@article{tambe_jacquet_strathearn_hensel_colon_chandran_yousef_grace_ferruzzi_wu_et al._2023, title={Protective Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Extracts against Neurotoxicity Elicited by Paraquat or Rotenone in Cellular Models of Parkinson's Disease}, volume={12}, ISSN={["2076-3921"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/7/1463}, DOI={10.3390/antiox12071463}, abstractNote={Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving motor symptoms caused by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain. Epidemiological evidence suggests that anthocyanin (ANC) intake is associated with a low risk of PD. Previously, we reported that extracts enriched with ANC and proanthocyanidins (PAC) suppressed dopaminergic neuron death elicited by the PD-related toxin rotenone in a primary midbrain culture model. Here, we characterized botanical extracts enriched with a mixed profile of polyphenols, as well as a set of purified polyphenolic standards, in terms of their ability to mitigate dopaminergic cell death in midbrain cultures exposed to another PD-related toxicant, paraquat (PQ), and we examined underlying neuroprotective mechanisms. Extracts prepared from blueberries, black currants, grape seeds, grape skin, mulberries, and plums, as well as several ANC, were found to rescue dopaminergic neuron loss in PQ-treated cultures. Comparison of a subset of ANC-rich extracts for the ability to mitigate neurotoxicity elicited by PQ versus rotenone revealed that a hibiscus or plum extract was only neuroprotective in cultures exposed to rotenone or PQ, respectively. Several extracts or compounds with the ability to protect against PQ neurotoxicity increased the activity of the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2 in cultured astrocytes, and PQ-induced dopaminergic cell death was attenuated in Nrf2-expressing midbrain cultures. In other studies, we found that extracts prepared from hibiscus, grape skin, or purple basil (but not plums) rescued defects in O2 consumption in neuronal cells treated with rotenone. Collectively, these findings suggest that extracts enriched with certain combinations of ANC, PAC, stilbenes, and other polyphenols could potentially slow neurodegeneration in the brains of individuals exposed to PQ or rotenone by activating cellular antioxidant mechanisms and/or alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction.}, number={7}, journal={ANTIOXIDANTS}, author={Tambe, Mitali A. and Jacquet, Aurelie de Rus and Strathearn, Katherine E. and Hensel, Jennifer A. and Colon, Bryce D. and Chandran, Aswathy and Yousef, Gad G. and Grace, Mary H. and Ferruzzi, Mario G. and Wu, Qingli and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Jul} }
 @article{strauch_mengist_pan_yousef_iorizzo_brown_lila_2019, title={Variation in anthocyanin profiles of 27 genotypes of red cabbage over two growing seasons}, volume={301}, ISSN={["1873-7072"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125289}, DOI={10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125289}, abstractNote={Acylated anthocyanins, such as those found in red cabbage, are more heat-, light-, and alkaline pH-stable than non-acylated anthocyanins, making them attractive for a variety of commercial applications. A UPLC-DAD-MSE method with an optimized chromatographic strategy was used to identify 29 red cabbage anthocyanins, predominantly acylated and glucosylated cyanidin derivatives. Anthocyanin profiles of 27 red cabbage genotypes harvested in consecutive growing seasons were measured and assessed for variation. Three unique anthocyanin profile fingerprints were identified through hierarchical clustering analysis. PCA analysis identified anthocyanin accumulation traits and genotypes with high diversity which can be utilized in future investigations into the genetic and molecular basis for anthocyanin production, acylation, and diversity.}, journal={FOOD CHEMISTRY}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Strauch, Renee C. and Mengist, Molla F. and Pan, Kevin and Yousef, Gad G. and Iorizzo, Massimo and Brown, Allan F. and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2019}, month={Dec} }
 @article{dan_yousef_campbell_phelps_burnett_kekkonen_shockley_lila_2017, title={Development, and genetic and metabolic characterization of new tomato mutants with enhanced and deficient carotenoid content}, volume={92}, ISSN={["2380-4084"]}, DOI={10.1080/14620316.2017.1301223}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a valuable vegetable crop rich in health-protective carotenoids, but breeding improvements are limited by its narrow genetic diversity. New mutants with enhanced and deficient carotenoid content in a single genetic background of tomato cv. MicroTom were developed via chemical mutagenesis. Genetic and metabolic analyses showed that mutant DC260, which exhibited fruit color alteration from red to deep red interlaced with orange color, had significant (P < 0.05) increases of lycopene (up to 42.8%) and ß-carotene (up to 61.5%) compared with control plants. Pearson correlation analysis of M1 and M2 generations in DC260 revealed that fruit color alteration was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with lycopene (coefficient = 0.55) and ß-carotene content (coefficient = 0.63). The fruit color alteration of DC260 was controlled by a single gene at a heterozygous locus. In contrast, mutant DC107 and DC624, which exhibited fruit color alteration from red to orange-yellow, was significantly (P < 0.05) carotenoid-deficient with up to 346.3-, 10.8-, and 185.2- fold reductions of lycopene, ß-carotene, and total carotenoids, respectively, compared with the control plants. Carotenoid deficiency in DC170 and DC624 was responsible for the fruit color alteration and was controlled by a dominant gene at a homozygous locus.}, number={5}, journal={JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Dan, Yinghui and Yousef, Gad and Campbell, Faith N. and Phelps, Drake W. and Burnett, Callie and Kekkonen, Anni and Shockley, Alexa and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2017}, pages={475–483} }
 @article{timmers_grace_yousef_lila_2017, title={Inter- and intra-seasonal changes in anthocyanin accumulation and global metabolite profiling of six blueberry genotypes}, volume={59}, ISSN={["1096-0481"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85014867133&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1016/j.jfca.2017.02.019}, abstractNote={Anthocyanin content in six blueberry genotypes was evaluated across two harvest seasons. Three southern highbush (hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum) genotypes (Legacy, Sampson, SHF2B1-21:3) showed a dramatic and almost linear increase in total anthocyanin content across each harvest season, with an increase of up to 20 mg/g dry weight (DW). The three rabbiteye (V. virgatum) genotypes (Ira, Montgomery, Onslow) showed no trend in anthocyanin content, fluctuating by up to 15 mg/g DW. The relative proportions of each individual anthocyanin were also investigated. Rabbiteye genotypes contained higher percentages of cyanidin glycosides than the southern highbush genotypes, while the reverse was found for the levels of delphinidin glycosides present. For southern highbush genotypes, the percentages of malvidin and delphinidin glycosides were inversely proportional across each harvest season. Principal component analysis on the data obtained by HPLC–MS of the crude extracts clearly separated rabbiteyes and southern highbush into two discrete sets based on global metabolite profiling. Within the southern highbush grouping, genotypes were easily distinguished from one another across each harvest season, due to their separation on the scores plot, indicating that each genotype had distinctly different metabolite profile, whereas each of the rabbiteye genotypes overlapped on the scores plot, indicating commonalities in metabolite profiles.}, journal={JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS}, author={Timmers, Michael A. and Grace, Mary H. and Yousef, Gad G. and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2017}, month={Jun}, pages={105–110} }
 @article{grace_esposito_timmers_xiong_yousef_komarnytsky_lila_2016, title={Chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of pistachio hull extracts}, volume={210}, ISSN={0308-8146}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.04.088}, DOI={10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.04.088}, abstractNote={Phytochemical and bioactivity analyses of pistachio hulls revealed the presence of anacardic acids (3198 mg/100 g), fatty acids (1500 mg/100 g), and phytosterols (192 mg/100 g) as major components. Carotenoids (4.93 mg/100 g), chlorophylls (10.27 mg/100 g), tocopherols (8.83 mg/100 g), and three triterpene acids (mangiferolic, isomangiferolic and mangiferonic acids) were characterized. A polar (P) extract contained quercetin-3-O-glucoside (6.27 mg/g), together with smaller concentrations of quercetin, myricetin and luteolin flavonoids, accounting for 5.53 mg/g. Gallotannins and other phenolic compounds esterified with a gallic acid moiety characterized the P extract. P extract potently inhibited the release of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The mRNA expression levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine COX-2 were significantly inhibited by fractions P2-P5, while IL-6 was only inhibited by fraction P3. Moreover, the P extract significantly decreased the non-mitochondrial oxidative burst associated with inflammatory response in macrophages.}, journal={Food Chemistry}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Grace, Mary H. and Esposito, Debora and Timmers, Michael A. and Xiong, Jia and Yousef, Gad and Komarnytsky, Slavko and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2016}, month={Nov}, pages={85–95} }
 @article{grace_esposito_timmers_xiong_yousef_komarnytsky_lila_2016, title={In vitro lipolytic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of roasted pistachio kernel and skin constituents}, volume={7}, ISSN={2042-6496 2042-650X}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c6fo00867d}, DOI={10.1039/c6fo00867d}, abstractNote={A comprehensive phytochemical analysis was conducted on pistachios to identify the differential contributions of skin and kernel phytochemicals toin vitrobioactivity.}, number={10}, journal={Food & Function}, publisher={Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)}, author={Grace, Mary H. and Esposito, Debora and Timmers, Michael A. and Xiong, Jia and Yousef, Gad and Komarnytsky, Slavko and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2016}, pages={4285–4298} }
 @article{chebrolu_yousef_park_tanimura_brown_2015, title={A high-throughput, simultaneous analysis of carotenoids, chlorophylls and tocopherol using sub two micron core shell technology columns}, volume={1001}, journal={Journal of Chromatography. B, Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences}, author={Chebrolu, K. K. and Yousef, G. G. and Park, R. and Tanimura, Y. and Brown, A. F.}, year={2015}, pages={41–48} }
 @article{bradish_yousef_ma_perkins-veazie_fernandez_2015, title={Anthocyanin, carotenoid, tocopherol, and ellagitannin content of red raspberry cultivars grown under field or high tunnel cultivation in the Southeastern United States}, volume={140}, number={2}, journal={Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Bradish, C. M. and Yousef, G. G. and Ma, G. Y. and Perkins-Veazie, P. and Fernandez, G. E.}, year={2015}, pages={163–171} }
 @article{brown_yousef_reid_chebrolu_thomas_krueger_jeffery_jackson_juvik_2015, title={Genetic analysis of glucosinolate variability in broccoli florets using genome-anchored single nucleotide polymorphisms}, volume={128}, number={7}, journal={Theoretical and Applied Genetics}, author={Brown, A. F. and Yousef, G. G. and Reid, R. W. and Chebrolu, K. K. and Thomas, A. and Krueger, C. and Jeffery, E. and Jackson, E. and Juvik, J. A.}, year={2015}, pages={1431–1447} }
 @article{guzman_grace_yousef_raskin_lila_2015, title={Novel strategies for capturing health-protective mango phytochemicals in shelf stable food matrices}, volume={66}, ISSN={["1465-3478"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84925011269&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.3109/09637486.2014.979315}, abstractNote={Abstract Cost-effective methods for concentration and stabilization of otherwise perishable mango fruit phytoactives into shelf stable high protein ingredients were developed to combat stunting (malnutrition) in rural Africa. Mango juices complexed with sunflower oil and protein-rich legume flours yielded carotenoid-enriched oils and pelleted polyphenol-enriched flour matrices. Carotenoids from juices were concentrated 9–10 times in the fortified sunflower oil. Protein-rich soy and peanut flours captured 2.2–3.2 mg/g polyphenols from the juices. Alternatively, mango juice was sorbed and co-dried with flours, which stably bound the polyphenols, carotenoids, and natural sugars in soy or peanut protein-rich matrices. The concentration of provitamin A carotenoids was almost doubled and total polyphenols were enriched 4–5 times higher in the matrices compared to fresh pureed juice. Both strategies require minimal instrumentation, are compatible with rural village dietary practices; and capture the benefits of otherwise perishable seasonal resources by complexing healthful proteins together with phytoactive compounds.}, number={2}, journal={INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION}, author={Guzman, Ivette and Grace, Mary H. and Yousef, Gad G. and Raskin, Ilya and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2015}, month={Mar}, pages={175–185} }
 @article{fredes_yousef_robert_grace_lila_gomez_gebauer_montenegro_2014, title={Anthocyanin profiling of wild maqui berries (Aristotelia chilensis [Mol.] Stuntz) from different geographical regions in Chile}, volume={94}, ISSN={["1097-0010"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84906943703&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1002/jsfa.6602}, abstractNote={BACKGROUND
Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) is a Chilean species which produces small berries that are collected from the wild. Anthocyanins, because of their health benefits, are the major focus of interest in maqui fruit. For this study, we examined anthocyanin and phenolic content of maqui fruits from individuals that belonged to four geographical areas in Chile, and used DNA marker analysis to examine the genetic variability of maqui populations that had distinctly different fruit anthocyanin content.


RESULTS
Twelve primers generated a total of 145 polymorphic inter simple sequence repeat-polymerase chain reaction (ISSR-PCR) bands. ISSR-PCR showed different banding patterns for the individuals evaluated, confirming that maqui populations belonged to different genotypes. Maqui fruit from four different geographical regions during two consecutive growing seasons showed high total anthocyanin (6.6-15.0 g cy-3-glu kg⁻¹ fresh weight (FW)) and phenolic (10.7-20.5 g GAE kg⁻¹ FW) contents and different anthocyanin profiles.


CONCLUSION
Three maqui genotypes exhibited significantly higher anthocyanin content than the others, as measured by pH differential method and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Significant genetic diversity was noted within each ecological population. ISSR-PCR analysis provided a fingerprinting approach applicable for differentiation of maqui genotypes.}, number={13}, journal={JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE}, author={Fredes, Carolina and Yousef, Gad G. and Robert, Paz and Grace, Mary H. and Lila, Mary Ann and Gomez, Miguel and Gebauer, Marlene and Montenegro, Gloria}, year={2014}, month={Oct}, pages={2639–2648} }
 @article{grace_yousef_esposito_raskin_lila_2014, title={Bioactive Capacity, Sensory Properties, and Nutritional Analysis of a Shelf Stable Protein-rich Functional Ingredient with Concentrated Fruit and Vegetable Phytoactives}, volume={69}, ISSN={["1573-9104"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84916603152&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1007/s11130-014-0444-7}, abstractNote={Well-known health-protective phytochemicals from muscadine grape and kale were stably complexed with food grade protein (soy or hemp protein isolates) to create biofortified food ingredients for use in a variety of convenient, portable food formulations. The bioactive (anti-inflammatory) potential, sensory attributes and proximates of the prepared formulations were evaluated in this study. Anti-inflammatory properties of the protein-phytoactive ingredient particles were contributed by the polyphenolic content (muscadine-protein) or the combination of polyphenol, carotenoid, and glucosinolate content (kale-protein aggregates). Phytoactive compounds from the fortified matrices suppressed at least two biomarkers of inflammation; most notable with the expression of chronic pro-inflammatory genes IL-6 and Mcp1. Sensory analysis suggested both sweet and savory functional food applications for the biofortified ingredients. Proximate analyses determined that fortification of the soy protein isolate (SPI) with muscadine or kale bioactives resulted in elevated dietary fibers, total carbohydrates, and free sugars, but did not increase calories/100 g dry matrix compared to unfortified SPI. Overall protein content in the aggregate matrices was about 37% less (muscadine-SPI, kale-SPI and kale- HP50) or 17.6% less (muscadine-HP50) on a weight basis, likely due to solubility of some proteins during preparation and partial displacement of some protein mass by the fruit and vegetable phytoactive constituents.}, number={4}, journal={PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION}, author={Grace, Mary H. and Yousef, Gad G. and Esposito, Debora and Raskin, Ilya and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2014}, month={Dec}, pages={372–378} }
 @article{yousef_grace_medina_neff_guzman_brown_raskin_lila_2014, title={Concentrating Immunoprotective Phytoactive Compounds from Fruits and Vegetables into Shelf-stable Protein-rich Ingredients}, volume={69}, ISSN={["1573-9104"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84916882325&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1007/s11130-014-0445-6}, abstractNote={Co-delivery of edible proteins with health-protective fruit (muscadine grape) and vegetable (kale) phytoactive compounds was accomplished in a biofortified ingredient for use in convenient, portable food formulations. Polyphenolics were concentrated (10-42 mg/g range) in dry muscadine-protein matrices. Kale-fortified protein matrices also captured polyphenolics (8 mg/g), carotenoids (69 μg/g) and glucosinolates (7 μmol/g). Neither total phenolics nor glucosinolates were significantly diminished even after long term (6 months) storage at 4, 20, or 37 °C, whereas carotenoids degraded over time, particularly at higher temperatures. Dry biofortified phytoactive-protein ingredients allowed delivery of immunoprotective compounds from fruits and vegetables in a stable, lightweight matrix.}, number={4}, journal={PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION}, author={Yousef, Gad G. and Grace, Mary H. and Medina, Jorge L. Guerrero and Neff, Scott and Guzman, Ivette and Brown, Allan F. and Raskin, Ilya and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2014}, month={Dec}, pages={317–324} }
 @article{brown_yousef_chebrolu_byrd_everhart_thomas_reid_parkin_sharpe_oliver_et al._2014, title={High-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array mapping in Brassica oleracea: identification of QTL associated with carotenoid variation in broccoli florets}, volume={127}, number={9}, journal={Theoretical and Applied Genetics}, author={Brown, A. F. and Yousef, G. G. and Chebrolu, K. K. and Byrd, R. W. and Everhart, K. W. and Thomas, A. and Reid, R. W. and Parkin, I. A. P. and Sharpe, A. G. and Oliver, R. and et al.}, year={2014}, pages={2051–2064} }
 @article{yousef_lila_guzman_ballington_brown_2014, title={Impact of interspecific introgression on anthocyanin profiles of Southern Highbush blueberry}, volume={139}, number={2}, journal={Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Yousef, G. G. and Lila, M. A. and Guzman, I. and Ballington, J. R. and Brown, A. F.}, year={2014}, pages={99–112} }
 @article{strathearn_yousef_grace_roy_tambe_ferruzzi_wu_simon_lila_rochet_et al._2014, title={Neuroprotective effects of anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich extracts in cellular models of Parkinson׳s disease}, volume={1555}, ISSN={0006-8993}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/J.BRAINRES.2014.01.047}, DOI={10.1016/j.brainres.2014.01.047}, abstractNote={Neuropathological evidence indicates that dopaminergic cell death in Parkinson׳s disease (PD) involves impairment of mitochondrial complex I, oxidative stress, microglial activation, and the formation of Lewy bodies. Epidemiological findings suggest that the consumption of berries rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins may reduce PD risk. In this study, we investigated whether extracts rich in anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, or other polyphenols suppress the neurotoxic effects of rotenone in a primary cell culture model of PD. Dopaminergic cell death elicited by rotenone was suppressed by extracts prepared from blueberries, grape seed, hibiscus, blackcurrant, and Chinese mulberry. Extracts rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins exhibited greater neuroprotective activity than extracts rich in other polyphenols, and a number of individual anthocyanins interfered with rotenone neurotoxicity. The blueberry and grape seed extracts rescued rotenone-induced defects in mitochondrial respiration in a dopaminergic cell line, and a purple basal extract attenuated nitrite release from microglial cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. These findings suggest that anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich botanical extracts may alleviate neurodegeneration in PD via enhancement of mitochondrial function.}, journal={Brain Research}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Strathearn, K.E. and Yousef, G.G. and Grace, M.H. and Roy, S.L. and Tambe, M.A. and Ferruzzi, M.G. and Wu, Q.-L. and Simon, J.E. and Lila, M.A. and Rochet, J.-C. and et al.}, year={2014}, month={Mar}, pages={60–77} }
 @article{grace_yousef_gustafson_truong_yencho_lila_2014, title={Phytochemical changes in phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids associated with sweetpotato storage and impacts on bioactive properties}, volume={145}, ISSN={["1873-7072"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84884340315&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.08.107}, abstractNote={Sweetpotato phytochemical content was evaluated in four genotypes (NCPUR06-020, Covington, Yellow Covington, and NC07-847) at harvest and after curing/storage for 4 or 8 months. Curing and storage for up to 8 months did not significantly affect total phenolic content in Covington, Yellow Covington, and NC07-847, however for NCPUR06-020, a purple-fleshed selection, total phenolic content declined mainly due to anthocyanin degradation during storage. Covington had the highest carotenoid content at harvest time (281.9 μg/g DM), followed by NC07-847 (26.2 μg/g DM), and after 8 months, total carotenoids had increased by 25% and 50%, respectively. Antioxidant activity gradually declined during storage, and freshly harvested sweetpotatoes also demonstrated higher anti-inflammatory capacity as gauged by inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SH-SY5Y cells. Gradual changes in sweetpotato phytochemical content and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity were noted during normal long-term storage, but the specific effects were genotype-dependent.}, journal={FOOD CHEMISTRY}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Grace, Mary H. and Yousef, Gad G. and Gustafson, Sally J. and Truong, Van-Den and Yencho, G. Craig and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2014}, month={Feb}, pages={717–724} }
 @article{lila_kellogg_grace_yousef_kraft_rogers_2014, title={Stressed for Success: How the Berry's Wild Origins Result in Multifaceted Health Protections}, volume={1017}, ISSN={["2406-6168"]}, DOI={10.17660/actahortic.2014.1017.1}, abstractNote={In the harsh, unprotected wilds, environmental or climatic stressors (elicitors) provoke the deposition of health-protective secondary phytochemicals in plants that will help them adapt and thrive. For berries endemic to the wind-battered open plains of the Dakotas, the arctic tundra of Alaska, exposed elevations in the Andean Mountains or the nutrient-starved lava flows of Pacific Islands, certain stresses can be taken to extreme limits, triggering deposition of potent phytochemical mixtures within berry fruits. The unique and sometimes dramatic phytochemical melange not only protects the host plant from insult, but also offers broad-spectrum health benefits to the animals (including humans) that consume these berries. Traditional diets in many native cultures have featured wild game, seafood, and a plethora of these wild berry species including salmonberries, mossberries, maquiberry, buffaloberry, blue huckleberries and bog blueberries. In recent years, just as native communities have shifted towards more Western diets and away from traditions, the incidence of diabetes and obesity has risen. In partnership with local Native American and Alaska Native communities, our teams have investigated the health protective (and in particular, anti-diabetic and obesity-inhibiting) properties of indigenous berries as conditioned by environmental and climatic stress in the wild growing sites. Various wild berries were examined in field bioassays, then in lab analyses, and proved capable of dose-dependent inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines associated with metabolic syndrome, and inhibition of aldose reductase, an enzyme associated with diabetic retinopathy. The complexity of the phytochemical profiles of the wild berries and potentiating interactions between anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoid phytochemicals contributed to the modulation of specific cellular targets related to metabolic syndrome and obesity. comparing the empirical values to the predicted values: additive (empirical=predicted), more than additive (empirical>predicted), interference (empirical<predicted). Data represents mean ± standard error of n ≥ 5. The effect of interactions between berry fractions of P. virginiana on the inhibition of LPS (10 ng/ml) induced production of inflammatory markers in murine BV-2 cells. interaction type determined by comparing the empirical values to the predicted additive (empirical=predicted), additive (empirical>predicted), needed to inhibit aldose reductase by 50% (IC 50 by Toyopearl fractions of Aristotelia virginiana calculated testing at least 6 concentrations duplicate or greater and using a nonlinear least squares equation of best fit. confidence interval shows significance.}, journal={X INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VACCINIUM AND OTHER SUPERFRUITS}, author={Lila, M. A. and Kellogg, J. and Grace, M. H. and Yousef, G. G. and Kraft, T. B. and Rogers, R. B.}, year={2014}, pages={23–43} }
 @article{brown_yousef_guzman_chebrolu_werner_parker_gasic_perkins-veazie_2014, title={Variation of carotenoids and polyphenolics in peach and implications on breeding for modified phytochemical profiles}, volume={139}, number={6}, journal={Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Brown, A. F. and Yousef, G. G. and Guzman, I. and Chebrolu, K. K. and Werner, D. J. and Parker, M. and Gasic, K. and Perkins-Veazie, P.}, year={2014}, pages={676–686} }
 @article{johnson_mejia_fan_lila_yousef_2013, title={Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins from blueberry-blackberry fermented beverages inhibit markers of inflammation in macrophages and carbohydrate-utilizing enzymes in vitro}, volume={57}, ISSN={["1613-4133"]}, DOI={10.1002/mnfr.201200678}, abstractNote={ScopeBerries are an excellent source of dietary flavonoids which have several health benefits.}, number={7}, journal={MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH}, author={Johnson, Michelle H. and Mejia, Elvira Gonzalez and Fan, Junfeng and Lila, Mary Ann and Yousef, Gad G.}, year={2013}, month={Jul}, pages={1182–1197} }
 @article{fan_johnson_lila_yousef_mejia_2013, title={Berry and citrus phenolic compounds inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase IV: Implications in diabetes management}, journal={Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine}, author={Fan, J. F. and Johnson, M. H. and Lila, M. A. and Yousef, G. and Mejia, E. G.}, year={2013} }
 @article{yousef_brown_funakoshi_mbeunkui_grace_ballington_loraine_lila_2013, title={Efficient Quantification of the Health-Relevant Anthocyanin and Phenolic Acid Profiles in Commercial Cultivars and Breeding Selections of Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.)}, volume={61}, ISSN={["1520-5118"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84878264623&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1021/jf400823s}, abstractNote={Anthocyanins and phenolic acids are major secondary metabolites in blueberry with important implications for human health maintenance. An improved protocol was developed for the accurate, efficient, and rapid comparative screening for large blueberry sample sets. Triplicates of six commercial cultivars and four breeding selections were analyzed using the new method. The compound recoveries ranged from 94.2 to 97.5 ± 5.3% when samples were spiked with commercial standards prior to extraction. Eighteen anthocyanins and 4 phenolic acids were quantified in frozen and freeze-dried fruits. Large variations for individual and total anthocyanins, ranging from 201.4 to 402.8 mg/100 g, were assayed in frozen fruits. The total phenolic acid content ranged from 23.6 to 61.7 mg/100 g in frozen fruits. Across all genotypes, freeze-drying resulted in minor reductions in anthocyanin concentration (3.9%) compared to anthocyanins in frozen fruits. However, phenolic acids increased by an average of 1.9-fold (±0.3) in the freeze-dried fruit. Different genotypes frequently had comparable overall levels of total anthocyanins and phenolic acids, but differed dramatically in individual profiles of compounds. Three of the genotypes contained markedly higher concentrations of delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, and malvidin 3-O-glucoside, which have previously been implicated as bioactive principles in this fruit. The implications of these findings for human health benefits are discussed.}, number={20}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY}, author={Yousef, Gad G. and Brown, Allan F. and Funakoshi, Yayoi and Mbeunkui, Flaubert and Grace, Mary H. and Ballington, James R. and Loraine, Ann and Lila, Mary A.}, year={2013}, month={May}, pages={4806–4815} }
 @article{grace_massey_mbeunkui_yousef_lila_2012, title={Comparison of Health-Relevant Flavonoids in Commonly Consumed Cranberry Products}, volume={77}, ISSN={["1750-3841"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84864624023&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/j.1750-3841.2012.02788.x}, abstractNote={Abstract:  The human health benefits from consumption of cranberry products have been associated with the fruits’ unique flavonoid composition, including a complex profile of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. However, when processed by techniques such as pressing, canning, concentrating, or drying, a number of these natural components may be compromised or inactivated due to physical separation, thermal degradation, or oxidation. Fresh cranberries were compared to freeze‐dried berries and individual fruit tissues (skin and peeled fruit). Products examined included cranberry juices (commercial and prepared from concentrate), cranberry sauces (commercial and homemade), and sweetened‐dried cranberries (commercial). Freeze‐drying resulted in no detectable losses of anthocyanins or proanthocyanidins from cranberry fruits. Anthocyanins were localized in the skin. Proanthocyanins were higher in the skin than in the flesh, with the exception of procyanidin A‐2 dimer which was concentrated in the flesh. Anthocyanins were significantly higher in not‐from‐concentrate juice than in reconstituted juice from concentrate (8.3 mg and 4.2 mg/100 mL, respectively). Similarly, proanthocyanidins were markedly higher in not‐from‐concentrate juice compared to juice from concentrate (23.0 mg and 8.9 mg/100 mL, respectively). Homemade sauce contained far higher anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (15.9 and 87.9 mg/100 g, respectively) than canned sauces processed with whole berries (9.6 and 54.4 mg/100 g, respectively) or jelled‐type (1.1 and 16 mg/100 g, respectively). Sweetened‐dried cranberries were quite low in anthocyanins (7.9 mg/100 g), but they still retained considerable proanthocyanidins (64.2 mg/100 g). Commercially processed products contained significantly lower levels of polyphenols as compared to fresh and home‐processed preparations. Anthocyanins were more sensitive to degradation than proanthocyanidins.}, number={8}, journal={JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE}, author={Grace, Mary H. and Massey, Aaron R. and Mbeunkui, Flaubert and Yousef, Gad G. and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2012}, month={Aug}, pages={H176–H183} }
 @article{lila_ribnicky_rojo_rojas-silva_oren_havenaar_janle_raskin_yousef_grace_et al._2012, title={Complementary Approaches To Gauge the Bioavailability and Distribution of Ingested Berry Polyphenolics}, volume={60}, ISSN={["1520-5118"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84862158948&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1021/jf203526h}, abstractNote={Two different strategies for investigating the likely fate, after ingestion, of natural, bioactive berry constituents (anthocyanins and other non-nutritive flavonoids) are compared. A model of the human gastrointestinal tract (TIM-1) that mimicked the biological environment from the point of swallowing and ingestion through the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum (but not the colon) was used to monitor the stability and bioaccessibility of anthocyanins from both maqui berry and wild blueberry. TIM-1 revealed that most anthocyanins were bioaccessible between the second and third hours after intake. Alternatively, biolabeled anthocyanins and other flavonoids generated in vitro from berry and grape cell cultures were administered to in vivo (rodent) models, allowing measurement and tracking of the absorption and transport of berry constituents and clearance through the urinary tract and colon. The advantages and limitations of the alternative strategies are considered.}, number={23}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY}, author={Lila, M.A. and Ribnicky, D.M. and Rojo, L.E. and Rojas-Silva, P. and Oren, A. and Havenaar, R. and Janle, E.M. and Raskin, I. and Yousef, G.G. and Grace, M.H. and et al.}, year={2012}, month={Jun}, pages={5763–5771} }
 @article{mbeunkui_grace_yousef_lila_2012, title={Isolation and characterization of flavonols from blackcurrant by high-performance counter-current chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry}, volume={35}, ISSN={["1615-9314"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84863684478&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1002/jssc.201200198}, abstractNote={Blackcurrant is considered as a natural high‐value food raw material and possesses a variety of therapeutic properties. The health benefits of blackcurrant have generally been credited to its high anthocyanin content; however, the therapeutic properties of other minor flavonoids constituents have not yet been investigated due the difficulties related to their isolation. Multiple steps of high‐performance counter‐current chromatography in combination with ESI tandem mass spectrometry (MSn) were successfully used for the preparative isolation of flavonols from blackcurrant extract, to study their electrospray ionization mass spectrometry fragmentation behavior. Seven flavonols, namely myricetin‐3‐O‐rutinoside (145.5 mg), myricetin‐3‐O‐hexoside (79.7 mg), myricetin‐3‐O‐(6″‐malonyl)‐glucoside (17.4 mg), kaempferol‐3‐O‐glucoside (20.5 mg), quercetin‐3‐O‐rutinoside (55.1 mg), quercetin‐3‐O‐hexoside (25.8 mg), and myricetin (129.1 mg) have been successfully isolated and their multistage MSn data were used for detailed structure characterization. The results of these experiments demonstrated that high‐performance counter‐current chromatography along with ESI‐MSn is a sensitive, selective, and effective technology for isolation and characterization of minor constituents from a complex mixture.}, number={13}, journal={JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE}, author={Mbeunkui, Flaubert and Grace, Mary H. and Yousef, Gad G. and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2012}, month={Jul}, pages={1682–1689} }
 @article{guzman_yousef_brown_2012, title={Simultaneous extraction and quantitation of carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocopherols in brassica vegetables}, volume={60}, number={29}, journal={Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry}, author={Guzman, I. and Yousef, G. G. and Brown, A. F.}, year={2012}, pages={7238–7244} }
 @article{cuevas-rodriguez_yousef_garcia-saucedo_lopez-medina_paredes-lopez_lila_2010, title={Characterization of Anthocyanins and Proanthocyanidins in Wild and Domesticated Mexican Blackberries (Rubus spp.)}, volume={58}, ISSN={["1520-5118"]}, DOI={10.1021/jf101485r}, abstractNote={This study was designed to characterize and compare wild, commercial, and noncommercial cultivated blackberry genotypes grown in Michoacan, Mexico. Six genotypes, including WB-3, WB-7, WB-10, and WB-11 (all wild blackberry types), Tupy (a commercial cultivar), and UM-601 (a cultivated breeding line), were selected and profiled for anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins by separating extracts over Amberlite XAD-7 resin and Sephadex LH-20 columns. Subsequent high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) analyses revealed that the major anthocyanin for all genotypes was cyanidin 3-O-glucoside. The proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins) were present in mono- to hexamer forms. Also, hydrolyzable tannins, ellagitannins, were characterized in the blackberry fruits. The average anthocyanin concentration in Sephadex LH-20 fractions was 49.2 mg/g in the commercial cultivar Tupy, while in the wild genotypes and the breeding line, the range was 361.3-494.9 mg/g (cyanidin 3-O-glucoside equivalent). The proanthocyanidin concentration varied widely among wild genotypes (417.5-1343.6 mg/g, catechin equivalent). This study demonstrated that the use of Amberlite XAD-7 followed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography, with subsequent HPLC and LC-ESI-MS analyses, was able to effectively separate and characterize the diverse polyphenolics in blackberry genotypes. These results suggest that recommendations for dietary intake of blackberries for human health benefits need to take into account the source, because of the wide inherent variation in bioactive polyphenolic content in different blackberry genotypes.}, number={12}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY}, author={Cuevas-Rodriguez, Edith O. and Yousef, Gad G. and Garcia-Saucedo, Pedro A. and Lopez-Medina, Jose and Paredes-Lopez, Octavio and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2010}, month={Jun}, pages={7458–7464} }
 @article{cuevas-rodriguez_dia_yousef_garcia-saucedo_lopez-medina_paredes-lopez_gonzalez de mejia_ann lila_2010, title={Inhibition of Pro-inflammatory Responses and Antioxidant Capacity of Mexican Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Extracts}, volume={58}, ISSN={["1520-5118"]}, DOI={10.1021/jf102590p}, abstractNote={Total polyphenolic and anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich fractions from wild blackberry genotypes (WB-3, WB-7, WB-10, and WB-11), a domesticated noncommercial breeding line (UM-601), and a commercial cultivar (Tupy) were evaluated for inhibition of pro-inflammatory responses [nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)] in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). At 50 microM [cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) or catechin equivalent], most fractions significantly (P<0.05) inhibited all markers. The anthocyanin-rich fraction from WB-10 and the proanthocyanidin-rich fraction from UM-601 exhibited the highest NO inhibitory activities (IC50=16.1 and 15.1 microM, respectively). Proanthocyanidin-rich fractions from the wild WB-10 showed the highest inhibition of iNOS expression (IC50=8.3 microM). Polyphenolic-rich fractions from WB-7 and UM-601 were potent inhibitors of COX-2 expression (IC50=19.1 and 19.3 microM C3G equivalent, respectively). For most of the extracts, antioxidant capacity was significantly correlated with NO inhibition. Wild genotypes of Mexican blackberries, as rich sources of polyphenolics that have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, showed particular promise for inclusion in plant improvement programs designed to develop new varieties with nutraceutical potential.}, number={17}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY}, author={Cuevas-Rodriguez, Edith O. and Dia, Vermont P. and Yousef, Gad G. and Garcia-Saucedo, Pedro A. and Lopez-Medina, Jost and Paredes-Lopez, Octavio and Gonzalez De Mejia, Elvira and Ann Lila, Mary}, year={2010}, month={Sep}, pages={9542–9548} }