Frontiers in Nutrition最新文献

Background: The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has increased worldwide. In recent years, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become an important promising method for the treatment of MASLD. However, the mechanism remains unclear.

Methods: The animal model with C57BL/6 male mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks has been introduced. Fecal microbiota and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) was given by oral gavage.

Results: Our study demonstrated that a 6-week healthy gut microbiota transplantation tended to ameliorate hepatic steatosis and reverse the decreased liver ILC1 induced by HFD. Interestingly, there was also a negative correlation between liver ILC1 and liver TG, TC level. Furthermore, the protective effect was associated with the elevated levels of serum indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Also, a I3C administration for 6 weeks improved liver steatosis and increased the frequency of liver ILC1 induced by HFD through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation. Moreover, I3C binds to the residues of ALA349, PHE348, LEU309, TYR316, PHE318 on AhR through hydrogen bonds, Π bonds, hydrophobic bonds which was proved by molecular docking.

Conclusion: To conclude, our data demonstrated that FMT improved liver steatosis induced by HFD associated with liver ILC1 regulation and indole-3-carbinol level. The study highlighted the potential treatment value of FMT and microbiota-derived I3C in the MASLD treatment and regulation of liver ILC1 function.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis YLGB-1496 (B. infantis YLGB-1496) on the frequency of respiratory illness symptoms and immunity profiles among toddlers.

Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 12-week intervention study, toddlers with at least 2 respiratory illness symptoms were randomly assigned into the probiotic (YLGB-1496) or placebo group at a 1:1 ratio. Follow-up examinations were conducted at baseline (week 0) and at weeks 6 and 12 of the intervention. The frequency of respiratory illness symptoms was assessed at these time points using validated questionnaires. Oral swabs and fecal samples were collected from participants at weeks 0, 6, and 12 to examine inflammatory cytokines.

Results: Among the 120 toddlers initially included in the study, 115 completed the 12-week intervention (58 in the YLGB-1496 group and 57 in the placebo group). The risk of antibiotic use or clinical visits was significantly lower in the YLGB-1496 group than in the placebo group (antibiotic use odds ratio (OR) = 0.37 [0.369, 0.372]; clinical visit, OR = 0.743 [0.741, 0.744]), but these differences were nonsignificant after adjusting for other potential confounders (p > 0.05). The YLGB-1496 group presented a lower incidence of several respiratory symptoms than the placebo group, including fever (p < 0.001), cough (p < 0.001), sneezing (p = 0.012), nose block (p = 0.001), and runny nose (p < 0.001). The results also revealed that the salivary cortisol concentration was significantly lower in the YLGB-1496 group than in the placebo group (p = 0.026), but no effects on INF-γ, IL-1β, IL-13, IL-4, or IL-10 were detected.

Conclusion: Bifidobacterium infantis YLGB-1496 may serve as a potential natural, nonpharmacological strategy for the safe management of respiratory tract issues in toddlers.

Clinical trial registration: The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier number NCT05794815).

Background: Gallstones are a common gastrointestinal disease worldwide, associated with significant public health burdens. Obesity and fat distribution are recognized as major risk factors for gallstone formation, yet traditional anthropometric indices such as BMI and WC have limitations in reflecting fat distribution and its metabolic consequences. Relative Fat Mass (RFM), a novel anthropometric index, may provide more accurate predictions of gallstone risk, but its association with gallstone formation remains underexplored.

Methods: This study utilized data from NHANES 2017-2020, including 6,084 participants aged ≥20 years, to investigate the relationship between RFM and gallstone risk. Multivariable logistic regression and smooth curve fitting were used to assess this association. RFM's predictive ability was compared with traditional indices using ROC and decision curve analysis (DCA). LASSO regression and AIC-based multivariable regression were employed to construct a gallstone risk prediction model.

Results: Each one-unit increase in RFM was associated with a 11% higher risk of gallstones (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.08-1.13). The smooth curve fitting revealed a linear relationship between RFM and gallstones. RFM demonstrated superior predictive ability (AUC = 0.705) compared to BMI, WC, WWI, and BRI. The predictive model, incorporating age, RFM, diabetes, waist circumference, and alcohol consumption, achieved good performance (AUC = 0.738) with sensitivity and specificity of 70 and 66%, respectively.

Conclusion: RFM is strongly associated with gallstone risk and outperforms traditional anthropometric measures in risk prediction. The study presents a model that serves as a useful instrument for recognizing populations at elevated risk and facilitating focused interventions, especially among those with a prevalent occurrence of obesity and metabolic disturbances. These findings support the potential of RFM as an effective measure in clinical and public health settings for reducing the burden of gallstone-related diseases.

Background: The sarcopenia index (SI), derived from serum creatinine and cystatin C levels, has emerged as a novel and accessible biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes. However, its sex-specific prognostic utility in heart failure (HF) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the association between SI and all-cause mortality in HF, with a focus on sex-specific differences.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 753 patients (median age: 69 years; 61% male) diagnosed with HF from a tertiary hospital in China was analyzed. Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were utilized to evaluate the relationship between SI and all-cause mortality. Stratified analyses based on sex were performed, and the incremental predictive value of SI was assessed by integrating it into traditional risk models.

Results: Over a median follow-up of 537 days, 143 deaths occurred. In adjusted models, a lower SI was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in male patients (hazard ratio: 0.98 per unit increase, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-0.99, p = 0.002). Males in the lowest SI tertile had a 1.66-fold higher mortality risk than those in the highest tertile (p = 0.004). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis further confirmed these findings, demonstrating significantly lower survival probabilities for males in the lowest SI tertile than for those in higher tertiles (Log-rank p = 0.0013). No such association was observed in females. Adding SI to risk models improved prognostic accuracy in males, enhancing the C-statistic from 0.749 to 0.764 and significantly improving net reclassification and discrimination indices (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The SI serves as a robust sex-specific predictor of all-cause mortality in HF, demonstrating significant prognostic value in males but limited utility in females. These findings highlight the potential of SI as a cost-effective addition to existing risk stratification models for male patients with HF.

Introduction: Allergic asthma is characterized by sensitization to airborne allergens like house dust mite (HDM). Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS) are linked to improved immune maturation and potentially alleviate allergy development.

Methods: A human in vitro model for crosstalk between bronchial epithelial cells (BECs), monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs) and T cells, during HDM exposure, was established. The immunomodulatory effects of the HMOS 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and 3-fucosyllactose (3FL) were investigated in this in vitro model and subsequently in a house dust mite-induced allergic asthma murine model.

Results: HDM exposure during BEC-DC coculture enhanced type 2 instructing TSLP, while reducing regulatory TGFβ secretion. Coculture of HDM-primed DCs with T cells enhanced IL4 secretion. 2'FL or 3FL preincubation prevented HDM-induced TSLP and IL8 release from BEC-DC. HDM-allergic mice receiving a 1% 2'FL or 0,5% 3FL supplemented diet both had lower serum levels of HDM-specific IgE compared to mice fed control diet. In conclusion, a human in vitro coculture model for HDM-induced BEC-DC activation and subsequent type 2 T cell response was established. 2'FL or 3FL preincubation of BEC-DC prevented HDM-induced activation and modified downstream T cell responses in vitro. Both HMOS reduced HDM-specific IgE in a murine model for HDM allergic asthma, but did not protect against airway inflammation.

Conclusion: Here, we describe an in vitro human airway mucosal HDM sensitization model as relevant tool to reduce use of animals in studies aiming to prevent HDM allergic asthma. Both in vitro as well as in vivo, HMOS were found to drive away from a type 2 immune signature, paving the way to further investigate the potential allergy preventive effects of fucosylated HMOS.

Barley serves as a crucial feed crop and is also utilized for baking, malting, and brewing purposes. In India, the consistent demand for malting-type barley has not been met due to the lack of suitable varieties. This study evaluated 136 barley germplasm accessions for diversity in biochemical and agro-morphological traits. The accessions were grown in Augmented Block Design and biochemical estimations were carried out using official and standard methods. The accessions exhibited substantial biochemical diversity with protein content (PC) ranging from 8.6 to 17.4%, starch content (SC) from 32.4 to 60.3%, amylose content (AC) from 13.3 to 19.3%, β-glucan content (βgC) from 1.31 to 6.06%, and total phenol content (TPC) from 8.6 to 17.4%. The agro-morphological traits also displayed considerable variation, with days to spike emergence (DSE) ranging from 74 to 124 days, days to physiological maturity (DPM) from 119 to 147 days, plant height (PH) from 82 to 165 cm, spike length (SL) from 5 to 11 cm, spikelet triplet groups (STG) per spike from 13 to 35, grain number per spike (GNS) from 15 to 71, hundred-grain weight (HGW) from 2 to 6.7 grams, and grain yield per meter row (GY) from 13.7 to 236.3 grams. Multivariate analyses, including the Mantel test, Pearson's correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), were conducted. No significant correlation was observed between biochemical and agro-morphological traits. However, significant positive correlations were found between SC and AC (r = 0.48) and βgC with PC (r = 0.2). Significant negative correlations were observed between SC and PC (r = -0.41) and AC with PC (r = -0.4). Highly significant positive correlations were observed between DSE and DPM (r = 0.55), GY and PH (r = 0.29), PH and DPM (r = 0.2), and HGW and SL (r = 0.25). The GWL was significantly positively correlated with βgC (r = 0.257) and significantly negatively correlated with TPC (r = -0.235). Apart from Grain Width to Length Ratio (GWL), no other agro-morphological trait was significantly correlated with any biochemical trait. Various accessions suitable for malting, human food, and cattle feed applications were identified.

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) ranks as one of the most aggressive primary malignant tumor affecting the brain. The persistent challenge of treatment failure and high relapse rates in GBM highlights the need for new treatment approaches. Recent research has pivoted toward exploring alternative therapeutic methods, such as the ketogenic diet, for GBM.

Methods: A total of 18 patients with GBM, 8 women and 10 men, aged between 34 and 75 years participated in a prospective study, examining the impact of ketogenic diet on tumor progression. The pool of patients originated from our hospital during the period from January 2016 until July 2021 and were followed until January 2024. As an assessment criterion, we set an optimistic target for adherence to the ketogenic diet beyond 6 months. We considered the therapeutic combination successful if the survival reached at least 3 years.

Results: Among the 18 patients participating in the study, 6 adhered to the ketogenic diet for more than 6 months. Of these patients, one patient passed away 43 months after diagnosis, achieving a survival of 3 years; another passed away at 36 months, narrowly missing the 3-year survival mark; and one is still alive at 33 months post-diagnosis but has yet to reach the 3-year milestone and is, therefore, not included in the final survival rate calculation. The remaining 3 are also still alive, completing 84,43 and 44 months of life, respectively. Consequently, the survival rate among these patients is 4 out of 6, or 66.7%. Of the 12 patients who did not adhere to the diet, only one reached 36 months of survival, while the rest have died in an average time of 15.7 ± 6.7 months, with a 3-year survival rate of 8.3%. Comparing the survival rates of the two groups, we see that the difference is 58.3% (66.7% versus 8.3%) and is statistically significant with p < 0.05 (0.0114) and X² = 6.409.

Discussion: The outcomes observed in these patients offer promising insights into the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet on the progression of glioblastoma multiforme when compared to those who did not follow the diet consistently.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between constipation and the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 4,282 adults aged 20 and older was selected from the NHANES 2009-2010. Constipation was defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week. The average of the two ACR measurements was used as the outcome variable. Logistic regression models (non-adjusted and multivariate adjusted models) were used to examine the relationship between constipation and ACR. Subgroup and interaction analyses related to gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and diabetes were also conducted to assess the stability of the association between constipation and ACR.

Results: In this study population of 4,282 individuals, 352 individuals with an ACR of 30 mg/g or higher were considered to have albuminuria. The prevalence of constipation was higher in the albuminuria group compared to the non-albuminuric group (6.4% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.002). The unadjusted model (Model I) showed an increased risk of ACR associated with constipation (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.13-2.91, p = 0.014). After controlling for gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, and education level in Model II, the association between constipation and ACR remained significant (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.34-3.60, p = 0.002). Upon further adjustment for BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, asthma, coronary heart disease, liver disease, cancer, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), uric acid (UA) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in Model III, the positive association between constipation and ACR was still significant (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.09-3.23, p = 0.023). Subgroup analyses, stratified by gender, age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, BMI, hypertension, and diabetes, showed no statistically significant interactions (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: In summary, this study found a positive association between constipation and urinary albumin excretion rate. The significant association between constipation and ACR highlights the need for clinicians to monitor urinary albumin levels in patients with constipation.