scholarly journals The Role of Zinc and Copper in Gynecological Malignancies

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3732
Author(s):  
Kaja Michalczyk ◽  
Aneta Cymbaluk-Płoska

Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are essential microelements, which take part in cellular metabolism, feature in enzymatic systems, and regulate enzyme activity. Homeostasis of these micronutrients is tightly regulated by multiple compensatory mechanisms that balance their concentrations including transporters, importers, and metallothioneins. An altered intake of only one of these trace elements may cause an imbalance in their levels and result in their competition for absorption. Relatively low levels of zinc and increased levels of copper may result in an increased level of oxidative stress and impair the antioxidant properties of multiple enzymes. Altered levels of trace elements were discovered in various pathologies including immunological, degenerative, and inflammatory diseases. Moreover, due to the role of Zn and Cu in oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, they were found to influence cancerogenesis. We review the roles of zinc and copper and their mechanisms in tumor growth, metastasis potential, microenvironment remodeling, and drug resistance. We highlight their role as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, concentrating on their impact on gynecological malignancies.

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Vladana Domazetovic ◽  
Irene Falsetti ◽  
Caterina Viglianisi ◽  
Kristian Vasa ◽  
Cinzia Aurilia ◽  
...  

Vitamin E, a fat-soluble compound, possesses both antioxidant and non-antioxidant properties. In this study we evaluated, in intestinal HT29 cells, the role of natural tocopherols, α-Toc and δ-Toc, and two semi-synthetic derivatives, namely bis-δ-Toc sulfide (δ-Toc)2S and bis-δ-Toc disulfide (δ-Toc)2S2, on TNFα-induced oxidative stress, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and claudin-2 (Cl-2) expression. The role of tocopherols was compared to that of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant precursor of glutathione synthesis. The results show that all tocopherol containing derivatives used, prevented TNFα-induced oxidative stress and the increase of ICAM-1 and Cl-2 expression, and that (δ-Toc)2S and (δ-Toc)2S2 are more effective than δ-Toc and α-Toc. The beneficial effects demonstrated were due to tocopherol antioxidant properties, but suppression of TNFα-induced Cl-2 expression seems not only to be related with antioxidant ability. Indeed, while ICAM-1 expression is strongly related to the intracellular redox state, Cl-2 expression is TNFα-up-regulated by both redox and non-redox dependent mechanisms. Since ICAM-1 and Cl-2 increase intestinal bowel diseases, and cause excessive recruitment of immune cells and alteration of the intestinal barrier, natural and, above all, semi-synthetic tocopherols may have a potential role as a therapeutic support against intestinal chronic inflammation, in which TNFα represents an important proinflammatory mediator.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 859-859
Author(s):  
Erum Shireen Erum Shireen ◽  
Wafa Binte Ali Wafa Binte Ali ◽  
Maria Masroor Maria Masroor ◽  
Saeeda Bano Saeeda Bano ◽  
Samina Iqbal Samina Iqbal ◽  
...  

Acute exposure to stress is connected to many disorders that promote the toxicity of oxygen radical generators leading to increase in the levels of enzymes and also the activation of the HPA axis. The present study uses a preclinical approach to elucidate some prospective stress-induced behavioral and biochemical effects. The aim of current study was to investigate the relationship between stress and behavioral changes after exposing animals to 2h immobilization stress. We also evaluated the concentration of corticosterone, glucose and endogenous leptin levels in unstressed and stressed animals to explore the possible role of HPA axis in the modulation of stressed induced behavioral deficits. Rats were divided into stressed and unstressed groups. Behavioral activities were monitored in open field activity and light dark transition box after the termination of 2h immobilization period. Animals were then decapitated and plasma samples were collected for catalase, SOD, corticosterone, and glucose estimation. Results showed that exposure to acute stress produced a significant decrease in the activity of rats in the novel environment (open field) and light dark transition box. On the other hand, concomitant elevated level of peripheral markers of oxidative stress such as oxidative enzymes, corticosterone and endogenous leptin were also observed. Therefore, current study seems to suggest an important role of compounds having antioxidant properties for the treatment of stress and related disorders.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Olszowy-Tomczyk ◽  
Łukasz Paprotny ◽  
Agnieszka Celejewska ◽  
Dorota Szewczak ◽  
Dorota Wianowska

Abstract The imbalance between the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and their sequestration promotes the formation of so-called oxidative stress conditions which are considered crucial in the aging process and development of many human diseases. Glutathione plays an essential role in the antioxidative barricade against ROS. Its role in the detoxification process of xenobiotics and carcinogen is also known. However, there are no comparative studies on the antioxidant properties of both biological samples and glutathione as well as the change in these properties as a result of exposure to various stress factors. This paper fills this gap comparing the antioxidant activity of serum and plasma samples of the known glutathione content with the activity of glutathione itself assessed by the different methods. In addition, it reveals a significant role of environmental xenobiotics in oxidative stress and differentiates the stress induced by different groups of drugs, among which the greatest one has been demonstrated for antiarrhythmic drugs and cytostatics. More importantly, it proves that human plasma is more resistant to stress factors and N-acetylcysteine clearly promotes the extension of antioxidant properties of both the plasma and serum samples. The latter conclusion is consistent with the implied preventive and/or supportive action of this drug against SARS-CoV-2.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuyang Huang ◽  
Yunming Zhu ◽  
Chunyang Li ◽  
Zhongquan Sui ◽  
Weihong Min

The objective of this research was to survey the antioxidant functional role of the main anthocyanins of blueberries in endothelial cells. Changes on the reactive oxygen species (ROS), xanthine oxidase-1 (XO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in cells of malvidin and the two glycosides were investigated. The results showed that these anthocyanins decreased the levels of ROS and XO-1 but increased the levels of SOD and HO-1. Glycosides improved the antioxidant capacity of malvidin to a great extent. The changes in the antioxidant properties of malvidin-3-glucoside were more pronounced than malvidin-3-galactoside. Variation in levels of malvidin-3-glucoside and malvidin-3-galactoside had a significant impact on antioxidant properties to different extents. It indicates that blueberries are a good resource of anthocyanins, which can protect cells from oxidative deterioration and use blueberry as a potential functional food to prevent diseases related to oxidative stress.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bonomini ◽  
Gaia Favero ◽  
Luigi Fabrizio Rodella ◽  
Mohammed H. Moghadasian ◽  
Rita Rezzani

Hypercholesterolemia increases and exacerbates stress signals leading also to liver damage (LD) and failure. Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) is involved in lifespan extension and it plays an essential role in hepatic lipid metabolism. However, its involvement in liver hypercholesterolemic damage is not yet completely defined. This in vivo study evaluated the role of SIRT1 in the hypercholesterolemic-related LD and, then, investigated how oral supplementation of melatonin, pleiotropic indoleamine, may be protective. Control mice and apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (ApoE−/−) of 6 and 15 weeks of age were treated or not treated with melatonin at the dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 9 weeks. In this study, we evaluated serum biochemical markers, liver SIRT1 expression, and oxidative stress markers. We observed that hypercholesterolemia increased significantly serum cholesterol and triglycerides, reduced significantly liver SIRT1, and, in turn, induced hepatic oxidative stress in untreated ApoE−/− mice with respect to control mice. Interestingly, melatonin treatment improved serum biochemical markers and hepatic morphological impairment and inhibited oxidative stress through its antioxidant properties and also by SIRT1 upregulation. In summary, melatonin oral supplementation may represent a new protective approach to block hypercholesterolemic liver alterations involving also a SIRT1-dependent mechanism.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1136
Author(s):  
Alessandra Durazzo ◽  
Massimo Lucarini ◽  
Manuela Plutino ◽  
Giuseppe Pignatti ◽  
Ioannis K. Karabagias ◽  
...  

Plant species are fundamental source of nectar in beekeeping since bees access nectar and pollen from flowers. Consequently, bee products are strongly linked to the bee foraging flora source, and, depending on this, they acquire defined features, including their health and medicinal properties. Medicinal plants contribute greatly to increase the beneficial properties of bee products, such as honey, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis. Bee products represent a potential source of natural antioxidants that can counteract the effects of oxidative stress underlying the pathogenesis of many diseases. The antioxidant properties of bee products have been widely studied and there is an abundance of information available in the literature. Notwithstanding, the uniqueness of the presented perspective is to provide an updated overview of the antioxidant properties of bee products derived from medicinal plants as beekeeping sources. This topic is divided and discussed in the text in different sections as follows: (i) beekeeping and the impacts of environmental factors; (ii) an overview of the role of medicinal plants for bee products; (iii) definition and categorization of the main medicinal bee plants and related bee products; (iv) the study approach of the antioxidant properties; (v) the conventional and innovative assays used for the measurement of the antioxidant activity; and (vi) the antioxidant properties of bee products from medicinal plants.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selva Rivas-Arancibia ◽  
Jennifer Balderas-Miranda ◽  
Lizbeth Belmont-Zúñiga ◽  
Martín Martínez-Jáquez ◽  
Eduardo Hernández-Orozco ◽  
...  

Patients with degenerative diseases present a chronic oxidative stress state, which puts them at a disadvantage when facing viral infections such as COVID-19. This is because there is a close relationship between redox signaling and this inflammatory response. Therefore, chronic changes in the redox balance cause alterations in the regulation of the immune system. An inflammatory response that must be reparative and self-limited loses its function and remains over time. In a chronic state of oxidative stress, there is a deficiency of antioxidants. This results in low levels of hormones, vitamins and trace elements, which are essential for the regulation of these systems. Furthermore, low levels of antioxidants imply a diminished capacity for a regulated inflammatory responses are much more vulnerable to a cytokine storm that mainly attacks the lungs, since they present a vicious circle between the null or diminished response of the antioxidant systems and the loss of regulation of the inflammatory process. Therefore, these patients are at a disadvantage in counteracting the response of defense systems to infection from SAR-COV19. A plausible option may be to restore the levels of Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and of essential trace elements such as manganese, selenium, zinc, in the body, which are key to either preventing or reducing the severity of the response of the immune system to the disease caused by SAR-CoV2. For the present review, we searched the specific sites of the Cochrane library database, PubMed and Medscape. The inclusion criteria were documents written in English or Spanish, published during the last 10 years.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Micera ◽  
Alfonso Botto ◽  
Federica Geddo ◽  
Susanna Antoniotti ◽  
Cinzia Margherita Bertea ◽  
...  

Squalene (SQ) is a natural triterpene widely distributed in nature. It is a metabolic intermediate of the sterol biosynthetic pathway and represents a possible target in different metabolic and oxidative stress-related disorders. Growing interest has been focused on SQ’s antioxidant properties, derived from its chemical structure. Strong evidence provided by ex vivo models underline its scavenging activity towards free radicals, whereas only a few studies have highlighted its effect in cellular models of oxidative stress. Given the role of unbalanced free radicals in both the onset and progression of several cardiovascular diseases, an in depth evaluation of SQ’s contribution to antioxidant defense mechanisms could represent a strategic approach in dealing with these pathological conditions. At present experimental results overall show a double-edged sword role of squalene in cardiovascular diseases and its function has to be better elucidated in order to establish intervention lines focused on its features. This review aims to summarize current knowledge about endogenous and exogenous sources of SQ and to point out the controversial role of SQ in cardiovascular physiology.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 988-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desu N. K. Reddy ◽  
Ramya Kumar ◽  
Shao-Pin Wang ◽  
Fu-Yung Huang

Background: The curcumin-C3 (cur-C3) complex obtained from Curcuma longa rhizome is a combination of three curcuminoids, namely, curcumin, dimethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Cur and curcuminoids have been extensively researched for their wide range of therapeutic properties against inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Objective: In spite of their extensive medicinal properties, cur and curcuminoids have poor solubility and bioavailability due to their hydrophobicity. This limitation can be overcome by complexing cur-C3 with natural cyclic oligosaccharides, such as Cyclodextrin (CD). Methods: In this study, cur-C3 and CD (α, β) inclusion complexes (ICs) were prepared with different molar ratios and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Results: The cur-C3 cyclodextrin ICs showed an increased entrapment efficiency of 97.8% and improved antioxidant activity compared to cur and can be used as an antioxidant to reduce cancer-related oxidative stress. Additionally, α- CD ICs of curcumin-C3 caused an increase in growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that both α- and β-CDs are suitable carriers for cur-C3 and can be used as an effective treatment for cancer-associated oxidative stress and as a preventive treatment for nosocomial infections and pneumonia.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (6) ◽  
pp. R1612-R1619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo Viarengo ◽  
Bruno Burlando ◽  
Maria Cavaletto ◽  
Barbara Marchi ◽  
Enrica Ponzano ◽  
...  

Metallothionein (MT) is a sulfhydryl-rich protein involved mainly in heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification. In this study, the use of the mussel as an experimental model allowed us to test MT antioxidant properties at the molecular, cellular, and organism level. MT induction was achieved by mussel exposure to Cd (200 μg/l) in aquaria for 7 days followed by detoxification in the sea for 28 days. Cd-preexposed and nonexposed mussels were then treated with Fe (300–600 μg/l) in aquaria for 3 days. Biochemical assays on digestive gland tissue showed that treatment with Fe led to a significant increase in oxyradical production and malondialdehyde level only in mussels not preexposed to Cd. The Cd-dependent resistance to oxidative stress was ascribed to MT induction, as Cd produced no significant variation of reduced glutathione and major antioxidant enzymes. Digital imaging of isolated digestive gland cells showed lower oxyradical rise and higher viability in cells from Cd-preexposed mussels after treatments with 0.5–5 mM H2O2. Analyses on whole organisms showed that anoxic survival was lowered in mussels that had been treated with Fe, but such an effect was less pronounced in Cd-preexposed mussels compared with nonpreexposed ones. In conclusion, data suggest an antioxidant role for MT, which seems to occur through oxyradical scavenging and is able to protect both isolated cells and the entire organism from oxidative stress.


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