Metabolome and microbiome analyses of the anti-fatigue mechanism of Acanthopanax senticosus leaves.

Acanthopanax senticosus leaves, widely used as a vegetable and tea, are reported to be beneficial in treating neurological disorders. At present, their anti-fatigue effect remains to be established. In this study, we analyzed the composition of the extracts from A. senticosus leaves and confirmed their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties at the cellular level. In mice subjected to exhaustive running on a treadmill, supplementation with A. senticosus leaf extracts enhanced exercise performance and alleviated fatigue via the reversal of exercise-induced 5-HT elevation, metabolic waste accumulation, organ damage, and glucose metabolism-related gene expression. The collective findings from microbiome and metabolomic analyses indicate that A. senticosus leaf extracts increase α-diversity, regulate microbial composition, and reverse exercise-mediated disruption of carbohydrate, creatine, amino acid, and trimethylamine metabolism. This study provides preliminary evidence for the utility of A. senticosus leaves as a promising anti-fatigue food and offers insights into the underlying mechanism.

Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis by regulating intestinal homeostasis.

Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a vegetable that contains a variety of active compounds with nutritional properties and has the potential to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide (POP) in alleviating UC remain unclear. In this study, we prepared an aqueous extract of purslane and separated a fraction with molecular weight >10 kDa using membrane separation. This fraction was used to isolate POP. The effect of POP on gut microbiota and colon transcriptome in dextran sulfate sodium-induced UC model mice was evaluated. POP treatment reduced inflammation and oxidative stress imbalance in UC mice. In addition, POP improved the intestinal barrier and regulated intestinal homeostasis. Importantly, POP was found to regulate gut microbiota, maintain the levels of retinol and short-chain fatty acids in the gut, promote the proliferation and differentiation of B cells in the colon, and increase the expression of immunoglobulin A. These results provide novel insights into the role of POP in regulating intestinal homeostasis, which should guide further development of POP as a functional food.

Integrated network analysis and metabolomics reveal the molecular mechanism of Yinchen Sini decoction in CCl4-induced acute liver injury.

Objective: Yinchen Sini decoction (YCSND), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, plays a crucial role in the treatment of liver disease. However, the bioactive constituents and pharmacological mechanisms of action remain unclear. The present study aimed to reveal the molecular mechanism of YCSND in the treatment of acute liver injury (ALI) using integrated network analysis and metabolomics. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q-Exactive focus mass spectrum (UHPLC-QE-MS) was utilized to identify metabolites in YCSND, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to evaluate the quality of four botanical drugs in YCSND. Cell damage and ALI models in mice were established using CCl4. 1H-NMR metabolomics approach, along with histopathological observation using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), biochemical measurements, and reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), was applied to evaluate the effect of YCSND on CCl4- induced ALI. Network analysis was conducted to predict the potential targets of YCSND in ALI. Result: Our results showed that 89 metabolites in YCSND were identified using UHPLC-QE-MS. YCSND protected against ALI by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and increasing those of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) both in vivo and in vitro. The 1H-NMRmetabolic pattern revealed that YCSND reversed CCl4-induced metabolic abnormalities in the liver. Additionally, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis identified five pathways related to liver injury, including the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1, apoptosis, and TNF signaling pathways. Moreover, RT-qPCR showed YCSND regulated the inflammatory response (Tlr4, Il6, Tnfα, Nfκb1, Ptgs2, and Mmp9) and apoptosis (Bcl2, Caspase3, Bax, and Mapk3), and inhibited PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (Pi3k and Akt1). Combined network analysis and metabolomics showed a link between the key targets (Tlr4, Ptgs2, and Mmp9) and vital metabolites (choline, xanthine, lactate, and 3-hydroxybutyric acid) of YCSND in ALI. Conclusion: Overall, the results contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic effects of YCSND on ALI, and indicate that the integrated network analysis and metabolomics could be a powerful strategy to reveal the pharmacological effects of TCM.

Protective Effects of Different Molecular Weights of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) Aqueous Extract on DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice.

Purslane, a common wild vegetable, contains active substances with various biological functions. However, its effects have been under-investigated in ulcerative colitis (UC). Therefore, this study investigated the therapeutic effects of purslane macromolecular (POEM) and small molecular extracts (POES) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice. Membrane separation was used to obtain extracts of different molecular weights, and their compositional differences were compared using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). POEM contained more proteins and polysaccharides, whereas POES contained more organic acids and alkaloids. These differences in composition were directly responsible for the different degrees of remission of the alleviated UC in model mice. POEM may alleviate UC by regulating the antioxidant capacity and the gut microbiota, whereas the major alleviatory effect of POES was primarily related to the regulation of antioxidant capacity. The POEM and POES effects identified in this study provide a theoretical basis for the development of purslane as a functional food.

Lysimachia christinae polysaccharide attenuates diet-induced hyperlipidemia via modulating gut microbes-mediated FXR-FGF15 signaling pathway.

Polysaccharides are one of the most abundant and active components of Lysimachia christinae (L. christinae), which is widely adopted for attenuating abnormal cholesterol metabolism; however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Therefore, we fed a natural polysaccharide (NP) purified from L. christinae to high-fat diet mice. These mice showed an altered gut microbiota and bile acid pool, which was characterized by significantly increased Lactobacillus murinus and unconjugated bile acids in the ileum. Oral administration of the NP reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels and enhanced bile acid synthesis via cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase. Additionally, the effects of NP are microbiota-dependent, which was reconfirmed by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Altered gut microbiota reshaped bile acid metabolism by modulating bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. Therefore, bsh genes were genetically engineered into Brevibacillus choshinensis, which was gavaged into mice to verify BSH function in vivo. Finally, adeno-associated-virus-2-mediated overexpression or inhibition of fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) was used to explore the farnesoid X receptor-fibroblast growth factor 15 pathway in hyperlipidemic mice. We identified that the NP relieves hyperlipidemia by altering the gut microbiota, which is accompanied by the active conversion of cholesterol to bile acids.

Protein Biomarkers for the Identification of Forensically Relevant Human Hair from Different Body Parts in Intimate Contact Cases.

Correctly identifying the human hair anatomic location found at crime scenes can link biological sample donors with the actual crime event, thus providing significant insight into the crime scene reconstruction. Forensic proteomic studies on human hairs can facilitate the development of new biomarkers for hair identification while compensating for the limitations of the conventional morphologic hair comparison and DNA analysis. Herein, the LC-MS/MS platform was used to find differentially expressed protein biomarkers in hairs from different body sites. The findings indicated that a total of 296 protein biomarkers with statistically significant differences in body sites were initially identified, and hair samples from the scalp, pubic, and armpit parts were distinguished from each other, which were validated by multiple bioinformatic methods. Fewer differences in protein patterns between armpit and pubic hairs while larger differences between hair and armpit as well as pubic hairs provided reasonable evidence of sexual or close intimate contact in crimes. This study lays the foundation for the development of a more reliable strategy to distinguish human hairs of various body areas from Chinese and will also support microscopic hair comparison analysis and assist in the proper handling of legal proceedings in relative cases by judicial officers, deserving special attention and further in-depth investigation. The MS proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the iProX partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD038173.

Expression and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Virus-Like Particles based on Recombinant Truncated HEV-3 ORF2 Capsid Protein.

COVID-19 is an emerging disease that poses a severe threat to global public health. As such, there is an urgent demand for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Here, we describe a virus-like nanoparticle candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 produced by an E. coli expression system. The fusion protein of a truncated ORF2-encoded protein of aa 439~608 (p170) from hepatitis E virus CCJD-517 and the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 were expressed, purified and characterized. The antigenicity and immunogenicity of p170-RBD were evaluated in vitro and in Kunming mice. Our investigation revealed that p170-RBD self-assembled into approximately 24 nm virus-like particles, which could bind to serum from vaccinated people (p < 0.001) and receptors on cells. Immunization with p170-RBD induced the titer of IgG antibody vaccine increased from 14 days post-immunization and was significantly enhanced after a booster immunization at 28 dpi, ultimately reaching a peak level on 42 dpi with a titer of 4.97 log10. Pseudovirus neutralization tests showed that the candidate vaccine induced a strong neutralizing antibody response in mice. In this research, we demonstrated that p170-RBD possesses strong antigenicity and immunogenicity and could be a potential candidate for use in future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development.

Christensenella regulated by Huang-Qi-Ling-Hua-San is a key factor by which to improve type 2 diabetes.

There is a lot of evidence that oral hypoglycemic drugs work by affecting gut microbes, but the key strains responsible for this effect are not well known. Huang-Qi-Ling-Hua-San (HQLHS), composed of Astragalus Membranaceus, Ganoderma lucidum, Inonotus obliquus, and Momordica charantia L., is a specially designed Chinese medicine formula to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, a mouse model of T2D induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin was used to explore the mechanism of HQLHS in improving hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia through multiple rounds of animal experiments, such as HQLHS feeding, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and live bacteria feeding, so as to explore the potential target intestinal flora in its hypoglycemic effect. Results show that such specific taxa as Bifidobacterium, Turicibacter, Alistipes, Romboutsia, and Christensenella were identified to be preferably enriched by HQLHS and then assumed to be the target microbes. Herein, FMT was used to test if the upregulated beneficial bacteria by HQLHS play a therapeutic role. The strain Christensenella minuta DSM 22607 and the strain Christensenella timonensis DSM 102800 were selected to test the beneficial effect of Christensenella taxa on T2D. Diabetic animals supplemented with these strains showed the improvement in blood glucose and lipid metabolism, the promotion of GLP-1 secretion, the increase in antioxidant capacity, the inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis, the suppression of intestinal glucose absorption, the enhancement of intestinal barrier, reduced LPS-induced inflammation, and the reduction of branched amino acids (BCAAs) content in the liver. Overall, these data demonstrate that Christensenella plays a beneficial role in T2D and is a target for the action of HQLHS therapy.

Intestinal Microbiota Contributes to the Improvement of Alcoholic Hepatitis in Mice Treated With Schisandra chinensis Extract.

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) has a high short-term mortality rate. Schisandra chinensis has the potential to ameliorate liver damage and be a source of prebiotics. We aimed to investigate whether Schisandra chinensis extract (SCE) can improve AH and the role of the small intestinal and cecal microbiota and their metabolites. UHPLC-QE-MS was used to analyze the chemical components of SCE. The chronic-plus-binge ethanol feeding model was used to induce AH in mice. 1H NMR was used to analyze intestinal metabolites. 16S rRNA-based high throughput sequencing was used to evaluate the effects of SCE on intestinal microbiota (IM). Intestinal microbiota transplantation was used to explore the role of IM in SCE treatment of AH. SCE ameliorated AH non-dose-dependently. SCE effectively improved liver inflammation and oxidative/nitrosative stress, strengthened intestinal barrier function, and regulated the composition of IM and the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in AH mice. Samples from in vivo and in vitro SCE-altered IM improved liver status and regulated the IM. The administration of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium breve ameliorated AH to some extent. The administration of Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella oxytoca had partial beneficial effects on AH. Collectively, IM and metabolites were closely associated with the improvement of SCE on AH. The possible microbe targets were the growth inhibition of Escherichia-Shigella and the expansion of SCFA producers, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Schisandra chinensis can be considered as a safe and effective dietary supplement for the prevention and improvement of AH.

Litchi chinensis seed prevents obesity and modulates the gut microbiota and mycobiota compositions in high-fat diet-induced obese zebrafish.

Obesity continues to be a global public health challenge. Litchi chinensis seed is rich in bioactive ingredients with pharmacological effects, such as hypoglycemic activity and anti-oxidation. This study aimed to assess the potential anti-obesity effects of L. chinensis seed and the changes of gut microbiota and mycobiota compositions in obese zebrafish induced by a high-fat diet. The anti-obesity effects were supplemented and validated in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. In this study, various chemical components of L. chinensis seed water and ethanol extracts were detected using UHPLC-QE-MS, and both extracts showed strong in vitro antioxidant activities. Network pharmacology analysis showed the potential of the extracts to improve obesity. Litchi chinensis seed powder, water and ethanol extracts decreased the weight of obese zebrafish, improved lipid accumulation and lipid metabolism, regulated appetite, and inhibited cell apoptosis and inflammation of the liver and intestine. They showed similar effects in obese mice, and also reduced the weight of fat tissues, regulated insulin resistance and glucose metabolism, and improved the intestinal barrier. Additionally, L. chinensis seed modulated the compositions of gut microbiota and mycobiota in zebrafish, with the regulation of the proportion of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids or affect intestine health, including Cetobacterium, Trichococcus, Aeromonas, Staphylococcus, and Micrococcaceae, and the proportion of fungi that produce mycotoxins or have special metabolic capacities, including Penicillium, Candida, Rhodotorula, and Trichoderma. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed the potential link between zebrafish obesity parameters, gut bacteria and fungi. Overall, these findings indicated that L. chinensis seed effectively improved obesity.

Fermented Deer Blood Ameliorates Intense Exercise-Induced Fatigue via Modulating Small Intestine Microbiota and Metabolites in Mice.

Intense and excessive exercise-induced fatigue has become an important health issue and can damage intestinal health. Deer blood, as a food byproduct with nutritional value, has been found to restore physical strength. However, little is known about the antifatigue effect of fermented deer blood (FDB) on intense exercise mice. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the antifatigue effect of FDB, and whether this effect is correlated with the altered small intestinal microbiota and metabolites in exercise mice. In this study, 5-week-old male C57BL/6J mice are given treadmill exercise with or without FDB supplementation (30 and 150 mg/kg/d) for 3 weeks. FDB significantly reduces metabolic byproduct accumulation, liver and intestinal damage, and enhances glycogen storage and antioxidant capacity in intense exercise mice. Moreover, FDB restructures the small intestinal microbiota by increasing the abundance of probiotics and butyric acid producing bacteria and decreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. FDB also regulates the levels of metabolites involved in TCA cycle and amino acid metabolism in urine and small intestine content. Correlation analysis shows that FDB-modulated microbiota is highly associated with its antifatigue effect. FDB may ameliorate fatigue and intestinal injury through targeting small intestinal microbiota.

The difference of regulatory effect of two Inonotus obliquus extracts on high-fat diet mice in relation to the fatty acid elongation function of gut microbiota.

Obesity is a disease that causes metabolic disorders in the human body and is closely related to intestinal microbes. This experiment compares the therapeutic effects of two Inonotus obliquus extracts on high-fat diet (HFD) mice and explores the effects and mechanisms of intestinal flora and its metabolites. The energy intake (EI), weight gain (BWG), fecal flora diversity, fecal and urine metabolites, and fecal triglycerides (TG) of mice were measured at 4 temporal points. We found that due to the difference in energy intake between the two groups in the early stage of the experiment, the ethanol extract of Inonotus obliquus (IOE) had a stronger effect on the accumulated BWG than the polysaccharide (IOP) of Inonotus obliquus at the end of the experiment. Moreover, the difference caused by IOE and IOP intake was the largest in the second week, in four temporal points. Compared with IOP, IOE in the second week can reduce EI, fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and TG, reduce host metabolism, increase fecal Akkermansia and fatty acid elongation, and increase host substrate phosphorylation. The change trend of the fatty acid elongation P value from 2 to 14 weeks is consistent with the overall difference trend between the two groups. The difference in the regulating effect of the two Inonotus obliquus extracts on HFD mice is related to the fatty acid elongation function of the intestinal flora, which leads to the reduction of IOE and the effect of BWG is better than IOP. It provides a theoretical reference for the development of functional food using the extract of Inonotus obliquus.

The Toxicity and Attenuation Methods of Toxic Chinese Materia Medica for its Reasonable Application: A Review.

Over a millennia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat various diseases in China. In recent years, more and more Chinese materia medica (CMM) have been studied in scientific research projects, applied in clinical practice, and their extracts have even appeared in some health products. However, the toxicity of some CMM is often overlooked, including hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, etc. In this review, the toxic components and their toxicological mechanisms of some toxic CMM were listed according to the chemical structure classification of toxic components. Afterwards, the traditional methods (processing and compatibility) and modern methods (structural modification, biotransformation, etc.) of attenuation of CMM were discussed. Since ancient times, it has been said that "fight fire with fire, fight poison with poison," and toxic CMM are of great significance in the treatment of difficult and severe diseases. The rational application of toxic CMM and their components in clinical practice was also exemplified in this review. While the pharmacological effects of TCMs have been emphasized, the scientific attenuation and rational application of toxic components should be concerned. We hope this review can provide a reference for future related research.

A novel fermented soybean, inoculated with selected Bacillus, Lactobacillus and Hansenula strains, showed strong antioxidant and anti-fatigue potential activity.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel fermented soybean food (FSF) using selected Bacillus subtilis GD1, Bacillus subtilis N4, Bacillus velezensis GZ1, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Hansenula anomala, as well as to assess its antioxidant and anti-fatigue activity. These Bacillus strains had excellent enzyme producing and soybean transformation capacity. FSF showed the highest peptide, total phenol, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and suitable organic acid and biological amine content. In intense exercise mice, FSF treatment markedly increased hepatic glycogen level, decreased metabolite accumulation, improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level in serum and liver, respectively. Furthermore, FSF treatment increased nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and antioxidant response element (ARE)-dependent gene expression. Together, the selection of microbial starter culture and mixed culture fermentation are essential for the effective enrichment of bioactive compounds, and FSF has stronger antioxidant and anti-fatigue activity.

Cecal Butyrate (Not Propionate) Was Connected with Metabolism-Related Chemicals of Mice, Based on the Different Effects of the Two Inonotus obliquus Extracts on Obesity and Their Mechanisms.

Obesity is a metabolic disease and causes significant changes in host and gut microbial metabolite levels. However, little research has been done on the relationship between host and gut microbial metabolites. Thus, this study investigated the connection of the chemicals, based on the different effects of two Inonotus obliquus extracts on high-fat-diet-induced mice and their mechanisms. In this study, C57BL6/J mice fed with a high-fat diet were given I. obliquus ethanol extract (IOE) and polysaccharide (IOP). 1H NMR-based metabolomics, 16S rRNA sequencing, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect metabolites, cecal microbes, and expressions of genes in liver. IOE and IOP effectively improved the obesity of mice, including the adjustment of body weight gain, energy intake, energy efficiency, liver glucose metabolism and triglyceride metabolism, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and degradation of three major nutrients (carbohydrate, lipid, and protein). IOE significantly increased cecal propionate based on Bacteroides and Akkermansia, thereby inhibiting energy intake and fat accumulation in mice. IOP remarkably improved the level of cecal butyrate by Lactobacillus and the Bacteroidales S24-7 group, resulting in increased energy consumption, and fat degradation by regulating the TCA cycle of the host. Two extracts containing different bioactive substances of I. obliquus improved obesity in mice through different effects on production of cecal microbial metabolites. Moreover, cecal butyrate (not propionate) was connected with chemicals of mice, including four metabolites of the TCA cycle and other metabolism-related chemicals.

Combination of probiotics with different functions alleviate DSS-induced colitis by regulating intestinal microbiota, IL-10, and barrier function.

The potential of probiotics for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) has attracted increasing attention. However, more studies are still needed to guide physicians on the proper selection and use of probiotics. Here, we propose that combination of multiple probiotics with different functions can reduce intestinal inflammation. In this study, the effects of probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri, Bacillus coagulans, Bifidobacterium longum, and Clostridium butyricum) on the physiology and histopathology of colon were evaluated in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. The combined species, as well as the species individually, were tested and compared with sulfasalazine (SASP) and two Chinese herbal therapies. Results show that the functions of the four probiotic strains were different in regulating intestinal immunity and barrier function. The four-species probiotic cocktail was more effective than the species individually and anti-inflammatory drugs in repairing the dysbiosis of mucosal microbial ecology and reducing intestinal inflammation. The multi-strain probiotic mixture increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria and decreased the proportion of pro-inflammatory bacteria in the colonic mucosa. In addition, probiotic mixture significantly enhanced the expression of IL-10 and intestinal barrier function. These results suggest that a combination of multiple probiotics with different functions has synergistic effects and can restore the balance of interactions between microorganisms and immunological niches.

Effects of probiotics and nutrients addition on the microbial community and fermentation quality of peanut hull.

The objective of this study was to develop a new type of feedstuff by utilizing probiotics to transform agricultural byproducts to meet the livestock feed shortage. In this study, peanut hull powder (PHP) was used as the fermentation substrate, which was inoculated with 18 kinds of feed probiotics combined with two kinds of nutritional additives. The desired value formula was used to select the strains suitable for fermentation of PHP, and the strains were combined as multi-culture starters. We compared the changes of the chemical composition and bacterial flora before and after the fermentation, which provided a theoretical basis for the establishment and quality evaluation of the system of PHP fermentation. The result shows that inoculation with CM6 together with nutrients co-fermenting clearly raised the content of organic acid, CP and WSC in the PHP and effectively inhibited the growth of harmful microorganisms such as Enterobacter and Fusarium.

Probiotics-fermented Massa Medicata Fermentata ameliorates weaning stress in piglets related to improving intestinal homeostasis.

Weaning stress has serious negative effects on piglets' health and the swine industry. Probiotics-fermented Chinese herbal medicines are potential feed additives to ameliorate weaning stress. In this study, the effects of probiotics-fermented Massa Medicata Fermentata (MMFP) on intestinal homeostasis were evaluated in weaning piglets. Dietary supplementation with MMFP promoted the development of the intestinal structure and elevated the concentrations of lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the intestinal contents and antioxidant capacities in serum. MMFP reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in the intestinal mucosa. Microbial community analysis demonstrated that MMFP led to the selective and progressive enrichment of lactic acid- and SCFA-producing bacteria along the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, OTUs corresponding to Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Acetitomaculum, Roseburia, and Eubacterium xylanophilum group, while MMFP reduced the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria. On the contrary, antibiotics had negative effects on intestinal histology and increased the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacterium, such as Marvinbryantia, Peptococcus, Turicibacter, and Blautia. Correlation analysis reflected that the bacteria enriched in MMFP group were positively correlated with enhanced intestinal homeostasis, which suggested that dietary supplementation with MMFP enhanced host intestinal homeostasis by modulating the composition of gut microbiota and the levels of beneficial SCFAs, thus ameliorating weaning stress in piglets.

A Sensor Based on LiCl/NaA Zeolite Composites for Effective Humidity Sensing.

LiCl/NaA zeolite composites were successfully prepared by doping 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 5 wt%, and 8 wt% of LiCl into NaA zeolite. The humidity sensing properties of LiCl/NaA composites were investigated among 11% 95% relative humidity (RH). The LiCl/NaA composites exhibited better humidity sensing properties than pure NaA zeolite. The sensor made by 2 wt% Li-doped NaA zeolite possesses the best linearly in the whole RH. These results demonstrate that the LiCl/NaA composites have the potential application in humidity sensing.

Enhanced Bioactivity of the Anti-LOX-1 scFv Engineered by Multimerization Strategy.

Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies as therapeutic agents have the potential to reduce the production cost and immunogenicity relative to monoclonal antibodies, but their monovalency and lack of a fragment crystallizable region can lead to reduced function. Multimerization is one strategy for recovering the function; however, their application is limited by the production of multimeric proteins. In our previous study, an anti-lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) scFv showed potential use in diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerotic diseases, but is limited by its inherent low antigen-binding activity. In this study, to improve the efficacy of the anti-LOX-1 scFv, we constructed the anti-LOX-1 scFv multimers by modifying the linker length between the variable domains of the scFv or by fusing the scFv with self-merization domains and expressed these scFv multimers in Brevibacillus choshinensis hosts. After optimization, all of the scFv multimers obtained efficient secretion expression. Compared with the scFv monomer, the multimers that are successfully fractionated displayed increased neutralization activity and showed elevated antigen-binding avidity, especially the tetramer, which improved the antigen avidity by two orders of magnitude. Moreover, the scFv dimer and the tetramer both displayed better stability and longer half-life in serum, which can be attractive candidates for the next-generation anti-LOX-1 therapeutic antibody.