Ladika Georgia, Christodoulou Paris, Kritsi Eftichia, Tsiaka Thalia, Sotiroudis Georgios, Cavouras Dionisis, Sinanoglou Vassilia J
Laboratory of Chemistry, Analysis & Design of Food Processes, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, Agiou Spyridonos, 12243 Egaleo, Greece.
Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48, Vas. Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece.
Metabolites. 2025 May 13;15(5):321. doi: 10.3390/metabo15050321.
Strawberries are highly appreciated for their rich phytochemical composition, but rapid postharvest deterioration limits their shelf life and nutritional quality. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic changes occurring in both strawberry fruits and leaves during storage and to evaluate the NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) inhibitory potential of strawberry-derived metabolites. Untargeted LC-MS/MS analysis was conducted on fruit and leaf tissues stored at 8 ± 0.5 °C. A total of 37 metabolites were identified, including organic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Multivariate statistical analyses (ANOVA, PLS-DA, and volcano plots) were used to assess temporal and tissue-specific metabolic shifts. Additionally, a machine learning-based predictive model was applied to evaluate the NOX2 inhibitory potential of 24 structurally characterized metabolites. Storage induced significant and tissue-specific metabolic changes. In fruits, malic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin-3-glucuronide showed notable variations, while ellagic acid aglycone and galloylquinic acid emerged as prominent markers in leaves. The predictive model identified 21 out of 24 metabolites as likely NOX2 inhibitors, suggesting potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivity. : These findings provide new insights into postharvest biochemical dynamics in both strawberry fruits and leaves. The results highlight the value of leaves as a source of bioactive compounds and support their potential valorization in functional food and nutraceutical applications.
草莓因其丰富的植物化学成分而备受青睐，但采后迅速变质限制了其货架期和营养品质。本研究旨在探究草莓果实和叶片在储存期间发生的代谢变化，并评估草莓衍生代谢物对NADPH氧化酶2（NOX2）的抑制潜力。对储存在8±0.5°C的果实和叶片组织进行了非靶向液相色谱-串联质谱分析。共鉴定出37种代谢物，包括有机酸、酚酸、黄酮类化合物和羟基肉桂酸衍生物。采用多变量统计分析（方差分析、偏最小二乘判别分析和火山图）来评估时间和组织特异性的代谢变化。此外，应用基于机器学习的预测模型来评估24种结构特征明确的代谢物对NOX2的抑制潜力。储存诱导了显著的组织特异性代谢变化。在果实中，苹果酸、咖啡酸和槲皮素-3-葡萄糖醛酸表现出显著变化，而鞣花酸苷元和没食子酰奎尼酸则成为叶片中的突出标志物。预测模型确定24种代谢物中有21种可能是NOX2抑制剂，表明其具有潜在的抗氧化和抗炎生物活性。这些发现为草莓果实和叶片采后的生化动态提供了新的见解。结果突出了叶片作为生物活性化合物来源的价值，并支持其在功能性食品和营养保健品应用中的潜在价值。
