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The Plant Journal : For Cell and... Jul 2024
Topics: Abscisic Acid; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; Plant Growth Regulators; Arabidopsis
PubMed: 38943686
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16865 -
Microbial Ecology Jun 2024Plastic pollution poses a worldwide environmental challenge, affecting wildlife and human health. Assessing the biodegradation capabilities of natural microbiomes in...
Plastic pollution poses a worldwide environmental challenge, affecting wildlife and human health. Assessing the biodegradation capabilities of natural microbiomes in environments contaminated with microplastics is crucial for mitigating the effects of plastic pollution. In this work, we evaluated the potential of landfill leachate (LL) and estuarine sediments (ES) to biodegrade polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polycaprolactone (PCL), under aerobic, anaerobic, thermophilic, and mesophilic conditions. PCL underwent extensive aerobic biodegradation with LL (99 ± 7%) and ES (78 ± 3%) within 50-60 days. Under anaerobic conditions, LL degraded 87 ± 19% of PCL in 60 days, whereas ES showed minimal biodegradation (3 ± 0.3%). PE and PET showed no notable degradation. Metataxonomics results (16S rRNA sequencing) revealed the presence of highly abundant thermophilic microorganisms assigned to Coprothermobacter sp. (6.8% and 28% relative abundance in anaerobic and aerobic incubations, respectively). Coprothermobacter spp. contain genes encoding two enzymes, an esterase and a thermostable monoacylglycerol lipase, that can potentially catalyze PCL hydrolysis. These results suggest that Coprothermobacter sp. may be pivotal in landfill leachate microbiomes for thermophilic PCL biodegradation across varying conditions. The anaerobic microbial community was dominated by hydrogenotrophic methanogens assigned to Methanothermobacter sp. (21%), pointing at possible syntrophic interactions with Coprothermobacter sp. (a H-producer) during PCL biodegradation. In the aerobic experiments, fungi dominated the eukaryotic microbial community (e.g., Exophiala (41%), Penicillium (17%), and Mucor (18%)), suggesting that aerobic PCL biodegradation by LL involves collaboration between fungi and bacteria. Our findings bring insights on the microbial communities and microbial interactions mediating plastic biodegradation, offering valuable perspectives for plastic pollution mitigation.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Microbiota; Microplastics; Waste Disposal Facilities; Bacteria; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Polyesters; Geologic Sediments; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Estuaries; Polyethylene; Polyethylene Terephthalates
PubMed: 38943017
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02399-8 -
Medicine Jun 2024Species of the genus Codonopsis (Campanulaceae) have a long history of application, acclaimed for its edible and therapeutic attributes. Scholarly inquiries into... (Review)
Review
Species of the genus Codonopsis (Campanulaceae) have a long history of application, acclaimed for its edible and therapeutic attributes. Scholarly inquiries into Codonopsis span botany, phytochemistry, quality assurance, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity, revealing a rich and comprehensive body of knowledge. This study synthesizes information from esteemed scientific databases like SciFinder, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese herbal classics to create a thorough scientific conceptual and theoretical framework for Codonopsis research. In this article, the phytochemical composition includes saccharides, polyacetylenes, polyenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, lignans, terpenoids, and organic acids was summarized. To date, over 350 monomeric compounds have been isolated and identified from Codonopsis, with recent studies primarily focusing on polysaccharides, aromatic derivatives, lignans, and polyacetylenes. Codonopsis exhibits broad pharmacological activities across various systems, including immune, blood, cardiovascular, central nervous, and digestive systems, with no significant toxicity or adverse effects reported. The existing research, focusing on various extracts and active parts without identifying specific active molecules, complicates the understanding of the mechanisms of action. There is an urgent need to advance research on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects to fully elucidate its pharmacodynamic properties and the basis of its material composition. Such efforts are crucial for the rational development, utilization, and clinical application of this herb.
Topics: Codonopsis; Humans; Phytochemicals; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Lignans; Alkaloids
PubMed: 38941387
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038632 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2024This study examined the effects of tocotrienols (TT) in conjunction with statin on glucose homeostasis, bone microstructure, gut microbiome, and systemic and liver...
BACKGROUND/AIM
This study examined the effects of tocotrienols (TT) in conjunction with statin on glucose homeostasis, bone microstructure, gut microbiome, and systemic and liver inflammatory markers in obese C57BL/6J mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and assigned into four groups in a 2 (no statin vs. 120 mg statin/kg diet)×2 (no TT vs. 400 mg TT/kg diet) factorial design for 14 weeks.
RESULTS
Statin and TT improved glucose tolerance only when each was given alone, and only statin supplementation decreased insulin resistance. Consistently, only statin supplementation decreased serum insulin levels and HOMA-IR. Pancreatic insulin was also increased with statin treatment. Statin and TT, alone or in combination, reduced the levels of serum IL-6, but only TT attenuated the increased serum leptin levels induced by a HFD. Statin supplementation increased bone area/total area and connectivity density at LV-4, while TT supplementation increased bone area/total area and trabecular number, but decreased trabecular separation at the distal femur. Statin supplementation, but not TT, reduced hepatic inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Neither TT supplementation nor statin supplementation statistically altered microbiome species evenness or richness. However, they altered the relative abundance of certain microbiome species. Most notably, both TT and statin supplementation increased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae UCG-006.
CONCLUSION
TT and statin collectively benefit bone microstructure, glucose homeostasis, and microbial ecology in obese mice. Such changes may be, in part, associated with suppression of inflammation in the host.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Tocotrienols; Mice; Homeostasis; Obesity; Male; Dietary Supplements; Bone and Bones; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Diet, High-Fat; Bixaceae; Mice, Obese; Plant Extracts; Glucose; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Insulin Resistance; Blood Glucose; Disease Models, Animal; Liver; Biomarkers; Carotenoids
PubMed: 38936927
DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13606 -
PloS One 2024Iodine deficiency in the diet globally continues to be a cause of many diseases and disabilities. Kale is a vegetable that has health-promoting potential because of many...
Iodine deficiency in the diet globally continues to be a cause of many diseases and disabilities. Kale is a vegetable that has health-promoting potential because of many nutrients and bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, carotenoids, glucosinolates and phenolic compounds). Brassica vegetables, including kale, have been strongly recommended as dietary adjuvants for improving health. The nutrient and health-promoting compounds in kale are significantly affected by thermal treatments. Changes in phytochemicals upon such activities may result from two contrary phenomena: breakdown of nutrients and bioactive compounds and a matrix softening effect, which increases the extractability of phytochemicals, which may be especially significant in the case of iodine-fortified kale. This study investigated changes of basic composition, iodine, vitamin C, total carotenoids and polyphenols contents as well as antioxidant activity caused by steaming, blanching and boiling processes in the levels of two cultivars of kale (green and red) non-biofortified and biofortified via the application to nutrient solutions in hydroponic of two iodoquinolines [8-hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic acid (8-OH-7-I-5QSA) and 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-quinoline (5-Cl-7-I-8-Q)] and KIO3. Thermal processes generally significantly reduced the content of the components in question and the antioxidant activity of kale, regardless of cultivar and enrichment. It was observed that the red cultivar of kale had a greater ability to accumulate and reduce iodine losses during the culinary processes. 8-hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic acid showed a protective effect against the treatments used, compared to other enrichments, thus contributing to the preservation of high iodine content.
Topics: Brassica; Iodine; Antioxidants; Hot Temperature; Carotenoids; Ascorbic Acid; Polyphenols; Food, Fortified
PubMed: 38935598
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304005 -
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis Jun 2024Nutraceuticals, that include food ingredients and bioactives from natural products, confer physiological health benefits and protection against chronic diseases. Annatto... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Nutraceuticals, that include food ingredients and bioactives from natural products, confer physiological health benefits and protection against chronic diseases. Annatto is a tropical shrub grown in Central and South America and parts of India. Its seeds are rich in the edible carotenoid-derived apocarotenoid pigment, bixin, which is used as a natural colorant in food, textiles, and cosmetics, and is now gaining attention for its potential health-promoting attributes. Here, we compared a green solvent (ethyl lactate) based extraction of bixin and associated metabolites in annatto seeds (crushed and seed coat) with two other conventional solvents (acetone and acid-base). Bixin was characterized in the extracts using UV-visible- and FTIR-spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography. The bixin-containing solvent extracts were then profiled for other co-existing metabolites using GC-MS analysis, which were found to be sesquiterpenes, terpenes, terpenoids, phytosterols, and tocotrienols. Their bioactivity was evaluated based on antioxidant and wound-healing efficacies and compared with pure bixin, using NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells in-vitro. Pure bixin, as well as the annatto solvent extracts, showed strong antioxidant and wound healing properties, wherein pure bixin and green solvent extract (ethyl lactate coat) exhibited higher levels of antioxidant activity, achieving 46.00% and 44.60% reduction in MDA levels, respectively, as well as enhanced wound-healing activity, with 54.09% and 53.60% wound closure within 24 h. The green solvent extracts of annatto seeds revealed: (a) differential bioactive profiles in annatto seeds (crushed and seed coat) in comparison with other solvents, and (b) strong antioxidant and wound healing properties. Thus, ethyl lactate extraction shows strong potential for sustainable environmental friendly production of functional foods/nutraceuticals from annatto seeds.
Topics: Bixaceae; Seeds; Carotenoids; Mice; Animals; Plant Extracts; Phytochemicals; Antioxidants; Solvents; NIH 3T3 Cells; Green Chemistry Technology
PubMed: 38934695
DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3500 -
The Journal of Chemical Physics Jun 2024We present a simple approximation to estimate the largest charge that a given molecule can hold until fragmentation into smaller charged species becomes more...
We present a simple approximation to estimate the largest charge that a given molecule can hold until fragmentation into smaller charged species becomes more energetically favorable. This approximation solely relies on the ionization potentials, electron affinities of the parent and fragment species, and also on the neutral parent's dissociation energy. By parameterizing these quantities, it is possible to obtain analytical phase diagrams of polycationic stability. We demonstrate the applicability of this approach by discussing the maximal charge dependence on the size of the molecular system. A numerical demonstration for linear polyenes, monocyclic annulenes, and helium clusters is provided.
PubMed: 38934634
DOI: 10.1063/5.0207526 -
Nutrients Jun 2024The relationship between vitamin A supplementation and myopia has been a topic of debate, with conflicting and inconclusive findings. We aimed to determine whether there... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The relationship between vitamin A supplementation and myopia has been a topic of debate, with conflicting and inconclusive findings. We aimed to determine whether there is a causal relationship between vitamin A supplementation and the risk of myopia using Mendelian randomization (MR) and meta-analytical methods. Genetic variants from the UK Biobank and FinnGen studies associated with the response to vitamin A supplementation were employed as instrumental variables to evaluate the causal relationship between vitamin A supplementation and myopia. Fixed-effects meta-analysis was then used to combine MR estimates from multiple sources for each outcome. The meta-analysis of MR results found no convincing evidence to support a direct causal relationship between vitamin A supplementation and myopia risk (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.82-1.20, = 0%, = 0.40). The analysis of three out of the four sets of MR analyses indicated no direction of causal effect, whereas the other set of results suggested that higher vitamin A supplementation was associated with a lower risk of myopia (OR = 0.002, 95% CI 1.17 × 10-3.099, = 0.096). This comprehensive MR study and meta-analysis did not find valid evidence of a direct association between vitamin A supplementation and myopia. Vitamin A supplementation may not have an independent effect on myopia, but intraocular processes associated with vitamin A may indirectly contribute to its development.
Topics: Humans; Myopia; Mendelian Randomization Analysis; Vitamin A; Dietary Supplements; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Risk Factors; Odds Ratio
PubMed: 38931287
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121933 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, influenced by the interaction of factors, including age, sex, genetic conditions,...
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, influenced by the interaction of factors, including age, sex, genetic conditions, overweight/obesity, hypertension, an abnormal lipid profile, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, and psychological factors. This study aimed to assess the relationships between psychosocial and nutritional factors in a group of 61 patients with CVD (i.e., atherosclerosis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction) and their possible impact on the course of the disease. The plasma concentrations of vitamins A, E, D, and β-carotene were determined using validated HPLC-MS/MS, while the lipid profile was analyzed enzymatically. Psychosocial factors and nutritional behaviors were assessed using author-designed questionnaires. Over 50% of patients had 25-OH-D3 and retinol deficiencies, while >85% of patients exhibited significant deficiencies in α-tocopherol and β-carotene. The lipid profile showed no specific relationship with any particular CVD. Dietary behavior minimally impacted biochemical parameters except for higher β-carotene concentrations in the group with higher fruit and vegetable intake. The negative impact of the CVD on selected parameters of quality of life was noticed. To increase the effectiveness of the prevention and treatment of CVD, the need for interdisciplinary cooperation observed between doctors, psychologists, and specialists in human nutrition seems to be justified.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Cardiovascular Diseases; Aged; Vitamins; Nutritional Status; beta Carotene; Quality of Life; Adult; Vitamin A; Feeding Behavior; Diet; Lipids; Vitamin E
PubMed: 38931221
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121866 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study investigated the mechanism by which fucoxanthin acts as a novel ferroptosis inducer to inhibit tongue cancer. The MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory...
This study investigated the mechanism by which fucoxanthin acts as a novel ferroptosis inducer to inhibit tongue cancer. The MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effects of fucoxanthin on SCC-25 human tongue squamous carcinoma cells. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total iron were measured. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting were used to assess glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Keap1, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), transferrin receptor protein 1 (TFR1), p53, and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression. Molecular docking was performed to validate interactions. Compared with the control group, the activity of fucoxanthin-treated SCC-25 cells significantly decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The levels of MMP, GSH, and SOD significantly decreased in fucoxanthin-treated SCC-25 cells; the levels of ROS, MDA, and total iron significantly increased. mRNA and protein expression levels of Keap1, GPX4, Nrf2, and HO-1 in fucoxanthin-treated cells were significantly decreased, whereas levels of TFR1 and p53 were significantly increased, in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular docking analysis revealed that binding free energies of fucoxanthin with p53, SLC7A11, GPX4, Nrf2, Keap1, HO-1, and TFR1 were below -5 kcal/mol, primarily based on active site hydrogen bonding. Our findings suggest that fucoxanthin can induce ferroptosis in SCC-25 cells, highlighting its potential as a treatment for tongue cancer.
Topics: Humans; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Ferroptosis; Xanthophylls; Heme Oxygenase-1; Cell Line, Tumor; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; Molecular Docking Simulation; Reactive Oxygen Species; Signal Transduction; Tongue Neoplasms; Receptors, Transferrin; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Amino Acid Transport System y+; Superoxide Dismutase; Down-Regulation; Antigens, CD
PubMed: 38930897
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122832