Bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can be considered as viable alternatives for food safety and quality, once these peptides present antimicrobial activity against foodborne ...pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Fermented foods, such as artisanal sausages and cured meats, are relevant sources of LAB strains capable of producing novel bacteriocins, with particular interest by the food industry.
Three LAB strains (firstly named as Lactobacillus curvatus 12, L. curvatus 36 and Weissella viridescens 23) were obtained from calabresa by presenting promising bacteriocinogenic activity, distinct genetic profiles (rep-PCR, RAPD, bacteriocin-related genes) and wide inhibitory spectrum. Among these strains, L. curvatus 12 presented higher bacteriocin production, reaching 25,000 AU/mL after incubation at 25, 30 and 37 °C and 6, 9 and 12 h. Partially purified bacteriocins from L. curvatus 12 kept their inhibitory activity after elution with isopropanol at 60% (v/v). Bacteriocins produced by this strain were purified by HPLC and sequenced, resulting in four peptides with 3102.79, 2631.40, 1967.06 and 2588.31 Da, without homology to known bacteriocins.
LAB isolates obtained from calabresa presented high inhibitory activity. Among these isolates, bacteriocins produced by L. curvatus 12, now named as L. curvatus UFV-NPAC1, presented the highest inhibitory performance and the purification procedures revealed four peptides with sequences not described for bacteriocins to date.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
ABSTRACT
Bacteria may enter into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state as a response to stresses, such as those found in food processing. Cells in the VBNC state lose the ability to grow in a ...conventional culture medium but man recover culturability. The viability, culturability and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) of Salmonella Enteritidis and Shigella flexneri were evaluated under stress conditions to induce a VBNC state. Cells were maintained under nutritional, osmotic and cold stresses (long-term induction) in Butterfield's phosphate solution plus 1.2 M of NaCl at 4°C and under nutritional and oxidative stresses (short-term induction) in 10 mM of H2O2. Culture media, recovery agents, sterilization methods of media and incubation temperature, were combined and applied to recover the culturability of the VBNC cells. Salmonella entered in the VBNC state after 135 days under long-term induction, while Shigella maintained culturability after 240 days. Under short-term induction, Salmonella and Shigella lose culturability after 135 and 240 min, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis revealed viable cells and intracellular ROS in both species in VBNC. It was not possible to recover the culturability of VBNC cells using the 42 combinations of different factors.
The time to enter in the noncultivable state and the viable cell number of Salmonella and Shigella are different, depending on stress conditions. Culturability was not restored.
•Total and central body fat were positively associated with ferric reducing antioxidant power.•Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory adipokine, was inversely associated with ferric reducing antioxidant ...power.•Chemerin, a proinflammatory adipokine, was positively associated with superoxide dismutase.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of body fat, anti- and inflammatory adipokines with anti- and oxidative markers.
We conducted a cross-sectional study with 378 schoolchildren ages 8 to 9 y in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We obtained information on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics via questionnaires, measured height and weight, and estimated body fat by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Blood sample was collected to analyze the adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, chemerin, and retinol-binding protein 4) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on the sandwich principle; and anti- and oxidant markers (plasma ferric reducing antioxidant power FRAP, superoxide dismutase SOD, and malondialdehyde MDA) by enzymatic methods. Concentrations of anti- and oxidant markers were compared by percent body fat quartiles and adipokine concentrations terciles using of linear regression adjusted for potential confounders.
Total and central body fat were positively associated with FRAP. Every 1 standard deviation (SD) of total fat was associated with 4.8 higher FRAP (95% confidence interval CI, 2.7–7). Additionally, every 1 SD of truncal, android, and gynoid fat were associated with, respectively, 5, 4.6, and 4.6 higher FRAP (95% CI, 2.9–7.1; 2.6–6.7; and 2.4–6.8, respectively). However, adiponectin was inversely associated with FRAP; every adiponectin SD was related to –2.2 lower FRAP (95% CI, –3.9 to –0.5). Chemerin was positively associated with SOD 5.4 (95% CI, 1.9–8.8) SOD units per chemerin SD.
The body fat measures and adiposity-related inflammation (chemerin) were positively associated with antioxidative markers in children, whereas the adiponectin (anti-inflammatory marker) was inversely associated with FRAP (antioxidative marker).
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Obesity is currently considered a public health problem with pandemic proportions and is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, which can predispose to the development of several chronic ...diseases and metabolic complications. This cross-sectional population-based study, conducted with 743 Brazilian adults, aimed to evaluate the association between inflammatory cytokines with anthropometric measurements. Socio-demographic, anthropometric, behavioural and biochemical variables were collected. Multiple linear regression stratified by sex and adjusted for confounding factors was performed. In men, waist circumference (WC) was associated with IL-1β (3·52 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·60, 6·45), IL-6 (6·35 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·35, 12·34), IL-8 (8·77 pg/ml; 95 % CI 2·37, 15·17), IL-10 (3·09 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·56, 5·61), IL12p70 (8·31 pg/ml; 95 % CI 3·11, 13·52) and TNF-α (4·22 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·20, 10·48). Waist:height ratio was associated with IL-6 (3·21 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·02, 6·39). BMI was associated with IL-1β (1·50 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·46, 2·34), IL-6 (2·97 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·78, 5·16), IL-8 (4·48 pg/ml; 95 % CI 2·21, 6·75), IL-10 (1·31 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·30, 2·31), IL-12p70 (3·59 pg/ml; 95 % CI 1·24, 5·95) and TNF-α (2·00 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·81, 3·19). In women, WC was associated with IL-6 (5·10 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·68, 9·51) and IL-10 (4·16 pg/ml; 95 % CI 1·26, 7·06). BMI was associated with IL-6 (2·67 pg/ml; 95 % CI 0·34, 4·99), and WHR was associated with TNF-α (2·84 pg/ml; 95 % IC 0·86–6·54). The results highlight the importance of anthropometric assessment in clinical practice and the need to develop public policies and interventions to reduce the prevalence of obesity and, consequently, of inflammation and possible metabolic complications.
Fipronil is a pesticide widely used to control agricultural and household insect pests. However, fipronil is highly toxic to non-target insects, including pollinators. In this study, we investigated ...the acute effects of fipronil on the behavior, brain morphology, antioxidant activity, and proteins related to signaling pathways on the brain of workers of the stingless bee Partamona helleri. The ingestion of fipronil increases both the walking distance and velocity and causes enlarged intercellular spaces in the Kenyon cells and intense vacuolization in the neuropils of the brain. Moreover, fipronil decreases the activity of catalase (CAT) and increases the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST). However, there is no difference in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity between the control and fipronil. Regarding immunofluorescence analysis, bees exposed to fipronil showed an increase in the number of cells positive for cleaved caspase-3 and peroxidase, but a reduction in the number of cells positive for ERK 1/2, JNK and Notch, suggesting neuron death and impaired brain function. Our results demonstrate that fipronil has harmful effects on the behavior and brain of a stingless bee, which may threaten the individuals and colonies of this pollinator.
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•Exposure to fipronil induces behavioral hyperactivity in Partamona helleri workers.•Fipronil causes histopathological damages in the bee's brain.•Fipronil alters the activity of antioxidant defenses in the brain.•Fipronil affects cell signaling-pathway proteins, increasing neuron mortality.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Vitellogenin is the main yolk precursor protein in insect oocytes. It is synthesized in the fat body and released into the hemolymph. To reach the oocyte surface, vitellogenin must cross a single ...layer of follicular epithelium cells. The transport of vitellogenin across the follicular epithelium has been suggested to occur through the enlarged intercellular spaces (patency) by a paracellular route or by endocytosis by follicular cells and release onto oocyte surface in a transcelluar route. In this study, we investigated whether vitellogenin transport in the meroistic telotrophic ovary of Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera) occurs via a paracellular or transcellular route. Light and transmission electron microscopies showed that short cell-cell contacts with well-developed occluding septate junctions were present in follicular cells with patency. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of vitellogenin receptors in the plasma membrane and of vitellogenin in the cytoplasm of follicular cells. Data suggest that cell-cell contacts serve as a barrier to large vitellogenin molecules and that this protein is transported via a transcellular route of receptor-mediated endocytosis.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Overweight and obesity are a worldwide public health problem. Obesity prevalence has increased considerably, which indicates the need for more studies to better understand these diseases and related ...complications. Diet induced-obesity (DIO) animal models can reproduce human overweight and obesity, and there are many protocols used to lead to excess fat deposition. So, the purpose of this review was to identify the key points for the induction of obesity through diet, as well as identifying which are the necessary endpoints to be achieved when inducing fat gain. For this, we reviewed the literature in the last 6 years, looking for original articles that aimed to induce obesity through the diet. All articles evaluated should have a control group, in order to verify the results found, and had worked with Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats, or with C57BL-/-6 mice strain. Articles that induced obesity by other methods, such as genetic manipulation, surgery, or drugs were excluded, since our main objective was to identify key points for the induction of obesity through diet. Articles in humans, in cell culture, in non-rodent animals, as well as review articles, articles that did not have obesity induction and book chapters were also excluded. Body weight and fat gain, as well as determinants related to inflammation, hormonal concentration, blood glycemia, lipid profile, and liver health, must be evaluated together to better determination of the development of obesity. In addition, to select the best model in each circumstance, it should be considered that each breed and sex respond differently to diet-induced obesity. The composition of the diet and calorie overconsumption are also relevant to the development of obesity. Finally, it is important that a non-obese control group is included in the experimental design.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and its incidence has continued to rise during the past decades. Conventional treatments present severe side effects in cancer patients, and melanoma can ...be refractory to commonly used anticancer drugs, which justify the efforts to find new potential anti-melanoma drugs. An alternative to promote the discovery of new pharmacological substances would be modifying chemical groups from a bioactive compound. Here we describe the synthesis of seventeen compounds derived from cinnamic acid and their bioactivity evaluation against melanoma cells. The compound phenyl 2,3-dibromo-3-phenylpropanoate (3q) was the most effective against murine B16-F10 cells, as observed in cytotoxicity and cell migration assays. Simultaneously, this compound showed low cytotoxic activity on non-tumor cells. At the highest concentration, the compound 3q was able to trigger apoptosis, whereas, at lower concentrations, it affected the cell cycle and melanoma cell proliferation. Furthermore, cinnamate 3q impaired cell invasion, adhesion, colonization, and actin polymerization. In conclusion, these results highlight the antiproliferative and antimetastatic potential of cinnamic acid derivatives on melanoma.
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•We synthetized seventeen cinnamates derived from trans-cinnamic acid.•The Steglich esterification reaction was the main step involved in their synthesis.•The most effective compound 3q reduced the melanoma cell viability.•Compound 3q caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in B16-F10 cells.•This compound also impaired cell invasion, adhesion, and colonization.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Quorum sensing is a cell-cell communication mechanism mediated by chemical signals that leads to differential gene expression in response to high population density. Salmonella is unable to ...synthesize the autoinducer-1 (AI-1), N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL), but is able to recognize AHLs produced by other microorganisms through SdiA protein. This study aimed to evaluate the fatty acid and protein profiles of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis PT4 578 throughout time of cultivation in the presence of AHL. The presence of N-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL) altered the fatty acid and protein profiles of Salmonella cultivated during 4, 6, 7, 12 and 36 h in anaerobic condition. The profiles of Salmonella Enteritidis at logarithmic phase of growth (4 h of cultivation), in the presence of C12-HSL, were similar to those of cells at late stationary phase (36 h). In addition, there was less variation in both protein and fatty acid profiles along growth, suggesting that this quorum sensing signal anticipated a stationary phase response. The presence of C12-HSL increased the abundance of thiol related proteins such as Tpx, Q7CR42, Q8ZP25, YfgD, AhpC, NfsB, YdhD and TrxA, as well as the levels of free cellular thiol after 6 h of cultivation, suggesting that these cells have greater potential to resist oxidative stress. Additionally, the LuxS protein which synthesizes the AI-2 signaling molecule was differentially abundant in the presence of C12-HSL. The NfsB protein had its abundance increased in the presence of C12-HSL at all evaluated times, which is a suggestion that the cells may be susceptible to the action of nitrofurans or that AHLs present some toxicity. Overall, the presence of C12-HSL altered important pathways related to oxidative stress and stationary phase response in Salmonella.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Leishmania infantum chagasi LPG3 protein is immunogenic in BALB/c model;•LPG3 plus IFA partially protects BALB/c mice against L. infantum chagasi infection;•LPG3 plus saponin induces 98% reduction ...of BALB/c splenic and hepatic parasitism;•Results using rLPG3 are similar to the results using native LPG3.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a serious neglected tropical disease that affects humans and dogs in urban areas. There are no vaccines against human VL, and few licensed canine VL vaccines are currently available, which instigates the search for new antigens and vaccine formulations with prophylactic potential against VL in these hosts. In this study, we evaluated the immunization using the native and recombinant Leishmania infantum chagasi (L. chagasi) lipophosphoglycan-3 (LPG3) and the adjuvants saponin (SAP) and incomplete Freund adjuvant (IFA) against L. chagasi infection in BALB/c mice. The native LPG3 vaccine was immunogenic, inducing splenic IFN-γ and IL-10 production, and mixed Th1/Th2 response when associated with IFA. However, only mice vaccinated with LPG3-IFA presented a reduction in the splenic parasite load (96% in comparison to the PBS control group), but without a significant reduction in the hepatic parasitism. On the other hand, mice immunized with the LPG3-SAP vaccine presented a reduction of approximately 98% in both splenic and hepatic parasite load, accompanied by a Th1/Th17 response and IL-10 production by L. chagasi antigen (AgLc)-stimulated splenic cells. Importantly, vaccination with recombinant LPG3 (rLPG3)-SAP presented similar results to the native LPG3-SAP vaccine. Therefore, the rLPG3-SAP vaccine is qualified to be used in future tests in canine and human models, considering the technical and economic advantages of the recombinant protein production compared to the native protein and the results obtained in the murine model.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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