Furocoumarin-induced Epidermal Melanogenesis Does Not Protect Against Skin Photocarcinogenesis in Hairless Mice

Topical 6,4,4'-trimethylangelicin (TMA) plus UVA was used to induce intense epidermal pigmentation in inbred HRA.HRII-c/+/Skh hairless pigmented mice over a 13 day period. Subsequent UVB/UVA exposure was used to assess the photoprotective properties of this tan using skin tumors as an endpoint. Comparisons were always made with sibling albino mice. The TMA/UVA treatment was shown to be not carcinogenic when treated mice were compared with untreated control mice over 25 weeks. The tan faded despite daily exposure to UVB/UVA and did not afford any protection when TMA/UVA-treated mice with subsequent UVB/UVA were compared with pigmented mice treated with UVB/UVA only. In one group, the TMA-induced tan was maintained by application of TMA three times a week prior to UVB/UVA for the duration of the experiment. This treatment was associated with a significant increase in tumor risk in both pigmented and albino mice compared to groups treated with UVB/UVA alone. Although pigmented mice had a significant photoprotective advantage, it was shown to be outweighed by the carcinogenic risks of the TMA maintenance treatment when they were compared with mice that did not have this treatment. Nonpretanned pigmented mice developed mild pigmentation during UVB/UVA treatment that was shown to have no protective effect when those mice were compared with albinos. We conclude that induced epidermal tanning with or without furocoumarin enhancement is not an effective way to prevent skin cancer in the HRA.HRII-c/+/Skh mouse model.     

Phospholipases a of the venom of the Central Asian cobra

Conclusions Two phospholipases A with molecular weights of 11,000±1000 and 18,000±1000, consisting of individual compounds according to rechromatography and disk electrophoresis, have been isolated by filtration through Sephadex G-75 gel and by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose from the venom of the Central Asian cobra.V. I. Lenin Tashkent Order of the Red Banner of Labor State University. Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 387–389, May–June, 1974.     

DDX3 Upregulates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Melanogenesis in Sk-Mel-2 Human Melanoma Cells

DDX3 is a DEAD-box RNA helicase with diverse biological functions through multicellular pathways. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of DDX3 in regulating melanogenesis by the exploring signaling pathways involved. Various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were used to induce melanogenesis in SK-Mel-2 human melanoma cells. Melanin content assays, tyrosinase activity analysis, and Western blot analysis were performed to determine how DDX3 was involved in melanogenesis. Transient transfection was performed to overexpress or silence DDX3 genes. Immunoprecipitation was performed using an antityrosinase antibody. Based on the results of the cell viability test, melanin content, and activity of tyrosinase, a key melanogenesis enzyme, in SK-Mel-2 human melanoma cells, hydrogen peroxide at 0.1 mM was chosen to induce melanogenesis. Treatment with H₂O₂ notably increased the promoter activity of DDX3. After treatment with hydroperoxide for 4 h, melanin content and tyrosinase activity peaked in DDX3-transfected cells. Overexpression of DDX3 increased melanin content and tyrosinase expression under oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂. DDX3 co-immunoprecipitated with tyrosinase, a melanogenesis enzyme. The interaction between DDX3 and tyrosinase was strongly increased under oxidative stress. DDX3 could increase melanogenesis under the H₂O₂-treated condition. Thus, targeting DDX3 could be a novel strategy to develop molecular therapy for skin diseases.     

Mitochondrial Sirtuins in Skin and Skin Cancers

Mammalian sirtuins (SIRTs 1-7) are a family of NAD+-dependent deacetylases with distinct subcellular localization and biological functions that regulate various important cellular processes. Among these, SIRTs -3, -4 and -5 are located in the mitochondria and have been implicated in caloric restriction, oxidative stress, aging and various human diseases. Emerging evidence has found dysregulation of mitochondrial sirtuins in multiple dermatological conditions, including responses to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), suggesting their importance in maintaining skin health. In this review, we discuss the roles and implications of mitochondrial sirtuins in cutaneous cellular processes, and their emerging potential as a target for the management of skin diseases, including skin cancer. Among mitochondrial sirtuins, SIRT3 is the most studied and linked to multiple skin conditions and diseases (keratinocyte differentiation, wound healing, chronological aging, UVR and ozone response, systemic sclerosis, melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)). SIRT4 has been connected to keratinocyte differentiation, chronological aging, UVR response, alopecia, BCC and SCC. Further, SIRT5 has been associated with keratinocyte differentiation, melanoma, BCC and SCC. Overall, while there is compelling evidence for the involvement of mitochondrial sirtuins in skin, additional detailed studies are needed to understand their exact roles in skin and skin cancers.     

Modulation of Melanogenesis and Antioxidant Status of Melanocytes in Response to Phototoxic Action of Doxycycline

Doxycycline is a commonly used tetracycline antibiotic showing the broad spectrum of antibacterial action. However, the use of this antibiotic is often connected with the risk of phototoxic reactions that lead to various skin disorders. One of the factors influencing the photosensitivity reactions is the melanin content in melanocytes. In this study, the impact of doxycycline and UVA irradiation on cell viability, melanogenesis and antioxidant defense system in cultured normal human epidermal melanocytes (HEMn‐DP) was examined. The exposure of cells to doxycycline and UVA radiation resulted in concentration‐dependent loss in melanocytes viability and induced melanin biosynthesis. Significant changes were stated in cellular antioxidant enzymes activity: SOD, CAT and GPx, which indicates alterations of antioxidant defense system. The results obtained in vitro may explain the mechanisms of phototoxic reactions that occur in normal human epidermal melanocytes in vivo after exposure of skin to doxycycline and UVA radiation.     

Photoactivated Colibactin Probes Induce Cellular DNA Damage

Colibactin is a small molecule produced by certain bacterial species of the human microbiota that harbour the pks genomic island. Pks⁺ bacteria induce a genotoxic phenotype in eukaryotic cells and have been linked with colorectal cancer progression. Colibactin is produced in a benign, prodrug form which, prior to export, is enzymatically matured by the producing bacteria to its active form. Although the complete structure of colibactin has not been determined, key structural features have been described including an electrophilic cyclopropane motif, which is believed to alkylate DNA. To investigate the influence of the putative “warhead” and the prodrug strategy on genotoxicity, a series of photolabile colibactin probes were prepared that upon irradiation induced a pks⁺ like phenotype in HeLa cells. Furthermore, results from DNA cross‐linking and imaging studies of clickable analogues enforce the hypothesis that colibactin effects its genotoxicity by directly targeting DNA.     

Multiple Foreign Gene Delivery Can Induce Antibody Production in Mice

Exogenous gene delivery may activate the immune system to generate the corresponding antibody; however, it is unknown whether all of the exogenous genes can induce such immune responses at the same level, and the result of simultaneous delivery of two or more genes is also unknown. To address the question, ELISA was used to determine antibody titers in serum against the most frequent gene doping such as growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor α (IGF-α), and mechano growth factor (MGF), which were delivered into mice by naked vectors. There was no antibody against GH when saline, pCI-neo, or the pCI-GH plasmid alone was injected, but significant antibody was induced when the pCI-GH plasmid was injected in combination with either pCI-MGF or pCI-IGF-I plasmid (p < 0.05). Therefore, not all of exogenous genes can induce such immune response or the induced intensity is different, and multi-gene delivery was more likely than single gene to stimulate the immune system, which may be a potential method to detect gene doping.     

Transfer of Radionuclides Across Skin Barriers of Animal Skin Models in Vitro

Radioactive skin contamination with radionuclides in ionic forms after the permeation across skin models was studied in vitro. Using animal skin models of 5-day-old rat and 9-day-old rat, either intact or stripped, it was found that besides the transepidermal also the transfolicular flux can be important. Stratum corneum was found to be the principal permeation barrier in all cases. The study of penetration — time profiles revealed that permeated amounts were proportional to time in the case of ¹³⁷Cs⁺ and ⁶⁰Co²⁺, but they showed a local maximum in the case of ¹⁴⁷Pm³⁺.     

Recent Progress on Phospholipases: Different Sources,Assay Methods,Industrial Potential and Pathogenicity

Significant studies on phospholipases optimization, characterization, physiological role and industrial potential have been conducted worldwide. Some of them have been directed for biotechnological advances such as gene discovery and functional enhancement by protein engineering. Others reported phospholipases as virulence factor and major cause of pathophysiological effects. A general overview on phospholipase is needed for the identification of new reliable and efficient phospholipase, which would be potentially used in number of industrial and medical applications. Phospholipases catalyse the hydrolysis of one or more ester and phosphodiester bonds of glycerophospholipids. They vary in site of action on phospholipid which can be used industrially for modification/production of new phospholipids. Catalytically active phospholipase mainly use phosphatidylcholine as major substrate, but they can also show specificity with other phospholipids. Several accurate phospholipase assay methods are known, but a rapid and reliable method for high-throughput screening is still a challenge for efficient supply of superior phospholipases and their practical applications. Major application of phospholipase is in industries like oil refinery, health food manufacturing, dairy, cosmetics etc. All types of phospholipases can be involved as virulence factor. They can also be used as diagnostic markers for microbial infection. The importance of phospholipase in virulence is proven and inhibitors of the enzyme can be used as candidate for preventing the associated disease.     

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Can Induce Adaptive Response in Pea Seeds

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - This study investigated the effect of cold atmospheric pressure air plasma pre-treatment on pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds. The aim of our study was to verify...     

Naphthyl Substituted Impurities Induce Efficient Room Temperature Phosphorescence

Accidentally, it was found that triphenylamine (TPA) from commercial sources shows ultralong yellow-green room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) like commercial carbazole, which however disappears for lab-synthesized TPA with high purity. Herein, we for the first time identify the impurity types that cause RTP of commercial TPA, which are two N, N-diphenyl-naphthylamine isomers. Due to similar molecular polarity and very trace amount (≈0.8 ‰, molar ratio), these naphthyl substituted impurities can be easily overlooked. We further show that even at an extremely low amount (1000000 : 1, mass ratio) of impurities, RTP emission is still generated, attributed to the triplet-to-triplet energy transfer mechanism. Notably, this doping strategy is also applicable to the triphenylphosphine and benzophenone host systems, of which strong RTP emission can be activated by simply doping the corresponding naphthyl substituted analogues into them. This work therefore provides a general and efficient host/guest strategy toward high performance and diverse organic RTP materials.     

Ginsenoside Rh2 Showing Ability to Induce Apoptosis in HeLa Cells

IntroductionApoptosis( programmed cell death,PCD) hasbeen shown to play an important role in multiplephysiological and pathological processes,such asembryonic development,homeostatic maintenanceof tissues and organs,maturation of the immunesystem,neurologic degeneration,autoimmune andinflammatory disease,atherosclerosis,oncogenesisand tumor progression[1— 4] .Ginsenoside G- Rh2 iso-lated from Panax ginseng belongs to protopanaxa-diol dammarene glycoside[5] .G- Rh2 has a suppres-sive effect…     

Different Enzyme Conformations Induce Different Mechanistic Traits in HIV-1 Protease

The influence of the dynamical flexibility of enzymes on reaction mechanisms is a cornerstone in biological sciences. In this study, we aim to 1) study the convergence of the activation free energy by using the first step of the reaction catalysed by HIV-1 protease as a case study, and 2) provide further evidence for a mechanistic divergence in this enzyme, as two different reaction pathways were seen to contribute to this step. We used quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics molecular dynamics simulations, on four different initial conformations that led to different barriers in a previous study. Despite the sampling, the four activation free energies still spanned a range of 5.0 kcal ⋅ mol⁻¹. Furthermore, the new simulations did confirm the occurrence of an unusual mechanistic divergence, with two different mechanistic pathways displaying equivalent barriers. An active-site water molecule is proposed to influence the mechanistic pathway.     

Skin effect in adhesive solutions

Summary The membranometric method of quantitatively studying skin formation on surfaces of colloidal solutions developed byWo. Ostwald was adopted with slight modifications by the authors in their studies on adhesive solutions. The time of flow through a vertical capillary was found to vary with the time of contact and concentration, which may be attributed to any changes in viscosity during the period and formation of a skin. By running a control, the viscosity effect was eliminated. The position of the meniscus when sucked to a definite height and released, at different periods, is plotted as a function of time. It is suggested that the difference in the area between the curves for control and different periods of contact can be taken as a measure of the strength of skin formation. Results for gelatin solutions are given. With 2 figures in 3 details and 3 tables