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Stylianopoulou E, Daviti A, Giourou V, Gerasimidi E, Nikolaou A, Kourkoutas Y, Grigoriou ME, Paleologou KE, Skavdis G. Assessment of the Anti-Amyloidogenic Properties of Essential Oils and Their Constituents in Cells Using a Whole-Cell Recombinant Biosensor. Brain Sci 2023; 14:35. [PMID: 38248250 PMCID: PMC10812981 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Essential oils exhibit numerous medicinal properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Recent studies also indicate that certain essential oils demonstrate anti-amyloidogenic activity against β-amyloid, the protein implicated in Alzheimer's disease. To investigate whether the anti-aggregating properties of essential oils extend to α-synuclein, the protein involved in Parkinson's disease, we constructed and employed a whole-cell biosensor based on the split-luciferase complementation assay. We validated our biosensor by using baicalein, a known inhibitor of α-synuclein aggregation, and subsequently we tested eight essential oils commonly used in food and the hygienic industry. Two of them, citron and sage, along with their primary components, pure linalool (the main constituent in citron essential oil) and pure eucalyptol (1,8-cineole, the main constituent in sage essential oil), were able to reduce α-syn aggregation. These findings suggest that both essential oils and their main constituents could be regarded as potential components in functional foods or incorporated into complementary Parkinson's disease therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Electra Stylianopoulou
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.S.); (A.D.); (E.G.); (M.E.G.)
- Laboratory of Molecular Regulation & Diagnostic Technology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
| | - Anastasia Daviti
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.S.); (A.D.); (E.G.); (M.E.G.)
| | - Venetia Giourou
- Laboratory of Molecular Regulation & Diagnostic Technology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
| | - Eleni Gerasimidi
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.S.); (A.D.); (E.G.); (M.E.G.)
| | - Anastasios Nikolaou
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (A.N.); (Y.K.)
| | - Yiannis Kourkoutas
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (A.N.); (Y.K.)
| | - Maria E. Grigoriou
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.S.); (A.D.); (E.G.); (M.E.G.)
| | - Katerina E. Paleologou
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.S.); (A.D.); (E.G.); (M.E.G.)
| | - George Skavdis
- Laboratory of Molecular Regulation & Diagnostic Technology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
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