Regulation of the apico-basolateral trafficking polarity of the homologous copper-ATPases ATP7A and ATP7B

The homologous P-type copper-ATPases (Cu-ATPases) ATP7A and ATP7B are the key regulators of copper homeostasis in mammalian cells. In polarized epithelia, upon copper treatment, ATP7A and ATP7B traffic from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to basolateral and apical membranes, respectively. We characterized the sorting pathways of Cu-ATPases between TGN and the plasma membrane and identified the machinery involved. ATP7A and ATP7B reside on distinct domains of TGN in limiting copper conditions, and in high copper, ATP7A traffics to basolateral membrane, whereas ATP7B traverses common recycling, apical sorting and apical recycling endosomes en route to apical membrane. Mass spectrometry identified regulatory partners of ATP7A and ATP7B that include the adaptor protein-1 complex. Upon knocking out pan-AP-1, sorting of both Cu-ATPases is disrupted. ATP7A loses its trafficking polarity and localizes on both apical and basolateral surfaces in high copper. By contrast, ATP7B loses TGN retention but retained its trafficking polarity to the apical domain, which became copper independent. Using isoform-specific knockouts, we found that the AP-1A complex provides directionality and TGN retention for both Cu-ATPases, whereas the AP-1B complex governs copper-independent trafficking of ATP7B solely. Trafficking phenotypes of Wilson disease-causing ATP7B mutants that disrupts putative ATP7B-AP1 interaction further substantiates the role of AP-1 in apical sorting of ATP7B.

Phenanthroline and Schiff Base associated Cu(II)-coordinated compounds containing N, O as donor atoms for potent anticancer activity

As an inherent metal ion, copper has been the subject of investigation for developing a novel antitumoral compound that exhibits fewer adverse effects. Copper serves as a cofactor in multiple enzymes, generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), facilitates tumour evolution, metastasis and angiogenesis and has been detected at elevated concentrations in the serum and tissues of various human cancer types. In the given setting, utilising two methodologies in developing novel Copper-based pharmaceuticals for anti-cancer applications is standard practice. These approaches involve either the sequestration of unbound Copper ions or the synthesis of Copper complexes that induce cellular apoptosis. In the past four decades, the latter system has been used, leading to numerous reviews that have examined the anticancer characteristics of a wide range of Copper complexes. These analyses have consistently demonstrated that multiple factors frequently influence the efficacy of these compounds. This review examines the possible anticancer properties of copper and Cu(II) complexes that incorporate Schiff base ligands containing 1,10-phenanthroline. The present study will comprehensively analyse the examined cell lines and mechanistic research associated with each complex.

Alterations in plasma and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition following exposure to toxic copper level affect membrane deformability and fluidity in female wistar rats

BACKGROUND

Deformability and fluidity function of the red blood cell membrane are properties defined by the lipid composition. Toxic copper level induces membrane lipid peroxidation which could cause membrane instability. This study therefore investigated the effect of exposure to toxic copper level for 30 days on red blood cell membrane deformability and fluidity in female Wistar rats.

METHODS

Twelve (12) female Wistar rats (160 ± 10 g) were randomly grouped (n = 6) into control (given 0.1 ml distilled water p.o.) and copper-toxic (100 mg/kg Copper Sulphate, p.o.), and treated for 30 days. Plasma obtained and RBC membrane prepared from blood collected over EDTA post-treatment were assayed for total cholesterol (TC), phospholipids and fatty acid profile using spectrophotometry and Gas chromatography while heparinized blood was subjected to fragility test. Data were analyzed using student T-test for statistical significance at p < 0.05.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Plasma TC increased by 4.33% while RBC membrane TC decreased by 20.32% in copper-toxic group compared to control. Compared to control, excess copper significantly increased membrane phospholipids level (0.72 ± 0.01 vs 0.59 ± 0.04 mg/dL) but reduced membrane cholesterol/phospholipid ratio (46.61 ± 4.72 vs 72.66 ± 6.47) and stability (by 23.53%). Number of cis- and saturated fatty acids increased in copper-treated plasma and RBC membrane compared to control. Exposure to toxic copper level alters erythrocyte membrane fluidity and deformability by disrupting membrane lipid composition, saturation, bond configuration in phospholipids and permeability.

Effects of Diets Containing Different Levels of Copper, Manganese, and Iodine on Rumen Fermentation, Blood Parameters, and Growth Performance of Yaks

Copper, manganese, and iodine are part of a yak's required trace elements. However, knowledge about their dietary requirements is scarce. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to evaluate rumen fermentation, blood parameters, and growth performance and screen out the optimum levels of trace elements in yaks' diet. Here, 18 three-year-old castrated yaks were randomly divided into four groups, which fed with diets containing basal (CON: 4.40, 33.82, and 0 mg/kg) and low-level (LL: 10.00, 40.00, and 0.30 mg/kg), middle-level (ML: 15.00, 50.00, and 0.50 mg/kg), and high-level (HL: 20.00, 60.00, and 0.70 mg/kg) copper, manganese, and iodine for 30 days. With the increase in trace elements, yaks' daily weight gain (DWG), rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen, microbial protein (MCP), and volatile fatty acids levels and serum triglycerides and urea nitrogen levels showed firstly increasing and then decreasing trends and reached the highest values in ML, and serum ceruloplasmin and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities showed continuously increasing trends. Yaks' DWG, rumen MCP, butyrate, and valerate levels and serum triglycerides, urea nitrogen, ceruloplasmin, and T-SOD levels in ML were significantly higher than CON. Therefore, the recommended levels of copper, manganese, and iodine in growing yaks' diet are 15.00, 50.00, and 0.50 mg/kg (ML), respectively.

New ion-imprinted polymer for selective removal of Cu2+ ion in aqueous solution using extracted Aloe vera leaves as a monomer

The objective of this project is to create a unique type of polymer known as an ion imprinted polymer (IIP) and a non-imprinted polymer (NIP) utilizing natural waste biosorbent materials. One example of this type of waste is Aloe vera, a plant with many medicinal uses that is grown globally. Aloe vera is considered one of the most valuable medicinal plants with a wide range of applications. Extracted Aloe vera was used as functional monomers for the first time to prepare new IIPs, epichlorohydrin, and Cu²⁺ ion as the cross-linking agent and template, respectively. The NIP was also synthesized for comparison, without the use of the Cu²⁺ salt. Following polymerization, the IIP particles were cleansed of template ions through a 0.1 M EDTA leaching process, resulting in the formation of cavities within the particles, these cavities in the polymer provide selective linking zones for these specific template ions. The synthesized IIPs were characterized using the most recent identification instruments. The experimental parameters for adsorption, such as pH of a solution, contact time, initial copper concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature have been optimized. The most effective conditions for metal adsorption onto the ionic imprinted polymer were found to be a pH of 8.0, a temperature of 30 °C, a concentration of 0.03 g/100 mL, and a contact time of 50 min. Based on the ANOVA statistical value, the adsorption of Cu²⁺ ion on IIP is significant with very low probability (p) values (<0.001). The Langmuir isotherm model and a second-order reaction were both used in the adsorption process. According to thermodynamic characteristics, Cu²⁺ adsorption over IIPs and NIP was an endothermic, spontaneous process. Compared to NIP, the imprinted polymer exhibits a significantly better capacity and selectivity for Cu²⁺ adsorption, the maximum removal percentage of IIPs and NIP was 96.02 % and 74.3 % respectively. Moreover, the research showed that ion imprinting can be a promising technique for preparing selective adsorbents to separate and preconcentrate metal in a medium of multiple competitive metals (Co²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Pb²⁺) The most important point for this new Cu²⁺-IIPs was shown superior reusability up to 8 cycles with small decrees in uptake capability.

The Role of Chosen Essential Elements (Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, Mn) in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs) Dedicated to Oncology Patients-Critical Review: State-of-the-Art

The scoping review aimed to characterise the role of selected essential elements (Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, Mn) in food for special medical purposes (FSMPs) aimed at oncology patients. The scope review was conducted using Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science to find published references on this subject. Data from the reviewed literature were related to the physiological functions of the element in the body, and the effects of deficiencies and excesses, referring to the latest ESPEN and EFSA guidelines, among others. Important dietary indices/parameters based on the literature review are provided for each element. On the basis of the literature, data on the level of elements in patients with cancer were collected. The content of these elements in 100 mL of FSMPs was read from the manufacturers' declarations. The literature has been provided on the importance of each element in cancer. Our findings show that the essential elements (Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, and Mn) of FSMPs for cancer patients are not adequately treated. We suggest solutions to ensure the safe use of FSMPs in oncology patients.

Effects of the substitution of cow’s milk with soymilk on the micronutrients, microbial, and sensory qualities of yoghurt

The consumption of imported dairy products is high especially in developing countries including Nigeria where little or no milk is produced locally which makes the products expensive, out of reach to common consumers and also inconvenient for lactose intolerance and vegans. Soymilk, as plant-based milk was substituted for cow’s milk in parts and in whole for the production of yoghurt and the effect of substitution was evaluated on the minerals, vitamins, microbial, and sensory properties of the products using the established methods. Significant differences (p < 0.05) exits among the yoghurt samples in the micronutrient contents. The soymilk substitution produced yoghurts with trace/macro mineral contents’ range of 0.14–28.50 mg/100 g and vitamin contents (ranged 0.02–0.43 mg/100 g) that were of comparable range of values with the yoghurt made with 100% cow’s milk (0.21–29.60 mg/100 g minerals and 0.05–0.58 mg/100 g vitamins). Generally, no significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in most of the sensory attributes evaluated (range 8.00–8.01) in the entire samples (except in the 100% soymilk yoghurt). The microbial analysis proved the safety of the entire products for consumption. These showed the positive effect of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk at all the levels used, thus, the lactose intolerance and vegans can find alternative to dairy yoghurt in the 100% soymilk substitution and enjoy the functional health benefits of yoghurt. Also, the total dependence on importation of dairy milk and cost of production of composited milk yoghurt could be reduced to improve the nation’s economy and make the product economically accessible to common man.

Graphical abstract

Zinc Chloride Enhances the Antioxidant Status, Improving the Functional and Structural Organic Disturbances in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex disease affecting the whole metabolic balance of the body and resulting in multiple organ complications: cardiovascular, neuronal, renal, etc. Our study focuses on investigating the effect of zinc chloride (Zn) on certain blood parameters suggestive for assessing the metabolic disturbances, the liver and kidney function, the oxidative stress and the immune defense capacity in experimental-induced DM with streptozotocin (STZ) and cholesterol in rats. Materials and Methods: The animals were assigned to three groups, as follows: Group 1 (Control): buffer citrate solution 0.1 mL/100 g body; Group 2 (STZ): 20 mg/kg body STZ and fat diet (10 g cholesterol/100 g diet); Group 3 (STZ+Zn): 20 mg/kg body STZ + 5 mg/kg body Zn chloride and the same fat diet. DM was induced by administering STZ in a single take daily, for three consecutive days, Zn and citrate buffer were administered orally for a month. The protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University 'Grigore T Popa' Iasi, in agreement with the International Regulations about the handling of laboratory animals. Results: The use of STZ in rats fed with cholesterol was correlated with important weight gain, hyperglycemia, the intensification of the transaminases activity and the increase in serum alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine and in malondialdehyde. Conclusions: The treatment with Zn resulted in weight loss and a decrease in blood sugar in diabetic rats. Supplementation with Zn notably reduced oxidative stress, preserved the pancreatic architecture and restored the liver and kidney function and structure in STZ-induced DM in rats.

Spatio-temporal monitoring of potentially toxic elements in Lagos harbour water and its health risk implications

Continuous discharge of industrial and domestic inputs from various processes into the Lagos lagoon has significantly affected the quality of the aquatic environment, as a result of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) being released into the harbour during anthropogenic activities. This study involved monitoring the concentration and distribution of heavy metals in Lagos harbour during the dry and wet seasons. The PTEs can pose a serious ecological threat to the marine environment as well as human beings when the level of priority metals like cadmium, lead, and chromium is beyond World Health Organization (WHO) limits of 0.003, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. The shipping activities within the harbour play a significant role in the generation of these toxic metals. The diverse nature of these metals coexisting with their oxidation states in aquatic environments and their bioaccumulation influences the toxicity of PTEs towards the living organism. The quantification of these metals with highly selective and accurate instrumentation is imperative. Ion-selective exchangers and other functionalized composite nanomaterial are critical for harbour water remediation because of the high risk that could be associated with prolonged exposure to these toxic elements especially when the carcinogenic risk value is greater than 1 × 10−6 mg/kg/day.

Antiviral effects of coinage metal-based nanomaterials to combat COVID-19 and its variants

The world has been suffering from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and millions of people have been infected through human-to-human transmission and lost their lives within months. Although multidisciplinary scientific approaches have been employed to fight against this deadly pandemic, various mutations and diverse environments keep producing constraints in treating SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, the efficacy of the developed vaccines has been limited, and inoculation with the vaccines does not guarantee complete protection even though multiple doses are required, which is a frustrating process. Historically, coinage metals (Cu, Ag, and Au) have been well-known for their effectiveness in antiviral action as well as good biocompatibility, binding receptor inhibition, reactive oxygen species, and phototherapy properties. Thus, this review highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 using the antivirus ability and mode of action of coinage metals such as viral entry mechanisms into host cells and the NP-inhibition process, which are explained in detail. This article also draws attention to coinage metal nanomaterial-based approaches to treat other contagious viruses. In addition, coinage metal-based biosensors and an overview of some other biocompatible metal-based nanomaterials to fight against SARS-CoV-2 variants are discussed. Finally, the advantages, perspectives and challenges of coinage metal nanoparticles are given to fight against viral infections in the future.

Theragnostic 64Cu/67Cu Radioisotopes Production With RFT-30 Cyclotron

⁶⁴Cu and ⁶⁷Cu are theragnostic pair radionuclides with promising application in the nuclear medicine. ⁶⁴Cu is PET nuclide for the non-invasive diagnosis and ⁶⁷Cu is beta emitter for therapy of various cancers. This study discusses optimization efforts in the production of these radioactive coppers carried out with 30 MeV cyclotron. Optimized conditions include target preparation, chemical separation, and quality control. The production routes of ⁶⁴Cu and ⁶⁷Cu were studied based on the nuclear reactions of ⁶⁴Ni(p,n)⁶⁴Cu and ⁷⁰Zn(p,α)⁶⁷Cu. The produced ⁶⁴Cu and ⁶⁷Cu have >99.9% of the radionuclidic purity. The yield at the end of bombardment (EOB) of ⁶⁴Cu and ⁶⁷Cu is 28.5 MBq/μAh and ⁶⁷Cu is 0.58 MBq/μAh, respectively.

Toxicity and Uptake of CuO Nanoparticles: Evaluation of an Emerging Nanofertilizer on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plant

Wet chemistry was used to produce copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs). The results indicated that most nanoparticles were bacillus-shaped and relatively uniform in size (less than 30 nm). The effect of synthesized CuO NPs on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germination and growth parameters was studied and compared to bulk Cu. The results showed that no significant difference was obtained in germination rate among all treatments. Bulk Cu additions significantly affect the mean germination rate and mean germination time. On the contrary, germinability was significantly affected by CuO NPs additions. Seed vigor index was calculated to demonstrate the superior treatment in wheat germination parameters, and the results confirmed that 0.1 mg L−1 of CuO NPs could be successfully used to improve wheat seed germination. Moreover, the general average Cu concentrations in the plant tissue were 139 and 103 mg kg−1 dry weight for bulk and CuO NPs, respectively, indicating the dissolution behavior of CuO NPs. The addition of CuO NPs (0.1 mg L−1) promotes chlorophyll formation equal to 0.5 mg L−1 of the bulk Cu addition. This means using nanoparticles as fertilizer could reduce 80% of traditional fertilizers. Nonetheless, Cu additions in both forms (NPs and bulk) reduce root growth substantially compared to control. The effective toxic dose (EC50) for bulk Cu and CuO NPs was 0.37 mg L−1 and 0.94 mg L−1, respectively. The results indicated that approximately 2.5 times CuO NPs concentration is equal to the toxicity dose of bulk Cu due to lowered CuO NPs dissolution. Our study showed that Cu phytotoxicity is a non-nanosized effect and showed that plant-induced changes under environmentally real conditions should be considered when measuring the dissolution of CuO NPs near wheat plant roots. This study implies that using nano-CuO as a micronutrient amendment has a potential benefit rather than the soluble Cu salt for plant growth.

Metal effect on intein splicing: A review

Inteins are intervening polypeptides that interrupt the functional domains of several important proteins across the three domains of life. Inteins excise themselves from the precursor protein, ligating concomitant extein residues in a process called protein splicing. Post-translational auto-removal of inteins remain critical for the generation of active proteins. The perspective of inteins in science is a robust field of research, however fundamental studies centralized upon splicing regulatory mechanism are imperative for addressing more intricate issues. Controlled engineering of intein splicing has many applications; intein inhibition can facilitate novel drug design, while activation of intein splicing is exploited in protein purification. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the past and recent advances in the splicing regulation via metal-intein interaction. We compare the behavior of different metal ions on diverse intein systems. Though metals such as Zn, Cu, Pt, Cd, Co, Ni exhibit intein inhibitory effect heterogeneously on different inteins, divalent metal ions such as Ca and Mg fail to do so. The observed diversity in the metal-intein interaction arises mostly due to intein polymorphism and variations in atomic structure of metals. A mechanistic understanding of intein regulation by metals in native as well as synthetically engineered intein systems may yield potent intein inhibitors via direct or indirect approach.

Chemical and nutritional composition of some selected lesser known legumes indigenous to Nigeria

This study evaluated the nutritional composition of Nigeria's lesser known legumes namely African breadfruit (Treculia africana), African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) seed, bambaranut (Vigna subterranean L.), red bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.), African oil bean (Pentaclethra mycrophylla Benth.) seed, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). The proximate composition, mineral content, fibre profile, fatty acid profile and amino acid compositions were evaluated using standard methods. The results showed that legume samples vary significantly (p < 0.05) in the chemical parameters evaluated. Groundnut, African oil bean seed and African breadfruit had significantly higher protein, carbohydrate, fat and ash contents than other legumes. Equally, groundnut, African oil bean and African breadfruit showed superiority in mineral and fibre abundance, while bambaranut had the lowest mineral and fibre contents. Linolenic acid is the most abundant fatty acid in all the legumes with values ranging from 38.78 - 84.57%. The percentage polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) for all the samples ranged from 40.15 - 48.97%. The total essential amino acids ranged from 24.11 - 66.67 mg/100 g. The range is considered adequate for ideal protein food. Therefore, lesser legumes evaluated can serve as alternative protein sources with good minerals, fibre, essential fatty and amino acids contents.

Impact of copper on in-vitro biomineralization, drug release efficacy and antimicrobial properties of bioactive glasses

This study highlights the incorporation of copper in the bioactive glasses (BAG) network that greatly influences the morphological, structural and biological properties. By increasing the copper incorporation in BAG, increment in cell volume was obtained from XRD patterns, and concomitantly, dominant phosphate bands and latent silica bands were observed by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic results. The Cu addition also affected particle appearance to vary from spherical to cluster-like cubes in 1.5% and 2.5% copper-doped BAG. Due to the mesoporous network 1.5% and 2.5% copper-doped BAG showed enhanced release of anti-inflammatory drugs such as Acetaminophen (ACE) and Ibuprofen (IBU) in which, the drug release profiles showed best fit with kinetic models of First order, Korsmeyar-Peppas and Higuchi. Copper doping influences the lattice of BAG, as a result morphology and porosity varied, which regulates the ionic dissolution, hence, prompting bioactivity was perceived from 1.5% and 2.5% copper-doped bioactive glasses (Cu-BGs). Moreover, 2.5% Cu-BG and 1.5% Cu-BG showed highest rate of ROS detection, as well as improved antimicrobial activity. This study established that up to certain proportion of copper incorporation in BAG network, potentially enhances the biomineralization and turns the morphology towards minimal size with mesoporous nature. Due to the abundance in oral microbial exposure, copper amplifies the superior antimicrobial properties, and Cu-BGs act as a drug carrier to load ACE and IBU, which potentially up-regulate the healing properties in dental application.

Adipose tissue as a possible therapeutic target for polyphenols: A case for Cyclopia extracts as anti-obesity nutraceuticals

Obesity is a significant contributor to increased morbidity and premature mortality due to increasing the risk of many chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Lifestyle modifications such as energy restriction and increased physical activity are highly effective first-line treatment strategies used in the management of obesity. However, adherence to these behavioral changes is poor, with an increased reliance on synthetic drugs, which unfortunately are plagued by adverse effects. The identification of new and safer anti-obesity agents is thus of significant interest. In recent years, plants and their phenolic constituents have attracted increased attention due to their health-promoting properties. Amongst these, Cyclopia, an endemic South African plant commonly consumed as a herbal tea (honeybush), has been shown to possess modulating properties against oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, and obesity. Likewise, several studies have reported that some of the major phenolic compounds present in Cyclopia spp. exhibit anti-obesity effects, particularly by targeting adipose tissue. These phenolic compounds belong to the xanthone, flavonoid and benzophenone classes. The aim of this review is to assess the potential of Cyclopia extracts as an anti-obesity nutraceutical as underpinned by in vitro and in vivo studies and the underlying cellular mechanisms and biological pathways regulated by their phenolic compounds.