Frontiers in Nutrition最新文献

Introduction: Folate is crucial for various biological processes, and deficiencies during pregnancy are linked to increased risk for neural tube defects and neurodevelopmental disorders. As a proactive measure, folic acid fortification of staple foods has been mandated in many countries, in addition to dietary supplementation recommendations during pregnancy. However, the risks of excess prenatal folic acid supply have yet to be fully understood.

Methods: To better appreciate molecular changes in mouse brain exposed to in utero 5-fold folic acid excess over normal intake, we investigated the transcriptome and methylome for alterations in gene networks.

Results: RNA-seq analysis of cerebral cortex collected at birth, revealed significant expression differences in 646 genes with major roles in protein translation. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing revealed significant differences in 910 differentially methylated regions including functions enriched in glutamatergic synapse, neurodevelopmental, and glutathione pathways.

Discussion: These molecular alterations conceivably present risks to brain development and provide functional congruencies with disruptions in neuronal connectivity maps that we have described in previous work, underscoring the potential for excess prenatal folic acid exposure to disrupt developing metabolic and neurological pathways.

Introduction: Macrophages represent one of the most pivotal immune cells in the innate immune responses of weaned piglets. Emerging studies have revealed that numerous plant- or fungal-derived extracts significantly modulate macrophage functions. Antroquinonol (Antro), a characteristic triterpenoid compound isolated from Antrodia camphorata, has been extensively documented for its anti-inflammatory properties, but the precise mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods: In this study, we established a macrophage polarization model in vitro, and evaluated the impact of Antro on inflammatory cytokine production in M1 macrophages. The expression of inflammatory pathway components was then measured to identify the specific targets regulated by Antro, and genetic manipulation approaches were further applied to validate these targets.

Results: Antro enhances the enzymatic activities of DNA methyltransferases and facilitates DNA methylation-mediated suppression of Tlr4 expression, thereby inhibiting NF-κB signaling, ultimately attenuating IL-1β production in macrophages.

Conclusion: Our study elucidates a multi-pathway for the anti-inflammatory effects of Antro, significantly enriching the theoretical framework of natural product-mediated immunomodulation (particularly plant/fungal extracts). These findings provide critical scientific support for developing A. camphorata-derived fermentation products as novel feed additives to enhance immune function in swine production.

Background: The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a key factor in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Concurrently, exercise intervention has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for T2DM management, potentially mediated through gut microbiome modulation.

Methods: This narrative review searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase for literature published from 1992 to the present, ultimately including 58 relevant publications. The focus was on elucidating the physiological mechanisms by which exercise modulates gut microbiota to ameliorate T2DM.

Results: Our synthesis indicates that exercise training beneficially alters gut microbiota composition and function, which in turn enhances systemic insulin sensitivity and improves metabolic disturbances in T2DM. These improvements are mediated through multiple pathways, including bile acid metabolism, short-chain fatty acid production, lipopolysaccharide reduction, and branched chain amino acid catabolism. The effects of exercise on the gut microbiome are influenced by factors such as exercise intensity, duration, and type, suggesting the need for individualized regimens.

Conclusion: Exercise intervention improves T2DM by modulating gut microbiota via several mechanistic pathways. Future research should prioritize personalized exercise prescriptions, larger sample sizes, integrated multi-omics approaches, and exploration of combined interventions with diet or medication to optimize T2DM prevention and treatment.

Background: Reliable normative references for adolescent body composition are essential for screening and surveillance, yet Brazilian data at national scale remain scarce and heterogeneous across methods and devices.

Objectives: To generate age- and sex-specific reference curves for phase angle (PhA), skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI), and muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR) in Brazilian adolescents, and to present device- dependent body fat percentage (%BF) percentiles as secondary, interpretation- cautioned outputs.

Methods: We analyzed a frozen, de-identified extract of routine multi- frequency bioimpedance assessments (10.00-19.99 years) spanning all five Brazilian macro-regions and multiple recruitment contexts (schools, clinics/primary care, private practices, gyms/fitness centers, community programs). The extract is produced by a vendor privacy/QA pipeline compliant with LGPD; upstream cleaning logs are not accessible to the authors. Prespecified plausibility and deduplication rules (anthropometry and impedance thresholds; robust BIVA on R/H and Xc/H) were re- applied and yielded no additional exclusions. Sex-specific age curves were modeled with GAMLSS (LMS) to estimate smoothed percentiles (P3, P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, P97). %BF, derived from a proprietary embedded equation, is reported as secondary.

Results: The analytic cohort comprised 59,000 adolescents from all macro-regions and diverse contexts. Median PhA, SMMI, and MFR increased with age in boys and showed the expected attenuated or plateauing patterns in girls across mid- to late adolescence. Percentile spreads widened with age for muscle-related indices, indicating growing interindividual variability. Device-dependent %BF percentiles exhibited age- and sex- specific trajectories consistent with physiological expectations but should be interpreted with caution pending external validation.

Conclusions: We provide national reference percentiles for PhA, SMMI, and MFR that are immediately useful for clinical and public- health applications and less sensitive to device-specific assumptions. %BF curves are offered as secondary and require independent validation against a criterion method before routine use. Future work should confirm regional representativeness and cross-device portability.

Objective: Bibliometric and visual analysis in the field of ketogenic diet (KD) on Liver Health from 2013 to 2024.

Methods: We retrieved the articles published between 2013 and 2024 from the Web of Science database and the Scopus database, and conducted the analysis using R software and VOSviewer software.

Results: The number of publications in this field shows an increasing trend year by year. The United States leads in the number of published articles, followed closely by China, Italy, Japan, and Canada. Notably, the United States has also excelled in international collaboration, with institutions like Sapienza University of Rome and the University of California, San Francisco, actively engaging with other global institutions. Nutrients has the highest publication frequency, while Cell Metabolism leads in citations. Key researchers such as Crawford PA and Watanabe M have emerged, with prominent keywords including obesity, Metabolic Associated Steatosis Liver Disease, NAFLD, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and low carbohydrate diet, indicating the central themes and trends in KD related Liver Health research.

Conclusion: KD, a novel dietary therapy designed to induce physiological ketosis, is anticipated to achieve significant advances in liver health. Global interest in this approach is increasing, underscoring its potential as an emerging therapeutic trend. This study offers a thorough analysis of the current research landscape and key hotspots related to the KD in liver health, providing valuable insights for future investigations.

South Asia, home to nearly 2 billion people, faces a dual burden of persistent malnutrition and rapidly rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Dietary patterns are dominated by refined cereals, low intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, limited protein quality, and imbalanced fat composition, compounded by cultural practices and the growing penetration of ultra-processed foods. This mixed-method review systematically synthesized dietary intake data and contextual barriers to evaluate the transferability of Mediterranean Diet (MD) principles to South Asia. Unlike broader continental frameworks, our approach integrates local foods, cultural traditions, and environmental realities to design two region-specific dietary pyramids for vegetarian and non-vegetarian populations. The adapted model emphasizes higher consumption of whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, the inclusion of affordable high-quality protein sources, and a balanced use of locally available fats, while placing sweets and ultra-processed foods at the top of the pyramid with clear limits. Beyond nutrient adequacy, our analysis highlights structural barriers, economic affordability, entrenched food traditions, limited nutritional awareness, environmental pressures, and food safety challenges that must be addressed to ensure feasibility. Policy action, nutrition education, women's empowerment, climate-smart agriculture, and fortification strategies emerge as key enablers for a sustainable dietary transition in the region.

Systematic review registration: https://osf.io/d7j4m/.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1675530.].

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the serum albumin change rate (Alb Change Rate) for treatment efficacy in patients with AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma (AR-NHL) undergoing targeted therapy (e.g., rituximab), and to explore the clinical implications of serum albumin (Alb) dynamics during treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study included 95 patients diagnosed with AR-NHL between June 2017 and June 2024. The primary endpoint was the therapeutic response after completion of four cycles of treatment regimens containing targeted agents. Patients were categorized into two groups based on treatment response: effective and ineffective. The objective was to investigate the association between the Alb Change Rate and treatment efficacy in AR-NHL patients. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the Alb Change Rate and treatment efficacy. Multivariate analysis was used to adjust for potential confounding variables.

Results: Among 95 patients with AR-NHL (mean age: 48.99 ± 12.70 years; 78.95% male). The diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the predominant subtype (85.26%). According to Ann Arbor-Cotswolds staging, 75.79% were stage III-IV. After four cycles of targeted therapy, 64 patients (67.37%) responded effectively, while 31 (32.63%) were classified as ineffective, including five deaths. The median Alb Change Rate was 3.09% (-34.71 to 78.55%), with corresponding the Hb-Shift and the CD4⁺Tcell-Shift medians of -5.00 g/L and 10.00 cells/μL, respectively. Common adverse events included gastrointestinal symptoms (92.63%), peripheral neuropathy (92.63%), alopecia (90.53%), pain (43.16%), and bone marrow suppression (32.63%). Univariate analysis showed that Alb Change Rate was significantly associated with treatment response (OR = 116.01; 95% CI: 5.92-2274.51; p < 0.01). Patients with Alb Change Rate ≥ 0 had improved outcomes (OR = 4.31; 95% CI: 1.73-10.70; p < 0.01). This association remained significant after multivariate adjustment (OR = 9.18; 95% CI: 2.73-30.86; p < 0.01).

Conclusion: The Alb Change Rate is a useful predictor of treatment response in AR-NHL patients receiving targeted therapy. Alb Change Rate ≥ 0 was significantly associated with better outcomes. These results highlight the value of dynamic Alb monitoring and nutritional support during treatment. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Background: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) exert beneficial effects on the gut microbiota, enhance resistance to infections, support immune development, and contribute to brain/cognitive development. Milk-derived extracellular vesicles (MEVs) contain a high abundance of immunity- and development-related microRNAs (miRNAs). These components are abundant in breast milk. In the case of HMOs, the composition varies due to factors such as lactation stages, geographic location, ethnicity, genetics, and the environment. The composition of HMOs is significantly influenced by the genetic status of two key genes: FUT2 (Secretor gene) and FUT3 (Lewis gene). In this study, we broadly categorized them as secretors or non-secretors.

Methods: We investigated the changes in the concentrations of HMOs and MEVs during 4 months of lactation in Japanese women and explored the relationship between HMOs and miRNAs present in MEVs.

Results: The concentrations of most HMOs significantly decreased over time. The number of MEVs did not change significantly over the study period. Interestingly, 3'-sialyllactose and lacto-N-fucopentaose III were inversely correlated with many of the top 20 most abundant miRNAs. Moreover, miRNAs in MEVs, which are associated with immunity and development, were more abundant in secretors than in non-secretors during early lactation. Several HMOs were detected in MEVs.

Conclusion: This study enabled a detailed characterization of changes in HMOs and MEVs in the breast milk of Japanese women throughout the course of the first 4 months of lactation. A potential association between the concentrations of HMOs and miRNAs was also observed, suggesting that these components might influence each other. These findings are significant for promoting healthy infant development and growth, as well as for improving infant formula composition.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.748847.].