Article
Fisheries
Nobuhisa Kajino, Kwang-Sik Choi, Hyun-Ki Hong
Summary: This study identified and characterized the hemocytes of three common sea hare species using flow cytometry and light microscopy. The results revealed that sea hares have three main types of hemocytes: granulocytes, hyalinocytes, and blast-like cells. Granulocytes and hyalinocytes are involved in cellular defense activities such as lysosomal content, phagocytosis, and ROS production. The hemocyte types and functions were found to be consistent across different species of sea hares.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Alessio Alesci, Angelo Fumia, Marco Albano, Emmanuele Messina, Roberta 'Angelo, Angelica Mangano, Anthea Miller, Nunziacarla Spano, Serena Savoca, Gioele Capillo
Summary: The internal defense system of mollusks involves various immune processes and the presence of specialized cells known as hemocytes, which play a crucial role in the defense against pathogens and parasites. However, the exploration of hemocytes in mollusks is limited. This study aimed to investigate the hemocytes of the gastropod Aplysia depilans using morphological techniques and microscopy, and it identified two distinct hemocyte populations based on size and the presence/absence of granules. Immunohistochemistry analysis also revealed the presence of Toll-like receptor 2, inducible nitric oxide synthetase, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 subunit on the surface of sea hare hemocytes, providing important insights into the immune system of mollusks and the evolution of defense response.
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hazem S. S. Elshafie, Ippolito Camele, Amira A. A. Mohamed
Summary: Natural products, including primary metabolites (PMs) and secondary metabolites (SMs), play crucial roles in plant growth, reproduction, defense, and adaptation. SMs, including terpenoids, phenolics, and nitrogen-containing compounds, possess various biological activities and can be used as flavoring agents, food additives, and plant-disease control. This review focuses on the significance, biosynthesis, classification, biochemical characterization, and medical/pharmaceutical uses of plant SMs. Additionally, the potential of SMs as eco-friendly substitutes for synthetic pesticides and their role in enhancing plant resistance are discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Rui Guo, Gang Li, Zhao Zhang, Xiaoping Peng
Summary: This article reviews the secondary metabolites (SMs) and their biological activities of biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum, with a special focus on marine-derived SMs. The results suggest that marine-derived SMs, including terpenoids, polyketides, and macrolides compounds, deserve more attention and further research.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiao Liu, Yu-cheng Gu, Ming-zhi Su, Yue-wei Guo
Summary: This review summarizes the discovery of over 400 novel marine secondary metabolites with promising bioactivities from South China Sea marine organisms. These metabolites have unique structures and diverse biological activities. The author's group has devoted great effort to the exploration of pharmaceutically interesting lead compounds from South China Sea marine plants and invertebrates over the past two decades, resulting in significant research progress.
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Rosario Nicoletti, Anna Andolfi, Andrea Becchimanzi, Maria Michela Salvatore
Summary: Due to their widespread occurrence, fungi in the genus Penicillium are commonly found in association with insects. This symbiotic interaction has been investigated to explore their potential for ecofriendly pest control strategies. The assumption is that Penicillium species, known for producing bioactive secondary metabolites, may have entomopathogenic properties. This review paper examines the properties and potential applications of compounds from Penicillium fungi in insect pest management.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ye-Qing Du, Lin-Fu Liang, Yue-Wei Guo
Summary: This review summarizes 155 compounds from six identified species of the Cladiella genus, together with several unidentified species, covering the literature from 2006 to August 2022. Diterpenoids, mainly belonging to the eunicellan family with different ether linkage patterns, dominate the secondary metabolite profile of this genus, accounting for 78%. The potential pharmacological activities of these compounds were also reviewed, providing an overview of the potential application of Cladiella secondary metabolites.
CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Gonul Ulus
Summary: Lichens are symbiotic organisms composed of fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria, producing characteristic secondary metabolites with antimicrobial, antiviral, and antitumor activities. Some lichen-derived compounds have shown potential as antiangiogenic agents in the treatment of diseases associated with angiogenesis.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Junfei Wang, Shicheng Shao, Chuansheng Liu, Zhiqiang Song, Sisi Liu, Shaohua Wu
Summary: The genus Paraconiothyrium has a worldwide distribution with diverse host habitats and potential as a biocontrol agent, bioreactor, and antibiotic producer. Some species have vital biological functions and applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and environmental protection, yet further exploration is needed to fully uncover their potential value.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Meng-Juan Xu, Lin-Jing Zhong, Jun-Kun Chen, Qing Bu, Lin-Fu Liang
Summary: In this review, the distribution, isolation, and biological activities of chemically investigated Oceanapia sponges are summarized. A total of 110 compounds have been reported, showing diverse bioactivities. The complex structures and promising biological properties of these compounds have attracted significant attention from chemists and pharmaceutical researchers for potential applications in disease treatment.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Xia Yan, Jing Liu, Xue Leng, Han Ouyang
Summary: Sinularia is a widely distributed soft coral species with diverse secondary metabolites that exhibit potent biological activities. A review of compounds isolated from Sinularia from 2013 to March 2021 shows their vital role in drug development and innovation of lead compounds. The structures, names, and pharmacological activities of these compounds have been summarized in this review.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sojeong Kim, Eun-Young Lee, Prima F. Hillman, Jaeyoung Ko, Inho Yang, Sang-Jip Nam
Summary: Salicornia europaea L. is a salt-tolerant plant that is used as both traditional medicine and an edible vegetable, containing diverse secondary metabolites with therapeutic properties such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity effects. This review summarizes the chemical structure and biological activities of these secondary metabolites isolated from Salicornia europaea L.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yue Wang, Wenhao Chen, Zhefei Xu, Qiqi Bai, Xueming Zhou, Caijuan Zheng, Meng Bai, Guangying Chen
Summary: Five new compounds were isolated from the fermentation broth of Penicillium oxalicum HLLG-13, a fungus derived from Lumnitzera littorea. These compounds, along with ten known compounds, were identified through spectral analyses. Some of the compounds exhibited antibacterial and insecticidal activities.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Guangrong Zhao, Wenli Tang, Jianlong Zhang, Peimin Shi, Youzhi Li, Jiao Wang, Qingqin Shen, Haixia Si, Linlin Jiang, Xin Yu, Hongwei Zhu, Guozhong Chen, Xingxiao Zhang, Hong Jia
Summary: Deep-sea-derived fungi are important resources for the development of new drugs, as they can produce a large number of cytotoxic natural products with unique chemical diversity. This review summarizes 229 cytotoxic compounds isolated from deep-sea-derived fungi from 2010 to 2021, focusing on 82 compounds with moderate to potent cytotoxic activities and highlighting some compounds with potent cytotoxicities (star molecules) for their drug lead potential. The newly discovered secondary metabolites from these fungi show promise as valuable antitumor lead compounds.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia-Jun Liang, Pan-Pan Zhang, Wei Zhang, Da Song, Xin Wei, Xin Yin, Yong-Qiang Zhou, Xiang Pu, Ying Zhou
Summary: Sophora tonkinensis is a traditional Chinese medicine known for its usage in the treatment of lung, stomach, and throat diseases. The roots of S. tonkinensis have been used as Chinese patent medicines and have shown diverse biological activities. The research progress on the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of S. tonkinensis have been summarized, which may be beneficial for further research.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudia Teixeira, Renato B. Pereira, Nuno F. S. Pinto, Catarina M. M. Coelho, Maria Jose G. Fernandes, Antonio G. Fortes, Maria S. T. Goncalves, David M. Pereira
Summary: Eugenol, the main component of clove essential oil, has shown anticancer activity. By synthesizing a series of derivatives and testing them, three compounds were found to have significant anticancer activity without toxicity towards noncancer cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patricia Gonzalez-Berdullas, Renato B. Pereira, Claudia Teixeira, Jose Pedro Silva, Carla M. Magalhaes, Jose E. Rodriguez-Borges, David M. Pereira, Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva, Luis Pinto da Silva
Summary: Halogenated derivatives of Coelenterazine, specifically brominated Coelenteramide and Coelenteramine, have been found to exhibit potent anticancer activity against gastric and lung cancer cells. These compounds show a certain level of safety towards noncancer cells and induce cell death through apoptosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos B. P. Oliveira, Renato B. Pereira, David M. Pereira, Loic Hilliou, Tarsila G. Castro, Jose A. Martins, Peter J. Jervis, Paula M. T. Ferreira
Summary: Using amino acids and peptides as molecular building blocks for supramolecular hydrogels offers unique advantages due to their biological origin, bioactivity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This study focused on three dehydrodipeptides and their self-assembling properties. The results showed that these dehydrodipeptides can form hydrogels with low critical gelation concentrations and exhibited non-cytotoxic effects. Molecular modeling and testing with different model drugs demonstrated the sustained release capabilities of these hydrogels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Dina Neves, Paula B. Andrade, Romeu A. Videira, Victor de Freitas, Luis Cruz
Summary: Smart packaging is an emergent technology that can detect spoilage and extend the shelf-life of food. The current trend is to create sustainable packs using biopolymers and anthocyanin extracts to monitor food deterioration. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art of smart packaging films based on berry extracts, including their preparation, characterization, and validation in real systems.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tania F. L. Vicente, Carina Felix, Rafael Felix, Patricia Valentao, Marco F. L. Lemos
Summary: Plant bacterial pathogens can have devastating effects on global fruit and vegetable crops, causing economic losses and reducing food availability. Synthetic bactericides are commonly used but have drawbacks such as high cost and environmental risks. This study focuses on the use of seaweed extracts/compounds as eco-friendly alternatives to control bacterial phytopathogens, particularly highlighting the protective properties of brown algae extracts against microbial attacks.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jamila El-Akhal, Andreia P. Oliveira, Rachid Bencheikh, Patricia Valentao, Paula B. Andrade, Manuela Morato
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the composition and vasoreactivity of extracts from Mentha suaveolens, Conyza canadensis, Teucrium polium and Salvia verbenaca. The findings suggest that the vasorelaxant effects of Mentha suaveolens and Salvia verbenaca are mediated by muscarinic receptors and nitric oxide or the cyclooxygenase pathway, respectively. The vasorelaxant effects of Conyza canadensis and Teucrium polium, on the other hand, do not involve these mechanisms. These findings support the traditional use of herbal teas from these plants as anti-hypertensive remedies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucia Bada, Renato B. Pereira, David M. Pereira, Marta Lores, Maria Celeiro, Elias Quezada, Eugenio Uriarte, Jose Gil-Longo, Dolores Vina
Summary: The genus Ulex consists of thirteen accepted species of perennial shrubs in the Fabaceae family. In Galicia, Spain, many of these species are considered spontaneous colonizers that are easy to establish and maintain. Among them, Ulex gallii Planch. is used in traditional medicine for its anti-infective, hypotensive, and diuretic properties. Limited scientific studies have been conducted on Ulex gallii Planch., and its composition has not been reported. In this study, different metabolites, mainly flavonoids, were tentatively identified in the sub-fractions of Ulex gallii Planch., which exhibited antiproliferative activity against lung and stomach cancer cell lines.
Article
Oncology
Daniela Correia da Silva, Patricia Valentao, David M. Pereira
Summary: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and finding effective treatments is urgent. This study aimed to identify selective cytotoxic natural products that target the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cancer cells. The ER plays a key role in cellular protein synthesis and folding. ER stress is a known vulnerability of cancer cells due to their abnormal protein synthesis rates. Several natural products were found to induce selective cytotoxicity in cancer cells by acting on the ER. Berberine was the most promising molecule, disrupting Ca2+ homeostasis and activating the unfolded protein response (UPR) and ER-resident caspase-4 in cancer cells. These findings suggest that berberine and emodin have potential for the development of new cancer treatments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vania Costa, Marlene Costa, Romeu Antonio Videira, Paula Branquinho Andrade, Fatima Paiva-Martins
Summary: It has been found that oleacein, the main polyphenolic compound in olive oil, and its metabolites have anti-inflammatory potential. They can reduce the production of pro-inflammatory substances by macrophages. Oleacein can also inhibit the activity of enzymes associated with inflammation, but other metabolites do not have significant inhibitory effects. These results indicate the anti-inflammatory activity of olive oil polyphenols.
Article
Biology
Vera Ribeiro, Federico Ferreres, Andreia Oliveira, Nelson G. M. Gomes, Angel Gil-Izquierdo, Luisa Araujo, David Pereira, Patricia Valentao
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms and bioactives involved in the cytotoxicity of Allophylus africanus stem bark extract in human stomach cancer cells. The extract exhibited selective cytotoxicity against AGS cells and induced apoptosis. It was found that the cytotoxic effects were attributed to the presence of vicenin-2 and other apigenin derivatives. These findings suggest the potential of A. africanus stem bark as an anticancer agent against gastric adenocarcinoma and highlight the importance of exploring herbal-based products and apigenin derivatives in chemotherapy drug development.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Catarina Andrade, David M. Pereira, Nelson G. M. Gomes, Federico Ferreres, Angel Gil-Izquierdo, Paula B. Andrade, Sutsawat Duangsrisai, Patricia Valenta
Summary: Kitul (Caryota urens L.) inflorescences are widely used for sweet sap production in Asian countries and have potential antidiabetic properties. In this study, the methanol extract of the inflorescences was shown to reduce reactive species in pancreatic cells and inflammatory markers in stimulated macrophages. The extract also inhibited 5-lipoxygenase activity. These findings suggest that Kitul inflorescences may have pleiotropic mechanisms as an antidiabetic agent.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raquel Martins, Fatima Fernandes, Patricia Valentao
Summary: This study reveals the phenolic profile of the aqueous extract of Solanum betaceum leaves for the first time, and demonstrates its potential as an antidiabetic agent and antioxidant.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Adriana Silva, Vanessa Silva, Jose Eduardo Pereira, Luis Maltez, Gilberto Igrejas, Patricia Valentao, Virgilio Falco, Patricia Poeta
Summary: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an important pathogenic bacteria commonly found in livestock, serving as a carrier of drug-resistant genes between humans, animals, and the environment. The use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, especially in the food chain, is a significant contributor to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development and spread. This review focuses on the clonal lineages and resistance profiles of E. coli, including extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) producing E. coli, in various food-producing animals such as pigs, poultry, cattle, fish farming, and rabbits. The presence of ESBL-producing E. coli was found to be prevalent among farm animals, with high resistance rates to tetracycline and ampicillin observed in farms worldwide. There is an urgent need for a better understanding of the epidemiology of E. coli and ESBL-producing E. coli in livestock, as animal production plays a major role in the global antibiotic resistance problem, necessitating a One Health approach.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Rute Moreira, Federico Ferreres, Angel Gil-Izquierdo, Nelson G. M. Gomes, Luisa Araujo, Eugenia Pinto, Paula B. Andrade, Romeu A. Videira
Summary: Although the crude methanol extract (CME) and the methanol fraction (MF) of Guiera senegalensis leaves exhibited poor antifungal activity, the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) demonstrated strong antifungal activity against various fungi, as well as potent effectiveness against certain yeasts.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Daniela Mendes, Ana Maria Silva, Maria Manuel Oliveira, Paula B. B. Andrade, Romeu A. A. Videira
Summary: Mitochondrial dysfunction and cytosolic oxidative stress are interconnected pathological biomarkers in chronic diseases and cellular toxicity induced by high-energy radiation or xenobiotics. Thus, evaluating the activities of mitochondrial redox chain complexes and cytosolic antioxidant enzymes in the same cell culture system is a valuable approach for studying chronic diseases and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying physical and chemical stress agents' toxicity. This article provides experimental procedures to obtain mitochondria-free cytosolic and mitochondria-rich fractions from isolated cells, as well as methodologies to assess the activities of antioxidant enzymes and mitochondrial complexes. The protocols were optimized to enable testing with a single T-25 flask of 2D cultured cells, as demonstrated in the typical results discussed.
METHODS AND PROTOCOLS
(2023)
