Serotonin and Interleukin 10 Can Influence the Blood and Urine Viscosity in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Pregnancy-Specific Urinary Incontinence.

Serotonin and interleukin 10 (IL-10) may play a role in gestational diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycemic environment, the detrusor musculature of the bladder and pelvic floor muscles may become damaged, leading to urination problems and urine viscosity in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence. Urine and blood samples were collected from pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. The serotonin concentration and cytokine IL-10 levels were evaluated in plasma and urine. In the total blood and urine, the viscosity was evaluated in the presence and absence of exogenous serotonin and IL-10. The plasma serotonin levels decreased, while the urine serotonin levels increased in the normoglycemic incontinent (NG-I), hyperglycemic continent (GDM-C), and hyperglycemic incontinent (GDM-I) groups. The IL-10 in the plasma decreased in the GDM-I group and was higher in the urine in the NG-I and GDM-I groups. The blood viscosity was higher, independently of urinary incontinence, in the GDM groups. The serotonin increased the blood viscosity from women with GDM-C and urine in the NG-I, GDM-C, and GDM-I groups. Blood and urine in the presence of IL-10 showed a similar viscosity in all groups studied. Also, no difference was observed in the viscosity in either the blood or urine when in the presence of serotonin and IL-10. These findings suggest that serotonin and IL-10 have the potential to reduce blood viscosity in pregnant women with gestational diabetes and specific urinary incontinence, maintaining values similar to those in normoglycemic women's blood.

Transcriptomic Profiling of Rectus Abdominis Muscle in Women with Gestational Diabetes-Induced Myopathy: Characterization of Pathophysiology and Potential Muscle Biomarkers of Pregnancy-Specific Urinary Incontinence.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is recognized as a "window of opportunity" for the future prediction of such complications as type 2 diabetes mellitus and pelvic floor muscle disorders, including urinary incontinence and genitourinary dysfunction. Translational studies have reported that pelvic floor muscle disorders are due to a GDM-induced-myopathy (GDiM) of the pelvic floor muscle and rectus abdominis muscle (RAM). We now describe the transcriptome profiling of the RAM obtained by Cesarean section from GDM and non-GDM women with and without pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence (PSUI). We identified 650 genes in total, and the differentially expressed genes were defined by comparing three control groups to the GDM with PSUI group (GDiM). Enrichment analysis showed that GDM with PSUI was associated with decreased gene expression related to muscle structure and muscle protein synthesis, the reduced ability of muscle fibers to ameliorate muscle damage, and the altered the maintenance and generation of energy through glycogenesis. Potential genetic muscle biomarkers were validated by RT-PCR, and their relationship to the pathophysiology of the disease was verified. These findings help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of GDiM and will promote the development of innovative interventions to prevent and treat complications such as post-GDM urinary incontinence.

Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of cinnamaldehyde against S. epidermidis.

The search for new antimicrobial drugs has been necessary due to the increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics currently in use, and natural products play an important role in this field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effect of cinnamaldehyde on S. epidermidis strains, biofilm set-up prevention, as well as its effect on pre-established biofilms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from 300 to 500 µg/mL, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) from 400 to 600 µg/mL. The biofilm inhibitory concentration and biofilm eradication concentration values were four-fold (clinical isolate) and eight-fold (ATCC strain) greater than the concentration required to inhibit planktonic growth. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of cinnamaldehyde attenuated biofilm formation of S. epidermidis strains on polystyrene microtiter plates. The combination of cinnamaldehyde and linezolid was able to inhibit S. epidermidis with a bactericidal effect. Further investigation of the mechanism of action of cinnamaldehyde revealed its effect on the cell membrane permeability, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images illustrated the impact of cinnamaldehyde in the detachment and killing of existing biofilms. Thereby, our data confirmed the ability of cinnamaldehyde to reduce bacterial planktonic growth of S. epidermidis, inhibiting biofilm formation and eradicating pre-formed biofilm.

Inferring putative virulence factors for Pythium insidiosum by proteomic approach.

Pythium insidiosum is the etiologic agent of pythiosis, a life-threatening disease that affects human and animals, has difficult diagnosis, and therapy. Studies on protein characterization of P. insidiosum are scarce, so we aimed to determine the protein profile of P. insidiosum by mass spectrometry and bioinformatics strategies targeting in proteins that may act as putative virulence factors. Therefore, an extraction protocol was standardized to obtain the total proteins of P. insidiosum. By the analysis of Image Master 2D Platinum software, it was found that 186 spots ranging between 12 and 89 KDa and isoelectric point from 4 to 7. By the analysis of 2D-SDS-PAGE it was possible to visualize and excise 103 spots, which were hydrolyzed with trypsin and submitted to mass spectrometry, resulting in the identification of 36 different proteins. Three of them were classified as proteins supposedly related to virulence factors due to its functions, such as glucan 1,3-beta glucosidase, Heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 and enolase. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the virulence factors of this medically important oomycete, as well as to subsidize new studies on diagnosis and therapeutic approaches.

Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Essential Oil from Blepharocalyx salicifolius.

Natural products represent a source of biologically active molecules that have an important role in drug discovery. The aromatic plant Blepharocalyx salicifolius has a diverse chemical constitution but the biological activities of its essential oils have not been thoroughly investigated. The aims of this paper were to evaluate in vitro cytotoxic, antifungal and antibacterial activities of an essential oil from leaves of B. salicifolius and to identify its main chemical constituents. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation, chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and biological activities were performed by a microdilution broth method. The yield of essential oil was 0.86% (w/w), and the main constituents identified were bicyclogermacrene (17.50%), globulol (14.13%), viridiflorol (8.83%), γ-eudesmol (7.89%) and α-eudesmol (6.88%). The essential oil was cytotoxic against the MDA-MB-231 (46.60 µg·mL-1) breast cancer cell line, being more selective for this cell type compared to the normal breast cell line MCF-10A (314.44 µg·mL-1). Flow cytometry and cytotoxicity results showed that this oil does not act by inducing cell death, but rather by impairment of cellular metabolism specifically of the cancer cells. Furthermore, it presented antifungal activity against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (156.25 µg·mL-1) but was inactive against other fungi and bacteria. Essential oil from B. salicifolius showed promising biological activities and is therefore a source of molecules to be exploited in medicine or by the pharmaceutical industry.

Comparative Proteomics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Subjected to Synergistic Effects of the Lantibiotic Nisin and Oxacillin.

We investigated the responses and mechanisms of action of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) metabolism when exposed under sublethal concentrations of the synergistic antibacterial combination of nisin + oxacillin (» of maximum sublethal concentration) and sublethal concentrations of oxacillin only and nisin only. A total of 135 proteins were identified, showing an alteration in the expression of 85 proteins when treatment was compared with untreated bacteria (control). When the bacteria were treated using the combination, there was an increase in the expression of proteins related to resistance (e.g., beta-lactamase) and also in the ones involved in protein synthesis, and there was a decrease in the expression of proteins related to stress and alterations in proteins related to bacterial energy metabolism. Bacterial oxidative stress showed that the combination was able to induce oxidative stress (p < 0.05) and increase enzyme activities and lipid hydroperoxide levels compared with individual treatments. The analysis of cell ultrastructure showed damage in MRSA, especially on the bacterial wall and the plasma membrane, with cell lysis and death. Thus, the changes caused by these treatments affected different proteins related to the bacterial biological processes and signaling pathways such as cell division, structure, stress, regulation, bacterial resistance, protein synthesis, gene expression, energetic metabolism, and virulence. It was observed that synergism among antimicrobials has high potential in therapeutic use and may reduce the required amounts of antibacterial substances in addition to being effective on different targets in bacterial cells.

Proteomic analysis and antibacterial resistance mechanisms of Salmonella Enteritidis submitted to the inhibitory effect of Origanum vulgare essential oil, thymol and carvacrol.

Biological properties of natural products are an important research target and essential oils (EO) from aromatic plants with antimicrobial properties are well documented. However, their uses are limited, and the mechanisms underlying their antibacterial activity are still not well known. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of Origanum vulgare EO, thymol and carvacrol against Salmonella Enteritidis ATCC 13076 strain, particularly regarding the bacterial proteic profile, enzymatic activities and DNA synthesis. Bacterial expressed proteins were evaluated using an untreated assay control and treatments with sublethal concentrations of oregano EO, carvacrol and thymol. The same protein extracts were also assayed for oxidative stress and energy metabolism enzyme activities, as well as effect on DNA synthesis. Protein expression outcomes revealed by 2D-SDS-PAGE, from antimicrobial actions, showed a stress response with differential expressions of chaperones and cellular protein synthesis mediated by the bacterial signaling system. In addition, Salmonella used a similar mechanism in defense against oxidative stress, for its survival. Thus, the antibacterial inhibitory activity of EO was preferentially associated with the presence of thymol and there was interference in protein regulation as well as DNA synthesis affected by these compounds. SIGNIFICANCE: Antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EO) is already known. In this way, the understanding of how this activity occurs is a fundamental part to provide the practical and rational use of these substances. In the current scenario, where the emergence of resistant bacteria or even multiresistant bacteria against conventional antimicrobials, the search for alternatives becomes essential, since the discovery of new inhibitory substances does not occur at the same speed. The anti-Salmonella action allied to the knowledge about the biological processes affected by O. vulgare EO contribute to these bioactive compounds being effectively used as agents in the safety and shelf life of food in a future product, packaging or process where the antibacterial activity is safe and best used.

In vitro antibacterial and chemical properties of essential oils including native plants from Brazil against pathogenic and resistant bacteria.

The antimicrobials products from plants have increased in importance due to the therapeutic potential in the treatment of infectious diseases. Therefore, we aimed to examine the chemical characterisation (GC-MS) of essential oils (EO) from seven plants and measure antibacterial activities against bacterial strains isolated from clinical human specimens (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and sensitive (MSSA), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium) and foods (Salmonella Enteritidis). Assays were performed using the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and MIC90%) (mg/mL) by agar dilution and time kill curve methods (log CFU/mL) to aiming synergism between EO. EO chemical analysis showed a predominance of terpenes and its derivatives. The highest antibacterial activities were with Cinnamomun zeylanicum (0.25 mg/mL on almost bacteria tested) and Caryophyllus aromaticus EO (2.40 mg/mL on Salmonella Enteritidis), and the lowest activity was with Eugenia uniflora (from 50.80 mg/mL against MSSA to 92.40 mg/mL against both Salmonella sources and P. aeruginosa) EO. The time kill curve assays revealed the occurrence of bactericide synergism in combinations of C. aromaticus and C. zeylanicum with Rosmarinus. officinalis. Thus, the antibacterial activities of the EO were large and this can also be explained by complex chemical composition of the oils tested in this study and the synergistic effect of these EO, yet requires further investigation because these interactions between the various chemical compounds can increase or reduce (antagonism effect) the inhibitory effect of essential oils against bacterial strains.

Effects of Ocimum basilicum Linn essential oil and sodium hexametaphosphate on the shelf life of fresh chicken sausage.

Although consumers and the food industry have an interest in reducing the use of synthetic additives, the consumption of processed meat in Brazil has been increasing because of the easy preparation and low cost. Owing to the antimicrobial and antioxidative properties of Ocimum basilicum essential oil (EO), it has potential applications in food products. Polyphosphates are already used in meat processing with the goal of improving the quality of the products. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and O. basilicum EO, when added separately or together, on physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters during the shelf life of chicken sausage. We also performed sensory analysis of the product prepared in this manner. Six different treatments were produced in which the substances were tested together or separately, and the content of EO was 0.3 or 0.03%. The samples were analyzed after 1, 7, and 15 days of storage at 4°C. An increase in pH on days 7 and 15 in samples that contained SHMP was observed. In the samples that contained either 0.3 or 0.03% EO, coliforms were inhibited throughout the study period (P < 0.05), which was not observed in samples with EO plus SHMP, thus demonstrating that the stabilizer blocked the antibacterial action of EO. There was a reduction in the cook loss and increased compressive force in the samples with 0.5% SHMP, contributing to greater juiciness of the product. The EO had substantial impact on acceptability of samples, but it did not influence the activities already described of polyphosphate.