Development of a Nanoformulation for Oral Protein Administration: Characterization and Preclinical Orofacial Antinociceptive Effect.

Nanoencapsulation is a valid alternative for the oral administration of peptide drugs and proteins, as nanoparticles protect them from proteolytic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and promote the absorption of these macromolecules. The orofacial antinociceptive effect of frutalin (FTL), through the intraperitoneal route, has already been proven. This study aimed to develop, characterize, and evaluate the orofacial antinociceptive activity of an oral formulation containing FTL in acute and neuropathic preclinical tests.

Dioclea Altissima Seed Lectin (DAL) Prevents Anxiety-like Behavioral Responses in Adult Zebrafish (Danio Rerio): Involvement of GABAergic and 5-HT Systems.

Background: Plant lectins have shown promising neuropharmacological activities in animal models.

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of Dioclea altissima seed lectin (DAL) on adult zebrafish behavior.

Method: Zebrafish (n=6/group) were treated (i.

Pyrodextrinization of yam (Dioscorea sp.) starch isolated from tubers grown in Brazil and physicochemical characterization of yellow pyrodextrins.

This study optimizes the pyrodextrinization of yam (Dioscorea sp.) starch isolated from tubers grown in Brazil to produce a yellow pyrodextrin with the lowest enzymatically available starch (AS) content and color difference (ΔE) index. At 140 °C (fixed heating temperature), the effects of acid concentration (0.

Proteins Involved in the Induction of Procoagulant Activity and Autoimmune Response in Patients With Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

The aim of this study was to determine the plasma protein profile of patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) compared to healthy controls and identify proteins that might be used in the evaluation, diagnosis, and prognosis of this condition. The sample consisted of 14 patients with PAPS and 17 sex- and age-matched controls. Plasma samples were submitted to proteomic analysis (albumin and immunoglobulin G depletion, concentration, digestion, and label-free data-independent mass spectrometry).

Neuropharmacological Characterization of Dioclea altissima Seed Lectin (DAL) in Mice: Evidence of Anxiolytic-like Effect Mediated by Serotonergic, GABAergic Receptors and NO Pathway.

Background: Plant lectins have shown promising biological activities in the central nervous system (CNS).

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of DAL, a lectin isolated from the seeds of the Dioclea altissima species, having binding affinity to D-glucose or D-mannose residues, on mice behavior.

Methods: Mice (n=6/group) were treated (i.

Expression of a recombinant bacterial L-asparaginase in human cells.

Objective: L-Asparaginase (ASNase) is an enzyme used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As the therapeutic ASNases has bacterial origin, severe side effects are associated with its use, among them hypersensitivity and inactivation of the enzyme. In this context, the objective of this work was to produce a recombinant ASNase of bacterial origin in human cells in order to determine the presence and consequences of potential post-translational modifications on the enzyme.

Animal Galectins and Plant Lectins as Tools for Studies in Neurosciences.

Lectins are proteins or glycoproteins of non-immunological origin capable of reversibly and specifically binding to glycoconjugates. They exist in free form or associated with cells and are widely distributed in nature, being found in plants, microorganisms, and animals. Due to their characteristics and mainly due to the possibility of reversible binding to glycoconjugates, lectins have stood out as important tools in research involving Neurobiology.

New structural insights into anomeric carbohydrate recognition by frutalin: an α-d-galactose-binding lectin from breadfruit seeds.

Frutalin (FTL) is a multiple-binding lectin belonging to the jacalin-related lectin (JRL) family and derived from (breadfruit) seeds. This lectin specifically recognizes and binds α-d-galactose. FTL has been successfully used in immunobiological research for the recognition of cancer-associated oligosaccharides.

Biological Activities and Pharmacological Applications of Cyclodextrins Complexed with Essential Oils and Their Volatile Components: A Systematic Review.

Background: Essential oils (EOs) and their volatile components (VCs) have varied biological and pharmacological activities, but low solubility and bioavailability hamper their applications, so that inclusion in cyclodextrins (CDs) is likely to improve their physicochemical properties and pharmacological effects.

Objective: The authors conducted a systematic review to evaluate the biological activities and pharmacological applications of essential oils and their volatile components complexed with cyclodextrins.

Methods: The search terms 'Cyxlodextrin', 'Inclusion Complex', 'Volatile oils', 'Essential oil' and 'Volatile components' were used to retrieve articles from the PUBMED, MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases.

Hydrogel and membrane scaffold formulations of Frutalin (breadfruit lectin) within a polysaccharide galactomannan matrix have potential for wound healing.

Plant lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins, which can interact with cell surfaces to initiate anti-inflammatory pathways, as well as immunomodulatory functions. Here, we have extracted, purified and part-characterized the bioactivity of Jacalin, Frutalin, DAL and PNA, before evaluating their potential for wound healing in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Only Frutalin stimulated fibroblast migration in vitro, prompting further studies which established its low cytotoxicity and interaction with TLR4 receptors.

Neuropharmacological characterization of frutalin in mice: Evidence of an antidepressant-like effect mediated by the NMDA receptor/NO/cGMP pathway.

In this study we evaluated the effect of frutalin (FTL) on mouse behavior. Mice (n=6/group) were treated (i.p.

Action mechanism of naphthofuranquinones against fluconazole-resistant Candida tropicalis strains evidenced by proteomic analysis: The role of increased endogenous ROS.

The increased incidence of candidemia in terciary hospitals worldwide and the cross-resistance frequency require the new therapeutic strategies development. Recently, our research group demonstrated three semi-synthetic naphthofuranquinones (NFQs) with a significant antifungal activity in a fluconazole-resistant (FLC) C. tropicalis strain.

A panel of protein candidates for comprehensive study of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) infection.

The caprine arthrite encephalite (CAE) is a disease that affects especially dairy goat. The virus shows compartmentalization features, that allows it to hide at certain times during the course of the disease, making it difficult to control. The present study was conducted to identify the major seminal plasma protein profile of goats infected by CAE and its associations with seroconversion using Western blotting.

Frutapin, a lectin from (breadfruit): cloning, expression and molecular insights.

(breadfruit) seeds contain three different lectins (Frutalin, Frutapin (FTP) and Frutackin) with distinct carbohydrate specificities. The most abundant lectin is Frutalin, an α-D-galactose-specific carbohydrate-binding glycoprotein with antitumour properties and potential for tumour biomarker discovery as already reported. FTP is the second most abundant, but proved difficult to purify with very low yields and contamination with Frutalin frustrating its characterization.

Label-Free Proteome Analysis of Plasma from Patients with Breast Cancer: Stage-Specific Protein Expression.

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among women. Breast cancer mortality rates remain high probably because its diagnosis is hampered by inaccurate detection methods. Since changes in protein expression as well as modifications in protein glycosylation have been frequently reported in cancer development, the aim of this work was to study the differential expression as well as modifications of glycosylation of proteins from plasma of women with breast cancer at different stages of disease ( = 30) compared to healthy women ( = 10).

A panel of glycoproteins as candidate biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment evaluation of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common malignant cancer in childhood. The signs and symptoms of childhood cancer are difficult to recognize, as it is not the first diagnosis to be considered for nonspecific complaints, leading to potential uncertainty in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to perform proteomic analysis of serum from pediatric patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) to identify candidate biomarker proteins, for use in early diagnosis and evaluation of treatment.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of frutalin, an α-D-galactose-specific lectin from Artocarpus incisa seeds.

Frutalin is an α-D-galactose-specific carbohydrate-binding glycoprotein with antitumour properties and is a powerful tool for tumour biomarker discovery. The crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of this lectin, which was isolated from Artocarpus incisa seeds, are reported here. Frutalin was purified and submitted to mass-spectrometric analysis.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of an antifungal laticifer protein.

An osmotin (CpOsm) from the latex of Calotropis procera has been crystallized in both tetragonal and trigonal forms suitable for structure determination. Crystallographic studies of CpOsm are of great interest because limited information is available concerning the structure of latex proteins and CpOsm has previously been shown to interact with the spore membranes of some plant pathogenic fungi, thus impairing spore germination and hyphal growth. CpOsm crystals were grown using 0.

Diverse patterns of cell wall mannan/galactomannan occurrence in seeds of the Leguminosae.

Endosperms from seeds of different subfamilies of Leguminosae were submitted to sequential aqueous and alkaline aqueous extractions. The extractions from species belonging to the Mimosoideae and Faboideae subfamilies yielded galactomannans with constant Man:Gal ratios, whereas the extractions from Caesalpinioideae seeds gave rise to galactomannans with increasing values of the Man:Gal ratio. The presence of a family of galactomannans within the same species may be a trait found only in Caesalpinioideae subfamily.

Gastroprotective potential of frutalin, a D-galactose binding lectin, against ethanol-induced gastric lesions.

The present study was designed to verify whether frutalin (FTL) affords gastroprotection against the ethanol-induced gastric damage and to examine the underlying mechanism(s). Gastric damage was induced by intragastric administration of 0.2 ml of ethanol (96%).

Isolation of a lectin and a galactoxyloglucan from Mucuna sloanei seeds.

A lectin and a galactoxyloglucan were characterized from Mucuna sloanei seed cotyledons. The galactoxyloglucan, isolated by water extraction and ethanol precipitation, had Glc:Xyl:Gal proportions in a molar ratio of 1.8:1.

Establishment of a heterologous system for the expression of Canavalia brasiliensis lectin: a model for the study of protein splicing.

During its biosynthesis in developing Canavalia brasiliensis seeds, the lectin ConBr undergoes a form of protein splicing in which the order of the N- and C-domains of the protein is reversed. To investigate whether these events can occur in other eukaryotic organisms, an expression system based on Pichia pastoris cells was established. A DNA fragment encoding prepro-ConBr was cloned into the vector pPICZB, and the recombinant plasmid was transformed in P.

Proline accumulation and glutamine synthetase activity are increased by salt-induced proteolysis in cashew leaves.

In this study cashew (Anacardium occidentale) plants were exposed to a short- and long-term exposure to NaCl in order to establish the importance of the salt-induced proteolysis and the glutamine synthetase activity on the proline accumulation. The cashew leaf showed a prominent proline accumulation in response to salt stress. In contrast, the root tissue had no significant changes in proline content even after the drastic injury caused by salinity on the whole plant.

Cashew-tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) exudate gum: a novel bioligand tool.

The potential of bioaffinity as a tool for the study of biological-recognition mechanisms is gaining increasing value. The search continues for alternative products that can be obtained from renewable sources, such as the bark exudate gum from the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.), which grows wild in many tropical and subtropical countries.