Sample records for additive inhibitory effect

  1. Litter Decomposition in a Semiarid Dune Grassland: Neutral Effect of Water Supply and Inhibitory Effect of Nitrogen Addition.

    PubMed

    Li, Yulin; Ning, Zhiying; Cui, Duo; Mao, Wei; Bi, Jingdong; Zhao, Xueyong

    2016-01-01

    The decomposition of plant material in arid ecosystems is considered to be substantially controlled by water and N availability. The responses of litter decomposition to external N and water, however, remain controversial, and the interactive effects of supplementary N and water also have been largely unexamined. A 3.5-year field experiment with supplementary nitrogen and water was conducted to assess the effects of N and water addition on mass loss and nitrogen release in leaves and fine roots of three dominant plant species (i.e., Artemisia halondendron, Setaria viridis, and Phragmites australis) with contrasting substrate chemistry (e.g. N concentration, lignin content in this study) in a desertified dune grassland of Inner Mongolia, China. The treatments included N addition, water addition, combination of N and water, and an untreated control. The decomposition rate in both leaves and roots was related to the initial litter N and lignin concentrations of the three species. However, litter quality did not explain the slower mass loss in roots than in leaves in the present study, and thus warrant further research. Nitrogen addition, either alone or in combination with water, significantly inhibited dry mass loss and N release in the leaves and roots of the three species, whereas water input had little effect on the decomposition of leaf litter and fine roots, suggesting that there was no interactive effect of supplementary N and water on litter decomposition in this system. Furthermore, our results clearly indicate that the inhibitory effects of external N on dry mass loss and nitrogen release are relatively strong in high-lignin litter compared with low-lignin litter. These findings suggest that increasing precipitation hardly facilitates ecosystem carbon turnover but atmospheric N deposition can enhance carbon sequestration and nitrogen retention in desertified dune grasslands of northern China. Additionally, litter quality of plant species should be considered

  2. Litter Decomposition in a Semiarid Dune Grassland: Neutral Effect of Water Supply and Inhibitory Effect of Nitrogen Addition

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yulin; Ning, Zhiying; Cui, Duo; Mao, Wei; Bi, Jingdong; Zhao, Xueyong

    2016-01-01

    Background The decomposition of plant material in arid ecosystems is considered to be substantially controlled by water and N availability. The responses of litter decomposition to external N and water, however, remain controversial, and the interactive effects of supplementary N and water also have been largely unexamined. Methodology/Principal Findings A 3.5-year field experiment with supplementary nitrogen and water was conducted to assess the effects of N and water addition on mass loss and nitrogen release in leaves and fine roots of three dominant plant species (i.e., Artemisia halondendron, Setaria viridis, and Phragmites australis) with contrasting substrate chemistry (e.g. N concentration, lignin content in this study) in a desertified dune grassland of Inner Mongolia, China. The treatments included N addition, water addition, combination of N and water, and an untreated control. The decomposition rate in both leaves and roots was related to the initial litter N and lignin concentrations of the three species. However, litter quality did not explain the slower mass loss in roots than in leaves in the present study, and thus warrant further research. Nitrogen addition, either alone or in combination with water, significantly inhibited dry mass loss and N release in the leaves and roots of the three species, whereas water input had little effect on the decomposition of leaf litter and fine roots, suggesting that there was no interactive effect of supplementary N and water on litter decomposition in this system. Furthermore, our results clearly indicate that the inhibitory effects of external N on dry mass loss and nitrogen release are relatively strong in high-lignin litter compared with low-lignin litter. Conclusion/Significance These findings suggest that increasing precipitation hardly facilitates ecosystem carbon turnover but atmospheric N deposition can enhance carbon sequestration and nitrogen retention in desertified dune grasslands of northern China

  3. Inhibitory Effects of Urothelium-related Factors.

    PubMed

    Guan, Na N; Gustafsson, Lars E; Svennersten, Karl

    2017-10-01

    The urothelium of the bladder has long been recognized as a protective barrier between detrusor and urine. In recent years, it has become more evident that the urothelium plays a role as an active source of mediators. The urothelium can release neurotransmitters and modulators such as acetylcholine, ATP, nitric oxide, prostaglandins and neuropeptides. They exert both excitatory and inhibitory effects in modulating urinary tract motility. In addition, several studies have reported the existence of an urothelium-derived unknown inhibitory factor in the urinary bladder. By the use of a new serial cascade superfusion bioassay on guinea pig ureter, recent studies confirm that the guinea pig bladder urothelium releases a substance with inhibitory bioactivity, which was resistant to treatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and cyclooxygenase inhibitor and to adenosine A1/A2 receptor blockade. Lately, a marked and quickly inactivated novel release of PGD 2 from the bladder urothelium was discovered, together with localization of prostaglandin D synthase therein. PGD 2 was found to have an inhibitory influence on nerve-induced contractions in guinea pig urinary bladder and on spontaneous contractions in the out-flow region. An altered release of excitatory and inhibitory factors is likely to play an important part in bladder motility disturbances, of which the prostanoids are a notable group. Due to the fact that the bladder is relaxed 99% of the time, not only excitatory mechanisms in the bladder are necessary to study, but also inhibitory mechanisms need considerable attention, which will contribute to the discovery of new targets to treat bladder motility disorders. © 2017 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

  4. Inhibitory effect of corn silk on skin pigmentation.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sang Yoon; Lee, Yeonmi; Kim, Sung Soo; Ju, Hyun Min; Baek, Ji Hwoon; Park, Chul-Soo; Lee, Dong-Hyuk

    2014-03-03

    In this study, the inhibitory effect of corn silk on melanin production was evaluated. This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effect of corn silk on melanin production in Melan-A cells by measuring melanin production and protein expression. The corn silk extract applied on Melan-A cells at a concentration of 100 ppm decreased melanin production by 37.2% without cytotoxicity. This was a better result than arbutin, a positive whitening agent, which exhibited a 26.8% melanin production inhibitory effect at the same concentration. The corn silk extract did not suppress tyrosinase activity but greatly reduced the expression of tyrosinase in Melan-A cells. In addition, corn silk extract was applied to the human face with hyperpigmentation, and skin color was measured to examine the degree of skin pigment reduction. The application of corn silk extract on faces with hyperpigmentation significantly reduced skin pigmentation without abnormal reactions. Based on the results above, corn silk has good prospects for use as a material for suppressing skin pigmentation.

  5. Enzyme inhibitory and radical scavenging effects of some antidiabetic plants of Turkey

    PubMed Central

    Orhan, Nilüfer; Hoçbaç, Sanem; Orhan, Didem Deliorman; Asian, Mustafa; Ergun, Fatma

    2014-01-01

    Objective(s): Ethnopharmacological field surveys demonstrated that many plants, such as Gentiana olivieri, Helichrysum graveolens, Helichrysum plicatum ssp. plicatum, Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus, Juniperus communis var. saxatilis, Viscum album (ssp. album, ssp. austriacum), are used as traditional medicine for diabetes in different regions of Anatolia. The present study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic effects of some selected plants, tested in animal models recently. Materials and Methods: α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzyme inhibitory effects of the plant extracts were investigated and Acarbose was used as a reference drug. Additionally, radical scavenging capacities were determined using 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ABTS radical cation scavenging assay and total phenolic content of the extracts were evaluated using Folin Ciocalteu method. Results: H. graveolens ethanol extract exhibited the highest inhibitory activity (55.7 % ± 2.2) on α-amylase enzyme. Additionally, J. oxycedrus hydro-alcoholic leaf extract had potent α-amylase inhibitory effect, while the hydro-alcoholic extract of J. communis fruit showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50: 4.4 μg/ml). Conclusion: Results indicated that, antidiabetic effect of hydro-alcoholic extracts of H. graveolens capitulums, J. communis fruit and J. oxycedrus leaf might arise from inhibition of digestive enzymes. PMID:25140204

  6. Enzyme inhibitory and radical scavenging effects of some antidiabetic plants of Turkey.

    PubMed

    Orhan, Nilüfer; Hoçbaç, Sanem; Orhan, Didem Deliorman; Asian, Mustafa; Ergun, Fatma

    2014-06-01

    Ethnopharmacological field surveys demonstrated that many plants, such as Gentiana olivieri, Helichrysum graveolens, Helichrysum plicatum ssp. plicatum, Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus, Juniperus communis var. saxatilis, Viscum album (ssp. album, ssp. austriacum), are used as traditional medicine for diabetes in different regions of Anatolia. The present study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic effects of some selected plants, tested in animal models recently. α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzyme inhibitory effects of the plant extracts were investigated and Acarbose was used as a reference drug. Additionally, radical scavenging capacities were determined using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ABTS radical cation scavenging assay and total phenolic content of the extracts were evaluated using Folin Ciocalteu method. H. graveolens ethanol extract exhibited the highest inhibitory activity (55.7 % ± 2.2) on α-amylase enzyme. Additionally, J. oxycedrus hydro-alcoholic leaf extract had potent α-amylase inhibitory effect, while the hydro-alcoholic extract of J. communis fruit showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50: 4.4 μg/ml). Results indicated that, antidiabetic effect of hydro-alcoholic extracts of H. graveolens capitulums, J. communis fruit and J. oxycedrus leaf might arise from inhibition of digestive enzymes.

  7. Inhibitory effects of food additives derived from polyphenols on staphylococcal enterotoxin A production and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus.

    PubMed

    Shimamura, Yuko; Hirai, Chikako; Sugiyama, Yuka; Shibata, Masaharu; Ozaki, Junya; Murata, Masatsune; Ohashi, Norio; Masuda, Shuichi

    2017-12-01

    In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of 14 food additives derived from polyphenol samples on staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) production and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus. Tannic acid AL (TA), Purephenon 50 W (PP) and Polyphenon 70A (POP) at 0.25 mg/mL and Gravinol®-N (GN), Blackcurrant polyphenol AC10 (BP), and Resveratrol-P5 (RT) at 1.0 mg/mL significantly decreased SEA production by S. aureus C-29 (p < 0.05). TA, GN, BP, and RT significantly inhibited the expression of the sea gene in S. aureus C-29 (p < 0.05), while suppression attempts by PP and POP proved unsuccessful. After result analysis, it can be derived that TA, GN, BP, and RT inhibit the production of SEA. Of the six samples, each one significantly inhibited biofilm formation (p < 0.05). Food additives derived from polyphenols have viability to be used as a means to inhibit the enterotoxin production and control the biofilm formation of foodborne pathogens.

  8. Trypsin inhibitory activity and gel-enhancing effect of sarcoplasmic proteins from common carp.

    PubMed

    Siriangkanakun, Siriphon; Yongsawatdigul, Jirawat

    2012-10-01

    Proteinase inhibitory activity of sarcoplasmic protein (SP) extracted from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) muscle and its gel-improving ability were investigated. SPs displayed 89% and 54% inhibitory activity toward trypsin at 40 and 65 °C, respectively. Protein bands with molecular mass of 69, 50, 44, 41, and 35 kDa appeared on trypsin inhibitory activity staining under nonreducing condition when incubated at 40 °C, while 2 protein bands at 54 and 35 kDa were observed at 65 °C. Addition of SP at 0.18 g protein/100 g increased textural properties of threadfin bream surimi gel. However, when SP was added in combination with various CaCl(2) concentrations (0.1% to 0.5%) it did not further improve textural properties as compared to the addition of SP alone. Retention of myosin heavy chain of threadfin bream surimi was greater with the addition of SP. These results indicated that the gel-enhancing effect of common carp SP was due to the inhibitory activity toward endogenous trypsin-like proteinases in threadfin bream surimi. Sarcoplasmic protein from common carp muscle could be used as a functional protein ingredient that minimizes muscle proteolysis and improves textural properties of surimi containing trypsin-like endogenous proteinases. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  9. Inhibitory effect of propolis on the development of AA amyloidosis.

    PubMed

    Harata, Daichi; Tsuchiya, Yuya; Miyoshi, Tomoyuki; Yanai, Tokuma; Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Murakami, Tomoaki

    2018-04-01

    In the several types of amyloidoses, participation of oxidative stresses in the pathogenesis and the effect of antioxidants on amyloidosis have been reported. Meanwhile, the relationship between oxidative stresses and pathogenesis of amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is still unclear. In this study, we used an antioxidant, Brazilian propolis, to investigate the inhibitory effects on AA amyloidosis. The results showed that AA deposition was inhibited by administration of propolis. Increased expression of antioxidant markers was detected in molecular biological examinations of mice treated with propolis. Although serum amyloid A (SAA) levels were strongly correlated with the immunoreactive area of AA deposits in the control group, the correlation was weaker in the propolis-treated groups. In addition, there were no changes in SAA levels between the control group and the propolis-treated groups. The results indicate that propolis, an antioxidant, may induce inhibitory effects against AA amyloidosis.

  10. Inhibitory effect of naturally occurring flavonoids on the formation of advanced glycation endproducts.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chi-Hao; Yen, Gow-Chin

    2005-04-20

    The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of naturally occurring flavonoids on individual stage of protein glycation in vitro using the model systems of delta-Gluconolactone assay (early stage), BSA-methylglyoxal assay (middle stage), BSA-glucose assay, and G.K. peptide-ribose assay (last stage). In the early stage of protein glycation, luteolin, qucertin, and rutin exhibited significant inhibitory activity on HbA1C formation (p < 0.01), which were more effective than that of aminoguanidine (AG, 10 mM), a well-known inhibitor for advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). For the middle stage, luteolin and rutin developed more significant inhibitory effect on methylglyoxal-medicated protein modification, and the IC50's were 66.1 and 71.8 microM, respectively. In the last stage of glycation, luteolin was found to be potent inhibitors of both the AGEs formation and the subsequent cross-linking of proteins. In addition, phenyl-tert-butyl-nitron served as a spin-trapping agent, and electron spin resonance (ESR) was used to explore the possible mechanism of the inhibitory effect of flavonoids on glycation. The results indicated that protein glycation was accompanied by oxidative reactions, as the ESR spectra showed a clear-cut radical signal. Statistical analysis showed that inhibitory capability of flavonoids against protein glycation was remarkably related to the scavenging free radicals derived from glycoxidation process (r = 0.79, p < 0.01). Consequently, the inhibitory mechanism of flavonoids against glycation was, at least partly, due to their antioxidant properties.

  11. Inhibitory effect of trans-caryophyllene (TC) on leukocyte-endothelial attachment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhen; Yang, Chunfeng; Dai, Xinlun; Ao, Yu; Li, Yumei

    2017-08-15

    trans-Caryophyllene (TC) is a major component found in the essential oils of many spices and foods/medicinal plants. It is a natural sesquiterpene and has been the subject of numerous studies. However, the effects of TC on vascular inflammation remain unknown. In this study, we reported that TC treatment in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) prevented attachment of monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 cells to endothelial cells. In addition, in vivo results indicate that TC inhibited macrophage infiltration to the aortic surface and reduced total serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Importantly, administration of TC could inhibit the induction of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, our data indicate that the inhibitory effects of TC on the expression of VCAM-1 are mediated by the JAK2/STAT1/IRF-1 pathway. TC is a specific agonist of the type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R). Importantly, we further verified that the inhibitory effects of TC on the expression of IRF-1 and VCAM-1 are dependent on activation of CB2R. Inhibition of CB2R by either specific inhibitors or RNA interference abolished the inhibitory effects of TC on the expression of IRF-1 and VCAM-1. Our results suggest that TC might have a capacity to suppress the development of atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Acute effect of vigorous aerobic exercise on the inhibitory control in adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Browne, Rodrigo Alberto Vieira; Costa, Eduardo Caldas; Sales, Marcelo Magalhães; Fonteles, André Igor; de Moraes, José Fernando Vila Nova; Barros, Jônatas de França

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objective: To assess the acute effect of vigorous aerobic exercise on the inhibitory control in adolescents. Methods: Controlled, randomized study with crossover design. Twenty pubertal individuals underwent two 30-minute sessions: (1) aerobic exercise session performed between 65% and 75% of heart rate reserve, divided into 5 min of warm-up, 20 min at the target intensity and 5 min of cool down; and (2) control session watching a cartoon. Before and after the sessions, the computerized Stroop test-Testinpacs™ was applied to evaluate the inhibitory control. Reaction time (ms) and errors (n) were recorded. Results: The control session reaction time showed no significant difference. On the other hand, the reaction time of the exercise session decreased after the intervention (p<0.001). The number of errors made at the exercise session were lower than in the control session (p=0.011). Additionally, there was a positive association between reaction time (Δ) of the exercise session and age (r 2=0.404, p=0.003). Conclusions: Vigorous aerobic exercise seems to promote acute improvement in the inhibitory control in adolescents. The effect of exercise on the inhibitory control performance was associated with age, showing that it was reduced at older age ranges. PMID:26564328

  13. The moderating role of state inhibitory control in the effect of evaluative conditioning on temptation and unhealthy snacking.

    PubMed

    Haynes, Ashleigh; Kemps, Eva; Moffitt, Robyn

    2015-12-01

    The current study sought to test the effect of a brief evaluative conditioning intervention on experienced temptation to indulge, and consumption of, unhealthy snack foods. We expected that a training task associating unhealthy food with negative affect would result in lower experienced temptation across the sample, but would lead to lower snack consumption only among individuals with low state inhibitory control. Undergraduate women (N=134) aged 17-25 years were randomised to complete an evaluative conditioning procedure pairing unhealthy food with either positive or negative affect. Snack consumption was subsequently assessed using a taste-test procedure which offered four snack foods for ad libitum consumption. Participants also reported the strength of their experienced temptation to indulge in the foods presented. Additionally, they completed a Stop Signal Task as a measure of state inhibitory control. As predicted, participants in the food negative condition ate less than those in the food positive condition, but this effect was only observed among individuals with low inhibitory control. The same moderation pattern was observed for the effect of evaluative conditioning on temptation: only participants with low inhibitory control reported feeling less tempted by the snack foods in the food negative condition compared to the food positive condition. In addition, temptation mediated the effect of evaluative conditioning on intake for individuals with low inhibitory control. Findings suggest that evaluative conditioning of unhealthy food stimuli could be especially useful for reducing temptation and consumption of unhealthy snacks in situations where individuals experience low inhibitory control capacity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Inhibitory phonetic priming: Where does the effect come from?

    PubMed

    Dufour, Sophie; Frauenfelder, Ulrich Hans

    2016-01-01

    Both phonological and phonetic priming studies reveal inhibitory effects that have been interpreted as resulting from lexical competition between the prime and the target. We present a series of phonetic priming experiments that contrasted this lexical locus explanation with that of a prelexical locus by manipulating the lexical status of the prime and the target and the task used. In the related condition of all experiments, spoken targets were preceded by spoken primes that were phonetically similar but shared no phonemes with the target (/bak/-/dεt/). In Experiments 1 and 2, word and nonword primes produced an inhibitory effect of equal size in shadowing and same-different tasks respectively. Experiments 3 and 4 showed robust inhibitory phonetic priming on both word and nonword targets in the shadowing task, but no effect at all in a lexical decision task. Together, these findings show that the inhibitory phonetic priming effect occurs independently of the lexical status of both the prime and the target, and only in tasks that do not necessarily require the activation of lexical representations. Our study thus argues in favour of a prelexical locus for this effect.

  15. Lactoferricin B-derived peptides with inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Musoles, Ricardo; López-Díez, José Javier; Torregrosa, Germán; Vallés, Salvador; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma; Salom, Juan B

    2010-10-01

    Endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE), a key peptidase in the endothelin (ET) system, cleaves inactive big ET-1 to produce active ET-1, which binds to ET(A) receptors to exert its vasoconstrictor and pressor effects. ECE inhibition could be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension. In this study, a set of eight lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-derived peptides, previously characterized in our laboratory as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides, was examined for their inhibitory effects on ECE. In vitro inhibitory effects on ECE activity were assessed using both the synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrate V (FPS V) and the natural substrate big ET-1. To study vasoactive effects, an ex vivo functional assay was developed using isolated rabbit carotid artery segments. With FPS V, only four LfcinB-derived peptides induced inhibition of ECE activity, whereas the eight peptides showed ECE inhibitory effects with big ET-1 as substrate. Regarding the ex vivo assays, six LfcinB-derived peptides showed inhibition of big ET-1-induced, ECE-dependent vasoconstriction. A positive correlation between the inhibitory effects of LfcinB-derived peptides on ECE activity when using big ET-1 and the inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction was shown. ECE-independent vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 was not affected, thus discarding effects of LfcinB-derived peptides on ET(A) receptors or intracellular signal transduction mechanisms. In conclusion, a combined in vitro and ex vivo method to assess the effects of potentially antihypertensive peptides on the ET system has been developed and applied to show the inhibitory effects on ECE-dependent vasoconstriction of six LfcinB-derived peptides, five of which were dual vasopeptidase (ACE/ECE) inhibitors. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Inhibitory Effects of Polyacetylene Compounds from Panax ginseng on Neurotrophin Receptor-Mediated Hair Growth.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Aoi; Matsuura, Daisuke; Kanatani, Hirotoshi; Yano, Shingo; Tsunakawa, Mitsuo; Matsuyama, Shigeru; Shigemori, Hideyuki

    2017-01-01

    Neurotrophins play an important role in the control of the hair growth cycle. Therefore, neurotrophin receptor antagonists have therapeutic potential for the treatment of hair growth disorders. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Panax ginseng, a medicinal plant commonly used to treat alopecia, on the binding of neurotrophins to their receptors. In addition, we isolated and characterized the bioactive compounds of P. ginseng extracts. P. ginseng hexane extracts strongly inhibited brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-TrkB and β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF)-p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) binding. Furthermore, we identified the following 6 polyacetylene compounds as the bioactive components in P. ginseng hexane extract: panaxynol (1), panaxydol (2), panaxydol chlorohydrin (3), 1,8-heptadecadiene-4,6-diyne-3,10-diol (4), panaxytriol (5), and dihydropanaxacol (6). In particular, compounds 4, 5, and 6 significantly inhibited BDNF-TrkB binding in a dose-dependent manner. To identify the structural component mediating the inhibitory effect, we investigated the effects of the hydroxyl moiety in these compounds. We found that the inhibitory effect of panaxytriol (5) was strong, whereas the inhibitory effect of Ac-panaxytriol (7) was relatively weak. Our findings suggest that P. ginseng-derived polyacetylenes with a hydroxyl moiety might provide therapeutic benefits to patients with hair growth disorders such as alopecia by inhibiting the binding of neurotrophins to their receptors. Although saponins have been proposed to be the primary mediators of the effects of P. ginseng on hair growth, this study revealed that polyacetylene compounds exert similar effects.

  17. Inhibitory effect of the urothelium/lamina propria on female porcine urethral contractility & effect of age.

    PubMed

    Folasire, Oladayo S; Chess-Williams, Russ; Sellers, Donna J

    2017-09-01

    The urethral uroepithelium has been implicated in urethral sensation and maintenance of continence. However, relatively little is known about the function of the urethral urothelium compared with that of the bladder. The aim of the study was to examine the role of the urothelium/lamina propria on contractility of the porcine urethra, along with the influence of nitric oxide, prostaglandins and ageing. Porcine urethral tissues, intact and denuded of urothelium/lamina propria, were mounted in tissue baths and contractions to noradrenaline, phenylephrine and carbachol obtained. Contractions in the presence of Nώ-nitro-l-arginine (100 μmol/L) and indomethacin (10 μmol/L) were examined, along with contractions of tissues from young (6 months) and older (3 years) animals. The urothelium/lamina propria of the urethra significantly inhibited contractions to carbachol, noradrenaline and phenylephrine. This inhibitory effect was not significantly different for the three agonists (58.7±10.3%, 60.4±12.6% and 39.4±12.2% inhibition; n=4-7), and was also observed when denuded tissues were co-incubated with a second tissue with intact urothelium/lamina propria (40.6±7.5% inhibition; n=6). Inhibition of nitric oxide and prostaglandin production did not attenuate the inhibitory effect of the urothelium/lamina propria on noradrenaline contractions. In addition, ageing did not alter the inhibitory effect for either phenylephrine contractions (33.9±2.2% vs 41.0±9.7%, young vs older urethral tissues) or noradrenaline contractions (32.9±11.1% vs 53.7±11.0%). In conclusion the urothelium/lamina propria of the urethra has an inhibitory effect on receptor-mediated urethral contraction. This inhibition is due to the release of a diffusible factor, and the effect is not mediated by nitric oxide or prostaglandins, or affected by age. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  18. Inhibitory effects of crude extracts from several plants on postharvest pathogens of citrus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Mingfu; Guan, Qinlan; Xu, Shanshan

    2018-04-01

    China is one of the most important origin of citrus. Enormous economic losses was caused by fungal diseases in citrus harvest storage every year. The effective antimicrobial substances of garlic, ginger, celery and pepper were extracted by ethanol extraction and water extraction respectively. The inhibitory effects of the crude extract on Penicillium sp. caused fungal diseases in citrus harvest storage were also determined. The results showed that the extracts of garlic, ginger and celery had inhibitory effect on P. sp., but the extracts of pepper had no inhibitory effect on P. sp.. The garlic ethanol extracts had the best inhibitory effect on P. citrinum.

  19. Lactoferricin-related peptides with inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction.

    PubMed

    Centeno, José M; Burguete, María C; Castelló-Ruiz, María; Enrique, María; Vallés, Salvador; Salom, Juan B; Torregrosa, Germán; Marcos, José F; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma

    2006-07-26

    A selection of lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-related peptides with an angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effect have been examined using in vitro and ex vivo functional assays. Peptides that were analyzed included a set of sequence-related antimicrobial hexapeptides previously reported and two representative LfcinB-derived peptides. In vitro assays using hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine (HHL) and angiotensin I as substrates allowed us to select two hexapeptides, PACEI32 (Ac-RKWHFW-NH2) and PACEI34 (Ac-RKWLFW-NH2), and also a LfcinB-derived peptide, LfcinB17-31 (Ac-FKCRRWQWRMKKLGA-NH2). Ex vivo functional assays using rabbit carotid arterial segments showed PACEI32 (both D- and L-enantiomers) and LfcinB17-31 have inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent angiotensin I-induced contraction. None of the peptides exhibited in vitro ACE inhibitory activity using bradykinin as the substrate. In conclusion, three bioactive lactoferricin-related peptides exhibit inhibitory effects on both ACE activity and ACE-dependent vasoconstriction with potential to modulate hypertension that deserves further investigation.

  20. Inhibitory effect of resin composite containing S-PRG filler on Streptococcus mutans glucose metabolism.

    PubMed

    Kitagawa, Haruaki; Miki-Oka, Saeki; Mayanagi, Gen; Abiko, Yuki; Takahashi, Nobuhiro; Imazato, Satoshi

    2018-03-01

    Resin composites containing surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) fillers have been reported to inhibit Streptococcus mutans growth on their surfaces, and their inhibitory effects were attributed to BO 3 3- and F - ions. The aim of this study was to evaluate S. mutans acid production through glucose metabolism on resin composite containing S-PRG fillers and assess inhibitory effects of BO 3 3- and F - on S. mutans metabolic activities. The pH change through S. mutans acid production on experimental resin composite was periodically measured after the addition of glucose. Inhibitory effects of BO 3 3- or F - solutions on S. mutans metabolism were evaluated by XTT assays and measurement of the acid production rate. The pH of experimental resin containing S-PRG fillers was significantly higher than that of control resin containing silica fillers (p < 0.05). OD 450 values by XTT assays and S. mutans acid production rates significantly decreased in the presence of BO 3 3- and F - compared with the absence of these ions (p < 0.05). pH reduction by S. mutans acid production was inhibited on resin composite containing S-PRG fillers. Moreover, S. mutans glucose metabolism and acid production were inhibited in the presence of low concentrations of BO 3 3- or F - . BO 3 3- or F - released from resin composite containing S-PRG fillers exhibits inhibitory effects on S. mutans metabolism at concentrations lower than those which inhibit bacterial growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Inhibitory effect of burdock leaves on elastase and tyrosinase activity.

    PubMed

    Horng, Chi-Ting; Wu, Hsing-Chen; Chiang, Ni-Na; Lee, Chiu-Fang; Huang, Yu-Syuan; Wang, Hui-Yun; Yang, Jai-Sing; Chen, Fu-An

    2017-10-01

    Burdock ( Arctium lappa L.) leaves generate a considerable amount of waste following burdock root harvest in Taiwan. To increase the use of burdock leaves, the present study investigated the optimal methods for producing burdock leaf extract (BLE) with high antioxidant polyphenolic content, including drying methods and solvent extraction concentration. In addition, the elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of BLE was examined. Burdock leaves were dried by four methods: Shadow drying, oven drying, sun drying and freeze-drying. The extract solution was then subjected to total polyphenol content analysis and the method that produced BLE with the highest amount of total antioxidant components was taken forward for further analysis. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl scavenging, antielastase and antityrosinase activity of the BLE were measured to enable the evaluation of the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activities of BLE. The results indicated that the total polyphenolic content following extraction with ethanol (EtOH) was highest using the freeze-drying method, followed by the oven drying, shadow drying and sun drying methods. BLE yielded a higher polyphenol content and stronger antioxidant activity as the ratio of the aqueous content of the extraction solvent used increased. BLE possesses marked tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities, with its antielastase activity notably stronger compared with its antityrosinase activity. These results indicate that the concentration of the extraction solvent was associated with the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activity of BLE. The reactive oxygen species scavenging theory of skin aging may explain the tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activity of BLE. In conclusion, the optimal method for obtaining BLE with a high antioxidant polyphenolic content was freeze-drying followed by 30-50% EtOH extraction. In addition, the antielastase and antityrosinase activities of the

  2. Inhibitory effect of burdock leaves on elastase and tyrosinase activity

    PubMed Central

    Horng, Chi-Ting; Wu, Hsing-Chen; Chiang, Ni-Na; Lee, Chiu-Fang; Huang, Yu-Syuan; Wang, Hui-Yun; Yang, Jai-Sing; Chen, Fu-An

    2017-01-01

    Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) leaves generate a considerable amount of waste following burdock root harvest in Taiwan. To increase the use of burdock leaves, the present study investigated the optimal methods for producing burdock leaf extract (BLE) with high antioxidant polyphenolic content, including drying methods and solvent extraction concentration. In addition, the elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of BLE was examined. Burdock leaves were dried by four methods: Shadow drying, oven drying, sun drying and freeze-drying. The extract solution was then subjected to total polyphenol content analysis and the method that produced BLE with the highest amount of total antioxidant components was taken forward for further analysis. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl scavenging, antielastase and antityrosinase activity of the BLE were measured to enable the evaluation of the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activities of BLE. The results indicated that the total polyphenolic content following extraction with ethanol (EtOH) was highest using the freeze-drying method, followed by the oven drying, shadow drying and sun drying methods. BLE yielded a higher polyphenol content and stronger antioxidant activity as the ratio of the aqueous content of the extraction solvent used increased. BLE possesses marked tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities, with its antielastase activity notably stronger compared with its antityrosinase activity. These results indicate that the concentration of the extraction solvent was associated with the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activity of BLE. The reactive oxygen species scavenging theory of skin aging may explain the tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activity of BLE. In conclusion, the optimal method for obtaining BLE with a high antioxidant polyphenolic content was freeze-drying followed by 30–50% EtOH extraction. In addition, the antielastase and antityrosinase activities of the

  3. Chromenylchalcones with inhibitory effects on monoamine oxidase B.

    PubMed

    Jo, Geunhyeong; Ahn, Seunghyun; Kim, Bong-Gyu; Park, Hye Ri; Kim, Young Hwa; Choo, Hyun Ah; Koh, Dongsoo; Chong, Youhoon; Ahn, Joong-Hoon; Lim, Yoongho

    2013-12-15

    Structure-activity relationship (SAR) calculations were used to find monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitors by identifying pharmacophores exhibiting high inhibitory activities. Several such chromenylchalcones were designed and synthesized accordingly. Their inhibitory effects on MAO-B were determined using an HPLC-based method and an MAO-B enzyme assay kit. (E)-3-(6-Methoxy-2H-chromen-3-yl)-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one exhibited a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 320 nM. Its molecular-level binding mode with the three-dimensional structure of MAO-B was elucidated using an in silico docking study. The chromenylchalcone scaffold, which is derived from natural products including isoflavonoids and chalcones, had not been previously reported as an MAO-B inhibitor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. When is an Inhibitory Synapse Effective?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qian, Ning; Sejnowski, Terrence J.

    1990-10-01

    Interactions between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs on dendrites determine the level of activity in neurons. Models based on the cable equation predict that silent shunting inhibition can strongly veto the effect of an excitatory input. The cable model assumes that ionic concentrations do not change during the electrical activity, which may not be a valid assumption, especially for small structures such as dendritic spines. We present here an analysis and computer simulations to show that for large Cl^- conductance changes, the more general Nernst-Planck electrodiffusion model predicts that shunting inhibition on spines should be much less effective than that predicted by the cable model. This is a consequence of the large changes in the intracellular ionic concentration of Cl^- that can occur in small structures, which would alter the reversal potential and reduce the driving force for Cl^-. Shunting inhibition should therefore not be effective on spines, but it could be significantly more effective on the dendritic shaft at the base of the spine. In contrast to shunting inhibition, hyperpolarizing synaptic inhibition mediated by K^+ currents can be very effective in reducing the excitatory synaptic potentials on the same spine if the excitatory conductance change is less than 10 nS. We predict that if the inhibitory synapses found on cortical spines are to be effective, then they should be mediated by K^+ through GABA_B receptors.

  5. Inhibitory effects of clotrimazole on TNF-alpha-induced adhesion molecule expression and angiogenesis.

    PubMed

    Thapa, Dinesh; Lee, Jong Suk; Park, Min-A; Cho, Mi-Yeon; Park, Young-Joon; Choi, Han Gon; Jeong, Tae Cheon; Kim, Jung-Ae

    2009-04-01

    Cell adhesion molecules play a pivotal role in chronic inflammation and pathological angiogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of clotrimazole (CLT) on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced changes in adhesion molecule expression. CLT dose-dependently inhibited monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expressions in TNF-alpha-stimulated HT29 colonic epithelial cells. This inhibitory action of CLT correlated with a significant reduction in TNF-alpha-induced adhesion of monocytes to HT29 cells, which was comparable to the inhibitory effects of anti-ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 monoclonal antibodies on monocyte-epithelial adhesion. These inhibitory actions of CLT were, at least in part, attributable to the inhibition of redox sensitive NF-kappaB activation, as CLT inhibited TNF-alpha-induced ROS generation as well as NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and activation in HT29 cells. Furthermore, the inhibition of TNF-alpha-induced monocyte adhesion was also mimicked by the specific NF-kappaB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). Inflammatory mediators including TNF-alpha have known to promote angiogenesis, which in turn further contributes to inflammatory pathology. Therefore, we additionally evaluated whether CLT modulates TNF-alpha-induced angiogenesis using in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The CAM assay showed that CLT dose-dependently attenuated TNF-alpha-induced angiogenesis, and the effect was correlated with decreased inflammation of the CAM tissue. In conclusion, our results suggest that CLT can inhibit TNF-alpha-triggered expression of adhesion molecules, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and angiogenesis during inflammation.

  6. Inhibitory effects of Bacillus subtilis on plant pathogens of conservatory in high latitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Chun-Mei; Wang, Xue; Yang, Jia-Li; Zhang, Yue-Hua

    2018-03-01

    Researching the effect of three kinds of Bacillus and their mixed strains inhibitory on common fungal diseases of conservatory vegetables. The results showed that B. megaterium culture medium had a significant inhibition effect on Cucumber Fusarium wilt, and the inhibition rate was up to 84.36%; B. mucilaginosus and B. megaterium sterile superna-tant had an obvious inhibitory effect on brown disease of eggplant, and the inhibition rate as high as 85.49%; B. subtilis sterile supernatant had a good inhibitory effect on the spore germination of C. Fusarium wilt, and the inhibition rate was 76.83%. The results revealed that Bacillus had a significant inhibitory effect on five common fungal pathogens. Three kinds of Bacillus can be used for the prevention and control of common fungal diseases in conservatory vegetables.

  7. Comparison of the acute effects of high-intensity interval training and continuous aerobic walking on inhibitory control.

    PubMed

    Kao, Shih-Chun; Westfall, Daniel R; Soneson, Jack; Gurd, Brendon; Hillman, Charles H

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a single bout of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and continuous aerobic exercise (CAE) on inhibitory control. The P3 component of the stimulus-locked ERP was collected in 64 young adults during a modified flanker task following 20 min of seated rest, 20 min of CAE, and 9 min of HIIT on separate days in counterbalanced order. Participants exhibited shorter overall reaction time following CAE and HIIT compared to seated rest. Response accuracy improved following HIIT in the task condition requiring greater inhibitory control compared to seated rest and CAE. P3 amplitude was larger following CAE compared to seated rest and HIIT. Decreased P3 amplitude and latency were observed following HIIT compared to seated rest. The current results replicated previous findings indicating the beneficial effect of acute CAE on behavioral and neuroelectric indices of inhibitory control. With a smaller duration and volume of exercise, a single bout of HIIT resulted in additional improvements in inhibitory control, paralleled by a smaller and more efficient P3 component. In sum, the current study demonstrated that CAE and HIIT differentially facilitate inhibitory control and its underlying neuroelectric activation, and that HIIT may be a time-efficient approach for enhancing cognitive health. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  8. Assessment of the inhibitory effects of pyrethroids against human carboxylesterases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lei, Wei

    Pyrethroids are broad-spectrum insecticides that widely used in many countries, while humans may be exposed to these toxins by drinking or eating pesticide-contaminated foods. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of six commonly used pyrethroids against two major human carboxylesterases (CES) including CES1 and CES2. Three optical probe substrates for CES1 (DME, BMBT and DMCB) and a fluorescent probe substrate for CES2 (DDAB) were used to characterize the inhibitory effects of these pyrethroids. The results demonstrated that most of the tested pyrethroids showed moderate to weak inhibitory effects against both CES1 and CES2, but deltamethrin displayed strong inhibitionmore » towards CES1. The IC{sub 50} values of deltamethrin against CES1-mediated BMBT, DME, and DMCB hydrolysis were determined as 1.58 μM, 2.39 μM, and 3.3 μM, respectively. Moreover, deltamethrin was cell membrane permeable and capable of inhibition endogenous CES1 in living cells. Further investigation revealed that deltamethrin inhibited CES1-mediated BMBT hydrolysis via competitive manner but noncompetitively inhibited DME or DMCB hydrolysis. The inhibition behaviors of deltamethrin against CES1 were also studied by molecular docking simulation. The results demonstrated that CES1 had at least two different ligand-binding sites, one was the DME site and another was the BMBT site which was identical to the binding site of deltamethrin. In summary, deltamethrin was a strong reversible inhibitor against CES1 and it could tightly bind on CES1 at the same ligand-binding site as BMBT. These findings are helpful for the deep understanding of the interactions between xenobiotics and CES1. - Highlights: • The inhibitory effects of six commonly used pyrethroids on human carboxylesterases were investigated. • Deltamethrin displayed strong inhibitory effects against human carboxylesterase 1 (CES1). • Deltamethrin was cell membrane permeable and could inhibit intracellular CES1 in

  9. The Endocannabinoid System Tonically Regulates Inhibitory Transmission and Depresses the Effect of Ethanol in Central Amygdala

    PubMed Central

    Roberto, Marisa; Cruz, Maureen; Bajo, Michal; Siggins, George R; Parsons, Loren H; Schweitzer, Paul

    2010-01-01

    The central amygdala (CeA) has a major role in alcohol dependence and reinforcement, and behavioral and neurochemical evidence suggests a role for the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in ethanol binging and dependence. We used a slice preparation to investigate the physiological role of cannabinoids and their interaction with ethanol on inhibitory synaptic transmission in CeA. Superfusion of the cannabinoid receptor (CB1) agonist WIN55212-2 (WIN2) onto CeA neurons decreased evoked GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in a concentration-dependent manner, an effect prevented by the CB1 antagonists Rimonabant (SR141716, SR1) and AM251. SR1 or AM251 applied alone augmented IPSPs, revealing a tonic eCB activity that decreased inhibitory transmission in CeA. Paired-pulse analysis suggested a presynaptic CB1 mechanism. Intracellular BAPTA abolished the ability of AM251 to augment IPSPs, demonstrating the eCB-driven nature and postsynaptic origin of the tonic CB1-dependent control of GABA release. Superfusion of ethanol increased IPSPs and addition of WIN2 reversed the ethanol effect. Similarly, previous superfusion of WIN2 prevented subsequent ethanol effects on GABAergic transmission. The ethanol-induced augmentation of IPSPs was additive to CB1 blockade, ruling out a participation of CB1 in the action of acute ethanol. Our study points to an important role of CB1 in CeA in which the eCBs tonically regulate neuronal activity, and suggests a potent mechanism for modulating CeA tone during challenge with ethanol. PMID:20463657

  10. A subliminal inhibitory mechanism for the negative compatibility effect: a continuous versus threshold mechanism.

    PubMed

    Liu, Peng; Chen, Xuhai; Dai, Dongyang; Wang, Yongchun; Wang, Yonghui

    2014-07-01

    The current study investigated the mechanism underlying subliminal inhibition using the negative compatibility effect (NCE) paradigm. We hypothesized that a decrease in prime activation affects the subsequent inhibitory process, delaying onset of inhibition and reducing its strength. Two experiments tested this hypothesis using arrow stimuli as primes and targets. Two different irrelevant masks (i.e., a mask sharing no prime features) were presented in succession in each trial to not only ensure that primes were processed subliminally, but also avoid feature updating between primes and masks. Prime/target compatibility and prime background density were manipulated in Experiment 1. Results showed that under subliminal inhibitory condition, the NCE disappears when the density increases (i.e., pixel density in the prime's background of 25 %) in Experiment 1. However, when we fixed the prime's background at the density of 25 % and manipulated prime/target compatibility as well as inter-stimuli-interval (ISI) between mask and target in Experiment 2, behavioral results showed marginally significant NCEs in the 150-ms ISI condition. Electrophysiological evidence showed the lateralized readiness potential for compatible trials was significantly more positive than that for incompatible trials during the two consecutive time windows (i.e., 400-450 and 450-500 ms) in the 150-ms ISI condition. In addition, the NCE size was significant smaller in Experiment 2 than in Experiment 1. All of the results support predictions of the continuous subliminal inhibitory mechanism hypothesis which posits that decreases in prime activation strength lead to delay in inhibitory onset and decline in inhibitory strength.

  11. Inhibitory effects of kale ingestion on metabolism by cytochrome P450 enzymes in rats.

    PubMed

    Yamasaki, Izumi; Yamada, Masayoshi; Uotsu, Nobuo; Teramoto, Sachiyuki; Takayanagi, Risa; Yamada, Yasuhiko

    2012-01-01

    Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var acephala DC) is a leafy green vegetable belonging to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae) that contains a large amount of health-promoting phytochemicals. There are any reports about the effects of kale ingestion on the chemoprevention function and mechanism, but the interactions between kale and drugs have not been researched. We investigated the effects of kale intake on cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolism by using cocktail probe drugs, including midazolam (for CYP3A4), caffeine (for CYP1A2), dextromethorphan (for CYP2D6), tolbutamide (for CYP2C9), omeprazole (for CYP2C19), and chlorzoxazone (for CYP2E1). Cocktail drugs were administered into rats treated with kale and cabbage (2000 mg/kg) for a week. The results showed that kale intake induced a significant increase in plasma levels and the AUC of midazolam, caffeine, and dextromethorphan. In addition, the plasma concentration and AUC of omeprazole tended to increase. Additionally, no almost differences in the mRNA expression levels of CYP enzymes in the liver were observed. In conclusion, kale ingestion was considered to have an inhibitory effect on the activities of CYP3A4, 1A2, 2D6, and 2C19 for a reason competitive inhibition than inhibitory changes in the mRNA expressions.

  12. Inhibitory effects of some plant essential oils against Arcobacter butzleri and potential for rosemary oil as a natural food preservative.

    PubMed

    Irkin, Reyhan; Abay, Secil; Aydin, Fuat

    2011-03-01

    We investigated the inhibitory activity of commercially marketed essential oils of mint, rosemary, orange, sage, cinnamon, bay, clove, and cumin against Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter skirrowii and the effects of the essential oil of rosemary against A. butzleri in a cooked minced beef system. Using the disc diffusion method to determine the inhibitory activities of these plant essential oils against strains of Arcobacter, we found that those of rosemary, bay, cinnamon, and clove had strong inhibitory activity against these organisms, whereas the essential oils of cumin, mint, and sage failed to show inhibitory activity against most of the Arcobacter strains tested. The 0.5% (vol/wt) essential oil of rosemary was completely inhibitory against A. butzleri in the cooked minced beef system at 4°C. These essential oils may be further investigated as a natural solution to the food industry by creating an additional barrier (hurdle technology) to inhibit the growth of Arcobacter strains.

  13. Plasticity of inhibitory processes and associated far-transfer effects in older adults.

    PubMed

    Ji, Yang; Wang, Jun; Chen, Tianyong; Du, Xin; Zhan, Yi

    2016-08-01

    Inhibition deficit plays a crucial part in cognitive aging; however, few studies have systematically investigated the plasticity of various inhibitory processes among older adults. We studied the plasticity of 3 inhibitory processes (access, deletion, and restraint) and the extent of far transfer of inhibition training to other general cognitive abilities. Thirty-six participants (aged 60 years and above, M = 70.06, SD = 5.53) were randomly assigned to an adaptive training group that received 12 sessions of training covering 3 inhibitory processes or an active control group that received 4 sessions of mental health lectures. Participants in both groups completed pre- and posttest assessments, in which behavioral and electrophysiological measures were used to evaluate potential transfer effects. Direct training gains were observed for trained tasks of all inhibitory processes, but near-transfer effects were only found within untrained tasks associated with deletion at a composite score level. Furthermore, far-transfer effects were demonstrated for fluid intelligence (Gf) but not for working memory or other general cognitive abilities. Near transfer to deletion and far transfer to Gf persisted at a 3-month follow-up assessment session. We discussed differences in plasticity between the 3 inhibitory processes as well as their possible associations with far transfer to Gf. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Isolation of proanthocyanidins from red wine, and their inhibitory effects on melanin synthesis in vitro.

    PubMed

    Fujimaki, Takahiro; Mori, Shoko; Horikawa, Manabu; Fukui, Yuko

    2018-05-15

    The red wines made from Vitis vinifera were identified as skin-whitening effectors by using in vitro assays. OPCs in the wine were evaluated for tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis. Strong tyrosinase inhibitory activity was observed in fractions with high oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC) content. Among OPC dimers, a strong inhibitory effect on tyrosinase was observed with OPCs which contain (+)-catechin as an upper unit. Melanogenesis inhibitory effect was observed with OPCs which have (-)-epicatechin as upper units. Also, OPC trimers, upper and middle units joined with 4 → 8 bonds, showed stronger effects compared to trimers with 4 → 6 linkages. Interestingly, (-)-epicatechin-(4β → 8)-(-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate, which is a unique component of grapes has potent inhibitory effects on both tyrosinase and melanogenesis. Our data provide structural information about such active compounds. These results suggest that red wines containing OPC, have high melanogenesis inhibitory effect and are supposed to have skin-whitening effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of inhibitory feedback on correlated firing of spiking neural network.

    PubMed

    Xie, Jinli; Wang, Zhijie

    2013-08-01

    Understanding the properties and mechanisms that generate different forms of correlation is critical for determining their role in cortical processing. Researches on retina, visual cortex, sensory cortex, and computational model have suggested that fast correlation with high temporal precision appears consistent with common input, and correlation on a slow time scale likely involves feedback. Based on feedback spiking neural network model, we investigate the role of inhibitory feedback in shaping correlations on a time scale of 100 ms. Notably, the relationship between the correlation coefficient and inhibitory feedback strength is non-monotonic. Further, computational simulations show how firing rate and oscillatory activity form the basis of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. When the mean firing rate holds unvaried, the correlation coefficient increases monotonically with inhibitory feedback, but the correlation coefficient keeps decreasing when the network has no oscillatory activity. Our findings reveal that two opposing effects of the inhibitory feedback on the firing activity of the network contribute to the non-monotonic relationship between the correlation coefficient and the strength of the inhibitory feedback. The inhibitory feedback affects the correlated firing activity by modulating the intensity and regularity of the spike trains. Finally, the non-monotonic relationship is replicated with varying transmission delay and different spatial network structure, demonstrating the universality of the results.

  16. Studying the Inhibitory Effect of Quercetin and Thymoquinone on Human Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Activities.

    PubMed

    Elbarbry, Fawzy; Ung, Aimy; Abdelkawy, Khaled

    2018-01-01

    Quercetin (QR) and thymoquinone (TQ) are herbal remedies that are currently extensively used by the general population to prevent and treat various chronic conditions. Therefore, investigating the potential of pharmacokinetic interactions caused by the concomitant use of these herbal remedies and conventional medicine is warranted to ensure patient safety. This study was conducted to determine the inhibitory effect of QR and TQ, two commonly used remedies, on the activities of selected cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes that play an important role in drug metabolism and/or toxicology. The in vitro studies were conducted using fluorescence-based high throughput assays using human c-DNA baculovirus expressed CYP enzymes. For measuring CYP2E1 activity, a validated High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay was utilized to measure the formation of 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone. The obtained half-maximum inhibitory concentration values with known positive control inhibitors of this study were comparable to the published values indicating accurate experimental techniques. Although QR did not show any significant effect on CYP1A2 and CYP2E1, it exhibited a strong inhibitory effect against CYP2D6 and a moderate effect against CYP2C19 and CYP3A4. On the other hand, TQ demonstrated a strong and a moderate inhibitory effect against CYP3A4 and CYP2C19, respectively. The findings of this study may indicate that consumption of QR or TQ, in the form of food or dietary supplements, with drugs that are metabolized by CYP2C19, CYP2D6, or CYP3A4 may cause significant herb-drug interactions. Neither QR nor TQ has any significant inhibitory effect on the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 enzymesBoth QR and TQ have a moderate to strong inhibitory effect on CYP3A4 activityQR has a moderate inhibitory effect on CYP2C19 and a strong inhibitory effect on CYP2D6Both QR and TQ are moderate inhibitors of the CYP2C9 activity. Abbreviations used: ABT: Aminobenztriazole, BZF: 7,8 Benzoflavone, CYP

  17. Inhibitory effects of 2'-hydroxychalcones on rat lens aldose reductase and rat platelet aggregation.

    PubMed

    Lim, S S; Jung, S H; Ji, J; Shin, K H; Keum, S R

    2000-11-01

    Inhibitory effects of synthetic 2'-hydroxychalcone derivatives on rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) and on platelet aggregation were investigated for the prevention or the treatment of chronic diabetic complications. 5'-chloro-4,2'-dihydroxychalcone (8) and 5'-chloro-3,2'-dihydroxychalcone (27) exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on rat platelet aggregation induced by ADP (IC50=0.10 and 0.06 mg/ml, respectively) and collagen (IC50=44 and 16 microg/ml, respectively) but showed relatively weak inhibitory activities on RLAR.

  18. Inhibitory effect of ciprofloxacin on β-glucuronidase-mediated deconjugation of mycophenolic acid glucuronide.

    PubMed

    Kodawara, Takaaki; Masuda, Satohiro; Yano, Yoshitaka; Matsubara, Kazuo; Nakamura, Toshiaki; Masada, Mikio

    2014-07-01

    The interaction between mycophenolate (MPA) and quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin is considered to reduce the enterohepatic recycling of MPA, which is biotransformed in the intestine from MPA glucuronide (MPAG) conjugate excreted via the biliary system; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this biotransformation of MPA is still unclear. In this study, an in vitro system was established to evaluate β-glucuronidase-mediated deconjugation and to examine the influence of ciprofloxacin on the enzymatic deconjugation of MPAG and MPA resynthesis. Resynthesis of MPA via deconjugation of MPAG increased in a time-dependent manner from 5 to 60 min in the presence of β-glucuronidase. Ciprofloxacin and phenolphthalein-β-d-glucuronide (PhePG), a typical β-glucuronidase substrate, significantly decreased the production of MPA from MPAG in the β-glucuronidase-mediated deconjugation system. In addition, enoxacin significantly inhibited the production of MPA from MPAG, while levofloxacin and ofloxacin had no inhibitory effect on MPA synthesis. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that ciprofloxacin showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on MPA production from MPAG via β-glucuronidase with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) value of 30.4 µm. While PhePG inhibited the β-glucuronidase-mediated production of MPA from MPAG in a competitive manner, ciprofloxacin inhibited MPA synthesis via noncompetitive inhibition. These findings suggest that the reduction in the serum MPA concentration during the co-administration of ciprofloxacin is at least in part due to the decreased enterohepatic circulation of MPA because of noncompetitive inhibition of deconjugation of MPAG by intestinal β-glucuronidase. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Inhibitory Effect of Long-Chain Fatty Acids on Biogas Production and the Protective Effect of Membrane Bioreactor

    PubMed Central

    Dasa, Kris Triwulan; Westman, Supansa Y.; Cahyanto, Muhammad Nur; Niklasson, Claes

    2016-01-01

    Anaerobic digestion of lipid-containing wastes for biogas production is often hampered by the inhibitory effect of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). In this study, the inhibitory effects of LCFAs (palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid) on biogas production as well as the protective effect of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) against LCFAs were examined in thermophilic batch digesters. The results showed that palmitic and oleic acid with concentrations of 3.0 and 4.5 g/L resulted in >50% inhibition on the biogas production, while stearic acid had an even stronger inhibitory effect. The encased cells in the MBR system were able to perform better in the presence of LCFAs. This system exhibited a significantly lower percentage of inhibition than the free cell system, not reaching over 50% at any LCFA concentration tested. PMID:27699172

  20. Potent Inhibitory Effect of Chinese Dietary Spices on Fatty Acid Synthase.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Bing; Liang, Yan; Sun, Xuebing; Liu, Xiaoxin; Tian, Weixi; Ma, Xiaofeng

    2015-09-01

    Dietary spices have been adopted in cooking since ancient times to enhance flavor and also as food preservatives and disease remedies. In China, the use of spices and other aromatic plants as food flavoring is an integral part of dietary behavior, but relatively little is known about their functions. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) has been recognized as a remedy target, and its inhibitors might be applied in disease treatment. The present work was designed to assess the inhibitory activities on FAS of spices extracts in Chinese menu. The in vitro inhibitory activities on FAS of 22 extracts of spices were assessed by spectrophotometrically monitoring oxidation of NADPH at 340 nm. Results showed that 20 spices extracts (90.9 %) exhibited inhibitory activities on FAS, with half inhibition concentration (IC(50)) values ranging from 1.72 to 810.7 μg/ml. Among them, seven spices showed strong inhibitory effect with IC(50) values lower than 10 μg/ml. These findings suggest that a large proportion of the dietary spices studied possess promising inhibitory activities on FAS, and subsequently might be applied in the treatment of obesity and obesity-related human diseases.

  1. Inhibitory effect of three C-glycosylflavonoids from Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) on human low density lipoprotein oxidation.

    PubMed

    Orrego, Roxana; Leiva, Elba; Cheel, José

    2009-09-30

    This study assessed the inhibitory effect of three C-glycosylflavonoids from Cymbopogon citratus leaves--isoorientin (1), swertiajaponin (2) and isoorientin 2"-Orhamnoside (3)--on human LDL oxidation. Isolated LDL was incubated with compounds 1-3 and the kinetics of lipid peroxidation were assessed by conjugated diene and malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (MDA-TBARS) formation after addition of copper ions. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the lag time phase of the control and the lag time phase in the presence of the compounds 1 (0.25 microM) and 2 (0.50 microM) were observed. After five hours of incubation all three compounds showed a significant inhibitory effect on MDA-TBARS formation with respect to the control. After six hours of incubation only compound 1 kept a remarkable antioxidant effect. This study demonstrates that isoorientin (1) is an effective inhibitor of in vitro LDL oxidation. As oxidative damage to LDL is a key event in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, the use of this natural antioxidant may be beneficial to prevent or attenuate atherosclerosis.

  2. Controlled versus automatic processes: which is dominant to safety? The moderating effect of inhibitory control.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yaoshan; Li, Yongjuan; Ding, Weidong; Lu, Fan

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the precursors of employees' safety behaviors based on a dual-process model, which suggests that human behaviors are determined by both controlled and automatic cognitive processes. Employees' responses to a self-reported survey on safety attitudes capture their controlled cognitive process, while the automatic association concerning safety measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT) reflects employees' automatic cognitive processes about safety. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effects of inhibition on the relationship between self-reported safety attitude and safety behavior, and that between automatic associations towards safety and safety behavior. The results suggest significant main effects of self-reported safety attitude and automatic association on safety behaviors. Further, the interaction between self-reported safety attitude and inhibition and that between automatic association and inhibition each predict unique variances in safety behavior. Specifically, the safety behaviors of employees with lower level of inhibitory control are influenced more by automatic association, whereas those of employees with higher level of inhibitory control are guided more by self-reported safety attitudes. These results suggest that safety behavior is the joint outcome of both controlled and automatic cognitive processes, and the relative importance of these cognitive processes depends on employees' individual differences in inhibitory control. The implications of these findings for theoretical and practical issues are discussed at the end.

  3. Controlled versus Automatic Processes: Which Is Dominant to Safety? The Moderating Effect of Inhibitory Control

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Yaoshan; Li, Yongjuan; Ding, Weidong; Lu, Fan

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the precursors of employees' safety behaviors based on a dual-process model, which suggests that human behaviors are determined by both controlled and automatic cognitive processes. Employees' responses to a self-reported survey on safety attitudes capture their controlled cognitive process, while the automatic association concerning safety measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT) reflects employees' automatic cognitive processes about safety. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effects of inhibition on the relationship between self-reported safety attitude and safety behavior, and that between automatic associations towards safety and safety behavior. The results suggest significant main effects of self-reported safety attitude and automatic association on safety behaviors. Further, the interaction between self-reported safety attitude and inhibition and that between automatic association and inhibition each predict unique variances in safety behavior. Specifically, the safety behaviors of employees with lower level of inhibitory control are influenced more by automatic association, whereas those of employees with higher level of inhibitory control are guided more by self-reported safety attitudes. These results suggest that safety behavior is the joint outcome of both controlled and automatic cognitive processes, and the relative importance of these cognitive processes depends on employees' individual differences in inhibitory control. The implications of these findings for theoretical and practical issues are discussed at the end. PMID:24520338

  4. Inhibitory effects of Citrus hassaku extract and its flavanone glycosides on melanogenesis.

    PubMed

    Itoh, Kimihisa; Hirata, Noriko; Masuda, Megumi; Naruto, Shunsuke; Murata, Kazuya; Wakabayashi, Keitaro; Matsuda, Hideaki

    2009-03-01

    The 50% ethanolic extract (CH-ext) obtained from the unripe fruit of Citrus hassaku exhibited significant tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The CH-ext showed antioxidant activity, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity. Activity-guided fractionation of the CH-ext indicated that flavanone glycoside-rich fractions showed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Further examination revealed that the tyrosinase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of the CH-ext were attributable to naringin and neohesperidin, respectively. The CH-ext showed inhibition of melanogenesis without any effects on cell proliferation in cultured murine B16 melanoma cells after glucosamine exposure. The topical application of the CH-ext to the dorsal skin of brownish guinea pigs showed in vivo preventive effects against UVB-induced pigmentation.

  5. Inhibitory effect of essential oils against herpes simplex virus type 2.

    PubMed

    Koch, C; Reichling, J; Schneele, J; Schnitzler, P

    2008-01-01

    Essential oils from anise, hyssop, thyme, ginger, camomile and sandalwood were screened for their inhibitory effect against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in vitro on RC-37 cells using a plaque reduction assay. Genital herpes is a chronic, persistent infection spreading efficiently and silently as sexually transmitted disease through the population. Antiviral agents currently applied for the treatment of herpesvirus infections include acyclovir and its derivatives. The inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were determined at 0.016%, 0.0075%, 0.007%, 0.004%, 0.003% and 0.0015% for anise oil, hyssop oil, thyme oil, ginger oil, camomile oil and sandalwood oil, respectively. A clearly dose-dependent virucidal activity against HSV-2 could be demonstrated for all essential oils tested. In order to determine the mode of the inhibitory effect, essential oils were added at different stages during the viral infection cycle. At maximum noncytotoxic concentrations of the essential oils, plaque formation was significantly reduced by more than 90% when HSV-2 was preincubated with hyssop oil, thyme oil or ginger oil. However, no inhibitory effect could be observed when the essential oils were added to the cells prior to infection with HSV-2 or after the adsorption period. These results indicate that essential oils affected HSV-2 mainly before adsorption probably by interacting with the viral envelope. Camomile oil exhibited a high selectivity index and seems to be a promising candidate for topical therapeutic application as virucidal agents for treatment of herpes genitalis.

  6. Inhibitory Effect of Apigenin on Losartan Metabolism and CYP2C9 Activity in vitro.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhe; Gong, Yun; Zeng, Da-Li; Chen, Lian-Guo; Lin, Gao-Tong; Huang, Cheng-Ke; Sun, Wei; Chen, Meng-Chun; Hu, Guo-Xin; Chen, Rui-Jie

    2016-01-01

    CYP2C9 is one of the most important phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes in liver. The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of apigenin on the metabolism of losartan and human CYP2C9 and rat CYP2C11 activity in vitro. Different concentrations of apigenin were added to a 100 mmol/l Tris-HCl reaction mixture containing 2 pmol/ml recombinant human CYP2C9.1, 0.25 mg/ml human liver microsomes or 0.5 mg/ml rat liver microsomes to determine the half maximal inhibition or a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) on the metabolism of losartan. In addition, diclofenac used as CYP2C9 substrate was performed to determine the effects of apigenin on CYP2C9. The results showed that apigenin has the inhibitory effect on the metabolism of losartan in vitro, the IC50 was 7.61, 4.10 and 11.07 μmol/l on recombinant CYP2C9 microsomes, human liver microsomes and rat liver microsomes, respectively. Meanwhile, apigenin's mode of action on human CYP2C9 activity was competitive for the substrate diclofenac. In contrast to its potent inhibition of CYP2C9 in humans (9.51 μmol/l), apigenin had lesser effects on CYP2C11 in rat (IC50 = 15.51 μmol/l). The observations imply that apigenin has the inhibitory effect on the metabolism of losartan and CYP2C9 activity in vitro. More attention should be paid as to when losartan should be administrated combined with apigenin. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Determinants of aggressive behavior: Interactive effects of emotional regulation and inhibitory control.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, I-Ju; Chen, Yung Y

    2017-01-01

    Aggressive behavior can be defined as any behavior intended to hurt another person, and it is associated with many individual and social factors. This study examined the relationship between emotional regulation and inhibitory control in predicting aggressive behavior. Seventy-eight participants (40 males) completed self-report measures (Negative Mood Regulation Scale and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire), a stop signal task, and engaged in a modified version of Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) exercise, in which the outcome was used as a measure of direct physical aggression. We used a hierarchical, mixed-model multiple regression analysis test to examine the effects of emotion regulation and inhibitory control on physical reactive aggression. Results indicated an interaction between emotion regulation and inhibitory control on aggression. For participants with low inhibitory control only, there was a significant difference between high and low emotion regulation on aggression, such that low emotion regulation participants registered higher aggression than high emotion regulation participants. This difference was not found among participants with high inhibitory control. These results have implications for refining and targeting training and rehabilitation programs aimed at reducing aggressive behavior.

  8. Inhibitory effect of extracellular purine nucleotide and nucleoside concentrations on T cell proliferation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weiler, Monica; Schmetzer, Helga; German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich

    The release of nucleic acids and derivatives after tissue-injury may affect cellular immune-response. We studied the impact of extracellular ribo-, desoxyribonucleotides and nucleosides on T-cell immunity. Peripheral-blood-mononuclear-cells (PBMCs) or isolated CD3{sup +}T-cells obtained from 6 healthy donors were stimulated via CD3/CD28 Dynabeads or dendritic cells (DCs) in the presence or absence of pyrimidine-, purine-nucleotides and -nucleosides (range 2–200 µM). Addition of deoxy-, guanosine-triphosphate (dGTP, GTP) and guanosine resulted concentration dependent in a complete, adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) in a partial inhibition of the induced T-cell-proliferation. Deoxyadenosine-triphosphate (dATP), adenosine and the pyrimidine-ribo- and -deoxyribonucleotides displayed no inhibitory capacity. Inhibitory effects of dGTP andmore » GTP, but not of guanosine and ATP were culture-media-dependent and could be almost abrogated by use of the serum-free lymphocyte-culture-media X-Vivo15 instead of RPMI1640 with standard-supplementation. In contrast to RPMI1640, X-Vivo15 resulted in a significant down-regulation of the cell-surface-located ectonucleotidases CD39 (Ecto-Apyrase) and CD73 (Ecto-5′-Nucleotidase), critical for the extracellular nucleotides-hydrolysis to nucleosides, explaining the loss of inhibition mediated by dGTP and GTP, but not Guanosine. In line with previous findings ATP was found to exert immunosuppressive effects on T-cell-proliferation. Purine-nucleotides, dGTP and GTP displayed a higher inhibitory capacity, but seem to be strictly dependent on the microenvironmental conditions modulating the responsiveness of the respective T-lymphocytes. Further evaluation of experimental and respective clinical settings should anticipate these findings.« less

  9. Quantitative evaluation of inhibitory effect of various substances on anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox).

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Tomotaka; Harigaya, Yuhki; Kimura, Yuya; Kuroiwa, Megumi; Kurata, Yuhri; Isaka, Kazuichi; Suwa, Yuichi

    2017-09-01

    The inhibitory effect of 20 substances of various chemical species on the anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) activity of an enrichment culture, predominated by Candidatus Brocadia, was determined systematically by using a 15 N tracer technique. The initial anammox rate was determined during first 25 min with a small-scale anaerobic batch incubation supplemented with possible inhibitors. Although Cu 2+ and Mn 2+ did not inhibit anammox, the remaining 18 substances [Ni 2+ , Zn 2+ , Co 2+ , [Formula: see text] , Fe 2+ , 4 amines, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylenediamine-N,N'-bis (2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) (EDDHA), citric acid, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), 1,4-dioxane, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofuran (THF)] were inhibitory. Inhibitory effect of NTA, EDDHA, THF, DMF, DMA and amines on anammox was first determined in this study. Inhibitory effects of metals were re-evaluated because chelators, which may interfere inhibitory effect, have been used to dissolve metal salts into assay solution. The relative anammox activities as a function of concentration of each substance were described successfully (R 2  > 0.91) either with a linear inhibition model or with a Michaelis-Menten-based inhibition model. IC 50 values were estimated based on either model, and were compared. The IC 50 values of the 4 chelators (0.06-2.7 mM) and 5 metal ions (0.02-1.09 mM) were significantly lower than those of the 4 amines (10.6-29.1 mM) and 5 organic solvents (3.5-82 mM). Although it did not show any inhibition within 25 min, 0.1 mM Cu 2+ completely inhibited anammox activity in 240 min, suggesting that the inhibitory effect caused by Cu 2+ is time-dependent. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Inhibitory Effect and Mechanism of Arctium lappa Extract on NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young-Kyu; Koppula, Sushruta; Shim, Do-Wan; In, Eun-Jung; Kwak, Su-Bin; Kim, Myong-Ki; Yu, Sang-Hyeun; Lee, Kwang-Ho; Kang, Tae-Bong

    2018-01-01

    Arctium lappa (A. lappa) , Compositae, is considered a potential source of nutrition and is used as a traditional medicine in East Asian countries for centuries. Although several studies have shown its biological activities as an anti-inflammatory agent, there have been no reports on A. lappa with regard to regulatory role in inflammasome activation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of A. lappa extract (ALE) on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and explore the underlying mechanisms. We found that ALE inhibited IL-1 β secretion from NLRP3 inflammasome activated bone marrow derived macrophages but not that secreted by NLRC4 and AIM2 inflammasomes activation. Mechanistic studies revealed that ALE suppressed the ATPase activity of purified NLRP3 and reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) generated during NLRP3 activation. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of ALE on NLRP3 inflammasome might be attributed to its ability to inhibit the NLRP3 ATPase function and attenuated the mROS during inflammasome activation. In addition, ALE significantly reduced the LPS-induced increase of plasma IL-1 β in mouse peritonitis model. These results provide evidence of novel anti-inflammatory mechanisms of A. lappa , which might be used for therapeutic applications in the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated inflammatory disorders.

  11. Inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin.

    PubMed

    Liu, Weixi; Cohenford, Menashi A; Frost, Leslie; Seneviratne, Champika; Dain, Joel A

    2014-01-01

    Formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by nonenzymatic glycation of proteins is a major contributory factor to the pathophysiology of diabetic conditions including senile dementia and atherosclerosis. This study describes the inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). A combination of analytical methods including ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were used to determine the extent of BSA glycation in the presence of citrate reduced spherical GNPs of various sizes and concentrations. GNPs of particle diameters ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm inhibited BSA's AGE formation. The extent of inhibition correlated with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. GNPs of highest total surface area yielded the most inhibition whereas those with the lowest total surface area inhibited the formation of AGEs the least. Additionally, when GNPs' total surface areas were set the same, their antiglycation activities were similar. This inhibitory effect of GNPs on BSA's glycation by D-ribose suggests that colloidal particles may have a therapeutic application for the treatment of diabetes and conditions that promote hyperglycemia.

  12. Simultaneous quantification and inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation of the traditional Korean medicine, Leejung-tang

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Leejung-tang (LJT) is a traditional Korean herbal medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. In this study, we performed quantification analysis of five marker components, liquiritin (1), ginsenoside Rg1 (2), ginsenoside Rb1 (3), glycyrrhizin (4), and 6-gingerol (5) in LJT using a high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC–PDA). In addition, we investigated the inhibitory effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation by the LJT sample. Methods Compounds 1–5 were separated within 35 min using a Gemini C18 column. The mobile phase used gradient elution with 1.0% (v/v) aqueous acetic acid (A) and 1.0% (v/v) acetic acid in acetonitrile (B). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min and the detector was a photodiode array (PDA) set at 203 nm, 254 nm, and 280 nm. The inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation conduct an experiment on thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay, relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) assay, and electrophoresis of ApoB fragmentation of LJT. Results Calibration curves of compounds 1–5 showed good linearity (r2 ≥0.9995) in different concentration ranges. The recoveries of compounds 1–5 were in the range of 98.90–103.39%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) below 3.0%. The RSDs (%) of intra-day and inter-day precision were 0.10–1.08% and 0.29–1.87%, respectively. The inhibitory effect of LJT on Cu2+-induced LDL oxidation was defined by TBARS assay (IC50: 165.7 μg/mL) and REM of oxLDL (decrease of 50% at 127.7 μg/mL). Furthermore LJT reduced the fragmentation of ApoB of oxLDL in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions The established HPLC-PDA method will be helpful to improve quality control of LJT. In addition, LJT is a potential LDL oxidation inhibitor. PMID:24383717

  13. Inhibitory effects of toxic compounds on nitrification process for cokes wastewater treatment.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young Mo; Park, Donghee; Lee, Dae Sung; Park, Jong Moon

    2008-04-15

    Cokes wastewater is one of the most toxic industrial effluents since it contains high concentrations of toxic compounds such as phenols, cyanides and thiocyanate. Although activated sludge process has been adapted to treat this wastewater, nitrification process has been occasionally upset by serious inhibitory effects of toxic compounds. In this study, therefore, we examined inhibitory effects of ammonia, thiocyanate, free cyanide, ferric cyanide, phenol and p-cresol on nitrification in an activated sludge system, and then correlated their threshold concentrations with the full-scale pre-denitrification process for treating cokes wastewater. Ammonia below 350 mg/L did not cause substrate inhibition for nitrifying bacteria. Thiocyanate above 200mg/L seemed to inhibit nitrification, but it was due to the increased loading of ammonia produced from its biodegradation. Free cyanide above 0.2mg/L seriously inhibited nitrification, but ferric cyanide below 100mg/L did not. Phenol and p-cresol significantly inhibited nitrification above 200 mg/L and 100mg/L, respectively. Meantime, activated carbon was added to reduce inhibitory effects of phenol and free cyanide.

  14. Inhibitory effects of Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) seed extract on Streptococcus mutans and S. mutans-induced dental caries in rats.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto-Nakano, M; Nagayama, K; Kitagori, H; Fujita, K; Inagaki, S; Takashima, Y; Tamesada, M; Kawabata, S; Ooshima, T

    2011-01-01

    Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) seed extract (OBSE) is known to contain polyphenols, which may possess antioxidant activities. Polyphenols extracted from several plants are reported to exhibit cariostatic activities by inhibiting mutans streptococcus growth and glucosyltransferase activities. The purpose of the present study was to examine the inhibitory effects of OBSE on the development of dental caries, both in vitro and in vivo. OBSE was investigated for its inhibitory effects on cellular aggregation, hydrophobicity, sucrose-dependent adherence and insoluble glucan synthesis. Furthermore, biofilm formation was examined in the presence of OBSE, using confocal microscopic imaging. An animal experiment was also performed to examine the in vivo effects. OBSE induced a strong aggregation of Streptococcus mutans MT8148 cells, while cell surface hydrophobicity was decreased by approximately 90% at a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml. The sucrose-dependent adherence of the MT8148 cells was also reduced by addition of OBSE, with a reduction rate of 73% seen at a concentration of 1.00 mg/ml. Additionally, confocal microscopic observations revealed the biofilm development phase to be remarkably changed in the presence of OBSE. Furthermore, insoluble glucan synthesis was significantly reduced when OBSE was present at concentrations greater than 0.03 mg/ml. In an animal experiment, the caries scores in rats given OBSE (0.05 mg/ml in drinking water) were significantly lower than those in rats given water without OBSE. Our results indicate that OBSE has inhibitory activity on dental caries. 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. A cyclohexanecarboxamide derivative with inhibitory effects on Schistosoma mansoni cercarial serine protease and penetration of mice skin by the parasite.

    PubMed

    Bahgat, Mahmoud; Aboul-Enein, Mohamed N; El Azzouny, Aida A; Maghraby, Amany; Ruppel, Andreas; Soliman, Wael M

    2009-01-01

    A cyclohexanecarboxamide derivative, N-phenyl-N-[1-(piperidine-1-carbonyl)cyclohexyl] benzamide (MNRC-5), was evaluated for its inhibitory effects on Schistosoma mansoni cercarial serine protease activity and cercarial penetration. MNRC-5 exerted an inhibitory effect on S. mansoni cercarial serine protease at serial concentrations of the specific chromogenic substrate Boc-Val-Leu-Gly-Arg-PNA for such enzyme family and the inhibitory coefficient (Ki) value was deduced. Moreover, topical treatment of mice tails with the most potent inhibitory concentration of MNRC-5 formulated in jojoba oil successfully blocked cercarial penetration as demonstrated by a significant reduction (75%; p < 0.05) in the recovered S. mansoni worms from treated mice in comparison to control ones whose tails were painted with jojoba oil base containing no MNRC-5. In addition, the IgM and IgG reactivities to crude S. mansoni cercarial, worm and egg antigens were generally lower in sera from treated infected mice than untreated infected mice. In conclusion, we report on a new serine protease inhibitor capable for blocking penetration of host skin by S. mansoni cercariae as measured by lowering worm burden and decrease in the levels of both IgM and IgG towards different bilharzial antigens upon topical treatment.

  16. Effect of inhibitory firing pattern on coherence resonance in random neural networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Haitao; Zhang, Lianghao; Guo, Xinmeng; Wang, Jiang; Cao, Yibin; Liu, Jing

    2018-01-01

    The effect of inhibitory firing patterns on coherence resonance (CR) in random neuronal network is systematically studied. Spiking and bursting are two main types of firing pattern considered in this work. Numerical results show that, irrespective of the inhibitory firing patterns, the regularity of network is maximized by an optimal intensity of external noise, indicating the occurrence of coherence resonance. Moreover, the firing pattern of inhibitory neuron indeed has a significant influence on coherence resonance, but the efficacy is determined by network property. In the network with strong coupling strength but weak inhibition, bursting neurons largely increase the amplitude of resonance, while they can decrease the noise intensity that induced coherence resonance within the neural system of strong inhibition. Different temporal windows of inhibition induced by different inhibitory neurons may account for the above observations. The network structure also plays a constructive role in the coherence resonance. There exists an optimal network topology to maximize the regularity of the neural systems.

  17. Inhibitory effects of different ATP-sensitive potassium channel openers on electrically generated and carbachol-induced contractions of porcine and human detrusor muscle.

    PubMed

    Badawi, Jasmin Katrin; Ding, Andrea; Bross, Stephan

    2008-02-01

    The inhibitory effects of different potassium channel openers (PCOs) on electrically generated and carbachol-induced contractions of porcine and human detrusor muscle were examined. PCOs could be an interesting substance class for treatment of detrusor overactivity. Experiments were performed on muscle strips suspended in a tissue bath. Human tissue originated from patients who underwent total cystectomy. The concentration-relaxation curves of the first-generation PCOs cromakalim and pinacidil and the untypical PCO minoxidil were performed using carbachol-precontracted detrusor muscle strips of pigs and humans. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of cromakalim, pinacidil and minoxidil on electrically generated contractions of porcine detrusor muscle were examined. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of the second-generation, bladder-selective PCO ZM 226600 on electrically generated contractions of the human detrusor muscle was determined. Frequency-response curves were performed before and after incubation with one PCO used in two different concentrations. In humans, cromakalim and pinacidil led to a maximum decrease of 73.5 and 68.4% and showed mean pD2 values of 6.65 and 5.5, respectively. In pigs, cromakalim and pinacidil led to a maximum decrease of 90.6 and 93.6% and showed mean pD2 values of 6.39 and 5.01, respectively. Minoxidil did not significantly decrease the precontraction at the highest used concentration in both species. Cromakalim exhibited the biggest inhibitory effect being significant at 10(-5) and 10(-6) M. Pinacidil showed only a significant inhibitory effect at 10(-5) M which was smaller than that of cromakalim. At 3 x 10(-6) M only a very small effect occurred at 1 Hz. Minoxidil did not inhibit the contractions at both examined concentrations except for a very small effect at 1 Hz. In humans, ZM 226600 exhibited at 10(-6) and 10(-5) M a significant inhibitory effect. At 10(-7) M it was only significant at one frequency.

  18. Flexible brain network reconfiguration supporting inhibitory control.

    PubMed

    Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Miller, Gregory A; Heller, Wendy; Banich, Marie T

    2015-08-11

    The ability to inhibit distracting stimuli from interfering with goal-directed behavior is crucial for success in most spheres of life. Despite an abundance of studies examining regional brain activation, knowledge of the brain networks involved in inhibitory control remains quite limited. To address this critical gap, we applied graph theory tools to functional magnetic resonance imaging data collected while a large sample of adults (n = 101) performed a color-word Stroop task. Higher demand for inhibitory control was associated with restructuring of the global network into a configuration that was more optimized for specialized processing (functional segregation), more efficient at communicating the output of such processing across the network (functional integration), and more resilient to potential interruption (resilience). In addition, there were regional changes with right inferior frontal sulcus and right anterior insula occupying more central positions as network hubs, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex becoming more tightly coupled with its regional subnetwork. Given the crucial role of inhibitory control in goal-directed behavior, present findings identifying functional network organization supporting inhibitory control have the potential to provide additional insights into how inhibitory control may break down in a wide variety of individuals with neurological or psychiatric difficulties.

  19. Inhibitory effect of antioxidant-rich marinades on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in pan-fried beef.

    PubMed

    Viegas, Olga; Amaro, L Filipe; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O; Pinho, Olívia

    2012-06-20

    The inhibitory effect of antioxidant-rich marinades containing beer and white wine (with/without alcohol) alone or mixed with herbs commonly used as meat flavoring (garlic, ginger, thyme, rosemary, and red chili pepper) on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) in pan-fried beef was studied. Radical-scavenging activity was evaluated by DPPH assay, before the addition of meat to the marinade (T0) and after 4 h of meat marinating (T4). At T0, wine with herbs possessed the highest scavenging activity (73.5%), followed by wine (72.5%), dealcoholized wine with herbs (53.4%), beer and herbs (41.7%), dealcoholized wine (39.6%), and beer (25.9%). At T4, a decrease in the radical-scavenging activity of all marinades was observed, although with a similar radical-scavenging profile. All of the six marinades under the study reduced the total amount of HAs, keeping meat with good overall sensory quality. Beer marinades were more efficient than white wine marinades, and the addition of herbs provided a superior inhibitory effect, reducing around 90% of HAs. No correlation was observed between radical-scavenging activity of marinades and total or individual HAs formation. Herbs explained around 30% of inhibition of PhIP formation, whereas alcohol increased PhIP formation.

  20. Cholinesterase-inhibitory effect and in silico analysis of alkaloids from bulbs of Hieronymiella species.

    PubMed

    Ortiz, Javier E; Garro, Adriana; Pigni, Natalia B; Agüero, María Belén; Roitman, German; Slanis, Alberto; Enriz, Ricardo D; Feresin, Gabriela E; Bastida, Jaume; Tapia, Alejandro

    2018-01-15

    In Argentina, the Amaryllidaceae family (59 species) comprises a wide variety of genera, only a few species have been investigated as a potential source of cholinesterases inhibitors to treat Alzheimer disease (AD). To study the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities of the basic dichloromethane extracts (E) from Hieronymiella aurea, H. caletensis, H. clidanthoides, H. marginata, and H. speciosa species, as well as the isolated compounds from these plant extracts. AChE and BChE inhibitory activities were evaluated with the Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The alkaloids composition from the E was obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The E were successively chromatographed on a silica gel column and permeated on Sephadex LH-20 column to afford the main alkaloids identified by means of spectroscopic data. Additionally, an in silico study was carried out. Nine known alkaloids were isolated from the E of five Hieronymiella species. Galanthamine was identified in all the species by GC-MS standing out H. caletensis with a relative abundance of 9.79% of the total ion current. Strong AChE (IC 50  = 1.84 - 15.40 µg/ml) and moderate BChE (IC50 = 23.74 - 136.40 µg/ml) inhibitory activities were displayed by the extracts. Among the isolated alkaloids, only sanguinine and chlidanthine (galanthamine-type alkaloids) demonstrated inhibitory activity toward both enzymes. The QTAIM study suggests that sanguinine has the strongest affinity towards AChE, attributed to an additional interaction with Ser200 as well as stronger molecular interactions Glu199 and His440.These results allowed us to differentiate the molecular behavior in the active site among alkaloids possessing different in vitro inhibitory activities. Hieronymiella species growing in Argentina represent a rich and widespread source of galanthamine and others AChE and BChE inhibitors alkaloids. Additionally, the new trend towards the use of

  1. Inhibitory Effect and Mechanism of Arctium lappa Extract on NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Young-Kyu; Koppula, Sushruta; Shim, Do-Wan; In, Eun-Jung; Kwak, Su-Bin; Yu, Sang-Hyeun

    2018-01-01

    Arctium lappa (A. lappa), Compositae, is considered a potential source of nutrition and is used as a traditional medicine in East Asian countries for centuries. Although several studies have shown its biological activities as an anti-inflammatory agent, there have been no reports on A. lappa with regard to regulatory role in inflammasome activation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of A. lappa extract (ALE) on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and explore the underlying mechanisms. We found that ALE inhibited IL-1β secretion from NLRP3 inflammasome activated bone marrow derived macrophages but not that secreted by NLRC4 and AIM2 inflammasomes activation. Mechanistic studies revealed that ALE suppressed the ATPase activity of purified NLRP3 and reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) generated during NLRP3 activation. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of ALE on NLRP3 inflammasome might be attributed to its ability to inhibit the NLRP3 ATPase function and attenuated the mROS during inflammasome activation. In addition, ALE significantly reduced the LPS-induced increase of plasma IL-1β in mouse peritonitis model. These results provide evidence of novel anti-inflammatory mechanisms of A. lappa, which might be used for therapeutic applications in the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated inflammatory disorders. PMID:29576797

  2. Inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Weixi; Cohenford, Menashi A; Frost, Leslie; Seneviratne, Champika; Dain, Joel A

    2014-01-01

    Formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by nonenzymatic glycation of proteins is a major contributory factor to the pathophysiology of diabetic conditions including senile dementia and atherosclerosis. This study describes the inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). A combination of analytical methods including ultraviolet–visible spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were used to determine the extent of BSA glycation in the presence of citrate reduced spherical GNPs of various sizes and concentrations. GNPs of particle diameters ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm inhibited BSA’s AGE formation. The extent of inhibition correlated with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. GNPs of highest total surface area yielded the most inhibition whereas those with the lowest total surface area inhibited the formation of AGEs the least. Additionally, when GNPs’ total surface areas were set the same, their antiglycation activities were similar. This inhibitory effect of GNPs on BSA’s glycation by D-ribose suggests that colloidal particles may have a therapeutic application for the treatment of diabetes and conditions that promote hyperglycemia. PMID:25473284

  3. Inhibitory Effects of Respiration Inhibitors on Aflatoxin Production

    PubMed Central

    Sakuda, Shohei; Prabowo, Diyan Febri; Takagi, Keiko; Shiomi, Kazuro; Mori, Mihoko; Ōmura, Satoshi; Nagasawa, Hiromichi

    2014-01-01

    Aflatoxin production inhibitors, which do not inhibit the growth of aflatoxigenic fungi, may be used to control aflatoxin without incurring a rapid spread of resistant strains. A respiration inhibitor that inhibits aflatoxin production was identified during a screening process for natural, aflatoxin-production inhibitors. This prompted us to evaluate respiration inhibitors as potential aflatoxin control agents. The inhibitory activities of four natural inhibitors, seven synthetic miticides, and nine synthetic fungicides were evaluated on aflatoxin production in Aspergillus parasiticus. All of the natural inhibitors (rotenone, siccanin, aptenin A5, and antimycin A) inhibited fungal aflatoxin production with IC50 values around 10 µM. Among the synthetic miticides, pyridaben, fluacrypyrim, and tolfenpyrad exhibited strong inhibitory activities with IC50 values less than 0.2 µM, whereas cyflumetofen did not show significant inhibitory activity. Of the synthetic fungicides, boscalid, pyribencarb, azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, and kresoxim-methyl demonstrated strong inhibitory activities, with IC50 values less than 0.5 µM. Fungal growth was not significantly affected by any of the inhibitors tested at concentrations used. There was no correlation observed between the targets of respiration inhibitors (complexes I, II, and III) and their IC50 values for aflatoxin-production inhibitory activity. This study suggests that respiration inhibitors, including commonly used pesticides, are useful for aflatoxin control. PMID:24674936

  4. Growth Inhibitory Effect of Palatine Tonsil-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Lim, Yun-Sung; Lee, Jin-Choon; Lee, Yoon Se; Wang, Soo-Geun

    2012-01-01

    Objectives Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play an important role in the development and growth of tumor cells. However, the effect of human MSCs on the growth of human tumors is not well understood. The purpose of this study is to confirm the growth effect of palatine tonsil-derived MSCs (TD-MSCs) on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines and to elucidate the mechanism of their action. Methods TD-MSCs were isolated from patient with chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy. Two human HNSCC cell lines (PNUH-12 and SNU-899) were studied and cocultured with isolated palatine tonsil-derived MSC. The growth inhibitory effect of MSCs on HNSCC cell lines was tested through methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The apoptosis induction effect of MSCs on cell lines was assessed with flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR. Results Palatine tonsil-derived MSCs exhibited a growth inhibitory effect on both cell lines. Cell cycle analysis showed an accumulation of tumor cells predominantly in G0/G1 phase with an increase in concentration of TD-MSCs, which was confirmed by increased mRNA expression of cell cycle negative regulator p21. Apoptosis of tumor cells increased significantly as concentration of cocultured TD-MSCs increased. Additionally, mRNA expression of caspase 3 was upregulated with increased concentration of TD-MSCs. Conclusion TD-MSCs have a potential growth inhibitory effect on HNSCC cell lines in vitro by inducing apoptotic cell death and G1 phase arrest of cell lines. PMID:22737289

  5. Examining the inhibitory potency of food additive fast green FCF against amyloid fibrillogenesis under acidic conditions.

    PubMed

    How, Su-Chun; Yang, Szu-Ming; Hsin, Ai; Tseng, Chia-Ping; Hsueh, Shu-Shun; Lin, Ming-Shen; Chen, Rita P-Y; Chou, Wei-Lung; Wang, Steven S-S

    2016-12-07

    More than thirty human proteins and/or peptides can fold incorrectly to form amyloid deposits associated with several protein aggregation diseases. No cure is currently available for treating these diseases. This work is aimed at examining the inhibitory potency of fast green FCF, a biocompatible dye, toward the fibrillogenesis/aggregation of lysozyme. As verified by ThT binding assay along with transmission electron microscopy, fast green FCF was observed to suppress the generation of lysozyme fibrils in a concentration-dependent manner. We next used circular dichroism absorption spectroscopy, ANS fluorescence spectroscopy, and SDS-PAGE to characterize the structural alterations in lysozyme samples upon the addition of fast green FCF. Furthermore, experiments with the addition of fast green FCF at different time points of incubation showed that fast green FCF also exhibited disaggregating activity against the preformed/existing lysozyme fibrils. We believe that the results from this study suggest a potential therapeutic role of biocompatible molecules in treating or preventing protein aggregation diseases.

  6. Monetary rewards modulate inhibitory control

    PubMed Central

    Herrera, Paula M.; Speranza, Mario; Hampshire, Adam; Bekinschtein, Tristán A.

    2014-01-01

    The ability to override a dominant response, often referred to as behavioral inhibition, is considered a key element of executive cognition. Poor behavioral inhibition is a defining characteristic of several neurological and psychiatric populations. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the motivational dimension of behavioral inhibition, with some experiments incorporating emotional contingencies in classical inhibitory paradigms such as the Go/NoGo and Stop Signal Tasks (SSTs). Several studies have reported a positive modulatory effect of reward on performance in pathological conditions such as substance abuse, pathological gambling, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). However, experiments that directly investigate the modulatory effects of reward magnitudes on the performance of inhibitory tasks are scarce and little is known about the finer grained relationship between motivation and inhibitory control. Here we probed the effect of reward magnitude and context on behavioral inhibition with three modified versions of the widely used SST. The pilot study compared inhibition performance during six blocks alternating neutral feedback, low, medium, and high monetary rewards. Study One compared increasing vs. decreasing rewards, with low, high rewards, and neutral feedback; whilst Study Two compared low and high reward magnitudes alone also in an increasing and decreasing reward design. The reward magnitude effect was not demonstrated in the pilot study, probably due to a learning effect induced by practice in this lengthy task. The reward effect per se was weak but the context (order of reward) was clearly suggested in Study One, and was particularly strongly confirmed in study two. In addition, these findings revealed a “kick start effect” over global performance measures. Specifically, there was a long lasting improvement in performance throughout the task when participants received the highest reward magnitudes at the beginning of the

  7. Unraveling the inhibitory effect of dihydromyricetin on heterocyclic aromatic amines formation.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Bin; Zhao, Yueliang; Wang, Xichang; Fan, Daming; Cheng, Kawing; Wang, Mingfu

    2018-03-01

    Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are mutagens and rodent carcinogens. Flavonoids have attracted considerable attention for development into effective inhibitors against the formation of genotoxic HAAs in thermally processed foods. The inhibitory effect of dihydromyricetin (DMY) on the formation of key HAAs, including 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoxaline (MeIQx), and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), was significant. In chemical models, DMY (0.05 mmol, 0.1 mmol, and 0.2 mmol) significantly decreased the amount of PhIP formed (43.0%, 54.7%, and 75.7% respectively). A significant inhibitory effect on the formation of MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx was also observed. Moreover, DMY (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2%) reduced the generation of PhIP (by 48.0%, 59.0%, and 80.1% respectively) and that of MeIQx (by 45.8%, 62.0%, and 76.7% respectively) in fried beef patties. The results indicate that DMY could be converted into myricetin during thermal processing, and both DMY and myricetin could trap phenylacetaldehyde, a major Strecker aldehyde of phenylalanine, in a similar manner to thus inhibit the generation of PhIP. This study provides valuable information for the development of effective strategies to minimize HAA content in thermally processed foods and also sheds light on the mechanism that accounts for the inhibitory effect. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Inhibitory effect and mechanism of acarbose combined with gymnemic acid on maltose absorption in rat intestine

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Hong; Wang, Le Feng; Imoto, Toshiaki; Hiji, Yasutake

    2001-01-01

    AIM: To compare the combinative and individual effect of acarbose and gymnemic acid (GA) on maltose absorption and hydrolysis in small intestine to determine whether nutrient control in diabetic care can be improved by combination of them. METHODS: The absorption and hydrolysis of maltose were studied by cyclic perfusion of intestinal loops in situ and motility of the intestine was recorded with the intestinal ring in vitro using Wistar rats. RESULTS: The total inhibitory rate of maltose absorption was improved by the combination of GA (0.1 g/L-1.0 g/L) and acarbose (0.1 mmol/L-2.0 mmol/L) throughout their effective duration (P < 0.05, U test of Mann-Whitney), although the improvement only could be seen at a low dosage during the first hour. With the combination, inhibitory duration of acarbose on maltose absorption was prolonged to 3 h and the inhibitory effect onset of GA was fastened to 15 min. GA suppressed the intestinal mobility with a good correlation (r = 0.98) to the inhibitory effect of GA on maltose absorption and the inhibitory effect of 2 mmol/L (high dose) acarbose on maltose hydrolysis was dual modulated by 1 g/L GA in vivo indicating that the combined effects involved the functional alteration of intestinal barriers. CONCLUSION: There are augmented effects of acarbose and GA, which involve pre-cellular and paracellular barriers. Diabetic care can be improved by employing the combination. PMID:11819725

  9. Plant-growth inhibitory activity of cedrelanolide from Cedrela salvadorensis.

    PubMed

    Céspedes, C L; Calderón, J S; Salazar, J R; Lotina-Hennsen, B; Segura, R

    2001-01-01

    The effect of cedrelanolide, the most abundant limonoid isolated from Cedrela salvadorensis (Meliaceae), was assayed as a plant-growth inhibitory compound against monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous seeds. This compound inhibited germination, seed respiration, and seedling dry weights of some plant species (Lolium multiflorum, var. Hercules, Triticum vulgare, var. Salamanca, Physalis ixocarpa, and Trifolium alexandrinum). Our results indicate that cedrelanolide interferes with monocot preemergence properties, mainly energy metabolism of the seeds at the level of respiration. In addition, the compound inhibits photophosphorylation, H+ uptake, and noncyclic electron flow. This behavior might be responsible for its plant-growth inhibitory properties and its possible role as an allelopathic agent.

  10. Inhibitory Effect of Flavonolignans on the P2Y12 Pathway in Blood Platelets.

    PubMed

    Bijak, Michal; Szelenberger, Rafal; Dziedzic, Angela; Saluk-Bijak, Joanna

    2018-02-10

    Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is the major platelet agonist, which is important in the shape changes, stability, and growth of the thrombus. Platelet activation by ADP is associated with the G protein-coupled receptors P2Y1 and P2Y12. The pharmacologic blockade of the P2Y12 receptor significantly reduces the risk of peripheral artery disease, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and vascular death. Recent studies demonstrated the inhibition of ADP-induced blood platelet activation by three major compounds of the flavonolignans group: silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. For this reason, the aim of the current work was to verify the effects of silybin, silychristin, and silydianin on ADP-induced physiological platelets responses, as well as mechanisms of P2Y12-dependent intracellular signal transduction. We evaluated the effect of tested flavonolignans on ADP-induced blood platelets' aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (using light transmission aggregometry), adhesion to fibrinogen (using the static method), and the secretion of PF-4 (using the ELISA method). Additionally, using the double labeled flow cytometry method, we estimated platelet vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation. We demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction of blood platelets' ability to perform ADP-induced aggregation, adhere to fibrinogen, and secrete PF-4 in samples treated with flavonolignans. Additionally, we observed that all of the tested flavonolignans were able to increase VASP phosphorylation in blood platelets samples, which is correlated with P2Y12 receptor inhibition. All of these analyses show that silychristin and silybin have the strongest inhibitory effect on blood platelet activation by ADP, while silydianin also inhibits the ADP pathway, but to a lesser extent. The results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate that silybin, silychristin, and silydianin have inhibitory properties against the P2Y12 receptor and block ADP-induced blood platelet

  11. Eye Gaze and Aging: Selective and Combined Effects of Working Memory and Inhibitory Control.

    PubMed

    Crawford, Trevor J; Smith, Eleanor S; Berry, Donna M

    2017-01-01

    Eye-tracking is increasingly studied as a cognitive and biological marker for the early signs of neuropsychological and psychiatric disorders. However, in order to make further progress, a more comprehensive understanding of the age-related effects on eye-tracking is essential. The antisaccade task requires participants to make saccadic eye movements away from a prepotent stimulus. Speculation on the cause of the observed age-related differences in the antisaccade task largely centers around two sources of cognitive dysfunction: inhibitory control (IC) and working memory (WM). The IC account views cognitive slowing and task errors as a direct result of the decline of inhibitory cognitive mechanisms. An alternative theory considers that a deterioration of WM is the cause of these age-related effects on behavior. The current study assessed IC and WM processes underpinning saccadic eye movements in young and older participants. This was achieved with three experimental conditions that systematically varied the extent to which WM and IC were taxed in the antisaccade task: a memory-guided task was used to explore the effect of increasing the WM load; a Go/No-Go task was used to explore the effect of increasing the inhibitory load; a 'standard' antisaccade task retained the standard WM and inhibitory loads. Saccadic eye movements were also examined in a control condition: the standard prosaccade task where the load of WM and IC were minimal or absent. Saccade latencies, error rates and the spatial accuracy of saccades of older participants were compared to the same measures in healthy young controls across the conditions. The results revealed that aging is associated with changes in both IC and WM. Increasing the inhibitory load was associated with increased reaction times in the older group, while the increased WM load and the inhibitory load contributed to an increase in the antisaccade errors. These results reveal that aging is associated with changes in both IC and

  12. Inhibitory effect of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas extract (PE) on poly (I:C)-induced immune response of epidermal keratinocytes.

    PubMed

    Choi, Mi-Ra; Choi, Dae-Kyoung; Sohn, Kyung-Cheol; Lim, Seul Ki; Kim, Dong-Il; Lee, Young Ho; Im, Myung; Lee, Young; Seo, Young-Joon; Kim, Chang Deok; Lee, Jeung-Hoon

    2015-01-01

    Epidermal keratinocytes provide protective role against external stimuli by barrier formation. In addition, kertinocytes exerts their role as the defense cells via activation of innate immunity. Disturbance of keratinocyte functions is related with skin disorders. Psoriasis is a common skin disease related with inflammatory reaction in epidermal cells. We attempted to find therapeutics for psoriasis, and found that Paeonia lactiflora Pallas extract (PE) has an inhibitory potential on poly (I:C)-induced inflammation of keratinocytes. PE significantly inhibited poly (I:C)-induced expression of crucial psoriatic cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-8, CCL20 and TNF-α, via down-regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway in human keratinocytes. In addition, PE significantly inhibited poly (I:C)-induced inflammasome activation, in terms of IL-1β and caspase-1 secretion. Finally, PE markedly inhibited poly (I:C)-increased NLRP3, an important component of inflammasome. These results indicate that PE has an inhibitory effect on poly (I:C)-induced inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes, suggesting that PE can be developed for the treatment of psoriasis.

  13. Effects of Neuromodulation on Excitatory-Inhibitory Neural Network Dynamics Depend on Network Connectivity Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rich, Scott; Zochowski, Michal; Booth, Victoria

    2018-01-01

    Acetylcholine (ACh), one of the brain's most potent neuromodulators, can affect intrinsic neuron properties through blockade of an M-type potassium current. The effect of ACh on excitatory and inhibitory cells with this potassium channel modulates their membrane excitability, which in turn affects their tendency to synchronize in networks. Here, we study the resulting changes in dynamics in networks with inter-connected excitatory and inhibitory populations (E-I networks), which are ubiquitous in the brain. Utilizing biophysical models of E-I networks, we analyze how the network connectivity structure in terms of synaptic connectivity alters the influence of ACh on the generation of synchronous excitatory bursting. We investigate networks containing all combinations of excitatory and inhibitory cells with high (Type I properties) or low (Type II properties) modulatory tone. To vary network connectivity structure, we focus on the effects of the strengths of inter-connections between excitatory and inhibitory cells (E-I synapses and I-E synapses), and the strengths of intra-connections among excitatory cells (E-E synapses) and among inhibitory cells (I-I synapses). We show that the presence of ACh may or may not affect the generation of network synchrony depending on the network connectivity. Specifically, strong network inter-connectivity induces synchronous excitatory bursting regardless of the cellular propensity for synchronization, which aligns with predictions of the PING model. However, when a network's intra-connectivity dominates its inter-connectivity, the propensity for synchrony of either inhibitory or excitatory cells can determine the generation of network-wide bursting.

  14. Effects of acute buspirone administration on inhibitory control and sexual discounting in cocaine users.

    PubMed

    Strickland, Justin C; Bolin, B Levi; Romanelli, Michael R; Rush, Craig R; Stoops, William W

    2017-01-01

    Cocaine users display deficits in inhibitory control and make impulsive choices that may increase risky behavior. Buspirone is an anxiolytic that activates dopaminergic and serotonergic systems and improves impulsive choice (i.e., reduces sexual risk-taking intent) in cocaine users when administered chronically. We evaluated the effects of acutely administered buspirone on inhibitory control and impulsive choice. Eleven subjects with a recent history of cocaine use completed this within-subject, placebo-controlled study. Subjects performed two cued go/no-go and a sexual risk delay-discounting task following oral administration of buspirone (10 and 30 mg), triazolam (0.375 mg; positive control), and placebo (negative control). Physiological and psychomotor performance and subject-rated data were also collected. Buspirone failed to change inhibitory control or impulsive choice; however, slower reaction times were observed at the highest dose tested. Buspirone did not produce subject-rated drug effects but dose-dependently decreased diastolic blood pressure. Triazolam impaired psychomotor performance and increased ratings of positive subject-rated effects (e.g., Like Drug). These findings indicate that acutely administered buspirone has little impact on behavioral measures of inhibitory control and impulsive sexual decision-making. Considering previous findings with chronic dosing, these findings highlight that the behavioral effects of buspirone differ as a function of dosing conditions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Inhibitory effects of ginseng total saponin on up-regulation of cAMP pathway induced by repeated administration of morphine.

    PubMed

    Seo, Jeong-Ju; Lee, Jae-Woong; Lee, Wan-Kyu; Hong, Jin-Tae; Lee, Chong-Kil; Lee, Myung-Koo; Oh, Ki-Wan

    2008-02-01

    We have reported that ginseng total saponin (GTS) inhibited the development of physical and psychological dependence on morphine. However, the possible molecular mechanisms of GTS are unclear. Therefore, this study was undertaken to understand the possible molecular mechanism of GTS on the inhibitory effects of morphine-induced dependence. It has been reported that the up-regulated cAMP pathway in the LC of the mouse brain after repeated administration of morphine contributes to the feature of withdrawals. GTS inhibited up-regulation of cAMP pathway in the LC after repeated administration of morphine in this experiment. GTS inhibited cAMP levels and protein expression of protein kinase A (PKA). In addition, GTS inhibited the increase of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Therefore, we conclude that the inhibitory effects of GTS on morphine-induced dependence might be mediated by the inhibition of cAMP pathway.

  16. Inhibitory Effects of Megakaryocytes in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-04-01

    meeting, Feb. 2010, Seattle, WA) 3. Inhibitory effects of megakaryocytes in prostate cancer bone metastasis. (Oral presentation and Young ...cancer bone metastasis. (Oral presentation and ASBMR-Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award, Aug. 2009, Sun Valley, ID) 5. Career development...valuable new scientific information and also provided critical career development support for an a spiring young scientist. References Please refer

  17. Isolation and identification of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) phenolics with antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ju-Sung; Kwon, Yong-Soo; Sa, Yeo-Jin; Kim, Myong-Jo

    2011-01-12

    This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects from the extract, fractions, and isolated compounds of sea buckthorn leaves. Six compounds, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-(6''-O-coumaryl) glycoside, 1-feruloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, were isolated from sea buckthorn leaf extracts. The butanol fraction (EC(50) = 1.81 μg/mL) along with quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (EC(50) = 1.86 μg/mL) had a higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity and showed stronger reducing power (OD(700) = 1.83 and 1.78, respectively). The butanol fraction (477 mg GAE/g) contained the highest amount of phenolic compounds and also the most powerful α-glucosidase inhibitory effect (86%) at 5 μg/mL. The results indicate that sea buckthorn leaf extracts could potentially be used for food additives and the development of useful natural compounds.

  18. Inhibitory Effect of Waste Glass Powder on ASR Expansion Induced by Waste Glass Aggregate

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Shuhua; Wang, Shu; Tang, Wan; Hu, Ningning; Wei, Jianpeng

    2015-01-01

    Detailed research is carried out to ascertain the inhibitory effect of waste glass powder (WGP) on alkali-silica reaction (ASR) expansion induced by waste glass aggregate in this paper. The alkali reactivity of waste glass aggregate is examined by two methods in accordance with the China Test Code SL352-2006. The potential of WGP to control the ASR expansion is determined in terms of mean diameter, specific surface area, content of WGP and curing temperature. Two mathematical models are developed to estimate the inhibitory efficiency of WGP. These studies show that there is ASR risk with an ASR expansion rate over 0.2% when the sand contains more than 30% glass aggregate. However, WGP can effectively control the ASR expansion and inhibit the expansion rate induced by the glass aggregate to be under 0.1%. The two mathematical models have good simulation results, which can be used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of WGP on ASR risk. PMID:28793603

  19. Inhibitory effect of emodin on human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 and its mechanism.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xia; Chen, Yingping; Zhang, Ting; Zhang, Yaming

    2015-03-01

    Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) is the dried root or rhizome of Rheum palmatum L., Rheum tanguticum Maxim ex Balf. or Rheum officinale Braill of family Polygonaceae. It has heat clearing, damp drying, fire purging and toxin removing effects. Because of its definite curative efficacy, it has been widely applied in clinical settings. To study the inhibitory effect of emodin on human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 and its mechanism. MTT assay, flow cytometry and electron microscopy were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of different concentrations of emodin on human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721. 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after the action of 20, 40 and 80 umol/L emodin on SMMC-7721 cells, the proliferation of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells was inhibited; the inhibitory effects showed time-and concentration-dependence. 48 h after the action of different concentrations of emodin on SMMC-7721 cells, cells in G2/M phase increased significantly, while the proportion of S phase cells gradually declined. Emodin can inhibit human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721.

  20. Probing inhibitory effects of nanocrystalline cellulose: inhibition versus surface charge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Male, Keith B.; Leung, Alfred C. W.; Montes, Johnny; Kamen, Amine; Luong, John H. T.

    2012-02-01

    NCC derived from different biomass sources was probed for its plausible cytotoxicity by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). Two different cell lines, Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 insect cells and Chinese hamster lung fibroblast V79, were exposed to NCC and their spreading and viability were monitored and quantified by ECIS. Based on the 50%-inhibition concentration (ECIS50), none of the NCC produced was judged to have any significant cytotoxicity on these two cell lines. However, NCC derived from flax exhibited the most pronounced inhibition on Sf9 compared to hemp and cellulose powder. NCCs from flax and hemp pre-treated with pectate lyase were also less inhibitory than NCCs prepared from untreated flax and hemp. Results also suggested a correlation between the inhibitory effect and the carboxylic acid contents on the NCC.

  1. Alcohol's acute effect on food intake is mediated by inhibitory control impairments.

    PubMed

    Christiansen, Paul; Rose, Abigail; Randall-Smith, Laura; Hardman, Charlotte A

    2016-05-01

    There is a strong association between alcohol misuse and excess weight. Although alcohol is highly calorific and may directly contribute to weight gain, it is also likely to have indirect effects on weight. Indeed, alcohol primes have been found to stimulate appetite and increase energy intake in experimental taste tests. The current study investigated whether the effects of alcohol on energy intake are the result of inhibitory control impairments and whether this effect is moderated by individual differences in dietary restraint. Sixty undergraduate females completed measures of dietary restraint and the Food Craving Questionnaire-State (FCQS). Following this, they were given an alcohol prime (0.6 g of alcohol per kg of body weight) or a placebo drink manipulated to smell and taste alcoholic. Participants then completed another FCQS and a color conflict Stroop to measure inhibitory control. Finally, participants were asked to taste cookies for 15 minutes. Participants in the alcohol condition performed worse on the Stroop (d = .61) and consumed more cookie calories (d = .61) than participants in the placebo condition. Notably, the effect of the experimental condition on the amount of cookies consumed was mediated by Stroop performance (Κ2 = .08), although this effect was not evident under high levels of restraint. There was no effect of experimental condition on any subscale of craving. The current study suggests that increased energy intake after alcohol administration may be the product of inhibitory control impairments. However, the most restrained eaters are able to maintain control over their eating behavior. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON NEURONAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS.

    EPA Science Inventory

    INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON NEURONAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS.
    A.S. Bale*; P.J. Bushnell; C.A. Meacham; T.J. Shafer
    Neurotoxicology Division, NHEERL, ORD, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
    Toluene (TOL...

  3. Effects of oxotremorine and physostigmine on the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by amitriptyline in male and female mice.

    PubMed

    Monleón, Santiago; Urquiza, Adoración; Vinader-Caerols, Concepción; Parra, Andrés

    2009-12-28

    We have previously observed that amitriptyline and other antidepressants produce impairing effects on inhibitory avoidance (also called passive avoidance) in mice of both sexes. In the present study we investigated the involvement of the cholinergic system in the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by acute amitriptyline in male and female CD1 mice. For this purpose, the effects on said task of acute i.p. administration of several doses of amitriptyline, either alone or in combination with the cholinergic agonists oxotremorine and physostigmine, were evaluated. Pre-training administration of 5, 7.5, 10 or 15 mg/kg of amitriptyline produced a significant impairment of inhibitory avoidance in both males and females. When oxotremorine (0.05 or 0.1 mg/kg) was co-administered with amitriptyline, the antidepressant's impairing effect was partially counteracted, although inhibitory avoidance learning was not significant. Physostigmine (0.15, 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg) counteracted the impairment produced by amitriptyline, as mice treated with both drugs exhibited inhibitory avoidance learning. These results show that the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by amitriptyline in male and female mice is mediated, at least partially, by the cholinergic system.

  4. Inhibitory effect of sour pomegranate sauces on some green vegetables and kisir.

    PubMed

    Karabiyikli, Seniz; Kisla, Duygu

    2012-04-16

    In this study, the antimicrobial effects of both traditional and commercial pomegranate sour sauce samples on some green vegetables and also on "kısır" which is a popular and traditional appetizer in Turkey were investigated. The inhibitory effect of the pomegranate products on the naturally existing bacterial microflora of lettuce, spring onion, parsley and kısır were analyzed. Also, all these food samples were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25923) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC-43895) and antimicrobial effect of the pomegranate products on the inoculated microflora was detected. All the food samples were treated with pomegranate products for different time periods and the effect of treatment time was investigated. pH and titratable acidity values of the traditional and commercial pomegranate sour sauce samples were detected. The results showed that although the pomegranate products had an antimicrobial effect on the natural bacterial microflora of the food samples, the effect on inoculated food samples was more prominent and additionally the application time was found to be a crucial parameter for both cases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Inhibitory effect of alpha-mangostin on Candida biofilms.

    PubMed

    Kaomongkolgit, Ruchadaporn; Jamdee, Kusuma

    2017-04-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of alpha-mangostin on Candida biofilms. Candida species including Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata were tested. Candida biofilms were formed in flat-bottomed 96-well microtiter plates. The metabolic activity of cells within biofilms was quantified using the XTT assay. The results demonstrated that alpha-mangostin showed a significant anti-biofilm effect on both developing biofilms and preformed biofilms of Candida species. It may be concluded that alpha-mangostin could be an anti-biofilm agent against Candida species. Further in vivo investigations are needed to uncover the therapeutic values of this medicinal plant.

  6. Strong inhibitory effect of furanoses and sugar lactones on beta-galactosidase Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Huber, R E; Brockbank, R L

    1987-03-24

    Various sugars and their lactones were tested for their inhibition of beta-galactosidase (Escherichia coli). L-Ribose, which in the furanose form has a hydroxyl configuration similar to that of D-galactose at positions equivalent to the 3- and 4-positions of D-galactose, was a very strong inhibitor, and D-lyxose, which in the furanose form also resembles D-galactose, was a much better inhibitor than expected. Structural comparisons prelude the pyranose forms of these sugars from being significant contributors to the inhibition, and inhibition at different temperatures (at which there are different furanose concentrations) strongly supported the conclusion that the furanose form is inhibitory. Studies with sugar derivatives that can only be in the furanose form also supported the conclusion. This is the first report of the inhibitory effect of furanose on beta-galactosidase. Lactones were also inhibitory. Every lactone tested was much more inhibitory than was its parent sugar. D-Galactonolactone was especially good. Experiments indicated that it was D-galactono-1,5-lactone rather than D-galactono-1,4-lactone which was inhibitory. Inhibition of beta-galactosidases from mammalian sources by lactones has been reported previously, but this is the first report of the effect of beta-galactosidase from E. coli. Since furanoses in the envelope form are analogous (in some ways) to half-chair or sofa conformations and since lactones with six-membered rings probably have half-chair or sofa conformations, the results indicate that beta-galactosidase probably destabilizes its substrate into a planar conformation of some type and that the galactose in the transition state may, therefore, also be quite planar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  7. Inhibitory effects of ethyl pyruvate on platelet aggregation and phosphatidylserine exposure.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenjin; Yang, Xinyu; Peng, Minyuan; Li, Can; Mu, Guangfu; Chen, Fangping

    2017-06-03

    Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is a stable lipophilic pyruvate derivative. Studies demonstrated that EP shows potent anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant effects. Inflammation and coagulation are closely interacted with platelet activation. However, it is unclear whether EP has anti-platelet effects. Therefore, we investigated the anti-platelet effect of EP in this study in vitro. We found that EP inhibited agonists induced platelets aggregation, ATP release and adhesion to collagen. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that EP inhibited agonist induced platelets PAC-1 binding, as well as P-selectin and CD40L expression. The underlying mechanism of action may involve the inhibition of platelet PI3K/Akt and Protein Kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways. Additionally, EP dose dependently inhibited platelet PS exposure induced by high concentration thrombin. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity assay and mice platelet count implied that EP may have no toxic effect on platelets. Therefore, we are the first to report that EP has potent anti-platelet activity and attenuates platelet PS exposure in vitro, suggesting that the inhibitory effects of EP on platelets may also play important roles in improvement of inflammation and coagulation disorder in related animal models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Inhibitory effect of 2‑mercaptoethane sulfonate on the formation of Escherichia coli biofilms in vitro.

    PubMed

    Chen, Sheng; He, Nianhai; Yu, Jialin; Li, Luquan; Sun, Fengjun; Hu, Ying; Deng, Rui; Zhong, Shiming; Shen, Leilei

    2015-10-01

    The biofilms (BF) formed by Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an important cause of chronic and recurrent infections due to its capacity to persist on medical surfaces and indwelling devices, demonstrating the importance of inhibiting the formation of E. coli BF and reducing BF infection. Although 2‑mercaptoethane sulfonate (MESNA) exhibits a marked mucolytic effect clinically, the effect of MESNA on the inhibition of E. coli BF formation remains to be elucidated. The present study investigated whether MESNA inhibits the formation of E. coli BF in vitro. The minimum inhibitory concentration of MESNA on E. coli was determined to be 10 mg/ml. Subsequently, the effect of MESNA on BF early adhesion, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) and extracellular protein were detected. The effect of a subinhibitory concentration of MESNA on BF formation was evaluated, and the inhibitory potency of MESNA against matured BF was assayed. The results revealed that MESNA inhibited early stage adhesion and formation of the E. coli BF, destroyed the mature BF membrane and reduced the EPS and extracellular proteins levels of the BF. In addition, the present study investigated the effects of MESNA on the expression of EPS‑ and adhesion protein‑associated genes using quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, which demonstrated that MESNA effectively inhibited the expression of these genes. These results suggested that MESNA possesses anti‑BF formation capability on E. coli in vitro and may be used as a potential reagent for the clinical treatment of E. coli BF‑associated infections.

  9. Neurofeedback Training Effects on Inhibitory Brain Activation in ADHD: A Matter of Learning?

    PubMed

    Baumeister, Sarah; Wolf, Isabella; Holz, Nathalie; Boecker-Schlier, Regina; Adamo, Nicoletta; Holtmann, Martin; Ruf, Matthias; Banaschewski, Tobias; Hohmann, Sarah; Brandeis, Daniel

    2018-05-15

    Neurofeedback training (NF) is a promising non-pharmacological treatment for ADHD that has been associated with improvement of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related symptoms as well as changes in electrophysiological measures. However, the functional localization of neural changes following NF compared to an active control condition, and of successful learning during training (considered to be the critical mechanism for improvement), remains largely unstudied. Children with ADHD (N=16, mean age: 11.81, SD: 1.47) were randomly assigned to either slow cortical potential (SCP, n=8) based NF or biofeedback control training (electromyogram feedback, n=8) and performed a combined Flanker/NoGo task pre- and post-training. Effects of NF, compared to the active control, and of learning in transfer trials (approximating successful transfer to everyday life) were examined with respect to clinical outcome and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes during inhibitory control. After 20 sessions of training, children in the NF group presented reduced ADHD symptoms and increased activation in areas associated with inhibitory control compared to baseline. Subjects who were successful learners (n=9) also showed increased activation in an extensive inhibitory network irrespective of the type of training. Activation increased in an extensive inhibitory network following NF training, and following successful learning through NF and control biofeedback. Although this study was only powered to detect large effects and clearly requires replication in larger samples, the results suggest a crucial role for learning effects in biofeedback trainings. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Nucleus reticularis neurons mediate diverse inhibitory effects in thalamus.

    PubMed

    Cox, C L; Huguenard, J R; Prince, D A

    1997-08-05

    Detailed information regarding the contribution of individual gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing inhibitory neurons to the overall synaptic activity of single postsynaptic cells is essential to our understanding of fundamental elements of synaptic integration and operation of neuronal circuits. For example, GABA-containing cells in the thalamic reticular nucleus (nRt) provide major inhibitory innervation of thalamic relay nuclei that is critical to thalamocortical rhythm generation. To investigate the contribution of individual nRt neurons to the strength of this internuclear inhibition, we obtained whole-cell recordings of unitary inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) evoked in ventrobasal thalamocortical (VB) neurons by stimulation of single nRt cells in rat thalamic slices, in conjunction with intracellular biocytin labeling. Two types of monosynaptic IPSCs could be distinguished. "Weak" inhibitory connections were characterized by a significant number of postsynaptic failures in response to presynaptic nRt action potentials and relatively small IPSCs. In contrast, "strong" inhibition was characterized by the absence of postsynaptic failures and significantly larger unitary IPSCs. By using miniature IPSC amplitudes to infer quantal size, we estimated that unitary IPSCs associated with weak inhibition resulted from activation of 1-3 release sites, whereas stronger inhibition would require simultaneous activation of 5-70 release sites. The inhibitory strengths were positively correlated with the density of axonal swellings of the presynaptic nRt neurons, an indicator that characterizes different nRt axonal arborization patterns. These results demonstrate that there is a heterogeneity of inhibitory interactions between nRt and VB neurons, and that variations in gross morphological features of axonal arbors in the central nervous system can be associated with significant differences in postsynaptic response characteristics.

  11. An apple oligogalactan potentiates the growth inhibitory effect of celecoxib on colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuhua; Niu, Yinbo; Sun, Yang; Mei, Lin; Zhang, Bangle; Li, Qian; Liu, Li; Zhang, Rong; Chen, Jianfa; Mei, Qibing

    2014-01-01

    Multiple studies have indicated that selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors possess clinically chemopreventive and preclinically anticancer activities. Their long-term use, however, may be limited by the cardiovascular toxicity. This study tried to investigate whether an apple oligogalactan (AOG) could enhance the growth inhibitory effect of celecoxib on colorectal cancer. Caco-2 and HT-29 cell lines were exposed to different concentrations of AOG (0-1 g/L), celecoxib (0-25 μmol/L), and their combination. COX-2 levels were assessed by reverse transcription PCR and Western blot. COX-2 activity was evaluated by measuring prostaglandin E2 concentration. A colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CACC) mouse model was used to determine the effect of the combination in vivo. AOG (0.1-0.5 g/L) could potentiate the inhibitory effect of physiologic doses of celecoxib (5 μmol/L) on cell growth and decrease COX-2 expressions both at RNA and protein levels. In vivo, the combination (2.5% AOG plus 0.04% celecoxib, w/w) prevented against CACC in mice effectively. Our data indicate that AOG could potentiate the growth inhibitory effect of celecoxib on colorectal cancer both in vitro and in vivo through influencing the expression and function of COX-2 and phosphorylation of MAPKs, which suggests a new possible combinatorial strategy in colorectal cancer therapy.

  12. Inhibitory effect of aniracetam on N-type calcium current in acutely isolated rat neuronal cells.

    PubMed

    Koike, H; Saito, H; Matsuki, N

    1993-04-01

    Effects of aniracetam on whole-cell calcium currents were studied in acutely isolated neuronal cells from postnatal rat ventromedial hypothalamus. There were three types of inward calcium currents, one low-threshold transient current and two high-threshold sustained currents. The nicardipine sensitive L-type current was activated at -20 mV or more depolarized potentials, and the omega-conotoxin sensitive N-type current was recorded at more positive potentials than the L-type. Aniracetam inhibited the N-type current in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the other two types of calcium currents. The effect appeared soon after the addition and lasted for several minutes during washing. Since the N-type current is thought to regulate the release of transmitters, the inhibitory effect may contribute to the nootropic property of aniracetam by modifying the neurotransmission.

  13. Medicinal flowers. XXXX . Structures of dihydroisocoumarin glycosides and inhibitory effects on aldose reducatase from the flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla var.thunbergii.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jiang; Nakamura, Seikou; Zhuang, Yan; Yoshikawa, Masayuki; Hussein, Ghazi Mohamed Eisa; Matsuo, Kyohei; Matsuda, Hisashi

    2013-01-01

    Six dihydroisocoumarin glycosides, florahydrosides I and II, thunberginol G 8-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, thunberginol C 8-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 4-hydroxythunberginol G 3'-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and thunberginol D 3'-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, have been isolated from the flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla Seringe var. thunbergii Makino (Saxifragaceae) together with 20 known compounds. The chemical structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Among the constituents, acylated quinic acid analog, neochlorogenic acid, was shown to substantially inhibit aldose reductase [IC50=5.6 µm]. In addition, the inhibitory effects on aldose reductase of several caffeoylquinic acid analogs were examined for structure-activity relationship study. As the results, 4,5-O-trans-p-dicaffeoyl-d-quinic acid was found to exhibit a potent inhibitory effect [IC50=0.29 µm].

  14. Inhibitory effect of strychnine on acetylcholine receptor activation in bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells.

    PubMed Central

    Kuijpers, G A; Vergara, L A; Calvo, S; Yadid, G

    1994-01-01

    1. Strychnine, which is known as a potent and selective antagonist of the inhibitory glycine receptor in the central nervous system, inhibits the nicotinic stimulation of catecholamine release from bovine cultured adrenal chromaffin cells in a concentration-dependent (1-100 microM) manner. At 10 microM nicotine, the IC50 value for strychnine is approximately 30 microM. Strychnine also inhibits the nicotine-induced membrane depolarization and increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. 2. The inhibitory action of strychnine is reversible and is selective for nicotinic stimulation, with no effect observed on secretion elicited by a high external K+ concentration, histamine or angiotensin II. 3. Strychnine competes with nicotine in its effect, but not modify the apparent positive cooperatively of the nicotine binding sites. In the absence of nicotine, strychnine has no effect on catecholamine release. Glycine does not affect catecholamine release nor the inhibitory action of strychnine on this release. 4. These results suggest that strychnine interacts with the agonist binding site of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in chromaffin cells, thus exerting a pharmacological effect independently of the glycine receptor. PMID:7834198

  15. Comparison of the inhibitory effects of tolcapone and entacapone against human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lv, Xia

    2016-06-15

    Tolcapone and entacapone are two potent catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors with a similar skeleton and displaying similar pharmacological activities. However, entacapone is a very safe drug used widely in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, while tolcapone is only in limited use for Parkinson's patients and needs careful monitoring of hepatic functions due to hepatotoxicity. This study aims to investigate and compare the inhibitory effects of entacapone and tolcapone on human UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs), as well as to evaluate the potential risks from the view of drug-drug interactions (DDI). The results demonstrated that both tolcapone and entacapone exhibited inhibitory effects on UGT1A1, UGT1A7,more » UGT1A9 and UGT1A10. In contrast to entacapone, tolcapone exhibited more potent inhibitory effects on UGT1A1, UGT1A7, and UGT1A10, while their inhibitory potentials against UGT1A9 were comparable. It is noteworthy that the inhibition constants (K{sub i}) of tolcapone and entacapone against bilirubin-O-glucuronidation in human liver microsomes (HLM) are determined as 0.68 μM and 30.82 μM, respectively, which means that the inhibition potency of tolcapone on UGT1A1 mediated bilirubin-O-glucuronidation in HLM is much higher than that of entacapone. Furthermore, the potential risks of tolcapone or entacapone via inhibition of human UGT1A1 were quantitatively predicted by the ratio of the areas under the plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUC). The results indicate that tolcapone may result in significant increase in AUC of bilirubin or the drugs primarily metabolized by UGT1A1, while entacapone is unlikely to cause a significant DDI through inhibition of UGT1A1. - Highlights: • Tolcapone and entacapone exhibited preferential inhibition against UGT1A enzymes. • In contrast to entacapone, tolcapone exhibited more potent inhibitory effects on human UGT1A1, 1 A7 and 1 A10. • Tolcapone may lead to significant increase in AUC of bilirubin.

  16. GMP reverses the facilitatory effect of glutamate on inhibitory avoidance task in rats.

    PubMed

    Rubin, M A; Jurach, A; da Costa Júnior, E M; Lima, T T; Jiménez-Bernal, R E; Begnini, J; Souza, D O; de Mello, C F

    1996-09-02

    Previous studies have demonstrated that post-training intrahippocampal glutamate administration improves inhibitory avoidance task performance in rats. Antagonism of the agonist actions of glutamate by guanine nucleotides has been shown at the molecular and behavioural level. In the present investigation we demonstrate that intrahippocampal co-administration of GMP (guanosine 5'-monophosphate) reverses the facilitatory effect of glutamate on the inhibitory avoidance learning paradigm and inhibits [3H]glutamate binding in hippocampal synaptic plasma membranes. These results suggest that guanine nucleotides may modulate glutamate actions.

  17. Competition and cooperation among similar representations: toward a unified account of facilitative and inhibitory effects of lexical neighbors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Qi; Mirman, Daniel

    2012-04-01

    One of the core principles of how the mind works is the graded, parallel activation of multiple related or similar representations. Parallel activation of multiple representations has been particularly important in the development of theories and models of language processing, where coactivated representations (neighbors) have been shown to exhibit both facilitative and inhibitory effects on word recognition and production. Researchers generally ascribe these effects to interactive activation and competition, but there is no unified explanation for why the effects are facilitative in some cases and inhibitory in others. We present a series of simulations of a simple domain-general interactive activation and competition model that is broadly consistent with more specialized domain-specific models of lexical processing. The results showed that interactive activation and competition can indeed account for the complex pattern of reversals. Critically, the simulations revealed a core computational principle that determines whether neighbor effects are facilitative or inhibitory: strongly active neighbors exert a net inhibitory effect, and weakly active neighbors exert a net facilitative effect.

  18. Time-dependent inhibitory effects of cGMP-analogues on thrombin-induced platelet-derived microparticles formation, platelet aggregation, and P-selectin expression

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nygaard, Gyrid; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen; Herfindal, Lars

    Highlights: • We investigated the impact of cyclic nucleotide analogues on platelet activation. • Different time dependence were found for inhibition of platelet activation. • Additive effect was found using PKA- and PKG-activating analogues. • Our results may explain some of the discrepancies reported for cNMP signalling. - Abstract: In platelets, nitric oxide (NO) activates cGMP/PKG signalling, whereas prostaglandins and adenosine signal through cAMP/PKA. Cyclic nucleotide signalling has been considered to play an inhibitory role in platelets. However, an early stimulatory effect of NO and cGMP-PKG signalling in low dose agonist-induced platelet activation have recently been suggested. Here, we investigatedmore » whether different experimental conditions could explain some of the discrepancy reported for platelet cGMP-PKG-signalling. We treated gel-filtered human platelets with cGMP and cAMP analogues, and used flow cytometric assays to detect low dose thrombin-induced formation of small platelet aggregates, single platelet disappearance (SPD), platelet-derived microparticles (PMP) and thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP)-induced P-selectin expression. All four agonist-induced platelet activation phases were blocked when platelets were costimulated with the PKG activators 8-Br-PET-cGMP or 8-pCPT-cGMP and low-doses of thrombin or TRAP. However, extended incubation with 8-Br-PET-cGMP decreased its inhibition of TRAP-induced P-selectin expression in a time-dependent manner. This effect did not involve desensitisation of PKG or PKA activity, measured as site-specific VASP phosphorylation. Moreover, PKG activators in combination with the PKA activator Sp-5,6-DCL-cBIMPS revealed additive inhibitory effect on TRAP-induced P-selectin expression. Taken together, we found no evidence for a stimulatory role of cGMP/PKG in platelets activation and conclude rather that cGMP/PKG signalling has an important inhibitory function in human platelet activation.« less

  19. Consequence of the antioxidant activities and tyrosinase inhibitory effects of various extracts from the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ferulae

    PubMed Central

    Alam, Nuhu; Yoon, Ki Nam; Lee, Jae Seong; Cho, Hae Jin; Lee, Tae Soo

    2011-01-01

    This study was initiated to screen the antioxidant activities, tyrosinase inhibitory effects on the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ferulae extracted with acetone, methanol and hot water. The antioxidant activities were performed on β-carotene–linoleic acid, reducing power, DPPH, ferrous ions chelating abilities, and xanthine oxidase. In addition to this, phenolic compounds were also analyzed. The methanolic extract showed the strongest β-carotene–linoleic acid inhibition and high reducing power as compared to other extracts. The scavenging effects on DPPH radicals, the acetonic and methanolic extracts were more effective than hot water extracts. The strongest chelating effect was obtained from the methanolic extract as compared to the tested synthetic antioxidant. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, naringin, resveratrol, naringenin, hesperetin, formononetin and biochanin-A were detected from acetonitrile and hydrochloric acid (5:1) solvent extract. Xanthine oxidase and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of acetonic, methanolic, and hot water extracts of P. ferulae increased with increasing concentration. The results suggested that consumption of P. ferulae might be beneficial to the antioxidant, xanthine oxidase, and tyrosinase protection system of the human body against oxidative damage and others complications. PMID:23961169

  20. Additive effect of harmane and muscimol for memory consolidation impairment in inhibitory avoidance task.

    PubMed

    Nasehi, Mohammad; Morteza-Zadeh, Parastoo; Khakpai, Fatemeh; Zarrindast, Mohammad-Reza

    2016-12-17

    In the current study, we examined the effect of bilateral intra-dorsal hippocampal (intra-CA1) microinjections of GABA A receptor agents on amnesia induced by a β-carboline alkaloid, harmane in mice. We used a single-trial step-down passive avoidance task to assess memory retention and then, open-field test to assess locomotor activity. The results indicated that post-training intra-CA1 injections of bicuculline - a GABA A receptor antagonist - had no significant effect, while muscimol (0.01 and 0.1μg/mouse) - a GABA A receptor agonist - impaired memory consolidation. Post-training intra-peritoneal (i.p.) infusion of harmane (3 and 5mg/kg) decreased memory consolidation. Furthermore, post-training intra-CA1 administration of sub-threshold dose of bicuculline (0.001μg/mouse) restored, whereas muscimol (0.001μg/mouse) potentiated impairment of memory consolidation induced by harmane. The isobologram analysis revealed that there is an additive effect between harmane and muscimol on impairment of memory consolidation. Moreover, all above doses of drugs did not alter locomotor activity. These findings suggest that GABA A receptors of the CA1 area, at least partly, play a role in modulating the effect of harmane on memory consolidation. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Novel whey-derived peptides with inhibitory effect against angiotensin-converting enzyme: in vitro effect and stability to gastrointestinal enzymes.

    PubMed

    Tavares, Tânia; Contreras, Maria Del Mar; Amorim, Manuela; Pintado, Manuela; Recio, Isidra; Malcata, F Xavier

    2011-05-01

    Whey protein concentrate (WPC) was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis by proteases from the flowers of Cynara cardunculus, and the resulting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory effect was monitored. The whole WPC hydrolysate exhibited an IC(50) value of 52.9 ± 2.9 μg/mL, whereas the associated peptide fraction with molecular weight below 3 kDa scored 23.6 ± 1.1 μg/mL. The latter fraction was submitted to RP-HPLC, and 6 fractions were resolved that exhibited ACE-inhibitory effects. Among the various peptides found, a total of 14 were identified via sequencing with an ion-trap mass spectrometer. Eleven of these peptides were synthesized de novo--to validate their ACE-inhibitory effect, and also to ascertain their stability when exposed to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Among them, three novel, highly potent peptides were found, corresponding to α-lactalbumin f(16-26)--with the sequence KGYGGVSLPEW, α-lactalbumin f(97-104) with DKVGINYW, and β-lactoglobulin f(33-42) with DAQSAPLRVY; their IC(50) values were as low as 0.80 ± 0.1, 25.2 ± 1.0 and 13.0 ± 1.0 μg/mL, respectively. None of them remained stable in the presence of gastrointestinal enzymes: they were partially, or even totally hydrolyzed to smaller peptides--yet the observed ACE-inhibitory effects were not severely affected for two of those peptides. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The inhibitory effects of sorbate and benzoate against Clostridium perfringens type A isolates.

    PubMed

    Alnoman, Maryam; Udompijitkul, Pathima; Paredes-Sabja, Daniel; Sarker, Mahfuzur R

    2015-06-01

    This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of sorbate and benzoate against Clostridium perfringens type A food poisoning (FP) and non-food-borne (NFB) disease isolates. No significant inhibition of germination of spores of both FP and NFB isolates was observed in rich medium (pH 7.0) supplemented with permissive level of sodium sorbate (0.3% ≈ 0.13 mM undissociated sorbic acid) or sodium benzoate (0.1% ≈ 0.01 mM undissociated benzoic acid) used in foods. However, these levels of sorbate and benzoate effectively arrested outgrowth of germinated C. perfringens spores in rich medium. Lowering the pH of the medium increases the inhibitory effects of sorbate and benzoate against germination of spores of NFB isolates, and outgrowth of spores of both FP and NFB isolates. Furthermore, sorbate and benzoate inhibited vegetative growth of C. perfringens isolates. However, the permissible levels of these organic salts could not control the growth of C. perfringens spores in chicken meat stored under extremely abusive conditions. In summary, although sorbate and benzoate showed inhibitory activities against C. perfringens in the rich medium, no such effect was observed in cooked chicken meat. Therefore, caution should be taken when applying these organic salts into meat products to reduce or eliminate C. perfringens spores. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human heptoma induced by cell-permeable manganese superoxide dismutase.

    PubMed

    Guo, Hua; Zhang, Na; Liu, Di; Wang, Ping; Ma, Xingyuan

    2016-10-01

    Mitochondrial antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) belongs to a group of genes whose expression is generally decreased significantly in patients with hepatoma. The proliferation of cancer cells with low expression of MnSOD exhibit high sensitivity to the elevated expression of MnSOD. However, due to the lack of ability to penetrate the cell membrane, the direct use and study of SOD for cancer treatment are largely hampered. In this work, cell penetrating peptide TAT was fused to the N-terminus of MnSOD to facilitate the penetration of MnSOD through cell membranes. Results showed that TAT-MnSOD wt treatment induced evident inhibitory effect on the proliferation of heptoma, with minimal effect on normal cells. It was further demonstrated that both the penetration of cells and enzymatic activity of MnSOD are essential to its inhibitory function, because only TAT-MnSOD wt, not inactive TAT-MnSOD mutant or MnSOD could successfully inhibit cell proliferation and reduce the intra-celluar reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, the lower oxidative stress delayed the cell cycle at G2/M and significantly slowed HepG2 cell growth in association with the dephosphorylation of survivin. Our results help in understanding the regulatory effects of MnSOD on cell viability and redox homestasis of heptoma and promise potential applications of TAT-MnSOD wt for clinical cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  4. Mechanisms underlying electrical and mechanical responses of the bovine retractor penis to inhibitory nerve stimulation and to an inhibitory extract.

    PubMed Central

    Byrne, N. G.; Muir, T. C.

    1985-01-01

    The response of the bovine retractor penis (BRP) to stimulation of non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) inhibitory nerves and to an inhibitory extract prepared from this muscle have been studied using intracellular microelectrode, sucrose gap and conventional mechanical recording techniques. Both inhibitory nerve stimulation and inhibitory extract hyperpolarized the membrane potential and relaxed spontaneous or guanethidine (3 X 10(-5) M)-induced tone. These effects were accompanied by an increase in membrane resistance. Following membrane potential displacement from an average value of -53 +/- 7 mV (n = 184; Byrne & Muir, 1984) inhibitory potentials to nerve stimulation were abolished at approximately -30 mV; there was no evidence of reversal. Displacement by inward hyperpolarizing current over the range -45 to -60 mV increased the inhibitory response to nerve stimulation and to inhibitory extract; at more negative potential values (above approximately -60 mV) the inhibitory potential decreased and was abolished (approximately -103 mV). There was no evidence of reversal. Removal of [K+]o reversibly reduced hyperpolarization to nerve stimulation and inhibitory extract. No enhancement was observed. Increasing the [K+]o to 20 mM reduced the inhibitory potential to nerve stimulation but this was restored by passive membrane hyperpolarization. Inhibitory potentials were obtained at membrane potential values exceeding that of the estimated EK (-49 mV). [Cl-]o-free or [Cl-]o-deficient solutions reduced and abolished (after some 20-25 min) the hyperpolarization produced by inhibitory nerve stimulation or inhibitory extract. The inhibitory potential amplitude following nerve stimulation was not restored by passive displacement of the membrane potential from -26 to -104 mV approximately. Ouabain (1-5 X 10(-5) M) reduced then (45-60 min later) abolished the inhibitory potential to nerve stimulation. The effects of this drug on the extract were not investigated. It is

  5. Increased Growth Inhibitory Effects on Human Cancer Cells and Anti-Inflammatory Potency of Shogaols from Zingiber officinale Relative to Gingerols

    PubMed Central

    Sang, Shengmin; Hong, Jungil; Wu, Hou; Liu, Jing; Yang, Chung S.; Pan, Min-Hsiung; Badmaev, Vadimir; Ho, Chi-Tang

    2009-01-01

    Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, has received extensive attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. Most researchers have considered gingerols as the active principles and have paid little attention to shogaols, the dehydration products of corresponding gingerols during storage or thermal processing. In this study, we have purified and identified eight major components including three major gingerols and corresponding shogaols from ginger extract and compared their anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. Our results showed that shogaols ([6]-, [8]-, and [10]-) had much stronger growth inhibitory effects than gingerols ([6]-, [8]-, and [10]-) on H-1299 human lung cancer cells and HCT-116 human colon cancer cells, especially when comparing [6]-shogaol with [6]-gingerol (IC50: ~8 µM vs. ~150 µM). In addition, we found that [6]-shogaol had much stronger inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid release and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis than [6]-gingerol. PMID:19877681

  6. Increased growth inhibitory effects on human cancer cells and anti-inflammatory potency of shogaols from Zingiber officinale relative to gingerols.

    PubMed

    Sang, Shengmin; Hong, Jungil; Wu, Hou; Liu, Jing; Yang, Chung S; Pan, Min-Hsiung; Badmaev, Vladimir; Ho, Chi-Tang

    2009-11-25

    Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale , has received extensive attention because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. Most researchers have considered gingerols as the active principles and have paid little attention to shogaols, the dehydration products of corresponding gingerols during storage or thermal processing. In this study, we have purified and identified eight major components, including three major gingerols and corresponding shogaols, from ginger extract and compared their anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. Our results showed that shogaols ([6], [8], and [10]) had much stronger growth inhibitory effects than gingerols ([6], [8], and [10]) on H-1299 human lung cancer cells and HCT-116 human colon cancer cells, especially when comparing [6]-shogaol with [6]-gingerol (IC50 of approximately 8 versus approximately 150 microM). In addition, we found that [6]-shogaol had much stronger inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid release and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis than [6]-gingerol.

  7. Identification and the molecular mechanism of a novel myosin-derived ACE inhibitory peptide.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhipeng; Wu, Sijia; Zhao, Wenzhu; Ding, Long; Shiuan, David; Chen, Feng; Li, Jianrong; Liu, Jingbo

    2018-01-24

    The objective of this work was to identify a novel ACE inhibitory peptide from myosin using a number of in silico methods. Myosin was evaluated as a substrate for use in the generation of ACE inhibitory peptides using BIOPEP and ExPASy PeptideCutter. Then the ACE inhibitory activity prediction of peptides in silico was evaluated using the program peptide ranker, following the database search of known and unknown peptides using the program BIOPEP. In addition, the interaction mechanisms of the peptide and ACE were evaluated by DS. All of the tripeptides were predicted to be nontoxic. Results suggested that the tripeptide NCW exerted potent ACE inhibitory activity with an IC 50 value of 35.5 μM. Furthermore, the results suggested that the peptide NCW comes into contact with Zn 701, Tyr 523, His 383, Glu 384, Glu 411, and His 387. The potential molecular mechanism of the NCW/ACE interaction was investigated. Results confirmed that the higher inhibitory potency of NCW might be attributed to the formation of more hydrogen bonds with the ACE's active site. Therefore, the in silico method is effective to predict and identify novel ACE inhibitory peptides from protein hydrolysates.

  8. Inhibitory effect of D3 dopamine receptors on neuropeptide Y‑induced migration in vascular smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Xia, Xue-Wei; Zhou, Yong-Qiao; Luo, Hao; Zeng, Chunyu

    2017-10-01

    Abnormal migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) serves an important role in hypertension, atherosclerosis and restenosis following angioplasty, which is regulated numerous hormonal and humoral factors, including neuropeptide Y (NPY) and dopamine. Dopamine and NPY are both sympathetic neurotransmitters, and a previous study reported that NPY increased VSMC proliferation, while dopamine receptor inhibited it. Therefore, the authors wondered whether or not there is an inhibitory effect of dopamine receptor on NPY‑mediated VSMC migration. The present study demonstrated that stimulation with NPY dose‑dependence (10‑10‑10‑7M, 24 h) increased VSMC migration, the stimulatory effect of NPY was via the Y1 receptor. This is because, in the presence of the Y1 receptor antagonist, BIBP3226 (10‑7 M), the stimulatory effect of NPY on VSMC migration was blocked. Activation of the D3 receptor by PD128907 dose‑dependence (10‑11‑10‑8 M) reduced the stimulatory effect of NPY on VSMC migration. The effect of PD128907 was via the D3 receptor, because the inhibitory effect of PD128907 on NPY‑mediated migration was blocked by the D3 receptor antagonist, U99194. The authors' further study suggested that the inhibitory effect of the D3 receptor was via the PKA signaling pathway, in the presence of the PKA inhibitor, 14‑22 (10‑6 M), the inhibitory effect of PD128907 on VSMC migration was blocked. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of PD128907 was imitated by PKA activator, Sp‑cAMP [S], in the presence of Sp‑cAMP [S], the NPY‑mediated stimulatory effect on VSMC migration was abolished. The present study indicated that activation of the D3 receptor inhibits NPY Y1‑mediated migration on VSMCs, PKA is involved in the signaling pathway.

  9. Inhibitory effect of flavonoids from citrus plants on Epstein-Barr virus activation and two-stage carcinogenesis of skin tumors.

    PubMed

    Iwase, Y; Takemura, Y; Ju-ichi, M; Ito, C; Furukawa, H; Kawaii, S; Yano, M; Mou, X Y; Takayasu, J; Tokuda, H; Nishino, H

    2000-06-01

    To search for possible anti-tumor promoters, thirteen flavones (1-13) obtained from the peel of Citrus plants were examined for their inhibitory effects on the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation by a short-term in vitro assay. Of these flavones, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone (HPT) (13) exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the EBV-EA activation induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Further, compound 13 exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test.

  10. Cox-2 inhibitory effects of naturally occurring and modified fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Ringbom, T; Huss, U; Stenholm , A; Flock, S; Skattebøl, L; Perera, P; Bohlin, L

    2001-06-01

    In the search for new cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitors, the inhibitory effects of naturally occurring fatty acids and some of their structural derivatives on COX-2-catalyzed prostaglandin biosynthesis were investigated. Among these fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (alpha-LNA), myristic acid, and palmitic acid were isolated from a CH(2)Cl(2) extract of the plant Plantago major by bioassay-guided fractionation. Inhibitory effects of other natural, structurally related fatty acids were also investigated: stearic acid, oleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Further, the inhibitory effects of these compounds on COX-2- and COX-1-catalyzed prostaglandin biosynthesis was compared with the inhibition of some synthesized analogues of EPA and DHA with ether or thioether functions. The most potent COX-2-catalyzed prostaglandin biosynthesis inhibitor was all-(Z)-5-thia-8,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acid (2), followed by EPA, DHA, alpha-LNA, LA, (7E,11Z,14Z,17Z)-5-thiaeicosa-7,11,14,17-tetraenoic acid, all-(Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid, and (5E,9Z,12Z,15Z,18Z)-3-oxaheneicosa-5,9,12,15,18-pentaenoic acid, with IC(50) values ranging from 3.9 to180 microM. The modified compound 2 and alpha-LNA were most selective toward COX-2, with COX-2/COX-1 ratios of 0.2 and 0.1, respectively. This study shows that several of the natural fatty acids as well as all of the semisynthetic thioether-containing fatty acids inhibited COX-2-catalyzed prostaglandin biosynthesis, where alpha-LNA and compound 2 showed selectivity toward COX-2.

  11. Spatial coherence resonance and spatial pattern transition induced by the decrease of inhibitory effect in a neuronal network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Ye; Gu, Huaguang; Ding, Xueli

    2017-10-01

    Spiral waves were observed in the biological experiment on rat brain cortex with the application of carbachol and bicuculline which can block inhibitory coupling from interneurons to pyramidal neurons. To simulate the experimental spiral waves, a two-dimensional neuronal network composed of pyramidal neurons and inhibitory interneurons was built. By decreasing the percentage of active inhibitory interneurons, the random-like spatial patterns change to spiral waves and to random-like spatial patterns or nearly synchronous behaviors. The spiral waves appear at a low percentage of inhibitory interneurons, which matches the experimental condition that inhibitory couplings of the interneurons were blocked. The spiral waves exhibit a higher order or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) characterized by spatial structure function than both random-like spatial patterns and nearly synchronous behaviors, which shows that changes of the percentage of active inhibitory interneurons can induce spatial coherence resonance-like behaviors. In addition, the relationship between the coherence degree and the spatial structures of the spiral waves is identified. The results not only present a possible and reasonable interpretation to the spiral waves observed in the biological experiment on the brain cortex with disinhibition, but also reveal that the spiral waves exhibit more ordered degree in spatial patterns.

  12. Fermentation of purple Jerusalem artichoke extract to improve the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect in vitro and ameliorate blood glucose in db/db mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhiqiang; Hwang, Seung Hwan; Lee, Sun Youb; Lim, Soon Sung

    2016-06-01

    Jerusalem artichoke has inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and decreases fasting serum glucose levels, which may be related to its fructan content. The biological activity of fructan can be influenced by the degree of polymerization. Thus, in this study, the inhibitory effects of original and fermented purple Jerusalem artichoke (PJA) on α-glucosidase were compared in vitro. Additionally, the anti-diabetes effect of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented PJA (LJA) was studied in a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus animal model (C57BIKsJ db/db). The water extract of PJA was fermented by L. plantarum, and two strains of Bacillus subtilis to compare their anti-α-glucosidase activities in vitro by α-glucosidase assays. The anti-diabetes effect of LJA was studied in a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus animal model (C57BIKsJ db/db) for seven weeks. During the experiment, food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose were measured every week. At the end of the treatment period, several diabetic parameters and the intestinal α-glucosidase activity were measured. The LJA showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro. In the in vivo study, it resulted in a significantly lower blood glucose concentration than the control. Serum insulin and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly higher and the concentrations of triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, and total cholesterol were significant lower in mice treated with LJA after seven weeks. In addition, the intestinal α-glucosidase activity was partially inhibited. These results suggested that LJA regulates blood glucose and has potential use as a dietary supplement.

  13. Effect of N-Terminal Acylation on the Activity of Myostatin Inhibitory Peptides.

    PubMed

    Takayama, Kentaro; Nakamura, Akari; Rentier, Cédric; Mino, Yusaku; Asari, Tomo; Saga, Yusuke; Taguchi, Akihiro; Yakushiji, Fumika; Hayashi, Yoshio

    2016-04-19

    Inhibition of myostatin, which negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth, is a promising strategy for the treatment of muscle atrophic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, cachexia and sarcopenia. Recently, we identified peptide A (H-WRQNTRYSRIEAIKIQILSKLRL-NH2 ), the 23-amino-acid minimum myostatin inhibitory peptide derived from mouse myostatin prodomain, and highlighted the importance of its N-terminal tryptophan residue for the effective inhibition. In this study, we synthesized a series of acylated peptide derivatives focused on the tryptophan residue to develop potent myostatin inhibitors. As a result of the investigation, a more potent derivative of peptide A was successfully identified in which the N-terminal tryptophan residue is replaced with a 2-naphthyloxyacetyl moiety to give an inhibitory peptide three times (1.19±0.11 μm) more potent than parent peptide A (3.53±0.25 μm). This peptide could prove useful as a new starting point for the development of improved inhibitory peptides. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Inhibitory effects of furanocoumarin derivatives in Kampo extract medicines on P-glycoprotein at the blood-brain barrier.

    PubMed

    Iwanaga, Kazunori; Yoneda, Shinji; Hamahata, Yukimi; Miyazaki, Makoto; Shibano, Makio; Taniguchi, Masahiko; Baba, Kimiye; Kakemi, Masawo

    2011-01-01

    Furanocoumarin derivatives, known as components of grapefruit juice, showing inhibitory effects against P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the intestine are also contained in the plants of rutaceae and umbelliferae families, which are used as components of Kampo extract medicines. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of byakangelicol and rivulobirin A, known as furanocoumarins showing P-gp inhibitory effect using Caco-2 monolayer, against P-gp at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. First we studied the membrane permeability of furanocoumarins to clarify whether they can be absorbed from the intestine. Both furanocoumarins showed high permeability through the Caco-2 monolayer, suggesting that they can easily reach the systemic circulation after oral administration. Then, we evaluated the effect of these furanocoumarins on the uptake of calcein acetoxymethyl ester (calcein-AM), a P-gp substrate, into bovine brain microvascular endothelial cells (BBMEC). Both furanocoumarins significantly increased the uptake amount of calcein-AM into BBMEC by the inhibition of P-gp at the BBB in vitro. Next we also investigated the P-gp inhibitory effect of these furanocoumarins at the rat BBB in vivo using verapamil as a P-gp substrate. Both furanocoumarins increased the B/P ratio of verapamil compared to the control, even under in vivo conditions; however, the extent of the inhibitory effect was much lower than in vitro condition. In conclusion, byakangelicol and rivulobirin A may inhibit P-gp expressed at the BBB even under in vivo conditions. Further studies using Kampo extract medicines under in vivo condition are necessary for safe drug therapy.

  15. The inhibitory spillover effect: Controlling the bladder makes better liars *

    PubMed Central

    Fenn, Elise; Blandón-Gitlin, Iris; Coons, Jennifer; Pineda, Catherine; Echon, Reinalyn

    2015-01-01

    The Inhibitory-Spillover-Effect (ISE) on a deception task was investigated. The ISE occurs when performance in one self-control task facilitates performance in another (simultaneously conducted) self-control task. Deceiving requires increased access to inhibitory control. We hypothesized that inducing liars to control urination urgency (physical inhibition) would facilitate control during deceptive interviews (cognitive inhibition). Participants drank small (low-control) or large (high-control) amounts of water. Next, they lied or told the truth to an interviewer. Third-party observers assessed the presence of behavioral cues and made true/lie judgments. In the high-control, but not the low-control condition, liars displayed significantly fewer behavioral cues to deception, more behavioral cues signaling truth, and provided longer and more complex accounts than truth-tellers. Accuracy detecting liars in the high-control condition was significantly impaired; observers revealed bias toward perceiving liars as truth-tellers. The ISE can operate in complex behaviors. Acts of deception can be facilitated by covert manipulations of self-control. PMID:26366466

  16. Inhibitory effects of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae constituents on human UDP-glucose dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed

    Scoglio, Stefano; Lo Curcio, Valeria; Catalani, Simona; Palma, Francesco; Battistelli, Serafina; Benedetti, Serena

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro inhibitory effects of the edible microalga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) on human UDP-α-d-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH) activity, a cytosolic enzyme involved both in tumor progression and in phytochemical bioavailability. Both the hydrophilic and ethanolic AFA extracts as well as the constitutive active principles phycocyanin (PC), phycocyanobilin (PCB) and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were tested. Among AFA components, PCB presented the strongest inhibitory effect on UGDH activity, acting as a competitive inhibitor with respect to UDP-glucose and a non-competitive inhibitor with respect to NAD(+). In preliminary experiments, AFA PCB was also effective in reducing the colony formation capacity of PC-3 prostate cancer cells and FTC-133 thyroid cancer cells. Overall, these findings confirmed that AFA and its active principles are natural compounds with high biological activity. Further studies evaluating the effects of AFA PCB in reducing tumor cell growth and phytochemical glucuronidation are encouraged.

  17. Medium Effects on Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Nylon-3 Polymers against E. coli

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Heejun; Chakraborty, Saswata; Liu, Runhui; Gellman, Samuel H.; Weisshaar, James C.

    2014-01-01

    Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against E. coli were measured for three nylon-3 polymers using Luria-Bertani broth (LB), brain-heart infusion broth (BHI), and a chemically defined complete medium (EZRDM). The polymers differ in the ratio of hydrophobic to cationic subunits. The cationic homopolymer is inert against E. coli in BHI and LB, but becomes highly potent in EZRDM. A mixed hydrophobic/cationic polymer with a hydrophobic t-butylbenzoyl group at its N-terminus is effective in BHI, but becomes more effective in EZRDM. Supplementation of EZRDM with the tryptic digest of casein (often found in LB) recapitulates the LB and BHI behavior. Additional evidence suggests that polyanionic peptides present in LB and BHI may form electrostatic complexes with cationic polymers, decreasing activity by diminishing binding to the anionic lipopolysaccharide layer of E. coli. In contrast, two natural antimicrobial peptides show no medium effects. Thus, the use of a chemically defined medium helps to reveal factors that influence antimicrobial potency of cationic polymers and functional differences between these polymers and evolved antimicrobial peptides. PMID:25153714

  18. Inhibitory effect of vanillin on cellulase activity in hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass.

    PubMed

    Li, Yun; Qi, Benkun; Wan, Yinhua

    2014-09-01

    Pretreatment of lignocellulosic material produces a wide variety of inhibitory compounds, which strongly inhibit the following enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass. Vanillin is a kind of phenolics derived from degradation of lignin. The effect of vanillin on cellulase activity for the hydrolysis of cellulose was investigated in detail. The results clearly showed that vanillin can reversibly and non-competitively inhibit the cellulase activity at appropriate concentrations and the value of IC50 was estimated to be 30 g/L. The inhibition kinetics of cellulase by vanillin was studied using HCH-1 model and inhibition constants were determined. Moreover, investigation of three compounds with similar structure of vanillin on cellulase activity demonstrated that aldehyde group and phenolic hydroxyl groups of vanillin had inhibitory effect on cellulase. These results provide valuable and detailed information for understanding the inhibition of lignin derived phenolics on cellulase. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Inhibitory effect of aqueous dandelion extract on HIV-1 replication and reverse transcriptase activity

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is an immunosuppressive disease that results in life-threatening opportunistic infections. The general problems in current therapy include the constant emergence of drug-resistant HIV strains, adverse side effects and the unavailability of treatments in developing countries. Natural products from herbs with the abilities to inhibit HIV-1 life cycle at different stages, have served as excellent sources of new anti-HIV-1 drugs. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-HIV-1 activity of aqueous dandelion extract. Methods The pseudotyped HIV-1 virus has been utilized to explore the anti-HIV-1 activity of dandelion, the level of HIV-1 replication was assessed by the percentage of GFP-positive cells. The inhibitory effect of the dandelion extract on reverse transcriptase activity was assessed by the reverse transcriptase assay kit. Results Compared to control values obtained from cells infected without treatment, the level of HIV-1 replication and reverse transcriptase activity were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The data suggest that dandelion extract has a potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 replication and reverse transcriptase activity. The identification of HIV-1 antiviral compounds from Taraxacum officinale should be pursued. Conclusions The dandelion extract showed strong activity against HIV-1 RT and inhibited both the HIV-1 vector and the hybrid-MoMuLV/MoMuSV retrovirus replication. These findings provide additional support for the potential therapeutic efficacy of Taraxacum officinale. Extracts from this plant may be regarded as another starting point for the development of an antiretroviral therapy with fewer side effects. PMID:22078030

  20. Inhibitory Effect of a Nucleotide Analog on Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus Infection ▿

    PubMed Central

    Rivas-Aravena, Andrea; Vallejos-Vidal, Eva; Cortez-San Martin, Marcelo; Reyes-Lopez, Felipe; Tello, Mario; Mora, Patricia; Sandino, Ana María; Spencer, Eugenio

    2011-01-01

    The infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV), which belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family, has been responsible for major losses in the salmon industry, with mortalities close to 100% in areas where Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is grown. This work studied the effect of ribavirin (1-β-d-ribofuranosyl-1,2,3-triazole-3-carbaxaide), a broad-spectrum antiviral compound with proven ability to inhibit the replicative cycle of the DNA and RNA viruses. The results show that ribavirin was able to inhibit the infectivity of ISAV in in vitro assays. In these assays, a significant inhibition of the replicative viral cycle was observed with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.02 μg/ml and an IC90 of 0.4 μg/ml of ribavirin. After ribavirin treatment, viral proteins were not detectable and a reduction of viral mRNA association with ribosomes was observed. Ribavirin does not affect the levels of EF1a, nor its association with polysomes, suggesting that the inhibition of RNA synthesis occurs specifically for the virus mRNAs and not for cellular mRNAs. Moreover, ribavirin caused a significant reduction in genomic and viral RNA messenger levels. The study of the inhibitory mechanism showed that it was not reversed by the addition of guanosine. Furthermore, in vivo assays showed a reduction in the mortality of Salmo salar by more than 90% in fish infected with ISAV and treated with ribavirin without adverse effects. In fact, these results show that ribavirin is an antiviral that could be used to prevent ISAV replication either in vitro or in vivo. PMID:21653663

  1. Testosterone 5alpha-reductase inhibitory active constituents of Piper nigrum leaf.

    PubMed

    Hirata, Noriko; Tokunaga, Masashi; Naruto, Shunsuke; Iinuma, Munekazu; Matsuda, Hideaki

    2007-12-01

    Previously we reported that Piper nigrum leaf extract showed a potent stimulation effect on melanogenesis and that (-)-cubebin (1) and (-)-3,4-dimethoxy-3,4-desmethylenedioxycubebin (2) were isolated as active constituents. As a part of our continuous studies on Piper species for the development of cosmetic hair-care agents, testosterone 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activity of aqueous ethanolic extracts obtained from several different parts of six Piper species, namely Piper nigrum, P. methysticum, P. betle, P. kadsura, P. longum, and P. cubeba, were examined. Among them, the extracts of P. nigrum leaf, P. nigrum fruit and P. cubeba fruit showed potent inhibitory activity. Activity-guided fractionation of P. nigrum leaf extract led to the isolation of 1 and 2. Fruits of P. cubeba contain 1 as a major lignan, thus inhibitory activity of the fruit may be attributable to 1. As a result of further assay on other known constituents of the cited Piper species, it was found that piperine, a major alkaloid amide of P. nigrum fruit, showed potent inhibitory activity, thus a part of the inhibitory activity of P. nigrum fruit may depend on piperine. The 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activities of 1 and piperine were found for the first time. In addition, the P. nigrum leaf extract showed in vivo anti-androgenic activity using the hair regrowth assay in testosterone sensitive male C57Black/6CrSlc strain mice.

  2. [Quantitative evaluation of inhibitory effects of epileptic spikes on theta rhythms in the network of hippocampal CA3 and entorhinal cortex in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy].

    PubMed

    Ge, Man-Ling; Guo, Jun-Dan; Chen, Sheng-Hua; Zhang, Ji-Chang; Fu, Xiao-Xuan; Chen, Yu-Min

    2017-02-25

    Epileptic spike is an indicator of hyper-excitability and hyper-synchrony in the neural networks. The inhibitory effects of spikes on theta rhythms (4-8 Hz) might be helpful to understand the mechanism of epileptic damage on the cognitive functions. To quantitatively evaluate the inhibitory effects of spikes on theta rhythms, intracerebral electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings with both sporadic spikes (SSs) and spike-free transient period between adjacent spikes were selected in 4 patients in the status of rapid eyes movement (REM) sleep with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) under the pre-surgical monitoring. The electrodes of hippocampal CA3 and entorhinal cortex (EC) were employed, since CA3 and EC built up one of key loops to investigate cognition and epilepsy. These SSs occurred only in CA3, only in EC, or in both CA3 and EC synchronously. Theta power was respectively estimated around SSs and during the spike-free transient period by Gabor wavelet transform and Hilbert transform. The intermittent extent was then estimated to represent for the loss of theta rhythms during the spike-free transient period. The following findings were obtained: (1) The prominent rhythms were in theta frequency band; (2) The spikes could transiently reduce theta power, and the inhibitory effect was severer around SSs in both CA3 and EC synchronously than that around either SSs only in EC or SSs only in CA3; (3) During the spike-free transient period, theta rhythms were interrupted with the intermittent theta rhythms left and theta power level continued dropping, implying the inhibitory effect was sustained. Additionally, the intermittent extent of theta rhythms was converged to the inhibitory extent around SSs; (4) The average theta power level during the spike-free transient period might not be in line with the inhibitory extent of theta rhythms around SSs. It was concluded that the SSs had negative effects on theta rhythms transiently and directly, the inhibitory effects aroused by

  3. Incentive effect on inhibitory control in adolescents with early-life stress: an antisaccade study.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Sven C; Hardin, Michael G; Korelitz, Katherine; Daniele, Teresa; Bemis, Jessica; Dozier, Mary; Peloso, Elizabeth; Maheu, Francoise S; Pine, Daniel S; Ernst, Monique

    2012-03-01

    Early-life stress (ES) such as adoption, change of caregiver, or experience of emotional neglect may influence the way in which affected individuals respond to emotional stimuli of positive or negative valence. These modified responses may stem from a direct alteration of how emotional stimuli are coded, and/or the cognitive function implicated in emotion modulation, such as self-regulation or inhibition. These ES effects have been probed on tasks either targeting reward and inhibitory function. Findings revealed deficits in both reward processing and inhibitory control in ES youths. However, no work has yet examined whether incentives can improve automatic response or inhibitory control in ES youths. To determine whether incentives would only improve self-regulated voluntary actions or generalize to automated motoric responses, participants were tested on a mixed eye movement task that included reflex-like prosaccades and voluntary controlled antisaccade eye movements. Seventeen adopted children (10 females, mean age 11.3 years) with a documented history of neglect and 29 typical healthy youths (16 females, mean age 11.9 years) performed the mixed prosaccade/antisaccade task during monetary incentive conditions or during no-incentive conditions. Across both saccade types, ES adolescents responded more slowly than controls. As expected, control participants committed fewer errors on antisaccades during the monetary incentive condition relative to the no-incentive condition. By contrast, ES youths failed to show this incentive-related improvement on inhibitory control. No significant incentive effects were found with prepotent prosaccades trials in either group. Finally, co-morbid psychopathology did not modulate the findings. These data suggest that youths with experience of early stress exhibit deficient modulation of inhibitory control by reward processes, in tandem with a reward-independent deficit in preparation for both automatic and controlled responses

  4. Analysis of glycation induced protein cross-linking inhibitory effects of some antidiabetic plants and spices.

    PubMed

    Perera, Handunge Kumudu Irani; Handuwalage, Charith Sandaruwan

    2015-06-09

    Protein cross-linking which occurs towards the latter part of protein glycation is implicated in the development of chronic diabetic complications. Glycation induced protein cross-linking inhibitory effects of nine antidiabetic plants and three spices were evaluated in this study using a novel, simple, electrophoresis based method. Methanol extracts of thirteen plants including nine antidiabetic plants and three spices were used. Lysozyme and fructose were incubated at 37 °C in the presence or absence of different concentrations of plant extracts up to 31 days. Standard glycation inhibitor aminoguanidine and other appropriate controls were included. A recently established sodium dodecyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) method was used to detect the products of protein cross-linking in the incubation mixtures. High molecular weight protein products representing the dimer, trimer and tetramer of lysozyme were detected in the presence of fructose. Among the nine antidiabetic plants, seven showed glycation induced protein cross-linking inhibitory effects namely Ficus racemosa (FR) stem bark, Gymnema sylvestre (GS) leaves, Musa paradisiaca (MP) yam, Phyllanthus debilis (PD) whole plant, Phyllanthus emblica (PE) fruit, Pterocarpus marsupium (PM) latex and Tinospora cordifolia (TC) leaves. Inhibition observed with Coccinia grandis (CG) leaves and Strychnos potatorum (SP) seeds were much low. Leaves of Gymnema lactiferum (GL), the plant without known antidiabetic effects showed the lowest inhibition. All three spices namely Coriandrum sativum (CS) seeds, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ) bark and Syzygium aromaticum (SA) flower buds showed cross-link inhibitory effects with higher effects in CS and SA. PD, PE, PM, CS and SA showed almost complete inhibition on the formation of cross-linking with 25 μg/ml extracts. Methanol extracts of PD, PE, PM, CS and SA have shown promising inhibitory effects on glycation induced protein cross-linking.

  5. Inhibitory Effects of Spices on Biogenic Amine Accumulation during Fish Sauce Fermentation.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xuxia; Qiu, Mengting; Zhao, Dandan; Lu, Fei; Ding, Yuting

    2016-04-01

    The presence of high levels of biogenic amines is detrimental to the quality and safety of fish sauce. This study investigated the effects of ethanol extracts of spices, including garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise extracts, in reducing the accumulation of biogenic amines during fish sauce fermentation. The concentrations of biogenic amines, which include histamine, putrescine, tyramine, and spermidine, all increased during fish sauce fermentation. When compared with the samples without spices, the garlic and star anise extracts significantly reduced these increases. The greatest inhibitory effect was observed for the garlic ethanolic extracts. When compared with controls, the histamine, putrescine, tyramine, and spermidine contents and the overall biogenic amine levels of the garlic extract-treated samples were reduced by 30.49%, 17.65%, 26.03%, 37.20%, and 27.17%, respectively. The garlic, cinnamon, and star anise extracts showed significant inhibitory effects on aerobic bacteria counts. Furthermore, the garlic and star anise extracts showed antimicrobial activity against amine producers. These findings may be helpful for enhancing the safety of fish sauce. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  6. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects of Irish seaweed extracts.

    PubMed

    Lordan, Sinéad; Smyth, Thomas J; Soler-Vila, Anna; Stanton, Catherine; Ross, R Paul

    2013-12-01

    To date, numerous studies have reported on the antidiabetic properties of various plant extracts through inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes. The objective of this research was to evaluate extracts of seaweeds for α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. Cold water and ethanol extracts of 15 seaweeds were initially screened and from this, five brown seaweed species were chosen. The cold water and ethanol extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum had the strongest α-amylase inhibitory effect with IC50 values of 53.6 and 44.7 μg/ml, respectively. Moreover, the extracts of Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus were found to be potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 0.32 and 0.49 μg/ml. The observed effects were associated with the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the extracts, and the concentrations used were below cytotoxic levels. Overall, our findings suggest that brown seaweed extracts may limit the release of simple sugars from the gut and thereby alleviate postprandial hyperglycaemia. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Effect of peptide aldehydes with IL-1 beta converting enzyme inhibitory properties on IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta production in vitro.

    PubMed

    Németh, K; Patthy, M; Fauszt, I; Széll, E; Székely, J I; Bajusz, S

    1995-12-01

    Tripeptide and pentapeptide aldehydes as substrate-base inhibitors of cysteine proteases were designed in our laboratory for the inhibition of interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE), a recently described cysteine protease responsible for the processing of IL-1 beta. The biological effectivity of the peptide aldehydes was studied in THP-1 cells and human whole blood. The released and cell-associated IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta levels were determined by ELISA from the supernatants and cell lysates, respectively. The total IL-1 like bioactivity was assayed by the D10 G4.1 cell proliferation method. The tripeptide aldehyde (Z-Val-His-Asp-H) and pentapeptide aldehyde (Eoc-Ala-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-H) significantly reduced IL-1 beta levels in the supernatants in relatively high concentrations (10-100 microM), but the IL-1 alpha release was unaffected by these peptides. However, a considerable decrease in the cell-associated IL-1 beta and IL-1 alpha levels was observed. N-terminal extension of the tripeptide aldehyde yielded even more potent inhibitors. Amino acid substitution at the P2 position did not cause considerable changes in the inhibitory activity. The peptide aldehydes suppressed the IL-1 beta production in a reversible manner, whereas dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid, had a prolonged inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of these peptides and that of dexamethasone appeared to be additive. These findings indicate that these peptide aldehydes might be used as IL-beta inhibitory agents in experimental models in which IL-1 beta is a key mediator or ICE is implicated.

  8. Effects of temperature and medium composition on inhibitory activities of gossypol-related compounds against aflatoxigenic fungi.

    PubMed

    Mellon, J E; Dowd, M K; Beltz, S B

    2013-07-01

    To investigate the effects of temperature and medium composition on growth/aflatoxin inhibitory activities of terpenoids gossypol, gossypolone and apogossypolone against Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. The compounds were tested at a concentration of 100 μg ml(-1) in a Czapek Dox (Czapek) agar medium at 25, 31 and 37°C. Increased incubation temperature marginally increased growth inhibition caused by these compounds, but reduced the aflatoxin inhibition effected by gossypol. Gossypolone and apogossypolone retained good aflatoxin inhibitory activity against A. flavus and A. parasiticus at higher incubation temperatures. However, increased temperature also significantly reduced aflatoxin production in control cultures. The effects of the terpenoids on fungal growth and aflatoxin production against the same fungi were also determined in Czapek, Czapek with a protein/amino acid addendum and yeast extract sucrose (YES) media. Growth of these fungi in the protein-supplemented Czapek medium or in the YES medium greatly reduced the growth inhibition effects of the terpenoids. Apogossypolone displayed strong anti-aflatoxigenic activity in the Czapek medium, but this activity was significantly reduced in the protein-amended Czapek and YES media. Gossypol, which displayed little to no aflatoxin inhibitory activity in the Czapek medium, did yield significant anti-aflatoxigenic activity in the YES medium. Incubation temperature and media composition are important parameters involved in the regulation of aflatoxin production in A. flavus and A. parasiticus. These parameters also affect the potency of growth and aflatoxin inhibitory activities of these gossypol-related compounds against aflatoxigenic fungi. Studies utilizing gossypol-related compounds as inhibitory agents of biological activities should be interpreted with caution due to compound interaction with multiple components of the test system, especially serum proteins. Published [2013]. This article is a

  9. Evaluation of the tannic acid inhibitory effect against the NorA efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus.

    PubMed

    Tintino, Saulo R; Oliveira-Tintino, Cícera D M; Campina, Fábia F; Silva, Raimundo L P; Costa, Maria do S; Menezes, Irwin R A; Calixto-Júnior, João T; Siqueira-Junior, José P; Coutinho, Henrique D M; Leal-Balbino, Tereza C; Balbino, Valdir Q

    2016-08-01

    During the early periods of antibiotic usage, bacterial infections were considered tamed. However, widespread antibiotic use has promoted the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, including multidrug resistant strains. Active efflux is a mechanism for bacterial resistance to inhibitory substances, known simply as drug efflux pumps. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogenic bacterium responsible for an array of infections. The NorA efflux pump has been shown to be responsible for moderate fluoroquinolone resistance of S. aureus. The inhibition of the efflux pump was assayed using a sub-inhibitory concentration of standard efflux pump inhibitors and tannic acid (MIC/8), where its capacity to decrease the MIC of Ethidium bromide (EtBr) and antibiotics due to the possible inhibitory effect of these substances was observed. The MICs of EtBr and antibiotics were significantly reduced in the presence of tannic acid, indicating the inhibitory effect of this agent against the efflux pumps of both strains causing a three-fold reduction of the MIC when compared with the control. These results indicate the possible usage of tannic acid as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy against multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Inhibitory effects of Zengshengping fractions on DMBA-induced buccal pouch carcinogenesis in hamsters.

    PubMed

    Guan, Xiao-Bing; Sun, Zheng; Chen, Xiao-Xin; Wu, Hong-Ru; Zhang, Xin-Yan

    2012-01-01

    Zengshengping (ZSP) tablets had inhibitory effects on oral precancerous lesions by reducing the incidence of oral cancer. However, the severe liver toxicity caused by systemic administration of ZSP limits the long-term use of this anti-cancer drug. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tumor inhibitory effects due to the topical application of extracts from ZSP, a Chinese herbal drug, on 7, 12-dimethlbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced oral tumors in hamsters. The study also investigated the anti-cancer mechanisms of the ZSP extracts on oral carcinogenesis. DMBA (0.5%) was applied topically to the buccal pouches of Syrian golden hamsters (6 - 8 weeks old) three times per week for six weeks in order to induce the development of oral tumors. Different fractions of ZSP were either applied topically to the oral tumor lesions or fed orally at varying dosages to animals with oral tumors for 18 weeks. Tumor volume was measured by histopathological examination. Tumor cell proliferation was evaluated by counting BrdU labeled cells and by Western blotting for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein levels. The protein levels of apoptosis marker Caspase-3 and regulator Bcl-2 protein were also measured by Western blotting. Topical application of DMBA to the left pouch of hamsters induced oral tumor formation. Animals treated with DMBA showed a loss in body weight while animals treated with ZSP maintained normal body weights. Both the ZSP n-butanol fraction and water fraction significantly reduced tumor volume by 32.6% (P < 0.01) and 22.9% (P < 0.01) respectively. Topical application of ZSP also markedly decreased the BrdU-positive cell numbers in oral tumor lesions and reduced the expression level of MAPK. In addition, ZSP promoted tumor cell apoptosis by increasing Caspase-3 expression but decreasing Bcl-2 protein production. The n-butanol and water fractions of ZSP are effective at inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and stimulating apoptosis in oral cancer

  11. Growth inhibitory effect of shelf life extending agents on Bacillus subtilis IAM 1026.

    PubMed

    Mitsuboshi, Saori; Obitsu, Rie; Muramatsu, Kanako; Furube, Kentaro; Yoshitake, Shigehiro; Kiuchi, Kan

    2007-06-01

    Natural shelf life extending agents and sugar fatty acid esters that might inhibit the growth of B. subtilis IAM 1026 were screened, and the effective agents were as follows: beta-thujaplicin (Hinokitiol) and chitosan, inhibited the growth of IAM 1026 at a concentration of 0.001% ; epsilon-polylysine and M-1695 (a sugar fatty acid ester) at 0.005%; citrus seed extract, thiamin lauryl sulfate, and grapefruit seed extract at 0.01%; CT-1695 and L-1695 (sugar fatty acid esters) at 0.05%; pectin digests and SM-800 (a sugar fatty acid ester) at 0.5%; water pepper seed extract and the sugar fatty acid esters SM-1000 and CE-1695 at 1.0%. The growth inhibitory effects of the agents in custard cream were not necessarily similar to those in liquid culture. The agent that showed the highest inhibitory effect in custard cream was 0.3% beta-thujaplicin, followed by 0.3% epsilon-polylysine.

  12. Effect of clavulanic acid on minimal inhibitory concentrations of 16 antimicrobial agents tested against Legionella pneumophila.

    PubMed Central

    Pohlod, D J; Saravolatz, L D; Quinn, E L; Somerville, M M

    1980-01-01

    A total of 15 Legionella pneumophilia isolated were tested against 16 antimicrobial agents used singly and in combination with clavulanic acid. When combined with clavulanic acid, 4 of the 16 antimicrobial agents produced no enhanced effect. However, the minimal inhibitory concentrations of 12 of the antimicrobial agents were reduced by one-half to one-third when in combination with clavulanic acid. These reductions reflected only a one-dilution decrease, however, in the original minimal inhibitory concentrations. Thus, clavulanic acid combinations appear to be only nominally effective beta-lactamase inhibitors against L. pneumophilia. PMID:6969575

  13. Effect of Jatropha curcas Peptide Fractions on the Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity

    PubMed Central

    Segura-Campos, Maira R.; Peralta-González, Fanny; Castellanos-Ruelas, Arturo; Chel-Guerrero, Luis A.; Betancur-Ancona, David A.

    2013-01-01

    Hypertension is one of the most common worldwide diseases in humans. Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in regulating blood pressure and hypertension. An evaluation was done on the effect of Alcalase hydrolysis of defatted Jatropha curcas kernel meal on ACE inhibitory activity in the resulting hydrolysate and its purified fractions. Alcalase exhibited broad specificity and produced a protein hydrolysate with a 21.35% degree of hydrolysis and 34.87% ACE inhibition. Ultrafiltration of the hydrolysate produced peptide fractions with increased biological activity (24.46–61.41%). Hydrophobic residues contributed substantially to the peptides' inhibitory potency. The 5–10 and <1 kDa fractions were selected for further fractionation by gel filtration chromatography. ACE inhibitory activity (%) ranged from 22.66 to 45.96% with the 5–10 kDa ultrafiltered fraction and from 36.91 to 55.83% with the <1 kDa ultrafiltered fraction. The highest ACE inhibitory activity was observed in F2 (IC50 = 6.7 μg/mL) from the 5–10 kDa fraction and F1 (IC50 = 4.78 μg/mL) from the <1 kDa fraction. ACE inhibitory fractions from Jatropha kernel have potential applications in alternative hypertension therapies, adding a new application for the Jatropha plant protein fraction and improving the financial viability and sustainability of a Jatropha-based biodiesel industry. PMID:24224169

  14. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor as an incriminating agent in vitiligo.

    PubMed

    Farag, Azza Gaber Antar; Hammam, Mostafa Ahmed; Habib, Mona SalahEldeen; Elnaidany, Nada Farag; Kamh, Mona Eaid

    2018-03-01

    Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder in which the loss of melanocytes is mainly attributed to defective autoimmune mechanisms and, lately, there has been more emphasis on autoinflammatory mediators. Among these is the macrophage migration inhibitory factor, which is involved in many autoimmune skin diseases. However, little is known about the contribution of this factor to vitiligo vulgaris. To determine the hypothesized role of migration inhibitory factor in vitiligo via estimation of serum migration inhibitory factor levels and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in patients with vitiligo compared with healthy controls. We also aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between the values of serum migration inhibitory factor and/or migration inhibitory factor mRNA with disease duration, clinical type and severity in vitiligo patients. Evaluation of migration inhibitory factor serum level and migration inhibitory factor mRNA expression by ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively, were performed for 50 patients with different degrees of vitiligo severity and compared to 15 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers as controls. There was a highly significant increase in serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA levels in vitiligo cases when compared to controls (p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between both serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in vitiligo patients, and each of them with duration and severity of vitiligo. In addition, patients with generalized vitiligo have significantly elevated serum migration inhibitory factor and mRNA levels than control subjects. Small number of investigated subjects. Migration inhibitory factor may have an active role in the development of vitiligo, and it may also be a useful index of disease severity. Consequently, migration inhibitory factor may be a new treatment target for vitiligo patients.

  15. Stability and instability of a neuron network with excitatory and inhibitory small-world connections.

    PubMed

    Yu, Dongyuan; Xu, Xu; Zhou, Jing; Li, Eric

    2017-05-01

    This study considers a delayed neural network with excitatory and inhibitory shortcuts. The global stability of the trivial equilibrium is investigated based on Lyapunov's direct method and the delay-dependent criteria are obtained. It is shown that both the excitatory and inhibitory shortcuts decrease the stability interval, but a time delay can be employed as a global stabilizer. In addition, we analyze the bounds of the eigenvalues of the adjacent matrix using matrix perturbation theory and then obtain the generalized sufficient conditions for local stability. The possibility of small inhibitory shortcuts is helpful for maintaining stability. The mechanisms of instability, bifurcation modes, and chaos are also investigated. Compared with methods based on mean-field theory, the proposed method can guarantee the stability of the system in most cases with random events. The proposed method is effective for cases where excitatory and inhibitory shortcuts exist simultaneously in the network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Bilingual Contexts Modulate the Inhibitory Control Network

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jing; Ye, Jianqiao; Wang, Ruiming; Zhou, Ke; Wu, Yan Jing

    2018-01-01

    The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated influences of language contexts on inhibitory control and the underlying neural processes. Thirty Cantonese–Mandarin–English trilingual speakers, who were highly proficient in Cantonese (L1) and Mandarin (L2), and moderately proficient in English (L3), performed a picture-naming task in three dual-language contexts (L1-L2, L2-L3, and L1-L3). After each of the three naming tasks, participants performed a flanker task, measuring contextual effects on the inhibitory control system. Behavioral results showed a typical flanker effect in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition, but not in the L1-L2 condition, which indicates contextual facilitation on inhibitory control performance by the L1-L2 context. Whole brain analysis of the fMRI data acquired during the flanker tasks showed more neural activations in the right prefrontal cortex and subcortical areas in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition on one hand as compared to the L1-L2 condition on the other hand, suggesting greater involvement of the cognitive control areas when participants were performing the flanker task in L2-L3 and L1-L3 contexts. Effective connectivity analyses displayed a cortical-subcortical-cerebellar circuitry for inhibitory control in the trilinguals. However, contrary to the right-lateralized network in the L1-L2 condition, functional networks for inhibitory control in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition are less integrated and more left-lateralized. These findings provide a novel perspective for investigating the interaction between bilingualism (multilingualism) and inhibitory control by demonstrating instant behavioral effects and neural plasticity as a function of changes in global language contexts. PMID:29636713

  17. Bilingual Contexts Modulate the Inhibitory Control Network.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jing; Ye, Jianqiao; Wang, Ruiming; Zhou, Ke; Wu, Yan Jing

    2018-01-01

    The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated influences of language contexts on inhibitory control and the underlying neural processes. Thirty Cantonese-Mandarin-English trilingual speakers, who were highly proficient in Cantonese (L1) and Mandarin (L2), and moderately proficient in English (L3), performed a picture-naming task in three dual-language contexts (L1-L2, L2-L3, and L1-L3). After each of the three naming tasks, participants performed a flanker task, measuring contextual effects on the inhibitory control system. Behavioral results showed a typical flanker effect in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition, but not in the L1-L2 condition, which indicates contextual facilitation on inhibitory control performance by the L1-L2 context. Whole brain analysis of the fMRI data acquired during the flanker tasks showed more neural activations in the right prefrontal cortex and subcortical areas in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition on one hand as compared to the L1-L2 condition on the other hand, suggesting greater involvement of the cognitive control areas when participants were performing the flanker task in L2-L3 and L1-L3 contexts. Effective connectivity analyses displayed a cortical-subcortical-cerebellar circuitry for inhibitory control in the trilinguals. However, contrary to the right-lateralized network in the L1-L2 condition, functional networks for inhibitory control in the L2-L3 and L1-L3 condition are less integrated and more left-lateralized. These findings provide a novel perspective for investigating the interaction between bilingualism (multilingualism) and inhibitory control by demonstrating instant behavioral effects and neural plasticity as a function of changes in global language contexts.

  18. Circuit variability interacts with excitatory-inhibitory diversity of interneurons to regulate network encoding capacity.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Kuo-Ting; Hu, Chin-Kun; Li, Kuan-Wei; Hwang, Wen-Liang; Chou, Ya-Hui

    2018-05-23

    Local interneurons (LNs) in the Drosophila olfactory system exhibit neuronal diversity and variability, yet it is still unknown how these features impact information encoding capacity and reliability in a complex LN network. We employed two strategies to construct a diverse excitatory-inhibitory neural network beginning with a ring network structure and then introduced distinct types of inhibitory interneurons and circuit variability to the simulated network. The continuity of activity within the node ensemble (oscillation pattern) was used as a readout to describe the temporal dynamics of network activity. We found that inhibitory interneurons enhance the encoding capacity by protecting the network from extremely short activation periods when the network wiring complexity is very high. In addition, distinct types of interneurons have differential effects on encoding capacity and reliability. Circuit variability may enhance the encoding reliability, with or without compromising encoding capacity. Therefore, we have described how circuit variability of interneurons may interact with excitatory-inhibitory diversity to enhance the encoding capacity and distinguishability of neural networks. In this work, we evaluate the effects of different types and degrees of connection diversity on a ring model, which may simulate interneuron networks in the Drosophila olfactory system or other biological systems.

  19. Essential Oils from Ugandan Aromatic Medicinal Plants: Chemical Composition and Growth Inhibitory Effects on Oral Pathogens

    PubMed Central

    Ocheng, Francis; Bwanga, Freddie; Joloba, Moses; Softrata, Abier; Azeem, Muhammad; Pütsep, Katrin; Borg-Karlson, Anna-Karin; Obua, Celestino; Gustafsson, Anders

    2015-01-01

    The study assessed the growth inhibitory effects of essential oils extracted from ten Ugandan medicinal plants (Bidens pilosa, Helichrysum odoratissimum, Vernonia amygdalina, Hoslundia opposita, Ocimum gratissimum, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Teclea nobilis, Zanthoxylum chalybeum, and Lantana trifolia) used traditionally in the management of oral diseases against oral pathogens. Chemical compositions of the oils were explored by GC-MS. Inhibitory effects of the oils were assessed on periodontopathic Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and cariogenic Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus using broth dilution methods at concentrations of 1%, 0.1%, and 0.01%. The most sensitive organism was A. actinomycetemcomitans. Its growth was markedly inhibited by six of the oils at all the concentrations tested. Essential oil from C. nardus exhibited the highest activity with complete growth inhibition of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis at all the three concentrations tested, the major constituents in the oil being mainly oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Most of the oils exhibited limited effects on L. acidophilus. We conclude that essential oils from the studied plants show marked growth inhibitory effects on periodontopathic A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis, moderate effects on cariogenic S. mutans, and the least effect on L. acidophilus. The present study constitutes a basis for further investigations and development of certain oils into alternative antiplaque agents. PMID:26170872

  20. Concentration Addition, Independent Action and Generalized Concentration Addition Models for Mixture Effect Prediction of Sex Hormone Synthesis In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Hadrup, Niels; Taxvig, Camilla; Pedersen, Mikael; Nellemann, Christine; Hass, Ulla; Vinggaard, Anne Marie

    2013-01-01

    Humans are concomitantly exposed to numerous chemicals. An infinite number of combinations and doses thereof can be imagined. For toxicological risk assessment the mathematical prediction of mixture effects, using knowledge on single chemicals, is therefore desirable. We investigated pros and cons of the concentration addition (CA), independent action (IA) and generalized concentration addition (GCA) models. First we measured effects of single chemicals and mixtures thereof on steroid synthesis in H295R cells. Then single chemical data were applied to the models; predictions of mixture effects were calculated and compared to the experimental mixture data. Mixture 1 contained environmental chemicals adjusted in ratio according to human exposure levels. Mixture 2 was a potency adjusted mixture containing five pesticides. Prediction of testosterone effects coincided with the experimental Mixture 1 data. In contrast, antagonism was observed for effects of Mixture 2 on this hormone. The mixtures contained chemicals exerting only limited maximal effects. This hampered prediction by the CA and IA models, whereas the GCA model could be used to predict a full dose response curve. Regarding effects on progesterone and estradiol, some chemicals were having stimulatory effects whereas others had inhibitory effects. The three models were not applicable in this situation and no predictions could be performed. Finally, the expected contributions of single chemicals to the mixture effects were calculated. Prochloraz was the predominant but not sole driver of the mixtures, suggesting that one chemical alone was not responsible for the mixture effects. In conclusion, the GCA model seemed to be superior to the CA and IA models for the prediction of testosterone effects. A situation with chemicals exerting opposing effects, for which the models could not be applied, was identified. In addition, the data indicate that in non-potency adjusted mixtures the effects cannot always be

  1. The inhibitory effect of somatostatin peptides on the rat anococcygeus muscle in vitro.

    PubMed Central

    Priestley, T.; Woodruff, G. N.

    1988-01-01

    1. Electrically evoked contractions of the rat anococcygeus muscle were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by somatostatin-14 (SS14), -28 (SS28) and two synthetic hexapeptide analogues: L-363,301 (Pro-Phe-D-Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe) and L-363,586 (N-Me-Ala-Tyr-D-Trp-Lys-Val-Phe), with pIC50 values of 7.41, 7.38, 7.07 and 8.34, respectively. 2. The inhibitory effects of SS14 were dependent on stimulation frequency and external calcium ion concentration. Calcium behaved as a non-competitive antagonist of SS14, it reduced the maximal inhibitory effect of the peptide and at a concentration of 5.08 mM it significantly affected the pIC50 value. 3. SS14 (3 x 10(-7) M) did not affect the tonic actions of bath-applied noradrenaline in the absence of field stimulation. 4. The effects of SS14 persisted in naloxone (10(-5) M) and were, therefore, not due to an action at opiate receptors. Furthermore, experiments involving the lyophilization of bath contents, showed no evidence to support an indirect mechanism involving the release of an endogenous inhibitory substance. 5. High concentrations (10(-5) M) of SS14 or L-363,301 inhibited the relaxation response evoked by electrical stimulation of guanethidine (3 x 10(-4) M)-treated preparations. 6. These results are consistent with similar actions of SS14 on other smooth muscle preparations and are presumed to reflect a presynaptic inhibition of transmitter release by a direct action on somatostatin receptors. The antagonistic effect of calcium on this response is discussed with reference to a possible role in receptor desensitization. PMID:2900039

  2. [Estimates of the size of inhibitory areas in crowding effects in periphery].

    PubMed

    Bondarko, V M; Danilova, M V; Solnushkin, S D; Chikhman, V N

    2014-01-01

    In psychophysical experiments we studied how surround influences recognition of test objects. The tests were low-contrast Landolt rings of the size 1.1, 1.5 and 2.3 deg. Their centers were located at 13.2 deg from the fixation point. The additional objects were similar Landolt rings or rings without gaps. The distance between the centers of the test and the additional objects varied from 2.2 to 13.2 deg. Inone experiment, the task of the observer was to identify both the test objects and the surrounding objects. In the second experiment the stimulus layout was the same, but'identification of only the test stimulus was required. In both experiments, deterioration of performance was found at all distances between the test objects and the surround, but the deterioration was more significant when the observer carried out the dual task. The data showed that the size of the inhibitory areas in our case does not comply with the Bouma low which states that the size of the interaction areas are equal to half of the eccentricity where the test is presented. Further deterioration of performance in the dual task reveals the contribution of attention into peripheral crowding effects.

  3. The Effect of Domestication on Inhibitory Control: Wolves and Dogs Compared

    PubMed Central

    Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Range, Friederike

    2015-01-01

    Inhibitory control i.e. blocking an impulsive or prepotent response in favour of a more appropriate alternative, has been suggested to play an important role in cooperative behaviour. Interestingly, while dogs and wolves show a similar social organization, they differ in their intraspecific cooperation tendencies in that wolves rely more heavily on group coordination in regard to hunting and pup-rearing compared to dogs. Hence, based on the ‘canine cooperation’ hypothesis wolves should show better inhibitory control than dogs. On the other hand, through the domestication process, dogs may have been selected for cooperative tendencies towards humans and/or a less reactive temperament, which may in turn have affected their inhibitory control abilities. Hence, based on the latter hypothesis, we would expect dogs to show a higher performance in tasks requiring inhibitory control. To test the predictive value of these alternative hypotheses, in the current study two tasks; the ‘cylinder task’ and the ‘detour task’, which are designed to assess inhibitory control, were used to evaluate the performance of identically raised pack dogs and wolves. Results from the cylinder task showed a significantly poorer performance in wolves than identically-raised pack dogs (and showed that pack-dogs performed similarly to pet dogs with different training experiences), however contrary results emerged in the detour task, with wolves showing a shorter latency to success and less perseverative behaviour at the fence. Results are discussed in relation to previous studies using these paradigms and in terms of the validity of these two methods in assessing inhibitory control. PMID:25714840

  4. The effect of domestication on inhibitory control: wolves and dogs compared.

    PubMed

    Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Range, Friederike

    2015-01-01

    Inhibitory control i.e. blocking an impulsive or prepotent response in favour of a more appropriate alternative, has been suggested to play an important role in cooperative behaviour. Interestingly, while dogs and wolves show a similar social organization, they differ in their intraspecific cooperation tendencies in that wolves rely more heavily on group coordination in regard to hunting and pup-rearing compared to dogs. Hence, based on the 'canine cooperation' hypothesis wolves should show better inhibitory control than dogs. On the other hand, through the domestication process, dogs may have been selected for cooperative tendencies towards humans and/or a less reactive temperament, which may in turn have affected their inhibitory control abilities. Hence, based on the latter hypothesis, we would expect dogs to show a higher performance in tasks requiring inhibitory control. To test the predictive value of these alternative hypotheses, in the current study two tasks; the 'cylinder task' and the 'detour task', which are designed to assess inhibitory control, were used to evaluate the performance of identically raised pack dogs and wolves. Results from the cylinder task showed a significantly poorer performance in wolves than identically-raised pack dogs (and showed that pack-dogs performed similarly to pet dogs with different training experiences), however contrary results emerged in the detour task, with wolves showing a shorter latency to success and less perseverative behaviour at the fence. Results are discussed in relation to previous studies using these paradigms and in terms of the validity of these two methods in assessing inhibitory control.

  5. Multilingual Stroop Performance: Effects of Trilingualism and Proficiency on Inhibitory Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marian, Viorica; Blumenfeld, Henrike K.; Mizrahi, Elena; Kania, Ursula; Cordes, Anne-Kristin

    2013-01-01

    Previous research suggests that multilinguals' languages are constantly co-activated and that experience managing this co-activation changes inhibitory control function. The present study examined language interaction and inhibitory control using a colour-word Stroop task. Multilingual participants were tested in their three most proficient…

  6. Inhibitory effects of chickpea and Tribulus terrestris on lipase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

    PubMed

    Ercan, Pınar; El, Sedef Nehir

    2016-08-15

    The total saponin content and its in vitro bioaccessibilities in Tribulus terrestris and chickpea were determined by a static in vitro digestion method (COST FA1005 Action INFOGEST). Also, in vitro inhibitory effects of the chosen food samples on lipid and starch digestive enzymes were determined by evaluating the lipase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. The tested T. terrestris and chickpea showed inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 6967 ± 343 and 2885 ± 85.4 μg/ml, respectively) and α-amylase (IC50 343 ± 26.2 and 167 ± 6.12 μg/ml, respectively). The inhibitory activities of T. terrestris and chickpea against lipase were 15.3 ± 2.03 and 9.74 ± 1.09 μg/ml, respectively. The present study provides the first evidence that these food samples (T. terrestris, chickpea) are potent inhibitors of key enzymes in digestion of carbohydrates and lipids in vitro. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Inhibitory Effects of Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) Leaves on Tumour Promotion in Two-Stage Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Yasukawa, Ken; Okuda, Sakiko; Nobushi, Yasuhito

    2014-01-01

    Ethanol extracts of gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) leaves exhibited marked antitumour-promoting activity in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test in mice using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as an initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. From the active fraction of the ethanol extract of the gymnema leaves, three triterpenoids were isolated and identified. These compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on TPA-induced inflammation (1 µg/ear) in mice. The tested compounds showed marked anti-inflammatory effects, with a 50% inhibitory dose of 50–555 nmol/ear. PMID:24734106

  8. Inhibitory Effects of Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) Leaves on Tumour Promotion in Two-Stage Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis.

    PubMed

    Yasukawa, Ken; Okuda, Sakiko; Nobushi, Yasuhito

    2014-01-01

    Ethanol extracts of gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) leaves exhibited marked antitumour-promoting activity in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test in mice using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as an initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. From the active fraction of the ethanol extract of the gymnema leaves, three triterpenoids were isolated and identified. These compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on TPA-induced inflammation (1 µg/ear) in mice. The tested compounds showed marked anti-inflammatory effects, with a 50% inhibitory dose of 50-555 nmol/ear.

  9. The Role of Inhibitory Control in Behavioral and Physiological Expressions of Toddler Executive Function

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morasch, Katherine C.; Bell, Martha Ann

    2011-01-01

    A total of 81 toddlers (24-27 months of age) participated in a biobehavioral investigation of inhibitory control. Maternal report measures of inhibitory control were related to laboratory tasks assessing inhibitory abilities under conditions of conflict, delay, and compliance challenge as well as toddler verbal ability. In addition, unique…

  10. Promotion and computation of inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity of herbal cream by incorporating indigenous medicinal plants.

    PubMed

    Sahu, Ram Kumar; Roy, Amit; Dwivedi, Jaya; Jha, Arvind Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Herbal cream imparts a chief role in regulating melanin production of skin. The phytoconstituents present in herbal cream impact biological functions of skin and contribute nutrients required for the healthy skin. In the present study, it was envisaged to prepare three batches of herbal cream (HC1, HC2 and HC3) containing ethanol extracts of Emblica officinalis (fruits), Daucus carota (root), Mangifera indica (leaves), Mentha arvensis (leaves), Terminalia arjuna (bark) and Cucumis sativus (fruits) and investigated the prepared cream for inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. The herbal cream was formulated by incorporating different ratio of extracts, by using cream base. Each formulation HC1, HC2 and HC3 were segregated into three different formulations (HC1.1, HC1.2, HC1.3, HC2.1, HC2.2, HC2.3, HC3.1, HC3.2 and HC3.3) by incorporating increasing ratio of extract in formulation. The HC3.2 cream produces highest tyrosinase inhibitory effect 65.23 +/- 0.07%, while the HC2.1 exhibited minimum tyrosinase inhibitory effect 26.19 +/- 0.08% compared to other prepared cream. Comparison of the inhibitory activity of the formulations demonstrated that the rank order was HC3.2 > HC3.3 > HC1.2 > HC1.3 > HC3.1 > HC1.1 > HC2.3 > HC2.2 > HC2.1. It has been observed from the result that the formulations of antityrosinase activity were not concentrate dependent. This finding suggests that decrease in antityrosinase activity of HC1 and HC3 might be considering that the incompatibility of the higher extract content with the base of cream. The HC3 produce the maximum inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity might be due to higher level of polyphenol and flavonoids present in extracts.

  11. The Role of Inhibitory Control in Behavioral and Physiological Expressions of Toddler Executive Function

    PubMed Central

    Morasch, Katherine C.; Bell, Martha Ann

    2010-01-01

    Eighty-one toddlers (ranging from 24 to 27 months) participated in a biobehavioral investigation of inhibitory control. Maternal-report measures of inhibitory control were related to laboratory tasks assessing inhibitory abilities under conditions of conflict, delay, and compliance challenge as well as toddler verbal ability. Additionally, unique variance in inhibitory control was explained by task-related changes in brain electrical activity at lateral frontal scalp sites as well as concurrent inhibitory task performance. Implications regarding neural correlates of executive function in early development and a central, organizing role of inhibitory processing in toddlerhood are discussed. PMID:20719337

  12. Mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect of the feed contaminant deoxynivalenol on glucose absorption in broiler chickens.

    PubMed

    Awad, W A; Ghareeb, K; Zentek, J

    2014-10-01

    Deoxynivalenol (DON), a major contaminant of cereals and grains, is of public health concern worldwide and has been shown to reduce the electrogenic transport of glucose. However, the full effects of Fusarium mycotoxins on nutrient absorption are still not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether decreased nutrient absorption was due to specific effects on transporter trafficking in the intestine and whether inhibition of phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI-3-kinase) affected the electrogenic jejunal transport of glucose. Jejunal mucosa of 6-week-old broiler chickens were mounted in Ussing chambers and treated with DON, wortmannin (a specific inhibitor of PI-3-kinase), DON + wortmannin, phlorizin and cytochalasin B. DON was found to decrease the short-circuit current (Isc) after glucose addition. A similar decline in Isc after glucose addition was observed following pre-application of wortmannin, or phlorizin (Na(+)/glucose co-transporter, SGLT1 inhibitor). The results indicate that DON decreased glucose absorption in the absence of wortmannin or phlorizin but had no additional effect on glucose absorption in their presence. Glucose transport was not affected by cytochalasin B (facilitative glucose transporter, GLUT2 inhibitor). The study provides evidence that the suppressive effect of DON on the electrogenic transport of glucose may be due to an inhibitory activity of the PI3 kinase pathway and intestinal SGLT1. Furthermore, the effect of cytochalasin B on glucose transport in chicken tissues differs from that in mammals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The melanogenesis-inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects of limonoids in n-hexane extract of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (neem) seeds.

    PubMed

    Akihisa, Toshihiro; Takahashi, Akitomo; Kikuchi, Takashi; Takagi, Mio; Watanabe, Kensuke; Fukatsu, Makoto; Fujita, Yukiko; Banno, Norihiro; Tokuda, Harukuni; Yasukawa, Ken

    2011-01-01

    Seventeen limonoids (tetranortriterpenoids 1-17) were isolated from the n-hexane extract of Azadirachta indica (neem) seeds. The previously unidentified compound 16 was established by spectroscopy to be 17-defurano-17-oxosalannin. The effects of six compounds, 6 and 11-15, on melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells was evaluated; 2 compounds, salannin (13) and 3-deacetylsalannin (15), exhibited marked inhibitory effects (70-74% reduction of melanin content at 25 µg/mL) with only minor cytotoxicity (79-85% of cell viability). Eleven compounds, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9-15, were evaluated for inhibitory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation (1.7 nmol/ear) in mice; all exhibited marked anti-inflammatory activity (ID(50) values 0.22-0.57 µmol/ear). In addition, compounds 6 and 11-16 exerted moderate inhibition (IC(50) values of 410-471 mol ratio/32 pmol TPA) of TPA-induced Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation in Raji cells. The triacylglycerol fraction of the n-hexane extract contained oleic acid (50.2%) as the most predominant fatty acid constituent.

  14. The inhibitory effects of fluoroquinolones on L-carnitine transport in placental cell line BeWo.

    PubMed

    Hirano, Takeshi; Yasuda, Satoru; Osaka, Yuki; Asari, Masaru; Kobayashi, Masaki; Itagaki, Shirou; Iseki, Ken

    2008-03-03

    L-Carnitine plays an important role in lipid metabolism by facilitating the transport of long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial inner membrane followed by fatty acid beta-oxidation. It is known that members of the OCTN family play an important role in L-carnitine transport in the placenta. Investigation of drug-drug or drug-nutrient interaction in the placenta is important for establishment of safety drug medication during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fluoroquinolones, inhibitors of OCTN2, on L-carnitine transport in the placenta which is known to have a high expression level of OCTN2. We investigated the inhibitory effect of five fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin (CPFX), gatifloxacin (GFLX), ofloxacin (OFLX), levofloxacin (LVFX) and grepafloxacin (GPFX), on L-carnitine transport mediated by OCTN2 in placental cell line BeWo cells. We found that all of the fluoroquinolones inhibited L-carnitine transport, GPFX being the strongest inhibitor. We also found that the inhibitory effects of LVFX and GPFX depended on their existence ratio of zwitterionic forms as, we reported previously. Furthermore, we elucidated the LVFX transport mechanism in BeWo cells. LVFX was transported actively by transporters. However, we found that LVFX transport was Na+-independent and l-carnitine had no inhibitory effect on LVFX transport, suggesting that LVFX acts as inhibitor of OCTN2, not as a substrate for OCTN2.

  15. Inhibitory effect of tocotrienol on eukaryotic DNA polymerase {lambda} and angiogenesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mizushina, Yoshiyuki; Nakagawa, Kiyotaka; Shibata, Akira

    2006-01-20

    Tocotrienols, vitamin E compounds that have an unsaturated side chain with three double bonds, selectively inhibited the activity of mammalian DNA polymerase {lambda} (pol {lambda}) in vitro. These compounds did not influence the activities of replicative pols such as {alpha}, {delta}, and {epsilon}, or even the activity of pol {beta} which is thought to have a very similar three-dimensional structure to the pol {beta}-like region of pol {lambda}. Since {delta}-tocotrienol had the strongest inhibitory effect among the four ({alpha}- to {delta}-) tocotrienols, the isomer's structure might be an important factor in the inhibition of pol {lambda}. The inhibitory effect ofmore » {delta}-tocotrienol on both intact pol {lambda} (residues 1-575) and a truncated pol {lambda} lacking the N-terminal BRCA1 C-terminus (BRCT) domain (residues 133-575, del-1 pol {lambda}) was dose-dependent, with 50% inhibition observed at a concentration of 18.4 and 90.1 {mu}M, respectively. However, del-2 pol {lambda} (residues 245-575) containing the C-terminal pol {beta}-like region was unaffected. Tocotrienols also inhibited the proliferation of and formation of tubes by bovine aortic endothelial cells, with {delta}-tocotrienol having the greatest effect. These results indicated that tocotrienols targeted both pol {lambda} and angiogenesis as anti-cancer agents. The relationship between the inhibition of pol {lambda} and anti-angiogenesis by {delta}-tocotrienol was discussed.« less

  16. Inhibitory Effect of Arctigenin from Fructus Arctii Extract on Melanin Synthesis via Repression of Tyrosinase Expression

    PubMed Central

    Park, Hwayong; Song, Kwang Hoon; Jung, Pil Mun; Kim, Ji-Eun; Kim, Mi Yoon; Ma, Jin Yeul

    2013-01-01

    To identify the active compound arctigenin in Fructus Arctii (dried seed of medicinal plant Arctium lappa) and to elucidate the inhibitory mechanism in melanogenesis, we analyzed melanin content and tyrosinase activity on B16BL6 murine melanoma and melan-A cell cultures. Water extracts of Fructus Arctii were shown to inhibit tyrosinase activity in vitro and melanin content in α-melanocyte stimulating hormone-stimulated cells to similar levels as the well-known kojic acid and arbutin, respectively. The active compound arctigenin of Fructus Arctii displayed little or no cytotoxicity at all concentrations examined and decreased the relative melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Melanogenic inhibitory activity was also identified in vivo with zebrafish embryo. To determine the mechanism of inhibition, the effects of arctigenin on tyrosinase gene expression and tyrosinase promoter activity were examined. Also in addition, in the signaling cascade, arctigenin dose dependently decreased the cAMP level and promoted the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. This result suggests that arctigenin downregulates cAMP and the tyrosinase enzyme through its gene promoter and subsequently upregulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity by increasing phosphorylation in the melanogenesis signaling pathway, which leads to a lower melanin content. PMID:23781272

  17. Growth-inhibitory effects of the red alga Gelidium amansii on cultured cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yue-Hwa; Tu, Ching-Jung; Wu, Hsiao-Ting

    2004-02-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Gelidium amansii, an edible red agar cultivated off the northeast coast of Taiwan, on the growth of two lines of cancer cells, murine hepatoma (Hepa-1) and human leukemia (HL-60) cells, as well as a normal cell line, murine embryo fibroblast cells (NIH-3T3). The potential role of G. amansii on the induction of apoptosis was also examined. The results indicated that all extracts from G. amansii, including phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and methanol extracts from dried algae as well as the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extract from freeze-dried G. amansii agar, inhibited the growth of Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, but not the growth of HL-60 cells. Annexin V-positive cells were observed in methanol and DMSO extract-treated, but not PBS extract-treated Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, suggesting that the lipid-soluble extracts of G. amansii induced apoptosis. In summary, extracts of G. amansii from various preparations exhibited antiproliferative effects on Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, and apoptosis may play a role in the methanol and DMSO extract-induced inhibitory effects. However, the antiproliferative effects of PBS extracts was not through apoptosis. Moreover, the growth-inhibitory effects of G. amansii were not specific to cancer cells.

  18. Synthesis and tyrosinase inhibitory properties of some novel derivatives of kojic acid

    PubMed Central

    Saghaie, L; Pourfarzam, M.; Fassihi, A.; Sartippour, B.

    2013-01-01

    Tyrosinase is a multifunctional oxidase that is widely distributed in nature. It is a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis and is involved in determining the color of mammalian skin and hair. In addition it is responsible for the undesirable enzymatic browning that occurs in plant-derived foods, limiting the shelf-life of fresh-cut products with the resultant economic loss. In recent years there has been considerable interest to study the inhibitory activity of tyrosinase and a number of inhibitory compounds derived from natural sources or partly/fully synthetic have been described. However, the current conventional methods to control tyrosinase action are inadequate. Considering the significant industrial and economic impact of the inhibitors of tyrosinase, this study was set to seek new potent inhibitors of this enzyme. A series of 3-hydroxypyridine-4-one derivatives were prepared in high yield and evaluated for their inhibitory activity on tyrosinase enzyme using dopachrome method. Our results show that all synthesized compounds have inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity for the oxidation of L-DOPA. Among compounds studied those containing two free hydroxyl group (ie Va and V’a) were more potent than their analogues with one hydroxyl group (ie Vb and V’b). Also substitution of a methyl group on position N1 of the hydroxypyridinone ring seems to confer more inhibitory potency. PMID:24082892

  19. Synthesis and tyrosinase inhibitory properties of some novel derivatives of kojic acid.

    PubMed

    Saghaie, L; Pourfarzam, M; Fassihi, A; Sartippour, B

    2013-10-01

    Tyrosinase is a multifunctional oxidase that is widely distributed in nature. It is a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis and is involved in determining the color of mammalian skin and hair. In addition it is responsible for the undesirable enzymatic browning that occurs in plant-derived foods, limiting the shelf-life of fresh-cut products with the resultant economic loss. In recent years there has been considerable interest to study the inhibitory activity of tyrosinase and a number of inhibitory compounds derived from natural sources or partly/fully synthetic have been described. However, the current conventional methods to control tyrosinase action are inadequate. Considering the significant industrial and economic impact of the inhibitors of tyrosinase, this study was set to seek new potent inhibitors of this enzyme. A series of 3-hydroxypyridine-4-one derivatives were prepared in high yield and evaluated for their inhibitory activity on tyrosinase enzyme using dopachrome method. Our results show that all synthesized compounds have inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity for the oxidation of L-DOPA. Among compounds studied those containing two free hydroxyl group (ie Va and V'a) were more potent than their analogues with one hydroxyl group (ie Vb and V'b). Also substitution of a methyl group on position N(1) of the hydroxypyridinone ring seems to confer more inhibitory potency.

  20. Inhibitory effects of sea buckthorn procyanidins on fatty acid synthase and MDA-MB-231 cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yi; Nie, Fangyuan; Ouyang, Jian; Wang, Xiaoyan; Ma, Xiaofeng

    2014-10-01

    Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is overexpressed in many human cancers including breast cancer and is considered to be a promising target for therapy. Sea buckthorn has long been used to treat a variety of maladies. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effect of sea buckthorn procyanidins (SBPs) isolated from the seeds of sea buckthorn on FAS and FAS overexpressed human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. The FAS activity and FAS inhibition were measured by a spectrophotometer at 340 nm of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) absorption. We found that SBP potently inhibited the activity of FAS with a half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 0.087 μg/ml. 3-4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,3-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to test the cell viability. SBP reduced MDA-MB-231 cell viability with an IC50 value of 37.5 μg/ml. Hoechst 33258/propidium iodide dual staining and flow cytometric analysis showed that SBP induced MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis. SBP inhibited intracellular FAS activity with a dose-dependent manner. In addition, sodium palmitate could rescue the cell apoptosis induced by SBP. These results showed that SBP was a promising FAS inhibitor which could induce the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells via inhibiting FAS. These findings suggested that SBP might be useful for preventing or treating breast cancer.

  1. Improving the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of Illigera henryi by solid-state fermentation with Clonostachys rogersoniana.

    PubMed

    Li, Xue-Jiao; Dong, Jian-Wei; Cai, Le; Mei, Rui-Feng; Ding, Zhong-Tao

    2017-11-01

    Illigera henryi, an endemic traditional Chinese medicine, contains abundant aporphine alkaloids that possess various bioactivities. In the present study, tubers of I. henryi were fermented by several fungi, and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of non-fermented and fermented I. henryi were measured. The results showed that the fermentation of I. henryi with Clonostachys rogersoniana 828H2 is effective for improving the AChE inhibitory activity. A key biotransformation was found during the C. rogersoniana fermentation for clarifying the improvement of the AChE inhibitory activity of I. henryi: (S)-actinodaphnine (1) was converted to a new 4-hydroxyaporphine alkaloid (4R,6aS)-4-hydroxyactinodaphnine (2) that possessed a stronger AChE inhibitory activity, with an IC 50 value of 17.66±0.06 μM. This paper is the first to report that the pure strain fermentation processing of I. henryi and indicated C. rogersoniana fermentation might be a potential processing method for I. henryi. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Inhibitory Effect of TNF-alpha Produced by Macrophages Stimulated with Grifola frondosa Extract (ME) on the Growth of Influenza A/Aichi/2/68 Virus in MDCK Cells.

    PubMed

    Obi, Nobuko; Hayashi, Katsumi; Miyahara, Tatsurou; Shimada, Yutaka; Terasawa, Katsutoshi; Watanabe, Masataka; Takeyama, Masahide; Obi, Ryosuke; Ochiai, Hiroshi

    2008-01-01

    We investigated the inhibitory effect of the conditioned medium (CM) from P338D1 (D1) cells, a murine macrophage cell line, stimulated for 10 hours with a fixed dose (100 mug/ml) of the extracts from the fruit bodies of Grifola frondosa (ME) or its ultra filtration-based fractions (MFs), on the growth of influenza A/Aichi/2/68 virus in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Direct addition of ME and 3 kinds of MFs (MF1, MF2 and MF3) to the infected cells had no obvious inhibitory effect. However, virus yields were reduced in the presence of CMs. Notably, the inhibitory effect of the CM prepared by using MF2 (molecular weight of 30 Kd to 100 Kd) was the strongest (28% reduction compared to the control). RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that the CMs could induce the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in D1 cells leading to production of TNF-alpha, known as an antiviral cytokine. These findings suggest that ME and MFs (especially MF-2) might induce the production of certain factors, including TNF-alpha, which are responsible for the inhibition of viral growth in vitro.

  3. Effect of steeping temperature on antioxidant and inhibitory activities of green tea extracts against α-amylase, α-glucosidase and intestinal glucose uptake.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shuyuan; Ai, Zeyi; Qu, Fengfeng; Chen, Yuqiong; Ni, Dejiang

    2017-11-01

    The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of steeping temperature on the biological activities of green tea, including the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities, and glucose uptake inhibitory activity in Caco-2 cells. Results showed that, with increasing extraction temperature, the polyphenol content increased, which contributed to enhance antioxidant activity and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Green tea steeped at 100°C showed the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities with EC 50 or IC 50 values of 6.15μg/mL, 0.09mg/mL, and 6.31mg/mL, respectively. However, the inhibitory potential on glucose uptake did not show an upward trend with increasing extraction temperature. Green tea steeped at 60°C had significantly stronger glucose uptake inhibitory activity (p<0.05). The integrated data suggested that steeping temperature should be considered when evaluating the biological activities of green tea. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Inhibitory effect of betel quid on the volatility of methyl mercaptan.

    PubMed

    Wang, C K; Chen, S L; Wu, M G

    2001-04-01

    Betel quid, a popular natural masticatory in Taiwan, is mainly composed of fresh areca fruit, Piper betle (leaf or inflorescence), and slaked lime paste. People say that halitosis disappears during betel quid chewing. In this study, the removal of mouth odor during betel quid chewing was discussed by using a model system which measured its inhibition on the volatility of methyl mercaptan. Results showed that crude extracts of betel quid (the mixture of areca fruit, Piper betle, and slaked lime paste) and extracts of the mixture of areca fruit and slaked lime paste exhibited marked effects on the volatility of methyl mercaptan, and the inhibition function increased when increasing amounts of slaked lime paste were added. The same condition (increased inhibition) was also found by replacing the slaked lime paste with alkaline salts (calcium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or sodium hydroxide). Areca fruit, the major ingredient of betel quid, contained abundant phenolics. However, the crude phenolic extract of areca fruit did not show any inhibitory activity on the volatility of methyl mercaptan. Great inhibitory activity occurred only when the crude phenolic extract of areca fruit was treated with alkali. Further studies by using gel filtration determined that the effect probably came from the oxidative polymerization of phenolics of areca fruit after alkaline treatment.

  5. Inhibitory Effects of Pretreatment with Radon on Acute Alcohol-Induced Hepatopathy in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Toyota, Teruaki; Kataoka, Takahiro; Nishiyama, Yuichi; Taguchi, Takehito; Yamaoka, Kiyonori

    2012-01-01

    We previously reported that radon inhalation activates antioxidative functions in the liver and inhibits carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatopathy in mice. In addition, it has been reported that reactive oxygen species contribute to alcohol-induced hepatopathy. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of radon inhalation on acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy in mice. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of 50% alcohol (5 g/kg bodyweight) after inhaling approximately 4000 Bq/m3 radon for 24 h. Alcohol administration significantly increased the activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in serum, and the levels of triglyceride and lipid peroxide in the liver, suggesting acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy. Radon inhalation activated antioxidative functions in the liver. Furthermore, pretreatment with radon inhibited the depression of hepatic functions and antioxidative functions. These findings suggested that radon inhalation activated antioxidative functions in the liver and inhibited acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy in mice. PMID:23213269

  6. Inhibitory effects of pretreatment with radon on acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy in mice.

    PubMed

    Toyota, Teruaki; Kataoka, Takahiro; Nishiyama, Yuichi; Taguchi, Takehito; Yamaoka, Kiyonori

    2012-01-01

    We previously reported that radon inhalation activates antioxidative functions in the liver and inhibits carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatopathy in mice. In addition, it has been reported that reactive oxygen species contribute to alcohol-induced hepatopathy. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of radon inhalation on acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy in mice. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of 50% alcohol (5 g/kg bodyweight) after inhaling approximately 4000 Bq/m(3) radon for 24 h. Alcohol administration significantly increased the activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in serum, and the levels of triglyceride and lipid peroxide in the liver, suggesting acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy. Radon inhalation activated antioxidative functions in the liver. Furthermore, pretreatment with radon inhibited the depression of hepatic functions and antioxidative functions. These findings suggested that radon inhalation activated antioxidative functions in the liver and inhibited acute alcohol-induced hepatopathy in mice.

  7. Inhibitory effect of fruit extracts on the formation of heterocyclic amines.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Ka-Wing; Wu, Qingli; Zheng, Zong Ping; Peng, Xiaofang; Simon, James E; Chen, Feng; Wang, Mingfu

    2007-12-12

    Natural extracts have attracted considerable attention for development into effective inhibitors against the formation of genotoxic heterocyclic amines (HAs) in processed foods. In this study, four fruit extracts (apple, elderberry, grape seed, and pineapple) were evaluated for their effects on HA formation in fried beef patties. Apple and grape seed extracts were found to be the most effective in both the degree of inhibition in the formation of individual HAs (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-henylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)) and in the reduction of total HA content (approximately 70% relative to the control). Activity-guided analysis of apple extract using model systems (PhIP- and MeIQx-producing models) showed that the proanthocyanidins, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid were responsible for reducing the amount of HAs formed. Proanthocyanidins were identified as the dominant inhibitors because they were strongly active against HA formation in both the PhIP and MeIQx model systems. For phloridzin, the inhibitory effect was observed only on the formation of PhIP. In contrast, chlorogenic acid, although effective against the formation of MeIQx, significantly enhanced the formation of PhIP. This is the first report showing the inhibitory activities of apple phenolics on the formation of heterocyclic amines. The findings provide valuable information for the development of effective strategies to minimize HA content of cooked meats and to identify several new natural products that may have new applications in the food industry.

  8. Inhibitory effects of HgCl2 on excitation-secretion coupling at the motor nerve terminal and excitation-contraction coupling in the muscle cell.

    PubMed

    Røed, A; Herlofson, B B

    1994-12-01

    1. Indirect and direct twitch (0.1-Hz) stimulation of the rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm disclosed that the inhibitory effect of HgCl2, 3.7 x 10(-5) M, on the neuromuscular transmission and in the muscle cell, was accelerated by 10-sec periods of 50-Hz tetanic stimulation every 10 min. This activity-dependent enhancement suggested an inhibitory mechanism of HgCl2 related to the development of fatigue, like membrane depolarization or decreased excitability, decreased availability of transmitter, or interference with the factors controlling excitation-secretion coupling of the nerve terminal, i.e. (Ca2+)0 or (Ca2+)i, and excitation-contraction coupling in the muscle cell, i.e., (Ca2+)i. 2. During both indirect and direct stimulation, HgCl2-induced inhibition was enhanced markedly by pretreatment with caffeine, which releases Ca2+ from endoplasmic and sarcoplasmic reticulum in the nerve terminal and muscle cell, respectively. This caffeine-induced enhancement was completely antagonized by dantrolene, which inhibits the caffeine-induced release. However, dantrolene alone did not antagonize the HgCl2-induced inhibition. 3. Since caffeine depletes the intracellular Ca2+ stores of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, HgCl2 probably inhibits by binding to SH groups of transport proteins conveying the messenger function of (Ca2+)i. In the muscle cell this leads to inhibition of contraction. In the nerve terminal, an additional enhancement of the HgCl2-induced inhibition, by inhibiting reuptake of choline by TEA and tetanic stimulation, suggested that HgCl2 inhibited a (Ca2+)i signal necessary for this limiting factor in resynthesis of acetylcholine. 4. The (Ca2+)0 signal necessary for stimulus-induced release of acetylcholine was not affected by HgCl2. Hyperpolarization in K(+)-free solution antagonized the inhibitory effect of HgCl2 at indirect stimulation, and Ca(2+)-free solution enhanced the inhibitory effect at direct stimulation. K+ depolarization, membrane electric field

  9. Lanostane Triterpenes from the Tibetan Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma leucocontextum and Their Inhibitory Effects on HMG-CoA Reductase and α-Glucosidase.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kai; Bao, Li; Xiong, Weiping; Ma, Ke; Han, Junjie; Wang, Wenzhao; Yin, Wenbing; Liu, Hongwei

    2015-08-28

    Sixteen new lanostane triterpenes, ganoleucoins A-P (1-16), together with 10 known tripterpenes (17-26), were isolated from the cultivated fruiting bodies of Ganoderma leucocontextum, a new member of the Ganoderma lucidum complex. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and chemical transformation. The inhibitory effects of 1-26 on HMG-CoA reductase and α-glucosidase were tested in vitro. Compounds 1, 3, 6, 10-14, 17, 18, 23, 25, and 26 showed much stronger inhibitory activity against HMG-CoA reductase than the positive control atorvastatin. Compounds 13, 14, and 16 presented potent inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase from yeast with IC₅₀ values of 13.6, 2.5, and 5.9 μM, respectively. In addition, the cytotoxicity of 1-26 was evaluated against the K562 and PC-3 cell lines by the MTT assay. Compounds 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 16, 18, and 25 exhibited cytotoxicity against K562 cells with IC₅₀ values in the range 10-20 μM. Paclitaxel was used as the positive control with an IC₅₀ value of 0.9 μM. This is the first report of secondary metabolites from this medicinal mushroom.

  10. Identification of benzoquinones in pretreated lignocellulosic feedstocks and inhibitory effects on yeast.

    PubMed

    Stagge, Stefan; Cavka, Adnan; Jönsson, Leif J

    2015-12-01

    Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass under acidic conditions gives rise to by-products that inhibit fermenting microorganisms. An analytical procedure for identification of p-benzoquinone (BQ) and 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone (DMBQ) in pretreated biomass was developed, and the inhibitory effects of BQ and DMBQ on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were assessed. The benzoquinones were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Pretreatment liquids examined with regard to the presence of BQ and DMBQ originated from six different lignocellulosic feedstocks covering agricultural residues, hardwood, and softwood, and were produced through impregnation with sulfuric acid or sulfur dioxide at varying pretreatment temperature (165-204 °C) and residence time (6-20 min). BQ was detected in all six pretreatment liquids in concentrations ranging up to 6 mg/l, while DMBQ was detected in four pretreatment liquids in concentrations ranging up to 0.5 mg/l. The result indicates that benzoquinones are ubiquitous as by-products of acid pretreatment of lignocellulose, regardless of feedstock and pretreatment conditions. Fermentation experiments with BQ and DMBQ covered the concentration ranges 2 mg/l to 1 g/l and 20 mg/l to 1 g/l, respectively. Even the lowest BQ concentration tested (2 mg/l) was strongly inhibitory to yeast, while 20 mg/l DMBQ gave a slight negative effect on ethanol formation. This work shows that benzoquinones should be regarded as potent and widespread inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, and that they warrant attention besides more well-studied inhibitory substances, such as aliphatic carboxylic acids, phenols, and furan aldehydes.

  11. Inhibitory effect of acetylshikonin on human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901 in vitro and in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Zeng, Yun; Liu, Gang; Zhou, Li-Ming

    2009-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of acetylshikonin on human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901 and its mechanism. METHODS: MTT assay was used to assess the inhibitory effect of acetylshikonin on proliferation of SGC-7901 cells. Apoptosis-inducing effect was determined by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling with Hoechst staining. Expression of mRNA and protein in Bcl-2 and Bax was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Antitumor effect of acetylshikonin on a mouse SGC-7901 model was also determined. RESULTS: Forty-eight hours after treatment with acetylshikonin, MTT assay showed that acetylshikonin inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The half maximal inhibitory concentration of acetylshikonin to SGC-7901 cells was 0.428 ± 0.07 mg/L. Cell shrinkage, nuclear pyknosis and chromatin condensation, which are the characteristics of cell apoptosis, were observed in treated SGC-7901 cells and the percentage of apoptosis increased in a dose-dependent manner. Acetylshikonin down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulated the expression of Bax in the treated SGC-7901 cells compared with the controls. The experiment in vivo showed that 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg of acetylshikonin significantly inhibited the growth of tumor in the mouse SGC-7901 model, with an inhibitory rate of 25.00%-55.76%. CONCLUSION: Acetylshikonin inhibits the growth of SGC-7901 cells in vitro and in vivo by inducing cell apoptosis. PMID:19370777

  12. Inhibitory effect of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor etoricoxib on human organic anion transporter 3 (hOAT3).

    PubMed

    Honjo, Hiroaki; Uwai, Yuichi; Iwamoto, Kikuo

    2011-04-01

    It is well known that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) delay the elimination of methotrexate. One of the mechanisms is thought to be inhibition of methotrexate uptake via human organic anion transporter 3 (hOAT3, SLC22A8) in the renal proximal tubule by NSAIDs. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor etoricoxib on hOAT3 by uptake experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes. The injection of hOAT3 cRNA stimulated the uptake of methotrexate into the oocytes, and its transport was inhibited by etoricoxib. Etoricoxib inhibited estrone sulfate uptake by hOAT3 dose dependently, and the 50% inhibitory concentration was estimated to be 9.8 µM. Eadie-Hofstee plot analysis showed that etoricoxib inhibited hOAT3 in a competitive manner. These findings show that etoricoxib has inhibitory effect on hOAT3, and that the potential is comparable to that of traditional NSAIDs. ©2011 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.

  13. Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Bioactive Peptides Purified from Egg Yolk Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Yousr, Marwa; Howell, Nazlin

    2015-01-01

    Protein by-products from the extraction of lecithin from egg yolk can be converted into value-added products, such as bioactive hydrolysates and peptides that have potential health enhancing antioxidant, and antihypertensive properties. In this study, the antioxidant and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of peptides isolated and purified from egg yolk protein were investigated. Defatted egg yolk was hydrolyzed using pepsin and pancreatin and sequentially fractionated by ultrafiltration, followed by gel filtration to produce egg yolk gel filtration fractions (EYGF). Of these, two fractions, EYGF-23 and EYGF-33, effectively inhibited the peroxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in an oxidizing linoleic acid model system. The antioxidant mechanism involved superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals scavenging and ferrous chelation. The presence of hydrophobic amino acids such as tyrosine (Y) and tryptophan (W), in sequences identified by LC-MS as WYGPD (EYGF-23) and KLSDW (EYGF-33), contributed to the antioxidant activity and were not significantly different from the synthetic BHA antioxidant. A third fraction (EYGF-56) was also purified from egg yolk protein by gel filtration and exhibited high ACE inhibitory activity (69%) and IC50 value (3.35 mg/mL). The SDNRNQGY peptide (10 mg/mL) had ACE inhibitory activity, which was not significantly different from that of the positive control captopril (0.5 mg/mL). In addition, YPSPV in (EYGF-33) (10 mg/mL) had higher ACE inhibitory activity compared with captopril. These findings indicated a substantial potential for producing valuable peptides with antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity from egg yolk. PMID:26690134

  14. Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Bioactive Peptides Purified from Egg Yolk Proteins.

    PubMed

    Yousr, Marwa; Howell, Nazlin

    2015-12-07

    Protein by-products from the extraction of lecithin from egg yolk can be converted into value-added products, such as bioactive hydrolysates and peptides that have potential health enhancing antioxidant, and antihypertensive properties. In this study, the antioxidant and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of peptides isolated and purified from egg yolk protein were investigated. Defatted egg yolk was hydrolyzed using pepsin and pancreatin and sequentially fractionated by ultrafiltration, followed by gel filtration to produce egg yolk gel filtration fractions (EYGF). Of these, two fractions, EYGF-23 and EYGF-33, effectively inhibited the peroxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in an oxidizing linoleic acid model system. The antioxidant mechanism involved superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals scavenging and ferrous chelation. The presence of hydrophobic amino acids such as tyrosine (Y) and tryptophan (W), in sequences identified by LC-MS as WYGPD (EYGF-23) and KLSDW (EYGF-33), contributed to the antioxidant activity and were not significantly different from the synthetic BHA antioxidant. A third fraction (EYGF-56) was also purified from egg yolk protein by gel filtration and exhibited high ACE inhibitory activity (69%) and IC50 value (3.35 mg/mL). The SDNRNQGY peptide (10 mg/mL) had ACE inhibitory activity, which was not significantly different from that of the positive control captopril (0.5 mg/mL). In addition, YPSPV in (EYGF-33) (10 mg/mL) had higher ACE inhibitory activity compared with captopril. These findings indicated a substantial potential for producing valuable peptides with antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity from egg yolk.

  15. Inhibitory effect of Xenorhabdus nematophila TB on plant pathogens Phytophthora capsici and Botrytis cinerea in vitro and in planta

    PubMed Central

    Fang, Xiangling; Zhang, Manrang; Tang, Qian; Wang, Yonghong; Zhang, Xing

    2014-01-01

    Entomopathogenic bacteria Xenorhabdus spp. produce secondary metabolites with potential antimicrobial activity for use in agricultural productions. This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of X. nematophila TB culture on plant pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora capsici. The cell-free filtrate of TB culture showed strong inhibitory effects (>90%) on mycelial growth of both pathogens. The methanol-extracted bioactive compounds (methanol extract) of TB culture also had strong inhibitory effects on mycelial growth and spore germinations of both pathogens. The methanol extract (1000 μg/mL) and cell-free filtrate both showed strong therapeutic and protective effects (>70%) on grey mold both in detached tomato fruits and plants, and leaf scorch in pepper plants. This study demonstrates X. nematophila TB produces antimicrobial metabolites of strong activity on plant pathogens, with great potential for controlling tomato grey mold and pepper leaf scorch and being used in integrated disease control to reduce chemical application. PMID:24599183

  16. Inhibitory effect of Xenorhabdus nematophila TB on plant pathogens Phytophthora capsici and Botrytis cinerea in vitro and in planta.

    PubMed

    Fang, Xiangling; Zhang, Manrang; Tang, Qian; Wang, Yonghong; Zhang, Xing

    2014-03-06

    Entomopathogenic bacteria Xenorhabdus spp. produce secondary metabolites with potential antimicrobial activity for use in agricultural productions. This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of X. nematophila TB culture on plant pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora capsici. The cell-free filtrate of TB culture showed strong inhibitory effects (>90%) on mycelial growth of both pathogens. The methanol-extracted bioactive compounds (methanol extract) of TB culture also had strong inhibitory effects on mycelial growth and spore germinations of both pathogens. The methanol extract (1000 μg/mL) and cell-free filtrate both showed strong therapeutic and protective effects (>70%) on grey mold both in detached tomato fruits and plants, and leaf scorch in pepper plants. This study demonstrates X. nematophila TB produces antimicrobial metabolites of strong activity on plant pathogens, with great potential for controlling tomato grey mold and pepper leaf scorch and being used in integrated disease control to reduce chemical application.

  17. Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on Babesia and Theileria parasites.

    PubMed

    Rizk, Mohamed Abdo; El-Sayed, Shimaa Abd El-Salam; AbouLaila, Mahmoud; Yokoyama, Naoaki; Igarashi, Ikuo

    2017-08-01

    N-acetyl-L-cysteine is known to have antibacterial, antiviral, antimalarial, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, the in vitro inhibitory effect of this hit was evaluated in the present study on the growth of Babesia and Theileria parasites. The in vitro growth of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia divergens, Theileria equi, and Babesia caballi that were tested was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by micromolar concentrations of N-acetyl-L-cysteine. The inhibitory effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine was synergistically potentiated when used in combination with diminazene aceturate on B. bovis and B. caballi cultures. These results indicate that N-acetyl-L-cysteine might be used as a drug for the treatment of babesiosis, especially when used in combination with diminazene aceturate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Plant growth inhibitory activity of p-hydroxyacetophenones and tremetones from Chilean endemic Baccharis species and some analogous: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Céspedes, Carlos L; Uchoa, Adjaci; Salazar, Juan R; Perich, Fernando; Pardo, Fernando

    2002-04-10

    Plant growth inhibitory effects of acetophenones 1-6, tremetones 7-12, and MeOH and CH(2)Cl(2) extracts from the aerial parts of Baccharis linnearis, Baccharis magellanica, and Baccharis umbelliformis collected in Chile were assayed as growth inhibitory activity in ranges of 10-500 microM and 0.1-150 ppm, respectively. The effects on seedling growth, germination, and respiration of ryegrass, lettuce, green tomato, and red clover weedy target species were measured. In addition to the inhibitory activity on bleaching of crocin induced by alkoxyl radicals, these compounds also demonstrated scavenging properties toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl in thin-layer chromatography autographic and spectrophotometric assays. In addition, acetophenones and tremetones also showed inhibition of H(+) uptake and oxygen uptake respiration in isolated chloroplasts and mitochondria, respectively. Our results indicate that 1, 4, 7-12, and CH(2)Cl(2) extracts interfere with the dicot preemergence properties, mainly energy metabolism of the seeds at the level of respiration. These compounds appear to have selective effects on the radicle more than shoot growth of dicot seeds. Also, the levels of radicle inhibition obtained with some compounds on Physalis ixocarpa and Trifolium pratense are totally comparable to those of ovatifolin, a known natural growth inhibitor. This behavior might be responsible for its plant growth inhibitory properties and its possible role as an allelopathic agent.

  19. Microwave-assisted synthesis and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of chalcone derivatives.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jinbing; Chen, Changhong; Wu, Fengyan; Zhao, Liangzhong

    2013-07-01

    A series of chalcones and their derivatives were synthesized, and their inhibitory effects on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity, and four compounds exhibited more potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the reference standard inhibitor kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one). Specifically, 1-(-1-(4-methoxyphen- yl)-3-phenylallylidene)thiosemicarbazide (18) exhibited the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 0.274 μM. The inhibition mechanism analysis of 1-(-1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-phenylallylidene) thiosemicarbazide (16) and 1-(-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-phenylallylidene) thiosemicarbazide (18) demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of the two compounds on the tyrosinase were irreversible. Preliminary structure activity relationships' analysis suggested that further development of such compounds might be of interest. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  20. inhibitory effects of citral, cinnamaldehyde, and tea polyphenols on mixed biofilm formation by foodborne Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongmei; Zhou, Wenyuan; Zhang, Wenyan; Yang, Anlin; Liu, Yanlan; Jiang, Yan; Huang, Shaosong; Su, Jianyu

    2014-06-01

    Biofilms are significant hazards in the food industry. In this study, we investigated the effects of food additive such as citral, cinnamaldehyde, and tea polyphenols on mixed biofilm formation by foodborne Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella serotype Enteritidis. The adhesion rates of mixed strains in sub-MIC of additives were determined by a microtiter plate assay and bacterial communication signal autoinducer 2 (AI-2) production via a bioluminescence reporter Vibrio harveyi BB170. The structure of mixed biofilm was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. The effect of the disinfectants hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, and peracetic acid was tested on the mixed biofilm. Our results demonstrated that citral, cinnamaldehyde, and tea polyphenols were able to significantly inhibit mixed biofilm formation, while citral could reduce the synthesis of AI-2. Conversely, we observed a significant increase in AI-2 mediated by cinnamaldehyde. Tea polyphenols at lower concentrations induced AI-2 synthesis; however, AI-2 synthesis was significantly inhibited at higher concentrations (300 m g/ml). Food additives inhibited the adhesion of mixed bacteria on stainless steel chips and increased the sensitivity of the mixed biofilm to disinfectants. In conclusion, citral, cinnamaldehyde, and tea polyphenols had strong inhibitory effects on mixed biofilm formation and also enhanced the effect of disinfectant on mixed biofilm formation. This study provides a scientific basis for the application of natural food additives to control biofilm formation of foodborne bacteria.

  1. Evaluation of a Standardized Extract from Morus alba against α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effect and Postprandial Antihyperglycemic in Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Seung Hwan; Li, Hong Mei; Wang, Zhiqiang

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the antihyperglycemic effect of a standardized extract of the leaves of Morus alba (SEMA), the present study was designed to investigate the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect and acute single oral toxicity as well as evaluate blood glucose reduction in animals and in patients with impaired glucose tolerance in a randomized double-blind clinical trial. SEMA was found to inhibit α-glucosidase at a fourfold higher level than the positive control (acarbose), in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, blood glucose concentration was suppressed by SEMA in vivo. Clinical signs and weight changes were observed when conducting an evaluation of the acute toxicity of SEMA through a single-time administration, with clinical observation conducted more than once each day. After administration of the SEMA, observation was for 14 days; all of the animals did not die and did not show any abnormal symptoms. In addition, the inhibitory effects of rice coated with SEMA were evaluated in a group of impaired glucose tolerance patients on postprandial glucose and a group of normal persons, and results showed that SEMA had a clear inhibitory effect on postprandial hyperglycemia in both groups. Overall, SEMA showed excellent potential in the present study as a material for improving postprandial hyperglycemia. PMID:27974904

  2. Preschool Inhibitory Control Predicts ADHD Group Status and Inhibitory Weakness in School.

    PubMed

    Jacobson, Lisa A; Schneider, Heather; Mahone, E Mark

    2017-12-26

    Discriminative utility of performance measures of inhibitory control was examined in preschool children with and without ADHD to determine whether performance measures added to diagnostic prediction and to prediction of informant-rated day-to-day executive function. Children ages 4-5 years (N = 105, 61% boys; 54 ADHD, medication-naïve) were assessed using performance measures (Auditory Continuous Performance Test for Preschoolers-Commission errors, Conflicting Motor Response Test, NEPSY Statue) and caregiver (parent, teacher) ratings of inhibition (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool version). Performance measures and parent and teacher reports of inhibitory control significantly and uniquely predicted ADHD group status; however, performance measures did not add to prediction of group status beyond parent reports. Performance measures did significantly predict classroom inhibitory control (teacher ratings), over and above parent reports of inhibitory control. Performance measures of inhibitory control may be adequate predictors of ADHD status and good predictors of young children's classroom inhibitory control, demonstrating utility as components of clinical assessments. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) reduces the inhibitory effect of soil nitrate on N2 fixation of Pisum sativum.

    PubMed

    Butterly, Clayton R; Armstrong, Roger; Chen, Deli; Tang, Caixian

    2016-01-01

    Additional carbohydrate supply resulting from enhanced photosynthesis under predicted future elevated CO2 is likely to increase symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation in legumes. This study examined the interactive effects of atmospheric CO2 and nitrate (NO3(-)) concentration on the growth, nodulation and N fixation of field pea (Pisum sativum) in a semi-arid cropping system. Field pea was grown for 15 weeks in a Vertosol containing 5, 25, 50 or 90 mg NO3(-)-N kg(-1) under either ambient CO2 (aCO2; 390 ppm) or elevated CO2 (eCO2; 550 ppm) using free-air CO2 enrichment (SoilFACE). Under aCO2, field pea biomass was significantly lower at 5 mg NO3(-)-N kg(-1) than at 90 mg NO3(-)-N kg(-1) soil. However, increasing the soil N level significantly reduced nodulation of lateral roots but not the primary root, and nodules were significantly smaller, with 85% less nodule mass in the 90 NO3(-)-N kg(-1) than in the 5 mg NO3(-)-N kg(-1) treatment, highlighting the inhibitory effects of NO3(-). Field pea grown under eCO2 had greater biomass (approx. 30%) than those grown under aCO2, and was not affected by N level. Overall, the inhibitory effects of NO3(-) on nodulation and nodule mass appeared to be reduced under eCO2 compared with aCO2, although the effects of CO2 on root growth were not significant. Elevated CO2 alleviated the inhibitory effect of soil NO3(-) on nodulation and N2 fixation and is likely to lead to greater total N content of field pea growing under future elevated CO2 environments. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Somatostatin-Expressing Inhibitory Interneurons in Cortical Circuits

    PubMed Central

    Yavorska, Iryna; Wehr, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Cortical inhibitory neurons exhibit remarkable diversity in their morphology, connectivity, and synaptic properties. Here, we review the function of somatostatin-expressing (SOM) inhibitory interneurons, focusing largely on sensory cortex. SOM neurons also comprise a number of subpopulations that can be distinguished by their morphology, input and output connectivity, laminar location, firing properties, and expression of molecular markers. Several of these classes of SOM neurons show unique dynamics and characteristics, such as facilitating synapses, specific axonal projections, intralaminar input, and top-down modulation, which suggest possible computational roles. SOM cells can be differentially modulated by behavioral state depending on their class, sensory system, and behavioral paradigm. The functional effects of such modulation have been studied with optogenetic manipulation of SOM cells, which produces effects on learning and memory, task performance, and the integration of cortical activity. Different classes of SOM cells participate in distinct disinhibitory circuits with different inhibitory partners and in different cortical layers. Through these disinhibitory circuits, SOM cells help encode the behavioral relevance of sensory stimuli by regulating the activity of cortical neurons based on subcortical and intracortical modulatory input. Associative learning leads to long-term changes in the strength of connectivity of SOM cells with other neurons, often influencing the strength of inhibitory input they receive. Thus despite their heterogeneity and variability across cortical areas, current evidence shows that SOM neurons perform unique neural computations, forming not only distinct molecular but also functional subclasses of cortical inhibitory interneurons. PMID:27746722

  5. Additive Factors Analysis of Inhibitory Processing in the Stop-Signal Paradigm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; van der Molen, M.W.

    2004-01-01

    This article reports an additive factors analysis of choice reaction and selective stop processes manipulated in a stop-signal paradigm. Three experiments were performed in which stimulus discriminability (SD) and stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) were manipulated in a factorial fashion. In each experiment, the effects of SD and SRC were…

  6. Leucemia inhibitory factor; investigating the time-dependent effect on viability of vitrified bovine embryos.

    PubMed

    Kocyigit, A; Cevik, M

    2017-12-01

    Leucemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is involved in various reproductive processes, including sperm development, regulation of ovulation, as well as blastocyst formation, hatching and implantation in embryos. Moreover, LIF has also been shown significantly to enhance the blastocyst formation rates of bovine embryos, a finding that remains controversial. Our purpose was to investigate time-dependent effect of LIF on bovine embryo culture, especially in terms of addition timing. Presumptive zygotes were cultured in five different groups. In this study, 100 ng/ml LIF was added to the culture medium were as follows; control: SOF alone, group A: at day 0 (fertilization day), group B: at day 4 post-insemination (p.i.), group C: at day 4 to 7 (p.i. before vitrification) and group D: at day 8 (p.i. after thawing). Addition of LIF to the culture medium at day 4 significantly increased the percentage of blastocyst rate when compared day 0, day 4 at 6/7 and control group (41.8% versus 24.3%, 19.7%, 34.6%). In conclusion, the addition of LIF only on day 4 (p.i.) to the culture medium was found to be beneficial for bovine embryonic development based on several measures, including blastocysts rate, re-expansion rate and cellular cryotolerance after vitrification. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  7. Acute Modafinil Effects on Attention and Inhibitory Control in Methamphetamine-Dependent Humans*

    PubMed Central

    Dean, Andy C.; Sevak, Rajkumar J.; Monterosso, John R.; Hellemann, Gerhard; Sugar, Catherine A.; London, Edythe D.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Individuals who are methamphetamine dependent exhibit higher rates of cognitive dysfunction than healthy people who do not use methamphetamine, and this dysfunction may have a negative effect on the success of behavioral treatments for the disorder. Therefore, a medication that improves cognition, such as modafinil (Provigil), may serve as a useful adjunct to behavioral treatments for methamphetamine dependence. Although cognitive-enhancing effects of modafinil have been reported in several populations, little is known about the effects of modafinil in methamphetamine-dependent individuals. We thus sought to evaluate the effects of modafinil on the cognitive performance of methamphetamine-dependent and healthy individuals. Method: Seventeen healthy subjects and 24 methamphetamine-dependent subjects participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Effects of modafinil (200 mg, single oral dose) were assessed on participants’ performance on tests of inhibitory control, working memory, and processing speed/attention. Results: Across subjects, modafinil improved performance on a test of sustained attention, with no significant improvement on any other cognitive tests. However, within the methamphetamine-dependent group only, participants with a high baseline frequency of methamphetamine use demonstrated a greater effect of modafinil on tests of inhibitory control and processing speed than those participants with low baseline use of methamphetamine. Conclusions: Although modafinil produced limited effects across all participants, methamphetamine-dependent participants with a high baseline use of methamphetamine demonstrated significant cognitive improvement on modafinil relative to those with low baseline methamphetamine use. These results add to the findings from a clinical trial that suggested that modafinil may be particularly useful in methamphetamine-dependent subjects who use the drug frequently. PMID:22051208

  8. Human ACAT inhibitory effects of shikonin derivatives from Lithospermum erythrorhizon.

    PubMed

    An, Sojin; Park, Yong-Dae; Paik, Young-Ki; Jeong, Tae-Sook; Lee, Woo Song

    2007-02-15

    Three naphthoquinones were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation from the CHCl(3) extracts of roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon. They were identified as acetylshikonin (1), isobutyrylshikonin (2), and beta-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (3) on the basis of their spectroscopic analyses. The compounds 1-3 were tested for their inhibitory activities against human ACAT-1 (hACAT-1) or human ACAT-2 (hACAT-2). Compound 2 preferentially inhibited hACAT-2 (IC(50)=57.5microM) than hACAT-1 (32% at 120microM), whereas compounds 1 and 3 showed weak inhibitory activities in both hACAT-1 and -2. To develop more potent hACAT inhibitor, shikonin derivatives (5-11) were synthesized by semi-synthesis of shikonin (4), which was prepared by hydrolysis of 1-3. Among them, compounds 5 and 7 exhibited the strong inhibitory activities against hACAT-1 and -2. Furthermore, we demonstrated that compound 7 behaved as a potent ACAT inhibitor in not only in vitro assay system but also cell-based assay system.

  9. The inhibitory effect of bovine rumen fluid on Salmonella typhimurium.

    PubMed

    Chambers, P G; Lysons, R J

    1979-05-01

    The possible fate of Salmonella typhimurium in the rumen was investigated by monitoring rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA), lactate concentrations and pH over periods which included regular feeding and 48 h starvation. Preparations were made containing 50 per cent rumen fluid from the cow or VFA solutions, and then inoculated with S typhimurium. Viable counts before and after incubation for 24 h at 37 degrees C were compared. Incubation in broths with high concentrations of VFA and low pH resulted in a marked decrease in salmonella numbers, while lower VFA concentrations had little or no inhibitory effect on growth.

  10. Fruit Wines Inhibitory Activity Against α-Glucosidase.

    PubMed

    Cakar, Uros; Grozdanic, Nada; Petrovic, Aleksandar; Pejin, Boris; Nastasijevic, Branislav; Markovic, Bojan; Dordevic, Brizita

    2017-01-01

    Fruit wines are well known for their profound health-promoting properties including both enzyme activations and inhibitions. They may act preventive in regard to diabetes melitus and other chronic diseases. Potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of fruit wines made from blueberry, black chokeberry, blackberry, raspberry and sour cherry was the subject of this study. In order to increase the alcohol content due to enriched extraction of total phenolics, sugar was added in the fruit pomace of the half of the examined fruit wine samples. Compared with acarbose used as a positive control (IC50 = 73.78 µg/mL), all fruit wine samples exhibited higher α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Indeed, blueberry wine samples stood out, both prepared with IC50 = 24.14 µg/mL, lyophilised extract yield 3.23% and without IC50 = 46.39 µg/mL, lyophilised extract yield 2.89% and with addition of sugar before fermentation. Chlorogenic acid predominantly contributed to α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the blueberry, black chokeberry and sour cherry wine samples. However, ellagic acid, a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor possessing a planar structure, only slightly affected the activity of the blueberry wine samples, due to the lower concentration. In addition to this, molecular docking study of chlorogenic acid pointed out the importance of binding energy (-8.5 kcal/mol) for the inhibition of the enzyme. In summary, fruit wines made from blueberry should be primarily taken into consideration as a medicinal food targeting diabetes mellitus type 2 in the early stage, if additional studies would confirm their therapeutic potential for the control of postprandial hyperglycemia. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  11. Inhibitory effects of Agaricus blazei extracts on human myeloid leukemia cells.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chi-Fai; Jiang, Jing-Jing; Leung, Kwok-Nam; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Lau, Clara Bik-San

    2009-03-18

    Agaricus blazei has been used as an adjuvant in cancer chemotherapy and is found to inhibit the growth of various types of tumor cells. Our study has adopted a systematic and bioassay-guided approach to optimize the extraction of Agaricus blazei for anti-leukemic bioactive components. The tumor-selective growth inhibitory activity of the extracts on leukemic cell lines was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using tumor-bearing nude mice. Agaricus blazei extracts were prepared using different methods. MTT and tritiated thymidine incorporation assays were used to evaluate the in vitro anti-leukemic effects. The most potent extract was further investigated using NB-4 cells-bearing nude mice and mechanistic studies using DNA fragmentation assay and cell death detection ELISA. The JAB80E70 extract showed the most potent tumor-selective growth inhibitory activity against human leukemia NB-4 and K-562 cells. This is the first report of anti-leukemic activity of JAB80E70 in athymic nude mice bearing NB-4 cells. Using DNA fragmentation assays and cell death detection ELISA, JAB80E70 was found to induce apoptosis in NB-4 cells. However, the polysaccharide enriched fractions failed to show significant cytotoxicity on NB-4 cells in vitro. The JAB80E70 extract exhibited potent anti-leukemic effect in vitro and in vivo. The effect can be attributed, at least in part, to the induction of apoptosis. Besides, polysaccharides in Agaricus blazei may not possess direct anti-leukemic activity in vitro.

  12. Production of the angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides and isolation of four novel peptides from jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) protein hydrolysate.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xin; Zhang, Miansong; Shi, Yaping; Qiao, Ruojin; Tang, Wei; Sun, Zhenliang

    2016-07-01

    Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in regulating blood pressure in the human body. ACE inhibitory peptides derived from food proteins could exert antihypertensive effects without side effects. Jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) is an important fishery resource suitable for production of ACE inhibitory peptides. The objective of this study was to optimize the hydrolysis conditions for production of protein hydrolysate from R. esculentum (RPH) with ACE inhibitory activity, and to isolate and identify the ACE inhibitory peptides from RPH. Rhopilema esculentum protein was hydrolyzed with Compound proteinase AQ to produce protein hydrolysate with ACE inhibitory activity, and the hydrolysis conditions were optimized using response surface methodology. The optimum parameters for producing peptides with the highest ACE inhibitory activity were as follows: hydrolysis time 3.90 h, hydrolysis temperature 58 °C, enzyme:substrate ratio 2.8% and pH 7.60. Under these conditions, the ACE inhibitory rate reached 32.21%. In addition, four novel ACE inhibitory peptides were isolated, and their amino acids sequences were identified as Val-Gly-Pro-Tyr, Phe-Thr-Tyr-Val-Pro-Gly, Phe-Thr-Tyr-Val-Pro-Gly-Ala and Phe-Gln-Ala-Val-Trp-Ala-Gly, respectively. The IC50 value of the purified peptides for ACE inhibitory activity was 8.40, 23.42, 21.15 and 19.11 µmol L(-1) . These results indicate that the protein hydrolysate prepared from R. esculentum might be a commercial competitive source of ACE inhibitory ingredients to be used in functional foods. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Zeolites relieves inhibitory stress from high concentrations of long chain fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Nordell, Erik; Hansson, Anna B; Karlsson, Martin

    2013-12-01

    Protein and fat rich slaughterhouse waste is a very attractive waste stream for the production of biogas because of the high biochemical methane potential of the substrate. The material has however some drawbacks as the sole material for biogas production due to the production of several process disturbing metabolites such as ammonia, sulfides and long chain fatty acids. We can in this work present results that show that zeolites have the potential to relieve inhibitory stress from the presence of long chain fatty acids. Moreover, the results strongly indicate that it is mainly acetic acid consumers that are most negatively affected by long chain fatty acids and that the mechanism of stress relief is an adsorption of long chain fatty acids to the zeolites. In addition to this, it is shown that the effect is immediate and that only a small amount of zeolites is necessary to cancel the inhibitory effect of long chain fatty acids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Self-restraint spillover: Inhibitory control disrupts appetite regulation among ruminators.

    PubMed

    Schlinkert, Caroline; Koole, Sander L

    2017-10-23

    People can use inhibitory control to temporarily inhibit their personal preferences to achieve their long-term goals. According to the ego fixation model (Koole et al., 2014), ruminators have difficulties relaxing inhibitory control, leading them to continue inhibiting their personal needs, even when this is no longer required by the situation. Inhibitory control may thus disrupt healthy appetite regulation among ruminators. Among 324 Dutch undergraduate students (218 women; M age  = 21.5), different inhibitory control states were manipulated by varying whether or not participants exerted inhibitory control (Study 1) or priming high versus low inhibitory control (Study 2). All participants then performed a food-tasting task. Healthy appetite regulation was defined as a positive correlation between level of food deprivation and preference for high-calorie foods. For taste ratings, the interaction between inhibitory control and rumination was significant in each study: Inhibitory control disrupted healthy appetite regulation in taste preferences among ruminators, but not among non-ruminators. For eating behavior, the same interaction effect was significant when the two studies were combined. Inhibitory control disrupts healthy appetite regulation among ruminators. These findings suggest the need for caution in interventions that rely on inhibitory control, especially among samples with compulsive thought tendencies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Inhibitory Effect of Autoclaving Whey-Based Medium on Propionic Acid Production by Propionibacterium shermanii.

    PubMed

    Anderson, T M; Bodie, E A; Goodman, N; Schwartz, R D

    1986-02-01

    Propionic acid production by Propionibacterium shermanii was compared in pasteurized and autoclaved whey-based media. Propionic acid production decreased with increasing whey concentration in autoclaved media but not in pasteurized media. Increasing the yeast extract concentration from 5 to 10 g/liter greatly reduced the inhibitory effect of autoclaving.

  16. Residential Mobility, Inhibitory Control, and Academic Achievement in Preschool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmitt, Sara A.; Finders, Jennifer K.; McClelland, Megan M.

    2015-01-01

    Research Findings: The present study investigated the direct effects of residential mobility on children's inhibitory control and academic achievement during the preschool year. It also explored fall inhibitory control and academic skills as mediators linking residential mobility and spring achievement. Participants included 359 preschool children…

  17. Mitigation of Humic Acid Inhibition in Anaerobic Digestion of Cellulose by Addition of Various Salts.

    PubMed

    Azman, Samet; Khadem, Ahmad F; Zeeman, Grietje; van Lier, Jules B; Plugge, Caroline M

    2015-03-25

    Humic compounds are inhibitory to the anaerobic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass. In this study, the impact of salt addition to mitigate the inhibitory effects of humic compounds was investigated. The experiment was conducted using batch tests to monitor the anaerobic hydrolysis of cellulose in the presence of humic acid. Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron salts were tested separately for their efficiency to mitigate humic acid inhibition. All experiments were done under mesophilic conditions (30 °C) and at pH 7. Methane production was monitored online, using the Automatic Methane Potential Test System. Methane production, soluble chemical oxygen demand and volatile fatty acid content of the samples were measured to calculate the hydrolysis efficiencies. Addition of magnesium, calcium and iron salts clearly mitigated the inhibitory effects of humic acid and hydrolysis efficiencies reached up to 75%, 65% and 72%, respectively, which were similar to control experiments. Conversely, potassium and sodium salts addition did not mitigate the inhibition and hydrolysis efficiencies were found to be less than 40%. Mitigation of humic acid inhibition via salt addition was also validated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analyses, which showed the binding capacity of different cations to humic acid.

  18. Possible neurologic effects of aspartame, a widely used food additive.

    PubMed Central

    Maher, T J; Wurtman, R J

    1987-01-01

    The artificial sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl ester), is consumed, primarily in beverages, by a very large number of Americans, causing significant elevations in plasma and, probably, brain phenylalanine levels. Anecdotal reports suggest that some people suffer neurologic or behavioral reactions in association with aspartame consumption. Since phenylalanine can be neurotoxic and can affect the synthesis of inhibitory monoamine neurotransmitters, the phenylalanine in aspartame could conceiveably mediate neurologic effects. If mice are given aspartame in doses that elevate plasma phenylalanine levels more than those of tyrosine (which probably occurs after any aspartame dose in humans), the frequency of seizures following the administration of an epileptogenic drug, pentylenetetrazole, is enhanced. This effect is simulated by equimolar phenylalanine and blocked by concurrent administration of valine, which blocks phenylalanine's entry into the brain. Aspartame also potentiates the induction of seizures by inhaled fluorothyl or by electroconvulsive shock. Perhaps regulations concerning the sale of food additives should be modified to require the reporting of adverse reactions and the continuing conduct of mandated safety research. PMID:3319565

  19. Transmembrane domain dependent inhibitory function of FcγRIIB.

    PubMed

    Wang, Junyi; Li, Zongyu; Xu, Liling; Yang, Hengwen; Liu, Wanli

    2018-03-01

    FcγRIIB, the only inhibitory IgG Fc receptor, functions to suppress the hyper-activation of immune cells. Numerous studies have illustrated its inhibitory function through the ITIM motif in the cytoplasmic tail of FcγRIIB. However, later studies revealed that in addition to the ITIM, the transmembrane (TM) domain of FcγRIIB is also indispensable for its inhibitory function. Indeed, recent epidemiological studies revealed that a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1050501) within the TM domain of FcγRIIB, responsible for the I232T substitution, is associated with the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this review, we will summarize these epidemiological and functional studies of FcγRIIB-I232T in the past few years, and will further discuss the mechanisms accounting for the functional loss of FcγRIIB-I232T. Our review will help the reader gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the TM domain in mediating the inhibitory function of FcγRIIB and may provide insights to a new therapeutic target for the associated diseases.

  20. Growth inhibitory effects of anthranilic acid and its derivatives against Legionella pneumophila.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Takahide; Mizuguchi, Satoru; Honda, Kohsuke

    2012-06-01

    Legionella pneumophila is the principal etiologic agent of Legionnaires' disease. We found that the growth of L. pneumophila was markedly inhibited by its own cell lysate and the inhibitory effect was abolished by heat-treatment of the lysate. The genomic library of L. pneumophila was constructed in Escherichia coli and screened to determine the gene involved in the growth inhibition. A clone harboring the gene encoding anthranilate synthase (TrpE), which is involved in tryptophan biosynthesis, exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of L. pneumophila. Anthranilic acid exogenously added also exhibited antibacterial activity against L. pneumophila. A series of single-gene-knockout mutants of L. pneumophila lacking tryptophan synthesis genes were constructed and assessed for their susceptibility to anthranilic acid. Although the growth of mutants deficient in anthranilate phosphoribosyltransferase (TrpD) and N-(5'-phosphoribosyl)anthranilate isomerase (TrpF) was not affected by exogenous anthranilic acid, the indole-3-glycerophosphate synthase (TrpC) deficient mutant exhibited an increased susceptibility compared with the parent strain. These observations strongly indicate that 1-(2-carboxyphenylamino)-1'-deoxyribulose-5'-phosphate (CPADR-5'-P), which is an intermediate of tryptophan synthesis from anthranilic acid, is responsible for the growth inhibition of L. pneumophila. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of vinyl and l-ascorbyl phenolates and their inhibitory effects on advanced glycation end products.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Seung Hwan; Wang, Zhiqiang; Lim, Soon Sung

    2017-01-01

    This study successfully established the feasibility of a two-step chemo-enzymatic synthesis of l-ascorbyl phenolates. Intermediate vinyl phenolates were first chemically produced and then underwent trans-esterification with l-ascorbic acid in the presence of Novozyme 435® (Candida Antarctica lipase B) as a catalyst. Twenty vinyl phenolates and 11 ascorbyl phenolates were subjected to in vitro bioassays to investigate their inhibitory activity against advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Among them, vinyl 4-hydroxycinnamate (17VP), vinyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamate (18VP), vinyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamate (20VP), ascorbyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamate (18AP) and ascorbyl 3,4-dimethoxycinnamate (19AP) showed 2-10 times stronger inhibitory activities than positive control (aminoguanidine and its precursors). These results indicated that chemo-enzymatically synthesized compounds have AGE inhibitory effect and thus are effective in either preventing or retarding glycation protein formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Residential Mobility, Inhibitory Control, and Academic Achievement in Preschool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmitt, Sara A.; Finders, Jennifer K.; McClelland, Megan M.

    2015-01-01

    The present study investigated the direct effects of residential mobility on children's inhibitory control and academic achievement during the preschool year. It also explored fall inhibitory control and academic skills as mediators linking residential mobility and spring achievement. Participants included 359 preschool children (49% female)…

  3. Inhibitory Effect of Autoclaving Whey-Based Medium on Propionic Acid Production by Propionibacterium shermanii

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Thomas M.; Bodie, Elizabeth A.; Goodman, Nelson; Schwartz, Robert D.

    1986-01-01

    Propionic acid production by Propionibacterium shermanii was compared in pasteurized and autoclaved whey-based media. Propionic acid production decreased with increasing whey concentration in autoclaved media but not in pasteurized media. Increasing the yeast extract concentration from 5 to 10 g/liter greatly reduced the inhibitory effect of autoclaving. PMID:16346998

  4. Inhibitory effect of aroma on the bitterness of branched-chain amino acid solutions.

    PubMed

    Mukai, Junji; Tokuyama, Emi; Ishizaka, Toshihiko; Okada, Sachie; Uchida, Takahiro

    2007-11-01

    Nutritional products for patients with liver failure available on the Japanese market contain many branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine, which not only have a bitter taste but also strong, unpleasant odours, leading to low palatability. The palatability of these nutritional products can be significantly improved by the addition of flavoured powders containing various kinds of tastants (sucrose, citric acid, etc.) and odourants (fruit, coffee aromas, etc.). The specific effects of the aroma of flavoured powders have not yet been clearly evaluated. In the present article, the inhibitory effect of aroma on the bitterness of BCAA solutions was examined. The bitterness intensity of a BCAA solution at the same concentration as Aminoleban EN was defined as 3.5 (measured by a previously described gustatory sensation method). The bitterness threshold of a BCAA standard solution without added aroma was estimated to be 1.87, while those of BCAA solutions containing green-tea, coffee, apple, vanilla, or strawberry aromas were 2.02, 1.98, 2.35, 2.40 and 2.87, respectively, when evaluated by the probit method. This shows that the addition of an aroma can elevate the bitterness threshold in human volunteers. The green-tea and coffee aromas predominantly evoked bitterness, while the vanilla aroma predominantly evoked sweetness. Apple and strawberry aromas evoked both sweetness and sourness, with the apple aroma having stronger sourness and the strawberry aroma stronger sweetness. Thus, a 'sweet' aroma suppresses the bitterness of BCAA, with coexisting sourness also participating in the bitterness inhibition.

  5. [Investigation on Inhibitory Capacities of Seventeen Herbal Extracts on Oxidative Stress using Ultraviolet and Fluorescence Spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Hou, Guang-yue; Zheng, Zhong; Song, Feng-rui; Liu, Zhi-qiang; Zhao, Bing

    2015-03-01

    Diabetic patients usually suffer from complications and the long-term secondary complications are the main cause of morbidity and mortality. The hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is one of the important pathogenesis of diabetic complications, while the oxidative stress is associated with the lipid peroxidation reaction and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Our study was focus on the pathogenesis of diabetic complications and based on the oxidative stress reaction. In this research, the oxidative stress inhibiting effects of seventeen herbal extracts were studied based on spectroscopic methodology. The capacities of herbal extracts against the lipid peroxidation reaction of rat liver in vitro were investigated using spectrophotometric method. It showed that the inhibitory activity of Radix Scutellariae and Flos Sophorae Immaturus were better than other herbal extracts. Additionally, the herbal extracts rich in flavonoids, alkaloids and lignanoids showed good inhibitory activities on the lipid peroxidation reaction. On the contrary, the saponin-rich herbal extracts possessed weak inhibitory effects. We applied the BSA/glucose (fructose) system combined with fluorescent spectroscopy to determine the inhibitory activities of herbal extracts in glycation model reactions. The results showed that the AGEs formation inhibitory activity of Flos Sophorae Immaturus, Radix Scutellariae and Rhizoma Anemarrhenae were better than others in the BSA/glucose (fructose) system by fluorescene analysis. The results demonstrated that the herbal extracts rich in flavonoids were found to be more effective than that of those herbal extracts as alkaloids and terpenoids class in inhibiting oxidative stress, while the saponin-rich herbal extracts showed weak inhibitory activities against oxidative stress. The Flos Sophorae Immaturus and Radix Scutellariae extracts had better inhibitory activity to the oxidative stress, so their pharmacological activity could be

  6. Inhibitory control in bulimic-type eating disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Wu, Mudan; Hartmann, Mechthild; Skunde, Mandy; Herzog, Wolfgang; Friederich, Hans-Christoph

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this meta-analysis was to summarise data from neuropsychological studies on inhibitory control to general and disease-salient (i.e., food/eating, body/shape) stimuli in bulimic-type eating disorders (EDs). A systematic literature search was conducted to identify eligible experimental studies. The outcome measures studied included the performance on established inhibitory control tasks in bulimic-type EDs. Effect sizes (Hedges' g) were pooled using random-effects models. For inhibitory control to general stimuli, 24 studies were included with a total of 563 bulimic-type ED patients: 439 had bulimia nervosa (BN), 42 had anorexia nervosa of the binge/purge subtype (AN-b), and 82 had binge eating disorder (BED). With respect to inhibitory control to disease-salient stimuli, 12 studies were included, representing a total of 218 BN patients. A meta-analysis of these studies showed decreased inhibitory control to general stimuli in bulimic-type EDs (g = -0.32). Subgroup analysis revealed impairments with a large effect in the AN-b group (g = -0.91), impairments with a small effect in the BN group (g = -0.26), and a non-significant effect in the BED group (g = -0.16). Greater impairments in inhibitory control were observed in BN patients when confronted with disease-salient stimuli (food/eating: g = -0.67; body/shape: g = -0.61). In conclusion, bulimic-type EDs showed impairments in inhibitory control to general stimuli with a small effect size. There was a significantly larger impairment in inhibitory control to disease salient stimuli observed in BN patients, constituting a medium effect size.

  7. Potent inhibitory effects of D-tagatose on the acid production and water-insoluble glucan synthesis of Streptococcus mutans GS5 in the presence of sucrose.

    PubMed

    Sawada, Daijo; Ogawa, Takaaki; Miyake, Minoru; Hasui, Yoshinori; Yamaguchi, Fuminori; Izumori, Ken; Tokuda, Masaaki

    2015-01-01

    We examined and compared the inhibitory effects of D-tagatose on the growth, acid production, and water-insoluble glucan synthesis of GS5, a bacterial strain of Streptococcus mutans, with those of xylitol, D-psicose, L-psicose and L-tagatose. GS5 was cultured for 12h in a medium containing 10% (w/v) of xylitol, D-psicose, L-psicose, D-tagatose or L-tagatose, and the inhibitory effect of GS5 growth was assessed. Each sugar showed different inhibitory effects on GS5. Both D-tagatose and xylitol significantly inhibited the acid production and water-insoluble glucan synthesis of GS5 in the presence of 1% (w/v) sucrose. However, the inhibitory effect of acid production by D-tagatose was significantly stronger than that of xylitol in presence of sucrose.

  8. ROCK and PRK-2 Mediate the Inhibitory Effect of Y-27632 on Polyglutamine Aggregation

    PubMed Central

    Shao, Jieya; Welch, William J.; Diamond, Marc I.

    2009-01-01

    Polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin (Htt) and the androgen receptor (AR) causes untreatable neurodegenerative diseases. Y-27632, a therapeutic lead, reduces Htt and AR aggregation in cultured cells, and Htt-induced neurodegeneration in Drosophila. Y-27632 inhibits both Rho-associated kinases ROCK and PRK-2, making its precise intracellular target uncertain. Over-expression of either kinase increases Htt and AR aggregation. Three ROCK inhibitors (Y-27632, H-1077, HA-1152), and a specific ROCK inhibitory peptide reduce polyglutamine protein aggregation, as does knockdown of ROCK or PRK-2 by RNAi. RNAi also indicates that each kinase is required for the inhibitory effects of Y-27632 to manifest fully. These two actin regulatory kinases are thus involved in polyglutamine aggregation, and their simultaneous inhibition may be an important therapeutic goal. PMID:18423405

  9. Inhibitory effects of rosmarinic acid extracts on porcine pancreatic amylase in vitro.

    PubMed

    McCue, Patrick P; Shetty, Kalidas

    2004-01-01

    Porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase (PPA) was allowed to react with herbal extracts containing rosmarinic acid (RA) and purified RA. The derivatized enzyme-phytochemical mixtures obtained were characterized for residual amylase activity. These in vitro experiments showed that the amylase activity was inhibited in the presence of these phytochemicals. The extent of amylase inhibition correlated with increased concentration of RA. RA-containing oregano extracts yielded higher than expected amylase inhibition than similar amount of purified RA, suggesting that other phenolic compounds or phenolic synergies may contribute to additional amylase inhibitory activity. The significance of food-grade, plant-based amylase inhibitors for modulation of diabetes mellitus and other oxidation-linked diseases is hypothesized and discussed.

  10. The neurite growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNFα on developing sympathetic neurons are dependent on developmental age.

    PubMed

    Nolan, Aoife M; Collins, Louise M; Wyatt, Sean L; Gutierrez, Humberto; O'Keeffe, Gerard W

    2014-01-01

    During development, the growth of neural processes is regulated by an array of cellular and molecular mechanisms which influence growth rate, direction and branching. Recently, many members of the TNF superfamily have been shown to be key regulators of neurite growth during development. The founder member of this family, TNFα can both promote and inhibit neurite growth depending on the cellular context. Specifically, transmembrane TNFα promotes neurite growth, while soluble TNFα inhibits it. While the growth promoting effects of TNFα are restricted to a defined developmental window of early postnatal development, whether the growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNFα occur throughout development is unknown. In this study we used the extensively studied, well characterised neurons of the superior cervical ganglion to show that the growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNFα are restricted to a specific period of late embryonic and early postnatal development. Furthermore, we show that this growth inhibitory effect of soluble TNFα requires NF-κB signalling at all developmental stages at which soluble TNFα inhibits neurite growth. These findings raise the possibility that increases in the amount of soluble TNFα in vivo, for example as a result of maternal inflammation, could negatively affect neurite growth in developing neurons at specific stages of development. Copyright © 2015 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Two inhibitory systems and CKIs regulate cell cycle exit of mammalian cardiomyocytes after birth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tane, Shoji; Okayama, Hitomi; Ikenishi, Aiko

    Mammalian cardiomyocytes actively proliferate during embryonic stages, following which they exit their cell cycle after birth, and the exit is maintained. Previously, we showed that two inhibitory systems (the G1-phase inhibitory system: repression of cyclin D1 expression; the M-phase inhibitory system: inhibition of CDK1 activation) maintain the cell cycle exit of mouse adult cardiomyocytes. We also showed that two CDK inhibitors (CKIs), p21{sup Cip1} and p27{sup Kip1}, regulate the cell cycle exit in a portion of postnatal cardiomyocytes. It remains unknown whether the two inhibitory systems are involved in the cell cycle exit of postnatal cardiomyocytes and whether p21{sup Cip1}more » and p27{sup Kip1} also inhibit entry to M-phase. Here, we showed that more than 40% of cardiomyocytes entered an additional cell cycle by induction of cyclin D1 expression at postnatal stages, but M-phase entry was inhibited in the majority of cardiomyocytes. Marked cell cycle progression and endoreplication were observed in cardiomyocytes of p21{sup Cip1} knockout mice at 4 weeks of age. In addition, tri- and tetranucleated cardiomyocytes increased significantly in p21{sup Cip1} knockout mice. These data showed that the G1-phase inhibitory system and two CKIs (p21{sup Cip1} and p27{sup Kip1}) inhibit entry to an additional cell cycle in postnatal cardiomyocytes, and that the M-phase inhibitory system and p21{sup Cip1} inhibit M-phase entry of cardiomyocytes which have entered the additional cell cycle. - Highlights: • Many postnatal cardiomyocytes entered an additional cell cycle by cyclin D1 induction. • The majority of cardiomyocytes could not enter M-phase after cyclin D1 induction. • Cell cycle progressed markedly in p21{sup Cip1} knockout mice after postnatal day 14. • Tri- and tetranucleated cardiomyocytes increased in p21{sup Cip1} knockout mice.« less

  12. Intense physical exercise potentiates glucose inhibitory effect over food intake of male Wistar rats.

    PubMed

    Cavalcanti-de-Albuquerque, Joao Paulo; Kincheski, Grasielle Clotildes; Louzada, Ruy Andrade; Galina, Antônio; Pierucci, Anna Paola Trindade Rocha; Carvalho, Denise P

    2018-06-12

    What is the central question of this study? Physical exercise has emerged as a non-pharmacological treatment for obesity by promoting changes in energy balance. Despite the accumulated knowledge about exercise effects on energy expenditure, the central question of this study is to understand how an acute session of exercise might affect food intake of male Wistar rats. What is the main finding? The main finding of this work is that food intake in male Wistar rats is decreased in the first hour after physical exercise independent of the intensity. Moreover, high-intensity exercise potentiates the anorexic effect of peripheral glucose administration. Obesity has emerged as a critical metabolic disorder in modern society. An adequate lifestyle with good-oriented programs of diet and physical exercise (PE) can prevent or potentially even cure obesity. Additionally, PE might lead to weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and decreasing hunger perception. In this manuscript, we hypothesize that an acute exercise session with different intensities would potentiate the glucose inhibitory effects on food intake in male Wistar rats. Our data show that moderate- (MOD) or high-intensity (HIGH) PE significantly decreased food intake, although no changes in the expression of feeding-related neuropeptide in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus were found. Exercised animals demonstrated a reduced glucose tolerance and increased blood insulin concentration. Intraperitoneal administration of glucose decreased food intake in control animals. In the animals submitted to MOD, the decrease in food intake promoted by glucose was similar to controls; however, an interaction was observed when glucose was injected in the HIGH group, in which food intake was significantly lower than the effect produced by glucose alone. A different pattern of expression was observed for the monocarboxylate transporter isoforms (MCT1, 2 and 4) and the 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2

  13. Inhibitory effect of cyanide on wastewater nitrification ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The effect of CN- (CN-) on nitrification was examined with samples from nitrifying wastewater enrichments using two different approaches: by measuring substrate (ammonia) specific oxygen uptake rates (SOUR), and by using RT-qPCR to quantify the transcripts of functional genes involved in nitrification. The nitrifying bioreactor was operated as a continuous reactor with a 24 h hydraulic retention time. The samples were exposed in batch vessels to cyanide for a period of 12 h. The concentrations of CN- used in the batch assays were 0.03, 0.06, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L. There was considerable decrease in SOUR with increasing dosages of CN-. A decrease of more than 50% in nitrification activity was observed at 0.1 mg/L CN-. Based on the RT-qPCR data, there was notable reduction in the transcript levels of amoA and hao for increasing CN- dosage, which corresponded well with the ammonia oxidation activity measured via SOUR. The inhibitory effect of cyanide may be attributed to the affinity of cyanide to bind ferric heme proteins, which disrupt protein structure and function. The correspondence between the relative expression of functional genes and SOUR shown in this study demonstrates the efficacy of RNA based function-specific assays for better understanding of the effect of toxic compounds on nitrification activity in wastewater. Nitrification is the first step of nitrogen removal is wastewater, and it is susceptible to inhibition by many industrial chemical. We looked at

  14. Flavor Enhancer From Catfish (Clarias batrachus) Bekasam Powder and Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitory Activity in Various Dishes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lestari, Yanesti N.; Murwani, Retno; Agustini, Tri W.

    2018-02-01

    Flavor enhancer is characterized by high glutamic acid content and it can be obtained from fermented food such as Bekasam. Fermented food had inhibitory effect on Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) activity which is advantageous for hypertension. However, such activity was not known to sustain in food system. The aim of this research was to study addition of flavour enhancer from Catfish Bekasam Powder (CBP) in various food systems and to determine the ACE inhibitory (ACEI) activity in the food system. Four food system consisted of carrot, champignon, and chicken meat dishes were boiled in water and added with CBP or MSG. Each food system was added with graded level of CBP (0%; 0.5%; 0.8%; 1.1%; and 1,4%) and for control monosodium glutamate (MSG) was used. ACEI activity in each food system and organoleptic test using multiple comparison differentiation on 15 semi-trained panellists were determined. The results showed that there were fluctuation of ACEI activity in the carrot, champignon, and chicken meat dishes (p=0.017; 0.043; and 0.032). The MSG containing dishes showed the lowest ACEI activity. Addition of graded level of CBP on carrot, champignon, and chicken meat dishes were directly proportional to glutamic acid content but inversely proportional to ACEI activity (p<0.05). The addition of commercial MSG on all dishes increased glutamic acid content but reduced ACE-inhibitory activity significantly (p<0.05). Comparing CBP to MSG addition in champignon dish revealed that increasing level of CBP increased the flavour preference of the panellists. On the contrary the higher the addition CBP in noodle and chicken meat dishes the worse were the flavour score (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the addition of CBP as flavour enhancer on various dishes can deliver better flavour and ACE-inhibitory activity than the addition of commercial MSG.

  15. Inhibitory effects of Caesalpinia sappan on growth and invasion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kang-Ju; Yu, Hyeon-Hee; Jeong, Seung-Il; Cha, Jung-Dan; Kim, Shin-Moo; You, Yong-Ouk

    2004-03-01

    In the present study, we investigated antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia sappan against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and effect of Caesalpinia sappan extract on the invasion of MRSA to human mucosal fibroblasts (HMFs). Chloroform, n-butanol, methanol, and aqueous extracts of the Caesalpinia sappan showed antimicrobial activity against standard methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) as well as MRSA. Methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan demonstrated a higher inhibitory activity than n-butanol, chloroform, and aqueous extracts. In the checkerboard dilution method, methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan markedly lowered the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ampicillin and oxacillin against MRSA. To determine whether methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan inhibits the MRSA invasion to HMFs, the cells were treated with various sub-MIC concentrations of methanol extract and bacterial invasion was assayed. MRSA invasion was notably decreased in the presence of 20-80 microg/ml of Caesalpinia sappan extract compared to the control group. The effect of Caesalpinia sappan extract on MRSA invasion appeared dose-dependent. These results suggest that methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan may have antimicrobial activity and the potential to restore the effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics against MRSA, and inhibit the MRSA invasion to HMFs.

  16. Inhibitory mechanisms of glabridin on tyrosinase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jianmin; Yu, Xiaojing; Huang, Yufeng

    2016-11-01

    Tyrosinase is an oxidase that is the rate-limiting enzyme for controlling the production of melanin in the human body. Overproduction of melanin could lead to a variety of skin disorders. Glabridin, an isoflavan, isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn, has exhibited several pharmacological activities, including excellent inhibitory effects on tyrosinase. In this paper, the inhibitory kinetics of glabridin on tyrosinase and their binding mechanisms were determined using spectroscopic, zebrafish model and molecular docking techniques. The results indicate that glabridin reversibly inhibits tyrosinase in a noncompetitive manner through a multiphase kinetic process with the IC50 of 0.43 μmol/L. It has been shown that glabridin had a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of tyrosinase mainly through a static quenching procedure, suggesting a stable glabridin-tyrosinase complex may be generated. The results of molecular docking suggest that glabridin did not directly bind to the active site of tyrosinase. Moreover, according to the results of zebrafish model system, glabridin shows no effects on melanin synthesis in zebrafish but presents toxicity to zebrafish embryo. The possible inhibitory mechanisms, which will help to design and search for tyrosinase inhibitors especially for glabridin analogues, were proposed.

  17. The inhibitory effect of natural bioactives on the growth of pathogenic bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Ji-Sun

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory activity of natural products, against growth of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Salmonella typhimurium (KCCM 11862). Chitosan, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and garlic were used as natural bioactives for antibacterial activity. The testing method was carried out according to the disk diffusion method. All of chitosan, EGCG, and garlic showed inhibitory effect against the growth of E. coli and Salmonella typhi. To evaluate the antibacterial activity of natural products during storage, chicken skins were inoculated with 106 of E. coli or Salmonella typhi. The inoculated chicken skins, treated with 0.5, 1, or 2% natural bioactives, were stored during 8 day at 4℃. The numbers of microorganisms were measured at 8 day. Both chitosan and EGCG showed significant decrease in the number of E. coli and Salmonella typhi in dose dependent manner (P < 0.05). These results suggest that natural bioactives such as chitosan, EGCG may be possible to be used as antimicrobial agents for the improvement of food safety. PMID:20368950

  18. Mitigation of the inhibitory effect of soap by magnesium salt treatment of crude glycerol--a novel approach for enhanced biohydrogen production from the biodiesel industry waste.

    PubMed

    Sarma, Saurabh Jyoti; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Le Bihan, Yann; Buelna, Gerardo; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

    2014-01-01

    Owing to its inhibitory effect on microbial growth, soap present in crude glycerol (CG) is a concern in biological valorization of the biodiesel manufacturing waste. By salting out strategy, up to 42% of the soap has been removed and the approach has beneficial effect on H2 production; however, removal of more than 7% of the soap was found to be inhibitory. Actually, soap is utilized as a co-substrate and due to removal; the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the medium might have decreased to reduce the production. Alternatively, without changing the carbon-nitrogen ratio of CG, MgSO4 treatment can convert the soap to its inactive form (scum). The approach was found to increase the H2 production rate (33.82%), cumulative H2 production (34.70%) as well as glycerol utilization (nearly 2.5-folds). Additionally, the treatment can increase the Mg (a nutrient) content of the medium from 0.57 ppm to 201.92 ppm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Inhibitory effects of patchouli alcohol on stress-induced diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Tian-Ran; Huang, Jing-Jing; Huang, Zi-Tong; Cao, Hong-Ying; Tan, Bo

    2018-01-01

    AIM To elucidate the mechanism of patchouli alcohol (PA) in treatment of rat models of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). METHODS We studied the effects of PA on colonic spontaneous motility using its cumulative log concentration (3 × 10−7 mol/L to 1 × 10−4 mol/L). We then determined the responses of the proximal and distal colon segments of rats to the following stimuli: (1) carbachol (1 × 10−9 mol/L to 1 × 10−5 mol/L); (2) neurotransmitter antagonists including Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (10 μmol/L) and (1R*, 2S*)-4-[2-Iodo-6-(methylamino)-9H-purin-9-yl]-2-(phosphonooxy)bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-1-methanol dihydrogen phosphate ester tetraammonium salt (1 μmol/L); (3) agonist α,β-methyleneadenosine 5′-triphosphate trisodium salt (100 μmol/L); and (4) single KCl doses (120 mmol/L). The effects of blockers against antagonist responses were also assessed by pretreatment with PA (100 μmol/L) for 1 min. Electrical-field stimulation (40 V, 2-30 Hz, 0.5 ms pulse duration, and 10 s) was performed to observe nonadrenergic, noncholinergic neurotransmitter release in IBS-D rat colon. The ATP level of Kreb’s solution was also determined. RESULTS PA exerted a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the spontaneous contraction of the colonic longitudinal smooth muscle, and the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) was 41.9 μmol/L. In comparison with the KCl-treated IBS-D group, the contractile response (mg contractions) in the PA + KCl-treated IBS-D group (11.87 ± 3.34) was significantly decreased in the peak tension (P < 0.01). Compared with CCh-treated IBS-D rat colon, the cholinergic contractile response of IBS-D rat colonic smooth muscle (EC50 = 0.94 μmol/L) was significantly decreased by PA (EC50 = 37.43 μmol/L) (P < 0.05). Lack of nitrergic neurotransmitter release in stress-induced IBS-D rats showed contraction effects on colonic smooth muscle. Pretreatment with PA resulted in inhibitory effect on L

  20. Evaluation of Traditional Indian Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants for Human Pancreatic Amylase Inhibitory Effect In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Ponnusamy, Sudha; Ravindran, Remya; Zinjarde, Smita; Bhargava, Shobha; Ravi Kumar, Ameeta

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors offer an effective strategy to lower the levels of post prandial hyperglycemia via control of starch breakdown. Eleven Ayurvedic Indian medicinal plants with known hypoglycemic properties were subjected to sequential solvent extraction and tested for α-amylase inhibition, in order to assess and evaluate their inhibitory potential on pancreatic α-amylase. Analysis of 91 extracts, showed that 10 exhibited strong Human Pancreatic Amylase (HPA) inhibitory potential. Of these, 6 extracts showed concentration dependent inhibition with IC50 values, namely, cold and hot water extracts from Ficus bengalensis bark (4.4 and 125 μgmL−1), Syzygium cumini seeds (42.1 and 4.1 μgmL−1), isopropanol extracts of Cinnamomum verum leaves (1.0 μgmL−1) and Curcuma longa rhizome (0.16 μgmL−1). The other 4 extracts exhibited concentration independent inhibition, namely, methanol extract of Bixa orellana leaves (49 μgmL−1), isopropanol extract from Murraya koenigii leaves (127 μgmL−1), acetone extracts from C. longa rhizome (7.4 μgmL−1) and Tribulus terrestris seeds (511 μgmL−1). Thus, the probable mechanism of action of the above fractions is due to their inhibitory action on HPA, thereby reducing the rate of starch hydrolysis leading to lowered glucose levels. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, proteins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids as probable inhibitory compounds. PMID:20953430

  1. The inhibitory effect of the various seed coating substances against rice seed borne fungi and their shelf-life during storage.

    PubMed

    Thobunluepop, Pitipong

    2009-08-15

    Presently, chemical seed treatments are in discussion due to their directly or indirectly impacts on human health or other living organisms. They may also negatively affect the ecosystem and the food chain. In rice seeds, chemicals may cause phytotoxic effects including seed degradation. Eugenol is the main component of clove (Eugenia caryophillis) oil, which was proved to act simultaneously as bactericide, virocide and especially fungicide. The in vitro study was aimed to compare the inhibitory effect of the following seed treatment substances against seed borne fungi and their shelf-life during 12 months of storage; conventional captan (CA), chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (CL), eugenol incorporated into chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (E+CL) and control (CO). The obtained results of fungi inhibition were classified in three groups, which showed at first that CA treatment led to a better, i.e., longer, inhibitory effect on Alternaria padwickii, Rhizoctonia solani, Curvularia sp., Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger than E+CL. Secondly, E+CL coating polymer showed the longest inhibitory effect against Bipolaris oryzae and Nigrospora oryzae compared to CA and CL coating polymer. Finally, both CA and E+CL coating polymer had non-significant difference inhibitory effect on Fusarium moniliforme. The variant of CL coating polymer for seed coating was only during the first 6 months of storage able to inhibit all species of the observed seed borne fungi, whereas CA and E+CL coating polymer were capable to inhibit most of the fungi until 9 months of storage.

  2. [Working memory and executive control: inhibitory processes in updating and random generation tasks].

    PubMed

    Macizo, Pedro; Bajo, Teresa; Soriano, Maria Felipa

    2006-02-01

    Working Memory (WM) span predicts subjects' performance in control executive tasks and, in addition, it has been related to the capacity to inhibit irrelevant information. In this paper we investigate the role of WM span in two executive tasks focusing our attention on inhibitory components of both tasks. High and low span participants recalled targets words rejecting irrelevant items at the same time (Experiment 1) and they generated random numbers (Experiment 2). Results showed a clear relation between WM span and performance in both tasks. In addition, analyses of intrusion errors (Experiment 1) and stereotyped responses (Experiment 2) indicated that high span individuals were able to efficiently use the inhibitory component implied in both tasks. The pattern of data provides support to the relation between WM span and control executive tasks through an inhibitory mechanism.

  3. Hunger, inhibitory control and distress-induced emotional eating.

    PubMed

    van Strien, Tatjana; Ouwens, Machteld A; Engel, Carmen; de Weerth, Carolina

    2014-08-01

    Self-reported emotional eating has been found to significantly moderate distress-induced food intake, with low emotional eaters eating less after a stress task than after a control task and high emotional eaters eating more. The aim of the present study was to explore possible underlying mechanisms by assessing possible associations with (1) ability to experience the typical post-stress reduction of hunger and (2) inhibitory control. We studied these effects in 54 female students who were preselected on the basis of extremely high or low scores on an emotional eating questionnaire. Using a within subject design we measured the difference of actual food or snack intake after a control or a stress task (Trier Social Stress Test). As expected, the moderator effect of emotional eating on distress-induced food intake was found to be only present in females with a failure to report the typical reduction of hunger immediately after a stress task (an a-typical hunger stress response). Contrary to our expectations, this moderator effect of emotional eating was also found to be only present in females with high ability to stop motor impulses (high inhibitory control). These findings suggest that an a-typical hunger stress response but not poor inhibitory control may underlie the moderator effect of emotional eating on distress-induced food intake. However, inhibitory control may play a role whether or not there is a moderator effect of self-reported emotional eating on distress-induced food intake. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Secoiridoids from the stem barks of Fraxinus rhynchophylla with pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Jong Hoon; Shin, Eunjin; Liu, Qing; Kim, Seon Beom; Choi, Kyeong-Mi; Yoo, Hwan-Soo; Hwang, Bang Yeon; Lee, Mi Kyeong

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic lipase digests dietary fats by hydrolysis, which is a key enzyme for lipid absorption. Therefore, reduction of fat absorption by the inhibition of pancreatic lipase is suggested to be a therapeutic strategy for obesity. From the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the stem barks of Fraxinus rhynchophylla (Oleaceae), four secoiridoids such as ligstroside (1), oleuropein (2), 2"-hydroxyoleuropein (3) and hydroxyframoside B (4) were isolated. The inhibitory activity of these compounds on pancreatic lipase was assessed using porcine pancreatic lipase as an in vitro assay system. Compound 4 showed the strongest inhibition on pancreatic lipase, which followed by compounds 1-3. In addition, compound 4 exerted inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase in a mixed mechanism of competitive and noncompetitive manner. Taken together, F. rhynchophylla and its constituents might be beneficial to obesity.

  5. Selective Attention and Inhibitory Deficits in ADHD: Does Subtype or Comorbidity Modulate Negative Priming Effects?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pritchard, Verena E.; Neumann, Ewald; Rucklidge, Julia J.

    2008-01-01

    Selective attention has durable consequences for behavior and neural activation. Negative priming (NP) effects are assumed to reflect a critical inhibitory component of selective attention. The performance of adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was assessed across two conceptually based NP tasks within a selective…

  6. Influence of gas-liquid two-phase flow on angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides separation by ultra-filtration.

    PubMed

    Charoenphun, Narin; Youravong, Wirote

    2017-01-01

    Membrane fouling is a major problem in ultra-filtration systems and two-phase flow is a promising technique for permeate flux enhancement. The objective of this research was to study the use of an ultra-filtration (UF) system to enrich angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from tilapia protein hydrolysate. To select the most appropriate membrane and operating condition, the effects of membrane molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), transmembrane pressure (TMP) and cross-flow velocity (CFV) on permeate flux and ACE inhibitory peptide separation were studied. Additionally, the gas-liquid two-phase flow technique was applied to investigate its effect on the process capability. The results showed that the highest ACE inhibitory activity was obtained from permeate of the 1 kDa membrane. In terms of TMP and CFV, the permeate flux tended to increase with TMP and CFV. The use of gas-liquid two-phase flow as indicated by shear stress number could reduce membrane fouling and increase the permeate flux up to 42%, depending on shear stress number. Moreover, the use of a shear stress number of 0.039 led to an augmentation in ACE inhibitory activity of permeates. Operating conditions using a shear stress number of 0.039 were recommended for enrichment of ACE inhibitory peptides. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Two new prenylflavonoids from Epimedii Herba and their inhibitory effects on advanced glycation end-products.

    PubMed

    Nakashima, Keisuke; Miyashita, Hiroyuki; Yoshimitsu, Hitoshi; Fujiwara, Yukio; Nagai, Ryoji; Ikeda, Tsuyoshi

    2016-04-01

    Because inhibitors of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), for example pyridoxamine, significantly inhibit the development of retinopathy and neuropathy in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, treatment with AGE inhibitors is believed to be a potential strategy for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetic complications. In the present study, the MeOH extract of Epimedii Herba (EH; aerial parts of Epimedium spp.) was found to inhibit the formation of N (ε) -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N (ω) -(carboxymethyl)arginine (CMA) during incubation of collagen-derived gelatin with ribose. Furthermore, compounds with inhibitory effects against CML and CMA formation were isolated from EH. Two new prenylflavonoids (compounds 1 and 2) and two known compounds (3 and 4) were found to significantly inhibit the formation of both CML and CMA; compound 4 (epimedokoreanin B) had the strongest inhibitory effect of the isolated compounds. These data suggest that epimedokoreanin B could prevent clinical complications of diabetes by inhibiting AGEs.

  8. Effect of wine addition on microbiological characteristics, volatile molecule profiles and biogenic amine contents in fermented sausages.

    PubMed

    Coloretti, Fabio; Tabanelli, Giulia; Chiavari, Cristiana; Lanciotti, Rosalba; Grazia, Luigi; Gardini, Fausto; Montanari, Chiara

    2014-03-01

    The aim was to evaluate the effect of wine addition during manufacturing of dry fermented sausages, in terms of safety aspects (biogenic amine accumulation), aroma profile and sensory characteristics. Three batches of salami were produced: without wine addition and with 7.5% or 15% (v/w) of white wine. The fermented sausages showed characteristics that can increase product diversification. Some of the sensory features (i.e. increased salty perception) can represent an important strategy because of the trend to reduce salt intake for health reasons. The presence of wine immediately reduced the pH and is a source of ethanol, which can have an inhibitory effect against undesirable microflora. The microbiological results observed regarding Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci were encouraging. The addition of wine did not negatively affect the ripening time or increase the presence of biogenic amines. The samples containing wine showed reduced concentrations of putrescine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Measures of Dogs' Inhibitory Control Abilities Do Not Correlate across Tasks

    PubMed Central

    Brucks, Désirée; Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Wallis, Lisa Jessica; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

    2017-01-01

    Inhibitory control, the ability to overcome prepotent but ineffective behaviors, has been studied extensively across species, revealing the involvement of this ability in many different aspects of life. While various different paradigms have been created in order to measure inhibitory control, only a limited number of studies have investigated whether such measurements indeed evaluate the same underlying mechanism, especially in non-human animals. In humans, inhibitory control is a complex construct composed of distinct behavioral processes rather than of a single unified measure. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the validity of inhibitory control paradigms in dogs. Sixty-seven dogs were tested in a battery consisting of frequently used inhibitory control tests. Additionally, dog owners were asked to complete an impulsivity questionnaire about their dog. No correlation of dogs' performance across tasks was found. In order to understand whether there are some underlying behavioral aspects explaining dogs' performance across tests, we performed principle component analyses. Results revealed that three components (persistency, compulsivity and decision speed) explained the variation across tasks. The questionnaire and dogs' individual characteristics (i.e., age and sex) provided only limited information for the derived components. Overall, results suggest that no unique measurement for inhibitory control exists in dogs, but tests rather measure different aspects of this ability. Considering the context-specificity of inhibitory control in dogs and most probably also in other non-human animals, extreme caution is needed when making conclusions about inhibitory control abilities based on a single test. PMID:28596749

  10. Antitubercular activity and inhibitory effect on Epstein-Barr virus activation of sterols and polyisoprenepolyols from an edible mushroom, Hypsizigus marmoreus.

    PubMed

    Akihisa, Toshihiro; Franzblau, Scott Gary; Tokuda, Harukuni; Tagata, Masaaki; Ukiya, Motohiko; Matsuzawa, Tsunetomo; Metori, Koichi; Kimura, Yumiko; Suzuki, Takashi; Yasukawa, Ken

    2005-06-01

    Seven sterols (1-7) and eight polyisoprenepolyols (8-15), isolated from the non-saponifiable lipid fraction of the dichloromethane extract of an edible mushroom, Hypsizigus marmoreus (Buna-shimeji), were tested for their antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Six sterols (2-7) and two polyisoprenepolyols (8, 12) showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in the range of 1-51 microg/ml, while the others (1, 9-11, 13-15) were inactive (MIC>128 microg/ml). The seven sterols (1-7) and three polyisoprenepolyols (8, 10, 12) were further evaluated for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells. Sterols 6 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects while preserving the high viability of Raji cells.

  11. Inhibitory effect of eupatilin and jaceosidin isolated from Artemisia princeps in IgE-induced hypersensitivity.

    PubMed

    Lee, Seung Hoon; Bae, Eun-Ah; Park, Eun-Kyung; Shin, Yong-Wook; Baek, Nam-In; Han, Eun-Joo; Chung, Hae-Gon; Kim, Dong-Hyun

    2007-12-15

    To understand the antiallergic effect of Artemisia princeps (AP), which has been found to show inhibitory activity against degranulation and a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction, eupatilin and jaceosidin, as the active components, were isolated by degranulation-inhibitory activity-guided fractionation, with their antiallergic activity investigated. These isolated components potently inhibited the release of beta-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells induced by the IgE-antigen complex, with IC(50) values of 3.4 and 4.5muM, respectively. Eupatilin and jaceosidin potently inhibited the PCA reaction and scratching behaviors induced by IgE- antigen complex and compound 48/80, respectively. Orally administered jaceosidin more potently inhibited the PCA reaction than that of eupatilin, although the PCA reaction-inhibitory activity of intraperitoneally administered jaceosidin was nearly the same as that of eupatilin. Eupatilin and jaceosidin inhibited the gene expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-4 in RBL-2H3 cells stimulated by IgE-antigen complex. Eupatilin and jaceosidin inhibited the activation of NF-kB. Based on these findings, eupatilin and jaceosidin may be useful for protection from the PCA and itching reactions, which are IgE-mediated representative skin allergic diseases.

  12. Inhibitory spectrum of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor.

    PubMed Central

    Saito, H; Goldsmith, G H; Moroi, M; Aoki, N

    1979-01-01

    alpha 2-Plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2PI) has been recently characterized as a fast-reacting inhibitor of plasmin in human plasma and appears to play an important role in the regulation of fibrinolysis in vivo. We have studied the effect of purified alpha 2PI upon various proteases participating in human blood coagulation and kinin generation. At physiological concentration (50 microgram/ml), alpha 2PI inhibited the clot-promoting and prekallikrein-activating activity of Hageman factor fragments, the amidolytic, kininogenase, and clot-promoting activities of plasma kallikrein, and the clot-promoting properties of activated plasma thromboplastin antecedent (PTA, Factor XIa) and thrombin. alpha 2PI had minimal inhibitory effect on surface-bound activated PTA and activated Stuart factor (Factor Xa). alpha 2PI did not inhibit the activity of activated Christmas factor (Factor IXa) or urinary kallikrein. Heparin (1.5-2.0 units/ml) did not enhance the inhibitory function of alpha 2PI. These results suggest that, like other plasma protease inhibitors, alpha 2PI possesses a broad in vitro spectrum of inhibitory properties. PMID:156364

  13. High frequency electrical stimulation concurrently induces central sensitization and ipsilateral inhibitory pain modulation.

    PubMed

    Vo, L; Drummond, P D

    2013-03-01

    In healthy humans, analgesia to blunt pressure develops in the ipsilateral forehead during various forms of limb pain. The aim of the current study was to determine whether this analgesic response is induced by ultraviolet B radiation (UVB), which evokes signs of peripheral sensitization, or by high-frequency electrical stimulation (HFS), which triggers signs of central sensitization. Before and after HFS and UVB conditioning, sensitivity to heat and to blunt and sharp stimuli was assessed at and adjacent to the treated site in the forearm. In addition, sensitivity to blunt pressure was measured bilaterally in the forehead. The effect of ipsilateral versus contralateral temple cooling on electrically evoked pain in the forearm was then examined, to determine whether HFS or UVB conditioning altered inhibitory pain modulation. UVB conditioning triggered signs of peripheral sensitization, whereas HFS conditioning triggered signs of central sensitization. Importantly, ipsilateral forehead analgesia developed after HFS but not UVB conditioning. In addition, decreases in electrically evoked pain at the HFS-treated site were greater during ipsilateral than contralateral temple cooling, whereas decreases at the UVB-treated site were similar during both procedures. HFS conditioning induced signs of central sensitization in the forearm and analgesia both in the ipsilateral forehead and the HFS-treated site. This ipsilateral analgesia was not due to peripheral sensitization or other non-specific effects, as it failed to develop after UVB conditioning. Thus, the supra-spinal mechanisms that evoke central sensitization might also trigger a hemilateral inhibitory pain modulation process. This inhibitory process could sharpen the boundaries of central sensitization or limit its spread. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

  14. [Inhibitory effect and mechanism of tofacitinib on the secretion of cytokines by T cells in human peripheral blood].

    PubMed

    Wu, Kunlun; Zhao, Jun; Wu, Qiongli; Wu, Changyou

    2017-11-01

    Objective To study the inhibitory effect of tofacitinib on the production of cytokines by T cells in human peripheral blood and its mechanism. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and purified T cells were cultured and stimulated with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies in the presence or absence of tofacitinib (0.5 μmol/L). The levels of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) in the culture supernatants were detected by ELISA, and the expressions of activated molecules CD69 and CD25 on the surface of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, the production of cytokines and the phosphorylation of signal transducers and transcriptional activators STAT1, STAT3, STAT4 in T cells were examined by flow cytometry. At the same time, the proliferation and apoptosis of T cells were observed by 5- (and 6-) carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) staining and the flow cy tometry with annexin V-FITC/PI, respectively. Results Tofacitinib inhibited the production of IFN-γ, TNF-α and the expression of CD25 on T cells from the peripheral blood. In addition, the proliferation and the phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3, STAT4 by T cells were also depressed. However, tofacitinib had no effect on the secretion of IL-2, the expression of CD69 and the apoptosis of T cells. Conclusion Tofacitinib can inhibit the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α by T cells in the peripheral blood, and its mechanism might be related to the inhibitory effect of tofacitinib on the activation, proliferation and signal transduction in T cells.

  15. Diabetes attenuates the inhibitory effects of endomorphin-2, but not endomorphin-1 on gastrointestinal transit in mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chang-lin; Diao, Yu-xiang; Xiang, Qiong; Ren, Yu-kun; Gu, Ning

    2014-09-05

    Diabetes affects the entire gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the anus. In the present study, the charcoal meal test was undertaken to evaluate and compare the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of endomorphins (EMs) on gastrointestinal transit in non-diabetic and diabetic mice. Significantly delayed gastrointestinal transit was found in both 4 and 8 weeks alloxan-induced diabetes compared to non-diabetes. Moreover, i.c.v. EM-1 and EM-2 dose-dependently delayed gastrointestinal transit in non-diabetes and diabetes. The EM-1-induced inhibitory effects of gastrointestinal transit in 4 weeks diabetes were qualitatively similar to those of non-diabetes. However, at higher doses, the EM-1-induced effects in 8 weeks diabetes were largely enhanced. Different to EM-1, the EM-2-induced inhibition of gastrointestinal transit in diabetic mice was significantly attenuated compared to non-diabetic mice. Moreover, these effects were further decreased in 8 weeks diabetes. The delayed gastrointestinal transit effects caused by EM-1 may be primarily mediated by μ2-opioid receptor in both non-diabetes and 4 weeks diabetes. Interestingly, in 8 weeks diabetes, these effects were mediated by μ2- and δ-receptors. However, the inhibitory effects of EM-2 were mediated by μ1-opioid receptor, which exerted a reduced function in diabetes. Also, poor blood glucose control might result in the attenuated effects of EM-2. Our present results demonstrated that diabetes attenuates the inhibitory effects of EM-2, but not EM-1 on gastrointestinal transit in mice. The different effects of EM-1 and EM-2 on gastrointestinal transit in diabetes may be due to changes of opioid receptor subtypes and their functional responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Mitigation of Humic Acid Inhibition in Anaerobic Digestion of Cellulose by Addition of Various Salts

    PubMed Central

    Azman, Samet; Khadem, Ahmad F.; Zeeman, Grietje; van Lier, Jules B.; Plugge, Caroline M.

    2015-01-01

    Humic compounds are inhibitory to the anaerobic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass. In this study, the impact of salt addition to mitigate the inhibitory effects of humic compounds was investigated. The experiment was conducted using batch tests to monitor the anaerobic hydrolysis of cellulose in the presence of humic acid. Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron salts were tested separately for their efficiency to mitigate humic acid inhibition. All experiments were done under mesophilic conditions (30 °C) and at pH 7. Methane production was monitored online, using the Automatic Methane Potential Test System. Methane production, soluble chemical oxygen demand and volatile fatty acid content of the samples were measured to calculate the hydrolysis efficiencies. Addition of magnesium, calcium and iron salts clearly mitigated the inhibitory effects of humic acid and hydrolysis efficiencies reached up to 75%, 65% and 72%, respectively, which were similar to control experiments. Conversely, potassium and sodium salts addition did not mitigate the inhibition and hydrolysis efficiencies were found to be less than 40%. Mitigation of humic acid inhibition via salt addition was also validated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analyses, which showed the binding capacity of different cations to humic acid. PMID:28955013

  17. [Inhibitory effect on Microcystis aeruginosa as well as separation and identification of the allelochemicals of welsh onion].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yang; Li, Yuan; Li, Cheng; Liu, Lu; Zhang, Tingting

    2013-11-01

    To study the inhibition of welsh onion on Microcystis aeruginosa, and separat and identify of the allelochemicals from welsh onion. METHEDS: The inhibitory effect of different concentrations of fistular onion stalk and fistular onion leaf water extracts on M. aeruginosa were studied; besides, separation and identification of the allelochemicals of welsh onion were also studied. Both fistular onion stalk and fistular onion leaf water extracts had, to different degree, inhibitory effect on the growth of M. aeruginosat. Compared with the control group, the fluorescence intensity of fistular onion stalk and fistular onion leaf were lower than the control group in the same period, and the inhibitory effect were more obvious with the increase of the water extract concentrations, to the fifth day, M. aeruginosa almost completely dead of the highest concentration(50 ml/L) of fistular onion stalk water extract treated group, the EC50 of water extract from fistular onion stalk to M. aeruginosa was 12.7 ml/L, equivalent to fresh weight 1.27 g/L. Main allelochemicals in fistular onion stalk includes allyl mercaptan, cyclopentyl mercaptan, and so on. The inhibiting assay on M. aeruginosa showed that the EC50 of allyl mercaptan and cyclopentyl mercaptan respectively were 0.03 and 0.02 g/L. The fistular onion stalk water extracts has very good algicidal effect, allelopathic algal inhibiting substances primarily are sulfocompound, which have the potential to develop into biological algicide.

  18. Inhibitory effect of carotenoids on the degranulation of mast cells via suppression of antigen-induced aggregation of high affinity IgE receptors.

    PubMed

    Sakai, Shota; Sugawara, Tatsuya; Matsubara, Kiminori; Hirata, Takashi

    2009-10-09

    Carotenoids have been demonstrated to possess antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there is no report that the effects of carotenoids on degranulation of mast cell is critical for type I allergy. In this study, we focused on the effect of carotenoids on antigen-induced degranulation of mast cells. Fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene significantly inhibited the antigen-induced release of beta-hexosaminidase in rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. Those carotenoids also inhibited antigen-induced aggregation of the high affinity IgE receptor (Fc epsilonRI), which is the most upstream of the degranulating signals of mast cells. Furthermore, carotenoids inhibited Fc epsilonRI-mediated intracellular signaling, such as phosphorylation of Lyn kinase and Fyn kinase. It suggests that the inhibitory effect of carotenoids on the degranulation of mast cells were mainly due to suppressing the aggregation of Fc epsilonRI followed by intracellular signaling. In addition, those carotenoids inhibited antigen-induced translocation of Fc epsilonRI to lipid rafts, which are known as platforms of the aggregation of Fc epsilonRI. We assume that carotenoids may modulate the function of lipid rafts and inhibit the translocation of Fc epsilonRI to lipid rafts. This is the first report that focused on the aggregation of Fc epsilonRI to investigate the mechanism of the inhibitory effects on the degranulation of mast cells and evaluated the functional activity of carotenoids associated with lipid rafts.

  19. Inhibitory Effect of Carotenoids on the Degranulation of Mast Cells via Suppression of Antigen-induced Aggregation of High Affinity IgE Receptors*

    PubMed Central

    Sakai, Shota; Sugawara, Tatsuya; Matsubara, Kiminori; Hirata, Takashi

    2009-01-01

    Carotenoids have been demonstrated to possess antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there is no report that the effects of carotenoids on degranulation of mast cell is critical for type I allergy. In this study, we focused on the effect of carotenoids on antigen-induced degranulation of mast cells. Fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene significantly inhibited the antigen-induced release of β-hexosaminidase in rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. Those carotenoids also inhibited antigen-induced aggregation of the high affinity IgE receptor (FcϵRI), which is the most upstream of the degranulating signals of mast cells. Furthermore, carotenoids inhibited FcϵRI-mediated intracellular signaling, such as phosphorylation of Lyn kinase and Fyn kinase. It suggests that the inhibitory effect of carotenoids on the degranulation of mast cells were mainly due to suppressing the aggregation of FcϵRI followed by intracellular signaling. In addition, those carotenoids inhibited antigen-induced translocation of FcϵRI to lipid rafts, which are known as platforms of the aggregation of FcϵRI. We assume that carotenoids may modulate the function of lipid rafts and inhibit the translocation of FcϵRI to lipid rafts. This is the first report that focused on the aggregation of FcϵRI to investigate the mechanism of the inhibitory effects on the degranulation of mast cells and evaluated the functional activity of carotenoids associated with lipid rafts. PMID:19700409

  20. Associative plasticity in intracortical inhibitory circuits in human motor cortex.

    PubMed

    Russmann, Heike; Lamy, Jean-Charles; Shamim, Ejaz A; Meunier, Sabine; Hallett, Mark

    2009-06-01

    Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a transcranial magnetic stimulation technique inducing Hebbian-like synaptic plasticity in the human motor cortex (M1). PAS is produced by repetitive pairing of a peripheral nerve shock and a transcranial magnetic stimulus (TMS). Its effect is assessed by a change in size of a motor evoked response (MEP). MEP size results from excitatory and inhibitory influences exerted on cortical pyramidal cells, but no robust effects on inhibitory networks have been demonstrated so far. In 38 healthy volunteers, we assessed whether a PAS intervention influences three intracortical inhibitory circuits: short (SICI) and long (LICI) intracortical inhibitions reflecting activity of GABA(A) and GABA(B) interneurons, respectively, and long afferent inhibition (LAI) reflecting activity of somatosensory inputs. After PAS, MEP sizes, LICI and LAI levels were significantly changed while changes of SICI were inconsistent. The changes in LICI and LAI lasted 45 min after PAS. Their direction depended on the delay between the arrival time of the afferent volley at the cortex and the TMS-induced cortical activation during the PAS. PAS influences inhibitory circuits in M1. PAS paradigms can demonstrate Hebbian-like plasticity at selected inhibitory networks as well as excitatory networks.

  1. Acute effects of alcohol on inhibitory control and simulated driving in DUI offenders.

    PubMed

    Van Dyke, Nicholas; Fillmore, Mark T

    2014-06-01

    The public health costs associated with alcohol-related traffic accidents have prompted considerable research aimed at identifying characteristics of individuals who drive under the influence (DUI) in order to improve treatment and prevention strategies. Survey studies consistently show that DUI offenders self-report higher levels of impulsivity compared to their nonoffending counterparts. However, little is known about how individuals with a DUI history respond under alcohol. Inhibitory control is a behavioral component of impulsivity thought to underlie risky drinking and driving behaviors. The present study examined the degree to which DUI drivers display deficits of inhibitory control in response to alcohol and the degree to which alcohol impaired their simulated driving performance. It was hypothesized that DUI offenders would display an increased sensitivity to the acute impairing effects of alcohol on simulated driving performance. Young adult drivers with a history of DUI and a demographically-comparable group of drivers with no history of DUI (controls) were tested following a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Inhibitory control was measured by using a cued go/no-go task. Drivers then completed a driving simulation task that yielded multiple indicators of driving performance, such as within-lane deviation, steering rate, centerline crossings and road edge excursions, and drive speed. Results showed that although DUI offenders self-reported greater levels of impulsivity than did controls, no group differences were observed in the degree to which alcohol impaired inhibitory control and driving performance. The findings point to the need to identify other aspects of behavioral dysfunction underlying the self-reported impulsivity among DUI offenders, and to better understand the specific driving situations that might pose greater risk to DUI offenders. The systematic study of candidate cognitive deficits in DUI offenders will provide important

  2. Inhibitory effects of polyphenols in leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP on protein fragmentation by Cu(II)-H2O2 in vitro.

    PubMed

    Toda, Shizuo

    2004-01-01

    The leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP have traditionally been used as teas and foods in Japan. Polyphenols in Artemisia plants have been shown to have inhibitory effects against biological damages. The inhibitory effects of polyphenols in the leaves of A. princeps PAMP were investigated on protein fragmentation induced by Cu(II)-H(2)O(2) in vitro. The total polyphenol content in the leaves of A. princeps PAMP was 4.58%. The condensed tannin content was 0.62% by vanillin assay and 0.14% by proanthrocyanidin assay. The polyphenols in the leaves of A. princeps PAMP inhibited bovine albumin fragmentation by Cu(II)-H(2)O(2). The effects of polyphenols in the leaves of A. princeps PAMP were similar to those of tannic acid, studied as a related polyphenol. These results demonstrated that the leaves of A. princeps PAMP have inhibitory effects on protein fragmentation damage.

  3. Does inhibitory control training improve health behaviour? A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Allom, Vanessa; Mullan, Barbara; Hagger, Martin

    2016-06-01

    Inhibitory control training has been hypothesised as a technique that will improve an individual's ability to overrule impulsive reactions in order to regulate behaviour consistent with long-term goals. A meta-analysis of 19 studies of inhibitory control training and health behaviours was conducted to determine the effect of inhibitory control training on reducing harmful behaviours. Theoretically driven moderation analyses were also conducted to determine whether extraneous variables account for heterogeneity in the effect; in order to facilitate the development of effective intervention strategies. Moderators included type of training task, behaviour targeted, measurement of behaviour and training duration. A small but homogeneous effect of training on behaviour was found, d(+)  = 0.378, CI95 = [0.258, 0.498]. Moderation analyses revealed that the training paradigm adopted, and measurement type influenced the size of the effect such that larger effects were found for studies that employed go/no-go (GNG) training paradigms rather than stop-signal task paradigms, and objective outcome measures that were administered immediately yielded the largest and most consistent effects on behaviour. Results suggest that GNG inhibitory control training paradigms can influence health behaviour, but perhaps only in the short-term. Future research is required to systematically examine the influence of training duration, and the longevity of the training effect. Determining these factors could provide the basis for cost-effective and efficacious health-promoting interventions.

  4. Dichotomous Dynamics in E-I Networks with Strongly and Weakly Intra-connected Inhibitory Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Rich, Scott; Zochowski, Michal; Booth, Victoria

    2017-01-01

    The interconnectivity between excitatory and inhibitory neural networks informs mechanisms by which rhythmic bursts of excitatory activity can be produced in the brain. One such mechanism, Pyramidal Interneuron Network Gamma (PING), relies primarily upon reciprocal connectivity between the excitatory and inhibitory networks, while also including intra-connectivity of inhibitory cells. The causal relationship between excitatory activity and the subsequent burst of inhibitory activity is of paramount importance to the mechanism and has been well studied. However, the role of the intra-connectivity of the inhibitory network, while important for PING, has not been studied in detail, as most analyses of PING simply assume that inhibitory intra-connectivity is strong enough to suppress subsequent firing following the initial inhibitory burst. In this paper we investigate the role that the strength of inhibitory intra-connectivity plays in determining the dynamics of PING-style networks. We show that networks with weak inhibitory intra-connectivity exhibit variations in burst dynamics of both the excitatory and inhibitory cells that are not obtained with strong inhibitory intra-connectivity. Networks with weak inhibitory intra-connectivity exhibit excitatory rhythmic bursts with weak excitatory-to-inhibitory synapses for which classical PING networks would show no rhythmic activity. Additionally, variations in dynamics of these networks as the excitatory-to-inhibitory synaptic weight increases illustrates the important role that consistent pattern formation in the inhibitory cells serves in maintaining organized and periodic excitatory bursts. Finally, motivated by these results and the known diversity of interneurons, we show that a PING-style network with two inhibitory subnetworks, one strongly intra-connected and one weakly intra-connected, exhibits organized and periodic excitatory activity over a larger parameter regime than networks with a homogeneous inhibitory

  5. Inhibitory effects of amines from Citrus reticulata on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats

    PubMed Central

    ZHOU, XIAN-MEI; CAO, ZHEN-DONG; XIAO, NA; SHEN, QI; LI, JIAN-XIN

    2016-01-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fatal lung disease for which, thus far, there are no effective treatments. The pericarp of Citrus reticulata, as a traditional herbal drug, has been used for the clinical treatment of lung-related diseases in China for many years. In the present study, the amines from the pericarp of Citrus reticulata were isolated, and their hydrochlorides were prepared. The results of screening using cultured human embryonic lung fibroblasts (hELFs) revealed that, of the amines, 4-methoxyphenethylamine hydrochloride (designated as amine hydrochloride 1) possessed the most potent inhibitory effect. Further in vivo experiments using a rat model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis demonstrated that the oral administration of amine hydrochloride 1 significantly lowered the hydroxyproline content in both serum and lung tissue, and alleviated pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that amine hydrochloride 1 exerted its inhibitory effect against IPF through the downregulation of lung transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 protein expression. Our results demonstrated that amine hydrochloride 1 prevented the development of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats. Thus, our data suggest that the amines from the pericarp of Citrus reticulata have therapeutic potential for use in the treatment of IPF. PMID:26675886

  6. Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of PKC isozymes are mediated by serine/threonine PKC sites of the Cav2.3α1 subunits.

    PubMed

    Rajagopal, Senthilkumar; Burton, Brittney K; Fields, Blanche L; El, India O; Kamatchi, Ganesan L

    2017-05-01

    Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes modulate voltage-gated calcium (Ca v ) currents through Ca v 2.2 and Ca v 2.3 channels by targeting serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) phosphorylation sites of Ca v α 1 subunits. Stimulatory (Thr-422, Ser-2108 and Ser-2132) and inhibitory (Ser-425) sites were identified in the Ca v 2.2α 1 subunits to PKCs βII and ε. In the current study, we investigated if the homologous sites of Ca v 2.3α 1 subunits (stimulatory: Thr-365, Ser-1995 and Ser-2011; inhibitory: Ser-369) behaved in similar manner. Several Ala and Asp mutants were constructed in Ca v 2.3α 1 subunits in such a way that the Ser/Thr sites can be examined in isolation. These mutants or WT Ca v 2.3α 1 along with auxiliary β 1b and α 2 /δ subunits were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and the effects of PKCs βII and ε studied on the barium current (I Ba ). Among these sites, stimulatory Thr-365 and Ser-1995 and inhibitory Ser-369 behaved similar to their homologs in Ca v 2.2α 1 subunits. Furthermore PKCs produced neither stimulation nor inhibition when stimulatory Thr-365 or Ser-1995 and inhibitory Ser-369 were present together. However, the PKCs potentiated the I Ba when two stimulatory sites, Thr-365 and Ser-1995 were present together, thus overcoming the inhibitory effect of Ser-369. Taken together net PKC effect may be the difference between the responses of the stimulatory and inhibitory sites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Sex-specific effect of the anabolic steroid, 17α-methyltestosterone, on inhibitory avoidance learning in periadolescent rats

    PubMed Central

    Ramos-Pratts, Keyla; Rosa-González, Dariana; Pérez-Acevedo, Nivia L.; Cintrón-López, Dahima; Barreto-Estrada, Jennifer L.

    2013-01-01

    The illicit use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has gained popularity among adolescents in the last decade. However, although it is known that exposure to AAS impairs cognition in adult animal models, the cognitive effects during adolescence remain undetermined. An inhibitory avoidance task (IAT) was used to assess the effect of AAS (17α-methyltestosterone; 17α-meT-7.5 mg/kg) in male and female periadolescent rats. A single injection of 17α-meT immediately before the footshock produced significant impairment of inhibitory avoidance learning in males but not females. Generalized anxiety, locomotion, and risk assessment behaviors (RAB) were not affected. Our results show that exposure to a single pharmacological dose of 17α-meT during periadolescence exerts sex-specific cognitive effects without affecting anxiety. Thus, disruption of the hormonal milieu during this early developmental period might have negative impact on learning and memory. PMID:23792034

  8. Behavioral and Neural Inhibitory Control Moderates the Effects of Reward Sensitivity on Adolescent Substance Use

    PubMed Central

    Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Holmes, Christopher; Lee, Jacob; Chiu, Pearl; King-Casas, Brooks

    2016-01-01

    The developmental period of adolescence is characterized by increasing incidence of health risk behaviors, including experimenting with drugs and alcohol. We examined how inhibitory control interacts with reward and punishment sensitivity to predict substance use severity and age of onset among early adolescents. The sample was comprised of 157 early adolescents (13-14 years of age, 52% male). Composite scores for behavioral activation system (BAS), behavioral inhibition system (BIS), and substance use severity and onset were computed using adolescents’ questionnaire data, and inhibitory control was assessed based on adolescents’ behavioral performance and brain imaging during the Multiple Source Interference Task (MSIT). Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that for both behavioral performance and neural activity indicators of inhibitory control, high levels of BAS predicted earlier onset of substance use among adolescents with low inhibitory control—but not among adolescents with high inhibitory control. BIS was not related to substance use severity and onset among adolescents. The results support the theoretically hypothesized moderating role of inhibitory control and its associated frontal cortex functioning, and offer new insights into the identification of adolescents with neurobehavioral vulnerabilities to developing maladaptive substance use behaviors. PMID:27580969

  9. Histamine release inhibitory activity of Piper nigrum leaf.

    PubMed

    Hirata, Noriko; Naruto, Shunsuke; Inaba, Kazunori; Itoh, Kimihisa; Tokunaga, Masashi; Iinuma, Munekazu; Matsuda, Hideaki

    2008-10-01

    Oral administration of a methanolic extract of Piper nigrum leaf (PN-ext, 50, 200 and 500 mg/kg) showed a potent dose-dependent inhibition of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced cutaneous reaction at 1 h [immediate phase response (IPR)] after and 24 h [late phase response (LPR)] after DNFB challenge in mice which were passively sensitized with anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody. Ear swelling inhibitory effect of PN-ext (50, 200 and 500 mg/kg, per os (p.o.)) on very late phase response (vLPR) in the model mice was significant but weaker than that on IPR. Oral administration of PN-ext (50, 200 and 500 mg/kg for 7 d) inhibited picryl chloride (PC)-induced ear swelling in PC sensitized mice. PN-ext exhibited in vitro inhibitory effect on compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. Two lignans of PN-ext, (-)-cubebin (1) and (-)-3,4-dimethoxy-3,4-desmethylenedioxycubebin (2), were identified as major active principles having histamine release inhibitory activity.

  10. Investigations of the inhibitory effects of tocopherol (vitamin E) on free radical deterioration of cellular membranes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richardson, D.

    1975-01-01

    The inhibitory effects are investigated of d,1-alpha-tocopherol and d,1-alpha-tocopheryl acetate on the free radical deterioration of cellular membranes. The level of toxicity of d,1-alpha-tocopherol and d,1-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in mice is determined.

  11. [Inhibitory effect of turpentine oil on Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae) larvae growth].

    PubMed

    Leyva Silva, Maureen; Marquetti Fernández, Maria del Carmen; Tacoronte González, Juan E; Tiomno Tiomnovay, Olinka; Montada Dorta, Domingo

    2010-01-01

    in the fight for environmental protection, finding out alternative ways to control vectors that are important from the medical viewpoint is a must. Those plants having potent active principles and high chemical stability to act as pesticides can contribute to this end. to evaluate the possible inhibitory effect of photochemically-modified turpentine oil on Aedes aegypti larvae growth. Aedes aegypti larvae of an insecticide-sensitive strain from the insect breeding site located in the Institute of Tropical Medicine were used. During a week after the exposure to the lethal dose causing 90% mortality, the mortality indexes of larvae and pupas were recorded as well as the number of emerged adults and their sex in addition to adults stuck to the exuvias. high larval and pupal mortality was observed in the survivors to the lethal dose causing 90% mortality after one week of the exposure; mortality index was 39.46%. Larvae which managed to grow to become adults amounted to 60.54% of the surviving larvae. Female to male ratio was very similar in the control whereas the exposed group showed a higher number of male adults. On estimating the hatching inhibition percentage, it got 36.47%. the activity of turpentine oil as larvicide and Ae. aegypti growth inhibitor was demonstrated.

  12. Inhibitory effect of Rosa damascena Mill flower essential oil, geraniol and citronellol on rat ileum contraction.

    PubMed

    Sadraei, H; Asghari, G; Emami, S

    2013-01-01

    Flower of Rosa damascena Mill is widely used in Iran for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. However, its pharmacological action on ileum contraction has not been studied. In this research we have investigated ileum motility effect of essential oil of flower petals of R. damascena growing in Kashan, Iran, and two of its constituents. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation were investigated by a combination of GC and GC/MS. More than 34 compounds have been identified. The main constituents of the essential oil were β-citronellol (23%), nonadecane (16%), geraniol (16%) and heneicosane (5%). A portion of rat isolated ileum was suspended under 1g tension in Tyrode's solution at 37°C and gassed with O2. Effect of the R. damascena essential oil (2.5-160 μg/ml), geraniol (0.2-3.2 μg/ml) and citronellol (0.8-6.4 μg/ml) were studied on ileum contractions induced by KCl, acetylcholine (ACh) and electrical field stimulation (EFS) and compared with standard drugs atropine and loperamide. The contractile response of EFS was mediated mainly through the intramural nerve plexuses, because its response was inhibited by loperamide and partially reduced by atropine. The essential oil concentration dependently inhibited the response to KCl (IC50=67 ± 8.4μg/ml) and EFS (IC50=47 ± 10.6 μg/ml). Geraniol (IC50=1.7 ± 0.15 μg/ml for KCl) and citronellol (IC50=2.9 ± 0.3 μg/ml for KCl) also had inhibitory effect of ileum contraction and both were more potent than the essential oil. It was concluded that R. damascena essential oil mainly had an inhibitory effect on ileum contractions and geraniol and citronellol had a major role in inhibitory effect of the essential.

  13. Differential Modulation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons during Periodic Stimulation

    PubMed Central

    Mahmud, Mufti; Vassanelli, Stefano

    2016-01-01

    Non-invasive transcranial neuronal stimulation, in addition to deep brain stimulation, is seen as a promising therapeutic and diagnostic approach for an increasing number of neurological diseases such as epilepsy, cluster headaches, depression, specific type of blindness, and other central nervous system disfunctions. Improving its effectiveness and widening its range of use may strongly rely on development of proper stimulation protocols that are tailored to specific brain circuits and that are based on a deep knowledge of different neuron types response to stimulation. To this aim, we have performed a simulation study on the behavior of excitatory and inhibitory neurons subject to sinusoidal stimulation. Due to the intrinsic difference in membrane conductance properties of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, we show that their firing is differentially modulated by the wave parameters. We analyzed the behavior of the two neuronal types for a broad range of stimulus frequency and amplitude and demonstrated that, within a small-world network prototype, parameters tuning allow for a selective enhancement or suppression of the excitation/inhibition ratio. PMID:26941602

  14. Design, Synthesis and Inhibitory Activity of Photoswitchable RET Kinase Inhibitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferreira, Rubén; Nilsson, Jesper R.; Solano, Carlos; Andréasson, Joakim; Grøtli, Morten

    2015-05-01

    REarranged during Transfection (RET) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase required for normal development and maintenance of neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Deregulation of RET and hyperactivity of the RET kinase is intimately connected to several types of human cancers, most notably thyroid cancers, making it an attractive therapeutic target for small-molecule kinase inhibitors. Novel approaches, allowing external control of the activity of RET, would be key additions to the signal transduction toolbox. In this work, photoswitchable RET kinase inhibitors based on azo-functionalized pyrazolopyrimidines were developed, enabling photonic control of RET activity. The most promising compound displays excellent switching properties and stability with good inhibitory effect towards RET in cell-free as well as live-cell assays and a significant difference in inhibitory activity between its two photoisomeric forms. As the first reported photoswitchable small-molecule kinase inhibitor, we consider the herein presented effector to be a significant step forward in the development of tools for kinase signal transduction studies with spatiotemporal control over inhibitor concentration in situ.

  15. Timing of the inhibitory effect of fruit on return bloom of 'Valencia' sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck).

    PubMed

    Martínez-Fuentes, Amparo; Mesejo, Carlos; Reig, Carmina; Agustí, Manuel

    2010-08-30

    In Citrus the inhibitory effect of fruit on flower formation is the main cause of alternate bearing. Although there are some studies reporting the effect on flowering of the time of fruit removal in a well-defined stage of fruit development, few have investigated the effect throughout the entire fruit growth stage from early fruitlet growth to fruit maturity. The objective of this study was to determine the phenological fruit developmental stage at which the fruit begins its inhibitory effect on flowering in sweet orange by manual removal of fruits, and the role of carbohydrates and nitrogen in the process. Fruit exerted its inhibitory effect from the time it was close to reaching its maximum weight, namely 90% of its final size (November) in the present experiments, to bud sprouting (April). The reduction in flowering paralleled the reduction in bud sprouting. This reduction was due to a decrease in the number of generative sprouted buds, whereas mixed-typed shoots were largely independent of the time of fruit removal, and vegetative shoots increased in frequency. The number of leaves and/or flowers per sprouted shoot was not significantly modified by fruit load. In 'Valencia' sweet orange, fruit inhibits flowering from the time it completes its growth. Neither soluble sugar content nor starch accumulation in leaves due to fruit removal was related to flowering intensity, but some kind of imbalance in nitrogen metabolism was observed in trees tending to flower scarcely. Copyright (c) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Identification of an ACE-Inhibitory Peptide from Walnut Protein and Its Evaluation of the Inhibitory Mechanism.

    PubMed

    Wang, Cong; Tu, Maolin; Wu, Di; Chen, Hui; Chen, Cheng; Wang, Zhenyu; Jiang, Lianzhou

    2018-04-11

    In the present study, a novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACE inhibitory) peptide, EPNGLLLPQY, derived from walnut seed storage protein, fragment residues 80-89, was identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) from walnut protein hydrolysate. The IC 50 value of the peptide was 233.178 μM, which was determined by the high performance liquid chromatography method by measuring the amount of hippuric acid (HA) generated from the ACE decomposition substrate (hippuryl-l-histidyl-l-leucine (HHL) to assess the ACE activity. Enzyme inhibitory kinetics of the peptide against ACE were also conducted, by which the inhibitory mechanism of ACE-inhibitory peptide was confirmed. Moreover, molecular docking was simulated by Discovery Studio 2017 R2 software to provide the potential mechanisms underlying the ACE-inhibitory activity of EPNGLLLPQY.

  17. General anesthetics have differential inhibitory effects on gap junction channels and hemichannels in astrocytes and neurons.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xinhe; Gangoso, Ester; Yi, Chenju; Jeanson, Tiffany; Kandelman, Stanislas; Mantz, Jean; Giaume, Christian

    2016-04-01

    Astrocytes represent a major non-neuronal cell population actively involved in brain functions and pathologies. They express a large amount of gap junction proteins that allow communication between adjacent glial cells and the formation of glial networks. In addition, these membrane proteins can also operate as hemichannels, through which "gliotransmitters" are released, and thus contribute to neuroglial interaction. There are now reports demonstrating that alterations of astroglial gap junction communication and/or hemichannel activity impact neuronal and synaptic activity. Two decades ago we reported that several general anesthetics inhibited gap junctions in primary cultures of astrocytes (Mantz et al., (1993) Anesthesiology 78(5):892-901). As there are increasing studies investigating neuroglial interactions in anesthetized mice, we here updated this previous study by employing acute cortical slices and by characterizing the effects of general anesthetics on both astroglial gap junctions and hemichannels. As hemichannel activity is not detected in cortical astrocytes under basal conditions, we treated acute slices with the endotoxin LPS or proinflammatory cytokines to induce hemichannel activity in astrocytes, which in turn activated neuronal hemichannels. We studied two extensively used anesthetics, propofol and ketamine, and the more recently developed dexmedetomidine. We report that these drugs have differential inhibitory effects on gap junctional communication and hemichannel activity in astrocytes when used in their respective, clinically relevant concentrations, and that dexmedetomidine appears to be the least effective on both channel functions. In addition, the three anesthetics have similar effects on neuronal hemichannels. Altogether, our observations may contribute to optimizing the selection of anesthetics for in vivo animal studies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Mechanical force antagonizes the inhibitory effects of RecX on RecA filament formation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    PubMed Central

    Le, Shimin; Chen, Hu; Zhang, Xinghua; Chen, Jin; Patil, K. Neelakanteshwar; Muniyappa, Kalappa; Yan, Jie

    2014-01-01

    Efficient bacterial recombinational DNA repair involves rapid cycles of RecA filament assembly and disassembly. The RecX protein plays a crucial inhibitory role in RecA filament formation and stability. As the broken ends of DNA are tethered during homologous search, RecA filaments assembled at the ends are likely subject to force. In this work, we investigated the interplay between RecX and force on RecA filament formation and stability. Using magnetic tweezers, at single molecular level, we found that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) RecX could catalyze stepwise de-polymerization of preformed MtRecA filament in the presence of ATP hydrolysis at low forces (<7 pN). However, applying larger forces antagonized the inhibitory effects of MtRecX, and a partially de-polymerized MtRecA filament could re-polymerize in the presence of MtRecX, which cannot be explained by previous models. Theoretical analysis of force-dependent conformational free energies of naked ssDNA and RecA nucleoprotein filament suggests that mechanical force stabilizes RecA filament, which provides a possible mechanism for the observation. As the antagonizing effect of force on the inhibitory function of RecX takes place in a physiological range; these findings broadly suggest a potential mechanosensitive regulation during homologous recombination. PMID:25294832

  19. In vitro inhibitory effects of farnesol and interactions between farnesol and antifungals against biofilms of Candida albicans resistant strains.

    PubMed

    Xia, Jinping; Qian, Fang; Xu, Wenqian; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Wei, Xin

    2017-04-01

    Antifungal resistance is a serious problem in clinical infections. Farnesol, which is a potential antifungal agent against biofilms formed by Candida albicans resistant strains (a fluconazole-resistant isolate derived from SC5314 and two clinical Candida resistant isolates), was investigated in this study. The inhibitory effects of farnesol on biofilms were examined by XTT assay. The morphological changes and biofilm thicknesses were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. Additionally, the checkerboard microdilution method was used to investigate the interactions between farnesol and antifungals (fluconazole, amphotericin B, caspofungin, itraconazole, terbinafine and 5-flurocytosine) against biofilms. The results showed decreased SMICs of farnesol and thinner biofilms in the farnesol-treated groups, indicating that farnesol inhibited the development of biofilms formed by the resistant strain. Furthermore, there were synergistic effects between farnesol and fluconazole/5-flurocytosine, while there were antagonistic effects between farnesol and terbinafine/itraconazole, respectively, on the biofilms formed by the resistant strains.

  20. DC-159a Shows Inhibitory Activity against DNA Gyrases of Mycobacterium leprae.

    PubMed

    Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki; Yokoyama, Kazumasa; Nakajima, Chie; Suzuki, Yasuhiko

    2016-09-01

    Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibacterial agents used for leprosy treatment. Some new fluoroquinolones have been attracting interest due to their remarkable potency that is reportedly better than that of ofloxacin, the fluoroquinolone currently recommended for treatment of leprosy. For example, DC-159a, a recently developed 8-methoxy fluoroquinolone, has been found to be highly potent against various bacterial species. Nonetheless, the efficacy of DC-159a against Mycobacterium leprae is yet to be examined. To gather data that can support highly effective fluoroquinolones as candidates for new remedies for leprosy treatment, we conducted in vitro assays to assess and compare the inhibitory activities of DC-159a and two fluoroquinolones that are already known to be more effective against M. leprae than ofloxacin. The fluoroquinolone-inhibited DNA supercoiling assay using recombinant DNA gyrases of wild type and ofloxacin-resistant M. leprae revealed that inhibitory activities of DC-159a and sitafloxacin were at most 9.8- and 11.9-fold higher than moxifloxacin. Also the fluoroquinolone-mediated cleavage assay showed that potencies of those drugs were at most 13.5- and 9.8-fold higher than moxifloxacin. In addition, these two drugs retained their inhibitory activities even against DNA gyrases of ofloxacin-resistant M. leprae. The results indicated that DC-159a and sitafloxacin are more effective against wild type and mutant M. leprae DNA gyrases than moxifloxacin, suggesting that these antibacterial drugs can be good candidates that may supersede current fluoroquinolone remedies. DC-159a in particular is very promising because it is classified in a subgroup of fluoroquinolones that is known to be less likely to cause adverse effects. Our results implied that DC-159a is well worth further investigation to ascertain its in vivo effectiveness and clinical safety for humans.

  1. Inhibitory effects of vitamin K3 on DNA polymerase and angiogenesis.

    PubMed

    Matsubara, Kiminori; Kayashima, Tomoko; Mori, Masaharu; Yoshida, Hiromi; Mizushina, Yoshiyuki

    2008-09-01

    Vitamins play essential roles in cellular reactions and maintain human health. Recent studies have revealed that some vitamins including D3, B6 and K2 and their derivatives have an anti-cancer effect. As a mechanism, their inhibitory effect on cancer-related angiogenesis has been demonstrated. Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) has an anti-cancer effect in particular for hepatic cancer and inhibits angiogenesis. In the current study, we demonstrated that sole vitamin K3 (menadione) selectively inhibits the in vitro activity of eukaryotic DNA polymerase gamma, which is a mitochondrial DNA polymerase, and suppresses angiogenesis in a rat aortic ring model. The anti-angiogenic effect of vitamin K3 has been shown in angiogenesis models using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with regard to HUVEC growth, tube formation on reconstituted basement membrane and chemotaxis. These results suggest that vitamin K3 may be a potential anti-cancer agent like vitamin K2.

  2. Inhibitory effects of α-Na8SiW11CoO40 on tyrosinase and its application in controlling browning of fresh-cut apples.

    PubMed

    Chen, Bing-Nian; Xing, Rui; Wang, Fang; Zheng, A-Ping; Wang, Li

    2015-12-01

    α-Na8SiW11CoO40 was synthesized and characterized. The inhibitory effects of α-Na8SiW11CoO40 on the activity of mushroom tyrosinase and the effects of α-Na8SiW11CoO40 on the browning of fresh-cut apples were studied. The Native-PAGE result showed that α-Na8SiW11CoO40 had a significant inhibitory effect on tyrosinase. Kinetic analyses showed that α-Na8SiW11CoO40 was an irreversible and competitive inhibitor. The inhibitor concentration leading to a 50% reduction in activity (IC50) was estimated to be 0.239 mM. Additionally, the results also showed that α-Na8SiW11CoO40 treatment could significantly decrease the browning process of apple slices and inhibit the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Moreover, application of α-Na8SiW11CoO40 resulted in higher peroxidase activity and promoted high amounts of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid. This study may provide a promising method for the use of polyoxometalates to inhibit tyrosinase activity and control the browning of fresh-cut apples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Evidence for selective inhibitory impairment in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

    PubMed

    Christ, Shawn E; Kester, Lindsay E; Bodner, Kimberly E; Miles, Judith H

    2011-11-01

    The social and communicative challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often compounded by additional difficulties with executive function. It remains unclear, however, to what the extent individuals with ASD experienced impairment in inhibitory control. The objective of the present study was to assess the three main subtypes of executive inhibitory control within a single ASD sample thus providing new insight into the unique ASD-related pattern of sparing and impairment observed across different aspects of inhibitory control. A sample of 28 children with ASD (mean age = 13.1 years) and a comparison group of 49 neurologically uncompromised children (mean age = 13.3 years) participated. A prepotent response inhibition task, a flanker visual filtering task, and a proactive interference memory task were used to evaluate prepotent response inhibition, resistance to distracter interference, and resistance to proactive interference, respectively. After accounting for individual differences in noninhibition abilities (e.g., processing speed) and overall level of functioning, there was no evidence of group-related differences in inhibitory performance on the prepotent response inhibition test or proactive interference test. ASD-related impairments in inhibitory control were evident, however, on the flanker visual filtering task. Taken together, the present findings indicate that ASD is associated with impairments in some, but not all, aspects of inhibitory control. Individuals with ASD appear to have difficulty ignoring distracting visual information, but prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference are relatively intact. The current findings also provide support for a multitype model of inhibitory control.

  4. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of novel symmetric sulfamides derived from phenethylamines.

    PubMed

    Aksu, Kadir; Topal, Fevzi; Gulcin, İlhami; Tümer, Ferhan; Göksu, Süleyman

    2015-06-01

    The antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties of novel symmetric sulfamides derived from phenethylamines were evaluated. Phenethylamines 8-11 were reacted with SO2Cl2 in the presence of Et3N to afford sulfamides in good yields. The synthesized sulfamides were converted to their phenolic derivatives with BBr3. We elucidated the antioxidant activity of novel symmetric sulfamides by using different bioanalytical assays. For this purpose, the radical scavenging activities of the novel symmetric sulfamides were assessed by DPPH(•), ABTS(•+), DMPD(•+), and O2(•-) radical scavenging tests. In addition, the reducing abilities of the novel symmetric sulfamides were evaluated by Fe(3+)-Fe(2+) reducing, Cu(2+)-Cu(+) reducing, and [Fe(3+)-(TPTZ)2](3+)-[Fe(2+)-(TPTZ)2](2+) reducing activity tests. Also, the Fe(2+) chelating activity by the pipyrdyl reagent and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of the novel symmetric sulfamides were studied. Especially, the novel phenolic and symmetric sulfamides 16-19 showed high antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties. On the other hand, IC50 values were calculated for the DPPH(•), ABTS(•+), DMPD(•+), and O2(•-) scavenging, the metal chelating, and the acetylcholinesterase inhibition effects of the novel symmetric sulfamides. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Sex-specific effect of the anabolic steroid, 17α-methyltestosterone, on inhibitory avoidance learning in periadolescent rats.

    PubMed

    Ramos-Pratts, Keyla; Rosa-González, Dariana; Pérez-Acevedo, Nivia L; Cintrón-López, Dahima; Barreto-Estrada, Jennifer L

    2013-10-01

    The illicit use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has gained popularity among adolescents in the last decade. However, although it is known that exposure to AAS impairs cognition in adult animal models, the cognitive effects during adolescence remain undetermined. An inhibitory avoidance task (IAT) was used to assess the effect of AAS (17α-methyltestosterone; 17α-meT--7.5 mg/kg) in male and female periadolescent rats. A single injection of 17α-meT immediately before the footshock produced significant impairment of inhibitory avoidance learning in males but not females. Generalized anxiety, locomotion, and risk assessment behaviors (RAB) were not affected. Our results show that exposure to a single pharmacological dose of 17α-meT during periadolescence exerts sex-specific cognitive effects without affecting anxiety. Thus, disruption of the hormonal milieu during this early developmental period might have negative impact on learning and memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Cholinesterase inhibitory effects of Rhizophora lamarckii, Avicennia officinalis, Sesuvium portulacastrum and Suaeda monica: Mangroves inhabiting an Indian coastal area (Vellar Estuary).

    PubMed

    Suganthy, Natarajan; Pandian, Shanmugiahthevar Karutha; Devi, Kasi Pandima

    2009-06-01

    Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative illness accounting for approximately 50% of all types of dementia in elderly people. The only symptomatic treatment proven effective to date is the use of cholinesterase inhibitors to augment surviving cholinergic activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate cholinesterase inhibitory activity of mangroves as an alternative medicine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. About nine mangrove plants, which were used as folk medicine in tropical countries, were collected from Parangipettai, Vellar estuary, Tamilnadu, India. Nile Tilapia muscle homogenate was used as source of enzyme. Inhibitory effect of methanolic leaf extract was assessed under in vitro condition by incubating various concentration of the extract with total cholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase and assessing their residual activities by Ellman's colorimetric method. The results showed that of the nine plants screened Rhizophora lamarckii, Suaeda monica, Avicennia officinalis and Sesuvium portulacastrum showed 50% inhibitory activity to both TChE and BChE at concentrations less than 2 mg/mL when compared to other plant extracts, which was comparable to the standard drug Donepezil. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids in high concentration which might be correlated to its cholinesterase inhibitory activity.

  7. A pilot investigation of acute inhibitory control training in cocaine users.

    PubMed

    Alcorn, Joseph L; Pike, Erika; Stoops, William S; Lile, Joshua A; Rush, Craig R

    2017-05-01

    Disrupted response inhibition and presence of drug-cue attentional bias in cocaine-using individuals have predicted poor treatment outcomes. Inhibitory control training could help improve treatment outcomes by strengthening cognitive control. This pilot study assessed the effects of acute inhibitory control training to drug- and non-drug-related cues on response inhibition performance and cocaine-cue attentional bias in cocaine-using individuals. Participants who met criteria for a cocaine-use disorder underwent five sessions of inhibitory control training to either non-drug-related cues (i.e., rectangles) or cocaine cues (n=10/condition) in a single day. Response inhibition and attentional bias were assessed prior to and following training using the stop-signal task and visual-probe task with eye tracking, respectively. Training condition groups did not differ on demographics, inhibitory control training performance, response inhibition, or cocaine-cue attentional bias. Response inhibition performance improved as a function of inhibitory control training in both conditions. Cocaine-cue attentional bias was observed, but did not change as a function of inhibitory control training in either condition. Response inhibition in cocaine-using individuals was augmented by acute inhibitory control training, which may improve treatment outcomes through better behavioral inhibition. Future studies should investigate longer-term implementation of inhibitory control training, as well as combining inhibitory control training with other treatment modalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Inhibitory effect of brazilein on tyrosinase and melanin synthesis: Kinetics and in silico approach.

    PubMed

    Hridya, Hemachandran; Amrita, Anantharaman; Sankari, Mohan; George Priya Doss, C; Gopalakrishnan, Mohan; Gopalakrishnan, Chandrasekaran; Siva, Ramamoorthy

    2015-11-01

    In our present study, the inhibitory effect of brazilein from Caesalpinia sappan on tyrosinase activity was investigated through multi-spectroscopic and molecular docking techniques. The result has shown that brazilein reversibly inhibited tyrosinase in a mixed type manner. The interaction of brazilein with the amino acid residues of tyrosinase has been validated through fluorescence quenching studies. Copper interaction studies suggested that brazilein could bind with copper ions of the enzyme. Circular dichroism analysis confirmed that brazilein induced secondary structural changes in tyrosinase. Docking studies further authenticate that brazilein forms hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding with the active site residues of tyrosinase. Moreover, in vitro studies confirmed that the inhibitory mechanism of cellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis by brazilein in B16F0 melanoma cells. These results suggested that brazilein act as a potential tyrosinase inhibitor and it would contribute as a of novel tyrosinase inhibitor in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Children's Additive Concepts: Promoting Understanding and the Role of Inhibition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Katherine M.; Dube, Adam K.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the promotion of children's understanding and acquisition of arithmetic concepts and the effects of inhibitory skills. Children in Grades 3, 4, and 5 solved two sets of three-term addition and subtraction problems (e.g., 3 + 24 - 24, 3 + 24 - 22) and completed an inhibition task. Half of the participants received a…

  10. Effect of polyglycerol esters additive on palm oil crystallization using focused beam reflectance measurement and differential scanning calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Saw, M H; Hishamuddin, E; Chong, C L; Yeoh, C B; Lim, W H

    2017-01-01

    The effect of 0.1-0.7% (w/w) of polyglycerol esters (PGEmix-8) on palm oil crystallization was studied using focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) to analyze the in-line changes of crystal size distribution during the crystallization. FBRM results show that 0.1-0.5% (w/w) of PGEmix-8 did not significantly affect nucleation but slightly retarded crystal growth. The use of 0.7% (w/w) additive showed greater heterogeneous nucleation compared to those with lower dosages of additive. Crystal growth was also greatly reduced when using 0.7% (w/w) dosage. The morphological study indicated that the palm oil crystals were smaller and more even in size than when more additive was added. Isothermal crystallization studies using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed increased inhibitory effects on palm oil crystal growth with increasing concentration of PGEmix-8. These results imply that PGEmix-8 is a nucleation enhancing and crystal growth retarding additive in palm oil crystallization at 0.7% (w/w) dosage. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity of selected Philippine plants.

    PubMed

    Lawag, Ivan L; Aguinaldo, Alicia M; Naheed, Suad; Mosihuzzaman, Mohammad

    2012-10-31

    Antidesma bunius Spreng. (Phyllantaceae), Averrhoa bilimbi L. (Oxalidaceae), Biophytum sensitivum (L.) DC. (Oxalidaceae), Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B. Rob. (Rhizophoraceae), Kyllinga monocephala Rottb. (Cyperaceae), and Rhizophora mucronata Lam. (Rhizophoraceae) are used as remedies to control diabetes. In the present study, these plants were screened for their potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The 80% aqueous ethanolic extracts were screened for their α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory activity using yeast alpha glucosidase enzyme. Except for A. bilimbi with IC(50) at 519.86±3.07, all manifested a significant enzyme inhibitory activity. R. mucronata manifested the highest activity with IC(50) at 0.08±1.82 μg mL(-1), followed by C. tagal with IC(50) at 0.85±1.46 μg mL(-1) and B. sensitivum with IC(50) at 2.24±1.58 μg mL(-1). This is the first report on the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of the six Philippine plants; thus, partly defining the mechanism on why these medicinal plants possess antidiabetic properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. An event-related potential investigation of the acute effects of aerobic and coordinative exercise on inhibitory control in children with ADHD.

    PubMed

    Ludyga, Sebastian; Brand, Serge; Gerber, Markus; Weber, Peter; Brotzmann, Mark; Habibifar, Fahimeh; Pühse, Uwe

    2017-12-01

    The current body of evidence suggests that an aerobic exercise session has a beneficial effect on inhibitory control, whereas the impact of coordinative exercise on this executive function has not yet been examined in children with ADHD. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the acute effects of aerobic and coordinative exercise on behavioral performance and the allocation of attentional resources in an inhibitory control task. Using a cross-over design, children with ADHD-combined type and healthy comparisons completed a Flanker task before and after 20min moderately-intense cycling exercise, coordinative exercise and an inactive control condition. During the task, stimulus-locked event-related potentials were recorded with electroencephalography. Both groups showed an increase of P300 amplitude and decrease of reaction time after exercise compared to the control condition. Investigating the effect of exercise modality, aerobic exercise led to greater increases of P300 amplitude and reductions in reaction time than coordinative exercise in children with ADHD. The findings suggest that a single exercise bout improves inhibitory control and the allocation of attentional resources. There were some indications that an aerobic exercise session seems to be more efficient than coordinative exercise in reducing the inhibitory control deficits that persist in children with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibitory effects of naphthols on the activity of mushroom tyrosinase.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yi-Fen; Hu, Yong-Hua; Jia, Yu-Long; Li, Zhi-Cong; Guo, Yun-Ji; Chen, Qing-Xi; Lin, He-Tong

    2012-01-01

    Tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1), a copper-containing multifunctional oxidase, was known to be a key enzyme for biosynthesis in fungi, plants and animals. In this work, the inhibition properties α-naphthol and β-naphthol toward the activity of tyrosinase have been evaluated, and the effects of α-naphthol and β-naphthol on monophenolase and diphenolase activity of tyrosinase have been investigated. The results showed that both α-naphthol and β-naphthol could potently inhibit both monophenolase activity and diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase, and that β-naphthol exhibited stronger inhibitory effect against tyrosinase than α-naphthol. For monophenolase activity, β-naphthol could not only lengthen the lag time but also decrease the steady-state activity, while α-naphthol just only decreased the steady-state activity. For diphenolase activity, both α-naphthol and β-naphthol displayed revisible inhibition. Kinetic analyses showed that both α-naphthol and β-naphthol were competetive inhibitors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Decorrelation of Neural-Network Activity by Inhibitory Feedback

    PubMed Central

    Einevoll, Gaute T.; Diesmann, Markus

    2012-01-01

    Correlations in spike-train ensembles can seriously impair the encoding of information by their spatio-temporal structure. An inevitable source of correlation in finite neural networks is common presynaptic input to pairs of neurons. Recent studies demonstrate that spike correlations in recurrent neural networks are considerably smaller than expected based on the amount of shared presynaptic input. Here, we explain this observation by means of a linear network model and simulations of networks of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons. We show that inhibitory feedback efficiently suppresses pairwise correlations and, hence, population-rate fluctuations, thereby assigning inhibitory neurons the new role of active decorrelation. We quantify this decorrelation by comparing the responses of the intact recurrent network (feedback system) and systems where the statistics of the feedback channel is perturbed (feedforward system). Manipulations of the feedback statistics can lead to a significant increase in the power and coherence of the population response. In particular, neglecting correlations within the ensemble of feedback channels or between the external stimulus and the feedback amplifies population-rate fluctuations by orders of magnitude. The fluctuation suppression in homogeneous inhibitory networks is explained by a negative feedback loop in the one-dimensional dynamics of the compound activity. Similarly, a change of coordinates exposes an effective negative feedback loop in the compound dynamics of stable excitatory-inhibitory networks. The suppression of input correlations in finite networks is explained by the population averaged correlations in the linear network model: In purely inhibitory networks, shared-input correlations are canceled by negative spike-train correlations. In excitatory-inhibitory networks, spike-train correlations are typically positive. Here, the suppression of input correlations is not a result of the mere existence of correlations between

  15. Inhibitory Effects of Thai Essential Oils on Potentially Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus.

    PubMed

    Jantapan, Kittika; Poapolathep, Amnart; Imsilp, Kanjana; Poapolathep, Saranya; Tanhan, Phanwimol; Kumagai, Susumu; Jermnak, Usuma

    2017-01-01

     The antiaflatoxigenic and antifungal activities of essential oils (EOs) of finger root (Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf.), pine (Pinus pinaster), rosewood (Aniba rosaedora), Siam benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis), Thai moringa (Moringa oleifera), and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) were tested for Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus in potato dextrose broth. Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) was extracted from culture using a QuEChERS-based extraction procedure and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a fluorescence detector. EO of pine showed the greatest inhibition of growth and AFB 1 production of A. parasiticus, followed by EOs of rosewood, finger root, Siam benzoin, and ylang ylang. EO of finger root gave the best inhibitory effects on A. flavus, followed by EOs of rosewood, pine, ylang ylang, and Siam benzoin. EO of Thai moringa did not show any significant inhibition of aflatoxigenic fungi. The antiaflatoxigenic activities of EOs correlated with their antifungal activities in the dosedependent manner. Comparison of the application of the five selected EOs in peanut pods by direct and vapor exposure indicated that the AFB 1 production inhibitory effects of the five EOs by direct exposure were faster and more effective than by vapor exposure. EO of finger root showed the best inhibition of AFB 1 production of A. flavus in peanut pods by direct exposure, followed by EOs of pine, rosewood, ylang ylang, and Siam benzoin.

  16. Plasticity of rat central inhibitory synapses through GABA metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Engel, Dominique; Pahner, Ingrid; Schulze, Katrin; Frahm, Christiane; Jarry, Hubertus; Ahnert-Hilger, Gudrun; Draguhn, Andreas

    2001-01-01

    The production of the central inhibitory transmitter GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) varies in response to different patterns of activity. It therefore seems possible that GABA metabolism can determine inhibitory synaptic strength and that presynaptic GABA content is a regulated parameter for synaptic plasticity. We altered presynaptic GABA metabolism in cultured rat hippocampal slices using pharmacological tools. Degradation of GABA by GABA-transaminase (GABA-T) was blocked by γ-vinyl-GABA (GVG) and synthesis of GABA through glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was suppressed with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA). We measured miniature GABAergic postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in CA3 pyramidal cells using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Elevated intra-synaptic GABA levels after block of GABA-T resulted in increased mIPSC amplitude and frequency. In addition, tonic GABAergic background noise was enhanced by GVG. Electron micrographs from inhibitory synapses identified by immunogold staining for GABA confirmed the enhanced GABA content but revealed no further morphological alterations. The suppression of GABA synthesis by MPA had opposite functional consequences: mIPSC amplitude and frequency decreased and current noise was reduced compared with control. However, we were unable to demonstrate the decreased GABA content in biochemical analyses of whole slices or in electron micrographs. We conclude that the transmitter content of GABAergic vesicles is variable and that postsynaptic receptors are usually not saturated, leaving room for up-regulation of inhibitory synaptic strength. Our data reveal a new mechanism of plasticity at central inhibitory synapses and provide a rationale for the activity-dependent regulation of GABA synthesis in mammals. PMID:11533137

  17. The enhanced inhibitory effect of different antitumor agents in self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems on human cervical cancer HeLa cells.

    PubMed

    Ujhelyi, Zoltán; Kalantari, Azin; Vecsernyés, Miklós; Róka, Eszter; Fenyvesi, Ferenc; Póka, Róbert; Kozma, Bence; Bácskay, Ildikó

    2015-07-21

    The aim of this study was to develop topical self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) containing antitumor agents (bleomycin, cisplatin and ifosfamide) and to investigate their inhibitory potential in SMEDDS on human cervical cancer HeLa cells. The physicochemical properties of cytostatic drug loaded SMEDDS were characterized. The cytotoxicity of main components of SMEDDS was also investigated. Their IC50 values were determined. HeLa cells were treated by different concentrations of cisplatin, bleomycin and ifosfamide alone and in various SMEDDS. The inhibitory effect on cell growth was analyzed by MTT cell viability assay. Inflammation is a driving force that accelerates cancer development. The inhibitory effect of these antitumor agents has also been tested on HeLa cells in the presence of inflammatory mediators (IL-1-β, TNF-α) as an in vitro model of inflamed human cervix. Significant differences in the cytotoxicity of cytostatic drugs alone and in SMEDDS have been found in a concentration-dependent manner. The self-micro emulsifying system may potentiate the effectiveness of bleomycin, cisplatin and ifosfamide topically. The effect of SMEDDS containing antitumor agents was decreased significantly in the presence of inflammatory mediators. According to our experiments, the optimal SMEDDS formulation is 1:1:2:6:2 ratios of Isopropyl myristate, Capryol 90, Kolliphor RH 40, Cremophor RH40, Transcutol HP and Labrasol. It can be concluded that SMEDDS may increase the inhibitory effect of bleomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatin on human cervical cancer HeLa cells. Inflammation on HeLa cells hinders the effectiveness of SMEDDS containing antitumor agents. Our results might ensure useful data for development of optimal antitumor formulations.

  18. Effect of Anodal and Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on DLPFC on Modulation of Inhibitory Control in ADHD.

    PubMed

    Soltaninejad, Zahra; Nejati, Vahid; Ekhtiari, Hamed

    2015-12-20

    The purpose of this study was to improve the inhibitory control functions through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in adolescents with ADHD symptoms. Twenty high school students with ADHD symptoms participated in this single-blinded, crossover, sham-controlled study. All the participants were tested during the application of Stroop and Go/No-Go tasks that is used to measure inhibitory control, using 1.5 mA of tDCS for 15 min over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Anodal stimulation on left DLPFC had no effect on interference inhibition during the Stroop task and increased the proportion of correct responses in the "Go stage" of the Go/No-Go test compared with sham condition. Cathodal stimulation on the left DLPFC increased the inhibition accuracy in the inhibition stage during Go/No-Go task in comparison with sham. tDCS over the left DLPFC of adolescents who suffer from ADHD symptoms can improve inhibitory control in prepotent response inhibition. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Flavonoids from Machilus japonica Stems and Their Inhibitory Effects on LDL Oxidation

    PubMed Central

    Joo, Se-Jin; Park, Hee-Jung; Park, Ji-Hae; Cho, Jin-Gyeong; Kang, Ji-Hyun; Jeong, Tae-Sook; Kang, Hee Cheol; Lee, Dae-Young; Kim, Hack-Soo; Byun, Sang-Yo; Baek, Nam-In

    2014-01-01

    Stems of Machilus japonica were extracted with 80% aqueous methanol (MeOH) and the concentrated extract was successively extracted with ethyl acetate (EtOAc), normal butanol (n-BuOH), and water. Six flavonoids were isolated from the EtOAc fraction: (+)-taxifolin, afzelin, (−)-epicatechin, 5,3'-di-O-methyl-(−)-epicatechin, 5,7,3'-tri-O-methyl-(−)-epicatechin, and 5,7-di-O-methyl-3',4'-methylenedioxyflavan-3-ol. The chemical structures were identified using spectroscopic data including NMR, mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy. This is the first report of isolation of these six compounds from M. japonica. The compounds were evaluated for their diphenyl picryl hydrazinyl scavenging activity and inhibitory effects on low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Compounds 1 and 3–6 exhibited DPPH antioxidant activity equivalent with that of ascorbic acid, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 0.16, 0.21, 0.17, 0.15 and 0.07 mM, respectively. The activity of compound 1 was similar to the positive control butylated hydroxytoluene, which had an IC50 value of 1.9 µM, while compounds 3 and 5 showed little activity. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 exhibited LDL antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 2.8, 7.1, and 4.6 µM, respectively. PMID:25229822

  20. Attention orienting and inhibitory control across the different mood states in bipolar disorder: an emotional antisaccade task.

    PubMed

    García-Blanco, Ana C; Perea, Manuel; Salmerón, Ladislao

    2013-12-01

    An antisaccade experiment, using happy, sad, and neutral faces, was conducted to examine the effect of mood-congruent information on inhibitory control (antisaccade task) and attentional orienting (prosaccade task) during the different episodes of bipolar disorder (BD) - manic (n=22), depressive (n=25), and euthymic (n=24). A group of 28 healthy controls was also included. Results revealed that symptomatic patients committed more antisaccade errors than healthy individuals, especially with mood-congruent faces. The manic group committed more antisaccade errors in response to happy faces, while the depressed group tended to commit more antisaccade errors in response to sad faces. Additionally, antisaccade latencies were slower in BD patients than in healthy individuals, whereas prosaccade latencies were slower in symptomatic patients. Taken together, these findings revealed the following: (a) slow inhibitory control in BD patients, regardless of their episode (i.e., a trait), and (b) impaired inhibitory control restricted to symptomatic patients (i.e., a state). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Interaction of inhibitory and facilitatory effects of conditioning trials on long-term memory formation

    PubMed Central

    Hosono, Shouhei; Matsumoto, Yukihisa

    2016-01-01

    Animals learn through experience and consolidate the memories into long-time storage. Conditioning parameters to induce protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM) have been the subject of extensive studies in many animals. Here we found a case in which a conditioning trial inhibits or facilitates LTM formation depending on the intervals from preceding trials. We studied the effects of conditioning parameters on LTM formation in olfactory conditioning of maxillary-palpi extension response with sucrose reward in the cockroach Periplaneta americana. We found, at first, that translation- and transcription-dependent LTM forms 1 h after training, the fastest so far reported in insects. Second, we observed that multiple-trial training with an intertrial interval (ITI) of 20 or 30 sec, often called massed training, is more effective than spaced training for LTM formation, an observation that differs from the results of most studies in other animals. Third, we found that a conditioning trial inhibits LTM formation when the intervals from preceding trials were in the range of 10–16 min. This inhibitory effect is pairing-specific and is not due to decreased motivation for learning (overtraining effect). To our knowledge, no similar inhibition of LTM formation by a conditioning trial has been reported in any animals. We propose a model to account for the effects of trial number and ITIs on LTM formation. Olfactory conditioning in cockroaches should provide pertinent materials in which to study neuronal and molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory and facilitatory processes for LTM formation. PMID:27918270

  2. Empirical prediction and validation of antibacterial inhibitory effects of various plant essential oils on common pathogenic bacteria.

    PubMed

    Akdemir Evrendilek, Gulsun

    2015-06-02

    In this study, fractional compound composition, antioxidant capacity, and phenolic substance content of 14 plant essential oils-anise (Pimpinella anisum), bay leaves (Laurus nobilis), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum verum), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), hop (Humulus lupulus), Istanbul oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum), Izmir oregano (Origanum onites), mint (Mentha piperita), myrtus (Myrtus communis), orange peel (Citrus sinensis), sage (Salvia officinalis), thyme (Thymbra spicata), and Turkish oregano (Origanum minutiflorum)--were related to inhibition of 10 bacteria through multiple linear or non-linear (M(N)LR) models-four Gram-positive bacteria of Listeria innocua, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis, and six Gram-negative bacteria of Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Klebsiella oxytoca. A total of 65 compounds with different antioxidant capacity, phenolic substance content and antibacterial properties were detected with 14 plant essential oils. The best-fit M(N)LR models indicated that relative to anise essential oil, the essential oils of oreganos, cinnamon, and thyme had consistently high inhibitory effects, while orange peel essential oil had consistently a low inhibitory effect. Regression analysis indicated that beta-bisabolene (Turkish and Istanbul oreganos), and terpinolene (thyme) were found to be the most inhibitory compounds regardless of the bacteria type tested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. No Evidence for True Training and Transfer Effects after Inhibitory Control Training in Young Healthy Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enge, Sören; Behnke, Alexander; Fleischhauer, Monika; Küttler, Lena; Kliegel, Matthias; Strobel, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies reported that training of working memory may improve performance in the trained function and beyond. Other executive functions, however, have been rarely or not yet systematically examined. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of inhibitory control (IC) training to produce true training-related function improvements…

  4. Inhibitory effect of Disulfiram/copper complex on non-small cell lung cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Duan, Lincan; Shen, Hongmei; Zhao, Guangqiang

    2014-04-18

    Highlights: • Disulfiram and copper synergistically inhibit lung cancer cell proliferation. • Lung cancer cell colony formation ability is inhibited by Disulfiram/copper. • Disulfiram/copper increases the sensitivity of cisplatin to lung cancer cells. • Lung cancer stem cells are specifically targeted by Disulfiram/copper complex. - Abstract: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cause of cancer-related death in both men and women worldwide. Recently, Disulfiram has been reported to be able to inhibit glioblastoma, prostate, or breast cancer cell proliferation. In this study, the synergistic effect of Disulfiram and copper on NSCLC cell growth was investigated. Inhibition ofmore » cancer cell proliferation was detected by 1-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan (MTT) assay and cell cycle analysis. Liquid colony formation and tumor spheroid formation assays were used to evaluate their effect on cancer cell clonogenicity. Real-time PCR was performed to test the mRNA level of cancer stem cell related genes. We found that Disulfiram or copper alone did not potently inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation in vitro. However, the presence of copper significantly enhanced inhibitory effect of Disulfiram on NSCLC cell growth, indicating a synergistic effect between Disulfiram and copper. Cell cycle analysis showed that Disulfiram/copper complex caused NSCLC cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Furthermore, Disulfiram/copper significantly increased the sensitivity of cisplatin in NSCLC cells tested by MTT assay. Liquid colony formation assay revealed that copper dramatically increased the inhibitory effect of Disulfiram on NSCLC cell colony forming ability. Disulfiram combined with copper significantly attenuated NSCLC cell spheroid formation and recuded the mRNA expression of lung cancer stem cell related genes. Our data suggest that Disulfiram/copper complex alone or combined with other chemotherapy is a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC

  5. Prolyl endopeptidase and thrombin inhibitory diterpenoids from the bark of Xylopia aethiopica.

    PubMed

    Diderot, Noungoue Tchamo; Silvere, Ngouela; Yasin, Amsha; Zareen, Seema; Fabien, Zelefack; Etienne, Tsamo; Choudhary, M Iqbal; Atta-Ur-Rahman

    2005-09-01

    The inhibitory effects of seven diterpenes, belonging to three different structural classes and isolated from the bark of Xylopia aethiopica, were investigated against the enzymes prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) and alpha-thrombin. Five compounds exhibited inhibitory activity against them.

  6. Delayed excitatory and inhibitory feedback shape neural information transmission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chacron, Maurice J.; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard

    2005-11-01

    Feedback circuitry with conduction and synaptic delays is ubiquitous in the nervous system. Yet the effects of delayed feedback on sensory processing of natural signals are poorly understood. This study explores the consequences of delayed excitatory and inhibitory feedback inputs on the processing of sensory information. We show, through numerical simulations and theory, that excitatory and inhibitory feedback can alter the firing frequency response of stochastic neurons in opposite ways by creating dynamical resonances, which in turn lead to information resonances (i.e., increased information transfer for specific ranges of input frequencies). The resonances are created at the expense of decreased information transfer in other frequency ranges. Using linear response theory for stochastically firing neurons, we explain how feedback signals shape the neural transfer function for a single neuron as a function of network size. We also find that balanced excitatory and inhibitory feedback can further enhance information tuning while maintaining a constant mean firing rate. Finally, we apply this theory to in vivo experimental data from weakly electric fish in which the feedback loop can be opened. We show that it qualitatively predicts the observed effects of inhibitory feedback. Our study of feedback excitation and inhibition reveals a possible mechanism by which optimal processing may be achieved over selected frequency ranges.

  7. What Do We Really Know about Cognitive Inhibition? Task Demands and Inhibitory Effects across a Range of Memory and Behavioural Tasks.

    PubMed

    Noreen, Saima; MacLeod, Malcolm D

    2015-01-01

    Our study explores inhibitory control across a range of widely recognised memory and behavioural tasks. Eighty-seven never-depressed participants completed a series of tasks designed to measure inhibitory control in memory and behaviour. Specifically, a variant of the selective retrieval-practice and the Think/No-Think tasks were employed as measures of memory inhibition. The Stroop-Colour Naming and the Go/No-Go tasks were used as measures of behavioural inhibition. Participants completed all 4 tasks. Task presentation order was counterbalanced across 3 separate testing sessions for each participant. Standard inhibitory forgetting effects emerged on both memory tasks but the extent of forgetting across these tasks was not correlated. Furthermore, there was no relationship between memory inhibition tasks and either of the main behavioural inhibition measures. At a time when cognitive inhibition continues to gain acceptance as an explanatory mechanism, our study raises fundamental questions about what we actually know about inhibition and how it is affected by the processing demands of particular inhibitory tasks.

  8. α-Glucosidase enzyme inhibitory effects and ursolic and oleanolic acid contents of fourteen Anatolian Salvia species.

    PubMed

    Kalaycıoğlu, Zeynep; Uzaşçı, Sesil; Dirmenci, Tuncay; Erim, F Bedia

    2018-06-05

    During the last decade, ursolic and oleanolic acids have been of considerable interest because of their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and potential effects for treatment of type 2 diabetes. A simple and sensitive reversed-phase HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. The optimal mobile phase was selected as 85% acetonitrile solution. The limit of detection of the method for ursolic acid and oleanolic acid were 14 ng mL -1 and 13 ng mL -1 , respectively. The method showed good precision and accuracy with intra-day and inter-day variations of 0.54% and 7.33% for ursolic acid, intra-day and inter-day variations of 0.51% and 5.26% for oleanolic acid, and overall recoveries of 97.8% and 98.5% for ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, respectively. Application of the method to determine the ursolic acid and oleanolic acid contents in the Salvia species revealed both compounds, with varying amounts between 0.21-9.76 mg g -1 ursolic acid and 0.20-12.7 mg g -1 oleanolic acid, respectively, among 14 Salvia species analyzed. Additionally, the plant extracts were analyzed for their inhibitory activities on α-glucosidase. According to the results of this assay, the extracts showed considerable activity on α-glucosidase with IC 50 values from 17.6 to 173 μg mL -1 . A strong negative correlation was detected between the amounts of both acids and IC 50 values of extracts. Anatolian Salvia species have great potential as functional plants in the management of diabetes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Do Children with Better Inhibitory Control Donate More? Differentiating between Early and Middle Childhood and Cool and Hot Inhibitory Control.

    PubMed

    Hao, Jian

    2017-01-01

    Inhibitory control may play an important part in prosocial behavior, such as donating behavior. However, it is not clear at what developmental stage inhibitory control becomes associated with donating behavior and which aspects of inhibitory control are related to donating behavior during development in early to middle childhood. The present study aimed to clarify these issues with two experiments. In Experiment 1, 103 3- to 5-year-old preschoolers completed cool (Stroop-like) and hot (delay of gratification) inhibitory control tasks and a donating task. The results indicated that there were no relationships between cool or hot inhibitory control and donating behavior in the whole group and each age group of the preschoolers. In Experiment 2, 140 elementary school children in Grades 2, 4, and 6 completed cool (Stroop-like) and hot (delay of gratification) inhibitory control tasks and a donating task. The results showed that inhibitory control was positively associated with donating behavior in the whole group. Cool and hot inhibitory control respectively predicted donating behavior in the second and sixth graders. Therefore, the present study reveals that donating behavior increasingly relies on specific inhibitory control, i.e., hot inhibitory control as children grow in middle childhood.

  10. Inhibitory activities of the alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma against aldose reductase.

    PubMed

    Jung, Hyun Ah; Yoon, Na Young; Bae, Hyun Ju; Min, Byung-Sun; Choi, Jae Sue

    2008-11-01

    As part of our ongoing search of natural sources for therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications, the rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma (the rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch) was evaluated. Its extract and fractions exhibited broad and moderate RLAR inhibitory activities of 38.9 approximately 67.5 microg/mL. In an attempt to identify bioactive components, six quaternary protoberberine-type alkaloids (berberine, palmatine, jateorrhizine, epiberberine, coptisine, and groenlandicine) and one quaternary aporphine-type alkaloid (magnoflorine) were isolated from the most active n-BuOH fraction, and the chemical structures therein were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and comparison with published data. The anti-diabetic complications capacities of seven C. chinensis-derived alkaloids were evaluated via RLAR and human recombinant AR (HRAR) inhibitory assays. Although berberine and palmatine were previously reported as prime contributors to AR inhibition, these two major components exhibited no AR inhibitory effects at a higher concentration of 50 microg/ml in the present study. Conversely, epiberberine, coptisine, and groenlandicine exhibited moderate inhibitory effects with IC(50) values of 100.1, 118.4, 140.1 microM for RLAR and 168.1, 187.3, 154.2 microM for HRAR. The results clearly indicated that the presence of the dioxymethylene group in the D ring and the oxidized form of the dioxymethylene group in the A ring were partly responsible for the AR inhibitory activities of protoberberine-type alkaloids. Therefore, Coptidis Rhizoma, and the alkaloids contained therein, would clearly have beneficial uses in the development of therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications and diabetes mellitus.

  11. Effect of addition of Versagel on microbial, chemical, and physical properties of low-fat yogurt.

    PubMed

    Ramchandran, L; Shah, N P

    2008-09-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the effect of Versagel on the growth and proteolytic activity of Streptococcus thermophilus 1275 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus 1368 and angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory activity of the peptides generated thereby as well as on the physical properties of low-fat yogurt during a storage period of 28 d at 4 degrees C. Three different types of low-fat yogurts, YV0, YV1, and YV2, were prepared using Versagel as a fat replacer. The fermentation time of the low-fat yogurts containing Versagel was less than that of the control yogurt (YV0). The starter cultures maintained their viability (8.68 to 8.81 log CFU/g of S. thermophilus and 8.51 to 8.81 log CFU/g of L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus) in all the yogurts throughout the storage period. There was some decrease in the pH of the yogurts during storage and an increase in the concentration of lactic acid. However, the proteolytic and ACE-inhibitory potential of the starter cultures was suppressed in the presence of Versagel. On the other hand, the addition of Versagel had a positive impact on the physical properties of the low-fat yogurt, namely, spontaneous whey separation, firmness, and pseudoplastic properties.

  12. Tyrosinase inhibitory components from Aloe vera and their antiviral activity.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jang Hoon; Yoon, Ju-Yeon; Yang, Seo Young; Choi, Seung-Kook; Kwon, Sun Jung; Cho, In Sook; Jeong, Min Hee; Ho Kim, Young; Choi, Gug Seoun

    2017-12-01

    A new compound, 9-dihydroxyl-2'-O-(Z)-cinnamoyl-7-methoxy-aloesin (1), and eight known compounds (2-9) were isolated from Aloe vera. Their structures were elucidated using 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectra. Compound 9 exhibited reversible competitive inhibitory activity against the enzyme tyrosinase, with an IC 50 value of 9.8 ± 0.9 µM. A molecular simulation revealed that compound 9 interacts via hydrogen bonding with residues His244, Thr261, and Val283 of tyrosinase. Additionally, compounds 3 and 7 were shown by half-leaf assays to exhibit inhibitory activity towards Pepper mild mottle virus.

  13. Inhibitory effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate on the life cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

    PubMed

    Yamaguchi, Koushi; Honda, Mitsuo; Ikigai, Hajime; Hara, Yukihiko; Shimamura, Tadakatsu

    2002-01-01

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), the major tea catechin, is known as a potent anti-bacterial agent. In addition, anti-tumor promoting, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and antiviral activities have been reported. In the present study, we investigated possible anti-human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) activity of EGCg and its mechanisms of action in the viral life cycle. EGCg impinges on each step of the HIV life cycle. Thus, destruction of the viral particles, viral attachment to cells, post-adsorption entry into cells, reverse transcription (RT), viral production from chronically-infected cells, and the level of expression of viral mRNA, were analyzed using T-lymphoid (H9) and monocytoid (THP-1) cell systems, and antiviral protease activity was measured using a cell-free assay. Inhibitory effects of EGCg on specific binding of the virions to the cellular surfaces and changes in the steady state viral regulation (mRNA expression) due to EGCg were not observed. However, EGCg had a destructive effect on the viral particles, and post-adsorption entry and RT in acutely infected monocytoid cells were significantly inhibited at concentrations of EGCg greater than 1 microM, and protease kinetics were suppressed at a concentration higher than 10 microM in the cell-free study. Viral production by THP-1 cells chronically-infected with HIV-1 was also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner and the inhibitory effect was enhanced by liposome modification of EGCg. As expected, increased viral mRNA production was observed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated chronically HIV-1-infected cells. This production was significantly inhibited by EGCg treatment of THP-1 cells. In contrast, production of HIV-1 viral mRNA in unstimulated or LPS-stimulated T-lymphoid cells (H9) was not inhibited by EGCg. Anti-HIV viral activity of EGCg may thus result from an interaction with several steps in the HIV-1 life cycle.

  14. Method for Bacterial Growth and Ammonia Production and Effect of Inhibitory Substances in Disposable Absorbent Hygiene Products.

    PubMed

    Forsgren-Brusk, Ulla; Yhlen, Birgitta; Blomqvist, Marie; Larsson, Peter

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate a pragmatic laboratory method to provide a technique for developing incontinence products better able to reduce malodor when used in the clinical setting. Bacterial growth and bacterially formed ammonia in disposable absorbent incontinence products was measured by adding synthetic urine inoculated with bacteria to test samples cut from the crotch area of the product. The inhibitory effect's of low pH (4.5 and 4.9) and 3 antimicrobial substances-chlorhexidine, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), and thymol-at 2 concentrations each, were studied. From the initial inocula of 3.3 log colony-forming units per milliliter (cfu/mL) at baseline, the bacterial growth of the references increased to 5.0 to 6.0 log cfu/mL at 6 hours for Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterococcus faecalis. At 12 hours there was a further increase to 7.0 to 8.9 log cfu/mL. Adjusting the pH of the superabsorbent in the incontinence product from 6.0 to pH 4.5 and pH 4.9 significantly (P < .05) inhibited the bacterial growth rates, in most cases, both at 6 and 12 hours. The effect was most pronounced at pH 4.5. Chlorhexidine had significant (P < .05) inhibitory effect on E. coli and E. faecalis, and at 12 hours also on P. mirabilis. For PHMB and thymol the results varied. At 6 hours, the ammonia concentration in the references (pH 6.0) was 200 to 300 ppm and it was 1500 to 1600 ppm at 8 hours. At pH 4.5, no or little ammonia production was measured at 6 and 8 hours. At pH 4.9, there was a significant reduction (P < .01). Chlorhexidine and PHMB exerted a significant (P < .01 or P < .001) inhibitory effect on ammonia production at both concentrations and at 6 and 8 hours. Thymol 0.003% and 0.03% showed inhibitory effect at both 6 hours (P < .01 or P < .001) and at 8 hours (P < .05 or P < .001). The method described in this study can be used to compare the ability of various disposable absorbent products to inhibit bacterial growth and ammonia

  15. Auditory cortical plasticity induced by intracortical microstimulation under pharmacological blockage of inhibitory synapses.

    PubMed

    Yokota, R; Takahashi, H; Funamizu, A; Uchihara, M; Suzurikawa, J; Kanzaki, R

    2006-01-01

    Electrical stimulation that can reorganize our neural system has a potential for promising neurorehabilitation. We previously demonstrated that temporally controlled intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) could induce the spike time-dependant plasticity and modify tuning properties of cortical neurons as desired. A 'pairing' ICMS following tone-induced excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs) produced potentiation in response to the paired tones, while an 'anti-pairing' ICMS preceding the tone-induced EPSPs resulted in depression. However, the conventional ICMS affected both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and thereby could not quantify net excitatory synaptic effects. In the present work, we evaluated the ICMS effects under a pharmacological blockage of inhibitory inputs. The pharmacological blockage enhanced the ICMS effects, suggesting that inhibitory inputs determine a plastic degree of the neural system. Alternatively, the conventional ICMS had an inadequate timing to control excitatory synaptic inputs, because inhibitory synapse determined the latency of total neural inputs.

  16. Time Course of Brain Network Reconfiguration Supporting Inhibitory Control.

    PubMed

    Popov, Tzvetan; Westner, Britta U; Silton, Rebecca L; Sass, Sarah M; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Rockstroh, Brigitte; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A

    2018-05-02

    Hemodynamic research has recently clarified key nodes and links in brain networks implementing inhibitory control. Although fMRI methods are optimized for identifying the structure of brain networks, the relatively slow temporal course of fMRI limits the ability to characterize network operation. The latter is crucial for developing a mechanistic understanding of how brain networks shift dynamically to support inhibitory control. To address this critical gap, we applied spectrally resolved Granger causality (GC) and random forest machine learning tools to human EEG data in two large samples of adults (test sample n = 96, replication sample n = 237, total N = 333, both sexes) who performed a color-word Stroop task. Time-frequency analysis confirmed that recruitment of inhibitory control accompanied by slower behavioral responses was related to changes in theta and alpha/beta power. GC analyses revealed directionally asymmetric exchanges within frontal and between frontal and parietal brain areas: top-down influence of superior frontal gyrus (SFG) over both dorsal ACC (dACC) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dACC control over middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and frontal-parietal exchanges (IFG, precuneus, MFG). Predictive analytics confirmed a combination of behavioral and brain-derived variables as the best set of predictors of inhibitory control demands, with SFG theta bearing higher classification importance than dACC theta and posterior beta tracking the onset of behavioral response. The present results provide mechanistic insight into the biological implementation of a psychological phenomenon: inhibitory control is implemented by dynamic routing processes during which the target response is upregulated via theta-mediated effective connectivity within key PFC nodes and via beta-mediated motor preparation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hemodynamic neuroimaging research has recently clarified regional structures in brain networks supporting inhibitory control. However, due to

  17. Flavonoids of Cynara scolymus possess potent xanthinoxidase inhibitory activity in vitro but are devoid of hypouricemic effects in rats after oral application.

    PubMed

    Sarawek, Sasiporn; Feistel, Bjoern; Pischel, Ivo; Butterweck, Veronika

    2008-02-01

    Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) leaves have been historically used for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, however whether artichoke is truly efficacious for this indication, is still a matter of debate. Thus, the goal of the present study was first to examine the xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity of an artichoke leaf extract (ALE) and some of its main compounds in vitro and then further test potentially active substances for possible hypouricemic effects using an in vivo rat model. The in vitro study showed that ALE inhibited XO with only minimal inhibitory action (< 5 %) at 100 microg/mL. However, when selected compounds were tested, the caffeic acid derivatives revealed a weak XO inhibitory effect with IC (50) > 100 microM. From the tested flavones the aglycone luteolin potently inhibited XO with an IC (50) value of 1.49 microM. Luteolin 7-O-glucoside and luteolin 7-O-glucuronide showed lower XO inhibition activities with IC (50) values of 19.90 microM and 20.24 microM, respectively. However, oral administration of an aqueous ALE, luteolin, and luteolin 7-O-glucoside did not produce any observable hypouricemic effects after acute oral treatment in potassium oxonate-treated rats. After intraperitoneal injection of luteolin a decrease in uric acid levels was detected suggesting that the hypouricemic effects of luteolin are due to its original form rather than its metabolites produced by the gut flora. In conclusion, an aqueous ALE, caffeic acid derivatives and flavones exerted XO inhibitory effects in vitro but a hypouricemic activity could not be confirmed after oral administration.

  18. The inhibitory effects of phenolic Mannich bases on carbonic anhydrase I and II isoenzymes.

    PubMed

    Yamali, Cem; Tugrak, Mehtap; Gul, Halise Inci; Tanc, Muhammet; Supuran, Claudiu T

    2016-12-01

    Phenolic mono Mannich bases [2-[4-hydroxy-3-(aminomethyl)benzylidene]-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (8-15)] and bis Mannich bases [2-[4-hydroxy-3,5-bis(aminomethyl)benzylidene]-2, 3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (2-7)] were synthesized starting from 2-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2, 3-dihydro-inden-1-one (1). This study was designed in order to investigate the carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitory properties of a library of compounds incorporating the phenol functional group. All prepared compounds showed a low inhibition percentages on both human (h) isoforms hCA I and hCA II compared to the reference sulfonamide acetazolamide. Mannich bases 2-15 had lower inhibition percentages than the compound 1 on hCA I and hCA II, except compound 14, which is a Mannich base derivative of dipropylamine, which had a similar inhibitory power as compound 1 on hCA II. All compounds synthesized 1-15 were 1.3-1.9 times more effective on hCA II comparing with the effectivenes of the compounds on hCA I.

  19. Parallel language activation and inhibitory control in bimodal bilinguals.

    PubMed

    Giezen, Marcel R; Blumenfeld, Henrike K; Shook, Anthony; Marian, Viorica; Emmorey, Karen

    2015-08-01

    Findings from recent studies suggest that spoken-language bilinguals engage nonlinguistic inhibitory control mechanisms to resolve cross-linguistic competition during auditory word recognition. Bilingual advantages in inhibitory control might stem from the need to resolve perceptual competition between similar-sounding words both within and between their two languages. If so, these advantages should be lessened or eliminated when there is no perceptual competition between two languages. The present study investigated the extent of inhibitory control recruitment during bilingual language comprehension by examining associations between language co-activation and nonlinguistic inhibitory control abilities in bimodal bilinguals, whose two languages do not perceptually compete. Cross-linguistic distractor activation was identified in the visual world paradigm, and correlated significantly with performance on a nonlinguistic spatial Stroop task within a group of 27 hearing ASL-English bilinguals. Smaller Stroop effects (indexing more efficient inhibition) were associated with reduced co-activation of ASL signs during the early stages of auditory word recognition. These results suggest that inhibitory control in auditory word recognition is not limited to resolving perceptual linguistic competition in phonological input, but is also used to moderate competition that originates at the lexico-semantic level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Inhibitory effects of phenolic compounds of rice straw formed by saccharification during ethanol fermentation by Pichia stipitis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiahui; Tsang, Yiu Fai; Li, Yuhao; Ma, Xiubing; Cui, Shouqing; Zhang, Tian-Ao; Hu, Jiajun; Gao, Min-Tian

    2017-11-01

    In this study, it was found that the type of phenolic acids derived from rice straw was the major factor affecting ethanol fermentation by Pichia stipitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of phenolic acids on ethanol fermentation with rice straw. Different cellulases produced different ratios of free phenolic acids to soluble conjugated phenolic acids, resulting in different fermentation efficiencies. Free phenolic acids exhibited much higher inhibitory effect than conjugated phenolic acids. The flow cytometry results indicated that the damage to cell membranes was the primary mechanism of inhibition of ethanol fermentation by phenolic acids. The removal of free phenolic acids from the hydrolysates increased ethanol productivity by 2.0-fold, indicating that the free phenolic acids would be the major inhibitors formed during saccharification. The integrated process for ethanol and phenolic acids may constitute a new strategy for the production of low-cost ethanol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Inhibitory Effect of Crizotinib on Creatinine Uptake by Renal Secretory Transporter OCT2.

    PubMed

    Arakawa, Hiroshi; Omote, Saki; Tamai, Ikumi

    2017-09-01

    Crizotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, exhibits some cases of an increase in serum creatinine levels. Creatinine is excreted by not only glomerular filtration but also active secretion by organic cation transporters such as organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2). In the present study, we evaluated in vitro inhibitory effect of crizotinib on OCT2 by directly measuring creatinine uptake by OCT2. Coincubation of crizotinib reduced uptake of [ 14 C]creatinine by cultured HEK293 cells expressing OCT2 (HEK293/OCT2) in a concentration-dependent manner with IC 50 values of 1.58 ± 0.24 μM. Preincubation or both preincubation and coincubation (preincubation/coincubation) with crizotinib showed stronger inhibitory effect on [ 14 C]creatinine uptake compared with that in coincubation alone with IC 50 values of 0.499 ± 0.076 and 0.347 ± 0.040 μM, respectively. These IC 50 values of crizotinib on [ 3 H]N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium acetate uptake by OCT2 were 10-20 times higher than those of [ 14 C]creatinine uptake. Furthermore, preincubation of crizotinib inhibited creatinine uptake by OCT2 in an apparently competitive manner. In conclusion, crizotinib at a clinically relevant concentration has the potential to inhibit creatinine transport by OCT2, suggesting an increase of serum creatinine levels in clinical use. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of salt addition on acid resistance response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 against acetic acid.

    PubMed

    Bae, Young-Min; Lee, Sun-Young

    2017-08-01

    A combination of salt and acid is commonly used in the production of many foods, such as pickles and fermented foods. However, in our previous studies, addition of salt significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of acetic acid against E. coli O157:H7 in laboratory media and pickled cucumbers. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of salt addition on the acid resistance (AR) response of E. coli O157:H7 after treatment with acetic acid. The combined effect of acetic acid and salt showed different results depending on media tested. Organic compounds such as yeast extract and tryptone were required to observe the antagonistic effect of salt and acetic acid in combination. However, use of an rpoS mutant or addition of chloramphenicol resulted in no changes in the antagonistic effect of acetic acid and salt. The addition of glutamate to phosphate buffer significantly increased the survival levels of E. coli O157:H7 after the acetic acid treatment; however, the survival levels were lower than those after the treatment with acetic acid alone. Thus, the addition of salt may increase the AR response of E. coli O157:H7; however, these survival mechanisms were not proven clearly. Therefore, further studies need to be performed to better understand the antagonism of acetic acid salt against E. coli O157:H7. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The Antifungal Inhibitory Concentration Effectiveness Test From Ethanol Seed Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica) Extract Against The Growth Of Candida albicans Patient Isolate With In Vitro Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satria Rakatama, Adam; Pramono, Andri; Yulianti, Retno

    2018-03-01

    Candida albicans are the most frequent cause of Vulvovaginalis Candidiasis infection. Its treatment using antifungal drugs, are oftenly caused side effects. The reduction of C.albicans growth and the reduction of antifungal drugs side effect, were our main purposed. Our study objective is determine the effectiveness of inhibitory power of arabica coffee seed ethanol extract on the growth of C.albicans patient isolates. The type of this research is experimental research. Kirby-bauer method with the Saboraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) media was used in this experiment. Inhibitory zone was observed around the disc, to determine the inhibitory power. The results showed that the inhibitory zone was formed on arabica coffee seed ethanol extract on 10%, 20%, 40%, and 80% concentration. Kruskal-Wallis test results (p<0,05) showed that there was a significant difference in mean between the concentration groups tested against the treatment group. The inhibitory zone was formed because of biochemical compound in arabica coffee seed such as caffeine, phenol, alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins. Inhibitory zone in C.albicans patient isolates were smaller compared with C.albicans ATCC 90028 as gold standard. This showed that the virulence of C.albicans from patients isolates were higher. We concluded that arabica coffee seed ethanol extract could inhibiting the growth of C.albicans patient isolates. Optimization of coffee seed ethanol extract to obtain maximum active ingredients still needs to be done. This knowledge is expected to be used for the beginning manufacturer antifungal drug from natural product.

  4. Fertility control of rodent pests: a review of the inhibitory effects of plant extracts on ovarian function.

    PubMed

    Tran, Tung Thanh; Hinds, Lyn A

    2013-03-01

    Plant extracts can inhibit fertility by adversely affecting, directly or indirectly, reproductive processes ranging from gonadal function and development to gestation. This review focuses on plant extracts that disrupt ovarian function in rodents. Extracts from at least 40 plant species exert some of their disruptive reproductive effects at the ovarian level. Of those, 13 plants induce a reduction in the number and type of ovarian follicles and also cause disruption to the oestrous cycle. Their effects are short term and reversible once treatment ceases. Protection of plant extracts to prevent their degradation before uptake in the gastrointestinal tract could enhance short-term efficacy but would not enhance the longevity of their effects. Identification and further testing of the specific chemicals responsible for reproductive effects would be beneficial. The adoption of a standard protocol for treatment and assessment of the inhibitory effects of potential control agents on reproductive function in rodents is essential. Treatment with higher concentrations of extracts in conjunction with other extracts or with other chemosterilants could have potential complementary effects and lead to more rapid and permanent changes in ovarian function. An orally delivered agent(s) that causes major depletion of all follicle types, and particularly of non-regenerating primordial follicles, could be an ideal fertility control product and serve as an additional tool for population control of pest rodents. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

  5. Inhibitory effect of xanthan gum and synergistic surfactant additives for mild steel corrosion in 1M HCl.

    PubMed

    Mobin, Mohammad; Rizvi, Marziya

    2016-01-20

    Natural polymer xanthan gum (XG) was investigated as eco friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1M HCl at 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C and 60 °C, respectively. The inhibition studies were performed using gravimetric analysis, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), quantum chemical calculations, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectrophotometry. XG significantly reduces the corrosion rates of mild steel. The inhibition efficiency (IE) of the XG increased with increase in concentration, but decreased with temperature; the maximum IE of 74.24% was obtained at concentration of 1000 ppm at 30 °C. The inhibiting action of XG is synergistically enhanced on addition of very small amount of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) and Triton X-100 (TX). The effect of SDS is more pronounced than other surfactants. Potentiodynamic polarization studies confirm XG as a mixed type inhibitor. Results of weight loss measurements are in good agreement of the results of electrochemical measurements. The UV-visible spectroscopic results indicate the formation of complex between XG and Fe(2+) ions during corrosion reaction. Mechanism of inhibition was also investigated by calculating the thermodynamic and activation parameters like ΔG(0), Ea, ΔH and ΔS. The adsorption of inhibitor on mild steel surface obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. SEM micrographs show a clearly different morphology in presence of XG and XG-surfactant additives and confirmed the existence of an adsorbed protective film on the mild steel surface. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Inhibitory effects of carbohydrates on histamine release and mast cell disruption by dextran

    PubMed Central

    Beraldo, W. T.; Da Silva, W. dias; Fernandes, A. D. Lemos

    1962-01-01

    Alloxan diabetic rats failed to show the skin reaction (blue spot) evoked by dextran, whereas the effects produced by histamine and compound 48/80 were not altered. When dextran and glucose were injected simultaneously into the skin the reaction was inhibited. In vitro, mast cell alterations produced by dextran occurred simultaneously with histamine release; both processes were inhibited by glucose, other carbohydrates related to glucose, and inhibitors of anaphylaxis. These experiments suggest that dextran releases histamine by a mechanism similar to that found with 48/80 and anaphylaxis in the rat. The inhibitory effect of carbohydrates may be understood on the basis of a competitive mechanism. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2 PMID:13967594

  7. Novel nootropic dipeptide Noopept increases inhibitory synaptic transmission in CA1 pyramidal cells.

    PubMed

    Kondratenko, Rodion V; Derevyagin, Vladimir I; Skrebitsky, Vladimir G

    2010-05-31

    Effects of newly synthesized nootropic and anxiolytic dipeptide Noopept on inhibitory synaptic transmission in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells were investigated using patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration. Bath application of Noopept (1 microM) significantly increased the frequency of spike-dependant spontaneous IPSCs whereas spike-independent mIPSCs remained unchanged. It was suggested that Noopept mediates its effect due to the activation of inhibitory interneurons terminating on CA1 pyramidal cells. Results of current clamp recording of inhibitory interneurons residing in stratum radiatum confirmed this suggestion. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. In vitro inhibitory effects of pulvinic acid derivatives isolated from Chinese edible mushrooms, Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, on cytochrome P450 activity.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yu-Ting; Onose, Jun-ichi; Abe, Naoki; Yoshikawa, Kunie

    2009-04-23

    Increasing attention has been focused on food-drug interactions. We have investigated the inhibitory effect of Chinese edible mushrooms, Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4, the main drug-metabolizing enzymes. Three pulvinic acid derivatives, atromentic acid (1), variegatic acid (2), and xerocomic acid (3), isolated from Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, revealed nonspecific inhibitory effects on all four CYPs. Using these compounds, the maximum IC50 values obtained with CYP3A4 in vitro were atromentic acid (1), 65.1+/-3.9 microM; variegatic acid (2), 2.2+/-0.1 microM; and xerocomic acid (3), 2.4+/-0.1 microM. Variegatic acid (2) and xerocomic acid (3) were effective inhibitors, comparable to cimetidine, dicoumarol, erythromycin, safrole, and uniconazole. Variegatic acid (2) and xerocomic acid (3) efficiently reduced ferryl myoglobin in CYPs. Reduction of ferryl heme to ferric heme is likely the mechanism of the nonspecific inhibitory effects of these compounds on CYPs.

  9. Inhibitory activities of some vitamins on the formation of cholesterol oxidation products in beef patties.

    PubMed

    Wong, Daniel; Wang, Mingfu

    2013-09-04

    The capacities of 15 vitamins to inhibit the formation of 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, and 7-ketocholesterol were examined in beef patties. Their inhibitory activities were tested at a concentration of 0.4 mmol in 30 g of beef. Among them, L-ascorbic acid, retinoic acid, and α-(±)-tocopherol were found to exert a potent inhibitory effect (30-50%) on 7-ketocholesterol formation and (~20%) on 7α-hydroxycholesterol and 7β-hydroxycholesterol formations. Pyridoxamine inhibited 7-ketocholesterol formation by 60% with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) from that achieved in the control setup. To further elucidate the possible inhibitory mechanism of pyridoxamine against cholesterol oxidation, a chemical model with pyridoxamine added in the cholesterol oxidation system (heated at 140 °C for 240 min in dimethyl sulfoxide) was employed. It was demonstrated that pyridoxamine could directly react with 7-ketocholesterol via the addition reaction. The reaction involved a nucleophilic attack of the free amine group of pyridoxamine on 7-ketocholesterol (an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound). This type of reaction was also found to occur in beef patties by chromatographic and spectral analyses.

  10. Inhibitory effects of constituents of Morinda citrifolia seeds on elastase and tyrosinase.

    PubMed

    Masuda, Megumi; Murata, Kazuya; Fukuhama, Akiko; Naruto, Shunsuke; Fujita, Tadashi; Uwaya, Akemi; Isami, Fumiyuki; Matsuda, Hideaki

    2009-07-01

    A 50% ethanolic extract (MCS-ext) from seeds of Morinda citrifolia ("noni" seeds) showed more potent in vitro inhibition of elastase and tyrosinase, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity than extracts of M. citrifolia leaves or flesh. Activity-guided fractionation of MCS-ext using in vitro assays led to the isolation of ursolic acid as an active constituent of elastase inhibitory activity. 3,3'-Bisdemethylpinoresinol, americanin A, and quercetin were isolated as active constituents having both tyrosinase inhibitory and radical scavenging activities. Americanin A and quercetin also showed superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. These active compounds were isolated from noni seeds for the first time.

  11. Dynamics of excitatory and inhibitory networks are differentially altered by selective attention.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Adam C; Morais, Michael J; Smith, Matthew A

    2016-10-01

    Inhibition and excitation form two fundamental modes of neuronal interaction, yet we understand relatively little about their distinct roles in service of perceptual and cognitive processes. We developed a multidimensional waveform analysis to identify fast-spiking (putative inhibitory) and regular-spiking (putative excitatory) neurons in vivo and used this method to analyze how attention affects these two cell classes in visual area V4 of the extrastriate cortex of rhesus macaques. We found that putative inhibitory neurons had both greater increases in firing rate and decreases in correlated variability with attention compared with putative excitatory neurons. Moreover, the time course of attention effects for putative inhibitory neurons more closely tracked the temporal statistics of target probability in our task. Finally, the session-to-session variability in a behavioral measure of attention covaried with the magnitude of this effect. Together, these results suggest that selective targeting of inhibitory neurons and networks is a critical mechanism for attentional modulation. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  12. Dynamics of excitatory and inhibitory networks are differentially altered by selective attention

    PubMed Central

    Snyder, Adam C.; Morais, Michael J.

    2016-01-01

    Inhibition and excitation form two fundamental modes of neuronal interaction, yet we understand relatively little about their distinct roles in service of perceptual and cognitive processes. We developed a multidimensional waveform analysis to identify fast-spiking (putative inhibitory) and regular-spiking (putative excitatory) neurons in vivo and used this method to analyze how attention affects these two cell classes in visual area V4 of the extrastriate cortex of rhesus macaques. We found that putative inhibitory neurons had both greater increases in firing rate and decreases in correlated variability with attention compared with putative excitatory neurons. Moreover, the time course of attention effects for putative inhibitory neurons more closely tracked the temporal statistics of target probability in our task. Finally, the session-to-session variability in a behavioral measure of attention covaried with the magnitude of this effect. Together, these results suggest that selective targeting of inhibitory neurons and networks is a critical mechanism for attentional modulation. PMID:27466133

  13. Inhibitory effects of spices on growth and toxin production of toxigenic fungi.

    PubMed Central

    Hitokoto, H; Morozumi, S; Wauke, T; Sakai, S; Kurata, H

    1980-01-01

    The inhibitory effects of 29 commercial powdered spices on the growth and toxin production of three species of toxigenic Aspergillus were observed by introducing these materials into culture media for mycotoxin production. Of the 29 samples tested, cloves, star anise seeds, and allspice completely inhibited the fungal growth, whereas most of the others inhibited only the toxin production. Eugenol extracted from cloves and thymol from thyme caused complete inhibition of the growth of both Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus versicolor at 0.4 mg/ml or less. At a concentration of 2 mg/ml, anethol extracted from star anise seeds inhibited the growth of all the strains. PMID:6769391

  14. What Do We Really Know about Cognitive Inhibition? Task Demands and Inhibitory Effects across a Range of Memory and Behavioural Tasks

    PubMed Central

    Noreen, Saima; MacLeod, Malcolm D.

    2015-01-01

    Our study explores inhibitory control across a range of widely recognised memory and behavioural tasks. Eighty-seven never-depressed participants completed a series of tasks designed to measure inhibitory control in memory and behaviour. Specifically, a variant of the selective retrieval-practice and the Think/No-Think tasks were employed as measures of memory inhibition. The Stroop-Colour Naming and the Go/No-Go tasks were used as measures of behavioural inhibition. Participants completed all 4 tasks. Task presentation order was counterbalanced across 3 separate testing sessions for each participant. Standard inhibitory forgetting effects emerged on both memory tasks but the extent of forgetting across these tasks was not correlated. Furthermore, there was no relationship between memory inhibition tasks and either of the main behavioural inhibition measures. At a time when cognitive inhibition continues to gain acceptance as an explanatory mechanism, our study raises fundamental questions about what we actually know about inhibition and how it is affected by the processing demands of particular inhibitory tasks. PMID:26270470

  15. Inhibitory effects of Persicariae Rhizoma aqueous extracts on experimental periodontitis and alveolar bone loss in Sprague-Dawley rats

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Su Jin; Lee, Eun Kyung; Han, Chang Hyun; Lee, Bong Hyo; Lee, Young Joon; Ku, Sae Kwang

    2016-01-01

    Persicariae Rhizoma (PR) is the dried stem parts of Persicaria tinctoria H. Gross (Polygonaceae), and has been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory and detoxifying agent. In the present study, the effects of PR aqueous extracts on ligation-induced experimental periodontitis (EPD) and associated alveolar bone loss in rats were examined. Following the induction of EPD in rats, PR extracts were orally administered once a day for 10 days, and the changes and gains in body weight, alveolar bone loss and total aerobic bacterial counts of buccal gingiva were observed with histopathological analysis. In addition, anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated by monitoring myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, and interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α contents, and anti-oxidant effects were investigated by measuring inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Bacterial proliferation, periodontitis and associated alveolar bone loss induced by ligature placement were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by the treatment with PR extracts. The inhibitory effects of 200 mg/kg PR were similar to those of 5 mg/kg indomethacin on ligation-induced periodontitis and associated alveolar bone losses in this study. The results suggest that PR effectively inhibits ligature placement-induced periodontitis and alveolar bone loss in rats via antibacterial, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. PMID:27588077

  16. Medicinal Plants and Their Inhibitory Activities against Pancreatic Lipase: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Seyedan, Atefehalsadat; Alshawsh, Mohammed Abdullah; Alshagga, Mustafa Ahmed; Koosha, Sanaz

    2015-01-01

    Obesity is recognized as a major life style disorder especially in developing countries and it is prevailing at an alarming speed in new world countries due to fast food intake, industrialization, and reduction of physical activity. Furthermore, it is associated with a vast number of chronic diseases and disabilities. To date, relatively effective drugs, from either natural or synthetic sources, are generally associated with serious side effects, often leading to cessation of clinical trials or even withdrawal from the market. In order to find new compounds which are more effective or with less adverse effects compared to orlistat, the drug that has been approved for obesity, new compounds isolated from natural products are being identified and screened for antiobesity effects, in particular, for their pancreatic lipase inhibitory effect. Pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity has been extensively used for the determination of potential efficacy of natural products as antiobesity agents. In attempts to identify natural products for overcoming obesity, more researches have been focused on the identification of newer pancreatic lipase inhibitors with less unpleasant adverse effects. In this review, we consider the potential role of plants that have been investigated for their pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity. PMID:26640503

  17. Ketone bodies do not directly alter excitatory or inhibitory hippocampal synaptic transmission.

    PubMed

    Thio, L L; Wong, M; Yamada, K A

    2000-01-25

    To determine the effect of the ketone bodies beta-hydroxybutyrate (betaHB) and acetoacetate (AA) on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian CNS. The ketogenic diet is presumed to be an effective anticonvulsant regimen for some children with medically intractable seizures. However, its mechanism of action remains a mystery. According to one hypothesis, ketone bodies have anticonvulsant properties. The authors examined the effect of betaHB and AA on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slices and cultured hippocampal neurons. In cultured neurons, their effect was also directly assayed on postsynaptic receptor properties. Finally, their ability to prevent spontaneous seizures was determined in a hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slice model. betaHB and AA did not alter synaptic transmission in these models. The anticonvulsant properties of the ketogenic diet do not result from a direct effect of ketone bodies on the primary voltage and ligand gated ion channels mediating excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmission in the hippocampus.

  18. A Journey through the Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone System of Fish

    PubMed Central

    Muñoz-Cueto, José A.; Paullada-Salmerón, José A.; Aliaga-Guerrero, María; Cowan, Mairi E.; Parhar, Ishwar S.; Ubuka, Takayoshi

    2017-01-01

    Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that belongs to the RFamide peptide family and was first identified in the quail brain. From the discovery of avian GnIH, orthologous GnIH peptides have been reported in a variety of vertebrates, including mammals, amphibians, teleosts and agnathans, but also in protochordates. It has been clearly established that GnIH suppresses reproduction in avian and mammalian species through its inhibitory actions on brain GnRH and pituitary gonadotropins. In addition, GnIH also appears to be involved in the regulation of feeding, growth, stress response, heart function and social behavior. These actions are mediated via G protein-coupled GnIH receptors (GnIH-Rs), of which two different subtypes, GPR147 and GPR74, have been described to date. With around 30,000 species, fish represent more than one-half of the total number of recognized living vertebrate species. In addition to this impressive biological diversity, fish are relevant because they include model species with scientific and clinical interest as well as many exploited species with economic importance. In spite of this, the study of GnIH and its physiological effects on reproduction and other physiological processes has only been approached in a few fish species, and results obtained are in some cases conflicting. In this review, we summarize the information available in the literature on GnIH sequences identified in fish, the distribution of GnIH and GnIH-Rs in central and peripheral tissues, the physiological actions of GnIH on the reproductive brain-pituitary-gonadal axis, as well as other reported effects of this neuropeptide, and existing knowledge on the regulatory mechanisms of GnIH in fish. PMID:29163357

  19. Inhibitory effect of jasmonic acid and ethylene on epicotyl growth and bud induction in the maritime pine, Pinus pinaster Soland. in ait.

    PubMed

    Martin, Maria Teresa; Pedranzani, Hilda; García-Molinero, Patricia; Pando, Valentin; Sierra-de-Grado, Rosario

    2009-12-01

    Two independent parameters, epicotyl height (cm) and number of induced buds were studied on Pinus pinaster explants to analyse the effects of three phytohormones (6-benzylaminopurine, jasmonic acid, ethylene) which were combined or not in 11 different treatments. Epicotyle length diminished significantly in relation to the control medium (medium without exogen phytohormones) in presence of jasmonic acid, 6-benzylaminopurine or Ethephon (which is converted to ethylene in plants) in any of treatments. Concentrations of 100 microM of jasmonic acid and Ethephon had a greater inhibitory effect than the treatments with 10 microM. In addition to that, jasmonic acid was a stronger inhibitor than Ethephon in any of the tried combinations. There were no significant differences between the control treatment and the treatments with only 10 microM of jasmonic acid or Ethephon. However, 10 microM 6-benzylaminopurine induced bud formation. The different combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine with jasmonic acid and Ethephon showed that concentrations of 10 to 100 microM did not affect the number of induced buds. Jasmonic acid had an inhibitory effect which Ethephon only showed when combined with 100 microM of jasmonic acid and 10 microM of 6-benzylaminopurine. Three response groups were defined by cluster analysis: group 1 produced the greatest mean number of buds (4 to 5) and a mean epicotyl growth of 1 to 1.5 cm; group 2 produced 2 to 4 buds and a mean growth of 0.5 to 1.2 cm; group 3 produced only one bud and a mean epicotyl length of 1.2 to 2 cm.

  20. Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs.

    PubMed

    Müller, Corsin A; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

    2016-01-01

    Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject's level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance.

  1. Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Corsin A.; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

    2016-01-01

    Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject’s level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance. PMID:26863141

  2. Inhibitory effect of a redox-silent analogue of tocotrienol on hypoxia adaptation in prostate cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Shiozawa, Nobuya; Sugahara, Ryosuke; Namiki, Kozue; Sato, Chiaki; Ando, Akira; Sato, Ayami; Virgona, Nantiga; Yano, Tomohiro

    2017-03-01

    Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in Western countries and acquires a malignant phenotype, androgen-independent growth. PCa under hypoxia often has resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, an effective therapy against PCa under hypoxia has not yet been established. In this report, we investigated the inhibitory effect of a redox-silent analogue of tocotrienol on the survival of a human androgen-independent PCa cell line (PC3) under hypoxia. We found that the redox-silent analogue exerted a cytotoxic effect on PC3 cells in a dose-dependent manner irrespective of either hypoxia or normoxia. Moreover, under hypoxia, the analogue dose dependently reduced the protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α. In addition, a specific inhibitor toward HIF-1α induced cytotoxicity on PC3 cells, whereas selective inhibition of HIF-2α exerted no effect. Furthermore, suppression of HIFs levels by the analogue in hypoxic PC3 cells was closely associated with the inactivation of Fyn, a member of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase family, as confirmed by the action of a specific inhibitor toward the kinase (PP2). Taken together, these results suggest that the tocotrienol analogue could inhibit the survival of PC3 cells under hypoxia, mainly by the inhibition of Fyn/HIF-1α signaling, and this may lead to the establishment of a new effective therapy for androgen-independent PCa.

  3. Myostatin inhibitory region of fish (Paralichthys olivaceus) myostatin-1 propeptide.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sang Beum; Kim, Jeong Hwan; Jin, Deuk-Hee; Jin, Hyung-Joo; Kim, Yong Soo

    2016-01-01

    Myostatin (MSTN) is a potent negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth, and its activity is suppressed by MSTN propeptide (MSTNpro), the N-terminal part of MSTN precursor cleaved during post-translational MSTN processing. The current study examined which region of flatfish (Paralichthys olivaceus) MSTN-1 propeptide (MSTN1pro) is critical for MSTN inhibition. Six different truncated forms of MSTN1pro containing N-terminal maltose binding protein (MBP) as a fusion partner were expressed in Escherichia coli, and partially purified by an affinity chromatography for MSTN-inhibitory activity examination. Peptides covering different regions of flatfish MSTN1pro were also synthesized for MSTN-inhibitory activity examination. A MBP-fused MSTN1pro region consisting of residues 45-100 had the same MSTN-inhibitory potency as the full sequence flatfish MSTN1pro (residues 23-265), indicating that the region of flatfish MSTN1pro consisting of residues 45-100 is sufficient to maintain the full MSTN-inhibitory capacity. A MBP-fused MSTN1pro region consisting of residues 45-80 (Pro45-80) also showed MSTN-inhibitory activity with a lower potency, and the Pro45-80 demonstrated its MSTN binding capacity in a pull-down assay, indicating that the MSTN-inhibitory capacity of Pro45-80 is due to its binding to MSTN. Flatfish MSTN1pro synthetic peptides covering residues 45-65, 45-70, and 45-80 demonstrated MSTN-inhibitory activities, but not the synthetic peptide covering residues 45-54, indicating that residues 45-65 of flatfish MSTN1pro are essential for MSTN inhibition. In conclusion, current study show that like the mammalian MSTNpro, the MSTN-inhibitory region of flatfish MSTN1pro resides near its N-terminus, and imply that smaller sizes of MSTNpro can be effectively used in various applications designed for MSTN inhibition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Role of histamine in the inhibitory effects of phycocyanin in experimental models of allergic inflammatory response.

    PubMed Central

    Remirez, D; Ledón, N; González, R

    2002-01-01

    It has recently been reported that phycocyanin, a biliprotein found in the blue-green microalgae Spirulina, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in some animal models of inflammation. Taking into account these findings, we decided to elucidate whether phycocyanin might exert also inhibitory effects in the induced allergic inflammatory response and on histamine release from isolated rat mast cells. In in vivo experiments, phycocyanin (100, 200 and 300mg/kg post-orally (p.o.)) was administered 1 h before the challenge with 1 microg of ovalbumin (OA) in the ear of mice previously sensitized with OA. One hour later, myeloperoxidase activity and ear edema were assessed. Phycocyanin significantly reduced both parameters. In separate experiments, phycocyanin (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) also reduced the blue spot area induced by intradermal injections of histamine, and the histamine releaser compound 48/80 in rat skin. In concordance with the former results, phycocyanin also significantly reduced histamine release induced by compound 48/80 from isolated peritoneal rat mast cells. The inhibitory effects of phycocyanin were dose dependent. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibition of allergic inflammatory response by phycocyanin is mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of histamine release from mast cells. PMID:12061428

  5. Inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production and free radical scavenging activity of Thai medicinal plants in osteoarthritic knee treatment.

    PubMed

    Anuthakoengkun, Areeya; Itharat, Arunporn

    2014-08-01

    Thai medicine plants used for Osteoarthritis of knee (OA) treatment consist of twelve plants such as Crinumn asiaticum, Cleome viscosa, Drypetes roxburghii, Piper longum, Piper nigrum, Plumbago indica, Alpinia galanga, Curcuma aromatica, Globba malaccensis, Zingiber montanum, Zingiber officinale andZingiberzerumbet. They showedhighfrequency in OA formula. To investigate inhibitory effect on LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) release from RAW264. 7 cell and free radical scavenging activity usingDPPH assay of these ethanolic plant extracts. Plant materials were extracted by maceration in 95% ethanol. Anti-inflammatory activity were tested on LPS-induced NO production. Free radical scavenging activity was performed by DPPH assay. All of ethanolic extracts exhibited potent inhibitory effect on NO release. The ethanolic extract of Z. zerumbet exhibited the highest inhibitory effect followed by Z. montanum and G. malaccensis, respectively. Except A. galanga and C. viscosa, all extracts possessed more influential than indomethacin (IC50 = 20.32±3.23 μLg/ml), a positive control. The investigation on antioxidant activity suggested that the ethanolic extracts of D. roxburghii, Z. officinale, Z. montanum, C. aromatic, A. galanga, P indica, G malaccensis, P nigrum exhibited antioxidant activity. By means ofD. roxburghii had the highest electron donating activity,followed by Z. officinale. Moreover both extracts were more effective than BHT apositive control (EC50 = 14.04±1.95 μg/ml). Thai medicinal plants had anti-inflammatory activity and could inhibit destruction of articular cartilage that corresponded to the traditional medicine and supported using these medicinal plants for OA treatment.

  6. An apple oligogalactan enhances the growth inhibitory effect of 5-fluorouracil on colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuhua; Fan, Lei; Niu, Yinbo; Mian, Wenguang; Zhang, Feng; Xie, Ming; Sun, Yang; Mei, Qibing

    2017-06-05

    Treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a clinical challenge, since current therapies are associated with obvious side effects and high expenses. These limitations highlight an urgent need for developing novel and safe treatment strategies. It is suggested that combinatorial strategies could be more effective and much safer than monotherapy in cancer treatment. In our previous study, an apple oligogalactan (AOG) has been found to show beneficial effect on treating CRC. This study tried to investigate whether AOG could enhance the growth inhibitory effect of 5-FU in human CRC cells (HT-29 and SW-620), a mouse model of colitis associated colorectal cancer and a murine model of xenograft tumor. The IC 50 values of 5-FU were 26.70±0.21μM in HT-29 cells and 26.71±2.06μM in SW-620 cells. Pretreatment with 0.05 or 0.1mM AOG down-regulated IC 50 values of 5-FU to 22.44±1.01 or 18.67±1.16μM in HT-29 and 21.21±1.49 or 17.99±1.42μM in SW-620 cells. AOG enhanced 5-FU-induced cell apoptosis and S phase arrest. The combination not only protected ICR mice against intestinal toxicities and carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine and dextran sodium sulfate, but also decreased the xenograft tumor size, triggered apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of tumor cells in nude mice. The mechanisms of AOG on enhancing the growth inhibitory effect of 5-FU may be through the influence of TLR-4/NF-κB pathway. Taken together, the combinatorial therapy using AOG and 5-FU is a promising strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Effects of inhibitory theta burst TMS to different brain sites involved in visuospatial attention - a combined neuronavigated cTBS and behavioural study.

    PubMed

    Platz, Thomas; Schüttauf, Johannes; Aschenbach, Julia; Mengdehl, Christine; Lotze, Martin

    2016-01-01

    The study sought to alter visual spatial attention in young healthy subjects by a neuronavigated inhibitory rTMS protocol (cTBS-600) to right brain areas thought to be involved in visual attentional processes, i.e. the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and the posterior middle frontal gyrus (pMFG), and to test the reversibility of effects by an additional consecutive cTBS to the homologue left brain cortical areas. Healthy subjects showed a leftward bias of the egocentric perspective for both visual-perceptive and visual-exploratory tasks specifically for items presented in the left hemifield. cTBS to the right TPJ, and less systematically to the right pMFG reduced this bias for visuo-spatial and exploratory visuo-motor behaviour. Further, a consecutive cTBS to the left TPJ changed the bias again towards the left for a visual-perceptive task. The evidence supports the notion of an involvement of the right TPJ (and pMFG) in spatial visual attention. The observations further indicate that inhibitory non-invasive brain stimulation (cTBS) to the left TPJ has a potential for reversing a rightward bias of spatial attention when the right TPJ is dysfunctional. Accordingly, the findings could have implications for therapeutic rTMS development for right brain damaged patients with visual neglect.

  8. Inhibitory effects of isatin Mannich bases on carbonic anhydrases, acetylcholinesterase, and butyrylcholinesterase.

    PubMed

    Ozgun, Dilan Ozmen; Yamali, Cem; Gul, Halise Inci; Taslimi, Parham; Gulcin, Ilhami; Yanik, Telat; Supuran, Claudiu T

    2016-12-01

    The effects of isatin Mannich bases incorporating (1-[piperidin-1-yl (P1)/morpholin-4-yl (P2)/N-methylpiperazin-1-yl (P3)]methyl)-1H-indole-2,3-dione) moieties against human (h) carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoenzymes hCA I and hCA II, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes were evaluated. P1-P3 demonstrated impressive inhibition profiles against AChE and BChE and also inhibited both CAs at nanomolar level. These inhibitory effects were more powerful in all cases than the reference compounds used for all these enzymes. This study suggests that isatin Mannich bases P1-P3 are good candidate compounds especially for the development of new cholinesterase inhibitors since they were 2.2-5.9 times better inhibitors than clinically used drug Tacrine.

  9. Inhibitory effects of magnolol and honokiol on human calcitonin aggregation

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Caiao; Ma, Liang; Zhao, Yudan; Peng, Anlin; Cheng, Biao; Zhou, Qiaoqiao; Zheng, Ling; Huang, Kun

    2015-01-01

    Amyloid formation is associated with multiple amyloidosis diseases. Human calcitonin (hCT) is a typical amyloidogenic peptide, its aggregation is associated with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MTC), and also limits its clinical application. Magnolia officinalis is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine; its two major polyphenol components, magnolol (Mag) and honokiol (Hon), have displayed multiple functions. Polyphenols like flavonoids and their derivatives have been extensively studied as amyloid inhibitors. However, the anti-amyloidogenic property of a biphenyl backbone containing polyphenols such as Mag and Hon has not been reported. In this study, these two compounds were tested for their effects on hCT aggregation. We found that Mag and Hon both inhibited the amyloid formation of hCT, whereas Mag showed a stronger inhibitory effect; moreover, they both dose-dependently disassembled preformed hCT aggregates. Further immuno-dot blot and dynamic light scattering studies suggested Mag and Hon suppressed the aggregation of hCT both at the oligomerization and the fibrillation stages, while MTT-based and dye-leakage assays demonstrated that Mag and Hon effectively reduced cytotoxicity caused by hCT aggregates. Furthermore, isothermal titration calorimetry indicated Mag and Hon both interact with hCT. Together, our study suggested a potential anti-amyloidogenic property of these two compounds and their structure related derivatives. PMID:26324190

  10. Inhibitory effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil, alone and in combination with monolaurin, on Listeria monocytogenes.

    PubMed

    Raeisi, Mojtaba; Tajik, Hossein; Razavi Rohani, Seyed Mehdi; Tepe, Bektas; Kiani, Hossein; Khoshbakht, Rahem; Shirzad Aski, Hesamaddin; Tadrisi, Hamed

    2016-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is one of the major causes of infections in developing countries. In this study, chemical composition and anti-listerial effect of the essential oil of Zataria multiflora Boiss. alone and in combination with monolaurin were evaluated at different pH values (5, 6, and 7) and temperatures (5 ˚C and 30 ˚C). Chemical composition of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil and monolaurin were determined using microbroth dilution method and the interactions of essential oil and monolaurin were determined by the evaluation of fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) index. Carvacrol (63.20%) and thymol (15.10%) were found as the main components of the essential oil. The MIC values of the oil and monolaurin at pH 7 and 30 ˚C were measured as 312.50 µg mL(-1) and 125.00 µg mL(-1), respectively. Combination of monolaurin and Z. multiflora essential oil were found to act synergistically (FIC index < 0.5) against L. monocytogenes under different pH and temperature conditions. Decrease in the pH and temperature values have increased the anti-listerial activity of monolaurin and the essential oil. The lowest MIC value of monolaurin and essential oil was observed at pH 5 and 5 ˚C. According to our results, the oil alone or in combination with monolaurin at low pH and temperature conditions showed a promising inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes.

  11. Inhibitory effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil, alone and in combination with monolaurin, on Listeria monocytogenes

    PubMed Central

    Raeisi, Mojtaba; Tajik, Hossein; Razavi Rohani, Seyed Mehdi; Tepe, Bektas; Kiani, Hossein; Khoshbakht, Rahem; Shirzad Aski, Hesamaddin; Tadrisi, Hamed

    2016-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is one of the major causes of infections in developing countries. In this study, chemical composition and anti-listerial effect of the essential oil of Zataria multiflora Boiss. alone and in combination with monolaurin were evaluated at different pH values (5, 6, and 7) and temperatures (5 ˚C and 30 ˚C). Chemical composition of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil and monolaurin were determined using microbroth dilution method and the interactions of essential oil and monolaurin were determined by the evaluation of fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) index. Carvacrol (63.20%) and thymol (15.10%) were found as the main components of the essential oil. The MIC values of the oil and monolaurin at pH 7 and 30 ˚C were measured as 312.50 µg mL-1 and 125.00 µg mL-1, respectively. Combination of monolaurin and Z. multiflora essential oil were found to act synergistically (FIC index < 0.5) against L. monocytogenes under different pH and temperature conditions. Decrease in the pH and temperature values have increased the anti-listerial activity of monolaurin and the essential oil. The lowest MIC value of monolaurin and essential oil was observed at pH 5 and 5 ˚C. According to our results, the oil alone or in combination with monolaurin at low pH and temperature conditions showed a promising inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes. PMID:27226881

  12. Conflict Inhibitory Control Facilitates Pretense Quality in Young Preschoolers

    PubMed Central

    Van Reet, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    The present research explores the role of inhibitory control in young preschoolers’ pretense ability using an ego depletion paradigm. In Experiment 1 (N = 56), children’s pretense ability was assessed either before or after participating in conflict inhibitory control or control tasks, and in Experiment 2 (N = 36), pretense ability was measured after children engaged in either conflict or delay inhibitory control tasks. In both experiments, pretense scores were significantly higher only after engaging in conflict inhibitory control tasks. Further, pretense scores were positively correlated with inhibitory control scores when conflict inhibitory control was not experienced first. This pattern of results suggests that inhibitory control may underlie pretense, and conflict inhibitory control can boost the quality of children’s subsequent pretending. PMID:26074736

  13. Aromatase inhibitory activity of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives and QSAR study

    PubMed Central

    Prachayasittikul, Veda; Pingaew, Ratchanok; Worachartcheewan, Apilak; Sitthimonchai, Somkid; Nantasenamat, Chanin; Prachayasittikul, Supaluk; Ruchirawat, Somsak; Prachayasittikul, Virapong

    2017-01-01

    A series of 2-amino(chloro)-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives (1-11) were investigated for their aromatase inhibitory activities. 1,4-Naphthoquinones 1 and 4 were found to be the most potent compounds affording IC50 values 5.2 times lower than the reference drug, ketoconazole. A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model provided good predictive performance (R2CV = 0.9783 and RMSECV = 0.0748) and indicated mass (Mor04m and H8m), electronegativity (Mor08e), van der Waals volume (G1v) and structural information content index (SIC2) descriptors as key descriptors governing the activity. To investigate the effects of structural modifications on aromatase inhibitory activity, the model was employed to predict the activities of an additional set of 39 structurally modified compounds constructed in silico. The prediction suggested that the 2,3-disubstitution of 1,4-naphthoquinone ring with halogen atoms (i.e., Br, I and F) is the most effective modification for potent activity (1a, 1b and 1c). Importantly, compound 1b was predicted to be more potent than its parent compound 1 (11.90-fold) and the reference drug, letrozole (1.03-fold). The study suggests the 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives as promising compounds to be further developed as a novel class of aromatase inhibitors. PMID:28827987

  14. Inhibitory effects of selected Turkish spices and oregano components on some foodborne fungi.

    PubMed

    Akgül, A; Kivanç, M

    1988-05-01

    The inhibitory effects of 10 selected Turkish spices, oregano essential oil, thymol and carvacrol towards growth of 9 foodborne fungi were investigated in culture media with pH 3.5 and 5.5. The antifungal effects of sodium chloride, sorbic acid and sodium benzoate and the combined use of oregano with sodium chloride were also tested under the same conditions for comparison. Of the spices tested, only sodium chloride were also tested under the same conditions for comparison. Of the spices tested, only oregano at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0% (w/v) levels showed effect on all fungi. 8% (w/v) sodium chloride was less effective than oregano. Oregano essential oil, thymol or carvacrol at concentrations of 0.025% and 0.05% completely inhibited the growth of all fungi, showing greater inhibition than sorbic acid at the same concentrations. The combined use of oregano and sodium chloride exhibited a synergistic antifungal effect.

  15. Discovery of potent HDAC inhibitors based on chlamydocin with inhibitory effects on cell migration.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shimiao; Li, Xiaohui; Wei, Yingdong; Xiu, Zhilong; Nishino, Norikazu

    2014-03-01

    The histone deacetylase (HDAC) family is a promising drug target class owing to the importance of these enzymes in a variety of cellular processes. Docking studies were conducted to identify novel HDAC inhibitors. Subtle modifications in the recognition domain were introduced into a series of chlamydocin analogues, and the resulting scaffolds were combined with various zinc binding domains. Remarkably, cyclo(L-Asu(NHOH)-L-A3mc6c-L-Phe-D-Pro, compound 1 b), with a methyl group at positions 3 or 5 on the aliphatic ring, exhibited better antiproliferative effects than trichostatin A (TSA) against MCF-7 and K562 cell lines. In addition to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, cell migration inhibition was observed in cells treated with compound 1 b. Subsequent western blot analysis revealed that the balance between matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) determines the degree of metalloproteinase activity in MCF-7 cells, thereby regulating cell migration. The improved inhibitory activity imparted by altering the hydrophobic substitution pattern at the bulky cap group is a valuable approach in the development of novel HDAC inhibitors. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Effects of cell penetrating Notch inhibitory peptide conjugated to elastin-like polypeptide on glioblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Opačak-Bernardi, Teuta; Ryu, Jung Su; Raucher, Drazen

    2017-07-01

    Notch pathway was found to be activated in most glioblastomas (GBMs), underlining the importance of Notch in formation and recurrence of GBM. In this study, a Notch inhibitory peptide, dominant negative MAML (dnMAML), was conjugated to elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) for tumor targeted delivery. ELP is a thermally responsive polypeptide that can be actively and passively targeted to the tumor site by localized application of hyperthermia. This complex was further modified with the addition of a cell penetrating peptide, SynB1, for improved cellular uptake and blood-brain barrier penetration. The SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML was examined for its cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, cell cycle inhibition and the inhibition of target genes' expression. SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML inhibited the growth of D54 and U251 cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, especially in the presence of hyperthermia. Hyperthermia increased overall uptake of the polypeptide by the cells and enhanced the resulting pharmacological effects of dnMAML, showing the inhibition of targets of Notch pathway such as Hes-1 and Hey-L. These results confirm that dnMAML is an effective Notch inhibitor and combination with ELP may allow thermal targeting of the SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML complex in cancer cells while avoiding the dangers of systemic Notch inhibition.

  17. The inhibitory effect of BIM (I) on L-type Ca²⁺ channels in rat ventricular cells.

    PubMed

    Son, Youn Kyoung; Hong, Da Hye; Choi, Tae-Hoon; Choi, Seong Woo; Shin, Dong Hoon; Kim, Sung Joon; Jung, In Duk; Park, Yeong-Min; Jung, Won-Kyo; Kim, Dae-Joong; Choi, Il-Whan; Park, Won Sun

    2012-06-22

    We investigated the effect of a specific protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide I [BIM (I)], on L-type Ca(2+) channels in rat ventricular myocytes. BIM (I) alone inhibited the L-type Ca(2+) current in a concentration-dependent manner, with a K(d) value of 3.31 ± 0.25 μM, and a Hill coefficient of 2.34 ± 0.23. Inhibition was immediate after applying BIM (I) in the bath solution and then it partially washed out. The steady-state activation curve was not altered by applying 3μ M BIM (I), but the steady-state inactivation curve shifted to a more negative potential with a change in the slope factor. Other PKC inhibitors, PKC-IP and chelerythrine, showed no significant effects either on the L-type Ca(2+) current or on the inhibitory effect of BIM (I) on the L-type Ca(2+) current. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of BIM (I) on the L-type Ca(2+) current is independent of the PKC pathway. Thus, our results should be considered in studies using BIM (I) to inhibit PKC activity and ion channel modulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Inhibitory effect of soy saponins on the activity of β-lactamases, including New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1.

    PubMed

    Horie, Hitoshi; Chiba, Asuka; Wada, Shigeo

    2018-05-01

    β-Lactamase-producing bacteria encode enzymes that inactivate β-lactam antibiotics by catalyzing the hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring. Crude soy saponins were observed to have synergistic effects on the antimicrobial activity of β-lactam antibiotics against β-lactamase-producing Staphylococcus aureus strains. Furthermore, the activities of β-lactamases derived from Enterobacter cloacae , Escherichia coli , and S. aureus were decreased significantly in the presence of crude soy saponins. This inhibitory effect was also observed against the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), an enzyme whose activity is not inhibited by the current β-lactamase inhibitors. The synergistic effect on the antimicrobial activity of β-lactam antibiotics by crude soy saponins was thought to result from the inhibition the β-lactamase activity. The components of crude soy saponins include several kinds of soyasaponins and soyasapogenols. It was revealed that soyasaponin V has the highest inhibitory activity against NDM-1. The combined use of soy saponins with β-lactam antibiotics is expected to serve as a new therapeutic modality, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of β-lactam antibiotics against infectious diseases caused by β-lactamase-producing bacteria, including those encoding NDM-1.

  19. Astrocyte transforming growth factor beta 1 promotes inhibitory synapse formation via CaM kinase II signaling.

    PubMed

    Diniz, Luan Pereira; Tortelli, Vanessa; Garcia, Matheus Nunes; Araújo, Ana Paula Bérgamo; Melo, Helen M; Silva, Gisele S Seixas da; Felice, Fernanda G De; Alves-Leon, Soniza Vieira; Souza, Jorge Marcondes de; Romão, Luciana Ferreira; Castro, Newton Gonçalves; Gomes, Flávia Carvalho Alcantara

    2014-12-01

    The balance between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs is critical for the control of brain function. Astrocytes play important role in the development and maintenance of neuronal circuitry. Whereas astrocytes-derived molecules involved in excitatory synapses are recognized, molecules and molecular mechanisms underlying astrocyte-induced inhibitory synapses remain unknown. Here, we identified transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), derived from human and murine astrocytes, as regulator of inhibitory synapse in vitro and in vivo. Conditioned media derived from human and murine astrocytes induce inhibitory synapse formation in cerebral cortex neurons, an event inhibited by pharmacologic and genetic manipulation of the TGF-β pathway. TGF-β1-induction of inhibitory synapse depends on glutamatergic activity and activation of CaM kinase II, which thus induces localization and cluster formation of the synaptic adhesion protein, Neuroligin 2, in inhibitory postsynaptic terminals. Additionally, intraventricular injection of TGF-β1 enhanced inhibitory synapse number in the cerebral cortex. Our results identify TGF-β1/CaMKII pathway as a novel molecular mechanism underlying astrocyte control of inhibitory synapse formation. We propose here that the balance between excitatory and inhibitory inputs might be provided by astrocyte signals, at least partly achieved via TGF-β1 downstream pathways. Our work contributes to the understanding of the GABAergic synapse formation and may be of relevance to further the current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the development of various neurological disorders, which commonly involve impairment of inhibitory synapse transmission. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Early adversity, RSA, and inhibitory control: evidence of children's neurobiological sensitivity to social context.

    PubMed

    Skowron, Elizabeth A; Cipriano-Essel, Elizabeth; Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M; Teti, Douglas M; Ammerman, Robert T

    2014-07-01

    This study examined parasympathetic physiology as a moderator of the effects of early adversity (i.e., child abuse and neglect) on children's inhibitory control. Children's respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was assessed during a resting baseline, two joint challenge tasks with mother, and an individual frustration task. RSA assessed during each of the joint parent-child challenge tasks moderated the effects of child maltreatment (CM) status on children's independently-assessed inhibitory control. No moderation effect was found for RSA assessed at baseline or in the child-alone challenge task. Among CM-exposed children, lower RSA levels during the joint task predicted the lowest inhibitory control, whereas higher joint task RSA was linked to higher inhibitory control scores that were indistinguishable from those of non-CM children. Results are discussed with regard to the importance of considering context specificity (i.e., individual and caregiver contexts) in how biomarkers inform our understanding of individual differences in vulnerability among at-risk children. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Fraction from human and rat liver which is inhibitory for proliferation of liver cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, T S; Ottenweller, J; Luke, A; Santos, S; Keeting, P; Cuy, R; Lea, M A

    1989-01-01

    A comparative study was undertaken with human and rat liver of a fraction reported to have growth inhibitory activity when prepared from rat liver. Fractions which were soluble in 70% ethanol and insoluble in 87% ethanol were prepared from liver cytosols. Electrophoretic analysis under denaturing conditions indicated that there were several quantitative or qualitative differences in the fractions from the two species. Fractions from both human and rat liver were found to be inhibitory for the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA of foetal chick hepatocytes. Under conditions in which the rat fraction inhibited precursor incorporation into DNA of rat liver epithelial cells there was not a significant inhibitory effect with the fraction from human liver. DNA synthesis in a rat hepatoma cell line was not significantly inhibited by preparations from either species. The data suggested that corresponding fractions from both rat and human liver could have inhibitory effects on precursor incorporation into DNA but the magnitude of the effects and target cell specificity may differ.

  2. Evidence for two concurrent inhibitory mechanisms during response preparation

    PubMed Central

    Duque, Julie; Lew, David; Mazzocchio, Riccardo; Olivier, Etienne; Ivry, Richard B.

    2010-01-01

    Inhibitory mechanisms are critically involved in goal-directed behaviors. To gain further insight into how such mechanisms shape motor representations during response preparation, motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and H-reflexes were recorded from left hand muscles during choice reaction time tasks. The imperative signal, which indicated the required response, was always preceded by a preparatory cue. During the post-cue delay period, left MEPs were suppressed when the left hand had been cued for the forthcoming response, suggestive of a form of inhibition specifically directed at selected response representations. H-reflexes were also suppressed on these trials, indicating that the effects of this inhibition extend to spinal circuits. In addition, left MEPs were suppressed when the right hand was cued, but only when left hand movements were a possible response option before the onset of the cue. Notably, left hand H-reflexes were not modulated on these trials, consistent with a cortical locus of inhibition that lowers the activation of task-relevant, but non-selected responses. These results suggest the concurrent operation of two inhibitory mechanisms during response preparation: one decreases the activation of selected responses at the spinal level, helping to control when selected movements should be initiated by preventing their premature release; a second, upstream mechanism helps to determine what response to make during a competitive selection process. PMID:20220014

  3. Attenuation of HIV-associated human B cell exhaustion by siRNA downregulation of inhibitory receptors

    PubMed Central

    Kardava, Lela; Moir, Susan; Wang, Wei; Ho, Jason; Buckner, Clarisa M.; Posada, Jacqueline G.; O’Shea, Marie A.; Roby, Gregg; Chen, Jenny; Sohn, Hae Won; Chun, Tae-Wook; Pierce, Susan K.; Fauci, Anthony S.

    2011-01-01

    Chronic immune activation in HIV-infected individuals leads to accumulation of exhausted tissue-like memory B cells. Exhausted lymphocytes display increased expression of multiple inhibitory receptors, which may contribute to the inefficiency of HIV-specific antibody responses. Here, we show that downregulation of B cell inhibitory receptors in primary human B cells led to increased tissue-like memory B cell proliferation and responsiveness against HIV. In human B cells, siRNA knockdown of 9 known and putative B cell inhibitory receptors led to enhanced B cell receptor–mediated (BCR-mediated) proliferation of tissue-like memory but not other B cell subpopulations. The strongest effects were observed with the putative inhibitory receptors Fc receptor–like–4 (FCRL4) and sialic acid–binding Ig-like lectin 6 (Siglec-6). Inhibitory receptor downregulation also led to increased levels of HIV-specific antibody-secreting cells and B cell–associated chemokines and cytokines. The absence of known ligands for FCRL4 and Siglec-6 suggests these receptors may regulate BCR signaling through their own constitutive or tonic signaling. Furthermore, the extent of FCLR4 knockdown effects on BCR-mediated proliferation varied depending on the costimulatory ligand, suggesting that inhibitory receptors may engage specific pathways in inhibiting B cell proliferation. These findings on HIV-associated B cell exhaustion define potential targets for reversing the deleterious effect of inhibitory receptors on immune responses against persistent viral infections. PMID:21633172

  4. Inhibitory control gains from higher-order cognitive strategy training.

    PubMed

    Motes, Michael A; Gamino, Jacquelyn F; Chapman, Sandra B; Rao, Neena K; Maguire, Mandy J; Brier, Matthew R; Kraut, Michael A; Hart, John

    2014-02-01

    The present study examined the transfer of higher-order cognitive strategy training to inhibitory control. Middle school students enrolled in a comprehension- and reasoning-focused cognitive strategy training program and passive controls participated. The training program taught students a set of steps for inferring essential gist or themes from materials. Both before and after training or a comparable duration in the case of the passive controls, participants completed a semantically cued Go/No-Go task that was designed to assess the effects of depth of semantic processing on response inhibition and components of event-related potentials (ERP) related to response inhibition. Depth of semantic processing was manipulated by varying the level of semantic categorization required for response selection and inhibition. The SMART-trained group showed inhibitory control gains and changes in fronto-central P3 ERP amplitudes on inhibition trials; whereas, the control group did not. The results provide evidence of the transfer of higher-order cognitive strategy training to inhibitory control and modulation of ERPs associated with semantically cued inhibitory control. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for cognitive strategy training, models of cognitive abilities, and education. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Feeding deterrent and growth inhibitory activities of PONNEEM, a newly developed phytopesticidal formulation against Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)

    PubMed Central

    Packiam, Soosaimanickam Maria; Baskar, Kathirvelu; Ignacimuthu, Savarimuthu

    2014-01-01

    Objective To assess the feeding deterrent, growth inhibitory and egg hatchability effects of PONNEEM on Helicoverpa armigera (H. armigera). Methods Five oil formulations were prepared at different ratios to assess the feeding deterrent, growth inhibitory and egg hatchability effects on H. armigera. Results Invariably all the newly formulated phytopesticidal oil formulations showed the feeding deterrent and growth inhibitory activities against H. armigera. The maximum feeding deterrent activity of 88.44% was observed at 15 µL/L concentration of PONNEEM followed by formulation A (74.54%). PONNEEM was found to be effective in growth inhibitory activities and egg hatchability at 10 µL/L concentration. It exhibited statistically significant feeding deterrent activity and growth inhibitory activity compared with all the other treatments. Conclusions PONNEEM was found to be effective phytopesticidal formulation to control the larval stage of H. armigera. This is the first report for the feeding deterrent activity of PONNEEM against H. armigera. This newly formulated phytopesticide was patented in India. PMID:25183105

  6. [Preliminary investigation of the in vitro inhibitory effect of antibiotics on algae of the genus Prototheca].

    PubMed

    Casal, M; Gutierrez, J

    1981-07-10

    We investigated the possible inhibitory action 'in vitro' by antibiotic containing discs against microscopic alga that are potential human pathogens of the genus Prototheca especially P. wickerhamii. The results indicated that inhibitors in vitro included amikacin, colistin, dibecacin, framicetin, gentamycin, kanamycin, lividomycin, neomycin, polymyxin, paromomycin, ribostamycin, sisomycin and tobramycin. We emphasize the interest in the effectiveness at these drugs in a case of human protothecosis.

  7. Inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopherol phosphates and tocopherol quinones on growth of colon cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Dolfi, Sonia C.; Yang, Zhihong; Lee, Mao-Jung; Guan, Fei; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S.

    2013-01-01

    Tocopherols are the major source of dietary vitamin E. In this study, the growth inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopheryl phosphates (TP) and tocopherol quinones (TQ) on human colon cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells were investigated. δ-T was more active than γ-T in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, decreasing cancer cell colony formation and inducing apoptosis; however α-T was rather ineffective. Similarly, the rate of cellular uptake also followed the ranking order δ-T > γ-T ≫ α-T. TP and TQ generally had higher inhibitory activities than their parent compounds. Interestingly, the γ-forms of TP and TQ were more active than the δ-forms in inhibiting cancer cell growth; whereas the α-forms were the least effective. The potencies of γ-TQ and δ-TQ (showing IC50 of ~0.8 and ~2 μM on HCT116 cells after a 72-h incubation, respectively) were >100 and >20 fold higher, respectively, than those of their parent tocopherols. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by δ-T, γ-TP and γ-TQ was characterized by the cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP1 and DNA fragmentation. These studies demonstrated the higher growth inhibitory activity of δ-T than γ-T, the even higher activities of the γ-forms of TP and TQ, and the ineffectiveness of the α-forms of tocopherol and their metabolites against colon cancer cells. PMID:23898832

  8. Inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopherol phosphates, and tocopherol quinones on growth of colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Dolfi, Sonia C; Yang, Zhihong; Lee, Mao-Jung; Guan, Fei; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S

    2013-09-11

    Tocopherols are the major source of dietary vitamin E. In this study, the growth inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols (T), tocopheryl phosphates (TP), and tocopherol quinones (TQ) on human colon cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells were investigated. δ-T was more active than γ-T in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, decreasing cancer cell colony formation, and inducing apoptosis; however, α-T was rather ineffective. Similarly, the rate of cellular uptake also followed the ranking order δ-T > γ-T ≫ α-T. TP and TQ generally had higher inhibitory activities than their parent compounds. Interestingly, the γ forms of TP and TQ were more active than the δ forms in inhibiting cancer cell growth, whereas the α forms were the least effective. The potencies of γ-TQ and δ-TQ (showing IC50 values of ∼0.8 and ∼2 μM on HCT116 cells after a 72 h incubation, respectively) were greater than 100-fold and greater than 20-fold higher, respectively, than those of their parent tocopherols. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by δ-T, γ-TP, and γ-TQ was characterized by the cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP1 and DNA fragmentation. These studies demonstrated the higher growth inhibitory activity of δ-T than γ-T, the even higher activities of the γ forms of TP and TQ, and the ineffectiveness of the α forms of tocopherol and their metabolites against colon cancer cells.

  9. Too (mentally) busy to chill: Cognitive load and inhibitory cues interact to moderate triggered displaced aggression.

    PubMed

    Vasquez, Eduardo A; Howard-Field, Joanna

    2016-11-01

    Inhibitory information can be expected to reduce triggered displaced aggression by signaling the potential for negative consequences as a result of acting aggressively. We examined how cognitive load might interfere with these aggression-reducing effects of inhibitory cues. Participants (N = 80) were randomly assigned to a condition in a 2 (cognitive load: high/low) × 2 (inhibiting cues: yes/no) between-subjects design. Following procedures in the TDA paradigm, participants received an initial provocation from the experimenter and a subsequent triggering annoyance from another individual. In the inhibitory cue condition, participants were told, before they had the opportunity to aggress, that others would learn of their aggressive responses. In the high cognitive load condition, participants rehearsed a 10-digit number while aggressing. Those in the low cognitive load condition rehearsed a three digit number. We found significant main effects of cognitive load and inhibitory cue, which were qualified by the expected load × inhibitory cue interaction. Thus, inhibitory cues reduced displaced aggression under low-cognitive load. However, when participants in the inhibitory cue condition were under cognitive load, aggression increased, suggesting that mental busyness interfered with the full use of inhibitory information. Aggr. Behav. 42:598-604, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Inhibitory Activity of Avocado Seed Fatty Acid Derivatives (Acetogenins) Against Listeria Monocytogenes.

    PubMed

    Salinas-Salazar, Carmen; Hernández-Brenes, Carmen; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Dariana Graciela; Castillo, Elena Cristina; Navarro-Silva, Jesús Manuel; Pacheco, Adriana

    2017-01-01

    High standards regarding Listeria monocytogenes control and consumer demands for food products without synthetic additives represent a challenge to food industry. We determined the antilisterial properties of an enriched acetogenin extract (EAE) from avocado seed, compared it to two commercial antimicrobials (one enriched in avocado acetogenins), and tested purified molecules. Acetogenin composition in pulp and seed of Hass avocado was quantified. EAE were obtained by two sequential centrifuge partition chromatography separations and molecules purified by preparative chromatography and quantified by HPLC-MS-TOF and HPLC-PDA. Avocado seed extracts which are the following two: 1) EAE and 2) the commercially available antimicrobial Avosafe®, presented similar inhibition zones and chemical profiles. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of extracts and two isolated acetogenins varied between 7.8 and 15.6 mg/L, were effective at 37 and 4 °C, and showed a bactericidal effect probably caused by increased membrane permeability and lytic effects, evidenced by flow cytometry at 10 and 100× MIC. Activity was comparable to Mirenat®. Most potent acetogenins were Persenone C (5) and A (6), and AcO-avocadenyne (1), the latter exclusively present in seed. Common features of bioactive molecules were the acetyl moiety and multiple unsaturations (2 to 3) in the aliphatic chain, some persenones also featured a trans-enone group. Seeds contained 1.6 times higher levels of acetogenins than pulp (5048.1 ± 575.5 and 3107.0 ± 207.2 mg/kg fresh weight, respectively), and total content in pulp was 199 to 398 times higher than MIC values. Therefore, acetogenin levels potentially consumed by humans are higher than inhibitory concentrations. Results document properties of avocado seed acetogenins as natural antilisterial food additives. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  11. Theophylline prevents the inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2 on glucose-induced insulin secretion in man.

    PubMed

    Giugliano, D; Cozzolino, D; Salvatore, T; Giunta, R; Torella, R

    1988-06-01

    This study was undertaken to assess the mechanism by which prostaglandins of the E series inhibit glucose-induced insulin secretion in man. Acute insulin response (mean change 3-10 min) to iv glucose (0.33 g/kg) was decreased by 40% during the infusion of prostaglandin E2 (10 micrograms/min) and glucose disappearance rates were reduced (P less than 0.05). Insulin response to arginine (5 g iv) and tolbutamide (1 g iv) were not affected by the same rate of prostaglandin E2 infusion. The inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2 on glucose-induced insulin secretion was prevented by theophylline (100 mg as a loading dose followed by a 5 mg/min infusion), a drug that increases the intracellular cAMP concentrations by inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity. Our data suggest the involvement of the adenylate cyclase system in the inhibitory action of prostaglandin E2 on glucose-induced insulin secretion in man.

  12. Improvement of ACE inhibitory activity of casein hydrolysate by Maillard reaction with xylose.

    PubMed

    Hong, Xu; Meng, Jun; Lu, Rong-Rong

    2015-01-01

    The Maillard reaction is widely used to improve the functional properties or biological activities of food. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Maillard reaction on angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity in a casein hydrolysate-xylose system. Two-step hydrolysis was used to prepare casein ACE inhibitory peptides. Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were prepared by heating hydrolyzed casein with xylose at pH 8.0, 110 °C for up to 16 h. The results showed that the content of free amino group decreased (P < 0.05); however, browning intensity and absorbance at 294 nm increased because of the Maillard reaction (P < 0.05). The ACE inhibitory activity improved greatly within 2 h (from 63.48% to 90.23%), which was mainly due to carbonyl ammonia condensation reaction in the MRPs. The study shows that the Maillard reaction under appropriate conditions can improve the ACE inhibitory activity of casein hydrolysate effectively. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Inhibitory effects of 3-bromopyruvate on human gastric cancer implant tumors in nude mice.

    PubMed

    Xian, Shu-Lin; Cao, Wei; Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Lu, Yun-Fei

    2014-01-01

    Gastric cancer is a common malignant tumor. Our previous study demonstrated inhibitory effects of 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) on pleural mesothelioma. Moreover, we found that 3-BrPA could inhibit human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 proliferation in vitro, but whether similar effects might be exerted in vivo have remained unclear. To investigate the effect of 3-BrPA to human gastric cancer implant tumors in nude mice. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups: 3-BrPA low, medium and high dose groups, PBS negative control group 1 (PH7.4), control group 2 (PH 6.8-7.8) and positive control group receiving 5-FU. The TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis, and cell morphology and structural changes of tumor tissue were observed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). 3-BrPA low, medium, high dose group, and 5-FU group, the tumor volume inhibition rates were 34.5%, 40.2%, 45.1%, 47.3%, tumor volume of experimental group compared with 2 PBS groups (p<0.05), with no significant difference between the high dose and 5-FU groups (p>0.05). TEM showed typical characteristics of apoptosis. TUNEL demonstrated apoptosis indices of 28.7%, 39.7%, 48.7% for the 3-BrPA low, medium, high dose groups, 42.2% for the 5-FU group and 5% and 4.3% for the PBS1 (PH7.4) and PBS2 (PH6.8-7.8) groups. Compared each experimental group with 2 negative control groups, there was significant difference (p<0.05); there was no significant difference between 5-FU group and medium dose group (p>0.05), but there was between the 5-FU and high dose groups (p<0.05). This study indicated that 3-BrPA in vivo has strong inhibitory effects on human gastric cancer implant tumors in nude mice .

  14. Quantitative Prediction of Drug–Drug Interactions Involving Inhibitory Metabolites in Drug Development: How Can Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling Help?

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Y; Mao, J; Lin, J; Yu, H; Peters, S; Shebley, M

    2016-01-01

    This subteam under the Drug Metabolism Leadership Group (Innovation and Quality Consortium) investigated the quantitative role of circulating inhibitory metabolites in drug–drug interactions using physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling. Three drugs with major circulating inhibitory metabolites (amiodarone, gemfibrozil, and sertraline) were systematically evaluated in addition to the literature review of recent examples. The application of PBPK modeling in drug interactions by inhibitory parent–metabolite pairs is described and guidance on strategic application is provided. PMID:27642087

  15. Inhibitory Effect of Furanic and Phenolic Compounds on Exoelectrogenesis in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell Bioanode

    DOE PAGES

    Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P.; Pavlostathis, Spyros G.

    2016-09-09

    Furanic and phenolic compounds are 20 lignocellulose-derived compounds known to inhibit to H2- and ethanol- producing microorganisms in dark fermentation. Bioelectrochemical conversion of furanic and phenolic compounds to electricity or H2 has recently been demonstrated as a productive method to use these compounds. However, potential inhibitory effect of furanic and phenolic compounds on exoelectrogenesis in bioelectrochemical systems is not well understood. This study systematically investigated the inhibitory effect of furfural (FF), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), syringic acid (SA), vanillic acid (VA), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) on exoelectrogenesis in the bioanode of a microbial electrolysis cell. A mixture of these five compounds atmore » an increasing initial total concentration from 0.8 to 8.0 g/L resulted in current decrease up to 91%. The observed inhibition primarily affected exoelectrogenesis, instead of non-exoelectrogenic biotransformation pathways (e.g., fermentation) of the five compounds. Furthermore, the parent compounds at a high concentration, as opposed to their biotransformation products, were responsible for the observed inhibition. Tests with individual compounds show that all five parent compounds contributed to the observed inhibition by the mixture. The IC50 (concentration resulting in 50% current decrease) was estimated as 2.7 g/L for FF, 3.0 g/L for HMF, 1.9 g/L for SA, 2.1 g/L for VA and 2.0 g/L for HBA. Nevertheless, these compounds below their non-inhibitory concentrations jointly resulted in significant inhibition as a mixture. Catechol and phenol, which were persistent biotransformation products of the mixture, inhibited exoelectrogens at high concentrations, but to a lesser extent than the parent compounds. Recovery of exoelectrogenesis from inhibition by all compounds was observed, except for catechol, which resulted in irreversible inhibition. The reversibility of inhibition, as well as the observed difference in recovery

  16. Measuring the development of inhibitory control: The challenge of heterotypic continuity

    PubMed Central

    Petersen, Isaac T.; Hoyniak, Caroline P.; McQuillan, Maureen E.; Bates, John E.; Staples, Angela D.

    2016-01-01

    Inhibitory control is thought to demonstrate heterotypic continuity, in other words, continuity in its purpose or function but changes in its behavioral manifestation over time. This creates major methodological challenges for studying the development of inhibitory control in childhood including construct validity, developmental appropriateness and sensitivity of measures, and longitudinal factorial invariance. We meta-analyzed 198 studies using measures of inhibitory control, a key aspect of self-regulation, to estimate age ranges of usefulness for each measure. The inhibitory control measures showed limited age ranges of usefulness owing to ceiling/floor effects. Tasks were useful, on average, for a developmental span of less than 3 years. This suggests that measuring inhibitory control over longer spans of development may require use of different measures at different time points, seeking to measure heterotypic continuity. We suggest ways to study the development of inhibitory control, with overlapping measurement in a structural equation modeling framework and tests of longitudinal factorial or measurement invariance. However, as valuable as this would be for the area, we also point out that establishing longitudinal factorial invariance is neither sufficient nor necessary for examining developmental change. Any study of developmental change should be guided by theory and construct validity, aiming toward a better empirical and theoretical approach to the selection and combination of measures. PMID:27346906

  17. Kinetics of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential of Zea mays Linnaeus (Poaceae), Stigma maydis aqueous extract: An in vitro assessment.

    PubMed

    Sabiu, S; O'Neill, F H; Ashafa, A O T

    2016-05-13

    Corn silk (Zea mays L., Stigma maydis) is an important herb used traditionally in many parts of the world to treat array of diseases including diabetes mellitus. Inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase offer an effective strategy to modulate levels of post prandial hyperglycaemia via control of starch metabolism. This study evaluated α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials of corn silk aqueous extract. Active principles and antioxidant attributes of the extract were also analysed. The α-amylase inhibitory potential of the extract was investigated by reacting its different concentrations with α-amylase and starch solution, while α-glucosidase inhibition was determined by pre-incubating α-glucosidase with different concentrations of the extract followed by addition of p-nitrophenylglucopyranoside. The mode(s) of inhibition of the enzymes were determined using Lineweaver-Burke plot. In vitro analysis of the extract showed that it exhibited potent and moderate inhibitory potential against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. The inhibition was concentration-dependent with respective half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 5.89 and 0.93mg/mL. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins and phytosterols as probable inhibitory constituents. Furthermore, the extract remarkably scavenges reactive oxygen species like DPPH and nitric oxide radicals, elicited good reducing power and a significant metal chelating attributes. Overall, the non-competitive and uncompetitive mechanism of action of corn silk extract is due to its inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. Consequently, this will reduce the rate of starch hydrolysis, enhance palliated glucose levels, and thus, lending credence to hypoglycaemic candidature of corn silk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Naloxone decreases the inhibitory effect of alprazolam on the release of adrenocorticotropin/cortisol induced by physical exercise in man.

    PubMed

    Coiro, Vittorio; Volpi, Riccardo; Casti, Amos; Maffei, Maria Ludovica; Stella, Adriano; Volta, Elio; Chiodera, Paolo

    2011-06-01

    • Alprazolam (ALP), a benzodiazepine activating GABAergic receptors, is involved in ACTH secretion. • This study demonstrates a partial opioid influence in the inhibitory effect of ALP on the release of ACTH/cortisol during physical exercise. To establish the possible involvement of alprazolam (ALP) and/or opiates in the mechanism underlying the ACTH/cortisol response to physical exercise. Tests were carried out under basal conditions (exercise control test), exercise plus ALP (50 µg at time -90 min), naloxone (10 mg at time 0) or ALP plus naloxone. Plasma ACTH and serum cortisol concentrations were evaluated in blood samples taken before, during and after the bicycle ergometer tests. ACTH and cortisol concentrations rose significantly after physical exercise. Maximum peak at time 15 min (P ≤ 0.01 vs. baseline) for ACTH and at time 30 min (P ≤ 0.01 vs. baseline) for cortisol. In the presence of naloxone, the ACTH and cortisol responses were significantly increased (maximum peak at time 20 min, P ≤ 0.02 vs. control test for ACTH, and at time 30 min (P ≤ 0.01 vs. baseline) for cortisol) whereas they were abolished by ALP. When ALP and naloxone were given together, the inhibitory effect of ALP was partial. These data demonstrate an inhibitory effect of ALP in the regulation of the ACTH/cortisol response to physical exercise in man and suggest that GABAergic receptor activating benzodiazepines and opioids interact in the neuroendocrine secretion of ACTH/cortisol. © 2011 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2011 The British Pharmacological Society.

  19. Deviant Peer Behavior and Adolescent Delinquency: Protective Effects of Inhibitory Control, Planning, or Decision Making?

    PubMed

    Hinnant, J Benjamin; Forman-Alberti, Alissa B

    2018-05-09

    We examined relations between adolescent perceptions of deviant peer behavior and delinquency as moderated by inhibitory control, planning, and decision making in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development at age 15 (N = 991). Adolescents reported perceptions of deviant peer behavior. Inhibitory control, planning, and decision making were assessed behaviorally. Delinquency was evaluated with a latent variable comprised of parent-guardian perceptions of adolescent delinquency and adolescent self-reports. Only inhibitory control moderated the relationship between deviant peer behavior and delinquency, showing that better inhibition protected against delinquency in contexts of high levels of adolescent perceptions of deviant peer behavior. Findings are discussed in the context of theories of adolescent delinquency and risk taking. © 2018 Society for Research on Adolescence.

  20. PTP1B Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from the Marine-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Dong-Sung; Jang, Jae-Hyuk; Ko, Wonmin; Kim, Kyoung-Su; Sohn, Jae Hak; Kang, Myeong-Suk; Ahn, Jong Seog; Kim, Youn-Chul; Oh, Hyuncheol

    2013-01-01

    Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a major role in the negative regulation of insulin signaling, and is thus considered as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes. Bioassay-guided investigation of the methylethylketone extract of marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55 cultures afforded a new PTP1B inhibitory styrylpyrone-type metabolite named penstyrylpyrone (1), and two known metabolites, anhydrofulvic acid (2) and citromycetin (3). Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited PTP1B activity in a dose-dependent manner, and kinetic analyses of PTP1B inhibition suggested that these compounds inhibited PTP1B activity in a competitive manner. In an effort to gain more biological potential of the isolated compounds, the anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1–3 were also evaluated. Among the tested compounds, only compound 1 inhibited the production of NO and PGE2, due to the inhibition of the expression of iNOS and COX-2. Penstyrylpyrone (1) also reduced TNF-α and IL-1β production, and these anti-inflammatory effects were shown to be correlated with the suppression of the phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, NF-κB nuclear translocation, and NF-κB DNA binding activity. In addition, using inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, it was verified that the inhibitory effects of penstyrylpyrone (1) on the pro-inflammatory mediators and NF-κB DNA binding activity were associated with the HO-1 expression. Therefore, these results suggest that penstyrylpyrone (1) suppresses PTP1B activity, as well as the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via NF-κB pathway, through expression of anti-inflammatory HO-1. PMID:23612372

  1. The Effect of Inhibitory Control on General Mathematics Achievement and Fraction Comparison in Middle School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gómez, David Maximiliano; Jiménez, Abelino; Bobadilla, Roberto; Reyes, Cristián; Dartnell, Pablo

    2015-01-01

    Individual differences in inhibitory control have been shown to relate to general mathematics achievement, but whether this relation varies for specific areas within mathematics is a question that remains open. Here, we evaluate if inhibitory processes play a specific role in the particular case of fraction comparison, where learners must ignore…

  2. The role of GABAergic system on the inhibitory effect of ghrelin on food intake in neonatal chicks.

    PubMed

    Jonaidi, H; Abbassi, L; Yaghoobi, M M; Kaiya, H; Denbow, D M; Kamali, Y; Shojaei, B

    2012-06-27

    Ghrelin is a gut-brain peptide that has a stimulatory effect on food intake in mammals. In contrast, this peptide decreases food intake in neonatal chicks when injected intracerebroventricularly (ICV). In mammals, neuropeptide Y (NPY) mediates the orexigenic effect of ghrelin whereas in chicks it appears that corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) is partially involved in the inhibitory effect of ghrelin on food intake. Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) has a stimulatory effect on food intake in mammals and birds. In this study we investigated whether the anorectic effect of ghrelin is mediated by the GABAergic system. In Experiment 1, 3h-fasted chicks were given an ICV injection of chicken ghrelin and picrotoxin, a GABA(A) receptors antagonist. Picrotoxin decreased food intake compared to the control chicks indicating a stimulatory effect of GABA(A) receptors on food intake. However, picrotoxin did not alter the inhibitory effect of ghrelin on food intake. In Experiment 2, THIP hydrochloride, a GABA(A) receptor agonist, was used in place of picrotoxin. THIP hydrochloride appeared to partially attenuate the decrease in food intake induced by ghrelin at 30 min postinjection. In Experiment 3, the effect of ICV injection of chicken ghrelin on gene expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD)(1) and GAD(2), GABA synthesis enzymes in the brain stem including hypothalamus, was investigated. The ICV injection of chicken ghrelin significantly reduced GAD(2) gene expression. These findings suggest that ghrelin may decrease food intake in neonatal chicks by reducing GABA synthesis and thereby GABA release within brain feeding centers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. INHIBITORY EFFECT OF CHITOSAN OLIGOSACCHARIDE ON HUMAN HEPATOMA CELLS IN VITRO.

    PubMed

    Liu, Likun; Xin, Yi; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Ershao; Li, Weiling

    2017-01-01

    Chitosan oligosaccharide, the degradation products of chitin, was reported to have a wide range of physiological functions and biological activities. In this study, we explored the inhibitory effect of Chitosan oligosaccharide on human hepatoma cells. MTT assay was applied to detect cell viability of the human hepatoma cells treated with Chitosan oligosaccharide. Flow cytometric analysis was used to investigate the apoptosis of the human hepatoma cells treated with Chitosan oligosaccharide. We employed western blot to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the apoptosis. Our data indicated that chitosan oligosaccharide dose-dependently inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells and induced apoptosis. On the molecular level, chitosan oligosaccharide decreased Bcl-2 and increased Caspase-3 expression which may be related to the apoptosis of hepatoma cells. Our results provide an experimental basis for the clinical development of Chitosan oligosaccharide as a novel anti-hepatoma drug.

  4. Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory ingredients identified from Jerusalem artichoke flowers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan-Ming; Zhao, Jian-Qiang; Yang, Jun-Li; Idong, Pema Tsering; Mei, Li-Juan; Tao, Yan-Duo; Shi, Yan-Ping

    2017-11-09

    Jerusalem artichoke (JA, Helianthus tuberosus L.) has been researched extensively due to its wide range of uses, but there are limited studies on its flowers. In this study, we report the first detailed phytochemical study on JA flowers, which yielded 21 compounds. Compound 4 was identified as a major water-soluble yellow pigment of JA flowers. In addition, the methanol extract of JA flowers and the isolates were evaluated for their antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Among the tested compounds, compound 13 showed the strongest ABTS + free radical scavenging activity with SC 50 value of 2.30 ± 0.13 μg/mL, and compound 6 showed most potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with inhibition rate of 60.0% ± 10.3% at a concentration of 250 μg/mL. Results showed that methanol extract of JA flowers exhibited antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities which could be attributed to its phenolic ingredients including chlorogenic acid derivatives, flavonoids and phenols.

  5. Isolation, structural elucidation, MS profiling, and evaluation of triglyceride accumulation inhibitory effects of benzophenone C-glucosides from leaves of Mangifera indica L.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yi; Han, Lifeng; Ge, Dandan; Liu, Xuefeng; Liu, Erwei; Wu, Chunhua; Gao, Xiumei; Wang, Tao

    2013-02-27

    Seventy percent ethanol-water extract from the leaves of Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae) was found to show an inhibitory effect on triglyceride (TG) accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. From the active fraction, six new benzophenone C-glucosides, foliamangiferosides A(3) (1), A(4) (2), C(4) (3), C(5) (4), C(6) (5), and C(7) (6) together with 11 known benzophenone C-glucosides (7-17) were obtained. In this paper, isolation, structure elucidation (1-6), and MS fragment cleavage pathways of all 17 isolates were studied. 1-6 showed inhibitory effects on TG and free fatty acid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells at 10 μM.

  6. In Vitro Selective Growth-Inhibitory Effect of 8-Hydroxyquinoline on Clostridium perfringens versus Bifidobacteria in a Medium Containing Chicken Ileal Digesta.

    PubMed

    Skrivanova, Eva; Van Immerseel, Filip; Hovorkova, Petra; Kokoska, Ladislav

    2016-01-01

    Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis is generally controlled by antibiotics. However, because of increasing antibiotic resistance, other antibacterial agents are required, preferably ones that do not affect the beneficial intestinal microbiota of the host. This study evaluated the in vitro selective growth-inhibitory effect of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) on C. perfringens vs. bifidobacteria in a medium containing chicken ileal digesta. Prior to the experiments, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 8HQ and penicillin G were determined by broth microdilution assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration values of 8HQ for C. perfringens were 16-32 times lower than the values for bifidobacteria. Treatment of autoclaved and non-autoclaved chicken ileal digesta with 8HQ showed a selective anticlostridial effect. After incubation of C. perfringens with autoclaved ileal digesta for 3 h, all 8HQ concentrations tested (32-2048 μg/mL) significantly reduced C. perfringens bacterial count. In contrast, the same treatment had no or only a slight effect on bifidobacteria counts. Unlike 8HQ, penicillin G did not exhibit any selectivity. Similar results were obtained after incubation for 24 h. In non-autoclaved ileal digesta, all 8HQ concentrations tested significantly reduced C. perfringens bacterial counts after incubation for 30 min and 3 h, while no effect was observed on bifidobacteria. These results suggest that 8HQ may serve as a prospective veterinary compound for use against necrotic enteritis in poultry.

  7. Isolation, Purification and Molecular Mechanism of a Peanut Protein-Derived ACE-Inhibitory Peptide

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Aimin; Liu, Hongzhi; Liu, Li; Hu, Hui; Wang, Qiang; Adhikari, Benu

    2014-01-01

    Although a number of bioactive peptides are capable of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effects, little is known regarding the mechanism of peanut peptides using molecular simulation. The aim of this study was to obtain ACE inhibiting peptide from peanut protein and provide insight on the molecular mechanism of its ACE inhibiting action. Peanut peptides having ACE inhibitory activity were isolated through enzymatic hydrolysis and ultrafiltration. Further chromatographic fractionation was conducted to isolate a more potent peanut peptide and its antihypertensive activity was analyzed through in vitro ACE inhibitory tests and in vivo animal experiments. MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS was used to identify its amino acid sequence. Mechanism of ACE inhibition of P8 was analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. A peanut peptide (P8) having Lys-Leu-Tyr-Met-Arg-Pro amino acid sequence was obtained which had the highest ACE inhibiting activity of 85.77% (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50): 0.0052 mg/ml). This peanut peptide is a competitive inhibitor and show significant short term (12 h) and long term (28 days) antihypertensive activity. Dynamic tests illustrated that P8 can be successfully docked into the active pocket of ACE and can be combined with several amino acid residues. Hydrogen bond, electrostatic bond and Pi-bond were found to be the three main interaction contributing to the structural stability of ACE-peptide complex. In addition, zinc atom could form metal-carboxylic coordination bond with Tyr, Met residues of P8, resulting into its high ACE inhibiting activity. Our finding indicated that the peanut peptide (P8) having a Lys-Leu-Tyr-Met-Arg-Pro amino acid sequence can be a promising candidate for functional foods and prescription drug aimed at control of hypertension. PMID:25347076

  8. μ-Opioid Receptors Selectively Regulate Basal Inhibitory Transmission in the Central Amygdala: Lack of Ethanol Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Kang-Park, Maeng-Hee; Kieffer, Brigitte L.; Roberts, Amanda J.; Roberto, Marisa; Madamba, Samuel G.; Siggins, George Robert; Moore, Scott D.

    2009-01-01

    Endogenous opioid systems are implicated in the actions of ethanol. For example, μ-opioid receptor (MOR) knockout (KO) mice self-administer less alcohol than the genetically intact counterpart wild-type (WT) mice (Roberts et al., 2000). MOR KO mice also exhibit less anxiety-like behavior than WT mice (Filliol et al., 2000). To investigate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these behaviors, we examined the effect of ethanol in brain slices from MOR KO and WT mice using sharp-electrode and whole-cell patch recording techniques. We focused our study in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) because it is implicated in alcohol drinking behavior and stress behavior. We found that the amplitudes of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were significantly greater in MOR KO mice than WT mice. In addition, the baseline frequencies of spontaneous and miniature GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents were significantly greater in CeA neurons from MOR KO than WT mice. However, ethanol enhancements of evoked IPSP and IPSC amplitudes and the frequency of miniature IPSCs were comparable between WT and MOR KO mice. Baseline spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and ethanol effects on EPSCs were not significantly different between MOR KO and WT mice. Based on knowledge of CeA circuitry and projections, we hypothesize that the role of MOR- and GABA receptor-mediated mechanisms in CeA underlying reinforcing effects of ethanol operate independently, possibly through pathway-specific responses within CeA. PMID:18854491

  9. Inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on cell proliferation and the expression of HIF-1α and P-gp in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Zhenni; Wang, Yu; Liu, Zhiqing; Wang, Fan; Zhao, Qiu

    2012-05-01

    The aim of this study was to verify the inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on cell proliferation and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1α) and multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1/P-gp) in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1, thereby, reversing drug resistance of pancreatic carcinoma and improving its sensitivity to cancer chemotherapy. The human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1 was incubated under hypoxic conditions with different concentrations of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for indicated hours. The effects of EGCG on the mRNA or protein expression of HIF-1α and MDR1 were determined by RT-PCR or western blotting. Cellular proliferation and viability assays were measured using Cell Counting Kit-8. Western blotting revealed that EGCG inhibits the expression of the HIF-1α protein in a dose-dependent manner, while RT-PCR showed that it does not have any effects on HIF-1α mRNA. In addition, EGCG attenuated the mRNA and protein levels of P-gp in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak at the highest concentration. Furthermore, EGCG inhibited the proliferation of PANC-1 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The attenuation of HIF-1α and the consequently reduced P-gp could contribute to the inhibitory effects of EGCG on the proliferation of PANC-1 cells.

  10. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidaemic activities of protein hydrolysates from Rhopilema esculentum.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xin; Zhang, Miansong; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Changheng

    2012-10-15

    Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidaemic activities of protein hydrolysates (RPH) from the jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum were investigated. R. esculentum was hydrolysed sequentially with pepsin and papain, and then the hydrolysate was ultrafiltered with a 2000 Da cut-off membrane. It was found that RPH contained high levels of Gly, Glu, Pro, Asp and Ala, having potential ACE inhibitory activity in vitro with an IC(50) of 1.28 mg/ml. It was also found that systolic blood pressure was reduced markedly in spontaneously hypertensive rats after single and chronic oral administration of RPH, indicating that RPH had an antihypertensive effect. In addition, oral administration of RPH decreased total serum cholesterol and triglyceride, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in rats fed with high-fat diet. These results indicate that RPH may prove to be a promising functional food for the prevention and treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Antiobesity and Antidiabetes Effects of a Cudrania tricuspidata Hydrophilic Extract Presenting PTP1B Inhibitory Potential

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Dae Hoon; Lee, Sooung; Chung, Youn Wook; Kim, Byeong Mo; Kim, Hanseul; Kim, Kunhong; Yang, Kyung Mi

    2016-01-01

    Diabetes and obesity represent the major health problems and the most age-related metabolic diseases. Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has emerged as an important regulator of insulin signal transduction and is regarded as a pharmaceutical target for metabolic disorders. To find novel natural materials presenting therapeutic activities against diabetes and obesity, we screened various herb extracts using a chip screening allowing the determination of PTP1B inhibitory effects of the tested compounds using insulin receptor (IR) as the substrate. Cudrania tricuspidata leaves (CTe) had a strong inhibitory effect on PTP1B activity and substantially inhibited fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. CTe was orally administrated to diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice once daily for 3 weeks after which changes in glucose, insulin metabolism, and fat accumulation were examined. Hepatic enzyme markers (aspartate aminotransferase, AST, and alanine aminotransferase, ALT) and total fat mass and triglyceride levels decreased in CTe-treated mice, whereas body weight and total cholesterol concentration slightly decreased. CTe increased the phosphorylation of IRS-1 and Akt in liver tissue. Furthermore, CTe treatment significantly lowered blood glucose levels and improved insulin secretion in DIO mice. Our results strongly suggest that CTe may represent a promising therapeutic substance against diabetes and obesity. PMID:26989693

  12. Dynamic Wnt5a expression in murine hair follicle cycle and its inhibitory effects on follicular.

    PubMed

    Fang, De-Ren; Lv, Zhong-Fa; Qiao, Gang

    2014-04-01

    To analyze the dynamic expression of Wnt family member 5A (Wingless-type MMTV integration Wnt site family, member 5a) in murine hair cycle and its inhibitory effects on follicle in vivo. Situ hybridization in full-thickness skin was used to observe the change of mouse protein expression in different growth stages, and Ad-Wnt5a was injected after defeathering to observe the hair follicle growth in vivo. The Wnt5a mRNA was expressed at birth, and was firstly increased then decreased along with the progress of the hair cycle. It reached the peak in advanced stage of growth cycle (P<0.05). Rhoa and β-catenin expression levels were significantly decreased in three groups. Rac2 expression was significantly up-regulated, and the expression level of Wnt5a, Shh and Frizzled2 was increased, but less significantly than group 2. The expression of Wnt5a mRNA is consistent with change of murine follicle cycle, and has obvious inhibitory effects on the growth of hair follicle in vivo, indicating that it is antagonistic to Wnts pathway and interferes the growth of follicle together. Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibitory Effect of Sophorolipid on Candida albicans Biofilm Formation and Hyphal Growth

    PubMed Central

    Haque, Farazul; Alfatah, Md.; Ganesan, K.; Bhattacharyya, Mani Shankar

    2016-01-01

    Candida albicans causes superficial and life-threatening systemic infections. These are difficult to treat often due to drug resistance, particularly because C. albicans biofilms are inherently resistant to most antifungals. Sophorolipid (SL), a glycolipid biosurfactant, has been shown to have antimicrobial and anticancer properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of SL on C. albicans biofilm formation and preformed biofilms. SL was found to inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation as well as reduce the viability of preformed biofilms. Moreover, SL, when used along with amphotericin B (AmB) or fluconazole (FLZ), was found to act synergistically against biofilm formation and preformed biofilms. Effect of SL on C. albicans biofilm formation was further visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), which revealed absence of hyphae, typical biofilm architecture and alteration in the morphology of biofilm cells. We also found that SL downregulates the expression of hypha specific genes HWP1, ALS1, ALS3, ECE1 and SAP4, which possibly explains the inhibitory effect of SL on hyphae and biofilm formation. PMID:27030404

  14. Antibodies to Polymorphic Invasion-Inhibitory and Non-Inhibitory Epitopes of Plasmodium falciparum Apical Membrane Antigen 1 in Human Malaria

    PubMed Central

    Mugyenyi, Cleopatra K.; Elliott, Salenna R.; McCallum, Fiona J.; Anders, Robin F.; Marsh, Kevin; Beeson, James G.

    2013-01-01

    Background Antibodies to P. falciparum apical membrane protein 1 (AMA1) may contribute to protective immunity against clinical malaria by inhibiting blood stage growth of P. falciparum, and AMA1 is a leading malaria vaccine candidate. Currently, there is limited knowledge of the acquisition of strain-specific and cross-reactive antibodies to AMA1 in humans, or the acquisition of invasion-inhibitory antibodies to AMA1. Methodology/Findings We examined the acquisition of human antibodies to specific polymorphic invasion-inhibitory and non-inhibitory AMA1 epitopes, defined by the monoclonal antibodies 1F9 and 2C5, respectively. Naturally acquired antibodies were measured in cohorts of Kenyan children and adults. Antibodies to the invasion-inhibitory 1F9 epitope and non-inhibitory 2C5 epitope were measured indirectly by competition ELISA. Antibodies to the 1F9 and 2C5 epitopes were acquired by children and correlated with exposure, and higher antibody levels and prevalence were observed with increasing age and with active P. falciparum infection. Of note, the prevalence of antibodies to the inhibitory 1F9 epitope was lower than antibodies to AMA1 or the 2C5 epitope. Antibodies to AMA1 ectodomain, the 1F9 or 2C5 epitopes, or a combination of responses, showed some association with protection from P. falciparum malaria in a prospective longitudinal study. Furthermore, antibodies to the invasion-inhibitory 1F9 epitope were positively correlated with parasite growth-inhibitory activity of serum antibodies. Conclusions/Significance Individuals acquire antibodies to functional, polymorphic epitopes of AMA1 that may contribute to protective immunity, and these findings have implications for AMA1 vaccine development. Measuring antibodies to the 1F9 epitope by competition ELISA may be a valuable approach to assessing human antibodies with invasion-inhibitory activity in studies of acquired immunity and vaccine trials of AMA1. PMID:23861883

  15. Early Adversity, RSA, and Inhibitory Control: Evidence of Children’s Neurobiological Sensitivity to Social Context

    PubMed Central

    Skowron, Elizabeth A.; Cipriano-Essel, Elizabeth; Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M.; Teti, Douglas M.; Ammerman, Robert T.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined parasympathetic physiology as a moderator of the effects of early adversity (i.e., child abuse and neglect) on children’s inhibitory control. Children’s respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was assessed during a resting baseline, two joint challenge tasks with mother, and an individual frustration task. RSA assessed during each of the joint parent–child challenge tasks moderated the effects of child maltreatment (CM) status on children’s independently-assessed inhibitory control. No moderation effect was found for RSA assessed at baseline or in the child-alone challenge task. Among CM-exposed children, lower RSA levels during the joint task predicted the lowest inhibitory control, whereas higher joint task RSA was linked to higher inhibitory control scores that were indistinguishable from those of non-CM children. Results are discussed with regard to the importance of considering context specificity (i.e., individual and caregiver contexts) in how biomarkers inform our understanding of individual differences in vulnerability among at-risk children. PMID:24142832

  16. Patterned sensory nerve stimulation enhances the reactivity of spinal Ia inhibitory interneurons.

    PubMed

    Kubota, Shinji; Hirano, Masato; Morishita, Takuya; Uehara, Kazumasa; Funase, Kozo

    2015-03-25

    Patterned sensory nerve stimulation has been shown to induce plastic changes in the reciprocal Ia inhibitory circuit. However, the mechanisms underlying these changes have not yet been elucidated in detail. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the reactivity of Ia inhibitory interneurons could be altered by patterned sensory nerve stimulation. The degree of reciprocal Ia inhibition, the conditioning effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the soleus (SOL) muscle H-reflex, and the ratio of the maximum H-reflex amplitude versus maximum M-wave (H(max)/M(max)) were examined in 10 healthy individuals. Patterned electrical nerve stimulation was applied to the common peroneal nerve every 1 s (100 Hz-5 train) at the motor threshold intensity of tibialis anterior muscle to induce activity changes in the reciprocal Ia inhibitory circuit. Reciprocal Ia inhibition, the TMS-conditioned H-reflex amplitude, and H(max)/M(max) were recorded before, immediately after, and 15 min after the electrical stimulation. The patterned electrical nerve stimulation significantly increased the degree of reciprocal Ia inhibition and decreased the amplitude of the TMS-conditioned H-reflex in the short-latency inhibition phase, which was presumably mediated by Ia inhibitory interneurons. However, it had no effect on H(max)/M(max). Our results indicated that patterned sensory nerve stimulation could modulate the activity of Ia inhibitory interneurons, and this change may have been caused by the synaptic modification of Ia inhibitory interneuron terminals. These results may lead to a clearer understanding of the spinal cord synaptic plasticity produced by repetitive sensory inputs. Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Parental Education and Aggressive Behavior in Children: A Moderated-Mediation Model for Inhibitory Control and Gender

    PubMed Central

    Cabello, Rosario; Gutiérrez-Cobo, María J.; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

    2017-01-01

    Aggressive behaviors are highly prevalent in children. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to look for protective factors that prevent or reduce their progress in early development before they become highly unshakable. With a sample of 147 children, the present study aimed to assess the relation between parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children aged from 7 to 10 years. The participants completed a go/no-go task to assess inhibitory control, whilst their parents reported their education level, and their teachers rated the aggressive behavior of the children through the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2 (BASC-2). The results showed that both parental education and inhibitory control determined aggressive behavior in children. In addition, inhibitory control partially mediated the associations between parental education and aggressive behavior after accounting for age. However, a moderated mediation model revealed that lower parental education was associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior, which, in girls occurred independently of inhibitory control. In contrast, inhibitory control mediated this relation in boys. These results suggest the importance of parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children, supporting the idea that both constructs are relevant for understanding these conduct problems in schools, particularly in boys. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible future lines of investigation. PMID:28740476

  18. Parental Education and Aggressive Behavior in Children: A Moderated-Mediation Model for Inhibitory Control and Gender.

    PubMed

    Cabello, Rosario; Gutiérrez-Cobo, María J; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

    2017-01-01

    Aggressive behaviors are highly prevalent in children. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to look for protective factors that prevent or reduce their progress in early development before they become highly unshakable. With a sample of 147 children, the present study aimed to assess the relation between parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children aged from 7 to 10 years. The participants completed a go/no-go task to assess inhibitory control, whilst their parents reported their education level, and their teachers rated the aggressive behavior of the children through the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2 (BASC-2). The results showed that both parental education and inhibitory control determined aggressive behavior in children. In addition, inhibitory control partially mediated the associations between parental education and aggressive behavior after accounting for age. However, a moderated mediation model revealed that lower parental education was associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior, which, in girls occurred independently of inhibitory control. In contrast, inhibitory control mediated this relation in boys. These results suggest the importance of parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children, supporting the idea that both constructs are relevant for understanding these conduct problems in schools, particularly in boys. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible future lines of investigation.

  19. Inhibition of dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake produces additive effects on energy balance in lean and obese mice.

    PubMed

    Billes, Sonja K; Cowley, Michael A

    2007-04-01

    Although originally developed as an antidepressant, long-term bupropion (BUP) treatment was recently shown to cause 5-8% weight loss over placebo in clinical trials with obese adults. BUP's antidepressant properties probably stem from its ability to increase extracellular brain dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) levels by inhibiting their reuptake, although the mechanism of BUP-induced weight loss is unknown. Consequently, the acute effects of DA and NE reuptake inhibition on energy homeostasis were determined by measuring food intake and body weight in mice following peripheral (intraperitoneal (i.p.)) administration of either BUP, a selective DA (GBR12783), or a selective NE (nisoxetine (NIS)) reuptake inhibitor. BUP, GBR12783, and NIS all dose-dependently decreased acute food intake in fasted lean mice. The ability of BUP to decrease food intake was independent of its ability to cause a temporary increase in locomotor activity. The inhibitory effects of acute GBR12783 and NIS on short-term food intake were additive. Subchronic (via mini-osmotic pump) administration of GBR12783 and NIS produced a transient nonadditive effect on food intake, but produced an additive reduction in body weight (8-10%). Because obesity can affect catecholaminergic signaling, we determined the effects of i.p. BUP, GBR12783, and NIS on short-term food intake in obese mice. Acute BUP, GBR12783, and NIS dose-dependently reduced acute food intake, and the additive effect of GBR12783 and NIS on acute food intake was preserved in obese mice. These results demonstrate that combined DA and NE reuptake inhibition produces additive effects on energy balance in lean and obese mice on both standard and high-fat diet, providing a foundation for further research on the effects of BUP and similar compounds on energy balance in mice.

  20. Inhibitory Control and Emotion Regulation in Preschool Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlson, Stephanie M.; Wang, Tiffany S.

    2007-01-01

    This research investigated the relation between individual differences in inhibitory control and emotion regulation. Preschool children (N=53) ages 4-6 (M=5; 0) were assessed on brief batteries of inhibitory control of prepotent responses and emotion regulation. Individual differences in inhibitory control were significantly correlated with…

  1. Context specificity of inhibitory control in dogs

    PubMed Central

    MacLean, Evan L.; Hare, Brian A.

    2014-01-01

    Across three experiments, we explored whether a dog's capacity for inhibitory control is stable or variable across decision-making contexts. In the social task, dogs were first exposed to the reputations of a stingy experimenter that never shared food and a generous experimenter who always shared food. In subsequent test trials, dogs were required to avoid approaching the stingy experimenter when this individual offered (but withheld) a higher-value reward than the generous experimenter did. In the A-not-B task, dogs were required to inhibit searching for food in a previously rewarded location after witnessing the food being moved from this location to a novel hiding place. In the cylinder task, dogs were required to resist approaching visible food directly (because it was behind a transparent barrier), in favor of a detour reaching response. Overall, dogs exhibited inhibitory control in all three tasks. However, individual scores were not correlated between tasks, suggesting that context has a large effect on dogs' behavior. This result mirrors studies of humans, which have highlighted intra-individual variation in inhibitory control as a function of the decision-making context. Lastly, we observed a correlation between a subject's age and performance on the cylinder task, corroborating previous observations of age-related decline in dogs' executive function. PMID:23584618

  2. In vitro evaluation of cross-strain inhibitory effects of IgY polyclonal antibody against H. pylori.

    PubMed

    Solhi, Roya; Alebouyeh, Masoud; Khafri, Abolfazl; Rezaeifard, Morteza; Aminian, Mahdi

    2017-09-01

    The present study aimed to evaluate in vitro cross-strain inhibitory effects of IgY polyclonal antibody on both growth and urease enzyme of four local strains of H. pylori. Leghorn chickens were immunized with whole cells of four different strains of H. pylori, separately. Rising of specific IgY was detected by ELISA. The IgY purified using polyethylene glycol method and the purity was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Each strain was treated with its own-specific and also other strain-specific IgYs. The strain-specific IgY could inhibit the growth of specific strains by 49-72% and also other different strains of H. pylori by 29-86%. Our findings revealed that strain-specific IgY could inhibit urease activity of its own by 64-72% and other different strains by 49-79%. These findings confirmed strain-specific and also cross-strain inhibitory effects of the IgY polyclonal antibody on both growth and urease activity of H. pylori. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Inhibitory effect of rice bran extracts and its phenolic compounds on polyphenol oxidase activity and browning in potato and apple puree.

    PubMed

    Sukhonthara, Sukhontha; Kaewka, Kunwadee; Theerakulkait, Chockchai

    2016-01-01

    Full-fatted and commercially defatted rice bran extracts (RBE and CDRBE) were evaluated for their ability to inhibit enzymatic browning in potato and apple. RBE showed more effective inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and browning in potato and apple as compared to CDRBE. Five phenolic compounds in RBE and CDRBE (protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and sinapic acid) were identified by HPLC. They were then evaluated for their important role in the inhibition using a model system which found that ferulic acid in RBE and p-coumaric acid in CDRBE were active in enzymatic browning inhibition of potato and apple. p-Coumaric acid exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on potato and apple PPO (p ⩽ 0.05). Almost all phenolic compounds showed higher inhibitory effect on potato and apple PPO than 100 ppm citric acid. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Inhibitory effect of nicergoline on superoxide generation by activated rat microglias measured using a simple chemiluminescence method.

    PubMed

    Yoshida, T; Tanaka, M; Okamoto, K

    2001-01-05

    We evaluated the effect of nicergoline on superoxide production by rat microglias using a 2-methyl-6-(p-methoxyphenyl)-3, 7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one-dependent chemiluminescence assay. Nicergoline dose-dependently inhibited superoxide production by microglias stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate or opsonized zymosan, while it had no effect on superoxide production by a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system. These results indicate that nicergoline does not have a scavenging effect, but has an inhibitory effect on superoxide generation by microglias. Although this drug is commonly used for treating chronic cerebral infarction, it may also have a protective effect on progression of Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease.

  5. Inhibitory effect on the uptake and diffusion of Cd(2+) onto soybean hull sorbent in Cd-Pb binary sorption systems.

    PubMed

    Módenes, Aparecido N; Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando R; Colombo, Andréia; Geraldi, Claudinéia L; Trigueros, Daniela E G

    2015-05-01

    The uptake of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) ions by a soybean hull (SH) biosorbent in single and binary systems has been investigated. Sorption tests regarding SH in natura and chemically treated were carried out testing a suitable value range of solution pH, sorption temperature and shaking velocity. Sorption capacity is improved at pH 4, 30 °C temperature and 100 rpm. When a strong base is applied, a related-to-untreated SH increasing of 20% in the sorption capacity of Pb(2+) ions was observed, but with poor results for Cd(2+) uptake. Additionally, a relatively strong decreasing in both sorption capacities of Pb(2+) and Cd(2+) ions was evidenced for all acidic treatments. Regarding untreated SH, kinetic sorption data of both metals were well-interpreted by a pseudo second-order model and a rate-limiting step on the basis of an intra-particle diffusion model was suggested to occur. An inhibitory effect of Pb(2+) diffusion over Cd(2+) one was observed, limiting to reach the obtained maximum sorption capacity in single system. Maximum adsorption capacities of 0.49 and 0.67mequivg(-1) for Cd(2+) and Pb(2+), respectively, were predicted by the Langmuir isotherm model that reproduced well the equilibrium sorption data for single systems. The inhibitory effect of one metal over the other one was verified in equilibrium sorption data for binary systems interpreted on the basis of a modified extended Langmuir isotherm model, predicting changes in metal affinity onto the SH surface. Finally, SH is an alternative biosorbent with a great potential for the wastewater treatment containing cadmium and lead ions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Inhibitory ryanodine prevents ryanodine receptor-mediated Ca²⁺ release without affecting endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ content in primary hippocampal neurons.

    PubMed

    Adasme, Tatiana; Paula-Lima, Andrea; Hidalgo, Cecilia

    2015-02-27

    Ryanodine is a cell permeant plant alkaloid that binds selectively and with high affinity to ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca(2+) release channels. Sub-micromolar ryanodine concentrations activate RyR channels while micromolar concentrations are inhibitory. Several reports indicate that neuronal synaptic plasticity, learning and memory require RyR-mediated Ca(2+)-release, which is essential for muscle contraction. The use of micromolar (inhibitory) ryanodine represents a common strategy to suppress RyR activity in neuronal cells: however, micromolar ryanodine promotes RyR-mediated Ca(2+) release and endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) depletion in muscle cells. Information is lacking in this regard in neuronal cells; hence, we examined here if addition of inhibitory ryanodine elicited Ca(2+) release in primary hippocampal neurons, and if prolonged incubation of primary hippocampal cultures with inhibitory ryanodine affected neuronal ER calcium content. Our results indicate that inhibitory ryanodine does not cause Ca(2+) release from the ER in primary hippocampal neurons, even though ryanodine diffusion should produce initially low intracellular concentrations, within the RyR activation range. Moreover, neurons treated for 1 h with inhibitory ryanodine had comparable Ca(2+) levels as control neurons. These combined findings imply that prolonged incubation with inhibitory ryanodine, which effectively abolishes RyR-mediated Ca(2+) release, preserves ER Ca(2+) levels and thus constitutes a sound strategy to suppress neuronal RyR function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Inhibitory effects of ethyl acetate extract of Teucrium polium on in vitro protein glycoxidation.

    PubMed

    Ardestani, Amin; Yazdanparast, Razieh

    2007-12-01

    Regarding the involvement of free radicals and oxidative reactions in protein glycoxidation processes, compounds with antioxidant activities have been tested in order to reduce or to stop glycoxidation. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of several organic fractions of Teucrium polium extract using different model systems including total antioxidant capacity by the phosphomolybdenum method, ferric reducing antioxidant power and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays, antioxidant activity in linoleic acid emulsion system and scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. The results indicated that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of T. polium possesses the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Given the link between glycation and oxidation, we proposed that the EtOAc fraction might possess significant in vitro antiglycation activities as well. Our data confirmed the inhibitory effect of EtOAc fraction on bovine serum albumin (BSA) glycoxidation measured in terms of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and pentosidine formation as well as protein oxidation markers including protein carbonyl formation (PCO) and loss of protein thiols. Reducing sugars such as ribose and glucose increase fluorescence intensity of glycated BSA in terms of total AGEs and pentosidine during 21 day of exposure. Moreover, sugars cause more PCO formation and also oxidize thiol groups more in glycated than in native BSA. EtOAc extract at different concentrations (10-100 microg/ml) has significantly quenched the fluorescence intensity of glycated BSA. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of EtOAc extract in preventing oxidative protein damages including effect on PCO formation and thiol oxidation which are believe to form under the glycoxidation process. These results clearly demonstrate that, the EtOAc fraction, owning to its antioxidant content, is capable of suppressing the formation of AGEs and protein

  8. Discovery of aliphatic-chain hydroxamates containing indole derivatives with potent class I histone deacetylase inhibitory activities.

    PubMed

    Chao, Shi-Wei; Chen, Liang-Chieh; Yu, Chia-Chun; Liu, Chang-Yi; Lin, Tony Eight; Guh, Jih-Hwa; Wang, Chen-Yu; Chen, Chun-Yung; Hsu, Kai-Cheng; Huang, Wei-Jan

    2018-01-01

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) is a validated drug target for various diseases. This study combined indole recognition cap with SAHA, an FDA-approved HDAC inhibitor used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The structure activity relationship of the resulting compounds that inhibited HDAC was disclosed as well. Some compounds exhibited much stronger inhibitory activities than SAHA. We identified two meta-series compounds 6j and 6k with a two-carbon linker had IC 50 values of 3.9 and 4.5 nM for HDAC1, respectively. In contrast, the same oriented compounds with longer carbon chain linkers showed weaker inhibition. The result suggests that the linker chain length greatly contributed to enzyme inhibitory potency. In addition, comparison of enzyme-inhibiting activity between the compounds and SAHA showed that compounds 6j and 6k displayed higher inhibiting activity for class I (HDAC1, -2, -3 and -8). The molecular docking and structure analysis revealed structural differences with the inhibitor cap and metal-binding regions between the HDAC isozymes that affect interactions with the inhibitors and play a key role for selectivity. Further biological evaluation showed multiple cellular effects associated with compounds 6j- and 6k-induced HDAC inhibitory activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Synthesis and synergistic, additive inhibitory effects of novel spiro derivatives against ringworm infections.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Gajanand; Sharma, Richa; Dandia, Anshu; Bansal, Preeti

    2013-01-01

    An environmentally benign solvent free synthesis of various spiro-1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) incorporating 2-oxindole/piperidines is performed in 5-8 min with reasonable purity in 80-90% yield under microwave irradiation using montmorillonite KSF as an inorganic solid support. The reaction is found to be general with respect to various cyclic carbonyl compounds, e.g. cyclohexanone, substituted indole-2,3-dione, and piperidinone derivatives. In our study, these compounds were also found effective against dermatophytes and other fungal organisms. Our results suggest that novel spiro derivatives can be used for the treatment of dermatophytosis or ringworm infections.

  10. INHIBITORY EFFECT OF CHITOSAN OLIGOSACCHARIDE ON HUMAN HEPATOMA CELLS IN VITRO

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Likun; Xin, Yi; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Ershao; Li, Weiling

    2017-01-01

    Background: Chitosan oligosaccharide, the degradation products of chitin, was reported to have a wide range of physiological functions and biological activities. In this study, we explored the inhibitory effect of Chitosan oligosaccharide on human hepatoma cells Materials and Methods: MTT assay was applied to detect cell viability of the human hepatoma cells treated with Chitosan oligosaccharide. Flow cytometric analysis was used to investigate the apoptosis of the human hepatoma cells treated with Chitosan oligosaccharide. We employed western blot to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the apoptosis. Results: Our data indicated that chitosan oligosaccharide dose-dependently inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells and induced apoptosis. On the molecular level, chitosan oligosaccharide decreased Bcl-2 and increased Caspase-3 expression which may be related to the apoptosis of hepatoma cells. Conclusion: Our results provide an experimental basis for the clinical development of Chitosan oligosaccharide as a novel anti-hepatoma drug. PMID:28638890

  11. Effects of leukemia inhibitory factor and basic fibroblast growth factor on free radicals and endogenous stem cell proliferation in a mouse model of cerebral infarction.

    PubMed

    Huang, Weihui; Li, Yadan; Lin, Yufeng; Ye, Xue; Zang, Dawei

    2012-07-05

    The present study established a mouse model of cerebral infarction by middle cerebral artery occlusion, and monitored the effect of 25 μg/kg leukemia inhibitory factor and (or) basic fibroblast growth factor administration 2 hours after model establishment. Results showed that following administration, the number of endogenous neural stem cells in the infarct area significantly increased, malondialdehyde content in brain tissue homogenates significantly decreased, nitric oxide content, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity significantly elevated, and mouse motor function significantly improved as confirmed by the rotarod and bar grab tests. In particular, the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor in combination with basic fibroblast growth factor was the most significant. Results indicate that leukemia inhibitory factor and basic fibroblast growth factor can improve the microenvironment after cerebral infarction by altering free radical levels, improving the quantity of endogenous neural stem cells, and promoting neurological function of mice with cerebral infarction.

  12. Direct Inhibitory Effect of Hypercalcemia on Renal Actions of Parathyroid Hormone

    PubMed Central

    Beck, Nama; Singh, Harbans; Reed, Sarah W.; Davis, Bernard B.

    1974-01-01

    The effects of calcium on the renal actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) were studied in vivo and in vitro. In parathyroidectomized rats, variable levels of blood calcium concentration were induced by intravenous infusion of calcium. The renal responses to the injected PTH, i.e. phosphate and cyclic AMP excretion, were compared in these animals. After PTH injection, the increases of both phosphate and cyclic AMP excretion were less in the calcium-infused animals than in the control group without calcium infusion. There was an inverse correlation between the renal responses to PTH and plasma calcium concentration of 4.2-13.5 mg/100 ml. But calcium had no effect on phosphate excretion induced by infusion of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. In the in vitro experiments, the increase of cyclic AMP concentration in response to PTH was less in renal cortical slices taken from the calcium-infused animals than in ones from the control group without calcium infusion. Calcium also inhibited the activation of renal cortical adenylate cyclase in response to PTH, but calcium had no effect on phosphodiesterase. The data indicate that calcium directly inhibits renal actions of PTH both in vivo and in vitro. Such inhibitory mechanism is probably at or before the step of PTH-dependent cyclic AMP generation in the kidney. PMID:4359938

  13. The Effect of Inhibitory Neuron on the Evolution Model of Higher-Order Coupling Neural Oscillator Population

    PubMed Central

    Qi, Yi; Wang, Rubin; Jiao, Xianfa; Du, Ying

    2014-01-01

    We proposed a higher-order coupling neural network model including the inhibitory neurons and examined the dynamical evolution of average number density and phase-neural coding under the spontaneous activity and external stimulating condition. The results indicated that increase of inhibitory coupling strength will cause decrease of average number density, whereas increase of excitatory coupling strength will cause increase of stable amplitude of average number density. Whether the neural oscillator population is able to enter the new synchronous oscillation or not is determined by excitatory and inhibitory coupling strength. In the presence of external stimulation, the evolution of the average number density is dependent upon the external stimulation and the coupling term in which the dominator will determine the final evolution. PMID:24516505

  14. Inhibitory activity of cinnamon bark species and their combination effect with acarbose against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase.

    PubMed

    Adisakwattana, Sirichai; Lerdsuwankij, Orathai; Poputtachai, Ubonwan; Minipun, Aukkrapon; Suparpprom, Chaturong

    2011-06-01

    Inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase is one of the therapeutic approaches for delaying carbohydrate digestion, resulting in reduced postprandial glucose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical analysis and the inhibitory effect of various cinnamon bark species against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase. The results showed that the content of total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin ranged from 0.17 to 0.21 g gallic acid equivalent/g extract, from 48.85 to 65.52 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract, and from 0.12 to 0.15 g catechin equivalent/g extract, respectively. The HPLC fingerprints of each cinnamon species were established. Among cinnamon species, Thai cinnamon extract was the most potent inhibitor against the intestinal maltase with the IC(50) values of 0.58 ± 0.01 mg/ml. The findings also showed that Ceylon cinnamon was the most effective intestinal sucrase and pancreatic α-amylase inhibitor with the IC(50) values of 0.42 ± 0.02 and 1.23 ± 0.02 mg/ml, respectively. In addition, cinnamon extracts produced additive inhibition against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase when combined with acarbose. These results suggest that cinnamon bark extracts may be potentially useful for the control of postprandial glucose in diabetic patients through inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase.

  15. Inhibitory effects of eugenol on putative nociceptive response in spinal cord preparation isolated from neonatal rats.

    PubMed

    Yagura, Saki; Onimaru, Hiroshi; Kanzaki, Koji; Izumizaki, Masahiko

    2018-06-01

    Eugenol is contained in several plants including clove and is thought to exert an analgesic effect. It has been suggested that the slow ventral root potential induced by ipsilateral dorsal root stimulation in the isolated (typically lumbar) spinal cord of newborn rats reflects the nociceptive response, and this in vitro experimental model is useful to assess the actions of analgesics. To further elucidate neuronal mechanisms of eugenol-induced analgesia, we examined the effects of extracellularly applied eugenol on the nociceptive spinal reflex response. To evaluate the effects of eugenol on putative nociceptive responses, the ipsilateral fifth lumbar (L5) dorsal root was stimulated using a glass suction electrode, and the induced reflex responses were recorded from the L5 and twelfth thoracic (Th12) ventral roots in spinal cord preparations (Th10-L5) from newborn rats (postnatal day 0-3). We found that eugenol (0.25-1.0 mM) caused dose-dependent attenuation of the reflex response and also depressed spontaneous ventral root activity. We also found that the slow ventral root potential was further divided into two components: initial and late components. A lower concentration of eugenol selectively depressed the late component. The inhibitory effects by 1.0 mM eugenol were not reversed by 10 µM capsazepine (TRPV1 antagonist) or 40 µM HC-030031 (TRPA1 antagonist). The depressive effect of eugenol on the reflex response was also confirmed by optical recordings using voltage-sensitive dye. Our report provides additional evidence on the basic neuronal mechanisms of eugenol to support its clinical use as a potential analgesic treatment.

  16. Inhibitory effect of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor on DMBA-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis and its derived carcinoma cell line.

    PubMed

    Toyohara, Yukiyo; Hashitani, Susumu; Kishimoto, Hiromitsu; Noguchi, Kazuma; Yamamoto, Nobuto; Urade, Masahiro

    2011-07-01

    This study investigated the inhibitory effect of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) on carcinogenesis and tumor growth, using a 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model, as well as the cytocidal effect of activated macrophages against HCPC-1, a cell line established from DMBA-induced cheek pouch carcinoma. DMBA application induced squamous cell carcinoma in all 15 hamsters of the control group at approximately 10 weeks, and all 15 hamsters died of tumor burden within 20 weeks. By contrast, 2 out of the 14 hamsters with GcMAF administration did not develop tumors and the remaining 12 hamsters showed a significant delay of tumor development for approximately 3.5 weeks. The growth of tumors formed was significantly suppressed and none of the hamsters died within the 20 weeks during which they were observed. When GcMAF administration was stopped at the 13th week of the experiment in 4 out of the 14 hamsters in the GcMAF-treated group, tumor growth was promoted, but none of the mice died within the 20-week period. On the other hand, when GcMAF administration was commenced after the 13th week in 5 out of the 15 hamsters in the control group, tumor growth was slightly suppressed and all 15 hamsters died of tumor burden. However, the mean survival time was significantly extended. GcMAF treatment activated peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo, and these activated macrophages exhibited a marked cytocidal effect on HCPC-1 cells. Furthermore, the cytocidal effect of activated macrophages was enhanced by the addition of tumor-bearing hamster serum. These findings indicated that GcMAF possesses an inhibitory effect on tumor development and growth in a DMBA-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model.

  17. Inhibitory effect of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor on DMBA-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis and its derived carcinoma cell line

    PubMed Central

    TOYOHARA, YUKIYO; HASHITANI, SUSUMU; KISHIMOTO, HIROMITSU; NOGUCHI, KAZUMA; YAMAMOTO, NOBUTO; URADE, MASAHIRO

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the inhibitory effect of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) on carcinogenesis and tumor growth, using a 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model, as well as the cytocidal effect of activated macrophages against HCPC-1, a cell line established from DMBA-induced cheek pouch carcinoma. DMBA application induced squamous cell carcinoma in all 15 hamsters of the control group at approximately 10 weeks, and all 15 hamsters died of tumor burden within 20 weeks. By contrast, 2 out of the 14 hamsters with GcMAF administration did not develop tumors and the remaining 12 hamsters showed a significant delay of tumor development for approximately 3.5 weeks. The growth of tumors formed was significantly suppressed and none of the hamsters died within the 20 weeks during which they were observed. When GcMAF administration was stopped at the 13th week of the experiment in 4 out of the 14 hamsters in the GcMAF-treated group, tumor growth was promoted, but none of the mice died within the 20-week period. On the other hand, when GcMAF administration was commenced after the 13th week in 5 out of the 15 hamsters in the control group, tumor growth was slightly suppressed and all 15 hamsters died of tumor burden. However, the mean survival time was significantly extended. GcMAF treatment activated peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo, and these activated macrophages exhibited a marked cytocidal effect on HCPC-1 cells. Furthermore, the cytocidal effect of activated macrophages was enhanced by the addition of tumor-bearing hamster serum. These findings indicated that GcMAF possesses an inhibitory effect on tumor development and growth in a DMBA-induced hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model. PMID:22848250

  18. Cocaine improves inhibitory control in a human model of response conflict.

    PubMed

    Fillmore, Mark T; Rush, Craig R; Hays, Lon

    2005-11-01

    The present study was designed to test the acute effects of cocaine on behavioral control in the presence and absence of motivational conflict. Adults (N = 14) with a history of stimulant use received oral cocaine hydrogen chloride (0, 100, 200, and 300 mg) and performed a cue-dependent go/no-go task to measure inhibitory and activational mechanisms of behavioral control either with or without motivated conflict between the inhibition and the activation of responses. Cocaine improved response inhibition in both conflict conditions, as evident by a decrease in inhibitory failures following active doses. The current study provides a useful model to investigate the effects of other drugs reported to have performance-enhancing effects. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Role of F1C fimbriae, flagella, and secreted bacterial components in the inhibitory effect of probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 on atypical enteropathogenic E. coli infection.

    PubMed

    Kleta, Sylvia; Nordhoff, Marcel; Tedin, Karsten; Wieler, Lothar H; Kolenda, Rafal; Oswald, Sibylle; Oelschlaeger, Tobias A; Bleiss, Wilfried; Schierack, Peter

    2014-05-01

    Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is recognized as an important intestinal pathogen that frequently causes acute and persistent diarrhea in humans and animals. The use of probiotic bacteria to prevent diarrhea is gaining increasing interest. The probiotic E. coli strain Nissle 1917 (EcN) is known to be effective in the treatment of several gastrointestinal disorders. While both in vitro and in vivo studies have described strong inhibitory effects of EcN on enteropathogenic bacteria, including pathogenic E. coli, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effect of EcN on infections of porcine intestinal epithelial cells with atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) with respect to single infection steps, including adhesion, microcolony formation, and the attaching and effacing phenotype. We show that EcN drastically reduced the infection efficiencies of aEPEC by inhibiting bacterial adhesion and growth of microcolonies, but not the attaching and effacing of adherent bacteria. The inhibitory effect correlated with EcN adhesion capacities and was predominantly mediated by F1C fimbriae, but also by H1 flagella, which served as bridges between EcN cells. Furthermore, EcN seemed to interfere with the initial adhesion of aEPEC to host cells by secretion of inhibitory components. These components do not appear to be specific to EcN, but we propose that the strong adhesion capacities enable EcN to secrete sufficient local concentrations of the inhibitory factors. The results of this study are consistent with a mode of action whereby EcN inhibits secretion of virulence-associated proteins of EPEC, but not their expression.

  20. Are Age-Related Differences Uniform Across Different Inhibitory Functions?

    PubMed

    Vadaga, Kiran K; Blair, Mervin; Li, Karen Z H

    2016-07-01

    In the current experiment, we examined the relative age-sensitivity of 3 inhibitory functions: access, deletion, and restraint by taking into consideration their underlying control processes: proactive and reactive control. The 3 inhibitory functions were measured using a sequential flanker task. Young (age: 18-35, n = 24) and older adults (age: 60-75, n = 25) first memorized a series of 8 animal words in a fixed order. In the test phase, these stimuli were presented randomly either singly or with flankers and participants responded "yes" or "no" based on the prelearned sequence. In the access trials, flankers were either ahead of the current target or unrelated. In the deletion trials, flankers were previous target items. In the restraint trials, the flanker cues (XXXX) prompted the participants to withhold responses occasionally. Unflanked trials served as the baseline condition. Age-related differences in the magnitude of inhibition effects were largest in restraint, followed by deletion. No age-related differences were observed in access. Our findings suggest that the magnitude of age-related differences in inhibitory functions is contingent on the degree of proactive control recruited by a given inhibitory function. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. An Inhibitory Within-Compound Association Attenuates Overshadowing

    PubMed Central

    Amundson, Jeffrey C.; Pineño, Oskar; Witnauer, James E.; Miller, Ralph R.

    2008-01-01

    According to the comparator hypothesis (Miller & Matzel, 1988), cue competition depends on the association between a target stimulus (X) and a competing cue (e.g., an overshadowing cue [A]). Thus, it was expected that overshadowing would be reduced by establishing an inhibitory-like relationship between X and A before compound conditioning. In three lever press suppression experiments with rats, this expectation was supported. Experiment 1 showed that establishing an inhibitory X-A relationship reduced overshadowing. In Experiment 2, degrading the inhibitory-like relationship before conditioning allowed reinforced AX compound trials to result in overshadowing. Experiment 3 replicated the results of Experiment 2 when the inhibitory relationship was degraded after compound conditioning. The results support the view that within-compound associations are necessary not only for retrospective revaluation, but also for conventional cue competition. PMID:18248120

  2. Dissociable effects of local inhibitory and excitatory theta-burst stimulation on large-scale brain dynamics

    PubMed Central

    Sale, Martin V.; Lord, Anton; Zalesky, Andrew; Breakspear, Michael; Mattingley, Jason B.

    2015-01-01

    Normal brain function depends on a dynamic balance between local specialization and large-scale integration. It remains unclear, however, how local changes in functionally specialized areas can influence integrated activity across larger brain networks. By combining transcranial magnetic stimulation with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we tested for changes in large-scale integration following the application of excitatory or inhibitory stimulation on the human motor cortex. After local inhibitory stimulation, regions encompassing the sensorimotor module concurrently increased their internal integration and decreased their communication with other modules of the brain. There were no such changes in modular dynamics following excitatory stimulation of the same area of motor cortex nor were there changes in the configuration and interactions between core brain hubs after excitatory or inhibitory stimulation of the same area. These results suggest the existence of selective mechanisms that integrate local changes in neural activity, while preserving ongoing communication between brain hubs. PMID:25717162

  3. Liraglutide, leptin, and their combined effects on feeding: additive intake reduction through common intracellular signaling mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Kanoski, Scott E.; Ong, Zhi Yi; Fortin, Samantha M.; Schlessinger, Elizabeth S.; Grill, Harvey J.

    2014-01-01

    Aims Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and leptin each exert anorexigenic effects. In combination, the intake inhibitory and weight loss effects are greater than either treatment alone, however the mechanisms unclear. Materials and methods Effects of liraglutide (a long-acting GLP-1 analogue) and leptin co-treatment, delivered in low or moderate doses subcutaneously (SC) or to the 3rd ventricle respectively, on cumulative intake, meal patterns, and hypothalamic expression of intracellular signaling proteins [phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (pSTAT3) and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B)] were examined in lean rats. Results A low-dose combination of liraglutide (25μg/kg) and leptin (0.75μg) additively reduced cumulative food intake and body weight, a result mediated predominantly through a significant reduction in meal frequency that was not present with either drug alone. Liraglutide treatment alone also reduced meal size; an effect not enhanced with leptin co-administration. Moderate doses of liraglutide (75μg/kg) and leptin (4μg) examined separately each reduced meal frequency, cumulative food intake, and body weight; only liraglutide reduced meal size. In combination these doses did not further enhance the anorexigenic effects of either treatment alone. Ex vivo immunoblot showed elevated pSTAT3 in hypothalamic tissue following liraglutide-leptin co-treatment, an effect greater than leptin treatment alone. In addition, SC liraglutide reduced expression of PTP1B (a negative regulator of leptin receptor signaling), revealing a potential mechanism for the enhanced pSTAT3 response following liraglutide-leptin co-administration. Conclusions Collectively, these results provide novel behavioral and molecular mechanisms underlying the additive reduction in food intake and body weight following liraglutide-leptin combination treatment. PMID:25475828

  4. Automated microbial metabolism laboratory. [design of advanced labeled release experiment based on single addition of soil and multiple sequential additions of media into test chambers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1974-01-01

    The design and rationale of an advanced labeled release experiment based on single addition of soil and multiple sequential additions of media into each of four test chambers are outlined. The feasibility for multiple addition tests was established and various details of the methodology were studied. The four chamber battery of tests include: (1) determination of the effect of various atmospheric gases and selection of that gas which produces an optimum response; (2) determination of the effect of incubation temperature and selection of the optimum temperature for performing Martian biochemical tests; (3) sterile soil is dosed with a battery of C-14 labeled substrates and subjected to experimental temperature range; and (4) determination of the possible inhibitory effects of water on Martian organisms is performed initially by dosing with 0.01 ml and 0.5 ml of medium, respectively. A series of specifically labeled substrates are then added to obtain patterns in metabolic 14CO2 (C-14)O2 evolution.

  5. Inhibitory effect of artocarpanone from Artocarpus heterophyllus on melanin biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Arung, Enos Tangke; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi; Kondo, Ryuichiro

    2006-09-01

    In our previous efforts to find new tyrosinase inhibitory materials, we investigated 44 Indonesian medicinal plants belonging to 24 families. Among those plants, the extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus was one of the strongest inhibitors of tyrosinase activity. By activity-guided fractionation of A. heterophyllus wood extract, we isolated artocarpanone, which inhibited both mushroom tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16 melanoma cells. This compound is a strong candidate as a remedy for hyperpigmentation in human skin.

  6. In silico, in vitro and in vivo analyses of dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitory activity and the antidiabetic effect of sodium caseinate hydrolysate.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Cheng-Hong; Wang, Tzu-Yuan; Hung, Chuan-Chuan; Jao, Chia-Ling; Hsieh, You-Liang; Wu, Si-Xian; Hsu, Kuo-Chiang

    2016-02-01

    The frequency (A), a novel in silico parameter, was developed by calculating the ratio of the number of truncated peptides with Xaa-proline and Xaa-alanine to all peptide fragments from a protein hydrolyzed with a specific protease. The highest in vitro DPP-IV inhibitory activity (72.7%) was observed in the hydrolysate of sodium caseinate by bromelain (Cas/BRO), and the constituent proteins of bovine casein also had relatively high A values (0.10-0.17) with BRO hydrolysis. 1CBR (the <1 kDa fraction of Cas/BRO) showed the greatest in vitro DPP-IV inhibitory activity of 77.5% and was used for in vivo test by high-fat diet-fed and low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The daily administration of 1CBR for 6 weeks was effective to improve glycaemic control in diabetic rats. The results indicate that the novel in silico method has the potential as a screening tool to predict dietary proteins to generate DPP-IV inhibitory and antidiabetic peptides.

  7. In vitro Inhibitory Effects of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea, and Curcuma xanthorrhiza Extracts and Constituents on Human Liver Glucuronidation Activity.

    PubMed

    Husni, Zulhilmi; Ismail, Sabariah; Zulkiffli, Mohd Halimhilmi; Afandi, Atiqah; Haron, Munirah

    2017-07-01

    Andrographis paniculata , Gynura procumbens , Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza are commonly consumed as herbal medicines. However their effects on human liver glucuronidation activity are not yet evaluated. In this study, we evaluate the inhibitory Effects of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza extracts and their constituents on human liver glucuronidation activity. Herbal extracts (aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts) and their constituents were incubated with human liver microsomes with the addition of UDPGA to initiate the reaction. Working concentrations of herbal extracts and their constituents ranged from 10 μg/mL to 1000 μg/mL and 10 μM to 300 μM respectively. IC50 was determined by monitoring the decrement of glucuronidation activity with the increment of herbal extracts or phytochemical constituent's concentrations. All herbal extracts inhibited human liver glucuronidation activity in range of 34.69 μg/mL to 398.10 μg/mL whereas for the constituents, only xanthorrhizol and curcumin (constituents of Curcuma xanthorrhiza ) inhibited human liver glucuronidation activity with IC50 of 538.50 and 32.26 μM respectively. In the present study, we have proved the capabilities of Andrographis paniculata , Gynura procumbens , Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza to interfere with in vitro glucuronidation process in human liver microsomes. This study documented the capabilities of Andrographis paniculata , Gynura procumbens , Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza to inhibit human liver glucuronidation activity which may affect the metabolism of therapeutic drugs or hazardous toxicants that follow the same glucuronidation pathway. Abbreviations used: UGT: Uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase; 4-MU: 4-methylumbelliferone; IC50: Half Maximal Inhibitory Concentration; Km: Michaelis constant; Vmax: Maximum velocity.

  8. Contrasting effects of acute and chronic treatment with imipramine and fluoxetine on inhibitory avoidance and escape responses in mice exposed to the elevated T-maze.

    PubMed

    Gomes, Karina Santos; de Carvalho-Netto, Eduardo Ferreira; Monte, Kátia Cristina Da Silva; Acco, Bruno; Nogueira, Paulo José de Campos; Nunes-de-Souza, Ricardo Luiz

    2009-03-30

    The elevated T-maze (ETM) is an animal model of anxiety-like behavior that assesses two different defensive behavioral tasks in the same animal-acquisition of inhibitory avoidance and latency to escape from an open and elevated arm. In rats, cute and chronic treatments with anxiolytic-like drugs impair avoidance acquisition while only chronic administration of panicolytic-like drugs impairs open arm withdrawal. To date, only the acute effects of anxiolytic/anxiogenic or panicolytic/panicogenic drugs have been tested in the mouse ETM and the results have partially corroborated those found in the rat ETM. This study investigated the effects of acute (a single intraperitoneal injection 30 min before testing) and chronic (daily i.p. injections for 15 consecutive days) treatment with imipramine or fluoxetine, non-selective and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, respectively, on inhibitory avoidance and escape tasks in the mouse ETM. Neither acute nor chronic treatment with imipramine (0, 1, 5 or 10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly changed the behavioral profile of mice in the two ETM tasks. Interestingly, while acute fluoxetine (0, 5, 10, 20 or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) facilitated inhibitory avoidance and impaired escape latency, chronic treatment (0, 5, 20 or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) with this selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) produced an opposite effect, i.e., it impaired inhibitory avoidance acquisition and facilitated open arm withdrawal. Importantly, acute or chronic treatment with imipramine (except at the highest dose that increased locomotion when given acutely) or fluoxetine failed to alter general locomotor activity in mice as assessed in an ETM in which all arms were enclosed by lateral walls (eETM). These results suggest that inhibitory avoidance acquisition is a useful task for the evaluation of acute and chronic effects of SSRI treatment on anxiety in mice. However, as open arm latency was actually increased and reduced by acute and chronic fluoxetine

  9. The role of cardiac vagal tone and inhibitory control in pre-schoolers' listening comprehension.

    PubMed

    Scrimin, Sara; Patron, Elisabetta; Florit, Elena; Palomba, Daniela; Mason, Lucia

    2017-12-01

    This study investigated the role of basal cardiac activity and inhibitory control at the beginning of the school year in predicting oral comprehension at the end of the year in pre-schoolers. Forty-three, 4-year-olds participated in the study. At the beginning of the school year children's electrocardiogram at rest was registered followed by the assessment of inhibitory control as well as verbal working memory and verbal ability. At the end of the year all children were administered a listening comprehension ability measure. A stepwise regression showed a significant effect of basal cardiac vagal tone in predicting listening comprehension together with inhibitory control and verbal ability. These results are among the first to show the predictive role of basal cardiac vagal tone and inhibitory control in pre-schoolers' oral text comprehension, and offer new insight into the association between autonomic regulation of the heart, inhibitory control, and cognitive activity at a young age. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Voluntary inhibitory motor control over involuntary tic movements.

    PubMed

    Ganos, Christos; Rothwell, John; Haggard, Patrick

    2018-03-06

    Inhibitory control is crucial for normal adaptive motor behavior. In hyperkinesias, such as tics, disinhibition within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loops is thought to underlie the presence of involuntary movements. Paradoxically, tics are also subject to voluntary inhibitory control. This puzzling clinical observation questions the traditional definition of tics as purely involuntary motor behaviors. Importantly, it suggests novel insights into tic pathophysiology. In this review, we first define voluntary inhibitory tic control and compare it with other notions of tic control from the literature. We then examine the association between voluntary inhibitory tic control with premonitory urges and review evidence linking voluntary tic inhibition to other forms of executive control of action. We discuss the somatotopic selectivity and the neural correlates of voluntary inhibitory tic control. Finally, we provide a scientific framework with regard to the clinical relevance of the study of voluntary inhibitory tic control within the context of the neurodevelopmental disorder of Tourette syndrome. We identify current knowledge gaps that deserve attention in future research. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

  11. Inhibitory effect of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor lumiracoxib on human organic anion transporters hOAT1 and hOAT3.

    PubMed

    Uwai, Yuichi; Honjo, Hiroaki; Iwamoto, Kikuo

    2010-01-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) delay renal excretion of antifolate methotrexate by inhibiting human organic anion transporters hOAT1 (SLC22A6) and hOAT3 (SLC22A8). In this study, we performed uptake experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes to assess the inhibitory effect of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors on hOAT1 and hOAT3. The uptake of methotrexate into oocytes was increased by the injection of hOAT1 and hOAT3 cRNA, and transport was strongly inhibited by lumiracoxib. The apparent 50% inhibitory concentrations of lumiracoxib were estimated to be 3.3 µM and 1.9 µM for uptake of p-aminohippurate by hOAT1 and of estrone sulfate by hOAT3, respectively. Eadie-Hofstee plot analysis showed that lumiracoxib inhibited hOAT1 and hOAT3 in a competitive manner. For other cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors celecoxib, etoricoxib, rofecoxib and valdecoxib, slight to moderate inhibition of hOAT3 only was observed. These findings show that lumiracoxib has inhibitory potential toward hOAT1 and hOAT3, comparable to that of nonselective NSAIDs.

  12. Alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control is linked to attenuated brain responses in right fronto-temporal cortex

    PubMed Central

    Gan, Gabriela; Guevara, Alvaro; Marxen, Michael; Neumann, Maike; Jünger, Elisabeth; Kobiella, Andrea; Mennigen, Eva; Pilhatsch, Maximilian; Schwarz, Daniel; Zimmermann, Ulrich S.; Smolka, Michael N.

    2014-01-01

    Background A self-enhancing loop between impaired inhibitory control under alcohol and alcohol consumption has been proposed as a possible mechanism underlying dysfunctional drinking in susceptible people. However, the neural underpinnings of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control are widely unknown. Methods We measured inhibitory control in fifty young adults with a stop-signal task (SST) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In a single-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, all participants performed the SST once under alcohol with a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.6 g/kg, and once under placebo. In addition, alcohol consumption was assessed using a free-access alcohol self-administration (ASA) paradigm in the same participants. Results Inhibitory control was robustly decreased under alcohol compared to placebo indicated by longer stop-signal reaction times (SSRTs). On the neural level, impaired inhibitory control under alcohol was associated with attenuated brain responses in the right fronto-temporal portion of the inhibition network that supports the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals, and subsequent updating of action plans from response execution to inhibition. Furthermore, the extent of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control predicted free-access alcohol consumption. Conclusion We suggest that during inhibitory control alcohol affects cognitive processes preceding actual motor inhibition. Under alcohol, decreased brain responses in right fronto-temporal areas might slow down the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals and subsequent updating of action plans which leads to impaired inhibitory control. In turn, pronounced alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control may enhance alcohol consumption in young adults which might promote future alcohol problems. PMID:24560581

  13. Alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control is linked to attenuated brain responses in right fronto-temporal cortex.

    PubMed

    Gan, Gabriela; Guevara, Alvaro; Marxen, Michael; Neumann, Maike; Jünger, Elisabeth; Kobiella, Andrea; Mennigen, Eva; Pilhatsch, Maximilian; Schwarz, Daniel; Zimmermann, Ulrich S; Smolka, Michael N

    2014-11-01

    A self-enhancing loop between impaired inhibitory control under alcohol and alcohol consumption has been proposed as a possible mechanism underlying dysfunctional drinking in susceptible people. However, the neural underpinnings of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control are widely unknown. We measured inhibitory control in 50 young adults with a stop-signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In a single-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, all participants performed the stop-signal task once under alcohol with a breath alcohol concentration of .6 g/kg and once under placebo. In addition, alcohol consumption was assessed with a free-access alcohol self-administration paradigm in the same participants. Inhibitory control was robustly decreased under alcohol compared with placebo, indicated by longer stop-signal reaction times. On the neural level, impaired inhibitory control under alcohol was associated with attenuated brain responses in the right fronto-temporal portion of the inhibition network that supports the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals and subsequent updating of action plans from response execution to inhibition. Furthermore, the extent of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control predicted free-access alcohol consumption. We suggest that during inhibitory control alcohol affects cognitive processes preceding actual motor inhibition. Under alcohol, decreased brain responses in right fronto-temporal areas might slow down the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals and subsequent updating of action plans, which leads to impaired inhibitory control. In turn, pronounced alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control might enhance alcohol consumption in young adults, which might promote future alcohol problems. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The Influence of Emotional Stimuli on Attention Orienting and Inhibitory Control in Pediatric Anxiety

    PubMed Central

    Mueller, Sven C.; Hardin, Michael G.; Mogg, Karin; Benson, Valerie; Bradley, Brendan P.; Reinholdt-Dunne, Marie Louise; Liversedge, Simon P.; Pine, Daniel S.; Ernst, Monique

    2012-01-01

    Background Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in children and adolescents, and are associated with aberrant emotion-related attention orienting and inhibitory control. While recent studies conducted with high-trait anxious adults have employed novel emotion-modified antisaccade tasks to examine the influence of emotional information on orienting and inhibition, similar studies have yet to be conducted in youths. Methods Participants were 22 children/adolescents diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and 22 age-matched healthy comparison youths. Participants completed an emotion-modified antisaccade task that was similar to those used in studies of high-trait anxious adults. This task probed the influence of abruptly appearing neutral, happy, angry, or fear stimuli on orienting (prosaccade) or inhibitory (antisaccade) responses. Results Anxious compared to healthy children showed facilitated orienting towards angry stimuli. With respect to inhibitory processes, threat-related information improved antisaccade accuracy in healthy but not anxious youth. These findings were not linked to individual levels of reported anxiety or specific anxiety disorders. Conclusions Findings suggest that anxious relative to healthy children manifest enhanced orienting towards threat-related stimuli. Additionally, the current findings suggest that threat may modulate inhibitory control during adolescent development. PMID:22409260

  15. Inhibitory effect of putranjivain A on allergic inflammation through suppression of mast cell activation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Hui-Hun; Park, Seung-Bin; Lee, Soyoung

    2014-02-01

    A great number of people are suffering from allergic inflammatory disease such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and sinusitis. Therefore discovery of drugs for the treatment of these diseases is an important subject in human health. Putranjivain A (PJA), member of ellagitannin, is known to possess beneficial effects including anti-cancer and anti-viral activities. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether PJA modulates the allergic inflammatory reaction and to study its possible mechanisms of action using mast cell-based in vitro and in vivo models. The study was performed in anaphylaxis mouse model and cultured mast cells. PJA inhibited themore » expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in immunoglobulin E-stimulated mast cells. PJA reduced this expression by inhibiting nuclear factor (NF)-κB and nuclear factor of activated T cell. The oral administration of PJA reduced systemic and cutaneous anaphylaxis, the release of serum histamine, and the expression of the histamine H{sub 1} receptor. In addition, PJA attenuated the activation of mast cells. PJA inhibited the release of histamine from various types of mast cells by the suppression of intracellular calcium. The inhibitory activity of PJA on the allergic reaction was similar to that of disodium cromoglycate, a known anti-allergic drug. These results suggest that PJA can facilitate the prevention or treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases mediated by mast cells. - Highlights: • PJA reduced the degranulation of mast cells. • PJA inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines. • The effect of PJA on allergic reaction was comparable to the DSCG. • PJA might be a candidate for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases.« less

  16. Inhibitory effects of rosmarinic acid on pterygium epithelial cells through redox imbalance and induction of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ya-Yu; Tsai, Chia-Fang; Tsai, Ming-Chu; Hsu, Yu-Wen; Lu, Fung-Jou

    2017-07-01

    Pterygium is a common tumor-like ocular disease, which may be related to exposure to chronic ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Although the standard treatment for pterygium is surgical intervention, the recurrence rate of pterygium is high when no effective inhibitory drug is used after surgery. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a polyphenol antioxidant with many biological activities, including anti-UV and anti-tumor properties. This study aimed to examine the inhibitory effects of RA on pterygium epithelial cells (PECs). Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to examine the cell cytotoxicity of PECs after RA treatment. A fluorescent probe, DCFH-DA (2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate), was stained with PECs to measure intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Antioxidant activity assays were used to measure the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in PECs. Western blot analysis was used to determine the protein expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and apoptosis-associated proteins. RA significantly reduced the cell viability of the PECs. Treatment with RA remarkably increased the Nrf2 protein expression levels in the nucleus, HO-1 and NQO1 protein expression levels, and the activities of SOD and CAT. As a result, intracellular ROS levels in PECs were decreased. Additionally, the induction of extrinsic apoptosis on PECs by RA was associated with increasing expressions levels of Fas, Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and caspase 8 protein. Moreover, the induction of intrinsic apoptotic cell death in PECs was confirmed through upregulation of cytochrome c, Bax, caspase 9, and caspase 3 and downregulation of Bcl-2 and pro-caspase 3. Our study demonstrated that RA could inhibit the viability of PECs through regulation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. Therefore, RA may have

  17. Removal of a putative inhibitory element reduces the calcium-dependent calmodulin activation of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase.

    PubMed

    Montgomery, H J; Romanov, V; Guillemette, J G

    2000-02-18

    Neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) and endothelial NOS are constitutive NOS isoforms that are activated by binding calmodulin in response to elevated intracellular calcium. In contrast, the inducible NOS isoform binds calmodulin at low basal levels of calcium in resting cells. Primary sequence comparisons show that each constitutive NOS isozyme contains a polypeptide segment within its reductase domain, which is absent in the inducible NOS enzyme. To study a possible link between the presence of these additional polypeptide segments in constitutive NOS enzymes and their calcium-dependent calmodulin activation, three deletion mutants were created. The putative inhibitory insert was removed from the FMN binding regions of the neuronal NOS holoenzyme and from two truncated neuronal NOS reductase enzymes in which the calmodulin binding region was either included or deleted. All three mutant enzymes showed reduced incorporation of FMN and required reconstitution with exogenous FMN for activity. The combined removal of both the calmodulin binding domain and the putative inhibitory insert did not result in a calmodulin-independent neuronal NOS reductase. Thus, although the putative inhibitory element has an effect on the calcium-dependent calmodulin activation of neuronal NOS, it does not have the properties of the typical autoinhibitory domain found in calmodulin-activated enzymes.

  18. Anesthesia modifies subthreshold critical slowing down in a stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley-like model with inhibitory synaptic input

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bukoski, Alex; Steyn-Ross, D. A.; Pickett, Ashley F.; Steyn-Ross, Moira L.

    2018-06-01

    The dynamics of a stochastic type-I Hodgkin-Huxley-like point neuron model exposed to inhibitory synaptic noise are investigated as a function of distance from spiking threshold and the inhibitory influence of the general anesthetic agent propofol. The model is biologically motivated and includes the effects of intrinsic ion-channel noise via a stochastic differential equation description as well as inhibitory synaptic noise modeled as multiple Poisson-distributed impulse trains with saturating response functions. The effect of propofol on these synapses is incorporated through this drug's principal influence on fast inhibitory neurotransmission mediated by γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) type-A receptors via reduction of the synaptic response decay rate. As the neuron model approaches spiking threshold from below, we track membrane voltage fluctuation statistics of numerically simulated stochastic trajectories. We find that for a given distance from spiking threshold, increasing the magnitude of anesthetic-induced inhibition is associated with augmented signatures of critical slowing: fluctuation amplitudes and correlation times grow as spectral power is increasingly focused at 0 Hz. Furthermore, as a function of distance from threshold, anesthesia significantly modifies the power-law exponents for variance and correlation time divergences observable in stochastic trajectories. Compared to the inverse square root power-law scaling of these quantities anticipated for the saddle-node bifurcation of type-I neurons in the absence of anesthesia, increasing anesthetic-induced inhibition results in an observable exponent <-0.5 for variance and >-0.5 for correlation time divergences. However, these behaviors eventually break down as distance from threshold goes to zero with both the variance and correlation time converging to common values independent of anesthesia. Compared to the case of no synaptic input, linearization of an approximating multivariate Ornstein

  19. Excitatory and inhibitory effects of opiates in the rat vas deferens: a dual mechanism of opiate action.

    PubMed

    Jacquet, Y F

    1980-10-03

    Both natural (-)-morphine and its unnatural enantiomer (+)-morphine exert an excitatory action on electrically stimulated contractions of rat vas deferens. Preexposure to (-)-morphine results in cross-tolerance to the inhibitory action of beta-endorphin. (-)-Naloxone and its stereoisomer (+)-naloxone also exert an excitatory action, but only (-)-naloxone bocks the inhibtory action of beta-endorphin. Thus morphine exerts a dual action on a peripheral organ: one an inhibitory action mediated by the stereospecific endorphin receptor that is blocked stereospecifically by naloxone, the other an excitatory action mediated by a nonstereospecific receptor that is not blocked by naloxone. The opiate abstinence syndrome is seen as due to the unmasking of the excitatory action of opiates when its concomitant inhibitory influence is removed by selective blockade by naloxone or weakened by selective tolerance. The view that the rat vas deferens is devoid of morphine receptors is now seen as arising from a reverse example of morphine's dual action: the masking of the inhibitory action of morphine by its concomitant and more potent excitatory action.

  20. Inhibitory Effects of Sulfate and Nitrate Reduction on Reductive Dechlorination of PCP in a Flooded Paddy Soil

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Yan; Xue, Lili; Ye, Qi; Franks, Ashley E.; Zhu, Min; Feng, Xi; Xu, Jianming; He, Yan

    2018-01-01

    Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is highly toxic and persistent in soils. Bioreduction of PCP often co-occurs with varying concentrations of sulfate and nitrate in flooded paddy soils where each can act as an electron acceptor. Anaerobic soil microcosms were constructed to evaluate the influence of sulfate and nitrate amendments and their redox processes. Microcosms with varying sulfate and nitrate concentrations demonstrated an inhibitory effect on reductive dechlorination of PCP compared to an untreated control. Compared to nitrate, sulfate exhibited a more significant impact on PCP dechlorination, as evidenced by a lower maximum reaction rate and a longer time to reach the maximum reaction rate. Dechlorination of PCP was initiated at the ortho-position, and then at the para- and meta-positions to form 3-CP as the final product in all microcosms. Deep sequencing of microbial communities in the microcosms revealed a strong variation in bacterial taxon among treatments. Specialized microbial groups, such as the genus of Desulfovibrio responding to the addition of sulfate, had a potential to mediate the competitive microbial dechlorination of PCP. Our results provide an insight into the competitive microbial-mediated reductive dechlorination of PCP in natural flooded soil or sediment environments. PMID:29643842

  1. The dual actions of morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) as a hypouricemic agent: uricosuric effect and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhifeng; Fong, Wing Ping; Cheng, Christopher H K

    2006-01-01

    Hyperuricemia is associated with a number of pathological conditions such as gout. Lowering of elevated uric acid level in the blood could be achieved by xanthine oxidase inhibitors and inhibitors of renal urate reabsorption. Some natural compounds isolated from herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine have been previously demonstrated to possess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. In the present investigation, morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), which occurs in the twigs of Morus alba L. documented in traditional Chinese medicinal literature to treat conditions akin to gout, was demonstrated to exert potent inhibitory action on urate uptake in rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles, indicating that this compound acts on the kidney to inhibit urate reabsorption. Lineweaver-Burk transformation of the inhibition kinetics data demonstrated that the inhibition of urate uptake was of a competitive type, with a K(i) value of 17.4 microM. In addition, morin was also demonstrated to be an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the enzyme kinetics indicated that the mode of inhibition was of a mixed type, with K(i) and K(ies) values being 7.9 and 35.1 microM, respectively. Using an oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rat model, morin was indeed shown to exhibit an in vivo uricosuric action, which could explain, in part at least, the observed hypouricemic effect of morin in these rats. The potential application of this compound in the treatment of conditions associated with hyperuricemia was discussed.

  2. Inhibitory and toxic effects of extracellular self-DNA in litter: a mechanism for negative plant-soil feedbacks?

    PubMed

    Mazzoleni, Stefano; Bonanomi, Giuliano; Incerti, Guido; Chiusano, Maria Luisa; Termolino, Pasquale; Mingo, Antonio; Senatore, Mauro; Giannino, Francesco; Cartenì, Fabrizio; Rietkerk, Max; Lanzotti, Virginia

    2015-02-01

    Plant-soil negative feedback (NF) is recognized as an important factor affecting plant communities. The objectives of this work were to assess the effects of litter phytotoxicity and autotoxicity on root proliferation, and to test the hypothesis that DNA is a driver of litter autotoxicity and plant-soil NF. The inhibitory effect of decomposed litter was studied in different bioassays. Litter biochemical changes were evaluated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. DNA accumulation in litter and soil was measured and DNA toxicity was assessed in laboratory experiments. Undecomposed litter caused nonspecific inhibition of root growth, while autotoxicity was produced by aged litter. The addition of activated carbon (AC) removed phytotoxicity, but was ineffective against autotoxicity. Phytotoxicity was related to known labile allelopathic compounds. Restricted (13) C NMR signals related to nucleic acids were the only ones negatively correlated with root growth on conspecific substrates. DNA accumulation was observed in both litter decomposition and soil history experiments. Extracted total DNA showed evident species-specific toxicity. Results indicate a general occurrence of litter autotoxicity related to the exposure to fragmented self-DNA. The evidence also suggests the involvement of accumulated extracellular DNA in plant-soil NF. Further studies are needed to further investigate this unexpected function of extracellular DNA at the ecosystem level and related cellular and molecular mechanisms. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

  3. Adhesion and growth inhibitory effect of chicken egg yolk antibody (IgY) on Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium in vitro.

    PubMed

    Chalghoumi, Raja; Théwis, André; Beckers, Yves; Marcq, Christopher; Portetelle, Daniel; Schneider, Yves-Jacques

    2009-06-01

    The protective effects of powder preparation of egg yolk immunoglobulin Y (IgY), specific to Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium outer membrane proteins (OMP), against these two Salmonella sp. serovars were investigated in vitro in two different assays: adhesion-prevention and growth-inhibition. The adhesion-prevention assay was conducted using polarized monolayers of the human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell line. First, the conditions of Salmonella adherence to Caco-2 cells were optimized, and interferences of bacteria with the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of fully differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers and the lactate dehydrogenase release upon exposure of the cells to Salmonella were evaluated. Both Salmonella sp. serovars were able to adhere to Caco-2 cells and decreased TER. Results from the adhesion-prevention assay demonstrated that specific IgY reduced the decrease in TER of the infected Caco-2 cell monolayers and blocked the Salmonella sp. adhesion in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Nonspecific IgY also exhibited an inhibitory effect on these two parameters, but to a lesser extent than that of the specific IgY (p < 0.05). The protective effect of nonspecific IgY could be attributed to the low-density lipoprotein component of the water-soluble fraction of egg yolks that may not have been eliminated during ultrafiltration. The growth-inhibition assay revealed that specific IgY had an inhibitory effect on the bacterial growth, markedly during the late exponential phase, whereas nonspecific IgY failed to do so. Taken together, these results suggest that the in vitro growth inhibitory effect of specific IgY on Salmonella spp. resulted from the specific binding activity of these IgY to Salmonella sp. OMP. Passive immunization with Salmonella sp. OMP-specific IgY could thus be useful to prevent Salmonella colonization in broiler chickens and the subsequent carcass contamination during processing.

  4. Inhibitory effect of rose hip (Rosa canina L.) on melanogenesis in mouse melanoma cells and on pigmentation in brown guinea pigs.

    PubMed

    Fujii, Takashi; Ikeda, Katsumi; Saito, Morio

    2011-01-01

    The compounds present in rose hips exerting an inhibitory action against melanogenesis in B16 mouse melanoma cells were investigated by dividing an aqueous extract of rose hips (RE) into four fractions. The 50% ethanol eluate from a DIAION HP-20 column significantly reduced the production of melanin and was mainly composed of procyanidin glycosides. We also found that this 50% ethanol eluate reduced the intracellular tyrosinase activity and also had a direct inhibitory effect on tyrosinase obtained as a protein mixture from the melanoma cell lysate. We also investigated the effect of orally administering RE on skin pigmentation in brown guinea pigs, and found that the pigmentation was inhibited together with the tyrosinase activity in the skin. These data collectively suggest that proanthocyanidins from RE inhibited melanogenesis in mouse melanoma cells and guinea pig skin, and could be useful as a skin-whitening agent when taken orally.

  5. The influence of inhibitory processes on affective theory of mind in young and old adults.

    PubMed

    Mahy, Caitlin E V; Vetter, Nora; Kühn-Popp, Nina; Löcher, Carolin; Krautschuk, Susan; Kliegel, Matthias

    2014-01-01

    The primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of an inhibition manipulation on the effect of age on theory of mind (ToM) in an ecologically valid, affective ToM task. Participants were 30 young and 30 old adults. The Cambridge Mindreading Face-Voice Battery was used to measure ToM; in addition, measures of fluid and crystallized intelligence were taken. Participants were subjected to three levels of inhibitory demand during ToM reasoning: emotional inhibition, non-emotional inhibition, and no inhibition. Old adults performed worse than young adults. The emotional and non-emotional inhibition conditions resulted in worse ToM performance compared to the no inhibition condition. There were no differences in the impact of the inhibition conditions on old and young adults. Regression analyses suggested that old adults' crystallized intelligence was a significant predictor of ToM performance, whereas it did not predict young adults' ToM performance. Results are discussed in terms of verbal ability as a possible compensatory mechanism in coping with verbal inhibitory load in ToM reasoning.

  6. Inhibitory control and harsh discipline as predictors of externalizing problems in young children: a comparative study of U.S., Chinese, and Japanese preschoolers.

    PubMed

    Olson, Sheryl L; Tardif, Twila Z; Miller, Alison; Felt, Barbara; Grabell, Adam S; Kessler, Daniel; Wang, Li; Karasawa, Mayumi; Hirabayashi, Hidemi

    2011-11-01

    We examined associations between child inhibitory control, harsh parental discipline and externalizing problems in 120 4 year-old boys and girls in the US, China, and Japan. Individual differences in children's inhibitory control abilities, assessed using behavioral tasks and maternal ratings, were related to child externalizing problems reported by mothers. As predicted, both child inhibitory control and maternal harsh discipline made significant contributions to child externalizing problems in all three countries. Across countries, child inhibitory control and maternal harsh discipline made significant independent contributions to early externalizing problems, suggesting an additive model of association. Our findings supported the cross-cultural generalizability of child inhibitory control and parental harsh punishment as key contributors to disruptive behavior in young children.

  7. Inhibitory control is not lateralized in Parkinson's patients.

    PubMed

    Mirabella, G; Fragola, M; Giannini, G; Modugno, N; Lakens, Daniel

    2017-07-28

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is often characterized by asymmetrical symptoms, which are more prominent on the side of the body contralateral to the most extensively affected brain hemisphere. Therefore, lateralized PD presents an opportunity to examine the effects of asymmetric subcortical dopamine deficiencies on cognitive functioning. As it has been hypothesized that inhibitory control relies upon a right-lateralized pathway, we tested whether left-dominant PD (LPD) patients suffered from a more severe deficit in this key executive function than right-dominant PD patients (RPD). To this end, via a countermanding task, we assessed both proactive and reactive inhibition in 20 LPD and 20 RPD patients, and in 20 age-matched healthy subjects. As expected, we found that PD patients were significantly more impaired in both forms of inhibitory control than healthy subjects. However, there were no differences either in reactive or proactive inhibition between LPD and RPD patients. All in all, these data support the idea that brain regions affected by PD play a fundamental role in subserving inhibitory function, but do not sustain the hypothesis according to which this executive function is predominantly or solely computed by the brain regions of the right hemisphere. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Inhibitory effect of alliin from Allium sativum on the glycation of superoxide dismutase.

    PubMed

    Anwar, Shehwaz; Younus, Hina

    2017-10-01

    Inhibition of glycation is an important approach for alleviating diabetic complications. Alliin, the most abundant sulphur compound in garlic has been demonstrated to possess antidiabetic activity. However, there is no scientific evidence supporting its antiglycating activity. The objective of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of alliin on glucose and methyglyoxal (MG)-induced glycation of an important antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). Glycation of SOD resulted in a decrease in enzyme activity, fragmentation/cross-linking, reduced cross-reactivity with anti-SOD antibodies, both tertiary and secondary structural changes, and formation of AGEs and fibrils. Alliin offered protection against glucose or MG induced glycation of SOD. The antiglycating potential of alliin appears to be comparable with that of quercetin which is reported to be a potent natural inhibitor of glycation. Alliin has a good antiglycating effect and hence is expected to have therapeutic potential in the prevention of glycation-mediated diabetic complications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Xenon inhibits excitatory but not inhibitory transmission in rat spinal cord dorsal horn neurons

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The molecular targets for the promising gaseous anaesthetic xenon are still under investigation. Most studies identify N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors as the primary molecular target for xenon, but the role of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors is less clear. In this study we evaluated the effect of xenon on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord using in vitro patch-clamp recordings from rat spinal cord slices. We further evaluated the effects of xenon on innocuous and noxious stimuli using in vivo patch-clamp method. Results In vitro, xenon decreased the amplitude and area under the curve of currents induced by exogenous NMDA and AMPA and inhibited dorsal root stimulation-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents. Xenon decreased the amplitude, but not the frequency, of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents. There was no discernible effect on miniature or evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents or on the current induced by inhibitory neurotransmitters. In vivo, xenon inhibited responses to tactile and painful stimuli even in the presence of NMDA receptor antagonist. Conclusions Xenon inhibits glutamatergic excitatory transmission in the superficial dorsal horn via a postsynaptic mechanism. There is no substantial effect on inhibitory synaptic transmission at the concentration we used. The blunting of excitation in the dorsal horn lamina II neurons could underlie the analgesic effect of xenon. PMID:20444263

  10. [Inhibitory effect of benzimidazole derivatives on cholinesterases of animals in the presence of different substrates].

    PubMed

    Basova, N E; Kormilitsyn, B N; Perchenok, A Iu; Rosengart, E V; Saakov, V S; Suvorov, A A

    2014-01-01

    Specifically synthesized group of benzimidazole derivatives possessing varying degrees of delocalization of the positive charge in the cation group of the molecule has been studied in order to search for potential cholinergically active compounds and to study the role of the Coulomb interaction in cholinesterase catalysis. These compounds were reversible inhibitors of cholinesterase (ChE) of human erythrocytes, horse serum, brain of the frog Rana temporaria and visual ganglia of the Pacific squid Todarodes pacificus in the presence of acetylthiocholine iodide and propionylthiocholine iodide as substrates. The differences in the nature of reversible inhibitory effect were observed. The effect of the inhibitor structure and substrate nature, specific for each of the studied inhibitors, on the character of the process of reversible inhibition was found.

  11. Inhibitory effect of cyanide on nitrification process and its eliminating method in a suspended activated sludge process.

    PubMed

    Han, Yuanyuan; Jin, Xibiao; Wang, Yuan; Liu, Yongdi; Chen, Xiurong

    2014-02-01

    Inhibition of nitrification by four typical pollutants (acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, acetonitrile and cyanide) in acrylonitrile wastewater was investigated. The inhibitory effect of cyanide on nitrification was strongest, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.218 mg·gVSS-1 being observed in a municipal activated sludge system. However, the performance of nitrification was recovered when cyanide was completely degraded. The nitrification, which had been inhibited by 4.17 mg·gVSS-1 of free cyanide for 24 h, was recovered to greater than 95% of that without cyanide after 10 days of recovery. To overcome cyanide inhibition, cyanide-degrading bacteria were cultivated in a batch reactor by increasing the influent cyanide concentration in a stepwise manner, which resulted in an increase in the average cyanide degradation rate from 0.14 to 1.01 mg CN-·gVSS-1·h-1 over 20 days. The cultured cyanide-degrading bacteria were shaped like short rods, and the dominant cyanide-degrading bacteria strain was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB by PCR.

  12. Prenatal stress and inhibitory neuron systems: implications for neuropsychiatric disorders

    PubMed Central

    Fine, Rebecca; Zhang, Jie; Stevens, Hanna E.

    2014-01-01

    Prenatal stress is a risk factor for several psychiatric disorders in which inhibitory neuron pathology is implicated. A growing body of research demonstrates that inhibitory circuitry in the brain is directly and persistently affected by prenatal stress. This review synthesizes research that elucidates how this early, developmental risk factor impacts inhibitory neurons and how these findings intersect with research on risk factors and inhibitory neuron pathophysiology in schizophrenia, anxiety, autism and Tourette syndrome. The specific impact of prenatal stress on inhibitory neurons, particularly developmental mechanisms, may elucidate further the pathophysiology of these disorders. PMID:24751963

  13. New Cholinesterase Inhibitory Constituents from Lonicera quinquelocularis

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Dilfaraz; Khan, Hidayat Ullah; Khan, Farmanullah; Khan, Shafiullah; Badshah, Syed; Khan, Abdul Samad; Samad, Abdul; Ali, Farman; Khan, Ihsanullah; Muhammad, Nawshad

    2014-01-01

    A phytochemical investigation on the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Lonicera quinquelocularis (whole plant) led to the first time isolation of one new phthalate; bis(7-acetoxy-2-ethyl-5-methylheptyl) phthalate (3) and two new benzoates; neopentyl-4-ethoxy-3, 5-bis (3-methyl-2-butenyl benzoate (4) and neopentyl-4-hydroxy-3, 5-bis (3-methyl-2-butenyl benzoate (5) along with two known compounds bis (2-ethylhexyl phthalate (1) and dioctyl phthalate (2). Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with available data in the literature. All the compounds (1–5) were tested for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities in dose dependent manner. The IC50 (50% inhibitory effect) values of compounds 3 and 5 against AChE were 1.65 and 3.43 µM while the values obtained against BChE were 5.98 and 9.84 µM respectively. Compounds 2 and 4 showed weak inhibition profile. PMID:24733024

  14. Enhanced inhibitory synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn mediates antinociceptive effects of TC-2559

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background TC-2559 is a selective α4β2 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist and α4β2 nAChR activation has been related to antinociception. The aim of this study is to investigate the analgesic effect of TC-2559 and its underlying spinal mechanisms. Results 1) In vivo bioavailability study: TC-2559 (3 mg/kg) had high absorption rate in rats with maximal total brain concentration reached over 4.6 μM within first 15 min after administration and eliminated rapidly with brain half life of about 20 min after injection. 2) In vivo behavioral experiments: TC-2559 exerts dose dependent antinociceptive effects in both formalin test in mice and chronic constriction injury (CCI) model in rats by activation of α4β2 nAChRs; 3) Whole-cell patch-clamp studies in the superficial dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord slices: perfusion of TC-2559 (2 μM) significantly increased the frequency, but not amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs). The enhancement of sIPSCs was blocked by pre-application of DHβE (2 μM), a selective α4β2 nicotinic receptor antagonist. Neither the frequency nor the amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) of spinal dorsal horn neurons were affected by TC-2559. Conclusions Enhancement of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn via activation of α4β2 nAChRs may be one of the mechanisms of the antinociceptive effects of TC-2559 on pathological pain models. It provides further evidence to support the notion that selective α4β2 subtype nAChR agonist may be developed as new analgesic drug for the treatment of neuropathic pain. PMID:21816108

  15. Inhibitory effects of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel openers cromakalim, pinacidil and minoxidil on the carbachol-response curve in porcine detrusor muscle.

    PubMed

    Badawi, Jasmin Katrin; Kirschner-Hermanns, Ruth; Ding, Andrea

    2012-06-01

    ATP-sensitive potassium channels represent promising drug targets for treating specific bladder diseases. The inhibitory effects of ATP-selective potassium channel openers (PCOs) on the carbachol-response curve in porcine detrusor muscle were examined. Each of the three substances used in the study represent one prototype of a different class of PCO: cromakalim belongs to the benzopyran series, pinacidil is a cyanoguanidine derivative, and minoxidil represents a pyrimidine derivative. The porcine detrusor muscle represents one of the best models for human detrusor. Experiments were conducted on muscle strips of porcine detrusor muscle suspended in a tissue bath. Concentration-response curves of carbachol were constructed after pretreatment with cromakalim at 10(-7), 10(-6) and 10(-5) M, and with pinacidil and minoxidil at 10(-6), 10(-5.5) and 10(-5) M, respectively. Each muscle strip was only used to examine one concentration of one substance. Cromakalim had the greatest inhibitory effect, significantly suppressing the carbachol-response curve at 10(-6) and 10(-5) M. Pinacidil showed a significant inhibitory effect at 10(-5.5) and 10(-5) M, which was smaller than that of cromakalim. Minoxidil did not significantly inhibit the contractions at all examined concentrations. The examined ATP-sensitive PCOs belonging to the benzopyrans and cyanoguanidines significantly suppressed detrusor contractions. The development of derivatives of these prototypes could open new possibilities for the pharmacological treatment of selected bladder diseases.

  16. Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection

    PubMed Central

    Varona, Luis; Legarra, Andres; Toro, Miguel A.; Vitezica, Zulma G.

    2018-01-01

    In the last decade, genomic selection has become a standard in the genetic evaluation of livestock populations. However, most procedures for the implementation of genomic selection only consider the additive effects associated with SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers used to calculate the prediction of the breeding values of candidates for selection. Nevertheless, the availability of estimates of non-additive effects is of interest because: (i) they contribute to an increase in the accuracy of the prediction of breeding values and the genetic response; (ii) they allow the definition of mate allocation procedures between candidates for selection; and (iii) they can be used to enhance non-additive genetic variation through the definition of appropriate crossbreeding or purebred breeding schemes. This study presents a review of methods for the incorporation of non-additive genetic effects into genomic selection procedures and their potential applications in the prediction of future performance, mate allocation, crossbreeding, and purebred selection. The work concludes with a brief outline of some ideas for future lines of that may help the standard inclusion of non-additive effects in genomic selection. PMID:29559995

  17. Non-additive Effects in Genomic Selection.

    PubMed

    Varona, Luis; Legarra, Andres; Toro, Miguel A; Vitezica, Zulma G

    2018-01-01

    In the last decade, genomic selection has become a standard in the genetic evaluation of livestock populations. However, most procedures for the implementation of genomic selection only consider the additive effects associated with SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers used to calculate the prediction of the breeding values of candidates for selection. Nevertheless, the availability of estimates of non-additive effects is of interest because: (i) they contribute to an increase in the accuracy of the prediction of breeding values and the genetic response; (ii) they allow the definition of mate allocation procedures between candidates for selection; and (iii) they can be used to enhance non-additive genetic variation through the definition of appropriate crossbreeding or purebred breeding schemes. This study presents a review of methods for the incorporation of non-additive genetic effects into genomic selection procedures and their potential applications in the prediction of future performance, mate allocation, crossbreeding, and purebred selection. The work concludes with a brief outline of some ideas for future lines of that may help the standard inclusion of non-additive effects in genomic selection.

  18. No Retrieval-Induced Forgetting Using Item-Specific Independent Cues: Evidence against a General Inhibitory Account

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camp, Gino; Pecher, Diane; Schmidt, Henk G.

    2007-01-01

    Retrieval practice with particular items from memory can impair the recall of related items on a later memory test. This retrieval-induced forgetting effect has been ascribed to inhibitory processes (M. C. Anderson & B. A. Spellman, 1995). A critical finding that distinguishes inhibitory from interference explanations is that forgetting is found…

  19. Cardiac Gene Expression Knockdown Using Small Inhibitory RNA-Loaded Microbubbles and Ultrasound

    PubMed Central

    McTiernan, Charles F.; Chen, Xucai; Klein, Edwin C.; Villanueva, Flordeliza S.

    2016-01-01

    RNA interference has potential therapeutic value for cardiac disease, but targeted delivery of interfering RNA is a challenge. Custom designed microbubbles, in conjunction with ultrasound, can deliver small inhibitory RNA to target tissues in vivo. The efficacy of cardiac RNA interference using a microbubble-ultrasound theranostic platform has not been demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, our objective was to test the hypothesis that custom designed microbubbles and ultrasound can mediate effective delivery of small inhibitory RNA to the heart. Microbubble and ultrasound mediated cardiac RNA interference was tested in transgenic mice displaying cardiac-restricted luciferase expression. Luciferase expression was assayed in select tissues of untreated mice (n = 14). Mice received intravenous infusion of cationic microbubbles bearing small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase (n = 9) or control RNA (n = 8) during intermittent cardiac-directed ultrasound at mechanical index of 1.6. Simultaneous echocardiography in a separate group of mice (n = 3) confirmed microbubble destruction and replenishment during treatment. Three days post treatment, cardiac luciferase messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly lower in ultrasound-treated mice receiving microbubbles loaded with small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase compared to mice receiving microbubbles bearing control RNA (23±7% and 33±7% of control mice, p<0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). Passive cavitation detection focused on the heart confirmed that insonification resulted in inertial cavitation. In conclusion, small inhibitory RNA-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound directed at the heart significantly reduced the expression of a reporter gene. Ultrasound-targeted destruction of RNA-loaded microbubbles may be an effective image-guided strategy for therapeutic RNA interference in cardiac disease. PMID:27471848

  20. Cardiac Gene Expression Knockdown Using Small Inhibitory RNA-Loaded Microbubbles and Ultrasound.

    PubMed

    Kopechek, Jonathan A; Carson, Andrew R; McTiernan, Charles F; Chen, Xucai; Klein, Edwin C; Villanueva, Flordeliza S

    2016-01-01

    RNA interference has potential therapeutic value for cardiac disease, but targeted delivery of interfering RNA is a challenge. Custom designed microbubbles, in conjunction with ultrasound, can deliver small inhibitory RNA to target tissues in vivo. The efficacy of cardiac RNA interference using a microbubble-ultrasound theranostic platform has not been demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, our objective was to test the hypothesis that custom designed microbubbles and ultrasound can mediate effective delivery of small inhibitory RNA to the heart. Microbubble and ultrasound mediated cardiac RNA interference was tested in transgenic mice displaying cardiac-restricted luciferase expression. Luciferase expression was assayed in select tissues of untreated mice (n = 14). Mice received intravenous infusion of cationic microbubbles bearing small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase (n = 9) or control RNA (n = 8) during intermittent cardiac-directed ultrasound at mechanical index of 1.6. Simultaneous echocardiography in a separate group of mice (n = 3) confirmed microbubble destruction and replenishment during treatment. Three days post treatment, cardiac luciferase messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly lower in ultrasound-treated mice receiving microbubbles loaded with small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase compared to mice receiving microbubbles bearing control RNA (23±7% and 33±7% of control mice, p<0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). Passive cavitation detection focused on the heart confirmed that insonification resulted in inertial cavitation. In conclusion, small inhibitory RNA-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound directed at the heart significantly reduced the expression of a reporter gene. Ultrasound-targeted destruction of RNA-loaded microbubbles may be an effective image-guided strategy for therapeutic RNA interference in cardiac disease.

  1. Deficits in inhibitory force control in young adults with ADHD.

    PubMed

    Neely, Kristina A; Wang, Peiyuan; Chennavasin, Amanda P; Samimy, Shaadee; Tucker, Jacqueline; Merida, Andrea; Perez-Edgar, Koraly; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia

    2017-05-01

    Poor inhibitory control is a well-established cognitive correlate of adults with ADHD. However, the simple reaction time (RT) task used in a majority of studies records performance errors only via the presence or absence of a single key press. This all-or-nothing response makes it impossible to capture subtle differences in underlying processes that shape performance. Subsequently, all-or-nothing tasks may underestimate the prevalence of executive function deficits in ADHD. The current study measured inhibitory control using a standard Go/No-Go RT task and a more sensitive continuous grip force task among adults with (N=51, 22 female) and without (N=51, 29 female) ADHD. Compared to adults without ADHD, adults with ADHD made more failed inhibits in the classic Go/No-Go paradigm and produced greater and more variable force during motor inhibition. The amount of force produced on failed inhibits was a stronger predictor of ADHD-related symptoms than the number of commissions in the standard RT task. Adults with ADHD did not differ from those without ADHD on the mean force and variability of force produced in Go trials. These findings suggest that the use of a precise and continuous motor task, such as the force task used here, provides additional information about the nature of inhibitory motor control in adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Sociodemographic risk, parenting, and inhibitory control in early childhood: the role of respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

    PubMed

    Holochwost, Steven J; Volpe, Vanessa V; Gueron-Sela, Noa; Propper, Cathi B; Mills-Koonce, W Roger

    2018-03-13

    Deficits of inhibitory control in early childhood are linked to externalizing behaviors and attention problems. While environmental factors and physiological processes are associated with its etiology, few studies have examined how these factors jointly predict inhibitory control. This study examined whether respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) functioned as a mediator or moderator of both cumulative sociodemographic risk and parenting behaviors on inhibitory control during early childhood. The sample included 206 children and their biological mothers. At 24, 30, and 36 months of child age dyads participated in a series of laboratory visits in which sociodemographic, parenting, and baseline RSA (RSAB) data were collected. Inhibitory control was assessed at 36 months using a gift-wrap delay task. A series of structural equation models yielded no evidence that RSAB mediated the relations of risk or parenting and inhibitory control. RSAB moderated the effects of risk, such that high-risk children with low RSAB performed more poorly on tasks of inhibitory control, while high-risk children with high RSAB did not. These results suggest that higher levels of RSAB may mitigate the influence of environmental risk on the development of inhibitory control early childhood. © 2018 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  3. Effects of drugs of abuse on putative rostromedial tegmental neurons, inhibitory afferents to midbrain dopamine cells.

    PubMed

    Lecca, Salvatore; Melis, Miriam; Luchicchi, Antonio; Ennas, Maria Grazia; Castelli, Maria Paola; Muntoni, Anna Lisa; Pistis, Marco

    2011-02-01

    Recent findings have underlined the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg), a structure located caudally to the ventral tegmental area, as an important site involved in the mechanisms of aversion. RMTg contains γ-aminobutyric acid neurons responding to noxious stimuli, densely innervated by the lateral habenula and providing a major inhibitory projection to reward-encoding midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. One of the key features of drug addiction is the perseverance of drug seeking in spite of negative and unpleasant consequences, likely mediated by response suppression within neural pathways mediating aversion. To investigate whether the RMTg has a function in the mechanisms of addicting drugs, we studied acute effects of morphine, cocaine, the cannabinoid agonist WIN55212-2 (WIN), and nicotine on putative RMTg neurons. We utilized single unit extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in brain slices to identify and characterize putative RMTg neurons and their responses to drugs of abuse. Morphine and WIN inhibited both firing rate in vivo and excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by stimulation of rostral afferents in vitro, whereas cocaine inhibited discharge activity without affecting EPSC amplitude. Conversely, nicotine robustly excited putative RMTg neurons and enhanced EPSCs, an effect mediated by α7-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Our results suggest that activity of RMTg neurons is profoundly influenced by drugs of abuse and, as important inhibitory afferents to midbrain DA neurons, they might take place in the complex interplay between the neural circuits mediating aversion and reward.

  4. Inhibitory effect of bofutsushosan (fang feng tong sheng san) on glucose transporter 5 function in vitro.

    PubMed

    Gao, Shengli; Satsu, Hideo; Makino, Toshiaki

    2018-03-01

    Bofutsushosan (BTS; fang feng tong sheng san in Chinese) is a formula in traditional Japanese Kampo medicine and Chinese medicine comprising eighteen crude drugs, and is used to treat obesity and metabolic syndrome. Fructose is contained in refreshing beverages as high-fructose corn syrup, and is associated with obesity. Fructose is absorbed via glucose transporter 5 (GLUT5) in the intestine. Therefore, the inhibition of GLUT5 is considered to be a target of obesity drugs. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of BTS extract and its constituents on fructose uptake using Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells, i.e., cells stably expressing GLUT5. Boiled water extract of BTS significantly suppressed GLUT5 function in a concentration-dependent manner without cytotoxicities. Among 18 components of BTS, the boiled water extracts of the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, the root and rhizome of Saposhnikovia divaricata, and the root of Platycodon grandiflorum exhibited significant inhibitory effects on fructose uptake with IC 50 values of 314, 119 and 475 µg/ml, respectively. Among the constituents of the rhizome of Z. officinale extract, 6-gingerol significantly inhibited GLUT5 with an IC 50 value of 39 µM, while 6-shogaol exhibited a significant but weak inhibition on GLUT5 at 100 µM. One of the mechanisms of action of BTS may be the inhibition of fructose absorption in the intestine, and one of the active components of BTS is the rhizome of Z. officinale and 6-gingerol.

  5. Mapping Inhibitory Neuronal Circuits by Laser Scanning Photostimulation

    PubMed Central

    Ikrar, Taruna; Olivas, Nicholas D.; Shi, Yulin; Xu, Xiangmin

    2011-01-01

    Inhibitory neurons are crucial to cortical function. They comprise about 20% of the entire cortical neuronal population and can be further subdivided into diverse subtypes based on their immunochemical, morphological, and physiological properties1-4. Although previous research has revealed much about intrinsic properties of individual types of inhibitory neurons, knowledge about their local circuit connections is still relatively limited3,5,6. Given that each individual neuron's function is shaped by its excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input within cortical circuits, we have been using laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) to map local circuit connections to specific inhibitory cell types. Compared to conventional electrical stimulation or glutamate puff stimulation, LSPS has unique advantages allowing for extensive mapping and quantitative analysis of local functional inputs to individually recorded neurons3,7-9. Laser photostimulation via glutamate uncaging selectively activates neurons perisomatically, without activating axons of passage or distal dendrites, which ensures a sub-laminar mapping resolution. The sensitivity and efficiency of LSPS for mapping inputs from many stimulation sites over a large region are well suited for cortical circuit analysis. Here we introduce the technique of LSPS combined with whole-cell patch clamping for local inhibitory circuit mapping. Targeted recordings of specific inhibitory cell types are facilitated by use of transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent proteins (GFP) in limited inhibitory neuron populations in the cortex3,10, which enables consistent sampling of the targeted cell types and unambiguous identification of the cell types recorded. As for LSPS mapping, we outline the system instrumentation, describe the experimental procedure and data acquisition, and present examples of circuit mapping in mouse primary somatosensory cortex. As illustrated in our experiments, caged glutamate is activated in a spatially

  6. [Evaluate drug interaction of multi-components in Morus alba leaves based on α-glucosidase inhibitory activity].

    PubMed

    Ji, Tao; Su, Shu-Lan; Guo, Sheng; Qian, Da-Wei; Ouyang, Zhen; Duan, Jin-Ao

    2016-06-01

    Column chromatography was used for enrichment and separation of flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides from the extracts of Morus alba leaves; glucose oxidase method was used with sucrose as the substrate to evaluate the multi-components of M. alba leaves in α-glucosidase inhibitory models; isobole method, Chou-Talalay combination index analysis and isobolographic analysis were used to evaluate the interaction effects and dose-effect characteristics of two components, providing scientific basis for revealing the hpyerglycemic mechanism of M. alba leaves. The components analysis showed that flavonoid content was 5.3%; organic phenolic acids content was 10.8%; DNJ content was 39.4%; and polysaccharide content was 18.9%. Activity evaluation results demonstrated that flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides of M. alba leaves had significant inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, and the inhibitory rate was increased with the increasing concentration. Alkaloids showed most significant inhibitory effects among these three components. Both compatibility of alkaloids and flavonoids, and the compatibility of alkaloids and polysaccharides demonstrated synergistic effects, but the compatibility of flavonoids and polysaccharides showed no obvious synergistic effects. The results have confirmed the interaction of multi-components from M. alba leaves to regulate blood sugar, and provided scientific basis for revealing hpyerglycemic effectiveness and mechanism of the multi-components from M. alba leaves. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  7. Lanostanoids with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity from the mushroom Haddowia longipes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuang-Shuang; Ma, Qing-Yun; Huang, Sheng-Zhuo; Dai, Hao-Fu; Guo, Zhi-Kai; Yu, Zhi-Fang; Zhao, You-Xing

    2015-02-01

    Nine lanostanoids, together with nine known ones, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the fruiting bodies of the mushroom Haddowia longipes. Their structures were elucidated as 11-oxo-ganoderiol D, lanosta-8-en-7,11-dioxo-3β-acetyloxy-24,25,26-trihydroxy, lanosta-8-en-7-oxo-3β-acetyloxy-11β,24,25,26-tetrahydroxy, lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-3β-acetyloxy-24,25,26-trihydroxy, lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-3β-acetyloxy-24,26-dihydroxy-25-methoxy, 11-oxo-lucidadiol, 11β-hydroxy-lucidadiol, lucidone H and lanosta-7,9(11),24E-trien-3β-acetyloxy-26,27-dihydroxy by analysing their 1D/2D NMR and MS spectra. In addition, bioassays of inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of all compounds showed that thirteen compounds possessed inhibitory activity against AChE with the percentage inhibition ranging from 10.3% to 42.1% when tested at 100 μM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Variable inhibitory effect of herbal supplements of different brands on human P450 CYP1A2

    PubMed Central

    Wanwimolruk, Sompon; Prachayasittikul, Virapong

    2012-01-01

    Herbal supplements are not governed by the same regulations as prescription drugs, we hypothesize that the content of their active ingredients may vary largely among different manufacturers. This may produce variable therapeutic outcomes. This study aims to examine this hypothesis on commonly used herbal supplements among cancer patients. CYP1A2 has been implicated in the activation of many carcinogens and alteration in its activity may be a mechanism associated with the protective effect of herbal products. Activity of human CYP1A2 was used to determine the effect of four herbal supplements of different brands, namely, black cohosh (BC), ginseng, grape seed extract (GSE) and green tea extract (GTE). The herbal content was extracted with methanol, and extract aliquots were used to determine their effect on CYP1A2. Human liver microsomes, the CYP1A2 probe (7-ethoxyresorufin) and NADPH in buffer were incubated with and without herbal extract. Metabolite (resorufin) formation was monitored by HPLC. Seven BC products caused a mild inhibition of CYP1A2, ranging from 2.4 % by GNC Plus to 21.9 % by Nature's Resource. Among nine ginseng products tested, the inhibitory effect varied from 4.2 % by Imperial to 44.6 % by Solarays. The effect of nine GSE brands also varied, ranging from 1.7 % (Country Life) to 26.5 % (Veg Life). Of twelve GTE products, the inhibitory effect varied from 2.9 % by Henry's to 46.6 % by GNC Plus. It appears that the inhibition of selected herbal supplements on CYP1A2 activity varies considerably among different brands of the products. This may be due to variations in the herbal products' active ingredients content. PMID:27298605

  9. Evidence for the putative cannabinoid receptor, GPR55, mediated inhibitory effects on intestinal contractility in mice

    PubMed Central

    Ross, Gracious R; Lichtman, Aron; Dewey, William L; Akbarali, Hamid I

    2012-01-01

    Background Cannabinoids inhibit intestinal motility via presynaptic cannabinoid receptor type I(CB1) in enteric neurons while cannabinoid receptor type II (CB2) receptors are located mainly in immune cells. The recently deorphanized G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR55, has been proposed to be the “third” cannabinoid receptor. Although gene expression of GPR55 is evident in the gut, functional evidence for GPR55 in the gut is unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that GPR55 activation inhibits neurogenic contractions in the gut. Methods We assessed the inhibitory effect of the atypical cannabinoid O-1602, a GPR55 agonist, in mouse colon. Isometric tension recordings in colonic tissue strips were used from either wild type, GPR55−/− or CB1−/−/CB2−/−knock-out mice. Results O-1602 inhibited the electrical field-induced contractions in the colon strips from wild type and CB1−/−/CB2−/− in a concentration–dependent manner, suggesting a non-CB1/CB2-receptor mediated prejunctional effect. The concentration–dependent response of O-1602 was significantly inhibited in GPR55−/− mice. O-1602 did not relax colonic strips pre-contracted with high K+ (80 mmol/l), indicating no involvement of Ca2+ channel blockade in O-1602–induced relaxation. However, 10 μmol/l O-1602 partially inhibited the exogenous acetylcholine (10 μmol/l) –induced contractions. Moreover, we also assessed the inhibitory effects of JWH 015, a CB2/GPR55 agonist on neurogenic contractions of mouse ileum. Surprisingly, the effects of JWH015 were independent of the known cannabinoid receptors. Conclusion These findings taken together suggest that activation of GPR55 leads to inhibition of neurogenic contractions in the gut, and are predominantly prejunctional. PMID:22759743

  10. Growth Inhibitory Effects of Adhatoda vasica and Its Potential at Reducing Listeria monocytogenes in Chicken Meat

    PubMed Central

    Shukla, Shruti; Ahirwal, Laxmi; Bajpai, Vivek K.; Huh, Yun Suk; Han, Young-Kyu

    2017-01-01

    The inhibitory effects of Adhatoda vasica ethanolic leaf extract (AVELE) against Listeria monocytogenes were examined to assess its potential to preserve minimally processed meat products safely. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and alkaloid levels in AVELE were 10.09 ± 4.52 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, 22.43 ± 1.62 mg of quercetin equivalents/g, and 19.43 ± 3.90 mg/g, respectively. AVELE (1, 5, 10, or 20%) had considerable antibacterial effects against L. monocytogenes NCIM 24563 in terms of the inhibitory zones (7.4–13.6 mm), MIC (100 mg/mL or 10% formulated solution), reduced cell viability, potassium ion efflux, and the release of 260-nm absorbing materials and extracellular ATP. AVELE was used as a rinse solution (5, 10, and 20%) for raw chicken breast meat. A 20% rinsing solution applied for 60 min inhibited the L. monocytogenes NCIM 24563 counts significantly on raw chicken breast meat. Moreover, L. monocytogenes NCIM 24563 did not grow in the meat sample when the rinse time was increased to 90 min at the same concentration. L. monocytogenes showed a greater reduction to ~3 CFU/g after rinsing with a 10 and 20% AVELE solution for 30 min than with a 5% AVELE solution. The rinsing processes with AVELE produced the final cooked chicken products with higher sensory attribute scores, such as taste, juiciness, and tenderness, compared to the control group along with a decrease in microbial contamination. Chicken meat rinsed with AVELE (rinsing time of 90 min) showed better sensory attribute scores of juiciness and tenderness, as well as the overall sensory quality compared to the untreated group. This research highlights the effectiveness of AVELE against L. monocytogenes NCIM 24563, suggesting that AVELE can be used as an effective antimicrobial marinade and/or a rinse for meat preservation. PMID:28769879

  11. Effects of histone deacetylase inhibitory prodrugs on epigenetic changes and DNA damage response in tumor and heart of glioblastoma xenograft.

    PubMed

    Tarasenko, Nataly; Nudelman, Abraham; Rozic, Gabriela; Cutts, Suzanne M; Rephaeli, Ada

    2017-08-01

    The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitory prodrugs of butyric (AN7) and valproic (AN446) acids, which release the active acids upon metabolic degradation, were studied examining their differential effects on the viability, HDAC inhibitory activity and the DNA damage response (DDR), in glioblastoma cell and normal human astrocytes (NHAs). In xenografts of glioblastoma, AN7 or AN446 given or the combination of each of them with Dox augmented the anticancer activity of Dox and protected the heart from its toxicity. In order to determine the processes underlying these opposing effects, the changes induced by these treatments on the epigenetic landscape, the DDR, and fibrosis were compared in tumors and hearts of glioblastoma xenografts. The potency of AN7 and AN446 as HDAC inhibitors was correlated with their effects on the viability of the cancer and non-cancer cells. The prodrugs affected the epigenetic landscape and the DDR in a tissue-specific and context-dependent manner. Findings suggest that the selectivity of the prodrugs could be attributed to their different effects on histone modification patterns in normal vs. transformed tissues. Further studies are warranted to substantiate the potential of AN446 as a new anticancer drug for glioblastoma patients.

  12. Co-inhibitory immune checkpoints in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Deng, W-W; Wu, L; Sun, Z-J

    2018-03-01

    The upregulation of co-inhibitory immune checkpoints hampers the immune response toward tumor cells and facilitates the tumor cells ability to evade immunosurveillance. Specific inhibitory immune checkpoint delivers inhibitory signals to T cells using multiple mechanisms. More in-depth understanding of the co-inhibitory immune checkpoints could be exploited for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment. In this review, we summarize the expression and the mechanism of partial co-inhibitory immune checkpoint signals and discuss targeting co-inhibitory immune checkpoints as an immunotherapeutic target for cancer therapy. This review may provide a better understanding of the co-inhibitory immune checkpoints and could promote applications of immunotherapy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibitory effect of chalcone derivatives on recombinant human aldose reductase.

    PubMed

    Iwata, S; Nagata, N; Omae, A; Yamaguchi, S; Okada, Y; Shibata, S; Okuyama, T

    1999-03-01

    More than fifty chalcone derivatives were synthesized to examine structure-activity relationships against human aldose reductase. Certain 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone derivatives inhibited human aldose reductase activities, and 2',4',2, 4-tetrahydroxychalcone and 2',4',2-trihydroxychalcone showed potent inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 7.4x10(-9) M and 1.6x10(-7) M, respectively. On the other hand, cis-form chalcones, which were isomerized from the original trans-forms by irradiation of daylight in methanol solution, promoted the activity of human aldose reductase.

  14. Inhibitory effects of acetylcholine on neurones in the feline nucleus reticularis thalami.

    PubMed

    Ben-Ari, Y; Dingledine, R; Kanazawa, I; Kelly, J S

    1976-10-01

    1. Short iontophoretic pulses of acetylcholine (ACh) inhibited almost every spontaneously active cell encountered in the nucleus reticularis thalami of cats anaesthetized with a mixture of halothane, nitrous oxide and oxygen. On 200 cells the mean current needed to eject an effective inhibitory dose of ACh was 67 +/- 2 nA. When the ACh-evoked inhibition was mimicked by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glycine on the same cell, the current required to release ACh was found to be approximately twice as great as that required to release an equally effective dose of GABA or glycine. 2. ACh inhibitions developed with a latency which was very much shorter than that for ACh excitation in cells of the ventrobasal complex. The latency of the ACh-evoked inhibition was as rapid as the onset and offset of the excitation of the same cells glutamate and their inhibition by GABA or glycine. 3. The firing pattern of ACh-inhibited neurones in the nucleus reticularis was characterized by periods of prolonged, high frequency bursts, and their mean firing frequency was 22 Hz. Raster dot displays and interspike interval histograms showed that whereas ACh suppressed the spikes that occurred between bursts much more readily than those that occurred during bursts, all spikes were equally sensitive to the depressant action of GABA and glycine. Large doses of ACh provoked or exaggerated burst activity. 4. ACh-evoked inhibition was extremely sensitive to blockade by short iontophoretic applications of atropine, which had no effect on the inhibitions evoked on the same cell equipotent doses of GABA or glycine. The ACh-evoked inhibitions were also antagonized by dihydro-beta-erythroidine released with slightly larger currents. When tested on the same cell, small iontophoretic applications of picrotoxin and bicuculline methoiodide blocked the inhibition evoked by GABA but had no effect on that evoked by ACh. Iontophoretic strychnine only rarely affected the inhibition evoked by ACh, while

  15. Stimulus selectivity and response latency in putative inhibitory and excitatory neurons of the primate inferior temporal cortex

    PubMed Central

    Mruczek, Ryan E. B.

    2012-01-01

    The cerebral cortex is composed of many distinct classes of neurons. Numerous studies have demonstrated corresponding differences in neuronal properties across cell types, but these comparisons have largely been limited to conditions outside of awake, behaving animals. Thus the functional role of the various cell types is not well understood. Here, we investigate differences in the functional properties of two widespread and broad classes of cells in inferior temporal cortex of macaque monkeys: inhibitory interneurons and excitatory projection cells. Cells were classified as putative inhibitory or putative excitatory neurons on the basis of their extracellular waveform characteristics (e.g., spike duration). Consistent with previous intracellular recordings in cortical slices, putative inhibitory neurons had higher spontaneous firing rates and higher stimulus-evoked firing rates than putative excitatory neurons. Additionally, putative excitatory neurons were more susceptible to spike waveform adaptation following very short interspike intervals. Finally, we compared two functional properties of each neuron's stimulus-evoked response: stimulus selectivity and response latency. First, putative excitatory neurons showed stronger stimulus selectivity compared with putative inhibitory neurons. Second, putative inhibitory neurons had shorter response latencies compared with putative excitatory neurons. Selectivity differences were maintained and latency differences were enhanced during a visual search task emulating more natural viewing conditions. Our results suggest that short-latency inhibitory responses are likely to sculpt visual processing in excitatory neurons, yielding a sparser visual representation. PMID:22933717

  16. An investigation into the inhibitory function of serotonin in diffuse noxious inhibitory controls in the neuropathic rat.

    PubMed

    Bannister, K; Lockwood, S; Goncalves, L; Patel, R; Dickenson, A H

    2017-04-01

    Following neuropathy α2-adrenoceptor-mediated diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC), whereby a noxious conditioning stimulus inhibits the activity of spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons, are abolished, and spinal 5-HT7 receptor densities are increased. Here, we manipulate spinal 5-HT content in spinal nerve ligated (SNL) animals and investigate which 5-HT receptor mediated actions predominate. Using in vivo electrophysiology we recorded WDR neuronal responses to von frey filaments applied to the hind paw before, and concurrent to, a noxious ear pinch (the conditioning stimulus) in isoflurane-anaesthetised rats. The expression of DNIC was quantified as a reduction in WDR neuronal firing in the presence of conditioning stimulus and was investigated in SNL rats following spinal application of (1) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram or fluoxetine, or dual application of (2) SSRI plus 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB269970, or (3) SSRI plus α2 adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole. DNIC were revealed in SNL animals following spinal application of SSRI, but this effect was abolished upon joint application of SSRI plus SB269970 or atipamezole. We propose that in SNL animals the inhibitory actions (quantified as the presence of DNIC) of excess spinal 5-HT (presumed present following application of SSRI) were mediated via 5-HT7 receptors. The anti-nociception depends upon an underlying tonic noradrenergic inhibitory tone via the α2-adrenoceptor. Following neuropathy enhanced spinal serotonin availability switches the predominant spinal 5-HT receptor-mediated actions but also alters noradrenergic signalling. We highlight the therapeutic complexity of SSRIs and monoamine modulators for the treatment of neuropathic pain. © 2016 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

  17. Evaluation of an edible blue-green alga, Aphanothece sacrum, for its inhibitory effect on replication of herpes simplex virus type 2 and influenza virus type A.

    PubMed

    Ogura, Fumie; Hayashi, Kyoko; Lee, Jung-Bum; Kanekiyo, Kenji; Hayashi, Toshimitsu

    2010-01-01

    A hot-water extract of Aphanothece sacrum, an edible aquacultured blue-green alga, was found to show a remarkable inhibitory effect on the replication of enveloped viruses including herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and influenza virus type A (IFV-A, H1N1) in vitro. The main active components were suggested to be sulfated polysaccharides in non-dialyzable portion (ASWPH). ASWPH was found to inhibit the viral adsorption to the receptor of the host cells involved in the replication process of HSV-2 and IFV-A. In addition, while the penetration stage of HSV-2 was also significantly suppressed with ASWPH, no such effect was observed in the replication of IFV-A. These results suggest that ASWPH might be useful in the prevention of infectious diseases caused by HSV-2 as well as IFV-A.

  18. Cholinesterase inhibitory activities of Apai-sa-le recipe and its ingredients.

    PubMed

    Senavong, Pimolvan; Sattaponpan, Chitsanucha; Silavat Suk-um; Itharat, Arunporn

    2014-08-01

    Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholoinesterase inhibitors are well-known drugs commonly used in the treatment ofAlzheimer's disease (AD) to improve cognitive function. These enzyme inhibitors were reported to be found in manyplants. Apai-sa-le recipe was a Thai tradition used as nootropic recipe and formerly claimed to improve memory. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate cholinesterase inhibitory activity ofthe recipe and its ingredients. To determine the whole recipe ofApai-sa-le and its ingredients for inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and human butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities. Thirty grams of each plant and 181 grams of the whole recipe were separately extracted by 95% ethanol, after filtered the filtrate were evaporated and vacuum-dried at 45°C. By Elman method, the inhibitory activities of both enzymes were assessed. The volatile constituents ofeach extract were determined by GCMS. The constituents in the non- volatile extract were examined by TLC and the antioxidant activity was determined. Four plants exhibited specific BuChE inhibitor were Lepidium sativum Linn. (Ls), Piper nigrum L. (Pn), Angelica dahurica Benth (Ad) andAtractylodes lancea DC. (Al), which shown the lC50 of 5.59, 24.52, 73.23, 96.25 μg/ml, respectively whereas galantamine and the whole recipe showed IC50 of 0.59 and 236 μg/ml. Only Pn extract inhibited AChE at lCso of 25.46 μg/ml. By GCMS and TLC fingerprints revealed the main constituents in LS, Ad, Al andPn as apiol, cumialdehyde, furanodiene and piperine. Moreover nine plant extracts and the whole recipe showed antioxidant activity. Lepidium sativum Linn. (Ls) extract showed the most potency on BuChE inhibitory effect. Three ingredients and the whole recipe exhibited mild activity. Only Piper nigrum L demonstrated inhibition effect on both AChE and BuChE.

  19. In vitro Inhibitory Effects of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea, and Curcuma xanthorrhiza Extracts and Constituents on Human Liver Glucuronidation Activity

    PubMed Central

    Husni, Zulhilmi; Ismail, Sabariah; Zulkiffli, Mohd Halimhilmi; Afandi, Atiqah; Haron, Munirah

    2017-01-01

    Background: Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza are commonly consumed as herbal medicines. However their effects on human liver glucuronidation activity are not yet evaluated. Objective: In this study, we evaluate the inhibitory Effects of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza extracts and their constituents on human liver glucuronidation activity. Materials and Methods: Herbal extracts (aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts) and their constituents were incubated with human liver microsomes with the addition of UDPGA to initiate the reaction. Working concentrations of herbal extracts and their constituents ranged from 10 μg/mL to 1000 μg/mL and 10 μM to 300 μM respectively. IC50 was determined by monitoring the decrement of glucuronidation activity with the increment of herbal extracts or phytochemical constituent's concentrations. Results: All herbal extracts inhibited human liver glucuronidation activity in range of 34.69 μg/mL to 398.10 μg/mL whereas for the constituents, only xanthorrhizol and curcumin (constituents of Curcuma xanthorrhiza) inhibited human liver glucuronidation activity with IC50 of 538.50 and 32.26 μM respectively. Conclusion: In the present study, we have proved the capabilities of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza to interfere with in vitro glucuronidation process in human liver microsomes. SUMMARY This study documented the capabilities of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza to inhibit human liver glucuronidation activity which may affect the metabolism of therapeutic drugs or hazardous toxicants that follow the same glucuronidation pathway. Abbreviations used: UGT: Uridine 5’-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase; 4-MU: 4-methylumbelliferone; IC50: Half Maximal Inhibitory Concentration; Km: Michaelis constant; Vmax: Maximum velocity. PMID

  20. Inhibitory effects of coumarins from the stem barks of Fraxinus rhynchophylla on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.

    PubMed

    Shin, Eunjin; Choi, Kyeong-Mi; Yoo, Hwan-Soo; Lee, Chong-Kil; Hwang, Bang Yeon; Lee, Mi Kyeong

    2010-01-01

    In the course of screening anti-adipogenic activity of natural products employing the preadipocyte cell line, 3T3-L1 as an in vitro assay system, the EtOAc fraction of the stem barks of Fraxinus rhynchophylla DENCE (Oleaceae) showed significant inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil Red O staining. Activity-guided fractionation led to the isolation of six coumarins such as esculetin (1), scopoletin (2), fraxetin (3), fraxidin (4) esculin (5) and fraxin (6). Among the six coumarins isolated, esculetin (1) showed the most potent inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation, followed by fraxetin (3). Further studies with interval treatment demonstrated that esculetin (1) exerted inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation when treated within 2 d (days 0-2) after differentiation induction. We further investigated the effect of esculetin (1) on peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), one of the early adipogenic transcription factors. Esculetin (1) significantly blocked the induction of PPARgamma protein expression and inhibited adipocyte differentiation induced by troglitazone, a PPARgamma agonist. Taken together, these results suggest that esculetin (1), an active compound from F. rhynchophylla, inhibited early stage of adipogenic differentiation, in part, via inhibition of PPARgamma-dependent pathway.

  1. A comparison of the acid-inhibitory effects of esomeprazole and rabeprazole in relation to pharmacokinetics and CYP2C19 polymorphism.

    PubMed

    Hunfeld, N G; Touw, D J; Mathot, R A; van Schaik, R H; Kuipers, E J

    2012-04-01

    Esomeprazole and rabeprazole are metabolised in the liver by means of the CYP2C19 enzyme, which has several functional genetic polymorphisms. Among Caucasians, 70% of the population has a fast metaboliser phenotype, 25-30% an intermediate and 2-5% a slow metaboliser phenotype. It is unknown whether different PPIs are affected to the same extent by these phenotypic differences. To compare the acid-inhibitory effects of esomeprazole 40 mg and rabeprazole 20 mg in relation to CYP2C19 genotype and pharmacokinetics. Eighteen healthy Helicobacter pylori-negative Caucasian subjects with CYP2C19*2-*6 and *17 genotype were included in a randomised investigator-blinded crossover study with esomeprazole 40 mg and rabeprazole 20 mg. Intragastric 24-h pH-monitoring was performed on days 0, 1 and 5 of oral dosing. Onset of acid inhibition during the first 4 h after administration did not differ significantly between PPIs. During the upright period, the proportion of time with pH >4 was significantly higher with esomeprazole compared to rabeprazole (52.2 vs. 40.3%, P = 0.003). At day 1 and 5, acid inhibition was significantly greater with esomeprazole than with rabeprazole (median intragastric pH: day 1: 3.7 vs. 3.0, P = 0.008; day 5: 4.7 vs. 3.8, P < 0.001; percentage of time pH >4: day 1: 45 vs. 39%, P = 0.054; day 5: 65 vs. 48%, P < 0.001). Differences in acid inhibition between wt/wt and wt/*2 genotype were significant for both PPIs. Once-daily dosing with esomeprazole 40 mg provides a more effective and faster acid-inhibitory effect than rabeprazole 20 mg. The acid-inhibitory effect of esomeprazole and rabeprazole are both influenced by CYP2C19 polymorphism. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. The growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effect of deferoxamine combined with arsenic trioxide on HL-60 xenografts in nude mice.

    PubMed

    Yu, Runhong; Wang, Dao; Ren, Xiuhua; Zeng, Li; Liu, Yufeng

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effect of deferoxamine (DFO) combined with arsenic trioxide (ATO) on the human HL-60 xenografts in nude mice and its mechanism. The highly tumorigenic leukemia cell line HL-60 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice to establish a human leukemia xenograft model. The HL-60 xenograft nude mice models were randomly divided into four groups: control (Normal saline, NS), 50mg/kg DFO, 3mg/kg ATO, the combined treatment (50mg/kg DFO+1.5mg/kg ATO) once HL-60 cells were inoculated. Tumor sizes, growth curves, inhibitory rates, cell apoptosis, and the expression of apoptosis related markers were measured to evaluate the tumor growth. Xenografted tumors were observed in all nude mice since the 5th day of inoculation. The inhibitory rates of tumor weight were 2.67%, 10.69%, and 25.57% in DFO, ATO and combination therapy groups, respectively. The combination of DFO with ATO induces significantly more tumor cell apoptosis than either agent alone (p<0.05). The expression of NF-κBp65 and survivin proteins decreased significantly while the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax increased in the combination therapy group (p<0.05). Double immunofluorescence for Caspase-3 and NFκBp65 demonstrated an inverse relationship between Caspase-3-positive areas and NFκBp65-positive areas, as well as the co-localization of Bax and survivin in xenografted tumor cells. Combination of DFO and ATO has synergistic effects on tumor growth inhibition and apoptosis-inducing in vivo with no significant side effects. The DFO and ATO can up-regulate the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax, and down-regulate the expression of NF-κBp65 and survivin, especially for their combination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Fast-ball sports experts depend on an inhibitory strategy to reprogram their movement timing.

    PubMed

    Nakamoto, Hiroki; Ikudome, Sachi; Yotani, Kengo; Maruyama, Atsuo; Mori, Shiro

    2013-07-01

    The purpose of our study was to clarify whether an inhibitory strategy is used for reprogramming of movement timing by experts in fast-ball sports when they correct their movement timing due to unexpected environmental changes. We evaluated the influence of disruption of inhibitory function of the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) on reprogramming of movement timing of experts and non-experts in fast-ball sports. The task was to manually press a button to coincide with the arrival of a moving target. The target moved at a constant velocity, and its velocity was suddenly either increased or decreased in some trials. The task was performed either with or without transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which was delivered to the region of the rIFG. Under velocity change conditions without TMS, the experts showed significantly smaller timing errors and a higher rate of reprogramming of movement timing than the non-experts. Moreover, TMS application during the task significantly diminished the expert group's performance, but not the control group, particularly in the condition where the target velocity decreases. These results suggest that experts use an inhibitory strategy for reprogramming of movement timing. In addition, the rIFG inhibitory function contributes to the superior movement correction of experts in fast-ball sports.

  4. The influence of emotional stimuli on attention orienting and inhibitory control in pediatric anxiety.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Sven C; Hardin, Michael G; Mogg, Karin; Benson, Valerie; Bradley, Brendan P; Reinholdt-Dunne, Marie Louise; Liversedge, Simon P; Pine, Daniel S; Ernst, Monique

    2012-08-01

    Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in children and adolescents, and are associated with aberrant emotion-related attention orienting and inhibitory control. While recent studies conducted with high-trait anxious adults have employed novel emotion-modified antisaccade tasks to examine the influence of emotional information on orienting and inhibition, similar studies have yet to be conducted in youths. Participants were 22 children/adolescents diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and 22 age-matched healthy comparison youths. Participants completed an emotion-modified antisaccade task that was similar to those used in studies of high-trait anxious adults. This task probed the influence of abruptly appearing neutral, happy, angry, or fear stimuli on orienting (prosaccade) or inhibitory (antisaccade) responses. Anxious compared to healthy children showed facilitated orienting toward angry stimuli. With respect to inhibitory processes, threat-related information improved antisaccade accuracy in healthy but not anxious youth. These findings were not linked to individual levels of reported anxiety or specific anxiety disorders. Findings suggest that anxious relative to healthy children manifest enhanced orienting toward threat-related stimuli. In addition, the current findings suggest that threat may modulate inhibitory control during adolescent development. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  5. The effect of gastric inhibitory polypeptide on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility in mice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ogawa, Eiichi; Hosokawa, Masaya; Faculty of Human Sciences, Tezukayama Gakuin University, Osaka

    2011-01-07

    Research highlights: {yields} Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal motility through a somatostatin-mediated pathway. {yields} Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility. {yields} The GIP-receptor-mediated action in intestine does not involve in GLP-1-mediated pathway. -- Abstract: Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is released from the small intestine upon meal ingestion and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic {beta} cells. Although the GIP receptor is known to be expressed in small intestine, the effects of GIP in small intestine are not fully understood. This study was designed to clarify the effect of GIP on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility. Intestinal glucosemore » absorption in vivo was measured by single-pass perfusion method. Incorporation of [{sup 14}C]-glucose into everted jejunal rings in vitro was used to evaluate the effect of GIP on sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT). Motility of small intestine was measured by intestinal transit after oral administration of a non-absorbed marker. Intraperitoneal administration of GIP inhibited glucose absorption in wild-type mice in a concentration-dependent manner, showing maximum decrease at the dosage of 50 nmol/kg body weight. In glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor-deficient mice, GIP inhibited glucose absorption as in wild-type mice. In vitro examination of [{sup 14}C]-glucose uptake revealed that 100 nM GIP did not change SGLT-dependent glucose uptake in wild-type mice. After intraperitoneal administration of GIP (50 nmol/kg body weight), small intestinal transit was inhibited to 40% in both wild-type and GLP-1 receptor-deficient mice. Furthermore, a somatostatin receptor antagonist, cyclosomatostatin, reduced the inhibitory effect of GIP on both intestinal transit and glucose absorption in wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility through a

  6. In vitro additive antitumor effects of dimethoxycurcumin and 5-fluorouracil in colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Huiying; Liu, Qingchun; Wang, Saisai; Dai, Fang; Cheng, Xiaofei; Cheng, Xiaobin; Chen, Wenbin; Zhang, Min; Chen, Dong

    2017-07-01

    Dimethoxycurcumin (DMC) is a lipophilic analog of curcumin, an effective treatment for colon cancer, which has greater chemical and metabolic stability. Chemotherapy treatments, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), play a key role in the current management of colon cancer. In this study, we investigated the antitumor efficacy of DMC in combination with 5-Fu in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells. CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of DMC and 5-Fu on cancer cells proliferation, and the combination index was calculated. The influence of DMC and 5-Fu on cell cycle, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial membrane potential in SW480 and SW620 cells was determined using flow cytometry, and the related signaling pathways were detected by western blot. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe endoplasmic reticulum expansion. DMC- and/or 5-Fu-induced apoptosis, stimulated G0/G1 phase arrest, increased ROS levels, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and enhanced endoplasmic reticulum expansion. The induction of apoptosis is involved in the increasing of Bax and cytochrome c and decreasing of Bcl2 expressions. Increased production of ROS was accompanied by upregulation of CHOP and Noxa. Combination therapy of DMC and 5-Fu had increased efficacy on the above pathways compared with either drug alone. Based on the calculated IC 50 , combination treatment with DMC and 5-Fu had an additive antitumor effect in both cell lines. Combined treatment with DMC and 5-Fu led to an additive antitumor effect in colon cancer cells that was related to apoptosis induction, G0/G1 phase arrest, increased ROS production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and enhanced endoplasmic reticulum expansion. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. On the role of transforming growth factor-beta in the growth inhibitory effects of retinoic acid in human pancreatic cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Singh, Brahmchetna; Murphy, Richard F; Ding, Xian-Zhong; Roginsky, Alexandra B; Bell, Richard H; Adrian, Thomas E

    2007-12-24

    Retinoids are potent growth inhibitory and differentiating agents in a variety of cancer cell types. We have shown that retinoids induce growth arrest in all pancreatic cancer cell lines studied, regardless of their p53 and differentiation status. However, the mechanism of growth inhibition is not known. Since TGF-beta2 is markedly induced by retinoids in other cancers and mediates MUC4 expression in pancreatic cancer cells, we investigated the role of TGF-beta in retinoic acid-mediated growth inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells. Retinoic acid markedly inhibited proliferation of two cell lines (Capan-2 and Hs766T) in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Retinoic acid increased TGF-beta2 mRNA content and secretion of the active and latent forms of TGF-beta2 (measured by ELISA and bioassay). The concentrations of active and TGF-beta2 secreted in response to 0.1 - 10 muM retinoic acid were between 1-5 pM. TGF-beta2 concentrations within this range also inhibited proliferation. A TGF-beta neutralizing antibody blocked the growth inhibitory effects of retinoic acid in Capan-2 cells and partially inhibitory the effects in Hs766T cells. These findings indicate that TGF-beta can cause growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells, in a p53-independent manner. Furthermore, it demonstrates the fundamental role of TGF-beta in growth inhibition in response to retinoic acid treatment is preserved in vitro.

  8. Strengthening of Top-Down Frontal Cognitive Control Networks Underlying the Development of Inhibitory Control: An fMRI Effective Connectivity Study

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Kai; Velanova, Katerina; Luna, Beatriz

    2010-01-01

    The ability to voluntarily inhibit responses to task irrelevant stimuli, which is a fundamental component of cognitive control, has a protracted development through adolescence. Prior human developmental imaging studies have found immaturities in localized brain activity in children and adolescents. However, little is known about how these regions integrate with age to form the distributed networks known to support cognitive control. In the present study, we used Granger Causality analysis to characterize developmental changes in effective connectivity underlying inhibitory control (antisaccade task) compared to reflexive responses (prosaccade task) in human participants. By childhood few top-down connectivity were evident with increased parietal interconnectivity. By adolescence connections from prefrontal cortex increased and parietal interconnectivity decreased in number. From adolescence to adulthood there was evidence of increased number and strength of frontal connections to cortical regions as well as subcortical regions. Taken together, results suggest that developmental improvements in inhibitory control may be supported by age related enhancements in top-down effective connectivity between frontal, oculomotor and subcortical regions. PMID:21084608

  9. Metal-PAH mixtures in the aquatic environment: a review of co-toxic mechanisms leading to more-than-additive outcomes.

    PubMed

    Gauthier, Patrick T; Norwood, Warren P; Prepas, Ellie E; Pyle, Greg G

    2014-09-01

    Mixtures of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occur ubiquitously in aquatic environments, yet relatively little is known regarding their combined toxicities. Emerging reports investigating the additive mortality in metal-PAH mixtures have indicated that more-than-additive effects are equally as common as strictly-additive effects, raising concern for ecological risk assessment typically based on the summation of individual toxicities. Moreover, the current separation of focus between in vivo and in vitro studies, and fine- and coarse-scale endpoints, creates uncertainty regarding the mechanisms of co-toxicity involved in more-than-additive effects on whole organisms. Drawing from literature on metal and PAH toxicity in bacteria, protozoa, invertebrates, fish, and mammalian models, this review outlines several key mechanistic interactions likely to promote more-than-additive toxicity in metal-PAH mixtures. Namely, the deleterious effects of PAHs on membrane integrity and permeability to metals, the potential for metal-PAH complexation, the inhibitory nature of metals to the detoxification of PAHs via the cytochrome P450 pathway, the inhibitory nature of PAHs towards the detoxification of metals via metallothionein, and the potentiated production of reactive oxygenated species (ROS) in certain metal (e.g. Cu) and PAH (e.g., phenanthrenequinone) mixtures. Moreover, the mutual inhibition of detoxification suggests the possibility of positive feedback among these mechanisms. The individual toxicities and interactive aspects of contaminant transport, detoxification, and the production of ROS are herein discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Inhibitory Control and Impulsivity Levels in Women Crack Users.

    PubMed

    Hess, Adriana Raquel Binsfeld; Menezes, Carolina B; de Almeida, Rosa Maria Martins

    2018-05-12

    investigate impulsivity levels and inhibitory control in women crack users and explore the relationships between impulsivity and inhibitory control. 52 healthy women (M = 32.83 years; SD = 9.54) and 46 crack cocaine users (M = 31.02 years; SD = 7.73), in abstinence, performed the assessment protocol included a Sociodemographic Data Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a GO/No-Go Task and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11). It was a quantitative research with cross-sectional design and control group. crack group showed higher levels of impulsivity in all domains when compared to the control group (crack group M = 76.39, SD = 11.39, control group M = 58.53, SD = 10.76, p <.01). Participants from the crack group presented a significantly higher total reaction time in the Go-NoGo task (F(1,93) = 9.93, p =.002; effect size =.09, observed power =.87) and significantly more commission (F(1,93) = 7.20, p =.009; effect size =.07, observed power =.75) and omission errors (F(1,93) = 6.04, p =.01; effect size =.06, observed power =.68), in Go/NoGo Task. Groups did also significantly differ on total standard deviations suggesting that variability in total reaction time was significantly greater in the crack group. Results showed that only in the crack group there were significant correlations between Go-NoGo parameters and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Our findings are consistent that impulsivity and inhibitory control are closely linked to crack use in women. Future studies should consider to evaluate crack users in different withdrawal times, controlling the impact of abstinence time in the variables studied.

  11. Linking dynamics of the inhibitory network to the input structure

    PubMed Central

    Komarov, Maxim

    2017-01-01

    Networks of inhibitory interneurons are found in many distinct classes of biological systems. Inhibitory interneurons govern the dynamics of principal cells and are likely to be critically involved in the coding of information. In this theoretical study, we describe the dynamics of a generic inhibitory network in terms of low-dimensional, simplified rate models. We study the relationship between the structure of external input applied to the network and the patterns of activity arising in response to that stimulation. We found that even a minimal inhibitory network can generate a great diversity of spatio-temporal patterning including complex bursting regimes with non-trivial ratios of burst firing. Despite the complexity of these dynamics, the network’s response patterns can be predicted from the rankings of the magnitudes of external inputs to the inhibitory neurons. This type of invariant dynamics is robust to noise and stable in densely connected networks with strong inhibitory coupling. Our study predicts that the response dynamics generated by an inhibitory network may provide critical insights about the temporal structure of the sensory input it receives. PMID:27650865

  12. Inhibitory activity of a standardized elderberry liquid extract against clinically-relevant human respiratory bacterial pathogens and influenza A and B viruses

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Black elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) are well known as supportive agents against common cold and influenza. It is further known that bacterial super-infection during an influenza virus (IV) infection can lead to severe pneumonia. We have analyzed a standardized elderberry extract (Rubini, BerryPharma AG) for its antimicrobial and antiviral activity using the microtitre broth micro-dilution assay against three Gram-positive bacteria and one Gram-negative bacteria responsible for infections of the upper respiratory tract, as well as cell culture experiments for two different strains of influenza virus. Methods The antimicrobial activity of the elderberry extract was determined by bacterial growth experiments in liquid cultures using the extract at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The inhibitory effects were determined by plating the bacteria on agar plates. In addition, the inhibitory potential of the extract on the propagation of human pathogenic H5N1-type influenza A virus isolated from a patient and an influenza B virus strain was investigated using MTT and focus assays. Results For the first time, it was shown that a standardized elderberry liquid extract possesses antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria of Streptococcus pyogenes and group C and G Streptococci, and the Gram-negative bacterium Branhamella catarrhalis in liquid cultures. The liquid extract also displays an inhibitory effect on the propagation of human pathogenic influenza viruses. Conclusion Rubini elderberry liquid extract is active against human pathogenic bacteria as well as influenza viruses. The activities shown suggest that additional and alternative approaches to combat infections might be provided by this natural product. PMID:21352539

  13. A cross-cultural investigation of inhibitory control, generative fluency, and anxiety symptoms in Romanian and Russian preschoolers.

    PubMed

    Cheie, Lavinia; Veraksa, Aleksander; Zinchenko, Yuri; Gorovaya, Alexandra; Visu-Petra, Laura

    2015-01-01

    The current study focused on the early development of inhibitory control in 5- to 7-year-old children attending kindergarten in two Eastern-European countries, Romania and Russia. These two countries share many aspects of child-rearing and educational practices, previously documented to influence the development of inhibitory control. Using the Lurian-based developmental approach offered by the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment battery, the study aimed to contribute to cross-cultural developmental neuropsychology by exploring (a) early interrelationships between subcomponents of inhibitory control (response suppression and attention control) and generative fluency (verbal and figural) in these two cultures, as well as (b) the predictive value of external factors (culture and maternal education) and individual differences (age, gender, nonverbal intelligence, trait anxiety) on inhibitory control and fluency outcomes in children from both countries. First, findings in both culture samples suggest that even at this young age, the construct of inhibitory control cannot be considered a unitary entity. Second, differences in maternal education were not predictive of either inhibitory control or fluency scores. However, children's attention control performance varied as a function of culture, and the direction of these cultural effects differed by whether the target outcome involved performance accuracy versus efficiency as an output. Findings also confirmed the previously documented intensive developmental improvement in preschoolers' inhibitory control during this period, influencing measures of response suppression and particularly attention control. Finally, the results further stress the importance of individual differences effects in trait anxiety on attention control efficiency across cultures.

  14. Neural correlates of atomoxetine improving inhibitory control and visual processing in Drug-naïve adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Fan, Li-Ying; Chou, Tai-Li; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

    2017-10-01

    Atomoxetine improves inhibitory control and visual processing in healthy volunteers and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, little is known about the neural correlates of these two functions after chronic treatment with atomoxetine. This study aimed to use the counting Stroop task with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to investigate the changes related to inhibitory control and visual processing in adults with ADHD. This study is an 8-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial of atomoxetine in 24 drug-naïve adults with ADHD. We investigated the changes of treatment with atomoxetine compared to placebo-treated counterparts using the counting Stroop fMRI and two CANTAB tests: rapid visual information processing (RVP) for inhibitory control and delayed matching to sample (DMS) for visual processing. Atomoxetine decreased activations in the right inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, which were correlated with the improvement in inhibitory control assessed by the RVP. Also, atomoxetine increased activation in the left precuneus, which was correlated with the improvement in the mean latency of correct responses assessed by the DMS. Moreover, anterior cingulate activation in the pre-treatment was able to predict the improvements of clinical symptoms. Treatment with atomoxetine may improve inhibitory control to suppress interference and may enhance the visual processing to process numbers. In addition, the anterior cingulate cortex might play an important role as a biological marker for the treatment effectiveness of atomoxetine. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4850-4864, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Antioxidative and melanogenesis-inhibitory activities of caffeoylquinic acids and other compounds from moxa.

    PubMed

    Akihisa, Toshihiro; Kawashima, Kohta; Orido, Masashi; Akazawa, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Ayako; Ogihara, Eri; Fukatsu, Makoto; Tokuda, Harukuni; Fuji, Jizaemon

    2013-03-01

    The MeOH extract of moxa, the processed leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP. (Asteraceae), exhibited potent 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity and melanogenesis-inhibitory activity in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16 melanoma cells. Eight caffeoylquinic acids, 1 and 6-12, five flavonoids, 13-17, two benzoic acid derivatives, 18 and 19, three coumarin derivatives, 20-22, four steroids, 23-26, and six triterpenoids, 27-32, were isolated from the MeOH extract. Upon evaluation of compounds 1, 6-23, and four semisynthetic caffeoylquinic acid esters, 2-5, for their DPPH radical-scavenging activity, 15 compounds, 1-13, 17, and 19, showed potent activities (IC(50) 3.1-16.8 μM). The 15 compounds exhibited, moreover, potent inhibitory activities (51.1-92.5% inhibition) against peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion at 10 μg/ml concentration. In addition, when 27 compounds, 1-8, 10, 12, 13, 15-18, 20-25, and 27-32, were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against melanogenesis in α-MSH-stimulated B16 melanoma cells, five caffeoylquinic acids, i.e., chlorogenic acid (1), ethyl chlorogenate (3), propyl chlorogenate (4), isopropyl chlorogenate (5), and butyl chlorogenate (6), along with homoorientin (17) and vanillic acid (18), exhibited inhibitory activities with 33-62% reduction of melanin content at 100 μM concentration with no or almost no toxicity to the cells (89-114% of cell viability at 100 μM). Western blot analysis showed that compound 6 reduced the protein levels of microphtalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosine-related protein 1 (TRP-1), and TRP-2 mostly in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that this compound inhibits melanogenesis on α-MSH-stimulated B16 melanoma cells by, at least in part, inhibiting the expression of MITF, followed by decreasing the expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. Furthermore, four compounds, 13, 15, 16, and 30, exhibited

  16. The development of inhibitory control in preschool children: effects of "executive skills" training.

    PubMed

    Dowsett, S M; Livesey, D J

    2000-03-01

    As one of several processes involved in the executive functioning of the cognitive system, inhibitory control plays a significant role in determining how various mental processes work together in the successful performance of a task. Studies of response inhibition have shown that although 3-year-old children have the cognitive capacity to learn the rules required for response control, indicated by the correct verbal response, developmental constraints prevent them from withholding the correct response (Bell & Livesey, 1985; Livesey & Morgan, 1991). Some argue that these abulic dissociations are relative to children's ability to reflect on the rules required for response control (Zelazo, Reznick, & Pinon, 1995). The current study showed that repeated exposure to tasks facilitating the acquisition of increasingly complex rule structures could improve inhibitory control (as measured by a go/no-go discrimination learning task), even in children aged 3 years. These tasks included a variant of Diamond and Boyer's (1989) modified version of the Wisconsin Card Sort Task and a simplification of the change paradigm (Logan & Burkell, 1986). It is argued that experience with these tasks increased the acquisition of complex rules by placing demands on executive processes. This includes response control and other executive functions, such as representational flexibility, the ability to maintain information in working memory, the selective control of attention, and proficiency at error correction. The role of experiential variables in the development of inhibitory control is discussed in terms of the interaction between neural development and appropriate executive task experience in the early years. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  17. Aldose reductase inhibitory compounds from Xanthium strumarium.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Ha Na; Lee, Min Young; Kim, Jin-Kyu; Suh, Hong-Won; Lim, Soon Sung

    2013-09-01

    As part of our ongoing search for natural sources of therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of components of the fruit of Xanthium strumarium (X. strumarium) on aldose reductase (AR) and galactitol formation in rat lenses with high levels of glucose. To identify the bioactive components of X. strumarium, 7 caffeoylquinic acids and 3 phenolic compounds were isolated and their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and comparison with published data. The abilities of 10 X. strumarium-derived components to counteract diabetic complications were investigated by means of inhibitory assays with rat lens AR (rAR) and recombinant human AR (rhAR). From the 10 isolated compounds, methyl-3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinate showed the most potent inhibition, with IC₅₀ values of 0.30 and 0.67 μM for rAR and rhAR, respectively. In the kinetic analyses using Lineweaver-Burk plots of 1/velocity and 1/substrate, methyl-3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinate showed competitive inhibition of rhAR. Furthermore, methyl-3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinate inhibited galactitol formation in the rat lens and in erythrocytes incubated with a high concentration of glucose, indicating that this compound may be effective in preventing diabetic complications.

  18. UV-B Radiation Induces Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor–Mediated Melanogenesis through Activation of Protease-Activated Receptor-2 and Stem Cell Factor in Keratinocytes

    PubMed Central

    Enomoto, Akiko; Yoshihisa, Yoko; Yamakoshi, Takako; Ur Rehman, Mati; Norisugi, Osamu; Hara, Hiroshi; Matsunaga, Kenji; Makino, Teruhiko; Nishihira, Jun; Shimizu, Tadamichi

    2011-01-01

    UV radiation indirectly regulates melanogenesis in melanocytes through a paracrine regulatory mechanism involving keratinocytes. Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 activation induces melanosome transfer by increasing phagocytosis of melanosomes by keratinocytes. This study demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) stimulated PAR-2 expression in human keratinocytes. In addition, we showed that MIF stimulated stem cell factor (SCF) release in keratinocytes; however, MIF had no effect on the release of endothelin-1 or prostaglandin E2 in keratinocytes. In addition, MIF had no direct effect on melanin and tyrosinase synthesis in cultured human melanocytes. The effect of MIF on melanogenesis was also examined using a three-dimensional reconstituted human epidermal culture model, which is a novel, commercially available, cultured human epidermis containing functional melanocytes. Migration inhibitory factor induced an increase in melanin content in the epidermis after a 9-day culture period. Moreover, melanin synthesis induced by UV-B stimulation was significantly down-regulated by anti-MIF antibody treatment. An in vivo study showed that the back skin of MIF transgenic mice had a higher melanin content than that of wild-type mice after 12 weeks of UV-B exposure. Therefore, MIF-mediated melanogenesis occurs mainly through the activation of PAR-2 and SCF expression in keratinocytes after exposure to UV-B radiation. PMID:21281800

  19. Short communication: Effect of casein haplotype on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory and antioxidant capacities of milk casein from Italian Holstein cows before and following in vitro digestion with gastrointestinal enzymes.

    PubMed

    Perna, Annamaria; Simonetti, Amalia; Gambacorta, Emilio

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of casein haplotype (αS1, β, and κ) on antioxidative and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory capacities of milk casein from Italian Holstein cows before and following in vitro digestion with gastrointestinal enzymes. The antioxidant capacity was measured using 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assays, whereas ACE inhibition was determined by ACE-inhibitory assay. The ACE-inhibitory and antioxidant capacities of milk casein increased during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Casein haplotype significantly influenced the antioxidative and ACE-inhibitory capacities of digested casein. In particular, BB-A(2)A(1)-AA casein and BB-A(1)A(1)-AA casein showed the highest ACE-inhibitory capacity, BB-A(2)A(2)-AA casein showed the highest antioxidant capacity, whereas BB-A(2)A(2)-BB casein showed the lowest biological capacity. To date, few studies have been done on the effect of casein haplotype on biological capacity of milk casein, thus the present study sets the basis for a new knowledge that could lead to the production of milk with better nutraceutical properties. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Restoration of miR-1305 relieves the inhibitory effect of nicotine on periodontal ligament-derived stem cell proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhuo; Liu, Hui-Li

    2017-04-01

    Nicotine hinders the regenerative potentials of human periodontal ligament-derived stem cells (PDLSCs) and delays the healing process of periodontal diseases, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. miR-1305 upregulation and its potential target RUNX2 downregulation exist in the PDLSCs exposed to nicotine. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether nicotine inhibits PDLSC proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation by increasing miR-1305 level and decreasing RUNX2 level. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays were performed to detect the expression levels of miR-1305 and RUNX2 in the PDLSCs exposed to nicotine, respectively. PDLSCs with miR-1305 overexpression, low expression, or RUNX2 overexpression were constructed by lipofectin transfection. MTT, migration, and Western blot assays were applied to assess the effect of miR-1305 on PDLSC proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation, respectively. Target prediction and luciferase reporter assays were performed to investigate the targets of miR-1305. Nicotine promoted miR-1305 expression and inhibited RUNX2 expression in PDLSCs. Cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation detection showed that nicotine suppressed proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs, and restoration of miR-1305 relieved the inhibitory effect of nicotine on PDLSCs. Moreover, we identified and validated that RUNX2 was a direct target of miR-1305, and upregulation of RUNX2 had similar effects with the downregulation of miR-1305 on relieving the inhibitory effect of nicotine on PDLSCs. Nicotine suppresses proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs, and restoration of miR-1305 relieves the inhibitory effect of nicotine on PDLSCs depending on its target RUNX2. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. SESN2/sestrin 2 induction-mediated autophagy and inhibitory effect of isorhapontigenin (ISO) on human bladder cancers.

    PubMed

    Liang, Yuguang; Zhu, Junlan; Huang, Haishan; Xiang, Daimin; Li, Yang; Zhang, Dongyun; Li, Jingxia; Wang, Yulei; Jin, Honglei; Jiang, Guosong; Liu, Zeyuan; Huang, Chuanshu

    2016-08-02

    Isorhapontigenin (ISO) is a new derivative of stilbene isolated from the Chinese herb Gnetum cleistostachyum. Our recent studies have revealed that ISO treatment at doses ranging from 20 to 80 μM triggers apoptosis in multiple human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we evaluated the potential effect of ISO on autophagy induction. We found that ISO treatment at sublethal doses induced autophagy effectively in human bladder cancer cells, which contributed to the inhibition of anchorage-independent growth of cancer cells. In addition, our studies revealed that ISO-mediated autophagy induction occurred in a SESN2 (sestrin 2)-dependent and BECN1 (Beclin 1, autophagy related)-independent manner. Furthermore, we identified that ISO treatment induced SESN2 expression via a MAPK8/JNK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 8)/JUN-dependent mechanism, in which ISO triggered MAPK8-dependent JUN activation and facilitated the binding of JUN to a consensus AP-1 binding site in the SESN2 promoter region, thereby led to a significant transcriptional induction of SESN2. Importantly, we found that SESN2 expression was dramatically downregulated or even lost in human bladder cancer tissues as compared to their paired adjacent normal tissues. Collectively, our results demonstrate that ISO treatment induces autophagy and inhibits bladder cancer growth through MAPK8-JUN-dependent transcriptional induction of SESN2, which provides a novel mechanistic insight into understanding the inhibitory effect of ISO on bladder cancers and suggests that ISO might act as a promising preventive and/or therapeutic drug against human bladder cancer.

  2. Pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of taraxacum officinale in vitro and in vivo

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jian; Kang, Min-Jung; Kim, Myung-Jin; Kim, Mi-Eun; Song, Ji-Hyun; Lee, Young-Min

    2008-01-01

    Obesity has become a worldwide health problem. Orlistat, an inhibitor of pancreatic lipase, is currently approved as an anti-obesity drug. However, gastrointestinal side effects caused by Orlistat may limit its use. In this study the inhibitory activities of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) against pancreatic lipase in vitro and in vivo were measured to determine its possible use as a natural anti-obesity agent. The inhibitory activities of the 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale and Orlistat were measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate (4-MU oleate) as a substrate at concentrations of 250, 125, 100, 25, 12.5 and 4 µg/ml. To determine pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity in vivo, mice (n=16) were orally administered with corn oil emulsion (5 ml/kg) alone or with the 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale (400 mg/kg) following an overnight fast. Plasma triglyceride levels were measured at 0, 90, 180, and 240 min after treatment and incremental areas under the response curves (AUC) were calculated. The 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale and Orlistat, inhibited, porcine pancreatic lipase activity by 86.3% and 95.7% at a concentration of 250 µg/ml, respectively. T. officinale extract showed dose-dependent inhibition with the IC50 of 78.2 µg/ml. A single oral dose of the extract significantly inhibited increases in plasma triglyceride levels at 90 and 180 min and reduced AUC of plasma triglyceride response curve (p<0.05). The results indicate that T. officinale exhibits inhibitory activities against pancreatic lipase in vitro and in vivo. Further studies to elucidate anti-obesity effects of chronic consumption of T. officinale and to identify the active components responsible for inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase are necessary. PMID:20016719

  3. Improving Inhibitory Control Abilities (ImpulsE)-A Promising Approach to Treat Impulsive Eating?

    PubMed

    Preuss, Hanna; Pinnow, Marlies; Schnicker, Katja; Legenbauer, Tanja

    2017-11-01

    Although there is preliminary evidence that inhibitory control training improves impulsive eating, less is known about the effects on eating behaviour and weight loss in clinical samples. Sixty-nine treatment-seeking adults with obesity (binge-eating disorder 33.3%; other specific feeding and eating disorders 40.6%) were randomly blockwise allocated to ImpulsE, an intervention to improve inhibitory control and emotion regulation abilities or a guideline-appropriate cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based treatment as usual. Self-reported and performance-based impulsivity, eating disorder pathology and BMI were compared at baseline (T1), post-treatment (T2) and 1- or 3-month follow-up. ImpulsE led to better food-specific inhibition performance (p = .004), but groups did not differ regarding improvements in global Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) score at T2. At 3-month follow-up, binge eaters benefited most from ImpulsE (p = .028) and completers of ImpulsE demonstrated a significantly greater weight reduction (p = .030). The current findings propose ImpulsE as a promising approach to treat obesity, illustrating acceptability and additional benefits for course of weight. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  4. Expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in footpad skin lesions with diabetic neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Up Noh, Sun; Lee, Won-Young; Kim, Won-Serk; Lee, Yong-Taek; Jae Yoon, Kyung

    2018-01-01

    Background Diabetic neuropathy originating in distal lower extremities is associated with pain early in the disease course, overwhelming in the feet. However, the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy remains unclear. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor has been implicated in the onset of neuropathic pain and the development of diabetes. Objective of this study was to observe pain syndromes elicited in the footpad of diabetic neuropathy rat model and to assess the contributory role of migration inhibitory factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. Methods Diabetic neuropathy was made in Sprague Dawley rats by streptozotocin. Pain threshold was evaluated using von Frey monofilaments for 24 weeks. On comparable experiment time after streptozotocin injection, all footpads were prepared for following procedures; glutathione assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling staining, immunohistochemistry staining, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. Additionally, human HaCaT skin keratinocytes were treated with methylglyoxal, transfected with migration inhibitory factor/control small interfering RNA, and prepared for real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Results As compared to sham group, pain threshold was significantly reduced in diabetic neuropathy group, and glutathione was decreased in footpad skin, simultaneously, cell death was increased. Over-expression of migration inhibitory factor, accompanied by low expression of glyoxalase-I and intraepidermal nerve fibers, was shown on the footpad skin lesions of diabetic neuropathy. But, there was no significance in expression of neurotransmitters and inflammatory mediators such as transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, mas-related G protein coupled receptor D, nuclear factor kappa B, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 between diabetic neuropathy group and sham group. Intriguingly

  5. The effect of propofol postconditioning on the expression of K(+)-Cl(-)-co-transporter 2 in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons of acute ischemia/reperfusion injury rats.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hongbai; Liu, Shuying; Wang, Haiyun; Wang, Guolin; Zhu, Ai

    2015-02-09

    It has been shown in our previous study that propofol postconditioning enhanced the activity of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and prevented the internalization of GluR2 subunit of α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, thus provided neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Regarding inhibitory system in CNS, K(+)-Cl(-)-co-transporter 2 (KCC2), a Cl(-) extruder, plays a critical role in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory effect in mature central neurons. However, the effect of propofol postconditioning on the expression of KCC2 in GABAergic interneurons is unclear. Therefore, in this article we describe the role of KCC2 in GABAergic interneurons in the ipsilateral hippocampal CA1 region of adult rats and the effects of propofol postconditioning on this region. Herein we demonstrate that propofol postconditioning (20mg/kg/h, 2h) improved rats' neurobehavioral abilities, increased the number of survival neurons, and up-regulated neuronal KCC2 expression in glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) expressing GABAergic interneurons in hippocampal CA1 region at 24h after I/R. In contrast, when rats were injected with the KCC2 antagonist, [(dihydroindenyl)oxy] alkanoic acid (DIOA), the neuroprotective effects induced by propofol postconditioning were reversed. Our study indicated that propofol postconditioning increased the expression of KCC2 in inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, thus providing acute neuroprotection to rats who had undergone cerebral I/R injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Proteolytic and ACE-inhibitory activities of probiotic yogurt containing non-viable bacteria as affected by different levels of fat, inulin and starter culture.

    PubMed

    Shakerian, Mansour; Razavi, Seyed Hadi; Ziai, Seyed Ali; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Yarmand, Mohammad Saeid; Moayedi, Ali

    2015-04-01

    In this study, the effects of fat (0.5 %, 3.2 % and 5.0 %), inulin (0.0 and 1.0 %) and starter culture (0.0 %, 0.5 %, 1.0 % and 1.5 %) on the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity of probiotic yogurt containing non-viable bacteria were assessed. Proteolytic activities of bacteria were also investigated. Yogurts were prepared either using a sole yogurt commercial culture including Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subs. bulgaricus or bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 and Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 in addition to yogurt culture. Relative degrees of proteolysis were found to be considerably higher in yogurt samples than UHT milk as the control. Both regular and probiotic yogurts showed considerable ACE-inhibitory activities. Results showed that degree of proteolysis was not influenced by different fat contents, while was increased by high concentration of starter culture (1.5 % w/w) and reduced by inulin (1 % w/w). ACE-inhibitory activities of yogurt were also negatively affected by the presence of inulin and high levels of fat (5 % w/w). Moreover, yogurt containing probiotic bacteria showed higher inhibitory against ACE in comparison to the yogurt prepared with non-probiotic strains.

  7. A comparison inhibitory effects of cisplatin and MNPs-PEG-cisplatin on the adhesion capacity of bone metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Mokhtari, Mohammad Javad; Koohpeima, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Hadi

    2017-10-01

    To date, high mortality in women due to malignancy breast cancer related to the metastasis to the bone is a significant challenge. As, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) conjugated with the biocompatible polymers was employed for the delivery of some hydrophobic anticancer agents, the main aim of the current research was to assess whether cisplatin-loaded MNPs enhanced the anticancer effect of free cisplatin in breast cancer cells. MNPs decorated with PEG were synthesized by an improved coprecipitation technique, and then cisplatin was loaded onto the MNPs via a simple mixing method. Afterward, its morphology, size, chemical structure, magnetic property, hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, and crystal structure were characterized by scanning and transmittance electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, dynamic light scattering, and X-ray powder diffraction and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy respectively. Additionally, the effects of cisplatin and MNPs-PEG-cisplatin on viability, migration and adhesion capacity of T47D cells were investigated by evaluating α2-integrin and β1-integrin; mRNAs were assessed by real-time RT-PCR. Consequently, the in vitro assay results showed a considerable dose-dependent inhibitory effect of cisplatin and MNPs-PEG-cisplatin on proliferation, migration, and adhesion of T47D cells. Finally, current research was shown that MNPs-PEG-cisplatin strongly increased anticancer effects compared with free cisplatin in the T47D cell line. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  8. Ferrocene tripeptide Gly-Pro-Arg conjugates: synthesis and inhibitory effects on Alzheimer's Aβ(1-42) fibrillogenesis and Aβ-induced cytotoxicity in vitro.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Binbin; Li, Chun-Lan; Hao, Yuan-Qiang; Johnny, Muya Chabu; Liu, You-Nian; Li, Juan

    2013-01-15

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and currently there is no clinical treatment to cure it or to halt its progression. Aggregation and fibril formation of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) are central events in the pathogenesis of AD. Many efforts have been spent on the development of effective inhibitors to prevent Aβ fibrillogenesis and cause disaggregation of preformed Aβ fibrils. In this study, the conjugates of ferrocene and Gly-Pro-Arg (GPR) tripeptide, Boc-Gly-Pro-Arg(NO(2))-Fca-OMe (4, GPR-Fca) and Fc-Gly-Pro-Arg-OMe (7, Fc-GPR) (Fc: ferrocene; Fca: ferrocene amino acid) were synthesized by HOBT/HBTU protocol in solution. These ferrocene GPR conjugates were employed to inhibit Aβ(1-42) fibrillogenesis and to disaggregate preformed Aβ fibrils. The inhibitory properties of ferrocene GPR conjugates on Aβ(1-42) fibrillogenesis were evaluated by thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay, and confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. The interaction between the ferrocene GPR conjugates and Aβ(1-42) was monitored by electrochemical means. Our results showed that both GPR and GPR-Fca can significantly inhibit the fibril formation of Aβ(1-42), and cause disaggregation of the preformed fibrils. As expected, GPR-Fca shows stronger inhibitory effect on Aβ(1-42) fibrillogenesis than that of its parent peptide GPR. In contrast, Fc-GPR shows no inhibitory effect on fibrillogenesis of Aβ(1-42). Furthermore, GPR-Fca demonstrates significantly protection against Aβ-induced cytotoxicity and exhibits high resistance to proteolysis and good lipophilicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. In vitro inhibitory effects of plant-based foods and their combinations on intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase.

    PubMed

    Adisakwattana, Sirichai; Ruengsamran, Thanyachanok; Kampa, Patcharaporn; Sompong, Weerachat

    2012-07-31

    Plant-based foods have been used in traditional health systems to treat diabetes mellitus. The successful prevention of the onset of diabetes consists in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia by the inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase activities, resulting in aggressive delay of carbohydrate digestion to absorbable monosaccharide. In this study, five plant-based foods were investigated for intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase. The combined inhibitory effects of plant-based foods were also evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of plant-based foods was performed in order to determine the total phenolic and flavonoid content. The dried plants of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle), Chrysanthemum indicum (chrysanthemum), Morus alba (mulberry), Aegle marmelos (bael), and Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea) were extracted with distilled water and dried using spray drying process. The dried extracts were determined for the total phenolic and flavonoid content by using Folin-Ciocateu's reagent and AlCl3 assay, respectively. The dried extract of plant-based food was further quantified with respect to intestinal α-glucosidase (maltase and sucrase) inhibition and pancreatic α-amylase inhibition by glucose oxidase method and dinitrosalicylic (DNS) reagent, respectively. The phytochemical analysis revealed that the total phenolic content of the dried extracts were in the range of 230.3-460.0 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dried extract. The dried extracts contained flavonoid in the range of 50.3-114.8 mg quercetin equivalent/g dried extract. It was noted that the IC50 values of chrysanthemum, mulberry and butterfly pea extracts were 4.24±0.12 mg/ml, 0.59±0.06 mg/ml, and 3.15±0.19 mg/ml, respectively. In addition, the IC50 values of chrysanthemum, mulberry and butterfly pea extracts against intestinal sucrase were 3.85±0.41 mg/ml, 0.94±0.11 mg/ml, and 4.41±0.15 mg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the IC50 values of roselle and butterfly pea

  10. In vitro inhibitory effects of plant-based foods and their combinations on intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Plant-based foods have been used in traditional health systems to treat diabetes mellitus. The successful prevention of the onset of diabetes consists in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia by the inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase activities, resulting in aggressive delay of carbohydrate digestion to absorbable monosaccharide. In this study, five plant-based foods were investigated for intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase. The combined inhibitory effects of plant-based foods were also evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of plant-based foods was performed in order to determine the total phenolic and flavonoid content. Methods The dried plants of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle), Chrysanthemum indicum (chrysanthemum), Morus alba (mulberry), Aegle marmelos (bael), and Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea) were extracted with distilled water and dried using spray drying process. The dried extracts were determined for the total phenolic and flavonoid content by using Folin-Ciocateu’s reagent and AlCl3 assay, respectively. The dried extract of plant-based food was further quantified with respect to intestinal α-glucosidase (maltase and sucrase) inhibition and pancreatic α-amylase inhibition by glucose oxidase method and dinitrosalicylic (DNS) reagent, respectively. Results The phytochemical analysis revealed that the total phenolic content of the dried extracts were in the range of 230.3-460.0 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dried extract. The dried extracts contained flavonoid in the range of 50.3-114.8 mg quercetin equivalent/g dried extract. It was noted that the IC50 values of chrysanthemum, mulberry and butterfly pea extracts were 4.24±0.12 mg/ml, 0.59±0.06 mg/ml, and 3.15±0.19 mg/ml, respectively. In addition, the IC50 values of chrysanthemum, mulberry and butterfly pea extracts against intestinal sucrase were 3.85±0.41 mg/ml, 0.94±0.11 mg/ml, and 4.41±0.15 mg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the IC50 values

  11. Inhibitory effect of peptide Epitalon on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats.

    PubMed

    Anisimov, Vladimir N; Khavinson, Vladimir Kh; Popovich, I G; Zabezhinski, Mark A

    2002-09-08

    The effect of synthetic pineal peptide Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) on colon carcinogenesis was firstly studied in rats. Eighty 2-month-old outbred male LIO rats were subdivided into four groups and were weekly exposed to five subcutaneous injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) at a single dose of 21 mg/kg body weight. Additionally, 5 days a week, some of the rats were given subcutaneous injections of saline at a dose of 0.1 ml during the whole experiment (group 1, control) or Epitalon at a single dose of 1 microg during the whole experiment (group 2), Epitalon after termination of carcinogen injections (group 3) or during the period of DMH exposure (group 4). Colon carcinomas developed in 90-100% of DMH-treated rats. The number of total colon tumors per rat was 4.1; 2.7; 3.7; 2.9 in groups 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively (the difference in groups 2 and 4 compared with group 1 is significant). In rats from group 2, colon tumors were smaller than in control animals. In group 2, the incidence, as well the multiplicity of tumors in ascending and descending colon, were significantly decreased in comparison with group 1. In group 4, the mean number of tumors per rat was significantly decreased, too. A trend to decrease the number of tumors in the rectum in rats from groups 2, 3 and 4, treated with Epitalon was found. Epitalon inhibited also the development of tumors in jejunum and ileum. Thus, our results demonstrated an inhibitory effect of Epitalon on chemically induced bowel carcinogenesis in rats.

  12. A Rapid Screen for Host-Encoded miRNAs with Inhibitory Effects against Ebola Virus Using a Transcription- and Replication-Competent Virus-Like Particle System.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhongyi; Li, Jiaming; Fu, Yingying; Zhao, Zongzheng; Zhang, Chunmao; Li, Nan; Li, Jingjing; Cheng, Hongliang; Jin, Xiaojun; Lu, Bing; Guo, Zhendong; Qian, Jun; Liu, Linna

    2018-05-16

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may become efficient antiviral agents against the Ebola virus (EBOV) targeting viral genomic RNAs or transcripts. We previously conducted a genome-wide search for differentially expressed miRNAs during viral replication and transcription. In this study, we established a rapid screen for miRNAs with inhibitory effects against EBOV using a tetracistronic transcription- and replication-competent virus-like particle (trVLP) system. This system uses a minigenome comprising an EBOV leader region, luciferase reporter, VP40, GP, VP24, EBOV trailer region, and three noncoding regions from the EBOV genome and can be used to model the life cycle of EBOV under biosafety level (BSL) 2 conditions. Informatic analysis was performed to select up-regulated miRNAs targeting the coding regions of the minigenome with the highest binding energy to perform inhibitory effect screening. Among these miRNAs, miR-150-3p had the most significant inhibitory effect. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot, and double fluorescence reporter experiments demonstrated that miR-150-3p inhibited the reproduction of trVLPs via the regulation of GP and VP40 expression by directly targeting the coding regions of GP and VP40. This novel, rapid, and convenient screening method will efficiently facilitate the exploration of miRNAs against EBOV under BSL-2 conditions.

  13. Sub-inhibitory tigecycline concentrations induce extracellular matrix binding protein Embp dependent Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation and immune evasion.

    PubMed

    Weiser, Julian; Henke, Hanae A; Hector, Nina; Both, Anna; Christner, Martin; Büttner, Henning; Kaplan, Jeffery B; Rohde, Holger

    2016-09-01

    Biofilm-associated Staphylococcus epidermidis implant infections are notoriously reluctant to antibiotic treatment. Here we studied the effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of penicillin, oxacillin, vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid and tigecycline on S. epidermidis 1585 biofilm formation, expression of extracellular matrix binding protein (Embp) and potential implications for S. epidermidis - macrophage interactions. Penicillin, vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid had no biofilm augmenting effect at any of the concentrations tested. In contrast, at sub-inhibitory concentrations tigecycline and oxacillin exhibited significant biofilm inducing activity. In S. epidermidis 1585, SarA is a negative regulator of giant 1 MDa Embp, and down regulation of sarA induces Embp-dependent assembly of a multi-layered biofilm architecture. Dot blot immune assays, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and qPCR showed that under biofilm inducing conditions, tigecycline augmented embp expression compared to the control grown without antibiotics. Conversely, expression of regulator sarA was suppressed, suggesting that tigecycline exerts its effects on embp expression through SarA. Tigecycline failed to induce biofilm formation in embp transposon mutant 1585-M135, proving that under these conditions Embp up-regulation is necessary for biofilm accumulation. As a functional consequence, tigecycline induced biofilm formation significantly impaired the up-take of S. epidermidis by mouse macrophage-like cell line J774A.1. Our data provide novel evidence for the molecular basis of antibiotic induced biofilm formation, a phenotype associated with inherently increased antimicrobial tolerance. While this could explain failure of antimicrobial therapies, persistence of S. epidermidis infections in the presence of sub-inhibitory antimicrobials is additionally propelled by biofilm-related impairment of macrophage-mediated pathogen eradication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights

  14. An inhibitory role for noradrenaline in the mouse vas deferens

    PubMed Central

    Jenkins, D.A.; Marshall, I.; Nasmyth, P.A.

    1977-01-01

    1 Noradrenaline (0.1-3.0 μM) inhibited the twitch responses to single pulse field stimulation of the isolated vas deferens of the mouse. The higher concentrations of noradrenaline (ca. 0.3-3.0 μM) were required to make the tissue contract. 2 Phentolamine (10 μM) abolished the contractor response to higher concentrations of noradrenaline and antagonized the inhibitory effect of lower concentrations on the twitch response. 3 Propranolol (10 μM) potentiated both the contractor and the inhibitory effect of noradrenaline on the twitch response. 4 Isoprenaline (0.1-3.0 μM) and salbutamol (1.0-3.0 μM) both inhibited the twitch response. Their effects were antagonized by propranolol (10 μM), but not by practolol (10 μM). 5 The effects of uptake1 and uptake2 blocking agents were determined. Cocaine (10 μM) reduced the size of the twitch response in 2 out of 4 experiments. Imipramine (0.18 μM) also reduced the size of the twitch, as did oestradiol (3.7 μM) and a combination of cocaine and oestradiol. 6 Contractor responses to exogenous noradrenaline showed tachyphylaxis, but when this was not very marked, the response could be shown to be potentiated by uptake blocking agents. 7 The inhibitory effect of noradrenaline on the twitch response was greatly potentiated by cocaine (10 μM) and much less so by oestradiol (3.7 μM). 8 It is concluded that the transmitter responsible for the twitch response is either an unknown substance released from the sympathetic neurone, or noradrenaline acting upon a receptor with none of the characteristics of known α- or β-adrenoceptors. In either case, noradrenaline can inhibit the output, probably by stimulation of presynaptic α-adrenoceptors. PMID:202361

  15. A meta-analysis of inhibitory-control deficits in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia.

    PubMed

    Kaiser, Anna; Kuhlmann, Beatrice G; Bosnjak, Michael

    2018-05-10

    The authors conducted meta-analyses to determine the magnitude of performance impairments in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) compared with healthy aging (HA) controls on eight tasks commonly used to measure inhibitory control. Response time (RT) and error rates from a total of 64 studies were analyzed with random-effects models (overall effects) and mixed-effects models (moderator analyses). Large differences between AD patients and HA controls emerged in the basic inhibition conditions of many of the tasks with AD patients often performing slower, overall d = 1.17, 95% CI [0.88-1.45], and making more errors, d = 0.83 [0.63-1.03]. However, comparably large differences were also present in performance on many of the baseline control-conditions, d = 1.01 [0.83-1.19] for RTs and d = 0.44 [0.19-0.69] for error rates. A standardized derived inhibition score (i.e., control-condition score - inhibition-condition score) suggested no significant mean group difference for RTs, d = -0.07 [-0.22-0.08], and only a small difference for errors, d = 0.24 [-0.12-0.60]. Effects systematically varied across tasks and with AD severity. Although the error rate results suggest a specific deterioration of inhibitory-control abilities in AD, further processes beyond inhibitory control (e.g., a general reduction in processing speed and other, task-specific attentional processes) appear to contribute to AD patients' performance deficits observed on a variety of inhibitory-control tasks. Nonetheless, the inhibition conditions of many of these tasks well discriminate between AD patients and HA controls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. Inhibitory effect of streptococci on the growth of M. catarrhalis strains and the diversity of putative bacteriocin-like gene loci in the genomes of S. pneumoniae and its relatives.

    PubMed

    Ikryannikova, L N; Malakhova, M V; Lominadze, G G; Karpova, I Yu; Kostryukova, E S; Mayansky, N A; Kruglov, A N; Klimova, E A; Lisitsina, E S; Ilina, E N; Govorun, V M

    2017-12-13

    S. pneumoniae is a facultative human pathogen causing a wide range of infections including the life-threatening pneumoniae or meningitis. It colonizes nasopharynx as well as its closest phylogenetic relatives S. pseudopneumoniae and S. mitis. Both the latter, despite the considerable morphological and phenotypic similarity with the pneumococcus, are considerably less pathogenic for humans and cause infections mainly in the immunocompromized hosts. In this work, we compared the inhibitory effect of S. pneumoniae and its relatives on the growth of Moraxella catarrhalis strains using the culture-based antagonistic test. We observed that the inhibitory effect of S. mitis strains is kept when a hydrogen peroxide produced by cells is inactivated by catalase, and even when the live cells are killed in chloroform vapors, in contrast to the pneumococcus whose inhibiting ability disappeared when the cells die. It was suggested that this effect may be due to the production of bacterial antimicrobial peptides by S. mitis, so we examined the genomes of our strains for the presence of bacteriocin-like peptides encoding genes. We observed that a set of bacteriocin-like genes in the genome of S. mitis is greatly poorer in comparison with S. pneumoniae one; moreover, in one S. mitis strain we found no bacteriocin-like genes. It could mean that there are probably some additional opportunities of S. mitis to inhibit the growth of competing neighbors which are still have to be discovered.

  17. Proanthocyanidin-containing polyphenol extracts from fruits prevent the inhibitory effect of hydrogen sulfide on human colonocyte oxygen consumption.

    PubMed

    Andriamihaja, Mireille; Lan, Annaïg; Beaumont, Martin; Grauso, Marta; Gotteland, Martin; Pastene, Edgar; Cires, Maria Jose; Carrasco-Pozo, Catalina; Tomé, Daniel; Blachier, François

    2018-06-01

    Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a metabolic end product synthesized by the microbiota from L-cysteine, has been shown to act at low micromolar concentration as a mineral oxidative substrate in colonocytes while acting as an inhibitor of oxygen consumption at higher luminal concentrations (65 µM and above). From the previous works showing that polyphenols can bind volatile sulfur compounds, we hypothesized that different dietary proanthocyanidin-containing polyphenol (PACs) plant extracts might modulate the inhibitory effect of H 2 S on colonocyte respiration. Using the model of human HT-29 Glc-/+ cell colonocytes, we show here that pre-incubation of 65 µM of the H 2 S donor NaHS with the different polyphenol extracts markedly reduced the inhibitory effect of NaHS on colonocyte oxygen consumption. Our studies on HT-29 Glc-/+ cell respiration performed in the absence or the presence of PACs reveal rapid binding of H 2 S with the sulfide-oxidizing unit and slower binding of H 2 S to the cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV of the respiratory chain). Despite acute inhibition of colonocyte respiration, no measurable effect of NaHS on paracellular permeability was recorded after 24 h treatment using the Caco-2 colonocyte monolayer model. The results are discussed in the context of the binding of excessive bacterial metabolites by unabsorbed dietary compounds and of the capacity of colonocytes to adapt to changing luminal environment.

  18. Phytochemical composition, protective and therapeutic effect on gastric ulcer and α-amylase inhibitory activity of Achillea biebersteinii Afan.

    PubMed

    Abd-Alla, Howaida I; Shalaby, Nagwa M M; Hamed, Manal A; El-Rigal, Nagy Saba; Al-Ghamdi, Samira N; Bouajila, Jalloul

    2016-01-01

    Three sesquiterpene lactones [two germacranolides (micranthin and sintenin) and one guaianolide (4β,10α-dihydroxy-5β,7β,8βH-guaia-1,11(13)dien-12,8α-olide)] and four derivatives of 3-methoxy flavones (santin, quercetagetin-3,6,3'-trimethyl ether, quercetagetin-3,6-dimethyl ether, and 5,7 dihydroxy 3,3',4'-trimethoxy flavone) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract (EAE) of the aerial parts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. (Asteraceae). Evaluation of protective and therapeutic effects of EAE against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats was carried. Antiulcer activity evaluation was done through measuring ulcer indices, stomach acidity, gastric volume and lesion counts. Oxidative stress markers; malondialdehyde, glutathione and superoxide dismutase were also estimated. The work was extended to determine the histopathological assessment of the stomach. Gastric ulcer exhibited a significant elevation of the ulcer index and oxidative stress markers. The extract attenuated these increments and recorded protective and therapeutic effects against gastric ulcer. Hyperglycaemia increases the mucosal susceptibility to ulcerogenic stimuli and predisposes gastric ulceration. In vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay was applied to evaluate the post prandial antihyperglycaemia activity. The result showing that the EAE has the ability to reduce starch-induced postprandial glycaemic excursions by virtue of potent intestinal α-amylase inhibitory activity. These findings demonstrated the remarkable potential of A. biebersteinii as valuable source of antiulcer agent with post prandial hyperglycaemia lowering effect.

  19. Inhibitory effect of linalool-rich essential oil from Lippia alba on the peptidase and keratinase activities of dermatophytes.

    PubMed

    Costa, Danielle Cristina Machado; Vermelho, Alane Beatriz; Almeida, Catia Amancio; de Souza Dias, Edilma Paraguai; Cedrola, Sabrina Martins Lage; Arrigoni-Blank, Maria de Fátima; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald; Alviano, Celuta Sales; Alviano, Daniela Sales

    2014-02-01

    Abstract Lippia alba (Miller) N.E. Brown is an aromatic plant known locally as "Erva-cidreira-do-campo" that has great importance in Brazilian folk medicine. The aim of our study was to evaluate the antidermatophytic potential of linalool-rich essential oil (EO) from L. alba and analyze the ability of this EO to inhibit peptidase and keratinase activities, which are important virulence factors in dermatophytes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of L. alba EO were 39, 156 and 312 µg/mL against Trichophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum gypseum, respectively. To evaluate the influence of L. alba EO on the proteolytic and keratinolytic activities of these dermatophytes, specific inhibitory assays were performed. The results indicated that linalool-rich EO from L. alba inhibited the activity of proteases and keratinases secreted from dermatophytes, and this inhibition could be a possible mechanism of action against dermatophytes. Due to the effective antidermatophytic activity of L. alba EO, further experiments should be performed to explore the potential of this linalool-rich EO as an alternative antifungal therapy.

  20. The Role of Endocannabinoid Signaling in Cortical Inhibitory Neuron Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

    PubMed Central

    Volk, David W.; Lewis, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Cannabis use has been reported to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and to worsen symptoms of the illness. Both of these outcomes might be attributable to the disruption by cannabis of the endogenous cannabinoid system's spatiotemporal regulation of the inhibitory circuitry in the prefrontal cortex that is essential for core cognitive processes, such as working memory, which are impaired in schizophrenia. In the healthy brain, the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG) is 1) synthesized by diacylglycerol lipase in pyramidal neurons; 2) travels retrogradely to nearby inhibitory axon terminals that express the primary cannabinoid receptor CB1R; 3) binds to CB1R which inhibits GABA release from the cholecystokinin-containing population of interneurons; and 4) is metabolized by either monoglyceride lipase, which is located in the inhibitory axon terminal, or by α-β-hydrolase domain 6, which is co-localized presynaptically with diacylglycerol lipase. Investigations of the endogenous cannabinoid system in the prefrontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia have found evidence of higher metabolism of 2-AG, as well as both greater CB1R receptor binding and lower levels of CB1R mRNA and protein. Current views on the potential pathogenesis of these alterations, including disturbances in the development of the endogenous cannabinoid system, are discussed. In addition, how interactions between these alterations in the endocannabinoid system and those in other inhibitory neurons in the prefrontal cortex in subjects with schizophrenia might increase the liability to adverse outcomes with cannabis use is considered. PMID:26210060