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Abstract: Seed oils from Acer species are a potential source of the nutraceutical fatty acids, nervonic acid (cis‐15‐tetracosenoic acid, NA), and γ‐linolenic acid (cis‐6,9,12‐octadecatrienoic acid, GLA). To further characterize the genus, seed fatty acid content and composition were determined for 20 species of Acer. Fatty acid content ranged from 8.2% for Acer macrophyllum to over 36% for A. mono and A. negundo. The presence of very‐long‐chain fatty acids (VLCFA), with chain length of 20‐carbons or greater, and GLA were characteristic features of the seed oils. In all species, erucic acid (cis‐13‐docosenoic acid, EA) was the predominant VLCFA with the highest level of NA being only 8.6% in A. olivianum. Regioselective lipase digestion demonstrated that VLCFA are largely absent from the sn‐2 position of seed triacylglycerol, whereas GLA is primarily located at this position. Five Acer species contained low levels (<2%) of cis‐12‐octadecenoic acid and cis‐14‐eicosenoic acid, uncommon n‐6 fatty acids not previously reported from Acer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No temperate oilseeds crops are available that produce oil with a high saturated fatty acid content. To achieve such a profile, Brassica napus cv. DH12075 was engineered by simultaneous seed-specific over-expression of a native fatty acyl- ACP thioesterase B [Bn FatB(2)] and artificial micro RNA-mediated down-regulation of eight endogenous genes encoding putative stearoyl- ACP desaturases (Bn SADs). Semi-quantitative RT- PCR analysis of transformed lines showed that the Bn FatB(2) gene was highly over-expressed and the eight putative SAD genes were strongly down-regulated in developing seed demonstrating the successful application of micro RNA as a tool for down-regulation of genes in the allotetraploid plant B. napus. Analysis of seed triacylglycerol ( TAG) composition revealed that all lines contained high levels of palmitic acid (16:0) and moderately increased levels of stearic acid (18:0). Total saturated fatty acid content was increased from 7.4% in the control to 37.3-45.6% in the transformed lines, with FatB over-expression as the dominant trait. A twofold increase in 16:0 was observed in seed polar lipids. The melting point of oil from mature seeds was increased from −10 °C in DH12075 to 15 °C in the line with the highest saturated fatty acid content. TAG composition showed a shift from predominantly C54 TAG to C50 and C52 TAGs enriched in palmitic acid. Seedling establishment at low temperature was compromised in lines with high saturated fatty acid content. Results suggested that transcript encoding stearoyl- ACP desaturase in developing B. napus seeds is present in considerable excess of the level required for efficient desaturation of 18:0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of plant essential oils as pharmaceuticals is a fast-growing market especially in China. Throughout the 20th century, a rapid increase took place in the use of many essential oil-derived products in the medicinal industry as nutraceuticals, medicinal supplements, and pharmaceuticals.Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore the chemical composition of Croton crassifolius essential oil as well as its potential anti-tumour properties and related anti-proliferative, autophagic, and apoptosis-inducing effects.Methods: Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction technology was used to extract CCEO and the chemical constituents of the essential oil were identified by comparing the retention indices and mass spectra data taken from the NIST library with those calculated based on the C7-C40 n-alkanes standard. The cytotoxic activity and anti-proliferative effects of CCEO were evaluated against five cancer cell lines and one normal human cell line via CCK-8 assays. In addition, flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle arrest. The efficacy of CCEO treatments in controlling cancer cell proliferation was assessed by cell cycle analysis, clonal formation assays, RT-qPCR, and western blot analysis. Autophagic and apoptosis-inducing effects of oils and the associated molecular mechanisms were assessed by flow cytometry, cell staining, reactive oxygen species assays, RT-qPCR, and western blot analysis.Conclusion: Forty compounds representing 92.90% of the total oil were identified in CCEO. The results showed that CCEO exerted a measurable selectivity for cancer cell lines, especially for A549 with the lowest IC50 value of 25.00 ± 1.62 μg/mL. Assessment of the anti-proliferative effects of CCEO on A549 cells showed that the oil inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle regulation confirmed that the oil arrested A549 cells in G2/M phase by decreasing the expression of cyclin B1-CDK1 and cyclin A-CDK1 and increasing the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) P21 at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Autophagy staining assays and western blot analysis revealed that CCEO promoted the formation of autophagic vacuoles in A549 cells and increased the expression of autophagy-related proteins beclin-1 and LC3-II in a dose-dependent manner. A series of apoptosis analyses indicated that CCEO induces apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. This study revealed that CCEO is a promising candidate for development into an anti-tumour drug of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of plant essential oils as pharmaceuticals is a fast-growing market especially in China. Throughout the 20th century, a rapid increase took place in the use of many essential oil-derived products in the medicinal industry as nutraceuticals, medicinal supplements, and pharmaceuticals., Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore the chemical composition of Croton crassifolius essential oil as well as its potential anti-tumour properties and related anti-proliferative, autophagic, and apoptosis-inducing effects., Methods: Supercritical CO 2 fluid extraction technology was used to extract CCEO and the chemical constituents of the essential oil were identified by comparing the retention indices and mass spectra data taken from the NIST library with those calculated based on the C7-C40 n-alkanes standard. The cytotoxic activity and anti-proliferative effects of CCEO were evaluated against five cancer cell lines and one normal human cell line via CCK-8 assays. In addition, flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle arrest. The efficacy of CCEO treatments in controlling cancer cell proliferation was assessed by cell cycle analysis, clonal formation assays, RT-qPCR, and western blot analysis. Autophagic and apoptosis-inducing effects of oils and the associated molecular mechanisms were assessed by flow cytometry, cell staining, reactive oxygen species assays, RT-qPCR, and western blot analysis., Conclusion: Forty compounds representing 92.90% of the total oil were identified in CCEO. The results showed that CCEO exerted a measurable selectivity for cancer cell lines, especially for A549 with the lowest IC 50 value of 25.00 ± 1.62 μg/mL. Assessment of the anti-proliferative effects of CCEO on A549 cells showed that the oil inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle regulation confirmed that the oil arrested A549 cells in G2/M phase by decreasing the expression of cyclin B1-CDK1 and cyclin A-CDK1 and increasing the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) P21 at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Autophagy staining assays and western blot analysis revealed that CCEO promoted the formation of autophagic vacuoles in A549 cells and increased the expression of autophagy-related proteins beclin-1 and LC3-II in a dose-dependent manner. A series of apoptosis analyses indicated that CCEO induces apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. This study revealed that CCEO is a promising candidate for development into an anti-tumour drug of the future., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)