Biofactors 

About: Biofactors is an academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Oxidative stress & Medicine. It has an ISSN identifier of 0951-6433. Over the lifetime, 2183 publications have been published receiving 79281 citations.

The mitochondrial permeability transition

Abstract: This review summarizes recent work on the regulation of the permeability transition pore, a cyclosporin A-sensitive mitochondrial channel that may play a role in intracellular calcium homeostasis and in a variety of forms of cell death. The basic bioenergetics aspects of pore modulation are discussed, with some emphasis on the links between oxidative stress and pore dysregulation as a potential cause of mitochondrial dysfunction that may be relevant to cell injury.

Redox signaling and the MAP kinase pathways.

Abstract: The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are a large family of proline-directed, serine/threonine kinases that require tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation of a TxY motif in the activation loop for activation through a phosphorylation cascade involving a MAPKKK, MAPKK and MAPK, often referred to as the MAP kinase module. Three separate such modules have been identified, based on the TxY motif of the MAP kinase and the dual-specificity kinases that strictly phosphorylate their specific TxY sequence. They are the extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs), c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and p38 MAPKs. The ERKs are mainly associated with proliferation and differentiation while the JNKs and p38MAP kinases regulate responses to cellular stresses. Redox homeostasis is critical for proper cellular function. While reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress have been implicated in injury, a rapidly growing literature suggests that a transient increase in ROS levels is an important mediator of proliferation and results in activation of various signaling molecules and pathways, among which the MAP kinases. This review will summarize the role of ROS in MAP kinase activation in various systems, including in macrophages, cells of myeloid origin that play an essential role in inflammation and express a multi-component NADPH oxidase that catalyzes the receptor-regulated production of ROS.

Chemistry and biology of boron.

Abstract: Boron is an essential nutrient for certain organisms, notably vascular plants and diatoms. Cyanobacteria require boron for formation of nitrogen-fixing heterocysts and boron may be beneficial to animals. Boron deficiency in plants produces manifold symptoms: many functions have been postulated. Deficiency symptoms first appear at growing points, within hours in root tips and within minutes or seconds in pollen tube tips, and are characterized by cell wall abnormalities. Boron-deficient tissues are brittle or fragile, while plants grown on high boron levels may have unusually flexible or resilient tissues. Borate forms cyclic diesters with appropriate diols or polyols. The most stable are formed with cis-diols on a furanoid ring. Two compounds have this structure physiologically: ribose in ribonucleotides and RNA, and apiose in the plant cell wall. Germanium can substitute for boron in carrot cell cultures. Both boron and germanium are localized primarily in the cell wall. We postulate that borate-apiofuranose ester cross-links are the auxin-sensitive acid-growth link in vascular plants, that the cyanobacterial heterocyst envelope depends on borate cross-linking of mannopyranose and/or galactopyranose residues in a polysaccharide-lipid environment, and that boron in diatoms forms ester cross-links in the polysaccharide cell wall matrix rather than boron-silicon interactions. Complexing of ribonucleotides is probably a factor in boron toxicity.

Biological effects of a nano red elemental selenium

Abstract: A novel selenium form, nano red elemental selenium (Nano-Se) was prepared by adding bovine serum albumin to the redox system of selenite and glutathione. Nano-Se has a 7-fold lower acute toxicity than sodium selenite in mice (LD50 113 and 15 mg Se/kg body weight respectively). In Se-deficient rat, both Nano-Se and selenite can increase tissue selenium and GPx activity. The biological activities of Nano-Se and selenite were compared in terms of cell proliferation, enzyme induction and protection against free racial-mediated damage in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Nano-Se and selenite are similarly cell growth inhibited and stimulated synthesis of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TR). When HepG2 cells were co-treated with selenium and glutathione, Nano-Se showed less pro-oxidative effects than selenite, as measured by cell growth. These results demonstrate that Nano-Se has a similar bioavailability in the rat and antioxidant effects on cells.

Preventive effects of drinking green tea on cancer and cardiovascular disease : epidemiological evidence for multiple targeting prevention

Abstract: The significance of drinking green tea in prevention of two of the main lifestyle-related diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease, was demonstrated in terms of a prospective cohort study on a total of 8,552 general residents in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. On the basis of the follow-up study, we revealed decreased relative risk of cancer incidence for those consuming over 10 cups a day, compared with those consuming below 3 cups: 0.54 (95% confidence interval, 0.22-1.34) for men, 0.57 (0.34-0.98) for women, and 0.59 (0.35-0.98) for both sexes. Furthermore, a significant delay in cancer onset was associated with increased consumption of green tea. Next, decreased relative risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 0.58 (0.34-0.99) for men, 0.82 (0.49-1.38) for women, and 0.72 (0.60-1.04) for members of both sexes consuming over 10 cups a day. Finally, we evaluated the life-prolonging effects of drinking green tea on cumulative survival, using the life table.