Palmitic Amide Research Articles

Biomarker identification and risk assessment of cardiovascular disease based on untargeted metabolomics and machine learning

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality, disability, and healthcare costs, with a significant impact on the elderly and contributing to premature deaths across various age groups, including those below age 70. Despite decades of transformative discoveries and clinical efforts, the challenges of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of CVD persist on a massive scale. This study aimed to unravel potential CVD-associated biomarkers and establish a machine learning model for the risk assessment of CVD. Untargeted metabolic assay with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and routine clinical biochemistry test were undertaken on the fasting venous blood specimens from 57 subjects. Four relevant clinical traits and 164 CVD-associated metabolites were identified, especially those related to glycerophospholipid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. The machine learning model achieved from an integrated biomarker panel of palmitic amide, oleic acid, 138-pos (the 138th detected metabolomic feature in positive ion mode), phosphatidylcholine, linoleic acid, age, direct bilirubin, and inorganic phosphate, was able to improve the accuracy of CVD risk assessment up to a high satisfactory value of 0.91. The findings indicate that disorders in the metabolic processes of biological membranes and energy are significantly associated with increased risk of vascular damage in CVD patients. With machine learning methods, the pivotal metabolites and clinical biomarkers offer a promising potential for the efficient risk assessment and diagnosis of CVD.

Surgery-induced gut microbial dysbiosis promotes cognitive impairment via regulation of intestinal function and the metabolite palmitic amide

BackgroundPerioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) are the most common postoperative complications with few therapeutic options. Gut microbial dysbiosis is associated with neurological diseases; however, the mechanisms by which the microbiota regulates postoperative gastrointestinal and cognitive function are incompletely understood.MethodsBehavioral testing, MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing, non-target metabolism, intestinal permeability detection, protein assays, and immunofluorescence staining were employed to discern the impacts of surgery on microbial profiles, intestinal barriers, serum metabolism, and the brain. Interventions in mice included fecal microbiota transplantation, the anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone, Lactobacillus supplementation, indole propionic acid supplementation, and palmitic amide administration.ResultsSurgery-induced cognitive impairment occurs predominantly in aged mice, and surgery-induced alterations in the microbiota composition profile exacerbate intestinal barrier disruption in aged mice. These adverse effects can be mitigated by transferring microbiota from young donors or by bolstering the intestinal barrier function using dexamethasone, Lactobacillus, or indole propionic acid. Moreover, microbiota composition profiles can be restored by transplanting feces from young mice to aged surgical mice, improving neuropathology and cognitive function, and these effects coincide with increased intestinal permeability. Metabolomic screening identified alterations in metabolites in mouse serum after surgery, especially the increase in palmitic amide. Palmitic amide levels in serum and brain can be decreased by transplanting feces from young mice to aged surgical mice. Oral palmitic amide exacerbates cognitive impairment and neuropathological changes in mice.ConclusionsGut microbial dysbiosis in mice after surgery is a key mechanism leading to cognition dysfunction, which disrupts the intestinal barrier and metabolic abnormalities, resulting in neuroinflammation and dendritic spine loss. Intestinal barrier damage and high level of palmitic amide in old mice may be the cause of high incidence of PND in the elderly. Preoperative microbiota regulation and intestinal barrier restoration may be of therapeutic benefit in preventing PND.9Ey9teFKZKXmrKtD72aS7bVideo

Fractionation and Antibacterial Evaluation of the Surface Compounds from the Leaves of Combretum zeyheri on Selected Pathogenic Bacteria.

Combretum zeyheri is traditionally used for the treatment of many infections, including bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to fractionate and evaluate antibacterial activity of the crude extract of C. zeyheri, as well as the surface compounds from the leaves of C. zeyheri, in two pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activities of fractions obtained from chromatographic separations were determined using broth microdilution assay on the laboratory and clinical strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The fractionation of the compounds on the leaf surface yielded 262 fractions. The fractionated compounds with similar TLC profiles were pooled together to yield 47 pools. The extract and pooled fractions CZSC151154, CZSC155160, and CZSC209213 showed significant antibacterial activity with MIC values ranging from 12.5 μg/ml to 100 μg/ml. The clinical strain of S. aureus had MIC greater than 100 μg/ml for CZSC151154 and CZSC155160. The minimum bactericidal concentration values for these fractions were also in the range of 12.5 μg/ml to 100 μg/ml. The extract and fractions CZSC151154, CZSC155160, and CZSC209213 showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of growth in S. aureus. Analyses of the CZSC209213 pool by LC-MS showed the presence of nine compounds which are (3R,7R)-1,3,7-octanetriol, (-)-tortuosamine, 11-aminoundecanoic acid, 1-piperidinecarboxaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-4-isopropylbenzyl alcohol 3-glucoside, hydroxy-isocaproic acid, oleamide, palmitic amide, phytospingosine, and sphinganine. In conclusion, C. zeyheri leaf surface compounds exhibited antibacterial activity. The crude extract and the pooled fractions showed concentration-dependent inhibition of growth on S. aureus. Results from this study indicate the potential of C. zeyheri as a source of lead compounds that may be further developed into antibacterial drugs.

Palmitic acid-based amide as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1M HCl

Due to growing environmental concerns and regulations limiting the use of harmful and toxic synthetic corrosion inhibitors, there is a high demand for sustainable corrosion inhibitors. In this study, a green and rapid technique was used to synthesize amide N-(4-aminobutyl)palmitamide (BAPA) which yielded 91.17% of the product within 2 min, compared to a low yield of 75–80% and a very long 8–10 h reaction time with the conventional thermal condensation method. The chemical structure of BAPA was analyzed by FT-IR, 1HNMR and 13CNMR spectra, as well as CHNS elemental analysis. When applied to mild steel exposed to 1 M HCl, BAPA delayed and reduced corrosion by adsorbing to the steel surface to form a protective layer. The inhibition efficiency increased with increasing amide concentration, and maximal inhibition of 91.5% was observed at 0.5 mM BAPA. The adsorption of BAPA on mild steel in an acidic solution was studied and inhibition performance was correlated with the calculated adsorption-free energy ΔGads, indicating good agreement between the experimental and adsorption findings. Surface morphology of untreated and treated mild steel coupons was evaluated by SEM, and based on density functional theory (DFT) computations and atomic charges analysis, a stronger interaction was observed between BAPA and mild steel surface leading to the formation of a compact protective film on the metallic surface. This protective film is attributed to the presence of nitrogen atoms and carbonyl group in the chemical structure of BAPA.

Serum metabolomic analysis reveals key metabolites in drug treatment of central precocious puberty in female children.

Precocious puberty (PP) is a common condition among children. According to the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations, PP can be divided into central precocious puberty (CPP, gonadotropin dependent), peripheral precocious puberty (PPP, gonadotropin independent), and incomplete precocious puberty (IPP). Identification of the variations in key metabolites involved in CPP and their underlying biological mechanisms has increased the understanding of the pathological processes of this condition. However, little is known about the role of metabolite variations in the drug treatment of CPP. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the understanding of the crucial metabolites and pathways can help predict disease progression after pharmacological therapy of CPP. In this study, systematic metabolomic analysis was used to examine three groups, namely, healthy control (group N, 30 healthy female children), CPP (group S, 31 female children with CPP), and treatment (group R, 29 female children) groups. A total of 14 pathways (the top two pathways were aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis) were significantly enriched in children with CPP. In addition, two short peptides (His-Arg-Lys-Glu and Lys-Met-His) were found to play a significant role in CPP. Various metabolites associated with different pathways including amino acids, PE [19:1(9Z)0:0], tumonoic acid I, palmitic amide, and linoleic acid-biotin were investigated in the serum of children in all groups. A total of 45 metabolites were found to interact with a chemical drug [a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog] and a traditional Chinese medicinal formula (DBYW). This study helps to understand metabolic variations in CPP after drug therapy, and further investigation may help develop individualized treatment approaches for CPP in clinical practice.

Spirulina platensis Suppressed iNOS and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced BV2 Microglia.

The disease burden of neurodegenerative diseases is on the rise due to the aging population, and neuroinflammation is one of the underlying causes. Spirulina platensis is a well-known superfood with numerous reported bioactivities. However, the effect of S. platensis Universiti Malaya Algae Culture Collection 159 (UMACC 159) (a strain isolated from Israel) on proinflammatory mediators and cytokines remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to determine the anti-neuroinflammatory activity of S. platensis extracts and identify the potential bioactive compounds. S. platensis extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and aqueous) were screened for phytochemical content and antioxidant activity. Ethanol extract was studied for its effect on proinflammatory mediators and cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglia. The potential bioactive compounds were identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) analysis. Ethanol extract had the highest flavonoid content and antioxidant and nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity. Ethanol extract completely inhibited the production of NO via the downregulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and significantly reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6. Emmotin A, palmitic amide, and 1-monopalmitin, which might play an important role in cell signaling, have been identified. In conclusion, S. platensis ethanol extract inhibited neuroinflammation through the downregulation of NO, TNF-α and IL-6. This preliminary study provided insight into compound(s) isolation, which could contribute to the development of precision nutrition for disease management.

Untargeted serum metabolomics reveals specific metabolite abnormalities in patients with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by skip intestinal lesions that can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, the diagnosis of CD is based on clinical history, physical examination and complementary diagnostic tests. It is challenging for physicians to make a definitive diagnosis. This study aimed to analyze the variation in metabolites in CD serum and identify potential predictive biomarkers of CD diagnosis. We collected serum samples from 316 subjects, including patients with CD and healthy controls (HCs). Serum metabolomics was conducted using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Potential biomarkers were screened and evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. A panel of two metabolites (deoxycholic acid and palmitic amide) was identified as a specific biomarker of CD. Receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) showed that the panel had a sensitivity of 80.25% with a specificity of 95.54% in discriminating CD patients from healthy controls. The biomarkers identified are increased in CD compared with healthy controls. Our approach successfully identified serum biomarkers associated with CD patients. The potential biomarkers indicated that CD metabolic disturbance might be associated with bile acid biosynthesis, fatty acids and energy metabolism.

Palmitic Amide Triggers Virus Life Cycle via Enhancing Host Energy Metabolism.

Viruses contribute to the mortality of organisms, consequentially altering biological species composition of an ecosystem and having a threat on human health. As the most famous model for the initiation of virus infection, the Hershey-Chase experiment has revealed that on infection, the bacteriophage genomic DNA is injected into its host bacterium, while the viral capsid is left on the outer membrane of host cell. However, little is known about the injection of any other materials into the cytoplasm of host cells along with genomic DNA to trigger the virus life cycle. In this study, the results showed that palmitic amide packaged in the virions of GVE2, a bacteriophage infecting deep-sea hydrothermal vent thermophile Geobacillus sp. E263, promoted virus infection. Palmitic amide was interacted with acetate kinase to increase its enzymatic activity, thus enhancing the acetate-mediated energy metabolism. Furthermore, palmitic amide promoted tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) to support virus infection. These data indicated that palmitic amide, packaged in the virions, might serve as a second messenger at the initiation step of virus infection by enhancing the host energy metabolism. Therefore our study revealed a novel mechanism for the initiation of the virus life cycle.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Six Fatty Acid Amides in 11 Edible Vegetable Oils Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Fatty acid amides (FAAs) are endogenous lipid molecules that exhibit various physiological activities. FAAs are usually present at nanomolar levels in biological samples. In this study, a method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of six FAAs (linoleamide, linoleoyl ethanolamide, oleoyl ethanolamide, palmitic amide, oleamide, and octadecanamide) in edible vegetable oils was established. All six FAAs were detected in sesame, peanut, soybean (decolorized and non-decolorized), and blended oils; five in sunflower oil; four in rice oil; three in linseed and olive oils; and two in corn and canola oils. The total contents of FAAs were highest in sesame oil (104.88 ± 3.01 μg/mL), followed by peanut oil (34.96 ± 3.87 μg/mL), soybean oil (16.75 ± 1.27 μg/mL), and blended oil (13.33 ± 0.77 μg/mL), and the contents in the other edible vegetable oils were all <1.03 μg/mL. The concentrations of linoleoyl ethanolamide and oleoyl ethanolamide were highest in non-decolorized soybean oil, while the other four FAAs (linoleamide, palmitic amide, oleamide, and octadecanamide) showed the highest concentrations in sesame oil. The total contents of these FAAs in eight different oils were higher than those in biological fluids and tissue. Our study confirmed that edible vegetable oils are rich in FAAs, and provides reliable data for evaluating the nutritive value of vegetable oils.

Evaluation of the physiochemical and metabolite of different region coffee beans by using UHPLC-QE-MS untargeted-metabonomics approaches

Coffee is one of the most important agricultural commodities and has the unique organoleptic characteristics such as strong but not bitter taste, fragrant, oily, and fruity. In this study, an untargeted metabolomics approach based on UHPLC-QE-MS was used to investigate the differences in terms of components of precursor metabolites in coffee beans from 18 producing regions worldwide. Fingerprint analysis, principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis revealed a neat separation among coffee beans. Compounds with high relevance to variance in the projection values in supervised multivariate analysis were selected as important metabolites for the discrimination of coffee samples. In total, 10 different families of compounds were considered as potential markers of the coffee beans: 3-hydroxycoumarin, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic, cryptochlorogenic acid, palmitic amide, linoleamide, arachidic acid, petroselinic acid, trehalose, l-glutamic acid, l-malic acid. The findings presented herein serve as a suitable framework for the design of novel discrimination strategies in food origin tracing.

The compound packaged in virions is the key to trigger host glycolysis machinery for virus life cycle in the cytoplasm.

SummaryViruses depend on the host metabolic machinery to complete their life cycle in the host cytoplasm. However, the key viral factors initiating the host machinery after the virus enters the cytoplasm remain unclear. Here, we found that compounds packaged in the virions of white spot syndrome virus, such as palmitic amide, could trigger the viral life cycle in the host cytoplasm. Palmitic amide promoted virus infection by enhancing host glycolysis by binding to triosephosphate isomerase to enhance its enzymatic activity. The glycolysis enhancement resulted in lactate accumulation, thereby promoting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) expression. HIF-1 upregulation further enhanced glycolysis, which in turn promoted virus infection. Therefore, our study presented novel insight into the initiation of the virus life cycle in host cells.

The Compound Packaged in Virions is the Key to Trigger Host Glycolysis Machinery for Virus Life Cycle in Cytoplasm

WSSV can package some compounds during the infection, among which palmitic amide significantly promoted virus infection. Palmitic amide packaged in virions was released to upregulate HIF-1, leading to the enhancement of glycolysis. Palmitic amide directly bound to triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), an important enzyme in the glycolysis pathway, enhanced the activity of TPI. The enhanced TPI enzyme activity could upregulate the expression of HIF-1 and promote virus infection.

Modification of an atmospheric pressure photoionization source for online analysis of exhaled breath coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Breath analysis is a promising method for metabolomics studies and clinical diagnosis, as it enables the observation of metabolites in a convenient and noninvasive way. In this work, an atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) source was modified for online analysis of exhaled breath by coupling with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOFMS). Three parameters, namely, the capillary voltage, the sampling flow and the curtain gas flow of the APPI source, were optimized. Five healthy volunteers, three males and two females, were enrolled to test the performance of modified APPI-QTOFMS by analyzing their exhaled breath. A total of 21 compounds were tentatively identified, and four metabolites, namely, dimethyl selenoxide, δ-valerolactam, hydroxymandelic acid and palmitic amide were detected in the exhaled breath for the first time. The result shows that modified APPI-QTOFMS can be used for the online study of exhaled breath. Graphical abstract.

Bioassay-Guided Different Extraction Techniques of Carica papaya (Linn.) Leaves on In Vitro Wound-Healing Activities.

Herbal plants are traditionally utilized to treat various illnesses. They contain phytochemicals that can be extracted using conventional methods such as maceration, soxhlet, and boiling, as well as non-conventional methods including ultrasonic, microwave, and others. Carica papaya leaves have been used for the treatment of dengue, fungal, and bacterial infections as well as an ingredient in anti-aging products. Phytochemicals analysis detected the presence of kaempferol, myricetin, carpaine, pseudocarpaine, dehydrocarpaine I and II, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, β-carotene, lycopene, and anthraquinones glycoside. Conventional preparation by boiling and simple maceration is practical, simple, and safe; however, only polar phytochemicals are extracted. The present study aims to investigate the effects of three different non-conventional extraction techniques (ultrasonic-assisted extraction, reflux, and agitation) on C. papaya phytochemical constituents, the antioxidant capacity, and wound-healing activities. Among the three techniques, the reflux technique produced the highest extraction yield (17.86%) with the presence of saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, and phenolic metabolites. The reflux technique also produced the highest 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging with an IC50 value of 0.236 mg/mL followed by ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) (IC50: 0.377 mg/mL) and agitation (IC50: 0.404 mg/mL). At tested concentrations (3.125 µg/mL to 500 µg/mL), all extracts do not exhibit a cytotoxicity effect on the human skin fibroblast, HSF1184. Interestingly, reflux and UAE were active fibroblast proliferators that support 85% (12.5 µg/mL) and 41% (6.25 µg/mL) better cell growth, respectively. Additionally, during the early 24 h of the scratch assay, the migration rate at 12.5 µg/mL was faster for all extracts with 51.8% (reflux), 49.3% (agitation), and 42.5% (UAE) as compared to control (21.87%). At 48 h, proliferated cells covered 78.7% of the scratch area for reflux extract, 63.1% for UAE, 61% for agitation, and 42.6% for control. Additionally, the collagen synthesis was enhanced for 31.6% and 65% after 24 and 48 h of treatment for reflux. An HPLC-MS/MS-QTOF (quadruple time-of-flight) analysis of reflux identified nine phytochemicals, including carpaine, kaempferol 3-(2G-glucosylrutinoside), kaempferol 3-(2″-rhamnosylgalactoside), 7-rhamnoside, kaempferol 3-rhamnosyl-(1->2)-galactoside-7-rhamnoside, luteolin 7-galactosyl-(1->6)-galactoside, orientin 7-O-rhamnoside, 11-hydroperoxy-12,13-epoxy-9-octadecenoic acid, palmitic amide, and 2-hexaprenyl-6-methoxyphenol. The results suggested that reflux was the best technique as compared to ultrasonic and agitation.

Correction of Cold Damage to Mammalian Erythrocytes by Chlorpromazine to Influence the Dynamic Structure of a Membrane

Abstract—The resistance of mammalian erythrocytes (human, dog, horse, bull, and rabbit) to cold shock in the presence of chlorpromazine was studied; its effect on the state of erythrocyte membranes was investigated. The bond strength between membrane phospholipids of mammalian erythrocytes and the characteristics of the cold shock of these cells was determined with the correlation analysis. It has been established that erythrocytes of mammals whose membranes contain a high content of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylethanolamine and a low content of phosphatidylcholines are more resistant to cold shock. Chlorpromazine showed high efficiency in protecting mammalian erythrocytes against cold shock. The dynamic structure of membranes of human erythrocytes treated with the chlorpromazine was studied by EPR of spin-probes. The use of a set of spin-labeled probes: palmitic acid amide, 5-DOXYL stearic acid, and 16-DOXYL stearic acid, which allow studying the micro-viscosity parameters of the lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membranes in the transmembrane direction, made it possible to establish the locations of chlorpromazine action, namely, in the region of polar heads and hydrophobic tails of membrane phospholipids.

An Evaluation of the Chemical Compositions and Antifungal Activity of Ocimum gratissimum (Nchuanwu) Leaves against Some Plant Pathogens

Aim: This work was carried out to determine the chemical compositions of Ocimum gratissimum leaf (Fig. 1) using GC-MS and its antifungal potential against some plant pathogenic fungi.&#x0D; Study Design: The study was designed to determine its chemical compositions by GC-MS and to test the inhibitory ability of the plant extract on plant pathogens.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri and Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria, between February to July 2017.&#x0D; Methodology: The ethanol extract of the leaf of Ocimum gratissimum was evaluated using GC-MS to determine the chemical compositions of the plant. The identification of compounds was done by comparing spectrum of the unknown component with the spectrum of the known components stored in the NIST library. The essential oil of the plant was used to analyze the antifungal potential of the plant. This was done against some plant pathogenic fungi using disc diffusion method and MIC using broth micro dilution method.&#x0D; Results: The GC-MS analysis revealed eight compounds (Fig. 2) with n- Hexadecanoic acid constituting the bulk of the oil (37.21%), followed by Oleic acid (25.38%) and Octadecanoic acid (16.19%). Other compounds present in the plant are Glycyl alcohol (2.47%), Methyl alpha –D- Glucopyranoside (8.33%), Tetradecanoic acid (5.77%), Palmitic amide (2.72%) and d-Glucose, 2,3- diethyl-4,5-dithioacetyl (1.93%). Ocimum gratissimum exhibited different degrees of antifungal activity against the mycelial growth of Aspergillus niger, Botryodiploidia theobromae, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium expansum and Colletotrichum spp and Fusarium oxysporium. The maximum percentage degree inhibition of Ocimum gratissimum oil was observed on A. niger at different concentrations while the least inhibition was observed in Colletotrichum spp at different concentrations.&#x0D; Analysis of some of the compounds found in Ocimum gratissimum such as Methyl alpha.-d-glucopyranoside, Oleic acid etc, reveals the rich pharmacological potential of this medicinal plant and the inhibitory potential of the plant against fungi justify the use of Ocimum gratissimum as a medicine traditionally.

Characterization of Anti-Salmonella typhi Compounds from Medicinal Mushroom Extracts from Zimbabwe.

Antibiotic resistance has become a global concern and threatens the clinical efficacy of many drugs, leading to increased screening of several sources of potential antimicrobial substances. Mushrooms have long been recognized as a valuable source of nutritive and pharmacologically active compounds. Our previous studies showed that the acetone, ethanol, methanol, and cold water crude extracts of various mushrooms-Amanita and Cantharellus species, Ganoderma lucidum, and Lactarius kabansus-exhibited high antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi. The objective of this study was to isolate, characterize, and identify antibacterial compounds from these crude mushroom extracts. The crude extracts were separated by preparative thin-layer chromatography. Fractions (n = 99) were obtained and screened for antimicrobial activity against S. typhi by using the MTT assay. Of the isolated components, 13 exhibited high inhibitory activity against the growth of S. typhi, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 206 to 619 µg/mL. Some of the highly potent antibacterial compounds were identified by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Terpenoids (lucidenic acid M and cavipetin D), a phospholipid (C16 sphinganine), and fatty acid amines (stearamide and palmitic amide) were some of the compounds found to be responsible for the antibacterial activity observed. The importance of local mushrooms as sources of antibacterial compounds was revealed. The high inhibitory activity of some mushroom extracts strongly suggests that the mushrooms contain compounds that have great potential for use in developing therapeutic agents against infections caused by S. typhi.

Transcriptomics and metabonomics of the anti-aging properties of total flavones of Epimedium in relation to lipid metabolism

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTotal flavones of Epimedium (TFE) is the main active ingredient in Herba Epimedii, which is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine that is widely used to treat certain age-related diseases in oriental countries. Aim of the studyThe aim of this work was to investigate the anti-aging properties of TFE related to lipid metabolism. Materials and methodsBoth transcriptomics and metabonomics were applied in this work to investigate the anti-aging properties of TFE. Microarray and LC–MS analysis were conducted on liver samples of three groups of rats, including young (4 months), old (24 months), and old rats administrated TFE. ResultsTranscriptomics analysis highlighted 287 transcripts related to the anti-aging effect of TFE, in which the expression ratio of 18 genes regulating lipid metabolism, including HMGCS1 and NR1H3, returned to normal levels after TFE treatment. In addition, 24 aging-related metabolites were discovered in a metabonomics study, and 15 of these were structurally identified, including palmitic amide, linoleamide, and oleamide. Bioinformatics and integral data analysis on the results of the transcriptomics and metabonomics suggest the involvement of 12 key metabolic pathways, half of which are highly related to lipid metabolism. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the role played by TFE in the lipid metabolism of aging rats is multifaceted and multi-layered.

The metabolites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed greater differences between patients with impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes and healthy controls than those in plasma.

To determine differences between peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the plasma metabolites in patients with impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes and healthy controls. In all, 65 nononobese patients (aged 30-70 years) with impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes and 65 nonobese sex-matched healthy controls were included, and fasting peripheral blood mononuclear cell and plasma metabolomes were profiled. The diabetic or impaired fasting glucose patients showed higher circulating and peripheral blood mononuclear cell lipoprotein phospholipase A2 activities, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and tumour necrosis factor-α than controls. Compared with controls, impaired fasting glucose or diabetic subjects showed increases in 11 peripheral blood mononuclear cell metabolites: six amino acids (valine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan), l-pyroglutamic acid, two fatty acid amides containing palmitic amide and oleamide and two lysophosphatidylcholines. In impaired fasting glucose or diabetic patients, peripheral blood mononuclear cell lipoprotein phospholipase A2 positively associated with peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysophosphatidylcholines and circulating inflammatory markers, including tumour necrosis factor-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lipoprotein phospholipase A2 activities. In plasma metabolites between patients and healthy controls, we observed significant increases in only three amino acids (proline, valine and leucine) and decreases in only five lysophosphatidylcholines. This study demonstrates significant differences in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell metabolome in patients with impaired fasting glucose or diabetes compared with healthy controls. These differences were greater than those observed in the plasma metabolome. These data suggest peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a useful tool to better understand the inflammatory pathophysiology of diabetes.

Serum metabolic fingerprinting after exposure of rats to quinolinic acid

Quinolinic acid (QUIN), one of the end metabolites in the kynurenine pathway, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Serum QUIN concentration rises in patients with renal dysfunction, liver cirrhosis, and many other inflammatory diseases. In the present study, osmotic minipumps containing QUIN (0.3 and 1mg/day) were implanted intraperitoneally into rats for 28days. Then, the physiological and toxicological variables were evaluated and LC-QTOF-MS serum metabolic fingerprinting was performed. QUIN significantly decreased the serum concentrations of several amino acids (phenylalanine, valine, tyrosine, and tryptophan), pantothenic acid, branched chain C4 acylcarnitine, total cholesterol, and glucose; increased the serum concentrations of amides (pentadecanoic amide, palmitic amide, oleamide, and stearamide), polyamines (spermine and spermidine), sphingosine, and deoxy-prostaglandin; caused alterations in phospholipids. This is the first report of comprehensive metabolites analysis after chronic intraperitoneal administration of QUIN. Further studies could develop new therapeutics for patients with disorders accompanied by increased serum level of QUIN.