EPA and DHA Differentially Improve Insulin Resistance by Reducing Adipose Tissue Inflammation - Targeting GPR120/PPARγ Pathway.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a global health challenge, often initiated by dysfunctional adipose tissue. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may have different effects on IR, but the mechanisms are unknown. This study aims to evaluate the protective effect of EPA and DHA against IR in a high-fat diet (HFD) mice model and investigate whether EPA and DHA alter IR modulate the G-protein-poupled receptor 120/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (GPR120/PPARγ) pathway in macrophages and adipocytes, which may affect IR in adipocytes. The findings of this study show that 4% DHA had a better effect in improving IR and reducing inflammatory cytokines in adipose tissue of mice. Additionally, in the cell experiment, the use of AH7614 (a GPR120 antagonist) inhibited the glucose consumption increase and the increasable expression of PPARγ and insulin signaling molecules mediated by DHA in adipocytes. Furthermore, GW9662 (a PPARγ antagonist) hindered the upregulation of glucose consumption and insulin signaling molecule expression induced by EPA and DHA in adipocytes. DHA exhibited significant effects in reducing the number of migrated cells and inflammation. The compounds AH7614 and GW9662 hindered the suppressive effects of EPA and DHA on macrophage-induced IR in adipocytes. These findings suggest that DHA has a stronger potential in improving IR in adipocytes through the GPR120/PPARγ pathway in macrophages, when compared to EPA.

Docosahexaenoic and Eicosapentaenoic Acids Promote the Accumulation of Browning-Related Myokines via Calcium Signaling in Insulin-Resistant Mice.

BACKGROUND: Myokines have a prominent effect on improving insulin resistance (IR) by inducing browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Although docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) play roles in improving IR and stimulating browning, whether they mediate myokines directly remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effects of DHA and EPA on browning-related myokines under IR and clarify the mechanism via Ca2+ signaling. METHODS: The expression and secretion levels of myokines in IR mice and IR myotubes were detected after DHA/EPA treatment. The crosstalk between myotubes and adipocytes was evaluated through a method in which IR adipocytes were treated with the culture medium supernatant of myotubes treated with DHA/EPA. The expression of browning markers in the WAT of IR mice and adipocytes was determined. A calcium chelator was used to determine whether DHA and EPA regulate myokine production through a calcium ion-dependent pathway. RESULTS: In vivo experiments: 3:1 and 1:3 DHA/EPA promoted the mRNA levels of Irisin, IL-6, IL-15, and FGF21 in skeletal muscle, stimulated WAT browning, reduced lipid accumulation; 3:1 DHA/EPA upregulated the serum concentration of Irisin; 1:3 DHA/EPA upregulated the serum concentrations of Irisin, IL-6, and FGF21. In vitro experiments: the levels of Irisin and IL-6 in C2C12 myotubes and their medium supernatant were significantly elevated in the 3:1 and 1:3 groups and the upregulation of browning markers and reduction in fat accumulation were observed in adipocytes treated with the medium supernatant of C2C12 myotubes in the 3:1 and 1:3 groups. However, the above phenomena disappeared when Ca2+ signaling was inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with DHA and EPA at composition ratios of 3:1 and 1:3 induces browning of WAT in IR mice, which is likely related to the promotion of the accumulation of myokines, especially Irisin and IL-6, via Ca2+ signaling.

[Association of dietary glycemic load during pregnancy with gestational weight gain and fetal physical development].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the situation of women's dietary glycemic load during pregnancy and explore the correlations between dietary glycemic index(GI) and gestational weight gain and fetal physical development. METHODS: The study was conducted in women in the third trimester of pregnancy and their new-born babies. The gestational dietary information was collected through a 3-day 24-hour dietary review. The general demographic information, diet and physical exercise, and weight were collected in questionnaire investigations, and the glycemic load during pregnancy were calculated. Participant were dived into low-glycemic-load group, middle-glycemic-load group and high-glycemic-load group according to the glycemic load. Gestational weigh gain, birth weight and birth length were measured. Multiple linear regression were used to analyze the relationship between glycemic load during pregnancy and gestational weight gain and fetal growth. RESULTS: The mean gestational glycemic load was 149.21±46.33. Women in high-glycemic-load group had higher intake of grain, potato, bacteria and algae, fruit, poultry and dairy but lower intake of aquatic product(P<0.05). The mean gestational weight gain was(15.03±4.35)kg. The mean fetal weight and birth length was(3229.18±375.09)g and(49.60±1.48)cm. Women in high-glycemic-load group had higher gestational weight gain(P<0.05). Multiple linear regression indicated that dietary glycemic load during pregnancy was postively correlated with gestational weight gain and birth length(ß_1=0.011, ß=0.003, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The higher dietary glycemic load during pregnancy is, the higher gestational weight gain and birth length will be.

Different ratios of DHA/EPA reverses insulin resistance by improving adipocyte dysfunction and lipid disorders in HFD-induced IR mice.

Objective: Insulin resistance (IR) is linked to the development of diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cardiovascular disease (CVDs). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from fish oils (FOs) were used to investigate their potential in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced IR mice under different ratios. Methods: A total of 84 male C57BL/6J (6 weeks old) mice were fed with HFD containing 45% kcal from fat for 16 weeks to establish the IR model. The IR mice were then fed with HFD or HFD + 4% DHA/EPA with different ratios (3 : 1, 1.5 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 1.5, 1 : 3, respectively) for another 12 weeks. During the experiment, the CON group (n = 12) was set to feed with a basic diet containing 10% kcal from fat. Results: HFD feeding for 16 weeks reduced insulin sensitivity and accelerated hypertrophy of white adipose tissue (WAT). Different ratios of DHA/EPA except for 1 : 1 decreased the HOMA-IR index, average area of adipocytes, and serum MDA, but increased the protein expression of PI3K. All ratios of DHA/EPA increased the protein expression of IRS-1, GLUT4, and adiponectin. Moreover, dietary DHA/EPA changed serum fatty acid (FA) composition by increasing the serum concentration of n-3 PUFAs. DHA/EPA supplements also improved serum lipid profiles (TG/TC/LDL-c/HDL-c, FFA) and reduced the hepatic steatosis area. Conclusions: The results indicate that an appropriate higher ratio of DHA (1.5 : 1) in DHA/EPA supplementation is recommended for IR prevention.

Association of the gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids with skeletal muscle mass and strength in children.

We aimed to investigate whether the gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are associated with skeletal muscle mass and strength in healthy Chinese children aged 6-9 years. In this study, 412 children were enrolled. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the gut microbiota compositions. Fecal SCFAs were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Dual X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the total body lean soft tissue mass (TSM), total body fat mass (TBF), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and appendicular fat mass (AFM). TSM/height2 (TSMI), ASM/height2 (ASMI), TSM/weight (TSMR), ASM/weight (ASMR), and the ratio of TSM/TBF and ASM/AFM were calculated. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured using the Jamar® Plus+ Hand Dynamometer. A multiple regression analysis after adjustment for covariates and multiple test correction showed some operational taxonomic units in partial least squares models identified by Multivariate methods with Unbiased Variable selection analysis such as genera of Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira, Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 were positively correlated with at least one measure of TSM, TSMI, ASM, ASMI, and ASMI Z-score (ß: 0.103-0.143, pFDR : .008-.032) but negatively correlated with at least one measure of TSMR, TSM/TBF, ASMR, ASM/AFM, and ASMR Z-score (ß: -0.185 to 0.124, pFDR  = .008-.045). Children with higher fecal butyric acid, acetic acid, and total SCFA levels exhibited higher TSM, ASM, TSMI, ASMI, and ASMI Z-score and lower TSM/TBF, ASM/AFM, TSMR, ASMR, and ASMR Z-score. However, after additional adjustment for TBF or body mass index, only the associations for Faecalitalea and Pyramidobacter still existed. Mediation analysis suggested that total body fat significantly mediated 66.3%-95.3% of the estimated association of microbiota and SCFAs with TSM, ASM, and ASMI Z-score. Our results suggest that the associations of gut microbiota and SCFAs with skeletal muscle quality in children may largely depend upon on total body fat content.

Association of the low-carbohydrate dietary pattern with postpartum weight retention in women.

Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) have been considered a popular dietary strategy for weight loss. However, the association of the low-carbohydrate dietary pattern with postpartum weight retention (PPWR) in women remains unknown. The present study involved 426 women from a prospective mother-infant cohort study. Overall, animal or plant LCD scores, which represent adherence to different low-carbohydrate dietary patterns, were calculated using diet intake information assessed by three consecutive 24 h dietary surveys. PPWR was assessed by the difference of weight at 1 year postpartum minus the pre-pregnancy weight. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, women in higher quartiles of total and animal-based LCD scores had a significantly lower body weight and weight retention at 1 year postpartum (P < 0.05). The multivariable-adjusted ORs of substantial PPWR (≥5 kg), comparing the highest with the lowest quartile, were 0.47 (95% confidence interval 0.23-0.96) for the total LCD score (P = 0.021 for trend) and 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.19-0.77) for the animal-based LCD score (P = 0.019 for trend), while this association was significantly attenuated by rice, glycemic load, fish, poultry, animal fat and animal protein (P for trend <0.05). A high score for plant-based LCD was not significantly associated with the risk of PPWR (P > 0.05). The findings suggested that a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern, particularly with high protein and fat intake from animal-source foods, is associated with a decreased risk of weight retention at 1 year postpartum. This association was mainly due to low intake of glycemic load and high intake of fish and poultry.

Associations of dietary inflammatory potential with postpartum weight change and retention: Results from a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the associations of Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) with weight outcomes within 1 year post partum. METHODS: This analysis included women who participated in a cohort study in South China (n = 468). The assessments included maternal height, weight, and dietary intake. The latter variable was based on three consecutive 24-hour food records collected at 2 weeks and 1 year after childbirth and was used to calculate the energy-adjusted DII (EDII) scores during and after puerperium, respectively. A general linear regression was performed to examine the relationships between the EDII scores and postpartum weight outcomes after adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: In an analysis adjusted for confounders, the EDII during puerperium was positively associated with the weight change from 3 to 42 days (ß: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.11-0.70). The EDII after puerperium was positively correlated with the weight changes from 42 days to 1 year (ß: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.02-1.02) and from 3 days to 1 year (ß: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.13-1.14), as well as with the postpartum weight retention at 1 year after childbirth (ß: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.29-1.22). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that a diet with a high EDII score might minimize postpartum weight loss and promote higher postpartum weight retention.

Cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes patients with and without diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a mismatch negativity study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the cognitive impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using mismatch negativity (MMN) and to explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). METHODS: Sixty-six T2DM patients and 40 healthy controls were included. For each participant, mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was applied to assess the general cognitive function and MMN was elicited. T2DM patients were divided into two subgroups: subgroup DPN-, patients without DPN; subgroup DPN+, patients with DPN. The MMSE scores, MMN amplitudes and latencies were compared between the T2DM group and the control group using univariate analysis of variance procedures, and also among the controls, subgroup DPN- and subgroup DPN+. Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) were used to analyze potential confounding clinical factors associated with MMN. RESULTS: T2DM patients had significantly lower MMSE scores compared with controls (23.25 ± 2.86 vs. 27.15 ± 1.83; P < 0.01), whereas those of the two subgroups were not significantly different. Both subgroup DPN+ and DPN- had longer latencies and lower amplitudes of MMN than the controls. The latencies of MMN were significantly longer in subgroup DPN+ compared with subgroup DPN-. The latency of MMN was positively correlated with the duration of the disease. CONCLUSION: Cognitive decline exists in patients with T2DM irrespective of the presence of DPN. Patients with DPN may have more severe cognitive dysfunction than those without DPN. MMN may be a promising tool for evaluating cognitive function.

[Association between the dietary inflammatory index, interleukin-6 of late pregnant women and birth weight].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between dietary inflammatory index(DII), serum interleukin-6(IL-6) of late pregnant women and infant birth weight. METHODS: This study was conducted in late pregnant women who received antenatal care at the Maternal and Children& apos; s Hospital of Baiyun and Yuexiu District in Guangzhou, China between September 2010 and February 2011. Tree consecutive 24-h diet recalls, pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal education level and etc were collected. DII score was calculated based on data of dietary surveys. Participant were dived into anti-inflammatory group(T1), neutral group(T2) and pro-inflammatory group(T3) according to the tertiles of DII score. Maternal and infant anthropometric profile(n=456) and level of maternal serum IL-6(n=308) were measured. Structrural equation modeling(SEM) was used to explore the relationship between DII, IL-6 and birth weight. RESULTS: In 456 women, the mean DII score was 0. 02±1. 08. Women performed anti-inflammatory diet had higher intake of grain and potato, vegetables, energy, fiber, minerals, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, but lower intakes of fruits, diary, fat(% energy) and protein from animal food(P& lt; 0. 05). Average infant birth weight and level of maternal serum IL-6 were(3238. 1±376. 4)g and 4. 05(2. 02, 10. 14) pg/mL respectively. DII of pregnant women was positively correlated with maternal serum IL-6(r=0. 144, P& lt; 0. 05), and IL-6 was negatively correlated with birth weight(r=-0. 184, P& lt; 0. 05). SEM indicated that maternal serum IL-6 may be a mediator in the association between DII and birth weight. CONCLUSION: The diet of pregnant women may change the serum level of IL6, and then affect infant birth weight.

"Zuòyuèzi" dietary and behavioural associations with maternal health among puerperal women in South China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the associations of postpartum dietary quality and behavioral practices with maternal health in Guangzhou China. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study among puerperal women in urban and suburban areas in Guangzhou, China (n=2013). Data for postpartum dietary and behavioral practices and health conditions were collected by a standardized questionnaire. Dietary balance index (DBI) was calculated to assess an individual's dietary quality. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors related to women's health. RESULTS: 75.5% of women reported at least one postpartum disease, and the most common problems were prolonged duration of lochia (70.0%) and backache (43.0%), followed by constipation (23.6%), insufficient milk secretion (19.2%), breast swelling (18.5%) and hemorrhoids (13.8%). Average postpartum weight retention was 3.5 kg. Logistic regression analysis revealed that 12-18 h/d of bed rest time, breastfeeding, doing postpartum exercise, basking, getting out of bed within 2 days after delivery, higher intake of fish and shrimp, fruits, vegetable, milk were protective factors for at least one out of these health problems or weight retention (p<0.05). Bed rest time for more than 18 h/d or less than 12 h/d, ginger vinegar intake, doing housework, cesarean section, and excessive and inadequate intake of cereals had an adverse association (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Some features of a traditional Chinese postpartum diet and behaviour are related to maternal morbidity during the puerperium. Further studies are needed to assess whether postpartum diet and behavioral intervention improve maternal health during the postpartum period.

Optimal gestational weight gain in Chinese pregnant women by Chinese-specific BMI categories: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To establish optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in Chinese pregnant women by Chinese-specific BMI categories and compare the new recommendations with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines. DESIGN: Multicentre, prospective cohort study. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the OR, 95 % CI and the predicted probabilities of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The optimal GWG range was defined as the range that did not exceed a 1 % increase from the lowest predicted probability in each pre-pregnancy BMI group. SETTING: From nine cities in mainland China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3731 women with singleton pregnancy were recruited from April 2013 to December 2014. RESULTS: The optimal GWG (ranges) by Chinese-specific BMI was 15·0 (12·8-17·1), 14·2 (12·1-16·4) and 12·6 (10·4-14·9) kg for underweight, normal weight and overweight pregnant women, respectively. Inappropriate GWG was associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Compared with women gaining weight within our proposed recommendations, women with excessive GWG had higher risk for macrosomia, large for gestational age and caesarean section, whereas those with inadequate GWG had higher risk for low birth weight, small for gestational age and preterm delivery. The comparison between our proposed recommendations and IOM 2009 guidelines showed that our recommendations were comparable with the IOM 2009 guidelines and could well predict the risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate GWG was associated with higher risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Optimal GWG recommendations proposed in the present study could be applied to Chinese pregnant women.

Anti-obesity effects of DHA and EPA in high fat-induced insulin resistant mice.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5) have been reported to improve metabolic disorders, but their differential effects on anti-obesity under insulin resistance (IR) are still unclear. We fed IR mice with high-fat diet with added 1%, 2%, 4% (w/w) DHA or EPA for 12 weeks. Changes in weight, food intake, white adipose tissue (WAT), liver and blood lipids were assessed. GPR120 and PPARγ of WAT were evaluated to explore the related molecular mechanisms of DHA and EPA for anti-obesity in IR mice. 1%DHA and 1%EPA inhibit adipogenesis by down-regulating GPR120; 4%DHA stimulates browning of WAT and improves IR and inflammatory infiltration by up-regulating PPARγ; 4%EPA exerts its anti-obesity effect by mechanisms independent of PPARγ and GPR120 signaling.

Biomarkers of fatty acids and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

We aimed to quantify and generate comprehensive evidence on the associations of different fatty acids (FAs) with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched for prospective cohort studies that examined the association between FA biomarkers and the risk of T2DM published before 18 May 2020. Random-effects meta-analyses of the effects of FA concentration on T2DM were performed. Thirty-three studies involving 95,810 adults (19,904 cases) were included. Divergent associations of different types of FAs with type 2 diabetes were observed. The pooled relative risk (RRs) of T2DM comparing the top versus the bottom tertile of saturated FAs (C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, total saturated FAs), monounsaturated FA (C16:1 n-7), polyunsaturated FA (C20:3 n-6, C22:4 n-6), and Δ-6-desaturase activities ranged from 1.19 to 1.80. Interestingly, unlike previous studies, we found a negative correlation between odd-chain saturated FAs (C15:0, C17:0), trans-FAs (trans-C16:1 n-7), total n-6, Δ-5-desaturase activities and risk of T2DM. The pooled RRs of T2DM comparing the top versus the bottom tertile of these FAs ranged from 0.62 to 0.78. No associations with T2DM were observed for the other FAs. Considerable heterogeneity was observed in our study, and no definitive conclusions can be made until further investigation has been carried out.

The associations of the gut microbiome composition and short-chain fatty acid concentrations with body fat distribution in children.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Previous studies linking the gut microbiome with childhood obesity largely used the body mass index to measure obesity and reached inconsistent findings. Little evidence has linked the gut microbiome to regional body fat deposition. We investigated whether the abundance of specific taxa in the gut microbiota and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were associated with the content and regional deposition of body fat in children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 236 children aged 6-9 years. The fat mass contents/percentages in the total body and the android, gynoid, and limb regions were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio and fat-to-lean mass ratios were calculated. Fecal samples were subjected to16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and the fecal SCFA concentrations were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: A weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified seven modules of co-expressed operational taxonomic units (OTUs). A total of 57 OTUs from 4 key modules were selected for further analysis. After adjustment of covariates and controlling for the false discovery rate (FDR), a multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant correlations of the abundances of some OTUs with obesity and body fat measures. For instance, the OTUs classified to the species Ruminococcus gnavus and Flavonifractor plautii showed significant negative correlations with the total and regional body fat (ß: -0.250 to -0.180, PFDR: 0.041-0.049), whereas OTUs belonging to the genera Blautia and Romboutsia exhibited positive correlations with body fat measures (ß: 0.184-0.222, PFDR: 0.041-0.049). The fecal concentrations of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids and total SCFAs were significantly positively correlated with various parameters of body fat distribution (ß: 0.160-0.275, PFDR: <0.001-0.042). CONCLUSION: The gut microbiome and SCFAs are significantly associated with obesity and body fat distribution in pediatric population.

[Effects of different ratios of n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid on adiponectin, glycolipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity in high fat-diet fed rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of different ratios of n-6/n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA) on adiponectin, glycolipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity in high fat-diet fed rats. METHODS: Fixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group(CON, 17% energy from fat, n-6/n-3 PUFA=5∶1) and high-fat treatment groups(1∶1 group∶n-6/n-3 PUFA=1∶1, 5∶1 group, n-6/n-3 PUFA=5∶1, 10∶1 group∶ n-6/n-3 PUFA=10∶1 and 20∶1 group∶ n-6/n-3 PUFA=20∶1, 42% energy from fat). Rats were fed for 12 week. Serum glucose and lipid(0, 4, 8 and 12 week) were detected. Antioxidant indexes(0 and 12 week), adiponectin mRNA and protein expressions in epididymal adipose tissues as well as serum adiponectin(12 week) were measured. RESULTS: Baseline data showed no significant inter-group difference(P>0. 05). 1∶1 and 5∶1 showed no significant changes in serum glucose compared with control at all time points(P>0. 05), while 10∶1 and 20∶1 significantly increased it at the 12 th week(P<0. 05). At the 12 th week, total cholesterol(TC) and triglycerides(TG) in high-fat treatment groups were significantly higher than control(P<0. 01), with 20∶1 showing significant increment of TG compared with other high-fat treatment groups(P<0. 01). At the 12~(th) week, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase content in high-fat treatment groups all decreased significantly compared with control(P<0. 05), and 20∶1 decreased most. Malondialdehyde content significantly increased in high-fat treatment groups(P<0. 05), and 10∶1 increased most. Adiponectin mRNA expression significantly decreased in 20∶1 compared with control, 1∶1 and 5∶1(P<0. 05). Increment of adiponectin protein expression was significantly shown in 5∶1 compared with other high-fat treatment groups(P<0. 05), while it was most obviously decreased in 20∶1(P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: Lower n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios(1∶1 and 5∶1) contributed to improvement of glycolipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity as well as increment of adiponectin expression of rats fed with high-fat diet.

A novel polysaccharide isolated from Flammulina velutipes, characterization, macrophage immunomodulatory activities and its impact on gut microbiota in rats.

The structural characteristics of a novel Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide (FVP2) were explored in this study. Besides, immunomodulatory activities of FVP2 on RAW 264.7 cell and its impact on gut microbiota in rats were investigated. FVP2 has a molecular weight of 18.3 kD, and its main components include galactose (19.96%), glucose (60.66%) and mannose (19.38%). By NMR analysis, the main-chain structure consisted of (1 â†’ 3)-linked-ß-D-Gal, (1 â†’ 6) -linked-ß-D-Gal, (1 â†’ 6)-linked-α-D-Glc and (1 â†’ 3,6)-linked-α-D-Man was identified. Results of the in vitro assays on RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells showed FVP2 could significantly up-regulate the expression of NO, TNF-α and IL-6. FVP2 was intragastrically administered to rats for 2 weeks. Compared with the control group, two caecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration (isobutyric acid and butyric acid) and the abundance of beneficial microbiota of the FVP2-treated group were significantly increased (p < .05) respectively. The results demonstrated that FVP2 could effectively enhance the level of butyric acid and increase beneficial gut microbiota, which could improve the intestinal barrier function and maintain the intestinal mucosal integrity, suggesting that FVP2 could potentially be an immunomodulators or a functional food to promote intestinal health.

Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids Levels Were Not Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders in Chinese Children: A Case-Control Study.

Evidence from animal models supports a link between short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), a key subset of gut microbial metabolites, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, findings from human studies on this topic are unclear. We aimed to investigate whether fecal SCFAs are associated with ASD in Chinese children aged 6-9 years old. A total of 45 ASD children aged 6-9 years and 90 sex- and age-matched neurotypical controls were enrolled. High-performance liquid chromatography was applied to quantify 10 SCFA subtypes in feces. Dietary and other socio-demographic information were obtained via face-to-face interview using questionnaires. After adjustment for multiple comparisons, paired t-test analysis indicated that the fecal total and subtype SCFA concentrations were comparable in autistic children and the controls. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between the fecal concentration of SCFAs and the risk of ASD after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, breastfeeding, mode of delivery, parental education level, and daily energy, protein, fat, and fiber intake. In conclusion, our results did not support the hypothesis that fecal SCFA levels might be associated with the presence of ASD. However, SCFA measurement was based on a single stool sample test, so this conclusion should be treated with caution. Further studies with measurement of long-term bodily SCFA concentrations are needed to examine this relationship.

How are maternal dietary patterns and maternal/fetal cytokines associated with birth weight? A path analysis.

The aim of the study was to investigate how maternal dietary patterns and maternal/fetal cytokines are associated with birth weight and whether cytokines mediate the association. A total of 469 pregnant women and their children were recruited for this prospective study. Dietary patterns in pregnancy were identified using factor analysis of data from three consecutive 24 h dietary recalls. Maternal and umbilical blood serum cytokines (adiponectin (APN), IL-6 and interferon-γ) were measured via ELISA. Path analysis was used to explore the relationships between maternal diet, cytokines and birth weight. Four dietary patterns were identified: a mainly fruit, dairy products and poultry diet (FDP); a mainly vegetables, beans and pork diet (VBP); a mainly fish, shrimp and soup diet (FS) and a mainly tuber and egg diet (TE). Path analysis showed the order of effects of dietary patterns on birth weight was FS>FDP>TE>VBP (ß=0·130, 0·109, -0·094 and 0·046, respectively). Only the TE pattern's effect was negative. Maternal and fetal APN were positively associated with birth weight (ß=0·045 and 0·226, respectively), and they mediated the association between the TE pattern and birth weight (indirect effect was 5·3 %). Maternal IL-6 was negatively associated with birth weight (ß=-0·067) and mediated the association between maternal FDP and VBP patterns and birth weight (indirect effects were 10·1 and 100·0 %, respectively). All variables in the path explained 33·6 % of variation. These results suggested that maternal dietary patterns in pregnancy are associated with birth weight and mediated directly and indirectly through some maternal/fetal serum cytokines.

[Association between the rates of maternal weight gain in different pregnancy periods and the pregnancy outcomes of 421 pregnant women in Shenzhen City, 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rates of weight gain during different trimesters of pregnancy and their associations with pregnancy outcomes in Shenzhen pregnant women. METHODS: Healthy singleton pregnant women aged from 20 to 35, within 12 weeks of gestation, in the Shenzhen Maternal and Child Health Hospital for routine medical checkups were recruited. Information about their dietary intake and lifestyle behavior during pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and neonatal birth outcomes were followed up prospectively, meanwhile maternal weight at per trimester and newborn birth physique were measured, and 421 valid cases were analyzed. RESULTS: Significantly lower rate of weight gain in the 1 st trimester((0.05±0.15)kg/w) were observed than that in the 2 nd trimester((0.56±0.17)kg/w) and the 3 rd trimester((0.54±0.22)kg/w)(P<0.01). No significant difference was found for that between the 2 nd and 3 rd trimester(P>0.05). The multiple linear regression analysis showed positive correlations between maternal weight gain rate in the 2 nd trimester and the neonatal birth physique, including birth weight, birth length, and head circumference(ß_(BW)=0.31, P=0.002;ß_(BL)=0.82, P=0.007;ß_(HC)=0.72, P=0.016). Logistic regression analysis showed a positive relation between the rate of weight gain in the 2 nd and the incidence of cesarean section(OR=3.59, 95%CI 1.08-11.90). The rate of weight gain in the 3 rd trimester turned out to be positively correlated with the incidence of abnormal amniotic fluid(OR=13.04, 95%CI 1.70-100.10)and negatively correlated with the incidence of gestational diabetes(OR=0.001, 95%CI 0-0.01). CONCLUSION: The weight gain during pregnancy was unsatisfactory in most of Shenzhen women in 2013. The rate of weight gain in the 2 nd trimester was positively correlated to the birth physique of newborns. The excessive rapid and slow growth of weight gain during the 2 nd-3 rd trimester could both increase the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and muscle mass and strength in Chinese children aged 6-9 years.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The dietary inflammatory index (DII®) is a measure of the overall inflammatory potential of a person's diet. However, there have been no studies looking at the effect of DII on measures of muscle mass and strength. We aimed to examine the association between DII and skeletal muscle mass and strength in Chinese children. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 466 children aged 6-9 years completed the study. Total body skeletal muscle mass (TSM), appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) and appendicular lean mass (ALM) were determined using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. TSM/Height², TSM/Weight, ASM/Height² and ASM/Weight were calculated. The residual method was applied to compute ALM index (ALMI) adjusted for height and body fat. Hand grip strength was measured using hand dynamometer. DII scores were calculated from a 79-item food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Fully adjusted linear regression models showed a statistically significant negative relationship between DII and ASM, ASM/Height², ASM/Weight, ALMI, TSM, TSM/Height², and TSM/Weight (p: 0.019‒0.014). The analysis of covariance indicated that the percentage differences in the extreme quartiles (Q4 vs Q1) of DII for the above-mentioned measures ranged from -1.04% to -4.36% (p-trend: <0.001‒0.013). When boys and girls were analyzed separately, similar findings were observed for boys but not for girls. No significant associations were detected between DII and hand grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: DII score was inversely associated with skeletal muscle mass in boys but not in girls aged 6-9 years old. No significant associations were observed between DII and hand grip strength.