Abatement of the Stimulatory Effect of Copper Nanoparticles Supported on Titania on Ovarian Cell Functions by Some Plants and Phytochemicals

The application of nanoparticles has experienced a vertiginous growth, but their interaction with food and medicinal plants in organisms, especially in the control of reproduction, remains unresolved. We examined the influence of copper nanoparticles supported on titania (CuNPs/TiO2), plant extracts (buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)), phytochemicals (rutin and apigenin), and their combination with CuNPs/TiO2 on ovarian cell functions, using cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells. Cell viability, proliferation (PCNA accumulation), apoptosis (accumulation of bax), and hormones release (progesterone, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol) were analyzed by the Trypan blue test, quantitative immunocytochemistry, and ELISA, respectively. CuNPs/TiO2 increased cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and testosterone but not progesterone release, and reduced the 17β-estradiol output. Plant extracts and components have similar stimulatory action on ovarian cell functions as CuNPs/TiO2, but abated the majority of the CuNPs/TiO2 effects. This study concludes that (1) CuNPs/TiO2 can directly stimulate ovarian cell functions, promoting ovarian cell proliferation, apoptosis, turnover, viability, and steroid hormones release; (2) the plants buckwheat and vitex, as well as rutin and apigenin, can promote some of these ovarian functions too; and (3) these plant additives mitigate the CuNPs/TiO2’s activity, something that must be considered when applied together.This research was funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV; project no. APVV-15-0296), the Slovak Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, the Slovak Academy of Science (VEGA; project no. VEGA 1/0392/17), the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU; project no. CTQ2017-88171-P), the Generalitat Valenciana (GV; project no. AICO/2017/007) and the Universidad de Alicante (grant no. VIGROB-285/19)

Analytical profiling and structure elucidation of flavanoids compounds

Chromatography is a powerful analytical method suitable for the separation and quantitative determination of a considerable number of compounds, even from complicated matrix. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) has some advantages such as rapidity, sensitivity, easiness, cheapness and this method does not require complex instrumental equipment. In present study, Quercetin 3 -O -α- d- glucuro pyranoside (miquelianin; QG), quercetin 3-O-α-d glucopyranoside (isoquercitrin), quercetin 3-O-α-d-galactopyranoside (hyperoside) and rutin in ethyl acetate fractions from aerial parts of selected Potentilla species on a HPTLC plates using a mixture consisting of ethyl acetate/methyl ethyl ketone/diisopropyl ether/formic acid (3:10:4:1, v/v/v/v). Rutinosides and quercetin were also eluted using methanol-water-acetic acid (50/44/6, v/v/v) and benzene: pyridine: formic acid (36:9:5). The spot visualization was evaluated under UV light at 254 nm and Ferric chloride reagent

Quercetin and cancer: New insights into its therapeutic effects on ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer is known as a serious malignancy that affects women's reproductive tract and can considerably threat their health. A wide range of molecular mechanisms and genetic modifications have been involved in ovarian cancer pathogenesis making it difficult to develop effective therapeutic platforms. Hence, discovery and developing new therapeutic approaches are required. Medicinal plants, as a new source of drugs, could potentially be used alone or in combination with other medicines in the treatment of various cancers such as ovarian cancer. Among various natural compounds, quercetin has shown great anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. In vitro and in vivo experiments have revealed that quercetin possesses a cytotoxic impact on ovarian cancer cells. Despite obtaining good results both in vitro and in vivo, few clinical studies have assessed the anti-cancer effects of quercetin particularly in the ovarian cancer. Therefore, it seems that further clinical studies may introduce quercetin as therapeutic agent alone or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs to the clinical setting. Here, we not only summarize the anti-cancer effects of quercetin but also highlight the therapeutic effects of quercetin in the ovarian cancer. © 2020 The Author(s)

Polyphenols for Cancer Treatment or Prevention

Polyphenols are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, and have been suggested to have protective effects against chronic diseases, such as cancers. They are a diverse group of molecules, many of which possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, epigenetic, drug sensitization, and/or modulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme properties. However, there is mixed evidence regarding their protective effects with respect to various cancers. Some of this controversy may be due to the combination of polyphenols administered, synergistic effects of accompanying compounds, bio-accessibility, bioavailability, effect of gut microbiota, and the type of cancer investigated. The purpose of this Special Issue is to present the recent evidence for the effect of polyphenol intake on cancer, as well as mechanisms of action. This Special Issue, entitled "Polyphenols for Cancer Treatment or Prevention", welcomes manuscript submissions of original research, meta-analyses, or reviews of the scientific literature. Authors should focus their manuscripts on polyphenol bioactives or dietary patterns naturally rich in polyphenols that have been identified and used for the prevention and or treatment of cancer

Anti-inflammatory Activity of Plant Polyphenols 2.0

This book collects some recent scientific data on the role of polyphenols in various pathological contexts, ranging from viral infection to metabolic or chronic disorders such as diabetes and renal fibrosis. The included studies showed both in vitro and in vivo evidence concerning positive effects of polyphenols in inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. The investigated molecules include: verbascoside from Olea europea, curcumin from Curcuma longa, phenolic acids from Antirhea borbonica, and phlorotannins from marine algae. Finally, the main flavonoids present in the human diet and their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer roles were also discussed. The scientific data confirm the importance of the plant kingdom, both marine and terrestrial, in the search for new compounds with potential benefits for humans

Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet—Wine Association: Role of Components

The Mediterranean diet is a model of eating based on the traditional foods and drinks of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The cultural and the nutritional aspects of the multisecular Mediterranean civilization include diet as a central element of health and wellbeing, including wine, if it is consumed in moderation. In recent decades, it has been promoted worldwide (UNESCO 2010) as one of the healthiest dietary patterns. The objective of this book is to bring the role of wine as part of the Mediterranean diet to light, especially through policy makers, the medical world, and vectors of images

Basic and Clinical Endocrinology Up-to-Date

This book provides the most up-to-date information on the basic and clinical aspects of endocrinology. It offers both researchers and clinicians experts, gold-standard analysis of endocrine research and translation into the treatment of diseases such as insulinoma, endocrine disease in pregnancy and steroid induced osteoporosis. Investigates both the endocrine functions of the kidneys and how the kidney acts as a target for hormones from other organ systems. Presents a uniquely comprehensive look at all aspects of endocrine changes in pregnancy and cardiovascular effects of androgens

The Effects of Mycotoxins on Human and Animal Health—a Special Focus on the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Responsible for Mycotoxin Toxicity

This Special Issue gathers original studies (eight articles and one review) that aim to improve our knowledge concerning mycotoxin toxicity. The most recent research concerning the impact of zearalenone (ZEA) and the immune response is presented in a review that aims to explore the immunotoxicity produced by ZEA on different types of immune cells (phagocytes related to innate immunity and lymphocytes related to acquired immunity) as well as on immune organs, and also to identify the mechanism of action used by ZEA to modulate the immune response. The role of zearalenone in macrophage-mediated innate immunity after bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation was the subject of another study, suggesting that the intake of ZEA-contaminated food might result in decreasing innate immunity. Another important study related to the co-exposure to mycotoxins and other food/feed contaminants showed that combining patulin with cadmium induces enhanced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo, while the exposure to both deoxynivalenol and porcine circovirus has an additive effect on inflammatory cytokines by inducing the mRNA expression of interleukine-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukine-6 (IL-6). The use of feed compounds rich in bioactive constituents for mitigating the mycotoxins effects in swine was the subject of other three studies herein, which have shown the efficacy of antioxidants from dietary grapeseed and sea buckthorn meal waste to decrease the toxicity of a diet contaminated with aflatoxin B1 or both aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A at the level of organs involved in the metabolism and excretion (liver and kidney), as well as at the level of secondary lymphoid organs (mesenteric lymph nodes). The use of different models (cell co-culture model, rat model) are recommended by another two studies in order to evaluate the ochratoxin A toxicity or for better prediction of the mycotoxins risk for human cancer

Evaluation of the Anti-proliferative effect of phenolic compounds from Garlic on human breast cancer cells through the modulation of different molecular mechanisms involved in their growth and proliferation

openAglio, Cancro al seno, Polifenoli, Effetto antitumorale. L'estratto di aglio (BARI RASHUN-1) ha mostrato la presenza di elevate quantità di composti fenolici (acido diidrossibenzoico e acido ferulico), di composti organosolforati (diallil disolfuro, dipropil disolfuro e dipropil solfuro) e minerali (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Se e Zn). Per la prima volta in questo studio è stata valutata la biodisponibilità gastrica ed intestinale dei polifenoli dell'aglio ed è stata dimostrata una significativa riduzione nella frazione gastrointestinale. Sono stati dimostrati gli effetti antitumorali dell’estratto di aglio su cellule umane di adenocarcinoma mammario (MCF7): è stata osservata una ridotta vitalità cellulare, un’aumentata produzione di ROS intracellulari e di stress ossidativo oltre che di quello dell’ER. È stato dimostrato inoltre un effetto pro-apoptotico attraverso una down-regolazione di vari inibitori dell’apoptosi e la modulazione di vari protagonisti chiave (p53, Bax, Bid c-PARP, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 e FADD). Inoltre, l'estratto di aglio ha modulato gli enzimi SOD, catalasi, HO-1 glutatione, glutatione perossidasi, reduttasi e transferasi tramite il pathway Nrf2/Keap1/NOQ. La caratterizzazione bioenergetica è stata determinata attraverso la valutazione della respirazione mitocondriale, della glicolisi e della produzione di lattato (che risultano ridotti). Sono stati inoltre osservati gli effetti anti-metastatici ed antinfiammatori attraverso il test di migrazione e formazione di colonie e si è constatata la modulazione dell’espressione genica e proteica di alcuni fattori come MMP-2, MMP-9, E-caderina, N-caderina e β-catenina, NFκB, IL-1β, IL -6 e p-IκB-α. L’effetto sull’angiogenesi è stato osservato attraverso la regolazione dei fattori pro-angiogenici FN-γ, TIMP-1 e TIMP-2, VEGF, VEGF-D, b-FGF, ENA-78, EGF, PlGF, TGFβ1, MCP-1, IL- 8. L'estratto di aglio potrebbe indurre l'autofagia attraverso la modulazione dell'espressione proteica di fattori come ATG3, ATG4A, ATG5, ATG7, ATG 12, ATG13, Beclin, BNIP3, GABARAP, LC3A, LC3B, P62, MSK1, NSB1, LMP1, Rheb. Infine, gli estratti di aglio hanno inibito la crescita cellulare tumorale in fase G1/G0 sopprimendo l’EGFR.Garlic, Breast Cancer, Polyphenol, Anticancer effect. The garlic extract (BARI RASHUN-1) showed the presence of high quantities of phenolic compounds (dihydroxybenzoic acid and ferulic acid), organosulfur compounds (diallyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide and dipropyl sulfide) and minerals (Ca, Cu, Fe , K, Se and Zn). For the first time in this study the gastric and intestinal bioavailability of garlic polyphenols was evaluated and a significant reduction in the bioavailable fraction was demonstrated. The anticancer effects of garlic extract on human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF7) have been demonstrated by reducing cell viability, increasing production of intracellular ROS and oxidative stress as well as ER stress have been observed. A pro-apoptotic effect has also been demonstrated through a down-regulation of various apoptosis inhibitors and the modulation of various key players (p53, Bax, Bid c-PARP, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 and FADD ). Furthermore, the garlic extract modulated the enzymes SOD, catalase, HO-1 glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, reductase and transferase via the Nrf2 / Keap1 / NOQ pathway. The bioenergetic characterization was determined through the evaluation of mitochondrial respiration, glycolysis and lactate production (which are reduced). The anti-metastatic and anti-inflammatory effects were also observed through the migration and colony formation assay and the modulation of gene and protein expression of some factors such as MMP-2, MMP-9, E-cadherin, N- cadherin and β-catenin, NFκB, IL-1β, IL -6 and p-IκB-α. The effect on angiogenesis was observed through the regulation of pro-angiogenic factors FN-γ, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, VEGF, VEGF-D, b-FGF, ENA-78, EGF, PlGF, TGFβ1, MCP -1, IL- 8. Garlic extract could be induced autophagy through the modulation of protein expression of factors such as ATG3, ATG4A, ATG5, ATG7, ATG 12, ATG13, Beclin, BNIP3, GABARAP, LC3A, LC3B, P62, MSK1, NSB1, LMP1, Rheb. Finally, garlic extracts inhibited tumor cell growth in the G1 / G0 phase by suppressing EGFR.SCIENZE BIOMEDICHEopenAnsary, Johur