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Dr. Leilei Zhang
Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Piacenza, Italy

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Plant physiology
0 Metabolomics, Phytochemistry, nutritional value of plants, Biochemistry, multivariate data analysis
0 Plant fertilization
0 Cell based assay
0 Food science

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Journal article
Published: 06 August 2021 in Food Chemistry
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In this study, the aerial parts and bulbs of nine Allium species were investigated for their functional phytochemical profile, in vitro antioxidant activities, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase inhibitory properties. Phenolics, alkaloids, glucosinolates and other sulfur-containing compounds were distinctively profiled in the different species. Maceration in methanol allowed recovering the highest cumulative phenolic content in A. scabrifolium (42.31 mg/g), followed by A. goekyigiti (33.15 mg/g) and A. atroviolaceum (28.35 mg/g). The aerial parts of all Allium species showed high in vitro antioxidant activity whereas methanolic extract of A. cappadocicum bulb showed the highest inhibition against AChE (2.44 mg galantamine equivalent/g) and the water extracts of A. isauricum aerial part were the best BChE inhibitors (4.31 mg galantamine equivalent/g). Bulbs were the richer source of oligosaccharides, and in vitro digestion determined an increase of oligosaccharides bioaccessibility. A promising nutraceutical potential could be highlighted in our understudied Allium species.

ACS Style

Gabriele Rocchetti; Leilei Zhang; Serena Bocchi; Gianluca Giuberti; Gunes Ak; Fevzi Elbasan; Evren Yıldıztugay; Ramazan Ceylan; Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain; Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally; Luigi Lucini; Gokhan Zengin. The functional potential of nine Allium species related to their untargeted phytochemical characterization, antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory ability. Food Chemistry 2021, 368, 130782 .

AMA Style

Gabriele Rocchetti, Leilei Zhang, Serena Bocchi, Gianluca Giuberti, Gunes Ak, Fevzi Elbasan, Evren Yıldıztugay, Ramazan Ceylan, Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain, Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally, Luigi Lucini, Gokhan Zengin. The functional potential of nine Allium species related to their untargeted phytochemical characterization, antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory ability. Food Chemistry. 2021; 368 ():130782.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gabriele Rocchetti; Leilei Zhang; Serena Bocchi; Gianluca Giuberti; Gunes Ak; Fevzi Elbasan; Evren Yıldıztugay; Ramazan Ceylan; Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain; Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally; Luigi Lucini; Gokhan Zengin. 2021. "The functional potential of nine Allium species related to their untargeted phytochemical characterization, antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory ability." Food Chemistry 368, no. : 130782.

Journal article
Published: 16 July 2021 in Plants
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The quest for sustainable strategies aimed at increasing the bioactive properties of plant-based foods has grown quickly. In this work, we investigated the impact of exogenously applied phenolics, i.e., chlorogenic acid (CGA), hesperidin (HES), and their combinations (HES + CGA), on Lactuca sativa L. grown under normal- and mild-salinity conditions. To this aim, the phenolic profile, antioxidant properties, and enzyme inhibitory activity were determined. The untargeted metabolomics profiling revealed that lettuce treated with CGA under non-stressed conditions exhibited the highest total phenolic content (35.98 mg Eq./g). Lettuce samples grown under salt stress showed lower phenolic contents, except for lettuce treated with HES or HES + CGA, when comparing the same treatment between the two conditions. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity was investigated through DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays, coupled with metal-chelating activity and phosphomolybdenum capacity. An exciting increase in radical scavenging capacity was observed in lettuce treated with exogenous phenolics, in both stress and non-stress conditions. The inhibitory activity of the samples was evaluated against target health-related enzymes, namely cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase; AChE; butyryl cholinesterase; BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Lettuce treated with HES + CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the strongest inhibition against AChE and BChE, while the same treatment under salinity conditions resulted in the highest inhibition capacity against α-amylase. Additionally, CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the best inhibitory effect against tyrosinase. All the functional traits investigated were significantly modulated by exogenous phenolics, salinity, and their combination. In more detail, flavonoids, lignans, and stilbenes were the most affected phenolics, whereas glycosidase enzymes and tyrosinase activity were the most affected among enzyme assays. In conclusion, the exogenous application of phenolics to lettuce represents an effective and green strategy to effectively modulate the phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and enzyme inhibitory effects in lettuce, deserving future application to produce functional plant-based foods in a sustainable way.

ACS Style

Leilei Zhang; Erika Martinelli; Biancamaria Senizza; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Evren Yildiztugay; Busra Arikan; Fevzi Elbasan; Gunes Ak; Melike Balci; Gokhan Zengin; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini. The Combination of Mild Salinity Conditions and Exogenously Applied Phenolics Modulates Functional Traits in Lettuce. Plants 2021, 10, 1457 .

AMA Style

Leilei Zhang, Erika Martinelli, Biancamaria Senizza, Begoña Miras-Moreno, Evren Yildiztugay, Busra Arikan, Fevzi Elbasan, Gunes Ak, Melike Balci, Gokhan Zengin, Youssef Rouphael, Luigi Lucini. The Combination of Mild Salinity Conditions and Exogenously Applied Phenolics Modulates Functional Traits in Lettuce. Plants. 2021; 10 (7):1457.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leilei Zhang; Erika Martinelli; Biancamaria Senizza; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Evren Yildiztugay; Busra Arikan; Fevzi Elbasan; Gunes Ak; Melike Balci; Gokhan Zengin; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini. 2021. "The Combination of Mild Salinity Conditions and Exogenously Applied Phenolics Modulates Functional Traits in Lettuce." Plants 10, no. 7: 1457.

Journal article
Published: 02 July 2021 in Biomolecules
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Artemisia annua L. (AA) has shown for many centuries important therapeutic virtues associated with the presence of artemisinin (ART). The aim of this study was to identify and quantify ART and other secondary metabolites in ethanolic extracts of AA and evaluate the biological activity in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus. In this work, after the extraction of the aerial parts of AA with different concentrations of ethanol, ART was quantified by HPLC and HPLC-MS. In addition, anthocyanins, flavanols, flavanones, flavonols, lignans, low-molecular-weight phenolics, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and terpenes were identified and semi-quantitatively determined by UHPLC-QTOF-MS untargeted metabolomics. Finally, the viability of human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) was evaluated in the presence of the different ethanolic extracts and in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results show that ART is more concentrated in AA samples extracted with 90% ethanol. Regarding the other metabolites, only the anthocyanins are more concentrated in the samples extracted with 90% ethanol. Finally, ART and all AA samples showed a protective action towards the pro-inflammatory stimulus of LPS. In particular, the anti-inflammatory effect of the leaf extract of AA with 90% ethanol was also confirmed at the molecular level since a reduction in TNF-α mRNA gene expression was observed in SH-SY5Y treated with LPS.

ACS Style

Giulia Abate; Leilei Zhang; Mariachiara Pucci; Giulia Morbini; Eileen Mac Sweeney; Giuseppina Maccarinelli; Giovanni Ribaudo; Alessandra Gianoncelli; Daniela Uberti; Maurizio Memo; Luigi Lucini; Andrea Mastinu. Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Different Ethanolic Phyto-Extracts of Artemisia annua L. Biomolecules 2021, 11, 975 .

AMA Style

Giulia Abate, Leilei Zhang, Mariachiara Pucci, Giulia Morbini, Eileen Mac Sweeney, Giuseppina Maccarinelli, Giovanni Ribaudo, Alessandra Gianoncelli, Daniela Uberti, Maurizio Memo, Luigi Lucini, Andrea Mastinu. Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Different Ethanolic Phyto-Extracts of Artemisia annua L. Biomolecules. 2021; 11 (7):975.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giulia Abate; Leilei Zhang; Mariachiara Pucci; Giulia Morbini; Eileen Mac Sweeney; Giuseppina Maccarinelli; Giovanni Ribaudo; Alessandra Gianoncelli; Daniela Uberti; Maurizio Memo; Luigi Lucini; Andrea Mastinu. 2021. "Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Different Ethanolic Phyto-Extracts of Artemisia annua L." Biomolecules 11, no. 7: 975.

Journal article
Published: 07 June 2021 in Molecules
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Lupin seeds can represent a valuable source of phenolics and other antioxidant compounds. In this work, a comprehensive analysis of the phytochemical profile was performed on seeds from three Lupinus species, including one cultivar (Lupinus albus) and two wild accessions (Lupinus cossentinii and Lupinus luteus), collected from the northern region of Tunisia. Untargeted metabolomic profiling allowed to identify 249 compounds, with a great abundance of phenolics and alkaloids. In this regard, the species L. cossentinii showed the highest phenolic content, being 6.54 mg/g DW, followed by L. luteus (1.60 mg/g DW) and L. albus (1.14 mg/g DW). The in vitro antioxidant capacity measured by the ABTS assay on seed extracts ranged from 4.67 to 17.58 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g, recording the highest values for L. albus and the lowest for L. luteus. The DPPH radical scavenging activity ranged from 0.39 to 3.50 mg TE/g. FRAP values varied between 4.11 and 5.75 mg TE/g. CUPRAC values for lupin seeds ranged from 7.20 to 8.95 mg TE/g, recording the highest for L. cossentinii. The results of phosphomolybdenum assay and metal chelation showed similarity between the three species of Lupinus. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition activity was detected in each methanolic extract analyzed with similar results. Regarding the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzyme, it was weakly inhibited by the Lupinus extracts; in particular, the highest activity values were recorded for L. albus (1.74 mg GALAE/g). Overall, our results showed that L. cossentinii was the most abundant source of polyphenols, consisting mainly in tyrosol equivalents (5.82 mg/g DW). Finally, significant correlations were outlined between the phenolic compounds and the in vitro biological activity measured, particularly when considering flavones, phenolic acids and lower-molecular-weight phenolics.

ACS Style

Amna Ben Hassine; Gabriele Rocchetti; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Gökhan Zengin; Mohamad Mahomoodally; Mossadok Ben-Attia; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini; Safia El-Bok. Untargeted Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Cultivated and Wild Lupin Seeds from Tunisia. Molecules 2021, 26, 3452 .

AMA Style

Amna Ben Hassine, Gabriele Rocchetti, Leilei Zhang, Biancamaria Senizza, Gökhan Zengin, Mohamad Mahomoodally, Mossadok Ben-Attia, Youssef Rouphael, Luigi Lucini, Safia El-Bok. Untargeted Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Cultivated and Wild Lupin Seeds from Tunisia. Molecules. 2021; 26 (11):3452.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amna Ben Hassine; Gabriele Rocchetti; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Gökhan Zengin; Mohamad Mahomoodally; Mossadok Ben-Attia; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini; Safia El-Bok. 2021. "Untargeted Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Cultivated and Wild Lupin Seeds from Tunisia." Molecules 26, no. 11: 3452.

Journal article
Published: 28 May 2021 in Foods
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Cydonia oblonga Mill., normally known as the quince fruit, has been widely used in agro-food industries mainly to produce jams and jellies. However, other parts of the plants are still underutilized and not completely assessed for their nutraceutical profile. Therefore, in this work, the polyphenolic profile of C. oblonga was investigated using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry. Several compounds were identified in the different parts of the plants, including flavonoids (i.e., anthocyanins, flavones, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols), phenolic acids (both hydroxycinnamics and hydroxybenzoics), low-molecular-weight phenolics (tyrosol equivalents), lignans, and stilbenes. Overall, C. oblonga leaves showed the highest in vitro antioxidant potential, as revealed by 2,2-difenil-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays, being 189.5, 285.6, 158.9, and 348.8 mg Trolox Equivalent/g, respectively. The enzymes acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterases were both inhibited by the different plant parts of C. oblonga, with stems showing the higher inhibitory potential. Interestingly, the fruit extracts were the only parts inhibiting the α-glucosidase, with a value of 1.36 mmol acarbose equivalents (ACAE)/g. On the other hand, strong tyrosinase inhibition was found for stems and leaves, being 72.11 and 68.32 mg Kojic acid Equivalent/g, respectively. Finally, a high number of significant (0.05 < p< 0.01) correlations were outlined between phenolics (mainly anthocyanins, flava-3-ols, and tyrosol equivalents) and the different biological assays. Taken together, our findings suggest a potential exploitation of C. oblonga leaves and stems for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

ACS Style

Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gökhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Fatema Saber; Domenico Montesano; Luigi Lucini. The UHPLC-QTOF-MS Phenolic Profiling and Activity of Cydonia oblonga Mill. Reveals a Promising Nutraceutical Potential. Foods 2021, 10, 1230 .

AMA Style

Leilei Zhang, Gabriele Rocchetti, Gökhan Zengin, Gunes Ak, Fatema Saber, Domenico Montesano, Luigi Lucini. The UHPLC-QTOF-MS Phenolic Profiling and Activity of Cydonia oblonga Mill. Reveals a Promising Nutraceutical Potential. Foods. 2021; 10 (6):1230.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gökhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Fatema Saber; Domenico Montesano; Luigi Lucini. 2021. "The UHPLC-QTOF-MS Phenolic Profiling and Activity of Cydonia oblonga Mill. Reveals a Promising Nutraceutical Potential." Foods 10, no. 6: 1230.

Journal article
Published: 26 May 2021 in Plant Science
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Cyclic Nucleotides Monophosphate (cNMP) are key signalling compounds whose role in plant cell signal transduction is still poorly understood. In this work we used sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor used in human, to amplify the signal cascade triggered by cNMP using tomato as model plant. Metabolomics was then used, together with plant growth and root architecture parameters, to unravel the changes elicited by PDE inhibition either under non-stress and 100 mM NaCl salinity conditions. The PDE inhibitor elicited a significant increase in biomass (+62 %) and root length (+56 %) under no stress conditions, and affected root architecture in terms of distribution over diameter classes. Together with cGMP, others cNMP were modulated by the treatment. Moreover, PDE inhibition triggered a broad metabolic reprogramming involving photosynthesis and secondary metabolism. A complex crosstalk network of phytohormones and other signalling compounds could be observed in treated plants. Nonetheless, metabolites related to redox imbalance processes and NO signalling could be highlighted in tomato following PDE application. Despite salinity damped down the growth-promoting effects of sildenafil, interesting implications in plant mitigation to stress-related detrimental effects could be observed.

ACS Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Luigi Lucini. A metabolomics insight into the Cyclic Nucleotide Monophosphate signaling cascade in tomato under non-stress and salinity conditions. Plant Science 2021, 309, 110955 .

AMA Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno, Leilei Zhang, Biancamaria Senizza, Luigi Lucini. A metabolomics insight into the Cyclic Nucleotide Monophosphate signaling cascade in tomato under non-stress and salinity conditions. Plant Science. 2021; 309 ():110955.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Luigi Lucini. 2021. "A metabolomics insight into the Cyclic Nucleotide Monophosphate signaling cascade in tomato under non-stress and salinity conditions." Plant Science 309, no. : 110955.

Journal article
Published: 25 February 2021 in Food Research International
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Eriobotrya japonica, commonly known as loquat, has been used traditionally for the treatment of different diseases. Herein, untargeted profiling based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) was used to depict the phytochemical profile of loquat roots, leaves, stems, seeds, and fruits. This allowed the tentative annotation of 349 compounds, representing different phytochemical classes that included flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, stilbenes, and terpenoids. Among others, low molecular weight phenolics (tyrosol derivatives) and terpenoids were the most abundant phytochemicals. After that, in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays were applied to investigate the biological activity of the different organs of Eriobotrya japonica. Roots of E. japonica exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity, showing 181.88, 275.48, 325.18, 169.74 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g in DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, and FRAP assays, respectively. Furthermore, the root extract of E. japonica strongly inhibited butyryl cholinesterase (3.64 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g), whereas leaves, stems, seeds, and fruits showed comparable inhibition of both acetyl and butyryl cholinesterases. All the investigated organs of E. japonica exhibited in vitro tyrosinase inhibition (57.27–71.61 mg Kojic Acid Equivalent (KAE)/g). Our findings suggest a potential food and pharmaceutical exploitation of different organs of E. japonica (mainly roots) in terms of enrichment with health-promoting phenolics and triterpenes.

ACS Style

Leilei Zhang; Fatema R. Saber; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gokhan Zengin; Mona M. Hashem; Luigi Lucini. UHPLC-QTOF-MS based metabolomics and biological activities of different parts of Eriobotrya japonica. Food Research International 2021, 143, 110242 .

AMA Style

Leilei Zhang, Fatema R. Saber, Gabriele Rocchetti, Gokhan Zengin, Mona M. Hashem, Luigi Lucini. UHPLC-QTOF-MS based metabolomics and biological activities of different parts of Eriobotrya japonica. Food Research International. 2021; 143 ():110242.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leilei Zhang; Fatema R. Saber; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gokhan Zengin; Mona M. Hashem; Luigi Lucini. 2021. "UHPLC-QTOF-MS based metabolomics and biological activities of different parts of Eriobotrya japonica." Food Research International 143, no. : 110242.

Journal article
Published: 22 January 2021 in Molecules
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Gynostemma pentaphyllum (var. Ginpent) (GP) is a variety of Cucurbit with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in patients. In this manuscript, the main components present in the dry extract of GP have been identified using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS). In addition, the anti-inflammatory action of GP was evaluated in animal models with acute peripheral inflammation and motor alteration induced by lipopolysaccharide. The results showed that GP dry extract is rich in secondary metabolites with potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We found that the treatment with GP induced a recovery of motor function measured with the rotarod test and pole test, and a reduction in inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 measured with the ELISA test. The data collected in this study on the effects of GP in in vivo models may help integrate the therapeutic strategies of inflammatory-based disorders.

ACS Style

Andrea Mastinu; Sara Bonini; Marika Premoli; Giuseppina Maccarinelli; Eileen Mac Sweeney; Leilei Zhang; Luigi Lucini; Maurizio Memo. Protective Effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (var. Ginpent) against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Motor Alteration in Mice. Molecules 2021, 26, 570 .

AMA Style

Andrea Mastinu, Sara Bonini, Marika Premoli, Giuseppina Maccarinelli, Eileen Mac Sweeney, Leilei Zhang, Luigi Lucini, Maurizio Memo. Protective Effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (var. Ginpent) against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Motor Alteration in Mice. Molecules. 2021; 26 (3):570.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Mastinu; Sara Bonini; Marika Premoli; Giuseppina Maccarinelli; Eileen Mac Sweeney; Leilei Zhang; Luigi Lucini; Maurizio Memo. 2021. "Protective Effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (var. Ginpent) against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Motor Alteration in Mice." Molecules 26, no. 3: 570.

Journal article
Published: 05 January 2021 in Plants
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Mineral elements are essential for plant growth and development and strongly affect crop yield and quality. To cope with an everchanging environment, plants have developed specific responses to combined nutrient variations. In this work, we investigated the effects of multifactorial treatments with three macrocations (K, Ca, and Mg) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) varieties that strongly diverge in leaf pigmentation (full red or green). Specifically, we monitored main leaf parameters and metabolomics profiles of hydroponically grown plants fed with isosmotic nutrient solutions that have different proportions of macroelements. The result revealed a high biochemical plasticity of lettuce, significantly affected by the genotype, the nutrient solution, and their interaction. Our work also provided evidence and insights into the different intraspecific responses to multifactorial variation of macrocations, with two varieties having distinct strategies to metabolically respond to nutrient variation. Overall, plant adaptive mechanisms increased the phytochemical diversity between the varieties both among and within the main classes of plant secondary metabolites. Finally, our work also implies that the interaction of a pre-existing phytochemical diversity with the management of multiple mineral elements can offer added health-related benefits to the edible product specific to the variety.

ACS Style

Giandomenico Corrado; Luigi Lucini; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Christophe El-Nakhel; Giuseppe Colla; Youssef Rouphael. Intraspecific Variability Largely Affects the Leaf Metabolomics Response to Isosmotic Macrocation Variations in Two Divergent Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties. Plants 2021, 10, 91 .

AMA Style

Giandomenico Corrado, Luigi Lucini, Begoña Miras-Moreno, Leilei Zhang, Christophe El-Nakhel, Giuseppe Colla, Youssef Rouphael. Intraspecific Variability Largely Affects the Leaf Metabolomics Response to Isosmotic Macrocation Variations in Two Divergent Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties. Plants. 2021; 10 (1):91.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giandomenico Corrado; Luigi Lucini; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Christophe El-Nakhel; Giuseppe Colla; Youssef Rouphael. 2021. "Intraspecific Variability Largely Affects the Leaf Metabolomics Response to Isosmotic Macrocation Variations in Two Divergent Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties." Plants 10, no. 1: 91.

Data descriptor
Published: 15 December 2020 in Data
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The study of the relationship between cultivated plants and environmental factors can provide information ranging from a deeper understanding of the plant biological system to the development of more effective management strategies for improving yield, quality, and sustainability of the produce. In this article, we present a comprehensive metabolomics dataset of two phytochemically divergent lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) butterhead varieties under different growing conditions. Plants were cultivated in hydroponics in a growth chamber with ambient control. The pre-harvest factors that were independently investigated were light intensity (two levels), the ionic strength of the nutrient solutions (three levels), and the molar ratio of three macroelements (K, Mg, and Ca) in the nutrient solution (three levels). We used an untargeted, mass-spectrometry-based approach to characterize the metabolomics profiles of leaves harvested 19 days after transplant. The data revealed the ample impact on both primary and secondary metabolism and its range of variation. Moreover, our dataset is useful for uncovering the complex effects of the genotype, the environmental factor(s), and their interaction, which may deserve further investigation.

ACS Style

Giandomenico Corrado; Luigi Lucini; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Boris Basile; Youssef Rouphael. Dataset on the Effects of Different Pre-Harvest Factors on the Metabolomics Profile of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Leaves. Data 2020, 5, 119 .

AMA Style

Giandomenico Corrado, Luigi Lucini, Begoña Miras-Moreno, Leilei Zhang, Biancamaria Senizza, Boris Basile, Youssef Rouphael. Dataset on the Effects of Different Pre-Harvest Factors on the Metabolomics Profile of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Leaves. Data. 2020; 5 (4):119.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giandomenico Corrado; Luigi Lucini; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Boris Basile; Youssef Rouphael. 2020. "Dataset on the Effects of Different Pre-Harvest Factors on the Metabolomics Profile of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Leaves." Data 5, no. 4: 119.

Journal article
Published: 02 September 2020 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Sub-optimal growing conditions have a major effect on plants; therefore, large efforts are devoted to maximizing the availability of agricultural inputs to crops. To increase the sustainable use of non-renewable inputs, attention is currently given to the study of plants under non-optimal conditions. In this work, we investigated the impact of sub-optimal macrocations availability and light intensity in two lettuce varieties that differ for the accumulation of secondary metabolites (i.e., ‘Red Salanova’ and ‘Green Salanova’). Photosynthesis-related measurements and untargeted metabolomics were used to identify responses and pathways involved in stress resilience. The pigmented (‘Red’) and the non-pigmented (‘Green Salanova’) lettuce exhibited distinctive responses to sub-optimal conditions. The cultivar specific metabolomic signatures comprised a broad modulation of metabolism, including secondary metabolites, phytohormones, and membrane lipids signaling cascade. Several stress-related metabolites were altered by either treatment, including polyamines (and other nitrogen-containing compounds), phenylpropanoids, and lipids. The metabolomics and physiological response to macrocations availability and light intensity also implies that the effects of low-input sustainable farming systems should be evaluated considering a range of cultivar-specific positive and disadvantageous metabolic effects in addition to yield and other socio-economic parameters.

ACS Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno; Giandomenico Corrado; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Laura Righetti; Renato Bruni; Christophe El-Nakhel; Maria Isabella Sifola; Antonio Pannico; Stefania De Pascale; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini. The Metabolic Reprogramming Induced by Sub-optimal Nutritional and Light Inputs in Soilless Cultivated Green and Red Butterhead Lettuce. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2020, 21, 6381 .

AMA Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno, Giandomenico Corrado, Leilei Zhang, Biancamaria Senizza, Laura Righetti, Renato Bruni, Christophe El-Nakhel, Maria Isabella Sifola, Antonio Pannico, Stefania De Pascale, Youssef Rouphael, Luigi Lucini. The Metabolic Reprogramming Induced by Sub-optimal Nutritional and Light Inputs in Soilless Cultivated Green and Red Butterhead Lettuce. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21 (17):6381.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Begoña Miras-Moreno; Giandomenico Corrado; Leilei Zhang; Biancamaria Senizza; Laura Righetti; Renato Bruni; Christophe El-Nakhel; Maria Isabella Sifola; Antonio Pannico; Stefania De Pascale; Youssef Rouphael; Luigi Lucini. 2020. "The Metabolic Reprogramming Induced by Sub-optimal Nutritional and Light Inputs in Soilless Cultivated Green and Red Butterhead Lettuce." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 17: 6381.

Journal article
Published: 21 August 2020 in Foods
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Considering that functional components of plant foods are mainly secondary-metabolism products, we investigated the shaping of health-promoting compounds in hydroponically grown butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) as a function of the strength of the nutrient solution utilized. To this aim, untargeted metabolomics profiling, in vitro antioxidant capacity (total phenolics, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays), and the inhibition of selected enzyme activities were investigated in two butterhead lettuce cultivars with different pigmentation, i.e., green and red Salanova. Full-strength nutrition, together with half- and quarter-strength solutions of macronutrients, was tested. Our results indicate that by reducing the nutrients strength, we could elicit a distinctive shaping of the phenolic profile of lettuce. It is noteworthy that only specific classes of phenolics (namely, lignans and phenolic acids, followed by flavones and anthocyanins) were modulated by the induction of nutritional eustress (fold-change values in the range between −5 and +11). This indicates that specific responses, rather than a generalized induction of phenolic compounds, could be observed. Nonetheless, a genotype-dependent response could be observed, with the red cultivar being much more responsive to nutritional deprivation than the green Salanova lettuce. Indeed, analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed a genotype x nutrition interaction in red Salanova (p < 0.001). As a consequence of the changes in phenolic composition, also the antioxidant capacity (p < 0.001) and amylase inhibition (p < 0.001) properties were affected by the growing conditions. However, the effect on cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibition was poorly affected by the nutritional strength. Provided that yields are not compromised, the application of a controlled nutritional eustress in hydroponically cultivated lettuce may represent a valuable strategy to produce food with tailored functional features in a sustainable manner.

ACS Style

Biancamaria Senizza; Leilei Zhang; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Laura Righetti; Gokhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Renato Bruni; Luigi Lucini; Maria Isabella Sifola; Christophe El-Nakhel; Giandomenico Corrado; Youssef Rouphael. The Strength of the Nutrient Solution Modulates the Functional Profile of Hydroponically Grown Lettuce in a Genotype-Dependent Manner. Foods 2020, 9, 1156 .

AMA Style

Biancamaria Senizza, Leilei Zhang, Begoña Miras-Moreno, Laura Righetti, Gokhan Zengin, Gunes Ak, Renato Bruni, Luigi Lucini, Maria Isabella Sifola, Christophe El-Nakhel, Giandomenico Corrado, Youssef Rouphael. The Strength of the Nutrient Solution Modulates the Functional Profile of Hydroponically Grown Lettuce in a Genotype-Dependent Manner. Foods. 2020; 9 (9):1156.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Biancamaria Senizza; Leilei Zhang; Begoña Miras-Moreno; Laura Righetti; Gokhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Renato Bruni; Luigi Lucini; Maria Isabella Sifola; Christophe El-Nakhel; Giandomenico Corrado; Youssef Rouphael. 2020. "The Strength of the Nutrient Solution Modulates the Functional Profile of Hydroponically Grown Lettuce in a Genotype-Dependent Manner." Foods 9, no. 9: 1156.

Journal article
Published: 27 June 2020 in Food Chemistry
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This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of storage at 4 °C (10-days) and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the phytochemical profile of red beet (Beta vulgaris) and amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) microgreens. The untargeted profiling based on UHPLC-QTOF metabolomics allowed annotating 316 compounds, comprising mainly polyphenols and lipids. An impact of storage on the total phenolic content (TPC) was observed, with a maximum increase at 10-days of storage for both red beet (+1.3-fold) and amaranth (+1.1-fold). On the other hand, in vitro digestion of both red beet and amaranth microgreens produced a significant increase in TPC (36-88%), CUPRAC (27-40%), DPPH (6-43%), and BC (41-57%) to reach the maximum at 10 days of storage. Tyrosinase inhibitory potential also decreased following digestion. The combination of biochemical changes occurring in microgreen immature plants (likely in response to the harvest stress) with changes during digestion, determined the actual functional value of microgreens.

ACS Style

Gabriele Rocchetti; Merve Tomas; Leilei Zhang; Gokhan Zengin; Luigi Lucini; Esra Capanoglu. Red beet (Beta vulgaris) and amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) microgreens: Effect of storage and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the untargeted metabolomic profile. Food Chemistry 2020, 332, 127415 .

AMA Style

Gabriele Rocchetti, Merve Tomas, Leilei Zhang, Gokhan Zengin, Luigi Lucini, Esra Capanoglu. Red beet (Beta vulgaris) and amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) microgreens: Effect of storage and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the untargeted metabolomic profile. Food Chemistry. 2020; 332 ():127415.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gabriele Rocchetti; Merve Tomas; Leilei Zhang; Gokhan Zengin; Luigi Lucini; Esra Capanoglu. 2020. "Red beet (Beta vulgaris) and amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) microgreens: Effect of storage and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the untargeted metabolomic profile." Food Chemistry 332, no. : 127415.

Journal article
Published: 07 June 2020 in Food Chemistry
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The present study aimed to characterize the nutritional value and potential use of elderberries as a source of antioxidant compounds. The chemical composition, fatty acids and phenolic compounds were determined for elderberries. The optimization of extraction parameters was designed with a Box-Behnken design coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function analysis. The process parameters tested included extraction temperature, % of ethanol and pH, while response variables were global extraction yield, total phenolic and anthocyanins content (TAC), carotenoids and antioxidant activity. Analyses revealed that elderberry was a rich source of total soluble solids, proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3: 38.12 g/100 g and omega-6: 39.54 g/100 g fatty acids). Regarding phenolic compounds, elderberries were found abundant in flavonoids (rutin and quercetin), and phenolic acids (i.e. gallic acid and gentisic acid). Finally, numerical optimization indicated that the best extraction parameters were the following: temperature 60°C, 50% of ethanol and pH 2.

ACS Style

Rubén Domínguez; Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Luigi Lucini; Mirian Pateiro; Paulo E. S. Munekata; José M. Lorenzo. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) as potential source of antioxidants. Characterization, optimization of extraction parameters and bioactive properties. Food Chemistry 2020, 330, 127266 .

AMA Style

Rubén Domínguez, Leilei Zhang, Gabriele Rocchetti, Luigi Lucini, Mirian Pateiro, Paulo E. S. Munekata, José M. Lorenzo. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) as potential source of antioxidants. Characterization, optimization of extraction parameters and bioactive properties. Food Chemistry. 2020; 330 ():127266.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rubén Domínguez; Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Luigi Lucini; Mirian Pateiro; Paulo E. S. Munekata; José M. Lorenzo. 2020. "Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) as potential source of antioxidants. Characterization, optimization of extraction parameters and bioactive properties." Food Chemistry 330, no. : 127266.

Journal article
Published: 05 June 2020 in Industrial Crops and Products
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Muscari turcicum, endemic to south Anatolia, Turkey, represents an unexplored crop plant, with potential therapeutic uses related to its phytochemical composition. In this work, the in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity of flower, leaf and bulb extracts, obtained using different extraction methods were evaluated. A comprehensive polyphenolic and sesquiterpene lactones profiling of the different extracts was also undertaken. For this purpose, UHPLC-QTOF mass spectrometry allowed us to putatively annotate 280 phytochemical compounds of which 162 were polyphenols and 118 were sesquiterpene lactones. The most abundant polyphenols were flavonoids (77 compounds), phenolic acids (34 compounds), and low molecular weight phenols (38 compounds). Muscari turcicum leaf methanol extract possessed the highest concentrations of low-molecular-weight phenolics, phenolic acids, and sesquiterpene lactones (20.61, 7.00, and 3.44 mg standard equivalent/g, respectively). The water extract of M. turcicum flower obtained by infusion showed prominent reducing (120.52 mg Trolox equivalent [TE]/g mg TE/g for both CUPRAC and FRAP) and radical scavenging potential (91.39 mg TE/g, for DPPH assay). Besides, M. turcicum flower methanol extract (13.44 mg EDTA equivalent/g) showed the highest metal chelating activity. Interestingly, methanol extracts obtained by Soxhlet extraction and maceration actively inhibited tyrosinase (129.36 mg kojic acid equivalent/g) and cholinesterases (5.15 mg galantamine equivalent [GALAE]/g and 6.16 mg GALAE/g, for acetyl and butyryl cholinesterase) respectively. Strong correlations (p < 0.01) were observed between polyphenols/sesquiterpenoids and observed biological activities. Scientific evidences presented in this study has provided baseline data for bioprospection of novel pharmaceutical/cosmetic candidates from Muscari turcicum, thus supporting its therapeutic exploitation.

ACS Style

Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gokhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Evren Yıldıztugay; Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally; Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain; Luigi Lucini. Profiling of polyphenols and sesquiterpenoids using different extraction methods in Muscari turcicum, an endemic plant from Turkey. Industrial Crops and Products 2020, 154, 112626 .

AMA Style

Leilei Zhang, Gabriele Rocchetti, Gokhan Zengin, Gunes Ak, Evren Yıldıztugay, Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally, Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain, Luigi Lucini. Profiling of polyphenols and sesquiterpenoids using different extraction methods in Muscari turcicum, an endemic plant from Turkey. Industrial Crops and Products. 2020; 154 ():112626.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leilei Zhang; Gabriele Rocchetti; Gokhan Zengin; Gunes Ak; Evren Yıldıztugay; Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally; Marie Carene Nancy Picot-Allain; Luigi Lucini. 2020. "Profiling of polyphenols and sesquiterpenoids using different extraction methods in Muscari turcicum, an endemic plant from Turkey." Industrial Crops and Products 154, no. : 112626.