Chemical, metabolomic and proteomic analysis of young cladodes from Opuntia cultivars with different domestication grade

"Nutraceutical potential of Opuntia cladodes has been reported, therapeutical effects have been associated to antioxidant compounds reported in Opuntia, such phenolic acids and flavonoids. Opuntia species have been classified according to their domestication grade. This gradient started with wild and less domesticated O. streptacantha Lem., followed by O. hyptiacantha F.A.C. Weber, then the moderate domesticated O. megacantha Salm-Dyck, prior to O. albicarpa, to finish with O. ficus-indica, the most domesticated and humanized species. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of domestication grade on chemical and nutritional attributes, metabolomic profiles and proteomic analysis of taxonomically identified Opuntia species. Proximate composition, mineral content and chemical attributes were different between Opuntia species. However, no clear trend was observed among domestication grade and attribute. Total phenolic and total flavonoids content as well as antioxidant capacity were different among cultivars from collect 2010 and collect 2012. However, the content of total phenolics and antioxidant capacities increased cladodes from collect 2012. These differences were no related to domestication grade. The metabolomic analysis of Opuntia cladodes showed similar profiles. However some compounds were present in specific cultivars. Particularly compound 26’ identified as Kaempferol 3-O-arabinofuranoside was detected only in O. streptacantha, a wild species. Similar 1D patterns were observed in proteomic analysis between cultivars. So far, shotgun analysis allowed the identification of 266 proteins from O. megacantha “Rubí reina” and O. ficusindica “Rojo vigor”, 38 and 61 specific proteins for each cultivar, respectively. Data from O. streptacantha, O. hyptiacantha and O. ficus-indica is still being analyzed. Shotgun analysis showed differences in protein expression due to domestication process. This is the first study of domestication effect on nutritional composition, chemical attributes, phenolic compounds profiling and proteomic analysis by shotgun proteomic in Opuntia cladodes.""En este trabajo se analizaron las especies de Opuntia incluidas en un gradiente de domesticación que inició con O. streptacantha Lem. la especie más primitiva y menos domesticada, seguida de O. hyptiacantha FAC Weber, O. megacantha Salm- Dyck, moderadamente domesticada, luego O. albicarpa, y en el extremo más domesticado y humanizado se encuentra O. ficus-indica. Los efectos terapéuticos se han asociado a los compuestos antioxidantes reportados en Opuntia, tales como ácidos fenólicos y flavonoides. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto del grado de domesticación en los atributos químicos y nutricionales, perfil metabolómico y proteómico de especies de Opuntia taxonómicamente identificados. La composición proximal, los atributos químicos y contenido de minerales fueron diferentes entre las variedades de Opuntia, aunque no se observó una tendencia en relación al grado de domesticación. Los contenidos de fenoles y flavonoides totales, así como la capacidad antioxidante se modificaron entre las variedades de las colectas 2010 y 2012. Sin embargo, se observó un incremento en el contenido de fenoles totales y capacidad antioxidante en las variedades 2012. Tales diferencias no están relacionadas al grado de domesticación. El análisis de metabolitos mostró perfiles de compuestos fenólicos similares, aunque el análisis diferencial demostró la presencia de compuestos específicos, como el 26’ (kaempferol 3 - O- arabinofuranósido) detectado únicamente en O. streptacantha, la especie más silvestre. El análisis proteómico reveló patrones similares, en primera dimensión, entre variedades. El análisis tipo ”shotgun” permitió la identificación de 266 proteínas en O. megacantha "Rubí reina " y O. ficus -indica "vigor Rojo", así como 38 y 61 proteínas específicas de cada variedad, respectivamente. Los datos obtenidos de O. streptacantha, O. hyptiacantha y O. ficus –indica aún están siendo analizados. El análisis tipo shotgun reveló diferencias relacionadas con el proceso de domesticación de Opuntia. Éste es el primer trabajo sobre el efecto de domesticación en el contenido nutricional, atributos químicos, perfil de compuestos fenólicos y análisis proteómico tipo “shotgun” en cladodios de Opuntia.

Toll-like receptors and their therapeutic potential in Parkinson’s disease and α-synucleinopathies

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors which mediate an inflammatory response upon the detection of specific molecular patterns found on foreign organisms and on endogenous damage-related molecules. These receptors play a major role in the activation of microglia, the innate immune cells of the CNS, and are also expressed in peripheral tissues, including blood mononuclear cells and the gut. It is well established that immune activation, in both the brain and periphery, is a feature of Parkinson’s disease as well as other α-synucleinopathies. Aggregated forms of α-synuclein can act as ligands for TLRs (particularly TLR2 and TLR4), and hence these receptors may play a critical role in mediating a detrimental immune response to this protein, as well as other inflammatory signals in Parkinson’s and related α-synucleinopathies. In this review, the potential role of TLRs in contributing to the progression of these disorders is discussed. Existing evidence comes predominantly from studies in in vitro and in vivo models, as well as analyses of postmortem human brain tissue and pre-clinical studies of TLR inhibitors. This evidence is evaluated in detail, and the potential for therapeutic intervention in α-synucleinopathies through TLR inhibition is discussed.The authors are supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre Dementia Theme (146281) and the Rosetrees Trust (M369-F1). AK is supported by the Onassis Foundation and the Alborada Trust. CWG is funded by an MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship (Grant: MR/R007446/1)

Caraterização Química de Produtos Naturais de Plantas Medicinais de Angola

Neste trabalho foram estudadas as seguintes plantas medicinais angolanas: a raiz da Piliostigma thonningii (Schum.) Milne-Redh, a raiz da Phragmanthera glaucocarpa (Peyr.) Balle, recolhidas no Uíge, a parte aérea da Croton gratissimus Buch., recolhida na Quiita, a raiz da Peltophorum africanum Sond. e ramos da Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes., recolhidas na Humpata. O material vegetal foi macerado e exaustivamente extraído a frio com metanol. Posteriormente, procedeu-se ao fracionamento do extrato de metanol em fração de hexano, clorofórmio e acetato de etilo. Por fracionamento destas frações, com misturas de vários solventes de polaridades crescentes, foram isolados diversos tipos de compostos. Na raiz da Piliostigma thonningii foram isolados o β–sitosterol, ácido benzóico, ácido 3-O-β-D-fucopiranosilquinóvico, ácido 3-O-α-L-ramnopiranosilquinóvico e a vincosamida. Todos estes compostos, exceto o β–sitosterol, são pela primeira vez isolados no género Bauhinia e na Piliostigma thonningii. A raiz da Phragmanthera glaucocarpa foi estudada, embora não tenham sido isolados quaisquer compostos. Na parte aérea da Croton gratissimus foram isolados o 1β-metoxicariolan-9β-ol, o 7δ-metoxiopposit-4(15)-en-1β-ol, 6α-metoxieudesm-4(15)-en-1β-ol, ácido cis-ózico, germacra-4(15),5,10(14)-trien-1β-ol, ent-kaur-16-en-19-ol, ácido 15-metoxi-neo-clerodan-3,13-dien-15,16-olida-18-óico, sacarose e o trans-4-hidroxi-N-metilprolina pela primeira vez no género Croton. Foram ainda isolados o óxido de cariofileno, ácido ent-kaur-16-en-19-óico, espatulenol, β-sitosterol e lupeol, já isolados no género Croton e alguns nas folhas da Croton gratissimus. Na raiz da Peltophorum africanum foram isolados dois compostos, o lupeol e o mallanósido A, que nunca foram isolados no género Peltophorum. Nos ramos da Gymnosporia senegalensis foram isolados dois compostos, que nunca foram isolados no género Gymnosporia o 3β-hidroxi-30-nor-lup-20-ona e o 3-epi-gloquidiol. O β-sitosterol e o 3β-hidroxi-lup-20(29)-en-30-al foram também isolados, sendo que o segundo é pela primeira vez isolado na G. senegalensis

Two new C-Glucosyl benzoic acids and flavonoids from mallotus nanus and their antioxidant activity

Two new 2-C-beta-D-glucopyranosyl benzoic acid derivatives named mallonanosides A (1) and B (2) were isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves of Mallotus nanus along with five known flavonoids, kaempferin (3), juglanin (4), quercitrin (5), myricitrin (6), and rhoifolin (7). Their structures were established on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. Their antioxidant activities were shown to depend on the number of hydroxyl groups, and the location and species of sugar moiety