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Interleukin-32γ (IL-32γ) has diverse functions in various malignancies. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-32γ in autophagy induction in liver cancer cells and delineated the underlying mechanisms. We found that the increased IL-32γ expression inhibited the growth, cell cycle progression, and migration of HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines; it also decreased the expression of related proteins. Furthermore, the IL-32γ overexpression induced autophagy, as indicated by the number of puncta, the expression of LC3, and the expression of autophagy-related markers. The expression levels of LAMP1, a protein essential for autophagosome formation, and colocalization with LC3 also increased. Big data analysis revealed that the expression of MET, a well-known target of autophagy, and the expression of mTOR and mTOR-related proteins were decreased by the IL-32γ overexpression. The combination treatment of MET inhibitor, cabozantinib (2 µM), and IL-32γ overexpression further increased the number of puncta, the colocalization of LC3 and LAMP1, and the expression of autophagy-related proteins. In vivo, liver tumor growth was suppressed in the IL-32γ-overexpressing mouse model, and autophagy induction was confirmed by the increased expression of LC3 and LAMP1 and the decreased expression of autophagy pathway markers (MET and mTOR). Autophagy was also decreased in the liver tumor sample of human patients. ROC curve and spearman analysis revealed that the expression levels of LC3 and IL-32γ were significantly correlated in human tumor serum and tissues. Therefore, IL-32γ overexpression induced autophagy in liver tumors through the suppression of MET and mTOR pathways critical for tumor growth inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum is an important cereal with high value as a health food ingredient because it contains various phenolic compounds. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using 12 sorghum resources collected from various countries to explore their potential as medicinal resources. The findings revealed that, at extract concentrations of 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL, cell survival rates were observed to be between 70 and 80% for most varieties, with the exception of K159081. In the analysis of anti-inflammatory activity, measured by the rate of nitric oxide (NO) production, sorghum varieties K159041 and K159081 exhibited NO production rates of 0.46 ± 0.38% and 2.58 ± 0.20%, respectively, indicating significant anti-inflammatory properties. The investigation into anti-inflammatory effects also included examining the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene, which is related to the inflammatory response triggered by LPS in macrophages. Varieties K159041, K159048, K159077, K159078, K159081, K159089, and K159096 were analyzed for this purpose. Further, an expression test of the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) gene revealed values less than 0.4 in K159077, K159081, and K159089, suggesting these sorghum lines possess higher anti-inflammatory activity compared to others. Additionally, the expression analysis of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a gene identified as an inflammatory cytokine, showed that the mRNA levels in the lines K159048, K159077, K159078, K159088, K159089, K159093, and K159096 were expressed at lower levels relative to other sorghum resources, categorizing them as having high anti-inflammatory activity. Notably, the K159081 line exhibited the lowest expression level of all genes associated with inflammation, marking it as a valuable medicinal resource with potential development as an anti-inflammatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionality based on the biological activity of sorghum such as antioxidant activity is known worldwide for its excellence. In this study, we investigated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, phenol compounds, and changes in antioxidant gene expression in sorghum seed cells collected from five countries (Australia, former Soviet Union, USA, Sudan, and Guadeloupe). Sorghum seeds were obtained from 12 genetic resources (K159041, K159042, K159078, K159081, K159088, K159089, K159093, K159097, K159100, K159096, K159048, and K159077). ROS scavenging activity was analyzed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,20-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS). K159097 showed high antioxidant activity values of 33.52 ± 0.70 μg/mL (DPPH) and 271.06 ± 13.41 μg/mL (ABTS), respectively. The reducing power of the resources improved in a concentration-dependent manner, and 10 sorghum resources, except K159078 and K159048, showed high reducing power. K159042 had the highest total phenol content (231 ± 2.17 mg·GAE/g), and K159081 had the highest total flavonoid content (67.71 ± 5.38 mg·QE/g). Among the six phenolic compounds (protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, taxifolin, and naringenin) analyzed, the compound with the highest content was taxifolin (203.67 ± 4.99 mg/L in K159093). K159041, K159042, and K159048 had the highest expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase 1 (APX1), and catalase (CAT), which are indicators of antioxidant activity. An evaluation of the diversity of sorghum provided useful information on antioxidant activity, physicochemical content, and antioxidant gene expression in seed cells, suggesting that sorghum can be used as a biomaterial from natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus membranaceus, the major components of which are saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides, has been established to have excellent pharmacological activity. After ginseng, it is the second most used medicinal plant. To examine the utility of A. membranaceus as a sprout crop for plant factory cultivation, we sought to establish a functional substance control model by comparing the transcriptomes of sprouts grown in sterile, in vitro culture using LED light sources. Having sown the seeds of A. membranaceus, these were exposed to white LED light (continuous spectrum), red LED light (632 nm, 1.58 μmol/m2/s), or blue LED light (465 nm, 1.44 μmol/m2/s) and grown for 6 weeks; after which, the samples were collected for transcriptome analysis. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of cell morphology in plants exposed to the three light sources revealed that leaf cell size was largest in those plants exposed to red light, where the thickest stem was observed in plants exposed to white light. The total number of genes in A. membranaceus spouts determined via de novo assembly was 45,667. Analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that for the comparisons of blue LED vs. red LED, blue LED vs. white LED, and red LED vs. white LED, the numbers of upregulated genes were 132, 148, and 144, respectively. Binding, DNA integration, transport, phosphorylation, DNA biosynthetic process, membrane, and plant-type secondary cell wall biogenesis were the most enriched in the comparative analysis of blue LED vs. red LED, whereas Binding, RNA-templated DNA biosynthetic process, DNA metabolic process, and DNA integration were the most enriched in the comparative analysis of blue vs. white LED, and DNA integration and resolution of meiotic recombination intermediates were the most enrichment in the comparison between red LED vs. white LED. The GO term associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, implying the functionality of A. membranaceus, was the flavonoid biosynthetic process, which was enriched in the white LED vs. red LED comparison. The findings of this study thus indicate that different LED light sources can differentially influence the transcriptome expression pattern of A. membranaceus sprouts, which can provide a basis for establishing a flavonoid biosynthesis regulation model and thus, the cultivation of high-functional Astragalus sprouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the major intractable allergic disorders, atopic inflammation is commonly accompanied by itching, dry skin, and inflammation. Atopic inflammation deteriorates the quality of life and has no fundamental cure, so it is crucial to urgently explore and develop natural resources for long-term treatment without any side effects. This study aimed to verify Torilis japonica extract (TJE)'s relieving effect and mechanism against atopic inflammation using skin cells and skin equivalent models, as well as to investigate torilin's effect (obtained from TJE) and other unknown components as marker compounds. Torilin concentration was verified in TJE using high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed the unknown components using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, TJE's cytotoxicity, regenerative effect, and cell cycle regulation effects were confirmed using skin cells with atopic inflammation (human dermal fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes) by using TNF-α and IFN-γ treatments. Consequently, TJE was demonstrated to regulate TARC and CTACK expressions as chemokines and those of interleukin-4, -5, and -13 as cytokines related to atopic inflammation. TJE was further confirmed to affect the matrix metalloproteinase-1, -2, and -9 expressions, which are essential in skin damage. Lastly, this study confirmed TJE's relieving effect against atopic inflammation through a 3D skin model and RhCE model using human dermal fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes. These findings on atopic inflammation verified torilin's relieving effects and TJE's other components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different artificial light sources on the growth characteristics and various biological activities of the Atractylodes macrocephala x Atractylodes japonica hybrid cv. 'Dachul', which is highly useful for medicinal purposes. The plant had the largest biomass with a plant height of 38.20 ± 1.95 cm when treated with microwave electrodeless light (MEL). The chlorophyll content of the plants treated with fluorescent light (FL) was 53.93 ± 1.05 SPAD and was the highest. The antioxidant effect, determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), was the highest with 92.7 ± 0.2% in plants treated with light-emitting diode (LED)-green light. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were significantly higher with 19.7 ± 0.5 mg GAE/g and 40.2 ± 2.2 mg QE/g in the sample treated with LED-green light, respectively. For antimicrobial activity using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) technique, the inhibitory ability against Escherichia coli was at 0.25 mg/mL under LED-green light treatment. The whitening activity using tyrosinase enzyme showed the highest tyrosinase inhibitory ability at 62.1 ± 1.2% of the above extract treated with MEL light. To confirm the immune activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells, NO production of inflammation-related substances was measured. In addition, the inflammation-related genes iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2), and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) in the same sample were confirmed using reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, and the result showed that gene expression was suppressed compared with that in the control group. It is expected that Dachul plants treated with LED-blue light will play an important role in enhancing intracellular anti-inflammatory activity. From these results, the effect for various biological activities appeared in a significantly diverse spectrum in response to different wavelengths of artificial light sources in Dachul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. is primarily used as a raw material in herbal medicine to treat digestive diseases. To improve the functionality of A. macrocephala, its growth patterns under artificial light were studied. A. macrocephala grew better under MEL light, with the highest chlorophyll content (57.07 ± 0.65 SPAD), than under other artificial light sources. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 2000 μg·mL−1 underground extract treated with LED-red light was the highest (95.3 ± 1.1%). Furthermore, the total phenol and flavonoid contents of underground extract treated with LED-green light were the highest at 24.93 ± 0.3 mg GAE·g−1 and 11.2 ± 0.3 mg QE·g−1, respectively. Moreover, in the analysis of whitening activity, the tyrosinase inhibition rate of 5000 μg·mL −1 extract treated with LED-red light was the highest (84.6 ± 2.9%). In anti-inflammatory activity assay, LPS- induced RAW 264.7 cells exposed to 100 μg·mL−1 extract treated with fluorescent light showed the lowest NO levels (2.97 ± 0.14%). Finally, the expression of iNOS and COX-2, which are related to anti-inflammatory activity, was suppressed in cells exposed to artificial light-treated extract compared with that in controls, indicating potent anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore, growth under artificial light can improve the various biological functions of A. macrocephala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer metastasis is directly related to the survival rate of cancer patients. Although cancer metastasis proceeds by the movement of cancer cells, it is fundamentally caused by its resistance to anoikis, a mechanism of apoptosis caused by the loss of adhesion of cancer cells. Therefore, it was found that inhibiting cancer migration and reducing anoikis resistance are important for cancer suppression, and natural compounds can effectively control it. Among them, Ribes fasciculatum, which has been used as a medicinal plant, was confirmed to have anticancer potential, and experiments were conducted to prove various anticancer effects by extracting Ribes fasciculatum (RFE). Through various experiments, it was observed that RFE induces apoptosis of AGS gastric cancer cells, arrests the cell cycle, induces oxidative stress, and reduces mobility. It was also demonstrated that anoikis resistance was attenuated through the downregulation of proteins, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Moreover, the anticancer effect of RFE depends upon the increase in p53 expression, suggesting that RFE is suitable for the development of p53-targeted anticancer materials. Moreover, through xenotransplantation, it was found that the anticancer effect of RFE confirmed in vitro was continued in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosa gallica is a widely used Rosa species for medicinal and culinary purposes. Rosa gallica has been reported to display antioxidant, anti−inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. However, the effect of Rosa gallica against skin aging in vivo is unknown and its active components have not been fully understood. Oral administration of Rosa gallica prevented UVB−mediated skin wrinkle formation and loss of collagen/keratin fibers in the dorsal skin of mice. Examination of biomarkers at the molecular level showed that Rosa gallica downregulates UVB−induced COX−2 and MMP−1 expression in the skin. Through a direct comparison of major compounds identified using the UHPLC−MS/MS system, we discovered gallic acid as the primary component contributing to the anti-skin aging effect exhibited by Rosa gallica. Examination of the molecular mechanism revealed that gallic acid can potently and selectively target the c−Raf/MEK/ERK/c−Fos signaling axis. In addition, both gallic acid and MEK inhibitor blocked UVB−induced MMP−1 expression and restored collagen levels in a reconstructed 3D human skin model. Collectively, Rosa gallica could be used as a functional ingredient in the development of nutraceuticals against skin aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term fermented soybeans (chungkookjang) with specific Bacillus (B.) spp. have anti-obesity, antidiabetic, and anti-stroke functions. We examined the hypothesis that the long-term consumption of B. amyloliquefaciens SCGB 1 fermented (CKJ1) and B. subtilis SCDB 291 (CKJ291) chungkookjang can alleviate clinical symptoms and hyperglycemia after ischemic stroke by promoting the gut microbiota–brain axis. We examined this hypothesis in Mongolian male gerbils with stroke symptoms induced by carotid artery occlusion. The artery-occluded gerbils were divided into five groups: no supplementation (Control, Normal-control), 4% cooked soybeans (CSB), CKJ1, or CKJ291 in a high-fat diet for 3 weeks. The carotid arteries of gerbils in the Control, CSB, CKJ1, and CKJ291 groups were occluded for 8 min and they then continued on their assigned diets for an additional 3 weeks. Normal-control gerbils had no artery occlusion. The diets in all groups contained an identical macronutrient composition using starch, casein, soybean oil, and dietary fiber. The CSB, CKJ1, and CKJ291 groups exhibited less neuronal cell death than the Control group, while the CKJ1 group produced the most significant reduction among all groups, as much as 85% of the Normal-control group. CKJ1 and CKJ291 increased the blood flow and removal of blood clots, as determined by Doppler, more than the Control. They also showed more improvement in neurological disorders from ischemic stroke. Their improvement showed a similar tendency as neuronal cell death. CKJ1 treatment improved memory impairment, measured with Y maze and passive avoidance tests, similar to the Normal-control. The gerbils in the Control group had post-stroke hyperglycemia due to decreased insulin sensitivity and β-cell function and mass; the CKJ291, CSB, and CKJ1 treatments protected against glucose disturbance after artery occlusion and were similar to the Normal-control. CKJ1 and CKJ291 also reduced serum tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations and hippocampal interleukin-1β expression levels, compared to the Control. CKJ1 and CKJ291 increased the contents of Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Akkermansia in the cecum feces, similar to the Normal-control. Picrust2 analysis showed that CKJ1 and CKJ291 increased the propionate and butyrate metabolism and the starch and glucose metabolism but reduced the lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and fatty acid metabolism compared to the Control. In conclusion, daily CKJ1 and CKJ291 intake prevented neuronal cell death and memory dysfunction from the artery occlusion by increasing blood flow and β-cell survival and reducing post-stroke-hyperglycemia through modulating the gut microbiome composition and metabolites to influence the host metabolism, especially inflammation and insulin resistance, protecting against neuronal cell death and brain dysfunction. CKJ1 had better effects than CKJ291. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley sprouts are known to have several effective physiological activities. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of a barley sprout hot water extract (BSE) was confirmed. Saponarin was quantitatively analyzed in BSE using HPLC, and the inhibitory effect on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation into adipocytes was confirmed by Oil Red O staining, TG assay, and Western blotting. In addition, the inhibitory effect of BSE on adipocyte growth was confirmed through glucose uptake and lipolysis of adipocytes. C57/BL/6N mice were induced to obesity with a high-fat diet, and BSE was administered to confirm the effect on an animal model. Weight gain, morphological changes in adipose tissue, changes in the food efficiency ratio, and blood biochemical changes were observed, and an improvement effect on fatty liver was confirmed. As a result, the anti-obesity effect of BSE was confirmed in vitro, and it was confirmed that this effect was also effective in vivo and that it could be helpful in the treatment of obesity-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum is a major cereal food worldwide, and is considered a potential source of minerals and bioactive compounds. Its wide adaptive range may cause variations in its agronomic traits, antioxidant properties, and phytochemical content. This extensive study investigated variations in seed characteristics, antioxidant properties, and total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC) of sorghum collected from different ecological regions of 15 countries. The antioxidant potential of the seed extracts of various sorghum accessions was determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) radical scavenging assays. Significant variations in TPC were observed among the sorghum accessions. All 78 sorghum accessions used in this study exhibited significant variations in TFC, with the lowest and highest amount observed in accessions C465 and J542, respectively. DPPH scavenging potential of the seed extracts for all the accessions ranged from 11.91 ± 4.83 to 1343.90 ± 81.02 µg mL−1. The ABTS assay results were similar to those of DPPH but showed some differences in the accessions. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a wide variation range in the correlation between antioxidant activity and TPC, as well as TFC, among the sorghum accessions. A wide diversity range was also recorded for the seed characteristics (1000-seed weight and seed germination rate). A dendrogram generated from UPGMA clustering, based on seed traits, antioxidant activity, TPC, and TFC was highly dispersed for these accessions. Variations among the accessions may provide useful information regarding the phytoconstituents, antioxidant properties, and phytochemical contents of sorghum and aid in designing breeding programs to obtain sorghum with improved agronomic traits and bioactive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant phytochemical accumulation is influenced by various external factors that change with the seasons (e.g., harvesting time). Atractylodes japonica, an important medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds, is used to treat several human diseases. We analyzed the influence of harvesting time on phenolic compound concentration and antioxidant activity of A. japonica roots. We investigated the correlation between phenolic compound and minerals contents and antioxidant activity in different harvests. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents varied significantly with the harvesting time. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis revealed significant changes in the concentration of various phenolics between harvests. The content of different types of phenolics were significantly higher in the samples collected in October. Among them, chlorogenic acids (133,833.30 µg/g dry weight of root extract) were the most dominant phytochemical compounds detected. Samples harvested in October had higher concentrations of flavonoids, including rutin, orientin, vitexin, and apigenin. Roots harvested in October had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity than that of those harvested later. Root mineral concentrations also varied with the harvest time. The analysis revealed that macro elements such as Ca ad Mg contents were significantly increased with delaying harvesting time, whereas a different trend was observed for the microelements including Fe, Cu, Al, and As contents in the October harvest. We also found a significant relationship between antioxidant activity and phenolic compound content. The most abundant minerals (Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Al) correlated positively with the antioxidant activity indicating that these elements and compounds may be associated with the A. japonica antioxidant potential. Furthermore, A. japonica root extracts inhibited NIH/3T3 cellular proliferation in a season- and dose-dependent manner. Hence, harvesting time influenced the antioxidant properties and phenolic compound accumulation of A. japonica roots. These results indicate that the harvesting time is essential for obtaining the specific phytochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yak-Kong is a type of black soybean that is colloquially referred to as the "medicinal bean" and it elicits several beneficial effects that are relevant to human health, including attenuating the formation of skin wrinkles. It has previously been shown that soybean extracts elicit additional bioactivity that is fermented by lactic acid bacteria. In this study of lactic acid bacteria strains that were isolated from the stools of breast-feeding infants (<100 days old), we selected Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis LDTM 8102 (LDTM 8102) as the lead strain for the fermentation of Yak-Kong. We investigated the effects of LDTM 8102-fermented Yak-Kong on solar-ultraviolet irradiation (sUV)-induced wrinkle formation. In HaCaT cells, the ethanol extract of LDTM 8102-fermented Yak-Kong (EFY) effectively reduced sUV-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) secretion. The effect of EFY was superior to that of unfermented (UFY)- and Lactis KCTC 5854 (another Bifidobacterium animalis species)-fermented Yak-Kong. Additionally, EFY reduced sUV-induced MMP-1 mRNA expression and promoter activity, as well as the transactivation of AP-1 and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2. Furthermore, EFY alleviated sUV-induced MMP-1 secretion, the destruction of the epidermis, and degradation of collagen in a three-dimensional (3D) skin culture model. EFY had a higher total polyphenol content and anti-oxidative activity than UFY. Twelve metabolites were significantly (≥2-fold) increased in Yak-Kong extract after fermentation by LDTM 8102. Among them, the metabolites of major isoflavones, such as 6,7,4′-trihydroxyisoflavone (THIF), exerted the reducing effect of MMP-1, which indicated that the isoflavone metabolites contributed to the effect of EFY on MMP-1 expression as active compounds. These findings suggest that EFY is a potent natural material that can potentially prevent sUV-induced wrinkle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical corrosion behavior and the semiconducting properties of the passive film formed on a coil spring steel were investigated in a buffer solution at pH 9. The anodic dissolution was mitigated, and the passive film grew faster for the spring steel with compressive residual stress than the one without stress. The passive films had an n-type semiconducting property with a high density of oxygen vacancy, and the defect density was lower for the specimens with compressive stress. The passive current density of the specimens with stress was higher and showed fluctuation. These characteristics imply that the growth mechanism of passive film and the transport of vacancies in the film on metals and alloys depend on the residual stress on the metallic surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]