Curcumin-Protected PC12 Cells Against Glutamate-Induced Oxidative Toxicity

Glutamat je glavni ekscitacijski neurotransmiter u središnjem živčanom sustavu. Izmjena je glutamata i cistina (sustav xc-) glavni poveznik mehanizma obrane od oksidacijskog stresa s prijenosom živčanih podražaja i promjenom ponašanja. Prekomjerna aktivacija ionotropnih receptora glutamata dovodi do odumiranja neurona; taj se proces zove ekscitotoksičnost. Oksidacijski je stres uzrokovan glutamatom glavni uzročnik neurodegenerativnih bolesti, poput moždane ishemije, Alzheimerove i Huntingtonove bolesti. Kurkuma ima širok spektar bioloških aktivnosti, poput zaštite živčanog sustava i neurokognitivnih sposobnosti. Kurkumin smanjuje oksidacijski stres i time ublažava posljedice ishemijsko-reperfuzijske ozljede leđne moždine, epileptične napadaje i gubitak neurona u hipokampusu. Stanice PC12 feokromocitoma štakora imaju mnoge korisne osobine koje omogućuju proučavanje neurozaštitnih i neurokognitivnih aktivnosti. Ovo je istraživanje provedeno radi utvrđivanja mogućnosti praćenja aktivnost kurkumina u zaštiti živčanih stanica pomoću modela stanica PC12 oštećenih glutamatom. Rezultati pokazuju da glutamat (u koncentraciji od 20 mM) pojačava izražaj glutation peroksidaze 1, glutation disulfida, utoka iona kalcija, proizvodnju dušikovog oksida, oslobađanje citokroma c, omjer proteina Bax/Bxl-2, aktivnost kaspaze-3, oslobađanje laktat dehidrogenaze, reaktivnih kisikovih spojeva, vodikovog peroksida i malondialdehida, te smanjuje izražaj glutationa, glutation reduktaze, superoksid dismutaze i katalaze, čime se pojačava stanična apoptoza. Kurkumin ublažava sve te negativne učinke, pa se može zaključiti da učinkovito štiti stanice PC12 od oksidacijskog stresa uzrokovanog glutamatom. Njegova se aktivnost zasniva na uklanjanju reaktivnih kisikovih i dušikovih spojeva pomoću glutationa te u matriksu mitohondrija.Glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter present in the central nervous system. The glutamate/cystine antiporter system xc– connects the antioxidant defense with neurotransmission and behaviour. Overactivation of ionotropic glutamate receptors induces neuronal death, a pathway called excitotoxicity. Glutamate-induced oxidative stress is a major contributor to neurodegenerative diseases including cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Curcuma has a wide spectrum of biological activities regarding neuroprotection and neurocognition. By reducing the oxidative damage, curcumin attenuates a spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury, seizures and hippocampal neuronal loss. The rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell line exhibits many characteristics useful for the study of the neuroprotection and neurocognition. This investigation was carried out to determine whether the neuroprotective effects of curcumin can be observed via the glutamate-PC12 cell model. Results indicate that glutamate (20 mM) upregulated glutathione peroxidase 1, glutathione disulphide, Ca2+ influx, nitric oxide production, cytochrome c release, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3 activity, lactate dehydrogenase release, reactive oxygen species, H2O2, and malondialdehyde; and downregulated glutathione, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, resulting in enhanced cell apoptosis. Curcumin alleviates all these adverse effects. Conclusively, curcumin can effectively protect PC12 cells against the glutamate-induced oxidative toxicity. Its mode of action involves two pathways: the glutathione-dependent nitric oxide-reactive oxygen species pathway and the mitochondria-dependent nitric oxide-reactive oxygen species pathway

Development of TiO2 modified by binary metals to enhance the degradation efficiency of Methylene Blue

[[abstract]]本研究利用溶膠-凝膠法(sol-gel method)配合隔水加熱法(hydrothermal treatment)對二氧化鈦(titanium dioxide, TiO2)光觸媒進行兩階段改質，分別為摻雜(doping)過渡金屬銅(Cu)、鐵(Fe)之單金屬改質二氧化鈦光觸媒後，更進一步沉積(deposition)銀(Ag)而得到雙金屬改質二氧化鈦光觸媒。 經SEM及TEM分析結果可發現經本研究雙金屬改質前後之二氧化鈦光觸媒，大致上粒徑為20~30 nm之圓形顆粒；由XRD分析結果可知，沉積於光觸媒表面的銀有零價銀(Ag0)的晶相存在，而二氧化鈦光觸媒皆以銳鈦礦相存在；界達電位分析結果，Ag(10 wt%)/Cu(0.01 %)-TiO2、Ag(10 wt%)/Fe(0.01 %)-TiO2、Cu(0.01 %)-TiO2、Fe(0.01 %)-TiO2及TiO2之等電位點pHiep分別為5.1、4.8、6.3、5.5、7；UV/vis分析結果指出，本研究摻雜單一金屬改質二氧化鈦光觸媒，其臨界波長(band edge wavelength)較未改質二氧化鈦些微提高，而雙金屬改質二氧化鈦光觸媒之臨界波長則有大幅的提升對可見光的吸收能力也明顯地增加。 本研究雙金屬改質二氧化鈦可見光光催化效率明顯高於單一金屬摻雜改質與未改質二氧化鈦，在430 nm藍光照射下光催化亞甲基藍10分鐘內可達脫色率100 %，相較於單金屬(銅、鐵)改質二氧化鈦之(18小時)脫色率分別為34 %及31 %及未改質之二氧化鈦有顯著的提升。在三種可見光光源照射下，雙金屬改質二氧化鈦光觸媒光催化降解亞甲基藍之效率隨著光源波長的提高而明顯降低，降解率依序為430 nm藍光>LED藍光>LED黃光。[[abstract]]In this study, we developed binary metals modifying titanium dioxide with two steps by using sol-gel method and hydrothermal treatment. In order to doped the transformation metal Cu and Fe in the lattice of TiO2. And then deposition the noble metal Ag it. In the result of SEM and TEM, the grain size of about 20~30 nm. After XRD analysis, the silver deposition on the surface of Photocatalyst might be Ag0. All the TiO2 was existed as anatase. The result of Zeta potential shows that the surface charge on the all kinds of TiO2 in this study was decreased with the increasing of pH, and the pHiep of Ag(10 wt%)/Cu(0.01 %)-TiO2, Ag(10 wt%)/Fe(0.01 %)-TiO2, Cu(0.01 %)-TiO2, Fe(0.01 %)-TiO2 and TiO2 was 5.1、4.8、6.3、5.5 and 7. In the result of Uv/vis analysis, the band edge wavelength of doping modifying TiO2 was higher than pure TiO2, and the visible light absorption of the binary metals modifying TiO2 was increased obviously. In this study, the photocatalytic efficiency of binary metals modifying TiO2 was higher than doping modifying TiO2 and pure TiO2 plainly. Under the visible light of 430 nm irradiation, the decolorization rate of Methylene Blue was 100 % in 10 minute by using binary metals modifying TiO2. Under the same light source the decolorization rate of Methylene Blue was 34 % and 31 % in 18 hours by using Cu or Fe doping TiO2. Under three kinds of visible light source irradiation, the photocatalytic efficiency to MB of binary metals modifying TiO2 increased with the decreasing of light source wavelength as 430 nm blue>LED blue >LED yellow.[[note]]碩

Two new species of Cymodusa Holmgren (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with a key to species known from China and Oriental region

Two new species of genus Cymodusa Holmgren, 1859, C. culaiica Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Culaishan Natural Reserve, Shandong province and C. melana Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Guiyang and Fanjingshan National Natural Reserve, Guizhou province, are described and illustrated. A taxonomic key to the species of Cymodusa from China and the Oriental region is provided

Strategies for Enhancing Vaccine-Induced CTL Antitumor Immune Responses

Vaccine-induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a critical role in adaptive immunity against cancers. An important goal of current vaccine research is to induce durable and long-lasting functional CTLs that can mediate cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. To attain this goal, there are four distinct steps that must be achieved. To initiate a vaccine-induced CTL antitumor immune response, dendritic cells (DCs) must capture antigens derived from exogenous tumor vaccines in vivo or autologous DCs directly loaded in vitro with tumor antigens must be injected. Next, tumor-antigen-loaded DCs must activate CTLs in lymphoid organs. Subsequently, activated CTLs must enter the tumor microenvironment to perform their functions, at which point a variety of negative regulatory signals suppress the immune response. Finally, CTL-mediated cytotoxic effects must overcome the tolerance induced by tumor cells. Each step is a complex process that may be impeded in many ways. However, if these steps happen under appropriate regulation, the vaccine-induced CTL antitumor immune response will be more successful. For this reason, we should gain a better understanding of the basic mechanisms that govern the immune response. This paper, based on the steps necessary to induce an immune response, discusses current strategies for enhancing vaccine-induced CTL antitumor immune responses

Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels for clinical assessment of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is responsible for multiple metabolic functions in humans. Rickets are the most common disease caused by vitamin D deficiency. It is caused by poor calcium intake resulting in poor serum-ionized calcium. The purpose of this study is to develop a rapid, sensitive, and feasible method to determine the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) levels in blood samples for clinical assessment. In this study, gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry with trimethylsilyl derivatization (TMS-GC-MS) is the most suitable protocol for quantitative analyses of 25(OH)D3. Performance of method was evaluated and compared with liquid chromatography and immunoassay. Method validation has been carried out with plasma specimens. The limit of quantitation of TMS-GC-MS method is 1.5 ppb with good linear correlation. Furthermore, the dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and non-vegetarians in Taiwan were assessed by our validated method. As a result, this vitamin D nutrition survey demonstrates that most Taiwanese people have insufficient vitamin D. Due to dietary habits; the male vegans may have the highest risk of vitamin D deficiency. Keywords: Osteoporosis, Vitamin D metabolites, Clinical specimen, Derivatization, Vegetaria