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Long-term hepatic damage is associated with human morbidity and mortality owing to numerous pathogenic factors. A variety of studies have focused on improving liver health using natural products and herbal medicines. We aimed to investigate the effect of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract (ETZL), which increases the content of tricin via enzymatic hydrolysis, for 8 weeks on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and fatigue compared to a placebo. Healthy Korean adult males aged 19–60 years were randomized into ETZL treatment and placebo groups, and alcohol consumption was 24.96 and 28.64 units/week, respectively. Alanine transaminase, a blood marker associated with liver cell injury, significantly decreased after 8 weeks compared to the baseline in the ETZL treatment group (p = 0.004). After 8 weeks, the treatment group showed significant changes in the levels of high-density lipoprotein and hepatic steatosis index compared to the baseline (p = 0.028 and p = 0.004, respectively). ETZL treatment tended to reduce antioxidant-activity-related factors, total antioxidant status, and malondialdehyde, but there was no significant difference. In the multidimensional fatigue scale, ETZL treatment showed a significant reduction in general fatigue and total-fatigue-related values after 8 weeks compared to the baseline (p = 0.012 and p = 0.032, respectively). Taken together, the 8-week treatment of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract demonstrated positive effects on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, and mental fatigue without adverse effects on safety-related parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the development of an effective lignocellulosic biomass conversion technology to biofuels and chemicals, the biomass composition analysis and their properties need to be characterised prior to biomass valorisation, including polysaccharide hydrolysis and lignin depolymerisation. In this work, a facile colorimetric titration method for the quantification of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cellulose, pentosan, lignin, and silica percentages of wheat straw (WS) and two bagasse (BG I and II) samples was done. The result showed higher amounts of structural biopolymers (i.e. holocellulose and lignin (~ 89.3%)) in BG compared to WS (81%) sample. Lignin recovery from BG (I and II) and WS samples was done by applying two-stage concentrated and dilute sulphuric acid hydrolysis, and maximum recovery (i.e. 21.5%; acid soluble + insoluble) of lignin obtained from BG II sample. Elemental and composition analysis results were represented substantial differences in lignin properties, including higher heat values (19.8 MJkg−1) of recovered lignin from BG II as well as high amounts of silica percentage from WS lignin. An intense Si–O-Si asymmetric stretching mode and/or C–O–C aliphatic aromatic ether (~ 1100 cm−1) was characterised for lignin derived from WS. 13C CP-MAS NMR exhibited variable intensities for dibenzodioxocin, spirodienone, and tricin moieties in recovered lignin samples. These lignin samples were processed for depolymerisation using homogeneous (1-methyl-3-(3-sulphopropyl)-imidazolium hydrogen sulphate) and heterogeneous (immobilised Brønsted acidic ionic liquid) catalysts to lower molar mass aromatic fractions and represented 89% and 92% organic solvent-soluble product yields respectively from WS-derived lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Grass lignocelluloses feature complex compositions and structures. In addition to the presence of conventional lignin units from monolignols, acylated monolignols and flavonoid tricin also incorporate into lignin polymer; moreover, hydroxycinnamates, particularly ferulate, cross‐link arabinoxylan chains with each other and/or with lignin polymers. These structural complexities make grass lignocellulosics difficult to optimize for effective agro‐industrial applications. In the present study, we assess the applications of two engineered monolignol 4‐O‐methyltransferases (MOMTs) in modifying rice lignocellulosic properties. Two MOMTs confer regiospecific para‐methylation of monolignols but with different catalytic preferences. The expression of MOMTs in rice resulted in differential but drastic suppression of lignin deposition, showing more than 50% decrease in guaiacyl lignin and up to an 90% reduction in syringyl lignin in transgenic lines. Moreover, the levels of arabinoxylan‐bound ferulate were reduced by up to 50%, and the levels of tricin in lignin fraction were also substantially reduced. Concomitantly, up to 11 μmol/g of the methanol‐extractable 4‐O‐methylated ferulic acid and 5–7 μmol/g 4‐O‐methylated sinapic acid were accumulated in MOMT transgenic lines. Both MOMTs in vitro displayed discernible substrate promiscuity towards a range of phenolics in addition to the dominant substrate monolignols, which partially explains their broad effects on grass phenolic biosynthesis. The cell wall structural and compositional changes resulted in up to 30% increase in saccharification yield of the de‐starched rice straw biomass after diluted acid‐pretreatment. These results demonstrate an effective strategy to tailor complex grass cell walls to generate improved cellulosic feedstocks for the fermentable sugar‐based production of biofuel and bio‐chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work was to study the influence of growth conditions (darkness/light and temperature 18/26 °С) on the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in D. antarctica morphogenic tissue culture. Methods. In vitro tissue culture, Folin-Ciocalteu method, spectrophotometry, HPLC analysis. Results. The total content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in D. antarctica morphogenic tissue cultures, obtained from the plants genotypes DAR12 and G/D11-1/3 was determined. It was shown that growth of the calli in light of 6500 lux and at raised temperature of 26 °C led to a decrease in the content of biologically active substances (BAS). When сulturing the calli of both genotypes in the darkness, regardless of temperature, the level of phenolic compounds (2 times for DAR12 and 2.8-3.1 times for G/D11-1/3) as well as of flavonoids (2.3-2.4 times for DAR12 and 4.6-5 times for G/D11-1/3) decreased. The antioxidant and antitumor compound tricin was found, the content of which was three times higher in the initial plant DAR12 compared to the G/D11-1/3 plant. The content of tricin in the calli was lower than in the initial plants. Conclusions. It was found that the highest level of the BAS accumulation in the morphogenic tissue culture of D. antarctica was observed when it was growing in light of 6500 lux and at temperature of 18 °С. The tricin detection in the initial plants of genotypes DAR12 and G/D11-1/3, as well as in the tissue cultures provides a basis for further biochemical study of D. antarctica in vitro as a potential source of BAS, which can be used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify and elucidate the mechanism underlying the protective effect of tricin-enriched Zizania latifolia (Z. latifolia) extract (ETZL) against free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in vitro and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet and fructose diet (HFD/F) in vivo. ETZL treatment significantly lowered body weight gain and decreased adipose tissue, lipid, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in HFD/F-fed mice. ETZL acted on phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and anti-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and inhibiting sterol regulatory element-binding proteins-1 (SREBP)/fatty acid synthase (FAS) signaling to inhibit de novo adipogenesis and increase fatty acid oxidation. In addition, treatment with ETZL increased nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels to activate the antioxidant pathway. FFA-induced oxidative stress and fatty acid accumulation in HepG2 cells confirmed the improvement in fat accumulation through the AMPK and Nrf2 pathway activities of ETZL. These results suggest that ETZL ameliorates NAFLD by regulating lipid metabolism and defending against oxidative stress via AMPK-dependent pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin is a complex compound with chemical bonds to phenylpropane units of lignin in gramineous plants, and it is predominantly bound to lignin by β-O-4 ether bonds. Thioacidolysis cleaves the alkyl aryl ether bonds, which releases tricin from the tricin-lignin complex and maintains the natural structure of the tricin. In this study, milled wood lignin (MWL) was isolated from wheat straw by Björkman's method, and the MWL was subjected to thioacidolysis to release tricin from the MWL. Medium-pressure preparative liquid chromatography was used for further purification. FT-IR and 1H-NMR analyses showed that the purified fraction was composed mainly of tricin-type flavonoids. The extracted tricin had strong scavenging capacity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 51.9 mg/L. Drug sensitivity paper testing showed that the extracted tricin inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli. The bacteriostatic circle diameters of tricin from wheat straw MWL and quercetin standard were 9.17 and 7.52 mm, respectively. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the tricin from wheat straw MWL had possible inhibitory effect on lung cancer A549 cells, with a maximum inhibitory performance of 44.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylated flavones, and tricin in particular, have been implicated in protecting wheat plants against a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. Methylated flavones are produced via O-methylation of the hydroxyl groups in flavones, which is catalyzed by O-methyltransferases (OMTs). To examine the role of wheat OMT2 in methylated flavone biosynthesis and facilitate interrogation of tricin functions in wheat-environment interactions, loss-of-function mutants of OMT2 homoeologs, omt-A2 and omt-B2, were identified from a tetraploid wheat Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) mutant population and crossed to generate the omt-A2omt-B2 double mutant. Although tricin and most other soluble phenolics did not differ in leaves and glumes of TILLING control and the omt-A2, omt-B2, and omt-A2 omt-B2 mutants, chlorogenic acid was increased in glumes of omt-A2 omt-B2 relative to TILLING control, suggesting that it might serve as a substrate for OMT2. The omt2 mutant lines showed similar growth phenotypes as well as comparable lignin deposition in cell walls of stems compared to TILLING control. These results collectively suggest that OMT2 and its close homolog OMT1 may possess overlapping activities in tricin production, with OMT1 compensating for the missing OMT2 activities in the omt2 mutant lines.

Long-term hepatic damage is associated with human morbidity and mortality owing to numerous pathogenic factors. A variety of studies have focused on improving liver health using natural products and herbal medicines. We aimed to investigate the effect of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract (ETZL), which increases the content of tricin via enzymatic hydrolysis, for 8 weeks on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and fatigue compared to a placebo. Healthy Korean adult males aged 19–60 years were randomized into ETZL treatment and placebo groups, and alcohol consumption was 24.96 and 28.64 units/week, respectively. Alanine transaminase, a blood marker associated with liver cell injury, significantly decreased after 8 weeks compared to the baseline in the ETZL treatment group (p = 0.004). After 8 weeks, the treatment group showed significant changes in the levels of high-density lipoprotein and hepatic steatosis index compared to the baseline (p = 0.028 and p = 0.004, respectively). ETZL treatment tended to reduce antioxidant-activity-related factors, total antioxidant status, and malondialdehyde, but there was no significant difference. In the multidimensional fatigue scale, ETZL treatment showed a significant reduction in general fatigue and total-fatigue-related values after 8 weeks compared to the baseline (p = 0.012 and p = 0.032, respectively). Taken together, the 8-week treatment of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia ethanol extract demonstrated positive effects on liver-related outcomes, lipid metabolism, and mental fatigue without adverse effects on safety-related parameters.

Tricin, a natural nontoxic flavonoid distributed in grasses and euphorbia plants, has been reported to scavenge free radicals, possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. However, its autophagic effect on Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been elucidated. By adopting cellular and C. elegans models of PD, the autophagic effect of tricin was identified based on the level of autophagy markers (LC3-II and p62). Besides, the pharmacological effects on neurotransmitters (dopamine), inflammatory cytokines (IFN γ, TNFα, MCP-1, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-17A), histology (hematoxylin & eosin and Nissl staining) and behavioural pathology (open-field test, hindlimb clasping, Y-maze, Morris water-maze and nest building test) were also confirmed in the A53T-α-synuclein transgenic PD mouse model. Further experiments demonstrated that tricin induced autophagic flux and lowered the level of α-synuclein through AMPK-p70s6K- and ATG7-dependent mechanism. Compared to the existing clinical PD drugs, tricin mitigated pathogenesis and symptoms of PD with no observable side effects. In summary, tricin is proposed as a potential adjuvant remedy or nutraceutical for the prevention and treatment of PD.

The objective of this study was to investigate the function and biological mechanisms of tricin in in-vivo damage to the myocardium produced by ischemia-reperfusion in LDLr -/- mice. The hypercholesterolemia animal model employed was male LDLr -/- mice. Coronary artery occlusion in mice resulted in the detection of oxidative stress and inflammatory pathology. In mice with coronary artery blockage, tricin reduced oxidative burden in the cardiac tissue and inflammatory mediators. Additionally, the ST segment of the animals receiving tricin was resumed. Tricine could dramatically lessen myocardial damage, according to pathological examination and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. As a result of the research described above, the protective effects of tricin on myocardial injury have been explored, and the influence of inflammation and oxidative assaults in the ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) model of the heart has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraq Journal of Market Research & Consumer Protection / Al-Mağallaẗ al-ʿIrāqiyyaẗ li-Buḥūṯ al-Sūq wa-Ḥimāyaẗ al-Mustahlik is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Opioid receptors mediate antinociceptive effects. Methanolic fractions from sugarcane varieties (MFSCf) were evaluated in classic nociception models. Interactions between bioactive compounds and the µ-opioid receptor (µOR) through docking analysis were also studied. Five methanolic fractions of sugarcane juice were obtained and analysed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. The fractions and standards of phenolic compounds were evaluated in a nociception model using the formalin test. All MFSCfs exhibited antinociceptive activity in the first phase of the formalin test. Docking analyses corroborates with the in vivo test results, suggesting that the phenolic substances are able to activate µOR. These results, for the first time, implicate phenolic constituents from sugarcane juice and other phenolic compounds in the activation of µOR. The antinociceptive activity of fractions from sugarcane juice suggests the potential pharmacological use of this species, widely cultivated in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the potential function of tricin in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and investigate whether Sestrin2 is closely involved in DR. A single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin-induced diabetes model in Sprague-Dawley rats and a high glucose-induced retinal epithelial cell model in ARPE-19 cells were established. The retinas were removed and examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. The proliferation ability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level of ARPE-19 cells were detected by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) and flow cytometry. Then, the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonaldehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum or cell supernatant was tested using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, the expression of Sestrin2, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in retina tissue or ARPE-19 cells were validated through western blot and immunofluorescence assays. With the increase of MDA and ROS concentration, Sestrin2 expression was downregulated significantly, and Nrf2 and HO-1 expression was also reduced in retina tissue or ARPE-19 cells of model group, whereas CD31 and VEGFR2 expression was upregulated. However, tricin ameliorated the oxidative stress and angiogenesis and rectified the abnormal expression of Sestrin2/Nrf2 in diabetic retinopathy. Further mechanistic studies showed that silence Sestrin2 reduced the protective effect of tricin on ARPE-19 cells, as well as abolished its regulating effect on the Nrf2 pathway. These results suggested that tricin inhibits oxidative stress and angiogenesis in retinal epithelial cells of DR rats via reinforcing Sestrin2/Nrf2 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jornal of Biotechnology Research Center is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Back ground: Rice bran is an industrial waste resulting from the grain milling process. Consisting of husk, aleurone, and fractions. It contains many nutrients, including soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and phytochemicals such as Ɣ-oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols and tricin which has health-beneficial properties. Objective: The aim of research to estimate antioxidant activity of the aqueous extract of rice bran of the commercial jasmine variety and the tricin compound purified from it, by the method of nitric oxide suppression activity and the effectiveness of inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and the effect of the temperatures (63, 72,72, 85,100, 121,121, and 138) Co and the pH (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) in the activity. Materials and methods: Samples of rice bran of the commercial jasmine variety were collected from Al-Tahbeesh sites in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf for the year (2021). The aqueous extract was prepared using the maceration in boiling distilled water with a temperature of 70 C°, and the crystals of tricin were isolated by using a silica gel column (60) and solvents recovery n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol, respectively. This process resulted in nine parts (A-I) of the ethyl acetate solvent, concentrated in a rotary evaporator and left in the refrigerator 48 hours with the addition of chloroform to it. Needle-shaped yellow crystals were obtained, which were used to estimate antioxidant activity. Results: The effectiveness of purified tricin as an ability to inhibit nitric oxide was higher than that of the aqueous extract of rice bran and ascorbic acid at percentages of (97.82, 72.99 and 77.20)% respectively at a concentration of 400 µg / ml, the highest concentration used, also tricin was superior in inhibiting lipid peroxidation of 98.31% over the aqueous extract of rice bran of the commercial jasmine variety 81.28% and ascorbic acid 93.10 at the same concentration, purified tricin showed stability towards temperatures at times (30 min, 15 sec, 30 min, 1 min, 30 min, 5 min, 15 min and 2 sec) higher than that of the aqueous extract in both methods, as the effectiveness ratios of tricin by nitric oxide suppression method reached (64.25, 53.87, 42.78, 47.44, 38.48, 45.74 , 39.04 and 36.13)% respectively, and by the lipid peroxide suppression method (90.73, 85.06, 63.32, 77.50, 32.27, 76.65, 35.06 and 25.30) % respectively, the two methods of effectiveness were used to estimate the stability of the aqueous extract of rice bran and the tricin towards different pH. The effectiveness of tricin was higher than the aqueous extract of rice bran at all tested numbers, and the highest effectiveness of tricin at pH (pH7) with the method of inhibiting nitric oxide and inhibiting lipid peroxidation was (46.56 and 90.92)% respectively. Conclusion: purified tricin higher antioxidant activity than the aqueous extract using both methods, and showed higher stability towards changes in temperature and during different time periods, and higher stability towards a change in pH, especially in neutral conditions compared to acidic conditions and basal.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Scutellaria araxensis is a well-known ethnobotanical herb for the treatment of various diseases in Iranian traditional medicine. In this study, dichloromethanolic fraction of partitioned methanol root and shoot extract was analysed by silica gel column chromatography, thin layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography combined with photodiode-array detector, and coupled to electrospray ionization with Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn) in positive ion mode. Metabolites were tentatively characterized by comparing their mass spectrometry spectra with those of bibliographic data. A total of 11 flavonoids were identified from different fractions. Results showed that root and shoot produced very similar flavone patterns characterized by the presence of baicalein, tricin, tenaxin I, tenaxin II, skullcapflavon II, chrysin, wogonin and isorhamnetin. Norwogonin and apigenin-7-glucoside were identified only from shoot. Remarkably, Tenaxin I, II, tricin, apigenin-7-glucoside and norwogonin were tentatively profiled as new compounds for the first time from S. araxensis formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin, a flavone belonging to the Gramineae family, has been confirmed to be the primary compound in a Zizania latifolia extract (ZLE) that prevents allergies. Various allergic reactions occur because of the unbalanced differentiation of T help cells (Th) and the consequent overproduction of IgE. Therefore, the regulation of Th1 and Th2 responses by T helper cell differentiation is essential for suppressing allergic responses. This study confirmed the immunomodulatory effects of ZLE and the major compound tricin in an OVA-sensitized mouse model. The IgE and OVA-specific production of tricin and ZLE in plasma were investigated in OVA-sensitized mice. The effects of tricin and ZLE on the amount of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and transcription factors released in splenocytes were investigated in OVA-sensitized mice. The skin roughness and the number of mast cells were confirmed by staining the skin surface with H&E and toluidine blue. Tricin and ZLE reduced the plasma IgE and OVA-specific-IgE levels significantly compared to the OVA group. On the other hand, tricin and ZLE promoted the release of the Th1 cytokines IL-12 and IFN-γ and inhibited the release of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, -10, -13, and -5) in OVA-sensitized mice. Tricin and ZLE induced T-bet and NFATc2 expression, and-down regulated GATA-3 levels. The skin roughness and the number of mast cells decreased in the OVA-immunized mice. Overall, the data indicate that tricin and ZLE may prevent allergy-related diseases through immunomodulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effects of tricin on ovariectomized-induced osteoporosis, and unravel the underling mechanism of action. Methods: An osteoporosis rat model was established by conducting ovariectomy (OVX). Changes in the microstructure of the trabecular bone were visualized using Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and a three-point bending test was employed to assess the biomechanical stability of the femurs, after the administration of tricin (20 and 40 mg/kg). Subsequently, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated and treated with tricin (7 and 15 μM). Alizarin red staining was performed to assess mineralization, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2); osteocalcin (OCN) and collagen type I alpha 1 (Col1a1) were quantified using western blot analysis. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway related proteins, i.e., Wnt3a, β-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK-3 β) were determined. Results: Ovariectomy induced thinner and discontinuous trabecular bone, with increased marrow cavities, while application of tricin significantly improved the density and regularity meshwork, but reduced marrow cavities. Tricin also enhanced biomechanical competence as seen in the upregulated maximum load, stiffness, young modulus and maximum stress compared with OVX group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, tricin increased calcification in BMSCs, and significantly upregulated the expressions of RUNX2, OCN and COL1A1 when compared with OVX group (p < 0.01). It promoted Wnt/β-catenin signaling by enhancing Wnt3a and β-catenin, while inhibiting GSK3β expression, compared with OVX group (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Conclusion: Tricin exerts protective effects against OVX-induced osteoporosis by enhancing Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thus, tricin is a potential therapeutic agent for the management of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its functional、nutritional and ornamental characteristics,the special colored grains are increasingly favored and become an important direction of high-end crop industry.These natural pigments can not only increase the color of food,but also have special functions such as antioxidant,anti-cancer,and improving vision etc.This paper focuses on the biosynthesis,main functions and related products of anthocyanins,tricin and carotenoids in special color crops,and then focuses on wheat,an important food crop,and introduced two newly cultivated pigments functional wheat including “Shannong lanmai 1” and“Shannong 101”.This paper provides a reference for the research and variety creation of special color crops.

Abstract Background Biomass composition varies from plant to plant and greatly affects biomass utilization. Lignin is a heterogeneous phenolic polymer derived mainly from p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols and makes up to 10–25% of lignocellulosic biomass. Recently, tricin, an O-methylated flavone, was identified as a lignin monomer in many grass species. Tricin may function as a nucleation site for lignification and is advocated as a novel target for lignin engineering to reduce lignin content and improve biomass digestibility in grasses. Thioacidolysis is an analytical method that can be adapted to analyze both lignin monomeric composition and tricin content in the lignin polymer. However, the original thioacidolysis procedure is complex, laborious, and time consuming, making it difficult to be adopted for large-scale screening in biomass research. In this study, a modified, rapid higher throughput thioacidolysis method was developed. Results In combination with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), the modified thioacidolysis method can be used to simultaneously characterize the lignin composition and tricin content using 2–5 mg of dry samples. The modified method eliminates the solvent extraction and drastically improves the throughput; 80 samples can be processed in one day per person. Our results indicate that there is no significant difference in the determination of lignin S/G ratio and tricin content between the original and modified methods. Conclusions A modified thioacidolysis protocol was established. The results demonstrate that the modified method can be used for rapid, high-throughput, and reliable lignin composition and tricin content analyses for screening transgenic plants for cell wall modifications or in large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

This document is an erratum to an article titled "Effect of light and temperature on the content of some biologically active substances in Deschampsia antarctica tissue culture." The article was published in the journal Biopolymers & Cell. The erratum corrects a mistake in the list of references, specifically citation No. 16. The correct citation should be Kunakh V, Twardovska M, Andreev I, et al., and Parnikoza I. Development, integrative study and research prospects of Deschampsia antarctica collection. Pol. Polar Res. 2023; 44(1): 41–68. The article explores the effect of light and temperature on the content of biologically active substances in Deschampsia antarctica tissue culture. [Extracted from the article]

To elucidate the effect of tricin in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and examine its possible underlying mechanisms. Rats were randomly divided into Sham (exposed the right internal carotid arteries), I/R, and tricin (administered at various doses) groups. After the cerebral I/R injury model was established, a Morris water maze test and a tetrazolium chloride assay were performed. Apoptosis and autophagy were assessed in the nerve cells of hippocampus tissue, and the levels of inflammatory markers within animal serum were detected. Proteins related to apoptosis and the PI3K/Akt pathway were evaluated. To further investigate the mechanisms by which tricin affects brain damage, mouse neuroblastoma cells N2a were divided into control, oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R), tricin, PI3K/Akt activator, and tricin + PI3K/Akt inhibitor groups. The cell viability, apoptosis, inflammatory factors, and PI3K/Akt pathway related proteins in N2a cells were also detected. The results revealed that I/R-induced learning and memory dysfunction was improved by tricin treatment. The area of cerebral infarction, the levels of apoptosis and autophagy in nerve cells, and the serum inflammatory marker content were all decreased following tricin treatment. Additionally, the expression of Beclin-1 protein was downregulated, while the expression of Bcl-2 protein, p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt was upregulated after tricin treatment. Mechanistically, tricin or PI3K/Akt activator ameliorated OGD/R-induced apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation. However, these effects were reversed following PI3K/Akt inhibitor treatment in OGD/R-induced N2a cells. In summary, this study suggested that tricin can against I/R-induced brain injury by inhibiting autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation, and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tomato is one of the widely cultivated crops worldwide that is affected by several pests, such as fungi (Fusarium oxysoporum, Alternaria solani), bacteria (Pectobacterium carotovorum) and weeds (Cyperus iria L., Amaranthus spinosus). A growing interest has emerged for developing plant‐derived pesticidal compounds to counteract these pests. One attractive alternative is to use barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus‐galli), known to be widely resistant to synthetic herbicides, as a potential biopesticide compound source. RESULTS: Phytochemical screening of the crude extract showed that phenolic compounds were the most abundant component present in barnyard grass. The crude extract was evaluated for antifungal, antibacterial and herbicidal activities. Bioassays showed inhibition against F. oxysporum (10.73 ± 1.30%) and A. solani (20.47 ± 3.51%), the causative agent of Fusarium rot and early blight disease in tomato, respectively. Antibacterial activity against P. carotovorum gave a mean zone of inhibition (paper disc diffusion assay) of 17.00 ± 1.00 mm and an IC50 (dose–response assay) of 2.26 mg mL−1 was observed. Dose–responsive herbicidal activity on the lettuce seed germination bioassay produced an IC50 of 459.30 ppm. Selectivity studies showed inhibition towards C. iria and A. spinosus with no effect on tomato. Lastly, bioassay‐guided fractionation coupled with untargeted metabolomics studies using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection–tandem mass spectrometry mass analyses revealed loliolide and tricin as the putative metabolites present in barnyard grass. CONCLUSION: To date, this is the first reported study on using barnyard grass as a potential alternative biopesticide against tomato pests such as fungi, bacteria and weeds. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin as a monomer of grass lignin with unique biological properties is beneficial to human health with the potential for various applications. The abundant grass lignin could be an alternative source for tricin if an effective separation method is available. In this study, we used different lignin preparations, including alkali lignin (AL), mild acidolysis lignin (MAL), cellulase enzymatic lignin (CEL), γ-valerolactone lignin (GVL), and organosolv lignin (OL), to investigate the effect of different fractionation methods on the tricin content of the wheat straw lignin. The tricin signal of different lignins can be clearly identified by 2D heteronuclear singular quantum correlation (HSQC) spectra. GVL showed the highest tricin level among these lignin samples as the tricin content of GVL was accounted to be 8.6% by integrals. The tricin content was carefully determined using thioacidolysis combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (HPLC-MS), and the quantitative results of tricin by HPLC-MS were basically consistent with that of 2D HSQC integrals. Both methods have proved that the tricin contents of lignins isolated under acid conditions were significantly higher than that of AL. In addition, the determination of the sun protection factors (SPF) of lignin-based sunscreen and antioxidant activity of lignin preparations indicated that reserving more tricin was beneficial to the UV resistance of lignin samples. Therefore, this study not only provides new insights for the extraction methods of lignin with high tricin content but also is beneficial to the future study on the application of tricin and tricin-lignin.

Tricin, one of the flavones present in edible Poaceae species, was shown to interfere with intestinal inflammatory-related carcinogenesis and suppress metastasis in colon cancer mice models. Those botanical foods and medicinal herbs which contain high content of tricin may be considered as health supplements for colon health. Hence, the present study aimed to identify and quantify the content of tricin in various medicinal herbs, edible botanicals and some agricultural by-products by LC-MS. A list of "top 10 tricin-rich botanicals/medicinal herbs" was built. From the results, the top three high tricin content botanicals are the dried culms of Triticum aestivum (wheat straw), dried culms of Oryza sativa (rice straw) and mature fruits of Imperata cylindrica. Furthermore, a simple, straightforward isolation method has been developed to isolate tricin from wheat straw which achieved 50% isolation rate (percentage yield of 0.05% w/w) with purity of not less than 98%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin (3',5'-dimethoxyflavone) is a specialized metabolite which not only confers stress tolerance and involves in defense responses in plants but also represents a promising nutraceutical. Tricin-type metabolites are widely present as soluble tricin O -glycosides and tricin-oligolignols in all grass species examined, but only show patchy occurrences in unrelated lineages in dicots. More strikingly, tricin is a lignin monomer in grasses and several other angiosperm species, representing one of the "non-monolignol" lignin monomers identified in nature. The unique biological functions of tricin especially as a lignin monomer have driven the identification and characterization of tricin biosynthetic enzymes in the past decade. This review summarizes the current understanding of tricin biosynthetic pathway in grasses and tricin-accumulating dicots. The characterized and potential enzymes involved in tricin biosynthesis are highlighted along with discussion on the debatable and uncharacterized steps. Finally, current developments of bioengineering on manipulating tricin biosynthesis toward the generation of functional food as well as modifications of lignin for improving biorefinery applications are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength of the stalk rind, measured as rind penetrometer resistance (RPR), is an important contributor to stalk lodging resistance. To enhance the genetic architecture of RPR, we combined selection mapping on populations developed by 15 cycles of divergent selection for high and low RPR with time-course transcriptomic and metabolic analyses of the stalks. Divergent selection significantly altered allele frequencies of 3,656 and 3,412 single- nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the high and low RPR populations, respectively. Surprisingly, only 110 (1.56%) SNPs under selection were common in both populations, while the majority (98.4%) were unique to each population. This result indicated that high and low RPR phenotypes are produced by biologically distinct mechanisms. Remarkably, regions harboring lignin and polysaccharide genes were preferentially selected in high and low RPR populations, respectively. The preferential selection was manifested as higher lignification and increased saccharification of the high and low RPR stalks, respectively. The evolution of distinct gene classes according to the direction of selection was unexpected in the context of parallel evolution and demonstrated that selection for a trait, albeit in different directions, does not necessarily act on the same genes. Tricin, a grass-specific monolignol that initiates the incorporation of lignin in the cell walls, emerged as a key determinant of RPR. Integration of selection mapping and transcriptomic analyses with published genetic studies of RPR identified several candidate genes including ZmMYB31, ZmNAC25, ZmMADS1, ZmEXPA2, ZmIAA41 and hk5. These findings provide a foundation for an enhanced understanding of RPR and the improvement of stalk lodging resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin (3',5'-dimethoxyflavone) is a specialized metabolite which not only confers stress tolerance and involves in defense responses in plants but also represents a promising nutraceutical. Tricin-type metabolites are widely present as soluble tricin O-glycosides and tricin-oligolignols in all grass species examined, but only show patchy occurrences in unrelated lineages in dicots. More strikingly, tricin is a lignin monomer in grasses and several other angiosperm species, representing one of the “non-monolignol” lignin monomers identified in nature. The unique biological functions of tricin especially as a lignin monomer have driven the identification and characterization of tricin biosynthetic enzymes in the past decade. This review summarizes the current understanding of tricin biosynthetic pathway in grasses and tricin-accumulating dicots. The characterized and potential enzymes involved in tricin biosynthesis are highlighted along with discussion on the debatable and uncharacterized steps. Finally, current developments of bioengineering on manipulating tricin biosynthesis toward the generation of functional food as well as modifications of lignin for improving biorefinery applications are summarized.

Lignocellulose, the structural component of plant cells, is a major agricultural byproduct and the most abundant terrestrial source of biopolymers on Earth. The complex and insoluble nature of lignocellulose limits its conversion into value-added commodities, and currently, efficient transformation requires expensive pretreatments and high loadings of enzymes. Here, we report on a fungus from the Parascedosporium genus, isolated from a wheat-straw composting community, that secretes a large and diverse array of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) when grown on lignocellulosic substrates. We describe an oxidase activity that cleaves the major β-ether units in lignin, thereby releasing the flavonoid tricin from monocot lignin and enhancing the digestion of lignocellulose by polysaccharidase mixtures. We show that the enzyme, which holds potential for the biorefining industry, is widely distributed among lignocellulose-degrading fungi from the Sordariomycetes phylum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lignin from tritordeum straw, a hybrid cereal from crossbreeding of durum wheat and wild barley, was isolated and chemically characterized. Its composition and structure were studied by analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Derivatization Followed by Reductive Cleavage (DFRC) method, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The data revealed an enrichment of guaiacyl (G) units (H:G:S of 3:61:36), which had a significant impact on the distribution of inter-unit linkages. The predominant linkages were the β– O –4′ alkyl-aryl ethers (78 % of all linkages), with substantial proportions of condensed linkages such as phenylcoumarans (11 %), resinols (4 %), spirodienones (4 %), and dibenzodioxocins (2 %). Moreover, DFRC revealed that tridordeum straw lignin was partly acylated at the γ-OH with both acetates and p -coumarates. Acetates were principally attached to G-units, whereas p -coumarates were predominantly attached to S-units. Furthermore, and more importantly, tritordeum lignin incorporates remarkable amounts of a valuable flavone, tricin, exceeding 30 g per kilogram of straw. Given the diverse industrial applications associated with this high-value molecule, tritordeum straw emerges as a promising and sustainable resource for its extraction. Synopsis: Tritordeum straw lignin is highly enriched in tricin incorporated into its structure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin, a flavone belonging to the Gramineae family, has been confirmed to be the primary compound in a Zizania latifolia extract (ZLE) that prevents allergies. Various allergic reactions occur because of the unbalanced differentiation of T help cells (Th) and the consequent overproduction of IgE. Therefore, the regulation of Th1 and Th2 responses by T helper cell differentiation is essential for suppressing allergic responses. This study confirmed the immunomodulatory effects of ZLE and the major compound tricin in an OVA-sensitized mouse model. The IgE and OVA-specific production of tricin and ZLE in plasma were investigated in OVA-sensitized mice. The effects of tricin and ZLE on the amount of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and transcription factors released in splenocytes were investigated in OVA-sensitized mice. The skin roughness and the number of mast cells were confirmed by staining the skin surface with H&E and toluidine blue. Tricin and ZLE reduced the plasma IgE and OVA-specific-IgE levels significantly compared to the OVA group. On the other hand, tricin and ZLE promoted the release of the Th1 cytokines IL-12 and IFN-γ and inhibited the release of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, -10, -13, and -5) in OVA-sensitized mice. Tricin and ZLE induced T-bet and NFATc2 expression, and-down regulated GATA-3 levels. The skin roughness and the number of mast cells decreased in the OVA-immunized mice. Overall, the data indicate that tricin and ZLE may prevent allergy-related diseases through immunomodulation.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major cereal crop used for human nutrition worldwide. Harvesting and processing of rice generates huge amounts of lignocellulosic by-products such as rice husks and straw, which present important lignin contents that can be used to produce chemicals and materials. In this work, the structural characteristics of the lignins from rice husks and straw have been studied in detail. For this, whole cell walls of rice husks and straw and their isolated lignin preparations were thoroughly analyzed by an array of analytical techniques, including pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). The analyses revealed that both lignins, particularly the lignin from rice husks, were highly enriched in guaiacyl (G) units, and depleted in p-hydroxyphenyl (H) and syringyl (S) units, with H:G:S compositions of 7:81:12 (for rice husks) and 5:71:24 (for rice straw). These compositions were reflected in the relative abundances of the different interunit linkages. Hence, the lignin from rice husks were depleted in β–O–4′ alkyl-aryl ether units (representing 65% of all inter-unit linkages), but presented important amounts of β–5′ (phenylcoumarans, 23%) and other condensed units. On the other hand, the lignin from rice straw presented higher levels of β–O–4′ alkyl-aryl ethers (78%) but lower levels of phenylcoumarans (β–5′, 12%) and other condensed linkages, consistent with a lignin with a slightly higher S/G ratio. In addition, both lignins were partially acylated at the γ-OH of the side-chain (ca. 10–12% acylation degree) with p-coumarates, which overwhelmingly occurred over S-units. Finally, important amounts of the flavone tricin were also found incorporated into these lignins, being particularly abundant in the lignin of rice straw.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major cereal crop used for human nutrition worldwide. Harvesting and processing of rice generates huge amounts of lignocellulosic by-products such as rice husks and straw, which present important lignin contents that can be used to produce chemicals and materials. In this work, the structural characteristics of the lignins from rice husks and straw have been studied in detail. For this, whole cell walls of rice husks and straw and their isolated lignin preparations were thoroughly analyzed by an array of analytical techniques, including pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). The analyses revealed that both lignins, particularly the lignin from rice husks, were highly enriched in guaiacyl (G) units, and depleted in p -hydroxyphenyl (H) and syringyl (S) units, with H:G:S compositions of 7:81:12 (for rice husks) and 5:71:24 (for rice straw). These compositions were reflected in the relative abundances of the different interunit linkages. Hence, the lignin from rice husks were depleted in β– O –4′ alkyl-aryl ether units (representing 65% of all inter-unit linkages), but presented important amounts of β–5′ (phenylcoumarans, 23%) and other condensed units. On the other hand, the lignin from rice straw presented higher levels of β– O –4′ alkyl-aryl ethers (78%) but lower levels of phenylcoumarans (β–5′, 12%) and other condensed linkages, consistent with a lignin with a slightly higher S/G ratio. In addition, both lignins were partially acylated at the γ-OH of the side-chain (ca. 10–12% acylation degree) with p -coumarates, which overwhelmingly occurred over S-units. Finally, important amounts of the flavone tricin were also found incorporated into these lignins, being particularly abundant in the lignin of rice straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biomass composition varies from plant to plant and greatly affects biomass utilization. Lignin is a heterogeneous phenolic polymer derived mainly from p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols and makes up to 10–25% of lignocellulosic biomass. Recently, tricin, an O-methylated flavone, was identified as a lignin monomer in many grass species. Tricin may function as a nucleation site for lignification and is advocated as a novel target for lignin engineering to reduce lignin content and improve biomass digestibility in grasses. Thioacidolysis is an analytical method that can be adapted to analyze both lignin monomeric composition and tricin content in the lignin polymer. However, the original thioacidolysis procedure is complex, laborious, and time consuming, making it difficult to be adopted for large-scale screening in biomass research. In this study, a modified, rapid higher throughput thioacidolysis method was developed. Results: In combination with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), the modified thioacidolysis method can be used to simultaneously characterize the lignin composition and tricin content using 2–5 mg of dry samples. The modified method eliminates the solvent extraction and drastically improves the throughput; 80 samples can be processed in one day per person. Our results indicate that there is no significant difference in the determination of lignin S/G ratio and tricin content between the original and modified methods. Conclusions: A modified thioacidolysis protocol was established. The results demonstrate that the modified method can be used for rapid, high-throughput, and reliable lignin composition and tricin content analyses for screening transgenic plants for cell wall modifications or in large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylated flavones, and tricin in particular, have been implicated in protecting wheat plants against a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. Methylated flavones are produced via O-methylation of the hydroxyl groups in flavones, which is catalyzed by O-methyltransferases (OMTs). To examine the role of wheat OMT2 in methylated flavone biosynthesis and facilitate interrogation of tricin functions in wheat-environment interactions, loss-of-function mutants of OMT2 homoeologs, omt-A2 and omt-B2, were identified from a tetraploid wheat Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) mutant population and crossed to generate the omt-A2omt-B2 double mutant. Although tricin and most other soluble phenolics did not differ in leaves and glumes of TILLING control and the omt-A2, omt-B2, and omt-A2 omt-B2 mutants, chlorogenic acid was increased in glumes of omt-A2 omt-B2 relative to TILLING control, suggesting that it might serve as a substrate for OMT2. The omt2 mutant lines showed similar growth phenotypes as well as comparable lignin deposition in cell walls of stems compared to TILLING control. These results collectively suggest that OMT2 and its close homolog OMT1 may possess overlapping activities in tricin production, with OMT1 compensating for the missing OMT2 activities in the omt2 mutant lines.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance Lagotis Brachystachya: Maxim is a traditional ethnic medicine commonly used in Tibet. In Tibetan medicine theory, Lagotis brachystachya is mainly used for the treatment of inflammatory related diseases. However, the active components and mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of Lagotis brachystachya are not clear., Aim of the Study: The putative anti-inflammatory active compounds from Lagotis brachystachya Maxim and its anti-inflammation related mechanism involving in the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways were investigated., Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of 32 compounds extracted from Lagotis brachystachya in HepG2 and THP-1 cells using the alcohol-induced HepG2 cell injury model and the monosodium urate (MSU) combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced THP-1 cell inflammation model., Results: The results found that six compounds, including Echinacoside, Quercetin, Homoplantaginin, Tricin-7-O-glucoside, Apigenin and Luteolin-7-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside, were shown to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory effects in both cell models. Furthermore, these compounds were shown to inhibit the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways and reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in both cell models., Conclusion: These findings suggest that Echinacoside, Quercetin, Homoplantaginin, Tricin-7-O-glucoside, Apigenin and Luteolin-7-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside from Lagotis brachystachya have promising potential as natural anti-inflammatory agents for the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases. The discovery of bioactive compounds from this plant opens up possibilities for the development of novel treatments for inflammatory-related diseases, potentially providing alternative or adjunctive options to conventional therapies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper titled “Anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of six active compounds from Lagotis brachystachya Maxim in HepG2 and THP-1 cells via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways”., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

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[Display omitted] • Brown rice comprises a nutritious rice bran layer which contain phytochemicals. • These phytochemicals are attributed with potential clinical health benefits. • White rice being processed and polished is devoid of these bioactive compounds. • Nutrigenomic status of white rice may improve by incorporating brown rice traits. Whole-grain cereals are important components of a healthy diet. It reduces the risk of many deadly diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, etc. Brown rice is an example of whole grain food, which is highly nutritious due to the presence of various bioactive compounds (flavonoids, phenolics, vitamins, phytosterols, oils, etc.) associated with the rice bran layer of brown rice. White rice is devoid of the nutritious rice bran layer and thus lacks the bioactive compounds which are the major attractants of brown rice. Therefore, to confer health benefits to the public at large, the nutrigenomic potential of white rice may be improved by integrating the phytochemicals associated with the rice bran layer of brown rice into it via biofortification processes like conventional breeding, agronomic practices, metabolic engineering, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and RNAi techniques. Thus, this review article focuses on improving the nutritional qualities of white/polished rice through biofortification processes, utilizing new breeding technologies (NBTs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricin, a natural nontoxic flavonoid distributed in grasses and euphorbia plants, has been reported to scavenge free radicals, possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. However, its autophagic effect on Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been elucidated. By adopting cellular and C. elegans models of PD, the autophagic effect of tricin was identified based on the level of autophagy markers (LC3-II and p62). Besides, the pharmacological effects on neurotransmitters (dopamine), inflammatory cytokines (IFN γ, TNFα, MCP-1, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-17A), histology (hematoxylin & eosin and Nissl staining) and behavioural pathology (open-field test, hindlimb clasping, Y-maze, Morris water-maze and nest building test) were also confirmed in the A53T-α-synuclein transgenic PD mouse model. Further experiments demonstrated that tricin induced autophagic flux and lowered the level of α-synuclein through AMPK-p70s6K- and ATG7-dependent mechanism. Compared to the existing clinical PD drugs, tricin mitigated pathogenesis and symptoms of PD with no observable side effects. In summary, tricin is proposed as a potential adjuvant remedy or nutraceutical for the prevention and treatment of PD. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anti-adipogenic effect of tricin (5, 7, 4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone), a flavone frequently found in cereal crops, and its underlying molecular mechanism were evaluated in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Tricin treatment (5–20 µM) significantly inhibited triacylglycerol (TG) accumulation without showing cytotoxicity. The expression of protein kinase B (AKT) was decreased by 80% using 20 µM tricin. The inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by tricin led to a significant suppression of the protein levels of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBP-α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and nuclear sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1). These results suggest that tricin regulates adipogenesis by targeting the AKT/mTORC1/SREBP-1 pathway in the adipose tissue and it could be used as an anti-obesity agent.

The methylated flavone tricin has been associated with numerous health benefits, including reductions in intestinal and colon cancers in animal models. Tricin is found in a wide range of plant species and in many different tissues. However, whole cereal grains, such as rice, barley, oats, and wheat, are the only food sources of tricin, which is located in the bran portion of the grain. Variation in tricin levels was found in bran from rice genotypes with light brown, brown, red, and purple pericarp color, with the purple pericarp genotypes having the highest levels of tricin. Here, we analyzed tricin and tricin derivative levels in developing pericarp and embryo samples of a purple pericarp genotype, IAC600, that had high tricin and tricin derivative levels in the bran, and a light brown pericarp genotype, Cocodrie, that had no detectable tricin or tricin derivatives in the bran. Tricin and tricin derivatives were detected in both the pericarp and embryo of IAC600 but only in the embryo of Cocodrie. The purple pericarp rice had higher total levels of free tricin plus tricin derivatives than the light brown pericarp rice. When expressed on a per grain basis, most of the tricin component of IAC600 was in the pericarp. In contrast, Cocodrie had no detectable tricin in the pericarp samples but did have detectable chrysoeriol, a precursor of tricin, in the pericarp samples. We also used RNA-Seq analysis of developing pericarp and embryo samples of the two cultivars to compare the expression of genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. The results presented here suggest that understanding the basis of tricin accumulation in rice pericarp may lead to an approach to increasing tricin levels in whole grain rice. From analysis of gene expression levels in the pericarp samples it appears that regulation of the flavone specific genes is independent of regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. It therefore may be feasible to develop brown pericarp rice cultivars that accumulate tricin in the pericarp.

Summary: Breeding approaches to enrich lignins in biomass could be beneficial to improving the biorefinery process because lignins increase biomass heating value and represent a potent source of valuable aromatic chemicals. However, despite the fact that grasses are promising lignocellulose feedstocks, limited information is yet available for molecular‐breeding approaches to upregulate lignin biosynthesis in grass species. In this study, we generated lignin‐enriched transgenic rice (Oryza sativa), a model grass species, via targeted mutagenesis of the transcriptional repressor OsMYB108 using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing. The OsMYB108‐knockout rice mutants displayed increased expressions of lignin biosynthetic genes and enhanced lignin deposition in culm cell walls. Chemical and two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses revealed that the mutant cell walls were preferentially enriched in γ‐p‐coumaroylated and tricin lignin units, both of which are typical and unique components in grass lignins. NMR analysis also showed that the relative abundances of major lignin linkage types were altered in the OsMYB108 mutants. Significance Statement: Comprehensive understanding of secondary cell wall formation in grasses, as major biomass feedstocks, is important for their molecular‐breeding applications toward improved biorefinery processes. We demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated mutagenesis of the transcriptional repressor gene OsMYB108 preferentially enriched grass‐specific lignin units, i.e. p‐coumaroylated units and tricin units, in rice (Oryza sativa), providing insight into the transcriptional regulatory network in secondary cell wall formation specific to grass species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more effectiveness and overcoming the drug resistance Chemotherapy agents, the combination treatment is raised. Flavonoids with different anti-cancer effects are an appropriate choice as lead compounds. Over expressed MiR-21 in prostate cancer is associated with metastasis and drug resistance to chemotherapy with Docetaxel. In this study, the anticancer effect of 4′, 5, 7-Trihydroxy-3′, 5′-dimethoxyflavone (Tricin) was investigated with Docetaxel on PC3 cell line. Tricin was initially isolated from the Allium atroviolaceum by column chromatography and recrystallization method. The chemical structure of isolate was elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. IC50 of Tricin and Docetaxel were assessed 117.5 ± 4.4 μM and 0.1 ± 0.02 nM by MTT assay, respectively. Analysis of results indicates the synergistic effect of combination therapy on decreased proliferation. MiR-21 in treated cells with Tricin significantly decreased compared to control cells. So, Tricin can be effective in the reduction of metastasis and drug resistance of Docetaxel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of enzyme-treated Zizania latifolia (ETZL) and of its major compound tricin on skin photo-aging and to investigate the mechanisms involved. It was found ETZL and tricin suppressed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production and increased type I-procollagen production in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Furthermore, ETZL and tricin significantly up-regulated the expressions of the antioxidant enzymes HO-1 and SOD1, reduced UVB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) induction by ROS and thereby attenuated activator protein-1 (AP-1) expression. In addition, ETZL and tricin both reduced the phosphorylations of IκBα and IKKα/ß and κB blocked the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65. These results show that ETZL have skin protective effects against UVB and suggest tricin as major efficacious material in ETZL protecting skin photoaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methylated flavone tricin has been associated with numerous health benefits, including reductions in intestinal and colon cancers in animal models. Tricin is found in a wide range of plant species and in many different tissues. However, whole cereal grains, such as rice, barley, oats, and wheat, are the only food sources of tricin, which is located in the bran portion of the grain. Variation in tricin levels was found in bran from rice genotypes with light brown, brown, red, and purple pericarp color, with the purple pericarp genotypes having the highest levels of tricin. Here, we analyzed tricin and tricin derivative levels in developing pericarp and embryo samples of a purple pericarp genotype, IAC600, that had high tricin and tricin derivative levels in the bran, and a light brown pericarp genotype, Cocodrie, that had no detectable tricin or tricin derivatives in the bran. Tricin and tricin derivatives were detected in both the pericarp and embryo of IAC600 but only in the embryo of Cocodrie. The purple pericarp rice had higher total levels of free tricin plus tricin derivatives than the light brown pericarp rice. When expressed on a per grain basis, most of the tricin component of IAC600 was in the pericarp. In contrast, Cocodrie had no detectable tricin in the pericarp samples but did have detectable chrysoeriol, a precursor of tricin, in the pericarp samples. We also used RNA-Seq analysis of developing pericarp and embryo samples of the two cultivars to compare the expression of genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. The results presented here suggest that understanding the basis of tricin accumulation in rice pericarp may lead to an approach to increasing tricin levels in whole grain rice. From analysis of gene expression levels in the pericarp samples it appears that regulation of the flavone specific genes is independent of regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. It therefore may be feasible to develop brown pericarp rice cultivars that accumulate tricin in the pericarp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some errors were discovered relating to the published equation coefficients of Cheng and co-workers [J. Chem. Thermodyn. 89 (2015) 89–92] for mathematically describing the solubility behaviour of tricin in water and ethanol mixtures using the modified Apelblat equation and λh equation. There was large difference between the back-calculated solubilities using the published equation coefficients and the mole fraction values as stated in the published paper for the two models. Additionally, the preferential solvation parameters ( δx 1,3 ) of tricin in the solvent mixture of ethanol (1) + water (2) were derived from their available solubility data using the inverse Kirkwood–Buff integrals method. Within the composition 0.25 <  x 1  < 1, tricin was preferentially solvated by ethanol; and in the other composition regions, by water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differences in the composition and structure of the lignins from straws of different oat (Avena sativa L.) varieties, planted in two seasons (winter and spring), were studied in detail by different analytical techniques such as pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR), derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Overall, the analyses revealed that oat straw lignins were enriched in guaiacyl (G; 50–56 %) and syringyl (S; 39–44 %) units, with relatively lower amounts of p -hydroxyphenyl (H; 4–6 %) units. The lignins also incorporated significant quantities of p -coumarates (8–14 % of total lignin units), which are acylating the γ-OH of the lignin side chains, and predominantly over the S units. Furthermore, oat straw lignins also incorporated considerable amounts of the flavone tricin (5–12 % of total lignin units). Interestingly, this study revealed that the lignin content and composition of the oat straws vary with genotype and planting season. Since p -coumarates and tricin are high-value aromatic compounds especially attractive from a biorefinery point of view, the information disclosed here is highly relevant to plant breeding programs aimed at developing functional foods and lignin modifications for improved biorefinery applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]