Properties and applications of β‐glycosidase from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that specifically hydrolyses isoflavone glycosides

To modify the glycan part of glycosides, the gene encoding β‐glycosidase was cloned from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron VPI‐5482. The cloned gene, bt_1780, was expressed in Escherichia coli MC1061 and the expressed enzyme was purified using Ni‐NTA affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme, BTBG, showed optimal activity at 50 °C and pH 5.5. Interestingly, this enzyme did not have any hydrolysing activity on ordinary β‐linkage–containing substrates such as xylobiose, lactose and cello‐oligosaccharide, but specifically hydrolysed isoflavone glycosides such as daidzin, genistin and glycitin. Compared to a commercial beta glucosidase, BTBG selectively hydrolysed isoflavone glycosides in soybean extract mixture solution. These results suggest that BTBG may be a specialized enzyme for the hydrolysis of glycosides and that the substrate specificity of BTBG is applicable for the bioconversion of isoflavone glycosides in the food industry.     

Properties of recombinant 4-α-glucanotransferase from Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum JCM 1217 and its application

Food Science and Biotechnology - To determine the physiochemical properties of the 4-α-glucanotransferase from Bifidobacterium sp., the bllj_0114 gene encoding 4-α-glucanotransferase was...     

Combination of vegetable soup and glucan demonstrates synergistic effects on macrophage-mediated immune responses

Vegetable soup (VS), a plant-based functional food, has been used as a traditional folk medicine and is attracting attention for its ability to enhance the immune response. β-Glucan, a well-established and effective immunomodulator, has synergistic effects when used in combination with some bioactive compounds. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the synergistic immunomodulatory effects of the combination of VS and β-glucan on macrophage-mediated immune responses. β-Glucan was demonstrated to synergistically enhance the VS-stimulated immune response, including the production of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and nitric oxide, mainly through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in macrophages. In addition, this combination has the potential for further development in functional foods with immune-enhancing activity.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00888-x.     

Task-relevant late positive component in rats: is it related to hippocampal theta rhythm?

In the last 2 years (1994-95), two symposium volumes and three reviews have been published that were fully devoted to peptide antibiotics (antibacterial peptides or antimicrobial peptides). Since the field has been growing rapidly, this review is largely a follow-up of new results published in the last 2 years. Sequencing of the 16S RNA of the small ribosomal subunit indicate that the microbial world is much larger than generally appreciated. The importance of the natural flora is stressed and its effect on the evolution of peptide antibiotics and immunity in general is discussed.     

Successful pregnancies in the presence of spinal muscular atrophy: two case reports

We report two cases of successful pregnancy in women with chronic, infantile onset, or type II spinal muscular atrophy, both of whom delivered healthy, unaffected babies. The patients required concurrent management by a physiatrist, pulmonologist, and perinatologist throughout the pregnancy. Complications included recurrent urinary tract infections, dyspnea and worsening of pulmonary function, wheelchair seating and positioning problems, and musculoskeletal and low back pain. These problems resolved postpartum. One woman had vaginal delivery, the other had caesarean section, both of which were well-tolerated. Because of severe musculoskeletal deformity, pelvic assessment is necessary to determine the mode of delivery. The uterus has normal contractility and effective labor patterns can be established. Spinal/epidural anesthesia may be contraindicated because of spine deformity. The pregnancies had no deleterious effect on the progression of the disease in our patients, both of whom reported a positive experience with great personal fulfillment.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of myricetin-3-O-beta-D-glucuronide and related compounds

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: The anti-inflammatory effect of myricetinglucuronide (MGL) was investigated and structurally-related compounds were compared to examine the structure/activity-relationship in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. MATERIALS AND SUBJECTS: In vitro studies were performed using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-1) cells, human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), COX-1 from ram seminal vesicle, COX-2 from sheep placenta and human venous blood. For the in vivo tests male Wistar rats were used, for the ex vivo test perfused rabbit ears. TREATMENT: 1-300 microg/kg MGL or myricetinmethylglucuronate and 0.1-5 mg/kg other related compounds administered p.o. (carrageenan edema). 5, 50 and 150 microg/kg MGL p.o. for 14 days (Freund's adjuvant arthritis), 5 and 50 microg/kg p.o. for 6 days (ulceration). METHODS: Anti-inflammatory effects were measured in carrageenan edema and in adjuvant arthritis. Incidence of gastric lesions was tested in an ulcerogenicity model in vivo. Influence on COX was determined in the perfused rabbit ear, in PMNL and in a test assay using COX-1 and COX-2. 5-LOX activity was studied using PMNL and RBL-1. The influence on platelet aggregation was evaluated measuring light transmission. RESULTS: MGL exerted a marked and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect in acute (carrageenan edema, ED50 15 microg/kg, indomethacin ED50 10 mg/kg) and chronic (adjuvant arthritis, inhibition at 150 microg/kg 18.1 % left paw, 20.6% right paw, indomethacin 3 mg/kg 18.0% and 19.4%)) models of inflammation. In the perfused rabbit ear 1 microg MGL inhibited the release of PGI2, PGD2 and PGE2 to the same extent as 1 microg indomethacin. The inhibition of COX-1 in the intact cell system was IC50 = 0.5 microM, that of indomethacin 0.0038 microM. In the isolated enzyme preparations of COX-1 and COX-2 the IC50 was 10 microM and 8 microM, that of indomethacin 9.2 mM and 2.4 microM. In the RBL-1 and PMNL test assay the inhibition of 5-LOX was 0.1 microM and 2.2 microM. An orally administered dose of 50 microg/kg/day induced no gastric ulcers in rats treated for 6 days. The investigations on carrageenan edema showed a close relationship between the structure of MGL and the anti-inflammatory effect. CONCLUSIONS: MGL is a COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX inhibitor. In view of the moderate in vitro activity and the very potent in vivo activity an additive mechanism must be involved. Small changes in the molecular structure lead to the loss or reduction of the anti-inflammatory activity.     

Ultrastructural studies of the ileum neobladder

Of 101 women, 15-50 years of age, presenting with vaginal discharge, 34 had bacterial vaginosis and were randomly assigned to a seven-day course of oral treatment with either erythromycin (0.5 g b.i.d.) or metronidazole (0.4 g b.i.d.) in a single-blind, cross-over study. Treatment failure (> or = three clinical signs of bacterial vaginosis) occurred in 13 (81%) of 16 patients given erythromycin, as compared with three (17%) of 18 women treated with metronidazole (p < 0.001). Persistence of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus species and/or Mycoplasma hominis was found in 14 of 16 patients treated with erythromycin, and in four of 16 patients treated with metronidazole. Treatment with metronidazole was successful (< or = two clinical signs of bacterial vaginosis) in eight of 10 cases of erythromycin treatment failure. Neither of two cases of metronidazole treatment failure was cured with erythromycin. At three-month follow-up of 31 women, persistence or recurrence of bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed in 11 cases (36%).