Huijuan Jia

Beneficial effects of soluble dietary Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus ) in the prevention of the onset of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high-fructose diet-fed rats

Jerusalem artichoke (JA) has the potential to attenuate lipid disturbances and insulin resistance (IR), but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the present study, we elucidated the physiological responses and mechanisms of JA intervention with a comprehensive transcriptome analysis. Wistar rats were fed a control diet, a 60 % fructose-enriched diet (FRU), or a FRU with 10 % JA (n 6-7) for 4 weeks. An oral glucose tolerance test was carried out on day 21. Liver samples were collected for biochemical and global gene expression analyses (GeneChip® Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array, Affymetrix). Fructose feeding resulted in IR and hepatic TAG accumulation; dietary JA supplementation significantly improved these changes. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that the expression of malic enzyme 1 (Me1), associated with fatty acid synthesis; decorin (Dcn), related to fibrosis; and cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily a, polypeptide 2 (Cyp1a2) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt), associated with inflammation, was differentially altered by the FRU, whereas dietary JA supplementation significantly improved the expression of these genes. We established for the first time the molecular mechanisms driving the beneficial effects of JA in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We propose that 10 % JA supplementation may be beneficial for the prevention of the onset of these diseases.

DNA microarray analysis identified molecular pathways mediating the effects of supplementation of branched-chain amino acids on CCl4-induced cirrhosis in rats

SCOPE This study addresses the effects of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on global gene expression in liver and skeletal muscle and the molecular mechanisms underlying the improvement in liver cirrhosis using DNA microarray analysis combined with RNase protection assay. METHODS AND RESULTS Male Wistar rats administered carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4) ) repeatedly for 19 weeks as a decompensated cirrhosis model were thereafter given BCAA-enriched diet (AL) or normal diet (LC) for 5 weeks. The control-diet rats without CCl(4) administration were used as a normal control group. Gene expression in AL was reversed by twofold greater than in LC in the microarray were selected to elucidate the improvements in nutritional and metabolic disorders. Downregulation of fatty acid translocase (FAT)/Cd36, glutamine synthetase, and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoenzyme 4 is believed to promote lower uptake of fatty acids, lower ammonia incorporation, and higher uptake of glucose, and thus to provide an energy source without using BCAA. Ultimately, the catabolism of BCAA and skeletal muscle protein would be slowed, maintaining BCAA concentrations in blood. CONCLUSION We established, for the first time, the regulatory gene pathways of processes involved in hepatic fibrosis and energy metabolism (hypoalbuminemia, hyperammonemia, and carbohydrate catabolism, and their relationships) under BCAA supplementation.

Removal of cadmium from scallop processing waste by washing with weak acid solution and utilization of useful constituents for organic fertilizer manufacturing

Hepatopancreases were washed four times with 2% acetic acid solution. In both the washed hepatopancreases and the supernatant of the washing solution, the residual cadmium (Cd) concentration was in accordance with the required standard for organic fertilizers. Hepatopancreases do not naturally contain high levels of nitrogen, but they do contain several amino acids which are useful for cultivation, and these were retained during the washing process. Although the condensed precipitate of the washing solution contained a considerable amount of Cd, Cd elution levels at the time of final disposal met judgment standard for special management industrial waste as a result of kneading and immobilizing with chelating adsorbent for treatment of contaminated soil. The volume of the precipitate of the washing solution was one-fifth of the original hepatopancreas, and the solid waste was suitable for burial at a final disposal site without further treatment.

Effect of Chinese parsley Coriandrum sativum and chitosan on inhibiting the accumulation of cadmium in cultured rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Toxic heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) accuulate in cultured fish from solid-form feed mixtures. In this paper, two natural ingredients, supposed to inhibit accumulation of heavy metals in the fish body, were investigated to develop a functional feed mixture for healthy fish. Three test diets: (i) #1, regular diet as negative control; (ii) #2, #1 +2% lyophilized Chinese parsley Coriandrum sativum (CP); and (iii) #3, #1 +3% chitosan (CT), were each fed to 50 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss once a day, at the constantrate of 1.0–1.2% of body weight for 12 weeks. No undesirable effect on fish growth was observed by an addition of either CP or CT to regular feed. Then, 10 mg Cd was added to 1 kg each of the three test diets and they were named as: (i) #4, #1 +Cd; (ii) #5, #2 +Cd; and (iii) #6, #3 +Cd, respectively. The fish given positive a control feed (diet #4) for 3 weeks accumulated Cd in the liver and kidney at approximately 0.52 mg/kg. However, Cd in ordinary muscle was found to be just above the detection limit. Upon accumulation of Cd, three groups of 50 fish were each fed test diets #4, #5, and #6 for 12 weeks at the same feed rate described above. The concentrations of Cd accumulated in the liver, kidney, and ordinary muscle of the fish were measured every 3 weeks. Contrary to the positive control fish fed diet #4, those fish fed test diets #5 and #6 accumulated 20–30% and 25–40% less Cd in the liver, respectively. Test diets were a little less effective for inhibition of Cd uptake in the kidney than that observed in the liver. These results suggest that addition of CP or CT to fish feed might be used to decrease toxic heavy metal accumulation in fish.

An Integrated Multi-Omics Study Revealed Metabolic Alterations Underlying the Effects of Coffee Consumption

Many epidemiological studies have indicated that coffee consumption may reduce the risks of developing obesity and diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms of these effects are poorly understood. Our previous study revealed the changes on gene expression profiles in the livers of C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet containing three types of coffee (caffeinated, decaffeinated and green unroasted coffee), using DNA microarrays. The results revealed remarkable alterations in lipid metabolism-related molecules which may be involved in the anti-obesity effects of coffee. We conducted the present study to further elucidate the metabolic alterations underlying the effects of coffee consumption through comprehensive proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Proteomics revealed an up-regulation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (a key enzyme in the TCA cycle) and its related proteins, suggesting increased energy generation. The metabolomics showed an up-regulation of metabolites involved in the urea cycle, with which the transcriptome data were highly consistent, indicating accelerated energy expenditure. The TCA cycle and the urea cycle are likely be accelerated in a concerted manner, since they are directly connected by mutually providing each others intermediates. The up-regulation of these pathways might result in a metabolic shift causing increased ATP turnover, which is related to the alterations of lipid metabolism. This mechanism may play an important part in the suppressive effects of coffee consumption on obesity, inflammation, and hepatosteatosis. This study newly revealed global metabolic alterations induced by coffee intake, providing significant insights into the association between coffee intake and the prevention of type 2 diabetes, utilizing the benefits of multi-omics analyses.

Effect of Chinese parsley Coriandrum sativum on cadmium binding to proteins from the liver and kidney of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Previous reports have shown that solid-form feed mixture with added Chinese parsley (CP) had no influence on either the growth or health of rainbow trout, and the cadmium (Cd) taken up by the fish was, remarkably, reduced by 12–48% in comparison with the control group. In this study, soluble fractions from the liver and kidney underwent gel filtration, and changes of Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations over time for each fraction, and the relationship between the form of Cd that accumulated in tissues and its toxicity, were measured. A nontoxic metallothionein fraction (MTF) of 7 kDa and a high molecular weight fraction (HMF) of about 60 kDa were isolated from the soluble fractions. The induction of nontoxic MT–Cd was 1.6 times higher (p < 0.05) in the CP added group than in the control group. Moreover, Cd present in the HMF from the CP addition group also increased from the 3rd week and was 1.7 times higher by the 12th week (p < 0.05), even though the HMF was reported to hardly or slightly bind to Cd. These findings suggest that the interaction with several ingredients in CP may contribute to bind metallothionein (MT) and reduce the toxicity of harmful heavy metals, without effect on fish physiology.

Eggshell membrane powder ameliorates intestinal inflammation by facilitating the restitution of epithelial injury and alleviating microbial dysbiosis

Gut microbiota is an essential factor in the shaping of intestinal immune system development and driving inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We report the effects and microbe-host interactions underlying an intervention using fine powder of eggshell membrane (ESM) against IBD. ESM attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production and promoted the Caco-2 cell proliferation by up-regulating growth factors in vitro. In a murine model of dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis, ESM significantly suppressed the disease activity index and colon shortening. These effects were associated with significant ameliorations of gene expressions of inflammatory mediators, intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, restitution-related factors and antimicrobial peptides. Multifaceted integrated omics analyses revealed improved levels of energy metabolism-related genes, proteins and metabolites. Concomitantly, cecal metagenomic information established an essential role of ESM in improving dysbiosis characterized by increasing the diversity of bacteria and decreasing absolute numbers of pathogenic bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli, as well as in the regulation of the expansion of Th17 cells by suppressing the overgrowth of segmented filamentous bacteria. Such modulations have functional effects on the host; i.e., repairing the epithelium, regulating energy requirements and eventually alleviating mucosal inflammation. These findings are first insights into ESM’s modulation of microbiota and IBD suppression, providing new perspectives on the prevention/treatment of IBD.

Effects of Chinese Parsley (Coriandrum sativum) On Oxidative Stabilities of Diet During Storage as Compared with a Synthetic Antioxidant

The antioxidant activity of Chinese parsley was evaluated as compared to the synthetic antioxidant ethoxyquin during storage at 45°C for 42 days. The oxidative stabilities of diets were determined according to the changes in headspace oxygen consumption, the formation of oxidation products, and the DPPH radical scavenging activity. The results achieved using different oxidation parameters showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in oxidation products and high DPPH radical scavenging activity, suggesting that Chinese parsley is effective in retarding lipid oxidation over a long storage period. On the other hand, the efficiency of ethoxyquin decreased as it was degraded over time. In addition, DPPH radical scavenging activity was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.98, P < 0.01) with the content of caffeic acids, one of the simple polyphenols in Chinese parsley, and thus, caffeic acid may be responsible for the improved oxidative stability. Therefore, results suggested that Chinese parsley, a commonly used plant, can be safely used as a natural antioxidant alternative to synthetic additives for long-term storage in the feed or food industry.

Effect of cadmium binding form on rabbit aminolevulinate dehydratase in high molecular weight fraction of rainbow trout liver

Enzyme inhibition owing to cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the soluble high molecular weight fraction (HMF) of the liver from rainbow trout was investigated by measuring the inhibition of aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD). Factors affecting ALAD, which reacts specifically to metal, were examined before measuring ALAD activity. Although enzyme inhibition by Cd in the HMF was confirmed in the excretion 2 (E2) group fed Chinese parsley (CP), it was weaker than that in the excretion 1 (E1, control) group, probably due to the chelation of Cd by some substances contained in CP. Based on the absorption spectrum, the proportion of Cd bound to cysteine thiol radicals in the HMF of the E2 group was greater than that of E1. The HMF might detoxify harmful metals to some extent because it contains relatively higher levels of cysteine residues than metallothionein (MT) and shows comparatively weak enzyme inhibition. The results of the present study demonstrated that, in addition to MT, HMF is involved in the detoxification of harmful heavy metals in fish.

Maternal Protein Restriction Alters the Renal Ptger1 DNA Methylation State in SHRSP Offspring

We previously reported that maternal protein restriction (LP) during pregnancy increases salt sensitivity in offspring using the Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHRSP). In the present study, we focus on DNA methylation profiles of prostaglandin E receptor 1 gene (ptger1), which is known to be associated with hypertension. We evaluated the ptger1 DNA methylation status via bisulfite sequencing, and analyzed the expression of ptger1-related genes. The results of these analyses showed that, compared to controls, the LP-S offspring exhibited both marked ptger1 hypermethylation, and significantly increased ptger1 expression. Moreover, they also exhibited significantly decreased expression of the downstream gene epithelial Na+ channel alpha (enacα). Interestingly, LP offspring that were provided with a standard water drinking supply (W) also exhibited increased ptger1 methylation and expression. Together, these results suggest that maternal protein restriction during pregnancy modulates the renal ptger1 DNA methylation state in SHRSP offspring, and thereby likely mediates ptger1 and enacα gene expression to induce salt sensitivity.