Lipid Classes Research Articles

LC-MS Lipidomic Analysis of Macrophages

Currently, an increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases is observed in the population. Factors contributing to their development are obesity and pro-inflammatory processes occurring in the adipose tissue. Macrophages, cells of the non-specific immune system, which can be divided into pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory, play a significant role in these processes. For a better understanding of these phenomena, it is necessary to analyze the lipidome of macrophages of the two mentioned groups. The presented work was focused on the optimization of selected parameters of the LC-MS method for the analysis of 71 lipids from 16 lipid classes. Best results were achieved with column Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (1.7 µm, 2.1 mm × 100 mm) operating at the flow rate of 300 μL min–1 and temperature of 55 °C. The optimal desolvation temperature was 350 °C and the gradient elution started at 0 % of solvent B in the mobile phase. Retention dependencies were characterized for individual lipid classes. They were successfully fitted with a linear model (R2 > 0.99) and subsequently used to confirm the accuracy of lipid identification. The optimized LC-MS method was also used to analyze the real samples of macrophages isolated from the adipose tissue of kidney donors. Samples were provided by Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine. The principal component analysis gave insight into the division of macrophages according to their type. The volcano plot showed a significant increase in the concentration of five lipids in the case of pro-inflammatory macrophages.

Metabolic predictors of COVID-19 mortality and severity: a survival analysis

IntroductionThe global healthcare burden of COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented with a high mortality. Metabolomics, a powerful technique, has been increasingly utilized to study the host response to infections and to understand the progression of multi-system disorders such as COVID-19. Analysis of the host metabolites in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection can provide a snapshot of the endogenous metabolic landscape of the host and its role in shaping the interaction with SARS-CoV-2. Disease severity and consequently the clinical outcomes may be associated with a metabolic imbalance related to amino acids, lipids, and energy-generating pathways. Hence, the host metabolome can help predict potential clinical risks and outcomes.MethodsIn this prospective study, using a targeted metabolomics approach, we studied the metabolic signature in 154 COVID-19 patients (males=138, age range 48-69 yrs) and related it to disease severity and mortality. Blood plasma concentrations of metabolites were quantified through LC-MS using MxP Quant 500 kit, which has a coverage of 630 metabolites from 26 biochemical classes including distinct classes of lipids and small organic molecules. We then employed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to investigate the correlation between various metabolic markers, disease severity and patient outcomes.ResultsA comparison of survival outcomes between individuals with high levels of various metabolites (amino acids, tryptophan, kynurenine, serotonin, creatine, SDMA, ADMA, 1-MH and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and 2 enzymes) and those with low levels revealed statistically significant differences in survival outcomes. We further used four key metabolic markers (tryptophan, kynurenine, asymmetric dimethylarginine, and 1-Methylhistidine) to develop a COVID-19 mortality risk model through the application of multiple machine-learning methods.ConclusionsMetabolomics analysis revealed distinct metabolic signatures among different severity groups, reflecting discernible alterations in amino acid levels and perturbations in tryptophan metabolism. Notably, critical patients exhibited higher levels of short chain acylcarnitines, concomitant with higher concentrations of SDMA, ADMA, and 1-MH in severe cases and non-survivors. Conversely, levels of 3-methylhistidine were lower in this context.

Changes in Lipid Profiles with the Progression of Pregnancy in Black Women

Background/Objectives: Lipid metabolism plays an important role in maternal health and fetal development. There is a gap in the knowledge of how lipid metabolism changes during pregnancy for Black women who are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes. We hypothesized that the comprehensive lipidome profiles would show variation across pregnancy indicative of requirements during gestation and fetal development. Methods: Black women were recruited at prenatal clinics. Plasma samples were collected at 8–18 weeks (T1), 22–29 weeks (T2), and 30–36 weeks (T3) of pregnancy. Samples from 64 women who had term births (≥37 weeks gestation) were subjected to “shotgun” Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Mixed-effects models were used to quantify systematic changes and dimensionality reduction models were used to visualize patterns and identify reliable lipid signatures. Results: Total lipids and major lipid classes showed significant increases with the progression of pregnancy. Phospholipids and glycerolipids exhibited a gradual increase from T1 to T2 to T3, while sphingolipids and total sterol lipids displayed a more pronounced increase from T2 to T3. Acylcarnitines, hydroxy acylcarnitines, and Lyso phospholipid levels significantly decreased from T1 to T3. A deviation was that non-esterified fatty acids decreased from T1 to T2 and increased again from T2 to T3, suggestive of a potential role for these lipids during the later stages of pregnancy. The fatty acids showing this trend included key fatty acids—non-esterified Linoleic acid, Arachidonic acid, Alpha-linolenic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Docosapentaenoic acid, and Docosahexaenoic acid. Conclusions: Mapping lipid patterns and identifying lipid signatures would help develop intervention strategies to reduce perinatal health disparities among pregnant Black women.

Magnolol ameliorates fumonisin B1-induced oxidative damage and lipid metabolism dysfunction in astrocyte-like C6 cells

The neurotoxicity of fumonisin B1 (FB1), a commonly detected mycotoxin in crops and the environment, has attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, no effective method for eliminating FB1 completely exists due to the thermal stability and water solubility of this mycotoxin. Magnolol (MAG) is a neolignane with antioxidative and neuroprotective effects. It has been applied in neurotoxicity treatment. However, the application of MAG to attenuate FB1-induced toxicity has not been reported. This study explored the protective mechanism of MAG against FB1-induced damage in C6 cells through antioxidant and lipid metabolism modulation. Results showed that exposure to 15 μM FB1 caused oxidative stress by changing the levels of malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, total superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total glutathione. These changes were reversed by MAG addition, especially at the concentration of 80 μM. The protective effects of MAG were further confirmed by the reduction in the phosphorylation levels of proteins in the MAPK signaling pathway. Lipidomics analysis identified 263 lipids, which belong to 24 lipid classes. Among all of the identified lipids, triglycerides (TGs), diglycerides (DGs), phosphatidylcholines (PCs), wax monoesters (WEs), Cers, and phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) were major categories. Moreover, nine categories of lipids showed the opposite change trend in the FB1 exposure and MAG 80 groups. A further investigation of the 34 co-occurring differential lipids with remarkable changes (P value < 0.05 and VIP value > 1) in the control, FB1 exposure, and MAG 80 groups was performed. Therein, nine lipids (PCs, LPCs, and SM) were screened out as potential biomarkers to reveal the cytoprotective effects of MAG. This work is the first to investigate the rescue mechanism of MAG in FB1-induced cytotoxicity. The obtained results may expand the application of MAG to alleviate the toxicity of mycotoxins.

Characterising bioactive components of green‐lipped mussel via two extraction methods: in vitro assessment of antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects

SummaryThis study investigates the benefits of green‐lipped mussels containing bioavailable PUFAs and inflammation‐modulating oil extracts. The goal is to find the best method for extracting lipids from two types of raw materials with strong immunomodulatory, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties using organic solvents and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) techniques. The lipid classes are analysed using TLC‐FID and GC–MS to detect FFAs, while DPPH determines antioxidant levels. The cytokine production of IL‐6 and TNF‐α in LPS‐stimulated mouse macrophages is measured using ELISA. The results show that while supercritical CO2 is the most effective method for extracting lipids, the content can vary depending on the source and technique. The major FFAs found include EPA, Palmitic acid, DHA, and Palmitoleic acid, with PUFAs, particularly omega 3, being the most dominant. Samples exhibit potent radical scavenging in 2000 μg mL−1, similar to ascorbic acid at 62.5 μg mL−1 (62.2 ± 15.36%). The cells release more TNF‐α than IL‐6, and solvent extraction was found to regulate the immune response more effectively. In conclusion, the extracts contain significant amounts of EPA/DHA and variable FFAs, suggesting potential anti‐inflammatory effects. However, further validation in alternative in vitro models is necessary.

Impact of extraction method on the lipids of Himalayan marmot oil with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis.

Himalayan marmot oil (SPO) has been used for pharmaceutical purposes for centuries, but its composition is still unclear. The bioactivity of SPO highly depends on the techniques used for its processing. This study focused on the comprehensive lipidomics of SPO, especially on the ones derived from dry rendering, wet rendering, cold pressing, and ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction. We performed lipid profiling of SPO acquired by different extraction methods using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and 17 classes of lipids (2 BMPs, 12 LysoPCs, 9 LysoPEs, 41 PCs, 24 PEs, 23 Plasmenyl-PCs, 10 Plasmenyl-PEs, 10 MGs, 63 DGs, 187 TGs, 2 MGDGs, 3 Cer[NDS]s, 22 Cer[NS]s, 2 GlcCer[NS]s, 14 SMs, 14 CEs, and 6 AcylCarnitines) were characterized. Fifty-five lipids were differentially altered (VIP > 1.5, p < 0.05) between the extraction techniques, which can be used as potential biomarkers to differentiate SPO extracted by various methods. Additionally, the contents of oleic acid and arachidic acid were abundant in all samples that may suggest their medicinal values and are conducive to in-depth research. These findings reveal the alterations of lipid profile and free fatty acid composition in SPO obtained with different extraction methods, providing a theoretical foundation for investigating its important components as functional factors in medicines and cosmetics.

Lipids as biomarkers to assess the nutritional and physiological status of two diadromous fish (Anguilla anguilla and Chelon auratus) at early life stages in a temperate macrotidal estuary.

Estuaries are considered as key habitats for the early life stages of fish. However, in the face of massive destruction of many estuarine intertidal areas, management and conservation measures are needed. Fish condition indicators may be used as a proxy of habitat quality and provide valuable information for management of coastal areas. In this study, the larvae of golden mullet (Chelon auratus) and European glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) were sampled in three sites of the Gironde Estuary. Different lipid classes and fatty acids were quantified: phospholipids (globally, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine), triglycerides, omega-3 (particularly docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids), omega-6 and C18:1. These biomarkers provide information on the nutritional status of the larvae as well as on prey availability and larvae diet between sites. One site significantly differed from the others as it seemed to offer abundant and better-quality prey. The very high levels of omega-3 contained in mullet larvae suggested that this site provided a high amount of diatoms. However, the mullet larvae that colonized this site also showed physiological stress that could be explained by exposure to pollutants through their prey. This work constitutes an essential baseline for developing biomarkers to assess the quality of habitats in a global change context.

Plasma lipidome differences in patients with and without significant carotid plaque

BackgroundAtherosclerosis is a major cause of ischemic stroke, and early detection of advanced atherosclerosis in the carotid artery is important for reducing morbidity and mortality. What is even more important is not only detection of atherosclerosis but early determination whether the patients are at high risk of an event with adverse effects as the size of the plaque does not necessarily reflect its potential to trigger such events. AimWe studied whether plasma lipidomics profile can be used as a diagnostic tool for stratification of stable or unstable plaques without the need of removing the carotid plaque. MethodsThis study used liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry lipidomics to characterize lipid profiles in patients' plasma and found that patients with significant and complicated (vulnerable) atherosclerotic plaque had distinct lipid profiles compared to those with insignificant plaques. ResultsThe lipid classes that were most predictive of vulnerable plaque were lysophosphoethanolamines, fatty acyl esters of hydroxy fatty acids, free fatty acids, plasmalogens, and triacylglycerols. Most of these compounds were found decreased in plasma of patients with unstable plaques which enabled sufficient performance of a statistical model used for patient stratification. ConclusionsPlasma lipidomes measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry show differences in patients with stable and unstable carotid plaques, therefore these compounds could potentially be used as biomarkers for unstable plaque in future clinical diagnosis.

MobiLipid: A Tool for Enhancing CCS Quality Control of Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Lipidomics by Internal Standardization.

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) offers benefits for lipidomics by obtaining IM-derived collision cross sections (CCS), a conditional property of an ion that can enhance lipid identification. While drift tube (DT) IM-MS retains a direct link to the primary experimental method to derive CCS values, other IM technologies rely solely on external CCS calibration, posing challenges due to dissimilar chemical properties between lipids and calibrants. To address this, we introduce MobiLipid, a novel tool facilitating the CCS quality control of IM-MS lipidomics workflows by internal standardization. MobiLipid utilizes a newly established DTCCSN2 library for uniformly (U)13C-labeled lipids, derived from a U13C-labeled yeast extract, containing 377 DTCCSN2 values. This automated open-source R Markdown tool enables internal monitoring and straightforward compensation for CCSN2 biases. It supports lipid class- and adduct-specific CCS corrections, requiring only three U13C-labeled lipids per lipid class-adduct combination across 10 lipid classes without requiring additional external measurements. The applicability of MobiLipid is demonstrated for trapped IM (TIM)-MS measurements of an unlabeled yeast extract spiked with U13C-labeled lipids. Monitoring the CCSN2 biases of TIMCCSN2 values compared to DTCCSN2 library entries utilizing MobiLipid resulted in mean absolute biases of 0.78% and 0.33% in positive and negative ionization mode, respectively. By applying the CCS correction integrated into the tool for the exemplary data set, the mean absolute CCSN2 biases of 10 lipid classes could be reduced to approximately 0%.

Analysis aqueous humor lipid profile of neovascular glaucoma secondary to diabetic retinopathy and lipidomic alteration response to anti-VEGF treatment

The objective of this study was to examine the lipid spectrum of aqueous humor (AH) in patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy and to investigate the lipid alteration response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment. Lipidomic analysis using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was conducted to compare the lipid profiles of the AH in NVG patients with those of a control group. Lipid changes in the AH of NVG patients before and after intravitreal conbercept injections were also evaluated. The identification of lipids showing differential expression was accomplished through both multivariate and univariate analyses. This study included 13 NVG patients and 20 control subjects. Based on LipidSearch software, 639 lipid species across 33 lipid classes were detected in the participants' AH. The combination of univariate and multivariate statistical analyses yielded 53 differentially expressed lipids (VIP >1 and P < 0.05). In addition, 9 lipids were found to be differentially expressed before and after the intravitreal conbercept injections in the NVG patients. Significant alterations in the metabolic pathways of glycerophospholipid and glycerolipid exhibited notable changes. Our results highlighted the lipid changes in patients’ AH in relation to the progression of NVG, and indicated that the modified lipids could potentially be utilized as therapeutic targets for NVG.

Expanding the CHARMM36 United Atom Chain Model for the Inclusion of Sphingolipids.

The inclusion of accurate yet computationally inexpensive lipid force fields (FF) is pertinent for the study of lipids and lipid-containing systems using molecular dynamics (MD). Within the past decade, the implementation and further expansion of a united atom (UA) FF for lipids have been developed in the CHARMM family of FFs. The most recent version of the UA presented more accurate descriptions of lipid properties for several phospholipids with saturated and monounsaturated chains, termed C36UAr. However, the original C36UAr model lacks parameters for an important class of lipids, such as sphingolipids. The focus of this article is to broaden the scope of the C36UAr chain model to incorporate these lipids. In this study, two common sphingolipids, N-palmitoyl sphingomyelin and N-stearoyl sphingomyelin are converted to a UA-chain representation and simulated to investigate the accuracy and speed over the all-atom FF model for sphingolipids. Improvements were found among multiple parameters, for example, in the surface area per lipid (SA/lip) and hydrogen order parameters, over the all-atom simulations of these sphingomyelins in C36, while as much as halving the simulation time for simulations of the same setup otherwise. Thus, the accuracy and efficiency found in this study are consistent with those found in the C36UAr model for phospholipids and expand the application of C36UAr to a wider array of membrane models to better match that in vivo.

ToF-SIMS imaging shows specific lipophilic vitamin alterations in chronic reprotoxicity caused by the emerging contaminant Pravastatin in Gammarus fossarum

Blood lipid-lowering agents, such as Pravastatin, are among the most frequently used pharmaceuticals released into the aquatic environment. Although their effects on humans are very well understood, their consequences on freshwater organisms are not well known, especially in chronic exposure conditions. Gammarus fossarum is commonly used as sentinel species in ecotoxicology because of its sensitivity to a wide range of environmental contaminants and the availability of standardized bioassays. Moreover, there is an increased interest in linking molecular changes in sentinel species, such as gammarids, to observed toxic effects. Here, we performed a reproductive toxicity assay on females exposed to different concentrations of pravastatin (30; 300; 3,000 and 30,000 ng L−1) during two successive reproductive cycles and we applied ToF-SIMS imaging to evaluate the effect of pravastatin on lipid homeostasis in gammarids. Reproductive bioassay showed that pravastatin could affect oocyte development in Gammarus fossarum inducing embryotoxicity in the second reproductive cycle. Mass spectrometry imaging highlighted the disruption in vitamin E production in the oocytes of exposed female gammarids at the second reproductive cycle, while limited alterations were observed in other lipid classes, regarding both production and tissue distribution. The results demonstrated the interest of applying spatially resolved lipidomics by mass spectrometry imaging to assess the molecular effects induced by long-term exposure to environmental pharmaceutical residues in sentinel species.

Mass Spectrometry Reveals Molecular Effects of Citrulline Supplementation during Bone Fracture Healing in a Rat Model.

Bone fracture healing is a complex process in which specific molecular knowledge is still lacking. The citrulline-arginine-nitric oxide metabolism is one of the involved pathways, and its enrichment via citrulline supplementation can enhance fracture healing. This study investigated the molecular effects of citrulline supplementation during the different fracture healing phases in a rat model. Microcomputed tomography (μCT) was applied for the analysis of the fracture callus formation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) and liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were used for lipid and protein analyses, respectively. μCT analysis showed no significant differences in the fracture callus volume and volume fraction between the citrulline supplementation and control group. The observed lipid profiles for the citrulline supplementation and control group were distinct for the different fracture healing stages. The main contributing lipid classes were phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs). The changing effect of citrulline supplementation throughout fracture healing was indicated by changes in the differentially expressed proteins between the groups. Pathway analysis showed an enhancement of fracture healing in the citrulline supplementation group in comparison to the control group via improved angiogenesis and earlier formation of the soft and hard callus. This study showed the molecular effects on lipids, proteins, and pathways associated with citrulline supplementation during bone fracture healing, even though no effect was visible with μCT.

Nitidane: An Irregular Prenylated Diterpene from the Cuticle of the Springtail Heteromurus nitidus.

Collembola are closely related to insects, but our knowledge of their often unique chemistry is limited. Here we report the identification of the epicuticular lipid nitidane, representing a novel class of epicuticular lipids. Nitidane (4) is an irregular terpene consisting of seven isoprene units, made up of a diterpene core that is modified by a geranyl moiety that is itself prenylated. The observed [46+(22+11)1]-terpene structure has not been reported before.

Characteristics of the Follicular Fluid Extracellular Vesicle Molecular Profile in Women in Different Age Groups in ART Programs

The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular composition of follicular fluid (FF) extracellular vesicles (EVs) in women of different reproductive ages and its possible relationship to sperm fertilizing ability. FF EVs were obtained by differential centrifugation. The concentration and size distribution of FF EVs were analyzed by nanoparticle tracking analysis. The lipidome and proteome were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The isolated FF EVs had a variety of shapes and sizes; their concentration and size distribution did not differ significantly between the age groups. In women younger than 35 years, the concentration of vesicular progesterone was 6.6 times higher than in women older than 35 years, and the total levels of the main lipid classes were increased in younger women. A proteomic analysis revealed that not only FF EV-specific proteins, but also proteins involved in sperm activation were present. New data were obtained on the composition of FF EVs, confirming their importance as molecular indicators of age-related changes in the female reproductive system. In addition, these results shed light on the possible interaction between the FF EVs of women in different age groups and male germ cells. Therefore, studying the transcriptomic and metabolomic profile of FF EVs may be a crucial approach to evaluate the efficacy of ART.

Heterogeneity of Intramuscular, Intermuscular, and Subcutaneous Fat in Laiwu Pigs: Insights from Targeted Lipidomics and Transcriptomics

In the livestock industry, an excessive accumulation of subcutaneous fat diminishes the proportion of lean meat, while elevated intramuscular fat (IMF) content is associated with enhanced meat quality. However, the heterogeneity of various fat depots in pigs remains incompletely understood. Comprehensive tissue section, lipidomic, and transcriptomic analyses indicated that the maturity of IMF was significantly less than that of both intermuscular and subcutaneous fats. We identified 467 lipids across 29 lipid classes in total, revealing that IMF exhibits unique lipid composition and transcriptional profiles. More importantly, several lipids, including GalCer, S1P, CL, AcCa, PC-O, PE-O, and sulfatide, are highly enriched in intramuscular fat and may play pivotal roles in neuromodulation, mitochondrial function, lipogenesis, and membrane signaling. In conclusion, we unveiled unique lipid composition and molecular regulatory pathways of porcine IMF, offering new insights for the synergistic breeding that aims at optimizing pig backfat thickness and IMF content.

Aza-Prilezhaev Aziridination-Enabled Multidimensional Analysis of Isomeric Lipids via High-Resolution U-Shaped Mobility Analyzer-Mass Spectrometry.

Unsaturated lipids constitute a significant portion of the lipidome, serving as players of multifaceted functions involving cellular signaling, membrane structure, and bioenergetics. While derivatization-assisted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) remains the gold standard technique in lipidome, it mainly faces challenges in efficiently labeling the carbon-carbon double bond (C═C) and differentiating isomeric lipids in full dimension. This presents a need for new orthogonal methodologies. Herein, a metal- and additive-free aza-Prilezhaev aziridination (APA)-enabled ion mobility mass spectrometric method is developed for probing multiple levels of unsaturated lipid isomerization with high sensitivity. Both unsaturated polar and nonpolar lipids can be efficiently labeled in the form of N-H aziridine without significant side reactions. The signal intensity can be increased by up to 3 orders of magnitude, achieving the nM detection limit. Abundant site-specific fragmentation ions indicate C═C location and sn-position in MS/MS spectra. Better yet, a stable monoaziridination product is dominant, simplifying the spectrum for lipids with multiple double bonds. Coupled with a U-shaped mobility analyzer, identification of geometric isomers and separation of different lipid classes can be achieved. Additionally, a unique pseudo MS3 mode with UMA-QTOF MS boosts the sensitivity for generating diagnostic fragments. Overall, the current method provides a comprehensive solution for deep-profiling lipidomics, which is valuable for lipid marker discovery in disease monitoring and diagnosis.

The bone marrow lipidomics of mice reveal sex-related differences.

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder characterized by an imbalance between bone resorption and formation, exhibiting a higher prevalence in women compared with men. While previous studies have primarily focused on genomics and genetics in osteoporosis susceptibility, there is a lack of systematic exploration of sex-specific differences in lipid levels in mouse bone marrow. Multiple reaction monitoring-based liquid chromatography-trandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) was used to quantify lipidomic profiles in bone marrow samples from three female mice and three male mice. The LC-MS/MS technique based on the multiple reaction monitoring method identified and quantified 184 lipids from 15 lipid classes. The contents of most lipids in the bone marrow cells of female mice were higher than those in male mice, including four polyunsaturated fatty acids, three phospholipids and four sphingolipids. Among all the lipid molecules, lactosylceramide (d18:0/16:0) showed the highest fold change in female mice, while its precursor lipid, glucosylceramide, was the most up-regulated in male mice. This study, focusing on bone marrow lipidomics, elucidates significant sexual dimorphism in lipid levels within bone marrow cells. It provides novel evidence supporting the higher prevalence of osteoporosis in women and enhances our understanding of the connection between sex-specific lipid levels and the risk of osteoporosis.

Omics-based approaches for discovering active ingredients and regulating gut microbiota of Actinidia arguta exosome-like nanoparticles.

Exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) are novel naturally occurring plant ultrastructures and contain unique bioactive components. However, the potential applications and biological functions of plant ELNs, especially in the context of health promotion and disease prevention, remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to explore the biological activities and functional mechanisms of Actinidia arguta-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (AAELNs). We reported the development of AAELNs, which possess particle sizes of 157.8 nm and a negative surface charge of -23.07 mV, uptaking by RAW264.7 cells, and reduction of oxidative stress by decreasing the activity of GSH-Px and T-SOD and increasing the content of MDA. Through the use of high-throughput sequencing technology, 12 known miRNA families and 23 additional miRNAs were identified in AAELNs, GO and KEGG term enrichment analysis revealed the potential of AAELNs-miRNAs in modulating neural-relevant behaviors. Additionally, LC-MS/MS analysis detected a total of 32 major lipid classes, 430 lipid subclasses, and 1345 proteins in AAELNs. Furthermore, in vivo fluorescence disappearance and in vitro fermentation experiments demonstrated that AAELNs were able to enter the colon and improve the microbial structure. These findings suggest that AAELNs could serve as nanoshuttles in food, potentially offering health-enhancing properties.

Shotgun approach reveals distinctive lipid profiles in brassica oilseeds: A high-resolution ESI-ToF-MS study

Members of Brassica seed oil are important sources of nutritionally superior edible oil. There are no comprehensive reports on complete lipidomic profile of these oilseed crops. In this study, the lipidomic profiling of edible oil from 7 different cultivated species of Brassica seed oils was performed by shotgun approach using electrospray High Resolution Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-ToF-MS). The mass spectrum under positive polarity revealed 1098 lipids under different lipid classes including sphingolipids, phospholipids and different storage lipids. Under negative polarity, 70 lipids including free fatty acids (FFA), cardiolipins and phospholipids were detected. Erucic acid in FFA form was found to be most abundant in both Yellow and Brown sarson. Brassica napus contains almost all forms of cardiolipins (CL). Out of 26 different species of cardiolipins detected in negative ion mode, CL 56:1 (FA 18:1) and CL 56:1 (FA 22:1) were present only in brown sarson. Similarly, CL 56:2 (FA 18:2) and CL 56:1 (FA 22:1) were present only in Yellow and Brown sarson. These findings enhance our understanding of the nutritional diversity in Brassica seed oils, emphasizing the significance of lipidomic analysis for elucidating the molecular composition of edible oils.