Showing papers on "Flavanone published in 2005"

The Arabidopsis Transcription Factor MYB12 Is a Flavonol-Specific Regulator of Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis

Abstract: Comprehensive functional data on plant R2R3-MYB transcription factors is still scarce compared to the manifold of their occurrence. Here, we identified the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) R2R3-MYB transcription factor MYB12 as a flavonol-specific activator of flavonoid biosynthesis. Transient expression in Arabidopsis protoplasts revealed a high degree of functional similarity between MYB12 and the structurally closely related factor P from maize (Zea mays). Both displayed similar target gene specificity, and both activated target gene promoters only in the presence of a functional MYB recognition element. The genes encoding the flavonoid biosynthesis enzymes chalcone synthase, chalcone flavanone isomerase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase, and flavonol synthase were identified as target genes. Hence, our observations further add to the general notion of a close relationship between structure and function of R2R3-MYB factors. High-performance liquid chromatography analyses of myb12 mutant plants and MYB12 overexpression plants demonstrate a tight linkage between the expression level of functional MYB12 and the flavonol content of young seedlings. Quantitative real time reverse transcription-PCR using these mutant plants showed MYB12 to be a transcriptional regulator of CHALCONE SYNTHASE and FLAVONOL SYNTHASE in planta, the gene products of which are indispensable for the biosynthesis of flavonols.

Experimental determination of octanol-water partition coefficients of quercetin and related flavonoids.

Abstract: Octanol-water partition coefficient (log P) values were determined for flavonoids from the flavone, flavonol, flavanone, and isoflavonoid subclasses. Each flavonoid was dissolved in an octanol-water system and allowed to equilibrate, and then both fractions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. log P was calculated as log[ratio of the concentration in the octanol phase to the concentration in the aqueous phase at pH 7.4]. The aglycons were more lipophilic than any conjugate. The conjugate moiety had a more significant effect on log P than the aglycon moiety. Quercetin was the least lipophilic aglycon (log P = 1.82 +/- 0.32) and, together with kaempferol (log P = 3.11 +/-0.54), gave the most variable results. The isoflavones genistein and daidzein and the isoflavone metabolite equol gave relatively high log P values (3.04 +/- 0.02, 2.51 +/- 0.06, and 3.20 +/- 0.13, respectively), while glycitein had an unexpectedly low value of 1.97 +/- 0.05. The conjugation characteristics and hydroxylation pattern were the most important determinants of log P in general, and log P was highly variable within the flavonoid subclass. The results are discussed in terms of further understanding of the in vivo fate of the flavonoids as important dietary bioactives.

Antiherpetic Activities of Flavonoids against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) and Type 2 (HSV-2) In Vitro

Abstract: Flavonoids, a group of low molecular weight phenylbenzopyrones, have various pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anticancer, bactericidal, and anti-inflammatory. We carried out anti-herpetic assays on 18 flavonoids in five classes and a virus-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibitory assay, plaque reduction assay, and yield reduction assay were performed. When flavonoids were applied at various concentrations to Vero cells infected by HSV-1 and 2, most of the flavonoids showed inhibitory effects on virus-induced CPE. Among the flavonoids, EC, ECG (flavanols), genistein (isoflavone), naringenin (flavanone), and quercetin (flavonol) showed a high level of CPE inhibitory activity. The antiviral activity of flavonoids were also examined by a plaque reduction assay. EC, ECG., galangin, and kaempferol showed a strong antiviral activity, and catechin, EGC, EGCG., naringenin, chrysin, baicalin, fisetin, myricetin, quercetin, and genistein showed moderate inhibitory effects against HSV-1. In these experiments, flavanols and flavonols appeared to be more active than flavones. Furthermore, treatment of Vero cells with ECG and galangin (which previously showed strong antiviral activities) before virus adsorption led to a slight enhancement of inhibition as determined by a yield reduction assay, indicating that an intracellular effect may also be involved.

Partial reconstruction of flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis in yeast using soybean type I and type II chalcone isomerases.

Abstract: Flavonoids and isoflavonoids are major plant secondary metabolites that mediate diverse biological functions and exert significant ecological impacts. These compounds play important roles in many essential physiological processes. In addition, flavonoids and isoflavonoids have direct but complex effects on human health, ranging from reducing cholesterol levels and preventing certain cancers to improving women9s health. In this study, we cloned and functionally characterized five soybean ( Glycine max ) chalcone isomerases (CHIs), key enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway that produces flavonoids and isoflavonoids. Gene expression and kinetics analysis suggest that the soybean type I CHI, which uses naringenin chalcone as substrate, is coordinately regulated with other flavonoid-specific genes, while the type II CHIs, which use a variety of chalcone substrates, are coordinately regulated with an isoflavonoid-specific gene and specifically activated by nodulation signals. Furthermore, we found that some of the newly identified soybean CHIs do not require the 4′-hydroxy moiety on the substrate for high enzyme activity. We then engineered yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) to produce flavonoid and isoflavonoid compounds. When one of the type II CHIs was coexpressed with an isoflavone synthase, the enzyme catalyzing the first committed step of isoflavonoid biosynthesis, various chalcone substrates added to the culture media were converted to an assortment of isoflavanones and isoflavones. We also reconstructed the flavonoid pathway by coexpressing CHI with either flavanone 3 β -hydroxylase or flavone synthase II. The in vivo reconstruction of the flavonoid and isoflavonoid pathways in yeast provides a unique platform to study enzyme interactions and metabolic flux.

Biosynthesis of Natural Flavanones in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract: A four-step flavanone biosynthetic pathway was constructed and introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The recombinant yeast strain was fed with phenylpropanoid acids and produced the flavanones naringenin and pinocembrin 62 and 22 times more efficiently compared to previously reported recombinant prokaryotic strains. Microbial biosynthesis of the flavanone eriodictyol was also achieved.

Efficient production of (2S)-flavanones by Escherichia coli containing an artificial biosynthetic gene cluster

Abstract: For the fermentative production of plant-specific flavanones (naringenin, pinocembrin) by Escherichia coli, a plasmid was constructed which carried an artificial biosynthetic gene cluster, including PAL encoding a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from a yeast, ScCCL encoding a cinnamate/coumarate:CoA ligase from the actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), CHS encoding a chalcone synthase from a licorice plant and CHI encoding a chalcone isomerase from the Pueraria plant. The recombinant E. coli cells produced (2S)-naringenin from tyrosine and (2S)-pinocembrin from phenylalanine. When the two subunit genes of acetyl-CoA carboxylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum were expressed under the control of the T7 promoter and the ribosome-binding sequence in the recombinant E. coli cells, the flavanone yields were greatly increased, probably because enhanced expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase increased a pool of malonyl-CoA that was available for flavanone synthesis. Under cultural conditions where E. coli at a cell density of 50 g/l was incubated in the presence of 3 mM tyrosine or phenylalanine, the yields of naringenin and pinocembrin reached about 60 mg/l. The fermentative production of flavanones in E. coli is the first step in the construction of a library of flavonoid compounds and un-natural flavonoids in bacteria.

Metabolic engineering of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.

Abstract: Anthocyanins are red, purple, or blue plant pigments that belong to the family of polyphenolic compounds collectively called flavonoids. Their demonstrated antioxidant properties and economic importance to the dye, fruit, and cut-flower industries have driven intensive research into their metabolic biosynthetic pathways. In order to produce stable, glycosylated anthocyanins from colorless flavanones such as naringenin and eriodictyol, a four-step metabolic pathway was constructed that contained plant genes from heterologous origins: flavanone 3β-hydroxylase from Malus domestica, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase from Anthurium andraeanum, anthocyanidin synthase (ANS) also from M. domestica, and UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase from Petunia hybrida. Using two rounds of PCR, each one of the four genes was first placed under the control of the trc promoter and its own bacterial ribosome-binding site and then cloned sequentially into vector pK184. Escherichia coli cells containing the recombinant plant pathway were able to take up either naringenin or eriodictyol and convert it to the corresponding glycosylated anthocyanin, pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside or cyanidin 3-O-glucoside. The produced anthocyanins were present at low concentrations, while most of the metabolites detected corresponded to their dihydroflavonol precursors, as well as the corresponding flavonols. The presence of side product flavonols is at least partly due to an alternate reaction catalyzed by ANS. This is the first time plant-specific anthocyanins have been produced from a microorganism and opens up the possibility of further production improvement by protein and pathway engineering.

Determination of flavonoids in citrus juices by micro‐HPLC‐ESI/MS

Abstract: Flavonoids are a large class of naturally occurring aromatic secondary plant metabolites. They constitute one of the most characteristic classes found in nature and more than 4000 flavonoids have been identified and divided into several subclasses. Flavonoids have several effects on human health, mainly related to their antioxidant activity. As a result of the increased interest in the biologically active compounds in food, many research studies have investigated the detection and quantification of antioxidants. Citrus plants are of great interest since they accumulate large amounts of flavonoids and fruit and juices of these species are consumed in large quantities. Despite the extensive research performed on Citrus flavonoids, many compounds still remain unidentified. In this work, flavonoids of five citrus juices: lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, orange, and mandarin were analyzed by microHPLC coupled on-line with an MS detector equipped with an ESI source operating in negative mode. The use of microcolumn HPLC greatly enhanced detection performance. In total, 20 flavonoids of two different subclasses (flavanone and flavone glycosides) were identified with the help of retention data and MS spectral information.

Tumor-specificity and apoptosis-inducing activity of stilbenes and flavonoids.

Abstract: We have previously reported the tumor-specific cytotoxicity of flavonoids and analogous phenols. Most pryranoflavones and their derivatives and prenylated or geranylated flavones were cytotoxic, but showed weak tumor-specificity (TS=0.32.3), suggesting that the presence of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups within the molecule are necessary for the cytotoxic activity (1-3). Licochalcone B, a chalcone derivative without the isoprenoid group, showed the highest tumorspecificity (TS=31.7). Isoprenoid-substituted chalcone showed higher cytotoxicity, and prenylation(s) on an isoflavone, genistein, also increased the cytotoxicity, but is not necessary for tumor-specificity (4). Among flavonoids and 2arylbenzofurans with isoprenoid substituents, sanggenol M, sanggenon C and sanggenon B showed some tumor-specific cytotoxicity (TS= 2.5, 2.7 and 2.3, respectively). These compounds are Diels-Alder-type adducts with a chalcone and a 6-dehydrogeranyl(prenyl)flavanone and its derivative. Seven other flavanones showed similar tumor-specificity (TS=1.63.0), whereas the more hydrophobic 2-arylbenzofurans showed much weaker cytotoxicity and tumor-specificity (TS=1.0-1.5) (5). Benzophenones, compounds with two isoprenoid groups, showed higher cytotoxicity than the monoprenylated compound, but they showed weak tumorspecific cytotoxicity (TS=1.2-1.3). Fourteen xanthones showed marginal tumor-specific cytotoxicity (TS=1.1->2.0) (6). Thirteen anthraquinones showed relatively higher tumorspecific cytotoxicity. Among them, emodin and aloe-emodin, without glycosylation, were the most potent (TS=8.5 and >18.6, respectively), whereas other anthraquinone glycosides (TS=1.0->3.4), phenylbutane glucosides (TS=1.5-3.3) and naphthalene glucosides (TS=1.1->1.4) were less active. These data suggest that the glycosyl moiety is not necessary for the tumor-specificity of anthraquinones (7). Studies with eleven isoflavones and isoflavanones from Sophora species suggest that: (i) compounds with two isoprenyl groups (one in the A-ring and the other in the B-ring) or the ·,·dimethylallyl group at C-5’ of the B-ring should have

Structure-activity relationships of the inhibitory effects of flavonoids on P-glycoprotein-mediated transport in KB-C2 cells.

Abstract: We studied the effects of flavonoids, naringenin (flavanone), baicalein (flavone), kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, morin, and fisetin (flavonols) as well as two glycosides of quercetin on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) function in multidrug-resistant P-gp overexpressing KB-C2 cells. Flavonoids such as kaempferol and quercetin increased the accumulation of rhodamine-123 dependent on their chemical structure. Analysis by flow cytometry indicated that the increase in substrate accumulation was due to the inhibition of substrate efflux. Naringenin, which lacks the 2,3-double bond in the C ring, had no effect, although it was more hydrophobic than myricetin, fisetin and morin. Therefore, the planar structure of the flavonoids seemed to be important for their interaction with P-gp. The effects of other flavonoids on the accumulation of daunorubicin were in the order of kaempferol>quercetin, baicalein>myricetin>fisetin, morin. Quercetin-3-O-glucoside and rutin had no effect. The order of the effects corresponded with that of the partition coefficients. Difference in the number and position of hydroxyl groups in flavonoid molecules by themselves seemed to have little effect. These results suggested that hydrophobicity as well as planar structure is important for the inhibitory effects of flavonoids on P-gp-mediated transport.

Isolation and identification of flavonoids, including flavone rotamers, from the herbal drug ‘crataegi folium cum flore’ (hawthorn)

Abstract: Twelve flavonoids, including seven flavones, four flavonols and one flavanone, were isolated from methanolic extract of the herbal drug 'Crataegi folium cum flore' (hawthorn leaves and flowers) by a combination of CC (over Amberlite XAD-7 and Sephadex LH-20) and preparative HPLC. Their structures, including that of the novel flavonol 8-methoxykaempferol 3-O-(6"-malonyl-beta-glucopyranoside), were elucidated by homo- and heteronuclear NMR and electrospray/MS. The 1H- and 13C-NMR of all compounds, including rotameric pairs of five flavone C-glycosides, were assigned. The presence and relative proportion of each rotamer was shown by various NMR experiments, including two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser and exchange spectroscopy, to depend on solvent, linkage position and structure of the C-glycosyl substituent.

Investigation of Two Distinct Flavone Synthases for Plant-Specific Flavone Biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract: Flavones are plant secondary metabolites that have wide pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. We previously constructed a recombinant flavanone pathway by expressing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae a four-step recombinant pathway that consists of cinnamate-4 hydroxylase, 4-coumaroyl:coenzyme A ligase, chalcone synthase, and chalcone isomerase. In the present work, the biosynthesis of flavones by two distinct flavone synthases was evaluated by introducing a soluble flavone synthase I (FSI) and a membrane-bound flavone synthase II (FSII) into the flavanone-producing recombinant yeast strain. The resulting recombinant strains were able to convert various phenylpropanoid acid precursors into the flavone molecules chrysin, apigenin, and luteolin, and the intermediate flavanones pinocembrin, naringenin, and eriodictyol accumulated in the medium. Improvement of flavone biosynthesis was achieved by overexpressing the yeast P450 reductase CPR1 in the FSII-expressing recombinant strain and by using acetate rather than glucose or raffinose as the carbon source. Overall, the FSI-expressing recombinant strain produced 50% more apigenin and six times less naringenin than the FSII-expressing recombinant strain when p-coumaric acid was used as a precursor phenylpropanoid acid. Further experiments indicated that unlike luteolin, the 5,7,4′-trihydroxyflavone apigenin inhibits flavanone biosynthesis in vivo in a nonlinear, dose-dependent manner.

Silver complexation and tandem mass spectrometry for differentiation of isomeric flavonoid diglycosides.

Abstract: For detection and differentiation of isomeric flavonoids, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is used to generate silver complexes of the type (Ag + flavonoid)+. Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of the resulting 1:1 silver/flavonoid complexes allows isomer differentiation of flavonoids. Eighteen flavonoid diglycosides constituting seven isomeric series are distinguishable from each other based on the CAD patterns of their silver complexes. Characteristic dissociation pathways allow identification of the site of glycosylation, the type of disaccharide (rutinose versus neohesperidose), and the type of aglycon (flavonol versus flavone versus flavanone). This silver complexation method is more universal than previous metal complexation methods, as intense silver complexes are observed even for flavonoids that lack the typical metal chelation sites. To demonstrate the feasibility of using silver complexation and tandem mass spectrometry to characterize flavonoids in complex mixtures, flavonoids...

Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-inhibitory activity of flavanones from Citrus unshiu and Poncirus trifoliata.

Abstract: This study examined the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-inhibitory activity of the flavanones isolated from the pericarp of Citrus unshiu (Family Rutaceae) and the fruit of Poncirus trifoliata (Family Rutaceae). Naringenin, hesperetin and ponciretin potently inhibited IgE-induced beta-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells and the PCA reaction. Among the flavanones examined, naringenin was the most potent with an IC50 value for beta-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells of 0.029 mM. Intraperitoneally administered naringenin (5 mg/kg) inhibited PCA by 70 +/- 1.7 %, compared with the control group. The inhibitory activity of naringenin was found to be comparable to that of azelastine, which is a commercially available antiallergic drug. However, their glycosides, hesperidin, naringin and poncirin, did not inhibit the in vitro release of beta-hexosaminidase from the RBL-2H3 cells. On the other hand, these flavanones did not improve the oxazolone-induced dermatitis in the mouse ears. When the flavanone glycosides were administered to rats, the aglycones, but not the flavanone glycosides, were excreted in urine. This suggests that the flavanone glycosides can be activated by intestinal bacteria, and may be effective toward IgE-induced atopic allergies.

Cytotoxic chalcones and flavonoids from the leaves of Muntingia calabura

Abstract: Two new dihydrochalcones, 2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxydihydrochalcone, (-)-3'-methoxy-2',4',beta-trihydroxydihydrochalcone, a new flavanone, (2 S)-(-)-5'-hydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavanone, and a new flavonol derivative, muntingone, along with sixteen known compounds, were isolated from the leaves of Muntingia calabura. The structures of these new compounds were determined using spectral analyses including extensive 2D NMR data. Among the isolates, (2 S)-5'-hydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavanone, 4'-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone, 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone, and 2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxychalcone exhibited cytotoxicity (IC (50) values < 4 microg/mL) against P-388 and/or HT-29 cell lines in vitro.

Investigation of the biosynthesis of 3-deoxyanthocyanins in Sinningia cardinalis

Abstract: 3-Deoxyanthocyanins provide bright orange-red colours to flowers of some members of the Gesneriaceae, including sinningia (Sinningia cardinalis). We examined 3-deoxyanthocyanin biosynthesis in sinningia, in particular, the expression of key flavonoid biosynthetic genes and the activities of the encoded proteins. Two abundant 3-deoxyanthocyanins, luteolinidin 5-O-glucoside and apigeninidin 5-O-glucoside, three flavone glycosides, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucuronide and apigenin 7-O-glucuronide, and the cinnamic acid verbascoside were identified in sinningia petal tissue. Small amounts of a 3-hydroxyanthocyanin were also detected in a limited region of the petal. cDNA clones for three flavonoid enzymes, flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase/flavanone 4-reductase (DFR/FNR) and anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), were isolated from a sinningia cDNA library made from petal RNA and used to measure transcript abundance during petal development. Only very low levels of F3H transcript were detected, while DFR/FNR transcript was highly abundant. ANS transcript levels were intermediate between these two. The F3H cDNA was shown to encode a functional F3H protein by complementation of the phenotype of an Antirrhinum majus F3H mutant. The recombinant DFR/FNR had activity against both flavanone and dihydroflavonol substrates to a comparable extent. The results suggest a mechanism of 3-deoxyflavonoid biosynthesis in sinningia similar to that reported for Zea mays, in which lack of F3H activity allows action of the DFR/FNR on flavanone substrates and production of flavan-4-ols. These are then likely converted to 3-deoxyanthocyanins through the action of the ANS and subsequent glucosylation.

Novel, Complex Flavonoids from Mallotus philippensis (Kamala Tree)

Abstract: One new flavanone, 4′-hydroxyisorottlerin (2), and two new chalcone derivatives, kamalachalcones C (3) and D (4), were isolated from Mallotus philippensis (kamala tree). The largest compound (4; Mr 1098 g/mol) was shown to possess a unique, fused-ring system made of two hydroxy-chalcone units, giving rise to eight fused benzene/pyran units. From the same plant, the following six known compounds were also isolated: kamalachalcone A (5) and B (6), isoallorottlerin (7), isorottlerin (8), 5,7-dihydroxy-8-methyl-6-prenylflavanone (9); 6,6-dimethylpyrano(2″,3″: 7,6)-5-hydroxy-8-methylflavanone (10), and rottlerin (1). The structures of the new compounds were confirmed by in-depth spectral analyses, including 2D-NMR techniques, and the full 13C-NMR assignments of the known flavanones 1 and 7–10 are published for the first time.

Spasmolytic Flavonoids from Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry

Abstract: The hexane extract of Syzygium samarangense (Ss.Hex) dose-dependently (10-1000 microg/ ml) relaxed the spontaneously contracting isolated rabbit jejunum. Four rare C-methylated flavonoids with a chalcone and a flavanone skeleton were isolated from Ss.Hex and were subsequently tested for spasmolytic activity. All flavonoids, identified as 2'-hydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy-3'-methylchalcone (1), 2',4'-dihydroxy-6'-methoxy-3',5'-dimethylchalcone (2), 2',4'-dihydroxy-6'-methoxy-3'-methylchalcone (3), and 7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,8-dimethyl-flavanone (4), showed dose-dependent spasmolytic activity in the rabbit jejunum with IC50 values of 148.3 +/- 69.4, 77.2 +/- 43.5, 142.4 +/- 58.6 and 178.5 +/- 37.5 microg/ml (mean +/- SEM), respectively. The dihydrochalcone derivative of compound 1, 2'-hydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy-3'-methyldihydrochalcone (5), when tested for spasmolytic activity, did not significantly relax the smooth muscle relative to the other compounds. Verapamil, a standard spasmolytic, has an IC50 value of 0.16 +/- 0.04 microg/ml. This is the first report of the relaxant activity of chalcones, specifically of compounds 1-3.

Preparative monohydroxyflavanone syntheses and a protocol for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of monohydroxyflavanones.

Abstract: We describe a facile efficient, and preparative approach for monohydroxyflavanone syntheses. Using this protocol, a hydroxyl is regio-selectively introduced at one carbon of a flavanone A- or B-ring per synthesis. The seven possible isomers were each synthesized from the corresponding monomethoxymethoxylated 2'-hydroxychalcones in acidic solution. These monohydroxyflavanones were characterized using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system that incorporated a DB-5 capillary column. Ours is the first report of a preparative synthetic method during which a single hydroxyl can be selectively added to a flavanone A- or B-ring at any position. We are also the first to develop a procedure that separates the seven isomers by GC and characterizes the mass spectra of the isomers. Both the synthetic method and the GC-MS conditions may become important tools during future flavanone metabolism and oxidation studies.