Department of Biotechnology

About: Department of Biotechnology is a government organization based out in New Delhi, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Silver nanoparticle. The organization has 4800 authors who have published 5033 publications receiving 82022 citations.

Metformin enhances insulin signalling in insulin-dependent and -independent pathways in insulin resistant muscle cells

Abstract: 1 Metformin lowers blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients. To evaluate the insulin sensitizing action of metformin on skeletal muscle cells, we have used C2C12 skeletal muscle cells differentiated in chronic presence or absence of insulin. 2 Metformin was added during the last 24 h of differentiation of the C2C12 myotubes. Insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) was determined. 3 Chronic insulin treatment resulted in 60 and 40% reduction in insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IR and IRS-1, respectively. Treatment with metformin was able to increase the tyrosine phosphorylation of IR and IRS-1 by 100 and 90% respectively. 4 Chronic insulin treatment drastically reduced (45%) insulin-stimulated phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activity. Metformin treatment restored PI 3-kinase activity in insulin-resistant myotubes. 5 Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was impaired in chronically insulin-treated myotubes. Metformin increased basal glucose uptake to significant levels (P<0.05), but metformin did not increase insulin-stimulated glucose transport. 6 All the three mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) were activated by insulin in sensitive myotubes. The activation of p38 MAPK was impaired in resistant myotubes, while ERK and JNK were unaffected. Treatment with metformin enhanced the basal activation levels of p38 in both sensitive and resistant myotubes, but insulin did not further stimulate p38 activation in metformin treated cells. 7 Treatment of cells with p38 inhibitor, SB203580, blocked insulin- and metformin-stimulated glucose uptake as well as p38 activation. 8 Since the effect of metformin on glucose uptake corresponded to p38 MAPK activation, this suggests the potential role p38 in glucose uptake. 9 These data demonstrate the direct insulin sensitizing action of metformin on skeletal muscle cells.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using stem bark extracts of Diospyros montana and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities

Abstract: The present study reports an eco-friendly, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using stem bark extract of Diospyros montana. Initially, the synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by visual observation as color change. Further, the morphology of the biosynthesized nanoparticles, average size and presence of elemental silver were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and dynamic light scattering spectrometer. Qualitative phytochemical screening and FTIR spectral peaks supported the role of phytochemicals in bark extract for the metal reduction, stabilization and capping of silver nanoparticles. XRD studies demonstrated that crystalline nature and their average size of nanoparticles was 28 nm as determined by Scherrer’s formula. The antioxidant ability of AgNPs and plant extract was analyzed using DPPH and Hydrogen peroxide assay. The percentage of DPPH and H2O2 activity was increased with increasing concentration of AgNPs. In vitro antibacterial effect of various concentration of AgNPs was investigated against both Gram positive (B.subtilis and S.aureus) and Gram negative (E.coli and K.aerogenes) bacterial strains. The result shows that biosynthesized AgNPs have significant antibacterial activity.