Bharathiar University

About: Bharathiar University is a education organization based out in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Adsorption. The organization has 5812 authors who have published 8628 publications receiving 143934 citations. The organization is also known as: BU.

Effect of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles on the Physiology, Bioactive Molecules, and Transcriptional Changes in Brassica rapa ssp. rapa Seedlings

Abstract: Global deterioration of water, air, and soil quality by the release of toxic chemicals from anthropogenic pollutants is becoming a serious global problem. The extensive use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) can be environmentally hazardous when these NPs enter the atmosphere. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of CuO NPs on plant growth, photosynthetic capacity, and bioactive compounds, as well as their transcriptional level changes in Brassica rapa seedlings. Chlorophyll, carotenoid, and sugar content decreased, while proline and anthocyanins were significantly enhanced in the CuO NP-treated seedlings compared with the untreated controls. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production were also enhanced in the seedlings exposed to CuO NPs, which could have caused DNA damage that was detected by a DNA laddering assay. The glucosinolate (GSL) and phenolic compound content were significantly increased in CuO NP-treated seedlings compared with that in control seedlings. Transcriptional variation of genes associated with oxidative stress (CAT, POD, and GST), R2R3-type MYB involved in GSL (BrMYB28, BrMYB29, BrMYB34, and BrMYB51), and phenolic compounds (ANS, PAP1, PAL, and FLS) biosynthesis was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Significant upregulation of CAT, POD, GST, BrMYB28, BrMYB29, BrMYB34, BrMYB51, ANS, PAP1, PAL, and FLS genes was observed in seedlings exposed to different concentrations of CuO NPs relative to the untreated seedlings. Therefore, we suggest that the use of CuO NPs could stimulate the toxic effects and enhance phytochemicals (i.e., glucosinolates and phenolic compounds) in B. rapa.

Cytotoxic effect of p-Coumaric acid on neuroblastoma, N2a cell via generation of reactive oxygen species leading to dysfunction of mitochondria inducing apoptosis and autophagy.

Abstract: p-Coumaric acid (p-CA), an ubiquitous plant phenolic acid, has been proven to render protection against pathological conditions. In the present study, p-CA was evaluated for its capacity to induce cytotoxic effect to neuroblastoma N2a cells and we report here the possible mechanism of its action. p-CA at a concentration of 150 μmol/L, upon exposure for 72 h, stimulated 81.23 % of cells to apoptosis, as evidenced by flow cytometer studies mediated through elevated levels of ROS (7.5-fold over control). Excess ROS production activated structural injury to mitochondrial membrane, observed as dissipation of its membrane potential and followed by the release of cytochrome c (8.73-fold). Enhanced generation of intracellular ROS correlated well with the decreased levels (~60 %) of intracellular GSH. Sensitizing neuroblastoma cells for induction of apoptosis by p-CA identified p53-mediated upregulated accumulation of caspase-8 messenger RNA (2.8-fold). Our data report on autophagy, representing an additional mechanism of p-CA to induce growth arrest, detected by immunoblotting and fluorescence, correlated with accumulation of elevated levels (1.2-fold) of the LC3-II protein and acridine orange-stained autophagosomes, both autophagy markers. The present study indicates p-CA was effective in production of ROS-dependent mitochondrial damage-induced cytotoxicity in N2a cells.