PubMed

α-Ketoglutarate Accelerates the Initial Differentiation of Primed Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cell Metab. 2016 Jul 27; Authors: TeSlaa T, Chaikovsky AC, Lipchina I, Escobar SL, Hochedlinger K, Huang J, Graeber TG, Braas D, Teitell MA Abstract Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can self-renew or differentiate from naive or more differentiated, primed, pluripotent states established by specific culture conditions. Increased intracellular α-ketoglutarate (αKG) was shown to favor self-renewal in naive mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). The effect of αKG or αKG/succinate levels on differentiation from primed human PSCs (hPSCs) or mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) remains unknown. We examined primed hPSCs and EpiSCs and show that increased αKG or αKG-to-succinate ratios accelerate, and elevated succinate levels delay, primed PSC differentiation. αKG has been shown to inhibit the mitochondrial ATP synthase and to regulate epigenome-modifying dioxygenase enzymes. Mitochondrial uncoupling did not impede αKG-accelerated primed PSC differentiation. Instead, αKG induced, and succinate impaired, global histone and DNA demethylation in primed PSCs. The data support αKG promotion of self-renewal or differentiation depending on the pluripotent state. PMID: 27476976 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles Altering the Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Synthesis (mtFASII) Pathway Modulates Cellular Metabolic States and Bioactive Lipid Profiles as Revealed by Metabolomic Profiling. PLoS One. 2016;11(3):e0151171 Authors: Clay HB, Parl AK, Mitchell SL, Singh L, Bell LN, Murdock DG Abstract Despite the presence of a cytosolic fatty acid synthesis pathway, mitochondria have retained their own means of creating fatty acids via the mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFASII) pathway. The reason for its conservation has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, to better understand the role of mtFASII in the cell, we used thin layer chromatography to characterize the contribution of the mtFASII pathway to the fatty acid composition of selected mitochondrial lipids. Next, we performed metabolomic analysis on HeLa cells in which the mtFASII pathway was either hypofunctional (through knockdown of mitochondrial acyl carrier protein, ACP) or hyperfunctional (through overexpression of mitochondrial enoyl-CoA reductase, MECR). Our results indicate that the mtFASII pathway contributes little to the fatty acid composition of mitochondrial lipid species examined. Additionally, loss of mtFASII function results in changes in biochemical pathways suggesting alterations in glucose utilization and redox state. Interestingly, levels of bioactive lipids, including lysophospholipids and sphingolipids, directly correlate with mtFASII function, indicating that mtFASII may be involved in the regulation of bioactive lipid levels. Regulation of bioactive lipid levels by mtFASII implicates the pathway as a mediator of intracellular signaling. PMID: 26963735 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles Different Polar Metabolites and Protein Profiles between High- and Low-Quality Japanese Ginjo Sake. PLoS One. 2016;11(3):e0150524 Authors: Takahashi K, Kohno H Abstract Japanese ginjo sake is a premium refined sake characterized by a pleasant fruity apple-like flavor and a sophisticated taste. Because of technical difficulties inherent in brewing ginjo sake, off-flavors sometimes occur. However, the metabolites responsible for off-flavors as well as those present or absent in higher quality ginjo sake remain uncertain. Here, the relationship between 202 polar chemical compounds in sake identified using capillary electrophoresis coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry and its organoleptic properties, such as quality and off-flavor, was examined. First, we found that some off-flavored sakes contained higher total amounts of metabolites than other sake samples. The results also identified that levels of 2-oxoglutaric acid and fumaric acid, metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, were highly but oppositely correlated with ginjo sake quality. Similarly, pyridoxine and pyridoxamine, co-enzymes for amino transferase, were also highly but oppositely correlated with ginjo sake quality. Additionally, pyruvic acid levels were associated with good quality as well. Compounds involved in the methionine salvage cycle, oxidative glutathione derivatives, and amino acid catabolites were correlated with low quality. Among off-flavors, an inharmonious bitter taste appeared attributable to polyamines. Furthermore, protein analysis displayed that a diversity of protein components and yeast protein (triosephosphate isomerase, TPI) leakage was linked to the overall metabolite intensity in ginjo sake. This research provides insight into the relationship between sake components and organoleptic properties. PMID: 26939054 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles Construction and analysis of correlation networks based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabonomics data for lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and intervention with volatile oil from Angelica sinensis in rats. Mol Biosyst. 2015 Nov;11(11):3174-87 Authors: Hua YL, Ji P, Xue ZY, Wei YM Abstract Angelica sinensis (AS) is a well-known important traditional Chinese medicine that yields a volatile oil with anti-inflammatory effects. However, the holistic therapeutic effects and the mechanism underlying such effects of the volatile oil of A. sinensis (VOAS) are not yet well understood. Here, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabonomic study was conducted to explore the significantly altered metabolites for better understanding of VOAS and to assess the integral efficacy of VOAS on a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation rat model. Principal component analysis was used to investigate the global metabonomic alterations and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of VOAS in rats. Clear separations were observed in the comparison of the metabolite profiles of the normal control (NC) group, the LPS-stimulated group (MI), the VOAS group, and the dexamethasone (Dex) group. VOAS exerted therapeutic effects on the LPS-stimulated group, which were in accordance with the results of cytokine analyses and blood physiobiochemical assay. Furthermore, a total of 20, 17, and 22 metabolites distributed in 27 metabolic pathways were respectively identified in plasma, liver, and lung samples as significantly altered metabolites of MI, VOAS, Dex, and NC of the same background. Network analysis revealed that glycine, glutamate, malic acid, succinate, arachidonic acid, glycerol, galactose, and glucose were hub metabolites of the inflammation correlation network. Results indicated that VOAS exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect by adjusting the Krebs cycle, improving the glucose content, and restoring the fatty acid metabolism. PMID: 26399193 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles A study on the effective substance of the Wu-tou formula based on the metabonomic method using UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS. Mol Biosyst. 2015 Nov;11(11):3081-91 Authors: Xu T, Liu S, Zhao J, Feng G, Pi Z, Song F, Liu Z Abstract The Wu-tou formula (WTF) is a Chinese medicine formula which has been applied to treat rheumatic arthritis (RA) and pain of joints for more than a thousand years. In this study, a pharmacodynamics combined urinary metabonomic study using UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS was performed to assess the holistic efficacy of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Wu-tou formula for treating RA in rats. Eighty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into eight groups, named as the healthy control group (HG), the model group (AIA), the WTF group and five single herb groups. The treatment groups and the model group were induced for treating rheumatoid arthritis by using complete Freund's adjuvant. Histological results assessed the joint damage and several biochemical parameters such as IL-1β, TNF-α, SOD and MDA were used to evaluate inflammation injury and oxidative stress. Based on the results, a metabonomic investigation was conducted to study the mechanism of the WTF and single herb treatment groups for treating RA. Multivariate statistical analyses such as PCA and OPLS-DA were used to identify potential biomarkers in urine. As a result, twenty-six potential biomarkers have been found by comparison with the model and the WTF treatment group. The potential biomarkers mainly affect the phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis pathway and the taurine and hypotaurine metabolism pathway. Aconiti Radix Preparata and Ephedrae Herba showed better effects on treating RA from the integrated evaluation by histological results, biochemical parameters and pattern recognition analysis. A comprehensive evaluation of the different therapeutic effects and the mechanism of each herb in the WTF for treating RA was performed in this research. PMID: 26338656 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Differences in microbial metabolites in urine headspace of subjects with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) detected by volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis and metabolomics. Clin Chim Acta. 2016 Jul 27; Authors: Batty C, Cauchi M, Hunter JO, Woolner J, Baglin T, Turner C Abstract ITP is an organ specific autoimmune disorder characterised by a low platelet count whose cause is uncertain. A possible factor is food intolerance, although much of the information linking this with ITP is anecdotal. The role of food intolerance in ITP was studied by replacing a normal diet with an elemental diet (E028) but this did not increase platelet counts. Clear differences, however, were apparent between the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine headspace of patients with ITP and those present in healthy volunteers, which leads to speculation that abnormal metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiome may be a factor causing ITP. However further work is needed to confirm this. There were also differences between the VOCs of patients on a normal diet and those on the elemental diet, and in this case, the VOCs involved are very likely to be of bacterial origin, as their production is affected by dietary manipulation. Many of these VOCs are known to be toxic. PMID: 27475979 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Fine-Tuning Cancer Immunotherapy: Optimizing the Gut Microbiome. Cancer Res. 2016 Jul 29; Authors: Pitt JM, Vétizou M, Waldschmitt N, Kroemer G, Chamaillard M, Boneca IG, Zitvogel L Abstract The equilibrium linking the intestinal microbiota, the intestinal epithelium, and the host immune system establishes host health and homeostasis, with perturbations of this balance resulting in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune immunopathologies. The mutualistic symbiosis between gut microbiota and host immunity raises the possibility that dysbiosis of the intestinal content also influences the outcome of cancer immunotherapy. Here, we present our recent findings that specific gut-resident bacteria determine the immunotherapeutic responses associated with CTLA-4 checkpoint blockade. This new evidence hints that interindividual differences in the microbiome may account for the significant heterogeneity in therapeutic and immunopathologic responses to immune checkpoint therapies. We discuss how this new understanding could improve the therapeutic coverage of immune checkpoint inhibitors, and potentially limit their immune-mediated toxicity, through the use of adjunctive "oncomicrobiotics" that indirectly promote beneficial immune responses through optimizing the gut microbiome. Cancer Res; 76(16); 1-6. ©2016 AACR. PMID: 27474734 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Diagnostics and Resistance Profiling of Bacterial Pathogens. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2016 Jul 30; Authors: Hornischer K, Häußler S Abstract Worldwide infectious disease is one of the leading causes of death. Despite improvements in technology and healthcare services, morbidity and mortality due to infections have remained unchanged over the past few decades. The high and increasing rate of antibiotic resistance is further aggravating the situation. Growing resistance hampers the use of conventional antibiotics, and substantial higher mortality rates are reported in patients given ineffective empiric therapy mainly due to resistance to the agents used. These infections cause suffering, incapacity, and death and impose an enormous financial burden on both healthcare systems and on society in general. The accelerating development of multidrug resistance is one of the greatest diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to modern medicine. The lack of new antibiotic options underscores the need for optimization of current diagnostics, therapies, and prevention of the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms. The so-called -omics technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) have yielded large-scale datasets that advanced the search for biomarkers of infectious diseases in the last decade. One can imagine that in the future the implementation of biomarker-driven molecular test systems will transform diagnostics of infectious diseases and will significantly accelerate the identification of the bacterial pathogens at the infected host site. Furthermore, molecular tests based on the identification of markers of antibiotic resistance will dramatically change resistance profiling. The replacement of culturing methods by molecular test systems for early diagnosis will provide the basis not only for a prompt and targeted therapy, but also for a much more effective stewardship of antibiotic agents and a reduction of the spread of multidrug resistance as well as the appearance of new antibiotic resistances. PMID: 27474081 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The use of chemometrics to study multifunctional indole alkaloids from Psychotria nemorosa (Palicourea comb. nov.). Part I: Extraction and fractionation optimization based on metabolic profiling. J Chromatogr A. 2016 Jul 21; Authors: Klein-Júnior LC, Viaene J, Salton J, Koetz M, Gasper AL, Henriques AT, Vander Heyden Y Abstract Extraction methods evaluation to access plants metabolome is usually performed visually, lacking a truthful method of data handling. In the present study the major aim was developing reliable time- and solvent-saving extraction and fractionation methods to access alkaloid profiling of Psychotria nemorosa leaves. Ultrasound assisted extraction was selected as extraction method. Determined from a Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) approach, yield, sum of peak areas, and peak numbers were rather meaningless responses. However, Euclidean distance calculations between the UPLC-DAD metabolic profiles and the blank injection evidenced the extracts are highly diverse. Coupled with the calculation and plotting of effects per time point, it was possible to indicate thermolabile peaks. After screening, time and temperature were selected for optimization, while plant:solvent ratio was set at 1:50 (m/v), number of extractions at one and particle size at ≤180μm. From Central Composite Design (CCD) results modeling heights of important peaks, previously indicated by the FFD metabolic profile analysis, time was set at 65min and temperature at 45°C, thus avoiding degradation. For the fractionation step, a solid phase extraction method was optimized by a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) approach using the sum of peak areas as response. Sample concentration was consequently set at 150mg/mL, % acetonitrile in dichloromethane at 40% as eluting solvent, and eluting volume at 30mL. Summarized, the Euclidean distance and the metabolite profiles provided significant responses for accessing P. nemorosa alkaloids, allowing developing reliable extraction and fractionation methods, avoiding degradation and decreasing the required time and solvent volume. PMID: 27473512 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The development of plasma pseudotargeted GC-MS metabolic profiling and its application in bladder cancer. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2016 Jul 29; Authors: Zhou Y, Song R, Zhang Z, Lu X, Zeng Z, Hu C, Liu X, Li Y, Hou J, Sun Y, Xu C, Xu G Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is a fatal malignancy with considerable mortality. BC urinary metabolomics has been extensively investigated for biomarker discovery, but few BC blood metabolomic studies have been performed. Hence, a plasma pseudotargeted metabolomic method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM) was developed to study metabolic alterations in BC. The analytical performance of the developed method was compared with that of a nontargeted method. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 89 and 70.7 % of the peaks obtained using the pseudotargeted and nontargeted methods, respectively, were less than 20 %. The Pearson correlations of 90.7 and 78.3 % of the peaks obtained using the pseudotargeted and nontargeted methods, respectively, exceeded 0.90 in the linearity evaluation. Compared with the nontargeted method, the signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) of 97.9 and 69.3 % of the peaks increased two- and fivefold, respectively. The developed method was fully validated, with good precision, recovery, and stability of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The method was applied to investigate BC. Significant increases in the contents of metabolites involved in, for example, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and nucleotide and fatty acid synthesis were found in the high-grade (HG) BC group compared to the healthy control (HC) group. These differences imply that the activated PPP may regulate BC cell proliferation by promoting lipid and nucleotide biosynthesis and the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results illustrate that the plasma pseudotargeted method is a powerful tool for metabolic profiling. Graphical abstract The plasma pseudotargeted metabolic profiling suggested the metabolic alterations in bladder cancer (BC) and the significantly differential metabolites for BC discrimination. PMID: 27473428 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Altered gut microbiota in Rett syndrome. Microbiome. 2016;4(1):41 Authors: Strati F, Cavalieri D, Albanese D, De Felice C, Donati C, Hayek J, Jousson O, Leoncini S, Pindo M, Renzi D, Rizzetto L, Stefanini I, Calabrò A, De Filippo C Abstract BACKGROUND: The human gut microbiota directly affects human health, and its alteration can lead to gastrointestinal abnormalities and inflammation. Rett syndrome (RTT), a progressive neurological disorder mainly caused by mutations in MeCP2 gene, is commonly associated with gastrointestinal dysfunctions and constipation, suggesting a link between RTT's gastrointestinal abnormalities and the gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacterial and fungal gut microbiota in a cohort of RTT subjects integrating clinical, metabolomics and metagenomics data to understand if changes in the gut microbiota of RTT subjects could be associated with gastrointestinal abnormalities and inflammatory status. RESULTS: Our findings revealed the occurrence of an intestinal sub-inflammatory status in RTT subjects as measured by the elevated values of faecal calprotectin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. We showed that, overall, RTT subjects harbour bacterial and fungal microbiota altered in terms of relative abundances from those of healthy controls, with a reduced microbial richness and dominated by microbial taxa belonging to Bifidobacterium, several Clostridia (among which Anaerostipes, Clostridium XIVa, Clostridium XIVb) as well as Erysipelotrichaceae, Actinomyces, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Eggerthella, Escherichia/Shigella and the fungal genus Candida. We further observed that alterations of the gut microbiota do not depend on the constipation status of RTT subjects and that this dysbiotic microbiota produced altered short chain fatty acids profiles. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated for the first time that RTT is associated with a dysbiosis of both the bacterial and fungal component of the gut microbiota, suggesting that impairments of MeCP2 functioning favour the establishment of a microbial community adapted to the costive gastrointestinal niche of RTT subjects. The altered production of short chain fatty acids associated with this microbiota might reinforce the constipation status of RTT subjects and contribute to RTT gastrointestinal physiopathology. PMID: 27473171 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Metabolomic Profiling Identifies Novel Circulating Biomarkers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction Differentially Elevated in Heart Failure With Preserved Versus Reduced Ejection Fraction: Evidence for Shared Metabolic Impairments in Clinical Heart Failure. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5(8) Authors: Hunter WG, Kelly JP, McGarrah RW, Khouri MG, Craig D, Haynes C, Ilkayeva O, Stevens RD, Bain JR, Muehlbauer MJ, Newgard CB, Felker GM, Hernandez AF, Velazquez EJ, Kraus WE, Shah SH Abstract BACKGROUND: Metabolic impairment is an important contributor to heart failure (HF) pathogenesis and progression. Dysregulated metabolic pathways remain poorly characterized in patients with HF and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We sought to determine metabolic abnormalities in HFpEF and identify pathways differentially altered in HFpEF versus HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified HFpEF cases, HFrEF controls, and no-HF controls from the CATHGEN study of sequential patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. HFpEF cases (N=282) were defined by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥45%, diastolic dysfunction grade ≥1, and history of HF; HFrEF controls (N=279) were defined similarly, except for having LVEF <45%. No-HF controls (N=191) had LVEF ≥45%, normal diastolic function, and no HF diagnosis. Targeted mass spectrometry and enzymatic assays were used to quantify 63 metabolites in fasting plasma. Principal components analysis reduced the 63 metabolites to uncorrelated factors, which were compared across groups using ANCOVA. In basic and fully adjusted models, long-chain acylcarnitine factor levels differed significantly across groups (P<0.0001) and were greater in HFrEF than HFpEF (P=0.0004), both of which were greater than no-HF controls. We confirmed these findings in sensitivity analyses using stricter inclusion criteria, alternative LVEF thresholds, and adjustment for insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: We identified novel circulating metabolites reflecting impaired or dysregulated fatty acid oxidation that are independently associated with HF and differentially elevated in HFpEF and HFrEF. These results elucidate a specific metabolic pathway in HF and suggest a shared metabolic mechanism in HF along the LVEF spectrum. PMID: 27473038 [PubMed - in process]

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Comparative Transcriptome Reconstruction of Four Hypericum Species Focused on Hypericin Biosynthesis. Front Plant Sci. 2016;7:1039 Authors: Soták M, Czeranková O, Klein D, Jurčacková Z, Li L, Čellárová E Abstract Next generation sequencing technology rapidly developed research applications in the field of plant functional genomics. Several Hypericum spp. with an aim to generate and enhance gene annotations especially for genes coding the enzymes supposedly included in biosynthesis of valuable bioactive compounds were analyzed. The first de novo transcriptome profiling of Hypericum annulatum Moris, H. tomentosum L., H. kalmianum L., and H. androsaemum L. leaves cultivated in vitro was accomplished. All four species with only limited genomic information were selected on the basis of differences in ability to synthesize hypericins and presence of dark nodules accumulating these metabolites with purpose to enrich genomic background of Hypericum spp. H. annulatum was chosen because of high number of the dark nodules and high content of hypericin. H. tomentosum leaves are typical for the presence of only 1-2 dark nodules localized in the apical part. Both H. kalmianum and H. androsaemum lack hypericin and have no dark nodules. Four separated datasets of the pair-end reads were gathered and used for de novo assembly by Trinity program. Assembled transcriptomes were annotated to the public databases Swiss-Prot and non-redundant protein database (NCBI-nr). Gene ontology analysis was performed. Differences of expression levels in the marginal tissues with dark nodules and inner part of leaves lacking these nodules indicate a potential genetic background for hypericin formation as the presumed site of hypericin biosynthesis is in the cells adjacent to these structures. Altogether 165 contigs in H. annulatum and 100 contigs in H. tomentosum were detected as significantly differentially expressed (P < 0.05) and upregulated in the leaf rim tissues containing the dark nodules. The new sequences homologous to octaketide synthase and enzymes catalyzing phenolic oxidative coupling reactions indispensable for hypericin biosynthesis were discovered. The presented transcriptomic sequence data will improve current knowledge about the selected Hypericum spp. with proposed relation to hypericin biosynthesis and will provide a useful resource of genomic information for consequential studies in the field of functional genomics, proteomics and metabolomics. PMID: 27468294 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

STAT3 inhibition for cancer therapy: Cell-autonomous effects only? Oncoimmunology. 2016 May;5(5):e1126063 Authors: Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Zitvogel L Abstract A paper recently published in Science Translational Medicine describes a next-generation antisense oligonucleotide that specifically downregulates the expression of human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Such an oligonucleotide, AZD9150, exerts antineoplastic effects on a selected panel of STAT3-dependent human cancer cells growing in vitro and in vivo (as xenografts in immunodeficient mice). Moreover, preliminary data from a Phase I clinical trial indicate that AZD9150 may cause partial tumor regression in patients with chemorefractory lymphoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. STAT3 not only participates in cell-autonomous processes that are required for the survival and growth of malignant cells, but also limits their ability to elicit anticancer immune responses. Moreover, STAT3 contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, the inhibition of STAT3 may promote immunosurveillance by a dual mechanism: (1) it may increase the immunogenicity of cancer cells via cell-autonomous pathways; and (2) it may favor the reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment toward an immunostimulatory state. It will therefore be important to explore whether immunological biomarkers predict the efficacy of AZD9150 in the clinic. This may ameliorate patient stratification and it may pave the way for rational combination therapies involving classical chemotherapeutics with immunostimulatory effects, AZD9150 and immunotherapeutic agents such as checkpoint blockers. PMID: 27467938 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Yet another pattern recognition receptor involved in the chemotherapy-induced anticancer immune response: Formyl peptide receptor-1. Oncoimmunology. 2016 May;5(5):e1118600 Authors: Vacchelli E, Ma Y, Baracco EE, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G Abstract Several pattern recognition receptors including toll-like receptors and purinergic receptors are implicated in the anticancer immune response elicited by anthracyclines or oxaliplatin. Recently, formyl peptide receptor-1 (FPR1) has been involved in this response as well. FPR1 is required for the correct positioning of dendritic cells (DC) close to dying cancer cells. A genetic defect in FPR1 abrogates cross-presentation of tumor antigens by DC, thereby compromising therapy-elicited immunosurveillance. PMID: 27467929 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Changes in the Metabolome in Response to Low-Dose Exposure to Environmental Chemicals Used in Personal Care Products during Different Windows of Susceptibility. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0159919 Authors: Houten SM, Chen J, Belpoggi F, Manservisi F, Sánchez-Guijo A, Wudy SA, Teitelbaum SL Abstract The consequences of ubiquitous exposure to environmental chemicals remain poorly defined. Non-targeted metabolomic profiling is an emerging method to identify biomarkers of the physiological response to such exposures. We investigated the effect of three commonly used ingredients in personal care products, diethyl phthalate (DEP), methylparaben (MPB) and triclosan (TCS), on the blood metabolome of female Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were treated with low levels of these chemicals comparable to human exposures during prepubertal and pubertal windows as well as chronically from birth to adulthood. Non-targeted metabolomic profiling revealed that most of the variation in the metabolites was associated with developmental stage. The low-dose exposure to DEP, MPB and TCS had a relatively small, but detectable impact on the metabolome. Multiple metabolites that were affected by chemical exposure belonged to the same biochemical pathways including phenol sulfonation and metabolism of pyruvate, lyso-plasmalogens, unsaturated fatty acids and serotonin. Changes in phenol sulfonation and pyruvate metabolism were most pronounced in rats exposed to DEP during the prepubertal period. Our metabolomics analysis demonstrates that human level exposure to personal care product ingredients has detectable effects on the rat metabolome. We highlight specific pathways such as sulfonation that warrant further study. PMID: 27467775 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 3 activation shortens erythrocyte half-life and provides malaria resistance in mice. Blood. 2016 Jul 27; Authors: Hortle E, Nijagal B, Bauer DC, Jensen LM, Ahn SB, Cockburn IA, Lampkin S, Tull D, McConville MJ, McMorran BJ, Foote SJ, Burgio G Abstract The factors that determine red blood cell (RBC) lifespan and the rate of RBC ageing have not been fully elucidated. In several genetic conditions - including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and G6PD deficiency - erythrocyte lifespan is significantly shortened. Many of these diseases are also associated with protection from severe malaria, suggesting a role for accelerated RBC senescence and clearance in malaria resistance. Here we report a novel, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) induced mutation that causes a gain of function in AMP deaminase (AMPD3). Mice carrying the mutation exhibit rapid RBC turnover, with increased erythropoiesis, dramatically shortened RBC lifespan, and signs of increased RBC senescence/eryptosis; suggesting a key role for AMPD3 in determining RBC half-life. Mice were also found to be resistant to infection with the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi We propose that resistance to P chabaudi is mediated by increased RBC turnover and higher rates of erythropoiesis during infection. PMID: 27465915 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Physiological and metabolic changes during the transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism in Graves' disease. Thyroid. 2016 Jul 27; Authors: Chng CL, Lim AY, Tan HC, Kovalik JP, Tham KW, Bee YM, Lim W, Acharyya S, Lai OF, Chong MF, Yen PM Abstract BACKGROUND: The serum metabolomic profile and its relationship to physiological changes during hyperthyroidism and restoration to euthyroidism are not known. We aimed at examining the physiological, adipokine, and metabolomic changes that occur when subjects with Graves' disease transit from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism with medical treatment. METHODS: Chinese women between age 21 and 50 years of age and with newly diagnosed Graves' disease attending the Endocrine outpatient clinics in a single institution were recruited between July 2012 and September 2014. All subjects were treated with thioamides to achieve euthyroidism. Clinical parameters (body weight, body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis, resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient via indirect calorimetry, reported total energy intake via 24 hr food diary), biochemical parameters (thyroid hormones, lipid profile, fasting insulin and glucose levels), serum leptin, adiponectin and metabolomics profiles were measured during hyperthyroidism and repeated in early euthyroidism. RESULTS: Twenty four Chinese women with an average age of 36.3 ± 8.6 years were included in the study. The average duration of treatment that was required to reach euthyroidism for these subjects was 38 ± 16.3 weeks. There was a significant increase in body weight (52.6 ± 9.0 kg to 55.3 ± 9.4 kg, p<0.001) and fat mass (14.3 ± 6.9 kg to 16.8 ± 6.5 kg, p=0.005). There was a reduction in resting energy expenditure corrected for weight (28.7 ± 4.0 Kcal/Kg to 21.5 ± 4.1 Kcal/Kg, p<0.001) and an increase in respiratory quotient (0.76 to 0.81, p=0.037). Resting energy expenditure increased significantly with increasing FT3 levels (p=0.007). Significant increases in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were noted. There was no significant change in leptin levels but adiponectin levels increased significantly (p=0.018). We observed significant reductions in fasting C2, medium, long chain, and total acylcarnitines, but no changes in the fat-free mass, branched chain amino acid levels, or insulin sensitivity during recovery from hyperthyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Serum metabolomics profile changes complemented the physiological changes observed during the transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism. Our study provides a comprehensive and integrated view of the changes in fuel metabolism and energy balance that occur following treatment of hyperthyroidism. PMID: 27465032 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Gene Expression Profiling in Fish Toxicology: A Review. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2016 Jul 28; Authors: Kumar G, Denslow ND Abstract In this review, we present an overview of transcriptomic responses to chemical exposures in a variety of fish species. We have discussed the use of several molecular approaches such as northern blotting, differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR), suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), microarrays, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) for measuring gene expression. These techniques have been mainly used to measure the toxic effects of single compounds or simple mixtures in laboratory conditions. In addition, only few studies have been conducted to examine the biological significance of differentially expressed gene sets following chemical exposure. Therefore, future studies should focus more under field conditions using a multidisciplinary approach (genomics, proteomics and metabolomics) to understand the synergetic effects of multiple environmental stressors and to determine the functional significance of differentially expressed genes. Nevertheless, recent developments in NGS technologies and decreasing costs of sequencing holds the promise to uncover the complexity of anthropogenic impacts and biological effects in wild fish populations. PMID: 27464848 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]