Flora jelitowa a patomechanizm powstawania zaburzeń afektywnych i lękowych — aktualny stan wiedzy i dalsze perspektywy

Depressive and anxiety disorders are a significant diagnostic and therapeutic problem, as they cause serious health, socialand financial implications. Due to their disabling effect on life and functioning, new and effective treatment directionsare needed. In recent years, researchers have been looking for alternative pathomechanisms of depression and anxiety,which has triggered interest in exploraton of neuroimmune, endocrine and microbiological phenomena and processes.The relationship between symptoms of mental disorders and functioning of the intestinal flora have been intensivelyinvestigated. Most studies involved analyses conducted on animal models. So far, the results have been promising, butthey are still insufficient to elaborate specific standards of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The authors of thisreview hope that they will help the reader to comprehend the discussed pathomechanisms and encourage their own,original research.Zaburzenia depresyjne i lękowe stanowią istotny problem diagnostyczny i terapeutyczny, niosą poważne implikacje zdrowotne, społeczne i finansowe. Z uwagi na inwalidyzujący wpływ tych schorzeń na życie i funkcjonowanie człowieka potrzebne i poszukiwane są nowe, skuteczne kierunki leczenia. W ostatnich latach badacze, w poszukiwaniu potencjalnych patomechanizmów zaburzeń depresyjnych i lękowych, zaczęli eksplorować zjawiska i procesy neuroimmunologiczne, endokrynologiczne, mikrobiologiczne. Intensywnie analizowano zależności między objawami zaburzeń psychicznych a funkcjonowaniem flory bakteryjnej przewodu pokarmowego. W przypadku większości badań odbywało się to na modelach zwierzęcych. Dotychczasowe wyniki są zachęcające, ale zdecydowanie niewystarczające do opracowania konkretnych standardów postępowania diagnostyczno-terapeutycznego. Autorzy niniejszej pracy poglądowej liczą, że pomogą czytelnikowi zaznajomić się w przystępny sposób z omawianymi patomechanizmami oraz zachęcić do własnych, autorskich badań

Polyamines and their involvement in plants reaction to environmental stress conditions

Polyamines: spermidine, spermine as well as their diamine precursor putrescine, are small aliphatic amines ubiquitous in all plant cells. These compounds are regarded as a new class of growth substances. Biological functions of polyamines are attributed to their polycationic character at a physiological pH. Due to the presence of positively charged groups, they are able to bind strongly negatively charged cellular components such as nucleic acids, proteins and phospholipids. Interaction with membrane phospholipids can stabilize membranes under conditions of stress. These compounds can directly or indirectly act as free radical scavengers (ROS). Spermine, which has four amino groups, is a more effective scavenger than triamine spermidine and diamine putrescine, suggesting the involvement of amino groups in ROS scavenging

General characteristics of the melanogenesis process with particular emphasis on the role of the PAX3 gene

Melanogenesis is a dynamic process of biological transformations leading to the formation of copolymeric dyes - melanins, which act as a protector against the ultraviolet radiation (UV) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The process of these compounds formation is carried out by an enzymatic apparatus in specialized melanocyte organelles - melanosomes. Particularly from the point of view of biochemistry, melanins synthesis occurring depend to a large extent not only on genetic but also on environmental conditions. Pax3 is an important candidate in research on genetic conditioning of animal colors pattern due to the fact that his gene expression product is a highly conserved transcription factor that during embryonic development is one of the elements responsible for regulating stem cell differentiation of the neural crest into melanocytes. Moreover during individual life Pax3 is involved in the response of melanocytic units to UV radiation. Mutations/polymorphisms of the Pax3 gene are the cause of the occurrence of some color varieties, as well as developmental disorders

Spermidine Modify Antioxidant Activity in Cucumber Exposed to Salinity Stress

The effects of short-term 48 h long NaCl-stress and spermidine level modification on polyamines level and antioxidant status in cucumber (Cucumis sativus cv. Dar) leaves were investigated. Seedlings kept in nutrient solutions treated with 50 mM NaCl for 48 h exhibited reduced relative water content and accumulation of free polyamines, especially spermidine. Salinity stress caused an increase in superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide generation during the salinity-induced increase in antioxidant enzyme activities. Spermidine application before stress resulted in a marked increase in spermidine and spermine contents in the leaves of salt-stressed cucumber seedlings. Additionally, increased spermidine/spermine level mobilised the antioxidant enzyme’s activity and limited reactive oxygen species content. Polyamine synthesis inhibitor (MGBG) slightly decreased spermidine and spermine levels during salinity and reversed the antioxidant activity mobilisation. These results showed that Spd modifications significantly improved PAs, enhancing salinity stress tolerance by detoxifying ROS. Our findings determined the implication of PAs for improving the salinity tolerance of important vegetable species

Protection of cattle against bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection could be attained by DNA vaccination

The bovine leukemia virus (BLV) envelope gene encoding extracellular glycoprotein gp51 and transmembrane glycoprotein gp30 was cloned into a vehicle expression vector under the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) intermediate early promoter. The intramuscular injection of this plasmid vector generated a cellular immune response. Seven out of ten cows vaccinated with the DNA construct resisted a drastic challenge (500 BLV-infected lymphocytes as an infectious dose)