Researches:
Article title: Mammalian models of pathogen-associated muscle degeneration
Authors: John Sylvester Nas, Trisha Jaden Galang, Anlie Bacod, Cher Agape Cervantes, Jubilee Ivy, Estrilles, Rheaa Esguera, Ryan Miguel Milleza, Paula Angeli Servino, Laarni Hannah Lacorte
Publication title: Exploratory Animal And Medical Research 12(2):134-148, 2022
Abstract:
Studies on pathogen-associated muscle degeneration (PAMD) seem not to progress despite the recent advancements in omics. The limited and outdated literature about pathogen-associated muscle degeneration in different animal models contradicts the thorough understanding of their genome. In this paper, we review the pathophysiology of pathogen infection through association with the physiologic, biochemical, and molecular changes happening in the skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles of different well-established mammalian models, namely rats (Rattus sp.), mice (Mus musculus), and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The use of model organisms is beneficial to the advances in muscle degeneration research since they are inexpensive, low maintenance, and can be used for genetic screenings. This review illuminated an understanding of the potential application of well-established model organisms in advancing the current knowledge about pathogen-associated muscle degeneration.
Full text https://tinyurl.com/mr7psumy
Article title: Insights on Anthocyanidins’ Binding Affinity and Molecular Interactions with Zika Virus Protein Targets
Authors: John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 11(1), 2022
Abstract:
Neonatal microencephaly and some neurological disorders have been associated with Zika virus (ZikV) infection. In recent years, the pathophysiology of ZikV was well elucidated; hence, different drug targets have been proposed to inhibit its activities. However, there has been no approved drug against ZikV infection to date. This paper examined the binding affinity and non-covalent binding interactions of the different classes of anthocyanidins against ZikV drug targets. Anthocyanidins are plant pigments, where their bio-functionalities are reasonably well studied. Anthocyanidins and their derivatives have shown antiviral properties; however, their mechanism against ZikV remains elusive. Through in silico molecular docking, this paper illuminates the understanding of these compounds’ binding interactions and binding energies with the different ZikV protein drug targets, namely NS3 helicase, NS2B-NS3 protease, NS5 methyltransferase, NS5 polymerase, and Axl kinase. Results have shown that anthocyanidins generally have a higher binding affinity with NS5 methyltransferase compared to the others. Also, the top-binding anthocyanidin differs in each protein. This paper hypothesized that the inhibitory potential of the different classes of anthocyanidins might differ due to the contrasting binding interactions with the various ZikV protein drug targets.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/384s7k74
Article title: Molecular Docking of Putative Compounds in Aqueous Muntingia calabura L. Leaf Extracts with Cytochrome P450 Proteins
Authors: John Sylvester B. Nas, Jose Gabriel Felipe B. Enriquez, Anton Jose Y. Villa-Ignacio, Alice Alma C. Bungay, and Thucydides L. Salunga
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 11(1):136-143, 2022
Abstract:
Studies claim that Muntingia calabura L. (M. calabura) exhibits antibacterial, antipyretic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite these numerous claims, limited studies have shown its hepatoprotective property. Thus, we investigated the hepatoprotective property of aqueous M. calabura L. leaf extracts (AMCLE) by inhibiting salient CYP450 enzymes associated with hepatotoxicity, CYP3A4 CYP2E1, CYP1A2, and CYP2D6. Aqueous leaf extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening to identify potentially active compounds. A literature search was done to determine the specific metabolites. The identified candidates were docked with CYP450 enzymes virtually. The phytochemical screening revealed that AMCLE contains phenols, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids. The docking experiment showed that galangin, a flavonoid, has the highest binding affinity to the CYP450 enzymes compared to all the putative metabolites tested. Also, galangin outranked most known enzyme inhibitors, except for ritonavir and α-naphthoflavone, inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2, respectively. These data suggest that the CYP450-associated hepatoprotective property of AMCLE may be attributed to galangin. Hence, further studies are warranted to support these findings.
Full text available upon request to the author/s.
Article title: Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model in Studying Physiological Changes Following Heart Failure
Authors: John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 10(3):522-526, 2021
Abstract:
For decades, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been at the forefront of various advances in aging, cancer, and neurodegeneration research. Despite the complete sequencing of this nematode’s genome, there are only a few attempts of using C. elegans in studying the circulatory system and other related physiological activities. The absence of the circulatory system poses a significant challenge for researchers to conduct experiments in this organism. In this paper, the association of the heart and pharyngeal muscle in C. elegans was reviewed to illuminate new understanding and propose potential methods in investigating the physiological changes following pathogen-induced heart failure.
Full text available upon request to the author/s.
Article title: Effects of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extracts on Lipid Profile of Rats: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Laarni Hannah Lacorte, Jayson Harbey Robles, Cathleen Panganiban, John Vince Cajano, Jose Bryan Santos, Celjan Kyle Ortiz, MA Theresa Gumban, Joanne Emille Sancho, John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 10(3):549-558, 2021
Abstract:
Moringa oleifera (MO) has long been studied for its anti-obesity potential and its various effects on the lipid profile. However, the result of the basic researches done in rats appears to be imprecise, which may be due to the differences in the solvent extraction, dosing, and duration of administration of the extract. This paper evaluated the effects of different solvent extraction, dosing, and duration of administration of MO extracts on the lipid profile of rats, namely total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). The articles used in this study were collected from various reputable indexing platforms. Meta-analysis was performed to compare the different treatments in the lipid profile of the rats through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s test, one-way ANOVA on ranks with Mann-Whitney test, and student t-test. Results show no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the rats’ lipid profile after treatment of different MO extracts, suggesting that regardless of the MO solvent used results in a similar effect on the lipid profile of rats. However, the disparity of the effects on the lipid profile may be attributed to the dosing and duration of administration. We hypothesized that the level, bioavailability, and mechanism of action of certain phytochemicals present in MO extracts such as flavonoids, phenols, anthraquinones, terpenes, phenolic acids, flavones, terpenoids, and steroids might have also contributed to these differences. Hence, isolation of bioactive compounds from MO and testing their effects on different lipid-associated enzymes may elucidate the actual impact of MO in the lipid profile.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/bdf3mwp9
Article title: Anti-neurodegenerative Activity of Anthocyanin Extract from Endemic Plant Species in the Philippines: A Systematic Review
Authors: Laarni Hannah Lacorte, Sophia Asis, Jan Lance Buenaventura, Angelic Bulanhagui, Reianna Mae Male, Kristel Faith Maniquis, Joaquin Olandez, Keneth Dayle Samulde, John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 10(2):245-250, 2021
Abstract:
Introduction: Currently, neurodegeneration is increasingly prevalent and proves to be a serious health problem. Plant extraction containing phytochemical compounds that are rich in anthocyanin regulates several factors contributing to neurodegeneration-related conditions and are used to gain greater understanding of these diseases.
Aim: Anti-neurodegenerative activity studies have been used in different kinds of anthocyanin-plant cultivated in other countries. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of anti-neurodegenerative activity of anthocyanin-containing plants found in the Philippines and discover its neuroprotective effect.
Methods: The related research and studies are limited within the past 5 years of the review’s submission, anthocyanin-containing plant species in the Philippines, and the records are monitored thoroughly by excluding duplicates and full-text articles were assessed for eligibility.
Results: A study showed that a dose of 24mg/kg a day of anthocyanin (ANC) for 2 weeks prevented production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibited neurodegeneration as well as neuroinflammation in mice by reversing the phosphor-c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (P-JNK). Evidences highlight the anthocyanin effectivity in rat models which destabilizes aβ (amyloid beta) by blocking its oligomeric structure formation. The induced metal toxicity, evidence of remyelination and neuron survival by ANC was discovered as well. The related studies reviewed showed relevant findings of anthocyanin content in Philippine plants and their impact in neuroprotection; plants like Bignay (Antidesma bunius) showed 436.602 mg/100 mL, Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) noted 81.75+ 1.43 mg/100g, Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum l.) Husk showed 393 mg/100g, and lastly Purple yam (Dioscorea alata) with 560 mg/100 g.
Conclusion: With the gathered data, this reveals that ANC directly impacts the brain and a number of effectors, including oxidative and nitrosative stress, glial inflammation, protein aggregation, and toxicity.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/2arjv23c
Article title: Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model Organism for Special Environment
Authors: Shania Jeanne Cosme, Maria Alysha Nicole Agustin, Francesca Louise Remedios, Camille Jedidiah Dianko, Florielie Ungria, Stacey Loraine Villanueva, John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 10(2):258-267, 2021
Abstract:
Organisms living in special environments, namely deep-sea, high altitude, and space environment experience physiological, biochemical, and genetic changes. Human study in special environments may be time consuming and expensive, hence, the authors are proposing the use of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This non-parasitic nematode has been widely used as model organism for various human diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging-associated diseases. There are also physiological and biochemical parameters in humans established in C. elegans. Similarly, C. elegans carry ortholog genes that are associated with human genes. This paper reviews the physiological, biochemical, and genetic changes in humans under the different special environments and correlate these effects in the current understanding of the special environments in C. elegans. Both the deep-sea and high-altitude environment leads to hypoxia due to do the decrease in oxygen supply in humans. Hypoxia in C. elegans is regulated by p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), which inhibits the oxygen sensor EGL-9 and activates hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). In space environment, humans and C. elegans experience are observed to have decreased muscle mass. The muscle morphogenesis in humans is associated with MyoD, which interestingly has a counterpart in C. elegans, ceMyoD. Even though there were studies using C. elegans in different special environments, there were some physiological and biochemical changes that are still not elucidated. It is interesting to study the effects of these different special environments by mimicking various environmental conditions on the lifespan and health span in C. elegans.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/2ybkpk9m
Article title: In silico Identification of Novel Compounds as Quorum-Sensing Inhibitors in Selected Waterborne Pathogens
Authors: Khirsten Marie Bawar, Leannie Praise Cruz, Kristine Bernadette Ilao, Julianne Mica Justiniano, Lara Mae Panganiban, Diane Laine Fabito, Christine Joy Amayun, and John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 21(2):366-377, 2021
Abstract:
Quorum sensing (QS) is a process involved in producing, detecting, responding, and releasing signaling molecules to maintain physiological activities of most utilized by both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in various environmental conditions. This study aims to identify novel compounds that have potential QS inhibitory mechanisms against the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), and the gram-negative bacteria Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Compounds that are structurally similar to the known QS inhibitors were identified using ligand-based screening. Candidate compounds with 40 to 80% similarity with the known QS inhibitors were further evaluated through molecular docking with the QS-associated enzymes, namely ComA, ComE, LsrF, LsrK, AgrC, AgrA, LsrB, and Hfq. The binding affinity was visualized to identify the different non-covalent binding interactions. Compounds with <-8.0 kcal/mol docking score were considered for evaluation for their distribution coefficient (LogD) at different optimal growth of the bacteria, such as pH 4, 6, 7.4, 7.8, 8, and 9. Out of the 63 compounds evaluated, only three compounds demonstrated a high binding affinity, namely 1-phenyl-3-[5-(phenylcarbamoylamino)naphthalen-1-yl]urea and 1-naphthalen- 1-yl-3-[5-(naphthalen-1-ylcarbamoylamino)naphthalen-1-yl]urea with ComE of S. pneumoniae and 3-[(4-Methylphenyl)sulfonyl][1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]quinazolin-5(4H)-one to AgrA of S. aureus. Their high binding affinity may be attributed to the numerous hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. However, only 3-[(4-Methylphenyl)sulfonyl][1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]quinazolin-5(4H)-one has comparable LogD value with its QS inhibitor of AgrA, savarin, at the optimal growth pH for S. aureus. These findings suggest that the use of 3-[(4-Methylphenyl)sulfonyl][1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a] quinazolin-5(4H)-one may be effective in controlling S. aureus growth probably through inhibition of AgrA. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/36z649cs
Article title: Molecular Interactions of Cyanidin-3-glucoside with Bacterial Proteins Modulate the Virulence of Selected Pathogens in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: John Sylvester Nas, Annlyn Sanchez, Jenina Camille Bullago, Jhowel Ken Fatalla, and Francisco Gellecanao Jr.
Publication title: Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences 10(1):150-158, 2021
Abstract:
Anthocyanins are plant pigments known for their radical scavenging activity. However, the current understanding of the effects of anthocyanins in bacterial infection is limited to crude extracts. Additionally, most studies about cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), an anthocyanin compound from the cyanidin class, were limited to in vitro experiments. This paper investigated the protective mechanism of C3G against selected pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), and Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as the infection model. The nematodes were supplemented with varying sublethal concentrations of C3G every day after hatching. Besides, the concentrations of C3G used exhibit no bacterial growth suppression against the pathogens. The nematodes transferred to different plates were flooded with varying bacteria. The number of surviving worms were counted every day until all worms were deceased. To hypothesize the protective mechanism of C3G, its 3D structure was docked in the crystal structures of the different proteins produced by each pathogen. These protein molecules represent their virulence factors, which are available in the Protein Data Bank. The docked crystal structures were evaluated for their binding energies and binding interactions. Results show that C3G rescues C. elegans against S. aureus but not from E. faecalis, despite both are gram-positive. This observation is similar to the gram-negative pathogens where C. elegans were protected from P. mirabilis treatment but not against K. pneumoniae. Consistently, the docked crystal structures of C3G reveal to have a high binding affinity with amidohydrolase and exfoliative toxin A, which are virulence factors of P. mirabilis and S. aureus, respectively. These findings suggest that the protective mechanism of C3G against pathogens may influence the virulence factors of certain bacteria only.
Full text available upon request to the author/s.
Article title: Effects of Commercial Antioxidants Applied in Ovo on Chorioallantoic Membrane and Putative Plasma Vitellogenin of Philippine Mallard (Anas platyrynchos L.)
Authors: Renato S.A. Vega, Christine B. Adiova, John Sylvester B. Nas, Desiree Joy V. Cerico, and David D. Manalo
Publication title: IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 690(1):012026, March 2021
Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different antioxidants and its overdose (4x) in ovo . Experiment 1 were grouped as vitamin C, MegaAntioxidant ® and Proflavanol C ® , while experiment 2 were grouped as 100, 200 and 400ppm of MegaAntioxidant ® having positive and negative control for both. The 200 fertile eggs in each experiment were injected with 100 ul/ egg of treatment solution and placebo (positive control), except negative control. Embryonic weight and body measurements were taken weekly (7-21 d). The anti-angiogenesis using CAM at day 4 was accomplished. Determination of putative vitellogenin (VTG) was done at 28 th day using SDS-PAGE. Both experiments showed comparable embryonic weight, body length, and head diameter indicating no deleterious effects of different antioxidants and MegaAntioxidants ® at high doses. Absence of red blemishes of liver was observed in three different antioxidants. The CAM resulted to lesser blood vessel formation significantly at 200 and 400 ppm MegaAntioxidant ® . Further, the 175 kDa putative VTG, was present in vitamin C, Proflavanol C ® , positive control and negative control, except MegaAntioxidant ® . The results imply that MegaAntioxidant ® having 32 different antioxidants could have protected the liver, spared VTG synthesis and had anti-angiogenic property at 200 and 400ppm doses.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/dv22e5kh
Article title: Elucidating the Differences in the Biofilm Suppression Mechanism of 6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through Molecular Docking
Authors: John Sylvester B. Nas, Francisco R. Gellecanao, Danica M. Malacad, Jose Alfonso G. Manugas, Gildred Christian L. Mutia, Mikaela D. Paguibitan, Mark Johndel M. Quilala, Trisha Joy Basille A. Rodriguez, Mary Janniezl S. Tee
Publication title: International Journal of Biosciences (IJB) 18(2):1-10, February 2021
Abstract:
The virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is associated with its biofilm formation via quorum sensing. Compounds present in Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) such as 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol show antibacterial property against different bacteria. However, the mechanism of action of these compounds is underexplored. Hence, we compared the biofilm reduction of these compounds and visualized their binding interactions to different pathways to hypothesize a possible mechanism of action associated with the biofilm reduction. In this study, the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa treated with varying concentrations of either 6-shogaol or 6-gingerol was determined through biofilm accumulation assay. The binding affinity of 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol with various enzymes involved in the membrane integrity, lipopolysaccharide formation, motility, and fatty acid synthesis were ranked through molecular docking. The crystal structures of the compounds docked to the top 3 enzymes with the most negative docking score were evaluated. Results show that 6-gingerol suppressed the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa significantly higher (p<0.05) than 6-shogaol. Besides, 6-gingerol has a strong binding affinity to an enzyme associated with membrane integrity while 6-shogaol to a motility-related enzyme. The top enzymes were associated with membrane integrity, lipopolysaccharide formation, and motility. The differences in the binding affinity of 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol may be attributed to the varying substructures involved during the non-covalent interactions. Moreover, we speculate that there are other factors involved that resulted in a higher binding affinity of 6-shogaol despite having fewer interactions. These factors may be independent or complementary with the non-covalent bonding, which may be essential to their biofilm suppression property.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/5fenpdey
Article title: Peonidin-3-glucoside extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans and enhances its tolerance to heat, UV, and oxidative stresses
Authors: John Sylvester B. Nasa,, Rafael Vincent M. Manalo, Paul Mark B. Medina
Publication title: ScienceAsia 47(4):457, 2021
Abstract:
Anthocyanins have long been established for their benefits to various organisms, ranging from lifespanextension and healthspan improvement in animal models to enhanced immunity and organ function in humans. InAsia, staple food, such as potatoes and rice, contains peonidin, a flavylium-bearing anthocyanin. However, its benefitshave only been demonstrated in crude or partially purified extracts, with scarce data on its purified form. In this study,peonidin-3-glucoside (P3G) was tested for antioxidant properties and was administered to Caenorhabditis elegans undervarious forms of stresses (ultraviolet, heat, and oxidative stress). P3G showed free radical scavenging activity withan EC50 6.9-fold higher than that of ascorbic acid but was twofold lower than that of CoQ10 (150 µg/ml). Using itssublethal concentration (50 µg/ml), P3G extended the lifespan of C. elegans by 14% greater than that of vehicle (dH2O)but comparable with CoQ10 (16%). In addition, 50 µg/ml P3G increased the pharyngeal pumping rate of C. elegansby 8.3%, which is an indicator of healthspan improvement. When compared with dH2O under ultraviolet (UVA), heat(30 °C), and H2O2(100 µm) stressors, P3G continued to increase the lifespan of C. elegans by 23%, 25%, and 47%,respectively; which CoQ10 was not able to achieve except under H2O2stress. Meanwhile, egg-laying ability-which isanother indicator of healthspan-did not improve with either P3G or CoQ10. Taken together, P3G enhanced the lifespanand healthspan of C. elegans in the presence of UV, heat, and oxidative stresses, with mechanisms possibly divergingfrom its antioxidant activity that warrant further investigation.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/fatspyus
Article title: Solanum melongena (Eggplant) Crude Anthocyanin Extract and Delphinidin-3- glucoside protects Caenorhabditis elegans against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Philippine Journal of Health 23(4):17:24, 2020
Abstract:
Background and Objective: During infection, ROS signaling is activated to protect the cells from invading microorganisms. However, high level of ROS may also damage the host tissue. The anthocyanin delphinidin is known to have a strong antioxidant activity which protects cells from oxidative damage. We explored the potential of crude anthocyanin extract from the fruit of Solanum melongena (Eggplant) and Delphinidin-3- glucoside in enhancing the innate immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Methodology: We used Caenorhabditis elegans to study innate immune response because it lacks adaptive immunity. First, we determined the sublethal concentration of S. melongena crude anthocyanin extract (SMCAE) and Delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G) in C. elegans. We used the sublethal concentration of SMCAE and D3G to supplement the nematodes during its exposure to S. aureus and K. pneumoniae. We then observed its survival rate until day five post-L4. We also tested SMCAE and D3G for probable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Results and Conclusion: We found out that both SMCAE and D3G showed no inhibitory effect on the growth of the bacteria. However, both SMCAE and D3G enhanced the survival of the nematode when exposed to S.aureus and K. pneumoniae. Overall, we speculate that the anthocyanin delphinidin in S. melongena crude extract protected the C. elegans against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae infection through its antioxidant activity.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/2476nvn6.
Article title: Evaluation of anticancer potential of Eleusine indica methanolic leaf extract through Ras- and Wnt-related pathways using transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strains
Authors: Nas, John; Dangeros, Sheryl; Chen, Princess; Dimapilis, Rosemarie; Gonzales, Daniel; Hamja, Fatima; Ramos, Cathdrin; Villanueva, Ashera
Publication title: Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results 11(1):42, January 2020
Abstract:
Background: In the Philippines, many accounts have resurfaced claiming different herbal and therapeutic advantages of Eleusine indica. One of these advantages is its anticancer potential. Despite some studies showing that the crude extract has cytotoxic and radical scavenging activity, it is still insufficient and further scientific evidence is needed to support this claim.
Aim: Hence, we evaluate the anticancer potential of E. indic a methanolic leaf extract (EMLE) by focusing on two cancer-related pathways, Ras and Wnt pathways.
Subjects and Methods: We used wild-type and transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strains which have an irregular Ras or Wnt signaling. We determined the average number of eggs laid of each strain and the multivulva development of the Ras-mutant strain.
Results: Our experiments show that EMLE does not affect the number of eggs laid of the wild-type, Ras-mutant-and Wnt-mutant worms. Furthermore, EMLE was not able to reduce Ras-mutant population demonstrating multi-vulva. Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that the anticancer potential of EMLE may be independent of Ras and Wnt signaling pathways.
Full text available upon request to the author/s.
Article title: Exploring the binding affinity and non-covalent interactions of anthocyanins with aging-related enzymes through molecular docking
Authors: John Sylvester B. Nas
Publication title: Philippine Journal of Health 24(3):1-11, 2020
Abstract:
Background and Objective: Anthocyanins are associated with aging and longevity. However, the mechanism involving the pure anthocyanin compounds in aging remains elusive. To investigate the possible mechanism of action of the different anthocyanin compounds towards aging-associated enzymes, the lead-likeness, binding affinity, and binding interactions were evaluated.
Methodology: The different anthocyanin compounds such as cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin were assessed for lead-likeness following the criteria of Lipinski's rule of five (Ro5). These same compounds were virtually docked to different aging-related enzymes involved in MAPK, AMPK, and insulin signaling pathways. The top binding anthocyanins for each enzyme were visualized and compared to the enzyme inhibitors.
Results: The different anthocyanin compounds abide with Ro5 denoting its potential as a lead compound. For each enzyme, there were different top-binding anthocyanins. The crystal structures of the docked anthocyanins reveal that there were different substructures involved during the non-covalent interaction. Some substructures, particularly the hydroxy groups, have different roles during the H-bond formation. These findings suggest that the various anthocyanin compounds may have a distinct mechanism of action towards a specific enzyme.
Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that the anthocyanin compounds may have varying effects in aging enzymes, which may be due to the differences in their substructures. Nonetheless, further investigations are needed to understand these findings using cells and animal models.
Full text link https://tinyurl.com/43wxura4
Article title: Delphinidin Protects Caenorhabditis Elegans Against Bacterial Infections
Authors: John Sylvester Nas
Publication title: Science International (Lahore) 32(6): 699-703, 2020
Abstract:
Delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G) is a pigment widely represented in various fruits and vegetables. Being an anthocyanin compound, D3G offers an antioxidant property which could influence oxidative damage. In this paper, the researchers are interested in pathogen-associated oxidative damage. Hence, this paper investigates the protective property of D3G on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) against different pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia), and Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis). The C. elegans were nourished with varying concentrations of D3G and were infected with different pathogens. The lifespan of the nematode was observed in these other conditions. Results show a significant increase (p≤0.05) in the lifespan of C. elegans when exposed to S. aureus, E. faecalis, K. pneumonia, and P. mirabilis. However, the efficiency of D3G against the different pathogens differ. Taken together, the researchers speculate Full text link https://tinyurl.com/yck6su4y