Amorphous Calcium Carbonate from Plants Can Promote Bone Growth in Growing Rats.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) supplementation on bone growth in growing rats. METHODS: We used 3-week-old male Wistar rats to simulate childhood and adolescent growth stages. Rats were divided into four groups as follows: a control group (C), a low-dose group (L, 20.65 mg/kg body weight (BW) ACC), a medium-dose group (M, 206.5 mg/kg BW ACC), and a high-dose group (H, 413 mg/kg BW ACC) administered by gavage. Body length (BL) and BW were measured weekly. The bone mineral density (BMD) of two lumbar vertebrae (L3 and L4) and the left femur were analyzed by micro-computed tomography (µCT) at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the rats were sacrificed. After that, blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta. Femurs and tibias were collected and weighed, and their lengths were measured. Then, bone samples were used to perform histopathological and histomorphometric analyses. RESULTS: It showed that ACC supplementation in growing rats increased the trabecular bone thickness and serum bone formation biomarkers. Furthermore, high-dose ACC decreased serum bone resorption biomarkers and increased BMD. CONCLUSIONS: ACC supplementation can enhance osteoblast metabolism and inhibit osteoclast metabolism, resulting in a higher bone formation rate compared to bone resorption. This led to increased trabecular bone thickness, a higher BMD, and supported bone growth.

Effects of Melatonin Supplementation on Lipid Metabolism and Body Fat Accumulation in Ovariectomized Rats.

Postmenopausal obesity is a rising problem. Melatonin (Mel) is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland that regulates the circadian rhythms and improves obesity. In this experiment, ovariectomized (OVX) rats were used as a menopause model to explore the effects of Mel supplementation on lipid metabolism, body fat accumulation, and obesity. Nine-week-old female rats underwent an OVX surgery and were assigned to the following groups: control group (C), low-dose group (L, 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) Mel), medium-dose group (M, 20 mg/kg BW Mel), and high-dose group (H, 50 mg/kg BW Mel), administered by gavage for 8 weeks. The results showed that the OVX rats supplemented with low, medium, and high doses of Mel for 8 weeks exhibited reduced BW gain, perirenal fat mass, and gonads fat mass, and an increased serum irisin level. Low and high doses of Mel induced brite/beige adipocytes in the white adipose tissues. In addition, the messenger RNA levels of the fatty acid synthesis enzymes were significantly reduced after the high-dose Mel supplementation. Thus, Mel can reduce the hepatic fatty acid synthesis and promote the browning of white adipose tissues through irisin; thereby, improving obesity and body fat accumulation in OVX rats.

Effects of Dietary Fatty Acid Composition on Lipid Metabolism and Body Fat Accumulation in Ovariectomized Rats.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a state of excess energy storage resulting in body fat accumulation, and postmenopausal obesity is a rising issue. In this study using ovariectomized (OVX) rats, we mimicked low estrogen levels in a postmenopausal state in order to investigate the effects of different amounts and types of dietary fatty acids on body fat accumulation and body lipid metabolism. METHODS: At 9 weeks of age, rats (n = 40) were given an ovariectomy, eight of which were sham-operated to serve as a control group (S). We then divided OVX rats into four different intervention groups: diet with 5% soybean oil (C), and diet with 5% (L), 15% (M), and 20% (H) (w/w) experimental oil, containing 60% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and with a polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratio of 5. RESULTS: After OVX, compared to the S group, the C group showed significantly higher body weight, and insulin and leptin levels. Compared to the C group, the H group had lower hepatic triglyceride level and FAS enzyme activity, and higher hepatic ACO and CPT-1 gene expressions and enzyme activities. CONCLUSIONS: An OVX leads to severe weight gain and lipid metabolism abnormalities, while according to previous studies, high fat diet may worsen the situation. However, during our experiment, we discovered that the experimental oil mixture with 60% MUFAs and P/S = 5 may ameliorate these imbalances.

Edible Mushrooms: Novel Medicinal Agents to Combat Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Diseases.

Metabolic syndrome is an aggregation of conditions and associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Edible mushrooms are widely consumed in many countries and are valuable components of the diet because of their attractive taste, aroma, and nutritional value. Medicinal mushrooms are higher fungi with additional nutraceutical attributes having low-fat content and a transisomer of unsaturated fatty acids along with high fiber content, biologically active compounds such as polysaccharides or polysaccharide ß-glucans, alkaloids, steroids, polyphenols and terpenoids. In vitro experiments, animal models, and even human studies have demonstrated not only fresh edible mushroom but also mushroom extract that has great therapeutic applications in human health as they possess many properties such as antiobesity, cardioprotective and anti-diabetic effect. They are considered as the unmatched source of healthy foods and drugs. The focus of this report was to provide a concise and complete review of the novel medicinal properties of fresh or dry mushroom and extracts, fruiting body or mycelium and its extracts, fiber, polysaccharides, beta-glucan, triterpenes, fucoidan, ergothioneine from edible mushrooms that may help to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome and associated diseases.

Dietary supplement of tomato can accelerate urinary aMT6s level and improve sleep quality in obese postmenopausal women.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the ingestion of tomato before bed on obese postmenopausal women's urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) level and sleep quality. We quantified melatonin concentrations in beefsteak tomato, black tomato, and two commercial tomato juices and found that beefsteak tomato contained the highest level of melatonin. In this 8-week open-label, randomized controlled dietary intervention trial, 36 subjects completed the entire trial. The tomato group ate 250 g of beefsteak tomatoes 2 h before sleep for 8 weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected at the baseline and in the 8th week and were analyzed. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in the tomato group significantly decreased with time (p for trend = 0.0297). After 8 weeks of the beefsteak intervention, all components of the PSQI in tomato group had significantly improved, and their aMT6s level was 10-fold significantly higher than that of the control group. Therefore, supplementation with beefsteak tomato before sleep can increase circulating melatonin and improve sleep quality in obese postmenopausal women.

Melatonin Improves Fatty Liver Syndrome by Inhibiting the Lipogenesis Pathway in Hamsters with High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on hepatic lipid metabolism in hamsters with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced dyslipidemia. Male Syrian hamsters were kept on either a chow control (C) or HFD for four weeks. After four weeks, animals fed the HFD were further randomly assigned to four groups: high-fat only (P), melatonin low-dosage (L), medium-dosage (M), and high-dosage (H) groups. The L, M, and H groups, respectively, received 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg/day of a melatonin solution, while the P and C groups received the ethanol vehicle. After eight weeks of the intervention, results showed that a low dose of melatonin significantly reduced HFD-induced hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides; decreased plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; and increased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05). In addition, melatonin markedly decreased activities of the hepatic lipogenic enzymes, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) (p < 0.05), and elevated the relative hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1α expression in hamsters with HFD-induced hyperlipidemia. Consequently, melatonin reduced activities of the hepatic lipogenic enzymes, ACC and FAS. In summary, chronic melatonin administration improved HFD-induced dyslipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation in Syrian hamsters with HFD-induced dyslipidemia, which might have occurred through inhibiting the lipogenesis pathway.

Tea Seed Oil Prevents Obesity, Reduces Physical Fatigue, and Improves Exercise Performance in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obese Ovariectomized Mice.

Menopause is associated with changes in body composition (a decline in lean body mass and an increase in total fat mass), leading to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and heart disease. A healthy diet to control body weight is an effective strategy for preventing and treating menopause-related metabolic syndromes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of long-term feeding of edible oils (soybean oil (SO), tea seed oil (TO), and lard oil (LO)) on female ovariectomized (OVX) mice. SO, TO, and LO comprise mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and saturated fatty acids (SFA), respectively. However, there have been quite limited studies to investigate the effects of different fatty acids (PUFA, MUFA, and SFA) on physiological adaption and metabolic homeostasis in a menopausal population. In this study, 7-week-old female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice underwent either bilateral laparotomy (sham group, n = 8) or bilateral oophorectomy (OVX groups, n = 24). The OVX mice given a high-fat diet (HFD) were randomly divided into three groups: OVX+SO, OVX+TO, and OVX+LO. An HFD rich in SO, TO, or LO was given to the OVX mice for 12 weeks. Our findings revealed that the body weight and relative tissues of UFP (uterus fatty peripheral) and total fat (TF) were significantly decreased in the OVX+TO group compared with those in the OVX+SO and OVX+LO groups. However, no significant difference in body weight or in the relative tissues of UFP and TF was noted among the OVX+SO and OVX+LO groups. Furthermore, mice given an HFD rich in TO exhibited significantly decreased accumulation of liver lipid droplets and adipocyte sizes of UFP and brown adipose tissue (BAT) compared with those given an HFD rich in SO or LO. Moreover, replacing SO or LO with TO significantly increased oral glucose tolerance. Additionally, TO improved endurance performance and exhibited antifatigue activity by lowering ammonia, blood urea nitrogen, and creatine kinase levels. Thus, tea seed oil (TO) rich in MUFA could prevent obesity, reduce physical fatigue, and improve exercise performance compared with either SO (PUFA)- or LO(SFA)-rich diets in this HFD-induced obese OVX mice model.

Medium-Chain Triglycerides Lower Blood Lipids and Body Weight in Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetes Rats.

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are distinguished from other triglycerides in that each fat molecule consists of 6 to 12 carbons in length. MCTs and long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) are absorbed and utilized in different ways. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of replacing soybean oil with MCT oil, in a low- or high-fat diet, on lipid metabolism in rats with streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There were, thirty-two T2DM Sprague-Dawley rats divided into low-fat-soybean oil (LS), low-fat-MCT oil (LM), high-fat-soybean oil (HS), and high-fat-MCT oil (HM) groups. After 8 weeks, blood sugar, serum lipids, liver lipids, and enzyme activities related to lipid metabolism were measured. Under a high-fat diet condition, replacement of soybean oil with MCT oil lowered serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-esterified fatty acids, and liver total cholesterol; whilst it increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the HDL-C/LDL-C ratio. A low-fat diet with MCT oil resulted in lower body weight and reproductive white adipose tissues compared to the HS groups, and higher hepatic acyl-CoA oxidase activities (the key enzyme in the peroxisomal beta-oxidation) compared to the LS group in T2DM rats. In conclusion, MCTs showed more protective effects on cardiovascular health in T2DM rats fed a high-fat diet, by improving serum lipid profiles and reducing hepatic total cholesterol.

A Moderate Interleukin-6 Reduction, Not a Moderate Weight Reduction, Improves the Serum Iron Status in Diet-Induced Weight Loss with Fish Oil Supplementation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Whether moderate weight loss or a reduction in IL-6 improves the serum iron status in overweight (OW) and obese adults supplemented with or without fish oil is explored. METHODS AND RESULTS: In total, 93 OW/obese Taiwanese adults with ≥2 metabolic components are randomized to a 12-week calorie-restricted diet with meal replacement alone (CRMR, n = 45) or supplemented with fish oil (CRMRF, n = 48). Mean reductions in the %body weight and serum IL-6 are 7.5% versus 5.9% and 21% versus 35% for the CRMR and CRMRF groups, respectively. In the CRMRF group, a moderate loss of IL-6 (reduced ≥35%) also significantly improves the serum iron and transferrin saturation compared to those with loss of <35% in the mean serum IL-6 or those of the CRMR group who has a moderate loss of IL-6 (reduced ≥21%) (all p < 0.05). In contrast, modest weight loss does not improve the serum iron status. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil is ineffective as an adjunct for weight or fat loss but has beneficial effects on preserving the lean body mass. A significant improvement in the iron status is only observed in those with moderate loss of serum IL-6 supplemented with fish oil.

Taiwanese Green Propolis Ethanol Extract Delays the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rats Treated with Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet.

Taiwanese green propolis ethanol extract (TGPE) is produced only in Taiwan and has a different composition from other types of propolis. TGPE is known for its anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and anti-microbial properties, but the effects and mechanisms of TGPE in the modulation of diabetes are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of TGPE on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a streptozotocin/high-fat-diet (STZ/HFD)-induced T2DM rat model. The results revealed that TGPE delayed the development and progression of T2DM and reduced the severity of β-cell failure. TGPE also attenuated inflammation and reactive oxygen species ROS in the rats. Moreover, there were higher levels of oxidant cytokines, leptin, and adiponectin in the serum of the TGPE-treated group. Unlike Brazilian propolis, TGPE promoted hepatic genes PPAR-α and CYP7A1, which were related to lipid catabolism and removal. TGPE may thus delay the progression of T2DM through anti-inflammation effects, anti-oxidation effects, and balancing lipid metabolism. It is suggested that TGPE can be a potential alternative medicine for T2DM.

Effects of Melatonin on Glucose Homeostasis, Antioxidant Ability, and Adipokine Secretion in ICR Mice with NA/STZ-Induced Hyperglycemia.

Diabetes is often associated with decreased melatonin level. The aim was to investigate the effects of different dosage of melatonin on glucose hemostasis, antioxidant ability and adipokines secretion in diabetic institute for cancer research (ICR) mice. Forty animals were randomly divided into five groups including control (C), diabetic (D), low-dosage (L), medium-dosage (M), and high-dosage (H) groups. Groups L, M, and H, respectively, received oral melatonin at 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg of BW (body weight) daily after inducing hyperglycemia by nicotinamide (NA)/ streptozotocin (STZ). After the six-week intervention, results showed that melatonin administration increased insulin level and performed lower area under the curve (AUC) in H group (p < 0.05). Melatonin could lower hepatic Malondialdehyde (MDA) level in all melatonin-treated groups and increase superoxide dismutase activity in H group (p < 0.05). Melatonin-treated groups revealed significant higher adiponectin in L group, and lower leptin/adiponectin ratio and leptin in M and H groups (p < 0.05). Melatonin could lower cholesterol and triglyceride in liver and decrease plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in L group, and increase plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in H group (p < 0.05). Above all, melatonin could decrease oxidative stress, increase the adiponectin level and improve dyslipidemia, especially in H group. These data support melatonin possibly being a helpful aid for treating hyperglycemia-related symptoms.

High Fat Diet with a High Monounsaturated Fatty Acid and Polyunsaturated/Saturated Fatty Acid Ratio Suppresses Body Fat Accumulation and Weight Gain in Obese Hamsters.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a high fat diet with experimental oil consisting of 60% MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) with a P/S ratio of 5 on fat deposition and lipid metabolism in obese hamsters. Hamsters were randomly assigned to a control group and a diet-induced obesity group for nine weeks. Then an additional eight-week experimental period began, during which obese hamsters were randomly divided into three groups and fed different amounts of the experimental oil mixture in their diets as follows: 5%, 15%, and 20% w/w (OB-M5, OB-M15, and OB-M20 groups, respectively). The results showed that the OB-M15 and OB-M20 groups had significantly lower blood cholesterol and higher insulin levels. Compared to the control group, the three obese groups exhibited higher hepatic fatty acid synthase activity; however, the acyl-CoA oxidase activities were also enhanced. Although dietary fat content differed, there were no differences in energy intake, final body weights, and epididymal fat weights among the four groups. These results suggest that regardless of whether the specimens had a high fat intake or not, dietary fat containing high MUFAs with a high P/S ratio had beneficial effects on maintaining blood lipid profiles and may not result in body fat accumulation in obese hamsters, possibly by promoting lipolytic enzyme activities.

Grape powder consumption affects the expression of neurodegeneration-related brain proteins in rats chronically fed a high-fructose-high-fat diet.

Abnormal glucose metabolism in the brain is recognized to be associated with cognitive decline. Because grapes are rich in polyphenols that produce antioxidative and blood sugar-lowering effects, we investigated how grape consumption affects the expression and/or phosphorylation of neurodegeneration-related brain proteins in aged rats fed a high-fructose-high-fat (HFHF) diet. Wistar rats were maintained on the HFHF diet from the age of 8 weeks to 66 weeks, and then on an HFHF diet containing either 3% or 6% grape powder as an intervention for 12 weeks. Western blotting was performed to measure the expression/phosphorylation levels of several cortical and hippocampal proteins, including amyloid precursor protein (APP), tau, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs), erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Inclusion of up to 6% grape powder in the diet markedly reduced RAGE expression and tau hyperphosphorylation, but upregulated the expression of Nrf2 and BDNF, as well as the phosphorylation of PI3K and ERK, in the brain tissues of aged rats fed the HFHF diet. Thus, grape powder consumption produced beneficial effects in HFHF-diet-fed rats, exhibiting the potential to ameliorate changes in neurodegeneration-related proteins in the brain.

Effects of different amounts and types of dietary fatty acids on the body weight, fat accumulation, and lipid metabolism in hamsters.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different amounts of dietary fatty acids on body weight, fat accumulation, and lipid metabolism of hamsters. METHODS: Sixty male golden Syrian hamsters were randomly divided into six groups. Three of the groups (the S groups) were fed experimental diets containing 5%, 15%, and 20% (w/w) fat of soybean oil (S5, S15, and S20, respectively), and the other three groups (the M groups) were fed the same proportions of an experimental oil mixture (M5, M15, and M20, respectively). The experimental oil mixture consisted of 60% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and a polyunsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio of 5 with a mixture of soybean and canola oils. Food consumption was measured daily, and body weights were measured weekly. Serum insulin and leptin concentrations were measured and hepatic fatty acid metabolic enzymes and adipose differentiation markers were determined using an enzyme activity analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Results showed that the weight and weight gain of the S20 group were significantly greater than those of the other five groups. When the total fat consumption increased, the body weight, weight gain, and adipose tissue weight of the S groups significantly increased, but there were no significant differences in these parameters among the M groups. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the M15 and S15 groups. The S20 group had significantly higher leptin and insulin concentrations and lipoprotein lipase was promoted, but the acetyl-coenzyme A oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, were significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that a special experimental oil mixture (with 60% MUFAs and a ratio of 5) with high fat can prevent body weight gain and body fat accumulation by lowering insulin concentrations and increasing hepatic lipolytic enzyme activities.

Probiotic supplement use among young children in Taiwan: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to provide details on probiotic supplement use among young children in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study is based on the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study database. We used questionnaires to collect information on probiotic supplement use among young children from birth to 18 months of age, while also considering their demographic characteristics and other covariates. Low-birth-weight infants, preterm infants, those with birth defects, and those with caregivers who returned incomplete questionnaires were excluded. The final valid sample comprised 16,991 cases. RESULTS: Approximately half the children received probiotic supplements before the age of 18 months. Only 6.3% of the children received probiotic supplements during the two periods of birth to 6 months and 7 to 18 months. Firstborn children, native mothers, mothers with higher educational levels, higher family income, and parents who lead healthy lifestyles were positively related to probiotic supplement use among children. Young children who were breastfed, with eczema, or with gastrointestinal tract problems were significantly positively associated with probiotic supplement use. CONCLUSION: The findings show that probiotic supplement usage among young children is associated with a more socially advantaged circumstance and certain child health factors, such as eczema, diarrhea, and constipation. Parents might use probiotic supplements for prevention or treatment of child diseases. The findings of this research could serve as a baseline for future studies, and provide insight into probiotic supplement use behavior for health professionals caring for infants and young children.

Effects of dietary fish oil supplementation on cellular adhesion molecule expression and tissue myeloperoxidase activity in hypercholesterolemic mice with sepsis.

This study investigated the effects of fish oil on adhesion molecule expression and tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in hypercholesterolemic mice with sepsis. There were one control and two experimental groups in this study. The control group (C) was fed a regular chow diet for 7 weeks, while hypercholesterolemia in the experimental group was induced by feeding a high-fat diet (20%, w/w) with cholesterol (2%, w/w) for 4 weeks. Then the experimental group was divided into two subgroups with identical nutrient distributions except that one subgroup was fed soybean oil (SO), while part of the soybean oil was replaced by fish oil (FO) in the other one for 3 weeks. After feeding the diets for 7 weeks, sepsis was induced in all three groups by cecal and ligation and puncture (CLP), and mice were sacrificed at 0, 6 or 24 h after CLP, respectively. The results showed that the FO group had a higher intracellular interferon-gamma/interleukin-4 ratio and lower tumor necrosis factor-alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 concentrations in peritoneal lavage fluid at 6 h after CLP than those in the C and SO groups. Lymphocyte CD11a/CD18 expressions were higher at 0 and 6 h and neutrophil CD11b/CD18 were higher at 6 h in the SO group than in the FO and C groups. The SO group had higher plasma intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 levels than C group at 0 and 6 h, whereas no difference in ICAM-1 concentrations were observed between the C and FO groups at 0 h after CLP. Hypercholesterolemia resulted in higher tissue MPO activities. There were no differences in MPO activities in various organs between the two experimental groups. These results suggest that hypercholesterolemic mice fed FO did not exhibit immunosuppression when complicated with sepsis. FO administration reduced adhesion molecule expressions and inflammatory-related mediators at the site of injury at an early but not a late stage of sepsis. However, compared with the SO group, the influences of FO on MPO activities in various organs were not obvious in hypercholesterolemic mice with sepsis.

Taurine supplementation improves the utilization of sulfur-containing amino acids in rats continually administrated alcohol.

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in brain sulfur-containing amino acid (SCAA) metabolism to determine whether taurine intervened under continuous alcohol intake. We fed 80 male Sprague-Dawley rats 30% alcohol-containing water for 4 weeks. Eighty animals were divided into two groups (with or without 2 g/kg body weight taurine supplementation), and five were killed every week in each group for monitoring SCAA changes in the brain, liver, kidneys and heart. Results indicated that the plasma alcohol concentration increased from Weeks 1-4; however, animals with taurine supplementation showed a lower plasma concentration of ethanol in Week 2. As to SCAA concentrations, cysteine and taurine were both lower after a week of alcohol ingestion in the brain and plasma; the same declining trend was shown in the liver in Week 2. In contrast, plasma and hepatic concentrations of homocysteine were elevated in Week 2, and the plasma S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)/S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratio also decreased in Week 1. Furthermore, the key cofactor of transsulfuration, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, significantly declined in the plasma after a week of the ethanol intervention, whereas an increase was observed in brain tissue. Under taurine supplementation, some recoveries were shown by delaying taurine depletion to Week 2, increasing the SAM/SAH ratio and elevating plasma and brain levels of vitamin B6 in Week 2. In conclusion, daily consumption of 30% alcohol interfered with SCAA metabolism, thus decreasing taurine's role in neurotransmission. The possible mechanism involved might be that ethanol interrupts the production of cysteine, which is the upstream SCAA of taurine, thus decreasing the homocysteine level. Additionally, taurine supplementation delayed this process.

Glutamine reduces the expression of leukocyte integrins leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 and macrophage antigen-1 in mice exposed to arsenic.

Chronic arsenic exposure results in an increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Glutamine (GLN) is an amino acid considered to have immunomodulatory effects and attenuate the inflammatory reaction. This study was designed to examine the effect of GLN supplementation on inflammatory-related leukocyte integrin expression and in vitro splenocyte cytokine production in mice exposed to arsenic. Mice were assigned to the control and experimental groups. The control group drank deionized water, whereas the experimental group drank deionized water containing 50 ppm of sodium arsenite. Each control and experimental group was further divided into 2 subgroups and fed diets for 5 weeks. One subgroup was fed a semipurified diet, whereas the other subgroup was fed a diet where part of the casein was replaced with GLN, which provided 25% of the total amino acid nitrogen. The results showed that plasma GLN levels of mice in the arsenic group were significantly lower than those in the control groups. Glutamine supplementation reversed the depletion of plasma GLN in the arsenic group. beta(2) intergins, including leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 and macrophage antigen-1 expressed by leukocytes, were significantly higher in the arsenic group than the control groups. Glutamine supplementation reduced leukocyte integrin expression in mice exposed to arsenic. There were no differences in interleukin 4, interleukin 6, interferon gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha production between the 2 arsenic groups when splenocytes were stimulated with mitogen. These results suggest that arsenic exposure results in depletion of plasma GLN and higher leukocyte integrin expression. Glutamine supplementation normalized the plasma GLN levels and reduced leukocyte leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 and macrophage antigen-1 expression. However, cytokine modulation may not be responsible for reducing leukocyte integrin expression in mice exposed to arsenic.

Comparison of fetal and adult marrow stromal cells in osteogenesis with and without glucocorticoids.

To better understand the potential use of fetal marrow stromal cells (MSCs) in bone tissue engineering, we compared the ability of these cells with those of adult MSCs with respect to osteoblasts differentiation in the presence or absence of glucocorticoids. Cells were grown for 3-4 weeks in basal medium or supplemented with 100 nM dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid analog) or with 50 microM L-ascorbate and 10 mM glycerol-2-phosphate (AS+GP) or with AS+GP+DEX. At various time points in culture, the following parameters were compared between fetal and adult MSCs: cell morphology, cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium (45Ca) uptake, von Kossa staining, and glucocorticoids receptor expression were analyzed. Compared with adult MSCs, fetal cells showed a less dramatic change to cuboidal morphology in DEX-containing media. Fetal MSCs in all media conditions showed higher proliferation rates and lower alkaline phosphatase activities (p < 0.001) than adult cells. Both fetal and adult MSCs responded similarly in DEX-containing media with respect to suppressing cell proliferation, stimulating alkaline phosphatase activity, and consistently accumulating calcium (usually higher in fetal cells) with subsequent formation of mineralized matrix when compared with cells cultured in AS+GP. Our findings further implicate the requirement of glucocorticoids in osteogenesis. In conclusion, compared with adult MSCs, fetal cells showed greater ability in sustaining cell proliferation and calcium uptake suggesting that they may be useful for bone tissue repair.

Casuarinin protects cultured MDCK cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress and DNA oxidative damage.

Casuarinin has been shown to be an antioxidant in acellular experiments. This study was designed to assess the ability of casuarinin, extracted from Terminalia arjuna, to protect cultured Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells against H2O2-mediated oxidative stress. A comparison with trolox, a hydrosoluble vitamin E analogue was performed. MDCK cells were pretreated with casuarinin or trolox for 1 h, then exposed to H2O2. After incubation with 0.8 mM H2O2 for 1 h, casuarinin caused a decrease in intracellular peroxide production as shown by dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence in a concentration-dependent manner. After 3 h exposure to 8 mM H2O2, the percentage of intracellular glutathione (GSH)-negative cells was reduced in the casuarinin-treated group. Addition of 32mM H2O2 to MDCK cells for 3 h induced an increase in the percentage of cells containing 8-oxoguanine but the level of such cells declined in casuarinin-treated cells. These results show that casuarinin is more effective against H2O2-induced oxidative damage than trolox. The data suggest that casuarinin attenuates H2O2-induced oxidative stress, decreases DNA oxidative damage and prevents the depletion of intracellular GSH in MDCK cells.