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Marine Drugs Nov 2021While complex lipids of seaweeds are known to display important phytochemical properties, their full potential is yet to be explored. This review summarizes the findings...
While complex lipids of seaweeds are known to display important phytochemical properties, their full potential is yet to be explored. This review summarizes the findings of a systematic survey of scientific publications spanning over the years 2000 to January 2021 retrieved from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases to map the state of the art and identify knowledge gaps on the relationship between the complex lipids of seaweeds and their reported bioactivities. Eligible publications (270 in total) were classified in five categories according to the type of studies using seaweeds as raw biomass (category 1); studies using organic extracts (category 2); studies using organic extracts with identified complex lipids (category 3); studies of extracts enriched in isolated groups or classes of complex lipids (category 4); and studies of isolated complex lipids molecular species (category 5), organized by seaweed phyla and reported bioactivities. Studies that identified the molecular composition of these bioactive compounds in detail (29 in total) were selected and described according to their bioactivities (antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and others). Overall, to date, the value for seaweeds in terms of health and wellness effects were found to be mostly based on empirical knowledge. Although lipids from seaweeds are little explored, the published work showed the potential of lipid extracts, fractions, and complex lipids from seaweeds as functional ingredients for the food and feed, cosmeceutical, and pharmaceutical industries. This knowledge will boost the use of the chemical diversity of seaweeds for innovative value-added products and new biotechnological applications.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Aquatic Organisms; Lipids; Seaweed; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 34940685
DOI: 10.3390/md19120686 -
Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic... Jun 2022Metabolomics emerged as an important tool to gain insights on how the body responds to therapeutic interventions. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for... (Review)
Review
Metabolomics emerged as an important tool to gain insights on how the body responds to therapeutic interventions. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of the available data on metabolomics profiles that characterize patients submitted to different bariatric surgery procedures, which could be useful to predict clinical outcomes including weight loss and type 2 diabetes remission. For that, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - PRISMA guidelines were followed. Data from forty-seven original study reports addressing metabolomics profiles induced by bariatric surgery that met eligibility criteria were compiled and summarized. Amino acids, lipids, energy-related and gut microbiota-related were the metabolite classes most influenced by bariatric surgery. Among these, higher pre-operative levels of specific lipids including phospholipids, long-chain fatty acids and bile acids were associated with post-operative T2D remission. As conclusion, metabolite profiling could become a useful tool to predict long term response to different bariatric surgery procedures, allowing more personalized interventions and improved healthcare resources allocation.
Topics: Bariatric Surgery; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Lipids; Metabolomics; Obesity, Morbid
PubMed: 34855133
DOI: 10.1007/s11154-021-09695-5 -
Nutrition Reviews May 2022Atherosclerosis is a disease of chronic inflammation. Recent research has identified 2 novel inflammatory biomarkers: platelet-activating factor (PAF) and...
CONTEXT
Atherosclerosis is a disease of chronic inflammation. Recent research has identified 2 novel inflammatory biomarkers: platelet-activating factor (PAF) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2). Diet has been proposed as a mediator of inflammation, but to date, the focus for these novel biomarkers has been on individual foods and nutrients rather than overall dietary patterns.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review the literature on the association between dietary patterns and PAF and Lp-PLA2.
DATA SOURCES
The PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL literature databases were searched.
DATA ANALYSIS
Study quality was evaluated using the Quality Criteria Checklist. Sixteen studies (n = 4 observational and n = 12 interventional) were included and assessed for associations between dietary patterns and PAF and Lp-PLA2.
CONCLUSION
Study quality varied from neutral (n = 10) to positive (n = 6). Mediterranean, heart healthy, and vegetarian dietary patterns were associated with improved levels of PAF and Lp-PLA2. Conversely, Western dietary patterns were less favorable. A range of well-established, healthier dietary patterns may lower inflammation and the risk of atherosclerosis. More well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify other dietary patterns that improve inflammation.
Topics: 1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase; Atherosclerosis; Biomarkers; Humans; Inflammation; Platelet Activating Factor
PubMed: 34651191
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab051 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2021Maintaining appropriate levels of physical exercise is an optimal way for keeping a good state of health. At the same time, optimal exercise performance necessitates an... (Review)
Review
Maintaining appropriate levels of physical exercise is an optimal way for keeping a good state of health. At the same time, optimal exercise performance necessitates an integrated organ system response. In this respect, physical exercise has numerous repercussions on metabolism and function of different organs and tissues by enhancing whole-body metabolic homeostasis in response to different exercise-related adaptations. Specifically, both prolonged and intensive physical exercise produce vast changes in multiple and different lipid-related metabolites. Lipidomic technologies allow these changes and adaptations to be clarified, by using a biological system approach they provide scientific understanding of the effect of physical exercise on lipid trajectories. Therefore, this systematic review aims to indicate and clarify the identifying biology of the individual response to different exercise workloads, as well as provide direction for future studies focused on the body's metabolome exercise-related adaptations. It was performed using five databases (Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library). Two author teams reviewed 105 abstracts for inclusion and at the end of the screening process 50 full texts were analyzed. Lastly, 14 research articles specifically focusing on metabolic responses to exercise in healthy subjects were included. The Oxford quality scoring system scale was used as a quality measure of the reviews. Information was extracted using the participants, intervention, comparison, outcomes (PICOS) format. Despite that fact that it is well-known that lipids are involved in different sport-related changes, it is unclear what types of lipids are involved. Therefore, we analyzed the characteristic lipid species in blood and skeletal muscle, as well as their alterations in response to chronic and acute exercise. Lipidomics analyses of the studies examined revealed medium- and long-chain fatty acids, fatty acid oxidation products, and phospholipids qualitative changes. The main cumulative evidence indicates that both chronic and acute bouts of exercise determine significant changes in lipidomic profiles, but they manifested in very different ways depending on the type of tissue examined. Therefore, this systematic review may offer the possibility to fully understand the individual lipidomics exercise-related response and could be especially important to improve athletic performance and human health.
Topics: Blood Chemical Analysis; Exercise; Female; Humans; Lipidomics; Male; Muscle, Skeletal; Organ Specificity
PubMed: 34445440
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168734 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2021The prevalence of non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) varies between 19% and 33% in different populations. NAFLD decreases life expectancy and increases... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) varies between 19% and 33% in different populations. NAFLD decreases life expectancy and increases risks of liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and the requirement for liver transplantation. Uncertainty surrounds relative benefits and harms of various nutritional supplements in NAFLD. Currently no nutritional supplement is recommended for people with NAFLD.
OBJECTIVES
• To assess the benefits and harms of different nutritional supplements for treatment of NAFLD through a network meta-analysis • To generate rankings of different nutritional supplements according to their safety and efficacy SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and trials registers until February 2021 to identify randomised clinical trials in people with NAFLD.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included only randomised clinical trials (irrespective of language, blinding, or status) for people with NAFLD, irrespective of method of diagnosis, age and diabetic status of participants, or presence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We excluded randomised clinical trials in which participants had previously undergone liver transplantation.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We performed a network meta-analysis with OpenBUGS using Bayesian methods whenever possible and calculated differences in treatments using hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and rate ratios with 95% credible intervals (CrIs) based on an available-case analysis, according to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence Decision Support Unit guidance.
MAIN RESULTS
We included in the review a total of 202 randomised clinical trials (14,200 participants). Nineteen trials were at low risk of bias. A total of 32 different interventions were compared in these trials. A total of 115 trials (7732 participants) were included in one or more comparisons. The remaining trials did not report any of the outcomes of interest for this review. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 28 months. The follow-up period in trials that reported clinical outcomes was 2 months to 28 months. During this follow-up period, clinical events related to NAFLD such as mortality, liver cirrhosis, liver decompensation, liver transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related mortality were sparse. We did not calculate effect estimates for mortality because of sparse data (zero events for at least one of the groups in the trial). None of the trials reported that they measured overall health-related quality of life using a validated scale. The evidence is very uncertain about effects of interventions on serious adverse events (number of people or number of events). We are very uncertain about effects on adverse events of most of the supplements that we investigated, as the evidence is of very low certainty. However, people taking PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) may be more likely to experience an adverse event than those not receiving an active intervention (network meta-analysis results: OR 4.44, 95% CrI 2.40 to 8.48; low-certainty evidence; 4 trials, 203 participants; direct evidence: OR 4.43, 95% CrI 2.43 to 8.42). People who take other supplements (a category that includes nutritional supplements other than vitamins, fatty acids, phospholipids, and antioxidants) had higher numbers of adverse events than those not receiving an active intervention (network meta-analysis: rate ratio 1.73, 95% CrI 1.26 to 2.41; 6 trials, 291 participants; direct evidence: rate ratio 1.72, 95% CrI 1.25 to 2.40; low-certainty evidence). Data were sparse (zero events in all groups in the trial) for liver transplantation, liver decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma. So, we did not perform formal analysis for these outcomes. The evidence is very uncertain about effects of other antioxidants (antioxidants other than vitamins) compared to no active intervention on liver cirrhosis (HR 1.68, 95% CrI 0.23 to 15.10; 1 trial, 99 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The evidence is very uncertain about effects of interventions in any of the remaining comparisons, or data were sparse (with zero events in at least one of the groups), precluding formal calculations of effect estimates. Data were probably because of the very short follow-up period (2 months to 28 months). It takes follow-up of 8 to 28 years to detect differences in mortality between people with NAFLD and the general population. Therefore, it is unlikely that differences in clinical outcomes are noted in trials providing less than 5 to 10 years of follow-up.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The evidence indicates considerable uncertainty about effects of nutritional supplementation compared to no additional intervention on all clinical outcomes for people with non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease. Accordingly, high-quality randomised comparative clinical trials with adequate follow-up are needed. We propose registry-based randomised clinical trials or cohort multiple randomised clinical trials (study design in which multiple interventions are trialed within large longitudinal cohorts of patients to gain efficiencies and align trials more closely to standard clinical practice) comparing interventions such as vitamin E, prebiotics/probiotics/synbiotics, PUFAs, and no nutritional supplementation. The reason for the choice of interventions is the impact of these interventions on indirect outcomes, which may translate to clinical benefit. Outcomes in such trials should be mortality, health-related quality of life, decompensated liver cirrhosis, liver transplantation, and resource utilisation measures including costs of intervention and decreased healthcare utilisation after minimum follow-up of 8 years (to find meaningful differences in clinically important outcomes).
Topics: Bayes Theorem; Bias; Dietary Supplements; Humans; Network Meta-Analysis; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Odds Ratio; Proportional Hazards Models; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 34280304
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013157.pub2 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2021Obesity is a global health issue for which no major effective treatments have been well established. High-fat diet consumption is closely related to the development of...
Obesity is a global health issue for which no major effective treatments have been well established. High-fat diet consumption is closely related to the development of obesity because it negatively modulates the hypothalamic control of food intake due to metaflammation and lipotoxicity. The use of animal models, such as rodents, in conjunction with in vitro models of hypothalamic cells, can enhance the understanding of hypothalamic functions related to the control of energy balance, thereby providing knowledge about the impact of diet on the hypothalamus, in addition to targets for the development of new drugs that can be used in humans to decrease body weight. Recently, sphingolipids were described as having a lipotoxic effect in peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. Specifically, lipid overload, mainly from long-chain saturated fatty acids, such as palmitate, leads to excessive ceramide levels that can be sensed by the hypothalamus, triggering the dysregulation of energy balance control. However, no systematic review has been undertaken regarding studies of sphingolipids, particularly ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), the hypothalamus, and obesity. This review confirms that ceramides are associated with hypothalamic dysfunction in response to metaflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and lipotoxicity, leading to insulin/leptin resistance. However, in contrast to ceramide, S1P appears to be a central satiety factor in the hypothalamus. Thus, our work describes current evidence related to sphingolipids and their role in hypothalamic energy balance control. Hypothetically, the manipulation of sphingolipid levels could be useful in enabling clinicians to treat obesity, particularly by decreasing ceramide levels and the inflammation/endoplasmic reticulum stress induced in response to overfeeding with saturated fatty acids.
Topics: Animals; Ceramides; Diet, High-Fat; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Energy Metabolism; Fatty Acids; Humans; Hypothalamus; Insulin Resistance; Leptin; Lysophospholipids; Obesity; Signal Transduction; Sphingolipids; Sphingosine
PubMed: 34069652
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105357 -
Cells May 2021Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs), usually found and isolated from the T cell zone of lymph nodes, have recently been described as much more than simple structural...
Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs), usually found and isolated from the T cell zone of lymph nodes, have recently been described as much more than simple structural cells. Originally, these cells were described to form a conduit system called the "reticular fiber network" and for being responsible for transferring the lymph fluid drained from tissues through afferent lymphatic vessels to the T cell zone. However, nowadays, these cells are described as being capable of secreting several cytokines and chemokines and possessing the ability to interfere with the immune response, improving it, and also controlling lymphocyte proliferation. Here, we performed a systematic review of the several methods employed to investigate the mechanisms used by fibroblastic reticular cells to control the immune response, as well as their ability in determining the fate of T cells. We searched articles indexed and published in the last five years, between 2016 and 2020, in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane, following the PRISMA guidelines. We found 175 articles published in the literature using our searching strategies, but only 24 articles fulfilled our inclusion criteria and are discussed here. Other articles important in the built knowledge of FRCs were included in the introduction and discussion. The studies selected for this review used different strategies in order to access the contribution of FRCs to different mechanisms involved in the immune response: 21% evaluated viral infection in this context, 13% used a model of autoimmunity, 8% used a model of GvHD or cancer, 4% used a model of Ischemic-reperfusion injury (IRI). Another four studies just targeted a particular signaling pathway, such as MHC II expression, FRC microvesicles, FRC secretion of IL-15, FRC network, or ablation of the lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-producing ectoenzyme autotaxin. In conclusion, our review shows the strategies used by several studies to isolate and culture fibroblastic reticular cells, the models chosen by each one, and dissects their main findings and implications in homeostasis and disease.
Topics: Animals; Autoimmunity; Cell Proliferation; Cytokines; Fibroblasts; Homeostasis; Humans; Immunophenotyping; Lymph; Lymph Nodes; Lymphatic Vessels; Lymphocytes; Lysophospholipids; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred NOD; Neoplasms; Reticulin; T-Lymphocytes
PubMed: 34068712
DOI: 10.3390/cells10051150 -
Journal of Alternative and... Apr 2021To examine the evidence for efficacy of phosphatidylserine for symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Medline, Cochrane Library, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
To examine the evidence for efficacy of phosphatidylserine for symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Medline, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception through August 2020. Studies of any design that assessed phosphatidylserine supplementation for children aged ≤18 years with a diagnosis of ADHD were included in the systematic review; only randomized clinical trials were included in the meta-analysis. Standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and the heterogeneity of the studies was estimated using . The overall quality of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation tool. Four studies met the inclusion criteria for the narrative review ( = 344) and three for the meta-analysis ( = 216). Results of the meta-analysis showed a statistically significant effect of 200-300 mg/day of phosphatidylserine on symptoms of inattention relative to placebo (effect size [ES] 0.36; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.64; = 0.01). The effects of phosphatidylserine on overall symptoms of ADHD (ES 0.76; 95% CI: -0.07 to 1.60; = 0.07) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (ES 0.24; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.53; = 0.09) were not statistically significant. Preliminary evidence suggests that phosphatidylserine may be effective for reducing symptoms of inattention in children with ADHD, although the quality of the evidence is low and additional research in this area is warranted.
Topics: Adolescent; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Integrative Medicine; Phosphatidylserines; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33539192
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0432 -
Cureus Dec 2020Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by several risk factors leading to dementia. It's diagnosis usually depends on clinical presentation and certain biomarkers in the... (Review)
Review
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by several risk factors leading to dementia. It's diagnosis usually depends on clinical presentation and certain biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The brain has a high content of cholesterol and the metabolism of cholesterol in the brain can be associated with beta-amyloid plaques formation, which is seen in Alzheimer's disease. Given these implications, we studied if plasma lipid levels can vary in Alzheimer's disease and if these can be used as biomarkers to diagnose and predict the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Certain mutations in the brain cholesterol transport receptors and proteins and their association with Alzheimer's were also studied. This systematic review abides by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched multiple databases, such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, Pubmed central, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Medline with the help of keywords like Alzheimer's disease, cognitive impairment, plasma lipid biomarkers, cholesterol, brain cholesterol metabolism separately and in combination with each other. We collected 49 quality appraised articles on the association between plasma lipids and Alzheimer's disease and the genetic mutations in alleles related to cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer's disease by applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Based on the finding of the studies reviewed, we found an association between plasma lipids, polymorphisms in genes associated with cholesterol transport, and Alzheimer's disease. Increased serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), sphingolipids, 24S hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC), 27O hydroxycholesterol (27O-HC) was associated with Alzheimer's. Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and phospholipids were noticed. Genetic mutations in apolipoprotein E (ApoE), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A (ApoA), ATP binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1), ATP binding cassette transporter 7 (ABCA7), amyloid precursor protein (APP), cytochrome P450 family 46 subfamilies A member 1 (CYP46A1), presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2) are also associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. This study found an association between plasma lipids and Alzheimer's, proving that plasma lipids can be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. It may also help predict the prognosis and stage the disease severity. Further studies are needed to find out the exact mechanism behind these changes.
PubMed: 33457117
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.12008 -
Rheumatology and Therapy Mar 2021The diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) requires the presence of thrombosis and/or recurrent miscarriages along with one or more anti-phospholipid antibodies... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) requires the presence of thrombosis and/or recurrent miscarriages along with one or more anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL). The role of aPL has been largely investigated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with minimal data on other autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In this review, we aim to assess the prevalence of aPL in patients with inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) other than SLE, and their association with thrombosis.
RESULTS
A total of 20 studies, including 3242 patients, measured aPL in different inflammatory and autoimmune RMDs. The overall median percentage of aPL-positive patients was 14.05% (from 0 to 57.5%). For systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, the median positivity was 14.05% for aPL, with IgG aCL being detected in up to 35.48% of all SSc aPL-positive patients. Only six studies (30%) performed an antibody confirmation test after 12 weeks, with the median prevalence being 10.88% (from 0 to 29.79%). Only six studies also assessed the number of double or triple aPL-positive patients. A total of eight (40%) studies including 1071 patients investigated the association between aPL and thrombotic events, namely five for SSc, one for SS, one for ANCA associated vasculitides (AAV), and one for RA. A median of 18.75% (7.69-71.43%) of aPL-positive patients experienced an arterial event in comparison to a median of 13.66% (7.69-31.25%) who underwent venous thrombotic event. Taking into consideration only the studies that performed a confirmation test, a median value of 34.36% (12.9-71.43%) of aPL-positive patients underwent an arterial event and a median value of 16.32% (9.68-25%) of aPL-positive patients underwent a venous event.
CONCLUSIONS
Anti-phospholipid antibodies can be detected in up to a third of patients with inflammatory and autoimmune RMDs, especially in SSc. However, there was a large heterogeneity among the retrieved studies. Available data supporting a general screening for aPL in all inflammatory and autoimmune RMDs are still insufficient. Screening for aPL in selected scenarios (e.g., pregnancy planning) could be considered.
PubMed: 33420626
DOI: 10.1007/s40744-020-00273-w