Unsaturated Free Fatty Acids Research Articles

Lipidomics reveals skin surface lipid abnormity in acne in young men.

Acne is a complex and multifactorial skin disorder. Alterations in skin surface lipid (SSL) are believed to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of acne and SSL plays a key role in the initiation of acne lesions. To analyse the lipidome profiles of SSL in patients with acne and in healthy controls in order to understand SSL abnormity in acne in young men. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and multivariate data analysis were used to investigate the SSL variations in main lipid classes, subclasses and individual species. Results showed that there were significant differences in the lipidome between the two groups. Significantly increased levels of three main classes of glycerophospholipids, fatty acyls and sterol lipids and significantly decreased levels of two main classes of prenol lipids and saccharolipids were observed in patients with acne. Subsequent analysis showed that there were 18 subclasses, which varied significantly and shared the same changing trends of the main classes to which they belonged. Multivariate data analysis indicated that 36 individual species were mostly responsible for this discrimination and the majority of differentiating lipid species were phosphatidylserines. Furthermore, it was observed that the chain length of ceramides were reduced and unsaturated free fatty acids were increased in patients with acne. SSL sampled from young male patients with acne had significantly higher levels of phosphatidylserines. Additionally, the reduction in the chain length of ceramides and the increase in unsaturated free fatty acids contributed to an altered lipid organization and decreased skin barrier function in acne.

Effect of free fatty acids and lipolysis on Sauvignon Blanc fermentation

Background and Aims The volatile thiols, such as 3-mercaptohexanol, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, are major aroma compounds responsible for the distinctive tropical notes (passionfruit and grapefruit) in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines. Previously, it was observed that traces of linoleic acid in grape juice can significantly affect the development of these volatile thiols and other aroma compounds in wine. Here, we examined the effect of the fatty acids commonly found in Sauvignon Blanc grape juice as well as juice lipid lipolysis on the development of aroma compounds in the resulting wines. Methods and Results Experiments were performed to increase the total free fatty acid concentration in grape juice through juice treatment with acidic lipase from Aspergillus niger and through co-cultured fermentations with non-Saccharomyces lipase-secreting yeasts. We observed a significant reduction in the production of 3-mercaptohexyl acetate in fermented wines upon supplementation with linoleic acid and lipase. Supplementation with lipase increased the concentration of 3-mercaptohexanol and all ethyl esters detected, while reducing the development of acetate esters. Co-cultured fermentations also affected the development of many classes of aroma compounds. Conclusions This study demonstrated that the aroma profile of wines could be effectively manipulated by altering the amount of free unsaturated fatty acids in grape juice through lipolytic enzyme supplementation or co-fermentation with non-Saccharomyces lipolytic yeast species. Significance of the Study The key findings of this study may lead to new winemaking strategies through the manipulation of the lipid component of grape juice.

Lipase-Mediated Selective Methanolysis of Fish Oil for Biodiesel Production and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Enrichment

Fish oil, containing quite a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), is well-recognized as a good source for biodiesel and health care product production. A two-step process involving free lipase NS81006-mediated methanolysis followed by immobilized lipase Novozym 435-catalyzed conversion was proposed for the utilization of fish oil in this paper. During the lipase NS81006-catalzyed methanolysis process, the selectivity of lipase on different free fatty acids (FFAs) was studied systematically, and it was found that the length of the carbon chain and the number and position of C–C double bonds had a varied influence on the selectivity of lipase. The reaction rate and biodiesel yield decreased with the increase of the carbon chain length; higher conversion could be obtained with unsaturated FFAs (C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) compared to unsaturated FFA (C18:0), among which FFA with three double bonds gave the highest conversion. Through this two-step lipase-mediated catalysis, both the conventional...

PG - 07: Molecular Profiling of Saturated and Unsaturated Free Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers of Adipocytes and Macrophages

PG - 07: Molecular Profiling of Saturated and Unsaturated Free Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers of Adipocytes and Macrophages

Variability of growth and oil characteristics of Jatropha curcas L. in North-east India

ABSTRACTSuccess of improvement of Jatropha curcas depends on wide germplasm from different agro-ecological regions showing specific and attractive traits. The present study aimed to compare characteristics of 28 jatropha accessions in the light of enhancing the viability of the oil-based biodiesel chain. The tested jatropha accessions showed a wide range of responses. The plant morphology (height, branching and leaves) also indicated some vigorous genotypes. The growth was accompanied by a wide range of leaf gas exchange (CO2 and moist) that gave water use efficiency values ranging between 0.5 and 8.5. The morphological and physiological differences had no significant influence on seed weight (67–76 g/100 seeds). Oil yield with a mean value of 27.93% can be considered a medium yield for jatropha; only few accessions had oil over 30%. However, differences were well evident in free fatty acid (1.4–28.7%), phorbol ester (PE, 1.1–4.3 mg/g oil), tocopherol (73.7–907.8 ng/mg oil) and unsaturated fatty acid (78.8–90.8%) contents. The present data support studies to correlate genetic, morphological, physiological and biochemical traits in each genotype considered for future selection of ideotypes with low undesirable free fatty acid contents, and potential valorisation of secondary oil products (PEs, tocopherols) to enhance the economic viability and sustainability of the jatropha oil-based biodiesel chain.

Stearic Acid Induces CD11c Expression in Proinflammatory Macrophages via Epidermal Fatty Acid Binding Protein.

Obesity is associated with elevated levels of free fatty acids (FAs) and proinflammatory CD11c+ macrophages. However, whether and how free FAs contribute to CD11c+ macrophage differentiation and proinflammatory functions remain unclear. Here we report that dietary saturated FAs, but not unsaturated FAs, promoted the differentiation and function of CD11c+ macrophages. Specifically, we demonstrated that stearic acid (SA) significantly induced CD11c expression in monocytes through activation of the nuclear retinoid acid receptor. More importantly, cytosolic expression of epidermal FA binding protein (E-FABP) in monocytes/macrophages was shown to be critical to the mediation of the SA-induced effect. Depletion of E-FABP not only inhibited SA-induced CD11c upregulation in macrophages in vitro but also abrogated high-saturated-fat diet-induced skin lesions in obese mouse models in vivo. Altogether, our data demonstrate a novel mechanism by which saturated FAs promote obesity-associated inflammation through inducing E-FABP/retinoid acid receptor-mediated differentiation of CD11c+ macrophages.

Влияние свободных жирных кислот на поглощение кислорода изолированными кардиомиоцитами крыс при ишемическом или диабетическом поражении сердца

Цель исследования - оценка влияния свободных полиненасыщенных и насыщенных жирных кислот (ЖК) на поглощение кислорода изолированными кардиомиоцитами интактных крыс и крыс с ишемическим или диабетическим поражением сердца. Методика. Опыты проведены на крысах-самцах Вистар (250-300 г). Инфаркт миокарда вызывали перевязкой левой коронарной артерии, сахарный диабет (СД) - однократной инъекцией стрептозотоцина в дозе 60 мг/кг, внутрибрюшинно. Изолированные кардиомиоциты получали ферментативным способом. Потребление кислорода оценивали полярографически при разной насыщенности инкубационной среды кислородом ([O] <8 мг/л и ([O] >16 мг/л). В качестве жирных кислот, добавляемых в инкубационную среду, использовали арахидоновую и пальмитиновую кислоты (20 мкМ/л). Результаты. Установлено, что в среде инкубации с высоким содержанием кислорода скорость его потребления изолированными кардиомиоцитами, из сердец крыс с ишемическим или диабетическим поражением сердца, в 2-2,5 раза превышает таковую в кардиомиоцитах из сердца интактных крыс. Введение в среду инкубации 20 мкМ арахидоновой или пальмитиновой ЖК статистически значимо увеличивало потребление кислорода кардиомиоцитами интактных крыс. При моделируемых патологиях был получен прямо противоположный результат. В среде инкубации с низким содержанием кислорода была зафиксирована более низкая исходная скорость дыхания кардиомиоцитов, независимо от того, из сердец крыс какой группы они были выделены. Присутствие жирных кислот приводило к еще большему снижению скорости потребления кислорода кардиомиоцитами интактных крыс. В кардиомиоцитах из сердец с ишемическим поражением жирные кислоты снижали скорость потребления кислорода практически до значений, полученных для кардиомиоцитов интактных крыс. Напротив, жирные кислоты не оказывали заметного влияния на дыхание кардиомиоцитов из сердца крыс с диабетическим поражением. Заключение. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют, что и насыщенные, и ненасыщенные свободные ЖК, на клеточном уровне, способны поддерживать баланс между поступлением и расходом кислорода. Действие ЖК определяется функциональным состоянием кардиомиоцитов и содержанием кислорода во внеклеточном пространстве. Это обстоятельство, вероятно, влияет на состояние энергетического метаболизма кардиомиоцитов и при реальном ишемическом или диабетическом поражении сердца пациентов.Aim. To evaluate the effect of free polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids on oxygen uptake by isolated cardiomyocytes in intact rats and animals with ischemic or diabetic heart disease. Methods. This was a non-randomized, controlled study on three groups of male Wistar rats each containing 10 rats weighing 250-300 g. Myocardial infarction («heart attack») was produced by ligation of the left coronary artery; diabetes mellitus («diabetes») - by a single injection of streptozotocin 60 mg/kg, i.p. The control group consisted of intact animals. Cardomyocytes were isolated by an enzymatic method. Oxygen consumption was assessed polarographically at different saturation of the incubation medium with oxygen ([O] <8 mg/l and ([O] >16 mg/l). Arachidonic and palmitic acid were used as fatty acids to be added to the incubation medium. Results. In the high-oxygen incubation medium, the rate of O consumption by isolated cardiomyocytes from hearts of rats with ischemic or diabetic heart lesions was 2-2.5 times higher than in cardiomyocytes from heart of intact rats. Supplementing the incubation medium with 20 mkM arachidonic or palmitic acid statistically significantly increased oxygen consumption by cardiomyocytes of intact rats. An opposite result was obtained in models of diseases. In the low-oxygen incubation medium, the baseline rate of cardiomyocyte respiration was lower, no matter from which group of rats they had been isolated. The presence of fatty acids led to an even greater decrease in the rate of oxygen consumption by cardiomyocytes of intact rats. In cardiomyocytes from hearts with ischemic injury, fatty acids reduced the rate of oxygen consumption practically to the values observed for cardiomyocytes of intact rats. In contrast, fatty acids did not exert a noticeable effect on respiration of cardiomyocytes from the heart rats with diabetic lesions. Conclusion. The results suggested that saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids are able to maintain a balance between O supply and utilization. The effect of fatty acids is determined by functional state of cardiomyocytes and oxygen content in the extracellular space. This fact apparently influences cardiomyocyte energy metabolism in patients with ischemic or diabetic heart disease.

Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Vegetable Oils and Waste Cooking Oils to Green Diesel Using a Silica-Supported Ir-ReOx Bimetallic Catalyst.

High yields of diesel-range alkanes are prepared by hydrodeoxygenation of vegetable oils and waste cooking oils over ReOx -modified Ir/SiO2 catalysts under mild reaction conditions. The catalyst containing a Re/Ir molar ratio of 3 exhibits the best performance, achieving 79-85 wt % yield of diesel-range alkanes at 453 K and 2 MPa H2 . The yield is nearly quantitative for the theoretical possible long-chain alkanes on the basis of weight of the converted oils. The catalyst retains comparable activity upon regeneration through calcination. Control experiments using probe molecules as model substrates suggest that C=C bonds of unsaturated triglycerides and free fatty acids are first hydrogenated to their corresponding saturated intermediates, which are then converted to aldehyde intermediates through hydrogenolysis of acyl C-O bonds and subsequently hydrogenated to fatty alcohols. Finally, long-chain alkanes without any carbon loss are formed by direct hydrogenolysis of the fatty alcohols. Small amounts of alkanes with one carbon fewer are also formed by decarbonylation of the aldehyde intermediates. A synergy between Ir and partially reduced ReOx sites is discussed to elucidate the high activity of Ir-ReOx /SiO2.

Oleic acid enhances keratinocytes differentiation via the upregulation of miR-203 in human epidermal keratinocytes.

Oleic acid (OA) is an unsaturated free fatty acid (FFA) constituent of sebum. FFAs modulate keratinocyte differentiation. In this study, we determined whether OA affects keratinocyte differentiation in neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKn). HEKn was grown in EpiLife medium. The cells were treated with various concentrations of OA. The expression levels of keratin 10 and involucrin were determined using Western blotting (for the proteins) and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) (for the mRNAs). Cytoskeletal changes were investigated by immunofluorescent staining. The levels of microRNA (miR)-203 were determined by stem-loop qRT-PCR. The effect of miR-203 on keratinocyte differentiation was evaluated using anti-miR-203. Treatment with OA promoted the expression of keratin 10 and involucrin, which are markers of spinous and granular layer keratinocytes, respectively. Treatment with OA also induced cell stratification and cytoskeletal changes such as the concentric ring organization of actin, a loss of planar polarity, and increased localization of epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) at cell-cell contacts. OA increased the expression of miR-203, which is associated with keratinocyte differentiation, and reduced the expression of p63, a target of miR-203, in HEKn. Furthermore, transfection with anti-miR-203 suppressed the OA-induced expression of involucrin. Oleic acid accelerates keratinocyte differentiation via the upregulation of miR-203 in HEKn under sub-confluent conditions.

Oleic Acid Protected Pancreatic β‐Cell Against Saturated Fatty Acid Induced Lipotoxicity

BackgroundThe loss of functional pancreatic β‐cell has played a critical role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Chronic exposure to high free fatty acids (FFAs) in the context of hyperlipidemia or ectopic deposition of fat in pancreas is recognized as a causal factor for β‐cell dysfunction in T2DM. It is widely accepted that saturated FFAs, such as palmitic acid (PA), are responsible for β‐cell apoptosis, however, unsaturated FFAs, such as oleic acid (OA), are reported unharmful. In the present study, we investigated the PA induced intercellular toxicity and whether monounsaturated OA could counteract these detrimental effects when combined with PA. This work will give insights to the dietary therapy in T2DM.MethodsRat insulinoma cell line INS‐1E were incubated with 0.2 mM PA, 0.2 mM OA or the combination for 24 h. Cell viability was determined by CCK8 assay, and cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry, respectively. Western blot were performed to detect endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) related proteins. The effects of OA on thapsigargin (Thp) induced ER stress of INS‐1E β‐cells were evaluated by CCK8 assay. The 24 h chronic insulin secretion was measured by Elisa.Result1) PA deteriorated cell viability of INS‐1E β‐cells in dose and time dependent manner. PA of 0.2 mM has remarkably decreased the cell viability (60%) compared to controls after 24 h incubation. Stimulation with OA showed no effect on cell viability but the combination of OA and PA robustly restored the viability to normal level. The proportion of apoptotic cells was increased to 43.5% after PA challenge for 24 h, whereas cosupplementation of OA dramatically rescued the INS‐1 cells from cell death. Consistently, OA alone has not induced cell apoptosis. 2) To explore the mechanism responsible for the protective role of OA, we focused on ER stress. OA alleviated PA‐triggered ER stress, evidenced by remarkably decreased protein levels of ER stress markers (CHOP and p‐PERK). Interestingly, classical ER stressor Thp declined the viability of INS‐1 cells, while OA was able to abrogate this effect, confirming its protective role in ER stress. 3) Furthermore, insulin secretion was increased when INS‐1E cells were incubated with PA plus OA, in comparison to either OA or PA alone, suggesting the trophic effect of combination treatment on the function of β‐cells. 4) On the other hand, withdrawal of PA after 24 h exposure, then addition of OA for a further 24 h showed no protective effects on cell viability. The time course showed that withdrawal of 1.0 mM PA after 6 h, 8h and 10 h exposure, and addition of OA for a further 18 h, 16 h and 14 h respectively, earlier addition of OA had better protective results, suggesting the early interact of OA with PA has played an important role in this scenario.ConclusionWe found that PA could induce lipotoxicity on INS‐1E β‐cells. OA alone has no detrimental effects on β‐cells, and the combination of OA and PA has great potential to protect β‐cells against PA‐induced apoptosis. The interaction with PA and subsequent suppression of ER stress may contribute to the OA mediated protective effects on lipotoxicity in INS‐1E β‐cells.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (31571474), and the National Key Clinical Project.

Catalytic deoxygenation of waste soybean oil over hybrid catalyst for production of bio-jet fuel: in situ supply of hydrogen by aqueous-phase reforming (APR) of glycerol

A one-pot reaction was performed to produce oxygen-free saturated hydrocarbons via the catalytic deoxygenation and hydrogenation of waste soybean oil over a hybrid catalyst (Pd/C and NiO/γ-Al2O3). We utilized in situ hydrogen generated from a reforming reaction of glycerol, a byproduct of triglyceride hydrolysis, for the one-pot reaction to produce hydrocarbons. When NiO/γ-Al2O3 (2 g) was used along with Pd/C (1 g), most of the unsaturated free fatty acids (FFAs) were hydrogenated into saturated FFAs, and the percentage of desirable hydrocarbons in the liquid product increased, in contrast to the case when only Pd/C (1 g) was used. This result means that using a hybrid catalyst is better for promoting the catalytic deoxygenation reaction than increasing the degree of loading of Pd/C, and suggests that it should be possible to decrease the amount of precious metal catalysts to be used for deoxygenation reaction.

Enzymatic production of green epoxides from fatty acids present in soapstock in a microchannel bioreactor

Soapstock containing high value of free unsaturated fatty acids was used for enzymatic production of natural epoxides in a solvent-free system. At a same reaction condition (36 °C, initial pH of 6.5, and H2O2/CC molar ratio of 1 for 30 min), using a microchannel bioreactor were enhanced the yield of epoxidation by 2.8 and 1.7 folds in comparison with the stirred tank operated at batch and semi-batch, respectively. Further studies were performed for optimization of the microchannel bioreactor with statistical evaluations of the operational parameters namely temperature, molar ratio of H2O2 to CC bond, and feed flow rate. Maximum epoxidation yield (85%) and specific epoxidation rate (1437.56 μmol genzyme−1 min−1) were obtained at 36 °C, H2O2/CC molar ratio of 1.61, and feed flow rate of 42 mL h−1. The produced epoxides were analyzed by FTIR, 1H NMR, and GC–MS analysis.

Compositional marker in vivo reveals intramyocellular lipid turnover during fasting-induced lipolysis

Intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) is of particular metabolic interest, but despite many proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) studies reporting IMCL content measured by the methylene (CH2) resonance signal, little is known about its composition. Here we validated IMCL CH3:CH2 ratio as a compositional marker using 1H MRS at short echo time, and investigated IMCL content and composition during a 28-hour fast in 24 healthy males. Increases in IMCL CH2 relative to the creatine and phosphocreatine resonance (Cr) at 3.0 ppm (an internal standard) correlated with circulating free fatty acid (FA) concentrations, supporting the concept of increased FA influx into IMCL. Significant decreases in IMCL CH3:CH2 ratio indicated a less unsaturated IMCL pool after fasting, and this compositional change related inversely to IMCL baseline composition, suggesting a selective efflux of unsaturated shorter-chain FA from the IMCL pool. This novel in vivo evidence reveals IMCL turnover during extended fasting, consistent with the concept of a flexible, responsive myocellular lipid store. There were also differences between soleus and tibialis anterior in basal IMCL composition and in response to fasting. We discuss the potential of this marker for providing insights into normal physiology and mechanisms of disease.

Epidermal lipid composition, barrier integrity, and eczematous inflammation are associated with skin microbiome configuration

Genomic approaches have revealed characteristic site specificities of skin bacterial community structures. In addition, in children with atopic dermatitis (AD), characteristic shifts were described at creases and, in particular, during flares, which have been postulated to mirror disturbed skin barrier function, cutaneous inflammation, or both. We sought to comprehensively analyze microbial configurations in patients with AD across body sites and to explore the effect of distinct abnormalities of epidermal barrier function. The skin microbiome was determined by using bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing at 4 nonlesional body sites, as well as acute and chronic lesions of 10 patients with AD and 10 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and filaggrin (FLG) mutation status. Nonlesional sampling sites were characterized for skin physiology parameters, including chromatography-based lipid profiling. Epidermal lipid composition, in particular levels of long-chain unsaturated free fatty acids, strongly correlated with bacterial composition, in particular Propionibacteria and Corynebacteria abundance. AD displayed a distinct community structure, with increased abundance and altered composition of staphylococcal species across body sites, the strongest loss of diversity and increase in Staphylococcus aureus seen on chronic lesions, and a progressive shift from nonlesional skin to acute and chronic lesions. FLG-deficient skin showed a distinct microbiome composition resembling in part the AD-related pattern. Epidermal barrier integrity and function affect the skin microbiome composition. AD shows an altered microbial configuration across diverse body sites, which is most pronounced at sites of predilection and AD. Eczematous affection appears to be a more important determinant than body site.

Combining biocatalysts to achieve new phase change materials. Application to non-edible animal fat

The thermal properties of various alkyl threo-9, 10-dihydroxystearates (DHSEs) prepared from non-edible fat were studied. Non-edible animal fat was hydrolyzed in a 93% yield with R. oryzae resting cells. Crude unsaturated fatty acids were recovered from the matter liquor resulting from a crystallization performed to achieve the saturated fatty acids. These unsaturated free fatty acids were epoxidized with 30% H2O2 using immobilized Candida antarctica Lipase-B (CAL-B) as biocatalyst. The epoxy ring was cleaved with hot water in the presence of tert-butanol (t-BuOH). Pure threo-9, 10-dihydroxystearic acid (DHSA) from animal fat was recovered by crystallization (51% yield). Subsequently, DHSA was esterified in α-limonene using biocatalysts yielding twelve DHSEs (58–90% yield). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of these esters revealed potential latent heats ranging from 136.83kJkg−1 to 234.22kJkg−1 and melting temperatures from 52.45°C to 76.88°C. Finally, the compounds with enthalpies above 200kJkg−1 were subjected to 100 and 1000 thermal cycles. These experiments showed that these products present good thermal reliability.

The Selective Interaction of Pistacia lentiscus Oil vs. Human Streptococci, an Old Functional Food Revisited with New Tools.

Pistacia lentiscus berry oil (LBO) represents a typical vegetal product of the Mediterranean basin that has been formally used in traditional cuisine for 100s of years. In addition to its interesting alimentary properties, this product could represent an interesting candidate in the field of research on the study of new anti-infective agents. In fact, in Mediterranean countries, lentisk oil still continues to be widely used in folk medicine for oral and skin affections, in particular, acute gingivitis, pediatric skin infections such as impetigo and foot plaques, and biofilm related infections often associated with Streptococcus spp. Following these observations, we have hypothesized a “lentisk oil-bacteria” interaction, placing particular emphasis on the different Streptococcal species involved in these oral and skin diseases. In accordance with this hypothesis, the use of standard antimicrobial-antibiofilm methods (MIC, MBC, MBIC) allowed the interesting behavior of these bacteria to be observed and, in this context, the response to lentisk oil appears to be correlated with the pathogenic profile of the considered microorganism. Two probiotic strains of S. salivarius K12/M18 appeared to be non-sensitive to this product, while a set of five different pathogenic strains (S. agalactiae, S. intermedius, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. pyogenes) showed a response that was correlated to the fatty acid metabolic pathway of the considered species. In fact, at different times of bacteria development, selective High Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis of the growth medium containing LBO detected a significant increase in free unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in particular oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids, which are already known for their antibacterial activity. In this context, we have hypothesized that LBO could be able to modulate the pathogen/probiotic rate in a Streptococcal population using the fatty acid metabolic pathway to help the probiotic strain. This hypothesis was strengthened by performing antibacterial testing with oleic acid and an in silico evaluation of the Streptococcal MCRA protein, an enzyme involved in the production of saturated fatty acids from UFA. These results show that LBO may have been used in ancient times as a “natural microbial modulating extract” in the prevention of biofilm- associated diseases.

Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on olive and olive oil quality during fermentation process

The olive fruits were fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 and then some physicochemical properties of the extracted oil including chemical indices, fatty acid composition, functional groups, total phenol content, antioxidant activity and thermal properties were investigated. Some fruit quality indices such as color and texture also were determined. Results showed the concentration of unsaturated free fatty acids in treated samples increased after the fermentation process. The results of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrozyl (DPPH) test demonstrated that L. plantarum can improve antiradicalactivity of olive oil. According to Pearson's test, phenolic compounds had a strong involvement in the antioxidant activity. FT-IR analysis demonstrated that the oxidation occurred during the brining process of the control sample. Peroxide value and 1H NMR analysis also showed extracted oil from olives treated with L. plantarum had more oxidation stability compared to untreated samples. In control sample, DSC analysis showed that the oxidation of oil sample increased during the storage period. Results also indicated that fermentation had positive effects on texture and color of olives. Therefore, fermentation can preserve quality of olive and olive oil during storage.

In vitro modeling of unsaturated free fatty acid-mediated tissue impairments seen in acne lesions.

Acne vulgaris is a disease of pilosebaceous units with multifactorial pathogenesis, including hyperkeratinization, increased sebum secretion, and inflammation. Recently, it was suggested that acne subjects may have also impaired skin barrier. We hypothesized that excess unsaturated free fatty acids (UFFA) present in the sebum may cause barrier impairment associated with increased follicular stratum corneum (SC) thickening and inflammation seen in acne. Therefore, epidermal and sebaceous lipid profiles from acne and healthy subjects were analyzed and an in vitro epidermal tissue model was developed to validate this hypothesis. Significantly increased levels of free fatty acids (p<0.05) were observed in skin lipids of human acne vs. healthy subjects. Exposure of human epidermal equivalents (HEEs) to the UFFA oleic acid (OA), also present in sebum, led to barrier impairment associated with increased SC lipid disorder, increased secretion of interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and excessive SC thickening. Furthermore, the expression of genes encoding for inflammatory cytokines and epidermal differentiation proteins was also increased both in acne lesions and in OA-treated HEEs. Taken together, these data are in agreement with the hypothesis that excess UFFAs in sebum of acne subjects may contribute to impaired skin barrier associated with the increased follicular SC thickness and inflammation seen in acne. Moreover, OA induces similar molecular and phenotypic changes in HEEs as those seen in acne lesions and suggests that an UFFA-treated epidermal tissue model can be used to study the UFFA-mediated pathways involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory acne and for the development of appropriate therapies.

Altered expression of epidermal lipid bio-synthesis enzymes in atopic dermatitis skin is accompanied by changes in stratum corneum lipid composition

BackgroundThe barrier dysfunction in atopic dermatitis (AD) skin correlates with stratum corneum (SC) lipid abnormalities including reduction of global lipid content, shorter ceramide (CER) as well as free fatty acid (FFA) chain length and altered CER subclass levels. However, the underlying cause of these changes in lipid composition has not been fully investigated. AimWe investigated whether the expression of CER and FFA biosynthesis enzymes are altered in AD skin compared with control skin and determine whether changes in enzyme expression can be related with changes in lipid composition. MethodsIn AD patients and controls the expression of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of FFAs and CERs was analyzed in relation to the SC lipid composition. These enzymes include stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD), elongase 1 (ELOVL1) and ELOVL6 involved in FFA synthesis and β-glucocerebrosidase (GBA), acid-sphingomyelinase (aSmase), ceramide synthase 3 (CerS3) involved in CER synthesis. In TH2 treated human skin equivalents (AD HSEs) mimicking lesional AD skin, the mRNA expression of these enzymes was investigated. ResultsThe results reveal an altered expression of SCD and ELOVL1 in AD lesional skin. This was accompanied by functional changes displayed by increased unsaturated FFAs (SCD) and reduced FFA C22-C28 (ELOVL1) in AD lesional skin. The expression of GBA, aSmase and CerS3 were also altered in lesional skin. The CER composition in AD lesional skin showed corresponding changes such as increased CER AS and NS (aSmase) and decreased esterified ω-hydroxy CERs (CerS3). In support of the results from AD skin, the AD HSEs showed reduced mRNA ELOVL1, GBA and a Smase levels. ConclusionThis study shows that alterations in the expression of key enzymes involved in SC lipid synthesis contribute to changes in the lipid composition in AD skin and inflammation may influence expression of these enzymes.

A bioassay-guided fractionation system to identify endogenous small molecules that activate plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity in Arabidopsis.

Plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase is essential for plant growth and development. Various environmental stimuli regulate its activity, a process that involves many protein cofactors. However, whether endogenous small molecules play a role in this regulation remains unknown. Here, we describe a bio-guided isolation method to identify endogenous small molecules that regulate PM H+-ATPase activity. We obtained crude extracts from Arabidopsis seedlings with or without salt treatment and then purified them into fractions based on polarity and molecular mass by repeated column chromatography. By evaluating the effect of each fraction on PM H+-ATPase activity, we found that fractions containing the endogenous, free unsaturated fatty acids oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:3) extracted from salt-treated seedlings stimulate PM H+-ATPase activity. These results were further confirmed by the addition of exogenous C18:1, C18:2, or C18:3 in the activity assay. The ssi2 mutant, with reduced levels of C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3, displayed reduced PM H+-ATPase activity. Furthermore, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3 directly bound to the C-terminus of the PM H+-ATPase AHA2. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the binding of free unsaturated fatty acids to the C-terminus of PM H+-ATPase is required for its activation under salt stress. The bio-guided isolation model described in this study could enable the identification of new endogenous small molecules that modulate essential protein functions, as well as signal transduction, in plants.