Characterization and safety assessment of bamboo shoot shell cellulose nanofiber: Prepared by acidolysis combined with dynamic high-pressure microfluidization.

The preparation of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) using traditional methods is currently facing challenges due to concerns regarding environmental pollution and safety. Herein, a novel CNF was obtained from bamboo shoot shell (BSS) by low-concentration acid and dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) treatment. The resulting CNF was then characterized, followed by in vitro and in vivo safety assessments. Compared to insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), the diameters of HIDF (IDF after low-concentration acid hydrolysis) and CNF were significantly decreased to 167.13 nm and 70.97 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, HIDF and CNF showed a higher crystallinity index (71.32 % and 74.35 %). Structural analysis results indicated the successful removal of lignin and hemicellulose of HIDF and CNF, with CNF demonstrating improved thermostability. In vitro, a high dose of CNF (1500 µg/mL) did not show any signs of cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. In vivo, no death was observed in the experimental mice, and there was no significant difference between CNF (1000 mg/kg·bw) and control group in hematological index and histopathological analysis. Overall, this study presents an environmentally friendly method for preparing CNF from BSS while providing evidence regarding its safety through in vitro and in vivo assessments, laying the foundation for its potential application in food.

Novel Lauric Acid-Butyric Structural Lipid Inhibits Inflammation: Small Intestinal Microbes May Be Important Mediators.

SCOPE: Butyric acid (C4) and lauric acid (C12) are recognized as functional fatty acids, while the health benefits of the structural lipids they constitute remain unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, lauric acid-butyric structural lipid (SLBL ) is synthesized through ultrasound-assisted enzyme-catalyzed acidolysis and its health benefits are evaluated in a high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model. SLBL and its physical mixture (MLBL ) do not significantly inhibit obesity in mice. However, SLBL treatment increases the ratio of n3/n6 fatty acids in the liver and improves obesity-induced hepatic lipid metabolism disorders. Furthermore, the expression of liver pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α) are significantly suppressed by SLBL , while the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) is increased. Moreover, SLBL ameliorates the dysbiosis of small intestinal microbes induced by high-fat diet and regulates microbial community structure to be close to the control group. Especially, SLBL significantly alleviates the high-fat diet-induced decrease in Dubosiella and Bifidobacterium abundance. Correlation analysis reveals that SLBL treatment increases the abundance of microorganisms with potential anti-inflammatory function and decreases the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria. CONCLUSION: In all, small intestinal microbes may be a significant bridge for the positive anti-inflammatory effects of SLBL , while the exact mechanism remains to be clarified.

Sea cucumber peptides positively regulate sexual hormones in male mice with acute exhaustive swimming: possibly through the Ca2+/PKA signaling pathway.

Sea cucumber peptides (SCPs) have been proven to have many active functions; however, their impact on testosterone synthesis and the corresponding mechanism are not yet clear. This study attempts to explore the effects of SCPs on sex hormone regulation in acute exhaustive swimming (AES) male mice and the possible mechanisms. In the present study, SCP intervention significantly prolonged exhaustive swimming time and reduced exercise metabolite accumulation. The reproductive ability-related parameters including penile index, mating ability, testicular morphology, and sperm storage were dramatically improved by SCP intervention. Notably, SCPs markedly reversed the AES-induced decrease in serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Moreover, treatment with a high dose of SCP (0.6 mg per g bw) significantly enhanced the expression of testosterone synthesis-related proteins in testis, meanwhile markedly increasing the gene expression of StAR, Hsd17b3, Hsd17b2, Ldlr, and Cyp19a1. Serum metabolomics results indicated that SCP intervention notably upregulated the expression of 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol but downregulated the concentrations of succinate and DL-lactate. Furthermore, serum metabolomics combined with testicular transcriptome, western blot, and correlation analyses demonstrated that SCPs may regulate testosterone synthesis via the Ca2+/PKA signaling pathway. This study indicated that the SCP could be a potential dietary supplement to improve the symptoms of decreased sex hormones related to exercise fatigue.

Curcumin-Loaded Bamboo Shoot Cellulose Nanofibers: Characterization and In Vitro Studies.

Given its high biological and pharmacological activities, curcumin (CUR) offers promising applications in functional foods. However, its low stability and bioavailability have greatly hindered its application in the food industry. The present study prepared cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from bamboo shoot processing byproducts and investigated its potential as a low-cost carrier. Our results showed that CUR was immobilized on CNF surfaces mainly through hydrogen bonding and eventually encapsulated in CNF matrices, forming a CNF-CUR complex with an encapsulation efficiency of 88.34% and a loading capacity of 67.95%. The CUR encapsulated in the complex showed improved stability after thermal and UV light treatments. Moreover, a slow and extended release pattern of CUR in a simulated gastrointestinal tract was observed, which could be appropriately described using the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. These results revealed that CNF is a promising protective carrier for the slow release of CUR, making it a better candidate for functional foods.

Influence of cooking techniques on food quality, digestibility, and health risks regarding lipid oxidation.

Foods undergo various physical and chemical reactions during cooking. Boiling, steaming, baking, smoking and frying are common traditional cooking techniques. At present, new cooking technologies including ultrasonic-assisted cooking, vacuum low-temperature cooking, vacuum frying, microwave heating, infrared heating, ohmic heating and air frying are widely studied and used. In cooking, lipid oxidation is the main reason for the change in lipid quality. Oxidative decomposition, triglyceride monomer oxidation, hydrolysis, isomerization, cyclization reaction and polymerization occurred in lipid oxidation affect lipids' quality, flavor, digestibility and safety. Meanwhile, lipid oxidation in cooking might cause the decline of lipid digestibility and increase of health risks. Compared with the traditional cooking technology, the new cooking technology that is milder, more uniform and faster can reduce the loss of lipid nutrition and produce a better flavor. In the future, the combination of various cooking technologies is an effective strategy for families to obtain healthier food.

The evaluation of sea cucumber (Acaudina leucoprocta) peptide on sex hormone regulation in normal and premature ovarian failure female mice.

Sea cucumber peptides (SCPs) have various functional activities. However, studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SCPs from the perspective of sex hormones are still lacking. In this study, normal and premature ovarian failure (POF) female mice were used to assess the effect of SCPs on the sex hormones. The ovarian and uterine indices were not influenced by SCP both in normal and POF mice. In normal mice, SCP showed no significant impact on the estrous cycle, ovarian, uterine morphology, sex hormone levels, and sex hormone synthesis-related genes of the ovary. However, 0.6 mg per g bw dosage of SCP (SCPH) statistically increased mapk1 expression on normal mice hypothalamus. In POF mice, SCPH played a more positive role than a low dosage of SCP (0.2 mg per g bw). SCP ameliorated POF-induced estrous cycle disturbances and significantly increased serum estradiol, testosterone, and AMH levels. Moreover, SCP increased the synthesis of the sex hormone by upregulating the expression of StAR, Fshr, and Cyp19a1 in the ovary, which might be due to the activation of the cAMP-related signaling pathways. The upregulation of mapk1, Esr1, and Gnrh was also observed in the hypothalamus. Together, SCP is safe for normal female mice and seems to have positive effects on POF mice from sex hormone regulation. However, the risk of excessive supplementation of sex hormones induced by the SCP intake in POF mice needs to be further explored.

A novel Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) bone collagen peptide delays osteoarthritis development by inhibiting cartilage matrix degradation and anti-inflammatory.

Nowadays, the biological activity of collagen peptides has been revealed, but the effect of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) bone-derived collagen peptide (CPs) on osteoarthritis remains unclear. In this study, CPs was identified as a small molecular weight peptide rich in Gly-X-Y structure. Meanwhile, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced hypertrophic chondrocytes and partial medial meniscectomy (pMMx) surgery model in rats were performed. In IL-1ß stimulated chondrocytes, CPs significantly increased the type-II collagen content, reduced the type-X collagen abundance and chondrocytes apoptosis. Meanwhile, CPs reversed the increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase, metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs and RUNX family transcription factor 2 in chondrocytes induced by IL-1ß. In vivo, CPs increased pain tolerance of rats and without organ toxicity at 1.6 g/kg.bw. CPs significantly decreased the levels of COMP and Helix-II in serum. Furthermore, a significant decrease of IL-1ß in synovial fluid and cartilage tissue were observed by CPs intervention. From Micro-CT, CPs (0.8 g/kg.bw) significantly decreased Tb.sp and SMI value. Meanwhile, the expression of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 were reduced by CPs administration both in vitro and in vivo. Together, CPs showed potential to be a novel and safe dietary supplement for helping anti-inflammatory and cartilage regeneration, ultimately hindering osteoarthritis development. However, the clear mechanism of CPs's positive effect on osteoarthritis needs to be further explored.

Ultrasound enhanced butyric acid-lauric acid designer lipid synthesis: Based on artificial neural network and changes in enzymatic structure.

Ultrasound is a green technology for intensifying enzymatic reactions. In this study, an ultrasonic water bath with equipment parameters of 28 kHz, 1750.1 W/m2, 60% duty cycle was used to assist the synthesis of butyric acid-lauric acid designer lipid (BLDL), which was catalyzed by Lipozyme 435. A convincing three-layer feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) model was established (R2 = 0.949, RMSE = 4.759, ADD = 7.329) to accurately predict the optimal parameters combination, which was described as 13.72 mL reaction volume, 15.49% enzyme loading, 0.253 substrate molar ratio (tributyrin/lauric acid), 56.58 °C reaction temperature and 120 min reaction time. The ultrasonic assistance increased actual butyric acid conversion rate by 11.38%, and also enhanced the consumption rate of tributyrin and lauric acid during the reaction. Meanwhile, the esterification activity of Lipozyme 435 was enhanced and its effectiveness up to 6 cycles. Structurally, ultrasound assistance significantly disrupted the secondary structure of the Lipozyme 435: reduced the content of α-helices, increased the content of ß-sheet and ß-turn. In addition, sonication caused an increase in crevice and micro-damage on the surface of the immobilized enzyme. In conclusion, low-intensity ultrasound at 28 kHz improved the synthesis efficiency of BLDL, which was scientifically predicted by ANN model, and the change of enzyme structure may be the vital reason for ultrasound enhanced reaction. However, the effect of ultrasound on immobilized enzymes' activity needs to be further explored.

Study on the digestive characteristics of short-and medium-chain fatty acid structural lipid and its rapid intervention on gut microbes: In vivo and in vitro studies.

Structuring is a feasible scheme to improve lipids' value. Here, SBL and SLBL (C4-C12 structural lipids) were obtained through enzymatic ester-ester transesterification or acidolysis interesterification using glyceryl tributyrate/glyceryl tridodecanoate and lauric acid/glyceryl tributyrate as raw materials, respectively. The digestive characteristics of SBL and SLBL were investigated in vitro and in vivo, meanwhile, their effects on gut microbes were studied. Compared with their corresponding triglyceride physical mixture, SBL possessed an ideal butyric acid sustained-release effect in simulated stomach digestion. Moreover, the sustained-release effect of SLBL on glycerol monolaurate (GML) was revealed both in vivo and in vitro, while this effect of the SBL was obviously occurred in small intestine. SBL significantly increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium and SLBL promoted the growth of Clostridiales within 24 h. Overall, both SBL and SLBL showed ideal sustained-release effects on GML rather than butyric acid, which may lead to positive changes in gut microbes.

A bridge for short-chain fatty acids to affect inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease positively: by changing gut barrier.

PURPOSE: In previous studies, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been found to regulate gut microbiota and change gut barrier status, and the potential positive effects of SCFAs on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have also been found, but the role of SCFAs in these three diseases is not clear. This review aims to summarize existing evidence on the effects of SCFAs on IBD, T1D, and NHFLD, and correlates them with gut barrier and gut microbiota (gut microbiota barrier). METHODS: A literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, and Wiley Online Library up to October 2020 was conducted for all relevant studies published. RESULTS: This is a retrospective review of 150 applied research articles or reviews. The destruction of gut barrier may promote the development of IBD, T1D, and NAFLD. SCFAs seem to maintain the gut barrier by promoting the growth of intestinal epithelial cells, strengthening the intestinal tight connection, and regulating the activities of gut microbiota and immune cells, which might result possible beneficial effects on the above three diseases at a certain dose. CONCLUSIONS: Influencing gut barrier health may be a bridge for SCFAs (especially butyrate) to have positive effects on IBD, T1D, and NAFLD. It is expected that this article can provide new ideas for the subsequent research on the treatment of diseases by SCFAs and help SCFAs be better applied to precise and personalized treatment.

Hypoglycemic effect of dietary fibers from bamboo shoot shell: An in vitro and in vivo study.

Bamboo shoot shell (BSS) was enzymatically decomposed to yield insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and total dietary fiber (TDF), which were investigated for their hypoglycemic properties using in vitro and in vivo methods. The results indicated that SDF exhibited significantly higher glucose adsorbing capacity than those of IDF and TDF. Moreover, SDF showed similar inhibition potential against α-amylase with acarbose. TDF displayed the greater capacities of delaying glucose diffusion and inhibition of α-glucosidase than those of SDF. In the diabetic mice, after 4-week administration of BSS fibers or metformin, the blood glucose levels were significantly reduced and the oral glucose tolerance was improved. TDF and IDF hardly influenced the blood insulin level, while SDF could significantly increase blood insulin level. The results showed that BSS fibers could be a potentially available dietary ingredient in functional food.

Effects of cross-pollination by 'Murcott' tangor on the physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities of 'Qicheng 52' navel orange.

This study investigated the effects of cross-pollination by 'Murcott' tangor on the fruit quality of 'Qicheng52' navel orange, including the physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities. There were no significant differences on the fruit weight, juice yield and pH value of juice between self- and cross-pollinated fruits. However, cross-pollination could significantly improve the fruit quality of 'Qicheng52' fruits by increasing the total soluble solid content from 11.12 ±â€¯1.02 °Brix to 13.86 ±â€¯1.17 °Brix. The results of high performance liquid chromatography analysis of three sugar components indicated that the increase of total sugar was mainly contributed by the increase of fructose and sucrose. Cross-pollination exhibited no effect on the flavonoids content, while the total phenolics content was increased from 210.09 ±â€¯18.55 mg/L to 298.25 ±â€¯29.10 mg/L, which contributed to the higher antioxidant capacity in the cross-pollination fruit juice.

Modification of insoluble dietary fibers from bamboo shoot shell: Structural characterization and functional properties.

To improve its functional properties, insoluble fiber of bamboo shoot shell (BIDF) was modified by enzymatic hydrolysis and dynamic high pressure micro-fluidization (DHPM). The results showed that, after enzymatic hydrolysis and DHPM treatment, the significantly decreased particle sizes and the marked microstructural changes of BIDF powders were noticed, especially for a honey-comb appearance and large cavities were clearly visible on the surface of DHPM-modified fiber. Crystallinity and thermal stability of modified fibers increased, due to the fact that part of lignin and hemicellulose were removed during the treatments, which was further confirmed by the FT-IR spectra. Compared with unmodified and enzymatic hydrolyzed fibers, DHPM-modified fiber had not only higher water holding capacity, but also more promising binding capacities for oil, nitrite ion, glucose and cholesterol, which might dependent on its decreased particle size and porous structure. The present study suggested that DHPM modification could effectively improve functional properties of BIDF, which promotes its use in food applications.

Genome-wide transcriptional changes in type 2 diabetic mice supplemented with lotus seed resistant starch.

Resistant starch has been studied extensively for its hypoglycemic activity, while its underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the hypoglycemic effect of different doses of lotus seed resistant starch (LSRS) supplementation on type 2 diabetic mice and elucidated the molecular basis of its hypoglycemic effect. LSRS supplementation significantly reduced blood glucose level by 16.0%-33.6%, recovered serum insulin level by 25.0%-39.0% and improved lipid metabolism disorder in the diabetic mice. The genome-wide expression patterns in pancreatic tissue were analyzed, and 511 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The analysis results of gene ontology (GO) functions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways indicated that the protective effect of LSRS supplementation was most likely driven by modulating expression levels of various key factors involved in insulin secretion, insulin signal transmission, cell apoptosis, antioxidant activity and p53 signaling pathways.

LncRNA SNHG1 regulates cerebrovascular pathologies as a competing endogenous RNA through HIF-1α/VEGF signaling in ischemic stroke.

Studies have shown that long noncoding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) play critical roles in multiple biologic processes. However, the Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 1 (SNHG1) function and underlying molecular mechanisms in ischemic stroke have not yet been reported. In the present study, we found that SNHG1 expression was remarkably increased both in isolated cerebral micro-vessels of a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice model, and in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-cultured mice brain micro-vascular endothelial cells (BMECs), meanwhile, the SNHG1 level was negatively correlated with miR-18a in MCAO mice. Mechanistically, SNHG1 inhibition presents larger brain infarct size and worsens neurological scores in MCAO mice. Consistent with the in vivo findings, SNHG1 inhibition also significantly increased caspase-3 activity and cell apoptosis in OGD-cultured BMECs. Furthermore, we found that SNHG1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-18a, thereby regulating the de-repression of its endogenous target HIF-1α and promoting BMEC survival through HIF-1α/VEGF signaling. This study found a neuroprotective effect of SNHG1 mediated by HIF-1α/VEGF signaling through acting as a ceRNA for miR-18a. These findings reveal a novel function of SNHG1, which contributes to an extensive understanding of ischemic stroke and provides novel therapeutic options for this disease.

Hydration properties and binding capacities of dietary fibers from bamboo shoot shell and its hypolipidemic effects in mice.

In the bamboo shoot processing industries, bamboo shoot shells are discarded without any utilization. As a cheap potential dietary fibers resource, bamboo shoot (Leleba oldhami Nakal) shell was decomposed to dietary fibers by multiple enzymes. The extraction yields of insoluble dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber were 56.21% and 8.67%, respectively. The resulting fibers showed significant swelling capacity, water holding capacity and exhibit in vitro binding capacities to fat, cholesterol, bile acids and nitrites. The administration of bamboo shoot shell fibers improved the lipid metabolism disorderly situation of hyperlipidemia mice. Compared with normal group, total dietary fiber supplement could exhibit the lowest body weight gain (2.84%) in mice, and decrease total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 31.53%, 21.35% and 31.53%, respectively; while it can increase high density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 37.6%. The bamboo shoot shell fibers could be a potentially available dietary ingredient in functional food industries.