The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
The bioavailability of the minor Fusarium mycotoxins enniatins (ENs) utilizing an in vitro method which allows the simulation of the small and large intestine tracts has been studied. This method, based on the application of the Caco-2 cells grown alone or in symbiosis with several strains characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract, has permitted to simulate the duodenal and colonic intestinal...
We show that BJcuL, a lectin purified from Bothrops jararacussu venom, exerts cytotoxic effects to gastric carcinoma cells MKN45 and AGS. This effect was due to the direct interaction with specific glycans on the cells surface and was observed by cell viability decrease, disorganization of actin filaments and apoptosis. In addition, BJcuL was able to reduce tumor cell adhesion to matrigel, what was...
Specific ribosome-directed stressors have the capacity to damage 28S ribosomal RNA by interfering with its functioning during gene translation. This can lead to what has been called ribotoxic stress responses that are closely associated with various disease processes including epithelial inflammation in humans and domestic animals. Since the primary toxic actions of most ribotoxic stress agents are...
The ultrasensitive bio-barcode amplification assay (BCA) technique was developed for the specific detection of the A chain of ricin toxin. The target antigen A chain was first captured by gold nanoparticles (GNPs) coated with polyclonal antibodies. Magnetic microparticles (MMPs) coated with A chain monoclonal antibody were then added to form a sandwich immuno-complex. After the immuno-complex was...
To address the requirement of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity in membrane fusion events and membrane perturbation activity of notexin and guanidinated notexin (Gu-notexin), the present study was conducted. Notexin and Gu-notexin did not show PLA 2 activity after the removal of Ca 2+ with EDTA. Metal-free notexin and Gu-notexin were found to induce membrane leakage...
This study focuses on the structural and functional characterizations of novel venom phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s) from Trimeresurus gracilis, an endemic Taiwanese pitviper. The PLA 2 cDNAs were cloned from venom glands and sequenced. The majority of the clones encoded a Glu6-containing PLA 2 (designated as Tgc-E6) whose deduced amino acid sequence resembled those of...
Optimization of caprylic acid precipitation of equine plasma non-immunoglobulin proteins for antivenom preparation was achieved by regression analysis of the responses of three highly significant factors assayed by factorial design. The factors studied were caprylic acid concentration, plasma pH and temperature, and their response was assessed in terms of filtration speed, residual albumin, total...
Understanding how environmental signals regulate production of domoic acid in blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. at a molecular level requires description of the biochemical pathway to this kainoid neurotoxin. Precursor feeding studies have suggested domoic acid arises from the condensation of the C 10 isoprenoid geranyl diphosphate with glutamate, but the specific reactions leading to domoic...
Trichothecin, one of fungal toxins which were encountered in food and in the environment, seriously threatens human and animal health. It has been shown that trichothecin changed the morphology of cellular mitochondria. However, the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here we found that cell viability was attenuated by trichothecin. Features of apoptosis such as homosomal condensation and inter nucleosomal...
The composition of snake venoms shows a high degree of variation at all taxonomic levels, and natural selection for diet has been implicated as a potential cause. Saw-scaled vipers (Echis) provide a good model for studying this phenomenon. The venoms of arthropod feeding species of Echis are significantly more toxic to natural scorpion prey than those of species which feed predominantly upon vertebrate...
Bothrops asper is the species that induces the highest incidence of snakebite envenomation in southern Mexico, Central America and parts of northern South America. The intraspecies variability in HPLC profile and toxicological activities between the venoms from specimens collected in Mexico (Veracruz) and Costa Rica (Caribbean and Pacific populations) was investigated, as well as the cross-neutralization...
Toxic cyanobacteria have been reported in lakes and reservoirs in several countries. The presence of toxins in drinking water creates a potential risk of toxin transference for water consumers. Besides chemical and physical methods of cyanotoxin removal from water, biodegradation methods would be useful. The aim of the current study was to identify bacterial removal mechanisms of the hepatotoxin microcystin-LR...
Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, which consist of around 60 amino acid residues and three distinctive disulfide bridges, exhibit a broad range of physiological functions such as protease inhibitor and ion channel blocker. In this study, we identified cDNAs encoding Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, Pr-mulgins 1, 2 and 3, from the venom gland cDNA library of Papuan pigmy mulga snake (New Guinean Pseudechis...
Bm-TFF2 is an amphibian trefoil factor purified from the Bombina maxima skin secretion that is highly toxic to mammals. We previously reported that Bm-TFF2 activates human platelets via protease-activated receptor 1. In this study, for a better understanding of platelet activation induced by Bm-TFF2, we used affinity chromatography and pharmacological inhibitors to investigate the downstream signaling...
The venoms of coral snakes (genus Micrurus) are known to induce a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. While some studies have investigated their potential human effects, little is known about their mechanism of action in terms of the ecological diversity and evolutionary relationships among the group. In the current study we investigated the neuromuscular blockade of the venom of two sister...
Snakebites are rare medical emergency cases in Europe but may sometimes be severe and lead to complications. A better knowledge of snakebite epidemiology may help health authorities to better understand therapeutic requirements, especially concerning antivenoms, and thus improve treatment of snakebite. An extensive literature search for studies and articles published between 1970 and 2010 was performed...
α- and β-zearalenol (α-ZOL and β-ZOL, respectively) are metabolites of the mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN). All three individual mycotoxins have shown to be biological active i.e. being estrogenic and able to stimulate cellular proliferation albeit at different strengths. In this work, cytosol protein expression was determined by using stable-isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) upon...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.