Effects of Grape Seeds and Tea Polyphenols on Serum Enzymatic Indices of Finless Eels ( Monopterus albus )

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of adding grape seeds and tea polyphenols to improve the health of finless eels(Monopterus albus).[Methods]Twelve cages were selected in the same water body and divided into 4 groups,each with 3 parallel groups.The control group was fed with common finless eel feed,and the experimental groups were fed with feed supplemented with grape seeds,tea polyphenols,and grape seed-tea polyphenol compound(with a ratio of grape seeds to tea polyphenols at 1∶1),respectively.The feeding amount of each additive was 1%.The experiment was carried out by feeding medicated feed for 3 d and ordinary feed for 3 d,that is,alternately feeding medicated feed and ordinary feed.The experiment lasted for 18 d.[Results]Six serum enzymatic indices were detected after the breeding.The results showed that compared with the control group,the three groups of samples had a certain protective effect on the liver in terms of liver function indices.In terms of immunity evaluation,the tea polyphenol group and the grape seed-tea polyphenol complex group could increase the immunity of eels to varying degrees.In terms of antioxidant capacity,all three groups of samples could increase the body's antioxidant capacity.The results of this study showed that adding tea polyphenols and grape seeds to the feed simultaneously could effectively protect the liver of fish,and simultaneously enhance their antioxidant and non-specific immune functions.[Conclusions]This study provides a reference for the application of the two Chinese herbal medicines,grape seeds and tea polyphenols,in finless eel farming.

Protective effects of lignin fractions obtained from grape seeds against bisphenol AF neurotoxicity via antioxidative effects mediated by the Nrf2 pathway

Lignin exhibits antioxidative and various other biological properties.However,its neuroprotection capability has rarely been studied.In this study,three types of lignin with different structures were prepared from grape seeds by using different isolation techniques.The antioxidative and neuroprotective effects of the lignin fractions were evaluated with the apoptosis model of murine neuroectodermal(NE-4C)neural stem cells stimulated with bisphenol AF.The results demonstrated that the half maximal inhibitory concentration for scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl with water-soluble lignin(L-W,58.19μg·mL^(–1))was lower than those of lignin in the autohydrolyzed residue of grape seeds(84.27μg·mL^(–1))and original lignin in grape seeds(99.44μg·mL^(–1)).BPAF exposure had negative effects on the reactive oxygen species,malondialdehyde content,and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in NE-4C cells,which can be reversed by using the prepared lignin to reduce oxidative stress.An immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that grape seed lignin induced protective effects on BPAF-injured NE-4C cells via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related Factor 2 pathway.In addition,correlational analyses showed that lignin(L-W)with lower molecular weights and noncondensed phenolic hydroxyl group content and higher contents of COOH groups effectively prevented cell apoptosis,scavenged reactive oxygen species,and ensured protection from nerve injury.This study demonstrated that grape seed lignin can be used as a neuroprotective agent and serves as a demonstration of active lignin production from grape seed waste.

Proanthocyanidins extracted from grape seeds inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induce apoptosis through the MAPK/AKT pathway

Proanthocyanidins naturally occur in various fruits,some vegetables and beverages.Increasing evidence has shown that dietary intake of proanthocyanidins is a promising alternative to tumor chemoprevention or chemotherapy.Grape seeds are the most abundant source of proanthocyanidins,and grape seed proanthocyanidins(GSPs)show an anticancer effect on hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),which accounts for approximately 85-90%of all primary liver malignancies.Although an increasing number of studies have investigated the effects of GSPs on HCC and the associated mechanisms,the precise mechanism of GSP therapy in HCC remains unclear.This study aimed to understand the cytotoxic effect of GSPs on HepG2 cells by investigating morphology and growth inhibition.Cell proliferation and apoptosis were estimated by an MTT assay and flow cytometry,and the protein expression of HepG2 cells was determined through Western blotting.The results indicated that GSPs could markedly inhibit HepG2 liver cancer cells and induce apoptosis,with the effects varying by dose and treatment time.Furthermore,GSPs inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK),c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase(JNK),p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK),IκBα,pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1(PDK1),glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta(GSK3β)and protein kinase B(AKT),which accounted for the inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/AKT(MAPK/AKT)pathways.These results indicate that GSPs are a potential source of natural chemopreventive agents for the treatment of HCC.

Winery by‑products as a feed source with functional properties:dose–response effect of grape pomace,grape seed meal,and grape seed extract on rumen microbial community and their fermentation activity in RUSITEC

Background Grape and winery by-products have nutritional values for cattle and also contain functional compounds like phenols,which not only bind to protein but can also directly affect microbiota and their function in the rumen.We characterized the nutritional and functional effects of grape seed meal and grape pomace as well as an effective dosage of grape phenols on ruminal microbiota and fermentation characteristics using a rumen simulation technique.Results Six diets(each n=8)were compared including a control diet(CON,no by-product),a positive control diet(EXT,CON+3.7%grape seed extract on a dry matter(DM)basis),two diets with grape seed meal at 5%(GS-low)and 10%(GS-high),and two diets with grape pomace:at 10%(GP-low)and 20%(GP-high),on a DM basis.The inclusion of the by-product supplied total phenols at 3.4%,0.7%,1.4%,1.3%,and 2.7%of diet DM for EXT,GS-low,GS-high,GP-low,and GP-high,respectively.Diets were tested in four experimental runs.All treatments decreased ammonia concentrations and the disappearances of DM and OM(P<0.05)compared to CON.EXT and GP-high lowered butyrate and odd-and branch-chain short-chain fatty acids while increased acetate compared to CON(P<0.05).Treatments did not affect methane formation.EXT decreased the abundance of many bacterial genera including those belonging to the core microbiota.GP-high and EXT consistently decreased Olsenella and Anaerotipes while increased Ruminobacter abundances.Conclusion The data suggest that the inclusion of winery by-products or grape seed extract could be an option for reducing excessive ammonia production.Exposure to grape phenols at a high dosage in an extract form can alter the rumen microbial community.This,however,does not necessarily alter the effect of grape phenols on the microbial community function compared to feeding high levels of winery by-products.This suggests the dominant role of dosage over the form or source of the grape phenols in affecting ruminal microbial activity.In conclusion,supplementing grape phenols at about 3%of diet DM is an effective dosage tolerable to ruminal microbiota.

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Alleviates Arsenic-induced Oxidative Reproductive Toxicity in Male Mice

Objective To determine the ability of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract （GSPE） in alleviating arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity. Methods Sixty male Kunming mice received the following treatments by gavage： normal saline solution （control）; arsenic trioxide （ATO; 4 mg/kg）; GSPE （400 mg/kg）; ATO＋GSPE （100 mg/kg）; ATO＋GSPE （200 mg/kg） and ATO＋GSPE （400 mg/kg）. Thereafter, the mice were sacrificed and weighed, and the testis was examined for pathological changes. Nuclear factor （erythroid-derived 2）-like 2 （Nrf2）, heme oxygenase 1 （HO1）, glutathione S-transferase （GST）, NAD（P）H dehydrogenase, and quinone 1 [NQO1） expression in the testis was detected by real-time PCR. Superoxide dismutase （SOD）, glutathione （GSH）, total antioxidative capability （T-AOC）, malondialdehyde （MDA）, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine （8-OHdG）, and reproductive indexes were analyzed. Results ATO-treated mice showed a significantly decreased sperm count and testis somatic index and activity levels of SOD, GSH, and T-AOC than control group. Compared to the ATO-treated group, ATO ＋GSPE group showed recovery of the measured parameters. Mice treated with ATO＋high-dose GSPE showed the highest level of mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO, NO.O1, and GST. Conclusion GSPE alleviates oxidative stress damage in mouse testis by activating Nrf2 signaling, thus counteracting arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity.

Inhibitory Effects of Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract on Selenite-induced Cataract Formation and Possible Mechanism

This study investigated the inhibitory effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract(GSPE) on selenite-induced cataract formation in rats and the possible mechanism.Eighty 8-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into 5 groups:control group,model group,three GSPE groups(low dose,medium dose and high dose).Control group received subcutaneous injection of physiological saline.Model group was given subcutaneous injection of sodium selenite(20 μmol/kg body weight) on the postpartum day 10,and once every other day for consecutive three times thereafter.GSPE treated groups were respectively administered GSPE at doses of 50,100,and 200 mg/kg body weight intragastrically 2 days prior to the selenite injection(that was,on the postpartum day 8),and once daily for fourteen consecutive days thereafter.The opacity of lenses was observed,graded and photographed under the slit lamp microscopy and the maximal diameter of the nuclear cataract plaques was measured.The lenses were analyzed for superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX),malondialdehyde(MDA),calcium(Ca 2+),nitric oxide(NO) and anti-hydroxyl radical ability(anti-OH).The histomorphology of lenses was observed with HE staining under a light microscope.The levels of calpainⅡ,and iNOS protein and mRNA expression in lenses were detected by using immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative RT-PCR.The results showed subcutaneous injection of sodium selenite led to severe nuclear cataract in model group,and the achievement ratio of model group was 100%.As compared with model group,the degree of lenses opacity and the maximal diameter of nuclear cataract plaques were significantly reduced in GSPE-treated groups.Moreover,we observed selenite treatment caused a significant decrease in the activities of antioxidative enzymes(SOD,CAT,GSH-PX) and anti-OH ability,accompanied by a significant increase in the levels of MDA,NO,Ca 2+ as well as iNOS,and calpainⅡ protein and mRNA expression.Administration of GSPE could dose-dependently preserve the activities of these antioxidative enzymes and anti-OH ability,accompanied by a significant reduction in the levels of MDA,NO,Ca 2+ as well as iNOS,and calpainⅡ protein and mRNA expression.These results suggested that GSPE markedly prevented selenite-induced cataract formation probably by suppressing the generation of lipid peroxidation and free radicals as well as the activation of iNOS,and calpainⅡ in the lenses.

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Ameliorates Streptozotocin-induced Cognitive and Synaptic Plasticity Deficits by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Preserving AKT and ERK Activities

Progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment are the main clinical manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Currently,there is no effective drug available for the treatment of AD.Previous studies have demonstrated that the cognitive impairment of AD is associated with oxidative stress and the inhibition of AKT and ERK phosphorylation.Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract(GSPE)has been shown to have strong antioxidant effect and can protect the nervous system from oxidative stress damage.This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of GSPE on the cognitive and synaptic impairments of AD using a sporadic AD rat model induced by intracerebroventricular(ICV)injection of streptozotocin(STZ)(ICV-STZ).Rats were treated with GSPE(50,100,or 200 mg/kg every day)by intragastrical(ig.)administration for continuous 7 weeks,and ICV-STZ(3 mg/kg)was performed on the first day and third day of week 5.Learning and memory abilities were assessed by the Morris water maze(MWM)test at week 8.After behavioral test,hippocampal long-term potentiation(LTP)was recorded,and the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutases(SOD),glutathione(GSH)and the protein expression of AKT and ERK were measured in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of rats.Our study revealed that ICV-STZ significantly impaired the working learning ability and hippocampal LTP of rats,significantly increased the levels of MDA,and decreased the activity of SOD and GSH in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.In contrast,GSPE treatment prevented the impairment of cognitive function and hippocampal LTP induced by ICV-STZ,decreased the level of MDA,and increased the level of SOD and GSH.Furthermore,Western blot results showed that GSPE treatment could prevent the loss of AKT and ERK activities in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex induced by ICV-STZ.Our findings demonstrate that GSPE treatment could ameliorate the impairment of cognitive ability and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in a rat model of sporadic AD by inhibiting oxidative stress and preserving AKT and ERK activities.Therefore,GSPE may be an effective agent for the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with sporadic AD.

Quantitative Mitochondrial Proteomics Study on Protective Mechanism of Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extracts Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Heart Injury in Rat

Cardiac ischemia/reperfusion（I/R） injury is a critical condition,often associated with high morbidity and mortality.The cardioprotective effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts（GSPE） against oxidant injury during I/R has been described in previous studies.However,the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.This study investigated the effect of GSPE on reperfusion arrhythmias especially ventricular tachycardia（VT） and ventricular fibrillation（VF）,the lactic acid accumulation and the ultrastructure of ischemic cardiomyocytes as well as the global changes of mitochondria proteins in in vivo rat heart model against I/R injury.GSPE significantly reduced the incidence of VF and VT,lessened the lactic acid accumulation and attenuated the ultrastructure damage.Twenty differential proteins related to cardiac protection were revealed by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation（iTRAQ） profiling.These proteins were mainly involved in energy metabolism.Besides,monoamine oxidase A（MAOA） was also identified.The differential expression of several proteins was validated by Western blot.Our study offered important information on the mechanism of GSPE treatment in ischemic heart disease.

Effects of grape seed extract on meat color and premature browning of meat patties in high-oxygen packaging

This study investigated the effects of grape seed extract(GSE)on fresh and cooked meat color and premature browning(PMB)in ground meat patties(85% beef and 15% pork back fat)packaged under high-oxygen modified atmospheres(HiOx-MAP).The GSE was added to patties at concentrations of 0,0.10,0.25,0.50 and 0.75 g kg^(-1).This study evaluated the surface color,pH,lipid oxidation,and total viable counts(TVC)of raw patties,and the internal color and pH of patties cooked to a temperature of 66 or 71℃ over 10-day storage at 4℃.Compared with the control(0 g kg^(-1) GSE),GSE improved the color stability(P<0.05)and significantly inhibited the lipid and myoglobin oxidation of raw patties from day 5 to 10,but GSE had no effect(P>0.05)on TVC.Patties containing 0.50 and 0.75 g kg^(-1) GSE cooked to 66℃ exhibited greater(P<0.05)interior redness than the control and reduced the PMB of cooked patties in the late storage stage.These results suggested that 0.50 and 0.75 g kg^(-1) GSE can improve fresh meat color and minimize PMB of HiOx-MAP patties.

Grape Seed Procyanidin Extract Reduces Arsenic- Induced Renal Inflammatory Injury in Male Mice

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ability and mechanism by which grape seed procyanidin extract （GSPE） relieves arsenic trioxide （As2O3）-induced renal inflammatory injury. Therefore, male Kunming mice were treated with As2O3 and/or GSPE by gavage for 5 weeks. Mice were then sacrificed and inflammatory cytokines of kidneys were examined by ELISA, whereas the expression levels of molecules involved in the nuclear factor （NF）-KB signaling pathway were evaluated by both qRT-PCR and Western blot. Our results indicate that GSPE prevents As2O3-mediated renal inflammatory injury by inhibiting activation of the NF-KB signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokine production, while promoting expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Effects of Olive Oil and Grape Seed Oil on Lipid Profile and Blood Pressure in Patients with Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Aims: Hyperlipidemia is one of clear risk factors of diabetes. Regarding its importance, this study was designed to compare the effects of olive oil and grape seed oil on serum lipids and blood pressure in patients with hyperlipidemia in 2015. Methods and Results: In this clinical trial, 60 patients with hyperlipidemia who met inclusion criteria were recruited. Subjects were randomly assigned 3 groups: 1) consume 20 ml/day refined olive oil;2) consume 20 ml/day grape seed oil;3) the control group received no oil. The study period was six weeks. All participants were under Step I diet. Height and weight measurements were taken by Seca scale. Blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride and fasting blood sugar were measured at baseline and after 6 weeks by standard methods. Low-density lipoprotein levels were calculated by the Friedewald’s formula. Data were analyzed with ANOVA test in SPSS software version 16.0. Sixty participants (36 female and 24 male) with the average age of 47.5 ± 9 y and the mean body mass index of 31.78 ± 5.41 kg/m2 had completed the study. Olive oil intervention decreased systolic blood pressure significantly compared to grape seed oil group (P = 0.01). Triglyceride was significantly decreased in olive oil and also triglyceride groups (P = 0.02 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, the effects of olive oil and grape seed oil were better than control group. However, we suggest the substitution of dietary lipids with olive oil because of its more beneficial effects. Registration number for clinical trial: IRCT2014070218329N1 registration code in Iran Clinical Trial site.

Vitamin C, Grape Seed Extract and Citrus Bioflavonoids Protect the Skin against Photoaging: A Review

The skin is a major protective organ of the body. It is constantly exposed to the environment and is very resilient. But exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun results in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent inflammatory responses that can overwhelm the innate protective mechanisms of the skin. This results in damage and premature aging. Strategies to mitigate this premature photoaging might include avoidance of sunlight. However, some sunlight exposure is beneficial to health. One notable example of this is the production of vitamin D. A more practical approach to preventing adverse effects of UV light in the skin is antioxidant supplementation. Dietary antioxidants may help control ROS propagation following UV light exposure. To further evaluate the utility of antioxidants in protecting the skin, in vitro, in vivo and human studies of three well known dietary antioxidants are reviewed and discussed. The data clearly demonstrate that vitamin C, grape seed extract and citrus bioflavonoids have the potential to reduce the damaging effects of excess sun exposure via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating mechanisms. As such, regular ingestion of dietary antioxidants appears to be a useful strategy for protecting the skin against photoaging.

Grape Seed Extract and the Fetal Ductus Arteriosus: A Potential Danger of a Common Herbal Supplement

A female at 28 weeks gestation was referred to pediatric cardiology for a fetal arrhythmia. The echocardiogram revealed premature constriction of the fetal ductus arteriosus. Her work up was unremarkable except for her use of an herbal supplement, grape seed extract, which is advertised as a potent anti-inflammatory medication, and has biochemical properties similar to other medications that have been shown to cause premature ductal constriction. The use of herbal remedies increases each year. Although the public is inundated with radio, television, and internet advertisements for these products, little unbiased information regarding the possible dangers of toxicity or adverse reactions exists. As physicians, we need to be aware of these products, and counsel our patients accordingly.

Efficient semisynthetic approach for large preparation of procyanidin C1 through degradation of grape seed polymeric procyanidins

An efficient method for producing trimeric procyanidin C1(PCC1)was developed through degradation of grape seed polymeric procyanidins(PPCs),using epicatechin(EC)as nucleophile and hydrochloric acid as catalyst.With the yield of PCC1 as the evaluation index,the degradation conditions were optimized by Box-Behnken Design(BBD)based on the results of single-factor experiments.The results showed that the optimal conditions were reaction temperature of 40℃,the ratio of EC and PPCs 2:1,acidity of 0.10 mol/L,and reaction time of 20 min.The yield of PCC1 reached up to 17.7 mg by only one-step degradation of 3 g PPCs.This work proposed a new method for large preparation of PCC1 from waste grape seed polymeric procyanidins.

A review:anticancer activity of grape seed proanthocyanidins

For years,a great deal of work has been carried out on proanthocyanidins extracted from various kinds of plants,of which grape seed proanthocyanidins(GSPs)attract most attention due to their benefi cial roles in human health.Indeed,GSPs have demonstrated substantial health benefi ts for a variety of disorders such as cancer,atherosclerosis,and cardiovascular diseases,to just name a few.In particular,GSPs inhibit cell proliferation,migration and invasion,and induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in various human cancers,including head and neck carcinoma,gastrointestinal tumors,lung cancer,skin tumors,and reproductive tumors,which points them to be promising chemo-preventive and/or chemotherapeutic agents.In this setting,we summarized the eff ects of GSPs against various types of cancer with a focus on the detailed molecular mechanisms involving various signaling pathways of tumor cells,which may serve as a basis for development of improved chemo-preventive or therapeutic strategies for cancer.

Effect of enzymatic extraction conditions on the yield and the polymerization degree of procyanidins

Grape seeds are rich sources of procyanidin(PCs)known for potential health benefi ts.In this study,PCs were extracted from defatted grape seeds by enzymatic method in which pectinase and cellulase were used.The enzyme extraction process was further optimized by single factor experiment and response surface methodology.The optimal conditions were as follows:ethanol concentration of 70%,extraction time of 70 min,extraction temperature of 35℃,liquid/solid ratio of 103:1(mL/g),pectinase/cellulase ratio of 1:1,enzyme/solid ratio of 1:314 w/w.Under the above conditions,the extraction yields and mean degree of polymerisation(mDP)of PCs reached 47.18 mg/g dry material weight and 11.2,respectively.Compared with other extraction methods,enzyme extraction can obtain PCs with higher yield and lower mDP.According to the antioxidant activity test,PCs extracts with lower mDP showed better ability to clear 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical(DPPH).Enzymatic extraction was an effi cient method to obtain oligomeric procyanidin which has stronger antioxidant activity.

An Approximation for the Entropy Measuring in the General Structure of SGSP_(3)

In this article,we calculate various topological invariants such as symmetric division degree index,redefined Zagreb index,VL index,first and second exponential Zagreb index,first and second multiplicative exponential Zagreb indices,symmetric division degree entropy,redefined Zagreb entropy,VL entropy,first and second exponential Zagreb entropies,multiplicative exponential Zagreb entropy.We take the chemical compound named Proanthocyanidins,which is a very useful polyphenol in human’s diet.They are very beneficial for one’s health.These chemical compounds are extracted from grape seeds.They are tremendously anti-inflammatory.A subdivision formof this compound is presented in this article.The compound named subdivided grape seed Proanthocyanidins is abbreviated as SGSP_(3).This network SGSP_(3),is converted and modeled into its mathematical graphical formation with the support of the latest mathematical tools.We have also developed many closed formulas for the measurement of entropy for the general chemical structure of the subdivided grape seed Proanthocyanidins network.The achieved outcomes can be correlated with the chemical version of SGSP_(3) to get a better understanding of its biological as well as physical features.

Grape Seed Extract Attenuates Demyelination in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Mice by Inhibiting Inflammatory Response of Immune Cells

Objective: To examine the anti-inflammatory effect of grape seed extract(GSE) in animal and cellular models and explore its mechanism of action. Methods: This study determined the inhibitory effect of GSE on macrophage inflammation and Th1 and Th17 polarization in vitro. Based on the in vitro results, the effects and mechanisms of GSE on multiple sclerosis(MS)-experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE) mice model were further explored. The C57BL/6 mice were intragastrically administered with 50 mg/kg of GSE once a day from the 3rd day to the 27th day after immunization. The activation of microglia, the polarization of Th1 and Th17and the inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-6, IL-12, IL-17and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) secreted by them were detected in vitro and in vivo by flow cytometry, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), immunofluorescence staining and Western blot, respectively. Results: GSE reduced the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in bone marrow-derived macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide(P<0.01), inhibited the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17 and IFN-γ in spleen cells of EAE mice immunized for 9 days(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and reduced the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 mediated by CD3 and CD28 factors(P<0.01). GSE significantly improved the clinical symptoms of EAE mice, and inhibited spinal cord demyelination and inflammatory cell infiltration. Peripherally, GSE downregulated the expression of toll-like-receptor 4(TLR4) and Rho-associated kinase(ROCKⅡ, P<0.05 or P<0.01), and inhibited the secretion of inflammatory factors(P<0.01 or P<0.05). In the central nervous system, GSE inhibited the infiltration of CD45+CD11b+and CD45+CD4+cells, and weakened the differentiation of Th1 and Th17(P<0.05). Moreover, it reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors(P<0.01), and prevented the activation of microglia(P<0.05). Conclusion: GSE had a beneficial effect on the pathogenesis and progression of EAE by inhibiting inflammatory response as a potential drug and strategy for the treatment of MS.

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract induced mitochondria-associated apoptosis in human acute myeloid leukaemia 14.3D10 cells

The important aim in cancer treatment is the selective killing of cancer cells without damaging healthy cells and the most commonly used chemotherapy for eliminating cancer is achieved by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Therefore, identification of new agents that can selectively kill cancer cells becomes crucial in cancer clinical treatment.

A novel approach of proteomics to study the mechanism of action of grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts on diabetic retinopathy in rats

Background Diabetic retinopathy （DR） is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness among the people of occupational age. To prevent the progress of retina injury, effective therapies directed toward the key molecular target are required. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts （GSPE） have been reported to be effective in treating diabetic complications, while little is discussed about the functional protein changes. Methods We used streptozotocin （STZ） to induce diabetes in rats. GSPE （250 mg/kg body weight per day） were administrated to diabetic rats for 24 weeks. Serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin and advanced glycation end products （AGEs） were determined. Consequently, 2-D difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to investigate retina protein profiles among control, STZ-induced diabetic rats, and GSPE treated diabetic rats. Results GSPE significantly reduced the AGEs of diabetic rats （P 〈0.05）. Moreover, GSPE significantly suppressed the vascular lesions of central regions, decreased capillary enlargements and neovascularization, similar to those of the control rats under light microscope. Eighteen proteins were found either up-regulated or down-regulated in the retina of STZ-induced diabetic rats. And seven proteins in the retina of diabetic rats were found to be back-regulated to normal levels after GSPE therapy. These back-regulated proteins are involved in many important biological processes such as heat shock, ubiquitin-proteasome system, cell proliferation, cell growth and glucose metabolism. Conclusions These findings might promote a better understanding for the mechanism of DR, and provide novel targets for evaluating the effects of GSPE therapy.