• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.72-79
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• 2016

Purpose: The initiation of mandatory folic acid fortification using pteroylmonoglutamic acid (PteGlu) has reduced the rate of congenital malformations. However, it also appears to be responsible for several adverse effects, including increased cancer incidence. This may be related to physicho-chemical characteristics of PteGlu. This study examines the potential effect of high concentrations of PteGlu on a population subjected to mandatory folic acid fortification using an in vitro model. Methods: Caco-2 (colorectal cancer) and MCF7 (breast cancer) cell lines were cultured at 6 different PteGlu concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 50, 250, and $500{\mu}g/ml$) for 6 days. Cell growth was determined using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. The genotype of dihydrofolate reductase 19bp deletion/insertion (DHFR 19-del) was also scored in cell lines using a restriction fragment length polymorphism technique to examine whether genetic variations may factor in cell proliferation. Results: PteGlu exhibited differential growth promoting properties between cell lines. Caco-2 cells did not show a significant growth difference at low concentrations compared to control, however, at higher concentrations, the growth showed a contrasting trend in the early experimental period, while MCF7 showed enhanced cell growth at all concentrations. The DHFR 19-del genotype differed in the two cell lines. Conclusions: Altered response to PteGlu by Caco-2 and MCF7 may reflect a tissue specific disease aetiology or genotype specific differential enzyme activity, for example by DHFR, to critical levels of PteGlu. As folic acid fortification is a blanket intervention, and DHFR and other enzyme activities vary between individuals, PteGlu intake may have an as yet undefined effect on health. These findings may be relevant when considering mandatory folic acid fortification for disease prevention.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.288-298
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• 2016

Resveratrol acts as a free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant in the inhibition of numerous reactive oxygen species (ROS). The function of resveratrol and resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles in protecting human lung cancer cells (A549) against hydrogen peroxide was investigated in this study. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay was performed to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Resveratrol had substantially high antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value) compared to trolox and vitamin E since the concentration of resveratrol was more than $50{\mu}M$. Nanoparticles prepared from ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin (${\beta}$-lg) were successfully developed. The ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticle showed 60 to 146 nm diameter in size with negatively charged surface. Non-cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells treated with ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles. Fluorescein isothiocynate-conjugated ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles were identified into the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells, indicating that nanoparticles can be used as a delivery system. Hydrogen peroxide caused accumulation of ROS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles restored $H_2O_2$-induced ROS levels by induction of cellular uptake of resveratrol in A549 cells. Furthermore, resveratrol activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-Kelch ECH associating protein 1 (Nrf2-Keap1) signaling in A549 cells, thereby accumulation of Nrf2 abundance, as demonstrated by western blotting approach. Overall, these results may have implications for improvement of oxidative stress in treatment with nanoparticles as a biodegradable and non-toxic delivery carrier of bioactive compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1751-1760
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• 2015

Mucin2 (MUC2), an important regulatory factor in the immune system, plays an important role in the host defense system against bacterial translocation. Probiotics known to regulate MUC2 gene expression have been widely studied, but the interactions among probiotic, pathogens, and mucin gene are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MUC2 in blocking effects of probiotics on meningitic E. coli-induced pathogenicities. In this study, live combined probiotic tablets containing living Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus were used. MUC2 expression was knocked down in Caco-2 cells by RNA interference. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), which enhances mucin-promoted probiotic effects through inducing production of Sadenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), was used to up-regulate MUC2 expression in Caco-2 cells. The adhesion to and invasion of meningitic E. coli were detected by competition assays. Our studies showed that probiotic agents could block E. coli-caused intestinal colonization, bacteremia, and meningitis in a neonatal sepsis and meningitis rat model. MUC2 gene expression in the neonatal rats given probiotic agents was obviously higher than that of the infected and uninfected control groups without probiotic treatment. The prohibitive effects of probiotic agents on MUC2-knockdown Caco-2 cells infected with E44 were significantly reduced compared with nontransfected Caco-2 cells. Moreover, the results also showed that 5-Aza-CdR, a drug enhancing the production of SAMe that is a protective agent of probiotics, was able to significantly suppress adhesion and invasion of E44 to Caco-2 cells by upregulation of MUC2 expression. Taken together, our data suggest that probiotic agents can efficiently block meningitic E. coli-induced pathogenicities in a manner dependent on MUC2.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.255-259
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• 2008

The present study aimed to investigate the in-vitro characteristics of N4-amino acid derivatives of cytarabine for the oral delivery of cytarabine. After the synthesis of L-Ile-cytarabine, L-Leu-cytarabine and L-Arg-cytarabine, the gastrointestinal stability of each prodrug was examined using artificial gastric juice and intestinal fluids. The cellular uptake characteristics of prodrugs were also examined in Caco-2 cells. While L-Ile-cytarabine and L-Leu-cytarabine appeared to be stable in all the tested biological media during 4-hr incubation, L-Arg-cytarabine was rapidly disappeared within 5 min. Accordingly, the cellular uptake of L-Ile-cytarabine and L-Leu-cytarabine was significantly higher than that of its parent drug, cytarabine in Caco-2 cells but the cellular uptake of L-Arg-cytarabine was similar to that from its parent drug. The cellular uptake of L-Ile-cytarabine and L-Leu-cytarabine appeared to be saturable as drug concentration increased from 0.4 to 4 mM. Collectively, L-Ile-cytarabine and L-Leu-cytarabine could be promising candidates to improve the oral absorption of cytarabine via a saturable transport pathway.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.706-711
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• 2009

Lysozyme was treated with digestive enzymes and the production of interleukin 8 (IL-8) was measured in Caco-2 cell with the peptides from lysozyme upon stimulating with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate the overall anti-inflammatory activity of lysozyme when it is in digestive tracts. Lysozyme reduced IL-8 production, and the peptides from pepsin hydrolysis of lysozyme had the similar effect. The products of trypsin digestion of lysozyme had no effect on the reduction of IL-8 production while those of pepsin-trypsin hydrolysis did. The effectiveness of lowering IL-8 production was not different by time of the peptide addition. When Caco-2 cells were pre-incubated with peptides for 24 hr, the reduction effects were observed from the peptides from pepsin hydrolysis, indicating that some of the peptides are still remaining in the cells. Therefore, it can be concluded that the IL-8 reduction effect of lysozyme against LPS still remained even after the pepsin and trypsin hydrolysis.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1046-1060
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the metabolites of Latilactobacillus curvatus BYB3 and indole-activated aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to increase the tight junction (TJ) proteins in an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. In a Western blot assay, the metabolites of L. curvatus BYB3 reduced the TJ demage in lipoploysaccharide (LPS) stimulated-Caco-2 cells. This reduction was a result of upregulating the expression of TJ-associated proteins and suppressing the nuclear factor-κB signaling. Immunofluorescence images consistently revealed that LPS disrupted and reduced the expression of TJ proteins, while the metabolites of L. curvatus BYB3 and indole reversed these alterations. The protective effects of L. curvatus BYB3 were observed on the intestinal barrier function when measuring transepithelial electrical resistance. Using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis the metabolites, the indole-3-latic acid and indole-3-acetamide concentrations were found to be 1.73±0.27 mg/L and 0.51±0.39 mg/L, respectively. These findings indicate that the metabolites of L. curvatus BYB3 have increasing mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and AhR, and may thus be applicable for therapy of various inflammatory gut diseases as postbiotics.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has rapidly escalated in Asia (including Korea) due to increasing westernized diet patterns subsequent to industrialization. Factors associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are demonstrated to be one of the major causes of IBD. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum) on ER stress. MATERIALS/METHODS: Mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell line and polarized Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells were treated with crude extract of the L. chinense fruit (LF). Paracellular permeability was measured to examine the effect of tight junction (TJ) integrity. The regulatory pathways of ER stress were evaluated in MEF knockout (KO) cell lines by qPCR for interleukin (IL) 6, IL8 and XBP1 spliced form (XBP1s). Immunoglobulin binding protein (BiP), XBP1s and CCAAT/enhancer-binding homologous protein (CHOP) expressions were measured by RT-PCR. Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy (SICM) at high resolution was applied to observe morphological changes after treatments. RESULTS: Exposure to LF extract strengthened the TJ, both in the presence and absence of inflammation. In polarized Caco-2 pretreated with LF, induction in the expression of proinflammatory marker IL8 was not significant, whereas ER stress marker XBP1s expression was significantly increased. In wild type (wt) MEF cells, IL6, CHOP and XBP1 spliced form were dose-dependently induced when exposed to $12.5-50{\mu}g/mL$ extract. However, absence of XBP1 or $IRE1{\alpha}$ in MEF cells abolished this effect. CONCLUSION: Results of this study show that LF treatment enhances the barrier function and reduces inflammation and ER stress in an $IRE1{\alpha}$-XBP1-dependent manner. These results suggest the preventive effect of LF on healthy intestine, and the possibility of reducing the degree of inflammatory symptoms in IBD patients.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.574-585
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• 2022

This study was conducted to quantify chlorogenic acid content and evaluate biological activity, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and digestive enzyme activity of Aralia elata ethanol extract (AEE). The SC₅₀ of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of AEE were 4.79±0.05 mg/mL, 5.79±0.05 mg/mL; total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were 170.0±1.8 mgGAE/g, 105.5±4.1 mgQE/g, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) was increased in RAW 264.7 cells and Caco-2 cells with treatment of LPS, and production of NO was inhibited by AEE in a concentration-dependent manner. Production of NO was reduced by 60.0±1.1% in RAW 264.7 cells and 50.7±2.8% in Caco-2 cells at of AEE. Similarly, the production of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner. Antibacterial activity increased as the dose concentration of AEE increased, and the MIC was 75 mg/mL for L. monocytogenes, and 100 mg/mL for S. typhimurium and H. pylori. In addition, amylase and protease enzyme activity was observed in AEE and increased enzyme activity was observed according to the concentration of the extract. AEE contained 7.06±0.01 mg/g of chlorogenic acid. As a result of the experiment, it is judged that it can be used as basic data for the development of health food using Aralia elata.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.1009-1016
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• 2014

This study investigated the probiotic and functional characteristics of Mukeunji starter, Lactobacillus curvatus ML17, isolated from Mukeunji. Lb. curvatus ML17 was confirmed as a safe microorganism due to its non-hemolytic activity and non-production of harmful ${\beta}$-glucuronidase and ${\beta}$-glucosidase. Tolerance to artificial gastric and bile juice of Lb. curvatus ML17 was investigated. After incubation in artificial gastric and bile juice, the number of surviving cells was $1.38{\times}10^8$ CFU/mL. According to the results of adhesion assay, this strain also exhibited good adhesion to Caco-2 cells. Lb. curvatus ML17 showed good antimicrobial activity against food borne pathogens, especially Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cell-free extract of Lb. curvatus ML17 exhibited high levels of DPPH scavenging capacity and inhibitory effects on growth of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. These results suggest that Lb. curvatus ML17 has potential for application in functional foods.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 2011

Tumor angiogenesis, which is essential for tumor growth and tumor metastasis, depends on angiogenic factors produced by tumor cells and/or infiltrating cells such as endothelial cells and immune cells in tumor tissue. Previously, we reported that licochalcone A (LicA), an important bioactive compound of Glycyrrhiza inflate, suppresses angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, we evaluated the effect of LicA on angiogenin production in colon cancer cells because angiogenin is an essential factor to regulate angiogenesis and tumor progression. When we examined the angiogenin levels in three human colon cancer cells, HT-29, SW480 and Caco-2, LicA treatment significantly reduced the amounts of angiogenin among three cancer cell lines. In an in vivo study in which mice were implanted with HT-29 cells, oral administration of LicA reduced angiogenin in tumor tissues when compared with vehicle-administered mice. These results suggest that reduced angiogenin in response to LicA treatment may play essential role to inhibit tumor growth, angiogenesis as well as metastasis.