Long-chain Unsaturated Fatty Acids Research Articles

GPR120 promotes metastasis but inhibits tumor growth in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

ObjectivesG-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) is a long-chain unsaturated fatty acid receptor, which regulates glucose metabolism and lipid. To date, there are disputes on the roles of GPR120 in the pathogenesis of cancer. Besides, little is known about its roles in the pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study was designed to investigate the roles of GPR120 in the pathogenesis of PDAC. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining (IHC) was used for detecting the level of GPR120, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) markers, Ki-67 and CD31 in ninety-one PDAC patients. Western blot, CCK8, flow cytometry and transwell assays were performed to determine proliferation, apoptosis, and motility in vitro. Subcutaneous tumor model was established to validate the roles of GPR120 in vivo. ResultsGPR120 was highly expressed in PDAC tissues, which was associated with free fatty acids (FFAs), lymph node metastasis (LNM), and poor prognosis. Moreover, GPR120 activation led to down-regulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of Snail, Vimentin, N-cadherin, MMP2, MMP9, and CD31. Additionally, GPR120 decreased the expression of P-PI3K, P-AKT and CMYC and increased the level of P-JAK2, P-STAT3, Wnt5a, total β-catenin and β-catenin in nucleus. ConclusionsGPR120 promoted proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of PDAC, and contributed to PDAC metastasis via inducing EMT and angiogenesis. GPR120 served as a double-edged sword in the pathogenesis of PDAC.

A quick glance at docosahexaenoic acid fortification in formulated milk for infants, from animal models to clinical studies: a review

Docosahexaenoic acid is a fatty acid found naturally in plants oil, fish oil, fish meat, seafood flaxseed, algae, and egg yolk. It is one of the long-chain unsaturated fatty acids that are important for human biochemistry. As an important component of grey matter, docosahexaenoic acid is subject to intense research in the field of neurodevelopmental study. It is needed mainly in the third trimester of pregnancy for optimal foetal brain growth and mother’s docosahexaenoic acid intake is known to be important in supplying the foetal needs. However, arguments still exist on whether docosahexaenoic acid status is essential or non-essential for infants, especially in the preterm infant population. In the past, strong arguments coming from translational studies showed the benefits of supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid in developing foetuses and infants. Hence, docosahexaenoic acid supplementation has long existed as commercially available docosahexaenoic acid-fortified formula milk. However, the benefit of this supplementation remains controversial after follow-up in human-based studies and clinical trials. The discovery of the fatty acid desaturase gene and its significance in regulating human docosahexaenoic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids levels also seemed to give new evidence basis for docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in infants. This literature review attempts to explain the current understanding of clinical benefit of docosahexaenoic acid-fortified milk for infants, starting from the translational study level to clinical trials.

Proposed Physicochemical Standards for the Identity and Quality Characteristics of Philippine Virgin Coconut Oil

The growth of the virgin coconut oil (VCO) industry over the past few years has highlighted the need to improve VCO standards to promote better quality and detect adulteration. The Philippine National Standard for VCO (PNS/BAFPS 22:2007) has three groups of parameters – identity characteristics, quality characteristics, and contaminant limits. It has only one identity characteristic – the % fatty acid composition, which is based mainly on Codex Stan 210-1999. However, because the fatty acid composition does not distinguish VCO from refined, bleached, and deodorized coconut oil (RBDCO), additional methods are needed to differentiate VCO and RBDCO and to detect adulteration. This study proposes a new spectrophotometric measurement at 278 nm, which can accomplish both objectives. Regarding VCO quality characteristics, PNS/ BAFPS 22:2007 states that VCO should be colorless and sediment-free. However, some VCO products may have light yellow color due to the method of production, and sedimentation naturally occurs below the freezing point of VCO, which is 25 °C. New methods are proposed to address the concerns of color and sediment. Because the Codex methods are optimized for vegetable oils with long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, some methods need to be adjusted for the analysis of VCO, which is composed mainly of saturated medium-chain fatty acids. These standards and methods can be adopted by regulatory agencies and guide the industry to ensure quality VCO.

Novel Roles of FFAR4 in Macrophage Foam Cell Formation

Free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4), also known as G‐protein coupled receptor 120 (GPR120), is a long‐chain unsaturated fatty acid receptor expressed in adipocytes, endothelial cells, and macrophages. Activation of FFAR4 helps maintain metabolic homeostasis by regulating adipogenesis, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. While FFAR4 is best known for its role its role in preventing obesity and diabetes, recent studies have demonstrated that FFAR4 may also play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given FFAR4’s importance in anti‐inflammatory signaling and high expression levels in macrophages, we designed experiments to test the hypothesis that FFAR4 prevents the development of atherosclerosis by reversing macrophage foam cell formation, a hallmark of early atherogenesis. In these studies, we isolated peritoneal macrophages from wild‐type C57/BL6J mice and incubated them with oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL) to generate foam cells. We then investigated the effects of FFAR4 activation by GW9508 (a synthetic agonist) on lipid accumulation, cytokine secretion, and cholesterol efflux. Activation of FFAR4 by GW9508 decreased macrophage secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. We also found that activation of FFAR4 with GW9508 reduced lipid accumulation in macrophages as observed by decreased Oil Red O staining and reduced cellular cholesterol content. Additionally, activation of FFAR4 by GW9508 increased [3H]‐cholesterol efflux to high‐density lipoprotein (HDL). Interestingly, the increased efflux was accompanied by decreased scavenger receptor CD36 expression (that mediates oxLDL uptake) and increased expression of ATP binding cassette transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1 (that mediate cholesterol efflux). Taken together, our results support an exciting and novel role for FFAR4 in the reversal of foam cell formation and could emerge this receptor as a new target for treating CVD by preventing accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque.

Myostatin Alteration in Pigs Enhances the Deposition of Long-Chain Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Subcutaneous Fat.

In animals, myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator that inhibits muscle growth and repair. The decreased level of functional MSTN gene expression can change the amount and proportions of fats in pigs. In this study we determined the lipidomics of subcutaneous fat in MSTN single copy mutant pigs and evaluated the variations in lipid contents of the subcutaneous fat from MSTN+/− and wild type Large White (LW) pigs via ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole/Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS). The results showed that the quantities of glycerolipids, sphingolipids, fatty acyls and glycerophospholipids were significantly changed, particularly, the molecular diacylglycerol in glycerolipids, long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, and ceramide non-hydroxy fatty acid-sphingosine in sphingolipids were remarkably increased in the MSTN+/− group. Due to their positive bioavailability demonstrated by previous researches, these three lipids might be beneficial for human health. Further, the results of our study confirm that MSTN participates in the regulation of fat metabolism, and reduced expression of MSTN can ultimately influence the accumulation of lipid contents in the subcutaneous fat of pigs.

Endogenous Lipid-GPR120 Signaling Modulates Pancreatic Islet Homeostasis to Different Extents.

Long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) are not only energy sources but also serve as signaling molecules. GPR120, an LCFA receptor, plays key roles in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. However, whether endogenous ligand-GPR120 circuits exist and how such circuits function in pancreatic islets are unclear. Here, we found that endogenous GPR120 activity in pancreatic δ-cells modulated islet functions. At least two unsaturated LCFAs, oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA), were identified as GPR120 agonists within pancreatic islets. These two LCFAs promoted insulin secretion by inhibiting somatostatin secretion and showed bias activation of GPR120 in a model system. Compared with OA, LA exerted higher potency in promoting insulin secretion, which is dependent on β-arrestin2 function. Moreover, GPR120 signaling was impaired in the diabetic db/db model, and replenishing OA and LA improved islet function in both the db/db and streptozotocin-treated diabetic models. Consistently, the administration of LA improved glucose metabolism in db/db mice. Collectively, our results reveal that endogenous LCFA-GPR120 circuits exist and modulate homeostasis in pancreatic islets. The contributions of phenotype differences caused by different LCFA-GPR120 circuits within islets highlight the roles of fine-tuned ligand-receptor signaling networks in maintaining islet homeostasis.

Exposure to two-dimensional ultrathin Ti3C2 (MXene) nanosheets during early pregnancy impairs neurodevelopment of offspring in mice

BackgroundTwo-dimensional ultrathin Ti3C2 (MXene) nanosheets have been extensively explored for various biomedical applications. However, safety issues and the effects of Ti3C2 on human health remain poorly understood.ResultsTo explore the influence on foetal or offspring after exposure to Ti3C2 nanosheets, we established a mouse model exposed to different doses of Ti3C2 nanosheets during early pregnancy in this study. We found that Ti3C2 nanosheets had negligible effect on the reproductive ability of maternal mice, including average pregnancy days, number of new-borns, and neonatal weight, etc. Unexpectedly, abnormal neurobehavior and pathological changes in the cerebral hippocampus and cortex in adult offspring were observed following Ti3C2 nanosheet treatment. In further studies, it was found that Ti3C2 exposure led to developmental and functional defects in the placenta, including reduced area of labyrinth, disordered secretion of placental hormones, and metabolic function derailment. The long-chain unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher in the placenta after Ti3C2 exposure, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and linoleic acid. The metabolic pathway analysis showed that biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids was upregulated while linoleic acid metabolism was downregulated.ConclusionsThese developmental and functional defects, particularly metabolic function derailment in placenta may be the cause for the neuropathology in the offspring. This is the first report about the effects of Ti3C2 nanosheet exposure on pregnancy and offspring. The data provides a better understanding of Ti3C2 nanosheets safety. It is suggested that future studies should pay more attention to the long-term effects of nanomaterials exposure, including the health of offspring in adulthood, rather than only focus on short-term effects, such as pregnancy outcomes. Metabolomics could provide clues for finding the prevention targets of the biological negative effect of Ti3C2 nanosheets.Graphical

Abstract EP33: Plasma Lipidomic Signatures And Potential Biomarkers For Risk Of Depression: A Longitudinal Study In A Large Sample Of Community-dwelling American Indians In The Strong Heart Study

Background: Depression is an independent risk factor for CVD. Dyslipidemia, an established risk factor for CVD, has also been associated with depression, but a full spectrum of plasma lipidome for risk of depression is still lacking in any racial/ethnic groups. Objective: To identify lipids associated with risk of depression, independent of known clinical factors. Methods: We studied 2,498 fasting plasma samples from 1,249 American Indians attending two exams (2001-2003, 2006-2009, average 5-year apart) in the Strong Heart Study. Plasma lipids were repeatedly measured by LC-MS. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D). Depression was defined as total CES-D score ≥ 16. All participants were free of overt depression at baseline. Generalized estimating equation was used to identify lipids associated with risk of depression in a discovery sample (N=875), followed by replication in an independent sample (N=374). Results from discovery and replication samples were combined by meta-analysis. The model adjusted for age, sex, study center, BMI, and presence/absence of chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, CVD, CKD). Longitudinal analysis was conducted by regressing changes in lipids on changes in the CES-D score and related psychometric measures (e.g., quality of life, perceived stress, and social support), adjusting for clinical factors and baseline lipids. Network analysis was performed to identify differential lipid networks associated with risk of depression. Multiple testing was controlled at FDR<0.05. Results: Of 1,249 non-depressive participants at baseline (mean age 41, 66% women), 201 individuals (141 in discovery, 60 in replication) developed incident depression after 5-year follow-up. Our lipidomics detected 1,542 lipids (518 known) in 14 lipid classes. Of the 518 known lipids, baseline levels of 9 lipids (e.g., PI(18:1/18:2), SM(d39:1), SM(d41:2)) were associated with a 28-40% decreased risk of depression in both discovery and replication samples. Meta-analysis identified 7 glycerophospholipids (e.g., PC(40:6), PE(16:0/22:5), PI(18:1/18:2)) and 8 sphingomyelins (e.g., SM(d36:3), SM(d40:2), SM(d41:2)) associated with incident depression. Longitudinal changes in long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., FA(16:1), FA(18:1)) were inversely, while changes in saturated acylcarnitines (e.g., AC(24:0), AC(26:0)) were positively, associated with changes in CES-D score. Network analysis identified two differential lipid modules associated with risk of depression. Conclusion: Novel plasma lipids and lipidomic signatures significantly predict risk of depression beyond clinical factors. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms through which dyslipidemia contributes to depression and provide instrumental data for risk prediction, stratification, and potential therapeutics.

The Relationship between Fatty Acids and the Development, Course and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

For this systematic review, a search of the relevant literature was conducted in the EMBASE and PubMed databases. We used the following terms: ‘rheumatoid arthritis’ in conjunction with ‘fatty acid’. The following inclusion criteria had to be satisfied for the studies to be included in the analysis: an RCT/observational/cohort study published in English. A total of seventy-one studies were analysed. The presented systematic review of the available data indicates that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) may have a beneficial effect on human health by decreasing pain and disease activity in patients with RA. The beneficial effect of unsaturated FA on the clinical parameters of RA was demonstrated in all 71 studies analysed. The content of omega-3 FAs in the diet and the consumption of fish, which are their main source, may contribute to a reduced incidence of RA. FAs are an essential component in the synthesis of eicosanoids that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the documented positive influence of unsaturated FAs on treatment outcomes, the use of a diet rich in long-chain unsaturated FAs should be the standard of care, along with pharmacotherapy, in the treatment of RA patients. An important element in the control of the treatment process should be the routine assessment of the quality of life of RA patients.

Multi-omics data integration reveals metabolome as the top predictor of the cervicovaginal microenvironment.

Emerging evidence suggests that host-microbe interaction in the cervicovaginal microenvironment contributes to cervical carcinogenesis, yet dissecting these complex interactions is challenging. Herein, we performed an integrated analysis of multiple “omics” datasets to develop predictive models of the cervicovaginal microenvironment and identify characteristic features of vaginal microbiome, genital inflammation and disease status. Microbiomes, vaginal pH, immunoproteomes and metabolomes were measured in cervicovaginal specimens collected from a cohort (n = 72) of Arizonan women with or without cervical neoplasm. Multi-omics integration methods, including neural networks (mmvec) and Random Forest supervised learning, were utilized to explore potential interactions and develop predictive models. Our integrated analyses revealed that immune and cancer biomarker concentrations were reliably predicted by Random Forest regressors trained on microbial and metabolic features, suggesting close correspondence between the vaginal microbiome, metabolome, and genital inflammation involved in cervical carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we show that features of the microbiome and host microenvironment, including metabolites, microbial taxa, and immune biomarkers are predictive of genital inflammation status, but only weakly to moderately predictive of cervical neoplastic disease status. Different feature classes were important for prediction of different phenotypes. Lipids (e.g. sphingolipids and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids) were strong predictors of genital inflammation, whereas predictions of vaginal microbiota and vaginal pH relied mostly on alterations in amino acid metabolism. Finally, we identified key immune biomarkers associated with the vaginal microbiota composition and vaginal pH (MIF), as well as genital inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, MIP-1α).

Effects of Dietary Phospholipid and Cholesterol Levels on Growth, Molting Performance, and Ovary Development in Female Juvenile Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

The interaction between phospholipid (PL) and cholesterol (CH) on growth performance, molting rate, hepatopancreas fatty acid composition, and ovary development of the female red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) was investigated. Nine diets containing three PL levels (0, 20, and 60 g/kg) and three CH levels (0, 5, and 10 g/kg) were included in the study. Female crayfish (initial weight: 5.92 ± 0.03 g) were reared for 60 days. There was no significant interaction between dietary PL and CH levels ( P > 0.05 ). However, the best growth performance and ovarian development were observed in crayfish receiving the 60 g/kg PL and 10 g/kg CH diet. High PL levels promoted CH transport in the hepatopancreas, and long-chain unsaturated fatty acid (C20:4n-6, C20:5n-3, and C22:6n-3) content of the hepatopancreas increased with the addition of PL in the diet. The molting rate increased with increasing CH levels in the diet containing 60 g/kg PL. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that dietary CH enhanced the molting rate by improving the ecdysone receptor genes at transcription. This study showed that crayfish fed a diet containing 10 g/kg CH and 60 g/kg PL obtained maximum growth, molting rate, and ovary development.

Effects of esterification, saturation and amount of fatty acids infused into the rumen or abomasum in lactating dairy cows.

Our objective was to determine the effects of chemical structure, amount, and site of infusion of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in lactating dairy cows. Six multiparous Holstein cows were used in a 6×6 Latin square design with 21-d periods. During d 1 to 14, 250g/d of LCFA and during d 15 to 21, 500g/d of LCFA were infused continuously into either the rumen or abomasum. Treatments were 1) Control (CONT); 200g/d of meat solubles plus 12g/d of Tween 80 in 10 L of water, administered half in the rumen and half in abomasum; 2) control plus mostly saturated LCFA into the abomasum (SFAA); 3) control plus mostly saturated LCFA into the rumen (SFAR); 4) control plus soy (mostly unsaturated LCFA) free fatty acids (FFA) into the abomasum (UFAA); 5) control plus soy triglycerides (TG) into the abomasum (TGA); and 6) control plus soy TG into the rumen (TGR). The first 10 d of each period were for adaptation and washout from the previous treatment. The diet consisted of 30% (dry matter basis) corn silage, 20% alfalfa silage and 50% concentrate. Cows infused with UFAA had lower dry matter intake and milk yield than those infused with SFAA or TGA and reductions were greater at the higher infusion amount. Milk fat yield was decreased by UFAA relative to other treatments. Unsaturated LCFA decreased milk fat yield more than saturated LCFA. All LCFA treatments decreased short- and medium-chain FA in milk relative to CONT, with greatest decreases for UFAA. Apparent total tract digestibilities of nutrient fractions were decreased by UFAA compared with TGA and SFAA and tended to be lower at the higher infusion amount. Apparent digestibility of total fatty acids (FA) was greater for SFAR than for SFAA. Plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 was greater for cows infused with UFAA than SFAA or TGA and increased at the higher amount. Plasma cholecystokinin was greater for cows infused with LCFA compared with CONT. Postruminal unsaturated FFA reduced intake and digestibility of nutrients and FA compared with postruminal TG infusion; saturated FA did not decrease dry matter intake or disrupt nutrient digestion. Glucagon-like peptide-1may be involved in regulation of feed intake by long-chain fatty acids.

Metabolic Signatures of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in COVID-19 Patients With Different Disease Severity.

Introduction: Increased COVID-19 disease severity is higher among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. However, the metabolic pathways underlying this association are not fully characterized. This study aims to identify the metabolic signature associated with increased COVID-19 severity in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.Methods: One hundred and fifteen COVID-19 patients were divided based on disease severity, diabetes status, and hypertension status. Targeted metabolomics of serum samples from all patients was performed using tandem mass spectrometry followed by multivariate and univariate models.Results: Reduced levels of various triacylglycerols were observed with increased disease severity in the diabetic patients, including those containing palmitic (C16:0), docosapentaenoic (C22:5, DPA), and docosahexaenoic (C22:6, DHA) acids (FDR < 0.01). Functional enrichment analysis revealed triacylglycerols as the pathway exhibiting the most significant changes in severe COVID-19 in diabetic patients (FDR = 7.1 × 10−27). Similarly, reduced levels of various triacylglycerols were also observed in hypertensive patients corresponding with increased disease severity, including those containing palmitic, oleic (C18:1), and docosahexaenoic acids. Functional enrichment analysis revealed long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 and n-6) as the pathway exhibiting the most significant changes with increased disease severity in hypertensive patients (FDR = 0.07).Conclusions: Reduced levels of triacylglycerols containing specific long-chain unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids are associated with increased COVID-19 severity in diabetic and hypertensive patients, offering potential novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Influence of cysteine, serine, sulfate, and sulfide on anaerobic conversion of unsaturated long-chain fatty acid, oleate, to methane

This study aims to elucidate the role of sulfide and its precursors in anaerobic digestion (i.e., cysteine, representing sulfur-containing amino acids, and sulfate) on microbial oleate conversion to methane. Serine, with a similar structure to cysteine but with a hydroxyl group instead of a thiol, was included as a control to assess potential effects on methane formation that were not related to sulfur functionalities. The results showed that copresence of sulfide and oleate in anaerobic batch assays accelerated the methane formation compared to assays with only oleate and mitigated negative effect on methane formation caused by increased sulfide level. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of sulfide-exposed oleate suggested that sulfide reaction with oleate double bonds likely contributed to negation of the negative effect on the methanogenic activity. Methane formation from oleate was also accelerated in the presence of cysteine or serine, while sulfate decreased the cumulative methane formation from oleate. Neither cysteine nor serine was converted to methane, and their accelerating effects was associated to different mechanisms due to establishment of microbial communities with different structures, as evidenced by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. These outcomes contribute with new knowledge to develop strategies for optimum use of sulfur- and lipid-rich wastes in anaerobic digestion processes.

FabR senses long-chain unsaturated fatty acids to control virulence in pathogen Edwardsiella piscicida.

Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) can serve as nutrient sources or building blocks for bacterial membranes. However, little is known about how UFAs may be incorporated into the virulence programs of pathogens. A previous investigation identified FabR as a positive regulator of virulence gene expression in Edwardsiella piscicida. Here, chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing coupled with RNA-seq analyses revealed that 10 genes were under the direct control of FabR, including fabA, fabB, and cfa, which modulate the composition of UFAs. The binding of FabR to its target DNA was facilitated by oleoyl-CoA and inhibited by stearoyl-CoA. In addition, analyses of enzyme mobility shift assay and DNase I footprinting with wild-type and a null mutant (F131A) of FabR demonstrated crucial roles of FabR in binding to the promoters of fabA, fabB, and cfa. Moreover, FabR also binds to the promoter region of the virulence regulator esrB for its activation, facilitating the expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS) in response to UFAs. Furthermore, FabR coordinated with RpoS to modulate the expression of T3SS. Collectively, our results elucidate the molecular machinery of FabR regulating bacterial fatty acid composition and virulence in enteric pathogens, further expanding our knowledge of its crucial role in host-pathogen interactions.

Profiling the physicochemical and solid state properties of edible Tetracarpidium conophorum oil and its admixtures for drug delivery

The study is aimed at investigating the functional physicochemical and solid state characteristics of food-grade Tetracarpidium conophorum (T. conophorum) oil for possible application in the pharmaceutical industry for drug delivery. The oil was obtained by cold hexane extraction and its physicochemical properties including viscosity, pH, peroxide, acid, and thiobarbituric acid values, nutrient content, and fatty acid profile were determined. Admixtures of the oil with Softisan®154, a hydrogenated solid lipid from palm oil, were prepared to obtain matrices which were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray diffractometry. Data from the study showed that T. conophorum oil had Newtonian flow behaviour, acidic pH, insignificant presence of hyperperoxides and malondialdehyde, contains minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, selenium, and potassium, vitamins including niacin (B3), thiamine (B1), cyanocobalamine (B12), ascorbic acid (C), and tocopherol (E), and long-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids including n-hexadecanoic acid, 9(Z)-octadecenoic acid, and cis-13-octadecenoic acid. The lipid matrices had low crystallinity and enthalpy values with increased amorphicity, and showed no destructive intermolecular interaction or incompatibility between T. conophorum oil and Softisan® 154. In conclusion, the results have shown that, in addition to T. conophorum oil being useful as food, it will also be an important excipient for the development of novel, safe, and effective lipid-based drug delivery systems.

Fatty acid composition of drinking cow's milk trade networks of Kyiv

Introduction. There are several important aspects requiring a control of fatty acid composition in drinking milk distributed across the retail stores: milk is one of the main consumer products; fatty acids are the main energy substrates, involved in the synthesis of cellular structural components, whereas their interaction might impact the intensity of body growth and development; the fatty acid composition of milk varies depending on the diet and the animal's specific physiological state; in case of udder diseases, a change milk composition may occur; prevention of product counterfeiting distributed across the retail stores. &#x0D; Material and methods. The present research examined milk samples from five dairy producers that distribute their products across the retailing chains in Kyiv. Milk samples were collected to determine the fatty acid composition. Milk fat was extracted following the Folch method. The milk fatty acid content assessment was carried out by gas chromatography. &#x0D; Results. 20 fatty acids were identified in the tested milk samples. A higher level of saturated fatty acids was recorded in milk from "Ferma" and "Selyanskoye for kids" dairy producers. The highest content of unsaturated fatty acids was registered in products of “Ukrainskoe” and “Molokia” dairy trademarks. &#x0D; Conclusions. The fatty acid composition of the drinking cow’s milk distributed across trading networks in Kiev was found to be heterogeneous, by differing in the content of both long-chain saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids.

Exclusive Breast Milk An Effort to Prevent Stunting Events: A Literature Review

Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Indonesia is the third country with the highest prevalence of stunting under five in Southeast Asia in 2005-2017 of 36.4%. Stunting toddlers is a predictor of poor quality of human resources that can reduce productive abilities in the future. One of the influencing factors is exclusive breastfeeding and bad parenting practices. Objective: The purpose of this article is to describe the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding from birth on the prevention of stunting. This article uses a literature review method with keywords; stunting, exclusive breastfeeding, risk factors for stunting, determinants of stunting. The online resources used include; PNRI, Science Direct, PubMed, Elsevier and Google Scholar. The results showed that exclusive breastfeeding could reduce the incidence of stunting. Breast milk fulfills the needs of macronutrients and micronutrients for infants for 6 months. Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids are very beneficial for the development of brain cells so that babies become intelligent. These ingredients include DHA (Decosahexanoic Acid) and Arachidonic Acid (AA). In 100 ml grams of breast milk, it contains 62 kcal of energy, 1.5 grams of protein, 3.2 grams of fat, 7.0 grams of carbohydrates, 34 mg of calcium and 0.2 mg of Fe. Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is an effort to prevent stunting. These efforts target breastfeeding mothers and children aged 0-6 months, by encouraging early initiation of breastfeeding (feeding with breast milk/colostrum), and encouraging exclusive breastfeeding. Keywords: stunting; exclusive breastfeeding; content of exclusive breastfeeding; prevention of stunting.

Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids are involved in the viability and itraconazole susceptibility of Aspergillus fumigatus

The prevalence of invasive aspergillosis with azole resistance is increasing, but the mechanisms underlying the development of resistance and treatment strategies are still limited. The present work is focused on finding a relationship between long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (LCUFAs), Aspergillus fumigatus development, and antifungal resistance. The effects of LCUFAs on antifungal agents in vitro were determined, and the stearic acid desaturase gene (sdeA) of A. fumigatus was characterized. In in vitro antifungal tests, LCUFAs antagonized the antifungal activity of itraconazole by extracting it from media, thereby preventing it from entering cells. The OA auxotrophic phenotype caused by an sdeA deletion confirmed that SdeA was required for OA biosynthesis in A. fumigatus. Furthermore, several low-level sdeA-overexpressing mutants with impaired vegetative growth phenotypes were successfully constructed. Additionally, an sdeA-overexpressing mutant, OEsdeA-5, showed lowered sensitivity levels to itraconazole. Moreover, RNA sequencing of OEsdeA-5 revealed that the altered gene-expression pattern. Through targeted metabolomics, decreased palmitic acid and stearic acid contents, accompanied by higher palmitoleic acid, margaroleic acid, and OA production levels, were found in OEsdeA-5. This study provides a novel insight of understanding of azole resistance and a potential target for drug development.

Fatty acid secretion by the white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor.

Fungi can acquire and store nutrients through decomposing and converting organic matter into fatty acids. This research demonstrates for the first time that the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor has the ability to secrete extracellular droplets which can contain a high concentration of long-chain fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids as well as monosaccharides and polysaccharides. The concentration and composition of the fatty acids varied according to the age of the droplet and the feedstock used for growth of the fungi. The results raise the possibility that these droplets could be harvested offering a new approach for the microbial generation of oil from waste.