Use of odorant series for extra virgin olive oil aroma characterisation.

BACKGROUND: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) volatile composition is mainly used as a means of characterisation and authentication, especially for protected denomination of origin (PDO) products. This work investigated the volatile compounds from 25 EVOOs from four Spanish (Cornicabra, Manzanilla Castellana, Picual and Manzanilla Cacereña) and four Italian (Ortice, Ravece, Nocellara del Belice and Itrana) cultivars in terms of odour activity value (OAV). Forty-seven volatile compounds were analysed by solid phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). OAVs of volatile compounds with similar descriptors were grouped in order to establish eight odorant series: fruity, grass, apple, tomato, floral, woody-spicy, fatty and mushroom. RESULTS: No differences in sensory descriptors were observed among the EVOOs analysed by official VOO sensory analysis. The method of odorant series applied herein was demonstrated to successfully characterise EVOO odour as expected from a sensory panel but using only instrumental analysis of volatile compounds, and giving additional reliable quantitative information. The results can be presented as a 'barcode', providing a visual and effective graphical representation allowing an easy and rapid description of EVOO sensory attributes using instrumental data. CONCLUSION: The odorant series have the potential to better differentiate the aroma of food products, opening new possibilities allowing a schematic and effective visual representation to be used for EVOO quality control and consumer information, especially in new olive oil consuming countries. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Steroid pathway and oestrone sulphate production in canine inflammatory mammary carcinoma.

Spontaneous canine mammary inflammatory carcinoma (IMC) shares epidemiologic, histopathologic and clinical characteristics with the inflammatory breast carcinoma (IBC) disease in humans. We have analysed the steroids levels in serum and in tissue homogenates of IMC, the expression of two of their receptors (androgen and beta-estrogen) and of three enzymes included in the steroidogenesis pathway (aromatase (CYP19A1), steroid sulphatase (STS) and estrogen sulfotransferase (EST)) trying to explain the specific accumulation of steroids in IMC tissues generating deposits in the form of lipid droplets whose presence can be attributed to steroids secreted by IMC cells. According to our working hypothesis, oestrone sulphate would be the main component of these lipid droplets. The presence of these steroid deposits would contribute to the intense proliferation and invasive behaviour of IMC and IBC, although their involvement in angiogenesis is yet to be demonstrated.

Critical role for Ebf1 and Ebf2 in the adipogenic transcriptional cascade.

The Ebf (O/E) family of helix-loop-helix transcription factors plays a significant role in B lymphocyte and neuronal development. The three primary members of this family, Ebf1, 2, and 3, are all expressed in adipocytes, and Ebf1 promotes adipogenesis when overexpressed in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Here we report that these three proteins have adipogenic potential in multiple cellular models and that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is required for this effect, at least in part due to direct activation of the PPARgamma1 promoter by Ebf1. Ebf1 also directly binds to and activates the C/EBPalpha promoter, which exerts positive feedback on C/EBPdelta expression. Despite this, C/EBPalpha is dispensable for the adipogenic action of Ebf proteins. Ebf1 itself is induced by C/EBPbeta and delta, which bind and activate its promoter. Reduction of Ebf1 and Ebf2 proteins by specific short hairpin RNA blocks differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, suggesting a critical role for these factors and the absence of functional redundancy between members of this family. Altogether, these data place Ebf1 within the known transcriptional cascade of adipogenesis and suggest critical roles for Ebf1 and Ebf2.

Steroids and receptors in canine mammary cancer.

The aims of this study were to investigate the serum and tissue content of androgens and estrogens in canine inflammatory mammary carcinomas (IMC) as well as in non-inflammatory malignant mammary tumors (MMT), and assessed the immunoexpression of estrogen and androgen receptors using immunohistochemistry. Profiles for the androgens dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione (A4), and testosterone (T), and for the estrogens 17beta estradiol (E2) and estrone-sulphate (SO4E1) were measured both in tissue homogenates and in serum of MMT and IMC by EIA techniques in 42 non-inflammatory malignant mammary tumors (MMT) and in 14 inflammatory mammary carcinomas (IMC), prospectively collected from 56 female dogs. Androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta) expression was studied using immunohistochemistry (strepavidin-biotin-peroxidase method) in samples of 32 MMT and 14 IMC, and counted by a computer image analyzer. IMC serum and tissue levels of androgens were significantly higher than MMT levels. Tissue content of estrogens was also significantly higher in IMC than in MMT. Serum values of SO4E1 were significantly higher in IMC, but serum levels of E2 were significantly lower in IMC compared to MMT cases. Medium-high androgen receptor intensity was observed in 64.28% of IMC and 40.62% of MMT. No important differences were found between ERalpha expression in IMC (100% negative) and MMT (90% negative). ERbeta and AR were intensely expressed in highly malignant inflammatory mammary carcinoma cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report relative to AR immunohistochemistry in canine mammary cancer and to estrogens or androgens in serum of dogs with benign or malignant mammary tumors.