Molecular Nutrition & Food Research最新文献

The oxidative balance score (OBS) integrates dietary and lifestyle factors to reflect oxidative stress. OBS has been associated with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but the modifying roles of genetic predisposition and gut microbiota remain unclear. This study evaluated the prospective association between OBS and MASLD and potential modification by genetic and microbial factors. We analyzed 182 601 UK Biobank participants free of MASLD at baseline. OBS was calculated from 16 dietary and 4 lifestyle components. Incident MASLD cases were identified from hospital and death records. Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During a median 10.5 years of follow-up, 1500 participants developed MASLD. Compared with the lowest OBS quartile, adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 0.82 (0.71–0.94), 0.71 (0.61–0.83), and 0.68 (0.58–0.81) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles (p-trend < 0.001). MASLD genetic risk score (GRS) and microbial GRSs for Ruminococcus torques and Sutterella were associated with MASLD risk but did not modify the OBS–MASLD association (all p-interaction > 0.05). Higher OBS was associated with lower MASLD risk, independent of genetic and microbial GRSs. These findings provide prospective association evidence that may inform future intervention studies.

Fish is rich in nutrients; however, concerns persist regarding its potential role in delaying aging due to the possible accumulation of cadmium. This study aimed to assess the association between fish consumption, dietary ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and Phenotypic Age Acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) in the presence of cadmium exposure. The study used data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018. Multiple linear regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and subgroup analysis were used to assess potential associations. Mediation analysis further examined whether blood cadmium levels mediated the association between fish consumption and PhenoAgeAccel. Results showed that higher fish consumption and ω-3 PUFAs intake were significantly associated with lower PhenoAgeAccel. This association persisted even in the presence of cadmium exposure. Furthermore, the association between fish consumption or ω-3 PUFAs and PhenoAgeAccel was more pronounced in people with low cadmium exposure levels. RCS analysis revealed a non-linear relationship between fish consumption and dietary ω-3 PUFAs and PhenoAgeAccel. Blood cadmium levels partially mediated the association between fish consumption and PhenoAgeAccel. Our results support dietary recommendations to consume fish to slow biological aging. Even in the presence of cadmium exposure, fish consumption was negatively associated with PhenoAgeAccel.

2′-Fucosyllactose (2′FL) is an abundant human milk oligosaccharide and is recognized for its diverse biological benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 2′FL supplementation on small intestinal remodeling and the associated enhancement of nutrient absorption capabilities. Mice were orally supplemented with 2′FL daily for 20 d. This supplementation significantly increased the length of the small intestine and the density of villi, with no adverse effects on intestinal barrier function. Mice treated with 2′FL exhibited an enhanced absorption of triglycerides containing docosahexaenoic acid in lipid tolerance tests. Additionally, the absorption of CL316,243 and curcumin was significantly increased in the co-administration groups. This was accompanied by elevated uncoupling protein 1 levels in inguinal adipose tissue. Our study showed that 2′FL enhances nutrient and functional compound absorption by promoting intestinal remodeling. This highlights the novel role of 2′FL—a non-nutritive compound—in supporting intestinal health. Our findings suggest potential applications of 2′FL in growth promotion, lifestyle-related disease prevention, and frailty reduction, thereby advancing research on the nutritional functions of food-derived compounds.

Emerging evidence highlights the pivotal role of the gut–brain axis (GBA) in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, with gut microbiota and tryptophan-derived metabolites acting as key modulators. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective potential of wheat germ extract (WGE) in a methylglyoxal (MG)-induced neurodegenerative mouse model. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned into four groups: Control (C), Methylglyoxal (MG, 1% MG in drinking water), GABA (1% MG + 200 mg/kg/day GABA), or WGE (1% MG + 200 mg/kg/day WGE). WGE significantly improved spatial learning, alleviated anxiety-like behaviors, and reduced hippocampal damage and Tau hyperphosphorylation. Moreover, WGE reshaped gut microbiota composition by decreasing the abundance of pathogenic taxa, including Helicobacter hepaticus, Eubacterium plexicaudatum, Lachnospiraceae bacterium TWA4 sp000875945, Ventrisoma, and Oribacterium, while restoring the levels of the beneficial TANB77 bacterium CAG-793 sp000433915. WGE also replenished neuroprotective tryptophan metabolites, particularly indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) and indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), and modulated host functional pathways related to cell motility and epithelial signaling associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. These findings demonstrate that WGE may exert neuroprotective effects by modulating gut microbiota composition and tryptophan metabolism, providing novel insights into GBA-targeted strategies for the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.

Flavonoids are one of the bioactive compounds among polyphenols that are found in fruits and vegetables. The flavonoids mostly get metabolized in the alimentary canal, and their interaction with the gut microbiome becomes inevitable. The gut microbiota continuously interacts with dietary flavonoids and catabolizes them into more minor metabolites directly associated with the host health. The gut microbiota is resilient and highly dependent on environmental entities, such as xenobiotics, antibiotics, and diet patterns. Any abrupt alterations in these exogenous entities cause gut dysbiosis, resulting in different abnormalities and disorders. The flavonoids alter the proportion of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the gut, and those bacteria play a decisive role in the host physiology. This review draws attention to how flavonoids ameliorate gut dysbiosis and inflammation. Additionally, the biomarkers and cell signaling before and after the onset of gut dysbiosis have been discussed. Ultimately, we emphasize how flavonoid-mediated gut microbiome ameliorates intestinal-related metabolic conditions such as obesity, Crohn's disease (CD), and intestinal ulcerative colitis (IUC). In the future, further studies on the clinical level and model-based studies will warrant the use of flavonoids as better therapeutics and understanding of host health correlated with the microbiome.

Purple red rice bran, a nutrient-rich byproduct of rice processing, contains abundant anthocyanins that distinguish it from ordinary bran and may offer metabolic benefits, while previous in vitro work has revealed that anthocyanins can form V-shaped inclusion complexes with rice starch (S-A), thereby enhancing resistant starch content and stimulating the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. However, the in vivo effects remain unclear. Therefore, using a high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced T2DM mouse model to assess the metabolic impact of S-A, the results showed that dietary supplementation with S-A regulated glucose-lipid homeostasis, significantly reducing serum total cholesterol (5.98 ± 1.02→3.21 ± 1.07 mmol/L) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.25 ± 0.67→1.15 ± 0.74 mmol/L), with histopathological analysis revealing alleviated hepatic steatosis, renal fibrosis, and adipocyte hypertrophy; moreover, S-A reshaped the gut microbiota by enriching beneficial taxa, suppressing pathogens, and elevating short-chain fatty acids, while predictive functional analysis indicated restoration of microbial pathways involved in energy and amino acid metabolism. Overall, S-A exerts multifaceted regulation of lipid-glucose metabolism and gut microbiota, mitigating metabolic dysfunction in diabetic mice, and these findings underscore its potential as a novel functional dietary intervention while promoting the value-added utilization of purple red rice bran in managing metabolic disorders.