BIOCHEMICAL AND MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS INTO THE POTENTIAL ANTI-NEUROINFLAMMATORY AND NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF DIETARY BEANS BY REGULATING<EM> </EM>NF-ΚB AND PI3K-AKT SIGNALING PATHWAYS

Neuroinflammation is considered a key regulator in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. While phytochemicals from legumes have shown promising neuroprotective effects in age-related neurological diseases, their molecular mechanisms in neuronal cells remain largely unexplored. This study has provided the first evidence demonstrating the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective potential of dietary beans and their bioactive compounds in human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells.
Using integrated biochemical and transcriptomic analysis, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of black soybean and Zombi pea ethanolic extract (BBEE and ZPEE) and their bioactive compounds in SH-SY5Y cells subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory stress.
Transcriptomic profiling showed that bean extracts markedly suppressed LPS-induced cytokine and chemokine expression. Notably, CCL2 (109 to -2.23) and TNFRSF9 (27.7 to -2.2) were significantly reduced. Transcriptomic analysis highlighted the BBEE and ZPEE effect on NF-kB and PI3K-Akt pathways and associated genes mediated biological processes. Moreover, RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that bean extracts and their active compound treatment suppressed LPS-induced inflammation approximately 25–50%; p < 0.05. Finally, immunostaining revealed that the active compounds of ZPEE modulate the PSD-95 expression in SH-SY5Y cells, a key regulator of synaptic plasticity, development, maturation, and neuronal communication, thereby supporting their role in neuroprotection.
Collectively, our present study provided novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of bean, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic candidate for neuroinflammation and neuroprotection. The comprehensive transcriptomic data presented here offers a valuable foundation for future research into different types of beans and their applications in neuroprotection.