Antioxidant and electron donating function of hypothalamic polypeptides: galarmin and Gx-NH2

α2-adrenoblockers modulatory effect on the noise-mediated several biochemical and morpho-immuno-histochemical changes in the rat's blood plasma and tissues

Experimental studies of chronic noise exposure in modern urban life testified about oxidative stress due to the corresponding hormones effects leading to accumulation of reactive oxygen species and endothelial dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate the protective effect of α2-adrenoblockers to modulate oxidative stress and corticosterone levels due to chronic noise exposure. To achieve this, we examined the effects of beditin (2-aminothiozolyl-1,4-benzodioxane) and mesedin (2-(2-methyl-amino-thiozolyl)-1,4-benzodioxane hydrochloride), along with changes in corticosterone, Ca2 + content, and morphological alterations in various tissues under noise-induced stress. Beyond this, detection of immune-reactivity and proliferation of Galarmin-containing cells in adrenals, and isolation of the total fractions of superoxide-producing associate from the rat liver under noise exposure and the beditin and mesedin actions on them were pertinent. Experiments were provided on the albino female rats divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) noise-exposed, (3) noise-exposed and beditin-injected (2 mg/kg, i.p.), and (4) noise-exposed and mesedin-injected (10 mg/kg, i.p.) animals. The noise exposure was of 91 dBA noise on 60 days with a daily duration of 8 h. For the first time, the total fractions of superoxide-containing associates were separated from the cell membranes of the rat liver tissue under the chronic noise stress conditions and the regulative effects of the α2-adrenoblockers. Increased 45Ca2+ and decreased corticosterone levels in the mentioned tissues, as well as dystrophic changes, were observed under the chronic noise exposure. Prominently, α2-adrenoblockers showed antioxidant effects, modulating pathological shifts of the noise-induced stress.

Preparation, Identification and Antioxidant Properties of Black-Bone Silky Fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) Iron(II)-Oligopeptide Chelate

Black-bone silky fowl iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate was synthesized from iron(II) solution and the black-bone silky fowl oligopeptide, which was extracted from the muscle protein of black-bone silky fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson). Orthogonal array analysis was used to determine the optimal conditions for the iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate preparation. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to identify the structure of iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate. 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radical scavenging assays were performed to compare the antioxidant abilities of the black-bone silky fowl oligopeptide and iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate. The optimal conditions for iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate preparation were 4% of the black-bone silky fowl oligopeptide and a ratio of the black- -bone silky fowl oligopeptide to FeCl₂·4H₂O of 5:1 at pH=4. Under these conditions, the chelation rate was (84.9±0.2) % (p<0.05), and the chelation yield was (40.3±0.1) % (p<0.05). The structures detected with UV-Vis spectroscopy, electron microscopy and FTIR spectra changed significantly after chelation, suggesting that Fe(II) ions formed coordinate bonds with carboxylate (-RCOOŻ) and amino (-NH₂) groups in the oligopeptides, confirming that this is a new oligopeptide-iron chelate. The iron(II)-oligopeptide chelate had stronger scavenging activity towards DPPH and superoxide radicals than did the black-bone silky fowl oligopeptide.

The protective and immunomodulatory effects of hypothalamic proline-rich polypeptide galarmin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in mice

The present research summarizes the protective and immunomodulatory activity of hypothalamic proline-rich polypeptide galarmin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The protective effect of galarmin was shown on MRSA-infected animals' survival and weight loss recovery. The immunological impact of galarmin was evaluated in terms of immunocompetent cell recruitment, serum immunoglobulins, complement components C3 and C4, and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1b, TNFa, and KC) secretion. Galarmin efficiently protects mice against lethal MRSA infection (100% of survival vs. 0% in the untreated group) when intramuscularly injected 24 h before infection and during the 1-h post-infection period at a concentration of 1 μg per mouse, while its higher concentrations (5 and 10 μg) were protective when injected in parallel to the infection process. The protective effect of galarmin was not due to a direct effect on MRSA, but should be attributed to an action on the host response to infection. Galarmin significantly increased and modulated the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1b, IL-10, and KC in both peritoneal lavages and blood, leukocyte and platelet counts, lymphocytes percentage, serum IgM and IgG, and complement C3 and C4 components secretion. The experimental results allow concluding that galarmin is a powerful immunomodulatory and protective agent for the in vivo prophylaxis and treatment of MRSA-induced infection.

Barrier protective activities of curcumin and its derivative

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

Curcumin, a poly-phenolic compound, possesses diverse pharmacologic activities. However, the barrier protective functions of curcumin or its derivative have not yet been studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the barrier protective activities of curcumin and its derivative (bisdemethoxycurcumin, BDMC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) barrier disruption in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were investigated.

METHODS

The barrier protective effects of curcumin and BDMC such as permeability, expression of cell adhesion molecules, monocytes adhesion and migration toward HUVECs were tested.

RESULTS

Curcumin and BDMC inhibited LPS-induced barrier permeability, monocyte adhesion and migration; inhibitory effects were significantly correlated with inhibitory functions of curcumin and BDMC on LPS-induced cell adhesion molecules (vascular cell adhesion molecules, intracellular cell adhesion molecule, E-selectin). Furthermore, LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release from HUVECs were inhibited by curcumin and BDMC. Surprisingly, the barrier protective activities of BDMC were better than those of curcumin, indicating that the methoxy group in curcumin negatively regulated barrier protection function of curcumin.

CONCLUSION

Given these results, curcumin or its derivative, BDMC, showed barrier protective activities and they could be a therapeutic candidates for various systemic inflammatory diseases.

Proline rich polypeptide (PRP-1) increases the superoxide-producing and ferrihemoglobin reducing activities of cytochrome B(558) isoforms from human lymphosarcoma tissue cells

The two cytochromes (cyt) b(558) of acidic nature, one-95-100 kDa and another one, 60-70 kDa were isolated for the first time from the human's lymphosarcoma tissue cells using gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. These hemoproteins possess NADPH dependent O(2)(-)-producing and ferrihemoglobin-reducing activities. The incubation of neuropeptide PRP-1 (5 μg) with cytochrome b(558), caused elevation of these activities. The gel filtration results indicated possible binding of PRP-1 to these cytochromes b(558). PRP-1 activated both NADPH dependent O(2)(-)-producing and ferriHb-reducing activities of the cyt b(1)(558) and cyt b(2)(558), obtained from human lymphosarcoma tissue cells. One can assume that PRP-1 associated with cyt b(558) on the surface of the tumor cells by increasing both NADPH dependent O(2)(-)-producing and ferriHb-reducing activities of cyt b(558), increases the oxidation- reduction status. Changing the oxidation-reduction status and oxygen homeostasis of the tumor cells by PRP-1 can serve as one of the possible explanation of antitumorigenic effect of this cytokine.