Antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of halogenated phenylboronic acids against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi

Vibrios are associated with live seafood because they are part of the indigenous marine microflora. In Asia, foodborne infections caused by Vibrio spp. are common. In recent years, V. parahaemolyticus has become the leading cause of all reported food poisoning outbreaks. Therefore, the halogenated acid and its 33 derivatives were investigated for their antibacterial efficacy against V. parahaemolyticus. The compounds 3,5-diiodo-2-methoxyphenylboronic acid (DIMPBA) and 2-fluoro-5-iodophenylboronic acid (FIPBA) exhibited antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. DIMPBA and FIPBA had minimum inhibitory concentrations of 100 μg/mL for the planktonic cell growth and prevented biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner. Both iodo-boric acids could diminish the several virulence factors influencing the motility, agglutination of fimbria, hydrophobicity, and indole synthesis. Consequently, these two active halogenated acids hampered the proliferation of the planktonic and biofilm cells. Moreover, these compounds have the potential to effectively inhibit the presence of biofilm formation on the surface of both squid and shrimp models

Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of formylchromones against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi

Gram-negative Vibrio species are major foodborne pathogens often associated with seafood intake that causes gastroenteritis. On food surfaces, biofilm formation by Vibrio species enhances the resistance of bacteria to disinfectants and antimicrobial agents. Hence, an efficient antibacterial and antibiofilm approach is urgently required. This study examined the antibacterial and antivirulence effects of chromones and their 26 derivatives against V. parahaemolyticus and V. harveyi. 6-Bromo-3-formylchromone (6B3FC) and 6-chloro-3-formylchromone (6C3FC) were active antibacterial and antibiofilm compounds. Both 6B3FC and 6C3FC exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 20 µg/mL for planktonic cell growth and dose-dependently inhibited biofilm formation. Additionally, they decreased swimming motility, protease activity, fimbrial agglutination, hydrophobicity, and indole production at 20 µg/mL which impaired the growth of the bacteria. Furthermore, the active compounds could completely inhibit the slimy substances and microbial cells on the surface of the squid and shrimp. The most active compound 6B3FC inhibited the gene expression associated in quorum sensing and biofilm formation (luxS, opaR), pathogenicity (tdh), and membrane integrity (vmrA) in V. parahaemolyticus. However, toxicity profiling using seed germination and Caenorhabditis elegans models suggests that 6C3FC may have moderate effect at 50 µg/mL while 6B3FC was toxic to the nematodes 20-100 µg/mL. These findings suggest chromone analogs, particularly two halogenated formylchromones (6B3FC and 6C3FC), were effective antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents against V. parahaemolyticus in the food and pharmaceutical sectors

Electro-Fermentation in Aid of Bioenergy and Biopolymers

The soaring levels of industrialization and rapid progress towards urbanization across the world have elevated the demand for energy besides generating a massive amount of waste. The latter is responsible for poisoning the ecosystem in an exponential manner, owing to the hazardous and toxic chemicals released by them. In the past few decades, there has been a paradigm shift from “waste to wealth”, keeping the value of high organic content available in the wastes of biological origin. The most practiced processes are that of anaerobic digestion, leading to the production of methane. However; such bioconversion has limited net energy yields. Industrial fermentation targeting value-added bioproducts such as—H2, butanediols; polyhydroxyalkanoates, citric acid, vitamins, enzymes, etc. from biowastes/lignocellulosic substrates have been planned to flourish in a multi-step process or as a “Biorefinery”. Electro-fermentation (EF) is one such technology that has attracted much interest due to its ability to boost the microbial metabolism through extracellular electron transfer during fermentation. It has been studied on various acetogens and methanogens, where the enhancement in the biogas yield reached up to 2-fold. EF holds the potential to be used with complex organic materials, leading to the biosynthesis of value-added products at an industrial scale

Inhibitory Effects of Cinnamaldehyde Derivatives on Biofilm Formation and Virulence Factors in Vibrio Species

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is considered one of the most relevant pathogenic marine bacteria with a range of virulence factors to establish food-related gastrointestinal infections in humans. Cinnamaldehyde (CNMA) and some of its derivatives have antimicrobial and antivirulence activities against several bacterial pathogens. This study examined the inhibitory effects of CNMA and its derivatives on biofilm formation and the virulence factors in Vibrio species, particularly V. parahaemolyticus. CNMA and ten of its derivatives were initially screened against V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation, and their effects on the production of virulence factors and gene expression were studied. Among the CNMA derivatives tested, 4-nitrocinnamaldehyde, 4-chlorocinnamaldehyde, and 4-bromocinnamaldehyde displayed antibacterial and antivirulence activities, while the backbone CNMA had weak effects. The derivatives could prevent the adhesion of V. parahaemolyticus to surfaces by the dose-dependent inhibition of cell surface hydrophobicity, fimbriae production, and flagella-mediated swimming and swarming phenotypes. They also decreased the protease secretion required for virulence and indole production, which could act as an important signal molecule. The expression of QS and biofilm-related genes (aphA, cpsA, luxS, and opaR), virulence genes (fliA, tdh, and vopS), and membrane integrity genes (fadL, and nusA) were downregulated in V. parahaemolyticus by these three CNMA analogs. Interestingly, they eliminated V. parahaemolyticus and reduced the background flora from the squid surface. In addition, they exhibited similar antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against Vibrio harveyi. This study identified CNMA derivatives as potential broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents to treat biofilm-mediated Vibrio infections and for surface disinfection in food processing facilities

Recent Development and Application of “Nanozyme” Artificial Enzymes—A Review

Nanozymes represent a category of nano-biomaterial artificial enzymes distinguished by their remarkable catalytic potency, stability, cost-effectiveness, biocompatibility, and degradability. These attributes position them as premier biomaterials with extensive applicability across medical, industrial, technological, and biological domains. Following the discovery of ferromagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-mimicking capabilities, extensive research endeavors have been dedicated to advancing nanozyme utilization. Their capacity to emulate the functions of natural enzymes has captivated researchers, prompting in-depth investigations into their attributes and potential applications. This exploration has yielded insights and innovations in various areas, including detection mechanisms, biosensing techniques, and device development. Nanozymes exhibit diverse compositions, sizes, and forms, resembling molecular entities such as proteins and tissue-based glucose. Their rapid impact on the body necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their intricate interplay. As each day witnesses the emergence of novel methodologies and technologies, the integration of nanozymes continues to surge, promising enhanced comprehension in the times ahead. This review centers on the expansive deployment and advancement of nanozyme materials, encompassing biomedical, biotechnological, and environmental contexts

Immunomodulatory Role of Thioredoxin Interacting Protein in Cancer’s Impediments: Current Understanding and Therapeutic Implications

Cancer, which killed ten million people in 2020, is expected to become the world’s leading health problem and financial burden. Despite the development of effective therapeutic approaches, cancer-related deaths have increased by 25.4% in the last ten years. Current therapies promote apoptosis and oxidative stress DNA damage and inhibit inflammatory mediators and angiogenesis from providing temporary relief. Thioredoxin-binding protein (TXNIP) causes oxidative stress by inhibiting the function of the thioredoxin system. It is an important regulator of many redox-related signal transduction pathways in cells. In cancer cells, it functions as a tumor suppressor protein that inhibits cell proliferation. In addition, TXNIP levels in hemocytes increased after immune stimulation, suggesting that TXNIP plays an important role in immunity. Several studies have provided experimental evidence for the immune modulatory role of TXNIP in cancer impediments. TXNIP also has the potential to act against immune cells in cancer by mediating the JAK-STAT, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt pathways. To date, therapies targeting TXNIP in cancer are still under investigation. This review highlights the role of TXNIP in preventing cancer, as well as recent reports describing its functions in various immune cells, signaling pathways, and promoting action against cancer

Potential of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles as Nanocatalyst for Enhanced Degradation of Cellulose by Cellulase

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a result of their excellent optical and electronic properties are promising catalytic materials for various applications. In this study, we demonstrate a novel approach for enhanced degradation of cellulose using biosynthesized AgNPs in an enzyme catalyzed reaction of cellulose hydrolysis by cellulase. AgNPs were synthesized through reduction of silver nitrate by extracts of five medicinal plants (Mentha arvensis var. piperascens, Buddleja officinalis Maximowicz, Epimedium koreanum Nakai, Artemisia messer-schmidtiana Besser, and Magnolia kobus). An increase of around twofold in reducing sugar formation confirmed the catalytic activity of AgNPs as nanocatalyst. The present study suggests that immobilization of the enzyme onto the surface of the AgNPs can be useful strategy for enhanced degradation of cellulose, which can be utilized for diverse industrial applications

Advances in the Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Approaches

Despite the progress in the comprehension of LC progression, risk, immunologic control, and treatment choices, it is still the primary cause of cancer-related death. LC cells possess a very low and heterogeneous antigenicity, which allows them to passively evade the anticancer defense of the immune system by educating cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), regulatory T cells (Treg), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Though ICIs are an important candidate in first-line therapy, consolidation therapy, adjuvant therapy, and other combination therapies involving traditional therapies, the need for new predictive immunotherapy biomarkers remains. Furthermore, ICI-induced resistance after an initial response makes it vital to seek and exploit new targets to benefit greatly from immunotherapy. As ICIs, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI) are not ideal LC predictive markers, a multi-parameter analysis of the immune system considering tumor, stroma, and beyond can be the future-oriented predictive marker. The optimal patient selection with a proper adjuvant agent in immunotherapy approaches needs to be still revised. Here, we summarize advances in LC immunotherapy approaches with their clinical and preclinical trials considering cancer models and vaccines and the potential of employing immunology to predict immunotherapy effectiveness in cancer patients and address the viewpoints on future directions. We conclude that the field of lung cancer therapeutics can benefit from the use of combination strategies but with comprehension of their limitations and improvements