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Journal of Dairy Science May 2022Reduced feed intake during the transition period renders cows unable to meet their energy needs for maintenance and lactation, leading to a state of negative energy...
Reduced feed intake during the transition period renders cows unable to meet their energy needs for maintenance and lactation, leading to a state of negative energy balance. Severe negative energy balance initiates fat mobilization and increases circulating levels of free fatty acids (FFA), which could induce hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Enhancing the hepatic supply of propionate (major gluconeogenic substrate) is a feasible preventive and therapeutic strategy to alleviate hepatic metabolic disorders during the transition period. Whether propionate supply affects pathways beyond gluconeogenesis during high FFA loads is not well known. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate whether propionate supply could protect calf hepatocytes from FFA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Hepatocytes were isolated from 5 healthy calves (1 d old, female, 30-40 kg, fasting) and treated with various concentrations of propionate (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM propionate for 12 h) or for different times (2 mM propionate for 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h). Furthermore, hepatocytes were treated with propionate (2 mM), fatty acids (1.2 mM), or both for 12 h with or without 50 nM PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 alpha) small interfering RNA. Compared with the control group, protein abundance of PGC-1α was greater with 2 and 4 mM propionate treatment groups. Furthermore, protein abundance of TFAM (mitochondrial function marker mitochondrial transcription factor A) and VDAC1 (voltage-dependent anion channel 1) was greater with 1, 2, and 4 mM propionate, and COX4 (cyclooxygenase 4) was greater with 2 and 4 mM propionate groups. In addition, propionate supply led to an increase in protein abundance of PGC-1α, TFAM, VDAC1, and COX4 over time. Flow cytometry revealed that propionate treatment increased the number of mitochondria in hepatocytes compared with control group, but inhibition of PGC-1α abolished these beneficial effects. The lower protein abundance of PGC-1α, TFAM, COX4, and VDAC1 and activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, along with greater production of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and apoptosis rate in response to treatment with high concentrations of FFA suggested an impairment of mitochondrial function and induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis. In contrast, propionate treatment hastened these negative effects. Knockdown of PGC-1α by small interfering RNA impeded the beneficial role of propionate on FFA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Overall, results demonstrated that propionate supply alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in FFA-treated calf hepatocytes by upregulating PGC-1α. Together, the data suggest that PGC-1α may be a promising target for preventing or improving hepatic function during periods such as the transition into lactation where the FFA load on the liver increases.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Cattle; Fatty Acids; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Female; Hepatocytes; Mitochondria; Oxidative Stress; PPAR gamma; Propionates; RNA, Small Interfering
PubMed: 35181129
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-21198 -
Cell Reports Jan 2019Biological systems must possess mechanisms that prevent inappropriate responses to spurious environmental inputs. Caenorhabditis elegans has two breakdown pathways for...
Biological systems must possess mechanisms that prevent inappropriate responses to spurious environmental inputs. Caenorhabditis elegans has two breakdown pathways for the short-chain fatty acid propionate: a canonical, vitamin B12-dependent pathway and a propionate shunt that is used when vitamin B12 levels are low. The shunt pathway is kept off when there is sufficient flux through the canonical pathway, likely to avoid generating shunt-specific toxic intermediates. Here, we discovered a transcriptional regulatory circuit that activates shunt gene expression upon propionate buildup. Nuclear hormone receptor 10 (NHR-10) and NHR-68 function together as a "persistence detector" in a type 1, coherent feed-forward loop with an AND-logic gate to delay shunt activation upon propionate accumulation and to avoid spurious shunt activation in response to a non-sustained pulse of propionate. Together, our findings identify a persistence detector in an animal, which transcriptionally rewires propionate metabolism to maintain homeostasis.
Topics: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans; Homeostasis; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Propionates; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; Transcriptome; Vitamin B 12
PubMed: 30625328
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.064 -
Poultry Science May 2016The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary chromium (Cr), as chromium propionate, on measures of insulin sensitivity. Liver and muscle glycogen,...
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary chromium (Cr), as chromium propionate, on measures of insulin sensitivity. Liver and muscle glycogen, and plasma glucose and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were used as indicators of insulin sensitivity. In total, 288 newly hatched male Ross broilers were divided into 4 dietary treatments consisting of 0 (control diet analyzed 0.43 to 0.45 mg Cr/kg), 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 mg supplemental Cr/kg diet, resulting in 4 treatments with 9 replicate pens per treatment containing eight birds per pen. At d 21, 2 birds per cage were removed based on the greatest deviation from pen mean BW, resulting in each pen containing 6 birds for the final analyses. Final BW were taken on d 40, and on d 42 two birds from each pen were sampled for plasma NEFA, glucose, and muscle and liver glycogen determination at the initiation and termination of a 22 h fast. The remaining 2 fasted birds were sampled after a 30 min refeeding period. No differences were observed in feed intake, BW gain, or feed efficiency on d 21 or d 40. Liver glycogen tended (P=0.10) to be greater in Cr-supplemented chicks in the fed state, and muscle glycogen concentrations tended (P=0.07) to be greater in Cr-supplemented chicks compared with controls following fasting and refeeding. Plasma glucose concentrations were not affected by dietary Cr in the fed, fasted, or refed state. Plasma NEFA levels were not affected by treatment in fed or fasted birds. However, plasma NEFA concentrations were lower (P<0.01) in chicks supplemented with Cr than in controls following fasting and refeeding, suggesting that Cr increased insulin sensitivity. No differences were detected among birds supplemented with 0.2 or 0.4 mg Cr/kg, and among those receiving 0.4 or 0.6 mg Cr/kg. Results of this study indicate that Cr propionate supplementation of a control diet containing 0.43 to 0.45 mg Cr/kg enhanced insulin sensitivity.
Topics: Animals; Blood Glucose; Chickens; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Glycogen; Insulin Resistance; Liver; Male; Muscle, Skeletal; Propionates
PubMed: 26933236
DOI: 10.3382/ps/pew018 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022As the goal of a bacterium is to become bacteria, evolution has imposed continued selections for gene expression. The intracellular pathogen , the causative agent of...
As the goal of a bacterium is to become bacteria, evolution has imposed continued selections for gene expression. The intracellular pathogen , the causative agent of tuberculosis, has adopted a fine-tuned response to survive its host's methods to aggressively eradicate invaders. The development of microarrays and later RNA sequencing has led to a better understanding of biological processes controlling the relationship between host and pathogens. In this study, RNA-seq was performed to detail the transcriptomes of grown in various conditions related to stresses endured by during host infection and to delineate a general stress response incurring during persisting macrophage stresses. was subjected to long-term growth, nutrient starvation, hypoxic and acidic environments. The commonalities between these stresses point to maneuvering to exploit propionate metabolism for lipid synthesis or to withstand propionate toxicity whilst in the intracellular environment. While nearly all stresses led to a general shutdown of most biological processes, up-regulation of pathways involved in the synthesis of amino acids, cofactors, and lipids were observed only in hypoxic . This data reveals genes and gene cohorts that are specifically or exclusively induced during all of these persisting stresses. Such knowledge could be used to design novel drug targets or to define possible vulnerabilities for vaccine development. Furthermore, the disruption of specific functions from this gene set will enhance our understanding of the evolutionary forces that have caused the tubercle bacillus to be a highly successful pathogen.
Topics: Humans; Macrophages; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Propionates; Transcriptome; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node
PubMed: 35844560
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.909904 -
Journal of Dairy Science Mar 2011The microflora of semi-hard cheese made with DL-starter and propionic acid bacteria (PAB) is quite complex, and we investigated the influence of its variation on texture...
The microflora of semi-hard cheese made with DL-starter and propionic acid bacteria (PAB) is quite complex, and we investigated the influence of its variation on texture and contents of organic acids, free amino acids, and volatile compounds. Variation in the microflora within the normal range for the cheese variety Grevé was obtained by using a PAB culture in combination with different DL-starters and making the cheeses at 2 dairy plants with different time and temperature profiles during ripening. Propionic acid bacteria dominated the microflora during ripening after a warm room period at levels of log 8 to log 9 cfu/g, which was about 1 log unit higher than the total number of starter bacteria and about 2 log units higher than the number of nonstarter lactic acid bacteria. Eye formation was observed during the warm room period and further ripening (at 8 to 10°C). The amounts of acetate, propionate, total content of free amino acids, 2-propanol, and ethyl propionate in the ripened cheeses were related to the number of PAB. A decrease in the relative content of Asp and Lys and increase of Phe over the ripening time were different from what is observed in semi-hard cheese without PAB. The occurrence of cracks was higher in cheeses with more hydrolyzed α(S1)- and β-casein, higher content of free amino acids, lower strain at fracture (shorter texture), and a greater number of PAB.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Cheese; Food Handling; Food Microbiology; Lactococcus lactis; Propionates; Propionibacterium; Volatile Organic Compounds
PubMed: 21338776
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2010-3146 -
The Journal of Physiology Feb 2011
Review
Topics: Acetylcholine; Animals; Colon; Intestinal Mucosa; Male; Neurons; Propionates
PubMed: 21486842
DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.204263 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2021Ultraviolet irradiation induces melanin accumulation, which can be reduced by the use of chemical whitening products. However, the associated safety concerns of such...
Ultraviolet irradiation induces melanin accumulation, which can be reduced by the use of chemical whitening products. However, the associated safety concerns of such products have prompted the search for natural and harmless alternatives. This study aimed to identify a natural acidic formulation to reduce skin pigmentation. The metabolite propionic acid (CHCHCOOH, PA) was the most abundant fatty acid in the filtrate from Pluronic F68 (PF68) fermentation of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) and reduced the DOPA-positive melanocytes by significantly inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity via binding to the free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2). Moreover, 4 mM PA treatment did not alter melanocyte proliferation, indicating that it is an effective solution for hyperpigmentation, causing no cellular damage. The reduced DOPA-positive melanocytes and tyrosinase activity were also observed in mice ear skin tissue injected with a mixture of C. acnes and PF68, supporting that the inhibition of melanogenesis is likely to be mediated through fermentation metabolites from C. acnes fermentation using PF68 as a carbon source. Additionally, PA did not affect the growth of its parent bacteria C. acnes, hence is a potent fermentation metabolite that does not disrupt the balance of the skin microbiome.
Topics: Animals; Cell Proliferation; Ear; Female; Fermentation; Humans; Hyperpigmentation; Melanins; Melanocytes; Metabolome; Mice, Inbred ICR; Photochemical Processes; Propionates; Propionibacterium acnes; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Skin; Skin Pigmentation; Ultraviolet Rays; Mice
PubMed: 34099789
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91386-x -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022One of the biggest advantages of MOFs is the possibility of modifying their properties and tuning their inherent activity (i.e., sorption, storage, catalytic activity...
One of the biggest advantages of MOFs is the possibility of modifying their properties and tuning their inherent activity (i.e., sorption, storage, catalytic activity etc.). Textural properties can be tuned by manipulating process and compositional parameters, among which, the effect of additives can be even further distinguished among them based on the way they affect these properties. Beyond the effect that additives have on the size and morphology of nanoMOFs, there is also an effect on properties via creating point defects-missing linker and missing node defects. In this study, we investigated the effect of four monotopic acid modulators-formic, acetic, dichloroacetic and propionic acid, their concentration and the heating type (conventional and microwave-MW) on the size, morphology and textural properties of a recently discovered bioNICS1. It was confirmed that the proposed seesaw model for the controlled size of nanoMOF crystals is less applicable in the case of MW-assisted synthesis, in comparison to conventional heating. In the case of formic acid- and propionic acid-modified materials, we demonstrated that the type of additive plays a different role in crystal growth and generation of defects, implying high tunability being crucial for a material's structure-property performance optimization.
Topics: Metal-Organic Frameworks; Propionates; Zinc
PubMed: 36615446
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010253 -
Journal of Microbiological Methods Dec 2015Mold growth constitutes a problem in many food and clinical environments and there is therefore focus on studying antifungal activity. Methods for determining growth...
Mold growth constitutes a problem in many food and clinical environments and there is therefore focus on studying antifungal activity. Methods for determining growth inhibition by measuring colony growth or biomass are, however, time-taking and rapid methods for evaluation of antifungal effects are needed. Propionic acid and diacetyl are antifungal compounds produced by a range of dairy-associated bacteria. Their activity against Penicillium spp. was monitored real-time using an optical detection system with tilted focus plane to assess growth and morphological changes of Penicillium spp. by image recording inside a 96 well microplate. Images were used for generation of growth curves by using a segmentation and extraction of surface areas (SESA) algorithm and for quantifying morphology changes. Using image analysis growth could be detected within 15 h compared with more than 30 h when using standard optical density measurements. Induced morphological changes of fungi could furthermore be visualized and quantified using morphological descriptors such as circularity, branch points, perimeter and area of spores and growing hyphae. Propionic acid inhibited two out of two Penicillium spp. while morphological changes were strain dependent at the concentrations tested. Diacetyl inhibited six out of six Penicillium spp. strains and increased spore size and number of germination sites in two out of six of the strains prior to germination.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Diacetyl; Penicillium; Propionates; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 26541062
DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2015.10.024 -
Journal of Microbiology and... Oct 2022Oral streptococci are considered as an opportunistic pathogen associated with initiation and progression of various oral diseases. However, since the currently-available...
Oral streptococci are considered as an opportunistic pathogen associated with initiation and progression of various oral diseases. However, since the currently-available treatments often accompany adverse effects, alternative strategy is demanded to control streptococci. In the current study, we investigated whether short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including sodium acetate (NaA), sodium propionate (NaP), and sodium butyrate (NaB), can inhibit the growth of oral streptococci. Among the tested SCFAs, NaP most potently inhibited the growth of laboratory and clinically isolated strains of under anaerobic culture conditions. However, the growth inhibitory effect of NaP on six different species of other oral streptococci was different depending on their culture conditions. Metabolic changes such as alteration of methionine biosynthesis can affect bacterial growth. Indeed, NaP enhanced intracellular methionine levels of oral streptococci as well as the mRNA expression level of methionine biosynthesis-related genes. Collectively, these results suggest that NaP has an inhibitory effect on the growth of oral streptococci, which might be due to alteration of methionine biosynthesis. Thus, NaP can be used an effective bacteriostatic agent for the prevention of oral infectious diseases caused by oral streptococci.
Topics: Propionates; Streptococcus; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Sodium Acetate; Methionine
PubMed: 36198670
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2205.05037