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We had observed in our previous study that the active fucoidan (JHCF4), isolated from the crude fucoidan in acid-processed Hizikia fusiforme , possessed an anticancer effect. In this study, the antioxidant effect of JHCF4 was evaluated. Among the fractions, JHCF4 showed the highest scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), alkyl, and hydroxyl radicals, as well as protective effect against reactive oxygen species (ROS) in 2, 2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-treated Vero cells. Furthermore, JHCF4 showed a protective activity against AAPH-induced apoptosis, as observed by nuclear staining with Hoechst 33342. Our results showed that JHCF4 can up-regulate Bcl-xL, down-regulate Bax and cleave caspase-3 with increased concentrations in AAPH-induced Vero cells. JHCF4 induced anti-apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated pathway. Additionally, JHCF4 was selected for further in vivo screening in a zebrafish model, which markedly decreased ROS generation and lipid peroxidation. Thus, JHCF4 showed a potential protective activity against AAPH-induced ROS both in vitro and in the zebrafish model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the antiproliferative effects of fucoidan from three regional hijiki (Hizikia fusiforme) samples (Zhejiang-China, Jeju-Korea [JH], and Wando-Korea) in East Asia. Hijiki was processed using 1% citric acid to decrease heavy metal content. The JH sample was separated using diethylaminoethyl-cellulose-ion exchange chromatography to obtain four active fractions (JHCF1-JHCF4) and their monosaccharide composition was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography. The structure of the crude polysaccharides and four fucoidan fractions was analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. JHCF4 showed the highest fucose and sulfate content and decreased Hep3B cell growth in 48 h with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 33.53 ± 2.50 μg/ml, which represented the strongest anticancer activity. Further, nuclear staining with Hoechst 33342 and acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining demonstrated that the anticancer activity of JHCF4 was mediated by apoptosis. Moreover, JHCF4 down-regulated B-cell lymphoma extra-large, while up-regulating Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-3, and apoptotic bodies to different degrees in Hep3B cells. JHCF4 induced apoptosis via the generation of reactive oxygen species along with the concurrent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating the potential role of the mitochondria-mediated pathway. Therefore, these results indicate that JHCF4 exhibited antiproliferative effects on the investigated cancer cell lines. • Three regional Hizikia fusiforme samples were processed using 1% citric acid to decrease the heavy metal content. • Fraction 4 showed the highest fucose and sulfate content and represented the strongest anticancer activity. • Evidence that fraction 4 induced apoptosis via the mitochondria-mediated pathway was found in Hep3B cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treacher Collins syndrome-3 (TCS-3) is a rare congenital craniofacial disorder attributed to variants in the RNA pol I subunit C (POLR1C). The pathogenesis of TCS-3 linked to polr1c involves the activation of apoptosis-dependent p53 pathways within neural crest cells (NCCs). This occurs due to disruptions in ribosome biogenesis, and the restoration of polr1c expression in early embryogenesis effectively rescues the observed craniofacial phenotype in polr1c -deficient zebrafish. Clinical variability in TCS patients suggests interactions between genes and factors like oxidative stress. Elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in epithelial cells may worsen phenotypic outcomes in TCS individuals. Our study confirmed excessive ROS production in facial regions, inducing apoptosis and altering p53 pathways. Deregulated cell-cycle and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes were also detected in the TCS-3 model. Utilizing p53 inhibitor (Pifithrin-α; PFT-α) or antioxidants (Glutathione; GSH and N-Acetyl-L-cysteine; NAC) effectively corrected migrated NCC distribution in the pharyngeal arch (PA), suppressed oxidative stress, prevented cell death, and modulated EMT inducers. Crucially, inhibiting p53 activation or applying antioxidants within a specific time window, notably within 30 h post-fertilization (hpf), successfully reversed phenotypic effects induced by polr1c MO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treacher Collins syndrome-3 (TCS-3) is a rare congenital craniofacial disorder attributed to variants in the RNA pol I subunit C (POLR1C). The pathogenesis of TCS-3 linked to polr1c involves the activation of apoptosis-dependent p53 pathways within neural crest cells (NCCs). This occurs due to disruptions in ribosome biogenesis, and the restoration of polr1c expression in early embryogenesis effectively rescues the observed craniofacial phenotype in polr1c -deficient zebrafish. Clinical variability in TCS patients suggests interactions between genes and factors like oxidative stress. Elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in epithelial cells may worsen phenotypic outcomes in TCS individuals. Our study confirmed excessive ROS production in facial regions, inducing apoptosis and altering p53 pathways. Deregulated cell-cycle and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes were also detected in the TCS-3 model. Utilizing p53 inhibitor (Pifithrin-α; PFT-α) or antioxidants (Glutathione; GSH and N-Acetyl-L-cysteine; NAC) effectively corrected migrated NCC distribution in the pharyngeal arch (PA), suppressed oxidative stress, prevented cell death, and modulated EMT inducers. Crucially, inhibiting p53 activation or applying antioxidants within a specific time window, notably within 30 h post-fertilization (hpf), successfully reversed phenotypic effects induced by polr1c MO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysialic acid (PSA) and hyaluronan (HA) are non-immunogenic and biodegradable natural polysaccharides, but HA belongs to glycosaminoglycans and can be immediately degraded by human enzymes. In this study, we synthesized a novel PSA-HA draft copolymer to improve HA stability in vivo. This draft copolymer was characterized by SEM, element analysis and Zeta potential. Cytotoxicity assays, as well as pyrogen and hemolysis tests, were also conducted to test its biological functions further. Results showed that PSA-HA draft copolymer satisfies the medical requirement for biomaterials. In vivo degradation test proved that this copolymer can reduce the irritation rate and prolong the duration of cross-linked HA in skin. These results indicated that PSA-HA draft copolymer can be potentially used as an alternative for free HA in dermal filler (dual-phase cross-linked HA system). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curdlan is a neutral, water-insoluble, unbranched, linear β-(1,3)-glucan. This study explored the roles of exoR and exoX in curdlan biosynthesis in Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749. The microcapsule biosynthesis of Δ exoR strain was reduced, and the motility of this strain increased remarkably compared with the wild-type (WT) strain during the cell growth phase. The curdlan yields of Δ exoR and Δ exoX strains enhanced by 19% and 17%, and the glucose utilization increased by 12% and 11%, respectively, compared with the WT strain during batch fermentation. By contrast, the curdlan yields of exoR and exoX overexpression strains decreased by 28% and 33%, respectively. The gel strength produced by Δ exoR and exoX overexpression strains decreased compared with the WT strain. RT-qPCR analysis at the transcriptional level revealed that key genes in exopolysaccharide synthesis and central metabolic pathways were up-regulated in Δ exoX and Δ exoR strains during gel production. Metabolomics analysis of Δ exoR and Δ exoX mutants proved the rates of central metabolic and electron transport chain were accelerated. • Knockout of the exoR and exoX of Agrobacterium sp. improved curdlan yields. • Morphological analysis revealed the effects on microcapsule and motility. • RT-qPCR and metabolomics analyses revealed the differential mechanism. • exoR and exoX affected the curdlan synthesis via the glucose metabolism and ETC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of curdlan oligosaccharides, a multifunctional and valuable carbohydrate, by hydrolyzing polysaccharides is of great interest. The endo -β-1,3-glucanase derived from Trichoderma harzianum was expressed in Pichia pastoris with three commonly used promoters (AOX1, GAP and FLD1). The purified recombinant endo-β-1,3-glucanase expressed by Pichia pastoris with GAP promoter displayed high specific activity at pH 5.5 and 50 °C. Thereafter, a co-culture system of Pichia pastoris GS115 (GAP promoter) and Agrobacterium sp. was constructed in which Agrobacterium sp.-metabolized curdlan can be directly hydrolyzed by Pichia pastoris -secreted endo -β-1,3-glucanase to produce functional curdlan oligosaccharides. The co-culture conditions were optimized and the process was carried out in a 7-L bioreactor. The maximum yield of curdlan oligosaccharides reached 18.77 g/L with 3–10 degrees of polymerization. This study presents a novel and easy curdlan oligosaccharide production strategy that can replace traditional sophisticated production procedures and could potentially be implemented for production of other oligosaccharides. • Endo-β-1,3-glucanase (BGN) was expressed in P. pastoris with three promoters. • A co-culture system of P. pastoris with GAP and Agrobacterium sp. was established. • Multifunctional curdlan oligosaccharides were directly produced by the co-culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcodon aspratus , a popular edible fungus for its tasty flavour and can be used as a dietary supplement for its functional substances. Our study is conducted to evaluate the protective effect of Sarcodon aspratus polysaccharides (SAFP) on oxidative stress damage and pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and further explore the signaling pathways in vitro and in vivo. Results indicated that SAFP could enhance the A549 cells viability, prevent cell apoptosis and inhibit H 2 O 2 induced oxidative damage via attenuation of MDA and ROS levels. SAFP could also activate Nrf2 by inducing the translocation of Nrf2 from cytoplasm to nucleus as well as the level of HO-1. Pretreatment with SAFP could reduce bleomycin-induced pathological changes and collagen deposition in mice. Furthermore, SAFP could significantly upregulate antioxidase activities and downregulate fibrosis-associated indices including marker proteins, proinflammatory cytokines and profibrogenic cytokines. These findings indicated that SAFP could effectively attenuate H 2 O 2 -induced cellular oxidative stress through Nrf2/MAPK signaling pathway and delay progression of PF by reducing oxidative damage and inflammation through NF-κB/TGF-β1/MAPK pathway. Therefore, SAFP could be explored as a natural potential candidate drug for pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrosis-related diseases. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a complication of diabetes mellitus, has been the leading cause of death in people with chronic kidney disease. This study was conducted to examine the potential health benefits of Cordyceps cicadae polysaccharides (CCP) on kidney injury and renal interstitial fibrosis that occur in DN rats. First, a DN model was established using SD rats fed with a high-fat diet for 8 weeks, then injected with STZ (35 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. The rats were then supplemented with CCP (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. The results indicated that CCP improve insulin resistance and glucose tolerance in DN rats. Furthermore, CCP intervention significantly suppressed the inflammation, renal pathological changes and renal dysfunction, slowing down the progression of renal interstitial fibrosis. Moreover, high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA suggested that CCP modulated the dysbiosis of gut microbiota by enhancing the relative abundance and proliferation capacity of probiotics. In vitro, CCP can markedly decrease LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine levels and TGF-β1-induced fibroblast activation. In summary, the results provided evidence that CCP exerted a beneficial effect on tubulointerstitial fibrosis in DN rats by possibly suppressing the inflammatory response and modulating gut microbiota dysbiosis, via blocking the TLR4/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new green hydrogel has been synthesized by crosslinking lignosulfonate (L), sodium alginate (SA) and konjaku flour (KJ). We have optimized the ratio of the three synthesized polymers using an orthogonal design of experiments and characterized this hydrogel using SEM, BET and FTIR spectra. We have added the hydrogel into soil and investigated its degradability in soil and its influence on chemical and physical properties of soil, such as maximum water holding capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water retention curve and nutrient retention and evaluated its performance when applied in drought stress tests on tobacco plants. The results show that the maximum water absorption of optimized L/KJ/SA is 41.23 g/g. Adding the L/KJ/SA hydrogel to soil reduces saturated hydraulic conductivity, increases available water capacity of soil and reduces leaching of soil nutrient. The L/KJ/SA hydrogel can improve the photosynthetic capability of tobacco plants under drought stress and the levels of osmotic regulators such as proline and reducing sugar, and could prolong the growth time of tobacco plants up to 14 days, which significantly increases its mass harvest. The L/KJ/SA hydrogel also has good degradability, which can degrade 20% when buried in soil for 120 days. • A new green hydrogel is synthesized by crosslinking sodium lignosulfonate and sodium alginate. • The physical structure of the hydrogel is characterized by SEM, BET and FITR. • The hydrogel degrades by 20% after being buried in soil for 120 days. • The hydrogel increases soil available water content and reduces soil nutrient leaching loss. • The hydrogel extends tobacco growth time for 9-14 days under extreme drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accumulate in tumor-bearing hosts and play a major role in tumor-induced immunosuppression. The potent modulatory effects of polysaccharides on the innate and adaptive immune system stimulate antitumor responses. In this study, a polysaccharide with an apparent molecular weight of 14.0 kD was isolated from Curcuma kwangsiensis and designated as CKAP-2. The polysaccharide was characterized through high-performance gel permeation chromatography, chemical derivative analyses, GC–MS, FT–IR, and NMR. Results revealed that CKAP-2 is a highly methyl-esterified pectin-type polysaccharide. It is predominantly composed of a homogalacturonan region and small amounts of type-I rhamonogalacturonan regions. Its degree of methyl-esterification is approximately 62.4%. The effect of CKAP-2 on MDSC-medicated immunosuppression was primarily tested. CKAP-2 recovered the MSC2-supressed proliferation of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells. This finding suggested that CKAP-2 can reverse MDSC-mediated T-cell suppression and that CKAP-2 can be potentially applied in antitumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, lycopene-loaded nanofibers were successfully fabricated by electrospinning of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilized by whey protein isolate-polysaccharide TLH-3 (WPI–TLH-3) complexes. The lycopene encapsulated in the emulsion-based nanofibers exhibited enhanced photostability and thermostability, and achieved improved targeted small intestine-specific release. The release of lycopene from the nanofibers followed Fickian diffusion mechanism in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and first-order model in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) with the enhanced release rates. The bioaccessibility and cellular uptake efficiency of lycopene in micelles by Caco-2 cells after in vitro digestion were significantly improved. The intestinal membrane permeability and transmembrane transport efficiency of lycopene in micelles across Caco-2 cells monolayer were greatly elevated, thus promoting the effective absorption and intracellular antioxidant activity of lycopene. This work opens a potential approach for electrospinning of emulsions stabilized by protein–polysaccharide complexes as a novel delivery system for liposoluble nutrients with enhanced bioavailability in functional food industries. • Fabrication of lycopene-loaded nanofibers by electrospinning of O/W emulsions • Lycopene encapsulated exhibited enhanced photostability and thermostability. • The targeted small intestine-specific release of lycopene was achieved. • The bioaccessibility and cellular uptake efficiency of lycopene were improved. • The transport efficiency of lycopene across Caco-2 cells monolayer was elevated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]