EFFECTS OF THE MAQUI (ARISTOTELIA CHILENSIS) ON LYSOSOMAL BIOGENESIS IN H4 HUMAN NEUROGLIOMA CELLS

Abstract

The maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) is a species native to Chile that produces small berries with polyphenolic compounds that have been shown to have antioxidant effects in vitro. Antioxidants can slow or prevent oxidative stress in cells. Lysosomes are organelles that contain key hydrolytic enzymes in the digestion of intracellular material, whose dysfunction is associated with cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging, among others. This project focuses on studying the effects of maqui on lysosomal biogenesis in H4 human neuroglioma cells. Fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate the subcellular distribution of the lysosomal protein LAMP1 -a lysosome marker protein- exposed to the following concentrations of Maqui extract: 30, 40 and 50 mg/ml, respectively. At higher doses of maqui extract, an increase in the LAMP1 label was observed in H4 human neuroglioma cells. These results suggest that maqui extract may be a potential inducer of lysosomal biogenesis in H4 human neuroglioma cells.