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Molecular and Hormonal Mechanisms Regulating Fleshy Fruit Ripening.
Li, S, Chen, K, Grierson, D
Cells. 2021;(5)
Abstract
This article focuses on the molecular and hormonal mechanisms underlying the control of fleshy fruit ripening and quality. Recent research on tomato shows that ethylene, acting through transcription factors, is responsible for the initiation of tomato ripening. Several other hormones, including abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA) and brassinosteroids (BR), promote ripening by upregulating ethylene biosynthesis genes in different fruits. Changes to histone marks and DNA methylation are associated with the activation of ripening genes and are necessary for ripening initiation. Light, detected by different photoreceptors and operating through ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5(HY5), also modulates ripening. Re-evaluation of the roles of 'master regulators' indicates that MADS-RIN, NAC-NOR, Nor-like1 and other MADS and NAC genes, together with ethylene, promote the full expression of genes required for further ethylene synthesis and change in colour, flavour, texture and progression of ripening. Several different types of non-coding RNAs are involved in regulating expression of ripening genes, but further clarification of their diverse mechanisms of action is required. We discuss a model that integrates the main hormonal and genetic regulatory interactions governing the ripening of tomato fruit and consider variations in ripening regulatory circuits that operate in other fruits.
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2.
Fruit and vegetable intake and liver cancer risk: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
Guo, XF, Shao, XF, Li, JM, Li, S, Li, KL, Li, D
Food & function. 2019;(8):4478-4485
Abstract
The associations of vegetable and fruit intake with liver cancer risk have been inconsistent based on epidemiological studies. The present study aimed to quantitatively evaluate these associations with prospective cohort studies. A systematic literature search was performed with PubMed and Scopus databases up to June 2019. Multivariate-adjusted relative risks (RRs) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for the highest versus lowest category were pooled by using a random-effects model. Pre-specified subgroup and univariate meta-regression analyses were performed to identify the sources of heterogeneity. Dose-response analysis was conducted by using the variance weighted least squares regression model. Nine independent prospective cohort studies with 1703 liver cancer events and 1 326 176 participants were included for data synthesis. The summary estimates showed that higher vegetable intake was associated with a 39% (95%CI: 0.50, 0.75) reduction in liver cancer risk, with no significant between-study heterogeneity (P = 0.057). Dose-response analysis indicated that the risk of liver cancer was reduced by 4% (95%CI: 0.97, 0.95; P for trend <0.001) with a 100 gram per day increment of vegetable intake. Subgroup analysis showed that higher intakes of vegetables were associated with a 50% (95%CI: 0.35, 0.72) reduction of liver cancer risk in males, but not in females. However, a non-significant association was found between fruit intake and liver cancer risk. The present study provides strong evidence that higher intakes of vegetables would have beneficial effects on the prevention of liver cancer, especially for males.
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3.
Natural Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Hangover and Alcohol Use Disorder.
Wang, F, Li, Y, Zhang, YJ, Zhou, Y, Li, S, Li, HB
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2016;(1):64
Abstract
Alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirits are widely consumed around the world. However, alcohol and its metabolite acetaldehyde are toxic and harmful to human beings. Chronic alcohol use disorder or occasional binge drinking can cause a wide range of health problems, such as hangover, liver damage and cancer. Some natural products such as traditional herbs, fruits, and vegetables might be potential dietary supplements or medicinal products for the prevention and treatment of the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of effective natural products for the prevention and treatment of hangover and alcohol use disorder, and special emphasis is paid to the possible functional component(s) and related mechanism(s) of action.
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4.
Bioactivities and Health Benefits of Wild Fruits.
Li, Y, Zhang, JJ, Xu, DP, Zhou, T, Zhou, Y, Li, S, Li, HB
International journal of molecular sciences. 2016;(8)
Abstract
Wild fruits are exotic or underutilized. Wild fruits contain many bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids. Many studies have shown that wild fruits possess various bioactivities and health benefits, such as free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activity. Therefore, wild fruits have the potential to be developed into functional foods or pharmaceuticals to prevent and treat several chronic diseases. In the present article, we review current knowledge about the bioactivities and health benefits of wild fruits, which is valuable for the exploitation and utilization of wild fruits.