Sil, S. K. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

Parkia javanica extracts exhibits tissue regeneration potential in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Parkia javanica is a medicinal plant acknowledged for its diverse pharmacological features, but its biological effects, like regeneration and wound-healing properties, in the zebrafish animal model (Danio rerio) is unexplored. The purpose of this study was to determine the caudal fin tissue regeneration and antioxidant potential in response to Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts on Danio rerio. The Danio rerio caudal fin was amputated and subsequently was treated with Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts at 0.346{micro}g/mL and 2.86{micro}g/mL respectively. The regenerative effects of Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts were evaluated through morphological analysis and dorso-ventral patterning. Additionally, the antioxidant properties of Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts, along with the mechanistic insights, were evaluated using qRT-PCR. We found that both the Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts displayed substantial antioxidant capacity with upregulation of key genes like Cat and Sod1. Further, the extracts demonstrated significant fin regeneration compared to the control group. We observed that both the Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts possess tissue regeneration properties by upregulating key genes, like Anxa2a, Anxa2b, and Wnt3a. All these findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the tissue repair and regeneration effects of Parkia javanica fruit and bark extracts and may pave the way for the development of novel regenerative therapeutic strategies. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=128 SRC="FIGDIR/small/681930v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (36K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9a579org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14edd37org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9d7addorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@ed79da_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Erythrocytic plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA4b) variations mediate redox imbalance to determine artemisinin sensitivity in malaria

Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum remains a major public health challenge for the ongoing malaria elimination programs. Till now, artemisinin resistance is linked with the variations in the genome of P. falciparum which are mainly clustered in the Pfkelch13 gene. Several studies reported artemisinin resistance in the malaria endemic areas without finding any evidence of genetic variation in parasite for this occurrence. This study interrogated whether host genetic variations have any association with artemisinin sensitivity of malaria parasite. We investigated the relationship of 1) genetic variations in the human ATP2B4 gene and 2) the resultant surface expression of plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA4b) with the intraerythrocytic levels of calcium, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the resistance towards artemisinin in the intraerythrocytic parasite. This study found negative correlation of PMCA4b expression level with intraerythrocytic calcium and ROS levels. Further in-vitro growth assays revealed that artemisinin sensitivity is reduced in the parasites growing within the RBCs having low PMCA4b and high oxidative stress. Overall, this study highlights the strong association of host PMCA4b in cellular calcium mediated redox imbalance, which significantly contributes to artemisinin resistance in malaria parasite. Hence, this is the first study to document the effect of host variations on artemisinin sensitivity of the parasite. We further emphasize that many redox modulating RBC polymorphisms that are prevalent in malaria endemic areas could influence artemisinin resistance and can serve as potential biomarkers for predicting therapeutic response. Thus, detailed population specific research may provide new insights for personalized malaria treatment and may inform future drug development strategies. SignificanceThe human host and malaria parasite share a closely interconnected relationship hence host variations could influence parasite drug resistance. This study demonstrates that reduced PMCA4b expression, the primary calcium efflux pump in RBCs, significantly increases the erythrocytic calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, thereby decreasing the P. falciparum growth as well as artemisinin sensitivity. Many ROS inducing RBC polymorphisms, such as sickle cell, thalassemia, G6PD deficiency, PMCA4b variations etc. have emerged as strong malaria protective traits in several studies in malaria endemic areas. But these traits could also influence artemisinin resistance and can serve as potential biomarkers for predicting therapeutic response and highlights the importance of host erythrocytes oxidative microenvironment surveillance in monitoring antimalarial drug resistance.

microbiology↗