Non-enzymatic Antioxidants Research Articles

Glutathione Transferases Are Involved in the Genotype-Specific Salt-Stress Response of Tomato Plants.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are one of the most versatile multigenic enzyme superfamilies. In our experiments, the involvement of the genotype-specific induction of GST genes and glutathione- or redox-related genes in pathways regulating salt-stress tolerance was examined in tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum Moneymaker, Mobil, and Elán F1). The growth of the Mobil plants was adversely affected during salt stress (100 mM of NaCl), which might be the result of lowered glutathione and ascorbate levels, a more positive glutathione redox potential (EGSH), and reduced glutathione reductase (GR) and GST activities. In contrast, the Moneymaker and Elán F1 cultivars were able to restore their growth and exhibited higher GR and inducible GST activities, as well as elevated, non-enzymatic antioxidant levels, indicating their enhanced salt tolerance. Furthermore, the expression patterns of GR, selected GST, and transcription factor genes differed significantly among the three cultivars, highlighting the distinct regulatory mechanisms of the tomato genotypes during salt stress. The correlations between EGSH and gene expression data revealed several robust, cultivar-specific associations, underscoring the complexity of the stress response mechanism in tomatoes. Our results support the cultivar-specific roles of distinct GST genes during the salt-stress response, which, along with WRKY3, WRKY72, DREB1, and DREB2, are important players in shaping the redox status and the development of a more efficient stress tolerance in tomatoes.

Compost and Phosphorus/Potassium-Solubilizing Fungus Effectively Boosted Quinoa's Physio-Biochemical Traits, Nutrient Acquisition, Soil Microbial Community, and Yield and Quality in Normal and Calcareous Soils.

Calcareous soil had sufficient phosphorus and potassium (PK) in different forms due to the high contents of PK-bearing minerals; however, the available PK state was reduced due to its PK-fixation capacity. Compost, coupled with high PK solubilization capacity microbes, is a sustainable solution for bioorganic fertilization of plants grown in calcareous soil. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of compost (20 t ha-1) with Aspergillus niger through soil drenching (C-AN) along with partial substitution of PK fertilization on quinoa performance in normal and calcareous soils. Treatments included PK100% (72 kg P2O5 ha-1 + 60 kg K2O ha-1 as conventional rate), PK100%+C-AN, PK75%+C-AN, PK50%+C-AN, PK25%+C-AN, and only C-AN in normal and calcareous soils. Results showed that C-AN and reduced PK fertilization (up to 75 or 50%) increased photosynthetic pigments and promoted nutrient acquisition in quinoa grown in calcareous soil. Reduced PK fertilization to 75 or 50% plus C-AN in calcareous soil increased osmoprotectants, nonenzymatic antioxidants, and DPPH scavenging activity of quinoa's leaves compared to the PK0%+C-AN treatment. The integrative application of high PK levels and C-AN enhanced the quinoa's seed nutritional quality (i.e., lipids, carbohydrates, mineral contents, total phenolics, total flavonoids, half maximal inhibitory concentration, and antiradical power) in calcareous soil. At reduced PK fertilization (up to 75 or 50%), application of compost with Aspergillus niger through soil drenching increased plant dry weight by 38.7 or 53.2%, hectoliter weight by 3.0 or 2.4%, seed yield by 49.1 or 39.5%, and biological yield by 43.4 or 33.6%, respectively, compared to PK0%+C-AN in calcareous soil. The highest P-solubilizing microorganism's population was found at PK0%+C-AN in calcareous soil, while the highest Azotobacter sp. population was observed under high PK levels + C-AN in normal soil. Our study recommends that compost with Aspergillus niger as a bioorganic fertilization treatment can partially substitute PK fertilization and boost quinoa's tolerance to salt calcareous-affected soil.

Hormetic dose responses induced by nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) on growth, biochemical, and antioxidant defense systems of Dracocephalum kotschyi.

The application of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) in various fields leads to their release into soil and water and, consequently, interaction with plants. Unlike its bulk counterpart, the phytotoxic potential of NiONPs is relatively less studied, particularly in a hormesis framework. Hormesis is an interesting phenomenon characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. Therefore, this study demonstrates the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of NiONPs on Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss as a medicinal plant cultivated in a pot experiment carried out in a greenhouse for 3weeks. High bioaccumulation of nickel (Ni) in roots of treated plants relative to shoots indicates higher oxidative damage. NiONPs induced hormetic effects on photosynthetic pigments, as at low concentration of 50mg/L stimulated chlorophyll (2.8-46.7%), carotenoid (16%), and anthocyanin (5.9%) contents and at higher concentrations inhibited the content of these pigments. A hormetic response was observed in growth parameters, i.e., NiONPs induced shoot height (7.2%) and weight (33%) at 100mg/L, while inhibited shoot and root length (14.5-16.1% and 28.7-42.7%) and weight (46.8-48.1% and 37-40.6%), respectively, at 1000 and 2500mg/L. The treated plants declined the toxic effects and oxidative stress caused by NiONPs by activating non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolic compounds and proline) and enzymatic antioxidants, i.e., increasing the levels of SOD, POD, CAT, and APX. Therefore, the present study investigated for the first time the different mechanisms and responses of D. kotschyi plants to NiONPs in a wide range of concentrations. The results suggest that NiONPs may act as an elicitor at lower concentrations in medicinal plants according to specific conditions. However, these NPs at higher concentrations induce oxidative stress and harmful effects on plants, so their use poses serious risks to human health and the environment.

Potential Role of Phytochromes A and B and Cryptochrome 1 in the Adaptation of Solanum lycopersicum to UV-B Radiation.

UV-B causes both damage to the photosynthetic apparatus (PA) and the activation of specific mechanisms that protect the PA from excess energy and trigger a cascade of regulatory interactions with different photoreceptors, including phytochromes (PHYs) and cryptochromes (CRYs). However, the role of photoreceptors in plants' responses to UV-B radiation remains undiscovered. This study explores some of these responses using tomato photoreceptor mutants (phya, phyb1, phyab2, cry1). The effects of UV-B exposure (12.3 µmol (photons) m-2 s-1) on photosynthetic rates and PSII photochemical activity, the contents of photosynthetic and UV-absorbing pigments and anthocyanins, and the nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were studied. The expression of key light-signaling genes, including UV-B signaling and genes associated with the biosynthesis of chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, was also determined. Under UV-B, phyab2 and cry1 mutants demonstrated a reduction in the PSII effective quantum yield and photosynthetic rate, as well as a reduced value of TEAC. At the same time, UV-B irradiation led to a noticeable decrease in the expression of the ultraviolet-B receptor (UVR8), repressor of UV-B photomorphogenesis 2 (RUP2), cullin 4 (CUL4), anthocyanidin synthase (ANT), phenylalanine ammonia-lease (PAL), and phytochrome B2 (PHYB2) genes in phyab2 and RUP2, CUL4, ANT, PAL, and elongated hypocotyl 5 (HY5) genes in the cry1 mutant. The results indicate the mutual regulation of UVR8, PHYB2, and CRY1 photoreceptors, but not PHYB1 and PHYA, in the process of forming a response to UV-B irradiation in tomato.

Investigating the efficacy of topical application of Ipomoea carnea herbal cream in preventing skin damage induced by UVB radiation in a rat model

Ultraviolet-B irradiation is a common environmental stressor that has detrimental effects on human skin. Natural sunscreens are well-known for their ability to benefit inflamed sunburn and dry skin. This study examined the effect of formulated Ipomoea carnea herbal cream on UVB-induced skin damage. We screened the bioactive compounds of I. carnea crude extract, showing significant antioxidant activity. Additionally, we evaluated the cytotoxicity, revealing that I. carnea extract has less toxicity to vero cells (IC50 98.45 μg/mL) than to A375 cells (IC50 48.95 μg/mL). Based on this, we formulated the I. carnea herbal cream (FIHC) at 50, 100 and 200 mg concentrations and evaluated its organoleptic characteristics. Then, the rats were exposed to UVB radiation (32,800 J/m2) four times/week (on alternate days) before the cream was applied topically to the dorsal skin surface. Under UVB stress without treatment, rats showed deep dermal damage. In contrast, rats treated with the FIHC exhibited significantly reduced sunburn. Moreover, the histopathological and biochemical assays were confirmed by the topical application of FIHC, which had potentially reduced the skin elasticity and maintained the imbalanced enzyme and non-enzymatic antioxidant activity. Our findings amply demonstrate that the FIHC significantly accelerated the recovery of UVB-induced lesions through antioxidant and down-regulation of skin photodamage.

Stimulatory effect of dietary alpha-lipoic acid on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, liver enzymes, immunity and protection of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.), Edwardsiella tarda infection.

Edwardsiella tarda is one of the most common causes of fish diseases that hinder aquaculture. Oxidative stress in farm animals can induce a number of pathological disorders, productionand general animal welfare. The use of exogenous dietary nonenzymatic antioxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) can stop a pro-oxidant state and thus appears to have the potential to modulate the immune system and protect fish from bacterial infection. Thus, this study investigates the stimulatory effect of dietary ALA on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, liver enzymes, immunityand protection of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.), against an infection with E. tarda. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets (400 g/kg of crude protein) containing ALA at doses of 0.0 (control), 500, 1000, 1500or 2000 mg/kg diet were served to 300 juveniles of African catfish (mean weight = 8.2 ± 0.2 g) adequately thrice per day for 12 weeks. Thereafter, 0.1 mL of E. tarda (ATCC 15947; 1.0 × 108 CFU/mL) was intraperitoneally injected into 10 fish from each tank and was monitored for 14 days. The results showed that ALA-fortified diets significantly boosted the fish growth, feed consumption and utilizationand feed conversion ratio but no did not affect fish survival rate. The highest final fish weight (g), weight growth (g)and weight gain (%) were all considerably higher in fish fed with ALA-fortified diets (p < 0.05), especially from 1000 to 200 mg/kg ALA than the control group. Also, an enhanced hemato-biochemical, antioxidantand immune indices were noticed in African catfish-fed ALA-enriched diets. In a dose-dependent order, the levels of haematological indices such Ht, Hb, RBCs, WBCsand platelets were markedly increased (p < 0.05). Additionally, fish fed with ALA-based diets showed substantial (p < 0.05) declines in aspartate and alanine aminotransferase values, with the lowest values being found in the 2000 mg/kg diet while control group had highest values. Further, African catfish fed the feed fortified with 2000 mg ALA/kg diet showed the highest levels of lysozyme, respiratory burst, proteasesand esterase activities (p < 0.05). Following exposure of fish to E. tarda infection, a significant reduction in the mortality was obtained in African catfish fed with ALA-based diets, especially from 1500 to 2000 mg ALA/kg diet (3.3%); while fish fed with the control diet had highest mortality (86.7%). Therefore, diets supplemented with ALA evoked fish growth performance, antioxidantsand nonspecific immunity of African catfish. Also, resistance of African catfish to E. Tarda infection were raised when fed ALA-fortified diets at optimum inclusion rate of 1300 mg ALA/kg diet.

Water stress memory in wheat/maize intercropping regulated photosynthetic and antioxidative responses under rainfed conditions

Drought is a most prevalent environmental stress affecting the productivity of rainfed wheat and maize in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Sustainable agricultural practices such as intercropping are important for enhancing crop performance in terms of better physiological and biochemical characteristics under drought conditions. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant enzyme activities are associated with improved abiotic tolerance in crop plants, however, its molecular mechanism remains obscure. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of intercropping treatment viz. wheat mono-crop (WMC), maize mono-crop (MMC), intercropping maize (IM) and wheat (IW) crops, and nitrogen (N) application rates viz. control and full-dose of N (basal application at 150 and 235 kg ha−1 for wheat and maize, respectively) on chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative properties and expression patterns of six tolerance genes in both crops under rainfed conditions. As compared with their respective monocropping treatments, IW and IM increased the Fo/Fm by 18.35 and 14.33%, PS-11 efficiency by 7.90 and 13.44%, photosynthesis by 14.31 and 23.97%, C-capacity by 32.05 and 12.92%, and stomatal conductance by 41.40 and 89.95% under without- and with-N application, respectively. The reductions in instantaneous- and intrinsic-water use efficiency and MDA content in the range of 8.76–26.30% were recorded for IW and IM treatments compared with WMC and MMC, respectively. Compared with the WMC and MMC, IW and IM also triggered better antioxidant activities under both N rates. Moreover, we also noted that intercropping and N addition regulated the transcript levels of six genes encoding non-enzymatic antioxidants cycle enzymes. The better performance of intercropping treatments i.e., IW and IM were also associated with improved osmolytes accumulation under rainfed conditions. As compared with control, N addition significantly improved the chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities under all intercropping treatments. Our results increase our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of intercropping-induced water stress tolerance in wheat and maize crops.

Phytocompounds, antioxidant potential, and inhibitory actions of ethanolic leaf fraction of Sida linifolia Linn. (Malvaceae) on enzymes linked to inflammation, diabetes, and neurological disorders

Abstract Background Sida linifolia L. is a weed ubiquitously found in Africa with several folkloric applications. Traditional healers in the Southeastern part of Nigeria employ the alcoholic concoction of S. linifolia leaves as antidepressants, anti-malaria, antihypertensive, anti-abortifacients, and for managing painful whitlow; however, these claims lack scientific validation. The present study was aimed to explore the phytochemical profile of the plant, S. linifolia with special emphasis to its antioxidant and inhibitory actions on enzymes linked to inflammation, diabetes, and neurological disorders. Phytochemical profiling and in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays were employed to assess the pharmacological profile of S. linifolia ethanolic leaf fraction (SLELF). Results Preliminary phytochemical screening of SLELF revealed appreciable amounts of total phenolics (91.64 ± 7.61 mg GAE/g), total tannins (62.44 ± 3.86 mg TAE/g), and total flavonoids (27.35 ± 1.48 mg QE/g) present in SLELF. Results of HPLC analysis of SLELF revealed rich composition in bioactive compounds such as ellagic acid, quercetin, ferulic acid, 3,4-dimethoxy benzoic acid, gallic acid, 4-methoxy cinnamic acid, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, and chlorogenic acid. Enzymatic antioxidants (catalase and superoxide dismutase), non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione (GSH), Vit A, C, and E), elemental minerals (Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr, Fe, and Ca), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were present in SLELF in appreciable levels. At various concentrations (0.2–1.0 mg/ml), SLELF exhibited potent and concentration-dependent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and exerted moderate inhibitory actions on enzymes associated with inflammation (cyclooxogenase-2 (COX-2) and lipoxygenases (LOXs), diabetes (α-amylase, α-glucosidase), and neurological disorders (butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T), compared to respective standards (ascorbic acid, acarbose, indomethacin, galanthamine, and vigabatrin). Perhaps, the observed potent pharmacological activities of SLELF could be anchored to its phytoconstituents. Furthermore, the slightly higher ranges of IC50 values (0.57–0.87 mg/ml) of SLELF compared to standards (0.44–0.68 mg/ml) suggest moderation in enzyme inhibition that may preclude adverse side effects. Conclusion This study lends credence to the folklore claims of S. linifolia leaves and revealed its potential as possible source of bioactive compounds for medicinal and pharmaceutical exploration.

Stopovers Serve Physiological Recovery in Migratory Songbirds.

AbstractMigrating birds perform extreme endurance exercise when flying. This shifts the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant defense system toward the former, potentially generating oxidative damages. In between migratory flights, birds make stopovers, where besides accumulating fuel (mainly fats), they are assumed to rest and recover from the strenuous flight. We performed a series of studies on both temporarily caged (northern wheatears) and free-flying (northern wheatears and European robins) migrants to investigate whether migrants recover during stopover by decreasing the amount of oxidative lipid damage (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and/or increasing the total nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (AOX). In caged wheatears, MDA decreased within a single day. These birds were able to simultaneously accumulate considerable amounts of fuel. Also, in the free-flying wheatears, there was a decrease in MDA during stopover; however, this process seemed incompatible with refueling. The reason for this difference could relate to constraints in the wild that are absent in caged birds, such as food limitation/composition and locomotor activity. In the robins, there was a near significant decrease in MDA concentration in relation to how long the birds were already at stopover, suggesting that this species also physiologically recovers during stopover. AOX did not change during stopover in either of the wheatear studies. For the robins, however, uric acid-corrected AOX declined during stopover. Our results show that during stopover, migrating birds rapidly reduce oxidative lipid damage, thereby likely recovering their physiological state. In addition to the commonly accepted function of refueling, stopovers thus probably serve physiological recovery.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles improve element uptake, antioxidant properties, and essential oil productivity of Melissa officinalis L. seedlings under in vitro drought stress.

In vitro drought stress has a considerable impact on the mass production of active compounds in medicinal plants. Nevertheless, photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and protein synthesis may be negatively affected by drought, which results in poor growth. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have recently been shown to play an important role in increasing nutrient uptake, resistance to various environmental stresses, and better plant growth. Regarding the importance of pharmaceutical metabolites of Melissa officinalis L., this experiment aimed to assess the role of TiO2 NPs in improving physiological responses and phytochemical properties in M. officinalis under in vitro drought stress. For this, two-week-old seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0, 50, and 100mg L-1 TiO2 NPs and 0, 3, and 6% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG). Two weeks after treatments, a reduction of chlorophyll, protein content, essential elements, and enhancement of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were seen as a result of drought stress. It was observed that M. officinalis partially responded to the drought by increasing non-enzymatic antioxidants, including phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanin and ascorbate peroxidase activity. Moreover, PEG-induced drought stress increased some important essential oil content such as limonene, alpha-pinene, myrcene, γ-3-carene, citral, and carvacrol; however, the results showed that TiO2 NPs not only increased the quantity of essential oils but also led to tolerance to the drought stress by increasing photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant systems, absorption of essential nutrients, and decreasing H2O2 and MDA levels.

Serum Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and TAC/Lymphocyte Ratio as Promising Predictive Markers in COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 infection might cause a critical disease, and patients' follow-up is based on multiple parameters. Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 suggesting that its level could be a prognostic marker. Therefore, we elucidated the predictive value of the serum non-enzymatic total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and that of the newly introduced TAC/lymphocyte ratio in COVID-19. We included 61 COVID-19 (n = 27 ward, n = 34 intensive care unit, ICU) patients and 29 controls in our study. Serum TAC on admission was measured by an enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) microplate assay previously validated by our research group. TAC levels were higher (p < 0.01) in ICU (median: 407.88 µmol/L) than in ward patients (315.44 µmol/L) and controls (296.60 µmol/L). Besides the classical parameters, both the TAC/lymphocyte ratio and TAC had significant predictive values regarding the severity (AUC-ROC for the TAC/lymphocyte ratio: 0.811; for TAC: 0.728) and acute kidney injury (AUC-ROC for the TAC/lymphocyte ratio: 0.747; for TAC: 0.733) in COVID-19. Moreover, the TAC/lymphocyte ratio had significant predictive value regarding mortality (AUC-ROC: 0.752). Serum TAC and the TAC/lymphocyte ratio might offer valuable information regarding the severity of COVID-19. TAC measured by our ECL microplate assay serves as a promising marker for the prediction of systemic inflammatory diseases.

Unraveling the mechanisms of drought tolerance enhancement in Sorghum bicolor through Glomus mosseae inoculation: Insights from comparative analysis of Super 2 and Konawe Selatan accessions

The increasing frequency of droughts due to climate change has negatively impacted crop yield. This research aimed to study the mechanism of Glomus mosseae in improving the drought tolerance of Sorghum bicolor plants, specifically in Super 2 (S2) and Konawe Selatan (KS) accession. G. mosseae was used to inoculate the plants grown in the sterile zeolite. The drought was imposed in two cycles by suspending irrigation for six days per cycle. After nine weeks, the plants were harvested and subjected to various analyses. The results showed that drought stress lowered biomass, pigment concentrations by 45% and 23%, and leaf relative water content (RWC) by 34% and 17% for S2 and KS accessions, respectively. Conversely, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels rose by 20% and 9%, while proline synthesis was improved by 7% and 16% on S2 and KS, respectively, compared to the control. In contrast, inoculation with G. mosseae markedly augmented chlorophyll levels by 85% and 25%, elevated leaf relative water content by 33% and 8%, and enhanced P content by 20% and 19% for S2 and KS accessions, respectively, when compared to drought-exposed treatments. Additionally, G. mosseae inoculation preserved root length, biomass, leaf number, proline synthesis, and nitrogen content, while inducing a reduction in MDA levels by 11% and 6% in S2 and KS, respectively, in relation to the drought treatments. G. mosseae improves sorghum's drought tolerance by reducing water loss through improving water and nutrient uptake via external hyphae and enhancing photosynthetic properties via pigment protection. Furthermore, it was shown that G. mosseae is highly efficient at maintaining proline balance and enhancing the effectiveness of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS). KS accession exhibited elevated levels of nitrogen content, leaf number, upper ground biomass, chlorophyll and RWC. Conversely, the Super 2 accession manifested higher levels of lower ground biomass, root length, root colonization and phosphorus content. The addition of G. mosseae to the soil shows great potential as a sustainable agricultural approach under climate change conditions, specifically for the promotion of sorghum plant survival under drought stress. This potential stems from the ability of G. mosseae to enhance key plant properties, including photosynthetic performance and water balance regulation, through the expansion of extraradical hyphal growth. Moreover, G. mosseae supplementation maintains proline levels, enhances nutrient uptake and detoxifies reactive oxygen species by promoting antioxidant capacity. As a result of these properties, sorghum plants exhibit increased biomass and resistance to drought stress, providing an important tool for future sustainable agriculture under climate change.

Naked Oat and Fusarium culmorum (W.G.Sm.) Sacc. Responses to Growth Regulator Effects.

The antioxidant defense system can be stimulated by growth regulators in plants when they are under stress, such as exposure to pathogens. There are a lot of natural growth regulators on the market, but no research has been carried out yet to determine how effective they are. This field and laboratory study examines the impact of two commonly used Russian growth regulators, Crezacin and Zircon, along with artificial infection with Fusarium culmorum on the antioxidant system of naked oat. The results show that, compared to the control, Crezacin-treated plants had higher contents of low molecular weight fructose and nonenzymatic antioxidants like proline, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Zircon-treated plants had a lower content of proline, carbohydrates, and lower total antioxidant activity than the control plants. The obtained data show that Crezacin treatment mainly affected nonenzymatic systems of the antioxidant defense. This treatment was more successful than the Zircon application, which did not show any appreciable effectiveness and was typically associated with an improvement in oat productivity. The treatment with growth regulators and a fungal suspension performed at the flowering phase provided the best effect on the biochemical parameters and productivity of naked oats. Moreover, oat treatment with the pathogen promoted the reproductive capabilities of the plants, while growth regulators helped in avoiding infectious stress.

Antihyperlipidemic effect of bread fortified with potato peel powder against Triton X-100-induced hyperlipidemia in male albino rats

The present investigation aimed to improve the nutritional and healthy values and evaluate the influence of bread fortified with dried potato peels (BPP) on Triton X-100-induced hyperlipidemia in male albino rats. The findings demonstrated that BPP lowered hepatic triglycerides and total cholesterol while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). BPP exhibited potential lipid-lowering and hepatoprotective actions that were generated by the reduction of oxidative damage and preservation of the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant systems compromised by hyperlipidemic condition. Furthermore, BPP considerably enhanced the mRNA expression of AMPKα (AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha), suppressed the expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (ACCα), and decreased the mRNA expression of the adipogenic transcription factor SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c), which are essential regulators of hepatocyte lipid metabolism. A histopathological assessment of the liver confirmed the results. In conclusion, this investigation revealed a positive impact of bread fortified with BPP therapy in preventing hyperlipidemia.

Mitigation of Salt Stress in Reaumuria soongarica Seedlings by Exogenous Ca2+ and NO Compound Treatment

Soil salinization is a common abiotic stress that severely limits the growth of Reaumuria soongarica and reduces its application value. To better understand the response of R. soongarica to salt stress and the physiological mechanisms of exogenous Ca2+ and NO compound treatment in alleviating salt stress, the growth parameters, antioxidant system, carbohydrate metabolism and nitrogen compound metabolism were compared on Days 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 15 and 30. The results showed that salt stress could significantly reduce the plant height, root length, fresh and dry weights of aboveground and underground parts, as well as the relative water content, severely inhibiting the growth of R. soongarica seedlings. After Ca2+ and NO compound treatment, these growth parameters were significantly improved, and the harm caused by stress in R. soongarica was alleviated. Regarding the antioxidant system, the Ca2+ and NO compound treatment could significantly increase the activities of SOD, CAT, APX and GR, as well as the contents of ASA and GSH, which indicated that exogenous Ca2+ and NO could eliminate the accumulated active oxygen by increasing the activities of oxidoreductases and the content of nonenzymatic antioxidant substances, thereby improving the salt tolerance of R. soongarica. Regarding carbon metabolism, after Ca2+ and NO compound treatment, the soluble sugar and sucrose contents, as well as the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase, were significantly increased, which indicated that Ca2+ and NO compound treatment could maintain higher soluble sugar and sucrose contents in R. soongarica and reduce osmotic stress caused by salt treatment. Regarding nitrogen metabolism, the Ca2+ and NO compound treatment reduced the harm of salt stress by regulating the nitrogen compound contents and nitrogen compound-related enzyme activities, including increases in the NO3− content and NR, NiR, GS, GOGAT and GDH activities and a reduction in the NO2− content. The results of this study indicate that the inhibition of the growth and development of R. soongarica by salt stress can be alleviated by regulating the antioxidant system, carbohydrate metabolism and nitrogen compound metabolism, which provides a theoretical basis for Ca2+ and NO compound treatment to improve plant salt tolerance.

Salinity-Induced Physiochemical Alterations to Enhance Lipid Content in Oleaginous Microalgae Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 via Two-Stage Cultivation for Biodiesel Feedstock.

In the recent past, various microalgae have been considered a renewable energy source for biofuel production, and their amount and extent can be enhanced by applying certain types of stress including salinity. Although microalgae growing under salinity stress result in a higher lipid content, they simultaneously reduce in growth and biomass output. To resolve this issue, the physiochemical changes in microalgae Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 have been assessed through two-stage cultivation. In stage-I, the maximum carbohydrate and lipid contents (39.55 and 34.10%) were found at a 0.4 M NaCl concentration, while in stage-II, the maximum carbohydrate and lipid contents (42.16 and 38.10%) were obtained in the 8-day-old culture. However, under increased salinity, Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 exhibited a decrease in photosynthetic attributes, including Chl-a, Chl-b, Fv/Fm, Y(II), Y(NPQ), NPQ, qP, qL, qN, and ETRmax but increased Y(NO) and carotenoids content. Apart from physiological attributes, osmoprotectants, stress biomarkers, and nonenzymatic antioxidants were also studied to elucidate the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) facilitated lipid synthesis. Furthermore, elemental and mineral ion analysis of microalgal biomass was performed to evaluate the biomass quality for biofuel and cell homeostasis. Based on fluorometry analysis, we found the maximum neutral lipids in the 8-day-old grown culture at stage-II in Scenedesmus sp. BHU1. Furthermore, the use of Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of higher levels of hydrocarbons and triacylglycerides (TAGs) composed of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the 8-day-old culture. Therefore, Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 can be a promising microalga for potential biodiesel feedstock.

Calcium nanoparticles mitigate severe salt stress in Solanum lycopersicon by instigating the antioxidant defense system and renovating the protein profile

Due to increasing global climate change problems to biota, salinity has been recognized as a realistic hazard critically affects the sustain agri-food production and crop quality in many regions of the world. Nanotechnology as an innovative approach can effectively improve plant performance under risky conditions such as salinity. Taking in consideration the ameliorative role of nanoparticles such as calcium nanoparticles (Ca-NPs) in enhancing plant growth and tolerance against various abiotic stresses, the present study was undertaken to illuminate the powerful effect and the underlying mechanism of soil-applied Ca-NPs (20 mM) in preventing salt damage at saline conditions (NaCl at 50, 100 and 200 mM) in tomato. Data revealed that NaCl drastically imposed the morphological parameters, primary and secondary metabolism, photosynthesis pigment content, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, mineral contents, and protein patterns. In contrast, the supplementation of exogenous Ca-NPs modified salinity toxicity effects by improving the survival, growth parameters, anabolic (soluble ions and osmolytes) and defense mechanisms (enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants). Interestingly, under lethal salinity level (200 mM), Ca-NPs was capable of suppressing the excessive damage effect of salinity by up-regulating the performance of the plants when these plants were completely dead in the absence of Ca-NPs. The descriptive cluster analysis separated treatments and characteristics into 3 to elucidate negative and positive correlations. Moreover, Ca-NPs was more efficient than CaCl2 in eliciting salt tolerance under all investigated NaCl levels. Therefore, all these findings together conclude that Ca-NPs have a positive role in motivating resilience strategies in tomato plants toward salt stress via lessening the ROS overproduction, stimulating enzymatic antioxidants, promoting osmolytes accumulation, and renovating protein profile under mild and severe salinity levels.

Rose Bengal induced formation of thrombosis in rats and an investigation of cardiovascular worries by haematological changes

BackgroundThe present investigation planned to study the cardiovascular worries in Rose Bengal (RB) induced thrombotic rats by analysing biochemical profile of plasma, platelet membrane and cardiac tissue. MethodsMale Wistar rats were categorized into two groups. The group I was Control (C) rats and received glucose, whereas group II was Rose Bengal (50 mg/kg) induced thrombotic rats. The animals sacrificed and biological samples collected were analysed for various biochemical parameters. ResultsIn rats RB induced heart damage/thrombosis showed significantly increased levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), nitrate and nitrite. In RB administered group the antioxidant activities were lowered significantly i.e., reduced glutathione, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase when compared with control rats. Plasma enzymes SGOT, SGPT were decreased and Na+-K+ ATPase was significantly increased in group II in comparison with group I. There is no significant change in plasma hexokinase enzyme in RB administered rats when compared with control rats. The non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants levels were decreased significantly in experimental groups II to compare with control group I rats. A significant increase in platelet membrane fluidity observed in group II rats when compared with group I rats in DPH and pyrene employed method. A significant raise in LPO of platelet membrane was observed in the experimental rats. Plasma nitrite and nitrate levels were increased in group II when compared to group I. Furthermore, the haematological parameters were also increased in group II when compared to group I rats. ConclusionThis investigation pointed out that the nitric oxide scavenging levels increased and might be protected the oxidative stress and free radicals generated by RB induced cardiac thrombosis in rats.

Deciphering the synergistic effect of Jasmonic acid and Spermine in mitigating root-knot nematode stress in tomato plants through enhancing growth and activity of antioxidant enzymes

Root-Knot nematodes (RKNs) are one of the major plant pathogens that can substantially reduce plant growth and development. Management of RKNs is one of the major concerns as chemical pesticides pose a potential risk to humans and other life forms and also have toxic effects to environment. There is a need to find out some alternative eco-friendly strategies for management of these parasites. Jasmonic acid (JA) and Spermine (Spm) are those plant growth regulators (PGRs) that have positive effects on plant growth and alleviates toxic effects caused by various stresses including RKNs. Keeping this in mind,present study accessed the potential of these (PGRs), JA and Spm on morphological and biochemical attributes in 45 days old Solanum lycopersicum plants under nematode stress. It was observed that nematode infection resulted in reduced plant growth and photosynthetic pigments. Application of JA and Spm improved growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments. Moreover, tomato plants after JA and Spm supplementation lowered the activities of H2O2, DPPH and MDA thus decreasing nuclear and membrane damage caused by nematode stress. Additionally, enzymatic CAT (Catalase), SOD (Superoxide dismutase), GuPOX (Guaiacol peroxidase), APOX (Ascorbate peroxidase), PPO (Polyphenol oxidase), GST (Glutathione-S-transferase) and non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid, glutathione, and tocopherol) antioxidant levels increased markedly under nematode stress, but application of JA and Spm further improved these attributes. Taken together, the current study demonstrated that JA and Spm are suitable agents for managing nematode stress resistance in tomato plants.

Associations between PFAS concentrations and the oxidative status in a free-living songbird (Parus major) near a fluorochemical facility

For the past 7 decades, PFAS have been used in many different products and applications, which has led to a widespread contamination of these compounds. Nevertheless at present, little is known about the effects of these compounds on avian wildlife. Therefore, this study investigated associations between PFAS concentrations in the plasma and the oxidative status (i.e. non-enzymatic antioxidants and biomarkers of oxidative stress) in great tits at two sites near a fluorochemical manufacturing facility. Different PFAS were detected in the blood plasma with a mean ΣPFAS of 16062 pg/μL at the site closest to the facility. The PFAS profile in the plasma consisted mainly of PFOS, PFOA, PFDA and PFDoDA, where concentrations were higher for these compounds at the site closest to the plant. Our results show a clear link between PFAS and the antioxidant status of the birds; total antioxidant capacity and peroxidase activity were higher near the plant site, while the glutaredoxin activity was higher further away. Additionally, positive associations were found between PFDoDA and glutathione-S-transferase activity, between PFOS and glutathione-S-transferase activity, between PFDA and peroxidase activity, and between PFOS and peroxidase activity. Lastly, a negative association was found between plasma PFDA concentrations and the total polyphenol content. Interestingly, malondialdehyde levels did not differ between sites, suggesting lipid peroxidation was not affected. Although our results suggest that great tits with elevated PFAS concentrations did not suffer oxidative damage, the antioxidant defence responses were significantly triggered by PFAS exposure. This implies that the great tits have managed to defend themselves against the possible oxidative damage coming from PFAS contamination, although the upregulated antioxidant defences may have fitness costs. Further, experiments are needed to investigate the specific mechanisms by which PFAS induce oxidative stress in avian species.