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This study explores the potential of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from Vitis vinifera L. grape skins to improve the quality of regional wines by enhancing their physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Five promising yeast strains were identified at different stages of fermentation: Hanseniaspora opuntiae (J1Y-T1), H. guilliermondii (Y5P-T5), H. uvarum (JF3-T1N), Pichia kudriavzevii (Y8P-T8), and Starmerella bacillaris (WMP4-T4). Among these, H. uvarum and S. bacillaris were particularly noteworthy due to their superior alcohol production, achieving levels of 8.16 ± 0.05% and 8.04 ± 0.04% (v/v), respectively, and demonstrating higher alcohol tolerance even in later fermentation stages. Hanseniaspora uvarum also showed exceptional resilience, with a half-life of 3.34 ± 0.03 days and a Km value of 1.0200 ± 0.0100 mol L⁻¹, achieving the highest biomass even in the later stages of fermentation. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis revealed that while tartaric acid levels remained constant, malic acid content decreased, and acetic acid was produced by all strains. Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry identified ethyl acetate as the dominant volatile compound, with H. uvarum producing the highest concentration (43.411 ± 1.602%), contributing to a fruitier aroma and flavor. The combined attributes of H. uvarum higher alcohol content, enhanced fruity notes, improved clarity, lower acetic acid (0.52 ± 0.03 g L⁻¹), and significant residual sugar (162.37 ± 2.48 g L⁻¹) make it a promising candidate for improving the overall quality of regional wines. Incorporating H. uvarum into mixed starter cultures with specific Saccharomyces strains could further optimize the wine fermentation process.

The aim was to perform an in-depth characterization of pteryxin in the anti-obesity related molecular mechanisms using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Cells were treated with pteryxin 20 (PTX20) or 50 (PTX50) μg/mL during cell differentiation or maintenance period. Pteryxin dose-dependently suppressed adipogenic gene network. PTX20 downregulated key lipogenic genes suppressing fatty acid synthesis allotting the anti-adipogenesis in the late adipocyte formation stage. PTX50 downregulated adipogenesis related genes, and accelerated lipolytic activity by repressing the adipocyte size marker gene, MEST. In addition to Wnt5a, PTX50 suppressed adipocyte differentiation through TGF-β/Smad3 signaling pathway with the maximum adiposity inhibition in the early stage of adipogenesis and regulated the carbohydrate metabolism. Pteryxin regulated phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AMPK, and decreased p38 MAPK to repress the mature adipocyte formation. Overall, we have demonstrated the anti-adipogenic characteristics of pteryxin consistent to its dose. PTX50 may serve as a potential candidate to ameliorate adiposity and improve the carbohydrate metabolism.

Several types of coumarins have been isolated from Peucedanum japonicum Thunb (PJT) and we previously reported the anti-obesity activity of pteryxin (PTX), as an active compound of PJT. However, during our research, we identified another variety of PJT, which does not contain any PTX. Here, we prepared concentrates from the two varieties of PJT and demonstrated that dietary PJT concentrates both with and without PTX significantly decreased the relative weights of white adipose tissue (WAT) and mRNA levels of lipogenic genes in epididymal WAT. Furthermore, we compared the inhibitory effects of dihydropyranocoumarins of PJT on lipid accumulation of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. All of the dihydropyranocoumarins used in this study significantly inhibited lipid accumulation and lipogenic-related gene expressions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. However, the magnitudes of the effects were distinctly different. The present study demonstrated that several dihydropyranocoumarins in PJT possess anti-obesity activities, which mainly act by inhibiting lipogenesis in adipocytes.

Cirsium brevicaule A. GRAY is a wild perennial herb, and its roots (CbR) have traditionally been used as both food and medicine on the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Amami. The present study evaluated the antiadipogenic effect of CbR using mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line 3T3-L1 from JCRB cell bank. Dried CbR powder was serially extracted with solvents of various polarities, and these crude extracts were tested for antiadipogenic activity. Treatment with the methanol extract of CbR showed a significant suppression of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Methanol extract of CbR was then fractionated and subjected to further activity analyses. The phenylpropanoid glycosidic molecule syringin was identified as an active compound. Syringin dose dependently suppressed lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells without cytotoxicity, and significantly reduced the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, the master regulator of adipogenesis, and other differentiation markers. It was demonstrated that syringin effectively enhanced the phosphorylation of the AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. These results indicate that syringin attenuates adipocyte differentiation, adipogenesis, and promotes lipid metabolism; thus, syringin may potentially serve as a therapeutic candidate for treatment of obesity.