The roles of AMPK/mTOR autophagy pathway in the acute kidney injury-induced acute lung injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most challenging clinical problems in kidney disease due to serious complications and high mortality rate, which can lead to acute lung injury (ALI) through inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been reported to be involved in the development of renal ischemia-reperfusion through autophagy and it remains unclear whether AMPK/mTOR pathway has an effect on the AKI-induced ALI. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of autophagy-related AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway on inflammatory factors and oxidative stress in an AKI-induced ALI model. The 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups randomly: (i) sham, (ii) ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), (iii) IRI + rapamycin (RA), and (iv) IRI + 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Unilateral flank incisions were made and right kidneys were excised. The left kidney was subjected to 60 min of ischemia followed by 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of reperfusion. The levels of Scr, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Wet/Dry ratio, indexes of inflammation, and oxidative stress were assayed. Histological examinations were performed. The protein expression of AMPK, mTOR, LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, and Beclin-1, ULK1 was evaluated by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Compared to the rats from the sham group, IRI rats showed significantly pulmonary damage after AKI with increased Scr, BUN, Wet/Dry ratio, indexes of inflammation, and oxidative stress. The expression of AMPK, LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, Beclin-1, and ULK1 and were increased, while p62 and mTOR were decreased. In addition, RA treatment significantly attenuated lung injury by promoting autophagy through the activation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway, and 3-MA treatment exhibited adverse effects inversely. Therefore, the activation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway after renal IRI induction could significantly attenuate kidney injury and following AKI-induced ALI by inducing autophagy, which alienates inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Nobiletin Prevents D-Galactose-Induced C2C12 Cell Aging by Improving Mitochondrial Function.

Age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is one of the main causes of the loss of independence and physical incapacitation in the geriatric population. This study used the D-galactose-induced C2C12 myoblast aging model to explore whether nobiletin (Nob) could delay skeletal muscle aging and determine the associated mechanism. The results showed that Nob intervention improved mitochondrial function, increased ATP production, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibited inflammation, and prevented apoptosis as well as aging. In addition, Nob improved autophagy function, removed misfolded proteins and damaged organelles, cleared ROS, reduced mitochondrial damage, and improved skeletal muscle atrophy. Moreover, our results illustrated that Nob can not only enhance mitochondrial function, but can also enhance autophagy function and the protein synthesis pathway to inhibit skeletal muscle atrophy. Therefore, Nob may be a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of age-related muscle decline.

Changes in histology, protein expression, and autophagy in dairy goat testes during nonbreeding season†.

Seasonal reproduction contributes to increased chances of offspring survival in some animals. Dairy goats are seasonal breeding mammals. In this study, adult male Guanzhong dairy goats (10-12 months old) were used. Testis size, semen quality, hormone level, apoptosis of germ cells, and autophagy of Sertoli cells were analyzed in dairy goats during the breeding (October) and nonbreeding (April) seasons. We found that, during the nonbreeding season for dairy goats, semen quality, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and testosterone levels were reduced, and the number of apoptotic germ cells increased. The proliferation with decrease activity of germ cells in dairy goat during the nonbreeding season was significantly affected. However, the testis size did not change seasonally. Interestingly, Sertoli cell autophagy was more active during the nonbreeding season. The expression levels of FSH receptor, wilms tumor 1, androgen binding protein, glial cell derived neurotrophic factor, and stem cell factor decreased in dairy goats during the nonbreeding season. In summary, our results indicate that spermatogenesis in dairy goats during the nonbreeding season was not completely arrested. In addition, germ cell apoptosis and the morphology of Sertoli cells considerably changed in dairy goats during the nonbreeding season. Sertoli cell autophagy is involved in the seasonal regulation of spermatogenesis in dairy goats. These findings provide key insights into the fertility and spermatogenesis of seasonal breeding animals.

Imidacloprid increases intestinal permeability by disrupting tight junctions.

The neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid (IMI), is frequently detected in the environment and in foods. It is absorbed and metabolized by the intestine; however, its effects on intestinal barrier integrity are not well studied. We investigated whether IMI disrupts the permeability of the intestinal epithelial barrier via in vivo tests on male Wistar rats, in vitro assays using the human intestinal epithelial cell line, Caco-2, and in silico analyses. A repeated oral dose 90-day toxicity study was performed (0.06 mg/kg body weight/day). IMI exposure significantly increased intestinal permeability, which led to significantly elevated serum levels of endotoxin and inflammatory biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta) without any variation in body weight. Decreased transepithelial electrical resistance with increased permeability was also observed in 100 nM and 100 µM IMI-treated Caco-2 cell monolayers. Amounts of tight junction proteins in IMI-treated colon tissues and between IMI-treated Caco-2 cells were significantly lower than those of controls. Increased levels of myosin light chain phosphorylation, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and p65 subunit of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB p65) phosphorylation were found in IMI-exposed cells compared with control cells. Furthermore, the barrier loss caused by IMI was rescued by the MLCK inhibitor, ML-7, and cycloheximide. Pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) was inhibited by low-dose IMI treatment. In silico analysis indicated potent binding sites between PXR and IMI. Together, these data illustrate that IMI induces intestinal epithelial barrier disruption and produces an inflammatory response, involving the down-regulation of tight junctions and disturbance of the PXR-NF-κB p65-MLCK signaling pathway. The intestinal barrier disruption caused by IMI deserves attention in assessing the safety of this neonicotinoid pesticide.

Triazophos and its metabolite diethyl phosphate have different effects on endocrine hormones and gut health in rats.

Organophosphorus pesticide (OP) residues present in food can be metabolized into diethylphosphate (DEP) in vivo. Epidemiological studies of OPs have usually focused on these metabolites, while animal studies mainly assessed the OPs. Here, we compared the health risks of a frequently detected OP, triazophos (TAP), and its major metabolite, DEP, in rats. Levels of serum lipids and, sex hormones were measured using immunoassay kits. Gut hormones and inflammatory cytokines were assessed using a multiplexing kit, and the gut microbiota was evaluated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After a 24-week exposure period, both TAP and DEP significantly decreased serum levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and IL-6 (p < 0.05). However, DEP exposure had a stronger effect on serum estradiol (p < 0.05) than TAP, whereas only TAP inhibited the secretion of gut hormones. Both TAP and DEP enriched the pathogenic genera Oscillibacter, Peptococcus and Paraprevotella in the gut, and TAP also enriched enteritis-related genera Roseburia and Oscillibacter, which may affect the secretion of gut hormones. These findings indicate that the use of dialkyl phosphates as markers of OPs to examine the correlations of OP exposure with diseases may only provide partial information, especially for diseases related to gut health and the endocrine system.

Amyotrophy Induced by a High-Fat Diet Is Closely Related to Inflammation and Protein Degradation Determined by Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Analysis in Skeletal Muscle of C57BL/6 J Mice.

BACKGROUND: Ectopic fat accumulation in skeletal muscle results in dysfunction and atrophy, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) in modulating the structure and energy metabolism of skeletal muscle and the underlying mechanisms in mice. METHODS: Four-week-old male C57BL/6 J mice (n = 30) were allowed 1 wk for acclimatization. After 6 mice with low body weight were removed from the study, the remaining 24 mice were fed with a normal-fat diet (NFD; 10% energy from fat, n = 12) or an HFD (60% energy from fat, n = 12) for 24 wk. At the end of the experiment, serum glucose and lipid concentrations were measured, and skeletal muscle was collected for atrophy analysis, inflammation measurements, and phosphoproteomic analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the NFD, the HFD increased (P < 0.05) body weight (35.8%), serum glucose (64.5%), and lipid (27.3%) concentrations, along with elevated (P < 0.05) expressions of the atrophy-related proteins muscle ring finger 1 (MURF1; 27.6%) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFBX; 44.5%) in skeletal muscle. Phosphoproteomic analysis illustrated 64 proteins with differential degrees of phosphorylation between the HFD and NFD groups. These proteins were mainly involved in modulating cytoskeleton [adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) and actin-α skeletal muscle (ACTA1)], inflammation [NF-κB-activating protein (NKAP) and serine/threonine-protein kinase RIO3 (RIOK3)], glucose metabolism [Cdc42-interacting protein 4 (TRIP10); protein kinase C, and casein kinase II substrate protein 3 (PACSIN3)], and protein degradation [heat shock protein 90 kDa (HSP90AA1)]. The HFD-induced inhibitions of the insulin signaling pathway and activations of inflammation in skeletal muscle were verified by Western blot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis in C57BL/6 J mice fed an NFD or HFD for 24 wk revealed that the phosphorylation of inflammatory proteins and proteins associated with glucose metabolism at specific serine residues may play critical roles in the regulation of skeletal muscle atrophy induced by an HFD. This work provides information regarding underlying molecular mechanisms for inflammation-induced dysfunction and atrophy in skeletal muscle.

Knockout of Selenoprotein V Affects Regulation of Selenoprotein Expression by Dietary Selenium and Fat Intakes in Mice.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic function of selenoprotein V (SELENOV) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: Two experiments were conducted to determine effects of the Selenov knockout (KO) on selenium concentration and mRNA, protein, and/or activity of 4 major selenoproteins [glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 1, GPX4, thioredoxin reductase-1 (TXNRD1), and selenoprotein P (SELENOP)] in the serum, liver, testis, and/or white adipose tissue (WAT) of mice fed different dietary selenium and fat concentrations. METHODS: In Experiment (Expt) 1, 40 KO and 40 wild-type (WT) mice (males, 8 wk old) were fed (n = 10/genotype) a casein-sucrose basal diet plus 0, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg Se/kg (as sodium selenite) for 32 wk . In Expt 2, 20 KO and 20 WT mice (males, 8 wk old) were fed (n  = 10/genotype) a normal-fat diet (NF; 10% calories from fat) or a high-fat diet (HF; 60% calories from fat) for 19 wk. RESULTS: In Expt 1, the KO caused consistent or substantial decreases (P < 0.05) of mRNA amounts of Gpx1, Txnrd1, and Selenop in the testis (≤52%), but selenium concentrations (19-29%) and GPX activities (≤ 50%) were decreased in the liver across different dietary selenium concentrations . Hepatic and testis GPX1 protein was elevated (≤31%) and decreased (≤45%) by the KO, respectively. In Expt 2, the genotype and dietary fat intake exerted interaction effects ( P < 0.05) on Gpx1 mRNA amounts in the WAT; Gpx1, Txnrd1, and Selenop mRNA amounts and TXNRD activities in the testis; and selenium concentrations in the serum and liver. However, these 2 treatments produced largely independent or additive effects (P < 0.05) on the GPX1 and SELENOP protein amounts in the liver and testis (up to ± 50% changes). CONCLUSIONS: The KO-mediated changes in the tissue selenium concentrations and functional expression of 3 major selenoproteins implied potential for SELENOV in regulating body selenium metabolism in the mouse.

Notoginsenoside R1 protects boar sperm during liquid storage at 17°C.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage mammalian sperm during liquid storage. Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) is a compound isolated from the roots of Panax notoginseng; it has powerful ROS-scavenging activities. This work hypothesized that the antioxidant capacity of NR1 could improve boar sperm quality and fertility during liquid storage. During liquid storage at 17°C, the supplementation of semen extender with NR1 (50 µM) significantly improved sperm motility, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity after 5 days of preservation. NR1 treatment also reduced ROS and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels at day 5 (p <0.05). Higher glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) levels and sperm-zona pellucida binding capacity were observed in the 50 µM NR1 group than those in the control group at day 7 (p <0.05). Importantly, statistical analysis of the fertility of 200 sows indicated that addition of NR1 to the extender improved the fertility parameters of boar spermatozoa during liquid storage at 17°C (p <0.05). These results demonstrate the practical feasibility of using 50 µM NR1 as an antioxidant in boar extender during liquid storage at 17°C, which is beneficial to both spermatozoa quality and fertility.

Organophosphorus pesticide triazophos: A new endocrine disruptor chemical of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

The organophosphorus pesticide, triazophos (TAP) was banned to use in agriculture in several countries due to its high toxicity. However, TAP was still widely used and frequently detected in foods. Recently, many studies reported the endocrine-disrupting effect of pesticides, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In this study, adult male Wistar rats were exposed to TAP at the dose of 0.164 and 1.64 mg/kg bodyweight (~1/500th and 1/50th of LD50) for 24 weeks and serum contents of hormones were measured. TAP exposure significantly reduced serum contents of adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosterone and epinephrine in rats (p < .05), leading to the delay in glucose homeostasis during the insulin tolerance test and decrease in serum contents of total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein. Molecular docking results suggested TAP may be an antagonist of glucocorticoid receptor which decreased significantly in the liver of rats, resulting in the decreased expression of 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 and PEPCK1. This study revealed that TAP is a potential endocrine disruptor, especially in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system and may disturb the metabolism by affecting glucocorticoid receptor. This study provided new evidence about the toxicity of TAP and it was necessary to strictly control the usage of TAP in food.

Age- and diet-specific effects of chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos on hormones, inflammation and gut microbiota in rats.

Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide frequently detected in food and has been reported to disturb endocrine and gut health, which was regulated by gut microbiota and enteroendocrine cells. In this study, newly weaned (3 week) and adult (8 week) male rats fed a normal- or high- fat diet were chronically exposed to 0.3 mg chlorpyrifos/kg bodyweight/day. The effects of chlorpyrifos exposure on serum hormone levels, proinflammatory cytokines and gut microbiota were evaluated. Chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos significantly decreased the concentrations of luteinizing hormone, follicule stimulating hormone and testosterone, which was found only in the normal-fat diet. The counteracted effect of high-fat diet was also found in gut hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. Significantly higher concentrations of glucagon-like peptide-1, pancreatic polypeptide, peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), ghrelin, gastric inhibitory poly-peptide, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and TNF-α were found in rats exposed to chlorpyrifos beginning at newly weaned, whereas only the PYY, ghrelin and IL-6 concentrations increased significantly in rats exposed in adulthood. Furthermore, a decrease in epinephrine induced by chlorpyrifos exposure was found in rats exposed to chlorpyrifos beginning at newly weaned, regardless of their diet. Chlorpyrifos-induced disturbances in the microbiome community structure were more apparent in rats fed a high-fat diet and exposed beginning at newly weaned. The affected bacteria included short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria (Romboutsia, Turicibacter, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, norank_f_Coriobacteriaceae, Faecalibaculum, Parasutterella and norank_f__Erysipelotrichaceae), testosterone-related genus (Turicibacter, Brevibacterium), pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus), and inflammation-related bacteria (unclassified_f__Ruminococcaceae, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-009, Parasutterella, Oscillibacter), which regulated the endocrine system via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as the immune response and gut barrier. Early exposure accelerated the endocrine-disturbing effect and immune responses of chlorpyrifos, although these effects can be eased or recovered by a high-fat diet. This study helped clarify the relationship between disrupted endocrine function and gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by food contaminants such as pesticides.

Trehalose protects testicular tissue of dairy goat upon cryopreservation.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the addition of trehalose to cryomedia reduces cellular damage and improves gene expression in cryopreserved dairy goat testicular tissues. Testicular tissues were cryopreserved in cryomedia without or with trehalose at a concentration of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25%. Cryopreserved testicular tissues were analysed for TUNEL-positive cell number, expression of BAX, BCL-2, CREM, BOULE and HSP70-2. Isolated Leydig cells from cryopreserved tissue were cultured, and spent medium was evaluated for testosterone level. The results showed that though the TUNEL-positive cell number increased in cryopreserved testicular tissues, the presence of trehalose reduced apoptotic cell number significantly. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that although the expression of BAX was upregulated following cryopreservation, the presence of trehalose downregulates it in cryopreserved testicular tissues. Expression of BCL-2, CREM, BOULE and HSP70-2 was downregulated following cryopreservation but the presence of trehalose significantly upregulated their expression in cryopreserved testicular tissues. Leydig cells isolated from testicular tissues cryopreserved with trehalose produced higher testosterone than the one without it (control). These results suggest that trehalose has a protective role in cryopreservation of dairy goat testicular tissue, and the most suitable trehalose concentration for cryopreservation is 15%.

OSMR gene effect on the pathogenesis of chronic autoimmune Urticaria via the JAK/STAT3 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Chronic autoimmune urticaria (CAU) is a common skin disease and remains unclear understanding of pathogenesis in the vast majority of cases. In order to explore a new therapy for CAU, the current study was performed to investigate the possible functioning of the Oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) gene in the autoimmunity of CAU via regulation of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. METHODS: CAU skin tissues from 24 CAU patients and normal skin tissues from normal subjects were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was conducted to count eosinophils, and immunohistochemistry was carried out to detect the positive rate of OSMR expression in two kinds of skin tissues. A total of 72 Kunming (KM) mice were selected, and 60 mice were used for establishing CAU models and later transfected with different plasmids. The expression of inflammatory factors was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Expressions of janus kinase (JAK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), CT10-regulated kinase (CRK), and interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9) were identified using Western blot assay and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Epithelial cell proliferation was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The findings confirm that OSMR protein expression and histamine release rate are highly elevated in human CAU skin tissues, and the expression of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway-related genes (OSMR, JAK2, STAT3, ISG15, CRK and IRF9) was up-regulated. OSMR gene silencing in CAU mice significantly decreases the content of inflammatory factors (IL-1, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IgE), the number of eosinophils, and reduces the expression of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway related genes, and further enhances cell proliferation, promotes cell cycle entry and inhibits apoptosis of epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: All aforementioned results indicate that OSMR gene silencing inhibits the activation of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby suppressing the development of CAU.

Lycopene and alpha-lipoic acid improve semen antioxidant enzymes activity and cashmere goat sperm function after cryopreservation.

Cashmere goats, a unique biological resource in China, have the highest cashmere yield and best fiber quality in the world. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of cryopreserving with lycopene (LP) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on the physiological characteristics of Cashmere goat spermatozoa. The results showed that sperm motility, acrosome integrity, membrane integrity, and mitochondrial activity of goat spermatozoa were greater in extenders containing 1.0 mg/mL LP and 10 µg/mL ALA (P < 0.05). Furthermore, higher SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px levels in semen occurred for extenders with 1.0 mg/mL LP and 10 µg/mL ALA compared with that of other treatments and the control group (P < 0.05). Interestingly, this study also combined LP + ALA in the extender. The results showed that the sperm motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity in 1.0 mg/mL + 5 µg/mL in the LP + ALA group were significantly elevated compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, 1.0 mg/mL + 5 µg/mL LP + ALA addition increased SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px in spermatozoa more than 1.0 mg/mL LP and 10 µg/mL ALA (P < 0.05). In addition, the results of AI showed that the pregnancy rates were higher in the 1.0 mg/mL + 5 µg/mL LP + ALA group than the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of LP + ALA to extender solutions protects goat spermatozoa from ROS attack by improving antioxidant enzymes activity, and the results suggested that freezing extenders supplemented with 1.0 mg/mL + 5 µg/mL LP + ALA would be beneficial to the Cashmere goat breeding industry.

Electrochemically Oxidative α-C-H Functionalization of Ketones: A Cascade Synthesis of α-Amino Ketones Mediated by NH4I.

An efficient electrochemical protocol for the synthesis of α-amino ketones via the oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling of ketones and secondary amines has been developed. The electrochemistry performs in a simple undivided cell using NH4I as a redox catalyst and a cheap graphite plate as electrodes under constant current conditions. Gram-scale reaction demonstrates the practicality of the protocol. The reaction is proposed to procced through an initial α-iodination of ketone, followed by a nucleophilic substitution of amines.

[Lipid Composition of Different Breeds of Milk Fat Globules by Confocal Raman Microscopy].

Different breeds of cows affect the form of fat exist in dairy products and the final functionality, which depended mainly on the composition of the milk fat globules(MFG). However, the relationship between the composition and breeds has not been illuminated. In our study, differences in the lipid content and fatty acid composition of native bovine, buffalo and yak MFG were investigated by confocal Raman spectroscopy. The research offers the possibility of acquisition and analysis of the Raman signal without disruption of the structure of fat globule. The results showed that yak MFG had a higher ratio of band intensities at 2 885/2 850 cm(-1), indicating yak MFG tend to have a triglyceride core in a fluid state with a milk fat globule membrane in a crystalline state. The buffalo and yak MFG had a higher level of unsaturation compared to bovine MFG, shown by a higher ratio of band intensities at 1 655/1 744 cm(-1). The results indicate that small MFG of buffalo is more unsaturated than yak, while the large MFG of buffalo is less unsaturated than the yak. Thus, selective use of cream with yak MFG would allow a harder and more costly churning process but lead to a softer butter. Buffalo milk which contains larger MFG is more suitable for cream and MFG membrane separation.

[Study on the Synergistic Antioxidant Mechanism of Chlorogenic Acids (CQAs) with Electrochemical and Spectroscopy Property].

The synergistic antioxidant mechanism of chlorogenic acids (CQAs) was studied in this paper through cyclic voltammograms (CV), oil-water partition coefficient (P), FT-IR, XRD and circular dichroism (CD). The antioxidant capability of CQAs isomers and their mixture was determined by using ABTS free radical quenching ability assay. The results showed that the bigger the antioxidant activity disparity between the CQAs molecules was, the higher the content of high antioxidant activity CQAs was, the better the synergistic effect of the CQAs combination mixture became; The oxidation potential (Epa) of CQAs combination mixture kept constant in the synergistic experiments, which indicted the oxidative coupling interaction don't exist between the CQAs; The charge transferred (Q) and antioxidant activity exhibited high correlation (0.92); the practical Q was higher than the theoretical Q in the synergistic process and this confirmed that the CQAs (dicaffeoylquinic acids) regeneration of high antioxidant activity happened; the CQAs mixture with the absolute difference value of oil-water partition coefficient of 0.13 gave the good interface effect and high synergistic degree; the interaction and the regular arrangement between the CQAs combination were not discovered through FT-IR, XRD and CD. Therefore, the regeneration mechanism of CQAs molecules and the interface effect of reaction system were the main cause of the phenomenon of the synergistic antioxidant of CQAs.

Bovine lactoferrin binds oleic acid to form an anti-tumor complex similar to HAMLET.

α-Lactalbumin (α-LA) can bind oleic acid (OA) to form HAMLET-like complexes, which exhibited highly selective anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Considering the structural similarity to α-LA, we conjectured that lactoferrin (LF) could also bind OA to obtain a complex with anti-tumor activity. In this study, LF-OA was prepared and its activity and structural changes were compared with α-LA-OA. The anti-tumor activity was evaluated by methylene blue assay, while the apoptosis mechanism was analyzed using flow cytometry and Western blot. Structural changes of LF-OA were measured by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism. The interactions of OA with LF and α-LA were evaluated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). LF-OA was obtained by heat-treatment at pH8.0 with LD50 of 4.88, 4.95 and 4.62µM for HepG2, HT29, and MCF-7 cells, respectively, all of which were 10 times higher than those of α-LA-OA. Similar to HAMLET, LF-OA induced apoptosis in tumor cells through both death receptor- and mitochondrial-mediated pathways. Exposure of tryptophan residues and the hydrophobic regions as well as the loss of tertiary structure were observed in LF-OA. Besides these similarities, LF showed different secondary structure changes when compared with α-LA, with a decrease of α-helix and ß-turn and an increase of ß-sheet and random coil. ITC results showed that there was a higher binding number of OA to LF than to α-LA, while both of the proteins interacted with OA through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of protein-OA complexes.

[Structure and Anti-Tumor Activity of Bovine α-Lactalbumin after Binding Linoleic Acid].

The structure changes of α-lactalbumin after binding oleic acid and linoleic acid, including hydrophobic amino acids, hydrophobic regions, tertiary structure, secondary structure, was studied by intrinsic fluorescence, ANS-binding intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism spectrum, respectively. The anti-tumor activity of the lactalbumin-oleic acid complex and lactalbumin-linoleic acid complex was measured using the methylene blue method. It can be seen from the fluorescence spectra that a significant red-shift from 331.07 to 337.67 nm and 337.60 nm of α-lactalbumin occurred after binding of oleic acid and linoleic acid, respectively. Together with the ANS-binding spectra, which exhibited a blue-shift (from 516.20 to 514.10 nm and 508.50 nm, respectively) with an increased fluorescence intensity, it can be indicated that binding of oleic acid and linoleic acid lead to the exposure of hydrophobic amino acids and hydrophobic regions. Results of circular dichroism spectra indicated the partial loss of the tertiary structure, and an decrease of ß-turn and random coil, which turn to the ß-sheet structure. Furthermore, the anti- tumor activity of the two complexes was verified on the three types of tumor cells. This study laid a theoretical basis for the development of anti-tumor drugs.

Lipid Composition of Native Milk Fat Globules by Confocal Raman Microscopy.

Native fat globules composed mainly of triglycerides are secreted as droplets of variable size. The size of fat globules affects the form of fat in dairy products and final functionality, which depends mainly on the composition of the globules and membrane. However, the relation between the composition and size of fat globules has not been studied in detail. In this study, differences in the lipid content and fatty acid composition related to the size of native fat globules were investigated using confocal Raman spectroscopy, which offers the possibility of acquisition and analysis of the Raman signal without disruption of a single fat globule in natural suspension. The results showed small fat globules (SFG) had a higher ratio of band intensities at 2885/2850 cm⁻¹, indicating SFG tend to have a triglyceride core in a fluid state with a milk fat globule membrane in a crystalline state. In addition, the SFG had a higher level of unsaturation compared to large fat globules, shown by a lower ratio at 1655/1443 cm⁻¹. Using cream with selected SFG would allow a harder and more costly churning process but lead to a softer butter.

[Characteristics and antioxidant activity of bovine serum albumin and quercetin interaction in different solvent systems].

Modes and influencing factors of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and quercetin (QUE) interaction will help us understand the interaction mechanisms and functional changes of bioactive small molecules and biomacromolecules. The fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays were used to investigate the characteristics and antioxidant activity of BSA and QUE interaction in three solvent systems (deionized water, dH2O; dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO and ethanol, EtOH). The results revealed that QUE had a great ability to quench BSA's fluorescence in both static and dynamic modes, and that hydrophobic interaction played a dominant role in BSA and QUE interaction in three solvent systems. The binding constant values and binding site numbers between BSA and QUE were in the order of dH2O>DMSO>EtOH. The binding distances were in the order of EtOH>DMSO>dH2O. On the basis of the binding distance, the binding forces were in the order of dH2O>DMSO>EtOH. The synchronous fluorescence spectra demonstrated that QUE interacted with both tyrosine and tryptophan residues of BSA in three solvent systems. Moreover, the DPPH radical scavenging rates of both QUE and BSA-QUE were 30%. While, the ABTS radical scavenging rate of QUE was significantly decreased from 80% to 70% when bound to BSA. No significant difference in antioxidant activity between QUE and BSA-QUE was observed in three solvent systems.