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Food Chemistry Jun 2024Rice contains abundant starch and contributes to a rapid rise in postprandial blood glucose levels. Hence, it is crucial to directly modify rice grains for resistant...
Rice contains abundant starch and contributes to a rapid rise in postprandial blood glucose levels. Hence, it is crucial to directly modify rice grains for resistant starch (RS) content elevation while preserving their morphology. In this study, rice grains were treated with 6%-18% concentrations of oleic acid (OA) and 8-20 h of soaking time to promote the formation of starch-lipid complexes, thereby reducing rice digestibility. In OA-treated rice, the OA molecules exist in three binding states. OA-treated rice exhibited a significantly higher complexation index and OA content than natural rice. RS content increased from 20.50% to 32.46%. X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy revealed the development of amylose-OA complexes within the rice grains and a V-crystalline structure of up to 3.62%. Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis showed enhanced molecular ordering and structural stability of rice starch. Overall, OA treatment effectively promotes RS formation within rice grains, consequently reducing rice digestibility.
PubMed: 38924913
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140191 -
Chemistry & Biodiversity Jun 2024The research was done on the olive oil's main constituents' antioxidant activity and their ability to inhibit the AKT1 protein, which is implicated in the development of...
The research was done on the olive oil's main constituents' antioxidant activity and their ability to inhibit the AKT1 protein, which is implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. The findings revealed that all of the examined oils fall within the category of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and have a high oleic acid content, particularly for samples from wild olives. These oils have high levels of ligstroside and oleocanthal, two important phenolic compounds. Wild olive oils stand out from cultivated ones due to their higher bitterness index. In addition, these oils have the highest concentrations of tocopherols and the best oxidative stability. The ability of these olive oil extracts to neutralize DPPH and ABTS radicals and convert ferric ions (Fe3+) to ferrous ions (Fe2+) for the FRAP test demonstrated their antioxidant properties. Molecular docking was applied to assess the interaction between the main compounds identified in the analysed olive oils and the human AKT1 protein, which is involved in the genesis of colorectal cancer. The findings revealed that lutein, oleuropein aglycone, and ligstroside aglycone had the highest binding affinity for the AKT1 protein.
PubMed: 38923341
DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202302074 -
International Journal of Cosmetic... Jun 2024The objective of this work was to understand how triglyceride plant oils can deliver strength and softness benefits to hair by their penetration. These plant oils are...
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this work was to understand how triglyceride plant oils can deliver strength and softness benefits to hair by their penetration. These plant oils are complex mixtures of TAGs, so the initial studies performed were with pure TAGs and then these data compared to plant oils and their measured TAG compositions.
METHODS
LC-MS was used to identify the di and triglycerides in coconut oil, Camellia oleifera oil and safflower seed oil. Penetration of these plant oils and pure individual triglycerides was measured by a differential extraction method. Cross-sections of oils treated with C-labelled triolein were studied by NanoSIMS to visualize location of triglyceride inside hair. Fatigue strength was measured using constant stress to generate a survival distribution. Models of the lipid-rich cell membrane complex (CMC) were created with the equimolar ratio of 18-methyl-eicosanoic acid (MEAS), palmitic acid (C16:0) and oleic acid (C18:1).
RESULTS
Penetration of the individual pure TAGs was confirmed for all chain lengths and degree of unsaturation tested with higher penetration for shorter chain lengths and unsaturated fatty acids. Detailed compositional analysis of selected plant oils showed a wide variety of TAGs and penetration was also demonstrated for these oils. NanoSIMS and modelling confirmed these TAGs are penetrating the lipid-rich CMC of hair and are interacting with the fatty acids that make up the CMC. All plant oils delivered a fatigue strength improvement by penetration into the CMC and it is proposed that these oils prevent formation and/or propagation of flaws in the CMC network that leads to breakage.
CONCLUSIONS
Many plant oils with a wide range of triglyceride compositions can penetrate into hair and NanoSIMS data confirmed these oils partition into the lipid-rich cell membrane complex. Penetration studies of individual TAGs shown to be present in these oils confirmed TAGs of varying chain length can penetrate and there is a correlation between increased penetration efficacy and shorter chain lengths and presence of unsaturation in the fatty acid chains. All the oils studied delivered single fibre fatigue strength benefits.
PubMed: 38922913
DOI: 10.1111/ics.12978 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are inorganic nanocarriers presenting versatile properties and the possibility to deliver drug molecules via different routes of...
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are inorganic nanocarriers presenting versatile properties and the possibility to deliver drug molecules via different routes of application. Their modification with lipids could diminish the burst release profile for water-soluble molecules. In the case of oleic acid (OA) as a lipid component, an improvement in skin penetration can be expected. Therefore, in the present study, aminopropyl-functionalized MSNs were modified with oleic acid through carbodiimide chemistry and were subsequently incorporated into a semisolid hydrogel for dermal delivery. Doxorubicin served as a model drug. The FT-IR and XRD analysis as well as the ninhydrin reaction showed the successful preparation of the proposed nanocarrier with a uniform particle size (352-449 nm) and negative zeta potential. Transmission electron microscopy was applied to evaluate any possible changes in morphology. High encapsulation efficiency (97.6 ± 1.8%) was achieved together with a sustained release profile over 48 h. The composite hydrogels containing the OA-modified nanoparticles were characterized by excellent physiochemical properties (pH of 6.9; occlusion factor of 53.9; spreadability of factor 2.87 and viscosity of 1486 Pa·s) for dermal application. The in vitro permeation study showed 2.35 fold improvement compared with the hydrogel containing free drug. In vitro cell studies showed that loading in OA-modified nanoparticles significantly improved doxorubicin's cytotoxic effects toward epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431). All of the results suggest that the prepared composite hydrogel has potential for dermal delivery of doxorubicin in the treatment of skin cancer.
PubMed: 38920903
DOI: 10.3390/gels10060356 -
The EMBO Journal Jun 2024Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an important anionic phospholipid that is synthesized within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). While PS shows the highest enrichment and serves...
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an important anionic phospholipid that is synthesized within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). While PS shows the highest enrichment and serves important functional roles in the plasma membrane (PM) but its role in the nucleus is poorly explored. Using three orthogonal approaches, we found that PS is also uniquely enriched in the inner nuclear membrane (INM) and the nuclear reticulum (NR). Nuclear PS is critical for supporting the translocation of CCTα and Lipin1α, two key enzymes important for phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis, from the nuclear matrix to the INM and NR in response to oleic acid treatment. We identified the PS-interacting regions within the M-domain of CCTα and M-Lip domain of Lipin1α, and show that lipid droplet formation is altered by manipulations of nuclear PS availability. Our studies reveal an unrecognized regulatory role of nuclear PS levels in the regulation of key PC synthesizing enzymes within the nucleus.
PubMed: 38918635
DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00151-z -
AAPS PharmSciTech Jun 2024The current treatment for oral inflammatory ulcerative diseases has limitations. In situ forming hydrogels have shown great potential to deliver therapeutic substances...
The current treatment for oral inflammatory ulcerative diseases has limitations. In situ forming hydrogels have shown great potential to deliver therapeutic substances for drug delivery to the buccal cavity. This study aimed to prepare and characterize lipid- and surfactant-based mixed micelle in situ gel (MIG) and evaluate whether it can offer more favorable properties than the in situ gel for effective treatment of the disease. Dexamethasone was incorporated into the MIGs particles, based on Poloxamer 407 and chitosan. The lower gelation time at 37 ℃ was considered a criterion to select superior formulations among the different lipid- and surfactant-based candidates. Further characterization was performed to evaluate the opted formulations regarding morphology, physical stability, rheology, texture, and release profile. All formulations were thermoresponsive and had a shorter gelation time as the temperature increased. Dexamethasone was released in a highly controlled manner, and morphological evaluation revealed that the mixed micelle in situ gels had spherical nanoparticles. Thixotropic behavior was observed in all MIGs, indicating a prolonged retention time of the formulation after oral administration. This study has shown that among different MIGs, the one with oleic acid is a more promising candidate than the in situ gel and other MIGs for drug delivery to the buccal cavity.
Topics: Micelles; Dexamethasone; Chitosan; Gels; Drug Delivery Systems; Poloxamer; Drug Liberation; Surface-Active Agents; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Hydrogels; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Nanoparticles; Drug Carriers; Rheology; Oral Ulcer; Administration, Oral; Lipids; Oleic Acid
PubMed: 38918282
DOI: 10.1208/s12249-024-02862-2 -
Cardiovascular Toxicology Jun 2024
PubMed: 38916846
DOI: 10.1007/s12012-024-09883-0 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have transformed genetic medicine, recently shown by their use in COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. While loading LNPs with mRNA has many uses, loading...
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have transformed genetic medicine, recently shown by their use in COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. While loading LNPs with mRNA has many uses, loading DNA would provide additional advantages such as long-term expression and availability of promoter sequences. However, here we show that plasmid DNA (pDNA) delivery via LNPs (pDNA-LNPs) induces acute inflammation in naïve mice which we find is primarily driven by the cGAS-STING pathway. Inspired by DNA viruses that inhibit this pathway for replication, we co-loaded endogenous lipids that inhibit STING into pDNA-LNPs. Specifically, loading nitro-oleic acid (NOA) into pDNA-LNPs (NOA-pDNA-LNPs) ameliorates serious inflammatory responses enabling prolonged transgene expression (at least 1 month). Additionally, we demonstrate the ability to iteratively optimize NOA-pDNA-LNPs' expression by performing a small LNP formulation screen, driving up expression 50-fold . Thus, NOA-pDNA-LNPs, and pDNA-LNPs co-loaded with other bioactive molecules, will provide a major new tool in the genetic medicine toolbox, leveraging the power of DNA's long-term and promoter-controlled expression.
PubMed: 38915627
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.11.598533 -
Biotechnology For Biofuels and... Jun 2024Soybean (Glycine max) is a vital oil-producing crop. Augmenting oleic acid (OA) levels in soybean oil enhances its oxidative stability and health benefits, representing...
BACKGROUND
Soybean (Glycine max) is a vital oil-producing crop. Augmenting oleic acid (OA) levels in soybean oil enhances its oxidative stability and health benefits, representing a key objective in soybean breeding. Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata), known for its abundant oil, OA, and flavonoid in the seeds, holds promise as a biofuel and medicinal plant. A comparative analysis of the lipid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in Pongamia and soybean seeds would facilitate the assessment of the potential value of Pongamia seeds and advance the genetic improvements of seed traits in both species.
RESULTS
The study employed multi-omics analysis to systematically compare differences in metabolite accumulation and associated biosynthetic genes between Pongamia seeds and soybean seeds at the transcriptional, metabolic, and genomic levels. The results revealed that OA is the predominant free fatty acid in Pongamia seeds, being 8.3 times more abundant than in soybean seeds. Lipidomics unveiled a notably higher accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in Pongamia seeds compared to soybean seeds, with 23 TAG species containing OA. Subsequently, we identified orthologous groups (OGs) involved in lipid biosynthesis across 25 gene families in the genomes of Pongamia and soybean, and compared the expression levels of these OGs in the seeds of the two species. Among the OGs with expression levels in Pongamia seeds more than twice as high as in soybean seeds, we identified one fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase A (FATA) and two stearoyl-ACP desaturases (SADs), responsible for OA biosynthesis, along with two phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferases (PDATs) and three acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGATs), responsible for TAG biosynthesis. Furthermore, we observed a significantly higher content of the flavonoid formononetin in Pongamia seeds compared to soybean seeds, by over 2000-fold. This difference may be attributed to the tandem duplication expansions of 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone 4'-O-methyltransferases (HI4'OMTs) in the Pongamia genome, which are responsible for the final step of formononetin biosynthesis, combined with their high expression levels in Pongamia seeds.
CONCLUSIONS
This study extends beyond observations made in single-species research by offering novel insights into the molecular basis of differences in lipid and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways between Pongamia and soybean, from a cross-species comparative perspective.
PubMed: 38915078
DOI: 10.1186/s13068-024-02538-w -
PLoS Genetics Jun 2024The outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria is a barrier to chemical and physical stress. Phospholipid transport between the inner and outer membranes has been an area...
The outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria is a barrier to chemical and physical stress. Phospholipid transport between the inner and outer membranes has been an area of intense investigation and, in E. coli K-12, it has recently been shown to be mediated by YhdP, TamB, and YdbH, which are suggested to provide hydrophobic channels for phospholipid diffusion, with YhdP and TamB playing the major roles. However, YhdP and TamB have different phenotypes suggesting distinct functions. It remains unclear whether these functions are related to phospholipid metabolism. We investigated a synthetic cold sensitivity caused by deletion of fadR, a transcriptional regulator controlling fatty acid degradation and unsaturated fatty acid production, and yhdP, but not by ΔtamB ΔfadR or ΔydbH ΔfadR. Deletion of tamB recuses the ΔyhdP ΔfadR cold sensitivity further demonstrating the phenotype is related to functional diversification between these genes. The ΔyhdP ΔfadR strain shows a greater increase in cardiolipin upon transfer to the non-permissive temperature and genetically lowering cardiolipin levels can suppress cold sensitivity. These data also reveal a qualitative difference between cardiolipin synthases in E. coli, as deletion of clsA and clsC suppresses cold sensitivity but deletion of clsB does not. Moreover, increased fatty acid saturation is necessary for cold sensitivity and lowering this level genetically or through supplementation of oleic acid suppresses the cold sensitivity of the ΔyhdP ΔfadR strain. Together, our data clearly demonstrate that the diversification of function between YhdP and TamB is related to phospholipid metabolism. Although indirect regulatory effects are possible, we favor the parsimonious hypothesis that YhdP and TamB have differential phospholipid-substrate transport preferences. Thus, our data provide a potential mechanism for independent control of the phospholipid composition of the inner and outer membranes in response to changing conditions based on regulation of abundance or activity of YhdP and TamB.
PubMed: 38913742
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011335