Lipid Components Research Articles

Staged strategy of combined rotational atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy for severely calcified lesions: an evaluation using multimodality intracoronary imaging—a case report

Abstract Background Severely calcified lesions are the most significant challenge for percutaneous coronary intervention, exhibiting poor clinical outcomes. Some severely calcified lesions remain untreatable with conventional balloons or even atherectomy devices. Intravascular lithotripsy is a new option for treating severe calcification. Case summary Herein, we describe a case of ischaemic cardiomyopathy with a thick, circumferential calcified lesion in the proximal and mid-segments of the left anterior descending coronary artery. In the first session, high-pressure balloons, cutting balloons, and rotational atherectomy failed to disrupt the calcification. In the staged additional treatment that was subsequently planned, eight cycles of intravascular lithotripsy created multiple fractures in the deep calcification, resulting in successful stent deployment. The effect of intravascular lithotripsy was observed mainly in calcified areas with lipid components detected using near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound. Discussion Our report suggests the efficacy of employing a combined strategy of rotational atherectomy with small burrs and intravascular lithotripsy in the treatment of severe calcification with a minimal risk of complications. Our study introduces a novel aspect by utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound to evaluate calcified lesions before performing intravascular lithotripsy. To our knowledge, there have been no similar reports to date. The effect of intravascular lithotripsy on calcified lesions may be related to the distribution of lipid components and/or heterogeneity within the calcification.

Habitual Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine Consumption, Circulating Metabolites, and the Risk of Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity.

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) is an increasing public health concern. Previous observational studies have suggested inverse associations between coffee, tea, and caffeine intake and risks of individual cardiometabolic diseases; however, their associations with CM and related biological markers are unknown. This prospective study involved 172 315 (for caffeine analysis) and 188 091 (tea and coffee analysis) participants free of any cardiometabolic diseases at baseline from the UK Biobank; 168 metabolites were measured among 88 204 and 96 393 participants. CM was defined as the coexistence of at least 2 of the following conditions: type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Nonlinear inverse associations of coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with the risk of new-onset CM were observed. Compared with nonconsumers or consumers of less than 100 mg caffeine per day, consumers of moderate amount of coffee (3 drinks/d) or caffeine (200-300 mg/d) had the lowest risk for new-onset CM, with respective hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 0.519 (0.417-0.647) and 0.593 (0.499-0.704). Multistate models revealed that moderate coffee or caffeine intake was inversely associated with risks of almost all developmental stages of CM, including transitions from a disease-free state to single cardiometabolic diseases and subsequently to CM. A total of 80 to 97 metabolites, such as lipid components within very low-density lipoprotein, histidine, and glycoprotein acetyls, were identified to be associated with both coffee, tea, or caffeine intake and incident CM. Habitual coffee or caffeine intake, especially at a moderate level, was associated with a lower risk of new-onset CM and could play important roles in almost all transition phases of CM development. Future studies are warranted to validate the implicated metabolic biomarkers underlying the relation between coffee, tea, and caffeine intake and CM.

The association between serum cholesterol levels and mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment in the Suita Study and evidence from other epidemiological studies

BackgroundSerum cholesterols are well-documented markers of cardiovascular diseases; however, their association with cognitive well-being is uncertain. This study investigated the association between serum cholesterol levels and mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. MethodsEpidemiological evidence on the role of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), non-HDL-C, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in cognitive impairment was highlighted. Then, data from 6216 Japanese individuals, aged ≥50 years, from the Suita Study were analyzed. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores <27 and < 24 were used to define cognitive impairment. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) for cognitive impairment. ResultsEpidemiological studies investigating the association between serum cholesterol and cognitive impairment have shown conflicting findings: elevated risk with certain lipid components in some studies and no association in others. In the Suita Study, HDL-C < 40 mg/dL was associated with cognitive impairment: ORs (95 % CIs) = 1.36 (1.08, 1.72) for MMSE <27 and 1.61 (1.00, 2.60) for MMSE <24. Non-HDL-C ≥ 200 mg/dL was also associated with cognitive impairment: ORs (95 % CIs) = 1.53 (1.02, 2.31) for MMSE <27 and 1.80 (1.16, 2.79) for MMSE <24. No such associations were detected with TC. ConclusionWhile epidemiological evidence remains inconsistent, the Suita Study showed that decreased HDL-C and increased non-HDL-C, but not increased TC, were associated with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. Management of serum cholesterol levels should be considered to prevent cognitive impairment.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Lipid Nanoparticles Encapsulating mRNA.

mRNA vaccines have shown great potential in responding to emerging infectious diseases, with their efficacy and stability largely dependent on the delivery vehicles-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). This study aims to explore the mechanisms by which LNPs encapsulate mRNA, as well as the effects of different N/P ratios and acid types in nucleic acid solutions on the structure and properties of LNPs, using the ethanol solvent injection method as the encapsulation technique. Six systems were designed, based on the composition and proportions of the existing mRNA vaccine mRNA-1273, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the self-assembly process of LNPs. Ethanol was used as a solvent instead of pure water to better mimic experimental conditions. The results indicate that lipid components self-assemble into nanoparticles under neutral conditions, with the ionizable lipid SM-102 predominantly concentrating in the core of the particles. Upon mixing with nucleic acids in acidic conditions, LNPs undergo disassembly, during which protonated SM-102 encapsulates mRNA through electrostatic interactions, forming stable hydrogen bonds. Cluster structure analysis revealed that the four lipid components of LNPs are distributed sequentially from the outside inwards as DMG-PEG 2000, DSPC, cholesterol, and protonated SM-102. Moreover, LNPs constructed under low pH or low N/P ratios using citric acid exhibited larger volumes and more uniform distribution. These findings provide a scientific basis for further designing and optimizing LNP components to enhance the efficacy of mRNA vaccine encapsulation.

Bacterial Secondary Metabolites Embedded in Producer Cell Membranes and Antibiotics Targeting Their Biosynthesis.

The bacterial cell membrane primarily houses lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins forming a barrier and interface that maintains cellular integrity, supports homeostasis, and senses environmental changes. Compared to lipid components and excreted secondary metabolites, compounds embedded in the producer cell membrane are often overlooked due to their low abundance and niche-specific functions. The accumulation of findings has led to an increased appreciation of their crucial roles in bacterial cell biochemistry, physiology, and ecology, as well as their impact on mutualistic and pathogenic bacteria-eukaryote interactions. This review highlights the structures, biosynthesis, regulation, and ecological functions of membrane-embedded secondary metabolites. It also discusses antibiotics that target their biosynthetic pathways, aiming to inspire the development of antibiotics specific to pathogenic bacteria without harming human cells.

Lipopolymer/siRNA Nanoparticles Targeting the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 5A Disrupts Proliferation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The therapeutic potential of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in gene-targeted treatments is substantial, but their suboptimal delivery impedes widespread clinical applications. Critical among these is the inability of siRNAs to traverse the cell membranes due to their anionic nature and high molecular weight. This limitation is particularly pronounced in lymphocytes, which pose additional barriers due to their smaller size and scant cytoplasm. Addressing this, we introduce an innovative lipid-conjugated polyethylenimine lipopolymer platform, engineered for delivery of therapeutic siRNAs into lymphocytes. This system utilizes the cationic nature of the polyethylenimine for forming stable complexes with anionic siRNAs, while the lipid component facilitates cellular entry of siRNA. The resulting lipopolymer/siRNA complexes are termed lipopolymer nanoparticles (LPNPs). We comprehensively profiled the efficacy of this platform in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as in vitro and in vivo models of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), emphasizing the inhibition of the oncogenic signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A) gene. The lipopolymers demonstrated high efficiency in delivering siRNA to ALL cell lines (RS4;11 and SUP-B15) and primary patient cells, effectively silencing the STAT5A gene. The resultant gene silencing induced apoptosis and significantly reduced colony formation in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed a significant decrease in tumor volumes without causing substantial toxicity. The lipopolymers did not induce the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and INF-γ) in PBMCs from healthy volunteers, underscoring their immune safety profile. Our observations indicate that LPNP-based siRNA delivery systems offer a promising therapeutic approach for ALL in terms of both safety and therapeutic efficacy.

Determination of Initial Rates of Lipopolysaccharide Transport.

Nonvesicular lipid trafficking pathways are an important process in every domain of life. The mechanisms of these processes are poorly understood in part due to the difficulty in kinetic characterization. One important class of glycolipids, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are the primary lipidic component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. LPS are synthesized in the inner membrane and then trafficked to the cell surface by the lipopolysaccharide transport proteins, LptB2FGCADE. By characterizing the interaction of a fluorescent probe and LPS, we establish a quantitative assay to monitor the flux of LPS between proteoliposomes on the time scale of seconds. We then incorporate photocaged ATP into this system, which allows for light-based control of the initiation of LPS transport. This control allows us to measure the initial rate of LPS transport (3.0 min-1 per LptDE). We also find that the rate of LPS transport by the Lpt complex is independent of the structure of LPS. In contrast, we find the rate of LPS transport is dependent on the proper function of the LptDE complex. Mutants of the outer membrane Lpt components, LptDE, that cause defective LPS assembly in live cells display attenuated transport rates and slower ATP hydrolysis compared to wild type proteins. Analysis of these mutants reveals that the rates of ATP hydrolysis and LPS transport are correlated such that 1.2 ± 0.2 ATP are hydrolyzed for each LPS transported. This correlation suggests a model where the outer membrane components ensure the coupling of ATP hydrolysis and LPS transport by stabilizing a transport-active state of the Lpt bridge.

Preventive Effect of Royal Jelly and 10-HDA on Skin Damage in Diabetic Mice through Regulating Keratinocyte Wnt/β-Catenin and Pyroptosis Pathway.

The objective of this study is to elucidate how Royal jelly (RJ) and 10-hydroxy-2-decanoic acid (10-HDA) prevents diabetic skin dysfunction by modulating the pyroptosis pathway. Type 2 diabetes models are induced by fat diet consumption and low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) in C57BL/6J mice and treated with RJ (100 mg kg-1 day-1) and 10-HDA, the major lipid component of royal jelly (100 mg kg-1 day-1) for 28 weeks. The results show that serum concentrations of glucose and triglyceride are significantly lower in the RJ group or 10-HDA than diabetes mellitus (DM)group. Compared to the control group, pyroptosis proteins, GSDMD, ASC, Caspase-1, and IL-1β are increased in the skin of the diabetic model, accompanied by the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. Further evaluations by RJ exhibit superior improvement of skin damage, repress activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and attenuate keratinocyte pyroptosis, but 10-HDA cannot completely suppress the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and pyroptosis, which shows a relatively weak protective effect on skin damage which shows that RJ is a better effect on skin injury after DM.

FLUID: a fluorescence-friendly lipid-compatible ultrafast clearing method.

Many clearing methods achieve high transparency by removing lipid components from tissues, which damages microstructure and limits their application in lipid research. As for methods which preserve lipid, it is difficult to balance transparency, fluorescence preservation and clearing speed. In this study, we propose a rapid water-based clearing method that is fluorescence-friendly and preserves lipid components. FLUID allows for preservation of endogenous fluorescence over 60 days. It shows negligible tissue distortion and is compatible with various types of fluorescent labeling and tissue staining methods. High quality imaging of human brain tissue and compatibility with pathological staining demonstrated the potential of our method for three-dimensional (3D) biopsy and clinical pathological diagnosis.

Immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms research of deer antler water extract (DAWE) on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressive mice based on metabolomics and microbiomics

Deer antler has been a staple food for millennia, yet its precise immunomodulatory mechanisms remain unexplored. In our study, we systematically investigated the effects and mechanisms of deer antler water extract (DAWE) on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressive mice. We identified various bioactive components in DAWE, including monosaccharides, nucleosides, phospholipids, amino acids, lipids, and organic acids. Following 14 days of administration of DAWE (260 mg/kg) significantly enhanced immunity in immunosuppressed mice, alleviating spleen injury, boosting immune cell proliferation, and increasing immunoactive substances production. Moreover, DAWE effectively mitigated intestinal barrier damage by promoting goblet cell and IgA-secreting cell proliferation and upregulating the expression of occludin-1 and claudin-1. Additionally, DAWE modulated gut microbiota diversity, composition, and metabolic activity. The metabonomic analysis highlighted the pivotal role of glutamine and glutamate metabolic pathways in DAWE's immune regulatory effects. These findings provide valuable insights into DAWE as a potential immunomodulator and functional food, warranting further exploration in clinical applications.

Latest Delivery Advancements of Lipid Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment.

As one of the primary causes of illness and death globally, cancer demands novel and potent treatment approaches, which is why lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have gained attention as a promising delivery system for anticancer drugs with precision and efficacy. The article discusses the salient characteristics of LNPs, such as the lipid components, particle size, polydispersity index, and encapsulation efficiency, followed by strategies that enhance their remarkable drug delivery capabilities. The articles explore LNPs ability to improve the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of various chemotherapeutics, nucleic acids, and immunotherapeutic modalities. It also highlights the recent advancement in surface modification of LNPs, which is essential to improve their effectiveness. Tailored coatings of LNPs improve targeting precision, stability, and biocompatibility; enhancing their transport to boost therapeutic efficacy for cancer targeting. The review summarizes the recent advancements made in using LNPs to treat different forms of cancer and focuses on the most recent clinical studies. Overall, the review highlights that the LNPs can target and treat cancer in a tailored manner through gene therapy, RNA interference, and immunotherapy.

МИКРОВОДОРОСЛИ ХЛОРЕЛЛА ДЛЯ ОЧИСТКИ СТОКОВ В СЕЛЬСКОМ ХОЗЯЙСТВЕ

A promising way to solve current problems of energy saving and reducing environmental pollution may be the use of microalgae. These simple microorganisms are capable of purifying contaminated wastewater in agriculture. Wastewater contains nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfate and other contaminants. In order to optimize the technology of obtaining biodiesel fuel from lipid components in the conditions of small agricultural producers, the possibility of using Chlorella vulgaris in cleaning from ammonium ions and phosphate ions was studied. Chlorella was cultivated in a photobioreactor on a standard Tamiya medium and wastewater for 10 days at a temperature of 30 ° C and an illumination of 14 kLx in the red (620-740 nm), blue (430-500 nm) and green (500-565 nm) wavelength ranges. The filtrate of the microalgae suspension was collected over several days and assessed for the content of phosphate and nitrate ions using a photometric method. The greatest increase was observed with illumination in the red range (2 times higher), the minimum value in the green. The studies found that cell growth occurs both in synthetic, standard nutrient media and in wastewater, the latter being more costeffective. It was found that when adding chlorella to wastewater, the maximum decrease in the content of ammonium ions and phosphate anions is observed on the 6-7th day (by 19-59% and 5-29%, respectively), which is most likely due to the use of these elements by microalgae for nutrition and maintenance of life. A scheme for growing Chlorella vulgaris on wastewater for further production of lipid components of biodiesel fuel is proposed.

Development of a method for inactivating lipoxygenases in linseed using chemical reagents

The object of the study is the oxidative stability of the lipid component of linseed treated with a citric acid and sodium chloride solution. The rational composition of chemical reagents for inactivating linseed lipoxygenases was determined in the work. The obtained results make it possible to develop an effective linseed treatment method for increasing stability to oxidative spoilage. The proposed composition of the linseed treatment solution (citric acid – 1.0...1.3 %; sodium chloride – 0.6...0.8 %) significantly reduces the peroxide and anisidine numbers of the lipid component. This helps reduce oxidative spoilage during accelerated oxidation and storage under normal conditions. Rational treatment conditions were determined based on the approximate dependency of these indicators on the concentrations of chemical reagents. The data obtained in the work are explained by chemical interactions between the solution components and the enzyme complex of linseed, leading to enzyme denaturation and, accordingly, increased oxidative stability of the lipid component. A feature of the obtained results is the competitiveness of treated linseed, characterized by increased nutritional value due to improved technological properties. The results of the study allow minimizing the loss of nutritional value and increasing the shelf life of linseed products. The results are important for developing new oilseed processing technologies. This makes it possible not only to increase the stability of products against oxidative spoilage, but also to preserve their high nutritional value. Further research in this area will contribute to improving oilseed processing technologies, in particular linseed, which is an important contribution to the development of the food industry

Unraveling gender-specific lipids and flavor volatiles in giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) livers via lipidomics and GC-IMS

To uncover the relationships between lipid components and flavor volatiles, distinctness in lipid components and odor substances in giant salamander livers of different genders were comparatively characterized through UPLC-Q Exactive-MS lipidomics and gas chromatography-ion migration spectrometry (GC-IMS). A total of 2171 and 974 lipid metabolites were detected in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Triglycerides (TG) and phosphatidylcholines (PC) are the most abundant types of lipids. TG level in male livers was higher than that in female livers (P < 0.05), whereas PC level showed no marked variation (P > 0.05). Additionally, a total of 51 volatile components were detected through GC-IMS. Ketones (42.18 % ∼ 45.44 %) and alcohols (24.19 % ∼ 26.50 %) were the predominant categories, and their relative contents were higher in female livers. Finally, 30 differential lipid metabolites and 12 differential odor substances were screened and could be used as distinguishing labels in giant salamander livers of different genders. Correlation analysis indicated that PS(36:2e), TG(48:13), ZyE(37:6), and ZyE(33:6) correlated positively with 3-methyl butanal, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, and 2-methyl-1-propanol (P < 0.05), but adversely linked with 1-penten-3-one, and 1-octen-3-one (P < 0.01). By three-fold cross-validation, prediction accuracies of these differential lipids and volatile compounds for gender recognition based on random forest model were 100 % and 92 %, respectively. These findings might not only add knowledge on lipid and volatile profiles in giant salamander livers as affected by genders, but also provide clues for their gender recognition.

Mapping of the Lipid-Binding Regions of the Antifungal Protein NFAP2 by Exploiting Model Membranes.

Fungal infections with high mortality rates represent an increasing health risk. The Neosartorya (Aspergillus) fischeri antifungal protein 2 (NFAP2) is a small, cysteine-rich, cationic protein exhibiting potent anti-Candida activity. As the underlying mechanism, pore formation has been demonstrated; however, molecular level details on its membrane disruption action are lacking. Herein, we addressed the lipid binding of NFAP2 using a combined computational and experimental approach to simple lipid compositions with various surface charge properties. Simulation results revealed binding preferences for negatively charged model membranes, where selectivity is mediated by anionic lipid components enriched at the protein binding site but also assisted by zwitterionic lipid species. Several potential binding routes initiated by various anchoring contacts were observed, which resulted in one main binding mode and a few variants, with NFAP2 residing on the membrane surface. Region 10NCPNNCKHKKG20 of the flexible N-terminal part of the protein showed potency to insert into the lipid bilayer, where the disulfide bond-stabilized short motif 11CPNNC15 could play a key role. In addition, several areas, including the beginning of the N-terminal (residues 1-8), played roles in facilitating initial membrane contacts. Besides, individual roles of residues such as Lys24, Lys32, Lys34, and Trp42 were also revealed by the simulations. Combined data demonstrated that the solution conformation was not perturbed markedly upon membrane interaction, and the folded part of the protein also contributed to stabilizing the bound state. Data also highlighted that the binding of NFAP2 to lipid vesicles is sensitively affected by environmental factors such as ionic strength. Electrostatic interactions driven by anionic lipids were found pivotal, explaining the reduced membrane activity observed under high salt conditions. Experimental data supported the lipid-selective binding mechanisms and pointed to salt-dependent effects, particularly to protein-assisted vesicle aggregation at low ionic strength. Our findings can contribute to the development of NFAP2-based anti-Candida agents and studies aiming at future medical use of peptide-based natural antifungal compounds.

The mechanistic study of diacylglycerol in ameliorating non-alcoholic fatty liver and systemic lipid accumulation

The escalating prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), driven by inadequate dietary habits and metabolic imbalances, underscores the urgent need for effective dietary interventions. This study investigated the potential of 80 % peanut diacylglycerol (DAG) as a functional lipid component in preventing NAFLD and associated intestinal microenvironment based on a high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced zebrafish model. We first found that the zebrafish fatty liver model shared multiple similar pathways like lipid-induced atherosclerosis, insulin resistance with NAFLD patient in terms of lipid metabolism. Employing larvae and grown zebrafish, we aimed to elucidate the preventive and alleviating effect of a DAG diet on NAFLD respectively. Results showed that DAG post-intervention significantly decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and diminished intestinal inflammatory in fatty liver zebrafish model. Notably, transcriptomic sequencing illuminated upregulation in genes related to lipid metabolism (e.g., fasn, mogat2, cd36), suggesting that peanut DAG accelerated lipid transportation and fostered a metabolic environment less conducive to NAFLD symptoms. Besides, reduced liver lipid droplets and hepatic inflammatory suggested DAG feeding could also prevent the formation of NAFLD. The study provided compelling evidence supporting the incorporation of DAG into the diet as a strategy for the prevention and management of fatty liver disease, proposing a novel approach to functional food development aimed at combating metabolic diseases.

Implications of coronary calcification on the assessment of plaque pathology: a comparison of computed tomography and multimodality intravascular imaging.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of calcific (Ca) on the efficacy of coronary computed coronary angiography (CTA) in evaluating plaque burden (PB) and composition with near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) serving as the reference standard. Sixty-four patients (186 vessels) were recruited and underwent CTA and 3-vessel NIRS-IVUS imaging (NCT03556644). Expert analysts matched and annotated NIRS-IVUS and CTA frames, identifying lumen and vessel wall borders. Tissue distribution was estimated using NIRS chemograms and the arc of Ca on IVUS, while in CTA Hounsfield unit cut-offs were utilized to establish plaque composition. Plaque distribution plots were compared at segment-, lesion-, and cross-sectional-levels. Segment- and lesion-level analysis showed no effect of Ca on the correlation of NIRS-IVUS and CTA estimations. However, at the cross-sectional level, Ca influenced the agreement between NIRS-IVUS and CTA for the lipid and Ca components (p-heterogeneity < 0.001). Proportional odds model analysis revealed that Ca had an impact on the per cent atheroma volume quantification on CTA compared to NIRS-IVUS at the segment level (p-interaction < 0.001). At lesion level, Ca affected differences between the modalities for maximum PB, remodelling index, and Ca burden (p-interaction < 0.001, 0.029, and 0.002, respectively). Cross-sectional-level modelling demonstrated Ca's effect on differences between modalities for all studied variables (p-interaction ≤ 0.002). Ca burden influences agreement between NIRS-IVUS and CTA at the cross-sectional level and causes discrepancies between the predictions for per cent atheroma volume at the segment level and maximum PB, remodelling index, and Ca burden at lesion-level analysis. Coronary calcification affects the quantification of lumen and plaque dimensions and the characterization of plaque composition coronary CTA. This should be considered in the analysis and interpretation of CTAs performed in patients with extensive Ca burden. Coronary CT Angiography is limited in assessing coronary plaques by resolution and blooming artefacts. Agreement between dual-source CT angiography and NIRS-IVUS is affected by a Ca burden for the per cent atheroma volume. Advanced CT imaging systems that eliminate blooming artefacts enable more accurate quantification of coronary artery disease and characterisation of plaque morphology.

The Role of Food Matrices Supplemented with Milk Fat Globule Membrane in the Bioaccessibility of Lipid Components and Adaptation of Cellular Lipid Metabolism of Caco-2 Cells.

This study aimed to evaluate the digestive efficiency of food matrices supplemented with milk fat globule membrane isolated from buttermilk (BM-MFGM), using the INFOGEST in vitro digestion protocol hyphenated with the assessment of the digested material on the lipid profile of the Caco-2 cell culture model. First, we examined lipid profiles in food matrices supplemented with BM-MFGM and their subsequent digestion. The results showed distinct lipid profiles in different food matrices and micellar fractions. The presence of BM-MFGM lipids changed the cellular lipid profiles in Caco-2 cell cultures, with diverging contents in cholesteryl esters, triacylglycerides, and neutral lipids depending on the micellar food matrix factor. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed patterns in cellular lipid responses to micellar stimuli, while volcano plots highlighted significant changes in cellular lipid profiles post-treatment. Thus, this study underscores the importance of in vitro digestion protocols in guiding food matrix selection for bioactive ingredient supplementation, elucidating intestinal epithelium responses to digested food stimuli.

Effect of seminal plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerides concentrations and sperm morphology on semen freezability in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus)

There is scarce information about the effect of sperm morphology and seminal plasma composition on cat semen freezability. Thus, this study aims to assess the effect of cat sperm morphology and seminal plasma cholesterol (CHOL) and triacylglyceride (TAG) concentrations on sperm post-thaw survival. Ejaculates (n = 49) were evaluated, and seminal plasma was separated and frozen until CHOL and TAG concentrations were measured. The sperm pellet was diluted in a tris-based egg yolk extender, frozen (n = 38), or processed for sperm ultrastructure study (n = 11). Abnormalities recorded were abnormal head shape and size, detached heads, knobbed or ruffled acrosomes, eccentric mid-piece insertion, proximal and distal cytoplasmic droplets, folded and coiled tails, and Dag defect. Ultramicroscopic evaluation detected several sperm abnormalities in fresh semen and some sperm damage in frozen semen. Seminal plasma lipids components were positively correlated with post-thaw motility and acrosome integrity. Higher freezability indices for motility and acrosome integrity were observed in frozen-thawed semen with high seminal plasma CHOL and TAG concentrations. No freezability differences were observed between teratozoospermic and normozoospermic ejaculates. Our results showed that even when seminal plasma was removed before cryopreservation, sperm survival after thawing was significantly higher in samples with high seminal plasma CHOL and TAG concentrations, indicating a rapid adherence to these compounds to the sperm plasma membrane, protecting sperm cells from temperature changes. Nevertheless, there were no differences in sperm freezability by sperm morphology.

Lipid Drug Conjugates in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract: Drugs that have been covalently altered with lipids are known as lipid-drug conjugates. Drug characteristics are altered and their lipophilicity is increased when lipids are conjugated to drug molecules. The conjugates exhibit a number of benefits, including increased oral bioavailability, improved lymphatic targeting, improved tumor targeting, and reduced cytotoxicity. Different conjugation techniques and chemical bridges can be utilized to create lipid-drug conjugates depending on the chemical makeup of medicines and lipids. For lipid-drug conjugates to function at their best, linkers and/or conjugation techniques are essential. They control how medications are released from lipid-drug conjugates. The numerous lipids utilized to make lipid-drug conjugates and the various conjugation techniques are outlined in this article. Although these conjugates can be delivered without a delivery vehicle, many of them are put into suitable delivery techniques. Drug loading into lipophilic parts of vehicles can be considerably improved by the lipid component in the conjugates, leading to combinations with significant drug content and superior stability.