N-Acetyl-Serotonin Protects HepG2 Cells from Oxidative Stress Injury Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. N-Acetyl-serotonin (NAS) has been reported to protect against oxidative damage, though the mechanisms by which NAS protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress remain unknown. To determine whether pretreatment with NAS could reduce hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, we investigated the H2O2-induced oxidative damage to HepG2 cells with or without NAS using MTT, Hoechst 33342, rhodamine 123, Terminal dUTP Nick End Labeling Assay (TUNEL), dihydrodichlorofluorescein (H2DCF), Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining, immunocytochemistry, and western blot. H2O2 produced dramatic injuries in HepG2 cells, represented by classical morphological changes of apoptosis, increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and increased activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, release of cytochrome c (Cyt-C) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria, and loss of membrane potential (ΔΨm). NAS significantly inhibited H2O2-induced changes, indicating that it protected against H2O2-induced oxidative damage by reducing MDA levels and increasing SOD activity and that it protected the HepG2 cells from apoptosis through regulating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, involving inhibition of mitochondrial hyperpolarization, release of mitochondrial apoptogenic factors, and caspase activity

Genetic correlation between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and schizophrenia

A. Palotie on työryhmän Schizophrenia Working Grp Psychiat jäsen.We have previously shown higher-than-expected rates of schizophrenia in relatives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting an aetiological relationship between the diseases. Here, we investigate the genetic relationship between ALS and schizophrenia using genome-wide association study data from over 100,000 unique individuals. Using linkage disequilibrium score regression, we estimate the genetic correlation between ALS and schizophrenia to be 14.3% (7.05-21.6; P = 1 x 10(-4)) with schizophrenia polygenic risk scores explaining up to 0.12% of the variance in ALS (P = 8.4 x 10(-7)). A modest increase in comorbidity of ALS and schizophrenia is expected given these findings (odds ratio 1.08-1.26) but this would require very large studies to observe epidemiologically. We identify five potential novel ALS-associated loci using conditional false discovery rate analysis. It is likely that shared neurobiological mechanisms between these two disorders will engender novel hypotheses in future preclinical and clinical studies.Peer reviewe

Ultrasound assisted supercritical fluid extraction of oil and coixenolide from Adlay seed

Oil and coixenolide are important components of adlay seed (Coix lachrymal-jobi L. var. Adlay) with many beneficial functions to human health. In this work, a novel extraction technique-ultrasound assisted supercritical fluid extraction (USFE) was studied. Effects of operating conditions on the extraction, including extraction temperature (T), pressure (P), time (t), CO2 flow rate (F) and ultrasonic power (I) were investigated. There are optimum temperatures which gives the maximum extraction yields (EYs) for the supercritical fluid extractions with and without ultrasound. The effect of pressure on EYs for is similar to that of pressure on CO, density. Based on the yield of extraction, the favorable conditions for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) were: Tat 45 degrees C, P at 25 MPa, t at 4.0 h and Fat 3.5 L/h. While ultrasound was applied as in USFE, the following parameters were preferred: Tat 40 degrees C, P at 20 MPa, t at 3.5 h and Fat 3.0 L/h.. respectively. The results show that supercritical fluid extraction with the assistance of ultrasound could reduce the temperature, pressure. CO2 flow rate, as well as time used in the process. Compared with SFE, USFE could give a 14\% increase in the yield for extracting oil and coixenolide from adlay seed with less severe operating conditions. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Comprehensive Research on the Influence of Nonlignocellulosic Components on the Pyrolysis Behavior of Chinese Distiller's Grain

Distiller's grain (DG), a byproduct of the Chinese alcohol industry, can be used as a renewable organic waste resource for biofuel through pyrolysis. However, amino acids and protein are the main component of DG and have obvious effects on its pyrolysis. In this study, the properties of DG and extracted DG (EDG) and their pyrolysis behaviors were compared in the temperature range 50-900 degrees C. 3D-FTIR revealed that the main gaseous products of DG were CO2, CH4, ketones, aldehydes, acids, and amines, and that the deamination of amino acids and protein was inhibited by lignocellulosic components during DG pyrolysis. The TG/DTG results showed that DG could be pyrolyzed at a lower temperature, and the absolute value of maximum DTG loss rate was 6% min(-1), higher than that of EDG. The distributed activation energy model (DAEM) was used to analyze the kinetic behaviors of DG and EDG. Meanwhile, the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) method was also used to confirm the results of DAEM, and the results proved that the existence of soluble components can reduce the reaction barrier and enhance the reaction rate of DG. This study provides a basic reference for the full utilization of DG through the pyrolysis process

Highly Efficient Conversion of Xylose to Furfural in a Water-MIBK System Catalyzed by Magnetic Carbon-Based Solid Acid

In this work, the conversion of xylose to furfural (FF) was effectively achieved in a water-MIBK biphasic solvent system over a synthesized magnetic carbon-based solid acid catalyst (MMCSA). The effect of various reaction conditions was studied on the dehydration of xylose, and the highest FF yield of 79.04% was obtained. Byproducts in the reaction process were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which provides insights into the reaction pathway of the xylose conversion to FF over the current catalyst. The observed deactivation of the catalyst at high temperature (190 degrees C) was addressed by its regeneration with concentrated sulfuric acid (98 wt %). A comparable FF yield (73.74%) was achieved over the regenerated MMCSA. The possible deactivation- regeneration mechanism of this catalyst has also been proposed. Overall, this work provides a valuable basis for the efficient synthesis of FF by solid acid-catalyzed conversion of xylose or hemicellulose