LIBRO-CONGRESO-CITRUS

S20O06
Evaluation of the anticancer activity on prostate cancer by low molecular weight citrus pectin
Lu S. 1 , Chen J. 1 , Yin Y. 2 , Xia Q. 1 , Zhang J. 1 , and Yang Y. 1
1 Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ZAAS), Institute of Food Science, China; and 2 Zhejiang Normal University (ZNU), College
of Chemistry and Life Science, China. lushengmin@hotmail.com
Low molecular weight citrus pectin (LMCP) was prepared by treating commercial citrus pectin (CP)
at 121ºC for 30 min and then lyophilized. The molecular properties including weight, galacturonic acid
content and degree of esterification (DE) of LMCP and CP were determined, and their resistance capacity
on hormone-independent prostate cancer PC3 cells in vitro was investigated as well. Galatin-3 levels in
PC3 cells were detected using Northern blotting. The results indicated that the average molecular weight
(Mp), galacturonic acid content and DE of LMCP were 6685u, 78% and 38% respective in LMCP compared
to 55,654 u, 64% and 59% respectively in CP. Both CP and LMCP had inhibitive activities to PC3 vitality in a
dose-dependent manner, however, LMCP had stronger inhibition capacity against PC3 cells. The inhibition
of LMCP in middle dose (2.5 mg/mL) to PC3 cell viability was 38%, and the inhibition rate increased to 80%
~90% when treated with LMCP in high dose (5-10 mg/mL). The IC50 for inhibiting PC3 cells proliferation was
3.55±0.44 mg/mL. Galactin-3 level in PC3 cells treated with 10 mg/mL LMCP had no significant difference
with that in the control cells, which indicated that the anticancer activity of LMCP on PC3 cells might have
no relation with galactin-3 levels.
S20O07
A molecular approach to characterize the accumulation of ascorbic acid in citrus fruits
Alós E, Legaz P., Rodrigo M.J, and Zacarías L.
Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Food Science, Spain. ealos@iata.csic.es
Citrus fruits are widely recognized by their concentration of vitamin C and therefore as one of the major
sources of ascorbic acid (AsA) for human nutrition and health. Moreover, AsA is the most abundant
antioxidant present in plant cells and plays important roles in many developmental and stress processes. The
biosynthesis of AsA in higher plants has been elucidated recently and to date four, somehow interlinked, AsA
biosynthetic pathways have been proposed; namely the L-Galactose, the L-Gulose, the Myo-inositol and the
D-Galacturonic acid pathways. Despite the relevance of AsA in citrus fruits, the biochemical and molecular
bases of its synthesis and accumulation are almost unknown. Therefore, the objective of the present work
has been to initiate a molecular characterization of the metabolic pathways involved in the synthesis and
accumulation of AsA in citrus fruits in order to understand its regulation and to identify potential key steps of
the pathway. Nine genes belonging to the four biosynthetic pathways and also to the degradation and recycling
of AsA have been selected and their expression characterized in peel and pulp of fruit during development
and maturation. Results in fruits of selected citrus varieties indicate that changes in AsA content appear to be
regulated not only by de novo biosynthesis of AsA but also by degradation, recycling and transport, and that
different mechanisms may operate in peel and pulp.
S20P01
Protective effect of grapefruit naringin on atherosclerosis development and identification of the
underlying mechanisms
Milenkovic D. 1 , Chanet A. 1 , Habauzit V. 2 , Bennetau-Pelissero C. 3 , Berard A.M. 4 , Mazur A. 1 , and Morand C. 1
1 INRA, UMR1019, Unité Nutrition Humaine, France; 2 Centre Investigation Clinique, CIC-CPC INSERM 501, Centre Hospitalier
Universitaire, Clermont-Ferrand, France; 3 Université de Bordeaux, ENITA Bordeaux 1, France; and 4 ERU « Facteurs de risque vasculaires
», CHU-Université de Bordeaux, France. christine.morand@clermont.inra.fr
The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-atherogenic effect of naringin in a mouse model of
hypercholesterolemia (mice fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet) and decipher its molecular targets in aorta
using nutrigenomic approach. Dietary naringin supplementation (0.02% wt/wt) for 18 weeks reduced plaque
progression by 41% compared to controls as well the concentrations of several biomarkers of endothelial
XII INTERNATIONAL CITRUS CONGRESS 2012 - 345
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