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Purpose : Glycoproteins play an important role in human mucosal defenses and immunity-related cell-to-cell interactions. The aim of the present study is to investigate the presence and patterns of lacrimal sac glycoproteins involved in defense mechanisms with a special reference to prolactin-inducible protein (PIP). Methods : The study was performed on healthy lacrimal sacs obtained from exenteration samples immediately after surgery and frozen at -80 degrees for subsequent analysis. Four lectins namely Concanavalin A (Con A), Dolichos lablab lectin (DLL), Wheat Germ agglutinin (WGA), and Momordica charantia lectin (MCL) were purified by affinity chromatography. Soluble proteins extract of the lacrimal sac was subjected to chromatography on lectin-affigel columns. Eluted samples from each of the lectin coupled-affigels were analyzed by 10% SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions and the protein bands were visualized using Coomassie blue stain. The protein gel bands were further subjected to mass spectrometry for glycoprotein analysis. Results : Mass spectrometry identified several glycoproteins from the lacrimal sac extracts, with known roles in defense mechanisms. The number of such glycoproteins identified were 9 each from Con A and DLL-I affinity eluted gel bands and 8 and 14 from MCL and WGA affinity eluted gel bands, respectively. Interestingly, PIP was detected in significant proportions in all the eluted gel bands with WGA showing the highest expression. Conclusions : This study is the first step towards the lacrimal sac glycoprotein profiling. PIP could be a major lead for further work on the etiopathogenesis of lacrimal drainage obstructions.

Purpose: To investigate the presence and patterns of lysosomal enzymes and mannose 6-phosophate receptor (MPRs) in human lacrimal drainage system., Methods: The study was performed on healthy lacrimal sacs and nasolacrimal ducts obtained from exenteration samples immediately after surgery and frozen at -80°C for subsequent analysis. Soluble proteins' extract was used for enzyme assays, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), native PAGE, activity staining, and western blot analysis. Membrane proteins were separately assessed for detection of mannose 6-phosphate receptors, MPR 46. Sepharose gels, 4-methylumbelliferyl substrates, and antibodies against common lysosomal enzymes and MPRs were used. Enzyme assays were carried out in triplicate to ascertain the results., Results: Differential lysosomal enzyme activities were documented, and among them acid phosphatase and β-hexosaminidase were found to be high. Western blot analysis using enzyme antibodies and subsequent activity staining confirmed strong signals for moderately expressed enzymes such as fucosidase, glucuronidase, and mannosidase. Membrane extracts demonstrated the presence of MPR 46, which indicates the possible roles of cation-dependent MPRs in lysosomal targeting in human lacrimal drainage system., Conclusion: This study provides a proof of principle for the presence of differential lysosomal activity and mannose 6-phosphate ligand transport receptors in human lacrimal drainage system and hypothesizes the potential implications of their dysfunctions., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Justicia simplex D. Don. belonging to the family of Acanthaceae has been traditionally used for treatment of rheumatism, inflammation and bronchitis. The plant is traditionally considered as an anticancer medicine and is used by healers of Karnataka to treat various types of cancers., Aim of the Study: The present study aims at the elucidation of anticancer activity of various extracts of J. simplex, isolation of its active constituents and assessment of the role in growth inhibition and angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo., Materials and Methods: Extracts of J. simplex was evaluated for the in vitro cytotoxic effect by Brine Shrimp Lethality assay, Trypan Blue dye exclusion assay and antiproliferative assay. In vivo cytotoxicity of the extracts were determined by liquid tumor model in Swiss albino mice. Tumor prognosis, metastasis and angiogenesis were assessed by VEGF expression of the solid tumor. Phytochemical analysis afforded the isolation of a compound, the chemical structure of which was established using IR, NMR and TOF-MS spectral method. The compound was also evaluated for the growth inhibitory and angiogenic effects., Results and Conclusion: The petroleum ether extract revealed potent anticancer activity in in vitro and in vivo studies. The anti-angiogenic effect is due to the down regulation of VEGF expression. The growth inhibitory assay revealed that the isolated compound namely triacontanoic ester of 5''-hydroxyjustisolin is responsible for the anticancer activity., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Various parts of Mimusops elengi Linn. (Sapotaceae) have been used widely in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of pain, inflammation and wounds. The study was conducted to explore the use of stem bark of M. elengi on pharmacological grounds and to evaluate the scientific basis of cytotoxic and anti-tumor activity. Extract/fractions were prepared and in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed using SRB assay. Most effective fractions were subjected to fluorescence microscopy based acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) and Hoechst 33342 staining to determine apoptosis induction and DNA fragmentation assay. Comet and micronuclei assay were performed to assess genotoxicity. Cell cycle analysis was also performed. In vivo anti-tumor potential was evaluated by Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model in mice. The alcoholic stem bark extract of M. elengi along with four fractions showed potential in vitro cytotoxicity in SRB assay. Of these, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions were selected for further studies. The fractions revealed apoptosis inducing potential in AO/EB and Hoechst 33342 staining, which was further confirmed by DNA fragmentation assay. Genotoxic potential was revealed by comet and micronuclei assay. Fractions also exhibited specific cell cycle inhibition in G0/G1 phase. In EAC model, ethyl acetate fraction along with the standard (cisplatin) effectively reduced the increase in body weight compared to control and improved mean survival time. Both fractions were able to restore the altered hematological and biochemical parameters. Hence, M. elengi stem bark may be a possible therapeutic candidate having cytotoxic and anti-tumor potential.

Breast cancer is probably the most prevalent cancer in women. The development of resistance to therapeutic agents and lack of targeted therapy for breast cancer cells provide motivation to identify new compounds for the treatment. With this objective in mind, a new series of 3-fluoro-4-methoxyphenyl group based 1,3,5-trisubstituted aryl-5-hydroxypyrazoline analogues 4a-l was synthesized through multi-step reaction sequence. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, LC-MS and elemental analysis. They were screened for their in vitro anticancer and in vitro antioxidant activities. Among the tested compounds 4h, 4c and particularly 4i displayed promising cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cell lines. The compounds were also found to possess antioxidant activity when tested against DPPH free radical. Overall, this work has contributed to the development of promising leads for anticancer and antioxidant activities., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Wrightia tinctoria (Roxb.) R. Br. is a widely available shrub in India used traditionally in various ailments, including cancer. However, the anticancer activity of the bioactive fractions has not been validated scientifically., Objective: To investigate the anticancer potential of stem bark of W. tinctoria and establish its phytochemical basis., Materials and Methods: The ethanol extract and subsequent fractions, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous were prepared by standard methods. In vitro cytotoxicity was determined in MCF-7 (breast) and HeLa (cervical) adenocarcinoma cells, and V79 (nontumor fibroblast) cells and apoptogenic activity in MCF-7 cells by acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) staining. Additionally, the antioxidant potential was evaluated using suitable methods. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis was performed for identification of active phytoconstituents., Results: Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions were most potent with IC50 values of 37.78 and 29.69 μg/ml in HeLa and 31.56 and 32.63 μg/ml in MCF-7 cells respectively in the sulforhodamine B assay. Comparable results were obtained in HeLa cells in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and interestingly, the fractions were found to be safe to noncancerous fibroblast cells. Both fractions induced significant (P < 0.05) apoptotic morphological changes observed by AO/EB staining. Moreover, extract/fractions exhibited excellent inhibition of lipid peroxidation with the ethyl acetate fraction being most active (IC50:23.40 μg/ml). HPTLC confirmed the presence of two anti-cancer triterpenoids, lupeol, and β-sitosterol in active fractions., Conclusion: Extract/fractions of W. tinctoria exhibit selective cytotoxicity against cancerous cells that is mediated by apoptosis. Fractions are less toxic to noncancerous cells; hence, they can be developed as safer chemopreventive agents., Summary: Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions were most active and exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity in HeLa and MCF-7 cells.Fractions were relatively less toxic to non-tumor fibroblast cells demonstrating its selectivity to cancer cells.Fractions exhibited pro-apoptotic activity in MCF-7 cells in AO/EB staining.Lupeol and β-sitosterol were identified as anticancer constituents by HPTLC.

Tuberculosis remains one of the major grievous diseases worldwide. The emergence of resistance to antituberculosis drugs emphasize the necessity to discover new therapeutic agents for preferential tuberculosis therapy. In this study, various novel 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl) piperidin-4-imine derivatives were developed and checked for favorable pharmacokinetic parameters based on drug-likeness explained by Lipinski's rule of five. All 20 of the novel chemical entities were found to possess a favorable pharmacokinetic profile since they were not violating Lipinski's rule of five. The title compounds were also synthesized, characterized, and tested for ex vivo antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (ATCC27294). The results revealed that four compounds (2-[1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)piperidin-4-ylidene] hydrazinecarbothioamide, 2-[1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)piperidin-4-ylidene]-N-hydroxy-hydrazinecarbo-thioamide, 1-[1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)piperidin-4-ylidene]guanidine, and 2-[1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)piperidin-4-ylidene]hydrazinecarboxamide) were the most potent (minimum inhibitory concentration 6.25 µg/mL) antitubercular agents, with less toxicity (selectivity index more than 10). The molecules were also subjected to three-dimensional molecular docking on the crystal structure of enoyl-acyl carrier protein (EACP) reductase enzyme (code 1ZID, Protein Data Bank), which represents a good prediction of the interactions between the molecules and EACP reductase with minimum binding energy.

Background: Nardostachys jatamansi DC is a Himalayan medicinal herb that has been described in various traditional systems of medicine for its use in cancer. In view of its traditional claims, and chemical constituents, antioxidant and anticancer activities were evaluated in breast carcinoma., Methods: Petroleum ether (NJPE), methanol extract (NJM) and subsequent diethyl ether (NJDE), ethyl acetate (NJEA) and aqueous (NJAQ) fractions of roots and rhizomes of N. jatamansi were prepared. Total phenolic, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities were determined using suitable methods. Antiproliferative activity was assessed in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (MCF-7) and ER-negative breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231) cells by MTT and SRB assay. Cell cycle analysis, Hoechst staining, and clonogenic assay were employed to determine the mode of antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity in MDA-MB-231 cells., Results: NJM/fractions exhibited prominent antioxidant activity with significant correlation between phenolic content and ABTS (IC50) scavenging (R = -0.9680, P < 0.05), and total antioxidant capacity (R = 0.8396, P > 0.05). In MTT assay, NJM exhibited the highest antiproliferative activity (IC50: 58.01 ± 6.13 and 23.83 ± 0.69 μg/mL in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 respectively). Among the fractions, NJPE and NJDE were found to be most potent in MCF-7 (IC50: 60.59 ± 4.78 μg/mL) and MDA-MB-231 (IC50: 25.04 ± 0.90 μg/mL) cells respectively. Statistical analyses revealed NJM and NJDE exhibited significantly higher (P < 0.05) cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that NJM, NJPE and NJEA caused G2/M arrest while NJDE caused G0/G1 phase arrest in MDA-MB-231 cells. Further, NJM/fractions induced significant (P < 0.001) cell death by apoptosis characterized by apoptotic morphological changes in Hoechst staining and inhibited long-term proliferation (P < 0.001) of MDA-MB-231 cells in clonogenic assay. Lupeol and β-sitosterol were identified as anticancer principles in NJM/fractions by HPTLC., Conclusion: Our results suggest that NJM/fractions possess significant antiproliferative potential which is mediated through cell cycle perturbation and pro-apoptotic effects in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, this study highlights the antioxidant potential of NJM/fractions which can be attributed to the presence of phenols. NJDE emerged as the most potent fraction and further mechanistic and phytochemical investigations are under way to identify the active principles.

Objectives: Exposure to toxicants like doxorubicin (Dox) damages cellular components by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). This can be attenuated using free radical scavengers and/or antioxidants., Methods: Dox-exposed cardiac myoblasts (H9c2 cells) were treated with sesamol (12.5, 25 and 50 μm), a natural phenolic compound. Intracellular ROS inhibition, cell viability and analysis of antioxidant and biochemical markers such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced/oxidized glutathione, lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content were performed. The effect of sesamol treatment on the cytotoxic and genotoxic parameters was studied by monitoring the signalling proteins involved in the apoptotic pathway., Key Findings: Dox triggered cellular and genetic damage by increasing levels of intracellular ROS, thereby decreasing cell viability and increasing apoptosis. Sesamol reversed the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Dox. In addition, sesamol attenuated the pro-apoptotic proteins and improved the anti-apoptotic status. Sesamol pre-treatment also alleviated the disturbed antioxidant milieu by preventing ROS production and improving endogenous enzyme levels., Conclusions: Among the different doses tested, 50 μm of sesamol showed maximum protection against Dox-induced oxidative damage. This reflects the significance of sesamol in ameliorating the deleterious effects associated with cancer chemotherapy., (© 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

In the search for effective, selective, and nontoxic antiviral and antitumor agents, a variety of strategies have been devised to design nucleoside analogues. Here we have described the versatile synthesis of beta-L-1,3-thiazolidine nucleoside analogues. These analogues are all derived from the key stereochemically defined intermediate N-tert-butoxy-carbonyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-thiazolidine-2-ol which was accessible in 57% yield starting from L-Cysteine methylester hydrochloride. N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-acyloxy-4-trityloxymethyl-1,3-thiazolidine was coupled with the pyrimidine bases in the presence of Lewis acids stannic chloride or trimethyl silyl triflate following Vorbruggen procedure. Proof of the structure and configuration was obtained through (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, Mass, elemental analysis and NOE experiments. Docking and antitumor activity of these nucleoside analogues are also reported.