TAG Levels Research Articles

Supplementation of Amla (Emblica officinalis) Fruit Powder Modulate Growth and Reduce Heat Stress in Broiler Chickens

Heat stress is a significant environmental challenge that impairs broiler production, negatively impacting growth, feed intake, nutrient absorption, and gut ecology. Various methods exist to mitigate heat stress such as genetic and nutritional approaches, air conditioning, ventilation, and antibiotic growth promoters but they are often expensive and not always adequate. Keeping this view in mind, research has been focused on medicinal herbs which are available, cheap and safer to use. Amla fruit possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-stress properties that could mitigate heat stress’s harmful effects on broilers. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the impact of amla fruit powder on growth performance, gut microbiota and blood lipid profile of broilers under ambient temperature and heat stressed condition. A total of 126 broiler chicks were divided into two major groups, one group kept under ambient temperature and another group exposed to heat stress. Each major group was split into 3 subgroups with 3 replications having 7 chicks per replication. In case of each major groups, first sub groups were kept as a control and latter two groups were supplemented with 0.5% and 1.0% amla fruit powder, respectively. Total duration of the experiment was 35 days, where treatments were given with basal diet from 12 days. All the experiment birds were maintained with the similar management except the experimental diets. The results showed that body weight and body weight gain at the end of the experiment were higher in amla treated group than in the control group at both temperatures. Supplementation of amla fruit powder also improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and dressing percentage than the control groups. Additionally, amla powder reduced TC, TAG and LDL levels and slightly increased HDL content. Amla fruit powder decreased pathogenic bacterial population such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. concentration in the gut and increased probiotic bacterial concentration such as Lactobacillus spp. under both rearing temperatures. Taken together, it can be concluded that, amla fruit powder could be used as an alternative tool to improve broiler performance and mitigate the deleterious effects of heat stress on broiler chickens.

Extraction of target structures in learners' corpora

Foreign language (FL) or second language (L2) corpora are sets of productions by non-native speakers, learners of a given language, which contemplate the errors and well-formed structures produced. These serve different research objectives, such as studies on language acquisition (LE and L2), phenomena of linguistic interference or analysis and diagnosis of LE/L2 proficiency levels. In the context of this research, the definition of the learner's proficiency level is often relevant, and this is done, typically, through the analysis of the presence or absence of errors in the learners' productions, based on mappings of typical or expected errors and well-formed structures for a given level of proficiency. However, contrary to the learner's error – which is explicitly marked in the corpus and whose typology and methodology of analysis constitutes a subtopic of investigation on its own –, the well-formed structures, and in particular the target structures (well-formed structures expected in the learners' productions of a given level of proficiency), are not easily identifiable in the corpora. The work presented here aims to fill this gap in COPLE2 – Corpus of Portuguese Foreign/Second Language through the use of expressions in CQL – Corpus Query Language. Based on pre-identified target structures and on the information made available in COPLE2, such as morphosyntactic tagging and different levels of information and annotation (learner production, teacher correction, normalized form, lemma, etc.), we propose query expressions in CQL that easily allow any user to immediately extract examples of target structures by proficiency level. The construction of the query expressions implies the definition and testing of the best strategies for each case and requires the systematization of linguistic rules and patterns of occurrence of the phenomena in question, but also the definition of ways to circumvent the limitations inherent to the corpus annotation, on the one hand, and the query language, on the other.

Sub-chronic exposure to hexaconazole affects the lipid metabolism of rats through mTOR-PPAR-γ/SREBP1 signaling pathway mediated by oxidative stress

Hexaconazole (Hex) is a widely used and high frequency detected triazole fungicide in agricultural products and environment which may pose potential toxicity to the nontargeted organisms. Hex had been reported to affect lipid homeostasis while the mechanism was undefined. This study aims to explore the characteristic lipidomic profiles and clarify the underlying signaling pathways of Hex-induced lipid metabolism disorder in rat liver. The results showed that sub-chronic exposure to environmental related concentrations of Hex caused histopathological changes, oxidative stress, fat accumulation, lipid biochemical parameter increase in rats. Moreover, the untargeted lipidomic analysis showed that the levels of TAG, PC, and PE and the pathway of glycerophospholipid metabolism were heavily altered by Hex. We further analyzed the lipid metabolism related genes and proteins which revealed that Hex exposure increased amount of lipogenesis by activating oxidative stress-mediated mTOR-PPAR-γ/SREBP1 signaling pathways. The imbalance of lipid homeostasis induced by Hex exposure might further lead to obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and hyperlipidemia. Our results provided systematic and comprehensive evidence for the mechanism of Hex-induced lipid metabolism disorder at environmental concentrations and supplied a certain basis for its health risks assessment.

Non-classical circulating monocytes expressing high levels of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 tag an aberrant IFN-response in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex disease that affects the connective tissue, causing fibrosis. SSc patients show altered immune cell composition and activation in the peripheral blood (PB). PB monocytes (Mos) are recruited into tissues where they differentiate into macrophages, which are directly involved in fibrosis. To understand the role of CD14+ PB Mos in SSc, a single-cell transcriptome analysis (scRNA-seq) was conducted on 8 SSc patients and 8 controls. Using unsupervised clustering methods, CD14+ cells were assigned to 11 clusters, which added granularity to the known monocyte subsets: classical (cMos), intermediate (iMos) and non-classical Mos (ncMos) or type 2 dendritic cells. NcMos were significantly overrepresented in SSc patients and showed an active IFN-signature and increased expression levels of PTGES, in addition to monocyte motility and adhesion markers. We identified a SSc-related cluster of IRF7+ STAT1+ iMos with an aberrant IFN-response. Finally, a depletion of M2 polarised cMos in SSc was observed. Our results highlighted the potential of PB Mos as biomarkers for SSc and provided new possibilities for putative drug targets for modulating the innate immune response in SSc.

Multiomics Approaches Identify Biomarkers for BAT Thermogenesis.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis confers beneficial effects on metabolic diseases such as obesity and type-2 diabetes. Nevertheless, the mechanism and lipid driving the process that evokes this response have not been investigated yet. Here, a multiomics approach of integrative transcriptomics and lipidomics is used to explore the mechanism of regulating thermogenesis in BAT and providing promising lipid biomarkers and biomarker genes for thermogenic activators as antiobesity drugs. Lipidomics analysis demonstrated that a high abundance of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids was more significant in BAT than in WAT. Enrichment analysis of upregulated DEGs between WAT and BAT screened suggested that the differences were mainly involved in lipid metabolism. Besides, β3-adrenergic agonist stimulation reduced the levels of TAG and DAG and increased the content of PC, PE, CL, and LPC and expression of genes involved in thermogenesis, fatty acid elongation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism in BAT. In this study, based on interpreting the inherent characterization of BAT as thermogenic tissue through comparison with WAT as fat storage tissue, adrenergic stimulation-induced BAT thermogenesis further identified specific lipid biomarkers (7 TAG species, 10 PC species, 1 LPC species, and 1 CL species) and Elovl3 and Crat gene biomarkers, which may provide targets for combating obesity by boosting BAT thermogenesis.

Quantification of lipid droplets in hatchery reared veliger larvae of the green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus

Domestication efforts and selective breeding in bivalve aquaculture would greatly benefit from reliable screening biomarkers in the early life stages of development (e.g., larvae). In this study the lipids remaining at the completion of embryo development in selectively-bred/hatchery reared green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, were targeted and quantified using two approaches: confocal laser scanning microscopy and image analysis (CLSM/IA) on Oil Red-O stained larva (i.e., lipid droplet number and volume distribution), and Iatroscan thin layer chromatography/flame ionization detection (TLC/FID) (i.e., energetic and structural lipid classes content). Four groups of newly formed pre-feeding veliger larvae, produced from two genetically distinct families (FA, FB) that completed embryo development at either low (L, 17 °C) or high (H, 21 °C) temperatures, were evaluated. The FB produced offspring better equipped to deal with higher temperatures during embryonic development, with greater survival, higher normal development, and larger larvae than FA when developing at 21 °C. In terms of lipids content, CLSM/IA showed that each individual larva had overall between 83 and 157 lipid droplets (ranging in volume from 2.5 to 294 μm3). The TLC/FID estimation of mean total lipid content ranged from 4.1 to 6.9 ƞg larva−1 (29–39% structural lipid and 62–69% energetic lipid). Both lipid quantification methods were successful in detecting differences among larval groups with different genetic backgrounds, as well as providing insight into the ability to cope with changes in the growing environment when relying on maternal energy sources (triacylglycerol-TAG identified as the main source of energy for early development). Stronger differences between the two families were identified using CLSM/IA than with TLC/FID (i.e., with FA having overall more and larger lipid droplets). However, TLC/FID was able to distinguish FA larvae reared at high temperatures from the other groups (due to lower levels of TAG, 46% of total lipids, versus 52–56% in the other groups), therefore being more sensitive to the pooled population response compared to the individual lipid droplet quantification in CLSM/IA. The application of these tools, when fully developed, could be extended to controlled commercial operations to diagnose and predict larval performance, enabling more directed early screening and informing production and breeding decisions.

The Effect of Organic Hawthorn (Crataegus tanacetifolia) Fruit Vinegar Supplement on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Some Serum Parameters in Broiler Chickens Subjected to Cyclic Heat Stress

Background: This study, it was aimed to determine the effects of adding organic hawthorn (Crataegus tanacetifolia) fruit vinegar (HFV) in different doses to the drinking water of broiler chickens reared under cyclic heat stress (CHS) on performance, carcass characteristics and some serum parameters. Methods: In the study, 300 one-day-old broiler chickens (Ross 308), after a 1-week acclimation period, were tested in two different (24 and 35°C) ambient temperatures and three different HFV levels (0, 2 and 4 ml/L) according to the 2x3 factorial experimental design. Chicks were randomly distributed to 6 experimental groups with 5 replications, with 10 animals in each replication. The addition of organic HFV to the drinking water of broiler chickens subjected to CHS didn’t affect growth performance, carcass characteristics and visceral weight (P greater than 0.05). Addition of HFV increased serum FFA level, decreased serum MDA, HDL and TAG levels (p less than 0.05) and did not affect other serum parameters (P greater than 0.05) in CHS-treated groups. Result: As a result, it was concluded that the addition of HFV to the drinking water of broiler chickens exposed to cyclic heat stress did not have any negative effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics and visceral weights, but it could be beneficial in preventing lipid peroxidation.

Weight loss associated with low-energy diets with different glycaemic loads does not improve arterial stiffness: a randomised clinical trial.

We evaluated the effects of two low-energy diets with different glycaemic loads on arterial stiffness in adults with excess weight. This was a 45-day parallel-group, randomised clinical trial including seventy-five participants (20-59 years; BMI 32 kg/m2). They were assigned to two similar low-energy diets (reduction of ∼750 kcal.d-1) with macronutrient composition (55 % carbohydrates, 20 % proteins and 25 % lipids) but different glycaemic loads: high-glycaemic load (HGL 171 g.d-1; n 36) or low-glycaemic load (LGL 67 g.d-1; n 39). We evaluated: arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV); augmentation index (AIx@75); reflection coefficient; fasting blood glucose; fasting lipid profile; blood pressure and body composition. We found no improvements in PWV (P = 0·690) and AIx@75 (P = 0·083) in both diet groups, but there was a decrease in the reflection coefficient in the LGL group (P = 0·003) compared with baseline. The LGL diet group showed reductions in body weight (Δ -4·9 kg; P = 0·001), BMI (Δ -1·6 kg/m2; P = 0·001), waist circumference (Δ -3·1 cm; P = 0·001), body fat (Δ -1·8 %; P = 0·034), as well as TAG (Δ -14·7 mg/dl; P = 0·016) and VLDL (Δ -2·8 mg/dl; P = 0·020). The HGL diet group showed a reduction in total cholesterol (Δ -14·6 mg/dl; P = 0·001), LDL (Δ -9·3 mg/dl; P = 0·029) but a reduction in HDL (Δ -3·7 mg/dl; P = 0·002). In conclusion, a 45-day intervention with low-energy HGL or LGL diets in adults with excess weight was not effective to improve arterial stiffness. However, the LGL diet intervention was associated with a reduction of reflection coefficient and improvements in body composition, TAG and VLDL levels.

In Vivo Effects of Crataegus pinnatifida Extract for Healthy Longevity.

Aging is a complex series of multi-organ processes that occur in various organisms. As such, an in vivo study using an animal model of aging is necessary to define its exact mechanisms and identify anti-aging substances. Using Drosophila as an in vivo model system, we identified Crataegus pinnatifida extract (CPE) as a novel anti-aging substance. Regardless of sex, Drosophila treated with CPE showed a significantly increased lifespan compared to those without CPE. In this study, we also evaluated the involvement of CPE in aging-related biochemical pathways, including TOR, stem cell generation, and antioxidative effects, and found that the representative genes of each pathway were induced by CPE administration. CPE administration did not result in significant differences in fecundity, locomotion, feeding amount, or TAG level. These conclusions suggest that CPE is a good candidate as an anti-aging food substance capable of promoting a healthy lifespan.

Ectopic Expression of Perilla frutescens WRI1 Enhanced Storage Oil Accumulation in Nicotiana benthamiana Leaves.

Vegetable oils are indispensable in human and animal diets and have been widely used for the production of detergents, lubricants, cosmetics, and biofuels. The seeds of an allotetraploid Perilla frutescens contain approximately 35 to 40% oils with high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). WRINKELD1 (WRI1) encoding an AP2/ERF-type transcription factor is known to upregulate the expression of genes involved in glycolysis and fatty acid biosynthesis and TAG assembly. In this study, two WRI1 isoforms, PfWRI1A, and PfWRI1B were isolated from Perilla and predominantly expressed in developing Perilla seeds. The fluorescent signals from PfWRI1A:eYFP and PfWRI1B:eYFP driven by the CaMV 35S promoter were detected in the nucleus of the Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermis. Ectopic expression of each of PfWRI1A and PfWRI1B increased the levels of TAG by approximately 2.9- and 2.7-fold in N. benthamiana leaves and particularly, the enhanced levels (mol%) of C18:2, and C18:3 in the TAGs were prominent with the concomitant reduction in the amounts of saturated fatty acids. The expression levels of NbPl-PKβ1, NbKAS1, and NbFATA, which were known to be target genes of WRI1, significantly increased in tobacco leaves overexpressing PfWRI1A or PfWRI1B. Therefore, newly characterized PfWRI1A and PfWRI1B can be potentially useful for the enhanced accumulation of storage oils with increased PUFAs in oilseed crops.

Regulation of bta-miRNA29d-3p on Lipid Accumulation via GPAM in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules consisting of approximately 22 nucleotides that are engaged in the regulation of various bio-processes. There is growing evidence that miR-29 is a key regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism. Mimics and inhibitors of bta-miRNA29d-3p were transiently transfected in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) to reveal the regulation of bta-miRNA29d-3p on lipid accumulation in BMECs. Results showed that overexpression of bta-miRNA29d-3p significantly inhibited the expression of genes related to triglyceride (TAG) synthesis, namely DGAT1 and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAM, p < 0.01) and down-regulated TAG levels in cells (p < 0.05). The expression of fatty acid synthesis and desaturation-related genes FASN, SCD1, and ACACA, and transcription factor SREBF1 also decreased. Interference of bta-miRNA29d-3p significantly increased the expression of GPAM, DGAT1, FASN, SCD1, ACACA, and SREBF1 (p < 0.01), and significantly upregulated the concentration of TAG in cells. Furthermore, a luciferase reporter assay confirmed that GPAM is a direct target of bta-miRNA29d-3p. In summary, bta-miRNA29d-3p modulates fatty acid metabolism and TAG synthesis by regulating genes related to lipid metabolism in BMECs and targeting GPAM. Thus, bta-miRNA29d-3p plays an important role in controlling mammary lipid synthesis in cows.

CARNOSINE-LOADED ORAL NIOSOMES AMELIORATE HIGH-FRUCTOSE-INDUCED METABOLIC SYNDROME IN RATS VIA MODULATION OF SIRT1, A METABOLIC MASTER SWITCH

Metabolic syndrome is a crucial health challenge, and the available therapeutic agents are still not effective. Carnosine, a cytoplasmic dipeptide, is a potent anti-glycation, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and chelating agent. However, whether carnosine would be assumed as a potential hypoglycemic agent or not, no decisive report with detailed mechanisms is found yet. As such, we suggest the carnosine-loaded in niosomes as a prospective solution to bypass its unwanted fast degradation by carnosinase which is considered as a major obstacle with the clinical application of carnosine as an oral drug therapy. Toward this, the purpose of our study is to assess the profits of oral administration of carnosine, and carnosine-loaded niosome in HFD-induced metabolic syndrome rats and to inspect some of the involved mechanisms. Initially, carnosine-loaded niosomes were prepared and characterized. Then, metabolic syndrome was provoked by 60% fructose diet in male Sprague Dawley rats where carnosine and carnosine-loaded niosomes were orally administered at doses 50 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, biochemical and molecular studies were performed to clarify the possible mechanisms of action. Data showed that the consumption of 60% fructose diet displayed a tremendous increment in body weight, body mass index as well as a significant elevation in levels of serum glucose, insulin, TAG, TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c and FFA. Also, it showed a significant reduction in levels of serum HDL-c. Furthermore, HFD provoked up-regulation of SREBP-1c and FAS mRNA levels in adipose tissue. Also, it induced down-regulation of SIRT1, GLUT-4 mRNA levels in adipose tissue. We found that oral administration of either carnosine or carnosine-loaded niosome effectively reversed HFD-mediated alterations via SIRT1 activation. Overall, oral delivery of carnosine-loaded niosome had a better efficacy than oral carnosine, attenuating HFD-mediated alterations. Carnosine nano-formulation is a new excellent candidates for metabolic syndrome management and needs further exploration of its mechanisms.

БІОХІМІЧНІ ПОКАЗНИКИ КРОВІ У ХВОРИХ НА РОЗСІЯНИЙ СКЛЕРОЗ, ЯКІ ПЕРЕНЕСЛИ ІНФЕКЦІЮ SARS-CoV-2

B a c k g r o u n d. Currently, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an important medical and social problem. There are already more than 2.8 million people with MS worldwide, and due to the lack of effective methods of treatment and prevention, the number of patients is increasing constantly. Therefore, the search for new ways and approaches aimed towards stabilizing the patient's condition is a priority task of modern neurobiology. It is also important to identify triggers that can lead to accelerating the rate of disease progression. Since MS is an immune-mediated disorder, we hypothesized that concomitant diseases of infectious etiology, via the activation of an inflammatory reactions cascade, can lead to a worsening of the MS patient's condition. However, the final answer to the question of whether acute viral infections affect the condition of patients with MS has not been obtained yet. In the context of the epidemiological situation that has developed in recent years, due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, it is interesting to study the possible negative consequences of COVID-19 in people suffering from MS. The aim of the study was to analyze the general biochemical status of patients with MS who had or did not have a confirmed history of COVID-19. M e t h o d s. A total of 271 participants were enrolled in this study, including 97 MS patients and 30 healthy volunteers who matched for age and sex. Patients with MS were divided into two groups: group I (n= 56; 36 women and 20 men, average age: 41.3±5.5, disease duration: 4.4±1.5 years) – patients with MS who did not have confirmed history of COVID-19 and group II (n= 41; 27 women and 14 men, average age: 40.2±5.6, disease duration: 4.6±1.3 years) – patients with MS, who had a laboratory-verified diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past 4-7 months. Blood serum samples of patients and healthy donors were obtained from the University Clinic of O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine. All patients were diagnosed with MS according to the 2017 McDonald criteria. R e s u l t s. It was established that both groups of MS patients had similar changes in blood biochemical parameters compared to the healthy indicators: a decrease in creatinine and uric acid concentrations; decrease in the levels of particular lipid fractions, namely VLDL and TAG; decrease in the activities of AP and LDH; increase in C-reactive protein concentration. The only significant differences between groups I and II were noted due to multidirectional changes in serum ferritin concentration and an increase in the level of amylase activity in the blood serum of patients with MS in post- COVID period. C o n c l u s i o n s. The absence of statistically significant differences between the blood biochemical parameters in patients with MS who had or did not have confirmed history of COVID-19 indicates the absence of a relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and changes of particular studied parameters. Among the results obtained, the multidirectional changes in ferritin concentration in MS patients before and after COVID-19 could be of great interest to further research.

The triacylglycerol structure and composition of a human milk fat substitute affect the absorption of fatty acids and calcium, lipid metabolism and bile acid metabolism in newly-weaned Sprague-Dawley rats.

In this study, the effect of sn-2 palmitic triacylglycerols (sn-2 palmitic TAGs) and the ratio between the two major sn-2 palmitic TAGs (OPL to OPO ratio) in a human milk fat substitute (HMFS) on growth, fatty acid and calcium absorptions, and lipid and bile acid metabolic alterations was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. After 4 weeks of high-fat feeding, rats fed with the HMFS containing a sn-2 palmitic acid content of 57.87% and an OPL to OPO ratio of 1.4 showed the lowest TAG accumulation in their livers and hypertrophy of perirenal adipocytes, compared to the groups fed with fats containing a lower sn-2 palmitic acid content or a lower OPL to OPO ratio. Meanwhile, synergistically improved absorption of fatty acids and calcium and increased levels of total bile acids (BAs), especially for the tauro-conjugated BAs (TCDCA, TUDCA, TαMCA, TβMCA, TDCA and TωMCA), were observed in rats by both increasing the sn-2 palmitic acid content and the OPL to OPO ratio in HMFS. In addition, the levels of total BAs and tauro-conjugated BAs were negatively correlated with serum TAG, TC, and LDL-c levels and positively correlated with HDL-c levels according to Spearman's correlation analysis (P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings present new nutritional evidence for the potential effects of the TAG structure and composition of a human milk fat substitute on the growth and lipid and bile acid metabolism of the host in infancy.

Identifying Risk Factors Associated with the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy in the Local Population

Objective: To identify the risk factors for developing diabetic retinopathy.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi and Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO), Rawalpindi Pakistan,from Jun 2021 to May 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: A total of one hundred and fifty participants aged 25-70 years were included in the study. All participants were divided into three equal groups. Group-I was of age and gender-matched healthy individuals (n=50), Group-II was of people with diabetes without retinopathy (n=50), and Group-III was of diabetic patients having retinopathy (n=50). All the data of the participants were recorded on an especially designed proforma, and 5ml of venous blood was also drawn from the subjects to measure serum lipid levels.&#x0D; Results: Male gender was more common with 33(66%), 30(60%) and 33(66%) in Group-I, Group-II, and Group-III respectively.Most of the retinopathy cases had sedentary lifestyle 33(66%), poor dietary habits 34(68%), cardiovascular disease 38(76%),diabetic foot ulcers 44(88%) and increased levels of TAGS (p-value 0.001). Nephropathy and smoking showed no significant link with dr.&#x0D; Conclusion: It can be concluded that a sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary habits, cardiovascular disease, diabetic foot and increased TAGS may be risk factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy. These findings can help in the early identification and better prognosis of the disease in high-risk individuals.

The NTPase activity of the double FYVE domain–containing protein 1 regulates lipid droplet metabolism

Lipid droplets (LDs) are transient lipid storage organelles that can be readily tapped to resupply cells with energy or lipid building blocks and therefore play a central role in cellular metabolism. However, the molecular factors and underlying mechanisms that regulate the growth and degradation of LDs are poorly understood. It has emerged that proteins that establish contacts between LDs and the endoplasmic reticulum play a critical role in regulating LD metabolism. Recently, the autophagy-related protein, double FYVE domain-containing protein 1 (DFCP1/ZFYVE1) was shown to reside at the interface of the endoplasmic reticulum and LDs, however, little is known about the involvement of DFCP1 in autophagy and LD metabolism. Here, we show that DFCP1 is a novel NTPase that regulates free fatty acid metabolism. Specifically, we show that DFPC1-knockdown, particularly during starvation, increases cellular free fatty acids and decreases the levels of cellular TAGs, resulting in accumulated small LDs. Using selective truncations, we demonstrate that DFCP1 accumulation on LDs in cells and invitro is regulated by a previously unknown NTPase domain. Using spectroscopic approaches, we show that this NTPase domain can dimerize and can hydrolyze both ATP and GTP. Furthermore, mutations in DFCP1 that either impact nucleotide hydrolysis or dimerization result in changes in the accumulation of DFCP1 on LDs, changes in LD density and size, and colocalization of LDs to autophagosomes. Collectively, our findings suggest that DFCP1 is an NTPase that modulates the metabolism of LDs in cells.

In-Season Consumption of Locally Produced Tomatoes Decreases Cardiovascular Risk Indices

Tomatoes are widely consumed worldwide at any time of the year. However, depending on the variety, they have a characteristic season. We evaluated the consequences metabolic of consumption of Ekstasis tomatoes from different geographical origin and in different seasons in Fischer 344 rats. The hepatic gene expression of key enzymes in lipid metabolism was also evaluated. Animals were classified in three photoperiods (L6, L12, and L18) and in three treatments (vehicle: VH; local tomato: LT; and non-local tomato: nLT). We measured serum metabolic parameters and the gene expression of liver enzymes related to lipid metabolism (Acc1, Cpt1a, Had, Fas1, Srebp-1c, Fatp5, Cd36). LT consumption in season decreased cardiovascular risk 1 and coefficient atherogenic by 1.81 (p = 0.031) and in L6 decreased TAG and glucose (p = 0.046; p = 0.024). The L18-LT animals had decreased total cholesterol (p = 0.029) and gene expression of Srebp1-c (p = 0.022) but increased expression of Acc1 (p = 0.032). The treatments significantly affected the expression of Acc1 and Fas1 in the liver and the levels of serum TAG and glucose. A significant effect of photoperiod on serum concentration of glucose, insulin, HOMA index, and on the hepatic expression of Srep1-c, Fas1, and Acc1 was observed.

Lipid composition remodeling and storage lipid conversion play a critical role in salt tolerance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) leaves

Alfalfa is the most important forage internationally due to its high yield and nutritional value, but its production is severely limited by soil salinization. A better understanding of alfalfa’s salt response mechanism is needed to provide guidance for breeding salt tolerant varieties. Lipidomic profiling of the salt-tolerant alfalfa cultivar Medicago sativa cv. Zhongmu-4 was performed after salt treatment. Of the 275 molecular species of lipid identified, 171 had altered levels after salt treatment. The levels of phospholipids, glycolipids, fatty acids, and sphingolipids decreased whereas lysophospholipids and glycerides accumulated in the salt treated plants. Specifically, higher PC/PE and DGDG/MGDG ratios and increased levels of FA 18:3 were observed, suggesting that changes in bilayer membrane structure integrity and fluidity maintenance occur in alfalfa leaves during salt stress. An accumulation of DAG (36:6, 36:5) and TAG (54:8, 54:9, 54:7, 54:6, 52:5, 52:6) was found, consistent with their potential role as storage substrates for membrane regeneration under salt stress. Changes in PI, LPC (16:0, 18:3, 18:2, 18:0), LPE (16:0, 18:2), and Cer (42:1;4 O, 34:1;4 O, 40:1;4 O) suggest these compounds may play a role in signal transduction under salt stress. The levels of PE, DGDG, and TAG were highly correlated (r＞0.8) with changes in salt-related physiological parameters. In addition, the apparent remodeling of lipid profiles was supported by complementary changes in gene expression, including DGD2, SQD2, FAD2, DGK, DGAT, and TAGL, that can be important candidate genes for alfalfa salt tolerance improvement. The detailed description of the changes occurring in lipid profiles and gene expression in alfalfa under salt stress provided by this study implicate lipid remodeling as an important feature of the salt-stress response, and provides a basis for the genetic improvement of alfalfa salt tolerance.

Changes in Liver Histomorphology, Hematological Parameters and Lipid Profile of Cadmium-Exposed Rats Treated with Combined Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina and Occimum gratissimum

Aim: This study was aimed at examing the effect of mixture of Ocimum gratissimum extract and Vernonia amygdalina extract on lipid profile and hematological parameters of Wistar rats administered with cadmium.&#x0D; Methodology: Sixteen female rats were divided into four groups and designated as follows: Group 1-Control (Normal Saline,) Group 2-(Cadmium 10mg/kg bwt), Group 3 (Normal saline, leaf extract 200kg/kg bwt) Group 4 (Cadmium 10mg/kg bwt and leaf extract 200kg/kg bwt) and were treated for 28 days (4 weeks).&#x0D; Results: Exposure of rats to Cadmium alone (Group B) brought about significant increase in levels of Cholesterol, TAG and LDL with a decrease in HDL compared to control and rats maintained on plant extract alone (Group 3). However, treatment of Cd-exposed rats with mixture of the plant extracts (Group 4) significantly reduced Cholesterol, TAG and LDL with an increase in HDL compared to rats maintained on Cd alone (Group 2). The PCV and RBC of the rats administered with the cadmium showed a significant reduction when compared to the control group, whereas the WBC increased significantly (p&lt; 0.05). The group administered with the leaf extract and a combination of the leaf extract and cadmium recorded an increased in the (PCV), (RBC) level of the Wistar rat and a reduction in the (WBC) level when compared to the group administered with cadmium.&#x0D; Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that mixture of Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina extracts have lipid lowering properties that may be advantageous to those with the problem of cadmium toxicity. The extracts were also found to be efficient in decreasing cholesterol, triacylglyceride, and low density lipoprotein levels, indicating that they have hypocholesterolaemic properties.

Effects of perfluorobutane sulfonate and perfluorooctane sulfonate on lipid homeostasis in mouse liver

Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), an alternative to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), has been increasingly used in recent years. However, emerging evidence has raised concerns about the potential health risks of PFBS. Here, the toxicityof low-dose PFBS on livers was explored and compared with that of PFOS. Adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 10 μg/L, 500 μg/L PFBS, or 500 μg/L PFOS for 28 days through drinking water. At the phenotypic level, no liver damage was observed in the 10 μg/L PFBS group. The cell apoptosis and decrease of CAT activities were observed in the 500 μg/L PFBS group, while accumulation of lipid droplets, increase of CAT activities and TAG levels were found in the 500 μg/L PFOS group. Lipidomics analysis revealed that 138, 238, and 310 lipids were significantly changed in the 10 μg/L, 500 μg/L PFBS and 500 μg/L PFOS groups, respectively. The two PFBS-treated groups induced similar global lipid changes in a dose-dependent manner, which were distinct from PFOS. Overall, PFBS exposure induced an increase in phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins, but a decrease in phosphatidylinositol. PFOS exposure caused an increase in triacylglycerols. This study provides more evidence on the health hazards caused by exposure to low-dose PFBS.