Structure-function analysis of purified proanthocyanidins reveals a role for polymer size in suppressing inflammatory responses
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Documents
- Structure-function analysis of purified proanthocyanidins reveals a role for polymer size in suppressing inflammatory responses
Final published version, 2.92 MB, PDF document
Proanthocyanidins (PAC) are dietary compounds that have been extensively studied for beneficial health effects due to their anti-inflammatory properties. However, the structure-function relationships of PAC and their mode-of-action remain obscure. Here, we isolated a wide range of diverse PAC polymer mixtures of high purity from plant material. Polymer size was a key factor in determining the ability of PAC to regulate inflammatory cytokine responses in murine macrophages. PAC polymers with a medium (9.1) mean degree of polymerization (mDP) induced substantial transcriptomic changes, whereas PAC with either low (2.6) or high (12.3) mDP were significantly less active. Short-term oral treatment of mice with PAC modulated gene pathways connected to nutrient metabolism and inflammation in ileal tissue in a polymerization-dependent manner. Mechanistically, the bioactive PAC polymers modulated autophagic flux and inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced autophagy in macrophages. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of defined structural features in the health-promoting effects of PAC-rich foods.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 896 |
Journal | Communications Biology |
Volume | 4 |
ISSN | 2399-3642 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
ID: 275825804