Excess Protein Research Articles

Muscle fiber type-specific proteome distribution and protease activity in relation to proteolysis trends in beef striploin (M. longissimus lumborum) and tenderloin (M. psoas major)

The muscle fiber type and proteome distributions, protease activity, and protein degradation in bovine M. longissimus lumborum (beef striploin; LL) and M. psoas major (beef tenderloin; PM) were assessed to study muscle type-specific proteolysis. Bovine LL and PM muscle pieces (3 cm thickness) were stored in a refrigerator for 14 days and protein degradation and protease activity were evaluated at 1, 7, and 14 days of storage. Bovine LL included more fast-twitch glycolytic (type IIX) fibers than PM, whereas PM had a higher composition of slow-twitch oxidative (type I) fibers than LL (P < 0.05). Proteome distribution between these two muscles showed muscle fiber type-specificities: LL showed high intensities of proteins responsible for glycolytic metabolism, while PM showed large distribution of mitochondrial proteins. The activity of proteases, mainly calpain, showed different tendencies between the two muscles during 14 days of cold storage, which resulted in different timing of excessive myofibrillar protein breakdown (myosin heavy chains 1 and 2) between the two muscles. These results provided a detailed understanding of the differences in proteolysis by muscle type resulting in proteolysis-induced changes in meat quality during storage.

HDAC2 in Primary Sensory Neurons Constitutively Restrains Chronic Pain by Repressing α2δ-1 Expression and Associated NMDA Receptor Activity.

α2δ-1 (encoded by the Cacna2d1 gene) is a newly discovered NMDA receptor-interacting protein and is the therapeutic target of gabapentinoids (e.g., gabapentin and pregabalin) frequently used for treating patients with neuropathic pain. Nerve injury causes sustained α2δ-1 upregulation in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), which promotes NMDA receptor synaptic trafficking and activation in the spinal dorsal horn, a hallmark of chronic neuropathic pain. However, little is known about how nerve injury initiates and maintains the high expression level of α2δ-1 to sustain chronic pain. Here, we show that nerve injury caused histone hyperacetylation and diminished enrichment of histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2), but not HDAC3, at the Cacna2d1 promoter in the DRG. Strikingly, Hdac2 knockdown or conditional knockout in DRG neurons in male and female mice consistently induced long-lasting mechanical pain hypersensitivity, which was readily reversed by blocking NMDA receptors, inhibiting α2δ-1 with gabapentin or disrupting the α2δ-1-NMDA receptor interaction at the spinal cord level. Hdac2 deletion in DRG neurons increased histone acetylation levels at the Cacna2d1 promoter, upregulated α2δ-1 in the DRG, and potentiated α2δ-1-dependent NMDA receptor activity at primary afferent central terminals in the spinal dorsal horn. Correspondingly, Hdac2 knockdown-induced pain hypersensitivity was blunted in Cacna2d1 knockout mice. Thus, our findings reveal that HDAC2 functions as a pivotal transcriptional repressor of neuropathic pain via constitutively suppressing α2δ-1 expression and ensuing presynaptic NMDA receptor activity in the spinal cord. HDAC2 enrichment levels at the Cacna2d1 promoter in DRG neurons constitute a unique epigenetic mechanism that governs acute-to-chronic pain transition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Excess α2δ-1 proteins produced after nerve injury directly interact with glutamate NMDA receptors to potentiate synaptic NMDA receptor activity in the spinal cord, a prominent mechanism of nerve pain. Because α2δ-1 upregulation after nerve injury is long lasting, gabapentinoids relieve pain symptoms only temporarily. Our study demonstrates for the first time the unexpected role of intrinsic HDAC2 activity at the α2δ-1 gene promoter in limiting α2δ-1 gene transcription, NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity, and chronic pain development after nerve injury. These findings challenge the prevailing view about the role of general HDAC activity in promoting chronic pain. Restoring the repressive HDAC2 function and/or reducing histone acetylation at the α2δ-1 gene promoter in primary sensory neurons could lead to long-lasting relief of nerve pain.

Abscisic acid activates desiccation tolerance responses in intertidal seaweed Neoporphyra haitanensis

Intertidal macroalgae have adapted to deal with environmental stresses, in particular desiccation. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in the regulation of a suite of critical responses in plants, including desiccation tolerance. The red alga Neoporphyra haitanensis contains a high level of ABA, but its mechanism of action in N. haitanensis is unknown. In this study, the effect of ABA treatment on the relative water content of thalli during the dehydration-rehydration cycle was evaluated and it was identified that ABA treatment resulted in decreased thalli water loss and an accelerated rehydration process. The effects of addition of ABA upon the activation of antioxidant responses, photosynthetic parameters and gene transcription profiles of N. haitanensis were also evaluated. The results revealed that exogenous ABA regulated the activation of the antioxidant system, including by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, increasing the concentrations of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), as well as upregulating the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and enzymes that synthesize AsA and GSH. ABA treatment also inhibited photosynthesis by reducing light capture and down-regulating the Calvin cycle to save energy; ABA supplementation further simultaneously activated repair mechanisms to avoid excessive DNA and protein damage. The results presented herein demonstrate that ABA plays a crucial role in the regulation of stress tolerance in seaweeds, which may be of great importance when examining the adaptation of this organism to the intertidal environment.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for protein determination in human urine

Excessive protein excretion in human urine is an early and sensitive marker of diabetic nephropathy, primary and secondary renal disease. Kidney problems, particularly chronic kidney disease, remain among the few growing causes of mortality in the world. Therefore, it is important to develop efficient, expressive, and low-cost method for protein determination. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) methods are potential candidates to achieve those criteria. In this paper, the SERS method was developed to distinguish patients with proteinuria and the healthy group. Two types of commercial gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 60 nm and 100 nm were employed to prepare substrates for the analysis of 78 samples of unique patients. Data analysis by the PCA-LDA algorithm, and the ROC curves, gave results for diagnostic figures of merits. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC were 0.79, 0.89, 0.85, and 0.90 for the set with 60 nm Au NPs, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC were 0.79, 0.98, 0.90, and 0.91 for the set with 100 nm Au NPs, respectively. The results show the potential of SERS spectroscopy in differentiating between patients with proteinuria and healthy individuals for clinical diagnostics.

Effects of ultrasound–assisted freezing on the quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) subjected to multiple freeze–thaw cycles

Repeated freezing and thawing due to temperature fluctuations irreversibly damage the muscle tissue cells of fish, thereby reducing their economic quality. In this study, the effects of ultrasound-assisted immersed freezing (UIF) technology on the changes in the quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) subjected to 0 to 5 freeze–thaw cycles were investigated. The results showed that the quality deterioration inevitably occurred after repeated freeze–thaw cycles. However, UIF significantly delayed the changes in the water holding capacity (WHC), immobilized water content, color and texture properties of fish. Compared to the control group (air freezing, AF), the thawing loss in the UIF group was reduced by 1.09 % to 4.54 % (P < 0.05), the centrifuging loss was reduced by 0.39 % to 1.86 % (P < 0.05), the migration of immobilized water content was reduced by 4 % to 5 % (P < 0.05). Moreover, SEM and LM images illustrated that the microstructures of muscle tissue in UIF group were more uniform and denser than that of the AF group after freeze–thaw cycles, and that the ice crystal size from UIF group were smaller and more regular than that of AF group. Furthermore, UIF did not caused more excessive protein oxidation of myofibrillary protein, but significantly delayed the lipid oxidation of fish muscle. The results indicated that UIF technology effectively inhibits the deterioration of fish quality affected by multiple freeze–thaw cycles, thus providing a reference for controlling the deterioration of aquatic products due to temperature fluctuations in the industry.

Pectin degree of esterification influences rheology and digestibility of whey protein isolate-pectin stabilized bilayer oil-in-water nanoemulsions

Gelation in nanoemulsions happens at a lower oil volume fraction ( φ ) compared to conventional emulsions due to the increasing contribution of interfacial shell-layer thickness. In this study, the shell-layer thickness was increased by depositing a second layer of pectin on whey protein isolate (WPI)-stabilized nanodroplets. Pectin with two different degrees of esterification (DE), 33% and 73%, was used to investigate the effect of interfacial charge on the repulsive shell layer thickness. Excess WPI was removed from the primary 20 wt% canola oil-in-water nanoemulsion stabilized with 4 wt% WPI (pH 7) by ultracentrifugation before pectin addition. At pH 7, the added pectin remained in the continuous phase and led to almost two orders of magnitude increase in emulsion viscosity, but they were flowable. Changing to pH 3 led to electrostatic complexation of pectin with WPI either mostly in the aqueous phase for the emulsions with excess proteins (WTEP) or at the oil droplet surface for the emulsions without excess proteins (WOEP). The addition of pectin transformed the liquid primary emulsions into viscoelastic gels at only 20 wt% oil due to extensive droplet aggregation for the emulsion WTEP. For the emulsion WOEP, gelation was manifested by the close packing of repulsive droplets. The higher pectin charge (DE33) increased the gel strength of bilayer emulsions compared to the lower pectin charge (DE73) due to the charge cloud-induced enhanced interfacial repulsive barrier. The deposition of pectin also reduced lipid digestibility from 37.2% for the monolayer emulsions to 24.0% and 16.1% for DE73 and DE33-coated bilayer emulsions, respectively. Such findings can be used to better understand and modify the rheological and digestion properties of repulsive emulsion gels for application in reduced fat foods. • WPI-pectin bilayer nanoemulsion was created using layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition. • Excess whey protein in the continuous phase led to attractive gelation in nanoemulsion. • Removal of excess protein led to repulsive gelation in bilayer nanoemulsion. • Higher pectin charge was more effective in enhancing repulsive gelation in bilayer nanoemulsions. • Lipid digestibility was reduced with pectin bilayer and increasing pectin charge.

Rancidity-induced protein oxidation affects the interfacial dynamic properties and the emulsion rheological behavior of rice bran protein

To improve the practical application of rice bran protein (RBP) prepared from rice bran (RB) with different degrees of rancidity as a stabilizer in emulsion, fresh RB was stored for 0, 1, 5, 7, and 10 d (temperature of 25 °C, relative humidity of 85%) to investigate the effects of RB rancidity on the interfacial dynamic properties and structures of RBP, rheological properties of the O/W emulsion prepared by RBP. RB rancidity-induced moderate oxidation of RBP (prepared from RB storage for 1 d) reduced the particle size (24.36–18.17 nm) and Zeta potential (−13.57 ∼ −14.97 mV) of RBP, while excessive RBP oxidation (prepared from RB storage for 5–10 d) increased the particle size (37.84–68.06 nm) and Zeta potential (−13.40 ∼ −10.6 mV) of RBP. In addition, moderate protein oxidation increased the interfacial pressure, diffusion rate, interfacial expansion modulus of RBP, and emulsion viscoelasticity, while excessive protein oxidation improved the permeability rate and rearrangement rate of RBP. Overall, this study demonstrated that moderate protein oxidation had positive effects on interfacial properties (interfacial dynamic properties and dilatational rheology of interfacial layers) of RBP, which could provide a theoretical basis for mediating the stability and rheology of RBP emulsions by adjusting the degrees of RB rancidity. • Rancidity-induced RBP oxidation changed the K diff , K p and K r of RBP. • RBP oxidation changed the viscoelasticity of interfacial adsorption layers. • RBP oxidation changed the viscosity, G′ and G″ of RBP emulsions.

A new partially hydrolyzed whey-based follow-on formula with age-adapted protein content supports healthy growth during the first year of life.

BackgroundStandard infant formulae often have higher protein content than breastmilk in order to compensate for potentially lower digestibility; excess protein intake may promote adverse effects later in life. A new partially hydrolyzed whey-based (pHF-W) follow-on formula (FoF) with age-adapted protein content was evaluated for growth and gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance in healthy infants.MethodsFormula-fed (FF) infants (n = 108) received standard pHF-W formula (1.9 g protein/100 kcal) from enrollment (age ≤ 30 days) until age 120 days followed by new pHF-W FoF (1.6 g protein/100 kcal) until 360 days. Weight gain velocity (WGV) (mean daily WG from enrollment to age 180 days) was compared to WHO growth standards and a breastfed (BF) reference group (n = 86) (non-inferiority margin –3 g/day). GI tolerance was assessed using a validated questionnaire (scale range 13−65).ResultsWGV in FF infants (mean ± SD 24.0 ± 4.4 g/day) was non-inferior to BF (23.7 ± 3.9 g/day) and WHO standards (all p ≤ 0.013). Weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length, and head circumference-for-age z-scores of FF infants were not significantly different from BF at any timepoint. Symptoms of GI intolerance were low (≤23) at all timepoints and similar between groups.ConclusionA new pHF-W FoF with age-adapted protein content fed sequentially after standard pHF-W infant formula is safe, well-tolerated, and promotes a healthy growth pattern consistent with BF infants and WHO standards during the first year of life.Clinical trial registration[https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [NCT03276663].

A conceptual framework for nutritional evaluation, screening, and monitoring of pregnant women: Evidence from a Brazilian cohort of nulliparous women.

The present review comes from five previous studies of a multicenter cohort of nulliparous pregnant women from different regions of Brazil. The first study showed a wide difference in consumption of industrialized foods among women from the south and southeast regions compared with northeastern women who chose to eat a healthier diet with fresh natural food. The second investigation intended to understand maternal eating habits, where five dietary patterns were identified: two considered healthy and three with excess protein, ultra-processed foods, fats, and sweets. Considering some barriers to classifying nutrition status during prenatal care, when data on pre-pregnancy weight is unknown, the third study developed a tool to identify three levels of risk for each gestational age range, assessed by measuring arm circumference. Applying those new tools, the associations between maternal nutrition and pregnancy outcomes were investigated: prematurity, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and small-for-gestational-age infants. From these analyses, a predictive model was developed indicating that obesity, non-white color, and dietary pattern with excess protein consumption were associated with a greater probability of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, the potential of the intergenerational influence of head circumference as a proxy for maternal nutrition was analyzed. Using a Path Analysis method, the model was evidenced by different socioeconomic variables. Finally, understanding the complexity of the nutritional assessment, the present conceptual framework was proposed for nutritional assessment, and tracking and monitoring of pregnant women.

HucMSC-sEVs-Derived 14-3-3ζ Serves as a Bridge between YAP and Autophagy in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

As nanoscale membranous vesicles, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (hucMSC-sEVs) have attracted extensive attention in the field of tissue regeneration. Under the premise that the mechanisms of hucMSC-sEVs on the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) have not been revealed clearly, we constructed DKD rat model with success. After tail vein injection, hucMSC-sEVs effectively reduced blood glucose, maintained body weight and improved renal function in DKD rats. Notably, we found that hucMSC-sEVs suppressed YAP expression in renal cortical regions. Further in vitro experiments, we confirmed that the expression of YAP in the nucleus of renal podocytes was increased, and the level of autophagy was inhibited in the high-glucose environment, which could be reversed by intervention with hucMSC-sEVs. We screened out the key protein 14-3-3ζ, which could not only promote YAP cytoplasmic retention instead of entering the nucleus, but also enhance the level of autophagy in the cytoplasm. Ultimately, excessive YAP protein was removed by autophagy, a classic way of protein degradation. In conclusion, our study provides new strategies for the prevention of DKD and proposes the possibility of hucMSC-sEVs becoming a new treatment for DKD in the future.

食物宏量营养素组成调控哺乳动物寿命的研究进展

<p indent="0mm">The aging population is one of the world’s most momentous challenges and causes prodigious economic burdens to individuals, families, and a country. As the average lifespan has dramatically increased globally, more people are paying particularly close attention to what/how dietary composition has the potential to extend a healthy lifespan. People have been interested in looking for the elixir of youth, yet studies on molecular mechanisms of aging are relatively new and are far from being understood. Recent work has shown that nutrients, small molecules, genetic modifications, and other factors can substantially extend the lifespan of multispecies, ranging from yeast to mammals. Among these longevity factors, nutrient balance has emerged as an important factor in extending lifespan. Yet, the effect of many nutrient factors on longevity is not well investigated. Most anti-aging studies focus on dietary restriction (DR) or calorie restriction (CR), the mere reduction of food intake without malnutrition, which has become a gold standard in biological aging studies. DR was found to extend the average and maximum lifespan from yeast to primates. It also protects against age-related pathologies, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease in humans. However, studies have shown that changing the dietary components could eliminate lifespan extension by DR, suggesting that nutrient balance other than DR plays a pivotal role in regulating longevity. Notably, mammalian models, mainly rats and mice, have been influential in advancing aging research. Here, we reviewed studies published since 1935 that demonstrated that changing the composition of food macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein or amino acids, and fat) altered lifespan in mouse and rat models. Carbohydrate research has primarily focused on early DR studies, in which researchers used carbohydrates in food to control animal growth and energy intake. Protein/amino acids may significantly impact lifespan more than carbohydrates and fats because growth and development depend more on protein intake in the early stages of life. However, protein requirement decreases in mature animals, and excessive protein consumption stimulates growth and differentiation, which may accelerate aging. In mammals, reducing protein intake reduces body weight, increases physical activity, and prolongs lifespan. On the other hand, studies primarily focused on essential amino acids such as methionine, glycine, tryptophan, BCAA, and the non-essential amino acid arginine that alter mammalian metabolism and aging through various mechanisms that influence lifespan. The type of fat, the sexual activities, genetics, environment, and health status of the study subjects all influence whether and how changes in dietary fat content affect lifespan. Recently, dietary supplementation of P꞉C has become an emerging research topic, with most studies concluding that a diet low in P꞉C benefits longevity. Likewise, the ketogenic diet (KD) is a brand-new diet that has only recently emerged and is frequently used as an alternative for treating epilepsy and other diseases. Although it may increase patient survival time, it has not been known to extend life expectancy in healthy populations effectively. Moreover, the effect of these nutrients on lifespan may be generally influenced by the subjects’ age and health status. In conclusion, the three macronutrients significantly impact mammalian longevity and may eventually replace DR as the key to dietary recommendations for human longevity. Therefore, a key focus of future research on longevity is needed to thoroughly and meticulously reveal the molecular mechanisms by which macronutrients affect lifespan. These dietary composition-related longevity interventions and the associated tools could provide new insights into studying healthy longevity.

PSXI-12 Determination of Protein Requirements for Labrador Retriever Pups (&amp;gt; 14 wk-9 Mo) Using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation (Iaao) Technique

Abstract Providing protein to growing puppies in accurate amounts ensures that animals have enough energy and nutrients for depositing muscle, growing bones, and maintaining joint health. Inclusion amounts must be provided at correct doses, considering a diet with excess protein can lead to harmful outcomes such as hyperkalemia or acidosis. To determine the protein requirements in growing Labrador Retrievers, the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique was utilized in six puppies (&amp;gt;14 wk-9 mo). Dogs were supplied with constant dietary Phe across diets. The control diet was fed for two days, followed by a day in which the test diet was fed, a tracer amino acid was supplied, and breath samples were collected. On test day, a priming dose of L-[1-13C]phenylalanine (Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc.) based on the body weight of the subject was supplied, followed by [1-13C]Phe doses every 30 minutes, spanning a four-hour period. A respiration mask was placed on each subject every 30 minutes (Oxymax, Columbus Instruments), 13CO2 was collected, and enrichment was determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). IRMS results were converted to atom percent excess (APE) and analyzed using a segmented model of best fit (JMP Pro 16). The outcome of this experiment determines that if essential amino acids and non-essential amino acid nitrogen requirements are met, Labrador Retriever puppies will have mean and population safe requirements (mean±2SD) of 47.5 ± 1.325 g/1,000 kcal.

131 Rendering Effects on pet Food Ingredients

Abstract Approximately 31 million tons of animal by-products are generated by livestock and poultry farming, meat processing, and retailing in the U.S. and Canada each year. Utilizing rather than discarding these resources prevents the release of large amounts of GHGs into the atmosphere. Renderers reclaim the carbon from these by-products and transform them into 6.3 million tons of refined animal fats and 8.9 million tons of rendered protein meals for use as animal food ingredients annually. In 2019, 1.5 million tons of rendered protein meals and 289 thousand tons of animal fats were used in pet food, and another 1.83 million tons of fresh and frozen meat and poultry by-products and organ meats were used in pet food without first being rendered. Rendering cookers break down tissues so that fats can be pressed out of muscle, bone, and connective tissues. Rendered products are safe from biological hazards as cooking is done at higher temperatures for longer times than necessary for food safety. The Prioritization of food safety in both rendering and pet food industries in recent years have delayed emphasis on some quality factors. Many citations in literature document that excessive heat damages proteins and decreases their quality and digestibility. Research is planned to provide guidance to renderers on cooking procedures that would meet the needs for processing and food safety without sacrificing quality and digestibility. Other factors that impact the availability and usability of rendered products include parts available for rendering after fresh parts are selected for pet food, upstream human food safety interventions, time and temperature conditions between slaughter and rendering, cooling, drying, storage, transport, and the use of antioxidants, antimicrobials, and other processing aids. Opportunities exist to modernize plants and processes to provide high quality ingredients. Renderers have invested with the pet food sector to collaborate on strategies to improve safety, quality, and sustainability of pet food ingredients.

Long-Term Trends in Risk Factor Management in Respondents with Chronic Kidney Disease in the USA

Introduction: Unhealthy lifestyle factors are known to increase the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its complications. The long-term trends in these factors are unclear. Methods: The aim of the study was to assess temporal trends in the prevalence of risk factors in adults with CKD in the USA and identify sociodemographic subgroups at most risk. Subanalysis of data was carried out from a stratified, complex, multistage probability-based cross-sectional and nationally representative survey. We examined participants from National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) respondents aged ≥20 years with CKD from 1999 to 2018. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate of 15–59 mL/min/1.73 m². Evaluated risk factors included uncontrolled blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, excessive sodium intake, excessive protein intake, poor diet, obesity, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, and sedentary behavior. Sociodemographic variables included age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education level, family income, and employment status. Results: Blood pressure control among respondents with CKD (n = 4,342) was poor but significantly improved from the 1999–2000 (82% uncontrolled) to 2017–2018 surveys (66%; p for linear trend = 0.02). Prevalence of uncontrolled blood glucose (15–22%; p < 0.01), excessive sodium intake (72–78%; p = 0.04), and obesity (32–51%; p < 0.01) significantly increased over this time. The proportion of respondents with uncontrolled blood lipids, depression, smoking, excessive protein intake, poor diet, physical inactivity, or sedentary behavior showed no significant change over the 10-year period. Older people were more likely to have high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and high blood lipids but healthier lifestyle habits than younger people. And respondents of males, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, low income, low education, widowed/divorced/separated, and employed had worse risk factor control compared to reference groups. Discussion/Conclusion: Although the control of several risk factors in US NHANES respondents with CKD improved from 1999 to 2018, further reductions remain of value.

Resistant Protein: Forms and Functions.

Several global health risks are related to our dietary lifestyle. As a consequence of the overconsumption of ultra-processed and highly digestible protein (150–200% of the recommended value), excess dietary proteins reach the colon, are hydrolysed to peptides and amino acids by bacterial proteases and fermented to various potentially toxic end products. A diet reformulation strategy with reduced protein content in food products appears to be the most effective approach. A potential approach to this challenge is to reduce food digestibility by introducing resistant protein into the diet that could positively influence human health and gut microbiome functionality. Resistant protein is a dietary constituent not hydrolysed by digestive enzymes or absorbed in the human small intestine. The chemical conformation and the amino acid composition strictly influence its structural stability and resistance to in vivo proteolysis and denaturation. Responding to the important gap in our knowledge regarding the digestibility performance of alternative proteins, we hypothesise that resistant proteins can beneficially alter food functionality via their role in improving metabolic properties and health benefits in human nutrition, similar to fibres and resistant starches. A multidisciplinary investigation of resistant protein will generate tremendous scientific impact for other interlinked societal, economic, technological and health and wellbeing aspects of human life.

A Study to Assess the Prevalence of Levels of Stress Among Pregnancy Induced Hypertension Mothers Attending OBG OPD at Selected Hospitals of Bagalkot, Karnataka

Background of the study: PIH and its management are critical and should be essential part of nursing concern for continuous improvement and enhanced fetal outcomes. Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is one of the leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. stress is considered as one of the etiological factor in PIH. Preeclampsia might be the result of inadequate maternal care and this may advance to eclampsia if proper care is not taken, resulting in various maternal complications. Endothelial dysfunction is considered as one of the etiological factor for the development of preeclampsia. PIH can be referred to a type of increased blood pressure of greater or equal 140mmHg that is associated with excess protein in urine or may not have elevated amount of protein in urine (that is more than or equal to 300mg over a 24 hour period) which begins at twenty weeks of conception, however it can clear up in 12 weeks postnatal,It also refers to a new onset of excessive protein in urine for the first 24 hour period in women who are hypertensive and who do not have excess protein in urine before 20 weeks of gestation MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research approach adopted for this study was quantitative research approach and the design used was descriptive research design. The convenience sampling technique was used to select 100 subjects. The tool used for data collection was Cohen’s perceived stress scale. Paper pencil technique was used for data collection and data obtained were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: result indicates that majority 70% of respondent had high level of stress, 25% of respondent had moderate level of stress and 5% of respondent had mild level of stress. The overall mean level of stress score was found to be 28.74% with SD as 3.31 %. Chi-square test was calculated to assess the association between socio demographic variables and levels of stress among infertile women. There is no significant association found between levels of stress among infertile women with their socio demographic variables such as Age in years , Types of family, Religion, Duration of marriage in year, Educational Qualification, Occupation, Monthly income of family, Family support, Source of information regarding health, weeks of gestation, PIH in previous pregnancy Conclusion: Thousands of women and babies die or get very sick from a dangerous condition called pregnancy induced hypertension. The present study was conducted to assess the stress regarding PIH, Study concluded that Most of mother having high level of stress and moderate level of stress. Keywords: PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) mothers, Stress levels, Cohen’s perceived stress scale, Socio demographic variables.

Glyoxylase-1 combats dicarbonyl stress and right ventricular dysfunction in rodent pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BackgroundHeightened glycolytic flux is associated with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methylglyoxal, a glycolysis byproduct, is a highly reactive dicarbonyl that has toxic effects via non-enzymatic post-translational modifications (protein glycation). Methylglyoxal is degraded by the glyoxylase system, which includes the rate-limiting enzyme glyoxylase-1 (GLO1), to combat dicarbonyl stress. However, the potential consequences of excess protein glycation on RV function are unknown.MethodsBioinformatics analysis of previously identified glycated proteins predicted how protein glycation regulated cardiac biology. Methylglyoxal treatment of H9c2 cardiomyocytes evaluated the consequences of excess protein glycation on mitochondrial respiration. The effects of adeno-associated virus serotype 9-mediated (AAV9) GLO1 expression on RV function in monocrotaline rats were quantified with echocardiography and hemodynamic studies. Immunoblots and immunofluorescence were implemented to probe the effects of AAV-Glo1 on total protein glycation and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and fatty acid binding protein levels.ResultsIn silico analyses highlighted multiple mitochondrial metabolic pathways may be affected by protein glycation. Exogenous methylglyoxal minimally altered mitochondrial respiration when cells metabolized glucose, however methylglyoxal depressed FAO. AAV9-Glo1 increased RV cardiomyocyte GLO1 expression, reduced total protein glycation, partially restored mitochondrial density, and decreased lipid accumulation. In addition, AAV9-Glo1 increased RV levels of FABP4, a fatty acid binding protein, and hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunits alpha and beta (HADHA and HADHB), the two subunits of the mitochondrial trifunctional protein for FAO. Finally, AAV9-Glo1 blunted RV fibrosis and improved RV systolic and diastolic function.ConclusionExcess protein glycation promotes RV dysfunction in preclinical PAH, potentially through suppression of FAO.

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals the Function of GPRC6A in Amino Acid and Lipid Metabolism in Mice.

GPRC6A is an amino acid sensor in the cytomembrane. Despite substantial evidence for the role of GPRC6A in metabolism, the specific effects and mechanism by which this gene acts on metabolic processes are still unresolved. In this study, serum biochemical parameters related to liver and kidney function and serum amino acid levels were determined in GPRC6A wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice. An untargeted serum metabolomics analysis was also conducted for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, to decipher the function of GPRC6A in metabolic processes. GPRC6A was involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism, mainly by affecting liver function. A loss of GPRC6A function may perturb bile acid metabolism, thus leading to abnormal unsaturated fatty acid metabolism. GPRC6A KO may lead to excessive protein breakdown under starvation, and the loss of GPRC6A had a significant effect on phenylalanine metabolism-related pathways. Our metabolomics data provide a novel basis for further functional studies of GPRC6A.

Proteomic changes in various organs of Haemaphysalis longicornis under long-term starvation.

Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann), a tick of public health and veterinary importance, spend the major part of their life cycle off-host, especially the adult host-seeking period. Thus, they have to contend with prolonged starvation. Here, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of tick starvation endurance in the salivary glands, midguts, ovaries, and Malpighian tubules of starved H. longicornis ticks using the data-independent acquisition quantitative proteomic approach to study the proteome changes. Essential synthases such as glutamate synthase, citrate synthase, and ATP synthase were up-regulated probably due to increased proteolysis and amino acid catabolism during starvation. The up-regulation of succinate dehydrogenase, ATP synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, and ADP/ATP translocase closely fits with an increased oxidative phosphorylation function during starvation. The differential expression of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, thioredoxin, and peroxiredoxin indicated fasting-induced oxidative stress. The up-regulation of heat shock proteins could imply the activation of a protective mechanism that checks excessive protein breakdown during starvation stress. The results of this study could provide useful information about the vulnerabilities of ticks that could aid in tick control efforts.

Evidence From Human Placenta, Endoplasmic Reticulum-Stressed Trophoblasts, and Transgenic Mice Links Transthyretin Proteinopathy to Preeclampsia.

We have demonstrated that protein aggregation plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and identified several aggregated proteins in the circulation of preeclampsia patients, the most prominent of which is the serum protein TTR (transthyretin). However, the mechanisms that underlie protein aggregation remain poorly addressed. We examined TTR aggregates in hypoxia/reoxygenation-exposed primary human trophoblasts (PHTs) and the preeclampsia placenta using complementary approaches, including a novel protein aggregate detection assay. Mechanistic analysis was performed in hypoxia/reoxygenation-exposed PHTs and Ttr transgenic mice overexpressing transgene-encoded wild-type human TTR or Ttr-/- mice. High-resolution ultrasound analysis was used to measure placental blood flow in pregnant mice. TTR aggregation was inducible in PHTs and the TCL-1 trophoblast cell line by endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers or autophagy-lysosomal disruptors. PHTs exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation showed increased intracellular BiP (binding immunoglobulin protein), phosphorylated IRE1α (inositol-requiring enzyme-1α), PDI (protein disulfide isomerase), and Ero-1, all markers of the unfolded protein response, and the apoptosis mediator caspase-3. Blockade of IRE1α inhibited hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced upregulation of Ero-1 in PHTs. Excessive unfolded protein response activation was observed in the early-onset preeclampsia placenta. Importantly, pregnant human TTR mice displayed aggregated TTR in the junctional zone of the placenta and severe preeclampsia-like features. High-resolution ultrasound analysis revealed low blood flow in uterine and umbilical arteries in human TTR mice compared with control mice. However, Ttr-/- mice did not show any pregnancy-associated abnormalities. These observations in the preeclampsia placenta, cultured trophoblasts, and Ttr transgenic mice indicate that TTR aggregation is an important causal contributor to preeclampsia pathophysiology.