Annurca apple (M. pumila Miller cv Annurca) extracts act against stress and ageing in S. cerevisiae yeast cells

Abstract

BackgroundDuring the past years, a number of studies have demonstrated the positive effect of apple on ageing and different diseases such as cancer, degenerative and cardiovascular diseases.The unicellular yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae represents a simple eukaryotic model to study the effects of different compounds on lifespan. We previously demonstrated that apple extracts have anti-ageing effects in this organism because of their antioxidant properties.In particular, the effect is related to the presence in this fruit of polyphenols, which give a large contribution to the antioxidant activity of apples.MethodsWe we used a clonogenic assay to assess the viability and the resistance to oxidative stress of S. cerevisiae cells in the presence of Annurca apple extracts.The production of ROS and the aberrant morphology of nuclei were detected by cell staining with the fluorescent dies Dihydrorhodamine 123 and DAPI, respectively. Mitochondrial morphology was analyzed by following the localization of the mito-GFP protein into the mitochondrial matrix.ResultsIn this study, we show that apple extracts can increase yeast lifespan, reduce the levels of reactive oxygen species and cell sensitivity to oxidative stress, and prevent nuclei and mitochondria fragmentation protecting cells from regulated cell death.ConclusionsIn this paper, by using the yeast S. cerevisiae as a model, we have demonstrated that Annurca extracts possess antioxidant properties thanks to which the extracts can reduce the intracellular ROS levels and have anti-apoptotic functions thus prolonging cell lifespan.These results contribute to knowledge on the effects of natural compounds on ageing and support the use of yeast as a model organism for the development of simple tests to assess the effectiveness of bioactive substances from natural sources.

Annurca Apple Polyphenols Ignite Keratin Production in Hair Follicles by Inhibiting the Pentose Phosphate Pathway and Amino Acid Oxidation

“…The plethora of specific and peculiar intracellular pathways activated by this cultivar seems to depend on the high amount of Procyanidin B2 they contain. Annurca Apples polyphenols act as antioxidant, modulate in vivo lipid metabolism and cholesterol levels and act against stress and aging [ 20 , 50 , 51 , 52 ]. Despite the different biological system in which AAE resulted to be active, the identification of the molecular mechanism underpinning its activity is far from being complete.…”

The effects and associations of whole-apple intake on diverse cardiovascular risk factors. A narrative review

“…Thus, the assessed whole apples were able to reduce TC values between 1.1% (GD) and 8.4% (ANN) and LDLc between 2.6% (GD) and 14.5% (ANN), while raising HDLc values between 2.6% (GD) and 15.2% (ANN), and TG values between 6.1% (ANN) and 12.7% (GS) . The ANN apple effects on the lipid profile can be explained, at least in part, by their higher concentration of PCs in comparison with the rest of the compared apples (Stirpe et al 2017). ANN apples are known to have approximately 146 ± 2.64 mg/100 g of total polyphenols, as well as high concentrations of procyanidins, quercetin, and phloretin which are known for their positive health properties (Mari et al 2010).…”

“…In particular, the geographical origin of most of the apple varieties included in the present review was diverse (ANN, Italy; RD, Peru/ Iowa; GS, Australia; GD, United States; F, Japan; Shampion, Czech Republic; Gala, New Zealand; CP, Australia) and was not available in all cases from the original authors. The geographical origin of apples seems to be of paramount importance when analyzing their health properties, since conditions such as the weather, the harvest season, and the type of soil significantly change the apple's nutritional composition (i.e., phenolic content or their mineral, fiber and vitamin content) (Wang et al 2018;Kalinowska et al 2014;Stirpe et al 2017), which affect the various health effects on CVD. Furthermore, quality labels such as the "Protected Geographical Indication" product, given to ANN apples, ensures a specific nutritional composition linked to their geographical origin, which guarantees a standardized apple and the positive cardiovascular effects associated with their consumption.…”

“…However, the total phenolic composition, pattern, and content of apples differ significantly between varieties (Kalinowska et al 2014). Furthermore, apple diversity is influenced by a set of environmental factors including the soil, growing season, and harvest season, as well as their storage conditions and maturity status (Kalinowska et al 2014;Stirpe et al 2017). Despite these differences, the most frequently found PCs in apples are hydroxycinnamic acids (0.05-3 g/kg), flavanols (4.6-25.48 g/kg), dihydrochalcones (0.049-0.434 g/kg), and anthocyanins, which are mainly in the red peel (0.010-0.551 g/kg), which contribute to a total phenolic content that ranges between 5.23 and 27.24 g/kg of their dry weight (Hyson 2011;Gerhauser 2008).…”

“…Despite these differences, the most frequently found PCs in apples are hydroxycinnamic acids (0.05-3 g/kg), flavanols (4.6-25.48 g/kg), dihydrochalcones (0.049-0.434 g/kg), and anthocyanins, which are mainly in the red peel (0.010-0.551 g/kg), which contribute to a total phenolic content that ranges between 5.23 and 27.24 g/kg of their dry weight (Hyson 2011;Gerhauser 2008). In addition, apples contain by a complex set of components such as vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and K, and minerals including iron, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as natural sugars (Stirpe et al 2017). Therefore, to reveal the impact of whole-apple consumption on CVD risk factors, information from observational studies (OSs) and randomized trials (RTs) was analyzed.…”