Effects of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine on lipid profiles in the brain and liver of n-3 PUFA-deficient mice in early life after weaning.

BACKGROUND: Lack of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during the period of maternity drastically lowers the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level in the brain of offspring and studies have demonstrated that different molecular forms of DHA are beneficial to brain development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) on DHA levels in the liver and brain of congenital n-3-deficient mice. RESULTS: Dietary supplementation with DHA significantly changed the fatty acid composition of various phospholipid molecules in the cerebral cortex and liver while DHA-enriched phospholipid was more effective than DHA triglyceride (TG) in increasing brain and liver DHA. Both DHA-PS and DHA-PC could effectively increase the DHA levels, but DHA in the PS form was superior to PC in the contribution of DHA content in the brain ether-linked PC (ePC) and liver lyso-phosphatidylcholine molecular species. DHA-PC showed more significant effects on the increase of DHA in liver TG, PC, ePC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PE plasmalogen (pPE) molecular species and decreasing the arachidonic acid level in liver PC plasmalogen, ePC, PE and pPE molecular species compared with DHA-PS. CONCLUSION: The effect of dietary interventions with different molecular forms of DHA for brain and liver lipid profiles is different, which may provide theoretical guidance for dietary supplementation of DHA for people. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Trimethylamine N-Oxide in Aquatic Foods.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a characteristic nonprotein nitrogen compound, is widely present in seafood, which exhibits osmoregulatory effects for marine organisms in vivo and plays an important role in aquaculture and aquatic product preservation. However, much attention has been focused on the negative effect of TMAO since it has recently emerged as a putative promoter of chronic diseases. To get full knowledge and maximize our ability to balance the positive and negative aspects of TMAO, in this review, we comprehensively discuss the TMAO in aquatic products from the aspects of physiological functions for marine organisms, flavor, quality, the conversion of precursors, the influences on human health, and the seafood ingredients interaction consideration. Though the circulating TMAO level is inevitably enhanced after seafood consumption, dietary seafood still exhibits beneficial health effects and may provide nutraceuticals to balance the possible adverse effects of TMAO.

Time-Course Metabolomic Analysis: Production of Betaine Structural Analogs by Fungal Fermentation of Seaweed.

Betaine structural analogs are compounds characterized by the presence of positive and negative charges in a single molecule and have been reported to have physiological properties, such as anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we performed a metabolomic analysis of metabolite composition changes during the fermentation of Neopyropia yezoensis, an edible red alga, with Aspergillus oryzae for 72 h. The results indicated that three specific betaine structural analogs (betaine, stachydrine, and carnitine) exhibited significant changes in production by the end of the 72 h fermentation period. Time-course analysis suggested that betaine was generated from the precursor choline at 12-24 h during the late stage of fungal growth, while stachydrine was generated from the precursor-related compound glutamic acid at 48-72 h during the sporulation stage. However, the contribution of the precursor lysine to the increased production of carnitine during the 12-72 h period was unclear. This study provides useful information on the efficient production of betaine structural analogs by the fungal fermentation of seaweed as well as various other food materials.

Ozonated Olive Oil Intake Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis in Obese db/db Mice.

Chronic inflammation and insulin resistance lead to metabolic syndrome and there is an urgent need to establish effective treatments and prevention methods. Our previous study reported that obese model Zucker (fa/fa) rats fed with ozonated olive oil alleviated fatty liver and liver damage by suppressing inflammatory factors. However, differences among animal species related to the safety and efficacy of ozonated olive oil administration remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of oral intake of ozonated olive oil on lipid metabolism in normal mice and mice in the obesity model. C57BL/6J and db/db mice were fed the following AIN-76 diets for four weeks: the mice were either fed a 0.5% olive oil diet (Control diet) or 0.5% ozonated olive oil diet (Oz-Olive diet) in addition to 6.5% corn oil. The results indicated that four weeks of Oz-Olive intake did not adversely affect growth parameters, hepatic lipids or serum parameters in normal C57BL/6J mice. Subsequent treatment of db/db mice with Oz-Olive for four weeks reduced the levels of hepatic triglycerides, serum alkaline phosphatase, and serum insulin. These effects of Oz-Olive administration might be due to suppression of fatty acid synthesis activity and expression of lipogenic genes, as well as suppression of inflammatory gene expression. In conclusion, this study confirmed the safety of Oz-Olive administration in normal mice and its ability to alleviate hepatic steatosis by inhibiting fatty acid synthesis and inflammation in obese mice.

Identification of genes regulated by lipids from seaweed Susabinori (Pyropia yezoensis) involved in the improvement of hepatic steatosis: Insights from RNA-Seq analysis in obese db/db mice.

Hepatic steatosis is an early stage in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and can lead to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Identification of dietary components that can alleviate hepatic steatosis is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies for NAFLD. Recently, we demonstrated the impact of lipids extracted from the marine red alga Susabinori (Pyropia yezoensis) in a murine model of type 2-diabete (db/db). We found that Susabinori lipids (SNL), abundant in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-containing polar lipids, protected against obesity-induced hepatic steatosis in db/db mice. To understand the specific genes or biological pathways underlying the effects of SNL, we conducted RNA-Seq analysis of the hepatic transcriptome. By performing comparative analysis of differentially expressed genes between normal mice and db/db mice consuming a control diet, as well as SNL-fed db/db mice, we identified the 15 SNL-dependent up-regulated genes that were down-regulated in db/db mice but up-regulated by SNL feeding. Gene ontology and pathway analysis on these 15 genes demonstrated a significant association with the metabolisms of arachidonic acid (AA) and linoleic acid (LA). Furthermore, we observed alterations in the expression levels of monoacylglycerol lipase (Magl) and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (Fabp4) in the SNL-fed db/db mice, both of which are implicated in AA and LA metabolism. Additionally, the livers of SNL-fed db/db mice exhibited reduced levels of AA and LA, but a high accumulation of EPA. In conclusion, the SNL diet might affect the metabolisms of AA and LA, which contribute to the improvement of hepatic steatosis. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of SNL.

N-3 PUFA Deficiency from Early Life to Adulthood Exacerbated Susceptibility to Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Testicular Dysfunction in Adult Mice.

Homeostasis of reactive oxygen species is required to maintain sperm maturation and capacitation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is accumulated in testicles and spermatozoa and has the ability to manipulate the redox status. The effects of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) deficiency from early life to adulthood on the physiological and functional properties of males under the redox imbalance of testicular tissue deserve attention. The consecutive injection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) for 15 days to induce oxidative stress in testicular tissue was used to elucidate the consequences of testicular n-3 PUFA deficiency. The results indicated that reactive oxygen species treatment in adult male mice with DHA deficiency in the testis could reduce spermatogenesis and disrupt sex hormone production, as well as trigger testicular lipid peroxidation and tissue damage. N-3 PUFA deficiency from early life to adulthood resulted in higher susceptibility to testicular dysfunction in the germinal function of supplying germ cells and the endocrine role of secreting hormones through the mechanism of aggravating mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and destruction of blood testicular barrier under oxidative stress, which might provide a basis for humans to reduce susceptibility to chronic disease and maintain reproductive health in adulthood through dietary interventions of n-3 PUFAs.

Perilla Pomace, a By-product of Oil Extraction, Is Rich in Nutrients and Can Favorably Modulate Lipid Metabolism in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Perilla pomace, a by-product of oil extraction, is rich in nutrients, such as proteins, but it has not been used for purposes other than livestock feeding. The aim of this study was to determine how perilla pomace modulates glucose and lipid metabolism in Sprague-Dawley rats. Dried perilla pomace was added to diet at a concentration of 16%. One experimental group was administered perilla oil equivalent to that in the perilla pomace. After four weeks, the animals were euthanized, and biochemical parameters were measured. Two experiments were conducted using a low-fat (7% by weight) and a high-fat (21% by weight) diet. Regardless of the level of fat in the diets, no differences in food intake were found among the groups. In the low-fat diet-fed rats (Experiment 1), epididymal adipose tissue weight was slightly, but not significantly, lower in perilla pomace-fed rats than in those fed the control diet. Hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced by perilla pomace compared to those in the control group. Serum lipid profiles (triglycerides and cholesterol) were similar to those in the liver, without statistically significant differences. Perilla pomace significantly diminished hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity. In high-fat diet-fed rats (Experiment 2), pomace did not significantly lower epididymal adipose tissue weight. Hepatic cholesterol levels were lower in rats on the perilla oil than in control rats. The activity of hepatic enzymes involved in fat oxidation was significantly higher in rats fed the perilla pomace than in those fed the control diet. Collectively, these results show that perilla pomace favorably modulates fat metabolism, and the specific effects depend on the fat content in the diet.

DHA-Enriched Phospholipids Exhibit Anti-Depressant Effects by Immune and Neuroendocrine Regulation in Mice: A Study on Dose- and Structure-Activity Relationship.

SCOPE: It has been reported that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), especially EPA-enriched phospholipids (EPA-PL), significantly ameliorates depression-like behavior in mice, while the corresponding effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is weak. However, it is still unclear whether the limited effect of DHA on alleviating depression is remedied by dose and chemical structure adjustment to DHA-PL. METHODS AND RESULTS: A mouse model with depression is established by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) coupled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge to simulate the infection-triggered immune perturbation during chronic stress, and the effects of dietary 0.2% EPA-PL, 0.2% DHA-PL, 0.6% DHA-PL, and 0.6% DHA-enriched ethyl ester (DHA-EE) are comparatively investigated. The results demonstrate that dietary 0.6% DHA-PL, instead of 0.2% DHA-PL and 0.6% DHA-EE, significantly rescues the depression-like behavior with similar effects to 0.2% EPA-PL. Further studies reveal that dietary DHA-PL regulates immune dysregulation, inhibits neuroinflammation by NLRP3 inflammasome, and further improves monoamine systems and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. CONCLUSION: The limited effect of DHA on depression is remedied by chemical structure adjustment to DHA-PL and three-fold dose. The present findings provide a potential novel candidate or targeted dietary patterns to prevent and treat depression.

Antarctic krill oil exhibited synergistic effects with nobiletin and theanine in ameliorating memory and cognitive deficiency in SAMP8 mice: Applying the perspective of the sea-land combination to retard brain aging.

The complex pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) leads to a limited therapeutic effect; therefore, the combination of multiple bioactive ingredients may be more effective in improving AD due to synergistic effects. Based on the perspective of the sea-land combination, the effects of sea-derived Antarctic krill oil (AKO) combined with land-derived nobiletin (Nob) and L-theanine (The) on memory loss and cognitive deficiency were studied in senescence-accelerated prone 8 mice (SAMP8). The results demonstrated that AKO combined with The significantly increased the number of platform crossings in the Morris water maze test by 1.6-fold, and AKO combined with Nob significantly increased the preference index in a novel object recognition test. AKO exhibited synergistic effects with Nob and The in ameliorating recognition memory and spatial memory deficiency in SAMP8 mice, respectively. Further research of the mechanism indicated that AKO exhibited synergistic effects with Nob in suppressing ß-amyloid (Aß) aggregation, neurofibrillary tangles, and apoptosis and neuroinflammation, while the synergistic effects of AKO and The involved in synaptic plasticity and anti-neuroinflammation, which revealed that the combination was complex, not a mechanical addition. These findings revealed that the sea-land combination may be an effective strategy to treat and alleviate AD.

Dried and Fermented Powders of Edible Algae (Neopyropia yezoensis) Attenuate Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Mice.

Edible algae Neopyropia yezoensis is used as "Nori", its dried sheet product, in Japanese cuisine. Its lipid components reportedly improve hepatic steatosis in obese db/db mice. In this study, we prepared "Nori powder (NP)" and "fermented Nori powder (FNP)" to utilize the functional lipids contained in "Nori" and examined their nutraceutical effects in vivo. Male db/db mice were fed a basal AIN-76 diet, a 10% NP-supplemented diet, or a 10% FNP-supplemented diet for 4 weeks. We detected eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) present in both NP and FNP in the serum and liver of db/db mice in a dose-dependent manner. The NP diet reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation (by 58%) in db/db mice by modulating gene expression, which resulted in the inhibition of lipogenic enzyme activity. Additionally, NP intake significantly suppressed the expression of inflammatory genes in the liver and hepatic injury marker levels in the sera (by 26%) of db/db mice. The FNP diet also led to a marked reduction in hepatic triglyceride accumulation (by 50%) and hepatic injury (by 28%) in db/db mice, and the mechanism of these alleviative actions was similar to that of the NP diet. Although the EPA content of FNP was one-third that of NP, metabolomic analysis revealed that bioactive betaine analogs, such as stachydrine, betaine, and carnitine, were detected only in FNP. In conclusion, we suggest that (1) mechanical processing of "Nori" makes its lipid components readily absorbable by the body to exert their lipid-lowering effects, and (2) fermentation of "Nori" produces anti-inflammatory molecules and lipid-lowering molecules, which together with the lipid components, can exert hepatic steatosis-alleviating effects.

Glucosylceramide Changes Bacterial Metabolism and Increases Gram-Positive Bacteria through Tolerance to Secondary Bile Acids In Vitro.

Glucosylceramide is present in many foods, such as crops and fermented foods. Most glucosylceramides are not degraded or absorbed in the small intestine and pass through the large intestine. Glucosylceramide exerts versatile effects on colon tumorigenesis, skin moisture, cholesterol metabolism and improvement of intestinal microbes in vivo. However, the mechanism of action has not yet been fully elucidated. To gain insight into the effect of glucosylceramide on intestinal microbes, glucosylceramide was anaerobically incubated with the dominant intestinal microbe, Blautia coccoides, and model intestinal microbes. The metabolites of the cultured broth supplemented with glucosylceramide were significantly different from those of broth not treated with glucosylceramide. The number of Gram-positive bacteria was significantly increased upon the addition of glucosylceramide compared to that in the control. Glucosylceramide endows intestinal microbes with tolerance to secondary bile acid. These results first demonstrated that glucosylceramide plays a role in the modification of intestinal microbes.

Perilla pomace obtained from four different varieties have different levels and types of polyphenols and anti-allergic activity.

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. frutescens (egoma in Japan) is a traditional oilseed that has several varieties with different photoperiod responses. Although egoma pomace, industrial waste produced during oil extraction, is a rich source of macro- and micro-nutrients such as protein, fiber, minerals, and polyphenols, it has not yet been used for purposes other than livestock feeding. To find out a better use of perilla pomace and its function, we selected four varieties of egoma originating from different regions with different photoperiod responses: two varieties were from Japan, which are broadly cultivated for oilseed and are highly sensitive to light and temperature. The other two varieties from Nepal, which are tolerant to low light and low temperature. Rosmarinic acid-3-O-glucoside, rosmarinic acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucoside were detected as the main polyphenolic constituents in every variety, while apigenin and luteolin were present only in perilla pomace from Japan. In IgE-sensitized RBL-2H3 cells, polyphenols derived from two varieties of Japan suppressed degranulation of mast cells, but those derived from the two varieties of Nepal did not, indicating that apigenin and luteolin may be in part responsible for the anti-allergic response. In addition, it was found that proteins involved in the degranulation signaling pathway, such as PLCγ2, Syk, and Akt, were less phosphorylated in cells treated with the egoma pomace extracts of Japanese origin. Taken together, pomace from egoma varieties derived from different regions may differently modulate allergic response in part due to the difference in polyphenol composition and may be applied to develop nutraceuticals and functional foods fortified with anti-allergic properties.

Lotus root extract inhibits skin damage through suppression of collagenase production in vitro.

Lotus root is a traditional food ingredient used primarily in Asia and is rich in polyphenols. To determine its potential use in antiphotoaging, polyphenols were extracted from lotus root with 50% ethanol, and the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) was measured in dermal cells treated with ultraviolet A (UVA). UVA exposure increased the gene expression of IL-1α, the mRNA levels of MMP-1, and hence, the levels of MMP-1 protein in HaCaT cells, whereas cells treated with lotus polyphenol (LP) normalized these values to the control. In the presence of LP at concentrations of 1 and 10 µg/mL, both the secretion of IL-1α and protein levels of MMP-1 in human keratinocyte cells significantly reduced. Similarly, in the LabCyte EPI-MODEL24, irradiation with UVA caused an increase in mRNA expression of IL-1α and MMP-1, which was prevented by adding LP to the cells. Our results with three different skin cells accordingly showed that LP may help maintain skin health through decreased levels of MMP-1 activity via its anti-inflammatory properties.

Ozonated Olive Oil Alleviates Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Zucker (fa/fa) Rats.

Excessive lipid accumulation in organs and adipocytes results in chronic inflammation. This causes irreversible organ dysfunction and the development of metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Ozonated olive oil shows anti-inflammatory effects when applied directly to the skin; however, there are no reports on its effects on lipid metabolism through its oral administration in rats. Hence, this study investigates the effects of oral ingestion of ozonated olive oil on the pathologies of obese model rats. Obese model Zucker (fa/fa) rats were fed one of the following AIN-76 diets for four weeks: control diet: 6.5% corn oil + 0.5% olive oil, low ozonated oil diet: 6.5% corn oil + 0.45% olive oil + 0.05% ozonated olive oil, high ozonated oil diet: 6.5% corn oil + 0.5% ozonated olive oil. Control diet fed-Zucker lean rats were used as the reference. Growth parameters, hepatic lipids, hepatic enzyme activities, and serum parameters were determined. As the results, there was a dose-dependent improvement of hepatomegaly, fatty liver and elevated levels of hepatic injury markers in Zucker (fa/fa) rat upon ozonated olive oil consumption. Activities of hepatic enzymes related to lipid synthesis and lipid degradation were not affected by ozonated olive oil intake. On the other hand, there was a dose-dependent elimination of hepatic lipid secretion deficiency and suppression of inflammatory factors upon ozonated olive oil consumption. In conclusion, ozonated olive oil intake by Zucker (fa/fa) rats alleviates hepatic steatosis through the inhibition of triglyceride accumulation in the liver and suppression of inflammatory factors.

Preparation and Characterization of Astaxanthin-loaded Liposomes Stabilized by Sea Cucumber Sulfated Sterols Instead of Cholesterol.

Liposomes are widely used as carrier system for bioactive ingredients and usually need to be stabilized by cholesterol. However, the relationship between cholesterol intake and human health has been controversial. The objective of this study was to develop novel multifunctional nanoliposomes stabilized by sea cucumber sulfated sterols via the thin-film hydration method. The liposomes obtained from this study were obviously stable for more than 27 days at 4°C. Astaxanthin was successfully encapsulated by a novel uniform liposome prepared with a mass ratio of egg yolk lecithin to sea cucumber sulfated sterols at 3:1. The mean particle size was 109.53±0.30 nm with 0.241±0.005 polydispersity index and zeta potential value of -21.13±1.01 mV. Astaxanthin-loaded liposome stabilized by sea cucumber sulfated sterols exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activities in terms of DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power than the mixture of astaxanthin and blank sea cucumber sulfated sterols liposome during storage of 6 and 12 days, respectively. The in vivo digestion and absorption results showed that the bioavailability of dietary astaxanthin encapsulated in liposomes could significantly be improved. Being an efficient carrier with multifunctions, the novel liposome stabilized by sea cucumber sulfated sterols had great potential in functional food development and biomedical applications.

Comparative evaluation of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine with different fatty acids on nephrotoxicity in vancomycin-induced mice.

Phospholipids reportedly alleviate drug-induced acute kidney injury. However, no study has compared the effect of phospholipids with different fatty acids and polar heads on drug-induced nephrotoxicity. In the present study, we aimed to compare the possible nephroprotection afforded by phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine with different fatty acids in a mouse model of vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity. Pretreatment with phospholipids rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) doubled the survival time when compared with the model group. Moreover, phospholipids rich in DHA/EPA significantly reduced the serum levels of renal function biomarkers and ameliorated kidney pathologies. In terms of alleviating renal damage, no significant differences were observed between different polar heads in DHA-enriched phospholipids, while phosphatidylserine from soybean was better than phosphatidylcholine in mitigating renal injury. Furthermore, DHA/EPA-enriched phospholipids inhibited vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity mainly by inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress. These results provide a scientific basis for phospholipids as potential ingredients to prevent acute kidney injury.

Dietary EPA-Enriched Phospholipids Alleviate Chronic Stress and LPS-Induced Depression- and Anxiety-Like Behavior by Regulating Immunity and Neuroinflammation.

SCOPE: A growing number of studies have reported the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and terrestrial phospholipids on ameliorating mood disorders. Marine-derived EPA-enriched phospholipids (EPA-PL) exhibit the structural characteristics of EPA and phospholipids. However, the effect of dietary EPA-PL, and the differences between amphiphilic EPA-PL and lyophobic EPA on mood disorders had not been studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: A comparative investigation to determine the effects of dietary EPA-enriched ethyl ester (EPA-EE) and EPA-PL on improving depression- and anxiety-like behavior in a mouse model is performed, induced by 4 week chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) coupled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. It is found that dietary 4 week 0.6% (w/w) EPA-PL rescued depression- and anxiety-like behavior to a greater extent than did EPA-EE. Moreover, dietary EPA-PL significantly reduced the immobility time by 56.6%, close to the normal level, in forced swimming test, which revealed a reversal of depression-like behavior. Further studies revealed that dietary EPA-PL regulated immunity, monoamine systems, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by multi-target interactions, including inhibition of neuroinflammation and apoptosis. CONCLUSION: EPA-PL exerted superior effects to EPA-EE in alleviating depression- and anxiety-like behavior. The data suggest potential novel candidate or targeted dietary patterns to prevent and treat mood disorder.

The Contents of Polyphenols in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. frutescens (Egoma) Leaves are Determined by Vegetative Stage, Spatial Leaf Position, and Timing of Harvesting during the Day.

The leaf of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. frutescens (egoma) is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds, including rosmarinic acid. However, there is still a lack of detailed information concerning the content of phenolic compounds in these leaves. Since some flavonoids were found as a conjugated form, leaves were used untreated or hydrolyzed using ß-glucuronidase for analysis. Enzymatic hydrolysis method successfully identified some polyphenols, which have not been reported before. Scutellarin, a flavone glucuronide with a molecular mass similar to that of luteolin 7-O-glucuronide, was present in egoma leaves. Scutellarin was the second most abundant polyphenolic compound, after rosmarinic acid. Egoma leaves at the top of the plant contained a higher amount of rosmarinic acid and scutellarin compared to that in the leaves below. The difference in plant growth stage also influenced the rosmarinic acid and scutellarin contents, while the time of harvesting during the day did rosmarinic acid contents only. This is the first time that scutellarin, a traditional Chinese medicine, widely used for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease, was quantitatively determined in egoma leaves. The present study may help adding value to egoma leaves, developing dietary supplements, functional foods, and cosmetics.

Sterol sulfate alleviates atherosclerosis via mediating hepatic cholesterol metabolism in ApoE-/- mice.

Compared with terrestrial organisms, the sterols in sea cucumber exhibit a sulfate group at the C-3 position. Our previous study demonstrated that dietary sterol sulfate was superior to phytosterol in alleviating metabolic syndrome by ameliorating inflammation and mediating cholesterol metabolism in high-fat-high-fructose diet mice, which indicated its potential anti-atherosclerosis bioactivity. In the present study, administration with sea cucumber-derived sterol sulfate (SCS) significantly decreased the cholesterol level in oleic acid/palmitic acid-treated HepG2 cells, while no significant changes were observed in the triacylglycerol level. RNA-seq analysis showed that the metabolic changes were mostly attributed to the steroid biosynthesis pathway. ApoE-/- mice were used as an atherosclerosis model to further investigate the regulation of SCS on cholesterol metabolism. The results showed that SCS supplementation dramatically reduced atherosclerotic lesions by 45% and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by 59% compared with the model group. Dietary SCS inhibited hepatic cholesterol synthesis via downregulating SREBP-2 and HMGCR. Meanwhile, SCS administration increased cholesterol uptake via enhancing the expression of Vldlr and Ldlr. Noticeably, SCS supplementation altered bile acid profiles in the liver, serum, gallbladder and feces, which might cause the activation of FXR in the liver. These findings provided new evidence about the high bioactivity of sterols with the sulfate group on atherosclerosis.

Effects of dietary n-3 PUFA levels in early life on susceptibility to high-fat-diet-induced metabolic syndrome in adult mice.

The maternal nutritional status during pregnancy and lactation was closely related to the growth and development of the fetus and infants, which had a profound impact on the health of the offspring. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) had been proved to have beneficial effects on glucolipid metabolism. However, the effects of dietary different n-3 PUFA levels for mother during pregnancy and lactation on susceptibility to high-fat-diet-induced metabolic syndrome for offspring in adulthood are still unclear. The maternal mice were fed with control, n-3 PUFA-deficient or fish oil-contained n-3 PUFA-rich diets during pregnancy and lactation, and the weaned offspring were fed with high-fat or low-fat diet for 13 weeks, then were subjected to oral glucose tolerance tests. The results showed that dietary n-3 PUFA-deficiency in early life could aggravate the high-fat-diet-induced glucolipid metabolism disorders, including glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia, thus increased the susceptibility to metabolic syndrome of adult mice. Notably, nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFA in early life could significantly alleviate the glucose metabolism disorders by increasing insulin sensitivity, inhibiting gluconeogenesis and promoting glycogenesis. In addition, administration with n-3 PUFA in early life remarkably reduced serum and hepatic lipid profiles by mediating the expression of genes related to lipogenesis and ß-oxidation of fatty acids. Dietary n-3 PUFA-deficiency in early life increases the susceptibility to metabolic syndrome of adult offspring, and nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFA enhances the tolerance to a high-fat diet of adult offspring.