Indigo plant improves serum lipid profiles

We investigated the effects of Polygonum tinctorium Lour (PTL), a plant commonly known as indigo, on biological parameters in an animal model of high-fat diet-induced obesity. Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet and treated with PTL showed lower serum levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol levels and a higher serum levels of HDL cholesterol than those in Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet without PTL treatment. The weight of mesenteric fat in PTL-treated rats was decreased compared to that in control rats not treated with PTL. In addition, energy metabolic rate in the dark period, but not in the light period, in PTL-treated rats was higher than that in control rats. Although a significant difference was not observed, body weight in PTL-treated rats tended to be decreased compared to that in control rats. The results show that PTL improves serum lipid profiles in Wistar rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

ショウガク 1ネンセイ ニオケル ヨウチエン シュッシンシャ ト ホイクショ シュッシンシャ ノ エイヨウ セッシュ ジョウキョウ ノ ヒカク

京都市内の一小学校の1年生120名を対象者に, 6月の休日および平日各1日に摂取した全食品の摂食量の記録を保護者に依頼し, 回答のあった男子41名, 女子47名, 計88名(73.3%)の栄養素および食品群別摂取量を出身別に比較検討した。その結果, 幼稚園出身者が保育所出身者より有意に高値を示したのは, 男子の果実類摂取量, 女子の脂質摂取量, 脂肪エネルギー比率であった。その他の項目では出身別に有意な差は認めなかった。全体において, 推定平均必要量以下の者の割合は, カルシウムは男子56.1%, 女子55.3%, 鉄は男子29.3%, 女子27.7%, ビタミンCは男子34.1%, 女子31.9%, 脂肪エネルギー比率が30%以上の割合は男子61.0%, 女子63.8%, 食塩6g以上の割合は男子78.0%, 女子68.1%と高かった。これより, 小学1年生において出身別の差は少ないこと, カルシウム, 鉄の不足者割合が高く, 脂質及び食塩の摂取量が目標量を超える者の割合が多い可能性が示唆された

ショクジ セッシュ キジュン 2010ネンバン ニ ヨル カンリ エイヨウシ ヨウセイ カテイ ノ ジョシ ガクセイ ノ エイヨウ シンタイ カツドウ ヒョウカ

The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status of women university students in the third-grade of a registered dietitian training course, based on the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese(2010). We initially selected 46 students, and obtained valid responses from 41 students(89.1%). We performed body measurements, blood tests, a dietary weighing method for 3 days, and the measurement of physical activity by the accelerometer. In regard to the physique and blood test of the subjects, 24.4% were underweight, 4.9% were obese and 20.0% were anemic. The dietary weighing method showed that the rate of women who took vitamin C below the estimated average requirement was 90.0%, that of folic acid, iron and calcium were 41.0%, 83.0%, and 68.0% respectively. While the rate of salt intake greater than the dietary goal (7.5g/day)was 36.5%, the rate of fat energy ratio greater than the dietary goal(30%)was 31.7%. The average number of steps per day was 8,907 ± 2,293. These results showed that there was an overall insufficient intake of total energy, vitamins, and minerals, indicating that further nutritional management for the women students is required

Estimation of salt intake and sodium-to-potassium ratios assessed by urinary excretion among Japanese elementary school children

Dietary salt intake is largely responsible for the increase in blood pressure with age. It is important to start effective prevention approaches during childhood. In this study, we estimated salt intake and sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratios assessed by urinary excretion among elementary school children in Kyoto, Japan. A total of 331 subjects aged 9–11 years participated in school checkups in April 2015. Urinary concentrations of sodium, potassium, and creatinine were measured in first morning urine samples. The subjects’ dietary habits were confirmed by questionnaires completed by their parents. The median estimated urinary sodium excretion was 129.0 mmol/day (5.7g/day of salt). In 30.2% of the subjects, their estimated salt intake exceeded their age-specific dietary goal for salt intake recommended by the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese 2015. Multivariate linear regression model analysis after adjustment for age revealed a significant positive correlation between seaweeds or fish paste products consumption and the estimated salt intake (p = 0.02 and 0.02, respectively). The median urinary Na/K ratio (mEq/mEq) was 4.5. Multivariate linear regression model analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between fruit consumption and urinary Na/K ratio (p = 0.04). These results suggest that the high sodium intake and the high Na/K ratios occur among Japanese elementary school children, and that the urinary Na/K ratio in children may be reduced by the daily consumption of fruit

Mother's Physique Strongly Affects Male Infant's Physique Maternal Body Mass Index Correlates with the Neonatal Physique of Male Infants

Recently, in Japan, the percentage of leanness has risen in young women, and the average birth weight has decreased. An increase in the risk of low birth weight has been reported in lean expectant mothers. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationship between mother's physique at the beginning of pregnancy and the infant's physique, by focusing on sex differences. The participants were 3,722 mothers who attended health checkups for 18-month-old infants in an urban Japanese city. The participants were limited to those with full-term births, thereby excluding the influence of gestational length. A total of 1,287 mothers, with 621 boys and 666 girls, were analyzed. Public health professionals interviewed the mothers, and transferred the required information from their maternity passbooks. We examined the physical characteristics of the mothers and their infants. Partial correlation analysis, adjusted by gestational length and the mother's age at delivery, was applied to study the association between the mother's BMI and the infant's physique at birth. In the primipara group, only the boys showed significant positive correlation between the mother's BMI and the birth weight (P = 0.025) and the Kaup index (P = 0.035). In the pluripara group, only the boys showed significant positive correlation between the mother's BMI and the head circumference (P = 0.035). Thus, mother's physique may have a stronger influence on the physique of male infants, compared to female infants. The growth-promoting effect of the mother's physique is more apparent in the infants born to the pluripara

Profiling of faecal water and urine metabolites among Papua New Guinea highlanders believed to be adapted to low protein intake

Introduction: Adequate amount of proteins from foods are normally needed to maintain muscle mass of the human body. Although protein intakes of Papua New Guinea (PNG) highlanders are less than biologically adequate, protein deficiency related disorders have rarely been reported. It has been postulated that gut microbiota play a role in such low-protein-adaptation. Objective: To explore underlying biological mechanisms of low-protein adaptation among PNG highlanders by investigating metabolomic profiles of faecal water and urine. Methods: We performed metabolome analysis using faecal water extracted from faecal samples of PNG highlanders, PNG non-highlanders and Japanese subjects. We paid special attention to amino acids and other metabolites produced by gut microbiota, as well as to metabolites involved in nitrogen recycling in the human gut. Results: Our results indicated that amino acid levels were higher in faecal water from PNG highlanders than PNG non-highlanders, but amino acid levels did not differ between PNG highlanders and Japanese subjects. Among PNG highlander samples, amino acid levels tended to be higher in those who consumed less protein. Conclusion: We speculated that a greater proportion of urea was excreted to the intestine among the PNG highlanders than other groups, and that the urea was used for nitrogen salvage. Intestinal bacteria are essential for producing ammonia from urea and also for producing amino acids from ammonia, which is a key process in low-protein adaptation. Profiling the gut microbiota of PNG highlanders is an important avenue for further research into the mechanisms of low-protein adaptation

Nitrogen fixation and nifH diversity in human gut microbiota

It has been hypothesized that nitrogen fixation occurs in the human gut. However, whether the gut microbiota truly has this potential remains unclear. We investigated the nitrogen-fixing activity and diversity of the nitrogenase reductase (NifH) genes in the faecal microbiota of humans, focusing on Papua New Guinean and Japanese individuals with low to high habitual nitrogen intake. A 15N2 incorporation assay showed significant enrichment of 15N in all faecal samples, irrespective of the host nitrogen intake, which was also supported by an acetylene reduction assay. The fixed nitrogen corresponded to 0.01% of the standard nitrogen requirement for humans, although our data implied that the contribution in the gut in vivo might be higher than this value. The nifH genes recovered in cloning and metagenomic analyses were classified in two clusters: one comprising sequences almost identical to Klebsiella sequences and the other related to sequences of Clostridiales members. These results are consistent with an analysis of databases of faecal metagenomes from other human populations. Collectively, the human gut microbiota has a potential for nitrogen fixation, which may be attributable to Klebsiella and Clostridiales strains, although no evidence was found that the nitrogen-fixing activity substantially contributes to the host nitrogen balance