Anthocyanins of Blue Corn and Tortilla Arrest Cell Cycle and Induce Apoptosis on Breast and Prostate Cancer Cells.

Background: Breast and prostate cancer are frequently diagnosed neoplasias in women and men around the world. The signaling of the androgen receptor (AR) influences the development of both tumors. Since therapies focused to block the receptor's activity have not been fully effective, and have shown side effects, therapies based on natural compounds are promissory complementary alternatives in its treatment. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anthocyanins from blue corn in cancer cell lines. Methods: We analyzed the antiproliferative effect of anthocyanins from raw and alkali-processed (tortillas) Mixteco blue corn in breast and prostate cancer cell lines MDA-MB-453 (subtype: triple negative) and LNCaP using methyltiazlyl-tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry (FCM). The combination of anthocyanins and 2-amino-N-quinolin-8-yl-benzenesulfonamide (QBS) or nocodazole also were evaluated. The anthocyanins were isolated trough column chromatography (XAD-7).Results: Our results demonstrated that anthocyanin specially the ones obtained from tortillas, decreased cell viability and arrested cell cycle in G1 phase inducing apoptosis. Cytometry analysis shows an increased effect on apoptosis of MDA-MB-453 and LNCaP cells when tortilla anthocyanins and QBS were combined. Conclusions: This is the first report that suggest that anthocyanins from blue corn have an effect in cell cycle and viability so they could serve as adjuvants for breast and prostate cancer therapies and may prompt to deepen investigations to decipher its molecular properties. AbbreviationsARAndrogen ReceptorCIDIIRInterdisciplinary Center for Research on Integral Regional DevelopmentDHT5α-DihydrotestosteroneEREstrogen ReceptorPRProgesterone ReceptorQBSAmino-N-quinolin-8-yl-benzenesulfonamide.

Antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of blue corn and tortilla from native maize.

BACKGROUND: Blue corn is a cereal rich in phenolic compounds used to make blue tortillas. Tortillas are an important part of the Mexican diet. Blue corn and tortilla represent an important source of the natural antioxidants anthocyanins. However, studies on their biological activity on cancer cell lines are limited. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of blue corn and tortilla on different cancer cell lines. METHODS: Total polyphenol content, monomeric anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity by the DPPH and TBARS methods of blue corn and tortilla were determined. The anthocyanin profile of tortilla was obtained by means of HPLC-ESI-MS. The antiproliferative activity of blue corn and tortilla extract on HepG2, H-460, Hela, MCF-7 and PC-3 was evaluated by the MTT assay. RESULTS: Blue corn had higher content of total polyphenols and monomeric anthocyanins as well as lower percentage of polymeric color than tortilla; however, both showed similar antioxidant activity by DPPH. In addition, although a higher degradation of anthocyanins was observed on tortilla extract, both extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation (IC50) at a similar concentration. The anthocyanin profile showed 28 compounds which are primarily derived from cyanidin, including acylated anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. Blue corn and tortilla extracts showed antiproliferative effects against HepG2, H-460, MCF-7 and PC-3 cells at 1000 µg/mL, however Hela cells were more sensitive at this concentration. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to demonstrate anticancer properties in vitro of tortilla derived from blue corn, suggesting that this product has beneficial health effects. In addition, blue corn could be a potential source of nutraceuticals with anticancer activity.

High hydrostatic pressure induces synthesis of heat-shock proteins and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase in Anastrepha ludens larvae.

The Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens) is responsible for losses of up to 25% of crops such as mango and citrus fruits in Central America and México. The larval life cycle of A. ludens comprises three stages with a duration ranging from 3 to 8 days. Because of the damage caused by A. ludens, several methods of control have been studied and implemented. High hydrostatic pressures (HHP) are currently applied to foods and it is now proposed to be employed to inactivate eggs and larvae of A. ludens. Originally HHP was designed to inactivate microorganisms, since it exerts marked effects on cell morphology, and can affect enzymatic reactions and genetic mechanisms of microbial cells, with no major changes altering the sensory or nutritional quality of the foodstuff. In this study, A. ludens in two larval stages (5- and 8-day-old) were subjected to HHP treatments. The biochemical response of the larvae of A. ludens was dependent on their stage of development. The third larval stage (L3) developed a better protection mechanism based on the synthesis of stress proteins or heat-shock proteins (HSPs) and the enzyme trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, which are linked and possibly act together to achieve greater survivability to stress caused by hydrostatic pressure.

Reclassification of Geobacillus pallidus (Scholz et al. 1988) Banat et al. 2004 as Aeribacillus pallidus gen. nov., comb. nov.

Although Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus, two genera of thermophilic bacteria close to the genus Bacillus, have only been described recently, the number of species in these genera has increased rapidly. Four thermophilic, lipolytic strains (DR01, DR02, DR03 and DR04) isolated from a hot spring in Veracruz (Mexico), which could not be identified phenotypically, were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Three strains were identified as belonging to the genus Anoxybacillus, but strain DR03 was identified as Geobacillus pallidus. This result led us to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the genera Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus based on 16S rRNA gene sequences from all the type strains of these genera. Phylogenetic trees showed three major clusters, Anoxybacillus-Geobacillus tepidamans, Geobacillus sensu stricto and Geobacillus pallidus, while the 16S rRNA gene sequences of G. pallidus (DR03 and the type strain) showed low similarity to sequences of Anoxybacillus (92.5-95.1 %) and Geobacillus (92.8-94.5 %) species, as well as to Bacillus subtilis (92.2-92.4 %). In addition, G. pallidus could be differentiated from Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus on the basis of DNA G+C content and fatty acid and polar lipid profiles. From these results, it is proposed that Geobacillus pallidus should be classified in a novel genus, for which we propose the name Aeribacillus, as Aeribacillus pallidus gen. nov., comb. nov. The type strain of Aeribacillus pallidus is H12(T) (=ATCC 51176(T) =DSM 3670(T) =LMG 19006(T)).

Induction of Cd36 expression elicited by fish oil PUFA in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Cd36 is an integral membrane glycoprotein expressed on the surface of cells active in fatty acid metabolism (adipocytes, muscle cells, platelets, monocytes, heart and intestine cells). This protein plays diverse functions including uptake of long-chain fatty acids and oxidized low-density lipoproteins. A recent report demonstrates that Cd36 deficiency underlies insulin resistance, defective fatty acid metabolism and hypertriglyceridemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Cd36 is a tightly regulated protein whose expression is modulated through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) transcription factors, by conditions that alter lipid metabolism such as diabetes mellitus and high-fat feeding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary fish oil, rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), on metabolic parameters and on the expression levels of Cd36 in adipose tissue in the SHR. Spontaneously hypertensive rats showed lower Cd36 mRNA levels when compared to Kyoto-Wistar (KW) rats (control). After 6 weeks of fish oil (FO) administration, this group of SHRs (FO-SHR) presented increased levels of Cd36 mRNA, concomitantly with decreased insulin, free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, total lipids and blood pressure, in comparison to control rats that received a corn-canola oil diet. The study confirmed the beneficial effects of fish oil administration on the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that the induction of Cd36 expression could be one of the molecular mechanisms elicited by fish oil PUFAs.