In Silico Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Potential Anti-Malarial Agents from as Potential Lactate Dehydrogenase (PfLDH) Enzyme Inhibitors.

Malaria continues to be a major public health issue in a number of countries, particularly in tropical regions-the emergence of drug-resistant encourages new drug discovery research. The key to survival is energy production up to 100 times greater than other parasites, primarily via the PfLDH. This study targets PfLDH with natural bioactive compounds from the family through molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies.

Hot water extract of Pleurotus pulmonarius stalk waste enhances innate immune response and immune-related gene expression in red hybrid tilapia Oreochromis sp. following challenge with pathogen-associated molecular patterns.

In aquaculture, commercial fish such as red hybrid tilapia are usually raised at high density to boost the production within a short period of time. This overcrowded environment, however, may cause stress to the cultured fish and increase susceptibility to infectious diseases. Antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are used by fish farmers to overcome these challenges, but this may increase the production cost.

Effect of Various Polyols on the Acid-Denatured States of Champedak Galactose-Binding Lectin.

Background: Champedak galactose-binding (CGB) lectin is a tetrameric protein with noncovalently bound monomers, isolated from Artocarpus integer fruit seeds. We had previously reported existence of a structured monomer and an unfolded monomer of CGB lectin at pH 2.5 and pH 1.

STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF ANGIOTENSIN-I-CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITORY PEPTIDES IN THE RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN AND KALLIKREIN KININ SYSTEMS.

Background: The commercially available synthetic angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are known to exert negative side effects which have driven many research groups globally to discover the novel ACE inhibitors.

Method: Literature search was performed within the PubMed, ScienceDirect.com and Google Scholar.

Tumor suppression effect of Solanum nigrum polysaccharide fraction on Breast cancer via immunomodulation.

A polysaccharide fraction from Solanum nigrum, SN-ppF3 was shown previously to have an immunomodulatory activity where it could possibly be used to enhance the host immune response in fighting cancer. The non-toxic SN-ppF3 was fed orally to breast tumor bearing-mice with concentrations of 250 and 500mg/kg for 10days. During the treatment period, size of the tumor and weight of the mice were monitored.

Influence of Buffer Composition and Calcium Chloride on GdnHCl Denaturation of Bacillus licheniformis α-Amylase.

The influence of buffer composition on the conformational stability of native and calciumdepleted Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase (BLA) was investigated against guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) denaturation using circular dichroism, fluorescence and UV-difference spectroscopy. Differential effect of buffer composition on GdnHCl denaturation of BLA was evident from the magnitude of these spectral signals, which followed the order: sodium phosphate > Tris-HCl > HEPES > MOPS. These effects became more pronounced with calcium-depleted BLA.

Application of SELDI-TOF in N-glycopeptides profiling of the urine from patients with endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancer.

Purpose: Endometrial (ECa), ovarian (OCa) and cervical (CCa) cancers are among 10 of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide. Cancers are known to cause some proteins to be differentially glycosylated or aberrantly excreted in the urine, which can be used as biomarkers. Since ECa, OCa and CCa are difficult to diagnose at the early stage, the aim of the present study was to identify a panel of new biomarkers for early detection of the cancers using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) technology.

Conformational analysis of champedak galactose-binding lectin under different urea concentrations.

Conformational analysis of champedak galactose-binding (CGB) lectin under different urea concentrations was studied in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.2) using far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (far-UV CD), tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence and ANS fluorescence. In all cases, CGB lectin displayed a two-step, three-state transition.

Identification of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory proteins from mycelium of Pleurotus pulmonarius (oyster mushroom).

Pleurotus pulmonarius (grey oyster mushroom) has been acknowledged as a recuperative agent for many diseases in addition to its recognition as a nutritious provision. We performed a study on P. pulmonarius mycelium for an antihypertensive effect via the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity.

Stimulatory effects of polysaccharide fraction from Solanum nigrum on RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells.

The polysaccharide fraction from Solanum nigrum Linne has been shown to have antitumor activity by enhancing the CD4+/CD8+ ratio of the T-lymphocyte subpopulation. In this study, we analyzed a polysaccharide extract of S. nigrum to determine its modulating effects on RAW 264.

Novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach identified by LC-MS/MS.

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors derived from foods are valuable auxiliaries to agents such as captopril. Eight highly functional ACE inhibitory peptides from the mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, were identified by LC-MS/MS. Among these peptides, the most potent ACE inhibitory activity was exhibited by AHEPVK, RIGLF and PSSNK with IC₅₀ values of 63, 116 and 129 μM, respectively.

Novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from an edible mushroom, Pleurotus cystidiosus O.K. Miller identified by LC-MS/MS.

Background: Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been reported to reduce mortality in patients with hypertension. Compared to chemosynthetic drugs, ACE inhibitors derived from natural sources such as food proteins are believed to be safer for consumption and to have fewer adverse effects. Some edible mushrooms have been reported to significantly reduce blood pressure after oral administration.

Identification of O-glycosylated proteins that are aberrantly excreted in the urine of patients with early stage ovarian cancer.

Cancer is known to induce or alter the O-glycosylation of selective proteins that may eventually be excreted in the patients' urine. The present study was performed to identify O-glycosylated proteins that are aberrantly excreted in the urine of patients with early stage ovarian cancer (OCa). These urinary glycoproteins are potential biomarkers for early detection of OCa.

Urine of patients with early prostate cancer contains lower levels of light chain fragments of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor and saposin B but increased expression of an inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 fragment.

The present study was aimed at the identification of proteins that are differentially expressed in the urine of patients with prostate cancer (PCa), those with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and age-matched healthy male control subjects. Using a combination of 2DE and MS/MS, significantly lower expression of urinary saposin B and two different fragments of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light chain (ITIL) was demonstrated in the PCa patients compared to the controls. However, only one of the ITIL fragments was significantly different between the PCa and BPH patients.

Proteomic analysis of antihypertensive proteins in edible mushrooms.

Mushrooms are high in protein content, which makes them potentially a good source of antihypertensive peptides. Among the mushrooms tested, protein extracts from Pleurotus cystidiosus (E1Pc and E5Pc) and Agaricus bisporus (E1Ab and E3Ab) had high levels of antihypertensive activity. The protein extracts were fractionated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC) into six fractions.

Detection of differential levels of proteins in the urine of patients with endometrial cancer: analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and o-glycan binding lectin.

Cancers can cause some proteins to be aberrantly excreted or released in the urine, which can be used as biomarkers. To screen for potential biomarkers for endometrial cancer (ECa), the urinary proteins from patients who were newly diagnosed with early stage ECa and untreated controls were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and followed by image analysis. The altered levels of zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, and CD59 were detected in the patients compared to the controls.

Evaluation of Selected Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms for Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Activities.

Considering the importance of diet in prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases including hypertension, this study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities of selected culinary-medicinal mushrooms extracted by boiling in water for 30 min. Antioxidant capacity was measured using the following assays: DPPH free radical scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, reducing power ability, and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC). Antioxidant potential of each mushroom species was calculated based on the average percentages relative to quercetin and summarized as Antioxidant Index (AI).

Patients with ovarian carcinoma excrete different altered levels of urine CD59, kininogen-1 and fragments of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4 and albumin.

Background: Diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma is in urgent need for new complementary biomarkers for early stage detection. Proteins that are aberrantly excreted in the urine of cancer patients are excellent biomarker candidates for development of new noninvasive protocol for early diagnosis and screening purposes. In the present study, urine samples from patients with ovarian carcinoma were analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the profiles generated were compared to those similarly obtained from age-matched cancer negative women.