The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential anticancer properties and modulatory effect of selected Aloe vera (A. vera) active principles on antioxidant enzyme activities. Thus, three anthraquinones (Namely: aloesin, aloe-emodin and barbaloin) were extracted from A. vera leaves by supercritical fluid extraction and subsequently purified by high performance liquid chromatography. Additionally, the N-terminal octapeptide derived from verectin, a biologically active 14 kDa glycoprotein present in A. vera, was also tested. In vivo, active principles exhibited significant prolongation of the life span of tumor-transplanted animals in the following order: barbaloin> octapeptide> aloesin > aloe-emodin. A. vera active principles exhibited significant inhibition on Ehrlich ascite carcinoma cell (EACC) number, when compared to positive control group, in the following order: barbaloin> aloe-emodin > octapeptide > aloesin. Moreover, in trypan blue cell viability assay, active principles showed a significant concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytes leukemia (ALL) cancerous cells. Furthermore, in MTT cell viability test, aloe-emodin was found to be active against two human colon cancer cell lines (i.e. DLD-1 and HT2), with IC(50) values of 8.94 and 10.78 microM, respectively. Treatments of human AML leukemic cells with active principles (100 microg ml(-1)) resulted in varying intensities of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, hallmark of cells undergoing apoptosis, in the following order: aloe-emodin> aloesin> barbaloin> octapeptide. Intererstingly, treatment of EACC tumors with active principles resulted in a significant elevation activity of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GST, tGPx, and LDH). Our data suggest that the tested A. vera compounds may exert their chemo-preventive effect through modulating antioxidant and detoxification enzyme activity levels, as they are one of the indicators of tumorigenesis. These findings are discussed in the light of the potential of A. vera plant extracts for developing efficient, specific and non-toxic anticancer drugs that are affordable for developing countries.

DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) is an evolutionarily conserved component of the ubiquitination machinery that mediates the destabilization of key regulators of cell differentiation and proliferation in multicellular organisms. In this study, we provide evidence from Arabidopsis that DET1 is essential for the regulation of histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub) over most genes by controlling the stability of a deubiquitination module (DUBm). In contrast with yeast and metazoan DUB modules that are associated with the large SAGA complex, the Arabidopsis DUBm only comprises three proteins (hereafter named SGF11, ENY2 and UBP22) and appears to act independently as a major H2Bub deubiquitinase activity. Our study further unveils that DET1-DDB1-Associated-1 (DDA1) protein interacts with SGF11 in vivo, linking the DET1 complex to light-dependent ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic degradation of the DUBm. Collectively, these findings uncover a signaling path controlling DUBm availability, potentially adjusting H2Bub turnover capacity to the cell transcriptional status.

SummaryDE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) is an evolutionarily conserved component of the ubiquitination machinery that mediates the destabilization of key regulators of cell differentiation and proliferation in multicellular organisms. In this study, we provide evidence from Arabidopsis that DET1 is essential for the regulation of histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub) over most genes by controlling the stability of a plant deubiquitination module (DUBm). In contrast with yeast and metazoan DUB modules that are associated with the large SAGA complex, the Arabidopsis DUBm only comprises three proteins (hereafter named SGF11, ENY2 and UBP22) and appears to act independently as a major H2Bub deubiquitinase activity. Our study further unveils that DET1-DDB1-Associated-1 (DDA1) protein interacts with SGF11 in vivo, linking the DET1 complex to light-dependent ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic degradation of the DUBm. Collectively, these findings uncover a signaling path controlling DUBm availability, potentially adjusting H2Bub turnover capacity to the cell transcriptional status.

Microgreens are rich functional crops with valuable nutritional elements that have health benefits when used as food supplements. Growth characterization, nutritional composition profile of 21 varieties representing five species of the Brassica genus as microgreens were assessed under light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) conditions. Microgreens were grown under four different LEDs ratios (%); red:blue 80:20 and 20:80 (R80:B20 and R20:B80), or red:green:blue 70:10:20 and 20:10:70 (R70:G10:B20 and R20:G10:B70). Results indicated that supplemental lighting with green LEDs (R70:G10:B20) enhanced vegetative growth and morphology, while blue LEDs (R20:B80) increased the mineral and vitamin contents. Interestingly, by linking the nutritional content with the growth yield to define the optimal LEDs setup, we found that the best lighting to promote the microgreen growth was the green LEDs combination (R70:G10:B20). Remarkably, under the green LEDs combination (R70:G10:B20) conditions, the microgreens of Kohlrabi purple, Cabbage red, Broccoli, Kale Tucsan, Komatsuna red, Tatsoi and Cabbage green, which can benefit human health in conditions with limited food, had the highest growth and nutritional content.

Organic fractions and extracts of willow (Salix safsaf) leaves, produced by sequential solvent extraction as well as infusion and decoction, exhibited anticancer potencies in four cancerous cell lines, including breast (MCF-7), colorectal (HCT-116), cervical (HeLa) and liver (HepG2). Results of the MTT assay revealed that chloroform (CHCl3) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble fractions exhibited specific anticancer activities as marginal toxicities were observed against two non-cancerous control cell lines (BJ-1 and MCF-12). Ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry Q-Exactive™ HF Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap™ coupled with liquid chromatography (UHPLC) indicated that both extracts are enriched in features belonging to major phenolic and purine derivatives. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis (FACS), employing annexin V-FITC/PI double staining indicated that the observed cytotoxic potency was mediated via apoptosis. FACS analysis, monitoring the increase in fluorescence signal, associated with oxidation of DCFH to DCF, indicated that the mechanism of apoptosis is independent of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results of immunoblotting and RT-qPCR assays showed that treatment with organic fractions under investigation resulted in significant up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein and mRNA markers for Caspase-3, p53 and Bax, whereas it resulted in a significant reduction in amounts of both protein and mRNA of the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. FACS analysis also indicated that pre-treatment and co-treatment of human amniotic epithelial (WISH) cells exposed to the ROS H2O2 with EtOAc fraction provide a cytoprotective and antioxidant capacity against generated oxidative stress. In conclusion, our findings highlight the importance of natural phenolic and flavonoid compounds with unparalleled and unique antioxidant and anticancer properties.