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Wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton.) are a rich source of dietary fiber and (poly)phenols with gastrointestinal and immune health-promoting properties, however, their mechanisms of action on the intestinal epithelial cells and transient tissue macrophages remain to be elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the individual effects of anthocyanins, short-chain fatty acids (metabolites derived from fiber), and a series of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid metabolites common to anthocyanins and other polyphenols on epithelial gut homeostasis in human colon epithelial CCD-18 cells and murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. Gastrointestinal cell migration was enhanced in response to anthocyanin glucosides with the maximum effect observed for malvidin-3-glucoside, and a structural subset of hydroxybenzoic acids, especially 2-hydroxybenzoic acid. Enhanced staining for ZO-1 protein in the junctional complexes was observed in CCD-18 cells treated with malvidin and butyrate, as well as several phenolic metabolites, including hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. Nitric oxide production and pro-inflammatory gene expression profiles in the LPS-stimulated macrophages were mostly affected by treatments with 3-caffeoylquinic (chlorogenic) and 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic (caffeic) acids, as well as 2-hydroxybenzoic acid. This study lays the foundation for future investigations evaluating the effects of dietary interventions on managing gastrointestinal and inflammatory pathophysiological outcomes.

Phytoremediation is a process to remove pollutant concentrations in contaminated soils, water, and air using plants that are able to contain or eliminate contaminants. The approach of using genetically engineered plants is a promising alternative for low cost conventional environmentally friendly soil cleanup. Wild type (WT) and variants (VT) of Arabidopsis thaliana (AT) were grown in crude oil (CO) and/or biodiesel (BD) treated (by mass)/ and untreated soil (0% to 8%). Plant shoot (leaves and stem) were the samples of control, CO and BD treated groups were harvested after 4 weeks and processed using different solvent extraction methods and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), using polar and non-polar columns. The mass retention time of different components and comparison with the database of known standard compound identities, was performed. GC-MS spectral signatures of the plants grown in CO and BD mixed soil were comparatively different (there were more metabolized compounds of crude oil in these plants such as styrene (retention time 7.3 minutes) and diphenylcyclopropyl-sulfanyl (retention time 20.8 minutes)), as expected. Various crude oil components and plant antioxidant derived metabolites were observed in the shoot, which indicates phyto-remediating capacity and plant defense mechanism. Oxidative derivatives were observed in the WT plant extracts, further confirming the pro-oxidative mechanism and phyto-remediating capacity, which reiterates the potential use of AT in restoration of CO contaminated soil. Lignin mutant VT was not a viable candidate. In addition, BD augmented the uptake of CO components. Future focus would be a strategic matrix development in a profitable phytoremediation process and biofuel production.