ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are biologically active molecules that can eradicate bacteria by destroying the bacterial membrane structure, causing the bacteria to rupture. However, little is known about the extent and effect of AMPs on filamentous fungi. In this study, we synthesized small molecular polypeptides by an inexpensive heat conjugation approach and examined their effects on the growth of Aspergillus flavus and its secondary metabolism. The antimicrobial agents significantly inhibited aflatoxin production, conidiation, and sclerotia formation in A. flavus. Furthermore, we found that the expression of aflatoxin structural genes was significantly inhibited, and the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was reduced. Additionally, the antimicrobial agents can change membrane permeability. Overall, our results demonstrated that antimicrobial agents, safe to mammalian cells, have an obvious impact on aflatoxin production, which indicated that antimicrobial agents may be adopted as a new generation of potential agents for controlling aflatoxin contamination.
Subject(s)
Aflatoxins/biosynthesis , Antifungal Agents/chemical synthesis , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Aspergillus flavus/drug effects , Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins/chemical synthesis , Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins/pharmacology , Aspergillus flavus/genetics , Aspergillus flavus/growth & development , Aspergillus flavus/metabolism , Fungal Proteins/genetics , Fungal Proteins/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Secondary Metabolism , Spores, Fungal/drug effects , Spores, Fungal/genetics , Spores, Fungal/growth & development , Spores, Fungal/metabolismABSTRACT
Abstract Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea, a common disease, is usually complicated by insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Adipokine is considered to play an important role in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in obstructive sleep apnea. Objective: To assess whether secreted frizzled-related protein 5, a new adipokine, is involved in untreated obstructive sleep apnea patients. Methods: Seventy-six subjects with obstructive sleep apnea and thirty-three control subjects without obstructive sleep apnea were recruited and matched in terms of body mass index and age. The fasting secreted frizzled-related protein 5 plasma concentration was tested using ELISA. In addition, the correlation between secreted frizzled-related protein 5 and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was obtained. Multiple linear regression analysis models with stepwise selection were performed to determine the independent associations between various factors and secreted frizzled-related protein 5. Results: Plasma secreted frizzled-related protein 5 levels were significantly lower in the obstructive sleep apnea group than in the control group (obstructive sleep apnea group: 28.44 ± 13.25 ng/L; control group: 34.16 ± 13.51 ng/L; p = 0.023). In addition, secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance but positively correlated with the mean and lowest oxygen saturation with or without adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, neck circumference, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. The multiple linear regression analysis showed there was an independent negative association between secreted frizzled-related protein 5 and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Conclusion: Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was involved in obstructive sleep apnea and the decrease in secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was directly proportional to the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. There was an independent negative correlation between homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and secreted frizzled-related protein 5 in the obstructive sleep apnea group. Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 might be a therapeutic target for insulin resistance in obstructive sleep apnea.
Resumo Introdução: A apneia obstrutiva do sono, uma doença comum, é geralmente complicada com resistência à insulina e diabetes melito tipo 2. Acredita-se que a adipocina possa ter um papel importante no desenvolvimento de resistência à insulina e diabetes melito tipo 2 na apneia obstrutiva do sono. Objetivo: Avaliar se a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5, uma nova adipocina, está envolvida em pacientes com apneia obstrutiva do sono não tratada. Método: Foram recrutados 76 indivíduos com apneia obstrutiva do sono e 33 indivíduos controle sem apneia obstrutiva do sono e pareados em relação a índice de massa corporal e idade. A concentração plasmática de proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 foi testada em jejum com o teste Elisa. Além disso, obteve-se correlação entre a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 e o modelo de avaliação da homeostase de resistência à insulina. Modelos de análise de regressão linear múltipla com seleção stepwise foram feitos para determinar as associações independentes entre vários fatores e a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5. Resultados: Os níveis plasmáticos de proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 foram significativamente menores no grupo com apneia obstrutiva do sono do que no grupo controle (grupo com apneia obstrutiva do sono: 28,44 ± 13,25 ng/L; grupo controle: 34,16 ± 13,51 ng/L; p = 0,023). Além disso, a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 foi correlacionada negativamente com o modelo de avaliação da homeostase de resistência à insulina, mas se correlacionou positivamente com a média e a saturação mínima de oxigênio com ou sem ajuste para idade, gênero, índice de massa corporal, circunferência do pescoço, circunferência da cintura e relação cintura-quadril. A análise de regressão linear múltipla mostrou que houve uma associação negativa independente entre a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 e o modelo de avaliação da homeostase de resistência à insulina. Conclusões: A proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 esteve envolvida na apneia obstrutiva do sono e sua diminuição foi diretamente proporcional à gravidade da apneia obstrutiva do sono. Houve uma correlação negativa independente entre o modelo de avaliação da homeostase de resistência à insulina e a proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 no grupo da apneia obstrutiva do sono. A proteína secretada relacionada ao receptor frizzled-5 pode ser um alvo terapêutico para a resistência à insulina na apneia obstrutiva do sono.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Young Adult , Insulin Resistance/physiology , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Eye Proteins/blood , Membrane Proteins/blood , Body Mass Index , Case-Control Studies , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing , Insulin/blood , Obesity/complicationsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea, a common disease, is usually complicated by insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Adipokine is considered to play an important role in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in obstructive sleep apnea. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether secreted frizzled-related protein 5, a new adipokine, is involved in untreated obstructive sleep apnea patients. METHODS: Seventy-six subjects with obstructive sleep apnea and thirty-three control subjects without obstructive sleep apnea were recruited and matched in terms of body mass index and age. The fasting secreted frizzled-related protein 5 plasma concentration was tested using ELISA. In addition, the correlation between secreted frizzled-related protein 5 and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was obtained. Multiple linear regression analysis models with stepwise selection were performed to determine the independent associations between various factors and secreted frizzled-related protein 5. RESULTS: Plasma secreted frizzled-related protein 5 levels were significantly lower in the obstructive sleep apnea group than in the control group (obstructive sleep apnea group: 28.44±13.25ng/L; control group: 34.16±13.51ng/L; p=0.023). In addition, secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance but positively correlated with the mean and lowest oxygen saturation with or without adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, neck circumference, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. The multiple linear regression analysis showed there was an independent negative association between secreted frizzled-related protein 5 and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was involved in obstructive sleep apnea and the decrease in secreted frizzled-related protein 5 was directly proportional to the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. There was an independent negative correlation between homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and secreted frizzled-related protein 5 in the obstructive sleep apnea group. Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 might be a therapeutic target for insulin resistance in obstructive sleep apnea.