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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415660
Research Project: Impact of Diet on the Aging Brain and Sensory Systems to Improve Healthspan

Location: Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging

Title: Extracts from green leafy vegetables and berries, and their major polyphenolics, reduce inflammatory stress signals in rat microglial cells in vitro

Author
item Fisher, Derek
item ZHENG, TONG - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item Shukitt Hale, Barbara

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2024
Publication Date: 10/18/2024
Citation: Fisher, D.R., Zheng, T., Shukitt Hale, B. 2024. Extracts from green leafy vegetables and berries, and their major polyphenolics, reduce inflammatory stress signals in rat microglial cells in vitro. International Conference on Polyphenolics and Health (ICPH), Oct 16-19, 2024, Boston, MA. Abstract #Po2.02.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Increased susceptibility and the accumulating effects of oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to age-related declines. Diets supplemented with green leafy vegetables and berries have been shown to slow age-related cognitive decline, possibly due to their polyphenolic compounds. For example, both kale and elderberry contain an array of bioactive phenolics that may play a protective role due to their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Among these compounds, kaempferol is a flavonol found in green leafy vegetables and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) is an anthocyanin found in elderberry. The purpose of this study was to assess the mechanisms behind the protective effects of kale and elderberry, and their main flavonoid components, by assessing their ability to reduce inflammatory stress signaling in microglial cells. Rat microglial (HAPI) cells were pretreated overnight with kale or elderberry freeze-dried extracts (0-0.5mg/ml, FutureCeuticals, Momence, IL), or the compounds kaempferol (0-100uM, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) or C3G (0-10uM, Sigma-Aldrich). The cells were then stressed with 0 or 200ng/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) overnight and assessed for changes in nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) production, and iNOS expression. Kale, elderberry, and kaempferol, but not cyanidin-3-glucoside, showed protection against LPS-induced increases in inflammation in a concentration-dependent manner, with higher doses being more effective. Overall, kale and elderberry were more effective in reducing inflammatory stress-mediated signals than their main components of kaempferol and C3G, respectively. Therefore, whole foods might be more beneficial for age-related health maintenance than single nutrients, due to the fact that foods contain a range of compounds that work synergistically to produce their beneficial effects.