Oxidative Stress and Bipolar Mood Disorder: An Important Yet Ambiguous Relationship

Bipolar disorder is a chronic psychological condition that disturbs many patients' lives around the world. The exact pathophysiology of bipolar disorder is yet unknown, but there are several hypotheses to explain this condition. One of the most challenging theories is the role of oxidative stress in the progression of bipolar disorder. Here, we conducted a narrative review to gather the studies that investigated the relationship between bipolar disorder and oxidative stress. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, and google scholar databases using the following keywords: “bipolar disorder,” “oxidative stress,” “oxidative markers,” and “bipolar patients.” A majority of studies showed that oxidative markers such as Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances are significantly higher in bipolar patients compared to healthy subjects. Based on the included articles, bipolar disorder is associated with oxidative stress. Nevertheless, further well-established Cohorts are required to support these results.

Oxidative Stress Is a Key Modulator in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, and scientific studies consistently report that NAFLD development can be accelerated by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can induce the progression of NAFLD to NASH by stimulating Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, and hepatocytes. Therefore, studies are underway to identify the role of antioxidants in the treatment of NAFLD. In this review, we have summarized the origins of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, the relationship between ROS and NAFLD, and have discussed the use of antioxidants as therapeutic agents for NAFLD.

Antioxidant for Neurological Diseases and Neurotrauma and Bioengineering Approaches

Antioxidants are a class of molecules with an innate affinity to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are known to cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been associated with a wide range of diseases mediated by physiological damage to the cells. ROS play both beneficial and detrimental roles in human physiology depending on their overall concentration. ROS are an inevitable byproduct of the normal functioning of cells, which are produced as a result of the mitochondrial respiration process. Since the establishment of the detrimental effect of oxidative stress in neurological disorders and neurotrauma, there has been growing interest in exploring antioxidants to rescue remaining or surviving cells and reverse the neurological damage. In this review, we present the survey of different antioxidants studied in neurological applications including neurotrauma. We also delve into bioengineering approaches developed to deliver antioxidants to improve their cellular uptake in neurological applications.

Cytochrome P450 Sterol 14 Alpha-Demethylase Gene SsCI72380 Is Required for Mating/Filamentation and Pathogenicity in Sporisorium scitamineum

Sugarcane smut is a significant sugarcane disease caused by Sporisorium scitamineum and is a large threat to the sugar industry in China and the world. Accordingly, it is important to study the pathogenic mechanism by which this disease occurs to identify effective prevention and control strategies. Gene SsCI72380, which encodes cytochrome P450 sterol 14 alpha-demethylase (CYP51), was screened out from the transcriptome of S. scitamineum. In this study, the functions of gene SsCI72380 were identified via the knockout mutants ΔSs72380+ and ΔSs72380−, which were obtained by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation technology, as well as the complementary mutants COM72380+ and COM72380−. The results showed that the CYP51 gene SsCI72380 played an important role in sporidial growth, sexual mating/filamentation, hyphae growth, and pathogenicity in S. scitamineum. Gene SsCI72380 may regulate the biosynthesis process of ergosterol by encoding CYP51 enzymes and then affecting the structure and function of the cell membrane. Gene SsCI72380 also played an important role in the response toward different abiotic stresses, including hyperosmotic stress, oxidative stress, and cell wall stress, by regulating the permeability of the cell membrane. In addition, gene SsCI72380 is a new type of pathogenic gene from S. scitamineum that enhances the pathogenicity of S. scitamineum.

Characteristic Evaluation of Various Formulations of Anti-Aging Cream from Carotenoid Extract of Bacterial Symbiont Virgibacillus salarius Strain 19.PP.Sc1.6

Premature aging can be triggered by free radicals from UV rays, since exposure to these rays can cause the skin to experience oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induces intracellular DNA damage, protein denaturation, and lipid peroxidation that lead to cell death. However, cell death can be prevented with antioxidants such as carotenoids, which are among the potential natural compounds for its treatment. Sources of carotenoids include microbial symbionts associated with Sinularia sp., one of which is the bacterium Virgibacillus salarius strain 19.PP.Sc1.6, a carotenoid-producing bacteria. This study aims to explore the utilization of carotenoids from the bacterium V. salarius strain 19.PP.Sc1.6 for the preparation of anti-aging creams. Furthermore, the method employed three formulations (vs, ow, and wo) containing different types of cream tested for stability, and antioxidant and sunscreen abilities. The results obtained established that the carotenoid extract from V. salarius strain 19.PP.Sc1.6 was more stable in the cream vs. the oil-in-water type cream with an anionic emulsifier.

β-Cell Death in Diabetes: Past Discoveries, Present Understanding, and Potential Future Advances

β-cell death is regarded as a major event driving loss of insulin secretion and hyperglycemia in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this review, we explore past, present, and potential future advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that promote β-cell death in diabetes, with a focus on the primary literature. We first review discoveries of insulin insufficiency, β-cell loss, and β-cell death in human diabetes. We discuss findings in humans and mouse models of diabetes related to autoimmune-associated β-cell loss and the roles of autoreactive T cells, B cells, and the β cell itself in this process. We review discoveries of the molecular mechanisms that underlie β-cell death-inducing stimuli, including proinflammatory cytokines, islet amyloid formation, ER stress, oxidative stress, glucotoxicity, and lipotoxicity. Finally, we explore recent perspectives on β-cell death in diabetes, including: (1) the role of the β cell in its own demise, (2) methods and terminology for identifying diverse mechanisms of β-cell death, and (3) whether non-canonical forms of β-cell death, such as regulated necrosis, contribute to islet inflammation and β-cell loss in diabetes. We believe new perspectives on the mechanisms of β-cell death in diabetes will provide a better understanding of this pathological process and may lead to new therapeutic strategies to protect β cells in the setting of diabetes.

Molecular Mechanisms and Cellular Contribution from Lung Fibrosis to Lung Cancer Development

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) of unknown aetiology, with a median survival of 2–4 years from the time of diagnosis. Although IPF has unknown aetiology by definition, there have been identified several risks factors increasing the probability of the onset and progression of the disease in IPF patients such as cigarette smoking and environmental risk factors associated with domestic and occupational exposure. Among them, cigarette smoking together with concomitant emphysema might predispose IPF patients to lung cancer (LC), mostly to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), increasing the risk of lung cancer development. To this purpose, IPF and LC share several cellular and molecular processes driving the progression of both pathologies such as fibroblast transition proliferation and activation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, and many genetic and epigenetic markers that predispose IPF patients to LC development. Nintedanib, a tyrosine–kinase inhibitor, was firstly developed as an anticancer drug and then recognized as an anti-fibrotic agent based on the common target molecular pathway. In this review our aim is to describe the updated studies on common cellular and molecular mechanisms between IPF and lung cancer, knowledge of which might help to find novel therapeutic targets for this disease combination.

Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Implications for the Atherothrombotic Process

Atherothrombosis is a frequent complication of the clinical history of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Both atherothrombosis and APS are characterized by increased oxidative stress. Oxidative modifications are implicated in the formation of antiphospholipid antibodies, which in turn may favour the oxidative imbalance by increasing the production of reactive oxidant species (ROS) or by a direct interaction with pro-oxidant/antioxidant enzymes. As a result of these processes, APS patients suffer from an oxidative imbalance that may contribute to the progression of the atherosclerotic process and to the onset of ischemic thrombotic complications. The aim of this review is to describe mechanisms implicated in the formation of ROS in APS patients and their involvement in the atherothrombotic process. We also provide an overview of potential therapeutic approaches to blunt oxidative stress and to prevent atherothrombotic complications in these patients.

ROLE OF AMALAKI RASAYAN AS AN ANTIOXIDANT IN OXIDATIVE STRESS

Ayurveda is the science of life. The main aim of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of a healthy person and to cure the diseased person. For the maintenance of the health of a healthy person, rasayan chikitsa is advised in Ayurve- da. Rasayan chikitsa is the separate branch of Ayurveda, which deals with various aspects of preventive health care. In today’s modern era, the incidence of lifestyle disorders like hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases increased, because of altered dietary and living patterns. Oxidative stress may be respon- sible for most of the diseases. Lack of dietary antioxidants supplements and generation of free radicals induces disease associated with oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is essentially an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. Free radicals contain unpaired electrons, and they are unstable and highly reactive. They donate or accept an electron from other molecules, therefore behaving as oxidants. An antioxidant is a stable molecule, enough to donate an electron to rampaging free radical and neutralize it, thus reducing its capacity to damage. Ac-cording to Ayurveda, Amalaki is the best rasayan, tridoshhar. As per modern science, it contains the largest amount of vitamin C (6oomg), and vitamin C has the best antioxidant property. Amalaki rasayan plays an im- portant role as an antioxidant and thus relives oxidative stress, thus helpful in the prevention of many diseases. Keywords: Rasayan, antioxidant, free radicals, Amalaki

Effect of salinity stress on the antioxidant defence systems of two varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Osmotic stress, oxidative stress and oxidation of essential macromolecules are common consequences of salinity stress that limit plant growth and productivity. Plants are known to evolve several strategies such as upsurge of antioxidant defence systems (ADS) and accumulation of osmolytes, so as to thrive under such conditions. In the present study, the effect of salinity stress (using irrigation method) on ADS of two cultivars (IT-99 and IT-288) of cowpea was examined. Plant samples (roots, young leaves and matured leaves) were harvested on day 21 of treatment with saline solution (100 – 400 mM NaCl). Antioxidant markers and osmolytes levels were quantified and compared with the controls (0.0 mM NaCl). The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase significantly increased (p<0.05) in the leaves, except for IT-288 where catalase activity significantly decreased (p<0.05) when compared to the control. On the contrary, catalase and peroxidase activities significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the roots of both cultivars. Largely, ascorbate, glutathione (GSH) and tocopherols levels increased as salinity increases, except for GSH in roots of IT-99, and leaves of IT-288. The amount of flavonoids detected in the same tissue were not significantly (p>0.05) different in all the salinity levels investigated. The level of proline increased at moderate salinity levels in all samples and at high salinity in roots of IT-99 and mature leaves of IT-288. For IT-99, levels of glycinebetaine significantly increased (p<0.05) at high salinity, but significantly decreased at similar levels in IT-288. H2O2 levels significantly increased in the roots but decreased (p<0.05) in leaves samples. Malondialdehyde concentration generally increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with control. The findings of these study suggest that both cultivars were induced to express higher antioxidant activity and to a certain extent synthesis of more osmolytes.