Abstract
Tart cherries contain an array of polyphenols that can decrease inflammation and oxidative stress (OS), which contribute to cognitive declines seen in aging populations. Previous studies have shown that polyphenols from dark-colored fruits can reduce stress-mediated signaling in BV-2 mouse microglial cells, leading to decreases in nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Thus, the present study sought to determine if tart cherries—which improved cognitive behavior in aged rats—would be efficacious in reducing inflammatory and OS signaling in HAPI rat microglial cells. Cells were pretreated with different concentrations (0–1.0 mg/mL) of Montmorency tart cherry powder for 1–4 h, then treated with 0 or 100 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) overnight. LPS application increased extracellular levels of NO and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and intracellular levels of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Pretreatment with tart cherry decreased levels of NO, TNF-α, and COX-2 in a dose- and time-dependent manner versus those without pretreatment; the optimal combination was between 0.125 and 0.25 mg/mL tart cherry for 2 h. Higher concentrations of tart cherry powder and longer exposure times negatively affected cell viability. Therefore, tart cherries (like other dark-colored fruits), may be effective in reducing inflammatory and OS-mediated signals.
Highlights
Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation in the brain contribute to the decline of motor abilities and cognitive performance with age [1,2]
The images showed that 1.000 mg/mL of tart cherry powder was too high of a concentration for treatment, and only the lower concentrations of 0.062, 0.125, 0.250, and 0.500 mg/mL were used for testing protection against LPS-induced inflammation and OS
There was no change in viability in control cells or cells treated with 100 ng/mL LPS, showing that this doseinofcontrol
Summary
Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation in the brain contribute to the decline of motor abilities and cognitive performance with age [1,2]. While OS and inflammation both increase with age, the body’s ability to defend and repair itself decreases through the lifespan [3,4]. This makes the brain more susceptible to the deleterious effects of OS and inflammation. Increased intake of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds are believed to protect against this decline [5]. Polyphenols are compounds from plants involved in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory cell activities that may be responsible (via an array of health-related bioactivities) for the multitude of beneficial effects that have been reported due to fruit and vegetable consumption [6]. The components of cherries may act directly to improve brain cell function and signaling, and/or may be more generally affecting
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
