering with its photocatalytic performance, which could not be improved by annealing in the 400-500 °C range even by scarifying specific surface area at higher temperatures.

Co-Entrapment of Sorafenib and Cisplatin Drugs and iRGD Tumour Homing Peptide by Poly[ε-caprolactone-co-(12-hydroxystearate)] Copolymer.

The drug-loaded nanocarriers have overcome various challenges compared with the pure chemotherapeutic drug, such as limited bioavailability, multiple drug resistance, poor patient compliance, and adverse drug reactions, offering advantages such as protection from degradation in the blood stream, better drug solubility, and improved drug stability. One promising group of controlled and targeted drug delivery systems is polymer-based nanoparticles that can sustain the release of the active agent by diffusion and their degradation. Sorafenib is the only drug that can prolong the life of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma. Cisplatin remains one of the most widely used broad-spectrum anticancer drugs for the treatment of a variety of solid tumours. Nanoformulations can exert a synergistic effect by entrapping two drugs with different modes of action, such as sorafenib and cisplatin. In our study, polymeric nanoparticles were prepared with a good production yield by an improved double emulsion solvent evaporation method using the copolymer of 12-hydroxystearic acid with ε-caprolactone (12CL), a biocatalytically synthesised biocompatible and biodegradable carrier, for the co-entrapment of sorafenib and cisplatin in nanotherapeutics. A bovine serum albumin (BSA) model compound was used to increase the cisplatin incorporation; then, it was successfully substituted by a iRGD tumour penetrating peptide that might provide a targeting function of the nanoparticles.

Elemental composition of Russula cyanoxantha along an urbanization gradient in Cluj-Napoca (Romania).

How far-reaching is the influence of the urban area over the mineral composition of the Russula cyanoxantha mushroom? We studied the metal uptake behavior of this fungus relying on the soil properties. We sampled mushroom and soil from six forests according to an urbanization gradient, and two city parks in Cluj-Napoca (Romania). The elements were quantified using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The concentrations of some elements differed significantly (p < 0.05) in the samples from the city (0.39 ±â€¯0.35 mg kg-1 for cadmium (Cd), 0.40 ±â€¯0.19 mg kg-1 for chromium (Cr), 69.1 ±â€¯29.9 mg kg-1 for iron (Fe), 10.9 ±â€¯1.3 mg kg-1 for manganese (Mn), 0.76 ±â€¯0.45 mg kg-1 for titanium (Ti) compared with the samples from the forests (3.15-14.1 mg kg-1 Cd, < 0.18 mg kg-1 for Cr, 22.6-34.5 mg kg-1 for Fe, 15.9-19.1 mg kg-1 for Mn, 0.19-0.36 mg kg-1 for Ti). We observed a definite negative trend in the mineral accumulation potential of this fungus along the urbanization gradient. The fungus turned from a cadmium-accumulator to a cadmium-excluder. This highlights a positive environmental influence of the urbanization over the toxic metal uptake of R. cyanoxantha. The hypothesis, that the urban soil pollution would increase the metal content of the mushroom was disproved. The possible explanation might be the elevated carbonate content of the urban soil, which is known to immobilize the metals in the soil.

Metal element alteration in the lung by cisplatin and CV247 administration.

Despite significant nephrotoxicity, cisplatin is still used in the therapy of various tumors. We were interested in how metal ion composition is altered by cisplatin and whether platinum accumulates in the non-tumorous lung. We also aimed to study metal ion changes after treatment with a veterinary medicament CV247 with antioxidant property (containing Cu and Mn gluconate, ascorbic acid, Na salicylate), and whether CV247 alters pulmonary platinum accumulation in the healthy lung. Male Wistar rats were randomly selected into 4 groups (n = 10/group): control group, cisplatin-treated group, CV247-treated group, cisplatin + CV247-treated group. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry were used for measuring Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pt, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, and Zn in the lung and the redox state was measured in the plasma. Cisplatin influenced the element homeostasis in the lung. Pt, Mn, Se accumulation and Ca, Mg excretion were observed after treatment with cisplatin. The antioxidant CV247 supplementation modified the Mn concentration; however, the concentration of Cu did not change despite the Cu content of the product, and CV247 did not affect other metal concentrations in the lung of the cisplatin-treated group. In conclusion, cisplatin has a systemic impact on the metal element metabolism, and this effect was demonstrated in the healthy lung, too. The results indicate the importance of supplementing some essential elements, such as Ca and Mg during cisplatin cancer therapy.

Data on elemental composition of Russula cyanoxantha along an urbanization gradient in Cluj-Napoca (Romania).

How far-reaching is the influence of the urban area over the mineral composition of the Russula cyanoxantha mushroom? To answer this question, we monitored the metal uptake behavior of this fungus relying on the soil properties. We sampled mushroom and soil from six forests according to an urbanization gradient, and two city parks in Cluj-Napoca (Romania). The elements were quantified using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The concentrations of some elements differed significantly (p < 0.05) in the samples from the city (0.39 ± 0.35 mg kg-1 for cadmium (Cd), 0.40 ± 0.19 mg kg-1 for chromium (Cr), 69.1 ± 29.9 mg kg-1 for iron (Fe), 10.9 ± 1.3 mg kg-1 for manganese (Mn), 0.76 ± 0.45 mg kg-1 for titanium (Ti)) compared with the samples from the forests (3.15-14.1 mg kg-1 Cd, < 0.18 mg kg-1 for Cr, 22.6-34.5 mg kg-1 for Fe, 15.9-19.1 mg kg-1 for Mn, 0.19-0.36 mg kg-1 for Ti). We observed a definite negative trend in the mineral accumulation potential of this fungus along the urbanization gradient. The fungus turned from a cadmium-accumulator to a cadmium-excluder. This highlights a positive environmental influence of the urbanization over the toxic metal uptake of R. cyanoxantha. The hypothesis, that the urban soil pollution would increase the metal content of the mushroom was disproved. The possible explanation might be the elevated carbonate content of the urban soil, which is known to immobilize the metals in the soil.

Metal- and redox homeostasis in prostate cancer with vitamin D3 supplementation.

Vitamin D3 supplementation has a beneficial effect on cancerous patients, although it can influence the redox- and metal homeostasis. The aim of our investigation was to demonstrate the effect of vitamin D3 consumption on the redox- and metal homeostasis in prostate cancer, because of the recommended daily dose increased from 200 IU to 2000 IU in recent years in Hungary. Forty-three volunteers were involved in the study. The grouping was applied according to the clinical routine laboratory parameters (vitamin D3) and the tumor markers (PSA, fPFA). Patients were divided into 5 groups: (A) patient control (N = 8), (B) patient control with vitamin D3 treatment (N = 9), (C) high-risk prostate cancer group (N = 6), (D) high-risk prostate cancer group with vitamin D3 treatment (N = 8) and (E) vitamin D3 treated cancerous group with androgen deprivation therapy (N = 11). The element concentrations were determined with ICP-OES. Among the redox parameters, free radical scavenging capacity and H-donating ability were determined with luminometry and spectrometry. Vitamin D3 treatment caused differences in the metal- and redox homeostasis in either patient control and cancerous groups. The concentration of Fe, Cr, and Pb significantly increased in the erythrocytes of prostate cancer patients. According to the higher scavenging capacity by vitamin D3 treatment, it seems that vitamin D3 helps to equilibrate the redox homeostasis that could affect the outcome of cancer positively. However, the tendency in the metal element status does not give a clear explanation of cancer's outcome, but the accumulation of Pb by vitamin D3 supplementation needs to be taken into more serious consideration in set terms of occupational diseases.