Gut Flora Metabolism of Phosphatidylcholine Promotes Cardiovascular Disease

Metabolomics studies hold promise for the discovery of pathways linked to disease processes. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide. Here we used a metabolomics approach to generate unbiased small-molecule metabolic profiles in plasma that predict risk for CVD. Three metabolites of the dietary lipid phosphatidylcholine—choline, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and betaine—were identified and then shown to predict risk for CVD in an independent large clinical cohort. Dietary supplementation of mice with choline, TMAO or betaine promoted upregulation of multiple macrophage scavenger receptors linked to atherosclerosis, and supplementation with choline or TMAO promoted atherosclerosis. Studies using germ-free mice confirmed a critical role for dietary choline and gut flora in TMAO production, augmented macrophage cholesterol accumulation and foam cell formation. Suppression of intestinal microflora in atherosclerosis-prone mice inhibited dietary-choline-enhanced atherosclerosis. Genetic variations controlling expression of flavin monooxygenases, an enzymatic source of TMAO, segregated with atherosclerosis in hyperlipidaemic mice. Discovery of a relationship between gut-flora-dependent metabolism of dietary phosphatidylcholine and CVD pathogenesis provides opportunities for the development of new diagnostic tests and therapeutic approaches for atherosclerotic heart disease

Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics (vol 587, pg 252, 2020)

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Critérios diagnósticos para os transtornos alimentares: conceitos em evolução Diagnostic criteria for eating disorders: evolving concepts

O presente artigo apresenta o "estado de arte" da discussão acerca dos critérios diagnósticos atuais dos transtornos alimentares: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) e Transtorno da Compulsão Alimentar Periódica (TCAP). Dentre os aspectos controversos da AN, destacam-se: a concepção da distorção de imagem corporal, a necessidade da presença de amenorréia para o diagnóstico e a possibilidade de manifestação de AN sem seu aspecto característico, o medo de engordar, em culturas não ocidentalizadas. Quanto à BN, discute-se especialmente a concepção de compulsão alimentar sua freqüência e duração necessárias para o diagnóstico. O artigo apresenta também os critérios sugeridos para o diagnóstico de TCAP e comenta sua difícil distinção com a BN não purgativa. As questões aqui discutidas possibilitarão o aprimoramento da nosologia da área.<br>This article presents the "the state of art" of the discussion over the current diagnostic criteria for eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge-Eating Disorder (BED). Within the controversial aspects of AN, it is outlined: the conception of body image disturbance, the necessity of amenorrhea fpr the diagnosis and the possibility of AN without its characteristic aspect, the morbid fear of weight, in not Westernized cultures. For BN, it is specially discussed the conception of binge-eating and the frequency and duration of episodes necessary for the diagnosis. The article also presents the suggested criteria for BED diagnosis and comments on its difficult distinction from non-purging BN . The issues here discussed shall improve the nosology in the field