• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.325-331
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• 2019

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most popular green leafy vegetables, and it contains various beneficial components including polyphenolic compounds and has been known to possess various biological functions such as anti-microbial, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we prepared ethanol extract of dried lettuce (DLE) and investigated its anti-inflammatory activity. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of DLE, nitric oxide (NO) production was measured in LPS-activated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. DLE significantly suppressed NO production in these cells without affecting cell viabilities while resveratrol was used as a positive control. DLE dramatically decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as iNOS and COX-2 at the mRNA and protein levels and reduced the expression of several cytokines including $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-1F6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, CSF2 and CXCL10. In addition, DLE suppressed phosphorylation of MAPKs and the nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 indicating DLE shows its anti-inflammatory activity via regulating MAPKs pathway and $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathways. And also, DLE reduced the production of reactive oxygen species in a dose-dependent manner. DLE increased HO-1 protein expression, and also increased the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Overall, our results suggest that lettuce down-regulate various pro-inflammatory genes and have its anti-inflammatory activity via regulating MAPKs, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.679-687
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• 2019

Litsea populifolia, a plant species of the Lauraceae family, is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical areas of Asia. The phylogenetic relationships and botanical characteristics of L. populifolia have been reported; however, its anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer effects of ethanol extracts of L. populifolia (EELP) together with the molecular mechanism of its anti-cancer activity in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. EELP showed significant anti-oxidative effects with a 50% inhibitory concentration at $11.71{\mu}g/ml$, which was measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. EELP exhibited cytotoxic activity and induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas EELP did not have the cytotoxic effect on the normal human lung cell line IMR90. Treatment with EELP also resulted in a decreased expression of G1/S transition-related molecules-including cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2, CDK6, cyclin D1, and cyclin E-both for the transcription and translation levels. EELP-induced G1 arrest was associated with the phosphorylation of checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2), p53, cell division cycle 25 homolog A (CDC25A), and the reduction of CDC25A expression in A549 cells. Collectively, these results suggest that EELP may exert an anti-cancer effect by cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase through both p53-dependent and p53-independent (ATM/CHK2/CDC25A/CDK2) pathways in A549 cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.465-473
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• 2023

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bioconversion ability of single (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CBT LP3, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CBT SL6, Streptococcus thermophilus CBT ST3) and multi-strain probiotics to convert rutin to quercetin in roasted tartary buckwheat, and to assess their biological activities. To evaluate the bioconversion efficiency, each strain was cultured for 24 h in MRS media with 5% roasted tartary buckwheat 'Hwangguem-Miso' powder. After then, rutin and quercetin contents were determined by HPLC. Additionally, the biological activities were compared before and after bioconversion of an ingredient. Anti-oxidant effects were measured by DPPH and ABTS assays. Anti-inflammatory effects were determined by measuring NO production, and levels of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-4 using an LPS-induced Raw 264.7 cell model. The bioconversion rate under the combination of three species of probiotics significantly increased more than single species. Antioxidant efficacy results showed the highest activity when the combination of three species of probiotics cultured. The pro-inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide, iNOS, TNF-a, and IL-6 were significantly decreased when the three types of probiotics were combined than single strain was cultured. In addition, level in the anti-inflammatory factor IL-4 was increased. The multi-strain probiotics showed increased bioconversion efficiency, effects of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory compared to the single strain. These findings suggest that the fermentation of tartary buckwheat by probiotics may be a valuable candidate for developing functional foods with anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation.