Potential Therapeutic Implications of Caffeic Acid in Cancer Signaling: Past, Present, and Future

Caffeic acid (CA) has been present in many herbs, vegetables, and fruits. CA is a bioactive compound and exhibits various health advantages that are linked with its anti-oxidant functions and implicated in the therapy and prevention of disease progression of inflammatory diseases and cancer. The anti-tumor action of CA is attributed to its prooxidant and anti-oxidant properties. CA’s mechanism of action involves preventing reactive oxygen species formation, diminishing the angiogenesis of cancer cells, enhancing the tumor cells’ DNA oxidation, and repressing MMP-2 and MMP-9. CA and its derivatives have been reported to exhibit anti-carcinogenic properties against many cancer types. CA has indicated low intestinal absorption, low oral bioavailability in rats, and pitiable permeability across Caco-2 cells. In the present review, we have illustrated CA’s therapeutic potential, pharmacokinetics, and characteristics. The pharmacological effects of CA, the emphasis on in vitro and in vivo studies, and the existing challenges and prospects of CA for cancer treatment and prevention are discussed in this review

Cytocompatibility Evaluation of a Novel Series of PEG-Functionalized Lactide-Caprolactone Copolymer Biomaterials for Cardiovascular Applications

Although the use of bioresorbable materials in stent production is thought to improve long-term safety compared to their durable counterparts, a recent FDA report on the 2-year follow-up of the first FDA-approved bioresorbable vascular stent showed an increased occurrence of major adverse cardiac events and thrombosis in comparison to the metallic control. In order to overcome the issues of first generation bioresorbable polymers, a series of polyethylene glycol-functionalized poly-L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone copolymers with varying lactide-to-caprolactone content is developed using a novel one-step PEG-functionalization and copolymerization strategy. This approach represents a new facile way toward surface enhancement for cellular interaction, which is shown by screening these materials regarding their cyto- and hemocompatibility in terms of cytotoxicity, hemolysis, platelet adhesion, leucocyte activation and endothelial cell adhesion. By varying the lactide-to-caprolactone polymer composition, it is possible to gradually affect endothelial and platelet adhesion which allows fine-tuning of the biological response based on polymer chemistry. All polymers developed were non-cytotoxic, had acceptable leucocyte activation levels and presented non-hemolytic (<2% hemolysis rate) behavior except for PLCL-PEG 55:45 which presented hemolysis rate of 2.5% ± 0.5. Water contact angles were reduced in the polymers containing PEG functionalization (PLLA-PEG: 69.8° ± 2.3, PCL-PEG: 61.2° ± 7.5) versus those without (PLLA: 79.5° ± 3.2, PCL: 76.4° ± 10.2) while the materials PCL-PEG550, PLCL-PEG550 90:10 and PLCL-PEG550 70:30 demonstrated best endothelial cell adhesion. PLLA-PEG550 and PLCL-PEG550 70:30 presented as best candidates for cardiovascular implant use from a cytocompatibility perspective across the spectrum of testing completed. Altogether, these polymers are excellent innovative materials suited for an application in stent manufacture due to the ease in translation of this one-step synthesis strategy to device production and their excellent in vitro cyto- and hemocompatibility

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of Polyaniline-Sn(IV)iodophosphate Nanocomposite: Its Application in Wastewater Detoxification

A new and novel nanocomposite cation exchanger polyaniline-Sn­(IV)­iodophosphate (PANI-SnIP) has been synthesized using a sol–gel method by the incorporation of precipitates of Sn­(IV)­iodophosphate into the matrices of polyaniline. The ion exchange capacity of the composite synthesized at pH 1.0 was found to be 1.2 mequiv g^–1 for Na⁺ ion. The characterization of the material using simultaneous thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals the composite nature of the material with uniform surface morphology and formation of particles of size ranging from 20–25 nm. Study of the various physicochemical properties indicates granulometric nature, fairly good thermal and chemical stability, uniform elution, and bifunctional behavior of the exchanger. The selectivity of the composite for Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Ce⁴⁺ in different solvent media along with their reproducible quantitative separation from binary mixture as well as real samples makes it a potential environmental wastewater detoxicant. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for Hg²⁺ were found to be 0.53 and 1.9 μg L^–1, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite has been demonstrated by the photo degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) under solar irradiation

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Applications of Nanocomposites for the Removal of Heavy Metals and Dyes

A novel polyaniline-based composite cation-exchange material has been synthesized by a sol–gel method and characterized by standard analytical techniques such as thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, revealing the composite nature of the material with uniform surface morphology and the formation of particles of sizes ranging from 30 to 50 nm. The ion-exchange capacity of the composite synthesized at pH 1.0 was found to be 1.4 mequiv g^–1 for the Na⁺ ion along with thermal stability. Partition coefficient studies showed its selectivity for toxic metal ions (Pb^II, Hg^II and Co^II) among different metal ions in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions. Quantitative separations were quite sharp, and recovery was quantitative and reproducible from water samples by using columns of this exchanger. The conducting behavior and antimicrobial activity of the material was also investigated. The photocatalytic activity of the material showed 69% and 81% decolorization of AY29 and Rh B, respectively, after 300 min under UV irradiation

Transcriptome Analysis of Spermatogenically Regressed, Recrudescent and Active Phase Testis of Seasonally Breeding Wall Lizards <em>Hemidactylus flaviviridis</em>

<div><p>Background</p><p>Reptiles are phylogenically important group of organisms as mammals have evolved from them. Wall lizard testis exhibits clearly distinct morphology during various phases of a reproductive cycle making them an interesting model to study regulation of spermatogenesis. Studies on reptile spermatogenesis are negligible hence this study will prove to be an important resource.</p> <p>Methodology/Principal Findings</p><p>Histological analyses show complete regression of seminiferous tubules during regressed phase with retracted Sertoli cells and spermatognia. In the recrudescent phase, regressed testis regain cellular activity showing presence of normal Sertoli cells and developing germ cells. In the active phase, testis reaches up to its maximum size with enlarged seminiferous tubules and presence of sperm in seminiferous lumen. Total RNA extracted from whole testis of regressed, recrudescent and active phase of wall lizard was hybridized on Mouse Whole Genome 8×60 K format gene chip. Microarray data from regressed phase was deemed as control group. Microarray data were validated by assessing the expression of some selected genes using Quantitative Real-Time PCR. The genes prominently expressed in recrudescent and active phase testis are cytoskeleton organization GO 0005856, cell growth GO 0045927, GTpase regulator activity GO: 0030695, transcription GO: 0006352, apoptosis GO: 0006915 and many other biological processes. The genes showing higher expression in regressed phase belonged to functional categories such as negative regulation of macromolecule metabolic process GO: 0010605, negative regulation of gene expression GO: 0010629 and maintenance of stem cell niche GO: 0045165.</p> <p>Conclusion/Significance</p><p>This is the first exploratory study profiling transcriptome of three drastically different conditions of any reptilian testis. The genes expressed in the testis during regressed, recrudescent and active phase of reproductive cycle are in concordance with the testis morphology during these phases. This study will pave the way for deeper insight into regulation and evolution of gene regulatory mechanisms in spermatogenesis.</p> </div

Functional category enrichment analysis based on Gene Ontology terms.

<p>% of DR refers to the percent of differentially regulated transcripts falling under the term; p-value is the raw p-value from Fishers exact test. GO term analysis was done using DAVID bioinformatic tool for functional analysis (<a href="http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/" target="_blank">http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/</a>).</p

List of primers used in this study for the validation of microarray data by Q-PCR.

*<p>F; Forward primer, R; reverse primer.</p

Principal Component Analysis.

<p>The PCA of genes differentially expressed between active and regressed phase. Upper panel shows PCA between component 1 and component 2 whereas lower panel shows PCA between component 1 and component 3 shown in <b>A,</b> while PCA of genes differentially expressed between recrudescence and regressed phase shown in <b>B.</b> Upper panel shows PCA between component 1 and component 2 whereas lower panel shows PCA between component 1 and component 3.</p

Entity based <i>K</i>-mean cluster analysis of entire 60 K probe sets.

<p>Entire data was divided in 3 clusters namely K1, K2 and K3. The trend of average expression has been shown by bar graph and Gene Ontology GO analysis has been represented by pie charts describing distribution of data enriching biological processes, molecular functions and cellular components. Note A = active phase; B = recrudescent phase and C = regressed phase.</p