Effect of coffee or coffee components on gut microbiome and short-chain fatty acids in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome

We previously showed that male Tsumura Suzuki obese diabetes (TSOD) mice, a spontaneous mouse model of metabolic syndrome, manifested gut dysbiosis and subsequent disruption of the type and quantity of plasma short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and daily coffee intake prevented nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in this mouse model. Here, we present a preliminary study on whether coffee and its major components, caffeine and chlorogenic acid, would affect the gut dysbiosis and the disrupted plasma SCFA profile of TSOD mice, which could lead to improvement in the liver pathology of these mice. Three mice per group were used. Daily intake of coffee or its components for 16 wk prevented liver lobular inflammation without improving obesity in TSOD mice. Coffee and its components did not repair the altered levels of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and an increased abundance of Firmicutes in TSOD mice but rather caused additional changes in bacteria in six genera. However, caffeine and chlorogenic acid partially improved the disrupted plasma SCFA profile in TSOD mice, although coffee had no effects. Whether these alterations in the gut microbiome and the plasma SCFA profile might affect the liver pathology of TSOD mice may deserve further investigation

EFFECTS OF COFFEE INTAKE ON METABOLIC SYNDROME

Background: Metabolic syndrome is one of the most important health issues worldwide. Obesity causes insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and various diseases throughout the body. The liver phenotype, which is called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), frequently progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma. We recently established a new animal model, Tsumura-Suzuki obese diabetic (TSOD) mice, which spontaneously exhibit obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and NASH with liver nodules. Methods: We examined the effects of coffee intake on various conditions of the metabolic syndrome using TSOD mice. The daily volume of coffee administered was limited so that it reflected the appropriate quantities consumed in humans. To clarify the effects of the specific components, animals were divided into two coffee-intake groups that included with and without caffeine. Results: Coffee intake did not significantly affect obesity and hyperlipidemia in TSOD mice. In contrast, coffee intake caused various degrees of improvement in the pancreatic beta cell damage and steatohepatitis with liver carcinogenesis. Most of the effects were believed to be caused by a synergistic effect of caffeine with other components such as polyphenols. However, the antifibrotic effects of coffee appeared to be due to the polyphenols rather than the caffeine. Conclusions: A daily habit of drinking coffee could possibly play a role in the prevention of metabolic syndrome

The Clathrin Assembly Protein PICALM Is Required for Erythroid Maturation and Transferrin Internalization in Mice

Phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein (PICALM), also known as clathrin assembly lymphoid myeloid leukemia protein (CALM), was originally isolated as part of the fusion gene CALM/AF10, which results from the chromosomal translocation t(10;11)(p13;q14). CALM is sufficient to drive clathrin assembly in vitro on lipid monolayers and regulates clathrin-coated budding and the size and shape of the vesicles at the plasma membrane. However, the physiological role of CALM has yet to be elucidated. Here, the role of CALM in vivo was investigated using CALM-deficient mice. CALM-deficient mice exhibited retarded growth in utero and were dwarfed throughout their shortened life-spans. Moreover, CALM-deficient mice suffered from severe anemia, and the maturation and iron content in erythroid precursors were severely impaired. CALM-deficient erythroid cells and embryonic fibroblasts exhibited impaired clathrin-mediated endocytosis of transferrin. These results indicate that CALM is required for erythroid maturation and transferrin internalization in mice

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

The Enzymatic Properties of Freezing-dried Cells Part II Staphy. aureus and albus

Using the standard strains of Staphy. aureus and albus stocked in author's department, the author carried out the investigations just in same way as preceeding paper (Part I). The results obtained are following. 1) The freezing-dried cells of both strains showed increased permeability to inhibitors, namely, KCN, NaN(3), NaF, and HXA, compared with the fresh cells of these bacteria. 2) The oxydation of succinate by the freezing-dried cells of both strains were not inhibited in the presence of malonate, while that oxydation by Sal. typhi was inhibited. 3) The oxydation capacity for pyruvate were markedly decreased on the freezing-dried cells of both strains. 4) In the sight of stoichiometrical studies, it could be postulated that the oxydative degradation of glucose by freezing-dried cells of Staphy. aureus might be carried out mainly through the Embden-Myerhof's pathway; and the Warburg-Dickens' shunt was also supposed to be present in the fresh cells of that bacteria. The other pathway for the degradation was thought to be exist in Staphy. albus in either case, fresh or freezing-dried

The Enzymatic Properties of Freezing-dried Cells Part I Sal. typhi 57 S and R

Using the standard strains of Sal. typhi 57 S and R taken from the departmental stock, the author investigated the effects of freezing-drying treatment of bacteria on the specificity of their substrates, the permeability of inhibitors, and the properties of enzyme system, and also observed the differences in enzymatic properties of two strains. The following results were obtained. 1) It was observed the increased permeability of the surface of cells treated by freezing-drying method to inhibitors; NaN3, NaF and HXA. 2) Both strains of bacteria tested could not oxydize gluconate and citrate in fresh state, whil the freezing-dried cells of Sal. typhi 57 R could that in some extent. 3) There was marked decrease of the oxydation capacity for pyruvate by the freezing-dried cells of both strains. 4) From the viewpoint of stoichiometrical studies, it could posturate the presence of different pathway for the degradation of glucose besides Embden-Myerhof's pathway, presumably Warburg-Dicken's shunt, in the fresh cells of Sal. typhi 57 R. But in the freezing-dried cells of both strains the degradation might be carried out through Embden-Myerhof's pathway

Effect of Punch Surface Microtexture on the Microextrudability of AA6063 Micro Backward Extrusion

To apply conventional forming processes to microscale processing, the influence of size effects caused by material properties and friction effects must be considered. Herein, the effects of tool surface properties, such as punch surface texture, on microextrusion properties, such as extrusion force, product shape, and product microstructure, were investigated using AA6063 billets as test pieces. Millimeter-scale, microscale, and nanoscale textures were fabricated on the punch surfaces. Punch texturing was conducted by electrical discharge machining or polishing or using a laser process. The extrusion force increased rapidly as the stroke progressed for all punch textures. Comparing the product shapes, the smaller the texture size, the lower the adhesion and the longer the backward extrusion length. The results of material analysis using electron backscatter diffraction show that material flowability is improved, and more strain is uniformly applied when a nanoscale-textured punch is used. By contrast, when a mirror punch was used, material flowability decreased, and strain was applied non-uniformly. Therefore, by changing the surface properties of the punch, the tribology between the tool and material can be controlled, and formability can be improved