A single supplement of a standardised bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract (36 % wet weight anthocyanins) modifies glycaemic response in individuals with type 2 diabetes controlled by diet and lifestyle

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The anthocyanins in black currants regulate postprandial hyperglycaemia primarily by inhibiting α-glucosidase while other phenolics modulate salivary α-amylase, glucose uptake and sugar transporters

We are grateful to the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS), the University of Aberdeen and Nutricia Research Foundation for funding. We thank Graham Horgan from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland for their assistance with the statistical analysis. We thank Gordon J. McDougall and Rex M. Brennan, from The James Hutton Institute for supplying the currants. None of the authors had any conflicts of interest.Peer reviewedPostprin

Analysis of polyphenolic metabolites from in vitro gastrointestinal digested soft fruit extracts identify malvidin-3-glucoside as an inhibitor of PTP1B

Acknowledgements We are grateful to the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS), the University of Aberdeen and Nutricia Research Foundation for funding. We thank Graham Horgan from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland for their assistance with the statistical analysis. We thank Gordon J. McDougall and Rex M. Brennan, from The James Hutton Institute for supplying the soft fruits.Peer reviewedPostprin

A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial to evaluate bread, in which gluten has been pre-digested by prolyl endoprotease treatment, in subjects self-reporting benefits of adopting a gluten-free or low-gluten diet

Acknowledgements We are grateful for the support of the staff from the Rowett Institute Human Nutrition Unit. The present study was supported by a grant (Bakery Products for Non-Coeliac Gluten sensitive Consumers) from Innovate UK (101740). The funder Innovate UK had no role in the design, analysis or writing of this article. Warburton Ltd. provided the experimental bread. DSM Food Specialities B.V. provided the protease ANPEP. The study is registered under the Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT02308397. NH proposed the study concept. NH and DR designed research. DR recruited the subjects and carried out the intervention, laboratory analysis, data collection and collation. MC and KM helped with recruitment. GC performed the analysis of the breads. GH and DR analysed the data. DR prepared the manuscript; NH had primary responsibility for final content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. The authors have no financial or personal conflicts of interest to declare.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Anthocyanin-enriched bilberry extract attenuates glycaemic response in overweight volunteers without changes in insulin

Acknowledgements We are grateful to the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) for funding. We thank staff in The Human Nutrition Unit at the University of Aberdeen, Rowett Institute for their assistance with the study, and Indena S.p.A. for supplying the Mirtoselect® bilberry extract. We are grateful to the Kuwait government for additional funding. None of the authors had any conflicts of interest.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Leptin receptor gene expression and number in the brain are regulated by leptin level and nutritional status

Hormone potency depends on receptor availability, regulated via gene expression and receptor trafficking. To ascertain how central leptin receptors are regulated, the effects of leptin challenge, high-fat diet, fasting and refeeding were measured on leptin receptor number and gene expression. These were measured using quantitative 125I-labelled leptin in vitro autoradiography and in situ hybridisation, respectively. Ob-R (all forms of leptin receptor) expression in the choroid plexus (CP) was unchanged by high-fat diet or leptin challenge, whereas fasting increased but refeeding failed to decrease expression. 125I-labelled leptin binding to the CP was increased by fasting and returned to basal levels on refeeding. 125I-Labelled leptin was reduced by leptin challenge and increased by high-fat feeding. Ob-Rb (signalling form) in the arcuate (ARC) and ventromedial (VMH) nuclei was increased after fasting and decreased by refeeding. Leptin challenge increased Ob-Rb expression in the ARC, but not after high-fat feeding. In general, changes in gene expression in the ARC and VMH appeared to be largely due to changes in area rather than density of labelling, indicating that the number of cells expressing Ob-Rb was the parameter that contributed most to these changes. Leptin stimulation of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3), a marker of stimulation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) pathway, was unchanged after high-fat diet. Thus, early loss of leptin sensitivity after high-fat feeding is unrelated to down-regulation of leptin receptor expression or number and does not involve the JAK/STAT pathway. The effect of leptin to decrease 125I-labelled leptin binding and the loss of ability of leptin to up-regulate Ob-Rb expression in the ARC after high-fat feeding offer potential mechanisms for the development of leptin insensitivity in response to both hyperleptinaemia and high-fat diet