'Our laboraratory is really well-equipped, which allows us to do practically anything in vitro. We would love to collaborate with you,' Prof. Małgorzata Zakłos-Szyda and Edyta Gendaszewska-Darmach invited all.
Diet, synonymous to most of us with dietary restrictions, generally refers to what goes on your plate. What my interlocutors are interested in are the different chemical components in plants that may have an effect on your health. What kinds of diseases, therefore, fall within the field of interest of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences researchers?
Dr hab. inż. Małgorzata Zakłos-Szyda, TUL prof. says,
‘At the lab, we conduct in vitro research with animal and human cell cultures. We try to mimic, or imitate, pathological conditions that could be regulated by incorporating the phytochemicals we have identified into our daily diet. By and large, it is the oxidative stress and the ensuing inflammation that lies at the heart of any disease. And that is actually something we can exert an influence on.
Does it mean your diet can cure you? Well, not really, but it can delay the onset of the disease, or alleviate its negative effects. The researchers have focused on the kind of pathological conditions that can be replicated in vitro and for which a suitable cellular model can be developed.
‘We have been studying the mechanisms at work for selected dietary components that could be used in the prevention of metabolic diseases, e.g., insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and osteoporosis’, dr hab. inż. Małgorzata Zakłos-Szyda explained.
Dr hab. Edyta Gendaszewska-Darmach, TUL prof., went on to add,
‘These diseases are called diet-dependent. We can therefore take advantage of the dual nature of the diet and look for compounds that could be useful in preventing chronic diseases. We have learned a lot so far, yet there is still much to be explored about the various dietary components.’
Once in a while, scientific discovery will happen by pure chance. Prof. Małgorzata Zakłos-Szyda remembers, ‘I was doing research on coral calla and, inadvertently, found it to be an interesting raw material with a range of activity regulating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The same was true in the development of a yogurt formulation intended for diabetics that reduces insulin resistance and exhibits hypoglycemic activity. It contained tripertenoids and phenolic compounds isolated from apples, which I studied when carrying out another project.’
The Bioactive Phytochemicals and Nutrigenomics Group are involved in a number of projects that test bioactivity of different compounds on cell lines. One example are extracts from plants rich in isoflavones. The Group was successful in demonstrating their positive effect on bone tissue mineralization, as well as on reducing cancer cell migration. Another interesting project concerned the study of bioavailability and protective properties of compounds isolated from coffee beans.
The two researchers point out that once the food enters your digestive system and by the time it has reached the small intestine, its compounds may exhibit activity that is quite different from what is expected when the food is still on the plate. The researchers emphasize that the cell lines they have at their disposal allow them to determine intestinal permeability.
‘Our plant raw materials undergo in vitro digestion, which allows us to observe how their composition changes in the process and what ultimately reaches the organs. Our research dives deep into molecular science. We look at what happens in the cell when it comes into contact with a plant or a component of a plant. We do not just observe things and say: OK, that works. We look for answers as to why it works the way it does.’
The Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology holds TUL's largest collection of human and animal cell lines. They are stored at a temperature of -150° Celsius in one of the most advanced facilities of its kind. That is a powerful tool for in vitro research.
‘The cells we use are associated with the tissues of the digestive system. We have cell lines of the pancreas, liver (hepatocytes), small and large intestine, as well as cell lines of different cancers, called immortalized cells. For most in vitro research it makes good sense to start with these cells, because they are easier to keep and you may replicate many of the experiments. These models enable us to take a bigger picture view of the effects of our research. For example, something that has an anti-diabetic effect can also regulate the mineralization process so you can also mimic bone tissue activity and, so to says, kill two birds with one stone’, says prof. Małgorzata Zakłos-Szyda.
Prof. Edyta Gendaszewska-Darmach adds, ‘In the Opus project, we are also trying to explain the controversial effects produced by fatty acids present in sea buckthorn oil, for example. Sea buckthorn fruit contains palmitoleic acid. There have been research reports of this acid reducing insulin resistance, whereas epidemiological data appear to indicate that the higher the palmitoleic acid content, the higher the risk of diabetes. Our research shows that palmitoleic acid is the main player in sea buckthorn oil, although other fatty acids and many different components that can modulate the effect are also present. We would like to point out, however, that it is the amount of the oil that is consumed that is of import. One tablespoon a day can work preventively, whereas more than one may well lead to undesirable effects, e.g., liver steatosis.
Another research strand where different cells are used is examining the biocompatibility of materials in terms of toxicity and interactions with specific cells, for example. Also in investigating products of degradation intended for further use.
‘Let's not forget about chemically synthesized compounds.’, prof. Gendaszewska-Darmach explains, ‘We can study their cytotoxicity, their effects on the generation of oxidative stress in cells, transmission of cellular signals, and on changes in the regulation of the level of gene expression and proteins that are encoded by these genes’.
Prof. Gendaszewska-Darmach is currently working on two Prelude BIS projects on chemically synthesized compounds where activity associated with the involvement of a variety of cells is under investigation.