Assessment of metabolomics in patients with multiple sclerosis as an indicator of disease development, including relapsing-remitting, primary progressive and secondary progressive stage / Ocena profilu metabolomicznego u pacjentów ze stwardnieniem rozsianym jako wskaznik rozwoju choroby z uwzglednieniem postaci rzutowo - remisyjnej, pierwotnie postepujacej i wtórnie postepujacej.

Metabolomics is a scientific field whose topics include qualitative and quantitative analysis of metabolites, defined as the total set of low-molecular-weight chemical compounds not exceeding 1500 Da. Along with genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, it is categorized as a field of science, currently using state-of-the-art diagnostic tools that, in the face of modern medicine, allow a holistic approach to the patient. The presence of metabolites in the analyzed biological material, in contrast to the information contained directly in the genetic material, reflects the current physiological state of the cell, and represents an integral relationship between genotype and phenotype, which can directly contribute in the future to the knowledge of the molecular basis in specific disease entities. An additional aspect that is in favor of metabolic analysis is their decidedly smaller number compared to at least genes, transcriptomes, and proteins. Despite the development of many "omics" technologies, there is a lack of integrative and linking studies to see the full picture of cellular pathways in the future. Such linkage would improve our insight into human pathologies, leading to a revolution in preclinical and clinical research in disease diagnosis, prognosis, drug response and drug development.

Obesity-associated deterioration of the hippocampus is partially restored after weight loss.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is a multidimensional condition that is treatable by the restoration of a lean phenotype; however, some obesity-related outcomes may persist after weight normalization. Among the organs of the human body, the brain possesses a relatively low regenerative capacity and could retain perturbations established as a result of developmental obesity. Calorie restriction (CR) or a restricted ketogenic diet (KD) are successfully used as weight loss approaches, but their impact on obesity-related effects in the brain have not been previously evaluated. METHODS: We performed a series of experiments in a rat model of developmental obesity induced by a 12-week cafeteria diet, followed by CR to implement weight loss. First, we assessed the impact of obesity on neurogenesis (BrdU incorporation into the hippocampus), cognitive function (water maze), and concomitant changes in hippocampal protein expression (GC/MS-MS, western blot). Next, we repeated these experiments in a rat model of weight loss induced by CR. We also measured mitochondrial enzyme activity in rats after weight loss during the fed or fasting state. This study was extended by additional experiments with restricted KD used as a weight loss approach in order to compare the efficacy of two different nutritional interventions used in the treatment of obesity on hippocampal functions. By using a modified version of the water maze we evaluated cognitive abilities in rats subjected to weight loss by CR or a restricted KD. RESULTS: In this study, obesity affected metabolic processes, upregulated hippocampal NF-κB, and induced proteomic differences which were associated with impaired cognition and neurogenesis. Weight loss improved neurogenesis and enhanced cognition. While the expression pattern of some proteins persisted after weight loss, most of the changes appeared de novo revealing metabolic adjustment by overactivation of citrate synthase and downregulation of ATP synthase. As a consequence of fasting, the activity of these enzymes indicated hippocampal adaptation to negative energy balance during the weight loss phase of CR. Moreover, the effects on cognitive abilities measured after weight loss were negatively correlated with the animal weight measured at the final stage of weight gain. This was alleviated by KD, which improved cognition when used as a weight loss approach. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that cognition and mitochondrial metabolism in the hippocampus are affected by CR- or KD-induced weight loss.

Relating genes in the biosynthesis of the polyphenol composition of Andean colored potato collection.

The objective of this study was to evaluate total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content (TPH), and the identification of anthocyanidin and polyphenolic compounds in 13 colored potatoes collected from the Andean region of Bolivia, and understand how the chemical composition correlated with the botanical classification and molecular characterization of genes, ans (anthocyanidin synthase) and stan1 (Solanum tuberosum anthocyanidin synthase), associated with the synthesis of anthocyanidins. The results show the existence of a limited correlation between botanical classification, based on morphological identification and polyphenol composition. No association between genetic grouping of the ans and stan genes and botanical classification was found. However, it was possible to identify a correlation between the ans gene clades and the levels of anthocyanidins as well as of other polyphenols. Thus, this result confirms the concept that potato color can be used in the search for high polyphenol potato cultivars.