Edible algae (Ecklonia cava) bioprocessed with mycelia of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushrooms in liquid culture and its isolated fractions protect mice against allergic asthma.

BACKGROUND: Ecklonia cava is an edible marine brown alga harvested from the ocean that is widely consumed in Asian countries as a health-promoting medicinal food The objective of the present study is to evaluate the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food produced by bioprocessing edible algae Ecklonia cava and shiitake Lentinula edodes mushroom mycelia and isolated fractions. METHODS: We used as series of methods, including high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, cell assays, and an in vivo mouse assay to evaluate the asthma-inhibitory effect of Ecklonia cava bioprocessed (fermented) with Lentinula edodes shiitake mushroom mycelium and its isolated fractions in mast cells and in orally fed mice. RESULTS: The treatments inhibited the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production, suggesting anti-asthma effects in vitro. The in vitro anti-asthma effects in cells were confirmed in mice following the induction of asthma by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). Oral administration of the bioprocessed Ecklonia cava and purified fractions suppressed the induction of asthma and was accompanied by the inhibition of inflammation- and immune-related substances, including eotaxin; thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP); OVA-specific IgE; leukotriene C4 (LTC4); prostaglandin D2 (PGD2); and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and other fluids and organs. Th2 cytokines were reduced and Th1 cytokines were restored in serum, suggesting the asthma-induced inhibitory effect is regulated by the balance of the Th1/Th2 immune response. Serum levels of IL-10, a regulatory T cell (Treg) cytokine, were increased, further favoring reduced inflammation. Histology of lung tissues revealed that the treatment also reversed the thickening of the airway wall and the contraction and infiltration of bronchial and blood vessels and perialveolar inflammatory cells. The bioprocessed Ecklonia cava/mushroom mycelia new functional food showed the highest inhibition as compared with commercial algae and the fractions isolated from the bioprocessed product. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro cell and in vivo mouse assays demonstrate the potential value of the new bioprocessed formulation as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic combination of natural compounds against allergic asthma and might also ameliorate allergic manifestations of foods, drugs, and viral infections.

Association of ultraviolet radiation resistance-associated gene polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis.

The ultraviolet radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) protein binds to the Beclin 1/PI3-kinase III complex and promotes autophagy. Autophagy may be upregulated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Persistent and excessive ER stress may alter synovial fibroblast apoptosis and this alteration may affect the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we investigated whether UVRAG genetic polymorphisms are associated with RA. To determine the association between UVRAG polymorphisms and RA, we genotyped five UVRAG single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs7111334, intron C/T; rs7933235, intron A/G; rs1380075, intron T/A; rs1458836, near the 5' gene terminal G/A; and rs636420, exon 15 C/T) using a direct sequencing method in 243 RA patients and 417 control subjects. Among these, one SNP (rs7111334) exhibited significant genotypic/allelic differences between RA patients and the control group. Therefore, this study suggested a possible association between UVRAG polymorphisms and RA susceptibility.

Fabrication of hollow palladium spheres and their successful application to the recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for suzuki coupling reactions.

Novel palladium hollow spheres were synthesized using silica spheres as a template, and they were successfully applied as recyclable heterogeneous catalysts for Suzuki cross coupling reactions.