CytoSolve® In Silico Combination Screening and Mechanistic Substantiation of Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation (LGCI)
The Juice Plus+ Science Institute is dedicated to advancing rigorous, evidence-based research on whole-food–based nutrition and its impact on human health. To support government filings and regulatory-grade scientific documentation, the Institute partnered with CytoSolve® to generate transparent, literature-grounded, and reproducible mechanistic evidence explaining how complex phytonutrient combinations influence inflammatory biology.
Challenge
Low-grade chronic inflammation is characterized by persistent elevation of inflammatory mediators—including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species(ROS) —and is a known driver of disease progression, including osteoarthritis and joint pain. From a government filing perspective, the challenge included:
- LGCI arises from interconnected molecular pathways, not a single target.
- Whole-food phytonutrient formulations contain multiple bioactives with overlapping and interacting mechanisms.
- Traditional experimental methods struggle to clearly demonstrate synergistic, systems-level effects suitable for regulatory review.
- Government and regulatory bodies require mechanistic clarity, traceability to peer-reviewed science, and reproducibility.
A systems-level, computational approach was required to define how FBV juice powder phytonutrients collectively modulate LGCI.
How CytoSolve Helped
CytoSolve® applied its government- and regulatory-grade computational workflow to generate filing-ready scientific substantiation:
LGCI Systems Architecture Development
- Conducted a systematic literature review to identify molecular pathways governing LGCI.
- Developed an integrative in silico model of LGCI, capturing inflammatory cytokine signaling, chemokine regulation, and oxidative stress dynamics.
- Defined four primary LGCI biomarkers for quantitative evaluation:
- TNF-α
- CCL2
- IL-1β
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- Integrated these models within the CytoSolve® engine to simulate cancer cell proliferation and programmed cell death under therapeutic perturbations.
Phytonutrient Identification and Screening
- Identified eight phytonutrients present in FBV juice powder for modeling:
- Luteolin
- Lycopene
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Epicatechin
- Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
- Quercetin
- Simulated individual and combined effects of these phytonutrients on LGCI biomarkers within the integrated model.
Combination Screening and Synergy Analysis
- Demonstrated that all eight phytonutrients contributed to lowering TNF-α, CCL2, and IL-1β.
- Identified that six phytonutrients (lycopene, vitamins A, E, and C, epicatechin, and EGCG) were particularly effective in reducing ROS.
- Quantified synergistic combination effects that exceeded individual ingredient contributions, aligning with observed clinical outcomes.
- TNF-α
- CCL2
- IL-1β
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- Luteolin
- Lycopene
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Epicatechin
- Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
- Quercetin