{"title":"Alzheimer's disease: exploring nature's 'medicinal chest' for new therapeutic agents.","authors":"Anthony Tsarbopoulos","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2020-0018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural products have served humanity as a valuable source for the discovery and development of therapeutic agents. In addition, these phytochemicals can function as lead compounds for the development of synthetic analogs aimed at treating human diseases. In our aging society, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, which is characterized by a significant and progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions. As society demographics change, the predominance of AD and other age-related dementias is increasing, with concurrent financial and societal costs.AD represents one of the most remarkable scientific challenges for drug discovery as the search for effective disease-modifying agents has been unsuccessful. Medicinal plants have been used for their \"anti-aging\" properties, and cognitive enhancing properties. In the past decades, natural products have been studied for their anti-AD properties, and their potential for developing therapeutic agents against several molecular targets has been evaluated. This insight evaluates the prospects of medicinal plants for providing disease-modifying, as well as disease-preventing, agents for AD.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":" ","pages":"201-208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bmc-2020-0018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39161851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Latifa Mohamed Abdelgawad, Asmaa Mohamed Abdelaziz, Dina Sabry, Marwa Abdelgwad
{"title":"Influence of photobiomodulation and vitamin D on osteoblastic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells and bone-like tissue formation through enzymatic activity and gene expression.","authors":"Latifa Mohamed Abdelgawad, Asmaa Mohamed Abdelaziz, Dina Sabry, Marwa Abdelgwad","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2020-0016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>(1)Human periodontal ligament stem cells (HPDLSCs) are a unique population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Recently, the positive effects of photobiomodulation on the regulation of MSCs proliferation and osteogenic differentiation have gained significant attention. This study aimed to assess the effects of photobiomodulation and vitamin D (as an anabolic factor) on HPDLSCs for bone regeneration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>(2)HPDLSCs were collected, isolated, and characterized and then divided into six groups: groups I and II, control and (10<sup>-7</sup> Mol) vitamin D, respectively; group III, irradiation at 1 J/cm<sup>2</sup> of 808-nm diode laser; group IV, irradiation at 1 J/cm<sup>2</sup> and culture with vitamin D; group V, irradiation at 2 J/cm<sup>2</sup>, and group VI, irradiation at 2 J/cm<sup>2</sup> and culture with vitamin D. Cell viability assay was measured through MTT assay and cell growth curve. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity and mRNA levels of RUNX2, collagen 1 (Col-1), ALP, and osteonectin were also assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(3)Photobiomodulation at 1 and 2 J/cm<sup>2</sup> combined with vitamin D significantly promoted HPDLSC proliferation (in MTT assay and cell growth curve results) and osteogenic differentiation (through the gene expression of RUNX2, Col-1, ALP, and osteonectin levels (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>(4)Laser irradiation at 2 J/cm<sup>2</sup> combined with vitamin D3 enhanced osteoblast differentiation and proliferation of cultured HPDLSCs and thus could further substitute bone grafting.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":" ","pages":"172-181"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bmc-2020-0016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39161849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mass spectrometry-based glycomic profiling of the total IgG and total proteome N-glycomes isolated from follicular fluid.","authors":"Marko Klobučar, Sanja Dević Pavlić, Iris Car, Neda Smiljan Severinski, Tamara Tramišak Milaković, Anđelka Radojčić Badovinac, Sandra Kraljević Pavelić","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0015","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Couples with infertility issues have been assisted by in vitro fertilization reproduction technologies with high success rates of 50-80%. However, complications associated with ovarian stimulation remain, such as ovarian hyperstimulation. Oocyte quality is a significant factor impacting the outcome of in vitro fertilization procedures, but other processes are also critical for fertilization success. Increasing evidence points to aberrant inflammation as one of these critical processes reflected in molecular changes, including glycosylation of proteins. Here we report results from a MALDI-TOF-MS-based glycomic profiling of the total IgG and total proteome N-glycomes isolated from the follicular fluid obtained from patients undergoing fertilization through either (1) assisted reproduction by modified natural cycle or (2) controlled ovarian stimulation (GnRH antagonist, GnRH Ant) protocols. Significant inflammatory-related differences between analyzed N-glycomes were observed from samples and correlated with the ovarian stimulation protocol used in patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"153-171"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10390847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Novel Conceptual Model for the Dual Role of FOF1-ATP Synthase in Cell Life and Cell Death.","authors":"Sunil Nath","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0014","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) has been one of the longstanding enigmas in biology. Its cause is currently at the center of an extensive scientific debate, and several hypotheses on its molecular nature have been put forward. The present view holds that the transition arises from the opening of a high-conductance channel in the energy-transducing membrane, the permeability transition pore (PTP), also called the mitochondrial megachannel or the multiconductance channel (MMC). Here, the novel hypothesis is proposed that the aqueous access channels at the interface of the c-ring and the a-subunit of FO in the FOF1-ATP synthase are repurposed during induction of apoptosis and constitute the elusive PTP/ MMC. A unifying principle based on regulation by local potentials is advanced to rationalize the action of the myriad structurally and chemically diverse inducers and inhibitors of PTP/MMC. Experimental evidence in favor of the hypothesis and its differences from current models of PTP/MMC are summarized. The hypothesis explains in considerable detail how the binding of Ca2+ to a β-catalytic site (site 3) in the F1 portion of ATP synthase triggers the opening of the PTP/MMC. It is also shown to connect to longstanding proposals within Nath's torsional mechanism of energy transduction and ATP synthesis as to how the binding of MgADP to site 3 does not induce PTP/MMC, but instead catalyzes physiological ATP synthesis in cell life. In the author's knowledge, this is the first model that explains how Ca2+ transforms the FOF1-ATP synthase from an exquisite energy-conserving enzyme in cell life into an energy-dissipating structure that promotes cell death. This has major implications for basic as well as for clinical research, such as for the development of drugs that target the MPT, given the established role of PTP/MMC dysregulation in cancer, ischemia, cardiac hypertrophy, and various neurodegenerative diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"143-152"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10071424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Insights into Endothelin-3 and Multiple Sclerosis.","authors":"Lucia Monti, Umberto Arrigucci, Alessandro Rossi","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0012","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endothelins are powerful vasoconstrictor peptides that play numerous other roles. Endothelin-1 (ET1) is the principal isoform produced by the endothelium in the human cardiovascular system. Endothelin-3 (ET3) and its rPptor affinity have been demonstrated to support neuronal repair mechanisms throughout life. In multiple sclerosis (MS), the role of vasoactive peptides are not well defined. Here we focus on ET3, specifically the plasma levels between MS patients and healthy subjects. Furthermore, we evaluated the changes in ET1 and ET3 plasma levels during different disease phases, the correlation between ET3 and cerebral circulation time, and the relationship between ET1 and ET3. In MS patients, the ET3 plasma levels were altered in a time-dependent manner. These results could support a putative role of ET3 in neuroprotection and/or neuroimmune modulation over time.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"137-141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10369415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Prosper Bado, Florencia Wendkuuni Djigma, Théodora Mahoukèdè Zohoncon, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Esther Mah Alima Traoré, Abdoul Karim Ouattara, Teega-Wendé Clarisse Ouedraogo, Shoukrat Ohuwa Toyin Bello, Marius Ayaovi Setor, Ina Marie Angèle Traore, Apollinaire Horo, Kouame Privat Kouakou, Théophane Albert Yonli, Charlemagne Ouedraogo, Jacques Simpore
{"title":"Erratum to \"Polymorphism of MMP1 and MMP3 promoter regions and HR-HPV infection in women from Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire\".","authors":"Prosper Bado, Florencia Wendkuuni Djigma, Théodora Mahoukèdè Zohoncon, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Esther Mah Alima Traoré, Abdoul Karim Ouattara, Teega-Wendé Clarisse Ouedraogo, Shoukrat Ohuwa Toyin Bello, Marius Ayaovi Setor, Ina Marie Angèle Traore, Apollinaire Horo, Kouame Privat Kouakou, Théophane Albert Yonli, Charlemagne Ouedraogo, Jacques Simpore","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2020-0013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":" ","pages":"142"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/bmc-2020-0013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38069969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rogomenoma Alice Ouedraogo, Théodora Mahoukèdè Zohoncon, Ina Marie Angèle Traore, Abdoul Karim Ouattara, Sindimalgdé Patricia Guigma, Florencia Wendkuuni Djigma, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Charlemagne Ouedraogo, Jacques Simpore
{"title":"Genotypic distribution of human oncogenic papillomaviruses in sexually active women in Burkina Faso: Central, Central-Eastern and Hauts-Bassins regions.","authors":"Rogomenoma Alice Ouedraogo, Théodora Mahoukèdè Zohoncon, Ina Marie Angèle Traore, Abdoul Karim Ouattara, Sindimalgdé Patricia Guigma, Florencia Wendkuuni Djigma, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Charlemagne Ouedraogo, Jacques Simpore","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0011","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective this study was conducted to determine the distribution of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genotypes in women in the general population of three regions of Burkina Faso. Method This multicenter, descriptive cross-sectional study involved 1321 sexually active women in five cities in three regions of Burkina Faso: Central, Central-Eastern and Hauts-Bassins regions. After collection of endocervical specimens, pre-cervical lesions were screened by visual inspection with acetic acid and lugol (VIA / VILI). HR-HPV genotypes were characterized by multiplex real-time PCR after extraction of viral DNA. Results The mean age of women was 31.98 ± 10.09 years. The HR-HPV infection in the three regions ranged from 26.16% to 43.26% with 35.42% as overall prevalence in women. The most common HR-HPV genotypes in descending order were: HPV 56, 52, 66, 59, 39, 51, 18, 35. The prevalence of bivalent vaccine genotypes (HPV16 / 18) was 7.83% against 63.78% of genotypes not covered by HPV vaccine; 36.32% (170/468) of women had multiple concomitant HR-HPV infections. Conclusion this study showed significant regional variation and high prevalence of HR-HPV infection in women. The predominant genotypes differ from those covered by available vaccines in Burkina Faso. These results will help guide our health policies towards better prevention of cervical cancer. The diversity of oncogenic genotypes is sparking a large-scale study in the West African sub-region, particularly in cases of cancer and the introduction of the nonavalent vaccine which includes HPV 52 found among the predominant genotypes in this study.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"125-136"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10014875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Polymorphism of MMP1 and MMP3 promoter regions and HR-HPV infection in women from Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire.","authors":"Prosper Bado, Florencia Djigma Wendkuuni, Mahoukèdè Zohoncon Théodora, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Alima Traoré Esther Mah, Karim Ouattara Abdoul, Clarisse Ouedraogo Teega-Wendé, Toyin Bello Shoukrat Ohuwa, Ayaovi Setor Marius, Angèle Traore Ina Marie, Apollinaire Horo, Privat Kouakou Kouame, Théophane Yonli Albert, Charlemagne Ouedraogo, Jacques Simpore","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0010","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the promoter region of MMP-1 (at 1607 bp) and MMP-3 (at 1171 bp) create Ets binding sites. Correlations between these SNPs and sensitivity to several biological processes such as metastasis and recurrence of cancer have been reported in several studies. In this case-control study, we looked for these SNPs in women infected with or not with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV). The frequency, distribution and correlation of these SNPs with the presence or absence of HR-HPV infection were evaluated. Genotypes 1G1G, 1G2G and 2G2G for MMP1 and genotypes 5A5A, 5A6A, 6A6A for MMP3 were found in our study population. In general, we noted that the 1G (40.8%) and 2G (64.8%) alleles were more frequent in non-infected women and infected women, respectively, and more specifically this difference was significant in women from Côte d'Ivoire. These results, although yet to be reaffirmed with assays for quantifying the mRNA of these genes, suggest that the SNP of the MMP-1 promoter could promote infection with HR-HPV.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"116-124"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10006054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liisa Lutter, Christopher J Serpell, Mick F Tuite, Louise C Serpell, Wei-Feng Xue
{"title":"Three-dimensional reconstruction of individual helical nano-filament structures from atomic force microscopy topographs.","authors":"Liisa Lutter, Christopher J Serpell, Mick F Tuite, Louise C Serpell, Wei-Feng Xue","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0009","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Atomic force microscopy, AFM, is a powerful tool that can produce detailed topographical images of individual nano-structures with a high signal-to-noise ratio without the need for ensemble averaging. However, the application of AFM in structural biology has been hampered by the tip-sample convolution effect, which distorts images of nano-structures, particularly those that are of similar dimensions to the cantilever probe tips used in AFM. Here we show that the tip-sample convolution results in a feature-dependent and non-uniform distribution of image resolution on AFM topographs. We show how this effect can be utilised in structural studies of nano-sized upward convex objects such as spherical or filamentous molecular assemblies deposited on a flat surface, because it causes 'magnification' of such objects in AFM topographs. Subsequently, this enhancement effect is harnessed through contact-point based deconvolution of AFM topographs. Here, the application of this approach is demonstrated through the 3D reconstruction of the surface envelope of individual helical amyloid filaments without the need of cross-particle averaging using the contact-deconvoluted AFM topographs. Resolving the structural variations of individual macromolecular assemblies within inherently heterogeneous populations is paramount for mechanistic understanding of many biological phenomena such as amyloid toxicity and prion strains. The approach presented here will also facilitate the use of AFM for high-resolution structural studies and integrative structural biology analysis of single molecular assemblies.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"102-115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10006052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bagora Bayala, Ahmed Y Coulibaly, Florencia W Djigma, Bolni Marius Nagalo, Silvère Baron, Gilles Figueredo, Jean-Marc A Lobaccaro, Jacques Simpore
{"title":"Chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities of the essential oil of Cymbopogon nardus, a plant used in traditional medicine.","authors":"Bagora Bayala, Ahmed Y Coulibaly, Florencia W Djigma, Bolni Marius Nagalo, Silvère Baron, Gilles Figueredo, Jean-Marc A Lobaccaro, Jacques Simpore","doi":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0007","DOIUrl":"10.1515/bmc-2020-0007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives Natural products commonly used in traditional medicine, such as essential oils (EOs), are attractive sources for the development of molecules with anti-proliferative activities for future treatment of human cancers, e.g., prostate and cervical cancer. In this study, the chemical composition of the EO from Cymbopogon nardus was characterized, as well as its antioxidativeproperties and anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities on LNCaP cells derived from prostate cancer. Methods The chemical composition of the EO was determined by GC/FID and GC/MS analyses. The antioxidative properties were assessed using DPPH radical scavenging assay and ABTS+• radical cation decolorization assay, and the anti-inflammatory capacity was determined by the inhibition of the lipoxygenase activity. Antiproliferative activity was evaluated by MTT assay. Results Collectively, our data show that the major constituents of C. nardus EO are citronellal (33.06 %), geraniol (28.40 %), nerol (10.94 %), elemol (5.25 %) and delta-elemene (4.09 %). C. nardus EO shows modest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity compared to the standard galic acid. C. nardus EO exhibits the best antiproliferative activity on the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP with an IC50 of 58.0 ± 7.9 μg/mL, acting through the induction of the cell cycle arrest. Conclusions This study has determined that C. nardus EO efficiently triggers cytotoxicity and pens a new field of investigation regarding the putative use of this EO in vivo.</p>","PeriodicalId":38392,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecular Concepts","volume":"11 1","pages":"86-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10006056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}