Biochemical and nutritional profiling of select tropical green seaweeds

The nutritional composition and anti-inflammatory properties of six tropical green seaweeds viz., Ulva lactuca, Ulva linza, Halimeda macroloba, Halimeda gracilis, Chaetomorpha antennina and Chaetomorpha linum were evaluated. U. lactuca exhibited the highest carbohydrate content (66.1%), while U. linza (12.89%) and U. lactuca (12.06%) showed the highest protein content, indicating their potential as plant-based protein sources. H. gracilis contained the highest ash content (35.12%), highlighting its mineral richness, particularly calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Lipid content was low across all species, but U. linza exhibited the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content (22.94%), with α-linolenic acid (13.72%) which could support cardiovascular health. Mineral analysis revealed high calcium levels in C. linum (18.99 mg 100 g-1), contributing to bone health. Pigment analysis showed U. linza contained the highest chlorophyll-a (7.60 µg ml-1) and total carotenoids (0.30 µg ml-1), adding antioxidant potential to its bioactivity. Chaetomorpha linum exhibited the strongest anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 1.60 mg ml-1), with bioactivity correlating to the favorable n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio. Amino acid analysis identified U. linza as the richest source of essential amino acids, particularly methionine (6.37 mg g-1) and valine (6.30 mg g-1), making it an excellent candidate for dietary supplements. The results of the study suggest that green seaweeds belonging to the family Ulvaceae could be a potential non-conventional source for dietary products and functional food supplements

31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2016) : part two

Background The immunological escape of tumors represents one of the main ob- stacles to the treatment of malignancies. The blockade of PD-1 or CTLA-4 receptors represented a milestone in the history of immunotherapy. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors seem to be effective in specific cohorts of patients. It has been proposed that their efficacy relies on the presence of an immunological response. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis would synergize with our oncolytic vaccine platform PeptiCRAd. Methods We used murine B16OVA in vivo tumor models and flow cytometry analysis to investigate the immunological background. Results First, we found that high-burden B16OVA tumors were refractory to combination immunotherapy. However, with a more aggressive schedule, tumors with a lower burden were more susceptible to the combination of PeptiCRAd and PD-L1 blockade. The therapy signifi- cantly increased the median survival of mice (Fig. 7). Interestingly, the reduced growth of contralaterally injected B16F10 cells sug- gested the presence of a long lasting immunological memory also against non-targeted antigens. Concerning the functional state of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we found that all the immune therapies would enhance the percentage of activated (PD-1pos TIM- 3neg) T lymphocytes and reduce the amount of exhausted (PD-1pos TIM-3pos) cells compared to placebo. As expected, we found that PeptiCRAd monotherapy could increase the number of antigen spe- cific CD8+ T cells compared to other treatments. However, only the combination with PD-L1 blockade could significantly increase the ra- tio between activated and exhausted pentamer positive cells (p= 0.0058), suggesting that by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis we could decrease the amount of dysfunctional antigen specific T cells. We ob- served that the anatomical location deeply influenced the state of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In fact, TIM-3 expression was in- creased by 2 fold on TILs compared to splenic and lymphoid T cells. In the CD8+ compartment, the expression of PD-1 on the surface seemed to be restricted to the tumor micro-environment, while CD4 + T cells had a high expression of PD-1 also in lymphoid organs. Interestingly, we found that the levels of PD-1 were significantly higher on CD8+ T cells than on CD4+ T cells into the tumor micro- environment (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In conclusion, we demonstrated that the efficacy of immune check- point inhibitors might be strongly enhanced by their combination with cancer vaccines. PeptiCRAd was able to increase the number of antigen-specific T cells and PD-L1 blockade prevented their exhaus- tion, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and increased median survival

Immunomodulatory potential of sulfated xylated rhamnoglycan from an edible green seaweed Ulva lactuca: Regulation of cytokine expression in CALU-1 cells and prospects for therapeutic applications

Green seaweeds, particularly Ulva lactuca, commonly known as sea-lettuce, from the Ulvaceae class, constitute a significant proportion of the global edible seaweed population and serve as a rich storehouse of pharmacologically active compounds, including polysaccharides. In this study, a sulfated (1 → 4) linked xylated rhamnoglycan, (ULP-2), was extracted from Ulva lactuca. ULP-2 displayed significant immunomodulatory properties by modulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced CALU-1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Treatment with ULP-2 at a concentration of 125 μg/mL resulted in a notable downregulation (63%, p < 0.05) of interferon (IFN)-γ gene expression compared to LPS-treated cells. Furthermore, the overexpression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β was significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) with ULP-2 treatment (125 μg/mL), showing substantial downregulation to 0.82% and 1.81%, respectively, compared to LPS-induced cells (29.28% and 94.89%, respectively). Additionally, a noteworthy 1.3-fold reduction in IL-33 expression was observed following the administration of ULP-2 at 125 μg/mL. An upregulation of IFN-α expression, was evident in LPS-induced CALU-1 cells following treatment with ULP-2 within the concentration range of 31.25–125 μg/mL. The structure-activity study reinforced the significance of the presence of polyanionic sulfate and the (1 → 4) linkage in ULP-2 for binding to their respective receptors, influencing the orientation and spatial arrangement of the molecule, and subsequently triggering intracellular signaling pathways linked to the activation of innate immunity. Consequently, this study highlights ULP-2 as a promising natural compound derived from edible seaweed with potential applications in the treatment of inflammatory disorders and immune enhancement

Regulatory potential of a xylated rhamnoglycan from Ulva reticulata on inflammatory cytokines

Sulfated polysaccharides derived from green marine macroalgae are known for their wide range of therapeutic properties, including the mitigation of inflammatory disorders. A sulfated polysaccharide, URP-2, composed of (1 → 4) linked α-rhamnopyranose, β-xylopyranose, and β-glucuropyranose, was isolated from Ulva reticulata (Ulvaceae). URP-2 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects by increasing interferon (IFN)-α expression (four to ten-fold) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced CALU-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner (31.25 to 125 μg mL−1), compared to LPS-induced cells. Additionally, the elevated IFN-γ levels observed in LPS-induced cells were substantially reduced (by five-fold) following treatment with URP-2 at 125 μg mL−1. URP-2, at a concentration of 125 μg mL−1, effectively reduced the elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1β in LPS-induced cells, decreasing it from approximately 95% to 1.3%. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level was also reduced from 30% to approximately 1% in LPS induced CALU-1 cells. Structure–activity relationship analyses of URP-2 suggest that its potent anti-inflammatory properties are likely attributed to the presence of sulfate groups and (1 → 4) linkages. Therefore, URP-2 demonstrated promising potential as a natural alternative for the treatment of inflammatory-related disorders

Introduction to natural products

Natural products are a rich source of bioactives with significant potential. This potential stems from their classification into primary and secondary metabolites based on their roles. Primary metabolites, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, are integral to energy storage, metabolism, and genetic information transfer. Secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids, serve external functions like defense, competition, and attraction. Both primary and secondary metabolites play crucial roles in maintaining the health and functioning of ecosystems

Course Manual: ICAR Winter School on Harnessing Recent Advances in High-Value Compound Development and Seaweed Biomass Utilization for Human Well-being: Propelling Atmanirbhar Swastha Bharat and Empowering Farmers 15th February to 06th March 2024

Seaweeds constitute a major share of marine flora, and they were reported to possess structurally diverse compounds of various bioactivities. These marine floras are considered as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with potential pharmacological significance. Novel secondary bioactive metabolites from the seaweeds are attracting attention because of the growing demand for new compounds of ‘marine natural’ origin, having potential applications in pharmaceutical fields, and concerns about the toxic effects by synthetic drugs

An Unusual Case of Radicular Cyst in a Primary Canine

Abstract Radicular cysts in the primary dentition are rare, whereas they are most commonly occurring in the permanent dentition. We present a rare case of a radicular cyst associated with a non vital deciduous maxillary canine tooth with a history of trauma. The permanent canine was impacted due to the cyst. After the enucleation of the cyst, we observed a spontaneous eruption of the permanent canine. Our aim is to emphasize the early recognition and intervention of inflammatory radicular lesions associated with deciduous anterior teeth which otherwise may adversely impact the underlying permanent successor