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Molecular Metabolism May 2024p63 is a transcription factor involved in multiple biological functions. In the liver, the TAp63 isoform induces lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. However, the role of...
OBJECTIVE
p63 is a transcription factor involved in multiple biological functions. In the liver, the TAp63 isoform induces lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. However, the role of liver TAp63 in the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with fibrosis is unknown.
METHODS
We evaluated the hepatic p63 levels in different mouse models of steatohepatitis with fibrosis induced by diet. Next, we used virogenetic approaches to manipulate the expression of TAp63 in adult mice under diet-induced steatohepatitis with fibrosis and characterized the disease condition. Finally, we performed proteomics analysis in mice with overexpression and knockdown of hepatic TAp63.
RESULTS
Levels of TAp63, but not of ΔN isoform, are increased in the liver of mice with diet-induced steatohepatitis with fibrosis. Both preventive and interventional strategies for the knockdown of hepatic TAp63 significantly ameliorated diet-induced steatohepatitis with fibrosis in mice fed a methionine- and choline- deficient diet (MCDD) and choline deficient and high fat diet (CDHFD). The overexpression of hepatic TAp63 in mice aggravated the liver condition in mice fed a CDHFD. Proteomic analysis in the liver of these mice revealed alteration in multiple proteins and pathways, such as oxidative phosphorylation, antioxidant activity, peroxisome function and LDL clearance.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that liver TAp63 plays a critical role in the progression of diet-induced steatohepatitis with fibrosis, and its inhibition ameliorates the disease.
PubMed: 38815625
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101962 -
Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) May 2024To investigate the influence of aerobic exercise on myocardial injury, NF-B expression, glucolipid metabolism and inflammatory factors in rats with Coronary Heart...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of aerobic exercise on myocardial injury, NF-B expression, glucolipid metabolism and inflammatory factors in rats with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and explore the possible causative role.
METHODS
45 Sprague Dawley® rats were randomized into model, control and experimental groups. A high-fat diet was adopted for generating a rat CHD model, and the experimental group was given a 4-week aerobic exercise intervention. ECG was utilized to evaluate the cardiac function of the rats; HE staining to evaluate the damage of myocardial tissue; TUNEL staining to evaluate cardiomyocyte apoptosis level; ELISA to assay the contents of inflammatory factors and glucolipid metabolism in cardiomyocytes; qPCR to assay IB- and NF-B mRNA expression; Western-blot to assay the apoptosis-related proteins and NF-B signaling pathway-related proteins expressions in myocardial tissue.
RESULTS
In contrast to the model group, aerobic exercise strongly improved the rat's cardiac function and glucolipid metabolism (p < 0.01), enhanced IL-10 content, Bcl-2/Bax level as well as IB- protein and mRNA expression (p < 0.01), and reduced myocardial injury and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, the contents of IL-6, IL-1 and TNF-, Caspase 3 level, NF-B mRNA and protein expression and p-p38 and p-STAT3 expressions (p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
Aerobic exercise can not only effectively reduce myocardial injury, the release of inflammatory factors and NF-B expression in CHD rats, but also improve cardiac function and glucolipid metabolism. Its mechanism is likely to be related to the inhibition of the NF-B signaling pathway.
PubMed: 38815541
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinsp.2024.100386 -
Poultry Science May 2024The capacity of combinations of feed enzymes, natural betaine and a probiotic, combined with alternative plant-based ingredients, to totally replace soybean meal (SBM)...
Total replacement of soybean meal with alternative plant-based ingredients and a combination of feed additives in broiler diets from 1 day of age during the whole growing period.
The capacity of combinations of feed enzymes, natural betaine and a probiotic, combined with alternative plant-based ingredients, to totally replace soybean meal (SBM) in a broiler diet was evaluated. Day-old Ross 308 males (2,574) were assigned to 9 treatments (13 pens/treatment, 22 birds/pen) in a completely randomized design. All diets were pelleted and fed ad libitum in 4 phases: starter, grower, finisher 1, finisher 2 (0-10, 10-21, 21-35, and 35-42 d of age, respectively). Treatments included: 1) control diet containing SBM (SBM control), supplemented with phytase (PhyG), at 2,000, 1,500, 1000 and 1,000 FTU/kg in each phase and xylanase (X) at 750 U/kg, [crude protein (CP): 23.5%, 22.0%, 20.2% and 19.3% in each phase]; 2) to 5), alternative (ALT), SBM-free diets, containing the same CP level as the control ("CP high"), supplemented with PhyG as in the control, protease (P, 800 U/kg) and in 2) xylanase (750 U/kg) (ALT+PhyG+P+X), 3) xylanase-β-glucanase (XB, 1,200 U/kg and 152 U/kg) (Alt+PhyG+P+XB), 4) XB plus betaine (800 g/ton) (ALT+PhyG+P+XB+Bet), and 5) XB plus a probiotic [150,000 colony forming units (CFU)/g] (ALT+PhyG+P+XB+Prob); 6) to 9) as treatments 2) to 5) but with CP reduced by -2.0 to -1.5% points vs. control ('CP low'). Final (d 42) BW and overall (d 0-42) feed conversion ratio (FCR) of birds fed the SBM control exceeded breeder objectives (+3.8% and -1.9%, respectively). Overall FCR was reduced and d 42 BW increased in birds fed "low" vs. "high" CP (P < 0.01). Overall FCR and feed intake were not different in ALT+PhyG+XB+P+Bet and ALT+PhyG+XB+P+Prob vs. the control, whereas final BW was reduced (P < 0.05) in all ALT treatments but close to breeder objectives (98.3%) in ALT+PhyG+XB+P+Prob. Feed costs of this treatment were similar to the control. Total replacement of SBM with alternative plant-based ingredients in a CP-low diet supplemented with hydrolytic enzymes and probiotics can achieve growth performance outcomes close to commercial breeder objectives.
PubMed: 38815497
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103854 -
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging May 2024Plant-based diets (PBD) may offer various health benefits and contribute to a sustainable way of life, but, if not planned correctly, may also confer risks, e.g., by... (Review)
Review
Plant-based diets (PBD) may offer various health benefits and contribute to a sustainable way of life, but, if not planned correctly, may also confer risks, e.g., by focusing on plant foods with low nutrient density, such as foods primarily consisting of refined carbohydrates. A plant-based diet index (PDI) differentiating between a healthful, unhealthful, and overall PBD, offers a promising approach to standardize and compare studies and integrate results. In this review we (1) summarize current evidence on the PDI and disease risk of relevance to public health, (2) discuss the methodology of the PDI and how it can be sensibly applied in further studies and (3) indicate areas with a lack of knowledge, such as vulnerable populations. In summary, our amalgamation shows, that adherence to a healthier plant-based diet is associated with an 8-68% lower risk for metabolic risk factors, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, while adherence to an unhealthier plant-based diet is associated with a 10-63% higher risk. Although differences in calculation methods and underlying diet patterns between populations should be accounted for, the PDI can be a useful tool to assess adherence to different plant-based diet patterns and their association with health outcomes in cohort studies across cultures.
PubMed: 38815475
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100272 -
PloS One 2024Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini, Ov) infection and consumption of high-fat and high-fructose (HFF) diet exacerbate liver and kidney disease. Here, we investigated...
BACKGROUND
Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini, Ov) infection and consumption of high-fat and high-fructose (HFF) diet exacerbate liver and kidney disease. Here, we investigated the effects of a combination of O. viverrini infection and HFF diet on kidney pathology via changes in the gut microbiome and host proteome in hamsters.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Twenty animals were divided into four groups; 1) fed a normal diet not infected with O. viverrini (normal group), 2) fed an HFF diet and not infected with O. viverrini (HFF), 3) fed a normal diet and infected with O. viverrini (Ov), and 4) fed an HFF diet and infected with O. viverrini (HFFOv). DNA was extracted from fecal samples and the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. In addition, LC/MS-MS analysis was done. Histopathological studies and biochemical assays were also conducted. The results indicated that the HFFOv group exhibited the most severe kidney injury, manifested as elevated KIM-1 expression and accumulation of fibrosis in kidney tissue. The microbiome of the HFFOv group was more diverse than in the HFF group: there were increased numbers of Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Desulfovibrionaceae and Akkermansiaceae, but fewer Eggerthellaceae. In total, 243 host proteins were identified across all groups. Analysis using STITCH predicted that host proteome changes may lead to leaking of the gut, allowing molecules such as soluble CD14 and p-cresol to pass through to promote kidney disease. In addition, differential expression of TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 and MAP3K7-binding protein 2 (Tab2, involving renal inflammation and injury) are predicted to be associated with kidney disease.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
The combination of HFF diet and O. viverrini infection may promote kidney injury through alterations in the gut microbiome and host proteome. This knowledge may suggest an effective strategy to prevent kidney disease beyond the early stages.
Topics: Animals; Fructose; Opisthorchiasis; Diet, High-Fat; Metagenomics; Cricetinae; Proteomics; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Kidney Diseases; Opisthorchis; Male; Proteome; Kidney; Mesocricetus; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 38814931
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301907 -
PloS One 2024Red and processed meat is considered risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the evidence is inconclusive. We aimed to examine the association between...
OBJECTIVE
Red and processed meat is considered risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the evidence is inconclusive. We aimed to examine the association between red and processed meat intake and odds of GDM among South Asian and White European women living in Canada.
METHODS
This is a cross-sectional analysis of pregnant women from two birth cohorts: SouTh Asian biRth cohorT (START; n = 976) and Family Atherosclerosis Monitoring In earLY life (FAMILY; n = 581). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 169-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between gestational diabetes and: 1) total red and processed meat; 2) unprocessed red meat; 3) processed meat and GDM after adjustment for potential confounders.
RESULTS
There were 241 GDM cases in START and 91 in FAMILY. The median total red and processed meat intake were 1.5 g/d (START) and 52.8 g/d (FAMILY). In START, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) showed neither lower nor higher intakes of unprocessed red meat (p-trend = 0.68), processed meat (p-trend = 0.90), or total red and processed meat (p-trend = 0.44), were associated with increased odds of GDM, when compared with medium intake. Similar results were observed in FAMILY except for processed meat intake [OR = 0.94 (95% CI 0.47-1.91), for medium versus low and OR = 1.51 (95% CI 0.77-2.29) for medium versus high; p-trend = 0.18] after adjusting for additional dietary factors such as the diet quality score, total fiber, saturated fat and glycemic load.
CONCLUSION
Medium compared with low or high red and processed meat intake is not associated with GDM in White Europeans and South Asians living in Canada.
Topics: Humans; Female; Diabetes, Gestational; Pregnancy; Canada; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cohort Studies; Red Meat; Risk Factors; Meat Products; Diet
PubMed: 38814912
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302208 -
Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular and... May 2024Neo-esophageal-airway fistula (NEAF) between gastric conduit and airway is a rare but life-threatening complication of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Optimal...
OBJECTIVES
Neo-esophageal-airway fistula (NEAF) between gastric conduit and airway is a rare but life-threatening complication of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Optimal treatment remains unknown. A meta-analysis of good-quality case series may help determine whether nonoperative management (NOM) only, upfront surgery (S), or NOM followed by surgery (NOM+S) is associated with better one-year post-treatment mortality, resumption of oral diet and fistula recurrence.
METHODS
We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for publications in English reporting case series of management and survival in patients with NEAF. Of the 177 identified studies, 62 were duplicates and 95 were not relevant to our topic. Three studies were excluded after a full-text review, due to absence of reporting of 1-year survival. Exclusion criteria to identified publications were: abstract only, malignant NEAF, absence of esophagectomy and esogastric anastomosis, fewer than five patients, and NEAF not the main focus of the study. Data-extraction was conducted in accordance with MOOSE guidelines. Data were pooled using random-effects model.
RESULTS
17 studies (302 patients) were included. One-year post-treatment mortality was considerably lower with NOM+S (33%; 95%CI, 0.17-0.48) than with NOM (68%; 95%CI, 0.39-0.97) or S (67%; 95%CI, 0.36-0.98). Fistula location was not associated with 1-year mortality. Neither resumption of an oral diet nor fistula recurrence differed significantly across treatment strategies.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
NOM to prepare patients for surgery followed by surgical repair may provide the highest 1-year survival of patients with NEAF. However, patient selection criteria to each of three treatment strategies may have affected our findings.
PubMed: 38814807
DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivae110 -
JMIR Formative Research May 2024China's older population is facing serious health challenges, including malnutrition and multiple chronic conditions. There is a critical need for tailored food...
BACKGROUND
China's older population is facing serious health challenges, including malnutrition and multiple chronic conditions. There is a critical need for tailored food recommendation systems. Knowledge graph-based food recommendations offer considerable promise in delivering personalized nutritional support. However, the integration of disease-based nutritional principles and preference-related requirements needs to be optimized in current recommendation processes.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to develop a knowledge graph-based personalized meal recommendation system for community-dwelling older adults and to conduct preliminary effectiveness testing.
METHODS
We developed ElCombo, a personalized meal recommendation system driven by user profiles and food knowledge graphs. User profiles were established from a survey of 96 community-dwelling older adults. Food knowledge graphs were supported by data from websites of Chinese cuisine recipes and eating history, consisting of 5 entity classes: dishes, ingredients, category of ingredients, nutrients, and diseases, along with their attributes and interrelations. A personalized meal recommendation algorithm was then developed to synthesize this information to generate packaged meals as outputs, considering disease-related nutritional constraints and personal dietary preferences. Furthermore, a validation study using a real-world data set collected from 96 community-dwelling older adults was conducted to assess ElCombo's effectiveness in modifying their dietary habits over a 1-month intervention, using simulated data for impact analysis.
RESULTS
Our recommendation system, ElCombo, was evaluated by comparing the dietary diversity and diet quality of its recommended meals with those of the autonomous choices of 96 eligible community-dwelling older adults. Participants were grouped based on whether they had a recorded eating history, with 34 (35%) having and 62 (65%) lacking such data. Simulation experiments based on retrospective data over a 30-day evaluation revealed that ElCombo's meal recommendations consistently had significantly higher diet quality and dietary diversity compared to the older adults' own selections (P<.001). In addition, case studies of 2 older adults, 1 with and 1 without prior eating records, showcased ElCombo's ability to fulfill complex nutritional requirements associated with multiple morbidities, personalized to each individual's health profile and dietary requirements.
CONCLUSIONS
ElCombo has shown enhanced potential for improving dietary quality and diversity among community-dwelling older adults in simulation tests. The evaluation metrics suggest that the food choices supported by the personalized meal recommendation system surpass autonomous selections. Future research will focus on validating and refining ElCombo's performance in real-world settings, emphasizing the robust management of complex health data. The system's scalability and adaptability pinpoint its potential for making a meaningful impact on the nutritional health of older adults.
PubMed: 38814702
DOI: 10.2196/52170 -
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and... May 2024Pulmonary hypertension (PH) represents an important phenotype in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, management of PH-HFpEF is challenging...
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) represents an important phenotype in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, management of PH-HFpEF is challenging because mechanisms involved in the regulation of PH-HFpEF remain unclear.
METHODS
We used a mass spectrometry-based comparative plasma proteomics approach as a sensitive and comprehensive hypothesis-generating discovery technique to profile proteins in patients with PH-HFpEF and control subjects. We then validated and investigated the role of one of the identified proteins using in vitro cell cultures, in vivo animal models, and independent cohort of human samples.
RESULTS
Plasma proteomics identified high protein abundance levels of B2M (β2-microglobulin) in patients with PH-HFpEF. Interestingly, both circulating and skeletal muscle levels of B2M were increased in mice with skeletal muscle SIRT3 (sirtuin-3) deficiency or high-fat diet-induced PH-HFpEF. Plasma and muscle biopsies from a validation cohort of PH-HFpEF patients were found to have increased B2M levels, which positively correlated with disease severity, especially pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and right atrial pressure at rest. Not only did the administration of exogenous B2M promote migration/proliferation in pulmonary arterial vascular endothelial cells but it also increased PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) expression and cell proliferation in pulmonary arterial vascular smooth muscle cells. Finally, deletion improved glucose intolerance, reduced pulmonary vascular remodeling, lowered PH, and attenuated RV hypertrophy in mice with high-fat diet-induced PH-HFpEF.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with PH-HFpEF display higher circulating and skeletal muscle expression levels of B2M, the magnitude of which correlates with disease severity. Our findings also reveal a previously unknown pathogenic role of B2M in the regulation of pulmonary vascular proliferative remodeling and PH-HFpEF. These data suggest that circulating and skeletal muscle B2M can be promising targets for the management of PH-HFpEF.
PubMed: 38813697
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.123.320270 -
World Journal of Gastrointestinal... May 2024Esophageal chromoendoscopy with iodine solution is important for detecting early esophageal cancer. The effect of routine treatment for lesions lightly stained with...
BACKGROUND
Esophageal chromoendoscopy with iodine solution is important for detecting early esophageal cancer. The effect of routine treatment for lesions lightly stained with Lugol's iodine solution is limited, and the addition of natural substances to a regular diet is becoming increasingly common. Vinegar has antitumor effects as reported in previous studies.
AIM
To evaluate whether vinegar supplementation could improve the prognosis of patients with lightly stained esophageal lesions.
METHODS
This prospective single-centre trial included consecutive patients with lightly stained lesions between June 2020 and April 2022. Patients in the experimental group received increased amounts of vinegar for 6 months. The primary outcome of the study was the clinical therapeutic effect. Complications related to vinegar ingestion and adverse events were also recorded in detail.
RESULTS
A total of 166 patients were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis demonstrated that the rates at which endoscopic characteristics improved were 33.72% in the experimental group and 20.00% in the conventional group ( = 0.007); and the rates at which biopsy pathology improved were 19.77% and 8.75%, respectively ( = 0.011). Additional vinegar consumption had a statistically protective effect on the rate at which endoscopic characteristics improved [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.183, 95%CI: 1.183-4.028; HR = 2.307, 95%CI: 1.202-4.426] and biopsy pathology improved (HR = 2.931, 95%CI: 1.212-7.089; HR = 3.320, 95%CI: 1.295-8.507). No statistically significant effect of increased vinegar consumption on preventing high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia or early cancer was observed (HR = 0.382, 95%CI: 0.079-1.846; HR = 0.382, 95%CI: 0.079-1.846). The subgroup analyses indicated that the overall therapeutic improvement of endoscopic characteristics and biopsy pathology seemed more obvious in older (age > 60) male patients with small lesions (lesion size ≤ 0.5 cm). Three patients in the experimental group reported acid regurgitation and heartburn. No adverse event during gastroscopy were recorded during follow-up.
CONCLUSION
A moderately increased ingestion of vinegar could not directly reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in the mucosa dysplasia population, but it improved the endoscopic characteristics and ameliorated the biopsy pathology to a certain extent. Further research is needed to verify the effect of nutritional intervention on precancerous esophageal lesions.
PubMed: 38813576
DOI: 10.4253/wjge.v16.i5.259