Inhibitory effect of saffron, crocin, crocetin, and safranal against adipocyte differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has been introduced as a potential promising natural antioxidant with anti-obesity properties. In Persian Medicine, saffron has been used to control appetite and obesity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to investigate the effect of saffron and its bioactive compounds on adipocyte differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Flow-Cytometric analysis was performed to quantify the cell surface markers. The extracts cytotoxicity on hASCs was measured using alamarBlue® assay whereas their activities against adipocyte differentiation were studied using Oil Red O staining. The level of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), Fatty Acid Synthetase (FAS), and Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPHD) which are key proteins in cell differentiation was investigated by western blot analysis. RESULTS: Flow-cytometry revealed the mesenchymal stem cells markers, CD44 and CD90, on ADSCs surface. The saffron, crocin, and crocetin significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation while saffron up to 20 µg/mL and crocin, crocetin and safranal up to 20 µM did not exhibit cytotoxicity. The western blotting analysis revealed a remarkable reduction in the level of PPARγ, GAPDH, and FAS proteins by 10 and 20 µM of crocin and 2.5 and 5 µM of crocetin. CONCLUSION: It seems that saffron, crocin, and crocetin could efficiently inhibit the differentiation of hASCs with benefits for the treatment and prevention of obesity.

Peptide-Based Supramolecular Systems Chemistry.

Peptide-based supramolecular systems chemistry seeks to mimic the ability of life forms to use conserved sets of building blocks and chemical reactions to achieve a bewildering array of functions. Building on the design principles for short peptide-based nanomaterials with properties, such as self-assembly, recognition, catalysis, and actuation, are increasingly available. Peptide-based supramolecular systems chemistry is starting to address the far greater challenge of systems-level design to access complex functions that emerge when multiple reactions and interactions are coordinated and integrated. We discuss key features relevant to systems-level design, including regulating supramolecular order and disorder, development of active and adaptive systems by considering kinetic and thermodynamic design aspects and combinatorial dynamic covalent and noncovalent interactions. Finally, we discuss how structural and dynamic design concepts, including preorganization and induced fit, are critical to the ability to develop adaptive materials with adaptive and tunable photonic, electronic, and catalytic properties. Finally, we highlight examples where multiple features are combined, resulting in chemical systems and materials that display adaptive properties that cannot be achieved without this level of integration.