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International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The associations of plasma metabolites with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes are still underexplored and may be useful in CV risk stratification. We performed a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The associations of plasma metabolites with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes are still underexplored and may be useful in CV risk stratification. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish correlations between blood metabolites and adverse CV outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Four cohorts were included, involving 83 metabolites and 37 metabolite ratios, measured in 1158 HF patients. Hazard ratios (HR) of 42 metabolites and 3 metabolite ratios, present in at least two studies, were combined through meta-analysis. Higher levels of histidine (HR 0.74, 95% CI [0.64; 0.86]) and tryptophan (HR 0.82 [0.71; 0.96]) seemed protective, whereas higher levels of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) (HR 1.58 [1.30; 1.93]), N-methyl-1-histidine (HR 1.56 [1.27; 1.90]), SDMA/arginine (HR 1.38 [1.14; 1.68]), putrescine (HR 1.31 [1.06; 1.61]), methionine sulfoxide (HR 1.26 [1.03; 1.52]), and 5-hydroxylysine (HR 1.25 [1.05; 1.48]) were associated with a higher risk of CV events. Our findings corroborate important associations between metabolic imbalances and a higher risk of CV events in HF patients. However, the lack of standardization and data reporting hampered the comparison of a higher number of studies. In a future clinical scenario, metabolomics will greatly benefit from harmonizing sample handling, data analysis, reporting, and sharing.
Topics: Humans; Heart Failure; Metabolomics; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Metabolome; Heart Disease Risk Factors
PubMed: 38891881
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115693 -
Polymers May 2024Only 0.1% of polyurethanes available on the market are from renewable sources. With increasing concern about climate change, the substitution of monomers derived from...
Only 0.1% of polyurethanes available on the market are from renewable sources. With increasing concern about climate change, the substitution of monomers derived from petrochemical sources and the application of eco-friendly synthesis processes is crucial for the development of biomaterials. Therefore, polyhydroxyurethanes have been utilized, as their synthesis route allows for the carbonation of vegetable oils with carbon dioxide and the substitution of isocyanates known for their high toxicity, carcinogenicity, and petrochemical origin. In this study, polyhydroxyurethanes were obtained from carbonated soybean oil in combination with two diamines, one that is aliphatic (1,4-butadiamine (putrescine)) and another that is cycloaliphatic (1,3-cyclohexanobis(methylamine)). Four polyhydroxyurethanes were obtained, showing stability in hydrolytic and oxidative media, thermal stability above 200 °C, tensile strength between 0.9 and 1.1 MPa, an elongation at break between 81 and 222%, a water absorption rate up 102%, and contact angles between 63.70 and 101.39. New formulations of bio-based NIPHUs can be developed with the inclusion of a cycloaliphatic diamine (CHM) for the improvement of mechanical properties, which represents a more sustainable process for obtaining NIPHUs with the physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties required for the preparation of wound dressings.
PubMed: 38891461
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111514 -
IMeta Apr 2024The gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms inhabiting the intestinal tract, which plays a vital role in human health. It is intricately involved in the... (Review)
Review
The gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms inhabiting the intestinal tract, which plays a vital role in human health. It is intricately involved in the metabolism, and it also affects diverse physiological processes. The gut-lung axis is a bidirectional pathway between the gastrointestinal tract and the lungs. Recent research has shown that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in immune response regulation in the lungs and the development of lung diseases. In this review, we present the interrelated factors concerning gut microbiota and the associated metabolites in pulmonary hypertension (PH), a lethal disease characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular pressure and resistance. Our research team explored the role of gut-microbiota-derived metabolites in cardiovascular diseases and established the correlation between metabolites such as putrescine, succinate, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and N, N, N-trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid with the diseases. Furthermore, we found that specific metabolites, such as TMAO and betaine, have significant clinical value in PH, suggesting their potential as biomarkers in disease management. In detailing the interplay between the gut microbiota, their metabolites, and PH, we underscored the potential therapeutic approaches modulating this microbiota. Ultimately, we endeavor to alleviate the substantial socioeconomic burden associated with this disease. This review presents a unique exploratory analysis of the link between gut microbiota and PH, intending to propel further investigations in the gut-lung axis.
PubMed: 38882495
DOI: 10.1002/imt2.159 -
American Journal of Physiology. Cell... Jun 2024Polyamines are molecules with multiple amino groups that are essential for cellular function. The major polyamines are putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and cadaverine.... (Review)
Review
Polyamines are molecules with multiple amino groups that are essential for cellular function. The major polyamines are putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and cadaverine. Polyamines are important for posttranscriptional regulation, autophagy, programmed cell death, proliferation, redox homeostasis, and ion channel function; their levels are tightly controlled. High levels of polyamines are associated with proliferative pathologies such as cancer, while low polyamine levels are observed in aging, and elevated polyamine turnover enhances oxidative stress. Polyamine metabolism is implicated in a variety of pathophysiological processes in the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Currently, manipulating polyamine levels is under investigation as a potential preventive treatment in several pathologies, including aging, ischemia/reperfusion injury, pulmonary hypertension, and cancer. Although polyamines have been implicated in a plethora of intracellular mechanisms, our understanding of these processes remains incomplete and is a topic of ongoing investigations. Here, we discuss the regulation and cellular functions of polyamines, their role in physiology and pathology, and emphasize the current gaps in knowledge and potential future research directions.
PubMed: 38881422
DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00074.2024 -
Food Chemistry May 2024Reducing nitrites tends to increase the accumulation of hazardous biogenic amines (BAs) in Chinese fermented sausages (CFSs). Gallic acid (GA) has emerged as a potential...
The metabolic regulation mechanism of gallic acid on biogenic amines and nitrosamines in reduced-nitrite Chinese fermented sausages: A perspective of metabolomics and metagenomics.
Reducing nitrites tends to increase the accumulation of hazardous biogenic amines (BAs) in Chinese fermented sausages (CFSs). Gallic acid (GA) has emerged as a potential alternative to reduce nitrite usage and control BAs. This study explored how GA inhibits BAs and nitrosamines accumulation in reduced-nitrite CFSs. Results demonstrated that combining 0.05% (w/w) GA with reduced nitrite effectively curbed BAs and N-nitrosodimethylamine, decreasing total BA from 271.48 to 125.46 mg/kg. Fifty-one metabolites associated with the metabolism of BAs and N-nitrosodimethylamine were identified. GA boosted Lactococcus while reducing spoilage bacteria and Macrococcus. This dual regulation suppressed BAs and dimethylamine accumulation by regulating amino acids and trimethylamine pathways. Consequently, GA achieved an 89.86% reduction in N-nitrosodimethylamine by decreasing the key precursors like putrescine, dimethylamine, and nitrite. These findings offer new insights into utilizing GA and similar plant polyphenols to manage BAs and nitrosamines in meat products with reduced nitrite usage.
PubMed: 38878551
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139900 -
Food Chemistry Jun 2024The aim of this study was to identify and characterise different classes of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried red goji berries (RGB) grown in Serbia, using...
A systematic UHPLC Q-ToF MS approach for the characterization of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried red goji berries (L. barbarum L.) grown in Serbia: Phenolic compounds and phenylamides.
The aim of this study was to identify and characterise different classes of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried red goji berries (RGB) grown in Serbia, using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-ToF MS). In addition, this study aims to demonstrate the importance of applying the advanced UHPLC Q-ToF MS technique in the identification of various biocompounds. The analysis showed the presence of 28 phenolic compounds, 3 organic acids, and 26 phenylamides. The 2-O-β--glucopyranosyl--ascorbic acid (AA-2βG) was identified by UHPLC Q-ToF MS and quantified by standardised UHPLC-DAD method. Most of the compounds detected were derivatives of caffeic acid and ferulic acid, followed by quercetin derivatives. Among the phenylamides, several glucosylated caffeoyl and/or dihydrocaffeoyl derivatives of spermidine and spermine were characterized, confirming their recent characterization. Some glycosylated/non-glycosylated putrescine derivatives and caffeoyl-dihydrocaffeoyl-feruloyl spermidines were identified in goji berriesfor the first time. Their tentative structures and fragmentations were proposed.
PubMed: 38876071
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140044 -
Biomedical Materials (Bristol, England) Jun 2024Oral cancer accounts for 50-70% of all cancer-related deaths in India and ranks sixth among the most frequent cancers globally. Roughly 90% of oral malignancies are...
Oral cancer accounts for 50-70% of all cancer-related deaths in India and ranks sixth among the most frequent cancers globally. Roughly 90% of oral malignancies are histologically arise from squamous cells and are therefore called oral squamous cell carcinoma. Organic polycations known as biogenic polyamines, for example, putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm), are vital for cell proliferation, including gene expression control, regulation of endonuclease-mediated fragmentation of DNA, and DNA damage inhibition. Higher Spm and Spd levels have been identified as cancer biomarkers for detecting tumour development in various cancers. The current study utilises tannic acid, a polyphenolic compound, as a reducing and capping agent to fabricate AuNPs via a one-step microwave-assisted synthesis. The fabricated TA@AuNPs were utilised as a nanoprobe for colourimetric sensing of polyamines in PBS. When TA@AuNPs are added to the polyamine, the amine groups in polyamines interact with the phenolic groups of TA@AuNPs via hydrogen bonding or electrostatic interactions. These interactions cause the aggregation of TA@AuNPs, resulting in a red shift of the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) band of TA@AuNPs from 530 nm to 560 nm. The nanoprobe was found to be highly specific for Spm at low concentrations. TA@AuNPs were able to detect Spm successfully in artificial saliva samples. On recording the RGB values of the sensing process using a smartphone app, it was found that as the nanoparticles aggregated due to the presence of Spm, the intensity of the R-value decreased, indicating the aggregation of TA@AuNPs due to interaction with the polyamine.
PubMed: 38871001
DOI: 10.1088/1748-605X/ad581a -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... Jun 2024Rapeseed ( L.) is extremely sensitive to excessive NH toxicity. There remains incomplete knowledge of the causal factors behind the growth suppression in NH-nourished...
Rapeseed ( L.) is extremely sensitive to excessive NH toxicity. There remains incomplete knowledge of the causal factors behind the growth suppression in NH-nourished plants, with limited studies conducted specifically on field crop plants. In this study, we found that NH toxicity significantly increased salicylic acid (SA) accumulation by accelerating the conversion of SA precursors. Moreover, exogenous SA application significantly aggravated NH toxicity symptoms in the rapeseed shoots. Genome-wide differential transcriptomic analysis showed that NH toxicity increased the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis, transport, signaling transduction, and conversion of SA. SA treatment significantly increased shoot NH concentrations by reducing the activities of glutamine synthase and glutamate synthase in NH-treated rapeseed plants. The application of an SA biosynthesis inhibitor, ABT, alleviated NH toxicity symptoms. Furthermore, SA induced putrescine (Put) accumulation, resulting in an elevated ratio of Put to [spermidine (Spd) + spermine (Spm)] in the NH-treated plants, while the opposite was true for ABT. The application of exogenous Put and its biosynthesis inhibitor DFMA induced opposite effects on NH toxicity in rapeseed shoots. These results indicated that the increased endogenous SA contributed noticeably to the toxicity caused by the sole NH-N supply in rapeseed shoots. This study provided fresh perspectives on the mechanism underlying excessive NH-induced toxicity and the corresponding alleviating strategies in plants.
PubMed: 38869198
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00238 -
Gut Microbes 2024Metformin is widely used for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, the efficacy of metformin monotherapy is highly variable within the human population....
Metformin is widely used for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, the efficacy of metformin monotherapy is highly variable within the human population. Understanding the potential indirect or synergistic effects of metformin on gut microbiota composition and encoded functions could potentially offer new insights into predicting treatment efficacy and designing more personalized treatments in the future. We combined targeted metabolomics and metagenomic profiling of gut microbiomes in newly diagnosed T2D patients before and after metformin therapy to identify potential pre-treatment biomarkers and functional signatures for metformin efficacy and induced changes in metformin therapy responders. Our sequencing data were largely corroborated by our metabolic profiling and identified that pre-treatment enrichment of gut microbial functions encoding purine degradation and glutamate biosynthesis was associated with good therapy response. Furthermore, we identified changes in glutamine-associated amino acid (arginine, ornithine, putrescine) metabolism that characterize differences in metformin efficacy before and after the therapy. Moreover, metformin Responders' microbiota displayed a shifted balance between bacterial lipidA synthesis and degradation as well as alterations in glutamate-dependent metabolism of N-acetyl-galactosamine and its derivatives (e.g. CMP-pseudaminate) which suggest potential modulation of bacterial cell walls and human gut barrier, thus mediating changes in microbiome composition. Together, our data suggest that glutamine and associated amino acid metabolism as well as purine degradation products may potentially condition metformin activity via its multiple effects on microbiome functional composition and therefore serve as important biomarkers for predicting metformin efficacy.
Topics: Humans; Metformin; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Amino Acids; Male; Middle Aged; Female; Purines; Bacteria; Biomarkers; Hypoglycemic Agents; Aged; Adult; Treatment Outcome; Metabolomics
PubMed: 38868903
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2361491 -
IMeta Aug 2023Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be a significant contributor to global mortality, imposing a substantial burden and emphasizing the urgent need for disease... (Review)
Review
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be a significant contributor to global mortality, imposing a substantial burden and emphasizing the urgent need for disease control to save lives and prevent disability. With advancements in technology and scientific research, novel mechanisms underlying CVDs have been uncovered, leading to the exploration of promising treatment targets aimed at reducing the global burden of the disease. One of the most intriguing findings is the relationship between CVDs and gut microbiota, challenging the traditional understanding of CVDs mechanisms and introducing the concept of the gut-heart axis. The gut microbiota, through changes in microbial compositions and functions, plays a crucial role in influencing local and systemic effects on host physiology and disease development, with its metabolites acting as key regulators. In previous studies, we have emphasized the importance of specific metabolites such as betaine, putrescine, trimethylamine oxide, and -trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid in the potential treatment of CVDs. Particularly noteworthy is the gut microbiota-associated metabolite succinate, which has garnered significant attention due to its involvement in various pathophysiological pathways closely related to CVDs pathogenesis, including immunoinflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, we have identified succinate as a potential biomarker, highlighting its therapeutic feasibility in managing aortic dissection and aneurysm. This review aims to comprehensively outline the characteristics of succinate, including its biosynthetic process, summarize the current evidence linking it to CVDs causation, and emphasize the host-microbial crosstalk involved in modulating CVDs. The insights presented here offer a novel paradigm for future management and control of CVDs.
PubMed: 38867936
DOI: 10.1002/imt2.124