Therapeutic Potential of Inducible Endogenous Cytoprotective Heme Oxygenase-1 in Mitigating SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Associated Inflammation

The inducible cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has gained significant recognition in recent years for mediating strong cellular resistance to a broad range of viral infections, regardless of the type of viruses, viral strains, or mutants. HO-1 is not a typical antiviral agent that targets any particular pathogen. It is a “viral tropism independent” endogenous host defense factor that upon induction provides general cellular protection against pathogens. By virtue of HO-1 being widely distributed intracellular enzyme in virtually every cell, this unique host factor presents a novel class of generic host defense system against a variety of viral infections. This Viewpoint proposes pharmacological evaluation of the HO-1-dependent cellular resistance for its potential in mitigating infections by deadly viruses, including the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), its variants, and mutants. HO-1-dependent cellular resistance against SARS-CoV-2 can complement current medical modalities for much effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with constantly emerging new viral variants and limited therapeutic options to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated severe health consequences

Role of cellular iron and oxygen in the regulation of HIV-1 infection

Despite efficient antiretroviral therapy, eradication of HIV-1 infection is challenging and requires novel biological insights and therapeutic strategies. Among other physiological and environmental factors, intracellular iron greatly affects HIV-1 replication. Higher iron stores were shown to be associated with faster progression of HIV-1 infection and to inversely correlate with the survival of HIV-1 infected patients. Iron is required for several steps in the HIV-1 life cycle, including reverse transcription, HIV-1 gene expression and capsid assembly. Here, the authors present a comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms involved in iron-and oxygen-mediated regulation of HIV-1 replication. We also propose key intracellular pathways that may be involved in regulating HIV-1 replication via protein kinase complexes, CDK9/cyclin T1 and CDK2/cyclin E, protein phosphatase-1 and other host factors. © 2013 Future Medicine Ltd

Modification of phospholipid structure results in greater stability of liposomes in serum

Prevous studies have revealed that the replacement of the C-2 ester group in phosphatidylcholine by the carbamyloxy function renders the resulting lipids, without affecting the properties of the liposomes, resistant to hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 (Gupta, C.M. and Bali, A. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 663, 506-515). As an extension of this work, the effect of serum on the stability of liposomes, prepared from 1-palmitoyl-2-heptadec-10-cis- enylcarbamyloxyphosphatidylcholine (carbamylphosphatidylcholine), has been examined. The stability has been measured in terms of (a) bilayer permeability to solutes, and (b) the lipid transfer to serum proteins, Replacement of egg phosphatidylcholine in liposomes by the carbamyl analog prevented serum-induced leakage of the entrapped solutes and also inhibited the lipid (phospholipid and cholesterol) transfer. Manipulation of the cholesterol content of the liposomes had no effect on the stability. These observations indicate that the interaction of serum proteins with liposomes probably involves a highly specific binding of the proteins to the liposome surface

HIV-1 Immunology

This chapter serves as a bridge between the molecular and structural biology of the human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV1) and the immunological consequences that viral infection produces. The innate and adaptive immune system and their responses play a critical role in the control of HIV replication. Unfortunately, immune dysfunction is common in HIVinfected individuals and the virus as well is capable of developing strategies to evade host defenses. Thus, in most untreated individuals, if viral replication is not fully contained, persistent viremia is sustained eventually resulting in progressive disease and the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

<i><span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA" lang="EN-US">Nyctanthes arbor-tristis </span></i><span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA" lang="EN-US">Linn. (Night Jasmine): A sacred ornamental plant with immense medicinal potentials</span>

427-435<span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:calibri;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-US">Nyctanthes arbor-tristis<span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:calibri;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-US"> Linn. is one of the most useful traditional medicinal plants in India. It is distributed widely in sub-Himalayan regions and Southwards to Godavari. Each part of the plant has some medicinal value and is thus commercially exploitable. It is now considered as a valuable source of several unique products for the medicines against various diseases and also for the development of some industrial products. The present review includes comprehensive information on the chemical constituents, biological activities of important compounds, pharmacological actions, medicinal applications and micro propagation of Night jasmine and emphasizes the need for further exploring available information.</span

Mössbauer study of nanoparticles of Co₀․₄Zn₀․₆Fe₂O₄

826-829Two samples of nanoparticles of Co₀․₄Zn₀․₆Fe₂O₄ with the average particle sizes of 6 nm and 15 nm have been synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method and followed by heat treatment at 600ºC. The cubic spinel structure in single phase has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The lattice parameters are 8.39 Å and 8.41 Å, respectively. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra were recorded at 300 K and 80 K. Both samples are resolved in two patterns corresponding to two crystalline sites. The Mössbauer spectra and hysteresis curves for the two samples recorded at 300 K show superparamagnetic behaviour. The analysis of Mössbauer spectra reveal that the intensity of Fe³⁺ ions on both sites is nearly the same which indicate that the Zn²⁺ occupies the octahedral site in these samples