PubMed

aBIOTECH. 2025 Feb 18;6(1):33-49. doi: 10.1007/s42994-025-00199-3. eCollection 2025 Mar.ABSTRACTPotato common scab (CS) is a worldwide disease, caused by Streptomyces spp., and its presence reduces the market value of potatoes. A nontoxic and potentially effective approach in many control strategies is the use of antagonistic microbes as biocontrol agents. In this study, Bacillus atrophaeus DX-9 was isolated and assessed for its ability to protect against CS. Through integrated metagenomic and metabolomic analyses, changes in the soil microbial community structure and soil properties were analyzed to understand the effects of Bacillus atrophaeus DX-9 on CS. These studies revealed that DX-9 inoculation could significantly decrease CS disease rate, disease index, and the number of CS pathogens, along with an increase in soil N and P content. Our metagenomic assays identified 102 phyla and 1154 genera, and DX-9 inoculation increased the relative abundances of the phyla Pseudomonadota, Chloroflexota and Gemmatimonadota. Additionally, an increase in the relative abundance of genera, such as Bradyrhizobium, Agrobacterium, and Nitrobacter, were significantly and positively correlated with soil N and P. Metabolomic analysis revealed that DX-9 inoculation significantly increased the soil levels of phytolaccoside A, 7,8-dihydropteroic acid, novobiocin, and azafrin. These compounds were enriched in microbe pathway metabolites, including xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins. In summary, the use of Bacillus atrophaeus DX-9 against potato CS offers an alternative biocontrol method that can improve both soil microbial community and properties. This study provides insight into the potential mechanisms by which microbial inoculants can control CS disease.SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-025-00199-3.PMID:40060187 | PMC:PMC11889282 | DOI:10.1007/s42994-025-00199-3

aBIOTECH. 2025 Jan 23;6(1):116-132. doi: 10.1007/s42994-024-00194-0. eCollection 2025 Mar.ABSTRACTPlant metabolites are crucial for the growth, development, environmental adaptation, and nutritional quality of plants. Plant metabolomics, a key branch of systems biology, involves the comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the composition, variation, and functions of these metabolites. Advances in technology have transformed plant metabolomics into a sophisticated process involving sample collection, metabolite extraction, high-throughput analysis, data processing, and multidimensional statistical analysis. In today's era of big data, the field is witnessing an explosion in data acquisition, offering insight into the complexity and dynamics of plant metabolism. Moreover, multiple omics strategies can be integrated to reveal interactions and regulatory networks across different molecular levels, deepening our understanding of plant biological processes. In this review, we highlight recent advances and challenges in plant metabolomics, emphasizing the roles for this technique in improving crop varieties, enhancing nutritional value, and increasing stress resistance. We also explore the scientific foundations of plant metabolomics and its applications in medicine, and ecological conservation.PMID:40060186 | PMC:PMC11889285 | DOI:10.1007/s42994-024-00194-0

J Tradit Complement Med. 2024 Nov 25;15(2):192-204. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.11.015. eCollection 2025 Mar.ABSTRACTAtractylenolide III, a sesquiterpene extracted from the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala (Asteraceae), exhibits pharmacological effects, including improvement of gastrointestinal function, regulation of immune function, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Pyrotinib, a representative TKI originally developed in China, is classified as a Class 1.1 novel drug, exhibits superior efficacy compared to similar drugs. Notably, the overall incidence of pyrotinib-induced diarrhea stands at 95 %, with 40 % of cases classified as grade ≥3 diarrhea. Currently, the effect of Atractylenolide III on pyrotinib-induced diarrhea and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we established a pyrotinib (80 mg/kg/day) Wistar rat diarrhea model to explore the effect of Atractylenolide III on pyrotinib-induced diarrhea. We exploded the potential mechanism of Atractylenolide III via MQAE chloride fluorescent probe, RT-qPCR, Western blot, 16S rRNA sequencing, metabolomics, etc. We found that Atractylenolide III demonstrated the ability to alleviate pyrotinib-induced diarrhea without compromising its anti-tumor effects, inhibited pyrotinib-induced chloride secretion, and the potential mechanism of action involved enhancing AMPK phosphorylation while decreasing CFTR protein expression. Additionally, Atractylenolide III alleviated pyrotinib-induced diarrhea by modulating intestinal flora structure and increasing lithocholic acid content. This study could provide potential novel traditional Chinese medicine targets for treating diarrhea caused by tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs, such as pyrotinib. The study emphasizes the role of TCM in minimizing adverse effects during tumor treatment.PMID:40060149 | PMC:PMC11883636 | DOI:10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.11.015

Res Sq [Preprint]. 2025 Feb 27:rs.3.rs-5256734. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5256734/v1.ABSTRACTRed blood cell (RBC) transfusion, a life-saving intervention, is limited by reduced RBC potency over time. Cold storage at + 4°C for up to 42 days can reduce transfusion efficacy due to alterations termed the "storage lesion." Strategies to mitigate the storage lesion include alkaline additive solutions and supercooled storage to extend storage by reducing metabolic stresses. However, RBC metabolism during supercooled storage in standard or alkaline additives remains unstudied. This study, thus, investigated the impact of storage additives (alkaline E-Sol5 and standard SAGM) and temperatures (+ 4°C, -4°C, -8°C) on RBC metabolism during 21- and 42-days storage using high-throughput metabolomics. RBCs stored with E-Sol5 showed increased glycolysis and higher ratios of reduced to oxidized glutathione compared to SAGM. Supercooled storage at -4°C showed markedly lower hemolysis than - 8°C, preserved adenylate pools, decreased glucose consumption, and reduced lactate accumulation and pentose phosphate pathway activation. The combination of supercooled storage and E-Sol5 helped to preserve ATP and 2,3-DPG reservoirs, while preventing catabolism and free fatty acid accumulation. While supercooled storage with E-Sol5 offers a promising alternative to standard storage, preserving RBC metabolic and functional quality, further research is necessary to validate and improve on these foundational findings.​​.PMID:40060052 | PMC:PMC11888543 | DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5256734/v1

Open Life Sci. 2025 Mar 7;20(1):20220996. doi: 10.1515/biol-2022-0996. eCollection 2025.ABSTRACTRubus corchorifolius, a medicinal plant of the Rosaceae family, is known for its diverse bioactive compounds. This study employs widely targeted metabolomics to investigate the metabolic profiles of leaf, stem, and flower tissue from R. corchorifolius. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, we identified 1,946 metabolites across the three tissue types. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed distinct metabolic signatures for each tissue, with flowers showing the most distinctive profile. Differential accumulation of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and primary metabolites reflected the specialised functions of each tissue type. Pathway enrichment analysis highlighted tissue-specific metabolic activities, including flavonoid biosynthesis in flowers and chlorophyll metabolism in leaves. This comprehensive metabolic characterisation provides a foundation for further investigations into the biosynthetic pathways and physiological functions of bioactive compounds in R. corchorifolius, potentially guiding future applications in medicine and agriculture.PMID:40059878 | PMC:PMC11889504 | DOI:10.1515/biol-2022-0996

JCI Insight. 2025 Mar 10;10(5):e186070. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.186070.ABSTRACTChronic kidney diseases (CKDs) are a global health concern, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their complex pathophysiology. This study explores the use of 2 complementary multidimensional -omics data integration methods to elucidate mechanisms of CKD progression as a proof of concept. Baseline biosamples from 37 participants with CKD in the Clinical Phenotyping and Resource Biobank Core (C-PROBE) cohort with prospective longitudinal outcome data ascertained over 5 years were used to generate molecular profiles. Tissue transcriptomic, urine and plasma proteomic, and targeted urine metabolomic profiling were integrated using 2 orthogonal multi-omics data integration approaches, one unsupervised and the other supervised. Both integration methods identified 8 urinary proteins significantly associated with long-term outcomes, which were replicated in an adjusted survival model using 94 samples from an independent validation group in the same cohort. The 2 methods also identified 3 shared enriched pathways: the complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway, and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Use of different multiscalar data integration strategies on the same data enabled identification and prioritization of disease mechanisms associated with CKD progression. Approaches like this will be invaluable with the expansion of high-dimension data in kidney diseases.PMID:40059827 | DOI:10.1172/jci.insight.186070

JCI Insight. 2025 Mar 10;10(5):e186745. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.186745.ABSTRACTInfectious complications (ICs) in acute pancreatitis (AP) are primarily driven by intestinal bacterial translocation, significantly increasing mortality and hospital stays. Despite this, the role of the gut microenvironment, particularly its metabolic aspects, in AP remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated a cohort of patients with AP, and conducted supplemental murine studies, to explore the relationship between the gut metabolome and the development of ICs. Metabolomic analysis revealed that disruptions in gut tryptophan metabolism - especially reductions in serotonin and indole pathways - are key features associated with IC occurrence. Additionally, elevated plasma levels of tryptophan metabolites within the kynurenine pathway were identified as valuable predictive biomarkers for ICs. Mechanistic studies in murine models demonstrated that an impaired intestinal Th17 response, modulated by these tryptophan metabolites, plays a critical role in IC development. Serotonin supplementation enhanced Th17 responses, reducing IC incidence, while administration of kynurenic acid, a kynurenine metabolite, exacerbated pancreatic infections, potentially through immunosuppressive effects. These findings highlight the pivotal role of tryptophan metabolites in AP pathogenesis, emphasizing their potential as both predictive markers and therapeutic targets in IC management.PMID:40059826 | DOI:10.1172/jci.insight.186745

Food Funct. 2025 Mar 10. doi: 10.1039/d5fo00374a. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAtherosclerosis poses a significant threat to global health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of myricetin (MYR) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice. Our findings demonstrated that MYR treatment significantly reduced the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, particularly at a high dose of 100 mg kg-1 day-1. Additionally, MYR markedly attenuated lipid metabolism disorders in ApoE-/- mice by decreasing body weight, improving serum lipid profiles, and reducing lipid deposition. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that MYR treatment enhanced the abundance of probiotic g_Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136, while it reduced that of obesity-associated genera, including Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Alistipes. Metabolomic analysis and RT-qPCR tests indicated that MYR upregulated hepatic bile acid biosynthesis, evidenced by increased total bile acid levels and enhanced expression of key enzymes CYP7A1 and CYP8B1, particularly through the classical biosynthetic pathway. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed strong associations between the regulated bile acids and these aforementioned bacteria. Therefore, our results demonstrated that MYR exerts an anti-atherosclerotic effect by modulating the gut-liver axis.PMID:40059779 | DOI:10.1039/d5fo00374a

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2025 Mar 10:2477647. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2025.2477647. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTIn recent years, Dengue virus (DENV) has continued to pose significant health risks in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, raising health alerts worldwide. It can cause hyperviremia in humans and can even lead to fatal clinical diseases. The life cycle of DENV is intricately linked to cellular lipids, and the virus selectively utilizes relevant enzymes involved in lipid metabolism to modulate the existing metabolic system in host cells during entry, replication, assembly, and other stages, thereby creating an environment conducive to its complete replication cycle. At present, there is a lack of effective and specific anti-DENV treatment measures. This review summarizes the recently identified lipid metabolism molecules and metabolic related diseases that affect DENV infection, explores the dependence of DENV on lipid metabolism and provides potential targets for the treatment of dengue fever (DF).PMID:40059731 | DOI:10.1080/22221751.2025.2477647

Aging Cell. 2025 Mar 10:e70002. doi: 10.1111/acel.70002. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPhysical function declines with aging, yet there is considerable heterogeneity, with some individuals declining very slowly while others experience accelerated functional decline. To gain insight into mechanisms promoting high physical function with aging, we performed proteomics, targeted metabolomics, and targeted kynurenine-focused metabolomic analyses on serum specimens from three groups of octogenarians: High-functioning master athletes (HF, n = 16), healthy normal-functioning non-athletes (NF, n = 12), and lower functioning non-athletes (LF, n = 11). Higher performance status was associated with evidence consistent with: Lower levels of circulating proinflammatory markers, as well as unperturbed tryptophan metabolism, with the normal function of the kynurenic pathway; higher circulating levels of lysophosphatidylcholines that have been previously associated with better mitochondrial oxidative capacity; lower activity of the integrated stress response; lower levels of circulating SASP protein members; and lower levels of proteins that reflect neurodegeneration/denervation. Extending the observations of previous studies focused on the biomarkers of aging that predict poor function, our findings show that many of the same biomarkers associated with poor function exhibit attenuated changes in those who maintain a high function. Because of the cross-sectional nature of this study, results should be interpreted with caution, and bidirectional causality, where physical activity behavior is both a cause and outcome of differences in the biomarker changes, remains a possible interpretation.PMID:40059508 | DOI:10.1111/acel.70002

Proteomics. 2025 Mar 9:e202400088. doi: 10.1002/pmic.202400088. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMass spectrometry (MS) is widely used in proteomics research in recent years. In practice, MS is often coupled with liquid chromatography or gas chromatography to analyze complex mixtures. Retention time (RT) is a critical feature that distinguishes different components in mixtures. And RT alignment is one of the crucial methods for correlating identical components across different samples. This review provides a broad perspective of RT alignment methods and tools used in proteomics and metabolomics. Firstly, we categorize these methods and tools into four types based on the information they employ, and introduce them, respectively. Subsequently, we present the application of RT alignment in proteomics. We have emphasized that the identification-free strategy might be a potential application of RT alignment. Finally, we summarize the limitations of current methods and discuss the future direction of RT alignment.PMID:40059493 | DOI:10.1002/pmic.202400088

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2025 Mar 9:e70008. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.70008. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCruciferous and allium vegetables contain the sulfur compound S-methyl-L-cysteine-sulfoxide (SMCSO). Considering SMCSO is found at a higher abundance compared to the glucosinolates, there are limited reports on its effect on health, with the majority of the evidence on the beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in rodent models. In the current study, we investigated the metabolic effects of SMCSO and its metabolite, S-methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTSO), on prostate cancer metabolism. DU145 prostate cancer cells were cultured in 5.5 mM (basal), 10 mM (intermediate) and 25 mM (high) glucose concentrations in the presence of SMCSO or MMTSO (100 µM). Using Seahorse technology, MMTSO but not SMCSO reduced mitochondrial metabolism, mitochondrial ATP, and the percentage of oxidative phosphorylation and increased the fatty acid dependency of DU145 cells. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses observed cellular and energy metabolism pathways and immune response changes. These data show that MMTSO alters several features of energy metabolism in DU145 prostate cancer cells, shifting them towards a non-cancerous phenotype. These data are consistent with the notion that MMTSO may contribute to the beneficial effects of a broccoli-rich diet and metabolic effects of prostate cancer.PMID:40059483 | DOI:10.1002/mnfr.70008

CNS Neurosci Ther. 2025 Mar;31(3):e70324. doi: 10.1111/cns.70324.ABSTRACTAIMS: Despite the clinical benefits of ketamine in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), some patients exhibit drug resistance, and the intricate mechanisms underlying this await comprehensive explication. We used metabolomics to find biomarkers for ketamine efficacy and uncover its mechanisms of action.METHODS: The study included 40 MDD patients treated with ketamine in the discovery cohort and 24 patients in the validation cohort. Serum samples from the discovery cohort receiving ketamine were analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to study metabolomic changes and identify potential biomarkers. Metabolic alterations were evaluated pre- and post-ketamine treatment. Spearman correlation was applied to examine the relationship between metabolite alterations and depressive symptom changes. In addition, potential biomarkers, particularly thyroxine, were investigated through quantitative measurements in the validation cohort.RESULTS: We found that energy metabolite changes (adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate [ADP], pyruvate) were different in responders versus non-responders. The magnitude of the ADP shift was strongly correlated with the rate of reduction in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores (Rho = 0.48, pFDR = 0.018). Additionally, baseline free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels are inversely associated with the rate of MADRS reduction (Rho = -0.645, p = 0.017).CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine ameliorates depressive symptoms by modulating metabolic pathways linked to energy metabolism. Low baseline FT3 levels appear to predict a positive response in MDD patients, suggesting FT3 has potential as a biological marker for clinical ketamine treatment.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-OOC-17012239.PMID:40059071 | DOI:10.1111/cns.70324

Atherosclerosis. 2025 Feb 15:119130. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.119130. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAtherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is one of the leading causes of mortality globally. It is characterized by the formation of atheromatous plaques in the intima layer of larger arteries. The (fibro-)fatty plaques usually develop asymptomatically within the vessel until a serious event such as myocardial infarction or stroke occurs. Lipids play a pivotal role in disease progression, but while the causal role of cholesterol is beyond doubt, the distribution of numerous other lipids within the heterogeneous layers of atherosclerotic plaques, and their biological function remain unclear. A deeper understanding of the pathophysiological progression of the disease for prognostics, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention is of great need. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), in particular with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) offers an unprecedented untargeted characterization of the physiological microenvironment, unraveling the spatial distribution of numerous biochemical compounds. MALDI-MSI offers an advantageous balance of sample preparation, chemical sensitivity, and spatial resolution, and thus has been established as a key technology in modern biomedical analysis. This review focuses on the analysis of lipids in atherosclerotic lesions with MALDI-MSI, for which the past years showed major developments in the spatial characterization of lipids and their interaction within atherosclerotic plaques. We will cover main contributions with a focus on the recent decade, elaborate possibilities, limitations, main findings, and recent developments from sample handling to instrumentation, and estimate current challenges and potentials of MALDI-MSI with respect to a clinical application.PMID:40059002 | DOI:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.119130

Methods Cell Biol. 2025;194:135-149. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.10.018. Epub 2024 Nov 18.ABSTRACTMitochondrion apart from being the energy hub of the cell, is also the center of various signaling pathways. During intracellular infection, either bacterial or viral, several pathogen proteins, metabolites, and possibly, lipids interact with the host mitochondria. These interactions allow the pathogens, such as Mtb, to reprogram the host mitochondrial functions, screwing the host immune responses and resulting in the persistence of the bacteria. Therefore, mitochondria offer a critical target organelle for various therapeutic interventions. This chapter deals with methods to demonstrate and establish the mitochondrial localization of Mtb proteins by confocal microscopy and mitochondrial enrichment. Transient transfection of mammalian constructs or infection Mycolicibacterium smegmatis infection could be used to overexpress the candidate Mtb protein in host cells, allowing the study of changes in the mitochondria's composition and function with regard to localization studies, mitochondrial DNA and RNA, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, and bioenergetics.PMID:40058957 | DOI:10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.10.018

Methods Cell Biol. 2025;194:119-133. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.01.007. Epub 2024 Feb 26.ABSTRACTMucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1) expression in high endothelial venules is regulated by bacterial metabolites emanating from the gut and the interaction of MAdCAM-1 with α4β7 integrin mediates lymphocyte diapedesis into gut-associated secondary lymphoid tissues. MAdCAM-1 thus controls the abundance of circulating immunosuppressive T cells that can reach malignant tissue and compromise the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy. Here we describe a biosensor-based phenotypic assessment that facilitates the high throughput screening (HTS)-compatible assessment of MAdCAM-1 regulation in response to exposure to bacterial metabolites. This screening routine encompasses high endothelial venule cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the MAdCAM-1 promoter combined with robot-assisted bioimaging and a multistep image analysis pipeline. Altogether this system facilitates the discovery of bacterial composites that control anticancer immunity via the sequestration of Th17-specific regulatory T cells (Treg17) in the gut.PMID:40058956 | DOI:10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.01.007

Food Res Int. 2025 Apr;206:116072. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116072. Epub 2025 Feb 25.ABSTRACT1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and polyphenols are the primary anti-diabetic components in mulberry leaves (MLs) but their low natural abundance limits their application. To address this, we investigated the impact of ultrasonication (US) on the accumulation of 1-DNJ, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) in MLs. Under the optimal conditions determined by the Box-Behnken design, 1-DNJ, TPC, and TFC levels increased by 2.10-, 2.66-, and 2.11-fold, respectively. US treatment also changed the surface microstructure and increased electrical conductivity, polyphenolic content, antioxidant capacity, as well as α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities, while inhibiting polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities in MLs. Metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses identified 458 differential metabolites (DMs) and 9429 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DMs and DEGs are involved in key metabolic pathways for synthesizing 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds. Our findings demonstrated that US treatment boosted the biosynthesis of 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds by upregulating the expression of key enzymes, thereby increasing their contents in MLs. This study demonstrates an innovative strategy for improving bioactive components, particularly 1-DNJ, in MLs, providing the potential to increase the values of MLs in the food and nutraceutical industries.PMID:40058923 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116072

Food Res Int. 2025 Apr;206:116035. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116035. Epub 2025 Feb 22.ABSTRACTThe cultivation and postharvest processing of coffee constitute the basis of the subsistence and traditional culture for rural family-owned farms, as well as for the economic success of commercial enterprises in many coffee-producing countries worldwide. The quality of the final beverage is determined by a multitude of variables. A key post-harvest factor is the spontaneous fermentation of the coffee beans, conducted directly on the farm, to remove the mucilage that firmly adheres to the beans. The effect of this fermentation step on the aromatic profile of the coffee is not yet sufficiently understood. All of the above have drawn the attention of researchers on the application of various omics approaches to elucidate fermentation processes in more detail. These approaches have been used to study the fermentation of Arabica (Coffea arabica) beans, as this species is economically most important worldwide. It is known that Arabica mild coffee is obtained through the wet method, which involves fermenting depulped coffee beans using various strategies and then washing the fermented coffee with clean water. In contrast, the fermentation of Canephora coffee beans has been much less studied using omics technologies. This review highlights the trends and future research in coffee fermentation based on a scientometric analysis, supplemented by a traditional systematic literature review. It highlights the composition of the coffee fermentation microbiome, as elucidated by metagenomics applications, in light of several factors that can influence its structure. Additionally, it considers the metabolites associated with microbial metabolism that can influence the chemical composition of coffee beans and, consequently, the cup quality. In this way, this review evidences the promising path in understanding microbial functions in coffee fermentation and in particular in the development of microbial inocula and in the refinement of fermentation processes to improve coffee quality.PMID:40058902 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116035

Food Res Int. 2025 Apr;206:116030. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116030. Epub 2025 Feb 22.ABSTRACTMixed starting cultures have been reported to perform better than commonly used single Lactic acid bacteria in meat fermentation. Lactobacillus curvatus SQ-425 and Staphylococcus simulans 65-4 were screened from 67 sausages collected from southwest regions in China to investigate the effects of single and combined inoculation (SF and CMF) on sausages quality, while natural fermentation (NF) was used as a control group. Inoculation of mixed cultures resulted in a continuous decrease in pH during fermentation, an increase in redness values of sausages and the highest sensory score. Inoculation of mixed starter cultures increased the richness of bacterial communities in sausages, but their diversity decreased. The diversity and richness of the fungal community were increased, and spoilage microorganisms such as Shigella and Fusarium were suppressed. The starting cultures did not obviously affect the fatty acid composition of the sausages, but significantly increased the diversity of volatiles, especially aldehydes and alcohols. The generation of unique flavor compounds such as 2-undecenal, p-methoxy benzaldehyde and 3, 5-octadien-2-ol was found in the CMF group. Metabolomics and correlation analyses showed that amino acid metabolism was significantly enhanced in the CMF group, with Aspergillus contributing significantly to amino acid production in the CMF group, in addition to Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, and Sphingomonas being positively correlated with amino acid metabolites. It is further inferred that the production of amino acids and their derivatives is facilitated by the conversion of fumarate in the TCA cycle into the lysine biosynthetic pathway and the urea cycle.PMID:40058898 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116030

Food Chem Toxicol. 2025 Mar 7:115382. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2025.115382. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe elucidation of the causal relationship between bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and hepatoxic outcomes is challenging because of the complexity in both the BPA-derived metabolites formed in the liver and the associated endogenous molecular responses. We performed parallel metabolism experiments with BPA to characterize the BPA sulfate formation and the associated alterations in the metabolome level in HepG2 cells using mass spectrometry-based metabolome wide association study. Briefly, HepG2 cells were exposed for 8 or 24 h to 1 or 10 μM BPA in DMSO or DMSO alone. The levels of BPA sulfate in the cell culture media were quantified, and the sulfation efficiency was about 0.4 % observed for both 1 and 10 μM BPA in HepG2 cells. Targeted metabolomic analyses revealed alterations belonging to forty metabolic pathways following BPA exposure. Featured by the decreasing of estrone sulfate, estrogen metabolism was observed as the top 1 enriched pathway in response to BPA exposure. MWAS suggests that BPA sulfate formation in HepG2 cells resulted in vitamin B6 deficiency and dysregulated vitamin B6-dependent processes, for example, the kynurenine pathway in tryptophan metabolism. These findings collectively provide insights into the linkage between exogenous and endogenous metabolism and the potential initial events in BPA exposure-relevant hepatoxicity.PMID:40058625 | DOI:10.1016/j.fct.2025.115382