Inhibitory effect on HT-29 colon cancer cells of a water-soluble polysaccharide obtained from highland barley

Barley polysaccharides inhibit colorectal cancer by two relatively independent pathways

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide that can lead to serious injury and death. Although polysaccharides are widely recognized as having antitumor activity, there has been little research on the role of barley polysaccharides (BP)1 in colorectal cancer. The results of our research suggest that BP (300 mg/kg) had a significant inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer, and this effect was achieved through two pathways. First, BP can directly promote the secretion of protective metabolites like 5-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione and 2,3-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionitrile thereby inhibiting the cancer pathways such as ERK, PI3K, WNT, JAK-STAT, Calcium, and Cell cycle cancer pathways to alleviate inflammation. Second, BP also can enrich beneficial intestinal bacteria such as Colidextribacter, Bilophila, and UCG-003 improve the intestinal barrier, promote the production of beneficial metabolites such as 5,8-Epoxy-5,8-dihydro-3-hydroxy-8'-apo-b,y-carotenal and L-Glutamic acid, and thus inhibit cancer pathways such as ERK, PI3K, Nuclear receptor, Cell cycle, Apoptosis and TGF-β. In conclusion, our findings suggest for the first time that BP can alleviate colorectal cancer by two relatively independent pathways: direct action and indirect action via the gut microbiota on both colon tumor cells and microbiota.

Reciprocal regulation of SIRT1 and AMPK by Ginsenoside compound K impedes the conversion from plasma cells to mitigate for podocyte injury in MRL/lpr mice in a B cell-specific manner

Background

Deposition of immune complexes drives podocyte injury acting in the initial phase of lupus nephritis (LN), a process mediated by B cell involvement. Accordingly, targeting B cell subsets represents a potential therapeutic approach for LN. Ginsenoside compound K (CK), a bioavailable component of ginseng, possesses nephritis benefits in lupus-prone mice; however, the underlying mechanisms involving B cell subpopulations remain elusive.

Methods

Female MRL/lpr mice were administered CK (40 mg/kg) intragastrically for 10 weeks, followed by measurements of anti-dsDNA antibodies, inflammatory chemokines, and metabolite profiles on renal samples. Podocyte function and ultrastructure were detected. Publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing data and flow cytometry analysis were employed to investigate B cell subpopulations. Metabolomics analysis was adopted. SIRT1 and AMPK expression were analyzed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays.

Results

CK reduced proteinuria and protected podocyte ultrastructure in MRL/lpr mice by suppressing circulating anti-dsDNA antibodies and mitigating systemic inflammation. It activated B cell-specific SIRT1 and AMPK with Rhamnose accumulation, hindering the conversion of renal B cells into plasma cells. This cascade facilitated the resolution of local renal inflammation. CK facilitated the clearance of deposited immune complexes, thus reinstating podocyte morphology and mobility by normalizing the expression of nephrin and SYNPO.

Conclusions

Our study reveals the synergistic interplay between SIRT1 and AMPK, orchestrating the restoration of renal B cell subsets. This process effectively mitigates immune complex deposition and preserves podocyte function. Accordingly, CK emerges as a promising therapeutic agent, potentially alleviating the hyperactivity of renal B cell subsets during LN.

Aluminum-maltol induced oxidative stress and reduced AMPK activity via BCK-related energy supply failure in C6 cell

Aluminum (Al) exposure significantly interferes with the energy supply in astrocytes, which may be a potential mechanism of Al-induced neurotoxicity. This study was designed to explore the mechanisms of Al-induced energy supply impairment in rat C6 astroglioma cell line. Aluminum-maltolate (Al(mal)3) (0.1 mM, 24 h) exposure significantly decreased brain-type creatine kinase (BCK) co-localization with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and resulted in mitochondrial dysfunctions, accompanied by a decrease in AMPK phosphorylation. The results of molecular docking showed that Al(mal)3 increased BCK's hydrophobicity and hindered the localization movement of BCK between subcells·H2O2 co-administration was found to exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction, Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, and apoptosis. After treated with Al(mal)3, additional oxidative stress contributed to BCK activity inhibition but did not promote a further decrease in AMPK phosphorylation. The activation of p-AMPK by its agonist can partially restore mitochondrial function, BCK activity, and ER-localized-BCK levels in Al(mal)3-treated astrocytes. In summary, Al exposure resulted in a sustained depletion of the mitochondrial and antioxidant systems, which was associated with reduced p-AMPK activity and decreased ER-localized-BCK levels in astrocytes. This study provides a theoretical basis for exploring the mechanisms of neurotoxicity induced by Al exposure.

Oat β-glucan alleviates muscle atrophy via promoting myotube formation and suppressing protein degradation

BACKGROUND

The dangerous inducers of muscle atrophy are inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, and cachexia, etc. β-Glucan, an important food derived active ingredient, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects, however, its effects on regulating myoblast differentiation and protein degradation are unclear. This study is aimed to investigate the mechanism of oat β-glucan on alleviating muscle atrophy.

RESULTS

The results showed that oat β-glucan treatment reversed tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced abnormal myoblast differentiation and reduced muscle atrophy related MuRF-1 and Atrogin-1 protein expression. The similar phenomenon was observed after using MCC950 (NLRP3 specific inhibitor) or AS1842856 (FoxO1 specific inhibitor) to suppress NLRP3 and FoxO1 expression, respectively. Exposure to β-glucan or AS1842856 also inhibited TNF-α induced the activation of TLR4/NF-κB pathway by inactivating FoxO1, and subsequently suppressed the expression of NLRP3.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that oat β-glucan exerts essential roles in promoting myoblast differentiation and alleviating muscle atrophy via inactivating FoxO1 and NLRP3 inflammasome signal pathway. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Effects of Polysaccharides Extracted from Unripe Carica papaya L. Fruit

This study evaluated the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of polysaccharides extracted from unripe Carica papaya L. (papaya) fruit. Three papaya polysaccharide (PP) fractions, namely PP-1, PP-2, and PP-3, with molecular weights of 2252, 2448, and 3741 kDa, containing abundant xylose, galacturonic acid, and mannose constituents, respectively, were obtained using diethylaminoethyl-Sepharose™ anion exchange chromatography. The antioxidant capacity of the PPs, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, ferrous ion-chelating assay, and reducing power assay revealed that the PP-3 fraction had the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 (the concentration for 50% of the maximal effect) of 0.96 mg/mL, EC50 of 0.10 mg/mL, and Abs700 nm of 1.581 for the hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, ferrous ion-chelating assay, and reducing power assay, respectively. In addition, PP-3 significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production by 45.3%, NF-κB activation by 32.0%, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 generation by 33.5% and 34.4%, respectively, in H2O2-induced human epidermal keratinocytes. PP-3 exerts potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects; thus, it is a potential biofunctional ingredient in the cosmetic industry.

Dry heating affects the multi-structures, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of blue highland barley starch

As a physical method for starch modification, dry heating treatment (DHT) at high temperatures (150 and 180°C, respectively) was applied to blue highland barley (BH) starch with different durations (2 and 4 h). The effects on its multi-structures, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility were investigated. The results showed that DHT had changed the morphology of BH starch, and the diffraction pattern remained an "A"-type crystalline structure. However, with an extension of DHT temperature and time, the amylose content, gelatinization temperature, enthalpy value, swelling power, and pasting viscosity of modified starches decreased, while the light transmittance, solubility, and water and oil absorption capacities increased. Additionally, compared with native starch, the content of rapidly digestible starch in modified samples increased after DHT, whereas those of slowly digestible starch and RS decreased. Based on these results, the conclusion could be drawn that DHT is an effective and green way to transform multi-structures, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of BH starch. This fundamental information might be meaningful to enrich the theoretical basis of physical modification on BH starch and extend the applications of BH in the food industry.

A comparison between partially peeled hulless barley and whole grain hulless barley: beneficial effects on the regulation of serum glucose and the gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Though the hypoglycemic effect of whole grain hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has been documented, whether glucose metabolism would be improved by hulless barley with moderate peeling is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in glucose metabolism and gut microbiota between partially (10%) peeled hulless barley (PHB) and whole grain hulless barley (WHB) intervention in obese mice induced by a high-fat diet. The results showed that both PHB and WHB interventions significantly improved the impaired glucose tolerance, fat accumulation in fat and liver tissues, and the impaired intestinal barrier in mice. The dysbiosis of gut microbiota was improved and the relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria such as genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Ileibacterium, and norank_f__Mutibaculaceae was increased by both, PHB and WHB, interventions. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the abundance of Bifidobacterium was negatively correlated with the area under the blood glucose curve. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that hulless barley improved the gut microbiota and impaired glucose tolerance in mice, and also showed that there was little loss of hypoglycemic effect even when hulless barley was moderately peeled.

Targeting mTOR Signaling by Dietary Polysaccharides in Cancer Prevention: Advances and Challenges

Cancer is the most serious problem for public health. Traditional treatments often come with unavoidable side effects. Therefore, the therapeutic effects of natural products with wide sources and low toxicity are attracting more and more attention. Polysaccharides have been shown to have cancer-fighting potential, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has become an attractive target of antitumor therapy research in recent years. The regulation of mTOR pathway not only affects cell proliferation and growth but also has an important effect in tumor metabolism. Recent studies indicate that dietary polysaccharides play a vital role in cancer prevention and treatment by regulating mTOR pathway. Here, the progress in targeting mTOR signaling by dietary polysaccharides in cancer prevention and their molecular mechanisms are systemically summarized. It will promote the understanding of the anticancer effects of polysaccharides and provide reference to investigators of this cutting edge field.

Characterization of Volatile Compounds by HS-GC-IMS and Chemical Composition Analysis of Colored Highland Barley Roasted at Different Temperatures

Colored highland barley (CHB) is featured with its potential health-promoting benefits. CHB is frequently processed through roasting, which changes its volatile smells, color, and composition. The objective of this work was to establish the volatile fingerprints of CHB that had been roasted at different temperatures using E-nose and headspace-gas-chromatography-ion-mobility spectroscopy (HS-GC-IMS). The findings showed that roasting increased the relative contents of pyrazines, aldehydes, and ketones while decreasing the relative contents of alcohols, esters, and sulfides. Pyrazines were identified as the markers for volatile substances of the roasted CHB (RCHB). The outcomes of the principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) demonstrated that the volatiles could easily distinguish between raw CHB and RCHB instead of differentiating between CHB roasted at different temperatures. Additionally, after roasting, the color characteristics and CHB constituents underwent changes, and the effect of roasting temperature on these changes differed depending on the cultivar. Protein, free amino acids, and flavonoids appeared to primarily participate in the variations of volatile substances, and the free fluorescence intermediary compounds might involve changes in color parameters and aromas. These findings improved our knowledge of the volatiles in CHB that were roasted under various conditions.

A natural selenium polysaccharide from Pleurotus ostreatus: Structural elucidation, anti-gastric cancer and anti-colon cancer activity in vitro

The development and application of new natural selenium polysaccharides with relatively clear structure and excellent activity have become hot and difficult issues. This study used GC-MS and 2D NMR to characterize the detailed chain structure information of selenium polysaccharide (Se-POP-3) from Selenium-enriched Pleurotus ostreatus, and then explored its anti-gastric cancer and anti-colon cancer effects in vitro. Results showed that the main chain of Se-POP-3 was →[3)-β-D-Glcp-(1]₂ → 6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → 3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → 3)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, and the branch was α-D-Glcp-(1 → [4)-α-D-Glcp-(1]₄→, which was connected to the main chain through the O-3 bond of →3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → glycosidic bond. In addition, Se-POP-3 could reduce viability, induce apoptosis, inhibit migration and invasion, destroy the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and inhibit the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of MGC-803 and HCT-116 cells in vitro. Moreover, this study also showed that within the concentration range set in this study, Se-POP-3 had no significant effect on the growth of normal cells (NCM460 cells). This study can provide a theoretical basis for the potential application of Se-POP-3 as an anti-gastrointestinal cancer drug or functional food.

Chemical Characterization and In Vitro Anti-Cancer Activities of a Hot Water Soluble Polysaccharide from Hulless Barley Grass

Hulless barley grass may confer many health benefits attributed to its bioactive functional components, such as polysaccharides. Here, a hot water soluble polysaccharide was extracted from hulless barley grass, and its chemical characterization and in vitro anti-cancer activities were investigated. The yield of hulless barley grass polysaccharide (HBGP) was 2.3%, and the purity reached 99.1% with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.11 after purification by a diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DE-32) column and an S-400 high resolution (HR) column. The molecular weight and number-average molecular weight of HBGP were 3.3 × 104 and 2.9 × 104 Da, respectively. The monosaccharide composition of HBGP included 35.1% galactose, 25.6% arabinose, 5.5% glucose, and 5.3% xylose. Based on infrared spectrum analysis, HBGP possessed pyranose and galactose residues. In addition, this water-soluble polysaccharide showed significant cell proliferation inhibitory effects against cancer cell lines HT29, Caco-2, 4T1, and CT26.WT in a dose-dependent manner, especially for HT29 (the half-inhibitory concentration IC50 value = 2.72 mg/mL). The results provide a basis for the development and utilization of hulless barley grass in functional foods to aid in preventing cancer.

Beneficial Effects of Partly Milled Highland Barley on the Prevention of High-Fat Diet-Induced Glycometabolic Disorder and the Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Mice

The nutritional functions of highland barley (HB) are superior to those of regular cereals and have attracted increasing attention in recent years. The objective of this study was to investigate whether partly milled highland barley (PHB) can regulate the serum glucose and lipid disorders of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and to further explore their potential gut microbiota modulatory effect. Our results showed that PHB supplementation significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) and improved oral glucose tolerance. Histological observations confirmed the ability of PHB to alleviate liver and intestine damage. Furthermore, the results of 16S amplicon sequencing revealed that PHB prevented a HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, enriching some beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Ileibacterium, and reducing several HFD-dependent taxa (norank_f_Desulfovibrionaceae, Blautia, norank_f_Lachnospiraceae, unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae, and Colidextribacter). In addition, the increase of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium presence has a slightly dose-dependent relationship with the amount of the added PHB. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were negatively correlated with the blood glucose level of the oral glucose tolerance test. Overall, our results provide important information about the processing of highland barley to retain its hypoglycemic effect and improve its acceptability and biosafety.

Advances in the regulation of natural polysaccharides on human health: The role of apoptosis/autophagy pathway

Due to the multiple biological activities of polysaccharides, their great potential as "natural drugs" for many diseases has been the subject of continuous exploration in the field of food and nutrition. Apoptosis and autophagy play a key role in mammalian growth, development and maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Recent studies suggest that apoptosis/autophagy may be the key regulatory target for the beneficial effects of polysaccharides. However, the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy by polysaccharides is not consistent in different disease models. Therefore, this review outlined the relationship between apoptosis/autophagy and some common human diseases, then discussed the role of apoptosis/autophagy pathway in the regulation of human health by polysaccharides, Furthermore, the application of visualization, imaging and multi-omics techniques was proposed in the future trend. The present review may be beneficial to accelerate our understanding of the anti-disease mechanisms of polysaccharides, and promote the development and utilization of polysaccharides.

Metabolomics strategy for revealing the components in fermented barley extracts with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1

Fermentation has been considered as effective tools to promote the functional properties of cereals. In this paper, barley flour was fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 (L. plantarum dy-1) and the main components in the fermented barley aqueous extracts were identified using by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem with high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS), and investigated by metabolomics strategy involved on chemometrics. The barley extracts were prepared at the fermentation time of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 h, respectively and a total of 124 compounds were detected in the samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed and the results indicated that the fermentation process became to slow down from 16 h until terminated. During fermentation, saccharides, amino acids, nucleosides, and some organic acids decreased, while lipids and bioactive molecules in barley were released and metabolites were accumulated by L. plantarum dy-1. Meanwhile, partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) was performed for revealing the characteristic components in fermented barley aqueous extracts, including some functional molecules such as indole-3-lactic acid, phenyllactic acid, homovanillic acid and cafestol, etc., which provided the roles of them and the basis for further investigation on the functional bioactivities and application.

The physiological functions and pharmaceutical applications of inulin: A review

Inulin (IN), a fructan-type plant polysaccharide, is widely found in nature. The major plant sources of IN include chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, dahlia etc. Studies have found that IN possessed a wide array of biological activities, e.g. as a prebiotic to improve the intestinal microbe environment, regulating blood sugar, regulating blood lipids, antioxidant, anticancer, immune regulation and so on. Currently, IN is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. IN can be used as thickener, fat replacer, sweetener and water retaining agent in the food industry. IN also can be applied in the pharmaceutics as stabilizer, drug carrier, and auxiliary therapeutic agent for certain diseases such as constipation and diabetes. This paper reviews the physiological functions of IN and its applications in the field of pharmaceutics, analyzes its present research status and future research direction. This review will serve as a one-in-all resource for the researchers who are interested to work on IN.

Phosphorylation of levan by microwave-assisted synthesis enhanced anticancer ability

Levan is an exopolysaccharide produced by Bacillus licheniformis (strain FRI MY-55) that shows promising pharmacological activity. Phosphorylation is a chemical modification that can increase the biological and antioxidant properties of levan. In this study, levan was phosphorylated by microwave-assisted synthesis to achieve a degree of substitution of 0.29. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of microwave-assisted phosphorylated levan (microwave P) increased significantly (6-fold) over native levan; this activity was only slightly lower than vitamin C. Other free radical scavenging and reducing power tests revealed that Microwave P activity was increased by 30-40%. Microwave P inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 and A549 cancer cell lines more readily than native levan with an IC₅₀ of 1.03 mg/mL and 1.38 mg/mL for HCT-116 and A549 cells, respectively. Cells treated with native levan and its derivatives remained in the sub-G1 phase according to cell cycle analysis, whereas Microwave P treatment increased the proportion of cells undergoing apoptosis. Furthermore, Microwave P effectively upregulated pro-apoptosis marker Bax and downregulated anti-apoptosis marker Bcl-2, in addition to inducing the expression of caspase-9 and caspase-3. These findings show that levan phosphorylated via microwave-assisted synthesis showed increased antioxidant and antitumor activity over native levan or levan phosphorylated via traditional long-term heating. In particular, Microwave P possesses antiproliferative activity and can induce apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways in cancerous cells.

Modulation of Apoptosis by Plant Polysaccharides for Exerting Anti-Cancer Effects: A Review

Cancer has become a significant public health problem with high disease burden and mortality. At present, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main means of treating cancer, but they have shown serious safety problems. The severity of this problem has caused further attention and research on effective and safe cancer treatment methods. Polysaccharides are natural products with anti-cancer activity that are widely present in a lot of plants, and many studies have found that inducing apoptosis of cancer cells is one of their important mechanisms. Therefore, this article reviews the various ways in which plant polysaccharides promote apoptosis of cancer cells. The major apoptotic pathways involved include the mitochondrial pathway, the death receptor pathway, and their upstream signal transduction such as MAPK pathway, PI3K/AKT pathway, and NF-κB pathway. Moreover, the paper has also been focused on the absorption and toxicity of plant polysaccharides with reference to extant literature, making the research more scientific and comprehensive. It is hoped that this review could provide some directions for the future development of plant polysaccharides as anticancer drugs in pharmacological experiments and clinical researches.

Non-Cytotoxic Sulfated Heterorhamnan from Gayralia brasiliensis Green Seaweed Reduces Driver Features of Melanoma Metastatic Progression

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer with high mortality owing to its fast progression and metastatic capacity. The treatments available nowadays are only palliative in advanced stages of the disease. Thus, alternative therapies for cancer treatment are in demand, and molecules from natural sources, such as polysaccharides, could represent new possible therapeutic approaches. Polysaccharides of freshwater and marine algae with biological activities, such as antitumor properties, are greatly reported in the scientific literature. In the present study, a sulfated heterorhamnan obtained from the green seaweed Gayralia brasiliensis (Gb1 fraction) was chemically characterized and its biological activities in the B16-F10 murine melanoma cell line were evaluated. The Gb1 polysaccharidic fraction tested concentrations presented low or absence of cytotoxicity to B16-F10 cells and neither cell proliferation nor cell cycle were altered. Interestingly, Gb1 treatment decreased B16-F10 cells migration and invasion capabilities and CD44 labeling, showing to be a promising compound for further in vitro and in vivo antitumor studies.

Molecular Mechanism of Functional Ingredients in Barley to Combat Human Chronic Diseases

Barley plays an important role in health and civilization of human migration from Africa to Asia, later to Eurasia. We demonstrated the systematic mechanism of functional ingredients in barley to combat chronic diseases, based on PubMed, CNKI, and ISI Web of Science databases from 2004 to 2020. Barley and its extracts are rich in 30 ingredients to combat more than 20 chronic diseases, which include the 14 similar and 9 different chronic diseases between grains and grass, due to the major molecular mechanism of six functional ingredients of barley grass (GABA, flavonoids, SOD, K-Ca, vitamins, and tryptophan) and grains (β-glucans, polyphenols, arabinoxylan, phytosterols, tocols, and resistant starch). The antioxidant activity of barley grass and grain has the same and different functional components. These results support findings that barley grain and its grass are the best functional food, promoting ancient Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations, and further show the depending functional ingredients for diet from Pliocene hominids in Africa and Neanderthals in Europe to modern humans in the world. This review paper not only reveals the formation and action mechanism of barley diet overcoming human chronic diseases, but also provides scientific basis for the development of health products and drugs for the prevention and treatment of human chronic diseases.

Study on chemopreventive effects of raw and roasted β-glucan-rich waxy winter barley using an in vitro human colon digestion model

Fermentation supernatants of barley flakes exhibit chemopreventive effects in LT97 colon adenoma cells without impact of roasting.

Ultrasound-Enhanced Hot Air Drying of Germinated Highland Barley Seeds: Drying Characteristics, Microstructure, and Bioactive Profile

The effects of ultrasound-enhanced hot air drying on the drying characteristics, microstructure and bioactive profile of germinated highland barley seeds (GHB) were studied. GHB was dried by hot air at 55 °C and 70 °C and ultrasonic intensities of 125.1 W/dm2 and 180.2 W/dm2, respectively. The results showed that when the drying temperature was 55 °C or 70 °C, the sonicated groups could shorten the drying time by 17.4–26.1% or 18.8–31.3%, respectively. Ultrasound drying at 125.1 W/dm2 and 55 °C could mostly increase the content of organic selenium and the rehydration rate, improve the color and maintain the original structure of GHB. Compared with hot air drying alone, the phenolic content did not increase due to ultrasound-enhanced hot air drying. Therefore, drying at an ultrasonic intensity of 125.1 W/dm2 and a temperature of 55 °C could effectively shorten the drying time, and enhance the quality of GHB.

Ingestion of Non-digestible Carbohydrates From Plant-Source Foods and Decreased Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Review on the Biological Effects and the Mechanisms of Action

The hypothesis that links the increase in the intake of plant-source foods to a decrease in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk has almost 50 years. Nowadays, systematic reviews and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies confirmed the association between dietary patterns and CRC risk, in which the non-digestible carbohydrates (NDC) from plant-source foods are known to play beneficial effects. However, the mechanisms behind the physicochemical properties and biological effects induced by NDC on the decrease of CRC development and progression remain not fully understood. NDC from plant-source foods consist mainly of complex carbohydrates from plant cell wall including pectin and hemicellulose, which vary among foods in structure and in composition, therefore in both physicochemical properties and biological effects. In the present review, we highlighted the mechanisms and described the recent findings showing how these complex NDC from plant-source foods are related to a decrease in CRC risk through induction of both physicochemical effects in the gastrointestinal tract, fermentation-related effects, and direct effects resulting from the interaction between NDC and cellular components including toll-like receptors and galectin-3. Studies support that the definition of the structure-function relationship-especially regarding the fermentation-related effects of NDC, as well as the direct effects of these complex carbohydrates in cells-is crucial for understanding the possible NDC anticancer effects. The dietary recommendations for the intake of NDC are usually quantitative, describing a defined amount of intake per day. However, as NDC from plant-source foods can exert effects that vary widely according to the NDC structure, the dietary recommendations for the intake of NDC plant-source foods are expected to change from a quantitative to a qualitative perspective in the next few years, as occurred for lipid recommendations. Thus, further studies are necessary to define whether specific and well-characterized NDC from plant-source foods induce beneficial effects related to a decrease in CRC risk, thereby improving nutritional recommendations of healthy individuals and CRC patients.

Immunomodulatory activity of a water-soluble polysaccharide obtained from highland barley on immunosuppressive mice models

A water-soluble polysaccharide (BP-1) was extracted and purified from highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and its average molecular weight was about 6.7 × 104 Da. In this study, the immunomodulatory activity of BP-1 on the immunosuppressive BALB/c mice model and its molecular mechanism were elucidated. It was found that the weight indexes of spleen and thymus were significantly increased by BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) treatment in the immunosuppressive mice model. The results showed that BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) could significantly increase the number of bone marrow cells (BMC) and peripheral blood white blood cells (WBC) in the immunosuppressive mice model. In addition, the result further confirmed that BP-1 could increase the serum levels of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ, so as to improve the immune function of immunosuppressive mice. The results showed that BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) could promote the proliferation of spleen cells and the natural killer (NK) cell activity in vivo. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and ELISA results revealed that BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) could enhance the production of IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IgG and IgM in the spleen of immunosuppressive mice. The HE (hematoxylin and eosin) stained histopathological images showed that BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) could repair the damage induced by CTX in the spleen cells of immunosuppressive mice. The result of macrophages showed that BP-1 (80 mg kg-1 and 160 mg kg-1) could promote the proliferation and phagocytosis activity of macrophages in immunosuppressive mice. Furthermore, BP-1 could activate macrophages by the TLR-4, TRAF6, TAK1 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 pathways in vivo. These results suggested that BP-1 has a remarkable immunomodulatory activity on the immunosuppressive mice model.

Chlorogenic acid protects against aluminum toxicity via MAPK/Akt signaling pathway in murine RAW264.7 macrophages

Aluminum (Al), which may bring about damage to the macrophages, has been implicated in the development of immunological diseases. It has been reported that chlorogenic acid (CGA, 5‑caffeoylquinic acid, chemical formula: C₁₆H₁₈O₉) is a natural antioxidant and chelating agent with the capacity against Al (III)-induced biotoxicity. The present study was carried out to investigate whether CGA could reduce AlCl₃-induced cellular damage in RAW264.7 cells. After treatment with AlCl₃, the inhibition rate of viability and phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 cells was 54.5% and 27.6%, respectively. Administration of CGA significantly improved the integrity and phagocytic activity, and attenuated the accumulation of intracellular Al(III) level and oxidative stress in Al(III)-treated cells. Furthermore, CGA significantly inhibited Al(III)-induced increase of phospho-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein (Bad), cytochrome c and decrease of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), protein kinase B (Akt) protein expressions. These results showed that CGA has a protective effect against Al(III)-induced cytotoxicity through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/Akt-mediated caspase pathways in RAW264.7 cells.

Genistein and daidzein induce apoptosis of colon cancer cells by inhibiting the accumulation of lipid droplets

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible mechanisms of genistein (GEN) and daidzein (DAI) in inducing apoptosis of colon cancer cells by inhibition of lipid droplets (LDs) accumulation.

Methods

HT-29 cells were used and treated by GEN or DAI in this paper. LDs accumulation was induced and inhibited by oleic acid (OA) and C75, respectively. The expression changes of LDs-related markers were confirmed by semiquantitative real time-PCR (RT–PCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining.

Results

GEN and DAI effectively reduced the LDs accumulation and downregulated the expression of Perilipin-1, ADRP and Tip-47 family proteins and vimentin levels. GEN and DAI significantly induced the mRNA expression of PPAR-γ, Fas, FABP, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT3), and microsomal TG transfer protein (MTTP), and reduced the mRNA expression of UCP2. Furthermore, the results showed a decrease of PI3K expression by GEN and DAI when compared with OA treatment, and both GEN and DAI can increase the expression of FOXO3a and caspase-8 significantly when these proteins were decreased by OA treatment. GEN is more effective than DAI in inducing cell apoptosis.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that GEN and DAI inhibit the accumulation of LDs by regulating LDs-related factors and lead to a final apoptosis of colon cancer cells. These results may provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of isoflavones in anti-obesity and anti-tumor functions.