Large insertion in radish GRS1 enhances glucoraphanin content in intergeneric hybrids, Raphanobrassica (Raphanus sativus L. x Brassica oleracea var. acephala)

Glucosinolates (GSLs), precursors of isothiocyanates (ITCs), are present in Brassicaceae plants have been found to have health benefits. Sulforaphane (4-(methylsulfinyl)butyl ITC) is an ITC stored in the form of 4-(methylsulfinyl)butyl GSL (glucoraphanin, 4MSOB) in Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli and kale. Sulforaphane activates Nrf2 expression, a transcription factor responsible for inducing physiological activities such as detoxification in the human body, and it represents a functional component unique to cruciferous vegetables. Raphanobrassica is an inter-generic hybrid between radish and kale, and it contains a high amount of 4MSOB. However, Raphanobrassica contains as much 4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl GSL (glucoraphenin, 4MSO3B) as it does 4MSOB. GLUCORAPHASATIN SYNTHASE 1 (GRS1) is an enzyme present in radish that synthesizes 4-methylthio-3-butenyl GSL (glucoraphasatin, 4MT3B), a precursor of 4MSO3B, using 4-(methylthio)butyl GSL (glucoerucin, 4MTB) as a substrate. Since the precursor of 4MSOB is also 4MTB, it was considered that both 4MSOB and 4MSO3B accumulate owing to competition in Raphanobrassica. We hypothesized that owing to the impaired function of GRS1 in Raphanobrassica, it may be possible to breed Raphanobrassica cultivars containing a high 4MSOB content. In this study, we generated Raphanobrassica populations with functional and defective GRS1 and compared the GSL composition in the two populations using high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean 4MSOB content in leaves of the defective-type populations was higher than that in the functional-type population, and the defective/functional ratio ranged from 2.02 to 2.51-fold, supporting this hypothesis. Furthermore, leaves, flower buds, stems, and roots contained higher amounts of 4MSOB in the defective population than in the functional population. The leaf 4MSOB content of defective Raphanobrassica grown in this study was comparable to that of previously studied vegetables (such as broccoli sprouts) with high 4MSOB content. Raphanobrassica with defective GRS1 represents a new leafy vegetable with high 4MSOB content which exhibits anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory potentials.

Amiprophosmethyl-induced efficient in vitro production of polyploids in raphanobrassica with the aid of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) in the culture medium

Optimum conditions for obtaining tetraploid were investigated in raphanobrassica, the intergeneric hybrid between radish (Raphanus sativus) and kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) by treating in vitro plants with an anti-mitotic agent, amiprophosmethyl (APM). Initially, no tetraploids but hexaploids and octaploids were induced by the treatments. Although the leaves of these polyploids of raphanobrassica showed chlorosis during subcultures in in vitro conditions, the chlorosis could be successfully prevented by the ethylene inhibitors, both AVG and AgNO3. Based on this result, AVG was added into medium used for the culture after the chromosome doubling treatment, which subsequently resulted in increased survival rates of the treated plant materials as well as increased production rates of polyploids including tetraploid. These polyploid plants showed obviously different characters from the original diploid plant. The tetraploid plant had bigger sizes in shoot, flower and leaf, and more number of leaves than the diploid. On the other hand, the hexaploid and octaploid plants had smaller sizes in shoots and leaves, and less number of leaves than the diploid. Concentration of glucosinolates, functional substances of Brassicaceae crops, did not significantly differ between diploid and tetraploid of raphanobrassica, but reduced in hexaploid and octaploid.

Inhibitory effect of Raphanobrassica on Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis in Mongolian gerbils

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is well known to be associated with chronic gastritis and also development of gastric cancer. Raphanobrassica (RB) is an intergeneric hybrid of the genera Raphanus (radish) and Brassica (cabbages) containing appreciable amounts of glucoraphanin (GR) and glucoraphenin (GRe), which are actively hydrolyzed by the enzyme myrosinase to sulforaphane and sulforaphene, respectively. Both of these metabolites exert antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of two freeze-dried products of RB (RB1 and RB2) on H. pylori-induced gastritis in Mongolian gerbils. Six-week-old male Mongolian gerbils were inoculated orally with H. pylori (ATCC 43504), and 2weeks later were fed diets containing no additives or diets supplemented with 2% RB1 (containing both GR and GRe) or 2% RB2 (containing GR only) for 10weeks. In the RB1, but not the RB2 group, mononuclear cell infiltration, mRNA expression of IL-6, and cell proliferation in the gastric mucosa were significantly suppressed. These results indicate that RB1 containing both GR and GRe exerted significant inhibitory effects on H. pylori-induced gastritis in Mongolian gerbils apparently mediated via suppression of IL-6 expression and chronic inflammation.