Angelica archangelia Prevented Collagen Degradation by Blocking Production of Matrix Metalloproteinases in UVB-exposed Dermal Fibroblasts.

Angelica archangelia (AA), a traditional herb, has attracted attention as an agent with potential for use in the prevention of chronic skin diseases. This study examined the photoprotective effects of AA on the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and collagen degradation in UVB-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblasts. Our results showed that AA markedly blocked collagen degradation by restraining the production of MMPs in UVB-exposed fibroblasts. We also investigated the underlying mechanism behind the effects of AA. AA attenuated UVB-triggered interleukin-6 (IL-6) and promoted the expression of transforming growth factor ß1. Application of AA extract (10, 100 µg mL(-1) ) significantly diminished UVB-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Jun-N-terminal kinase phosphorylation, which consequently reduced phosphorylated c-Fos and c-Jun. Our results indicated that AA inhibited the UVB-induced expression of MMPs by inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways and activator protein-1 activation. Our results suggest that AA is a promising botanical agent for use against skin photoaging.

Effects of zinc and cadmium ions on cell growth and production of coumarins in cell suspension cultures of Angelica archangelica L.

The plant cell may respond to the excess of heavy metals in its environment by various mechanisms, including enhanced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In this study, zinc (0 to 1500 µM) and cadmium ions (0 to 100 µM) were tested as potential elicitors of the production of coumarins in angelica cell suspension cultures. In addition, the toxicity of both metals was assessed by evaluating their effect on cell growth (characterized by fresh and dry biomass at the end of a two-week subculture). It has been found that fresh biomass was not influenced up to zinc concentrations of 150 and 300 µM in the dark-grown and light-grown cultures, resp. Then it declined with an increasing zinc level. Zinc at 1500 µM diminished it by 54% and 24% in the dark-grown and light-grown cultures, resp. Dry biomass was influenced in a similar way. Zinc at 1500 µM reduced dry cell weight by 30% and 20% in cultures in the dark and in the light, resp. Cadmium ions did not affect fresh and dry weights of cells up to concentrations of 10 µM and 50 µM in cultures in the dark and in the light, resp. Toxic concentrations of cadmium are by an order of magnitude lower than those of zinc. Cadmium at 50 µM reduced fresh and dry cell weights by 66% and 59%, resp., in the dark-grown cultures. Cadmium at 100 µM caused a decrease in fresh and dry biomass by 40% and 44%, resp., in the light-grown cultures. Neither zinc nor cadmium improved production of coumarins.

Effects of auxins on growth and scopoletin accumulation in cell suspension cultures of Angelica archangelica L.

Scopoletin is a coumarin possessing many interesting biological effects, e.g., spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antifungal, apoptosis-inducing, antiproliferative, acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory, and hypouricemic activities. Plant tissue cultures represent a promising alternative source of valuable plant-derived substances. A number of physical and chemical factors influence the cell growth and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in plant tissue cultures. The mechanism of their action is not completely understood. Besides other factors, plant growth regulators and light conditions play an important role. Effects of four auxins (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4-D, alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid, NAA, beta-indoleacetic acid, IAA or beta-indolebutyric acid, IBA) at four concentrations (0.2, 2, 10 or 20 mg/l) on the culture growth and accumulation of scopoletin in the medium were tested in Angelica archangelica cell suspension cultures cultured under continuous light or in the dark. The highest culture growth was achieved with 2 mg/l 2,4-D, and 10 mg/l IAA. The best scopoletin levels were obtained with 0.2 mg/l 2,4-D, 2 mg/l 2,4-D, 10 mg/l NAA, and 20 mg/l IAA. The effects of light conditions were less marked than those of auxins and their concentrations in influencing both the cell growth and scopoletin accumulation in Angelica archangelica cell suspension cultures. The changes brought about by auxins were modified by light conditions.

[Effect of vanadium compounds on the growth and production of coumarins in the suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L]. / VIiv sloucenin vanadu na rust a produkci kumarinu v suspenzní kulture Angelica archangelica L.

Plant tissue cultures represent a promising source of substances of natural origin. The main problem of their use is a low production of the majority of secondary metabolites. One of the methods of increasing the production of these substances is elicitation, because the biosynthesis of many secondary metabolites in plant cells is part of the defensive reaction against biological or abiotic stress influences. The paper tested vanadium compounds as potential elicitors of the production of coumarins: sodium vanadate (0.2; 1; 10; 100 and 1000 microM/l of medium) and vanadyl sulfate (10; 20; 50; 100; 200 and 500 microM/l of medium). The toxicity of these substances for the culture was simultaneously monitored by means of the evaluation of the effects on growth (characterized by fresh and dry weights of biomass at the end of two-week cultivation). The cultures were grown both in the light and dark. The growth of the cultures was not influenced by sodium vanadate at concentrations of 0.2 to 100 microM. A vanadate concentration of 1000 microM acted already toxically (in comparison with the control culture, the fresh weight was decreased by 28 % and the dry weight by 41% when cultivated in the light; the fresh weight by 69% and the dry weight by 66% when cultivated in the dark). Vanadyl sulfate in concentrations of 10 to 50 microM did not affect the growth of the culture, at higher concentrations it decreased it gradually: a concentration of 500 microM acted already toxically, again more markedly when cultivated in the light (in comparison with the control culture, the fresh weight was decreased by 27% and dry weight by 38% when cultivated in the light; the fresh weight by 65% and the dry weight by 61% when cultivated in the dark). The production of coumarins was stimulated by sodium vanadate in a concentration of 0.2 and 1 microM when cultivated in the light. The content of coumarins increased in comparison with the control culture mainly in the medium by 46% and by 25% at vanadate concentrations of 0.2 and 1 microM, respectively. Vanadyl sulfate did not increase the production of coumarins.

[Effect of manganese (II), cobalt (II), and nickel (II) ions on the growth and production of coumarins in the suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L]. / Vliv manganatých, kobaltnatých a nikelnatých iontu na rust a produkci kumarinu v suspenzní kulture Angelica archangelica L.

The plant cell reacts to an increased concentration of metals in the environment by various mechanisms. They include an increase in the formation of heat-shock proteins, metallothioneins, phytochelatins, amino acids (cysteine, histidine), organic acids (citric, malic), or secondary metabolites. The latter mechanism is being investigated for its possible use in explant cultures for the stimulation of secondary metabolism, which is the source of substances of pharmaceutical importance. The study tested manganese (II) (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 mM in the medium), cobalt (II), and nickel (II) ions (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 500 microM in the medium) as potential elicitors of coumarin production. At the same time, toxicity of these metals for the culture was examined by evaluating their effect on growth (characterized by fresh and dry weight of biomass at the end of a two-week cultivation). Cultures were cultivated in the dark and in the light. It has been found that the growth of cultures is not influenced by manganese in concentrations ranging from 0 to 2 mM, then it slightly decreases, at a concentration of 50 mM it is lower by 20 % when cultivated in the dark and by 30 % when cultivated in the light in comparison with the control. Cobalt in concentrations of 0 to 50 microM does not significantly influence the growth of the culture, higher concentrations decrease the biomass yields, more markedly when cultivated in the light (at 500 microM Co by 60 %, in the dark only by 30 % in comparison with the controls). Nickel in concentrations of 0.1 to 200 microM does not influence growth, and in a concentration of 500 microM decreases it by approximately 30 % in comparison with the control both in the light and dark. Production of coumarins was not stimulated by any metal in comparison with the control cultures, only the removal of manganese from the medium in the culture cultivated in the dark increased production by about 15 % versus the control.

[Effect of auxins on production of coumarin in a suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L]. / Vliv auxinu na produckci kumarinu v suspenzní kulture Angelica archangelica L.

The paper examined the effect of selected auxins (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, alpha-naphthalene-acetic acid, beta-indoleacetic acid, beta-indoleburytic acid; each in four concentrations--0.2, 2, 10, and 20 mg/l) on the production of coumarins in the suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L. cultinated in the dark and under permanent lighting(3500 lux). The effect of the light regimen is, in comparison with auxins, less marked--the content of coumarins is mostly comparable both under permanent lighting and in the dark. The highest coumarin content was achieved with the use of alpha-naphthalene-acetic acid in a concentration of 0.2 mg/l with cultivation in the dark.

[Effect of precursors on the production of coumarins in a suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L]. / Vliv prekurzoru na produkci kumarinu v suspenzní kulture Angelica archangelica L.

The effect of potential precursors (cinnamic acid, phenylalanine, tyrosine) in three concentrations (0.01; 0.1; 1 mmol/l) on the growth of the culture and coumarin production was investigated in the suspension culture of Angelica archangelica L. The cultures were cultivated under constant illumination (3500 lux) and in the dark. The growth of the culture in the dark was not affected by the precursors, cinnamic acid in a concentration of 1 mmol/l exerted toxic action. The growth of the culture cultivated under constant illumination was stimulated by tyrosine in a concentration of 0.1 and 1 mmol/l, and phenylalanine in a concentration of 0.1 mmol/l; phenylalanine and cinnamic acid in a concentration of 1 mmol/l inhibited the growth of the culture. In the cultivation in the dark, coumarin production was increased by phenylalanine in a concentration 0.01 mmol/l and by tyrosine in a concentration of 1 mmol/l. In the cultivation under constant illumination, coumarin production was decreased by the action of cinnamic acid, was not affected by tyrosine, and phenylalanine (0.01 and 0.1 mmol/l) increased it in comparison with the culture without precursors.