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Nutrients Sep 2020Plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of lifestyle-induced chronic diseases. The thousands of phytochemicals they contain are implicated in cellular-based... (Review)
Review
Plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of lifestyle-induced chronic diseases. The thousands of phytochemicals they contain are implicated in cellular-based mechanisms to promote antioxidant defense and reduce inflammation. While recommendations encourage the intake of fruits and vegetables, most people fall short of their target daily intake. Despite the need to increase plant-food consumption, there have been some concerns raised about whether they are beneficial because of the various 'anti-nutrient' compounds they contain. Some of these anti-nutrients that have been called into question included lectins, oxalates, goitrogens, phytoestrogens, phytates, and tannins. As a result, there may be select individuals with specific health conditions who elect to decrease their plant food intake despite potential benefits. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine the science of these 'anti-nutrients' and weigh the evidence of whether these compounds pose an actual health threat.
Topics: Antioxidants; Antithyroid Agents; Cooking; Diet, Vegetarian; Food Handling; Fruit; Humans; Lectins; Nutrients; Oxalates; Phytic Acid; Phytochemicals; Phytoestrogens; Tannins; Vegetables
PubMed: 32987890
DOI: 10.3390/nu12102929 -
Nature Mar 2023Chloroplasts rely on the translocon complexes in the outer and inner envelope membranes (the TOC and TIC complexes, respectively) to import thousands of different...
Chloroplasts rely on the translocon complexes in the outer and inner envelope membranes (the TOC and TIC complexes, respectively) to import thousands of different nuclear-encoded proteins from the cytosol. Although previous studies indicated that the TOC and TIC complexes may assemble into larger supercomplexes, the overall architectures of the TOC-TIC supercomplexes and the mechanism of preprotein translocation are unclear. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the TOC-TIC supercomplex from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The major subunits of the TOC complex (Toc75, Toc90 and Toc34) and TIC complex (Tic214, Tic20, Tic100 and Tic56), three chloroplast translocon-associated proteins (Ctap3, Ctap4 and Ctap5) and three newly identified small inner-membrane proteins (Simp1-3) have been located in the supercomplex. As the largest protein, Tic214 traverses the inner membrane, the intermembrane space and the outer membrane, connecting the TOC complex with the TIC proteins. An inositol hexaphosphate molecule is located at the Tic214-Toc90 interface and stabilizes their assembly. Four lipid molecules are located within or above an inner-membrane funnel formed by Tic214, Tic20, Simp1 and Ctap5. Multiple potential pathways found in the TOC-TIC supercomplex may support translocation of different substrate preproteins into chloroplasts.
Topics: Chloroplasts; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Protein Transport; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Protein Subunits; Multiprotein Complexes; Phytic Acid; Protein Stability; Substrate Specificity
PubMed: 36702157
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05744-y -
Cell Sep 2022Changes in gut microbiota have been associated with several diseases. Here, the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) studied the gut microbiome of...
Changes in gut microbiota have been associated with several diseases. Here, the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) studied the gut microbiome of 576 MS patients (36% untreated) and genetically unrelated household healthy controls (1,152 total subjects). We observed a significantly increased proportion of Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans, Hungatella hathewayi, and Eisenbergiella tayi and decreased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia species. The phytate degradation pathway was over-represented in untreated MS, while pyruvate-producing carbohydrate metabolism pathways were significantly reduced. Microbiome composition, function, and derived metabolites also differed in response to disease-modifying treatments. The therapeutic activity of interferon-β may in part be associated with upregulation of short-chain fatty acid transporters. Distinct microbial networks were observed in untreated MS and healthy controls. These results strongly support specific gut microbiome associations with MS risk, course and progression, and functional changes in response to treatment.
Topics: Fatty Acids, Volatile; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Interferon-beta; Multiple Sclerosis; Phytic Acid; Pyruvates
PubMed: 36113426
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.021 -
Food Chemistry Nov 2022Antinutrients (ANs) interact with proteins changing its behavior and may affect Maillard reaction (MR). This work aimed to study the effect of phytic acid, tannic acid,...
Antinutrients (ANs) interact with proteins changing its behavior and may affect Maillard reaction (MR). This work aimed to study the effect of phytic acid, tannic acid, and saponin on asparagine-glucose MR. The effect of AN concentration (0-1 mM) and reaction time (3-30 min at 150 °C) on the formation of melanoidins and acrylamide was determined. Other MR compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance. The ANs effect on asparagine-glucose thermal behavior was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Results showed that ANs increase the melanoidins formation. Acrylamide content increased in saponin and phytic acid presence. The volatile profile was similar among the samples and formed mainly by pyrazines (>50%). ANs affect glucose's melting point, however, only phytic acid and saponin affect asparagine and glucose thermal behavior. The results presented in this work are important for food science and the industry to control MR in processed foods.
Topics: Acrylamide; Asparagine; Glucose; Hot Temperature; Maillard Reaction; Phytic Acid; Saponins; Tannins
PubMed: 35749878
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133518 -
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science... Mar 2021Is phytic acid (IP6) an undesirable constituent for vegetables and foods? This question is getting harder to answer. Phytic acid contributes to mineral/protein... (Review)
Review
Is phytic acid (IP6) an undesirable constituent for vegetables and foods? This question is getting harder to answer. Phytic acid contributes to mineral/protein deficiency, but also brings about potential physiological benefits. Both the positive and negative effects boil down to the interactions among IP6, metal ions, and biopolymers. In the wake of the booming market of plant-based foods, an unbiased understanding of these interactions and their impacts on the foods themselves is a necessity to the smart control and utilization of plant-sourced phytates. This overview presents updated knowledge of IP6-related interactions, with a strong focus on their contributions to food functionality, processability, and safety.
Topics: Food Handling; Minerals; Phytic Acid; Vegetables
PubMed: 33559386
DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12714 -
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry : PPB Jul 2021Phytate or phytic acid (PA), is a phosphorus (P) containing compound generated by the stepwise phosphorylation of myo-inositol. It forms complexes with some nutrient... (Review)
Review
Phytate or phytic acid (PA), is a phosphorus (P) containing compound generated by the stepwise phosphorylation of myo-inositol. It forms complexes with some nutrient cations, such as Ca, Fe and Zn, compromising their absorption and thus acting as an anti-nutrient in the digestive tract of humans and monogastric animals. Conversely, PAs are an important form of P storage in seeds, making up to 90% of total seed P. Phytates also play a role in germination and are related to the synthesis of abscisic acid and gibberellins, the hormones involved in seed germination. Decreasing PA content in plants is desirable for human dietary. Therefore, low phytic acid (lpa) mutants might present some negative pleiotropic effects, which could impair germination and seed viability. In the present study, we review current knowledge of the genes encoding enzymes that function in different stages of PA synthesis, from the first phosphorylation of myo-inositol to PA transport into seed reserve tissues, and the application of this knowledge to reduce PA concentrations in edible crops to enhance human diet. Finally, phylogenetic data for PA concentrations in different plant families and distributed across several countries under different environmental conditions are compiled. The results of the present study help explain the importance of PA accumulation in different plant families and the distribution of PA accumulation in different foods.
Topics: Animals; Diet; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Germination; Humans; Phylogeny; Phytic Acid; Seeds
PubMed: 33991859
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.04.035 -
Nutrients Sep 2022Zinc, through its structural and cofactor roles, affects a broad range of critical physiological functions, including growth, metabolism, immune and neurological... (Review)
Review
Zinc, through its structural and cofactor roles, affects a broad range of critical physiological functions, including growth, metabolism, immune and neurological functions. Zinc deficiency is widespread among populations around the world, and it may, therefore, underlie much of the global burden of malnutrition. Current zinc fortification strategies include biofortification and fortification with zinc salts with a primary focus on staple foods, such as wheat or rice and their products. However, zinc fortification presents unique challenges. Due to the influences of phytate and protein on zinc absorption, successful zinc fortification strategies should consider the impact on zinc bioavailability in the whole diet. When zinc is absorbed with food, shifts in plasma zinc concentrations are minor. However, co-absorbing zinc with food may preferentially direct zinc to cellular compartments where zinc-dependent metabolic processes primarily occur. Although the current lack of sensitive biomarkers of zinc nutritional status reduces the capacity to assess the impact of fortifying foods with zinc, new approaches for assessing zinc utilization are increasing. In this article, we review the tools available for assessing bioavailable zinc, approaches for evaluating the zinc nutritional status of populations consuming zinc fortified foods, and recent trends in fortification strategies to increase zinc absorption.
Topics: Biomarkers; Food, Fortified; Humans; Malnutrition; Phytic Acid; Salts; Zinc
PubMed: 36235548
DOI: 10.3390/nu14193895 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2020From the early precipitation-based techniques, introduced more than a century ago, to the latest development of enzymatic bio- and nano-sensor applications, the analysis... (Review)
Review
From the early precipitation-based techniques, introduced more than a century ago, to the latest development of enzymatic bio- and nano-sensor applications, the analysis of phytic acid and/or other inositol phosphates has never been a straightforward analytical task. Due to the biomedical importance, such as antinutritional, antioxidant and anticancer effects, several types of methodologies were investigated over the years to develop a reliable determination of these intriguing analytes in many types of biological samples; from various foodstuffs to living cell organisms. The main aim of the present work was to critically overview the development of the most relevant analytical principles, separation and detection methods that have been applied in order to overcome the difficulties with specific chemical properties of inositol phosphates, their interferences, absence of characteristic signal (e.g., absorbance), and strong binding interactions with (multivalent) metals and other biological molecules present in the sample matrix. A systematical and chronological review of the applied methodology and the detection system is given, ranging from the very beginnings of the classical gravimetric and titrimetric analysis, through the potentiometric titrations, chromatographic and electrophoretic separation techniques, to the use of spectroscopic methods and of the recently reported fluorescence and voltammetric bio- and nano-sensors.
Topics: Animals; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Humans; Inositol Phosphates; Phytic Acid
PubMed: 33396544
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26010174 -
Life Sciences Dec 2022Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an unknown etiology that is currently difficult to treat effectively. Phytic acid, a natural compound...
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an unknown etiology that is currently difficult to treat effectively. Phytic acid, a natural compound found in high-fiber foods, such as grains, has been shown to have many pharmacological functions, such as anti-inflammatory and blood-milk barrier maintenance. Our study investigated the effects of phytic acid on UC as well as the underlying mechanisms. We found that phytic acid ameliorated weight loss, shortened colon length, increased clinical scores, and decreased the release of pro-inflammatory factors (Il-1β, Il-6, and TNF-α) in mice with DSS-induced UC. Phytic acid was also found to protect intestinal barrier integrity in mice with UC by maintaining the expression of tight junction proteins (occludin, claudin-3 and ZO-1) and mucin-2. In LPS-stimulated Caco-2 cells, phytic acid significantly inhibited the upregulation of pro-inflammatory factors and the downregulation of tight junction proteins. Further experimental results confirmed that phytic acid inhibits the activation of the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in both mice with UC and Caco-2 cells. To sum up, this study proved that phytic acid has a beneficial ameliorative effect on mice with DSS-induced UC, suggesting that it may be used to develop functional foods for the treatment or prevention of UC.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Colitis, Ulcerative; Dextran Sulfate; Phytic Acid; Caco-2 Cells; Disease Models, Animal; Colon; Tight Junction Proteins; NF-kappa B; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Colitis
PubMed: 36341915
DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121139 -
Nutrients Dec 2021Phytate (PA) serves as a phosphate storage molecule in cereals and other plant foods. In food and in the human body, PA has a high affinity to chelate Zn and Fe, Mg, Ca,...
Phytate (PA) serves as a phosphate storage molecule in cereals and other plant foods. In food and in the human body, PA has a high affinity to chelate Zn and Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Mn and Cu. As a consequence, minerals chelated in PA are not bio-available, which is a concern for public health in conditions of poor food availability and low mineral intakes, ultimately leading to an impaired micronutrient status, growth, development and increased mortality. For low-income countries this has resulted in communications on how to reduce the content of PA in food, by appropriate at home food processing. However, claims that a reduction in PA in food by processing per definition leads to a measurable improvement in mineral status and that the consumption of grains rich in PA impairs mineral status requires nuance. Frequently observed decreases of PA and increases in soluble minerals in in vitro food digestion (increased bio-accessibility) are used to promote food benefits. However, these do not necessarily translate into an increased bioavailability and mineral status in vivo. In vitro essays have limitations, such as the absence of blood flow, hormonal responses, neural regulation, gut epithelium associated factors and the presence of microbiota, which mutually influence the in vivo effects and should be considered. In Western countries, increased consumption of whole grain foods is associated with improved health outcomes, which does not justify advice to refrain from grain-based foods because they contain PA. The present commentary aims to clarify these seemingly controversial aspects.
Topics: Bread; Diet, Healthy; Humans; Micronutrients; Phytic Acid; Whole Grains
PubMed: 35010899
DOI: 10.3390/nu14010025