Pharmacological and chemical properties of some marine echinoderms

Echinoderms have attracted the attention of scientists over the past few years after identifying a variety of unique structures endowed by interesting biological properties. However, the Moroccan coast biodiversity is still uninvestigated. In our ongoing attempts to valorize the rich Moroccan marine environment, this study aimed at assessing the antimicrobial activity of extracts obtained from three echinoderms Astropecten irregularis, Luidia sarsi and Ophiura albida against the human pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica and Bacillus subtilis. Moreover, their antioxidant activities were tested using standard methods in addition to the antidiabetic activity which has been evaluated in vitro against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS analysis revealed a significant content of some phenolic compounds such as pyrogallol, gallic, sinapic, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic and salicylic acids whose existence can be related to the endophytic fungi and/or dietary intake whereas GC-MS analysis exhibited diverse chemical structures such as cholesterol, oleic acid and glycerol 1-palmitate

A piece of the human heart: variance of protein phosphorylation in left ventricular samples from end-stage primary cardiomyopathy patients

Cardiomyocyte contraction is regulated by phosphorylation of sarcomeric proteins. Throughout the heart regional and transmural differences may exist in protein phosphorylation. In addition, phosphorylation of sarcomeric proteins is altered in cardiac disease. Heterogeneity in protein phosphorylation may be larger in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as it may be caused by multiple mutations in genes encoding different sarcomeric proteins. Moreover, HCM is characterized by asymmetric remodelling of the heart. In the present study we assessed if local differences in sarcomeric protein phosphorylation are more evident in primary HCM or DCM than in non-failing donors. Thereto, phosphorylation of the two main target proteins of the beta-adrenergic receptor pathway, troponin I (cTnI) and myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) was analysed in different parts in the free left ventricular wall of end–stage failing HCM and DCM patients and donors obtained during transplant surgery. Intra-patient variability in protein phosphorylation within tissue samples of approximately 2 g wet weight was comparable between donor, HCM and DCM samples and could partly be attributed to the precision of the technique. Thus, our data indicate that within the precision of the measurements small, biopsy-sized cardiac tissue samples are representative for the region of the free left ventricular wall from which they were obtained

Cardiac myosin binding protein C phosphorylation in cardiac disease

Perturbations in sarcomeric function may in part underlie systolic and diastolic dysfunction of the failing heart. Sarcomeric dysfunction has been ascribed to changes in phosphorylation status of sarcomeric proteins caused by an altered balance between intracellular kinases and phosphatases during the development of cardiac disease. In the present review we discuss changes in phosphorylation of the thick filament protein myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) reported in failing myocardium, with emphasis on phosphorylation changes observed in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in MYBPC3. Moreover, we will discuss assays which allow to distinguish between functional consequences of mutant sarcomeric proteins and (mal)adaptive changes in sarcomeric protein phosphorylation

Reversible Disruption of Pre-Pulse Inhibition in Hypomorphic-Inducible and Reversible CB1-/- Mice

Although several genes are implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, in animal models for such a severe mental illness only some aspects of the pathology can be represented (endophenotypes). Genetically modified mice are currently being used to obtain or characterize such endophenotypes. Since its cloning and characterization CB1 receptor has increasingly become of significant physiological, pharmacological and clinical interest. Recently, its involvement in schizophrenia has been reported. Among the different approaches employed, gene targeting permits to study the multiple roles of the endocannabinoid system using knockout (-/-) mice represent a powerful model but with some limitations due to compensation. To overcome such a limitation, we have generated an inducible and reversible tet-off dependent tissue-specific CB1-/- mice where the CB1R is re-expressed exclusively in the forebrain at a hypomorphic level due to a mutation (IRh-CB1-/-) only in absence of doxycycline (Dox). In such mice, under Dox+ or vehicle, as well as in wild-type (WT) and CB1-/-, two endophenotypes motor activity (increased in animal models of schizophrenia) and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) of startle reflex (disrupted in schizophrenia) were analyzed. Both CB1-/- and IRh-CB1-/- showed increased motor activity when compared to WT animals. The PPI response, unaltered in WT and CB1-/- animals, was on the contrary highly and significantly disrupted only in Dox+ IRh-CB1-/- mice. Such a response was easily reverted after either withdrawal from Dox or haloperidol treatment. This is the first Inducible and Reversible CB1-/- mice model to be described in the literature. It is noteworthy that the PPI disruption is not present either in classical full CB1-/- mice or following acute administration of rimonabant. Such a hypomorphic model may provide a new tool for additional in vivo and in vitro studies of the physiological and pathological roles of cannabinoid system in schizophrenia and in other psychiatric disorders

Chemical Additives for Corrosion Control in Desalination Plants

The addition of chemical additives has been considered as a standard operation in water treatment systems. This chapter discusses the chemical additives used for the control of corrosion in desalination systems. Specifically, corrosion inhibitors for various metallurgies, biocides, and oxygen scavengers are covered. The pros and cons of the additive chemicals have been highlighted. The need to utilize green corrosion inhibitors based on plants and ionic liquids materials have been emphasized. This class of materials are environmentally friendly, cheap, and readily available

CX3CR1 knockout aggravates Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis

Studies on inflammatory disorders elucidated the pivotal role of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis with respect to the pathophysiology and diseases progression. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced myocarditis is associated with severe cardiac inflammation, which may progress to heart failure. We therefore investigated the influence of CX3CR1 ablation in the model of acute myocarditis, which was induced by inoculation with 5x105 plaque forming units of CVB3 (Nancy strain) in either CX3CR1-/- or C57BL6/j (WT) mice. Seven days after infection, myocardial inflammation, remodeling, and titin expression and phosphorylation were examined by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Pro-Q diamond stain. Cardiac function was assessed by tip catheter. Compared to WT CVB3 mice, CX3CR1-/- CVB3 mice exhibited enhanced left ventricular expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which was associated with an increase of immune cell infiltration/presence. This shift towards a pro- inflammatory immune response further resulted in increased cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which was reflected by an impaired cardiac function in CX3CR1-/- CVB3 compared to WT CVB3 mice. These findings demonstrate a cardioprotective role of CX3CR1 in CVB3-infected mice and indicate the relevance of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 system in CVB3-induced myocarditis