Planta Med 2014; 80 - SL1
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394489

Evaluation of plant extracts with detoxifying properties by mammalian cell metabolomics

C Simões-Pires 1, M Halabalaki 2, M Rubner 3, S Schwaiger 4, C Petit 1 A Nievergelt 1, et al
  • 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, NKUA, Panepistimioupoli Zografou 15771 Athens, Greece
  • 3Bionorica Research GmbH, Mitterweg 24, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
  • 4Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmacognosy, University of Innsbruck CCB – Centrum of Chemistry and Biomedicine Innrain 80 – 82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

In the frame of the FP7 EU project NATPROTEC, plant extracts with skin-protecting and anti-aging properties are considered for cosmeceutical applications. In this context, an integrated technological platform [1] for the evaluation of over 600 plant extracts allowed the identification of those showing an induction of quinone reductase (QR) activity. QR is a phase II detoxifying enzyme able to reduce electrophiles responsible for cell damage [2]. In order to evaluate the whole changes in cell metabolism caused by the treatment with selected plant extracts, a non-targeted metabolomics approach was developed. A cell culture procedure was first established for HeLa cells in multi-well plates and then sample preparation was optimized for analysis by HPLC-TOF-MS using a HILIC stationary phase. Finally, the MS data of treated and non-treated cell extracts were submitted to multivariate analyses. One of the findings showed significant differences in taurine levels between treated and non-treated cells. Taurine depletion in cells treated with plant extracts able to induce QR may be related to an overall induction of phase II metabolism. These results suggest that a cell metabolomics approach could be useful for identifying detoxifying mechanisms of complex plant extracts.

Fig. 1: Schematic description of the metabolite profiling from an untargeted metabolomics workflow for identifying detoxifying mechanisms of plant extracts for skin applications. This example shows the comparison of untreated (G1) with treated cell-extracts (G4, treated with plant extract), their grouping in the OPLS discriminant analysis, the S-Plot and the relative concentration of taurin, a correlating metabolite in the corresponding samples (G1 green; G4 blue). Raw data from HR-MS scans negative ionization mode. Samples conform to biological and technical replicates.

Acknowledgements: Seventh Framework Programme (People-Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways) Grant agreement no. 286287.

Keywords: Detoxifying, plant extracts, mammalian cells, quinone reductase, metabolomics, taurin

References:

[1] Skaltsounis A et al. Integrated technologies for the discovery and development of cosmeceutical agents from plant biodiversity – NATPROTEC project. Planta Med 2013; 79: PC15.

[2] Bianchet M et al. Structure, function, and mechanism of cytosolic quinone reductases. Vitam Horm 2008; 78: 63 – 84.