RESUMEN

The occurrence of accumulation of microplastics in humans and wildlife has become a serious concern on a global scale, especially in the last decade. Although there are many studies on microplastics, their biological effects and toxicity on freshwater fish have not been fully revealed. In order to evaluate the potential toxic effects of PP (polypropylene) microplastics in freshwater fish, we performed 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 4-day, 5-day, 6-day, and 7-day microplastic exposure to different concentrations of the microplastics through water and diet on Cyprinus carpio. Fish samples were divided into 3 groups; Group-A with different PP microplastic concentrations in their water (ALow:1.0 g/L and AHigh:2.5 g/L), Group-B with different PP microplastic concentrations in their diet (BLow:100 mg/g and BHigh:250 mg/g), and Group-C (Control group) free of PP microplastics in their diet and water. The results showed that although microplastics did not cause death in C. carpio, they caused oxidative stress in comparing the MP exposed groups to the control groups. When indices of oxidative stress of fish individuals in all treatment groups were compared with the control group, it was determined that MDA (malondialdehyde) and GSH (glutathione) levels increased, while TPC (total protein content) and CAT (catalase) levels decreased depending on the concentrations and exposure times. Significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups in the indices of oxidative stress (P<0.05). This study provided basic toxicological data to elucidate and quantify the effects of PP microplastics on freshwater fish. In addition, this study is the first study to indicate that microplastic exposure of carp via diet and water causes oxidative stress in gill tissues and causes changes in CAT, MDA, GSH, and TPC levels. The findings also provide useful reference data for improving knowledge of the effects of microplastics on organisms in freshwater systems.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Otoliths are calcareous anatomical structures in the inner ear of fishes, and they can be used in the discrimination of fish species and stocks due to their species-specific shape. Sagittal otoliths in the Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis and Lepidorhombus boscii, two flatfish species of the same genus distributed in the Aegean Sea, were compared using morphology, morphometry and contour shape analyses. Blind and eyed side otoliths of Lepidorhombus species were evaluated separately due to their morphological features and statistical differences in morphometric measurements (p < 0.05). Four analysis groups were formed: blind side otolith of L. whiffiagonis, eyed side otolith of L. whiffiagonis, blind side otolith of L. boscii and eyed side otolith of L. boscii. Morphometric differences in otolith shape were performed by canonical discriminant analysis, and the first discriminant axis explained 97.4% (Wilks λ = 0.270) of the variance between the groups, and the second axis explained 2.3% (Wilks λ = 0.620). Classification success between Lepidorhombus species based on CDA is 100%, and the overall CDA classification score between groups is 76.5%. The wavelet functions obtained in the contour analysis showed high variability in the anterior, posterior-dorsal, antero-dorsal and ventral regions of the otoliths among these four analysis groups. Consequently, it is thought that this study will contribute to the taxonomic classification of fish with the morphological and morphometric differences in the blind and eyed side otoliths and the analyses made with the high discrimination success obtained in Lepidorhombus species.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

SARS-Cov-2(Covid-19) is a new strain of coronavirus and was firstly emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Now, there is no known specific treatment of Covid-19 available. COVID-19 main protease is a potential drug target and is firstly crystallised by Liu et al (2020). In the study, we investigated the drug potential of molecules that the components of an important medicinal plant Passiflora by using molecular docking, molecular dynamic and drug possibility properties of these molecules. Docking performances were done by Autodock. Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine were used as standarts for comparison of tested ligands. The molecular docking results showed that the Luteolin, Lucenin, Olealonic acid, Isoorientin, Isochaphoside, Saponarin, Schaftoside etc. ligands was bound with COVID-19 main protease above -8,0 kcal/mol binding energy. Besides, ADME, drug-likeness features of compounds of Passiflora were investigated using the rules of Lipinski, Veber, and Ghose. According to the results obtained, it has been shown that compounds of Passiflora have the potential to be an effective drug in the COVID-19 pandemic. Further studies are needed to reveal the drug potential of these ligands. Our results will be a source for these studies.

RESUMEN

The novel human coronavirus was firstly emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has spread rapidly around the world. There is no known specific effective treatment of COVID-19. The most commonly used agents against this disease both in Turkey and around the world include chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, and remdesivir. In the study, we investigated the drug potential of molecules that the components of an important medicinal plant Hypericum perforatum by using molecular docking and drug possibility properties of these molecules. The molecular docking results showed that the most stable complex was obtained with COVID-19 main protease and hypericin/isohypericin ligands with - 11 kcal/mol binding energy. Furthermore, ADMET, drug-likeness features of compounds of H. perforatum were investigated using the rules of Lipinski, Veber, and Ghose. According to the results obtained, it has been shown that H. perforatum has the potential to be an effective drug in the COVID-19 pandemic. In the next stage, it is necessary to carry out the clinically necessary reliability studies of these components. It is thought that it can be used for the treatment of COVID-19 if our molecular docking results are found to be in high correlation with clinical studies. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40495-021-00254-9.

RESUMEN

Isolation, identification and technological properties of halophilic lactic acid bacteria (HLAB) from olive samples which were collected from different places in Turkey were examined in the present work. According to the genetic analysis of the isolates, it was determined that 42 (%57.53) Lactobacillus plantarum, 20 (%27.39) Lactobacillus acidipiscis, 7 (%9.58) Enterococcus faecium, 2 (%2.73) Lactobacillus alimentarius, 1 (%1.36) Lactobacillus farciminis, 1 (%1.36) Lactobacillus namurensis. L. plantarum, L. alimentarius, L. farciminis and L. namurensis were able to tolerate 8% NaCl. Twenty-seven isolates showed lipolytic activity between 0.2 and 1.09 U ml-1. Thirty isolates had pectolytic activity as 3.24-5.29 U ml-1. A total of twelve L. acidipiscis, L. alimentarius, L. farciminis and L. plantarum strains showed positive decarboxylase activity by decarboxylating tyrosine. Results indicated that L. plantarum Z64A, Z64B, Z66A, Z83B, Z100A and L. acidipiscis Z112D showed high salt resistance, no biogenic amine production, low pectinolytic and low lipolytic activity. HLAB are dominant bacteria in the fermented foods containing high levels of salt. There are no many studies about the presence of HLAB in table olives and their technological properties. The present work showed that HLAB isolates of L. plantarum, L. acidipiscis and E. faecium were the predominant species found in table olives collected from the western part of Turkey. The selected strains which have high salt resistance, low pectinolytic and lipolytic activity are potentially good candidates as starter culture source in olive fermentations.

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: There are few reports about the direct toxic effects of hyperhomocysteinemia on the liver. We investigated oxidative and nitrosative stresses and apoptotic and necrotic changes in the liver of rats fed a high-methionine (HM) diet (2%, w/w) for 6 mo. We also investigated whether taurine, an antioxidant amino acid, is protective against an HM-diet-induced toxicity in the liver. METHODS: Lipid peroxide levels, nitrotyrosine formation, and non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants were determined in livers of rats fed an HM diet. In addition, apoptosis-related proteins, proapoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 expressions, apoptotic cell count, histopathologic appearance in the liver, and alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities in the serum were investigated. RESULTS: Plasma homocysteine levels and serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities were increased after the HM diet. This diet resulted in increases in lipid peroxide and nitrotyrosine levels and decreases in non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in liver homogenates in rats. Bax expression increased, B-cell lymphoma-2 expression decreased, and apoptotic cell number increased in livers of rats fed an HM diet. Inflammatory reactions, microvesicular steatosis, and hepatocyte degeneration were observed in the liver after the HM diet. Taurine (1.5%, w/v, in drinking water) administration and the HM diet for 6 mo was found to decrease serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities, hepatic lipid peroxide levels, and nitrotyrosine formation without any change in serum homocysteine levels. Decreases in Bax expression, increases in B-cell lymphoma-2 expression, decreases in apoptotic cell number, and amelioration of histopathologic findings were observed in livers of rats fed with the taurine plus HM diet. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that taurine has protective effects on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced toxicity by decreasing oxidative and nitrosative stresses, apoptosis, and necrosis in the liver.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether high methionine (HM) diet may influence the development of ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity and prooxidant-antioxidant balance in the liver. Rats received drinking water containing ethanol (20% v/v) and/or methionine supplemented diet (2% w/w) for 75 days. Although prooxidant-antioxidant balance did not change in the liver of rats in HM group, ethanol treatment was observed to increase plasma transaminase activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels, but not glutathione (GSH), vitamin E and vitamin C levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione transferase (GST) activities in the liver of rats as compared to controls. However, ethanol plus HM diet caused further increases in plasma transaminase activities and hepatic MDA and PC levels. In addition, SOD, GSH-Px and GST activities were observed to decrease, but GSH, vitamin E and vitamin C levels remained unchanged in the liver as compared to ethanol, HM and control groups. Our results show that HM diet may augment hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in the liver of chronically ethanol-treated rats.

Asunto(s)