Identification of Major Antioxidant Compounds from the Edible Mushroom (Echigoshirayukidake).

, of which Japanese vernacular name is Echigoshirayukidake, is a local speciality mushroom found and cultivated in Japan that has been distributed as a precious cuisine material or as a functional food with medicinal properties. Antioxidant activity-guided isolation of major ingredients in revealed the presence of ergosterol, -10,-12-octadecadienoic acid (a conjugated linolenic acid, 10(E),12(Z)-CLA) and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl‑4‑pyran-4-one (DDMP). Approximately 21% of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazino radical (DPPH) scavenging activities in the methanolic extract were related to 10(E),12(Z)-CLA, while approximately 6.

Lauric acid impairs insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation by upregulating SELENOP expression via HNF4α induction.

Selenoprotein P (SeP; encoded by SELENOP in humans, Selenop in rodents) is a hepatokine that is upregulated in the liver of humans with type 2 diabetes. Excess SeP contributes to the onset of insulin resistance and various type 2 diabetes-related complications. We have previously reported that the long-chain saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid, upregulates Selenop expression, whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) downregulate it in hepatocytes.

Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Lingonberry ( L.): Extraction, Chemical Characterization, Fractionation and Cellular Antioxidant Activity.

Lingonberries contain high contents of bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids and anthocyanins. In addition to radical scavenging and antioxidant activities, these compounds can protect cells from DNA damage. For this reason, lingonberries might be well suited for nutraceuticals or natural biomedicines.

Pomegranate ( L.) Extract and Its Anthocyanin and Copigment Fractions-Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Influence on Cellular Oxidative Stress.

Secondary plant metabolites, e.g., polyphenols, are widely known as health-improving compounds that occur in natural functional foods such as pomegranates.

Identification of a Novel Pyrrole Alkaloid from the Edible Mushroom (Echigoshirayukidake).

Three pyrrole alkaloid derivatives were isolated from the edible mushroom (Echigoshirayukidake) by water extraction followed by ethyl acetate fractionation. The chemical structures determined by MS and NMR were 4-[2-formyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1-pyrrol-1-yl] butanoic acid (compound I), 4-[2-formyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1-pyrrol-1-yl] butanamide (compound II), and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-1-pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde (compound III). Compound I was found to be the major component, followed by compound II, and compound III was the minor component.

Plasma half-life and tissue distribution of leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 in mice.

Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is a hepatokine that causes skeletal muscle insulin resistance. The circulating levels of LECT2 are a possible biomarker that can predict weight cycling because they reflect liver fat and precede the onset of weight loss or gain. Herein, to clarify the dynamics of this rapid change in serum LECT2 levels, we investigated the in vivo kinetics of LECT2, including its plasma half-life and tissue distribution, by injecting I-labelled LECT2 into ICR mice and radioactivity tracing.

Inhibition of nuclear factor-κB p65 phosphorylation by 3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone and caffeic acid phenethyl ester.

3,4-Dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) are both catechol-containing phenylpropanoid derivatives with various bioactivities. In the present study, we compared the effects of these compounds and other phenylpropanoid derivatives on the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling, a major pathway in the inflammatory response, using RAW 264.7 cells.

Characterization of mycosporine-like amino acids in the cyanobacterium Nostoc verrucosum.

The aquatic cyanobacterium Nostoc verrucosum forms macroscopic colonies in streams, and its appearance is superficially similar to that of the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. N. verrucosum is sensitive to desiccation, unlike N.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone and caffeic acid phenethyl ester induce preconditioning ER stress and autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) are both catechol-containing phenylpropanoid derivatives with diverse bioactivities. In the present study, we analyzed the ability of these compounds to activate the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the oxidative stress response. When human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were treated with DBL or CAPE, the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related genes such as HSPA5, HYOU1, DDIT3, and SEC61b increased to a larger extent in response to CAPE treatment, while that of antioxidant genes such as HMOX1, GCLM, and NQO1 increased to a larger extent in response to DBL treatment.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Brazilian Green Propolis Encapsulated in a γ-Cyclodextrin Complex in Mice Fed a Western-Type Diet.

Ageing is often accompanied by chronic inflammation. A fat- and sugar-rich Western-type diet (WTD) may accelerate the ageing phenotype. Cell culture studies have indicated that artepillin C-containing Brazilian green propolis exhibits anti-inflammatory properties.

Novel glycosylated mycosporine-like amino acid, 13-O-(β-galactosyl)-porphyra-334, from the edible cyanobacterium Nostoc sphaericum-protective activity on human keratinocytes from UV light.

A UV-absorbing compound was purified and identified as a novel glycosylated mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA), 13-O-β-galactosyl-porphyra-334 (β-Gal-P334) from the edible cyanobacterium Nostoc sphaericum, known as "ge xian mi" in China and "cushuro" in Peru. Occurrence of the hexosylated derivative of shinorine (hexosyl-shinorine) was also supported by LC-MS/MS analysis. β-Gal-P334 accounted for about 86.

Eicosapentaenoic acid down-regulates expression of the selenoprotein P gene by inhibiting SREBP-1c protein independently of the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway in H4IIEC3 hepatocytes.

Selenoprotein P (encoded by in humans, in rat), a liver-derived secretory protein, induces resistance to insulin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in type 2 diabetes. Suppression of selenoprotein P may provide a novel therapeutic approach to treating type 2 diabetes; however, few drugs inhibiting expression in hepatocytes have been identified. The present findings demonstrate that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) suppresses expression by inactivating sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c, encoded by in rat) in H4IIEC3 hepatocytes.

Time Course Effect of R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Cellular Metabolomics in Cultured Hepatoma Cells.

Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) is a powerful antioxidant. LA has two enantiomers, R(+)-LA (R-LA) and S(-)-LA (S-LA). Of these, R-LA is naturally occurring and an essential cofactor in energy metabolism.

Deficiency of the hepatokine selenoprotein P increases responsiveness to exercise in mice through upregulation of reactive oxygen species and AMP-activated protein kinase in muscle.

Exercise has numerous health-promoting effects in humans; however, individual responsiveness to exercise with regard to endurance or metabolic health differs markedly. This 'exercise resistance' is considered to be congenital, with no evident acquired causative factors. Here we show that the anti-oxidative hepatokine selenoprotein P (SeP) causes exercise resistance through its muscle receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1).

Rapid response of the steatosis-sensing hepatokine LECT2 during diet-induced weight cycling in mice.

Dieting often leads to body weight cycling involving repeated weight loss and regain. However, little information is available regarding rapid-response serum markers of overnutrition that predict body weight alterations during weight cycling. Here, we report the rapid response of serum leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), a hepatokine that induces insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, during diet-induced weight cycling in mice.

Chemical Characterization, Free Radical Scavenging, and Cellular Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of a Stilbenoid-Rich Root Extract of Vitis vinifera.

Dietary stilbenoids are receiving increasing attention due to their potential health benefits. However, most studies concerning the bioactivity of stilbenoids were conducted with pure compounds, for example, resveratrol. The aim of this study was to characterize a complex root extract of Vitis vinifera in terms of its free radical scavenging and cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Free Radical Scavenging and Cellular Antioxidant Properties of Astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is a coloring agent which is used as a feed additive in aquaculture nutrition. Recently, potential health benefits of astaxanthin have been discussed which may be partly related to its free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties. Our electron spin resonance (ESR) and spin trapping data suggest that synthetic astaxanthin is a potent free radical scavenger in terms of diphenylpicryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and galvinoxyl free radicals.

Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids and Their Derivatives as Natural Antioxidants.

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are water-soluble molecules that absorb UV-A and UV-B radiation and disperse the energy as heat. MAAs show great diversity in their molecular structures, which exhibit a range of molecular weights spanning 188 to 1050 Daltons. MAAs are utilized in a wide variety of organisms including prokaryotes and eukaryotic micro-organisms that inhabit aquatic, terrestrial, and marine environments.

Structural Analysis of Crystalline R(+)-α-Lipoic Acid-α-cyclodextrin Complex Based on Microscopic and Spectroscopic Studies.

R(+)-α-lipoic acid (RALA) is a naturally-occurring substance, and its protein-bound form plays significant role in the energy metabolism in the mitochondria. RALA is vulnerable to a variety of physical stimuli, including heat and UV light, which prompted us to study the stability of its complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs). In this study, we have prepared and purified a crystalline RALA-αCD complex and evaluated its properties in the solid state.

Dietary Tocotrienol/γ-Cyclodextrin Complex Increases Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and ATP Concentrations in the Brains of Aged Mice.

Brain aging is accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial function. In vitro studies suggest that tocotrienols, including γ- and δ-tocotrienol (T3), may exhibit neuroprotective properties. However, little is known about the effect of dietary T3 on mitochondrial function in vivo.

Physiological roles of peroxido-vanadium complexes: Leitmotif as their signal transduction pathway.

Evidence exists that supports the various physiological roles of vanadium compounds, although the amount of vanadium in our body is limited. This limited concentration in our body does not attract much attention of the biological chemists, although the fact is present; even in the 19th century, vanadium derivatives were used for the therapeutic reagents. In the middle of the 20th century, the main focus of vanadium chemistry is mainly on the chemical and material fields.

Gemcitabine-induced CXCL8 expression counteracts its actions by inducing tumor neovascularization.

Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are frequently complicated with metastatic disease or locally advanced tumors, and consequently need chemotherapy. Gemcitabine is commonly used for PDAC treatment, but with limited efficacy. The capacity of gemcitabine to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human pancreatic cancer cells, prompted us to examine its effects on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

Characterization of the chemical diversity of glycosylated mycosporine-like amino acids in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune.

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are UV-absorbing pigments, and structurally unique glycosylated MAAs are found in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. In this study, we examined two genotypes of N.commune colonies with different water extract UV-absorption spectra.