Dietary sn-2 palmitate influences cognitive behavior by increasing the transport of liver-produced lysophosphatidylcholine VLCPUFAs to the brain.

Investigations indicated that sn-2 palmitate have positive effects on brain development, although its mechanism remains largely unexamined. This research delved into how a diet abundant in sn-2 palmitate influenced the cognitive behavior of mice and elucidated the associated mechanisms using metabolomics and lipidomics. The study demonstrated that dietary sn-2 palmitate led to improved working memory and cognition in mice, as well as an increase in brain BDNF concentration when compared to those fed blend vegetable oil (BVO). This was because sn-2 palmitate feeding promoted the synthesis of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) for the lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) in the liver. This led to more efficient delivery of VLCPUFAs to the brain, as indicated by elevated concentration of LPC/LPE-VLCPUFAs in the liver and heightened expression of the major facilitator superfamily domain containing 2a (MFSD2A). In essence, this paper offered a potential mechanism by which sn-2 palmitate enhanced mouse neurodevelopment.

Systematic Characterization of the Oligosaccharide Profile of Human Milk in Rural Areas of Central China: Quantitative Tracking of Human Milk Oligosaccharide Composition during 12 Months of Lactation.

This study investigates changes in human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) composition over a 12 month breastfeeding period in rural central China. The HMO profiles of 97 mothers were analyzed by graphitized carbon liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. This method was simple to prepare samples and can simultaneously and absolutely quantify at least 20 neutral and acidic HMOs. All mothers were classified into four milk groups based on the presence or absence of specific α-1,2 and α-1,4-fucosylated HMOs. The main oligosaccharides in milk groups I and II were 2'-FL, LDFT, LNFP-I, and LNDFH-I, while LNT, 3-FL, LNFP-II, LNFP-V, LNDFH-II, and DFLNH-b were predominant in milk groups III and IV. Additionally, the lactation period was the primary factor affecting the concentration of individual HMOs. The concentrations of most HMOs decreased with lactation and stabilized after 180 days. However, the concentrations of 3-FL, LDFT, and LNDFH II increased gradually over the lactation period, and the concentration of 3'-SL decreased during early lactation (5-180 days) but increased during later lactation (180-365 days). Furthermore, Spearman correlation analysis revealed that maternal factors and infant factors may also affect the concentration of various HMOs. These findings provide fundamental insights for the development of a comprehensive human milk database.

Ganoderma lucidum spore powder after oil extraction alleviates microbiota dysbiosis to improve the intestinal barrier function in mice.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies about the differences in the composition of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude polysaccharide and ergothioneine in Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (GLSP) from different origins. As for GLSP after oil extraction (OE-GLSP), there are still lots of bioactive substance in it. It can be seen that OE-GLSP has certain biological activity. The effect of OE-GLSP on the improvement of intestinal barrier function has been less studied. RESULTS: The results showed that there were significant differences for GLSP from five different origins (Anhui, Jilin, Jiangxi, Shandong and Zhejiang) in moisture (0.065-0.113%), ash (0.603-0.955%), crude fat (42.444-44.773%), crude polysaccharide (2.977-4.127%), crude protein (14.761-17.639%) and ergothioneine (0.552-1.816 mg g-1) (P < 0.05). The monosaccharides of GLSP polysaccharide mainly consist of glucose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose, etc. Moreover, the effects of OE-GLSP supplementation on the regulation of organ index, colonic tissue and intestinal microbiota in C57BL/6J mice were investigated. The supplement of OE-GLSP could restore the organ index and weight loss of antibiotic-treated mice. Moreover, OE-GLSP led to the improvement of intestinal dysbiosis by enriching Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Lactobacillus and Roseburia, and increasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. In addition, OE-GLSP intervention repaired intestinal barrier dysfunction by increasing the expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin). CONCLUSION: Different GLSP from five origins exhibited significant differences in microstructure and contents of crude polysaccharide, crude protein, crude fat, water, ash and ergothioneine. Moreover, it was found that OE-GLSP could improve the intestinal barrier function and induce potentially beneficial changes in intestinal flora. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparation and characterization of a new food-grade Pickering emulsion stabilized by mulberry-leaf protein nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Food-grade Pickering particles, particularly plant proteins, have attracted significant interest due to their bio-based nature, environmental friendliness, and edibility. Mulberry-leaf protein (MLP) is a high-quality protein with rich nutritional value and important functional properties. It has special amphoteric and emulsifying characteristics, making it valuable for use in Pickering emulsions. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using MLP nanoparticles as solid particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions. RESULTS: The particle size of MLP nanoparticles was less than 300 nm under neutral and alkaline conditions. At pH 9, the zeta potential value reached -34.3 mV, indicating the electrostatic stability of the particles. As ion concentration increased, the particle size of MLP nanoparticles increased, and the zeta potential decreased. Throughout the storage process, no obvious aggregation or precipitation was observed in the dispersion of MLP nanoparticles, indicating strong stability. The particle size of the Pickering emulsion decreased with the increase in protein concentration. When the protein concentration was low, the particles on the oil-water interface became sparse, resulting in poor stability of the prepared emulsion and making it susceptible to aggregation and thus larger particle sizes. Increasing the oil-phase ratio to 70% (v/v) promotes the formation of Pickering emulsions, which exhibit exceptional stability when MLP nanoparticles are fixed at a concentration of 20 mg mL-1. CONCLUSION: The overall findings indicated that MLP nanoparticles have potential as food-grade materials for Pickering emulsions, marking a novel application of these nanoparticles in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of flaxseed oil cyclolinopeptides on lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, and lipid profile during in vitro digestion of high-fat beef.

This study investigated the influence of flaxseed oil cyclolinopeptides (CLs) on lipid and protein oxidation during high-fat meat digestion. Fourteen CLs were identified in flaxseed oil through UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, with dominant CLA, CLB, CLE, and CLM. During in vitro digestion, CLs inhibited lipid oxidation products (lipid hydroperoxide, Malondialdehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal) and protein carbonylation. Compared to other groups, the lipid (16.28 ± 0.35) and protein (17.5 ± 0.6) oxidation was significantly inhibited, and antioxidant activity was remarkably increased when the CLs content reached 200 mg/kg. Through untargeted lipidomic analysis using Q-Exactive, it was observed that CLs mitigated the formation of oxidized triglycerides (OxTG) products and enhanced the hydrolysis of lipids to generate sphingolipid and polyunsaturated fatty-acids enriched glycerophospholipids imparting nutritional value to meat. Electron spin-resonance and fluorescence quenching showed that primary radicals such as alkyl and alkoxy radicals during high-fat meat digestion with flaxseed oil CLs significantly mitigate their formation. These findings collectively indicate that consuming CLs enriched flaxseed oil could reduce lipid oxidation and enhance the nutritional value of high-fat meat during digestion.

Rice Protein Peptides Ameliorate DSS-Induced Cognitive Impairment and Depressive Behavior in Mice by Modulating Phenylalanine Metabolism and the BDNF/TRKB/CREB Pathway.

Rice protein peptide (RPP) has been reported to alleviate the symptoms of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, but its potential protective effect and fundamental neurobiological mechanisms against DSS-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coupled with depression and cognitive impairment, remain unclear. In this study, RPP treatment in DSS-induced mice inhibited decreases in body weight and colon length and improved intestinal barrier function and behavioral performance. RPP treatment enhanced phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism in the brains of mice, and it upregulated metabolites such as l-dopa, phenylethylamine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate. Additionally, RPP treatment enhanced the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by upregulating the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the phenylalanine and tyrosine contents in the brain were significantly negatively correlated with the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway and behavioral performance. In conclusion, this study suggested that RPP may serve as a unique nutritional strategy for preventing IBD and its associated cognitive impairment and depression symptoms.

Synergistic and Antagonistic Activity of Selected Dietary Phytochemicals against Oxidative Stress-Induced Injury in Cardiac H9c2 Cells via the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

The antioxidant activities of lycopene (LY), lutein (LU), chlorogenic acid (CA), and delphinidin (DP) were tested in vitro on H9c2 cell-based models. Some indicators, such as the generation of reactive oxygen (ROS), the quantification of cell antioxidant activity (CAA), and the expressions of SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT, were calculated to examine their antioxidant interactions. From our results, the phytochemical mixtures (M1: CA-LU: F3/10, M2: DP-CA: F7/10, M3: DP-LY: F5/10) displayed strong synergistic effects based on the generation of ROS and the quantification of CAA. However, great antagonistic bioactivities were seen in the combinations of LY-LU: F5/10 (M4), CA-LU: F9/10 (M5), and DP-LY: F7/10 (M6). Western blotting analysis indicated that the possible mechanism underlying the synergistic antioxidant interactions among phytochemical combinations was to enhance the accumulation of Nrf2 in the nucleus and the expression of its downstream antioxidant enzymes, HO-1 and GCLC. The combinations (M1-M3 groups) showed significant protection against the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential than individual groups to avoid excessive ROS production. The M4-M6 groups exerted antagonistic protective effects compared with the individual groups. In addition, lutein and lycopene absorption was improved more because of the presence of chlorogenic acid and delphinidin in the M1 and M3 groups, respectively. However, delphinidin significantly reduced the cellular uptake of lycopene in the M6 group. It appeared that antioxidant interactions of phytochemical combinations may contribute to the restoration of cellular redox homeostasis and lead to an improvement in diet quality and collocation.

The hypoglycemic effect of enzymatic modified dietary fiber from bamboo shoot on type 2 diabetes rats.

Bamboo shoot is a healthy food rich in dietary fiber (DF). However, its highly insoluble DF and fibrous texture limit its application in industrially processed foods. To achieve industrial processing of bamboo shoot, cellulase was used to improve the physical characteristics of bamboo shoot DF in this study. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the content of soluble DF (SDF) of bamboo shoot increased by 99.28% (from 5.53% to 11.02%) significantly (p < 0.01). At the same time, the effect of enzymatic-modified bamboo SDF (EMBSDF) on streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes rats was explored. Results demonstrated that the high dose of EMBSDF (312.8 mg/kg) treated rats showed significant improvements in terms of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity (p < 0.01) compared with the diabetes rats. Meantime, it was observed that the levels of glucagon-like peptide-1, adiponectin and interleukin-4 of high dose of EMBSDF compared with diabetes rats were increased (p < 0.01) by 57.79%, 159.13%, and 6.17%, respectively. The tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, and leptin levels were decreased (p < 0.01) by 62.89%, 31.53%, and 7.84%, respectively. Furthermore, apparent kidney and pancreas histology improvements were found in high-dose and mid-dose EMBSDF-treated diabetes rats. These results indicated that the modified DF significantly improved diabetes.

Characterization of the covalent binding of cyanidin-3-glucoside to bovine serum albumin and its inhibition mechanism for advanced nonenzymatic glycosylation reactions.

Nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins can generate advanced glycosylation end products, which are closely associated with the pathogenesis of certain chronic physiological diseases and aging. In this study, we characterized the covalent binding of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and investigated the mechanism by which this covalent binding inhibits the nonenzymatic glycosylation of BSA. The results indicated that the covalent interaction between C3G and BSA stabilized the protein's secondary structure. Through liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analysis, we identified the covalent binding sites of C3G on BSA as lysine, arginine, asparagine, glutamine, and cysteine residues. This covalent interaction significantly suppressed the nonenzymatic glycosylation of BSA, consequently reducing the formation of nonenzymatic glycosylation products. C3G competitively binds to nonenzymatic glycosylation sites (e.g., lysine and arginine) on BSA, thereby impeding the glycosylation process and preventing the misfolding and structural alterations of BSA induced by fructose. Furthermore, the covalent attachment of C3G to BSA preserves the secondary structure of BSA and hinders subsequent nonenzymatic glycosylation events.

Microencapsulated rice bran alleviates hyperlipidemia induced by high-fat diet via regulating lipid metabolism and gut microbiota.

Hyperlipidemia has been suggested to be associated with dysregulation of lipid metabolism and gut microbiota. The present study prepared microencapsulated rice bran (MRB) with high stability based on in situ rice bran oil embedding and investigated the effects of MRB on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in hyperlipidemic mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Results showed that compared to HFD fed mice, lipid levels in serum and hepatic lipid accumulation were reduced in mice fed with MRB, which was potentially associated with the fact that MRB decreased the expression of genes related to lipogenesis (Srebp1c, Acc, Hmgcr, and Fas) and increased the expression of genes related to lipid catabolism (Hsl, Atgl) and oxidation (Acox, Cpt1, Ucp1) (p < 0.05). In gut, MRB supplementation significantly elevated the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Dubosiella and Faecalibaculum. In addition, significant increase in short-chain fatty acid was observed in mice from MRB groups when compared to HFD groups (p < 0.05). Overall, this study suggested that MRB could alleviate the hyperlipidemia induced by HFD, which was related to the alteration of lipid metabolism and gut microbiota.

HPLC-QQQ-MS/MS-based authentication and determination of free and bound sialic acids content in human, bovine, sheep, goat milk, and infant formula.

An accurate method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of lipid-bound (LB), protein-bound (PB), oligosaccharides-bound, and free sialic acids in milk was developed by using high-performance liquid chromatography -triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometer. The profile of free and bound sialic acids in milk (human, bovine, goat, and sheep) and infant formula (IF) was examined in the present study. Human milk contains only N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and was mainly present in the form of oligosaccharide-bound. The content of total Neu5Ac (T-Neu5Ac), free and bound Neu5Ac in human milk decreased with the prolongation of lactation. The most intriguing finding was the increase in the proportion of PB and LB sialic acids. The sialic acids in bovine and sheep milk were mainly PB and oligosaccharides-bound Neu5Ac. T-Neu5Ac in goat milk (GM) was 67.44-89.72 µg/mL and was mainly PB Neu5Ac, but total N-glycolylneuraminic acid (T-Neu5Gc) content of GM can be as high as 100.01 µg/mL. The concentration of T-Neu5Gc in sheep and GM was significantly higher than that of bovine milk (BM). T-Neu5Gc content of GM -based IF was 264.86 µg/g, whereas T-Neu5Gc content of BM -based IF was less (2.26-17.01 µg/g). Additionally, our results found that there were also sialic acids in IF ingredients, which were mainly bound with protein and oligosaccharides, primarily derived from desalted whey powder and whey protein concentrate.

Protective effect of vitexin against high fat-induced vascular endothelial inflammation through inhibiting trimethylamine N-oxide-mediated RNA m6A modification.

A high-fat diet (HFD) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the specific effects of a HFD on vascular inflammation and the protective role of vitexin, a bioactive compound derived from food, require further research. This study investigated the protective effects of vitexin intervention against HFD-induced vascular inflammation and its underlying mechanism. The results demonstrated that vitexin intervention significantly reduced body weight, serum total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in HFD-fed mice. Vitexin also improved vascular pathological changes and the inflammatory status in the mice. Furthermore, vitexin intervention reduced serum TMAO levels in HFD-fed mice by altering the gut microbiota composition. The HFD significantly increased N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels in aorta tissues, while vitexin intervention reversed this abnormal m6A level. Through metabolite affinity responsive target fluorescence quenching and molecular docking assays, it was found that vitexin could directly bind to fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), potentially promoting m6A demethylation. The dose-response relationship between TMAO and inflammation/m6A was further validated in HUVEC cells and in vivo mouse experiments. Specifically, TMAO increased m6A levels and inflammation, while vitexin inhibited TMAO-mediated m6A modification, exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the protective role of vitexin against HFD-induced vascular inflammation by inhibiting TMAO-mediated RNA m6A modification, laying the foundation for the development of functional foods.

The structure change of polygonatum polysaccharide and the protect effect of Polygonatum crtonema Hua extracts and polysaccharide on cisplatin-induced AKI mice during nine-steam-nine-bask processing.

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PC) with different processing degrees during the nine-steam-nine-bask processing was selected as the research object to investigate the changes of polysaccharide structure and their protective effect on cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice. The polysaccharides (PCP0, PCP4 and PCP9) were extracted, whose polysaccharide contents were 62.45 %, 60.34 % and 58.23 %, respectively. After processing, the apparent structure of PCPs became looser, and the apparent viscosity and the particle size were decreased. The PCPs were acidic polysaccharides containing pyran rings, and furan rings were present in PCP4 and PCP9. Besides, processing destroyed the original ß-glucoside bond in PCP0. PCPs were all composed of Rha, Man, Glu, Gal, Xyl and Ara with different ratio. In addition, AKI mice model was successfully constructed by single intraperitoneal injection of 15 mg/kg cisplatin. PC extracts (3.0750 g/kg) and PCP (0.1599 g/kg) significantly decreased the kidney function, liver function, and percentage of renal cell apoptosis, and improved the kidney structure of AKI mice (p < 0.05). PC and PCP have protective effect on cisplatin-induced AKI mice, and the protective effect was improved with the increase of processing degree. Under the same processing degree, the protective effect of PC mixed extract was better than that of PCP.

Effects of different wall-breaking methods on the nutrient release of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder during in vitro digestion.

BACKGROUND: The hard double-walled structure of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (GLSP) is difficult for the human body to digest, so it is very important to break the wall of GLSP. In this study, the wall of GLSP was broken by mechanical milling at room temperature (MM-R) and ultra-fine grinding at low temperature (UFG-L), respectively. RESULTS: Compared with MM-R, UFG-L could better retain the sporangium powder's morphological and structural integrity. During in vitro digestion, compared with unbroken GLSP, the released amounts of polysaccharides and triterpenes from broken GLSP were significantly increased, and they increased with the increase of specific surface area. The bioaccessibility of polysaccharide and triterpene from unbroken GLSP after the intestinal stage were 29.52% and 5.37%, respectively. The bioaccessibility of polysaccharides and triterpene from broken GLSP by MM-R after the intestinal phase were 39.73-72.45% and 16.44-24.97%, while those by UFG-L were 44.53-104.18% and 12.96-32.90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The active ingredients of broken GLSP showed better digestion and absorption abilities than unbroken GLSP. Moreover, the specific surface area of GLSP by UFG-L was lower than that by MM-R, and the bioaccessibility of GLSP by UFG-L was higher than that by MM-R. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Optimizing ARA and DHA in infant formula: A systematic review of global trends, regional disparities, and considerations for precision nutrition.

In the context of precision nutrition, the addition of ARA and DHA in infant formula needs to consider more factors. This study conducted a comprehensive literature review, including 112 relevant Chinese and English articles, to summarize and analyze the global levels of ARA, DHA, and the ARA/DHA ratio in breast milk. The data were correlated with local aquatic products intake and children's IQ. The results indicated that the average level of DHA in breast milk across regions is lower than that of ARA. Variations in DHA content were identified as a primary factor influencing ARA/DHA ratio fluctuations. Breast milk ARA and DHA levels decrease with prolonged lactation periods but increase over the past 22 years. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between aquatic products intake and breast milk DHA levels (r = 0.64, p < 0.05). Breast milk DHA levels also showed a significant positive correlation with children's IQ (r = 0.67, p < 0.01). Stable breast milk ARA content did not exhibit significant correlations with aquatic products intake or children's IQ (r = 0, p > 0.05). Among 22 infant formula products available in China, only 5 had ARA levels within the range of breast milk. Most formula products had higher ARA levels than DHA, resulting in ARA/DHA ratios generally exceeding 1. The temporal and spatial variability in breast milk ARA and DHA levels may lead to diverse health outcomes in infants. Therefore, the addition of ARA and DHA in infant formula should consider this variability, including the molecular forms and positional isomerism of the added ARA and DHA. Additionally, considering the impact of different cognitive development tests and infant's gene expression on formula assessment results, there is a need to establish a more comprehensive infant health assessment system to guide the addition of ARA and DHA in formula.

Tyrosol regulates hepatic lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced NAFLD mice.

This study aimed to elucidate the effect of tyrosol (TYR) on the amelioration of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a HFD supplemented with 0.025% (w/w) TYR (TYR) for 16 weeks. Following a 16-week intervention, the TYR cohort exhibited diminished final body weight and hepatic lipid accumulation, compared to HFD fed mice. Liver metabolomics analysis revealed that TYR increased the hepatic levels of spermidine, taurine, linoleic acid, malic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), indicating the beneficial effect of TYR on lipid homeostasis. Using molecular docking analysis and the luciferase assay, we found that TYR acts as a ligand and binds with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), which plays a pivotal role in the modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, thereby activating the transcription of downstream genes. Our results suggest that TYR alleviates NAFLD in HFD-fed mice probably by the modulation of the PPARα signaling pathway.

Non-oxidized and oxidized flaxseed orbitides differently induce HepG2 cell apoptosis: involvement of cellular uptake and membrane death receptor DR4.

BACKGROUND: Flaxseed orbitides have health-promoting properties, particularly potent anti-cancer activity. However, flaxseed orbitides containing a methionine structure, such as [1-9-NαC]-linusorb B2 (CLB), are easily oxidized to sulfoxide ([1-9-NαC],[1-Rs,Ss-MetO]-linusorb-B2 (CLC)) and sulfone ([1-9-NαC], [1-MetO]-linusorb B2 (CLK)), with CLC having less anti-cancer ability than CLB. It is unclear why oxidized flaxseed orbitides are less effective against cancer than non-oxidized flaxseed orbitide. RESULTS: Non-oxidized ([1-9-NαC]-linusorb-B3 (CLA) and CLB) and oxidized (CLC and CLK) flaxseed orbitides were found to significantly upregulate the levels of pro-apoptotic proteins, including Bax/Bcl-2, CytoC, caspase-3, and caspase-8, in a dose-dependent manner, with non-oxidized flaxseed orbitides being more effective than oxidized flaxseed orbitides. Mechanically, the cellular absorption of non-oxidized flaxseed orbitides was higher than that of oxidized flaxseed orbitides. Moreover, the significant fluorescence quenching of DR4 protein by flaxseed orbitides (especially non-oxidized orbitides) indicated the formation of a DR4-orbitide complex. Molecular docking demonstrated that non-oxidized orbitides could easily dock into the active cavity of DR4 protein. Further blocking DR4 significantly reduced the ability of non-oxidized flaxseed orbitides to stimulate caspase-3 expression, whereas oxidized flaxseed orbitides retained this ability. CONCLUSION: Non-oxidized flaxseed orbitides are more effective against cancer than oxidized flaxseed orbitides due to higher cellular uptake and activation of the DR4-mediated death receptor signaling pathway. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamic changes at high-protein dietary pattern of major fatty acids in healthy lactating women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acids (FAs) in human milk are important nutrients for infants. They play important roles in energy supply, nervous system development, and metabolic function maintenance. However, how the composition of major milk FAs change with lactation stages remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the concentration range of major FAs in human milk at various lactation stages. METHODS: A total of 12 papers involving 50 sets of data with 3507 participants were reviewed according to the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram. The inclusion criteria was the literatures had the FAs contents in breast milk of healthy lactation mothers at three lactation stages and the dietary patterns could be calculated. The exclusion criteria were: the studies were duplicates, were unrelated to dietary patterns or breast milk composition, and/or the study populations were unhealthy. We searched PubMed, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, and Web of science. Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) was used to assess the bias of studies. The mean values of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and saturated fatty acids (SFAs, including lauric acid and palmitic acid), in human milk at three lactation stages (colostrum 1-7 d, transitional milk 8-14 d, mature milk 15 d-3 mo) of healthy lactating women were investigated in terms of the high protein dietary pattern. Publication biases were evaluated by Egger's test. RESULTS: According to the percentage in total fat of colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk (% wt/wt), respectively, the results showed that PUFA (25.72%, 24.92%, and 22.69%), AA (0.85%, 0.76%, and 0.59%), DHA (0.53%, 0.47%, and 0.39%), EPA (0.15%, 0.10%, and 0.10%), and MUFA (37.39%, 37.21%, and 36.14%) contents in breast milk decreased with lactation, while another two PUFA forms, LA (17.47%, 17.82%, and 17.48%), and ALA (1.09%, 1.39%, and 1.24%) arrived at a peak in the transitional milk and then decreased in the mature milk, SFA (37.46%, 38.64%, and 40.52%), and lauric acid contents (2.78%, 4.91%, and 4.97%) increased with the lactation stages. CONCLUSION: These findings could shed light on the dynamic change progress of major FA metabolism, potentially enhancing the knowledge of lactation biology, and improving infant feeding practices to meet their needs.

Protective Effect of Vitexin Against IL-17-Induced Vascular Endothelial Inflammation Through Keap1/Nrf2-Dependent Signaling Pathway.

SCOPE: Vitexin, a C-glycosylated flavonoid, is abundant in food sources and has potential health-beneficial properties. However, the targets for its beneficial effects remain largely unknown. This study aims to establish an in vitro cell model of vascular low-grade inflammation and explore the antiinflammatory mechanism of vitexin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Low-dose TNFα and IL-17 are combined to establish a cell model of vascular low-grade inflammation. Cell-based studies show that low-dose TNFα (1 ng mL-1) alone has a slight effect, but its combination with IL-17 can potently induce protein expression of inflammatory cytokines, leading to an inflammatory state. However, the vascular inflammation caused by low-dose TNF plus IL-17 does not lead to oxidative stress, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) does not involved in developing this inflammation. Vitexin can be absorbed by human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells to increase the Nrf2 protein level and attenuate inflammation. In addition, the antiinflammatory effect of vitexin is blocked by the knockdown of Nrf2. Further localized surface plasmon resonance, drug affinity responsive target stability, and molecular docking demonstrate that vitexin can directly interact with Keap1 to disrupt Keap1-Nrf2 interaction and thus activate Nrf2. Treatment of mice with a bolus oral gavage of vitexin (100 mg kg-1 body weight) or a high-fat diet supplemented with vitexin (5 mg kg-1 body weight per day) for 12 weeks confirms the rapid increase in blood vitexin levels and subsequent incorporation into blood vessels to activate Nrf2 and ameliorate inflammation in vivo. CONCLUSION: The findings provide a reliable cell model of vascular low-grade inflammation and indicate Nrf2 protein as the potential target of vitexin to inhibit vascular inflammation.

Effect of bovine colostrum liposomes on the bioavailability of immunoglobulin G and their immunoregulatory function in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice.

Bovine colostrum (BC) has high nutritional value; however, the low bioavailability of immune active substances in BC may affect their immunoregulatory function. Our previous studies indicated that encapsulating bovine colostrum with liposomes could enable the sustained release of immunoglobulin G in vitro; however, the effect of bovine colostrum liposomes (BCLs) on the bioavailability of immunoglobulins in vivo is still unknown. In addition, the immunoregulatory function of BCLs on immunosuppressed mice is still unclear. Therefore, our current study aimed to explore the effect of BCLs on the bioavailability of immunoglobulins, and further explore their immunoregulatory effect on immunosuppressed BALB/c mice. Through metabolic cage experiments, it was shown that BCLs decreased the urine and fecal concentrations of IgG and exhibited a higher bioavailability of IgG in mice than BC (about 2-fold). In addition, by establishing an immunosuppressed animal model, it was found that BCLs could increase the body weight, spleen weight, and thymus weight in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice, which further restored the serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interferon γ (IFN-γ). Through histology analysis, it was suggested that BCLs restored the structure of jejunal epithelial cells, which was accompanied by an improvement in intestinal cytokine levels (IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ). Finally, BCLs increased serum and intestine concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice, which further indicated that BCLs had a sustained-release effect for immunoglobulin G in vivo. Our current research will provide a basis for understanding the role of BCLs on the bioavailability of IgG and their immunoregulatory effect on immunosuppressed mice, which might further provide some reference for the application of BCLs.