Evaluation of E- cadherin and Hydrogen Peroxide in Skin of Patients with Vitiligo

Background Vitiligo is acquired depigmentary disorder characterized by destruction of the epidermal melanocytes leading to the loss of the skin color. Oxidative stress has a major role in the aetiopathogenesis and in melanocytic destruction due to its accumulation in the melanocytes and the hazardous effects to all compartments of the cell. Objective The aim of the work was to evaluate the level of E-cadherin and H2O2 level in vitiligo versus controls. Subjects This is a case control study which was carried out at Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology,New Cairo Police Academy Hospital on 20 Subjects were divided into two groups, Group I included 10 patients having non segemental vitiligo. Group II included 10 non vitilignous controls were included in the study. Results We found that H2O2 level is increased in NSV patients when compared with healthy individuals. While E-cadherin level is significantly decreased in vitiligo skin compared to normal skin. Conclusion As compared to controls, increased H2O2 levels levels were suggestive of oxidative stress in patients of vitiligo in our study. From our results we can conclude that vitiligo is not a disease confined to melanocytes only, keratinocytes also showed certain pathological changes in vitiliginous lesions. As functional and structural units with melanocytes, keratinocytes in depigmented epidermis may constitute a different microenvironment compared to those in normally pigmented epidermis. These differences include obvious loss of cell to cell adhesion between keratinocytes and melanocytes and between keratinocytes and each other, which in turn may affect the pigmentary system of the skin.

Respiratory Burst Factors in Nigerian Patients with COVID-19

Respiratory burst function resulting in the release of reactive oxygen species from leucocytes is one of the key mechanisms of innate immune system to prevent the establishment of intracellular pathogens in the host cells. Previous studies on COVID-19 patients concentrated on adaptive immunity while study on respiratory burst functions is lacking. Respiratory burst mediators levels [nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)] and respiratory burst enzymes activities [Catalase (CAT), Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD)] were quantitated in the plasma Mean plasma NO level, MPO activity and H2O2 level were significantly decreased while SOD activity was significantly increased in COVID-19 patients at admission compared with control. Mean plasma NO level significantly decreased while MPO activity was significantly increased in COVID-19 patients at discharge compared with control. Plasma NO level, H2O2 level and MPO activity were significantly increased in COVID-19 patients at discharge compared with COVID-19 patients at admission. In COVID-19 patients that spent ?10days in admission, the levels of NO and H2O2 were significantly increased compared with the levels of NO and H2O2 in COVID-19 patients that spent <10days in admission. In male COVID-19 patients, NO level and MPO activity were significantly increased compared with MPO activity in female patients. In COVID-19 patients ?40years of age, NO level was significantly decreased while MPO activity was significantly increased compared with COVID-19 patients <40yrs of age. In male COVID-19 patients, NO level and MPO activity was significantly increased compared with MPO activity in female patients. It could be concluded from this study that factors of respiratory burst which are components of the innate immune system are altered in COVID-19 patients and could be involved in the immune-pathogenecity of SARS-CoV-2; and that MPO coupled with NO may explain differential severities of COVID-19 among genders and age groups.

Differential Morphophysiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Responses of Maize Hybrids to Salinity and Alkalinity Stresses

Salinity and alkalinity stresses are common in arid and semiarid climates. Both these stresses not only retard crop growth but also cause a severe reduction in yields. The present experiment was performed to investigate the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and genetic responses of two maize hybrids (FH-1231 and DK-6714) to salinity and alkalinity stresses. The treatments were comprised of salt stress (NaCl:Na2SO4 at a 9:1 ratio), alkaline stress (NaHCO3:Na2CO3 at a 9:1 ratio), and an unstressed control. The results indicated that salinity and alkalinity significantly reduced shoot fresh weight by 50% and 70%, root fresh weight by 38% and 50%, root dry weight by 69% and 93%, seedling length by 18% and 30%, number of leaves by 27% and 39%, and maximum leaf width by 17% and 24%, respectively, across the two hybrids compared with control, indicating that alkalinity had a greater effect than salinity. Likewise, both the stresses, particularly alkalinity, significantly decreased K+ ion accumulation and chlorophyll content and increased the lipid peroxidation rate, sodium (Na+) concentration, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Salinity and alkalinity stresses also induced the expression levels of antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, POD, APX); however, salinity showed less effect than alkalinity stress. Similarly, hybrid DK-6714 performed comparatively better than FH-1231 with regard to seedling growth, antioxidant activities, and biochemical attributes under stress conditions. Thus, DK-6714 is recommended as a suitable hybrid for soils affected with salt-alkalization.

A Multimodal strategy of Fe3O4@ZIF-8/GOx@MnO2 hybrid nanozyme via TME modulation for tumor therapy

Weak acidity (6.5-6.9) and limited H2O2 level in tumor microenvironment (TME) usually impact therapeutic effect of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) for cancer. The specific TME promotes the formation of immunosuppressive microenvironment...

Amino Acid-Based Supramolecular Nanozyme by Coordination Self-Assembly for Cascade Catalysis and Enhanced Chemodynamic Therapy towards Biomedical Applications

The clinical translation of chemodynamic therapy has been highly obstructed by the insufficient intracellular H2O2 level in diseased tissues. Herein, we developed a supramolecular nanozyme through a facile one-step cooperative...

D-Penicillamine prolongs survival and lessens copper-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT D-penicillamine (DPA) is an amino-thiol that has been established as a copper chelating agent for the treatment of Wilson’s disease. DPA reacts with metals to form complexes and/or chelates. Here, we investigated the survival rate extension capacity and modulatory role of DPA on Cu2+-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Adult Wild type (Harwich strain) flies were exposed to Cu2+ (1 mM) and/or DPA (50 μM) in the diet for 7 days. Additionally, flies were exposed to acute Cu2+ (10 mM) for 24 h, followed by DPA (50 μM) treatment for 4 days. Thereafter, the antioxidant status [total thiol (T-SH) and glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities] as well as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level and acetylcholinesterase activity were evaluated. The results showed that DPA treatment prolongs the survival rate of D. melanogaster by protecting against Cu2+-induced lethality. Further, DPA restored Cu2+-induced depletion of T-SH level compared to the control (P &lt; 0.05). DPA also protected against Cu2+ (1 mM)-induced inhibition of catalase activity. In addition, DPA ameliorated Cu2+-induced elevation of acetylcholinesterase activity in the flies. The study may therefore have health implications in neurodegenerative diseases involving oxidative stress such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Cytosolic/Plastid Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Is a Negative Regulator of Strawberry Fruit Ripening

Cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPC) and plastid glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPCp) are key enzymes in glycolysis. Besides their catalytic function, GAPC/GAPCp participates in the regulation of plant stress response and growth and development. However, the involvement of GAPC/GAPCp in the regulation of fruit ripening is unclear. In this study, FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 in strawberries were isolated and analyzed. FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 transcripts showed high transcript levels in the fruit. Transient overexpression of FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 delayed fruit ripening, whereas RNA interference promoted fruit ripening and affected fruit anthocyanins and sucrose levels. Change in the expression patterns of FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 also influenced the expression of several glycolysis-related and ripening-related genes such as CEL1, CEL2, SS, ANS, MYB5, NCED1, ABI1, ALDO, PK, and G6PDH, and H2O2 level and reduced glutathione (GSH)/glutathione disulfide (GSSG) redox potential. Meanwhile, metabolomics experiments showed that transient overexpression of FaGAPCp1 resulted in a decrease in anthocyanins, flavonoids, organic acid, amino acids, and their derivatives. In addition, abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose treatment induced the production of large amounts of H2O2 and inhibited the expression of FaGAPC2/FaGAPCp1 in strawberry fruit. These results revealed that FaGAPC2/FaGAPCp1 is a negative regulator of ABA and sucrose mediated fruit ripening which can be regulated by oxidative stress.

High plasma H2O2 level and low plasma catalase level as risk factors for acne vulgaris

Background: In this recent time, ROS and oxidative stress have been said to play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflamed acne lesions. One example of ROS produced by neutrophil through phagocytosis is H2O2. Nevertheless, there is an enzymatic antioxidant which catalyses H2O2 called catalase. Imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants due to excessive ROS formation promotes the state of oxidative stress and inflammation of the acne lesion.Objective: This study aimed to determine plasma H2O2 and catalase level as a risk factor for acne.Methods: This matched-pair case-control observational analytic study involving 38 patients with acne and 38 patients without acne. Sampling was done using consecutive sampling which fulfils the inclusion and exclusion criteria and followed by matching with age and gender. H2O2 and catalase level measured on both groups. The analysis was done using SPSS.Results: H2O2 mean level in the case and control group, respectively 0.68 ± 0.03 and 0.42 ± 0.04 µmol/ml. High H2O2 level was determined from cut-off point >0.62 µmol/ml. High H2O2 was a statistically significant risk factor for acne vulgaris (p<0.001; 95% CI: 4.59-40.62; OR: 13.67). The mean level of catalase in the case and control group respectively 0.48 ± 0.06 and 0.74 ± 0.07 U/ml. Low catalase level was determined from the cut-off point <0.58 U/ml. Catalase was significant risk factor for acne vulgaris (p<0.001; 95% CI: 5.18-77.21; OR: 20.00).Conclusion: High levels of H2O2 plasma and low levels of catalase plasma is a risk factor of acne vulgaris.

A Comparative Study to Alleviate Arsenite Accumulation in Hydroponically Grown Oryza sativa Seedlings Through Combinations of Se, P and Fe

In the present study, the nine cultivars namely NDR-3112, Swarn Sub-2, Pusa-sugandha, IPB-1, Pant-4, Pant-10, Jalnidhi, Ushar-3 and Mashina Research-2 were screened to select the As tolerant cultivar. Based on accumulation and growth parameters, the tolerant cultivar (cv. Pant 10) of rice was selected for further experiments. Rice cv. Pant 10 was treated with i) As, ii) As+Fe, iii) As+Se, iv) As+Se+P and v) As+P under hydroponic condition for 8d. The application (μg ml-1) of Fe(100) to As(4) and Se(4)+P(6) to As(4), significantly (89% and 73%, respectively) reduced the uptake of As to the shoot without affecting the growth of seedlings. However, increasing the level of P (3 and 6 μg ml-1) alone in As(III) (4 μg ml-1) treatments significantly increased the As accumulation in the shoot, coincided with the decreased growth of rice seedlings. Treatment of As+Fe showed a non-significant reduction in growth relative to As alone, whereas, the seedlings exhibited the higher MDA and H2O2 level at 100 μg ml-1 concentration of Fe. In comparison to Se and P combinations, the Fe was found to be more efficient to significantly reduce the As accumulation. Among all the antioxidants, the activity of SOD and APX was significantly enhanced with the As+Fe(50) at both 4 and 8 days of treatments against As(4). Overall results demonstrate that the application of Fe was more efficient to reduce the uptake of As than Se and P in the rice seedlings.

Overexpression of PtrbHLH, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor from Poncirus trifoliata, confers enhanced cold tolerance in pummelo (Citrus grandis) by modulation of H2O2 level via regulating a CAT gene

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors (TFs) plays a crucial role in regulating plant response to abiotic stress by targeting a large spectrum of stress-responsive genes. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying the TF-mediated stress response are still poorly understood for most of the bHLH genes. In this study, transgenic pummelo (Citrus grandis) plants overexpressing PtrbHLH, a TF previously identified from Poncirus trifoliata, were generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In comparison with the wild-type plants, the transgenic lines exhibited significantly lower electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content after cold treatment, thereby resulting in a more tolerant phenotype. Meanwhile, the transgenic lines accumulated dramatically lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, consistent with elevated activity and expression levels of antioxidant enzymes (genes), including catalase (CAT), peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, PtrbHLH was shown to specifically bind to and activate the promoter of PtrCAT gene. Taken together, these results demonstrated that overexpression of PtrbHLH leads to enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic pummelo, which may be due, at least partly, to modulation of ROS levels by regulating the CAT gene.