Anti-Virulence Activity of 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM): A Bioactive Cruciferous Phytochemical with Accelerated Wound Healing Benefits

Unveiling the Multifaceted Pharmacological Actions of Indole-3-Carbinol and Diindolylmethane: A Comprehensive Review

Cruciferae family vegetables are remarkably high in phytochemicals such as Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and Diindolylmethane (DIM), which are widely known as nutritional supplements. I3C and DIM have been studied extensively in different types of cancers like breast, prostate, endometrial, colorectal, gallbladder, hepatic, and cervical, as well as cancers in other tissues. In this review, we summarized the protective effects of I3C and DIM against cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, metabolic, bone, respiratory, liver, and immune diseases, infections, and drug- and radiation-induced toxicities. Experimental evidence suggests that I3C and DIM offer protection due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, immunomodulatory, and xenobiotic properties. Apart from the beneficial effects, the present review also discusses the possible toxicities of I3C and DIM that are reported in various preclinical investigations. So far, most of the reports about I3C and DIM protective effects against various diseases are only from preclinical studies; this emphasizes the dire need for large-scale clinical trials on these phytochemicals against human diseases. Further, in-depth research is required to improve the bioavailability of these two phytochemicals to achieve the desirable protective effects. Overall, our review emphasizes that I3C and DIM may become potential drug candidates for combating dreadful human diseases.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing and biofilm attenuation by a di-hydroxy derivative of piperlongumine (PL-18)

Bacterial communication, Quorum Sensing (QS), is a target against virulence and prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections. 16 derivatives of Piperlongumine (PL), an amide alkaloid from Piper longum L., were screened for QS inhibition. PL-18 had the best QSI activity. PL-18 inhibited the lasR-lasI, rhlR-rhlI, and pqs QS systems of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PL-18 inhibited pyocyanin and rhamnolipids that are QS-controlled virulence elements. Iron is an essential element for pathogenicity, biofilm formation and resilience in harsh environments, its uptake was inhibited by PL-18. Pl-18 significantly reduced the biofilm biovolume including in established biofilms. PL-18-coated silicon tubes significantly inhibited biofilm formation. The transcriptome study of treated P. aeruginosa showed that PL-18 indeed reduced the expression of QS and iron homeostasis related genes, and up regulated sulfur metabolism related genes. Altogether, PL-18 inhibits QS, virulence, iron uptake, and biofilm formation. Thus, PL-18 should be further developed against bacterial infection, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm formation.

Brassica oleracea var italica and Their By-Products as Source of Bioactive Compounds and Food Applications in Bakery Products

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is one of the most consumed cruciferous crops in the world, with China and Spain acting as the main producers from outside and within the EU, respectively. Broccoli florets are edible, while the leaves and stalks, discarded in the field and during processing, are by-products. Therefore, the objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review of the nutrient and phytochemical composition of broccoli and its by-products, as well as its beneficial effects. In addition, the study highlights the revalorization of broccoli by-products through innovative green technologies and explores their potential use in bakery products for the development of functional foods. The studies suggested that broccoli is characterized by a high content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, including vitamins, fiber, glucosinolates, and phenolic compounds, and their content varied with various parts. This high content of value-added compounds gives broccoli and its various parts beneficial properties, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, metabolic disorder regulatory, and neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, broccoli and its by-products can play a key role in food applications by improving the nutritional profile of products due to their rich content of bioactive compounds. As a result, it is essential to harness the potential of the broccoli and its by-products that are generated during its processing through an appropriate agro-industrial revalorization, using environmentally friendly techniques.

Microbead-Encapsulated Luminescent Bioreporter Screening of P. aeruginosa via Its Secreted Quorum-Sensing Molecules

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium that remains a prevalent clinical and environmental challenge. Quorum-sensing (QS) molecules are effective biomarkers in pinpointing the presence of P. aeruginosa. This study aimed to develop a convenient-to-use, whole-cell biosensor using P. aeruginosa reporters individually encapsulated within alginate-poly-L-lysine (alginate-PLL) microbeads to specifically detect the presence of bacterial autoinducers. The PLL-reinforced microbeads were prepared using a two-step method involving ionic cross-linking and subsequent coating with thin layers of PLL. The alginate-PLL beads showed good stability in the presence of a known cation scavenger (sodium citrate), which typically limits the widespread applications of calcium alginate. In media containing synthetic autoinducers-such as N-(3-oxo dodecanoyl) homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL) and N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL), or the cell-free supernatants of planktonic or the flow-cell biofilm effluent of wild P. aeruginosa (PAO1)-the encapsulated bacteria enabled a dose-dependent detection of the presence of these QS molecules. The prepared bioreporter beads remained stable during prolonged storage at 4 and -80 °C and were ready for on-the-spot sensing without the need for recovery. The proof-of-concept, optical fiber-based, and whole-cell biosensor developed here demonstrates the practicality of the encapsulated bioreporter for bacterial detection based on specific QS molecules.

Broccoli: A Multi-Faceted Vegetable for Health: An In-Depth Review of Its Nutritional Attributes, Antimicrobial Abilities, and Anti-inflammatory Properties

Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica, has recently gained considerable attention due to its remarkable nutritional composition and numerous health benefits. In this review, the nutritional aspects of broccoli are examined, highlighting its rich nutrient content and essential bioactive compounds. The cruciferous vegetable broccoli is a rich source of several important nutrients, including fiber, vitamins (A, C, and K), minerals (calcium, potassium, and iron), and antioxidants. It has also been shown to contain bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, sulforaphane, and indole-3-carbinol, all of which have been shown to have significant health-promoting effects. These chemicals are known to have potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. This review article aims to comprehensively examine the diverse spectrum of nutrients contained in broccoli and explore its medicinal potential to promote human health.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM): A Potential Therapeutic Agent against Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans Biofilm

Indole, a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan, has been proven to act as a signal molecule in bacteria, acting in different aspects of biofilm formation. The oral biofilm is a type of biofilm that has consequences for human health. It is a complex, three-dimensional structure that develops on the surface of teeth via the attachment of primary microbial colonizers. Many oral infections are caused by an imbalance occurring in the microorganisms naturally found in oral biofilms and are considered major public health concerns. In this study, we test the effect of a natural bis-indole, 3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM), in mitigating the pathogenicity of the oral biofilm inhabiting bacterium Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium that is considered to be a principal etiological agent in dental caries. Our study found that DIM was able to attenuate S. mutans biofilm formation by 92%. Additionally, treatment with DIM lowered extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and decreased its durability significantly under acidic conditions. Therefore, the anti-biofilm and anti-virulence properties of DIM against S. mutans bacteria in an "oral setting" provides evidence for its usefulness in reducing biofilm formation and potentially for caries attenuation.

Artificial Neural Network Prediction of Antiadhesion and Antibiofilm-Forming Effects of Antimicrobial Active Mushroom Extracts on Food-Borne Pathogens

The problem of microbial biofilms has come to the fore alongside food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industrialization. The development of new antibiofilm products has become urgent, but it includes bioprospecting and is time and money-consuming. Contemporary efforts are directed at the pursuit of effective compounds of natural origin, also known as "green" agents. Mushrooms appear to be a possible new source of antibiofilm compounds, as has been demonstrated recently. The existing modeling methods are directed toward predicting bacterial biofilm formation, not in the presence of antibiofilm materials. Moreover, the modeling is almost exclusively targeted at biofilms in healthcare, while modeling related to the food industry remains under-researched. The present study applied an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model to analyze the anti-adhesion and anti-biofilm-forming effects of 40 extracts from 20 mushroom species against two very important food-borne bacterial species for food and food-related industries-Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enteritidis. The models developed in this study exhibited high prediction quality, as indicated by high r² values during the training cycle. The best fit between the modeled and measured values was observed for the inhibition of adhesion. This study provides a valuable contribution to the field, supporting industrial settings during the initial stage of biofilm formation, when these communities are the most vulnerable, and promoting innovative and improved safety management.

Pyrogallol downregulates the expression of virulence-associated proteins in Acinetobacter baumannii and showing anti-infection activity by improving non-specific immune response in zebrafish model

Acinetobacter baumannii, a virulent uropathogen with widespread antibiotic resistance, has arisen as a critical scientific challenge, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic agents. This is the first study reveal the proteomic changes in A. baumannii upon pyrogallol treatment for understanding the mechanisms using nano-LC-MS/MS-based quantitative proteomics and qPCR analysis. The obtained results found that pyrogallol treatment dramatically downregulated the expression level of several key proteins such as GroEL, DnaK, ClpB, SodB, KatE, Bap, CsuA/B, PgaA, PgaC, BfmR, OmpA, and SecA in A. baumannii, which are involved in chaperone-mediated oxidative stress responses, antioxidant defence system, biofilm formation, virulence enzyme production, bacterial adhesion, capsule formation, and antibiotic resistance. Accordingly, the pyrogallol dramatically enhanced the lifespan of A. baumannii-infected zebrafish by inhibiting bacterial colonization, demonstrating the anti-infective potential of pyrogallol against A. baumannii. Further, the histopathological results also demonstrated the disease protection efficacy of pyrogallol against the pathognomonic sign of A. baumannii infection. In addition, the pyrogallol treatment effectively improved the immune parameters such as serum myeloperoxidase activity, leukocyte respiratory burst activity, and serum lysozyme activity in zebrafish against A. baumannii infection. Based on the results, the present study strongly proposes pyrogallol as a promising therapeutic agent for treating A. baumannii infection.