Marine Chitosan-Oligosaccharide Ameliorated Plasma Cholesterol in Hypercholesterolemic Hamsters by Modifying the Gut Microflora, Bile Acids, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids.

This study evaluated the cholesterol-alleviating effect and underlying mechanisms of chitosan-oligosaccharide (COS) in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Male hamsters (n = 24) were divided into three groups in a random fashion, and each group was fed one particular diet, namely a non-cholesterol diet (NCD), a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), and an HCD diet substituting 5% of the COS diet for six weeks. Subsequently, alterations in fecal bile acids (BAs), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and gut microflora (GM) were investigated. COS intervention significantly reduced and increased the plasma total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in hypercholesteremic hamsters. Furthermore, Non-HDL-C and total triacylglycerols (TG) levels were also reduced by COS supplementation. Additionally, COS could reduce and increase food intake and fecal SCFAs (acetate), respectively. Moreover, COS had beneficial effects on levels of BAs and GM related to cholesterol metabolism. This study provides novel evidence for the cholesterol-lowering activity of COS.

Biotransformation of linoleic acid into different metabolites by food derived Lactobacillus plantarum 12-3 and in silico characterization of relevant reactions.

Lactic acid bacteria have been reported to be capable of converting polyunsaturated fatty acids, e.g. linoleic acid (LA) into bioactive and other fatty acid metabolites that are not toxic to the bacteria themselves, but the mechanism of this conversion is not clear. Here we reported for the first time that probiotic L. plantarum 12-3 derived from Tibet kefir when supplemented with LA from 1% to 10% in the MRS medium transformed LA to various fatty acid derivatives. These derivatives formed in the medium were identified with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In silico studies were done to confirm the enzymatic reactions responsible for this conversion. We found that L. plantarum 12-3 could convert LA at different concentrations to 8 different fatty acid derivatives. Putative candidate enzymes involved in biotransformation of LA into fatty acid derivatives were identified via whole genome of L. plantarum 12-3, including linoleate isomerase, acetoacetate decarboxylase and dehydrogenase. Therefore, the present study provides further understanding of the mechanism of conversion of LA to health-beneficial fatty acid metabolites in probiotic L. plantarum, which can be explored for potential application in functional foods.

Dose-dependent production of linoleic acid analogues in food derived Lactobacillus plantarum K25 and in silico characterization of relevant reactions.

The objective of this study was to assess and scrutinize the competency of probiotic L. plantarum K25 to produce linoleic acid analogues in the medium supplemented with different concentrations of linoleic acid, ranging from 1% to 10%, in a dose dependent manner. The analogues produced were identified and quantitated by GC-MS and in silico studies were done to confirm enzymatic reactions involved in its conversion. The results showed that L. plantarum K25 could convert linoleic acid at different concentrations to 9 different fatty acid analogues at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 17.24 mg/L. Among these metabolites, formation of an essential fatty acid, the linolenic acid, in media supplemented with 9% linoleic acid, is being reported for the first time. Putative candidate enzymes involved in biotransformation of linoleic acid into linoleic acid analogues were identified in the whole genome of L. plantarum K25, which was sequenced previously. In silico studies confirmed that many enzymes, including linoleate isomerase and dehydrogenase, may be involved in biotransformation of linoleic acid into linoleic acid analogues. Both enzymes could effectively bind the linoleic acid molecule, mainly by forming hydrogen bonding between the acidic groups of linoleic acid and the proline residues at the active sites of the enzymes, validating putative reaction partners.

In silico characterization of linoleic acid biotransformation to rumenic acid in food derived Lactobacillus plantarum YW11.

Lactobacillus plantarum YW11 capability to convert linoleic acid into conjugated linoleic acid and other metabolites was studied in a dose-dependent manner by supplementing LA at different concentrations. L. plantarum YW11 displayed a uniform distinctive growth curve of CLA and other metabolites at concentrations of LA ranging from 1% (w/v) to 10% (w/v), with slightly increased growth at higher LA concentrations. The biotransformation capability of L. plantarum YW11 evaluated by GC-MS revealed a total of one CLA isomer, i.e. 9-cis,11-trans-octadecadienoic acid, also known as the rumenic acid (RA), one linoleic acid isomer (linoelaidic acid), and LA metabolites: (E)-9-octadecenoic acid ethyl ester, trans, trans-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, propyl ester and stearic acid. All the metabolites of linoleic acid were produced from 1 to 10% LA supplemented MRS media, while surprisingly the only conjugated linoleic acid compound was produced at 10% LA. To assess the presence of putative enzymes, responsible for conversion of LA into CLA, in silico characterization was carried out. The in silico characterization revealed presence of four enzymes (10-linoleic acid hydratase, linoleate isomerase, acetoacetate decarboxylase and dehydrogenase) that may be involved in the production of CLA (rumenic acid) and LA isomers. The biotransformation ability of L. plantarum YW11 to convert LA into RA has great prospects for biotechnological and industrial implications that could be exploited in the future scale-up experiments.