The nutritional profile of chia seeds and sprouts: tailoring germination practices for enhancing health benefits-a comprehensive review.

Chia seeds have gained significant attention due to their unique composition and potential health benefits, including high dietary fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and phenolic compounds. These components contribute to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their ability to improve glucose metabolism and dyslipidemia. Germination is recognized as a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional value and bioavailability of chia seeds. Chia seed sprouts have been found to exhibit increased essential amino acid content, elevated levels of dietary fiber and total phenols, and enhanced antioxidant capability. However, there is limited information available concerning the dynamic changes of bioactive compounds during the germination process and the key factors influencing these alterations in biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, the influence of various processing conditions, such as temperature, light exposure, and duration, on the nutritional value of chia seed sprouts requires further investigation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional profile of chia seeds and the dynamic changes that occur during germination. Furthermore, the potential for tailored germination practices to produce chia sprouts with personalized nutrition, targeting specific health needs, is also discussed.

Chickpea Sprouts as a Potential Dietary Support in Different Prostate Disorders-A Preliminary In Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PC) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are common health problems in the aging male population. Due to the unexplored and unconfirmed impact of food containing isoflavones, like sprouts, on the development of the management of BPH and prostate cancer, we decided to extend the knowledge in this area. RESULTS: We have demonstrated for the first time that chickpea sprouts may play an important role in the chemoprevention of prostate disorders. However, attention should be paid to the isoflavone content in the sprouts, as in our study, chickpea sprouts with a moderate concentration of the compounds, harvested in natural light conditions (CA10L) and blue LED light (CA7B), showed the best scores in terms of their potential towards prostate disorders. METHODS: Chickpea seeds were grown in LED chambers. The methanol extracts from sprouts were quantitatively defined using the HPLC system. Experiments such as the determination of PSA, 5-α-reductase, and dihydrotestosterone were performed on PNT2 and LNCaP cells. For anti-inflammatory assays (determination of NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha release), murine RAW264.7 macrophages were used. CONCLUSIONS: The role of legume products as a diet element should be deeply evaluated for the development of future dietary recommendations for prostate cancer and BPH prevention.

Novel Insights into Phaseolus vulgaris L. Sprouts: Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Aging Properties.

Skin aging is an inevitable and intricate process instigated, among others, by oxidative stress. The search for natural sources that inhibit this mechanism is a promising approach to preventing skin aging. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the composition of phenolic compounds in the micellar extract of Phaseolus vulgaris sprouts. The results of a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of thirty-two constituents, including phenolic acids, flavanols, flavan-3-ols, flavanones, isoflavones, and other compounds. Subsequently, the extract was assessed for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, anti-tyrosinase, and cytotoxic properties, as well as for the evaluation of collagen synthesis. It was demonstrated that micellar extract from common bean sprouts has strong anti-aging properties. The performed WST-8 (a water-soluble tetrazolium salt) assay revealed that selected concentrations of extract significantly increased proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts compared to the control cells in a dose-dependent manner. A similar tendency was observed with respect to collagen synthesis. Our results suggest that micellar extract from Phaseolus vulgaris sprouts can be considered a promising anti-aging compound for applications in cosmetic formulations.

Salicylic acid promotes phenolic acid biosynthesis for the production of phenol acid-rich barley sprouts.

BACKGROUND: Phenolic acid exhibits a variety of well-known physiological functions. In this study, optimal germination conditions to ensure total phenolic acid enrichment in barley sprouts induced by salicylic acid treatment and its effects on sprout physiology and activity, as well as the gene expression of key enzymes for phenolic acid biosynthesis, were investigated. RESULTS: When sprouts were treated with 1 mmol L-1 salicylic acid during germination and germinated at 25 °C for 4 days, the phenolic acid content was 1.82 times that of the control, reaching 1221.54 µg g-1 fresh weight. Salicylic acid significantly increased the activity of phenylalanine aminolase and cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase and the gene expression of phenylalanine aminolase, cinnamic acid-3-hydroxylase, cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase, 4-coumaric acid-coenzyme A, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase, and ferulate-5-hydroxylase in barley sprouts. However, salicylic acid treatment significantly increased malondialdehyde and H2O2 content, H2O2 and O2 - fluorescence intensity, as well as significantly decreasing sprout length and fresh weight. Salicylic acid treatment markedly increased the activity of peroxidase and catalase and the gene expression of peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase in barley sprouts. CONCLUSION: Salicylic acid treatment during barley germination significantly promoted the enrichment of total phenolic acid by increasing the activities and gene expression levels of enzymes involved in the phenolic acid biosynthesis pathway. Salicylic acid induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, inhibited sprout growth, and activated the antioxidant system. This study provides a basis for the future development of functional foods using phenol acid-rich plants as raw materials. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Salt elicitation to enhance phytochemicals in durum wheat seedlings.

BACKGROUND: Salt has been identified as an elicitor that can increase the accumulation of phytochemicals in seedlings during the germination process. However, the salinity level required to maximize the yield of phytochemicals, particularly phenolic compounds, needs further investigation for several plant species. To address this issue, we imposed increasing levels of salinity (NaCl solutions) on the sprouting substrate of Triticum durum (var. Platone) grains, at concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 mM (0_S, 50_S, 100_S, 150_S, 200_S, 250_S, and 300_S, respectively). RESULTS: The highest NaCl doses (250_S and 300_S) significantly impacted germination performance and were excluded from further analysis. The seedlings harvested at 8 days after sowing exhibited different growth stages depending on the salinity level: wheatgrass for 0_S, early wheatgrass for 50_S, intermediate between sprout and wheatgrass for 100_S, sprout for 150_S, and very early sprout for 200_S. Furthermore, salinity induced the concentration of phenolic compounds (PhCs) in the seedlings' tissues (i.e., both roots and shoots) in a salinity-dependent manner. The highest values were observed at 200_S, with an increase of 187% of the total investigated PhCs in comparison with 0_S, averaged over shoots and roots. In particular, in 200_S, the accumulation of phenolic acids was up to fourfold higher in roots, and that of flavonoids was up to twofold higher in shoots. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the use of 200 mM NaCl applied to the sprouting substrate is excessive for producing edible sprouts but may be suitable for phytochemical extraction purposes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Exogenous nitric oxide treatment delays the senescence of postharvest mung bean sprouts by regulating ascorbic acid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effects of nitric oxide (NO) treatment on ascorbic acid (AsA) metabolism and mung bean sprout quality. It examined changes in the AsA content, enzyme activity associated with AsA metabolism, antioxidant capacity, cell membrane composition, and cellular structure to clarify the effects of NO on mung bean sprouts. RESULTS: Nitric oxide treatment preserved mung bean sprout quality by enhancing significantly the activity of enzymes involved in the l-galactose pathway (including guanosine diphosphate (GDP)glutathione (-d-mannose pyrophosphorylase, GDP-mannose-3',5'-epimerase, GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase, l-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase, l-galactose dehydrogenase, and l-galactose-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase) and the AsA-glutathione (GSH)(Beijing Solarbio Science and Technology Co.,Ltd., Beijing, China) cycle (including ascorbate peroxidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and monodehydroascorbate reductase) during the germination and storage stage. Increased enzyme activity led to an increase in AsA content and enhanced antioxidant capacity, and reduced the membrane lipid damage in mung bean sprouts. This was demonstrated by higher levels of DPPH radical scavenging capacity, unsaturated fatty acids and phospholipids, along with lower levels of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anions, and malondiadehyde, in NO-treated mung bean sprouts. Scanning electron microscopy also revealed that NO treatment maintained the integrity of the cellular structure of the mung bean sprouts. CONCLUSION: Nitric oxide accelerates AsA metabolism effectively by regulating the biosynthesis and regeneration of AsA in mung bean sprouts. These changes increased AsA levels, alleviated membrane lipid damage, delayed senescence, and maintained the quality of mung bean sprouts during storage. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Variation in Temperature and Light Duration on Morpho-physiology and Phytochemical Content in Sprouts and Microgreens of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench).

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is a gluten-free underutilized pseudocereal with excellent therapeutic and nutraceutical potential. Sprouts and microgreens produced from this plant species can be consumed regularly owing to a rich nutritional profile that can be improved by regulating the abiotic factors during their growth. Therefore, this study explores the responses of common buckwheat sprouts and microgreens in terms of growth and phytochemicals accumulation under temperature (16, and 25 ºC) and photoperiodic (16/8 h and 20/4 h, light/dark intervals) variations. Some analyses were also performed at 4 and 8 ºC. The findings highlight the beneficial effects of mild stress induced by extended photoperiod and moderate temperature like enhanced yield and phytochemical content. Extending the photoperiodic duration from 16/8 h to 20/4 h significantly triggered the biosynthesis of pigments such as carotenoids and chlorophyll in 12-day-old microgreen leaves. Likewise, a moderate temperature i.e., 16 ºC was proved more effective in inducing the accumulation of secondary metabolites including phenolics and flavonoids. However, extreme cold conditions hindered the sprouting and growth rate underscoring common buckwheat sensitivity to low temperature. These findings are crucial for refining the production strategies, ensuring the nutritional values, and optimizing the potential of common buckwheat sprouts and microgreens as "superfoods".

Adzuki and Mung Bean Sprouts Enriched with Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v Improve Body Mass Gain and Antioxidant Status and Reduce the Undesirable Enzymatic Activity of Microbiota in Healthy Rats.

Introducing and establishing new food requires a detailed evaluation of its safety, nutritional value and functionality, thus the control and probiotic-rich adzuki and mung bean sprouts were studied in an in vivo rats model. However, the total feed intake did not differ significantly between the groups, the highest body weight gain and body weight change were recorded in the control AIN diet. At the same time, the addition of legume sprouts caused a reduction of these parameters (up to 25% in the variant with probiotic-rich adzuki bean sprouts). There was no significant effect on serum morphology, except white blood cells (ca. 20% reduction in the control sprout-supplemented diets). Serum and liver antiradical properties were significantly elevated by consuming mung bean sprouts (no effect of the probiotics). The faecal lactic acid bacteria were already increased by the control sprouts (a 2.8- and 2.1-fold increase for adzuki and mung bean sprouts, respectively). The probiotic-rich sprouts further improved this parameter. The diets enriched with mung bean sprouts significantly decreased the urease (by ca. 65%) and ß-glucuronidase activities (by ca. 30%). All the tested diets caused also a significant reduction of faecal tryptophanase activity (the effect was intensified by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v). The functional components did not affect negatively the nutritional parameters and blood morphological characteristics. They improved also the antioxidant potential and significantly decreased the activities of colon cancer-related enzymes (urease and tryptophanase). The results confirmed that these new probiotic carriers may be a valuable, safe and functional element of a healthy diet.

Andean Crops Germination: Changes in the Nutritional Profile, Physical and Sensory Characteristics. A Review.

Andean crops such as quinoa, amaranth, cañihua, beans, maize, and tarwi have gained interest in recent years for being gluten-free and their high nutritional values; they have high protein content with a well-balanced essential amino acids profile, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and antioxidant compounds. During the germination bioprocess, the seed metabolism is reactivated resulting in the catabolism and degradation of macronutrients and some anti-nutritional compounds. Therefore, germination is frequently used to improve nutritional quality, protein digestibility, and availability of certain minerals and vitamins; furthermore, in specific cases, biosynthesis of new bioactive compounds could occur through the activation of secondary metabolic pathways. These changes could alter the technological and sensory properties, such as the hardness, consistency and viscosity of the formulations prepared with them. In addition, the flavor profile may undergo improvement or alteration, a critical factor to consider when integrating sprouted grains into food formulations. This review summarizes recent research on the nutritional, technological, functional, and sensory changes occur during the germination of Andean grains and analyze their potential applications in various food products.

Phytochemical Fingerprint of Chia Sprouts Grown Under Chemical Elicitation with Salicylic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide.

Chia seeds (CS) and sprouts are rich sources of phenolic compounds and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). We hypothesized that the application of chemical stressors, such as salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), would induce changes in the polyphenol and fatty acid profile of chia sprouts, leading to an increase in their nutraceutical potential. This study aimed to assess the effect of non-elicited (NE) and chemically elicited (CE with 1-mM SA and 20-mM H2O2) sprouting on the polyphenol and fatty acid (FA) profiles of chia through high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemometric analyses. NE and CE chia sprouts showed increased content and diversity of polyphenols compared to the CS but with lower content of FA. Interestingly, rosmarinic acid was the major polyphenol identified in CS and was increased about 4-fold in all chia sprouts, whereas the major PUFA of CS, α-linolenic acid, was reduced by 39%. Regarding the chemical elicitation, the multivariate analyses indicated that SA-elicited chia sprouts were characterized by their high content of most polyphenols, mainly flavones and isoflavones, as well as a high antioxidant capacity, whereas H2O2-elicited chia sprouts were differentiated by protects their PUFA composition and seedling growth parameters. These results demonstrate that the chemical elicitation with SA and H2O2 represents a promising approach for improving sprouts' nutraceutical quality and could be used in further research to develop strategies for agriculture and food production.

The Number of Syncytial Knots and the Intensity of VEGF Expression in the Villi of the Monochorionic Diamniotic Placenta in Selective Fetal Growth Restriction.

A comparative study was carried out to analyze the number of syncytial knots and the intensity of expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the villi of the monochorionic diamniotic placenta in pregnancies complicated by the syndrome of selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR). We performed a morphological analysis of 32 monochorionic diamniotic placentas after term delivery which were divided into two groups. The main group included the placentas of 15 puerperas whose pregnancies were complicated by sFGR. The control group included twin placentas of 17 puerperas without signs of sFGR. The number of syncytial knots was determined by histological studies, and the levels of VEGF expression in syncytiotrophoblast and capillary endotheliocytes of the placental villi were determined by immunohistochemical studies. The study showed an increase in the number of syncytial knots in the villi of the placental part of the fetus with sFGR which indicated the development of preplacental hypoxia. A significant increase in the level of VEGF expression in the syncytiotrophoblast and vascular endothelium of the villi should be considered as a manifestation of a compensatory adaptational response to hypoxia, though it is insufficient to prevent the development of sFGR.

The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) Sprout Extract in RAW 264.7 Macrophages and a Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Liver Injury Model.

Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli), a member of the cabbage family, is abundant with many nutrients, including vitamins, potassium, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. Consequently, it has been used as a functional food additive to reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. In the current study, the effects of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract (BSE) on the inflammatory response were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Comparative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of sulforaphane content from different extracts revealed that 70% ethanolic BSE contained more sulforaphane than the other extracts. qPCR and enzyme immunoassay analyses revealed that BSE markedly reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators, including cyclooxygenase 2, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Pretreatment with BSE improved the survival rate and suppressed alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase expression in LPS-induced endotoxemic mice, while proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and iNOS decreased dramatically in the LPS-induced liver injury model via BSE treatment. Additionally, F4/80 immunostaining showed that BSE suppressed hepatic macrophage infiltration in the liver after lipopolysaccharide injection. In conclusion, BSE may be a potential nutraceutical for preventing and regulating excessive immune responses in inflammatory disease.

Mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of isoflavones isolated from chickpea sprouts in treating osteoporosis based on network pharmacology.

Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease that is caused by multiple factors that lead to an imbalance in bone metabolism. Isoflavones can prevent and treat osteoporosis by regulating bone metabolism through a variety of pathways. The germination of chickpeas can significantly increase their isoflavone contents. However, the use of isoflavones isolated from chickpea sprouts (ICS) to prevent and treat osteoporosis by regulating bone metabolism has not been widely studied. In vivo experimental studies in ovariectomized rats showed that ICS significantly improved femoral bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular structure, with effects similar to raloxifene. Furthermore, the chemical composition of ICS as well as the targets and signalling pathways its regulates in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis were predicted by network pharmacological studies. ICS with drug-like properties were identified by Lipinski's 5 principles, and intersecting targets of isoflavones with osteoporosis were identified. The overlapping targets were analysed by PPI, GO and KEGG analyses, and the possible key targets, signalling pathways and biological processes by which ICS treats osteoporosis were predicted; the prediction results were verified by molecular docking technology. The results showed that ICS could play an important role in the treatment of osteoporosis through "multicomponent, multitarget and multipathway" mechanisms, and the MAKP, NF-kB and ER-related signalling pathways may be important pathways by which ICS regulates osteoporosis; these findings provide a new theoretical basis for further experimental studies.

The effect of LED light quality on the carotenoid metabolism and related gene expression in the genus Brassica.

BACKGROUND: New vegetable production systems, such as vertical farming, but also well-established in-door production methods led to the implementation of light emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are the most important light sources in modern indoor-production systems and offer the possibility for enhancing growth and specific metabolites in planta. Even though the number of studies investigating the effects of LED lighting on vegetable quality has increased, the knowledge about genus variability is limited. In the present study, the effect of different LED spectra on the metabolic and transcriptional level of the carotenoid metabolism in five different Brassica sprouts was investigated. Cruciferous vegetables are one of the main food crops worldwide. Pak choi (Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis), green kale (Brassica oleracea ssp. sabellica) and turnip cabbage (Brassica oleracea spp. gongylodes) sprouts were grown under a combination of blue & white LEDs, red & white LEDs or only white LEDs to elucidate the genus-specific carotenoid metabolism. RESULTS: Genus-specific changes in plant weight and on the photosynthetic pigment levels as well as transcript levels have been detected. Interestingly, the transcript levels of the three investigated carotenoid biosynthesis genes phytoene synthase (PSY), ß-cyclase (ßLCY) and ß-carotene hydroxylase (ßOHASE1) were increased under the combination of blue & white LEDs in the majority of the Brassica sprouts. However, only in pak choi, the combination of blue & white LEDs enhanced the carotenoid levels by 14% in comparison to only white LEDs and by ~ 19% in comparison to red & white LEDs. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of light quality differ within a genus which leads to the conclusion that production strategies have to be developed for individual species and cultivars to fully benefit from LED technology.

Benzo[a]pyrene toxicokinetics in humans following dietary supplementation with 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) or Brussels sprouts.

Utilizing the atto-zeptomole sensitivity of UPLC-accelerator mass spectrometry (UPLC-AMS), we previously demonstrated significant first-pass metabolism following escalating (25-250 ng) oral micro-dosing in humans of [14C]-benzo[a]pyrene ([14C]-BaP). The present study examines the potential for supplementation with Brussels sprouts (BS) or 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) to alter plasma levels of [14C]-BaP and metabolites over a 48-h period following micro-dosing with 50 ng (5.4 nCi) [14C]-BaP. Volunteers were dosed with [14C]-BaP following fourteen days on a cruciferous vegetable restricted diet, or the same diet supplemented for seven days with 50 g of BS or 300 mg of BR-DIM® prior to dosing. BS or DIM reduced total [14C] recovered from plasma by 56-67% relative to non-intervention. Dietary supplementation with DIM markedly increased Tmax and reduced Cmax for [14C]-BaP indicative of slower absorption. Both dietary treatments significantly reduced Cmax values of four downstream BaP metabolites, consistent with delaying BaP absorption. Dietary treatments also appeared to reduce the T1/2 and the plasma AUC(0,∞) for Unknown Metabolite C, indicating some effect in accelerating clearance of this metabolite. Toxicokinetic constants for other metabolites followed the pattern for [14C]-BaP (metabolite profiles remained relatively consistent) and non-compartmental analysis did not indicate other significant alterations. Significant amounts of metabolites in plasma were at the bay region of [14C]-BaP irrespective of treatment. Although the number of subjects and large interindividual variation are limitations of this study, it represents the first human trial showing dietary intervention altering toxicokinetics of a defined dose of a known human carcinogen.

Paternal Combined Botanicals Contribute to the Prevention of Estrogen Receptor-Negative Mammary Cancer in Transgenic Mice.

BACKGROUND: Parental nutritional interventions have considerably affected gametogenesis and embryogenesis, leading to the differential susceptibility of offspring to chronic diseases such as cancer. Moreover, combinatorial bioactive diets are more efficacious in ameliorating epigenetic aberrations in tumorigenesis. OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the transgenerational influence and epigenetic regulation of paternal sulforaphane (SFN)-rich broccoli sprouts (BSp) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-rich green tea polyphenols (GTPs) consumption in the prevention of estrogen receptor-negative [ER(-)] mammary cancer in transgenic mice. METHODS: Human breast cancer cells were used to detect cell viability and epigenetic-related gene expression after treatment with EGCG and/or SFN. Twenty-four C3 or HER2/neu males were randomly assigned into 4 groups and treated with control, 26% BSp (w/w) in food, 0.5% GTPs (w/v) in drinking water or combined BSp and GTPs for 7 wk before mating. Tumor growth of nontreated female pups was monitored weekly for 19 wk (C3) and 25 wk (HER2/neu). Tumor- and epigenetic-related protein expression and enzyme activities in mammary tumors were measured. Sperms were isolated from treated males for RNA sequencing and reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing analysis. Data were analyzed with a 2-factor or 3-factor analysis of variance. RESULTS: EGCG and SFN inhibited breast cancer cell growth via epigenetic regulation. Combined BSp and GTPs synergistically (combination index < 1) suppressed tumor growth over time (P < 0.001) in 2 mouse models. Key tumor-related proteins were found differentially expressed (P < 0.05) along with epigenetic regulations in offspring mammary tumors. The transcriptome profile of sperm derived from dietary-treated males revealed differentially expressed genes correlated with spermatogenesis and breast cancer progression. DNA methylomes of the sperm and further integrated analysis with transcriptomes indicate that DNA methylation alone may not contribute to sufficient regulation in dietary-treated sperm pronucleus, leading to offspring tumor suppression. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, paternal consumption of combined BSp and GTPs shows potential for preventing ER(-) mammary cancer through transgenerational effects. J Nutr 2023;xx:xx-xx.

Formation, immunomodulatory activities, and enhancement of glucosinolates and sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts: a review for maximizing the health benefits to human.

Broccoli sprouts have been considered as functional foods which have received increasing attention because they have been highly prized for glucosinolates, phenolics, and vitamins in particular glucosinolates. One of hydrolysates-sulforaphane from glucoraphanin is positively associated with the attenuation of inflammatory, which could reduce diabetes, cardiovascular and cancer risk. In recent decades, the great interest in natural bioactive components especially for sulforaphane promotes numerous researchers to investigate the methods to enhance glucoraphanin levels in broccoli sprouts and evaluate the immunomodulatory activities of sulforaphane. Therefore, glucosinolates profiles are different in broccoli sprouts varied with genotypes and inducers. Physicochemical, biological elicitors, and storage conditions were widely studied to promote the accumulation of glucosinolates and sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts. These inducers would stimulate the biosynthesis pathway gene expression and enzyme activities of glucosinolates and sulforaphane to increase the concentration in broccoli sprouts. The immunomodulatory activity of sulforaphane was summarized to be a new therapy for diseases with immune dysregulation. The perspective of this review served as a potential reference for customers and industries by application of broccoli sprouts as a functional food and clinical medicine.

Effect of light quality on polyphenol biosynthesis in three varieties of mung bean sprouts with different color seed coats.

KEY MESSAGE: We investigated the mechanism of the effect of different light qualities on the synthesis and regulation of mung bean sprouts. Light quality acts as a signal molecule, strongly enhancing polyphenol biosynthesis in sprouts. Mung bean (Vigna radiata) sprouts are a popular sprouting vegetable all over the world and are an excellent source of polyphenols with high antioxidant activity. This study investigated the effects of light qualities on the kinetic changes and metabolic regulation mechanism of light signal-mediating polyphenols in three mung bean sprout cultivars. Experimental results showed that three light qualities significantly enhanced the contents of caffeic acid, rutin, vitexin, genistin and delphinidin 3-glucoside. Interestingly, ferulic acid and vitexin responded selectively to blue light and red light, severally. Most genes involved in polyphenol biosynthesis were activated under different light quality conditions, resulting in an overaccumulation of phenylpropanoids. Pearson correlation analysis showed that PAL, F3H, F3'H and F3'5'H expression correlated highly with rutin, whereas ANS expression paralleled anthocyanin biosynthesis. Moreover, MYB111, MYB3, MYB4, MYB1 and MYC2 were critical regulators of polyphenol biosynthesis in mung bean sprouts. These changes were likely due to the changes in the expression of the photoreceptor genes CRY-D, PHOT2, PHYE and light response genes (PIF3 and HY5). Our results provide insights into polyphenol biosynthesis in sprouts and microgreens.

Natural exosomes-like nanoparticles in mung bean sprouts possesses anti-diabetic effects via activation of PI3K/Akt/GLUT4/GSK-3ß signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Mung bean sprouts are traditionally considered a "folk" hypoglycemic food and their pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of the exosomes-like nanoparticles in mung bean sprouts (MELNs) and explore the related molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: MELNs were isolated using a differential centrifugation-polyethylene glycol (PEG) method, and the identification of MELNs were confirmed by PAGE gel electrophoresis, agarose gel electrophoresis, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) mouse model, MELNs ameliorated the progression of T2DM by increasing oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) results, decreasing the fasting blood glucose level, and reducing the serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC). Histopathological examinations indicated MELNs diminished inflammatory infiltration of hepatocytes and amplified the area of islet B cells. In addition, MELNs decreased the oxidative stress levels in liver tissue and had good biocompatibility. In vitro experiments verified that MELNs improved the viability of glucosamine (GlcN) induced insulin-resistant hepatocytes. Furthermore, this study also revealed that MELNs upregulated GLUT4 & Nrf2 and down-regulated GSK-3ß via activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, promoting the production of antioxidant enzymes, such as HO-1 and SOD, to reduce oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: MELNs mitigated the progression of type 2 diabetes in HFD/STZ mouse model. The underlying molecular mechanism is related to PI3K/Akt/GLUT4/GSK-3ß signaling pathway.

Biostimulated-sesame sprout extracts as potential agents against Leishmania mexicana.

Leishmania mexicana is one of the causal agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Current antileishmanial chemotherapeutics have demonstrated adverse side effects; thus, alternative treatments are needed. In this study, we performed in silico and in vitro analyses of the leishmanicidal potential of the most abundant phenolic compounds identified in black sesame sprouts biostimulated with Bacillus clausii. The molecular docking analysis showed strong interactions (binding free energies between -6.5 and -9.5 kcal/mol) of sesaminol 2-O-triglucoside, pinoresinol dihexoside, isoverbascoside, and apigenin with the arginase, leishmanolysin, cysteine peptidase B, and pyruvate kinase leishmanial enzymes. Furthermore, almost all phenolic compounds interacted with the active site residues of L. mexicana enzymes. In vitro, the B. clausii-biostimulated sprout phenolic extracts and apigenin inhibited the growth of promastigotes with IC50 values of 0.08 mg gallic acid equivalent/mL and 6.42 µM (0.0017 mg/mL), respectively. Additionally, in the macrophage infection model, cells treated with B. clausii-biostimulated sprout phenolic extracts and infected with L. mexicana exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) reduced nitric oxide production and decreased parasite burden. Altogether, our study provides important data related to high efficacy and less toxic natural antileishmanial candidates against promastigotes of L. mexicana.