PubMed
Metabolomics-Based Identification of Metabolic Dysfunction in Frailty
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022 Dec 29;77(12):2367-2372. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab315.ABSTRACTDysregulation of energy producing metabolic pathways has been observed in older adults with frailty. In this study, we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technology to identify aging- and frailty-related differences in metabolites involved in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic (TCA) cycle, and other energy metabolism-related pathways in the serum of a cohort of community-dwelling adults aged 20-97 (n = 146). We also examined the relationship between serum levels of metabolites and functional measures, physical frailty, and risk status for adverse health outcomes. We observed elevated levels of TCA cycle and glycolytic intermediates in frail subjects; however, the differences in the levels of ATP and other energy metabolites between young, nonfrail, and frail adults were not significant. Instead, we found that serum levels of neurotransmitters N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid were significantly elevated in older adults with frailty. These elevations of glycolytic and TCA cycle intermediates, and neurotransmitters may be part of the biological signature of frailty.PMID:36580380 | DOI:10.1093/gerona/glab315
DBI/ACBP is a targetable autophagy checkpoint involved in aging and cardiovascular disease
Autophagy. 2022 Dec 29:1-4. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2160565. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDBI/ACBP (diazepam binding inhibitor, acyl-CoA binding protein) is a phylogenetically conserved paracrine inhibitor of macroautophagy/autophagy. As such, DBI/ACBP acts as a pro-aging molecule. Indeed, we observed that the knockout of ACB1 (the yeast equivalent of human DBI/ACBP) induces autophagy and prolongs lifespan in an autophagy-dependent fashion in chronological lifespan experiments. Intriguingly, circulating DBI/ACBP protein augments with age in humans, and this increase occurs independently from the known correlation of DBI/ACBP with body mass index (BMI). A supraphysiological DBI/ACBP level announces future cardiovascular disease (such as heart surgery, myocardial infarction and stroke) in still healthy individuals, suggesting that, beyond its correlation with chronological age, DBI/ACBP is a biomarker of biological age. Plasma DBI/ACBP concentrations correlate with triglycerides and anticorrelate with high-density lipoprotein. Of note, these associations with cardiovascular risk factors are independent from age and BMI in a multivariate regression model. In mice, we found that antibody-mediated neutralization of DBI/ACBP reduces signs of anthracycline-accelerated cardiac aging including the upregulation of the senescence marker CDKN2A/p16 (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) and the functional decline of the heart. In conclusion, it appears that extracellular DBI/ACBP can be targeted to combat age-associated cardiovascular disease.Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index; CDKN2A/p16: cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A; CVD: cardiovascular disease; DBI/ACBP: diazepam binding inhibitor, acyl-CoA binding protein; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; GABA: gamma-aminobutyric acid; GABR: gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor.PMID:36579946 | DOI:10.1080/15548627.2022.2160565
The influence of Viral protein R amino acid substitutions on clinical outcomes in people living with HIV: a systematic review
Eur J Clin Invest. 2022 Dec 28:e13943. doi: 10.1111/eci.13943. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: The HIV viral protein R (Vpr) is a multifunction protein involved in the pathophysiology of HIV-1. Recent evidence has suggested that Vpr amino acid substitutions influence the pathophysiology of HIV-1 and clinical outcomes in people living with HIV (PLWH). Several studies have linked Vpr amino acid substitutions to clinical outcomes in PLWH, however, there is no clear consensus as to which amino acids or amino acid substitutions are most important in the pathophysiology and clinical outcomes in PLWH. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review of studies investigating Vpr amino acid substitutions and clinical outcomes in PLWH.METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched according to PRISMA guidelines using a search protocol designed specifically for this study.RESULTS: A total of twenty-two studies were included for data extraction, comprising fourteen cross-sectional and eight longitudinal studies. Results indicated that Vpr amino acid substitutions were associated with specific clinical outcomes including disease progressions, neurological outcomes, treatment status, and other clinical manifestations. Studies consistently showed that the Vpr substitution 63T was associated with slower disease progression, whereas 77H and 85P were associated with no significant contribution to disease progression.CONCLUSIONS: Vpr-specific amino acid substitutions may be contributors to clinical outcomes in PLWH, and future studies should consider investigating the Vpr amino acid substitutions highlighted in this review.PMID:36579370 | DOI:10.1111/eci.13943
Applying multi-omics data to study the genetic background of bovine respiratory disease infection in feedlot crossbred cattle
Front Genet. 2022 Dec 12;13:1046192. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1046192. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTBovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common and costly infectious disease affecting the wellbeing and productivity of beef cattle in North America. BRD is a complex disease whose development is dependent on environmental factors and host genetics. Due to the polymicrobial nature of BRD, our understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the disease is still limited. This knowledge would augment the development of better genetic/genomic selection strategies and more accurate diagnostic tools to reduce BRD prevalence. Therefore, this study aimed to utilize multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics) analyses to study the genetic and molecular mechanisms of BRD infection. Blood samples of 143 cattle (80 BRD; 63 non-BRD animals) were collected for genotyping, RNA sequencing, and metabolite profiling. Firstly, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed for BRD susceptibility using 207,038 SNPs. Two SNPs (Chr5:25858264 and BovineHD1800016801) were identified as associated (p-value <1 × 10-5) with BRD susceptibility. Secondly, differential gene expression between BRD and non-BRD animals was studied. At the significance threshold used (log2FC>2, logCPM>2, and FDR<0.01), 101 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified. These DE genes significantly (p-value <0.05) enriched several immune responses related functions such as inflammatory response. Additionally, we performed expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis and identified 420 cis-eQTLs and 144 trans-eQTLs significantly (FDR <0.05) associated with the expression of DE genes. Interestingly, eQTL results indicated the most significant SNP (Chr5:25858264) identified via GWAS was a cis-eQTL for DE gene GPR84. This analysis also demonstrated that an important SNP (rs209419196) located in the promoter region of the DE gene BPI significantly influenced the expression of this gene. Finally, the abundance of 31 metabolites was significantly (FDR <0.05) different between BRD and non-BRD animals, and 17 of them showed correlations with multiple DE genes, which shed light on the interactions between immune response and metabolism. This study identified associations between genome, transcriptome, metabolome, and BRD phenotype of feedlot crossbred cattle. The findings may be useful for the development of genomic selection strategies for BRD susceptibility, and for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.PMID:36579334 | PMC:PMC9790935 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2022.1046192
Corrigendum: Oleaginous yeast <em>Rhodotorula toruloides</em> biomass effect on the metabolism of Arctic char (<em>Salvelinus alpinus</em>)
Front Mol Biosci. 2022 Dec 12;9:1101980. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1101980. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACT[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.931946.].PMID:36579186 | PMC:PMC9791986 | DOI:10.3389/fmolb.2022.1101980
Ring-stage growth arrest: Metabolic basis of artemisinin tolerance in <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em>
iScience. 2022 Dec 5;26(1):105725. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105725. eCollection 2023 Jan 20.ABSTRACTThe emergence and spread of artemisinin-tolerant malaria parasites threatens malaria control programmes worldwide. Mutations in the propeller domain of the Kelch13 protein confer Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance (ART-R). ART-R is linked to the reduced susceptibility of temporary growth-arrested ring-stage parasites, but the metabolic mechanisms remain elusive. We generated two PfKelch13 mutant lines via CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing which displayed a reduced susceptibility accompanied by an extended ring stage. The metabolome of ART-induced ring-stage growth arrest parasites carrying PfKelch13 mutations showed significant alterations in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glycolysis, and amino acids metabolism, pointing to altered energy and porphyrin metabolism with metabolic plasticity. The critical role of these pathways was further confirmed by altering metabolic flow or through chemical inhibition. Our findings uncover that the growth arrestment associated with ART-R is potentially attributed to the adaptative metabolic plasticity, indicating that the defined metabolic remodeling turns out to be the trigger for ART-R.PMID:36579133 | PMC:PMC9791339 | DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105725
Future Prospects in Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2022 Dec 16;59(Suppl 1):S36-S41. doi: 10.29399/npa.28169. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTParkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a rapidly increasing incidence and prevalence. Although it affects more than 6 million people worldwide, it is predicted to be doubled by 2040. Current criteria used in the diagnosis of PD include the presence of bradykinesia as well as the presence of rest tremor and/or rigidity, but the clinic is multifaceted and includes many non-motor symptoms. Non-motor symptoms may occur in the prodromal period, years before clinically evident Parkinson's disease. During this period, diagnosing the disease will likely be even more important when disease-modifying treatments are available. Currently, there is no single biomarker that can be used in the diagnosis of PD and no disease-modifying treatment is available. Identification of biomarkers in early diagnosis will enable the most effective use of disease-modifying therapies and will shed light on possible underlying pathologies, studies in this area have gained momentum in recent years. Molecular imaging methods, genetic studies, salivary gland and skin biopsies, metabolomics, lysosomal pathway are some of them. In this article, besides the current diagnosis and treatment methods of the disease, biomarkers and treatments that are expected to be better understood in the near future will be mentioned.PMID:36578989 | PMC:PMC9767134 | DOI:10.29399/npa.28169
Tissue-specific metabolomic profiling after cardiopulmonary bypass in fetal sheep
Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Dec 12;9:1009165. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1009165. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: Fetal cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is essential to fetal heart surgery, while its development is limited by vital organ dysfunction after CPB. Studying organ metabolism may help to solve this problem. The objective of this study was to describe the tissue-specific metabolic fingerprints of fetal sheep under CPB and to associate them with organ functions.METHODS: Ten pregnant ewes at 90-120 days of gestation were randomly divided into two groups. The bypass group underwent a 1-h fetal CPB, whereas the control group underwent only a fetal sternotomy. During bypass, echocardiography, blood gases, and blood biochemistry were measured. After bypass, lambs were sacrificed, and tissues of the heart, liver, brain, kidney, and placenta were harvested. The metabolites extracted from these tissues were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques.RESULTS: All tissues except the placenta displayed significant metabolic changes, and the fetal heart displayed obvious functional changes. Fetal sheep that underwent CPB had common and tissue-specific metabolic signatures. These changes can be attributed to dysregulated lipid metabolism, altered amino acid metabolism, and the accumulation of plasticizer metabolism.CONCLUSION: Fetal CPB causes tissue-specific metabolic changes in fetal sheep. Studying these metabolic changes, especially cardiac metabolism, is of great significance for the study of fetal CPB.PMID:36578834 | PMC:PMC9791045 | DOI:10.3389/fcvm.2022.1009165
Detection of spontaneous preterm birth by maternal urinary volatile organic compound analysis: A prospective cohort study
Front Pediatr. 2022 Dec 12;10:1063248. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1063248. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTAccurate prediction of preterm birth is currently challenging, resulting in unnecessary maternal hospital admittance and fetal overexposure to antenatal corticosteroids. Novel biomarkers like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) hold potential for predictive, bed-side clinical applicability. In a proof of principle study, we aimed to assess the predictive potential of urinary volatile organic compounds in the identification of pregnant women at risk for preterm birth. Urine samples of women with a high risk for preterm birth (≧24 + 0 until 36 + 6 weeks) were collected prospectively and analyzed for VOCs using gas chromatography coupled with an ion mobility spectrometer (GS-IMS). Urinary VOCs of women delivering preterm were compared with urine samples of women with suspicion of preterm birth collected at the same gestation period but delivering at term. Additionally, the results were also interpreted in combination with patient characteristics, such as physical examination at admission, microbial cultures, and placental pathology. In our cohort, we found that urinary VOCs of women admitted for imminent preterm birth were not significantly different in the overall group of women delivering preterm vs. term. However, urinary VOCs of women admitted for imminent preterm birth and delivering between 28 + 0 until 36 + 6 weeks compared to women with a high risk for preterm birth during the same gestation period and eventually delivering at term (>37 + 0 weeks) differed significantly (area under the curve: 0.70). In addition, based on the same urinary VOCs, we could identify women with a confirmed chorioamnionitis (area under the curve: 0.72) and urinary tract infection (area under the curve: 0.97). In conclusion, urinary VOCs hold potential for non-invasive, bedside prediction of preterm birth and on the spot identification of intra-uterine infection and urinary tract infections. We suggest these observations are further explored in larger populations.PMID:36578660 | PMC:PMC9791099 | DOI:10.3389/fped.2022.1063248
Untargeted metabolomics analysis reveals dynamic changes in co-fermentation with human milk-derived probiotics and <em>Poria cocos</em>
Front Microbiol. 2022 Dec 12;13:1032870. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1032870. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: To develop functional foods with traditional medicines and homologous food ingredients as well as human milk-derived probiotics, the co-fermentation process of two probiotics, Lactobacillus plantarum R9 and Lactobacillus gasseri B1-27, isolated from the human milk of healthy parturients and the traditional medicine and food homologous ingredient Poria cocos, were separately investigated.RESULTS: The Poria cocos fermentation broth at 2.5% significantly enhanced the total number of L. plantarum R9 (p = 0.001) and L. gasseri B1-27 (p = 0.013) after 20 h of fermentation, and Non-targeted metabolomics assays conducted before and after fermentation of the human milk-derived L. plantarum R9 and L. gasseri B1-27 using the 2.5% Poria cocos fermentation broth revealed 35 and 45 differential metabolites, respectively. A variety of active substances with physiological functions, such as L-proline, L-serine, beta-alanine, taurine, retinol, luteolin, and serotonin, were found to be significantly increased. Mannitol, a natural sweetener with a low glycemic index, was also identified. The most significantly altered metabolic pathways were pyrimidine metabolism, pentose phosphate, yeast meiosis, ABC transporter, insulin signaling, and mineral absorption, suggesting that co-fermentation of human milk-derived probiotics and Poria cocos may affect the metabolism of trace minerals, sugars, organic acids, and amino acids.DISCUSSION: Overall, we determined that the optimal concentration of Poria cocos to be used in co-fermentation was 2.5% and identified more than 35 differentially expressed metabolites in each probiotic bacteria after co-fermentation. Moreover, several beneficial metabolites were significantly elevated as a result of the co-fermentation process indicating the valuable role of Poria cocos as a functional food.PMID:36578582 | PMC:PMC9791117 | DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2022.1032870
Corrigendum: Metabolomic analysis in spondyloarthritis: A systematic review
Front Microbiol. 2022 Dec 12;13:1100290. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1100290. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACT[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.965709.].PMID:36578573 | PMC:PMC9791648 | DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2022.1100290
Cell-derived nanovesicles prepared by membrane extrusion are good substitutes for natural extracellular vesicles
Extracell Vesicle. 2022 Dec;1:100004. doi: 10.1016/j.vesic.2022.100004. Epub 2022 Jul 1.ABSTRACTExtracellular vesicles (EV) as drug delivery nanocarriers are under intense investigation. Although clinical-grade EVs have been produced on a large-scale, low yield and high production costs of natural EVs (nEV) limit the relevant industrial translation. Recent studies show that mechanical extrusion of cells can generate nEV-like cell-derived nanovesicles (CNV) which can also be used as drug nanocarriers. Moreover, in comparison with nEVs, CNVs have similar physicochemical properties. Nevertheless, a comprehensive comparison of cargo between nEVs and CNVs has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim of this study is to profile and compare CNVs to nEVs. Our results show that no significant difference was found in size, morphology, and classical markers between nEVs and CNVs derived from MDA-MB-231 cells. Protein sequencing data reveals the similarity of membrane proteins between the two groups was ~71%, while it was ~21% when pertaining to total protein cargo. Notably, a high similarity of membrane proteins was also found between nEVs and CNVs derived from eight additional cancer cell lines. Moreover, analysis of the top 1000 small RNAs with RNA sequencing showed a ~65% similarity between the two groups. Altogether, we infer from the high similarity of membrane proteins and small RNA cargo that CNVs can be a good substitute for nEVs. In brief, our findings support previous studies with a notion that CNVs yield comparable performance with nEVs and could pave the way for clinical implementation of CNV-based therapeutics in the future.PMID:36578271 | PMC:PMC9794200 | DOI:10.1016/j.vesic.2022.100004
Coumarin biosynthesis genes are required after foliar pathogen infection for the creation of a microbial soil-borne legacy that primes plants for SA-dependent defenses
Sci Rep. 2022 Dec 28;12(1):22473. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26551-x.ABSTRACTPlants deposit photosynthetically-fixed carbon in the rhizosphere, the thin soil layer directly around the root, thereby creating a hospitable environment for microbes. To manage the inhabitants of this nutrient-rich environment, plant roots exude and dynamically adjust microbe-attracting and -repelling compounds to stimulate specific members of the microbiome. Previously, we demonstrated that foliar infection of Arabidopsis thaliana by the biotrophic downy mildew pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa) leads to a disease-induced modification of the rhizosphere microbiome. Soil conditioned with Hpa-infected plants provided enhanced protection against foliar downy mildew infection in a subsequent population of plants, a phenomenon dubbed the soil-borne legacy (SBL). Here, we show that for the creation of the SBL, plant-produced coumarins play a prominent role as coumarin-deficient myb72 and f6'h1 mutants were defective in creating a Hpa-induced SBL. Root exudation profiles changed significantly in Col-0 upon foliar Hpa infection, and this was accompanied by a compositional shift in the root microbiome that was significantly different from microbial shifts occurring on roots of Hpa-infected coumarin-deficient mutants. Our data further show that the Hpa-induced SBL primes Col-0 plants growing in SBL-conditioned soil for salicylic acid (SA)-dependent defenses. The SA-signaling mutants sid2 and npr1 were unresponsive to the Hpa-induced SBL, suggesting that the protective effect of the Hpa-induced shift in the root microbiome results from an induced systemic resistance that requires SA-signaling in the plant.PMID:36577764 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-26551-x
Dietary inclusion of nitrite-containing frankfurter exacerbates colorectal cancer pathology and alters metabolism in APC<sup>min</sup> mice
NPJ Sci Food. 2022 Dec 28;6(1):60. doi: 10.1038/s41538-022-00174-y.ABSTRACTColorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most prevelant malignancy in Europe and diet is an important modifiable risk factor. Processed meat consumption, including meats with preservative salts such as sodium nitrite, have been implicated in CRC pathogenesis. This study investigated how the CRC pathology and metabolic status of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) multiple intestinal neoplasia (min) mice was perturbed following 8 weeks of pork meat consumption. Dietary inclusions (15%) of either nitrite-free pork, nitrite-free sausage, or nitrite-containing sausage (frankfurter) were compared against a parallel control group (100% chow). Comprehensive studies investigated: gastrointestinal tract histology (tumours), aberrant crypt foci (ACF), mucin deplin foci (MDF), lipid peroxidation (urine and serum), faecal microbiota, and serum metabolomics (599 metabolites). After 8 weeks mice consuming the frankfurter diet had 53% more (P = 0.014) gastrointestinal tumours than control, although ACF and MDF did not differ. Urine and serum lipid peroxidation markers were 59% (P = 0.001) and 108% (P = 0.001) higher, respectively in the frankfurter group. Gut dysbiosis was evident in these mice with comparably fewer Bacteriodes and more Firmicutes. Fasting serum levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and numerous triglycerides were elevated. Various serum phosphotidylcholine species were decreased. These results demonstrate that nitrite-containing sausages may exaccerbate the development of CRC pathology in APCMin mice to a greater extent than nitrite-free sausages, and this is associated with greater lipid peroxidation, wide-ranging metabolic alternation and gut dysbiosis.PMID:36577751 | DOI:10.1038/s41538-022-00174-y
Sex-specific metabolic signatures in methamphetamine addicts
Addict Biol. 2023 Jan;28(1):e13255. doi: 10.1111/adb.13255.ABSTRACTMethamphetamine (METH) is a commonly abused addictive psychostimulant, and METH-induced neurotoxic and behavioural deficits are in a sex-specific manner. However, there is lack of biomarkers to evaluate METH addiction in clinical practice, especially for gender differences. We utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) to detect the serum metabolomics in METH addicts and controls, specially exploring the sex-specific metabolic alterations by METH abuse. We found that many differently expressed metabolites in METH addicts related to metabolisms of amino acid, energy, vitamin and neurological disorders. Further, METH abuse caused different patterns of metabolomics in a sex-specific manner. As to amino acid metabolism, L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan and L-histidine in serum of male addicts and betaine in serum of female addicts were significantly changed by METH use. In addition, it seemed that purine and pyrimidine-related metabolites (e.g., xanthosine and adenosine 5'-monophosphate) in male and the metabolites of hormone (e.g., cortisol) and folate biosynthesis (e.g., 7,8-dihydrobiopterin and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid) in female were more sensitive to METH addiction. Our findings revealed that L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate acid and citric acid may be potential biomarkers for monitoring METH addiction in clinic. Considering sex-specific toxicity by METH, the metabolites of purine and pyrimidine metabolism in male and those of stress-related hormones in female may be used to facilitate the accurate diagnosis and treatment for METH addicts of different genders.PMID:36577725 | DOI:10.1111/adb.13255
Habitual intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages associated with gut microbiota-related metabolites and metabolic health outcomes in young Chinese adults
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2022 Nov 3:S0939-4753(22)00441-0. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2022.10.016. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is a global public health priority because of their limited nutritional value and associations with increased risk of obesity and metabolic diseases. Gut microbiota-related metabolites emerged as quintessential effectors that may mediate impacts of dietary exposures on the modulation of host commensal microbiome and physiological status.METHODS AND RESULTS: This study assessed the associations among SSBs, circulating microbial metabolites, and gut microbiota-host co-metabolites, as well as metabolic health outcomes in young Chinese adults (n = 86), from the Carbohydrate Alternatives and Metabolic Phenotypes study in Shaanxi Province. Five principal component analysis-derived beverage drinking patterns were determined on self-reported SSB intakes, which were to a varying degree associated with 143 plasma levels of gut microbiota-related metabolites profiled by untargeted metabolomics. Moreover, carbonated beverages, fruit juice, energy drinks, and bubble tea exhibited positive associations with obesity-related markers and blood lipids, which were further validated in an independent cohort of 16,851 participants from the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China in Shaanxi Province. In contrast, presweetened coffee was negatively associated with the obesity-related traits. A total of 79 metabolites were associated with both SSBs and metabolic markers, particularly obesity markers. Pathway enrichment analysis identified the branched-chain amino acid catabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis as linking SSB intake with metabolic health outcomes.CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate the associations between habitual intakes of SSBs and several metabolic markers relevant to noncommunicable diseases, and highlight the critical involvement of gut microbiota-related metabolites in mediating such associations.PMID:36577637 | DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2022.10.016
Exploration of the main effective constituent and the mechanism in Astragali Radix in the treatment for doxorubicin-induced nephropathy by integrating metabolomics and molecular docking
J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Dec 25:116074. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.116074. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Astragali Radix (AR) is the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao or A. membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. AR was the main medicine in a Chinese traditional prescription called Fangji Huangqi Decoction, and it has been used to treating nephrotic syndrome (NS) for thousands of years in China. In recent years, AR has been evidenced to have anti-inflammatory activity, antihyperglycemic activity, antioxidant activity, etc. There are two mainstream commodities for ARs in the market including the imitation wild AR and transplanted AR. However, it is not clear whether the imitation wild AR or transplanted AR and which kind of component, astragalus saponin, astragalus flavonoid or astragalus polysaccharide, makes a bigger contribution in treating NS. And the exact molecular mechanism is not fully understood.AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore which kind of AR and which kind of component in AR makes the bigger contribution in treating NS, and exploring the molecular mechanism.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, HPLC-UV/ELSD was used for quantitative determination of the constituents in different ARs. Secondly, the efficacy of different ARs treating doxorubicin-induced nephropathy (DN) was compared by metabolomics. Thirdly, the protective effects of different constituents from ARs on the damage of MPC5 cells induced by adriamycin are validated. Finally, the effective constituents and mechanism of ARs against doxorubicin-induced nephropathy were investigated by network pharmacology and molecular docking.RESULTS: Quantitative determination experiment and pharmacological experiment indicated that the AR produced from Gansu province (China) (transplanted AR) with a higher proportion of total saponins, has better efficacy in the treatment for DN. And the cell experiment validated the result that astragalus saponins has the better efficacy in protecting the podocyte against injury than astragalus flavonoids and polysaccharides. The network pharmacology and molecular docking study indicated that astragalus saponins were the main constituent of AR in the treatment for DN. The mechanism may involve in GnRH signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway and metabolic pathways, especially of bilirubin metabolism.CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted AR has better efficacy in the treatment for NS than imitation wild AR, astragalus saponins have better efficacy in the treatment for NS than astragalus flavonoids and polysaccharides.PMID:36577490 | DOI:10.1016/j.jep.2022.116074
Multi-omics profiling visualizes dynamics of cardiac development and functions
Cell Rep. 2022 Dec 27;41(13):111891. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111891.ABSTRACTCardiogenesis is a tightly regulated dynamic process through a continuum of differentiation and proliferation events. Key factors and pathways governing this process remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigate mice hearts from embryonic day 10.5 to postnatal week 8 and dissect developmental changes in phosphoproteome-, proteome-, metabolome-, and transcriptome-encompassing cardiogenesis and cardiac maturation. We identify mitogen-activated protein kinases as core kinases involved in transcriptional regulation by mediating the phosphorylation of chromatin remodeling proteins during early cardiogenesis. We construct the reciprocal regulatory network of transcription factors (TFs) and identify a series of TFs controlling early cardiogenesis involved in cycling-dependent proliferation. After birth, we identify cardiac resident macrophages with high arachidonic acid metabolism activities likely involved in the clearance of injured apoptotic cardiomyocytes. Together, our comprehensive multi-omics data offer a panoramic view of cardiac development and maturation that provides a resource for further in-depth functional exploration.PMID:36577384 | DOI:10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111891
Met/HGFR triggers detrimental reactive microglia in TBI
Cell Rep. 2022 Dec 27;41(13):111867. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111867.ABSTRACTThe complexity of signaling events and cellular responses unfolding in neuronal, glial, and immune cells upon traumatic brain injury (TBI) constitutes an obstacle in elucidating pathophysiological links and targets for intervention. We use array phosphoproteomics in a murine mild blunt TBI to reconstruct the temporal dynamics of tyrosine-kinase signaling in TBI and then scrutinize the large-scale effects of perturbation of Met/HGFR, VEGFR1, and Btk signaling by small molecules. We show Met/HGFR as a selective modifier of early microglial response and that Met/HGFR blockade prevents the induction of microglial inflammatory mediators, of reactive microglia morphology, and TBI-associated responses in neurons and vasculature. Both acute and prolonged Met/HGFR inhibition ameliorate neuronal survival and motor recovery. Early elevation of HGF itself in the cerebrospinal fluid of TBI patients suggests that this mechanism has translational value in human subjects. Our findings identify Met/HGFR as a modulator of early neuroinflammation in TBI with promising translational potential.PMID:36577378 | DOI:10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111867
Integrative physiological, metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals nitrogen preference and carbon and nitrogen metabolism in blackberry plants
J Plant Physiol. 2022 Dec 23;280:153888. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153888. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNitrogen (N) is an indispensable element for plant growth and development. To understand the regulation of underlying carbon (C) and N metabolism in blackberry plants, we performed integrated analyses of the physiology, metabolome and transcriptome. Blackberry plants were subjected to no N, nitrate (NO3⁻)-N, ammonium (NH4+)-N and urea treatments. Our results showed that the NH4⁺-N treatment yielded higher values for the biomass, chlorophyll, antioxidants, N contents and antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as lower levels of free radicals and the C/N ratio compared with other treatments. Transcriptome analysis showed that different N forms significantly affected photosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis and the TCA cycle. Metabolome analysis indicated that the levels of lipids, carbohydrates, flavonoids and amino acids were markedly changed under different N treatments. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic data revealed that amino acids, including proline, arginine, L-isoleucine, L-aspartate, threonine, and L-glutamate, played important roles in maintaining normal plant growth by regulating N metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Overall, blackberry plants preferentially take up NH4⁺-N. Under the NH4⁺-N treatment, N assimilation was stronger, flavonoid biosynthesis was decreased, and the promoting influence of NH4⁺-N on N metabolism was better than that of NO3⁻-N. However, the NO3⁻-N treatment enhanced the C/N ratio, accelerated the process of C metabolism and increased the synthesis of flavonoids, thereby accelerating the flow of N metabolism to C metabolism. These results provide deeper insight into coordinating C and N metabolism and improving N use efficiency in blackberry plants.PMID:36577314 | DOI:10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153888