Life Sciences Commons^™

Differential Oxidative Response To Fluoropyrimidines In Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines, Ufuk Özer, Karen Wood Barbour

Turkish Journal of Biology

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common human malignancy in women and the third in men, accounting for approximately 8% of cancer-related deaths and 1.3 million newly diagnosed cases annually worldwide. CRC cell lines differ in morphological features, growth rate, and their genetic alterations, implicating the extent of variability among the lines. The goal of the current study was to investigate the phenotypes of CRC lines related to NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity and expression of NOX2 subunits in response to fluoropyrimidines. NOX activity in response to 5'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd) and VAS2780 was measured in CRC cell lines. Cells were treated …

Molecular Investigations Of The Somatic Embryogenesis Recalcitrancein The Cherry (Prunus Cerasus L.) Rootstock Cab 6p, Kaouther Ben Mahmoud, Emna Jedidi, Fabienne Delporte, Yordan Muhovski, Ahmed Jemmali, Philippe Druart

Turkish Journal of Biology

Somatic embryogenesis is a powerful tool for clonal propagation and plant breeding in many plant species, but its application is limited by the genotype response based on the interaction between gene expression and culture conditions. In this context, the recalcitrance of the nonembryogenic cherry rootstock Prunus cerasus cultivar CAB 6P was investigated via the analysis of the candidate genes PiABP19, Picdc2, and PiSERK3 in comparison with the embryogenic genotype Prunus incisa cultivar N°131. Semiquantitative RT-PCR was employed to assess the transcript level of these genes in leaf explants and derived calli of the two genotypes cultured on picloram-containing MS medium …

Converted Carotenoid Production In Dunaliella Salina By Using Cyclization Inhibitors 2-Methylimidazole And 3-Amino-1,2,4-Triazole, Arzu Yildirim, İsmai̇l Hakki Akgün, Meltem Dalay

Turkish Journal of Biology

Carotenoids are vital for most photosynthetic organisms because of their crucial role in prevention of the damage caused by excess light or stress conditions like heat or nutrient deprivation. Some of them are also valuable for biotechnology wıth respect to their colorful feature and antioxidant properties. In this study, a natural β-carotene producer, green microalga Dunaliella salina, was evaluated for its potential to produce different valuable carotenoids through the inhibition of cyclization reactions in the carotenoid pathway by the chemical inhibitors 2-methylimidazole (2MI) and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (Amitrol). 2MI was shown to be effective on lutein accumulation in D. salina cultures grown …

Pt(Iv), Pd(Ii), And Rh(Iii) Complexes Induced Oxidative Stress And Cytotoxicity In The Hct-116 Colon Cancer Cell Line, Petar Canovic, Jovana Bogojeski, Jelena Kosaric, Snezana Markovic, Marko Zivanovic

Turkish Journal of Biology

The use of transition metal complexes as appropriate analogues to cisplatin and similar anticancer drugs nowadays is of utmost importance. The inertness of Pt(IV), Pd(II), and Rh(III) complexes and the choosing of convenient ligands could offer a possible advantage in comparison to Pt(II) complexes. These advantages could be attributed to the better anticancer activity and fewer possible side effects. In this paper, we have chosen three complexes of different transition metal ions, [(TLtBu)PdIICl]ClO4, [RhIII(LH2tBu)Cl3], and [PtIV(LH2tBu)Cl3]Cl (where TLtBu is 2,6-bis[(1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolin-2-imino)methyl]pyridine and LH2tBu is 2,6-bis(5-tert-butyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine), for biological tests. All three complexes exerted strong prooxidative and cytotoxic effects on the human colorectal …

Characterization And Pathogenicity Of Fusarium Proliferatum Andfusarium Verticillioides, Causal Agents Of Fusarium Ear Rot Of Corn, Nur Ain Izzati Mohd Zainudin, Farah Aqila Hamzah, Nor Azizah Kusai, Nur Syuhada Zambri, Suhaida Salleh

Turkish Journal of Biology

Fusarium ear rot is a significant disease of corn caused by several toxigenic Fusarium species including Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium verticillioides. Forty-one Fusarium isolates were recovered from corn with Fusarium ear rot disease symptoms collected from Peninsular Malaysia. Isolates were classified into three described species known as F. proliferatum, F. verticillioides, and F. solani. Based on sexual compatibility test, four isolates from F. proliferatum (MATD-1) were crossed-fertile with tester isolate F. proliferatum D024853 (MATD-2), producing perithecia in the presence of ascospores. Meanwhile, the isolates from F. verticillioides (MATA-2) were crossed with tester isolate F. verticillioides A00149 (MATA-1), but were found …

Combination Of Esomeprazole With Chemotherapeutics Results In More Pronounced Cytotoxic Effect Via Apoptosis On A549 Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line, Arzu Yilmaztepe Oral, Haluk Barbaros Oral, Mehmet Sarimahmut, Buse Cevatemre, Güven Özkaya, Şeni̇z Korkmaz, Engi̇n Ulukaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

The vacuolar (H+)-ATPases that pump H+ from the cytoplasm to extracellular compartments can alter the pH of the tumor microenvironment. Esomeprazole can effectively inhibit vacuolar (H+)-ATPases and may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapeutics. Therefore, we used esomeprazole in combination with cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine on the A549 nonsmall-cell lung cancer cell line. Cisplatin and carboplatin combinations with esomeprazole exhibited superior cytotoxicity compared to the other selected chemotherapeutics. Low-dose combinations of esomeprazole with either cisplatin or carboplatin resulted in synergistic interaction. We examined cytotoxic activity of these combinations with the xCELLigence real-time cytotoxicity assay and detected that esomeprazole …

Identification Of Proteins Differentially Accumulated In Enterococcus Faecalis Under Acrylamide Exposure, Aleksandra Bocian, Konrad Hus, Marcin Jaromin, Miroslaw Tyrka, Andrzej Lyskowski

Turkish Journal of Biology

Analysis of bacterial proteomes can be used to obtain large amounts of information about adaptive microbial mechanisms to changing extracellular conditions. In the past, many bacterial species with the ability to degrade acrylamide were isolated. In this study differences in the Enterococcus faecalis proteome upon acrylamide exposure were investigated. We revealed substantial changes in the proteome of bacteria cultured in different environmental conditions. Microorganisms exposed to acrylamide showed higher accumulation of proteins associated with energy metabolism and its regulation. Moreover, several proteins involved in protection of cells from stress conditions were also identified. These biomacromolecules are involved in proper folding …

Lipocalin Gene Expression Is Varied In Developmental Stages By Larval Nutritional Stress In Drosophila, Nazli Ayhan, Pinar Güler, Banu Şebnem Önder

Turkish Journal of Biology

Lipocalin genes NLaz, GLaz, and Karl are evolutionarily conserved genes in Drosophila melanogaster. There are studies on lipocalin gene expression differences under diverse diet conditions, but these studies have focused mainly on age-dependent expression profiles of these genes. The main aim of our study is to determine lipocalin expression in the developmental period by nutritional manipulation with an isofemale-based design. Three larval developmental periods have been researched under normal and restricted diets. We found significant differences between lines during their developmental time-related lipocalin expression. Here, we demonstrate that upregulations in the early developmental stages of lipocalin genes under stressful conditions …

Wild-Growing Rosa Heckeliana Tratt.: Phenolic Constituentswith Cytotoxic And Antioxidative Properties, Nursen Çoruh, Ni̇zametti̇n Özdoğan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Rosa heckeliana, as one of the wild-growing species of the family Rosacea, has a wide use in the folk medicine; however, scientifically there is very little known about it. Our objective was to examine the antioxidative and antiproliferative properties of Rosa heckeliana root extract and its phenolics. The phenolic constituents, namely catechin, caffeic acid, and ellagic acid, were obtained by the methods of extraction, fractionation, and purification through column chromatography. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays and total flavonoid content analysis were employed as the current antioxidant methods over the crude extract and fractionated parts. Among the extracts/fractions, the …

Cryopreservation Of Citrus Seed Via Dehydration Followedby Immersion In Liquid Nitrogen, Ergun Kaya, Fernanda Souza, Emel Yilmaz Gökdoğan, Muammer Ceylan, Maria Jenderek

Turkish Journal of Biology

An important method for plant germplasm conservation is offered by a biotechnology-based approach of cryopreservation. Cryopreservation refers to the storage of plant material at ultralow temperatures in liquid nitrogen. A procedure for cryopreservation of polyembryonic seeds was improved for selected citrus cultivars from Turkey. Seed dehydration was performed at different exposure times, in sterile conditions of a laminar flow-hood. The tested cultivars showed the highest tolerance to low temperature storage when the seeds were first dehydrated to a moisture content of 21.8% for Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x Citrus sinensis Osb. and to 17.6% for Citrus limonia Osbeck. The postcryopreservation germinability …

Microrna-34a Regulates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factorin An Intracerebral Hemorrhage Model, Jin Hee Kim, Jae-Sun Choi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs) are devastating neurological events frequently resulting in a serious negative prognosis. The exact physiological and disease processes involved in ICHs are complex, but are thought to involve microRNAs (miRNAs), 22 nucleotide small noncoding RNAs that control a variety of normal physiological and disease processes. In this study, we show that a miRNA, miR-34a, regulates BDNF in a model of ICH injury. In particular, we assessed the impact of AM34a, an inhibitor of miR-34a, on the toxicity of thrombin-induced apoptosis and on BDNF-mediated signaling. We investigated the increased expression of miR-34a after an ICH-induced thrombin toxicity injury using …

Population Variation In Drought Resistance And Its Relationship With Adaptiveand Physiological Seedling Traits In Turkish Red Pine (Pinus Brutia Ten.), Gaye Kandemi̇r, Sertaç Önde, Fati̇h Temel, Zeki̇ Kaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

Variation in drought resistance and its relationship with adaptive and physiological traits in forest trees are important in choosing suitable seed sources for reforestation and afforestation programs. A common garden experiment using 240 half-sib families originating from coastal and inland populations of Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia) in Turkey was set up with three replicates. The aims were to determine variation of drought damage, height growth, and phenology among populations and to investigate the relationship between drought damage and physiological traits (i.e. plant moisture stress and proline content). Three-year-old seedlings were subjected to drought treatment during the summer of 2000 …

Amperometric Biosensor For Detection Of Triglyceride Tributyrinbased On Zero Point Charge Of Activated Carbon, Mohsen Rezvani, Ghasem Najafpour, Maedeh Mohammadi, Hossein Zare

Turkish Journal of Biology

A simple and robust single enzyme biosensor was fabricated for triglyceride (TG) detection. Graphite rods were modified with activated carbon (AC) and used as support for lipase immobilization. Chitosan (CHIT) was eventually used to create film on the bioelectrode and retain the immobilized enzyme. To extend the linear range of TG detection, AC was functionalized with carboxyl and then amine groups (AAC) to enhance the isoelectric point of AC. The constructed graphite/AAC/lipase /CHIT bioelectrode was characterized using cyclic voltammetry and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The accuracy of the developed biosensor was assessed through determination of different concentrations of …

Neuropeptide Y Reduces Migration Capacity Of Human Choriocarcinomacell Line By Altering Oxidative/Antioxidative Status, Milos Matic, Milica Paunovic, Branka Ognjanovic, Andras Stajn, Zorica Saicic

Turkish Journal of Biology

Reduced migration capacity of trophoblast cells leads to poor placentation and correlates with severe pregnancy disorders such as intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is sympathetic cotransmitter involved in various physiological processes and its levels are significantly increased in preeclamptic pregnancy compared to healthy pregnancy. In this study the prooxidative role of NPY and its effects on migration capacity of human trophoblast cell line JEG-3 were investigated together with the effects of nitric oxide (NO) depletion, a molecule that was shown to play an important role in promoting cell migration. The cells were treated for 24 h (short-term …

Heterologous Expression And Characterization Of A High Redox Potential Laccase Fromcoriolopsis Polyzona Mucl 38443, Orkun Pi̇nar, Candan Tamerler Behar, Ayten Karataş

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, a novel laccase gene, named as Cplcc1, and its corresponding cDNA were isolated and characterized from the Coriolopsis polyzona MUCL 38443 strain. The Cplcc1 gene consists of a 1563-bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 520 amino acids with a 20-residue putative signal peptide. The size of the Cplcc1 gene is 2106 bp and it contains ten introns and five potential N-glycosylation sites. Additionally, the isolated full-length Cplcc1 cDNA was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris. The heterologous expression conditions were also optimized and the highest activity value increased to 800 U L-1 with 1.5% methanol, 0.8 …

The Comparison Of Antioxidant Capacity And Cytotoxic, Anticarcinogenic,And Genotoxic Effects Of Fe@Au Nanosphere Magnetic Nanoparticles, Hande Yegenoglu, Belma Aslim, Burcu Guven, Adem Zengin, İsmai̇l Hakki Boyaci, Zeki̇ye Suludere, Uğur Tamer

Turkish Journal of Biology

Magnetic gold nanoparticles are used in various biomedical, biochemistry, and biotechnology applications due to their controllable size distribution, long-term stability, reduced toxicity, and biocompatibility. Different coating materials, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and polyphenols, are applied to enhance the biocompatibility of nanoparticles. In this study, the effects of surface coatings of core-shell structured Fe@Au nanosphere magnetic nanoparticles with regard to antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic, anticarcinogenic, and genotoxic properties were investigated. The obtained results demonstrated that avidin-coated Fe@Au nanospheres had higher antioxidant capacities than uncoated nanospheres. Neither avidin-coated nor uncoated nanoparticles had a cytotoxic effect on normal cells (human gingival fibroblast …

Biocompatible Polymeric Coatings Do Not Inherently Reducethe Cytotoxicity Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Ayli̇n Şendemi̇r Ürkmez, Ece Bayir, Eyüp Bi̇lgi̇, Mehmet Özgün Özen

Turkish Journal of Biology

Nanotechnology in biomedical research is an emerging and promising tool for different purposes, like high-resolution medical imaging, diagnostics, and targeted drug delivery. Although some experimental efforts focused on determination of the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) are present, there are many controversial results. In this study, chitosan (CS)- and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were used to investigate the possible cytotoxicity of coated IONPs on model mammalian cell line SaOs-2 by evaluating cellular viability and membrane integrity. Increasing concentrations of IONPs increased the cytotoxic effect on SaOs-2 cells with both CS- and PAA-coated IONPs. Cell viability on day 3 …

K-Shell Decomposition Reveals Structural Properties Of The Gene Coexpression Network Forneurodevelopment, Abdullah Ercüment Çi̇çek

Turkish Journal of Biology

Neurodevelopment is a dynamic and complex process, which involves interactions of thousands of genes. Understanding the mechanisms of brain development is important for uncovering the genetic architectures of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The BrainSpan dataset is an important resource for studying the transcriptional mechanisms governing neurodevelopment. It contains RNA-seq and microarray data for 13 developmental periods in 8?16 brain regions. Various important studies used this dataset, in particular to generate gene coexpression networks. The topology of the BrainSpan gene coexpression network yielded various important gene clusters, which are found to play key roles in …

Genetic Engineering Of An Industrial Strain Of Streptomyces Clavuligerusfor Further Enhancement Of Clavulanic Acid Production, Aslihan Kurt Kizildoğan, Güli̇z Vanli Jaccard, Alper Mutlu, İbrahi̇m Sertdemi̇r, Gülay Özcengi̇z

Turkish Journal of Biology

An industrial clavulanic acid (CA) overproducer Streptomyces clavuligerus strain, namely DEPA, was engineered to further enhance its CA production. Single or multiple copies of ccaR, claR (pathway-specific activators), and cas2 (CA synthase) genes under the control of different promoters were introduced into this strain. CA titers of the resulting recombinants were analyzed by HPLC in a dynamic fashion and compared to the vector-only controls and a wild-type strain of S. clavuligerus while their growth was monitored throughout fermentation. The addition of an extra copy of ccaR, under control of its own promoter or constitutive ermE* promoter (PermE*), led to 7.6- …

Improvement In Androgenic Response Of Borage (Borago Officinalis L.) Cultured Anthersusing Antibrowning Agents And Picloram, Mohammad Reza Abdollahi, Zahra Chardoli Eshaghi, Mohammad Majdi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Given the importance of borage (Borago officinalis L.) as a medicinal herb, androgenic studies are necessary in order to speed up the breeding programs of this plant species. In this work, we evaluated the effect of silver nitrate, activated charcoal, ascorbic acid, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), previously described as antibrowning agents and promoters of androgenesis. Adding silver nitrate at a concentration of 5 mg L-1 significantly enhanced the androgenic responses of cultured anthers up to ~2-fold for total calli production (53.33%) and up to ~2.5-fold for embryonic calli and embryo formation (30% and 0.3 embryos/anther, respectively) compared to control culture medium. …

Morphology, Development, And Transplant Potential Of Prunus Aviumand Cornus Sanguinea Seedlings Growing Under Different Led Lights, Filippos Bantis, Kalliopi Radoglou

Turkish Journal of Biology

The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the morphological and developmental characteristics of wild cherry (Prunus avium) and common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). The LEDs used were L20AP67 (moderate blue, red and far-red, high green), AP673L (moderate blue, high red), G2 (low blue, high red and far-red), AP67 (moderate blue, red and far-red), and NS1 (high blue and green, low red, high red:far-red, 1% ultraviolet). Fluorescent light [FL (high blue and green, low red)] tubes served as the control treatment. The growth rate and subsequently the shoot height of Cornus sanguinea were …

High-Fat Diet And Glucose And Albumin Circadian Rhythms' Chronodisruption In Rats, Rafael Bravo, Americo Chini, Lierni Ugartemendia, Lourdes Franco, Mónica Mesa, Ana B. Rodriguez, Javier Cubero, Carmen Barriga

Turkish Journal of Biology

Obesity is one of the most widespread nutritional diseases in developed societies and it is considered a cardiovascular disease risk factor. The aim of the present work was to evaluate how a high-fat diet may influence the chronobiology of glucose and albumin circadian rhythms. Eighty-four male common Wistar rats were separated into two groups: a control group (n = 42) and a group fed a high-fat diet (n = 42); both for the control and the obesity-induced group we stablished 7 subgroups (6 rats per subgroup) to take blood samples at 0000, 0200, 0400, 1000, 1400, 1800, and 2200 hours. …

Cytotoxic And Apoptotic Effects Of Endemic Centaurea Fenzlii Reichardt On Themcf-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line, Ümi̇t Yirtici, Fati̇h Göger, Mehmet Sarimahmut, Aysun Ergene

Turkish Journal of Biology

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the cytotoxic activity of an extract obtained from Centaurea fenzlii Reichardt, and the fractions eluted from this extract, in breast cancer cells. After isolation and structural analysis of the fractions were conducted, a meaningful cytotoxic effect was indicated. The goal of the analysis was to reveal the mechanism by which this effect occurs through researching the apoptotic side of these fractions and determining the amount of several proteins that are the products of the genes. Test substances were applied to breast cancer cells and the inhibitory concentration value 50 (IC50) that …

Fret-Based Characterization Of K264a, D345a, And Y335amutants In The Human Dopamine Transporter, Oya Orun, Pinar Mega Ti̇ber

Turkish Journal of Biology

The dopamine transporter (DAT) plays a role in the termination of dopaminergic neurotransmission; thereby it is accepted as the primary target of various psychostimulants. N-terminal phosphorylation of DAT has been proposed as a regulator in different DAT functions, such as amphetamine-induced efflux or PKC/PKA-mediated responses. To understand the role of N-terminal conformational changes in dopamine transporter structure and function, the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method was applied to various DAT constructs fluorescently labeled at the N-terminus and substrate-induced conformational changes were determined using rhodamine-labeled cocaine analog JHC1-64 in three DAT mutants. The results indicated that the construct with YFP …

The Role Of Predicted Spermidine Family Transporters In Stressresponse And Cell Cycle In Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, Aslihan Gevrekci̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

Fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has a variety of stress-signaling proteins that protect cells against environmental or intracellular stress. These proteins help the cells to respond to stress conditions and regulate intracellular functions such as cell division or gene expression. Polyamines (spermidine, spermine, and putrescine) are known to be important in the regulation of stress response and cell division. In this study, we tried to experimentally characterize novel S. pombe genes that are involved in the polyamine pathway and understand their potential roles. Sequence analysis revealed four genes that code for (predicted) spermidine family transporters in S. pombe. In an attempt …

Aftermath Of The Human Genome Project: An Era Of Struggle And Discovery, Zainab Hamdoun, Hashimul Ehsan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The collaboration between the Human Genome Project and the Sanger Institute, spurred on by their contemporary- Celera Genomics, in the race to sequence the human genome, opened the door to a generation of research concerned with the study of the nucleic manual. Following this monumental achievement, the genomic era was born, heralding the development of gene therapy, personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics, and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing systems. These 'omic' disciplines offer a wide range of applications in the treatment of disease and the betterment of the quality of human life. Their notability, however, manifests in the unique mix of sociological and scientific discourse …

Reference Gene Expression In Human Osteosarcoma Cell Lines Treated By Egb And Ctx, Ming Ren, Qiwei Yang, Yuanyuan Song, Ao Wang, Qingyu Wang, Xiaonan Wang, Shuhong Hao, Zhitao Wang, Zhenwu Du, Guizhen Zhang, Jincheng Wang

Turkish Journal of Biology

The selection of stably expressed reference genes is crucial for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay when assessing osteosarcoma treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX) and Ginkgo biloba L. extract (EGB). We aimed to identify the reference genes that are stably expressed in human osteosarcoma cell lines after the above treatments. We used qRT-PCR assay to determine the expression levels of 18S, ACTB, ALAS1, GAPDH, TBP, HPRT1, RPL29, HMBS, PPIA, PUM1, GUSB, and B2M in the cell lines MG-63, Saos-2, and U2OS, which were treated with CTX or EGB or both. We analyzed the expression stability of these genes using geNorm, …

Optimization, Purification, And Characterization Of An Extracellular Antifungal Protein From Serratia Marcescens Dt3 Isolated From Soil In Vietnam, Tuyen Thi Do, Thao Thi Nguyen, Thanh Sy Le Nguyen, Hoang Thanh Le

Turkish Journal of Biology

Gram-negative Serratia marcescens is a potential biological control agent of fungal plant diseases in many tropical regions. Its antifungal activity is due to the production of prodigiosin, protease, chitinase, and other substances that act to weaken the fungal cell wall and cause lysis. In the following investigation, a novel extracellular protein with antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum was optimally produced, purified, and characterized from a native Serratia marcescens DT3. Under optimal conditions (medium containing 1.25% peptone, 0.5% yeast extract; temperature of 28 °C; initial pH of 7; culture time of 28 h), the antifungal activity of the …

The Effects Of Salinity And Ph On Fertilization, Early Development And Hatching In The Crown-Of-Thorns Seastar, Jonathan D. Allen, Kharis R. Schrage, Shawna A. Foo, Sue-Ann Watson, Maria Byrne

Arts & Sciences Articles

Understanding the influence of environmental factors on the development and dispersal of crown-of-thorns seastars is critical to predicting when and where outbreaks of these coral-eating seastars will occur. Outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns seastars are hypothesized to be driven by terrestrial runoff events that increase nutrients and the phytoplankton food for the larvae. In addition to increasing larval food supply, terrestrial runoff may also reduce salinity in the waters where seastars develop. We investigated the effects of reduced salinity on the fertilisation and early development of seastars, up to and including their hatching from the fertilisation envelope. We also tested the …

The Effects Of Artemisia Derived Natural Products On Adipogenesis, Steven Abood

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the first time in human history, more people worldwide suffer from obesity than are undernourished. Numerous health complications are associated with obesity including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, cancers of reproductive tissues, stroke, depression, anxiety disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease. A deeper understanding of the anti-adipogenic effects and mechanism of action of sesquiterpene lactones may have pharmacological import in the continuing search for therapeutic modalities to ameliorate the effects of this global obesity epidemic.

Dehydroleucodine (DhL), 11,13-dihydro-dehydroleucodine (DH-DhL), and dehydroparashin-B (DhP), sesquiterpene lactones extracted from or derived from compounds extracted from Artemisia douglasiana, were investigated for their anti-adipogenic effects …