Trans-palmitoleic acid does not modify the inflammasome expression in a rodent model of diet-induced obesity / El ácido trans-palmitoléico no modifica la expresión del inflamasoma en un modelo murino de obesidad inducida por dieta

Abstract Background: Metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) coincide with an increased expression of pro-inflammatory factors. The NLRP3 inflammasome is a complex that activates the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. (NOD-like receptor protein 3). Some nutrients, such as fatty acids, influence inflammatory processes. For example, in clinical studies, higher trans-palmitoyl acid (TP) concentrations coincide with lower adiposity and lower risk of developing T2D. This study aims to evaluate the effect of TP on NLRP3 expression in a rodent model of diet-induced obesity (DIO). Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed ad libitum with a control or a high-fat diet (HFD), added with or without TP (3 g/kg diet), for 11 weeks. IL-1β was quantified in serum, and NLRP3-related gene expression was explored in epididymal adipose tissue. Results: Despite increased weight gain in both high-fat groups, the high-fat TP group gained less weight than the high-fat group. In addition, NLRP3 and caspase-1 expression was higher in the HFD groups, but no differences were observed between the HFD and the HFD TP groups. Serum IL-1β levels were not different among groups. Conclusions: Diet supplementation with TP prevents weight gain and has a neutral influence over NLRP3 expression and IL-1β concentration in a DIO mice model.

Resumen Introducción: Las alteraciones metabólicas como la obesidad y diabetes tipo 2 (DT2) coinciden con la expresión aumentada de factores proinflamatorios. Un complejo que induce la activación de la citocina proinflamatoria IL-1β es el inflamasoma NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor protein 3). Algunos nutrimentos, como los ácidos grasos, influencian los procesos inflamatorios. Por ejemplo, en estudios clínicos, mayores concentraciones del ácido trans-palmitoléico (TP) coinciden con una menor adiposidad y un menor riesgo de desarrollar DT2. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto del TP sobre la expresión del inflamasoma NLRP3 en un modelo de obesidad inducida por dieta (OID) en roedores. Métodos: Se alimentaron ratones C57BL/6J ad libitum con una dieta control o alta en lípidos (AL), adicionada o no con TP (3 g/kg dieta), durante 11 semanas. Se cuantificó la concentración de IL-1β en elsuero de los animales, y en el tejido adiposo epididimal se midió la expresión de los componentes del inflamasoma. Resultados: A pesar del aumento de peso en ambos grupos de dieta con alto contenido en lípidos, el grupo alto en lípidos TP ganó menos peso que el grupo AL. Por otro lado, la expresión de genes del inflamasoma resultó mayor en los grupos AL, pero no se encontraron diferencias entre los grupos AL y AL TP. Además, no se observaron diferencias en la concentración de IL-1β en suero entre grupos. Conclusiones: La dieta suplementada con TP previno el aumento del peso corporal, pero no modificó la expresión de los componentes del inflamasoma ni la concentración de IL-1β en suero.

Effects of substrate on growth and lipid accumulation of Tribonema sp. FACHB-1786 / 生物工程学报

Filamentous microalga Tribonema sp. has the advantages of highly resistance to zooplankton-predation, easy harvesting, and high cellular lipid content, in particular large amounts of palmitoleic acid (PA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Therefore, Tribonema sp. is considered as a promising biomass feedstock to produce biodiesel and high-value products. In this work, we studied the effect of different concentrations of nitrogen (NaNO₃: 255-3 060 mg/L), phosphorus (K₂HPO₄: 4-240 mg/L), iron ((NH₄)₃FeC₁₂H₁₀O₁₄: 0.6-12 mg/L) and magnesium (MgSO₄: 7.5-450 mg/L) on the biomass, lipid content, and fatty acid composition of Tribonema sp. FACHB-1786, aiming at enhancing cell lipid productivity. The growth of Tribonema sp. had a positive correlation with the concentration of magnesium, and the maximum biomass of Tribonema sp. (under the condition of 450 mg/L MgSO₄) was 8.09 g/L, much greater than those reported in previous studies using the same and other Tribonema species under autotrophic conditions. Different nitrogen concentrations exerted no significant effect on algal growth (P > 0.05), but a higher nitrogen concentration resulted in a greater amount of lipid in the cells. The maximum volumetric productivities of total lipids (319. 6 mg/(L·d)), palmitoleic acid (135.7 mg/(L·d)), and eicosapentaenoic acid (24.2 mg/(L·d)) of Tribonema sp. were obtained when the concentrations of NaNO₃, K₂HPO₄, (NH₄)₃FeC₁₂H₁₀O₁₄, and MgSO₄ were 765 mg/L, 80 mg/L, 6 mg/L, and 75 mg/L, respectively. This study will provide a reference for substrate optimization for Tribonema sp. growth and lipid production.

Chemical constituents and bioactive activities of Eleutherine americana / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Eleutherine americana. Methods: The compounds were isolated by various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, TLC, sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC, and their structures were identified by their physicochemical properties and 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR data. Results: Fifteen compounds were isolated from E. americana, which were germacrenin B (1), phaffiaol (2), 4,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-l-methylonthra-9,10-quinone-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (3), 3-heptadecyl-5-methoxyphenol (4), ethyl linoleate (5), 3,5-dimethoxybiphenyl-4’-ol (6), karwinaphthol A (7), 5-hydroxylkarwinaphthol A (8), 3,4-dimethoxy-8-hydroxy-1-methyl-anthra-9,10-quinone-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (9), isoeleutherin (10), eleutherin (11), isoeleutherol (12), naphtho-γ-lactone (+)-9-hydroxyeleutherol (13), senkyunone (14), and palmitoleic acid (15). Conclusion: Compounds 2, 4-7, and 13-15 were isolated from the genus for the first time. The compounds 3, 8, and 13 had strong vasodilator effects with diastolic rate of 85.3%, 81.8%, and 89.5%, respectively, which were basically equivalent to the positive drug of tanshinone IIA (86.3%).

Evaluation of Toosendan Fructus-induced hepatotoxicity based on metabolic profile of fatty acids / 中草药

Objective: To evaluate the hepatotoxicity caused by water extract with alcohol precipitating of Toosendan Fructus (TF) and Toosendan Fructus + Corydalis Rhizoma (TF + CR) based on metabolic profiling of fatty acids in mice serum. Methods: A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was applied for simultaneous quantification of 15 fatty acids, including both non-esterified and esterified fatty acids, in the serum of control, TF-treated, and TF + CR-treated mice. Meanwhile, the change of fatty acid metabolic profile in liver injured mice was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Results: The result of PCA showed that the metabolic profile of serum fatty acids in TF-treated mice significantly deviated from the normal level, and CR with hepatoprotective effect could obviously reverse the deviation. More importantly, the result of PLS-DA illustrated that palmitoleic acid, vaccenic acid, and arachidonic acid had important contribution on the hepatotoxicity induced by TF. Therefore, the three fatty acids were identified as potential biomarkers. Conclusion: Hepatotoxicity caused by TF has a good correlation with the metabolic profiling of fatty acid. The project can provide foundation for further investigation on the evaluation and mechanism of TF-induced hepatotoxicity.