Glyconutrients

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that regulates a cluster of oxidative stress-inducible genes in cells. Here, we aimed to investigate whether trehalose (Tr...

Developing effective theranostic nanoplex platforms for personalized disease treatment necessitates an understanding of and the ability to control live cell–nanoparticle interactions. However, aggregation of nanoparticles on the cell surface and their subsequent internalization is sparsely understood and adv

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide with two glucose molecules linked through an α, α-1,1-glucosidic bond. Trehalose has received attention for the past few decades for its role in neuroprotection especially in animal models of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson and Huntington diseases. The mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effects of trehalose remains elusive. The prevailing hypothesis is that trehalose protects neurons by inducing autophagy, thereby clearing protein aggregates. Some of the animal studies showed activation of autophagy and reduced protein aggregates after trehalose administration in neurodegenerative disease models, seemingly supporting the autophagy induction hypothesis. However, results from cell studies have been less certain; although many studies claim that trehalose induces autophagy and reduces protein aggregates, the studies have their weaknesses, failing to provide sufficient evidence for the autophagy induction theory. Furthermore, a recent study with a thorough examination of autophagy flux showed that trehalose interfered with the flux from autophagosome to autolysosome, raising controversy on the direct effects of trehalose on autophagy. This review summarizes the fundamental properties of trehalose and the studies on its effects on neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss the controversy related to the autophagy induction theory and seek to explain how trehalose works in neuroprotection.

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Gum arabic favourably influences the course of murine malaria.

The balance between synthesis and degradation is crucial to maintain cellular homeostasis and different mechanisms are known to keep this balance. In this review, we will provide a short overview on autophagy as an intracellular homeostatic degradative machinery. We will also describe the involvemen …

Trehalose is a natural disaccharide synthesized in various life forms, but not found in vertebrates. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates exceptional bioprotective characteristics of trehalose. This review discusses the scientific findings on potential functions of trehalose in oxidative stress, protein clearance, and inflammation, with an emphasis on animal models and clinical trials in ophthalmology. The main objective is to help understand the beneficial effects of trehalose in clinical trials and practice, especially in patients suffering from ocular surface disease. The discussion is supplemented with an overview of patents for the use of trehalose in dry eye and with prospects for the 2020s.

Accumulations of radionuclides in marine macroalgae (seaweeds) resulting from the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant (F1NPP) accident in March 2011 have been monitored for two years using high-purity germanium detectors. Algal specimens were collected seasonally ...

Fucoidan, a sulphated polysaccharide, plays a vital role in reducing cellular oxidative damage by exerting potential antioxidant activity. However, be…

Trehalose, a natural disaccharide, inhibits short-term cell proliferation and, even more, colony-forming capacity in melanoma cells. Moreover, trehalose magnifies temozolomide (TMZ)- and irradiation ...

The aim of present work was to investigate preventive role of orally administered Aloe vera supplemented probiotic lassi (APL) on Shigella dysenteriae…

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a major public health problem worldwide. In this work, we investigated the effects of a purified Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP61A) on the renal function using adenine-induced CRF mice model. Results exhibited that adenine treatment caused serious renal pathological damages and elevation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen of mice. However, these changes could be significantly reversed by the administration of LJP61A in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, LJP61A could dramatically reduce the weight loss, improve the urine biochemical index, and regulate the electrolyte disturbance of CRF mice. These results suggested that the renal functions of adenine-induced CRF mice could be improved by LJP61A, which might be developed to a potential therapeutic agent for CRF patients.

Background Trehalose is well known as a functional disaccharide with anti-metabolic activities such as suppression of adipocyte hypertrophy in mice and alleviation of impaired glucose tolerance in humans. Recently, a new type of adipocyte beige cells, involved in so-called white adipocyte tissue (WAT) browning, has received much attention as a target for adaptive thermogenesis. To clarify the relationship between adipocyte hypertrophy suppression and beige cells involved in thermogenesis, we examined the effect of trehalose on the changes in beige adipocytes in mice under normal dietary conditions. Methods Mice fed a normal diet were administered water containing 0.3% (W/V) trehalose for 16 weeks, 0.3% (W/V) maltose, or water without saccharide (controls). Body temperature and non-fasting blood glucose levels were measured every 3 weeks. After 16 weeks of these treatments, mesenteric and inguinal adipose tissues were collected for measuring adipocyte size, counting the number of UCP1 positive cells by image analysis, and preparing mRNA to analyze beige adipocyte-related gene expression. Results Mice administered a continuous intake of trehalose exhibited a thermogenic ability as represented by an increase in rectal temperature, which was maintained at a relatively high level from 3 to 9 weeks and was significantly higher at 15 weeks in comparison with that of the maltose group. In addition to the reduced hypertrophy of mesenteric and inguinal adipose tissues, the trehalose group showed a significant increase in the rates of beige adipocytes in each WAT in comparison with those of the maltose and the water groups. Interestingly, a negative correlation was found between the mean cell sizes of adipocytes and the rates of beige adipocytes in the WAT. Furthermore, real-time PCR showed that the expression of Cidea and Ucp1 mRNAs, which are markers for beige adipocytes in the inguinal adipose tissue, increased in the trehalose group. Conclusions Continuous administration of trehalose to mice fed a normal diet induced WAT browning accompanied by suppression of white adipocyte hypertrophy, elevated body temperature and decreased blood glucose levels, which resulted in enhancement of energy metabolism. Therefore, we propose trehalose as a new type of thermogenic dietary component to prevent obesity by promoting WAT browning.

Study Design: This is an experimental study using an animal model. Objectives: Disk degeneration is a common cause of low back pain. However, few attempts have ...

Gum acacia, known as Gum Arabic in Oman is widely grown all over the tropical countries including Gulf region. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activit…

As a continuous research for the discovery of trehalose-based anti-invasive agents, we developed a convenient synthetic approach for the preparation of 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-bis(acylamino)-α,α-D-trehaloses. A series of trehalose-based amides were prepared through the trityl protection of the two primary …

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The co-administration of absorption enhancing agents with macromolecular drugs (e.g., protein and peptide drugs) has been identified as a means to improve the oral bioavailability of these drugs. Absorption-enhancing agents of natural origins have received ...

Background: The putative functions of the cellular prion protein (PrPc) are believed to be associated with cell signaling, differentiation, survival, and cancer progression. With respect to cancer development and progression, elevations and mutations of PrPc expression have been shown to increase the risk for malignancy and metastasis in breast and colorectal cancer. Since both natural supplements and direct regulation of PrPc expression contribute to inhibition of cancer progression and growth, we hypothesized that knockdown of PrPc could lead to an enhanced synergic effect on the inhibition of cancer growth by fucoidan. Materials and Methods: PrPc expression was suppressed in HT29 human colon cancer cells by utilizing small-interfering RNA (si-PRNP), and cells were subsequently used to study the antiproliferative and anticancer effects of fucoidan treatment of HT29 human colon cancer cells. Results: Fucoidan treatment significantly inhibited growth and reduced cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) expression in HT29 colon cancer cells. Furthermore, silencing PrPc expression with si-PRNP amplified the fucoidan-induced changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Intraperitoneal injection of si-PRNP with fucoidan reduced proliferation and tumor volume in Balb/c nude mice. This enhanced antitumor efficacy was associated with decreased angiogenesis. Conclusion: Combination of fucoidan with silencing of PrPc has a synergic effect on the inhibition of HT29 colon cancer cell growth. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the therapeutic application of PrPc silencing with other anticancer drugs for cancer.

Accumulating studies showed that the beneficial actions of polysaccharides were closely associated with an improvement of the gut microbiota, but mechanisms that link polysaccharides and gut microbiota alterations are ill defined. Alginate from Laminaria japonica (LJP-A) can avoid being digested by the upper

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Blood Coagulation & Fibrinolysis is an international fully refereed journal that features review and original research articles on all clinical, laboratory and experimental aspects of haemostasis and thrombosis. The journal is devoted to publishing significant developments worldwide in the field of blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, thrombosis, platelets and the kininogen-kinin system, as well as dealing with those aspects of blood rheology relevant to haemostasis and the effects of drugs on haemostatic components.

In this study, a trehalose lipid was added to a Rhodococcus pyridinivorans-inoculated MFC to improve the power output by enhancing electron transfer. …

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) is a perennial succulent medicinal plant. It has been used as a traditional or folk medicine for thousands of year…

Five kinds of fucoidans from the brown seaweeds Cladosiphon okamuranus, Sargassum hornery, Kjellmaniella crassifolia (Saccharine sculpera), Nemacystus …