Novel mechanisms underlying anti-polycystic ovary like syndrome effects of electroacupuncture in rats: suppressing SREBP1 to mitigate insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture, a therapy of traditional Chinese medicine, is confirmed to exert the therapeutic action on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the detailed therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture in PCOS remain ambiguous. In this study, we further investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) alleviated PCOS-like symptoms in rats via regulating a metabolic regulator, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP1). METHODS: The PCOS-like rat model was built by hypodermic injection with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The rats were subjected to EA intervention (ST29 and SP6 acupuncture points) for 5 weeks. Primary granulosa cells were isolated from control and PCOS-like rats for evaluating insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in vitro. RESULTS: The expression of SREBP1 was increased in PCOS-like rats, which was suppressed by EA treatment. In addition, lentivirus-mediated overexpression of SREBP1 restrained EA treatment-induced improvement in pathological changes, serum hormone levels and insulin resistance in rats. In addition, overexpression of SREBP1 repressed insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of insulin receptor ß (IR) and AKT in primary granulosa cells. Moreover, upregulation of SREBP1 further exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in granulosa cells isolated from PCOS-like rats. Mechanically, EA treatment suppressed SREBP1 expression through inducing the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway in PCOS-like rats. CONCLUSION: EA intervention alleviated PCOS-like symptoms in rats via improving IR, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress through regulating SREBP1, a lipid metabolism regulator. Our findings illuminate the novel protective mechanisms of EA in the treatment of PCOS.

Novel mechanisms underlying anti-polycystic ovary like syndrome effects of electroacupuncture in rats: suppressing SREBP1 to mitigate insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture, a therapy of traditional Chinese medicine, is confirmed to exert the therapeutic action on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the detailed therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture in PCOS remain ambiguous. In this study, we further investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) alleviated PCOS-like symptoms in rats via regulating a metabolic regulator, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP1). Methods: The PCOS-like rat model was built by hypodermic injection with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The rats were subjected to EA intervention (ST29 and SP6 acupuncture points) for 5 weeks. Primary granulosa cells were isolated from control and PCOS-like rats for evaluating insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in vitro. RESULTS: The expression of SREBP1 was increased in PCOS-like rats, which was suppressed by EA treatment. In addition, lentivirus-mediated overexpression of SREBP1 restrained EA treatment-induced improvement in pathological changes, serum hormone levels and insulin resistance in rats. In addition, overexpression of SREBP1 repressed insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of insulin receptor ß (IR) and AKT in primary granulosa cells. Moreover, upregulation of SREBP1 further exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in granulosa cells isolated from PCOS-like rats. Mechanically, EA treatment suppressed SREBP1 expression through inducing the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway in PCOS-like rats. CONCLUSION: EA intervention alleviated PCOS-like symptoms in rats via improving IR, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress through regulating SREBP1, a lipid metabolism regulator. Our findings illuminate the novel protective mechanisms of EA in the treatment of PCOS.

Validation of a quantitative FFQ for the Barbados National Cancer Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of a 148-item quantitative FFQ (QFFQ) that was developed for the Barbados National Cancer Study (BNCS) to determine dietary intake over 12 months and examine the dietary risk factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional validation study of the QFFQ against 4 d food diaries. Spearman's rank correlations (ρ), intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and weighted κ were computed as measures of concordance, adjusting for daily variations in the food diaries. Cross-classification tables and Bland-Altman plots were created for further assessment. SETTING: BNCS is a case-control study of environmental risk factors for breast and prostate cancer in a predominantly African-origin population in Barbados. SUBJECTS: Fifty-four individuals (21 years and older) were recruited among controls in the BNCS who were frequency-matched on sex and age group to breast and prostate cancer cases. RESULTS: Similar mean daily energy intake was derived from the food diary (8201 kJ (1960 kcal)) and QFFQ (7774 kJ (1858 kcal)). Rho for energy and macronutrients ranged from 0·66 (energy) to 0·17 (dietary fibre). The percentage of energy from carbohydrates and protein showed the highest and lowest ICC among macronutrients (0·63 and 0·27, respectively). The highest weighted κ was observed for energy (0·45). When the nutrient intake was divided into quartiles, approximately 34 % of the observations were in the same quartile. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation supports the validity of the QFFQ as a method for assessing long-term dietary intake except for dietary fibre, folate, vitamins A, E and B12. The instrument will be a useful tool in the analysis of diet-cancer associations in the BNCS.

Nutritional composition of dishes commonly consumed by Japanese Brazilians in São Paulo, Brazil.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To calculate the nutritional composition of commonly consumed Brazilian foods and beverages to analyze dietary intake data obtained with a quantitative food frequency questionnaire in a colorectal adenoma case-control study in Japanese Brazilians. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Weighed recipes were collected in São Paulo, Brazil and analyzed using NutriBase Clinical Nutrition Manager. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: A total of 387 recipes for 76 dishes commonly consumed by Japanese Brazilians were collected: 30 composite main course dishes, 26 composite vegetable dishes, 19 snack foods and desserts, and one beverage. The nutritional composition (energy and 32 macronutrients and micronutrients) was calculated per 100 g for each dish. CONCLUSIONS: We provided, for the first time, complete and up-to-date calculated nutritional composition data for commonly consumed Brazilian food items, which are essential to assess the current dietary intake among Japanese Brazilians.

Development of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire for assessing food, nutrient, and heterocyclic aromatic amines intake in Japanese Brazilians for a colorectal adenoma case-control study.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To develop of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) to assess intake of specific foods, nutrients and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in a case-control study of colorectal adenoma. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional survey conducted in a hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A trained dietitian collected 24-h recalls from 60 Japanese Brazilian outpatients (29 men and 31 women; mean age 58 years and 57 years, respectively). MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Fruit, vegetable and legume intake was high, with mean daily servings consumed in men and women of 8.2 and 6.9, respectively. The QFFQ contains 161 food items presented in 15 food groupings, with particular emphasis paid to the HAA content of meat, fish and chicken items. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a QFFQ appropriate for Japanese Brazilians that will allow us to estimate HAA intake and will be used to examine our hypotheses related to foods, nutrients and HAAs, and diet-gene interactions in colorectal neoplasia in this population.

Nutritional composition of commonly consumed composite dishes for Afro-Caribbeans (mainly Jamaicans) in the United Kingdom.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To provide the calculated nutritional composition of 18 commonly consumed composite dishes among Afro-Caribbeans residing in the United Kingdom. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Weighed recipes were collected in Afro-Caribbean households (mainly Jamaicans) in Manchester, UK. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: A total of 30 weighed recipes were collected for a variety of 18 Afro-Caribbean composite dishes. Among them, fried dumpling, Ackee and saltfish, fried chicken and rice and peas were high in energy, providing 201-356 kcal/100 g. Fried fish, Ackee and saltfish, stewed fish, and fried chicken had a high fat content (between 11.5% and 25.9%). CONCLUSIONS: We have provided for the first time some data on the energy, macronutrient and micronutrient content per 100 g for 18 Afro-Caribbean foods. These recipe data provide essential information for accurately assessing dietary intake and for determining associations between diet and chronic diseases among this population.

Nutritional composition of the commonly consumed composite dishes for the Barbados National Cancer Study.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To provide, for the first time, the calculated nutritional composition of 32 composite dishes commonly consumed in Barbados to enable dietary intake to be calculated from a Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire developed specifically for this population to determine associations between diet and risk of prostate and breast cancer. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Weighed recipes were collected in up to six different households for each of the 32 composite dishes. The average nutritional composition for these composite dishes was calculated using the US Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two weighed recipes were collected for 32 composite dishes: five were fish based, two were ground beef dishes, two were chicken based, two were offal based, two were lamb dishes, one was pork based, three were rice based, three were commonly consumed home-made drinks, and the remaining were miscellaneous items. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 152 weighed recipes were collected and we provide, for the first time, nutritional composition data for 32 commonly consumed food and drink items in Barbados. Such data are essential for assessing nutrient intake and determining associations between diet and prostate and breast cancer in the Barbados National Cancer Study.

Dietary intake and development of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire for the Barbados National Cancer Study.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) for the Barbados National Cancer Study (BNCS) that will permit examination of associations of diet with breast and prostate cancer. DESIGN: Population intake data from the year 2000 Barbados Food Consumption and Anthropometric Surveys (BFCAS 2000) were used to derive a list of foods consumed by the population. A 192-item draft QFFQ was developed from this list. SETTING: Barbados, West Indies provides an ideal environment to understand cancer risk in African-origin populations, with high relevance to African-Americans. The BNCS is a population-based case-control study examining risk factors for breast and prostate cancer in such populations. SUBJECTS: A total of 1600 persons, 18 years and older, completed a 24-hour recall in the BFCAS 2000. Fifty of 63 randomly selected residents (79% response rate) gave additional updated information on foods consumed. RESULTS: The 50 participants provided a one-time 24-hour recall and completed the draft QFFQ. The final instrument contains 148 items: breads, cakes, cereals = 17; rice, pastas, noodles = 8; dairy = 10; meat, fish, poultry = 42; fruit = 16; vegetables = 26; soft drinks = 14; alcoholic beverages = 5; others = 10. Additional questions include supplement use and food preparation methods such as grilling. CONCLUSION: The final instrument is concise, complete and the most up-to-date for assessing the food and nutrient intake of African-origin Barbadians and the associations with breast and prostate cancer.