Preventive Nutrition and Food Science最新文献

The Framingham risk score (FRS) is used to assess an individual's risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) within 10 years by evaluating CHD risk factors. Despite the increasing mortality rate from CHD, there are limited studies examining the association between the atherogenic coefficient (AC), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), dietary intake (assessed using a food frequency questionnaire), and FRS-CHD in Korea. The FRS is based on the following coronary risk factors: age, sex, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking habits, and systolic blood pressure. The present study aimed to examine the factors that increase the risk of developing CHD in middle-aged men using the FRS based on the 2014－2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Data from 1,478 middle-aged men who participated in the 2014－2015 KNHANES were used. As the AC [odds ratio (OR), 6.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.38－8.38; P<0.001] and AIP (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.93－8.01; P<0.001) increased by 1 unit, the risk of developing CHD was significantly higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group after adjusting for potential confounding factors. In the high-risk group, the CHD risk decreased with an increase in egg intake per serving (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75－0.94; P<0.01). The AC, AIP, and egg intake were potent determinants of the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. Blood cholesterol levels and diet control can decrease the CHD risk in the next 10 years.

This study developed an effective combination of Scutellaria baicalensis and Nelumbo nucifera (SNE) and evaluated its anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperuricemic effects under in vivo conditions. First, the effect of SNE was tested on in vitro xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of SNE, nitric oxide (NO) production was detected by Griess assay, and proinflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in RAW264.7 cells. Next, we examined the effect of SNE on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) production using Western blot analysis. NF-κB transcriptional activity was measured using the NF-κB-SEAP reporter plasmid. To confirm the anti-hyperuricemia effect of SNE, potassium oxonate (PO)-induced mouse model was established, and the serum was used to measure glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and XOD levels. Through extensive screening for a herbal medicine library, we found that SNE exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on XOD activity. In addition, SNE remarkably inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines [e.g., NO, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6] in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells and suppressed the promoter activity of NF-κB. SNE also inhibited iNOS and COX-2 expression. Finally, SNE showed anti-hyperuricemic effects in a mouse model of PO-induced hyperuricemia and did not exhibit any toxicity to liver and kidney functions. SNE, a water extract from a mixture of S. baicalensis and N. nucifera at a ratio of 1:1 (w/w), is a good herbal combination that possesses dual therapeutic activities on inflammation and hyperuricemia.

Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. Metabolic syndrome components, including obesity-associated hyperleptinemia, may promote tumor progression. Leptin is an adipokine that is elevated in obesity and activates oncogenic pathways that drive cancer cell proliferation. Although metformin exhibits anticancer effects in various malignancies, its specific role in SNSCC remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of leptin on SNSCC progression and the anticancer mechanisms of metformin in RPMI 2650 cells. We measured cell viability, proliferation, colony formation, and apoptosis following leptin and/or metformin exposure. Mitochondrial membrane potential assays and Ki-67 immunocytochemistry were used to assess mitochondrial function and proliferation, respectively. The results indicated that leptin promotes RPMI 2650 cell proliferation, colony formation, and survival by activating extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Conversely, metformin inhibited these leptin-induced oncogenic effects by suppressing ERK phosphorylation, reducing proliferation (confirmed by Ki-67 analysis), and inducing apoptosis. Metformin also modulated the tumor microenvironment by upregulating interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-18, while downregulating Serpin E1/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, to potentially enhance the antitumor immune response. Furthermore, metformin induced mitochondrial dysfunction, reducing the membrane potential and inducing apoptosis. The results indicate that leptin is a potential driver of SNSCC progression and establish the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of metformin through the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction and ERK pathway inhibition. The ability of metformin to counteract leptin-driven tumor growth suggests its potential therapeutic use against SNSCC, particularly in patients with metabolic disorders.

In this study, honey from Hedera rhombea was used as a sugar substitute in cookie-making to design functional cookies for controlling carbohydrate digestion. Honey from H. rhombea contained glucose (0.56±0.11 mg/mg), fructose (0.27±0.06 mg/mg), and phenolic compounds (46.61±0.05 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g). When honey from H. rhombea was used as a sugar substitute in the cookie dough, it decreased the dough stability and increased the degree of softening from the farinograph compared with the control dough, which implies a weaker gluten network formation. Moreover, the honey influenced the baking performance by decreasing the spread ratio and hardness, resulting in the production of softer cookies with a dark yellow color. Finally, the cookies prepared with honey exhibited reduced amounts of reducing sugars against α-amylase because of the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds within the honey, indicating slower carbohydrate digestion. These results provide insights into how to use honey as a sugar substitute to design functional foods for modulating the postprandial glycemic response.

As the third most abundant solid component of human milk, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) exert well-known effects on the infant gastrointestinal tract, including promoting Bifidobacterium growth and preventing pathogen infection. However, the effects of HMOs on the adult gut microbiome remain unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) and 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), the most abundant HMOs, on the adult gut microbiome using the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME^Ⓡ), which can simulate human gastrointestinal conditions. Healthy adult feces were subjected to SHIME^Ⓡ and incubated with either 2'-FL or 3-FL. The changes in the short-chain fatty acid concentration in feces and the gut microbiota composition were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively. The addition of 2'-FL or 3-FL altered the microbial composition and increased acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations in the adult SHIME^Ⓡ culture. Remarkably, a difference was observed in the timing of butyrate production because of the addition of 2'-FL and 3-FL. The present findings can help clarify how FLs affect the gut microbiome of Japanese adults and support the development of targeted products.

This study aimed to evaluate the extraction of biotin from plant-based foods using takadiastase in combination with autoclave- or ultrasound-assisted extraction. In cereals, vegetables, and mushrooms, autoclave-assisted enzymatic extraction obtained higher analytical values compared with autoclave-assisted extraction. However, in legumes and nuts, ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction obtained higher biotin content compared with either autoclave- or ultrasound-assisted extraction. Furthermore, method validation for the biotin analysis was performed to ensure the reliability of biotin extraction procedures from plant-based foods. The results demonstrated excellent linearity (R²=0.9999), accuracy (95.024%－102.507% recovery), and precision (1.158%－4.724% relative standard deviation), with limits of detection and quantification of 0.009 and 0.025 µg/100 g, respectively. These findings could provide reliable data on the biotin content of commonly consumed plant-based foods in Korea.

Respiratory diseases represent a significant global health issue. Currently, there is growing interest in using probiotics [e.g., Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)] as adjunctive therapies for the management of respiratory diseases. However, the efficacy of LGG in respiratory diseases remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of LGG in preventing and treating respiratory diseases. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases using keywords related to LGG and respiratory diseases. Studies were selected on the basis of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies, and RevMan 5.4 was used to perform the meta-analysis. Out of 155 studies that were initially identified, 13 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that LGG intervention, both as a preventive and therapeutic strategy, significantly reduced the incidence of respiratory disease episodes (mean difference: -0.14, 95% confidence interval: -0.27 to -0.01, P=0.03) and mitigated associated symptoms compared with placebo or no intervention. The results of subgroup analyses indicated that LGG was particularly effective in reducing the duration and severity of respiratory infections in children and high-risk populations. However, heterogeneity (I²=62%) was observed, which was likely because of variations in the study design, dosage, and patient populations. These findings suggest that LGG may be a promising adjunctive therapy for respiratory diseases, particularly in preventive settings.

Lutein belongs to the carotenoid family of xanthophylls, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. This study aimed to comprehensively review the interactions between lutein and critical cellular processes that influence cancer progression. A search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Google, was conducted for the keywords "cancer or tumor or neoplasm or carcinoma" and "lutein" in the titles or abstracts of published research. A total of 47 studies were reviewed, and it was shown that lutein reduced estrogen receptors (2 out of 4 studies), DNA damage (4 out of 8 studies), cancer cell survival (1 out of 1 studies), growth (7 out of 7 studies), and proliferation (19 out of 19 studies) as well as cancer cell invasion, migration, metastasis, and adhesion (2 out of 2 studies), but induced apoptosis (17 out of 17 studies) and cell differentiation (1 out of 1 studies). According to this review, lutein may be effective in suppressing cellular processes involved in cancer progression through a variety of mechanisms.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is closely associated with metabolic syndrome. Currently, it is considered as a global health concern. Kaempferol (a flavonoid) exhibits extensive pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of kaempferol on free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. To establish an in vitro model of MASLD, we treated the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 with FFAs. Subsequently, we performed Western blot analysis to analyze the expression levels of essential proteins associated with lipogenesis and autophagy. Vital lipogenesis-related proteins (e.g., acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) were downregulated by kaempferol treatment. Concurrently, the expression of proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation (e.g., carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha) was upregulated. These changes indicate that kaempferol promotes a shift toward enhanced fatty acid oxidation and reduced lipogenesis, thereby mitigating lipid accumulation in liver cells. Our findings suggest that kaempferol exerts a protective effect against MASLD by modulating lipid metabolism via autophagy activation.

This study investigated the influence of incorporating Newbouldia laevis and Icacina trichantha leaves into fermented melon condiment using different wrapping materials for fermentation. Moreover, the resulting quality of the condiment was analyzed. The leaves were boiled with melon seeds after removing their pericarp. Subsequently, the boiled leaves were wrapped in Thaumatococcus daniellii. Other portions of the seeds that were not boiled with the leaves were wrapped in T. danielli leaves, aluminum foil paper, and airtight containers. The proximate, mineral, amino acid, microbiological quality, and antioxidant properties of the condiment were determined in accordance with standard procedures. The protein, ash, fat, and glutamic acid contents of the condiment ranged from 25.20% to 34.57%, 2.10% to 3.22%, 14.61% to 28.65%, and 12.30 mg/100 g protein to 13.80 mg/100 g protein, respectively. The incorporation of leaves and fermentation of melon in leaves significantly (P≤0.05) enhanced their antioxidant activities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (46.30%－65.60%) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.22－0.62 µmol/mL Fe²⁺). Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium spp., Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from the fermented condiment. The fermented condiment supported the growth of Lactobacillus fermentum with values of 1.80 to 2.80×10⁵ colony-forming units/mL. Moreover, the fermented condiment showed improved microbiological quality, enhanced nutrient content, and profound antioxidant activities. Hence, the bioactive compounds in the leaves can be exploited and incorporated into food products for therapeutic purposes.