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37% ibuprofen in 24 h with no drug-burst and high loading capacity, promisingly as the pH-responsive vehicle for drug delivery in oral route.The MYB transcription factors (TFs) comprise a major TF family in the plant kingdom. Studies increasingly show that MYB-related genes drive physiological functions in plants. However, little is known regarding their regulatory networks and downstream pathways in potato. We conducted a genome-wide analysis of MYB TFs and related proteins in potato (Solanum tuberosum, abbreviated as St), and identified 138 StMYB-related TFs that were phylogenetically classified into three distinct subgroups based on highly conserved gene structures, consensus motifs and protein domain architecture. Segmental duplication events were detected in the StMYB-related gene family by collinearity analysis, which likely contributed to the expansion of this family. Synteny analysis indicated that 41 StMYB-related genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis and 24 to wheat. In addition, RNA-seq analysis identified several tissue-specific and abiotic stress-responsive StMYB-related genes. To determine a potential role of these genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis and drought response, we analyzed the transcriptomes of the white, pigmented, drought-sensitive (‘Atlantic’) and drought-resistant (‘Qingshu No.9’) tetraploid potato cultivars from three flowering stages early, peak (full blooms) and late (foliage falling). The interaction networks of StMYB-related proteins that were differentially expressed between pigmented versus white, as well as the drought-tolerant versus sensitive cultivars were also predicted. Our findings lay the foundation for prospective functional studies of potato StMYB-related TFs.

β-Cell death is the key feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The misfolding of human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (hIAPP) is regarded as one of the causative factors of T2DM. Recent studies suggested that a diet based on date fruits presents various health benefits, as these fruits are naturally enriched in plant polyphenols.

In this study, we used a broad biophysical approach, using cell biology techniques and bioinformatic tools, to demonstrate that various polyphenols from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit significantly inhibited hIAPP aggregation and cytotoxicity.

Our results suggest that all of the polyphenols showed inhibitory effects, albeit varied, on the formation of toxic hIAPP amyloids. Correlation between cell viability assay, permeabilization of synthetic phospholipid vesicles tests, and ANS florescence measurements, revealed that both classes of polyphenols protected INS-1E cells from the toxicity of amylin aggregates. Docking results showed that the used polyphenols physically interacted with both hIAPP amyloidogenic region (residues Ser20-Ser29) and the non-amyloidogenic regions via hydrophobic and hydrogen interactions, thus reducing aggregation levels.

These findings highlight the benefits of consuming dates and the great potential of its polyphenols as a potential therapy for the prevention and treatment of T2DM as well as for many other amyloid-related diseases.

These findings highlight the benefits of consuming dates and the great potential of its polyphenols as a potential therapy for the prevention and treatment of T2DM as well as for many other amyloid-related diseases.The standard-of-care chemotherapy is important in the treatment of osteosarcoma and bone metastastic tumors. However, the efficacy is limited by the specific physiological environment of the bone. Thus, developing an efficient antitumor and anti-metastasis chemotherapeutic formulation is desired for treatment of bone tumors. Herein, we utilized the alendronate (ALN) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) modified liposomes to deliver the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX), where traditionally-believed non-active drug carrier, targeting moiety could also exhibit biological functions and realize anti-tumor and anti-metastasis efficiency synergistically with the antitumor drug. Specifically, ALN could serve as the bone targeting moiety and the therapeutic agents of anti-osteoporosis. LMWH could enhance the blood circulation time of liposomes and exhibit anti-metastasis efficiency. WNK463 Besides characterization of typical physiochemical properties of the delivery system, both the orthotopic osteosarcoma model and bone metastasis cancer model were adopted to evaluate the in vivo efficacy. The results proved this system could remarkably suppress tumor growth and inhibit tumor metastasis.Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind and among its traditional uses are the calming effects. However, few studies explored its effects on the central nervous system (CNS). In this study we further proceed with structural elucidation of polysaccharides from chamomile tea. A highly substituted 4-O-methyl-glucuronoxylan (fraction SN-50R) was purified and chemically characterized, presenting XylGlcA ratio of 1.71, Mw of 500 kDa and total sugar content of 98%. Its bioactivity on pain and on CNS was explored. Animals treated with SN-50R presented antinociceptive effect and a dose-dependent decrease in the number of crossings in the activity chamber and in the open field test, as well as a significant reduction in the number of marbles buried when compared to control. These results suggest that SN-50R presented sedative and anxiolytic-like effects and may be contributing for the calming effects obtained by chamomile tea ingestion.Carbamylation is the non-enzymatic reaction between isocyanic acid and macromolecules (mainly proteins) which results in carbamylation-derived products (CDPs) generation, wherein the macromolecules show altered structure and function. In this study, we examined the modifications caused in human serum albumin (HSA) upon interaction with potassium cyanate (KCNO). HSA was incubated with varying concentrations of KCNO for 6 h at 37 °C. The resultant product was characterized by biochemical and biophysical techniques. Among other changes, the carbamylated-HSA showed homocitrulline generation (LC-MS), increase in mass (DLS), and amyloidogenic aggregate formation (Congo red, SEM, TEM). The Gibb’s free energy was calculated to be -2.91 to -3.95 kcal mol-1, suggesting that the binding was spontaneous and energetically favourable. The results indicate that in chronic kidney disease patients, elevated levels of isocyanic acid (formed from urea) may modify the albumin structure and lead to its conversion into amyloidogenic aggregates, thus accelerating kidney damage.