Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are known to be mutagenic, diabetogenic and vascular disease risk factors. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a dicarbonyl species that reacts with biological macromolecule (proteins, DNA and lipids) to give AGEs. Nonenzymatic glycation of MG with lysine (Lys) in the presence of copper (Cu(2+)) is reported to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) capable of causing DNA damage. We show that DNA modification in MG-Lys-Cu(2+) system results in the generation of strand breaks, base modification, hyperchromicity and increased fluorescence intensity. Superoxide generation in the MG-Lys system was found to be significantly higher when compared with that in the MG and Lys alone. Moreover, d-penicillamine and pyridoxal phosphate significantly inhibited the formation of glycation products. The presence of a major DNA glycation adduct, N(2)-carboxyethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (CEdG), was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). As reported earlier, modified DNA (MG-Lys-Cu(2+)-DNA) was highly immunogenic in experimental animals. Furthermore, induced anti-MG-Lys-Cu(2+)-DNA antibodies were effective probe for detecting glycoxidative lesions in human genomic DNA of type I diabetes patients. Our results clearly imply that interaction of MG-Lys and Cu(2+) leads to the formation of AGEs and also the production of potent ROS, capable of causing DNA damage, thereby playing an important role in diabetes mellitus.
Proteins undergo glycation resulting in the generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that play a central role in the onset and advancement of diabetes-associated secondary complications. Aminoguanidine (AG) acts as an antiglycating agent by inhibiting AGE generation by blocking reactive carbonyl species (RCS) like, methylglyoxal (MGO). Previous studies on antiglycating behavior of AG gave promising results in the treatment of diabetes-associated microvascular complications, but it was discontinued as it was found to be toxic at high concentrations (>10 mmol/L). The current article aims at glycation inhibition by conjugating gold nanoparticles (Gnp) with less concentration of AG (0.5-1.0 mmol/L). The HPLC results showed that AG-Gnp fairly hampers the formation of glycation adducts. Moreover, the in vivo studies revealed AG-Gnp mediated inhibition in the production of total-AGEs and - -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) in the diabetic rat model. This inhibition was found to be directly correlated with the antioxidant parameters, blood glucose, insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Furthermore, the histopathology of AG-Gnp-treated rats showed good recovery in the damaged pancreatic tissue as compared to diabetic rats. We propose that this approach might increase the efficacy of AG at relatively low concentrations to avoid toxicity and might facilitate to overcome the hazardous actions of antiglycating drugs.
Plasma proteins persistently bear non-enzymatic post-translational modifications (NEPTM) that proceeds with nucleophilic addition between free amino groups of proteins, and carbonyl group of reducing sugars. Glycation, a prevalent NEPTM rush by the high availability of reducing sugars results in the generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Plasma proteins are more vulnerable to glycation because of the presence of multiple glycation sites and are widely studied. However, fibrinogen glycation is less studied. Therefore, it was designed as an in vitro study to elucidate d-ribose mediated glycative damage suffered by fibrinogen protein at secondary and tertiary structure level. The glycation induced structural alterations were analyzed by UV-vis, fluorescence, circular dichroism, scanning electron microcopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Glycation induced protein aggregation and fibrils formation was confirmed by thioflavin T and congo red assay. Moreover, molecular docking study was performed to further validate physicochemical characterization. Structural alterations, increased ketoamines, protein carbonyls and HMF contents were reported in d-ribose glycated fibrinogen against their native analogues. The results validate structural perturbations, increased glycoxidative stress and AGEs formation, which might influence normal function of fibrinogen especially blood coagulation cascade. Thus, we can conclude that under diabetes induced hyperglycemic state in physiological systems, d-ribose induced fibrinogen glycation might play a crucial role in the onset of micro- and macro-vascular complications, thereby worsen the diabetes associated secondary disorders. Moreover, this in vitro study might pave a path to choose fibrinogen as a future biomarker for the early detection of diabetes mediated vascular complications.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Background The interaction of environmental chemicals and their metabolites with biological macromolecules can result in cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. 4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and several other related arylamines have been shown to be causally involved in the induction of human urinary bladder cancers. The genotoxic and the carcinogenic effects of 4-ABP are exhibited only when it is metabolically converted to a reactive electrophile, the aryl nitrenium ions, which subsequently binds to DNA and induce lesions. Although several studies have reported the formation of 4-ABP-DNA adducts, no extensive work has been done to investigate the immunogenicity of 4-ABP-modified DNA and its possible involvement in the generation of antibodies in bladder cancer patients. Methodology/Principal Findings Human DNA was modified by N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP), a reactive metabolite of 4-ABP. Structural perturbations in the N-OH-AABP modified DNA were assessed by ultraviolet, fluorescence, and circular dichroic spectroscopy as well as by agarose gel electrophoresis. Genotoxicity of N-OH-AABP modified DNA was ascertained by comet assay. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of native and modified DNA samples confirmed the formation of N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-4ABP) in the N-OH-AABP damaged DNA. The experimentally induced antibodies against N-OH-AABP-modified DNA exhibited much better recognition of the DNA isolated from bladder cancer patients as compared to the DNA obtained from healthy individuals in competitive binding ELISA. Conclusions/Significance This work shows epitope sharing between the DNA isolated from bladder cancer patients and the N-OH-AABP-modified DNA implicating the role of 4-ABP metabolites in the DNA damage and neo-antigenic epitope generation that could lead to the induction of antibodies in bladder cancer patients.
Background The oxidation of proteins by endogenously generated free radicals causes structural modifications in the molecules that lead to generation of neo-antigenic epitopes that have implications in various autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in rodents (rats and mice) is an accepted experimental model for RA. Methodology/Principal Findings Hydroxyl radicals were generated by the Fenton reaction. Collagen type II (CII) was modified by •OH radical (CII-OH) and analysed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS), fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The immunogenicity of native and modified CII was checked in female Lewis rats and specificity of the induced antibodies was ascertained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The extent of CIA was evaluated by visual inspection. We also estimated the oxidative and inflammatory markers in the sera of immunized rats. A slight change in the triple helical structure of CII as well as fragmentation was observed after hydroxyl radical modification. The modified CII was found to be highly arthritogenic and immunogenic as compared to the native form. The CII-OH immunized rats exhibited increased oxidative stress and inflammation as compared to the CII immunized rats in the control group. Conclusions/Significance Neo-antigenic epitopes were generated on •OH modified CII which rendered it highly immunogenic and arthritogenic as compared to the unmodified form. Since the rodent CIA model shares many features with human RA, these results illuminate the role of free radicals in human RA.
Glycation is the result of covalent bonding of a free amino group of biological macromolecules with a reducing sugar, which results in the formation of a Schiff base that undergoes rearrangement, dehydration and cyclization to form a more stable Amadori product. The final products of nonenzymatic glycation of biomacromolecules like DNA, proteins and lipids are known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs may be generated rapidly or over long times stimulated by distinct triggering mechanisms, thereby accounting for their roles in multiple settings and disease states. Both Schiff base and Amadori glycation products generate free radicals resulting in decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms and can damage cellular organelles and enzymes. This critical review primarily focuses on the mechanistic insight of glycation and the most probable route for the formation of glycation products and their therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, the prevention of glycation reaction using therapeutic drugs such as metformin, pyridoxamine and aminoguanidine (AG) are discussed with special emphasis on the novel concept of the bioconjugation of these drugs like, AG with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). At or above 10 mM concentration, AG is found to be toxic and therefore has serious health concerns, and the study warrants doing this novel bioconjugation of AG with GNPs. This approach might increase the efficacy of the AG at a reduced concentration with low or no toxicity. Using the concept of synthesis of GNPs with abovementioned drugs, it is assumed that toxicity of various drugs which are used at high doses can be minimized more effectively.
Plant-derived secondary metabolites possess diverse biological activities that are beneficial to humans. Modern medications used for diabetes and Alzheimer's often cause side effects, prompting reliance on traditional alternatives. Therefore, we aimed to uncover the potential of Mazus pumilus in countering diabetes and Alzheimer's by in-vitro inhibition of α-amylase and AChE. Additionally, antioxidant activity and phytochemical analyses were performed. Mazus pumilusThe plant was extracted sequentially using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, methanol , and water. The methanolic fraction, notably, manifested marked antioxidant efficacy against DPPH and ABTS radicals. Subsequently, this extract evinces noteworthy inhibitory attributes against α-amylase and AChE, respectively, in a competitive manner. Moreover, the bioactive phytoconstituents present in the methanolicextracts were determined through GC-MS analysis, and subsequent computational molecular docking studies revealed that these compounds strongly bound to the active site of both α-amylase and AChE. The calculated least binding energies, for α-amylase and AChE, underscore the viability of the molecular interactions. In conclusion, the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-Alzheimer attributes of Mazus pumilus extract likely emanate from the synergistic interplay of its bioactive phytoconstituents. A comprehensive in-vitro and in-vivo study is essential to fully explore the anti-diabetic and anti-Alzheimer potential of secondary metabolites of Mazus pumilus.