全谷物膳食消费能够促进人体健康，主要归功于其中的酚酸类等植物化学物质。阿魏酸是谷物中含量最丰富的植物化学物质，以结合态形式与植物细胞壁多糖相连，后者经酸或多糖水解酶处理可以释放阿魏酰低聚糖。与游离阿魏酸相比，阿魏酰低聚糖具有更强的抗氧化活性，是一种潜在的营养素，但目前尚缺乏其提升抗氧化酶表达的直接证据。本课题以自行酶解谷物麸皮不溶性膳食纤维制备的阿魏酰低聚糖为对象，从细胞、组织和整体水平上研究其抵抗自由基引发剂2, 2'-偶氮二(2-脒基丙烷)二盐酸盐 (AAPH)诱导氧化损伤的能力，以及调控抗氧化酶表达的效力，进一步研究其活化Nrf2的机制、增加Nrf2与抗氧化转录元件(ARE)结合的转录调控机制以及提升抗氧化酶基因表达的信号路径，深刻阐明阿魏酰低聚糖通过Nrf2/ARE信号通路调控抗氧化酶表达的分子机制，为全谷物膳食消费促进人体健康提供理论依据。

The whole grain diets can help to improve human's health, which is own to the phenolic acids existing in them. Ferulic acid is the richest phytochemicals in the whole grain, which is bound to plant cell wall polysaccharides. The bound ferulic acid can be hydrolyzed by acid or enzymes to feruloyl oligosaccharides, which has been reported to show higher antioxidant activity than the free ferulic acid. However, the data that concerning the effects of feruloyl oligosaccharides on the expression of antioxidant enzymes is limited. The objective of the project is to investigate the effects of feruloyl oligosaccharides prepared from cereal bran on the promotion of antioxidant enzymes expression. The efficiency of elevation of the ARE-regulated antioxidant enzymes activity in cells against oxidative stress by 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) by feruloyl oligosaccharides will be studied. The molecular mechanisms of feruloyl oligosaccharides mediating the antioxidant enzymes expression will be explored. The activation mechanism of Nrf2 transcription factor, and the transcriptional regulation mechanism of Nrf2-ARE binding activities will be researched. Furthermore, the downstream genes of Nrf2/ARE pathway by feruloyl oligosaccharides will be studied in this project. The overall plan expects to clarify whether feruloyl oligosaccharides could promote the activity of antioxidant enzymes and what mechanisms they follow. The results of this study will be useful for dietary health.