Source-identifying biomarker ions between environmental and clinical Burkholderia pseudomallei using whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, which is an endemic disease in Northeast Thailand and Northern Australia. Environmental reservoirs, including wet soils and muddy water, serve as the major sources for contributing bacterial infection to both humans and animals. The whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been applied as a rapid, accurate, and high-throughput tool for clinical diagnosis and microbiological research. In this present study, we employed a whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS approach for assessing its potency in clustering a total of 11 different B. pseudomallei isolates (consisting of 5 environmental and 6 clinical isolates) with respect to their origins and to further investigate the source-identifying biomarker ions belonging to each bacterial group. The cluster analysis demonstrated that six out of eleven isolates were grouped correctly to their sources. Our results revealed a total of ten source-identifying biomarker ions, which exhibited statistically significant differences in peak intensity between average environmental and clinical mass spectra using ClinProTools software. Six out of ten mass ions were assigned as environmental-identifying biomarker ions (EIBIs), including, m/z 4,056, 4,214, 5,814, 7,545, 7,895, and 8,112, whereas the remaining four mass ions were defined as clinical-identifying biomarker ions (CIBIs) consisting of m/z 3,658, 6,322, 7,035, and 7,984. Hence, our findings represented, for the first time, the source-specific biomarkers of environmental and clinical B. pseudomallei

Skin Anti-Aging Potential of Ipomoea pes-caprae Ethanolic Extracts on Promoting Cell Proliferation and Collagen Production in Human Fibroblasts (CCD-986sk Cells)

Collagen loss in the skin dermis is a major cause of age-related changes to the skin. Natural phytochemical substances are desirable for the prevention of skin aging and the formation of wrinkles. Ipomoea pes-caprae (IPC) has been utilized for nutritional and therapeutic purposes, and its extract contains collagenase inhibitory activity while causing no cytotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of IPC extracts on cell proliferation and collagen production in human fibroblasts (CCD-986sk cells). IPC leaves were macerated in 70% and 95% ethanol and the chemical composition of the resulting extracts (IPC70 and IPC95) were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The bioactivity of IPC extracts was examined in CCD-986sk cells, including antioxidant capacity, inhibition of collagenase, effects on cell proliferation and collagen production, as well as wound healing using an in vitro scratch test. Changes in expression of collagen type I (COL1A1), tumor growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1), and beta-fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) genes were also evaluated. The antioxidant and collagenase inhibitory properties of IPC extracts were associated with 3,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid, chlorogenic acid, and ferulic acid. IPC extracts at noncytotoxic concentrations significantly increased cell proliferation, collagen production, and wound healing. These effects appear linked to the upregulation of COL1A1, TGFB1, and FGF2 genes. The bioactivity of the IPC70 extract was greater than that for IPC95. This is useful in cosmeceutical applications for human skin aging. Our findings indicate that IPC extracts have the potential for use in skin anti-aging cosmeceutical preparations

Utilization of Whole-Cell MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry to Differentiate Burkholderia pseudomallei Wild-Type and Constructed Mutants.

Whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS) has been widely adopted as a useful technology in the identification and typing of microorganisms. This study employed the whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS to identify and differentiate wild-type and mutants containing constructed single gene mutations of Burkholderia pseudomallei, a pathogenic bacterium causing melioidosis disease in both humans and animals. Candidate biomarkers for the B. pseudomallei mutants, including rpoS, ppk, and bpsI isolates, were determined. Taxon-specific and clinical isolate-specific biomarkers of B. pseudomallei were consistently found and conserved across all average mass spectra. Cluster analysis of MALDI spectra of all isolates exhibited separate distribution. A total of twelve potential mass peaks discriminating between wild-type and mutant isolates were identified using ClinProTools analysis. Two peaks (m/z 2721 and 2748 Da) were specific for the rpoS isolate, three (m/z 3150, 3378, and 7994 Da) for ppk, and seven (m/z 3420, 3520, 3587, 3688, 4623, 4708, and 5450 Da) for bpsI. Our findings demonstrated that the rapid, accurate, and reproducible mass profiling technology could have new implications in laboratory-based rapid differentiation of extensive libraries of genetically altered bacteria

A new species of Argyreia (Convolvulaceae) from Myanmar

Argyreia decemloba Traiperm, Fujikawa & Staples, a new species of Convolvulaceae from Natma Taung National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, is described here with detailed illustrations and summaries for its distribution, ecology and IUCN conservation statusThis new species is a high-climbing twiner that can be distinguished by a white or pale yellow corolla with a deep red or purple-black colour inside at the base of the tube, a ten-lobed corolla limb, and staminal filament bases expanded and densely covered by hispid hairsArgyreia decemloba is here assessed as Near Threatened (NT) following IUCN Red List categories. © 2019 The Authors

Comparative Proteome-Wide Analysis of Bone Marrow Microenvironment of β-Thalassemia/Hemoglobin E

β-thalassemia/Hb E is a global health issue, which is characterized by a range of clinical symptoms from a mild and asymptomatic anemia to severe disorders that require transfusions from infancy. Pathological mechanisms of the disease involve the excess of unmatched alpha globin and iron overload, leading to ineffective erythropoiesis and ultimately to the premature death of erythroid precursors in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral organs. However, it is unclear as to how BM microenvironment factors contribute to the defective erythropoiesis in β-thalassemia/Hb E patients. Here, we employed mass spectrometry-based comparative proteomics to analyze BM plasma that was collected from six β-thalassemia/Hb E patients and four healthy donors. We identified that the differentially expressed proteins are enriched in secretory or exosome-associated proteins, many of which have putative functions in the oxidative stress response. Using Western blot assay, we confirmed that atypical lipoprotein, Apolipoprotein D (APOD), belonging to the Lipocalin transporter superfamily, was significantly decreased in BM plasma of the tested pediatric β-thalassemia/Hb E patients. Our results highlight that the disease condition of ineffective erythropoiesis and oxidative stress found in BM microenvironment of β-thalassemia/Hb E patients is associated with the impaired expression of APOD protein

Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis of <i>B. pseudomallei</i> isolates.

<p>A) PCA analysis analyzed from total mass spectra showed intermixture and widely spreaded of all isolates from two source groups. <b>B</b>) Dendrogram constructed from the scores of PCA demonstrated that three of six environmental isolates; E239, E390, and E14 were grouped on their own cluster. Similarly, three clinical isolates, consisting of NF154/37, NF47/38, and NF10/38, were clustered together. <i>E. coli</i> DH5α was used as an outgroup taxon. Numbers shown in x-axis revealed distance level of tested isolates.</p