Women with evidence of high intake ratios of the marine omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) relative to the omega-6 arachidonic acid have been found to have ...a reduced risk of breast cancer compared with those with low ratios in some but not all case-control and cohort studies. If increasing EPA and DHA relative to arachidonic acid is effective in reducing breast cancer risk, likely mechanisms include reduction in proinflammatory lipid derivatives, inhibition of nuclear factor-κB-induced cytokine production, and decreased growth factor receptor signaling as a result of alteration in membrane lipid rafts. Primary prevention trials with either risk biomarkers or cancer incidence as endpoints are underway but final results of these trials are currently unavailable. EPA and DHA supplementation is also being explored in an effort to help prevent or alleviate common problems after a breast cancer diagnosis, including cardiac and cognitive dysfunction and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. The insulin-sensitizing and anabolic properties of EPA and DHA also suggest supplementation studies to determine whether these omega-3 fatty acids might reduce chemotherapy-associated loss of muscle mass and weight gain. We will briefly review relevant omega-3 fatty acid metabolism, and early investigations in breast cancer prevention and survivorship.
Circulating fatty acids (FA) are associated with a multitude of chronic diseases. However, a major gap in establishing such relationships is the lack of accepted fatty acid reference ranges ...representing healthy individuals. Data on validated FA reference ranges would provide a better understanding of study baseline measures and aid in the evaluation and interpretation of pharmaceutical or dietary interventions. Reference ranges for plasma FA levels have been reported in a few small studies and on a limited number of FA. Therefore, we determined the average and percentiles of a broad set of 61 FA (C14 - C24:1) from plasma total lipids from an ethnically diverse population of healthy young Canadian males and females (Total n = 826). Plasma concentrations of some of the major FA ranged from 0.3 to 4.1 mmol/L for palmitic acid, 0.1 to 1.0 mmol/L for stearic acid, 0.03 to 3.2 mmol/L for oleic acid, 0.2 to 5.0 mmol/L for linoleic acid (LA), 12.0 to 186.9 μmol/L for α-linolenic acid, and 7.2 to 237.5 μmol/L for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Males had significantly higher plasma concentrations of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid and lower concentrations of palmitoleic acid, LA and DHA than females. Comparison of FA concentrations between Caucasians, East Asians and South Asians revealed that South Asians had significantly lower levels of palmitoleic acid (p < 0.01) and oleic acid (p = 0.01) while East Asians had lower levels of GLA (p = 0.02) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (p = 0.03). Overall, these data provide a comprehensive set of quantitative values that profiles a small cohort of Canadians which highlights the utility of establishing validated FA reference ranges that may be used to understand how deficient, suboptimal, or excess amounts of a given FA may be associated with chronic disease.
Direct comparisons between SFAs varying in chain length, specifically palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0), relative to the latter–s metabolic product, oleic acid (18:1), on cardiometabolic ...risk factors are limited.
The aim of this study was to determine the relative comparability of diets enriched in palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid on inflammation and coagulation markers, T lymphocyte proliferation/ex-vivo cytokine secretion, plasma cardiometabolic risk factors, and fecal bile acid concentrations.
Hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women (n = 20, mean ± SD age 64 ± 7 y, BMI 26.4 ± 3.4 kg/m2, LDL cholesterol ≥ 2.8 mmol/L) were provided with each of 3 diets 55% energy (%E) carbohydrate, 15%E protein, 30%E fat, with ∼50% fat contributed by palmitic acid, stearic acid, or oleic acid in each diet; 5 wk/diet phase using a randomized crossover design with 2-wk washouts between phases. Outcome measures were assessed at the end of each phase.
Fasting LDL-cholesterol and non–HDL-cholesterol concentrations were lower after the stearic acid and oleic acid diets than the palmitic acid diet (all P < 0.01). Fasting HDL-cholesterol concentrations were lower after the stearic acid diet than the palmitic acid and oleic acid diets (P < 0.01). The stearic acid diet resulted in lower lithocholic acid (P = 0.01) and total secondary bile acid (SBA) concentrations (P = 0.04) than the oleic acid diet. All other outcome measures were similar between diets. Lithocholic acid concentrations were positively correlated with fasting LDL-cholesterol concentrations (r = 0.33; P = 0.011). Total SBA, lithocholic acid, and deoxycholic acid concentrations were negatively correlated with fasting HDL cholesterol (r = −0.51 to −0.44; P < 0.01) concentrations and positively correlated with LDL cholesterol:HDL cholesterol (r = 0.37–0.54; P < 0.01) ratios.
Dietary stearic acid and oleic acid had similar effects on fasting LDL-cholesterol and non–HDL-cholesterol concentrations and more favorable ones than palmitic acid. Unlike oleic acid, the hypocholesterolemic effect of stearic acid may be mediated by inhibition of intestinal hydrophobic SBA synthesis. These findings add to the data suggesting there should be a reassessment of current SFA dietary guidance and Nutrient Facts panel labeling. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02145936.
Characterized by one of the highest rates of endemism and biodiversity in the world, Madagascar provides a wide variety of medicinal plants, that could represent a potential source of new drugs. The ...main aim of this study was to investigate the potential medicinal properties of the plant species used by indigenous people in Maromizaha forest and to provide the first ethnobotanical inventory of the area.
Data were collected through open semi-structured interviews with local informants, the reported plants were collected and identified to create a specimen herbarium. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated for each ailment category mentioned in the use-reports. A selection of seven medicinal plants was submitted to phytochemical and antimicrobial analysis. The results were discussed and compared with those described in ethnobotanical and pharmacological literature.
One hundred and three villagers were interviewed and a total of 509 use-reports were recorded. Information on 117 plant species belonging to 57 botanical families were provided. 12 categories of indigenous uses were recognized, among them the higher ICF values were recorded for cardiovascular complaints (0.75), general and unspecific diseases (0.74), digestive disorders (0.69), and diseases of the skin (0.55). The traditional medicinal uses of 18 species (15 endemic) were described for the first time. In total, 22 different bioactive compounds were identified; polyphenols, monoterpenes, organic acids, and vitamin C were observed in the chemical composition of all the analyzed samples. Macaranga perrieri showed the highest values of both total polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Antimicrobial activity was observed in leaf and bark extracts of Dilobeia thouarsii.
These results confirmed the importance of investigating the traditional use of plant species, suggesting the crucial role of ethnobotanical studies for rural development, biodiversity conservation, and the sustainable use of plant resources in the studied area.
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The control of fungal contamination is particularly important to avoid both spoilage of food and feed products and the occurrence of toxic compounds, known as mycotoxins. Some lactic acid bacteria ...(LAB) strains have shown the capacity to inhibit fungal growth and the production of mycotoxins. In this work, cell-free supernatants (CFS) of Lactobacillus plantarum UM55 and Lactobacillus buchneri UTAD104 were tested against Penicillium nordicum radial growth and OTA production. When CFS of these strains were used, the radial growth of the fungus was inhibited by less than 20%, but the production of OTA was reduced by approx. 60%. These antifungal effects resulted from organic acids produced by LAB. The CFS of L. plantarum UM55 contained lactic acid, phenyllactic acid (PLA), hydroxyphenyllactic acid (OH-PLA) and indole lactic acid (ILA), while L. buchneri UTAD104 CFS contained acetic acid, lactic acid and PLA. These organic acids were further tested individually for their inhibitory capacity. Calculation of the inhibitory concentrations (ICs) showed that acetic acid, ILA and PLA were the most effective in inhibiting P. nordicum growth and OTA production. When the inhibitory activity of LAB cells incorporated into the culture medium was tested, L. buchneri UTAD104 inhibited the production of OTA entirely in all conditions tested, but fungal growth was only inhibited completely by the highest concentrations of cells. Acetic acid production was primarily responsible for this effect. In conclusion, the ability of LAB to inhibit mycotoxigenic fungi depends on strain capability to produce specific organic acids, and those acids may differ from strain to strain. Also, the use of LAB cells, especially from L. buchneri, in food products prone to contamination with P. nordicum (e.g. dry-cured meats and cheeses) may be an alternative solution to control fungal growth and OTA production.
The phytochemical content, antioxidant activity and antiproliferative properties of three diverse varieties of proso millet are reported. The free phenolic content ranged from 27.48 (Gumi 20) to ...151.14 (Mi2504-6) mg gallic acid equiv/100 g DW. The bound phenolic content ranged from 55.95 (Gumi20) to 305.81 (Mi2504-6) mg gallic acid equiv/100 g DW. The percentage contribution of bound phenolic to the total phenolic content of genotype samples analyzed ranged between 62.08% and 67.05%. Ferulic acid and chlorogenic acid are the predominant phenolic acid found in bound fraction. Caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were also detected. Syringic acid was detected only in the free fraction. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the hydrophilic peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) assay. The PSC antioxidant activity of the free fraction ranged from 57.68 (Mi2504-6) to 147.32 (Gumi20) µmol of vitamin C equiv/100 g DW. The PSC antioxidant activity of the bound fraction ranged from 95.38 (Mizao 52) to 136.48 (Gumi 20) µmol of vitamin C equiv/100 g DW. The cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) of the extract was assessed using the HepG2 model. CAA value ranged from 2.51 to 6.10 µmol equiv quercetin/100 g DW. Antiproliferative activities were also studied in vitro against MDA human breast cancer and HepG2 human liver cancer cells. Results exhibited a differential and possible selective antiproliferative property of the proso millet. These results may be used to direct the consumption of proso millet with improved health properties.
Organic acids, which are chemically synthesized, are also natural intermediates in the metabolic pathways of microorganisms, among which the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is the most crucial route ...existing in almost all living organisms. Organic acids in the TCA cycle include citric acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, l-malic acid, and oxaloacetate, which are building-block chemicals with wide applications and huge markets. In this review, we summarize the synthesis pathways of these organic acids and review recent advances in metabolic engineering strategies that enhance organic acid production. We also propose further improvements for the production of organic acids with systems and synthetic biology-guided metabolic engineering strategies.
•Systematically summarize the advances in production of organic acids in the TCA cycle of microbes•Discuss the challenges facing with the metabolic engineering for production of organic acids•Propose how to further accelerate the organic acids industry by using systems and synthetic biology
The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is the key decisive factor controlling the development of adipocytes. Ligand-mediated activation of PPARγ occurs early during ...adipogenesis and is thought to prime adipose conversion. Although several fatty acids and their derivatives are known to bind to and activate PPARγ, the identity of the ligand(s) responsible for initiating adipocyte differentiation is still a matter of debate. Here we review recent data on pathways involved in ligand production as well as possible endogenous, adipogenic PPARγ agonists.
Given an increasing focus on environmental sustainability, microbial oils have been suggested as an alternative to petroleum-based products. However, microbial oil production relies on the use of ...costly sugar-based feedstocks. Substrate limitation, elevated costs, and risk of contamination have sparked the search for alternatives to sugar-based platforms. Volatile fatty acids are generated during anaerobic digestion of organic waste and are considered a promising substrate for microbial oil production. In the present study, two freshwater and one marine microalga along with two thraustochytrids were evaluated for their potential to produce lipids when cultivated on volatile fatty acids generated from food waste via anaerobic digestion using a membrane bioreactor. Freshwater microalgae
and
synthesized lipids rich in palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2). This composition corresponds to that of soybean and jatropha oils, which are used as biodiesel feedstock. Production of added-value polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) mainly omega-3 fatty acids was examined in three different marine strains:
sp. T66,
SR21, and
. Only
sp. T66 seemed promising, generating 43.19% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 13.56% docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) in total lipids. In summary, we show that
,
, and
sp. T66 can be used for microbial oil production from food waste material.
Atlantic salmon can synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) via activities of very long ...chain fatty acyl elongases (Elovls) and fatty acyl desaturases (Fads), albeit to a limited degree. Understanding molecular mechanisms of PUFA biosynthesis and regulation is a pre-requisite for sustainable use of vegetable oils in aquafeeds as current sources of fish oils are unable to meet increasing demands for omega-3 PUFAs. By generating CRISPR-mediated elovl2 partial knockout (KO), we have shown that elovl2 is crucial for multi-tissue synthesis of 22:6n-3 in vivo and that endogenously synthesized PUFAs are important for transcriptional regulation of lipogenic genes in Atlantic salmon. The elovl2-KOs showed reduced levels of 22:6n-3 and accumulation of 20:5n-3 and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) in the liver, brain and white muscle, suggesting inhibition of elongation. Additionally, elovl2-KO salmon showed accumulation of 20:4n-6 in brain and white muscle. The impaired synthesis of 22:6n-3 induced hepatic expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (srebp-1), fatty acid synthase-b, Δ6fad-a, Δ5fad and elovl5. Our study demonstrates key roles of elovl2 at two penultimate steps of PUFA synthesis in vivo and suggests Srebp-1 as a main regulator of endogenous PUFA synthesis in Atlantic salmon.
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