Bisphenol A (BPA) and p-nitrophenol (PNP) are emerging contaminants of soils due to their wide presence in agricultural and industrial products. Thus, the present study aimed to integrate morpho-physiological, ionic homeostasis, and defense- and antioxidant-related genes in the response of tomato plants to BPA or PNP stress, an area of research that has been scarcely studied. In this work, increasing the levels of BPA and PNP in the soil intensified their drastic effects on the biomass and photosynthetic pigments of tomato plants. Moreover, BPA and PNP induced osmotic stress on tomato plants by reducing soluble sugars and soluble proteins relative to control. The soil contamination with BPA and PNP treatments caused a decline in the levels of macro- and micro-elements in the foliar tissues of tomatoes while simultaneously increasing the contents of non-essential micronutrients. The Fourier transform infrared analysis of the active components in tomato leaves revealed that BPA influenced the presence of certain functional groups, resulting in the absence of some functional groups, while on PNP treatment, there was a shift observed in certain functional groups compared to the control. At the molecular level, BPA and PNP induced an increase in the gene expression of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, with the exception of POD gene expression under BPA stress. The expression of the thaumatin-like protein gene increased at the highest level of PNP and a moderate level of BPA without any significant effect of both pollutants on the expression of the tubulin (TUB) gene. The comprehensive analysis of biochemical responses in tomato plants subjected to BPA and PNP stress illustrates valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying tolerance to these pollutants.

The lifecycle of fresh produce involves a sequence of biochemical events during their ontology, and these events are particularly significant for climacteric fruits. A high demand during ripening is observed in these plant products, which is reflected in a high rate of respiration and ethylene production. Increased respiratory demand triggers the activation of secondary pathways such as alternate oxidase, which do not experience critical increases in energy consumption in non-climacteric fruit. In addition, biochemical events produced by external factors lead to compensatory responses in fresh produce to counteract the oxidative stress caused by the former. The dynamics of these responses are accompanied by signaling, where reactive oxygen species play a pivotal role in fresh product cell perception. This review aims to describe the protection mechanisms of fresh produce against environmental challenges and how controlled doses of abiotic stressors can be used to improve quality and prolong their shelf-life through the interaction of stress and defense mechanisms.

Rapid advancements in technology refine our understanding of intricate biological processes, but a crucial emphasis remains on understanding the assumptions and sources of uncertainty underlying biological measurements. This is particularly critical in cell signaling research, where a quantitative understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing these transient events is essential for drug development, given their importance in both homeostatic and pathogenic processes. Western blotting, a technique developed decades ago, remains an indispensable tool for investigating cell signaling, protein expression, and protein-protein interactions. While improvements in statistical analysis and methodology reporting have undoubtedly enhanced data quality, understanding the underlying assumptions and limitations of visual inspection in Western blotting can provide valuable additional information for evaluating experimental conclusions. Using the example of agonist-induced receptor post-translational modification, we highlight the theoretical and experimental assumptions associated with Western blotting and demonstrate how raw blot data can offer clues to experimental variability that may not be fully captured by statistical analyses and reported methodologies. This article is not intended as a comprehensive technical review of Western blotting. Instead, we leverage an illustrative example to demonstrate how assumptions about experimental design and data normalization can be revealed within raw data and subsequently influence data interpretation.

Among civilization diseases, the number of individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is expected to increase to more than a billion in less than 20 years, which is associated with, e.g., populational aging, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, genetic predispositions, and immunological factors. T2DM affects many organs and is characterized by insulin resistance, high glucose levels, and adipocyte dysfunction, which are related to senescence. Although this type of cellular aging has beneficial biological functions, it can also act unfavorable since senescent adipocytes resist apoptosis, enhance cytokine secretion, downregulate cell identity genes, and acquire the senescence-associated secretory phenotype that renders a more oxidative environment. Opposing T2DM is possible via a wide variety of senotherapies, including senolytics and senomorphics; nevertheless, further research is advised to expand therapeutic possibilities and benefits. Consequences that ought to be deeply researched include secretory phenotype, chronic inflammation, increasing insulin resistance, as well as impairment of adipogenesis and functioning of adipocyte cells. Herein, despite reviewing T2DM and fat tissue senescence, we summarized the latest adipocyte-related anti-diabetes solutions and suggested further research directions.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly metastatic subtype of breast cancer. Due to the absence of obvious therapeutic targets, microRNAs (miRNAs) provide possible hope to treat TNBC. Withaferin A (WA), a steroidal lactone, possesses potential anticancer activity with lesser side effects. The present study identifies hub genes (CDKN3, TRAF6, CCND1, JAK1, MET, AXIN2, JAG1, VEGFA, BRCA1, E2F3, WNT1, CDK6, KRAS, MYB, MYCN, TGFβR2, NOTCH1, SIRT1, MYCN, NOTCH2, WNT3A) from the list of predicted targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in WA-treated MDA-MB-231 cells using in silico protein-protein interaction network analysis. CCND1, CDK6, and TRAF6 hub genes were predicted as targets of miR-34a-5p and miR-146a-5p, respectively. The study found the lower expression of miR-34a-5p and miR-146a-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells, and further, it was observed that WA treatment effectively restored the lost expression of miR-34a-5p and miR-146a-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells. An anti-correlation expression pattern was found among the miR-34a-5p and miR-146a-5p and the respective target hub genes in WA-treated TNBC cells. In conclusion, WA might exert anti-cancer effect in TNBC cells by inducing miR-34a-5p and miR-146a-5p expressions and decreasing CCND1, CDK6, and TARF6 target hub genes in TNBC cells.

Opsins play a key role in the ability to sense light both in image-forming vision and in non-visual photoreception (NVP). These modalities, in most animal phyla, share the photoreceptor protein: an opsin-based protein binding a light-sensitive chromophore by a lysine (Lys) residue. So far, visual and non-visual opsins have been discovered throughout the Metazoa phyla, including the photoresponsive Hydra, an eyeless cnidarian considered the evolutionary sister species to bilaterians. To verify whether light influences and modulates opsin gene expression in Hydra, we utilized four expression sequence tags, similar to two classic opsins (SW rhodopsin and SW blue-sensitive opsin) and two non-visual opsins (melanopsin and peropsin), in investigating the expression patterns during both diurnal and circadian time, by means of a quantitative RT-PCR. The expression levels of all four genes fluctuated along the light hours of diurnal cycle with respect to the darkness one and, in constant dark condition of the circadian cycle, they increased. The monophasic behavior in the L12:D12 cycle turned into a triphasic expression profile during the continuous darkness condition. Consequently, while the diurnal opsin-like expression revealed a close dependence on light hours, the highest transcript levels were found in darkness, leading us to novel hypothesis that in Hydra, an "internal" biological rhythm autonomously supplies the opsins expression during the circadian time. In conclusion, in Hydra, both diurnal and circadian rhythms apparently regulate the expression of the so-called visual and non-visual opsins, as already demonstrated in higher invertebrate and vertebrate species. Our data confirm that Hydra is a suitable model for studying ancestral precursor of both visual and NVP, providing useful hints on the evolution of visual and photosensory systems.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by immune system dysregulation, impacting both central and peripheral immune responses. The study aimed to investigate the mechanism behind the neurotoxic effects of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the rat brain including the study of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and alterations in peripheral immune responses (PIR). The neuroinflammation brought on by Aβ1-42 and is unknown to influence PIR. Animal models were prepared, after 28 days, control, sham, and treated rats were anaesthetized and inflammatory markers of hippocampus and serum levels (reactive oxygen species, nitrite, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β), and some markers of PIR (splenic mononuclear cells or MNC, cytotoxicity and phagocytic index of the white blood cells leukocyte adhesion inhibition index or LAI), as well as polymorphonuclear cells of the spleen, were assessed. In addition to changes in peripheral immune responses, the present study found that AD rats had higher blood levels of inflammatory markers. Based on the study, the immune system irregularities observed in AD rats in the peripheral regions might be connected to neuroinflammation, which is facilitated by a compromised blood-brain barrier. Hence, it is viable to propose that the neuroinflammatory condition in rats with Aβ-induced AD could modify immune responses in the peripheral areas with significantly higher levels of inflammatory cytokines markers in the hippocampal tissue in Aβ-injected AD rats.

This study explores the synergistic antibacterial effects of essential oils (EOs) and phenolic extracts from three plants against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The present work aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of the binary and the ternary combinations of extracts using different blend proportions of the following plant extracts: Artemisia campestris (AC), Artemisia herba alba (AHA), and Citrus aurantium (CA). The antimicrobial activities of EOs and phenolic extracts were determined and evaluated against five strains. For the EOs, the results of the DIZ showed the existence of synergism for different combinations of binary blends, such as AC/AHA or AHA/CA against Escherichia coli, and AC/CA against Enterobacter faecalis. In addition, ternary blends of AC:AHA:CA at a ratio of 1/6:2/3:1/6 exhibited a synergy effect, as measured by the CI, against E. coli. On the other hand, for the phenolic extracts, synergistic effects were noticed for binary blends of AC/CA at different ratios against E. coli, E. faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Similarly, ternary blends of phenolic extracts presented synergy against E. coli, E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa strains, and even C. albicans. In this case, the blending ratios were crucial determining factors for maximizing the synergy effect. The study established that the proportion of a single drug could play an essential role in determining the bioefficacy of a drug combination treatment. Therefore, the results showed the importance of studying the modulation of antibacterial activities based on the proportions of extracts in the mixture and finding the range of proportions (as determined by SLMD) that have a synergistic/additive/antagonistic effect with no or low side effects, which can be used in a food preservation system.

5-Hydroxy-3',4',6,7-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF) is a plant-origin flavone known for its anti-cancer properties. In the present study, the cytotoxic effect of TMF was evaluated in the U87MG and T98G glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines. The effect of TMF on cell viability was assessed with trypan blue exclusion assay and crystal violet staining. In addition, flow cytometry was performed to examine its effect on the different phases of the cell cycle, and in vitro scratch wound assay assessed the migratory capacity of the treated cells. Furthermore, the effect of in vitro radiotherapy was also evaluated with a combination of TMF and radiation. In both cell lines, TMF treatment resulted in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, reduced cell viability, and reduced cell migratory capacity. In contrast, there was an antagonistic property of TMF treatment with radiotherapy. These results demonstrated the antineoplastic effect of TMF in GBM cells in vitro, but the antagonistic effect with radiotherapy indicated that TMF should be further evaluated for its possible antitumor role post-radiotherapy.

Epigenetic analysis is a fundamental part of understanding pathophysiological processes with potential applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of disease susceptibility. Epigenetic changes have been widely studied in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but currently, there is no molecular marker used to improve the treatment of patients. Furthermore, this progressive disease is a risk factor for the development of more severe COVID-19. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP-PCR) plays an important role in the analysis of DNA methylation profiles, and it is one of the most widely used techniques. In this context, the combination of MSP-PCR with emerging PCR technologies, such as digital PCR (dPCR), results in more accurate analyses of the DNA methylation profile of the genes under study. In this study, we propose the application of the MSP-dPCR technique to evaluate the methylation profile of the ADAM33 gene from saliva samples and lung tissue biopsies of patients with COPD and COVID-19. MSP-dPCR generated a measurable prediction of gene methylation rate, with the potential application of this combined technology for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. It has also proven to be a powerful tool for liquid biopsy applications.