Biological control of Botrytis cinerea and plant growth promotion potential by Penicillium citrinum in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

A total of 48 fungi were characterised for their antagonistic potential against Botrytis cinerea causing Botrytis Gray Mold (BGM) disease in chickpea by dual culture and metabolite production assays. The culture filtrate of the most promising isolate, VFI-51, was purified by various chromatographic techniques and identified as ‘citrinin’ by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry studies. The efficacy of citrinin was demonstrated to control BGM in chickpea under greenhouse conditions. The sequences of 18S rDNA gene of the VFI-51 matched with Penicillium citrinum in BLAST analysis. The VFI-51 produced siderophore, hydrocyanic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, lipase, protease and β-1,3- glucanase; grew well in NaCl (up to 15%), at pH between 7 and 11 and temperatures between 20°C and 40°C; and was compatible with fungicides bavistin and thiram. Under greenhouse and field conditions, VFI-51 significantly enhanced the nodule number, nodule weight, root and shoot weight and stover and grain yield over the un-inoculated control. In the rhizosphere, VFI-51 also significantly enhanced total N, available P and OC over the un-inoculated control. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that VFI-51 colonised on the roots of chickpea. This study concluded that VFI-51 has the potential for biocontrol of BGM and plant growth promotion in chickpea

Induction of B-cell lymphoma by UVB Radiation in p53 Haploinsufficient Mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has increased over recent years. The exact etiology of lymphoma remains unknown. Ultraviolet light exposure has been associated with the development of internal lymphoid malignancies and some reports suggest that it may play a role in the development of lymphoma in humans. Here we describe the characterization and progression of lymphoma in p53 heterozygous mice exposed to UVB irradiation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>UVB-irradiated p53^+/-mice developed enlargement of the spleen. Isolated spleen cells were transplanted into Rag deficient hosts. The UV-induced tumor cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The tumor cells were tagged with GFP to study their metastatic potential. SKY and karyotypic analysis were carried out for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities. Functional assays included in vitro class switch recombination assay, immunoglobulin rearrangement assay, as well as cytokine profiling.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>UVB-exposed mice showed enlargement of the spleen and lymph nodes. Cells transplanted into Rag deficient mice developed aggressive tumors that infiltrated the lymph nodes, the spleen and the bone marrow. The tumor cells did not grow in immune competent syngeneic C57Bl/6 mice yet showed a modest growth in UV-irradiated B6 mice. Phenotypic analysis of these tumor cells revealed these cells are positive for B cell markers CD19⁺, CD5⁺, B220⁺, IgM⁺and negative for T cell, NK or dendritic cell markers. The UV-induced tumor cells underwent robust in vitro immunoglobulin class switch recombination in response to lipopolysaccharide. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a t(14;19) translocation and trisomy of chromosome 6. These tumor cells secret IL-10, which can promote tumor growth and cause systemic immunosuppression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>UV-irradiated p53^+/-mice developed lymphoid tumors that corresponded to a mature B cell lymphoma. Our results suggest that an indirect mechanism is involved in the development of internal tumors after chronic exposure to UV light. The induction of B cell lymphoma in UV-irradiated p53 heterozygous mice may provide a useful model for lymphoma development in humans.</p

Sinteza, antimikrobno i antitumorsko djelovanje nekoliko novih N-etil, N-benzil i N-benzoil-3-indolil heterocikličkih spojeva

A series of 1-(N-substituted-1H-indol-3-yl)-3-arylprop-2-ene-1-ones (2a,b-4a,b) were prepared and allowed to react with urea, thiourea or guanidine to give pyrimidine derivatives 5a,b–13a,b. Reaction of 2a,b-4a,b with ethyl acetoacetate in the presence of a base gave cyclohexanone derivatives 14a,b-16a,b. Reaction of the latter compounds with hydrazine hydrate afforded indazole derivatives 17a,b-19a,b. On the other hand, reaction of 2a,b-4a,b with some hydrazine derivatives, namely hydrazine hydrate, acetyl hydrazine, phenyl- hydrazine and benzylhydrazine hydrochloride, led to the formation of pyrazole derivatives 20a,b-31a,b. Moreover, reaction of 2a,b-4a,b with hydroxylamine hydrochloride gave isoxazole derivatives 32a,b-34a,b. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity and showed that 4-(N-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-6-(p-chlorophenyl)-pyrimidine-2-amine (11b) was the most active of all the test compounds towards Candida albicans compared to the reference drug cycloheximide. Eighteen new compounds, namely pyrimidin-2(1H)-ones 5a,b-7a,b, pyrimidin-2(1H)-thiones 8a,b-10a,b and pyrimidin-2-amines 11a,b-13a,b derivatives, were tested for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against HEPG2, MCF7 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. 4-(N-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-6-(p-methoxyphenyl)-pyrimidin-2-amine (11a) was found to be highly active with IC50 of 0.7 µmol L1.Sintetizirana je serija 1-(N-supstituiranih-1H-indol-3-il)-3-arilprop-2-en-1-ona (2a,b-4a,b) i podvrgnuta reakciji s ureom, tioureom ili gvanidinom, pri čemu su nastali derivati pirimidina 5a,b–13a,b. Reakcijom 2a,b-4a,b s etil-acetoacetatom u prisutnosti baze nastali su derivati cikloheksanona 14a,b-16a,b. Njihovom reakcijom s hidrazin hidratom dobiveni su derivati indazola 17a,b-19a,b. S druge strane, reakcijom 2a,b-4a,b s određenim derivatima hidrazina, tj. s hidrazin hidratom, acetil hidrazinom, fenilhidrazinom i benzilhidrazin hidrokloridom, nastali su derivati pirazola 20a,b-31a,b. Nadalje, reakcijom 2a,b-4a,b s hidroksilamin hidrokloridom dobiveni su derivati izoksazola 32a,b-34a,b. Pripravljeni spojevi ispitani su na antimikrobno djelovanje. Pokazalo se da je 4-(N-etil-1H-indol-3-il)-6-(p-klorfenil)-pirimidin-2-amin (11b) najaktivniji spoj za Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) uz cikloheksimid kao poredbeni lijek. Testirano je antitumorsko djelovanje in vitro osamnaest novih spojeva, tj. pirimidin-2(1H)-ona 5a,b-7a,b, pirimidin-2(1H)-tiona 8a,b-10a,b i pirimidin-2-amina 11a,b-13a,b na tumorske stanice HEPG2, MCF7 i HCT-116. Najaktivniji spoj bio je 4-(N-etil-1H-indol-3-il)-6-(p-metoksifenil)-pirimidin-2-amin (11a) uz IC50 0,7 µmol L1

Childbirth and consequent atopic disease: emerging evidence on epigenetic effects based on the hygiene and EPIIC hypotheses

Background: In most high and middle income countries across the world, at least 1:4 women give birth by cesarean section. Rates of labour induction and augmentation are rising steeply; and in some countries up to 50 % of laboring women and newborns are given antibiotics. Governments and international agencies are increasingly concerned about the clinical, economic and psychosocial effects of these interventions. Discussion: There is emerging evidence that certain intrapartum and early neonatal interventions might affect the neonatal immune response in the longer term, and perhaps trans-generationally. Two theories lead the debate in this area. Those aligned with the hygiene (or ‘Old Friends’) hypothesis have examined the effect of gut microbiome colonization secondary to mode of birth and intrapartum/neonatal pharmacological interventions on immune response and epigenetic phenomena. Those working with the EPIIC (Epigenetic Impact of Childbirth) hypothesis are concerned with the effects of eustress and dys-stress on the epigenome, secondary to mode of birth and labour interventions. Summary: This paper examines the current and emerging findings relating to childbirth and atopic/autoimmune disease from the perspective of both theories, and proposes an alliance of research effort. This is likely to accelerate the discovery of important findings arising from both approaches, and to maximize the timely understanding of the longer-term consequences of childbirth practices

Plant lectins: the ties that bind in root symbiosis and plant defense

Lectins are a diverse group of carbohydrate-binding proteins that are found within and associated with organisms from all kingdoms of life. Several different classes of plant lectins serve a diverse array of functions. The most prominent of these include participation in plant defense against predators and pathogens and involvement in symbiotic interactions between host plants and symbiotic microbes, including mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Extensive biological, biochemical, and molecular studies have shed light on the functions of plant lectins, and a plethora of uncharacterized lectin genes are being revealed at the genomic scale, suggesting unexplored and novel diversity in plant lectin structure and function. Integration of the results from these different types of research is beginning to yield a more detailed understanding of the function of lectins in symbiosis, defense, and plant biology in general

Protection from ultraviolet damage and photocarcinogenesis by vitamin d compounds

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020. Exposure of skin cells to UV radiation results in DNA damage, which if inadequately repaired, may cause mutations. UV-induced DNA damage and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species also cause local and systemic suppression of the adaptive immune system. Together, these changes underpin the development of skin tumours. The hormone derived from vitamin D, calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) and other related compounds, working via the vitamin D receptor and at least in part through endoplasmic reticulum protein 57 (ERp57), reduce cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and oxidative DNA damage in keratinocytes and other skin cell types after UV. Calcitriol and related compounds enhance DNA repair in keratinocytes, in part through decreased reactive oxygen species, increased p53 expression and/or activation, increased repair proteins and increased energy availability in the cell when calcitriol is present after UV exposure. There is mitochondrial damage in keratinocytes after UV. In the presence of calcitriol, but not vehicle, glycolysis is increased after UV, along with increased energy-conserving autophagy and changes consistent with enhanced mitophagy. Reduced DNA damage and reduced ROS/RNS should help reduce UV-induced immune suppression. Reduced UV immune suppression is observed after topical treatment with calcitriol and related compounds in hairless mice. These protective effects of calcitriol and related compounds presumably contribute to the observed reduction in skin tumour formation in mice after chronic exposure to UV followed by topical post-irradiation treatment with calcitriol and some, though not all, related compounds

Antibacterial and antioxidant activity of methanol extract of Evolvulus nummularius

Objective : To evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of methanol extract of Evolvulus nummularius (L) L. Materials and Methods : Disc diffusion and broth serial dilution tests were used to determine the antibacterial activity of the methanol extract against two Gram-positive bacterial strains ( Bacillus subtilus NCIM 2718, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) and three Gram-negative bacterial strains ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 70063 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922). The methanol extract was subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis. Free radical scavenging activity of the methanol extract at different concentrations was determined with 2, 2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Results : The susceptible organisms to the methanol extract were Escherichia coli (MIC=12.50 mg/ml) and Bacillus subtilus (MIC=3.125 mg/ml) and the most resistant strains were Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanol extracts exhibited radical scavenging activity with IC50 of 350 μg/ml. Conclusion : The results from the study show that methanol extract of E.nummularius has antibacterial activity. The antioxidant activity may be attributed to the presence of tannins, flavonoids and triterpenoids in the methanol extract. The antibacterial and antioxidant activity exhibited by the methanol extract can be corroborated to the usage of this plant in Indian folk medicine