Anti-obesity and immunomodulatory effects of Allium hookeri leaves cultivated with artificial light of different intensities on immune-depressed obese mice.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Allium hookeri (AH) leaves cultivated with different light-emitting diode (LED) intensities (L: low, 100 µmol/m2/s; M: medium, 150 µmol/m2/s; H: high, 200 µmol/m2/s). Alliin concentration increased as light intensity increased in AH and showed the highest level at LED-H condition. The anti-obesity and immunomodulatory properties of AH were evaluated in a cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced immunosuppressed obese animal model. C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into control (CON), high-fat diet (HFD) control (CON-H), negative control (NC), positive control (PC, ß-glucan, 50 mg/kg body weight (BW)), AH L, M, and H groups. The three kinds of AH extracts were orally administered to the mice at 300 mg/kg BW for 2 weeks. Except for CON and CON-H, all the other groups were intraperitoneally treated with CPA. Epididymal and abdominal fat weight decreased as LED intensity increased while spleen weight increased in the AH groups. Serum glucose decreased as LED intensity increased in the AH groups and H group showed the lowest level. Triglycerides, total, and LDL-cholesterol levels decreased while HDL-cholesterol level increased in the AH groups compared to the NC group. Moreover, AH effectively reduced serum ALT and AST levels and increased the total white blood cell count, particularly elevating lymphocyte and monocyte levels. Furthermore, NK cell activity was higher in the AH groups. These findings suggest that AH cultivated at optimal LED intensity could be used as a novel biomedicine and in pharmacotherapy to treat related diseases to improve public health without any toxicity.

Dietary supplementation of ark clams protects gut health and modifies gut microbiota in d-galactose-induced aging rats.

BACKGROUND: Ark clams, a seafood abundant in various nutrients, are widely consumed worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the protective benefits of two common ark clams in Korea, Scapharca subcrenata (SS) and Tegillarca granosa (TG), on gut health in d-galactose (d-gal)-induced aging rats. RESULTS: Thirty-two Wistar rats (11 weeks old) were randomly allocated into four groups: a CON group (normal diet + saline intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection), a CD group (normal diet + d-gal i.p. injection), an SS group (normal diet with 5% SS supplementation + d-gal i.p. injection), and a TG group (normal diet with 5% TG supplementation + d-gal i.p. injection). After 12 weeks of treatment, histopathological results showed that gut barrier damage was alleviated in rats of the SS and TG groups, as evidenced by increases in mucus layer thickness and goblet cell numbers. Meanwhile, the two groups supplemented with ark clams showed an evident reduction in oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl content levels in the colon) and an increase in the immune-related factor (immunoglobulin A level in the plasma) in rats. The 16S ribosomal RNA analysis revealed that SS and TG ark clams significantly increased the proliferations of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level and Parabacteroides at the genus level. Additionally, the levels of the three main short-chain fatty acids in the cecal contents were also significantly increased in the SS and TG groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated a potent preventive effect of SS and TG ark clams on d-gal-induced gut injury, suggesting that ark clams may be a promising dietary component for intervening in aging. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comprehensive Laboratory Data Analysis to Predict the Clinical Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in 1,952 Patients in Daegu, Korea.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory parameter abnormalities are commonly observed in COVID-19 patients; however, their clinical significance remains controversial. We assessed the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical impact of laboratory parameters in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Daegu, Korea. METHODS: We investigated the clinical and laboratory parameters of 1,952 COVID-19 patients on admission in nine hospitals in Daegu, Korea. The average patient age was 58.1 years, and 700 (35.9%) patients were men. The patients were classified into mild (N=1,612), moderate (N=294), and severe (N=46) disease groups based on clinical severity scores. We used chi-square test, multiple comparison analysis, and multinomial logistic regression to evaluate the correlation between laboratory parameters and disease severity. RESULTS: Laboratory parameters on admission in the three disease groups were significantly different in terms of hematologic (Hb, Hct, white blood cell count, lymphocyte%, and platelet count), coagulation (prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time), biochemical (albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and electrolytes), inflammatory (C-reactive protein and procalcitonin), cardiac (creatinine kinase MB isoenzyme and troponin I), and molecular virologic (Ct value of SARS-CoV-2 RdRP gene) parameters. Relative lymphopenia, prothrombin time prolongation, and hypoalbuminemia were significant indicators of COVID-19 severity. Patients with both hypoalbuminemia and lymphopenia had a higher risk of severe COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory parameter abnormalities on admission are common, are significantly associated with clinical severity, and can serve as independent predictors of COVID-19 severity. Monitoring the laboratory parameters, including albumin and lymphocyte count, is crucial for timely treatment of COVID-19.