Comparative Study of Predominant Phytochemical Compounds and Proapoptotic Potential of Broccoli Sprouts and Florets

The study compares lyophilized broccoli sprouts and florets in terms of their chemical composition, cytotoxic and proapoptotic potential against hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2, colorectal cancer SW480, and skin fibroblast BJ cells. Sinapic and isochlorogenic acids were predominant phenolics in the sprouts and florets, respectively. The amount of sulforaphane in the sprouts was significantly higher vs. florets. Oleic and linoleic acids dominated in the sprouts, while caproic, stearic and oleic acids in the florets. Broccoli sprouts were selectively cytotoxic on HepG2 and SW480 cells, with proapoptotic effect for the latter, while the florets were less selective, but more active, with profound proapoptotic effect for HepG2 cells (77.4%). Thus, lyophilized broccoli sprouts may be effectively used in dietary chemoprevention.     

Kurilosides A1, A2, C1, D,E and F—Triterpene Glycosides from the Far Eastern Sea Cucumber Thyonidium (= Duasmodactyla) kurilensis (Levin): Structures with Unusual Non-Holostane Aglycones and Cytotoxicities

Six new monosulfated triterpene tetra-, penta- and hexaosides, namely, the kurilosides A₁ (1), A₂ (2), C₁ (3), D (4), E (5) and F (6), as well as the known earlier kuriloside A (7), having unusual non-holostane aglycones without lactone, have been isolated from the sea cucumber Thyonidium (= Duasmodactyla) kurilensis (Levin) (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida), collected in the Sea of Okhotsk near Onekotan Island from a depth of 100 m. Structures of the glycosides were established by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass spectrometry. Kurilosides of the groups A and E contain carbohydrate moieties with a rare architecture (a pentasaccharide branched by C(4) Xyl1), differing from each other in the second monosaccharide residue (quinovose or glucose, correspondingly); kurilosides of the group C are characterized by a unique tetrasaccharide branched by a C(4) Xyl1 sugar chain; and kurilosides of the groups D and F are hexaosides differing from each other in the presence of an O-methyl group in the fourth (terminal) sugar unit. All these glycosides contain a sulfate group at C-6 of the glucose residue attached to C-4 Xyl1 and the non-holostane aglycones have a 9(11) double bond and lack γ-lactone. The cytotoxic activities of compounds 1–7 against mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a, normal epithelial JB-6 cells and erythrocytes were studied. Kuriloside A₁ (1) was the most active compound in the series, demonstrating strong cytotoxicity against the erythrocytes and JB-6 cells and a moderate effect against Neuro 2a cells.     

Effect of Quinoa Seeds (Chenopodium quinoa) in Diet on some Biochemical Parameters and Essential Elements in Blood of High Fructose-Fed Rats

The effect of Chenopodium quinoa seeds on lipid profile, glucose level, protein metabolism and selected essential elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) level was determined in high—fructose fed male Wistar rats. Fructose decreased significantly LDL [42%, p < 0.01] and activity of alkaline phosphatase [20%, p < 0.05], and increased triglycerides level [86%, p < 0.01]. The analysis of blood of rats fed quinoa indicated, that these seeds effectively reduced serum total cholesterol [26%, p < 0.05], LDL [57%, p < 0.008] and triglycerides [11%, p < 0.05] when compared to the control group. Quinoa seeds also significantly reduced the level of glucose [10%, p < 0.01] and plasma total protein level [16%, p < 0.001]. Fructose significantly decreased HDL [15%, p < 0.05] level in control group but when the quinoa seeds were added into the diet the decrease of HDL level was inhibited. Quinoa seeds did not prevent any adverse effect of increasing triglyceride level caused by fructose. It was shown in this study that quinoa seeds can reduce most of the adverse effects exerted by fructose on lipid profile and glucose level.     

In Vitro Anticancer and Cancer-Preventive Activity of New Triterpene Glycosides from the Far Eastern Starfish Solaster pacificus

Sea stars or starfish (class Asteroidea) and holothurians or sea cucumbers (class Holothuroidea), belonging to the phylum Echinodermata (echinoderms), are characterized by different sets of glycosidic metabolites: the steroid type in starfish and the triterpene type in holothurians. However, herein we report the isolation of eight new triterpene glycosides, pacificusosides D–K (1–3, 5–9) along with the known cucumarioside D (4), from the alcoholic extract of the Far Eastern starfish Solaster pacificus. The isolated new compounds are closely related to the metabolites of sea cucumbers, and their structures of 1–3 and 5–9 were determined by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. Compounds 2, 5, and 8 have a new type of tetrasaccharide chain with a terminal non-methylated monosaccharide unit. Compounds 3, 6, and 9 contain another new type of tetrasaccharide chain, having 6-O-SO₃-Glc as one of the sugar units. The cytotoxic activity of 1–9 against non-cancerous mouse epidermal cells JB6 Cl41 and human melanoma cell lines SK-MEL-2, SK-MEL-28, and RPMI-7951 was determined by MTS assay. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 showed potent cytotoxicity against these cell lines, but the cancer selectivity (SI > 9) was observed only against the SK-MEL-2 cell line. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 at the non-toxic concentration of 0.1 μM significantly inhibited neoplastic cell transformation of JB6 Cl41 cells induced by chemical carcinogens (EGF, TPA) or ionizing radiation (X-rays and UVB). Moreover, compounds 1 and 4 at the non-toxic concentration of 0.1 µM possessed the highest inhibiting activity on colony formation among the investigated compounds and decreased the colonies number of SK-MEL-2 cells by 64% and 70%, respectively. Thus, triterpene glycosides 1 and 4 can be considered as prospective cancer-preventive and anticancer-compound leaders.     

3种海绵中的甘露聚糖专一性凝集素

在3种海绵(Myxilla incrustans,Codosphaera sp．,Biemrta variantia)中发现了与甘露聚糖结合的专一性凝集素,甘露聚糖的甘露糖残基是通过α(1→2)和α(1→6)相互联接的。对3种海绵凝集素的血凝抑制测试的结果表明,对于海绵Myxilla incrustarts凝集素而言,猪腺体糖蛋白、脱酸猪腺体糖蛋白、胎球蛋白和脱酸胎球蛋白都是比较好的抑制剂;对于海绵Coelosphaera sp．凝集素而言,仅猪腺体糖蛋白是有效的抑制剂;而对海绵Biemna variantia凝集素来说,猪腺体糖蛋白和脱酸猪腺体糖蛋白是有效的抑制剂。这3种凝集素对自然的和用胰蛋白酶消化后的人体红细胞(B型)都有很好的凝集作用,它们的血凝活性不依赖钙离子的存在。     

Genetic structure of the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) population: Are tigers in Sikhote‐Alin and southwest Primorye truly isolated?

We used molecular genetic analyses to noninvasively identify individual Amur tigers and define subpopulations of tigers in the Russian Far East. We identified 63 individuals after genotyping 256 feces, 7 hair and 11 blood samples collected within southern, central and northern Sikhote‐Alin, as well as Southwest Primorye. Analysis of nuclear DNA at 9 microsatellite loci demonstrated greater genetic similarity between animals from southern and northern Sikhote‐Alin (some 500 km apart) than between animals from Ussuriskii State Nature Reserve and Southwest Primorye (less than 10 km apart at their nearest point), suggesting that a true barrier exists preventing movements of tigers between Southwest Primorye and the southern Sikhote‐Alin Mountains.     

Why are there so many species of herbivorous insects in tropical rainforests?

Despite recent progress in understanding mechanisms of tree species coexistence in tropical forests, a simple explanation for the even more extensive diversity of insects feeding on these plants has been missing. We compared folivorous insects from temperate and tropical trees to test the hypothesis that herbivore species coexistence in more diverse communities could reflect narrow host specificity relative to less diverse communities. Temperate and tropical tree species of comparable phylogenetic distribution supported similar numbers of folivorous insect species, 29.0 +/- 2.2 and 23.5 +/- 1.8 per 100 square meters of foliage, respectively. Host specificity did not differ significantly between community samples, indicating that food resources are not more finely partitioned among folivorous insects in tropical than in temperate forests. These findings suggest that the latitudinal gradient in insect species richness could be a direct function of plant diversity, which increased sevenfold from our temperate to tropical study sites.     

The genomic sequence of the accidental pathogen Legionella pneumophila

We present the genomic sequence of Legionella pneumophila, the bacterial agent of Legionnaires' disease, a potentially fatal pneumonia acquired from aerosolized contaminated fresh water. The genome includes a 45-kilobase pair element that can exist in chromosomal and episomal forms, selective expansions of important gene families, genes for unexpected metabolic pathways, and previously unknown candidate virulence determinants. We highlight the genes that may account for Legionella's ability to survive in protozoa, mammalian macrophages, and inhospitable environmental niches and that may define new therapeutic targets.     

Dynamics of mammalian chromosome evolution inferred from multispecies comparative maps

The genome organizations of eight phylogenetically distinct species from five mammalian orders were compared in order to address fundamental questions relating to mammalian chromosomal evolution. Rates of chromosome evolution within mammalian orders were found to increase since the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Nearly 20% of chromosome breakpoint regions were reused during mammalian evolution; these reuse sites are also enriched for centromeres. Analysis of gene content in and around evolutionary breakpoint regions revealed increased gene density relative to the genome-wide average. We found that segmental duplications populate the majority of primate-specific breakpoints and often flank inverted chromosome segments, implicating their role in chromosomal rearrangement.     

Endogenous development of Hemolivia mauritanica (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Haemogregarinidae) in the marginated tortoise Testudo marginata (Reptilia: Testudinidae): evidence from experimental infection

Six young tortoises Testudo marginata Schoepff, 1792 were experimentally infected with Hemolivia mauritanica (Sergent et Sergent, 1904). The prepatent period ranged from 6 to 8 weeks. Young, smaller, club-like forms (6-9 x 3-6 Am) of gametocytes appeared in the peripheral blood first, whereas mature, elongated, cylindrical forms (9-12 x 5-7 Am) were detected after 1-2 weeks and predominated during later patency. Three of the infected tortoises were euthanized and dissected to study the endogenous stages. Meronts occurred in the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system and in the erythrocytes; these were observed mostly in parenchymatous organs. Mature forms measured 14.2 x 9.3 microm and contained 7-12 merozoites. Cysts with two (exceptionally one) cystozoites were also found predominantly in parenchymatous organs and measured 14.8 x 7.9 microm. Pathological changes attributable to Hemolivia were mild and limited to liver and kidneys. The role of individual developmental stages of haemogregarines is discussed with respect to evolution of heteroxenous life cycle and long-term persistence of parasites in their intermediate hosts.