title: The extract of Ziziphus jujuba fruit (jujube) induces expression of erythropoietin via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in cultured Hep3B cells.
abstract: The fruit of Ziziphus jujuba Mill., known as jujube or Chinese date, is commonly consumed as health supplement or herbal medicine worldwide. To study the beneficial role of jujube in enhancing hematopoietic function, we investigated its roles on the expression of erythropoietin in cultured Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Application of chemically standardized jujube water extract stimulated erythropoietin expression in a dose-dependent manner, with the highest response by ~ 100 % of increase. A plasmid containing hypoxia response element, a critical regulator for erythropoietin transcription, was transfected into Hep3B cells. Application of jujube water extract onto the transfected cells induced the transcriptional activity of the hypoxia response element. To account for its transcriptional activation, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α was increased after treatment with jujube water extract: the increase was in both mRNA and protein levels. These results confirmed the hematopoietic function of jujube in the regulation of erythropoietin expression in liver cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Candy T W
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ava Y Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Janis Y X
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Cathy W C
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Gallant K L
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kelly Y C
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Tina T X
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Karl W K
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tsim
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D031957:Ziziphus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004921:Erythropoietin