Histopathological and combinatorial effects of the metalloprotease InhA1 and Cry proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis against Spodoptera littoralis.

The zinc metalloprotease (InhA) of Bacillus thuringiensis specifically hydrolyzes cecropins and attacins, two antibacterial peptides in the immune hemolymph of insects, leading to a high resistance of the bacteria to the humoral defense system of its host. In the present study, the inhA gene of B. thuringiensis strain BUPM28 was cloned and the nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that it was identical to that of B.

Date seed oil inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in human epidermal keratinocytes.

Background: Oxidative stress has been implicated in various skin diseases through the generation of reactive oxygen species and the depletion of endogenous antioxidant systems. The administration of antioxidants is reportedly helpful, notably to enhance the healing process. To protect the skin against oxidative damages, we have studied the effect of new oil: "date seed oil" (DSO).

Effect of date seed oil on p53 expression in normal human skin.

A critical step to escape from the carcinogenic potential of UV radiation is mediated by the protein p53. P53 activates growth arrest, allowing for DNA repair, which removes damaged cells. The concept of photoprotection involves blocking apoptosis and the prevention of oxidative damage to cellular DNA.

Date seed oil inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in normal human epidermal melanocytes.

The administration of antioxidants has been shown to enhance repair and healing processes in cutaneous tissue. Date seed oil (DSO) extract, which might be a potential source of natural antioxidants such as phenols and tocopherols, has been reported to be beneficial in the reduction of chemically induced oxidative stress in normal human skin. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of DSO against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative stress in terms of lipid peroxidation, depletion of such endogenous antioxidant defense enzymes as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) using normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEM).

Antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation at the tissue level in patients with stable and active vitiligo.

Background: The pathogenetic mechanisms in vitiligo have not been clarified completely. One of the major hypotheses in the pathogenesis of vitiligo is the oxidative stress hypothesis. The active and stable phases of vitiligo are defined as the progression or appearance of new lesions in the last 3 months and the absence of new lesions or progression in the last 6 months, respectively.

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in infertile men: correlation with semen parameter.

The aim of this study was to investigate the oxidative stress status and antioxidant enzyme activities in infertile men's semen and to determine their relationship with spermatozoa characteristics. Four groups of infertile men, normozoospermic (n=9), azoospermic (n=13), oligoasthenozoospermic (n=38), and asthenozoospermic (n=42), were tested for malonaldialdehyde (MDA) concentration and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in semen using spectrophotometric methods. We found that MDA levels in semen and SOD activity in seminal plasma (SP) were significantly higher in oligoasthenozoospermic and asthenozoospermic groups compared with normozoospermic group.

Sperm quality improvement after date seed oil in vitro supplementation in spontaneous and induced oxidative stress.

In vitro supplementation with date seed oil (DSO) can protect spermatozoa against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-mediated damage and can improve sperm function, possibly owing to antioxidant properties. We tested the antioxidant effects of DSO on human sperm motility, sperm viability, reacted acrosome and lipid peroxidation assessed in vitro after H2O2-mediated oxidative damage in spermatozoa. Sixteen patients (mean age: 35 years; range: 25-45 years) referred to the Histology-Embryology Laboratory of the Medicine Faculty of Sfax for semen analysis after 12-24 months of sexual intercourse without conception were selected.

Effects of date seed oil on normal human skin in vitro.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in various skin diseases through the generation of reactive oxygen species and the depletion of endogenous antioxidant systems. The administration of antioxidants or free radical scavengers is reportedly helpful, notably in order to enhance the healing process. We investigated the protective effect of one new natural product:"date seed oil: DSO" against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative stress, in terms of lipid peroxidation, depletion of endogenous antioxidant defense enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), one day after a 2 h exposure to H(2)O(2), using human skin organ culture as an in vitro model.

A comparative study of oxidant-antioxidant status in stable and active vitiligo patients.

The pathogenetic mechanisms in vitiligo have not been completely clarified. One of the major hypotheses in the pathogenesis of vitiligo is the oxidative stress hypothesis. The active or stable phase of vitiligo is defined on the basis of the progression or appearance of new lesions in the last 3 months and the absence of new lesions or their progression in the last 6 months, respectively.

The impairment of superoxide dismutase coordinates the derepression of the PerR regulon in the response of Staphylococcus aureus to HOCl stress.

The response of Staphylococcus aureus to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) exposure was investigated. HOCl challenges were performed on cultures interrupted in the exponential phase. Pretreatment with HOCl conferred resistance to hydrogen peroxide in a PerR-dependent manner.