Targeting the Diuretic Hormone Receptor to Control the Cotton Leafworm,<i>Spodoptera littoralis</i>

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An Extract from Ficus carica Cell Cultures Works as an Anti-Stress Ingredient for the Skin

Psychological stress activates catecholamine production, determines oxidation processes, and alters the lipid barrier functions in the skin. Scientific evidence associated with the detoxifying effect of fruits and vegetables, the growing awareness of the long-term issues related to the use of chemical-filled cosmetics, the aging of the population, and the increase in living standards are the factors responsible for the growth of food-derived ingredients in the cosmetics market. A Ficus carica cell suspension culture extract (FcHEx) was tested in vitro (on keratinocytes cells) and in vivo to evaluate its ability to manage the stress-hormone-induced damage in skin. The FcHEx reduced the epinephrine (−43% and −24% at the concentrations of 0.002% and 0.006%, respectively), interleukin 6 (−38% and −36% at the concentrations of 0.002% and 0.006%, respectively), lipid peroxide (−25%), and protein carbonylation (−50%) productions; FcHEx also induced ceramide synthesis (+150%) and ameliorated the lipid barrier performance. The in vivo experiments confirmed the in vitro test results. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL; −12.2%), sebum flow (−46.6% after two weeks and −73.8% after four weeks; on the forehead −56.4% after two weeks and −80.1% after four weeks), and skin lightness (+1.9% after two weeks and +2.7% after four weeks) defined the extract’s effects on the skin barrier. The extract of the Ficus carica cell suspension cultures reduced the transepidermal water loss, the sebum production, the desquamation, and facial skin turning to a pale color from acute stress, suggesting its role as an ingredient to fight the signs of psychological stress in the skin

Production of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Examples, Tips and Suggestions for Biotechnologists

Plants are sessile organisms and, in order to defend themselves against exogenous (a)biotic constraints, they synthesize an array of secondary metabolites which have important physiological and ecological effects. Plant secondary metabolites can be classified into four major classes: terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and sulphur-containing compounds. These phytochemicals can be antimicrobial, act as attractants/repellents, or as deterrents against herbivores. The synthesis of such a rich variety of phytochemicals is also observed in undifferentiated plant cells under laboratory conditions and can be further induced with elicitors or by feeding precursors. In this review, we discuss the recent literature on the production of representatives of three plant secondary metabolite classes: artemisinin (a sesquiterpene), lignans (phenolic compounds) and caffeine (an alkaloid). Their respective production in well-known plants, i.e., Artemisia, Coffea arabica L., as well as neglected species, like the fibre-producing plant Urtica dioica L., will be surveyed. The production of artemisinin and caffeine in heterologous hosts will also be discussed. Additionally, metabolic engineering strategies to increase the bioactivity and stability of plant secondary metabolites will be surveyed, by focusing on glycosyltransferases (GTs). We end our review by proposing strategies to enhance the production of plant secondary metabolites in cell cultures by inducing cell wall modifications with chemicals/drugs, or with altered concentrations of the micronutrient boron and the quasi-essential element silicon

New Trends in Cosmetics: By-Products of Plant Origin and Their Potential Use as Cosmetic Active Ingredients

In recent years, the amount of waste deriving from industrial processes has increased substantially. Many industries produce different types of disposable by-products, rich in valuable compounds. Their characterization and valorization could not only convert them into high value products with application in diverse biotechnological fields, such as Pharmaceutics, Food or Cosmetics, but would also reduce the waste environmental impact and the related treatment costs. There are many examples of cosmetic active ingredients deriving from fish, meat and dairy products, but in the present review we would like to focus on the potentialities and the current use of compounds and extracts deriving from agronomical disposable wastes in the cosmetic field. These types of products are effective, inexpensive and bio-sustainable, and thus represent a valid alternative to the regular plant derived extracts, more commonly adopted in cosmetic formulations. Moreover, if the waste products come from organic farming, they are certainly an even more valuable source of safe extracts for Cosmetics, since they lack any residual pesticide or potentially toxic chemical

Effective Active Ingredients Obtained through Biotechnology

The history of cosmetics develops in parallel to the history of man, associated with fishing, hunting, and superstition in the beginning, and later with medicine and pharmacy. Over the ages, together with human progress, cosmetics have changed continuously and nowadays the cosmetic market is global and highly competitive, where terms such as quality, efficacy and safety are essential. Consumers’ demands are extremely sophisticated, and thus scientific research and product development have become vital to meet them. Moreover, consumers are aware about environmental and sustainability issues, and thus not harming the environment represents a key consideration when developing a new cosmetic ingredient. The latest tendencies of cosmetics are based on advanced research into how to interfere with skin cell aging: research includes the use of biotechnology-derived ingredients and the analysis of their effects on the biology of the cells, in terms of gene regulation, protein expression and enzymatic activity measures. In this review, we will provide some examples of cosmetic active ingredients developed through biotechnological systems, whose activity on the skin has been scientifically proved through in vitro and clinical studies

The G-Protein-Coupled Receptor GCR1 Regulates DNA Synthesis through Activation of Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C

Different lines of evidence suggest that specific events during the cell cycle may be mediated by a heterotrimeric G-protein activated by a cognate G-protein coupled receptor. However, coupling between the only known Gα-subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein (GPA1) and the only putative G-protein coupled receptor (GCR1) of plants has never been shown. Using a variety of approaches, we show here that GCR1-enhanced thymidine incorporation into DNA depends on an increase in phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C activity and an elevation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels in the cells. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells that overexpress either Arabidopsis GCR1 or GPA1 display this phenomenon. We suggest on the basis of these results that GCR1-controlled events during the cell cycle involve phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C as an effector of GCR1 and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate as a second messenger, and that GCR1 and GPA1 are both involved in this particular signaling pathway