PubMed

Front Microbiol. 2024 Jul 26;15:1379064. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1379064. eCollection 2024.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a type of liver metabolic syndrome. Employing multi-omics analyses encompassing the microbiome, metabolome and transcriptome is crucial for comprehensively elucidating the biological processes underlying NAFLD.METHODS: Hepatic tissue, blood and fecal samples were obtained from 9 NAFLD model mice and 8 normal control mice. Total fecal microbiota DNA was extracted, and 16S rRNA was amplified, to analyze alterations in the gut microbiota (GM) induced by NAFLD. Subsequently, diagnostic strains for NAFLD were screened, and their functional aspects were examined. Differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes were also screened, followed by enrichment analysis. Correlations between the differential microbiota and metabolites, as well as between the DEGs and differential metabolites were studied. A collinear network involving key genes-, microbiota-and metabolites was constructed.RESULTS: Ileibacterium and Ruminococcaceae, both belonging to Firmicutes; Olsenella, Duncaniella and Paramuribaculum from Bacteroidota; and Bifidobacterium, Coriobacteriaceae_UCG_002 and Olsenella from Actinobacteriota were identified as characteristic strains associated with NAFLD. Additionally, differentially expressed metabolites were predominantly enriched in tryptophan, linoleic acid and methylhistidine metabolism pathways. The functions of 2,510 differentially expressed genes were found to be associated with disease occurrence. Furthermore, a network comprising 8 key strains, 14 key genes and 83 key metabolites was constructed.CONCLUSION: Through this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of NAFLD alterations, exploring the gut microbiota, genes and metabolites of the results offer insights into the speculated biological mechanisms underlying NAFLD.PMID:39132138 | PMC:PMC11310135 | DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1379064

Front Microbiol. 2024 Jul 26;15:1433716. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1433716. eCollection 2024.ABSTRACTPlant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose a significant threat to global crop productivity, causing an estimated annual loss of US $157 billion in the agriculture industry. While synthetic chemical nematicides can effectively control PPNs, their overuse has detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Biocontrol agents (BCAs), such as bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere, are safe and promising alternatives for PPNs control. These BCAs interact with plant roots and produce extracellular enzymes, secondary metabolites, toxins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to suppress nematodes. Plant root exudates also play a crucial role in attracting beneficial microbes toward infested roots. The complex interaction between plants and microbes in the rhizosphere against PPNs is mostly untapped which opens new avenues for discovering novel nematicides through multi-omics techniques. Advanced omics approaches, including metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have led to the discovery of nematicidal compounds. This review summarizes the status of bacterial and fungal biocontrol strategies and their mechanisms for PPNs control. The importance of omics-based approaches for the exploration of novel nematicides and future directions in the biocontrol of PPNs are also addressed. The review highlighted the potential significance of multi-omics techniques in biocontrol of PPNs to ensure sustainable agriculture.PMID:39132133 | PMC:PMC11316259 | DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1433716

Gastro Hep Adv. 2022 Jul 1;1(4):666-677. doi: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.03.007. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility is a common and debilitating clinical manifestation in patients with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-related disease with no curative and few effective symptomatic therapies. A low-residue diet (LRD) has been shown to be effective at reducing bowel urgency, pain, and distension in functional GI-related conditions. We assessed tolerability and effects of an LRD on bowel habits in patients with mtDNA-related disease.METHODS: This was a 12-week single-arm pilot study in patients with genetically determined primary mtDNA-related disease, meeting the ROME III constipation criteria. The co-primary outcomes were tolerability of an LRD (<10 g fiber per day) assessed by food diaries and changes in stool frequency and consistency. The secondary outcomes included GI symptoms, disease burden, laxatives, physical activity levels, colonic transit time using radiopaque markers, gut microbiome (patients and controls), and metabolomics. The gut microbiome of the mtDNA-related disease patients was compared against controls for observational purpose only.RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled, and 24 completed the LRD intervention. The LRD was well tolerated with a mean fold change of -34% in dietary fiber (5.3 ± 10.4 grams) per day (P = .03, confidence interval = 0.7-9.9) with no adverse events. The proportion of stool samples with normal stool consistency increased from 36% to 49% (P = .01); GI symptoms and laxative use were reduced. However, the LRD did not change stool frequency, stool output, and colonic transit time. The gut microbiome was significantly different between patients and controls but was not modulated by the dietary intervention.CONCLUSION: The LRD in patients with mtDNA-related mitochondrial disease and significant constipation is well tolerated and a promising treatment for alleviating GI symptoms. These positive findings should be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03388528.PMID:39132075 | PMC:PMC11307892 | DOI:10.1016/j.gastha.2022.03.007

Curr Res Food Sci. 2024 Jul 14;9:100805. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100805. eCollection 2024.ABSTRACTAs a multi-factorial disease, obesity has become one of the major health problems in the world, and it is still increasing rapidly. Konjac supplementation, as a convenient dietary therapy, has been shown to be able to regulate gut microbiota and improve obesity. However, the specific mechanism by which konjac improves obesity through gut microbiota remains to be studied. In this study, a high-fat diet (HFD) was used to induce a mouse obesity model, and 16S rDNA sequencing and an untargeted metabolomics were used to investigate the impact of konjac on gut microbiota and gut metabolites in HFD-induced obese mice. The results show that konjac can reduce the body weight, adipose tissue weight, and lipid level of high-fat diet induced obese mice by changing the gut microbiota structure and gut metabolic profile. Association analysis revealed that konjac supplementation induced changes in gut microbiota, resulting in the up-regulation of 7-dehydrocholesterol and trehalose 6-phosphate, as well as the down-regulation of glycocholic acid and ursocholic acid within the Secondary bile acid biosynthesis pathway, ultimately leading to improvements in obesity. Among them, g_Acinetobacter (Greengene ID: 911888) can promote the synthesis of 7-dehydrocholesterol by synthesizing ERG3. g_Allobaculum (Greengene ID: 271516) and g_Allobaculum (Greengene ID: 259370) can promote the breakdown of trehalose 6-phosphate by synthesizing glvA. Additionally, the down-regulation of glycocholic acid and ursocholic acid may be influenced by the up-regulation of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group. In conclusion, konjac exerts an influence on gut metabolites through the regulation of gut microbiota, thereby playing a pivotal role in alleviating obesity induced by a high-fat diet.PMID:39131951 | PMC:PMC11315163 | DOI:10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100805

J Pharm Anal. 2024 Jul;14(7):100944. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2024.01.012. Epub 2024 Feb 3.ABSTRACTEvaluating toxicity and decoding the underlying mechanisms of active compounds are crucial for drug development. In this study, we present an innovative, integrated approach that combines air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AFADESI-MSI), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and spatial metabolomics to comprehensively investigate the nephrotoxicity and underlying mechanisms of nitidine chloride (NC), a promising anti-tumor drug candidate. Our quantitive AFADESI-MSI analysis unveiled the region specific of accumulation of NC in the kidney, particularly within the inner cortex (IC) region, following single and repeated dose of NC. High spatial resolution ToF-SIMS analysis further allowed us to precisely map the localization of NC within the renal tubule. Employing spatial metabolomics based on AFADESI-MSI, we identified over 70 discriminating endogenous metabolites associated with chronic NC exposure. These findings suggest the renal tubule as the primary target of NC toxicity and implicate renal transporters (organic cation transporters, multidrug and toxin extrusion, and organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2)), metabolic enzymes (protein arginine N-methyltransferase (PRMT) and nitric oxide synthase), mitochondria, oxidative stress, and inflammation in NC-induced nephrotoxicity. This study offers novel insights into NC-induced renal damage, representing a crucial step towards devising strategies to mitigate renal damage caused by this compound.PMID:39131801 | PMC:PMC11314895 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpha.2024.01.012

Gastro Hep Adv. 2022 Mar 30;1(3):359-374. doi: 10.1016/j.gastha.2021.12.008. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is clinical interest in the sustainability or otherwise of prebiotic, microbial, and antibiotic treatments to both prevent and treat inflammatory bowel diseases. This study examined the role of antibiotic manipulation of the gut microbiome to treat spontaneous and induced murine models of colitis.METHODS: Symptomatic, histological, molecular, and microbial ecology and bioinformatic readouts were used to study the effect of a 10-day antibiotic cocktail and then follow-up over 2 months in the spontaneous Winnie colitis mouse preclinical model of ulcerative colitis and also the indirect antibiotic and Winnie microbiotic gavage effects in an acute dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model in wild-type mice.RESULTS: The antibiotics elicited a striking reduction in both colitis symptoms and blinded histological colitis scores, together with a convergence of the microbial taxonomy of the spontaneous colitis and wild-type control mice, toward a taxonomic phenotype usually considered to be dysbiotic. The improvement in colitis was sustained over the following 8 weeks although the microbial taxonomy changed. In vitro, fecal waters from the antibiotic-treated colitis and wild-type mice suppressed the inflammatory tenor of colonic epithelial cells, and gavaged cecal slurries from these mice moderated the acute induced colitis.CONCLUSION: The results clearly show the possibility of a sustained remission of colitis by microbial manipulation, which is relevant to clinical management of inflammatory bowel diseases. The beneficial effects appeared to depend on the microbial metabolome rather than its taxonomy.PMID:39131681 | PMC:PMC11307790 | DOI:10.1016/j.gastha.2021.12.008

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jul 29:2024.07.29.605643. doi: 10.1101/2024.07.29.605643.ABSTRACTDisruptions in microbial metabolite interactions due to gut microbiome dysbiosis and metabolomic shifts may contribute to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and other immune-related conditions. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), activated upon binding various tryptophan metabolites, modulates host immune responses. This study investigates whether the metabolic diversity-the concentration distribution-of bacterial indole pathway metabolites can differentiate bacterial strains and classify ME/CFS samples. A fast targeted liquid chromatography-parallel reaction monitoring method at a rate of 4 minutes per sample was developed for large-scale analysis. This method revealed significant metabolic differences in indole derivatives among B. uniformis strains cultured from human isolates. Principal component analysis identified two major components (PC1, 68.9%; PC2, 18.7%), accounting for 87.6% of the variance and distinguishing two distinct B. uniformis clusters. The metabolic difference between clusters was particularly evident in the relative contributions of indole-3-acrylate and indole-3-aldehyde. We further measured concentration distributions of indole derivatives in ME/CFS by analyzing fecal samples from 10 patients and 10 healthy controls using the fast targeted metabolomics method. An AdaBoost-LOOCV model achieved moderate classification success with a mean LOOCV accuracy of 0.65 (Control: precision of 0.67, recall of 0.60, F1-score of 0.63; ME/CFS: precision of 0.64, recall of 0.7000, F1-score of 0.67). These results suggest that the metabolic diversity of indole derivatives from tryptophan degradation, facilitated by the fast targeted metabolomics and machine learning, is a potential biomarker for differentiating bacterial strains and classifying ME/CFS samples. Mass spectrometry datasets are accessible at the National Metabolomics Data Repository (ST002308, DOI: 10.21228/M8G13Q; ST003344, DOI: 10.21228/M8RJ9N; ST003346, DOI: 10.21228/M8RJ9N).PMID:39131327 | PMC:PMC11312560 | DOI:10.1101/2024.07.29.605643

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jul 31:2024.07.30.605945. doi: 10.1101/2024.07.30.605945.ABSTRACTMethods for assessing compound identification confidence in metabolomics and related studies have been debated and actively researched for the past two decades. The earliest effort in 2007 focused primarily on mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and resulted in four recommended levels of metabolite identification confidence - the Metabolite Standards Initiative (MSI) Levels. In 2014, the original MSI Levels were expanded to five levels (including two sublevels) to facilitate communication of compound identification confidence in high resolution mass spectrometry studies. Further refinement in identification levels have occurred, for example to accommodate use of ion mobility spectrometry in metabolomics workflows, and alternate approaches to communicate compound identification confidence also have been developed based on identification points schema. However, neither qualitative levels of identification confidence nor quantitative scoring systems address the degree of ambiguity in compound identifications in context of the chemical space being considered, are easily automated, or are transferable between analytical platforms. In this perspective, we propose that the metabolomics and related communities consider identification probability as an approach for automated and transferable assessment of compound identification and ambiguity in metabolomics and related studies. Identification probability is defined simply as 1/N, where N is the number of compounds in a reference library or chemical space that match to an experimentally measured molecule within user-defined measurement precision(s), for example mass measurement or retention time accuracy, etc. We demonstrate the utility of identification probability in an in silico analysis of multi-property reference libraries constructed from the Human Metabolome Database and computational property predictions, provide guidance to the community in transparent implementation of the concept, and invite the community to further evaluate this concept in parallel with their current preferred methods for assessing metabolite identification confidence.PMID:39131324 | PMC:PMC11312557 | DOI:10.1101/2024.07.30.605945

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Aug 7:2024.08.02.606356. doi: 10.1101/2024.08.02.606356.ABSTRACTNature's molecular diversity is not random but displays intricate organization stemming from biological necessity. Molecular networking connects metabolites with structural similarity, enabling molecular discoveries from mass spectrometry data using arbitrary similarity thresholds that can fracture natural metabolite families. We present molecular community networking (MCN), that optimizes connectivity for each metabolite, rescuing lost relationships and capturing otherwise 'hidden' metabolite connections. Using MCN, we demonstrate the discovery of novel dipeptide-conjugated bile acids.PMID:39131284 | PMC:PMC11312580 | DOI:10.1101/2024.08.02.606356

Gastro Hep Adv. 2022 Jul 19;1(6):993-1005. doi: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.07.008. eCollection 2022.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), inclusive of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are chronic inflammatory conditions that impact women of childbearing age. It has been previously shown that IBD is associated with altered metabolomic profiles, but whether metabolomic changes also affect pregnant patients with IBD is completely unknown.METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study comprised of 48 pregnant women with IBD who were followed throughout preconception and pregnancy. IBD disease activity was measured using biochemical markers C-reactive protein or fecal calprotectin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and clinical disease activity using Harvey-Bradshaw Index or partial Mayo scores. Serum and urine samples were collected from preconception, trimester 1, and trimester 2 and analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy combined with metabolomics set enrichment analysis.RESULTS: We identified a total of 24 urine metabolites and 17 serum metabolites which were altered by active disease across pregnancy. First trimester (T1) active disease-associated metabolites were enriched in "amino acid metabolism" and "fatty-acid β-oxidation." The leading urine metabolites at T1 were trimethyl-N-oxide (TMAO), succinic acid, and 3-hydroxy-2-methylbutyric acid, and leading serum metabolites were TMAO, glucose, and acetic acid. Multivariate modeling using serum TMAO, glucose, and acetic acid predicts T1 disease activity and correlated with mode of delivery and infant weights at delivery. Moreover, cross-time point modeling using metabolomes predicted future disease flare-up during pregnancy.CONCLUSION: These results suggest select host metabolites may be able to discriminate and predict disease activity and are correlated with pregnancy outcomes at delivery. This warrants further validation of metabolomics to monitor IBD in pregnancy.PMID:39131249 | PMC:PMC11308627 | DOI:10.1016/j.gastha.2022.07.008

J Inflamm Res. 2024 Aug 5;17:5235-5249. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S472812. eCollection 2024.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC), a highly relapsing non-specific disease, is difficult to cure completely. The investigation aims to determine the protective effect and potential action mechanism of Xuanbi yuyang decoction (XBD) on UC.METHODS: The chemical composition of XBD was determined through non-targeted metabolomics analysis. Subsequently, experimental mice were orally given 3% DSS for 6 days, followed by XBD treatment (0.3 mL, 0.4 mL). In vitro, the human colon epithelial cells were co-treated with DSS and medicated serum. The therapeutic effects of XBD on UC were evaluated in vivo and vitro. The mechanisms of XBD against UC were determined by detecting hallmarks related to pyroptosis and Interleukin (IL)-17 pathways using Western blot and ELISA. The recombinant human interleukin 17A (rhIL17A) and was applied for further verifying the effect of XBD on IL-17 pathway in UC cells.RESULTS: XBD supplementation restored DSS-induced weight loss, colon shortening and tissue damage, and reduced DAI. Moreover, XBD enhanced viability, repaired the intestinal mucosal barrier of colitis, decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines levels, and inhibited pyroptosis. Additionally, DSS increased the expression of IL-17 pathway was and cytokines (IL-17A, IL-6), which were blocked by XBD treatment. The rhIL17A treatment attenuated protective effect against DSS-induced colitis and could also enhance pyroptosis.CONCLUSION: XBD has a favorable protective effect against DSS-induced colitis through restraining pyroptosis via inhibition of IL-17 signaling pathway activation, suggesting XBD may be a new and effective treatment therapy for UC.PMID:39131209 | PMC:PMC11313599 | DOI:10.2147/JIR.S472812

Nat Sci Sleep. 2024 Aug 5;16:1153-1168. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S470154. eCollection 2024.ABSTRACTPURPOSE: There are currently no ideal indicators for predicting the cardiovascular risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study aimed to employ urinary metabolomics to detect early cardiovascular risk in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Male participants who underwent polysomnography from November 2020 to May 2021 were screened. Clinical data, polysomnography data and urine samples were collected. Untargeted metabolomics analyses of urine were performed. Multivariate analyses and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were subsequently performed to identify potential biomarkers. Associations between metabolites and clinical indicators and cardiovascular risk were examined through linear regression analyses with interaction and mediation analyses.RESULTS: Thirty-six male participants were included in the study, comprising 22 males with moderate-to-severe OSA and 14 age-matched controls, with an average age of 39.6 ± 9.2 years. We identified 65 metabolites in the study, involving pathways including pyrimidine, androgen, estrogen, vitamin B6 and sulfate/sulfite metabolism. Among them, epinephrine sulfate was the most significantly altered metabolite. ROC analyses highlighted that epinephrine sulfate had the highest area under the curve (AUC=0.883) for detecting moderate-to-severe OSA. Epinephrine sulfate was statistically correlated with OSA severity, hypoxia-related indicators (apnea-hypopnea index: r=0.685; oxygen desaturation index: r=0.743, p<0.0001), arterial stiffness (arterial augmentation index: r=0.361, p=0.031) and long-term cardiovascular risk (Framingham cardiovascular risk: r=0.375, p=0.024). Linear regression analysis revealed that epinephrine sulfate was significantly associated with an increased in the Framingham risk (β = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.000-0.009, p = 0.049), with the effect partly mediated by systolic blood pressure (27.6%) and not moderated by other factors. Additionally, it also significantly associated with the increased in the arterial augmentation index (β = 0.019, 95% CI = 0.000-0.037, p = 0.046), with the effect fully mediated by blood pressure and not moderated by other indices statistically.CONCLUSION: There are significant metabolic pathway alterations in moderate-to-severe OSA patients. Urinary epinephrine sulfate markedly predicts early cardiovascular risk in OSA patients.PMID:39131167 | PMC:PMC11314438 | DOI:10.2147/NSS.S470154

JHEP Rep. 2024 Apr 27;6(8):101103. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2024.101103. eCollection 2024 Aug.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND & AIMS: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts. PSC is a complex disease of largely unknown aetiology that is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Diagnosis, especially at an early stage, is difficult and to date there is no diagnostic biomarker. The present study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath to detect (early) PSC in an IBD population.METHODS: Breath samples were obtained from 16 patients with PSC alone, 47 with PSC and IBD, and 53 with IBD alone during outpatient clinic visits. Breath sampling was performed using the ReCIVA breath sampler and subsequently analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Random forest modelling was performed to find discriminatory VOCs and create a predictive model that was tested using an independent test set.RESULTS: The final model to discriminate patients with PSC, with or without IBD, from patients with IBD alone included twenty VOCs and achieved a sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating curve on the test set of 77%, 83%, and 0.84 respectively. Three VOCs (isoprene, 2-octanone and undecane) together correlated significantly with the Amsterdam-Oxford score for PSC disease prognosis. A sensitivity analysis showed stable results across early-stage PSC, including in those with normal alkaline phosphatase levels, as well as further progressed PSC.CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that exhaled breath can distinguish PSC cases from IBD and has potential as a non-invasive clinical breath test for (early) PSC.IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a complex chronic liver disease, which ultimately results in cirrhosis, liver failure, and death. Detection, especially in early disease stages, can be challenging, and therefore therapy typically starts when there is already some irreversible damage. The current study shows that metabolites in exhaled breath, so called volatile organic compounds, hold promise to non-invasively detect primary sclerosing cholangitis, including at early disease stages.PMID:39131082 | PMC:PMC11315128 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhepr.2024.101103

Food Chem X. 2024 Jul 16;23:101631. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101631. eCollection 2024 Oct 30.ABSTRACTCitrus fruits possess a distinctive aroma and flavor, with Citrus aurantium Changshan-huyou (CACH) standing out due to their considerable edible and medicinal value. However, the volatile components (VOCs) in the CACH pericarp (CP) remain underexplored. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to qualitatively analyze VOCs in 27 CP samples across different growth stages. A total of 544 VOCs were identified, including 91 terpenoids. The types, quantities and distributions of VOCs were conducted. Detailed discussions on the major terpenoids in CP were also presented. A metabolomics approach combining multivariate statistical analysis with univariate analysis was employed for screening the differential metabolites. The study provides comprehensive insights into the VOCs in CP and citrus plants. Moreover, it delivers the first in-depth analysis of differential metabolites in CP throughout the entire CACH growth and development process, laying a foundation for ongoing research and development of the VOCs in CP.PMID:39130723 | PMC:PMC11315122 | DOI:10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101631

Food Sci Biotechnol. 2023 Dec 1;33(9):2169-2178. doi: 10.1007/s10068-023-01479-8. eCollection 2024 Jul.ABSTRACTPlasma metabolites offer insights into aging processes and aging-related biomarkers. Here, the dietary effects of various functional foods on older adult mice were evaluated using metabolomic techniques. Fifty-week-old mice were divided into four groups (n = 4 each) and fed either a normal diet (AC) or the diets from Triticum aestivum sprout (TA), Schisandra chinensis (SZ), or Pisum sativum sprout (PS) extracts. Additionally, a group of 8-week-old mice fed a normal diet (YC; n = 5) was included for the comparison. The PS group had a significantly lower free fatty acid content and higher ornithine, proline, citric acid, and oxalic acid contents than the AC group. The PS group also showed reduced oxidative stress and muscle damage, suggesting the higher anti-aging efficacy of P. sativum sprouts than the other diets. These findings suggest plasma metabolite profiling is an effective tool to assess the anti-aging effects of functional foods.SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01479-8.PMID:39130654 | PMC:PMC11315845 | DOI:10.1007/s10068-023-01479-8

Heliyon. 2024 Jul 10;10(14):e34396. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34396. eCollection 2024 Jul 30.ABSTRACTXijiao Huojiu (Xijiao), an ancient Chinese rice wine (ACRW), is produced using traditional methods, which involve biological-ageing-like process and result in distinctive sensory profiles. However, its aroma composition is still unclear. In this study, the aroma characteristics of three samples with varying ageing times were examined. Xijiao_SCT, with a short cellar time, exhibited a strong fruity and floral aroma and a less grain-like aroma. Conversely, Xijiao_LCT, which had a long cellar time, had a deep cocoa- and caramel-like aroma. A total of 27 key odorants that greatly influenced the aroma characteristics of Xijiao were identified. Comparative studies were used to identify 12 key odorants that distinguish Xijiao from modern Chinese rice wine (MCRW) and grape wines (GW). Additionally, 13 dominant latent ageing markers differentiated Xijiao_SCT from Xijiao_LCT. Our results suggested that ACRW and MCRW have overlapping but distinct volatile metabolomic profiles, highlighting the characteristics of ACRW during ageing process.PMID:39130457 | PMC:PMC11315155 | DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34396

Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2024 Aug 12:1-20. doi: 10.1080/10408363.2024.2387038. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe study of metabolomics is revealing immense potential for diagnosis, therapy monitoring, and understanding of pathogenesis processes. Volatilomics is a subcategory of metabolomics interested in the detection of molecules that are small enough to be released in the gas phase. Volatile compounds produced by cellular processes are released into the blood and lymph, and can reach the external environment through different pathways, such as the blood-air interface in the lung that are detected in breath, or the blood-water interface in the kidney that leads to volatile compounds detected in urine. Besides breath and urine, additional sources of volatile compounds such as saliva, blood, feces, and skin are available. Volatilomics traces its roots back over fifty years to the pioneering investigations in the 1970s. Despite extensive research, the field remains in its infancy, hindered by a lack of standardization despite ample experimental evidence. The proliferation of analytical instrumentations, sample preparations and methods of volatilome sampling still make it difficult to compare results from different studies and to establish a common standard approach to volatilomics. This review aims to provide an overview of volatilomics' diagnostic potential, focusing on two key technical aspects: sampling and analysis. Sampling poses a challenge due to the susceptibility of human samples to contamination and confounding factors from various sources like the environment and lifestyle. The discussion then delves into targeted and untargeted approaches in volatilomics. Some case studies are presented to exemplify the results obtained so far. Finally, the review concludes with a discussion on the necessary steps to fully integrate volatilomics into clinical practice.PMID:39129534 | DOI:10.1080/10408363.2024.2387038

Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2024 Aug 12. doi: 10.1089/fpd.2024.0031. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTEnterococcus spp. have been shown to have gastrointestinal tract protective functions; our recent results suggest that membrane vesicles (MVs) play an important role in the gastric protection of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium). The specific function is determined by molecular compositions of MVs. To resolve biocargo components in E. faecium MVs (EfmMVs), MVs were isolated from E. faecium culture. Transcriptomics, label-free quantitative proteomics, and untargeted metabolomics were performed to obtain information about the complexity of ribonucleic acids (RNAs), proteins, and metabolites biocargo they carry, respectively. RNA-sequencing identified a total of 2122 transcripts. The top 20 transcripts accounted for 27.63% of total counts, which, including enzymes, participate in glycolysis, ribosomal proteins, DNA-directed RNA polymerases, protein-synthesizing relative enzymes, molecules associated with protein post-translational processing and transport, and peptidoglycan lyases. Label-free quantitative proteomics analysis identified a total of 711 proteins. The top 20 proteins accounted for 48.02% of all identified proteins, which including ribosomal proteins, enzymes participate in glycolysis, DNA-directed RNA polymerases, protein-synthesizing relative enzymes, peptidoglycan lyases, and autolysin. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified a total of 519 metabolites. The top 20 metabolites accounted for 79.55% of all identified metabolites, which included amino acids, substrates, or products in the metabolism of amino acids, natural organic acids, products in the metabolism of organic acids, ketone compounds, and two other compounds. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses indicated that the identified biocargo components enriched in metabolism, genetic, and environmental information processing. Overall, we hope that the current exploration of multiple "-omics" analyses of this EfmMVs will provide useful information and further groundwork for future studies on E. faecium application.PMID:39129487 | DOI:10.1089/fpd.2024.0031

Commun Biol. 2024 Aug 11;7(1):975. doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06675-8.ABSTRACTLymphatic vessels are essential for preventing the accumulation of harmful components within peripheral tissues, including the artery wall. Various endogenous mechanisms maintain adequate lymphatic function throughout life, with platelets being essential for preserving lymphatic vessel integrity. However, since lymph lacks platelets, their impact on the lymphatic system has long been viewed as restricted to areas where lymphatics intersect with blood vessels. Nevertheless, platelets can also exert long range effects through the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) upon activation. We observed that platelet EVs (PEVs) are present in lymph, a compartment to which they could transfer regulatory effects of platelets. Here, we report that PEVs in lymph exhibit a distinct signature enabling them to interact with lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). In vitro experiments show that the internalization of PEVs by LECs maintains their functional integrity. Treatment with PEVs improves lymphatic contraction capacity in atherosclerosis-prone mice. We suggest that boosting lymphatic pumping with exogenous PEVs offers a novel therapeutic approach for chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by defective lymphatics.PMID:39128945 | DOI:10.1038/s42003-024-06675-8

Eur J Pharmacol. 2024 Aug 9:176885. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176885. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe distinct chemical structure of thiourea derivatives provides them with an advantage in selectively targeting cancer cells. In our previous study, we selected the most potent compounds, 2 and 8, with 3,4-dichloro- and 3-trifluoromethylphenyl substituents, respectively, across colorectal (SW480 and SW620), prostate (PC3), and leukemia (K-562) cancer cell lines, as well as non-tumor HaCaT cells. Our research has demonstrated their anticancer potential by targeting key molecular pathways involved in cancer progression, including caspase 3/7 activation, NF-κB (Nuclear Factor Kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) activation decrease, VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) secretion, ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) production, and metabolite profile alterations. Notably, these processes exhibited no significant alterations in HaCaT cells. The effectiveness of the studied compounds was also tested on spheroids (3D culture). Both derivatives 2 and 8 increased caspase activity, decreased ROS production and NF-κB activation, and suppressed the release of VEGF in cancer cells. Metabolomic analysis revealed intriguing shifts in cancer cell metabolic profiles, particularly in lipids and pyrimidines metabolism. Assessment of cell viability in 3D spheroids showed that SW620 cells exhibited better sensitivity to compound 2 than 8. In summary, structural modifications of the thiourea terminal components, particularly dihalogenophenyl derivative 2 and para-substituted analog 8, demonstrate their potential as anticancer agents while preserving safety for normal cells.PMID:39128803 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176885