Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70075
Mohamed A. Farag
{"title":"Berry Wax-Related Research and Biomimetic Technology","authors":"Mohamed A. Farag","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Epidermal wax is an important structure of the fruit and is targeted in improving fruit quality upon storage. Previous studies on fruit wax focused on the stages of growth and development. Prof. Haiyan Gao's group from Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences carried out a decade of cutting-edge research on the wax of postharvest berry fruits https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55225772900. Her group systematically revealed the structure and chemical composition, in particular the distinctive triterpenoids and β-diketones in berries (Chu et al. <span>2017</span>). The structural features of epidermal wax and their effects on softening and senescence (Chu et al. <span>2018</span>), and thereafter, postharvest quality maintenance of berries were also demonstrated (Ding et al. <span>2024</span>; Kong et al. <span>2023</span>; Liu, Shang, et al. <span>2023</span>). Her group provided unequivocal evidence for the role of wax metabolism in postharvest quality maintenance (Jiang et al. <span>2022a</span>; Kong et al. <span>2024</span>) and disease resistance (Jiang et al. <span>2022b</span>) expanding the cognition of fruit wax metabolism regulation network (Wu et al. <span>2023</span>). A breakthrough in wax biomimetic preservation technology has been developed by leveraging the natural wax composition and structural properties of blueberry fruits, which significantly enhances postharvest preservation and prolongs shelf life (Liu, Liu, et al. <span>2023</span>). In addition, the group has expanded the postharvest wax research to blue honeysuckle (Peng et al. <span>2025</span>), grape (Ma et al. <span>2025</span>), and other specialty berries. These findings provide a framework for postharvest quality biology of berries and reduce the gap between basic research and industrial applications of berries.</p><p>The author declares no conflict of interest.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1602-1603"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70065
Samantha A. Hall, Gina L. Trakman
{"title":"Estimating Food Additive Intake: A Systematic Review of Intake and Nonlaboratory Methodologies","authors":"Samantha A. Hall, Gina L. Trakman","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70065","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite increasing interest in the physiological and health effects of select additives (e.g., artificial food colors, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, and preservatives), it is unclear whether there is a preferred nonlaboratory methodology for measuring additive intake in humans (milligrams of additive per kilogram of bodyweight [mg/kg bw]). This paper serves to review the current literature and summarize the mean additive consumption of study participants. A systematic review was performed by searching CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2024 to synthesize studies assessing additive intake among humans (mg/kg bw) using nonlaboratory methodologies. Reference lists of included studies were also reviewed. A total of 21 studies from 12 countries were identified, with a combined population pool of more than 366,297 participants. Food intake assessment methodologies used included 24-h recall (<i>n</i> = 11), food frequency questionnaires (<i>n</i> = 6), and food diaries (<i>n</i> = 4), combined with additive data from manufacturer databases (<i>n</i> = 18), chemical food analysis (<i>n</i> = 11), and food label surveys (<i>n</i> = 11). Among assessed populations, only 2.2% of additive intake values (<i>n</i> = 3) were found to be consumed above the ADI (Allura Red AC, Erythrosine, and Sunset Yellow FCF). No preferred additive intake methodology was identified, with methodologies dependent on available data, resourcing, and the population being assessed. The inclusion of quantifiable additive data on food labels would facilitate further research in humans and, if required, allow consumers to make choices regarding additive intake.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1742-1764"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70063
Kalpana Singh, Treesa Thomas
{"title":"The Role of Gut Microbial Metabolites in Polyphenol-Mediated Cardiovascular Protection","authors":"Kalpana Singh, Treesa Thomas","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Polyphenols, bioactive compounds found in plant-based foods, exert cardioprotective effects, partly mediated by their interactions with the gut microbiome. This editorial explores how microbial metabolites of polyphenols enhance bioavailability and exert potent vascular benefits while also addressing polyphenols' potential role in reducing harmful metabolites such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln). Despite promising preliminary findings, further research is required to elucidate underlying mechanisms and optimize polyphenol-based interventions for cardiovascular health.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1599-1601"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70063","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70060
Jie Li, Xin-yue Cao, Jun-lin Lv, He-meng Zhang, Qing-yue Liang, Yu-shan Ren, Jun Tian, Gui-cheng Dong
{"title":"Phenylethanoid Glycosides in Cistanches: Chemistry, Pharmacokinetic, and Antitumor Properties","authors":"Jie Li, Xin-yue Cao, Jun-lin Lv, He-meng Zhang, Qing-yue Liang, Yu-shan Ren, Jun Tian, Gui-cheng Dong","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cistanches Herba (CH, known as <i>RouCongRong</i> in Chinese) is a parasitic plant from the Orobanchaceae family, with a medicinal and edible history spanning nearly 2000 years, dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. It has been traditionally recognized for its effects on alleviating aging, regulating the endocrine and immune systems, and enhancing metabolism. Cancer incidence has risen in recent years, driven by lifestyle shifts and diagnostic advances, yet remains a major challenge for modern medicine. Conventional treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy often carry side effects that negatively impact patients’ quality of life and prognosis. Meanwhile, the antineoplastic potential of natural plant-based compounds is increasingly gaining attention. Using advanced compound separation and identification techniques, various bioactive substances, including phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs), iridoids, lignans, and polysaccharides, have been isolated from CH. Among these, PhGs have attracted significant scholarly interest, leading to numerous studies in recent years. Existing literature highlights substantial evidence of its anticancer properties. This review aims to systematically summarize the content of representative PhGs in CH species, their pharmacokinetic parameters, and primary metabolites in humans (intestinal microbiota) and rats (bile, feces, plasma, and urine). Additionally, the antitumor activities and associated signaling pathways mediated by PhGs in CH against various malignancies such as breast cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung cancer, among others, providing a theoretical foundation to support their future clinical application.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"2011-2034"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70060","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70064
Lan Nguyen, Jared Walters, Bernadette Spies, Amelia Coppus, Jenaya Massie, Thamiris Penteado Bertonha
{"title":"Food for Thought: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Ultra-Processed Foods on Cognition in Children and Adolescents","authors":"Lan Nguyen, Jared Walters, Bernadette Spies, Amelia Coppus, Jenaya Massie, Thamiris Penteado Bertonha","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In the current economic climate, rising costs of unprocessed and organic foods have driven many families toward more affordable alternatives—particularly processed and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as sugar-sweetened beverages, instant noodles, sweet/salty snacks, and processed meats. Despite their convenience, UPFs provide minimal nutritional value, which may hinder cognitive development, particularly in childhood and adolescence. Given the recent surge of studies within this field, this systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized existing research to evaluate the link between UPF consumption and cognitive development in youths (children and adolescents). A comprehensive search identified 35 relevant studies encompassing 84,062 participants. Increased UPF consumption was consistently associated with poorer cognitive performance in both children and adolescents across most cognitive domains, including attention, executive functioning, fluid intelligence, language, and visuospatial ability. No significant associations were found between UPF consumption and both memory and processing speed, potentially due to a limited number of studies exploring these outcomes, thereby warranting further investigation. Moreover, consumption of energy drinks, salty snacks, and a combination of UPFs (food and drinks) consistently yielded the strongest negative mean effect sizes across most cognitive domains, indicating that these UPFs are linked with poorer cognitive performance in youths. These findings emphasize the need for dietary interventions aimed at reducing UPF consumption to support optimal cognitive development in children and adolescents. Additionally, the results provide valuable insights to inform public health policies, highlighting the importance of promoting healthier dietary choices and implementing education campaigns to mitigate the cognitive risks associated with UPF consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1838-1866"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70049
Shiyi Lu, Kaige Li, Qi Su, Yangyang Wen, Hongyan Li, Jing Wang, Baoguo Sun
{"title":"Exploring the Combination Effect of Cellulase Hydrolysis and Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 Fermentation on the Textural Properties of Whole Brown Rice","authors":"Shiyi Lu, Kaige Li, Qi Su, Yangyang Wen, Hongyan Li, Jing Wang, Baoguo Sun","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Brown rice arouses great attention due to the enriched nutrients, but the unpleasant texture caused by bran layer limits consumer acceptance. To date, although individual enzyme or fermentation treatment has been developed to modify the rice bran, the feasibility of the combination method and co-effects on whole brown rice have not been investigated. In this study, brown rice treated with cellulase and <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> P-8 together (CAF-BR) was compared with samples individually treated with cellulase (E-BR) or fermentation (F-BR), in terms of cellulase activity, textural attributes, and variations in the main component of brown rice. The results showed CAF-BR had higher cellulase activity and less glucose in the hydrolysate than E-BR, reflecting a cooperative effect on rice bran hydrolysis. Moreover, CAF-BR showed a significantly lower hardness and higher stickiness, compared to E-BR and F-BR. This was consistent with the most ruptured bran of CAF-BR observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the correspondingly highest amount of water absorption ratio, which possibly explained the decreased hardness of CAF-BR. In addition, the leachates from CAF-BR possessed the most starch content and the highest content of large molecular weight amylopectin among all samples, which was highly associated with an increased stickiness. Ultimately, this study extends the knowledge about the feasibility of combining enzymatic treatment with fermentation for modifying the wholegrain brown rice, providing a theoretical basis of the cooperative effects on improving the textural properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1903-1912"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-07DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70055
Mai E. Hussein, Mostafa H. Baky, Radwa H. El-Akad, Mariam Hassan, Rupesh Deshmuk, Mohamed A. Farag
{"title":"Comparative Mass Spectroscopy Profiling of Masala Spices: Unveiling Direct and Remote Antimicrobial Effects of Nonvolatile and Aroma Metabolites via Biochemometric Tools and Molecular Networking","authors":"Mai E. Hussein, Mostafa H. Baky, Radwa H. El-Akad, Mariam Hassan, Rupesh Deshmuk, Mohamed A. Farag","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Herbal spices are widely used as food additives not only for their distinct aroma and flavor but rather for their health-promoting properties. In this study, the chemical profiles of four major masala spices—chaat (CMP), pav-bhaji (PMP), sambhar (SMP), and tandoori (TMP)—were analyzed using advanced multiplex-mass spectrometry techniques (HS-SPME–gas chromatography (GC)–MS and UPLC–MS/MS). A total of 45 aroma compounds were identified, with aldehydes emerging as the dominant constituents in PMP and CMP masalas at 74.7% and 56.1%, respectively, compared with 22.1% in SMP and 21.7% in TMP. Notably, cinnamaldehyde was the major compound, present at 70.1% in PMP, 48.5% in CMP, and 10.7% in SMP. Furthermore, 98 secondary metabolites were annotated, spanning nitrogenous compounds, gingerols, diarylheptanoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and saponins. Molecular networking highlighted five key clusters of bioactive compounds, including gingerols, capsaicin derivatives, piper alkaloids, and steroidal saponins. The antimicrobial properties of the masalas were evaluated using vapor phase (VP) and direct assays, revealing broad-spectrum activity, and PMP exhibited the strongest antibacterial effect with the lowest VP minimum inhibitory concentration (VP-MIC) values, attributed to cinnamaldehyde richness. The partial least squares (PLS) of identified metabolites against all tested microorganisms indicated that PMP was the most correlated to antimicrobial effect. These findings highlight the potential of masala spices not only as flavoring agents but also as food additives with antimicrobial properties. However, factors, such as batch variations, geographic origin, and processing methods, may affect their consistency and application. Future studies should correlate other biological effects, that is, antioxidant, using same model developed in this study for these species.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1926-1953"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-06DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70053
Manxi Wu, Han Yang, Yuhao Wu, Yuanxiao Yin, Junhao Li, Yongfu Ge, Cui Sun, Jinping Cao, Dengliang Wang, Yixiong Zheng, Yue Wang, Chongde Sun
{"title":"Alleviating Effects of Citrus Polymethoxyflavones on Autoimmune Thyroiditis via IL-17 Signaling Pathway","authors":"Manxi Wu, Han Yang, Yuhao Wu, Yuanxiao Yin, Junhao Li, Yongfu Ge, Cui Sun, Jinping Cao, Dengliang Wang, Yixiong Zheng, Yue Wang, Chongde Sun","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), characterized by chronic thyroid inflammation and autoantibody production, currently lack targeted therapies, highlighting the need for natural immunomodulators. This study systematically investigated the immunomodulatory effects of citrus flavonoids, particularly polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), on AITDs. Flavonoid extracts from six citrus varieties were screened on Nthy-ori3-1 cells. Extracts from Ougan, Eureka lemon, and Newhall sweet orange significantly reduced thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) levels by 25%–34% (<i>p</i> < 0.001), demonstrating potential anti-AITDs activity. High-performance liquid chromatography identified and quantified thirteen flavonoids, among which eight representative compounds were further evaluated. Tangeretin exhibited the strongest activity, lowering TPO-Ab levels by 64% (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) and downregulating interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) by 1.9-fold–2.5-fold in an AITDs cell model. Mechanistically, PMFs, specifically tangeretin and nobiletin, alleviated AITDs by modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway, regulating key regulators such as TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3), TRAF3-interacting protein 2 (Act1), nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). In a NaI-induced murine AITDs model, oral tangeretin administration (20 and 100 mg/kg/day body weight) for 8 weeks significantly reduced serum TPO-Ab levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05), thyroid follicular destruction, and lymphocyte infiltration. Notably, this study is the first to systematically evaluate the immunoregulatory effects of citrus PMFs in AITDs, demonstrating their potential as natural, food-derived therapeutic agents. These findings provide valuable insights into PMFs as novel immunomodulators, paving the way for food-based interventions in autoimmune diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1887-1902"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food frontiersPub Date : 2025-06-06DOI: 10.1002/fft2.70046
Betty Bowe Acquah, John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu
{"title":"A Critical Overview of Common Foodborne Toxicants and Methods for Their Reliable Detection","authors":"Betty Bowe Acquah, John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Food is an essential commodity for human health. However, toxicants such as mycotoxins, heavy metals, acrylamide, and pesticides can be present in food either naturally or through processing, packaging, or some anthropogenic activities. A thorough review of carefully selected studies revealed that climate change and pandemics have led to an increase in food intoxication that present both long-term and short-term toxicity with potentials of resulting in fertility issues, heart diseases, allergic reactions, and immune system risks. Consequently, regulatory bodies have set permissible limits for the ingestion of these toxicants. Therefore, analytical techniques are employed to detect and quantify these toxicants ensuring that they are within safe limits for consumption. This article critically outlines causes of emerging toxicants in food, their impact on consumer health as well as recent advances (novel approaches) in analytical methods and principles behind their selection, operation, and application for food toxicant determination. Chromatographic techniques, spectroscopy, biosensors, and vision systems are among the most used techniques for toxicant determination due to their sensitivity, but spectroscopy presents additional advantages of non-invasive analysis with cost-effective benefits. The use of algorithms, such as neural networks in emerging techniques such as vision systems and spectroscopy enhance data processing, results in improved outputs for different tasks. These analytical techniques play crucial roles in ensuring that food toxicant levels remain within permissible limits, thereby directly contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) which is good health and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1658-1700"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neuroprotective Properties of Wild Mango (Mangifera caloneura Kurz) Leaves on Alleviating Urban Air Pollutant Toxicity: Insights From Transcriptome Analysis of a Human Neuronal Cell Model","authors":"Parinee Kittimongkolsuk, Suporn Sukjamnong, Sakawrat Janpaijit, Panthakarn Rangsinth, Sawarin Chumpolphant, Kamonwan Chaikhong, George Pak-Heng Leung, Valerie W. Hu, Tewarit Sarachana, Anchalee Prasansuklab, Tewin Tencomnao","doi":"10.1002/fft2.70052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Exposure to urban air pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM), has been correlated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, notably Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between urban air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the toxic effects and underlying mechanisms of urban dust on SH-SY5Y cells using high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing. In addition, we explored the neuroprotective potential of an ethanol extract of wild mango (<i>Mangifera caloneura</i>) leaves (MCE) against urban dust-induced neurotoxicity. Our results demonstrated that urban dust significantly induced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation, reduced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation, and decreased both mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate production. Transcriptomic analysis revealed altered expression of several genes associated with oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases, compared to control cells. Notably, co-treatment with MCE reversed the detrimental effects caused by urban dust, particularly by enhancing Nrf2 nuclear translocation, increasing sirtuin 1 and superoxide dismutase 1 levels, and normalizing the altered gene expression patterns. In summary, MCE shows potential as an alternative therapeutic agent for preventing oxidative stress associated with air pollution-induced neurodegenerative diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":73042,"journal":{"name":"Food frontiers","volume":"6 4","pages":"1987-2010"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fft2.70052","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}