Project description:Analysis of the effect of using a fruit and vegetable juice concentrate to reduce systemic inflammation in obesity. The hypothesis tested whether the presence of polyphenols in the fruit and vegetable juice concentrate could reduce the expression of systemic inflammatory genes in the blood of Obese patients with high levels of plasma CRP (≥3.0). Results provide evidence that systemic inflammatory genes/ and or pathways may be modulated by the fruit and vegetable juice concentrate.
Project description:Background: The prevalence of individuals allergic to latex, exhibiting cross-hypersensitivity with plant-derived food has been frequently reported as the so-called latex-fruit syndrome. Nonetheless, molecular mechanisms underlying allergy to latex and/or fruit are poorly understood. Objective: The aims of this study were to identify candidate genes that may be associated with the pathogenesis of allergy to latex and /or vegetable food, and to assess if similar molecular pathways are involved in both types of hypersensitivity. Methods: DNA microarray analysis was performed to screen the molecular profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with allergy to latex, to fruit, or with latex-fruit syndrome, and from control healthy subjects. Results: Gene expression profiling identified an overlapping dataset of genes commonly regulated in all the atopic patients enrolled in this study, suggesting that similar molecular mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of allergy to the fruit and /or latex. Several regulators of the innate and acquired immunity reported to polarize the immunological response towards a Th2-mediated immune response were overexpressed in patients. Furthermore, evidences suggested that T regulatory cell expression might be defective in allergic patients, as a consequence of a dysregulation of some inflammatory cytokines. Finally, several transcription factors that may be responsible for the Th1/Th2 imbalance were modulated in allergic patients. Conclusion and clinical implications: This study identified relevant genes that may help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying allergic disease. Knowledges of critical targets, along with transcription factors regulating gene activity may facilitate the development of new therapies. Experiment Overall Design: This study aimed at the understanding of the molecular pathways involved in allergy to latex and fruit. As latex and vegetable food allergens cross-react, it could be hypothesized that similar pathways are involved in both types of hypersensitivity. Experiment Overall Design: For this purpose, patients allergic to latex (n=6), allergic to vegetable food (n=5), or suffering from latex-fruit syndrome (n=6) were enrolled from the Unit of Allergy of the Gemelli Hospital of Rome. Moreover, 4 healthy volunteers were added to this study. Five ml of blood were harvested from each individual, and PBMCs were isolated on ficoll gradient. Following sample preparation (as recommended by the manufacturer), each sample was hybridized on Affymetrix human focus array. Data were processed with Affymetrix MAS 5.0 software and averaged intensity of signals from biological replicates were calculated for further analysis. Experiment Overall Design: The CEL files for this study were lost in a computer crash.
Project description:Chilling stress is a major factor limiting the yield and quality of vegetable soybean (Glycine max L.) on a global scale. Systematic identification and function analysis of miRNA under chilling stress could be helpful to clarify the molecular mechanism of chilling resistance. In the present study, two independent small RNA libraries from leaves of vegetable soybean were constructed, and sequenced with the high-throughput Illumina Solexa system. A total of 434 known miRNAs and three novel miRNAs were identified. Moreover, the expression patterns of these miRNAs have been verified by qRT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, we identified their gene targets by high-throughput degradome sequencing and validated using 5'-RACE. A total of 898 transcripts were targeted by 54 miRNA families attributed to five categories. More importantly, we identified 55 miRNAs that differentially expressed between chilling stress and the control. The targets of these miRNAs were enriched in oxidation-reduction, signal transduction, and metabolic process functional categories. The qRT-PCR confirmed that there was a negative relationship among the miRNAs and their targets under chilling stress. Our work provides comprehensive molecular evidence for the possible involvement of miRNAs in the process of chilling-stress responses in vegetable soybean.
Project description:Transcriptome analysis of Eggplant cv. PPL during fruit development at 0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 dpa. Eggplant is third most important solanaceae crop species after potato and tomato. It is a versatile crop adapted to different agro-climatic regions and can be grown throughout the year. Unripe eggplant fruit is consumed as cooked vegetable in various ways. It is low in calories and fats, contains mostly water, some protein, fibre and carbohydrates. To decipher molecular mechanisms involved in fruit development eggplant fruit were collected at 0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 dpa and gene expression profiles were analyzed using Affymetrix tomato GeneChip Genome array.
Project description:In this study, we investigated the effects of organic vegetable juice supplementation on modulating the microbial community, and how its consumption ameliorates blood lipid profiles in diet-induced obese mice. Here, we analyzed the effect of organic vegetable juice on the microbial community and fatty acid synthesis via animal experiments using diet-induced obese mice and continuous colon simulation system. Organic vegetable juice supplement influenced intestinal bacterial composition from phylum to genus level, including decreased Proteobacteria in the ascending colon in the phylum. At the family level, Akkermansia which are associated with obesity, were significantly augmented in the transverse colon and descending colon compared to the control juice group. In addition, treatment with organic vegetable juice affected predicted lipid metabolism function genes related to lipid synthesis. Organic vegetable juice consumption did not have a significant effect on weight loss but helped reduce epididymis fat tissue and adipocytes. Additionally, blood lipid profiles, such as triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and glucose, were improved in the organic vegetable juice-fed group. Expression levels of genes related to lipid synthesis, including SREBP-1, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and Fas, were significantly decreased. Analysis of antioxidant markers, including 8-OHdG and MDA, in the vegetable juice group, indicated that blood lipid profiles were improved by the antioxidant effect. These results suggest that organic vegetable juice supplementation may modulate gut microbial community and reduce the potential role of hyperlipidemia in diet-obese mice.
Project description:Pea (Pisum. sativum L.) is a traditional and important edible legume that can be sorted into grain pea and vegetable pea according to their harvested maturely or not. Vegetable pea by eating the fresh seed is becoming more and more popular in recent years. These two type peas display huge variations of the taste and nutrition, but how seed development and nutrition accumulation of grain pea and vegetable pea and their differences at the molecular level remains poorly understood. To understand the genes and gene networks regulate seed development in grain pea and vegetable pea, high throughput RNA-Seq and bioinformatics analysis were used to compare the transcriptomes of vegetable pea and grain pea developing seed. RNA-Seq generated 18.7 G raw data, which was then de novo assembled into 77,273 unigenes with a mean length of 930 bp. Functional annotation of the unigenes was carried out using the nr, Swiss-Prot, COG, GO and KEGG databases. There were 459 and 801 genes showing differentially expressed between vegetable pea and grain pea at early and late seed maturation phases, respectively. Sugar and starch metabolism related genes were dramatically activated during pea seed development. The up-regulated of starch biosynthesis genes could explain the increment of starch content in grain pea then vegetable pea; while up-regulation of sugar metabolism related genes in vegetable pea then grain pea should participate in sugar accumulation and associated with the increase in sweetness of vegetable pea then grain pea. Furthermore, transcription factors were implicated in the seed development regulation in grain pea and vegetable pea. Thus, our results constitute a foundation in support of future efforts for understanding the underlying mechanism that control pea seed development and also serve as a valuable resource for improved pea breeding.
Project description:Background: The prevalence of individuals allergic to latex, exhibiting cross-hypersensitivity with plant-derived food has been frequently reported as the so-called latex-fruit syndrome. Nonetheless, molecular mechanisms underlying allergy to latex and/or fruit are poorly understood. Objective: The aims of this study were to identify candidate genes that may be associated with the pathogenesis of allergy to latex and /or vegetable food, and to assess if similar molecular pathways are involved in both types of hypersensitivity. Methods: DNA microarray analysis was performed to screen the molecular profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with allergy to latex, to fruit, or with latex-fruit syndrome, and from control healthy subjects. Results: Gene expression profiling identified an overlapping dataset of genes commonly regulated in all the atopic patients enrolled in this study, suggesting that similar molecular mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of allergy to the fruit and /or latex. Several regulators of the innate and acquired immunity reported to polarize the immunological response towards a Th2-mediated immune response were overexpressed in patients. Furthermore, evidences suggested that T regulatory cell expression might be defective in allergic patients, as a consequence of a dysregulation of some inflammatory cytokines. Finally, several transcription factors that may be responsible for the Th1/Th2 imbalance were modulated in allergic patients. Conclusion and clinical implications: This study identified relevant genes that may help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying allergic disease. Knowledges of critical targets, along with transcription factors regulating gene activity may facilitate the development of new therapies.
Project description:Anthocyanins are specialized plant metabolites with significant dietary value due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Extensive research has indicated that dietary intake of these phenolic compounds contributes to preventing various chronic diseases. Consequently, incorporating anthocyanin-rich foods into one's diet, particularly from natural sources, is highly beneficial. The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the most consumed vegetable worldwide, making it an excellent candidate for anthocyanin-enrichment strategies. The activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis is light-dependent in tomato, but this mechanism has not been entirely characterized. In this study, a purple tomato line in the cv. Micro-Tom (MT-Aft/atv/hp2) was utilized to investigate cyanic fruits developed under varying light conditions. This genotype is derived from natural genetic variation and exhibits anthocyanin accumulation starting early in fruit development. Transcriptional analyses of the fruit peel (exocarp or epicarp) and flesh (mesocarp) revealed that the bHLH transcription factor SlAN1 (Solyc09g065100) is the limiting factor for anthocyanin accumulation in both tissues. In this genotype, the absence of anthocyanin accumulation in the flesh results from the sun-blocking effect of the cyanic epicarp on the mesocarp, preventing light from penetrating deeper into the fruit during its development. This research enhances our comprehension of the genetic and environmental regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in fruit tissues, offering valuable insights for plant breeding and human nutrition.
Project description:Pathogenic species belonging to Bacillus cereus sensu lato group possess a high evolutionary advantage in the environment and in food matrices thanks to their capacity to survive as silent spores to harsh environmental insults and grow at relatively low temperatures. Ready to re-heat products are at severe risk for contamination by members of Bacillus cereus s.l. group if not stored at proper conditions. In this work, the goal was to assess, by means of a genome-wide transcriptional assay, the isolated strain Bacillus cereus UC10070 gene expression behind the process of spore germination and consequent outgrowth in an artificially contaminated vegetable-based food model. A vegetable food model subjected to a heat treatment was determined to present favourable conditions for spores germination. Microscopic analyses together with OD measurements were applied to select the key steps of B. cereus cell cycle to be used for the microarray analysis. Using this approach we found a total of 1,646 probe sets differentially expressed and modulated during the entire B. cereus life cycle in the vegetable foodstuff.