Fam134c and Fam134b shape axonal endoplasmic reticulum architecture in vivo.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) remodeling is vital for cellular organization. ER-phagy, a selective autophagy targeting ER, plays an important role in maintaining ER morphology and function. The FAM134 protein family, including FAM134A, FAM134B, and FAM134C, mediates ER-phagy. While FAM134B mutations are linked to hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in humans, the physiological role of the other FAM134 proteins remains unknown. To address this, we investigate the roles of FAM134 proteins using single and combined knockouts (KOs) in mice. Single KOs in young mice show no major phenotypes; however, combined Fam134b and Fam134c deletion (Fam134b/cdKO), but not the combination including Fam134a deletion, leads to rapid neuromuscular and somatosensory degeneration, resulting in premature death. Fam134b/cdKO mice show rapid loss of motor and sensory axons in the peripheral nervous system. Long axons from Fam134b/cdKO mice exhibit expanded tubular ER with a transverse ladder-like appearance, whereas no obvious abnormalities are present in cortical ER. Our study unveils the critical roles of FAM134C and FAM134B in the formation of tubular ER network in axons of both motor and sensory neurons.

Tirzepatide prevents neurodegeneration through multiple molecular pathways.

BACKGROUND: Several evidence demonstrated that glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) reduce the risk of dementia in type 2 diabetes patients by improving memory, learning, and overcoming cognitive impairment. In this study, we elucidated the molecular processes underlying the protective effect of Tirzepatide (TIR), a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonist (GIP-RA)/ GLP-1RA, against learning and memory disorders. METHODS: We investigated the effects of TIR on markers of neuronal growth (CREB and BDNF), apoptosis (BAX/Bcl2 ratio) differentiation (pAkt, MAP2, GAP43, and AGBL4), and insulin resistance (GLUT1, GLUT4, GLUT3 and SORBS1) in a neuroblastoma cell line (SHSY5Y) exposed to normal and high glucose concentration. The potential role on DNA methylation of genes involved in neuroprotection and epigenetic modulators of neuronal growth (miRNA 34a), apoptosis (miRNA 212), and differentiation (miRNA 29c) was also investigated. The cell proliferation was detected by measuring Ki-67 through flow cytometry. The data were analysed by SPSS IBM Version 23 or GraphPad Prism 7.0 software and expressed as the means ± SEM. Differences between the mean values were considered significant at a p-value of < 0.05. GraphPad Prism software was used for drawing figures. RESULTS: For the first time, it was highlighted: (a) the role of TIR in the activation of the pAkt/CREB/BDNF pathway and the downstream signaling cascade; (b) TIR efficacy in neuroprotection; (c) TIR counteracting of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance-related effects at the neuronal level. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that TIR can ameliorate high glucose-induced neurodegeneration and overcome neuronal insulin resistance. Thus, this study provides new insight into the potential role of TIR in improving diabetes-related neuropathy.

Inverse FASN and LDHA correlation drives metabolic resistance in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer manifests as a heterogeneous pathology marked by complex metabolic reprogramming essential to satisfy its energy demands. Oncogenic signals boost the metabolism, modifying fatty acid synthesis and glucose use from the onset to progression and therapy resistant-forms. However, the exact contribution of metabolic dependencies during tumor evolution remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, we elucidate the connection between FASN and LDHA, pivotal metabolic genes, and their correlation with tumor grade and therapy response using datasets from public repositories. Subsequently, we evaluated the metabolic and proliferative functions upon FASN and LDHA inhibition in breast cancer models. Lastly, we integrated metabolomic and lipidomic analysis to define the contributions of metabolites, lipids, and precursors to the metabolic phenotypes. RESULTS: Collectively, our findings indicate metabolic shifts during breast cancer progression, unvealling two distinct functional energy phenotypes associated with aggressiveness and therapy response. Specifically, FASN exhibits reduced expression in advance-grade tumors and therapy-resistant forms, whereas LDHA demonstrates higher expression. Additionally, the biological and metabolic impact of blocking the enzymatic activity of FASN and LDHA was correlated with resistant conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These observations emphasize the intrinsic metabolic heterogeneity within breast cancer, thereby highlighting the relevance of metabolic interventions in the field of precision medicine.

Evidence that tirzepatide protects against diabetes-related cardiac damages.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are effective antidiabetic drugs with potential cardiovascular benefits. Despite their well-established role in reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), their impact on heart failure (HF) remains unclear. Therefore, our study examined the cardioprotective effects of tirzepatide (TZT), a novel glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. METHODS: A three-steps approach was designed: (i) Meta-analysis investigation with the primary objective of assessing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occurrence from major randomized clinical trials.; (ii) TZT effects on a human cardiac AC16 cell line exposed to normal (5 mM) and high (33 mM) glucose concentrations for 7 days. The gene expression and protein levels of primary markers related to cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, and calcium modulation were evaluated. (iii) In silico data from bioinformatic analyses for generating an interaction map that delineates the potential mechanism of action of TZT. RESULTS: Meta-analysis showed a reduced risk for MACE events by TZT therapy (HR was 0.59 (95% CI 0.40-0.79, Heterogeneity: r2 = 0.01, I2 = 23.45%, H2 = 1.31). In the human AC16 cardiac cell line treatment with 100 nM TZT contrasted high glucose (HG) levels increase in the expression of markers associated with fibrosis, hypertrophy, and cell death (p < 0.05 for all investigated markers). Bioinformatics analysis confirmed the interaction between the analyzed markers and the associated pathways found in AC16 cells by which TZT affects apoptosis, fibrosis, and contractility, thus reducing the risk of heart failure. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that TZT has beneficial effects on cardiac cells by positively modulating cardiomyocyte death, fibrosis, and hypertrophy in the presence of high glucose concentrations. This suggests that TZT may reduce the risk of diabetes-related cardiac damage, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic option for heart failure management clinical trials. Our study strongly supports the rationale behind the clinical trials currently underway, the results of which will be further investigated to gain insights into the cardiovascular safety and efficacy of TZT.

Plasma metabolomic and lipidomic profiles accurately classify mothers of children with congenital heart disease: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital anomaly, representing a significant global disease burden. Limitations exist in our understanding of aetiology, diagnostic methodology and screening, with metabolomics offering promise in addressing these. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate maternal metabolomics and lipidomics in prediction and risk factor identification for childhood CHD. METHODS: We performed an observational study in mothers of children with CHD following pregnancy, using untargeted plasma metabolomics and lipidomics by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). 190 cases (157 mothers of children with structural CHD (sCHD); 33 mothers of children with genetic CHD (gCHD)) from the children OMACp cohort and 162 controls from the ALSPAC cohort were analysed. CHD diagnoses were stratified by severity and clinical classifications. Univariate, exploratory and supervised chemometric methods were used to identify metabolites and lipids distinguishing cases and controls, alongside predictive modelling. RESULTS: 499 metabolites and lipids were annotated and used to build PLS-DA and SO-CovSel-LDA predictive models to accurately distinguish sCHD and control groups. The best performing model had an sCHD test set mean accuracy of 94.74% (sCHD test group sensitivity 93.33%; specificity 96.00%) utilising only 11 analytes. Similar test performances were seen for gCHD. Across best performing models, 37 analytes contributed to performance including amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides. CONCLUSIONS: Here, maternal metabolomic and lipidomic analysis has facilitated the development of sensitive risk prediction models classifying mothers of children with CHD. Metabolites and lipids identified offer promise for maternal risk factor profiling, and understanding of CHD pathogenesis in the future.

Sub-5-min RP-UHPLC-TIMS for high-throughput untargeted lipidomics and its application to multiple matrices.

Untargeted lipidomics, with its ability to take a snapshot of the lipidome landscape, is an important tool to highlight lipid changes in pathology or drug treatment models. One of the shortcomings of most untargeted lipidomics based on UHPLC-HRMS is the low throughput, which is not compatible with large-scale screening. In this contribution, we evaluate the application of a sub-5-min high-throughput four-dimensional trapped ion mobility mass spectrometry (HT-4D-TIMS) platform for the fast profiling of multiple complex biological matrices. Human AC-16 cells and mouse brain, liver, sclera, and feces were used as samples. By using a fast 4-min RP gradient, the implementation of TIMS allows us to differentiate coeluting isomeric and isobaric lipids, with correct precursor ion isolation, avoiding co-fragmentation and chimeric MS/MS spectra. Globally, the HT-4D-TIMS allowed us to annotate 1910 different lipid species, 1308 at the molecular level and 602 at the sum composition level, covering 58 lipid subclasses, together with quantitation capability covering more than three orders of magnitude. Notably, TIMS values were highly comparable with respect to longer LC gradients (CV% = 0.39%). These results highlight how HT-4D-TIMS-based untargeted lipidomics possess high coverage and accuracy, halving the analysis time with respect to conventional UHPLC methods, and can be used for fast and accurate untargeted analysis of complex matrices to rapidly evaluate changes of lipid metabolism in disease models or drug discovery campaigns.

Link between organic nanovescicles from vegetable kingdom and human cell physiology: intracellular calcium signalling.

BACKGROUND: Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) are a novelty in medical and agrifood environments, with several studies exploring their functions and potential applications. Among fruits, apples (sp. Malus domestica) have great potential as PDNVs source, given their widespread consumption, substantial waste production, and recognized health benefits. Notably, apple-derived nanovesicles (ADNVs) can interact with human cell lines, triggering anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses. This work is dedicated to the comprehensive biochemical characterization of apple-derived nanovesicles (ADNVs) through proteomic and lipidomic analysis, and small RNAs sequencing. This research also aims to shed light on the underlying mechanism of action (MOA) when ADNVs interface with human cells, through observation of intracellular calcium signalling in human fibroblasts, and to tackles differences in ADNVs content when isolated from fruits derived from integrated and organic production methods cultivars. RESULTS: The ADNVs fraction is mainly composed of exocyst-positive organelles (EXPOs) and MVB-derived exosomes, identified through size and molecular markers (Exo70 and TET-3-like proteins). ADNVs' protein cargo is heterogeneous and exhibits a diverse array of functions, especially in plant's protection (favouring ABA stress-induced signalling, pathogen resistance and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) metabolism). Noteworthy plant miRNAs also contribute to phytoprotection. In relation with human cells lines, ADNVs elicit spikes of intracellular Ca2+ levels, utilizing the cation as second messenger, and produce an antioxidant effect. Lastly, organic samples yield a substantial increase in ADNV production and are particularly enriched in bioactive lysophospholipids. CONCLUSIONS: We have conclusively demonstrated that ADNVs confer an antioxidant effect upon human cells, through the initiation of a molecular pathway triggered by Ca2+ signalling. Within ADNVs, a plethora of bioactive proteins, small RNAs, and lipids have been identified, each possessing well-established functions within the realm of plant biology. While ADNVs predominantly function in plants, to safeguard against pathogenic agents and abiotic stressors, it is noteworthy that proteins with antioxidant power might act as antioxidants within human cells.

Infiltrating macrophages amplify doxorubicin-induced cardiac damage: role of catecholamines.

BACKGROUND: The functional contribution of non-myocyte cardiac cells, such as inflammatory cells, in the setup of heart failure in response to doxorubicin (Dox) is recently becoming of growing interest. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to evaluate the role of macrophages in cardiac damage elicited by Dox treatment. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were treated with one intraperitoneal injection of Dox (20 mg/kg) and followed up for 5 days by cardiac ultrasounds (CUS), histological, and flow cytometry evaluations. We also tested the impact of Dox in macrophage-depleted mice. Rat cardiomyoblasts were directly treated with Dox (D-Dox) or with a conditioned medium from cultured murine macrophages treated with Dox (M-Dox). RESULTS: In response to Dox, macrophage infiltration preceded cardiac damage. Macrophage depletion prevents Dox-induced damage, suggesting a key role of these cells in promoting cardiotoxicity. To evaluate the crosstalk between macrophages and cardiac cells in response to DOX, we compared the effects of D-Dox and M-Dox in vitro. Cell vitality was lower in cardiomyoblasts and apoptosis was higher in response to M-Dox compared with D-Dox. These events were linked to p53-induced mitochondria morphology, function, and autophagy alterations. We identify a mechanistic role of catecholamines released by Dox-activated macrophages that lead to mitochondrial apoptosis of cardiac cells through ß-AR stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that crosstalk between macrophages and cardiac cells participates in cardiac damage in response to Dox.

Multi-omics analysis reveals attenuation of cellular stress by empagliflozin in high glucose-treated human cardiomyocytes.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors constitute the gold standard treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Among them, empagliflozin (EMPA) has shown beneficial effects against heart failure. Because cardiovascular diseases (mainly diabetic cardiomyopathy) are the leading cause of death in diabetic patients, the use of EMPA could be, simultaneously, cardioprotective and antidiabetic, reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular causes and decreasing the risk of hospitalization for heart failure in T2DM patients. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that EMPA has positive benefits for people with and without diabetes. This finding broadens the scope of EMPA function beyond glucose regulation alone to include a more intricate metabolic process that is, in part, still unknown. Similarly, this significantly increases the number of people with heart diseases who may be eligible for EMPA treatment. METHODS: This study aimed to clarify the metabolic effect of EMPA on the human myocardial cell model by using orthogonal metabolomics, lipidomics, and proteomics approaches. The untargeted and multivariate analysis mimicked the fasting blood sugar level of T2DM patients (hyperglycemia: HG) and in the average blood sugar range (normal glucose: NG), with and without the addition of EMPA. RESULTS: Results highlighted that EMPA was able to modulate and partially restore the levels of multiple metabolites associated with cellular stress, which were dysregulated in the HG conditions, such as nicotinamide mononucleotide, glucose-6-phosphate, lactic acid, FA 22:6 as well as nucleotide sugars and purine/pyrimidines. Additionally, EMPA regulated the levels of several lipid sub-classes, in particular dihydroceramide and triacylglycerols, which tend to accumulate in HG conditions resulting in lipotoxicity. Finally, EMPA counteracted the dysregulation of endoplasmic reticulum-derived proteins involved in cellular stress management. CONCLUSIONS: These results could suggest an effect of EMPA on different metabolic routes, tending to rescue cardiomyocyte metabolic status towards a healthy phenotype.

Integrated plasma metabolomics and lipidomics profiling highlights distinctive signature of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV patients.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is essential towards the improvement of prognosis and patient survival. Circulating markers such as α-fetoprotein (AFP) and micro-RNAs represent useful tools but still have limitations. Identifying new markers can be fundamental to improve both diagnosis and prognosis. In this approach, we harness the potential of metabolomics and lipidomics to uncover potential signatures of HCC. METHODS: A combined untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics plasma profiling of 102 HCV-positive patients was performed by HILIC and RP-UHPLC coupled to Mass Spectrometry. Biochemical parameters of liver function (AST, ALT, GGT) and liver cancer biomarkers (AFP, CA19.9 e CEA) were evaluated by standard assays. RESULTS: HCC was characterized by an elevation of short and long-chain acylcarnitines, asymmetric dimethylarginine, methylguanine, isoleucylproline and a global reduction of lysophosphatidylcholines. A supervised PLS-DA model showed that the predictive accuracy for HCC class of metabolomics and lipidomics was superior to AFP for the test set (100.00% and 94.40% vs 55.00%). Additionally, the model was applied to HCC patients with AFP values < 20 ng/mL, and, by using only the top 20 variables selected by VIP scores achieved an Area Under Curve (AUC) performance of 0.94. CONCLUSION: These exploratory findings highlight how metabo-lipidomics enables the distinction of HCC from chronic HCV conditions. The identified biomarkers have high diagnostic potential and could represent a viable tool to support and assist in HCC diagnosis, including AFP-negative patients.

Enhanced selective capture of phosphomonoester lipids enabling highly sensitive detection of sphingosine 1-phosphate.

Sphingolipids play crucial roles in cellular membranes, myelin stability, and signalling responses to physiological cues and stress. Among them, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) has been recognized as a relevant biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases, and its analogue FTY-720 has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Focusing on these targets, we here report three novel polymeric capture phases for the selective extraction of the natural biomarker and its analogue drug. To enhance analytical performance, we employed different synthetic approaches using a cationic monomer and a hydrophobic copolymer of styrene-DVB. Results have demonstrated high affinity of the sorbents towards S1P and fingolimod phosphate (FTY-720-P, FP). This evidence proved that lipids containing phosphate diester moiety in their structures did not constitute obstacles for the interaction of phosphate monoester lipids when loaded into an SPE cartridge. Our suggested approach offers a valuable tool for developing efficient analytical procedures.

A Multi-Omics Approach Revealed Common Dysregulated Pathways in Type One and Type Two Endometrial Cancers.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most frequent gynecologic cancer in postmenopausal women. Pathogenetic mechanisms that are related to the onset and progression of the disease are largely still unknown. A multi-omics strategy can help identify altered pathways that could be targeted for improving therapeutical approaches. In this study we used a multi-omics approach on four EC cell lines for the identification of common dysregulated pathways in type 1 and 2 ECs. We analyzed proteomics and metabolomics of AN3CA, HEC1A, KLE and ISHIKAWA cell lines by mass spectrometry. The bioinformatic analysis identified 22 common pathways that are in common with both types of EC. In addition, we identified five proteins and 13 metabolites common to both types of EC. Western blotting analysis on 10 patients with type 1 and type 2 EC and 10 endometria samples confirmed the altered abundance of NPEPPS. Our multi-omics analysis identified dysregulated proteins and metabolites involved in EC tumor growth. Further studies are needed to understand the role of these molecules in EC. Our data can shed light on common pathways to better understand the mechanisms involved in the development and growth of EC, especially for the development of new therapies.

Prenatal and Early Postnatal Cerebral d-Aspartate Depletion Influences l-Amino Acid Pathways, Bioenergetic processes, and Developmental Brain Metabolism.

d-Amino acids were believed to occur only in bacteria and invertebrates. Today, it is well known that d-amino acids are also present in mammalian tissues in a considerable amount. In particular, high levels of free d-serine (d-Ser) and d-aspartate (d-Asp) are found in the brain. While the functions of d-Ser are well known, many questions remain unanswered regarding the role of d-Asp in the central nervous system. d-Asp is very abundant at the embryonic stage, while it strongly decreases after birth because of the expression of d-aspartate oxidase (Ddo) enzyme, which catalyzes the oxidation of this d-amino acid into oxaloacetate, ammonium, and hydrogen peroxide. Pharmacologically, d-Asp acts as an endogenous agonist of N-methyl d-aspartate and mGlu5 receptors, which are known to control fundamental brain processes, including brain development, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. In this work, we studied a recently generated knockin mouse model (R26ddo/ddo), which was designed to express DDO beginning at the zygotic stage. This strategy enables d-Asp to be almost eliminated in both prenatal and postnatal lives. To understand which biochemical pathways are affected by depletion of d-Asp, in this study, we carried out a metabolomic and lipidomic study of ddo knockin brains at different stages of embryonic and postnatal development, combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) techniques. Our study shows that d-Asp deficiency in the brain influences amino acid pathways such as threonine, glycine, alanine, valine, and glutamate. Interestingly, d-Asp is also correlated with metabolites involved in brain development and functions such as choline, creatine, phosphocholine (PCho), glycerophosphocholine (GPCho), sphingolipids, and glycerophospholipids, as well as metabolites involved in brain energy metabolism, such as GPCho, glucose, and lactate.

Aloe gel-base food products: Chemical, toxicological, and regulatory aspects.

Aloe products are increasingly valued as ingredients in food supplements and flavoring agents. In early March 2020, the European Commission drafted a ban on the use of Aloe products that contain hydroxyanthracene derivatives (HADs) in food, following the opinion on concerns about the toxicity of vegetable extracts containing HADs carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Aloe gel preparation is characterized by minimal amounts of HADs, only present as contaminants during extraction, compared to other sold Aloe preparations such as Aloe latex and Aloe whole leaf extract. This review provides a comprehensive account of the toxicological aspects of Aloe gel, and briefly discusses the chemical profile of other Aloe preparations. Unlike these other preparations, pure Aloe gel shows no toxic effects. However, further toxicological studies remain necessary to establish the maximum permissible limit of HAD contaminants in Aloe gel, considering daily doses and maximum duration of treatments. Finally, officially validated analytical methods for determination of HADs are required, in the form of tools for use by Companies and Competent Authorities to ensure the absence of HAD contamination in raw materials or in finished products.

Lipid Nanoparticles Traverse Non-Corneal Path to Reach the Posterior Eye Segment: In Vivo Evidence.

Lipid-based nanocarriers (LNs) have made it possible to prolong corneal residence time and improve the ocular bioavailability of ophthalmic drugs. In order to investigate how the LNs interact with the ocular mucosa and reach the posterior eye segment, we have formulated lipid nanocarriers that were designed to bear a traceable fluorescent probe in the present work. The chosen fluorescent probe was obtained by a conjugation reaction between fluoresceinamine and the solid lipid excipient stearic acid, forming a chemically synthesized adduct (ODAF, N-(3',6'-dihydroxy-3-oxospiro [isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'-[9H] xanthen]-5-yl)-octadecanamide). The novel formulation (LN-ODAF) has been formulated and characterized in terms of its technological parameters (polydispersity index, mean particle size and zeta potential), while an in vivo study was carried out to assess the ability of LN-ODAF to diffuse through different ocular compartments. LN-ODAF were in nanometric range (112.7 nm ± 0.4), showing a good homogeneity and long-term stability. A TEM (transmission electron microscopy) study corroborated these results of characterization. In vivo results pointed out that after ocular instillation, LN ODAF were concentrated in the cornea (two hours), while at a longer time (from the second hour to the eighth hour), the fluorescent signals extended gradually towards the back of the eye. From the results obtained, LN-ODAF demonstrated a potential use of lipid-based nanoparticles as efficient carriers of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) involved in the management of retinal diseases.

Indole-3-lactic acid, a metabolite of tryptophan, secreted by Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis is anti-inflammatory in the immature intestine.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a necrotic inflammation of the intestine, represents a major health problem in the very premature infant. Although prevention is difficult, the combination of ingestion of maternal-expressed breastmilk in conjunction with a probiotic provides the best protection. In this study, we establish a mechanism for breastmilk/probiotic protection. METHODS: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) secretions was used to identify an anti-inflammatory molecule. Indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) was then tested in an established human immature small intestinal cell line, necrotizing colitis enterocytes, and other immature human enteroids for anti-inflammatory effects and to establish developmental function. ILA was also examined in immature and mature enterocytes. RESULTS: We have identified ILA, a metabolite of breastmilk tryptophan, as the anti-inflammatory molecule. This molecule is developmentally functional in immature but not mature intestinal enterocytes; ILA reduces the interleukin-8 (IL-8) response after IL-1ß stimulus. It interacts with the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and prevents transcription of the inflammatory cytokine IL-8. CONCLUSIONS: This molecule produced by B. infantis (ATCC No. 15697) interaction with ingested breastmilk functions in a complementary manner and could become useful in the treatment of all at-risk premature infants for NEC if safety and clinical studies are performed.

A Novel Promising Frontier for Human Health: The Beneficial Effects of Nutraceuticals in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and diabetes are a significant public health problem worldwide. Although several novel pharmacological treatments to reduce the progression of CVDs have been discovered during the last 20 years, the better way to contain the onset of CVDs remains prevention. In this regard, nutraceuticals seem to own a great potential in maintaining human health, exerting important protective cardiovascular effects. In the last years, there has been increased focus on identifying natural compounds with cardiovascular health-promoting effects and also to characterize the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many review articles have focused on the individual natural compound impact on cardiovascular diseases, the aim of this manuscript was to examine the role of the most studied nutraceuticals, such as resveratrol, cocoa, quercetin, curcumin, brassica, berberine and Spirulina platensis, on different CVDs.

Development of Chitosan/Mannitol Microparticles as Delivery System for the Oral Administration of a Spirulina Bioactive Peptide Extract.

Spirulina platensis contains several compounds showing nutritional and therapeutic benefits. Recently, a series of peptides able to reduce the blood pressure level and to enhance the endothelial vasorelaxation was isolated from the hydrolyzed highly water-soluble Spirulina extract (HSE). However, HSE shows critical organoleptic characteristics also having poor intestinal permeability, limiting absorption when orally delivered. This research aims to overcome the critical issues through the encapsulation of HSE in Chitosan/Mannitol-(CM)-based microparticles by spray drying. The produced powders (CM-HSE) showed good process yield (≈70%) and encapsulation efficiency (≈100%) also having good derived flow properties as well as stability up to six months storage. The microparticles constituting the spray-dried powder resulted in an amorphous micrometric state (d50 ≈ 14 µm) able to retain dark colour and unpleasant smell of raw HSE. Moreover, the in vitro permeation study by Franz cell indicated that the engineered microparticles are able to enhance the permeation of HSE through an intestinal biomimetic barrier (551.13 µg/cm2 CM-HSE vs. 315.46 µg/cm2 HSE at 270 min).

Yield parameters and antioxidant compounds of tomato fruit: the role of plant defence inducers with or without Cucumber mosaic virus infection.

BACKGROUND: The production of fruit and vegetables rich in health-promoting components in an eco-friendly context represents the winning answer to the world population demand for food. In this study, the effects of different treatments on the yield and fruit chemical characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are reported. The treatments included three inducers of plant defence responses (chitosan, Trichoderma harzianum T-22 and Bacillus subtilis QST713) applied alone or before Cucumber mosaic virus infection. Fruit production and antioxidant compounds were investigated by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS: Compared to control fruit harvested from untreated and healthy plants, treatment with QST713 increased the fruit number. Furthermore, plant treatments with T22, QST713 and chitosan alone enhanced fruit carotenoids (lutein and ß-carotene), ascorbic acid and phenolic acids (caffeoyl glucoside and p-coumaroyl glucoside). In parallel, compared to fruit harvested from only CMV-infected plants, treatments with T22, QST713 and chitosan before CMV enhanced fruit ascorbic acid and flavonoids (quercetin 3-O-xylosyl-rutinoside and rutin). CONCLUSION: Antioxidant compounds of tomato fruit can increase with the application of the plant defence inducers, thus protecting both the consumer and plant health. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemical profiling of bioactive constituents in hop cones and pellets extracts by online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and direct infusion Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Humulus lupulus L. (hop) is highly interesting from a nutraceutical perspective. The hop phytocomplex contains a wide range of bioactive metabolites, and its characterization is challenging. To tackle such a task, for the first time we applied and compared a combined approach consisting of online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and direct infusion Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry. A reversed phase × reversed phase approach with a shifted gradient in the second dimension ensured selectivity and two-dimensional space coverage. Hyphenation with an ion trap time-of-flight analyzer led to the identification of 83 compounds in 70 min, comprising a novel quercetin derivative and six unknown bitter acids. On the other hand, the direct infusion method was able to identify 40 analytes (except isomers) with high mass accuracy (≤ 0.1 ppm) in less than 1 min analysis time. The developed approach can be used in a complementary way, combining the separation capability and high informative spectra of two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with the ultra-high mass accuracy of direct infusion, for potential compound discovery or the accurate profiling of bioactive compounds in different hop cultivars as well as for monitoring processing and storage of hop-based products.