Effect of heat-killed KW3110 on mild to moderate seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms in Japanese adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study.

Background: In recent years, the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis has increased rapidly in Japan, becoming a social problem. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of tablets containing KW3110 ( KW3110) on allergic symptoms in the nose and eyes.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 120 healthy adults with mild to moderate allergic rhinitis ingested either a placebo tablet or a test tablet containing KW3110 for 12 weeks (from January to April).

Serum Carotenoid Concentrations Are Associated with Enlarged Choroid Plexus, Lateral Ventricular Volume, and Perivascular Spaces on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Large Cohort Study.

Rationale And Objectives: Since carotenoids have various physiological activities, including antioxidant activity, several epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of a carotenoid-rich diet to a decreased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Increased choroid plexus volume (CPV) and enlarged perivascular spaces (PVS) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be indicators of impaired glymphatic system function. The purpose of this large-scale elderly population study was to assess whether serum concentrations of major carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, cis-lycopene, trans-lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein) concentrations are associated with CPV, lateral ventricular volume (LVV), and PVS.

Effects of monitoring dietary biomarkers and providing vegetable juice on metabolic syndrome components in adults with an overweight or obese body mass index in Ulaanbaatar: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Mongolian people have traditionally had poor vegetable intake habits, which is a cause of increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Monitoring vegetable intake through the dietary biomarkers such as skin carotenoid level, and urinary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio (represents intake status of salt and vegetable), has been recently suggested to be useful to improve dietary habits. Vegetable juices are an easy way to consume vegetable-derived ingredients.

Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds determined using an antioxidant response element luciferase reporter and conventional NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 activity assay.

Objective: Various plants have been reported to contain compounds that promote the transcriptional activity of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to induce a set of xenobiotic detoxifying enzymes, such as NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), via the antioxidant response element (ARE). While conventional methods for evaluating Nrf2 induction potency include measurement of NQO1 activity, an ARE luciferase reporter assay was recently developed to specifically assess Nrf2 induction potency of compounds of interest. In this study, we compared the abilities of these two assays to evaluate and determine Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds.

Characteristics of and changes in the cardiometabolic measures of Japanese workers grouped according to their vegetables and salt intake through workplace cafeteria meals.

Objective: This study aimed to objectively evaluate the diet consumed in a workplace cafeteria to group Japanese workers according to vegetables and salt intake and estimate the association of these groups with changes in cardiometabolic measurements.

Design: This longitudinal observational study estimated the food and nutrient intake of Japanese workers from data recorded in the cafeteria system of their workplace. The primary outcomes included cardiometabolic measures obtained via regular health check-ups conducted at the workplace.

Neoxanthin is undetectable in human blood after ingestion of fresh young spinach leaf.

In a previous study, we demonstrated that the carotenoid neoxanthin was contained in young leafy vegetables including spinach and showed a fat accumulation inhibitory effect in vitro. To evaluate the bioavailability of neoxanthin, a raw young spinach leaf (100 g day-1 for 4 weeks) intake test was performed on 14 participants (36.5 ± 8.

Inter-Day Variation in the Fasting Plasma Lipopolysaccharide Concentration in the Morning Is Associated with Inter-Day Variation in Appetite in Japanese Males: A Short-Term Cohort Study.

Injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a product of gut bacteria, into the blood increases blood triglycerides and cortisol, an appetite-stimulating hormone. Meanwhile, small amounts of LPS derived from gut bacteria are thought to enter the bloodstream from the gut in daily basis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LPS influx on appetite or lipid metabolism in humans in everyday life.

Association of Plasma Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein Concentration with Dietary Factors, Gut Microbiota, and Health Status in the Japanese General Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The influx of intestinal bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the blood has attracted attention as a cause of diseases. The aim of this study is investigating the associations between the influx of LPS, dietary factors, gut microbiota, and health status in the general adult population. Food/nutrient intake, gut microbiota, health status and plasma LPS-binding protein (LBP; LPS exposure indicator) were measured in 896 residents (58.

Neoxanthin in young vegetable leaves prevents fat accumulation in differentiated adipocytes.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of young leaves on fat accumulation in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A potent preventive effect on fat accumulation was observed in fractions of young leaves of spinach, beet, and arugula extracted with a low-polarity solvent (hexane:acetone:ethanol:toluene = 10:6:7:6). This effect was seemingly associated with the leaf carotenoid content, including lutein, β-carotene, and neoxanthin.

Sodium/potassium ratio change was associated with blood pressure change: possibility of population approach for sodium/potassium ratio reduction in health checkup.

Recently, the sodium (Na)/potassium (K) ratio was reported to be associated with blood pressure (BP). A Na/K ratio self-monitoring device using spot urine was established recently. Here, we assessed whether the urinary Na/K ratio change measured using the Na/K device was associated with BP change in a health checkup setting.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the NRF2 promoter with vascular stiffness with aging.

Purpose: Pulse wave velocity (PWV), an indicator of vascular stiffness, increases with age and is increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although many mechanical and chemical factors underlie the stiffness of the elastic artery, genetic risk factors related to age-dependent increases in PWV in apparently healthy people are largely unknown. The transcription factor nuclear factor E2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is activated by unidirectional vascular pulsatile shear stress or oxidative stress, regulates vascular redox homeostasis.

Lycopene prevents the progression of lipotoxicity-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by decreasing oxidative stress in mice.

Excessive fatty acid uptake-induced oxidative stress causes liver injury and the consecutive recruitment of inflammatory immune cells, thereby promoting the progression of simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Lycopene, the most effective singlet oxygen scavenger of the antioxidant carotenoids, has anti-inflammatory activity. Here, we investigated the preventive and therapeutic effects of lycopene in a lipotoxic model of NASH: mice fed a high-cholesterol and high-fat diet.

Lycopene Alleviates Obesity-Induced Inflammation and Insulin Resistance by Regulating M1/M2 Status of Macrophages.

Scope: Adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) recruitment and polarization are pivotal in the development of insulin resistance. However, treatment modalities targeting ATMs remain limited. The effects of lycopene, an antioxidant carotenoid compound, on adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in high fat (HF)-diet-induced obese mice are examined.

Dietary intake of glucoraphanin prevents the reduction of dopamine transporter in the mouse striatum after repeated administration of MPTP.

Aims: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Although diet may influence the development of PD, the precise mechanisms underlying relationship between diet and PD pathology are unknown. Here, we examined whether dietary intake of glucoraphanin (GF), the precursor of a natural antioxidant sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables, can affect the reduction of dopamine transporter (DAT) in the mouse striatum after repeated administration of MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine).

Dietary glucoraphanin prevents the onset of psychosis in the adult offspring after maternal immune activation.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) contributes to behavioral abnormalities relevant to schizophrenia in adult offspring, although the molecular mechanisms underlying MIA-induced behavioral changes remain unclear. Here we demonstrated that dietary intake of glucoraphanin (GF), the precursor of a natural antioxidant sulforaphane, during juvenile and adolescent stages prevented cognitive deficits and loss of parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of adult offspring after MIA. Gene set enrichment analysis by RNA sequencing showed that MIA caused abnormal expression of centrosome-related genes in the PFC and hippocampus of adult offspring, and that dietary intake of GF improved these abnormal gene expressions.

Glucoraphanin Ameliorates Obesity and Insulin Resistance Through Adipose Tissue Browning and Reduction of Metabolic Endotoxemia in Mice.

Low-grade sustained inflammation links obesity to insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, therapeutic approaches to improve systemic energy balance and chronic inflammation in obesity are limited. Pharmacological activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) alleviates obesity and insulin resistance in mice; however, Nrf2 inducers are not clinically available owing to safety concerns.

Prophylactic effects of sulforaphane on depression-like behavior and dendritic changes in mice after inflammation.

Inflammation plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression. Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate compound derived from broccoli, is a potent activator of the NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), which plays a role in inflammation. In this study, we examined whether the prevention effects of SFN in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced depression-like behavior in mice.

Role of Keap1-Nrf2 signaling in depression and dietary intake of glucoraphanin confers stress resilience in mice.

The transcription factor Keap1-Nrf2 system plays a key role in inflammation which is involved in depression. We found lower expression of Keap1 and Nrf2 proteins in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus in mice with depression-like phenotype compared to control mice. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Nrf2 knock-out (KO) mice were higher than those of wild-type mice, suggestive of enhanced inflammation in KO mice.

Sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract improves hepatic abnormalities in male subjects.

Aim: To evaluate effects of dietary supplementation of sulforaphane (SF)-rich broccoli sprout (BS) extract on hepatic abnormalities in Japanese male participants.

Methods: In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial, male participants with fatty liver received either BS capsules containing glucoraphanin [GR; a precursor of SF (n = 24)] or placebo (n = 28) for 2 mo. Liver function markers, serum levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST and ALT, respectively) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) and an oxidative stress marker, urinary levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), were measured and compared in participants before and after the trial period.

Broccoli sprout extract induces detoxification-related gene expression and attenuates acute liver injury.

Aim: To investigate the effects of broccoli sprout extract (BSEx) on liver gene expression and acute liver injury in the rat.

Methods: First, the effects of BSEx on liver gene expression were examined. Male rats were divided into two groups.

Dietary Intake of Sulforaphane-Rich Broccoli Sprout Extracts during Juvenile and Adolescence Can Prevent Phencyclidine-Induced Cognitive Deficits at Adulthood.

Oxidative stress and inflammation play a role in cognitive impairment, which is a core symptom of schizophrenia. Furthermore, a hallmark of the pathophysiology of this disease is the dysfunction of cortical inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons expressing parvalbumin (PV), which is also involved in cognitive impairment. Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from broccoli, is a potent activator of the transcription factor Nrf2, which plays a central role in the inducible expressions of many cytoprotective genes in response to oxidative stress.