Metabolites最新文献

Background: Olive leaves are a rich source of polyphenols, predominantly secoiridoids, flavonoids, and simple phenols, which exhibit various biological properties. Extracts prepared from olive leaves are associated with hypoglycemic, hypotensive, diuretic, and antiseptic properties. Upon ingestion, a substantial fraction of these polyphenols reaches the colon where they undergo extensive metabolism by the gut microbiota. Host characteristics, like age, can influence the composition of the gut microbiome, potentially affecting the biotransformation of these compounds. Therefore, it can be hypothesised that differences in the gut microbiome between young and elderly individuals may impact the biotransformation rate and the type and amount of metabolites formed.

Methods: An in vitro biotransformation model was used to mimic the conditions in the stomach, small intestine and colon of two age groups of healthy participants (20-30 years old, ≥65 years old), using oleuropein as a single compound and an olive leaf extract as test compounds. The bacterial composition and metabolite content were investigated.

Results: The study revealed that, while the same metabolites were formed in both age groups, in the young age group, less metabolite formation was observed, likely due to a reduced viable cell count. Most biotransformation reactions took place within the first 24 h of colon incubation, and mainly, deglycosylation, hydrolysis, flavonoid ring cleavage, and demethylation reactions were observed. A bacterial composition analysis showed a steep drop in α-diversity after 24 h of colon incubation, likely due to favourable experimental conditions for certain bacterial species.

Conclusions: Both age groups produced the same metabolites, suggesting that the potential for polyphenols to exert their health-promoting benefits persists in healthy older individuals.

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated metabolites and lipid composition in the calf muscles of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and age-matched healthy controls using multi-dimensional MR spectroscopic imaging. We also explored the association between muscle metabolites, lipids, and intra-abdominal fat in T2DM. Methods: Participants included 12 T2DM patients (60.3 ± 8.6 years), 9 age-matched healthy controls (AMHC) (60.9 ± 7.8 years), and 10 young healthy controls (YHC) (28.3 ± 1.8 years). We acquired the 2D MR spectra of calf muscles using an enhanced accelerated 5D echo-planar correlated spectroscopic imaging (EP-COSI) technique and abdominal MRI with breath-hold 6-point Dixon sequence. Results: In YHC, choline levels were lower in the gastrocnemius (GAS) and soleus (SOL) muscles but higher in the tibialis anterior (TA) compared to AMHC. YHC also showed a higher unsaturation index (U.I.) of extramyocellular lipids (EMCL) in TA, intramyocellular lipids (IMCL) in GAS, carnosine in SOL, and taurine and creatine in TA. T2DM patients exhibited higher choline in TA and myo-inositol in SOL than AMHC, while triglyceride fat (TGFR2) levels in TA were lower. Correlation analyses indicated associations between IMCL U.I. and various metabolites in muscles with liver, pancreas, and abdominal fat estimates in T2DM. Conclusions: This study highlights distinct muscle metabolite and lipid composition patterns across YHC, AMHC, and T2DM subjects. Associations between IMCL U.I. and abdominal fat depots underscore the interplay between muscle metabolism and adiposity in T2DM. These findings provide new insights into metabolic changes in T2DM and emphasize the utility of advanced MR spectroscopic imaging in characterizing muscle-lipid interactions.

Background: Bos taurus indicus cattle is known to be temperamental and to produce beef with greater variability in terms of quality compared to beef of Bos taurus taurus. Cattle adaptability and resilience are of great importance to sustain beef production worldwide.

Objective: The study aimed to understand early post-mortem metabolites among muscles with different fiber types profile of calm and excitable Nellore, as well as its relationship with fragmentation of beef aged up to 28 d.

Methods: Animals were evaluated based on chute score and exit velocity to calculate a temperament index, which was used to classify them as calm or excitable. At slaughter, the pH and temperature declines of Triceps brachii (TB) and Longissimus lumborum (LL) were measured, muscles were sampled, and aged up to 28 d. Metabolites were determined, and sarcomere length and myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI) were quantified. Metabolomics data were analyzed using a multivariate approach, while other traits were investigated through ANOVA.

Results: The pH decline was affected by all three fixed effects investigated (temperament × muscle × time post-mortem: p = 0.016), while temperature decline was affected by muscle × time (p < 0.001). Metabolites differed among muscles and cattle temperament, with excitable cattle showing greater taurine abundance in LL, as well as greater creatine in TB 1 h post-mortem, based on the volcano plot. Sarcomere length and MFI results revealed faster and limited tenderization in excitable cattle beef.

Conclusions: Altogether, results emphasized the upregulation of mitochondrial enzymes and reduced tenderization as determinants of inferior beef quality after prolonged aging in excitable cattle.

Background/objectives: The neurometabolic function is controlled by a complex multi-level physiological system that includes neurochemical, hormonal, immunological, sensory, and metabolic components. Functional disorders of monoamine systems are often detected in clinical practice together with metabolic dysfunctions. An important part of the mentioned pathological conditions are associated with disturbances in protein metabolism, some of the most important biomarkers which are aminotransferases and transcription factors that regulate and direct the most important metabolic reactions. Another important part of energy metabolism is the dopamine-mediated regulation of protein metabolism.

Methods: The review describes research results into the dopamine-mediated mechanism of metabolic regulation in humans and animals. Particular attention is paid to the neurometabolic mechanisms of protein metabolism.

Results: The dopamine-aminotransferase system of the energy metabolism regulation is a separate, independent, regulatory and diagnostically significant biochemical pathway controlled by the hormonal system, the key hormone is cortisol, the key neurotransmitter is dopamine, the key transcription factor is CREB, and the key regulatory enzymes are alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and tyrosine aminotransferase.

Conclusions: This review presents an original study describing the discovery of a new regulatory mechanism for neurometabolic physiological function in humans and animals. A key part of this mechanism is the dopamine-aminotransferase system.

Background: Hamelia patens Jacq. (HP) is widely recognized in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial properties, which are attributed to secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds, alkaloids, and terpenes. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Fo), a phytopathogenic fungus affecting economically important crops, is managed with fungicides like benzimidazoles and azoles. Excessive use of these compounds has led to resistance and environmental contamination, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. This study aimed to optimize the extraction of secondary metabolites from HP leaves and flowers, evaluate their antifungal activity, and assess the impact of extraction methods and plant parts on chemical composition and efficacy. Methods: Three extraction methods were employed: consecutive maceration (CM) using solvents of ascending polarity; total maceration (TM), which is a single-step methanol-based method; and ultrasound-assisted maceration (UAM) employing ultrasonic waves with methanol. Extracts were characterized by quantifying total phenols (TP), condensed tannins (TC), flavonoids (Fl), alkaloids (TA), sterols (TS), and saponins (S) using colorimetric assays and UPLC-MS. Multivariate analyses, including PCA, PLS-DA, OPLS-DA, and Pearson correlation, evaluated the relationships between the chemical profiles and antifungal activity. Results: Leaf extracts exhibited higher flavonoid and tannin contents than flower extracts. CMML showed the highest antifungal activity (IC₅₀ 3.7% w/v), which was associated with elevated levels of these compounds. Significant correlations linked antifungal activity with rutin (HP21) and kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (HP29). Conclusions: Methanolic extracts of HP exhibited significant antifungal activity against Fo. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing extraction methods and selecting specific plant parts to enhance bioactive compound efficacy, offering a sustainable approach to pathogen management.

Background/Objectives: Managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity requires a multidimensional, patient-centered approach including nutritional interventions (NIs) and physical activity. Changes in the gut microbiota (GM) have been linked to obesity and the metabolic alterations typical of T2DM and obesity, and they are strongly influenced by diet. However, few studies have evaluated the effects on the GM of a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) in patients with T2DM, especially in the mid-term and long-term. This longitudinal study is aimed at evaluating the mid-term and long-term impact of the VLCKD and Mediterranean diet (MD) on the GM and on the anthropometric, metabolic, and lifestyle parameters of 11 patients with T2DM and obesity (diabesity). This study extends previously published results evaluating the short-term (three months) impact of these NIs on the same patients. Methods: At baseline, patients were randomly assigned to either a VLCKD (KETO group) or a Mediterranean diet (MEDI group). After two months, the KETO group gradually shifted to a Mediterranean diet (VLCKD-MD), according to current VLCKD guidelines. From the fourth month until the end of the study both groups followed a similar MD. Previous published results showed that VLCKD had a more beneficial impact than MD on several variables for 3 months of NI. In this study, the analyses were extended until six (T6) and twelve months (T12) of NI by comparing data prospectively and against baseline (T0). The GM analysis was performed through next-generation sequencing. Results: Improvements in anthropometric and metabolic parameters were more pronounced in the KETO group at T6, particularly for body mass index (-5.8 vs. -1.7 kg/m²; p = 0.006) and waist circumference (-15.9 vs. -5.2 cm; p = 0.011). At T6, a significant improvement in HbA1c (6.7% vs. 5.5% p = 0.02) and triglyceride (158 vs. 95 mg/dL p = 0.04) values compared to T0 was observed only in the KETO group, which maintained the results achieved at T3. The VLCKD-MD had a more beneficial impact than the MD on the GM phenotype. A substantial positive modulatory effect was observed especially up to the sixth month of the NI in KETO due to the progressive increase in bacterial markers of human health. After the sixth month, most markers of human health decreased, though they were still increased compared with baseline. Among them, the Verrucomicrobiota phylum was identified as the main biomarker in the KETO group, together with its members Verrucomicrobiae, Akkermansiaceae, Verrucomicrobiales, and Akkermansia at T6 compared with baseline. Conclusions: Both dietary approaches ameliorated health status, but VLCKD, in support of the MD, has shown greater improvements on anthropometric and metabolic parameters, as well as on GM profile, especially up to T6 of NI.

Seed storability is a crucial agronomic trait and indispensable for the safe storage of rice seeds and grains. Nevertheless, the metabolite mechanisms governing Indica rice seed storability under natural conditions are still poorly understood.

Methods: Therefore, the seed storage tolerance of global rice core germplasms stored for two years under natural aging conditions were identified, and two extreme groups with different seed storabilities from the Indica rice group were analyzed using the UPLC-MS/MS metabolomic strategy.

Results: Our results proved that the different rice core accessions showed significant variability in storage tolerance, and the metabolite analysis of the two Indica rice pools exhibited different levels of storability. A total of 103 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) between the two pools were obtained, of which 38 were up-regulated and 65 were down-regulated, respectively. Further analysis disclosed that the aging-resistant rice accessions had higher accumulation levels of flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, organic acids, lignans, and coumarins while exhibiting lower levels of lipids and alkaloids compared to the storage-sensitive rice accessions. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis indicated that several biosynthesis pathways were involved in the observed metabolite differences, including alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, butanoate metabolism, and propanoate metabolism. Notably, inhibition of the linolenic acid metabolic pathway could enhance seed storability. Additionally, increased accumulations of organic acids, such as succinic acid, D-malic acid, and methylmalonic acid, in the butanoate and propanoate metabolisms were identified as a beneficial factor for seed storage.

Conclusions: These new findings will deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing rice storability.

Background/Objectives: The currently established equations for calculating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) do not reflect the sex-specific differences in lipid metabolism. We aimed to develop a sex-specific LDLc equation (SSLE) and validate it with three established equations (Friedewald, Sampson-NIH, and ext-Martin-Hopkins) against direct LDLc measurement in Korean adults. Methods: This study included 23,757 subjects (51% male; median age, 51 years) from the 2009-2022 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We developed the SSLE through multiple linear regression incorporating total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), and sex. The validation metrics included Bland-Altman analysis for mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and agreement of the categorization based on the NCEP ATP-III guidelines, assessed by sex and lipid subgroups. Results: The derived SSLE equation was as follows: for TG < 200 mg/dL, LDLc = 0.963 × TC - 0.881 × HDLc - 0.111 × TG + 0.982 × Sex - 6.958; for TG ≥ 200 mg/dL, LDLc = 0.884 × TC - 0.646 × HDLc - 0.126 × TG + 3.742 × Sex - 3.214 (male = 1, female = 0). The MAPE was similar between males and females for the SSLE (4.6% for both) and ext-Martin-Hopkins (5.0% vs. 4.9%) but higher in males for the Sampson-NIH (5.4% vs. 4.9%) and Friedewald (7.6% vs. 5.7%). In the TG ≥ 400 mg/dL group, the MAPE increased progressively: SSLE (10.2%), ext-Martin-Hopkins (12.0%), Sampson-NIH (12.7%), and Friedewald (27.4%). In the LDLc < 70 mg/dL group, the MAPE was as follows: SSLE (8.0%), Sampson-NIH (8.6%), ext-Martin-Hopkins (9.7%), and Friedewald (12.8%). At TG 200-400 mg/dL, the SSLE revealed very good agreement (κ = 0.801) versus good agreement for other equations (ext-Martin-Hopkins κ = 0.794, Sampson-NIH κ = 0.782, Friedewald κ = 0.696). Conclusions: The novel SSLE demonstrated superior accuracy and agreement in Korean adults. Further validation studies across different ethnic populations are warranted.

Background/objectives: Mycotoxins, secondary metabolites synthesized by filamentous fungi, have been classified as dangerous substances and proven to be carcinogenic, as well as to have genotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and mutagenic properties. Despite numerous trials to develop an effective and safe-for-human-health method of detoxification, there is still a high risk associated with the occurrence of these toxins in food and feed. Biological methods of food preservation are an alternative option to conventional chemical and physical methods, characterized by their less negative impact on human health as well as their high efficiency against filamentous fungi and other foodborne pathogens. Mycoremediation is a new biotechnique based on the capability of fungi to detoxify matrices from various pullulans. Ligninolytic enzymes produced by white rot fungi (WRF) characterize a high efficiency in the degradation of various mycotoxins.

Methods: In our study, Pleurotus ostreatus, as a representative of WRF, was cultivated on a medium contaminated by AFB1 and ZEN (mushroom substrate and maize) in a few variants of concentration. After the cultivation, medium and fruiting bodies were collected and analyzed with the usage of HPLC and LC/MS methods.

Results: The reduction oscillated between 53 and 87% (AFB1) and 73 and 97% (ZEN) depending on the initial concentration of toxins in the medium. Grown fruiting bodies contained insignificant amounts of both toxins.

Conclusions: These findings confirm the potential of P. ostreatus as an effective biological agent for reducing mycotoxins in contaminated medium, highlighting its applicability in developing sustainable and safe methods for detoxification.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the molecular response mechanisms of differential blood metabolites before and after 8 weeks of threshold and polarized training models using metabolomics technology combined with changes in athletic performance.

Methods: Twenty-four male rowers aged 14-16 were randomly divided into a THR group and a POL group (12 participants each). The THR group followed a threshold training model (72%, 24%, and 4% of training time in low-, moderate-, and high-intensity zones, respectively), while the POL group followed a polarized training model (78%, 8%, and 14% training-intensity distribution). Both groups underwent an 8-week training program. Aerobic endurance changes were assessed using a 2 km maximal rowing performance test, and untargeted metabolome analysis was conducted to examine blood metabolomic changes before and after the different training interventions. Aerobic endurance changes were assessed through a 2 km maximal rowing test. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis was employed to evaluate changes in blood metabolome profiles before and after the different training interventions.

Results: After 8 weeks of training, both the THR and POL groups exhibited significant improvements in 2 km maximal rowing performance (p < 0.05), with no significant differences between the groups. The THR and POL groups had 46 shared differential metabolites before and after the intervention, primarily enriched in sphingolipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathways. Nine unique differential metabolites were identified in the THR group, mainly enriched in pyruvate metabolism, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. A total of 14 unique differential metabolites were identified in the POL group, predominantly enriched in sphingolipid metabolism, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and glutathione metabolism.

Conclusions: The 8-week THR and POL training models demonstrated similar effects on enhancing aerobic performance in adolescent male rowers, indicating that both training modalities share similar blood metabolic mechanisms for improving aerobic endurance. Furthermore, both the THR group and the POL group exhibited numerous shared metabolites and some differential metabolites, suggesting that the two endurance training models share common pathways but also have distinct aspects in enhancing aerobic endurance.