Inhibitory Effects of Lotus Embryo Extract on Acetaminophen-induced Hepatic Injury

Background: Embryo extracts of lotus seeds have been reported to suppress the harmful effects of acetaminophen (APAP), a common antipyretic agent, in the liver. Methods and Findings: This study evaluated the effects of lotus embryo extract (lotus) on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatic inflammation. Seven-week-old male ICR mice were orally administered either lotus or saline (10 mL/kg) once a day for a week. Twenty-four hours after the last day of the consequent treatment, mice were intraperitoneally injected with 200 mg/kg APAP or saline under fasting conditions. All experimental mice were anesthetized and blood samples were collected for plasma analysis 4 h after the injection. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in the liver were measured using real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). The liver lobes were perfused with Mild form reagent and embedded in optimal temperature cutting (OCT) compound. Samples were sectioned at 10 µm and were stained using the TUNEL method. Pretreatment with lotus significantly decreased hepatic GOT/GPT levels, and APAP significantly increased the expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β). Furthermore, histological analysis showed that lotus exerted anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Conclusions: We suggest that prophylactic treatment with lotus protects against APAP-induced hepatic inflammation.

Anti-Obesity Effects of Soybean Embryo Extract and Enzymatically-Modified Isoquercitrin

Soy isoflavones are bioactive phytoestrogens with known health benefits. Soybean embryo extract (SEE) has been consumed as a source of isoflavones, mainly daidzein, glycitein, and genistein. While previous studies have reported the anti-obesity effects of SEE, this study investigates their molecular mechanisms and the synergistic effects of co-treatment with SEE and enzymatically modified isoquercitrin (EMIQ). SEE upregulated genes involved in lipolysis and brown adipocyte markers and increased mitochondrial content in differentiated C3H10T1/2 adipocytes in vitro. Next, we use a high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model to determine the anti-obesity effect of SEE. Two weeks of single or combined treatment with SEE and EMIQ significantly reduced body weight gain and improved glucose tolerance. Mechanistically, SEE treatment increased mitochondrial content and upregulated genes involved in lipolysis in adipose tissue through the cAMP/PKA-dependent signaling pathway. These effects required a cytosolic lipase adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) expression, confirmed by an adipocyte-specific ATGL knockout mouse study. Collectively, this study demonstrates that SEE exerts anti-obesity effects through the activation of adipose tissue metabolism and exhibits a synergistic effect of co-treatment with EMIQ. These results improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity effects of SEE related to adipose tissue metabolism.

Early Developmental Zebrafish Embryo Extract to Modulate Senescence in Multisource Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cells undergo senescence both in vivo, contributing to the progressive decline in self-healing mechanisms, and in vitro during prolonged expansion. Here, we show that an early developmental zebrafish embryo extract (ZF1) could act as a modulator of senescence in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) isolated from both adult tissues, including adipose tissue (hASCs), bone marrow (hBM-MSCs), dental pulp (hDP-MSCs), and a perinatal tissue such as the Wharton’s Jelly (hWJ-MSCs). In all the investigated hMSCs, ZF1 decreased senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA β-gal) activity and enhanced the transcription of TERT, encoding the catalytic telomerase core. In addition, it was associated, only in hASCs, with a transcriptional induction of BMI1, a pleiotropic repressor of senescence. In hBM-MSCs, hDP-MSCs, and hWJ-MSCs, TERT over-expression was concomitant with a down-regulation of two repressors of TERT, TP53 (p53), and CDKN1A (p21). Furthermore, ZF1 increased the natural ability of hASCs to perform adipogenesis. These results indicate the chance of using ZF1 to modulate stem cell senescence in a source-related manner, to be potentially used as a tool to affect stem cell senescence in vitro. In addition, its anti-senescence action could also set the basis for future in vivo approaches promoting tissue rejuvenation bypassing stem cell transplantation.

A combination of chicken embryo extract and a nutritional supplement protect a rat model of aging againstd-galactose-induced dysfunction of mitochondria and autophagy

The aging process is usually associated with increased oxidative stress and deficiency of tissues and organs, which causes a decline in the life quality of individuals.