內(nèi)容: Mental disorders seriously affect people’s health and social stability. This Mendelian randomization (MR) study was designed to investigate the causal relationship between circulating vitamin C (VC) or 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and mental disorders. The data used for the MR analysis were derived from the summary genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database for VC and 25(OH)D and from the FinnGen consortium for fourteen mental disorders. Based on the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, we found a potential causal association between circulating VC and anxiety disorders (IVW:OR = 1.139, 95% CI: 1.023-1.269, P = 0.018). However, no causal association was found between VC or 25(OH)D and other mental disorders (P > 0.05). In the reverse MR analysis, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease was causally associated with higher concentrations of circulating VC (P = 0.012), while individuals with anxiety disorders had a negative association between the concentrations of 25(OH)D (P = 0.012). However, the current evidence does not support a causal relationship between VC or 25(OH)D and other mental disorders. In addition, there was no causal association between circulating VC and 25(OH)D (P > 0.05). Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and to elucidate the mechanisms of potential causality.

內(nèi)容: Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a vital risk factor for chronic kidney diseases (CKD) and development of functional foods capable of protecting CKD is of importance. This paper aimed to explore the amelioration effects and mechanism of Andrias davidianus bone peptides (ADBP) on HUA-induced kidney damage. In the present study, we generated the standard ADBP which contained high hydrophobic amino acid and low molecular peptide contents. In vitro results found that ADBP protected uric acid (UA)-induced HK-2 cells from damage by modulating urate transporters and antioxidant defense. In vivo results indicated that ADBP effectively ameliorated renal injury in HUA-induced CKD mice, evidenced by a remarkable decrease in serum UA, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, improving kidney UA excretion, antioxidant defense and histological kidney deterioration. Metabolomic analysis highlighted 14 metabolites that could be selected as potential biomarkers and attributed to the amelioration effects of ADBP on CKD mice kidney dysfunction. Intriguingly, ADBP restored the gut microbiome homeostasis in CKD mice, especially with respect to the elevated helpful microbial abundance, and the decreased harmful bacterial abundance. This study demonstrated that ADBP displayed great nephroprotective effects, and has great promise as a food or functional food ingredient for the prevention and treatment of HUA-induced CKD.

內(nèi)容: Fructose and glucose are often widely used in food processing and may contribute to many metabolic diseases. To observe the effects of different doses of glucose and fructose on human metabolism and cellular communication, volunteers were given low, medium, and high doses of glucose and fructose. Serum cytokines, glucose, lactate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and metabolic enzymes were assayed, and central carbon metabolic pathway networks and cytokine communication networks were constructed. The results showed that the glucose and fructose groups basically maintained the trend of decreasing catabolism and increasing anabolism with increasing dose. Compared with glucose, low-dose fructose decreased catabolism and increased anabolism, significantly enhanced the expression of the inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), induced protein-10 (IP-10), and eotaxin, and significantly reduced the activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) and pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes (PDHC). Both medium and high doses of fructose increase catabolism and anabolism, and there are more cytokines and enzymes with significant changes. Furthermore, multiple cytokines and enzymes show strong relevance to metabolic regulation by altering the transcription and expression of enzymes in central carbon metabolic pathways. Therefore, excessive intake of fructose should be reduced to avoid excessive inflammatory responses, allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases.

內(nèi)容: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are a group of heterogeneous compounds formed in heat-processed foods and are proven to be detrimental to human health. Currently, there is no comprehensive database for AGEs in foods that covers the entire range of food categories, which limits the accurate risk assessment of dietary AGEs in human diseases. In this study, we first established an isotope dilution UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS-based method for simultaneous quantification of 10 major AGEs in foods. The contents of these AGEs were detected in 334 foods covering all main groups consumed in Western and Chinese populations. Nε-Carboxymethyllysine, methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone isomers, and glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 are predominant AGEs found in most foodstuffs. Total amounts of AGEs were high in processed nuts, bakery products, and certain types of cereals and meats (> 150 mg/kg), while low in dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and beverages (< 40 mg/kg). Assessment of estimated daily intake implied that the contribution of food groups to daily AGE intake varied a lot under different eating patterns, and selection of high-AGE foods leads to up to a 2.7-fold higher intake of AGEs through daily meals. The presented AGE database allows accurate assessment of dietary exposure to these glycotoxins to explore their physiological impacts on human health.

內(nèi)容: Three novel acidic polysaccharide fractions (OFPP-1, OFPP-2, OFPP-3) with different molecular weights (803.7, 555.1 and 414.5 kDa) were isolated from the peeled Opuntia dillenii Haw. fruits by alkali-extraction, graded alcohol precipitation and column chromatography. Structural analysis indicated that OFPPs were pectic polysaccharides consisting of rhamnose, arabinose and galactose residues. The backbone of OFPP-1 consisted of a repeating unit →6-α-D-GalpA-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→ with T-α-D-GalpA-(1→6)-α-D-GalpA-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, T-β-D-Xylp-(1→6)-α-D-GalpA-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ or T-α-D-GalpA-(1→3)-α-L-Araf-(1→ as the side chains. The backbone of OFPP-2 consisted of a disaccharide repeating unit →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-D-GalpA-(1→ with T-β-L-Araf-(1→ as the branches substituted at the O-4 position of →2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→. Whereas the backbone of OFPP-3 was →2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-β-L-Araf-(1→ or →2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-D-GalpA-(1→, which was branched at the O-4 position of →2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→. Moreover, these three polysaccharide fractions could protect Huh-7 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress to different extents by decreasing the MDA content and increasing the SOD, CAT, GSH-Px activities and the GSH level in the Huh-7 cells. These results suggest that OFPPs have the potential to be used as natural antioxidants.

內(nèi)容: Simple but effective methods are required to incorporate multiple bioactive polyphenols into delivery systems to increase their dispersibility, stability and bioavailability. We developed and tested three pH-driven protocols for creating nanoemulsions loaded with multiple lipophilic polyphenols. These protocols differed in how the different polyphenols were incorporated into the nanoemulsions. The impact of these three methods on the formation, properties, and gastrointestinal fate of nanoemulsions loaded with curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin was investigated. The three methods produced nanoemulsions with similar initial particle properties: droplet diameters (0.15, 0.16, and 0.15 μm) and zeta-potentials (–59, –58, and –58 mV), respectively. However, the average encapsulation efficiencies (82%, 88%, and 61%), gastrointestinal stabilities (83%, 97%, and 29%) and bioaccessibilities (77%, 90%, and 73%) for curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin were somewhat different. In particular, more quercetin degradation occurred using the approach that held it under alkaline conditions for extended periods. In general, the pH-driven method provides researchers with a versatile approach of incorporating multiple polyphenols with different characteristics into functional food and beverages using a simple and inexpensive method.

內(nèi)容: Gut microbiome is indispensable for maintaining normal brain function. Specifically, gut microbiota plays a causal role in sleep deprivation (SD)-induced cognitive impairment. In this study, neurobehavioral effects of the Bifidobacterium breve strain (CCFM1025) were assessed in sleep-deprived mice. CCFM1025 improved the body weight and food and water intake of the mice. It also alleviated SD-induced cognitive behavioural abnormalities (in the novel object recognition test), but did not show beneficial effects on mood- and spatial memory-related behaviours. CCFM1025 significantly altered the gut microbial composition and genome function. Key microbial metabolites that may regulate sleep function were also identified, such as isovaleric acid and γ-aminobutyric acid in the gut and purine metabolites in the serum. Those metabolites may participate in gut-brain communication by acting on the striatal melatonin system, for example to increase melatonin levels, and by regulating the expression of circadian clock genes such as those encoding the adenosine A2A receptor and period circadian regulator 1. Collectively, administration of probiotics alleviated cognitive impairment and circadian rhythm disturbance induced by SD via modulation of gut microbiome and its metabolites. These findings may help guide the treatment of insomnia or other sleep disorders via dietary strategies.

內(nèi)容: Ovalbumin (OVA) is the major allergenic protein that can induce T helper 2 (Th2)-allergic reactions, for which current treatment options are inadequate. In this study, we developed a polymerized hypoallergenic OVA product via laccase/caffeic acid (Lac/CA)-catalyzed crosslinking in conjunction with galactomannan (Man). The formation of high molecular weight crosslinked polymers and the IgG-binding were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. The study indicated that Lac/CA-catalyzed crosslinking plus Man conjugation substantially altered secondary and tertiary structures of OVA along with the variation in surface hydrophobicity. Gastrointestinal digestion stability assay indicated that crosslinked OVA exhibited less resistance in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Mouse model study indicated that Lac-Man/OVA ameliorated eosinophilic airway inflammatory response and efficiently downregulated the expression of Th2-related cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13), and upregulated IFN-γ and IL-10 expression. Stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with Lac-Man/OVA suppressed the expression of phenotypic maturation markers (CD80 and CD86) and MHC class II molecules, and suppressed the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. The knowledge obtained in the present study offers an effective way to acquire a hypoallergenic OVA product that can have a therapeutic effect in alleviating OVA-induced allergic asthma.

內(nèi)容: Novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides were identified from whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) in vitro in our previous study and the antihypertensive abilities of WPH in vivo were further investigated in the current study. Results indicated that WPH significantly inhibited the development of high blood pressure and tissue injuries caused by hypertension. WPH inhibited ACE activity (20.81%, P < 0.01), and reduced renin concentration (P < 0.05), thereby reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) (12.63%, P < 0.05) in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The increased Akkermansia, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus abundance promoted high short chain fatty acid content in feces after WPH intervention. These changes jointly contributed to low blood pressure. The heart weight and cardiomyocyte injuries (hypertrophy and degeneration) were alleviated by WPH. The proteomic results revealed that 19 protein expressions in the heart mainly associated with the wingless/integrated (Wnt) signaling pathway and Apelin signaling pathway were altered after WPH supplementation. Notably, WPH alleviated serum oxidative stress, indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde content (P < 0.01), enhanced total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.01) and superoxide dismutase activity (P < 0.01). The current study suggests that WPH exhibit promising antihypertensive abilities in vivo and could be a potential alternative for antihypertensive dietary supplements.

內(nèi)容: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a chronic disease associated with the disturbance of gut microbiota homeostasis. Metabolites derived from gut microbes play essential roles in MetS prevention and therapy. Here, we focused on the inhibitory effect of the extract of millet bran protein (EMBP) on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MetS, aiming to identify gut microbiota and their metabolites that involve in the anti-MetS activity of EMBP. The obesity, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance in MetS mouse models were abolished after EMBP treatment. The protective mechanism of EMBP against HFD-induced MetS may depend on improved gut barrier function. Using microbiome analysis, we found that EMBP supplementation improved gut microbiome dysbiosis in MetS mice, specifically upregulating Bacteroides acidifaciens. The fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) also demonstrated this phenomenon. In addition, metabolomic analysis showed that EMBP mediates metabolic profiling reprogramming in MetS mice. Notably, a microbiota-derived metabolite, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is enriched by EMBP. In addition, exogenous GABA treatment produced a similar protective effect to EMBP by improving NRF2-dependent gut barrier function to protect HFD-induced MetS. The results suggest that EMBP suppress host MetS by remodeling of gut microbiota as an effective candidate for next-generation medicine food dual purpose dietary supplement to intervene in MetS.