Allicin neuroprotective effect during oxidative/inflammatory injury involves AT1-Hsp70-iNOS counterbalance axis

The ancestral cultures have described many therapeutic properties of garlic,therefore,it is of central interest to elucidate the molecular basis explaining this millenary empirical knowledge.Indeed,it has been demonstrated a neuroprotective effect of allicin–a phytochemical present in garlic-linked to oxidative-inflammatory modulation.Allicin improved neuronal injury by heat shock protein 70(Hsp70)and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)regulation.Also,allicin exerts renal protection involving a possible angiotensin type 1 receptor(AT1)interaction.In connection,AT1 overexpression has been recognized as a central deleterious factor in many brain diseases.However,there are no studies that evaluate AT1-Hsp70-iNOS interaction as a mechanism linked to neuroinflammation.Thus,our central aim is to evaluate if the allicin protective effect is associated with an AT1-Hsp70-iNOS counterbalance axis.For this study,a murine microglial cell line(BV-2)was injured with lipopolysaccharides and treated or not with allicin.Then,it was evaluated cell viability,proinflammatory cytokine levels,cellular oxidative stress,iNOS,Hsp70,and AT1 protein expression(cellular and mitochondrial fractions),nitrite levels,and protein-protein interactions.The results demonstrated that allicin could prevent neuronal injury due to a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammatory status mediated by an AT1-Hsp70-iNOS counterbalance axis linked to direct protein-protein interaction.

E-Cadherin Dysfunction and Cancer

E-cadherin molecules are cell-cell molecular connectors, but also act attaching cell surface to the cytoskeleton through catenin’s and additional partner proteins. Its main function is to regulate cellular adhesion and motility, and therefore acts as an invasion suppressor system. Its role is crucial in the induction and maintenance of cell polarity and differentiation, and in the organization and maintenance of tissue architecture. Downregulation or loss of its function is associated with an invasive and aggressive phenotype in many types of human cancers. In alterations of animal development, E-cadherin dysfunction influence in premature lethality or epidermal barrier and immunity defects. However, new hypothesis over its promoter role in tissue invasion is on focus. In addition to its tumor suppressor role, E-cadherin is a guiding molecule in collective cell migration increasing the metastasis risk during in vivo tumorigenesis. This E-cadherin function explains the retention of the functional E-cadherin expression, and that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is not required for the metastasis occurrence. However, like a switch, in some tumoral environments E-cadherin post-translational modifications may cause cell cluster migration. Like in development, in certain in vivo tumoral contexts, E-cadherin apparently involves signaling rather than cell contact formation. In this report, we explore the possibility of a novel role of thyroid hormones (THs) in the signal via E-cadherin-catenins, this not only should be involved in development and homeostasis, but also in cancer susceptibility of gastrointestinal tract.

Evidence on Night Movements of Macroinvertebrates to Macrophytes in a Pampean Stream

Nocturnal invertebrate abundance peaks in lotic systems are usually associated to drift, however, diel migrations other than drift may be important in slow-flowing systems. Then, macroinvertebrate distribution on macrophytes may change along the day as result of vertical or horizontal migration from sediments or the water column. My objective was to determine whether macroinvertebrate abundance on macrophytes changes along 24 h. Three Ceratophyllum demersum patches were sampled in late spring from the Las Flores stream (Central Argentina) at 11:20 h, 17:10 h, 23:00 h and 5:00 h. Macroinvertebrates were counted and identified, and relative abundances were estimated for each sampling time. The dominant groups of macroinvertebrates sampled were Oligochaeta, Amphipoda and Cladocera. The relative abundance of macroinvertebrates on macrophytes was the highest at 5:00 h, when dissolved oxygen in water reached its minimum. In conclusion, the abundance of macroinvertebrates on macrophytes in Pampean streams may increase at night, probably as result of nocturnal migration driven by changes in predation risk or dissolved oxygen.