Aspartic Acid Levels Research Articles

Nutritional profiling and shelf life assessment of monosex tilapia steaks during ice storage

In freshwater aquaculture, monosex tilapia is emerging as a potential alternative to common tilapia which is a prolific breeder. The nutritional profile as well as the shelf-life stability of monosex tilapia stored under iced condition was assessed. The fatty acid profile pointed out that the major class of fatty acids present in tilapia was monounsaturated fatty acids (42.36%). Amino acid compositional analysis indicated higher levels of glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Tilapia steaks were divided into two lots for ice storage viz., control (AP: air packed) and vacuum packed (VP). AP samples crossed the total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) acceptability limit of 35 mg% towards 16th day of storage whereas VP samples were acceptable throughout the storage period of 19 days. Increase in thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value was more prominent in air packed lots during storage period. The decrease in hardness and lightness values were more prominent in vacuum packed samples. Results of the biochemical and microbiological analyses indicated that air packed samples were acceptable upto 16th day while it was extended to 19th day in vacuum packed samples.

SEASONAL VARIATION OF FATTY ACID AND AMINO ACID COMPOSITIONS IN THE MUSCLE TISSUE OF ZANDER (SANDER LUCIOPERCA LINNAEUS, 1758) AND THE EVALUATION OF IMPORTANT INDEXES RELATED TO HUMAN HEALTH

In this study, the seasonal fatty acid and amino acid amounts in the muscles of the zander from Bey?ehir Lake, Turkey, and their important indices for human health were evaluated. It was found that aspartic acid, glutamic acid and lysine levels in zander were dominant among the amino acids. The ratio of essential amino acids (EAA) to non-essential amino acids (NEAA) was between 0.69 and 0.78. In all seasons, the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, 89.85-109.11 mg/100g) amount in zanders was higher than saturated fatty acids (SFA, 55.08-81.89 mg/100g) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 29.16-78.89 mg/100g). It was determined that EPA, DHA and omega-3 rates were high. The fatty acid quality indices (AI, TI, FLQ, w6/w3, h/H) were found at proper levels for human health. Summing up the results, it was found that seasons influenced both the compositions of amino acids and fatty acids of zander.

Quality of Hard Cheese Made from Value Aded Organic Goat Milk

Summary Products with added value are all those products which, in addition to requirements set by laws of food safety and quality, meet the additional requirements. The added value of products resulting from its higher nutritional and commercial value and very often involve products originating from organic production or products with geographical indications. Consumer knowledge of production values has increased exponentially and has fuelled a demand for healthy, quality products such as goats’ milk and cheeses. The single most important factor affecting cheese quality and yield is the composition of the milk, particularly the concentrations of fat and casein. Nutritional value of goat cheese derives from its energy value, content of essential fatty and amino acids, the content of vitamins, minerals and its digestibility. In this paper, organic goat milk and hard goat cheese were analyzed for fatty and amino acids profile. In addition, cheese was assayed for fat, protein, moisture, total solids, Ca, P, Mg and pH. The evaluation of the cheeses was performed to establish the relationship between quality and composition of milk and cheese. Obtained values for saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid content in cheese were on average 42.0, 54.4, and 3.60 %, respectively. Levels of glutamic, aspartic acid, lysine and leucine significantly increased in cheese comparing with milk samples. Mean values for fat in dry matter in cheese was 47.1 %, while for pH this value amounted 5:55.

Meat Quality and Physicochemical Trait Assessments of Berkshire and Commercial 3-way Crossbred Pigs.

In this study, we compared qualities and physiochemical traits of meat from Berkshire (black color) pigs with those of meat from 3-way Landrace (white color) × Yorkshire (white color) × Duroc (red color) crossbred pigs (LYD). Meat quality characteristics, including pH, color, drip loss, cooking loss, and free amino acid, fatty acid, vitamin, and mineral contents of longissimus dorsi muscles, were compared. Meat from Berkshire pigs had deeper meat color (redness), higher pH, and lower drip loss and cooking loss than meat from LYD pigs. Moreover, meat from Berkshire pigs had higher levels of phosphoserine, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, asparagine, α-aminoadipic acid, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, histidine, tryptophan, and carnosine and lower levels of glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, and ammonia than did meat from LYD pigs. The fatty acids oleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were present in significantly higher concentrations in Berkshire muscles than they were in LYD muscles. Additionally, Berkshire muscles were significantly enriched with nucleotide components (inosine), minerals (Mg and K), and antioxidant vitamins such as ascorbic acid (C) in comparison with LYD muscles. In conclusion, our results show that in comparison with LYD meat, Berkshire meat has better meat quality traits and is a superior nutritional source of all essential amino acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin C, and minerals (Mg and K).

Ginsenosides attenuate d-galactose- and AlCl3-inducedspatial memory impairment by restoring the dysfunction of the neurotransmitter systems in the rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Ethnopharmacological relevancePanax ginseng C.A.Mey. is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has been used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) for thousands of years. Ginsenoside is one of the major compounds found in P. ginseng. This study aimed to explore the attenuation of spatial memory impairment by ginsenosides and its correlation with restoring the dysfunction of the neurotransmitter systems in AD model rats to understand the mechanism underlying the anti-AD effect of P. ginseng. Materials and methodsIn this study, the AD model was established by combining d-galactose (d-gal) with AlCl3 (Al) for 60 days. From day 30, the ginsenosides group was intragastrically administered with ginsenosides for 30 days. The ethology of rats was tested through the Morris water maze test(MWM). Histopathological changes in the hippocampus of rats were observed through hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expressions of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) and phospho-tau (p-tau) in the hippocampus and cortex of rats were detected by immunohistochemistry. A liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry assay was used to measure neurotransmitter concentrations in the hippocampus, cortex, and blood. ResultsGinsenosides could significantly decrease the escape latency time and the average latency time in the place navigation test and increase the times of crossing the platform area, the percentage of residence time, and the distance in the original platform quadrant in the spatial probe test. Ginsenosides could repair the damage of the hippocampus and reduce the expressions of Aβ and p-tau. Ginsenosides could also increase γ-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine, and dopamine levels and decrease glutamate and aspartic acid levels in the hippocampus and cortex and increase glycine and serotonin levels in the blood. ConclusionsAfter effectively administrated, ginsenosides attenuate d-gal- and Al-induced spatial memory impairment. The possible mechanism of the beneficial effect is restoring the dysfunction of various neurotransmitters.

The positive effects of high-frequency right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on memory, correlated with increases in brain metabolites detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on memory, and its correlation with levels of hippocampal brain metabolites detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients.Materials and methodsIn this randomized, double-blind sham-controlled trial, alcohol-dependent patients were enrolled and randomized into two groups: the experimental group (rTMS, 10 Hz, on right DLPFC, 20 sessions) and the control group (sham stimulation). Memory function was assessed using Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) before and after treatment. 1H-MRS was used to detect the levels of N-acetyl aspartic acid (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cr) in bilateral hippocampi before and after treatment.ResultsThirty-eight patients (18 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group) were included in the analyses. The experimental group showed significantly greater changes in HVLT-R, BVMT-R, NAA/Cr, and Cho/Cr after rTMS from baseline than the control group. The percentage change in BVMT-R and HVLT-R correlated with the percentage change in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in the right brain.ConclusionHigh-frequency right DLPFC rTMS was associated with improvement in memory dysfunction, which is correlated with levels of hippocampal brain metabolites detected by 1H-MRS in recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients.

Changes in the Cytoplasmic Composition of Amino Acids and Proteins Observed in Staphylococcus aureus during Growth under Variable Growth Conditions Representative of the Human Wound Site.

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for a high proportion of nosocomial infections. This study was conducted to assess the bacterial responses in the cytoplasmic composition of amino acids and ribosomal proteins under various environmental conditions designed to mimic those on the human skin or within a wound site: pH6-8, temperature 35–37°C, and additional 0–5% NaCl. It was found that each set of environmental conditions elicited substantial adjustments in cytoplasmic levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, alanine and glycine (P< 0.05). These alterations generated characteristic amino acid profiles assessed by principle component analysis (PCA). Substantial alterations in cytoplasmic amino acid and protein composition occurred during growth under conditions of higher salinity stress implemented via additional levels of NaCl in the growth medium. The cells responded to additional NaCl at pH 6 by reducing levels of ribosomal proteins, whereas at pH 8 there was an upregulation of ribosomal proteins compared with the reference control. The levels of two ribosomal proteins, L32 and S19, remained constant across all experimental conditions. The data supported the hypothesis that the bacterium was continually responding to the dynamic environment by modifying the proteome and optimising metabolic homeostasis.

Elevated Glutamate Levels in the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Are Associated with Higher Cravings for Alcohol.

Quantifying craving longitudinally during the course of withdrawal, early abstinence, and relapse is essential for optimal management of alcohol use disorder (AUD). In an effort to identify biological correlates of craving, we used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to investigate the correlation between craving and glutamate levels in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) of patients with AUD. Participants underwent 1H-MRS of the LDLPFC with 2-dimensional J-resolved (2DJ) averaged PRESS. MRS data were processed with LCModel and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-corrected to generate metabolite concentrations. The Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and the 30-day time line follow-back (TLFB 30) were used to quantify craving for alcohol and drinking patterns, respectively. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between CSF-corrected glutamate ([Glu]) levels and PACS scores (n=14; p=0.005). When PACS scores were dichotomized (< or ≥median=16), [Glu] levels were significantly higher in the high- versus low-craving group (p=0.007). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between CSF-corrected N-acetyl aspartic acid ([NAA]) levels and mean number of drinks per drinking day in the past month (n=13; TLFB 30; p=0.012). When mean TLFB 30 was dichotomized (< or ≥median=7.86), [NAA] levels were significantly lower in subjects that consumed more alcoholic beverages. There was no significant correlation between [Glu] and [NAA] levels with other measures of drinking behavior and or depression symptom severity. While limited by small sample size, these data suggest that glutamate levels in LDLPFC are associated with alcohol craving intensity in patients with AUD. Further study with larger sample size is needed to replicate this finding and evaluate the merits of glutamate spectroscopy as a biological correlate of alcohol craving intensity and a guide to treatment interventions.

Abstract 4300: Novel metabolism pathway in pancreatic cancer: findings from targeted metabolomics study

Abstract Background: Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer holds the promise for improving the prognosis of this disease. We aimed to identify individual or combination of metabolites in pre-diagnostic blood that can be used as early diagnostic markers to differentiate pancreatic cancer from normal controls. Methods: Using targeted approach, we conducted a two-phase case-control metabolomics study in the Women's Health Initiative Study using pre-diagnostic fasting blood. Each cancer-free control was individually matched to each pancreatic cancer case by age (± 1 year), ethnicity, history of treated type 2 diabetes, body mass index (± 5 kg/m2), study arm, current use of hormone treatment, blood draw time in year (± 1), blood draw time in hour (± 3). All samples from cases were collected less than one year before the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. We used triple quadrupole mass spectrometer LS/GC-MS to quantitate 480 metabolites in sera of 30 cases and 30 controls. The selected candidate metabolites were validated in sera of additional 18 cases and 18 controls. Each metabolite was normalized against the standards. We used the paired t-test to compare the concentrations of each metabolite among all cases and controls. Unadjusted P value less than 0.25 was used for selecting candidate metabolites for validation and false discovery rate (FDR) adjusted Q-value &amp;lt; 0.25 was considered statistical significant in the validation phase. Log fold change (FC) was used to indicate the magnitude of difference between cases and controls. Results: Blood samples were collected 241 days (SD: 94 days) before pancreatic cancer diagnosis on average. A total of 181 metabolites were detected in the study samples with 28 metabolites found to be significantly differentially expressed in cases versus controls with unadjusted P value &amp;lt; 0.25. Further validation in the pooled 48 cases and 48 controls found the metabolites 1-methyltryptophan was significantly higher in controls compared to cases with pancreatic cancer (FC: -0.23; FDR Q-value = 0.01). The levels of acadesine (FC: 0.29), aspartic acid (FC: 0.44), and nicotinamide (0.34) were higher among cases than controls and the level of citrulline (FC: -0.22), sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (FC: -0.25), and ketoglutarate (FC: -0.20) were significantly higher among controls than cases (FDR Q-value &amp;lt; 0.25). Conclusion: Metabolites associated with perturbed amino acid metabolism were detected by metabolomics approach in pre-diagnostic blood of postmenopausal women who developed pancreatic cancer. In particular, depletion of tryptophan along kynurenine pathway has been associated with immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. Further study should determine the use of the metabolites of amino acid metabolism in early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, in addition to lipid and choline metabolites that were identified by previous studies. Citation Format: Li Jiao, Cristian Coarfa, Kimal Rajapakshe, Suman Maity, Liang Chen, Feng Jin, Vasanta Putluri, Lesley Tinker, Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar, Hashem B. El-Serag, Nagireddy Putluri. Novel metabolism pathway in pancreatic cancer: findings from targeted metabolomics study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4300.

Antiepileptic activity of total triterpenes isolated from Poria cocos is mediated by suppression of aspartic and glutamic acids in the brain

Context: Triterpenes from Poria cocos Wolf (Polyporaceae) have been used to treat various diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the antiepileptic effects and mechanism are not fully understood.Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the antiepileptic properties of total triterpenes (TTP) from the whole P. cocos.Materials and methods: The ethanol extract TTP was identified by HPLC fingerprint analysis. Male ICR mice were gavaged (i.g.) with TTP (5, 20, 80 or 160 mg/kg) or reference drugs twice a day for 7 d. Antiepileptic activities of TTP were evaluated by maximal electroshock (MES)- and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in mice for 30 and 60 min, respectively. Locomotor activity and Rota-rod tests were performed for 60 min and 5 min, respectively. The levels of glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine (Gly) in convulsive mice were estimated. The chronic epileptic model of Wistar rats was built to measure expressions of glutamate decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) and GABAA in rat brain after TTP treatment.Results: The LC50 of TTP (i.g.) was above 6 g/kg. TTP (5–160 mg/kg) protected mice against MES- and PTZ-induced convulsions at 65.0% and 62.5%, respectively, but have no effect on rota-rod treadmill; TTP (20–160 mg/kg) significantly reduced the locomotor activities, shortened the onset of pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep; TTP decreased Glu and Asp levels in convulsive mice, but increased the GAD65 and GABAA expressions in chronic epileptic rats at doses usage.Discussion and conclusion: TTP extracted from P. cocos possessed potential antiepileptic properties and is a candidate for further antiepileptic drug development.

Evaluation of serum amino acid profiles’ utility in non-small cell lung cancer detection in Polish population

ObjectivesData from studies performed in Japanese and Korean populations suggest that free amino acid profiles have the potential to aid in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) detection. However, there is still no data regarding abnormalities of free amino acids and their usefulness in NSCLC detection in European populations. The aim of the study was an evaluation of utility of amino acid profiles in NSCLC detection in Polish patients. Materials and methodsLevels of 31 free amino acids were determined in 153 serum samples applying a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based methodology. Patients with I stage lung cancer represented a significant part of the studied group (46.7%). The obtained metabolite profiles along with clinical data were subjected to multivariate statistical tests. ResultsThe presented study indicated that the increased serum level of phenylalanine and decreased level of citrulline are among the most robust cancer signatures in blood of NSCLC group. In addition, increased levels of aspartic acid and β-alanine were also recognized as important features of NSCLC. Amino acid selected based on studies of Asian patients were found to have insufficient specificity in NSCLC detection in the studied population. Therefore, we proposed a new set of 6 amino acids (aspartic acid, β-alanine, histidine, asparagine, phenylalanine and serine), which ensured higher accuracy in sample classification (from 90.3% to 77.1% depending of histological type). ConclusionWe indicated that some of the free amino acid alterations occur in serum of NSCLC patients in early stage of disease and thus they can be valuable components of a blood multi-marker panel for NSCLC detection.

Isomerized aspartate residues in rodent eye lens protein act as a marker of biological aging

Proteins in biological systems are known to accumulate spontaneous conformational alterations before breakdown and recycling. The racemization and isomerization of aspartic acid in proteins is one such modification that can result in loss of structure and function. Aspartic acid racemization specifically has been studied as a potential measure of chronological aging within low protein turnover mammalian tissues. However, very few of these studies have been optimized for shorter‐lived animals such as rodents, which are increasingly used as genetic and metabolic models of aging. In this study, we have developed a new sensitive approach for the measurement of biological age by taking advantage of the formation of isomerized aspartyl residues of the rodent eye lens. Using the human protein L‐isoaspartate/D‐aspartate methyltransferase (PCMT1) as an analytical reagent, we are able to rapidly and conveniently quantify the levels of L‐isoaspartate within lens protein extracts. We found the levels of isomerized aspartic acid to be about 35 times higher in the extracts of 18 month‐old rats versus two month‐old rats. Importantly, it was observed that the accumulation appeared to plateau in rats of 18 months and older, suggesting the presence of potentially novel mechanisms for the removal of altered proteins that may develop with age.Support or Funding InformationRuth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award GM007185

Possible relationship between amino acids, aggression and psychopathy

Objective: Aggressive behaviour is associated with reduced serotonin metabolism in the brain, but there is not enough knowledge on potential changes of the serotonin precursor levels among violent offenders. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationships among the tendency of psychopathy, anger and the basic amino acids. Methods: Fifty-two young adult male patients with antisocial personality disorder (APD) and 30 healthy men included the study. Serum amino acid levels were measured by HPLC method. Aggression questionnaire and Hare Psychopathology Scale were used for all participants. Results: Blood levels of phosphoserine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, aminoadipic acid and 1-methylhistidine in group of patients with APD were significantly higher than the control group. Blood levels of TRP, asparagine, citrulline, cystine, isoleucine, tyrosine, histidine, hydroxylysine, lysine, ethanolamine and arginine in the group of patients were found lower than the control group. A significant positive correlation between anger scores and histidine, methionine and GABA was found. GABA and methionine showed a significant correlation with the indirect aggression score. Conclusion: Our study showed a relationship between serum amino acid levels and the scores of aggression and psychopathy. We think that this is a productive research area for understanding the relationship among biochemical factors, aggression and psychopathy.

Characterization of a growth-elevated cell line of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by SV40 T-antigen

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various tissue lineages, attracting attention as tools for use in cell therapy. However, hMSCs have very poor proliferative capacity and a short life span in culture. To overcome this problem, we expressed the T antigen of SV40 in hMSCs because it is known to have the ability to elevate the growth rate of various primary animal cells. We obtained several hMSCs lines (hMSCs-T) known for stable expression of T antigen. Cells expressing T antigen proliferated on the monolayer of hMSCs, forming high density foci. hMSCs-T showed changed morphology and improved growth rate and life span, and demonstrated preservation of the potential for differentiation into osteoblasts. In addition, hMSCs-T did not proliferate in soft agar culture, indicating that the cells did not transform into tumor cells. In order to evaluate metabolic change of amino acids in hMSCs-T compared to primary hMSCs, we investigated altered amino acids (AA) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode (GC-SIM-MS). A total of 14 AAs were positively measured. Results from the Student’s t-test on the hMSCs group mean of the hMSCs-T group showed significantly elevated levels of glycine, proline, pipecolic acid, aspartic acid, lysine and tryptophan, whereas valine, leucine and isoleucine as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and phenylalanine showed a significant decrease. Altered AAs metabolic pattern in the hMSCs-T may explain the disturbance of AA metabolism related to the expression of SV40 T antigen in hMSCs.

Soybean seeds overexpressing asparaginase exhibit reduced nitrogen concentration

In soybean seed, a correlation has been observed between the concentration of free asparagine at mid-maturation and protein concentration at maturity. In this study, a Phaseolus vulgaris K+ -dependent asparaginase cDNA, PvAspG2, was expressed in transgenic soybean under the control of the embryo specific promoter of the β-subunit of β-conglycinin. Three lines were isolated having high expression of the transgene at the transcript, protein and enzyme activity levels at mid-maturation, with a 20- to 40-fold higher asparaginase activity in embryo than a control line expressing β-glucuronidase. Increased asparaginase activity was associated with a reduction in free asparagine levels as a percentage of total free amino acids, by 11-18%, and an increase in free aspartic acid levels, by 25-60%. Two of the lines had reduced nitrogen concentration in mature seed as determined by nitrogen analysis, by 9-13%. Their levels of extractible globulins were reduced by 11-30%. This was accompanied by an increase in oil concentration, by 5-8%. The lack of change in nitrogen concentration in the third transgenic line was correlated with an increase in free glutamic acid levels by approximately 40% at mid-maturation.

DanHong injection dose-dependently varies amino acid metabolites and metabolic pathways in the treatment of rats with cerebral ischemia.

To determine how the relative amino acid contents and metabolic pathways regulate the pharmacological phenotypes in rats with cerebral ischemia after treatment with varying doses of DanHong injection (DHI). Adult male rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and were injected with DHI (DH-1: 1 mL/kg; DH-2: 2.5 mL/kg; DH-3: 5 mL/kg, and DH-4: 10 mL/kg, iv) daily for 3 d. The neurological deficit score, body weights and infarct volume were assessed. Serum levels of 20 free amino acids were determined using HPLC, and the values were transformed through the quantitative analysis of the amino acids in the serum metabolic spectrum. Multivariate statistical analysis methods (PCA and PLS-DA) and web-based metabolomics tools (MetPa and MetaboAnalyst) were used to analyze the biological data sets for the amino acids. Administration of DHI dose-dependently decreased cerebral infarct volume, and ameliorated neurological deficits. A total of 5, 6, 7 and 7 non-overlapping metabolites were identified in the DH-1, DH-2, DH-3, and DH-4 groups, respectively. Eight metabolites were shared between the DHI groups and the vehicle group. In addition, the serum levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid and serine increased with increasing DHI dose. A total of 3, 2, 2 and 5 non-overlapping metabolic pathways were identified in the DH-1, DH-2, DH-3 and DH-4 groups, respectively, and glycine, serine, threonine and histidine metabolism were identified as overlapping pathways among the 4 dose groups. Overlapping and non-overlapping amino acid metabolites and metabolic pathways are associated with the dose-dependent neuroprotective effect of DHI.

Effect of Baicalin-loaded PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles modified by OX26 antibody on regulating the levels of baicalin and amino acids during cerebral ischemia–reperfusion in rats

Baicalin has many pharmacological activities, including neuroprotective function against ischemia and neurodegeneration. In our previous study, we found that Baicalin-loaded PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles modified by OX26 antibody (OX26-PEG-CSLN) might be a promising carrier to deliver drugs across the blood–brain barrier for the treatment of brain diseases. So, the aim of this present study was to further elucidate the mechanisms of OX26-PEG-CSLN cerebral ischemia protection by monitoring the changes of extracellular amino acids. In addition, we investigated the effect of OX26-PEG-CSLN on the excitotoxic neuronal injury as well as the pharmacokinetic profiles of baicalin in cerebrospinal fluid during ischemia–reperfusion period. The cerebrospinal fluid was collected by a microdialysis technique and divided into two parts – one part for pharmacokinetic study of baicalin using LC–MS/MS method and the other for pharmacodynamic study which was done by pre- column derivatization of the amino acids and analysis using a high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). The pharmacokinetic study showed that the AUC value of OX26-PEG-CSLN was 5.69-fold higher than that of the baicalin solution (Sol) (P<0.05) and the Cmax value of OX26-PEG-CSLN was 6.84-fold higher than that of the Sol (P<0.05). Moreover, the extracellular levels of glutamate (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly), taurine (Tau) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were measured for monitoring the imbalance of amino acids caused by ischemia and reperfusion. The excitotoxic index (EI) was also calculated for evaluating the imbalance between excitatory amino acid and inhibitory amino acid. The pharmacodynamic study showed that OX26-PEG-CSLN had stronger effect than Sol in reducing the content of aspartic, glutamic acid and increasing the concentrations of glycine, taurine and γ-aminobutyric acid during ischemia–reperfusion period. In conclusion, OX26-PEG-CSLN improved uptake of baicalin across the BBB into the brain, and elevated bioavailability of baicalin in cerebral spinal fluid of rats under the cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury. OX26-PEG-CSLN had much higher protection effect against cerebral ischemia injury than Sol by relieving the excitotoxic neuronal injury via regulating amino acid levels in cerebral spinal fluid.

Effects of Potato-Psyllid-Vectored 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' Infection on Potato Leaf and Stem Physiology.

The bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' is associated with zebra chip disease (ZC), a threat to potato production in North America and New Zealand. It is vectored by potato psyllids. Previous studies observed that 'Ca. L. solanacearum' infection causes potato tubers to undergo ZC-symptom-associated shifts in physiology, such as increased levels of amino acids, sugars, and phenolics. However, little is known about how 'Ca. L. solanacearum' infections caused by psyllid vector feeding may affect metabolism in potato foliage and stems. This study compared metabolism in potato plants fed upon by 'Ca. L. solanacearum'-positive psyllids with potato plants not exposed to psyllids. Foliar levels of asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamine, fructose, glucose, sucrose, a ferulic acid derivative, and quinic acid were lower in 'Ca. L. solanacearum'-inoculated than noninfected plants. However, foliar levels of proline, serine, four phenolic compounds, and most terpenoids were greater in 'Ca. L. solanacearum'-inoculated than noninfected plants. Upper stem levels of asparagine and aspartic acid, upper and lower stem levels of ellagitannins and most monoterpenoids, and lower stem level of sesquiterpenoids were greater in 'Ca. L. solanacearum'-inoculated than noninfected plants. These results suggest that many defense-related terpenoid compounds might increase in plants which had psyllids inoculate 'Ca. L. solanacearum'. This could impact progression and spread of ZC.

Plasma amino acid profiling of cancer patients with abnormal Savda based on high-performance liquid chromatography

ObjectiveTo investigate metabolic signatures in plasma of cancer patients with abnormal Savda using plasma-free amino acid profiles, and to evaluate the diagnostic potential of these profiles for the detection and explanation of the mechanisms of different symptoms in traditional Uyghur medicine. MethodsPlasma samples from cancer patients with abnormal Savda (n=85) or non-abnormal Savda (n=105) and a healthy control group (n=65) were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Orthogonal projection to latent structures with discriminant analysis was used for the classification and prediction of abnormal Savda, and spectral profiles were subjected to Student's t-tests to assess statistical significance. ResultsCompared with the healthy group, the levels of aspartic acid, glutamate, glycine, histidine, arginine, threonine, alanine, proline, methionine, isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine decreased significantly in plasma of cancer patients with abnormal Savda (all P<0.05). Serine, cystine, tyrosine, valine and lysine levels showed no significant differences (all P>0.05). Compared with non-abnormal Savda syndrome patients, abnormal Savda syndrome patients showed high concentrations of glutamate, serine, valine, isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine (all P<0.05). The remaining plasma amino acids showed no significant differences (all P> 0.05). ConclusionPlasma-free amino acid profiling has the potential to assist in understanding and determining abnormal Savda. A HPLC-based metabonomic platform could be a powerful tool for the classification of symptoms in traditional medicine.

Fish oil omega-3 fatty acids reduce the severity of radiation-induced oxidative stress in the rat brain

Purpose: To evaluate the modulator role of fish oil (FO) on some biochemical changes in the brain of gamma-irradiated rats (RAD).Material and methods: Male albino rats Sprague Dawley were divided into four groups (n = 10). (i) Control: received vehicle via gavages during 28 days; (ii) FO: received fish oil (400 mg/kg/day) via gavages during 28 days; (iii) RAD: received vehicle for 7 days before whole body gamma-irradiation with 8 Gy given in four fractions each 7 days apart and continued during the irradiation period; and (iv) FO+ RAD: received FO for 7 days before exposure to the first dose of irradiation and FO treatment was continued during the irradiation period. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours post the last irradiation dose.Results: A significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (CO) content associated with a significant decrease of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and glutathione (GSH) content were recorded in the brain of irradiated rats. Oxidative stress was accompanied by a significant decrease of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) levels. Aspartic (Asp) and glutamic (Glu) acid levels were increased. Serotonin level showed a decrease associated with enhanced monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and increased 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) level. FO treatment reduced the severity of radiation-induced oxidative stress, alteration of Asp and Glu levels and serotonin metabolism concomitant with increased EPA and DHA levels.Conclusion: FO attenuates the severity of radiation-induced biochemical disorders in the brain by counteracting the radiation-induced decrease of EPA and DHA. Further studies are needed concerning the long-term implications of our findings.