Synthesis, Characterization, DFT Study and Antifungal Activities of Some Novel 2-(Phenyldiazenyl)phenol Based Azo Dyes.

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in azo compounds with special optical and biological properties. In this work, we report the preparation of novel azo-compounds with two and three -N=N- double bonds, using the classical method of synthesis, diazotization and coupling. The compounds were characterized by H-NMR, C-NMR, FTIR, UV-VIS and fluorescence spectra.

cells lacking transcription factors Skn7 or Yap1 exhibit different susceptibility to cyanidin.

Anthocyanidins - the aglycone moiety of anthocyanins - are responsible for the antioxidant traits and for many of the health benefits brought by the consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods, but whether excessive anthocyanidins are deleterious to living organisms is still a matter of debate. In the present study we used the model eukaryotic microorganism to evaluate the potential toxicity of cyanidin, one of the most prevalent anthocyanidins found in berries, grapes, purple vegetables, and red wine. We found that yeast cells lacking the transcription factors responsible for regulating the response to oxidative stress - Skn7 and Yap1 - exhibited different sensitivities to cyanidin.

Cytotoxicity of Oleandrin Is Mediated by Calcium Influx and by Increased Manganese Uptake in Cells.

Oleandrin, the main component of L. extracts, is a cardiotoxic glycoside with multiple pharmacological implications, having potential anti-tumoral and antiviral characteristics. Although it is accepted that the main mechanism of oleandrin action is the inhibition of Na/K-ATPases and subsequent increase in cell calcium, many aspects which determine oleandrin cytotoxicity remain elusive.

A Nanoparticle-Based Label-Free Sensor for Screening the Relative Antioxidant Capacity of Hydrosoluble Plant Extracts.

One of the most important aspects of the detection of antioxidant compounds is developing a fast screening method. The screening of the overall relative antioxidant capacity (RAC) of several Romanian hydrosoluble plant extracts is the focus of this work. This is important because of the presence of increasing levels of reactive oxygen species (such as H₂O₂) generates oxidative stress in the human body.

Manganese Suppresses the Haploinsufficiency of Heterozygous Cells and Stimulates the TRPY1-Dependent Release of Vacuolar Ca under H₂O₂ Stress.

Transient potential receptor (TRP) channels are conserved cation channels found in most eukaryotes, known to sense a variety of chemical, thermal or mechanical stimuli. The TRPY1 is a TRP channel with vacuolar localization involved in the cellular response to hyperosmotic shock and oxidative stress. In this study, we found that diploid cells with heterozygous deletion in gene are haploinsufficient when grown in synthetic media deficient in essential metal ions and that this growth defect is alleviated by non-toxic Mn surplus.

Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, the main green tea component, is toxic to Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking the Fet3/Ftr1.

Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the main green tea component, is intensively studied for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer effects. In the present study, a screen on a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene deletion library was performed to identify conditions under which EGCG had deleterious rather than beneficial effects. Two genes were identified whose deletion resulted in sensitivity to EGCG: FET3 and FTR1, encoding the components of the Fet3/Ftr1 high-affinity iron uptake system, also involved in Cu(I)/Cu(II) balance on the surface of yeast cells.

Calcium signaling and copper toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

To respond to metal surpluses, cells have developed intricate ways of defense against the excessive metallic ions. To understand the ways in which cells sense the presence of toxic concentration in the environment, the role of Ca in mediating the cell response to high Cu was investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. It was found that the cell exposure to high Cu was accompanied by elevations in cytosolic Ca with patterns that were influenced not only by Cu concentration but also by the oxidative state of the cell.

Interaction between lanthanide ions and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

Lanthanides are a group of non-essential elements with important imaging and therapeutic applications. Although trivalent lanthanide ions (Ln³⁺) are used as potent blockers of Ca²⁺ channels, the systematic studies correlating Ln³⁺ accumulation and toxicity to Ca²⁺ channel blocking activity are scarce. In this study, we made use of the eukaryotic model Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the correlation between Ln³⁺ accumulation, their toxicity and their capacity to block the exogenous stress-induced Ca²⁺ influx into the cytosol.

Heat shock, visible light or high calcium augment the cytotoxic effects of Ailanthus altissima (Swingle) leaf extracts against Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

To gain new insight into the antimicrobial potential of Ailanthus altissima Swingle, ethanol leaf extracts were evaluated for the antifungal effects against the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae. The extracts inhibited the yeast growth in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect could be augmented by heat shock, exposure to visible light or exposure to high concentrations of Ca(2+). Using transgenic yeast cells expressing the Ca(2+)-dependent photoprotein, aequorin, it was found that the leaf extracts induced cytosolic Ca(2+) elevation.

Vaccinium corymbosum L. (blueberry) extracts exhibit protective action against cadmium toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are a rich source of antioxidants and their consumption is believed to contribute to food-related protection against oxidative stress. In the present study, the chemoprotective action of blueberry extracts against cadmium toxicity was investigated using a cadmium-hypersensitive strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.