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Human dental pulp stem cells (HDPSCs) have great potential to be used in regenerative medicine. To use these stem cells effectively for this purpose, they should be grown in a 3D cell culture that mimics their natural niches instead of a 2D conventional cell culture. The aim of this study was to grow the HDPSCs in the 3D cell culture created by Transglutaminase-crosslinked collagen hydrogels (Col-Tgel) in two different strengths to find a suitable 3D cell culture environment for these stem cells. Two stiffness of the 3D Col-Tgel were used to grow the HDPSCs: soft and medium matrix with strength of 0.9–1.5 kPa and 14–20 kPa, respectively. HDPSCs express markers similar to MSCs, therefore seven such markers were analyzed in the HDPSCs during their growth in the 2D and in the 3D soft and medium Col-Tgel. The CD105 and CD90 markers were significantly (p < 0.05) downregulated in HDPSCs cultured in both 3D cell culture conditions compared with HDPSCs in 2D cell culture. Furthermore, CD34 marker, a negative marker, expressed by a few cells in HDPSCs culture was upregulated (p < 0.05) in HDPSCs cultured in medium 3D Col-Tgel, indicating cells that expressing the marker grow better in medium 3D Col-Tgel. The apoptosis results revealed that HDPSCs in medium 3D Col-Tgel had the least number of live cells and a significantly (p < 0.05) higher early apoptosis rate compared to HDPSCs in 2D and 3D Col-Tgel medium. MTT analysis also showed a significant difference among the three cell culture conditions. We conclude that HDPSCs cultured on 3D soft Col-Tgel showed better proliferation than cells cultured in 3D medium gel. These results demonstrate that the ideal environment to grow HDPSCs in 3D is the soft Col-Tgel not medium Col-Tgel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lupeol rich fraction was obtained from Crateva adansonii DC leave extract • Lupeol shown promising enzymes inhibition crucial for diabetes and inflammation • Lupeol exhibit promising in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic potential • Lupeol shown least docking score with enzymes target than standard drugs • Molecular dynamic simulation of lupeol with targets shown good binding affinity Enzyme inhibitor from natural origin without any side effects and multi diseases target provide more advantageous over commercial drugs. In present study phytocompound lupeol was isolated from Indian traditional medicinal plant Crateva adansonii leave extracts and its possible applications for treating diabetes and inflammation diseases. Single major peak in HPLC profiling and FTIR functional group analysis of lupeol fraction (LF) confirmed the presence of phytocompound lupeol in LF. LF obtained from chloroform leave extract of Crateva adansonii had most prominent inhibitory activity on alpha-amylase and alpha glucosidase with IC50 values 16.31 µg/mL and 41.25 µg/mL respectively. LF exhibit superior COX-2 enzyme (91.36%) inhibition potential among all tested samples whereas LF exhibit equipotent (81.38%) MPO enzyme inhibitory potential compared with celecoxib standard drug (86.19%). In silico validation reveals that lupeol exhibit least docking score with excellent binding affinities of -9.2, -7.6, -10.0 -8.2 Kcal/mol with COX-2, myeloperoxidase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inflammatory molecular target enzymes respectively than inflammatory (celecoxib) and diabetic (acarbose) reference standard drugs. Further in silico molecular dynamics simulation analysis revealed that Lupeol-COX-2 RMSD (root mean square deviation) plot showed that both COX-2 and Lupeol are stable after 20 NS at 9.0 Å for ligand and 3.2 Å for protein. Lupeol-α amylase complex showed good level of interaction throughout the simulation when compared with reference standard drug acarbose. Present study findings suggests that lupeol from Crateva adansonii plant could be incorporated in medicinal formulations intended for treatment of chronic inflammation and diabetic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study revealed that the treatment of 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine (5-aza) inhibited while treatment of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) enhanced the adipogenic differentiation of MG-63 cells. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic profiles of the derived adipocyte-like cells from MG-63 cells in the presence of 5-aza (Treatment 1) and SAHA (Treatment 2). Genome wide expression analysis showed high within sample variability for the adipocytes derived with 5-aza versus vehicle. Additionally, the expression profile of 5-aza derived cells was separated from the other sample groups. Differential analysis on the pairwise comparison of 5-aza versus control and SAHA versus 5-aza identified 1290 and 1086 differentially expressed (DE) genes, respectively. Furthermore, some overlap was observed between the up and down-regulated DE genes of 5-aza versus control and SAHA versus control (jaccard score 0.3) as well as between the differentially regulated genes of 5-aza versus control and 5-aza versus SAHA (jaccard score 0.29). A total of 73 transcription factors (TFs) were differentially expressed across all the pair wise comparisons with some overlap between the under and over expressed TFs of 5-aza versus control and 5-aza versus SAHA (jaccard score 0.29). Unsupervised clustering of TFs showed that the samples within the group are consistent in expression and the samples cluster in accordance with the group. Several GO terms related to enhanced adipogenesis such as neutral lipid biosynthetic process, lipid metabolic processes, cellular amide metabolic processes and cellular carbohydrate metabolic processes were enriched in the down regulated genes of 5-aza derived adipocytes versus control, indicating 5-aza inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of MG-63 cells. GSEA analysis on selected gene sets of MAPK and PI3K signaling pathway in MSigDB identified the pathways were up-regulated in 5-aza versus control. This study revealed that inhibition of MG-63 adipogenesis due to 5-aza treatment is associated with large transcriptomics changes and further research is needed to unravel the roles of these genes in the adipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plants extracts are widely used in traditional medicines and hence considered a potential source for drug discovery. In this study, we assessed the phytochemical composition of Asplenium dalhousiae and Asplenium polypodioides in acetone extracts and checked its antiproliferative potential in MDA-MB-231 cells. We found that both plants are rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds and are efficient in antioxidant activities. The total phenolic compounds in A. dalhousiae were 44.15 ± 1.38 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 27.73 ± 1.35 µg/mg. Total flavonoids in A. dalhousiae were 105.39 ± 2.92 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 101.56 ± 1.75 µg/mg. The ferric reducing power assay indicates 66.38 ± 2.6% reduction by A. dalhousiae whereas 78.43 ± 0.47% reduction by A. polypodioides. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity of A. dalhousiae was found to be 59.95 ± 1.13 whereas for A. polypodioides the recorded value was 33.03 ± 1.67%. Using GCMS analysis, we identified 25 compounds in A. dalhousiae whereas 26 in A. polypodioides. Four of these compounds are common in both plants. The morphological study and MTT assay revealed that both plants have antiproliferative potential as both plants exerted significant effects on the shape of the MDA-MB-231 cells and inhibited cellular proliferation in time and dose dependent manner. We conclude that both Asplenium plants have potential anticancer compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficus latex is rich in polyphenolic compounds and hence considered as an antioxidant and anti-proliferative. Many studies are available on Ficus carica (common fig) whereas Ficus salicifolia is less studied. F. salicifolia grows in a harsh dry environment, therefore its latex was selected in the current study along with the F. carica for their comparative anti-cancer potential and the involved molecular mechanism. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) derived MDA-MB-231 cells were used in the study. MTT and morphological studies indicated that the latex of both plants has anti-proliferative effects. To know their anti-metastatic effects, a wound-healing assay was performed. Both species were able to maintain the wound size compared to the untreated cells indicating their anti-metastatic effects. Using a DNA damage assay kit, we found that both fig species have genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in MDA-MB-231 cells compared to the untreated control. To know the potential molecular mechanism involved, we used a human kinase array kit. We found that ERK2, CREB, and AKT2 were downregulated after treatment the MDA-Mb-231 cells with the latex of F. carica. We assumed that F. salicifolia will also affect the same pathways, however after confirmation through real-time (RT)-PCR, downregulations of the above mentioned pathways were confirmed in cells treated with F. carica latex, however, in cells treated with F. salicifolia the selected genes were upregulated at the transcriptional level. We conclude that latex of both species of ficus have anti-cancer effects in MDA-MB-231 cells, however differ in their level of toxicity and the mechanism of action at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plethora of properties associated with half Heusler compounds has made them apposite materials for functional applications significantly in thermoelectrics, solar harvesting, semiconducting and spintronics. The current study invested the exertions in unveiling the details of physical properties of LiXBe (X = N, P) compounds using DFT based VASP and WIEN2k codes considering PBE-GGA and TB-mBJ exchange correlation functionals. Titled compounds successfully assured the stability checks regarding energetic, lattice dynamic and mechanical. By means of electronic structure calculations, TB-mBJ functional disclosed the precise band gaps of 6.912 and 2.340 eV for LiNBe and LiPBe compounds respectively. Fat-band character analysis and partial charge density distributions in HOMO and LUMO orbitals revealed the governess of band edges around Fermi-level by homo-site (N- 2p & N- 2s) states in LiNBe and hetero-site (P- 2p & Li- 2s) states in LiPBe compound. The COHP examination and bond order characteristics evidenced comparatively strongest bonding interactions of X–Be than Li–Be bonding pair. The calculated opto-electronic properties; complex dielectric function, optical conductivity, loss function and refractive index have been discussed with substantial details. Physio-mechanical parameters and mechanical anisotropy have been comprehensibly elaborated. [Display omitted] • Investigation of Physical properties of LiXBe (X = N, P) compounds via DFT. • LiXBe (X = N, P) found structurally, lattice dynamically and mechanically stable. • TB-mBJ functional disclosed the precise bandgaps of LiXBe (X = N, P) compounds. • LiNBe compound propose bandgap engineering via solo-site substitution/doping. • LiPBe compound could be promoted for transparent conductor's applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]