Activation of Inflammation/NF-κB Signaling in Infants Born to Arsenic-Exposed Mothers

The long-term health outcome of prenatal exposure to arsenic has been associated with increased mortality in human populations. In this study, the extent to which maternal arsenic exposure impacts gene expression in the newborn was addressed. We monitored gene expression profiles in a population of newborns whose mothers experienced varying levels of arsenic exposure during pregnancy. Through the application of machine learning–based two-class prediction algorithms, we identified expression signatures from babies born to arsenic-unexposed and -exposed mothers that were highly predictive of prenatal arsenic exposure in a subsequent test population. Furthermore, 11 transcripts were identified that captured the maximal predictive capacity to classify prenatal arsenic exposure. Network analysis of the arsenic-modulated transcripts identified the activation of extensive molecular networks that are indicative of stress, inflammation, metal exposure, and apoptosis in the newborn. Exposure to arsenic is an important health hazard both in the United States and around the world, and is associated with increased risk for several types of cancer and other chronic diseases. These studies clearly demonstrate the robust impact of a mother's arsenic consumption on fetal gene expression as evidenced by transcript levels in newborn cord blood

Sterols from Thai Marine Sponge Petrosia (Strongylophora) sp. and Their Cytotoxicity

Eight new sterols (1–5 and 11–13), together with eight known compounds (6–10 and 14–16) were isolated from marine sponge Petrosia sp. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The cytotoxicity of some compounds against a panel of human cancer cell lines is also reported

A New Polyketide from the Endophytic Fungus <i>Penicillium chermesinum</i>

A new polyketide derivative, 2-chloro-3,4,7-trihydroxy-9-methoxy-1-methyl-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one (1), was isolated from the endophytic fungus Penicillium chermesinum. The structure was established on the basis of UV, IR, HR-ESI MS, and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines (HuCCA-1, HepG2, A-549, and MOLT-3) of compound 1 are 14.94-115.71 µM

Cytotoxic Sesterterpenes from Thai Marine Sponge <i>Hyrtios erectus</i>

Four sesterterpenes, erectusolides B, C, D, and seco-manoalide-25-methyl ether, two 2-furanone derivatives, erectusfuranones A and B, together with thirteen known sesterterpenes, (6Z)-neomanoalide-24-acetate, two diastereomers of 24-O-methylmanoalide, luffariolide B, manoalide, (6E)- and (6Z)-neomanoalide, seco-manoalide, scalarafuran, 12-acetylscalarolide, 12-epi-O-deacetyl-19-deoxyscalarin, 12-epi-scalarin, and 12-O-deacetyl-12-epi-scalarin, three indole alkaloids, 5-hydroxy-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde, hyrtiosine A, and variabine B, and one norterpene, cavernosine were isolated from the marine sponge Hyrtios erectus. Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic methods and the absolute configurations of the asymmetric centers were determined using the modified Mosher&#8217;s method. The cytotoxic activities for the isolated compounds have been reported