Maternal BMI and gestational diabetes alter placental lipid transporters and fatty acid composition.

PubMed

Segura, Maria Teresa; Demmelmair, Hans; Krauss-Etschmann, Susanne; Nathan, Petra; Dehmel, Stefan; Padilla, Maria Carmen; Rueda, Ricardo; Koletzko, Berthold; Campoy, Cristina

2017-09-01

Placental fatty acid (FA) uptake and metabolism depend on maternal supply which may be altered when women have a high pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) or develop gestational diabetes (GDM). Consequently, an impaired FA transport to the fetus may negatively affect fetal development. While placental adaptation of maternal-fetal glucose transfer in mild GDM has been described, knowledge on placental FA acid metabolism and possible adaptations in response to maternal obesity or GDM is lacking. We aimed to analyze the FA composition and the expression of key genes involved in FA uptake and metabolism in placentas from women with pre-pregnancy normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI<25 kg/m2), overweight (25 ≤ BMI<30 kg/m 2 ), obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ), and lean pregnant women with GDM. Placental FA content was determined by gas liquid chromatography. Placental mRNA expression of FA transport proteins (FATP1, FATP4, FATP6), FA binding proteins (FABP3, FABP4, FABP7), FA translocase (FAT/CD36) and enzymes (Endothelial lipase (EL) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL)) were quantified by qRT-PCR. High pre-pregnancy BMI and GDM were associated with decreased placental FATP1, FATP4, EL and increased FAT/CD36 and FATP6 expressions. LPL mRNA levels and placental total FA content were similar among groups. Specific FA, including some long-chain polyunsaturated FA, were altered. Our results demonstrate that high pre-pregnancy BMI or GDM independently alter mRNA expression levels of genes involved in FA uptake and metabolism and the placental FA profile, which could affect fetal development and long-term health. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Modeling the binding of fulvic acid by goethite: the speciation of adsorbed FA molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filius, Jeroen D.; Meeussen, Johannes C. L.; Lumsdon, David G.; Hiemstra, Tjisse; van Riemsdijk, Willem H.

2003-04-01

Under natural conditions, the adsorption of ions at the solid-water interface may be strongly influenced by the adsorption of organic matter. In this paper, we describe the adsorption of fulvic acid (FA) by metal(hydr)oxide surfaces with a heterogeneous surface complexation model, the ligand and charge distribution (LCD) model. The model is a self-consistent combination of the nonideal competitive adsorption (NICA) equation and the CD-MUSIC model. The LCD model can describe simultaneously the concentration, pH, and salt dependency of the adsorption with a minimum of only three adjustable parameters. Furthermore, the model predicts the coadsorption of protons accurately for an extended range of conditions. Surface speciation calculations show that almost all hydroxyl groups of the adsorbed FA molecules are involved in outer sphere complexation reactions. The carboxylic groups of the adsorbed FA molecule form inner and outer sphere complexes. Furthermore, part of the carboxylate groups remain noncoordinated and deprotonated.

The Effect of Inflammatory Status on Butyrate and Folate Uptake by Tumoral (Caco-2) and Non-Tumoral (IEC-6) Intestinal Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Couto, Mafalda R.; Gonçalves, Pedro; Catarino, Telmo A.; Martel, Fátima

2017-01-01

Objective Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in occidental countries. Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) is associated with an increased risk for CRC development. The aim of this work was to investigate the relationship between inflammatory status and absorption of nutrients with a role in CRC pathogenesis. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, we evaluated the in vitro effect of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IF-γ), and acetylsalicylic acid on 14C-butyrate (14C- BT), 3H-folic acid (3H-FA) uptake, and on proliferation, viability and differentiation of Caco-2 and IEC-6 cells in culture. Results The proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and INF-γ were found to decrease uptake of a low concentration of 14C-BT (10 µM) by Caco-2 (tumoral) and IEC-6 (normal) intestinal epithelial cell lines. However, the effect of TNF-α and INF-γ in IEC-6 cells is most probably related to a cytotoxic and antiproliferative impact. In contrast, INF-γ increases uptake of a high concentration (10 mM) of 14C-BT in Caco-2 cells. The anticarcinogenic effect of BT (10 mM) in these cells is not affected by the presence of this cytokine. On the other hand, acetylsalicylic acid stimulates 14C-BT uptake by Caco-2 cells and potentiates its antiproliferative effect. Finally, both TNF-α and INF-γ cause a significant decrease in 3H-FA uptake by Caco-2 cells. Conclusion The inflammatory status has an impact upon cellular uptake of BT and FA, two nutrients with a role in CRC pathogenesis. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory acetylsalicylic acid potentiates the anticarcinogenic effect of BT in Caco-2 cells by increasing its cellular uptake. PMID:28580313

Palmitoleic acid (16:1n7) increases oxygen consumption, fatty acid oxidation and ATP content in white adipocytes.

PubMed

Cruz, Maysa M; Lopes, Andressa B; Crisma, Amanda R; de Sá, Roberta C C; Kuwabara, Wilson M T; Curi, Rui; de Andrade, Paula B M; Alonso-Vale, Maria I C

2018-03-20

We have recently demonstrated that palmitoleic acid (16:1n7) increases lipolysis, glucose uptake and glucose utilization for energy production in white adipose cells. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that palmitoleic acid modulates bioenergetic activity in white adipocytes. For this, 3 T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were differentiated into mature adipocytes in the presence (or absence) of palmitic (16:0) or palmitoleic (16:1n7) acid at 100 or 200 μM. The following parameters were evaluated: lipolysis, lipogenesis, fatty acid (FA) oxidation, ATP content, oxygen consumption, mitochondrial mass, citrate synthase activity and protein content of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes. Treatment with 16:1n7 during 9 days raised basal and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis, FA incorporation into triacylglycerol (TAG), FA oxidation, oxygen consumption, protein expression of subunits representing OXPHOS complex II, III, and V and intracellular ATP content. These effects were not observed in adipocytes treated with 16:0. Palmitoleic acid, by concerted action on lipolysis, FA esterification, mitochondrial FA oxidation, oxygen consumption and ATP content, does enhance white adipocyte energy expenditure and may act as local hormone.

Confocal analysis of hepatocellular long-chain fatty acid uptake.

PubMed

Elsing, C; Winn-Börner, U; Stremmel, W

1995-12-01

Transmembrane transport and cytosolic accumulation of fatty acids were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (cLSM). A Zeiss LSM 310 system was used to determine the uptake of the fluorescent fatty acid derivative 12-(N-methyl)-N-[(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3- diazol-4-yl)amino]octadecanoic acid (12-NBD stearate) (C18) in single rat hepatocytes. Uptake was a saturable process with a Michaelis-Menten constant value of 68 nM. Initial uptake velocity was dependent on extracellular presence of albumin and beta-lactoglobulin. Absence of albumin reduced uptake to 32 +/- 16% (P < 0.01) of control values. In the presence of unlabeled stearate, uptake of 12-NBD stearate was lowered to 49 +/- 12% (P < 0.01). Ion substitution experiments showed no sodium dependency of uptake. Increase in membrane potential led to a pronounced accumulation of the fatty acid derivative within the plasma membrane and in the adjacent cytoplasmic compartment, whereas membrane depolarization had no effect on uptake rates. In separate experiments line scans through representative hepatocytes were analyzed to generate "x-t" plots. 12-NBD stearate showed a fluorescence pattern with prominent staining of the area of the plasma membrane and the adjacent cytoplasm, dependent on the presence of extracellular albumin. For the hepatocellular cytosolic accumulation process of 12-NBD stearate a diffusion constant of 22.2 +/- 6.2 x 10(-9) cm2/s was calculated. In contrast to the long-chain fatty acid derivative 12-NBD stearate, short (C5)- and medium (C11)-chain fatty acids revealed no membrane interaction with hepatocytes. Erythrocytes also lacked a membrane interaction process for 12-NBD stearate. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that cLSM is capable of directly evaluating the cellular fatty acid uptake process at a subcellular level.

Mass spectrometry of the lithium adducts of diacylglycerols containing hydroxy FA in castor oil and two normal FA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Castor oil can be used in industry. The molecular species of triacylglycerols containing hydroxy fatty acids (FA) in castor oil have been identified. We report here the identification of twelve diacylglycerols (DAG) containing hydroxy FA in castor oil using positive ion electrospray ionization mass ...

Apoptosis selectively induced in BEL-7402 cells by folic acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles combined with 100 Hz magnetic field

PubMed Central

Wen, Jian; Jiang, Shulian; Chen, Zhiqiang; Zhao, Wei; Yi, Yongxiang; Yang, Ruili; Chen, Baoan

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the effect of folic acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles (FA-MNPs) combined with a 100 Hz extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the apoptosis of liver cancer BEL-7402 cells. Materials and methods MNPs (20 nm) were prepared by coprecipitation, and then folic acid was coated onto MNPs to prepare FA-MNPs. BEL-7402 cells and HL7702 cells were selected as liver cancer cells and normal liver cells, respectively. The ELF-EMF was generated from a solenoid coil. Cellular uptake of NPs was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to evaluate cell inhibition. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Statistical analyses were performed using two-way analysis of variance. Results FA-MNPs combined with a 100 Hz magnetic field significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced higher apoptosis compared to either the ELF-EMF alone or FA-MNPs alone. FA-MNPs showed a better apoptosis effect and higher iron uptake in BEL-7402 cells compared to in HL7702 cells. On the basis of the ELF-EMF, higher doses of FA-MNPs brought higher apoptosis and higher iron uptake in either BEL-7402 cells or HL7702 cells. Conclusion These results suggest that FA-MNPs may induce apoptosis in a cellular iron uptake-dependent manner when combined with an ELF-EMF in BEL-7402 cells. PMID:24790442

A novel Trojan-horse targeting strategy to reduce the non-specific uptake of nanocarriers by non-cancerous cells.

PubMed

Shen, Zheyu; Wu, Hao; Yang, Sugeun; Ma, Xuehua; Li, Zihou; Tan, Mingqian; Wu, Aiguo

2015-11-01

One big challenge with active targeting of nanocarriers is non-specific binding between targeting molecules and non-target moieties expressed on non-cancerous cells, which leads to non-specific uptake of nanocarriers by non-cancerous cells. Here, we propose a novel Trojan-horse targeting strategy to hide or expose the targeting molecules of nanocarriers on-demand. The non-specific uptake by non-cancerous cells can be reduced because the targeting molecules are hidden in hydrophilic polymers. The nanocarriers are still actively targetable to cancer cells because the targeting molecules can be exposed on-demand at tumor regions. Typically, Fe3O4 nanocrystals (FN) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents were encapsulated into albumin nanoparticles (AN), and then folic acid (FA) and pH-sensitive polymers (PP) were grafted onto the surface of AN-FN to construct PP-FA-AN-FN nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) results confirm successful construction of PP-FA-AN-FN. According to difference of nanoparticle-cellular uptake between pH 7.4 and 5.5, the weight ratio of conjugated PP to nanoparticle FA-AN-FN (i.e. graft density) and the molecular weight of PP (i.e. graft length) are optimized to be 1.32 and 5.7 kDa, respectively. In vitro studies confirm that the PP can hide ligand FA to prevent it from binding to cells with FRα at pH 7.4 and shrink to expose FA at pH 5.5. In vivo studies demonstrate that our Trojan-horse targeting strategy can reduce the non-specific uptake of the PP-FA-AN-FN by non-cancerous cells. Therefore, our PP-FA-AN-FN might be used as an accurately targeted MRI contrast agent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Normal or increased bile acid uptake in isolated mucosa from patients with bile acid malabsorption.

PubMed

Bajor, Antal; Kilander, Anders; Fae, Anita; Gälman, Cecilia; Jonsson, Olof; Ohman, Lena; Rudling, Mats; Sjövall, Henrik; Stotzer, Per-Ove; Ung, Kjell-Arne

2006-04-01

Bile acid malabsorption as reflected by an abnormal Se-labelled homocholic acid-taurine (SeHCAT) test is associated with diarrhoea, but the mechanisms and cause-and-effect relations are unclear. Primarily, to determine whether there is a reduced active bile acid uptake in the terminal ileum in patients with bile acid malabsorption. Secondarily, to study the linkage between bile acid malabsorption and hepatic bile acid synthesis. Ileal biopsies were taken from patients with diarrhoea and from controls with normal bowel habits. Maximal active bile acid uptake was assessed in ileal biopsies using a previously validated technique based on uptake of C-labelled taurocholate. To monitor the hepatic synthesis, 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, a bile acid precursor, was assayed in blood. The SeHCAT-retention test was used to diagnose bile acid malabsorption. The taurocholate uptake in specimens from diarrhoea patients was higher compared with the controls [median, 7.7 (n=53) vs 6.1 micromol/g per min (n=17)] (P<0.01) but no difference was seen between those with bile acid malabsorption (n=18) versus diarrhoea with a normal SeHCAT test (n=23). The SeHCAT values and 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one were inversely correlated. The data do not support bile acid malabsorption being due to a reduced active bile acid uptake capacity in the terminal ileum.

Uptake and metabolism of structured triglyceride by Caco-2 cells: reversal of essential fatty acid deficiency.

PubMed

Spalinger, J H; Seidman, E G; Lepage, G; Ménard, D; Gavino, V; Levy, E

1998-10-01

Structured lipids have been proposed as efficient vehicles for the supplementation of essential fatty acids (EFA) to patients with malabsorption. We investigated how a novel structured triglyceride (STG), containing purely octanoic acid in the sn-1/sn-3 and [14C]linoleic acid in the sn-2 positions, was incorporated into different lipid classes in Caco-2 cells. We also evaluated the contribution of gastric lipase in the uptake and metabolism of [14C]linoleic acid from the STG. We furthermore determined the potential of the STG to correct EFA deficiency induced in Caco-2 cells. The absorption of STG by Caco-2 cells was significantly greater compared with that of triolein. The addition of human gastric lipase significantly enhanced cellular uptake of the labeled substrate, reflecting the stereoselectivity of gastric lipase to hydrolyze medium chain FA. Analysis of the intracellular lipids synthesized revealed a predominance of phospholipids-monoglycerides. Most of the radioactivity in the lipoproteins isolated from Caco-2 cells was recovered in TG-rich lipoproteins (45%) and to a lesser extent in the high-density lipoprotein (36%) and low-density lipoprotein (17%) fractions. The administration of STG to Caco-2 cells rendered EFA deficient produced a marked increase of the cellular level of linoleic and arachidonic acids. This resulted in a lower ratio of 20:3(n-9) to 20:4(n-6), reflecting the correction of EFA deficiency in Caco-2 cells. Our data demonstrate that STG, in the presence of gastric lipase, have beneficial effects on lipid incorporation, lipoprotein production, and EFA status, utilizing Caco-2 cells as a model of EFA deficiency.

Nucleic acids encoding metal uptake transporters and their uses

DOEpatents

Schroeder, Julian I.; Antosiewicz, Danuta M.; Schachtman, Daniel P.; Clemens, Stephan

1999-01-01

The invention provides LCT1 nucleic acids which encode metal ion uptake transporters. The invention also provides methods of modulating heavy metal and alkali metal uptake in plants. The methods involve producing transgenic plants comprising a recombinant expression cassette containing an LCT1 nucleic acid linked to a plant promoter.

Effect of Sulfuric Acid on the Uptake of Sulfur Dioxide on Soot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slowik, J. G.; Koehler, B. G.

2001-05-01

The uptake of SO2 on soot may lead to the formation of sulfuric acid on the soot. The sulfuric acid then can affect the further uptake of SO2 on the soot. We are interested in the effect of submonolayer H2SO4 on the uptake of SO2. We measured the uptake of SO2 on n-hexane soot as a function SO2 pressure (10-7 to 10-4 Torr) and sulfuric acid coverage between -140\\deg and -120\\deg C. We generate sulfuric acid by adsorbing varying amounts of SO3 on soot, covering the SO3 with a thick layer of condensed H2O, and heating to 193 K to react the SO3 and H2O and to remove the excess H2O. The sulfuric acid coverage is in the range of monolayer or sub-monolayer. Adsorption of SO2 on soot with and without the sulfuric acid shows that the acid reduces the SO2 uptake by a factor of two or more. Varying the amount of acid has little effect on uptake. However, increasing the thickness of the soot substrate causes a significant increase in SO2 uptake.

Spexin is a Novel Human Peptide that Reduces Adipocyte Uptake of Long Chain Fatty Acids and Causes Weight Loss in Rodents with Diet-induced Obesity*

PubMed Central

Walewski, José L.; Ge, Fengxia; Lobdell, Harrison; Levin, Nancy; Schwartz, Gary J.; Vasselli, Joseph; Pomp, Afons; Dakin, Gregory; Berk, Paul D.

2014-01-01

Objective Microarray studies identified Ch12:orf39 (Spexin) as the most dysregulated gene in obese human fat. Therefore we examined its role in obesity pathogenesis. Design and Methods Spexin effects on food intake, meal patterns, body weight, Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER), and locomotor activity were monitored electronically in C57BL/6J mice or Wistar rats with dietary-induced obesity (DIO). Its effects on adipocyte [3H]-oleate uptake were determined. Results In humans, Spexin gene expression was down-regulated 14.9-fold in obese omental and subcutaneous fat. Circulating Spexin changed in parallel, correlating (r = −0.797) with Leptin. In rats, Spexin (35 μg/kg/day s.c) reduced caloric intake ~32% with corresponding weight loss. Meal patterns were unaffected. In mice, Spexin (25 μg/kg/day i.p.) significantly reduced the RER at night, and increased locomotion. Spexin incubation in vitro significantly inhibited facilitated fatty acid (FA) uptake into DIO mouse adipocytes. Conditioned taste aversion testing (70μg/kg/day i.p.) demonstrated no aversive Spexin effects. Conclusions Spexin gene expression is markedly down-regulated in obese human fat. The peptide produces weight loss in DIO rodents. Its effects on appetite and energy regulation are presumably central; those on adipocyte FA uptake appear direct and peripheral. Spexin is a novel hormone involved in weight regulation, with potential for obesity therapy. PMID:24550067

Glucomannan- and glucomannan plus spirulina-enriched pork affect liver fatty acid profile, LDL receptor expression and antioxidant status in Zucker fa/fa rats fed atherogenic diets

PubMed Central

González-Torres, Laura; Matos, Cátia; Vázquez-Velasco, Miguel; Santos-López, Jorge A.; Sánchez-Martínez, Iria; García–Fernández, Camino; Bastida, Sara; Benedí, Juana; Sánchez-Muniz, Francisco J.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT We evaluated the effects of glucomannan or glucomannan plus spirulina-restructured pork (RP) on liver fatty acid profile, desaturase/elongase enzyme activities and oxidative status of Zucker fa/fa rats for seven weeks. Control (C), glucomannan (G) and glucomannan/spirulina (GS)-RP; HC (cholesterol-enriched control), HG and HGS (cholesterol-enriched glucomannan and glucomannan/spirulina-RP) experimental diets were tested. Increased metabolic syndrome markers were found in C, G and GS rats. Cholesterol feeding increased liver size, fat, and cholesterol and reduced antioxidant enzyme levels and expressions. Cholesterolemia was lower in HG and HGS than in HC. GS vs. G showed higher stearic but lower oleic levels. SFA and PUFA decreased while MUFA increased by cholesterol feeding. The arachidonic/linoleic and docosahexaenoic/alpha-linolenic ratios were lower in HC, HG, and HGS vs. C, G, and GS, respectively, suggesting a delta-6-elongase-desaturase system inhibition. Moreover, cholesterol feeding, mainly in HGS, decreased low-density-lipoprotein receptor expression and the delta-5-desaturase activity and increased the delta-9-desaturase activity. In conclusion, the liver production of highly unsaturated fatty acids was limited to decrease their oxidation in presence of hypercholesterolaemia. Glucomannan or glucomannan/spirulina-RP has added new attributes to their functional properties in meat, partially arresting the negative effects induced by high-fat-high-cholesterol feeding on the liver fatty acid and antioxidant statuses. PMID:28325998

Uptake mechanism of valproic acid in human placental choriocarcinoma cell line (BeWo).

PubMed

Ushigome, F; Takanaga, H; Matsuo, H; Tsukimori, K; Nakano, H; Ohtani, H; Sawada, Y

2001-04-13

Valproic acid is an anticonvulsant widely used for the treatment of epilepsy. However, valproic acid is known to show fetal toxicity, including teratogenicity. In the present study, to elucidate the mechanisms of valproic acid transport across the blood-placental barrier, we carried out transcellular transport and uptake experiments with human placental choriocarcinoma epithelial cells (BeWo cells) in culture. The permeability coefficient of [3H]valproic acid in BeWo cells for the apical-to-basolateral flux was greater than that for the opposite flux, suggesting a higher unidirectional transport in the fetal direction. The uptake of [3H]valproic acid from the apical side was temperature-dependent and enhanced under acidic pH. In the presence of 50 microM carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxylhydrazone, the uptake of [3H]valproic acid was significantly reduced. A metabolic inhibitor, 10 mM sodium azide, also significantly reduced the uptake of [3H]valproic acid. Therefore, valproic acid is actively transported in a pH-dependent manner on the brush-border membrane of BeWo cells. Kinetic analysis of valproic acid uptake revealed the involvement of a non-saturable component and a saturable component. The Michaelis constant for the saturable transport (K(t)) was smaller under acidic pH, suggesting a proton-linked active transport mechanism for valproic acid in BeWo cells. In the inhibitory experiments, some short-chain fatty acids, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, propanoic acid and butyric acid, and medium-chain fatty acids, such as hexanoic acid and octanoic acid, inhibited the uptake of [3H]valproic acid. The uptake of [3H]valproic acid was also significantly decreased in the presence of 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, salicylic acid and furosemide, which are well-known inhibitors of the anion exchange system. Moreover, p-aminohippuric acid significantly reduced the uptake of [3H]valproic acid. These results suggest that an active transport

Angiopoietin-like 4 mediates PPAR delta effect on lipoprotein lipase-dependent fatty acid uptake but not on beta-oxidation in myotubes.

PubMed

Robciuc, Marius R; Skrobuk, Paulina; Anisimov, Andrey; Olkkonen, Vesa M; Alitalo, Kari; Eckel, Robert H; Koistinen, Heikki A; Jauhiainen, Matti; Ehnholm, Christian

2012-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) delta is an important regulator of fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Angiopoietin-like 4 (Angptl4), a multifunctional protein, is one of the major targets of PPAR delta in skeletal muscle cells. Here we investigated the regulation of Angptl4 and its role in mediating PPAR delta functions using human, rat and mouse myotubes. Expression of Angptl4 was upregulated during myotubes differentiation and by oleic acid, insulin and PPAR delta agonist GW501516. Treatment with GW501516 or Angptl4 overexpression inhibited both lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and LPL-dependent uptake of FAs whereas uptake of BSA-bound FAs was not affected by either treatment. Activation of retinoic X receptor (RXR), PPAR delta functional partner, using bexarotene upregulated Angptl4 expression and inhibited LPL activity in a PPAR delta dependent fashion. Silencing of Angptl4 blocked the effect of GW501516 and bexarotene on LPL activity. Treatment with GW501516 but not Angptl4 overexpression significantly increased palmitate oxidation. Furthermore, Angptl4 overexpression did not affect the capacity of GW501516 to increase palmitate oxidation. Basal and insulin stimulated glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis and glucose oxidation were not significantly modulated by Angptl4 overexpression. Our findings suggest that FAs-PPARdelta/RXR-Angptl4 axis controls the LPL-dependent uptake of FAs in myotubes, whereas the effect of PPAR delta activation on beta-oxidation is independent of Angptl4.

Angiopoietin-Like 4 Mediates PPAR Delta Effect on Lipoprotein Lipase-Dependent Fatty Acid Uptake but Not on Beta-Oxidation in Myotubes

PubMed Central

Robciuc, Marius R.; Skrobuk, Paulina; Anisimov, Andrey; Olkkonen, Vesa M.; Alitalo, Kari; Eckel, Robert H.; Koistinen, Heikki A.; Jauhiainen, Matti; Ehnholm, Christian

2012-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) delta is an important regulator of fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Angiopoietin-like 4 (Angptl4), a multifunctional protein, is one of the major targets of PPAR delta in skeletal muscle cells. Here we investigated the regulation of Angptl4 and its role in mediating PPAR delta functions using human, rat and mouse myotubes. Expression of Angptl4 was upregulated during myotubes differentiation and by oleic acid, insulin and PPAR delta agonist GW501516. Treatment with GW501516 or Angptl4 overexpression inhibited both lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and LPL-dependent uptake of FAs whereas uptake of BSA-bound FAs was not affected by either treatment. Activation of retinoic X receptor (RXR), PPAR delta functional partner, using bexarotene upregulated Angptl4 expression and inhibited LPL activity in a PPAR delta dependent fashion. Silencing of Angptl4 blocked the effect of GW501516 and bexarotene on LPL activity. Treatment with GW501516 but not Angptl4 overexpression significantly increased palmitate oxidation. Furthermore, Angptl4 overexpression did not affect the capacity of GW501516 to increase palmitate oxidation. Basal and insulin stimulated glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis and glucose oxidation were not significantly modulated by Angptl4 overexpression. Our findings suggest that FAs-PPARdelta/RXR-Angptl4 axis controls the LPL-dependent uptake of FAs in myotubes, whereas the effect of PPAR delta activation on beta-oxidation is independent of Angptl4. PMID:23056264

Increased Amino Acid Uptake Supports Autophagy-Deficient Cell Survival upon Glutamine Deprivation.

PubMed

Zhang, Nan; Yang, Xin; Yuan, Fengjie; Zhang, Luyao; Wang, Yanan; Wang, Lina; Mao, Zebin; Luo, Jianyuan; Zhang, Hongquan; Zhu, Wei-Guo; Zhao, Ying

2018-06-05

Autophagy is a protein degradation process by which intracellular materials are recycled for energy homeostasis. However, the metabolic status and energy source of autophagy-defective tumor cells are poorly understood. Here, our data show that amino acid uptake from the extracellular environment is increased in autophagy-deficient cells upon glutamine deprivation. This elevated amino acid uptake results from activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-dependent upregulation of AAT (amino acid transporter) gene expression. Furthermore, we identify SIRT6, a NAD + -dependent histone deacetylase, as a corepressor of ATF4 transcriptional activity. In autophagy-deficient cells, activated NRF2 enhances ATF4 transcriptional activity by disrupting the interaction between SIRT6 and ATF4. In this way, autophagy-deficient cells exhibit increased AAT expression and show increased amino acid uptake. Notably, inhibition of amino acid uptake reduces the viability of glutamine-deprived autophagy-deficient cells, but not significantly in wild-type cells, suggesting reliance of autophagy-deficient tumor cells on extracellular amino acid uptake. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uptake of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) from the apical membrane of Caco-2 cells by the monocarboxylic acid transporter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimura, Osamu; Tsukagoshi, Kensuke; Endo, Tetsuya

2008-03-15

The cellular uptake mechanism of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), a phenoxyacetic acid derivative, was investigated using Caco-2 epithelial cells. The cells were incubated with 50 {mu}M MCPA at pH 6.0 and 37 deg. C, and the uptake of MCPA from the apical membranes was measured. The uptake of MCPA was significantly decreased by incubation at low temperature (4 {sup o}C) and markedly increased by lowering the extracellular pH. Pretreatment with a protonophore, carbonylcyanide-p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone (25 {mu}M), or metabolic inhibitors, 2,4-dinitrophenol (1 mM) and sodium azide (10 mM), significantly decreased the uptake of MCPA by 53%, 45% and 48%, respectively. Coincubation of MCPAmore » with 10 mM L-lactic acid or {alpha}-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate, which is a substrate or an inhibitor of the monocarboxylic acid transporters (MCTs), significantly decreased the uptake of MCPA by 31% and 20%, respectively, and coincubation with benzoic acid profoundly decreased the uptake by 68%. In contrast, coincubation with succinic acid (a dicarboxylic acid) did not affect the uptake. Kinetic analysis of initial MCPA uptake suggested that MCPA is taken up via a carrier-mediated process [K{sub m} = 1.37 {+-} 0.15 mM, V{sub max} = 115 {+-} 6 nmol (mg protein){sup -1} (3 min){sup -1}]. Lineweaver-Burk plots show that benzoic acid competitively inhibits the uptake of MCPA with a K{sub i} value of 4.68 {+-} 1.76 mM. A trans-stimulation effect on MCPA uptake was found in cells preloaded with benzoic acid. These results suggest that the uptake of MCPA from the apical membrane of Caco-2 cells is mainly mediated by common MCTs along with benzoic acid but also in part by L-lactic acid.« less

Organic acids influence iron uptake in the human epithelial cell line Caco-2.

PubMed

Salovaara, Susan; Sandberg, Ann-Sofie; Andlid, Thomas

2002-10-09

It has previously been suggested that organic acids enhance iron absorption. We have studied the effect of nine organic acids on the absorption of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in the human epithelial cell line Caco-2. The effect obtained was dose-dependent, and the greatest increase (43-fold) was observed for tartaric acid (4 mmol/L) on Fe(III) (10 micromol/L). Tartaric, malic, succinic, and fumaric acids enhanced Fe(II) and Fe(III) uptake. Citric and oxalic acid, on the other hand, inhibited Fe(II) uptake but enhanced Fe(III) uptake. Propionic and acetic acid increased the Fe(II) uptake, but had no effect on Fe(III) uptake. Our results show a correlation between absorption pattern and chemical structure; e.g. hydroxyl groups, in addition to carboxyls, were connected with a positive influence. The results may be important for elucidating factors affecting iron bioavailability in the small intestine and for the development of foods with improved iron bioavailability.

Insulin activation of plasma non-esterified fatty acid uptake in metabolic syndrome

PubMed Central

Ramos-Roman, Maria A.; Lapidot, Smadar A.; Phair, Robert D.; Parks, Elizabeth J.

2012-01-01

Objectives Insulin control of fatty acid metabolism has long been deemed dominated by suppression of adipose lipolysis. This study’s goal was to test the hypothesis that this single role of insulin is insufficient to explain observed fatty acid dynamics. Methods and Results Fatty acid kinetics were measured during a meal-tolerance test and insulin sensitivity assessed by IVGTT in overweight human subjects (n=15, BMI 35.8 ± 7.1 kg/m2). Non-steady state tracer kinetic models were formulated and tested using ProcessDB© software. Suppression of adipose release alone could not account for NEFA concentration changes postprandially, but when combined with insulin activation of fatty acid uptake was consistent with the NEFA data. The observed insulin Km for NEFA uptake was inversely correlated with both insulin sensitivity of glucose uptake (IVGTT Si) (r=−0.626, P=0.01), and whole body fat oxidation after the meal (r=−0.538, P=0.05). Conclusions These results support insulin regulation of fatty acid turnover by both release and uptake mechanisms. Activation of fatty acid uptake is consistent with the human data, has mechanistic precedent in cell culture, and highlights a new potential target for therapies aimed at improving the control of fatty acid metabolism in insulin-resistant disease states. PMID:22723441

Folate-conjugated chitosan-polylactide nanoparticles for enhanced intracellular uptake of anticancer drug

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shengtang; Wan, Ying; Wang, Zheng; Wu, Jiliang

2013-12-01

Chitosan was conjugated with folic acid (FA) and the resulting chitosan derivatives with a FA-substitution degree of around 6 % was used to synthesize FA-conjugated chitosan-polylactide (FA-CH-PLA) copolymers to build a drug carrier with active targeting characteristics for the anticancer drug of paclitaxel (PTX). Selected FA-CH-PLAs with various polylactide percentages of about 40 wt% or lower were employed to fabricate nanoparticles using sodium tripolyphosphate as a crosslinker, and different types of nanoparticles were endued with similar average particle-sizes located in a range between 100 and 200 nm. Certain types of PTX-loaded FA-CH-PLA nanoparticles having encapsulation efficiency of around 90 % and initial load of about 12 % were able to release PTX in a controlled manner with significant regulation by polylactide content in FA-CH-PLAs. Targeting characteristic of achieved nanoparticles was confirmed using FA-receptor-expressed MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The uptake of PTX revealed that optimized FA-CH-PLA nanoparticles with an equivalent PTX-dose of around 1 μg/mL could have more than sixfold increasing abilities to facilitate intracellular paclitaxel accumulation in MCF-7 cells after 24 h treatment as compared to free PTX. At a relatively safe equivalent PTX-dose for normal MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells, the obtained results from Hoechst 33342 staining indicated that optimized PTX-loaded FA-CH-PLA nanoparticles had more than threefold increasing abilities to induce MCF-7 cell apoptosis in comparison to free PTX.

A branched chain amino acid metabolite drives vascular transport of fat and causes insulin resistance

PubMed Central

Jang, Cholsoon; Oh, Sungwhan F; Wada, Shogo; Rowe, Glenn C; Liu, Laura; Chan, Mun Chun; Rhee, James; Hoshino, Atsushi; Kim, Boa; Ibrahim, Ayon; Baca, Luisa G; Kim, Esl; Ghosh, Chandra C; Parikh, Samir M; Jiang, Aihua; Chu, Qingwei; Forman, Daniel E.; Lecker, Stewart H.; Krishnaiah, Saikumari; Rabinowitz, Joshua D; Weljie, Aalim M; Baur, Joseph A; Kasper, Dennis L; Arany, Zoltan

2016-01-01

Epidemiological and experimental data implicate branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the development of insulin resistance, but the mechanisms underlying this link remain unclear.1–3 Insulin resistance in skeletal muscle stems from excess accumulation of lipid species4, a process that requires blood-borne lipids to first traverse the blood vessel wall. Little is known, however, of how this trans-endothelial transport occurs or is regulated. Here, we leverage PGC-1α, a transcriptional coactivator that regulates broad programs of FA consumption, to identify 3-hydroxy-isobutyrate (3-HIB), a catabolic intermediate of the BCAA valine, as a novel paracrine regulator of trans-endothelial fatty acids (FA) transport. 3-HIB is secreted from muscle cells, activates endothelial FA transport, stimulates muscle FA uptake in vivo, and promotes muscle lipid accumulation and insulin resistance in animals. Conversely, inhibiting the synthesis of 3-HIB in muscle cells blocks the promotion of endothelial FA uptake. 3-HIB levels are elevated in muscle from db/db mice and from subjects with diabetes. These data thus unveil a novel mechanism that regulates trans-endothelial flux of FAs, revealing 3-HIB as a new bioactive signaling metabolite that links the regulation of FA flux to BCAA catabolism and provides a mechanistic explanation for how increased BCAA catabolic flux can cause diabetes. PMID:26950361

Folic acid-modified soy protein nanoparticles for enhanced targeting and inhibitory.

PubMed

Cheng, Xu; Wang, Xin; Cao, Zhipeng; Yao, Weijing; Wang, Jun; Tang, Rupei

2017-02-01

Soy protein isolate (SPI) was hydrolyzed by compound enzymes to give water soluble low molecular soy protein (SP). SP and folic acid (FA) modified SP was polymerized with N-3- acrylamidophenylboronic acid (APBA) monomer in aqueous solution to give SP nanoparticles (SP NPs) and FA modified nanoparticles (FA-SP NPs), respectively. These NPs display excellent stability in different conditions, and have a uniform spherical shape with a diameter around of 200nm. Doxorubicin (DOX) was then successfully loaded into SP and FA-SP NPs with a desirable loading content of 13.33% and 16.01%, respectively. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded SP NPs and FA-SP NPs were investigated using the two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell model and three-dimensional (3D) multicellular spheroids (MCs). In vivo, tumor accumulation and growth inhibitory were then examined using H22 tumor-bearing mice. All these results demonstrated that conjugation of FA can efficiently enhance SP-based NPs' tumor accumulation and antitumor effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Korean pine nut oil replacement decreases intestinal lipid uptake while improves hepatic lipid metabolism in mice

PubMed Central

Zhu, Shuang; Park, Soyoung; Lim, Yeseo; Shin, Sunhye

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Consumption of pine nut oil (PNO) was shown to reduce weight gain and attenuate hepatic steatosis in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of PNO on both intestinal and hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed control or HFD. MATERIALS/METHODS Five-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets containing 10% energy fat from either Soybean Oil (SBO) or PNO, or HFD containing 15% energy fat from lard and 30% energy fat from SBO or PNO for 12 weeks. Expression of genes related to intestinal fatty acid (FA) uptake and channeling (Cd36, Fatp4, Acsl5, Acbp), intestinal chylomicron synthesis (Mtp, ApoB48, ApoA4), hepatic lipid uptake and channeling (Lrp1, Fatp5, Acsl1, Acbp), hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) lipolysis and FA oxidation (Atgl, Cpt1a, Acadl, Ehhadh, Acaa1), as well as very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly (ApoB100) were determined by real-time PCR. RESULTS In intestine, significantly lower Cd36 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) and a tendency of lower ApoA4 mRNA levels (P = 0.07) was observed in PNO-fed mice, indicating that PNO consumption may decrease intestinal FA uptake and chylomicron assembly. PNO consumption tended to result in higher hepatic mRNA levels of Atgl (P = 0.08) and Cpt1a (P = 0.05). Significantly higher hepatic mRNA levels of Acadl and ApoB100 were detected in mice fed PNO diet (P < 0.05). These results suggest that PNO could increase hepatic TAG metabolism; mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and VLDL assembly. CONCLUSIONS PNO replacement in the diet might function in prevention of excessive lipid uptake by intestine and improve hepatic lipid metabolism in both control diet and HFD fed mice. PMID:27698954

Superparamagnetic Fe3O4-PEG2K-FA@Ce6 Nanoprobes for in Vivo Dual-mode Imaging and Targeted Photodynamic Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ting; Huang, Peng; Gao, Guo; Shapter, Joseph G.; Shen, Yulan; Sun, Rongjin; Yue, Caixia; Zhang, Chunlei; Liu, Yanlei; Zhou, Sui; Cui, Daxiang

2016-11-01

The development of targeted nanoprobes is a promising approach to cancer diagnostics and therapy. In the present work, a novel multifunctional photo/magnet-diagnostic nanoprobe (MNPs-PEG2K-FA@Ce6) has been developed. This nanoprobe is built using folic acid (FA), bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG2K) and photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6). The MNPs-PEG2K-FA@Ce6 nanoprobes are superparamagnetic, can be synthesized on a large scale by a one-pot hydrothermal process without further surface modification and are stable in an aqueous environment for eight months. Compared with free Ce6 nanoprobes in vitro studies, the MNPs-PEG2K-FA@Ce6 nanoprobes significantly enhance cellular uptake efficiency and promote the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the assistance of 633 nm laser irradiation. The unique nanoprobes show superior penetration and a retention time of more than six days with less accumulation in the liver allowing highly effective tumor recognition and monitoring. Additionally, there was little damage to healthy organs or tissues. These exciting new nanoprobes could be potential building blocks to develop new clinical therapies and translational medicine.

Fatty acid metabolism in the liver, measured by positron emission tomography, is increased in obese individuals.

PubMed

Iozzo, Patricia; Bucci, Marco; Roivainen, Anne; Någren, Kjell; Järvisalo, Mikko J; Kiss, Jan; Guiducci, Letizia; Fielding, Barbara; Naum, Alexandru G; Borra, Ronald; Virtanen, Kirsi; Savunen, Timo; Salvadori, Piero A; Ferrannini, Ele; Knuuti, Juhani; Nuutila, Pirjo

2010-09-01

Hepatic lipotoxicity results from and contributes to obesity-related disorders. It is a challenge to study human metabolism of fatty acids (FAs) in the liver. We combined (11)C-palmitate imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) with compartmental modeling to determine rates of hepatic FA uptake, oxidation, and storage, as well as triglyceride release in pigs and human beings. Anesthetized pigs underwent (11)C-palmitate PET imaging during fasting (n = 3) or euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (n = 3). Metabolic products of FAs were measured in arterial, portal, and hepatic venous blood. The imaging methodology then was tested in 15 human subjects (8 obese subjects); plasma (11)C-palmitate kinetic analyses were used to quantify systemic and visceral lipolysis. In pigs, PET-derived and corresponding measured FA fluxes (FA uptake, esterification, and triglyceride FA release) did not differ and were correlated with each other. In human beings, obese subjects had increased hepatic FA oxidation compared with controls (mean +/- standard error of the mean, 0.16 +/- 0.01 vs 0.08 +/- 0.01 micromol/min/mL; P = .0007); FA uptake and esterification rates did not differ between obese subjects and controls. Liver FA oxidation correlated with plasma insulin levels (r = 0.61, P = .016), adipose tissue (r = 0.58, P = .024), and systemic insulin resistance (r = 0.62, P = .015). Hepatic FA esterification correlated with the systemic release of FA into plasma (r = 0.71, P = .003). PET imaging can be used to measure FA metabolism in the liver. By using this technology, we found that obese individuals have increased hepatic oxidation of FA, in the context of adipose tissue insulin resistance, and increased FA flux from visceral fat. FA flux from visceral fat is proportional with the mass of the corresponding depot. Copyright © 2010 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heterotrophic Potential for Amino Acid Uptake in a Naturally Eutrophic Lake1

PubMed Central

Burnison, B. Kent; Morita, Richard Y.

1974-01-01

The uptake of sixteen 14C-labeled amino acids by the indigenous heterotrophic microflora of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, was measured using the kinetic approach. The year-long study showed a seasonal variation in the maximum uptake velocity, Vmax, of all the amino acids which was proportional to temperature. The maximum total flux of amino acids by the heterotrophic microflora ranged from 1.2 to 11.9 μmol of C per liter per day (spring to summer). Glutamate, asparagine, aspartate, and serine had the highest Vmax values and were respired to the greatest extent. The percentages of the gross (net + respired) uptake of the amino acids which were respired to CO2 ranged from 2% for leucine to 63% for glutamate. Serine, lysine, and glycine were the most abundant amino acids found in Upper Klamath Lake surface water; at intermediate concentrations were alanine, aspartate, and threonine; and the remaining amino acids were always below 7.5 × 10-8 M (10 μg/liter). The amino acid concentrations determined chemically appear to be the sum of free and adsorbed amino acids, since the values obtained were usually greater than the (Kt + Sn) values obtained by the heterotrophic uptake experiments. PMID:4207581

Studies on the uptake of fatty acids by brush border membranes of the rabbit intestine.

PubMed

Proulx, P; Aubry, H; Brglez, I; Williamson, D G

1985-04-01

Initial studies revealed that the uptake of palmitic acid and oleic acid into brush border membranes was similar when these were isolated from either whole small intestine, jejunum, or ileum. The uptake of these fatty acids was somewhat lower with membranes obtained from duodenum. Subsequent studies, all with membranes obtained from whole intestine, indicated an increase in binding with chain length of fatty acid of up to 16 carbons. Unsaturation decreased this uptake somewhat. Taurocholate and 1-palmitoyl lysolecithin had a moderate stimulatory effect on the binding of oleic acid and palmitic acid at concentrations of 10 and 0.5 mM, respectively, and inhibited at higher concentrations. Addition of 1.4 mM egg lecithin to the fatty acid - bile salt micelles, such that the lecithin - bile salt ratio was 0.2, decreased the uptake of fatty acids generally, but did not significantly affect the pattern of binding by membrane fractions isolated from different segments nor did it change the pattern of labelling when fatty acid chain length and unsaturation were varied. At lower concentrations, egg lecithin had little effect on the uptake of oleic acid, whereas dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine stimulated binding of both palmitic acid and oleic acid over the entire range of concentrations tested. Preincubation of the membranes with this saturated phospholipid stimulated the uptake of oleic acid, and addition of this choline lipid to the oleic acid - bile salt containing micelles did not substantially enhance fatty acid uptake in lipid-treated membranes. The binding of fatty acid was very rapid either in the presence or the absence of Ca2+, such that even in zero-time controls essentially equilibrium bindings were obtained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dietary fish protein hydrolysates containing bioactive motifs affect serum and adipose tissue fatty acid compositions, serum lipids, postprandial glucose regulation and growth in obese Zucker fa/fa rats.

PubMed

Drotningsvik, Aslaug; Mjøs, Svein A; Pampanin, Daniela M; Slizyte, Rasa; Carvajal, Ana; Remman, Tore; Høgøy, Ingmar; Gudbrandsen, Oddrun A

2016-10-01

The world's fisheries and aquaculture industries produce vast amounts of protein-containing by-products that can be enzymatically hydrolysed to smaller peptides and possibly be used as additives to functional foods and nutraceuticals targeted for patients with obesity-related metabolic disorders. To investigate the effects of fish protein hydrolysates on markers of metabolic disorders, obese Zucker fa/fa rats consumed diets with 75 % of protein from casein/whey (CAS) and 25 % from herring (HER) or salmon (SAL) protein hydrolysate from rest raw material, or 100 % protein from CAS for 4 weeks. The fatty acid compositions were similar in the experimental diets, and none of them contained any long-chain n-3 PUFA. Ratios of lysine:arginine and methionine:glycine were lower in HER and SAL diets when compared with CAS, and taurine was detected only in fish protein hydrolysate diets. Motifs with reported hypocholesterolemic or antidiabetic activities were identified in both fish protein hydrolysates. Rats fed HER diet had lower serum HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and higher serum TAG, MUFA and n-3:n-6 PUFA ratio compared with CAS-fed rats. SAL rats gained more weight and had better postprandial glucose regulation compared with CAS rats. Serum lipids and fatty acids were only marginally affected by SAL, but adipose tissue contained less total SFA and more total n-3 PUFA when compared with CAS. To conclude, diets containing hydrolysed rest raw material from herring or salmon proteins may affect growth, lipid metabolism, postprandial glucose regulation and fatty acid composition in serum and adipose tissue in obese Zucker rats.

Zein nanoparticles as delivery systems for covalently linked and physically entrapped folic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuacharoen, Thanida; Sabliov, Cristina M.

2017-02-01

Zein nanoparticles covalently linked to folic acid were hypothesized to sustain the release of the folic acid in addition to targeting cancer cells overexpressing folate-binding receptors, whereas zein nanoparticles with physically entrapped folic acid would only be able to control the release of the bioactive without targeting of cancer cells. The two types of particles, folic acid covalently linked zein nanoparticles (ZN-FA nps) and zein nanoparticles with entrapped folic acid (ZN(FA) nps), were synthesized and the covalent link between folic acid and zein was assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). Their size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, and loading capacity were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and spectrophotometric technique. The release studies of the folic acid preformed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37 °C for 7 days concluded that the release of the loaded folic acid was sustained over 7 days for both systems. The cytotoxicity was investigated using a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, and the results showed that zein nanoparticles were biocompatible to HeLa (an overexpressing folate receptor cells) and A549 (a deficient folate receptor cells) cells, which have different levels of folate receptors on surface and both folic acid nanoparticle systems were able to diminish the adverse toxic effect of folic acid to cells. The increased uptake of ZN-FA nps relative to ZN(FA) nps supported the use of ZN-FA nps as targeting nanoagents to cells overexpressing folate receptors.

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the modification of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid content including oleic acid in peritoneal dialysis patients.

PubMed

An, W S; Lee, S M; Son, Y K; Kim, S E; Kim, K H; Han, J Y; Bae, H R; Park, Y

2012-01-01

Erythrocyte membrane fatty acids (FA), such as oleic acid, are related to acute coronary syndrome. There is no report about the effect of omega-3 FA on oleic acid in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We hypothesized that omega-3 FA can modify erythrocyte membrane FA, including oleic acid, in PD patients. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 18 patients who were treated with PD for at least 6 months were randomized to treatment for 12 weeks with omega-3 FA or placebo. Erythrocyte membrane FA content was measured by gas chromatography at baseline and after 12 weeks. The erythrocyte membrane content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid was significantly increased and saturated FA and oleic acid were significantly decreased in the omega-3 FA supplementation group after 12 weeks compared to baseline. In conclusion, erythrocyte membrane FA content, including oleic acid, was significantly modified by omega-3 FA supplementation for 12 weeks in PD patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oleic Acid in the Ventral Tegmental Area Inhibits Feeding, Food Reward, and Dopamine Tone.

PubMed

Hryhorczuk, Cecile; Sheng, Zhenyu; Décarie-Spain, Léa; Giguère, Nicolas; Ducrot, Charles; Trudeau, Louis-Éric; Routh, Vanessa H; Alquier, Thierry; Fulton, Stephanie

2018-02-01

Long-chain fatty acids (FAs) act centrally to decrease food intake and hepatic glucose production and alter hypothalamic neuronal activity in a manner that depends on FA type and cellular transport proteins. However, it is not known whether FAs are sensed by ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons to control food-motivated behavior and DA neurotransmission. We investigated the impact of the monounsaturated FA oleate in the VTA on feeding, locomotion, food reward, and DA neuronal activity and DA neuron expression of FA-handling proteins and FA uptake. A single intra-VTA injection of oleate, but not of the saturated FA palmitate, decreased food intake and increased locomotor activity. Furthermore, intra-VTA oleate blunted the rewarding effects of high-fat/sugar food in an operant task and inhibited DA neuronal firing. Using sorted DA neuron preparations from TH-eGFP mice we found that DA neurons express FA transporter and binding proteins, and are capable of intracellular transport of long-chain FA. Finally, we demonstrate that a transporter blocker attenuates FA uptake into DA neurons and blocks the effects of intra-VTA oleate to decrease food-seeking and DA neuronal activity. Together, these results suggest that DA neurons detect FA and that oleate has actions in the VTA to suppress DA neuronal activity and food seeking following cellular incorporation. These findings highlight the capacity of DA neurons to act as metabolic sensors by responding not only to hormones but also to FA nutrient signals to modulate food-directed behavior.

A leu-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase, FaRIPK1, interacts with the ABA receptor, FaABAR, to regulate fruit ripening in strawberry.

PubMed

Hou, Bing-Zhu; Xu, Cheng; Shen, Yuan-Yue

2018-03-24

Strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) is a model plant for studying non-climacteric fruit ripening regulated by abscisic acid (ABA); however, its exact molecular mechanisms are yet not fully understood. In this study, a predicted leu-rich repeat (LRR) receptor-like kinase in strawberry, red-initial protein kinase 1 (FaRIPK1), was screened and, using a yeast two-hybrid assay, was shown to interact with a putative ABA receptor, FaABAR. This association was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co-immunoprecipitation assays, and shown to occur in the nucleus. Expression analysis by real-time PCR showed that FaRIPK1 is expressed in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit, with a particularly high expression in white fruit at the onset of coloration. Down-regulation of FaRIPK1 expression in strawberry fruit, using Tobacco rattle virus-induced gene silencing, inhibited ripening, as evidenced by suppression of ripening-related physiological changes and reduced expression of several genes involved in softening, sugar content, pigmentation, and ABA biosynthesis and signaling. The yeast-expressed LRR and STK (serine/threonine protein kinase) domains of FaRIPK1 bound ABA and showed kinase activity, respectively. A fruit disc-incubation test revealed that FaRIPK1 expression was induced by ABA and ethylene. The synergistic action of FaRIPK1 with FaABAR in regulation of strawberry fruit ripening is discussed.

Methanol Uptake By Low Temperature Aqueous Sulfuric Acid Solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iraci, Laura T.; Essin, Andrew M.; Golden, David M.; Hipskind, R. Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

To evaluate the role of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric aerosols in the global budget of methanol, the solubility and reactivity of CH3OH in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions are under investigation. Using standard uptake techniques in a Knudsen cell reactor, we have measured the effective Henry's law coefficient, H(*), for methanol dissolution into 45 to 70 percent by weight H2SO4. We find that methanol solubility ranges from 10(exp 5) to 10(exp 8) M/atm and increases with decreasing temperature and with increasing sulfuric acid content. These solubility measurements include uptake due to physical solvation and all rapid equilibria which are established in solution. Our data indicate that simple uptake by aqueous sulfuric acid particles will not be a significant sink for methanol in the UT/LS. These results differ from those recently reported in the literature, and an explanation of this disparity will be presented. In addition to solvation, reaction between primary alcohols and sulfuric acid does occur, leading to the production of alkyl sulfates. Literature values for the rate of this reaction suggest that formation of CH3OSO3H may proceed in the atmosphere but is not significant under our experimental conditions. Results obtained using a complementary equilibrium measurement technique confirm this directly. In addition, the extent of methanol sequestration via formation of mono- and dimethylsulfate will be evaluated under several atmospheric conditions.

Methanol Uptake by Low Temperature Aqueous Sulfuric Acid Solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iraci, L. T.; Essin, A. M.; Golden, D. M.; Hipskind, R. Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The global methanol budget is currently unbalanced, with source terms significantly larger than the sinks terms. To evaluate possible losses of gaseous methanol to sulfate aerosols, the solubility and reactivity of methanol in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions representative of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric aerosols is under investigation. Methanol will partition into sulfate aerosols according to its Henry's law solubility. Using standard uptake techniques in a Knudsen cell reactor, we have measured the effective Henry's law coefficient, H*, for cold (196 - 220 K) solutions ranging between 45 and 70 wt % H2SO4. We have found that methanol solubility ranges from approx. 10(exp 5) - 10(exp 7) M/atm for UT/LS conditions. Solubility increases with decreasing temperature and with increasing sulfuric acid content. Although methanol is slightly more soluble than are acetone and formaldehyde, current data indicate that uptake by clean aqueous sulfuric acid particles will not be a significant sink for methanol in the UT/LS. These solubility measurements include uptake due to physical solvation and any rapid equilibria which are established in solution. Reaction between primary alcohols and sulfuric acid does occur, leading to the production of alkyl sulfates. Literature values for the rate of this reaction suggest that formation of CH3OSO3H is not significant over our experimental time scale for solutions below 80 wt % H2SO4. To confirm this directly, results obtained using a complementary equilibrium measurement technique will also be presented.

Uptake of free amino acids by bacteria-free larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus.

PubMed

Davis, J P; Stephens, G C

1984-10-01

Larvae of Dendraster excentricus were produced by collecting gametes and carrying out fertilization under aseptic conditions. Since gametes are free of bacteria in the gonad, bacteria-free (axenic) suspensions of larvae result. Net rates of entry of 14 amino acids and the rate of production of ammonia were simultaneously determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The net rates of uptake of neutral amino acids were an order of magnitude greater than rates for basic and acidic amino acids. Influx of 14C-labeled leucine, arginine, and glutamate accurately reflects the net entry rate of these substrates. Uptake of amino acids by axenic suspensions of larvae was compared with uptake by suspensions prepared without aseptic precautions. There was no significant difference in net uptake of the 14 amino acids or in the pattern of oxidation and assimilation of [14C]leucine during short-term experiments of 4-h duration or less.

Inhibitory effect of solar radiation on amino Acid uptake in chesapeake bay bacteria.

PubMed

Bailey, C A; Neihof, R A; Tabor, P S

1983-07-01

The effect of solar radiation on a natural bacterial population from the Chesapeake Bay was evaluated from measured changes in numbers of organisms engaged in amino acid uptake. From July through May, freshly collected water samples were exposed in quartz containers to 3.5 h of total sunlight both with and without UV-absorbing filters. Water samples were subsequently incubated with tritiated amino acids, and the uptake-active bacteria were assayed by microauto-radiography-epifluorescence microscopy. The survival index, defined as the fraction of the uptake-active population that remained active after the exposure to sunlight, ranged from 0.93 to 0.20. Decreased survival was correlated with increased solar intensity. The inhibition of amino acid uptake was attributed not only to the UV-B component of the solar spectrum (280 to 320 nm), but also to longer UV and visible wavelengths.

Diabetes-associated microbiota in fa/fa rats is modified by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

PubMed

Arora, Tulika; Seyfried, Florian; Docherty, Neil G; Tremaroli, Valentina; le Roux, Carel W; Perkins, Rosie; Bäckhed, Fredrik

2017-09-01

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and duodenal jejunal bypass (DJB), two different forms of bariatric surgery, are associated with improved glucose tolerance, but it is not clear whether the gut microbiota contributes to this effect. Here we used fa/fa rats as a model of impaired glucose tolerance to investigate whether (i) the microbiota varies between fa/fa and nondiabetic fa/+ rats; (ii) the microbiota of fa/fa rats is affected by RYGB and/or DJB; and (iii) surgically induced microbiota alterations contribute to glucose metabolism. We observed a profound expansion of Firmicutes (specifically, Lactobacillus animalis and Lactobacillus reuteri) in the small intestine of diabetic fa/fa compared with nondiabetic fa/+ rats. RYGB-, but not DJB-, treated fa/fa rats exhibited greater microbiota diversity in the ileum and lower L. animalis and L. reuteri abundance compared with sham-operated fa/fa rats in all intestinal segments, and their microbiota composition resembled that of unoperated fa/+ rats. To investigate the functional role of RYGB-associated microbiota alterations, we transferred microbiota from sham- and RYGB-treated fa/fa rats to germ-free mice. The metabolic phenotype of RYGB-treated rats was not transferred by the transplant of ileal microbiota. In contrast, postprandial peak glucose levels were lower in mice that received cecal microbiota from RYGB- versus sham-operated rats. Thus, diabetes-associated microbiota alterations in fa/fa rats can be modified by RYGB, and modifications in the cecal microbiota may partially contribute to improved glucose tolerance after RYGB.

pH-Dependent Uptake of Fumaric Acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under Anaerobic Conditions

PubMed Central

Jamalzadeh, Elaheh; Verheijen, Peter J. T.; Heijnen, Joseph J.

2012-01-01

Microbial production of C4 dicarboxylic acids from renewable resources has gained renewed interest. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known as a robust microorganism and is able to grow at low pH, which makes it a suitable candidate for biological production of organic acids. However, a successful metabolic engineering approach for overproduction of organic acids requires an incorporation of a proper exporter to increase the productivity. Moreover, low-pH fermentations, which are desirable for facilitating the downstream processing, may cause back diffusion of the undissociated acid into the cells with simultaneous active export, thereby creating an ATP-dissipating futile cycle. In this work, we have studied the uptake of fumaric acid in S. cerevisiae in carbon-limited chemostat cultures under anaerobic conditions. The effect of the presence of fumaric acid at different pH values (3 to 5) has been investigated in order to obtain more knowledge about possible uptake mechanisms. The experimental results showed that at a cultivation pH of 5.0 and an external fumaric acid concentration of approximately 0.8 mmol · liter−1, the fumaric acid uptake rate was unexpectedly high and could not be explained by diffusion of the undissociated form across the plasma membrane alone. This could indicate the presence of protein-mediated import. At decreasing pH levels, the fumaric acid uptake rate was found to increase asymptotically to a maximum level. Although this observation is in accordance with protein-mediated import, the presence of a metabolic bottleneck for fumaric acid conversion under anaerobic conditions could not be excluded. PMID:22113915

Hepatic uptake of amino acids in late-pregnant rats. Effect of food deprivation.

PubMed Central

Casado, J; Remesar, X; Pastor-Anglada, M

1987-01-01

Hepatic availability, uptake and fractional extraction of amino acids were estimated in anaesthetized 21-day-pregnant and age-matched virgin rats, either fed or after 24 h starvation. Amino acid availability was unaltered in fed pregnant rats as compared with fed virgin controls. However, the hepatic uptake of these compounds was higher in the former than in the latter. These adaptations were mediated by an increase in the hepatic capability to take up amino acids in late-pregnant rats, as reflected by the changes found for the fractional extraction rates. The decrease in amino acid availability found after starvation was more pronounced in pregnant than in virgin rats. Nevertheless, the hepatic uptake was similar in both groups. These results indicate that amino acids are not limiting for ureagenesis during late pregnancy, strongly suggesting that the mechanism(s) which modulate urea synthesis may be intracellular in origin. PMID:3435433

Diabetes-associated microbiota in fa/fa rats is modified by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

PubMed Central

Arora, Tulika; Seyfried, Florian; Docherty, Neil G; Tremaroli, Valentina; le Roux, Carel W; Perkins, Rosie; Bäckhed, Fredrik

2017-01-01

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and duodenal jejunal bypass (DJB), two different forms of bariatric surgery, are associated with improved glucose tolerance, but it is not clear whether the gut microbiota contributes to this effect. Here we used fa/fa rats as a model of impaired glucose tolerance to investigate whether (i) the microbiota varies between fa/fa and nondiabetic fa/+ rats; (ii) the microbiota of fa/fa rats is affected by RYGB and/or DJB; and (iii) surgically induced microbiota alterations contribute to glucose metabolism. We observed a profound expansion of Firmicutes (specifically, Lactobacillus animalis and Lactobacillus reuteri) in the small intestine of diabetic fa/fa compared with nondiabetic fa/+ rats. RYGB-, but not DJB-, treated fa/fa rats exhibited greater microbiota diversity in the ileum and lower L. animalis and L. reuteri abundance compared with sham-operated fa/fa rats in all intestinal segments, and their microbiota composition resembled that of unoperated fa/+ rats. To investigate the functional role of RYGB-associated microbiota alterations, we transferred microbiota from sham- and RYGB-treated fa/fa rats to germ-free mice. The metabolic phenotype of RYGB-treated rats was not transferred by the transplant of ileal microbiota. In contrast, postprandial peak glucose levels were lower in mice that received cecal microbiota from RYGB- versus sham-operated rats. Thus, diabetes-associated microbiota alterations in fa/fa rats can be modified by RYGB, and modifications in the cecal microbiota may partially contribute to improved glucose tolerance after RYGB. PMID:28524868

Folic acid-capped PEGylated magnetic nanoparticles enter cancer cells mostly via clathrin-dependent endocytosis.

PubMed

Allard-Vannier, Emilie; Hervé-Aubert, Katel; Kaaki, Karine; Blondy, Thibaut; Shebanova, Anastasia; Shaitan, Konstantin V; Ignatova, Anastasia A; Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Feofanov, Alexey V; Chourpa, Igor

2017-06-01

This work is focused on mechanisms of uptake in cancer cells of rationally designed, covalently assembled nanoparticles, made of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), fluorophores (doxorubicin or Nile Blue), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and folic acid (FA), referred hereinafter as SFP-FA. SFP-FA were characterized by DLS, zetametry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The SFP-FA uptake in cancer cells was monitored using fluorescence-based methods like fluorescence-assisted cell sorting, CLSM with single-photon and two-photon excitation. The SFP-FA endocytosis was also analyzed with electron microscopy approaches: TEM, HAADF-STEM and EELS. The SFP-FA have zeta potential below -6mW and stable hydrodynamic diameter close to 100nm in aqueous suspensions of pH range from 5 to 8. They contain ca. 109 PEG-FA, 480 PEG-OCH 3 and 22-27 fluorophore molecules per SPION. The fluorophores protected under the PEG shell allows a reliable detection of intracellular NPs. SFP-FA readily enter into all the cancer cell lines studied and accumulate in lysosomes, mostly via clathrin-dependent endocytosis, whatever the FR status on the cells. The present study highlights the advantages of rational design of nanosystems as well as the possible involvement of direct molecular interactions of PEG and FA with cellular membranes, not limited to FA-FR recognition, in the mechanisms of their endocytosis. Composition, magnetic and optical properties of the SFP-FA as well their ability to enter cancer cells are promising for their applications in cancer theranosis. Combination of complementary analytical approaches is relevant to understand the nanoparticles behavior in suspension and in contact with cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inhibitory Effect of Solar Radiation on Amino Acid Uptake in Chesapeake Bay Bacteria

PubMed Central

Bailey, Carmela A.; Neihof, Rex A.; Tabor, Paul S.

1983-01-01

The effect of solar radiation on a natural bacterial population from the Chesapeake Bay was evaluated from measured changes in numbers of organisms engaged in amino acid uptake. From July through May, freshly collected water samples were exposed in quartz containers to 3.5 h of total sunlight both with and without UV-absorbing filters. Water samples were subsequently incubated with tritiated amino acids, and the uptake-active bacteria were assayed by microauto-radiography-epifluorescence microscopy. The survival index, defined as the fraction of the uptake-active population that remained active after the exposure to sunlight, ranged from 0.93 to 0.20. Decreased survival was correlated with increased solar intensity. The inhibition of amino acid uptake was attributed not only to the UV-B component of the solar spectrum (280 to 320 nm), but also to longer UV and visible wavelengths. PMID:16346351

Effect of exogenous abscisic acid on morphology, growth and nutrient uptake of rice (Oryza sativa) roots under simulated acid rain stress.

PubMed

Liu, Hongyue; Ren, Xiaoqian; Zhu, Jiuzheng; Wu, Xi; Liang, Chanjuan

2018-05-31

Application of proper ABA can improve acid tolerance of rice roots by balancing endogenous hormones and promoting nutrient uptake. Abscisic acid (ABA) has an important signaling role in enhancing plant tolerance to environmental stress. To alleviate the inhibition on plant growth and productivity caused by acid rain, it is crucial to clarify the regulating mechanism of ABA on adaptation of plants to acid rain. Here, we studied the effects of exogenously applied ABA on nutrients uptake of rice roots under simulated acid rain (SAR) stress from physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects. Compared to the single SAR treatment (pH 4.5 or 3.5), exogenous 10 μM ABA alleviated the SAR-induced inhibition of root growth by balancing endogenous hormones (abscisic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and zeatin), promoting nutrient uptake (nitrate, P, K and Mg) in rice roots, and increasing the activity of the plasma membrane H + -ATPase by up-regulating expression levels of genes (OSA2, OSA4, OSA9 and OSA10). However, exogenous 100 μM ABA exacerbated the SAR-caused inhibition of root growth by disrupting the balance of endogenous hormones, and inhibiting nutrient uptake (nitrate, P, K, Ca and Mg) through decreasing the activity of the plasma membrane H + -ATPase. These results indicate that proper concentration of exogenous ABA could enhance tolerance of rice roots to SAR stress by promoting nutrients uptake and balancing endogenous hormones.

Δ(9)-THC modulation of fatty acid 2-hydroxylase (FA2H) gene expression: possible involvement of induced levels of PPARα in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Takeda, Shuso; Ikeda, Eriko; Su, Shengzhong; Harada, Mari; Okazaki, Hiroyuki; Yoshioka, Yasushi; Nishimura, Hajime; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Kakizoe, Kazuhiro; Taniguchi, Aya; Tokuyasu, Miki; Himeno, Taichi; Watanabe, Kazuhito; Omiecinski, Curtis J; Aramaki, Hironori

2014-12-04

We recently reported that Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC), a major cannabinoid component in Cannabis Sativa (marijuana), significantly stimulated the expression of fatty acid 2-hydroxylase (FA2H) in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) was previously implicated in this induction. However, the mechanisms mediating this induction have not been elucidated in detail. We performed a DNA microarray analysis of Δ(9)-THC-treated samples and showed the selective up-regulation of the PPARα isoform coupled with the induction of FA2H over the other isoforms (β and γ). Δ(9)-THC itself had no binding/activation potential to/on PPARα, and palmitic acid (PA), a PPARα ligand, exhibited no stimulatory effects on FA2H in MDA-MB-231 cells; thus, we hypothesized that the levels of PPARα induced were involved in the Δ(9)-THC-mediated increase in FA2H. In support of this hypothesis, we herein demonstrated that; (i) Δ(9)-THC activated the basal transcriptional activity of PPARα in a concentration-dependent manner, (ii) the concomitant up-regulation of PPARα/FA2H was caused by Δ(9)-THC, (iii) PA could activate PPARα after the PPARα expression plasmid was introduced, and (iv) the Δ(9)-THC-induced up-regulation of FA2H was further stimulated by the co-treatment with L-663,536 (a known PPARα inducer). Taken together, these results support the concept that the induced levels of PPARα may be involved in the Δ(9)-THC up-regulation of FA2H in MDA-MB-231 cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hereditary folate malabsorption: A positively charged amino acid at position 113 of the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT/SLC46A1) is required for folic acid binding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lasry, Inbal; Berman, Bluma; Glaser, Fabian

2009-08-28

The proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT/SLC46A1) mediates intestinal folate uptake at acidic pH. Some loss of folic acid (FA) transport mutations in PCFT from hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM) patients cluster in R113, thereby suggesting a functional role for this residue. Herein, unlike non-conservative substitutions, an R113H mutant displayed 80-fold increase in the FA transport Km while retaining parental Vmax, hence indicating a major fall in folate substrate affinity. Furthermore, consistent with the preservation of 9% of parental transport activity, R113H transfectants displayed a substantial decrease in the FA growth requirement relative to mock transfectants. Homology modeling based on the crystal structuresmore » of the Escherichia coli transporter homologues EmrD and glycerol-3-phosphate transporter revealed that the R113H rotamer properly protrudes into the cytoplasmic face of the minor cleft normally occupied by R113. These findings constitute the first demonstration that a basic amino acid at position 113 is required for folate substrate binding.« less

Uptake of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by Pseudomonas fluorescens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, G.A.

1966-01-01

Factors influencing the uptake of the sodium salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), under conditions in which no net metabolism occurred, were investigated in an effort to determine both the significance of “nonmetabolic” uptake as a potential agent in reducing pesticide levels and the mechanisms involved. Uptake of 2,4-D was affected by pH, temperature, and the presence of other organic and inorganic compounds. Uptake was more pronounced at pH values less than 6, which implies that there may be some interaction between charged groups on the cell and the ionized carboxyl group of 2,4-D. Active transport, carriermediated diffusion, passive diffusion, and adsorption were considered as possible mechanisms. Though uptake was inhibited by glucose, sodium azide, and fluorodinitrobenzene (but not by uranylion), 2,4-D was not accumulated against a concentration gradient, a necessary consequence of an active transport system, nor was isotope counterflow found to occur. Thus, carrier-mediated diffusion was finally precluded, implying that uptake probably occurs by a two-step process: sorption onto the cell wall followed by passive diffusion into the cytoplasm.

Uptake of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by Pseudomonas fluorescens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, Gary

1966-01-01

Factors influencing the uptake of the sodium salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), under conditions in which no net metabolism occurred, were investigated in an effort to determine both the significance of “non-metabolic” uptake as a potential agent in reducing pesticide levels and the mechanisms involved. Uptake of 2,4-D was affected by pH, temperature, and the presence of other organic and inorganic compounds. Uptake was more pronounced at pH values less than 6, which implies that there may be some interaction between charged groups on the cell and the ionized carboxyl group of 2,4-D. Active transport, carrier-mediated diffusion, passive diffusion, and adsorption were considered as possible mechanisms. Though uptake was inhibited by glucose, sodium azide, and fluorodinitrobenzene (but not by uranyl ion), 2,4-D was not accumulated against a concentration gradient, a necessary consequence of an active transport system, nor was isotope counterflow found to occur. Thus, carrier-mediated diffusion was finally precluded, implying that uptake probably occurs by a two-step process: sorption onto the cell wall followed by passive diffusion into the cytoplasm.

Opuntia ficus indica (nopal) attenuates hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress in obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats.

PubMed

Morán-Ramos, Sofía; Avila-Nava, Azalia; Tovar, Armando R; Pedraza-Chaverri, José; López-Romero, Patricia; Torres, Nimbe

2012-11-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with multiple factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress. Nopal, a cactus plant widely consumed in the Mexican diet, is considered a functional food because of its antioxidant activity and ability to improve biomarkers of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of nopal consumption on the development of hepatic steatosis and hepatic oxidative stress and on the regulation of genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism. Obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats were fed a control diet or a diet containing 4% nopal for 7 wk. Rats fed the nopal-containing diet had ∼50% lower hepatic TG than the control group as well as a reduction in hepatomegaly and biomarkers of hepatocyte injury such as alanine and aspartate aminotransferases. Attenuation of hepatic steatosis by nopal consumption was accompanied by a higher serum concentration of adiponectin and a greater abundance of mRNA for genes involved in lipid oxidation and lipid export and production of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 and microsomal TG transfer proteins in liver. Hepatic reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation biomarkers were significantly lower in rats fed nopal compared with the control rats. Furthermore, rats fed the nopal diet had a lower postprandial serum insulin concentration and a greater liver phosphorylated protein kinase B (pAKT):AKT ratio in the postprandial state. This study suggests that nopal consumption attenuates hepatic steatosis by increasing fatty acid oxidation and VLDL synthesis, decreasing oxidative stress, and improving liver insulin signaling in obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats.

Uptake and release of amino acids in the fetal-placental unit in human pregnancies.

PubMed

Holm, Maia Blomhoff; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Holme, Ane Moe; Zucknick, Manuela; Jansson, Thomas; Refsum, Helga; Mørkrid, Lars; Blomhoff, Rune; Henriksen, Tore; Michelsen, Trond Melbye

2017-01-01

The current concepts of human fetal-placental amino acid exchange and metabolism are mainly based on animal-, in vitro- and ex vivo models. We aimed to determine and assess the paired relationships between concentrations and arteriovenous differences of 19 amino acids on the maternal and fetal sides of the human placenta in a large study sample. This cross-sectional in vivo study included 179 healthy women with uncomplicated term pregnancies. During planned cesarean section, we sampled blood from incoming and outgoing vessels on the maternal (radial artery and uterine vein) and fetal (umbilical vein and artery) sides of the placenta. Amino acid concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We calculated paired arteriovenous differences and performed Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Spearman's correlations. In the umbilical circulation, we observed a positive venoarterial difference (fetal uptake) for 14 amino acids and a negative venoarterial difference (fetal release) for glutamic acid (p<0.001). In the maternal circulation, we observed a positive arteriovenous difference (uteroplacental uptake) for leucine (p = 0.005), isoleucine (p = 0.01), glutamic acid (p<0.001) and arginine (p = 0.04) and a negative arteriovenous difference (uteroplacental release) for tyrosine (p = 0.002), glycine (p = 0.01) and glutamine (p = 0.02). The concentrations in the maternal artery and umbilical vein were correlated for all amino acids except tryptophan, but we observed no correlations between the uteroplacental uptake and the fetal uptake or the umbilical vein concentration. Two amino acids showed a correlation between the maternal artery concentration and the fetal uptake. Our human in vivo study expands the current insight into fetal-placental amino acid exchange, and discloses some differences from what has been previously described in animals. Our findings are consistent with the concept that the fetal supply of amino acids in the human is the

Active Uptake of Amino Acids by Leaves of an Epiphytic Vascular Plant, Tillandsia paucifolia (Bromeliaceae).

PubMed

Nyman, L P; Davis, J P; O'dell, S J; Arditti, J; Stephens, G C; Benzing, D H

1987-03-01

Specialized epidermal trichomes on the leaves of the epiphyte, Tillandsia paucifolia (Bromeliaceae) accumulate amino acids from solution. Simultaneous net uptake of 17 amino acids was determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Uptake occurs against concentration gradients at least as high as 10(4).

Cloning and expression analysis of FaPR-1 gene in strawberry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Fan; Luo, Ya; Ge, Cong; Mo, Qin; Ling, Yajie; Luo, Shu; Tang, Haoru

2018-04-01

The FaPR-1 gene was cloned by RT-PCR from `Benihoppe' strawberry and its bioinformatics analysis was conducted. The results showed that the open reading frame was 483 bp encoding encoding l60 amino acids which protein molecular weight and theoretical isoelectricity were 17854.17 and 8.72 respectively. Subcellular localization prediction shows that this gene is located extracellularly. By comparing strawberry FaPR-l and other plant Pathogenesis-related protein, homology and phylogenetic tree construction showed that the homology with grapes, peach is relatively close. In the treatments of ABA, sucrose and the mixture of the two, the expression of FaPR-1 in strawberry fruit were significantly increased.

Starmerella camargoi f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella ilheusensis f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella litoralis f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella opuntiae f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella roubikii f.a., sp. nov. and Starmerella vitae f.a., sp. nov., isolated from flowers and bees, and transfer of related Candida species to the genus Starmerella as new combinations.

PubMed

Santos, Ana Raquel O; Leon, Marina P; Barros, Katharina O; Freitas, Larissa F D; Hughes, Alice F S; Morais, Paula B; Lachance, Marc-André; Rosa, Carlos A

2018-04-01

Six novel yeast species, Starmerella camargoi f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella ilheusensis f.a., sp. nov., Starmerella litoralis f.a., Starmerella opuntiae f.a., sp. nov., sp. nov., Starmerella roubikii f.a., sp. nov. and Starmerella vitae f.a, sp. nov. are proposed to accommodate 19 isolates recovered from ephemeral flowers or bees in Brazil, Costa Rica and Belize. Sequence analysis of the ITS-5.8S region (when available) and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit of the rRNA gene showed that the six novel yeasts are phylogenetically related to several species of the Starmerella clade. The type strains are Starmerella camargoi f.a., sp. nov. UFMG-CM-Y595 T (=CBS 14130 T ; Mycobank number MB 822640), Starmerella ilheusensis f.a., sp. nov. UFMG-CM-Y596 T (=CBS CBS14131 T ; MB 822641), Starmerella litoralis f.a., sp. nov. UFMG-CM-Y603 T (=CBS14104 T ; MB 822642), Starmerella opuntiae f.a., sp. nov. UFMG-CM-Y286 T (=CBS 13466 T ; MB 822643), Starmerella roubikii f.a., sp. nov. UWOPS 01-191.1 (=CBS 15148; MB 822645) and Starmerella vitae f.a., sp. nov. UWOPS 00-107.2 (=CBS 15147 T ; MB 822646). In addition, 25 species currently assigned to the genus Candida are reassigned formally to the genus Starmerella.

Differential effects of citric acid on cadmium uptake and accumulation between tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.

PubMed

Wang, ShuTing; Dong, Qin; Wang, ZhaoLong

2017-11-01

Organic acids play an important role in cadmium availability, uptake, translocation, and detoxification. A sand culture experiment was designed to investigate the effects of citric acid on Cd uptake, translocation, and accumulation in tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. The results showed that two grass species presented different Cd chemical forms, organic acid components and amount in roots. The dormant Cd accumulated in roots of tall fescue was the pectate- and protein- integrated form, which contributed by 84.85%. However, in Kentucky bluegrass, the pectate- and protein- integrated Cd was only contributed by 35.78%, and the higher proportion of Cd form was the water soluble Cd-organic acid complexes. In tall fescue, citric acid dramatically enhanced 2.8 fold of Cd uptake, 3 fold of root Cd accumulation, and 2.3 fold of shoot Cd accumulation. In Kentucky bluegrass, citric acid promoted Cd accumulation in roots, but significantly decreased Cd accumulation in shoots. These results suggested that the enhancements of citric acid on Cd uptake, translocation, and accumulation in tall fescue was associated with its promotion of organic acids and the water soluble Cd-organic acid complexes in roots. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitric acid uptake by sulfuric acid solutions under stratospheric conditions - Determination of Henry's Law solubility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reihs, Christa M.; Golden, David M.; Tolbert, Margaret A.

1990-01-01

The uptake of nitric acid by sulfuric acid solutions representative of stratospheric particulate at low temperatures was measured to determine the solubility of nitric acid in sulfuric acid solutions as a function of H2SO4 concentration and solution temperature. Solubilities are reported for sulfuric acid solutions ranging from 58 to 87 wt pct H2SO4 over a temperature range from 188 to 240 K, showing that, in general, the solubility of nitric acid increases with decreasing sulfuric acid concentration and with decreasing temperature. The measured solubilities indicate that nitric acid in the global stratosphere will be found predominantly in the gas phase.

Propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit lipolysis and de novo lipogenesis and increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in primary rat adipocytes

PubMed Central

Heimann, Emilia; Nyman, Margareta; Degerman, Eva

2014-01-01

Fermentation of dietary fibers by colonic microbiota generates short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), e.g., propionic acid and butyric acid, which have been described to have “anti-obesity properties” by ameliorating fasting glycaemia, body weight and insulin tolerance in animal models. In the present study, we therefore investigate if propionic acid and butyric acid have effects on lipolysis, de novo lipogenesis and glucose uptake in primary rat adipocytes. We show that both propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit isoproterenol- and adenosine deaminase-stimulated lipolysis as well as isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis in the presence of a phosphodiesterase (PDE3) inhibitor. In addition, we show that propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit basal and insulin-stimulated de novo lipogenesis, which is associated with increased phosphorylation and thus inhibition of acetyl CoA carboxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, we show that propionic acid and butyric acid increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. To conclude, our study shows that SCFAs have effects on fat storage and mobilization as well as glucose uptake in rat primary adipocytes. Thus, the SCFAs might contribute to healthier adipocytes and subsequently also to improved energy metabolism with for example less circulating free fatty acids, which is beneficial in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes. PMID:26167409

Propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit lipolysis and de novo lipogenesis and increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in primary rat adipocytes.

PubMed

Heimann, Emilia; Nyman, Margareta; Degerman, Eva

2015-01-01

Fermentation of dietary fibers by colonic microbiota generates short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), e.g., propionic acid and butyric acid, which have been described to have "anti-obesity properties" by ameliorating fasting glycaemia, body weight and insulin tolerance in animal models. In the present study, we therefore investigate if propionic acid and butyric acid have effects on lipolysis, de novo lipogenesis and glucose uptake in primary rat adipocytes. We show that both propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit isoproterenol- and adenosine deaminase-stimulated lipolysis as well as isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis in the presence of a phosphodiesterase (PDE3) inhibitor. In addition, we show that propionic acid and butyric acid inhibit basal and insulin-stimulated de novo lipogenesis, which is associated with increased phosphorylation and thus inhibition of acetyl CoA carboxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, we show that propionic acid and butyric acid increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. To conclude, our study shows that SCFAs have effects on fat storage and mobilization as well as glucose uptake in rat primary adipocytes. Thus, the SCFAs might contribute to healthier adipocytes and subsequently also to improved energy metabolism with for example less circulating free fatty acids, which is beneficial in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Is the onset of obesity in suckling fa/fa rats linked to a potentially larger milk intake?

PubMed

Buchberger, P; Schmidt, I

1996-08-01

We wanted to find out whether fatty (fa/fa) sucklings show abnormal intake when given access to an abundant milk reservoir. To do this, we gravimetrically determined the milk ingested by small groups (4-5 pups) of 5- to 15-day-old lean (+/fa) and fatty littermates allowed to suckle for 30 min after their mother had not been nursing for periods of between 1 and 7 h. The pups were grouped randomly and their phenotypes retrospectively identified. Within both genotypes, the intakes of simultaneously tested pups were significantly higher in pups deprived for longer periods. Deprived and undeprived fa/fa pups ingested, however, slightly but significantly less milk than +/fa littermates did in the same nursing bout. In the first 2 wk of life, when fa/fa pups deposit nearly twice as much body fat as their +/fa littermates do, fa/fa pups will thus suckle less rather than more milk. This extends previous findings showing that the onset of fa/fa obesity is independent of larger intakes and thus questions that fa impairs a receptor primarily controlling food intake.

Amino acid uptake by temperate tree species characteristic of low- and high-fertility habitats.

PubMed

Scott, Emily E; Rothstein, David E

2011-10-01

The relationship between inorganic nitrogen (N) cycling and plant productivity is well established. However, recent research has demonstrated the ability of plants to take up low molecular weight organic N compounds (i.e., amino acids) at rates that often rival those of inorganic N forms. In this study, we hypothesize that temperate forest tree species characteristic of low-fertility habitats will prefer amino acids over species characteristic of high-fertility habitats. We measured the uptake of (15)N-labeled amino acids (glycine, glutamine, arginine, serine), ammonium (NH(4)(+)), and nitrate (NO(3)(-)) by four tree species that commonly occur in eastern North America, where their abundances have been correlated with inorganic N availability. Specific uptake rates of amino acids were largely similar for all tree species; however, high-fertility species took up NH(4)(+) at rates more than double those of low-fertility species, rendering amino acid N relatively more important to the N nutrition of low-fertility species. Low-fertility species acquired over four times more total N from arginine compared to NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-); high-fertility species acquired the most N from NH(4)(+). Arginine had the highest uptake rates of any amino acid by all species; there were no significant differences in uptake rates of the remaining amino acids. Our results support the idea that the dominant species in a particular habitat are those best able to utilize the most available N resources.

Role of Fatty Acid Kinase in Cellular Lipid Homeostasis and SaeRS-Dependent Virulence Factor Expression in Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Ericson, Megan E.; Subramanian, Chitra; Frank, Matthew W.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The SaeRS two-component system is a master activator of virulence factor transcription in Staphylococcus aureus, but the cellular factors that control its activity are unknown. Fatty acid (FA) kinase is a two-component enzyme system required for extracellular FA uptake and SaeRS activity. Here, we demonstrate the existence of an intracellular nonesterified FA pool in S. aureus that is elevated in strains lacking FA kinase activity. SaeRS-mediated transcription is restored in FA kinase-negative strains when the intracellular FA pool is reduced either by growth with FA-depleted bovine serum albumin to extract the FA into the medium or by the heterologous expression of Neisseria gonorrhoeae acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase to activate FA for phospholipid synthesis. These data show that FAs act as negative regulators of SaeRS signaling, and FA kinase activates SaeRS-dependent virulence factor production by lowering inhibitory FA levels. Thus, FA kinase plays a role in cellular lipid homeostasis by activating FA for incorporation into phospholipid, and it indirectly regulates SaeRS signaling by maintaining a low intracellular FA pool. PMID:28765222

The role of monocarboxylate transporters in uptake of lactic acid in HeLa cells.

PubMed

Cheeti, Sravanthi; Warrier, Bharat K; Lee, Chi H

2006-11-15

This study was aimed to identify the monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in HeLa cells and to delineate their role in transportation of L-lactic acid. The functional role of MCTs in lactic acid transport was evaluated at various mucosal pHs (4.5-7.4) or in the presence of various loading doses (0.2-2mM) of lactic acid, MCT substrates (nicotinic acid, n-butyric acid, etc.) and inhibitors (alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate and para-chloromercuribenzoic acid). The molecular properties of MCTs were characterized using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The uptake rate of lactic acid by HeLa cells significantly increased from 0.353+/-0.052 to 1.103+/-0.196 micromol/mg protein as the extra-cellular pH changed from 7.4 to 4.5, indicating that activities of MCT were mediated through H(+)-linked mechanism. The uptake profile of lactic acid followed the saturable process with the K(m) value of 0.53 mM. The uptake rate of lactic acid is concentration dependent and is reduced in the presence of MCT inhibitors. MCT isoforms 1, 5 and 6 in HeLa cells were identified by RT-PCR. HeLa cell line can be used as an effective screening tool for intravaginally administered drugs targeted toward MCT.

Valproate induced hepatic steatosis by enhanced fatty acid uptake and triglyceride synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bai, Xupeng; Hong, Weipeng; Cai, Peiheng

Steatosis is the characteristic type of VPA-induced hepatotoxicity and may result in life-threatening hepatic lesion. Approximately 61% of patients treated with VPA have been diagnosed with hepatic steatosis through ultrasound examination. However, the mechanisms underlying VPA-induced intracellular fat accumulation are not yet fully understood. Here we demonstrated the involvement of fatty acid uptake and lipogenesis in VPA-induced hepatic steatosis in vitro and in vivo by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, western blotting analysis, fatty acid uptake assays, Nile Red staining assays, and Oil Red O staining assays. Specifically, we found that the expression of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36),more » an important fatty acid transport, and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) were significantly up-regulated in HepG2 cells and livers of C57B/6J mice after treatment with VPA. Furthermore, VPA treatment remarkably enhanced the efficiency of fatty acid uptake mediated by CD36, while this effect was abolished by the interference with CD36-specific siRNA. Also, VPA treatment significantly increased DGAT2 expression as a result of the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) – extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) pathway; however, DGAT2 knockdown significantly alleviated VPA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation. Additionally, we also found that sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c)-mediated fatty acid synthesis may be not involved in VPA-induced hepatic steatosis. Overall, VPA-triggered over-regulation of CD36 and DGAT2 could be helpful for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying VPA-induced hepatic steatosis and may offer novel therapeutic strategies to combat VPA-induced hepatotoxicity. - Highlights: • VPA induced hepatic steatosis and modulated genes associated with lipid metabolism. • CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake contributed to VPA-induced lipid accumulation. • PA increased the

Heterogeneous uptake of ammonia and dimethylamine into sulfuric and oxalic acid particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauerwein, Meike; Keung Chan, Chak

2017-05-01

Heterogeneous uptake is one of the major mechanisms governing the amounts of short-chain alkylamines and ammonia (NH3) in atmospheric particles. Molar ratios of aminium to ammonium ions detected in ambient aerosols often exceed typical gas phase ratios. The present study investigated the simultaneous uptake of dimethylamine (DMA) and NH3 into sulfuric and oxalic acid particles at gaseous DMA / NH3 molar ratios of 0.1 and 0.5 at 10, 50 and 70 % relative humidity (RH). Single-gas uptake and co-uptake were conducted under identical conditions and compared. Results show that the particulate dimethyl-aminium/ammonium molar ratios (DMAH / NH4) changed substantially during the uptake process, which was severely influenced by the extent of neutralisation and the particle phase state. In general, DMA uptake and NH3 uptake into concentrated H2SO4 droplets were initially similarly efficient, yielding DMAH / NH4 ratios that were similar to DMA / NH3 ratios. As the co-uptake continued, the DMAH / NH4 gradually dropped due to a preferential uptake of NH3 into partially neutralised acidic droplets. At 50 % RH, once the sulfate droplets were neutralised, the stronger base DMA displaced some of the ammonium absorbed earlier, leading to DMAH / NH4 ratios up to four times higher than the corresponding gas phase ratios. However, at 10 % RH, crystallisation of partially neutralised sulfate particles prevented further DMA uptake, while NH3 uptake continued and displaced DMAH+, forming almost pure ammonium sulfate. Displacement of DMAH+ by NH3 has also been observed in neutralised, solid oxalate particles. The results can explain why DMAH / NH4 ratios in ambient liquid aerosols can be larger than DMA / NH3, despite an excess of NH3 in the gas phase. An uptake of DMA to aerosols consisting of crystalline ammonium salts, however, is unlikely, even at comparable DMA and NH3 gas phase concentrations.

Uptake of Small Organic Compounds by Sulfuric Acid Aerosols: Dissolution and Reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iraci, L. T.; Michelsen, R. R.; Ashbourn, S. F. M.; Staton, S. J. R.

2003-01-01

To assess the role of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, the interactions of a series of small organic compounds with low-temperature aqueous sulfuric acid will be evaluated. The total amount of organic material which may be taken up from the gas phase by dissolution, surface layer formation, and reaction during the particle lifetime will be quantified. Our current results for acetaldehyde uptake on 40 - 80 wt% sulfuric acid solutions will be compared to those of methanol, formaldehyde, and acetone to investigate the relationships between chemical functionality and heterogeneous activity. Where possible, equilibrium uptake will be ascribed to component pathways (hydration, protonation, etc.) to facilitate evaluation of other species not yet studied in low temperature aqueous sulfuric acid.

A critical role of fatty acid binding protein 4 and 5 (FABP4/5) in the systemic response to fasting.

PubMed

Syamsunarno, Mas Rizky A A; Iso, Tatsuya; Hanaoka, Hirofumi; Yamaguchi, Aiko; Obokata, Masaru; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Goto, Kosaku; Hishiki, Takako; Nagahata, Yoshiko; Matsui, Hiroki; Sano, Motoaki; Kobayashi, Masaki; Kikuchi, Osamu; Sasaki, Tsutomu; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Murakami, Masami; Kitamura, Tadahiro; Suematsu, Makoto; Tsushima, Yoshito; Endo, Keigo; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S; Kurabayashi, Masahiko

2013-01-01

During prolonged fasting, fatty acid (FA) released from adipose tissue is a major energy source for peripheral tissues, including the heart, skeletal muscle and liver. We recently showed that FA binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5, which are abundantly expressed in adipocytes and macrophages, are prominently expressed in capillary endothelial cells in the heart and skeletal muscle. In addition, mice deficient for both FABP4 and FABP5 (FABP4/5 DKO mice) exhibited defective uptake of FA with compensatory up-regulation of glucose consumption in these tissues during fasting. Here we showed that deletion of FABP4/5 resulted in a marked perturbation of metabolism in response to prolonged fasting, including hyperketotic hypoglycemia and hepatic steatosis. Blood glucose levels were reduced, whereas the levels of non-esterified FA (NEFA) and ketone bodies were markedly increased during fasting. In addition, the uptake of the (125)I-BMIPP FA analogue in the DKO livers was markedly increased after fasting. Consistent with an increased influx of NEFA into the liver, DKO mice showed marked hepatic steatosis after a 48-hr fast. Although gluconeogenesis was observed shortly after fasting, the substrates for gluconeogenesis were reduced during prolonged fasting, resulting in insufficient gluconeogenesis and enhanced hypoglycemia. These metabolic responses to prolonged fasting in DKO mice were readily reversed by re-feeding. Taken together, these data strongly suggested that a maladaptive response to fasting in DKO mice occurred as a result of an increased influx of NEFA into the liver and pronounced hypoglycemia. Together with our previous study, the metabolic consequence found in the present study is likely to be attributed to an impairment of FA uptake in the heart and skeletal muscle. Thus, our data provided evidence that peripheral uptake of FA via capillary endothelial FABP4/5 is crucial for systemic metabolism and may establish FABP4/5 as potentially novel targets for the

A Critical Role of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 and 5 (FABP4/5) in the Systemic Response to Fasting

PubMed Central

Syamsunarno, Mas Rizky A. A.; Iso, Tatsuya; Hanaoka, Hirofumi; Yamaguchi, Aiko; Obokata, Masaru; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Goto, Kosaku; Hishiki, Takako; Nagahata, Yoshiko; Matsui, Hiroki; Sano, Motoaki; Kobayashi, Masaki; Kikuchi, Osamu; Sasaki, Tsutomu; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Murakami, Masami; Kitamura, Tadahiro; Suematsu, Makoto; YoshitoTsushima; Endo, Keigo; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S.; Kurabayashi, Masahiko

2013-01-01

During prolonged fasting, fatty acid (FA) released from adipose tissue is a major energy source for peripheral tissues, including the heart, skeletal muscle and liver. We recently showed that FA binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5, which are abundantly expressed in adipocytes and macrophages, are prominently expressed in capillary endothelial cells in the heart and skeletal muscle. In addition, mice deficient for both FABP4 and FABP5 (FABP4/5 DKO mice) exhibited defective uptake of FA with compensatory up-regulation of glucose consumption in these tissues during fasting. Here we showed that deletion of FABP4/5 resulted in a marked perturbation of metabolism in response to prolonged fasting, including hyperketotic hypoglycemia and hepatic steatosis. Blood glucose levels were reduced, whereas the levels of non-esterified FA (NEFA) and ketone bodies were markedly increased during fasting. In addition, the uptake of the 125I-BMIPP FA analogue in the DKO livers was markedly increased after fasting. Consistent with an increased influx of NEFA into the liver, DKO mice showed marked hepatic steatosis after a 48-hr fast. Although gluconeogenesis was observed shortly after fasting, the substrates for gluconeogenesis were reduced during prolonged fasting, resulting in insufficient gluconeogenesis and enhanced hypoglycemia. These metabolic responses to prolonged fasting in DKO mice were readily reversed by re-feeding. Taken together, these data strongly suggested that a maladaptive response to fasting in DKO mice occurred as a result of an increased influx of NEFA into the liver and pronounced hypoglycemia. Together with our previous study, the metabolic consequence found in the present study is likely to be attributed to an impairment of FA uptake in the heart and skeletal muscle. Thus, our data provided evidence that peripheral uptake of FA via capillary endothelial FABP4/5 is crucial for systemic metabolism and may establish FABP4/5 as potentially novel targets for the

Reducing renal uptake of 111In-DOTATOC: a comparison among various basic amino acids.

PubMed

Lin, Yung-Chang; Hung, Guang-Uei; Luo, Tsai-Yueh; Tsai, Shih-Chuan; Sun, Shung-Shung; Hsia, Chien-Chung; Chen, Shu-Ling; Lin, Wan-Yu

2007-01-01

Several studies have reported significant renal toxicity after the use of a high dose of 90Y-DOTATOC. Thus, renal protection is necessary in treatments with 90Y-DOTA Tyr3-octreotide (DOTATOC). The infusion of certain positively charged amino acids has been shown to effectively reduce renal uptake of DOTATOC. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of three kinds of amino acids, D-lysine (lysine), L-arginine (arginine) and histidine, on renal protection in healthy rats and tried to determine which one was the most effective. Twenty SD healthy male rats were divided into 4 groups: lysine, histidine, arginine, and control. The rats were injected with a dose of 400 mg/kg of amino acid or 2 ml of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (as control) intraperitoneally. All rats were sacrificed at 4 hrs after the injection of 1 MBq 111In-DOTATOC. Samples of the kidney were taken and weighed carefully. The counts of radioactivity were measured by a gamma counter and renal concentrations were calculated and expressed as percent injected dose per gram (% ID/g). The renal uptake of 111In-DOTATOC was significantly lower for all three kinds of amino acids when compared to the control group. The renal uptake of 111In-DOTATOC in the lysine group was significantly lower than those in the histidine and arginine groups. The renal uptake of 111In-DOTATOC in the histidine group was lower than that in the arginine group, but no statistical difference was noted. Among these three amino acids, lysine had the best reduction rate of renal uptake of DOTATOC. Histidine was more effective than arginine but no statistical difference was noted.

Active Uptake of Amino Acids by Leaves of an Epiphytic Vascular Plant, Tillandsia paucifolia (Bromeliaceae) 1

PubMed Central

Nyman, Leslie Paul; Davis, James P.; O'Dell, Stephen J.; Arditti, Joseph; Stephens, Grover C.; Benzing, David H.

1987-01-01

Specialized epidermal trichomes on the leaves of the epiphyte, Tillandsia paucifolia (Bromeliaceae) accumulate amino acids from solution. Simultaneous net uptake of 17 amino acids was determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Uptake occurs against concentration gradients at least as high as 104. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 3 PMID:16665307

Foliar trichome-aided formaldehyde uptake in the epiphytic Tillandsia velutina and its response to formaldehyde pollution.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Pemberton, Robert; Zheng, Guiling

2015-01-01

Epiphytic Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) species have been found to be efficient biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, but have not been used to monitor or remove the primary indoor atmospheric pollutant formaldehyde (FA). The absorptive capacity of Tillandsia trichomes is well-established, but potential secondary effects of foliar trichomes on gas exchange remain unclear. Our study investigated whether Tillandsia species can absorb FA efficiently and if the leaf trichomes function to improve FA uptake, using Tillandsia velutina. Plants with intact trichomes, decreased FA concentration by 48.42% in 12 h from 1060 μg m(-3) to 546.67 μg m(-3), while FA concentration decreased only by 22.51% in the plants without trichomes. Moreover, the more trichomes removed from the leaves, the lower the capability of FA uptake per unit leaf area, which suggested that T. velutina was capable of absorbing a large amount of FA via the leaves and specialized trichomes facilitated the whole leaf tissue FA absorption. In addition, all plants exposed to FA were chloric, had a reduction in measured leaf chlorophyll, and an increment in permeability of plasma membranes. However, plants in which trichomes had been removed declined or increased more quickly than plants with intact trichomes, indicating Tillandsia leaf trichomes also give the leaves some protection against this toxin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Folic acid-conjugated amphiphilic alternating copolymer as a new active tumor targeting drug delivery platform.

PubMed

Li, Xia; Szewczuk, Myron R; Malardier-Jugroot, Cecile

2016-01-01

Targeted drug delivery using polymeric nanostructures is an emerging cancer research area, engineered for safer, more efficient, and effective use of chemotherapeutic drugs. A pH-responsive, active targeting delivery system was designed using folic acid functionalized amphiphilic alternating copolymer poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (FA-DABA-SMA) via a biodegradable linker 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA). The polymeric template is pH responsive, forming amphiphilic nanostructures at pH 7, allowing the encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs on its interior. Moreover, the structure is stable only at neutral pH and collapses in the acidic tumor microenvironment, releasing drugs on-site from its core. The delivery vehicle is investigated using human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cells and RAW-Blue™ mouse macrophage reporter cell line, both of which have overly expression of folic acid receptors. To trace the cellular uptake by both cell lines, curcumin was selected as a dye and drug mimic owing to its fluorescence nature and hydrophobic properties. Fluorescent microscopy of FA-DABA-SMA loaded with curcumin revealed a significant internalization of the dye by human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cells compared to those with unfunctionalized polymers (SMA). Moreover, the FA-DABA-SMA polymers exhibit rodlike association specific to the cells. Both empty SMA and FA-DABA-SMA show little toxicity to PANC-1 cells as characterized by WST-1 cell proliferation assay. These results clearly indicate that FA-DABA-SMA polymers show potential as an active tumor targeting drug delivery system with the ability to internalize hydrophobic chemotherapeutics after they specifically attach to cancer cells.

Influence of aspartic acid and lysine on the uptake of gold nanoparticles in rice.

PubMed

Ye, Xinxin; Li, Hongying; Wang, Qingyun; Chai, Rushan; Ma, Chao; Gao, Hongjian; Mao, Jingdong

2018-02-01

The interactions between plants and nanomaterials (NMs) can shed light on the environmental consequences of nanotechnology. We used the major crop plant rice (Oryza sativa L.) to investigate the uptake of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) coated with either negatively or positively charged ligands, over a 5-day period, in the absence or presence of one of two amino acids, aspartic acid (Asp) or lysine (Lys), acting as components of rice root exudates. The presence of Asp or Lys influenced the uptake and distribution of GNPs in rice, which depended on the electrical interaction between the coated GNPs and each amino acid. When the electrical charge of the amino acid was the same as that of the surface ligand coated onto the GNPs, the GNPs could disperse well in nutrient solution, resulting in increased uptake of GNPs into rice tissue. The opposite was true where the charge on the surface ligand was different from that on the amino acid, resulting in agglomeration and reduced Au uptake into rice tissue. The behavior of GNPs in the hydroponic nutrient solution was monitored in terms of agglomeration, particle size distribution, and surface charge in the presence and absence of Asp or Lys, which depended strongly on the electrostatic interaction. Results from this study indicated that the species of root exudates must be taken into account in assessing the bioavailability of nanomaterials to plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uptake and metabolic effects of salicylic acid on the pulvinar motor cells of Mimosa pudica L.

PubMed

Dédaldéchamp, Fabienne; Saeedi, Saed; Fleurat-Lessard, Pierrette; Roblin, Gabriel

2014-01-01

In this paper, the salicylic acid (o-hydroxy benzoic acid) (SA) uptake by the pulvinar tissues of Mimosa pudica L. pulvini was shown to be strongly pH-dependent, increasing with acidity of the assay medium. This uptake was performed according to a unique affinity system (K(m) = 5.9 mM, V(m) = 526 pmol mgDW(-1)) in the concentration range of 0.1-5 mM. The uptake rate increased with increasing temperature (5-35 °C) and was inhibited following treatment with sodium azide (NaN3) and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), suggesting the involvement of an active component. Treatment with p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (PCMBS) did not modify the uptake, indicating that external thiol groups were not necessary. KCl, which induced membrane depolarization had no significant effect, and fusicoccin (FC), which hyperpolarized cell membrane, stimulated the uptake, suggesting that the pH component of the proton motive force was likely a driving force. These data suggest that the SA uptake by the pulvinar tissues may be driven by two components: an ion-trap mechanism playing a pivotal role and a putative carrier-mediated mechanism. Unlike other benzoic acid derivatives acting as classical respiration inhibitors (NaN3 and KCN), SA modified the pulvinar cell metabolism by increasing the respiration rate similar to CCCP and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Furthermore, SA inhibited the osmoregulated seismonastic reaction in a pH dependent manner and induced characteristic damage to the ultrastructural features of the pulvinar motor cells, particularly at the mitochondrial level. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary fatty acids on jejunal and ileal oleic acid uptake by rat brush border membrane vesicles.

PubMed

Prieto, R M; Stremmel, W; Sales, C; Tur, J A

1996-04-18

To test the effect of dietary fatty acids on fatty acid uptake, the influx kinetics of a representative long-chain fatty acid, 3H-oleic acid, in both the jejunum and ileum of rats has been studied using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Animals were fed with semipurified diets containing 5 g fat/100 g diet, as corn oil (control group), safflower oil (unsaturated group) and coconut oil hydrogenated (saturated group). With increasing unbound oleate concentration in the medium, the three dietary groups showed saturable kinetics in both jejunal and ileal BBMV (controls: Vmax = 0.15 +/- 0.01 nmol x mg protein-1 x 5 min-1 and Km = 136 +/- 29.1 nmol for jejunum, and Vmax = 0.23 +/- 0.03 nmol x mg protein-1 x 5 min-1 and Km = 196 +/- 50.3 nmol for ileum; unsaturated: Vmax = 0.28 +/- 0.05 nmol x mg protein-1 x 5 min-1 and Km = 242.7 +/- 91.8 nmol for jejunum, and Vmax = 1.29 +/- 0.06 nmol x mg protein-1 x 5 min-1 and Km = 509.8 +/- 97.5 nmol for ileum; saturated: Vmax = 0.03 +/- 0.01 nmol x mg protein-1 x 5 min-1 and Km = 124.5 +/- 72.6 nmol for jejunum, and Vmax = 0.04 +/- 0.01 nmol x mg protein -1.5 min-1 and Km = 205.6 +/- 85.3 nmol for ileum). These results support the theory that feeding an isocaloric diet containing only unsaturated fatty acids enhanced oleic acid uptake, and feeding an isocaloric diet containing only saturated fatty acids decreased oleic acid uptake. The results obtained in the present work also show the adaptative ability of jejunum and ileum to the type of dietary fat.

A never-ending story: the steadily growing family of the FA and FA-like genes

PubMed Central

Gueiderikh, Anna; Rosselli, Filippo; Neto, Januario B.C.

2017-01-01

Abstract Among the chromosome fragility-associated human syndromes that present cancer predisposition, Fanconi anemia (FA) is unique due to its large genetic heterogeneity. To date, mutations in 21 genes have been associated with an FA or an FA-like clinical and cellular phenotype, whose hallmarks are bone marrow failure, predisposition to acute myeloid leukemia and a cellular and chromosomal hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents exposure. The goal of this review is to trace the history of the identification of FA genes, a history that started in the eighties and is not yet over, as indicated by the cloning of a twenty-first FA gene in 2016. PMID:28558075

Relationship of Cell Sap pH to Organic Acid Change During Ion Uptake 1

PubMed Central

Hiatt, A. J.

1967-01-01

Excised roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare, var. Campana) were incubated in KCl, K2SO4, CaCl2, and NaCl solutions at concentrations of 10−5 to 10−2 n. Changes in substrate solution pH, cell sap pH, and organic acid content of the roots were related to differences in cation and anion absorption. The pH of expressed sap of roots increased when cations were absorbed in excess of anions and decreased when anions were absorbed in excess of cations. The pH of the cell sap shifted in response to imbalances in cation and anion uptake in salt solutions as dilute as 10−5 n. Changes in cell sap pH were detectable within 15 minutes after the roots were placed in 10−3 n K2SO4. Organic acid changes in the roots were proportional to expressed sap pH changes induced by unbalanced ion uptake. Changes in organic acid content in response to differential cation and anion uptake appear to be associated with the low-salt component of ion uptake. PMID:16656506

Alterations of local cerebral glucose utilization in lean and obese fa/fa rats after acute adrenalectomy.

PubMed

Doyle, P; Rohner-Jeanrenaud, F; Jeanrenaud, B

1994-08-29

An animal model often used to investigate the aetiology of obesity is the genetically obese fa/fa rat. It has many abnormalities, including hyperphagia, hyper-insulinemia, insulin resistance, low cerebral glucose utilization and an overactive hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis with resulting hypercorticism. Due to the latter consideration, the aim of this work was to study the impact of acute adrenalectomy (ADX) on the local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) of lean and obese fa/fa rats. ADX resulted in discrete increases in LCGU of regions common to both lean and obese rats. These common regions were found to belong to be related to the limbic system. Within this system, the LCGU of the brain of obese rats was either normalized to lean sham operated values or increased by ADX to a similar degree in both groups on a percentage basis. It was concluded that the LCGU of both lean and obese animals appears to be negatively regulated, albeit to different extents, by glucocorticoids. Such negative regulation is particularly salient within the limbic system of the lean rat and even more so in the fa/fa rat. It is suggested that the long-term hypercorticism of obese fa/fa rats due to abnormal regulation of the HPA axis may result in a decreased LCGU in limbic and related regions of the brain of fa/fa rats and contribute to the expression of the obese phenotype.

Weekly infusional high-dose fluorouracil (HD-FU), HD-FU plus folinic acid (HD-FU/FA), or HD-FU/FA plus biweekly cisplatin in advanced gastric cancer: randomized phase II trial 40953 of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Gastrointestinal Group and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie.

PubMed

Lutz, Manfred P; Wilke, Hansjochen; Wagener, D J Theo; Vanhoefer, Udo; Jeziorski, Krzysztof; Hegewisch-Becker, Susanna; Balleisen, Leopold; Joossens, Eric; Jansen, Rob L; Debois, Muriel; Bethe, Ullrich; Praet, Michel; Wils, Jacques; Van Cutsem, Eric

2007-06-20

This multicentric, randomized, two-stage phase II trial evaluated three simplified weekly infusional regimens of fluorouracil (FU) or FU plus folinic acid (FA) and cisplatin (Cis) with the aim to select a regimen for future phase III trials. A total of 145 patients with advanced gastric cancer where randomly assigned to weekly FU 3,000 mg/m2/24 hours (HD-FU), FU 2,600 mg/m2/24 hours plus dl-FA 500 mg/m2 or l-FA 250 mg/m2 (HD-FU/FA), or FU 2000 mg/m2/24 hours plus FA plus biweekly Cis 50 mg/m2, each administered for 6 weeks with a 1-week rest. The primary end point was the response rate. Confirmed responses were observed in 6.1% (two of 33) of the eligible patients treated with HD-FU, in 25% (12 of 48, including one complete remission [CR]) with HD-FU/FA, and in 45.7% (21 of 46, including four CRs) with HD-FU/FA/Cis. The HD-FU arm was closed after stage 1 because the required minimum number of responses was not met. The median progression-free survival of all patients in the HD-FU, HD-FU/FA, and HD-FU/FA/Cis arm was 1.9, 4.0, and 6.1 months, respectively. The median overall survival was 7.1, 8.9, and 9.7 months, and the survival rate at 1 year was 24.3%, 30.3%, and 45.3%, respectively. Grade 4 toxicities were rare. The most relevant grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia in 1.9%, 5.4%, and 19.6%, and diarrhea in 2.7%, 1.9%, and 3.9% of the cycles in the HD-FU, HD-FU/FA, and HD-/FU/Cis arms, respectively. Weekly infusional FU/FA plus biweekly Cis is effective and safe in patients with gastric cancer.

Contrasting effects of exercise and NOS inhibition on tissue-specific fatty acid and glucose uptake in mice.

PubMed

Rottman, Jeffrey N; Bracy, Deanna; Malabanan, Carlo; Yue, Zou; Clanton, Jeff; Wasserman, David H

2002-07-01

Isotopic techniques were used to test the hypothesis that exercise and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition have distinct effects on tissue-specific fatty acid and glucose uptakes in a conscious, chronically catheterized mouse model. Uptakes were measured using the radioactive tracers (125)I-labeled beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) and deoxy-[2-(3)H]glucose (DG) during treadmill exercise with and without inhibition of NOS. [(125)I]BMIPP uptake at rest differed substantially among tissues with the highest levels in heart. With exercise, [(125)I]BMIPP uptake increased in both heart and skeletal muscles. In sedentary mice, NOS inhibition induced by nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) feeding increased heart and soleus [(125)I]BMIPP uptake. In contrast, exercise, but not L-NAME feeding, resulted in increased heart and skeletal muscle [2-(3)H]DG uptake. Significant interactions were not observed in the effects of combined exercise and L-NAME feeding on [(125)I]BMIPP and [2-(3)H]DG uptakes. In the conscious mouse, exercise and NOS inhibition produce distinct patterns of tissue-specific fatty acid and glucose uptake; NOS is not required for important components of exercise-associated metabolic signaling, or other mechanisms compensate for the absence of this regulatory mechanism.

Ferulic acid (FA) abrogates γ-radiation induced oxidative stress and DNA damage by up-regulating nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and activation of NHEJ pathway.

PubMed

Das, Ujjal; Manna, Krishnendu; Khan, Amitava; Sinha, Mahuya; Biswas, Sushobhan; Sengupta, Aaveri; Chakraborty, Anindita; Dey, Sanjit

2017-01-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate the radioprotective effect of ferulic acid (FA), a naturally occurring plant flavonoid in terms of DNA damage and damage related alterations of repair pathways by gamma radiation. FA was administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for five consecutive days prior to exposing the swiss albino mice to a single dose of 10 Gy gamma radiation. Ionising radiation induces oxidative damage manifested by decreased expression of Cu, Zn-SOD (SOD stands for super oxide dismutase), Mn-SOD and catalase. Gamma radiation promulgated reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated DNA damage and modified repair pathways. ROS enhanced nuclear translocation of p53, activated ATM (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated protein), increased expression of GADD45a (growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein) gene and inactivated Non homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair pathway. The comet formation in irradiated mice peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) reiterated the DNA damage in IR exposed groups. FA pretreatment significantly prevented the comet formation and regulated the nuclear translocation of p53, inhibited ATM activation and expression of GADD45a gene. FA promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and activated NHEJ repair pathway to overcome ROS mediated oxidative stress and DNA damage. Therefore, the current study stated that FA can challenge the oxidative stress by (i) inducing nuclear translocation of Nrf2, (ii) scavenging ROS, and (iii) activating NHEJ DNA repair process.

Amino acid and glucose uptake by rat brown adipose tissue. Effect of cold-exposure and acclimation.

PubMed Central

López-Soriano, F J; Fernández-López, J A; Mampel, T; Villarroya, F; Iglesias, R; Alemany, M

1988-01-01

The net uptake/release of glucose, lactate and amino acids from the bloodstream by the interscapular brown adipose tissue of control, cold-exposed and cold-acclimated rats was estimated by measurement of arteriovenous differences in their concentrations. In the control animals amino acids contributed little to the overall energetic needs of the tissue; glucose uptake was more than compensated by lactate efflux. Cold-exposure resulted in an enhancement of amino acid utilization and of glucose uptake, with high lactate efflux. There was a net glycine and proline efflux that partly compensated the positive nitrogen balance of the tissue; amino acids accounted for about one-third of the energy supplied by glucose to the tissue. Cold-acclimation resulted in a very high increase in glucose uptake, with a parallel decrease in lactate efflux and amino acid consumption. Branched-chain amino acids, however, were more actively utilized. This was related with a much higher alanine efflux, in addition to that of glycine and proline. It is suggested that most of the glucose used during cold-exposure is returned to the bloodstream as lactate under conditions of active lipid utilization, amino acids contributing their skeletons largely in anaplerotic pathways. On the other hand, cold-acclimation resulted in an important enhancement of glucose utilization, with lowered amino acid oxidation. Amino acids are thus used as metabolic substrates by the brown adipose tissue of rats under conditions of relatively scarce substrate availability, but mainly as anaplerotic substrates, in parallel to glucose. Cold-acclimation results in a shift of the main substrates used in thermogenesis from lipid to glucose, with a much lower need for amino acids. PMID:3421924

Insulin effect on amino acid uptake by unloaded rat hindlimb muscles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaspers, S. R.; Tischler, M. E.

1988-01-01

The effect of insulin on the uptake of alpha-amino-isobutyric acid (AIB) by unloaded rat hindlimb muscles was investigated using soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from intact and adrenalectomized (ADX) rats that were tail-casted for six days. It was found that, at insulin levels above 0.00001 units/ml, the in vitro rate of AIB uptake by muscles from intact animals was stimulated more in the weight bearing muscles than in unloaded ones. In ADX animals, this differential response to insulin was abolished.

Association of polymorphisms in solute carrier family 27, isoform A6 (SLC27A6) and fatty acid-binding protein-3 and fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP3 and FABP4) with fatty acid composition of bovine milk.

PubMed

Nafikov, R A; Schoonmaker, J P; Korn, K T; Noack, K; Garrick, D J; Koehler, K J; Minick-Bormann, J; Reecy, J M; Spurlock, D E; Beitz, D C

2013-09-01

The main goal of this study was to develop tools for genetic selection of animals producing milk with a lower concentration of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and a higher concentration of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA). The reasons for changing milk fatty acid (FA) composition were to improve milk technological properties, such as for production of more spreadable butter, and milk nutritional value with respect to the potentially adverse effects of SFA on human health. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms in solute carrier family 27, isoform A6 (SLC27A6) fatty acid transport protein gene and fatty acid binding protein (FABP)-3 and FABP-4 (FABP3 and FABP4) would affect the selectivity of FA uptake into, and FA redistribution inside, mammary epithelial cells, resulting in altered FA composition of bovine milk. The objectives of our study were to discover genetic polymorphisms in SLC27A6, FABP3, and FABP4, and to test those polymorphisms for associations with milk FA composition. The results showed that after pairwise comparisons between SLC27A6 haplotypes for significantly associated traits, haplotype H3 was significantly associated with 1.37 weight percentage (wt%) lower SFA concentration, 0.091 lower SFA:UFA ratio, and 0.17 wt% lower lauric acid (12:0) concentration, but 1.37 wt% higher UFA and 1.24 wt% higher monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) concentrations compared with haplotype H1 during the first 3 mo of lactation. Pairwise comparisons between FABP4 haplotypes for significantly associated traits showed that haplotype H3 was significantly associated with 1.04 wt% lower SFA concentration, 0.079 lower SFA:UFA ratio, 0.15 wt% lower lauric acid (12:0), and 0.27 wt% lower myristic acid (14:0) concentrations, but 1.04 wt% higher UFA and 0.91 wt% higher MUFA concentrations compared with haplotype H1 during the first 3 mo of lactation. Percentages of genetic variance explained by H3 versus H1 haplotype substitutions for SLC27A6 and FABP4 ranged from 2.50 to 4.86% and

In vitro inhibition of OATP-mediated uptake of phalloidin using bile acid derivatives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herraez, Elisa; Macias, Rocio I.R.; Vazquez-Tato, Jose

2009-08-15

Hepatocyte uptake of phalloidin is carried out mainly by OATP1B1. We have used this compound as a prototypic substrate and assayed the ability to inhibit OATP-mediated phalloidin transport of four bile acid derivatives (BALU-1, BALU-2, BALU-3 and BALU-4) that showed positive results in preliminary screening. Using Xenopus laevis oocytes for heterologous expression of transporters, BALUs were found to inhibit taurocholic acid (TCA) transport by OATP1B1 (but not OATP1B3) as well as by rat Oatp1a1, Oatp1a4 and Oatp1b2. The study of their ability to inhibit sodium-dependent bile acid transporters revealed that the four BALUs induced an inhibition of rat Asbt-mediated TCAmore » transport, which was similar to TCA-induced self-inhibition. Regarding human NTCP and rat Ntcp, BALU-1 differs from the other three BALUS in its lack of effect on TCA transport by these proteins. Using HPLC-MS/MS and CHO cells stably expressing OATP1B1 the ability of BALU-1 to inhibit the uptake of phalloidin itself by this transporter was confirmed. Kinetic analysis using X. laevis oocytes revealed that BALU-1-induced inhibition of OATP1B1 was mainly due to a competitive mechanism (Ki = 8 {mu}M). In conclusion, BALU-1 may be useful as a pharmacological tool to inhibit the uptake of compounds mainly taken up by OATP1B1 presumably without impairing bile acid uptake by the major carrier accounting for this process, i.e., NTCP.« less

Evidence for rapid uptake of D-galacturonic acid in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a channel-type transport system.

PubMed

Souffriau, Ben; den Abt, Tom; Thevelein, Johan M

2012-07-30

D-Galacturonic acid is a major component of pectins but cannot be metabolized by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is assumed not to be taken up. We show that yeast displays surprisingly rapid low-affinity uptake of D-galacturonic acid, strongly increasing with decreasing extracellular pH and without saturation up to 1.5 M. There was no intracellular concentration above the extracellular level and transport was reversible. Among more than 160 single and multiple deletion mutants in channels and transporters, no strain was affected in D-galacturonic acid uptake. The uptake was not inhibited by any compound tested as candidate competitive inhibitor, including D-glucuronic acid, which was also transported. The characteristics of D-galacturonic acid uptake are consistent with involvement of a channel-type system, probably encoded by multiple genes. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Mistletoe Triterpene Acids on the Uptake of Mistletoe Lectin by Cultured Tumor Cells

PubMed Central

Mulsow, Katharina; Enzlein, Thomas; Delebinski, Catharina; Jaeger, Sebastian; Seifert, Georg; Melzig, Matthias F.

2016-01-01

Complementary treatment possibilities for the therapy of cancer are increasing in demand due to the severe side effects of the standard cytostatics used in the first-line therapy. A common approach as a complementary treatment is the use of aqueous extracts of Viscum album L. (Santalaceace). The therapeutic activity of these extracts is attributed to Mistletoe lectins which are Ribosome-inactivating proteins type II. Besides these main constituents the extract of Viscum album L. comprises also a mixture of lipophilic ingredients like triterpene acids of the oleanane, lupane and ursane type. However, these constituents are not contained in commercially available aqueous extracts due to their high lipophilicity and insolubility in aqueous extraction media. To understand the impact of the extract ingredients in cancer therapy, the intracellular uptake of the mistletoe lectin I (ML) by cultured tumor cells was investigated in relation to the mistletoe triterpene acids, mainly oleanolic acid. Firstly, these hydrophobic triterpene acids were solubilized using cyclodextrins (“TT” extract). Afterwards, the uptake of either single compounds (isolated ML and the aqueous “viscum” extract) or in combination with the TT extract (ML+TT, viscumTT), was analyzed. The uptake of ML was studied inTHP-1-, HL-60-, 143B- and Ewing TC-71-cells and determined after 30, 60 and 120 minutes by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay which quantifies the A-chain of the hololectin. It could be shown that the intracellular uptake after 120 minutes amounted to 20% in all cell lines after incubation with viscumTT. The studies further revealed that the uptake in THP-1-, HL-60- and Ewing TC-71-cells was independent of the addition of TT extract. Interestingly, the uptake of ML by 143B-cells could only be measured after addition of triterpenes pointing to resistance to mistletoe lectin. PMID:27088729

Mfge8 promotes obesity by mediating the uptake of dietary fats and serum fatty acids.

PubMed

Khalifeh-Soltani, Amin; McKleroy, William; Sakuma, Stephen; Cheung, Yuk Yin; Tharp, Kevin; Qiu, Yifu; Turner, Scott M; Chawla, Ajay; Stahl, Andreas; Atabai, Kamran

2014-02-01

Fatty acids are integral mediators of energy storage, membrane formation and cell signaling. The pathways that orchestrate uptake of fatty acids remain incompletely understood. Expression of the integrin ligand Mfge8 is increased in human obesity and in mice on a high-fat diet, but its role in obesity is unknown. We show here that Mfge8 promotes the absorption of dietary triglycerides and the cellular uptake of fatty acid and that Mfge8-deficient (Mfge8(-/-)) mice are protected from diet-induced obesity, steatohepatitis and insulin resistance. Mechanistically, we found that Mfge8 coordinates fatty acid uptake through αvβ3 integrin- and αvβ5 integrin-dependent phosphorylation of Akt by phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase and mTOR complex 2, leading to translocation of Cd36 and Fatp1 from cytoplasmic vesicles to the cell surface. Collectively, our results imply a role for Mfge8 in regulating the absorption and storage of dietary fats, as well as in the development of obesity and its complications.

Stimulation by unsaturated fatty acid of squalene uptake in rat liver microsomes.

PubMed

Chin, J; Bloch, K

1985-07-01

Supernatant protein factor (SPF) and anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol (PG) stimulate squalene epoxidase activity in rat liver microsomes by promoting [3H]squalene uptake as well as substrate translocation (Chin, J., and K. Bloch. 1984. J. Biol. Chem. 259: 11735-11738). This process is postulated to be membrane-mediated and not carrier-mediated. Here we show that treatment of PG with phospholipase A2 in the presence of bovine serum albumin abolishes the stimulatory effect of SPF on epoxidase activity. Disaturated fatty acyl-PGs are not as effective as egg yolk lecithin PG in the SPF effect. These findings suggest an important role for the unsaturated fatty acid moiety of PG. We also show that at submicellar concentrations, cis-unsaturated fatty acids stimulate microsomal epoxidase activity whereas saturated fatty acids do not. This effect is due to an increase in substrate uptake which in turn may facilitate substrate availability to the enzyme.

Total folate and unmetabolized folic acid in the breast milk of a cross-section of Canadian women.

PubMed

Page, Rachael; Robichaud, André; Arbuckle, Tye E; Fraser, William D; MacFarlane, Amanda J

2017-05-01

Background: Folate requirements increase during pregnancy and lactation. It is recommended that women who could become pregnant, are pregnant, or are lactating consume a folic acid (FA)-containing supplement. Objectives: We sought to determine breast-milk total folate and unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) contents and their relation with FA-supplement use and doses in a cohort of Canadian mothers who were enrolled in the MIREC (Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals) study. Design: Breast-milk tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-methyl-THF, 5-formyl-THF, 5,10-methenyl-THF, and UMFA were measured with the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry ( n = 561). Total daily supplemental FA intake was based on self-reported FA-supplement use. Results: UMFA was detectable in the milk of 96.1% of the women. Total daily FA intake from supplements was associated with breast folate concentration and species. Breast-milk total folate was 18% higher ( P < 0.001) in supplement users ( n = 401) than in nonusers ( n = 160), a difference driven by women consuming >400 μg FA/d ( P ≤ 0.004). 5-Methyl-THF was 19% lower ( P < 0.001) and UMFA was 126% higher ( P < 0.001) in supplement users than in nonusers. Women who consumed >400 μg FA/d had proportionally lower 5-methyl-THF and higher UMFA than did women who consumed ≤400 μg FA/d. Conclusions: FA-supplement use was associated with modestly higher breast-milk total folate. Detectable breast-milk UMFA was nearly ubiquitous, including in women who did not consume an FA supplement. Breast-milk UMFA was proportionally higher than 5-methyl-THF in women who consumed >400 μg FA/d, thereby suggesting that higher doses exceed the physiologic capacity to metabolize FA and result in the preferential uptake of FA in breast milk. Therefore, FA-supplement doses >400 μg may not be warranted, especially in populations for whom FA fortification is mandatory. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Unsaturated fatty acids promote bioaccessibility and basolateral secretion of carotenoids and α-tocopherol by Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Failla, Mark L; Chitchumronchokchai, Chureeporn; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Goltz, Shellen R; Campbell, Wayne W

2014-06-01

Bioavailability of carotenoids and tocopherols from foods is determined by the efficiency of transfer from food/meal to mixed micelles during digestion, incorporation into chylomicrons for trans-epithelial transport to lymphatic/blood system, and distribution to target tissues. Fats and oils are important factors for facilitating the absorption of lipophilic compounds. However, dietary fats and oils are composed of various types of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids which may differentially impact the bioavailability of carotenoids and tocopherols from foods. We have investigated the effects of several common commercial lipids on bioavailability using an in vitro digestion model and Caco-2 human intestinal cells. Meals consisted of mixed salad vegetables containing a single test lipid. Micellarization and cellular uptake of β-carotene (βC) and lycopene (LYC) during small intestinal digestion was increased by lipids rich in unsaturated fatty acids: soybean oil > olive > canola > butter. In contrast, type of lipid minimally affected the bioaccessibility of lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA). To examine the influence of type of dietary triglyceride on uptake and basolateral secretion of carotenoids, Caco-2 cells grown on Transwell membranes were incubated with micellar mixtures of fatty acids (1.0 mM) mimicking the types and ratio of saturated to unsaturated (mono- + poly-unsaturated) fatty acids (FA) present in butter (70 : 30), olive oil (7 : 93) and soybean oil (11 : 89). Cells were exposed to micelles containing βC, LUT, α-tocopherol (α-TC) and a mixture of test fatty acids. Uptake and basolateral secretion of βC, LUT and α-TC were greater in cells pre-treated with mixtures enriched in unsaturated compared to saturated FA and these effects were mediated by increased assembly and secretion of chylomicrons. These results suggest that dietary fats/oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids promote carotenoid and α-TC bioavailability by enhancing their

Silicon in vascular plants: uptake, transport and its influence on mineral stress under acidic conditions.

PubMed

Pontigo, Sofía; Ribera, Alejandra; Gianfreda, Liliana; de la Luz Mora, María; Nikolic, Miroslav; Cartes, Paula

2015-07-01

So far, considerable advances have been achieved in understanding the mechanisms of Si uptake and transport in vascular plants. This review presents a comprehensive update about this issue, but also provides the new insights into the role of Si against mineral stresses that occur in acid soils. Such information could be helpful to understand both the differential Si uptake ability as well as the benefits of this mineral element on plants grown under acidic conditions. Silicon (Si) has been widely recognized as a beneficial element for many plant species, especially under stress conditions. In the last few years, great efforts have been made to elucidate the mechanisms involved in uptake and transport of Si by vascular plants and recently, different Si transporters have been identified. Several researches indicate that Si can alleviate various mineral stresses in plants growing under acidic conditions, including aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicities as well as phosphorus (P) deficiency all of which are highly detrimental to crop production. This review presents recent findings concerning the influence of uptake and transport of Si on mineral stress under acidic conditions because a knowledge of this interaction provides the basis for understanding the role of Si in mitigating mineral stress in acid soils. Currently, only four Si transporters have been identified and there is little information concerning the response of Si transporters under stress conditions. More investigations are therefore needed to establish whether there is a relationship between Si transporters and the benefits of Si to plants subjected to mineral stress. Evidence presented suggests that Si supply and its subsequent accumulation in plant tissues could be exploited as a strategy to improve crop productivity on acid soils.

Effect of α-linolenic acid and DHA intake on lipogenesis and gene expression involved in fatty acid metabolism in growing-finishing pigs.

PubMed

De Tonnac, A; Labussière, E; Vincent, A; Mourot, J

2016-07-01

The regulation of lipogenesis mechanisms related to consumption of n-3 PUFA is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to find out whether α-linolenic acid (ALA) or DHA uptake can have an effect on activities and gene expressions of enzymes involved in lipid metabolism in the liver, subcutaneous adipose tissue and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of growing-finishing pigs. Six groups of ten pigs received one of six experimental diets supplemented with rapeseed oil in the control diet, extruded linseed, microalgae or a mixture of both to implement different levels of ALA and DHA with the same content in total n-3. Results were analysed for linear and quadratic effects of DHA intake. The results showed that activities of malic enzyme (ME) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) decreased linearly in the liver with dietary DHA. Although the expression of the genes of these enzymes and their activities were poorly correlated, ME and FAS expressions also decreased linearly with DHA intake. The intake of DHA down-regulates the expressions of other genes involved in fatty acid (FA) metabolism in some tissues of pigs, such as fatty acid desaturase 2 and sterol-regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 in the liver and 2,4-dienoyl CoA reductase 2 in the LD muscle. FA oxidation in the LD muscle and FA synthesis decreased in the liver with increasing amount of dietary DHA, whereas a retroconversion of DHA into EPA seems to be set up in this last tissue.

Valproate induced hepatic steatosis by enhanced fatty acid uptake and triglyceride synthesis.

PubMed

Bai, Xupeng; Hong, Weipeng; Cai, Peiheng; Chen, Yibei; Xu, Chuncao; Cao, Di; Yu, Weibang; Zhao, Zhongxiang; Huang, Min; Jin, Jing

2017-06-01

Steatosis is the characteristic type of VPA-induced hepatotoxicity and may result in life-threatening hepatic lesion. Approximately 61% of patients treated with VPA have been diagnosed with hepatic steatosis through ultrasound examination. However, the mechanisms underlying VPA-induced intracellular fat accumulation are not yet fully understood. Here we demonstrated the involvement of fatty acid uptake and lipogenesis in VPA-induced hepatic steatosis in vitro and in vivo by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, western blotting analysis, fatty acid uptake assays, Nile Red staining assays, and Oil Red O staining assays. Specifically, we found that the expression of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), an important fatty acid transport, and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) were significantly up-regulated in HepG2 cells and livers of C57B/6J mice after treatment with VPA. Furthermore, VPA treatment remarkably enhanced the efficiency of fatty acid uptake mediated by CD36, while this effect was abolished by the interference with CD36-specific siRNA. Also, VPA treatment significantly increased DGAT2 expression as a result of the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) - extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) pathway; however, DGAT2 knockdown significantly alleviated VPA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation. Additionally, we also found that sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c)-mediated fatty acid synthesis may be not involved in VPA-induced hepatic steatosis. Overall, VPA-triggered over-regulation of CD36 and DGAT2 could be helpful for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying VPA-induced hepatic steatosis and may offer novel therapeutic strategies to combat VPA-induced hepatotoxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of myocardial uptake of beta-methyl-(123I)-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP)].

PubMed

Momose, M; Kobayashi, H; Saito, K; Matsumoto, N; Maki, M; Hosoda, S; Kusakabe, K

1994-12-01

To evaluate the myocardial uptake of beta-methyl-(123I)-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP), nineteen patients with ischemic heart disease including left ventricular hypertrophy (mean age 63 +/- 7.8, 14 males and 5 females) underwent BMIPP myocardial scintigraphy. Myocardial uptake (MU) of BMIPP to the total injected dose was calculated from anterior view of the planar image in all subjects, and was compared with plasma glucose (BS), triglyceride (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA). It was also compared with left ventricular mass (LVM) calculated with echocardiography. MU was not related to BS, TG, and FFA, however had the positive correlation with LVM (r = 0.676, p < 0.01). Myocardial uptake per left ventricular mass (MU/LVM) had the negative correlation with LVM (r = -0.671, p < 0.01). Further studies for the significance of MU/LVM will be required.

Time to Detection with BacT/Alert FA Plus Compared to BacT/Alert FA Blood Culture Media.

PubMed

Nutman, A; Fisher Even-Tsur, S; Shapiro, G; Braun, T; Schwartz, D; Carmeli, Y

2016-09-01

Rapid identification of the causative pathogen in patients with bacteremia allows adjustment of antibiotic therapy and improves patient outcomes. We compared in vitro and real-life time to detection (TTD) of two blood culture media, BacT/Alert FA (FA) and BacT/Alert FA Plus (FA Plus), for the nine most common species of bacterial pathogens recovered from blood samples. Experimental data from simulated cultures was compared with microbiology records of TTD for both culture media with growth of the species of interest in clinical blood cultures. In the experimental conditions, median TTD was 3.8 hours (23.9 %) shorter using FA Plus media. The magnitude of reduction differed between species. Similarly, in real life data, FA Plus had shorter TTD than FA media; however, the difference between culture media was smaller, and median TTD was only 1 hour (8.5 %) less. We found shorter TTD with BacT/Alert FA Plus culture media, both experimentally and in real-life conditions and unrelated to antibiotic neutralization, highlighting the importance of appropriate blood culture media selection.

Effects of Lipids on in Vitro Release and Cellular Uptake of β-Carotene in Nanoemulsion-Based Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Yi, Jiang; Zhong, Fang; Zhang, Yuzhu; Yokoyama, Wallace; Zhao, Liqing

2015-12-23

β-Carotene (BC) nanoemulsions were successfully prepared by microfluidization. BC micellarization was significantly affected by bile salts and pancreatin concentration. Positive and linear correlation was observed between BC release and bile salts concentration. Pancreatin facilitated BC's release in simulated digestion. Compared to the control (bulk oil) (4.6%), nanoemulsion delivery systems significantly improved the micellarization of BC (70.9%). The amount of BC partitioned into micelles was positively proportional to the length of carrier oils. Unsaturated fatty acid (UFA)-rich oils were better than saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich oils in transferring BC (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich oils and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich oils (p > 0.05). A positive and linear relationship between the degree of lipolysis and the release of BC in vitro digestion was observed. Bile salts showed cytotoxicity to Caco-2 cells below 20 times dilution. BC uptake by Caco-2 cells was not affected by fatty acid (FA) compositions in micelles, but BC uptake was proportional to its concentration in the diluted micelle fraction. The results obtained are beneficial to encapsulate and deliver BC or other bioactive lipophilic carotenoids in a wide range of commercial products.

Uptake of perfluorinated alkyl acids by hydroponically grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

PubMed

Felizeter, Sebastian; McLachlan, Michael S; de Voogt, Pim

2012-11-06

An uptake study was carried out to assess the potential human exposure to perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) through the ingestion of vegetables. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was grown in PFAA-spiked nutrient solutions at four different concentrations, ranging from 10 ng/L to 10 μg/L. Eleven perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and three perfluorinated sulfonic acids (PFSAs) were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. At the end of the experiment, the major part of the total mass of each of the PFAAs (except the short-chain, C4-C7, PFCAs) taken up by plants appeared to be retained in the nonedible part, viz. the roots. Root concentration factors (RCF), foliage/root concentration factors (FRCF), and transpiration stream concentration factors (TSCF) were calculated. For the long chained PFAAs, RCF values were highest, whereas FRCF were lowest. This indicates that uptake by roots is likely governed by sorption of PFAAs to lipid-rich root solids. Translocation from roots to shoots is restricted and highly depending on the hydrophobicity of the compounds. Although the TSCF show that longer-chain PFCAs (e.g., perfluorododecanoic acid) get better transferred from the nutrient solution to the foliage than shorter-chain PFCAs (e.g., perfluoroheptanoic acid), the major fraction of longer-chain PFCAs is found in roots due to additional adsorption from the spiked solution. Due to the strong electron-withdrawing effect of the fluorine atoms the role of the negative charge of the dissociated PFAAs is likely insignificant.

Targeted metabolomics analysis reveals the association between maternal folic acid supplementation and fatty acids and amino acids profiles in rat pups.

PubMed

Liu, Zhipeng; Liu, Rui; Chou, Jing; Yu, Jiaying; Liu, Xiaowei; Sun, Changhao; Li, Ying; Liu, Liyan

2018-07-15

Maternal diet during pregnancy can influence offspring's health by affecting development and metabolism. This study aimed to analyze the influence of maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation on the metabolism of rat pups using targeted metabolomics. Twenty female rats were randomly assigned to a FA supplementation (FAS group, n = 10) or control group (n = 10), which were fed AIN93G diet with 2 or 10 mg/kg FA, respectively. We then measured amino acids and their derivatives, biogenic amines, and fatty acids in the female rats and their pups by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS-MS). In maternal rats, the significant changes of three metabolites (proline, γ-aminobutyric acid and esterified octadecatetraenoic acid, P < 0.05) were observed in FAS group. For the rat pups, FAS pups had significantly lower homocysteine and higher FA levels than control pups. The lower levels of amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, serine, proline) were obtained in FAS pups. Furthermore, there were the decreased esterified fatty acids (arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosatetraenoic acid) and free fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, octadecatetraenoic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and selacholeic acid) in FAS pups. Metabolic changes in the FAS pups were characterized by changes in fatty acids and amino acids. These results suggested that FA supplementation during pregnancy influenced amino acids and fatty acids metabolism in rat pups. This study provides new insights into the regulation of amino acids and fatty acids metabolism during early life. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Roles of H2 uptake hydrogenases in Shigella flexneri acid tolerance

PubMed Central

McNorton, Mykeshia M.

2012-01-01

Hydrogenases play many roles in bacterial physiology, and use of H2 by the uptake-type enzymes of animal pathogens is of particular interest. Hydrogenases have never been studied in the pathogen Shigella, so targeted mutant strains were individually generated in the two Shigella flexneri H2-uptake enzymes (Hya and Hyb) and in the H2-evolving enzyme (Hyc) to address their roles. Under anaerobic fermentative conditions, a Hya mutant strain (hya) was unable to oxidize H2, while a Hyb mutant strain oxidized H2 like the wild-type. A hyc strain oxidized more exogenously added hydrogen than the parent. Fluorescence ratio imaging with dye JC-1 (5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide) showed that the parent strain generated a membrane potential 15 times greater than hya. The hya mutant was also by far the most acid-sensitive strain, being even more acid-sensitive than a mutant strain in the known acid-combating glutamate-dependent acid-resistance pathway (GDAR pathway). In severe acid-challenge experiments, the addition of glutamate to hya restored survivability, and this ability was attributed in part to the GDAR system (removes intracellular protons) by mutant strain (e.g. hya/gadBC double mutant) analyses. However, mutant strain phenotypes indicated that a larger portion of the glutamate-rescued acid tolerance was independent of GadBC. The acid tolerance of the hya strains was aided by adding chloride ions to the growth medium. The whole-cell Hya enzyme became more active upon acid exposure (20 min), based on assays of hyc. Indeed, the very high rates of Shigella H2 oxidation by Hya in acid can supply each cell with 2.4×108 protons min−1. Electrons generated from Hya-mediated H2 oxidation at the inner membrane likely counteract cytoplasmic positive charge stress, while abundant proton pools deposited periplasmically likely repel proton influx during severe acid stress. PMID:22628482

Omega-3 fatty acids attenuate constitutive and insulin-induced CD36 expression through a suppression of PPAR α/γ activity in microvascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Madonna, Rosalinda; Salerni, Sara; Schiavone, Deborah; Glatz, Jan F; Geng, Yong-Jian; De Caterina, Raffaele

2011-09-01

Microvascular dysfunction occurs in insulin resistance and/or hyperinsulinaemia. Enhanced uptake of free fatty acids (FFA) and oxidised low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) may lead to oxidative stress and microvascular dysfunction interacting with CD36, a PPARα/γ-regulated scavenger receptor and long-chain FFA transporter. We investigated CD36 expression and CD36-mediated oxLDL uptake before and after insulin treatment in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs), ± different types of fatty acids (FA), including palmitic, oleic, linoleic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. Insulin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) time-dependently increased DiI-oxLDL uptake and CD36 surface expression (by 30 ± 13%, p<0.05 vs. untreated control after 24 hours incubation), as assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry, an effect that was potentiated by the PI3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin and reverted by the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 and the PPARα/γ antagonist GW9662. A ≥ 24 hour exposure to 50 μM DHA or EPA, but not other FA, blunted both the constitutive (by 23 ± 3% and 29 ± 2%, respectively, p<0.05 for both) and insulin-induced CD36 expressions (by 45 ± 27 % and 12 ± 3 %, respectively, p<0.05 for both), along with insulin-induced uptake of DiI-oxLDL and the downregulation of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (P-eNOS). At gel shift assays, DHA reverted insulin-induced basal and oxLDL-stimulated transactivation of PPRE and DNA binding of PPARα/γ and NF-κB. In conclusion, omega-3 fatty acids blunt the increased CD36 expression and activity promoted by high concentrations of insulin. Such mechanisms may be the basis for the use of omega-3 fatty acids in diabetic microvasculopathy.

Uptake of Hypobromous Acid (HOBr) by Aqueous Sulfuric Acid Solutions: Low-Temperature Solubility and Reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iraci, Laura T.; Michelsen, Rebecca R.; Ashbourn, Samatha F. M.; Rammer, Thomas A.; Golden, David M.

2005-01-01

Hypobromous acid (HOBr) is a key species linking inorganic bromine to the chlorine and odd hydrogen chemical families. We have measured the solubility of HOBr in 45 - 70 wt% sulfuric acid solutions representative of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric aerosol composition. Over the temperature range 201 - 252 K, HOBr is quite soluble in sulfuric acid, with an effective Henry's law coefficient, H* = 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 7) mol/L/atm. H* is inversely dependent on temperature, with Delta H = -46.2 kJ/mol and Delta S = -106.2 J/mol/K for 55 - 70 wt% H2SO4 solutions. Our study includes temperatures which overlap both previous measurements of HOBr solubility. For uptake into aqueous 45 wt% H2SO4, the solubility can be described by log H* = 3665/T - 10.63. For 55 - 70 wt% H2SO4, log H* = 2412/T - 5.55. At temperatures colder than approx. 213 K, the solubility of HOBr in 45 wt% H2SO4 is noticeably larger than in 70 wt% H2SO4. The solubility of HOBr is comparable to that of HBr, indicating that upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric aerosols should contain equilibrium concentrations of HOBr which equal or exceed those of HBr. Our measurements indicate chemical reaction of HOBr upon uptake into aqueous sulfuric acid in the presence of other brominated gases followed by evolution of gaseous products including Br2O and Br2, particularly at 70 wt% H2SO4.

Fanconi anemia (FA) binding protein FAAP20 stabilizes FA complementation group A (FANCA) and participates in interstrand cross-link repair.

PubMed

Leung, Justin Wai Chung; Wang, Yucai; Fong, Ka Wing; Huen, Michael Shing Yan; Li, Lei; Chen, Junjie

2012-03-20

The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway participates in interstrand cross-link (ICL) repair and the maintenance of genomic stability. The FA core complex consists of eight FA proteins and two Fanconi anemia-associated proteins (FAAP24 and FAAP100). The FA core complex has ubiquitin ligase activity responsible for monoubiquitination of the FANCI-FANCD2 (ID) complex, which in turn initiates a cascade of biochemical events that allow processing and removal of cross-linked DNA and thereby promotes cell survival following DNA damage. Here, we report the identification of a unique component of the FA core complex, namely, FAAP20, which contains a RAD18-like ubiquitin-binding zinc-finger domain. Our data suggest that FAAP20 promotes the functional integrity of the FA core complex via its direct interaction with the FA gene product, FANCA. Indeed, somatic knockout cells devoid of FAAP20 displayed the hallmarks of FA cells, including hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, chromosome aberrations, and reduced FANCD2 monoubiquitination. Taking these data together, our study indicates that FAAP20 is an important player involved in the FA pathway.

The nonproton ligand of acid-sensing ion channel 3 activates mollusk-specific FaNaC channels via a mechanism independent of the native FMRFamide peptide.

PubMed

Yang, Xiao-Na; Niu, You-Ya; Liu, Yan; Yang, Yang; Wang, Jin; Cheng, Xiao-Yang; Liang, Hong; Wang, Heng-Shan; Hu, You-Min; Lu, Xiang-Yang; Zhu, Michael X; Xu, Tian-Le; Tian, Yun; Yu, Ye

2017-12-29

The degenerin/epithelial sodium channel (DEG/ENaC) superfamily of ion channels contains subfamilies with diverse functions that are fundamental to many physiological and pathological processes, ranging from synaptic transmission to epileptogenesis. The absence in mammals of some DEG/ENaCs subfamily orthologues such as FMRFamide peptide-activated sodium channels (FaNaCs), which have been identified only in mollusks, indicates that the various subfamilies diverged early in evolution. We recently reported that the nonproton agonist 2-guanidine-4-methylquinazoline (GMQ) activates acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), a DEG/ENaC subfamily mainly in mammals, in the absence of acidosis. Here, we show that GMQ also could directly activate the mollusk-specific FaNaCs. Differences in ion selectivity and unitary conductance and effects of substitutions at key residues revealed that GMQ and FMRFamide activate FaNaCs via distinct mechanisms. The presence of two activation mechanisms in the FaNaC subfamily diverging early in the evolution of DEG/ENaCs suggested that dual gating is an ancient feature in this superfamily. Notably, the GMQ-gating mode is still preserved in the mammalian ASIC subfamily, whereas FMRFamide-mediated channel gating was lost during evolution. This implied that GMQ activation may be essential for the functions of mammalian DEG/ENaCs. Our findings provide new insights into the evolution of DEG/ENaCs and may facilitate the discovery and characterization of their endogenous agonists. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Ferulic acid-4-O-sulfate rather than ferulic acid relaxes arteries and lowers blood pressure in mice.

PubMed

Van Rymenant, Evelien; Van Camp, John; Pauwels, Bart; Boydens, Charlotte; Vanden Daele, Laura; Beerens, Katrijn; Brouckaert, Peter; Smagghe, Guy; Kerimi, Asimina; Williamson, Gary; Grootaert, Charlotte; Van de Voorde, Johan

2017-06-01

Consumption of foods rich in ferulic acid (FA) such as wholegrain cereals, or FA precursors such as chlorogenic acids in coffee, is inversely correlated with risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. As a result of digestion and phase II metabolism in the gut and liver, FA is converted predominantly into ferulic acid-4-O-sulfate (FA-sul), an abundant plasma metabolite. Although FA-sul is the main metabolite, very little has been reported regarding its bioactivities. We have compared the ex vivo vasorelaxing effect of FA and FA-sul (10 -7 -3.10 -5 M) on isolated mouse arteries mounted in tissue myographs. FA-sul, but not FA, elicited a concentration-dependent vasorelaxation of saphenous and femoral arteries and aortae. The FA-sul-mediated vasorelaxation was blunted by 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor. The role of sGC was confirmed in femoral arteries isolated from sGCα 1 (-/-) knockout mice. Furthermore, 4-aminopyridine, a specific inhibitor of voltage-dependent potassium channels, significantly decreased FA-sul-mediated effects. In anesthetized mice, intravenous injection of FA-sul decreased mean arterial pressure, whereas FA had no effect, confirming the results obtained ex vivo. FA-sul is probably one of the major metabolites accounting for the blood pressure-lowering effects associated with FA consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real time non invasive imaging of fatty acid uptake in vivo

PubMed Central

Henkin, Amy H.; Cohen, Allison S.; Dubikovskaya, Elena A.; Park, Hyo Min; Nikitin, Gennady F.; Auzias, Mathieu G.; Kazantzis, Melissa; Bertozzi, Carolyn R.; Stahl, Andreas

2012-01-01

Detection and quantification of fatty acid fluxes in animal model systems following physiological, pathological, or pharmacological challenges is key to our understanding of complex metabolic networks as these macronutrients also activate transcription factors and modulate signaling cascades including insulin-sensitivity. To enable non-invasive, real-time, spatiotemporal quantitative imaging of fatty acid fluxes in animals, we created a bioactivatable molecular imaging probe based on long-chain fatty acids conjugated to a reporter molecule (luciferin). We show that this probe faithfully recapitulates cellular fatty acid uptake and can be used in animal systems as a valuable tool to localize and quantitate in real-time lipid fluxes such as intestinal fatty acid absorption and brown adipose tissue activation. This imaging approach should further our understanding of basic metabolic processes and pathological alterations in multiple disease models. PMID:22928772

Evaluation of Carbohydrate-Derived Fulvic Acid (CHD-FA) as a Topical Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial for Drug-Resistant Wound Infections

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

restored from day 3 till day 6 in the cutaneous wound infection model. Although we have previously confirmed the broad-spectrum activity of CHD-FA in...vitro, CHD-FA may be less active against Gram-positive pathogens in vivo. The exact molecular mechanisms of the antibiotic activity of CHD-FA are still...not clear, and will be further investigated to address the discrepancy in its activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in our

Pathway of cytotoxicity induced by folic acid modified selenium nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells.

PubMed

Pi, Jiang; Jin, Hua; Liu, Ruiying; Song, Bing; Wu, Qing; Liu, Li; Jiang, Jinhuan; Yang, Fen; Cai, Huaihong; Cai, Jiye

2013-02-01

Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) have been recognized as promising materials for biomedical applications. To prepare Se NPs which contained cancer targeting methods and to clarify the cellular localization and cytotoxicity mechanisms of these Se NPs against cancer cells, folic acid protected/modified selenium nanoparticles (FA-Se NPs) were first prepared by a one-step method. Some morphologic and spectroscopic methods were obtained to prove the successfully formation of FA-Se NPs while free folate competitive inhibition assay, microscope, and several biological methods were used to determine the in vitro uptake, subcellular localization, and cytotoxicity mechanism of FA-Se NPs in MCF-7 cells. The results indicated that the 70-nm FA-Se NPs were internalized by MCF-7 cells through folate receptor-mediated endocytosis and targeted to mitochondria located regions through endocytic vesicles transporting. Then, the FA-Se NPs entered into mitochondria; triggered the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis of MCF-7 cells which involved oxidative stress, Ca(2)+ stress changes, and mitochondrial dysfunction; and finally caused the damage of mitochondria. FA-Se NPs released from broken mitochondria were transported into nucleus and further into nucleolus which then induced MCF-7 cell cycle arrest. In addition, FA-Se NPs could induce cytoskeleton disorganization and induce MCF-7 cell membrane morphology alterations. These results collectively suggested that FA-Se NPs could be served as potential therapeutic agents and organelle-targeted drug carriers in cancer therapy.

Fanconi anemia (FA) binding protein FAAP20 stabilizes FA complementation group A (FANCA) and participates in interstrand cross-link repair

PubMed Central

Leung, Justin Wai Chung; Wang, Yucai; Fong, Ka Wing; Huen, Michael Shing Yan; Li, Lei; Chen, Junjie

2012-01-01

The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway participates in interstrand cross-link (ICL) repair and the maintenance of genomic stability. The FA core complex consists of eight FA proteins and two Fanconi anemia-associated proteins (FAAP24 and FAAP100). The FA core complex has ubiquitin ligase activity responsible for monoubiquitination of the FANCI-FANCD2 (ID) complex, which in turn initiates a cascade of biochemical events that allow processing and removal of cross-linked DNA and thereby promotes cell survival following DNA damage. Here, we report the identification of a unique component of the FA core complex, namely, FAAP20, which contains a RAD18-like ubiquitin-binding zinc-finger domain. Our data suggest that FAAP20 promotes the functional integrity of the FA core complex via its direct interaction with the FA gene product, FANCA. Indeed, somatic knockout cells devoid of FAAP20 displayed the hallmarks of FA cells, including hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, chromosome aberrations, and reduced FANCD2 monoubiquitination. Taking these data together, our study indicates that FAAP20 is an important player involved in the FA pathway. PMID:22396592

N-3 fatty acids reduced trans fatty acids retention and increased docosahexaenoic acid levels in the brain.

PubMed

Lavandera, Jimena Verónica; Saín, Juliana; Fariña, Ana Clara; Bernal, Claudio Adrián; González, Marcela Aída

2017-09-01

The levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) are critical for the normal structure and function of the brain. Trans fatty acids (TFA) and the source of the dietary fatty acids (FA) interfere with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TFA supplementation in diets containing different proportions of n-9, n-6, and n-3 FA on the brain FA profile, including the retention of TFA, LC-PUFA levels, and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. These parameters were also investigated in the liver, considering that LC-PUFA are mainly bioconverted from their dietary precursors in this tissue and transported by serum to the brain. Also, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) gene expressions were evaluated. Male CF1 mice were fed (16 weeks) diets containing different oils (olive, corn, and rapeseed) with distinct proportions of n-9, n-6, and n-3 FA (55.2/17.2/0.7, 32.0/51.3/0.9, and 61.1/18.4/8.6), respectively, substituted or not with 0.75% of TFA. FA composition of the brain, liver, and serum was assessed by gas chromatography. TFA were incorporated into, and therefore retained in the brain, liver, and serum. However, the magnitude of retention was dependent on the tissue and type of isomer. In the brain, total TFA retention was lower than 1% in all diets. Dietary n-3 PUFA decreased TFA retention and increased DHA accretion in the brain. The results underscore the importance of the type of dietary FA on the retention of TFA in the brain and also on the changes of the FA profile.

Association between Plasma Nonesterified Fatty Acids Species and Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Composition

PubMed Central

Hellmuth, Christian; Demmelmair, Hans; Schmitt, Isabel; Peissner, Wolfgang; Blüher, Matthias; Koletzko, Berthold

2013-01-01

Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue (AT) is an established long-term biomarker for fatty acid (FA) intake and status, but AT samples are not easily available. Nonesterified FA composition in plasma (pNEFA) may be a good indicator of AT FA composition, because pNEFA are mainly generated by AT lipolysis. We investigated the correlation of 42 pNEFA and subcutaneous as well as visceral AT FA in 27 non-diabetic women with a median BMI of 36 kg/m2 (Q0.25: 25 kg/m2; Q0.75: 49 kg/m2). Close correlations of pNEFA and AT FA were found for odd-chain FA (15∶0 r = 0.838 and 0.862 for subcutaneous and visceral AT, respectively) and omega-3 FA (22∶6 r = 0.719/0.535), while no significant or low correlations were found for other FA including 18∶1 (r = 0.384/0.325) and 20∶4 (r = 0.386/0.266). Close correlations of pNEFA and AT FA were found for essential fatty acids, like 18∶2 (r = 0.541/0.610) and 20∶5 (r = 0.561/0.543). The lower correlation for some pNEFA species with AT FA indicates that the variation of most pNEFA is significantly affected by other FA sources and flux of FA to tissue, in addition to release from AT. A relevant influence of BMI on the level of correlation was shown for saturated FA. NEFA analysis in fasted plasma can serve as a virtual AT biopsy for some FA, and as a biomarker for intake of dairy products and sea fish. PMID:24098359

Association between plasma nonesterified fatty acids species and adipose tissue fatty acid composition.

PubMed

Hellmuth, Christian; Demmelmair, Hans; Schmitt, Isabel; Peissner, Wolfgang; Blüher, Matthias; Koletzko, Berthold

2013-01-01

Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue (AT) is an established long-term biomarker for fatty acid (FA) intake and status, but AT samples are not easily available. Nonesterified FA composition in plasma (pNEFA) may be a good indicator of AT FA composition, because pNEFA are mainly generated by AT lipolysis. We investigated the correlation of 42 pNEFA and subcutaneous as well as visceral AT FA in 27 non-diabetic women with a median BMI of 36 kg/m(2) (Q0.25: 25 kg/m(2); Q0.75: 49 kg/m(2)). Close correlations of pNEFA and AT FA were found for odd-chain FA (15∶0 r = 0.838 and 0.862 for subcutaneous and visceral AT, respectively) and omega-3 FA (22∶6 r = 0.719/0.535), while no significant or low correlations were found for other FA including 18∶1 (r = 0.384/0.325) and 20∶4 (r = 0.386/0.266). Close correlations of pNEFA and AT FA were found for essential fatty acids, like 18∶2 (r = 0.541/0.610) and 20∶5 (r = 0.561/0.543). The lower correlation for some pNEFA species with AT FA indicates that the variation of most pNEFA is significantly affected by other FA sources and flux of FA to tissue, in addition to release from AT. A relevant influence of BMI on the level of correlation was shown for saturated FA. NEFA analysis in fasted plasma can serve as a virtual AT biopsy for some FA, and as a biomarker for intake of dairy products and sea fish.

Mechanisms of 5-aminolevulinic acid uptake at the choroid plexus.

PubMed

Novotny, A; Xiang, J; Stummer, W; Teuscher, N S; Smith, D E; Keep, R F

2000-07-01

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a precursor of porphyrins and heme that has been implicated in the neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with porphyrias. It is also being used clinically to delineate malignant gliomas. The blood-CSF barrier may be an important interface for 5-ALA transport between blood and brain as in vivo studies have indicated 5-ALA is taken up by the choroid plexuses whereas the normal blood-brain barrier appears to be relatively impermeable. This study examines the mechanisms of 5-[(3)H]ALA uptake into isolated rat lateral ventricle choroid plexuses. Results suggest that there are two uptake mechanisms. The first was a Na(+)-independent uptake system that was pH dependent (being stimulated at low pH). Uptake was inhibited by the dipeptide Gly-Gly and by cefadroxil, an alpha-amino-containing cephalosporin. These properties are the same as the proton-dependent peptide transporters PEPT1 and PEPT2, which have recently been shown to transport 5-ALA in frog oocyte expression experiments. Choroid plexus uptake was not inhibited by captopril, a PEPT1 inhibitor, suggesting PEPT2-mediated uptake. The presence of PEPT2 and absence of PEPT1 in the choroid plexus were confirmed by western blotting. The second potential mechanism was both Na(+) and HCO(3)(-) dependent and appears to be an organic anion transporter, although it is possible that removal of Na(+) and HCO(3)(-) may indirectly affect PEPT2 by affecting intracellular pH. The presence of PEPT2 and a putative Na(+)/HCO(3)(-)-dependent organic anion transporter is important not only for an understanding of 5-ALA movement between blood and brain but also because these transporters may affect the distribution of a number of drugs between blood and CSF.

A novel unsaturated fatty acid hydratase toward C16 to C22 fatty acids from Lactobacillus acidophilus

PubMed Central

Hirata, Akiko; Kishino, Shigenobu; Park, Si-Bum; Takeuchi, Michiki; Kitamura, Nahoko; Ogawa, Jun

2015-01-01

Hydroxy FAs, one of the gut microbial metabolites of PUFAs, have attracted much attention because of their various bioactivities. The purpose of this study was to identify lactic acid bacteria with the ability to convert linoleic acid (LA) to hydroxy FAs. A screening process revealed that a gut bacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus NTV001, converts LA mainly into 13-hydroxy-cis-9-octadecenoic acid and resulted in the identification of the hydratase responsible, fatty acid hydratase 1 (FA-HY1). Recombinant FA-HY1 was purified, and its enzymatic characteristics were investigated. FA-HY1 could convert not only C18 PUFAs but also C20 and C22 PUFAs. C18 PUFAs with a cis carbon-carbon double bond at the Δ12 position were converted into the corresponding 13-hydroxy FAs. Arachidonic acid and DHA were converted into the corresponding 15-hydroxy FA and 14-hydroxy FA, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a bacterial FA hydratase that can convert C20 and C22 PUFAs into the corresponding hydroxy FAs. These novel hydroxy FAs produced by using FA-HY1 should contribute to elucidating the bioactivities of hydroxy FAs. PMID:25966711

Potential use of carbon-11 labeled alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) as an in vivo tracer of amino acid uptake in differing metabolic states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conti, P.S.; Starnes, H.F.; Brennan, M.F.

1986-05-01

AIB has been used as a model amino acid for the evaluation of alanine-preferring amino acid transport. Hormonal factors and starvation alter the tissue distribution of amino acids, particularly in liver and muscle. With positron emission tomography and labeling of biochemical tracers with C-11, (t1/2=20.4 min), it is now possible to study amino acid kinetics in vivo using external imaging. In order to investigate the utility of C-11 AIB as an in vivo tracer of altered tissue metabolism, C-14 AIB was studied in groups of rats with either streptozotocin-induced diabetes, insulin-induced hypoglycemia or starvation. The data suggest an increased aminomore » acid uptake in liver in starvation, an increased uptake in muscle in response to insulin and associated hypoglycemia and decreased transport in muscle in starvation, as seen by other investigators. These results suggest that C-11 AIB may be useful as an in vivo monitor of metabolic changes in body tissues.« less

Specificity of neutral amino acid uptake at the basolateral side of the epithelium in the cat salivary gland in situ.

PubMed

Bustamante, J C; Mann, G E; Yudilevich, D L

1981-01-01

1. Amino acid uptake was measured in resting cat submandibular glands with either a natural blood supply or perfused at constant flow with a Krebs-albumin solution. Following a bolus arterial injection of a 3H-labelled amino acid and D-[14C]mannitol (extracellular reference tracer), the venous effluent was immediately sampled sequentially. The maximal uptake, Umax, from the blood or perfusate was determined from the paired-tracer dilution curves using the expression: uptake % = (1 -- (3H/14C) X 100). 2. In glands with a natural blood supply, Umax values up to 46% were measured for short-chain (serine and alanine) and long-chain (valine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, 1-amino-cyclopentane cyclopentane carboxylic acid, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, histidine and glutamine) neutral amino acids. In contrast, Umax was negligible for amino acids of the imino-glycine group (proline and glycine) and the nonmetabolized amino acids, 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB). 3. In glands with a natural blood supply addition of an unlabelled amino acid to the tracer injectate reduced Umax for the test acid by up to 80%. The pattern of these interactions suggested the presence of two transport systems for neutral amino acids, one preferring short-chain and the other long-chain amino acids. 4. In glands perfused at constant flow rates with an amino acid-free Krebs-albumin solution high Umax values were measured: L-serine (66%), L-alanine (54%), L-leucine (43%), L-phenylalanine (42%) and L-tyrosine (51%). Only a low uptake was observed for L-proline (8%) and glycine (14%). There was no uptake of methylaminoisobutyric acid which confirms the result obtained in glands with an intact circulation. 5. Saturation of L-phenylalanine influx was observed in perfused glands as the perfusate concentration of unlabelled L-phenylalanine was increased from 0.5 to 20 mmol . 1-1. A Michaelis--Menten analysis based on a single entry system indicated an apparent

Poly(l-lysine)-graft-folic acid-coupled poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PLL-g-PMOXA-c-FA): a bioactive copolymer for specific targeting to folate receptor-positive cancer cells.

PubMed

Chen, Yin; Cao, Wenbin; Zhou, Junli; Pidhatika, Bidhari; Xiong, Bin; Huang, Lu; Tian, Qian; Shu, Yiwei; Wen, Weijia; Hsing, I-Ming; Wu, Hongkai

2015-02-04

In this study, we present the preparation, characterization and application of a novel bioactive copolymer poly(l-lysine)-graft-folic acid-coupled poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PLL-g-PMOXA-c-FA), which has a specific interaction with folate receptor (FR)-positive cancer cells. Glass surface immobilized with PLL-g-PMOXA-c-FA was demonstrated to be adhesive to FR-positive cancer cells (HeLa, JEG-3) while nonadhesive to FR-negative ones (MCF-7, HepG2) in 3 h. The specific interaction between conjugated FA on the substrate and FRs on the cells could hardly be inhibited unless a high concentration (5 mM) of free FA was used due to the multivalent nature of it. The FA functionality ratio of the copolymer on the substrate had a significant influence on the adhesion of HeLa cells, and our experiments revealed that the affinity of the substrate to the cells declined dramatically with the decrease of functionality ratio. This was believed to be caused by the polydispersity of PMOXA tethers, as supported by GPC and ToF-SIMS data. As a proof of concept in the application of our material, we demonstrated successful recovery of HeLa cells from mixture with MCF-7 (1:100) on the copolymer-coated glass, and our results showed that both high sensitivity (95.6 ± 13.3%) and specificity (24.3 ± 8.6%) were achieved.

The cathepsin B inhibitor, z-FA-CMK is toxic and readily induced cell death in human T lymphocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liow, K.Y.; Chow, S.C., E-mail: chow.sek.chuen@monash.edu

The cathepsin B inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-chloromethylketone (z-FA-CMK) was found to be toxic and readily induced cell death in the human T cell line, Jurkat, whereas two other analogs benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-fluoromethylketone (z-FA-FMK) and benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanine-alanine-diazomethylketone (z-FA-DMK) were not toxic. The toxicity of z-FA-CMK requires not only the CMK group, but also the presence of alanine in the P1 position and the benzyloxycarbonyl group at the N-terminal. Dose–response studies showed that lower concentrations of z-FA-CMK induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells whereas higher concentrations induced necrosis. In z-FA-CMK-induced apoptosis, both initiator caspases (-8 and -9) and effector caspases (-3, -6 and -7) were processed tomore » their respective subunits in Jurkat T cells. However, only the pro-form of the initiator caspases were reduced in z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis and no respective subunits were apparent. The caspase inihibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-valine-alanine-aspartic acid-(O-methyl)-fluoromehylketone (z-VAD-FMK) inhibits apoptosis and caspase processing in Jurkat T cells treated with low concentration of z-FA-CMK but has no effect on z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis and the loss of initiator caspases. This suggests that the loss of initiator caspases in Jurkat T cells during z-FA-CMK-induced necrosis is not a caspase-dependent process. Taken together, we have demonstrated that z-FA-CMK is toxic to Jurkat T cells and induces apoptosis at low concentrations, while at higher concentrations the cells die of necrosis. - Highlights: • z-FA-CMK is toxic and induce cell death in the human T cells. • z-FA-CMK toxicity requires the CMK group, alanine and the benzyloxycarbonyl group. • z-FA-CMK induced apoptosis at low concentration and necrosis at high concentration.« less

Increased Expression of Fatty-Acid and Calcium Metabolism Genes in Failing Human Heart

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Penas, Diego; Feijóo-Bandín, Sandra; Noguera-Moreno, Teresa; Calaza, Manuel; Álvarez-Barredo, María; Mosquera-Leal, Ana; Parrington, John; Brugada, Josep; Portolés, Manuel; Rivera, Miguel; González-Juanatey, José Ramón; Lago, Francisca

2012-01-01

Background Heart failure (HF) involves alterations in metabolism, but little is known about cardiomyopathy-(CM)-specific or diabetes-independent alterations in gene expression of proteins involved in fatty-acid (FA) uptake and oxidation or in calcium-(Ca2+)-handling in the human heart. Methods RT-qPCR was used to quantify mRNA expression and immunoblotting to confirm protein expression in left-ventricular myocardium from patients with HF (n = 36) without diabetes mellitus of ischaemic (ICM, n = 16) or dilated (DCM, n = 20) cardiomyopathy aetiology, and non-diseased donors (CTL, n = 6). Results Significant increases in mRNA of genes regulating FA uptake (CD36) and intracellular transport (Heart-FA-Binding Protein (HFABP)) were observed in HF patients vs CTL. Significance was maintained in DCM and confirmed at protein level, but not in ICM. mRNA was higher in DCM than ICM for peroxisome-proliferator-activated-receptor-alpha (PPARA), PPAR-gamma coactivator-1-alpha (PGC1A) and CD36, and confirmed at the protein level for PPARA and CD36. Transcript and protein expression of Ca2+-handling genes (Two-Pore-Channel 1 (TPCN1), Two-Pore-Channel 2 (TPCN2), and Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate Receptor type-1 (IP3R1)) increased in HF patients relative to CTL. Increases remained significant for TPCN2 in all groups but for TPCN1 only in DCM. There were correlations between FA metabolism and Ca2+-handling genes expression. In ICM there were six correlations, all distinct from those found in CTL. In DCM there were also six (all also different from those found in CTL): three were common to and three distinct from ICM. Conclusion DCM-specific increases were found in expression of several genes that regulate FA metabolism, which might help in the design of aetiology-specific metabolic therapies in HF. Ca2+-handling genes TPCN1 and TPCN2 also showed increased expression in HF, while HF- and CM-specific positive correlations were found among several FA and Ca2+-handling genes

Normal Postprandial Nonesterified Fatty Acid Uptake in Muscles Despite Increased Circulating Fatty Acids in Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Labbé, Sébastien M.; Croteau, Etienne; Grenier-Larouche, Thomas; Frisch, Frédérique; Ouellet, René; Langlois, Réjean; Guérin, Brigitte; Turcotte, Eric E.; Carpentier, André C.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE Postprandial plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) appearance is increased in type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to determine whether skeletal muscle uptake of plasma NEFA is abnormal during the postprandial state in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Thigh muscle blood flow and oxidative metabolism indexes and NEFA uptake were determined using positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (PET/CT) with [11C]acetate and 14(R,S)-[18F]fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid (18FTHA) in seven healthy control subjects (CON) and seven subjects with type 2 diabetes during continuous oral intake of a liquid meal to achieve steady postprandial NEFA levels with insulin infusion to maintain similar plasma glucose levels in both groups. RESULTS In the postprandial state, plasma NEFA level was higher in type 2 diabetic subjects versus CON (P < 0.01), whereas plasma glucose was at the same level in both groups. Muscle NEFA fractional extraction and blood flow index levels were 56% (P < 0.05) and 24% (P = 0.27) lower in type 2 diabetes, respectively. However, muscle NEFA uptake was similar to that of CON (quadriceps femoris [QF] 1.47 ± 0.23 vs. 1.37 ± 0.24 nmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ min−1, P = 0.77; biceps femoris [BF] 1.54 ± 0.26 vs. 1.46 ± 0.28 nmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ min−1, P = 0.85). Muscle oxidative metabolism was similar in both groups. Muscle NEFA fractional extraction and blood flow index were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.79, P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Postprandial muscle NEFA uptake is normal despite elevated systemic NEFA levels and acute normalization of plasma glucose in type 2 diabetes. Lower postprandial muscle blood flow with resulting reduction in muscle NEFA fractional extraction may explain this phenomenon. PMID:21228312

Normal postprandial nonesterified fatty acid uptake in muscles despite increased circulating fatty acids in type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Labbé, Sébastien M; Croteau, Etienne; Grenier-Larouche, Thomas; Frisch, Frédérique; Ouellet, René; Langlois, Réjean; Guérin, Brigitte; Turcotte, Eric E; Carpentier, André C

2011-02-01

Postprandial plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) appearance is increased in type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to determine whether skeletal muscle uptake of plasma NEFA is abnormal during the postprandial state in type 2 diabetes. Thigh muscle blood flow and oxidative metabolism indexes and NEFA uptake were determined using positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (PET/CT) with [(11)C]acetate and 14(R,S)-[(18)F]fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid ((18)FTHA) in seven healthy control subjects (CON) and seven subjects with type 2 diabetes during continuous oral intake of a liquid meal to achieve steady postprandial NEFA levels with insulin infusion to maintain similar plasma glucose levels in both groups. In the postprandial state, plasma NEFA level was higher in type 2 diabetic subjects versus CON (P < 0.01), whereas plasma glucose was at the same level in both groups. Muscle NEFA fractional extraction and blood flow index levels were 56% (P < 0.05) and 24% (P = 0.27) lower in type 2 diabetes, respectively. However, muscle NEFA uptake was similar to that of CON (quadriceps femoris [QF] 1.47 ± 0.23 vs. 1.37 ± 0.24 nmol·g(-1)·min(-1), P = 0.77; biceps femoris [BF] 1.54 ± 0.26 vs. 1.46 ± 0.28 nmol·g(-1)·min(-1), P = 0.85). Muscle oxidative metabolism was similar in both groups. Muscle NEFA fractional extraction and blood flow index were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.79, P < 0.005). Postprandial muscle NEFA uptake is normal despite elevated systemic NEFA levels and acute normalization of plasma glucose in type 2 diabetes. Lower postprandial muscle blood flow with resulting reduction in muscle NEFA fractional extraction may explain this phenomenon.

The significance of folic acid, tissue iron stores, and tissue viability in determining iron uptake from serum by thyroid tissue slices

PubMed Central

Buchanan, W. M.

1971-01-01

This paper describes an attempt to measure in vitro iron uptake from serum by human thyroid slices and to relate the uptake to tissue iron stores, folic acid status, and tissue viability. It is an extension of work previously reported (Buchanan, 1969). Thyroids were obtained from patients undergoing partial thyroidectomy for colloid goitre and serum from clinically normal healthy adults. The haemoglobin, serum iron, and folic acid levels of both thyroid and serum donors were measured and thyroids examined histologically for the presence of stainable iron. Viable and non-viable tissue slices were incubated in sera treated with radioactive iron so as to produce high and normal levels of transferrin saturation. Iron was taken up both from sera with normal and high transferrin saturation but the amount was, in almost all cases, greater from the more highly saturated. The uptake by non-viable tissue was appreciable but did not vary to any great extent from one serum to the next, and was attributed to simple diffusion of ionic iron into the tissue. There was, however, marked variation in uptake from different sera by viable tissue. It was concluded therefore that viability is a factor affecting the uptake. As the variation in uptake by viable tissue incubated in a single serum was significantly less than tissue incubated in a number of different sera it was further concluded that there was also a factor in the serum itself affecting iron uptake. The nature of the factor was not elucidated but neither folic acid nor levels of iron stores appeared to influence uptake because no correlation was found between iron uptake and iron stores or folic acid. Images PMID:5556118

Loss of intracellular lipid binding proteins differentially impacts saturated fatty acid uptake and nuclear targeting in mouse hepatocytes

PubMed Central

Storey, Stephen M.; McIntosh, Avery L.; Huang, Huan; Martin, Gregory G.; Landrock, Kerstin K.; Landrock, Danilo; Payne, H. Ross; Kier, Ann B.

2012-01-01

The liver expresses high levels of two proteins with high affinity for long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs): liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2). Real-time confocal microscopy of cultured primary hepatocytes from gene-ablated (L-FABP, SCP-2/SCP-x, and L-FABP/SCP-2/SCP-x null) mice showed that the loss of L-FABP reduced cellular uptake of 12-N-methyl-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazo)-aminostearic acid (a fluorescent-saturated LCFA analog) by ∼50%. Importantly, nuclear targeting of the LCFA was enhanced when L-FABP was upregulated (SCP-2/SCP-x null) but was significantly reduced when L-FABP was ablated (L-FABP null), thus impacting LCFA nuclear targeting. These effects were not associated with a net decrease in expression of key membrane proteins involved in LCFA or glucose transport. Since hepatic LCFA uptake and metabolism are closely linked to glucose uptake, the effect of glucose on L-FABP-mediated LCFA uptake and nuclear targeting was examined. Increasing concentrations of glucose decreased cellular LCFA uptake and even more extensively decreased LCFA nuclear targeting. Loss of L-FABP exacerbated the decrease in LCFA nuclear targeting, while loss of SCP-2 reduced the glucose effect, resulting in enhanced LCFA nuclear targeting compared with control. Simply, ablation of L-FABP decreases LCFA uptake and even more extensively decreases its nuclear targeting. PMID:22859366

Genomic insights into microbial iron oxidation and iron uptake strategies in extremely acidic environments.

PubMed

Bonnefoy, Violaine; Holmes, David S

2012-07-01

This minireview presents recent advances in our understanding of iron oxidation and homeostasis in acidophilic Bacteria and Archaea. These processes influence the flux of metals and nutrients in pristine and man-made acidic environments such as acid mine drainage and industrial bioleaching operations. Acidophiles are also being studied to understand life in extreme conditions and their role in the generation of biomarkers used in the search for evidence of existing or past extra-terrestrial life. Iron oxidation in acidophiles is best understood in the model organism Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. However, recent functional genomic analysis of acidophiles is leading to a deeper appreciation of the diversity of acidophilic iron-oxidizing pathways. Although it is too early to paint a detailed picture of the role played by lateral gene transfer in the evolution of iron oxidation, emerging evidence tends to support the view that iron oxidation arose independently more than once in evolution. Acidic environments are generally rich in soluble iron and extreme acidophiles (e.g. the Leptospirillum genus) have considerably fewer iron uptake systems compared with neutrophiles. However, some acidophiles have been shown to grow as high as pH 6 and, in the case of the Acidithiobacillus genus, to have multiple iron uptake systems. This could be an adaption allowing them to respond to different iron concentrations via the use of a multiplicity of different siderophores. Both Leptospirillum spp. and Acidithiobacillus spp. are predicted to synthesize the acid stable citrate siderophore for Fe(III) uptake. In addition, both groups have predicted receptors for siderophores produced by other microorganisms, suggesting that competition for iron occurs influencing the ecophysiology of acidic environments. Little is known about the genetic regulation of iron oxidation and iron uptake in acidophiles, especially how the use of iron as an energy source is balanced with its need to take up

Effects of antiglucocorticoid RU 486 on development of obesity in obese fa/fa Zucker rats.

PubMed

Langley, S C; York, D A

1990-09-01

The effects of RU 486 (mitepristone), an antagonist of type II glucocorticoid receptors (GR), on the development of obesity in young 5-wk-old obese fa/fa rats has been investigated. After 15 days of treatment, body composition of obese RU 486-treated rats was similar to that of lean-vehicle rats. Analysis of body composition changes showed that RU 486 effectively reversed the obesity. It stopped fat deposition in obese rats but increased protein deposition to the level of lean-vehicle rats. RU 486 prevented the development of hyperphagia and reduced gross energetic efficiency in the obese rats but had little effect on lean rats. Brown adipose tissue mitochondrial GDP binding was increased in obese rats but was reduced in lean rats by RU 486 treatment. RU 486 also reduced the elevated activity of hippocampal glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, a glucocorticoid-responsive enzyme, of obese rats to the level of lean rats. The evidence suggests that abnormal activity of glucocorticoid GR receptors or abnormal cellular responsiveness to corticosterone receptor complexes may be important in the development of obesity in the fa/fa rat.

Enterocyte fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs): different functions of liver and intestinal FABPs in the intestine.

PubMed

Gajda, Angela M; Storch, Judith

2015-02-01

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP) are highly abundant cytosolic proteins that are expressed in most mammalian tissues. In the intestinal enterocyte, both liver- (LFABP; FABP1) and intestinal FABPs (IFABP; FABP2) are expressed. These proteins display high-affinity binding for long-chain fatty acids (FA) and other hydrophobic ligands; thus, they are believed to be involved with uptake and trafficking of lipids in the intestine. In vitro studies have identified differences in ligand-binding stoichiometry and specificity, and in mechanisms of FA transfer to membranes, and it has been hypothesized that LFABP and IFABP have different functions in the enterocyte. Studies directly comparing LFABP- and IFABP-null mice have revealed markedly different phenotypes, indicating that these proteins indeed have different functions in intestinal lipid metabolism and whole body energy homeostasis. In this review, we discuss the evolving knowledge of the functions of LFABP and IFABP in the intestinal enterocyte. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracking intracellular uptake and localisation of alkyne tagged fatty acids using Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamieson, Lauren E.; Greaves, Jennifer; McLellan, Jayde A.; Munro, Kevin R.; Tomkinson, Nicholas C. O.; Chamberlain, Luke H.; Faulds, Karen; Graham, Duncan

2018-05-01

Intracellular uptake, distribution and metabolism of lipids are tightly regulated characteristics in healthy cells. An analytical technique capable of understanding these characteristics with a high level of species specificity in a minimally invasive manner is highly desirable in order to understand better how these become disrupted during disease. In this study, the uptake and distribution of three different alkyne tagged fatty acids in single cells were monitored and compared, highlighting the ability of Raman spectroscopy combined with alkyne tags for better understanding of the fine details with regard to uptake, distribution and metabolism of very chemically specific lipid species. This indicates the promise of using Raman spectroscopy directly with alkyne tagged lipids for cellular studies as opposed to subsequently clicking of a fluorophore onto the alkyne for fluorescence imaging.

Ultrathin Fluidic Laminates for Large‐Area Façade Integration and Smart Windows

PubMed Central

Heiz, Benjamin P. V.; Pan, Zhiwen; Lautenschläger, Gerhard; Sirtl, Christin; Kraus, Matthias

2016-01-01

Buildings represent more than 40% of Europe's energy demands and about one third of its CO2 emissions. Energy efficient buildings and, in particular, building skins have therefore been among the key priorities of international research agendas. Here, glass–glass fluidic devices are presented for large‐area integration with adaptive façades and smart windows. These devices enable harnessing and dedicated control of various liquids for added functionality in the building envelope. Combining a microstructured glass pane, a thin cover sheet with tailored mechanical performance, and a liquid for heat storage and transport, a flat‐panel laminate is generated with thickness adapted to a single glass sheet in conventional windows. Such multimaterial devices can be integrated with state‐of‐the‐art window glazings or façades to harvest and distribute thermal as well as solar energy by wrapping buildings into a fluidic layer. High visual transparency is achieved through adjusting the optical properties of the employed liquid. Also secondary functionality, such as chromatic windows, polychromatism, or adaptive energy uptake can be generated on part of the liquid. PMID:28331790

Ultrathin Fluidic Laminates for Large-Area Façade Integration and Smart Windows.

PubMed

Heiz, Benjamin P V; Pan, Zhiwen; Lautenschläger, Gerhard; Sirtl, Christin; Kraus, Matthias; Wondraczek, Lothar

2017-03-01

Buildings represent more than 40% of Europe's energy demands and about one third of its CO 2 emissions. Energy efficient buildings and, in particular, building skins have therefore been among the key priorities of international research agendas. Here, glass-glass fluidic devices are presented for large-area integration with adaptive façades and smart windows. These devices enable harnessing and dedicated control of various liquids for added functionality in the building envelope. Combining a microstructured glass pane, a thin cover sheet with tailored mechanical performance, and a liquid for heat storage and transport, a flat-panel laminate is generated with thickness adapted to a single glass sheet in conventional windows. Such multimaterial devices can be integrated with state-of-the-art window glazings or façades to harvest and distribute thermal as well as solar energy by wrapping buildings into a fluidic layer. High visual transparency is achieved through adjusting the optical properties of the employed liquid. Also secondary functionality, such as chromatic windows, polychromatism, or adaptive energy uptake can be generated on part of the liquid.

The role of FaBG3 in fruit ripening and B. cinerea fungal infection of strawberry.

PubMed

Li, Qian; Ji, Kai; Sun, Yufei; Luo, Hao; Wang, Hongqing; Leng, Ping

2013-10-01

In plants, β-glucosidases (BG) have been implicated in developmental and pathogen defense, and are thought to take part in abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis via hydrolysis of ABA glucose ester to release active ABA; however, there is no genetic evidence for the role of BG genes in ripening and biotic/abiotic stress in fruits. To clarify the role of BG genes in fruit, eight Fa/FvBG genes encoding β-glucosidase were isolated using information from the GenBank strawberry nucleotide database. Of the Fa/FvBG genes examined, expression of FaBG3 was the highest, showing peaks at the mature stage, coincident with the changes observed in ABA content. To verify the role of this gene, we suppressed the expression of FaBG3 via inoculation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing tobacco rattle virus carrying a FaBG3 fragment (RNAi). The expression of FaBG3 in FaBG3-RNAi-treated fruit was markedly reduced, and the ABA content was lower than that of the control. FaBG3-RNAi-treated fruit did not exhibit full ripening, and were firmer, had lower sugar content, and were pale compared with the control due to down-regulation of ripening-related genes. FaBG3-RNAi-treated fruit with reduced ABA levels were much more resistant to Botrytis cinerea fungus but were more sensitive to dehydration stress than control fruit. These results indicate that FaBG3 may play key roles in fruit ripening, dehydration stress and B. cinerea fungal infection in strawberries via modulation of ABA homeostasis and transcriptional regulation of ripening-related genes. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of fulvic and humic acids on iron and manganese homeostasis in rats.

PubMed

Szabó, József; Vucskits, András Valentin; Berta, Erzsébet; Andrásofszky, Emese; Bersényi, András; Hullár, István

2017-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) as the two main compounds of humic substances, separately on Fe and Mn homeostasis. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 9 experimental groups. The control diet (AIN-93G formula) and diets supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% HA or FA were fed for 26 days. Fe and Mn concentrations of the large intestinal content, liver, kidney, femur and hair were determined. No significant differences were observed in the production parameters. The effects of FA and HA on iron homeostasis were significantly different. FA proved to be a good iron source, and slightly increased the iron content of liver and kidney, but - up to a dietary iron level of 52.7 mg/kg - it did not influence the efficiency of iron absorption. Above a dietary iron level of 52.7 mg/kg down-regulation of Fe absorption can be assumed. HA significantly stimulated the iron uptake and there was no down-regulation of Fe absorption up to 0.8% dietary HA supplementation level (61.5 mg Fe/kg diet). In the HA groups the iron content of the liver and kidney decreased significantly, suggesting that in spite of the better Fe absorption, the HA-Fe complex does not provide iron to the investigated organs. Neither FA nor HA supplementation influenced the Fe content of the femur and hair and slightly decreased the Mn concentration in the large intestinal content. This effect was significant (with a 22.7% Mn concentration decrease) only at the HA supplementation rate of 0.8%. Neither FA nor HA influenced significantly the Mn concentrations of the liver, kidney and femur. The Mn concentration of the hair in rats receiving FA- or HA-supplemented diets was higher than in the control rats; however, this result needs further confirmation.

Effect of substitution of low linolenic acid soybean oil for hydrogenated soybean oil on fatty acid intake.

PubMed

DiRienzo, Maureen A; Astwood, James D; Petersen, Barbara J; Smith, Kim M

2006-02-01

Low linolenic acid soybean oil (LLSO) has been developed as a substitute for hydrogenated soybean oil to reduce intake of trans FA while improving stability and functionality in processed foods. We assessed the dietary impact of substitution of LLSO for hydrogenated soybean oil (HSBO) used in several food categories. All substitutions were done using an assumption of 100% market penetration. The impact of this substitution on the intake of five FA and trans FA was assessed. Substitution of LLSO for current versions of HSBO resulted in a 45% decrease in intake of trans FA. Impacts on other FA intakes were within the realm of typical dietary intakes. No decrease in intake of alpha-linolenic acid was associated with the use of LLSO in place of HSBO because LLSO substitutes for HSBO that are already low in alpha-linolenic acid.

White Bass (Morone chrysops) Preferentially Retain n-3 PUFA in Ova When Fed Prepared Diets with Varying FA Content.

PubMed

Fuller, S Adam; Rawles, Steven D; McEntire, Matthew E; Bader, Troy J; Riche, Marty; Beck, Benjamin H; Webster, Carl D

2017-10-01

We evaluated the fatty acid (FA) composition of broodstock white bass ova fed one of six commercial diets with increasing polyunsaturated FA content (n-6/n-3 ratio; 0.36, 0.39, 0.46, 0.83, 1.07, 1.12) eight weeks prior to sampling. Fatty acid profiles of ova from brooders fed each of the six diets were significantly altered according to canonical discriminant analysis. Ova FA profiles resulting from the 0.39 diet separated those from the 0.36 diet based on lower 18:2n-6 (LNA) and higher 20:1n-9 concentrations from the 0.36 diet. Ova profiles were further separated based on lower concentrations of 22:5n-3 (DPA) from the 0.46 diet, lower concentrations of 20:5n-3 (EPA) in the 1.12 and 0.83 diets, and lower concentrations of 22:6n-3 (DHA) in all other diets relative to the 0.46 diet. Changes in ova FA profile at four and eight weeks were consistent with dietary intake with an approximate 2% increase in any given FA class with increasing time on individual diet. There was no correlation between dietary ARA concentrations (0.7-1.1 mol%), or dietary EPA/ARA ratios (7-15), and the concentrations (1.4-1.7 mol%) or ratios (3.3-4.4) found in the ova by diet. Our results suggest that white bass females have the ability to preferentially incorporate n-3 PUFA, particularly DHA, suggesting mobilization of this FA from other tissues for ova deposition or preferential dietary incorporation of PUFA into ova. These results will add to the limited FA information available in white bass and enable nutritionists to formulate broodstock diets that maximize reproductive potential in this species.

Erythrocyte membrane fatty acids in multiple myeloma patients.

PubMed

Jurczyszyn, Artur; Czepiel, Jacek; Gdula-Argasińska, Joanna; Czapkiewicz, Anna; Biesiada, Grażyna; Dróżdż, Mirosław; Perucki, William; Castillo, Jorge J

2014-10-01

Mounting data show that fatty acids (FA) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) function could be potential targets for multiple myeloma (MM) therapy. Our study aimed at comparing the FA composition of erythrocyte membranes of MM patients and healthy controls. MM patients had higher saturated FA and n-6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and lower monounsaturated, n-3 PUFA and trans-FA indices than controls. The n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio was lower in MM patients and there was distinct clustering of variants of individual FA in MM patients. The FA content of erythrocyte membrane could serve as a diagnostic and/or predictive biomarker in MM. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Uptake, Distribution, and Metabolism of 1-Naphthaleneacetic Acid and Indole-3-Acetic Acid During Callus Initiation From Actinidia deliciosa Tissues.

PubMed

Centeno; Fernández; Feito; Rodríguez

1999-10-01

1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzyladenine (BA) were required for in vitro callus formation at the basal edge of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa [A. Chev] Liang and Ferguson, cv. Hayward) petioles. The uptake, metabolism, and concentration of NAA and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content were examined in the explants during the callus initiation period. After 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 h of culture in the presence of [H(3)]NAA, petioles were divided into apical, middle, and basal portions and analyzed. Except for a high IAA level measured at 12 h, IAA content decreased in tissues during a culture period of 96 h. NAA uptake was higher in petiolar edges than in the middle portion, and NAA was rapidly conjugated with sugars and aspartic acid inside the tissues. The amide conjugation was triggered in apical and basal portions from 12 h and in the middle part from 48 h, with alpha-naphthylacetylaspartic acid being the major metabolite. Free-NAA concentration in cultured petioles achieved an equilibrium with the exogenously applied NAA (0.27 µm) from 12 h, and it remained constant thereafter. The relationships between the role attributed to NAA and BA in the initiation and the maintenance of disorganized growth of callus in kiwifruit cultures are discussed.

Biotransformation of ferulic acid to protocatechuic acid by Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21420 engineered to express vanillate O-demethylase.

PubMed

Okai, Naoko; Masuda, Takaya; Takeshima, Yasunobu; Tanaka, Kosei; Yoshida, Ken-Ichi; Miyamoto, Masanori; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko

2017-12-01

Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, FA) is a lignin-derived phenolic compound abundant in plant biomass. The utilization of FA and its conversion to valuable compounds is desired. Protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, PCA) is a precursor of polymers and plastics and a constituent of food. A microbial conversion system to produce PCA from FA was developed in this study using a PCA-producing strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum F (ATCC 21420). C. glutamicum strain F grown at 30 °C for 48 h utilized 2 mM each of FA and vanillic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid, VA) to produce PCA, which was secreted into the medium. FA may be catabolized by C. glutamicum through proposed (I) non-β-oxidative, CoA-dependent or (II) β-oxidative, CoA-dependent phenylpropanoid pathways. The conversion of VA to PCA is the last step in each pathway. Therefore, the vanillate O-demethylase gene (vanAB) from Corynebacterium efficiens NBRC 100395 was expressed in C. glutamicum F (designated strain FVan) cultured at 30 °C in AF medium containing FA. Strain C. glutamicum FVan converted 4.57 ± 0.07 mM of FA into 2.87 ± 0.01 mM PCA after 48 h with yields of 62.8% (mol/mol), and 6.91 mM (1064 mg/L) of PCA was produced from 16.0 mM of FA after 12 h of fed-batch biotransformation. Genomic analysis of C. glutamicum ATCC 21420 revealed that the PCA-utilization genes (pca cluster) were conserved in strain ATCC 21420 and that mutations were present in the PCA importer gene pcaK.

Silibinin Capsules improves high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in hamsters through modifying hepatic de novo lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation.

PubMed

Cui, Chun-Xue; Deng, Jing-Na; Yan, Li; Liu, Yu-Ying; Fan, Jing-Yu; Mu, Hong-Na; Sun, Hao-Yu; Wang, Ying-Hong; Han, Jing-Yan

2017-08-17

Silibinin Capsules (SC) is a silybin-phospholipid complex with silybin as the bioactive component. Silybin accounts for 50-70% of the seed extract of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.. As a traditional medicine, silybin has been used for treatment of liver diseases and is known to provide a wide range of hepatoprotective effects. High fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a worldwide health problem. This study was to investigate the role of SC in NAFLD with focusing on its underlying mechanism and likely target. Male hamsters (Cricetidae) received HFD for 10 weeks to establish NAFLD model. NAFLD was assessed by biochemical assays, histology and immunohistochemistry. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and western blot were conducted to gain insight into the mechanism. Hamsters fed HFD for 10 weeks developed fatty liver accompanying with increased triglyceride (TG) accumulation, enhancing de novo lipogenesis, increase in fatty acid (FA) uptake and reducing FA oxidation and TG lipolysis, as well as a decrease in the expression of phospho-adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase α (p-AMPKα) and Sirt 1. SC treatment at 50mg/kg silybin and 100mg/kg silybin for 8 weeks protected hamsters from development of fatty liver, reducing de novo lipogenesis and increasing FA oxidation and p-AMPKα expression, while having no effect on FA uptake and TG lipolysis. SC protected against NAFLD in hamsters by inhibition of de novo lipogenesis and promotion of FA oxidation, which was likely mediated by activation of AMPKα. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary fatty acid supplements, varying in fatty acid composition, on milk fat secretion in dairy cattle fed diets supplemented to less than 3% total fatty acids.

PubMed

Stoffel, C M; Crump, P M; Armentano, L E

2015-01-01

Dietary fatty acids can affect both milk fat yield and fatty acid (FA) composition. This relationship is well established when the dietary level of FA exceeds 3% of diet dry matter (DM). We could find no reports directly examining the effects of dietary FA profile on milk fat at levels below 3%. Twenty-four primiparous and 36 multiparous lactating cows were paired by production (1 high with 1 low, within parity) to form 30 experimental units. Pairs were fed 6 diets in five 6×6 balanced Latin squares with 21-d periods, and data were collected during the last 5d of each period. Two control diets were fed: a corn control diet (CC; 29% corn silage, 16% alfalfa silage, 19% corn grain, and 8% distillers grain on a DM basis) containing 1.8% FA; and a low-oil control diet (LOC; 9% corn silage, 35% alfalfa silage, 20% food-grade corn starch, and 8% corn gluten feed on a DM basis) containing 1.2% FA. A portion of the food-grade corn starch in LOC was replaced with 4 different FA supplements to create the 4 treatment diets. Treatments were 1.7% (DM basis) of a 50:50 blend of corn oil and high-linoleic safflower oil (LO), 1.7% high-oleic sunflower oil (OO), 1.7% palm oil (PO), or 1.8% calcium salts of palm fatty acids (PFA). The resultant diets were thus enriched in linoleic (LO), oleic (OO), or palmitic acid (PO and PFA). Dietary treatments did not affect dry matter intake. Addition of any of the fat sources to LOC resulted in increased milk yield, but milk fat yields and milk FA composition were variable for the different treatments. The LO treatment resulted in lower milk fat yield, fat concentration, and C16:0 yield but increased both trans-10 C18:1 and trans-10,cis-12 C18:2 yields compared with the other added FA treatments. Diets PO and PFA resulted in increased milk C16:0 yield and decreased total milk C18 yield compared with OO. Regression analysis revealed a negative coefficient for dietary linoleic acid content over basal (LOC) for both milk short-chain FA yield and

EFFECT OF HUMIC ACID ON UPTAKE AND TRANSFER OF COPPER FROM MICROBES TO CILIATES TO COPEPODS

EPA Science Inventory

This research is part of an ongoing project designed to determine the effect of humic acid on the uptake and transfer of metals by marine organisms at the lower end of the food chain. Binding affinities for Cu, Cd, Zn, and Cr to Suwannee River humic acid were determined at variou...

[Effects of soil pH on the competitive uptake of amino acids by maize and microorganisms].

PubMed

Ma, Qing Xu; Wang, Jun; Cao, Xiao Chuang; Sun, Yan; Sun, Tao; Wu, Liang Huan

2017-07-18

Organic nitrogen can play an important role in plant growth, and soil pH changed greatly due to the over-use of chemical fertilizers, but the effects of soil pH on the competitive uptake of amino acids by plants and rhizosphere microorganisms are lack of detailed research. To study the effects of soil pH on the uptake of amino acids by maize and soil microorganisms, two soils from Hangzhou and Tieling were selected, and the soil pH was changed by the electrokinesis, then the 15 N-labeled glycine was injected to the centrifuge tube with a short-term uptake of 4 h. Soil pH had a significant effect on the shoot and root biomass, and the optimal pH for maize shoot growth was 6.48 for Hangzhou red soil, while it was 7.65 for Tieling brown soil. For Hangzhou soil, the 15 N abundance of maize shoots under pH=6.48 was significantly higher than under other treatments, and the uptake amount of 15 N-glycine was also much higher. However, the 15 N abundance of maize shoots and roots under pH=7.65 Tieling soil was significantly lower than it under pH=5.78, but the uptake amount of 15 N-glycine under pH=7.65 was much higher. The microbial biomass C was much higher in pH=6.48 Hangzhou soil, while it was much lower in pH=7.65 Tieling soil. According to the results of root uptake, root to shoot transportation, and the competition with microorganisms, we suggested that although facing the fierce competition with microorganisms, the maize grown in pH=6.48 Hangzhou soil increased the uptake of glycine by increasing its root uptake and root to shoot transportation. While in pH=7.65 Tieling soil, the activity of microorganisms was decreased, which decreased the competition with maize for glycine, and increased the uptake of glycine by maize.

Effect of Phenolic Compounds from Elderflowers on Glucose- and Fatty Acid Uptake in Human Myotubes and HepG2-Cells.

PubMed

Ho, Giang Thanh Thi; Kase, Eili Tranheim; Wangensteen, Helle; Barsett, Hilde

2017-01-06

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is manifested by progressive metabolic impairments in tissues such as skeletal muscle and liver, and these tissues become less responsive to insulin, leading to hyperglycemia. In the present study, stimulation of glucose and oleic acid uptake by elderflower extracts, constituents and metabolites were tested in vitro using the HepG2 hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line and human skeletal muscle cells. Among the crude extracts, the 96% EtOH extract showed the highest increase in glucose and oleic acid uptake in human skeletal muscle cells and HepG2-cells. The flavonoids and phenolic acids contained therein were potent stimulators of glucose and fatty acid uptake in a dose-dependent manner. Most of the phenolic constituents and several of the metabolites showed high antioxidant activity and showed considerably higher α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition than acarbose. Elderflower might therefore be valuable as a functional food against diabetes.

Friedreich's Ataxia (FA)

MedlinePlus

... success- ful people with FA — business leaders, outstanding students, engineers, active teens and bright kids, parents, even ... tory experiments have shown that it’s possible to design short fragments of DNA that prevent abnormal folding ...

UPTAKE AND METABOLISM OF ALL-TRANS RETINOIC ACID BY THREE NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN RANIDS

EPA Science Inventory

Retinoids, which are Vvitamin A derivatives, are important signaling molecules that regulate processes critical for development in all vertebrates. The objective of our study was to examine uptake and metabolism of the model retinoid, all-trans retinoic acid (all-trans RA), by th...

Role of Fatty Acid Kinase in Cellular Lipid Homeostasis and SaeRS-Dependent Virulence Factor Expression in Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Ericson, Megan E; Subramanian, Chitra; Frank, Matthew W; Rock, Charles O

2017-08-01

The SaeRS two-component system is a master activator of virulence factor transcription in Staphylococcus aureus , but the cellular factors that control its activity are unknown. Fatty acid (FA) kinase is a two-component enzyme system required for extracellular FA uptake and SaeRS activity. Here, we demonstrate the existence of an intracellular nonesterified FA pool in S. aureus that is elevated in strains lacking FA kinase activity. SaeRS-mediated transcription is restored in FA kinase-negative strains when the intracellular FA pool is reduced either by growth with FA-depleted bovine serum albumin to extract the FA into the medium or by the heterologous expression of Neisseria gonorrhoeae acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase to activate FA for phospholipid synthesis. These data show that FAs act as negative regulators of SaeRS signaling, and FA kinase activates SaeRS-dependent virulence factor production by lowering inhibitory FA levels. Thus, FA kinase plays a role in cellular lipid homeostasis by activating FA for incorporation into phospholipid, and it indirectly regulates SaeRS signaling by maintaining a low intracellular FA pool. IMPORTANCE The SaeRS two-component system is a master transcriptional activator of virulence factor production in response to the host environment in S. aureus , and strains lacking FA kinase have severely attenuated SaeRS-dependent virulence factor transcription. FA kinase is required for the activation of exogenous FAs, and it plays a role in cellular lipid homeostasis by recycling cellular FAs into the phospholipid biosynthetic pathway. Activation of the sensor kinase, SaeS, is mediated by its membrane anchor domain, and the FAs which accumulate in FA kinase knockout strains are potent inhibitors of SaeS-dependent signaling. This work identifies FAs as physiological effectors for the SaeRS system and reveals a connection between cellular lipid homeostasis and the regulation of virulence factor transcription. FA kinase is widely

Contributions of system A subtypes to α-methylaminoisobutyric acid uptake by placental microvillous membranes of human and rat.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yu; Nishimura, Tomohiro; Maruyama, Tetsuo; Tomi, Masatoshi; Nakashima, Emi

2017-04-01

System A consists of three subtypes, sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 1 (SNAT1), SNAT2, and SNAT4, which are all expressed in the placenta. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contributions of each of the three subtypes to total system A-mediated uptake in placental MVM of human and rat, using betaine and L-arginine as subtype-selective inhibitors of SNAT2 and SNAT4, respectively. Appropriate concentrations of betaine and L-arginine for subtype-selective inhibition in SNAT-overexpressing cells were identified. It was found that 10 mM betaine specifically and almost completely inhibited human and rat SNAT2-mediated [ 14 C]α-methylaminoisobutyric acid ([ 14 C]MeAIB) uptake, while 5 mM L-arginine specifically and completely inhibited [ 3 H]glycine uptake via human SNAT4, as well as [ 14 C]MeAIB uptake via rat SNAT4. In both human and rat placental MVM vesicles, sodium-dependent uptake of [ 14 C]MeAIB was almost completely inhibited by 20 mM unlabeled MeAIB. L-Arginine (5 mM) partly inhibited the uptake in humans, but hardly affected that in rats. Betaine (10 mM) partly inhibited the uptake in rats, but hardly affected it in humans. These results suggest that SNAT1 is most likely the major contributor to system A-mediated MeAIB uptake by human and rat MVM vesicles and that the remaining uptake is mainly mediated by SNAT4 in humans and SNAT2 in rats. Thus, inhibition studies using betaine and L-arginine are useful to characterize the molecular mechanisms of system A-mediated transport.

This NASA Dryden F/A-18 is participating in the Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) project. F/A-18 (No

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A NASA Dryden F/A-18 is participating in the Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) project. F/A-18 (No. 847) is acting as an in-flight refueling tanker in the study to develop analytical models for an automated aerial refueling system for unmanned vehicles. A 300-gallon aerodynamic pod containing air-refueling equipment is seen beneath the fuselage. The hose and refueling basket are extended during an assessment of their dynamics on the F/A-18A.

Ionic complexation as a non-covalent approach for the design of folate anchored rifampicin Gantrez nanoparticles.

PubMed

Date, Praveen V; Patel, Mitesh D; Majee, Sharmila B; Samad, Abdul; Devarajan, Padma V

2013-05-01

The present study discloses the design of folate anchored Rifampicin-Poly methylvinylether maleic anhydride copolymer (Gantrez AN-119, Gantrez) nanoparticles (RFMGzFa) by ionic complexation. Folic acid was anchored to the preformed drug loaded nanoparticles. Folic acid was anchored in different concentration by simply varying the amount of folic acid added during preparation. RFMGzFa nanoparticles were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method. Gantrez AN-119 rapidly hydrolyzes in aqueous medium releasing carboxylic acid groups, to create an acidic environment. This facilitates protonation and subsequent ionic complexation of folic acid with the carboxylic groups, to enable anchoring. FTIR spectra confirmed this interaction. Infrared imaging revealed distribution of folic acid across the nanoparticle surface. Nanoparticles were obtained in the size range 350-450 nm with RFM loading of 12-14% w/w. Zeta potential confirmed colloidal stability. TEM/SEM revealed spherical morphology. RFMGzFa nanoparticles exhibited sustained release of RFM and folic acid. Folic acid showed sustained release upto 12 h, which was ion exchange mediated. A 480% enhancement in RFM uptake with RFMGzFa nanoparticles compared to 300% with RFMGz nanoparticles in-vitro, in human macrophage cell line U-937, suggested the role of folic acid in folate receptor mediated uptake. Ionic complexation represents a simple non-covalent approach for anchoring folic acid on polymeric nanoparticles of Gantrez.

Protein source in a high-protein diet modulates reductions in insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in fa/fa Zucker rats.

PubMed

Wojcik, Jennifer L; Devassy, Jessay G; Wu, Yinghong; Zahradka, Peter; Taylor, Carla G; Aukema, Harold M

2016-01-01

High-protein diets are being promoted to reduce insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the effect of protein source in high-protein diets on reducing insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis was examined. Fa/fa Zucker rats were provided normal-protein (15% of energy) casein, high-protein (35% of energy) casein, high-protein soy, or high-protein mixed diets with animal and plant proteins. The high-protein mixed diet reduced area under the curve for insulin during glucose tolerance testing, fasting serum insulin and free fatty acid concentrations, homeostatic model assessment index, insulin to glucose ratio, and pancreatic islet cell area. The high-protein mixed and the high-protein soy diets reduced hepatic lipid concentrations, liver to body weight ratio, and hepatic steatosis rating. These improvements were observed despite no differences in body weight, feed intake, or adiposity among high-protein diet groups. The high-protein casein diet had minimal benefits. A high-protein mixed diet was the most effective for modulating reductions in insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis independent of weight loss, indicating that the source of protein within a high-protein diet is critical for the management of these metabolic syndrome parameters. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

Fatty acid uptake by isolated rat heart myocytes represents a carrier-mediated transport process.

PubMed Central

Stremmel, W

1988-01-01

The mechanism by which fatty acids enter cardiomyocytes is unclear. Therefore, the influx kinetics of [3H]oleate into isolated rat heart myocytes were examined. Cells were incubated at 37 degrees C with [3H]oleate bound to albumin in various molar ratios and the initial rate of uptake (V0) was determined as a function of the unbound oleate concentration in the medium. V0 was saturable with increasing oleate concentrations incubated (Km 78 nM; Vmax 1.9 nmol X min-1 per 10(6) cells) and temperature dependent with an optimum at 37 degrees C. Furthermore, binding of [3H]oleate to isolated plasma membranes of cardiomyocytes was saturable, revealing a KD of 42 nM, and was inhibited by heat denaturation or trypsin pretreatment of the membranes. From these membranes a single 40-kD protein with high affinity for a variety of long chain fatty acids was isolated. With a monospecific antibody to this membrane protein, binding as well as cellular influx of [3H]oleate was selectively inhibited. These data indicate that at least a portion of myocardial fatty acid uptake is mediated by a specific membrane protein. Images PMID:3343344

Ursodeoxycholic and deoxycholic acids: Differential effects on intestinal Ca(2+) uptake, apoptosis and autophagy of rat intestine.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Valeria A; Rivoira, María A; Pérez, Adriana del V; Marchionatti, Ana M; Tolosa de Talamoni, Nori G

2016-02-01

The aim of this work was to study the effect of sodium deoxycholate (NaDOC) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on Ca(2+) uptake by enterocytes and the underlying mechanisms. Rats were divided into four groups: a) controls, b) treated with NaDOC, c) treated with UDCA d) treated with NaDOC and UDCA. Ca(2+) uptake was studied in enterocytes with different degrees of maturation. Apoptosis, autophagy and NO content and iNOS protein expression were evaluated. NaDOC decreased and UDCA increased Ca(2+) uptake only in mature enterocytes. The enhancement of protein expression of Fas, FasL, caspase-8 and caspase-3 activity by NaDOC indicates triggering of the apoptotic extrinsic pathway, which was blocked by UDCA. NO content and iNOS protein expression were enhanced by NaDOC, and avoided by UDCA. The increment of acidic vesicular organelles and LC3 II produced by NaDOC was also prevented by UDCA. In conclusion, the inhibitory effects of NaDOC on intestinal Ca(2+) absorption occur by decreasing the Ca(2+) uptake by mature enterocytes. NaDOC triggers apoptosis and autophagy, in part as a result of nitrosative stress. In contrast, UDCA increases the Ca(2+) uptake by mature enterocytes, and in combination with NaDOC acts as an antiapoptotic and antiautophagic agent normalizing the transcellular Ca(2+) pathway. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purification of organic acids by chromatography with strong anionic resins: Investigation of uptake mechanisms.

PubMed

Lemaire, Julien; Blanc, Claire-Line; Lutin, Florence; Théoleyre, Marc-André; Stambouli, Moncef; Pareau, Dominique

2016-08-05

Bio-based organic acids are promising renewable carbon sources for the chemical industry. However energy-consuming purification processes are used, like distillation or crystallization, to reach high purities required in some applications. That is why preparative chromatography was studied as an alternative separation technique. In a previous work dealing with the purification of lactic, succinic and citric acids, the Langmuir model was insufficient to explain the elution profiles obtained with a strong anionic resin. Consequently the Langmuir model was coupled with a usual ion-exchange model to take into account the retention of their conjugate bases (<2%), which are commonly neglected at low pH (<1.5). Elution simulations with both uptake mechanisms fitted very well with experimental pulse tests. Only two parameters were optimized (equilibrium constant of acid uptake and ion-exchange selectivity coefficient of conjugate base) and their value were coherent with experimental and resin suppliers' data. These results confirmed that the singular tailing and apparent delay observed with succinic and citric acids can be explained by the high affinity of succinate and citrate for resin cationic sites. The model was implemented in a preparative chromatography simulation program in order to optimize operating parameters of our pilot-scale ISMB unit (Improved Simulated Moving Bed). The comparison with experimental ISMB profiles was conclusive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation and esterification of electrophilic fatty acid nitroalkenes in triacylglycerides

PubMed Central

Fazzari, Marco; Khoo, Nicholas; Woodcock, Steven R.; Li, Lihua; Freeman, Bruce A.; Schopfer, Francisco J.

2015-01-01

Electrophilic fatty acid nitroalkenes (NO2-FA) are products of nitric oxide and nitrite-mediated unsaturated fatty acid nitration. These electrophilic products induce pleiotropic signaling actions that modulate metabolic and inflammatory responses in cell and animal models. The metabolism of NO2-FA includes reduction of the vinyl nitro moiety by prostaglandin reductase-1, mitochondrial β–oxidation and Michael addition with low molecular weight nucleophilic amino acids. Complex lipid reactions of fatty acid nitroalkenes are not well defined. Herein we report the detection and characterization of NO2-FA-containing triacylglycerides (NO2-FA-TAG) via mass spectrometry-based methods. In this regard, unsaturated fatty acids of dietary triacylglycerides are targets for nitration reactions during gastric acidification, where NO2-FA-TAG can be detected in rat plasma after oral administration of nitro-oleic acid (NO2-OA). Furthermore, the characterization and profiling of these species, including the generation of beta oxidation and dehydrogenation products, could be detected in NO2-OA supplemented adipocytes. These data revealed that NO2-FA-TAG, formed by either the direct nitration of esterified unsaturated fatty acids or the incorporation of nitrated free fatty acids into triacylglycerides, contribute to the systemic distribution of these reactive electrophilic mediators and may serve as a depot for subsequent mobilization by lipases to in turn impact adipocyte homeostasis and tissue signaling events. PMID:26066303

Serum bile acid level and fatty acid composition in Chinese children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

PubMed

Lu, Li Ping; Wan, Yan Ping; Xun, Peng Cheng; Zhou, Ke Jun; Chen, Cheng; Cheng, Si Yang; Zhang, Min Zhong; Wu, Chun Hua; Lin, Wei Wei; Jiang, Ying; Feng, Hai Xia; Wang, Jia Lu; He, Ka; Cai, Wei

2017-08-01

To determine serum bile acid (BA) and fatty acid (FA) profiles in Chinese children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A total 76 children aged 4-17 years were categorized into three groups according to the presence and absence of as well as the severity of NAFLD, that is, non-NAFLD (control), mild and moderate to severe NAFLD groups, respectively, based on their liver ultrasonography findings. Serum BA and FA profiles were quantified separately by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. General linear models were performed to assess the differences among the groups. After adjusted for potential confounders, children with NAFLD had higher levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), unconjugated primary BAs (CDCA + cholic acid) but lower levels of deoxycholic acid (DCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), total DCA (DCA + TDCA + GDCA), glycolithocholic acid (GLCA) and total lithocholic acid (GLCA + taurolithocholic acid) than children without NAFLD. As for FAs, children with mild and moderate to severe NAFLD had higher levels of n-7 monounsaturated FA. Circulating BA and FA profiles may change in children with NAFLD. Further studies are needed to determine their associations and to understand the underlying mechanism of action. © 2017 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Comparison between conjugated linoleic acid and essential fatty acids in preventing oxidative stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

PubMed

Basiricò, L; Morera, P; Dipasquale, D; Tröscher, A; Bernabucci, U

2017-03-01

Some in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated protective effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers against oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. However, only a few and conflicting studies have been conducted showing the antioxidant potential of essential fatty acids. The objectives of the study were to compare the effects of CLA to other essential fatty acids on the thiol redox status of bovine mammary epithelia cells (BME-UV1) and their protective role against oxidative damage on the mammary gland by an in vitro study. The BME-UV1 cells were treated with complete medium containing 50 μM of cis-9,trans-11 CLA, trans-10,cis-12 CLA, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and linoleic acid. To assess the cellular antioxidant response, glutathione, NADPH, and γ-glutamyl-cysteine ligase activity were measured 48 h after addition of fatty acids (FA). Intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde production were also assessed in cells supplemented with FA. Reactive oxygen species production after 3 h of H 2 O 2 exposure was assessed to evaluate and to compare the potential protection of different FA against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress. All FA treatments induced an intracellular GSH increase, matched by high concentrations of NADPH and an increase of γ-glutamyl-cysteine ligase activity. Cells supplemented with FA showed a reduction in intracellular malondialdehyde levels. In particular, CLA isomers and linoleic acid supplementation showed a better antioxidant cellular response against oxidative damage induced by H 2 O 2 compared with other FA. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Recoveries of rat lymph FA after administration of specific structured 13C-TAG.

PubMed

Vistisen, Bodil; Mu, Huiling; Høy, Carl-Erik

2003-09-01

The potential of the specific structured TAG MLM [where M = caprylic acid (8:0) and L = linoleic acid (18:2n-6)] is the simultaneous delivery of energy and EFA. Compared with long-chain TAG (LLL), they may be more rapidly hydrolyzed and absorbed. This study examined the lymphatic recoveries of intragastrically administered L*L*L*, M*M*M*, ML*M, and ML*L* (where * = 13C-labeled FA) in rats. Lymph lipids were separated into lipid classes and analyzed by GC combustion isotope ratio MS. The recoveries of lymph TAG 18:2n-6 8 h after administration of L*L*L*, ML*M, and ML*L* were 38.6, 48.4, and 49.1%, respectively, whereas after 24 h the recoveries were approximately 50% in all experimental groups. The exogenous contribution to lymph TAG 18:2n-6 was approximately 80 and 60% at maximum absorption of the specific structured TAG and L*L*L*, respectively, 3-6 h after administration. The tendency toward more rapid recovery of exogenous long-chain FA following administration of specific structured TAG compared with long-chain TAG was probably due to fast hydrolysis. The lymphatic recovery of 8:0 was 2.2% 24 h after administration of M*M*M*. This minor lymphatic recovery of exogenous 8:0 was probably due to low stimulation of chylomicron formation. These results demonstrate tendencies toward faster lymphatic recovery of long-chain FA after administration of specific structured TAG compared with long-chain TAG.

Uptake of perfluoroalkyl acids into edible crops via land applied biosolids: Field and greenhouse studies

EPA Science Inventory

The presence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in biosolids destined for use in agriculture has raised concerns about their potential to enter the terrestrial food chain via bioaccumulation in edible plants. Uptake of PFAAs by greenhouse lettuce ( Lactuca sativa) and tomato (Lycope...

Vacuolar amino acid transporter Avt5p is responsible for lithium uptake in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

PubMed

Iwaki, Tomoko; Sekito, Takayuki; Kakinuma, Yoshimi

2010-01-01

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe was sensitive to salinity; cell growth was stopped by 0.5 M NaCl and by 10 mM LiCl. The avt5+ gene encodes a vacuolar transporter with a broad specificity for amino acids. We found that the avt5Delta mutant became highly tolerant of Li+ and Na+ in growth. Concanamycin A-sensitive Li+ uptake as well as cellular Li+ content was lower in the avt5 mutant, suggesting a role of Avt5p in cellular uptake of toxic Li+.

Improving phosphorus uptake and wheat productivity by phosphoric acid application in alkaline calcareous soils.

PubMed

Akhtar, Muhammad; Yaqub, Muhammad; Naeem, Asif; Ashraf, Muhammad; Hernandez, Vicente Espinosa

2016-08-01

Low phosphorus (P) efficiency from existing granular fertilisers necessitates searching for efficient alternatives to improve wheat productivity in calcareous soil. Multi-location trials have shown that phosphoric acid (PA) produced 16% higher wheat grain over commercial P fertilisers, i.e. diammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple superphosphate (TSP). Methods of P application significantly influenced grain yield and the efficiency of methods was observed in the order: PA placement below seed > PA, DAP or TSP fertigation > DAP or TSP broadcast. The sub-surface application of PA produced highest grain yields (mean of all rates), i.e. 4669, 4158 and 3910 kg ha(-1) in Bagh, Bhalwal and Shahpur soil series, respectively. Phosphoric acid at 66 kg P2 O5 ha(-1) was found more effective in increasing gain yield over that of control. Trend in grain P uptake was found similar to that observed for grain yield. Maximum P uptake by grain was recorded at the highest P rate and the lowest at zero P. The significant increase in P uptake with P rates was generally related to the increase in yield rather than its concentration in grain. Phosphorus agronomic efficiency (PAE) and phosphorus recovery efficiency (PRE) were found higher at lower P rate (44 kg P2 O5 ha(-1) ) and decreased with P application. However, PA applied by the either method resulted in higher PAE and PRE compared to DAP and TSP. Phosphoric acid is suggested as an efficient alternative to commercial granular P fertilisers for wheat production in alkaline calcareous soils. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Helicobacter pylori's cholesterol uptake impacts resistance to docosahexaenoic acid.

PubMed

Correia, Marta; Casal, Susana; Vinagre, João; Seruca, Raquel; Figueiredo, Ceu; Touati, Eliette; Machado, José C

2014-05-01

Helicobacter pylori colonizes half of the world population and is associated with gastric cancer. We have previously demonstrated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects, directly inhibits H. pylori growth in vitro and in mice. Nevertheless, the concentration of DHA shown to reduce H. pylori mice gastric colonization was ineffective in vitro. Related to the auxotrophy of H. pylori for cholesterol, we hypothesize that other mechanisms, in addition to DHA direct antibacterial effect, must be responsible for the reduction of the infection burden. In the present study we investigated if DHA affects also H. pylori growth, by reducing the availability of membrane cholesterol in the epithelial cell for H. pylori uptake. Levels of cholesterol in gastric epithelial cells and of cholesteryl glucosides in H. pylori were determined by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The consequences of epithelial cells' cholesterol depletion on H. pylori growth were assessed in liquid cultures. We show that H. pylori uptakes cholesterol from epithelial cells. In addition, DHA lowers cholesterol levels in epithelial cells, decreases its de novo synthesis, leading to a lower synthesis of cholesteryl glucosides by H. pylori. A previous exposition of H. pylori to cholesterol influences the bacterium response to the direct inhibitory effect of DHA. Overall, our results suggest that a direct effect of DHA on H. pylori survival is modulated by its access to epithelial cell cholesterol, supporting the notion that cholesterol enhances the resistance of H. pylori. The cholesterol-dependent resistance of H. pylori to antimicrobial compounds raises new important aspects for the development of new anti-bacterial strategies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Design of a New Glutamine-Fipronil Conjugate with α-Amino Acid Function and its Uptake by A. thaliana Lysine Histidine Transporter 1 ( AtLHT1).

PubMed

Jiang, Xunyuan; Xie, Yun; Ren, Zhanfu; Ganeteg, Ulrika; Lin, Fei; Zhao, Chen; Xu, Hanhong

2018-06-26

Creating novel pesticides with phloem-mobility is essential for controlling insects in vascular tissue and root, and conjugating existing pesticides with amino acid is an effective approach. In order to obtain highly phloem-mobile candidate for efficient pesticide, an electro-neutral L-glutamine-fipronil conjugate (L-GlnF) retaining α-amino acid function was designed and synthesized to fit the substrate specificity of amino acid transporter. Cotyledon uptake and phloem loading tests with Ricinus communis have verified that L-GlnF was phloem mobile, and its phloem mobility was higher than its enantiomer D-GlnF and other previously reported amino acid-fipronil conjugates. Inhibition experiments then suggested that the uptake of L-GlnF was, at least partially, mediated by active transport mechanism. This inference was further strengthened by assimilation experiments with Xenopus oocytes and genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana, which showed direct correlation between the uptake of L-GlnF and expression of amino acid transporter AtLHT1. Thus, conjugation with L-Gln appears to be a potential strategy to ensure the uptake of pesticides via endogenous amino acid transport system.

Uptake of Alkylamines on Dicarboxylic Acids Relevant to Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrero-Ortiz, W.; Secrest, J.; Zhang, R.

2017-12-01

Aerosols play a critical role in climate directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, and indirectly by functioning as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN); both represent the largest uncertainties in climate predictions. New particle formation contributes significantly to CCN production; however, the mechanisms related to particle nucleation and growth processes are not well understood. Organic acids are atmospherically abundant, and their neutralization by low molecular weight amines may result in the formation of stable low volatility aminium salt products contributing to the growth of secondary organic aerosols and even the alteration of the aerosol properties. The acid-base neutralization of particle phase succinic acid and tartaric acid by low molecular weight aliphatic amines, i.e. methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine, has been investigated by employing a low-pressure fast flow reactor at 298K with an ion drift - chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ID-CIMS). The heterogeneous uptake is time dependent and influenced by organic acids functionality, alkylamines basicity, and steric effect. The implications of our results to atmospheric nanoparticle growth will be discussed.

FAAP20: a novel ubiquitin-binding FA nuclear core-complex protein required for functional integrity of the FA-BRCA DNA repair pathway

PubMed Central

Ali, Abdullah Mahmood; Pradhan, Arun; Singh, Thiyam Ramsingh; Du, Changhu; Li, Jie; Wahengbam, Kebola; Grassman, Elke; Auerbach, Arleen D.; Pang, Qishen

2012-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) nuclear core complex is a multiprotein complex required for the functional integrity of the FA-BRCA pathway regulating DNA repair. This pathway is inactivated in FA, a devastating genetic disease, which leads to hematologic defects and cancer in patients. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a novel 20-kDa FANCA-associated protein (FAAP20). We show that FAAP20 is an integral component of the FA nuclear core complex. We identify a region on FANCA that physically interacts with FAAP20, and show that FANCA regulates stability of this protein. FAAP20 contains a conserved ubiquitin-binding zinc-finger domain (UBZ), and binds K-63–linked ubiquitin chains in vitro. The FAAP20-UBZ domain is not required for interaction with FANCA, but is required for DNA-damage–induced chromatin loading of FANCA and the functional integrity of the FA pathway. These findings reveal critical roles for FAAP20 in the FA-BRCA pathway of DNA damage repair and genome maintenance. PMID:22343915

Synergistically enhanced selective intracellular uptake of anticancer drug carrier comprising folic acid-conjugated hydrogels containing magnetite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Haneul; Jo, Ara; Baek, Seulgi; Lim, Daeun; Park, Soon-Yong; Cho, Soo Kyung; Chung, Jin Woong; Yoon, Jinhwan

2017-01-01

Targeted drug delivery has long been extensively researched since drug delivery and release at the diseased site with minimum dosage realizes the effective therapy without adverse side effects. In this work, to achieve enhanced intracellular uptake of anticancer drug carriers for efficient chemo-therapy, we have designed targeted multifunctional anticancer drug carrier hydrogels. Temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel core containing superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (MNP) were prepared using precipitation polymerization, and further polymerized with amine-functionalized copolymer shell to facilitate the conjugation of targeting ligand. Then, folic acid, specific targeting ligand for cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), was conjugated on the hydrogel surface, yielding the ligand conjugated hybrid hydrogels. We revealed that enhanced intracellular uptake by HeLa cells in vitro was enabled by both magnetic attraction and receptor-mediated endocytosis, which were contributed by MNP and folic acid, respectively. Furthermore, site-specific uptake of the developed carrier was confirmed by incubating with several other cell lines. Based on synergistically enhanced intracellular uptake, efficient cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity of HeLa cells incubated with anticancer drug loaded hybrid hydrogels were successfully achieved. The developed dual-targeted hybrid hydrogels are expected to provide a platform for the next generation intelligent drug delivery systems.

Ascorbic Acid Efflux from Human Brain Microvascular Pericytes: Role of Re-uptake

PubMed Central

May, James M.; Qu, Zhi-chao

2015-01-01

Microvascular pericytes take up ascorbic acid on the ascorbate transporter SVCT2. Intracellular ascorbate then protects the cells against apoptosis induced by culture at diabetic glucose concentrations. To investigate whether pericytes might also provide ascorbate to the underlying endothelial cells, we studied ascorbate efflux from human pericytes. When loaded with ascorbate to intracellular concentrations of 0.8–1.0 mM, almost two-thirds of intracellular ascorbate effluxed from the cells over 2 h. This efflux was opposed by ascorbate re-uptake from the medium, since preventing re-uptake by destroying extracellular ascorbate with ascorbate oxidase increased ascorbate loss even further. Ascorbate re-uptake occurred on the SVCT2, since its blockade by replacing medium sodium with choline, by the SVCT2 inhibitor sulfinpyrazone, or by extracellular ascorbate accelerated ascorbate loss from the cells. This was supported by finding that net efflux of radiolabeled ascorbate was increased by unlabeled extracellular ascorbate with a half-maximal effect in the range of the high affinity Km of the SVCT2. Intracellular ascorbate did not inhibit its efflux. To assess the mechanism of ascorbate efflux, known inhibitors of volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) were tested. These potently inhibited ascorbate transport into cells on the SVCT2, but not its efflux. An exception was the anion transport inhibitor DIDS, which, despite inhibition of ascorbate uptake, also inhibited net efflux at 25–50 µM. These results suggest that ascorbate efflux from vascular pericytes occurs on a DIDS-inhibitable transporter or channel different from VRACs. Further, ascorbate efflux is opposed by re-uptake of ascorbate on the SVCT2, providing a potential regulatory mechanism. PMID:26340060

pH-sensitive Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites for combined CT imaging and targeted drug delivery

PubMed Central

Huang, He; Yang, Da-Peng; Liu, Minghuan; Wang, Xiangsheng; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhou, Guangdong; Liu, Wei; Cao, Yilin; Zhang, Wen Jie; Wang, Xiansong

2017-01-01

Albumin-based nanoparticles (NPs) as a drug delivery system have attracted much attention owing to their nontoxicity, non-immunogenicity, great stability and ability to bind to many therapeutic drugs. Herein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was utilized as a template to prepare Au–BSA core/shell NPs. The outer layer BSA was subsequently conjugated with cis-aconityl doxorubicin (DOX) and folic acid (FA) to create Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites. A list of characterizations was undertaken to identify the successful conjugation of drug molecules and targeted agents. In vitro cytotoxicity using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay indicated that Au–BSA NPs did not display obvious cytotoxicity to MGC-803 and GES-1 cells in the concentration range of 0–100 μg/mL, which can therefore be used as a safe drug delivery carrier. Furthermore, compared with free DOX, Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites exhibited a pH-sensitive drug release ability and superior antitumor activity in a drug concentration-dependent manner. In vivo computed tomography (CT) imaging experiments showed that Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites could be used as an efficient and durable CT contrast agent for targeted CT imaging of the folate receptor (FR) overexpressed in cancer tissues. In vivo antitumor experiments demonstrated that Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites have selective antitumor activity effects on FR-overexpressing tumors and no adverse effects on normal tissues and organs. In conclusion, the Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposite exhibits selective targeting activity, X-ray attenuation activity and pH-sensitive drug release activity. Therefore, it can enhance CT imaging and improve the targeting therapeutic efficacy of FR-overexpressing gastric cancers. Our findings suggest that Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposite is a novel drug delivery carrier and a promising candidate for cancer theranostic applications. PMID:28435261

Probiotic administration modifies the milk fatty acid profile, intestinal morphology, and intestinal fatty acid profile of goats.

PubMed

Apás, A L; Arena, M E; Colombo, S; González, S N

2015-01-01

The effect of a mixture of potentially probiotic bacteria (MPPB; Lactobacillus reuteri DDL 19, Lactobacillus alimentarius DDL 48, Enterococcus faecium DDE 39, and Bifidobacterium bifidum strains) on the milk fatty acid (FA) profile, with emphasis on cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in the middle stage of goat lactation, was determined. In addition, the effects of MPPB feeding on the FA profile in intestinal content and intestinal morphology in weaned goats were analyzed. The probiotic supplement was able to modify FA composition of milk and intestinal content. The unsaturated FA concentrations in milk (g of FA/L of milk) increased from 4.49 to 7.86 for oleic (18:1), from 0.70 to 1.39 for linoleic (18:2), from 0.063 to 0.187 for linolenic (18:3) acid, and from 0.093 to 0.232 for CLA. The atherogenicity index diminished 2-fold after MPPB ingestion. In the intestinal content of the weaned goats, no significant difference in saturated FA concentration compared with the control was observed. However, oleic acid, linolenic acid, CLA, and docosahexaenoic acid concentrations increased by 81, 23, 344, and 74%, respectively, after probiotic consumption. The ruminal production of CLA was increased by the MPPB. However, bacterial strains of MPPB were unable to produce CLA in culture media. By histological techniques, it was observed that the treated group had intestinally more conserved morphological structures than the control group. The results obtained in this study indicate that the MPPB administration in lactating and weaned goats allows for the production of milk with improved concentrations of beneficial compounds, and also produces a protective effect in the goat intestine. The results obtained in this study reinforce the strategy of probiotics application to enhance goat health with the production of milk with higher concentrations of polyunsaturated FA. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A smart pH-responsive nano-carrier as a drug delivery system for the targeted delivery of ursolic acid: suppresses cancer growth and metastasis by modulating P53/MMP-9/PTEN/CD44 mediated multiple signaling pathways.

PubMed

Jiang, Kai; Chi, Ting; Li, Tao; Zheng, Guirong; Fan, Lulu; Liu, Yajun; Chen, Xiufen; Chen, Sijia; Jia, Lee; Shao, Jingwei

2017-07-13

Ursolic acid (UA) has been recently used as a promising anti-tumor and cancer metastatic chemo-preventive agent due to its low toxicity and liver-protecting property. However, the low bioavailability and nonspecific tumor targeting restrict its further clinical application. To address the problem, a silica-based mesoporous nanosphere (MSN) controlled-release drug delivery system (denoted UA@M-CS-FA) was designed and successfully synthesized, and was functionalized with folic acid (FA) and pH-sensitive chitosan (CS) for the targeted delivery of UA to folate receptor (FR) positive tumor cells. UA@M-CS-FA were spherical with mean diameter below 150 nm, and showed about -20 mV potential. Meanwhile, UA@M-CS-FA exhibited a pH-sensitive release manner and high cellular uptake in FR over-expressing HeLa cancer cells. Also, in vitro cellular assays suggested that UA@M-CS-FA inhibited cancer cell growth, invasion and migration. Mechanistically, UA@M-CS-FA induced cancer cell apoptosis and inhibited migration via cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 stage, regulating the PARP/Bcl-2/MMP-9/CD44/PTEN/P53. Importantly, in vivo experiments further confirmed that UA@M-CS-FA significantly suppressed the tumor progression and lung metastasis in tumor-bearing nude mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that UA@M-CS-FA treatment regulated CD44, a biomarker of cancer metastasis. Overall, our data demonstrated that a CS and FA modified MSN controlled-release drug delivery system could help broaden the usage of UA and reflect the great application potential of the UA as an anticancer or cancer metastatic chemopreventive agent.

[Determination of ferulic acid absorbed into human serum from oral decoction of rhizoma chuanxiong and pharmacokinetic study of ferulic acid].

PubMed

Sun, S; Huang, X; Zhang, L; Ren, P; Chang, Z

2001-10-01

To improve the HPLC method for determining ferulic acid(FA) in the human serum and to research FA clinical pharmacokinetics. Serum concentrations of FA were determined by HPLC using methanol-water-acetic acid (40:59.7:0.3, v/v) as the mobile phase and the column packed with ODS (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microns) as a fixed phase and the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. FA was detected at 320 nm wave length. The internal standard was coumarin. The serum samples were treated by the water-boiling method. Peak of FA in serum was recognized by photodiode-array detection. FA and internal standard were separated completely under the condition described as above. FA was linear in the range of (40.16-8032 ng/ml) (r = 0.9975). The CV was less than 10%, the average recovery was 100.3%, and the limit concentration in serum was 25.1 ng/ml. PK was in accordance with open bicameral model. This method can be applied to clinical pharmacokinetic study of FA.

Effects of citric acid and the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the mobility of germanium and rare earth elements in soil and uptake in Phalaris arundinacea.

PubMed

Wiche, Oliver; Tischler, Dirk; Fauser, Carla; Lodemann, Jana; Heilmeier, Hermann

2017-08-03

Effects of citric acid and desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the availability of Ge and selected rare earth elements (REEs) (La, Nd, Gd, Er) to Phalaris arundinacea were investigated. A soil dissolution experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of citric acid and DFO-B at different concentrations (1 and 10 mmol L -1 citric acid) on the release of Ge and REEs from soil. In a greenhouse, plants of P. arundinacea were cultivated on soil and on sand cultures to investigate the effects of citric acid and DFO-B on the uptake of Ge and REEs by the plants. Addition of 10 mmol L -1 citric acid significantly enhanced desorption of Ge and REEs from soil and uptake into soil-grown plants. Applying DFO-B enhanced the dissolution and the uptake of REEs, while no effect on Ge was observed. In sand cultures, the presence of citric acid and DFO-B significantly decreased the uptake of Ge and REEs, indicating a discrimination of the formed complexes during uptake. This study clearly indicates that citric acid and the microbial siderophore DFO-B may enhance phytoextraction of Ge and REEs due to the formation of soluble complexes that increase the migration of elements in the rhizosphere.

Avt5p is required for vacuolar uptake of amino acids in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

PubMed

Chardwiriyapreecha, Soracom; Mukaiyama, Hiroyuki; Sekito, Takayuki; Iwaki, Tomoko; Takegawa, Kaoru; Kakinuma, Yoshimi

2010-06-03

We identified SPBC1685.07c of Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a novel vacuolar protein, Avt5p, with similarity to vacuolar amino acid transporters Avt5p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Avt5p localizes to the vacuolar membrane and upon disruption of avt5, uptake of histidine, glutamate, tyrosine, arginine, lysine or serine was impaired. During nitrogen starvation, the transient increase of vacuolar lysine transport observed for wild-type cells still occurred in the mutant cells, however, uptake of glutamate did not significantly increase in response to nitrogen starvation. Our results show that under diverse growth conditions Avt5p is involved in vacuolar transport of a selective set of amino acids. Copyright 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactions between stepwise-eluted sub-fractions of fulvic acids and protons revealed by fluorescence titration combined with EEM-PARAFAC.

PubMed

Song, Fanhao; Wu, Fengchang; Guo, Fei; Wang, Hao; Feng, Weiying; Zhou, Min; Deng, Yanghui; Bai, Yingchen; Xing, Baoshan; Giesy, John P

2017-12-15

In aquatic environments, pH can control environmental behaviors of fulvic acid (FA) via regulating hydrolysis of functional groups. Sub-fractions of FA, eluted using pyrophosphate buffers with initial pHs of 3.0 (FA 3 ), 5.0 (FA 5 ), 7.0 (FA 7 ), 9.0 (FA 9 ) and 13.0 (FA 13 ), were used to explore interactions between the various, operationally defined, FA fractions and protons, by use of EEM-PARAFAC analysis. Splitting of peaks (FA 3 and FA 13 ), merging of peaks (FA 7 ), disappearance of peaks (FA 9 and FA 13 ), and red/blue-shifting of peaks were observed during fluorescence titration. Fulvic-like components were identified from FA 3 -FA 13 , and protein-like components were observed in fractions FA 9 and FA 13 . There primary compounds (carboxylic-like, phenolic-like, and protein-like chromophores) in PARAFAC components were distinguished based on acid-base properties. Dissociation constants (pK a ) for fulvic-like components with proton ranged from 2.43 to 4.13 in an acidic pH and from 9.95 to 11.27 at basic pH. These results might be due to protonation of di-carboxylate and phenolic functional groups. At basic pH, pK a values of protein-like components (9.77-10.13) were similar to those of amino acids. However, at acidic pH, pK a values of protein-like components, which ranged from 3.33 to 4.22, were 1-2units greater than those of amino acids. Results presented here, will benefit understanding of environmental behaviors of FA, as well as interactions of FA with environmental contaminants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased hepatic mitochondrial FA oxidation reduces plasma and liver TG levels and is associated with regulation of UCPs and APOC-III in rats

PubMed Central

Lindquist, Carine; Bjørndal, Bodil; Rossmann, Christine Renate; Tusubira, Deusdedit; Svardal, Asbjørn; Røsland, Gro Vatne; Tronstad, Karl Johan; Hallström, Seth; Berge, Rolf Kristian

2017-01-01

Hepatic mitochondrial function, APOC-III, and LPL are potential targets for triglyceride (TG)-lowering drugs. After 3 weeks of dietary treatment with the compound 2-(tridec-12-yn-1-ylthio)acetic acid (1-triple TTA), the hepatic mitochondrial FA oxidation increased more than 5-fold in male Wistar rats. Gene expression analysis in liver showed significant downregulation of APOC-III and upregulation of LPL and the VLDL receptor. This led to lower hepatic (53%) and plasma (73%) TG levels. Concomitantly, liver-specific biomarkers related to mitochondrial biogenesis and function (mitochondrial DNA, citrate synthase activity, and cytochrome c and TFAM gene expression) were elevated. Interestingly, 1-triple TTA lowered plasma acetylcarnitine levels, whereas the concentration of β-hydroxybutyrate was increased. The hepatic energy state was reduced in 1-triple TTA-treated rats, as reflected by increased AMP/ATP and decreased ATP/ADP ratios, whereas the energy state remained unchanged in muscle and heart. The 1-triple TTA administration induced gene expression of uncoupling protein (UCP)2 and UCP3 in liver. In conclusion, the 1-triple TTA-mediated clearance of blood TG may result from lowered APOC-III production, increased hepatic LPL gene expression, mitochondrial FA oxidation, and (re)uptake of VLDL facilitating drainage of FAs to the liver for β-oxidation and production of ketone bodies as extrahepatic fuel. The possibility that UCP2 and UCP3 mediate a moderate degree of mitochondrial uncoupling should be considered. PMID:28473603

The gamma-aminobutyric acid uptake inhibitor, tiagabine, is anticonvulsant in two animal models of reflex epilepsy.

PubMed

Smith, S E; Parvez, N S; Chapman, A G; Meldrum, B S

1995-02-06

The effects of i.p. administration of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake inhibitors R(-)N-(4,4-di(3-methylthien-2-yl)-but-3-enyl) nipecotic acid hydrochloride (tiagabine; molecular weight 412.0), (1-(2-(((diphenylmethylene)-amino)oxy)ethyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3- pyridinecarboxylic acid hydrochloride (NNC-711; molecular weight 386.9), and (+/-)-nipecotic acid (molecular weight 128.2) are compared with those of carbamazepine (molecular weight 236.3) on sound-induced seizures and locomotor performance in genetically epilepsy-prone (GEP) rats. The ED50 value against clonic seizures (in mumol kg-1 at the time of maximal anticonvulsant effect) for tiagabine was 23 (0.5 h), and for NNC-711 was 72 (1 h), and for carbamazepine was 98 (2 h). (+/-)-Nipecotic acid (0.4-15.6 mmol kg-1) was not anticonvulsant. High doses of NNC-711 (207-310 mumol kg-1) and of (+/-)-nipecotic acid (39-78 mmol kg-1) induced ataxia and myoclonic seizures 0.25-1 h. Tiagabine and carbamazepine did not induce myoclonic seizures and had similar therapeutic indices (locomotor deficit ED50/anticonvulsant ED50) ranging from 0.4 to 1.9. In Papio papio, we observed a reduction in photically induced myoclonic seizures with tiagabine (2.4 mumol kg-1 i.v.) accompanied with neurological impairment. Tiagabine has comparable anticonvulsant action to carbamazepine in rats and has anticonvulsant effects in non-human primates supporting the potential use of inhibitors of GABA uptake as therapy for epilepsy.

The role of L-type amino acid transporters in the uptake of glyphosate across mammalian epithelial tissues.

PubMed

Xu, Jiaqiang; Li, Gao; Wang, Zhuoyi; Si, Luqin; He, Sijie; Cai, Jialing; Huang, Jiangeng; Donovan, Maureen D

2016-02-01

Glyphosate is one of the most commonly used herbicides worldwide due to its broad spectrum of activity and reported low toxicity to humans. Glyphosate has an amino acid-like structure that is highly polar and shows low bioavailability following oral ingestion and low systemic toxicity following intravenous exposures. Spray applications of glyphosate in agricultural or residential settings can result in topical or inhalation exposures to the herbicide. Limited systemic exposure to glyphosate occurs following skin contact, and pulmonary exposure has also been reported to be low. The results of nasal inhalation exposures, however, have not been evaluated. To investigate the mechanisms of glyphosate absorption across epithelial tissues, the permeation of glyphosate across Caco-2 cells, a gastrointestinal epithelium model, was compared with permeation across nasal respiratory and olfactory tissues excised from cows. Saturable glyphosate uptake was seen in all three tissues, indicating the activity of epithelial transporters. The uptake was shown to be ATP and Na(+) independent, and glyphosate permeability could be significantly reduced by the inclusion of competitive amino acids or specific LAT1/LAT2 transporter inhibitors. The pattern of inhibition of glyphosate permeability across Caco-2 and nasal mucosal tissues suggests that LAT1/2 play major roles in the transport of this amino-acid-like herbicide. Enhanced uptake into the epithelial cells at barrier mucosae, including the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, may result in more significant local and systemic effects than predicted from glyphosate's passive permeability, and enhanced uptake by the olfactory mucosa may result in further CNS disposition, potentially increasing the risk for brain-related toxicities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FANCM-FAAP24 and FANCJ: FA proteins that metabolize DNA

PubMed Central

Ali, Abdullah Mahmood; Singh, Thiyam Ramsing; Meetei, Amom Ruhikanta

2009-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive or X-linked disorder characterized by aplastic anemia, cancer susceptibility and cellular sensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents. Eight FA proteins (FANCA, -B, -C, -E, -F, -G, -L and –M) and three non-FA proteins (FAAP100, FAAP24 and HES1) form the FA nuclear core complex that is required for monoubiquitination of the FANCD2-FANCI dimer upon DNA damage. The other three FA proteins, FANCD1/BRCA2, FANCJ/BACH1/BRIP1 and FANCN/PALB2, act in parallel or downstream of the FANCD2-FANCI dimer. Despite the isolation and characterization of several FA proteins, the mechanism by which these proteins protect cells from DNA interstrand crosslinking agents has been unclear. This is because a majority of the FA proteins lack any recognizable functional domains that can provide insight into their function. The recently discovered FANCM (Hef) and FANCJ (BRIP1/BACH1) proteins contain helicase domains, providing potential insight into the role of FA proteins in DNA repair. FANCM with its partner, FAAP24, and FANCJ bind and metabolize a variety of DNA substrates. In this review, we focus on the discovery, structure, and function of the FANCM-FAAP24 and FANCJ proteins. PMID:19379763

Uptake Kinetics of Arsenic Species in Rice Plants

PubMed Central

Abedin, Mohammed Joinal; Feldmann, Jörg; Meharg, Andy A.

2002-01-01

Arsenic (As) finds its way into soils used for rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation through polluted irrigation water, and through historic contamination with As-based pesticides. As is known to be present as a number of chemical species in such soils, so we wished to investigate how these species were accumulated by rice. As species found in soil solution from a greenhouse experiment where rice was irrigated with arsenate contaminated water were arsenite, arsenate, dimethylarsinic acid, and monomethylarsonic acid. The short-term uptake kinetics for these four As species were determined in 7-d-old excised rice roots. High-affinity uptake (0–0.0532 mm) for arsenite and arsenate with eight rice varieties, covering two growing seasons, rice var. Boro (dry season) and rice var. Aman (wet season), showed that uptake of both arsenite and arsenate by Boro varieties was less than that of Aman varieties. Arsenite uptake was active, and was taken up at approximately the same rate as arsenate. Greater uptake of arsenite, compared with arsenate, was found at higher substrate concentration (low-affinity uptake system). Competitive inhibition of uptake with phosphate showed that arsenite and arsenate were taken up by different uptake systems because arsenate uptake was strongly suppressed in the presence of phosphate, whereas arsenite transport was not affected by phosphate. At a slow rate, there was a hyperbolic uptake of monomethylarsonic acid, and limited uptake of dimethylarsinic acid. PMID:11891266

Reversible uptake of molecular oxygen by heteroligand Co(II)-L-α-amino acid-imidazole systems: equilibrium models at full mass balance.

PubMed

Pająk, Marek; Woźniczka, Magdalena; Vogt, Andrzej; Kufelnicki, Aleksander

2017-09-19

The paper examines Co(II)-amino acid-imidazole systems (where amino acid = L-α-amino acid: alanine, asparagine, histidine) which, when in aqueous solutions, activate and reversibly take up dioxygen, while maintaining the structural scheme of the heme group (imidazole as axial ligand and O 2 uptake at the sixth, trans position) thus imitating natural respiratory pigments such as myoglobin and hemoglobin. The oxygenated reaction shows higher reversibility than for Co(II)-amac systems with analogous amino acids without imidazole. Unlike previous investigations of the heteroligand Co(II)-amino acid-imidazole systems, the present study accurately calculates all equilibrium forms present in solution and determines the [Formula: see text]equilibrium constants without using any simplified approximations. The equilibrium concentrations of Co(II), amino acid, imidazole and the formed complex species were calculated using constant data obtained for analogous systems under oxygen-free conditions. Pehametric and volumetric (oxygenation) studies allowed the stoichiometry of O 2 uptake reaction and coordination mode of the central ion in the forming oxygen adduct to be determined. The values of dioxygen uptake equilibrium constants [Formula: see text] were evaluated by applying the full mass balance equations. Investigations of oxygenation of the Co(II)-amino acid-imidazole systems indicated that dioxygen uptake proceeds along with a rise in pH to 9-10. The percentage of reversibility noted after acidification of the solution to the initial pH ranged within ca 30-60% for alanine, 40-70% for asparagine and 50-90% for histidine, with a rising tendency along with the increasing share of amino acid in the Co(II): amino acid: imidazole ratio. Calculations of the share of the free Co(II) ion as well as of the particular complex species existing in solution beside the oxygen adduct (regarding dioxygen bound both reversibly and irreversibly) indicated quite significant values for the

Transfer of omega-3 fatty acids across the blood-brain barrier after dietary supplementation with a docosahexaenoic acid-rich omega-3 fatty acid preparation in patients with Alzheimer's disease: the OmegAD study.

PubMed

Freund Levi, Y; Vedin, I; Cederholm, T; Basun, H; Faxén Irving, G; Eriksdotter, M; Hjorth, E; Schultzberg, M; Vessby, B; Wahlund, L-O; Salem, N; Palmblad, J

2014-04-01

Little is known about the transfer of essential fatty acids (FAs) across the human blood-brain barrier (BBB) in adulthood. In this study, we investigated whether oral supplementation with omega-3 (n-3) FAs would change the FA profile of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A total of 33 patients (18 receiving the n-3 FA supplement and 15 receiving placebo) were included in the study. These patients were participants in the double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized OmegAD study in which 204 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) received 2.3 g n-3 FA [high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] or placebo daily for 6 months. CSF FA levels were related to changes in plasma FA and to CSF biomarkers of AD and inflammation. At 6 months, the n-3 FA supplement group displayed significant increases in CSF (and plasma) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), DHA and total n-3 FA levels (P < 0.01), whereas no changes were observed in the placebo group. Changes in CSF and plasma levels of EPA and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid were strongly correlated, in contrast to those of DHA. Changes in DHA levels in CSF were inversely correlated with CSF levels of total and phosphorylated tau, and directly correlated with soluble interleukin-1 receptor type II. Thus, the more DHA increased in CSF, the greater the change in CSF AD/inflammatory biomarkers. Oral supplementation with n-3 FAs conferred changes in the n-3 FA profile in CSF, suggesting transfer of these FAs across the BBB in adults. © 2013 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Use of milk fatty acids to estimate plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations as an indicator of animal energy balance.

PubMed

Dórea, J R R; French, E A; Armentano, L E

2017-08-01

Negative energy balance is an important part of the lactation cycle, and measuring the current energy balance of a cow is useful in both applied and research settings. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine if milk fatty acid (FA) proportions were consistently related to plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA); (2) to determine if an individual cow with a measured milk FA profile is above or below a NEFA concentration, (3) to test the universality of the models developed within the University of Wisconsin and US Dairy Forage Research Center cows. Blood samples were collected on the same day as milk sampling from 105 Holstein cows from 3 studies. Plasma NEFA was quantified and a threshold of 600 µEq/L was applied to classify animals above this concentration as having high NEFA (NEFA high ). Thirty milk FA proportions and 4 milk FA ratios were screened to evaluate their capacity to classify cows with NEFA high according to determined milk FA threshold. In addition, 6 linear regression models were created using individual milk FA proportions and ratios. To evaluate the universality of the linear relationship between milk FA and plasma NEFA found in the internal data set, 90 treatment means from 21 papers published in the literature were compiled to test the model predictions. From the 30 screened milk FA, the odd short-chain fatty acids (C7:0, C9:0, C11:0, and C13:0) had sensitivity slightly greater than the other short-chain fatty acids (83.3, 94.8, 80.0, and 85.9%, respectively). The sensitivities for milk FA C6:0, C8:0, C10:0, and C12:0 were 78.8, 85.3, 80.1, and 83.9%, respectively. The threshold values to detect NEFA high cows for the last group of milk FA were ≤2.0, ≤0.94, ≤1.4, and ≤1.8 g/100 g of FA, respectively. The milk FA C14:0 and C15:0 had sensitivities of 88.7 and 85.0% and a threshold of ≤6.8 and ≤0.53 g/100 g of FA, respectively. The linear regressions using the milk FA ratios C18:1 to C15:0 and C17:0 to C15:0 presented lower

Polymorphisms in lipogenic genes and milk fatty acid composition in Holstein dairy cattle.

PubMed

Nafikov, Rafael A; Schoonmaker, Jon P; Korn, Kathleen T; Noack, Kristin; Garrick, Dorian J; Koehler, Kenneth J; Minick-Bormann, Jennifer; Reecy, James M; Spurlock, Diane E; Beitz, Donald C

2014-12-01

Changing bovine milk fatty acid (FA) composition through selection can decrease saturated FA (SFA) consumption, improve human health and provide a means for manipulating processing properties of milk. Our study determined associations between milk FA composition and genes from triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis pathway. The GC dinucleotide allele of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1:g.10433-10434AA >GC was associated with lower palmitic acid (16:0) concentration but higher oleic (18:1 cis-9), linoleic (18:2 cis-9, cis-12) acid concentrations, and elongation index. Accordingly, the GC dinucleotide allele was associated with lower milk fat percentage and SFA concentrations but higher monounsaturated FA and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) concentrations. The glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, mitochondrial haplotypes were associated with higher myristoleic acid (14:1 cis-9) concentration and C14 desaturation index. The 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 haplotypes were associated with higher PUFA and linoleic acid concentrations. The results of this study provide information for developing genetic tools to modify milk FA composition in dairy cattle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diselenolane-mediated cellular uptake.

PubMed

Chuard, Nicolas; Poblador-Bahamonde, Amalia I; Zong, Lili; Bartolami, Eline; Hildebrandt, Jana; Weigand, Wolfgang; Sakai, Naomi; Matile, Stefan

2018-02-21

The emerging power of thiol-mediated uptake with strained disulfides called for a move from sulfur to selenium. We report that according to results with fluorescent model substrates, cellular uptake with 1,2-diselenolanes exceeds uptake with 1,2-dithiolanes and epidithiodiketopiperazines with regard to efficiency as well as intracellular localization. The diselenide analog of lipoic acid performs best. This 1,2-diselenolane delivers fluorophores efficiently to the cytosol of HeLa Kyoto cells, without detectable endosomal capture as with 1,2-dithiolanes or dominant escape into the nucleus as with epidithiodiketopiperazines. Diselenolane-mediated cytosolic delivery is non-toxic (MTT assay), sensitive to temperature but insensitive to inhibitors of endocytosis (chlorpromazine, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, wortmannin, cytochalasin B) and conventional thiol-mediated uptake (Ellman's reagent), and to serum. Selenophilicity, the extreme CSeSeC dihedral angle of 0° and the high but different acidity of primary and secondary selenols might all contribute to uptake. Thiol-exchange affinity chromatography is introduced as operational mimic of thiol-mediated uptake that provides, in combination with rate enhancement of DTT oxidation, direct experimental evidence for existence and nature of the involved selenosulfides.

Identification of furan fatty acids in the lipids of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

PubMed

Chvalová, Daniela; Špička, Jiří

2016-06-01

Fatty acid (FA) composition was analyzed in muscle and gonad tissues of marketed common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The extracted lipids were separated into four fractions: polar lipids (PL), diacylglycerols, free fatty acids and triacylglycerols (TAG) using thin layer chromatography. FA content within the lipid fractions was determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The muscle lipids consisted primarily of TAG (96.9% of total FA), while PL were the major component of both male (67.6%) and female gonad (58.6%) lipids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids predominated in PL of all tissues (52.2-55.8% of total FA); monounsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant FA group in TAG of muscle (51.8%) and female gonads (47.8%) whereas high proportion of furan fatty acids (F-acids) (38.2%) was detected in TAG of male gonads. Eight F-acids were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in male gonad samples, including less common 12,15-epoxy-13,14-dimethylnonadeca-12,14-dienoic acid with even-numbered alkyl moiety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of gadolinium-EOB-DTPA uptake after portal vein embolization: value of an increased flip angle.

PubMed

Geisel, Dominik; Lüdemann, Lutz; Wagner, Clemens; Stelter, Lars; Grieser, Christian; Malinowski, Maciej; Stockmann, Martin; Seehofer, Daniel; Hamm, Bernd; Gebauer, Bernhard; Denecke, Timm

2014-03-01

The optimal sequence for Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake measurement in the liver with the purpose of liver function measurement is still not defined. To prospectively evaluate the effect of an increased flip angle (FA) of a T1-weighted fat-saturated 3D sequence for the measurement of hepatocyte uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after right portal vein embolization (PVE). Ten patients who received a PVE prior to an extended hemihepatectomy were examined 14 days after PVE using Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI of the liver using the standard FA of 10° and the increased FA of 30°. Relative enhancement of the right liver lobe (RLL) was 0.52 ± 0.12 for 10° and 1.41 ± 0.39 for 30°. Relative enhancement of the left liver lobe (LLL) was 0.58 ± 0.11 for 10° and 2.05 ± 0.61 for 30°. Relative enhancement of the RLL was significantly higher for 30° than for 10° (P = 0.009) and significantly higher in the 30° than in the 10° sequences (P = 0.005) for the LLL. A flip angle of 30° increases the contrast between liver partitions with and without portal venous embolization. Thereby, the sensitivity for differences in uptake intensity is increased. This could be of value for a more exact determination of differences in regional liver function and, consequently, the estimation of the future remnant liver function.

Maternal liver docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) stores are increased via higher serum unesterified DHA uptake in pregnant long Evans rats.

PubMed

Metherel, Adam H; Kitson, Alex P; Domenichiello, Anthony F; Lacombe, R J Scott; Hopperton, Kathryn E; Trépanier, Marc-Olivier; Alashmali, Shoug M; Lin, Lin; Bazinet, Richard P

2017-08-01

Maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) supplies the developing fetus during pregnancy; however, the mechanisms are unclear. We utilized pregnant rats to determine rates of DHA accretion, tissue unesterified DHA uptake and whole-body DHA synthesis-secretion. Female rats maintained on a DHA-free, 2% α-linolenic acid diet were either:1) sacrificed at 56 days for baseline measures, 2) mated and sacrificed at 14-18 days of pregnancy or 3) or sacrificed at 14-18 days as age-matched virgin controls. Maternal brain, adipose, liver and whole body fatty acid concentrations was determined for balance analysis, and kinetic modeling was used to determine brain and liver plasma unesterified DHA uptake and whole-body DHA synthesis-secretion rates. Total liver DHA was significantly higher in pregnant (95±5 μmol) versus non-pregnant (49±5) rats with no differences in whole-body DHA synthesis-secretion rates. However, liver uptake of plasma unesterified DHA was 3.8-fold higher in pregnant animals compared to non-pregnant controls, and periuterine adipose DHA was lower in pregnant (0.89±0.09 μmol/g) versus non-pregnant (1.26±0.06) rats. In conclusion, higher liver DHA accretion during pregnancy appears to be driven by higher unesterified DHA uptake, potentially via DHA mobilization from periuterine adipose for delivery to the fetus during the brain growth spurt. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Tumor Microenvironment on Selective Uptake of Boric Acid in HepG2 Human Hepatoma Cells.

PubMed

Bai, Yu-Chi; Hsia, Yu-Chun; Lin, Yu-Ting; Chen, Kuan-Hao; Chou, Fong-In; Yang, Chia-Min; Chuang, Yung-Jen

2017-11-01

Feasibility and efficacy of boric acid (BA)-mediated boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was first demonstrated by eliminating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a rat model. Furthermore, selective uptake of BA by liver tumor cells was shown in a rabbit model. To gain further insight, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of transportation and selective uptake of BA in HepG2 liver tumor cells. Transportation of BA in HepG2 cells was analyzed by time-course assays and by analyzing the rate of diffusion versus the concentration of BA. The effect of different tumor conditions on BA uptake was studied by treating HepG2 cells with 25 μg 10 B/ml BA under different concentrations of glucose, at different pH and in the presence of water-soluble cholesterol. HepG2 cells mainly uptake BA by simple diffusion. Cell membrane permeability may also contribute to tumor-specific uptake of BA. The selective uptake of BA was achieved primarily by diffusion, while other factors, such as low pH and increased membrane fluidity, which are hallmarks of HCC, might further enhance BA uptake. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Cytotoxicity of the dicarboximide fungicides, vinclozolin and iprodione, in rat hepatoma-derived Fa32 cells.

PubMed

Dierickx, Paul J

2004-10-01

Dicarboximide fungicides are widely used to control various fungal species. Their primary action is not known, due to a lack of knowledge concerning the mechanism of action of the dicarboximide group. The cytotoxicities of vinclozolin and iprodione in rat hepatoma-derived Fa32 cells were investigated. Cytotoxicity was measured by neutral red uptake inhibition after treatment for 24 hours. Iprodione was more toxic than vinclozolin. Vinclozolin was less toxic in glutathione-depleted cells than in control cells. This was also true for iprodione at lower concentrations, but iprodione became more toxic at higher concentrations. Both the fungicides increased the endogenous glutathione content by 20% after 1 hour. After 24 hours, the glutathione content was doubled by vinclozolin, but was not affected by iprodione. No effect on glutathione S-transferase activity or reactive oxygen species formation could be observed. Cytochrome P450-dependent ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase and pentoxyresorufin-O-depentylase activities were moderately activated by iprodione and strongly activated by vinclozolin. A glutathione-related cytochrome P450-dependent metabolic attack of vinclozolin and iprodione could be responsible for their cytotoxicity in Fa32 cells. Further research is needed to fully elucidate these (or other) mechanisms.

Increased cellular uptake of lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles due to surface modification with folic acid.

PubMed

Feuser, Paulo Emilio; Arévalo, Juan Marcelo Carpio; Junior, Enio Lima; Rossi, Gustavo Rodrigues; da Silva Trindade, Edvaldo; Rocha, Maria Eliane Merlin; Jacques, Amanda Virtuoso; Ricci-Júnior, Eduardo; Santos-Silva, Maria Claudia; Sayer, Claudia; de Araújo, Pedro H Hermes

2016-12-01

Lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles surface modified with folic acid were synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization in just one step. In vitro biocompatibility and cytotoxicity assays on L929 (murine fibroblast), human red blood, and HeLa (uterine colon cancer) cells were performed. The effect of folic acid at the nanoparticles surface was evaluated through cellular uptake assays in HeLa cells. Results showed that the presence of folic acid did not affect substantially the polymer particle size (~120 nm), the superparamagnetic behavior, the encapsulation efficiency of lauryl gallate (~87 %), the Zeta potential (~38 mV) of the polymeric nanoparticles or the release profile of lauryl gallate. The release profile of lauryl gallate from superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles presented an initial burst effect (0-1 h) followed by a slow and sustained release, indicating a biphasic release system. Lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles with folic acid did not present cytotoxicity effects on L929 and human red blood cells. However, free lauryl gallate presented significant cytotoxic effects on L929 and human red blood cells at all tested concentrations. The presence of folic acid increased the cytotoxicity of lauryl gallate loaded in nanoparticles on HeLa cells due to a higher cellular uptake when HeLa cells were incubated at 37 °C. On the other hand, when the nanoparticles were incubated at low temperature (4 °C) cellular uptake was not observed, suggesting that the uptake occurred by folate receptor mediated energy-dependent endocytosis. Based on presented results our work suggests that this carrier system can be an excellent alternative in targeted drug delivery by folate receptor.

A conserved carboxylic acid group mediates light-dependent proton uptake and signaling by rhodopsin.

PubMed

Arnis, S; Fahmy, K; Hofmann, K P; Sakmar, T P

1994-09-30

A carboxylic acid residue is conserved at the cytoplasmic border of the third transmembrane segment among nearly all G protein-coupled receptors. In the visual receptor rhodopsin, replacement of the conserved Glu134 by a neutral glutamine results in enhanced transducin activation. Here we show that a key event in forming the active state of rhodopsin is proton uptake by Glu134 in the metarhodopsin II (MII) photoproduct. Site-directed mutants E134D and E134Q were studied by flash photolysis, where formation rates of their photoproducts and rates of pH change could be monitored simultaneously. Both mutants showed normal MII formation rates. However, E134D displayed a slowed rate of proton uptake and E134Q displayed a loss of light-induced uptake of two protons from the aqueous phase. Thus, Glu134 mediates light-dependent proton uptake by MII. We propose that receptor activation requires a light-induced conformational change that allows protonation of Glu134 and subsequent protonation of a second group. The strong conservation of Glu134 in G protein-coupled receptors implies a general requirement for a proton acceptor group at this position to allow light- or ligand-dependent receptor activation.

Metabolomics Reveals that Dietary Ferulic Acid and Quercetin Modulate Metabolic Homeostasis in Rats.

PubMed

Zhang, Limin; Dong, Manyuan; Guangyong Xu; Yuan Tian; Tang, Huiru; Wang, Yulan

2018-02-21

Phenolic compounds ingestion has been shown to have potential preventive and therapeutic effects against various metabolic diseases such as obesity and cancer. To provide a better understanding of these potential benefit effects, we investigated the metabolic alterations in urine and feces of rat ingested ferulic acid (FA) and quercetin (Qu) using NMR-based metabolomics approach. Our results suggested that dietary FA and/or Qu significantly decreased short chain fatty acids and elevated oligosaccharides in the feces, implying that dietary FA and Qu may modulate gut microbial community with inhibition of bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers. We also found that dietary FA and/or Qu regulated several host metabolic pathways including TCA cycle and energy metabolism, bile acid, amino acid, and nucleic acid metabolism. These biological effects suggest that FA and Qu display outstanding bioavailability and bioactivity and could be used for treatment of some metabolic syndromes, such as inflammatory bowel diseases and obesity.

Uptake of perfluoroalkyl acids into edible crops via land ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The presence of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in biosolids destined for use in agriculture has raised concerns about their potential to enter the terrestrial food chain via bioaccumulation in edible plants. Uptake of PFAAs by greenhouse lettuce ( Lactuca sativa) and tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum ) grown in an industrially impacted biosolids-amended soil, a municipal biosolids-amended soil, and a control soil was measured. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were calculated for the edible portions of both lettuce and tomato. Dry weight concentrations observed in lettuce grown in a soil amended (biosolids:soil dry weight ratio of 1:10) with PFAA industrially contaminated biosolids were up to 266 and 236 ng/g for perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), respectively, and reached 56 and 211 ng/g for PFBA and PFPeA in tomato, respectively. BAFs for many PFAAs were well above unity, with PFBA having the highest BAF in lettuce (56.8) and PFPeA the highest in tomato (17.1). In addition, the BAFs for PFAAs in greenhouse lettuce decreased approximately 0.3 log units per CF2 group. A limited-scale field study was conducted to verify greenhouse findings. The greatest accumulation was seen for PFBA and PFPeA in both field-grown lettuce and tomato; BAFs for PFBA were highest in both crops. PFAA levels measured in lettuce and tomato grown in field soil amended with only a single application of biosolids (at an agronomic rate for nitrogen) were predomina

Ursodeoxycholic acid increases low-density lipoprotein binding, uptake and degradation in isolated hamster hepatocytes.

PubMed Central

Bouscarel, B; Fromm, H; Ceryak, S; Cassidy, M M

1991-01-01

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), in contrast to both chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), its 7 alpha-epimer, and lithocholic acid, enhanced receptor-dependent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and degradation in isolated hamster hepatocytes. The increase in cell-associated LDL was time- and concentration-dependent, with a maximum effect observed at approx. 60 min with 1 mM-UDCA. This increase was not associated with a detergent effect of UDCA, as no significant modifications were observed either in the cellular release of lactate dehydrogenase or in Trypan Blue exclusion. The effect of UDCA was not due to a modification of the LDL particle, but rather was receptor-related. UDCA (1 mM) maximally increased the number of 125I-LDL-binding sites (Bmax.) by 35%, from 176 to 240 ng/mg of protein, without a significant modification of the binding affinity. Furthermore, following proteolytic degradation of the LDL receptor with Pronase, specific LDL binding decreased to the level of non-specific binding, and the effect of UDCA was abolished. Conversely, the trihydroxy 7 beta-hydroxy bile acid ursocholic acid and its 7 alpha-epimer, cholic acid, induced a significant decrease in LDL binding by approx. 15%. The C23 analogue of UDCA (nor-UDCA) and CDCA did not affect LDL binding. On the other hand, UDCA conjugated with either glycine (GUDCA) or taurine (TUDCA), increased LDL binding to the same extent as did the free bile acid. The half maximum time (t1/2) to reach the full effect was 1-2 min for UDCA and TUDCA, while GUDCA had a much slower t1/2 of 8.3 min. Ketoconazole (50 microM), an antifungal agent, increased LDL binding, but this effect was not additive when tested in the presence of 0.7 mM-UDCA. The results of the studies indicate that, in isolated hamster hepatocytes, the UDCA-induced increase in receptor-dependent LDL binding and uptake represents a direct effect of this bile acid. The action of the bile acid is closely related to its specific structural conformation, since

The omega-3 fatty acid nutritional landscape: health benefits and sources.

PubMed

Deckelbaum, Richard J; Torrejon, Claudia

2012-03-01

Dietary fatty acids (FA) are increasingly recognized as major biologic regulators and have properties that relate to health outcomes and disease. The longer chain, more bioactive (n-6) (or omega-6) FA and (n-3) (or omega-3) FA share similar elongation and desaturation enzymes in their conversion from the essential (n-6) FA, linoleic acid, and (n-3) FA, α-linolenic acid (ALA). Conversion from these essential FA is very inefficient. However, now for the (n-3) FA series, soy oil can be enriched with (n-3) stearidonic acid (SDA) to allow for much more efficient conversion to longer chain EPA. EPA and the longer chain DHA possess distinct physical and biological properties that generally impart properties to cells and tissue, which underlie their ability to promote health and prevent disease. Although active in a number of areas of human biology, mechanisms of action of EPA and DHA are perhaps best defined in cardiovascular disease. There is concern that to reach the intake recommendations of EPA and DHA, their supply from cold water fish will be insufficient. Gaps in understanding mechanisms of action of (n-3) FA in a number of health and disease areas as well as optimal sources and intake levels for each need to be defined by further research. Because of the inefficient conversion of ALA, the appearance of SDA in enriched soy oil offers a biologically effective and cost effective approach to providing a sustainable plant source for (n-3) FA in the future.

UPTAKE OF LIPOPHILIC CADMIUM COMPLEXES BY THREE GREEN ALGAE: INFLUENCE OF HUMIC ACID AND ITS pH DEPENDENCE(1).

PubMed

Boullemant, Amiel; Le Faucheur, Séverine; Fortin, Claude; Campbell, Peter G C

2011-08-01

Cadmium forms neutral, lipophilic CdL2 (0) complexes with diethyldithiocarbamate (L = DDC) and with ethylxanthate (L = XANT). In a synthetic solution and in the absence of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM), for a given total Cd concentration, uptake of these complexes by unicellular algae is much faster than the uptake of the free Cd(2+) cation. The objective of the present study was to determine how this enhanced uptake of the lipophilic CdL2 (0) complexes was affected by the presence of natural DOM (Suwannee River humic acid, SRHA). Experiments were performed with Cd(DDC)2 (0) and Cd(XANT)2 (0) at two pH values (7.0 and 5.5) and with the three chlorophytes [Chlamydomonas reinhardtii P. A. Dang., Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindák, Chlorella fusca var. vacuolata Shihira et R. W. Krauss]. Short-term uptake (30-40 min) of the CdL2 (0) complexes was followed in the absence and presence of SRHA (6.5 mg C · L(-1) ). Acidification from pH 7.0 to 5.5 decreased CdL2 (0) uptake by the three algae, in the presence or absence of humic acid (HA). The dominant effect of the HA was to decrease Cd uptake, due to its interaction with the CdL2 (0) complexes in solution. However, if uptake of the free CdL2 (0) complexes was compared in the presence and absence of HA, in four of eight cases initial uptake rate constants (ki ) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the presence of the HA, suggesting the operation of an interfacial effect of the HA at the algal cell membrane, favoring uptake of CdL2 (0) . Overall, the experimental results suggest that neutral metal complexes will be less bioavailable in natural waters than they are in synthetic laboratory media in the absence of natural DOM. © 2011 Phycological Society of America.

Ferulic Acid, But Not All Hydroxycinnamic Acids, Is a Novel T3SS Inducer of Ralstonia solanacearum and Promotes Its Infection Process in Host Plants under Hydroponic Condition.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Li, Jing; Zhang, Weiqi; Wang, Rongsheng; Qiu, Qiaoqing; Luo, Feng; Hikichi, Yasufumi; Ohnishi, Kouhei; Ding, Wei

2017-01-01

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are typical monocyclic phenylpropanoids, including cinnamic acid (Cin), coumaric acid (Cou), caffeic acid (Caf), ferulic acid (FA) and their isomers, and involved in the interactions between pathogens and host plants. Here, we focused on the impact of HCAs on expression of type III secretion system (T3SS) in Ralstonia solanacearum . FA significantly induced the expression of the T3SS and some type III effectors (T3Es) genes in hrp -inducing medium, while did not the other HCAs. However, exogenously supplemented FA did not affect the T3SS expression in planta and the elicitation of the hypersensitive response (HR) in tobacco leaves. Consistent with its central roles in pathogenicity, the FA-induced expression of the T3SS led to significant promotion on infection process of R. solanacearum in tomato plants under hydroponics cultivation. Moreover, the FA-induced expression of the T3SS was specifically mediated by the well-characterized signaling cascade PrhA-prhI/R-PrhJ-HrpG-HrpB, independent of the other known regulatory pathways. In summary, our results demonstrated that FA, a novel inducer of the T3SS in R. solanacearum , was able to promote its infection process in host plants under hydroponics condition.

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids metabolism pathways in the body of pigs fed diets with different sources of fatty acids.

PubMed

Skiba, Grzegorz; Poławska, Ewa; Sobol, Monika; Raj, Stanisława; Weremko, Dagmara

2015-01-01

This study was carried out on 24 gilts (♀ Polish Large White × ♂ Danish Landrace) grown with body weight (BW) of 60 to 105 kg. The pigs were fed diets designed on the basis of a standard diet (appropriate for age and BW of pigs) where a part of the energy content was replaced by different fat supplements: linseed oil in Diet L, rapeseed oil in Diet R and fish oil in Diet F (6 gilts per dietary treatment). The fat supplements were sources of specific fatty acids (FA): in Diet L α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3, ALA); in Diet R linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6, LA) and in Diet F eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 n-3, EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5 n-3, DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3, DHA). The protein, fat and total FA contents in the body did not differ among groups of pigs. The enhanced total intake of LA and ALA by pigs caused an increased deposition of these FA in the body (p < 0.01) and an increased potential body pool of these acids for further metabolism/conversions. The conversion efficiency of LA and ALA from the feed to the pig's body differed among groups (p < 0.01) and ranged from 64.4% to 67.2% and from 69.4% to 81.7%, respectively. In Groups L and R, the level of de novo synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated FA was higher than in Group F. From the results, it can be concluded that the efficiency of deposition is greater for omega-3 FA than for omega-6 FA and depends on their dietary amount. The level of LA and ALA intake influences not only their deposition in the body but also the end products of the omega-3 and omega-6 pathways.

Organic acids for control of Salmonella in different feed materials

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Salmonella control in animal feed is important in order to protect animal and public health. Organic acids is one of the control measures used for treatment of Salmonella contaminated feed or feed ingredients. In the present study, the efficacy of formic acid (FA) and different blends of FA, propionic acid (PA) and sodium formate (SF) was investigated. Four Salmonella strains isolated from feed were assayed for their acid tolerance. Also, the effect of lower temperatures (5°C and 15°C) compared to room temperature was investigated in rape seed and soybean meal. Results The efficacy of acid treatments varied significantly between different feed materials. The strongest reduction was seen in pelleted and compound mash feed (2.5 log10 reduction) followed by rapeseed meal (1 log10 reduction) after 5 days exposure. However, in soybean meal the acid effects were limited (less than 0.5 log10 reduction) even after several weeks’ exposure. In all experiments the survival curves showed a concave shape, with a fast initial death phase followed by reduction at a slower rate during the remaining time of the experiment. No difference in Salmonella reduction was observed between FA and a blend of FA and PA, whereas a commercial blend of FA and SF (Amasil) was slightly more efficacious (0.5-1 log10 reduction) than a blend of FA and PA (Luprocid) in compound mash feed. The Salmonella Infantis strain was found to be the most acid tolerant strain followed by, S. Putten, S. Senftenberg and S. Typhimurium. The tolerance of the S. Infantis strain compared with the S. Typhimurium strain was statistically significant (p<0.05). The lethal effect of FA on the S. Typhimurium strain and the S. Infantis strain was lower at 5°C and 15°C compared to room temperatures. Conclusions Acid treatment of Salmonella in feed is a matter of reducing the number of viable bacterial cells rather than eliminating the organism. Recommendations on the use of acids for controlling Salmonella in

Organic acids for control of Salmonella in different feed materials.

PubMed

Koyuncu, Sevinc; Andersson, Mats Gunnar; Löfström, Charlotta; Skandamis, Panagiotis N; Gounadaki, Antonia; Zentek, Jürgen; Häggblom, Per

2013-04-18

Salmonella control in animal feed is important in order to protect animal and public health. Organic acids is one of the control measures used for treatment of Salmonella contaminated feed or feed ingredients. In the present study, the efficacy of formic acid (FA) and different blends of FA, propionic acid (PA) and sodium formate (SF) was investigated. Four Salmonella strains isolated from feed were assayed for their acid tolerance. Also, the effect of lower temperatures (5°C and 15°C) compared to room temperature was investigated in rape seed and soybean meal. The efficacy of acid treatments varied significantly between different feed materials. The strongest reduction was seen in pelleted and compound mash feed (2.5 log10 reduction) followed by rapeseed meal (1 log10 reduction) after 5 days exposure. However, in soybean meal the acid effects were limited (less than 0.5 log10 reduction) even after several weeks' exposure. In all experiments the survival curves showed a concave shape, with a fast initial death phase followed by reduction at a slower rate during the remaining time of the experiment.No difference in Salmonella reduction was observed between FA and a blend of FA and PA, whereas a commercial blend of FA and SF (Amasil) was slightly more efficacious (0.5-1 log10 reduction) than a blend of FA and PA (Luprocid) in compound mash feed. The Salmonella Infantis strain was found to be the most acid tolerant strain followed by, S. Putten, S. Senftenberg and S. Typhimurium. The tolerance of the S. Infantis strain compared with the S. Typhimurium strain was statistically significant (p<0.05). The lethal effect of FA on the S. Typhimurium strain and the S. Infantis strain was lower at 5°C and 15°C compared to room temperatures. Acid treatment of Salmonella in feed is a matter of reducing the number of viable bacterial cells rather than eliminating the organism. Recommendations on the use of acids for controlling Salmonella in feed should take into account the

Influence of stearic acid on hemostatic risk factors in humans.

PubMed

Tholstrup, Tine

2005-12-01

Stearic acid has been claimed to be prothrombotic. Elevated plasma factor VII coagulant activity (FVIIc) may raise the risk of coronary thrombosis in the event of plaque rupture. Fibrinogen, an acute-phase protein, is necessary for normal blood clotting; however, elevated levels of fibrinogen increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Here I report the results of three controlled, human dietary intervention studies, which used a randomized crossover design to investigate the hemostatic effects of stearic acid-rich test diets in healthy young men. A diet high in stearic acid (shea butter) resulted in a 13% lower fasting plasma FVIIc than a high palmitic acid diet, and was 18% lower than a diet high in myristic and lauric acids (P = 0.001) after 3 wk of intervention. The stearic acid-rich test fat increased plasma fibrinogen concentrations slightly compared with the myristic-lauric acid diet (P < 0.01). When investigating the acute effects of fatty meals, those high in stearic acid (synthesized test fat) resulted in a smaller postprandial increase in FVII than those high in trans and oleic FA, indicating a smaller increase in activated FVII after ingesting stearic acid compared with fats high in monounsaturated FA, probably caused by lower postprandial lipemia. Thus, the present investigations did not find dietary stearic acid to be more thrombogenic, in either fasting effects compared with other long-chain FA, or in acute effects compared with dietary unsaturated FA, including trans monounsaturated FA. The slightly increased effect on fasting plasma fibrinogen may be biologically insignificant, but it should be investigated further.

Metabolism of ferulic acid during growth of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus collinoides.

PubMed

Knockaert, Dries; Raes, Katleen; Wille, Christophe; Struijs, Karin; Van Camp, John

2012-08-30

Food-isolated lactic acid bacteria can transform ferulic acid (FA) into several products. Since quantification of these metabolites during the different bacterial growth phases is lacking, the aim of this study was to identify and quantify conversion products of FA and to follow the kinetics of FA metabolism during growth of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus collinoides. Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus collinoides were incubated in MRS broth, to which different amounts of FA were added (final concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.5 and 3 mmol L⁻¹), at 30 °C until the late stationary phase. Lactobacillus plantarum metabolised FA into 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG) and hydroferulic acid (HFA). Conversion to 4-VG started simultaneously with the degradation of FA, while formation of HFA started in the mid-exponential phase. Lactobacillus collinoides only formed 4-VG, mainly in the stationary phase. No significant effect of the different amounts of FA was seen on the growth and fermentation characteristics of both bacteria. The results demonstrate that both bacteria are able to convert FA. However, start of conversion differs between the two strains. The different amounts of FA had no influence on the growth and fermentation characteristics of both bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

12,13-diHOME: An Exercise-Induced Lipokine that Increases Skeletal Muscle Fatty Acid Uptake.

PubMed

Stanford, Kristin I; Lynes, Matthew D; Takahashi, Hirokazu; Baer, Lisa A; Arts, Peter J; May, Francis J; Lehnig, Adam C; Middelbeek, Roeland J W; Richard, Jeffrey J; So, Kawai; Chen, Emily Y; Gao, Fei; Narain, Niven R; Distefano, Giovanna; Shettigar, Vikram K; Hirshman, Michael F; Ziolo, Mark T; Kiebish, Michael A; Tseng, Yu-Hua; Coen, Paul M; Goodyear, Laurie J

2018-05-01

Circulating factors released from tissues during exercise have been hypothesized to mediate some of the health benefits of regular physical activity. Lipokines are circulating lipid species that have recently been reported to affect metabolism in response to cold. Here, lipidomics analysis revealed that a bout of moderate-intensity exercise causes a pronounced increase in the circulating lipid 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid (12,13-diHOME) in male, female, young, old, sedentary, and active human subjects. In mice, both a single bout of exercise and exercise training increased circulating 12,13-diHOME and surgical removal of brown adipose tissue (BAT) negated the increase in 12,13-diHOME, suggesting that BAT is the tissue source for exercise-stimulated 12,13-diHOME. Acute 12,13-diHOME treatment of mice in vivo increased skeletal muscle fatty acid uptake and oxidation, but not glucose uptake. These data reveal that lipokines are novel exercise-stimulated circulating factors that may contribute to the metabolic changes that occur with physical exercise. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vba5p, a novel plasma membrane protein involved in amino acid uptake and drug sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Shimazu, Masamitsu; Itaya, Teruhiro; Pongcharoen, Pongsanat; Sekito, Takayuki; Kawano-Kawada, Miyuki; Kakinuma, Yoshimi

2012-01-01

Vba5p is closest to Vba3p in the vacuolar transporter for basic amino acids (VBA) family of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged Vba5p localized exclusively to the plasma membrane. The uptake of lysine and arginine by whole cells was little affected by deletion of the VBA5 gene, but was stimulated by overexpression of the VBA5 gene. The inhibitory effect of 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide on cell growth was accelerated by expression of the VBA5 gene, and was lessened by the addition of arginine. These results suggest that Vba5p is a plasma membrane protein involved in amino acid uptake and drug sensitivity.

Dose- and type-dependent effects of long-chain fatty acids on adipogenesis and lipogenesis of bovine adipocytes.

PubMed

Yanting, Chen; Yang, Q Y; Ma, G L; Du, M; Harrison, J H; Block, E

2018-02-01

Differentiation and lipid metabolism of adipocytes have a great influence on milk performance, health, and feed efficiency of dairy cows. The effects of dietary long-chain fatty acids (FA) on adipogenesis and lipogenesis of dairy cows are often confounded by other nutritional and physiological factors in vivo. Therefore, this study used an in vitro approach to study the effect of dose and type of long-chain FA on adipogenesis and lipogenesis of bovine adipocytes. Stromal vascular cells were isolated from adipose tissue of dairy cows and induced into mature adipocytes in the presence of various long-chain FA including myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, or linoleic acid. When concentrations of myristic, palmitic, and oleic acids in adipogenic mediums were 150 and 200 μM, the induced mature adipocytes had greater lipid content compared with other concentrations of FA. In addition, mature adipocytes induced at 100 μM stearic acid and 300 μM linoleic acid had the greatest content of lipid than at other concentrations. High concentrations of saturated FA were more toxic for cells than the same concentration of unsaturated FA during the induction. When commitment stage was solely treated with FA, the number of differentiated mature adipocytes was greater for oleic and linoleic acids than other FA. When the maturation stage was treated with FA, the number of mature adipocytes was not affected, but the lipid content in adipocytes was affected and ranked oleic > linoleic > myristic > stearic > palmitic. In summary, this study showed that adipogenesis and lipogenesis of bovine adipocytes were differentially affected by long-chain FA, with unsaturated FA more effective than saturated FA. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Composition and Psychopathology in the Vienna Omega-3 Study

PubMed Central

Kim, Sung-Wan; Jhon, Min; Kim, Jae-Min; Smesny, Stefan; Rice, Simon; Berk, Michael; Klier, Claudia M.; McGorry, Patrick D.; Schäfer, Miriam R.; Amminger, G. Paul

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) levels and the severity of symptoms of individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. Subjects of the present study consisted of 80 neuroleptic-naïve UHR patients. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated between baseline erythrocyte membrane FA levels, measured by gas chromatography, and scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after controlling for age, sex, smoking and cannabis use. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the predominance of positive or negative symptoms based on PANSS subscale scores; membrane FA levels in the three groups were then compared. More severe negative symptoms measured by PANSS were negatively correlated with two saturated FAs (myristic and margaric acids), one ω-9 monounsaturated FA (MUFA; nervonic acid), and one ω-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA; docosapentaenoic acid), and were positively correlated with two ω-9 MUFAs (eicosenoic and erucic acids) and two ω-6 PUFAs (γ-linolenic and docosadienoic acids). More severe positive symptoms measured by PANSS were correlated only with nervonic acid. No associations were observed between FAs and MADRS scores. In subjects with predominant negative symptoms, the sum of the ω-9 MUFAs and the ω-6:ω-3 FA ratio were both significantly higher than in those with predominant positive symptoms, whereas the sum of ω-3 PUFAs was significantly lower. In conclusion, abnormalities in FA metabolism may contribute to the neurobiology of psychopathology in UHR individuals. In particular, membrane FA alterations may play a role in negative symptoms, which are primary psychopathological manifestations of schizophrenia-related disability. PMID:26963912

Ligand-functionalized degradable polyplexes formed by cationic poly(aspartic acid)-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hai-Qing; Li, Rui-Quan; Duan, Shun; Yu, Bingran; Zhao, Hong; Chen, Da-Fu; Xu, Fu-Jian

2015-03-01

Polypeptide-based degradable polyplexes attracted considerable attention in drug delivery systems. Polysaccharides including cyclodextrin (CD), dextran, and chitosan (CS) were readily grafted with cationic poly(aspartic acid)s (PAsps). To further enhance the transfection performances of PAsp-based polyplexes, herein, different types of ligand (folic acid, FA)-functionalized degradable polyplexes were proposed based on the PAsp-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugate (CCPE), where multiple β-CDs were tied on a CS chain. The FA-functionalized CCPE (i.e., CCPE-FA) was obtained via a host-guest interaction between the CD units of CCPE and the adamantane (Ad) species of Ad-modified FA (Ad-FA). The resulting CCPE/pDNA, CCPE-FA/pDNA, and ternary CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA (prepared by layer-by-layer assembly) polyplexes were investigated in detail using different cell lines. The CCPE-based polyplexes displayed much higher transfection efficiencies than the CS-based polyplexes reported earlier by us. The ternary polyplexes of CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA produced excellent gene transfection abilities in the folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells. This work would provide a promising means to produce highly efficient polyplexes for future gene therapy applications.Polypeptide-based degradable polyplexes attracted considerable attention in drug delivery systems. Polysaccharides including cyclodextrin (CD), dextran, and chitosan (CS) were readily grafted with cationic poly(aspartic acid)s (PAsps). To further enhance the transfection performances of PAsp-based polyplexes, herein, different types of ligand (folic acid, FA)-functionalized degradable polyplexes were proposed based on the PAsp-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugate (CCPE), where multiple β-CDs were tied on a CS chain. The FA-functionalized CCPE (i.e., CCPE-FA) was obtained via a host-guest interaction between the CD units of CCPE and the adamantane (Ad) species of Ad-modified FA (Ad-FA). The resulting CCPE/pDNA, CCPE-FA

Levels of Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in Patients With Psychosis, Their Unaffected Siblings, and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Medema, Suzanne; Mocking, Roel J. T.; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; Vaz, Frédéric M.; Meijer, Carin; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Beveren, Nico J. M.; Kahn, René; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Os, Jim; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Cahn, Wiepke; Meijer, Carin; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-01-01

Background: Two recent meta-analyses showed decreased red blood cell (RBC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) in schizophrenia and related disorders. However, both these meta-analyses report considerable heterogeneity, probably related to differences in patient samples between studies. Here, we investigated whether variations in RBC FA are associated with psychosis, and thus may be an intermediate phenotype of the disorder. Methods: For the present study, a total of 215 patients (87% outpatients), 187 siblings, and 98 controls were investigated for multiple FA analyses. Based on previous studies, we investigated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA), nervonic acid (NA), and eicasopentaenoic acid (EPA). On an exploratory basis, a large number of additional FA were investigated. Multilevel mixed models were used to compare the FA between the 3 groups. Results: Compared to controls, both patients and siblings showed significantly increased DHA, DPA, AA, and NA. LA was significantly higher in siblings compared to controls. EPA was not significantly different between the 3 groups. Also the exploratory FA were increased in patients and siblings. Conclusions: We found increased RBC FA DHA, DPA, AA, and NA in patients and siblings compared to controls. The direction of change is similar in both patients and siblings, which may suggest a shared environment and/or an intermediate phenotype. Differences between patient samples reflecting stage of disorder, dietary patterns, medication use, and drug abuse are possible modifiers of FA, contributing to the heterogeneity in findings concerning FA in schizophrenia patients. PMID:26385764

Canola Oil in Lactating Dairy Cow Diets Reduces Milk Saturated Fatty Acids and Improves Its Omega-3 and Oleic Fatty Acid Content

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

To produce milk that is healthier for human consumption, the present study evaluated the effect of including canola oil in the diet of dairy cows on milk production and composition as well as the nutritional quality of this milk fat. Eighteen Holstein cows with an average daily milk yield of 22 (± 4) kg/d in the middle stage of lactation were used. The cows were distributed in 6 contemporary 3x3 Latin squares consisting of 3 periods and 3 treatments: control diet (without oil), 3% inclusion of canola oil in the diet and 6% inclusion of canola oil in the diet (dry matter basis). The inclusion of 6% canola oil in the diet of lactating cows linearly reduced the milk yield by 2.51 kg/d, short-chain fatty acids (FA) by 41.42%, medium chain FA by 27.32%, saturated FA by 20.24%, saturated/unsaturated FA ratio by 39.20%, omega-6/omega-3 ratio by 39.45%, and atherogenicity index by 48.36% compared with the control treatment. Moreover, with the 6% inclusion of canola oil in the diet of cows, there was an increase in the concentration of long chain FA by 45.91%, unsaturated FA by 34.08%, monounsaturated FA by 40.37%, polyunsaturated FA by 17.88%, milk concentration of omega-3 by 115%, rumenic acid (CLA) by 16.50%, oleic acid by 44.87% and h/H milk index by 94.44% compared with the control treatment. Thus, the inclusion of canola oil in the diet of lactating dairy cows makes the milk fatty acid profile nutritionally healthier for the human diet; however, the lactating performance of dairy cows is reduce. PMID:27015405

Canola Oil in Lactating Dairy Cow Diets Reduces Milk Saturated Fatty Acids and Improves Its Omega-3 and Oleic Fatty Acid Content.

PubMed

Welter, Katiéli Caroline; Martins, Cristian Marlon de Magalhães Rodrigues; de Palma, André Soligo Vizeu; Martins, Mellory Martinson; Dos Reis, Bárbara Roqueto; Schmidt, Bárbara Laís Unglaube; Saran Netto, Arlindo

2016-01-01

To produce milk that is healthier for human consumption, the present study evaluated the effect of including canola oil in the diet of dairy cows on milk production and composition as well as the nutritional quality of this milk fat. Eighteen Holstein cows with an average daily milk yield of 22 (± 4) kg/d in the middle stage of lactation were used. The cows were distributed in 6 contemporary 3x3 Latin squares consisting of 3 periods and 3 treatments: control diet (without oil), 3% inclusion of canola oil in the diet and 6% inclusion of canola oil in the diet (dry matter basis). The inclusion of 6% canola oil in the diet of lactating cows linearly reduced the milk yield by 2.51 kg/d, short-chain fatty acids (FA) by 41.42%, medium chain FA by 27.32%, saturated FA by 20.24%, saturated/unsaturated FA ratio by 39.20%, omega-6/omega-3 ratio by 39.45%, and atherogenicity index by 48.36% compared with the control treatment. Moreover, with the 6% inclusion of canola oil in the diet of cows, there was an increase in the concentration of long chain FA by 45.91%, unsaturated FA by 34.08%, monounsaturated FA by 40.37%, polyunsaturated FA by 17.88%, milk concentration of omega-3 by 115%, rumenic acid (CLA) by 16.50%, oleic acid by 44.87% and h/H milk index by 94.44% compared with the control treatment. Thus, the inclusion of canola oil in the diet of lactating dairy cows makes the milk fatty acid profile nutritionally healthier for the human diet; however, the lactating performance of dairy cows is reduce.

Absolute versus relative measures of plasma fatty acids and health outcomes: example of phospholipid omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and all-cause mortality in women.

PubMed

Miura, Kyoko; Hughes, Maria Celia B; Ungerer, Jacobus P J; Smith, David D; Green, Adèle C

2018-03-01

In a well-characterised community-based prospective study, we aimed to systematically assess the differences in associations of plasma omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid (FA) status with all-cause mortality when plasma FA status is expressed in absolute concentrations versus relative levels. In a community sample of 564 women aged 25-75 years in Queensland, Australia, baseline plasma phospholipid FA levels were measured using gas chromatography. Specific FAs analysed were eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, total long-chain omega-3 FAs, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and total omega-6 FAs. Levels of each FA were expressed in absolute amounts (µg/mL) and relative levels (% of total FAs) and divided into thirds. Deaths were monitored for 17 years and hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals calculated to assess risk of death according to absolute versus relative plasma FA levels. In total 81 (14%) women died during follow-up. Agreement between absolute and relative measures of plasma FAs was higher in omega-3 than omega-6 FAs. The results of multivariate analyses for risk of all-cause mortality were generally similar with risk tending to inverse associations with plasma phospholipid omega-3 FAs and no association with omega-6 FAs. Sensitivity analyses examining effects of age and presence of serious medical conditions on risk of mortality did not alter findings. The directions and magnitude of associations with mortality of absolute versus relative FA levels were comparable. However, plasma FA expressed as absolute concentrations may be preferred for ease of comparison and since relative units can be deduced from absolute units.

Dihydrotestosterone stimulates amino acid uptake and the expression of LAT2 in mouse skeletal muscle fibres through an ERK1/2-dependent mechanism

PubMed Central

Hamdi, M M; Mutungi, G

2011-01-01

Abstract Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has acute/non-genomic actions in adult mammalian skeletal muscles whose physiological functions are still poorly understood. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the acute/non-genomic effects of DHT on amino acid uptake as well as the cellular signal transduction events underlying these actions in mouse fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibre bundles. 14C-Labelled amino acids were used to investigate the effects of DHT and testosterone (T) on amino acid uptake and pharmacological interventions were used to determine the cellular signal transduction events mediating these actions. While T had no effect on the uptake of isoleucine (Ile) and α-methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB) in both fibre types, DHT increased their uptake in the fast-twitch fibre bundles. This effect was reversed by inhibitors of protein translation, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), system A, system L, mTOR and MEK. However, it was relatively insensitive to inhibitors of transcription, androgen receptors and PI3K/Akt. Additionally, DHT treatment increased the expression of LAT2 and the phosphorylation of the EGFR in the fast-twitch fibre bundles and that of ERK1/2, RSK1/2 and ATF2 in both fibre types. Also, it decreased the phosphorylation of eEF2 and increased the incorporation of Ile into proteins in both fibre types. Most of these effects were reversed by EGFR and MEK inhibitors. From these findings we suggest that another physiological function of the acute/non-genomic actions of DHT in isolated mammalian skeletal muscle fibres is to stimulate amino acid uptake. This effect is mediated through the EGFR and involves the activation of the MAPK pathway and an increase in LAT2 expression. PMID:21606113

Modification of Erythrocyte Membrane Fatty Acid Contents After Kidney Transplantation: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Son, Y K; Kwon, H; Lee, H W; Jeong, E G; Lee, S M; Kim, S E; Park, Y; An, W S

2018-06-01

Modifications of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) contents may affect cellular function or transmembrane receptors. One cross-sectional study has shown that kidney transplant (KTP) recipients have lower erythrocyte membrane oleic acid content than dialysis patients do. Therefore, we prospectively tested whether erythrocyte membrane contents of FA including oleic acid change after KTP. We recruited 23 KTP recipients (September 2011 through May 2014). Blood samples were obtained immediately before KTP and 6 months after. Erythrocyte membrane FA contents were measured by gas chromatography. Mean age of the enrolled KTP recipients was 45.3 ± 10.9 years, and men represented 66.7% of the cases. ABO-incompatible KTPs constituted 14.3% and cadaver donors 42.9% of the cases. Steroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus were used as immunosuppressive treatment. There was no significant difference in dietary consumption between time points before and 6 months after KTP. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly higher at 6 months after KTP as compared with baseline. Erythrocyte membrane contents of polyunsaturated FA, ω-3 FA, ω-6 FA, and the ω-3 index were significantly higher, but erythrocyte membrane contents of total saturated FAs, total monounsaturated FAs, including oleic acid, total trans-FA, palmitoleic acid, and the ω-6-to-ω-3 ratio were significantly lower at 6 months after KTP. Erythrocyte membrane FA contents significantly changed toward a more favorable cardiovascular profile after KTP. These changes in erythrocyte membrane FA contents may be related to improved renal function because of the absence of significant dietary changes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Myocardial uptake ratio of iodine-123 labeled beta-methyl iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) in relation to the concentration of the substrates of energy].

PubMed

Tsuchimochi, S; Tamaki, N; Kawamoto, M; Tadamura, E; Fujita, T; Nohara, R; Matsumori, A; Sasayama, S; Yonekura, Y; Konishi, J

1995-06-01

Iodine-123 beta-methyl iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) has been used for evaluating myocardial fatty acid metabolism in vivo. The whole body BMIPP imaging was acquired in 26 patients (11 with HCM, 11 with CAD and 4 with DCM) to calculate % uptake in the myocardium and to correlate its uptake with biochemical data, including blood sugar (BS), nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and insulin in the blood. BMIPP was administered at rest with overnight fasting state, and the anterior and posterior whole body imaging was performed one hour later. The background corrected whole myocardial counts were calculated to obtain %BMIPP uptake. In addition, the heart to mediastinum count ratio (H/M ratio) was calculated from the mean counts in the heart and the upper mediastinum in the anterior view. The %BMIPP uptake was 3.70 +/- 1.22% and H/M ratio was 2.30 +/- 0.23. The patients with DCM showed higher %BMIPP uptake values (DCM = 5.58 +/- 0.67% vs. CAD = 3.09 +/- 0.97% and HCM = 3.63 +/- 0.86%, both p < 0.01), but similar values of H/M ratio with other patients (DCM = 2.43 +/- 0.20, CAD = 2.22 +/- 0.25 and HCM = 2.32 +/- 0.20). Although the biochemical data varied at the time of the tracer administration, they were not significantly correlated with the %BMIPP uptake or H/M ratio. However, there was a significant correlation between %BMIPP uptake and H/M ratio with the correlation coefficient of 0.80 (p < 0.001). We conclude that the myocardial uptake of BMIPP is not influenced by the plasma substrate level under the fasting state.

Folic acid conjugated mPEG-PEI600 as an efficient non-viral vector for targeted nucleic acid delivery.

PubMed

Xu, Zhenhua; Jin, Jiefu; Siu, Leo K S; Yao, Hong; Sze, Johnny; Sun, Hongzhe; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; Poon, Wai Sang; Ng, Samuel S M; Lin, Marie C

2012-04-15

In this study we describe a novel polymer, mPPS-FA, synthesized as a potential gene transfer vector. To complete mPPS-FA, folic acid was conjugated to a backbone (named mPPS) consisting of a copolymer of methyl PEG-2000, PEI-600, and sebacoyl chloride. (1)H NMR, FT-IR, and UV spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of mPPS-FA. It was revealed that mPPS-FA holds the ability to bind plasmid DNA yielding positively charged particles (polyplexes). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and TEM techniques were used to study the size and morphology of the formed mPPS-FA/DNA nanocomplexes. The mPPS-FA/DNA nanoparticles exhibited low cytotoxicity as transfection of B16-F0, U87MG, CHO-1, and Ho-8910 cells produced >80% viability indicating low cytotoxicity of the polymer. The ability of mPPS-FA to deliver EGFP plasmid to melanoma B16-F0, U87, CHO-1, Ho-8910, and A549 cells was investigated in vitro as compared to the lipid-based transfection agent Lipofectamine2000 and Linear PEI 22 kDa (L-PEI 22 kDa). We found that mPPS-FA/DNA complexes yielded the highest GFP transfection efficiency in B16-F0, U87, CHO-1, and Ho-8910 cells, which all highly express folate receptors (FR), at an mPPS-FA/DNA ratio (w/w) of 15. Furthermore, the transfection of mPPS-FA/DNA complexes in CHO-1 cells could be competitively blocked by free folic acid molecules. In contrast, in low FR expressing A549 cells, mPPS-FA showed similar low transfection efficiency as mPPS. Taken together, mPPS-FA showed the highest efficiency in vitro and the potential to be developed as a nonviral gene carrier. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transport and fate of Herbaspirillum chlorophenolicum FA1 in saturated porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Xu, H.; Wu, J.

2016-12-01

For the bioremediation of contaminated groundwater, sufficient dispersal of functional microorganisms is one of the most important factors that determine the remediation efficiency. There are extensive studies on the transport of microbes in porous media, while most of them focus on pathogenic bacteria and little attention has been given toward functional bacteria that being used in bioremediation process. Therefore, accurate knowledge of the mechanisms that govern the transport and distribution of such bacteria in groundwater is needed to develop efficient treatment techniques. Herbaspirillum chlorophenolicum FA1, a pure bacterial strain capable of absorbing heavy metals and degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), was selected as the representative functional bacterium in this study. A series of batch and column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport and deposition behavior of strain FA1 in saturated porous media. The effects of physical (grain size), chemical (ionic strength, humic acid), and biological factors (living/dead cells) were studied in detail. In addition, numerical simulations of breakthrough curve (BTC) data were also performed for information gathering. Results of this study could advance our understanding of functional bacteria transport and help to develop successful bioremediation strategies. This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China -Xinjiang Project (U1503282), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41030746, 41102148), and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20151385). Keywords: Herbaspirillum chlorophenolicum FA1, bacteria, porous media, transport, modeling

Surface characterization of colloidal-sol gel derived biphasic HA/FA coatings.

PubMed

Cheng, Kui; Zhang, Sam; Weng, Wenjian

2007-10-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) powders are ultrasonically dispersed in the precursor of fluoridated hydroxyapatite (FHA) or fluorapatite (FA) to form a "colloidal sol". HA/FA biphasic coatings are prepared on Ti6Al4V substrate via dip coating, 150 degrees C drying and 600 degrees C firing. The coatings show homogenous distribution of HA particles in the FA matrix. The relative phase proportion can be tailored by the amount of HA in the colloidal sol. The surfaces of the coatings consist of two kinds of distinct domains: HA and FA, resulting in a compositionally heterogeneous surface. The biphasic coating surface becomes increasingly rougher with HA powders, from around 200 nm of pure FA to 400-600 nm in Ra of biphasic coatings. The rougher biphasic HA/FA surfaces with chemically controllable domains will favor cell attachment, apatite layer deposition and necessary dissolution in clinical applications.

Isomers of hexadecenoic and hexadecadienoic acids in Androsace septentrionalis (Primulaceae) seed oil.

PubMed

Tsevegsuren, N; Aitzetmuller, K; Vosmann, K

2003-11-01

Seeds of Androsace septentrionalis of the genus Androsace (tribus Primuleae) from the plant family Primulaceae were studied for their oil content and FA composition. The seed oil of A. septentrionalis was found to contain two unusual FA rarely occurring in plants: 11-cis-hexadecenoic acid (16:1delta11c or 16:1n-5) and 9-cis,12-cis-hexadecadienoic acid (16:2delta9c,12c or 16:2n-4). It also contained an unusually high amount (21.4%) of 9-cis-hexadecenoic acid (palmitoleic acid; 16:1delta9c or 16:1n-7), i.e., at a level higher than that of oleic acid, in addition to common FA. Compared with most plant seed oils, at 3.8% the level of 18:1delta11c (or 18:1n-7) also was elevated. The nonidentity of the Androsace 16:2-acid with the 16:2-acid, which is very typical for Ranunculus spp., as well as its identity with the 16:2-acid typically found in Asclepiadaceae was established by co-chromatography. The structure and composition of the constituent FA of A. septentrionalis were also determined by various chromatographic methods (TLC, Ag+-TLC, capillary GLC) and spectroscopic methods (IR, GC-MS). The significant deviation of the Androsace FA pattern from that of other Primuleae, indicating a separate phylogenetic position of Androsace, is discussed.

Changes in behavioural parameters, oxidative stress and neurotrophins in the brain of adult offspring induced to an animal model of schizophrenia: The effects of FA deficient or FA supplemented diet during the neurodevelopmental phase.

PubMed

Canever, L; Freire, T G; Mastella, G A; Damázio, L; Gomes, S; Fachim, I; Michels, C; Carvalho, G; Godói, A K; Peterle, B R; Gava, F F; Valvassori, S S; Budni, J; Quevedo, J; Zugno, A I

2018-05-18

A deficiency of maternal folic acid (FA) can compromise the function and development of the brain, and may produce a susceptibility to diseases such as schizophrenia (SZ) in the later life of offspring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of both FA deficient and FA supplemented diets during gestation and lactation on behavioural parameters, the markers of oxidative stress and neurotrophic factors in adult offspring which had been subjected to an animal model of SZ. Female mother rats (Dam's) were separated into experimental maternal groups, which began receiving a special diet (food) consisting of the AIN-93 diet, a control diet, or an FA deficient diet during the periods of pregnancy and lactation. Dam's receiving the control diet were further subdivided into four groups: one group received only control diet, while three groups to receive supplementation with FA at different doses (5, 10 and 50 mg/kg). Adult offspring bred from the Dam's were divided into ten groups for induction of the animal model of SZ through the administration of ketamine (Ket) (25 mg/kg). After the last administration of the drug, the animals were subjected to the behavioural tests and were then euthanized. The frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus (Hip) were then dissected for later biochemical analysis. Our data demonstrates that Ket induced the model of SZ by altering the behavioural parameters (e.g. hyperlocomotion, social impairment, deficits in the sensory-motor profile and memory damage in the adult animals); and also caused changes in the parameters of oxidative stress (lipid hydroperoxide - LPO; 8-isoprostane - 8-ISO; 4-hydroxynonenal - 4-HNE; protein carbonyl content; superoxide dismutase - SOD and catalase - CAT) as well as in the levels of neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor - BDNF and nerve growth factor - NGF) particularly within the FC of adult offspring. A deficiency in maternal FA, alone or in combination with ket, was able to induce

FA-SAT Is an Old Satellite DNA Frozen in Several Bilateria Genomes

PubMed Central

Chaves, Raquel; Ferreira, Daniela; Mendes-da-Silva, Ana; Meles, Susana; Adega, Filomena

2017-01-01

Abstract In recent years, a growing body of evidence has recognized the tandem repeat sequences, and specifically satellite DNA, as a functional class of sequences in the genomic “dark matter.” Using an original, complementary, and thus an eclectic experimental design, we show that the cat archetypal satellite DNA sequence, FA-SAT, is “frozen” conservatively in several Bilateria genomes. We found different genomic FA-SAT architectures, and the interspersion pattern was conserved. In Carnivora genomes, the FA-SAT-related sequences are also amplified, with the predominance of a specific FA-SAT variant, at the heterochromatic regions. We inspected the cat genome project to locate FA-SAT array flanking regions and revealed an intensive intermingling with transposable elements. Our results also show that FA-SAT-related sequences are transcribed and that the most abundant FA-SAT variant is not always the most transcribed. We thus conclude that the DNA sequences of FA-SAT and their transcripts are “frozen” in these genomes. Future work is needed to disclose any putative function that these sequences may play in these genomes. PMID:29608678

Se@SiO2-FA-CuS nanocomposites for targeted delivery of DOX and nano selenium in synergistic combination of chemo-photothermal therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Yeying; Liu, Xijian; Deng, Guoying; Sun, Jian; Yuan, Haikuan; Li, Qi; Wang, Qiugeng; Lu, Jie

2018-02-08

In this study, a versatile tumor-targeted and multi-stimuli-responsive drug delivery vehicle (Se particle@porous silica-folic acid-copper sulfide/doxorubicin (Se@SiO 2 -FA-CuS/DOX)) was fabricated for combined photothermal therapy with chemotherapy in cancer treatment. Due to excellent targeting ability, the Se@SiO 2 -FA-CuS/DOX nanocomposites actively accumulated in tumor tissues and thus provided photothermal therapy under NIR irradiation and chemotherapy through the release of DOX and Se. Owing to the synergistic effect of chemotherapy (Se and DOX) and photothermal therapy, the Se@SiO 2 -FA-CuS/DOX nanocomposites could efficiently inhibit cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo and even completely eliminate tumors. Moreover, as the toxicity of DOX could be reduced by Se, the treatment using Se@SiO 2 -FA-CuS/DOX nanocomposites exhibited no appreciable adverse reactions. Thus, the Se@SiO 2 -FA-CuS/DOX nanocomposites have great potential as a multifunctional nanoplatform in future clinical applications.

TRIM.FaTE Evaluation Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The TRIM.FaTE Evaluation Report is composed of three volumes. Volume I presents conceptual, mechanistic, and structural complexity evaluations of various aspects of the model. Volumes II and III present performance evaluation.

Cellular uptake mechanism and clearance kinetics of fluorescence-labeled glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid-modified liposome in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

PubMed

Sun, Yuqi; Lu, Jinghua; Yan, Dongxue; Shen, Liping; Hu, Haiyang; Chen, Dawei

2017-07-01

Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpene derivative that exerts significant effects in the suppression of liver cancer. The receptors of GA on liver cells and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells have drawn broad attention. The effects of GA might depend on its transport into and out of cells. However, the question has not been previously addressed despite its obvious and fundamental importance. In this paper, GA and GA-modified liposome (GA-Lip) were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) or coumarin 6 (Cou6) using chemical or pharmaceutical techniques. The transport courses of FITC-GA and GA-Cou6-Lip were studied in HepG2 cells in vitro. We found that the fluorescence labeled GA and GA-Lip uptake and clearance were time-dependent. FITC-GA uptake involved passive diffusion and active transport, and the receptors were in the cytomembrane proteins. GA-Cou6-Lip uptake was mediated by caveolae-dependent endocytosis. In addition, FITC-GA and GA-Cou6-Lip clearance of the HCC cells fitted exponential decay and second-order processes, respectively. These findings provide new insights into the anti-HCC actions of GA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Plasma and erythrocyte phospholipid fatty acid profile in professional basketball and football players.

PubMed

Tepsic, Jasna; Vucic, Vesna; Arsic, Aleksandra; Blazencic-Mladenovic, Vera; Mazic, Sanja; Glibetic, Marija

2009-10-01

The effect of intensive long-term physical activity on phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition has not been studied thoroughly. We determined plasma and erythrocyte phospholipid FA status of professional basketball and football players. Our results showed differences in plasma FA profile not only between sportsmen and sedentary subjects, but also between two groups of sportsmen. Plasma FA profile in basketball players showed significantly higher proportion of n-6 FA (20:3, 20:4, and 22:4) and total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) than controls, while football players had higher palmitoleic acid (16:1) than basketball players and controls. Total PUFA and 22:4 were also higher in basketball than in football players. Erythrocyte FA profile showed no differences between football players and controls. However, basketball players had higher proportion of 18:0 than controls, higher saturated FA and lower 18:2 than two other groups, and higher 22:4 than football players. These findings suggest that long-term intensive exercise and type of sport influence FA profile.

Probiotic supplementation effects on milk fatty acid profile in ewes.

PubMed

Payandeh, Shahab; Kafilzadeh, Farokh; Juárez, Manuela; de la Fuente, Miguel Angel; Ghadimi, Darab; Martínez Marín, Andrés L

2017-05-01

We hypothesised that probiotic feeding would alter the fatty acid (FA) profile of sheep's milk. Sixteen lactating ewes, kept under the same feeding and management practices, were randomly allocated to receive either a control diet or the same diet supplemented with a commercial multi-strain bacterial probiotic. Milk fat FA contents were monitored fortnightly for eight consecutive weeks from 14 d after lambing. Probiotic supplementation increased the contents of butyric and caproic acids in milk fat and had no negative effects on other relevant FA from the human's health point of view (i.e., no differences in branched chain, vaccenic, rumenic and n-3 FA were observed). Under the conditions assayed in the present work, the contents of milk FA originated from rumen microbial metabolism were scantly altered, which suggests that the rumen conversion pathways of FA were not substantially modified by the probiotics.

Comparative studies on the interaction of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid with bovine serum albumin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuang; Huang, Kelong; Zhong, Ming; Guo, Jun; Wang, Wei-zheng; Zhu, Ronghua

2010-10-01

The substitution of the hydrogen on aromatic and esterification of carboxyl group of the phenol compounds plays an important role in their bio-activities. In this paper, caffeic acid (CaA), chlorogenic acid (ChA) and ferulic acid (FA) were selected to investigate the binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA) using UV absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the methoxyl group substituting for the 3-hydroxyl group of CaA decreased the affinity for BSA and the esterification of carboxyl group of CaA with quinic acid increased the affinities. The affinities of ChA and FA with BSA were more sensitive to the temperature than that of CaA with BSA. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence indicated that the Stern-Volmer plots largely deviated from linearity at high concentrations and were caused by complete quenching of the tyrosine fluorescence of BSA.

Fatty acid transfer in the food web of a coastal Mediterranean lagoon: Evidence for high arachidonic acid retention in fish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koussoroplis, Apostolos-Manuel; Bec, Alexandre; Perga, Marie-Elodie; Koutrakis, Emmanuil; Bourdier, Gilles; Desvilettes, Christian

2011-02-01

The transfer of fatty acids (FAs) in the food web of a Mediterranean lagoon was studied using FA compositional patterns across several trophic levels. The structure of the food web was inferred from C and N stable isotopes values and an isotope mixing model was used in order to estimate the relative contribution of the different potential food sources to the biomass of consumers. Bidimensional plots of FA composition of food web components against their δ 15N values indicated a general trend of increasing proportions of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) with increasing trophic levels while the proportions of saturated fatty acids (SAFAs) and 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) decreased. Using the relative contributions of food sources to consumers and their FA compositions, a model was built in order to estimate the PUFA composition of consumer mixed diets which was compared to consumer PUFA profiles. The latter allowed the identification of the PUFAs which were mostly enriched/retained in consumer lipids. There was a surprisingly high retention of arachidonic acid (ARA), a trend which challenges the idea of low ARA needs in marine fish and suggests the important physiological role of this essential FA for fish in estuarine environments.

Characterization of interaction between amino acids and fulvic-like organic matter by fluorescence spectroscopy combining thermodynamic calculation.

PubMed

Lin, Tao; Hou, Bingwei; Wang, Jian; Xu, Yaqun; Chen, Wei

2017-03-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM), as a very fine colloidal suspension, could inevitably affect the transformation process of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in drinking water treatment. Tryptophan and tyrosine were used as representatives of DON to investigate the interactions between amino acids and fulvic-like components of fluorescent DOM using titration experiments. The fluorescence intensity decreased significantly with the increasing fulvic acid (FA) concentration, suggesting that FA could greatly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine. The absolute spectrum peaks of amino acids (AA) were changed in the presence of FA, possibly being resulted from non-covalent interactions between amino acids and FA. The specific hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces played dominant roles in the interactions according to the results of theoretical analysis and thermodynamic calculation. The distance between donor and acceptor was 1.25 and 1.14 nm for the FA-tyrosine and FA-tryptophan system, indicating the energy transfer from tyrosine or tryptophan to FA. The association constant (K) decreased with the increase of temperature and pH value, while the change of ionic strength had no obvious influence on K value.

Levels of Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in Patients With Psychosis, Their Unaffected Siblings, and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Medema, Suzanne; Mocking, Roel J T; Koeter, Maarten W J; Vaz, Frédéric M; Meijer, Carin; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Beveren, Nico J M; Kahn, René; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Os, Jim; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Cahn, Wiepke; Meijer, Carin; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-03-01

Two recent meta-analyses showed decreased red blood cell (RBC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) in schizophrenia and related disorders. However, both these meta-analyses report considerable heterogeneity, probably related to differences in patient samples between studies. Here, we investigated whether variations in RBC FA are associated with psychosis, and thus may be an intermediate phenotype of the disorder. For the present study, a total of 215 patients (87% outpatients), 187 siblings, and 98 controls were investigated for multiple FA analyses. Based on previous studies, we investigated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA), nervonic acid (NA), and eicasopentaenoic acid (EPA). On an exploratory basis, a large number of additional FA were investigated. Multilevel mixed models were used to compare the FA between the 3 groups. Compared to controls, both patients and siblings showed significantly increased DHA, DPA, AA, and NA. LA was significantly higher in siblings compared to controls. EPA was not significantly different between the 3 groups. Also the exploratory FA were increased in patients and siblings. We found increased RBC FA DHA, DPA, AA, and NA in patients and siblings compared to controls. The direction of change is similar in both patients and siblings, which may suggest a shared environment and/or an intermediate phenotype. Differences between patient samples reflecting stage of disorder, dietary patterns, medication use, and drug abuse are possible modifiers of FA, contributing to the heterogeneity in findings concerning FA in schizophrenia patients. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Inhibition Increases Reduction Potential in Neuronal Cells under Hypoxia.

PubMed

Brose, Stephen A; Golovko, Svetlana A; Golovko, Mikhail Y

2016-01-01

Recently, we have reported a novel neuronal specific pathway for adaptation to hypoxia through increased fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis followed by esterification into lipids. However, the biological role of this pathway under hypoxia remains to be elucidated. In the presented study, we have tested our hypothesis that activation of FA synthesis maintains reduction potential and reduces lactoacidosis in neuronal cells under hypoxia. To address this hypothesis, we measured the effect of FA synthesis inhibition on [Formula: see text]/NAD + and [Formula: see text]/NADP + ratios, and lactic acid levels in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells exposed to normoxic and hypoxic conditions. FA synthesis inhibitors, TOFA (inhibits Acetyl-CoA carboxylase) and cerulenin (inhibits FA synthase), increased [Formula: see text]/NAD + and [Formula: see text]/NADP + ratios under hypoxia. Further, FA synthesis inhibition increased lactic acid under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and caused cytotoxicity under hypoxia but not normoxia. These results indicate that FA may serve as hydrogen acceptors under hypoxia, thus supporting oxidation reactions including anaerobic glycolysis. These findings may help to identify a radically different approach to attenuate hypoxia related pathophysiology in the nervous system including stroke.

Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Inhibition Increases Reduction Potential in Neuronal Cells under Hypoxia

PubMed Central

Brose, Stephen A.; Golovko, Svetlana A.; Golovko, Mikhail Y.

2016-01-01

Recently, we have reported a novel neuronal specific pathway for adaptation to hypoxia through increased fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis followed by esterification into lipids. However, the biological role of this pathway under hypoxia remains to be elucidated. In the presented study, we have tested our hypothesis that activation of FA synthesis maintains reduction potential and reduces lactoacidosis in neuronal cells under hypoxia. To address this hypothesis, we measured the effect of FA synthesis inhibition on NADH2+/NAD+ and NADPH2+/NADP+ ratios, and lactic acid levels in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells exposed to normoxic and hypoxic conditions. FA synthesis inhibitors, TOFA (inhibits Acetyl-CoA carboxylase) and cerulenin (inhibits FA synthase), increased NADH2+/NAD+ and NADPH2+/NADP+ ratios under hypoxia. Further, FA synthesis inhibition increased lactic acid under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and caused cytotoxicity under hypoxia but not normoxia. These results indicate that FA may serve as hydrogen acceptors under hypoxia, thus supporting oxidation reactions including anaerobic glycolysis. These findings may help to identify a radically different approach to attenuate hypoxia related pathophysiology in the nervous system including stroke. PMID:27965531

2-methoxylated fatty acids in marine sponges: defense mechanism against mycobacteria?

PubMed

Carballeira, Néstor M; Cruz, Heidyleen; Kwong, Cecil D; Wan, Baojie; Franzblau, Scott

2004-07-01

A series of saturated 2-methoxylated FA having even-numbered chains with 8-14 carbons were synthesized, and their spectroscopic data are presented for the first time. The 2-methoxylated C10-C14 acids were prepared from the corresponding 2-hydroxylated FA, whereas the 2-methoxyoctanoic acid was synthesized starting with heptaldehyde. All of the methoxylated FA displayed some degree of inhibition (between 2 and 99%) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Rv at 6.25 microg/mL. The most inhibitory FA was 2-methoxydecanoic acid, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 200-239 microM against M. tuberculosis H(37)Rv as determined by both the microplate Alamar Blue assay and the green fluorescent protein microplate assay. These results are discussed in terms of the possible role of the 2-methoxylated FA as antimicrobial lipids produced either by marine sponges, or the associated marine symbiotic bacteria, as a defense mechanism in a highly competitive environment.

Hypothalamic fatty acid sensing in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis): response to long-chain saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated (n-3) fatty acids.

PubMed

Conde-Sieira, Marta; Bonacic, Kruno; Velasco, Cristina; Valente, Luisa M P; Morais, Sofia; Soengas, José L

2015-12-15

We assessed the presence of fatty acid (FA)-sensing mechanisms in hypothalamus of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) and investigated their sensitivity to FA chain length and/or level of unsaturation. Stearate (SA, saturated FA), oleate (OA, monounsaturated FA of the same chain length), α-linolenate [ALA, a n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) of the same chain length], and eicosapentanoate (EPA, a n-3 PUFA of a larger chain length) were injected intraperitoneally. Parameters related to FA sensing and neuropeptide expression in the hypothalamus were assessed after 3 h and changes in accumulated food intake after 4, 24, and 48 h. Three FA sensing systems characterized in rainbow trout were also found in Senegalese sole and were activated by OA in a way similar to that previously characterized in rainbow trout and mammals. These hypothalamic FA sensing systems were also activated by ALA, differing from mammals, where n-3 PUFAs do not seem to activate FA sensors. This might suggest additional roles and highlights the importance of n-3 PUFA in fish diets, especially in marine species. The activation of FA sensing seems to be partially dependent on acyl chain length and degree of saturation, as no major changes were observed after treating fish with SA or EPA. The activation of FA sensing systems by OA and ALA, but not SA or EPA, is further reflected in the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in the control of food intake. Both OA and ALA enhanced anorexigenic capacity compatible with the activation of FA sensing systems. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Nutritional enhancement of sheep meat fatty acid profile for human health and wellbeing.

PubMed

Chikwanha, Obert C; Vahmani, Payam; Muchenje, Voster; Dugan, Michael E R; Mapiye, Cletos

2018-02-01

Dietary fatty acids (FA) consumed by sheep, like other ruminants, can undergo biohydrogenation resulting in high proportions of saturated FA (SFA) in meat. Biohydrogenation is typically less extensive in sheep than cattle, and consequently, sheep meat can contain higher proportions of omega (n)-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), and PUFA biohydrogenation intermediates (PUFA-BHI) including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and trans-monounsaturated FAs (t-MUFA). Sheep meat is also noted for having characteristically higher contents of branched chain FA (BCFA). From a human health and wellness perspective, some SFA and trans-MUFA have been found to negatively affect blood lipid profiles, and are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). On the other hand, n-3 PUFA, BCFA and some PUFA-BHI may have many potential beneficial effects on human health and wellbeing. In particular, vaccenic acid (VA), rumenic acid (RA) and BCFA may have potential for protecting against cancer and inflammatory disorders among other human health benefits. Several innovative strategies have been evaluated for their potential to enrich sheep meat with FA which may have human health benefits. To this end, dietary manipulation has been found to be the most effective strategy of improving the FA profile of sheep meat. However, there is a missing link between the FA profile of sheep meat, human consumption patterns of sheep FA and chronic diseases. The current review provides an overview of the nutritional strategies used to enhance the FA profile of sheep meat for human consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Root uptake and translocation of perfluorinated alkyl acids by three hydroponically grown crops.

PubMed

Felizeter, Sebastian; McLachlan, Michael S; De Voogt, Pim

2014-04-16

Tomato, cabbage, and zucchini plants were grown hydroponically in a greenhouse. They were exposed to 14 perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) at four different concentrations via the nutrient solution. At maturity the plants were harvested, and the roots, stems, leaves, twigs (where applicable), and edible parts (tomatoes, cabbage head, zucchinis) were analyzed separately. Uptake and transfer factors were calculated for all plant parts to assess PFAA translocation and distribution within the plants. Root concentration factors were highest for long-chain PFAAs (>C11) in all three plant species, but these chemicals were not found in the edible parts. All other PFAAs were present in all above-ground plant parts, with transpiration stream concentration factors (TSCFs) of 0.05-0.25. These PFAAs are taken up with the transpiration stream and accumulate primarily in the leaves. Although some systematic differences were observed, overall their uptake from nutrient solution to roots and their further distribution within the plants were similar between plant species and among PFAAs.

The carboxyl terminus of FANCE recruits FANCD2 to the Fanconi Anemia (FA) E3 ligase complex to promote the FA DNA repair pathway.

PubMed

Polito, David; Cukras, Scott; Wang, Xiaozhe; Spence, Paige; Moreau, Lisa; D'Andrea, Alan D; Kee, Younghoon

2014-03-07

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genome instability syndrome characterized by bone marrow failure and cellular hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents. In response to DNA damage, the FA pathway is activated through the cooperation of 16 FA proteins. A central player in the pathway is a multisubunit E3 ubiquitin ligase complex or the FA core complex, which monoubiquitinates its substrates FANCD2 and FANCI. FANCE, a subunit of the FA core complex, plays an essential role by promoting the integrity of the complex and by directly recognizing FANCD2. To delineate its role in substrate ubiquitination from the core complex assembly, we analyzed a series of mutations within FANCE. We report that a phenylalanine located at the highly conserved extreme C terminus, referred to as Phe-522, is a critical residue for mediating the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2-FANCI complex. Using the FANCE mutant that specifically disrupts the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction as a tool, we found that the interaction-deficient mutant conferred cellular sensitivity in reconstituted FANCE-deficient cells to a similar degree as FANCE null cells, suggesting the significance of the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction in promoting cisplatin resistance. Intriguingly, ectopic expression of the FANCE C terminus fragment alone in FA normal cells disrupts DNA repair, consolidating the importance of the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction in the DNA cross-link repair.

The Carboxyl Terminus of FANCE Recruits FANCD2 to the Fanconi Anemia (FA) E3 Ligase Complex to Promote the FA DNA Repair Pathway*

PubMed Central

Polito, David; Cukras, Scott; Wang, Xiaozhe; Spence, Paige; Moreau, Lisa; D'Andrea, Alan D.; Kee, Younghoon

2014-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genome instability syndrome characterized by bone marrow failure and cellular hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents. In response to DNA damage, the FA pathway is activated through the cooperation of 16 FA proteins. A central player in the pathway is a multisubunit E3 ubiquitin ligase complex or the FA core complex, which monoubiquitinates its substrates FANCD2 and FANCI. FANCE, a subunit of the FA core complex, plays an essential role by promoting the integrity of the complex and by directly recognizing FANCD2. To delineate its role in substrate ubiquitination from the core complex assembly, we analyzed a series of mutations within FANCE. We report that a phenylalanine located at the highly conserved extreme C terminus, referred to as Phe-522, is a critical residue for mediating the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2-FANCI complex. Using the FANCE mutant that specifically disrupts the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction as a tool, we found that the interaction-deficient mutant conferred cellular sensitivity in reconstituted FANCE-deficient cells to a similar degree as FANCE null cells, suggesting the significance of the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction in promoting cisplatin resistance. Intriguingly, ectopic expression of the FANCE C terminus fragment alone in FA normal cells disrupts DNA repair, consolidating the importance of the FANCE-FANCD2 interaction in the DNA cross-link repair. PMID:24451376

Supplemental fructose attenuates postprandial glycemia in Zucker fatty fa/fa rats.

PubMed

Wolf, Bryan W; Humphrey, Phillip M; Hadley, Craig W; Maharry, Kati S; Garleb, Keith A; Firkins, Jeffrey L

2002-06-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental fructose on postprandial glycemia. After overnight food deprivation, Zucker fatty fa/fa rats were given a meal glucose tolerance test. Plasma glucose response was determined for 180 min postprandially. At a dose of 0.16 g/kg body, fructose reduced (P < 0.05) the incremental area under the curve (AUC) by 34% when supplemented to a glucose challenge and by 32% when supplemented to a maltodextrin (a rapidly digested starch) challenge. Similarly, sucrose reduced (P = 0.0575) the incremental AUC for plasma glucose when rats were challenged with maltodextrin. Second-meal glycemic response was not affected by fructose supplementation to the first meal, and fructose supplementation to the second meal reduced (P < 0.05) postprandial glycemia when fructose had been supplemented to the first meal. In a dose-response study (0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 g/kg body), supplemental fructose reduced (P < 0.01) the peak rise in plasma glucose (linear and quadratic effects). In the final experiment, a low dose of fructose (0.075 g/kg body) reduced (P < 0.05) the incremental AUC by 18%. These data support the hypothesis that small amounts of oral fructose or sucrose may be useful in lowering the postprandial blood glucose response.

Effective depolymerization of concentrated acid hydrolysis lignin using a carbon-supported ruthenium catalyst in ethanol/formic acid media.

PubMed

Kristianto, Ivan; Limarta, Susan Olivia; Lee, Hyunjoo; Ha, Jeong-Myeong; Suh, Dong Jin; Jae, Jungho

2017-06-01

Lignin isolated by two-step concentrated acid hydrolysis of empty fruit bunch (EFB) was effectively depolymerized into a high-quality bio-oil using formic acid (FA) as an in-situ hydrogen source and Ru/C as a catalyst in supercritical ethanol. A bio-oil yield of 66.3wt% with an average molecular weight of 822g/mol and an aromatic monomer content of 6.1wt% was achieved at 350°C and a FA-to-lignin mass ratio of 3 after a reaction time of 60min. The combination of Ru/C and FA also resulted in a significant reduction in the oxygen content of the bio-oil by ∼60% and a corresponding increase in the higher heating value (HHV) to 32.7MJ/kg due to the enhanced hydrodeoxygenation activity. An examination of the FA decomposition characteristics revealed that Ru/C provides a greater increase in the rate of hydrogen production from FA, explaining the efficient depolymerization of lignin in a combined system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of folic acid-PAMAM conjugates: drug loading efficacy and dendrimer morphology.

PubMed

Chanphai, P; Tajmir-Riahi, H A

2018-05-01

We report the loading efficacy of folic acid (FA) by polyamidoamine (PAMAM-G3 and PAMAM-G4) nanoparticles in aqueous solution at physiological pH. Thermodynamic parameters ΔH = -47.57 (kJ Mol -1 ), ΔS = -122.78 (J Mol -1 , K -1 ) and ΔG = -10.96 (kJ Mol -1 ) showed FA-PAMAM bindings occur via H-bonding and van der Waals contacts. The stability of acid-PAMAM conjugate increased as polymer size increased. The acid loading efficacy was 40 to 50%. TEM images exhibited major polymer morphological changes upon acid encapsulation. PAMAM dendrimers are capable of FA delivery in vitro.

Doxorubicin-conjugated D-glucosamine- and folate- bi-functionalised InP/ZnS quantum dots for cancer cells imaging and therapy.

PubMed

Ranjbar-Navazi, Zahra; Eskandani, Morteza; Johari-Ahar, Mohammad; Nemati, Ali; Akbari, Hamid; Davaran, Soudabeh; Omidi, Yadollah

2018-03-01

Nanoscaled quantum dots (QDs), with unique optical properties have been used for the development of theranostics. Here, InP/ZnS QDs were synthesised and functionalised with folate (QD-FA), D-glucosamine (QD-GA) or both (QD-FA-GA). The bi-functionalised QDs were further conjugated with doxorubicin (QD-FA-GA-DOX). Optimum Indium to fatty acid (In:MA) ratio was 1:3.5. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs revealed spherical morphology for the QDs (11 nm). Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum confirmed the chemical composition of the QDs. MTT analysis in the OVCAR-3 cells treated with bare QDs, QD-FA, QD-GA, QD-FA-GA and QD-FA-GA-DOX (0.2 mg/mL of QDs) after 24 h indicated low toxicity for the bare QDs and functionalised QDs (about 80-90% cell viability). QD-FA-GA-DOX nanoparticles elicited toxicity in the cells. Cellular uptake of the engineered QDs were investigated in both folate receptor (FR)-positive OVCAR-3 cells and FR-negative A549 cells using fluorescence microscopy and FACS flow cytometry. The FA-functionalised QDs showed significantly higher uptake in the FR-positive OVCAR-3 cells, nonetheless the GA-functionalised QDs resulted in an indiscriminate uptake in both cell lines. In conclusion, our findings indicated that DOX-conjugated FA-armed QDs can be used as theranostics for simultaneous imaging and therapy of cancer.

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Decouples Fatty Acid Uptake from Lipid Inhibition of Insulin Signaling in Skeletal Muscle

PubMed Central

Hu, Shanming; Yao, Jianrong; Howe, Alexander A.; Menke, Brandon M.; Sivitz, William I.; Spector, Arthur A.

2012-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is expressed at low levels in skeletal muscle, where it protects against adiposity and insulin resistance via unclear mechanisms. To test the hypothesis that PPARγ directly modulates skeletal muscle metabolism, we created two models that isolate direct PPARγ actions on skeletal myocytes. PPARγ was overexpressed in murine myotubes by adenotransfection and in mouse skeletal muscle by plasmid electroporation. In cultured myotubes, PPARγ action increased fatty acid uptake and incorporation into myocellular lipids, dependent upon a 154 ± 20-fold up-regulation of CD36 expression. PPARγ overexpression more than doubled insulin-stimulated thymoma viral proto-oncogene (AKT) phosphorylation during low lipid availability. Furthermore, in myotubes exposed to palmitate levels that inhibit insulin signaling, PPARγ overexpression increased insulin-stimulated AKT phosphorylation and glycogen synthesis over 3-fold despite simultaneously increasing myocellular palmitate uptake. The insulin signaling enhancement was associated with an increase in activating phosphorylation of phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 and a normalized expression of palmitate-induced genes that antagonize AKT phosphorylation. In vivo, PPARγ overexpression more than doubled insulin-dependent AKT phosphorylation in lipid-treated mice but did not augment insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. We conclude that direct PPARγ action promotes myocellular storage of energy by increasing fatty acid uptake and esterification while simultaneously enhancing insulin signaling and glycogen formation. However, direct PPARγ action in skeletal muscle is not sufficient to account for the hypoglycemic actions of PPARγ agonists during lipotoxicity. PMID:22474127

New fluorescent bile acids: synthesis, chemical characterization, and disastereoselective uptake by Caco-2 cells of 3-deoxy 3-NBD-amino deoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acid.

PubMed

Májer, Ferenc; Salomon, Johanna J; Sharma, Ruchika; Etzbach, Simona V; Najib, Mohd Nadzri Mohd; Keaveny, Ray; Long, Aideen; Wang, Jun; Ehrhardt, Carsten; Gilmer, John F

2012-03-01

Deoxycholic acid (DCA), a secondary bile acid (BA), and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a tertiary BA, cause opposing effects in vivo and in cell suspensions. Fluorescent analogues of DCA and UDCA could help investigate important questions about their cellular interactions and distribution. We have prepared a set of isomeric 3α- and 3β-amino analogues of UDCA and DCA and derivatised these with the discrete fluorophore, 4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazol (NBD), forming the corresponding four fluorescent adducts. These absorb in the range 465-470 nm and fluoresce at approx. 535 nm. In order to determine the ability of the new fluorescent bile acids to mimic the parents, their uptake was studied using monolayers of Caco-2 cells, which are known to express multiple proteins of the organic anion-transporting peptide (OATP) subfamily of transporters. Cellular uptake was monitored over time at 4 and 37°C to distinguish between passive and active transport. All four BA analogues were taken up but in a strikingly stereo- and structure-specific manner, suggesting highly discriminatory interactions with transporter protein(s). The α-analogues of DCA and to a lesser extent UDCA were actively transported, whereas the β-analogues were not. The active transport process was saturable, with Michaelis-Menten constants for 3α-NBD DCA (5) being K(m)=42.27±12.98 μM and V(max)=2.8 ± 0.4 nmol/(mg protein*min) and for 3α-NBD UDCA (3) K(m)=28.20 ± 7.45 μM and V(max)=1.8 ± 0.2 nmol/(mg protein*min). These fluorescent bile acids are promising agents for investigating questions of bile acid biology and for detection of bile acids and related organic anion transport processes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-expression analysis identifies CRC and AP1 the regulator of Arabidopsis fatty acid biosynthesis.

PubMed

Han, Xinxin; Yin, Linlin; Xue, Hongwei

2012-07-01

Fatty acids (FAs) play crucial rules in signal transduction and plant development, however, the regulation of FA metabolism is still poorly understood. To study the relevant regulatory network, fifty-eight FA biosynthesis genes including de novo synthases, desaturases and elongases were selected as "guide genes" to construct the co-expression network. Calculation of the correlation between all Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) genes with each guide gene by Arabidopsis co-expression dating mining tools (ACT) identifies 797 candidate FA-correlated genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of these co-expressed genes showed they are tightly correlated to photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, and function in many processes. Interestingly, 63 transcription factors (TFs) were identified as candidate FA biosynthesis regulators and 8 TF families are enriched. Two TF genes, CRC and AP1, both correlating with 8 FA guide genes, were further characterized. Analyses of the ap1 and crc mutant showed the altered total FA composition of mature seeds. The contents of palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid and eicosadienoic acid are decreased, whereas that of oleic acid is increased in ap1 and crc seeds, which is consistent with the qRT-PCR analysis revealing the suppressed expression of the corresponding guide genes. In addition, yeast one-hybrid analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed that CRC can bind to the promoter regions of KCS7 and KCS15, indicating that CRC may directly regulate FA biosynthesis. © 2012 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

FA composition of heart and skeletal muscle during embryonic development of the king penguin.

PubMed

Decrock, Frederic; Groscolas, Rene; Speake, Brian K

2002-04-01

Since the yolk lipids of the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) naturally contain the highest concentrations of DHA and EPA yet reported for the eggs of any avian species, the effects of this (n-3)-rich yolk on the FA profiles of the embryonic heart and skeletal muscle were investigated. The concentrations (mg/g wet tissue) of phospholipid (PL) in the developing heart and leg muscle of the penguin doubled between days 27 and 55 from the beginning of egg incubation (i.e., from the halfway stage of embryonic development to 2 d posthatch), whereas no net increase occurred in pectoral muscle. During this period, the concentration of TAG in heart decreased by half but increased two- and sixfold in leg and pectoral muscle, respectively. The most notable change in cholesteryl ester concentration occurred in pectoral muscle, increasing ninefold between days 27 and 55. Arachidonic acid (ARA) was the major polyunsaturate in PL of the penguin's heart, where it formed about 20% (w/w) of FA at day 55. At the equivalent developmental stage, the heart PL of the chicken contained a 1.3-fold greater proportion of ARA, contained a fifth less DHA, and was almost devoid of EPA, whereas the latter FA was a significant component (7% of FA) of penguin heart PL. Similarly, in PL of leg and pectoral muscle, the chicken displayed about 1.4-fold more ARA, up to 50% less DHA, and far less EPA in comparison with the penguin. Thus, although ARA-rich PL profiles are achieved in the heart and muscle of the penguin embryo, these profiles are significantly affected by the high n-3 content of the yolk.

Effect of low molecular weight organic acids on the uptake of 226Ra by corn (Zea mays L.) in a region of high natural radioactivity in Ramsar-Iran.

PubMed

Nezami, Sareh; Malakouti, Mohammad Jafar; Bahrami Samani, Ali; Ghannadi Maragheh, Mohammad

2016-11-01

To study the benefit of including citric and oxalic acid treatments for phytoremediation of 226 Ra contaminated soils a greenhouse experiment with corn was conducted. A soil was sampled from a region of high natural 226 Ra radioactivity in Ramsar, Iran. After cultivation of corn seed and using organic acid treatments at 1, 10 and 100 mM concentrations, plants (shoots and roots) were harvested, digested and prepared to measure 226 Ra activity. Simultaneously, sequential selective extraction were performed to estimate the partitioning of 226 Ra among geochemical extraction. Results showed that the maximum uptake of 226 Ra in plants was observed in citric acid (6.3%) and then oxalic acid (6%) at 100 mM concentration. These treatments increased radium uptake by a factor of 1.5 than the control. Enhancement of radium uptake by plants was related to soil pH reduction of organic acids in comparison to control. Also, the maximum uptake of this radionuclide in all treatments was obtained in roots compared to shoots. 226 Ra fractionations results revealed that 91.8% of radium was in the residual phase of the soil and the available fractions were less than 2%. As the main percent of 226 Ra was in the residual phase of the soil in this region, it seems that organic acids had not significant effect on the uptake of 226 Ra for phytoremediation by corn in this condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic matter in sediments of an acidic mining lake as assessed by lipid analysis. Part I: fatty acids.

PubMed

Poerschmann, Juergen; Koschorreck, Matthias; Górecki, Tadeusz

2012-01-01

Fatty acid (FA) patterns of sediments collected from the bottom of an acidic mine pit lake (AML) at different depths (surface sediment: 0 to 1cm; deep sediment: 4 to 5 cm) were studied to characterize microbial communities and the sources of sedimentary organic matter (SOM). Studies were performed on the molecular level utilizing source-specific, diagnostic FA biomarkers. The biomarker-based approach has been used widely in marine sediment studies, but has not been applied for sediments from AMLs so far. Combined FA concentrations in the surface sediment were higher compared to those in the deep sediment (497 vs. 127 μg g(-1)d.w., respectively). This was related to deposition of autochthonous biomass and higher terrestrial plants onto the surface sediment, as well as--to lesser extent--with higher bacterial activity on the sediment-water interface. The FA distribution in both sediments was characterized by a strong even-over-odd preference and was bimodal in nature: there was a cluster at nC(14)-nC(18) characteristic of chiefly autochthonous (algal and bacterial) SOM production, and another cluster at nC(22-28) related to input from higher plants. The FA distribution in the surface sediment pointed to higher terrestrial input compared to autochthonous contribution to SOM (67%:33%) as an estimate. Fingerprinting of viable bacteria was accomplished through signature FA markers including branched C(15) and C(17) surrogates, cyclopropanoic acids, 3-hydroxy (OH) acids and monounsaturated surrogates with unusual double bond localization. The abundance of Gram-negative bacteria was higher in the surface sediment as evidenced by total diagnostic 3-OH-fatty acids (37 μg g(-1) versus 25 μg g(-1)). Potential source taxa in both sediment layers included acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria including Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. High abundances of terminally branched C(15) and C(17) surrogates in both sediments pointed to sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria

Water Uptake Behavior and Young Modulus Prediction of Composites Based on Treated Sisal Fibers and Poly(Lactic Acid)

PubMed Central

Orue, Ander; Eceiza, Arantxa; Peña-Rodriguez, Cristina; Arbelaiz, Aitor

2016-01-01

The main aim of this work was to study the effect of sisal fiber surface treatments on water uptake behavior of composites based on untreated and treated fibers. For this purpose, sisal fibers were treated with different chemical treatments. All surface treatments delayed the water absorption of fibers only for a short time of period. No significant differences were observed in water uptake profiles of composites based on fibers with different surface treatments. After water uptake period, tensile strength and Young modulus values of sisal fiber/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites were decreased. On the other hand, composites based on NaOH + silane treated fibers showed the lowest diffusion coefficient values, suggesting that this treatment seemed to be the most effective treatment to reduce water diffusion rate into the composites. Finally, Young modulus values of composites, before water uptake period, were predicted using different micromechanical models and were compared with experimental data. PMID:28773524

Adaptive Façade: Variant-Finding using Shape Grammar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomasowa, Riva; Utama Sjarifudin, Firza

2017-12-01

Modular façade construction has never been better since the birth of computer-aided manufacturing which bridges the modeling phase into the manufacturing phase for escalating the mass production. This comes to a result that the identity of a product or a building façade will commonly generate in the same way that the initial design was intended to. Rectifying the early model will then greatly impact the process later. The aim of this paper is to propose a way to solve these two challenges, without risking the manufacturing process, but more to explore the potential designs. Shape grammar is used to conceive more designs in the early stage, derived from the initial product - the modular adaptive façade system. The derivations are then tested through simulation to state the efficacy of the models. We find that the workflow somehow contributes to the better design and engineering process as well as the solution allows diversification in the façade expressions.

Formic acid catalyzed hydrolysis of SO3 in the gas phase: a barrierless mechanism for sulfuric acid production of potential atmospheric importance.

PubMed

Hazra, Montu K; Sinha, Amitabha

2011-11-02

Computational studies at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) and MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) levels are performed to explore the changes in reaction barrier height for the gas phase hydrolysis of SO(3) to form H(2)SO(4) in the presence of a single formic acid (FA) molecule. For comparison, we have also performed calculations for the reference reaction involving water assisted hydrolysis of SO(3) at the same level. Our results show that the FA assisted hydrolysis of SO(3) to form H(2)SO(4) is effectively a barrierless process. The barrier heights for the isomerization of the SO(3)···H(2)O···FA prereactive collision complex, which is the rate limiting step in the FA assisted hydrolysis, are found to be respectively 0.59 and 0.08 kcal/mol at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) and MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) levels. This is substantially lower than the ~7 kcal/mol barrier for the corresponding step in the hydrolysis of SO(3) by two water molecules--which is currently the accepted mechanism for atmospheric sulfuric acid production. Simple kinetic analysis of the relative rates suggests that the reduction in barrier height facilitated by FA, combined with the greater stability of the prereactive SO(3)···H(2)O···FA collision complex compared to SO(3)···H(2)O···H(2)O and the rather plentiful atmospheric abundance of FA, makes the formic acid mediated hydrolysis reaction a potentially important pathway for atmospheric sulfuric acid production.

FaStore - a space-saving solution for raw sequencing data.

PubMed

Roguski, Lukasz; Ochoa, Idoia; Hernaez, Mikel; Deorowicz, Sebastian

2018-03-29

The affordability of DNA sequencing has led to the generation of unprecedented volumes of raw sequencing data. These data must be stored, processed, and transmitted, which poses significant challenges. To facilitate this effort, we introduce FaStore, a specialized compressor for FASTQ files. FaStore does not use any reference sequences for compression, and permits the user to choose from several lossy modes to improve the overall compression ratio, depending on the specific needs. FaStore in the lossless mode achieves a significant improvement in compression ratio with respect to previously proposed algorithms. We perform an analysis on the effect that the different lossy modes have on variant calling, the most widely used application for clinical decision making, especially important in the era of precision medicine. We show that lossy compression can offer significant compression gains, while preserving the essential genomic information and without affecting the variant calling performance. FaStore can be downloaded from https://github.com/refresh-bio/FaStore. sebastian.deorowicz@polsl.pl. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Digestion of fatty acids in ruminants: a meta-analysis of flows and variation factors. 1. Total fatty acids.

PubMed

Schmidely, P; Glasser, F; Doreau, M; Sauvant, D

2008-05-01

A database built from 95 experiments with 303 treatments was used to quantify the ruminal biohydrogenation (BH) of fatty acids (FA), efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (EMPS), duodenal flow and intestinal absorption of total FA and of FA with 12 to 18 C units, in response to variations in dietary FA content, source or technological treatment of fat supplement. Flows of FA were expressed relative to dry matter intake (DMI) to compile data from bovine and ovine species. BH tended to increase curvilinearly with FA intake, whereas dietary FA did not affect EMPS. A linear relationship between FA intake and duodenal flow of total FA was obtained, with a coefficient of 0.75 ± 0.06 g duodenal FA/kg DMI for each g FA intake/kg DMI. Between experiments, positive balances of total FA (intake - duodenum) were related to low EMPS. Relationships between duodenal flows of FA with 12 to 18 C units and their respective intakes were linear, with a coefficient that increased with the number of C units. Duodenal flow of bacterial FA was linearly related to FA intake (coefficient 0.33 ± 0.13), whereas contribution of bacterial lipid to duodenal flow decreased as FA intake increased. For each FA with 12 to 16 C units, prediction of FA absorption from its respective duodenal flow was linear. For total FA and FA with 18 C units, apparent absorption levelled off at high duodenal flows. All these relationships were discussed according to current knowledge on microbial metabolism in the rumen and on the intestinal digestibility of FA in the intestine.

Adsorption characterizations of fulvic acid fractions onto kaolinite.

PubMed

Li, Aimin; Xu, Minjuan; Li, Wenhui; Wang, Xuejun; Dai, Jingyu

2008-01-01

Fulvic acids extracted from a typical rice-production region near Taihu Lake of China were fractionated into three fractions including F4.8, F7.0 and F11.0 (eluted by pH 4.8 buffer, pH 7.0 buffer and pH 11.0 buffer, respectively). Sorption of fulvic acid (FA) fractions onto kaolinite was studied by batch adsorption experiments, and characterizations of kaolinite before and after adsorption were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adsorption isotherms of kaolinite for three FA fractions fit well with the Langmuir adsorption model. The adsorption density of the three fractions was positively correlated with the ratio of the amount of the alkyl carbon to that of carboxyl and carbonyl carbon in FA fractions and followed an order of F11.0 > F7.0 > F4.8. Hydrophobic interaction was one of the control mechanisms for the sorption of FA fraction onto kaolinite. SEM images confirmed that compared to blank kaolinite samples, kaolinite samples coated by a FA fraction displayed an opener and more dispersed conformation resulting from the disruption of the floc structure in complex. Dispersion of kaolinite after adsorption was due to the repulsion between negatively charged FA-coated particles, which is closely related to the amount of FA fractions absorbed on kaolinite.

FaPOD27 functions in the metabolism of polyphenols in strawberry fruit (Fragaria sp.)

PubMed Central

Yeh, Su-Ying; Huang, Fong-Chin; Hoffmann, Thomas; Mayershofer, Mechthild; Schwab, Wilfried

2014-01-01

The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is one of the most preferred fresh fruit worldwide, accumulates numerous flavonoids but has limited shelf life due to excessive tissue softening caused by cell wall degradation. Since lignin is one of the polymers that strengthen plant cell walls and might contribute to some extent to fruit firmness monolignol biosynthesis was studied in strawberry fruit. Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), and a peroxidase (POD27) gene were strongly expressed in red, ripe fruit whereas a second POD gene was primarily expressed in green, immature fruit. Moreover, FaPOD27 transcripts were strongly and constitutively induced in fruits exposed to Agrobacterium infection. Gene expression levels and enzymatic activities of FaCCR and FaCAD were efficiently suppressed through RNAi in FaCCR- and FaCAD-silenced strawberries. Besides, significantly elevated FaPOD transcript levels were detected after agroinfiltration of pBI-FaPOD constructs in fruits. At the same time, levels of G-monomers were considerably reduced in FaCCR-silenced fruits whereas the proportion of both G- and S-monomers decisively decreased in FaCAD-silenced and pBI-FaPOD fruits. Development, firmness, and lignin level of the treated fruits were similar to pBI-intron control fruits, presumably attributed to increased expression levels of FaPOD27 upon agroinfiltration. Additionally, enhanced firmness, accompanied with elevated lignin levels, was revealed in chalcone synthase-deficient fruits (CHS−), independent of down- or up-regulation of individual and combined FaCCR. FaCAD, and FaPOD genes by agroinfiltration, when compared to CHS−/pBI-intron control fruits. These approaches provide further insight into the genetic control of flavonoid and lignin synthesis in strawberries. The results suggest that FaPOD27 is a key gene for lignin biosynthesis in strawberry fruit and thus to improving the firmness of strawberries. PMID:25346738

Global emissions of the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) HFC-365mfc, HFC-245fa, HFC-227ea, and HFC-236fa based on atmospheric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollmer, M. K.; Miller, B. R.; Rigby, M. L.; Reimann, S.; Muhle, J.; Agage, Soge, Snu Members, Kopri Members

2010-12-01

We report on the atmospheric measurements and global emissions of the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) HFC-365mfc (CH3CH2CF2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane), HFC-245fa (CHF2CH2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane), HFC-227ea (CF3CHFCF3, 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane), and HFC-236fa (CF3CH2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane). These measurements are from in-situ observations at stations of AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment) and SOGE (System for Observations of Halogenated Greenhouse Gases in Europe), and from the Korean station Gosan. We also report on flask sample measurements from the Antarctic stations King Sejong and Troll, and extend our records back to the 1970s using archived air samples of both hemispheres. All data are used in a global 12-box 2-dimensional atmospheric transport model to derive global abundances and emission estimates. All four HFCs have strongly increased in the atmosphere in recent years with growth rates at nearly 10 %, resulting in dry air mole fractions at the end of 2009 of 0.49 ppt for HFC-365mfc, 1.00 ppt for HFC-245fa, and 0.51 ppt for HFC-227ea. HFC-236fa, for which we report the first atmospheric measurements, is less abundant and has grown to 0.069 ppt at the end of 2009. Our model results show rapidly growing emissions of HFC-365mfc and HFC-245fa after 2002 but surprisingly these have now started to decline to globally 2.7 kt/yr (HFC-365mfc) and 6.1 kt/yr (HFC-245fa). On the other hand HFC-227ea and HFC-236fa show uninterrupted growth in their emissions of 2.5 kt/yr and 0.2 kt/yr at the end of 2009.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Putri, Mirasari; Department of Public Health, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511; Syamsunarno, Mas Rizky A.A.

Hypothermia can occur during fasting when thermoregulatory mechanisms, involving fatty acid (FA) utilization, are disturbed. CD36/FA translocase is a membrane protein which facilitates membrane transport of long-chain FA in the FA consuming heart, skeletal muscle (SkM) and adipose tissues. It also accelerates uptake of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein by brown adipose tissue (BAT) in a cold environment. In mice deficient for CD36 (CD36{sup −/−} mice), FA uptake is markedly reduced with a compensatory increase in glucose uptake in the heart and SkM, resulting in lower levels of blood glucose especially during fasting. However, the role of CD36 in thermogenic activity during fastingmore » remains to be determined. In fasted CD36{sup −/−} mice, body temperature drastically decreased shortly after cold exposure. The hypothermia was accompanied by a marked reduction in blood glucose and in stores of triacylglycerols in BAT and of glycogen in glycolytic SkM. Biodistribution analysis using the FA analogue {sup 125}I-BMIPP and the glucose analogue {sup 18}F-FDG revealed that uptake of FA and glucose was severely impaired in BAT and glycolytic SkM in cold-exposed CD36{sup −/−} mice. Further, induction of the genes of thermogenesis in BAT was blunted in fasted CD36{sup −/−} mice after cold exposure. These findings strongly suggest that CD36{sup −/−} mice exhibit pronounced hypothermia after fasting due to depletion of energy storage in BAT and glycolytic SkM and to reduced supply of energy substrates to these tissues. Our study underscores the importance of CD36 for nutrient homeostasis to survive potentially life-threatening challenges, such as cold and starvation. - Highlights: • We examined the role of CD36 in thermogenesis during cold exposure. • CD36{sup −/−} mice exhibit rapid hypothermia after cold exposure during fasting. • Uptake of fatty acid and glucose is impaired in thermogenic tissues during fasting. • Storage of energy substrates

Analysis of fatty acid composition of anaerobic rumen fungi.

PubMed

Koppová, I; Novotná, Z; Strosová, L; Fliegerová, K

2008-01-01

The fatty acid (FA) composition of fresh mycelia of anaerobic rumen fungi was determined. The fatty acids methyl esters (FAME) of six strains belonging to four genera (Neocallimastix, Caecomyces, Orpinomyces, Anaeromyces) and one unknown strain were analyzed by gas chromatography. All studied fungi possess the same FAs but differences were found in their relative concentrations. The FA profile of anaerobic fungi comprises carbon chains of length ranging from 12 to 24; the most common fatty acids were stearic (C(18:0)), arachidic (C(20:0)), heneicosanoic (C(21:0)), behenic (C(22:0)), tricosanoic (C(23:0)) and lignoceric (C(24:0)) with relative amount representing >4% of total FA. Significant differences were determined for heptadecanoic, oleic, behenic and tricosanoic acids. Rumen anaerobic fungi can contain very long chain fatty acids; we found unsaturated fatty acids including cis-11-eicosenoic (C(20:1)), cis-11,14-eicosadienoic (C(20:2)), erucic (C(22:1n9)), cis-13,16-docosadienoic (C(22:2)) and nervonic (C(24:1)) acids in very small amounts but their presence seems to be unique for anaerobic fungi.

Facilitated Bioaccumulation of Perfluorooctanesulfonate in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) by Graphene Oxide and Remission Mechanism of Fulvic Acid.

PubMed

Qiang, Liwen; Chen, Meng; Zhu, Lingyan; Wu, Wei; Wang, Qiang

2016-11-01

As one of the most popular carbon-based nanomaterials, graphene oxide (GO) has the potential to be released in aquatic environment and interact with some coexistent organic pollutants, such as perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), which is an emerging persistent organic pollutant. In this study, the adsorption of PFOS on GO in the presence of fulvic acid (FA), the impacts of GO and FA on PFOS toxicokinetics in carp (Cyprinus carpio), and in vitro digestion behaviors were examined. The results indicated that PFOS could be strongly adsorbed on GO with a Freundlich affinity coefficient K F of 580 ± 205 (mg/g)/(mg/L) n , while the adsorption was suppressed by FA due to competitive adsorption. GO significantly enhanced the bioaccumulation of PFOS in blood, kidney, liver, gill, intestine, and muscle of carp, and the corresponding bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was in the range of 2026-53513 L/kg. The enhancement was greatest for liver and intestine, which was 10.3 and 9.33 times of that without GO, respectively. In vivo toxicokinetic and in vitro digestion-absorption experiments indicated that GO could carry PFOS to penetrate the intestine cells. There herein, PFOS absorption, especially via intestine, and the uptake rate coefficient (k u ) were greatly enhanced, leading to distinctly promoted bioaccumulation of PFOS in fish. However, FA could facilitate the flocculation of GO in the intestine and also accelerate excretion of GO-PFOS complex. Thus, in the presence of FA, PFOS absorption was reduced and the promotion effect of GO on PFOS accumulation was remitted.

Comparison of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid contents in renal transplant recipients and dialysis patients.

PubMed

Oh, J S; Kim, S M; Sin, Y H; Kim, J K; Park, Y; Bae, H R; Son, Y K; Nam, H K; Kang, H J; An, W S

2012-12-01

Alterations of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) composition play important roles in cellular function because they change the membrane microenvironment, including transmembrane receptors. The erythrocyte membrane oleic acid content is higher among patients with acute coronary syndrome and also in dialysis patients. However, available data are limited concerning erythrocyte membrane FA content in kidney transplant recipients (KTP). We sought to test the hypothesis that erythrocyte membrane FA content among KTP were different from those in dialysis patients. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 35 hemodialysis, 33 peritoneal dialysis 49 KTP, and 33 normal control subjects (CTL). Their erythrocyte membrane FA content were measured by gas chromatography. The mean ages of the enrolled dialysis patients, KTP, and CTL were 56.4 ± 10.1, 48.9 ± 10.4, and 49.5 ± 8.3 years, respectively. Mean kidney transplant duration was 89.8 ± 64.8 months and mean dialysis duration, 49.0 ± 32.6 months. The intakes of vegetable lipid and vegetable protein including total calories were significantly increased among KTP versus dialysis patients. Total cholesterol (P < .001) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL; P < .001) levels were significantly higher and C-reactive protein was significantly lower among KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane content of palmitoleic acid (P < .001) was significantly higher but oleic acid (P < .001) significantly lower in KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane contents of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were significantly higher, and linoleic acid and the omega-6 FA to omega-3 FA ratio (P < .001) significantly lower in KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane content of oleic acid was independently associated with monounsaturated fatty acid (beta = 0.771, P < .001), eicosapentaeonic acid (beta = -0.244, P = .010), and HDL (beta = -0.139, P = .049) in KTP. FA

Root-zone acidity affects relative uptake of nitrate and ammonium from mixed nitrogen sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vessey, J. K.; Henry, L. T.; Chaillou, S.; Raper, C. D. Jr; Raper CD, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1990-01-01

Soybean plants (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Ransom) were grown for 21 days on 4 sources of N (1.0 mM NO3-, 0.67 mM NO3- plus 0.33 mM NH4+, 0.33 mM NO3- plus 0.67 mM NH4+, and 1.0 mM NH4+) in hydroponic culture with the acidity of the nutrient solution controlled at pH 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, and 4.5. Dry matter and total N accumulation of the plants was not significantly affected by N-source at any of the pH levels except for decreases in these parameters in plants supplied solely with NH4+ at pH 4.5. Shoot-to-root ratios increased in plants which had an increased proportion [correction of proporiton] of NH4(+)-N in their nutrient solutions at all levels of root-zone pH. Uptake of NO3- and NH4+ was monitored daily by ion chromatography as depletion of these ions from the replenished hydroponic solutions. At all pH levels the proportion of either ion that was absorbed increased as the ratio of that ion increased in the nutrient solution. In plants which were supplied with sources of NO3- plus NH4+, NH4+ was absorbed at a ratio of 2:1 over NO3- at pH 6.0. As the pH of the root-zone declined, however, NH4+ uptake decreased and NO3- uptake increased. Thus, the NH4+ to NO3- uptake ratio declined with decreases in root-zone pH. The data indicate a negative effect of declining root-zone pH on NH4+ uptake and supports a hypothesis that the inhibition of growth of plants dependent on NH4(+)-N at low pH is due to a decline in NH4+ uptake and a consequential limitation of growth by N stress.

Synchronous fluorescence determination of ferulic acid with Ce(IV) and sodium tripolyphosphate.

PubMed

Meng, F; Liu, P; Huang, F; Wang, L; Wu, X; Shen, L

2014-05-01

In this study, a synchronous fluorescence detection method for ferulic acid (FA) is proposed based on a redox reaction between FA and Ce(IV) sulfate in dilute sulfuric acid medium at room temperature. It was found that FA could reduce Ce(IV) to Ce(III) in acidic medium, and sodium tripolyphosphate could further enhance the intrinsic fluorescence of the Ce(III) produced. The enhanced extent of synchronous fluorescence intensity was in proportion to the concentration of FA over the range 3.0 × 10(-8) to 1.0 × 10(-5) mol/L. The corresponding limit of determination (S/N = 3) was 1.3 × 10(-8) mol/L. The proposed method was applied to the determination of sodium ferulate for injection sample with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Polyphenol-rich beverages enhance zinc uptake and metallothionein expression in Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Sreenivasulu, Kilari; Raghu, Pullakhandam; Nair, K Madhavan

2010-05-01

The effect of red wine (RW), red grape juice (RGJ), green tea (GT), and representative polyphenols on Caco-2 cell (65)Zn uptake was explored. RW, RGJ, and GT enhanced the uptake of zinc from rice matrix. Fractionation of RW revealed that enhancing activity of zinc uptake was exclusively resided in the polyphenol fraction. Among the polyphenols tested, only tannic acid and quercitin stimulated the uptake of zinc while others did not influence the uptake. In tune with these results, only tannic acid and quercitin competed with zinquin (a zinc selective fluorophore) for zinc in vitro. Although all the polyphenols tested appear to enhance the expression of metallothionein (MT), the induction was higher with tannic acid, quercitin, and RW extract. Furthermore, phytic acid abrogated the tannic acid-induced MT expression. These results suggest that polyphenol-rich beverages, tannic acid, and quercitin bind and stimulate the zinc uptake and MT expression in Caco-2 cells.

Effects of Fe plaque and organic acids on metal uptake by wetland plants under drained and waterlogged conditions.

PubMed

Li, W C; Deng, H; Wong, M H

2017-12-01

This study aims to assess the role of Fe plaque in metal uptake and translocation by different wetland plants and examine the effects of organic acids on metal detoxification in wetland plants. It was found that although exposed to a similar level of metals in rhizosphere soil solution, metal uptake by shoots of Cypercus flabelliformis and Panicum paludosum was greatly reduced, consequently leading to a better growth under flooded than under drained conditions. This may be related to the enhanced Fe plaque in the former, but due to the decreased root permeability in the latter under anoxic conditions. The Fe plaque on root surface has potential to sequester metals and then reduce metal concentrations and translocation in shoot tissues. However, whether the Fe plaque acts as a barrier to metal uptake and translocation may also be dependent on the root anatomy. Although metal tolerance in wetland plants mainly depends upon their metal exclusion ability, the higher-than-toxic-level of metal concentrations in some species indicates that internal metal detoxification might also exist. It was suggested that malic or citric acid in shoots of P. paludosum and C. flabelliformis may account for their internal detoxification for Zn. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway confers glioma resistance to DNA alkylating agents.

PubMed

Chen, Clark C; Taniguchi, Toshiyasu; D'Andrea, Alan

2007-05-01

DNA alkylating agents including temozolomide (TMZ) and 1,3-bis[2-chloroethyl]-1-nitroso-urea (BCNU) are the most common form of chemotherapy in the treatment of gliomas. Despite their frequent use, the therapeutic efficacy of these agents is limited by the development of resistance. Previous studies suggest that the mechanism of this resistance is complex and involves multiple DNA repair pathways. To better define the pathways contributing to the mechanisms underlying glioma resistance, we tested the contribution of the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway. TMZ and BCNU treatment of FA-proficient cell lines led to a dose- and time-dependent increase in FANCD2 mono-ubiquitination and FANCD2 nuclear foci formation, both hallmarks of FA pathway activation. The FA-deficient cells were more sensitive to TMZ/BCNU relative to their corrected, isogenic counterparts. To test whether these observations were pertinent to glioma biology, we screened a panel of glioma cell lines and identified one (HT16) that was deficient in the FA repair pathway. This cell line exhibited increased sensitivity to TMZ and BCNU relative to the FA-proficient glioma cell lines. Moreover, inhibition of FA pathway activation by a small molecule inhibitor (curcumin) or by small interference RNA suppression caused increased sensitivity to TMZ/BCNU in the U87 glioma cell line. The BCNU sensitizing effect of FA inhibition appeared additive to that of methyl-guanine methyl transferase inhibition. The results presented in this paper underscore the complexity of cellular resistance to DNA alkylating agents and implicate the FA repair pathway as a determinant of this resistance.

131I-Traced PLGA-Lipid Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Carriers for the Targeted Chemotherapeutic Treatment of Melanoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Haiyan; Sheng, Weizhong

2017-05-01

Herein, folic acid (FA) conjugated Poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)-lipid composites (FA-PL) were developed as nanocarriers for the targeted delivery of insoluble anti-cancer drug paclitaxel (PTX), resulting FA-PLP nanoparticles. Furthermore, 131I, as a radioactive tracer, was used to label FA-PLP nanoparticles (FA-PLP-131I) to evaluate their cell uptake activity, in vivo blood circulation, and biodistribution. The FA-PLP-131I nanoparticles had a spherical morphology with great stability, a narrow size distribution (165.6 and 181.2 nm), and -22.1 mV in average zeta potential. Confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the targeting molecule FA promotes PLP-131I uptake by melanoma B16F10 cells, which was further confirmed by the cell incorporation rate via 131I activity detection as measured by a gamma counter. FA-PLP-131I without PTX (FA-PL-131I) shows minor cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility, while FA-PLP-131I was demonstrated to have efficient cell viability suppression compared to free PTX and PLP-131I. Following intravenous injection, the blood circulation half-life of free PTX ( t 1/2 = 5.4 ± 0.23 h) was prolonged to 18.5 ± 0.5 h by FA-PLP-131I. Through FA targeting, the tumor uptake of FA-PLP-131I was approximately 4.41- and 12.8-fold higher compared to that of PLP-131I and free PTX-131I, respectively. Moreover, following 40 days of treatment, FA-PLP-131I showed an improved tumor inhibition effect compared to free PTX and PLP-131I, with no relapse and no remarkable systemic in vivo toxicity. The results demonstrate that the 131I-labeled PLGA-lipid nanoparticle can be simultaneously applied for targeted drug delivery and reliable tracking of drugs in vivo.

The activity of ferulic and gallic acids in biofilm prevention and control of pathogenic bacteria.

PubMed

Borges, Anabela; Saavedra, Maria J; Simões, Manuel

2012-01-01

The activity of two phenolic acids, gallic acid (GA) and ferulic acid (FA) at 1000 μg ml(-1), was evaluated on the prevention and control of biofilms formed by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. In addition, the effect of the two phenolic acids was tested on planktonic cell susceptibility, bacterial motility and adhesion. Biofilm prevention and control were tested using a microtiter plate assay and the effect of the phenolic acids was assessed on biofilm mass (crystal violet staining) and on the quantification of metabolic activity (alamar blue assay). The minimum bactericidal concentration for P. aeruginosa was 500 μg ml(-1) (for both phenolic acids), whilst for E. coli it was 2500 μg ml(-1) (FA) and 5000 μg ml(-1) (GA), for L. monocytogenes it was >5000 μg ml(-1) (for both phenolic acids), and for S. aureus it was 5000 μg ml(-1) (FA) and >5000 μg ml(-1) (GA). GA caused total inhibition of swimming (L. monocytogenes) and swarming (L. monocytogenes and E. coli) motilities. FA caused total inhibition of swimming (L. monocytogenes) and swarming (L. monocytogenes and E. coli) motilities. Colony spreading of S. aureus was completely inhibited by FA. The interference of GA and FA with bacterial adhesion was evaluated by the determination of the free energy of adhesion. Adhesion was less favorable when the bacteria were exposed to GA (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes) and FA (P. aeruginosa and S. aureus). Both phenolics had preventive action on biofilm formation and showed a higher potential to reduce the mass of biofilms formed by the Gram-negative bacteria. GA and FA promoted reductions in biofilm activity >70% for all the biofilms tested. The two phenolic acids demonstrated the potential to inhibit bacterial motility and to prevent and control biofilms of four important human pathogenic bacteria. This study also emphasizes the potential of phytochemicals as an emergent source of biofilm

Fatty acid profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its changes with environment.

PubMed

Xu, Min; Wang, Jing; Mou, Haijin

2015-01-01

The fatty acid (FA) profiles of 15 strains representing four genera (Vibrio, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, and Shewanella) and seven species were compared by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. FA fingerprints of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were established by similarity calculation and principle component analysis. This provided a simple measure for distinguishing V. parahaemolyticus from other bacteria. The similarity scores indicated by correlation coefficient and vector cosine were divided into three regions and suggested that the strains with scores higher than 0.980 probably belonged to V. parahaemolyticus. However, samples with low scores (<0.850) were classified under other genera. Furthermore, the alterations in FA profiles of V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of various environmental pressures were investigated. The production of saturated FA (SFA) increased gradually concomitant with a decreased proportion of unsaturated FA (UFA) with rising temperature. Similarly, the SFA tended to increase at the expense of UFA with prolonged culture time. In addition, V. parahaemolyticus changed its FA profiles to contain increased short-chained FA to resist an acidic environment, whereas alkaline conditions stimulated high production of long-chained FA. Analysis on FA profile is valuable for the physiological study of V. parahaemolyticus and its rapid identification. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analysis of fatty acid methyl esters and oxidative stability of seed purpose watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) genotypes for edible oil.

PubMed

Mahla, H R; Rathore, S S; Venkatesan, K; Sharma, R

2018-04-01

World's vegetable oil demand is increasing day by day and oil seed supply is limited to a dozen oil seed crops on commercial scale. Efforts were made to explore the potential of water melon a traditionally grown native crop of Indian arid zone having oil content over 30% and seed yield potential of 500-600 kg per hectare under rainfed conditions. An analysis was carried out to explore the suitability of watermelon [ Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)] oil for human consumption on the basis of fatty acid (FA) composition in selected genotypes. Total oil content ranged between 10.0 and 31.0%. Eleven FA were identified in seed oil. Linoleic, stearic, palmitic and oleic acid were found as major FA while myristic, heptadecanoic, arachidic, 9-hexadecenoic and 14-eicosenoic acid was present in traces. Linoleic acid single polyunsaturated FA contributor found in the range of 43.95% (WM-44) to 55.29% (WM-18). Saturated FA content ranged between 32.24 and 37.61%. Significant genetic variation was observed for mono-unsaturated FA. Metabolic capacity to inter-conversion of FA and nutritive value of watermelon oil was described on the basis of ratio of FA group. Total phenolics, antioxidant activity, peroxide value and oxidizability were also estimated along with oxidative stability of oil. Multivariate analysis showed that, oil content has positive correlation with linoleic acid. The Euclidean based UPGMA clustering revealed that genotypes WM-18 is most suitable for trait specific breeding program for high linoleic acid ( n -6), desaturation ratio and oleic desaturation ratio with higher oil content and lowest palmitic acid.

Hydrolysis of Ketene Catalyzed by Formic Acid: Modification of Reaction Mechanism, Energetics, and Kinetics with Organic Acid Catalysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Louie, Matthew K.; Francisco, Joseph S.; Verdicchio, Marco

2015-05-14

The hydrolysis of ketene (H2C=C=O) to form acetic acid involving two water molecules and also separately in the presence of one to two water molecules and formic acid (FA) was investigated. Our results show that, while the currently accepted indirect mechanism, involving addition of water across the carbonyl C=O bond of ketene to form an ene-diol followed by tautomerization of the ene-diol to form acetic acid, is the preferred pathway when water alone is present, with formic acid as catalyst, addition of water across the ketene C=C double bond to directly produce acetic acid becomes the kinetically favored pathway formore » temperatures below 400 K. We find not only that the overall barrier for ketene hydrolysis involving one water molecule and formic acid (H2C2O + H2O + FA) is significantly lower than that involving two water molecules (H2C2O + 2H(2)O) but also that FA is able to reduce the barrier height for the direct path, involving addition of water across the C=C double bond, so that it is essentially identical with (6.4 kcal/mol) that for the indirect ene-diol formation path involving addition of water across the C=O bond. For the case of ketene hydrolysis involving two water molecules and formic acid (H2C2O + 2H(2)O + FA), the barrier for the direct addition of water across the C=C double bond is reduced even further and is 2.5 kcal/mol lower relative to the ene-diol path involving addition of water across the C=O bond. In fact, the hydrolysis barrier for the H2C2O + 2H(2)O + FA reaction through the direct path is sufficiently low (2.5 kcal/mol) for it to be an energetically accessible pathway for acetic acid formation under atmospheric conditions. Given the structural similarity between acetic and formic acid, our results also have potential implications for aqueous-phase chemistry. Thus, in an aqueous environment, even in the absence of formic acid, though the initial mechanism for ketene hydrolysis is expected to involve addition of water across the

The effect of dietary fat content on phospholipid fatty acid profile is muscle fiber type dependent.

PubMed

Janovská, Alena; Hatzinikolas, George; Mano, Mark; Wittert, Gary A

2010-04-01

A high-saturated-fat diet (HFD) induces obesity and insulin resistance (IR). IR has been linked to alterations and increased saturation in the phospholipid composition of skeletal muscles. We aimed to determine whether HFD feeding affects fatty acid (FA) membrane profile in a muscle fiber type-specific manner. We measured phospholipid FAs and expression of FA synthesis genes in oxidative soleus (SOL) and glycolytic extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from rats fed either standard chow (standard laboratory diet, SLD) or a HFD. The HFD increased fat mass, plasma insulin, and leptin levels. Compared with EDL, SOL muscles preferentially accumulated C18 over C16 FAs and n-6 over n-3 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) on either diet. With the HFD, SOL muscles contained more n-9 monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs and less n-7 MUFAs and n-3 PUFAs than EDL muscles and had lower unsaturation index, a pattern known to be associated with IR. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 expression was approximately 13-fold greater in EDL than in SOL muscles but did not change with the HFD in either muscle. The expression of Elongase-5 was higher, and that of Elongase-6 (Elovl6) was lower in EDL compared with SOL muscles with both diets. In EDL muscles, the expression of Elovl6 was lower in the HFD than in the SLD. The pattern of FA uptake, expression, and diet-induced changes in FA desaturating and elongating enzymes maintained higher FA unsaturation in EDL muscles. Accordingly, the fiber type composition of skeletal muscles and their distribution may be important in the development and progression of obesity and IR.

Diets containing salmon fillet delay development of high blood pressure and hyperfusion damage in kidneys in obese Zucker fa/fa rats.

PubMed

Vikøren, Linn A; Drotningsvik, Aslaug; Mwakimonga, Angela; Leh, Sabine; Mellgren, Gunnar; Gudbrandsen, Oddrun A

2018-04-01

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular and chronic renal diseases, affecting more than 1 billion people. Fish intake is inversely correlated with the prevalence of hypertension in several, but not all, studies, and intake of fish oil and fish proteins has shown promising potential to delay development of high blood pressure in rats. The effects of baked and raw salmon fillet intake on blood pressure and renal function were investigated in obese Zucker fa/fa rats, which spontaneously develop hypertension with proteinuria and renal failure. Rats were fed diets containing baked or raw salmon fillet in an amount corresponding to 25% of total protein from salmon and 75% of protein from casein, or casein as the sole protein source (control group) for 4 weeks. Results show lower blood pressure and lower urine concentrations of albumin and cystatin C (relative to creatinine) in salmon diet groups when compared to control group. Morphological examinations revealed less prominent hyperfusion damage in podocytes from rats fed diets containing baked or raw salmon when compared to control rats. In conclusion, diets containing baked or raw salmon fillet delayed the development of hypertension and protected against podocyte damage in obese Zucker fa/fa rats. Copyright © 2018 American Heart Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prescription Omega-3 Fatty Acid Products and Dietary Supplements Are Not Interchangeable.

PubMed

Hilleman, Daniel; Smer, Aiman

2016-01-01

To provide an overview of prescription and dietary supplement omega-3 fatty acid (OM3-FA) products and considerations for clinical use. Narrative review. The PubMed database was searched for cardiovascular-related investigations focused on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (limit: English-only articles). Additional regulatory information on prescription and dietary supplements was obtained from United States Food and Drug Administration online sources. Prescription QM3-FA products are supported by robust clinical development and safety monitoring programs, whereas dietary supplements are not required to demonstrate safety or efficacy prior to marketing. There are no over-the-counter OM3-FA products available in the United States. Investigations of OM3-FA dietary supplements show that quantities of EPA and DHA are highly variable within and between brands. Dietary supplements also may contain potentially harmful components, including oxidized OM3-FA, other lipids, cholesterol, and toxins. Prescription OM3-FA products may contain DHA and EPA or EPA alone. All prescription OM3-FA products have demonstrated statistically significant triglyceride reduction as monotherapy or in combination with statins in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Differential effects between products containing EPA and DHA compared with a high-purity EPA product (icosapent ethyl) have clinical implications: Increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol associated with DHA have the potential to confound strategies for managing patients with dyslipidemia. Cardiovascular outcomes studies of prescription CM3-FA products are ongoing. OM3-FA dietary supplements should not be substituted for prescription products, and prescription OM3-FA products that contain DHA are not equivalent to or interchangeable with high-purity EPA (icosapent ethyl) and should not be substituted for it.

[The effects of Omega-3 fatty acids in clinical medicine].

PubMed

Reiner, Martin F; Stivala, Simona; Camici, Giovanni G; Beer, Jürg H

2014-03-12

Effects of Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) in particular on the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are of major interest. Many experimental studies reported their anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-atherosclerotic properties and suggested favourable effects on the prevention of CVD. While the majority of former studies showed a benefit of n-3 FA acid intake, recent clinical trials using n-3 supplements on top of established medication and prudent nutrition did not confirm these findings. The conflicting data may be due to several factors such as the selection of study population with different sizes or characteristics as well as choosing different doses or types of n-3 FA. The most recent meta-analyses observed clear benefits of fish consumption, but not of n-3 capsules intake. Furthermore, a nutrition rich in plant-derived n-3 FA alpha-linolenic acid has been found to have beneficial effects on the development of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases.

Functional Dependence between Septal Protein SepJ from Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120 and an Amino Acid ABC-Type Uptake Transporter.

PubMed

Escudero, Leticia; Mariscal, Vicente; Flores, Enrique

2015-08-01

In the diazotrophic filaments of heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, two different cell types, the CO2-fixing vegetative cells and the N2-fixing heterocysts, exchange nutrients, including some amino acids. In the model organism Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120, the SepJ protein, composed of periplasmic and integral membrane (permease) sections, is located at the intercellular septa joining adjacent cells in the filament. The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus strain PCC 7942 bears a gene, Synpcc7942_1024 (here designated dmeA), encoding a permease homologous to the SepJ permease domain. Synechococcus strains lacking dmeA or lacking dmeA and expressing Anabaena sepJ were constructed. The Synechococcus dmeA mutant showed a significant 22 to 32% decrease in the uptake of aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine, a phenotype that could be partially complemented by Anabaena sepJ. Synechococcus mutants of an ATP-binding-cassette (ABC)-type transporter for polar amino acids showed >98% decreased uptake of glutamate irrespective of the presence of dmeA or Anabaena sepJ in the same strain. Thus, Synechococcus DmeA or Anabaena SepJ is needed to observe full (or close to full) activity of the ABC transporter. An Anabaena sepJ deletion mutant was significantly impaired in glutamate and aspartate uptake, which also in this cyanobacterium requires the activity of an ABC-type transporter for polar amino acids. SepJ appears therefore to generally stimulate the activity of cyanobacterial ABC-type transporters for polar amino acids. Conversely, an Anabaena mutant of three ABC-type transporters for amino acids was impaired in the intercellular transfer of 5-carboxyfluorescein, a SepJ-related property. Our results unravel possible functional interactions in transport elements important for diazotrophic growth. Membrane transporters are essential for many aspects of cellular life, from uptake and export of substances in unicellular organisms to intercellular molecular exchange in

Enhanced effect of folated pluronic F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles on targeted delivery of paclitaxel.

PubMed

Xiong, Xiang Yuan; Pan, Xiaoqian; Tao, Long; Cheng, Feng; Li, Zi Ling; Gong, Yan Chun; Li, Yu Ping

2017-10-01

Targeted drug delivery systems have great potential to overcome the side effect and improve the bioavailability of conventional anticancer drugs. In order to further improve the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel (PTX) loaded in folated Pluronic F87/poly(lactic acid) (FA-F87-PLA) micelles, D-α-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 succinate (TPGS or Vitamin E TPGS) were added into FA-F87-PLA to form FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles. The LE of PTX-loaded mixed micelles (13.5%) was highest in the mass ratio 5 to 3 of FA-F87-PLA to TPGS. The in vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that the IC50 values for free PTX injections, PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA micelles and PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles after 72h of incubation were 1.52, 0.42 and 0.037mg/L, respectively. The quantitative cellular uptake of coumarin 6-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS and FA-F87-PLA micelles showed that the cellular uptake efficiency of mixed micelles was higher for 2 and 4h incubation, respectively. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies found that the AUC of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles is almost 1.4 times of that of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA micelles. The decreased particle size and inhibition of P-glycoprotein effect induced by the addition of TPGS could result in enhancing the cellular uptake and improving the antitumor efficiency of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary fat type on intestinal digestibility of fatty acids, fatty acid profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat, and mRNA expression of lipid-related genes in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Skřivan, Miloš; Marounek, Milan; Englmaierová, Michaela; Čermák, Ladislav; Vlčková, Jana; Skřivanová, Eva

2018-01-01

A group of 240-day-old Ross cockerels were used in a 4-week experiment to assess the effect of the fat type on the intestinal digestibility of fatty acids (FAs), the FA profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat, and the mRNA expression of six hepatic lipid-related genes. Experimental diets were supplemented with rapeseed oil, pork lard or palm oil at 60 g/kg. In the control diet, wheat starch was substituted for the fat source. The highest ileal digestibility of the fat and all FAs (except stearic acid) was observed in chickens fed lard. The content of fat in the breast meat of chickens was not significantly influenced by the fat supplements. The FA profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat reflected the FA composition of the diet. In the meat of chickens fed rapeseed oil, oleic acid was the predominant FA. Palmitic acid was the most abundant FA in the meat of chickens fed lard or palm oil. Oleic acid was the most abundant FA in the abdominal fat of all chickens. The highest mRNA expression of desaturases (Δ5-, Δ6- and Δ9-) was observed in chickens fed palm oil. The mRNA expression of hepatic FA synthase was higher in chickens fed palm oil or lard than in chickens fed rapeseed oil. The expression of HMG-CoA reductase was higher in chickens fed palm oil than in those fed rapeseed oil or lard. It can be concluded that rapeseed oil and lard are better sources of lipids than palm oil. These former two sources contain more digestible fatty acids and provide a lower concentration of SFAs in the meat and fat of chickens.

Effect of dietary fat type on intestinal digestibility of fatty acids, fatty acid profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat, and mRNA expression of lipid-related genes in broiler chickens

PubMed Central

Marounek, Milan; Englmaierová, Michaela; Čermák, Ladislav; Vlčková, Jana; Skřivanová, Eva

2018-01-01

A group of 240-day-old Ross cockerels were used in a 4-week experiment to assess the effect of the fat type on the intestinal digestibility of fatty acids (FAs), the FA profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat, and the mRNA expression of six hepatic lipid-related genes. Experimental diets were supplemented with rapeseed oil, pork lard or palm oil at 60 g/kg. In the control diet, wheat starch was substituted for the fat source. The highest ileal digestibility of the fat and all FAs (except stearic acid) was observed in chickens fed lard. The content of fat in the breast meat of chickens was not significantly influenced by the fat supplements. The FA profiles of breast meat and abdominal fat reflected the FA composition of the diet. In the meat of chickens fed rapeseed oil, oleic acid was the predominant FA. Palmitic acid was the most abundant FA in the meat of chickens fed lard or palm oil. Oleic acid was the most abundant FA in the abdominal fat of all chickens. The highest mRNA expression of desaturases (Δ5-, Δ6- and Δ9-) was observed in chickens fed palm oil. The mRNA expression of hepatic FA synthase was higher in chickens fed palm oil or lard than in chickens fed rapeseed oil. The expression of HMG-CoA reductase was higher in chickens fed palm oil than in those fed rapeseed oil or lard. It can be concluded that rapeseed oil and lard are better sources of lipids than palm oil. These former two sources contain more digestible fatty acids and provide a lower concentration of SFAs in the meat and fat of chickens. PMID:29672634

Plasma fatty acid profile in depressive disorder resembles insulin resistance state.

PubMed

Vareka, Tomas; Vecka, Marek; Jirak, Roman; Tvrzicka, Eva; Macasek, Jaroslav; Zak, Ales; Zeman, Miroslav

2012-01-01

Depressive disorder is related to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Insulin resistance (IR), connected with altered fatty acid (FA) composition, namely with decreased proportion of polyunsaturated FA could participate in these associations. The aim of the study was to investigate the composition of FA in plasma cholesterol esters (CE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) as well as indices of insulin resistance and oxidative stress in the patients with depressive disorder. Parameters of lipid and glucose homeostasis, concentrations of FA in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and conjugated dienes in LDL were investigated in a group of 47 patients (9M/38F) with depression and compared with 47 control persons (16M/31F). Delta-9 desaturase (D9D) and D6D desaturase were estimated as product to precursor fatty acid ratios. In depressive patients increased concentrations of palmitoleic acid and total monounsaturated FA with decreased proportion of total polyunsaturated FA n-6 (PUFA n-6) (all p<0.05) in CE were found, while in PC increased proportion of saturated FA was observed (p<0.05). Moreover, index of D6D activity was significantly increased in PC and CE (p<0.05). Concomitantly, in depressive patients higher levels of plasma triacylglycerols (p<0.05), conjugated dienes in LDL (p<0.001) and HOMA index of IR (p<0.05) were found. Esterified FA composition of depressive patients revealed changes, similar to those, usually observed in insulin resistance. Dysregulation of FA could participate in the pathogenesis of depression and be associated with an increased risk of CVD and DM2.

Compost and Crude Humic Substances Produced from Selected Wastes and Their Effects on Zea mays L. Nutrient Uptake and Growth

PubMed Central

Palanivell, Perumal; Susilawati, Kasim; Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna; Majid, Nik Muhamad

2013-01-01

Production of agriculture and timber commodities leads generation of enormous quantity of wastes. Improper disposal of these agroindustrial wastes pollutes the environment. This problem could be reduced by adding value to them. Therefore, a study was carried out to analyse and compare the nutrients content of RS, RH, SD, and EFB of composts and crude humic substances; furthermore, their effect on growth, dry matter production, and nutrient uptake for Zea mays L., and selected soil chemical properties were evaluated. Standard procedures were used to analyze humic acids (HA), crude fulvic acids (CFA), crude humin (CH), soil, dry matter production and nutrient uptake. Sawdust and RS compost matured at 42 and 47 days, respectively, while RH and EFB composts were less matured at 49th day of composting. Rice straw compost had higher ash, N, P, CEC, HA, K, and Fe contents with lower organic matter, total organic carbon, and C/N and C/P ratios. The HA of sawdust compost showed higher carbon, carboxylic, K, and Ca contents compared to those of RS, RH, and EFB. Crude FA of RS compost showed highest pH, total K, Ca, Mg, and Na contents. Crude humin from RS compost had higher contents of ash, N, P, and CEC. Rice straw was superior in compost, CFA, and CH, while sawdust compost was superior in HA. Application of sawdust compost significantly increased maize plants' diameter, height, dry matter production, N, P, and cations uptake. It also reduced N, P, and K based chemical fertilizer use by 90%. Application of CH and the composts evaluated in this study could be used as an alternative for chemical fertilizers in maize cultivation. PMID:24319353

Lung damage and pulmonary uptake of serotonin in intact dogs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dawson, C.A.; Christensen, C.W.; Rickaby, D.A.

1985-06-01

The authors examined the influence of glass bead embolization and oleic acid, dextran, and imipramine infusion on the pulmonary uptake of trace doses of (/sup 3/H)serotonin and the extravascular volume accessible to (/sup 14/C)antipyrine in anesthetized dogs. Embolization and imipramine decreased serotonin uptake by 53 and 61%, respectively, but no change was observed with oleic acid or dextran infusion. The extravascular volume accessible to the antipyrine was reduced by 77% after embolization and increased by 177 and approximately 44% after oleic acid and dextran infusion, respectively. The results suggest that when the perfused endothelial surface is sufficiently reduced, as withmore » embolization, the uptake of trace doses of serotonin will be depressed. In addition, decreases in serotonin uptake in response to imipramine in this study and in response to certain endothelial toxins in other studies suggest that serotonin uptake can reveal certain kinds of changes in endothelial function. However, the lack of a response to oleic acid-induced damage in the present study suggests that serotonin uptake is not sensitive to all forms of endothelial damage.« less

Fatty acid composition and desaturase gene expression in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

PubMed

Thambugala, Dinushika; Cloutier, Sylvie

2014-11-01

Little is known about the relationship between expression levels of fatty acid desaturase genes during seed development and fatty acid (FA) composition in flax. In the present study, we looked at promoter structural variations of six FA desaturase genes and their relative expression throughout seed development. Computational analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the sad1, sad2, fad2a, fad2b, fad3a and fad3b promoters showed several basic transcriptional elements including CAAT and TATA boxes, and several putative target-binding sites for transcription factors, which have been reported to be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism. Using semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR, the expression patterns throughout seed development of the six FA desaturase genes were measured in six flax genotypes that differed for FA composition but that carried the same desaturase isoforms. FA composition data were determined by phenotyping the field grown genotypes over four years in two environments. All six genes displayed a bell-shaped pattern of expression peaking at 20 or 24 days after anthesis. Sad2 was the most highly expressed. The expression of all six desaturase genes did not differ significantly between genotypes (P = 0.1400), hence there were no correlations between FA desaturase gene expression and variations in FA composition in relatively low, intermediate and high linolenic acid genotypes expressing identical isoforms for all six desaturases. These results provide further clues towards understanding the genetic factors responsible for FA composition in flax.

Folic acid causes higher prevalence of detectable unmetabolized folic acid in serum than B-complex: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Obeid, Rima; Kirsch, Susanne H; Dilmann, Sarah; Klein, Cosima; Eckert, Rudolf; Geisel, Jürgen; Herrmann, Wolfgang

2016-04-01

Unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) is common in serum of elderly individuals receiving folic acid (FA)-fortified foods or supplements. We studied the effect of supplementing FA or B-complex on serum concentrations of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydropteroylglutamate [(6S)-5-CH3-H4Pte] and UMFA in elderly people and explored factors associated with detectable UMFA post-supplementation. This is a randomized single-blind non-controlled trial on 58 elderly people using daily 400 µg FA (n = 31) or 400 µg FA, 10 µg cyanocob(III)alamin and 8 mg pyridoxine (n = 27) for a median of 23 days. Main outcome includes changes in concentrations of serum (6S)-5-CH3-H4Pte and UMFA. Total homocysteine declined by a median of 1.6 (p = 0.074) in the FA and 1.3 µmol/L (p = 0.009) in the B-complex arms (p = 0.66 between the arms). Serum (6S)-5-CH3-H4Pte significantly (p < 0.001 vs. baseline) increased by a median of 9.2 and 6.5 nmol/L in the FA and B-complex groups, respectively (p = 0.152 between the groups). Compared to FA, B-complex reduced cystathionine and caused lower post-intervention serum UMFA, percentage of UMFA to (6S)-5-CH3-H4Pte and prevalence of UMFA ≥ 0.21 nmol/L. Higher serum cystathionine and whole-blood folate predicted higher post-intervention serum UMFA. FA caused higher UMFA as compared to B-complex. Pyridoxine appears to improve folate recycling. Data on serum UMFA should be interpreted in relation to other vitamins involved in folate metabolism. Serum UMFA is suggested to play a sensory role through which the cell recognizes FA available for metabolism via dihydrofolate reductase.

The potassium channel FaTPK1 plays a critical role in fruit quality formation in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa).

PubMed

Wang, Shufang; Song, Miaoyu; Guo, Jiaxuan; Huang, Yun; Zhang, Fangfang; Xu, Cheng; Xiao, Yinghui; Zhang, Lusheng

2018-03-01

Potassium (K + ), an abundant cation in plant cells, is important in fruit development and plant resistance. However, how cellular K + is directed by potassium channels in fruit development and quality formation of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is not yet fully clear. Here, a two-pore K + (TPK) channel gene in strawberry, FaTPK1, was cloned using reverse transcription-PCR. A green fluorescent protein subcellular localization analysis showed that FaTPK1 localized in the vacuole membrane. A transcription analysis indicated that the mRNA expression level of FaTPK1 increased rapidly and was maintained at a high level in ripened fruit, which was coupled with the fruit's red colour development, suggesting that FaTPK1 is related to fruit quality formation. The down- and up-regulation of the FaTPK1 mRNA expression levels using RNA interference and overexpression, respectively, inhibited and promoted fruit ripening, respectively, as demonstrated by consistent changes in firmness and the contents of soluble sugars, anthocyanin and abscisic acid, as well as the transcript levels of ripening-regulated genes PG1 (polygalacturonase), GAL6 (beta-galactosidase), XYL2 (D-xylulose reductase), SUT1 (sucrose transporter), CHS (chalcone synthase) and CHI (chalcone flavanone isomerase). Additionally, the regulatory changes influenced fruit resistance to Botrytis cinerea. An isothermal calorimetry analysis showed that the Escherichia coli-expressed FaTPK1 recombinant protein could bind K + with a binding constant of 2.1 × 10 -3  m -1 and a dissociation constant of 476 μm. Thus, the strawberry TPK1 is a ubiquitously expressed, tonoplast-localized two-pore potassium channel that plays important roles in fruit ripening and quality formation. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of metal tolerant plant growth promoting bacteria on growth and metal accumulation in Zea mays plants grown in fly ash amended soil.

PubMed

Kumar, Kalpna V; Patra, D D

2013-01-01

The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of the application of fly ash (FA) into Garden soil (GS), with and without inoculation of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB), on the growth and metal uptake by Zea mays plants. Three FA tolerant PGPB strains, Pseudomonas sp. PS5, PS14, and Bacillus sp. BC29 were isolated from FA contaminated soils and assessed for their plant growth promoting features on the Z. mays plants. All three strains were also examined for their ability to solubilize phosphate and to produce Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), siderophores, and hydrogencynide acid (HCN) production. Although inoculation of all strains significantly enhanced the growth of plants at both the concentration of FA but maximum growth was observed in plants inoculated with BC29 and PS14 at low level (25%) of FA concentration. The experimental results explored the plant growth promoting features of selected strains which not only enhanced growth and biomass of plants but also protected them from toxicity of FA.

Atmospheric histories and global emissions of the anthropogenic hydrofluorocarbons HFC-365mfc, HFC-245fa, HFC-227ea, and HFC-236fa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollmer, Martin K.; Miller, Benjamin R.; Rigby, Matthew; Reimann, Stefan; Mühle, Jens; Krummel, Paul B.; O'Doherty, Simon; Kim, Jooil; Rhee, Tae Siek; Weiss, Ray F.; Fraser, Paul J.; Simmonds, Peter G.; Salameh, Peter K.; Harth, Christina M.; Wang, Ray H. J.; Steele, L. Paul; Young, Dickon; Lunder, Chris R.; Hermansen, Ove; Ivy, Diane; Arnold, Tim; Schmidbauer, Norbert; Kim, Kyung-Ryul; Greally, Brian R.; Hill, Matthias; Leist, Michael; Wenger, Angelina; Prinn, Ronald G.

2011-04-01

We report on ground-based atmospheric measurements and emission estimates of the four anthropogenic hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) HFC-365mfc (CH3CF2CH2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane), HFC-245fa (CHF2CH2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane), HFC-227ea (CF3CHFCF3, 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane), and HFC-236fa (CF3CH2CF3, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane). In situ measurements are from the global monitoring sites of the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE), the System for Observations of Halogenated Greenhouse Gases in Europe (SOGE), and Gosan (South Korea). We include the first halocarbon flask sample measurements from the Antarctic research stations King Sejong and Troll. We also present measurements of archived air samples from both hemispheres back to the 1970s. We use a two-dimensional atmospheric transport model to simulate global atmospheric abundances and to estimate global emissions. HFC-365mfc and HFC-245fa first appeared in the atmosphere only ˜1 decade ago; they have grown rapidly to globally averaged dry air mole fractions of 0.53 ppt (in parts per trillion, 10-12) and 1.1 ppt, respectively, by the end of 2010. In contrast, HFC-227ea first appeared in the global atmosphere in the 1980s and has since grown to ˜0.58 ppt. We report the first measurements of HFC-236fa in the atmosphere. This long-lived compound was present in the atmosphere at only 0.074 ppt in 2010. All four substances exhibit yearly growth rates of >8% yr-1 at the end of 2010. We find rapidly increasing emissions for the foam-blowing compounds HFC-365mfc and HFC-245fa starting in ˜2002. After peaking in 2006 (HFC-365mfc: 3.2 kt yr-1, HFC-245fa: 6.5 kt yr-1), emissions began to decline. Our results for these two compounds suggest that recent estimates from long-term projections (to the late 21st century) have strongly overestimated emissions for the early years of the projections (˜2005-2010). Global HFC-227ea and HFC-236fa emissions have grown to average values of 2.4 kt yr-1

Intracerebroventricular administration of okadaic acid induces hippocampal glucose uptake dysfunction and tau phosphorylation.

PubMed

Broetto, Núbia; Hansen, Fernanda; Brolese, Giovana; Batassini, Cristiane; Lirio, Franciane; Galland, Fabiana; Dos Santos, João Paulo Almeida; Dutra, Márcio Ferreira; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

2016-06-01

Intraneuronal aggregates of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), together with beta-amyloid plaques and astrogliosis, are histological markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying mechanism of sporadic AD remains poorly understood, but abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau protein is suggested to have a role in NFTs genesis, which leads to neuronal dysfunction and death. Okadaic acid (OKA), a strong inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A, has been used to induce dementia similar to AD in rats. We herein investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of OKA (100 and 200ng) on hippocampal tau phosphorylation at Ser396, which is considered an important fibrillogenic tau protein site, and on glucose uptake, which is reduced early in AD. ICV infusion of OKA (at 200ng) induced a spatial cognitive deficit, hippocampal astrogliosis (based on GFAP increment) and increase in tau phosphorylation at site 396 in this model. Moreover, we observed a decreased glucose uptake in the hippocampal slices of OKA-treated rats. In vitro exposure of hippocampal slices to OKA altered tau phosphorylation at site 396, without any associated change in glucose uptake activity. Taken together, these findings further our understanding of OKA neurotoxicity, in vivo and vitro, particularly with regard to the role of tau phosphorylation, and reinforce the importance of the OKA dementia model for studying the neurochemical alterations that may occur in AD, such as NFTs and glucose hypometabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of soil application of humic acid on nutrients uptake, essential oil and chemical compositions of garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) under greenhouse conditions.

PubMed

Noroozisharaf, Alireza; Kaviani, Maryam

2018-05-01

Humic acid is natural biological organic, which has a high effect on plant growth and quality. However, the mechanisms of the promoting effect of humic acid on the volatile composition were rarely reported. In this study, the effects of soil application of humic acid on the chemical composition and nutrients uptake of Thymus vulgaris were investigated. Treatments comprised 0, 50, 75 and 100 g m -2 . Essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC-MS and GC-FID. Essential oil content was enhanced by increase of the humic acid level and its content ranged from 0.8% (control) to 2.0% (75 g m -2 ). Thirty-two volatile compounds were identified and these compounds were considerably affected by humic acid. The highest percentage of thymol (74.15%), carvacrol (6.20%), p -cymene (4.24%), borneol (3.42%), trans -caryophyllene (1.70%) and cis -sabinene hydrate (1.35%) as major compounds were observed in T. vulgaris under 100 g m -2 humic acid. There was a linear relationship ( R 2  = 97%) between humic acid levels and thymol as a major compound. The oils were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Based on the path coefficient analysis, the highest direct effects on essential oil content were observed in monoterpene esters (3.465) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (3.146). The humic acid application also enhanced the uptake of N, P, K, Mg and Fe in garden thyme. The highest N (2.42%), P (0.75%), K (2.63%), Mg (0.23%) and Fe (1436.58 ppm) were observed in medium supplemented with 100 g m -2 humic acid. In all, the utilization of humic acid could positively change nutrients uptake, essential oil content and its major constituents in T. vulgaris .

Variability of the Intestinal Uptake of Lipids Is Genetically Determined in Mice

PubMed Central

Keelan, M.; Hui, D.Y.; Wild, G.; Clandinin, M.T.

2008-01-01

The response of the plasma cholesterol concentration to changes in dietary lipids varies widely in humans and animals. There are variations in the in vivo absorption of cholesterol between different strains of mice. This study was undertaken in three strains of inbred mice to test the hypotheses that: (i) there are strain differences in the in vitro uptake of fatty acids and cholesterol and (ii) the adaptability of the intestine to respond to variations in dietary lipids is genetically determined. An in vitro intestinal ring technique was used to assess the uptake of medium- and long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol into jejunum and ileum of adult DBA/2, C57BL6, and C57L/J mice. The jejunal uptake of cholesterol was similar in C57L/J, DBA/2, or C57BL6 fed ad libitum a low-fat (5.7% fat, no cholesterol) chow diet. This is in contrast to a previous demonstration that in vivo cholesterol absorption was lower in C57L/J than in the other murine strains. The jejunal uptake of several long-chain fatty acids was greater in DBA/2 fed for 4 wk the high-fat (15.8% fat and 1.25% cholesterol) as compared with the low-fat diet. Furthermore, on the high-fat diet, the uptake of many long-chain fatty acids was higher in DBA/2 than in C57BL6 or C57L/J. The differences in cholesterol and fatty acid uptake were not explained by variations in food uptake, body weight gain, or the weight of the intestine. In summary: (i) there are strain differences in the in vitro intestinal uptake of fatty acids but not of cholesterol; (ii) a high-fat diet enhances the uptake of long-chain fatty acids in only one of the three strains examined in this study; and (iii) the pattern of strain- and diet-associated alterations in the in vivo absorption of cholesterol differs from the pattern of changes observed in vitro. We speculate that genetic differences in cholesterol and fatty acid uptake are explained by variations in the expression of protein-mediated components of lipid uptake. PMID:10984106

Whole exome sequencing reveals concomitant mutations of multiple FA genes in individual Fanconi anemia patients

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare inherited genetic syndrome with highly variable clinical manifestations. Fifteen genetic subtypes of FA have been identified. Traditional complementation tests for grouping studies have been used generally in FA patients and in stepwise methods to identify the FA type, which can result in incomplete genetic information from FA patients. Methods We diagnosed five pediatric patients with FA based on clinical manifestations, and we performed exome sequencing of peripheral blood specimens from these patients and their family members. The related sequencing data were then analyzed by bioinformatics, and the FANC gene mutations identified by exome sequencing were confirmed by PCR re-sequencing. Results Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations of FANC genes were identified in all of the patients. The FA subtypes of the patients included FANCA, FANCM and FANCD2. Interestingly, four FA patients harbored multiple mutations in at least two FA genes, and some of these mutations have not been previously reported. These patients’ clinical manifestations were vastly different from each other, as were their treatment responses to androstanazol and prednisone. This finding suggests that heterozygous mutation(s) in FA genes could also have diverse biological and/or pathophysiological effects on FA patients or FA gene carriers. Interestingly, we were not able to identify de novo mutations in the genes implicated in DNA repair pathways when the sequencing data of patients were compared with those of their parents. Conclusions Our results indicate that Chinese FA patients and carriers might have higher and more complex mutation rates in FANC genes than have been conventionally recognized. Testing of the fifteen FANC genes in FA patients and their family members should be a regular clinical practice to determine the optimal care for the individual patient, to counsel the family and to obtain a better understanding of FA pathophysiology

Whole exome sequencing reveals concomitant mutations of multiple FA genes in individual Fanconi anemia patients.

PubMed

Chang, Lixian; Yuan, Weiping; Zeng, Huimin; Zhou, Quanquan; Wei, Wei; Zhou, Jianfeng; Li, Miaomiao; Wang, Xiaomin; Xu, Mingjiang; Yang, Fengchun; Yang, Yungui; Cheng, Tao; Zhu, Xiaofan

2014-05-15

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare inherited genetic syndrome with highly variable clinical manifestations. Fifteen genetic subtypes of FA have been identified. Traditional complementation tests for grouping studies have been used generally in FA patients and in stepwise methods to identify the FA type, which can result in incomplete genetic information from FA patients. We diagnosed five pediatric patients with FA based on clinical manifestations, and we performed exome sequencing of peripheral blood specimens from these patients and their family members. The related sequencing data were then analyzed by bioinformatics, and the FANC gene mutations identified by exome sequencing were confirmed by PCR re-sequencing. Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations of FANC genes were identified in all of the patients. The FA subtypes of the patients included FANCA, FANCM and FANCD2. Interestingly, four FA patients harbored multiple mutations in at least two FA genes, and some of these mutations have not been previously reported. These patients' clinical manifestations were vastly different from each other, as were their treatment responses to androstanazol and prednisone. This finding suggests that heterozygous mutation(s) in FA genes could also have diverse biological and/or pathophysiological effects on FA patients or FA gene carriers. Interestingly, we were not able to identify de novo mutations in the genes implicated in DNA repair pathways when the sequencing data of patients were compared with those of their parents. Our results indicate that Chinese FA patients and carriers might have higher and more complex mutation rates in FANC genes than have been conventionally recognized. Testing of the fifteen FANC genes in FA patients and their family members should be a regular clinical practice to determine the optimal care for the individual patient, to counsel the family and to obtain a better understanding of FA pathophysiology.

Oxygen regulates amino acid turnover and carbohydrate uptake during the preimplantation period of mouse embryo development.

PubMed

Wale, Petra L; Gardner, David K

2012-07-01

Oxygen is a powerful regulator of preimplantation embryo development, affecting gene expression, the proteome, and energy metabolism. Even a transient exposure to atmospheric oxygen can have a negative impact on embryo development, which is greatest prior to compaction, and subsequent postcompaction culture at low oxygen cannot alleviate this damage. In spite of this evidence, the majority of human in vitro fertilization is still performed at atmospheric oxygen. One of the physiological parameters shown to be affected by the relative oxygen concentration, carbohydrate metabolism, is linked to the ability of the mammalian embryo to develop in culture and remain viable after transfer. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine the effect of oxygen concentration on the ability of mouse embryos to utilize both amino acids and carbohydrates both before and after compaction. Metabolomic and fluorometric analysis of embryo culture media revealed that when embryos were exposed to atmospheric oxygen during the cleavage stages, they exhibited significantly greater amino acid utilization and pyruvate uptake than when cultured under 5% oxygen. In contrast, postcompaction embryos cultured in atmospheric oxygen showed significantly lower mean amino acid utilization and glucose uptake. These metabolic changes correlated with developmental compromise because embryos grown in atmospheric oxygen at all stages showed significantly lower blastocyst formation and proliferation. These findings confirm the need to consider both embryo development and metabolism in establishing optimal human embryo growth conditions and prognostic markers of viability, and further highlight the impact of oxygen on such vital parameters.

A cellular uptake and cytotoxicity properties study of gallic acid-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles on Caco-2 cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi, Ladan; Vasheghani-Farahani, Ebrahim; Soleimani, Masoud; Atashi, Amir; Rostami, Khosrow; Gangi, Fariba; Fallahpour, Masoud; Tahouri, Mohammad Taher

2014-03-01

In this study, the effects of intracellular delivery of various concentrations of gallic acid (GA) as a semistable antioxidant, gallic acid-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs-GA), and cellular uptake of nanoparticles into Caco-2 cells were investigated. MSNs were synthesized and loaded with GA, then characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption isotherms, X-ray diffraction, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The cytotoxicity of MSNs and MSNs-GA at low and high concentrations were studied by means of 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and flow cytometry. MSNs did not show significant toxicity in various concentrations (0-500 μg/ml) on Caco-2 cells. For MSNs-GA, cell viability was reduced as a function of incubation time and different concentrations of nanoparticles. The in vitro GA release from MSNs-GA exhibited the same antitumor properties as free GA on Caco-2 cells. Flow cytometry results confirmed those obtained using MTT assay. TEM and fluorescent microscopy confirmed the internalization of MSNs by Caco-2 cells through nonspecific cellular uptake. MSNs can easily internalize into Caco-2 cells without deleterious effects on cell viability. The cell viability of Caco-2 cells was affected during MSNs-GA uptake. MSNs could be designed as suitable nanocarriers for antioxidants delivery.

Effect of the inclusion of quebracho tannins in a diet rich in linoleic acid on milk fatty acid composition in dairy ewes.

PubMed

Toral, P G; Hervás, G; Belenguer, A; Bichi, E; Frutos, P

2013-01-01

Despite controversy surrounding the ability of tannins to modulate the fatty acid (FA) profile of ruminant-derived products, reports on this issue are still very limited for dairy sheep. This study was conducted to examine the effect of the inclusion of quebracho tannins in a diet rich in linoleic acid on ewe performance and milk FA composition. Thirty-six lactating ewes were distributed into 6 lots and allocated to 2 treatments (3 lots/treatment): control or quebracho. All sheep received a total mixed ration based on alfalfa hay and a concentrate (forage:concentrate ratio of 40:60) supplemented with 20 g of sunflower oil/kg of dry matter plus 0 (control diet) or 20 g of an extract of quebracho tannins/kg of dry matter (QUE diet). Milk production and composition were analyzed on d 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 on treatments, and milk FA profile on d 0, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 27. On d 27, samples of rumen fluid were collected for pH, and lactate, ammonia, and volatile FA concentration analysis. Feeding the QUE diet had no apparent effect on animal performance and hardly modified ruminal fermentation characteristics, except for a reduction in the molar proportions of minor volatile FA. Dietary tannins increased the milk concentration of several 18:1 and 18:2 isomers and decreased that of branched-chain FA. Some of these changes were relatively constant throughout the experiment (e.g., cis-12 18:1 and trans-9,cis-12 18:2), whereas others varied over time (e.g., trans-10 18:1, which increased gradually with the QUE diet). Significant differences between treatments in trans-11 18:1 and cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid were only observed on d 3. Overall, addition of quebracho tannins to a diet rich in linoleic acid did not prove useful to beneficially modify milk FA composition, especially over the long term. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alteration of Rumen Bacteria and Protozoa Through Grazing Regime as a Tool to Enhance the Bioactive Fatty Acid Content of Bovine Milk

PubMed Central

Bainbridge, Melissa L.; Saldinger, Laurel K.; Barlow, John W.; Alvez, Juan P.; Roman, Joe; Kraft, Jana

2018-01-01

Rumen microorganisms are the origin of many bioactive fatty acids (FA) found in ruminant-derived food products. Differences in plant leaf anatomy and chemical composition between cool- and warm-season pastures may alter rumen microorganisms, potentially enhancing the quantity/profile of bioactive FA available for incorporation into milk. The objective of this study was to identify rumen bacteria and protozoa and their cellular FA when cows grazed a warm-season annual, pearl millet (PM), in comparison to a diverse cool-season pasture (CSP). Individual rumen digesta samples were obtained from five Holstein cows in a repeated measures design with 28-day periods. The treatment sequence was PM, CSP, then PM. Microbial DNA was extracted from rumen digesta and sequence reads were produced with Illumina MiSeq. Fatty acids (FA) were identified in rumen bacteria and protozoa using gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Microbial communities shifted in response to grazing regime. Bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes were more abundant during PM than CSP (P < 0.05), while protozoa of the genus Eudiplodinium were more abundant during CSP than PM (P < 0.05). Microbial cellular FA profiles differed between treatments. Bacteria and protozoa from cows grazing CSP contained more n-3 FA (P < 0.001) and vaccenic acid (P < 0.01), but lower proportions of branched-chain FA (P < 0.05). Microbial FA correlated with microbial taxa and levels of vaccenic acid, rumenic acid, and α-linolenic acid in milk. In conclusion, grazing regime can potentially be used to alter microbial communities shifting the FA profile of microbial cells, and subsequently, alter the milk FA profile. PMID:29867815

Alteration of Rumen Bacteria and Protozoa Through Grazing Regime as a Tool to Enhance the Bioactive Fatty Acid Content of Bovine Milk.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Melissa L; Saldinger, Laurel K; Barlow, John W; Alvez, Juan P; Roman, Joe; Kraft, Jana

2018-01-01

Rumen microorganisms are the origin of many bioactive fatty acids (FA) found in ruminant-derived food products. Differences in plant leaf anatomy and chemical composition between cool- and warm-season pastures may alter rumen microorganisms, potentially enhancing the quantity/profile of bioactive FA available for incorporation into milk. The objective of this study was to identify rumen bacteria and protozoa and their cellular FA when cows grazed a warm-season annual, pearl millet (PM), in comparison to a diverse cool-season pasture (CSP). Individual rumen digesta samples were obtained from five Holstein cows in a repeated measures design with 28-day periods. The treatment sequence was PM, CSP, then PM. Microbial DNA was extracted from rumen digesta and sequence reads were produced with Illumina MiSeq. Fatty acids (FA) were identified in rumen bacteria and protozoa using gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Microbial communities shifted in response to grazing regime. Bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes were more abundant during PM than CSP ( P < 0.05), while protozoa of the genus Eudiplodinium were more abundant during CSP than PM ( P < 0.05). Microbial cellular FA profiles differed between treatments. Bacteria and protozoa from cows grazing CSP contained more n-3 FA ( P < 0.001) and vaccenic acid ( P < 0.01), but lower proportions of branched-chain FA ( P < 0.05). Microbial FA correlated with microbial taxa and levels of vaccenic acid, rumenic acid, and α-linolenic acid in milk. In conclusion, grazing regime can potentially be used to alter microbial communities shifting the FA profile of microbial cells, and subsequently, alter the milk FA profile.

Fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) promotes lipolysis of lipid droplets, de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling in cancer cells.

PubMed

Senga, Shogo; Kobayashi, Narumi; Kawaguchi, Koichiro; Ando, Akira; Fujii, Hiroshi

2018-06-12

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are involved in binding and storing hydrophobic ligands such as long-chain fatty acids, as well as transporting them to the appropriate compartments in the cell. Epidermal fatty acid-binding protein (FABP5) is an intracellular lipid-binding protein that is abundantly expressed in adipocytes and macrophages. Previous studies have revealed that the FABP5 expression level is closely related to malignancy in various types of cancer. However, its precise functions in the metabolisms of cancer cells remain unclear. Here, we revealed that FABP5 knockdown significantly induced downregulation of the genes expression, such as hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), elongation of long-chain fatty acid member 6 (Elovl6), and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1), which are involved in altered lipid metabolism, lipolysis, and de novo FA synthesis in highly aggressive prostate and breast cancer cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that FABP5 induced inflammation and cytokine production through the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway activated by reactive oxygen species and protein kinase C in PC-3 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Thus, FABP5 might regulate lipid quality and/or quantity to promote aggressiveness such as cell growth, invasiveness, survival, and inflammation in prostate and breast cancer cells. In the present study, we have revealed for the first time that high expression of FABP5 plays a critical role in alterations of lipid metabolism, leading to cancer development and metastasis in highly aggressive prostate and breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Disruption of the FA/BRCA pathway in bladder cancer.

PubMed

Neveling, K; Kalb, R; Florl, A R; Herterich, S; Friedl, R; Hoehn, H; Hader, C; Hartmann, F H; Nanda, I; Steinlein, C; Schmid, M; Tonnies, H; Hurst, C D; Knowles, M A; Hanenberg, H; Schulz, W A; Schindler, D

2007-01-01

Bladder carcinomas frequently show extensive deletions of chromosomes 9p and/or 9q, potentially including the loci of the Fanconi anemia (FA) genes FANCC and FANCG. FA is a rare recessive disease due to defects in anyone of 13 FANC genes manifesting with genetic instability and increased risk of neoplasia. FA cells are hypersensitive towards DNA crosslinking agents such as mitomycin C and cisplatin that are commonly employed in the chemotherapy of bladder cancers. These observations suggest the possibility of disruption of the FA/BRCA DNA repair pathway in bladder tumors. However, mutations in FANCC or FANCG could not be detected in any of 23 bladder carcinoma cell lines and ten surgical tumor specimens by LOH analysis or by FANCD2 immunoblotting assessing proficiency of the pathway. Only a single cell line, BFTC909, proved defective for FANCD2 monoubiquitination and was highly sensitive towards mitomycin C. This increased sensitivity was restored specifically by transfer of the FANCF gene. Sequencing of FANCF in BFTC909 failed to identify mutations, but methylation of cytosine residues in the FANCF promoter region was demonstrated by methylation-specific PCR, HpaII restriction and bisulfite DNA sequencing. Methylation-specific PCR uncovered only a single instance of FANCF promoter hypermethylation in surgical specimens of further 41 bladder carcinomas. These low proportions suggest that in contrast to other types of tumors silencing of FANCF is a rare event in bladder cancer and that an intact FA/BRCA pathway might be advantageous for tumor progression. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from 2-Methyl-3-Buten-2-ol Photooxidation: Evidence of Acid-Catalyzed Reactive Uptake of Epoxides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Haofei; Zhang, Zhenfa; Cui, Tianqu

2014-04-08

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO) photooxidation has recently been observed in both field and laboratory studies. Similar to isoprene, MBO-derived SOA increases with elevated aerosol acidity in the absence of nitric oxide; therefore, an epoxide intermediate, (3,3-dimethyloxiran-2-yl)methanol (MBO epoxide) was synthesized and tentatively proposed here to explain this enhancement. In the present study, the potential of the synthetic MBO epoxide to form SOA via reactive uptake was systematically examined. SOA was observed only in the presence of acidic aerosols. Major SOA constituents, 2,3-dihydroxyisopentanol (DHIP) and MBO-derived organosulfate isomers, were chemically characterized in both laboratory-generated SOA and inmore » ambient fine aerosols collected from the BEACHON-RoMBAS field campaign during summer 2011, where MBO emissions are substantial. Our results support epoxides as potential products of MBO photooxidation leading to formation of atmospheric SOA and suggest that reactive uptake of epoxides may generally explain acid enhancement of SOA observed from other biogenic hydrocarbons.« less

Effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on sunflower growth and heavy metal uptake in combination with ethylene diamine disuccinic acid (EDDS).

PubMed

Fässler, Erika; Evangelou, Michael W; Robinson, Brett H; Schulin, Rainer

2010-08-01

The use of plants for phytoextraction of heavy metals from contaminated soil is limited by the ability of the plants to grow on these soils and take up the target metals, as well as by the availability of the metals for plant uptake in the soil solution. The hypotheses of this study were that the growth-promoting phytohormone auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) can alleviate toxic effects of metals on plants and increase metal phytoextraction in combination with the biodegradable chelating agent ethylene diamine disuccinic acid (EDDS). To test these hypotheses we performed two sets of experiments with sunflowers (Helianthusannuus L.) in hydroponic solution. In the first set of experiments, five IAA concentrations (0, 10(-12), 10(-11), 10(-10), 10(-9)M) were applied in combination with Pb (2.5 microM) or Zn (15 microM). In the second set of experiments we applied combinations of IAA (0 or 10(-10)M) and EDDS (0 or 500 microM) to Pb or Zn-stressed sunflowers. Root and shoot growth of metal-stressed plants were most effectively increased with 10(-10)M IAA, and also the extraction of both metals was significantly increased at this treatment level. IAA reduced the negative metal effects, such as reduced shoot and root dry weight, root length, root volume and root surface area. EDDS significantly decreased metal uptake by the plants, thus reducing metal stress and promoting plant growth. The combined application of IAA with EDDS significantly increased Zn uptake in comparison to EDDS only treated plants. The experiments indicate that IAA can alleviate toxic effects of Pb and Zn on plant root and shoot growth and can in combination with chelants such as EDDS increase the phytoextraction potential of these plants. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uptake of oleate by isolated rat adipocytes is mediated by a 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein closely related to that in liver and gut

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwieterman, W.; Sorrentino, D.; Potter, B.J.

1988-01-01

A portion of the hepatocellular uptake of nonesterified long-chain fatty acids is mediated by a specific 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein, which has also been isolated from the gut. To investigate whether a similar transport process exists in other tissues with high transmembrane fatty acid fluxes, initial rates (V/sub O/) of (/sup 3/H)-oleate uptake into isolated rat adipocytes were studied as a function of the concentration of unbound (/sup 3/H)oleate in the medium. V/sub O/ reached a maximum as the concentration of unbound oleate was increased and was significantly inhibited both by phloretin and by prior incubation ofmore » the cells with Pronase. A rabbit antibody to the rat liver plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein inhibited adipocyte fatty acid uptake by up to 63% in dose-dependent fashion. Inhibition was noncompetitive; at an immunoglobulin concentration of 250 ..mu..g/ml V/sub max/ was reduced from 2480 /plus minus/ 160 to 1870 /plus minus/ 80 pmol/min per 5 /times/ 10/sup 4/ adipocytes, with no change in K/sub m/. A basic kDa adipocyte plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein, isolated from crude adipocyte plasma membrane fractions, reacted strongly in both agar gel diffusion and electrophoretic blots with the antibody raised against the corresponding hepatic plasma membrane protein. These data indicate that the uptake of oleate by rat adipocytes is mediated by a 40-kDa plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein closely related to that in liver and gut.« less

Hypolipidemic mechanism of oryzanol components- ferulic acid and phytosterols.

PubMed

Bhaskaragoud, G; Rajath, S; Mahendra, V P; Kumar, G Sunil; Gopala Krishna, A G; Kumar, G Suresh

2016-07-22

The effect of oryzanol (well known hypolipidemic component in rice bran oil) and its chemical constituents- ferulic acid (FA) and phytosterols on hypolipidemia were investigated. Docking (in silico) studies showed that FA had a better binding ability with lipase while sterols bound well with HMG-CoA reductase. Further in vivo studies of feeding high fat (30%) to rats increased body weights, serum TC, TG, non-HDL-C and reduced HDL-C were observed, compared to normal diet fed group (ND). ORZ treated groups alleviated the lipid profile. Furthermore, increased organ weights, higher intestinal lipase activity, and liver lipid peroxidation was observed in the high-fat group (HF). These effects were ameliorated in oryzanol concentrate fed groups (ORZ). Higher fecal fat was found in ORZ groups, analysis of fecal matter by mass spectroscopy revealed the presence of FA. In vitro, a bile acid binding study supported the strong affinity of sterol towards bile acids. In conclusion, oryzanol in the intestine is cleaved into FA and sterol by intestinal lipase enzymes both lipase and HMG-CoA reductase activities were inhibited, respectively. These hydrolysates eliminated the bile acids, thus lowering lipid profiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Closely related intertidal and deep-sea Halomonhystera species have distinct fatty acid compositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Campenhout, Jelle; Vanreusel, Ann

2017-01-01

The deep-sea free-living nematode Halomonhystera hermesi, dominant in the sulphidic sediments of the Håkon Mosby mud volcano (1280 m, Barent sea slope), is part of the mainly estuarine Halomonhystera disjuncta species complex consisting of five cryptic species (GD1-GD5). Cryptic species have a very similar morphology raising questions on their specific environmental differences. This study analyzed total fatty acid (FA) compositions of H. hermesi and GD1, one of H. hermesi's closest relatives. Additionally, we experimentally investigated the effect of a temperature reduction, salinity increase and sulphide concentrations on GD1's FA composition. Because nematodes are expected to have low amounts of storage FA, total FA compositions most likely reflect FA contents of cellular membranes. The deep-sea nematode H. hermesi had significantly lower saturation levels and increased highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFAs) proportions due to the presence of docosahexanoic acid (DHA—22:6ω3) and higher eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA—20:5ω3) proportions. HUFAs were absent in H. hermesi's food source indicating the ability and need for this nematode to synthesize HUFAs in a deep-sea environment. Our experimental data revealed that only a decrease in temperature resulted in lower saturated fatty acids proportions, indicating that the FA content of H. hermesi is most likely a response to temperature but not to sulphide concentrations or salinity differences. In experimental nematodes, EPA proportions were low and DHA was absent indicating that other factors than temperature, salinity and sulphides mediate the presence of these HUFAs in H. hermesi.

Studies on potential effects of fumaric acid on rumen microbial fermentation, methane production and microbial community.

PubMed

Riede, Susanne; Boguhn, Jeannette; Breves, Gerhard

2013-01-01

The greenhouse gas methane (CH4) contributes substantially to global climate change. As a potential approach to decrease ruminal methanogenesis, the effects of different dosages of fumaric acid (FA) on ruminal microbial metabolism and on the microbial community (archaea, bacteria) were studied using a rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC). FA acts as alternative hydrogen acceptor diverting 2H from methanogenesis of archaea towards propionate formation of bacteria. Three identical trials were conducted with 12 fermentation vessels over a period of 14 days. In each trial, four fermentation vessels were assigned to one of the three treatment groups differing in FA dosage: low fumaric acid (LFA), high fumaric acid (HFA) and without FA (control). FA was continuously infused with the buffer. Grass silage and concentrate served as substrate. FA led to decreases in pH and to higher production rates of total short chain fatty acids (SCFA) mediated by increases in propionate for LFA of 1.69 mmol d(-1) and in propionate and acetate production for HFA of 4.49 and 1.10 mmol d(-1), respectively. Concentrations of NH3-N, microbial crude protein synthesis, their efficiency, degradation of crude nutrients and detergent fibre fraction were unchanged. Total gas and CH4 production were not affected by FA. Effects of FA on structure of microbial community by means of single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analyses could not be detected. Given the observed increase in propionate production and the unaffected CH4 production it can be supposed that the availability of reduction equivalents like 2H was not limited by the addition of FA in this study. It has to be concluded from the present study that the application of FA is not an appropriate approach to decrease the ruminal CH4 production.

Fatty Acid Proportions in Plasma Cholesterol Esters and Phospholipids Are Positively Correlated in Various Swedish Populations.

PubMed

Marklund, Matti; Pingel, Ronnie; Rosqvist, Fredrik; Lindroos, Anna Karin; Eriksson, Jan W; Vessby, Bengt; Oscarsson, Jan; Lind, Lars; Risérus, Ulf

2017-11-01

Background: Fatty acid (FA) proportions in cholesterol esters (CEs) and plasma phospholipids are widely used as dietary biomarkers. Information on how proportions in these fractions correlate could have implications for interpretation and use of FA biomarkers in observational and interventional studies. Objective: We investigated correlations between FA proportions in CEs and phospholipids in free-living individuals and assessed how diet-induced alterations of FA proportions correlate between fractions. Methods: Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ( r s ) between FA proportions (percentage of total FAs) in circulating CEs and phospholipids were calculated separately in 8 individual study populations including Swedish females and males ( N = 2052; age range: 11-84 y), and pooled by inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. In addition, study populations were stratified by age, sex, body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ), and diabetes status, and strata-specific r s were pooled by meta-analysis. In 2 randomized trials ( N = 79) in which dietary saturated FAs were isocalorically replaced with unsaturated FAs, treatment-wise calculations of r s were conducted between FA changes in CEs and phospholipids. Results: Overall, FA proportions in CEs and phospholipids correlated well and especially strongly for polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), with pooled r s (95% CIs) ranging from 0.74 (0.72, 0.76) for α-linolenic acid to 0.92 (0.91, 0.93) for eicosapentaenoic acid. Weak correlations (pooled r s < 0.4) were observed only for palmitic acid and stearic acid, with pooled r s (95% CIs): 0.29 (0.24, 0.33) and 0.30 (0.25, 0.34), respectively. Overall, correlations were not affected by age, sex, BMI, or diabetes status. Strong correlations ( r s ≥ 0.6) between diet-induced FA changes in CEs and phospholipids were observed for most PUFAs. Conclusions: Proportions of most FAs in CEs and phospholipids ranked individuals similarly, suggesting that FA proportions in these fractions can be

Fatty acid composition of porcine cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) during maturation: effect of the lipid modulators trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (t10,c12 CLA) and forskolin.

PubMed

Prates, E G; Alves, S P; Marques, C C; Baptista, M C; Horta, A E M; Bessa, R J B; Pereira, R M

2013-05-01

The effect of maturation and of two lipid modulators supplementation along in vitro maturation (IVM) on fatty acid (FA) and dimethylacetal (DMA) composition of porcine cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) were studied. Abattoir-derived immature COC were analyzed for FA and DMA or submitted to IVM as follows: control group; t10,c12 CLA group, t10,c12 CLA supplementation for 44 h; Forskolin group, forskolin supplementation during the initial 2 h; t10,c12 CLA + forskolin group, t10,c12 CLA for 44 h and forskolin for just 2h. Each experimental group had five replicates. FA analysis of oocytes, cumulus cells (CC), follicular fluid, and culture media were performed by gas-liquid chromatography. Oocytes and their CC had different FA composition. Oocytes were richer in saturated FA (SFA) preferentially maintaining their FA profile during maturation. Mature CC had the highest polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) content. Five individual and total SFA, and monounsaturated FA (MUFA), notably oleic acid (c9-18:1), percentages were lower (P ≤ 0.023) in mature than in immature CC. t10,c12 CLA was accumulated by COC from t10,c12 CLA and t10,c12 CLA + forskolin groups, mostly in CC where MUFA and an eicosatrienoic isomer decreased (P ≤ 0.043). Nevertheless, PUFA or FA and DMA total content were not affected. Arachidonic acid was reduced in t10,c12 CLA + forskolin CC and hexadecanal-DMA-16:0 in t10,c12 CLA CC. Forskolin alone increased (P ≤ 0.043) c9-18:1 in oocytes. In conclusion, maturation process clearly changed porcine COC FA and DMA profiles, mostly of CC, also more susceptible to modifications induced by t10,c12 CLA. This possibility of manipulating COC lipid composition during IVM could be used to improve oocyte quality/cryopreservation efficiency.

Postprandial fatty acid uptake and adipocyte remodeling in angiotensin type 2 receptor-deficient mice fed a high-fat/high-fructose diet

PubMed Central

Noll, Christophe; Labbé, Sébastien M.; Pinard, Sandra; Shum, Michael; Bilodeau, Lyne; Chouinard, Lucie; Phoenix, Serge; Lecomte, Roger; Carpentier, André C.; Gallo-Payet, Nicole

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The role of the angiotensin type-2 receptor in adipose physiology remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate whether genetic angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficiency prevents or worsens metabolic and adipose tissue morphometric changes observed following a 6-week high-fat/high-fructose diet with injection of a small dose of streptozotocin. We compared tissue uptake of nonesterified fatty acid and dietary fatty acid in wild-type and angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficient mice by using the radiotracer 14(R,S)-[18F]-fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid in mice fed a standard or high-fat diet. Postprandial fatty acid uptake in the heart, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney and adipose tissue was increased in wild-type mice after a high-fat diet and in angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficient mice on both standard and high-fat diets. Compared to the wild-type mice, angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficient mice had a lower body weight, an increase in fasting blood glucose and a decrease in plasma insulin and leptin levels. Mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited increased adipocyte size that was prevented by angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficiency. Angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficiency abolished the early hypertrophic adipocyte remodeling induced by a high-fat diet. The small size of adipocytes in the angiotensin type-2 receptor-deficient mice reflects their inability to store lipids and explains the increase in fatty acid uptake in non-adipose tissues. In conclusion, a genetic deletion of the angiotensin type-2 receptor is associated with metabolic dysfunction of white adipose depots, and indicates that adipocyte remodeling occurs before the onset of insulin resistance in the high-fat fed mouse model. PMID:27144096

Fish Oil Supplementation and Fatty Acid Synthase Expression in the Prostate: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

controls, Menendez et al demonstrated that addition of omega-3 fatty acids (-3 FA), docosahexanoic acid ( DHA ), alpha- linolenic acid , and -6 FA, γ...AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-04-1-0296 TITLE: Fish Oil Supplementation and Fatty Acid ...COVERED 1 March 2010 – 30 June 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Fish Oil Supplementation and Fatty Acid Synthase Expression in the

Characterization of ursodeoxycholic and norursodeoxycholic acid as substrates of the hepatic uptake transporters OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1 and NTCP.

PubMed

König, Jörg; Klatt, Sabine; Dilger, Karin; Fromm, Martin F

2012-08-01

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only approved treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis, and norursodeoxycholic acid (norUDCA) is currently tested in clinical trials for future treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis because of beneficial effects in cholestatic Mdr2 knock-out mice. Uptake of UDCA and norUDCA into hepatocytes is believed to be a prerequisite for subsequent metabolism and therapeutic action. However, the molecular determinants of hepatocellular uptake of UDCA and norUDCA are poorly understood. We therefore investigated whether UDCA and norUDCA are substrates of the hepatic uptake transporters OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1 and Na(+) -taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP), which are localized in the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes. Uptake of [(3) H]UDCA and [(14) C]norUDCA into Human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells stably expressing OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1 or NTCP was investigated and compared with uptake into vector control cells. Uptake ratios were calculated by dividing uptake into transporter-transfected cells by uptake into respective control cells. Uptake ratios of OATP1B1-, OATP1B3- and OATP2B1-mediated UDCA and norUDCA uptake were at maximum 1.23 and 1.49, respectively. Uptake of UDCA was significantly higher into HEK-NTCP cells only at the lowest tested concentration (1 μM, p < 0.001) compared with the control cells with an uptake ratio of 1.34-fold. NorUDCA was not significantly transported by NTCP. The low uptake rates suggest that OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1 and NTCP are not relevant for hepatocellular uptake and effects of UDCA and norUDCA in human beings. © 2012 The Authors Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology © 2012 Nordic Pharmacological Society.

Optimizing Maintenance Manpower for USMC F/A-18 Squadrons

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

experience level, with the requirement of keeping a standard number of aircraft operationally ready. MVP results show areas of deficit, either manpower ...MAINTENANCE MANPOWER FOR USMC F/A-18 SQUADRONS by Kevin J. Goodwin June 2016 Thesis Co-Advisors: W. Matthew Carlyle Robert F. Dell Second...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPTIMIZING MAINTENANCE MANPOWER FOR USMC F/A-18 SQUADRONS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6

Evaluation of Fatty Acid Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Wild-Growing Mushrooms from Southwest China.

PubMed

Luo, Yu; Huang, Yi; Yuan, Xiaohong; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Xinyi; Gao, Ping

2017-01-01

To better understand the medicinal and nutritional value of mushrooms, we studied the fatty acid (FA) compositions and DPPH scavenging abilities of 11 mushrooms from Southwest China. The crude fat (CF) contents were examined initially, then 3 methods of FA methyl esterification were compared to identify which acid treatment was the most appropriate method. Then methyl esterification methods for 12 CFs were performed with acid treatment and the FA compositions were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that tetradecanoic acid (14:0), hexadecenoic acid (16:1), hexadecanoic acid (16:0), heptadecanoic acid (17:0), octadecadienoic acid (18:2), octadecenoic acid (18:1), octadecanoic acid (18:0), docosanoic acid (22:0), and tetracosanoic acid (24:0) were detected in all the samples, with large amounts of hexadecanoic acid (16:0), octadecadienoic acid (18:2), octadecenoic acid (18:1), and octadecanoic acid (18:0). Daldinia eschscholtzii and Sarcodon imbricatus had the highest ratio value of unsaturated FAs to saturated FAs (4.33 and 3.03, respectively). The DPPH scavenging ability of 12 CFs was also tested. The free radical scavenging rates of the CFs were almost < 10% at a concentration of 0.10 mg/mL, except that of S. imbricatus, which reached 81.25%, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.054 mg/mL. This strong DPPH free radical scavenging ability of S. imbricatus may be related to α-hydroxy FA.

Characterization and biological activities of humic substances from mumie.

PubMed

Schepetkin, Igor A; Khlebnikov, Andrei I; Ah, Shin Young; Woo, Sang B; Jeong, Choon-Soo; Klubachuk, Olesya N; Kwon, Byoung S

2003-08-27

Mumie, a semihard black resin formed by long-term humification, is believed to have therapeutic properties. Although mumie has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, there is little information available concerning the physicochemical properties of its constituents and the mechanisms of its therapeutic efficacy. For this study crude mumie was fractionated into fulvic acid (FA), humic acid (HA), humin, hymatomelanic acid, and two low molecular weight fractions (LMW1 and LMW2). The FA fraction was divided into five subfractions, FA1-FA5. The mumie fractions were characterized by IR, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Total carbohydrate content in the fractions was analyzed using the phenol reaction method. The relative content of polar groups and nonpolar hydrocarbon fragments in the mumie fractions correlated well with solubility in an aqueous medium. Biological characterization was performed using only the FA fractions. FA1 and FA2 enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide in murine peritoneal macrophages, as determined with the use of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and Griess reagent, respectively. The enchancement of ROS and nitric oxide production correlated with the level of total carbohydrates in the fractions. Murine splenic lymphocytes treated with FA1 showed a dose-dependent increase in [(3)H]thymidine uptake. These findings suggest that FA derived from mumie has immunomodulatory activity.

Monoglycerides and fatty acids from Ibervillea sonorae root: isolation and hypoglycemic activity.

PubMed

Hernández-Galicia, Erica; Calzada, Fernando; Roman-Ramos, Rubén; Alarcón-Aguilar, Francisco J

2007-03-01

Eleven monoglycerides (MG), 1-monopalmitin (1), glyceryl 1-monomargarate (2), 1-monostearin (3), glyceryl 1-monononadecylate ( 4), glyceryl 1-monoarachidate (5), glyceryl 1-monobehenate (6), glyceryl 1-monotricosanoate (7), glyceryl 1-monotetracosanoate (8), glyceryl 1-monopentacosanoate (9), glyceryl 1-monohexacosanoate (10) and glyceryl 1-monooctacosanoate (11), together with five fatty acids (FA), lauric acid (12), myristic acid (13), pentadecanoic acid (14), palmitic acid (15) and stearic acid (16) were isolated of the root of IBERVILLEA SONORAE Greene (Cucurbitaceae). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods as well as GC-MS analysis. The hypoglycemic activity of the dichloromethane (DCM) extract, of fractions (F1-F10 and SF1-SF5), of monoglycerides (MG) and of fatty acids (FA) mixtures obtained of the root from I. SONORAE was evaluated in normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The results showed that by intraperitoneal administration the DCM extract (300 mg/kg), F9 (300 mg/kg) and SF1 (150 mg/kg) significantly reduced glucose levels in both models. For fraction SF1, the hypoglycemic activity was more pronounced than that of tolbutamide (150 mg/kg) used as control. However, neither MG (75 mg/kg) nor FA (75 mg/kg) mixtures isolated from SF1 exhibited a significant hypoglycemic effect. However, when MG and FA were combined in equal proportions (75 mg: 75 mg/kg), their effect was comparable to that of SF1. The observed activity for the DCM extract, F9, SF1 and the MG-FA mixture provides additional support for the popular use of this plant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Mexican traditional medicine.

Plasma capric acid concentrations in healthy subjects determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Shrestha, Rojeet; Hui, Shu-Ping; Imai, Hiromitsu; Hashimoto, Satoru; Uemura, Naoto; Takeda, Seiji; Fuda, Hirotoshi; Suzuki, Akira; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Hirano, Ken-Ichi; Chiba, Hitoshi

2015-09-01

Capric acid (FA10:0, decanoic acid) is a medium-chain fatty acid abundant in tropical oils such as coconut oil, whereas small amounts are present in milk of goat, cow, and human. Orally ingested FA10:0 is transported to the liver and quickly burnt within it. Only few reports are available for FA10:0 concentrations in human plasma. Fasting (n = 5, male/female = 3/2, age 31 ± 9.3 years old) and non-fasting (n = 106, male/female = 44/62, age 21.9 ± 3.2 years old) blood samples were collected from apparently healthy Japanese volunteers. The total FA10:0 in the plasma were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 2-nitrophenylhydrazine followed by UV detection. Inter and intra-assay coefficient of variation of FA10:0 assay at three different concentrations ranged in 1.7-3.9 and 1.3-5.4%, respectively, with an analytical recovery of 95.2-104.0%. FA10:0 concentration was below detection limit (0.1 µmol/L) in each fasting human plasma. FA10:0 was not detected in 50 (47.2%) of 106 non-fasting blood samples, while 29 (27.4%) plasma samples contained FA10:0 less than or equal to 0.5 µmol/L (0.4 ± 0.1), and 27 (25.5%) contained it at more than 0.5 µmol/L (0.9 ± 0.3). A half of the non-fasting plasma samples contained detectable FA10:0. This simple, precise, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method might be useful for monitoring plasma FA10:0 during medium-chain triglycerides therapy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Composite polymeric beads containing N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyldiglycolamide for actinide ion uptake from nitric acid feeds: Batch uptake, kinetic modelling and column studies.

PubMed

Gujar, R B; Mohapatra, P K; Lakshmi, D Shanthana; Figoli, A

2015-11-27

Polyethersulphone (PES) based composite polymeric beads (CPB) containing TODGA (N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyldiglycolamide) as the extractant were prepared by conventional phase inversion technique and were tested for the uptake of actinide ions such as Am(3+), UO2(2+), Pu(4+), Np(4+) and fission product ions such as Eu(3+) and Sr(2+). The CPBs containing 2.5-10wt.% TODGA were characterized by various physical methods and their porosity, size, surface morphology, surface area and the degradation profile by thermogravimetry were analyzed. The batch uptake studies involved kinetics of metal ion sorption, uptake as a function of nitric acid concentration, kinetic modelling and adsorption isotherms and most of the studies involved the Am(3+) ions. The batch saturation sorption capacities for Eu(3+) loading at 3M HNO3 were determined to be 6.6±0.02, 9.1±0.02 and 22.3±0.04mgg(-1) of CRBs with 2.5wt.%, 5wt.% and 10wt.% TODGA, respectively. The sorption isotherm analysis with Langmuir, D-R and Freundlisch isotherms indicated chemisorption monolayer mechanism. Chromatographic studies indicated breakthrough of Eu(3+) (using a solution containing Eu carrier) after about 0.75 bed volume (3.5-4mL). Elution of the loaded Eu was carried out using 0.01M EDTA as the eluent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new standardized method for quantification of humic and fulvic acids in humic ores and commercial products.

PubMed

Lamar, Richard T; Olk, Daniel C; Mayhew, Lawrence; Bloom, Paul R

2014-01-01

Increased use of humic substances in agriculture has generated intense interest among producers, consumers, and regulators for an accurate and reliable method to quantify humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) in raw ores and products. Here we present a thoroughly validated method, the new standardized method for determination of HA and FA contents in raw humate ores and in solid and liquid products produced from them. The methods used for preparation of HA and FA were adapted according to the guidelines of the International Humic Substances Society involving alkaline extraction followed by acidification to separate HA from the fulvic fraction. This is followed by separation of FA from the fulvic fraction by adsorption on a nonionic macroporous acrylic ester resin at acid pH. It differs from previous methods in that it determines HA and FA concentrations gravimetrically on an ash-free basis. Critical steps in the method, e.g., initial test portion mass, test portion to extract volume ratio, extraction time, and acidification of alkaline extract, were optimized for maximum and consistent recovery of HA and FA. The method detection limits for HA and FA were 4.62 and 4.8 mg/L, respectively. The method quantitation limits for HA and FA were 14.7 and 15.3 mg/L, respectively.

Voltammetric Determination of Ferulic Acid Using Polypyrrole-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Electrode with Sample Application

PubMed Central

Abdel-Hamid, Refat; Newair, Emad F.

2015-01-01

A polypyrrole-multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode-based sensor was devised for determination of ferulic acid (FA). The fabricated sensor was prepared electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and characterized using CV and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The electrode shows an excellent electrochemical catalytic activity towards FA oxidation. Under optimal conditions, the anodic peak current correlates linearly to the FA concentration throughout the range of 3.32 × 10−6 to 2.59 × 10−5 M with a detection limit of 1.17 × 10−6 M (S/N = 3). The prepared sensor is highly selective towards ferulic acid without the interference of ascorbic acid. The sensor applicability was tested for total content determination of FA in a commercial popcorn sample and showed a robust functionality. PMID:28347090

Formation of β-glucogallin, the precursor of ellagic acid in strawberry and raspberry

PubMed Central

Schulenburg, Katja; Feller, Antje; Hoffmann, Thomas; Schecker, Johannes H.; Martens, Stefan; Schwab, Wilfried

2016-01-01

Ellagic acid/ellagitannins are plant polyphenolic antioxidants that are synthesized from gallic acid and have been associated with a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Here, we report the identification and characterization of five glycosyltransferases (GTs) from two genera of the Rosaceae family (Fragaria and Rubus; F.×ananassa FaGT2*, FaGT2, FaGT5, F. vesca FvGT2, and R. idaeus RiGT2) that catalyze the formation of 1-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranose (β-glucogallin) the precursor of ellagitannin biosynthesis. The enzymes showed substrate promiscuity as they formed glucose esters of a variety of (hydroxyl)benzoic and (hydroxyl)cinnamic acids. Determination of kinetic values and site-directed mutagenesis revealed amino acids that affected substrate preference and catalytic activity. Green immature strawberry fruits were identified as the main source of gallic acid, β-glucogallin, and ellagic acid in accordance with the highest GT2 gene expression levels. Injection of isotopically labeled gallic acid into green fruits of stable transgenic antisense FaGT2 strawberry plants clearly confirmed the in planta function. Our results indicate that GT2 enzymes might contribute to the production of ellagic acid/ellagitannins in strawberry and raspberry, and are useful to develop strawberry fruit with additional health benefits and for the biotechnological production of bioactive polyphenols. PMID:26884604

Metabolic fate of yolk fatty acids in the developing king penguin embryo.

PubMed

Groscolas, René; Fréchard, Françoise; Decrock, Frédéric; Speake, Brian K

2003-10-01

This study examines the metabolic fate of total and individual yolk fatty acids (FA) during the embryonic development of the king penguin, a seabird characterized by prolonged incubation (53 days) and hatching (3 days) periods, and a high n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated FA ratio in the egg. Of the approximately 15 g of total FA initially present in the egg lipid, 87% was transferred to the embryo by the time of hatching, the remaining 13% being present in the internalized yolk sac of the chick. During the whole incubation, 83% of the transferred FA was oxidized for energy, with only 17% incorporated into embryo lipids. Prehatching (days 0-49), the fat stores (triacylglycerol) accounted for 58% of the total FA incorporated into embryo lipid. During hatching (days 49-53), 40% of the FA of the fat stores was mobilized, the mobilization of individual FA being nonselective. At hatch, 53% of the arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) of the initial yolk had been incorporated into embryo lipid compared with only 15% of the total FA and 17-24% of the various n-3 polyunsaturated FA. Similarly, only 32% of the yolk's initial content of 20:4n-6 was oxidized for energy during development compared with 72% of the total FA and 58-66% of the n-3 polyunsaturated FA. The high partitioning of yolk FA toward oxidization and the intense mobilization of fat store FA during hatching most likely reflect the high energy cost of the long incubation and hatching periods of the king penguin. The preferential partitioning of 20:4n-6 into the structural lipid of the embryo in the face of its low content in the yolk may reflect the important roles of this FA in tissue function.

Lipid Partitioning, Incomplete Fatty Acid Oxidation, and Insulin Signal Transduction in Primary Human Muscle Cells: Effects of Severe Obesity, Fatty Acid Incubation, and Fatty Acid Translocase/CD36 Overexpression

PubMed Central

Bell, Jill A.; Reed, Melissa A.; Consitt, Leslie A.; Martin, Ola J.; Haynie, Kimberly R.; Hulver, Matthew W.; Muoio, Deborah M.; Dohm, G. Lynis

2010-01-01

Context: Intracellular lipid partitioning toward storage and the incomplete oxidation of fatty acids (FA) have been linked to insulin resistance. Objective: To gain insight into how intracellular lipid metabolism is related to insulin signal transduction, we examined the effects of severe obesity, excess FA, and overexpression of the FA transporter, FA translocase (FAT)/CD36, in primary human skeletal myocytes. Design, Setting, and Patients: Insulin signal transduction, FA oxidation, and metabolism were measured in skeletal muscle cells harvested from lean and severely obese women. To emulate the obesity phenotype in our cell culture system, we incubated cells from lean individuals with excess FA or overexpressed FAT/CD36 using recombinant adenoviral technology. Results: Complete oxidation of FA was significantly reduced, whereas total lipid accumulation, FA esterification into lipid intermediates, and incomplete oxidation were up-regulated in the muscle cells of severely obese subjects. Insulin signal transduction was reduced in the muscle cells from severely obese subjects compared to lean controls. Incubation of muscle cells from lean subjects with lipids reduced insulin signal transduction and increased lipid storage and incomplete FA oxidation. CD36 overexpression increased FA transport capacity, but did not impair complete FA oxidation and insulin signal transduction in muscle cells from lean subjects. Conclusions: Cultured myocytes from severely obese women express perturbations in FA metabolism and insulin signaling reminiscent of those observed in vivo. The obesity phenotype can be recapitulated in muscle cells from lean subjects via exposure to excess lipid, but not by overexpressing the FAT/CD36 FA transporter. PMID:20427507

Effects of hydrostatic pressure and temperature on the uptake and respiration of amino acids by a facultatively psychrophilic marine bacterium.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, K. L.; Morita, R. Y.

1971-01-01

Studies of pressure and temperature effects on glutamic acid transport and utilization indicated that hydrostatic pressure and low temperature inhibit glutamate transport more than glutamate respiration. The effects of pressure on transport were reduced at temperatures near the optimum. Similar results were obtained for glycine, phenylalanine, and proline. Pressure effects on the transport systems of all four amino acids were reversible to some degree. Both proline and glutamic acid were able to protect their transport proteins against pressure damage. The data presented indicate that the uptake of amino acids by cells under pressure is inhibited, which is the cause of their inability to grow under pressure.

Uptake and metabolism of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, a critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Astbury, Stuart M; Corfe, Bernard M

2012-07-01

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) formed by bacterial fermentation of fibre in the colon, and serves as an energy source for colonocytes. The action of butyrate as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) has led to a number of clinical trials testing its effectiveness as a potential treatment for cancer. The biology of butyrate transport is therefore relevant to both its physiological and pharmacological benefits. This review of the literature was carried out to assess the evidence for both the uptake and metabolism of butyrate, in an attempt to determine possible mechanism (s) by which butyrate can act as an HDACi. It is noted that although uptake and metabolism are well characterised, there are still significant gaps in the knowledgebase around the intracellular handing of butyrate, where assumptions or dated evidence are relied upon.

Uptake of aromatic arsenicals from soil contaminated with diphenylarsinic acid by rice.

PubMed

Arao, Tomohito; Maejima, Yuji; Baba, Koji

2009-02-15

Chemical warfare agents containing aromatic arsenicals (AAs) such as Clark I (diphenylchloroarsine) are well-known, as is the risk of leakage from such munitions into the environment. We investigated the uptake of AAs in agricultural soils by rice. Methylphenylarsinic acid (MPAA) was detected in brown rice grown in contaminated soil. Dimethylphenylarsine oxide (DMPAO) and methyldiphenylarsine oxide (MDPAO) were detected in the straw but not in the grains grown in the contaminated soil. Inthe contaminated soil, phenylarsonic acid (PAA) and MPAA concentrations decreased and DMPAO concentration increased under the flooded conditions; however, their concentrations remained unchanged underthe upland conditions. DMPAO was detected in the straw of the rice grown in PAA- or MPAA-amended soil but was not detected in that grown in a PAA- or MPAA-added solution culture. MDPAO was detected in the straw of the rice grown in diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA)-amended soil but was not detected in that grown in a DPAA-added solution culture. Thus, MPAA and DPAA were methylated not in the rice plant but in the soil under the flooded conditions. Dephenylated products were detected in the straw grown in AA-added solution cultures, but demethylated products were not detected. DMPAO and MDPAO absorbed by the shoots were retained, and MPAA and DPAA absorbed by the shoots were translocated to the grains more easily than other AAs.

Immobilization of folic acid on Eu3+-doped nanoporous silica spheres.

PubMed

Tagaya, Motohiro; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Xu, Zhefeng; Tanaka, Junzo

2011-08-07

Folic acid (FA) was immobilized on Eu(3+)-doped nanoporous silica spheres (Eu:NPSs) through mediation of the 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane adlayer. The ordered nanopores of Eu:NPS were preserved by the immobilization. The FA-immobilized Eu:NPSs showed the characteristic photoluminescence peak due to interactions between the FA molecules and Eu(3+) ions, and highly dispersed stability in phosphate buffered saline.

Folate-targeted nanoparticles show efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis

PubMed Central

Thomas, Thommey P.; Goonewardena, Sascha N.; Majoros, Istvan; Kotlyar, Alina; Cao, Zhengyi; Leroueil, Pascale R.; Baker, James R.

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate the uptake of a poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (generation 5 (G5)) nanoparticle covalently conjugated to polyvalent folic acid (FA) as the targeting ligand into macrophages, and the activity of a FA- and methotrexate-conjugated dendrimer (G5-FA-MTX) as a therapeutic for the inflammatory disease of arthritis. Methods In vitro studies were performed in macrophage cell lines and in isolated mouse macrophages to check the cellular uptake of fluorescently tagged G5-FA nanoparticles, using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In vivo studies were conducted in a rat model of collagen-induced arthritis to evaluate the therapeutic potential of G5-FA-MTX. Results Folate targeted dendrimer bound and internalized in a receptor-specific manner into both folate receptor β-expressing macrophage cell lines and primary mouse macrophages. The G5-FA-MTX acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent and reduces arthritis-induced inflammatory parameters such as ankle swelling, paw volume, cartilage damage, bone resorption and body weight decrease. Conclusion The use of folate-targeted nanoparticles to specifically target MTX into macrophages may provide an effective clinical approach for anti-inflammatory therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. PMID:21618461

Bile acids induce necrosis in pancreatic stellate cells dependent on calcium entry and sodium-driven bile uptake.

PubMed

Ferdek, Pawel E; Jakubowska, Monika A; Gerasimenko, Julia V; Gerasimenko, Oleg V; Petersen, Ole H

2016-11-01

Acute biliary pancreatitis is a sudden and severe condition initiated by bile reflux into the pancreas. Bile acids are known to induce Ca 2+ signals and necrosis in isolated pancreatic acinar cells but the effects of bile acids on stellate cells are unexplored. Here we show that cholate and taurocholate elicit more dramatic Ca 2+ signals and necrosis in stellate cells compared to the adjacent acinar cells in pancreatic lobules; whereas taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate primarily affects acinar cells. Ca 2+ signals and necrosis are strongly dependent on extracellular Ca 2+ as well as Na + ; and Na + -dependent transport plays an important role in the overall bile acid uptake in pancreatic stellate cells. Bile acid-mediated pancreatic damage can be further escalated by bradykinin-induced signals in stellate cells and thus killing of stellate cells by bile acids might have important implications in acute biliary pancreatitis. Acute biliary pancreatitis, caused by bile reflux into the pancreas, is a serious condition characterised by premature activation of digestive enzymes within acinar cells, followed by necrosis and inflammation. Bile acids are known to induce pathological Ca 2+ signals and necrosis in acinar cells. However, bile acid-elicited signalling events in stellate cells remain unexplored. This is the first study to demonstrate the pathophysiological effects of bile acids on stellate cells in two experimental models: ex vivo (mouse pancreatic lobules) and in vitro (human cells). Sodium cholate and taurocholate induced cytosolic Ca 2+ elevations in stellate cells, larger than those elicited simultaneously in the neighbouring acinar cells. In contrast, taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLC-S), known to induce Ca 2+ oscillations in acinar cells, had only minor effects on stellate cells in lobules. The dependence of the Ca 2+ signals on extracellular Na + and the presence of sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) indicate a Na + -dependent bile acid

Bioaccumulation and uptake routes of perfluoroalkyl acids in Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Dai, Zhineng; Xia, Xinghui; Guo, Jia; Jiang, Xiaoman

2013-02-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAs), one kind of emerging contaminants, have attracted great attentions in recent years. However, the study about their bioaccumulation mechanism remains scarce. In this research, the bioaccumulation of six kinds of PFAs in water flea Daphnia magna was studied. The uptake rates of PFAs in D. magna ranged from 178 to 1338 L kg(-1) d(-1), and they increased with increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length; the elimination rates ranged from 0.98 to 2.82 d(-1). The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of PFAs ranged from 91 to 380 L kg(-1) in wet weight after 25 d exposure; they increased with increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length and had a significant positive correlation with the n-octanol/water partition coefficients (logK(ow)) of PFAs (p<0.05). This indicated that the hydrophobicity of PFAs plays an important role in their bioaccumulation. The BAFs almost kept constant when the PFA concentrations in aqueous phase increased from 1 to 10 μg L(-1). Scenedesmus subspicatus, as the food of D. magna, did not significantly affect the bioaccumulation of PFAs by D. magna. Furthermore, the body burden of PFAs in the dead D. magna was 1.08-2.52 times higher than that in the living ones, inferring that the body surface sorption is a main uptake route of PFAs in D. magna. This study suggested that the bioaccumulation of PFAs in D. magna is mainly controlled by their partition between organisms and water; further research should be conducted to study the intrinsic mechanisms, especially the roles of protein and lipid in organisms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of dietary cis and trans unsaturated and saturated fatty acids on the glucose metabolites and enzymes of rats.

PubMed

Bernal, Claudio A; Rovira, Jordi; Colandré, María E; Cussó, Roser; Cadefau, Joan A

2006-05-01

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the level of dietary cis fatty acid (cFA), or the isomers (trans or cis) and/or the saturation of the fatty acids at high dietary fat levels altered the intracellular glucose metabolites and certain regulatory enzyme activities in the skeletal muscle and liver of rats. The animals were fed for 30 d on either a recommended control diet (7 % cFA, w/w) or a high-fat diet (20 % fatty acids, w/w). The high-fat diet was enriched with either cFA, trans fatty acid (tFA), a moderate proportion of saturated fatty acid (MSFA), or a high proportion of saturated fatty acid (HSFA). The most striking findings were observed in the gastrocnemius muscle with a HSFA diet. There was a significant increase in glucose-6-phosphate (306 %), glucose-1-phosphate (245 %), fructose-6-phosphate (400 %), fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (86 %), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (38 %), pyruvate (341 %), lactate (325 %), citrate (79 %) and the bisphosphorylated sugars as compared with the cFA diet. These changes were paralleled by an increase in muscle triacylglycerol content (49 %) and a decrease in glucose (39 %). In addition, the amount of cFA and the other types of fatty acid (i.e. tFA and MSFA) led to no great differences in glucose metabolism as compared with the respective control group. These data support the hypothesis that glucose changes induced by a HSFA diet are a multifaceted abnormality. Glucose and lactate transport and intracellular glucose metabolism could be the key biochemical defects involved in this detrimental effect on glucose metabolism.

Enhancement of Glucose Uptake by Meso-Dihydroguaiaretic Acid through GLUT4 Up-Regulation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

PubMed

Lee, Anna; Choi, Kyeong-Mi; Jung, Won-Beom; Jeong, Heejin; Kim, Ga-Yeong; Lee, Ju Hyun; Lee, Mi Kyeong; Hong, Jin Tae; Roh, Yoon-Seok; Sung, Sang-Hyun; Yoo, Hwan-Soo

2017-08-28

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to increased blood glucose levels. Adipocytes are involved in the development of insulin resistance, resulting from the dysfunction of the insulin signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated whether meso -dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDGA) may modulate glucose uptake in adipocytes, and examined its mechanism of action. MDGA enhanced adipogenesis through up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α in 3T3-L1 adipocytes partially differentiated with sub-optimal concentrations of insulin. MDGA also increased glucose uptake by stimulating expression and translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in adipocytes. These results suggest that MDGA may increase GLUT4 expression and its translocation by promoting insulin sensitivity, leading to enhanced glucose uptake.

Changes in chemical composition of frozen coated fish products during deep-frying.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Petisca, Catarina; Casal, Susana; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O

2014-03-01

This work evaluates the influence of deep-frying coated fish products on total fat, fatty acid (FA) and amino acid profile, and on the formation of volatile compounds, with special attention on furan and its derivatives due to their potential harmful characteristics. As expected, deep-frying in sunflower oil increased linoleic acid content, but total fat amount increased only by 2% on a dry basis. Eicosapentanoic and docosahexanoic acids were preserved while γ- and α-linoleic acids were oxidised. Deep-frying also induces proteolysis, releasing free AA, and the formation of volatile compounds, particularly aldehydes and ketones arising from polyunsaturated FA. In addition, high quantities of furanic compounds, particularly furan and furfuryl alcohol, are generated during deep-frying coated fish. The breaded crust formed could contribute simultaneously for the low uptake of fat, preservation of long chain n-3 FA, and for the high amounts of furanic compounds formed during the deep-frying process.

Survey of the total fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition and content of 30 duckweed species and cloning of a Δ6-desaturase responsible for the production of γ-linolenic and stearidonic acids in Lemna gibba

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Duckweeds, i.e., members of the Lemnoideae family, are amongst the smallest aquatic flowering plants. Their high growth rate, aquatic habit and suitability for bio-remediation make them strong candidates for biomass production. Duckweeds have been studied for their potential as feedstocks for bioethanol production; however, less is known about their ability to accumulate reduced carbon as fatty acids (FA) and oil. Results Total FA profiles of thirty duckweed species were analysed to assess the natural diversity within the Lemnoideae. Total FA content varied between 4.6% and 14.2% of dry weight whereas triacylglycerol (TAG) levels varied between 0.02% and 0.15% of dry weight. Three FA, 16:0 (palmitic), 18:2Δ9,12 (Linoleic acid, or LN) and 18:3Δ9,12,15 (α-linolenic acid, or ALA) comprise more than 80% of total duckweed FA. Seven Lemna and two Wolffiela species also accumulate polyunsaturated FA containing Δ6-double bonds, i.e., GLA and SDA. Relative to total FA, TAG is enriched in saturated FA and deficient in polyunsaturated FA, and only five Lemna species accumulate Δ6-FA in their TAG. A putative Δ6-desaturase designated LgDes, with homology to a family of front-end Δ6-FA and Δ8-spingolipid desaturases, was identified in the assembled DNA sequence of Lemna gibba. Expression of a synthetic LgDes gene in Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in the accumulation of GLA and SDA, confirming it specifies a Δ6-desaturase. Conclusions Total accumulation of FA varies three-fold across the 30 species of Lemnoideae surveyed. Nine species contain GLA and SDA which are synthesized by a Δ6 front-end desaturase, but FA composition is otherwise similar. TAG accumulates up to 0.15% of total dry weight, comparable to levels found in the leaves of terrestrial plants. Polyunsaturated FA is underrepresented in TAG, and the Δ6-FA GLA and SDA are found in the TAG of only five of the nine Lemna species that produce them. When present, GLA is enriched and SDA diminished

Efficacy of ferulic acid encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles against Candida albicans biofilm.

PubMed

Panwar, Richa; Pemmaraju, Suma C; Sharma, Asvene K; Pruthi, Vikas

2016-06-01

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen is a major causative agent of superficial to systemic life-threating biofilm infections on indwelling medical devices. These biofilms acts as double edge swords owing to their resistance towards antibiotics and immunological barriers. To overcome this threat ferulic acid encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (FA-CSNPs) were formulated to assess its efficacy as an antibiofilm agent against C. albicans. These FA-CSNPs were synthesized using ionotropic gelation method and observed through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and fluorescent microscopy. Assessment of successful encapsulation and stability of ferulic acid into chitosan nanoparticles was made using Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR), (1)H NMR and thermal analyses. Synthesized FA-CSNPs, were found to be cytocompatible, when tested using Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK-293) cell lines. XTT assay revealed that FA-CSNPs reduced the cell metabolic activity of C. albicans upto 22.5% as compared to native ferulic acid (63%) and unloaded CSNPs (88%) after 24 h incubation. Disruption of C. albicans biofilm architecture was visualized by FESEM. Results highlighted the potential of FA-CSNPs to be used as an effective alternative to the conventional antifungal therapeutics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Birth order and avuncular tendencies in Samoan men and fa'afafine.

PubMed

Vanderlaan, Doug P; Vasey, Paul L

2013-04-01

Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to males whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to females. In Samoa, transgendered androphilic males are known locally as fa'afafine. Previous research has shown that, compared to Samoan gynephilic men, fa'afafine report greater willingness to invest time and money toward nieces and nephews (i.e., greater avuncular tendencies) and also have greater numbers of older brothers and older sisters. The present study examined whether the Samoan male sexual orientation difference in avuncular tendencies could be accounted for by these parallel differences in numbers of older brothers and older sisters. The sample included 204 fa'afafine and 272 Samoan gynephilic men from our Samoan data archive for whom we had concurrent information on (1) a measure of willingness to invest time and money in nieces and nephews (i.e., avuncular tendencies) and (2) numbers of older and younger biological brothers and sisters. Among fa'afafine, but not Samoan gynephilic men, number of older brothers and number of older sisters were both significantly positively associated with avuncular tendencies. When controlling for number of older brothers, the magnitude of the male sexual orientation difference in avuncular tendencies was lowered, but remained statistically significant. In contrast, when controlling for number of older sisters, the male sexual orientation difference in avuncular tendencies ceased to exist. Discussion detailed how these findings help hone in on the proximate basis of elevated avuncular tendencies among fa'afafine. In addition, discussion focused on how particular evolutionary and cultural factors might relate to the avuncularity of fa'afafine.

Ferulic acid with ascorbic acid synergistically extenuates the mitochondrial dysfunction during beta-adrenergic catecholamine induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

PubMed

Yogeeta, Surinder Kumar; Raghavendran, Hanumantha Rao Balaji; Gnanapragasam, Arunachalam; Subhashini, Rajakannu; Devaki, Thiruvengadam

2006-10-27

Disruption of mitochondria and free radical mediated tissue injury have been reported during cardiotoxicity induced by isoproterenol (ISO), a beta-adrenergic catecholamine. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of the combination of ferulic acid (FA) and ascorbic acid (AA) on the mitochondrial damage in ISO induced cardiotoxicity. Induction of rats with ISO (150 mg/kg b.wt., i.p.) for 2 days resulted in a significant decrease in the activities of respiratory chain enzymes (NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome c-oxidase), tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase), mitochondrial antioxidants (GPx, GST, SOD, CAT, GSH), cytochromes (b, c, c1, aa3) and in the level of mitochondrial phospholipids. A marked elevation in mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were also observed in ISO intoxicated rats. Pre-co-treatment with the combination of FA (20 mg/kg b.wt.) and AA (80 mg/kg b.wt.) orally for 6 days significantly enhanced the attenuation of these functional abnormalities and restored normal mitochondrial function when compared to individual drug treated groups. Mitigation of ISO induced biochemical and morphological changes in mitochondria were more pronounced with a combination of FA and AA rather than the individual drug treated groups. Transmission electron microscopic observations also correlated with these biochemical parameters. Hence, these findings demonstrate the synergistic ameliorative potential of FA and AA on mitochondrial function during beta-adrenergic catecholamine induced cardiotoxicity and associated oxidative stress in rats.

Effect of the ratio of dietary n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on broiler breeder performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid composition at different breeder ages.

PubMed

Koppenol, A; Delezie, E; Aerts, J; Willems, E; Wang, Y; Franssens, L; Everaert, N; Buyse, J

2014-03-01

When added to the feed of broiler breeder hens, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) can be incorporated into the yolk and therefore become available to the progeny during their early development. The mechanism involved in lipid metabolism and deposition in the egg may be influenced by breeder age. Before the effect of an elevated concentration of certain polyunsaturated FA on the embryo can be investigated, the effect at breeder level and egg quality must be further assessed. The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the effects of dietary n-6/n-3 ratios and dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) ratios, provided to broiler breeder hens, in terms of their zoo technical performance, egg quality, and yolk FA composition. Starting at 6 wk of age, 640 Ross-308 broiler breeder hens were fed 1 of 4 different diets. The control diet was a basal diet, rich in n-6 FA. The 3 other diets were enriched in n-3 FA, formulated to obtain a different EPA/DHA ratio of 1/1 (EPA = DHA), 1/2 (DHA), or 2/1 (EPA). In fact, after analysis the EPA/DHA ratio was 0.8, 0.4, or 2.1, respectively. Dietary EPA and DHA addition did not affect the performance of the breeder hens, except for egg weight. Egg weight was lower (P < 0.001) for all n-3 treatments. Dietary EPA improved number of eggs laid in the first 2 wk of the production cycle (P = 0.029). The absolute and relative yolk weight of eggs laid by EPA = DHA fed hens was lowest (P = 0.004 and P = 0.025, respectively). The EPA and DHA concentrations in the yolk were highly dependent on dietary EPA and DHA concentrations with a regression coefficient equal to 0.89. It can be concluded that dietary EPA and DHA can be incorporated in the breeder egg yolk to become available for the developing embryo, without compromising the performance and egg quality of the flock.

Antisense down-regulation of the strawberry β-galactosidase gene FaβGal4 increases cell wall galactose levels and reduces fruit softening

PubMed Central

Paniagua, Candelas; Blanco-Portales, Rosario; Barceló-Muñoz, Marta; García-Gago, Juan A.; Waldron, Keith W.; Quesada, Miguel A.; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Mercado, José A.

2016-01-01

Strawberry softening is characterized by an increase in the solubilization and depolymerization of pectins from cell walls. Galactose release from pectin side chains by β-galactosidase enzymes has been proposed as one reason for the increase in soluble pectins. A putative β-galactosidase gene, FaβGal4, has been identified using a custom-made oligonucleotide-based strawberry microarray platform. FaβGal4 was expressed mainly in the receptacle during fruit ripening, and was positively regulated by abscisic acid and negatively regulated by auxins. To ascertain the role of FaβGal4 in strawberry softening, transgenic plants containing an antisense sequence of this gene under the control of the CaMV35S promoter were generated. Phenotypic analyses were carried out in transgenic plants during three consecutive growing seasons, using non-transformed plants as control. Two out of nine independent transgenic lines yielded fruits that were 30% firmer than control at the ripe stage. FaβGal4 mRNA levels were reduced by 70% in ripe fruits from these selected transgenic lines, but they also showed significant silencing of FaβGal1, although the genes did not share significant similarity. These two transgenic lines also showed an increase in pectin covalently bound to the cell wall, extracted using Na2CO3. The amount of galactose in cell walls from transgenic fruits was 30% higher than in control; notably, the galactose increase was larger in the 1 M KOH fraction, which is enriched in hemicellulose. These results suggest that FaβGal4 participates in the solubilization of covalently bound pectins during ripening, reducing strawberry fruit firmness. PMID:26585222

Influence of ethylenediamine-n,n’-disuccinic acid (EDDS) concentration on the bactericidal activity of fatty acids in vitro

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The antibacterial activity of mixtures of ethylenediamine-N,N’-disuccinic acid (EDDS) and antibacterial fatty acids (FA) was examined using the agar diffusion assay. Solutions of caproic, caprylic, capric, and lauric acids dissolved in potassium hydroxide (KOH) were supplemented with 0, 5, or 10 mM ...

Fatty acid profile of kenaf seed oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fatty acid profile of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil has been the subject of several previous reports in the literature. These reports vary considerably regarding the presence and amounts of specific fatty acids, notably epoxyoleic acid but also cyclic (cyclopropene and cyclopropane) fa...

Boronic Acid vs. Folic Acid: A Comparison of the bio-recognition performances by Impedimetric Cytosensors based on Ferrocene cored dendrimer.

PubMed

Dervisevic, Muamer; Şenel, Mehmet; Sagir, Tugba; Isik, Sevim

2017-05-15

A comparative study is reported where folic acid (FA) and boronic acid (BA) based cytosensors and their analytical performances in cancer cell detection were analyzed by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method. Cytosensors were fabricated using self-assembled monolayer principle by modifying Au electrode with cysteamine (Cys) and immobilization of ferrocene cored polyamidiamine dendrimers second generation (Fc-PAMAM (G2)), after which electrodes were modified with FA and BA. Au/Fc-PAMAM(G2)/FA and Au/Fc-PAMAM(G2)/BA based cytosensors showed extremely good analytical performances in cancer cell detection with linear range of 1×10 2 to 1×10 6 cellsml -1 , detection limit of 20cellsml -1 with incubation time of 20min for FA based electrode, and for BA based electrode detection limit was 28cellsml -1 with incubation time of 10min. Next to excellent analytical performances, cytosensors showed high selectivity towards cancer cells which was demonstrated in selectivity study using human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK 293) as normal cells and Au/Fc-PAMAM(G2)/FA electrode showed two times better selectivity than BA modified electrode. These cytosensors are promising for future applications in cancer cell diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of fulvic and humic acids on copper and zinc homeostasis in rats.

PubMed

Hullár, István; Vucskits, András Valentin; Berta, Erzsébet; Andrásofszky, Emese; Bersényi, András; Szabó, József

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA), the two main compounds of humic substances (HSs), on copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) homeostasis. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine experimental groups. The control diet (AIN-93G formula) and the diets supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% FA or HA were fed for 26 days. Cu and Zn concentrations of the large intestinal content (LIC), liver, kidney, femur and hair were determined. FA and HA did not influence significantly the Cu or Zn contents of the experimental diets, the rats' feed intake, weight gain and the feed to gain ratio. Both FA and HA decreased the Cu concentrations of the LIC significantly and in a dose-related manner; however the absorption-stimulating effect of HA was more pronounced. FA increased the Cu content of the liver, but neither FA nor HA had a dose-dependent effect on it. FA or HA supplementations had no significant effect on the Cu concentration of the kidney. At the concentrations used, dietary FA or HA supplementations are not promising growth promoters. FA influences the Cu homeostasis unlike HA, because FA not only stimulates Cu absorption, but the extra quantity of absorbed Cu is retained in the organism. The stimulatory effect of HA on Zn absorption may not be manifested in Cu and Zn homeostasis, because of the tight connection of these microelements to FA and HA, which prevents the transmission of Zn from the ZnHA complex to the organs. As regards the effect of FA and HA on Cu and Zn homeostasis, both FA and HA stimulated the absorption of these microelements, but only FA increased the retention of Cu (in the liver) and Zn (in the kidney).