Plasma proteomics reveals markers of metabolic stress in HIV infected children with severe acute malnutrition.

HIV infection affects up to 30% of children presenting with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Africa and is associated with increased mortality. Children with SAM are treated similarly regardless of HIV status, although mechanisms of nutritional recovery in HIV and/or SAM are not well understood. We performed a secondary analysis of a clinical trial and plasma proteomics data among children with complicated SAM in Kenya and Malawi. Compared to children with SAM without HIV (n = 113), HIV-infected children (n = 54) had evidence (false discovery rate (FDR) corrected p < 0.05) of metabolic stress, including enriched pathways related to inflammation and lipid metabolism. Moreover, we observed reduced plasma levels of zinc-α-2-glycoprotein, butyrylcholinesterase, and increased levels of complement C2 resembling findings in metabolic syndrome, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. HIV was also associated (FDR corrected p < 0.05) with higher plasma levels of inflammatory chemokines. Considering evidence of biomarkers of metabolic stress, it is of potential concern that our current treatment strategy for SAM regardless of HIV status involves a high-fat therapeutic diet. The results of this study suggest a need for clinical trials of therapeutic foods that meet the specific metabolic needs of children with HIV and SAM.

In vitro bioavailability and cellular bioactivity studies of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich plant extracts: questions, considerations and future perspectives.

In vitro techniques are essential in elucidating biochemical mechanisms and for screening a wide range of possible bioactive candidates. The number of papers published reporting in vitro bioavailability and bioactivity of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich plant extracts is numerous and still increasing. However, even with the present knowledge on the bioavailability and metabolism of flavonoids after oral ingestion, certain inaccuracies still persist in the literature, such as the use of plant extracts to study bioactivity towards vascular cells. There is therefore a need to revisit, even question, these approaches in terms of their biological relevance. In this review, the bioavailability of flavonoid glycosides, the use of cell models for intestinal absorption and the use of flavonoid aglycones and flavonoid-rich plant extracts in in vitro bioactivity studies will be discussed. Here, we focus on the limitations of current in vitro systems and revisit the validity of some in vitro approaches, and not on the detailed mechanism of flavonoid absorption and bioactivity. Based on the results in the review, there is an apparent need for stricter guidelines on publishing data on in vitro data relating to the bioavailability and bioactivity of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich plant extracts.

Bioaccessibility of Polyphenols from Plant-Processing Byproducts of Black Carrot (Daucus carota L.).

Plant-processing byproducts of black carrot represent an important disposal problem for the industry; however, they are also promising sources of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. The present study focused on the changes in polyphenols from black carrot, peel, and pomace during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Total phenolic content (TPC), total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMAC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined using spectrophotometric methods, whereas identification and quantification of polyphenols were carried out using UPLC-ESI-MS(E) and HPLC-DAD, respectively. TPC, TMAC, and TAC significantly decreased (23-82%) as a result of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Nevertheless, the amount of pomace anthocyanins released at all stages of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was higher than black carrot anthocyanins, suggesting that pomace may be a better source of bioaccessible anthocyanins. Overall, the current study highlighted black carrot byproducts as substantial sources of polyphenols, which may be used to enrich food products.

Combined alkaline hydrolysis and ultrasound-assisted extraction for the release of nonextractable phenolics from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) waste.

Cauliflower waste contains high amounts phenolic compounds, but conventional solvent extraction misses high amounts of nonextractable phenolics (NEP), which may contribute more to the valorization of these waste streams. In this study, the NEP content and composition of cauliflower waste were investigated. The ability of alkaline hydrolysis, sonication, and their combination to release NEP was assessed. Alkaline hydrolysis with sonication was found to extract the highest NEP content (7.3 ± 0.17 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry waste), which was higher than the extractable fraction. The highest yield was obtained after treatment of 2 M NaOH at 60 °C for 30 min of sonication. Quantification and identification were done using U(H)PLC-DAD and U(H)PLC-ESI-MS(E). Kaempferol and quercetin glucosides along with several phenolic acids were found. The results of the study show that there are higher amounts of valuable health-promoting compounds from cauliflower waste than what is currently described in the literature.

Ultra(high)-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-time-of-flight-ion mobility-high definition mass spectrometry for the rapid identification and structural characterization of flavonoid glycosides from cauliflower waste.

In this paper, a strategy for the detection and structural elucidation of flavonoid glycosides from a complex matrix in a single chromatographic run using U(H)PLC-ESI-IMS-HDMS/MS(E) is presented. This system operates using alternative low and high energy voltages that is able to perform the task of conventional MS/MS in a data-independent way without re-injection of the sample, which saves analytical time. Also, ion mobility separation (IMS) was employed as an additional separation technique for compounds that are co-eluting after U(H)PLC separation. First, the fragmentation of flavonoid standards were analyzed and criteria was set for structural elucidation of flavonoids in a plant extract. Based on retention times, UV spectra, exact mass, and MS fragment characteristics, such as abundances of daughter ions and the presence of radical ions ([Y0-H](-)), a total 19 flavonoid glycosides, of which 8 non-acylated and 11 acylated, were detected and structurally characterized in a cauliflower waste extract. Kaempferol and quercetin were the main aglycones detected while sinapic and ferulic acid were the main phenolic acids. C-glycosides were also found although their structure could not be elucidated. The proposed method can be used as a rapid screening test for flavonoid identification and for routine analysis of plant extracts, such as these derived from cauliflower waste. The study also confirms that agroindustrial wastes, such as cauliflower leaves, could be seen as a valuable source of different bioactive phenolic compounds.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory effects by plant phenolic compounds: a study of structure activity relationships.

In this study, 22 phenolic compounds were investigated to inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Tannic acid showed the highest activity (IC50 = 230 µM). The IC50 values obtained for phenolic acids and flavonoids ranged between 0.41 and 9.3 mM. QSAR analysis confirmed that the numbers of hydroxyl groups on the benzene ring play an important role for activity of phenolic compounds and that substitution of hydroxyl groups by methoxy groups decreased activity. Docking studies indicated that phenolic acids and flavonoids inhibit ACE via interaction with the zinc ion and this interaction is stabilized by other interactions with amino acids in the active site. Other compounds, such as resveratrol and pyrogallol, may inhibit ACE via interactions with amino acids at the active site, thereby blocking the catalytic activity of ACE. These structure-function relationships are useful for designing new ACE inhibitors and potential blood-pressure-lowering compounds based on phenolic compounds.