title: The molecular mechanism of the cholesterol-lowering effect of dill and kale: The influence of the food matrix components.
abstract: Foods are complex matrices containing many different compounds, all of which contribute to the overall effect of the food itself, although they have different mechanisms of action. While evaluating the effect of bioactive compounds, it is important to consider that the use of a single compound can hide the effects of the other molecules that can act synergistically or antagonistically in the same food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of food matrix components by comparing two edible plants (dill and kale) with cholesterol-lowering potential and similar contents of their most representative bioactive, quercetin. The molecular effects of the extracts were evaluated in HepG2 cells by measuring the expression of sterol-regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) at the mRNA and protein level. The results reported here show that both extracts reduced the cellular cholesterol level with a similar trend and magnitude. It is conceivable that the slightly different results are due to the diverse composition of minor bioactive compounds, indicating that only by considering food as a whole is it possible to understand the complex relationship between food, nutrition, and health in a foodomics vision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agri-Food Science and Technology (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Cesena, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Danesi
authors.affiliation: BioEngLab, Health Science and Technology - Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research (HST-CIRI), University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Agri-Food Science and Technology (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Cesena, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi Filippo
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: D'Antuono
authors.affiliation: Department of Agri-Food Science and Technology (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Cesena, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bordoni
mesh_terms: D028524:Anethum graveolens; D001937:Brassica; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005504:Food Analysis; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051782:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011973:Receptors, LDL; C497390:SREBF2 protein, human; D051782:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2; D002784:Cholesterol; C553220:HMGCR protein, human; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
keywords: Cholesterol; Dill; HepG2; Kale; Quercetin glycosides