Molecular Nutrition & Food Research

SCOPE: Betalain pigments are increasingly highlighted for their bioactive and anti-inflammatory properties, although research is lacking to demonstrate contributions of individual betalains. The work herein aimed to compare effects of four main betalains on inflammatory and cell-protective markers and to highlight potential structure-related relationships of the two main subgroups of betalains (betacyanins versus betaxanthins). METHODS AND RESULTS: Murine RAW 264...

SCOPE: LTP-syndrome is characterized by sensitization (IgE) to multiple non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) with a variable clinical outcome. The treatment is primarily based on offending food avoidance. However, the determination of Pru p 3-specific IgE is currently the main diagnostic tool to assess sensitization to nsLTPs. Here, we evaluated improvement of LTP-syndrome diagnosis and clinical management using a new IgE multiplex-immunoblot assay with a high diversity of food nsLTPs...

SCOPE: Mushrooms are valued as an edible and medical resource for millennia. As macrofungi, they possess conserved molecular components recognized by innate immune cells like macrophages, yet unlike pathogenic fungi, they do not trigger the immune system in the same way. That these well-tolerated foods both avoid immuno-surveillance and have positive health benefits, highlights the dearth of information on the interactions of mushroom-derived products with our immune system. METHODS & RESULTS: Using powders produced from the common white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, it was observed that pre-treatment of mouse and human macrophages with mushroom powders attenuates innate immune signalling triggered by microbial ligands like LPS and  β-glucans, including NFκB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production...

SCOPE: A range of health benefits are attributed to consuming urolithin A (UA), such as improved muscle health, anti-aging activity and neuroprotection, whereas few studies raise possible adverse effects at high doses, including genotoxicity and estrogenic effects. Therefore, understanding UA bioactivity and safety depends on its pharmacokinetics. However, there is no physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model available for UA, thus limiting reliable assessment of effects observed from in vitro experimentation...

SCOPE: As a natural dietary low-molecular-weight thiol, pantethine helps maintain brain homeostasis and function in AD mice. The current study aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of pantethine on the mitigation of cognitive deficits and pathology in a triple transgenic AD mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Compared to control mice, oral administration of pantethine improved spatial learning and memory ability, relieved anxiety, and reduced the production of Aβ, neuronal damage, and inflammation in 3×Tg-AD mice...

SCOPE: Inflammatory responses reduce milk production in lactating sow. Silymarin (Silibinin is main component) reduced the inflammatory reaction and increased milk yield in lactating sow in our previous study. In the present study, we hypothesized that silibinin may be a previously unrecognized nutrients in inflammatory resolution in porcine mammary epithelial cells (PMECs). METHODS AND RESULTS: PMECs were treated with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the absence or presence of silibinin to test cell viability, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, cellular inflammatory factors and signaling protein phosphorylation and expression...

SCORE: Probiotics extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown potential as EV-based nanomaterials therapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although probiotic Clostridium butyricum has been reported to be protective in various models of intestinal inflammation, the therapeutic effects of Clostridium butyricum-derived extracellular vesicles (CbEVs) in IBD remain to be demonstrated. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we combined multi-omics sequencing with an in vitro model of lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264...

SCOPE: Cachexia, which is often marked by skeletal muscular atrophy, is one of the leading causes of death in cancer patients. Astaxanthin, a carotenoid obtained from marine organisms that can aid in the prevention and treatment of a variety of disorders. In this study, we aimed to assess whether Astaxanthin ameliorates weight loss and skeletal muscle atrophy in sorafenib-treated hepatocellular carcinoma mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: H22 mice were treated with 30 mg/kg/day of sorafenib and 60 mg/kg/day of Astaxanthin by gavage lasted for 18 days...

SCOPE: Red meat is a staple food of Western diets, but it can also induce IgE-mediated allergic reactions. Yet, apart from the heat-labile protein serum albumin and the carbohydrate α-Gal, the molecules involved in allergic reactions to red meat remain unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: IgE reactivity profiles of beef-sensitized individuals were analyzed by IgE-immunoblotting with protein extracts from raw and cooked beef. IgE-reactive proteins were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting...

SCOPE: The purpose of this study was to look into the antiviral activity of a plant extract derived from the roots of the Saussurea lappa as a food supplement against SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Vero E6 cells were used to test the neutralizing effect of Saussurea lappa extract against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In our work, we used a real-time cell analyzer that's much more sensitive than the standard endpoint tests for anti-viral effectiveness determination, and a methodology with a very high rate of repetitive results that enables us to see the whole process...

SCOPE: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a common disease with a high incidence. Because traditional drugs have obvious side effects, it is desired to find more effective drugs. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study investigates the effects of melanin from Inonotus hispidus fruiting bodies (IHFM) on acute alcoholic injury mice and detects the protective mechanisms via the gut-microbiota-liver axis. The results show that IHFM alleviates mouse liver injury by enhancing alcohol metabolism capacity, reducing inflammation response level and strengthening antioxidant activities...

SCOPE: The phytosteroid ecdysterone is present in spinach. In this study, the urinary elimination of ecdysterone and its metabolites in humans was investigated following spinach consumption of two different culinary preparations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight participants (4 male, 4 female) ingested 950 (27.1) g sautéed spinach (average (±SD)) and 912 (70.6) g spinach smoothie as second intervention after washout. Post-administration urines were analyzed by LC-MS/MS...

SCOPE: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) released into the cytosol serves as a member of damage-associated molecular patterns to initiate inflammatory responses. Mangiferin is a xanthonoid derivative, usually isolated from plants including mangoes and iris unguicularis. This study aimed to investigate whether mangiferin prevents mtDNA accumulation in the cytosol with a focus on DNase 2 protection from oxidative damage. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mangiferin administration effectively protected against hepatotoxicity in mice subjected to CCl4 challenge or bile duct ligation (BDL) surgery...

SCOPE: The aging biomarkers are alternatives and none of them could act as a strong predictor of frailty during the progression of aging. Several studies revealed the relationship between metabolites and frailty or gut microbiota and frailty. However, the connection between metabolites and gut microbiota in non-robust older adults hasn't been discussed yet. Our study aims to combine the findings of serum metabolites and gut microbiota in non-robust subjects as a possible diagnostic biomarker...

SCOPE: A prospective study of 34,492 participants showed an inverse association between (+)-catechin intake and coronary heart disease. The effects of (+)-catechin on atherosclerosis and associated risk factors are poorly understood and were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: (+)-catechin attenuates reactive oxygen species production in human macrophages, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells, chemokine-driven monocytic migration, and proliferation of human macrophages and their expression of several pro-atherogenic genes...

SCOPE: Intermittent fasting (IF) has a protective role across a wide range of chronic disorders, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but its protection against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is still lacking. This study sought to investigate how IF alleviates NASH by regulating gut microbiota and bile acids (BAs) composition. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet for 16 weeks to establish a NASH model...

SCOPE: Notopterygium incisum is a traditional Chinese medicine that is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Polysaccharide from N. incisum could be one of its main active components. However, there have been little investigations on N. incisum polysaccharides. METHODS AND RESULTS: A novel polysaccharide named NIP was extracted from Notopterygium incisum with a molecular weight of 2.34×106  Da. NIP, composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, and galacturonic acid, was linked by methyl esterified 1,4-linked α-galacturonic acid, 1,6-linked β-galactose, 1,5-linked α-arabinose, and 1,4,6-linked β- glucose...

Excellent health-promoting effects of cedrol (CED), including anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and antinociceptive effects, have been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of CED on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and the related metabolic syndrome, and to delineate the underlying mechanism. Ten-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed chow, HFD, or HFD supplemented with CED (0.2% w/w) for 19 weeks. Results demonstrated that CED effectively reduced HFD-induced body weight gain, decreased visceral fat pad weight, and significantly prevented adipocyte hypertrophy in mice...

SCOPE: Zinc is important for a balanced immune system, but the mechanisms are not yet fully elucidated. One possibility is an interaction of zinc with the tricarbocylic acid cycle (TCA), in which zinc inhibits the mitochondrial aconitase leading to an increase in intracellular citrate concentration as described for prostate cells. Therefore, we studied the immune modulatory effects of zinc and citrate and their interaction in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). METHODS AND RESULTS: After allogeneic (MLC) or superantigen stimulation, the interferon-γ (IFNγ) production was quantified by ELISA and T cell subpopulations were determined by Western Blot...

SCOPE: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a critical feature of cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) and it is responsible for poor quality of life and high mortality in cancer patients. Our previous study demonstrated that eicosapentaenoic acid-enriched phospholipids (EPA-PL) prevented body weight loss in a mouse model of CAC. However, the role of EPA-PL on cancer-induced skeletal muscle atrophy remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) mouse model was established, then the effect and underlying mechanism of EPA-PL on skeletal muscle atrophy in LLC-bearing mice were investigated...