MEDICAL AND NURSING
Maryreitz
carbon-abstracts.docx
Autori: M. Paliotta#†, T. Rosato#, M. Terlizzi#, Haneen Khashoggi†, S. Melino†, K. Carbone #
#Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’economia agraria – Centro di ricerca per la frutticoltura
Via di Fioranello, 52 – 00134 Roma
†Dipartimento di scienze e tecnologie chimiche
Via della Ricerca Scientifica – 00133 Roma
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is one of the most important summer crops, and is highly appreciated by consumers for its flavor and sweetness. Apricot ripening involves a series of complex biochemical reactions, which lead to the production of healthy compounds, such as polyphenols and carotenoids. These compounds possess strong antioxidant properties that enable them to scavenge free radicals, chelate metals, and quench singlet oxygen in vitro and in vivo [1].Furthermore, several studies have been conducted to evaluate the influence of the cultivation system on fruit quality. Organically grown fruits are commonly perceived to be safer and healthier than conventionally grown ones [2]. However, the scientific debate on this topic is still open as literature data are often contradictory. Besides, there is an increasing interest in the protective effects in vivo of natural compounds contained in plants against oxidative damages involved in several human diseases such as cancer. Starting from these considerations, the present study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative effects of apricot fruits under integrated and organic systems.Two Italian apricot varieties, Fracasso (F) and Ottavianese (O), from both organic (bio) and integrated (conv) management, were evaluated for the potential cell growth inhibitory effects, according to their polyphenol and carotenoid contents, respectively. Total polyphenol content (TPC) was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu (F-C) method as reported by Carbone et al. [3], while carotenoid content (TCC) was determined on acetonic extracts.The effects of the extracts on the growth of HuT 78 cancer cell lines were investigated by the trypan blue dye exclusion assay, as well as by the MTT assay [4], while the antiradical capacity by the DPPH in vitro test [3].In both varieties, bio samples showed the highest TPC levels as well as the highest antiradical capacity. Besides, F racasso conv showed a higher TCC compared to that of F bio, while no significant differences were recorded for TCC in Ottavianese samples (Table 1). Antiproliferative effects on cancer cell line HuT 78 of both bio (BPE) and conv (CPE) polyphenol extracts were observed in concentration and time dependent manner (Fig. 1a,cb). Preliminary flow cytometric analysis of HuT 78 cells after 24 h of treatment with BPE resulted showed in a significant increase in the fraction of subG1 over the control and a blockage in the G1/S phase (Fig. 1c). Moreover, CPE was more able to inhibit the cell proliferation of the HuT 78 cell line than the BPE. By contrast, only the treatments with the conv carotenoid extracts (CCE) did not induced have statistically significant effects on a reduction of the cell viability proliferation of HuT 78 cell line at the concentrations used (Fig. 1b). Many details of the molecular composition and the mechanism of action of these extracts remain to be elucidated for further exploring the use of these extracts as adjuvants in anticancer therapy.
Table 1. Influence of different cultivation systems on the phytochemical content and antiradical capacity of analyzed apricots (mean ± standard deviation).
|
Sample |
TPC (mg GAE/g)1 |
TCC (g carotene/g) 1 |
DPPH (EC50)2 |
|
Oconv |
7 ± 1 |
78 ±12 |
1.16 ± 0.07 |
|
Obio |
11.1 ± 0.9 |
79 ± 6 |
0.89 ± 0.06 |
|
Fconv |
9 ± 1 |
47 ± 8 |
0.77 ± 0.04 |
|
Fbio |
9.5 ± 0.3 |
38 ± 4 |
0.86 ± 0.05 |
1Data are expressed on dry basis; GAE: gallic acid equivalent. 2EC50= mg of tissue (on dry weight basis) required to obtain 50% DPPH scavenging.
Fig. 1 Effects of polyphenol extracts on cell viability (a,cc) and on cell cycle carotenoid(b) extracts on the cell viability of the cell line HuT 78 (mean ± standard deviation).
b)
a)
c)
References
[1]Rosato, T. et al. (2014). Destructive and non-destructive assessment of qualitative and nutraceutical traits of a new early ripening Prunus armeniaca L. cultivar: a relationship to establish the optimal harvesting time. In: Proc.s of X National Congress of Food Chemistry, CHIMALI, 6th-10th July 2014, Florence, Italy
[2] Bourn, D., & Prescott, J. (2002). A comparison of the nutritional value, sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition,42, 1-34.
[3] Carbone, K. et al. (2011). Phenolic composition and free radical scavenging activity of different apple varieties in relation to the cultivar, tissue type and storage. Food Chemistry, 127 (2), 493-500.
[4]Denizot, F., & Lang, R. (1986). Rapid colorimetric assay for cell growth and survival. Modifications to the tetrazolium dye procedure giving improved sensitivity and reliability. J. Immunol. Methods, 89, 271–277.
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