Abstract
This research deals with the evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in lymphocytes of rats orally exposed to a thickener and emulsifier E407a (semi-refined carrageenan). There is some evidence that E407a may be toxic and can induce intestinal inflammation. ROS generation in lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry using a dye 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) in 8 rats treated with 140 mg of semi-refined carrageenan per kg of weight daily during two weeks and 8 control animals. A higher number of ROShigh viable lymphocytes were found in the group of animals exposed to E407a compared with controls. In addition, mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in ROShigh lymphocytes was elevated, which is indicative of the intensification of ROS production by lymphocytes in response to E407a oral consumption.
Highlights
Marine algae have been used for decades as a source of carbohydrates such as agar, alginates and carrageenans for food industry [1]
This research deals with the evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in lymphocytes of rats orally exposed to a thickener and emulsifier E407a
7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD)- cells were selected in the region of lymphocytes to analyze the fluorescence of DCF in order to exclude non-viable cells, since 7-AAD is known to be a DNA intercalator that is able to enter the cell only if its membrane integrity is compromised, which is typical for late apoptotic and necrotic cells
Summary
Marine algae have been used for decades as a source of carbohydrates such as agar, alginates and carrageenans for food industry [1]. Carrageenans are registered as food additives E407 and E407a and their share on the food market has been growing for years [3] These carbohydrates obtained from seaweeds can be divided into three major types (λ, κ, and ι) based on the percentage of sulfated monosaccharide units and distribution of the sulfate groups [4]. Growing body of evidence suggests that these marine carbohydrates can prevent virus attachment, entry and replication [7, 8] In addition to their efficiency demonstrated in many studies, carrageenans are characterized by cost-effectiveness and low toxicity [9, 10]. Degraded carrageenan and poligeenan are widely recognized as toxic compounds and their use in food industry is prohibited [10]
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