Probiotics that Ameliorate Cognitive Impairment through Anti-Inflammation and Anti-Oxidation in Mice.

The gut-brain axis encompasses a bidirectional communication pathway between the gastrointestinal microbiota and the central nervous system. There is some evidence to suggest that probiotics may have a positive effect on cognitive function, but more research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. Inflammation-induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may affect cognitive function. To confirm the effect of probiotics on oxidative stress induced by LPS, the relative expression of antioxidant factors was confirmed, and it was revealed that the administration of probiotics had a positive effect on the expression of antioxidant-related factors. After oral administration of probiotics to mice, an intentional inflammatory response was induced through LPS i.p., and the effect on cognition was confirmed by the Morris water maze test, nitric oxide (NO) assay, and interleukin (IL)-1ß enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performed. Experimental results, levels of NO and IL-1 ß in the blood of LPS i.p. mice were significantly decreased, and cognitive evaluation using the Morris water maze test showed significant values in the latency and target quadrant percentages in the group that received probiotics. This proves that intake of these probiotics improves cognitive impairment and memory loss through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.

Molecular Mechanism of L-Pyroglutamic Acid Interaction with the Human Sour Receptor.

Taste is classified into five types, each of which has evolved to play its respective role in mammalian survival. Sour taste is one of the important ways to judge whether food has gone bad, and the sour taste receptor (PKD2L1) is the gene behind it. Here, we investigated whether L-pyroglutamic acid interacts with sour taste receptors through electrophysiology and mutation experiments using Xenopus oocytes. R299 of hPKD2L1 was revealed to be involved in L-pyroglutamic acid binding in a concentration-dependent manner. As a result, it is possible to objectify the change in signal intensity according to the concentration of L-pyroglutamic acid, an active ingredient involved in the taste of kimchi, at the molecular level. Since the taste of other ingredients can also be measured with the method used in this experiment, it is expected that an objective database of taste can be created.

Identification of 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol as a Novel Agonist for Insect Odorant Receptors.

Odorant molecules interact with odorant receptors (ORs) lining the pores on the surface of the sensilla on an insect's antennae and maxillary palps. This interaction triggers an electrical signal that is transmitted to the insect's nervous system, thereby influencing its behavior. Orco, an OR coreceptor, is crucial for olfactory transduction, as it possesses a conserved sequence across the insect lineage. In this study, we focused on 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (DTBP), a single substance present in acetic acid bacteria culture media. We applied DTBP to oocytes expressing various Drosophila melanogaster odor receptors and performed electrophysiology experiments. After confirming the activation of DTBP on the receptor, the binding site was confirmed through point mutations. Our findings confirmed that DTBP interacts with the insect Orco subunit. The 2-heptanone, octanol, and 2-hexanol were not activated for the Orco homomeric channel, but DTBP was activated, and the EC50 value was 13.4 ± 3.0 µM. Point mutations were performed and among them, when the W146 residue changed to alanine, the Emax value was changed from 1.0 ± 0 in the wild type to 0.0 ± 0 in the mutant type, and all activity was decreased. Specifically, DTBP interacted with the W146 residue of the Orco subunit, and the activation manner was concentration-dependent and voltage-independent. This molecular-level analysis provides the basis for novel strategies to minimize pest damage. DTBP, with its specific binding to the Orco subunit, shows promise as a potential pest controller that can exclusively target insects.