Browsing by Author "Charumathi Pushparaj"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    ALMOND GUM/ALGINATE EDIBLE COATING TO INCREASE THE SHELF LIFE OF POST-HARVEST SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM L
    (2021) Ramesh Subramani; Charumathi Pushparaj; Sivanandhini Suresh
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    INHIBITION OF WNT-CTNNB1 SIGNALING UPREGULATES SQSTM1 AND SENSITIZES GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS TO AUTOPHAGY BLOCKERS
    (Autophagy, 2018-02-21) Mireia Nàger; Sallán, Marta C; Anna Visa; Charumathi Pushparaj; Maria Santacana; Anna Macià; Andrée Yeramian; Carles Cantí; Judit Herreros
    WNT-CTNN1B signaling promotes cancer cell proliferation and stemness. Furthermore, recent evidence indicates that macroautophagy/autophagy regulates WNT signaling. Here we investigated the impact of inhibiting WNT signaling on autophagy in glioblastoma (GBM), a devastating brain tumor. Inhibiting TCF, or silencing TCF4 or CTNNB1/β-catenin upregulated SQSTM1/p62 in GBM at transcriptional and protein levels and, in turn, autophagy. DKK1/Dickkopf1, a canonical WNT receptor antagonist, also induced autophagic flux. Importantly, TCF inhibition regulated autophagy through MTOR inhibition and dephosphorylation, and nuclear translocation of TFEB, a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy. TCF inhibition or silencing additionally affected GBM cell proliferation and migration. Autophagy induction followed by its blockade can promote cancer cell death. In agreement with this notion, halting both TCF-CTNNB1 and autophagy pathways decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis of GBM cells through a SQSTM1-dependent mechanism involving CASP8 (caspase 8). In vivo experiments further underline the therapeutic potential of such dual targeting in GBM.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    KINETIC MODELLING OF OKRA AND GRACILARIA CORTICATA HYDROCOLLOID MUCILAGE POLYSACCHARIDES
    (Research Institute of Food Science and Technology, 2024-03) Ramesh Subramani; Charumathi Pushparaj; Archana Ganesan
    The biopolymer has become essential component in the recent years to overcome the environmental issues raised from the synthetic polymer. In this aspect we attempt to make such valuable and economical important biopolymer from the natural sources such as Abelmoscus esculentus and Gracilaria corticata in an eco-friendly approach with thermally stable biopolymer. Thermal analysis of Okra and Gracilaria corticata mucilage polysaccharide has been carried out to ascertain their thermal degradation behavior and thermal stability. Thermal analysis of Okra and Gracilaria corticata mucilage polysaccharide weighed in the range of 5-10 mg was carried out with TGA (thermal gravimetric analyzer) and DSC (differential scanning calorimeter). Activation energy of the biopolymers for degradation studies was predicted and compared with Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) model. The activation energy obtained showed high R2 value of 0.9999, 0.9951, 0.9997 for Okra and 0.9992, 0.9998, 0.9999 for Gracilaria corticata, respectively. The obtained results of this study established the thermal characteristics of Okra and Gracilaria corticata mucilage polysaccharide and suggest their potential application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    T‐TYPE CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS INHIBIT AUTOPHAGY AND PROMOTE APOPTOSIS OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA CELLS
    (Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, 2013-08-12) Arindam Das; Charumathi Pushparaj; Judit Herreros; Mireia Nager; Ramon Vilella; Manuel Portero; Reinald Pamplona; Xavier Matias‐Guiu; Martí, Rosa M; Carles Cantí
    We have recently reported that human melanoma cells express a variety of voltage-gated calcium (Ca(2+) ) channel types, including low-voltage-activated T-type channels that play a significant role in melanoma cell cycle progression. Here, we challenged melanoma metastatic cells with T-type channel blockers of clinical use and found a dual effect on cell viability: (i) a reduction in the proliferation rate, through a halt in the progression to the G1 -S phase; and (ii) a promotion of cell death that was partially dependent on the activation of caspases. An in-depth analysis of the death process showed that the apoptotic pathway is preceded by endoplasmic reticulum stress and the subsequent inhibition of the basal macroautophagy which is active in these cells. The effects of pharmacological blockers on Ca(2+) homeostasis, autophagy, and cell death were mimicked by T-type channel gene silencing. These results provide the basis for a new pharmacological and/or gene silencing approach toward tackling melanoma metastasis.