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Three decades after its first outbreak, the shrimp white spot virus (WSV) is still a global cause of concern due to considerable losses and lack of effective control measures. Several candidate host receptor proteins have been identified, but the pathogenesis is not clearly understood, although the key role of the WSV envelope protein VP28 in virus internalization is established. Here, protein-protein docking is applied to evaluate the interaction of VP28 trimeric extracellular region with four host (Penaeus monodon) receptors reported earlier, Rab7 GTPase (PmRab7), glucose transporter 1 (PmGLUT1), C-type lectin (PmCTL) and calreticulin (PmCRT). The stability of predicted complexes evaluated in terms of binding energy per unit buried surface area ranged from −8.46 to −11.82 cal mol−1/Å2, which is not sufficient for functional interaction. Nevertheless, each of these host proteins was tested by a gain-of-function approach by observing their ability to make a fish cell line permissive to the shrimp WSV. Full-length expression constructs of the four receptors were transfected into SSN1 snakehead fish cells that are non-permissive to WSV. Transfected SSN1 cells and WSV permissive insect Sf9 cells were challenged with purified WSV. After 24 h, the presence of receptor transcripts was confirmed in the treated SSN1 cells, and not in the non-transfected SSN1 cells. Further, vp28 transcript was detected in Sf9 cells, but not in any of the treated SSN1 cells, indicating that none of the receptors were singly sufficient to make SSN1 cells permissive to WSV, even though PmRab7 was a strong candidate that alone showed >85% protection in virus neutralization experiments. For the other 3 candidates, previous reports predicted the involvement of co-receptors, which is confirmed here by their inability to act singly. • Four host receptors predicted to mediate WSV internalization do not individually interact with VP28 in docking studies. • Gain of function studies in non-permissive SSN1 cells show the inability of any single host receptor to internalize WSV. • Results indicate the involvement of more than one host receptors in mediating WSV entry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major natural bioactive constituent of Andrographis paniculata (AP) (Burm. f.) Nees Andrographolide (1) and its derivatives are well acknowledged in literature for its biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-malarial, antihepatitis, anti-HIV, anti-atherosclerosis, hepatoprotective, FXR antagonist, and α-glucosidase inhibition. Many reports are available related to Andrographolide (1) but a consolidated review on the chemical modification of andrographolide with special emphasis on its different functional groups with respect to their biological activities is still missing from the previous literature. Therefore, herein we have collected a literature for the period 2009 onwards in relation to chemistry on andrographolide (1) and its effect on respective biological activity. Also, special attempt on increasing the bioavailability of andrographolide (1) has been given for the designing of various targeted drug delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This study provides an optimized protocol for a challenge by immersion with WSSV-NS in Penaeus vannamei post-larvae (PL). • The PL become susceptible to WSSV-NS at ≥50 mg body weight. • The well-defined challenge protocol will allow the development of virus control strategies for administration at early life stages. • This is the first report on variable WSSV susceptibility of three different weight ranges of P. vannamei within the post-larval life stage. White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) continues to cause considerable loss to shrimp farmers globally with frequent outbreaks even in specific pathogen free Peneaus vannamei. Our studies showed that the bodyweight (BW) of PL has a bearing on their susceptibility to the virus. To test this hypothesis, PL of the same age group and family were grouped according to BW (10–20, 30–40, and 50–60 mg) and challenged through immersion route with two viral doses (106 and 107 virus copies/L of water). It was observed that the PL became susceptible to WSSV at ≥50 mg BW. In the 50–60 mg PL group, the higher challenge dose shows a sharp mortality curve with 100% mortality at 10 days post immersion, while the lower dose shows a steady increase in cumulative mortality that reaches 100% on the 13th day post immersion. The study also brings out that an in vivo viral load of approximately 3.5 to 4.5 × 107 WSSV copies/100 ng shrimp DNA results in mortality. This is the first report on the relationship between BW and WSSV susceptibility in shrimp PL. Also reported here is a quantitative assessment of WSSV infection in P. vannamei PL and an optimized challenge protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 49 compounds of imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridines with different aminomethyl thiomethyl and oxomethyl moieties were synthesized. • 5b showed anti-proliferative activity at 3.5 μM in HCT-116 cells in time dependent manner and no toxicity in normal cells. • ROS generation, decreased MMP and induced morphological changes in HCT-116 by 5b validate the apoptosis mechanism. • Anticancer potential of compound 5b was correlated with up regulation of PTEN and subsequent caspase-3 cleavage. • 5b displayed strong binding at the active site of PI3Kα with the dock score of −6.932. A library of 49 analogs of imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine with 2-halo, aryl, styryl and phenylethynyl-substitution at C-2 position and N-/O-/S-methyl linkage at C-3 position, have been synthesized and evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity against breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), pancreatic (MiaPaca-2), lung (A549), prostate (PC-3) and colon (HCT-116) cancer cell lines and normal cells (HEK-293). Among the screened compounds, 5b exhibited best anticancer potential in all tested cancer cells with IC 50 ranging from 3.5 to 61.1 µM and no toxicity in normal cells. Further, mechanistic study of 5b revealed concentration dependent increased generation of ROS, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), surface and nuclear morphological alterations and inhibition of colony formation in HCT-116 cells. Western blot results had shown that the cell death in HCT-116 colon cancer cells was achieved through the induction of apoptosis via upregulation of the PTEN gene and downregulation of AKT pathway. Similarly, 5b treatment induced caspase-3 cleavage which is a hallmark of apoptosis. Molecular docking and binding energy (ΔG) studies of hit 5b with respect to three important cancer targets (EGFR, mTOR and PI3Kα) revealed strong binding of inhibitor with PI3Kα (docking score −6.932 and ΔG −56.297). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]