OBJECTIVEBioremediation technology has gained importance because microbes could be the convenient source of bio-absorption/bioaccumulation of metals from effluent streams.

METHODSThe nickel-resistant bacterial isolates (NiRBI) were selected from various bacterial isolates from industrial effluent and grown in nutrient broth containing different concentrations of nickel sulfate (0.3-3.0 mmol/L) and their capability of accumulating metal from the medium.

RESULTSWell-defined growth of NiRBI was observed in the medium containing up to 2.5 mmol/L of nickel. The isolate was identified using 16S rRNA and closely related to Pseudomonas fragi. Maximum accumulation of nickel (0.59 mg/g dry weight of bacterial cells) was observed when NiRBI was grown in media containing 2 mmol/L of nickel. The protein profile of the NiRBI cellular extract by SDS-PAGE showed two metal stress-induced proteins of molecular weight 48 KD and 18 KD with a simultaneous down regulation of four proteins of 46.7 KD, 42.2 KD, 19.7 KD, and 4.0 KD.

CONCLUSION48 KD and 18 KD proteins play a role in metal resistance mechanism by NiRBI.

Biodegradation, Environmental ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Nickel ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; classification ; genetics

PURPOSE: The unmanageable side effects caused by current chemotherapy regimens to treat cancer are an unresolved problem. Although many phytonutrients are useful as chemoprevention without side effects, their effects are slower and smaller than conventional chemotherapy. In the present work, we examined the cumulative effect of two phytonutrients, curcumin and citral, on breast cancer cell lines and compared their effect with the known chemotherapy regimen of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil. METHODS: Using cultured breast cancer and normal epithelial cells, the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of curcumin and citral was evaluated in vitro. The synergistic effect of curcumin and citral was calculated by a combination index study using the method by Chou and Talalay. Cell death pathways and mechanisms were analyzed by measuring intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic protein levels. RESULTS: Curcumin and citral caused dose and time dependent cell death and showed a synergistic effect at effective concentration EC50 and above concentrations in breast cancer cells without disturbing normal breast epithelial cells. With combination curcumin and citral treatment, apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in breast cancer cells were observed. Curcumin and citral generated ROS and activated p53 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 mediated apoptotic pathways. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that curcumin and citral in combination may be a useful therapeutic intervention for breast cancer.
Apoptosis* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints* ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Chemoprevention ; Curcumin* ; Cyclophosphamide ; Drug Therapy ; Epithelial Cells ; Fluorouracil ; Methotrexate ; Phytochemicals ; Reactive Oxygen Species