Integrative Molecular Phenotyping
INTEGRATIVE MOLECULAR
PHENOTYPING
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY

PubMed

Comprehensive Metabolite Identification Strategy Using Multiple Two-Dimensional NMR Spectra of a Complex Mixture Implemented in the COLMARm Web Server.

Wed, 15/02/2017 - 12:33
Comprehensive Metabolite Identification Strategy Using Multiple Two-Dimensional NMR Spectra of a Complex Mixture Implemented in the COLMARm Web Server. Anal Chem. 2016 Dec 20;88(24):12411-12418 Authors: Bingol K, Li DW, Zhang B, Brüschweiler R Abstract Identification of metabolites in complex mixtures represents a key step in metabolomics. A new strategy is introduced, which is implemented in a new public web server, COLMARm, that permits the coanalysis of up to three two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectra, namely, (13)C-(1)H HSQC (heteronuclear single quantum coherence spectroscopy), (1)H-(1)H TOCSY (total correlation spectroscopy), and (13)C-(1)H HSQC-TOCSY, for the comprehensive, accurate, and efficient performance of this task. The highly versatile and interactive nature of COLMARm permits its application to a wide range of metabolomics samples independent of the magnetic field. Database query is performed using the HSQC spectrum, and the top metabolite hits are then validated against the TOCSY-type experiment(s) by superimposing the expected cross-peaks on the mixture spectrum. In this way the user can directly accept or reject candidate metabolites by taking advantage of the complementary spectral information offered by these experiments and their different sensitivities. The power of COLMARm is demonstrated for a human serum sample uncovering the existence of 14 metabolites that hitherto were not identified by NMR. PMID: 28193069 [PubMed - in process]

Biosynthesis-Based Quantitative Analysis of 151 Secondary Metabolites of Licorice to Differentiate Medicinal Glycyrrhiza Species and Their Hybrids.

Wed, 15/02/2017 - 12:33
Biosynthesis-Based Quantitative Analysis of 151 Secondary Metabolites of Licorice to Differentiate Medicinal Glycyrrhiza Species and Their Hybrids. Anal Chem. 2017 Feb 13;: Authors: Song W, Qiao X, Chen K, Wang Y, Ji S, Feng J, Li K, Lin Y, Ye M Abstract Secondary metabolites are usually the bioactive components of medicinal plants. The difference in the secondary metabolisms of closely related plant species and their hybrids has rarely been addressed. In this study, we conducted a holistic secondary metabolomics analysis of three medicinal Glycyrrhiza species (G. uralensis, G. glabra, and G. inflata), which are used as the popular herbal medicine licorice. The Glycyrrhiza species (genotype) for 95 batches of samples were identified by DNA barcodes of the internal transcribed spacer and trnV-ndhC regions, and the chemotypes were revealed by LC/UV- or LC/MS/MS-based quantitative analysis of 151 bioactive secondary metabolites, including 17 flavonoid glycosides, 24 saponins, and 110 free phenolic compounds. These compounds represented key products in the biosynthetic pathways of licorice. For the 76 homozygous samples, the three Glycyrrhiza species showed significant biosynthetic preferences, especially in coumarins, chalcones, isoflavanes, and flavonols. In total, 27 species-specific chemical markers were discovered. The 19 hybrid samples indicated that hybridization could remarkably alter the chemical composition and that the male parent contributed more to the offspring than the female parent did. This is hitherto the largest-scale secondary metabolomics study of medicinal plants and the first report on uniparental inheritance in plant secondary metabolism. The results are valuable for biosynthesis, inheritance, and quality control studies of licorice and other medicinal plants. PMID: 28192986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Gut Bacteria Metabolism Impacts Immune Recovery in HIV-infected Individuals.

Wed, 15/02/2017 - 12:33
Related Articles Gut Bacteria Metabolism Impacts Immune Recovery in HIV-infected Individuals. EBioMedicine. 2016 Jun;8:203-16 Authors: Serrano-Villar S, Rojo D, Martínez-Martínez M, Deusch S, Vázquez-Castellanos JF, Bargiela R, Sainz T, Vera M, Moreno S, Estrada V, Gosalbes MJ, Latorre A, Seifert J, Barbas C, Moya A, Ferrer M Abstract While changes in gut microbial populations have been described in human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART), the mechanisms underlying the contributions of gut bacteria and their molecular agents (metabolites and proteins) to immune recovery remain unexplored. To study this, we examined the active fraction of the gut microbiome, through examining protein synthesis and accumulation of metabolites inside gut bacteria and in the bloodstream, in 8 healthy controls and 29 HIV-infected individuals (6 being longitudinally studied). We found that HIV infection is associated to dramatic changes in the active set of gut bacteria simultaneously altering the metabolic outcomes. Effects were accentuated among immunological ART responders, regardless diet, subject characteristics, clinical variables other than immune recovery, the duration and type of ART and sexual preferences. The effect was found at quantitative levels of several molecular agents and active bacteria which were herein identified and whose abundance correlated with HIV immune pathogenesis markers. Although, we cannot rule out the possibility that some changes are partially a random consequence of the disease status, our data suggest that most likely reduced inflammation and immune recovery is a joint solution orchestrated by both the active fraction of the gut microbiota and the host. PMID: 27428431 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Metabolic gatekeeper function of B-lymphoid transcription factors.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Metabolic gatekeeper function of B-lymphoid transcription factors. Nature. 2017 Feb 13;:1-5 Authors: Chan LN, Chen Z, Braas D, Lee JW, Xiao G, Geng H, Cosgun KN, Hurtz C, Shojaee S, Cazzaniga V, Schjerven H, Ernst T, Hochhaus A, Kornblau SM, Konopleva M, Pufall MA, Cazzaniga G, Liu GJ, Milne TA, Koeffler HP, Ross TS, Sánchez-García I, Borkhardt A, Yamamoto KR, Dickins RA, Graeber TG, Müschen M Abstract B-lymphoid transcription factors, such as PAX5 and IKZF1, are critical for early B-cell development, yet lesions of the genes encoding these transcription factors occur in over 80% of cases of pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The importance of these lesions in ALL has, until now, remained unclear. Here, by combining studies using chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing and RNA sequencing, we identify a novel B-lymphoid program for transcriptional repression of glucose and energy supply. Our metabolic analyses revealed that PAX5 and IKZF1 enforce a state of chronic energy deprivation, resulting in constitutive activation of the energy-stress sensor AMPK. Dominant-negative mutants of PAX5 and IKZF1, however, relieved this glucose and energy restriction. In a transgenic pre-B ALL mouse model, the heterozygous deletion of Pax5 increased glucose uptake and ATP levels by more than 25-fold. Reconstitution of PAX5 and IKZF1 in samples from patients with pre-B ALL restored a non-permissive state and induced energy crisis and cell death. A CRISPR/Cas9-based screen of PAX5 and IKZF1 transcriptional targets identified the products of NR3C1 (encoding the glucocorticoid receptor), TXNIP (encoding a glucose-feedback sensor) and CNR2 (encoding a cannabinoid receptor) as central effectors of B-lymphoid restriction of glucose and energy supply. Notably, transport-independent lipophilic methyl-conjugates of pyruvate and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites bypassed the gatekeeper function of PAX5 and IKZF1 and readily enabled leukaemic transformation. Conversely, pharmacological TXNIP and CNR2 agonists and a small-molecule AMPK inhibitor strongly synergized with glucocorticoids, identifying TXNIP, CNR2 and AMPK as potential therapeutic targets. Furthermore, our results provide a mechanistic explanation for the empirical finding that glucocorticoids are effective in the treatment of B-lymphoid but not myeloid malignancies. Thus, B-lymphoid transcription factors function as metabolic gatekeepers by limiting the amount of cellular ATP to levels that are insufficient for malignant transformation. PMID: 28192788 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Impact of a cafeteria diet and daily physical training on the rat serum metabolome.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Impact of a cafeteria diet and daily physical training on the rat serum metabolome. PLoS One. 2017;12(2):e0171970 Authors: Suárez-García S, Del Bas JM, Caimari A, Escorihuela RM, Arola L, Suárez M Abstract Regular physical activity and healthy dietary patterns are commonly recommended for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is diagnosed at an alarmingly increasing rate, especially among adolescents. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the relevance of physical exercise on the modulation of the metabolome in healthy people and those with MetS. We have previously shown that treadmill exercise ameliorated different symptoms of MetS. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a MetS-inducing diet and different intensities of aerobic training on the overall serum metabolome of adolescent rats. For 8 weeks, young rats were fed either standard chow (ST) or cafeteria diet (CAF) and were subjected to a daily program of training on a treadmill at different speeds. Non-targeted metabolomics was used to identify changes in circulating metabolites, and a combination of multivariate analysis techniques was implemented to achieve a holistic understanding of the metabolome. Among all the identified circulating metabolites influenced by CAF, lysophosphatidylcholines were the most represented family. Serum sphingolipids, bile acids, acylcarnitines, unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E and A derivatives also changed significantly in CAF-fed rats. These findings suggest that an enduring systemic inflammatory state is induced by CAF. The impact of physical training on the metabolome was less striking than the impact of diet and mainly altered circulating bile acids and glycerophospholipids. Furthermore, the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were increased in CAF-fed rats, and C-reactive protein was decreased in trained groups. The leptin/adiponectin ratio, a useful marker of MetS, was increased in CAF groups, but decreased in proportion to training intensity. Multivariate analysis revealed that ST-fed animals were more susceptible to exercise-induced changes in metabolites than animals with MetS, in which moderate-intensity seems more effective than high-intensity training. Our results indicate that CAF has a strong negative impact on the metabolome of animals that is difficult to reverse by daily exercise. PMID: 28192465 [PubMed - in process]

Longitudinal analysis of hepatic transcriptome and serum metabolome demonstrates altered lipid metabolism following the onset of hyperglycemia in spontaneously diabetic biobreeding rats.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Longitudinal analysis of hepatic transcriptome and serum metabolome demonstrates altered lipid metabolism following the onset of hyperglycemia in spontaneously diabetic biobreeding rats. PLoS One. 2017;12(2):e0171372 Authors: Regnell SE, Hessner MJ, Jia S, Åkesson L, Stenlund H, Moritz T, La Torre D, Lernmark Å Abstract Type 1 diabetes is associated with abberations of fat metabolism before and after the clinical onset of disease. It has been hypothesized that the absence of the effect of insulin in the liver contributes to reduced hepatic fat synthesis. We measured hepatic gene expression and serum metabolites before and after the onset of hyperglycemia in a BioBreeding rat model of type 1 diabetes. Functional pathway annotation identified that lipid metabolism was differentially expressed in hyperglycemic rats and that these pathways significantly overlapped with genes regulated by insulin. 17 serum metabolites significantly changed in concentration. All but 2 of the identified metabolites had previously been reported in type 1 diabetes, and carbohydrates were overall the most upregulated class of metabolites. We conclude that lack of insulin in the liver contributes to the changes in fat metabolism observed in type 1 diabetes. Further studies are needed to understand the clinical consequences of a lack of insulin in the liver in patients with type 1 diabetes. PMID: 28192442 [PubMed - in process]

Differences in Gut Metabolites and Microbial Composition and Functions between Egyptian and U.S. Children Are Consistent with Their Diets.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Differences in Gut Metabolites and Microbial Composition and Functions between Egyptian and U.S. Children Are Consistent with Their Diets. mSystems. 2017 Jan-Feb;2(1): Authors: Shankar V, Gouda M, Moncivaiz J, Gordon A, Reo NV, Hussein L, Paliy O Abstract Previous studies indicated that populations consuming a Mediterranean diet rich in fiber, vegetables, and fruits have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than populations of industrialized societies consuming diets enriched in processed carbohydrates, animal proteins, and fats. To explore the potential contributions of gut microbiota to the observed diet-related metabolic effects, we conducted an integrative analysis of distal gut microbiota composition and functions and intestinal metabolites in Egyptian and U.S. teenagers. All Egyptian gut microbial communities belonged to the Prevotella enterotype, whereas all but one of the U.S. samples were of the Bacteroides enterotype. The intestinal environment of Egyptians was characterized by higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, a higher prevalence of microbial polysaccharide degradation-encoding genes, and a higher proportion of several polysaccharide-degrading genera. Egyptian gut microbiota also appeared to be under heavier bacteriophage pressure. In contrast, the gut environment of U.S. children was rich in amino acids and lipid metabolism-associated compounds; contained more microbial genes encoding protein degradation, vitamin biosynthesis, and iron acquisition pathways; and was enriched in several protein- and starch-degrading genera. Levels of 1-methylhistamine, a biomarker of allergic response, were elevated in U.S. guts, as were the abundances of members of Faecalibacterium and Akkermansia, two genera with recognized anti-inflammatory effects. The revealed corroborating differences in fecal microbiota structure and functions and metabolite profiles between Egyptian and U.S. teenagers are consistent with the nutrient variation between Mediterranean and Western diets. IMPORTANCE The human gastrointestinal microbiota functions as an important mediator of diet for host metabolism. To evaluate how consumed diets influence the gut environment, we carried out simultaneous interrogations of distal gut microbiota and metabolites in samples from healthy children in Egypt and the United States. While Egyptian children consumed a Mediterranean diet rich in plant foods, U.S. children consumed a Western diet high in animal protein, fats, and highly processed carbohydrates. Consistent with the consumed diets, Egyptian gut samples were enriched in polysaccharide-degrading microbes and end products of polysaccharide fermentation and U.S. gut samples were enriched in proteolytic microbes and end products of protein and fat metabolism. Thus, the intestinal microbiota might be selected on the basis of the diets that we consume, which can open opportunities to affect gut health through modulation of gut microbiota with dietary supplementations. PMID: 28191503 [PubMed - in process]

The translation of lipid profiles to nutritional biomarkers in the study of infant metabolism.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles The translation of lipid profiles to nutritional biomarkers in the study of infant metabolism. Metabolomics. 2017;13(3):25 Authors: Acharjee A, Prentice P, Acerini C, Smith J, Hughes IA, Ong K, Griffin JL, Dunger D, Koulman A Abstract INTRODUCTION: Links between early life exposures and later health outcomes may, in part, be due to nutritional programming in infancy. This hypothesis is supported by observed long-term benefits associated with breastfeeding, such as better cognitive development in childhood, and lower risks of obesity and high blood pressure in later life. However, the possible underlying mechanisms are expected to be complex and may be difficult to disentangle due to the lack of understanding of the metabolic processes that differentiate breastfed infants compared to those receiving just formula feed. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the relationships between infant feeding and the lipid profiles and to validate specific lipids in separate datasets so that a small set of lipids can be used as nutritional biomarkers. METHOD: We utilized a direct infusion high-resolution mass spectrometry method to analyse the lipid profiles of 3.2 mm dried blood spot samples collected at age 3 months from the Cambridge Baby Growth Study (CBGS-1), which formed the discovery cohort. For validation two sample sets were profiled: Cambridge Baby Growth Study (CBGS-2) and Pregnancy Outcome Prediction Study (POPS). Lipidomic profiles were compared between infant groups who were either exclusively breastfed, exclusively formula-fed or mixed-fed at various levels. Data analysis included supervised Random Forest method with combined classification and regression mode. Selection of lipids was based on an iterative backward elimination procedure without compromising the class error in the classification mode. CONCLUSION: From this study, we were able to identify and validate three lipids: PC(35:2), SM(36:2) and SM(39:1) that can be used collectively as biomarkers for infant nutrition during early development. These biomarkers can be used to determine whether young infants (3-6 months) are breast-fed or receive formula milk. PMID: 28190990 [PubMed - in process]

Candidate serum metabolite biomarkers for differentiating gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, and high-grade dysplasia/esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Candidate serum metabolite biomarkers for differentiating gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, and high-grade dysplasia/esophageal adenocarcinoma. Metabolomics. 2017 Mar;13(3): Authors: Buas MF, Gu H, Djukovic D, Zhu J, Onstad L, Reid BJ, Raftery D, Vaughan TL Abstract INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), an often fatal cancer, has increased sharply over recent decades. Several important risk factors (reflux, obesity, smoking) have been identified for EA and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE), but a key challenge remains identifying individuals at highest risk, since most with reflux do not develop BE, and most with BE do not progress to cancer. Metabolomics represents an emerging approach for identifying novel biomarkers associated with cancer development. METHODS: We used targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to profile 57 metabolites in 322 serum specimens derived from individuals with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), BE, high-grade dysplasia (HGD), or EA, drawn from two well-annotated epidemiologic parent studies. RESULTS: Multiple metabolites differed significantly (P<0.05) between BE versus GERD (n=9), and between HGD/EA versus BE (n=4). Several top candidates (FDR q≤0.15), including urate, homocysteine, and 3-nitrotyrosine, are linked to inflammatory processes, which may contribute to BE/EA pathogenesis. Multivariate modeling achieved moderate discrimination between HGD/EA and BE (AUC=0.75), with less pronounced separation for BE versus GERD (AUC=0.64). CONCLUSION: Serum metabolite differences can be detected between individuals with GERD versus BE, and between those with BE versus HGD/EA, and may help differentiate patients at different stages of progression to EA. PMID: 28190989 [PubMed - in process]

Biomarkers of Morbid Obesity and Prediabetes by Metabolomic Profiling of Human Discordant Phenotypes.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Biomarkers of Morbid Obesity and Prediabetes by Metabolomic Profiling of Human Discordant Phenotypes. Clin Chim Acta. 2016 Dec 01;463:53-61 Authors: Tulipani S, Palau-Rodriguez M, Miñarro Alonso A, Cardona F, Marco-Ramell A, Zonja B, Lopez de Alda M, Muñoz-Garach A, Sanchez-Pla A, Tinahones FJ, Andres-Lacueva C Abstract Metabolomic studies aimed to dissect the connection between the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity are still scarce. In the present study, fasting serum from sixty-four adult individuals classified into four sex-matched groups by their BMI [non-obese versus morbid obese] and the increased risk of developing diabetes [prediabetic insulin resistant state versus non-prediabetic non-insulin resistant] was analyzed by LC- and FIA-ESI-MS/MS-driven metabolomic approaches. Altered levels of [lyso]glycerophospholipids was the most specific metabolic trait associated to morbid obesity, particularly lysophosphatidylcholines acylated with margaric, oleic and linoleic acids [lysoPC C17:0: R=-0.56, p=0.0003; lysoPC C18:1: R=-0.61, p=0.0001; lysoPC C18:2 R=-0.64, p<0.0001]. Several amino acids were biomarkers of risk of diabetes onset associated to obesity. For instance, glutamate significantly associated with fasting insulin [R=0.5, p=0.0019] and HOMA-IR [R=0.46, p=0.0072], while glycine showed negative associations [fasting insulin: R=-0.51, p=0.0017; HOMA-IR: R=-0.49, p=0.0033], and the branched chain amino acid valine associated to prediabetes and insulin resistance in a BMI-independent manner [fasting insulin: R=0.37, p=0.0479; HOMA-IR: R=0.37, p=0.0468]. Minority sphingolipids including specific [dihydro]ceramides and sphingomyelins also associated with the prediabetic insulin resistant state, hence deserving attention as potential targets for early diagnosis or therapeutic intervention. PMID: 27720726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The effect of perioperative insulin treatment on cardiodepression in mild adiposity in mice.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles The effect of perioperative insulin treatment on cardiodepression in mild adiposity in mice. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2016 09 20;15(1):135 Authors: Boly CA, Eringa EC, Bouwman RA, van den Akker RF, de Man FS, Schalij I, Loer SA, Boer C, van den Brom CE Abstract BACKGROUND: While most studies focus on cardiovascular morbidity following anesthesia and surgery in excessive obesity, it is unknown whether these intraoperative cardiovascular alterations also occur in milder forms of adiposity without type 2 diabetes and if insulin is a possible treatment to improve intraoperative myocardial performance. In this experimental study we investigated whether mild adiposity without metabolic alterations is already associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction during anesthesia, mechanical ventilation and surgery and whether these myocardial alterations can be neutralized by intraoperative insulin treatment. METHODS: Mice were fed a western (WD) or control diet (CD) for 4 weeks. After metabolic profiling, mice underwent general anesthesia, mechanical ventilation and surgery. Cardiac function was determined with echocardiography and left-ventricular pressure-volume analysis. Myocardial perfusion was determined with contrast-enhanced echocardiography. WD-fed mice were subsequently treated with insulin by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamping followed by the same measurements of cardiac function and perfusion. RESULTS: Western-type diet feeding led to a 13 % increase in bodyweight, (p < 0.0001) and increased adipose tissue mass, without metabolic alterations. Despite this mild phenotype, WD-fed mice had decreased systolic and diastolic function (end-systolic elastance was 2.0 ± 0.5 versus 4.1 ± 2.4 mmHg/μL, p = 0.01 and diastolic beta was 0.07 ± 0.03 versus 0.04 ± 0.01 mmHg/μL, p = 0.02) compared to CD-fed mice. Ventriculo-arterial coupling and myocardial perfusion were decreased by 48 % (p = 0.003) and 43 % (p = 0.03) respectively. Insulin treatment in WD-fed mice improved echo-derived systolic function (fractional shortening 42 ± 5 % to 46 ± 3, p = 0.05), likely due to decreased afterload, but there was no effect on load-independent measures of systolic function or myocardial perfusion. However, there was a trend towards improved diastolic function after insulin treatment (43 % improvement, p = 0.05) in WD-fed mice. CONCLUSIONS: Mild adiposity without metabolic alterations already affected cardiac function and perfusion during anesthesia, mechanical ventilation and surgery in mice. Intraoperative insulin may be beneficial to reduce afterload and enhance intraoperative ventricular relaxation, but not to improve ventricular contractility or myocardial perfusion. PMID: 27651131 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

An intergated serum and urinary metabonomic research based on UPLC-MS and therapeutic effects of Gushudan on prednisolone-induced osteoporosis rats.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles An intergated serum and urinary metabonomic research based on UPLC-MS and therapeutic effects of Gushudan on prednisolone-induced osteoporosis rats. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2016 Aug 01;1027:119-30 Authors: Huang Y, Bo Y, Wu X, Wang Q, Qin F, Zhao L, Xiong Z Abstract Gushudan, a Chinese compound formulation based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine and desgined to treat osteoporosis. However, its intergated intervention effective mechanism in vivo is not well understood. In this study, an intergated serum and urinary metabonomic strategy based on UPLC-MS technique have been developed to increase the understanding of the metabolism characters of osteoporosis and to investigate the holistic therapeutic efficacy of Gushudan on prednisolone-induced osteoporosis rat model. Principle component analysis (PCA) was utilized to identify differences in metabolic profiles of rats in the control group, prednisolone-induced osteoporosis model group and Gushudan-treatment group and clear separation was achieved among three groups. Furthermore, 17 potential biomarkers from urine and 10 potential biomarkers from serum were identified, primiarily related to amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, intestinal flora metabolism and kidney damage. Gushudan has therapeutic effects on rat with osteoporosis via the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways. It's worth mentioning that some new biomarkers associated with osteoporosis such as 3-methoxydopa, 2,8-digydroxyadenine have been discovered in this study for the first time. This study provides a useful approach to get insight into the intergated metabonomic mechanism of prednisolone-induced osteoporosis and to assess the efficacy of Gushudan on osteoporotic rats. The work also shows that the metabonomics method is a promising tool in the efficacy and mechanism research of traditional Chinese compound medicines. PMID: 27281385 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Screening and identification of the metabolites in rat urine and feces after oral administration of Lycopus lucidus Turcz extract by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS mass spectrometry.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Screening and identification of the metabolites in rat urine and feces after oral administration of Lycopus lucidus Turcz extract by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2016 Aug 01;1027:64-73 Authors: Ren Q, Wang YL, Wang ML, Wang HY Abstract Lycopus lucidus Turcz has been used as a kind of edible and medicinal material in eastern Asian countries. It has various bioactivities, including treatment of menstrual disorder, amenorrhea, menstrual cramps, inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases. However, the in vivo metabolism of L. lucidus Turcz extract is still not well described. In this study, L. lucidus Turcz extracts were administered to rats. Urine and fecal samples were collected at the difference periods (0-12h, 12-24h, and 24-36h). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method was developed to characterize and identify the metabolites. A total of 17 metabolites in feces and 19 metabolites in urine were tentatively identified by means of accurate mass and characteristic fragment ions. The results show that glucuronidation and sulfation are the major metabolic reactions. This study is the first reported analysis and characterization of the metabolites and the proposed metabolic pathways of bioactive components might provide further understanding of the metabolic fate of the chemical constituents after oral administration of L. lucidus Turcz extract in rats. PMID: 27262082 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Hepatocytes as in vitro test system to investigate metabolite patterns of pesticides in farmed rainbow trout and common carp: Comparison between in vivo and in vitro and across species.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Hepatocytes as in vitro test system to investigate metabolite patterns of pesticides in farmed rainbow trout and common carp: Comparison between in vivo and in vitro and across species. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2016 Sep;187:62-73 Authors: Bischof I, Köster J, Segner H, Schlechtriem C Abstract In vitro tools using isolated primary fish hepatocytes have been proposed as a useful model to study the hepatic metabolism of xenobiotics in fish. In order to evaluate the potential of in vitro fish hepatocyte assays to provide information on in vivo metabolite patterns of pesticides in farmed fish, the present study addressed the following questions: Are in vitro and in vivo metabolite patterns comparable? Are species specific differences of metabolite patterns in vivo reflected in vitro? Are metabolite patterns obtained from cryopreserved hepatocytes comparable to those from freshly isolated cells? Rainbow trout and common carp were dosed orally with feed containing the pesticide methoxychlor (MXC) for 14days. In parallel, in vitro incubations using suspensions of freshly isolated or cryopreserved primary hepatocytes obtained from both species were performed. In vivo and in vitro samples were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography with authentic standards supported by HPLC-MS. Comparable metabolite patterns from a qualitative perspective were observed in liver in vivo and in hepatocyte suspensions in vitro. Species specific differences of MXC metabolite patterns observed between rainbow trout and common carp in vivo were well reflected by experiments with hepatocytes in vitro. Finally, cryopreserved hepatocytes produced comparable metabolite patterns to freshly isolated cells. The results of this study indicate that the in vitro hepatocyte assay could be used to identify metabolite patterns of pesticides in farmed fish and could thus serve as a valuable tool to support in vivo studies as required for pesticides approval according to the EU regulation 1107. PMID: 27185525 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

HEPATIC FATTY ACID PROFILE OF RATS FED A TRIHEPTANOIN-BASED KETOGENIC DIET.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles HEPATIC FATTY ACID PROFILE OF RATS FED A TRIHEPTANOIN-BASED KETOGENIC DIET. Nutr Hosp. 2015 Jul 01;32(1):265-9 Authors: Vieira de Melo IS, Da Rocha Ataide T, Lima de Oliveira S, Bezerra Bueno N, Duarte de Freitas J, Goulart Sant'Ana AE Abstract OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of consumption of a ketogenic diet supplemented with triheptanoin, a medium-chain anaplerotic triacylglycerol, on the liver fatty acid profile of Wistar rats. METHODS: three groups of male Wistar rats (n = 10) were submitted to an AIN-93 control diet, a triheptanoin- based ketogenic diet, or a soybean oil-based ketogenic diet for 60 days. Excised livers were subjected to lipid extraction and methylation to obtain fatty acids methyl esters, which were subjected to gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: compared to the rats fed the control diet, those fed ketogenic diets showed a significant reduction in the concentrations of 9-hexadecenoic and 9-octadecenoic acids, whereas those fed triheptanoin showed increased levels of octadecanoic acid. CONCLUSION: changes in the liver fatty acid profiles of the rats fed a triheptanoin-based or a soybean oil-based ketogenic diet did not seem to be related to the dietary fat source, but rather to the characteristics of the ketogenic diets themselves. PMID: 26262726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Pharmacophore-Based Virtual Screening for Identification of Novel Neuraminidase Inhibitors and Verification of Inhibitory Activity by Molecular Docking.

Tue, 14/02/2017 - 14:46
Related Articles Pharmacophore-Based Virtual Screening for Identification of Novel Neuraminidase Inhibitors and Verification of Inhibitory Activity by Molecular Docking. Med Chem. 2016;12(1):63-73 Authors: Batool S, Mushtaq G, Kamal W, Kamal MA Abstract Oseltamivir and Zanamivir are two of the recently licensed neuraminidase inhibitors used for the treatment of influenza. However, alternative antiviral agents are needed due to the development of resistant mutations in Oseltamivir subtype H1N1 and H5N1 avian influenza A viruses, the latter being a highly pathogenic avian virus that can be transferred to humans upon immediate contact with H5N1 infected poultry or surface. Novel drug inhibiting group 1 neuraminidases may potentially be developed through addition of extra substituent moieties to existing inhibitor skeletons. Another approach involves virtual screening of existing inhibitor skeletons which we have reported using novel ligands of H5N1 via virtual screening approach. In this study, we have used 3D structure of avian influenza virus H5N1 neuraminidase as target against a ligand dataset of four known neuraminidase inhibitors for in silico analysis. Using the dataset of known four inhibitors, a pharmacophore model was developed using ligand-based pharmacophore modeling strategy. This pharmacophore model was then used for virtual screening of natural compounds library taken from Princeton database. New hits that shared features of our pharmacophore model and binding interactions with receptor residues have been reported in this study. As more antiviral agents are required, the reported hits in our study may play an important role as novel antiviral agents against influenza virus. PMID: 26152143 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing.

Mon, 13/02/2017 - 14:09
A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing. J Vis Exp. 2017 Feb 04;(120): Authors: Roci I, Gallart-Ayala H, Watrous J, Jain M, Wheelock CE, Nilsson R Abstract Mammalian cell types exhibit specialized metabolism, and there is ample evidence that various co-existing cell types engage in metabolic cooperation. Moreover, even cultures of a single cell type may contain cells in distinct metabolic states, such as resting or cycling cells. Methods for measuring metabolic activities of such subpopulations are valuable tools for understanding cellular metabolism. Complex cell populations are most commonly separated using a cell sorter, and subpopulations isolated by this method can be analyzed by metabolomics methods. However, a problem with this approach is that the cell sorting procedure subjects cells to stresses that may distort their metabolism. To overcome these issues, we reasoned that the mass isotopomer distributions (MIDs) of metabolites from cells cultured with stable isotope-labeled nutrients are likely to be more stable than absolute metabolite concentrations, because MIDs are formed over longer time scales and should be less affected by short-term exposure to cell sorting conditions. Here, we describe a method based on this principle, combining cell sorting with liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The procedure involves analyzing three types of samples: (1) metabolite extracts obtained directly from the complex population; (2) extracts of "mock sorted" cells passed through the cell sorter instrument without gating any specific population; and (3) extracts of the actual sorted populations. The mock sorted cells are compared against direct extraction to verify that MIDs are indeed not altered by the cell sorting procedure itself, prior to analyzing the actual sorted populations. We show example results from HeLa cells sorted according to cell cycle phase, revealing changes in nucleotide metabolism. PMID: 28190056 [PubMed - in process]

Targeted lipidomics reveals activation of resolution pathways in knee osteoarthritis in humans.

Mon, 13/02/2017 - 14:09
Targeted lipidomics reveals activation of resolution pathways in knee osteoarthritis in humans. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2017 Feb 08;: Authors: Jónasdóttir HS, Brouwers H, Kwekkeboom JC, van der Linden EM, Huizinga T, Kloppenburg M, Toes RE, Giera M, Ioan-Facsinay A Abstract OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of inflammation and resolution pathways in osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Tissues were obtained from knee OA patients and control rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Cells in synovial fluid (SF) were visualized by flow cytometry. Cytokines and chemokines were measured by multiplex assay. Lipid mediators (LMs) were determined by targeted lipidomics using liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry. RESULTS: SF of OA patients contained less cells, especially neutrophils, less cytokines and comparable levels of chemokines compared to RA controls. Thirty-seven lipids were detected in the soluble fraction of SF, including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their pro-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway markers in both OA and RA patients. Among these, pro-inflammatory LM such as prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2, as well as precursors and pathway markers of resolution such as 17-HDHA and 18-HEPE were detected. Interestingly, the pro-resolving lipid RvD2 could also be detected, but only in the insoluble fraction (cells and undigested matrix). Ratios of metabolites to their precursors indicated a lower activity of 5-LOX and 15-LOX in OA compared to RA, with no apparent differences in COX-derived products. Interestingly, synovial tissue and SF cells could produce 5-LOX and 15-LOX metabolites, indicating these cells as possible source of LM. CONCLUSIONS: By using a state-of-the-art technique, we show for the first time that resolution pathways are present in OA patients. A better understanding of these pathways could guide us to more effective therapeutic approaches to inhibit inflammation and further structural damage in OA and RA. PMID: 28189826 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Image-based cell quality evaluation to detect irregularities under same culture process of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Mon, 13/02/2017 - 14:09
Image-based cell quality evaluation to detect irregularities under same culture process of human induced pluripotent stem cells. J Biosci Bioeng. 2017 Feb 08;: Authors: Nagasaka R, Gotou Y, Yoshida K, Kanie K, Shimizu K, Honda H, Kato R Abstract To meet the growing demand for human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for various applications, technologies that enable the manufacturing of iPSCs on a large scale should be developed. There are several technological challenges in iPSC manufacturing technology. Image-based cell quality evaluation technology for monitoring iPSC quality in culture enables the manufacture of intact cells for further applications. Although several studies have reported the effectiveness of image-based evaluation of iPSCs, it remains challenging to detect irregularities that may arise using the same processing operations during quality evaluation of automated processing. In this study, we investigated the evaluation performance of image-based cell quality analysis in detecting small differences that can result from human measurement, even when the same protocol is followed. To imitate such culture conditions, by image-analysis guided colony pickup, we changed the proportions of morphologically different subpopulations: "good morphology, regular morphology correlated with undifferentiation marker expression" and "bad morphology, irregular morphology correlated with loss of undifferentiation marker expression". In addition, comprehensive gene-expression and metabolomics analyses were carried out for the same samples to investigate performance differences. Our data shows an example of investigating the usefulness and sensitivity of quality evaluation methods for iPSC quality monitoring. PMID: 28189491 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Altered expression of TRAIL on mouse T cells via ERK phosphorylation by Rhodiola rosea L. and its marker compounds.

Mon, 13/02/2017 - 14:09
Altered expression of TRAIL on mouse T cells via ERK phosphorylation by Rhodiola rosea L. and its marker compounds. Food Chem Toxicol. 2017 Feb 08;: Authors: Marchev AS, Dimitrova P, Koycheva IK, Georgiev MI Abstract Rhodiola rosea L. extracts have shown neuroprotective, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. However, the studies on their effect on T cell function are rather scarce. We examined the potential of R. rosea extract and its major constituents - salidroside, rosarin, rosavin and rosin to alter cell growth of human Jurkat T cells, apoptosis of splenic mouse CD3 T cells and expression of the surface markers and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). The initial screening for cell viability in Jurkat T cells and for apoptosis of mouse T cells showed the strongest activity for rosavin and rosarin. Rosarin and rosavin did not alter significantly the dynamic of CD69 expression upon stimulation, but altered TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) expression. Rosavin inhibited TRAIL up-regulation, while rosarin showed an opposite effect. Indeed, rosarin increased the frequencies of CD3(+)TRAIL(+) T cells and the fold inhibition of ERK phosphorylation. Our data showed that different effects of rosarin and rosavin on TRAIL expression can involve distinct action on ERK signaling and hence highlighted their potential to manipulate TRAIL as a tool to rescue the resistance to apoptosis in autoimmune diseases and cancer. PMID: 28189478 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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