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Frontiers in Nutrition 2024The effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on the metabolic profile, anthropometry and blood pressure has been investigated in multiple studies. However, it is...
BACKGROUND
The effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on the metabolic profile, anthropometry and blood pressure has been investigated in multiple studies. However, it is still unknown to what extent changes in nutrient intakes contribute to these changes.
METHODS
This observational study was conducted in London (UK) in 2019. The study collected diverse data from a community-based sample in London before and during/after Ramadan. Collected data included a 3-day food diary (before and during Ramadan), as well as blood samples, anthropometric measurements and blood pressure (before and after Ramadan). The food diary was translated into nutritional data using nutrition software "Nutritics." The changes in nutrient intakes were investigated using a mixed-effects regression model. The impact of adjusting for nutrient intake change was investigated on the absolute difference of metabolites (Nightingale platform), systolic/diastolic blood pressure and anthropometric measures.
RESULTS
The study collected data on food intake before and during Ramadan from 56 participants; the mean age was 44.7 ± 17.3, and 51.8% ( = 29) were females. We found a change in the intake of 11 nutritional factors, glucose, fructose, betaine, sugars, sugars as monosaccharide equivalents, lutein/zeaxanthin, starch, starch as monosaccharide equivalents, proline, glutamic acid and lycopene. No changes in quantities or proportions of macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein and fat. Mainly, the changes in diet during Ramadan are characterized by more consumption of sugars (62%, < 0.001) and a lower intake of starch (-21%, = 0.012). The changes in 14 metabolite levels (two glycolysis-related metabolites, one amino acid, two ketone bodies, two triglyceride, six lipoprotein subclasses, and an inflammation marker) after Ramadan were partially associated with some changes in nutrient intakes during Ramadan, especially betaine, fructose, glucose, starches and sugars. The lutein/zeaxanthin intake change explained inversely 14% of systolic blood pressure changes. Moreover, BMI and weight changes were partially explained by changes in intake of fat (7%; 9%), monounsaturated fat (6%; 7%), starch (8%; 9%), and starch as monosaccharide equivalents (8%; 9%) intakes in a direct relationship.
CONCLUSION
Diet changes during Ramadan were associated partially with the observed changes in the metabolic profile, blood pressure and anthropometry. This confirms the changes associated with RIF in the metabolic profile, blood pressure and anthropometry are not an absolute physiological response to the diet transition occurring during Ramadan.
PubMed: 38915859
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1394673 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Mastitis is commonly recognized as a localized inflammatory udder disease induced by the infiltration of exogenous pathogens. In the present study, our objective was to...
Mastitis is commonly recognized as a localized inflammatory udder disease induced by the infiltration of exogenous pathogens. In the present study, our objective was to discern fecal and milk variations in both microbiota composition and metabolite profiles among three distinct groups of cows: healthy cows, cows with subclinical mastitis and cows with clinical mastitis. The fecal microbial community of cows with clinical mastitis was significantly less rich and diverse than the one harbored by healthy cows. In parallel, mastitis caused a strong disturbance in milk microbiota. Metabolomic profiles showed that eleven and twenty-eight molecules exhibited significant differences among the three groups in feces and milk, respectively. Similarly, to microbiota profile, milk metabolome was affected by mastitis more extensively than fecal metabolome, with particular reference to amino acids and sugars. Pathway analysis revealed that amino acids metabolism and energy metabolism could be considered as the main pathways altered by mastitis. These findings underscore the notable distinctions of fecal and milk samples among groups, from microbiome and metabolomic points of view. This observation stands to enhance our comprehension of mastitis in dairy cows.
PubMed: 38912351
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1374911 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Manganese (Mn) plays a pivotal role in plant growth and development. Aside aiding in plant growth and development, Mn as heavy metal (HM) can be toxic in soil when...
Metabolomics and physio-chemical analyses of mulberry plants leaves response to manganese deficiency and toxicity reveal key metabolites and their pathways in manganese tolerance.
INTRODUCTION
Manganese (Mn) plays a pivotal role in plant growth and development. Aside aiding in plant growth and development, Mn as heavy metal (HM) can be toxic in soil when applied in excess. is an economically significant plant, capable of adapting to a range of environmental conditions and possessing the potential for phytoremediation of contaminated soil by HMs. The mechanism by which tolerates Mn stresses remains obscure.
METHODS
In this study, Mn concentrations comprising sufficiency (0.15 mM), higher regimes (1.5 mM and 3 mM), and deficiency (0 mM and 0.03 mM), were applied to in pot treatment for 21 days to understand Mn tolerance. Mn stress effects on the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), intercellular CO concentration (Ci), chlorophyll content, plant morphological traits, enzymatic and non-enzymatic parameters were analyzed as well as metabolome signatures via non-targeted LC-MS technique.
RESULTS
Mn deficiency and toxicity decrease plant biomass, Pn, Ci, Gs, Tr, and chlorophyll content. Mn stresses induced a decline in the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while peroxidase (POD) activity, and leaf Mn content, increased. Soluble sugars, soluble proteins, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline exhibited an elevation in Mn deficiency and toxicity concentrations. Metabolomic analysis indicates that Mn concentrations induced 1031 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs), particularly amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, benzene and derivatives and secondary metabolites. The DEMs are significantly enriched in alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, galactose metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, pentose phosphate pathway, carbon metabolism, etc.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The upregulation of Galactinol, Myo-inositol, Jasmonic acid, L-aspartic acid, Coproporphyrin I, Trigonelline, Pantothenol, and Pantothenate and their significance in the metabolic pathways makes them Mn stress tolerance metabolites in . Our findings reveal the fundamental understanding of DEMs in 's response to Mn nutrition and the metabolic mechanisms involved, which may hold potential significance for the advancement of genetic improvement initiatives and phytoremediation programs.
PubMed: 38911982
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1349456 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jun 2024Interventions targeting the gut microbiota, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, prove effective in repairing the intestinal barrier and facilitating the recovery...
Changes in Rumen Epithelial Morphology and Transcriptome, Rumen Metabolome, and Blood Biochemical Parameters in Lactating Dairy Cows with Subacute Rumen Acidosis Following Rumen Content Transplantation.
Interventions targeting the gut microbiota, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, prove effective in repairing the intestinal barrier and facilitating the recovery of its function and metabolism. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing the remodeling of rumen epithelial morphology and function, rumen metabolism, and host metabolism in cows of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) remain poorly understood. Here, we explored the changes in rumen epithelial morphology and transcriptome, rumen metabolome, and blood biochemical parameters in SARA cows following rumen content transplantation (RCT). The entire experiment consisted of 2 periods: the SARA induction period and the RCT period. During the SARA induction period, 12 ruminally cannulated lactating Holstein cows were randomly allocated into 2 groups, fed either a conventional diet [CON; n = 4; 40% concentrate, dry matter (DM) basis] or a high-grain diet (HG; n = 8; 60% concentrate, DM basis). Following the SARA induction period, the RCT period started. The HG cows were randomly assigned to 2 groups: the donor-recipient (DR) group and the self-recipient (SR) group. Rumen contents were entirely removed from both groups before RCT. For the DR group, cows were administered 70% rumen content from the CON cows, paired based on comparable body weight; for the SR group, each cow received 70% self-derived rumen content. The results revealed no significant differences in the thicknesses of the stratum corneum, granulosum, and spinosum/basale layers, as well as the total depth of the epithelium between the SR and DR groups. All these measurements exhibited a decreasing trend and fluctuations over time after the transfer. Notably, these fluctuations tended to stabilize at 13 or 16 d after RCT in the SR group, whereas they tended to stabilize after 8 or 13 d of transfer for the DR group. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that a total of 277 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the 2 groups. Enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in 11 Gene Ontology biological processes and 14 KEGG pathways. The DEGs corresponding to almost any of these 11 biological process terms and 14 pathways showed mixed up- or downregulation following RCT. Metabolomics analysis indicated that a total of 33 differential metabolites were detected between the SR and DR groups, mainly enriched in 5 key metabolic pathways, including plant polysaccharides and starch degradation, lipid metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide metabolism, purine metabolism, and Krebs cycle. Among them, the levels of differential metabolites associated with the degradation of plant polysaccharides and starches, metabolism of amino sugars and nucleotides, and purine metabolism pathways were significantly elevated in the DR cows. The results of blood biochemical parameters showed that the triglyceride concentration of the DR cows was increased than that of the SR cows, comparable to the level observed in the CON cows during the SARA induction period. Generally, our findings indicated that RCT facilitated the recovery of rumen epithelial morphological structure but did not promote its function recovery. Moreover, RCT enhanced rumen plant polysaccharide and starch degradation, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, as well as purine metabolism. Additionally, it further promoted the recovery of plasma metabolites related to lipid metabolism.
PubMed: 38908691
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-24694 -
Environment International Jun 2024PFAS are ubiquitous industrial chemicals with known adverse health effects, particularly on the liver. The liver, being a vital metabolic organ, is susceptible to...
PFAS are ubiquitous industrial chemicals with known adverse health effects, particularly on the liver. The liver, being a vital metabolic organ, is susceptible to PFAS-induced metabolic dysregulation, leading to conditions such as hepatotoxicity and metabolic disturbances. In this study, we investigated the phenotypic and metabolic responses of PFAS exposure using two hepatocyte models, HepG2 (male cell line) and HepaRG (female cell line), aiming to define phenotypic alterations, and metabolic disturbances at the metabolite and pathway levels. The PFAS mixture composition was selected based on epidemiological data, covering a broad concentration spectrum observed in diverse human populations. Phenotypic profiling by Cell Painting assay disclosed predominant effects of PFAS exposure on mitochondrial structure and function in both cell models as well as effects on F-actin, Golgi apparatus, and plasma membrane-associated measures. We employed comprehensive metabolic characterization using liquid chromatography combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). We observed dose-dependent changes in the metabolic profiles, particularly in lipid, steroid, amino acid and sugar and carbohydrate metabolism in both cells as well as in cell media, with HepaRG cell line showing a stronger metabolic response. In cells, most of the bile acids, acylcarnitines and free fatty acids showed downregulation, while medium-chain fatty acids and carnosine were upregulated, while the cell media showed different response especially in relation to the bile acids in HepaRG cell media. Importantly, we observed also nonmonotonic response for several phenotypic features and metabolites. On the pathway level, PFAS exposure was also associated with pathways indicating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Taken together, our findings on PFAS-induced phenotypic and metabolic disruptions in hepatocytes shed light on potential mechanisms contributing to the broader comprehension of PFAS-related health risks.
PubMed: 38906088
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108820 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024Disrupted glucose metabolism and protein misfolding are key characteristics of age-related neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease, however their...
Disrupted glucose metabolism and protein misfolding are key characteristics of age-related neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease, however their mechanistic linkage is largely unexplored. The hexosamine biosynthetic pathway utilizes glucose and uridine-5'-triphosphate to generate N-linked glycans required for protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we find that Parkinson's patient midbrain cultures accumulate glucose and uridine-5'-triphosphate, while N-glycan synthesis rates are reduced. Impaired glucose flux occurred by selective reduction of the rate-limiting enzyme, GFPT2, through disrupted signaling between the unfolded protein response and the hexosamine pathway. Failure of the unfolded protein response and reduced N-glycosylation caused immature lysosomal hydrolases to misfold and accumulate, while accelerating glucose flux through the hexosamine pathway rescued hydrolase function and reduced pathological α-synuclein. Our data indicate that the hexosamine pathway integrates glucose metabolism with lysosomal activity, and its failure in Parkinson's disease occurs by uncoupling of the unfolded protein response-hexosamine pathway axis. These findings offer new methods to restore proteostasis by hexosamine pathway enhancement.
Topics: Humans; Hexosamines; Lysosomes; Parkinson Disease; Unfolded Protein Response; Neurons; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Mesencephalon; Glucose; Biosynthetic Pathways; Glycosylation; alpha-Synuclein; Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing)
PubMed: 38897986
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49256-3 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The pomegranate processing industry generates worldwide enormous amounts of by-products, such as pomegranate peels (PPs), which constitute a rich source of phenolic...
The pomegranate processing industry generates worldwide enormous amounts of by-products, such as pomegranate peels (PPs), which constitute a rich source of phenolic compounds. In this view, PPs could be exploited as a sustainable source of ellagic acid, which is a compound that possesses various biological actions. The present study aimed at the liberation of ellagic acid from its bound forms via ultrasound-assisted alkaline hydrolysis, which was optimized using response surface methodology. The effects of duration of sonication, solvent:solid ratio, and NaOH concentration on total phenol content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and punicalagin and ellagic acid content were investigated. Using the optimum hydrolysis conditions (i.e., 32 min, 1:48 /, 1.5 mol/L NaOH), the experimental responses were found to be TCP: 4230 ± 190 mg GAE/100 g dry PPs; A: 32,398 ± 1817 µmol Trolox/100 g dry PPs; A: 29,816 ± 1955 µmol Trolox/100 g dry PPs; 59 ± 3 mg punicalagin/100 g dry PPs; and 1457 ± 71 mg ellagic acid/100 g dry PPs. LC-QTOF-MS and GC-MS analysis of the obtained PP extract revealed the presence of various phenolic compounds (e.g., ellagic acid), organic acids (e.g., citric acid), sugars (e.g., fructose) and amino acids (e.g., glycine). The proposed methodology could be of use for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics applications, thus reinforcing local economies.
Topics: Ellagic Acid; Pomegranate; Hydrolysis; Antioxidants; Phenols; Plant Extracts; Hydrolyzable Tannins; Fruit
PubMed: 38893299
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112424 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a very serious diabetes complication. Changes in the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification are associated with many diseases....
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a very serious diabetes complication. Changes in the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification are associated with many diseases. However, its role in DR is not fully understood. In this research, we explored the effect of O-GlcNAc modification regulation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in DR, providing some evidence for clinical DR treatment in the future. Bioinformatics was used to make predictions from the database, which were validated using the serum samples of diabetic patients. As an in vivo model, diabetic mice were induced using streptozotocin (STZ) injection with/without an AMPK agonist (metformin) or an AMPK inhibitor (compound C) treatment. Electroretinogram (ERG) and H&E staining were used to evaluate the retinal functional and morphological changes. In vitro, 661 w cells were exposed to high-glucose conditions, with or without metformin treatment. Apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL staining. The protein expression was detected using Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. The angiogenesis ability was detected using a tube formation assay. The levels of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) in the serum changed in the DR patients in the clinic. In the diabetic mice, the ERG wave amplitude and retinal thickness decreased. In vitro, the apoptotic cell percentage and Bax expression were increased, and Bcl2 expression was decreased in the 661 w cells under high-glucose conditions. The O-GlcNAc modification was increased in DR. In addition, the expression of GFAT/TXNIP O-GlcNAc was also increased in the 661 w cells after the high-glucose treatment. Additionally, the Co-immunoprecipitation(CO-IP) results show that TXNIP interacted with the O-GlcNAc modification. However, AMPK activation ameliorated this effect. We also found that silencing the AMPKα1 subunit reversed this process. In addition, the conditioned medium of the 661 w cells may have affected the tube formation in vitro. Taken together, O-GlcNAc modification was increased in DR with photoreceptor cell degeneration and neovascularization; however, it was reversed after activating AMPK. The underlying mechanism is linked to the GFAT/TXNIP-O-GlcNAc modification signaling axis. Therefore, the AMPKα1 subunit plays a vital role in the process.
Topics: Diabetic Retinopathy; Animals; Mice; Acetylglucosamine; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Humans; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; Male; Apoptosis; Metformin; beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases; Retina; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Cell Line
PubMed: 38892474
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116286 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Rice ( L.) is an important social-economic crop, and rice seedlings are easily affected by salt stress. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) plays a positive role in promoting...
Rice ( L.) is an important social-economic crop, and rice seedlings are easily affected by salt stress. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) plays a positive role in promoting plant growth and development. To gain a better understanding of the salt tolerance mechanism of rice under the action of COS, Nipponbare rice seedlings were selected as the experimental materials, and the physiological and biochemical indexes of rice seedlings in three stages (normal growth, salt stress and recovery) were measured. Unlabelled quantitative proteomics technology was used to study differential protein and signaling pathways of rice seedlings under salt stress, and the mechanism of COS to improve rice tolerance to salt stress was elucidated. Results showed that after treatment with COS, the chlorophyll content of rice seedlings was 1.26 times higher than that of the blank group (CK). The root activity during the recovery stage was 1.46 times that of the CK group. The soluble sugar in root, stem and leaf increased by 53.42%, 77.10% and 9.37%, respectively. The total amino acid content increased by 77% during the stem recovery stage. Furthermore, the malondialdehyde content in root, stem and leaf increased by 21.28%, 26.67% and 32.69%, respectively. The activity of oxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and oxygenase (CAT) were increased. There were more differentially expressed proteins in the three parts of the experimental group than in the CK group. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of these differentially expressed proteins revealed that the experimental group was enriched for more entries. Then, through the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the top ten pathways enriched with differentially expressed proteins in the two groups (COS and CK groups) were utilized, and a detailed interpretation of the glycolysis and photosynthesis pathways was provided. Five key proteins, including phosphofructokinase, fructose bisphosphate aldolases, glycer-aldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase and pyruvate kinase, were identified in the glycolysis pathway. In the photosynthesis pathway, oxygen evolution enhancement proteins, iron redox proteins and ferredoxin-NADPH reductase were the key proteins. The addition of COS led to an increase in the abundance of proteins, a response of rice seedlings to salt stress. COS helped rice seedlings resist salt stress. Furthermore, using COS as biopesticides and biofertilizers can effectively increase the utilization of saline-affected farmland, thereby contributing to the alleviating of the global food crisis.
Topics: Oryza; Chitosan; Seedlings; Salt Tolerance; Oligosaccharides; Proteome; Plant Proteins; Proteomics; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Chlorophyll
PubMed: 38892141
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115953 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Alginate lyases cleave the 1,4-glycosidic bond of alginate by eliminating sugar molecules from its bond. While earlier reported alginate lyases were primarily single...
Alginate lyases cleave the 1,4-glycosidic bond of alginate by eliminating sugar molecules from its bond. While earlier reported alginate lyases were primarily single catalytic domains, research on multi-module alginate lyases has been lfiguimited. This study identified VsAly7A, a multi-module alginate lyase present in sp. QY108, comprising a "Pro-Asp-Thr(PDT)" fragment and two PL-7 catalytic domains (CD I and CD II). The "PDT" fragment enhances the soluble expression level and increases the thermostability and binding affinity to the substrate. Moreover, CD I exhibited greater catalytic efficiency than CD II. The incorporation of PDT-CD I resulted in an increase in the optimal temperature of VsAly7A, whereas CD II displayed a preference for polyG degradation. The multi-domain structure of VsAly7A provides a new idea for the rational design of alginate lyase, whilst the "PDT" fragment may serve as a fusion tag in the soluble expression of recombinant proteins.
Topics: Polysaccharide-Lyases; Vibrio; Alginates; Enzyme Stability; Protein Binding; Catalytic Domain; Bacterial Proteins; Solubility; Amino Acid Sequence; Temperature; Recombinant Proteins
PubMed: 38891987
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115801