peu-MIR2916-p3-enriched garlic exosomes ameliorate murine colitis by reshaping gut microbiota, especially by boosting the anti-colitic Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) have drawn considerable attention for oral treatment of colonic diseases. However, the roles of ELNs derived from garlic on colitis remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that garlic ELNs (GELNs), with desirable particle sizes (79.60 nm) and trafficking large amounts of functional proteins and microRNAs, stably roam in the gut and confer protection against ulcerative colitis (UC). In mice with DSS-induced colitis, orally administered GELNs effectively ameliorated bloody diarrhea, normalized the production of proinflammatory cytokines, and prevented colonic barrier impairment. Mechanistically, GELNs were taken up by gut microbes and reshaped DSS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, in which Bacteroides was the dominant respondent genus upon GELNs treatment. Notably, GELNs-enriched peu-MIR2916-p3 specifically promoted the growth of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an intestinal symbiotic bacterium with palliative effects on colitis. Our findings provide new insights into the medicinal application of GELNs and highlight their potential as natural nanotherapeutic agents for preventing and treating UC.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on gait and proliferation and differentiation of muscle satellite cell in rats with acute blunt trauma of gastrocnemius muscle].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on threshold of pain, gait, proliferation and differentiation of muscle satellite cell in rats with acute blunt trauma of gastrocnemius muscle, and to explore the possible mechanism of electroacupuncture in promoting the repair of acute injury of skeletal muscle. METHODS: A total of 48 SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (6 rats), a model group (24 rats) and an electroacupuncture group (18 rats). In the model group and the electroacupuncture group, the model of acute blunt trauma of gastrocnemius muscle was established by self-made impactor. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied at "Chengshan" (BL 57) and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) on the right side, with disperse-dense wave, in frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz, once a day, 30 min each time. Electroacupuncture intervention was performed for 3, 7 and 14 days according to the sampling time. On the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 14th days after modeling, the mechanical withdrawal pain threshold of hindfoot was detected by Von Frey method; the standing time and the maximum contact area of the right hindfoot were recorded by Cat Walk XTTM animal gait analysis instrument; the morphology of the right gastrocnemius muscle and the number of inflammatory cells were observed by HE staining; the positive expression of paired box gene 7 (Pax7) and myogenic differentiation (MyoD) of the right gastrocnemius muscle was detected by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: After modeling, the muscle fiber rupture and massive infiltration of red blood cells and inflammatory cells were observed in the right gastrocnemius muscle; after electroacupuncture intervention, the morphology of muscle fiber was intact and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was improved. Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the differences of mechanical withdrawal pain threshold between the left and right foot were increased (P<0.05), the standing time was shortened and the maximum contact area of the right hindfoot was decreased (P<0.05), the number of inflammatory cells and the positive expression of Pax7 and MyoD of the right gastrocnemius muscle were increased (P<0.05) on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 14th days after modeling. Compared with the model group, in the electroacupuncture group, the differences of mechanical withdrawal pain threshold were decreased (P<0.05), the standing time was prolonged (P<0.05), the number of inflammatory cells of right gastrocnemius muscle was decreased (P<0.05) on the 7th and 14th days after modeling; the maximum contact area of the right hindfoot was increased (P<0.05), the positive expression of MyoD of the right gastrocnemius muscle was increased (P<0.05) on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after modeling; the positive expression of Pax7 of the right gastrocnemius muscle was increased (P<0.05) on the 3rd day after modeling. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture can effectively improve the pain threshold and gait in rats with acute blunt trauma of gastrocnemius muscle, and promote the repair of skeletal muscle injury, the mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of Pax7 and MyoD, so as to promoting the proliferation and differentiation of muscle satellite cell.

Theabrownin from Fu Brick Tea Exhibits the Thermogenic Function of Adipocytes in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity.

This study explored whether the antiobesity effect of theabrownin (TB) extracted from Fu brick tea (FBT) was associated with the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) or browning of the white adipose tissue (WAT) in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Mice were divided into five groups, which received a normal diet, HFD, or HFD plus TB (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg), respectively. A 12-week administration of TB in a dose-dependent manner reduced the body weight and WAT weight and improved lipid and glucose disorders in the HFD-fed mice (p < 0.05). TB also promoted the expression of thermogenic and mitochondrial genes, whereas inflammation genes were reduced in interscapular BAT (iBAT), inguinal WAT (iWAT), and epididymis white adipose tissue (eWAT), accompanied by improvement in the intestinal homeostasis by improving SCFAs, especially butyric acid levels (p < 0.05), which was related to thermogenic and inflammatory factors of iBAT and iWAT. Mechanistically, TB was shown to efficiently promote thermogenesis by stimulating the AMPK-PGC1α pathway with an increase in uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Conclusively, these findings suggest that long-term consumption of TB can enhance BAT activity and WAT browning by activating the AMPK-PGC1α pathway and modulating SCFAs; meanwhile, SCFAs regulating TB improved inflammatory disorder in HFD-fed mice.

Tea Polyphenols Enhanced the Antioxidant Capacity and Induced Hsps to Relieve Heat Stress Injury.

Keap1-Nrf2-ARE and heat shock proteins (Hsps) are important endogenous protection mechanisms initiated by heat stress to play a double protective role for cell adaptation and survival. H9C2 cells and 80 300-day-old specific pathogen-free chickens were randomly divided into the control and tea polyphenol groups and used to establish a heat stress model in vitro and in vivo. This task was conducted to explore the protection and mechanism of tea polyphenols in relieving thermal injury. A supplement with 10 µg/mL tea polyphenols could effectively relieve the heat damage of H9C2 cells at 42°C. Accordingly, weaker granular degeneration, vacuolar degeneration, and nucleus deep staining were shown. A strong antioxidant capacity was manifested in the upregulation of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (at 5 h, P < 0.05), Hemeoxygenase-1 mRNA (at 2 h, P < 0.01), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (at 2, 3, and 5 h, P < 0.05), and Nrf2 (at 0 and 5 h, P < 0.01). A high expression of Hsps was reflected in CRYAB at 3 h; Hsp27 at 0, 2, and 3 h (P < 0.01); and Hsp70 at 3 and 5 h (P < 0.01). The supplement with 0.2 g/L tea polyphenols in the drinking water also had a good effect in alleviating the heat stress damage of the myocardial cells of hens at 38°C. Accordingly, light pathological lesions and downregulation of the myocardial injury-related indicators (LDH, CK, CK-MB, and TNF-α) were shown. The mechanism was related to the upregulation of T-AOC (at 0 h, P < 0.05), GSH-PX (at 0.5 d, P < 0.01), SOD (at 0.5 d), and Nrf2 (at 0 d with P < 0.01 and 2 d with P < 0.05) and the induced expression of CRYAB (at 0.5 and 2 d), Hsp27 (at 0, 0.5, and 5 d), and Hsp70 (at 0 and 0.5 d). In conclusion, the tea polyphenols enhanced the antioxidant capacity and induced Hsps to relieve heat stress injury.

Effect of grape seed extract on quality and microbiota community of container-cultured snakehead (Channa argus) fillets during chilled storage.

Herein, the effects of grape seed extract (GSE) on the microflora and biochemical changes of container cultured snakehead (Channa argus) fillets during 11 days of chilled storage were investigated. The sensory analysis, the total number of viable colonies, the total amount of volatile basic nitrogen, and k-value analysis revealed that GSE retarded the deterioration of snakehead fillets. The degradation of inosine 5'-monophosphate and the accumulation of inosine and hypoxanthine in the GSE group were slower than these in the control group. Moreover, GSE treatment effectively decreased the accumulation of putrescine, cadaverine, and histamine. Illumina-MiSeq high throughput sequencing results showed that GSE inhibited the growth of Aeromonas on snakehead fillets. Based on the microbial enumeration, sensory analysis, and k-value, GSE prolonged the shelf life of fillets for 3 days, suggesting its potential for snakehead fillets preservation.

Consumption of two whole kiwifruit (Actinide chinensis) per day improves lipid homeostasis, fatty acid metabolism and gut microbiota in healthy rats.

Golden kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) peel is a by-product enriched with polyphenols. The effects of fleshes of two Actinidia chinensis fruits (ACF) and fleshes with peels of two Actinidia chinensis fruits (ACFP) on lipid homeostasis, fatty acid metabolism and gut microbiota was investigated in healthy rats. Intervention of ACF and ACFP for 4 weeks significantly reduced total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and increased the high-density lipoprotein levels in rats. ACF and ACFP ameliorated lipid peroxidation in rats, by the lowering hepatic MDA level and enhancing GSH-Px and SOD activities. In addition, ACFP significantly decreased the saturated fatty acids in serum and increased the polyunsaturated fatty acids in hepatic and serum of rats. Analysis of gut microbiota revealed that ACF and ACFP evidently increased the microbial richness and diversity of gut microbiota. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was significantly reduced from 3.04 in ND group to 1.34 and 2.12 in ACF and ACFP groups, respectively. Moreover, ACF and ACFP significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus and Barnesiella) and reduced harmful bacteria (Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Staphylococcus). Overall, ACFP exerts more potent health-improving effects than ACF. Our study provides a scientific basis for the development of kiwifruit (including pericarp)-based novel natural products with significant health benefits.

1H NMR-Based Metabolic Profiles Delineate the Anticancer Effect of Vitamin C and Oxaliplatin on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Because of its high recurrence rate and heterogeneity, effective treatment for advanced stage of HCC is currently lacking. There are accumulating evidences showing the therapeutic potential of pharmacologic vitamin C (VC) on HCC. However, the metabolic basis underlying the anticancer property of VC remains to be elucidated. In this study, we used a high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics technique to assess the global metabolic changes in HCC cells following VC treatment. In addition, the HCC cells were also treated with oxaliplatin (OXA) to explore the potential synergistic effect induced by the combined VC and OXA treatment. The current metabolomics data suggested different mechanisms of OXA and VC in modulating cell growth and metabolism. In general, VC treatment led to inhibition of energy metabolism via NAD+ depletion and amino acid deprivation. On the other hand, OXA caused significant perturbation in phospholipid biosynthesis and phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis pathways. The current results highlighted glutathione metabolism, and pathways related to succinate and choline may play central roles in conferring the combined effect between OXA and VC. Taken together, this study provided metabolic evidence of VC and OXA in treating HCC and may contribute toward the potential application of combined VC and OXA as complementary HCC therapies.

Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch polysaccharide prevents hepatic steatosis in high fructose-fed mice associated with changes in the gut microbiota.

High fructose (HF) diet-induced liver steatosis is associated with intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. The aim of this study was to assess the modulatory effects of Artemisia sphaerocephala Krash seed polysaccharide (ASKP) on fatty acid metabolism and intestinal microbiota in mice fed with HF water. Administration of HF-fed mice with ASKP prevented fat accumulation and blunted metabolic inflammation and endotoxaemia. ASKP-treated mice displayed improved glucose tolerance and fully exhibited protection against hepatic steatosis. Besides, ASKP was effective in improving the changes in the composition of liver fatty acids via modulating hepatic SREBP-1c, SCD-1, ACC and FAS expressions. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that ASKP treatment modified the gut microbial species at the phylum level with a decrease of Firmicutes and a slight increase of Bacteroidetes (p > 0.05). Interestingly, ASKP markedly increased the proportion of the mucin-degrading bacterium Akkermansia at the genus level in HF-fed mice. These findings support the beneficial metabolic effects of ASKP through amelioration of the HF-induced features of liver steatosis, which is associated with health maintenance of the intestinal microecosystem.