41 research outputs found
New isoxazolidinone and 3,4-dehydro-β-proline derivatives as antibacterial agents and MAO-inhibitors: A complex balance between two activities
No full textAmong the different classes of antibiotics, oxazolidinone derivatives represent important drugs, since their unique mechanism of action overcomes commonly diffused multidrug-resistant bacteria. Anyway, the structural similarity of these molecules to monoamino oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, like toloxatone and blefoxatone, induces in many cases loss of selectivity as a major concern. A small library of compounds based on isoxazolidinone and dehydro-β-proline scaffold was designed with the aim to obtain antibacterial agents, evaluating at the same time the potential effects of structural features on MAO inhibitory behaviour. The structural modification introduced in the backbone, starting from Linezolid model, lead to a significant loss in antibiotic activity, while a promising inhibitory effect could be observed on monoamino oxidases. These interesting results are also in agreement with docking experiments suggesting a good binding pose of the synthesized compounds into the pocket of the oxidase enzymes, in particular of MAO-B
Multiple symmetric lipomatosis may be the consequence of defective noradrenergic modulation of proliferation and differentiation of brown fat cells.
No full textMultiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is an inherited disorder in which enlarging and unencapsulated lipomas symmetrically develop in the subcutaneous tissue of the neck, shoulders, mammary, and truncal regions. In some cases, it is associated with mitochondrial DNA abnormalities. The pathogenesis of MSL is completely unknown, although the fat deposits may be due to a neoplastic-like proliferation of functionally defective brown adipocytes. It has recently been demonstrated that the beta(3)-adrenergic receptor is the functionally relevant adrenergic receptor subtype in brown adipocytes and that its stimulation by noradrenaline (NA) modulates the expression of genes, such as uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), involved in fat cell proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, Trp64Arg mutation of the beta(3)-adrenoceptor has been implicated in lower NA activity in adipose tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular and functional characteristics of MSL adipocytes and to analyse the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the proliferation/differentiation of MSL adipocytes in culture, and the relevance of putative noradrenergic deficit in the development of lipomas in MSL patients. Cultured MSL adipocytes were able to synthesize UCP-1 (the selective marker of brown adipocytes), but unlike that of normally functioning brown fat cells, the expression of the UCP-1 gene was not significantly induced by NA. NA is also defective in inducing iNOS gene expression, thus leading to reduced NO production and a consequent reduction in the anti-proliferative, adipogenic (mitochondrial biogenesis) effects of NA on MSL cells. Furthermore, the transcriptional peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator-1 (PGC-1), which plays a key role in the sympathetic-stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis of brown adipocytes, is expressed but not induced by NA in MSL cells, as it is in brown adipocytes. The study did not find any association between beta(3)-adrenoceptor gene polymorphism and noradrenergic signalling defects in MSL subjects with or without mitochondrial DNA mutations
Role of Lipid Rafts and GM1 in the Segregation and Processing of Prion Protein
No full textThe prion protein (PrPC) is highly expressed within the nervous system. Similar to other GPI-anchored proteins, PrPC is found in lipid rafts, membrane domains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. PrPC raft association, together with raft lipid composition, appears essential for the conversion of PrPC into the scrapie isoform PrPSc, and the development of prion disease. Controversial findings were reported on the nature of PrPC-containing rafts, as well as on the distribution of PrPC between rafts and non-raft membranes. We investigated PrPC/ganglioside relationships and their influence on PrPC localization in a neuronal cellular model, cerebellar granule cells. Our findings argue that in these cells at least two PrPC conformations coexist: in lipid rafts PrPC is present in the native folding (α-helical), stabilized by chemico-physical condition, while it is mainly present in other membrane compartments in a PrPSc-like conformation. We verified, by means of antibody reactivity and circular dichroism spectroscopy, that changes in lipid raft-ganglioside content alters PrPC conformation and interaction with lipid bilayers, without modifying PrPC distribution or cleavage. Our data provide new insights into the cellular mechanism of prion conversion and suggest that GM1-prion protein interaction at the cell surface could play a significant role in the mechanism predisposing to pathology
Evidence for a functional nitric oxide synthase system in brown adipocyte nucleus
No full textAbstractThe intracellular localization and activity of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms were investigated in rat brown adipocytes. Immunohistochemistry showed cytoplasmic and nuclear staining for the endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) isoforms; accordingly, anti-L-citrulline antibody, a marker of NOS activity, immunostained both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. The presence of metabolically active NOS in the nucleus was further confirmed by immunoblotting analyses of subcellular fractions of homogenates from cultured brown adipocytes and by measurements of NOS activity in the cytosol and nucleus. Sympathetic stimulation in vivo (i.e. cold exposure or β3-adrenergic agonist treatment) and in vitro (i.e. noradrenaline treatment of cultured cells) significantly increased both cytosolic and nuclear eNOS and iNOS expression and activities. By contrast, the number of iNOS-positive, but not eNOS-positive, nuclei was significantly lower in the functionally impaired brown fat of genetically obese Zucker fa/fa rats. These data suggest the existence of a noradrenaline-modulated functional NOS system in the nucleus of brown adipocytes
Prion protein structure is affected by pH-dependent interaction with membranes: A study in a model system
No full textAbstractInteraction of full length recombinant hamster prion protein with liposomes mimicking lipid rafts or non-raft membrane regions was studied by circular dichroism, chemical cross-linking and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. At pH 7.0, the protein bound palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/sphingomyelin/monosialoganglioside GM1 (GM1) ganglioside liposomes but not palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine alone (bound/free=0.33 and 0.01, respectively), maintaining the native α-helical structure and monomeric form. At pH 5.0, though still binding to quaternary mixtures, in particular GM1, the protein bound also to palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (bound/free 0.35) becoming unfolded and oligomeric. The pH-dependent interaction with raft or non-raft membranes might have implication in vivo, by stabilizing or destabilizing the protein
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation
No full textCinnamon bark is widely used for its organoleptic features in the food context and growing evidence supports its beneficial effect on human health. The market offers an increasingly wide range of food products and supplements enriched with cinnamon extracts which are eliciting beneficial and health-promoting properties. Specifically, the extract of Cinnamomum spp. is rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer biomolecules. These include widely reported cinnamic acid and some phenolic compounds, such asproanthocyanidins A and B, and kaempferol. These molecules are sensitive to physical-chemical properties (such as pH and temperature) and biological agents that act during gastric digestion, which could impair molecules’ bioactivity. Therefore, in this study, the cinnamon’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivity after simulated digestion was evaluated by analyzing the chemical profile of the pure extract and digested one, as well as the cellular effect in vitro models, such as Caco2 and intestinal barrier. The results showed that the digestive process reduces the total content of polyphenols, especially tannins, while preserving other bioactive compounds such as cinnamic acid. At the functional level, the digested extract maintains an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level
Coffee-Derived Phenolic Compounds Activate Nrf2 Antioxidant Pathway in I/R Injury In Vitro Model: A Nutritional Approach Preventing Age Related-Damages
No full textAge-related injuries are often connected to alterations in redox homeostasis. The imbalance between free radical oxygen species and endogenous antioxidants defenses could be associated with a growing risk of transient ischemic attack and stroke. In this context, a daily supply of dietary antioxidants could counteract oxidative stress occurring during ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R), preventing brain damage. Here we investigated the potential antioxidant properties of coffee-derived circulating metabolites and a coffee pulp phytoextract, testing their efficacy as ROS scavengers in an in vitro model of ischemia. Indeed, the coffee fruit is an important source of phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acids, present both in the brewed seed and in the discarded pulp. Therefore, rat brain endothelial cells, subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and recovery (ogR) to mimic reperfusion, were pretreated or not with coffee by-products. The results indicate that, under OGD/ogR, the ROS accumulation was reduced by coffee by-product. Additionally, the coffee extract activated the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway via Erk and Akt kinases phosphorylation, as shown by increased Nrf2 and HO-1 protein levels. The data indicate that the daily intake of coffee by-products as a dietary food supplement represents a potential nutritional strategy to counteract aging
Early evidence of stress in immortalized neurons exposed to diesel particles: the role of lipid reshaping behind oxidative stress and inflammation
No full textDiesel combustion is the major source of fine particle road emission, whose solid fraction is represented by diesel exhaust particles (DEP). Many studies indicate the contribution of DEP to the onset of different neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), identifying oxidative stress and neuroinflammation as two cardinal processes of brain damage. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of DEP (10 μg/ml and 50 μg/ml) on the mouse HT22 cells treated for 3 h or 24 h. Our results demonstrated that DEP contributed to an increased oxidative stress, defined by overexpression of HO-1, Hsp70 and Cyp1b1 protein levels. Moreover, an inflammatory-related processes were also observed, as COX-2 and iNOS levels were higher in treated cells when compared to the control. Furthermore, our investigations highlighted the alteration of fatty acid composition, total cholesterol content in cells and media, and of membrane fluidity, suggesting a lipid reshaping after DEP treatment. Finally, we detected APP and BACE1 increase after 24 h of treatment with 50 μg/ml of DEP. Indeed, our results propose a role of acute exposure in the onset of a deleterious mechanism for AD neurodegeneration, even though no differences were observed in p-APPThr668levels, BACE1 activity and APP C-terminal fragment beta amount
Lipid Reshaping and Lipophagy Are Induced in a Modeled Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Blood Brain Barrier
No full textIschemic-reperfusion (I/R) injury induced a remodeling of protein and lipid homeostasis, under oxidative stress and inflammatory status. Starvation occurring during I/R is a condition leading to autophagy activation, which allows abnormal material clearance or amino acid, or both, and fatty acid (FA) recycling essential for survival. This study investigated the lipid reshaping, peroxidation, and related-signaling pathways, in rat brain endothelial cells (RBE4) subjected to 3 h of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and restoration of standard condition (I/R in vitro model). Lipids and proteins were analyzed after 1 or 24 h of oxygen and nutrient restoration. Together with the oxidative stress and inflammatory status, I/R injury induced a reshaping of neutral lipids and biogenesis of lipid droplets (LD) with excessive lipid storage. The increase of LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, an autophagy marker, and LC3 co-localization with LD suggest the activation of lipophagy machinery to counteract the cell engulfment. Lipophagy leads to cholesterol ester (CE) hydrolysis, increasing free cholesterol (FC) secretion, which occurred by specific transporters or unconventional exocytosis pathways, or both. Here, we propose that an unconventional spreading of FC and other lipid metabolites may influence the neurovascular unit (NVU) cells, contributing to Blood brain barrier (BBB) alteration or adaptation, or both, to the cumulative effects of several transient ischemia
