Disaggregation of amyloid-like protein aggregates isolated from human cataract lens

Crystallins, which represents the major lens protein, play a significant role in ensuring the lens transparency and maintenance of appropriate refractive index of the lens that help in accurate focusing of incident visible light precisely on retina to create clear image perception. Aggregation of lens proteins is known to form the basis of cataract formation. The present study is an attempt to examine the stability of the lens protein aggregates, isolated from human cataract eye lens, against an anionic detergent Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), which is known to disrupt the hydrophobic interaction of protein aggregates. Data that emerged from Congo red (CR), thioflavin T (ThT) and 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) binding assaysindicated their amyloidogenic nature. A significant reduction in the bathochromic shift of CR λmax and ThT fluorescence emission intensity were observed after treatment of the aggregated proteins with SDS. In the presence of SDS, a significant change in the number and size of the protein aggregates were observed during their morphological analyses under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on the above data it became evident that the hydrophobic interaction plays a crucial role in formation and stabilizing the protein aggregates during cataract formation

Exceptionally High Protection of Photocarcinogenesis by Topical Application of (-)-Epi gal locatechin-3-Gal late in Hydrophilic Cream in SKH-1 Hairless Mouse Model: Relationship to Inhibition of UVB-Induced Global DNA Hypomethylation

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gal late (EGCG) has been shown to have potent antiphotocarcinogenic activity, but it was required to develop a cream-based formulation for topical application. For topical application, we tested hydrophilic cream as a vehicle for EGCG. Treatment with EGCG (≈ 1 mg/cm2 skin area) in hydrophilic cream resulted in exceptionally high protection against photocarcinogenesis when determined in terms of tumor incidence, tumor multiplicity, and tumor size in a SKI-11-11 hairless mouse model. EGCG also inhibited malignant transformation of ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced papillomas to carcinomas. In order to determine the mechanism of prevention of photocarcinogenesis, we determined the effect of EGCG on global DNA methylation pattern using monoclonal antibodies against 5-methyl cytosine and DNA methyltransferase in the long-term UV-irradiated skin because altered DNA methylation silencing is recognized as a molecular hallmark of human cancer. We found that treatment with EGCG resulted in significant inhibition of UVBinduced global DNA hypomethylation pattern. Longterm application of EGCG did not show any apparent sign of toxicity in mice when determined in terms of skin appearance, lean mass, total bone mineral content, and total bone mineral density but showed reduction in fat mass when analyzed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. These data suggest that hydrophilic cream could be a suitable vehicle for topical application of EGCG, and that EGCG is a promising candidate for future cancer therapies based on its influence on the epigenetic pathway

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Not AvailableSoils in the hot, arid topical regions are low in organic matter and fertility and are structurally poor. Consequently, these soils suffer on account of poor physical, chemical, and biological soil quality traits, leading to miserably low crop yields. Long-term use of conjunctive nutrient management and conservation tillage practices may have a profound effect on improving the quality of these soils. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the key soil quality indicators, indices, and the best soiland nutrient-management practices that can improve soil quality on long-term basis for enhanced productivity under a pearl millet–based system. The studies were conducted for the Hissar Centre of All-India Coordinated Research Project at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. Conjunctive nutrient-use treatments and conservation tillage significantly influenced the majority of the soil quality parameters in both the experiments. In experiment 1, the key soil quality indicators that significantly contributed to soil quality in a rainfed pearl millet–mung bean system were available nitrogen (N, 35%), available zinc (Zn; 35%), available copper (Cu; 10%), pH (10%), available potassium (K; 5%), and dehydrogenase assay (5%). The three best conjunctive nutrient-use treatments in terms of soil quality indices (SQI) were T3, 25 kg N (compost) (1.52) >T6, 15 kg N (compost) + 10 kg N (inorganic) + biofertilizer (1.49) >T5, 15 kg N (compost) + 10 kg N (green leaf manure) (1.47). In experiment 2, under a rainfed pearl millet system, the key indicators and their percentage contributions were electrical conductivity (15%), available N (19%), exchangeable magnesium (Mg; 18%), available manganese (Mn; 13%), dehydrogenase assay (19%), microbial biomass carbon (C; 5%), and bulk density (11%). The three best tillage +nutrient treatments identified from the viewpoint of soil quality were T1, conventional tillage (CT) + two intercultures (IC) + 100% N (organic source/compost) (1.74) >T3, CT + two IC + 100% N (inorganic source) (1.74) >T4, low tillage + two IC + 100% N (organic source/compost) (1.70). The findings of the present study as well as the state-of-the-art methodology adopted could be of much interest and use to the future researchers including students, land managers, state agricultural officers, growers/farmers, and all other associated stakeholders. The prediction function developed between long-term pearl millet crop yields (y) and soil quality indices (x) in this study could be of much use in predicting the crop yields with a given change in soil quality index under similar situations.Not Availabl