Receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3): a new biomarker for necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the role of receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) in the diagnosis, estimation of disease severity, and prognosis of premature infants with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS: RIPK3, lactic acid (LA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in the peripheral blood of 108 premature infants between 2019 and 2023, including 24 with stage II NEC, 18 with stage III NEC and 66 controls. Diagnostic values of the indicators for NEC were evaluated via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: Plasma RIPK3 and LA levels upon NEC suspicion in neonates with stage III NEC were 32.37 ± 16.20 ng/mL. The ROC curve for the combination of RIPK3, LA, CRP for NEC diagnosis were 0.925. The time to full enteral feeding (FEFt) after recovery from NEC was different between two expression groups of plasma RIPK3 (RIPK3 < 20.06 ng/mL and RIPK3 ≥ 20.06 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: Plasma RIPK3 can be used as a promising marker for the diagnosis and estimation of disease severity of premature infants with NEC and for the guidance on proper feeding strategies after recovery from NEC.

The endogenous antioxidant ability of royal jelly in Drosophila is independent of Keap1/Nrf2 by activating oxidoreductase activity.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a biologically active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees. It is widely claimed that RJ reduces oxidative stress. However, the antioxidant activity of RJ has mostly been determined by in vitro chemical detection methods or by external administration drugs that cause oxidative stress. Whether RJ can clear the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells remains largely unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the antioxidant properties of RJ using several endogenous oxidative stress models of Drosophila. We found that RJ enhanced sleep quality of aging Drosophila, which is decreased due to an increase of oxidative damage with age. RJ supplementation improved survival and suppressed ROS levels in gut cells of flies upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide or to the neurotoxic agent paraquat. Moreover, RJ supplementation moderated levels of ROS in endogenous gut cells and extended lifespan after exposure of flies to heat stress. Sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of ROS in the gut cells, and RJ attenuated the consequences of oxidative stress caused by sleep loss and prolonged lifespan. Mechanistically, RJ prevented cell oxidative damage caused by heat stress or sleep deprivation, with the antioxidant activity in vivo independent of Keap1/Nrf2 signaling. RJ supplementation activated oxidoreductase activity in the guts of flies, suggesting its ability to inhibit endogenous oxidative stress and maintain health, possibly in humans.

Lipidomics characterized TAG biosynthesis of developing kernels in three walnut cultivars in Xinjiang region.

Walnut oil with very high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids exhibits many health beneficial effects. We hypothesized that the oil composition is led by a special pattern/mechanism for triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis as well as accumulation in walnut kernel during embryo development. To test this hypothesis, shotgun lipidomics was performed for class-targeted lipid analysis (including TAG, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and lysophosphatidylcholine species) in walnut kernels from three cultivar collected at three critical stages of embryo development. The results indicated that TAG synthesis in the kernel happened before 84 days after flowering (DAF) and was significantly enhanced between 84 and 98 DAF. Moreover, TAG profile was changing along with DAFs due to the increased composition of 18:1 FA in TAG pool. Moreover, lipidomics also demonstrated that the enhanced acyl editing was responsible for the flux of FA through phosphatidylcholine for eventual TAG synthesis. Therefore, TAG biosynthesis in walnut kernel was characterized directly from lipid metabolism.

Antioxidative, cytoprotective and whitening activities of fragrant pear fruits at different growth stages.

Pear is one of the most popular fruits in the world. With the fruit ripening, a series of physiological changes have taken place in fragrant pear, but up to now, the research on the metabolism and biological activity of phenolic compounds in different growth stages of fragrant pear is still lacking. In this study, four kinds of Xinjiang pears were selected as research objects, and the changes of phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, cell protection and whitening activity during fruit development were analyzed. The results showed that the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of four pear varieties presented a decreasing trend throughout the developmental stages. The phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the four pears in the young fruit stage were the highest, and the active ingredients of the Nanguo pear were higher than the other three pear fruits. Pear extract could protect cells by eliminating excessive ROS in cells, especially in young fruit stage. The western blot results showed that the extract of fragrant pear in the young fruit stage could inhibit the expression of TYR, TYR1 and MITF in B16 cells, and it was speculated that the extract of fragrant pear in the young fruit stage might have good whitening activity. Therefore, the findings suggest that young pear display a good antioxidant potential and could have a good application prospect in food preservation and health product industry.

Anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant effects of curcumin supplementation in exhaustive swimming mice via Nrf2/Keap1 signal pathway.

Demands for dietary supplements with anti-fatigue effects are growing fast due to increasing societal demands. Moreover, in highly physically active individuals, there are also significant needs for supplements to improve exercise performance. The present study evaluated the potential anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant effects of curcumin in mice using exhaustive swimming test. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into six groups: blank control (Rest), swimming control (Con), Vitamin C (Vc), low-dose curcumin (C50), middle-dose curcumin (C100), and high-dose curcumin (C200). After a 4-week intervention, the mice in all groups except the Rest group were subject to an exhaustive swimming test. Then, mice were sacrificed to examine serum biochemical markers and fatigue-related enzymes. Moreover, the gene and protein expressions of signal transduction factors involved in the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway were measured. The results indicated that curcumin significantly enhanced the exercise tolerance of mice in the exhaustive swimming test. Particularly, the swimming time of mice in the C100 group was increased by 273.5% when compared to that of mice in the Con group. The levels of blood urea nitrogen, blood ammonia, lactic acid, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in the C100 group were decreased by 13.3%, 21.0%, 18.6%, 16.7% and 21.9%, respectively, when compared to those of mice in the Con group. Curcumin alleviated exercise-induced oxidative stress and significantly enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase by activating the Nrf2 signaling. These findings indicated that curcumin supplementation exerted remarkable anti-oxidant and anti-fatigue effects in mice, providing additional evidence supporting the use of curcumin as functional food, especially by those engaged in sports-related activities.

Interaction of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with host CD36 genetic variant for gut microbiome and blood lipids in human cohorts.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Previous studies suggest an interaction of CD36 genetic variant rs1527483 with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to modulate blood lipids. However, successful replication is lacking and the role of gut microbiome remains unclear. Here, we aimed to replicate these gene-diet interactions on blood lipids and investigate their possible associations with gut microbiome. METHODS: We evaluated the n-3 PUFA-rs1527483 interaction on blood lipids in two population-based cohorts (n = 4,786). We profiled fecal microbiome and short-chain fatty acids among 1,368 participants. The associations between n-3 PUFAs and bacterial alpha-diversity, taxonomies and short-chain fatty acids by rs1527483 genotypes were analyzed using regression models. RESULTS: CD36 rs1527483-GG carriers responded better to high n-3 PUFA exposure; higher blood HDL-C (beta (95% CI): 0.05 (0.01, 0.08) mmol/L) and lower TG (log-transformed, beta (95% CI): -0.08 (-0.14, -0.02)) were observed among participants whose n-3 PUFA exposure ranked in the top quartile comparing with those in the bottom quartile. We identified docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as the driven individual n-3 PUFA biomarker, which showed interaction with rs1527483. Among the rs1527483-GG carriers, but not other genotype groups, DHA exposure was positively associated with bacterial Faith's phylogenetic diversity, Observed OTUs, Shannon's diversity index, Dorea, Coriobacteriales Incertae Sedis spp, and fecal propionic acid levels. Another independent longitudinal cohort validated the DHA-rs1527483 interaction on gut microbiome. The identified microbial features were correlated with blood lipids, and the host biosynthesis and metabolism pathways of bile acids and aromatic amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found that higher n-3 PUFAs were associated with improved blood lipids and gut microbial features only among rs1527483-GG carriers. These findings highlight a potential role of gut microbiome to link the CD36 genetic variant, n-3 PUFAs and blood lipids, revealing a new research direction to interpret the gene-diet interaction for cardiometabolic health.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of candidate genes involved in chlorogenic acid biosynthesis during fruit development in three pear varieties of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Pear is one of the main fruits with thousands of years of cultivation history in China. There are more than 2000 varieties of pear cultivars around the world, including more than 1200 varieties or cultivars in China (Legrand et al., 2016). Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is an important pear production region in China with 30 of varieties or cultivars. Pyrus sinkiangensis is the most popular variety, which is mainly distributed in Xinjiang (Zhou et al., 2018). Chlorogenic acid (CGA), p-coumaric acid, and arbutin are the main polyphenols in pear fruit, and their levels show great differences among different varieties (Li et al., 2014). CGA is a potential chemo-preventive agent, which possesses many important bioactivities including antioxidant, diabetes attenuating, and anti-obesity (Wang et al., 2021). Therefore, the specific CGA content of a variety is considered the embodiment of the functional nutritional value of pears.

Effects of n-6 PUFA-rich soybean oil, MUFA-rich olive oil and camellia seed oil on weight and cardiometabolic profiles among Chinese women: a 3-month double-blind randomized controlled-feeding trial.

Previous studies have suggested that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat is beneficial for cardiometabolic health. However, research that directly compares the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) is rare. The present 3-month, three-arm, randomized, controlled-feeding trial aimed to investigate the effects of n-6 PUFA- and MUFA-rich cooking oils on body weight and cardiometabolic profiles among middle-aged and elderly Chinese women at high cardiovascular risk. Ninety participants were recruited and randomly assigned to groups fed diets using n-6 PUFA-rich soybean oil (SO, n = 30), MUFA-rich olive oil (OO, n = 30), and MUFA-rich camellia seed oil (CSO, n = 30) as cooking oils considering traditional Chinese eating habits for 3 months. Participants were required to eat only the foods provided for lunch and dinner, and avoid intake of edible oils in breakfast. Body weight and cardiovascular profiles were measured at the baseline, middle, and end of the intervention, and group differences in changes of outcomes during intervention were examined by a linear mixed model. We found no significant difference in the changes of body weight among the SO group (mean change, 0.31 kg; 95% CI, -0.88 to 0.27), the OO group (mean change, -0.13 kg; 95% CI, -0.62 to 0.36), and the CSO group (mean change, -0.72 kg; 95% CI, -1.38 to -0.07). For secondary outcomes, the OO group showed a slight increase in HDL cholesterol (P = 0.03), while the CSO group showed greater reduction in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P = 0.02) when compared with the SO group. These results suggested that MUFA-rich OO and CSO exerted more favorable effects on cardiometabolic profiles among middle-aged and elderly Chinese women at high cardiovascular risk than the n-6 PUFA-rich SO.

Synthetic biology: a new frontier in food production.

Concerns regarding food security arise from population growth, global warming, and reduction in arable land. With advances in synthetic biology, food production by microbes is considered to be a promising alternative that would allow rapid food production in an environmentally friendly manner. Moreover, synthetic biology can be adopted to the production of healthier or specifically designed food ingredients (e.g., high-value proteins, lipids, and vitamins) and broaden the utilization of feedstocks (e.g., methanol and CO2), thereby offering potential solutions to high-quality food and the greenhouse effect. We first present how synthetic biology can facilitate the microbial production of various food components, and then discuss feedstock availability enabled by synthetic biology. Finally, we illustrate trends and key challenges in synthetic biology-driven food production.

Long Noncoding RNA LIT3527 Knockdown induces Apoptosis and Autophagy through inhibiting mTOR pathway in Gastric Cancer Cells.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers and the leading causes of cancer mortality. However, the molecular mechanisms of gastric cancer malignancy remain unclear. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been well documented in controlling cancer progression. Identification of critical lncRNAs in gastric cancer will provide new sights into the regulation mechanism of gastric cancer. Here, we screened differentially expressed lncRNAs in gastric cancer tissues and matched adjacent tissues and found that lncRNA LIT3527, a 486-nucleotide (nt) sense transcript, was frequently upregulated in gastric cancer tissues. Knockdown of LIT3527 dramatically suppressed proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells through inducing severe cell death but not affecting cell cycle. Mechanistically, we uncovered that depletion of LIT35227 induced significant cell apoptosis and autophagy through inhibiting AKT/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway. Targeting LIT3527 showed a robust inhibition of lung metastasis of gastric cancer cells. Taken together, these results suggest that LIT3527 is essential for gastric cancer cell survival through maintaining mTOR activity, suggesting that it may be clinically valuable as a therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Dietary camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel) seed oil in traditional Chinese cooking for high-risk cardiovascular disease: A three-arm double-blind randomized controlled feeding trial protocol.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As the Chinese economy has developed, dietary patterns have modernized, thereby increasing the incidence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many observational studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet based on olive oil is associated with a decreased incidence of CVD. This article aims to study the possible effects of dietary models by using three edible oils: olive oil, camellia seed oil (CSO), and soybean oil. CSO has a fatty acid composition similar to that olive oil and is unique in China, and soybean oil is a dietary oil used in traditional Chinese cooking. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This intervention is designed based on a three-arm double-blind randomized controlled feeding trial. Three dietary models are established according to traditional Chinese cooking methods, each using one of the three plant edible oils mentioned above as a leading factor. Participants will be randomly assigned to each group and provided with a designated diet for 3 months. RESULTS: The study population is planned to be women with a high risk of CVD and aged between 35 and 69 years. Weight and other CVD-related factors are treated as primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This trial may inform dietary nutrition policies to a certain extent, especially concerning traditional Chinese cooking methods, for weight control and the improvement of cardiovascular-related risk factors in women with a high risk of CVD.

New observations on the effect of camellia oil on fatty liver disease in rats.

Camellia oil has become an important plant oil in China in recent years, but its effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have not been documented. In this study, the effects of camellia oil, soybean oil, and olive oil on NAFLD were evaluated by analyzing the fatty acid profiles of the plant oils, the serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats fed different oils, and by cytological and ultrastructural observation of the rats' hepatocytes. Analysis of fatty acid profiles showed that the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) n-6/n-3 ratio was 33.33 in camellia oil, 12.50 in olive oil, and 7.69 in soybean oil. Analyses of serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats showed that the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a camellia oil-fed group (COFG) were lower than those in an olive oil-fed group (OOFG) and higher than those in a soybean oil-fed group (SOFG). However, only the difference in total cholesterol between the COFG and SOFG was statistically significant. Cytological observation showed that the degree of lipid droplet (LD) accumulation in the hepatocytes in the COFG was lower than that in the OOFG, but higher than that in the SOFG. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that the size and number of the LDs in the hepatocytes of rats fed each of the three types of oil were related to the degree of damage to organelles, including the positions of nuclei and the integrity of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The results revealed that the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD in rats was greater than that of soybean oil, but less than that of olive oil. Although the overall trend was that among the three oil diets, those with a lower n-6/n-3 ratio were associated with a lower risk of NAFLD, and the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD was not entirely related to the n-6/n-3 ratio and may have involved other factors. This provides new insights into the effect of oil diets on NAFLD.

Curcumin supplementation improves heat-stress-induced cardiac injury of mice: physiological and molecular mechanisms.

Heat stress (HS) causes serious physiological dysfunction associated with cardiovascular diseases. Curcumin (CUR) may increase animal survival and lifespan under HS. However, its effects and mechanism on mammal are underexplored. The goal of this study was to examine the protective effect of CUR on the cardiac health of mice exposed to HS. Mice were divided into six groups (n=8 per group): no-heat treatment (NHT), heat treatment (HT), aspirin, CUR 50 mg/kg/day, CUR 100 mg/kg/day and CUR 200 mg/kg/day. After administration for 4 weeks, except for NHT, other groups were exposed once to HS at 41°C for 20 min. After HS treatment, the physiological-related indexes of blood pressure, rectal temperature and heart rate were measured. Serum biochemical indexes and the levels of cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) in serum and angiotensin II (Ang II) in cardiomyocytes were analyzed. Furthermore, the mRNA and proteins levels of angiotensin receptor 1 (AT1), 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) were measured. Our results indicated that CUR supplementation could alleviate HS-induced physiological disorders and the increasing of cTn-I and Ang II. The expression of AT1 gene in HT group was significantly higher than that of CUR groups, indicating the cardioprotective effects of CUR. Moreover, the levels of GRP78 and CHOP proteins in the HT group were significantly higher than those of CUR groups, indicating that CUR supplementation reversed the endoplasmic reticulum HS-mediated apoptosis. In summary, CUR supplementation alleviates physiological stress and cardiac damage caused by HS.

[Differential screening and functional prediction analysis of miRNA expression profiles in periodontitis].

PURPOSE: To detect the gene expression of miRNAs in patients with periodontitis and to explore their biological functions and involved signaling pathways. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis of gene chip data from 158 periodontitis patients and 40 healthy controls of the microarray database GSE54710 were performed. The expression changes of miRNAs were analyzed. The involved biological function and signal path was predicted. SPSS 19.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Five miRNAs (hsa-miR-451, hsa-miR-223, hsa-miR-486-5p, hsa-miR-3917, hsa-miR-671-5p) were significantly up-regulated, and 4 miRNAs (hsa-miR-203, hsa-miR-210, hsa-miR-1246, hsa-miR-1260) were significantly down-regulated. Among them, there were 584 target genes of hsa-miR-1260 and 139 target genes of hsa-miR-451. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that hsa-miR-1260 target gene was significantly enriched into 12 signaling pathways such as TGF-beta, and hsa-miR-451 target gene was significantly enriched into 17 signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: miRNAs expression profiles were obtained in periodontitis tissues, periodontitis-induced hsa-miR-1260 and hsa-miR-451 may play a key role in the pathophysiology of periodontitis.

Freeze-Dried Royal Jelly Proteins Enhanced the Testicular Development and Spermatogenesis in Pubescent Male Mice.

Spermatogenesis and hormones secretions are crucial endocrine and physiological process for maintaining the life. Royal Jelly (RJ) bioactive components are Major Royal Jelly Proteins (MRJPs), owing exceptional biological properties. However, the effects of RJ on pup's testicular development during neonatal and pubertal period exposure hasn't been adequately studied. The aim of the study was to detect neonatal sexual hormones concentration and histopathological changes on testicular development of the male progeny after oral exposure to freeze-dried RJ for 35 consecutive days. After mice give birth, male pups were collected together, separated by sex, and randomly standardized to seven (7) male pups per dam. Male pups were assigned to control diet (CON group), low dose RJ (L-RJ group) diet (control diet + 125 mg/kg/day RJ), moderate dose RJ (M-RJ group) diet (control diet + 250 mg/kg/day RJ) and high dose of RJ (H-RJ group) diet (control diet + 500 mg/kg/day RJ). After weaning, male pups were continuously fed with freeze-dried RJ until the age of PNDs 35. The results revealed that, oral M-RJ (250 mg/kg/day) administration significantly (p < 0.05) increased the testis weight, the diameter of seminiferous tubule and the height of seminiferous epithelium of offspring mice at PNDs 14. However, high-dose RJ (500 mg/kg/day) decreased the diameter of seminiferous tubule but increased the height of seminiferous epithelium of male offspring (p < 0.05) at the same time point. Furthermore, oral M-RJ treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased the testis weight and spermatogenesis at PNDs 21. Whereas, oral H-RJ treatment significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the diameter of seminiferous tubule and the height of seminiferous epithelium at PNDs 21. At PNDs 35, oral M-RJ treatment increased the testis weight, the diameter of seminiferous tubule and the level of FSH. While, high-dose of RJ reduced testis weight and size (diameter of seminiferous tubule and height of seminiferous epithelium), ratio of apoptotic germ cells and incomplete spermatogenesis collectively. In addition, sexual hormone secretions (FSH, LH, E2) were decreased after RJs treatment (L-RJ, M-RJ, H-RJ) at PNDs 21 respectively. In conclusion, the results concluded that oral administration of low and moderate doses of RJ could enhance the development of testis at neonate period until pubescent, whereas unfavorable adverse effects induced by high dose of RJ might remain.

Efficacy of electroacupuncture for the treatment of constipation in Parkinson's disease: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Constipation is one of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Acupuncture can have a positive on chronic functional constipation and PD, but its efficacy for the treatment of constipation in PD has not yet been confirmed by high-quality clinical trials. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of constipation in PD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial. A total of 124 qualified patients with PD and constipation will be randomly divided into the intervention group (62 participants will receive 12 weeks of EA +usual care) or the waitlist control group (62 participants will receive 12 weeks of usual care). EA will be performed three times per week from weeks 1-8, two times per week during weeks 9 and 10, and once a week during weeks 11 and 12. The primary outcome is the change in mean weekly spontaneous bowel movements from baseline to weeks 8 and 9. The secondary outcomes are the changes from baseline in mean weekly bowel movements, mean weekly stool consistency, and mean weekly straining. Other secondary outcomes include the weekly doses of defecation drugs, Visual Analogue Scale for subjective improvements in stool symptoms, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, and the time and number of steps required to walk 20 m. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, week 4, 8, 12 (intervention period); as well as at week 16, 24 (follow-up period). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from four local ethics committees. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and will be disseminated through national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR1900021053.

Quantum Dots-Based Immunochromatographic Strip for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Acetamiprid in Agricultural Products.

In this study, a rapid and sensitive immunochromatographic strip (ICS) assay, based on quantum dots (QDs), was developed for the qualitative and quantitative detection of acetamiprid in agricultural samples. Acetamiprid-ovalbumin conjugates (ACE-OVA) and goat anti-mouse IgG were sprayed onto a nitrocellulose membrane as a test and control line. Two kinds of anti-acetamiprid monoclonal antibodies (mAb) obtained in our lab were characterized by the ELISA and surface plasmon resonance assay. The competitive immunoassay was established using a QDs-mAb conjugate probe. The visual detection limit of acetamiprid for a qualitative threshold was set as 1 ng/mL to the naked eye. In the quantitative test, the fluorescence intensity was measured by a portable strip reader and a standard curve was obtained with a linear range from 0.098 to 25 ng/mL, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration of 1.12 ng/mL. The developed method showed no evident cross-reactivities with other neonicotinoid insecticides except for thiacloprid (36.68%). The accuracy and precision of the developed QDs-ICS were further evaluated. Results showed that the average recoveries ranged from 78.38 to 126.97% in agricultural samples. Moreover, to test blind tea samples, the QDs-ICS showed comparable reliability and a high correlation with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The whole sample detection could be accomplished within 1 h. In brief, our data clearly manifested that QDs-ICS was quite qualified for the rapid and sensitive screening of acetamiprid residues in an agricultural product analysis and paves the way to point-of-care testing for other analytes.

Novel polyclonal antibody-based rapid gold sandwich immunochromatographic strip for detecting the major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) in honey.

Honey adulteration is becoming increasingly alarming incidents in food safety. Monitoring and detecting adulteration face greater challenges. Honey contains the major royal jelly proteins (MRJP) secreted by bee workers. To detect honey adulteration fast and accurately, a rapid gold sandwich immunochromatographic strip (GSIS) was developed based on two specific polyclonal antibodies (PoAbs) against the MRJP1, the most abundant protein of all MRJPs. We determined the best of pH value (pH 8.6) and PoAb SP-1 amount (5 µg/mL) in conjunction with colloidal. The cut-off value (sensitivity) of GSIS in detecting MRJP1 is 2.0 µg/mL in solution. Validation analysis with RJ, milk vetch honey, acacia honey and honey adulteration containing rice syrup and corn syrup with different ratios demonstrated that the GSIS could show consistent Test line (T line) when the test samples contain more than 30% pure honey or MRJP1 0.4 mg/g. The validation results by isotope ratio mass spectrometry on the same pure and all adulteration milk vetch honey samples showed the same information of GSIS test. The qualitative assay GSIS provided a valuable new way for honey authenticity and laid the foundation for the future application of GSIS with monoclonal antibodies in honey authentication.

Antibacterial activity and its mechanisms of a recombinant Funme peptide against Cronobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula.

Cronobacter sakazakii (Cs) is a typical foodborne bacterium that infect powdered infant formula (PIF) worldwide. In this study, a recombinant antimicrobial peptide, branded as Funme peptide (FP)was applied to protect PIF from Cs contamination. The result from the antimicrobial activity assay showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BMAP-27 peptide, FP and Ampicillin against Cs were 250.0, 125.0 and 15.6 µg/mL, respectively, indicating FP possessed higher MIC than that of Ampicillin, and lower MIC than that of BMAP-27. The minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assay showed that FP at 2 × MIC (250.0 µg/mL) could completely eradicated Cs biofilms. The antibacterial activity of FP might be due to the increasing permeability and the release of cytoplasmic ß-galactosidase of Cs. The results acquired from transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy indicated that FP induced the disruption and dysfunction of cell walls and membranes. Moreover, safety assay showed that FP had low cytotoxicity to human erythrocytes. The present study investigated the antibacterial effects and mechanisms of FP against Cs, providing promising evidence to apply this novel antimicrobial agent against Cs contamination in foods and food processing facilities.

Anti-senescence effect and molecular mechanism of the major royal jelly proteins on human embryonic lung fibroblast (HFL-I) cell line.

Royal jelly (RJ) from honeybee has been widely used as a health promotion supplement. The major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) have been identified as the functional component of RJ. However, the question of whether MRJPs have anti-senescence activity for human cells remains. Human embryonic lung fibroblast (HFL-I) cells were cultured in media containing no MRJPs (A), MRJPs at 0.1 mg/ml (B), 0.2 mg/ml (C), or 0.3 mg/ml (D), or bovine serum albumin (BSA) at 0.2 mg/ml (E). The mean population doubling levels of cells in media B, C, D, and E were increased by 12.4%, 31.2%, 24.0%, and 10.4%, respectively, compared with that in medium A. The cells in medium C also exhibited the highest relative proliferation activity, the lowest senescence, and the longest telomeres. Moreover, MRJPs up-regulated the expression of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) and down-regulated the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), catenin beta like-1 (CTNNB1), and tumor protein p53 (TP53). Raman spectra analysis showed that there were two unique bands related to DNA synthesis materials, amide carbonyl group vibrations and aromatic hydrogens. These results suggest that MRJPs possess anti-senescence activity for the HFL-I cell line, and provide new knowledge illustrating the molecular mechanism of MRJPs as anti-senescence factors.