Parimal Karmakar | Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India (original) (raw)
Papers by Parimal Karmakar
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disorder. In coming decades it will be one of the leading ... more Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disorder. In coming decades it will be one of the leading causes of death globally. The key factors in the pathogenesis of diabetes are cellular injuries and disorders of energy metabolism leading to severe diabetic complications. Recent studies have confirmed that autophagy plays a pivotal role in diabetes and its complications. It has been observed that autophagy regulates the normal function of pancreatic β cells and insulin-target tissues, such as skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. This review will summarize the regulation of autophagy in diabetes and its complications, and explore how this process would emerge as a potential therapeutic target for diabetes treatment.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Stem cells are a promising source for regenerative medicine to cure a plethora of diseases that a... more Stem cells are a promising source for regenerative medicine to cure a plethora of diseases that are currently treated based on either palliative or symptomatic relief or by preventing their onset and progression. Aging-associated degenerative changes in stem cells, stem cell niches, and signaling pathways bring a step by step decline in the regenerative and functional potential of tissues. Clinical studies and experiments on model organisms have pointed out checkpoints that aging will inevitably impose on stem cell aiming for transplantation and hence questions are raised about the age of the donor. In the following discourse, we review the fundamental molecular pathways that are implicated in stem cell aging and the current progress in tissue engineering and transplantation of each type of stem cells in regenerative medicine. We further focus on the consequences of stem cell aging on their clinical uses and the development of novel strategies to bypass those pitfalls and improve tissue replenishment.
Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology
Materials Research Express
Different conventional methods for synthesizing zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnONPs) significantly ... more Different conventional methods for synthesizing zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnONPs) significantly involves physical and chemical routes. But, often these synthesis processes are quite expensive and also involve the profuse use of many hazardous reagents. To overcome these problems, we have employed a convenient single step phytochemical synthesis of ZnONPs by using abundantly available bioresource, green cardamom. Aqueous extract of green cardamom served the purpose of reducing agent in the formation of ZnONPs, as the extract contains a high amount of flavonoids which hold great reducing properties. Various characterization analyses such as XRD, UV-vis, FTIR, SEM has been done to confirm the formation of ZnONPs and their size and shape. Antibacterial activity of the green ZnONPs was identified against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacterial strains. Significant growth inhibition was found against all. The further anti-cancerous potential of synthesized nanoparticles was also studied on hepatocellular cell lines showing its potential to be a trustworthy anti-cancerous agent.
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
Abstract This paper reports fabrication of efficient and reproducible Surface Enhance Raman Scatt... more Abstract This paper reports fabrication of efficient and reproducible Surface Enhance Raman Scattering active substrate through integration of self-assembly and Langmuir-Blodgett technique for the detection of normal and cancerous cell lines associated with prostate and breast cancers. Morphology of the substrate has been visualized using FESEM and AFM images. In vitro cytotoxicity test was performed to check the biocompatibility of the substrate. SERS sensing ability of the substrate has been tested with the probe 4-Mercaptopyridine molecule. The as-prepared substrate has been employed for the first time to detect normal and cancerous cell lines linked with prostate and breast cancers. Multivariate statistical approaches like principal component analysis (PCA) and loading spectra were further explored for segregation and identification of the cancer cells from their normal counterparts. Intriguingly, the peak positions of the loading spectra nearly correspond to the difference SERS spectra between the normal and cancerous cell lines of prostate and breast cancers. To our knowledge, such one to one correspondence between the peak positions of loading and differences in the SERS spectra has been noticed for the first time and can act as a diagnostic platform to identify the biomarkers for cancerous cell lines in the molecular scale.
Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Notch signaling is reported to be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast, and the ... more Notch signaling is reported to be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast, and the enzyme γ-secretase plays an important role in the activation and nuclear translocation of Notch intracellular domain (NICD). Hence, pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase might lead to the subsequent inhibition of Notch signaling in cancer cells. In search of novel γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), we screened a series of triazole-based compounds for their potential to bind γ-secretase and observed that 3-(3′4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-(N-methyl-3′-indolyl)-1,2,4-triazole compound (also known as NMK-T-057) can bind to γ-secretase complex. Very interestingly, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit proliferation, colony-forming ability, and motility in various breast cancer (BC) cells such as MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, 4T1 (triple-negative cells), and MCF-7 (estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)–positive cell line) with negligible cytotoxicity against noncancerous cells (MCF-10A and peripheral blood mononuclear cells). Furthermore, significant induction of apoptosis and inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness were also observed in NMK-T-057–treated BC cells. The in silico study revealing the affinity of NMK-T-057 toward γ-secretase was further validated by a fluorescence-based γ-secretase activity assay, which confirmed inhibition of γ-secretase activity in NMK-T-057–treated BC cells. Interestingly, it was observed that NMK-T-057 induced significant autophagic responses in BC cells, which led to apoptosis. Moreover, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit tumor progression in a 4T1-BALB/c mouse model. Hence, it may be concluded that NMK-T-057 could be a potential drug candidate against BC that can trigger autophagy-mediated cell death by inhibiting γ-secretase–mediated activation of Notch signaling.
Materials Science and Engineering: C
Among the different types of biomaterials, natural excipients gum acacia (GA) is economic and has... more Among the different types of biomaterials, natural excipients gum acacia (GA) is economic and has the potential for controlled drug delivery. We have synthesized GA microspheres by co-precipitation method and characterized them by XRD, FESEM, 1H NMR, FTIR, UV visible spectra and DLS. Despite its potential anti-cancer activity, solubility of curcumin is very low rendering its limit in application. We have used GA microspheres where curcumin can be loaded comfortably and thereby increases its bioavailability. The cytotoxicity of curcumin encapsulated GA microspheres was evaluated on triple negative breast cancer cell lines. They were found to induce apoptosis by perturbing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Folic acid was conjugated to curcumin encapsulated GA microspheres, for delivering it specifically to the cancer cells. The in-vivo study in BALB/C mice model exhibited more tumor regression in case of folic acid targeted curcumin encapsulated GA microsphere. Our results implicates that these microspheres can be an effective therapeutic agent to folate receptors over expressing cancer cells.
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2017
Abstract A simple, rapid and cost-effective approach is developed to synthesize fluorescent carbo... more Abstract A simple, rapid and cost-effective approach is developed to synthesize fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using the leaves of Ocimum sanctum as a carbon source for the first time. The as-synthesized CDs possess high stability in aqueous solution and exhibit strong fluorescence with quantum yield of 9.3%. We have explored the use of such CDs as a fluorescent sensor for Pb2+ ions detection, which is based on Pb2+ ions induced fluorescence quenching of CDs. More significantly the resultant CDs has excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards Pb2+ ions with a limit of detection (LOD) 0.59 nM and linear detection range of 0.01–1.0 μM. The practical use of synthesized CDs for detection of Pb2+ ions is demonstrated in triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB 468 cells) and real water samples successfully. Moreover, the CDs are also possessing low cytotoxicity to exhibit excellent fluorescent probe for multicolour cellular imaging.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
Objective: Effect of Benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam is investigated on different vital ... more Objective: Effect of Benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam is investigated on different vital organs of Wister albino rat. Materials and Methods: The rats (n=6) were treated with normal doses of Alprazolam for two months along with a placebo group (n=6). After the treatment blood samples were collected and then the rats were sacrificed to collect the tissues of heart, liver and kidney. Results: The levels of enzymes ALT/SGPT, AST/SGOT and the signaling molecule NO were estimated. It was seen that the levels of all these three parameters were increased in all the treated rats. NO is a very important chemical messenger and cellular signaling molecule. Increased level of NO in the tissues of vital organs can modulate the normal physiological and cellular processes and homeostasis of the body in many ways. The NO mediated macrophage activation may also be influenced by the Benzodiazepine (BDZ) group of drugs. So, it's a very important finding from the clinical point of view. Prolonged use of Alprazolam shows different contraindications and affects different vital organs and systems of the body. To know how the drug affects heart, liver and kidney the levels of two clinically important enzymes like ALT/ SGPT and AST/ SGOT were measured in serum and tissue extracts of rat. These two enzymes are very good indicator of cardiac and hepatic health. Results of the experiments show that levels of both the enzymes were increased in serum and tissue extracts, particularly in the tissue extract of heart. Conclusion: So, from our above studies it can be concluded that there is a relation between increase of NO and the increase of levels of clinically important enzymes. As a result, before frequent and prolonged administration of the drug Alprazolam, further detailed study is needed regarding its effect on different vital organs and cellular and physiological processes.
Plant Disease
Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an important bast fiber crop that is mainly grown in the Southea... more Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an important bast fiber crop that is mainly grown in the Southeast Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and a few South American countries. In June 2013, symptoms suggestive of a viral disease were noticed on jute (cv. JRO524) in an experimental field of the CRIJAF research farm, Barrackpore, India, and the incidence of the disease was less than 2%. The infected plants showed stunted growth and short height. Mostly the upper leaves elongated with curling and coiling of lamina. Puckering and shoe string effect were also noticed. Petioles and stipules of the affected leaves were exceptionally longer. Although initially the incidence was low, it may spread to larger areas in subsequent years. Because the jute fiber is extracted from the stem, stunted growth and short height would badly affect the fiber yield and quality. Ten symptomatic and ten asymptomatic healthy looking samples were collected from the fi...
Plant Disease
Flax or linseed is grown as a fiber or oilseed crop in tropical and temperate regions. It is comm... more Flax or linseed is grown as a fiber or oilseed crop in tropical and temperate regions. It is commercially cultivated in many countries of the world including Canada, China, India, the United States, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Russia, Poland, and Argentina (1). In December 2013, symptoms suggestive of phytoplasma infection were noticed on flax in different experimental fields of Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) research farm, Barrackpore, India, and the incidence was less than 2%. Because incidence of phytoplasma diseases are increasing worldwide, occurrence of a phytoplasma in a new geographical area poses an imminent threat. The infected plants showed floral virescence, phyllody, and stem fasciation (flattened stem). Floral malformation was very conspicuous with abnormal structures replacing normal flowers. All the floral parts, including petals, turned into green leaves. Total DNA was extracted from leaf mid veins of three symptomatic and three asymptomatic ...
European Journal of Heart Failure Supplements
Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 2009
In vitro interaction of a benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam (Alp), a hypnotic and tranquil... more In vitro interaction of a benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam (Alp), a hypnotic and tranquilizer, with DNA was studied by various methods. Absorption spectrophotometric study showed that Alp binds strongly with supercoiled pUC 19 DNA and the calculated binding constant is 8.245x10(3) M(-1) in 10 mM Tris-Cl buffer, pH 7.4. Spectrofluorometric study showed that ethidium bromide induced DNA fluorescence intensity was reduced completely after addition of Alp. But Alp did not interfere with the interaction of Hoechst 33258, a DNA minor groove binder, with plasmid DNA. Circular dichroic spectroscopic study showed that with the gradual increase in Alp concentrations, both the positive and the negative peaks of DNA were gradually decreased and at higher concentrations of Alp (60 microM and 80 microM), the negative peaks became positive indicating the intercalation and the conformational change in the DNA. Binding of Alp with DNA increased the thermal stability of DNA by 6 degrees C with respect to the mock treated sample. Gel electrophoresis study of supercoiled pUC 19 DNA showed more compact structure as a result of Alp binding. Transmission electron microscopic observations also confirmed this compactness. Thus, our observations suggest the strong interaction of Alp with DNA, which may raise serious questions about the random uses of Alprazolam.
Exosomes are small-sized extracellular vesicles. Their size ranges from 30-150 nm and contains pr... more Exosomes are small-sized extracellular vesicles. Their size ranges from 30-150 nm and contains proteins, lipids, nucleic acids along other bioactive molecules. It is now also considered as communicating mediators between cells where their content varies with the microenvironment of the cells which may ultimately change numerous physiological and pathological functions of the cells. Because of their small size, safety, biocompatibility, biorecognition, high stability, target specificity, and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, the exosomes have recently gained attention as a potential nano delivery system. However, the focus of this review article is to cover the latest updates regarding the role of exosomal delivery of different micro RNAs which have an important role in disease control. Micro RNAs, which are of utmost importance as an exosomal cargo, has been reported to show both positive and negative impact on the cell it is targeted or delivered to.
Exosomes are one type of small extracellular vesicles having a size range of 30–150 nm and secret... more Exosomes are one type of small extracellular vesicles having a size range of 30–150 nm and secreted by the endosomal compartment of most eukaryotic cells. It has been found that exosomes can serve as a communicating vehicle to transfer information among cells and thus can be associated with numerous physiological and pathological functions. In this study, we have isolated exosomes from two different human cancer cell lines. Isolated exosomes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, DLS and by western blotting. It was observed that exosomes isolated from mock treated human lung epithelial carcinoma (A549) cells or Hela cells exerted growth arrest to the human prostate carcinoma (PC3) cells, but no growth arrest was observed in case of normal human lung fibroblast cell line (WI38). Additionally, exosomes isolated from PC3 cells have no effect on PC3 cells. This is also true for exosomes isolated from H2O2 induced senescent human lung cancer cells (A549). Analysis of exosome...
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disorder. In coming decades it will be one of the leading ... more Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrine disorder. In coming decades it will be one of the leading causes of death globally. The key factors in the pathogenesis of diabetes are cellular injuries and disorders of energy metabolism leading to severe diabetic complications. Recent studies have confirmed that autophagy plays a pivotal role in diabetes and its complications. It has been observed that autophagy regulates the normal function of pancreatic β cells and insulin-target tissues, such as skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. This review will summarize the regulation of autophagy in diabetes and its complications, and explore how this process would emerge as a potential therapeutic target for diabetes treatment.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Stem cells are a promising source for regenerative medicine to cure a plethora of diseases that a... more Stem cells are a promising source for regenerative medicine to cure a plethora of diseases that are currently treated based on either palliative or symptomatic relief or by preventing their onset and progression. Aging-associated degenerative changes in stem cells, stem cell niches, and signaling pathways bring a step by step decline in the regenerative and functional potential of tissues. Clinical studies and experiments on model organisms have pointed out checkpoints that aging will inevitably impose on stem cell aiming for transplantation and hence questions are raised about the age of the donor. In the following discourse, we review the fundamental molecular pathways that are implicated in stem cell aging and the current progress in tissue engineering and transplantation of each type of stem cells in regenerative medicine. We further focus on the consequences of stem cell aging on their clinical uses and the development of novel strategies to bypass those pitfalls and improve tissue replenishment.
Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology
Materials Research Express
Different conventional methods for synthesizing zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnONPs) significantly ... more Different conventional methods for synthesizing zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnONPs) significantly involves physical and chemical routes. But, often these synthesis processes are quite expensive and also involve the profuse use of many hazardous reagents. To overcome these problems, we have employed a convenient single step phytochemical synthesis of ZnONPs by using abundantly available bioresource, green cardamom. Aqueous extract of green cardamom served the purpose of reducing agent in the formation of ZnONPs, as the extract contains a high amount of flavonoids which hold great reducing properties. Various characterization analyses such as XRD, UV-vis, FTIR, SEM has been done to confirm the formation of ZnONPs and their size and shape. Antibacterial activity of the green ZnONPs was identified against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacterial strains. Significant growth inhibition was found against all. The further anti-cancerous potential of synthesized nanoparticles was also studied on hepatocellular cell lines showing its potential to be a trustworthy anti-cancerous agent.
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
Abstract This paper reports fabrication of efficient and reproducible Surface Enhance Raman Scatt... more Abstract This paper reports fabrication of efficient and reproducible Surface Enhance Raman Scattering active substrate through integration of self-assembly and Langmuir-Blodgett technique for the detection of normal and cancerous cell lines associated with prostate and breast cancers. Morphology of the substrate has been visualized using FESEM and AFM images. In vitro cytotoxicity test was performed to check the biocompatibility of the substrate. SERS sensing ability of the substrate has been tested with the probe 4-Mercaptopyridine molecule. The as-prepared substrate has been employed for the first time to detect normal and cancerous cell lines linked with prostate and breast cancers. Multivariate statistical approaches like principal component analysis (PCA) and loading spectra were further explored for segregation and identification of the cancer cells from their normal counterparts. Intriguingly, the peak positions of the loading spectra nearly correspond to the difference SERS spectra between the normal and cancerous cell lines of prostate and breast cancers. To our knowledge, such one to one correspondence between the peak positions of loading and differences in the SERS spectra has been noticed for the first time and can act as a diagnostic platform to identify the biomarkers for cancerous cell lines in the molecular scale.
Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Notch signaling is reported to be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast, and the ... more Notch signaling is reported to be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast, and the enzyme γ-secretase plays an important role in the activation and nuclear translocation of Notch intracellular domain (NICD). Hence, pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase might lead to the subsequent inhibition of Notch signaling in cancer cells. In search of novel γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), we screened a series of triazole-based compounds for their potential to bind γ-secretase and observed that 3-(3′4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-(N-methyl-3′-indolyl)-1,2,4-triazole compound (also known as NMK-T-057) can bind to γ-secretase complex. Very interestingly, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit proliferation, colony-forming ability, and motility in various breast cancer (BC) cells such as MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, 4T1 (triple-negative cells), and MCF-7 (estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)–positive cell line) with negligible cytotoxicity against noncancerous cells (MCF-10A and peripheral blood mononuclear cells). Furthermore, significant induction of apoptosis and inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness were also observed in NMK-T-057–treated BC cells. The in silico study revealing the affinity of NMK-T-057 toward γ-secretase was further validated by a fluorescence-based γ-secretase activity assay, which confirmed inhibition of γ-secretase activity in NMK-T-057–treated BC cells. Interestingly, it was observed that NMK-T-057 induced significant autophagic responses in BC cells, which led to apoptosis. Moreover, NMK-T-057 was found to inhibit tumor progression in a 4T1-BALB/c mouse model. Hence, it may be concluded that NMK-T-057 could be a potential drug candidate against BC that can trigger autophagy-mediated cell death by inhibiting γ-secretase–mediated activation of Notch signaling.
Materials Science and Engineering: C
Among the different types of biomaterials, natural excipients gum acacia (GA) is economic and has... more Among the different types of biomaterials, natural excipients gum acacia (GA) is economic and has the potential for controlled drug delivery. We have synthesized GA microspheres by co-precipitation method and characterized them by XRD, FESEM, 1H NMR, FTIR, UV visible spectra and DLS. Despite its potential anti-cancer activity, solubility of curcumin is very low rendering its limit in application. We have used GA microspheres where curcumin can be loaded comfortably and thereby increases its bioavailability. The cytotoxicity of curcumin encapsulated GA microspheres was evaluated on triple negative breast cancer cell lines. They were found to induce apoptosis by perturbing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Folic acid was conjugated to curcumin encapsulated GA microspheres, for delivering it specifically to the cancer cells. The in-vivo study in BALB/C mice model exhibited more tumor regression in case of folic acid targeted curcumin encapsulated GA microsphere. Our results implicates that these microspheres can be an effective therapeutic agent to folate receptors over expressing cancer cells.
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2017
Abstract A simple, rapid and cost-effective approach is developed to synthesize fluorescent carbo... more Abstract A simple, rapid and cost-effective approach is developed to synthesize fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using the leaves of Ocimum sanctum as a carbon source for the first time. The as-synthesized CDs possess high stability in aqueous solution and exhibit strong fluorescence with quantum yield of 9.3%. We have explored the use of such CDs as a fluorescent sensor for Pb2+ ions detection, which is based on Pb2+ ions induced fluorescence quenching of CDs. More significantly the resultant CDs has excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards Pb2+ ions with a limit of detection (LOD) 0.59 nM and linear detection range of 0.01–1.0 μM. The practical use of synthesized CDs for detection of Pb2+ ions is demonstrated in triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB 468 cells) and real water samples successfully. Moreover, the CDs are also possessing low cytotoxicity to exhibit excellent fluorescent probe for multicolour cellular imaging.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
Objective: Effect of Benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam is investigated on different vital ... more Objective: Effect of Benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam is investigated on different vital organs of Wister albino rat. Materials and Methods: The rats (n=6) were treated with normal doses of Alprazolam for two months along with a placebo group (n=6). After the treatment blood samples were collected and then the rats were sacrificed to collect the tissues of heart, liver and kidney. Results: The levels of enzymes ALT/SGPT, AST/SGOT and the signaling molecule NO were estimated. It was seen that the levels of all these three parameters were increased in all the treated rats. NO is a very important chemical messenger and cellular signaling molecule. Increased level of NO in the tissues of vital organs can modulate the normal physiological and cellular processes and homeostasis of the body in many ways. The NO mediated macrophage activation may also be influenced by the Benzodiazepine (BDZ) group of drugs. So, it's a very important finding from the clinical point of view. Prolonged use of Alprazolam shows different contraindications and affects different vital organs and systems of the body. To know how the drug affects heart, liver and kidney the levels of two clinically important enzymes like ALT/ SGPT and AST/ SGOT were measured in serum and tissue extracts of rat. These two enzymes are very good indicator of cardiac and hepatic health. Results of the experiments show that levels of both the enzymes were increased in serum and tissue extracts, particularly in the tissue extract of heart. Conclusion: So, from our above studies it can be concluded that there is a relation between increase of NO and the increase of levels of clinically important enzymes. As a result, before frequent and prolonged administration of the drug Alprazolam, further detailed study is needed regarding its effect on different vital organs and cellular and physiological processes.
Plant Disease
Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an important bast fiber crop that is mainly grown in the Southea... more Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an important bast fiber crop that is mainly grown in the Southeast Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and a few South American countries. In June 2013, symptoms suggestive of a viral disease were noticed on jute (cv. JRO524) in an experimental field of the CRIJAF research farm, Barrackpore, India, and the incidence of the disease was less than 2%. The infected plants showed stunted growth and short height. Mostly the upper leaves elongated with curling and coiling of lamina. Puckering and shoe string effect were also noticed. Petioles and stipules of the affected leaves were exceptionally longer. Although initially the incidence was low, it may spread to larger areas in subsequent years. Because the jute fiber is extracted from the stem, stunted growth and short height would badly affect the fiber yield and quality. Ten symptomatic and ten asymptomatic healthy looking samples were collected from the fi...
Plant Disease
Flax or linseed is grown as a fiber or oilseed crop in tropical and temperate regions. It is comm... more Flax or linseed is grown as a fiber or oilseed crop in tropical and temperate regions. It is commercially cultivated in many countries of the world including Canada, China, India, the United States, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Russia, Poland, and Argentina (1). In December 2013, symptoms suggestive of phytoplasma infection were noticed on flax in different experimental fields of Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) research farm, Barrackpore, India, and the incidence was less than 2%. Because incidence of phytoplasma diseases are increasing worldwide, occurrence of a phytoplasma in a new geographical area poses an imminent threat. The infected plants showed floral virescence, phyllody, and stem fasciation (flattened stem). Floral malformation was very conspicuous with abnormal structures replacing normal flowers. All the floral parts, including petals, turned into green leaves. Total DNA was extracted from leaf mid veins of three symptomatic and three asymptomatic ...
European Journal of Heart Failure Supplements
Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 2009
In vitro interaction of a benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam (Alp), a hypnotic and tranquil... more In vitro interaction of a benzodiazepine group of drugs Alprazolam (Alp), a hypnotic and tranquilizer, with DNA was studied by various methods. Absorption spectrophotometric study showed that Alp binds strongly with supercoiled pUC 19 DNA and the calculated binding constant is 8.245x10(3) M(-1) in 10 mM Tris-Cl buffer, pH 7.4. Spectrofluorometric study showed that ethidium bromide induced DNA fluorescence intensity was reduced completely after addition of Alp. But Alp did not interfere with the interaction of Hoechst 33258, a DNA minor groove binder, with plasmid DNA. Circular dichroic spectroscopic study showed that with the gradual increase in Alp concentrations, both the positive and the negative peaks of DNA were gradually decreased and at higher concentrations of Alp (60 microM and 80 microM), the negative peaks became positive indicating the intercalation and the conformational change in the DNA. Binding of Alp with DNA increased the thermal stability of DNA by 6 degrees C with respect to the mock treated sample. Gel electrophoresis study of supercoiled pUC 19 DNA showed more compact structure as a result of Alp binding. Transmission electron microscopic observations also confirmed this compactness. Thus, our observations suggest the strong interaction of Alp with DNA, which may raise serious questions about the random uses of Alprazolam.
Exosomes are small-sized extracellular vesicles. Their size ranges from 30-150 nm and contains pr... more Exosomes are small-sized extracellular vesicles. Their size ranges from 30-150 nm and contains proteins, lipids, nucleic acids along other bioactive molecules. It is now also considered as communicating mediators between cells where their content varies with the microenvironment of the cells which may ultimately change numerous physiological and pathological functions of the cells. Because of their small size, safety, biocompatibility, biorecognition, high stability, target specificity, and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, the exosomes have recently gained attention as a potential nano delivery system. However, the focus of this review article is to cover the latest updates regarding the role of exosomal delivery of different micro RNAs which have an important role in disease control. Micro RNAs, which are of utmost importance as an exosomal cargo, has been reported to show both positive and negative impact on the cell it is targeted or delivered to.
Exosomes are one type of small extracellular vesicles having a size range of 30–150 nm and secret... more Exosomes are one type of small extracellular vesicles having a size range of 30–150 nm and secreted by the endosomal compartment of most eukaryotic cells. It has been found that exosomes can serve as a communicating vehicle to transfer information among cells and thus can be associated with numerous physiological and pathological functions. In this study, we have isolated exosomes from two different human cancer cell lines. Isolated exosomes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, DLS and by western blotting. It was observed that exosomes isolated from mock treated human lung epithelial carcinoma (A549) cells or Hela cells exerted growth arrest to the human prostate carcinoma (PC3) cells, but no growth arrest was observed in case of normal human lung fibroblast cell line (WI38). Additionally, exosomes isolated from PC3 cells have no effect on PC3 cells. This is also true for exosomes isolated from H2O2 induced senescent human lung cancer cells (A549). Analysis of exosome...