A Targeted Metabolomics Approach to Study Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Activity in 'Kinnow Mandarin' during Advanced Fruit Maturity.

In this study, we investigated the impact of harvest maturity stages and contrasting growing climates on secondary metabolites in Kinnow mandarin. Fruit samples were harvested at six harvest maturity stages (M1−M6) from two distinct growing locations falling under subtropical−arid (STA) and subtropical−humid (STH) climates. A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) technique was employed to identify and quantify secondary metabolites in the fruit juice.

Targeted metabolite profiling to gain chemometric insight into Indian pomegranate cultivars and elite germplasm.

Background: Pomegranate fruit is an excellent source of bioactive polyphenolics, known to contribute significantly to human health. India is the largest producer of pomegranate in the world and produces the finest quality fruit with highly desirable consumer traits such as soft seeds, low acidity, and attractive fruit and aril color. Knowledge of the extent of variation in key metabolites (sugars, organic acids, phenolics, and anthocyanins) is key to selecting superior genotypes for germplasm improvement.

Cell cycle regulation and apoptotic cell death in experimental colon carcinogenesis: intervening with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

Relative imbalance in the pathways regulating cell cycle, cell proliferation, or cell death marks a prerequisite for neoplasm. C-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis and a selective COX-2 inhibitor along with piroxicam, a traditional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug was used to investigate the role of cell cycle regulatory proteins and proinflammatory transcription factor NFκB in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH)-induced rat colon carcinogenesis. Cell cycle regulators [cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), CDK4, and p53], NFκB (p65) pathway, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were evaluated by gene and protein expression, whereas apoptosis was studied by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and apoptotic bleb assay.

Postharvest vapour heat treatment as a phytosanitary measure influences the aroma volatiles profile of mango fruit.

Our objective was to determine the influence of postharvest vapour heat treatment (VHT) on qualitative and quantitative measurement of aroma volatiles during fruit ripening in mango (cv. Chausa) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). VHT (48°C for 20 min) accelerated the process of fruit ripening leading to edible-soft stage within 4 days after heat treatment against 8 days in control.

Targeting angiogenic pathway for chemoprevention of experimental colon cancer using C-phycocyanin as cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor.

An angiogenic pathway was studied that involved stromal tissue degradation with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), vesicular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mediated growth regulation in a complex interaction with chemokines, such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β). Gene and protein expression was studied with real-time PCR, Western immunoblot, and immunofluorescence. Morphological and histopathological analysis of tumor was done, as also the activity of MMPs and HIF-1α by gelatin zymography and ELISA.

Piroxicam and c-phycocyanin prevent colon carcinogenesis by inhibition of membrane fluidity and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling while up-regulating ligand dependent transcription factor PPARγ.

The colon cancer tissues from DMH treated rats exhibited higher membrane potential, fluidity and changed lipid order as examined by Merocyanine 540 and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, respectively. A transition from gel to liquid crystalline state was observed by Laurdan fluorescence and also reduced fluorescence quenching of NBD-PE as contributed in the decreased membrane lipid phase separation. With piroxicam, a traditional NSAID and c-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis, these effects were normalized.

Effect of nitrogen fertigation and sowing time on the expression of Cry2Ab and on mortality of Spodoptera litura in Bollgard II cotton.

Toxin expression of Cry2Ab was studied in plant parts of Bollgard II cotton genotype MRC 7031 sown under different treatments of nitrogen application and planting dates. The expression was quantified by using Cry2Aa ELISA kit. Mean per cent mortality of one-day-old, 3rd and 5th instar larvae of Spodoptera litura was observed on different plant parts of MRC 7031 and their respective non-Bt cotton genotypes.

Role of cytokines and Jak3/Stat3 signaling in the 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride-induced rat model of colon carcinogenesis: early target in the anticancer strategy.

The molecular mechanisms by which colon cancer cells regulate the expression of various proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors resulting in tumor progression have not been well clarified. The present study thus explores the effect of cancer cell-derived cytokines and transcription factors on the chemoprevention of a rat model of early colon carcinogenesis. Elevated expression of proinflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, interferon γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α] and the transcription factors [Janus kinase 3 (Jak3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3)] was found in the 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH) group; however, this elevated expression was reversed by the individual and combination treatment with piroxicam, a traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug [inhibiting both cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2] and c-phycocyanin, a cyanobacterium-derived biliprotein from Spirulina platensis (selective COX-2 inhibitor).

PTEN regulates apoptotic cell death through PI3-K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway in DMH induced early colon carcinogenesis in rat.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) and Akt (protein kinase B), are both essential signaling molecules that are up-regulated in various cancers. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms by which PI3-K and Akt expression are regulated by glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) in the early stages of experimental colon carcinogenesis. 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was utilized for the induction of colon cancer while piroxicam, a traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and c-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis (cyanobacterium) as the chemopreventive agents.

Piroxicam and C-phycocyanin mediated apoptosis in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride induced colon carcinogenesis: exploring the mitochondrial pathway.

Apoptosis is a synchronized procedure of cell death that is regulated by caspases and proapoptotic proteins. During apoptosis, translocation of cytochrome c, an electron carrier, from mitochondria into the cytosol is regulated by Bcl-2 family members. Cytochrome c in association with an apoptotic protease activating factor (Apaf), a proapoptotic protein essential for cell differentiation and procaspase-9 form the apoptosome complex, which consecutively activates effector caspase, caspase-3, and coordinate the implementation of apoptosis.

Chemoprevention of DMH-induced rat colon carcinoma initiation by combination administration of piroxicam and C-phycocyanin.

Cancer research illustrated that combinatorial studies can provide significant improvement in safety and effectiveness over the monotherapy regimens. A combination of two drugs may restrain precancerous colon polyps, opening a new possible opportunity for chemoprevention of colon cancer. In this context, chemopreventive efficacy of a combination regimen of C-phycocyanin, a biliprotein present in Spirulina platensis, a cyanobacterium, which is a selective cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor and piroxicam, a traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug was considered in 1,2 dimethylhyadrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats.

The cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor etoricoxib is a potent chemopreventive agent of colon carcinogenesis in the rat model.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an inducible prostaglandin G/H synthase, is overexpressed in several human cancers, including colon cancer, and therefore the potential ability of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, etoricoxib, is considered in the prevention of the 1,2-dimethyl hydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in the rat model. DMH was injected s.c.