Purification and characterization of a hemocyanin with lectin-like activity isolated from the hemolymph of speckled shrimp, Metapenaeusmonoceros.

Lectins or agglutinins are mainly proteins or glycoproteins, reported to uphold an ability to agglutinate the red blood cells (RBCs) with a known sugar specificity in a diverse group of organisms. In the present study, we purified a hemocyanin (named as MmHc) from a shrimp, Metapenaeus monoceros by size-exclusion chromatography. Further characterization revealed that the purified MmHc showed hemagglutination activity that was found to be specifically inhibited by Lewis B and Lewis Y tetrasaccharides.

Epigenetic alterations induced by aflatoxin B: An in vitro and in vivo approach with emphasis on enhancer of zeste homologue-2/p21 axis.

The potent environmental toxicant aflatoxin B (AFB), is a group I carcinogen reported to induce the expression of many cancer associated proteins. Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation and histone modifications play vital role in AFB-mediated carcinogenesis. These epigenetic modifications may result in the recruitment of specific proteins and transcription factors to the promoter region and regulate gene expression.

Targeting arachidonic acid pathway by natural products for cancer prevention and therapy.

Arachidonic acid (AA) pathway, a metabolic process, plays a key role in carcinogenesis. Hence, AA pathway metabolic enzymes phospholipase As (PLAs), cyclooxygenases (COXs) and lipoxygenases (LOXs) and their metabolic products, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, have been considered novel preventive and therapeutic targets in cancer. Bioactive natural products are a good source for development of novel cancer preventive and therapeutic drugs, which have been widely used in clinical practice due to their safety profiles.

Phospholipase A2 Isoforms as Novel Targets for Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory and Oncologic Diseases.

Phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) are group of enzymes, which cleave phospholipids specifically at sn-2 position to liberate free fatty acid, mostly arachidonic acid (AA) and lysophospholipids (LPLs). Inhibition of PLA2 prevents the liberation of AA and LPLs. Hence, researchers have been considering PLA2s could be a better therapeutic target than the downstream enzymes cyclooxygense and lipoxygenase.

5-Lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitory dammarane triterpenoid 1 from Borassus flabellifer seed coat inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α secretion in LPSInduced THP-1 human monocytes and induces apoptosis in MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells.

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2), Cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) are arachidonic acid metabolizing enzymes and their inhibitors have been developed as therapeutic molecules for cancer and inflammation related disorders. In the present study, PLA2, COX 1&2 and 5-LOX inhibitory studies of Borassus flabellifer seed coat extract were carried out and substantial 5-LOX inhibitory activity was found. Dammarane triterpenoid 1 (Dammara-20,23-diene-3,25-diol) was isolated according to 5-LOX activity guided isolation, and screened for COX (1 & 2) inhibitory activities.

Suppressive effect of strychnos nux-vomica on induction of ovalbumin-specific IgE antibody response in mice.

Unlabelled: Strychnos nux-vomica Linn. (SNV; Loganiaceae), a medicinal plant has been used as folk medicine for alleviating inflammation, joint pains and allergic symptoms. In the present study, we examined its possible immunomodulatory effect on induction of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific IgE antibody response in a murine model, as evaluated by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA).