Project description:The study investigates the effects of myrobalane fruit extracts, essential in Asian traditional medicine and notably part of the Triphala formulation, on human cell models. The complexity of these botanical preparations suggests a multi-target mode of action, making it difficult to identify specific active ingredients. The in vitro study revealed that, beyond their antioxidant properties, myrobalane fruit extracts modulate tryptophan metabolism and affect immunobiochemical and cytoprotective signaling pathways in a dose-dependent manner. Integrated transcriptome analysis of treated cells showed impacts on immune response pathways, oxidative stress, and detoxification processes. Specifically, a synergistic activation of the endogenous antioxidant response was observed in liver epithelial cells treated with a combination of the three fruit extracts. These findings highlight the modulation of various signaling pathways and cellular processes, underpinning the complex multi-target effects of myrobalane fruit extracts. Despite being limited to in vitro data, this study enhances the understanding of the mode of action of these botanical mixtures.
Project description:Here we found Rosa roxburghii fruit extracts effectively increase TERT expression and telomerase activity in cultured human mesenchymal stem cells. Both Rosa roxburghii fruit extracts by freeze drying and spray drying methods increase the activity of telomerase. Rosa roxburghii fruit freeze drying extracts is able to reduce reactive oxygen species levels, enhance SOD activity and resistance to oxidative stress, and reduce DNA damage caused by oxidative stress or radiation. Rosa roxburghii fruit extracts promoted cell proliferation, improved senescent cell morphology, delayed replicative cellular senescence, attenuated cell cycle supressors and alleviated the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Transcriptome and metabolic profilings found that Rosa roxburghii fruit extract promote cell proliferation and DNA repair pathways, decreased triglycerides as well. Overall, we provided a theoretical basis for the application of Rosa roxburghii fruit as an anti-aging natural product.
Project description:Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata extracts modulate different and complementary pathways on human chondrocytes in vitro: deciphering of a transcriptomic study
Project description:Objectives: Curcuma longa (CL) and Boswellia serrata (BS) extracts are used to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate their mechanisms of action at therapeutic plasmatic concentrations on primary human osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes.Methods: BS (10-50 µg/mL) and CL (0.4-2 µg/mL corresponding to 1-5 µM of curcumin) were evaluated separately or in combination on primary chondrocytes isolated from 17 OA patients and cultured in alginate beads. 10 patients were used for RNA-sequencing analysis. Proteomic confirmation was performed either by immunoassays in the culture supernatant or by flow cytometry for cell surface markers after 72h of treatment. Results: Significant gene expression modifications were already observed after 6 hours of treatment at the highest dose of CL (2 µg/ml) while BS was significantly effective only after 24h of treatment whatever the concentration tested. The most over-expressed genes by CL were anti-oxidative, detoxifying, and cytoprotective genes involved in the Nrf2 pathway. Down-regulated genes were principally pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Inversely, BS anti-oxidant/detoxifying activities were related to the activation of Nrf1 and PPARα pathways. BS anti-inflammatory effects were associated with the increase of GDF15, a decrease in cholesterol cell intake and fatty acid metabolism involved genes, and a down-regulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) activation. As CL, BS down-regulated ADAMTS1, 5 and MMP3, 13 genes expression. The combination of both CL and BS was significantly more effective than CL or BS alone on many genes such as IL-6, CCL2, ADAMTS1, and 5. Conclusion: BS and CL have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-catabolic activities suggesting a protective effect of these extracts on cartilage. Even if they share some mechanism of action, the two extracts act mainly on distinct pathways, and with different time courses, justifying their association to treat osteoarthritis.
Project description:Micro algae's are used as alternative protein source in human and animal diets. Besides micro algae contain substantial amounts of proteins they also contain a high concentration of, often unique, biological and chemical substances with potential to induce beneficial and health promoting effects in humans and animals. This study was set up to evaluate the potential of these substances to improve (intestinal) health. The effect of extracts prepared from 3 monocultures of micro algae's (Chlorella vulgaris [C], Haematococcus pluvialis [H], and Spirulina platensis [S]) and a mixed culture of micro algae's (AM; a mixture of Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorella sp. ) was studied in the presence and absence of the enterotoxigenic bacterium Escherichia coli k99 strain (ETEC, [E]) as an in vitro challenge. The E.coli-k99 strain with adhesion factor F41 (41/32) was isolated from a mastitis-infected udder. Gene expression was measured in cultured intestinal porcine epithelium cells (IPECJ2 cell line) after 2 and 6 hours incubation with C, H, and S extracts, and after 6 hours with the AM extract, using “whole genome” porcine microarrays. Gene expression profiles were analysed using functional bioinformatics programs to provide insight in the biological processes induced by micro algae extracts.
Project description:Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term describing a collection of conditions characterised by chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract involving an inappropriate immune response to commensal microorganisms in a genetically susceptible host. Four kiwifruit extracts, aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of gold kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) or green kiwifruit (A. deliciosa), have previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity using in vitro models of IBD. This study examined whether these kiwifruit extracts had immune modulating effects in vivo against inflammatory processes known to be increased in patients with IBD. KFEs were used as a dietary intervention in Il10-/- mice (an in vivo model of IBD) and the C57BL/6J background strain in a 3 x 2 factorial design. While all Il10-/- mice developed significant colonic inflammation compared to the C57BL/6J mice, this was not affected by the inclusion of KFE in the diet. Whole genome gene and protein expression level profiling indicated that KFEs influenced immune signalling pathways and metabolic processes within the colonic tissue; however, the effects were subtle. In particular, adaptive immune pathways were reduced by three out of four kiwifruit extracts, with greater reduction seen in the C57BL/6J mice. This suggests that while immune-modulating activity was present in vivo, KFEs did not reduce inflammatory processes relevant to IBD. SUBMITTER_CITATION: Edmunds, Shelley Jane. The effects of kiwifruit extracts on gene and protein expression in in vitro and in vivo mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease. Diss. University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2292/6623
Project description:Muscadines face limitations to fresh market production due to high manual labor costs. Mechanical harvesting holds promise for reducing the costs associated with muscadine production but requires cultivars with easily detached berries at maturity. This study aimed to determine muscadine fruit and pedicel characteristics influencing fruit detachment force and to unravel the genes, hormones, and regulatory networks governing muscadine abscission. We characterized the fruit detachment force of muscadine berries across eighteen genotypes and at four developmental stages. Following this, we performed a transcriptome analysis using the mature pedicel tissue of two genotypes, a genotype with high fruit detachment force at maturity and a genotype with low fruit detachment force at maturity, to identify differentially expressed and uniquely expressed genes contributing to fruit detachment. We found that pedicel length, pedicel-fruit junction area, and fruit diameter were all positively correlated with fruit detachment force. This study also identifies novel candidate genes, transcription factor families, and pathways associated with muscadine fruit abscission. These findings provide valuable knowledge on the progression of fruit abscission and insights for reducing fruit detachment force, particularly in developing machine-harvestable muscadine cultivars and fostering sustainability and efficiency in muscadine production.
Project description:Manipulating the crop load in peach trees determines carbon supply and optimum balance between fruit yield and quality potentials. The impact of carbon supply on peach fruit quality was assessed in three development stages (S2, S3, S4) on fruit of equal maturity from trees that were carbon (C) starved (unthinned) and sufficient (thinned). Previous studies determined that primary metabolites of peach fruit mesocarp are mainly linked with developmental processes, thus, the secondary metabolite profile was assessed using non-targeted liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS). Carbon sufficient (C-sufficient) fruit demonstrated superior quality attributes as compared to C-starved fruit. Early metabolic shifts in the secondary metabolome appear to prime quality at harvest. Enhanced C-availability facilitated the increased and consistent synthesis of flavonoids, like catechin, epicatechin and eriodyctiol, via the phenylpropanoid pathway, providing a link between the metabolome and fruit quality, and serving as signatures of C-sufficiency during peach fruit development.