Maternal propionate supplementation ameliorates glucose and lipid metabolic disturbance in hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), one of the major complications of pregnancy, is characterized by low birth weight and results in higher risks for long-term problems including developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially propionate, have been reported to correct glucose and lipid disorders in metabolic diseases. We hypothesized that maternal propionate supplementation could prevent glucose and lipid metabolic disturbance in hypoxia-induced IUGR. Here, in our study, maternal hypoxia was induced from gestational day (GD) 11 to GD 17.5 to establish an IUGR mouse model. Maternal propionate treatment reversed reduced birth weight in male IUGR offspring. Hepatic transcriptomics demonstrated that SP treatment significantly lowered glucose and lipid metabolism-related genes (Scd1, G6pc, Pck1 and Fasl) in IUGR offspring. KOG enrichment analysis showed that propionate-induced down-regulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) mainly belonged to lipid transport and metabolism. KEGG enrichment results showed that the down-regulated DEGs were mostly enriched in PPAR and FoxO signaling pathways. We also found that maternal oral administration of SP decreased serum lipid content, attenuated hepatic insulin resistance and liver lipid accumulation, reduced hepatic key gene expressions of gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis, increased energy expenditure and improved liver function in 11-week-old male IUGR offspring. These results indicate that maternal propionate supplementation increases birth weight and corrects hepatic glucose and lipid metabolic disturbance and energy expenditure in male mice born with IUGR, which may provide a basis for using propionate to treat IUGR disease.

Research on fuzi based on animal thermotropism behavior to discover if it has fewer "hot" characteristics without Ganjiang.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata) has fewer "hot" characteristics when administered without Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis). METHODS: Differences in the thermotropism behaviors of mice treated either with fuzi (Radix Aconiti Praeparata), Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) or the combination of the two given intragastrically were investigated using the Animal Thermotropism Behavior Surveillance System. The water intake volume, oxygen consumption volume, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity were determined during the investigation. RESULTS: When fuzi and ganjiang were administered together, the rate at which mice remained on a warm plate ("remaining rate") and the times and distances of their movement were all significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the Normal group, the reduction was 55.1%, 48.3% and 44.8%, while compared with the Fuzi group, the reduction was 57.6%, 34.3% and 36.0%, indicating that "cold" tropism was significantly increased. Compared with the normal and fuzi groups, the ATPase activity and the respiratory oxygen consumption volume of the fuzi + ganjiang group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), suggesting an improvement in energy metabolism and showing a "hot" characteristic when Fuzi and Ganjiang are present together. Additionally, the T-AOC and T-SOD activity were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The behavior of mice tending toward "cold" tropism can be regarded as a quantitative reflection of Fuzi having fewer characteristics consistent with a "hot" nature when not used with Ganjiang, the functional mechanism of which may be a change in the ATPase activity in liver tissue.

[Effects of Cu2+ on nitrogen and phosphorus removal by ryegrass cultivated in eutrophic water body].

Solution culture experiment was carried out to investigate the effects on the removal efficiencies of N and P by perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) under the Cu stress and the ecological response of ryegrass to various dosages of Cu2+. The results indicated that the removal efficiencies of N and P decreased under all the intimidating conditions compared with the control tanks, which followed the second-rate equation. The removal efficiencies of N and P and the plant growth at low Cu2+ concentrations (< or = 0.2 mg/L) were higher than those at high Cu2+ concentration (> or = 0.5 mg/L), and the biomass (dry weight) was increased at low Cu2+ concentrations (< or = 0.2 mg/L) relative to control solution. In addition, the plant was able to remove Cu2+ in the eutrophic water simultaneously, and the removal efficiencies under the high Cu2+ concentrations were higher than those under low Cu2+ concentrations. Results show that the root was the main section for accumulating Cu2+ and the data of Cu2+ uptake by perennial ryegrass fitted Michaelis-Menten kinetics equation. Perennial ryegrass were sensitive to Cu2+ treatment. Root elongation was reduced in Cu2+ treatment solutions, but the numbers of new-growth roots increased compared with those cultivated in control solution.