Shrimp lectin (Md-Lec) conjugated copper sulfide nanoparticles enhance the elimination of aquatic pathogens in infected Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Magnolia essential oil: a preliminary exploration of chemical composition and its antimicrobial and antioxidant potential

In this study, the chemical composition of Magnolia essential oil (MEO) was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that terpenoids were the primary constituents, with the main components being 1,8-cineole (44.87%), (+)-citronellal (6.93%), and linalool (29.1%). The antibacterial activity of MEO against four target bacteria was confirmed through inhibition zone assays, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) tests. The bacterial growth curve demonstrated that MEO significantly inhibited bacterial growth and effectively delayed the logarithmic growth phase. Mechanistic studies suggested that MEO primarily acts in the initial stages of bacterial growth by disrupting the bacterial cell membrane, leading to substantial leakage of intracellular materials, impairing metabolic activities, inducing lipid peroxidation, and enhancing oxidative stress, thereby inhibiting normal bacterial proliferation. Furthermore, MEO's antioxidant properties were evaluated through its scavenging effects on DPPH and hydroxyl radicals, as well as its ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The findings revealed that MEO exhibited the strongest scavenging activity against DPPH radicals, followed by hydroxyl radical scavenging, with the FRAP results being comparatively weaker. These results suggest that MEO not only possesses potent antibacterial effects but also exhibits notable antioxidant activity, indicating potential for broader applications.

Antibacterial and anticancer activities of three novel lectin-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to synthesize, characterize, and determine the antibacterial and anticancer effects of three novel conjugates of plant lectins: phytohemagglutinin lectin (PHA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and peanut agglutinin (PNA) with chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs). The lectin concentration within prepared conjugates was estimated using nannodrop, and the highest concentration was 0.96 mg/ml in PHA-CHNPs. SDS-PAGE showed the molecular weights of conjugates ranged from 26.9 to 63.9 kDa. UV spectrophotometer recorded the absorbance peaks of conjugates somewhere between 200 and 230 nm. Hemagglutination analysis verified the presence of actively binding lectins. The three conjugates showed strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria compared to pure lectins and chitosan nanoparticles. The highest inhibition zone was 55.67 ± 4.04, 38.67 ± 5.51, and 37.33 ± 2.52 for PHA-CHNPs against Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella sonnei, respectively, followed by 36.3 ± 0.15 for PNA-CHNPs against Staphylococcus aureus. The lowest MIC was 1.5 µg/ml for PHA-CHNPs against Enterococcus faecalis, followed by 12 µg/ml for PNA-CHNPs and SBA-CHNPs against Salmonella typhimurium and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively. TEM microphotographs show the conjugation pattern between lectins and chitosan nanoparticles and the morphological differences between control, treated bacteria, and cancer cells. Moreover, 100 μg/ml of PHA-CHNPs affect tongue carcinoma (HNO-97), colorectal cancer (HT-29), and human melanoma (A375) cancer cell lines, reducing cell viability by 38.78 ± 1.85%, 49.88 ± 1.11%, and 66.92 ± 3.60%, respectively. This study develops three innovative conjugates of lectin chitosan nanoparticles that need to be tested as potential antibacterial and anticancer agents for medical and cancer therapy applications. KEY POINTS: • Lectin-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles exhibit antibacterial activity. • All conjugates are safe for oral epithelial cells and human skin fibroblasts. • The PHA-CHNP conjugates have anticancer activity against HNO-97, HT-29, and A375.

Mechanistic Investigation on the Antibacterial Activity of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Prepared Using Root Extract of Sarsaparilla and Demonstrated their In Vivo Efficacy in Zebrafish Model

Antibiotic success rates are decreasing as drug-resistant bacteria become more prevalent, prompting the development of new therapeutic drugs. Herein, we demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of sarsaparilla root extract fabricated silver nanoparticles (sAgNPs). The UV-Visible spectra revealed that the surface Plasmon resonance maxima of sAgNPs were at 415 nm. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that the particles are spherical with size of 12-35 nm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sAgNPs against Escherichia coli, uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 62.5, 62.5, 62.5, 62.5, 125 and 125 µM, respectively. At 1X MIC, sAgNPs induces excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and disturbs the bacteria membrane intergity, causing cytoplamic membrane depolarization. Interestingly, antibacterial activity of sAgNPs was considerably reduced in the presence of an antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, suggesting that ROS-induced membrane damage is a plausible cause of cell death. In contrast to many studies that only report the in vitro activity of NPs, we determined the in vivo antibacterial efficacy using the zebrafish model. It was found that sAgNPs protect fish from infection by inhibiting bacterial growth and eliminating them from the fish. In addition, the catalytic potential of sAgNPs for wastewater decontamination was demonstrated by degrading organic pollutants such as methyl orange, congo red, reactive black, and acid blue. The pollutants degraded in less than 10 min, and the reaction follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. As a proof of concept, the catalytic potential of sAgNPs in degrading mixed dyes to satisfy industrial wastewater treatment needs was established. In summary, sAgNPs have the potential to act as nanocatalysts and nano-drugs, addressing key challenges in medical and environmental research.

Hybrid of Metapenaeus dobsoni lectin and platinum nanoparticles exert antimicrobial and immunostimulatory effects to reduce bacterial bioburden in infected Nile tilapia

A novel antibacterial immunostimulant using Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and lectin from Metapenaeus dobsoni (Md-Lec) was developed. The Md-Lec and PtNPs (Pt-lec) hybrid formed through non-covalent interaction exhibits antimicrobial activity against fish specific pathogens by affecting membrane integrity and producing excess reactive oxygen species. The therapeutic efficacy of Pt-lec was demonstrated through rescuing Aeromonas hydrophila infected Nile Tilapia. Pt-lec prevents the infection spreading and reduces the bacterial bioburden in less than 12 h, and as a result of this the fish were restored to normalcy. To assess immunostimulation, we studied the expression of three different immune related genes, namely LEC, Myd88 and COX-2 in the gills, liver, spleen and kidney of fish under various experimental conditions. Our results showed that Pt-lec treatment appeared to be better when compared to lectin alone in enhancing the expression of Myd88 and COX-2, but LEC was not as expected. These results suggest that Pt-lec has the ability to protect Nile Tilapia against bacterial infection by restricting bacterial bioburden through their direct effects on the bacterial membrane and indirectly through their effects on host immune-related gene expression. This hybrid could have potential “green” application in fish farming in rescuing infected animals when compared to widely and unregulated antibiotics.

Hybrid of Metapenaeus dobsoni lectin and platinum nanoparticles exert antimicrobial and immunostimulatory effects to reduce bacterial bioburden in infected Nile tilapia

A novel antibacterial immunostimulant using Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and lectin from Metapenaeus dobsoni (Md-Lec) was developed. The Md-Lec and PtNPs (Pt-lec) hybrid formed through non-covalent interaction exhibits antimicrobial activity against fish specific pathogens by affecting membrane integrity and producing excess reactive oxygen species. The therapeutic efficacy of Pt-lec was demonstrated through rescuing Aeromonas hydrophila infected Nile Tilapia. Pt-lec prevents the infection spreading and reduces the bacterial bioburden in less than 12 h, and as a result of this the fish were restored to normalcy. To assess immunostimulation, we studied the expression of three different immune related genes, namely LEC, Myd88 and COX-2 in the gills, liver, spleen and kidney of fish under various experimental conditions. Our results showed that Pt-lec treatment appeared to be better when compared to lectin alone in enhancing the expression of Myd88 and COX-2, but LEC was not as expected. These results suggest that Pt-lec has the ability to protect Nile Tilapia against bacterial infection by restricting bacterial bioburden through their direct effects on the bacterial membrane and indirectly through their effects on host immune-related gene expression. This hybrid could have potential "green" application in fish farming in rescuing infected animals when compared to widely and unregulated antibiotics.

An Update of Lectins from Marine Organisms: Characterization, Extraction Methodology, and Potential Biofunctional Applications

Lectins are a unique group of nonimmune carbohydrate-binding proteins or glycoproteins that exhibit specific and reversible carbohydrate-binding activity in a non-catalytic manner. Lectins have diverse sources and are classified according to their origins, such as plant lectins, animal lectins, and fish lectins. Marine organisms including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks produce a myriad of lectins, including rhamnose binding lectins (RBL), fucose-binding lectins (FTL), mannose-binding lectin, galectins, galactose binding lectins, and C-type lectins. The widely used method of extracting lectins from marine samples is a simple two-step process employing a polar salt solution and purification by column chromatography. Lectins exert several immunomodulatory functions, including pathogen recognition, inflammatory reactions, participating in various hemocyte functions (e.g., agglutination), phagocytic reactions, among others. Lectins can also control cell proliferation, protein folding, RNA splicing, and trafficking of molecules. Due to their reported biological and pharmaceutical activities, lectins have attracted the attention of scientists and industries (i.e., food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries). Therefore, this review aims to update current information on lectins from marine organisms, their characterization, extraction, and biofunctionalities.