Fatty Chain Research Articles

Shear and cooling effects on lamellar gel network structure: Insights from Rheo-SANS

We investigate the formation of lamellar gel networks (LGNs) composed of long-chain fatty alcohols (C16, C18) and their mixture, combined with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The study aims to understand how fatty alcohol chain length and preparation processes affect the structural and mechanical properties of LGNs. Using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and in-situ rheology, we track the effects of mixing and cooling rates on formulations in aqueous solution. Additional insights into the nanostructure are provided by small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), while microscopy and rheology shed light on macroscopic behavior. Results show that all formulations form lamellar structures, with C16/C18 mixtures exhibiting properties intermediate to those of pure C16 and C18 systems. While C16 and C16/C18 exhibit hexagonal lateral packing, C18 leads to an orthorhombic structure. Faster cooling rates favor the formation of multilamellar vesicles and promote system homogeneity. A patchy organization of the surfactant within the fatty alcohol bilayers is also observed. These findings enhance our understanding of the role of long-chain fatty alcohols in LGN formation and their behavior during mixing and cooling.

An Integrated Module Performs Selective 'Online' Epoxidation in the Biosynthesis of the Antibiotic Mupirocin.

The delineation of the complex biosynthesis of the potent antibiotic mupirocin, which consists of a mixture of pseudomonic acids (PAs) isolated from Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 10586, presents significant challenges, and the timing and mechanisms of several key transformations remain elusive. Particularly intriguing are the steps that process the linear backbone from the initial polyketide assembly phase to generate the first cyclic intermediate PA-B. These include epoxidation as well as incorporation of the tetrahydropyran (THP) ring and fatty acid side chain required for biological activity. Herein, we show that the mini-module MmpE performs a rare online (ACP-substrate) epoxidation and is integrated ('in-cis') into the polyketide synthase via a docking domain. A linear polyketide fragment with six asymmetric centres was synthesised using a convergent approach and used to demonstrate substrate flux via an atypical KS0 and a previously unannotated ACP (MmpE_ACP). MmpE_ACP-bound synthetic substrates were critical in demonstrating successful epoxidation in vitro by the purified MmpE oxidoreductase domain. Alongside feeding studies, these results confirm the timing as well as chain length dependence of this selective epoxidation. These mechanistic studies pinpoint the location and nature of the polyketide substrate prior to the key formation of the THP ring and esterification that generate PA-B.

The Association Between the Structure of the Fatty Chain in Amides and Their Lubricating Performance in Acrylonitrile‐Butadiene‐Styrene (ABS) Resins

ABSTRACTThe exploitation of efficient lubricants for ABS resins is widely recognized as beneficial for industrial production. Fatty diamides are typically applied as the lubricants for ABS resins; however, the connection between fatty chain structures and the lubricating properties is still vague. In this work, a range of ethylenediamine‐based amide lubricants (EDA‐Cn) with different fatty chain structures were successfully prepared and chemical structures were characterized in detail by the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The rheological test results suggested that the complex viscosity and relaxation time were positively associated with the fatty chain lengths of EDA‐Cn. The dynamic mechanical analysis results confirmed that EDA‐Cn exhibited excellent compatibility with ABS resins. The lubricating effect of EDA‐Cn decreased with increasing fatty chain lengths, which was manifested by a higher glass transition temperature, and lower elongation at break of ABS resins. In comparison to EDA‐C22, the complex viscosity (angular frequency = 0.1 rad/s) and glass transition temperature of EDA‐C10 have decreased by 24.9% and 3.9%, respectively. The molecular dynamics simulations revealed the intrinsic mechanism of lubricant‐substrate interaction. The EDA‐Cn containing short fatty chain lengths reduced the interaction energy with the matrix, thereby promoting the diffusive movement of the chain segments, and resulted in the increase in the mean square displacement and improved flow properties. These findings provided sufficient theoretical basis for the rational design and preparation of lubricants for ABS resins.

Paclitaxel prodrug nanoparticles boost antitumor efficacy via hitchhiking of human serum albumin

Improving drug delivery efficacy is the key point for enhancing the therapeutic index of medicines. Herein, we report fatty chain conjugated paclitaxel (PTX) prodrugs with a disulfide bond as linker. The formed prodrugs can self-assemble into stable nanoparticles in aqueous solutions, and rapidly transform into long-circulating nanocomplexes via the non-covalent binding to serum albumin in blood, enabling efficient drug delivery and robust antitumor effect. PTX prodrug (PC) with single-chain possess the improved self-assembly and interaction with albumins. The formed PC@albumin nanocomplexes reinforce the responsiveness of prodrug activation, and exhibit the enhanced tumor suppression ability. This strategy of hitchhiking albumin to deliver therapeutic agents holds great promise for enhanced chemotherapy.

Novel Determination of Functional Groups in Partially Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil.

The acrylation degree of vegetable oils plays a relevant role in determining the mechanical properties of the resulting polymers. Both epoxide and acrylate functionalities participate in polymerization reactions, producing various types of chemical bonds in the polymer network, which contribute to specific properties such as molecular size distribution, crosslinking degree, and glass transition temperature (Tg). The accurate identification of epoxide and acrylated groups in triglyceride molecules helps to predict their behavior during the polymerization process. A methodology based on analytical spectrometric techniques, such as direct infusion, mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, is used in combination with FTIR and 1H NMR to characterize the epoxy and acrylic functionalities in the fatty chains with different numbers of carbon atoms of partially acrylated triglycerides obtained by a non-catalytic reaction.

The plasma lipids with different fatty acid chains are associated with the risk of hemorrhagic stroke: a Mendelian randomization study.

Hemorrhagic stroke, characterized by acute bleeding due to cerebrovascular lesions, is associated with plasma lipids and endothelial damage. The causal relationship between genetic plasma lipid levels and hemorrhagic stroke remains unclear. This study employs a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between plasma lipid profiles with different fatty acid chains and the risk of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage, the two main subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke. The datasets for exposure and outcome summary statistics were obtained from publicly available sources such as the GWAS Catalog, IEU OpenGWAS project, and FinnGen. The two-sample MR analysis was employed to initially assess the causal relationship between 179 plasma lipid species and the risk of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the Finnish population, leading to the identification of candidate lipids. The same methods were applied to reanalyze data from European populations and conduct a meta-analysis of the candidate lipids. The Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW) method served as the primary analysis for causal inference, with additional methods used for complementary analyses. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to clarify causal relationships and reduce biases. Two analyses using Mendelian randomization were performed, followed by meta-analyses of the results. A causal relationship was established between 11 specific lipid species and the occurrence of intracerebral hemorrhage within the European population. Additionally, 5 distinct lipid species were associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Predominantly, lipids with linoleic acid and arachidonic acid side chains were identified. Notably, lipids containing arachidonic acid chains (C20:4) such as PC 18:1;0_20:4;0 consistently showed a decreased risk of both intracerebral hemorrhage [p < 0.001; OR(95% CI) = 0.892(0.835-0.954)] and subarachnoid hemorrhage [p = 0.002; OR(95% CI) = 0.794(0.689-0.916)]. Conversely, lipids with linoleic acid chains (C18:2) were associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. This study identifies a potential causal relationship between lipids with different fatty acid side chains and the risk of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhagic stroke, improving the understanding of the mechanisms behind the onset and progression of hemorrhagic stroke.

Development of Peptide Paratope Mimics Derived from the Anti-ROR1 Antibody and Long-Acting Peptide-Drug Conjugates for Targeted Cancer Therapy.

Antibody-based targeted therapy in cancer faces a challenge due to uneven antibody distribution in solid tumors, hindering effective drug delivery. We addressed this by developing peptide mimetics with nanomolar-range affinity for Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Like Orphan Receptor 1 (ROR1) using computational methods. These peptides showed both specific targeting and deep penetration in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we created peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) by linking targeting peptides to toxin drugs via various linkers and enhancing their in vivo half-life with fatty side chains for albumin binding. The antitumor candidate II-3 displayed exceptional affinity (KD = 1.72 × 10-9 M), internalization efficiency, anticancer potency (IC50 = 0.015 ± 0.002 μM), and pharmacokinetics (t1/2 = 2.6 h), showcasing a rational approach for designing PDCs with favorable tissue distribution and strong tumor penetration.

Influence of different fatty acids on the wettability, self-cleaning and anti-corrosion behavior of superhydrophobic surfaces obtained with LDH on aluminum

The present study aims to evaluate the influence of different fatty acids on the wettability, self-cleaning, and anti-corrosion properties of aluminum alloy 5052 (AA5052). Superhydrophobic surfaces are developed through acid etching with HCl solution, in-situ growth of zinc layered double hydroxides (ZnAl LDH), and chemical modification with three different fatty acids: lauric (LA), myristic (MA), and stearic (STA). SEM images show the formation of micro-nanometric binary structures of flowers and petals covered by a thin film, which is associated with ZnAl LDH formation and fatty acid deposition through EDS. The contact angle (CA) values indicate the change in the wettability of the surfaces after chemical modification, ranging from CA = 0° to CA > 160°. Visual tests reveal notable disparities in buoyancy and self-cleaning behaviors, liquid adhesion, and the formation of plastrons between the coated and uncoated samples. The results demonstrate the influence of the fatty acid carbon chain size on the CA and corrosion resistance efficiency (IE) in saline environment (NaCl 0.6 mol/l), with the STA sample exhibiting the best performance (CASTA = 164°; IESTA = 99.98 %) followed by MA (CAMA = 162°; IEMA = 99.27 %) and LA (CALA = 160°; IELA = 81.24 %). Future researchs will focus on obtaining self-healing properties and the durability of the coatings will be evaluated using accelerated testing methods.

Investigation of the structural changes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex using FTIR spectroscopy in sleep deprived mice

Sleep is a basic, physiological requirement for living things to survive and is a process that covers one third of our lives. Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role in the regulation of sleep. Sleep deprivation affect brain structures and functions. Sleep deprivation causes a decrease in brain activity, with particularly negative effects on the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Despite the essential role of protein and lipids vibrations, polysaccharides, fatty acid side chains functional groups, and ratios between amides in brain structures and functions, the brain chemical profile exposed to gentle handling sleep deprivation model versus Melatonin exposure remains unexplored. Therefore, the present study, aims to investigate a molecular profile of these regions using FTIR spectroscopy measurement’s analysis based on lipidomic approach with chemometrics and multivariate analysis to evaluate changes in lipid composition in the hippocampus, prefrontal regions of the brain. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to either the control or sleep deprivation group, resulting in four experimental groups: Control (C) (n = 6), Control + Melatonin (C + M) (n = 6), Sleep Deprivation (S) (n = 6), and Sleep Deprivation + Melatonin (S + M) (n = 6). Interventions were administered each morning via intraperitoneal injections of melatonin (10 mg/kg) or vehicle solution (%1 ethanol + saline), while the S and S + M groups underwent 6 h of daily sleep deprivation from using the Gentle Handling method. All mice were individually housed in cages with ad libitum access to food and water within a 12-hour light–dark cycle. Results presented that the brain regions affected by insomnia. The structure of phospholipids, changed. Yet, not only changes in lipids but also in amides were noticed in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex tissues. Additionally, FTIR results showed that melatonin affected the lipids as well as the amides fraction in cortex and hippocampus collected from both control and sleep deprivation groups.

Synergetic effects during co-pyrolysis of waste textiles and Ca/Fe-rich industrial sewage sludge: Reaction kinetics and product distribution

Co-pyrolysis is a promising technology for industrial organic waste to utilize their unique resource and energy properties for efficient conversion into valuable products. This study was the first time to characterize the co-pyrolysis of waste textiles with Ca-rich industrial sludge and Fe-rich industrial sludge on a laboratory-scale fixed bed. The properties, mechanisms, gas, oil and carbon production were investigated as a function of temperature and mixing type. Co-pyrolysis increased the total weight loss from 50.05 % to 69.81 % for Ca-rich industrial sludge mixed with 50 % waste textiles and from 49.13 % to 70.01 % for Fe-rich industrial sludge mixed with 50 % waste textiles. The activation energy of co-pyrolysis was approximately 50 % lower compared to the pyrolysis of waste textiles alone. The optimal reaction model for the different reaction stages for all samples was three diffusion (D3). Co-pyrolysis resulted in lower CO and CO2 emission temperatures of about 25–110 °C and produced more short-chain organic compounds (C < 10). Co-pyrolysis produced more aldehydes and ketones organics. Moreover, co-pyrolysis char exhibited an elevated level of fatty alkyl side chains and bridge branching, as well as higher degrees of aromatization and stability. This study offers valuable insights into the potential application of pyrolysis for the management of Ca/Fe-rich industrial sludge and waste textiles, thereby serving as a basis for future utilization endeavors.

Irciniaplysins A-D: New Psammaplysin Derivatives from Philippine Marine Sponge Ircinia sp.

Four new psammaplysin derivatives (1-4) with fatty acyl substituents, designated irciniaplysins A-D, and three known psammaplysins (5-7) were isolated from a marine sponge Ircinia sp. Their structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic analyses. The positions of the double bonds and the branch points of the fatty acyl side chains were determined by GC-MS analysis of their fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) derivatives. Irciniaplysins A (1) and B (2) contained an unusual long-chain fatty acyl substituent with a 5,9-diene unit. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against the human colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) cells, however, none of these compounds showed significant activity.

The coupling transformation process of biodegradation and pyrolysis for Dananhu low-rank coal

The study presented a novel approach for coupling biodegradation and pyrolysis to transform low-rank coal. In the first stage, four kinds of bacteria, Planomicrobium huatugouensis (P. huatugouensis), Sphingomonas polyaromaticivorans (S. polyaromaticivorans), Pseudomonas putida (P. putida), and Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (B. subtilis subsp. subtilis), were used to transform the Dananhu low-rank coal. After the first stage, the coal that has not been biodegraded (residual coal) undergoes the second stage of pyrolytic transformation, which is carried out by a thermogravimetric analyzer combined with Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (TG-FTIR). The results showed that the maximum coupling transformation rate of biodegradation and pyrolysis could reach 73.95%, which was 21.88% higher than the thermal transformation rate of Dananhu low-rank coal and 27.37% higher than the optimal microbial transformation rate. This indicated that coupling transformation could significantly improve the utilization rate of Dananhu low-rank coal. In the stage of biodegradation transformation, bacteria destroyed the carboxyl groups, ether bonds, and other oxygen-containing functional groups in Dananhu low-rank coal, converting the large molecules of coal into liquid molecules, meanwhile, the compact coal structure became loose, and the residual coal was also pyrolyzed easily than Dananhu low-rank coal. During the pyrolysis process, a large number of fatty chains, carboxyl groups, oxy groups, and hydroxy groups were decomposed to produce lots of gas-phase products. The pyrolysis products showed an increase in the release of CO and CH4, and an increase in the proportion of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the volatiles. The high efficiency of coupling transformation is due to the combination of the advantages of the two technologies, which is achieving the green and energy-efficient utilization of low-rank coal.

Improving physicochemical characteristics and cytotoxicity of baicalin esters by liposome encapsulation

The instability of ester bonds, low water solubility, and increased cytotoxicity of flavonoid glycoside esters significantly limit their application in the food industry. Therefore, the present study attempted to resolve these issues through liposome encapsulation. The results showed that baicalin butyl ester (BEC4) and octyl ester (BEC8) have higher encapsulation and loading efficiencies and lower leakage rate from liposomes than baicalin. FTIR results revealed the location of BEC4 and BEC8 in the hydrophobic layer of liposomes, which was different from baicalin. Additionally, liposome encapsulation improved the water solubility and stability of BEC4 and BEC8 in the digestive system and PBS but significantly reduced their cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the release rate of BEC4 and BEC8 from liposomes was lower than that of baicalin during gastrointestinal digestion. These results indicate that liposome encapsulation alleviated the negative effects of fatty chain introduction into flavonoid glycosides.

A Hadal Streptomyces-Derived Echinocandin Acylase Discovered through the Prioritization of Protein Families.

Naturally occurring echinocandin B and FR901379 are potent antifungal lipopeptides featuring a cyclic hexapeptide nucleus and a fatty acid side chain. They are the parent compounds of echinocandin drugs for the treatment of severe fungal infections caused by the Candida and Aspergilla species. To minimize hemolytic toxicity, the native fatty acid side chains in these drug molecules are replaced with designer acyl side chains. The deacylation of the N-acyl side chain is, therefore, a crucial step for the development and manufacturing of echinocandin-type antibiotics. Echinocandin E (ECE) is a novel echinocandin congener with enhanced stability generated via the engineering of the biosynthetic machinery of echinocandin B (ECB). In the present study, we report the discovery of the first echinocandin E acylase (ECEA) using the enzyme similarity tool (EST) for enzymatic function mining across protein families. ECEA is derived from Streptomyces sp. SY1965 isolated from a sediment collected from the Mariana Trench. It was cloned and heterologously expressed in S. lividans TK24. The resultant TKecea66 strain showed efficient cleavage activity of the acyl side chain of ECE, showing promising applications in the development of novel echinocandin-type therapeutics. Our results also provide a showcase for harnessing the essentially untapped biodiversity from the hadal ecosystems for the discovery of functional molecules.

Changes in Oxidised Phospholipids in Response to Oxidative Stress in Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (MAPT) Mutant Dopamine Neurons.

Microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) is strongly associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to driving the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), mutations in the MAPT gene can also cause oxidative stress through hyperpolarisation of the mitochondria. This study explores the impact that MAPT mutation is having on phospholipid metabolism in iPSC-derived dopamine neurons, and to determine if these effects are exacerbated by mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Neurons that possessed a mutated copy of MAPT were shown to have significantly higher levels of oxo-phospholipids (Oxo-PL) than wild-type neurons. Oxidation of the hydrophobic fatty acid side chains changes the chemistry of the phospholipid leading to disruption of membrane function and potential cell lysis. In wild-type neurons, both mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress increased Oxo-PL abundance; however, in MAPT mutant neurons mitochondrial stress appeared to have a minimal effect. Endoplasmic reticulum stress, surprisingly, reduced the abundance of Oxo-PL in MAPT mutant dopamine neurons, and we postulate that this reduction could be modulated through hyperactivation of the unfolded protein response and X-box binding protein 1. Overall, the results of this study contribute to furthering our understanding of the regulation and impact of oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease pathology.

Concentrated O/W Emulsion Stability of Non-Ionic Chitosan Oligomer Surfactants Modified by Epoxidized Fatty Chains at pH7: Influence of Emulsification Conditions

In this study, chitosan-based surfactants were synthesized by epoxy–amine chemistry to stabilize concentrated O/W emulsions at pH7. Chitosan was first depolymerized by nitrous deamination to obtain chitooligosaccharides (COS) with degrees of polymerization of 10 (DP10) and 20 (DP20). Then, three different epoxidized fatty chains, i.e., octyl/decyl glycidyl ether (C9), hexadecyl glycidyl ether (C16) and epoxidized cardanol (card), were grafted onto the amine groups of chitosan to form six amphiphilic structures. NMR measurements revealed grafting efficiencies ranging from 1 to 30% while HLB values ranged from 13 to 20. The relationships between these surfactant structures and their adsorption properties were investigated by tensiometric measurements, highlighting the need for a short hydrophilic moiety and high grafting efficiency to obtain the best adsorption. Subsequently, concentrated O/W emulsions (66% of oil) at pH7 were produced using COS-based surfactants and the impact of stirring time and speed during the emulsification process was described through rheological, droplet size and microscopy measurements. Finally, emulsions were stored over 2 months in order to study the destabilization phenomenon into the mixture, i.e., coalescence and creaming, by using laser granulometry and Turbiscan. Results demonstrated that stability could be enhanced by increasing emulsion viscosity, reducing droplet size or optimizing the adsorption layer at the O/W interfaces.

Engineering of a Biologically Active Glycosylated Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Analogue.

Glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) agonists (e.g., semaglutide, liraglutide, etc.) are efficient treatment options for people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The manufacturing method to produce semaglutide, a blockbuster GLP-1 drug on the market, involves multistep synthesis. The large peptide has a hydrophobic fatty acid side chain that makes it sparingly soluble, and its handling, purification, and large-scale production difficult. The growing demand for semaglutide that the manufacturer is not capable of addressing immediately triggered a worldwide shortage. Thus, we have developed a potential alternative analogue to semaglutide by replacing the hydrophobic fatty acid with a hydrophilic human complex-type biantennary oligosaccharide. Our novel glycoGLP-1 analogue was isolated in an ∼10-fold higher yield compared with semaglutide. Importantly, our glycoGLP-1 analogue possessed a similar GLP-1R activation potency to semaglutide and was biologically active in vivo in reducing glucose levels to a similar degree as semaglutide.

Novel multifunctional highly crosslinked bio-based waterborne polyurethane networks modified via long fatty hydrophobic side chains

The mechanical properties and water resistance of castor oil-based waterborne polyurethane are mutually limited due to the presence of a hydrophilic chain extender. Herein, Arbutin (AT) was used as a crosslinking agent, and benzimidazole (CR-455) was utilized as an ultraviolet absorber, sustainable long fatty hydrophobic chain extenders, sorbitan monooleate (SP), glycerol laurate (GML), glycerin monostearate (GMS), and trimethylolpropane monooleate (TPM), were introduced into castor oil-based waterborne polyurethane (CWPU) backbones through molecular structure design respectively. Subsequently, the amount of SP was changed to prepare a series of waterborne polyurethane dispersions, and their emulsion and film properties were thoroughly investigated. The finding showed that the incorporation of long fatty hydrophobic chain extenders led to an increase in crosslinking density, thereby endowing CWPU films with good mechanical properties, water resistance, and anti-corrosion efficacy. Moreover, the bio-based content in the CWPU film had reached an impressive 90.9 %. The addition of SP content resulted in a gradual improvement in the mechanical properties, water resistance, and corrosion resistance of CWPU-SP films. When the SP content was 40 %, due to the high strength of hydrogen bonds and the density of crosslinking in systems, the tensile strength, toughness, water absorption rate, and corrosion protection efficiency of the CWPU-SP40 film reached 18.1 MPa, 20 MJ/m3,7.7 %, and 98.47 %, respectively. Particularly, the prepared transparent CWPU films exhibited complete UV shielding. This work would pave the way for the application of bio-based waterborne polyurethanes in high-performance coatings, such as anti-corrosion and sunscreen.

A Metabolome-Wide Mendelian Randomization Study Identifies Dysregulated Arachidonic Acid Synthesis as a Potential Causal Risk Factor for Bipolar Disorder

BackgroundBipolar disorder (BPD) is a debilitating mood disorder with an unclear etiology. A better understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms will help to identify novel targets for improved treatment options and prevention strategies. In this metabolome-wide Mendelian randomization study, we screened for metabolites that may have a causal role in BPD. MethodsWe tested a total of 913 circulating metabolite exposures assessed in 14,296 Europeans using a mass spectrometry-based platform. For the BPD outcome, we used summary data from the largest and most recent genome-wide association study reported to date, including 41,917 BPD cases. ResultsWe identified 33 metabolites associated with BPD (padjusted < 5.48 × 10−5). Most of them were lipids, including arachidonic acid (β = −0.154, SE = 0.023, p = 3.30 × 10−11), a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid, along with several complex lipids containing either an arachidonic or a linoleic fatty acid side chain. These associations did not extend to other closely related psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or depression, although they may be involved in the regulation of lithium response. These lipid associations were driven by genetic variants within the FADS1/2/3 gene cluster, which is a robust BPD risk locus encoding a family of fatty acid desaturase enzymes that are responsible for catalyzing the conversion of linoleic acid into arachidonic acid. Statistical colocalization analyses indicated that 27 of the 33 metabolites shared the same genetic etiology with BPD at the FADS1/2/3 cluster, demonstrating that our findings are not confounded by linkage disequilibrium. ConclusionsOverall, our findings support the notion that arachidonic acid and other polyunsaturated fatty acids may represent potential targets for BPD.

Preparation, stability and controlled release properties of starch-based micelles for oral delivery of hydrophobic bioactive molecules

Amphiphilic starches incorporating fatty acid ester chains of varying lengths and degrees of substitution (DS) were synthesized to fabricate starch-based micelles for oral delivery of hydrophobic bioactive molecules. The assembly of the amphiphilic starches is influenced by the concentration, temperature, and the chain length and DS of their fatty acid ester chain. Highly acidic environment can hydrolyze the amphiphilic starches, resulting in the formation of small-sized micelles. Conversely, high ionic concentration hinders the self-assembly of amphiphilic starches and the digestive fluids can dilute the amphiphilic starches concentration, leading to the micelle dissociation. However, amphiphilic starches with longer chain length and/or higher DS of the fatty acid ester chain possess greater hydrophobicity, enhancing the stability of starch-based micelles under varying conditions and favouring the protection of Trp-2 peptides during storage. The micelles demonstrate high cell bioaccessibility for Trp-2 peptides, with 59.25 % of Trp-2 peptides being transferred by the intestinal epithelium. These findings suggest a potential starch-based micelle system can be adjusted for the oral delivery of hydrophobic bioactive molecules.