Improvement of qualitative and quantitative traits in cotton under normal and stressed environments using genomics and biotechnological tools: A review.

Due to the increasing demand for high-quality and high fiber-yielding cotton (Gossypium spp.), research into the development of stress-resilient cotton cultivars has acquired greater significance. Various biotic and abiotic stressors greatly affect cotton production and productivity, posing challenges to the future of the textile industry. Moreover, the content and quality of cottonseed oil can also potentially be influenced by future environmental conditions. Apart from conventional methods, genetic engineering has emerged as a potential tool to improve cotton fiber quality and productivity. Identification and modification of genome sequences and the expression levels of yield-related genes using genetic engineering approaches have enabled to increase both the quality and yields of cotton fiber and cottonseed oil. Herein, we evaluate the significance and molecular mechanisms associated with the regulation of cotton agronomic traits under both normal and stressful environmental conditions. In addition, the importance of gossypol, a toxic phenolic compound in cottonseed that can limit consumption by animals and humans, is reviewed and discussed.

Oil candidate genes in seeds of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and functional validation of GhPXN1.

BACKGROUND: Cottonseed oil is a promising edible plant oil with abundant unsaturated fatty acids. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the characteristics of cottonseed oil. The molecular mechanism of cottonseed oil accumulation remains unclear. RESULTS: In the present study, we conducted comparative transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis for two G. hirsutum materials with significant difference in cottonseed oil content. Results showed that, between the high oil genotype 6053 (H6053) and the low oil genotype 2052 (L2052), a total of 412, 507, 1,121, 1,953, and 2,019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 DPA, respectively. Remarkably, a large number of the down-regulated DEGs were enriched in the phenylalanine metabolic processes. Investigation into the dynamic changes of expression profiling of genes associated with both phenylalanine metabolism and oil biosynthesis has shed light on a significant competitive relationship in substrate allocation during cottonseed development. Additionally, the WGCNA analysis of all DEGs identified eight distinct modules, one of which includes GhPXN1, a gene closely associated with oil accumulation. Through phylogenetic analysis, we hypothesized that GhPXN1 in G. hirsutum might have been introgressed from G. arboreum. Overexpression of the GhPXN1 gene in tobacco leaf suggested a significant reduction in oil content compared to the empty-vector transformants. Furthermore, ten other crucial oil candidate genes identified in this study were also validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study enhances our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying cottonseed oil accumulation.

The effect of cottonseed oil on lipids/lipoproteins: a systematic review and plasma cholesterol predictive equations estimations.

CONTEXT: Cottonseed oil (CSO) is higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) than many liquid plant oils. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining effects of CSO on markers of lipid metabolism and evaluate lipid and lipoprotein effects of incorporating CSO into a healthy dietary pattern using regression equations. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted for RCTs comparing CSO with a non-CSO comparator in any population. DATA ANALYSES: The Katan regression equation was used to predict lipid/lipoprotein changes when incorporating CSO into a US-style healthy eating pattern at 25 to 100% of the total oil allowance (ie, 27 g/2000 kcal) compared with average American intake (NHANES 2017 to 2020 pre-COVID pandemic). RESULTS: In total, 3 eligible publications (n = 2 trials), with 58 participants that provided 44% and 30% of total energy as CSO, were included. Fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; ≈ -7.7 mg/dL) and triglycerides (≈ -7.5 mg/dL) were lower after 5 days of a CSO-enriched diet vs olive oil (OO). In a 56-day trial, CSO lowered total cholesterol (TC; ≈ -14.8 mg/dL), LDL-C (≈ -14.0 mg/dL), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (≈ -14.2 mg/dL) vs OO. Postprandially, angiopoietin-like protein-3, -4, and -8 concentrations decreased with CSO and increased with OO intake. Compared with average American intake, a healthy eating pattern with 27 g of CSO was estimated to lower TC (-8.1 mg/dL) and LDL-C (-7.3 mg/dL) levels, with minimal reduction in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-1.1 mg/dL). Compared with the healthy eating pattern, incorporating 27 g of CSO was predicted to increase TC and LDL-C levels by 2.4 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: Limited high-quality research suggests CSO may improve lipid/lipoprotein levels compared with OO. Cholesterol predictive equations suggest CSO can be incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern without significantly affecting lipids/lipoproteins.

Development of a new generation of miniemulsion based on cottonseed oil with α-tocopherol and ZnO and evaluation of its adjuvant activity.

Background: Emulsions have been widely used as immunological adjuvants. But the use of materials derived from plants such as cottonseed oil, alpha-tocopherol, or minerals such as zinc, as well as their use at the nanometric scale has been little explored. In this study, we develop a new miniemulsion and evaluated its antioxidant and phagocytic capacity, as well as parameters related to immune response stimulation by cytokine expression and antibodies production in a mice model. Methods: Formulated CN (cottonseed oil miniemulsion) and CNZ (cottonseed oil miniemulsion whit zinc oxide nanoparticles) miniemulsions were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy SEM, DLS and FT-IR. In murine macrophages, splenocytes and thymocytes primary cultures safety and cytotoxicity were determined by MTT. In macrophages the antioxidant and phagocytic capacity was evaluated. In BALB/c mice, the stimulation of the immune system was determined by the expression of cytokines and the production of antibodies. Results: The CN and CNZ presented stability for 90 days. Immediately after preparation, the CN presented a higher particle size (543.1 nm) than CNZ (320 nm). FT-IR demonstrated the correct nanoparticle synthesis by the absence of sulfate groups. CN and CNZ (1.25 to 10 µL/mL) had no toxic effect on macrophages (p = 0.108), splenocytes (p = 0.413), and thymocytes (p = 0.923). All CN and CNZ doses tested induced nitric oxide and antioxidants production in dose dependent manner when compared with control. CN-ovalbumin and CNZ-ovalbumin treatments in femoral subcutaneous tissue area showed inflammation with higher leukocyte infiltration compared with FCA. The intraperitoneal administration with CN, CNZ, and FCA showed a higher total intraperitoneal cells recruitment (CD14+) after 24 h of inoculation than control (p = 0.0001). CN and CNZ increased the phagocyte capacity with respect to untreated macrophages in the Candida albicans-phagocytosis assay. The evaluation of residual CFU indicated that only CN significantly decreased (p = 0.004) this value at 3 h. By other side, only CN increased (p = 0.002) the nitric oxide production. CNZ stimulated a major INFγ secretion compared with FCA at day 7. A major IL-2 secretion was observed at days 7 and 14, stimulated with CN and CNZ. Both miniemulsions did not affect the antibody isotypes production (IgG1, IgG2a, IgG3, IgA and IgM) at days 7, 14, 28, and 42. CN induced a significant IgG production against OVA, but lesser than FCA. Conclusions: The two new miniemulsions with adjuvant and antioxidant capacity, were capable of generating leukocyte infiltration and increased cytokines and antibodies production.

Reduced-Cost Production of Sophorolipids by Starmerella bombicola CGMCC1576 Grown on Cottonseed Molasses and Cottonseed Oil-Based Medium.

A large-scale application of sophorolipids (SLs) was blocked by their high production cost. One feasible way to reduce the cost of SL production is to develop cheap feedstocks as the substrates for SL fermentation. In the present work, cottonseed molasses (CM), a waste from raffinose production, was used as the hydrophilic substrate;, and cottonseed oil (CO) was used as a hydrophobic substrate for SL production by Starmerella bombicola CGMCC 1576. The primary optimization of carbon sources, nitrogen source and inorganic salts, produced 57.6 ± 2.3 g/L of total SLs and 24.0 ± 1.2 g/L of lactonic SLs on CM and CO, almost equal to the titer of SLs produced from glucose and oleic. A response surface method was applied to optimize the fermentation medium for growth and SL production of S. bombicola. The production of total SLs reached 58.4 ± 3.4 g/L, and lactonic SLs were elevated to more than 25.0 ± 1.9 g/L. HPLC-MS analysis showed that the compositions of SLs produced by S. bombicola on CM and CO were very similar to those on glucose and oleic acid. These results suggested that cottonseed molasses and cottonseed oil can be used as renewable cheap substrates for the reduced-cost production of SLs.

Cottonseed oil: A review of extraction techniques, physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties.

Seed oils are the richest source of vitamin-E-active compounds, which contribute significantly to antioxidant activities. Cottonseed oil (CS-O) is attaining more consideration owing to its high fiber content and stability against auto-oxidation. CS-O has gained a good reputation in the global edible oil market due to its distinctive fatty acid profile, anti-inflammatory, and cardio-protective properties. CS-O can be extracted from cottonseed (CS) by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), aqueous/solvent extraction (A/SE), aqueous ethanol extraction (A-EE), subcritical water extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SC-CO2), and enzyme-assisted extraction (E-AE). In this review, the importance, byproducts, physicochemical characteristics, and nutritional profile of CS-O have been explained in detail. This paper also provides a summary of scientific studies existing on functional and phytochemical characteristics of CS-O. Its consumption and health benefits are also deliberated to discover its profitability and applications. CS-O contains 26-35% saturated, 42-52% polyunsaturated, and 18-24% monounsaturated FA. There is approximately 1000 ppm of tocopherols in unprocessed CS-O, but up to one-third is lost during processing. Moreover, besides being consumed as cooking oil, CS-O discovers applications in many fields such as biofuel, livestock, cosmetics, agriculture, and chemicals. This paper provides a comprehensive review of CS-O, its positive benefits, fatty acid profile, extraction techniques, and health applications.HighlightsCS-O is a rich source of exceptional fatty acids.Various techniques to extract the CS-O are discussed.Numerous physicochemical properties of CS-O for the potential market are assessed.It has a wide range of functional properties.Nutritional quality and health benefits are also evaluated.

A cottonseed oil-enriched diet improves liver and plasma lipid levels in a male mouse model of fatty liver.

A high-fat (HF) diet causes fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, and hypercholesterolemia, and cottonseed oil (CSO) has been shown to improve liver and plasma lipids in human and mouse models. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CSO vs. olive oil (OO)-enriched diets on lipid levels in a HF-diet model of fatty liver disease. We placed mice on a HF diet to induce obesity and fatty liver, after which mice were placed on CSO or OO diets, with chow and HF (5.1 kcal/g) groups as control. When CSO- and OO-fed mice were given isocaloric diets with the HF group, there were no differences in body weight, plasma, or hepatic lipids. However, when the CSO and OO diets were reduced in calories (4.0 kcal/g), CSO and OO groups reduced body weight. The CSO group had lower plasma total cholesterol (-56 ± 6%, P < 0.01), free cholesterol (-53 ± 7%, P < 0.01), triglycerides (-61 ± 14%, P < 0.01), and LDL (-42 ± 16%, P = 0.01) vs. HF group whereas the OO diet lowered LDL (-18 ± 12%, P = 0.05) vs. HF. Furthermore, the CSO diet decreased hepatic total cholesterol (-40 ± 12%, P < 0.01), free cholesterol (-23 ± 11%, P = 0.04), and triglycerides (-47 ± 12%, P = 0.02). There were no significant changes in lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation among the groups. However, the CSO group increased lipid oxidative gene expression in liver and dihydrosterculic acid increased PPARα target genes with in vitro models. Taken together, consuming a reduced calorie diet enriched in CSO reduces liver and plasma lipid profiles in an obese model of fatty liver.

Thermal Properties, Microstructure and Crystallization of Blends of Leaf Lard and Cottonseed Oil Stearin.

Blend oils composed by leaf lard (LL) and cottonseed oil stearin (COS) were prepared and the thermal property, microstructure and crystallization of these blends were investigated in the present study. Solid fat content (SFC), thermal behaviors, triacylglycerols composition, crystal structure and morphology of the LL and COS blends were determined by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (pNMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and polarized light microscope (PLM), respectively. SFC profiles and iso-solid diagrams indicated that SFCs of all blends were almost close to the weighted averages of the fat components at temperatures beyond 20°C; however, below 20°C, SFCs of blends exhibited higher than those of the weighted averages of the fat components. With the content of COS increasing, palmitic acid and linoleic acid in the blends increased, while stearic acid and oleic acid decreased; monounsaturated-disaturated (USS) and triunsaturated (UUU) glycerides in the blends enhanced, while monosaturated-diunsaturated (UUS) glycerides declined. The melting temperature of the blends decreased with the increase of COS content. The crystal forms in LL were ß' and ß, and the packing pattern was double and triple chain length (2L and 3L). With COS in blends increasing, ß' form crystals and 3L pattern reduced. Polarized light micrographs showed that the number of crystal particles in the blends raised with the increase of COS content, meanwhile, the grainsize of the sample gradually decreased. Visual appearances of the blends indicated that blending LL with COS could efficiently reduce the graininess of LL. The addition of COS had a significant effect on the crystallization behavior of LL. LL presented one-step crystallization at 10°C and 20°C, while COS showed two-step crystallization at 10°C and one-step crystallization at 20°C. However, the blends exhibited obvious two-step crystallization at 10°C, one-step or slight two-step crystallization at 20°C.

NMR-based metabolomics reveals tissue metabolic responses to tetramethoxy gossypol in cottonseed oil.

BACKGROUND: Cottonseed oil is one of the most widely consumed cooking oils because of its high nutritional benefits and relatively low price. The present study evaluated the effects of tetramethoxy gossypol (TMG), a rarely reported degradation product of free gossypol produced in crudely extracted cottonseed oil, on the metabolic responses of liver, heart, spleen, kidney and lung tissues in rats using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H NMR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric and bioinformatics techniques. RESULTS: Endogenous low-molecular-weight metabolites in rat liver, heart, spleen, kidney and lung tissues were profiled by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The unsupervised principal components analysis and the supervised orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed that the metabolic profiles in liver samples were greatly changed after TMG administration. Twenty significantly changed liver metabolites were screened out and further evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, which were closely related to amino acid, glutathione, energy and lipid metabolism. CONCLUSION: Concerning the potential chronic exposure to TMG in cottonseed oil and other cottonseed products, the cumulative effects of dietary TMG on tissues, especially the liver, should be noted when improving the quality control standard of cottonseed oil. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Blood Lipid Responses to Diets Enriched with Cottonseed Oil Compared With Olive Oil in Adults with High Cholesterol in a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Increasing unsaturated fat intake is beneficial for cardiovascular health, but the type of unsaturated fat to recommend remains equivocal. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of an 8-week diet intervention that was rich in either cottonseed oil (CSO; PUFA rich) or olive oil (OO; MUFA rich) on blood lipids in hypercholesterolemic adults. METHODS: Forty-three men and women with hypercholesterolemia (53 ± 10 years; BMI, 27.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2) completed this randomized parallel clinical trial consisting of an 8-week partial outpatient feeding intervention. Participants were given meals and snacks accounting for ∼60% of their daily energy needs, with 30% of energy needs from either CSO (n = 21) or OO (n = 22). At pre- and postdiet intervention visits, participants consumed a high-SFA meal (35% of total energy needs; 70% of energy from fat). The primary outcomes of fasting cholesterol profiles and secondary outcomes of postprandial blood lipids and glycemic markers were assessed over a 5-hour period. RESULTS: There were greater reductions from baseline to week 8 in fasting serum total cholesterol (TC; -17.0 ± 3.94 mg/dL compared with -2.18 ± 3.72 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.008), LDL cholesterol (-19.7 ± 3.94 mg/dL compared with -5.72 ± 4.23 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.018), non-HDL cholesterol (-20.8 mg/dL ± 4.00 compared with -6.61 ± 4.01 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.014), and apoB (-11.8 mg/dL ± 2.37 compared with -3.10 ± 2.99 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.05), in CSO compared with OO. There were also visit effects from baseline to week 8 for increases in HDL cholesterol (CSO, 56.5 ± 2.79 mg/dL to 60.2 ± 3.35 mg/dL, respectively; OO: 59.7 ± 2.63 mg/dL to 64.1 ± 2.24 mg/dL, respectively; P < 0.001), and decreases in the TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio (CSO, 4.30 ± 0.27 mg/dL to 3.78 ± 0.27 mg/dL, respectively; OO, 3.94 ± 0.16 mg/dL to 3.57 ± 0.11 mg/dL, respectively; P < 0.001), regardless of group assignment. In response to the high-SFA meal, there were differences in postprandial plasma glucose (P = 0.003) and triglyceride (P = 0.004) responses and a trend in nonesterified fatty acids (P = 0.11) between groups, showing protection in the postprandial state from an occasional high-SFA fat meal with CSO, but not OO, diet enrichment. CONCLUSIONS: CSO, but not OO, diet enrichment caused substantial improvements in fasting and postprandial blood lipids and postprandial glycemia in hypercholesterolemic adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04397055.

Enhancement of cottonseed oil refining wastewater treatment by zero valent iron under sunlight irradiation and O2 bubbling.

This study is the first to apply a zero-valent iron (ZVI) system in the treatment of cottonseed oil (CTO) refining wastewater. The results indicated that the ZVI system can effectively degrade and mineralize CTO in the wastewater, whereas sunlight irradiation and O2 bubbling can considerably enhance CTO degradation, removing 93.5% of CTO and 69.0% of chemical oxygen demand within 180 min. In addition, a low concentration (0.1 mM) of SO42- and Cl- in the wastewater improved CTO degradation, whereas a high concentration (>1 mM) of these anions considerably inhibited the degradation process. However, NO3- at all concentrations hindered CTO degradation. Furthermore, OH and O2- were the main active species for CTO degradation in the ZVI system under dark conditions. However, in addition to these two species, photogenerated hole (h+) played a key role in CTO degradation under sunlight irradiation. This observation might be derived from the photocatalytic effect due to photoexcitation of the iron corrosion product, γ-FeOOH. Our findings show that the ZVI system assisted by sunlight irradiation and O2 bubbling is feasible for CTO-refining wastewater treatment and can guide the real wastewater treatment project.

Physicochemical features, functional characteristics, and health benefits of cottonseed oil: a review / Benefícios à saúde humana e características físico-químicas e funcionais do óleo de semente de algodão: uma revisão

Vegetable oils have their specific physicochemical properties due to which they are playing vital role in human nutritional diet for health benefits. Cottonseed oil is obtained from various species of cotton seeds that are famous to be grown mainly for their fiber quality. The most prominently used specie is Gossypium hirsutum. It is obvious that the seeds of different variety of cotton vary as grown in diverse agroclimatic conditions with respect to oil, fats and protein contents. Cottonseed oil is routinely used for cooking and food manufacturing products. Cottonseed oil obtained after proper extraction/processing steps from crude state to refined oil in a variety of ways. Cotton crop is considered for their dual-use purpose, for fiber quality and oil production to promote health benefits in the world. Keeping in view the above facts, this review clearly demonstrated an overview about physicochemical and functional properties of cottonseed oil to promote health benefits associated with the use of this oil. The overall characteristics and all concerned health benefits of CSO will further improve their usefulness is a compact way. We have summarized a brief multi-dimensional features of CSO in all aspects up to the best of our knowledge fort he end researchers who can further research in the respective aspect.

Os óleos vegetais têm propriedades físico-químicas específicas que desempenham um papel vital na dieta nutricional humana em benefício à saúde. O óleo de semente de algodão, utilizado rotineiramente no preparo e na fabricação de alimentos, é obtido através de várias espécies de sementes de algodão, famosas pela alta qualidade de sua fibra, cuja espécie mais utilizada é Gossypium hirsutum. As sementes variam, em relação ao teor do óleo, da gordura e das proteínas, de acordo com o cultivo e as diversas condições agroclimáticas. O óleo de algodão é obtido após etapas adequadas de extração das sementes e processamento do estado bruto ao refinado. Assim, a presente revisão demonstra, de maneira geral, as propriedades físico-químicas e funcionais do óleo de semente de algodão e seus benefícios à saúde humana, resumindo suas características multidimensionais. As características gerais e todos os benefícios do composto podem melhorar ainda mais se utilizadas de forma compacta, auxiliando futuros pesquisadores.

Physicochemical features, functional characteristics, and health benefits of cottonseed oil: a review / Benefícios à saúde humana e características físico-químicas e funcionais do óleo de semente de algodão: uma revisão

Vegetable oils have their specific physicochemical properties due to which they are playing vital role in human nutritional diet for health benefits. Cottonseed oil is obtained from various species of cotton seeds that are famous to be grown mainly for their fiber quality. The most prominently used specie is Gossypium hirsutum. It is obvious that the seeds of different variety of cotton vary as grown in diverse agroclimatic conditions with respect to oil, fats and protein contents. Cottonseed oil is routinely used for cooking and food manufacturing products. Cottonseed oil obtained after proper extraction/processing steps from crude state to refined oil in a variety of ways. Cotton crop is considered for their dual-use purpose, for fiber quality and oil production to promote health benefits in the world. Keeping in view the above facts, this review clearly demonstrated an overview about physicochemical and functional properties of cottonseed oil to promote health benefits associated with the use of this oil. The overall characteristics and all concerned health benefits of CSO will further improve their usefulness is a compact way. We have summarized a brief multi-dimensional features of CSO in all aspects up to the best of our knowledge for the end researchers who can further research in the respective aspect.

Os óleos vegetais têm propriedades físico-químicas específicas que desempenham um papel vital na dieta nutricional humana em benefício à saúde. O óleo de semente de algodão, utilizado rotineiramente no preparo e na fabricação de alimentos, é obtido através de várias espécies de sementes de algodão, famosas pela alta qualidade de sua fibra., cuja espécie mais utilizada é Gossypium hirsutum. As sementes variam, em relação ao teor do óleo, da gordura e das proteínas, de acordo com o cultivo e as diversas condições agroclimáticas. O óleo de algodão é obtido após etapas adequadas de extração das sementes e processamento do estado bruto ao refinado. Assim, a presente revisão demonstra, de maneira geral, as propriedades físico-químicas e funcionais do óleo de semente de algodão e seus benefícios à saúde humana, resumindo suas características multidimensionais. As características gerais e todos os benefícios do composto podem melhorar ainda mais se utilizadas de forma compacta, auxiliando futuros pesquisadores.

A comprehensive review on different classes of polyphenolic compounds present in edible oils.

Edible oils are used as a frying medium and in the preparation of several food products. They are mainly constituting triacylglycerols as major components, while other compounds are classified as minor constituents, which include polyphenols. This class of compounds plays an important role in the thermal stability and quality attributes of the finished industrial food products. In addition to other antioxidants, the desired thermal stability of edible is achieved by either fortification or mixing of edible oils. This comprehensive review was therefore aimed to review the different classes of polyphenolic compounds present in commonly consumed edible oils. The edible oils reviewed include soybean, olive, rapeseed, canola, sunflower, flaxseed, sesame, cottonseed, palm, almond, peanut, chestnut, coconut, and hazelnut oils. The identified classes of polyphenolic compounds such as simple phenols, hydroxybenzoic acids, phenylethanoids, hydroxycinnamic acid, esters of hydroxycinnamic acids, coumarins & chromans, stilbenes, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and lignans were discussed. It was observed that a single edible from different origins showed the varied composition of the different classes of phenolic compounds. Among the oils, soybean, sunflower, olive, and brassica oils received higher attention in terms of polyphenol composition. Some classes of phenolic compounds were either not reported or absent in one edible oil, while present in others. Among the different classes of phenolics, hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acid and flavonoids were the most widely present compounds. Phenolic compounds in edible oils possess several health benefits such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, antioxidants, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic properties and anti-obesity.

Production of tocotrienols in seeds of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) enhances oxidative stability and offers nutraceutical potential.

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an economically important multi-purpose crop cultivated globally for fibre, seed oil and protein. Cottonseed oil also is naturally rich in vitamin E components (collectively known as tocochromanols), with α- and γ-tocopherols comprising nearly all of the vitamin E components. By contrast, cottonseeds have little or no tocotrienols, tocochromanols with a wide range of health benefits. Here, we generated transgenic cotton lines expressing the barley (Hordeum vulgare) homogentisate geranylgeranyl transferase coding sequence under the control of the Brassica napus seed-specific promoter, napin. Transgenic cottonseeds had ~twofold to threefold increases in the accumulation of total vitamin E (tocopherols + tocotrienols), with more than 60% γ-tocotrienol. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry imaging showed that γ-tocotrienol was localized throughout the transgenic embryos. In contrast, the native tocopherols were distributed unequally in both transgenic and non-transgenic embryos. α- Tocopherol was restricted mostly to cotyledon tissues and γ-tocopherol was more enriched in the embryonic axis tissues. Production of tocotrienols in cotton embryos had no negative impact on plant performance or yield of other important seed constituents including fibre, oil and protein. Advanced generations of two transgenic events were field grown, and extracts of transgenic seeds showed increased antioxidant activity relative to extracts from non-transgenic seeds. Furthermore, refined cottonseed oil from the two transgenic events showed 30% improvement in oxidative stability relative to the non-transgenic cottonseed oil. Taken together, these materials may provide new opportunities for cottonseed co-products with enhanced vitamin E profile for improved shelf life and nutrition.

Cottonseed Oil Alleviates Ischemic Stroke-Induced Oxidative Stress Injury Via Activating the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Oxidative stress is believed to be one of the primary causes in ischemic stroke injury, and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is the most important endogenous antioxidative stress damage pathway. Cottonseed oil (CSO), which is used mostly as a solvent for lipid-soluble drugs, has been shown to exert antioxidative effects against peripheral tissue injury. However, the effects and mechanisms of CSO on ischemic stroke-induced oxidative stress injury and the Nrf2 signaling pathway remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the potential of CSO in regulating oxidative stress injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO-R), or oxygen and glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD-R). We found that 1.3 mL/kg CSO treatment of male rats with a subcutaneous injection once every other day for 3 weeks significantly improved neurological deficit; reduced infarction volume; alleviated neuronal injuries; reduced the content of ROS and MDA; increased the activity of SOD, GSH, and GSH-PX; and markedly increased the expression of Nrf2. Furthermore, treatment with 10-9 µL/mL CSO to a neuron cell line (HT-22) for 24 h significantly increased cell viability and decreased cell apoptosis after OGD-R injury; significantly reduced the levels of ROS and MDA; increased the activity of SOD, GSH, and GSH-PX; and induced an increase in Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Based on our findings, we conclude that CSO treatment alleviates ischemic stroke injury-induced oxidative stress via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, highlighting the potential that CSO has as a therapeutic for ischemic strokes.

Cottonseed oil alleviates ischemic stroke injury by inhibiting the inflammatory activation of microglia and astrocyte.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death globally. The narrow time window for administering effective thrombolytic therapy motivates the search for alternative prevention strategies. Microglia and astrocyte activation-mediated inflammation play a pivotal role in ischemic stroke injury. Cottonseed oil (CSO) has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects against peripheral tissue injury, although CSO is mostly used as a solvent for lipid-soluble drugs. However, the role of CSO in neuroprotection against stroke has not been previously reported. METHODS: We treated adult male rats with CSO (1.3 ml/kg, subcutaneous injection, once every other day for 3 weeks) and then constructed a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Then, we measured the neurological scores, infarction volume, neuronal injury, and brain edema; we also measured the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α), degree of microglial and astrocytic activation, protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), C3d and S100A10, and the presence of A1 type astrocytes and A2 type astrocytes. RESULTS: We found that CSO treatment significantly improved the neurological deficit, reduced infarction volume, and alleviated neuronal injuries, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and brain edema. Additionally, CSO treatment significantly reduced microglial and astrocytic activation, inhibited TLR4 and NF-κB protein expression, and reduced the release of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. Finally, CSO treatment significantly decreased the number of C3d/glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells and C3d protein expression, and increased the number of S100A10/GFAP-positive cells and S100A10 protein expression. CONCLUSION: Our results first found that CSO treatment alleviated ischemic stroke injury by reducing microglial and astrocytic activation and inflammation, which was related to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the reduction of A1 phenotype neurotoxic astrocyte activation, suggesting that CSO could be a new strategy in the prevention of ischemic stroke.

Genetic dissection of an allotetraploid interspecific CSSLs guides interspecific genetics and breeding in cotton.

BACKGROUND: The low genetic diversity of Upland cotton limits the potential for genetic improvement. Making full use of the genetic resources of Sea-island cotton will facilitate genetic improvement of widely cultivated Upland cotton varieties. The chromosome segments substitution lines (CSSLs) provide an ideal strategy for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) in interspecific hybridization. RESULTS: In this study, a CSSL population was developed by PCR-based markers assisted selection (MAS), derived from the crossing and backcrossing of Gossypium hirsutum (Gh) and G. barbadense (Gb), firstly. Then, by whole genome re-sequencing, 11,653,661 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified which ultimately constructed 1211 recombination chromosome introgression segments from Gb. The sequencing-based physical map provided more accurate introgressions than the PCR-based markers. By exploiting CSSLs with mutant morphological traits, the genes responding for leaf shape and fuzz-less mutation in the Gb were identified. Based on a high-resolution recombination bin map to uncover genetic loci determining the phenotypic variance between Gh and Gb, 64 QTLs were identified for 14 agronomic traits with an interval length of 158 kb to 27 Mb. Surprisingly, multiple alleles of Gb showed extremely high value in enhancing cottonseed oil content (SOC). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides guidance for studying interspecific inheritance, especially breeding researchers, for future studies using the traditional PCR-based molecular markers and high-throughput re-sequencing technology in the study of CSSLs. Available resources include candidate position for controlling cotton quality and quantitative traits, and excellent breeding materials. Collectively, our results provide insights into the genetic effects of Gb alleles on the Gh, and provide guidance for the utilization of Gb alleles in interspecific breeding.

Supplementing the diet of dairy cows with fat or tannin reduces methane yield, and additively when fed in combination.

Addition of fats to the diets of ruminants has long been known to result in a reduction in enteric methane emissions. Tannins have also been used to reduce methane emissions but with mixed success. However, the effect of feeding fat in combination with tannin is unknown. Eight ruminally cannulated Holstein-Friesian cows were fed four diets in a double Latin-square, full crossover sequence. The treatments were 800 ml/day of water (CON), 800 g/day of cottonseed oil, 400 g/day of tannin, and 800 g/day of cottonseed oil and 400 g/day of tannin in combination (fat- and tannin-supplemented diet). Methane emissions were measured using open-circuit respiration chambers. Intake of basal diets was not different between treatments. Cows fed cottonseed oil had greater milk yield (34.9 kg/day) than those fed CON (32.3 kg/day), but the reduced concentration of milk fat meant there was no difference in energy-corrected milk between treatments. Methane yield was reduced when either cottonseed oil (14%) or tannin (11%) was added directly to the rumen, and their effect was additive when given in combination (20% reduction). The mechanism of the anti-methanogenic effect remains unclear but both fat and tannin appear to cause a reduction in fermentation in general rather than cause a change in the type of fermentation.

A genome-wide analysis of the phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene family in Gossypium.

BACKGROUND: Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the most important natural fiber crop worldwide, and cottonseed oil is its most important byproduct. Phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) is important in TAG biosynthesis, as it catalyzes the transfer of a fatty acyl moiety from the sn-2 position of a phospholipid to the sn-3 position of sn-1, 2-diacylglyerol to form triacylglycerol (TAG) and a lysophospholipid. However, little is known about the genes encoding PDATs involved in cottonseed oil biosynthesis. RESULTS: A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii herein identified 12, 11, 6 and 6 PDATs, respectively. These genes were divided into 3 subfamilies, and a PDAT-like subfamily was identified in comparison with dicotyledonous Arabidopsis. All GhPDATs contained one or two LCAT domains at the C-terminus, while most GhPDATs contained a preserved single transmembrane region at the N-terminus. A chromosomal distribution analysis showed that the 12 GhPDAT genes in G. hirsutum were distributed in 10 chromosomes. However, none of the GhPDATs was co-localized with quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cottonseed oil content, suggesting that their sequence variations are not genetically associated with the natural variation in cottonseed oil content. Most GhPDATs were expressed during the cottonseed oil accumulation stage. Ectopic expression of GhPDAT1d increased Arabidopsis seed oil content. CONCLUSIONS: Our comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the cotton PDAT gene family provides a foundation for further studies into the use of PDAT genes to increase cottonseed oil content through biotechnology.