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Assessing the intestinal permeability and anti-inflammatory potential of sesquiterpene lactones from chicory
Chicory is a main dietary source of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), which have underexplored bioactive potential. It has recently gained popularity due to large quantities of health promoting compounds in its roots, including inulin and SLs.
We are pleased to announce the recently accepted scientific publication about chicory from one of our partners, Claudia Nunes dos Santos from iBET entitled, “Assessing the Intestinal Permeability and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Sesquiterpene Lactones from Chicory”, published in Nutrients (https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113547).
In the study, researchers have assessed the capacity of SLs to permeate the intestinal barrier to become physiologically available, using in silico predictions and in vitro studies with the well-established cell model of the human intestinal mucosa (differentiated Caco-2 cells). Researchers also evaluated the potential of SLs to modulate inflammatory responses through modulation of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) pathway, using a yeast reporter system. The study revealed Lactucopicrin as the most permeable chicory SL in the intestinal barrier model but had low anti-inflammatory potential. Accordingly, 11β,13-dihydrolactucin SL showed with the highest anti-inflammatory potential, which inhibited up to 54% of Calcineurin-responsive zinc finger (Crz1) activation, concomitantly with the impairment of the nuclear accumulation of Crz1, the yeast orthologue of human NFAT.
To learn more about the study, please follow this link: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3547
More news about this project:
How art and science are helping chicory: an inside look at the new CHIC project
Among the various projects which are supported through the EU Horizon 2020 funding programme is the CHIC research and innovation project.
CHIC scientists and artists meeting at Keygene
Scientists and artists meet at KeyGene -an independent biotechnology company- in Wageningen, last week. The CHIC project aimed at implementing New Plant Breeding Techniques in chicory, in order to establish it as a multipurpose crop for sustainable molecular farming of products with consumer benefits
CHIC project at the European Researchers’ Night in Belgrade (Serbia)
The Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” has presented the CHIC project at European Researchers’ Night 2018, held in Belgrade, september 28th – 29th.