Rui Hai Liu’s research while affiliated with Cornell University and other places

BACKGROUND The black goji berry (Lycium ruthenicum Murr.) is known for its abundance of high‐quality natural antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins. Black goji berry anthocyanins (BGA) are receiving increasing attention because of their high safety and beneficial biological activities. Studies have shown that oxidative stress is a key factor affecting aging, whereas antioxidants are critical preventive and delaying strategies. RESULTS In the present study, we investigated the potential anti‐aging effects and mechanism of BGA using the Caenorhabditis elegans model. We found that BGA prolonged the mean lifespan of nematodes and improve their healthspan, including locomotion, pharyngeal pumping rate and stress resistance. Subsequently, we observed a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels in nematodes after administering BGA. Moreover, BGA enhanced the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, and elevated the glutathione disulfide/glutathione ratio. We confirmed that BGA exerted excellent antioxidative stress activity in nematodes, which may contribute substantially to its anti‐aging effects. The health benefits of BGA in C. elegans might be closely related to petunidin‐3‐O‐glucoside, the most abundant anthocyanin in BGA. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that the JNK‐1 and DAF‐16/FOXO pathways, rather than the calorie restriction pathway, were responsible for the antioxidant stress and life‐prolonging effects of BGA in nematodes. CONCLUSION Our research provides a theoretical foundation for studying the anti‐aging effect of BGA and a basis for developing black goji berry and its anthocyanins as functional foods with anti‐aging and antioxidative stress benefits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mitochondrial dysfunction, characterized by elevated oxidative stress, impaired energy balance, and dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics, is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its comorbidities. Ferulic acid (FA), a principal phenolic compound found in whole grains, has demonstrated potential in ameliorating oxidative stress and preserving energy homeostasis. However, the influence of FA on mitochondrial health within the context of MetS remains unexplored. Moreover, the impact of FA on autophagy, which is essential for maintaining energy homeostasis and mitochondrial integrity, is not fully understood. Here, we aimed to study the mechanisms of action of FA in regulating mitochondrial health and autophagy using palmitate-treated HepG2 hepatocytes as a MetS cell model. We found that FA improved mitochondrial health by restoring redox balance and optimizing mitochondrial dynamics, including biogenesis and the fusion/fission ratio. Additionally, FA was shown to recover autophagy and activate AMPK-related cell signaling. Our results provide new insights into the therapeutic potential of FA as a mitochondria-targeting agent for the prevention and treatment of MetS.

The vibrating superfine mill (VSM) is a machine that belongs to the micronization technique. In this study, VSM was employed to produce micronized tapioca starch by varying micronization times (15, 30, 45, and 60 min). The structural and physicochemical properties of the micronized starch were then examined. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that micronized starch was partially gelatinized, and the granule size dramatically increased when micronization time increased. X‐ray diffraction patterns showed that the relative crystallinity was decreased from 24.67% (native) to 4.13% after micronization treatment for 15 min and slightly decreased after that. The solubility of micronized starch significantly increased as the micronization time increased, which was associated with the destruction of the starch crystalline structure. Differential scanning calorimetry investigations confirmed that micronized starch was “partly gelatinized,” and the degree of gelatinization increased to 81.27% when the micronization time was 60 min. The weight‐average molar mass was reduced by 15.0% (15 min), 30.9% (30 min), 55.7% (45 min), and 70.5% (60 min), respectively, indicating that the molecular structure was seriously degraded. The results demonstrated that the physicochemical changes of micronized starch granules were related to the destruction of the starch structure. These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. Practical Application These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. Moreover, we believe that when the structures of starches were known, it is probable that the effect of VSM on the structural and physicochemical properties change of other starches might be predicted by adjusting the processing time.

With the increasing demand for nutrition and health, many researchers are trying to develop a rice product with lower aging rate and convenient nutrient fortification. Being composed of high amylopectin content, cassava starch (CS) shows a lower retrogradation tendency compared to rice starch. So, it has a broad application prospect to partially replace rice starch with CS in rice by extrusion technology. In this study, a new extruded rice (ER) was prepared by broken rice flour and CS using single-screw extruder through “improved extrusion cooking technology,” and the maximum addition level of CS in ER was 30%. Color parameters and texture profile analysis showed that ER was a little darker in appearance with lower hardness, adhesiveness and chewiness. Rapid visco analysis demonstrated that the viscosity of ER paste appeared earlier during the initial heating phase and displayed a lower retrogradation trend than normal rice in the cooling process. The gelatinization temperature and gelatinization enthalpy decreased with the increasing CS in ER, while the degree of gelatinization increased to 76.36% when the content of CS was 30% after extrusion. The X-ray diffraction patterns of control was typical A-type structure, while ER changed to V-type structure with a lower degree of crystallinity. The microstructure observation showed that ER exhibited a looser and more porous structure with increasing the content of CS, which facilitated easier cooking and nutritional enhancement.

BACKGROUND Blueberries and apples exhibit favorable bioactivity and health benefits as a result of their rich phytochemicals. Natural phytochemicals exist in complex forms, but there are few reports on whether have additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects between different phytochemicals. The present study aimed to elucidate the synergistic effects of blueberry extract (BE) and apple peel extract (APE) together with respect to inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 liver cancer cells. Meanwhile, phytochemical characterization of BE and APE was conducted by HPLC, and total antioxidant activity was determined via a cellular antioxidant activity assay, oxygen radical absorption capacity assay and peroxy radical scavenging capacity assay. RESULTS The results showed that BE and APE were rich in phytochemicals and had potent antioxidant activities, which synergistically inhibited cell proliferation. In the bilateral combination, the dose reduction index value increased by two‐fold, and the combination index value at 95% inhibition was less than 1. Additionally, BE + APE supplementation could promote the expression levels of p53 and c‐myc genes. In conclusion, the BE and APE had strong antioxidant activity and exhibited synergistic inhibition against proliferation of HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION The present study can provide a theoretical basis for the synergistic effect of different phytochemicals in health care. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The present monograph describes the salting-out assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLME) and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD) based quantification of two frequently applied neonicotinoid insecticides, i.e., acetamiprid (ACE) and imidacloprid (IMD), from selected tropical fruits (citrus and guava) and vegetables (tomato, okra and cauliflower). The SALLME conditions like pH, liquid/solid ratio and salt ratio (NaCl/Na2SO4) were varied over a wide range of conditions for the enhanced recovery of IMD and ACE from spiked quality control (low, high and medium) of fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, RP-HPLC-DAD quantification of IMD and ACE was found to be linear over 1-100 μg/L with the coefficient of determination (R2) value ≥0.997 and slope of the calibration curve (sensitivity) ≥2.3 × 104 peak area unit (μAu). The analysis of selected fruits and vegetables after 0 (1 h), 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14 days of foliar application revealed the presence of IMD and ACE residues in okra and guava higher than maximum residual limits set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission until the third day of spray. Overall, the SALLME-RP-HPLC-DAD was found to be a rapid, selective and expedient choice for the routine analysis of neonicotinoids in environmental and food commodities.

Regular consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as other plant-based foods is strongly associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, type 2 diabetes, cataracts, and age-related functional decline. Phytochemicals are defined as bioactive non-nutrient plant compounds in fruit, vegetables, grains, and other plant foods, which have been linked to reduced risk of major chronic diseases. Phytochemicals are classified into phenolics, carotenoids, alkaloids, nitrogen-containing compounds, and organosulfur compounds. Oxidative stress can cause oxidative damage to large biomolecules such as DNA, proteins, and lipids, resulting in an increased risk for cancer and CVD. Phytochemical antioxidants may prevent or slow down the oxidative stress induced by free radicals. The additive and synergistic effects of phytochemicals in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and other plant-based foods are responsible for their potent antioxidant and anticancer activities. The benefit of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and other plant-based foods is attributed to the complex mixture or interactions of phytochemicals and nutrients present in these foods. Dietary modification by increasing the consumption of a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and other plant-based foods daily is a practical strategy for consumers to optimize their health benefits and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Phytochemical benefits are best acquired through the consumption of whole foods, not from dietary supplements.KeywordsPhytochemicalsAntioxidantsCardiovascular diseaseCancerFruitVegetablesWhole grainsDietary supplementsPlant foods

Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is an influential growth receptor in mammalian cells. Majority of cancers in humans show an active IGF-1R signaling pathway. Malus domestica apple peel extracts were investigated for their potential mechanisms of action against regulating cell proliferation in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells under IGF-1 induction. Apple peel extracts significantly inhibited cellular proliferation in breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner at a dose ≥ 10 mg/mL. No cytotoxicity was observed in the human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells at the doses below 50.2 mg/mL. The IGF-1R/PI3K/Akt pathway expression was suppressed by apple peel extracts treatment. Expressions of cyclin D1-stimulating proteins NF-κ B and GSK-3β were inhibited, whereas p21 expression was upregulated. Apple peel extracts reduced the expression of cyclin D1, stagnating MDA-MB-231 cells in a G1 cell cycle arrest. Apple peel extracts stimulated PTEN, a tumor suppressor protein and an inhibitor of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The results suggested that apple peel extracts can induce inhibitory effects through downregulating IGF-1R/PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathway in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. This study shows the efficacy of apple peel extracts in reversing the IGF-1R signal transduction pathway, thereby hindering tumorigenesis in breast cancer cells.