The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes

Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) is a plant known for its nutritional and medicinal properties whose use as a supplement in animal diets has attracted much interest. We studied the effects of powdered maca root extract on the growth potential of in vitro cultured porcine cells pri...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weronika Loba-Pasternak, Mehmet Onur Aksoy, Kinga Stuper-Szablewska, Lidia Szwajkowska-Michalek, Pawel Kolodziejski, Izabela Szczerbal, Joanna Nowacka-Woszuk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/847
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850229729429291008
author Weronika Loba-Pasternak
Mehmet Onur Aksoy
Kinga Stuper-Szablewska
Lidia Szwajkowska-Michalek
Pawel Kolodziejski
Izabela Szczerbal
Joanna Nowacka-Woszuk
author_facet Weronika Loba-Pasternak
Mehmet Onur Aksoy
Kinga Stuper-Szablewska
Lidia Szwajkowska-Michalek
Pawel Kolodziejski
Izabela Szczerbal
Joanna Nowacka-Woszuk
author_sort Weronika Loba-Pasternak
collection DOAJ
description Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) is a plant known for its nutritional and medicinal properties whose use as a supplement in animal diets has attracted much interest. We studied the effects of powdered maca root extract on the growth potential of in vitro cultured porcine cells prior to its use as an additive in animal nutrition. Fibroblast cell viability (MTT), cell proliferation (BrdU), and apoptosis level (TUNEL) were measured for a range of extract doses (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 10 mg/mL). Transcript levels of <i>CCND1</i>, <i>MCM2</i>, and <i>PCNA</i> genes as molecular markers of cell proliferation were also determined. Next, the effects of maca extract at 2 and 5 mg/mL on in vitro induced adipogenesis were evaluated over eight days of differentiation. The transcript levels of three adipocyte marker genes (<i>CEBPA</i>, <i>PPARG</i>, and <i>FABPB4</i>) were measured at days 0, 4, and 8 of adipose differentiation, and lipid droplet accumulation (BODIPY staining) was also noted. No cytotoxic effect was detected on fibroblast cell viability, and the inhibitory concentration (IC<sub>50</sub>) value was determined to be IC<sub>50</sub> > 10 mg/mL. Doses of maca extract above 3 mg/mL decreased cell proliferation. The transcript level decreased in concentrations above 5 for the <i>MCM2</i> and <i>PCNA</i> genes. For the <i>CCND1</i> gene, the transcript level decreased when the greatest maca dose was used. In the in vitro adipogenesis experiment, it was found that the rate of lipid droplet formation increased on day 4 of differentiation for both doses, while decreased lipid droplet formation was observed on day 8 for 5 mg/mL of maca extract. Significant changes were seen in the mRNA level for <i>CEBPA</i> and <i>PPARG</i> on days 4 and 8, while the transcript of <i>FABP4</i> increased only on day 8 at 2 mg/mL dose. It can be concluded that the addition of Peruvian maca in small doses (<3 mg/mL) has no negative effect on porcine fibroblast growth or proliferation, while 2 mg/mL of maca extract enhances adipocyte differentiation.
format Article
id doaj-art-e1a1ba46aad6446882c729ba6b136d9a
institution OA Journals
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-e1a1ba46aad6446882c729ba6b136d9a2025-08-20T02:04:06ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-02-0130484710.3390/molecules30040847The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and AdipocytesWeronika Loba-Pasternak0Mehmet Onur Aksoy1Kinga Stuper-Szablewska2Lidia Szwajkowska-Michalek3Pawel Kolodziejski4Izabela Szczerbal5Joanna Nowacka-Woszuk6Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Chemistry, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Chemistry, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry, and Biostructure, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandPeruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) is a plant known for its nutritional and medicinal properties whose use as a supplement in animal diets has attracted much interest. We studied the effects of powdered maca root extract on the growth potential of in vitro cultured porcine cells prior to its use as an additive in animal nutrition. Fibroblast cell viability (MTT), cell proliferation (BrdU), and apoptosis level (TUNEL) were measured for a range of extract doses (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 10 mg/mL). Transcript levels of <i>CCND1</i>, <i>MCM2</i>, and <i>PCNA</i> genes as molecular markers of cell proliferation were also determined. Next, the effects of maca extract at 2 and 5 mg/mL on in vitro induced adipogenesis were evaluated over eight days of differentiation. The transcript levels of three adipocyte marker genes (<i>CEBPA</i>, <i>PPARG</i>, and <i>FABPB4</i>) were measured at days 0, 4, and 8 of adipose differentiation, and lipid droplet accumulation (BODIPY staining) was also noted. No cytotoxic effect was detected on fibroblast cell viability, and the inhibitory concentration (IC<sub>50</sub>) value was determined to be IC<sub>50</sub> > 10 mg/mL. Doses of maca extract above 3 mg/mL decreased cell proliferation. The transcript level decreased in concentrations above 5 for the <i>MCM2</i> and <i>PCNA</i> genes. For the <i>CCND1</i> gene, the transcript level decreased when the greatest maca dose was used. In the in vitro adipogenesis experiment, it was found that the rate of lipid droplet formation increased on day 4 of differentiation for both doses, while decreased lipid droplet formation was observed on day 8 for 5 mg/mL of maca extract. Significant changes were seen in the mRNA level for <i>CEBPA</i> and <i>PPARG</i> on days 4 and 8, while the transcript of <i>FABP4</i> increased only on day 8 at 2 mg/mL dose. It can be concluded that the addition of Peruvian maca in small doses (<3 mg/mL) has no negative effect on porcine fibroblast growth or proliferation, while 2 mg/mL of maca extract enhances adipocyte differentiation.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/847macacytotoxicityapoptosiscell viabilitygenome stabilityin vitro adipogenesis
spellingShingle Weronika Loba-Pasternak
Mehmet Onur Aksoy
Kinga Stuper-Szablewska
Lidia Szwajkowska-Michalek
Pawel Kolodziejski
Izabela Szczerbal
Joanna Nowacka-Woszuk
The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
Molecules
maca
cytotoxicity
apoptosis
cell viability
genome stability
in vitro adipogenesis
title The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
title_full The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
title_fullStr The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
title_full_unstemmed The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
title_short The Effects of Peruvian maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>) Root Extract on In Vitro Cultured Porcine Fibroblasts and Adipocytes
title_sort effects of peruvian maca i lepidium meyenii i root extract on in vitro cultured porcine fibroblasts and adipocytes
topic maca
cytotoxicity
apoptosis
cell viability
genome stability
in vitro adipogenesis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/847
work_keys_str_mv AT weronikalobapasternak theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT mehmetonuraksoy theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT kingastuperszablewska theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT lidiaszwajkowskamichalek theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT pawelkolodziejski theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT izabelaszczerbal theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT joannanowackawoszuk theeffectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT weronikalobapasternak effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT mehmetonuraksoy effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT kingastuperszablewska effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT lidiaszwajkowskamichalek effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT pawelkolodziejski effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT izabelaszczerbal effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes
AT joannanowackawoszuk effectsofperuvianmacailepidiummeyeniiirootextractoninvitroculturedporcinefibroblastsandadipocytes