New data on distribution and ecology of Batrachospermum (Rhodophyta) in Serbia

The paper describes the distribution and ecology of populations of the genus Batrachospermum collected in Serbia from 2006 to 2015 at 10 sites, all of which represent new localities of Batrachospermum in Serbia. The records of this genus in the Boračka River and in a spring near Kragujevac (Cerovac) are the first in Central Serbia. Batrachospermum was recorded at altitudes of from 235 to 1600 m at localities mainly in partial or full shade on stone, gravel or concrete substrata in cold water (10.50 - 15.40oC) that was neutral to weakly alkaline (pH 7.2 – 8.65) with conductivity of from 55 to 539 μS/cm. Species of the genus Batrachospermum in Serbia have to date been recorded in clean, well-aerated waters with a low concentration of biogenic salts and in habitats without anthropogenic impact. Any factors altering abiotic parameters of their habitats can lead to changes and the loss of populations of the sensitive species of this genus

Examination of Prooxidative Activity of Red Wine in Melanoma Cells

Melanoma is responsible for 75% of all deaths from skin cancer. Its lethality arises from its rapid progression, easy metastasis and drug-resistance as well. Red wine is a natural product rich in polyphenolic compounds with potent anticancer activities. It seems that in cancer cells these compounds behave as prooxidants initiating reactive oxygen species mediated cellular DNA breakage and consequent cell death. The aim of this study was to investigate prooxidative activity of red wine samples (Merlot variety, commercial as well as VCR1 and VCR101 clonal wines) in melanoma A375 cells, through measuring the relationship of reduced and oxidized form of glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and comparison with the GSH/GSSG ratio in control (untreated melanoma cells). The data obtained showed that tested red wine samples decrease GSH/GSSG ratio in A375 cells compared to control (4.6 ± 0), with the largest decrease noticed in treatment with VCR101 wine (0.66 ± 0.05)

Antioxidant Enzymes in Blood of Women With Uterine Hyperplasia

The literature emphasizes the involvement of oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of many uterine diseases. Antioxidant system (AOS) represents the protective mechanism used by cells to neutralize overproduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent oxidative stress. We have previously shown that in gynecological patients with various diagnoses, the reproductive and other factors may be associated with antioxidant capacity and the ability to defend against oxidative damage. In this study, we examined the changes in expression of antioxidant enzymes (AOE): superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) in the blood of women with endometrial hyperplasia. Our results indicate that hyperplasia induces perturbance in oxidative balance, particularly in glutathione redox cycle enzymes

Citotoksično dejstvo crvenog vina na tumorske ćelije u in vitro uslovima

Benefitni efekat crvenog vina na zdravlje ljudi od davnina je poznat. Među alkoholnim pićima crveno vino pokazuje najjači efekat protiv pojave oboljenja povezanih sa oksidativnim stresom, kao što su kardiovaskularna, neurodegenerativna oboljenja, dijabetes i kancer.1 U okviru ove studije ispitan je citotoksični efekat crvenog vina sorte merlo (komercijalno dostupno vino i vina dobijena od klonova VCR1 i VCR101) poreklom iz Crne Gore, berba 2011, u odnosu na ćelijsku liniju kancera pankreasa (PANC-1) i ćelijsku liniju melanoma (A375). Citotoksični efekat vina je određen SRB metodom kroz praćenje ćelijskog preživljavanja kancerskih ćelija 48 sati nakon tretmana sa tri različita zapreminska procenta analiziranih vina (5, 10 i 20%). Dobijeni rezultati su pokazali citotoksični efekat svih analiziranih vina na obe ćelijske linije. Ćelijsko preživljavanje nakon tretmana vinima se kretalo od 36 do 64%. Citotoksični efekat svih vina u odnosu na A375 ćelije je bio veći nego na PANC-1 ćelijsku liniju, što je od posebnog značaja ako se uzme u obzir rezistentnost melanomskih ćelija na postojeće terapeutske tretmane. Takođe, klonska sortna vina su pokazala veći citotoksični efekat na A375 ćelijsku liniju od komercijalno dostupnog vina. Dobijeni rezultati su ukazali da umereno konzumiranje crvenog vina sorte merlo sa specifičnim geografskim poreklom predstavlja dobar izvor bioaktivnih komponenata sa pozitivnim biološkim efektom, što je od posebne važnosti za klonska sortna vina.3. kongres biologa Srbije : osnovna i primenjena istraživanja, metodika nastave, 21-25. septembar 2022., Zlatibor, Srbij

In vitro biological effects of clonal red wines

This study aimed to determine the phenolic compound content, in vitro antioxidative potential, and cytotoxic effects of four red wine samples: a commercial (V) and three clonal wines (V1, V2, and V3). LC/MS-MS, cyclic voltammetry, and MTT assay techniques were employed for this purpose. Results revealed that all wines were rich in phenolic compounds. Clonal wines outperformed the commercial ones in most phenolic compounds (except myricetin). Notably, V2 and V3 showed the highest levels of gallic acid, catechin, and epicatechin. Among them, V3 exhibited superior antioxidative activity. The MTT assay demonstrated stronger cytotoxic effects of the wine samples on pancreas (Bx-PC3) and colon (HT29) carcinoma cells (47% to 16% and 27% to 7% compared to control, respectively) than on the normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5) cell line (106% to 77%). It can be concluded that HT29 cells were more sensitive than Bx-PC3 cells. Finally, both clonal and commercial wines serve as valuable sources of polyphenolic compounds, which could have a significant role in preventing cancer and diseases related to oxidative stress.ICCBIKG 2023 : 2nd International Conference on Chemo and Bioinformatics, 28-29 September 2023, Kragujevac, Serbi

Antioxidant Activity of Selected Polyphenolics in Yeast Cells: The Case Study of Montenegrin Merlot Wine

Screens of antioxidant activity (AA) of various natural products have been a focus of the research community worldwide. This work aimed to differentiate selected samples of Merlot wines originated from Montenegro, with regard to phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity studied by survival rate, total sulfhydryl groups and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase and catalase in H2O2-stressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. In this study, DPPH assay was also performed. Higher total phenolic content leads to an enhanced AA under both conditions. The same trend was observed for catechin and gallic acid, the most abundant phenolics in the examined wine samples. Finally, the findings of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model were in a good agreement (r(2) = 0.978) with the experimental data. All tested samples exhibited a protective effect in H2O2-stressed yeast cells. Pre-treatment with examined wines increased survival in H2O2-stressed cells and shifted antioxidative defense towards GPx-mediated defense. Finally, sensitivity analysis of obtained ANN model highlights the complexity of the impact that variations in the concentrations of specific phenolic components have on the antioxidant defense system

Effects of C60 Fullerene on Thioacetamide-Induced Rat Liver Toxicity and Gut Microbiome Changes

Thioacetamide (TAA) is widely used to study liver toxicity accompanied by oxidative stress, inflammation, cell necrosis, fibrosis, cholestasis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. As an efficient free radical’s scavenger, C60 fullerene is considered a potential liver-protective agent in chemically-induced liver injury. In the present work, we examined the hepatoprotective effects of two C60 doses dissolved in virgin olive oil against TAA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. We showed that TAA-induced increase in liver oxidative stress, judged by the changes in the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GST, the content of GSH and 4-HNE, and expression of HO-1, MnSOD, and CuZnSOD, was more effectively ameliorated with a lower C60 dose. Improvement in liver antioxidative status caused by C60 was accompanied by a decrease in liver HMGB1 expression and an increase in nuclear Nrf2/NF-κB p65 ratio, suggesting a reduction in inflammation, necrosis and fibrosis. These results were in accordance with liver histology analysis, liver comet assay, and changes in serum levels of ALT, AST, and AP. The changes observed in gut microbiome support detrimental effects of TAA and hepatoprotective effects of low C60 dose. Less protective effects of a higher C60 dose could be a consequence of its enhanced aggregation and related pro-oxidant role

Morphology, distribution and ecology of the freshwater red algae Paralemanea (Batrachospermaceae, Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in Serbia

This paper describes the morphology, distribution and ecology of 15 populations of Paralemanea collected from 2004 to 2011 in 12 rivers in Serbia. On the basis of morphological and reproductive characteristics, two species were identified: P. annulata (12 populations) and P. catenata (3 populations). Morphological (presence of a stalk, thalli length, nodal diameter (ND), internodal diameter (ID), node and internode diameter ratio (ND:ID) and reproductive (arrangement of spermatangial sori, length and diameter of carpospores, presence of Chantransia stage) features described in the literature are generally confirmed in the populations from Serbia. True branching was observed in six populations of P. annulata in the gametophyte stage. False branching (whorled branching) occurred in five populations of both species observed. In the Pčinja (P2), Ibar (IB5) and Crnovrška rivers (CR10), the number of whorled branching was 6-11 (P. annulata). For P. catenata the number of such branching was 3-5 in the Nišava River (N8) and Sokobanjska Moravica River (SM12). False branching appears at damaged thalli, somewhat repairing it. Algae belonging to the Paralemanea genus were found at altitudes from 160 to 780 m (P. annulata), and from 240 to 400 m (P. catenata), at water temperatures ranging from 11.5 to 29°C (P. annulata) and from 12.6 to 17.4°C (P. catenata), in neutral and weakly alkaline waters, with a high level of oxygen concentration, with conductivity ranging from 70 to 433 μS/cm for P. annulata, and 260 to 440 μS /cm for P. catenata. It was also observed that P. annulata and P. catenata often grow in oligotrophic conditions and rarely in eutrophic conditions. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 43002 and by the European Communities 7th Framework Program Funding, Grant Agreement No. 603629-ENV-2013-6.2.1-Globaqua

Antidepressants- and antipsychotics-induced hepatotoxicity

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a serious health burden. It has diverse clinical presentations that can escalate to acute liver failure. The worldwide increase in the use of psychotropic drugs, their long-term use on a daily basis, common comorbidities of psychiatric and metabolic disorders, and polypharmacy in psychiatric patients increase the incidence of psychotropics-induced DILI. During the last 2 decades, hepatotoxicity of various antidepressants (ADs) and antipsychotics (APs) received much attention. Comprehensive review and discussion of accumulated literature data concerning this issue are performed in this study, as hepatotoxic effects of most commonly prescribed ADs and APs are classified, described, and discussed. The review focuses on ADs and APs characterized by the risk of causing liver damage and highlights the ones found to cause life-threatening or severe DILI cases. In parallel, an overview of hepatic oxidative stress, inflammation, and steatosis underlying DILI is provided, followed by extensive review and discussion of the pathophysiology of AD- and AP-induced DILI revealed in case reports, and animal and in vitro studies. The consequences of some ADs and APs ability to affect drug-metabolizing enzymes and therefore provoke drug–drug interactions are also addressed. Continuous collecting of data on drugs, mechanisms, and risk factors for DILI, as well as critical data reviewing, is crucial for easier DILI diagnosis and more efficient risk assessment of AD- and AP-induced DILI. Higher awareness of ADs and APs hepatotoxicity is the prerequisite for their safe use and optimal dosing. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature

The confirmation of the genus<I> Glaucospira</I> (Cyanobacteria) and the occurrence of <I>Glaucospira laxissima</I> (G. S. West) comb. nova in Serbia

La morphologie des cellules et des trichomes de Glaucospira laxissima (G.S.West) comb. nov. est étudiée en microscopie optique, en microscopie laser confocale (CLM) et en microscopie électronique à transmission (MET). Ses caractères cyanobactériens sont confirmés pour la première fois. Des données sont apportées sur l\u27écologie de cette espèce, trouvée pour la première fois en Serbie, dans un petit lac alcalin, au sein d\u27une communauté planctonique avec les espèces Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Wolosz.) Seenayya &amp; Subba Raju, Anabaenopsis elenkinii V.V. Miller et Chrysosporum bergii (Ostenfeld) Zapomelova et al.The work presents the morphology of cells and trichomes of Glaucospira laxissima (G.S. West) comb. nova analyzed by light microscopy, confocal laser microscopy (CLM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cyanobacterial characteristics are confirmed for the first time. It also contains the data on the ecology of this species, found for the first time in Serbia, in a small alkaline lake in a planktic community with the species Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya &amp; Subba Raju, Anabaenopsis elenkinii V.V. Miller and Chrysosporum bergii (Ostenfeld) Zapomelová et al.</p