Metabolite profiling identifies a key role for glycine in rapid cancer cell proliferation

Metabolic reprogramming has been proposed to be a hallmark of cancer, yet a systematic characterization of the metabolic pathways active in transformed cells is currently lacking. Using mass spectrometry, we measured the consumption and release (CORE) profiles of 219 metabolites from media across the NCI-60 cancer cell lines, and integrated these data with a preexisting atlas of gene expression. This analysis identified glycine consumption and expression of the mitochondrial glycine biosynthetic pathway as strongly correlated with rates of proliferation across cancer cells. Antagonizing glycine uptake and its mitochondrial biosynthesis preferentially impaired rapidly proliferating cells. Moreover, higher expression of this pathway was associated with greater mortality in breast cancer patients. Increased reliance on glycine may represent a metabolic vulnerability for selectively targeting rapid cancer cell proliferation.     

Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarrhoeic foals: Can the horse serve as a natural reservoir for human infection?

ABSTRACT: Picobirnaviruses (PBV) are small, non-enveloped viruses with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome. In this study a PBV strain, PBV/Horse/India/BG-Eq-3/2010, was identified in the faeces of a 10 month old weaned female foal with diarrhoea in January 2010 from Kolkata, India. Surprisingly, sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of a short stretch of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase gene revealed close genetic relatedness (> 98% nucleotide identity) to a human genogroup I PBV strain (Hu/GPBV1) detected earlier from the same part of India. Our observations together with earlier findings on genetic relatedness between human and animal PBV warrant further studies on zoonotic potential.     

Embryo culture is an efficient way to conserve a medicinally important endangered forest tree species Strychnos potatorum

The present study reports a protocol for germination of Strychnos potatorum (ver. Tel. Chilla) using zygotic embryo culture as an embryo rescue method. A 100% germination rate was obtained by culturing the embryos on full-strength Murashige and Skoog’s medium (MS) containing 20 g/L sucrose in comparison to McCown and Lloyd’s Woody Plant Medium (WPM). Germination rates decreased when the sucrose concentration was lower or higher than 20 g·L-1 . WPM/MS medium containing glucose at levels 30, 20, 15 g·L-1 showed a smaller percentage of germination and at quarter strength, WPM/MS medium with glucose did not respond. Multiple shoot formation was found at 1.0 2.0 mg/L BAP; 3.0 mg/L Kn; 2.0 mg/L TDZ on MS medium with 20 g·L-1 sucrose. Germination rates improved when the embryos were placed upright (vertically) in the medium. The in vitro germinated seedlings were acclimatized in a walk-in-chamber and maintained in the green house with the survival rate of 65% 75%. These plants were transferred to the field and were found to be phenotypically normal, healthy and similar to donor plants. This protocol will be useful to overcome seed dormancy and for rapid multiplication and conservation of S. potatorum using zygotic embryo culture.     

Estimation of maintenance energy requirements in German shepherd and Labrador retriever dogs in Bangalore,India

Maintenance energy requirements (MERs) were calculated for 17 German shepherd and 20 Labrador retriever adult dogs using an in‐home prospective dietary trial. The dogs were fed the same dry pet food and body weight, food intake, body condition score and physical activity were monitored for 10 weeks. Labrador retrievers were significantly heavier and had higher body condition scores than German shepherd dogs, but there was no difference between males and females within each group. Body weights remained stable over the study period, with an average daily gain of 9.1 g. Mean (SD) MER was 103.4 (16.3) kcal/kg BW^0.75, which was some 20% lower than that currently suggested for moderately active young adult dogs. Individual MER ranged from 66.8 to 141 kcal/kg BW^0.75. There were no significant differences in MER between the two breeds, or between males and females within and between the two breeds. There was a significant inverse relationship between MER and body condition score, reflecting the lower energy expenditure of adipose tissue. The lower MER of dogs in this study, relative to previous observations, may reflect climatic and environmental differences and highlight the necessity for accurate estimates of MER in relation to the production and feeding of pet foods.     

Antioxidant potentials of flaxseed by in vivo model

The present study reports the antioxidant activity of flaxseed as measured by feeding weanling albino rats with 5.0% and 10.0% of flaxseed (constituting approximately 0.75 and 1.5 g kg(-)(1)) for 14 days followed by challenging animals with 2.0 g kg(-)(1) b.w. CCl(4) as toxin. Activity was assessed by measuring hepatic marker enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase and comparing with those from the normal group and from a group receiving toxin without flaxseed. Treatment of CCl(4) at dose of 2.0 g kg(-)(1) b.w. decreased the activities of various antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase by 35.6%, 47.76%, and 53.0%, respectively, compared to the control group, and the lipid peroxidation value increased nearly 1.2-fold compared to that of the group treated with toxin without flaxseed. Pretreatment of rats with 5.0% flaxseed followed by CCl(4) treatment caused restoration of catalase, SOD, and peroxidase by 39.7%, 181.42%, and 123.7%, respectively, as compared to control. The group treated with 10.0% flaxseed has shown the restoration of 95.02%, 182.31%, and 136.0% of catalase, SOD, and peroxidase. In the case of the group treated with toxin without flaxseed, the level of superoxide dismutase and the catalse value decreased 91.4% and 55.33%, respectively, in comparison with the control group. These results clearly indicate the beneficial effect of flaxseed components as an antioxidant as seen by restoration of hepatic enzymes, which were varied from normal to one due to toxicity induced by toxin (CCl(4)). Owing to this property, the flaxseed known for its functional properties can be further extended to exploit its possible application for various health benefits as nutraceuticals and food ingredient.