Phenolic compounds profile of water and ethanol extracts of Euphorbia hirta L. leaves showing antioxidant and antifungal properties

The bioactive chemical constituents of water and ethanol extracts of Euphorbia hirta L. leaves have been identified and quantified using an un-targeted mass spectrometric approach. The study allowed the tentative identification of 123 individual phenolic compounds and 18 non-phenolic phytochemicals, most of them described in Euphorbia hirta L. leaves for the first time. Gallotannins, hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids were the most abundant phenolic classes in Euphorbia hirta L. leaves, representing together the 71.5% (26.3%, 25.2% and 20%, respectively) of the total amount of identified phenolics. The main phenolic compounds detected were tri-O-galloyl-glucose isomers, feruloyl-coniferin, tetra-O-galloyl-glucose isomers, di-O-galloyl-glucose isomers, ethyl-gallic acid, protocatechuic acid-O-pentoside-O-hexoside, 5-O-caffeoyl-quinic acid trans isomer and digalloyl-quinic acid. Feruloyl-coniferin was found to be approximately six times more concentrated in the ethanol extract with respect to the water extract. The ethanol extract exhibited higher ABTS (1338.3 ± 85.3 and 802.3 ± 91.0 μmol ascorbic acid equivalent/gram of dry extract, respectively) and superoxide anion (2014.6 ± 78.6 and 1528.0 ± 111.7 μmol ascorbic acid equivalent/gram of dry extract, respectively) scavenging abilities than the water extract. Additionally, the ethanol extract also showed a remarkable anti-fungal effect against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Alternaria solani and Rhizoctonia solani. This study provides new information about Euphorbia hirta L., offering reasons to promote this plant species as rich source of phenolics and an excellent source of antifungal molecules that might have a prospective use in controlling fungal diseases of vegetable crops

How PI3K-derived lipids control cell division

To succeed in cell division, intense cytoskeletal and membrane remodeling are required to allow accurate chromosome segregation and cytoplasm partitioning. Spatial restriction of the actin dynamics and vesicle trafficking define the cell symmetry and equivalent membrane scission events, respectively. Protein complexes coordinating mitosis are recruited to membrane microdomains characterized by the presence of the phosphatidylinositol lipid members (PtdIns), like PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3)P. These PtdIns represent a minor component of cell membranes, defining membrane domain identity, ultimately controlling cytoskeleton and membrane dynamics during mitosis. The coordinated presence of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 at the cell poles and PtdIns(4,5)P2 at the cleavage furrow controls the polarity of the actin cytoskeleton leading to symmetrical cell division. In the endosomal compartment, the trafficking of PtdIns(3)P positive vesicles allows the recruitment of the protein machinery required for the abscission

PI3K Signaling in Tissue Hyper-Proliferation: From Overgrowth Syndromes to Kidney Cysts

The members of the PhosphoInositide-3 Kinase (PI3K) protein family are well-known regulators of proliferative signals. By the generation of lipid second messengers, they mediate the activation of AKT/PKB (AKT) and mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. Although mutations in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway are highly characterized in cancer, recent evidence indicates that alterations in the proliferative signals are major drivers of other diseases such as overgrowth disorders and polycystic kidney disease. In this review, we briefly summarize the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in cell proliferation by comparing the effect of alterations in PI3K enzymes in different tissues. In particular, we discuss the most recent findings on how the same pathway may lead to different biological effects, due to the convergence and cooperation of different signaling cascades

Activity of extracts from three tropical plants towards fungi pathogenic to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Antifungal properties were assessed of water and ethanol extracts from the pan-tropical plants Oxalis barrelieri L., Stachytarpheta cayennensis L., and Euphorbia hirta L. against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Alternaria solani Sorauer, and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn. The plant extracts inhibited fungal growth in vitro at 1.25-20 mg mL-1, and the degrees of inhibition increased in a dose-dependent manner. Ethanol extracts from the plants inhibited fungal growth by 80-100%, while water extracts showed less antifungal activity, with maximum growth inhibition of 62%. Growth inhibition from ethanol extracts was two- to three-fold greater than for water extracts at equivalent concentrations. Antifungal activity of the extracts varied with their content and composition of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids. In greenhouse experiments, spraying tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with ethanol extract from E. hirta at 2.5 mg mL-1 did not cause phytotoxicity, and increased plant size, when compared to untreated plants. Spraying E. hirta ethanol extract on tomato plants infected by R. solani reduced disease severity up to 80%, when compared to non-sprayed plants. These results demonstrate potential of leaf extracts from E. hirta, O. barrelieri, and S. cayennensis as biofungicides for the control of R. solani, A. solani, and F. oxysporum, which are among the most important causal agents of tomato diseases

Indicadores ambientais de sustentabilidade sistematizados pelo modelo pressão-estado-resposta (PER): análise de águas superficiais na microbacia hidrográfica Passo da Pedra, em Pato Branco – PR.

No presente trabalho foi desenvolvido um estudo direcionado a avaliação da sustentabilidade ambiental da micro bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Passo da Pedra do município de Pato Branco-PR por meio de indicadores de sustentabilidade atrelados ao modelo pressão, estado, resposta (PER). Os procedimentos metodológicos incluíram as etapas de revisão crítica de literatura, diagnóstico ambiental da área de estudo e a seleção/proposição dos parâmetros relacionados. Após serem analisados os fatores de relevância sobre as águas superficiais para gestão ambiental eficiente foram estabelecidos 15 indicadores caracterizados quanto ao nome, definição, importância, mecanismo de medição, unidade de medida, frequência de coleta e enquadramento no modelo PER. Os indicadores ora definidos permitem criar e avaliar programas e políticas públicas que visem reverter o quadro atual, com ações e práticas voltadas à sustentabilidade ambiental nas micro bacias hidrográficas. Adicionalmente seu arranjo pode proporcionar um melhor entendimento das relações estabelecidas entre as pressões antrópicas e o ambiente, os indicadores desenvolvidos neste trabalho permitirão evidenciar as suas inter-relações

Increased CD8+ T cell responses to apoptotic T cell-associated antigens in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Here, we evaluated the hypothesis that CD8(+) T cell responses to caspase-cleaved antigens derived from effector T cells undergoing apoptosis, may contribute to multiple sclerosis (MS) immunopathology. METHODS: The percentage of autoreactive CD8(+) T effector cells specific for various apoptotic T cell-associated self-epitopes (apoptotic epitopes) were detected in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by both enzyme-linked immunospot and dextramers of class I molecules complexed with relevant apoptotic epitopes. Moreover, the capacity of dextramer(+) CD8(+) T cells to produce interferon (IFN)-γ and/or interleukin (IL)-17 in response to the relevant apoptotic epitopes was evaluated by the intracellular cytokine staining. Cross-presentation assay of apoptotic T cells by dendritic cells was also evaluated ex vivo. RESULTS: We found that polyfunctional (IFN-γ and/or IL-17 producing) autoreactive CD8(+) T cells specific for apoptotic epitopes were represented in MS patients with frequencies significantly higher than in healthy donors. These autoreactive CD8(+) T cells with a strong potential to produce IFN-γ or IL-17 in response to the relevant apoptotic epitopes were significantly accumulated in the CSF from the same patients. In addition, the frequencies of these autoreactive CD8(+) T cells correlated with the disease disability. Cross-presentation assay revealed that caspase-cleaved cellular proteins are required to activate apoptotic epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells ex vivo. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these data indicate that apoptotic epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells with strong inflammatory potential are recruited at the level of the inflammatory site, where they may be involved in MS immunopathology through the production of high levels of inflammatory cytokines

Older people with hip fracture and IADL disability require earlier surgery

Background: Hip fractures represent a major challenge for physicians as well as society as a whole. Both poor functional status and delay to surgery are well known risk factors for negative outcomes. We hypothesized that the timing of the operation is more important for frail older people than older people without functional limitations before fracture. Methods: We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study on 806 consecutive patients, 75 years of age or older, admitted with a fragility hip fracture to three hospitals in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). All three hospitals had a comanaged care model, and the patients were under the shared responsibility of an orthopedic surgeon and a geriatrician. Results: Functional status assessed as instrumental activities of daily living was an important predictor of survival after 1 year from fracture. After adjusting for confounders, the hazard ratios per 1 point score of increase from 0 to 8 was 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.19-1.42, p =. 000). Time to surgery increased 1-year mortality in patients with a low instrumental activities of daily living score (hazard ratios per day of surgical delay 1.14, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.22, p <. 001) and intermediate instrumental activities of daily living score (hazard ratios 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.34, p <. 001) but was an insignificant risk factor in functionally independent patients (hazard ratios 1.05 95% confidence interval 0.79-1.41, p =. 706). Conclusions: Surgery delay is an independent factor for mortality in older patients after hip fracture but only for the frail older people with prefracture functional impairment. If our results are confirmed, a more intensive approach should be adopted for older people with hip fractures who have disabilities. © 2012 The Author