Effect of lactoferrin protein on red blood cells and macrophages: mechanism of parasite-host interaction

BACKGROUND: Lactoferrin is a natural multifunctional protein known to have antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity. Apart from its antimicrobial effects, lactoferrin is known to boost the immune response by enhancing antioxidants. Lactoferrin exists in various forms depending on its iron saturation. The present study was done to observe the effect of lactoferrin, isolated from bovine and buffalo colostrum, on red blood cells (RBCs) and macrophages (human monocytic cell line-derived macrophages THP1 cells). METHODS: Lactoferrin obtained from both species and in different iron saturation forms were used in the present study, and treatment of host cells were given with different forms of lactoferrin at different concentrations. These treated host cells were used for various studies, including morphometric analysis, viability by MTT assay, survivin gene expression, production of reactive oxygen species, phagocytic properties, invasion assay, and Toll-like receptor-4, Toll-like receptor-9, and MDR1 expression, to investigate the interaction between lactoferrin and host cells and the possible mechanism of action with regard to parasitic infections. RESULTS: The mechanism of interaction between host cells and lactoferrin have shown various aspects of gene expression and cellular activity depending on the degree of iron saturation of lactoferrin. A significant increase (P<0.05) in production of reactive oxygen species, phagocytic activity, and Toll-like receptor expression was observed in host cells incubated with iron-saturated lactoferrin when compared with an untreated control group. However, there was no significant (P>0.05) change in percentage viability in the different groups of host cells treated, and no downregulation of survivin gene expression was found at 48 hours post-incubation. Upregulation of the Toll-like receptor and downregulation of the P-gp gene confirmed the immunomodulatory potential of lactoferrin protein. CONCLUSION: The present study details the interaction between lactoferrin and parasite host cells, ie, RBCs and macrophages, using various cellular processes and expression studies. The study reveals the possible mechanism of action against various intracellular pathogens such as Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, and Mycobacterium. The presence of iron in lactoferrin plays an important role in enhancing the various activities taking place inside these cells. This work provides a lot of information about targeting lactoferrin against many parasitic infections which can rule out the exact pathways for inhibition of diseases caused by intracellular microbes mainly targeting RBCs and macrophages for their survival. Therefore, this initial study can serve as a baseline for further evaluation of the mechanism of action of lactoferrin against parasitic diseases, which is not fully understood to date

Properties of bamboo fibres produced using an environmentally benign method

The properties of bamboo fibres extracted from raw bamboo plants in an environmentally benign manner were investigated. To reduce environmental impacts of the manufacturing process, microwave, ultra-sonication and enzyme were used to extract the bamboo fibres, avoiding the use of hazardous chemicals. The new method enabled the extraction of single fibres while retaining a certain quantity of lignin in fibre. The retained lignin allowed the fibre to possess UV absorption and antibacterial properties, which will be advantageous for many textile applications

Nucleic acid-based aptamers: Applications, development And clinical trials

Short single-stranded oligonucleotides called aptamers, often termed as chemical antibodies, have been developed as powerful alternatives to the traditional antibodies with respect to their obvious advantages like high specificity and affinity, longer shelf-life, easy manufacturing procedure, freedom to introduce chemical modifications for further improvement etc. Reiterative selection process of aptamers over 10-15 cycles starting from a large initial pool of random nucleotide sequences make them extremely specific to their targets with high binding affinity. Aptamer-based detection systems are well investigated and ready to take over primitive detection systems. Aptamer chimeras (combination of aptamers with another aptamer or biomacromolecule or chemical moiety) have the potential activity of both the parent molecules and thus hold the capability to perform diverse functions at the same time. Owing to their extremely high specificity and lack of immunogenicity or pathogenicity, a number of other aptamer candidates have recently entered clinical trials and have gained the trust of the pharmaceutical companies. The promising clinical trial results provide new hope to change the conventional style of therapy. Aptamers have attained high therapeutic relevance in a very short time as compared to synthetic drugs or other modes of therapy. This review follows the various trends in aptamer technology including production, selection, modifications and success in clinical fields. It focusses largely on the various applications of aptamers which mainly depends upon their selection procedures. The review also sheds light on various modifications and chimerizations that have been implemented in order to improve the stability and functioning of the aptamers including, introduction of locked nucleic acids (LNAs). The application of various aptamers in detection systems have been discussed elaborately in order to stress on their role as efficient diagnostic agents. The key aspect of this review is focused on success of aptamers on basis of their performance in clinical trials for various diseases

E-Cadherin Aptamer-Conjugated delivery of Doxorubicin for targeted inhibition of prostate cancer cells

Regardless of the tremendous effort to develop an effective therapeutic approach to combat prostate cancer, target-specific therapy without adverse side effects on healthy tissues and cells is yet to be achieved. Triggered by this craving, we herein report the synthesis of algal chitosan nanoparticles containing DNA aptamer-targeting E-cadherin (Ecad01) using an ionotropic gelation method for target-specific delivery of doxorubicin (Dox) to inhibit prostate cancer cell (DU145) proliferation. The designed chimeric Ecad01-Dox conjugate exhibited excellent targeted internalization, which was evident from a 1.71-fold-increased internalization in DU145 cells, and showed significantly lower uptake (1.92-fold lower) in non-cancerous cells (RWPE-1). Moreover, cell viability assay results showed that 1.0 µM Dox in the Ecad01-Dox conjugate was able to show similar cytotoxicity to 10 µM Dox in DU145 cells, which is indicative of targeted cancer-specific inhibition. Our study clearly demonstrated that encapsulation of Ecad01-Dox conjugate in algal chitosan increased its cellular uptake to 58 % in 30 min, with reduced non-specific cytotoxicity and enhanced chemotherapeutic potential. This could be a simple and an effective targeted drug-delivery strategy that does not require chemical modification of the doxorubicin or the Ecad01 aptamer with potential in developing a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer

Large-scale IPM validation in Basmati rice (Oryza sativa) in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Work involved the synthesis and validation of IPM in basmati rice in farmers' participatory mode at Bamabwad (Gautam Budh Nagar, UP). Module has been successfully implemented at Bambawad with significant reduction chemical pesticide application and higher benefit-cost ratio.Pusa Basmati 1121, a high-yielding aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety released by ICAR-IARI in 2005, became widely popular among farmers of Punjab, Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in India due to higher yield and good price in the market. But, soon after its release, the variety was severely affected by bakanae foot rot disease (Fusarium fujikuroi). The ICAR-National Research Centre for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM) synthesized an integrated pest management (IPM) module and validated it in large-scale at Bambawad village (District Gautam Budh Nagar, UP) in farmers’ participatory mode during 2010-14. The trial was initiated on 40 ha in 2010, which was gradually increased to 80, 120, 200 and 286 ha during 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively. The IPM module involved green manuring, seed treatment with carbendazim, seedling root dipping in Pseudomonas fluorescens, pest monitoring and need-based application of bioagents/ pesticides. Implementation of the module resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of bakanae ranging from 0.05±0.01 to 10.18±4.05% in IPM fields against 1.22±0.27 to 46.5±6.30% in Farmers’ practices (FP). Brown plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens) population (average of the season) remained 7.74, 9.55, 1.22, 4.32 and 0.49 nymphs and adults/hill in IPM against 31.13, 14.16, 1.36, 7.24 and 0.82 in FP fields during 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively. Regular pest monitoring and ETL-based application of pesticides in IPM helped in conservation of spider population in IPM as compared to FP with very low application of chemical pesticides, i.e. 103.2 g a.i./ha in IPM against 1214.4 g a.i./ha in FP. Analysis of rice grain samples for pesticide residue indicated carbendazim below detectable level. IPM trial also resulted in higher yield (36.01 q/ha in IPM against 26.24 q/ha in FP) and benefit- cost ratio (3.80 in IPM and 2.56 in FP) as compared to FP (Average of five years).ICAR-NCIP

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Not AvailableA basic IPM module for basmati rice as a part of integrated crop management accounting the pest prevalence and management has been developed. As the IPM module is location specific and dynamic, there is need of regular updating and fine tuning depending on the location and pest prevalence. The technology has been successfully validated and implemented during 1998 to 2019 in Pusa Basmati 1, Taraori Basmati, Dehraduni Basmati, Pusa Basmati 1121 in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand with minor modification and fine tuning. Adoptation of the IPM technology resulted in increase in rice grain yield to the tune of 21.6% in Pusa Basmati 1 at Shikohpur in Uttar Pradesh, 21.5% in Taraori Basmati at Chhajpur in Haryana, 19.5% in Type 3 in Uttarakhand, 14.5 to 22.7% in Pusa Basmati 1121 in Haryana and 38.2% in Pusa Basmati 1121 in Uttar Pradesh over farmer's practices (FP). In all the basmati rice trials, higher yield as well as Benefit : Cost (B:C) ratio was obtained in IPM as compared to FP. Implementation of IPM led to significant reduction in the uses of chemical pesticides. In case of IPM, on an avarage 1.46 application of chemical pesticides (103.2 g a.i./ha) were undertaken in Pusa Basmati 1121 against 2.8 application in FP (1214.4 g a.i./ha) at Bambawad, Uttar Pradesh. ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack developed and validated IPM module at Sigmapur (Cuttack, Odisha) non-Basmati rice variety Pooja for four kharif seasons i.e 2010-2013 using standard agronomic practices. The trial resulted in an increase of 47.1% yield over FP. Additional income of Rs. 9857/- per ha was also obtained in IPM over FP. On-Farm trial on validation of IPM module in non-Basmati rice (cv. Pooja ) under rainfed low land condition conducted in 10 ha during rabi 2017 at Nagapur and Basudeipur villages in Khurda district of Odisha resulted reduction in the incidence of insect pests and diseases with higher population of natural enemies as compared to FP with B:C ratio of 1.26:1. Rice yield was recorded 5600 kg ha-1 in IPM as against 4900 kg ha-1 in FP. Recently, ICT based e-pest monitoring and advisory has become an important component for area wise implementation of IPM at state and national level. The programme has been successfully implemented in Odisha during 2010 and 2011 under RKVY. Implementation of the programme had resulted successful management of swarming caterpillar in 13 rice growing districts of Odisha during kharif 2010 and 2011. More precisely, the launching of riceXpert app by ICAR-NRRI in the year 2016 has facilitated the farmers for confident identification of insect pests and diseases and getting real-time pest solution instantlyNot Availabl