Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Biochemical Markers As Complementary Tools To Characterize Hops ( Humulus lupulus L.) in Brewing Practice.

In brewing practice, the use of the appropriate hop variety is essential to produce consistent and high-quality beers. Yet, hop batches of the same variety cultivated in different geographical regions can display significant biochemical differences, resulting in specific taste- and aroma-related characteristics in beer. In this study, we illustrate the complementarity of genetic and biochemical fingerprinting methods to fully characterize hop batches.

Metabolism of hop-derived bitter acids.

In this study, in vitro metabolism of hop-derived bitter acids was investigated. Besides their well-known use as bitter compounds in beer, in several studies, bioactive properties have been related to these types of molecules. However, scientific data on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion aspects of these compounds are limited.

Bioavailability of hop-derived iso-α-acids and reduced derivatives.

Iso-α-acids (IAA) and their reduced derivatives (dihydro-iso-α-acids (DHIAA) and tetrahydro-iso-α-acids (THIAA)) have been administered to Caco-2 cell monolayers (30, 60, and 120 μM) to investigate epithelial transport, in both absorptive and secretive directions. In addition, 25 mg kg(-1) IAA, DHIAA, and THIAA were applied to New Zealand white rabbits (±3-3.5 kg) in a single intravenous and oral dose.

Attenuation of ERK/RSK2-driven NFκB gene expression and cancer cell proliferation by kurarinone, a lavandulyl flavanone isolated from Sophora flavescens ait. roots.

We have analyzed in molecular detail how kurarinone, a lavandulyl flavanone isolated from Sophora flavescens, suppresses nuclear factor-κB (NFκB)-driven interleukin-6 (IL6) expression and cancer cell growth. Interleukin-6 (IL6), involved in cancer-related inflammation, acts as an autocrine and paracrine growth factor, which promotes angiogenesis, metastasis, and subversion of immunity, and changes responsivity to hormones and to chemotherapeutics. Our results in estrogen-unresponsive fibroblasts, ribosomal S6 kinase 2 kinase (RSK2) knockout cells, and estrogen receptor (ER)-deficient breast tumor cells show that kurarinone can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and selectively block nuclear NFκB transactivation of specific target genes such as IL6, cyclin D1, SOD2 but not TNFAIP2.

Reactivity of beer bitter acids toward the 1-hydroxyethyl radical as probed by spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS).

The iso-α-acids or isohumulones are the major contributors to the bitter taste of beer, and it is well-recognized that they are degraded during beer aging. In particular, the trans-isohumulones seem to be less stable than the cis-isohumulones. The major radical identified in beer is the 1-hydroxyethyl radical; however, the reactivity between this radical and the isohumulones has not been reported until now.

Quantification of xanthohumol, isoxanthohumol, 8-prenylnaringenin, and 6-prenylnaringenin in hop extracts and derived capsules using secondary standards.

Hop is a well-known and already frequently used estrogenic phytotherapeutic, containing the interesting prenylflavonoids, xanthohumol (XN), isoxanthohumol (IXN), 8- and 6-prenylnaringenin (8-PN and 6-PN). Since the use of secondary standards can form a solution whenever the determination is required of certain components, not commercially available or too expensive, it was decided to develop an accessible HPLC-DAD method for the determination of these prenylflavonoids. The amounts were determined in hop extract and capsules, using quercetin and naringenin as secondary standards.

Disposition of hop prenylflavonoids in human breast tissue.

Hop-derived products may contain xanthohumol (XN), isoxanthohumol (IX), and the potent phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN). To evaluate the potential health effects of these prenylflavonoids on breast tissue, their concentration, nature of metabolites, and biodistribution were assessed and compared with 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) exposure. In this dietary intervention study, women were randomly allocated to hop (n=11; 2.

Green coconut shells applied as adsorbent for removal of toxic metal ions using fixed-bed column technology.

This study applies green coconut shells as adsorbent for the removal of toxic metal ions from aqueous effluents using column adsorption. The results show that a flow rate of 2 mL/min and a bed height of 10 cm are most feasible. Furthermore, larger amounts of effluent can be treated for removal of single ions.

Transport of hop bitter acids across intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Several health-beneficial properties of hop bitter acids have been reported (inhibition of bone resorption and anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities); however, scientific data on the bioavailability of these compounds are lacking. As a first approach to study the bioavailability, the epithelial transport of hop alpha- and beta-acids across Caco-2 monolayers was investigated. Hop acids were added either to the apical or to the basolateral chamber and, at various time points, amounts transported to the receiving compartment were determined.

Development of a high-throughput LC/APCI-MS method for the determination of thirteen phytoestrogens including gut microbial metabolites in human urine and serum.

The investigation into the potential usefulness of phytoestrogens in the treatment of menopausal symptoms requires large-scale clinical trials that involve rapid, validated assays for the characterization and quantification of the phytoestrogenic precursors and their metabolites in biological matrices, as large interindividual differences in metabolism and bioavailability have been reported. Consequently, a new sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method (HPLC-MS) for the quantitative determination of thirteen phytoestrogens including their most important gut microbial metabolites (genistein, daidzein, equol, dihydrodaidzein, O-desmethylangolensin, coumestrol, secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, enterodiol, enterolactone, isoxanthohumol, xanthohumol and 8-prenylnaringenin) in human urine and serum within one single analytical run was developed. The method uses a simple sample preparation procedure consisting of enzymatic deconjugation followed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) or solid-phase extraction (SPE) for urine or serum, respectively.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot study on the use of a standardized hop extract to alleviate menopausal discomforts.

Objectives: To examine the efficacy of a hop extract (standardized at 100mug 8-prenylnaringenin per day) for relief of menopausal discomforts.

Methods: A 16-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was conducted with 36 menopausal women. The participants were randomly allocated to either placebo or active treatment (hop extract) for a period of eight weeks after which treatments were switched for another eight weeks.

Disposition of soy isoflavones in normal human breast tissue.

Background: Despite decades of research on the relation between soy and breast cancer, questions regarding the absorption, metabolism, and distribution of isoflavones in breast tissue largely remain unanswered.

Objective: We evaluated the potential health effects of isoflavone consumption on normal breast tissue; isoflavone concentrations, metabolites, and biodistribution were investigated and compared with 17beta-estradiol exposure.

Design: In this dietary intervention study, healthy women were randomly allocated to a soy milk (n = 11; 16.

Cloning and molecular analysis of HlbZip1 and HlbZip2 transcription factors putatively involved in the regulation of the lupulin metabolome in hop (Humulus lupulus L.).

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.), the essential source of beer flavor is of interest from a medicinal perspective in view of its high content in health-beneficial terpenophenolics including prenylflavonoids. The dissection of biosynthetic pathway(s) of these compounds in lupulin glands, as well as its regulation by transcription factors (TFs), is important for efficient biotechnological manipulation of the hop metabolome.

Cosupplementation of isoflavones, prenylflavonoids, and lignans alters human exposure to phytoestrogen-derived 17beta-estradiol equivalents.

The microbial metabolism of dietary phytoestrogens varies considerably among individuals and influences the final exposure to bioactive compounds. In view of the increasing number of food supplements combining several classes of phytoestrogens, the microbial potential to activate various proestrogens within an individual was evaluated in 3 randomized dietary crossovers. Treatment allocation was based on participants' eligibility (>45% in vitro bioactivation of >or=2 separate proestrogens by fecal cultures; n = 40/100).

Hop bitter acids efficiently block inflammation independent of GRalpha, PPARalpha, or PPARgamma.

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is an essential ingredient of beer, where it provides the typical bitter taste, but is also applied in traditional folk medicine for sedative and antibacterial purposes. In this study, we demonstrate and compare the anti-inflammatory effect of various classes of hop bitter acids (HBA), including alpha-acids (AA), beta-acids (BA), and iso-alpha-acids (IAA), in fibroblasts, which are important players in the inflammatory response.

Evaluation of a low-cost adsorbent for removal of toxic metal ions from wastewater of an electroplating factory.

In this study, sugar cane residue or bagasse was used for removal of toxic metal ions from wastewater of an electroplating factory located in northeast Brazil. Prior acid treatment increased the adsorption efficacies in batch wise experiments. The microstructure of the material before and after the treatment was investigated by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Hop (Humulus lupulus)-derived bitter acids as multipotent bioactive compounds.

Hop acids, a family of bitter compounds derived from the hop plant (Humulus lupulus), have been reported to exert a wide range of effects, both in vitro and in vivo. They exhibit potential anticancer activity by inhibiting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, by inducing apoptosis, and by increasing the expression of cytochrome P450 detoxification enzymes. Furthermore, hop bitter acids are effective against inflammatory and metabolic disorders, which makes them challenging candidates for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome.

Eubacterium limosum activates isoxanthohumol from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) into the potent phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin in vitro and in rat intestine.

Recently, it was shown that the exposure to the potent hop phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) depends on intestinal bacterial activation of isoxanthohumol (IX), but this occurs in only one-third of tested individuals. As the butyrate-producing Eubacterium limosum can produce 8-PN from IX, a probiotic strategy was applied to investigate whether 8-PN production could be increased in low 8-PN producers, thus balancing phytoestrogen exposure. Using fecal samples from high (Hop +) and low (Hop -) 8-PN-producing individuals, a Hop + and Hop - dynamic intestinal model was developed.

Metabolism of the lignan macromolecule into enterolignans in the gastrointestinal lumen as determined in the simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem.

Estrogenic plant compounds from the human diet such as the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG, 1) can exert biological activity in the human body upon ingestion and bioactivation to enterodiol (END, 5) and enterolactone (ENL, 6). Bioavailability of lignans is influenced by the food matrix and gut microbial action, of which the latter is subject to a large interindividual variation. In this study, the fate of the lignan precursor SDG, present in the lignan macromolecule of flax seed ( Linum usitatissimum), was determined during an artificial stomach and small intestinal digestion and during metabolism by two different enterolignan phenotypes in a TWINSHIME environment (TWIN Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem).

Simultaneous analysis of riboflavin and aromatic amino acids in beer using fluorescence and multivariate calibration methods.

The study demonstrates an application of the front-face fluorescence spectroscopy combined with multivariate regression methods to the analysis of fluorescent beer components. Partial least-squares regressions (PLS1, PLS2, and N-way PLS) were utilized to develop calibration models between synchronous fluorescence spectra and excitation-emission matrices of beers, on one hand, and analytical concentrations of riboflavin and aromatic amino acids, on the other hand. The best results were obtained in the analysis of excitation-emission matrices using the N-way PLS2 method.

Plant polyphenolics as anti-invasive cancer agents.

Because invasion is, either directly or via metastasis formation, the main cause of death in cancer patients, development of efficient anti-invasive agents is an important research challenge. We have established a screening program for potentially anti-invasive compounds. The assay is based on organotypic confronting cultures between human invasive cancer cells and a fragment of normal tissue in three dimensions.

Evaluation of a Chlamydophila psittaci infection diagnostic platform for zoonotic risk assessment.

Reports on zoonotic transmission of Chlamydophila psittaci originating from poultry are incidentally published. During recent studies in European turkeys we isolated C. psittaci genotypes A, B, D, E, F, and E/B, all considered potentially dangerous for humans.

Removal of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from petrochemical wastewater using low-cost adsorbents of natural origin.

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from petrochemical wastewater was investigated using various low-cost adsorbents of natural origin including sugar cane bagasse, green coconut shells, chitin, and chitosan. Adsorption experiments of mixtures of PAHs (5.0-15.

Microbial and dietary factors are associated with the equol producer phenotype in healthy postmenopausal women.

Equol, a microbial metabolite of daidzein, has been hypothesized as a clue to the effectiveness of soy and its isoflavones but is excreted by only 33% of Caucasians. Microbial and dietary factors associated with the ability to harbor equol-producing bacteria were studied in a randomized dietary intervention trial with 100 healthy postmenopausal women. After a 4-d baseline period, subjects delivered first-void urine, fecal, and breath samples.

Treatment of PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells by prenylflavonoids from hop (Humulus lupulus L.) induces a caspase-independent form of cell death.

Xanthohumol (X), isoxanthohumol (IX), 8-prenylnaringenin (8PN) and 6-prenylnaringenin (6PN), prenylflavonoids from hop (Humulus lupulus L.), were investigated for their cytotoxicity and the mechanism by which they exert cell death when incubated with prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU145. All compounds induced cell death in the absence of caspase-3 activation and typical apoptotic morphological features.