Isolation, characterisation, anticancer and anti-oxidant activities of 2-methoxy mucic acid from Rhizophora apiculata: an in vitro and in silico studies

Decoding the multifunctional potential of ursolic acid: antioxidant, antiproliferative, molecular dynamics, and biodegradability evaluations of a mangrove-derived terpenoid

Excoecaria agallocha L, a mangrove plant widely used in traditional medication in India, was the focus of this study to evaluate its antioxidant, anticancer, structural, dynamic, and biodegradability properties of its bioactive compound, ursolic acid. This study, a sample (E. agallocha) collected from the tropical Islands ecosystem of South Andaman, India, represents the first report identifying Ursolic acid from the methanolic extract. The structure elucidation of the isolated bioactive compound was characterized using FT-IR, 1H(Proton), 13C(Carbon) NMR spectroscopy, and HRMS. The antioxidant and anticancer activities were evaluated using the DPPH and MTT assay methods, respectively. The methanolic extract of E. agallocha demonstratedsignificantin vitro anticancer activity against Cervical (HeLa) and Breast (MDA-MB231) human cancer cell lines, with notable IC50 values of 19.50 ± 0.41 µg/mL and 20.67 ± 0.14 µg/mL, respectively. It is highlighted that the ursolic acid's anticancer activity was more potent, with IC50 values of 3.5714 µg/mL against MDA-MB231 cells compared to the methanolic extract. The methanolic extract's antioxidant properties with IC50 values of 90.37 ± 0.41 and purified ursolic acid molecule exhibited promising IC50 values of 7.59 ± 0.41 µg/mL. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis of the methanolic extracts of E. agallocha revealed the presence of numerous pharmacologically bioactive compounds. In the in silico studies, molecular docking of two ligands, Ursolic acid and Obatoclax, with the Bcl-B protein demonstrated notable binding affinities, with ΔG values of -5.8 kcal/mol and - 6.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Ursolic acid's binding affinity is comparable to Obatoclax's, highlighting its potential as a viable anticancerous candidate for targeting Bcl-B protein. Assess the ligands' impact on the protein's stability, flexibility, compactness, folding properties, and solvent accessibility, MD simulations were performed. The MD simulation results revealed that the ligand-bound Bcl-B complexes exhibited significant structural stability, with moderate ligand-induced conformational changes observed in the target protein. Further, BIOWIN™ models indicated that the identified Ursolic Acid is biodegradable in an aerobic environment, underscoring its environmental compatibility. Deciphering the bioactivities of ursolic acid could uncover new therapeutic agents and enhance our understanding of its biodegradable environmental compatibility, revealing the source of already documented pharmacological compounds.

Withania somnifera-derived phytochemicals as Bcl-B inhibitors in cancer therapy: A computational approach from byte to bench to bedside

Cancer is the second foremost cause of fatalities associated with non-communicable diseases across the globe, affecting multiple organs and often necessitating costly treatments with adverse side effects. Apoptosis, the body's natural cell death process, plays a crucial role in the prevention of cancer, but it's often disrupted in cancer cells, allowing uncontrolled proliferation. Restoring apoptosis in cancer cells is one of the promising therapeutic strategies to curb tumor growth and enhance clinical outcomes. Bcl-B, an anti-apoptotic protein within the Bcl-2 family, interacts with Bax to mitigate apoptosis, indicating it as a druggable target for cancer therapy. There's a critical need for natural, cost-effective alternatives with minimal adverse effects to reduce morbidity rates of cancer patients. Plant-based immunoprotective medications, particularly from sustainable sources like known medicinal plants, offer substantial potential for cancer treatment. This study involves comprehensive in silico approaches (byte) to evaluate the inhibition potential of the phytochemicals derived from Withania somnifera against the anti-apoptotic Bcl-B protein. Research into Bcl-B's binding affinity with 80 phytochemicals from this plant aims to identify interaction sites for promising anticancer agents. This study's focus on Bcl-B protein highlights its potential in modulating apoptotic pathways and exploring novel anti-cancer therapeutics. Through comprehensive screening based on drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties, combined with in-house virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and MM/PBSA-based binding free energy analysis, three promising candidate inhibitors-Withanolide L (IMPHY009438), Withanolide M (IMPHY003143), and Withanolide A (IMPHY000090)-were identified and prioritized. These candidates showed favorable estimated binding free energy values, along with desirable drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic profiles. The results demonstrated that the selected and prioritized phytochemicals, Withanolide L, Withanolide M, and Withanolide A display comparable efficacy to Obatoclax (CID: 11404337) and other known synthetic, semi-synthetic, and natural inhibitors of Bcl-2 family proteins. These findings establish a strong bench foundation for further experimental validation and bedside application, potentially offering an alternative natural approach to cancer therapy.

Role of the afferent lymph as an immunological conduit to analyze tissue antigenic and inflammatory load

The lymphatic fluid is the conduit by which part of the tissue "omics" is transported to the draining lymph node for immunosurveillance. Following cannulation of the pre-nodal cervical and mesenteric afferent lymphatics, herein we investigate the lymph proteomic composition, uncovering that its composition varies according to the tissue of origin. Tissue specificity is also reflected in the dendritic cell-major histocompatibility complex class II-eluted immunopeptidome harvested from the cervical and mesenteric nodes. Following inflammatory disruption of the gut barrier, the lymph antigenic and inflammatory loads are analyzed in both mice and subjects with inflammatory bowel diseases. Gastrointestinal tissue damage reflects the lymph inflammatory and damage-associated molecular pattern signatures, microbiome-derived by-products, and immunomodulatory molecules, including metabolites of the gut-brain axis, mapped in the afferent mesenteric lymph. Our data point to the relevance of the lymphatic fluid to probe the tissue-specific antigenic and inflammatory load transported to the draining lymph node for immunosurveillance.

Study on Antidiabetic Potential of Sessuvium Portulacastrum Aqueous Extract: An In-Silico and In-Vitro Analysis

Diabetes mellitus is a persistent metabolic condition marked by elevated blood glucose levels due to compromised insulin secretion or functionality. The search for natural antidiabetic agents has gained attention due to their potential effectiveness and safety profiles. Sessuvium portulacastrum, a coastal plant, has been traditionally used for various medicinal purposes. This study investigates the antidiabetic potential of Sessuvium portulacastrum aqueous extract by analyzing its inhibitory effects on key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and exploring its molecular interactions with critical target proteins. The aqueous extract of Sessuvium portulacastrum was prepared and used for in vitro analysis. The reduced activity of the extract against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, crucial in glucose absorption and postprandial hyperglycemia, was assessed. Molecular docking techniques were employed to explore the potential interactions between active compounds in the extract and diabetes-related proteins, including BAX, GSK3β, and CADH. The study revealed significant inhibition of both alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes by Sessuvium portulacastrum aqueous extract, indicating its potential to reduce glucose absorption and postprandial hyperglycemia. Moreover, the molecular docking analysis demonstrated strong binding interactions between active compounds in the extract and key proteins involved in diabetes-related pathways, namely apoptotic pathways, glycogen synthesis, and cell adhesion. The findings of this study highlight the promising antidiabetic potential of Sessuvium portulacastrum aqueous extract. Upcoming research should get an attention on isolating and characterizing the active compounds responsible for these effects on antidiabetic therapies from natural sources.

Bcl-B: an "unknown" protein of the Bcl-2 family

Bcl-B is a poorly understood protein of the Bcl-2 family that is highly expressed in many healthy tissues and tumor types. Bcl-B is considered an antiapoptotic protein, but many reports have revealed its contradictory roles in different cancer types. In this mini-review, we elucidate the functions of Bcl-B in normal conditions and various pathologies, its regulation of programmed cell death, its oncogene/oncosuppressor activity in tumorigenesis, its impact on drug-acquired resistance, and possible approaches to inhibit Bcl-B.