内容: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is established by a chronic, diffuse inflammation of colonic mucosa with poorly defined etiology, and without sufficient treatment or cure available for remission. In this context, there is a growing recognition and consensus that synbiotic supplement may be promising and impactful strategies towards ameliorating UC and related inflammatory disorders, garnering significant attention from researchers as an alternative therapy. Herein, we innovatively prepared a novel synbiotic combination including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium infants and prebiotics konjac glucomannan oligosaccharides (KGMO) to explore the potential therapeutic effects in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induced UC mouse model. The results demonstrated that the synbiotic effectively improved colitis symptoms in mice by mitigating weight loss, disease activity index (DAI), colonic pathological damage, and colonic oxidative stress. it also observed that the synbiotic preserve intestinal barrier function integrity, reduces metabolic endotoxemia as well as inhibits the TLR4/NF-κB, NLRP3/Caspase-1, and Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, the synbiotic modulated microbial homeostasis directly by enhancing beneficial microbes and reducing potentially harmful bacteria. In addition, microbiome phenotype prediction and bacterial functional potential prediction analysis demonstrated that the synbiotic supplementation regulated gut microbiota function involving inflammatory injury, metabolism, immune response, and pathopoiesia. Especially, the synbiotic not only restored the balance of Th1/Th2 cells as well as Th17/Treg cells along with specific inflammatory factors expression, but also maintained bile acid homeostasis by regulating FXR/FGF15 signaling pathway. Especially important is that the synbiotic was as effective as mesalazine against UC. According to above data, it is seen that this novel synbiotic could be a good candidate drug for ameliorating UC through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant stress, antipyroptosis properties, regulation of bile acid metabolism, and remission of endothelial dysfunction and gut dysbiosis.

内容: Peanut allergy (PA), which affects an increasing proportion of people, is gaining increasing interests. Clarification of the mechanism underlying PA may aid in the identification of novel biomarkers and strategies for clinical intervention in allergic patients. In this study, raw peanut protein (Raw), roasted peanut protein (Roast), high-molecular-weight protein aggregation from Roast (OH), and the remaining components excluding OH from roasted peanut (OL) were administrated via intraperitoneal injection to challenge BALB/c mice. The allergic response was assessed, and the levels of peanut-specific immunoglobulin E, mouse mast cell protease-Ⅰ, and T-lymphocyte subsets and secreted cytokines were detected. Then, serum untargeted metabolomics was investigated. Results show that Raw induced robust anaphylaxis in mice and up- or down-regulated 269 serum metabolites that mainly affected amino acid metabolism, including tryptophan metabolism, and induced disruption of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle pathway in serum. Roast, OH and OL induced mild anaphylaxis in mice and mainly affected the glycerophospholipid metabolism in serum. Compared with Tris, OH upregulated the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway in mouse serum, whereas Roast and OL showed the reversed effect. Mice in the Roast, OL, and OH groups all showed upregulated glycerophospholipid metabolism in serum compared with those in the Raw group. Meanwhile, different components of roasted peanut caused various changes in pathways when compared with each other. Compared with mice in the Roast group, those in the OL group displayed downregulated tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism, and those in the OH group showed upregulated glycerophospholipid metabolism and downregulated TCA cycle. The differences in serum metabolic profiles in mice implied that the processing form of allergen that patients are sensitized to and the severity of allergy should be considered in the analysis of serum biomarkers.

内容: Ginger, rich in gingerols and shogaols, exhibits multiple biological properties. However, the mechanisms underlying its thermotolerance remain unclear. The study employed network pharmacology and experimental validation in Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate how gingerol-related compounds within ginger extract (GE) mitigated damage caused by heat stress (HS). A total of 18 types of gingerol analogues were identified in GE, among which 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerol, as well as 6-, 8-, and 10-shogaol were quantified. Collectively, these 6 compounds accounted for 54.4% of the total composition. Supplementation with 15 μg/mL GE significantly extended heat-stress lifespan by 20.30%, while the combination of the 6 major gingerols and shogaols at the same concentration prolonged lifespan by 18.93%. Additionally, pretreatment with GE and the combination alleviated HS-induced oxidative damage by eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulating antioxidant enzymes. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that the MAPK pathway may play a crucial role in thermotolerance. Experimental findings confirmed that ginger attenuated oxidative damage through the activation of SKN-1/Nrf2 and DAF-16/FOXO via the MAPK pathway. Moreover, GE stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential and restored ATP levels, thus preserving mitochondrial function during heat exposure. Further investigations using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that shogaols, with more stable binding affinities for Keap1 protein, exhibited more potent effects than gingerols in prolonging lifespan and reducing ROS levels under HS conditions. In short, gingerol analogues from ginger conferred thermal resistance to nematodes by mitigating oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction.

内容: Grass carp fillets were susceptible to unpleasant fishiness during cold storage. To clarify the mechanism of fishy odor formation and achieve targeted regulation, volatile compounds, and lipid oxidation were investigated in grass carp fillets during cold storage (0‒7 days). The lipid oxidation degree increased continually during cold storage, as evidenced by the change of acid value, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and hydro-peroxide. The activities of related enzymes (lipoxygenases, lipases, phospholipases A2, and hydroperoxide lyases) maintained a high level, reaching their maximums after 3‒5 days. Free fatty acids exhibited a great downtrend, especially linoleic acid (18:2) and arachidonic acid (20:4). A total of 45 volatile compounds were identified by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation-gas chromatography-mass spectrometer, and the total contents of volatile compounds increased from 706.55 μg/kg (0 day) to 1370.65 µg/kg (7 days). (Z)-4-Heptenal, (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal, 1-penten-3-ol, nonanal, and (E)-2-heptenal were the key volatile compounds. The Pearson correlation showed a strong correlation between 47 differentially abundant lipids (variables important in projection > 1, P < 0.05, and fold change > 2) and volatile compounds. During cold storage, lyso-phosphatidylcholine (20:4) and lyso-phosphatidylcholine (18:2) were selected as the main precursors of volatile compounds’ formation in grass carp fillets.

内容: As a seaweed supplement, the powdered, entire herb of Asparagopsis taxiformis can effectively promote immune response in animals. However, the active factors responsible for this effect are currently unknown. A novel polysaccharide, ATP-1, was isolated and purified from the red alga A. taxiformis, and its structural and immunomodulatory properties were determined. ATP-1 is a neutral polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 307.978 kDa and is primarily composed of galactose (94.07%), glucose (1.27%), and xylose (4.66%). Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed that ATP1 had an amorphous structure and was composed of molecular chain entanglement and intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The microstructure of ATP-1 exhibited asymmetric sheet–like cracks and pores. Results from immunomodulatory activity showed that ATP-1 promoted inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 protein expression in RAW264.7 macrophages, improved macrophage phagocytic ability, and stimulated cytokine production (NO, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6). Quantitative proteome analysis identified 178 differentially expressed proteins (70 upregulated and 108 downregulated) that were involved in various molecular pathways, among which, TNF was one of the 20 most common and significant signaling pathways in inflammation and immunoregulation. Western blotting indicated that ATP-1 significantly upregulated the expression of IKKα, IKKβ, COX-2, and TNF-α proteins in the TNF pathway. In contrast, ATP-1 downregulated the expression of IκBα, Fas, and AIP1. Results from molecular docking suggested that hydrogen bonding predominantly contributed to the affinity between TNF-α and galactose, glucose, and xylose. These findings indicated that ATP-1 may play an immunomodulatory role by activating the TNF signaling pathway. ATP-1 enhanced macrophage phagocytic capacity and stimulated the production of cytokines NO, TNF-α, and IL-6, thereby exerting immunoregulatory effects. Our findings highlight the potential of ATP-1 as a natural immune modulator with applications as a functional food.

内容: Exploring an ideal carrier for superfine wheat bran dietary fiber is important for maximizing its health benefits. This study evaluated the batter rheology, texture, gel network structure, and starch digestibility of steamed sponge cake (SPC) enriched with wheat bran of different particle sizes at 10%, 20%, and 30% addition. The results indicated that to maintain the quality (appearance, texture, and sensory attributes) of SPC without significant compromise, the addition of coarse bran (84‒1110 μm) should not exceed 10%. However, for superfine wheat bran (19 μm), increasing the addition from 10% to 30% did not impair the hardness, springiness, overall acceptability, gas cell structure, and relatively intact starch gel network of SPC. Moreover, the starch digestibility of SPC with 30% superfine wheat bran decreased from 90.1% (control) to 81.6%, and resistant starch content increased by 85.9%. This study suggests that products not requiring gluten development could be ideal carriers for high levels of micronized dietary fiber.

内容: Periodontitis, a persistent inflammatory condition, targets the gums and periodontal structures, negatively impacting health. Systemic and local antimicrobials are often used to treat periodontitis, but they may lead to adverse effects such as drug resistance and ecological imbalance. As natural water-soluble pigment, anthocyanins have been reported to be an effective antiinflammatory, antiobesity, anticancer, antimicrobial and so on. The purpose of the study was to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects and potential molecular mechanisms of purple red rice bran anthocyanins (PRBA) on RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg-LPS). The results indicated that PRBA inhibited the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells, reduced the level of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6, while increasing the expression of Arg-1 and the production of IL-10 in RAW264.7 cells. Among them, cyanidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside, the 2 main anthocyanin glycosides in PRBA, also had the same effects. RNA-seq results revealed that there were 1840 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after PRBA treatment, with 1263 upregulated and 577 downregulated. Western blot also confirmed that PRBA significantly inhibited the activation of NF-κB and AP-1 in RAW264.7 cells. In summary, these findings suggested that PRBA inhibited the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in RAW264.7 cells induced by Pg-LPS through the NF-κB and AP-1 pathways, which providing its potential application in the treatment of periodontitis for anti-inflammatory effects.

内容: Paeoniae Radix Rubra (PRR) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine known for promoting blood circulation and alleviating pain. Stir-frying PRR with rice wine enhances its effectiveness in improving blood flow and resolving stasis. To explore the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms behind PRR’s anti-thrombotic effects—both pre- and post-stir-frying—a comprehensive approach combining pharmacological research, metabolomics, and chemistry was employed. Fraction inter-cross validation experiments, pharmacological assessments, and metabolomic analyses confirm the efficacy of the fraction separation process. Wine-stir-fried PRR (WPRR) shows superior blood activation compared to PRR. PRR mainly affects the TCA cycle and sphingolipid metabolism pathways through its small molecules, enhancing coagulation and fibrinolysis systems’ functionality. All the subdivided components of WPRR have anti-thrombotic effects, especially polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. WPRR improves thrombotic conditions in rat blood stasis by modulating arachidonic acid metabolism, TCA cycle, lipid status enhancement, and angiogenesis stimulation while regulating platelet adhesion and aggregation. In conclusion, compared with PRR, the main material basis for the blood-activating efficacy of WPRR has transformed from small molecule compounds to polysaccharide and oligosaccharide components. The action pathways of WPRR in exerting anti-thrombotic efficacy have increased. The polysaccharide components in WPRR might possess considerable potential for being developed into natural anti-thrombotic drugs.

内容: Paeoniae Radix Rubra Stir-frying with wine Metabolomics Material basis Efficacy mechanism Thrombus

内容: Alcoholic liver injury (ALI) has emerged as a significant public health concern, necessitating the urgent identification of medicinal-food resources for its prevention and treatment. As a natural medicinal food resource, Chenpi (CHE) is rich in various flavonoid bioactive compounds and exhibits potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects. However, the effect and mechanism of CHE in preventing and improving ALI are not yet known. This study sought to elucidate CHE’s hepatoprotective mechanisms in ALI from the biochemical markers, microbiome and transcriptome perspectives. Results showed that CHE ameliorated ALI by improving oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and liver function. 16S rRNA analysis revealed that CHE alleviated ALI pathological progression primarily by restoring gut microbiota composition. Transcriptomic analysis showed that CHE improved ALI mainly related to MAPK signaling pathway. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that Candidatus_Saccharimonas, Turicibacter, and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 play key roles in the process by which CHE ameliorates alcohol-induced inflammation and pathological angiogenesis. These findings revealed that CHE has the potential to be used as a functional food to prevent or improve ALI.