Many commensal gut microbes are recognized for their potential to synthesize vitamin B12, offering a promising avenue to address deficiencies through probiotic supplementation. While bioinformatics tools aid in predicting B12 biosynthetic potential, empirical validation remains crucial to confirm production, identify cobalamin vitamers, and establish biosynthetic yields. This study investigates vitamin B12 production in three human colonic bacterial species: Anaerobutyricum hallii DSM 3353, Roseburia faecis DSM 16840, and Anaerostipes caccae DSM 14662, along with Propionibacterium freudenreichii DSM 4902 as a positive control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntake of folate (vitamin B) is strongly inversely linked with human cancer risk, particularly colon cancer. In general, people with the highest dietary intake of folate or with high blood folate levels are at a reduced risk (approx. 25%) of developing colon cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBisnaphthalimides are DNA intercalators of potential use as chemotherapeutics but for which the range of mechanism of action is only gradually being elucidated. Using human promyelocytic HL-60 cells, we extend characterization of the cytotoxicity of bisnaphthalimidopropylspermidine (BNIPSpd) and examine the relationship with caspase-activity. Within 4 h exposure, BNIPSpd (1-10 μM) induced significant DNA strand breakage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Low fruit and vegetable consumption is linked with an increased risk of death from vascular disease and cancer. The benefit of eating fruits and vegetables is attributed in part to antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals. Whether increasing intake impacts on markers of disease remains to be established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBisnaphthalimido compounds bis-intercalate to DNA via the major groove and are potentially potent cancer therapeutics. Previously, we incorporated natural polyamines as linkers connecting the two naphthalimido ring moieties to create a series of soluble bisnaphthalimidopropyl polyamines (BNIPPs). Here, extending earlier work on bisnaphthalimidopropylspermidine (BNIPSpd)-induced apoptosis in colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells, we compare the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of BNIPSpd relative to the spermine and oxaspermine derivatives, bisnaphthalimidopropylspermine (BNIPSpm) and bisnaphthalimidopropyloxaspermine (BNIPOSpm).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Health-promoting polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are abundant in forages grazed by ruminants and in vegetable and fish oils used as dietary supplements, but only a small proportion of PUFA finds its way into meat and milk, because of biohydrogenation in the rumen. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens plays a major role in this activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms by which PUFA affect the growth of B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBisnaphthalimido compounds bisintercalate to DNA via the major groove and are potentially potent cancer therapeutics. We incorporated natural polyamines as linkers connecting the two-naphthalimido ring moieties to create a series of novel soluble cytotoxic bisnaphthalimidopropyl polyamines (BNIPPs). Here, we determined the cytotoxicity of bisnaphthalimidopropyl spermidine (BNIPSpd) towards Caco-2 and HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells revealing an IC(50) value of 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLow folate intake is associated with colon cancer. We combined a proteomics and biochemical approach to identify proteins and pathways affected by folate deficiency in human colonocytes. Folate differentially altered activity and expression of proteins involved in proliferation [e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDietary flavonoids may be exploitable as chemotherapeutics and preventatives for critical health conditions, including cancer. Antiproliferative effects are commonly ascribed to such compounds but ambiguity exists as to the principal mechanism of action and the universal benefit of exposure, particularly at high concentrations. Here, we identify heterogeneous responses within HL-60 promyelocytic leukaemia cells that explain contradictions in the reported origin of the antiproliferative action of kaempferol, a dietary abundant flavonoid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitochondrial dysfunction, damage and mutations of mitochondrial proteins give rise to a range of ill understood patterns of disease. Although there is significant general knowledge of the proteins and the functional processes of the mitochondria, there is little knowledge of difference about how mitochondria respond and how they are regulated in different organs and tissues. Proteomic profiling of mitochondria and associated proteins involved in mitochondrial regulation and trafficking within cells and tissues has the potential to provide insights into mitochondrial dysfunction associated with many human diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBisnaphthalimidopropyl derivatives (BNIPSpd, BNIPDaoct, BNIPDanon, BNIPDadec, BNIPDpta and BNIPDeta) were synthesised in yields ranging from 50% to 70% and their cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells (Caco-2) and the parasite Leishmania infantum determined using the MTT assay. Cytotoxicity within Caco-2 cells was manifested with IC(50) values between 0.3 and 22 microM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of galangin, a flavonol component of India root spice and the 'herbal' medicine propolis, on HL-60 human leukaemia cell survival is characterised. Galangin (1-100 microM) exerted an antiproliferative effect that, with dose and exposure longevity, was progressively associated with an elevated hypodiploid DNA content and expression of the active form of caspase-3, principally prior to membrane damage. At >or=50 microM, plasmamembrane phosphatidylserine exposure was observed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFlavonoids may be a principal contributor to the cancer preventative activity of fruit- and vegetable-rich diets and there is interest in their use as dietary supplements. However, there is potential conflict between the cytoprotective and cytotoxic activities of flavonoids, and their efficacy as anti-cancer agents is unresolved. Here, the integrity and survival of HL-60 promyelocytic leukaemia cells following short-term (90 min) exposure to the dietary abundant flavonoid kaempferol (1-100 microM) is reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNew bisoxynaphthalimidopolyamines (BNIPOPut, BNIPOSpd and BNIPOSpm) were synthesized. Their cytotoxic properties were evaluated against breast cancer MCF 7 cells and compared with bisnaphthalimidopolyamines BNIPSpd and BNIPSpm. Among the bisoxynaphthalimido polyamines, BNIPOSpm and BNIPOSpd exhibited cytotoxic activity with an IC50 f 29.
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