Les aflatoxines sont des mycotoxines contaminants de nombreuses matières premières, particulièrement en région tropicale et sub-tropicale où les conditions climatiques sont très favorables à leur synthèse. Dans cette famille de contaminant, l’aflatoxine B1 est le composé le plus important car cancérigène chez l’homme et l’animal. L’objectif général de ce travail est de développer une nouvelle stratégie de lutte contre ces mycotoxines en identifiant des composés d’origine naturelle capables d’inhiber spécifiquement la synthèse de ces toxines. Dans un premier temps, notre travail a visé à identifier des composés d’intérêt. Pour cela, nous avons réalisé l’analyse de la contamination fongique et mycotoxique d’épices commercialisées au Maroc. Ce travail a permis d’identifier des substrats d’intérêt. En effet, certaines épices se caractérisent par la présence fréquente de souches toxinogènes d’Aspergillus de la section Flavi mais ne sont cependant que très rarement contaminées par les aflatoxines. Dans une seconde partie, nous avons démontrer que des extraits aqueux préparés à partir de ces épices étaient effectivement capables d’inhiber de façon dose-dépendante la synthèse de l’aflatoxine B1 par une souche toxinogène d’Aspergillus flavus. Cet effet a aussi été observé sur la synthèse des autres aflatoxines et dans toutes les espèces fongiques de la section Flavi capables de produire ces composés. Les premiers essais visant à identifier le mécanisme d’action semblent montrer que cette inhibition n’est pas liée à une modulation du stress oxydant.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:35:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:04:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

A procura por suplementos alimentares cresce a cada ano, pois o seu uso contínuo promove a melhora e manutenção da qualidade de vida do hospedeiro. Sustentado neste princípio, a ingestão de produtos probióticos, principalmente leites fermentados, passa a ser uma alternativa neste segmento do mercado. Os probióticos são suplementos alimentares que contem microrganismos vivos que trazem benefícios à saúde do consumidor pela manutenção e melhora do balanço microbiano do trato gastrintestinal. Existem vários gêneros de microrganismos que apresentam propriedades probióticas, destacando-se o gênero Lactobacillus; que exercem várias funções benéficas ao hospedeiro como a diminuição dos níveis de colesterol sangüíneo, efeito anticarcinogênico, adesão ao epitélio intestinal, melhora do sistema imune e a exclusão competitiva, conhecida também como efeito barreira. Dentro deste contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de inibição exercido por cinco cepas de Lactobacillus isoladas de fezes humanas: denominadas L. plantrum (Lac-01), L. plantarum (Lac-02), L. fermentum (Lac-03), L. fermentum (Lac-04) e L. fermentum (Lac-05) sobre o crescimento de E. coli O157:H7, Listeria spp., P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella typhi e Shigella spp , por meio da técnica de co-cultura. Os resultados revelaram que as cepas Lac-01, Lac-02 e Lac-03 foram capazes de inibir, em diferentes níveis, o crescimento das cepas patogênicas avaliadas, sendo este efeito mais acentuado para S. typhi e Shigella spp. Observou-se ainda que a cepa Lac-04 não apresentou efeito de inibição sobre E. coli O157:H7 e P. aeruginosa, ao passo que a cepa Lac-05 inibiu o crescimento de P. aeruginosa, S. typhi e Shigella spp., sendo incapaz de inibir E. coli O157:H7 e Listeria spp, nas condições estudadas. Posteriormente ao se verificar a produção de substâncias antimicrobianas por meio do método \"spot-test\", observou-se o efeito positivo de inibição exercida pelas cepas de Lactobacillus sobre o crescimento dos respectivos patógenos. Verificou-se também, por meio de testes enzimáticos específicos, que as substâncias antimicrobianas produzidas pelas cepas de Lactobacillus não foram sensíveis às enzimas utilizadas, não podendo afirmar, desta forma, que estas substâncias são bacteriocinas. Os testes de co-agregação demonstraram que as cepas Lac-04 e Lac-05 exerceram melhor efeito sobre os patógenos, quando comparadas com as cepas Lac-01 e Lac-02. A cepa Lac-03 não exerceu efeito de coagregação com nenhum dos patógenos avaliados. Os testes de autoagregação revelaram que as cepas Lac-01, Lac-02, Lac-04 e Lac-05 exerceram efeito de autoagregação acentuado. Observou-se ainda que nenhum dos patógenos estudados foi capaz de autoagregar. / The probiotics are special food that contain live microorganisms that promote beneficits to consumer health through maintenance and improvement of microbial balance of gut tract. There are many microorganisms species used in probiotics products, standing out Lactobacillus species that produce many beneficies to consumer like decrease of blood cholesterol level, anti-carcinogenic effect, adhrence to intestinal epithelium, immune system stimulation and the competitive exclusion, also known as barrier effect. In this regard, the present work aimed to evaluate the inhibition effect exerted by five Lactobacillus strains, isolated from humam faeces: denominate, L. plantarum Lac-01, L. plantarum Lac-02, L. fermentum Lac-03, L. fermentum Lac-04 e L. fermentum Lac-05 on the gowth of E. coli O157:H7, Listeria spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella typhi and Shigella spp., by means of coculture technique. The results showed that the strains Lac-01, Lac-02 and Lac-03, were able to inhibit, at different levels, the growth of pathogenic strains, and this effect was more accentuated on S. typhi and Shigella spp. It was also observed that the strain Lac-04 did not present inhibition effect on E. coli O157:H7 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and the Lac-05 inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa, S. tyhpi and Shigella spp., and showed no effect on E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria spp. Afterwards, the production of antimicrobial substance was verified by means of \"spot-test\" method, showing the positive inhibition effect exerted by all Lactobacillus strains on the growth of the respective pathogens. By means of specific enzymatic test, the antimicrobial substances produced by lactobacillus strains were not sensible to the action of enzymes proteinase-K, papain and pepsin, but this is not enough to affirm that this substances are bacteriocins. The coaggregation test demonstrated that the strains Lac-04 and Lac-05 exerted better effect on the pathogens, when compared to strains Lac-01 and Lac-02. The strain Lac-03 did not coaggregate with any pathogenic strains. The autoaggregation test showed that the strain Lac-01, Lac-02, Lac-04 and Lac-05 exerted accentuated auto-aggregation effect. The studied pathogen was not able to autoaggregate.

Abstract Cytochromes P450 (P450, CYP) are a superfamily of enzymes that participate especially in the oxidative metabolism of various xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. The major goal of this study was to characterise suitable methods for routine preclinical in vitro testing of new chemical entities (NCE) and to test the methods for the affinity screening of selected drugs. In vitro methods used involve the utilisation of human liver microsomes for studies with P450-selective reference inhibitors, inhibitory antibodies and cDNA-expressed enzymes in cytochrome P450-catalysed activities and for studying the reactions of selegiline and entacapone. In this project, the CYP-catalysed oxidative in vitro biotransformation of selegiline into its primary metabolites desmethylselegiline and l-methamphetamine and the transformation of entacapone into its in vitro metabolite N-desethylentacapone were studied. The affinities of selegiline, desmethylselegiline, l-methamphetamine, entacapone, candesartan, eprosartan, irbesartan, losartan and valsartan to P450 enzymes were also elucidated, and the selectivity of tranylcypromine as a CYP2A6-selective reference inhibitor was characterised. The most important findings were that the methodology developed during this work is suitable for preclinical in vitro testing of NCEs and that the results obtained for the studied compounds are in line with the available in vivo data. By the in vitro testing methodology, it is possible to target the in vivo interaction studies to the relevant groups of compounds. The in vitro methods presented in this thesis could also make the early phases of drug development more cost-effective. Further, the number of animals used for in vivo testing in preclinical metabolism and interaction studies can be markedly reduced by effectively using this methodology.

Please read the abstract in the section 07back.pdf of this document. / Dissertation (MSc (Biochemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Biochemistry / unrestricted

Ice recrystallization during cryopreservation results in cell death and decreased cell viabilities due to cellular damage. This is a significant problem particularly in regenerative medicine where decreased cell viabilities post-thaw affect the success of the therapy. Given the success of these therapies to treat various diseases, the development of novel cryprotectants which have the ability to inhibit ice recrystallization during freezing and thawing are urgently required. Current cryoprotectant such as dimethyl sulfoxide, is associated with cytotoxicity in the clinical settings and thus are not optimal cryoprotectants. Our laboratory is interested in the rational synthesis of non-cytotoxic small molecules which possess the property of ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity. Previously, the Ben laboratory has demonstrated that simple monosaccharides possess moderate ice recrystallization inhibition activity and that this activity is linked to hydration. The “compatibility” of the carbohydrate within the three-dimensional hydrogen bonded network of water is inversely proportional to its IRI activity. Hydration has previously been directly linked to the stereochemical relationship of individual hydroxyl groups on the carbohydrate. Additionally, it has been proposed that intramolecular hydrogen bond formation and hydrogen bonding cooperativity has a large effect on the water structure thus impacting hydration. Structure-function work has suggested that the presence of an amine as a hydrogen donor at the endocyclic position within the pyranose ring maybe beneficial to IRI activity. Thus, the first part of this thesis describes the synthesis and IRI activity of D-glucose and D-galactose based azasugars and its analogues. These azasugars have replaced the endocyclic ring oxygen with an amine. These azasugars and their analogues were found to possess moderate to potent IRI activity suggesting that hydrogen bond donation may be important for hydration and thus, IRI activity at the endocyclic ring oxygen. During the development of these azasugars, the Ben laboratory developed carbohydrate-based surfactants and hydrogelators possessing unprecedented IRI activity. A potential use of molecules possessing IRI activity is towards the inhibition of gas hydrate formation. Gas hydrates are ice-like solids containing gases within a highly ordered network of water molecules. These gas hydrates tend to accumulate in oil and gas pipelines posing significant dangers as the build-up of solid material leads to blockages in the pipeline reducing flow. Previous work had demonstrated the use of antifreeze proteins possessing potent IRI activity in inhibiting gas hydrate formation. However, their complex structure limits commercial use. Thus, the second part of the thesis describes the use of the azasugars, carbohydrate-based surfactants and hydrogelators in inhibiting gas hydrate formation. The effectiveness of the small molecules is compared to a commercial inhibitor PVP 10. Some of these small molecules were significantly better inhibitors of gas hydrate formation than the currently utilized inhibitor PVP 10. The low molecular weights of these small molecules, easy synthesis and potency make them excellent alternatives to PVP 10. However it was found that while some of the structural features in the small molecules may be amenable to both activities, it seems that the ability to inhibit ice recrystallization is not a good indicator of a compounds ability to inhibit gas hydrate formation. In a continuing effort to develop novel small molecule IRIs, the Ben laboratory has develop three classes of compounds. These include: carbohydrate-based surfactants and hydrogelators, lysine-based surfactants and truncated C-linked glycopeptides. Structure-function work utilizing these compounds revealed that presence of long alkyl chains, an amide linkage and the presence of an open-alditol chain are all important to IRI activity. However, the surfactant-like nature limits their use in cryopreservation and thus prompted the discovery of phenoxyglycosides as IRI active molecules. The structural features of these recently developed small molecules were combined to generate novel small molecule IRIs which do not resemble surfactants. These novel small molecules included “disaccharides” which possessed an aryl group at the anomeric position of a pyranose ring and an open-alditol chain linked via an amide bond. Additionally, N-cycloalkyl-D-aldonamides and N-phenyl-D-aldonamides were also synthesized. Of these novel small molecules, two very potent IRI active molecules were discovered: a “disaccharide” possessing an aryl group at the anomeric position with the open-alditol chain of D-galactose linked via an amide bond at C3 and N-phenyl-D-arbonamide. Both of these small molecules were assessed for their ability to cryopreserve hematopoietic stem cells. Unfortunately, the additional of these compounds failed to improved percent cell viabilities as compared to DMSO.

Substances of natural and synthetic origin were studied using analytical, bioassay guided isolation, metabolomics and medicinal chemistry techniques. In a section focused on the plant family Marcgraviaceae, a validated method for the quantification of six pentacyclic triterpenes (α and β Amyrin lupeol, ursolic acid, betulin and betulinic acid) in the Souroubea spp was developed. Quantification of the triterpenes in the crude extracts was achieved using HPLC-APCI mass selective detection. The calibration curves for the five triterpenes evaluated were highly linear (r2 >0.993) and percentage recovery from spiked samples were greater than 94% for all compounds. The LOD for betulinic acid was 0.01 µg for betulinic acid on column and LOQ was 0.03 µg. The method was successfully applied to 41 crude extracts from leaf and stem of Souroubea spp, from two locations in Costa Rica. The method is suitable for quality control of raw materials used in the manufacture of natural health products. The use of modern metabolomic techniques, UHPLC-QTOF allowed the identification of five putative makers that can potentially be used in distinguishing between the two Souroubea species. The validated method was used in the quantification of the above triterpenes in a total of thirteen Marcgraviaceae species collected in Costa Rica. It was established that betulinic acid and β- Amyrin could be used as makers for this family of tropical vines. These same thirteen plants extracts were evaluated in antifungal and quorum sensing inhibition bioassays. Marcgravia nervosa was the only species that showed significant activity in both bioassays. Bioassay guided fractionation of the crude ethanolic extract of M. nervosa led to the identification of 2-methoxynaphthoquinone as the bioactive compound responsible for the bioactivity. The crude leaf ethanolic extract from M. nervosa showed a significant inhibition of QS comparable or somewhat better than D. pulchra extracts with the M. nervosa extract showing stronger inhibiting QS with a halo of 21.8mm, more than D. pulcra extracts which generated a halo of 15.9mm. The active quinone has a MIC of 85 µM against Saccharomyces cerevisiaBY4741 (haploid) and 100 µM against Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4743 (diploid) compared to berberine (positive control) with a MIC 600 µM for both strains. This quinone is not present in any of the other twelve species of Marcgraviaceae available to us. In work focusing on organic synthesis, a total of 57 semi-synthetic derivatives of dillapiol, safrol and piperonal were prepared and evaluated for their inhibitory activity in a CYP 3A4 bioassay to assess their potential use as pesticide synergists. The synergistic activity of dillapiol has been improved 45 fold; analog 31 has an IC50 = 0.2 µM compared with dillapiol IC50= 9.18 µM. A number of other compounds structurally related to 31 showed similar levels of activity. A screening of a compound library identified the amino sulfoxide 3 as a potential lead for the design of a selective connexin blocker with potential application in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The use of X-ray crystallography permitted the correction of the original structure assigned to 3. Once the structure was corrected a total of 6 analogs were prepared. Compound 3 has the highest inhibition of GJIC whereas compound 8 and compound 2, reduced anionic hemi-channel activity. Compound 2 also reduced the cationic activity of the hemi-channels.

The development of complex metazoans depends on the integration of a handful of signalling pathways that eventually modulate precise patterns of gene expression. The fact that just a few pathways are involved in the generation of such complexity in different organisms, suggests that these are highly regulated and conserved processes. The accurate spatio-temporal coordination of the signalling pathways controls the assignation of different cell fates and their patterning into tissues and organs. The source of diversity relies on the different possible interactions between signalling pathways, such as, the combination of signals and the order in which they are received by the cell or crosstalk. Due to their importance in development, abnormal signalling through these pathways has been strongly associated with developmental disorders, cancers and other diseases. The Notch and Wnt signalling pathways are key components of the intricate network that controls gene expression during development, and genetic analysis in Drosophila has highlighted that interactions between these two signalling pathways are important during this process.This thesis investigates the cross-regulatory interactions between Notch and Wnt signalling pathways in mammals. Using transcriptional reporter assays and biochemical analysis, I have found two molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory crosstalk between Notch and β-catenin, the effector of Wnt signalling pathway, in mammalian cells. At the membrane Notch inhibits β-catenin transcriptional activity through Deltex mediated endocytosis of Notch and a component required for β-catenin activation. This is similar to results observed in Drosophila. In the nucleus, I have identified a novel mechanism by which NICD-dependent transcription of Hes/Hey family of transcription factors prevents the activation of Wnt signalling pathway. This mechanism involves the formation of a physical complex between Hey1 and β-catenin/TCF, which allows Hey to block Wnt transcriptional activation. Additionally, I have found that these two mechanisms are conserved across vertebrates.Together the findings of this thesis improve our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the Notch/Wnt crosstalk. In turn, this will give an insight into unravelling how a handful of signalling pathways can generate sufficient diversity in signalling output to specify the hundreds of different cell fates generated to make a mammal. Elucidating these signalling networks will also contribute to our understanding of diseases, both their aetiology, by knowing how changes in one signal can influence another, and their treatment as mimicking points of crosstalk is likely to generate very specific therapeutic agents.

The goal of this thesis is to probe the functionality of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) as corrosion inhibitor of carbon-steel in both strong and weak aqueous acidic solutions (HCl and H2CO3). To achieve this target electrochemical techniques have been employed, in combination with substrate analysis. Concerning aqueous HCl media, results demonstrate that MBI is an effective corrosion inhibitor, functioning essentially equally well in 1 M, 0.1 M, and 0.01 M HCl concentrations. X-ray photoelectron spectra suggest that MBI is typically bound to the surface in two tautomeric forms (thione and thiol). Furthermore, these data indicate that substrate termination varies as a function of both HCl and MBI concentration, with the interface consisting of MBI bound to film-free carbon-steel on highly inhibited substrates. In further work, the impact of dissolved oxygen, solution temperature, and immersion time on MBI performance in HCl solutions has been assessed. The latter two parameters have considerable influence on MBI inhibition efficiency. More specifically, it was found that MBI decreases dramatically its inhibition efficiency between 60°C and 70°C in 1 M HCl, and also apparently work less well as substrate immersion time increases. As regards MBI performance in deaerated CO2-saturated NaCl (0.62 M) solution, results demonstrate that MBI effectively inhibits corrosion within the parameter space explored i.e. solution temperatures of 30°C and 55°C and total applied pressures (p(H2O) + p(CO2)) of 1 bar and 20 bar. The performance of MBI does not vary greatly for different combinations of these temperatures and pressures. Post immersion substrate characterisation with XRD and SEM indicate that no significant surface scaling occurs under these conditions.

The purpose of this paper is to present data on the nature of mixed cultures of algae and bacteria and to report new evidence of growth inhibition of Chlorella by a bacterial contaminant isolated from a soil environment.