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Metal coordination complexes are chemotherapeutic and anti-inflammatory agents. The ruthenium complex FOR811A ([Ru(bpy)

Using a rat model of peritonitis, we herein report the inflammatory effect induced by the lectin isolated from Vatairea guianensis (VGL) seeds in the context of interactions between VGL and both toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). Peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with VGL for dose-dependent gene expression and release of TNF-alpha. In vivo results showed that VGL (1 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) induced peritonitis in female Wistar rats. Leukocyte migration, macrophage activation, and protein leakage were measured 3 and 6 hours after induction. In vitro, peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with VGL for gene expression and TNF-alpha dosage (mean +/- SEM (n = 6), analysis of variance, and Bonferroni's test (P < .05)). In silico, VGL structure was applied in molecular docking with representative glycans. It was found that (a) VGL increases vascular permeability and stimulates leukocyte migration, both rolling and adhesion; (b) lectin-induced neutrophil migration occurs via macrophage stimulation, both in vitro and in vivo; (c) lectin interacts with TLR4 and TNFR1; and (d) stimulates TNF-alpha gene expression (RT-PCR) and release from peritoneal macrophages. Thus, upon lectin-glycan binding on the cell surface, our results suggest that VGL induces an acute inflammatory response, in turn activating the release of peritoneal macrophages via TNF-alpha and TLR and/or TNFR receptor pathways.

Chronicperiodontitis is an inflammatory condition characterised by the loss of attachment and a pocket depth >3mm. The organisms involved in pathogenesis are Tanerella Forsythia, Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Fusobacterium Nucleatum, Prevotella Intermedia, Campylobacter Rectus. These organisms release various bacterial biomarkers and increase the amount of inflammatory cytokines into the saliva. Head and neck cancer is classified as one of the top ten most commonly occurring cancers in the world. Risk factors include alcohol and tobacco consumption, genetic factors etc. Like every foreign substance, the cancer cells are susceptible to the immune system macrophages and lymphocytes, that initiate the release of inflammatory cytokines into the tumour environment and begin angiogenesis. This gives the tumour cells sufficient nutrition to proliferate. Concurrently, the periodontal pocket acts as a reservoir of many micro-organisms including HPV (human papilloma virus). The bacterial biomarkers released by these organisms lead to suppression of tumour necrotic factor, thus allowing the tumour to proliferate. Many studies have been conducted to prove the association between periodontal disease and oral cancer. From these studies, it can be concluded that periodontal disease, along with history of smoking and tobacco consumption is a significant risk factor associated with the development of oral cancer. Keywords:Head and neck cancer, periodontal disease, inflammation

Dalbergieae tribe lectins, possessing binding affinity for galactose and mannose, present inflammatory and nociceptive effects, while those for N-acetylglucosamine are anti-inflammatory. Since the anti-inflammatory effect of the seed lectin of L. araripensis (LAL) had been already demonstrated in mice, this effect was presently evaluated in rat models of acute inflammation. LAL (0.01-1 mg/kg) was administered by intravenous (i.v.) route in male Wistar rats 30 min before paw edema induction by dextran or carrageenan, and peritonitis by carrageenan. LAL (1 mg/kg) was incubated with N-acetylglucosamine for allowing lectin-sugar interactions before injection into animals. LAL toxicity was evaluated by the parameters: body mass, organs weight, stomach macroscopy, hematological and biochemical dosage. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and Bonferroni’s test (p

The immune system is an integral aspect of the human defense system and is primarily responsible for and involved in the communication between the immune cells. It also plays an important role in the protection of the organism from foreign invaders. Recent studies in the literature have described its role in the process of hematopoiesis, lymphocyte recruitment, T cell subset differentiation and inflammation. However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying these observations remain elusive, impeding the elaborate manipulation of cytokine sequential delivery in tissue repair. Previously, the discovery of new drugs and systems biology went hand in hand; although Systems biology as a term has only originated in the last century. Various new chemicals were tested on the human body, and studied through observation. Animal models replaced humans for initial trials, but the interactions, response, dose and effect between animals and humans could not be directly correlated. Therefore, there is a need to form disease models outside of human subjects to check the effectiveness and response of the newer natural or synthetic chemicals. These emulate human disease conditions wherein the behavior of the chemicals would be similar in the disease model and humans.

O diabetes mellitus (DM) é uma doença metabólica complexa. Sua etiologia é atribuída a uma combinação entre fatores genéticos, ambientais e de estilo de vida. Contudo, sabe-se que o estresse oxidativo desempenha papel crucial na patogênese do DM, acarretando em disfunção das células β pancreáticas e resistência à insulina. Neste contexto, o fator nuclear eritroide 2 relacionado ao fator 2 (Nrf2) é considerado o regulador mestre da resposta antioxidante do organismo, sendo um mecanismo de importância crítica para a manutenção da homeostase e sobrevivência celular. Todavia, a função do Nrf2 não se limita somente à resposta antioxidante. Ao interagir com outras vias metabólicas, o Nrf2 possui importante papel na regulação do metabolismo, atuando no metabolismo dos lipídios, manutenção da glicemia, resposta inflamatória, entre outros. Entretanto, a exata relação do Nrf2 com outras vias metabólicas ainda não é totalmente conhecida. Contudo, sabe-se que o comprometimento da função do Nrf2 é evidente na fisiopatologia do DM bem como no desenvolvimento de suas complicações clínicas. A ativação do Nrf2 protege contra os danos mediados pelo DM, podendo ser adequada uma intervenção exógena para aumentar a sua atividade. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disease. Its etiology is attributed to a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. However, it is known that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of DM, leading to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. In this context, the nuclear factor- erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is considered the main regulator of the body’s antioxidant response, being a mechanism of critical importance in the maintenance of homeostasis and cell survival. However, the role of Nrf2 is not limited to the antioxidant response alone. When interacting with other metabolic pathways, Nrf2 plays an important role in regulating metabolism, acting on lipid metabolism, in the maintenance of glycemia, and in inflammatory response, among others. However, the exact relationship of Nrf2 with other metabolic pathways is not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, impairment of Nrf2 function is known to be evident in the pathophysiology of DM as well as in the development of its clinical complications. Activation of the Nrf2 protects against damage mediated by DM, and an exogenous intervention may be adequate to increase its activity.

Vatairea guianensis lectin (VGL), Dalbergiae tribe, is a N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc)/Galactose (Gal) lectin previously purified and characterized. In this work, we report its structural features, obtained from bioinformatics tools, and its inflammatory effect, obtained from a rat paw edema model. The VGL model was obtained by homology with the lectin of Vatairea macrocarpa (VML) as template, and we used it to demonstrate the common characteristics of legume lectins, such as the jellyroll motif and presence of a metal-binding site in the vicinity of the carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Protein-ligand docking revealed favorable interactions with N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, D-galactose and related sugars as well as several biologically relevant N- and O-glycans. In vivo testing of paw edema revealed that VGL induces edematogenic effect involving prostaglandins, interleukins and VGL CRD. Taken together, these data corroborate with previous reports showing that VGL interacts with N- and/or O-glycans of molecular targets, particularly in those presenting galactosides in their structure, contributing to the lectin inflammatory effect. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM)